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8/07/2014

Phoebe Halliwell

My favorite Halliwell sister Phoebe from the "Charmed" TV show!! With her premonition & levitation powers she's described as one of the most powerful witches of all times. She later in the show became an empath, developing the power to sense & experience the emotions of others. Phoebe wants to achieve her destiny both as a witch & as a woman. Fashion forward, one of the most caring Halliwell sisters, she focuses on finding her path & realizing her dreams regarding her personal life as well as having a career that suits her. She became a writer at the San Francisco "Bay Mirror" where she writes her own column. Moreover as a true fighter she kept hope of living her dream life despite the deaths of both her older sister Prue & her mum that she lost at a young age. The end of Charmed sees her finding her happy ending!







               San Francisco....the Halliwell sisters hometown

7/28/2014

Women at the court of Versailles



Behind the grandiose court of Versailles let's focus on life of women at the palace.. from the queen to the  king's mistress and ladies in waiting & servants.
Life in Versailles was rooted in a complex hierarchy & rigid etiquette with nobles exhausting themselves to please the king since he was the one deciding on their social advancement. In this world of competition & backstabbing where the ultimate goals were favors from the king or queen, women were often used in strategic alliances. 









The Queen..Marie Antoinette's private apartments









Marie Antoinette's necklace which led to the infamous "Necklace Trial"

The queens of France lived a life under constant scrutiny where every action was governed by rules of etiquette & where they had very little regard in French politics. Marie Antoinette, the most famous & last queen of France sought solace from that public display in a small circle of friends.

The king's mistress..Mme Du Barry's apartments







Mme Du Barry, a former seamstress who was the last mistress of king Louis the XVth. Born Jeanne Becu, she made a name for herself in court with the king's support, thus becoming the prey of courtesans as well as the king's close family who hated her. As her power in court grew stronger she got involved in politics, thus playing a part in the Duc de Choiseul exile & dismissal of his ministerial role. Her golden age stopped with the king's death. She was beheaded during the revolution.

The servants apartments

Servant's bed

The servants, a population living in the shadow, behind the scene away from the opulence & extravagance of the royal salons & festivities.






Versailles gardens