Wet Pay

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 by  

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (7)Soaked, but not forgotten, each foot was paid “Wet Pay” for standing in snow for hours.

The thought fondly came to me as I looked out the window now and saw snow on our roof, flurries blowingAmistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport, RI in the wind. I remembered the April Fool’s Blizzard of ’97 when a Nor’easter blasted through New England dumping nearly 3 feet of heavy snow. Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (17)a  Not many took it seriously because of the April 1st date, but if you lived through it, that storm became definitely one to remember!

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (15)Especially for me. I had been cast as an extra in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film Amistad (DreamWorks SKG), a true story of mutiny and justice in 1839. Filming had just moved from nearby New Haven, Connecticut to Newport, Rhode Island and I was excited to be a part of an epic film starring Djimon Hounsou, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman & Matthew McConaughey. Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (13)a

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (23) Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (26)As I packed my car to leave, the snow just started to move in. My Dad said, “What on Earth would make you drive in this blizzard? I cannot understand this entertainment industry pull.” In the words of Ethel Merman, “There’s no people like show people,” honestly, there’s just no explaining us. My father knew I was a determined free spirit, just like him, and when I had a desire, nothing was going to stop me from doing it.

My parents never stopped us from pursuing anything. My travels around the globe on a ship, climbing the Great Wall of China or the pyramids of Egypt, soaking in the romantic history of the Taj Mahal, flying off to Europe a week after graduation for my 1st job, or saying “yes” to my beloved after 4 days in his presence. So really, how’s a blizzard going to stop me??

It didn’t. I hopped in my car and set off for Rhode Island. The 2.5 hour trip took nearly 7 hours.

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (3)a  Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (2)

A little slide off the interstate didn’t deter me; 3 cute officers pushed me back on the highway, later requesting an autographed Miss Connecticut photo each (it was on my licence plate).

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (5)    Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (9)

I had 5 hours sleep and reported for wardrobe at 4:30am. Excited and ready to go, after hair & makeup, I found myself standing in snow for hours…with joy! Even the newspaper photo caption under my picture says, “Undaunted.” Yup.

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (29) Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (28)Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (27)

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (30)

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (21)  Changing the face of Newport (above)Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (22) Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (18) Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (19) Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (10)  Miss Connecticut, Miss America parade, Atlantic City, Boardwalk                 (above right)  The photo from the Miss America parade that got me the job with Amistad

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (4)

Interestingly, the entire earlier part of the movie’s outdoor scenes that had been filmed in previous weeks did so with NO snow. So the outdoor snowy scene that took days to film had to be edited out. But the memories are incredible as are the people I met throughout the experience.

Amistad, Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Morgan Freeman, Bianca Tyler, April Fool's Blizzard of '97, Newport (6)

The Bright SpotTM bright spot flower – Remember, if there’s something you really want to do, nothing can stop you. And just imagine the amazing people you’ll meet!


Bianca

My Mom

Sunday, July 28, 2013 by  

Summertime, My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother, summer fun

Thrown off a Connecticut beach for wearing a bikini, my Mom still rolls her eyes at that story & declares the beach keeper a crazy man.

Coming from a country where they play volleyball topless on the beach, they were lucky she even wore the bikini!

My parents met one evening at a beach club & married 2 1/2 months later. Mom & Dad's wedding photo, happy couple, starting life journey togetherSo it was no shock when I announced I was getting married after 4 days. “You know when you know,” she said. Bianca Tyler wedding, Bianca & Phillip, kisses from the groom, happy bride, American wedding, English weddingPhillip & I married after only spending 46 days in each other’s company and she was right.

Mom loves to garden, paint, My mother's ceramics, painting ceramics, kiln, fragile, delicate artwork, Bianca Tyler's mother, momdecorate & read, read, read! She’s like a walking encyclopedia.

She’s an incredible photographer, interior designer, writer & artist. I love her drawings, portrait paintings, and my favorite, this ceramic chess set she painted nearly 40 years ago.

Mom’s a fantastic cook and prepared wonderful, healthy meals for me the entire 9 months I was pregnant!! She made sure I had the best foods when I was a baby and did the same for my kids.

With my parents, loving family, My mom & dad, Bianca Tyler's mother & father, giggles, tickles, happy memories, happy childhood            My mom holding me 1960s, , Bianca Tyler as a baby, snuggles with Mom, enjoying the sunshine

Mom & me 1960s                         Little Petal & me 40 years later
Omi - Mom & me, original, 1a       Omi - Mom & Willow - replica My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother, Mommy (38)  My mom & me at Easter, 1960s, young mother and baby girl, toddler, yummy, chocolate, chocolate eggs, Easter egg hung, Easter eggs, basket, Easter basket               and, of course, she gave me my 1st chocolates & Easter goodies…yum!

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Folks who’ve met my Mom totally love her. She’s funny, talks straight and is the life of the party. She smokes, drinks, swears and gambles. She doesn’t apologize for any of it. She lives life to the fullest beating to her own drum.

Beach party, Mom and Dad out having fun togetherMy mom and best friend, dancing and silly times, Bianca Tyler's mother, Germany, carefree days   Parents with friends having a lovely evening, My mom & dad
Mom in the 60s, my mom (2)      My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother, purple floor length     My mom and her friend, evening out, white dress, Bianca Tyler's mother

Time for a present, mom opens gift, 1970s, mom dad and sister

 

New York Yacht Club, Mom and Dad out having fun together Niagara Falls, mom & dad at Niagrara Falls

When she lost my father 15 years ago, it devastated her. Their love and building a life together for their children was unsurpassed. They were a team in everything they did.

Mom & Dad, having fun, dancing and celebrating, wonderful parents, loving parents, bianca Tyler's mother & father              My mom & dad, Bianca Tyler's mother & father, dance, enjoying the night together Mom and Dad enjoying vacation      My mom & dad, Bianca Tyler's mother & father, hugsMy mom & dad, Bianca Tyler's mother & father, celebrating with friends  Mom & Dad, happy memories (2)

Mom & Dad, happy memories (1)    Mom & Dad enjoying a celebration

Mom & Dad going out, big smiles, happy, fun evening    Enjoying an evening out, Dad & Mom with friends in the middle, big smiles, fun memories

My mom & dad, night out with friends, celebrations, Bianca Tyler's mom & dad, tux, tuxedo, bow tie, fun, joy, laughter, good times   My mom & dad, night out with friends, celebrations, lovely evening, great memories, Bianca Tyler's mother and father

My Mom’s parents absolutely adored her.

Family photo, my mom & grandparents, Bianca Tyler's mother, mom, omi and opi My mom, my mom and grandmother, Bianca Tyler's mother, kisses from Mommy, baby carriage, Mother & Daughter, sweet baby

Family hugs, family time, happy family, loving parents, happy child, sunny days Mom with her father, toddler tweaks dad's nose, beach fun, my mom and grandfather, summertime fun, family time

Those were some smoochable cheeks!!

My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother, Mommy (54)      My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother, Mommy, cherub, sweet darling, rosy cheeks, curly blonde hair

Young mom, like a little doll, so cute, bandana and curls     Toddler mom and my grandmother, Europe                                               Mom as toddler, cute boots    Family time at the beach, happy family, parents dote on little child, sweet family     

My mom, baby carriage, going for a walk, Bianca Tyler's mother, baby     My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother, Mommy, Europe 1940s, happy memories, beaches, summer home, guest house, Pommern, Pommerania         My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother, Mommy, baby carriage, 1940s, sweet toddler, old fashioned carriage      My mom rowing 3 men, mom grows up on the water, move over fellas, Bianca Tyler's motherMy mother grew up on the water (the Baltic Sea and with Aunties & her Mom above at their beach guest house in Pommern) and could out row anyone. When she was young, she liked to ice skate, bike, dance and travel.

Mom loved skating, Europe        Teen, Europe, biking with friends            And she always loved animals!My mom loves animals, sweet dog, darling child, cute curls, love of animals starts young

Mom was always very close with her parents, as were we all.

My mom & grandmother, Omi and mom, Bianca Tyler's mother and grandmother My mom & grandmother, Bianca Tyler's mother & grandmother

My mother & father taught me I could be anything I wanted to be. They supported my achievements in school, my activities,      Miss Connecticut dinner and dance, Muhammad Ali's signed glove,Bianca Tyler's mother, fun days, crazy evenings outmy music, my whims & fancies, my travels, my moves around the country for my career, and my exciting year as Miss Connecticut & all the wonderful memories of representing my native state at the Miss America…
Mom supports me at the Miss America, family love, family energy, family support and love (2)    Mom supports me at the Miss America, family love, family energy, family support and love (1)
…including helping me pack trunks & boxes & shoes and shoes and shoes for the 2 weeks in Atlantic City for Miss America.Mom helps me pack for the Miss America, shoes for Miss AmericaMom helps pack trucks and boxes for Miss America, Miss America packing

My Mom traveled with me to Vancouver to put me on a ship that circumnavigated the globe for 4 months. My mom & me, Bianca Tyler's mother, 1980s, a

Mom – who saves everything – threw away my clothes after a week’s caving trip…they were really dirty for her to have thrown them out!

My mom & sister, Spain, 1980s, how time flies, Mom & DaughterWe traveled around Spain, Gibraltar, Barbados & Germany together & tons of other places.                   (left with my sister)

Years later, Mom drove with my dog & me across the country & decorated a house I found for cheap…really cheap…only to find out it was a former drug depot…so I left the house a short while later along with all the painting, bordering, curtain-hanging and decorating she had done day & night the week she dropped me off for my new job.

Mom makes my costumes, Bianca Tyler costumes (1)           Mom makes my costumes, Bianca Tyler costumes (2)
Mom sewed countless costumes (above) for me and for my sister & my sister’s students.

My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother, Mommy (57)       Photos taken by mom, Bianca Tyler's mom (6)
Mom (her passport pic)                            me (headshot taken by Mom)

She took photographs of my wedding in England when the photographer there slacked off and almost ruined the day. Mom takes a walk at the castle, Medieval castle, misty castlePhillip gave him an earful and my mother took the photographs and she and my sister created a surprise wedding album for me when I returned from England.Bianca & Phillip marry, beautiful children all around, flowers, moat, castle, roses, sweetness

My mother also saved hundreds of newspaper clippings, magazine articles and memorabilia from my Miss Connecticut year and painstakingly glued them into several beautiful scrapbooks to cherish always. She did it for a year and I never even knew it. Another wonderful surprise. You can view some of the clippings here: Miss CT in the News.

Halloween, bumblebee, gold sparkle antennae, My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother, silly memories

She’s always there to goof aroundGardens, flowers, happy home, loving childhood Mom, sister & me, happy summer days My mom & me, goofing around, hot weather, Bianca Tyler's mother, Mom & Daughter and she’s there for all the tears like when we just lost my Uncle recently. He is with Daddy now.  🙁  🙁

My mom & dad with my uncle, Bianca Tyler's mother & father & uncle, carefree days      My Dad & Uncle, brother time, enjoying time together, living far away Pregnant with my sister, Bianca Tyler's mother pregnant by the water                                                                                              (pregnant with my sister)

Mom has always been great at photography and even gave me her precious long-lens Canon in the 80s on the ship trip. A treasured item, so I was, indeed, very grateful.

She’s developed her own photography and taken headshots for actors & personalities over the years. Definitely helped save a bundle on my own headshots for TV over the years! Here are some snaps from Mom:

Photos taken by mom, Bianca Tyler's mom (10)   Photos taken by mom, Bianca Tyler's mom (9) Photos taken by mom, Bianca Tyler's mom (8)      Photos taken by mom, Bianca Tyler's mom (7) Photos taken by mom, Bianca Tyler's mom (5) Photos taken by mom, Bianca Tyler's mom (4)  Photos taken by mom, Bianca Tyler's mom (2)  Photos taken by mom, Bianca Tyler's mom (1) Barbados with Mom, Bianca Tyler, glorious day, soaring wrap  Bianca Tyler (1)    Bianca Tyler (3)   Bianca Tyler (2) 

Thanks, Mom, for making my life great growing up. Thanks for all you have done for me. I love you!

In tribute to her, I hope I captured my mother’s life in this pictorial. Please say a prayer for her. She had heart fibrillations recently and was rushed to the hospital. It’s been constant testing every day.

Seeing her weak & tired is unnerving. Fragile is not a word I would ever use to describe my mother. Sweet but tough, robust & resilient, soft-hearted but strong-willed.

Summertime, My mom, Bianca Tyler's mother

My mother prides herself on honesty and has never lied a day in her life. She is someone you can trust. She loves her daughters, grandchildren and animals. And we all love her.

The Bright SpotTM bright spot flower – I believe in the power of prayer. Please pray.

 


Bianca

Pumpkin Henge

Friday, October 19, 2012 by  

“Do you smell that, Mommy?” I wasn’t smelling anything, I was heading intoIndian corn, red corn, maze, Pumpkin Henge, Pumpkin picking, pumpkin patch, Halloween, October, holidays, family time, family together, friends, fun, family fun (15) Party City for a dolphin balloon, last errand of the evening, my mind racing with the day’s events. “Smell what, Honey,” I asked, clutching her little, warm hand in mine as we weaved through the busy parking lot.

“Autumn.”

Gorgeous BIG pumpkin with curly stem, Pumpkin Henge, Pumpkin picking, pumpkin patch, Halloween, October, holidays, family time, family together, friends, fun, family fun (10)I stopped immediately between the safety of parked cars and looked at her. “What do you smell?” She looked up at me and then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “The smokey smell in the crisp air, that smokiness you smell when fireplaces crackle and leaves fall gently outside and we get costumes for Halloween and then the holidays begin!” Then she opened her eyes and smiled serenely.

What a simple delight when we stop everything and listen to our children. When we halt our harried lives and smell the air around us. Yes, just stop and breathe. Pumpkin Henge, Pumpkin picking, pumpkin patch, Halloween, October, holidays, family time, family together, friends, fun, family fun (3)

We took the kids to a 150-year-old farm for hayrides & pumpkin picking, corn mazes and strawberry fields…forever…

 

Strawberry, fresh strawberry patch, crop of strawberries, baby strawberry, unripe strawberry, Pumpkin Henge, Pumpkin picking, pumpkin patch, Halloween, October, holidays, family time, family together, friends, fun, family fun (13)

 

 

Pumpkin patch, fun in Autumn, crisp air, sunny skies, white pumpkins, rainbow, strawberry fields, strawberries (3)   Pumpkin patch, fun in Autumn, crisp air, sunny skies, white pumpkins, rainbow, strawberry fields, strawberries (1)

Pumpkin patch, fun in Autumn, crisp air, sunny skies, white pumpkins, rainbow, strawberry fields, strawberries (2)

Pumpkins, squash, gourds, totally cute (5) Pumpkins, squash, gourds, totally cute (3)
The girls worked hard creating their very own Pumpkin Henge: Pumpkin Henge, Pumpkin picking, pumpkin patch, Halloween, October, holidays, family time, family together, friends, fun, family fun (20)

Batman Marilyn Monroe Sherry-Netherland Hotel Doubles New York CityAfter 20 years, I’m turning in my Marilyn outfit to match our daughter as “princess & queen”Costumes, matching Mommy-Daughter costumes, princess and queen, red and gold costumes, gowns, beautiful fabric as we help coordinate this year’s Fall Festival and organize the costume parade with Batman.

Oh, I do love my Batman!  Click here for more about my very own Caped Crusader: http://theletstalkmom.com/tea-talk-momversations/my-caped-crusader/

The Bright SpotTM  bright spot flower – It’s not just roses we have to slow down for, smell the Autumn, too. 🙂 Snoopy pumpkin, Snoopy, Pumpkins


Bianca