frillseek with ctowngal in LA!

fellow frillseekers...

i challenge you to find the frillseeking hotspots in LA, via my yelp! reviews at

http://ctowngal.yelp.com

and come visit me in los skandelous to do a frillseeking tour! (aging cowgirl just might....)

i miss you all. :-/

Oscar fashion?

I thought Helen Mirren Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett looked amazing. Not so much for Kirsten Dunst or Nicole Kidman. Generally, I am not sure how I feel about the one-shoulder dress trend or the bejewelled dresses. Any favorite dresses?

Irish Fiddling! Part III

THE BLACK DONNELLYS. NBC, Mondays, 10pm.

This time the Irish mob is in New York, so it's kind of like Sleepers crossed with The Departed or something. And it turns out one of the actors was actually in Sleepers! I have no idea if this is supposed to be good or not, but NBC may be killing off Studio 60 (good riddance! sorry, Nate Corddry!) a week earlier for it. So at least they think it'll be good - though saying it's better than Studio 60 isn't saying much, I'm afraid.

I think this guy staring off into space is supposed to be the cute one:

... because, well, he's staring off into space. Like an artist might do. And guys? He is an artist. But poor cute boy probably gets drafted into organized crime by his grimy-lookin' good-for-nuffink brothers behind him. Hoodlums!

When to get jiggy: February 26th, 10pm!

Calling All Bakers....

Recent conversations and this NYT article have me in the mood for some Red Velvet Cake. I've never had this concoction and frankly, at this point, I've built it up in my head (and palette) as some heavenly cloud of sweetness. Although I doubt anything will really live up to these built-up expectations, I would still like to try and make some. So I'm asking for some help from my fellow frill-seekers: Any one ever make this kind of cake before? Anyone have some tips/suggestions/recipes? The common destinations, epicurious, etc, leave something to be desired... And the NYT recipe just kinda scares me with the 2c of oil it calls for...

Peace out.

The Google Corpocrazy

So I switched our blog over to "The New Blogger" which is powered by Google (which powers my life nowadays). I appreciate the ease of it all (including all those Google Account deals), but it makes me a little nervous.

One nice thing that "The New Blogger" allows us to do is "label" or "tag" our posts, so that if you wanted to find some baking tip that was mentioned here, you can click on the "food" label. I'm slowly but surely back-tagging (does that sound dirty?) our posts so that one day if you really wanted to do that, you will be able to.

If you got a problem
Yo I'll solve it
Check out the blog
While the mistress evolves it.

That's right. I did use that intransitive verb transitively. Mwahahaha.

Outing a couple more of my obsessions....

So I've confessed this recent one to numerous people:

This is another nice photo from that New York Times Magazine layout, for Aging Cowgirl:

But I'm betting it's already framed in the bathroom, or the bedroom.

But there are more where that came from upon which I promised to elaborate....
For lilbunny:
Now I don't know if they'll really be that funny for everyone who doesn't really like Saturday Night Live, but here goes....
(right click to open in new window/tab)

Lazy Sunday
The Best Gift Ever
Natalie Portman Raps
Andy's Excuse

And from a while back, randomly found on the internets somewhere:
Y'all, the dream is over! Let us remember them at their finest:
Britney Eats For Two (Radar Online)

And for Aging Cowgirl:
Yes, this is how I spend my time and use my valuable grapheeecs skeeelz....

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When Bravo says jump . . .

I didn't think I would be one to say "How high?" but apparently so. Although the cinematography feels old because of Project Runway and Top Chef, there is something going on with Top Design that is new. I was afraid that it would be another version of Trading Spaces, with designers emphasizing bright wall colors and clusters of black and white photographs, but it is trying to be more artsy, I think. Also the fact that they are using real furniture (borrowed from showrooms) means that they can use really nice pieces rather than fall into the trap of pieces that look nice for the reveal but you get the sense that they may fall apart. I also got the sense that Top Design will take more risks with the range of designs that they will show. Whereas the other home shows want designs that are livable for middle-america Top Design has no problem with the fact that the vast majority of people cannot afford what they are doing nor can they really appreciate it.

Irish fiddling! Part II

So a couple of you recommended the movie "The Departed" to me (a movie about Irish-American cops? Me? Who'da thunk?), and I saw it on Sunday because the Academy is gracious like that.... and thusly I have lilbunny and deedoubleyew to thank for my newfound crush on Leonardo DiCaprio (although come to think of it, he does look like a more emotive, rough-hewn, younger brother of preternaturally-soap-operatically handsome Eric Dane), and my resurrected crush on Southie(-esque) accents in general (see also: David of Real World Seattle; CT of Real World Paris).

THIS IS WHY I'M HOT THIS IS WHY THIS IS WHY THIS IS WHY I'M HOT

I SHALL CALL YOU MARKY MARK NO MORE. MAYBE.

I shan't go into further detail lest I "spoil" the movie for you. You can see it pretty soon since it releases on DVD on February 13 (awww, what a perfect Valentine's day gift! right, lilbunny?)... a fact that my mom told me as soon as I came home on Sunday. Ha ha. But I will say that Jack Nicholson and Alec Baldwin were pretty great too, y'know, for old dudes. And watch for Jack's favorite print motif in the movie, it's pretty funny.

I also have a major crush on this song which is AWESOME. Sorry, I meant WICKED AWESOME. Of course. It is even awesomer in the movie, I think, though I have a feeling this group would not make for a disappointing live show, so that might be the awesomest of all.

[Photos from rottentomatoes.com and I have turned into a PhotoShop addict. Help!]

so i just recently clicked on zuppe's links down below ....

and saw the mindy ephron blog. anyway, i noticed there was a little shout out to swarthmore under the post on Saturday, January 27, 2007 -- apparently she went to dartmouth, so i wonder what the connection is (and who is George Meyer?)

3.1415926

I know lilbunny has participated in a pie-eating contest and starbright oogi's husband makes a mean pumpkin pie, but I wanted to take a poll:
What is your favorite pie?

My favorite is lemon meringue and the activity for this evening is to make a cake inspired by the classic. It is a Martha Stewart recipe so that means lots of butter and even more steps. I will report back.

A Kindred Spirit

1. Nail Polish!
2. Computers and Casey Affleck!
3. Celebrities!

Better to confess now . . .

Than have you find out later that I have purchased a Celine Dion song from iTunes.

some of the choice lyrics:
There were moments of gold
And there were flashes of light
There were things we'd never do again
But then they'd always seemed right
There were nights of endless pleasure . . .

The flesh and the fantasies
All coming back to me
I can barely recall
But it's all coming back to me now

A ragtag team of outsiders led to triumph by a tough-love leader....

Inspired by a true story, of course. Sounds familiar doesn't it? Only not. Seriously, I was almost in tears. All in keeping with my sports + strife-laden drama = zuppepuddle. This is a genuinely heartwarming story. Now I can understand to some extent why this formula keeps coming back to the big screen (or small screen, in the case of the Disney Channel made-for-tv movies). Let's hope, that as some jaded studio exec picks up on this and tries to cobble together a treatment, it doesn't get watered down into the next Dakota Fanning vehicle or something. And is it clear yet that I have no idea how movies get made, despite repeated viewings of HBO's "Project Greenlight" (and no, not just for my fascination with Chris Moore)?


In (not so)related news, I found this gossip kind of funny. I feel like I maybe wouldn't be able to stand Angelina in terms of real life interaction. Though I did love her dress and jewelry - it was vaguely reminiscent of the ludicrous Alexander.

Amuse Bouche(s)

I'd use a word that rhymes with "bouche", but I don't usually use that word because it falls in the whole "girly hygiene is the lowest of the low" arena of insults and this homie does not play that.

But rhymes-with-bouche is a favorite term on the show "Top Chef", perhaps even more popular than "amuse bouche" itself. This season seems overpopulated by the kind of people I'll call "penile implants". That's right, they aren't even real pricks, just embarrassing imitations. Aging Cowgirl has already covered this below, so I thought I would share a couple of not-so-terrible tidbits having to do with the show.

1. Coldickio being not so dicky, in last week's NYT article about civil rights issues in schmancy restaurants:

TOM COLICCHIO, whose restaurant Craft has been cited by the Restaurant Opportunities Center as exemplary in promoting people of color, offers English classes for his staff, but said he doesn’t spend a lot of extra time worrying about diversity.

“We feel that if someone is ready for promotion, they get promoted,” he said. “Simple as that.”

Sometimes it does take extra effort, though. Many Bangladeshi staff members at Gramercy Tavern, where Mr. Colicchio used to be the chef, had the potential to be excellent waiters, but were not familiar with wine because, as observant Muslims, they didn’t drink it.

Without extensive wine knowledge, they couldn’t be sent onto the floor. For one particularly promising person, though, Mr. Colicchio found a solution. He made him a captain in the private dining room, where all the wine is ordered in advance.

As for Mr. Boulud’s problem, Mr. Colicchio suggested more talking. He didn’t condone the tactics of the Restaurant Opportunities Center, but he said that Mr. Boulud needed to sit down and talk with its representatives again.

“There is no right or wrong here,” he said. “Daniel has a right to run his business the way he wants to run it. But sometimes we get so busy running our restaurants we don’t listen to people.

“What’s the alternative? Having a 12-foot cockroach in front of your restaurant?”

2. Michael Midgely's Chow magazine interview (audio), wherein he pretty much slams the production, Coldickio (wears flip-flops in the kitchen?!), and says Gail Simmons is awesome (I never would have thought!). For some reason he also hates Suzanne Goin, so that Cheeto/Snickers thing he made? really was supposed to resemble the anatomy we all thought it did. Pretty gross, Mikey. But aside from that the rest of the interview is kind of funny. Not as funny as the interviewer seems to think it is, but definitely an amusing -ouche.

Waiting for Gogol . . .

City Bakery

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.