Monday, January 30, 2012

Memorable Moments





The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia

This is one of my ALL TIME favorite scenes from a televison show. Go Mrs. Sugarbaker!


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Saturday, January 28, 2012

That's Haute


Elie Saab
Couture is a words that is tossed around without knowledge or regard for it's meaning. Most people have a general idea that couture represents expensive high end design and even though they use it to describe their most recent Walmart purchase. It can add to the list of diluted words along with genius and diva. Diva was never the same after VH1 got a hold of it. That's why I decided to take some time to focus on the real world of Haute Couture. Simply defined:


Couture [short for Haute Couture] refers to hand sewn custom clothing using the highest quality and most expensive fabrics. In France, the term haute couture is protected by law and is defined by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris. Their rules state that only "those companies mentioned on the list drawn up each year by a commission domiciled at the Ministry for Industry are entitled to avail themselves" of the label haute couture. The criteria for haute couture were established in 1945 and updated in 1992. (Wikipedia)


Versace
Couture week just wrapped up in Paris. Jean Paul Gaultier did a 50's rocker themed show as a tribute to Amy Winehouse. Karl Lagerfeld's runway for Chanel was turned into an airplane isle. I like the idea of an airplane set but the cloths were blah at best. I don't know what Chanel was aiming for but the arrow missed the mark by a long shot. Couture should be over the top inspired evening wear not sequin stewardess uniforms. Donatella Versace presented was her first Paris show since 2004. The best way to describe Versace's show is Kim Kardashian meets Judy Jetson. Although I like Kim, I don't mean that as a compliment. [in case there was any confusion] The best came from Elie Saab and Giambattista Valli. The former was a collection that was made for the Oscar red carpet. I guarantee that we'll see at least one Elie Saab couture gown on February 26th.

Couture creations are neither ment for real life nor real people and that's beauty of it. I should also state for the record that couture doesn't always mean cute. I'm talking to you Karl and Donatella. My final thoughts: You don't need to stop using the word but if pressed now you can speak intelligently to the true definition.


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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

This week Chelsea Handler took some verbal shots at Joan Rivers on Howard Stern's radio show. Not to be outdone, Joan Rivers went on Stern's show the next day for a rebuttal. To use Handler's words, "What the fuck do I care about Joan Rivers?" She went on about run in's they've had at events and such. Considering it all, she wasn't that hard on Joan. Regardless the Fashion Police host came back with boxing gloves on. The next day Joan (with daughter Melissa) fired back, "The girl made it on her back fucking the president [of the E Network]. She fine, she's ordinary, she's not a genius. She's an ordinary girl. But don't come after me you whore." Meow! Kitty's got claws. It's a stupid feud but I'm siding with Joan. Chelsea should remember that Joan opened a lot of the doors that she jogged through.

Here's a quick round up of Ms. Handler:

Chelsea Handler has had  a lot success since her show Chelsea Lately began in 2007. How she got the show is unknown, but Joan Rivers wasn't lying about the E! president Ted Harbert. Harbert and Handler dated and lived together until 2010. I won't knock her for that because I'm sure a lot of celebrities have gotten to the top by putting out.

I wouldn't say I dislike her, but I do have some issues with her. First, she replaceable. I tune in to her show on a regular basis because her round table guest are usually very funny. (John Caparulo being my favorite) This week, table regular Ross Matthews has been filling in as guest host while Chelsea's away. He's a great host and fills the spot wonderfully. If Handler never came back, I don't know if I'd miss her. I have to agree with Joan again, she's fine but she's not a genius. If she left the show any number of sassy comedians could fill the spot in seconds.

When she does host she acts like she's annoyed to be there. (Call it the Kristen Stewert syndrome) There's a constant thread of jokes on Chelsea Lately about "this crap show" or "this crap network" or "the idiot staff." The too cool for school routine is getting old.  I'm sure she loves her job and her staff so it'd be nice to kill the sourpuss act once in a while. If she's so above her late night chat show she should quit and work on your NBC sitcom full time. Oh wait... what's that? Her Are You There Chelsea sitcom is so awful it's almost unwatchable? I almost forgot about that minor detail. Although it makes me long for the days of Community. Gasp!

Lastly, there's the whole gay thing. She's not a gay icon and yet she thinks she is. Gawker.com put it best: The gay community single handily keeps several careers alive. Margaret Cho, Madonna, Kathy Griffin etc. Chelsea is not one of them. Yes the gays like her but we don't LOVE her. It takes more then vodka and sex jokes to win us over. (Ok... not much more...)

So Chelsea, what does this all mean? Keep making us laugh on Chelsea Lately but don't get to comfortable. An upbeat attitude goes a long way. Also, distance yourself from NBC and that abomination of a sitcom. Hashtag #Seriously!



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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Losers

The Oscar nominations are out and everyone's predictions are starting to roll in. Of course they want to win, but everyone always say's "It's just an honor to be nominated." But every time someone gets up on stage to accept an award, 4 other people are left depressed in their seats. With that in mind, I decided to investigate those 4 other people. The Losers.

Oscars
An Academy Award is one of the hardest awards to win. First you have to give an amazing performance and then you have to win the Hollywood popularity contest.  Extra points are usually given to the British and pretty people playing ugly. There is a long list of actors who have won an Oscar for many other reason other then their performance. Perfect example: Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock. Julia Roberts was great in Erin Brockovich but let's be honest. She won because she's Julia Roberts and we love her. The Academy wanted any excuse to give her a statue. (and I completely agree with them) If you compare performances only, Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream) acted circles around our favorite pretty women.  Sandra Bullock won for the Blind Side. This was laughable. It was a great heart warming movie and Sandy acted outside of her comfort zone. Maybe she deserved a nomination, not a win. Gabourey Sidibe gave the best performance that year in Precious but she was too unknown and the movie was too "independent." Sadly Ms. Burstyn and Ms. Sidibe went home a loser come Oscar night.
Those losses are understandable. Big Hollywood mega-star wins, lesser know independent movie actress looses. Sometimes the reasons for a loss is a less clear. Citizen Kane is widely considered the best movie ever made. It lost Best Picture (to How Green Was My Valley) and only received one award for Original Screenplay. That's right, the best film ever made only won one. Annette Benning has lost Best Actress three times. To make it worse, two of those losses were to Hilary Swank. Ouch! Benning would've won the award in 2000 for American Beauty but Hilary Swank gave a jaw dropping performance in Boys Don't Cry and the award justly went to her.

Other Oscar surprises include The Wizard of Oz loosing Best Picture. It's only shocking until you discover the movie that won... Gone With the Wind. Two of the most beloved movies of all time were released in the same year.

Brokeback Mountain also lost Best Picture. Although this is not a case where it was bested by another iconic film. It lost to Crash. The only award Crash deserves is the most forgettable Best Picture of all time.

The Emmys
Television has a similar history of famous snubs. But when the Emmys snub an actor is seems much more personal. Because a series comes back year after year, there are multiple times for an actor to win and loose. Therefore when someone looses year after year it, you have to start to wonder why they're hated so much. Jason Alexander played George on Seinfeld and never won an Emmy even though all of his cast mates took the trophy home at some point. Several of his losses were to David Hyde Pierce on Frasier. Angela Lansbury never won for Murder She Wrote in the 80's and more recently Steve Carrell finished his final season of the Office without ever winning.

The Grammys
It's hard to believe that any major artist hasn't won an Grammy at some point in their career. After all, the Grammys have a billion different categories. However some legendary musicians have never won. Diana Ross, The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Queen are among the legends who are Grammy-less. Diana Ross? How is that possible? Her career spands decades and she is an icon with a legendary career. It's amazing that she never got a Grammy, even if it was for purely token reasons.
Other Awards Gone Wrong:
MTV's Video Music Awards- The VMA's can be hit or miss but it's common sense to give the very first Video of the Year award (in 1984) to the universally accepted best video of all time: Michael Jackson's Thriller. Wrong! Thriller lost the award to The Cars' You Might Think.

Nobel Prize for Literature- James Joyce, Anton Chekhov, and Mark Twain are all losers. Leo Tolstoy lost to Theodor Mommsen in 1904. Who the hell is Theodor Mommsen?

P.S. Meryl Streep just recieved her 17th Oscar nominations . That's more then any other actor or actress and she's won twice. But that also means she's lost 14 times.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Motownphilly's Back Again

As we waited for a table at P.F. Chang's, a friend of mine pulled up this music list on his phone and we started reminiscing. It's one of those list that makes you think, "Oh yeah, I remember that song!" It also reminded me that En Vogue had a couple great songs back in the day. Maybe it'll make you revisit your iTunes account for some downloading. Enjoy!

50 Greatest R&B Songs of the 90's:

1. No Diggity - BLACKstreet feat. Dr. Dre
2. My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) - En Vogue
3. The Boy is Mine - Brandy & Monica
4. Real Love - Mary J. Blige
5. Hold On - En Vogue
6. This is How We Do It - Montell Jordan
7. Creep - TLC
8. You Make Me Wanna... - Usher
9. No, No, No Part II - Destiny's Child feat. Wyclef Jean
10. No Scrubs - TLC
11. Poison - Bell Biv Devoe
12. Are You That Somebody? - Aaliyah
13. Gett Off - Prince & The New Power Generation
14. I Love Your Smile - Shanice
15.
I Like the Way (The Kissing Game) - Hi-Five
16. Freak Like Me - Adina Howard
17. Remember the Time - Michael Jackson
18. Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg - TLC
19. Motownphilly - Boyz II Men
20. Pony - Ginuwine
21. Just Kickin' It - X-Scape
22. Candy Rain - Soul for Real
23. Too Close - Next
24. Back and Forth - Aaliyah
25. Don't Walk Away - Jade
26. Fantasy - Mariah Carey
27. Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days) - Monica
28. Baby - Brandy
29. If I Had No Loot - Tony! Toni! Tone!
30. I'm So Into You - SWV
31. Dream Lover - Mariah Carey
32. Power of Love/Love Power - Luther Vandross
33. Unpretty - TLC
34. It Never Rains (In Southern California) - Tony! Toni! Tone!
35. The First Night - Monica
36. I'm Every Woman - Whitney Houston
37. Free Your Mind - En Vogue
38. U Know What's Up - Donell Jones
39. Tell Me - Groove Theory
40. Hey Mr. D.J. - Zhane
41. I Wanna Be Down - Brandy
42. Live and Learn - Joe Public
43. Touch Me, Tease Me - Case feat. Foxxy Brown
44. Bills, Bills, Bills - Destiny's Child
45. Honey - Mariah Carey
46. I'm Your Baby Tonight - Whitney Houston
47. Let the Beat Hit 'Em - Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam
48. Giving You the Benefit - Pebbles
49. Girls Nite Out - Tyler Collins
50.
She's Playing Hard to Get - Hi-Five

Monday, January 16, 2012

The Globes

The Golden Globes were last nigth and over all most of the stars looked great. There were very few (if any) severe misses. Not surprisingly, my favorite was Tilda Swinton in blue Haider Ackermann. You probably haven't heard of Achermann, but his designs are edgy and extemely fashion forward. (The word trendy doesn't even begin to describe him) The 'I Want to be Her Best Friend Award' goes to Sophia Vergara. She's  so funny and sweet. It's also great when she tries to pronounce Wang. Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman were also favorites. Charlize Theron continued her fashion winning streak with Dior Couture. That's how a beaded headband should look. Yes I'm talking to you Michelle Williams. Emma Stone rocked a purple Lanvin dress with an eagle belt that added a little edge.


Kelly Osborne. I'm so on the fence with this one. I love the color of her Zac Posen gown and I even like her silver hair. (you read that correctly, silver) BUT... the look is to old for her and there is just so much fabric. I could Photoshop Helen Miren's face on this picture and you'd never know the difference. I wish it was sleeveless to make is skew a little younger.

Leah Michelle was guilty of the same crime. Her silver Marchesa dress was to old and to much. Although I loved her hair and makeup.

Rooney Mara kept it simple in black Nina Ricci. Bondage straps with a ruffled hem...Perfection. Side note: This dress literally premiered in Nina Ricci's pre-fall collection that came out A Week Ago. (January 9th to be specific) 

2012
2011
Everyone on TV gushed about how gorgeous Angelina Jolie looked. I hated it. First she had matching red lips, purse, and colar... Gag! Second, Natalie Portman did the same look last year and guess what, I hated it then too.

Poor Sarah Michelle Gellar. She said in an interview that her child daughter picked out her dress. Mistake number one. I actually like the blue swirl print, but the shape of the dress is to big and poofy. Here's a tip: if you're working a large print, the cut of the dress should be simple. If you put that patern on the shape of Angelina's dress (minus the red colar) it could be a knock out.



Saturday, January 14, 2012

The Week in Fashion

Burberry Fall 2012

Tommy Ton photo via Style.com

Dolce and Gabbana Fall 2012
Tommy Ton photo via Style.com















Trends to watch out for:


Velvet- I watched Burberry's Fall 2012 runway show live online and now I'm obsessed with velvet suits. As it turns out, Dolce and Gabbana were feeling the same way.

Cuffed pants and bright socks- It's been a major men's trend to cuff your jeans a couple inches about your sneakers. Add brightly colored or patterned socks to keep it fun and fresh.

Colorful Coats- Offset winter's gray and dreary weather with a jacket that stands out. Orange and red are perfect choices that can be paired with jeans and a button down.



Thursday, January 12, 2012

Reading for Non-Readers


It's not a secret that I hate to read. Therefore I'm as surprised as anyone else to be writing what amounts to a book review. Gasp!  I recently saw Hollywood's version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and it peaked my interest and I didn't want to wait until the second and third movie came out. (neither of which has started filming) What is a non reader to do? I logged into iTunes and downloaded both audiobooks. I finished book 2, the Girl Who Played with Fire and the Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest just began. (don't worry, no spoilers) Played w/ Fire was great because you learn learn more about the back story of the main character Lisbeth Salander. Now I'm only 5 chapters into Hornets Nest, and I'm getting restless. I want to find out the big ending but I also don't want to go through 30 chapters (or 18 hours) to get there. I'm at the point where I just want it to be over. Especially because, like I said, the stories don't get moving until the second half of each book.
The movie version of the Dragon Tattoo was very indicative of the books as a whole. They start out slow and pick up in the second half. While in the theatre, after and hour and a half I turned to my friend (who read the book) and asked "The two main character do meet at some point right?" One thing you loose in the film is the Swedishness of it all. Yes it take place in Sweden. In case you forget that while reading (or in my case listening) the author feels the need to tell you the name of EVERY street that everyone is on or coming from or going to. Vurtiborga, Moltzenplaza, Flookenshtin... I GET IT! WE KNOW IT'S SWEDEN! The studio still plans on making the second and third movies but no filming has begun. As they think about casting, I suggest Tilda Swinton. I don't know what character she'd play, but she looks like someone from Sweden.


Ceremonials

Are you in a music rut? I recommend Ceremonials by Florence and the Machine. Ms. Welch and the gang are back with another great album and the first single Shake It Out is Amalzing! If you need more proof talk to Karl Lagerfeld. Flo performed What the Water Gave Me in a white clam shell at Chanel's Spring 2012 runway show. It doesn't get much better then that.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Who Will He Be?

I wish psychics and horoscopes were real and accurate because I'm fascinated by who I'll end up with romantically.  I wouldn't expect a mystic to give me the name and phone of my future partner but some basic statistical information would be nice. Will he be older or younger, louder or quieter, taller or shorter? I think the number one question I would have for a psychic would be, Have I met him yet? Is he already in my life and I don't know it or do I need to travel near and far to discover him? Part of me hopes that I haven't met him yet because everyone I know now has a partner. If my dream man is already taken I'm going to punch 'fate' in the face. My love life will not turn into an Alanis Morrissette song. Truth be told I really have to idea who my ideal match would be, Yet I strongly suspect he'll be  the opposite of what (I don't know) I expect. Watch I'll end up settling down with an intellectual lesbian financier who owns a weekend farm... the horror! I've really never focused in on the type of man I want so here is a preliminary check list of the do's and don't's:

Age: 5 years younger to 15 years older.
Height: It's completely unconscious, but I've always liked guys who are shorter then me
Hair color: Brunette. Although nordic blonde cubby guys can be cute to
Sense of humor: I had a realization several months ago that a sense of humor is not important to me. Clever is good but very funny turns into shtick and I get turned off. I would pick down to earth over funny any day.
Build: stocky and meaty with a nice ass
Work: Be self-sufficient. You don't have to be on a strong career path but be able to pay your bills
Personality: This is number one and most important. A guy can be physical perfection but loose it all in his personality. It's hard to define what's right and wrong, but confidence is a good start. Plus, you'll always get a foot in the door with a strong sense of self and creativity.
Attitude: either super laid back and easy going i.e. 'the stoner sensibility' or spunky and devilish.
Tattoos and Piercings: Piercings are ok except for the jacob's lader and the extra large ear spacers. Oh and I'm not a fan of lip rings, although it's not a deal breaker. Tattoos are ok as long as they're not on the face or penis.
Sexuality: If you can count your sexual partners on one hand we may not have a lot on common.
Interests: Please don't be into Nascar or pro-wrestling. Please like quirky documentaries, sex outside of the bedroom, Jeopardy, and travel.

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Friday, January 6, 2012

Pride and Prejudice

My mother hates Madonna. She thinks that Madonna is the epitome of the whorish degradation of women. In fact, I can't remember the last time she's actually say the name Madonna, instead she will only refer to her as The Pig Woman. Obviously I disagree, but I can understand and respect the opinion.

Logically you'd assume my pro-woman mother would be fond of Oprah because her main tenets have been to nurture your heart, soul, and mind. Very few people have gotten to that level of success without it corrupting them. That assumption would be wrong. My mother can't stand Oprah. This puts my brain in knots. Mom agrees with Kathy Griffin, "Oprah thinks she's Jesus." It's true the big O can get a bit preachy and sound like a life coach. (Watch her show Oprah's Life Class on OWN)  However that shouldn't out way all the good she's done in her 25 year career. Over the years I've discovered the real reason my mother dislikes her. Pride. Humble is not an adjective you think of when describing Ms. Winfrey or Madonna.

Pride, Hubris, Ego, Self-confidence, Arrogance, or just a cocky attitude. There is an anti-pride social construct that I find strange. When an artist wins an award they are expected to act surprised and say the cliché "I never expected to win." The queen of this is Taylor Swift. Watch a clip of Swift at any music event. When she wins she'll get up from her seat with her hands close to her face mouthing the words Who me? I can't believe it!?. Ugh... she gets on my nerves. Give me more Kanye any day! I love confidence and a cocky attitude. Quiet and humble is polite and boring. So the next time you go out with your best polyester pants suit on or floor length fur coat, trust that you're the hottest guy at Tommy's.



Thursday, January 5, 2012

Shameless Plug

Shameless, the hit show on Showtime premiers its second season this weekend. The hour long drama follows a close family trying to get by on a shoe string budget. I highly recommend watching. Great acting and great storylines. Don't have Showtime? Don't worry! The premium chanel is offering a free weekend (on Comcast) January 6-8th. Watch Shameless and while you're there, catch up on the trashy but very entertaining Gigolos. (almost X-rated man whore sex) Shameless is also available on DVD if you want to catch up on the first season.



Tuesday, January 3, 2012

55 Places to Visit Before You Die

There is a list on Facebook going around of the 100 places you should visit before you die. I looked over the list and there were a lot of places that I have no interest in going. So I decided to make some tweeks and changes. Here is my list of the 50 places I think you should visit before you die. It's also doubles as my Travel Bucket List. You'll also notice Asia and Africa are widely ignored on the list. That's not a mistake. I have very little want or need to ever go there. Enjoy!
  1. Mediterranean Cruise
  2. Tower of London: London England
  3. Anne Frank House: Amsterdam Netherlands
  4. Christ the Redeemer: Rio de Janeiro Brazil
  5. Colloseum: Rome Italy
  6. Eiffel Tower: Paris France
  7. Forbidden City: Beijing China
  8. French Quarter: New Orleans Louisiana
  9. Gateway Arch: St. Louise Missouri
  10. Glacier Bay: Alaska
  11. Golden Gate Bridge: San Fransisco California
  12. Grand Canal: Venice Italy
  13. Sidney Opera House, Australia
  14. La Pedrera: Barcelona, Spain
  15. Great Wall of China: China
  16. Terracotta Army: Qin Shin Huang China
  17. Volcanoes National Park: Hawaii
  18. Hollywood Blvd: Hollywood California
  19. Kremlin: Moscow Russia
  20. Las Vegas Strip: Las Vegas Neveda
  21. Leaning Tower of Pisa: Pisa Italy
  22. The Alpes: Switzerland
  23. Time Square: New York New York
  24. Central Park: New York New York
  25. Mount Rushmore: Keystone South Dakota
  26. Notre Dame Cathedral: Paris France
  27. PebWaltble Beaches: Nice France
  28. Westminster Abbey: London Englans
  29. Ruins of Athens: Athens Greece
  30. Sagrada Famila: Barcelona Spain
  31. Sears Tower: Chicago Illinois
  32. Sistene Chapel: Vatican City
  33. Space Needle: Seattle Washington
  34. Statue of Liberty: New York New York
  35. Stonehenge: Wiltshire County England
  36. Washington Monument: Washington DC
  37. Zion National Park Utah
  38. Grand Canyon: Arizona
  39. Stockholm Sweden
  40. Palace of Versailles: Versailles France
  41. Island of Capri: Capri Italy
  42. Ocean Drive: Miami Florida
  43. Key West Florida
  44. Boston Common: Boston Massachusetts
  45. Atlanta Georgia
  46. Minnesota State Fair: Minneapolis Minnesota
  47. San Diego California
  48. Hearst Castle: San Simeon California
  49. Any Caribbean Island
  50. The Luvre Museum: Paris France
  51. The Duomo: Florence Italy
  52. Dallas or Houston Texas
  53. Nazi Concentration Camps: Germany
  54. Boston Common: Boston Massachusetts
  55. Walt Disney World: Orlando Florida

Monday, January 2, 2012

Memorable Moments




It was over 20 years ago that
Madonna perfomer formed her new hit song Vogue at the VMA's. (in 1990)
After all that time it still stands out as one of my favorites.

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