#st-petah-the-good

[msmercury84]

Wedding Anniversary on the Beach

*Author's note: Wild Bill purchased a rundown beach house in New Jersey. He did construction work until the house was completely remodeled. He, Frannie and their eldest son stayed in the house on occasion. This was before the birth of his second son. Guarnere sold the house and bought another beach house to restore and selling it when it was remodeled. This information is in the book he wrote with Babe. Bill commented, "I've always known how to make a few extra dollars." He also said, "Old enough to eat, old enough to work."

The story about Augusta hitting the judge and the hit and run driver on the head with the judge's gavel and Joseph Guarnere hitting a police officer is true. It's also true that Bill's godfather punched a police officer. Augusta really told a woman in the hospital's office to "Keep him (Bill)!" This info came from a collection of letters belonging to Dick Winters that I found online. The line about "lumping the judge" with his gavel also came from the letters.

Bill was known to be largely non materialistic. This info came from his book. He often said, "We were happy with what we had. Now people keep buying more and more stuff."

The idea of paying his nephews to help him finish the first house on the beach came from my imagination, as did the backstory of the elderly nudists who were the former owners of the house.*

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In the winter of 1946, Bill purchased a run down beach house in New Jersey. He intended to fix up the house for himself and Leigh to use. Guarnere intended to eventually sell the house and perhaps buy and restore another house for extra income.

He hired Maria's and Julia's sons to do construction work with him and Bill paid the teenage boys fair wages. Guarnere and his nephews finished the house in time for his one year wedding anniversary with Leigh.

She was eager to see the house and they decided to spend their first anniversary on the New Jersey shore. During the drive to the beach house, they were reminiscing on how they met. Bill told Leigh,

"When I saw ya kickin' that guy's ass at Toccoa, that reminded me o' Ma. You're fiery, like her."

"What makes you say that, Honey? I'm not calling you a liar, but I've never seen Mama acting that way. Guarnere laughed,

"Let me tell ya about somethin' Ma done when I was 15. I was out roller skatin' in the street. Some guy in a car hit my ass. It was a hit an' run. I had to go to the hospital an' I was there four days.

The cops got hold o' the guy an' he paid off the judge. We went to court, an' the judge wanted to dismiss the case due to lack o' evidence. It made Ma furious an' she went up, grabbed the judge's gavel an' lumped him on the head wit' it twice."

"Oh, my God! I can't picture her doing that."

"That ain't all, Baby. After she done that, she lumped the hit an' run guy. Then, a cop tried to get hold o' her. Pop punched him. Another cop got after Pop, an' my godfather punched him. Nothin' happened 'cause they figured the judge didn't want word to get out that the case was fixed."

Leigh was shocked, then she started to laugh.

"If ya think that's (he pronounced the word as 'dats') funny, wait until I tell ya about Ma an' the hospital bill. I got better an' I was ready to go home, but we didn't have $45 to pay the bill.

Ma talked to some lady in the office an' she said I couldn't be released until the bill was paid. That got Ma fired up, an' she said, 'Keep him!'" More laughter ensued from Leigh, and Bill joined in.

When Bill pulled their car into the driveway in front of the beach house, Leigh looked at the white one story house,

"Honey, it's beautiful! You and the boys made it look new." Bill was proud of his work and he was extremely pleased that Leigh liked the way the house looked.

"Wait 'til ya see the inside, Baby. We redid the wirin', the plumbin', we put new linoleum in the kitchen an' new carpet in the bedroom. The boys an' I kinda scrounged around an' found furniture for the dinin' room an' the bedroom. I refinished the wood, stripped the old stuff off an' it looks brand new."

He got out of the car, went to the passenger side door, opened it for Leigh and they walked hand in hand to the front door. Bill got the key from his pocket, opened the door and carried Leigh into the house.

"I wanted to carry ya over the threshold, Sweetheart." He put her down in the living room. The floor was light colored hardwood that would be easier to keep dirt and sand free than carpet.

Augusta had provided white Priscilla curtains for the windows and Bill bought the blinds. He found a good deal on a tan colored couch with matching chairs that he purchased from a co-worker. The co-worker included a nice coffee table and end tables, both light colored wood and two tan colored lamps with white shades.

Julia donated two snake plants in neutral colored planters. Maria made new covers for the throw pillows on the couch that complimented the tan coloring. Teresa bought a small radio for the living room.

Leigh smiled as she looked around the living room,

"It's lovely, Bill." He explained how his sisters helped and how he got the living room furniture.

"Ma gave us the curtains, an' everybody kicked in an' gave us a completely stocked kitchen. Sure, most of it's used, but I got a new set o' dishes an' silverware. I've been savin' some money for this place an' I wanted to get a few things. I got a new set o' sheets for our bed an' a nice bedspread from that fancy store where I bought your red dress.

I waa hopin' maybe you could make some o' them embroidered pictures for the walls an' we could bring a few pictures from home. We got a copy o' our weddin' picture an' the portrait like we gave to our folks."

"I'd be delighted to make some counted cross stitch pictures, Honey. The portraits will really make it like home."

Bill showed her the kitchen, with a new white linoleum floor and light yellow paint on the walls. As promised, the kitchen table and chairs looked new.

"I didn't wanna choose curtains for ya, Baby. Maybe you could sew some?"

"I already have some ideas, Bill. This kitchen looks so cheery and bright. Look at that view of the ocean! It's gorgeous!" She noticed a wooden walkway from the kitchen door to the beach.

"Bill, it's just like something from a magazine. This is such a wonderful place." Leigh embraced and kissed him.

"I'm glad ya like it, Baby. C'mon, let me show ya the rest o' the place!" He led her to the bathroom down the hall. The floor was white linoleum. Blue and white tile covered the walls. The cabinet was freshly painted white and new silver colored faucets gleamed. A white bathtub with a shower and toilet completed the room. Guarnere opened a cabinet by the door that was at shoulder level.

"We made this big enough to hold towels, washcloths an' cleanin' stuff. It's up higher, so when we bring our kids, they won't be able to reach the cleanin' stuff. That'll keep 'em from gettin' poisoned." Leigh smiled,

"You'll be a wonderful Pop. You're already thinking ahead of their safety. This is a beautiful bathroom, Honey." Bill was pleased with Leigh's remark and he tenderly kissed her.

"Thanks, Sweetheart. You're gonna be one hell of a good Ma. Speakin' o' kids, follow me. We can use this for the kids' bedroom." They left the bathroom and walked a few steps down the hall to a small room with a window overlooking the beach. Bunk beds were set up by the window. The room was painted white.

"I bought the bunk beds, pretty cheap, from another guy at work. I redid the finish on 'em an' they're in real good shape. 'course there's the light fixture in here. We could get a night light if we need it." The room had the same light colored hardwood floor and the white Priscilla curtains as the living room. A light blue throw rug was beside the beds.

"I can picture sea shells on the window sill that the kids would find on the beach." Leigh looked to the right of the bed and saw a small wooden box with a hinged lid.

"You made a toy box! That's good planning, Bill." He grinned,

"We've gotta have a place for their toys." He crossed the room and opened a door,

"Here's the closet."

"It looks great, Honey."

"Now, come see our bedroom." She followed him to the room at the end of the hall. Bill stepped back, allowing her to enter the room first. She saw the beige carpet, a bed, end tables, a dresser with a mirror and a chest of drawers, all in light colored wood.

Beige wallpaper with white sea shells covered the walls. White Priscilla curtains covered a window overlooking the beach. An obviously new white chenille bedspread with small, beige sea shells covered the bed.

"Honey, this room is beautiful! You could do construction professionally." Bill walked up to stand behind Leigh, embracing her. He kissed her neck before replying,

"Thanks, Baby. I wanted to make everythin' look nice, 'specially our bedroom. It took a long time to get this room done, but it's worth it, knowin' ya like it."

"I love it! The bedspread really pulls everything together. Where did you find this lovely wallpaper?"

"The wallpaper came from that paint an' wallpaper store that's close to Ma's and Pop's house.

This room has a closet, too. I shoulda taken some pictures o' this place before we fixed it up. Everythin' was run down, kinda old lookin'. I've gotta admit doin' this kinda work is relaxin' in a way. I like workin' wit' my hands."

"I didn't realize you knew how to do all of these things, plumbing, wiring, hanging wallpaper and doing the floors and the tile in the bathroom."

"I learned real young. Pop would put me an' my brothers to work. He would always say, 'Old enough to eat, old enough to work.' We learned somethin' useful an' it could make money for us, too. I've always known how to make a few extra dollars.

Let me show ya one more thing." Bill took Leigh's hand, leading her to a set of French doors on the opposite side of the room. He opened the door and Leigh walked into a small portion of the yard that was surrounded by a tall white fence.

"This will be great for private sunbathing and we can also use it for a patio." Bill chuckled,

"The guy an' his wife who owned this before I bought it are about 80 years old an' they're nudists. I ain't got a problem wit' that, but, Holy God! No wonder they put up a fence. Nobody needs to see that."

"I have to ask, were they nude when you met them."

"No, thank God!"

After they carried in food and luggage from the car, Leigh fixed supper. While the food cooked, they got everything put away. Leigh ensured that they had a fresh can of coffee. Bill loved coffee and he drank several cups per day.

She asked Bill before they went on their trip about his choice for their anniversary supper. He wanted his favorite dish, spaghetti with one meatball, so she brought homemade pasta and made his favorite gravy (sauce) with Italian sausage. Leigh also had homemade antipasto, homemade garlic bread and she bought a bottle of their favorite red wine.

The table was set with a new tablecloth, yellow and white dishes, silverware, wine glasses and candles placed in antique milk glass candle holders. She lit the candles and Bill helped her serve their meal. He pulled out her chair before sitting down, then he asked the blessing. After supper was over, Guarnere told her,

"Sweetheart, ya done an excellent job wit' the food, as usual. You're like your Ma an' my Ma, one hell of a good cook."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Honey."

"I like seein' you in those pants, Baby. They show off that sweet ass." Leigh was wearing cream colored trousers, a matching short sleeved blouse and sandals. Bill was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black trousers, a belt, socks and shoes.

They washed the dishes together and then they listened to the radio until twilight as Bill smoked a cigarette. A full moon was out. Bill and Leigh decided to take a walk on the beach.

Leigh brought an old blanket to spread out on the sand. Bill had a small picnic basket containing two wine glasses and a small bottle of champagne that was removed from the refrigerator before they walked down the path to the beach. There was enough champagne for each of them to have two glasses.

They held hands and strolled down the wooden walkway to the beach. A full moon was out and the beach, as far as they could see, was vacant. There was no need to carry a flashlight to navigate on the walkway or the beach. The bright moonlight allowed them to see without extra light.

Leigh felt the small box containing Bill's anniversary gift gently striking her left hip through the pocket in her linen trousers. She had the cream colored trouser legs rolled up to her shins to allow herself to easily walk in the sand or wade in the surf.

Two months before their trip, she and Bill were talking while they washed, dried and put away the supper dishes. Bill was talking about a friend with whom he worked.

"Gene was showin' me a present his wife gave him for his birthday. It was a sterlin' silver cigarette lighter. The place where Annie bought it did free engravin', an' she had his initials put on it. It looked real classy. Somethin' like that is probably real expensive."

Leigh took note of his statement, because Bill rarely spoke of material things. He was content to live modestly. Still, she knew him well enough to deduce that the lighter was something he would like to have.

The following day, during her lunch break, Leigh called Teresa at work and asked if the jewelry store had sterling silver cigarette lighters with free engraving.

Teresa told her that the store charged per letter for engraving, but she lowered her voice and told Leigh the name of the jewelry store that did free engraving. Leigh thanked her sister-in-law for her help.

Then, Leigh went to the jewelry store and purchased the lighter. She had Bill's initials on one side. The other side of the silver lighter had the date of their wedding and a message, "I love you."

The clerk placed the lighter in a box and wrapped it in heavy silver colored paper with a white ribbon. After work, when she got home, Leigh hid the gift in a box of tampons, knowing that Bill wouldn't look for a gift in that location.

Leigh sat beside Bill on the blanket, resting her head on his left shoulder. Guarnere had his arms wrapped around her.

"I talked with Maxine Andrews the other day before I left work. They have a new song called "Near You" that's about to be released and I adore it. She began to sing,

"There's just one place for me, near you.

It's like heaven to be near you.

Times when we're apart and I can't face my heart.

Say you'll never stay more than just two lips away.

If my hours could be spent near you.

I'd be more than content near you.

Make my life worthwhile by telling me that I'll spend the rest of my days near you."

"That's beautiful, Baby." He moved his right arm away from holding Leigh so he could get the gift wrapped package out of his right trouser pocket.

"Just so happens that I got a little somethin' for your anniversary present." Guarnere handed her the box.

She unwrapped the small box and lifted the lid, seeing a necklace.

"Honey, it's beautiful! What kind of jewels are on this?"

"Teresa said those are moonstones. I never heard of 'em, but I thought the necklace would look good on ya. The chain is gold. Do you like it, Sweetheart? I can exchange it for somethin' else an' my feelins won't be hurt."

"I love it! You shouldn't have spent so much money. Still, I'll have to admit that I'm glad you did. This necklace will remind me of this beautiful moonlit beach. Would you please put it on for me, Honey?"

"Baby, I wanted ya to have somethin' really nice. You've done so much for me. I wanna let you know I appreciate ya." The manager of the jewelry store allowed Bill to put the necklace on layaway. Bill felt proud that he could buy something nice for Leigh.

Guarnere took the necklace out of the box and kissed Leigh's neck before he carefully fastened the clasp of the necklace. He grinned at her slight shiver when his lips made contact with the soft skin on her neck.

"It looks real nice on ya. Teresa said I could get a gold plated necklace, but I wanted somethin' that would last a long time."

" You're really good at selecting the perfect gift for me." Guarnere smiled when he heard Leigh's comment about his gift selecting skills. She added, "Honey, I know you appreciate me. You've always been very sweet and appreciative."

Then, she removed the small box from her trouser pocket and handed it to him.

"I have something for you, too." Bill unwrapped the box. Lifting the lid, he had a big smile on his face when he saw the lighter. He took the lighter out of the box and saw his initials carved on the front.

"Oh, Baby! Is this sterlin' silver? It looks classy wit' my initials on the front. Thanks, Sweetheart! I never thought I'd have somethin' like this." Leigh was pleased that Bill liked his gift.

"Yes, it's sterling silver. There's something else written on the back of the lighter. Guarnere turned over the lighter, reading the inscriptions.

"You're somethin' else, Leigh. You got the happiest day o' my life put on there. I love you, too, Baby." Bill gave Leigh a passionate kiss. After the kiss ended, she cupped his face in her hands, telling him,

"It's the happiest day of my life, too. We had such a beautiful wedding,everything was perfect, including what you told me at the altar."

"I'll never forget how I felt when I saw ya in your weddin' dress. You looked like a real, live angel. Let's have a toast to our first year as husband an' wife." Bill got the bottle of chilled champagne out of the picnic basket and two wine glasses. He undid the wire around the cork, popped the cork and poured a small serving of champagne into each glass. Then, Bill raised his glass,

"To my sweet, gorgeous baby. Thanks for makin' this date the best day o' my life." Leigh smiled and raised her glass,

"To the love of my life. Thanks for making this date the happiest day of my life. Here's to at least 80 more anniversaries." They gently tapped their glasses together and sipped the champagne.

"This is the same brand of champagne you ordered when you proposed in Paris. I remember its delicious flavor. Where did you find it, Honey?"

"I bought it in that fancy department store. A guy at work told me they started carryin' champagne. I kinda remembered enough o' this stuff's name to tell Julia. Her friend found it in stock an' gave me a real nice discount. I'm glad ya like it, Baby. I wanted it to be somethin' special." Leigh finished the champagne in her glass.

"You're so thoughtful, Bill. This is another perfect night, just like the night you proposed. The weather is perfect and we're in a beautiful place." Guarnere felt pleased that she liked his surprise gift of the French champagne. He finished his serving and asked,

"Would ya like a little more o' this, Sweetheart?" Leigh agreed to another serving and Bill poured more champagne for both of them. They sipped their drinks and cuddled as they watched the waves break on the shore. Leigh was smiling as she recalled their wedding reception.

"More than anything, I will always remember the unbridled joy at our reception. I don't think it was just my imagination. It seemed that everyone there was genuinely celebrating our marriage.

"It wasn't your imagination, Baby. I noticed it, too. We had all that great food, good music and dancin'. I think everybody already knew how much we love each other, an' they were celebratin'. Ma told me the other day, when she saw us dancin' together at the weddin' reception, she told Pop that their prayers had been answered. That was a sweet thing for her to say."

"What Mama said was very sweet. I think part of the reason people were celebrating was because the outcome could have been much worse had you not been so tough and determined to live. I still thank God for allowing you to survive." Guarnere carefully placed his wine glass on the blanket, ensuring that it wouldn't spill.

He gently took the glass from Leigh's hand, carefully setting it down and he wrapped his arms around her. Bill tenderly kissed her.

"I married an angel, ain't no doubt about it. He's why I made it, an' you played a big part in gettin' me healthy again. I don't think I could ever do enough to pay ya back for everythin' ya done for me." He gave her a tender kiss that turned passionate. After the kiss ended, Leigh replied,

"Honey, you don't owe me anything. There's no need to pay me back. If you insist on paying me back, you can do it in the bedroom and you can pay me back with some sweet babies when we're ready to start a family. Think of how much fun we'd have taking the kids to play on this beach. We could have a picnic, swim, gather sea shells and make sand castles." Guarnere smiled, imagining playing with their children.

"That would be real nice, bringin' our kids here. I don't think I'll resell this house for a few years so we can enjoy it as a family. Baby, I like that idea o' payin' ya back in the bedroom. I'm always willing' to make love to my beautiful an' sexy angel."

"I'm tempted to wade in the ocean. Would you like to come with me?"

"I'm not tryin' to be your boss, but wadin' in the ocean at night ain't a good idea. I've always heard that the sharks get a little closer to the shore at night. I don't want nothin' bad happenin' to my angel." Leigh slightly shivered at the notion of being attacked by a shark.

"Thanks for telling me, Honey. I didn't know that. No wading at night for me. If I'm attacked or eaten, I want you to be the one attacking or 'eating' me, so to speak." Bill chuckled,

"You little fireball." They decided to go back to the house. Leigh folded up the blanket and carefully placed the champagne glasses and the champagne into the basket. Bill once again insisted upon carrying the blanket and basket. They walked hand in hand to the house.

Leigh decided to move two of the dining room chairs to the fenced in area outside their bedroom. While Bill used the bathroom, she decided to put the blanket on the ground, next to one of the chairs. She had a small surprise in mind for Bill.

Once his business was finished in the bathroom, Guarnere washed his hands and went into the kitchen. He offered to wash the champagne glasses and put them away. Leigh told him to let it go until the following day, but he insisted on taking care of the task.

"Honey, when you get finished, meet me in the yard outside our bedroom."

"Sounds like ya got somethin' planned, Baby." She winked before telling him,

"I have a little...entertainment planned for us."

Leigh took this moment to go to the bedroom and put on the black lace bra, the black lace bolero bed jacket, garter belt and stockings with which she surprised him in Paris. She also inserted her diaphragm and decided to forego wearing the see-through black silk panties, recalling how much Bill enjoyed seeing her with the black lace garter belt and the black silk stockings, minus the panties.

Then, she put on her black high heeled pumps, touched up her lipstick and brushed her hair. She opened the French doors, leaving them open for Bill. Leigh quickly spread the blanket on the ground.

She decided to stand by the edge of the blanket, ensuring that Bill would see her as soon as he walked through the French doors. The thought of making love outdoors fueled her passion. Leigh heard Bill walking down the hall.

"I got everythin' done an' I wanna see what ya got planned for us." He stepped through the open French doors and saw Leigh beneath the full moon. Guarnere froze in his tracks as an extremely wicked grin appeared on his face.

"Oh, Christ! You look so fuckin' gorgeous. I love that outfit." He looked again and noticed her panties were missing. Guarnere walked over, standing in front of her. He removed his shirt, letting it fall on the blanket.

"Baby, I love seein' that beautiful pussy. There's somethin' extra hot about bein' outside like this." He pulled Leigh close to him and they shared an extremely passionate kiss. She ran her fingers through his hair while Bill gently held her ass in his hands. He reluctantly broke the kiss and stretched out on the blanket.

"C'mon over here, an' lower yourself down so I can taste that sweet pussy." Leigh's legs shook slightly as she complied. She was aroused beyond reason and she remembered how good it felt the when they did this on their honeymoon in Columbus, Ohio.

Bill's tongue licked the lips of her sex as he worked his way up to her clit. Then, his lips surrounded her clit and he gently sucked on it. In a few minutes, Leigh shivered as she came. She did her best to keep quiet since she didn't know if anyone was walking on the beach. He continued making love to her with his lips and tongue as she rode out her climax.

Leigh moved to sit on the blanket. Bill sat up, pulling her close to him.

"Seems to me that you're still wearin' too many clothes, Sweetheart." He unfastened the black lace strapless bra, allowing it to fall on the blanket.

"That's better. I love to see all o' you." Guarnere caressed Leigh's breasts, giving special attention to her hard nipples, alternating between licking and sucking them. Leigh whispered into his ear,

"Your baby needs a good, hard fucking." Bill slightly groaned, hearing her reply. He helped her stand and then he got up to stand beside her.

"Ya know what that does to me, hearin' you say that. How 'bout you bend over an' hold on to that chair." Leigh quickly followed his advice. She was extremely wet and ready.

Bill stood behind her.

"Seein' your sweet ass in the moonlight is drivin' me crazy. You oughta be a nudist, at least around here. I don't wanna share my sexy angel wit' anybody else."

"I don't want anybody else to see me. I'm all yours, Honey." Bill unbuttoned his trousers and pushed them and his boxer shorts low enough so he could make love to her.

Guarnere guided himself into Leigh, groaning at the feel of her wet sex engulfing him.

"I love how you're always ready for me. Feels so damn good!"

Then, he gripped her hips and began thrusting slowly into her. Leigh backed up against him, urging him to go deeper and faster. She could help but moan as he filled her. This was her favorite position for love making.

Guarnere eagerly picked up the pace. He wanted to go slower and make it last longer, but speeding up felt so incredibly good. He had no desire to slow down.

Both Bill and Leigh got more vocal with their sounds of pleasure. Leigh shuddered as a small orgasm passed. Soon, a bigger orgasm built. In a few minutes, she cried out as it overtook her. Guarnere felt her contracting around his cock. His thrusting got deeper and slightly off rhythm. He had an explosive orgasm, calling out,

"Fuck, yes!" He withdrew from Leigh and sat in the empty chair, pulling her onto his lap. Bill held her close, kissing her.

"You're so damn good."

"Thanks, Honey. I have a very good teacher. You're amazing."

"Do ya think ya might go around naked out here again before we go home? I like makin' love outdoors." Leigh grinned,

"Oh, definitely! As long as I get results like this, I'd gladly strip in this area. How about trying this during the day?"

"I like the way you think, Baby. How 'bout we get cleaned up an' go to bed? We need to get that room kinda broken in later, if ya know what I mean."

"Great minds think alike, Honey. I'm all for it." Bill put on his boxer shorts and trousers. He picked up his shirt and Leigh's lingerie. She took the blanket inside. They both took a bath, not together since the bathtub wasn't big enough and went to bed. Leigh kept her promise and they had some erotic adventures outdoors in the sunlight.

On their way home to South Philadelphia, Bill chuckled,

"It's a good thing I ain't in the Army now. One o' the guys, probably Luz, would see me in the shower an' say somethin' about having' a sun tan on my ass." Leigh laughed,

"I'd have to explain my all over sun tan. No regrets, though. We need to go to the shore again before it gets too cold for outdoor activities."

"Baby, that all over tan is super sexy. Thanks for the sterlin' silver lighter. That's all I'm usin' from now on."

"You welcome, Bill. Thanks for this lovely necklace. These moonstones will also remind me of making love outdoors. Thanks for buying and renovating the house."

"I'm glad ya like it, Sweetheart. If I kept the house long enough, ya might be a nudist like the older lady who used to live there."

"Who would want to see an old, naked lady?"

"When I get old, I still wanna see you naked." They both laughed and then continued talking on the way home.

"How 'bout we get started on makin' a baby when we get home?"

"I like the sound of that idea, Bill. I'm ready to start our family." Both Bill and Leigh hoped that a baby would soon be on the way.

[dippedanddripped]

As retailers are finding it increasingly difficult to get shoppers (particularly new, young ones) into their brick-and-mortar stores, a slew of luxury brands seem to have a strategy for engaging consumers: Get them to go somewhere else — not to shop, but to hang out.

This summer, Dolce & Gabbana opened a "cultural hub," as it's calling it, on Mercer St. in Soho, New York. While one can shop there during the day, the space is first and foremost a luxurious, Instagrammable clubhouse for the youths. It hosts monthly events, like a concert featuring up-and-coming bands, or a "drink and draw" night.

Also this summer, Coach debuted Life Coach, an experiential pop-up in New York meant to "lead guests on a journey of self-discovery." It contained exactly zero products for sale; instead, it housed immersive and photogenic rooms. Perhaps you saw one made to look like a New York City subway station, where guests could graffiti the walls, on your social media feeds; there was also a Coney Island-inspired room with games and a mystical forest with tarot card readings.

Over the past few months, Hermès, the most exclusive and luxurious of all exclusive, luxurious brands, opened "Carré Club" (carré means "scarf") pop-ups in New York, Toronto, Singapore, Los Angeles and Milan. With free public admission, guests could get photos taken, sing karaoke (sorry, Carré-Ok), enjoy complimentary refreshments from a café and watch artists and designers work in an on-set atelier. Scarves were available to purchase, but they were in no way the main focus of the event.

A guest at Dolce & Gabbana Mercer St. Photo: Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana

In September in London, Matchesfashion.com opened 5 Carlos Place, a Mayfair townhouse with a retail component that most notably serves as a community space where all sorts of event programming has and will take place, as well as live streaming and podcasts for those who can't visit it in person — think high-level events like book signings, panel discussions, supper clubs, luxury brand installations and intimate musical performances. The opening follows a series of temporary residencies the retailer held in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Hong Kong for its 30th anniversary featuring similar types of engaging, often-educational events.

Chances are, you've seen at least one of these activations on Instagram, but aside from their photogenic designs, they all have one major (and initially surprising) thing in common: Unlike the many ephemeral retail concepts that came before them, the main goal here is not to sell you stuff. These brands are investing in physical spaces and events without any expectation that they will see a return on that investment — at least not a return that can be measured in dollars.

This concept didn't exactly come out of nowhere. There was February’s Chanel Beauty House in LA featuring room after room of Instagrammable moments. Tiffany & Co.opened its Blue Box Cafe last fall, resulting in a robin's-egg-blue flood of "breakfast at Tiffany" Instagram posts, and it's still tough to get a reservation there. Nordstrom debuted its Local concept in 2018, where service is prioritized over inventory. All the way back in 2016, Burberry opened Makers House in London, a pop-up featuring activities and installations meant to showcase the work of British artisans, which it revived in 2017.

The Carré Cafe at Carré Club. Photo: Courtesy of Hermès

Brands and retailers have also started to create Instagrammable moments and/or host workouts, Q&As and panel discussions in their existing stores with increasing frequency, some going so far as to host their own festivals and conferences (see: the In Goop Health wellness summit, Beautycon and Sephoria). Outside of the luxury fashion and beauty markets, Instagram-fueled experiential spaces have reached a fever pitch in cities like New York and LA, from Refinery29's 29Rooms to the Museum of Ice Cream to the Rosé Mansion that draw lines of people simply hoping to get some good content out of their outing.

"Lululemon really started this shift a number of years ago when it started offering yoga classes in-store," explains Petah Marian, senior editor for WGSN Insight. "It's evolved as other brands saw how consumers bought into this strategy, and then evolved it for their brands."

Today, we're seeing more instances of brands creating these experiences outside of their stores, simply because people don't need to go to stores anymore. "There is a shift taking place where people aren't as keen to spend Saturday afternoons wandering around the mall looking at stuff, because they're largely doing that on their phones," says Marian. "Experiences give them a reason to come into a retailer's space and have an interaction with a brand."

For luxury labels, which tend to be especially precious about their messaging and often shy away from inclusivity and accessibility for fear of brand dilution, the goal should be to convey the value of their brand and product to people who aren't going to visit their store to find that out. "Consumers are increasingly discerning, and simply placing an expensive item on a rail is not going to convince the customer of its worth," says Marian. "These events help create the perception of a product or retailer as a purveyor of valuable goods." Take the Hermès Carré Club, which was clearly about educating attendees about the brand's heritage in an accessible, entertaining way.

Coach's Chief Marketing Officer Carlos Becil tells Fashionista how the company chose to promote its signature collection from Spring 2018: "Instead of being more precious with it, we really set out a plan to be much more inclusive." Hosting the pop-up in a separate space from its retail stores and having nothing to sell were both conscious decisions. "We deliberately wanted to create a new environment and not have the limitations of a pre-designed retail space," he says. That way, guests could "roam throughout the spaces and be on a discovery mission and explore." The goal? That "every single person that walked through it had a very unique experience and walked out of there with a sense of what Coach was about."

Matchesfashion Chief Brand Officer Jess Christie explains that it now takes more than offering free champagne in a store to create a community-like experience. After the 30th anniversary residency events, she realized, "People were looking to make more connections, and the storytelling and content aspects were more important." With the residencies and 5 Carlos Place, the goal is to create community and inspire loyalty, acquiring new customers while engaging existing ones with sophisticated events and educational talks. Marian thinks this is the right way to go about things. "The events they host fit in with ideas of modern luxury around intellectual sophistication," he says. The retailer's sales rose 44 percent last year, so whatever it's doing seems to be working.

Another goal of these experiences is, of course, to generate social media content that those who aren't in attendance will see. "A lot of times, you're like, does it make a good picture for Instagram? That wasn't our first thought," Becil claims. "Our first thought was: How does this space make you feel? If it makes you feel a certain way, you're going to want to capture it; you're going to want to share it."

A rep for Dolce & Gabbana who preferred not to be quoted was open about the fact that the Italian house's space was largely meant to generate social media content. As with its entire marketing strategy lately, from runway shows to campaigns, it's designed to engage younger shoppers, namely millennials, who might not otherwise feel inclined to walk into a regular Dolce & Gabbana store.

"It surprised us when we did In Residence in the U.S., the reach we got was just incredible," says Christie. "In New York and LA, a few thousand customers [in attendence] across all events reached over 21 million on social and Facebook Live."

For most of these events, the metric of success is engagement. Becil says that visitors spent an average of an hour inside the Life Coach space and that social media engagement and editorial coverage exceeded the brand's expectations. He confirmed Coach plans to debut different versions of Life Coach in China, Japan and across North America over the next year, starting with Shanghai, where it's staging its Pre-Fall show on Dec. 8, suggesting the first pop-up was a success.

A panel discussion at Matchesfashion.com In Residence. Photo: Courtesy of Matchesfashion.com

Many of these experiential concepts are meant to engage young people and generate social media content, but, increasingly, that's not enough. "We are going to get to a point where consumers tire of 'brand museums,' those that are just backdrops for Instagram shots," says Marian. "They will start to seek more from those experiences — to learn, play, connect (with a brand or likeminded individuals) or feel a sense of wonder."

Indeed, the brands mentioned in this story seem to be getting that. Matchesfashion's programming has expanded beyond fashion to encompass a 360-degree lifestyle, including workouts and panels on wellness, spirituality and how to become an art collector. Culturally, Christie feels luxury shoppers have "moved away from being on the surface and about status; it's about all what makes you an interesting person, and that's the music you listen to, your food, wellness ... it feels very considered."

On Thursday, Anya Hindmarch will begin a four-day series of events at her Sloane Street store in London geared towards helping attendees get more organized, literally. There will be talks led by productivity enhancement experts who train Google employees, as well as Gill Hasson, the author of "Declutter Your Life," and Helena Morrissey, a financier and mother-of-nine, according to WWD.

That's exactly the sort of thing Marian thinks we'll start seeing brands do next: "Experiences that add more value to a consumers' life, stuff around co-creation, learning new skills, and helping people to live their best lives."

It makes sense given that millennials are increasingly prioritizing self-care and self-improvement when it comes to how they spend their money. It's probably why the name Life Coach resonated so well: In the U.S., the self-improvement market is expected to grow 5.6 percent per year, reaching $13.6 billion by 2022. Millennials reportedly spend twice as much as baby boomers on things like exercise, diet plans, therapy and, yes, actual life coaching.

Brands are just starting to reach millennials where their money is, and while these inventory-less experiences might not drive sales immediately, they will put those brands at top of mind for said millennials when they are ready to make a big purchase, which is increasingly important and invaluable in today's crowded landscape

[nofomoartworld]

Hyperallergic: When Experimental Music Resonated with Abstract Art

‘Nothing and Everything: Seven Artists, 1947–1962,’ installation view (image courtesy of Hauser & Wirth; photo by Genevieve Hanson)

Next to the signature on Philip Guston’s “Untitled” (1952) is the dedication “for Morty.” This hangs in the central gallery of Hauser and Wirth’s 69th St. show Nothing and Everything: Seven Artists, 1947 – 1962, curated by Doug Dreishpoon. In the back room, recordings of compositions by Morton Feldman and John Cage play on loop, including Morty’s “For Franz Kline” (1962). Upstairs is a selection of paintings and works on paper by Kline. This ricochet of dedications is one of the more explicit modes of social and aesthetic networking that bind together the composers and artists in this rich exhibition.

The title of the show accentuates what composer Christian Wolff — the last living member of the New York School of composers and briefly a student of Cage’s — characterized as the “interesting differences, held in a kind of cheerful suspension” that can be heard in “Radio Happening I” (1966), a conversation between Cage and Feldman. Excerpts of that revealing exchange alternate with a recording of Cage’s “Lecture on Nothing,” quietly looping at the entrance of the gallery. The exhibition spans three floors and includes original and facsimile scores by Cage and Feldman, paintings by Guston, sculpture and works on paper by Louise Bourgeois and David Smith, and oil paintings by Joan Mitchell.

Philip Guston, “Untitled” (c. 1951), gouache on paper, 44.5 x 57.8 / 17 1/2 x22 3/4 in (image courtesy the Estate of Philip Guston and Hauser & Wirth; photo by Genevieve Hanson)

The tension between the worldviews of Cage and Feldman immortalized in “Radio Happenings” is representative of the show’s variety. These artists and composers gathered together at The Club and the Cedar Tavern, talked, and supported one another, but they had divergent aesthetic outlooks that were allowed to stand because of the friendship. Recently, while visiting Brigid Cohen’s “Musical Experimentalism: Poetics and Politics” seminar at NYU, Wolff said he wasn’t sure the artists liked their concerts very much, but they were supportive and would show up. The slender monoliths of Bourgeois’s “Breasted Woman” (1949–50; cast 1989) and David Smith’s “Forging IX” (1955) represent contrasting approaches to the gendered social positions of the artists: Culturally embedded into Smith’s title, masculinity enlists a deceptive neutrality; Bourgeois hangs the feminine body on the work.

Louise Bourgeois, “Breasted Woman” (1949–1950; cast 1989), bronze, paint, and stainless steel, 137.2 x 8.9 x 8.9 cm / 54 x 3 ½ x 3 ½ in (© The Easton Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, New York NY; courtesy Hauser & Wirth; photo by Christopher Burke)

Looking at Bourgeois’s sculpture “The Blind Leading the Blind” (1947–49) strains my body into a perpetual tiptoe as I both carry off a body and am myself borne away. The wood tapering vertically to the floor plunges me into the vertigo of modernity of which Baudelaire wrote; the horizontal elements direct me to a vanishing point from which I came or to which I am being led. Like a sound, her works radiate their effect beyond visual boundaries.

Kline’s works of black paint on newspaper have a fascinating parallel with Cage’s ideas about listening. At 13:00 of “Radio Happening I,” Cage tries to convince Feldman that the transistor radios that so bothered Feldman were only “making audible something that you were already in.” For Cage, the radio actualizes a selection of the noise in which we are immersed. In the history of Kline’s work, a projector stands in for Cage’s radios: At de Koonings suggestion, Kline projected a drawing of a chair onto the wall at an enormous size, and he found “the strokes expanding as entities in themselves, unrelated to any entity but that of their own existence.” Kline’s black figures seem to be the actualization of some subset of the virtual noise of newsprint on which they stand. As in Feldman’s vanishing instrumental works, the materials become isolated amid space or silence, depending on your medium.

Though Kline’s works may zoom in on isolated existence, they look good together, taken in at a glance, just as Cage found it congenial to have his works played simultaneously. In contrast, Mitchell’s paintings are lonely, asking you to get lost in the frame as if nothing else existed in the universe: Enter with only your memory of life. We are meant to engage them with a question on our lips, as is the case with Feldman’s music from this period. Later in his career, Feldman’s works ask the questions for us, but at that point we don’t mind, thanks to the hard-won eloquence of the later pieces such as “Triadic Memories” (1981).

‘Nothing and Everything: Seven Artists, 1947–1962,’ installation view (image courtesy of Hauser & Wirth; photo by Genevieve Hanson)

The press release presents the show as a group of artists pushing “their respective mediums to new realms of abstraction.” But the notion of “abstract music” is a troubled one; music becomes “abstract” mostly by association with art that is so named. Feldman’s sparse instrumental works actually throw us back to the material — a single pluck of a cello string sounds, unmoored from its aesthetic symbolic order. Cage’s cacophonous “Williams Mix” (1952) hurls the material at us: horns, frogs, and voices ordered by many flips of the coin and assembled through a score that functions like a dressmaker’s pattern. (The original score on display is well worth examining.) In the works presented, it is primarily the absence of an intelligible grammar of melody that prevents the familiar and emphatically abstract structures of music from cohering; it renders the sounds starkly and concretely associated with their bodily sources. There is no attempt to enlist virtuosity to transcend the instrument, to make a piano sound either happy or sad according to a recognizable code.

The exhibition text’s comparison of silence and space is a more fruitful theoretical joining of the disciplines, but the leap from sound to space is not so easily made technically. I found the audio volume in the “specially designed listening room” frustratingly low and uneven. Sitting there on a rainy day, I could hear the sniffles of other visitors better than the music. I kept getting distracted by someone talking in another room and only later realized that it was Cage’s “Lecture on Nothing” chiming in over Feldman’s “Projection I.” I think Cage of the “Radio Happenings” era wouldn’t have minded any of that — he thinks he wrote it all anyway. (Listen to 5:00–5:30 for that side of Cage and 0:00–2:15 for the backstory.) He probably wouldn’t even have minded when another visitor sitting in the room with me answered her phone (“…you’re a wonderful daughter, see you at the restaurant…”) and then made a few more calls (arranging meeting Dorothy and Thomas at the restaurant). But it’s a shame that the fast-ride-in-a-loud-machine that is Cage’s “Williams Mix” recedes into the silence of the gallery.

‘Nothing and Everything: Seven Artists, 1947–1962,’ installation view (image courtesy of Hauser & Wirth; photo by Genevieve Hanson)

Feldman’s music is particularly poorly served by the aural intrusions, but even more to the point, in this snapshot of New York c. 1950, the artifacts presented are incomparable. We look at the actual paintings and sculptures. We listen only to recordings of the music. Feldman’s “Projections I” is for cello, not a recording of a cello. The difference is as significant as that between a sculpture and a photograph of a sculpture. Cage once quipped, “I’ve always been a proper member of the musicians’ union, in favor of live music.”

Happily, the programing that accompanies the show offers two very different types of live performances. Coming up on March 16, Janine Antoni, Petah Coyne, Rona Pondick, and Jeanne Silverthorne will read from Louise Bourgeois’s writings at Hauser & Wirth’s 22nd St. publications space. On March 1, Christian Wolff curated a performance of music by Cage, Feldman, and himself at the Jewish Museum that presented nine works dating from 1950 to 1956 and Wolff’s “Six Melodies Variation” (1993), which was written as part of a memorial after Cage’s death in 1992. Wolff, who met Cage and Feldman in 1950 when Wolff was only 16, heard a couple of these pieces for the first time. In fact, it was Wolff who gave Cage a copy of the I-Ching, which Cage used to compose “Music of Changes III” (1951). At the beginning of the program, Doug Dreishpoon asked the 100+ person audience how many people had seen the exhibition — about five of us raised our hands. From listening to the chatter around me, it seemed that this was a crowd of music lovers. Where were the art lovers? I wonder how many experimental music fans will go to see the sculpture and painting.

‘Nothing and Everything: Seven Artists, 1947–1962,’ installation view (image courtesy of Hauser & Wirth; photo by Genevieve Hanson)

Nothing and Everything: Seven Artists, 1947–1962 continues at Hauser and Wirth (32 East 69th Street, Upper East Side, Manhattan) through April 1.

The post When Experimental Music Resonated with Abstract Art appeared first on Hyperallergic.

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[msmercury84]

"Viva Las Vegas! Is Stardom in the Cards for Leigh?" "I Double Dare You-A Rendezvous With Destiny"

*Author's Note: Bill Guarnere enjoyed trips to Las Vegas where he had fun in the casinos. This information came from podcasts and interviews with his granddaughter.*

In February, 1946, Leigh got a call at the CBS radio station from Maxine Andrews. She was surprised when Andrews asked her to join them in for a few shows in the up and coming gambling mecca of Las Vegas.

Andrews explained that the sisters were performing at the Flamingo casino and resort on the same bill as Louis Prima. She told Leigh that all expenses would be paid by the manager of the popular trio.

Leigh happily accepted the offer of a two week vacation, providing that her and Bill's bosses would agree to their taking time off from work.

Since Bill had never taken his vacation time from his government job, he was cleared to go. Leigh's boss gave his approval quickly, knowing that the CBS affiliate would get publicity.

After leaving work one afternoon, Leigh decided to do a little shopping for the Las Vegas trip. She bought a light gray , long sleeved wiggle dress with pleats at the bottom of the back of the garment. It fastened in the back with a row of small scarlet buttons. The buttons began after a sharp 'v' in the upper back of the dress.

Then, she purchased some scarlet pumps and some long scarlet gloves to accent her dress. Bill had bought a brooch that looked like a red rose on a slender gold stem and Leigh planned to wear it on the dress.

Leigh found an excellent bargain in the same downtown Philadelphia department store where Bill bought the red wiggle dress and the red satin bra, panty and garter belt set for their first Christmas as a married couple.

She bought a coat in the same shade of scarlet as the buttons on her dress. It had faux black and gray fur trim on the cuffs, the top and the bottom of the coat. It had been reduced to 50% off the ticket price and Leigh was delighted to pay $20 for the well made garment.

Later that day, after the supper dishes were washed, Leigh told Bill,

"Honey, I bought a dress and some new items for our trip. Will you let me know if you like them? I'll model them for you." Guarnere agreed to give his opinion on the dress and whatever else she bought.

Leigh went upstairs to their bedroom. She took the dress out of the bag from the department store. Then, she took off her day dress and put on the new dress and the new red pumps.

It was a little difficult for Leigh to button the dress, but she was able to get it fastened. She walked downstairs.

"Here's what it looks like from the front." Leigh then turned around to let Bill see the back of the dress.

"That dress is really doin' somethin' to me, Baby. It's almost as sexy as the black lace set ya bought in Paris" He walked over to stand behind Leigh and he embraced her, pulling her close to him as he kissed her neck.

Leigh could feel that Bill was becoming aroused and she moved her behind against him, prompting a faint groan from Guarnere. He nibbled her right earlobe, whispering,

"Baby, ya know what that does to me. You're beautiful all over an' that dress shows your sweet, sexy ass off to perfection. Do ya have a coat to go wit' this dress? I can't go through the train station like this."

She moved forward slightly, giving herself enough room to reach back and gently stroke Bill's hard cock through his trousers.

"You would certainly attract attention this way. Let me go upstairs and get the coat I bought and see if that helps. I bought this on sale with money from my check. Honey, I don't want you to think I'm spending your money foolishly." Guarnere kissed her neck,

"You don't have to explain, Baby. I know you wouldn't do anythin' like that. You're always very careful wit' money. If you want somethin' or if ya really need it, like a new coat, let me know. I'd like to spoil ya once in awhile."

"You're so sweet and understanding, Honey. Stay nice and hard for me until I get back."

"All I have to do is think o' you in that dress, Baby. I'll be ready for ya." Leigh went upstairs to their bedroom. She took her coat and her red gloves out of the bag from the department store and put on both items.

Before leaving the bedroom, Leigh quickly unfastened her garter belt, removed her panties and fastened the garter belt again. She placed her panties in the hamper.

Next, she went into the bathroom, removed her red gloves, inserted her diaphragm, washed her hands and put the gloves on. Leigh walked downstairs to find Bill in the same spot, patiently waiting for her.

She turned in a small circle, modeling the coat and gloves.

"You look like a movie star in that coat an' those gloves. Baby, you're a beautiful, classy lookin' woman. You're gonna turn some heads in that outfit."

"Thanks, Honey. The only head I want to turn is yours. Does the coat help your...condition?"

"It will at least let me walk through the train station wit'out drawin' attention to myself. You really look like a million bucks in that outfit." Leigh carefully took off the coat and gloves, placing both items on the coffee table.

"I have a little surprise for you. If you're still in the mood, do you want to find out what it is? You'll have to unbutton those buttons in the back to see it." She winked at him.

Guarnere had a slightly wicked grin as he replied,

"I'm always in the mood where you're concerned, ya little fireball. If you turn around, I can get to work on those buttons." Bill kissed Leigh's neck again before he started to unbutton the top three buttons on the dress.

He saw that she was still wearing her bra, so he unbuttoned a few more buttons. Leigh ground her bottom against his hard cock, prompting a slightly louder groan from him.

Guarnere unbuttoned a few more of the scarlet buttons to reveal the top of her garter belt. He grinned, knowing that Leigh probably wasn't wearing panties. Bill unfastened two more buttons and slid the dress down slowly to reveal her bare ass beneath the garter belt.

He slid the dress down her legs, asking her to step out of it. Leigh complied and Bill gathered up the dress, carefully folding it and placing it on the coffee table.

Guarnere cupped her ass in his hands. He nibbled her ear and whispered,

"You look so goddamned hot, Baby. I wish you'd go wit' out panties all the time. Let's take this upstairs. We don't want anybody payin' a surprise visit, catchin' us gettin' busy." He picked Leigh up and carried her to their bedroom.

He placed her on the bed and quickly disrobed. Leigh removed the bedspread, the top sheet and the pillows. Bill removed her bra and began gently sucking on her nipples.

Leigh ran her fingers through his hair, loving the feel of his lips. A few minutes later, she was on the verge of coming. Bill abandoned her breasts for a moment as he traced kisses down her torso, pausing to look at her.

"You wanna watch me, don't ya."

"Oh, yes, Honey. It makes everything more intense when I watch you licking and loving my...pussy."

Bill groaned softly,

"Goddamn! I love it when ya say that. Let me show ya how much I love it." He maintained eye contact with her as he gently sucked her clit between his lips. He alternated licking and sucking until her hips rose involuntarily.

"Oh God, Baby that's so good!"

Guarnere continued to look into her eyes as he worked two fingers into her warm interior.

"You're soakin' wet. That's my sweet angel." He broke eye contact for a moment to devote his attention once again to her clit. Leigh watched him and that quickly sent her over the edge. She called out his name as a glorious climax swept over her.

Bill never stopped, he helped Leigh ride out her orgasm. He was proud and happy to know how much he pleased her. Once she recovered, Leigh was trying to pull him up, wanting to continue their lovemaking. Guarnere grinned,

"My baby's ready, ain't no doubt about it. Tell me what ya want, Sweetheart." He stayed still despite his need to get relief for his nearly aching cock.

Leigh arched her back, trying to get him inside her. She knew what Bill was doing and it further inflamed her desire.

"I want you to fuck me!"

"Oh, hell, yes!" He moved up as Leigh slightly closed her legs, making it easier for him to enter her. Bill easily slid his cock into her.

He thrust into her, saying,

I'm fuckin' the hottest...(he thrust into her again) the most beautiful...(he thrust into Leigh again) an' the sexiest woman in town." Leigh tried a technique that Julia told her about. She tightened her grip on him with her vagina, being sure to meet his every stroke.

Bill quickly picked up the pace as Leigh grasped his ass, pulling him into her. They kissed passionately until Leigh broke the kiss, calling his name.

Guarnere loved to hear her saying his name.

"You're so good at fuckin'! Bill circled his hips and they continued, going at a frantic pace. Leigh felt another orgasm building. When she contracted around Bill's cock as she came, his thrusting lost rhythm and he groaned as he came.

In the afterglow, Leigh lay in his arms. Guarnere ran his fingers through her hair.

"Baby, I don't know what ya were doin' inside, but it was hotter than the fires of hell."

"A woman I know told me how to do that. She said it drives her husband crazy."

"I'd like to thank her, 'cause I loved it. Not that I haven't enjoyed the way ya make love, you're perfect, Sweetheart." Leigh giggled.

"You can call and tell her any time. You already have her telephone number." Bill stopped running his fingers through Leigh's hair.

"Baby, please tell me it wasn't Ma who told ya how to do that." (He pronounced the word as 'dat') Bill was greatly relieved when Leigh assured him,

"It wasn't Mama, Honey."

"I don't have that many phone numbers for people except Maria an' Julia."

"It wasn't Maria."

"Holy God! It's Julia. Oh, hell, that's more than I ever wanted to know about her an' Sal. I'm glad she told ya, but, Jesus! Knowin' what my sister does in the bedroom, I could do wit'out that part." Leigh couldn't suppress her urge to laugh.

"Does this mean that you never want me to do this again?" Guarnere quickly answered,

"Oh, hell, no! I loved it. I'll just enjoy it an' try to not think about how ya learned it."

Bill and Leigh departed Philadelphia on a cold, snowy day for Las Vegas. The trip would take several days on the train. Leigh wore the new gray dress, the scarlet shoes, scarlet gloves and her new coat.

She and Bill were treated to a private sleeper room on the train, courtesy of the Andrews Sisters' manager. The room had a bed that could also serve as seats, should they decide to stay in the room.

They enjoyed the accommodations and discovered the experience of making love while traveling at about 60 miles per hour on the new diesel engine train.

Bill and Leigh enjoyed their suite at The Flamingo hotel and casino. This trip began their love of casinos and Las Vegas. While the temperature was cool, it was warmer than the weather in Philadelphia.

Leigh met with the woman in charge of the Andrews Sisters' costumes. She eagerly accepted the sisters' generous offer of a custom made dress for the show. The dress would be a sleeveless wiggle style dress made of red silk. Patty, Maxine and Laverne now wore cocktail type dresses for their concerts.

The night of the show, Bill had a corsage of a white rose edged in a thin gold colored stripe and tied with a thin gold metallic bow sent to Leigh by a courier.

Midway through the show, Leigh did a solo as the sisters took a break. She told the audience,

"My next song, " Ooh, Papa, Do," is dedicated to my husband, Bill Guarnere. Honey, would you please stand up?" A stage hand directed a small spotlight from the stage to illuminate the area where Guarnere was standing.He smiled as the audience applauded.

She walked to a concert sized grand piano, sat down and started to play the introduction to the uptempo song. The band joined in and Leigh started to sing.

"I've got a man who loves me, I swear by the stars above. And every night, we dim the lights, he tells me of his love. When he kisses my cheek, all I can speak is 'Ooh, Papa do, Papa do.

He lets me know he needs me. This I do declare. This much I know, I love him so, I'll take him anywhere. When he says goodbye, all I can cry is 'Ooh, Papa, do, Papa do.'

"Ooh, Papa do, do the things you do. It sets my soul on fire. Ooh, Papa, do I really go for you. You're my heart's desire.

When time comes for him to leave me, I stand with tears in my eyes. This much I know, I love him so, he's the man I idolize. And when he holds me near, all you can hear is, 'Ooh, Papa, do. Papa, do. Ooh, Papa, do. Papa do. Ooh, Papa do. Papa, do."

Bill enjoyed the slightly suggestive lyrics of the song. He thought,

"My baby is outdoin' the singin' she did in Paris. She's lookin' an' soundin' super hot."

The following day, Maxine called Leigh. Louis Prima's wife, Keeley Smith, had to have an emergency appendectomy. Prima wondered if Leigh would be interested in filling in for her. This would be his last show since he was taking time off to help Keeley after she got home from the hospital.

Andrews didn't have to wait for an answer. Leigh happily accepted the offer. Bill was delighted with the news and he promptly called Augusta to tell her the good news.

Since Leigh was a fan of Prima's music, she was familiar with the way he and his wife performed the songs on their record albums. She needed no coaching on how to perform. Keeley was known for being the 'straight man' to Louis' humorous interpretations of some of the songs.

Of course, Prima and Leigh rehearsed, but she effortlessly stepped into the new style of performing and singing. Lacey Davis and one of her friends decided to attend the Prima show.

Both women moved to Las Vegas in hopes of finding work as singers or chorus girls. Davis had yet another job as a receptionist. Her friend was still looking for work and they shared a small apartment on the outskirts of town.

Lacey wore a wiggle dress in emerald green with matching shoes. Her roommate Angie Shane, a tall blonde, wore a cocktail dress made of blue taffeta. She wore matching blue shoes.

Before the show began, a man in a tuxedo walked onstage to tell the audience,

"Keeley Smith is in the hospital. She had to have her appendix removed. Fortunately, an extremely talented woman performing with the Andrews Sisters here at The Flamingo will fill in for her."

"Leigh Guarnere, who is also known as The Songbird of the 506th, will appear with Louis Prima." Angie noticed the sour expression on Davis' face. Lacey felt her stomach clench as she heard the name of her perceived rival being announced. She cursed under her breath.

Then, she briefly filled Angie in on the backstory of how Leigh got everything she ever wanted, from their days as USO performers to the present time. Shane reserved judgment of Leigh since she was also a fan of her singing.

Leigh had the audience alternately applauding and laughing throughout the show. Bill had a beaming smile as he proudly watched her perform. In the middle of the show, Prima told the audience that Leigh was "married to a paisano from South Philly who fought in the 101st Airborne. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause for this paratrooper who served our country." A spotlight shone on Guarnere as the audience applauded.

Lacey told her friend,

"I will never understand what the hell a good looking guy like that sees in her." Angie correctly thought that Davis was jealous, bitter and petty, especially after Lacey told her,

"He lost most of his right leg in the war. Crippled men do nothing for me, they're disgusting, but I'd overlook the lost leg for a roll in the hay with him." At the end of the show,after Leigh had a standing ovation with two encores, she started to walk to her dressing room. Louis Prima approached her.

"Kid, there's someone who wants to talk to you. He's waiting in my dressing room. Looks like you just made a big break in show business." Leigh thanked Prima, who walked with her to his dressing room. After she entered the room, Louis went to a pay phone to call the hospital to find out how his wife was faring after surgery.

A tall, thin man with gray hair, wearing a tuxedo shook hands with Leigh, telling her,

"Mrs. Guarnere, my name is Martin Beckley. I'm a talent scout for Decca Records. Please, have a seat. I need to discuss some business with you that could change your life in a big way.

After hearing you with the Andrews Sisters in Paris, I wanted to sign you to the Decca label as a recording artist. Then, the Andrews Sisters told me about your husband's injury in the war and I wanted to wait to offer you this opportunity until he was well again.

Louis Prima, the Andrews Sisters and I all agree that you have the talent to become a major singing star. I realize that this is very sudden, but I need you to think about signing a contract with Decca to be our next big recording star. You can think about this for a few days and we can meet here."

Leigh was stunned for a moment by the news. This was the realization of a dream she had for many years. She saw no sense in making Beckley wait for an answer, so she told him,

"Mr. Beckley, I appreciate this offer and I'm both honored and flattered by the fact that you and four professional vocalists think that I have the potential to become a star." He smiled, waiting for Leigh to continue speaking. A look of bewilderment replaced the smile on his face as she added,

My husband and I are planning on starting a family. There's no way I could be a devoted and nurturing mother if I toured the country doing concerts and promoting my records.

Sir, my husband fully supports any decision I make regarding a singing career. It would be highly unfair to make him the sole parent of our child or children.

I love my husband very much and I intend to be a devoted wife, too. It might not make sense to you, and I know you don't make an offer like this without great consideration but I'm very content to keep my life as it is right now. Thank you, Sir, but I need to turn down this offer. Just knowing I'm good enough to be a star is completely satisfying."

Beckley could tell that Leigh was serious about refusing the recording contract.

"I respect your decision, Mrs. Guarnere, but I can't help but feel that you're throwing away the opportunity to live a financially comfortable life. If you ever change your mind, please call the telephone number on this card." He paused to get one of his business cards from an inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket, handing it to her. Leigh thanked him for the card. Beckley added,

"If I'm not available, please let one of the Andrews Sisters know if you change your mind. Their manager could then contact me. I would be happy to help you book shows here in Los Vegas whenever you would like to perform. A voice like yours will never go out of style, no matter what type of music is popular. " He shook hands with her.

"I appreciate your offer to book me for concerts here in Las Vegas. That sounds like something I'd enjoy doing." Before she left to go to her dressing room, Beckley told her,

"If that's the case, I will keep in contact with the Andrews Sisters and Louis Prima. I'm certain that they would enjoy sharing a stage with you again ." Leigh then exited the room and walked down the hall to her dressing room.

Bill was sitting on a chair in her dressing room, patiently waiting. He noticed a strange expression on her face as she entered the room. By his estimation, Leigh appeared to be stunned.

"Baby, is everythin' OK? What goin' on?" She hugged him and pulled a chair close to where he was sitting and sat down.

"Bill, Louis Prima told me that someone was waiting to meet me in his dressing room. A producer from Decca Records, Mr. Beckley, was waiting for me. He's wanted me to sign a contract since the time of the Paris concert. All this time, he kept in touch with the Andrews Sisters and he wanted to wait until you were healed from your injury before he made me an offer." She paused, wondering how to phrase the rest of the news.

"Go ahead, Sweetheart, this sounds like somethin' big."

"Mr. Beckley said that he, Louis Prima and the Andrews Sisters all agree that I could be a recording star." Bill excitedly and loudly told her,

"Holy God! I knew ya were gonna make it big! Baby, this is amazin' news! I gotta call Ma an' tell her ya signed a recordin' contract. My baby's gonna be a star!" Leigh took Bill's hands in hers,

"Wait a minute, Honey. Please listen to me before you call Mama. I didn't sign the contract." Guarnere looked puzzled,

"Leigh, what's goin' on? Your dream finally came true."

"That was my dream before we met. Remember when we discussed this in Paris? I haven't changed my mind. As I told Mr. Beckley, we're getting ready to start a family. I can't be a devoted mother if I'm on the road constantly doing concerts. I want to be there for the baby's first words, the first time he or she crawls, the first steps..." Bill cut in,

"Sweetheart, think about this. You're throwin' away a chance only a few singers get. You know I'm behind ya 100 percent. I'm willin' to do whatever it takes for ya."

"Honey, I know that and I appreciate your devotion. Babies need their mother, too. How can I bond with him or her if I'm not there? Chances are excellent that we would have to move, too.

I love our life in South Philadelphia. Everything we need is at home. Being a devoted wife and mother is more important to me than any recording contract. Not going to sleep and not waking up beside you would be unbearable. My mind is made up, Bill.

Mr. Beckley told me that I could do concerts here anytime and I like that idea." Guarnere realized that he couldn't change her mind. He put his arms around Leigh, pulling her close to him, giving her a passionate kiss. When the kiss ended, he tenderly cupped Leigh's face in his hands.

"Baby, you mean the world an' everythin' to me. Knowin' you gave up bein' a star to be my wife an' the ma of our kids makes me love ya to the moon an' back. How 'bout we start a family after our first anniversary?"

"I'm glad you understand, Bill, and you mean the world and everything to me, too. That's fine with me. I'm honored to be the future mother of your children. You're somethin' else." They kissed again and departed the room.

Midway down the hall, Leigh realized she left her purse in her dressing room. Bill needed to use the men's restroom, so they agreed to meet further down the hall.

After Guarnere exited the men's room, he waited for Leigh to return. Lacey Davis lied to a security guard about being a friend of Leigh's since their time as USO singers to gain access to the dressing room area behind the stage. She hoped to run into Bill. Lacey's eyes brightened and she smiled as she saw him standing in the hallway. He was surprised by her saying,

"Hello, Handsome. Remember me?" Bill slightly frowned.

"I remember ya."

"How about we slip off and have a drink together. We can get caught up on everything that's happened since the last time I saw you."

"No thanks. I'm waitin' for my wife. She forgot her purse." Lacey moved closer to him,

"Oh, come on. One little drink with an old friend won't hurt anything."

"No offense, but you ain't exactly what I'd call a friend." Lacey noticed Leigh coming out of her dressing room. She waited until Leigh was close enough to see her, then she put her arms around Bill as she gave him a passionate kiss.

Guarnere was angered by her behavior. He pushed Lacey away from him, taking care not to hurt her. He glared at her as he said,

"What the hell do ya think you're doin'? Like I told ya before,I love Leigh an' I'm a happily married man." Leigh heard Bill's statement and told Lacey,

"As my husband asksd, what the hell are you doing? You're really pathetic, Lacey, to throw yourself at a man who obviously isn't interested in you." Davis sneered,

"Little Miss Perfect, God's gift to showbiz.Your hubby is too much of a gentleman to do anything in your presence. I bet I could change his mind if you weren't with him." Bill angrily asked,

"Who the hell do you think you are? You don't know me! My baby is beautiful on the inside an' outside. She has my heart for eternity." Leigh added,

"As you can plainly see, my husband can think for himself. If you ever touch him again, you'll be wearing one of my stiletto heels up your ass." Bill couldn't help but grin when he heard her reply to Lacey. Davis ignored Leigh as she concentrated on another way to manipulate Guarnere. She thought,

"He's fiery and passionate. I like that." She couldn't understand why Bill wasn't receptive to her. Other men were, for the most part, easy to convince and seduce. Davis honed in on what she thought would appeal to Guarnere.

"You need an experienced woman who knows how to please a man. I can do things your little wifey doesn't know how to do. No doubt you were goody two shoes' first lover." Bill turned away from her, putting his arm around Leigh's shoulders. Before walking away, he gave Davis a verbal parting shot.

"My baby is perfect at makin' love. Nobody could please me more than Leigh. The Army had trainin' movies about broads like you. They said avoid 'em 'cause those broads had so many men, a guy could get the clap." Leigh laughed at Bill's words and the stunned expression on Lacey's face. She decided to add a parting comment,

"Lacey, Bill is absolutely dynamic and highly skilled in bed. Of course, you'll never have that experience with him." Davis's face turned red with anger and she stalked away from the Guarneres. Bill burst into loud laughter. He told Leigh,

"That's telling her, Honey."

"You did an excellent job telling her off, too, Bill."

She and Bill laughed as they headed for their suite in the hotel. Two days later, they started their trip home.

While Bill and Leigh were on the train to Philadelphia, they were unaware of an article in the top entertainment publication, Variety. Beckley immediately contacted a reporter and told him about a woman who turned down a chance to be a recording star in favor of being a devoted wife and mother.

Lacey Davis spotted the story as she read the publication. She angrily threw it in the trash, thinking to herself,

"What's wrong with that stupid bitch? She threw away the chance of a lifetime! I would literally kill to have a recording contract. It makes me sick that a big time guy like Beckley thinks she's star material. If I could get an audition with Louis Prima, he would see that I'm just as good as she is."

Lacey forced herself to snap out of her musing about Leigh as she boarded a city transit bus to get to her audition.

The elder Guarneres and the Spencers were happily surprised to learn about the offer of a recording contract to Leigh. They weren't surprised at her decision and both couples were looking forward to becoming grandparents.