Lalalunacy

These look like nice enough guys, right? Wrong. They are Cliff and Ilan from Top Chef S2 and although they had potential to be favorites they have proved themselves to be immature asses. I know this is strong language but something about the way the male contestants have been so thoroughly disappointing makes me feel bad about the entire male species. This feeling is also due to watching "North Country" last night-- I'm not sure why I watched, every seen was predictable, but I still cried at the end when Charlize Theron inspired other women in the mine to testify about their experiences of sexual harassment. I think the movie would have done better if it were called "Flashdance: The Untold Story".
Back to Top Chef, J and I were just chatting about it and talked about posting. But we realized that there wasn't much to say. All the contestants are jerks, except Elia, who may be a little irritating but has maintained her integrity. Sam, the hunk, also had potential to be as likable as the charming doormat, Harold, from S1 but with a ponytail and hipper t-shirts. But he has also tanked in the interpersonal relationships department. Still, I think he is the most likely to take home the title.

So I suppose J. and I will root for Elia, I know Zuppe has long been a fan, but I think what will really keep me watching is the consistent inappropriateness of Padhma's wardrobe.

22! Rocket! Hit! Hit! Hit!

So I have no idea what the heck that means. And I really do not like football. Or Texas. (Except for Austin, maybe.)

But yet I've developed a serious addiction to NBC's Friday Night Lights, thanks in part to Aging Cowgirl's glowing praise for the show, and thanks in part to my new TV crush of the season, Matt Saracen (played by Zach Gilford). It is a show about a high school football team and its new head coach (Kyle Chandler) in a town where football is religion.

Matt Saracen is the new quarterback who took over for the golden boy quarterback who was paralyzed in the first game. No pressure at all, right? Well Matt also cares for his senile grandma while Dad (who may be a widower, based on the assumption that Mom has not been mentioned at all?) is on duty in Iraq. And he's crushing on Coach's daughter. So there's a lot going on there. I've figured that he is sort of an amalgam of a bunch of past TV crushes of mine:


... + maybe a little Felicity (he draws! Awww!) + football stuff

Don't let NBC's somewhat dashing promotional photos fool you: he is mostly earnest and dorky and pensive and a little broody.

But not the most broody. One of Aging Cowgirl's favorites isn't too bad either:

Tim Riggins (played by Taylor Kitsch) really makes the Hanes undershirt thing work for him (hmm, shades of The OC's Ryan also, perhaps, what with the enthusiasm for undergarments).

Now I really love the head coach and his wife:I am especially loving the simple dorkiness of the white sneakers with jeans. LOVE. Kyle Chandler's hair is impressive. Connie Britton plays Tami Taylor and she is SO fun to watch. I can't believe she's the same woman who was in The Brothers McMullen.

I don't even mind perky cheerleader girl Lyla Garrity. She's kinda like this:

... with some depth. She is the girlfriend (with complications) of the aforementioned paralyzed golden boy former-quarterback. But paraplegic pseudo-porn - that's all I'm going to say. The girl is a go-getter and I can respect that.

Some choice lines from the great recaps for the show at TelevisionWithoutPity.com, which explain some of the greatness that I didn't fully describe because I was too busy looking for pretty pictures of Zach Gilford:

"I can't believe this show can do both the groundbreaking stuff -- exploring racism and disability with small, beautiful gestures -- and the majestically cheesy stuff like an inspirational team-building scene in the rain. "

"I have to point out that while everyone is going on about the color blind casting over at Grey's Anatomy, there's some equally awesome casting (or, really, plotting) happening over here on FNL...not color- or disability-blind, but color- and disability-aware. " -- Drunken Bee, TelevisionWithoutPity.com

So it's not totally Dawson's and One Tree Hill redux... but I have to say some things just make a fangirl like me totally go "Squeeeee!"

Sigh.


And I just heard recently that The OC is to be cancelled in February. Bastards. Just when it was getting good. Just when Marissa died. Just when we were introduced to Pancakes!

Irish fiddling!

This past Saturday, I went to a concert by Eileen Ivers and her band. They were fabulous! I was skeptical about going to a fiddling concert but Ivers with her electric fiddle was amazing. The fact that the uillean piper/tin whistler/flautist was a cute redhead was an added bonus :) His photo on the website doesn't do him justice!

The Pursuit of Luckylyness

I remember a writing instructor once warned us that having to use an adverb meant that your choice of adjective or verb was probably not strong enough. It was a styrofoam crutch, a soggy band-aid, a sign of *gasp* bad writing.

You'll note that hyperbole must be the magic word today.

Now, I'm not quite so afraid of the adverbs and other adjective-modifiers, despite the horror that is BAD WRITING. I quite like them. Perhaps it's my rebellion against the same instructor who assigned us to write five-page descriptions of a single museum artwork without using any form of the verb "to be". Ever. In five pages. About art.

But a rage has been bubbling up from inside me, like lava really, in response to month after month of ridiculous adverbs peppering -- nay! poppy-seeding (because those suckers get stuck in your teeth and gums and hurt) -- the usually pleasant layout of Lucky magazine.

Now most of us are pretty familiar with all the girly-magazine-speak and all its puns and implied squeals and sound bites of fabulosity (props to Kimora Lee Simmons for that word. NOT).... but Lucky just seems egregiously annoying in their choice and style of descriptions for their favorite looks or products.

To wit, some major offenders (to be edited, I'm sure, once I'm able to check back a couple of issues, possibly with a diagram of sorts):

Maximum security-level inhabitants
Wildly, utterly, glamourously, brilliantly, irresistibly

The consorts which make frequent conjugal visits
Sexy, chic, modern, hip, smart, on-trend (egad), romantic, edgy

I've come across some entertaining bloggers who feel similarly, and I think their more in-depth writings will prove to be massively amusing -- if you, like me, are ready to smack the stilletoes off an editor these days.

Especially for Aging Cowgirl

It's OK to cry for two hours about this. But not anymore than that.

rollcaaaaaallllllll!

where my frillseekahs at!

it's been a little cold with inactivity up in this mug and i think it's time for a little "callout" for the true frillerseekers!!

shabooyah, sha-sha-shabooyah roll call
my name is j (whut!)
i like shopping online (whut!)
the clothes are fly (huh?!)
cuz i'm so fine...(roll call!)

thoughts on tyra?

As a relative newcomer to the world of America's Next Top Model I am still trying to figure out how I feel about Tyra. I am fascinated by the way she is able to move from goofy to serious, albeit with some awkward phrasing --- "So the next name I am going to call". She must be a master of manipulating her onscreen persona because she makes me think that she is just like me---vulnerable (when she says I cried yesterday, I believe her) and aware of her limitations (we all know she isn't the smartest or most beautiful model, whatever that means, out there but she is ambitious anyway). The only time it feels too canned is when she talks about fears and insecurities in the abstract, but still, maybe without this foray into cheesiness we couldn't see the vulnerability.

How do you feel about tyra "the fivehead" banks?

Favorite Makeover movie?

I am in the mood for the makeover movie. Any recs? I feel like I have seen them all, but surely there must be something on par with "She's outta control" and "Desperately Seeking Susan" for the new millenium? Perhaps the "The Devil Wears Prada"? Anyway, this is a good time to ask all you frillseekers for you fave makeover movies!

Not so much missing as non-existent

<---------------

Please note we have a new section right thurr. Add a comment with a list of any links you'd like to see represented on our blog in a permanent capacity. It can be other blogs you think we would be interested in on a regular basis, your personal website, entertainment or hobby sites, etc.

Right now, J and I are the only ones with ADMIN POWER, so the list is pretty much up to our discretion. I'll try not to include too many Jason Statham links, but I can't make any promises. Of course, if anyone would like to be blessed with ADMIN POWER, you just let us know, and, if you need some template learnin', we could even show you how to add (and delete) links and change around font colors and such.

Poll of sorts: Which magazines do you (or would you) subscribe to?

Something is screwy.

Well at least my shoddy construction demonstrates I did all this work myself.

Welcome to frill_seekers 3.0, which will soon have its game face on. For now, let's just say someone's slip is showing, shall we?

Clichés aside, I hope to have the template refined by Project Runway time tomorrow.

Speaking of, or rather, awkwardly segue-ing to.... the fact that the Project Runway Season 3 finale is tomorrow night. Whether you do or do not follow the show, you may have noticed that Season 2 was a frequent topic here. My recent lack of chatter regarding Season 3 can be attributed to the fact of my changing jobs recently, but is probably more due to the fact that the show as a whole has become somewhat sucky. The editors or writers have chosen to focus more on drama, the judges have decided to focus more on what they call "taste", and thusly I have been forced to focus on the ginormous suckitude of this season.

But tomorrow night (or tonight, if you're sane and reading this on Wednesday), we find out who wins. And even that is fraught with contrived drama as last week there had been some talk of one final designer having had outside (illegal) help with his collection. Sturm und Drang und YAWN. I do not even care who wins, really. Well, I do, sort of. But not really. Well... no, they've made it impossible to care.

My favorite for spirit/personality, Michael, has already won the $10K prize for being the audience favorite. Huzzah! Judging by the work shown in the first part of the finale, it seems like his collection is maybe the worst of the group. Not so huzzah.

My least favorite personality, Jeffrey, seems to have the most exciting collection and could be a contender for the win... dunh dunh DUNH if he overcomes the cheating accusations and is still part of the competition.

Laura and Uli seem to have produced collections that are typical of their respective styles (flapper deluxe and boho deluxe) demonstrated throughout the season. That said, I am still really excited to see what they've made because I got to like each of them very much, personality and design-wise.

I really cannot call it, and I feel like I've been waiting for-freaking-ever because Fashion Week was an effing month ago and it was really really hard not to peek at the collection photos. Like... DAYUMN.

Anyway, here is a cool gallery with close-ups of all the creations from the season (and from past seasons too, if you click on "Project Runway"). There are also sections for each finalist's Fashion Week show, if you want a preview. Especially since we'll probably get 39 minutes of expertly hand-crafted dramality and maybe 4 minutes of actual design.

Something is screwy indeed, because I may care more about the Mets making it to the World Series. What a coup!

fabulousness, 18th-century style

I am excited to see this film. For several reasons, but perhaps mostly because of this last little bit of the review from the NYT:

“Marie Antoinette” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It has glimmers of sexuality and brief glimpses of naked flesh amid all the fabulous clothes.

I inserted the bold-type right there :). Anyways. Just wanted to share my excitedness. I haven't seen The Departed yet, but these are the two films that are currently striking my fancy (that and The Prestige, which I don't know how to characterize yet). But I see these two films as being night and day to one and other, at least from the previews. One is from a celebrated male director featuring a mostly male cast and I can't really think of it without thinking of machismo and a bit of male-locker-room-smell (ew, sorry). The other one is from a celebrated female director, staring a woman, and when I think of it, I imagine cakes and cookies and hints of floral perfume wafting through the air. This is a very sterotyped division of the sexes, on my part, and I apologize for that. But I think Shonda Rhimes would be proud.

America's Next Top Model

I don't watch the show reguarly and I don't want to be down on a fellow brown girl, but I really don't think Anchal to be all that attractive...maybe it's because I feel like she's too skinny for an Indian gal! Guess I prefer my South Asian gals to be solid.

The Best Movie of the Year

Half Nelson.
Ryan Gosling with a beard.
Newcomer Shareeka Epps.
Genius.

Stand Still, Look Pretty

Back in 2002 lilbunny introduced me to Michelle Branch and we rocked out to her and her band at the Paradise. It was a great concert, as I recall, and Michelle was in great form-- she didn't feel the need to put the budding pop princess thing in your face all the time. She showed us the best of the "not a girl, not yet a woman" category. And then she disappeared.

A few months ago I started hearing about her revival as a country singer. She and Jessica Harp are now known as "The Wreckers" and are promoting their first album. My local offensively patriotic country station is playing the single "Leave the Pieces" but I am not too impressed. It sounds alright-- it has the twang that I look for in country music but I thought they would put a younger spin on it. Maybe they feel they need to establish themselves as knowing the genre (and their core audience), before they get too creative with the lyrics or melodies. They are not really trying to do the alt-country thing, there will be two concerts in Tennessee and none in Boston. Given the fact that they have ties to the WB/CW people, perhaps a well-placed TV background song will help them break through. I wish them all the best but hearing them sort of makes me want to go back to the woman who inspired my moniker--- Emmylou Harris.

frilly farewells

So, I was watching some GG last night, 'cause I am hooked, even though the characters, the story, the everything became oh so blah-un-believable last season... and then this commercial came on... Why were they showing Sarah Michelle Geller, aka Buffy? And Dawson? And Felicity? AND Angel? Well, it appears the very tv shows that helped to define my college years (and some time afterwards) are being resurrected as part of the WB's grand farewell this Sunday night. I have to admit, fellow frill-seekers, that the images brought tears to my eyes. Those were good times in Wharton, Danawell, and elsewhere. And those were good people, great friends, who shared (or at least humored) my obsession with BTVS and helped me to enjoy the Creek (did Pacey and Joey end up together? 'Cause, well, they should have.) and Felicity (I liked the haircut!!!) and Angel (DB really is a brillant actor, no?). With all these warm and fuzzy thoughts going on in my head, I thought I'd just take the opportunity to say, so long WB, thanks for the memories! And to all you fellow frilly-WB-viewers, thanks for taking the ride with me. Mwah!

Cranky.

Yes, I saw "Crank". And I didn't expect it to be "good". But I didn't expect it to be embarrassing.
There was much "good", in that Jason Statham gets to do stunts, get to be half-naked, and gets to do stunts while being half-naked. I mean, he even wore Pumas, had sex... and had sex while wearing Pumas.

You'd think it would be my recipe for awesome.

Except he kept saying "baby". Blech, it makes me a little nauseous to write that. British guys should not be calling their girls "baby". It just doesn't sound right.

Seriously? it would have been better as a silent film. Without Amy Smart trying to do her best blow-up doll impersonation. Statham's expressions are priceless, when he doesn't have stupid dialogue to deal with. E.g. he does really well with the lines in Snatch. Or when, like in The Italian Job, Seth Green does his dialogue for him.

The movie began like it could have been comparable to Guy Ritchie's films, or Go, or Run Lola Run, or Kill Bill or Sin City .... but it just ended up as the worst copy of a copy of those. Sad. But I should have known.

* * *

And for those who didn't hear my ginormous yelps of glee, the fourth season of The Wire started yesterday. I think it'll be an amazing season (this year, the show takes on the theme of "education", and fittingly, takes us to the Baltimore public schools).... but with far less screen time for my favorite characters, played by Dominic West, Wendell Pierce, and Michael K. Williams, sadly. All good things do come to an end, but at least this great thing gets to go on for a little longer (if HBO is nice to us).

I recommend this show to pretty much everyone I end up talking TV with (OK, everyone I talk with!), so if I haven't already said it to you .... SEE IT!!!

* * *

So I make lists of DVDs all the time, but it might be time to actually buy some, considering that the new stuff isn't exactly all that satisfying ;)

Also? Shut up, PR3 Jeffrey. Just shut up.

semi-frilly: pink's 'dear mr. president'

okay. not total frills but still entertaining...and moving I think.

what do you all think about this song?
does this confirm or change your opinion of 'pink' as an artist?

things that make you go hmm....

link me

many happy bouncy returns of the day!

more pics of the cheeky monkey

WHAT.

THE.

FROCK.


Project Runway is dead to me.

As I watched the last few minutes, I kept saying in my head "I will not watch this show anymore if they elminate Allison." Needless to say, it was an ultimatum I felt OK with because I still had some shred of trust in the show.

Well that's gone. And I don't think I can watch this show anymore. And that makes me incredibly sad.

I had to call Aging Cowgirl for some post-show therapy last night. And then I had to take a Benadryl to get to sleep. I mean, yesterday the whole day was weird for me, but PR just kind of clinched it, and I was very keyed up the entire evening.

Last night's show demonstrated the worst apsects of the season. In addition to the judges' crack-addled decisions, the editors/writers chose to focus on stupid f'ing drama again and to indicate the final runway participants by blatantly giving them more interview time during the show. They have made it so obvious for most of the season, which really takes away from the fun of the show - both because there's no real surprise and because we don't really get to see everyone's work. Also, while this challenge was a fun idea, didn't they "do" innovation already? The first week? I guess PR2 had two of these challenges also, where the designers had the first challenge to innovate with fabric and the second to innovate with non-fabric crap.

So Vincent is still in the running and that was the initial, most searing point of contention for me. The model couldn't walk. The designer is incapable of putting together an intelligent explanation of his work. "I love it. I think it's art" just does not cut it. Oh god, I wish someone would cut him, literally. I think the judges and Bravo are scared to "auf" him. They're afraid of him "auf"ing himself or someone else in a fit of "art".

And then I was f-f-f-f-f-f-furious about Allison's elimination. You're going to tell me you kept Angela's silver mishmash robot dress which bore an overwhelming resemblance to PR1 Starr's gift-wrap extravaganza of puff? You didn't even call that shit on the runway? You kept Kayne's pre-school interpretation of Van Gogh's Irises + tin foil and didn't even make him sweat for it?

Um. Ew.



And then, fucking Michael Kors and fucking Heidi, you have the gall to point out that as a female she especially should know how to flatter the female form? And what, the men just have a chromosomal excuse to mess that up from time to time? Even when they've got 25 years more experience and have had a collection at Saks? VINCENT'S MODEL COULDN'T FUCKING WALK. Why are the women held to a higher standard here? I'd like to think a female designer understood something more, but that is an expectation that should not be part of a design competition! Call me a feminazi but that is some foul-ass shit.

And Tim, if you're going to call a model with an undefined waist "zaftig", you could at least call out Kayne's model for having a concave butt that hangs off her grossly prominent hipbones. Give me "zaftig" anyday over that mess.

On top of this, I don't get why Michael won. I love the dude, but *yawn*. Rachel Zoe, "stylist" to the stars, I blame you. You are heinous. I seriously thought Jeffrey could (and should) have won this one. And I don't like Jeffrey, so that's saying something.

Uh, hi? Awesome.

His dress was so cute and witty. It reminded me of the episode of the Cosby Show where Rudy dreams her fairy tale to life and all the cast wears these poster-paint-on-white trompe l'oeil outfits. It was an awesome dress. It was like when PR2 Daniel V. won for that orchid dress thing instead of Andrae for his gorgeous glittery gutter-water dress. We get it, Michael is awesome, but he doesn't need to win every week. Overexposure kills, y'all.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. That's all I gotta say.

I may need a rousing rendition of "Lighten Up, It's Just Fashion" today. Andrae, I miss you dearly.

It still wilts my lettuce....

that Tiffani won the spot in Vegas over LeAnne on Top Chef 1.

With cauliflower puree.

*barf*

Seriously, cauliflower puree? Why? How is that appealing?

Call me Captain Save-a-Ho...

Whoo-hoo nice-guy-skilled-designer Michael finally wins a challenge! And even does a little runway dance of triumph which elicited a girlish giggle from Garcia! The guy even sold me on hot pants. I'm crossing my fingers that the good streak keeps going.

I took this "Which Project Runway 3 Designer are you?" quiz, and here are my results!

#1 Michael Knight

#2 Uli Hertzner

Funny, I think the first time I took it, my #1 was Uli and #2 was Michael. What has changed? I have no idea.

#3 Bradley Baumkirschner

#4 Kayne Gillaspie

#5 Vincent Libretti

#6 Robert Best

#7 Jeffrey Sebelia

#8 Katherine Gerdes

#9 Malan Breton

#10 Stacey Estrella

#11 Alison Kelly

#12 Bonnie Dominguez

#13 Laura Bennett

#14 Keith Michael

#15 Angela Keslar


Um. I was at first thrilled to see Keith and Angela at the bottom of my list, but on second thought I may rather be more Angela-ish than Vincent or Jeffrey, who've become heinous, kind of.

Birthday love for Zuppe!

Today our beloved blogmistress turns 28! What would we do without her?
In honor of all that she gives to Frillseekers I suggest we post pictures that we associate with Zuppe.

It's giving me the shivers.... the good kind.

As soon as you tell me something is from some hard-to-get international brand, I am all ga-ga over it.

Case in point, most of this crazy catalog. :O

Mindy Kaling?

Has anyone been watching the Office? What do you think about her? Go Fug Yourself ran this picture with a scathing commentary about her boots (It seems to be South Asia week at GFY, Parminder Nagra and a British Pakistani star, I mean random woman, named Sophia Hyatt also got fugged). I haven't seen her on the Office but the name sounded familiar and I realized that I had seen her in Matt and Ben, a play she co-wrote about Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, where she played Ben. In the play the script of Good Will Hunting falls out of the sky and it shows how their lives are changed forever. She was great in it-- it was a one-joke show, for sure, but she did the the lovable but not too smart thing really well.

Muthaf***in' Fashion Star

Perhaps it's telling I haven't yet done a Project Runway Season 3 post. Oh I've been watching all right. But the show has NOT been pleasing me AT ALL. The contestants are impressive this season -- there have been many sleeved outfits, and I do mean outfits -- with more than one piece of clothing. But the continuation of the stupid model competition format plus the judges (including Kors' substitute Vera Wang, meh, like the irritating sub teacher who made you regret coming to school that day) making crappy decisions left and right ... well, it's got my muslins in a twist - and not the pretty Santino-effect kind.

The primary reason for my disappointment is that we're getting much more work-room drama than time with the designers' creative processes. While one of the main reasons to watch reality TV is the hour-long tirades over who's not doing the dishes and how it affects everyone's sex life, I don't want that from Project Runway. I actually don't care about your sewing machine tiffs when we've got, like, half the designers creating some awesome stuff but being completely ignored by the editors. To some extent, this early in the game that has to happen. We can't really keep up with all thirteen and the intricacies of their designs, but at least take a minute to show us what they're doing. Case in point: this week, part of the challenge was to design around a narrative each designer created. I would have liked to know what each one came up with. Instead, we just get about 3 seconds of runway time to be all "Oh! Hey, wait, who designed that?!"

But anyway. My early favorite has turned out be Michael Knight, who really should have theme music play everytime he enters a room. Even Entertainment Weekly, who ran this adooooorable photo of him, sides with me on why the hell isn't this guy getting any love?! But you know what? all I have to say is Daniel Vosovic and Jay McCarroll (never won a challenge!), dude. They made it to fashion week after all, too.

HOTLANTA!

"Vogue" is still an addictive song....

...and it was pretty awesome that they used it in "The Devil Wears Prada", which I didn't hate as much as I thought I would. Between the music, the makeup and Meryl it was pretty fun. And I heard "Vogue" this morning. If I weren't driving I would have stricken a pose, for sure.

I also didn't hate the newer version of "Pride & Prejudice" as much as I thought I would. The last scene is pretty damn heinous, but the rest of it wasn't totally awful. Don't hate me, please.

"Rumor Has It" may be one of the worst movies I have seen. Uh, I'm really edging toward "meh" with Mark Ruffalo. One cool indie performance doesn't really excuse playing the same nice-guy-potential-doormat-boyfriend in scads of less-than-mediocre romantic comedies. There, I said it. Even a couple more mustachioed cop roles would improve his standing. MARK, GET ON IT BEFORE YOU GO OUT LIKE MEG RYAN.

And in other news, I just had to share my excitement at seeing none other than Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons with their two cute kidlets strolling down the streets of my fair little hamlet yesterday evening. I nearly ran after them shouting "I love you guys!!", but settled for standing in the street grinning like an idiot.

the first official "frillseekers challenge"!

i hereby issue the first official "frillseekers challenge" to aging cowgirl.

she's a little squirmy when i suggested she should wear this garb out in public and look fabulous the whole while (you know..make a few waves in new haven). so i suggested we post a pic of her and request some frillseeker input on the right accessories to wear to really make the full "look" sing! i also suggest we offer ideas for what she should be DOING while dressed as such.

the challenge is on! suggestions must commence! and we shall render the appropriate verdict on which scenario will be reenacted by aging cowgirl...with of course a full report back on how fabulous she was.

Frillseekers Book Club

How about a summer reading selection?
Maybe something between Opal Mehta and Paradise Lost . . .
A slightly more grown up version of this old favorite?

"j" scissorhands

just call me "j" scissorhands. at the request of my friend, a few of us had a party during the fourth of july weekend just to cut his long, luscious hair into a mullet, then a mohawk while interspersed with a trip to a huge shopping destination for a viewing of "nacho libre." (soooo funny!)

we were a bit disappointed with the jaded los angeles crowds who wouldn't give us more satisfying stares, snickers or whispers. we wanted a reaction to the mull-asian (oh no she didn't). eventually we did notice the subtle stares and even got a couple teenybopper girls to do the old stare, elbow, look move on our mulleted buddy. ah. the sweet smell of success.

after our movie, we achieved the final destination of the day's haircutting journey, the mohawk. i now know how to use hair clippers. the buzzing vibrations are quite satisfying.

To Dwight D. Eisenhower: Hey, thanks!

To mark the 50th anniversary of the interstate highway system, I ask you: What is your favorite highway?

Meant to be?

Guess who else was born on August 9, 1978?

I just thought that was pretty f-ing cool.

Especially for KM

...OK, fine, and for me too.

Richard Coyle with an intense and non-dorky look on his face!

And the preternaturally gorgeous Toby Stephens. Who, must admit, may not be aging well. He was so hot in the movie version of Twelfth Night.

BBC America is so good to me. Besides all this, they've provided a cheesy supernatural drama called Hex starring yet more British cuties. I like Troy. He sort of looks like the cowardly lion, but onscreen his cheekiness makes him adooorable.

Oh, and lookit (though this picture doesn't do it justice):

And matching eyeshadow. I got many props when I wore this necklace to a family party, just so you know :P

I'll have to post my customized bling from Aging Cowgirl's soiree soon too!

Dewy for Dewey

Maybe it's physical. Allergies. Or an imminent hormonal rush.

Or maybe it's just the combination of sad damaged books, goodwill, and seriously cute web design.

Whatever it is, I felt a little teary this morning whilst checking out this site. Perhaps, along with an upcoming DVD binge, I may find it in my cold, brittle wallet to buy some books for the kiddies.


*image, deweydonationsystem.org. no infringement intended. promise.

Andy Samberg, I am yours.

I know, I pledge my undying love to some new guy every week. But this is kind of neat.

You may have heard of NBC yanking a popular SNL clip off of youtube.com -- or wait, sorry, rightfully requesting copyrighted material to be removed from youtube -- but have you seen the clip in question? Because it does kind of rule.

Click on "Chronicles of Narnia".

Then click on the Natalie Portman one, just for kicks.

And yes, I do operate at about eight months behind everyone else.

Poll: What contact lenses do you you use?

I have been a frill delinquent and can't wait to catch up on these posts!

Anyway, so I have an eye doctor appt next week and am contemplating getting new contact lenses. I have been using the same brand of soft non-disposable ones for forever and wanted to see if anyone had suggestions for brands. Also, are disposable better than non-disposable?

Baby Soul Rock'n'Roll Oh Mah Word It's Out of Control

J, I've got a tawpic for you.

Rules for being interviewed on TV:

1. Spit out that damn gum.
2. Please make sure your hair is not chlorine-green.
3. Opt for the waterproof, non-smudgy type of mascara. You're worth it, as they say.
4. Sometimes it's nice to have concealer that approximates your skin color. But then, it might be tough to match if you've been daily irradiated by a tanning bed and don't remember what your skin color is.
5. A nice pair of slacks never hurt anyone.
6. Even when you are pregnant, 89% of your cleavage need not be on display.

Yes, I was pretty horrified and saddened at Britney's interview with Matt Lauer yesterday. Aging Cowgirl got the play-by-play. It was just so WTFwasshethinkingorwassheatall.

To some extent I think, yes, she brought it on herself with her career/life choices and utter lack of savvy. Like...you're a mom now. No more "not a girl not yet a woman" crap. Get it together or get some help. You have the resources, and therefore I have very little sympathy for you.

The paparazzi should be ashamed of itself but, well, as if that would ever happen. Will they be moved by her tearful pleading for them to leave her alone? Doubt it. I will admit it was heartbreaking though.

So no matter what you think of Jennifer Lopez and her "singing" and her ostentatious consumption and her furs and her skeletal husband... you have to respect her gangster. She knows how to give good interview face. At least in public -- I've heard some rumors about her TMI backstage persona which give me pause.

Is it about age? Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Lopez (though no baby...yet) have all managed to keep some semblance of sanity. Granted, Madonna is on a slightly different scale than the rest of us. These women all came up from not-so-fancy roots themselves. But they were considerably older (right?) when achieving their fame, and it makes me think that matters a lot.

But in the end, the famehos will triumph....through branding. The title line refers to Brit's non-musical endeavors, including her upcoming line of *sigh* baby clothes. Well, whatever buys Sean Preston and future-sibling more Cheetos, I guess. And those sideways baseball caps, of course.

better yet, found the transcript! but check out pinkisthenewblog - trent is awesome, as usual.

it's all about me, baby

okay. so this is a place i used to host and regularly perform at a couple a years ago. this was back when i was much more prolific in the writing. i've been talking about getting back into writing and performing and sure enough, a last minute cancellation allowed me a 10 minute slot for this upcoming tuesday nite's at the cafe in little tokyo of downtown los angeles.

(lilbunny, this is the venue where the houseband guitarist is married to our favorite gilmore girls asian. go here and scroll about halfway down the entire page and you'll see a picture of her! woohoo!)

ack! so please wish me "break a leg" as i will need to write something between now and then...something worthy of a casual performance!

teeny-bopper frills

time and again, i find myself enjoying a good ol' romp down teeny-bopper lane... the kind where girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, conflict arises, only to be overcome within the 1.5 hour time limit and girl lives happily ever after. oh, and a "many cute outfits" montage never hurts. i bring your attention to my most recent guilty pleasures, and please note, this was not my first, nor last time viewing any of these: what a girl wants (i have a thing for amanda bynes, and colin firth is yummy), chasing liberty (i have a thing for mandy moore, and matthew goode is yummy), and gilmore girls (s1) (when luke was great and rory wasn't dating dumbass). btw, j, totally jealous of your "acquaintance" with keiko!

.... so what's your guilty teeny-bopper pleasure of the moment?

28 is the new black

You are all most cordially invited to a birthday gathering
Drinks and dessert at my place
Saturday, June 17
9pm (but, of course, you can come earlier, like days earlier)
Attire: Outrageous jewelry is suggested

Good Sounds and Bad Sounds

The Bad: Everywhere I go, this asinine song follows me: click on "collide". I hate it. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate.

The Good: So the new Christina Aguilera song rules. I like it more every time I hear it. No surprise, considering DJ Premier (half of one of my favorite hip-hop acts, Gangstarr, which sadly doesn't exist anymore but I guess they're each solo-ing for now) produced it. Apparently he was surprised Christina even knew who he was.

And then there's Gnarls Barkley, comprised of Cee-Lo and Dangermouse. They have a "myspace" account like every other musical act is, I don't know, forced to, but I cannot, in good conscience, link to one of those lousy pitiful excuses for a website. So here's their annoying actual site with all the stupid flash animation. But aside from all that, the music rocks. Listen to "Crazy".

And you know what is awesome? How much does this absolutely rule? Listen here.

welcome to bauble tawk....

I'll be your host, Zuppe Richman.

Last summer it was all about the huuuuge[ackman] gumball-sized-bead necklaces in all colors. This year, that style seems to be as popular, but now a lot of the beads are the crochet-covered kind. OK, not really sure where that started, but it can be sort of cute. I am loving this fabric covered bead necklace

which will probably be sold out. Speaking of, Target is lousy with fun jewelry this year.

This year seems to be all about links. My potentially fugably adorable accessory that I covet intensely right now is a long chain made of lucite or resin curb links and metal. It's a little 80s, almost a little nautical[punk?], but very fun. I don't really have the rest of the wardrobe to carry these off right now, but I don't really care:
one two three four five

I also really want something like this but I have issues with Urban Outfitters and its spawn, Anthropologie. I mean, I totally own stuff from them. But it makes me feel, how you say, a little filthy somehow. And again, the perennial problem of finding cool jewelry findings rears its hellishly DIYgauche head.

OK, that's all for bauble tawk right now. I wish I had a good tawk amongst yourselves topic, but I'm struggling here.

chicago: frilly food

we did it up right in chicago, fellow frillseekers.

Link me to grub...my other blog!

wrapdress kick

i don't make enough money for all this but i'm on a mission...to create my own personal wrap dress collection.

let's be honest...i've never been one to fixate on fashion as a hobby. but now that i'm a young urban professional...and i ain't gettin' any younger, the idea of looking a little more fabulous is quite alluring.

one dress is in the mail. but my future purchase...once enough time has passed and money made to justify it...will be this (or perhaps the black/cerise, more understated one):

gawd. what has gotten into me.

yellow flats. mmm.

okay. my turn. ordered these earlier this week on anthropologie.com...on sale! (so rare). i'm such a prepster.

More shoe-obsessed musings

So clearly I have this metallic leather theme going, right? Here are two other styles I teetered around in at DSW, just for fun:

This first pair was not uncomfortable...until I tried to walk. The cushioning, platform and thickish heel make them not totally unbearable:

But then after weepily parting with those, I tried something like these on and remembered that high heels are soooo very impractical:

Um. Imagine propping up 250lbs. worth of something with two pencils. Slightly chubbier-than-#2 artsy pencils, but still. It blows my mind, man.

In more comfortable shoe/show news, yay for Harold who is Bravo's first Top Chef! -- I mean, Top COOK! And guess what shoes he was pulling on before leaving for the last challenge? None other than my favorite sneakers ever -- Puma Californias (in white with navy stripe to be specific).

And can you believe none of the four eliminated contestants thought Tiffani should win? I can. Dang. Did you see how she tried to claim Dave's dessert as her own? WHAT?! I stopped feeling sorry for her right then. And now Bravo can follow Harold around as he tries to start his own restaurant! You know that's on the schedule for this fall.

And people, did you that the new season of Project Runway is starting this SUMMER?!

hot hot hot.

And I got some props today on my own Pumas from some guys here at work, thankyouverymuch. Of course, even that had to come with a side of awkward, right? Apparently this guy tried to tell me this a couple days ago and I was totally oblivious and had no idea anyone was talking to me. So see, even amongst the penny loafers and Manolos, some people still recognize.

OK, I'll shut up about shoes now!

Don't ask / Don't tell.

As of late I've been somewhat shoethirsty. For real, I have not purchased shoes in SO long. OK, "SO long" as it applies in zuppe-time. So I've been a little spendy for the past couple of weeks, and I'm just gonna sublimate my guilt into some shop-talk rules that I'm going to try to operate by:

DON'T ASK...
me how much something costs only to get that look on your face all like "Dude, you got SUCKERED"/"Like OMGZ, I would never pay that MUCH!"
If I paid that price it means (a) hello fool, I've agonized already, like have we MET?!; (b) it's not going to keep me from paying off my student loans, okaaaay?; (c) you see how f-ing easy peasy it is to find a pair of size 10+ dressy shoes that are (1) reasonably safe for use on hard surfaces (2) cost less than $300 (3) have at least a wee frisson of chic and finally (4) are a color you'd wear after 1983, let alone Labor Day.

DON'T TELL...
me how much you paid for something as if you discovered a mothertrucking cure for cancer. Unless the damn thing actually cures cancer, I don't want to hear about it. If it's so awesome, go tell it on the mountain or some crap, or I'm sure there's an internet community out there for people like you who LOVE crowing about their sale-saavy. Go ahead, scan your receipts and post them if you're so gleeful about it, but spare me. Please.

In fact, don't ask me at all about how much something costs unless you are thinking of buying it yourself and you'd like to know where in the world can I get such a fabulous whatchamacallit and how much money should I keep on hand for bringing this wonderfulness into my life. And don't tell me how much something costs unless it's equal opportunity (e.g. coupon code, Ebates, what-have-you) AND something you think I would actually want to buy.

It's just tacky. I'm all for open discussion of money issues amongst friends, but save your judgment face for someone else before I smack it off you.

....aaaand here are the shoes I bought that encouraged mom-of-zuppe to ASK (or really, ASSK) which ended up in her judgment face+youpaidwhaaaaat, which brought on the barrage above.

....aaand here are the shoes that drove the guilt home. I found these in black at DSW on Saturday and just tried 'em on for fun. But then, as it often happens with me, I could not stop thinking about them. I felt like I needed at least a half size larger, so I tried to hunt them down online (but frustratingly could not remember the style name) with no luck whatsoever. So yesterday, after dropping off my dad to pick up his car from the shop in Greenwich (CT) and subsequently getting lost in Rye (NY), I finally made it to Woodbury Commons to search (and boy did I have to search) for the Aerosoles Outlet. And so after discovering the 11s were too big (damnit) and the 10s just a wee bit cramped and of course no 10.5s (because how weird to make a 10.5 because WHO could be that size?) I just bought the damn 10s after making sure returns were possible. It was, like, after the store was closed pretty much and the salesguy must have thought I was insane, foaming at the mouth as I probably was.

And OF COURSE after searching Zappos.com on Monday like a madwoman, I find them online today. Thankfully for more than at the outlet (and that's all I'm gonna say about that). But damn. GODDAMN I say.

So.... they come in teal (!!!) as well. And it's buy one get one 50% off. So... if these work out I may have to get another pair. Right? RIGHT?!

Allow me to re-introduce myself....

I'm Rick James, bitch! (those are hints for later)

So yesterday I went to the Roots, Mos Def and Erykah Badu show at Radio City Music Hall. After two months of griping and hand-wringing and whining about the evil of Ticketmaster and how I was SOOO not looking forward to this show and no more nevermore concerts ever (yes, most of you were witness to it), I ate my words*, downed some Alizé and had a righteously wicked-awesome time.

*along with a great uttapam at Saravana

The Good: The Roots' marching-band-style entrance into the concert hall complete with Black Thought rapping via megaphone, Rahzel reunion!, Angelique Kidjo's adorable dancing (too bad she only sang one song), Erykah Badu's fly-ass dress and ability to belt it, Mos Def being generally cute and charming and the boy can SING. Also, Slum Village showed up which was pretty neat.

The Bad: J*Davey was a disappointment. This is a duo which The Roots have been promoting, and honestly, it really wasn't clear why. I am guessing their style of pop/electronica/soul/funk sounds better at home than live. The beats did not resonate at all. Miss Jack Davey sauntered on stage wearing a halter top, hot pants and a ginormous Native American-style feathered headdress. Pretty spectacular. She reminded me of a cheerleader chicken (albeit with killer legs). Like for real, her singing sounded like squawking to me. I may take a listen to their other songs, but the way they hype themselves on their websites makes me roll my eyes.

The Ugly: At some point during crooner Bilal's performance, some foul liquid substance started dripping on me. It was gross lukewarm beer and it came from above. At Radio City. Classy. Luckily I could change seats. 15 minutes later the guy in front was dripped on too. This is why large plastic cups of beer are an abomination.

and the moment you've been waiting for....

The HUGELY UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME:

DJ Jazzy Jeff! How cool is that?! Uncle Phil could not stop him from ripping the turntables. and also...

Um, DAVE CHAPPELLE.

and oh yeah. just someone sometimes known as JAY-Z.

!!!!

shine your light, shine your light on the world

and the award for cheesiest sex scene

goes to Meredith and McDreamy on Grey's Anatomy. I felt like squirming--- as if I were 12 years old and my parents were in the room watching it with me. Why did it feel so cheesy? I suppose it was the climax, if you will, of the show, but come on . . . chris o'donnell's character is an animal healer and that has to count for something.

Manthem

Don't have a TV so I haven't seen this yet, but how silly. I hope that women start boycotting BK in response to this.

J's trendy taipei's "eastside" cut

J before: not so stylin'


J after: i'm stylin'! who knew my natural waves could do this!

Okay. I had to give in to the allure of my brush with Taiwanese pop stardom.

My coiffe was in desperate need of a cut (after nearly a year of overgrowth). I couldn't quite fit the cut in before I left for my trip to Taiwan so I was left with a photo ripped from my Delia's catalogue to shop around for some kind of Taipei hairstylist that might do a good job giving me some long sexy layers.

My little high school buddy/family friend turned Taiwan b-level pop star had a couple girfriends who swore by the most popular hair stylist to the Taiwanese stars of the moment. Her name, Splendy (don't ask because I just do not know). Trained in London at Vidal Sassoon, she had cut the style for the near ubiquitous Yang Cheng Ling ("Rainie"), an anime looking girl with huge bangs and the face of a toddler.

My appointment with Splendy did not disappoint. I now have a haircut by the trendiest hairstylist of the Taiwanese stars.

Kiss my ring.

hello my name is LEAVE ME THE F ALONE

(apologies to km and lilbunny who have heard this all before)

Lunch with Co-Workers, Volume I
Invariably, among a group of five women connected only by extremely boring and repetitive work, the conversation turns to eating, diets, pregnancy and its havoc on the body, and raising difficult children. Pretty much fine and good, I suppose. At least it was a really nice day to be outside.

Lunch with Co-Workers, Volume II
Railroaded once again, with nary even an e-mail to warn me, an overcast chilly day outside so we were inside, and not even any good cafeteria options to brighten the dismal hour, this time it was me and four guys. Invariably, among a group of four men connected only by extremely boring and repetitive work, the conversation turns to drinking, drinking during work, getting drunk at office parties, and the dreaded Red Sox and Yankees. I feel pretty bad for the guy who invited me; he was only trying to be nice. I blame the sucky friends, but then, maybe despite my efforts not to, my eyes may have rolled repeatedly of their own volition. Sort of like when you can't help gagging at a bad smell or the sight of Mischa Barton's horrible hair extensions.

There is a reason why I eat lunch by myself at my desk.

Anna Nicole Smith Wins Supreme Court Case

the headline made me chuckle.... i sort of think of lawyers winning, and the thought of anna nicole as a lawyer is funny :)

"Others' misfortune tastes of honey"

If J is the resident quizmeister, I am the resident Wikipedia-promoter. I really enjoyed reading this entry about one of my favorite words.