Cat Fights Mouse, Dakota's Moon, Dudley's Piano, Plus Bartender's Best And A Fat-Shaming Secret Song!

For those of you still grappling with winter, I won't tell you that it's a breezy 79 degrees where I am (oops, my bad), but I will tell you that I found a delicious polpettone recipe earlier this week (I substituted ground turkey for the veal) and it was a hit. But more to the point, while I was making it (and it's easy, by the way) I listened to Scott Bradley's music from the "Tom & Jerry" cartoon series.

Shearing Plays With Sassy & Staton, Plus Previn Pills And A Diamonelle-Like Secret Song!

Have you missed me? I've missed you, dear reader. But, as I always say, I'll never post just to post. Besides, the wait has been worth it. Ergo, Dakota. Isn't her face luminous? And the smile! Such nice choppers she has. And the wig. Perfection! Dakota herself is already perfection, but when you hook her up with the right musician, ka-boom! In 1957, one such ka-boom transpired when she collaborated on the LP "In The Night" (a Perfect-Dakota Cheerful Exclusive!) with blind, British-born piano master and jazz band leader George Shearing. 

Premium Porter, Lenny's Dirty Mouth, Vince At The Beach, Plus A Divine Secret Song!

Can you guess who's pictured above? If you guessed Peggy Lee, then you're quicker than me. It's a very young Peggy, of course; the picture was likely taken in the mid-1930s when she was singing at The Buttery Room in Chicago (still a decade away from releasing her first record). What I don't know is when she sang her first Cole Porter song, but I'm glad she's included on "The Very Best Of Cole Porter" - a De-Lovely Cheerful Exclusive! - a compilation where she performs "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" like a perfect (semi) virgin.