Marie Claire one ups In Style

Following in In Styles footsteps on the multiple cover front my Marie Claire this month had 4 covers featuring Jennifer Garner. Now, I think she's a beautiful woman and they make her look amazing in each shot, but 4 covers? Come on people, unless we're going for some type of Guinness world record here, that's a bit much!

Vera Wang is a genius

Lucky Magazine this month featured a genius bra made by Vera Wang for Sak Fifth Avenue. It has side runching that allows you to convert it from a t-shirt bra to a demi just by pushing the fabric down. Perfect for those cocktail dresses with a low decolletage.

To shear or not to shear that is the question

So I've mentioned that I've been growing my hair out lately. Well it has finally reached the ponytail stage. Yay! It's causing a few problems though. Like the fact that its now curly (?!) and not in the good way. Or that it's so thick it chokes the Fashion Guy at night and he bats it away like a cat toy. So I'm thinking maybe I should get it cut a little shorter, perhaps add some layers. My greatest fear though is soccer mom hair. I mean look at what happened to Diane Lane, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Paris Hilton. I need some advice folks.

Care to weigh in on to cut or not to cut?

A little lesson in etiquette

from Wendy Wayrad. Her post today addresses the scourge that is drivers. Now I'm a pedestrian. San Francisco is a walking city. It's only 49 square miles after all. I often experience the problem Wendy vents about where drivers turn even when I, crossing the street, obviously have the right of way. I know you think that if I'm at the end of the crosswalk you can make it through before I hit the middle of the street, but you my friends are wrong! I am the pedestrian and in California that means any time I'm anywhere near the crosswalk you are my bitch. So a word to wise drivers unless you want to meet my attorney and all of my very angry and litigious heirs you'd better watch you ass when I'm crossing the road.

Money quote of the day

From Real Simple's daily online quotes

The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.

— Flora Whittemore

What a bargain!

I picked up this snazzy pair of Lela Rose peeptoe patent leather pumps at Payless today for $25.00. Seriously! She's even done a couple of handbags and some cute kids shoes for them. You should check it out.

It is easy being Green

Thanks to the geniuses at Matt and Nat there is now a great looking leather free alternative in the fashion handbag space. I spotted their fabulous, lust inducing red Jorja Fox Bag in an In Style layout this month. It looks like pebbled leather, but is absolutely cruelty free. You see the company is headed by self described, "tenacious vegan" Inder Bedi, and committed a positivity message. That means no animal by products are used in producing their rock star bags. Now if only it came in green...maybe next season!

Lashing out

For years I've been a slave to my eyelash curler. Upon the advice of make up artists everywhere I dutifully bought the famed Shu Uemura curler, and used it every day. Praying that no one startled me and caused me to rip out all of my lashes (this actually happened to a friend of mine). Well I've recently stopped, and I've learned something. My lashes look a lot more natural uncurled. I have short, stubby eyelashes, so the effect I most often achieved was a sharp upward curve. By simply not curling my lashes and applying mascara looking down into my mirror I've found my eyes look just as "open" without all the pain and fear of the eyelash cage. Try it you'll see.

Money quote of the day

It's like having a conversation, those who read what I say become my friends

~ Maria Amelia Lopez
95 year old blogger

Really? Three?

I received my October issue of In Style magazine yesterday. In typical Fall fashion it was thick as a catalog and bursting with advertisements. One thing did surprise me though. I opened the cover and discovered...another cover and under that, yup another cover. That's 3 covers all featuring Katherine Heigl. Now I get the concept of multiple covers. However, in most cases you'll see the same magazine issue with different covers, not one issue with three covers inside. No slight to Katherine Heigl. I mean, she just won an Emmy and she's steadfastly stood by her friend T.R. Knight. But I'm asking myself, isn't three a little much?

Best ad campaign this year!

Giselle Bundchen is hocking her new Ipanema Sandals line in a water dress. This girl can wear anything. You've got to see it to believe it. Best special effect yet! I have no idea if it will move the product, but I bet it has the most hits this week at Google.

Alice Temperley comes to Target

On Nov. 17th Target will unveil a new designer collection by Alice Temperley. I've been through the Go: International flight of fashions look book and I like what I'm seeing. While dates for the unveiling are unclear from the web, Target press releases have items arriving in stores nationwide in September. An accessories collection will be added in November. As a fan of her handbags, I can wait to see what she's done! All I can say is be ready, this stuff is going to move faster than Libertine or Patrick Robinson.

On your mark, get set, SHOP!

After 3 long years waiting, Barney's is finally opening on Union Square tomorrow. San Francisco has been holding it's breath through the extensive renovations. We've done regular drive-bys to check the progress and have speculated on the specific date the store will come to life. Well, wait no more. As of tomorrow you can enjoy the most au courrant designers, insanely expensive women's shoes (Christian Louboutin anyone?) and a fragrance department stocked with it's own 'fragrance columns' to enhance your scent experience. Price points will be high, but I know I'll have to head over and take a look. If only to see their beautiful staircase.

Emmy fashions

I have to say that I enjoyed the show last night. It was the first awards show in a long time that actually managed to be funny. As always, I was there to see the gowns. Here are my thoughts:

Loved it

Helen Mirren - that plum satin gown was the most beautiful dress there
Heidi Klum - no one does color like Heidi
Tina Fey - classy in Carolina Herrara
Queen Latifah - she always rocks the red!
Christina Aguilera - loved the fuschia and the black & white gowns. One hot mama
Rebecca Romijn - gets an honorable mention for most interesting dress

Hated it

Paula Abdul - is it falling off?
Vanessa Williams - the feathers made her look like she was molting
Felicity Huffman - I didn't need to see her bony chest
Jolie Fisher - I didn't need to see her boobs, I swear I almost got flashed. Eww.

On the whole I thought the actresses were making safe choices. I would have wished for more interesting dresses. And what was up with everyone having the same curly short bob hairstyle? I saw it on at least 3 actresses. Time to hire a different stylist girls!

Mr. Blog you're a genius

Most of us are breathing a sigh of relief this morning that we won't have to watch Britney Spears 'apologize' at tonight's Emmy awards. Despite unwarranted claims by Fox, the popstar/trainwreck has put the kabosh on appearing in front of a live audience again at least until that Maxim cover comes out.

In her honor I just had to post this brilliant spoof from Mr. Blog titled, "Disaster aid finally reaches Britney Spears. World critical of slow Federal response". It is quite possibly the funniest thing to come out of last Sunday's VMA debacle. Enjoy!

I'm coming back as Angelina Jolie

I may have said this before, and believe me I'll say it again. This woman is hot. Even underweight she manages to look good in both her new St. John and Shiseido campaigns. She photographs like a dream. She was so odd looking when she was younger (remember the obsession with nude lipstick?), but now she looks like the epitome of class and elegance. Love the dress, love the hair, love everything!

p.s. I do think she might be expecting again. The key - she's sporting pashminas, something we only saw once before...when she was hiding that Shiloh bump. If I'm right mazel tov!

America is beautiful

America Ferrara that is. Famous for playing Ugly Betty, she always manages to look chic and comfortable on the red carpet. I've been waiting for someone else to agree with me and post a montage of her looks. Well People magazine finally came through. My favorites, the Nanette Lepore leopard dress that she wore on Regis & Kelly, the brown v-neck gown from the Time magazine tribute and the blue Bryan Reyes gown she wore to the Golden Globe awards.

She's age appropriate, not afraid of color and she actually looks like a person, not an assemblage of bones (I'm talking to you Kiera Knightley). Long live America the beautiful!

p.s. To those twits at Glamour who photoshopped 40 pounds off her, shame on you

Gav, can I call you Gav?

San Francisco is a great city to live in. The weather is beautiful, the views are amazing, and our mayor is smoking hot. Gavin Newsom is a 39 year old wunderkind. He's been referred to as the next coming of Camelot. He's good looking, charming and politically connected. One thing he isn't though is au courrant. And I think we have to talk. Mayor Newsom is running pretty much uncontested for re-election this year. Since he's a sure thing I feel I need to step up to the plate and point out that even though he has been photographed by Vogue magazine and is a fixture in SF, it's time for a make over. That's right, out with the greasy kid stuff and in with a new hair cut. He's been sporting that floppy Hugh Grant do for almost a decade now.

Gav, you've had your sex scandal, done the rehab, now isn't it time to update your look? As a constituent and a magazine reader I'm asking you to do the work. Oh, and while you're at it, stop dating 18 year old blonde blow up dolls. Thanks!

I live in a police state

I have never used this blog for political opinions before, but this morning I saw something I simply could not ignore. Left of Centrist.com posted a video of The Reverend Lennox Yearwood being hurled to the ground by police outside the Congressional hearings. He had been calmly trying to enter the chambers and was blocked by the D.C. Police. I almost couldn't believe my eyes. This stuff happens in Third World Countries or in movies, not in the United States.

Well not anymore people. Your rights as you knew them are gone.

This injustice makes me ANGRY. I just hope that the ACLU and the NAACP are on the D.C. Police like white on rice. This is clearly harassment and they deserve to reap the shit storm on this one. Thank goodness for home video and YouTube.com!

What a week! And it's only Monday...

The Video Music Awards was last night and has provided mucho blog fodder for a Monday. Some highlights:

- Paris Hilton shows up looking like a cougar
- Sarah Silverman savages the opening act in her monologue
- Christina Aguilera's pregnancy is confirmed (by Paris Hilton?!)
- Britney's big comeback is just sad
- Kid Rock and Tommy Lee resort to fisticuffs
- Kanye West is pissed about losing all those awards and is never coming back
- Jennifer Garner dresses like a show girl
- Justin Timberlake took home more than 4 VMAs
- Beyonce recycles a Halloween costume

You can always count on Music Television to bring out all the best trainwrecks!

Lust/must for shiny hair

If you long for healthy, shiny hair like I do, then this advice is for you. I am a brunette with colored hair, and I recently started growing it out. These days I'm always on the look out for products to increase the shine of my hair and tame flyaways.

My lust is Frederic Fekki's glossing cream. With olive oil as it's base it not only shines my hair, but leaves a subtle, yet lovely smell behind. However, at $26.50 a tube it's outrageously expensive.

A great alternative is John Frieda's Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream. Under $6.00 and available at your local drugstore, it shines and smooths my hair just as well. Maybe the fragrance isn't quite as fabulous, but it's such a bargain that it's my must have.

Um why?

Is Jennifer Garner channeling Hillary Swank? Girl you were always way hotter. Don't let this happen again.

Money quote of the day

Comes from SocialiteLife.com. They were dressing down Vanessa Hudgens for not denying those nude pictures are her...

Silly starlet! Tricks are for kids!

Love it!!!

Tim Gunn's new show is finally here!

Tonight on Bravo at 10 p.m. Tim Gunn's new show "Guide to Style" premieres. He has been making the rounds of the talk shows this week in anticipation of tonight's show. I personally can't wait. I've been a fan since I first saw him on Project Runway and heard the iconic, "Make it work". Mr. Gunn says that show isn't another ambush makeover segment, but an attempt to help real women discover their unique style. I love this idea and only wish he would come to San Francisco and play fairy godfather to my own closet.

Eyelash extensions?

I thought I'd seen it all when Jessica Simpson began selling hair weaves at Macys. Well this week I received an advertisement for eyelash extensions, that's right eyelash extensions. Exotic Faces will add false lashes to your eyes that last up to 1 month. So now like J Lo you can have long red fox lashes (just don't tell PETA!) Or, if you a desperate to look like Jessica Alba in those Mabelline commercials, you can have ridiculously thick, long lashes added to your own. Hollywood is invading Main Street my friends. I'm just not sure this is a good idea. I love a thick lash, but I'm not ready to let glue and a tweezers that close to my eye.

Gap wants to be your new Top Shop

Gap announced today via e-mail that they have created a European Collection for Fall. I was skeptical at first, but a closer look has yielded some cute finds:

- Double breasted sweater: Love the buttons down the right side
- Military coat: Love the collar, and in my favorite color...black
- Cotton/cashmere striped sweater dress: Channel the 80's in this cute dress
- Pleated neck minidress: Love the color, look the neckline, love everything!
- Sweater dress: In military blue (so au currant!) and puffed sleeves too
- Military mini skirt: Perfect with tights

I have to say after a number of disappointing seasons, I think Gap has got their mojo back.

Fall fashion - Metallics

Love Jessica Simpson's metallic bag? Don't have the budget of a pop star? Well you don't need too. Devi Kroell has created an anthracite hobo for Target that's almost as fabulous and under $40!

Ugh! Too much information!

I am never going to get this image of Amy Winehouse out of my mind. I only hope she was a paying guest of the resort and they've billed her for the damages. Disgusting!

Woman you need to seek help!

Weird Fish

Fashion Guy and I passed this place the last time we were in the Mission and made a mental note to look it up and come back for dinner. Weird Fish is small, only 11 tables, (two four tops and the rest are for twosomes), but there's always a crowd. After "Yelp-ing" it we decided that Labor Day weekend would be a key time to go. Everyone in SF is traveling elsewhere and we'd have the run of the joint.

Well we were right. We went for an early dinner this evening. There were only 3 other parties in the restaurant. I ordered the grilled fig appetizer with chive goat cheese. It was sweet and savory all at once. I wouldn't have expected the flavors to meld so well, but it was the perfect Fall choice as figs are in season right now. My entree was the spinach, feta, walnut and cranberry salad with balsamic vinagrette. Add a glass of gewurtztraminer and you have the perfect dinner for a warm summer evening. Fashion Guy tried the fish for me (I'm a non-pescadorian). He confirmed that the fish tacos were out of this world. We even checked in with the girls at the next table who were noshing on the fish & chips and they said they're so good that it's all they ever order.

A couple of things to note, if you go early bring your shades. The restaurant faces West so they sun comes streaming in at full force until it sets. Also, be ready for a line out the door. Word is spreading fast about this little gem and it's location on Mission Street is bringing in the crowds.