THE POODLE WITH THE MARASCHINO EYES

Up for auction, our adorable miniature poodle "Cherie". Boy, has she got eyes! They're as red as maraschino cherries floating in buttermilk. And hypnotic. Just looking at them will make you reach for a Manhattan. We like ours with 1-1/2 ounces Maker's Mark, 2 teaspoons Punt e Mes, and 2 teaspoons dry vermouth. Stir with a bar spoon in a shaker filled with cracked ice, then strain into a frosty martini glass. Oh - and don't forget the Cherie!

© BILL BLAIR 2010

NO TIME FOR SIESTA

Basilica Bonga is affectionately known as the town that never sleeps. Day and night, wild carioca-costumed Bongans take to the streets in Latin dance mode. Portia Da Grava, the mayor, makes a point of conducting town business while dancing with her aldermen. She calls it "the perpetual political party!"

© BILL BLAIR 2010

PORTRAIT OF A (EPI)LADY

The famous face of Mona Lisa changed significantly over the three months that she sat for Leonardo. In July, when artist and sitter first met, her hairline started just two inches above her eyebrows. She had, you see, a nervous tick - a neurotic itch. Each day, around noon, Mona would pick out a single hair from her forehead, simultaneously making a little "titch" sound. Over time, as her portrait neared completion, her hairline accordingly receded. On the fourth day of October, when she was allowed to view the finished portrait, Miss Mona's face took on a mysterious bewildered look. Da Vinci noticed it right away - and later that evening went to work, smudging the oil paint to create the iconic expression we know today.
© BILL BLAIR 2010