The apocalypse is upon us . . .

Oh . . . my . . . words fail me (well, not really). I was perusing the offerings at the V&A Museum's online shop, and I couldn't believe what I saw. They are offering a brooch and earring set designed by . . . Dita Von Teese. A stripper, for heaven's sake! I guess I shouldn't be shocked since the V&A tends to have rather, um, current exhibits. This is the museum that featured an exhibit honoring that cultural icon Kylie Minogue. Still, I was a little stunned to see Ms. Von Teese apparently being embraced by the mainstream as a "serious artist." Well, maybe I'm diminishing her talents unfairly. Wikipedia does describe her as a "fetish model." The leap from that career to jewelry designer isn't so extreme I guess . . .