Money quote of the day

You could throw a blind person in a dumpster and they'd crawl out wearing a better outfit.

The Superficial.com on Britney Spears' sartorial sense

(to see what she was wearing, click here)

Fashion faux paus

It's been a boring week in gossip news. Lindsay Lohan is partying again (and now potentially a lesbian), Angelina Jolie is doing press junkets without Brad (and looking like the undead), and Britney is still wearing that smug smile and those bloody stupid hats. Don't even get me started on the dancewear cowboy boot combo...

I had thought that I'd just lost the will to blog. That is until I saw the Mom pants. Yes, those horrific high waisted pants circa 1970 are making a comeback. They've been spotted on Mischa Barton, Geri Halliwell, and Kiera Knightley. This may just be some bizarre Brit thing, but frankly I'm concerned. I for one do not want to be spotted out in public in high waisted pants. They're like skinny jeans, they make every woman look hideous. They've already been spotted on Scarlett Johannson, Chloe Sevigny & Lindsay Lohan. If Kate Moss puts on a pair it's all over but the shouting.

I haven't had a quality fashion rant since the Crocs, but now is the time. People, I'm begging you band together to kill this trend before it gains a foothold in America.

Leonardo's hot - who knew?!

Let me preface this by saying that while I think Leonardo Di Caprio is a talented actor, I've never been attracted to him. Never that is, until now.

Last night I watched Blood Diamond, and I realized something profound. Leonardo Di Caprio is hot! He plays a Rhodesian mercenary, who looks like a twelve year old with a goatee. However, when you see him all trim, tan, and you hear the sexy accent, you start to reconsider. I sure did.

You have to understand I'm not the girl who fell in love with him in Titanic. I usually think he's just a nebishy little creep. More like his Woody Allen character from Celebrity , than Jack, the kindhearted immigrant in Titanic. I wasn't sad when he slipped under the Atlantic for all eternity.

In Blood Diamond you'll see something new. Action Leo. He's able to carry off the physical and emotional aspects of the role. You actually start to believe that he could be a soldier of fortune. There's no pulling of the punches, his hits look liked they'd really hurt, and the action in this film never stops. It's a rollercoaster ride of violence.

The best part, he doesn't "get the girl". Our heroine, Jennifer Connelly, doesn't hook up with or even kiss him in this film. She just provides a moral center and fills him with longing. Not something many American directors can do with finesse.

I highly recommend the film.

Cocoa loco

Like Miranda Hobbs on a bender I'm in a ravenous, chocolate needing space right now. I dream about it, lust after it, spend entire days plotting ways to get it. I even baked a cake this weekend just so I could frost it with Duncan Hines chocolate frosting. It's true.

I had thought it was just me. Until I read this article on Glam.com. We are totally on the same page about the Barcelona bar from Vosges Chocolate. I had to make a special stop at their store in SoHo when I was in Manhattan. Imagine how thrilled I was to come home and find that Whole Foods has started carrying my favorite $7 candy bar. Yup, $7 bucks and worth every penny!

Peter Weller, Renaissance Man

I discovered recently that the actor who brought us RoboCop (and yes, RoboCop 2), is now a Travel & Leisure reporter. Peter Weller did an amazing story in the May issue on Emilia-Romagna. Turns out he has lived in Italy on and off for 20 years. He gives a great view of Italian art with a focus on lesser known cities like Ferrara and Rimini.

I had caught an episode of his History Channel show, "Engineering an Empire", so I knew he had an in interest in the Romans. However, I wasn't aware he holds a masters degree in Italian Renaissance Art History.

I have to admit that the Liberal Arts major in me just loved his piece. It's been a long time since I've read a travel article I thought was really in it's author's voice. To many editors, sponsors, etc. are telling reporters what to write these days. Not Weller. He mixes film metaphors with art criticism in a voice that sounds distinctly like him.

Actor/writer/director/lecturer/travel reporter/history channel host, he truly is a modern Renaissance Man.

Time to put up the Fug signal

Fug girls where are you?! Matthew McConaughey was photographed by People magazine this week working out in a scuba suit and...is that Lucille Ball's hair net?

What the? I mean, if he was surfing I might understand, but he's on a stationary bike for crying out loud. Matt, we need to talk. I stood by you through the naked bongo, the wild partying in Mexico, and even through the yoga on the beach. You are becoming a freakshow and you have to stop.

You have one job, to look pretty. This, my friend, isn't pretty!

This is so wrong

Bond No. 9 has announced the release of it's newest scent, Coney Island. Yes, ladies and gentlemen you can pay $170 to smell like corndogs, suntan lotion and stale beer. Hey, maybe I'm being overly harsh. I mean I've never actually been to Coney Island. However, I have a distinct impression of what it would smell like, and tequila and sandalwood isn't it.

Thanks to Jossip.com for posting this nugget!

I'm coming back as Kylie Minogue

in my next life. That chick is hot! She's survived a fierce bout of breast cancer and has returned more beautiful than ever. She even rocked the short, short hair. Something not easy to do.

She's had a rough year. Parted ways with her uber hot boyfriend Olivier Martinez. Went back to touring, but wound up fighting exhaustion. However, now she's back and in rare form. Check out these gorgeous shots for her new H&M campaign. They make me want to race right out and buy the entire collection.

I'm not a fan of her music, but I'm happy to see her back on her feet. Kylie seems like she's happy. She always looks lit from within. I'd love to meet her therapist or her make up artist, heck I'd love to meet both. Welcome back beautiful!

There are no words

I don't usually comment in my blog on current events. However, I can't not comment on the violence at Virginia Tech University today. 33 dead, 29 wounded. I have to ask myself how could this happen? I lived in Virginia, and I know this as a sleepy little town, not Death Race 2000.

I've now lived through 9/11, internet decapitations, the Iraq war (2 of them actually). I thought it was impossible to shock me any longer. I was wrong.

I guess I should be thankful that I can still feel at all. I'm just dumbfounded.

Death takes a holiday

...and so did Fashion Girl. Sorry for being MIA. I spent the weekend in Monterey looking for whales (# sited none), butterflies (again none), and fabulous boutiques. I had a lovely lunch at the Grove Bistro, a cafe in Pacific Grove. Highly recommend it.
While I was away, one of my favorite bloggers Kvatch, put up a post about Alexander McQueen's new Samsonite luggage collection. You've got to see it to believe it. I think this is what Death would take on holiday.

Cheers!

Better than TiVo!

I just discovered a genius website. The Recapist. They will bring you up to date on your favorite show if you missed out. Wondering who was tossed off American Idol? Voted off the island on Lost? Who nailed who on Grey's Anatomy? Well The Recapist can tell you. Necessity truly is the mother of invention.

Bloody brilliant!

Some college student with a bright idea (and a huge student loan) has invented the most brilliant thing. Bonsais. It's a cross between sheepskin slippers and flipflops. Perfect for a Cali girl like me. Fuzzy and functional, how could you go wrong?

The Tudors

I was very excited to hear that Jonathan Rhys Meyers would be playing Henry VIII in Showtime's new series The Tudors. Unfortunately I don't get Showtime. Out of luck? Nope. Turns out those nice people have posted the first 2 episodes for your viewing pleasure.

Enjoy the show!

The Gemini has landed

I once threatened on this blog to create my own cocktail, The Gemini. Well it's here.

1 jigger X-rated liqueur (french vodka, mango, passion fruit)
1/2 jigger mandarin orange syrup
1-1/2 jiggers French carbonated lemonade
pour over ice, stir, strain and add a float of champagne or cava on top

It's sweet and sour. Dualistic in nature. Just like a Gemini. For a twist, add cranberry infused vodka instead of mandarin orange syrup and you've got the evil twin.

Cheers!

Gwen Stefani dresses like your Mom

I'm glad that she's moved on from her Oompa Loompa hair, but is this Marilyn Monroe/Doris Day hybrid really any better? She's on 3 different Harper's Bazaar covers this month and frankly all of them leave me cold.

Gwen was a fashionista. She was a trendsetter. We all coveted her outfits, her husband and her preternaturally flat abs. Now she just makes me yawn. What ever happened to the yummy mummy? Come on sweetie, you have to try harder than this or the Harajuku Girls are going to leave you for Mariah Carey.

Project Runaway?

Seems my favorite t.v. show Project Runway is having some casting trouble for it's L.A. season. Now I can understand how hard it is to find talent in L.A., but really it was an open call. True, it was held at the Standard Hotel. Not chic enough?

Maybe people are just being protective of their families. Who among us can forget what a raving asshole Jeffrey Sebelia was to Angela's Mom. I mean, yes Angela was crazy rosette lady, but nobody plays smack down with your Ma. Maybe they were put off by the all nighter making couture in Paris? Could it just be that they're all tired of Michael Kors snarky comments, Nina Garcia's bitchiness, and Heidi's stupid double kiss "Auf Wiedersehn" Euro-trash bullshit?

I say kick her to the curb and let Tim Gunn run the show, he's the real star after all.

My new obsession

A few weeks ago I started renting Sleeper Cell: American Terrorist from NetFlix. It's the story of an undercover FBI agent working counter terrorism. The twist here is that he is also a Muslim. Darwyn Al-Sayeed (played by Michael Early), emerges from prison and makes contact with a sleeper cell of Los Angeles holy warriors. The first season was spiked with dramatic decisions (should Darwyn allow someone to be killed, can he stop the approaching attack?), nailbiting tension, and fascinating strategic use of technology. The jihadists at one point use a woman's measurements from an online dating site to decode and send messages. Scary, and brilliant.

Sleeper Cell takes advantage of current events in the same way CSI did. Things show up that we've all seen on the nightly news, only this time they are happening to people around Darwyn, and it makes it somehow personal. I think Michael Early is great in the role. He manages to actually convey the conflict going on inside him. Some of the terrorists even get under his skin, especially Farik their fierce leader (played by Oded Fehr). I've been a fan of Oded's since The Mummy, but I've never seen him this intense. His eyes blaze with hatred. He's so recognizable, and yet he disappears into this character.

I'm just starting the second season now and while I don't want to spoil it for anyone else, I will say it's getting better and better.

A McDream come true

I'm sure we're all sick of the "McDreamy" comments, especially Jillian Dempsey (Mrs. Dr. McDreamy). The real life wife of Patrick Dempsey is a make up artist. She has just launched her own make up line with Avon.

The colors are creamy and beautiful. I'm totally lusting after the coral lipstick. I also love the cute blush compacts. They come in peachy champagne or sandy coral and have flowers embossed into the powder. Adorable!

So grab a bottle of solar pink polish and buff up your toes. Spring is coming...

The best headline EVER!

Mel B Has Baby Girl, DNA Bitchfight Imminent

Fucking brilliant!

You go girl!

Women are blasting through the final frontier. News came today that the first female gondolier in Venice just won a judgement ruling that she could ply her trade in the Venetian canals. This would end 900 years of male dominated gondoliering. Now I'm all for the hot gondolier. I had one myself in Venice, and I considered him a part of the scenery. Still, I'm thrilled that Alexandra Hai will be joining their ranks. Perhaps they will finally have to change the lyrics of that song to "Oh solo mia!"

Ladies who lunch

The power lunch is alive and well in Manhattan. Balthazar, a perennial Top 10 favorite, is the chosen restaurant of deal makers and the models who date them. It is loud, crowded and frenzied. A quintessential French bistro.

I recently had lunch here and was impressed by the food. I ordered the goat cheese and carmelized onion tart. It was crisp around the edges, savory and delicious. Paired with a glass of Sancerre, and a bit of salad it was the perfect Manhattan fashion lunch. I followed it up with my favorite dessert, profiteroles with chocolate sauce. Heaven!