Fall lips

The Fall lip this year is red baby, red! I know you're shocked. Red lipstick...again. But don't despair. There are more options than ever. My faves:

- P.S. Kiss (Lancome) - One of the Pout a Porter lipstick series from the Peter Som show. A deep burgundy perfectly matched to your new wide legged grey trousers

- RD 198 (Shu Uemura) - What I initially thought would be an orangey-red turned out to be a rich deep shade that gave me perfect china doll lips a la Betty Boop

- Rouge Hermes (Hermes) - I had to include a classic. This is a hard shade to describe. It's red, but with a plummy undertone. Flatters almost everyone

Britney schmears

Jossip alerted us today to an online e-Bay auction for that fried chicken stained dress that Britney Spears ruined during her OK magazine photoshoot (nee meltdown). Now I know you can sell almost anything on e-Bay these days, especially if it's connected to Ms. Spears. They've already auctioned off her pre-chewed gum, a cup with water that she drank from, and unforgettably her hair, red bull and the razor she shaved her head with. I guess it's true what Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute". Then again, OK assures us this is for charity, so get out there and bid, it's only a $1,500 right now and it's for a good cause...

Money quote of the day

Look around. We're a bunch of unstable, hungry, backstabbing bitches. Do you really think anyone would sell us guns?

~ Amanda from Ugly Betty

Backstage pass

I loved the models lady like make up in the Fall shows this year. In an effort to channel my inner Femme Fatale I recently tried Diorshow mascara. Touted by all the best make up artists, it has a huge brush. That means lush, thick lashes. Something I've always craved, but nature shortchanged me on. And it smells like roses. So I'm not only getting gorgeous lashes, but I'm moisturizing them too. Dior is ab fab!

Cheers!

Alberto Gonzales resigned today. I'll be at the bar!

Money quote of the day

If you make a mistake or take a wrong turn, there's always another chance. As the saying goes, it's the courage to continue that counts.

~ Gloria Feldt in Glamour magazine

Brought to you by FasTrak...it's the Golden Gate Bridge!

That's right. Our iconic bridge is looking for corporate sponsorship. The Chronicle published an article today that tries to allay our fears that the bridge will be sporting a Microsoft logo, but does little to calm my fears. Does anyone else remember that PacBell Park was previous both SBC Park and AT&T Park? Or that Candlestick Park went from 3 Com Park to Monster Park. I do. I can't imagine that this great nation can't afford to do the required maintenance for the bridge using Federal, State and Local funds. I mean really. I want to see my tax dollars at work!

No justice

I was furious this afternoon when I read that not only has Nicole Richie served her time (82 minutes and out), but that Lindsay Lohan has copped a plea and dealt herself down to 1 day in jail for DUI and reckless driving. Insane.

Well, here's a little laughternoon break from to cheer you up. Hollywood Tuna posted this celebrity spoof of all of our CAH-razy celebrity party girls. Enjoy!

Now that's a tasty burger

I'm crazy about cheeseburgers. Ever since moving to San Francisco I've been on a mission to find the best California burger in the City. I think I've found it at Pearl's Phatburgers. The Marin diner has expanded to a location at Jones & Post Streets. Pearl's serves up some of the most delicious and juicy burgers around. Some things to know before you go: (1) order the mini if you're not sharing, the original burger is HUGE; (2) always request it medium or medium well if you don't want it to "moo" on the way to the table. The fries and onion rings are salty and hot, can't decide? Order the frings and have both.

Fall fabulous

Clinique, the maker of my all time favorite lip color, almost lipstick Black Honey has released 3 limited editions for Fall 2007. Black raisin, black raspberry and black plum are sheer, but universally flattering colors. They should look fabulous with this Fall's grey colors and trousers. Be sure to pick yours up soon, quantities are limited, and like black honey they're selling fast.

My own stylist?!

What's next, being my own chef? Personal trainer? I picked up my In Style magazine this month and discovered an article entitled, "Be Your Own Stylist". It gives all sorts of tips and tricks on how Hollywood, and the people that dress them, get around issues of painful blisters, static cling and loose bra straps.

The article is a wealth of information on products that will make my Jimmy Choos/Manolo Blahniks/Christian Louboutins more comfy. They recommend gel inserts, BandAid Blister Block, and Shoo Sticks (stickers that make your slingbacks stay put). All I can say is if I need all this equipment just to make my shoes wearable, why wouldn't I just buy more comfortable shoes?

Nan Kempner - American Chic

The textile gallery at the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park is hosting an exhibit of Nan Kempner's clothing. Nan was the wife of Thomas Kempner, a socialite and perennial "best dressed list" member. Her clothes will take you back to the fabulously rich 80's. There's a big Dynasty feel here.

She wasn't precious though. Mrs. Kempner had the eye of a collector and the budget of a Maharajah. She invested in pieces from Emanuel Ungaro, Valentino, Yves St. Laurent, Gucci and many more. There are some amazing pieces to be seen. My favorites, the purple evening gown with black lace overlay (Yves St. Laurent), the Gucci embroidered kimono (Tom Ford) and a black feathered hat by Philip Treacy. I was also tickled pink to see the marigold colored St. Laurent cloak I'd seen her wearing at a charity event.

The exhibits accompanying photos show a woman who not only wore her clothes beautifully, she always looked at ease and like she was having the time of her life. Lucky lady!

We're chowderheads!

It was an absolutely gorgeous day here in San Francisco today. Sunny, clear and with almost no wind. To celebrate Fashion Guy and I decided to dine al fresco. A rare occurrence in San Francisco during the Summer.

We chose to check out the Blue Mermaid Chowder House & Bar in the Argonaut Hotel on Fisherman's Wharf. They have a small outdoor dining area outfitted with large colorful sun umbrellas (no self respecting San Franciscan would be seen with a tan...). When our friendly waitress came to take our order I opted for a chicken club sandwich with fries. I'm an unapologetic fish-o-phobe. My sandwich had two large grilled slabs of chicken breast, thick slices of bacon (so unpolitically correct, but YUM!), curry mayo, onions, tomato and avocado. My fries were thin and crispy just the way I like them, and came with garlic and parmesan on top. Fashion Guy went for a Summer Sam beer and the corn/crab chowder. He said his chowder was so good he wanted to lick the bowl. Fortunately a half loaf of sourdough bread was on our table, so manner faux paus averted.

I must admit I'm not usually a fan of The Wharf. It's overcrowded and no one seems to know where they're headed. Besides, I never know where to take people for lunch. However, I think the Blue Mermaid is going to become my new destination for friends and family who must see Fisherman's Wharf for themselves.

It's funny!

Those clever boys over at Jossip.com were gabbing this morning about the arrival of Cosmo television in Canada. I just had to share their quote:

The Canadian version of the Cosmo TV Channel is said to include various hard-hitting segments, including “Why Tonsil Hockey Beats Regular Hockey: The Art Of French-Canadian Kissing,” “How To Ask A Guy Oot” and “He’s Just Not That Into You, Eh?”

Now maybe it's because I was born a Minnesotan, but I think this is funny!

Mooning over you

While at the movies the other day an ad crossed the screen for Moonstruck Chocolate Cafe. I barely managed to catch that the store was located in Cow Hollow near the Marina (2109 Chestnut Street). Out on errands, I stopped by the cafe and chatted up the staff. They produce artisan, handcrafted chocolates which are delicious! If you're looking for a little thank you or just a chocolate kick to perk up a dreary day, this is the place to go.

Don't miss their seasonal chocolates. They have adorable dark chocolate starfish and ice cream flavored truffle pops. They've also got some great milkshakes, so take your appetit and enjoy!

Charm school

You must have noticed that charms and charm bracelets are once again in vogue. A charm store opened up here on Union Square last year and has been doing banner business. Well the folks at Tiffany & Company have taken notice and they want in on the action. Charmed by Tiffany offers the classic charms we all know and love (return to Tiffany & Co. heart anyone?). They've gone even further though. They've published an online guide showing us all how to get more bang for our buck. Put charms on your cellphone, in your hair, on your purse, on your ankle or even on your dog. Soon we'll all be charmed, I'm sure.

The littlest accessory

Since when did beach baby become the new celebrity accessory? First there were pictures of Paris Hilton holding a toddler. I'd like to meet that kids mother and ask her *what the hell* she was thinking. Now Carmen Electra has one too. I swear I even saw a pre-rehab Lindsay holding the same little boy.

Is this kid a beach toy at the Polaroid Beach house this summer?

They had to bend her like Gumby

to get a little side boob action. Now I love Kiera Knightly. She's pretty, stylish and doesn't seem all that into fame. Yet in her new Chanel ads she doesn't strike me as remotely sexy. And if there's one thing you can say about Kate Moss it's that her ads for Coco Mademoiselle were sexy!

To hug or not to hug, that is the question

So I found myself in an awkward situation after dinner the other night. We had gone out with a large group of friends. Half we knew and half we were introduced to that night. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the company of all. However, at the end of the night when we were saying goodbye hugs started going around.

My question is, given it's a first meeting do you hug or not hug? What do you think?

Schadenfreude

I hate to say it, but I enjoyed watching all these poor models fall off their ridiculous heels. I think sky high Christian Louboutins are the end of civilization as we know it. Long live tennis shoes!

Thanks to DListed.com for posting this.

Time for another list

I've been thinking a lot lately about songs and their effect. Some songs hit me like echoes in my soul. They reach far down and never fail to make me cry:

- City of Blinding Lights (U2) - I waited forever to see them and cried all night
- Death is the Road to Awe (Kronos Quartet) - what crossing over must sound like
- Canon in D (Pachabel) - I got married to this and it is the distillation of joy
- I Hope you Dance (Dolly Parton - remixed) - reminds you to live while you can - Ordinary Day (Vanessa Carlton) - about how short life is - Monster's Ball (Soundtrack) - what a broken heart sounds like - Under You (Better than Ezra) - they really captured regret
- Angel (Sarah McLachlan) - loss pure and simple

and just for balance, the song that makes me happiest: Let my Love Open the Door by Pete Townsend. It never fails to make me smile.

Becoming Jane

Is the reimagined story of the secret love that inspired Jane Austen's writing. In Becoming Jane, we see the people and events which inspired Pride and Prejudice and many other of Ms. Austen's novels. Anne Hathaway is radiant as a young and spirited Jane. Trying to sidestep unfortunate marriage proposals, but still keep her options for matrimony open, she is pulled unexpectedly into a romance with Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy). He is a reprobrate sent from London to cool his heels in the Country by his wealthy uncle.

The chemistry between the two stars is electric. The touch of a hand while dancing, a look across a crowded room, and the way he says goodnight with an almost kiss will send chills down your spine. I swear I could have fainted from the sensual tension in this film. It manages to capture that certain something that still draws crowds of breathless women to Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.

We all know that things won't end well. Jane Austen never married and died at age 41 having produced only 6 books. Here though, instead of ending on a sad note, the film manages a sense of hope and the possibility of happiness. I don't know how the director managed it, but I can't stop thinking about it. The message is be true to your heart. Even if that means giving up it's greatest desire.

I seriously think I'm going to go see it again. I feel there's so much here that I missed. I haven't been this moved by a film in a very long time. I highly recommend it.

Fashionista Diaries

ABC has replaced The View in August with a new show called The Fashionista Diaries. Like The Devil Wears Prada, the show follows a bunch of clueless interns spending their summer in Manhattan. Two work on Fashion Week for Seventh House, two work for Flirt Cosmetics, and two work on Jane magazine. The six assistants are collaborating on an event for Fashion Week that includes all three companies.

The "realityesque" situations they throw them into are hilarious. In the first episode the Jane interns are sent to a fashion shoot. Once there they are told to strip naked and be photographed for the magazine. Their faces were just classic!

My take so far: Bridget is a gum chewing "Mean Girl" and a stalker (she moves in with Alex on the first show!), Alex is a playa, Tina (again with the gum!) is a total dimwitted flirt, Rachel seems down to earth, Nicole is totally clueless Queens girl with no fashion experience and is going to be played by everyone, and Janjay seems like the only one who's going to get any work done.

My little Yelper

I've recently become addicted to Yelp.com. The website, where hipster average Joe's rate restaurants, hotels, shopping experiences you name it. I found a quote that sums up the American experience and just had to share it:

It's what American cuisine and our culture have evolved into - we like our comforts (jeans and athletic shoes), but if you look closely - our glasses are Japanese, our shoes are European, our jeans have the cut and make that used to be reserved for couture gowns. The devil is in the details, and the details make the difference between a good experience and a great one. We are an educated, discerning audience, and while we may be "casual" in our style, the quality with which we live our lives is highly evolved.

~ Liz S.
Yelp.com

My new favorite website

People magazine has put up "They said what?", a bunch of crazy clips from Day time television. If you're like me and go into a hypnotic trance every time you see Regis & Kelly, Oprah or Ellen, than this is for you. You get all the giggles from your favorite hosts without losing hours of your day blankly staring into your t.v. set. Check it out!

Money quote of the day

"I need to set the right example. I would really want to be someone my child would look up too."

~ Nicole Richie

Ummm...too late

Bourne again

I went to see The Bourne Ultimatum today. I'm a fan of the series. I enjoyed The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy. I think Matt Damon is the thinking woman's action hero. So when the critics called it a "thrill a minute" ride, I thought I'm in. Jason Bourne is an amnesiac assassin, trained by the government to kill, but with no memory of how, why or who he really is. He spends the three films evading government agents and piecing together the puzzle of who he was before he was Bourne.

In the first couple of movies this made for great drama. The chases are fast and the action furious. I have a few gripes with the third movie though. First, this CIA conspiracy thing is getting a little stale. So is the writing. I think I heard them say "Get eyes on that" (meaning turn the surveillance camera) about 200 times in the first 20 minutes of the film. They also "lock things down" a lot, buildings, city blocks, you name it. Now most of us know in these post 9/11 days just how hard it is to search a crowd of people or find a moving target, so all of this "locking things down" seems a little ridiculous. Finally there is a very tense chase scene where an agent marked for assassination is pursued through the back streets in Morocco. Rather than grabbing a hijab and taking off their coat, they proceed to run ahead sticking out like a sore thumb. This would never happen on Alias. I'm just saying, an agent at that level would know how to change their looks. Keanu Reeves did a better job of it in Johnny Mnemonic for crying out loud.

That said, this movie probably contains some of the best car chases you've ever seen. I think the guy who worked on Live Free Die Hard was definitely hired to work on this film. Bourne has attained an almost super human ability to avoid being killed. He always see things coming. There's a fascinating scene early in the film where he is directing someone to evade capture, the cold, calm, calculating way he does it is fascinating in an intellectual way.

It's worth seeing, especially if you've already committed to the first two. I'd say if you can avoid spoilers though, this is more of a NetFlix or a matinee.

Quote of the Day

Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.

— Kahlil Gibran

Hallaluia!

Mary Kate Olsen finally put together an outfit I actually like!

Back to school

Yes that time is upon us again. I've noticed an increase in shoppers recently. Moms and kids are out in droves looking for back to school clothes. And man am I glad I'm not among them! I read online at CNN.com today that teens and 'tweens asking their folks for $100 purses, $300 sunglasses and iPhones. If their parents won't buy them, they save up their paychecks (or babysitting money) and buy them for themselves.

Now I remember being young, having no responsibilities and getting to spend all of my hard earned money on myself. However, I can't ever remember thinking that I should be wearing what the people on t.v. were wearing.

I'm asking myself, am I just getting old or is this too much? What do you think?