How Cute Are These Boots!

Today I thought I'd share my opinion on some of the commercials of the day!

Okay, I think the GAP 'cheer' commercials are awful, with the exception of the following, which I LOVE:



I'm a sucker for a nine-year old girl with 'tude. Anyone who has met my cousin knows why. I also really like this Coco Chanel Mademoiselle ad. I'm usually not a fan of young Hollywood ingenue-types, but for some reason I don't really have a problem with Keira Knightley. Cutie pie, I say! Love the song, and I'm now realizing through my research here that it's Joss Stone singing. Well done!



I can't decide how I feel about this Amazon ad. I really like the song, but the first few times I saw the commercial, I was confused about what the product was. Then when I saw that it said 'Kindle', I kind of got it. The next time I saw it, I realized that the point is that you can download a book in 60 seconds, and books take you away to magical places. I think it's cool the way the colors and fabrics change into the different scenes, but something doesn't work for me. I think the magician get-up at the end is the most off-putting.



I believe that Target has been a real innovator when it comes to great advertising, and a lot of other companies are trying desperately to copy their look-and-feel. However, I really don't like these new "Chestnuts roasting..." Target ads, which are sort of a 'cynical' take on Christmas:



I love Christmas in an unadulterated, joyful way. I don't mind realism in holidays, but I thought the following Target commercial managed to address that in a much cuter way:



I think I just relate to that chick, being a young married myself. I also adore the ads that addressed the economic situation in a way that actually made me feel hopeful and upbeat-- who would think a TV ad could do that?



Okay, now to the commercial I truly detest over all others. I think it is complete pretentious hipster nonsense. Here is the extended version, I hope you hate it as much as me.



Thoughts?

Reprise of metro commuting rage

I'm sorry. I know one of my first rants on this blog had to do with my hatred of public transportation. Perhaps as part of my new year's resolution (in addition to eating better and exercising more), I will work on being the happy-go-lucky, perky, upbeat version of myself that doesn't stoop so low as to engage in such weekly bitchfests. But, until then, I give you my top ten most-hated things about wmata.

10. Middle-aged women who wrap their arms around the poles and read the paper so that you can't possibly hold on.
9. Anyone speaking on a blue tooth headset while riding a train. Not only will your signal cut in and out-- you look absolutely bat s#$t crazy talking to your self. Please stop.
8. Any man over the age of 25 who head bops to their i-pod.
7. The people who sit on the aisle seat even though the window seat is empty just so they a) don't have to share, and b) can get off as soon as humanly possible when the train stops.
6. People who don't give up their seats for senior citizens, or pregnant women. Have some decency. Cripes.
5. Corrolary to 6: People who act inconvenienced by the existence of a stroller, wheelchair, or motor scooter that wants to take their prized position leaning by the door. Get over yourself and get out of the way.
4. In contrast, anyone who brings a bike on the metro during the no-bike hours deserves all the mean looks they get. So do the stupid station managers who failed to stop them. Our tax dollars at work.
3. The days when I miss the express guy at the top of the escalators and have to stare at the floor to avoid awkward eye contact during my morning commute.
2. Venturing down to the platform after 8 pm and finding a wait time of more than 20 minutes. Honestly, my day has been long enough- why do you have to inflict MORE torture, metro.
And finally,
1. People who shove their way through to the door when the train hasn't even stopped yet. I still hate these people.

Sigh.

Another a show I love canceled. I appreciated Flight of the Concords not just for the funny songs they created, but the story lines and the comedy moments were really great.

But I will be fine as long as HBO brings back Big Love. Which it is in January. That one is truly one of my faves. If you are looking for something new to get into, please get these on DVD. When I first started watching this show, I thought my main attraction to it would be the groups of people portrayed-- polygamists, Mormons-- because I find myself empathizing with them and their sometimes outsider status. But like any other good drama, you find yourselves identifying and rooting for these characters in ways that transcend their labels. Isn't that the best kind of entertainment? Bravo. Plus, I love Margene's clothes.

Wednesday's Movie Marathon

This past Thanksgiving weekend my family and I had a movie marathon weekend. First we gorged on movie trailers, which was extremely exciting. Then we spent an hour or so at Blockbuster- the new releases isle. Three movies chosen. The second night we played more trailers off the Movies On Demand menu. One movie chosen. The third night we were in the mood for something spooky, but not gory.
Here are my thoughts, from least favorite to most enjoyable.

FRANKLYN
I have no idea what this movie is about.



It was chosen because it's description in the "On Demand" menu said it was about parallel worlds, which is usually an easy win with me. However, in this case the eerie, dark world (think "Dark City," only not nearly as good)- though beautiful- made absolutely no sense to me until I read the Wikipedia entry about the movie. And then there's Eva Green who's suicidal with an imaginary red-haired twin.







Ryan Phillippe in the evil alter-world. I think it was a drug-induced dillusion, though cannot be certain.











ANGELS AND DEMONS


It was fun, certainly exciting-- albeit heavy-handed in a number of ways (including the initial anti-Vatican messages, book-ended with pro-Christianity sentiment) in that true Hollywood style where nothing's subtle. But it was a fast-paced scavenger hunt through Rome, with lots of cinematic moments. Plus, I still like Tom Hanks. Plus, my parents have a BlueRay DVD player.




THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3
I'm so glad Denzel swore off love scenes. Sigh.


This was a good movie! As a New Yorker, I find the idea of out-of-control subway cars to be very very scary!
And John Travolta sort of looks like a the long-lost (gay) member of U2. And that's entertaining!






TRICK R' TREAT


This was our scary-movie fix. The movie covers Halloween in suburbia. It's boo-scary and cringing, terrifying fear at once, with a vintage-horror feel. There's teenagers, creepy high school principals, local folklore, zombie kids, and sexy vampires.















THE FALL (BY TARSEM)

Let me just take all the credit up front and let you know that this was MY Blockbuster pick. My family was wary of my choice, but once this movie started, everyone became pulled into this amazingly vivid story.
And it has since become one of my all-time favorite movies.

Click on the movie's name above to watch the trailer.

I am a sucker for spectacle and fantasy and stories within stories. This is all of that-- and it has a plot! And it takes place in 1940s Los Angeles. And it stars Lee Pace (of "Pushing Up Dasies") and when he's the Blue Bandit, he's wearing eye liner and normally I'm not into that kind of thing but my goodness it works here.

It's one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen, so here are some pictures.

Turn about is fair play

So, HT and I have decided that our role in purchasing presents for our nephew is to spoil him wrotten with presents that annoy his parents. Actually, that's not ENTIRELY true-- we've done well so far at just forcing his dad to fold 4 dozen cardboard bricks and make his mom blow up the giant inflatable bowling set. His first christmas we gave him books, and I'm always a sucker for tot-sized Ralph Lauren clothing. . . but this Christmas, we're pretty sure we're crossing the line towards annoying. I can't say for certain lest his mom or dad venture this way before the 25th, but I'm fairly sure that we're well on our way to being crazy Aunt and UncleTuesday. I'm sure that 5, 10, or 15 years down the road when BigBrotherTuesday is picking out presents for our currently-imaginary little ones or digging up stories from my youth which our children can hold against them, I may regret it. But for now, I find some sort of odd pleasure out of knowing how loud and obnoxious this year's gift will be. I guess sibling rivalries never really die, they just take new forms. :) Love you much, BigBrother.

Tim Tebow Drinking Game

I want to apologize to anyone who has no idea who Tim Tebow, (sub)Urban Meyer or Verne Lundquist are. I'm really excited about the big game tomorrow, and I thought this was really funny:

In honor of Tebow's sheer awesomeness, we give you the Tebow SEC Championship Drinking Game!

* Drink every time Tebow's called "a leader," then salute.
* Drink every time Tebow's called a "special athlete," then yell "Tiiiimmmmmmmmay!"
* Finish your drink if the announcers suggest Tebow should win the Heisman again this year.
* Drink every time Tebow points to the sky. Then realize the only reason the sky hasn't fallen is the strength of his pointing.
* Drink every time Tebow references God. Or himself. Tom-A-to. Tom-ah-to.
* Drink every time he's shown on the sidelines flapping his arms like a bird to pump up the crowd.
* If (when) Tebow actually takes flight, finish your drink and do a shot.
* Drink every time Tebow's on camera for no reason when the Florida defense is on the field.
* Drink every time Tebow is seen screaming with his helmet off.
* Drink every time they show a "I Heart Tebow" sign in the stands.
*Drink every time Tebow is called "a warrior."
* Shot every time they mention his experience as missionary.
* If they mention him performing circumcisions in the Philippines while he was a missionary - Chug your beer, do a shot of Patron.
* Drink every time Meyer touches Tebow. Finish the beer if he puts his arm around Tebow. 
* Drink every time they show Tebow's face black. If you can read the bible verse, take a double shot. Take a triple shot if Verne actually quotes the bible verse.
* Drink if they reference "The Promise". Take a double if they play the whole thing. Take a triple if they show the plaque at Florida Field.

(Disclaimer: Playing the Tebow drinking game may well result in death. So don't do it. Ever. Not even in jest. The content above this disclaimer is a joke, not a suggestion. If you're dumb enough to do it, just pray Tebow is nearby. Only he can save you. Him or a local hospital with a stomach pump.)

Norway Spruce Trees

So for our Reception Joe and I bought a total of 300 Norway Spruce Trees to give away as favors when people left that night. They were nicely wrapped in a cute container and it even had instructions on how to make a bird feeder with the plastic part once  you planted your tree.

(We were going for the green idea)

Well everyone loved the trees and took one or maybe two on there way out. So what was left I was really trying to give everyone around 10 to plant! I mean come on free small spruce trees to plant in your yard or in your favorite part of town! 

So since we have come home we now have a refrigerator stocked full of Norway Spruce trees and everywhere we go we keep spotting out places we can plant a tree. We have tried a few places and either they have restrictions on planting or it wont grow. Sad! 

I think we will just have to grow them in our apartment and see what kind of jungle we live in in the next year while they grow :)

Tree Lighting!

Dreamy TV Man Pick of the Week: Buy More

It's Chuck! Or in "real life," Zachary Levi."

I just want everyone to know that I tripped over this man's foot today while getting into the elevator at work today and he was very nice-- even self-deprecating-- about it.

Wednesday's Weekend: What Not to Wear, Really

This July I fractured my ankle and was forced to wear a giant, bulky air cast for weeks. I wobbled around Manhattan like a cripple, developed new-found appreciation for this city's handicapped population, and new-found appreciation for New Yorkers in general, who were so kind and often accommodating and helpful.

I was frequently stopped by fellow pedestrians to discuss my injury, and so they could share their personal stories. Many told me I'd develop back pain from my balance being thrown; they said the pain and swelling in my ankle would come back periodically for months; some said it'd be years before I would be fully without pain.

There was one side effect, however, of which no one warned me: my fractured ankle left me suddenly fashion impaired.

After the cast came off in August, I could only wear comfortable flats. And nearly all the work pants I own are tailored for heels. And wearing skirts with flats made me feel dowdy. So I began wearing jeans to work. And jeans led to comfy T-shirts. Every once in a while I'd wear jeans and T-shirts and sneakers. And one morning I woke up and realized I didn't dress like a TV gal anymore, and worse-- I couldn't remember how to dress. I couldn't remember what clothes made me feel happy, or confident. I began to wonder if I ever felt confident in my work clothes and I couldn't remember a time that I did. And even worse-- I realized that I was hiding. Even though I was really into my work (going into caves!), I inadvertently didn't put myself out there for recognition or promotion. I didn't want to encounter anyone important, so I stayed well below the radar.

One day soon after my revelation, I admitted this to my sister. She couldn't understand why I hadn't come to her sooner. My sister has really great style, has an impeccable eye for colors and textures and shapes. She is also an artist, with her own clothing and jewelery line (see Mylie). She reminded me that one needs to dress for the job she wants... She told me she wanted to come into the city and go through my closet with me to help get my life back on track. And I let her. Below is a photo essay of this experience.

Closet Before:


















Shoes before:






















Step One: Pull all the shoes out and evaluate.

















Did I really need these?














Step Two: Pull all clothes out.















Step Three: Try everything on. Sister shows you how it's done.

















Step Four: Make a list of things that go together, and a list of things you need. Here, little sis is hard at work.


















Step Five: Eat. This is a tiring process.


















Step Six: Make a bag of things to give away.






















End Results:



















The happy ending to this makeover fairytale is that I didn't have to buy anything new! Almost everything I needed was already there- I just needed to get rid of the sloppy stuff, set some rules (no blue jeans to work!).

Coaching Carousel

Yesterday it was Charlie Weiss; today it's Bobby Bowden. Dan Hawkins was lucky enough to survive, and folks like Rich Rodriguez and Mark Richt have at least another year to prove their worth (at least as far as predictions hold at the moment). As the NCAA football season comes to a close this weekend and we enter the brief down time before the bowl season begins, the coaching carousel has entered full swing. For those of you who, like me up until probably 10 years ago thought that the college football season lasted a mere 14 weeks with the exception of the new years bowl games, you are sorely mistaken. This is the start of the gossip season; with fans and press taking out their frustrations and boredom on the pages of ESPN.com's discusison pages, local newspaper websites, or, in the cases of some truly avid fans, their own blogs. The coaching carousel fills the void between awards shows; then come the 30-some odd bowl games; then recruiting news occupies the ether from the final play of the national championship game until February signing day, and finally, the long, cold winter sets in until the Spring Games arrive. In the world of 24-hour news cycles, football fans can be thankful that the internet has stretched the glorious 14 weeks of fall for at least a few more months of the year.

When I started this post, I'd planned to make fun of the people who know and follow all of this stuff. But, having written it, I have to say, I'm sad to see the season end. Perhaps I'll go check out the latest rumors to bide the time. . .

In case you haven't seen it already

I know I'm not original in any way by posting this, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the muppets. My holiday season officially kicks off with my annual post-Thanksgiving viewing of A Muppet Christmas Carol, and this video was a pleasant early present this year :).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbNymZ7vqY

James Perry for Mayor

I am loving this ad.

He wears izods, I wear t-shirts

I implore you to check out this cover of Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" by Butch Walker and the Black Widows that I'm obsessed with. Click here and scroll down a little to the Music section on the right to play it.

Wednesday's Exciting Moments in TV Production: Last Night a DJ Saved Our Lives

My producer friend and I, who I've mentioned in previous posts, were off on another TV ADVENTURE this week-- celebrating this year's International Emmy Awards. No, we weren't invited to the awards ceremony, but to the after party. My friend's tight with this year's DJ... So we kind of sneaked in the back door...



Lately it's been feeling like the only way to get anywhere is by sneaking in the stage entrance-- pulling favors, weaseling our way into one situation or another. It's definitely more exciting that way. In this case, it was who we knew-- and it's always good to know the DJ.

Here we are in the DJ booth!




Life is certainly a journey when you're hanging out with DJ Journey! Before the event I said, "You know, we're not used to getting gussied up like this..." He said, "Well you better get used to it!"

I LIKE YOUR ATTITUDE, JOURNEY.





















Oops, here we are with a Rod Stewart look-alike!

Was this the weirdest night ever? The answer is, yes. Yes it was.






And do you recognize this guy from the Crest commercial? Very nice lad.
















The important thing is that we set out to network and though, perhaps a combined 6 limey gimlets got between us and really shelling out those business cards, together we handed out a total of 5 cards! And we have some creepy memories!

(Good thing the music was amazing).

Giving Thanks

As we head in to Thanksgiving week, I wanted to pass along the top five items I'm thankful for this year.

5. Being employed: For as much as I've allocated my words on this page to bitching about work and my lack of weekends and how difficult adjusting to the "real world" of legal practice is, I've also seen far too many facebook status messages from friends and acquaintances facing uncertainties of the economy. I've mentored law students who look at me fearfully when I ask what kind of job they'd like and they can only answer "any job." So I'm thankful for colleagues I respect and appreciate, and an office to return to each day. At least for now.

4. Having my family safe on solid ground: My BigBrotherTuesday is among the many wonderful men and women of our Armed Forces who spent the past year thousands of miles from home protecting our country, and I'm very thankful that he gets to spend this holiday season here with his family.

3. Quiet Sunday afternoons: Perhaps a corollary to number one. The hectic pace at which I careened through the summer months has made me truly appreciate the weekends when I have the ability to sit in my sweatpants until 2 pm and cleaning, doing laundry, making yummy breakfast, and talking to my parents on the phone. Some of the best days are the ones spent doing very little.

2. Old friends: HT and I have had multiple opportunities in the past year to reunite and reconnect with friends from various stages of life, whether it be childhood friends, college classmates, or former colleagues, the number of random but touching encounters we've had continue to grow. And in those moments, we found ourselves falling back into exactly the way things were 5, 10, or in some cases even 15 years ago, and I can't think of much better than having such deep bonds of friendship.

1. New Beginnings: Last year was the start of a unique phase life in which HT and I are starting to make our own holiday traditions. And for as much as I have whined this year about split holidays and dealing with the logistics of being away from home, I'm learning that my home, our home, is really and truly together. It won't be smooth, and it will keep changing over the course of at least the next 5 years or so, if not longer, but it's a great adventure to be embarking on, and I'm thankful to have such a wonderful partner on that journey.

Long Day

I’ve been up since 2:30. A.M. (I wish it was PM, that would be a nice thing to write about, eh? Although probably very uninteresting….). I am not a fan of getting up early, but don’t really mind it when I can get my early event over with and relax through the rest of the day. This is not one of those days. I got up, drove 2 and a half hours to the airport, flew for an hour, and then hopped in the car for another 3 hour drive. Then went to work. Blech. And the worst part is…..I saw someone I know at the airport.

I HATE seeing people I know from high school. For those of you who know me well, you know that I avoid, at all costs, having anything to do with this part of my life. I didn’t really enjoy high school, didn’t really get a whole lot out of it, and other than one very, very dear friend, I couldn’t care less about the 375 other people who had to struggle through the fairly miserable existence alongside me. I played a lot, I mean A LOT, of soccer in high school, which meant I wasn’t around in the evenings and on weekends to have a normal high school experience and make a lot of friends at my particular school. I was about the same height I am now, but only about 80 pounds. Dripping wet. So I wasn’t anything to look at. I got decent grades, but was really quiet, and overall, just didn’t stand out. Meh.

Anyway, I was always envious of the people who seemed to be living a charmed high school existence and knew that once I could make it through those four years there was more out there for me. So I moved away and never looked back. Now, unfortunately, my entire family, minus MommaMonday, still lives there. This means that I always run the risk of running into someone I know when I go back (reason number 394 not to go to the Wal-Mart in town). Which is pretty regularly. So far I’ve managed to stay under the radar. Until today.

As sad as this is, I’m still young enough and immature enough to take some small amount of glee in people who look drastically different than they did in high school (and I, of course, mean look worse). The girl that I ran into, Emily, was fairly popular and well-liked, although I was never sure why. She was always one of those people who seemed like she was trying too hard to fit in and be popular when there was nothing really outstanding about her. Nice enough, smart enough, but she just reeked of popular-girl desperation. So here she was in the Orlando airport this morning with her slightly overweight husband and downright adorable baby. She’s put on some baby weight (but not a whole lot, luckily! She’s only about 5 feet tall, so not a lot of room to spare). Immediately upon recognizing her, I started in on my duck-and-run tactics. Childish, I know (what part of this whole thing doesn’t just reek of immaturity, sad) but I have a very strong desire to never, ever, be seen by anyone from that part of my life again. I’d rather they all just think I evaporated. And it certainly didn’t help that we both looked like we’d been up since the wee hours (glasses instead of contacts, tennis shoes with jeans, and partially wet ponytail).

Anyway, I’m rambling. Which is what I do on little to no sleep. Suffice to say it was sad to run into someone I know (we never made eye contact or spoke), but it was even worse that I can’t be a big girl about it.

Miley Cyrus, what is your problem?

I just came across this gem about how Miley Cyrus is not into Twilight. First, she says she's going to "ruin Radiohead" because they didn't feel like meeting her at an awards show. Good luck with that, Miley. Then she says how she doesn't find Robert Pattinson appealing at all. She later apologized for that lovely, umprovoked comment. Then she says she has never listened to Jay-Z, even though she's making money off of that premise with her "Party in the USA" song. Now, she's saying how vampires and wererwolves don't do it for her. I can understand if she was trying to maybe be self-deprecating or something? But she's just rude. All of these incidents together prove it. Screw you, Miley. Or rather your real name, "Destiny". Awesome.

UPDATE: I just read that Miley's tour bus crashed and killed a person today. I feel sorry for her, but I wonder if she herself even feels bad. She acts so spoiled and entitled, I'd be surprised if she even felt sadness over it. Lets hope so.

RIP, Eastwick

It was probably inevitable, and I shouldn't be so surprised, but I am crushed that the show Eastwick has been canceled. It's not like it was great, but I thought it was watchable. And I am a sucker for any show taking place in a charming New England town. What's really annoying is that even though the story lines weren't incredible, I'm still curious about what was going to happen, and now I will never know.

Dreamy TV Woman Pick of the Week: The Good Wife

I love this private investigator! What a bad ass! She is gorgeous and smart and drinks like a dude, and always wears high leather boots.

I also love her depth-- though she's tough and confident, she is not above being surprised or frustrated, like when she's under the L train, cars whizzing by-- and she's got her telephoto lens out and she's trying to get a shot of a license plate but the subject drives away before she can...

Wednesday's Exciting Moments in TV Production: Our Cups Were Half Empty

Once upon a time, the big entertainment company we work for used to keep our kitchens stocked with chips, cookies, granola bars, coffee, and milk. The cabinets were always well stocked, snacks sometimes varied (Doritos Baked Lays or Baked Cheetos, 100 Calorie Oreos or 100 Cal Chips Ahoy!), and this office distraction quickly became a frequent topic of conversation, and soon... an obsession.

Our kitchen stock lady (every floor had one) was on the ball. She got new shipments before we ran out. There were so many snacks, we had to eat some of the supplies just so the order would fit in the cabinets. We would have tasting parties, where we'd sit around the kitchen counter and taste the different flavors of granola bars (almond? or honey nut?) to determine which one was the office favorite. We sent around email reviews of the different coffees- there was a "jungle blend" that seemed to appease even the most picky of coffee connoisseurs.

We remember this period as the golden age. The time before people from other floors realized our abundance and began stealing entire boxes of our snacks. But once this started happening, it was as though the floodgates had opened. People started studying what our office hours were, and would come by to steal our food after hours. A few times, they were caught: once a man from a different floor came and took an entire carton of milk, and walked away with it; another time a girl came by and walked away with as many boxes of coffee pods as she could carry. Our 4th floor, west-elevator bank area became known, generally as, "the kitchen."

Our stock lady responded by having locks put on the all cabinets. Then the editors from the 5th floor learned how to pick them with safety pins. We began hiding boxes of snacks under our desks, but they found those too. They sought the crumbs like rats.

Our kitchen started going through snacks so quickly, the company began putting restrictions on how much we could order. And then the recession hit. And our big lovely company decided against spending thousands of dollars a shipment on its employees. In the end, we were only left with coffee pods and coffee cups.

The bad economy distracted us quite a bit from our snack drama. Although, the empty cabinets made us feel even more like modern-day Tiny Tims during the holiday season.

Immediately after the storm (December 2008 was the season of layoffs), we were left in the deserted office with only our lonely thoughts and our paper coffee cups. Signs went up around the kitchens to "conserve supplies, bring your own cups." Whenever I read that sign, I pondered the rude, frustrated tone of the office assistant that had to create it.

Over time we began to obsess over our supplies yet again.

By chance, I visited another floor's kitchen. I took a paper coffee cup from the plastic sleeve, filled it with water, and walked back to my desk. As I walked, I felt something different about what I held in my hand. The cup felt bigger. I looked down, into the depths of the cup-- my reflection seemed deeper, farther away. And then it hit me:

The cup from the other kitchen was bigger.

We were clearly no longer the company favorite. Our cabinets were empty, and our cups were smaller. I raced back to our half-empty office and made the announcement. My co-workers vaguely looked up from their seasonal-depression slumber, they roused. I repeated my announcement. Someone ran into our kitchen, grabbed a cup and placed it next to the one I held. We were astonished. We took a picture. We forgot, for a moment, our sadness and our insecurities.

Today the "days of the snacks" sound like local folklore when we speak of it now. But there it is, part of our personal/corporate history. I wonder when those times will return? And what will our future "golden eras" look like?

Two by Two

Somewhere between Cumberland, Maryland and Morgantown, West Virginia, some middle-american evangelical decided that the best way to spend their time and money was to "rebuild" Noah's ark alongside I-68(pictured here). Unfortunately, with HT speeding by well over 15 miles over the speed limit, I had only one chance to snap a picture and share the humorous structure with the blogosphere. Unfortunately for the architect, the "rebuilding" doesn't appear to have progressed much in the seven or so years HT and I have been driving this stretch of highway. He'd better hurry up-- I hear the world's going to end in 2012. . .

For All You Nesters

It seems to be coming up in several conversations and posts recently, so I thought I would link to this great website that will give you lots of good decorating, renovating, etc. info. Love it! AND….their house has a pink room. So it makes mine seem ok……

http://www.younghouselove.com/

Girl Wednesday’s Features

I looove GW’s new dreamy man of the week feature and am holding out until she includes the following:

I don’t get a chance to watch Criminal Minds all that much, but it has an absolutely amazing, quirky cast of characters – all of whom I seem to relate to in one way or another. But Shemar Moore (who plays Derek Morgan) is some eye candy I can’t keep my eyes off of. And he’s a smartie to boot! (some of you, not me! thankfully, may remember him from the Young and Restless. Let’s hope that you, in fact, are not one of those people. But he does have a “I smelled a fart” soap stare in this pose). Still ymmm.

Last Meal

Here's an interesting article about death row inmates' last meals.

I am not for the death penalty, but I think it's kind of strange that we maintain this 'last meal' tradition. It doesn't bother me that much, but the people these convicts murdered didn't get to choose and enjoy their last meals, that's for sure.

What Really Grinds Wednesday's Gears

I really like food. I love it. And I can really pack it in. Although, after I eat I usually feel sick... undoubtedly because I either eat too fast, or too much, or am probably lactose intolerant but am too afraid to find out for sure. Either way, I like food.

Tonight on the local evening news I learned of a "real danger" known as "orthorexia," and I just want to say- this really grinds my gears.

Really? Eating too healthy? That's like suffering from "not being lazy," or from "getting too many straight A's." I hate when people suffer from these conveniently flattering disabilities.

I've known one too many girls (sorry, yes girls) who claim to suffer from orthorexia. Though I've never heard them use the term "orthorexia." It usually sounds like, "I don't like salad dressing." Or, "Oh I eat fruit for dessert."

Gosh, that really grinds my gears.



Two please.

Girl Wednesday's Pick: Dancing-in-Her-Apartment Song

You might recognize this song from the Adidas commercial. We heard it recently on the boardwalk of Venice Beach. When we got back to the hotel, my friend hunted the song down on her laptop. We found it on Youtube and played it over and over and over....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ync5XfNNPo

Two Norwegian dudes made it. Here they are in concert:

Wednesday's Exciting Moments in TV Production: I Love L.A.

This past weekend brought me to Los Angeles where a producer-friend of mine and I did some filming of a local personality-- a DJ/break dancer/actor/model.

I have a really fun job.

At this club, Boulevard 3, there was a white lucite stage that raised behind the glowing, neon bar and patrons watched and cheered from the surrounding dance floor and the mezzanine balcony as the performances ensued...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM-WjhOZdTY&feature=youtube_gdata

Break dancing is back!

Dreamy TV Man Pick of the Week: House MD

I could say that for me, it's his acerbic elitism, the way he tackles only the most unsolvable medical mysteries, his Nikes, or his love for rock n' roll, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that what I love most about Dr. House is the possibility he represents that there really is a doctor out there who can figure out and cure almost anything.

Conceived in the likeness of my beloved Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Gregory House is all business. And even limping down the hospital hall on his cane, even while reduced to the everyday details of his desperate Vicodin addiction, and most recently, putting himself out there at a costume party, only to be rejected by his love- hospital administrator Cuddy-- he is still so dreamy.

My new obsession

The first step is admitting you have a problem.

I, similar to GirlFriday (with her fondness for Ethan Allen interior decorating), have an unhealthy obsession with real estate and furniture. I don't know when it happened. Probably some time during all the craziness of wedding planning when I realized that after the "big day" was over, I'd have lots of free time to plan the "ever after." I'm sure HT could tell you when he first started noticing the longer period of time I would spend pouring over the Pottery Barn Catalogue. . . I'm surprised he hasn't started throwing them out before I get home like I do with his Griots' garage car-washing supply catalogues. . . but I digress.

Somewhere in the last two years, I have really, really started to want to buy a home. It has something to do with throwing upwards of a few thousand dollars away in rent each month, but it also has to do with just wanting walls I can paint and rooms to decorate, and a big red front door with an antique looking knocker.

HT and I spent the better part of Sunday afternoon wandering around a little haven outside of DC where we'd love to be able to buy a place. We clip-clopped along brick sidewalks and popped in and out of cafes and boutiques trying to avoid strollers and dogs, smiling families, and tourists. We sat for clam chowder looking out at the potomac, somewhat exhausted from our prior evening's activities and wished that we could just plop down right there, put down roots, and stop all the what-ifs that come with the ACTUAL headaches of homeownership.

The problem with the obsession is that it's fun right now. We haven't broached the topic with lenders, we haven't really, earnestly, tried to figure out what we can afford, and we haven't set foot across a threshhold yet. And I'm certain that once we make those steps, my tone might change. But right now, home to me is clapboard and blue shutters with a red door and crooked, colonial front step. And filled with pottery barn furniture. . .

Bad Sports

Saw this first thing this morning. What a bad sport! Someone find me a campaign where we can get her banned from soccer…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC-pF3OHY1c

Amen

Back in January, when we were discussing things we love to hate, I mentioned how much I hate when people complain about the way waiters are treated in the cases when they're actually really terrible waiters. This week the New York Times featured articles listing the things restuarant staffers should never do. Sometimes, I wish people in the service industry would realize that it's their responsibility to provide exemplerary service, and that's the point this veteran of the restaurant industry is making. The list can be found here and here. Enjoy!

Producers shouldn't act nor enable others to do so

Here's something that has been bothering me for quite a while. I love the show The Office. However, one character I do not care for at all is Ryan Howard, pictured below on the far right with the other major players of the show.

He is played by B.J. Novak, who is also a producer for the show. Though the character sucks (not in an enjoyable way) he has persisted for all of the seasons, given story lines, and is one of the "stars" identified in the opening credits. Even though he never really has story lines about him, and when they are there, they are forced. I have to believe the fact that he is a producer has something to do with it. If he wasn't, I'm sure he'd be written out. His character has dated the office ditz, Kelly (played by Mindy Kaling) who has some funny moments but overall isn't that great. But she's a producer too, so, she's still there. Please, NBC do something about it. (Girls, do you have any pull?) There are so many better actors/characters in that big ensemble!

In similar "my favorite TV shows" developments, Roxy Olin who now appears on MTV's fake reality show, "The City" has what looks to be a recurring role on one of my favorite favs, Brothers & Sisters.

I mean, she's okay. But whenever I see her on the show, I can't help but think about the fact that her parents are actors on the show, and I believe her dad produces and/or directs.

I don't know if it's just my knowledge of the situation that ruins it for me (probably) or she really does kind of suck and is extraneous. If you're on a reality show it seems pretty obvious that you are trying to act and be famous, and so here, it's kinda like, you could cut the nepotism with a knife.

It's fun and delicious when shows/films do a good job with casting, but it can really mess things up when  they let it slide.

Weddings and more

So 17 days to go before the big day! Getting really excited, stressed, nervous, anxious, anxiety, you name I feel like I have it :)

We started out dating over two years ago, for about a year of it we spent in airports waving goodbye or hugging hello. I lived in LA he lived in the big city. So finally a year and a half ago I decided to move here.  

I did love LA and most of my family there, or at least on the west coast, so for me this was a huge change, but for the best!

Now were just in the final stretch of organizing our wedding. I kind of feel like weddings are more for family and friends and less for you. We have had a lot of fun making our own favors, decorations, ect to bring out our personality's to the reception part.

I have made little soap owls for the bathroom, covered in tea tree and lavender oils. (I think my roommates who I live with now will be so excited when our apartment has less fragrance in it)

:)

Joe and I together now have made chocolate covered acorns and painted the tops of them silver and some gold, put them in little boxes and carving are names in the top of the box. (kind of going for the woodsy style)

Were having our reception up at Sundance Screening room. He filmed and edited a movie a little over a year ago and were going to be showing that along with one that I am currently working on.  Here is the one he made while I was living in Los Angles.

Dreamy TV Man Pick of the Week: The Mentalist

You thought I was going to say Simon Baker, didn't you?
Not this week!
This is the guy on The Mentalist who never smiles, almost always wears short-sleeved/button-down shirts with a tie, is surprisingly jacked-- Agent Kimball Cho, played by Tim Kang, is my pick for this week.

Girl Wednesday's Picture-Perfect Weekend

I'd been wanting to do a pumpkin weekend for a long time. I had so wanted to channel my junior-high love for Halloweens and homecoming bonfires and that time when everything is cozy and cool and echoey and spooky.



After a planned pumpkin-picking weekend with Girl Friday got rained-out, I had another opportunity with my boyfriend and some friends from work-- and seized it! Behold, my picture-perfect autumn weekend.....

Location: Long Island, NY

Corn Maze!!
(I'll admit, this was my most anticipated part of the trip, but I decided that while beautiful, the corn maze needed a little edge. Maybe nightfall could have been rapidly approaching and we couldn't find our way out, or a devil-possessed serial killer was chasing after us, or we consumed a bottle of vodka while trying to find our way out).







Pumpkins!





Pies!






(photos courtesy Si Hobbs)