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.

i'm a cultural creative. what are you?

okay. i couldn't resist posting this one. the subject matter might not be frilly but...oh...who cares about rules anyways? this one's about your "worldview." enjoy. and i promise: i will be judicious. i will not become the online test results poster on this blog. scout's honor. You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational. Cultural Creative 81% Idealist 75% Postmodernist 63% Romanticist 44% Existentialist 38% Fundamentalist 31% Materialist 19% Modernist 13% What is Your World View? (updated) created with QuizFarm.com

"an nua!?" (what's goin' on? in taiwanese)

greetings from taipei!!

i finally got a break to type out a hello and greet my favoritist bloggers on the planet! i've been trying to quickly catch up on the latest postings, while longing to get back so i can finally share what i've accumulated in digital media this past week and a half.

thus far, i'm excited to share a nice dinner i had last night at this "incense tea farmhouse" where I had an overnight stay. let's just say that a huge sachet of oolong tea was involved with a hot, full-body soak. accomodations were nice.

i'll also be meeting up with high school/family friend of mine who came back to taiwan to pursue his dreams in acting/singing/pop stardom in taiwan. he's had a modicum of success (commercials, a tvshow as a supporting recurring actor of an ensemble cast, etc) and is looking for a new agent these days. it will be fun to post a pic of our little rendezvous in taipei (i'll surely append a link to some internt foto of him as, ergh, whatever character he was playing)...or perhaps i'll do it here!

(he's the guy on the bottom, furthest on the left)! or check him here.

until we meet again fellow frillseekers!

Speaking of Orlando Bloom

and he reads!

I think we need a nice juicy issue to stir up controversy on frillseekers. Anyone? Anyone?

Again with the ironical tee shirts

I'll be brief. I can deal with these: http://www.glarkware.com/ .

See, I Y irony.

I'm just smarmy, hold the pretension

I watched "East is East" twice this past weekend. Pretty much just for Chris Bisson*.

Believe it or not, this was the least dorky photo I could find (doesn't it look like he is slightly drunk at 2.07am on a Friday night somewhere in the painted-cinder-block halls of my most fair and beloved senior-year manse -- Hallowell?) , though he is quite the soap star in the UK. His hair is much prettier in the movie. I also find it endearing that he has a case of photo-generated-sometimes-lazy-eye, just like moi. Which is quite funny considering I used to be cross-eyed in pictures when I was a wee one.

...and I've taken to watching The Apprentice again. Pretty much just for:

Come on, wouldn't you? He's like Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana and Omar Sharif all in one obnoxiously-cocky-Mensa-certificate-plus-chip-on-shoulder-touting package.

*OK, and for the cute little kid who plays Sajid saying "Get stuffed" and also for Archie Panjabi's "Ini Logon Ne" dancing scene. Seriously, it has its problems, but watch the movie!

what? me? smarmily pretentious?

Today in the NYT magazine William Safire, the cranky curmudgeon, writes about three phrases that I keep trying to use, but am never sure if I am getting them right.

1. "If you will": Not my favorite of the lot. Safire says it means "I am going to say this, and you may not like it, but that's just too bad, so here goes".

2. "So to speak": This phrase is a way to distance yourself from the trite phrase that you know is cliche but are going to use anyway. I wonder if it is somewhat interchangeable with "as they say" as in "Furonda's chances of winning ANTM are, as they say, tenuous at best"

3. "As it were": my favorite one, and best said in a British accent, if you can do it. Safire says it is a signal of something "contrary to fact" or not to be taken literally. This is still fuzzy for me. I thought of it more as a phrase indicating that we are inserting information that we can know only in hindsight. I'm having trouble coming up with a good example. "Duke's current lacrosse scandal is, as it were, a litmus test for race relations in the South". Does that work?

All the phrases fall under the category of differentialisms-- ways to make yourself sound humble or clever while actually being "smarmily pretentious". Rhetoricians call them metanoia or correctio.

Bon Voyage to J!

J is leaving for Taiwan today! She'd better bring back some pics (or least descriptions) of the food she gets to eat there!

In other news, everyone on Top Model sucks booty, pretty much. Worse than every other season. Why are they keeping Brooke and telling her walk is fierce and ish? I cannot believe they got rid of Leslie before her. Anyway. I think my picks are Danielle and Joanie - I really want them to do well, but they'll probably be axed soon. I like Sara(h?) and Furonda as well.

And count me among the impressed with Tyra for that little turntable move she did. I guess that's why she's the boss-lady!

"fear fashion"

"Fear Fashion"

I couldn't resist. A perfect "frillseekers" entry. My buddy umar got into the Los Angeles Times' weekend lifestyle magazine, "west." For what you might ask? His scarf. He's a charismatic artist guy...and a downtown denizen. I guess it was inevitable...he is ascending toward his desired mantle as avant-garde hipster tastemaker. :-) Read the article for yourself. Curious to know what you think of the article.

swag, baby, SWAG.

Bergdorf Goodman and Barney's were quite generous to us on our trip to Sniffapalooza.

For a moment, Starbright Oogi and I could see why Paris Hilton et al do what they do at Sundance and such.

We were enamored of:

• Ambra di Venezia Body Cream
• The Different Company Jasmin de Nuit
• Manolo Blahnik candle
• Limited Edition Summer Stella by Stella McCartney (especially the bottle!)
• The whole Caron boutique/temple (aka precious jewelbox of a store)
• The intensely pretty beauty floor at Takashimaya (aka "Tak")
• The friendly and fun staff at Alcone who kept a great attitude though their power was out.

in case you cared to know

You are a Social Liberal (71% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (10% permissive) You are best described as a: Socialist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

"Ironic" tee saturation point

I have reached it.

I discussed these tee shirts with my brother yesterday. I forbade him from buying any except maybe the dinosaur one. I am appalled at some of the utter cheese he mistook for humor.

I can deal with some amount of pre-fabricated vintage-style items (brother-of-Zuppe suggested Knight Rider tee shirts, which would RULE) but this ... this I cannot stand. Also, a lot of them are just not funny, and questionable in terms of ethnic/racial imagery.

Patti White once said that postmodernism explores the concept of the "photocopy without an original" (yes, BRILLIANT) -- these tee shirts are exactly those photocopies, except that they are the photocopies people make of their own butts when they are drunk.

They are f-ing trucker hats in tee shirt form -- why don't people freaking recognize?!

In other news, I continue to by mystifed by the term "emo". Of course, I consulted Wikipedia, forthwith (when did Wikipedia come about as the wonder that it is?) It answered some of my questions, and could quite possibly make me interested in listening to rock music again. Of course, it piqued my interest in bands from 15 years ago (because Fall Out Boy scares me a little and Dashboard Confessional scares me A LOT), and I may have to read this book to ease myself out of my G-Unit phase.

european pretty boys?

So a friend made me a CD mix for my birthday and it has all these Euorepan artists I had never heard of. He says that he learned of them when he was in Germany for a year. Although I should head to bed since I have to get up god-awfully early to go to a high school to do some observations, I spent some time image-googling some of the boys on the mix. I don't know how to post pics yet, but let me know what you think if you have a chance to google them as well. Jenks Lekman & Sondre Lerche. (Oh, and their music I do like...)

Oh, another question while I'm on the topic of music, I also got a $25 Tower Records gift card. Any CD recommendations?

So I met some of Aging Cowgirl's friends this weekend....

We had several interesting conversations about democratic governance, briefs vs. boxers as signifiers of modernity, and the attitudes of today's activist youth.

We also made Easter eggs and watched a Derrida documentary. Well she did. I made it through about five minutes.

Also, I'm sad to see the demise of one of my very favorite wacky celebrity couples. Let's try to remember them at their best, shall we?

happy birthday, ponyboy!

I adore him because....

he'll cut a bitch if he has to.

seeking dinner party advice

So the spring weather, Top Chef, and the support of all of you has inspired me to host a little dinner party on Saturday. I've invited six people and am thinking of doing chinese dishes for the main course. I'm planning on a mapo tofu, glazed eggplant, and sesame string beans. I need some help with the dessert. Chocolate mousse is my standard but I am in the mood to bake a cake. Layer cakes always appeal to me but I should branch out. Any suggestions for good chocolate desserts? I feel like trying a molten chocolate cake but I don't have the individual ramekins. I am also seeking suggestions about an easy appetizer/something to munch on before dinner.

no words needed

okay. the photo is doing weird things. just click on this site for some eye candy.

Why I Don't Like Gin

Those of you who have had the sublime pleasure of taking an Advanced Placement history course in high school might remember the "Document-Based Question" (DBQ) portion of the exam. For some reason I remember this portion of the test quite fondly. And WTF?! because I usually HATE the essay questions. But I guess I liked it because they would give you some quotations from historical people (aka the "documents") and sometimes even pictures (yesssss! pictures!) you would have to argue something or other.

The first time I tasted gin, I was pretty grossed out. I mean, it was gross. Like, rilly rilly grosstastic. But I also had this weird history memory informing my senses -- I kept thinking gin was some kind of weird alcohol made from some factory by-product of the industrial revolution in that dirty dirty place known as 19th century London, and pimped out hard to the poor factory workers to make them forget they were disgruntled. And that made me a little mad at gin. Being the environmentally unfriendly intoxicant of the masses as it were. And this was based on what I remember from a practice DBQ question we were given in European History class.

So, being the somewhat obsessive and Google-addicted nutcase that I am, I looked up this mythical (to me, probably only mythical to me) DBQ. And lo and BEHOLD, my friends: the DBQ of 1988's European History exam.

You're probably thinking that I have too much time on my hands. And you're sadly right. But I just have to know where I get these crazy thoughts from. Anyway, so gin is not made from nasty industrial by-products, but for awhile it was made from cheap low-grade corn which the government (aka THA MAN) was looking to get rid of. And of course THA MAN encouraged gin production by everyone so gin was cheap and free-flowing. Right into the mouths of the poor working class. Thanks a lot, THA MAN. So gin pretty much gained the rep of being responsible for general degradation, broken capillaries, and, like, the freaking death rate. Which is probably why I still don't trust it, despite its subsequent rise to classiness (aka gintrification, hardy har har).

Nasty stuff. But see how cool the document-based questions are?

Travel here, travel there

I need some intercontinental travel advice from the seekers of frill. How does one go about planning a vacation abroad? I realize now that I have never really done this before as I usually stayed with friends or went someplace with the parents. I find the planning rather daunting.

Is it best to stay in a chain hotel or risk it with some quaint, potentially cheaper local place?

Any favorites travel websites?

Also, if anyone has any advice on where in Europe would be nice in August, that would be appreciated too.

my new reason for spending lots of money

uma :)

This is making me hungry....

What flavors of Kit Kat have you tried?

Any other unusual candies worth talking about. Mmmmm....

okay. grey's anatomy.

discuss.

what's up with gina from antm?

why does the asian representation gotta be all self-hatin and weird?

i'm just sayin.

edited by zuppe because km and I was scurrrrrred of her. and that cleavage is such a lie.

Washington is not a frilly city

. . . but if there is one thing I appreciate more than frills, it is gravitas and our nation's capitol has that covered, especially in its architecture. I found myself strangely comforted by the behemoth marble and concrete buildings that seem to say "Despite the fact that it feels like this country is going to hell in a handbasket, there actually was some restraint and forethought in the way our government was set up".
In more frilly news, I ate at the (relatively new) Museum of the Native American upon Zuppe's recommendation and was impressed with the selection that included things like blackened salmon and spiced pumpkin seeds. I also saw this cool exhibit at the Hirshorn Museum. It was on the work of Hiroshi Sugimoto, a contemporary Japanese photographer who shoots in black and white and plays on ideas of making reproductions of reproductions. For example, he took photos of the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History and they look almost real, but then you realize that there is no way he could have been that close to the animals and that there is something off about the background.
My friend, I'll call her Mimi, and I got makeovers done at the MAC counter. I asked for wild-n-crazy eye makeup and the MAC artist said she was going to do an intense purple thing, but I was disappointed. Mimi said I looked like a glamorous Mom picking up her kids after school. I was drawn to the MAC counter because they seemed to take more risks with what they had on their faces, but I ended up looking middle aged. How do you all feel about the mall makeup counters?

Who can explain to me the meaning of "metatextual"?

Because I can never quite recall what it means exactly.

A word of advice: call before you go....

...lest you discover the store you so desperately want to visit has moved completely. So I didn't get to buy the Ben Nye eyeshadows I enjoy so much, but I did run into TWO of my grad school classmates, just upon exiting the subway! and then I got to hang with a certain Brooklynite (Brooklynian? Brookie?) friend whom I still like to refer to as DJ Silky from our radio show days.

I wish I were more conscious of the fact that I have a freaking camera in my phone, and then I could have "moblog"-ed our travels around Union Square and Chelsea. Photos that should have been taken: the very busy farmer's market at Union with the wee gourmet potatoes and perfect-in-every-way croci plants, our overpriced brunch delicacies at Petite Abeille, the trying on of neon orange blush and iridescent fuchsia lipstick at Sephora, and our slightly snooty waitress at the Maritime Hotel.

But alas, all I can show you are these photos of the very cool Maritime (credit: http://www.nyc-architecture.com/) which has really awesome windows and a fantastic huge outdoor patio (is that redundant?), and a really interesting history:

It was built for a sailors' union, then became a home for runaway teens, then housing for students from China, and now finally is a swanky hipster hotel (only a matter of time, eh?)

What happened to Ahhhhndrae?

A shipping container full of hammers...

...as in, "dumb as a"

And thusly, I sum up my thoughts on "Cycle" 6 of America's Next Top Model.

So we have one Asian American sista taking us a step forward (big ups to Chloe Dao) ... and then we got some blithering idiot pulling us back a few: Gina. Oy gevalt. I just feel like smacking her. Repeatedly.

Why do the pretty Boho girls of NYC need to be so goddamn arrogant? First YaYa, now Jade. So incredibly gorgeous, yet so infuriatingly deluded. No one, NO ONE, who proclaims she is out there "to compete and not make friends" actually makes it to the end.

Thank the TV gods that Tyra didn't take on Dani AKA TexasRepublicanBigotCheerleader. Not only is she racist and homophobic, she is just plain ol' stupid. I mean, I can at least have a teensy bit of respect for intelligent racists. They're a challenge. But stupid ones? *Smack smack*

My favorites so far include: Nnenna (sob story of struggle from Nigeria); Wendy (sob story of struggle from New Orleans); Mollie Sue (redhead who is a little scary, already showing signs of being S3 Nicole-ish); Leslie (looks very much like Thandie Newton); and Joanie (looks a lot like Joely Richardson). I am also loving that some girls have the fabulous non-perky ethnic noses I embrace.

Next week, the makeover episode! If you don't watch the show regularly, this is the episode to watch. There will always be some "WTF?!" and of course, tears! Because my hair, my hair, don't cut my hair!

!!!!!

Brava, Chloe, Bra! Va!

Yeah, yeah, I know I said I'd be happy for anyone of the final three to win - and while that's true, I can't help but feel just a leeeeetle bit especially happy that Chloe Dao is the winner. I loved the little candy-colored evening-wear world she created for us. I imagined this swanky-but-girly-apartment with colorful furniture and vintage-y crystal chandeliers and quirky birthday cakes. A little bit high-end-Swell (Target line designed by Cynthia Rowley and some other woman), and a little bit Balenciaga/Lanvin/Rochas/other-luxe-but-not-flashy-Euro-design-houses. I mean, she used a lot of teal, so I mean, I have to love it!

one of my favorite looks from Chloe. You know I looove the hair:

I was sad for Daniel, but he has a great start to his career, I think, by just getting to show. And a job offer from Michael Kors? Kind of awesome.

Oh, Santino. Well, I sense both a fashion AND musical mastermind in the making. But Santino, the only boys I know who blow kisses are 2 years old. I might see them in the park or on the street, but only in a club that involves mouse-ears. Needless to say, I found his soundtrack so incredibly distracting. But the models did have a fierce walk to accompany it.
I just wish the judges had more to say to him than "Oh... such a quiet, mature look for you".

Honestly, I have to say that Jay McCarroll's show from last year is still tops for me. Sorry to Starbright Oogi who's had to hear my spiel too many times... but I loved Jay's collection viscerally, like, I would totally buy a keychain from his line if I could afford it. I hope his whole merchandise-licensing works out such that one day I may be able to do that.

Yaaaaaaaaaaay, Chloe! It is so RIGHTEOUS when talented, kind, funny, emotionally open, intelligent, professional people get some props in this world. *does a Chloe-style booty pop*

The Finale of the Final Three

Eeeeeeee! I am so nervous for our final three. Even Santino. He looked so dazed and confused at the end of the last ep. And the "preview clips" seemed like the judges were tearing all of them a new one.... My fingers, toes, and eyes are crossed... Best of luck to the Final Three as we enter T minus 8 hours....

birthday fireworks for starbright oogi

hope today is filled with all sorts of frills!

you know it's hard out heeeeere....

Can I just say how absolutely thrilled I am that Three 6 Mafia won an Oscar award? How awesome was that?! I loved Dolly Parton's song for Transamerica, and she is just so cute, but I mean... "It's Hard Out Here for A Pimp" winning? was a great moment.

So I've heard that Terrence Howard was "dissuaded" from performing the song himself at the awards show by Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Sydney Poitier. Eeeeenteresting. So it's not OK for Terrence to rap about being a pimp. And yet, as Miss Info of Hot97 pointed out, it's somehow OK for Taraji Henson to sing about being a ho?

In other Oscar news, was every woman wearing off-white yesterday? aging cowgirl it looks like Boring Beige Band-Aid colors are hot right now. But of course, Jennifer Lopez bucked the trend and wore the most amazing rich warm grass green color. I've been trying to find an eyeshadow that color for YEARS. She looked very overly made-up though, at least on stage, but I have yet to see a close-up photo.

In random findings news, I did not know Kal Penn is really Kalpen Modi of Montclair, NJ. I mean, I guess I should have known "Kal Penn" was not his given name.

vox populi

I'd like to thank y'all for the positive feedback on the design decisions for frillseekers 1.0

I have an idea for a new background and stuff, but I would really like to get more ideas from you guys. And of course (so I don't come off as the autocratic design control freak that I fear I am) if you want to create your own background images and stuff, I would be glad to help.

So please post any requests for color combinations, shapes, themes, hotties, fonts, quotations, etc. here.

Also, I had the best dream about meeting Dominic West. He was so nice (and really tall and smiley -- it bordered on scary for a second) and knew that I liked to draw and stuff. And then I woke up. *sigh*

In case choo don' know, Dominic is one of my many teevee boyfriends.

can i just say...

i love you guys.

i love this blog.

we're sO genius.

In our weekly tradition, thought on project runway? (or have people not seen it yet)