Who knew NARS was so gutsy?

The beauty industry likes to employ shock and awe names (hello, Drunk Dial & Quickie) to make even a concealer sound exciting. It's a great marketing tactic. I could see how you might buy a MAC product based on how interesting the name was, instead of how great the color looked on you. Maybe that's why I got their Naked Lunch eye shadow?

To see just how true this is, take BellaSugar's Beauty Product or Adult Movie quiz. I won't spoil the fun, because you should really learn whether "Voodoo Lust" is lipstick...or X-rated.

Then when you're done, check out some of these NARS blush names. The beauty to the left is called "Orgasm."

Wait, here I am talking about blush again - what is with me?

C'est la vie, Blueprint

I am sad to report that another favorite magazine of mine, Blueprint, will no longer be in, well, print. I received the sad news via IM this morning and a sad cloud was cast over my day. Okay, not really that dramatic, but it is disappointing.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia said they "misjudged the market." No you didn't! I totally subscribe and love it...publish just for me!

What I really liked about Blueprint was its ability to simplify stylish living for what seemed like the younger set. I felt like a lot of the tips, recipes and advice they offered could actually be applied to a 20-something lifestyle. The magazine was, indeed, fun and fresh like their tagline states. Never mind the design of the magazine was absolutely gorgeous. A very spare, artsy take on things.

At least they decided to keep up the blog and maybe some special editions through Martha Stewart Weddings. Okay, next in line for my favorite magazine to fold would be Domino. That would truly ruin my life.

OMG is right! SATC: The Movie trailer released!

Okay, it's way too late and I should have gone to bed by now, but I had to share the news. The Sex and the City: The Movie trailer has been released!

Check it out here for your viewing pleasure. And thanks to Jezebel, you have a full analysis of the :39 second clip that leads with "they say nothing lasts forever - dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style."

And a little sidenote - I instantly agreed with Jezebel, Charlotte really does look like M.I.A. I really like seeing her without her Park Avenue Princess style. Maybe she turns all badass momma on us? Okay anyway, enjoy the trailer, lovelies...

http://sexandthecitymovie.com/

Lampshades Not Included

I love that Fashion Week Daily interviewed reps at all the magazines to find out where their holiday parties are, including juicy tidbits of insider information on the revelries. Seems a bit to me like asking the popular crowd where their after-prom parties are, but I love it just the same!




And now for the superlatives to continue the high school theme, because I know you care:

• Best Coworker Bonding: Domino is having a "bring-your-own-ornament" party to decorate the chicest slash cutest Christmas tree ever. Post pictures on the web site when you're done, so I can copy verbatim, okay?


• Most Intimidating Dessert: The six-foot tall cupcake tree at Hearst Corporations' "All that Glitters" party.


• Class Clowns: CosmoGIRL! staffers are being encouraged by EIC Susan Schulz to wear silly hats. At least it will keep them from that inexplicable urge to put a lampshade on their head after the fourth martini (although, sidenote: it seems oddball headwear is continuing with its It Girl status.)


• Sassiest Invite: Glamour's invitation features a model sporting Dior supported by four men in tuxes reading, "Men in tuxes to carry you home, not included." Now that you've suggested it, Glamour, that's going to be my transportation of preference.


• Most Paranoid: The New Yorker staffers did not release the date of their party for fear of "psycho stalkers." They'll be eating BBQ in the Flatiron District while talking about how much better they are than you.

Have fun at your respective corporate holiday shindigs, but not too much fun. If you feel you need it, read these tips that lead off with a story about a young PR professional who vomited in her VP's lap in the cab ride home...oh the horror!

Blue cheese + beetroot = coming to a chic eatery near you

Foodies take note - there is a new site called Foodpairing that allows you to explore food flavor networks and in turn, discover new recipe combos that might be the next big thing.

The site features 250 food products and their pairs via a visual map of branches that sort out flavors that share the same tastes and genetic food makeup. I think this is pretty cool - see what Josh Spear has to say.

The site encourages users to make new recipes by combining foods that have flavors in common. It even features an option to send in your recipe to recipe@foodpairing.be if you happen to come across something new and great. Maybe now we won't need a celebrity chef to tell us what is new and hip?

And those with a hit-or-miss spice rack (like me!) will enjoy the interchangeable foods section, which details best substitutes for herbs and spices. They base it on the idea that a food product has a specific flavor because of a combination of other different flavors, such as basil, which has a combination of linalool (so does corinader) and estragol (so does tarragon.) They say you can reconstruct the taste of basil by combining coriander, tarragon, cloves, laurel. Lot of work, but very cool!

I'm wondering if this site will guide an amateur bartender like myself to new creations. With all the trendy savory martinis out there lately, I was curious where "rosemary" might lead me. Turns out that basil, sage, all spice and nutmeg are pretty compatible, but so is peppermint and mandarin orange. That all sounds very interesting and worth a try with some top-shelf vodka.

So for better, or for worse, we now know that not only does coffee and raspberry taste great with chocolate - so would a radish or grilled pigeon. Shudder.

Better than an annoying FWD:

Returning to work after a long holiday weekend is always particularly painful.

Due to much tighter pants, you've sworn yourself to a diet of minestrone soup or Lean Cuisines, so the 11:32 a.m. kitchen snack of Baked Doritos isn't there to brighten your day. Your office chair you previously thought comfy and adequate pales in comparison to mom and dad's recliner. And the traditional five-day work week is looming ahead, mocking you. Friday is so far away.

I'm glad I discovered the someecards.com Workplace section so I can bring a little sarcastic sunshine to my coworkers tomorrow. I've loved the site's irreverent e-cards for quite a while, but hadn't yet perused the section perfect for gifting to your coworkers. I am scared that the creators of these cards "get" the workplace as much as they do.

The free cards are spot on, with jokes about not joining your colleague's LinkedIn network, apologies for IMing them from three feet away and feeling connected to your cubicle mate via their shared iTunes folder. They even poke fun at inevitably pointless colleague chatter, such as "It feels like a Tuesday." I'd rather it feel like Friday, myself.

So go ahead and clog the email inboxes of your colleagues. These cards are likely to be the one thing they fish out of their quarantined junk box that brings a smile to their face. Although, I can't for the life of me imagine an appropriate time to send some of these, like uh, this one.

Although, I do really want to see a card like "Do you have the dial-in number?" or "Sorry I ate your box of Wheat Thins while you were on vacation." But of course, my current favorites joke about timesheets, like the one you see above.

How could a joke about timesheets not be funny?

Cat Power

I have been sending too many cat videos to my coworkers. One suggested I make a cat blog. Sounds a little scary, so I think I'll stick with just a funny cat video every now and then. This one is great - cats are so smart!

Rorschach Turkey

Behold, the impressionist/ink blot turkey masterpiece I created in honor of Thanksgiving.

Isn't he pretty? You can make one, or something else less festive, at http://www.jacksonpollock.org/. Play around with it, try to spell your name, draw your favorite pair of shoes, your dog, etc. FYI, hitting the space bar clears the screen.

Make sure you hit F11 and do a "print screen" and paste into another application when you see something you like. You can save the image as a jpeg and do absolutely nothing with it. Enjoy.

Attention Black Friday Shoppers

I am that girl that gets up at a very unreasonable hour the day after Thanksgiving to grab much-needed Starbucks and then fight my way through the mall. My name is Brianne, and I'm a Black Friday shopper.

This is not necessarily because I'm aware of any great deals or really need to get my holiday shopping done. I just love feeding into the crazy madness and seeing all those bloodshot people, tired from all the tryptophan, lunging for cheap electronics. I sit back with my Peppermint Mocha and laugh at the ensuing chaos.

So imagine my surprise when I found out there was an entire blog dedicated to Black Friday deals and ads! There are literally message boards lovingly referring to Black Friday as "BF" (hey! it's an acronym not just for your boyfriend!) and threads about everything from being pregnant on Black Friday to a drunk poster asking why beer companies don't participate in post-Thanksgiving discounts. You can even sign up for "Black Friday Ads Mobile." Wow, this is almost like Facebook. Can you "poke" people, too?

One user who is a certified "Black Friday Pro," is going to share all of her November 23 shopping experiences live via webcast at http://bf2k7.fundies.org/. And it looks like a journalist from the board is including her in the article about Black Friday for an New York-based newspaper. She said she'll post the story once she's done with it - I am really curious how it will turn out. Even Gizmodo likes this site.

So for those of you who haven't found a favorite hobby or sport, maybe you should take up "Black Friday Shopping." You could buy really cheap holiday gifts and parlay it into some Internet fame.

Pretty Trash

Right now, everything is "going green" or "eco-friendly." I feel a little passe with my non-hybrid car everytime I go to the gas pump. However, I am finding I really do like an off-shoot of this trend - using things that are usually deemed as trash to make something much more pretty, art.

Case in point, Tara Donovan's upcoming exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York opening this Tuesday, November 20, that makes larger-than-life installations out of ordinary objects you'd find around the house like tape and drinking straws. So instead of piling up in a dump, or on a beach like Styrofoam beads are want to do, it becomes pretty amazing art that you can pay a $20 suggested donation to see. I'd love to see something like this Stryofoam cup extravaganza. Tara's also got about 18,000 graphite pencils on display at BEDFORD Gallery in Walnut Creek, Calif. through December 22, 2007. Bay area friends, check it out!

Also, like the Blueprint blog, Bluelines, I am a very big fan of Chris Natrop's lovely paper pieces. I instantly thought of Tord Boontje, too (anyone looking for an over-priced Christmas gift for me? It would be Boontje's beautiful and quite heavy coffee book, thanks.) Natrop has a piece called "Super City Spin" over at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., that I might just be tempted to check out.

But what I'm really interested in is the lasercut free-flowing paper constructions from his site like the pretty one to the left. He also has a book that you can download for free, check it out.

Peter Calleson also makes some crazy large-scale paper installations (and works on snow, ice and water...wow.)

So, lesson learned - there's actually a LOT more to supposed trash than meets the eye. Maybe next time you want to throw out that pizza box, you can repurpose it to make an oil painting or something.

Have Yourself a D.I.Y. Little Christmas

Apparently, crafts are now just as cool as knitting was a few years back...even though sewing is the "new" knitting.

This month, Blueprint's unique gift wrap ideas encourage a little more creativity and less red and green. Unfortunately, their links aren't working too well right now, so check back a bit later.

There's a really great section on how to use layers of colored tissue paper and confetti, as well as rubber stamps in contrasting colors.

If you're feeling nerdy and are at all computer savvy, you can also try this Word clip art idea to make your own wrapping paper. I don't really think using a highlighter pen to give it some extra pizazz sounds very festive though. I mean, a neon yellow snowflake just doesn't say "Happy Holidays" to me.

What about glitter paint or some nice watercolors? Or you could be brave and try to run pre-printed or colored paper through the printer. Just be sure to watch the thickness and make sure it doesn't get wrinkled...that's a headache in the making, for sure.

If you're feeling like you want to support the handmade scene, check out the handmade holiday cards at etsy.com. The cost won't set you back as much as you think, most cards are around $1.00 to $3.00 each. Or you could just get some inspiration there and use the site to get some ideas to make your own cards.

My favorites are like the linocut cards by Rainy Prints, especially the Santa, this funny owl, a little more grumpy of a message and this labrador reindeer.

And you really can't find gems like the "Happy Hanukkah, Hooker" card to the left at Hallmark. You just can't. If you're wondering, this crafter also makes a "Merry Christmas, Bitch" version.

Wonder if Britney would like that one this holiday season?

Bland is the New Glam

Finally, my love for less-than-classy accomodations has been validated.

I'll say it again and again...I would much rather rest my head on a starched-out pillowcase at the Comfort Inn than deal with an assortment of 300-thread-count ones at a Ritz Carlton.


Apparently, the rest of the world is catching on to my sentiments as well! Trendwatching.com issued five trends to watch and one of them was BLANDTASTIC, a "a paradigm shift of potentially biblical proportions, that has ‘middle of the road' brands salivating, and sophisticated brands worried sick to their designer stomachs: a return to blandness."

Testifying this trend is the Howard Johnson LaGuardia Airport East, who says they're going to start advertising on The Coolhunter, Springwise and Josh Spear. Brian Pillsbury, manager of the Howard Johnson LaGuardia says they're seeing "well-heeled European visitors" and have an occupany rate of 85 percent. Maybe it's due to their inviting graphic to the left and their Web site's bold statement of amenities such as: Non Smoking/1Queen Bed/Work Desk/ Coffee Maker/Iron/Ironing Board/ Hairdryer/HBO.

LOVE IT!

I first noticed my distaste for overdone poshness when I stayed at the Hudson Hotel in New York for a business trip. Lovely, really, but not outfitted with all the comforts I'd been used to on my economic personal travels. I don't get a USA Today under my door and there's no Coffeemate. But I do have free toiletries branded by some bourgeoise spa and a plasma TV screen embedded into my bathroom mirror.

But on a second glance throughout the room, I wonder, where are the light switches? They are cleverly hidden into lighting gizmos that are more like art installations. Where's my comfy armchair covered in bronze damask fabric? Why is the closet the size of a medicine cabinet? And, why can't I order anything off the room service menu that doesn't come with "pommes frites" (Hi, you're just a French fry....), heirloom tomatoes or some sort of intense cheese?

The same experience befell me on another business trip to the Hotel Roosevelt in Hollywood. And the W Los Angeles...maybe it's that I feel uncomfortable and undeserving of people waiting on me hand and foot, or maybe I'm indignant about the $24 room service breakfast. Either way, I am interested in this backlash against overindulgence and am curious to see where marketers take this idea. I'm so not into backlash for backlash's sake, but this really appeals to my budget, so I'm going with it!

***Haha. Joke is on me. These apparently were fake trends. I'm still sticking by my love of the HoJo though!! :)

Another Shelter Book Bites the Dust

I hate when I hear about a magazine folding.

It's always so sudden and without much reason but the ever-looming "ad sales" issue. Who cares about the bottom line, I say! (coming from a girl who took the most elementary math classes possible.) Well, I learned today in a staff meeting that House & Garden has bit the dust. I seriously love shelter mags, but they really are in a volatile state these days. Guess they won't be needing this special offer anymore, hmm.

Here's an interesting quote from MindShare in The New York Times piece...

“The category as a whole is so crowded,” said Kelly Foster, senior partner and print director at MindShare North America, a media planning and buying agency that is part of the WPP Group, adding that the magazines “get in each other’s way.”

The article also says House & Garden is one of the country's oldest magazines, as it was founded in 1901. In December, H&G will close its doors and eliminate 80 jobs.

Bum out. I was just really getting on the band wagon after their gorgeous November issue with Gwyneth Paltrow. And H&G really does have such great blogs.

I certainly hope this does not affect Design*Sponge, as so many others do.

Sigh.

Music to Fly By

I logged some serious frequent flyer miles in October. As you can imagine, all this air travel made me and my iPod BFFs. To keep my sanity, I leaned on my music playlist to avoid crazy people and potentially look asleep at times. I'm sharing with you all in case you ever have a marathon flight and need some tunes. Enjoy!

As if trying to dress like Carrie wasn't enough...

Since I'm just copying CasaSugar for the time being, let's also point out they are giving us tips on how to copy Carrie from SATC's home style. Hey is it just me, or did you ever notice the heinously Southwestern/1980s rug in front of her bed? How did that get in there? And I thought you weren't supposed to put things on radiators? Hmm....this could be my California ignorance talking.

Anyway, they go on to link to products you can buy to emulate the Carrie style. My roommate, who has been dying to find a version of Carrie's muted bedding for years, will be mucho pleased that she waited it out and didn't purchase the $300+ bedding from Anthropologie that she had lukewarm feelings about. I'm wondering if this Calvin Klein collection will do the trick for her.

I so love that they're even giving us an option to buy a faux "Aidan Chair." Recently, they also showed how to get the Miranda Hobbes look, which I think is more suited to my taste. I've always loved her sunburst mirror and am thinking about getting one in the near future. I'm also a fan of her crystal ball lamps. I purchased two very similar versions from Target back in March for super cheap, $35 each! Restoration Hardware, eat your heart out.

Interesting tips! I'll definitely be on the look out for any Charlotte or Samantha "get the look" information.

Shabby Chic, Literally

There are many things I will not do. I will not buy a perfume made by Paris Hilton. I will not put garbanzo beans on my salad. And I will not live in a trailer park...or would I?

For most of my adult life, I've thought the idea of inhabiting a trailer park might be one of the least desirable housing options possible. However, I'm having second thoughts after knowing of a chic couple who bought a doublewide in Malibu, Calif., and after seeing this Shabby Chic-inspired version.

I tend to enjoy a tad more color than we're seeing here, but this 2,016-square-foot residence has got to win the Best Doublewide O' the Year Award. The Kentucky mobile home was featured in Country Living, that has to mean something. I really love all the distressed wood and the black/white, somewhat Parisian theme. I'm actually really surprised the construction of this mobile home can support some intense-looking wall mounts...all the more power to these antique enthusiasts, though!

Really beats plastic yard flamingos and TV trays, eh?

So my first experience with the Long Beach Airport was laughable. Yes, it's just "Long Beach Airport," there's no "International" anywhere in there. Trust me, I looked. As you can see, the main terminal resembles a cross pollination of a navy ship and high schools I played water polo in throughout Orange County.

This was where I deigned to have sushi at 10:00 a.m. (I was hungry and it was that or muffins that look like they'd been previously fondled.) However, I didn't feel so bad because two plastic looking women were enjoying a nice glass of Chardonnay at about this time. The things that really killed me about this airport are:

a) They play Rod Stewart over the crackly intercom like it's going out of style

b) I can see my plane...but for some reason, I can't board it for two more hours

c) The parking structure is so small there is no rhyme or reason...no level names, no lot numbers. Just "hey I think I parked on level 2 about 5 days ago...let's trudge over to that spot and see."

But it really was worth flying out of this piss ant airport to fly jetBlue. Seriously, that airline is so much more superior to others. Me being the map dork I am, I forgo ed much-needed sleep in favor of watching the live Google Map on the back of my seat. We're over Denver! Now we're over Iowa! Chicago! Detroit! I took pictures to document this monumental occasion of flying 30,000 feet above areas that are flat and have nothing to show for themselves at that elevation. Sorry - great cities! Just not from a bird's eye view.

I am currently in New York and will be back in the OC for Halloween. Hopefully they'll be some carving of pumpkins and lazing on the sofa tomorrow. However, I will miss the hustle bustle of New York. My shoulders will not though...40 pound laptop bag + subway rides = I need a chiropractor.

You demand more about Chicago...well, okay.

So my adoring public demands more Chicago blog posts. Who am I to deny such a privilege as to read my random thoughts on traveling? Ha! So here goes.

However, I am a horrible blogger because I only have one lonely photo documenting my trip, and this a very blurry one taken from my rental car of Wrigley Field that you see to your left. Enjoy.

I was thinking a lot the other day of trade offs, pros and cons and the "grass in greener" effect when it comes to traveling and moving. I don't think there is one idyllic place to live, even though many would say that's Southern California. Yes, but we definitely pay the Sunshine Tax and go through mild heart attacks on the 405 daily.

So in the winter in Chicago you may never see the light of day and your face can crack open and bleed because it's so cold. But you have really fun bars, a great sports atmosphere, museums, Lake Michigan and lots of red meat! I think it's all what you choose to make of your situation. Like my good (newly) Chicagoan friend Jenn said, "what you feed will grow." So if you have a bad attitude about where you're at in life, you're going to hate wherever you are.

That being said, I think I need to visit this city during the wintertime to fully understand Chicagoland. I found myself duly unprepared for my dinner outing with my sweater dress...and no tights or leggings. Jenn and I went to Mambo Grill for dinner which was hilarious. I'm in Chicago to order a mojito and guacamole? And we definitely took a cab to go one block because it was raining and cold.

Other places I've frequented are Halligan Bar in Lincoln Park for some football and great bloody marys (note to self though - scary New York Giants fans are everywhere) and a bar across the street where we instantly met other another Mission Viejo native. Wow - OC transplants are everywhere, too! My favorite areas by far are Southport and Old Town...that I've been able to see. The houses in these areas are adorable and already decked out for Halloween with Martha Stewart-esque pumpkins and cobwebs.

My lovely friend Jenn manages the Anthropologie on Southport so I was able to drool for an extended amount of time over $300 jackets and dresses. After her shift we went over to this little cute bar, Messners Wrigley Grille, which was decorated so cute for Halloween, similar to how you see it here.

I also ventured out to Evanston, Skokie and a scary part of Chicago as well so I feel very well rounded. I must come back, however, to do things that do not involve the following:

- Eating

- Drinking

- ......

However my Chicago friends insist that I got the true taste of Chicago by skulking in a dark bar all Sunday, shouting at the TVs over a $2 burger and a $2 Miller Lite. My kind of town! Except...they really could have had a $2 Bud Light, I mean come on.

Ruminations on The Windy City

I don't usually post personal thoughts, but I figured since I'm on the road, it might be a little interesting at least. So here goes.

Here I am, my first night ever in Chicago and I'm blogging on my friend's Mac laptop at 12:30 a.m. Her boyfriend and his friend have left for other exciting things (a.k.a. Jameson on the rocks and bars) and my friend has gone to bed for work, so I'm left with ESPN and Blogger.

Although I do have to say there are a few intriguing things I must note about this city. First and foremost, I am in shock about how easy this city is to drive around. I was fully expecting a near breakdown when I took my rental car on I-90 into the city...but seriously, this place feels like Orange County with skyscrapers in terms of the traffic.

Secondly, this city smells GOOD. I smell barbeque and chocolate everywhere. Apparently there is a chocolate factory around here. That would seriously drive me to eat boxes of chocolate every day, so good thing I don't live here. Jen and her BF Dave actually made a really funny joke. You gain a bunch of weight from bar food here in Chicago. But what about the factor of walking everywhere?, I asked. Ah. Yes. You have very buff calves, but still have a beer belly. Ha.

The girls here dress up so much that I feel like a bum. It's this style I am not used to - very put together, very prissy, with TONS of cleavage and clubwear. Very matchy matchy. I couldn't compete with that. Maybe it's the neighborhood we're in? Kind of reminds me of the crowd in the Marina in San Francisco, but a little less douchey.

Also of note is the "Kiss 'n' Fly" lot at Chicago O'Hare Airport. How cute! I tend to just put my car into park and force my passenger out as quickly as possible, but in Chicago there's also some affection involved when you drop off a loved one at the airport.

Tomorrow there is talk of brunch and watching football. This city is SO sports-oriented it's not even funny...I can tell that in less than one day of being here.

Funny Pictures of Animals Could Save the World

So I don't know how this happened, but somewhere along the evolution of the Internet, people decided that pictures of animals with funny, apropo captions = hugely funny. I highly agree!

It all probably started with an email chain forward featuring a Rottweiler in a Halloween costume and an iguna wearing a tutu ...and here we are. Entire Web sites devoted to the cuteness of animals that are too obedient to not let you dress them like a sailor.

What I think is really super great is the melding of nerdiness and cats. I have no idea who thought of this idea, that nerds love cats - but it's great. So I present to you a wealth of a resource of cat/nerd photos - I Can Has Cheezburger.

So I'm running on the treadmill at the W in Los Angeles yesterday morning and I had an interesting thought - is our love for technology starting to turn us into heartless animals?

Why, you ask?

Well, the lovely W Hotels have treadmills that allowed me to watch CNN while I sweat. So, as I'm heading into my second mile, up on the screen flashes the headline "Consumers Place Computers at Top of Holiday Wish List." That's fine. Sometimes I kind of want a new shiny model of my 2005 Dell desktop that hums at night, but I'm not going to cry about it.

However, what I found most disturbing is the ranking of this list and that it has changed quite dramatically over the past year.

Let's do the visual thing.

2006
1. Clothing
2. Peace and Happiness
3. Money
4. Computers

2007
1. Computers
2. Peace and Happines
3. Big-screen TV
4. Clothes
5. Cash

Wow. The American Apparel and Footwear Association must be super bummed..."Clothes" is having a bad year.

I really love that the Consumer Electronics Association commissioned this survey. I'm in public relations, I get the whole "survey" thing. But now, more than ever, I feel disenchanted by the American public and its values. This quote makes me feel dirty inside:

“The fact that they want computers over clothing and peace and happiness is amazing,” said Shawn DuBravac, the CEA’s economist. “It’s a testament to what the tech industry has done to empower the consumer.”

Empower? Just because consumers have jacked up priorities and like tangible objects more than things money can't buy?

I, like most 25-year-olds who aren't complete luddites, enjoy me some technology every day. I can't go without my Blackjack, my laptop (work mandated...that's why), my iPod, etc. without some sort of minor meltdown. However, if someone said to me, "If you want the world to be harmonious, your smart phone and all its accoutrements and accessories are out the window," I would say to them "Screw it - this crappy thing can't stay charged worth a damn anyways!"

It seems as though we are being screwed with. Apparently, some of photos released from the set of Sex and the City: The Movie have been staged to keep us guessing!

Carrie in a wedding dress is being rumored as a "dream sequence" (oh god, one of those? those are only supposed to be saved for failing sitcoms!) I believe it's a dream due to the green feather monstrosity precariously strapped to her veil.

It's like one of those nightmares where you're walking down the aisle, but your wedding gown is hideous and you're marrying your ninth grade boyfriend whom you swore to hate. It's too bad to be true!

Also...might Kristin Davis be wearing a fake belly?

Oh, the lies.

I have a couple new friends I'd like you to meet. Every now and then I stumble upon a site that catches my eye and it instantly goes to my bookmarks.

The following goodies definitely meet that criteria.

I discovered the Evite blog while revising my birthday invitation for the fourth time in a row. (Clever enough? Not yet!) There are some interesting party and food ideas and I have to say I very much enjoyed the blood mary concoction tips. Better yet, they suggest hosting a Bloody Mary Bar at your next Sunday football gathering..."Sunday, Bloody Sunday"...get it?

However, I do not recommend the Cupcakes and Cocktails party they're touting. I tried it for my 24th birthday soiree, and we were so sugared out within an hour that I just wanted a cup of water.

And then for those who love to DIY, I really like Design*Sponge. 99.9 percent of these ideas will never come to fruition in my household, but I can still read about them and feel good about that. These library tips are very Domino Magazine and I love that they pointed me in the direction of these adorable, affordable prints.

This project, 20x200, produces new art every week at different price points. The smallest pieces are 11" x 8.5" and are $20 a pop. New work goes up every Tuesday and Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. EST, so I'm guessing the crop I'm looking at right now is fairly new. I'm really into this birdy and remnants of revelry in Brooklyn.

They're also very cute and break down design trends for you so you don't have to figure it out on your own. They seem to really heart Anthropologie. As do I!

I really dislike Tom Brady even though he is arguably the most attractive player in the NFL. I mean we're talking JT hot, but I still have to stick to my guns.

Not only was he instrumental in crushing my Chargers a couple weeks back, he is not the best example of what to do if your ex-girlfriend of about two weeks becomes pregnant.

(And now he's one of my Fantasy Football QBs - I didn't get to pick, but I'm not going to trade, he's too good.)

Anyway, OK! released the first photos of Bridet and Tom's baby, John Edward Thomas Moynahan, a very, very cute little munchkin. OK! is so dramatic, the cover says, "Life Without Daddy." That's a little intense - if I was Bridget I'd be pissed off. He's a cute little guy though.

I still really wish Bridget was on ABC's defeated series, Six Degrees. I am still crossing my fingers that it comes back, because it was a really great show.

And now I'm just going to throw in some more Sex and the City photos into the mix for fun. I think we're all going to be able to piece together the plot by the time this movie comes around if they keep releasing photos from the set.

This lovely rose ensemble is screaming, "Holy '80s, Carrie!" I had no idea that the Pretty Woman look was so back in style.

Having a hair stylist roommate, I like to talk about hair.

Especially bad hair.

I've decided the genetic cross-section of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis is not a good-looking thing right now. Rumer Willis apparently thought it was a good idea to bleach the eff out of her hair and chop it off. I beg to differ.

EEK!! Orange is NOT the new blond!

I don't know how Rumer's new BFF, Katharine McPhee, feels about this 'do. The two of them are filming House Bunny right now. Apparently, this flick will feature McPhee as an excommunicated Playboy bunny who takes over as house mom at a lame sorority. That's a Blockbuster rental for sure...

I have no idea what the former American Idol's music is like at this moment in time, but I really like her hair. Plus Katharine looked great on the cover of the June 2007 issue of Lucky Magazine.

And...she's very, very recently engaged! To her sorta greasy-looking 42-year-old fiancee! Congrats...?

Apparently I could devote this entire blog to Sex and the City fodder, and still have things to talk about every day. I haven't been posting all the photos and gossip, but apparently there's already catfighting on the set.

But I did have to post photos of SJP a.k.a. "Carrie" as a brunette.

Maybe this will again sway the Hollywood elite to the dark end of the hair color spectrum. They certainly are loving the "brond" thing right now, which I'm definitely trying to rock.

Does this mean I should go back to my unnatural, yet time-tested shade of Redken Coffee Bean? It certainly seems like the more, um, devoted SATC fans are enjoying her new hair color.

I was fortunate enough to take an extremely late lunch today that allowed me to rediscover an old friend of mine - Martha Stewart.

I used to watch The Martha Stewart Show religiously in college. Since I'm still relatively green to this whole DVR lifestyle, I forgot that a 2:00 p.m. air time doesn't mean I can't keep up. Today, Martha hosted the lovely Amy Sedaris while they fashioned cheese balls with covetable stainless steel kitchen mixers. Sigh. If Martha knows how to do anything, it's to make you feel inadequate.

This is a clip from Amy visiting the show a while back...they have a really funny rapport!

I believe my favorite moment in the episode from today was when Amy referred to A1 sauce as something like "bong water" and Martha asked, "Are you saying bog water?" Amy winked at the crowd and said, "Yes, Martha." It was like a mischevious child cooking with mom.

But anyway, Martha loves Halloween and I just love anything festive, so I thought I'd share a couple cute ideas she has for the season.

I had no idea glitter was such a science!

A fire hazard, but oh-so cute

Might be delish...might not

I love a good ribbing of a PR pitch, because it reminds me every day that what I do can not only be mocked by bored journalists - they can post it on a blog and the masses can make fun of my work!

So in that spirit, poor KFC made the mistake of extending an offer....or a fried chicken thigh... to the reportedly expecting Jennifer Lopez. The president offered her and her "entourage" an after party for her upcoming tour that might even be canceled due to her supposed bun in the oven. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer calls that the "greasiest, lamest after-party ever." Tres harsh!

I feel for KFC right now because I know that quite a few restaurant groups practice the art of creating relationships with VIPS...I know this because I've had to send out the VIP cards.

They're getting ripped for writing creatively, which is sort of sad....there is quite a bit on Google News about this today and Jossip definitely gave their two cents. Even freaking Reuters a bit on this...cmon people, is there not anything else to write about this week? If not, I've got like four pitches for ya if you're interested...and high-res images...

I've been a bad, bad girl.

Definitely went to South Coast Plaza and made a 10-minute decision to buy an eau de parfum that cost me $161.63. But I don't regret it one bit!

Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf is freaking amazing. All I know is I had to buy it because I couldn't stop sniffing myself all the way from Bloomindale's to H&M to Sephora. (Um...p.s. I tried out O-GLOW at Sephora tonight. We are not friends. It look like I had a rash on my cheeks. Not good.)

Viktor & Rolf rolled out this little bottle of heaven in 2004 so I'm sad I didn't buy it sooner. It has a basenote of patchouli (to appeal to my hippie ways,) middle notes of jasmine, freesia and orchid and top notes of bergamot and tea. That all adds up to a vanilla-sugary musky sweet scent that smells fantastic! I hope I don't attract too much attention by having my nose permanently attached to my wrist.

Also, guys take note - Victor & Rolf now has a men's fragrance, Antidote. If it smells half as tempting as Flowerbomb, consider it better than Sex Panther.

Warning:





****SPOILER ALERT for Sex and the City: The Movie!****







And I know this is all I can talk about lately, but it really is exciting.







Apparently our little fertility challenged Charlotte is expecting a baby, says Perez Hilton. Le baby bump is cheerfully adorned with a huge flower-patterned shift dress. I kind of expected more from Charlotte - she's really goin with that whole "big as a house" thing, isn't she? I can't see her shoes, but she better be wearing heels. This is Sex and the City, people!

Anyway, Perez says that she goes into labor while having an argument with Big...but they look pretty happy here to me! Sigh...Chris Noth really doesn't age well does he? Ha!

I am not going to lie. I am anxiously awaiting with baited breath the premiere of "Gossip Girl" on the CW tonight at 9:00 p.m. Yes, this from the girl who can't commit to more than one show per week or she overwhelms her DVR queue.


I am sad to say I was reminded of the show via the handy dandy Myspace.com run-of-site ad the CW placed today (gently reminding me "You're nobody until you're talked about." Thanks!)



See!! Even though I am turning 25 soon I can still be captured via advertising to the 18 to 24-year-old market!! (You can sense my impending doom of entering the next demographic age bracket.)

But I seriously really loved Blake Lively in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and hope she'll do a good job as a New York high socialite.

Hallelujah! Sex and the City started filming in New York today!

Here are some of the first pictures of the flick...try as I might, I couldn't see if Carrie is sporting a blingy rock. I don't know about you, but I am not feeling that Eiffel Tower bag she's carrying that is obstructing my view of her ring finger. At least make it a cute bag.

MTV is saying these are the first photos...but INF seems to have beat them to the chase.

Apparently the release date for the movie is May 30, 2008. Well, I know what we're doing for Suzie's birthday now!

Not to sound skeezy, but there is a calendar of Mormon guys just back from their missionaries out there...and they look pretty hot, in a squeaky-clean kinda way! Apparently you can buy the calendar online at http://mormonsexposed.com/. You can also buy shirts that say "I heart Mormon boys" there. Seriously? Let's not touch that one of the many colors the shirts come in is called "Celestial White."

I don't know whether to laugh hysterically...or laugh hysterically! I am a little shocked LDS guys would pose with their shirts off. I wonder what other Mormons think?

Super exciting news for those in withdrawal from SATC came out yesterday.

Jennifer Hudson has signed on to be a cast member for "Sex and the City: The Movie", according to well, everyone, but specifically the Los Angeles Times. They say she will play personal assistant to "resident sex columnist" Carrie Bradshaw.

So call me speculative, but I think this means Carrie takes back her old post...or gets a new gig. Apparently this will take us four years after we found out Big's name is really "John." Maybe we'll find out his last name if Carrie gets hitched to him...ooh, that'd be exciting!

The flick's IMDB profile shows who's on board and who's still negotiating their check amount (cmon, Mario!) I'm on board as long as I can see Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, Charlotte and Big...urm, "John" on the big screen.

I will definitely psycho-out for the 2008 debut of this by camping outside of a movie theater while wearing some Manolos and drinking a cosmopolitan.

Friday nights at home, rare as they are, mean one of three things for me:

1. Online shopping

2. Photoshoots with my cat and/or stuffed animals - I know...

3. A lot of wine

I am engaging in all of the above at the moment. And in between snapping fetching portraits of my cat Sugar, Sephora.com has just now caught my eye with Smashbox "O GLOW," a self-purported "first intuitive blush."

This product is neither new nor on my must-buy list, but I'm intrigued nonetheless. Apparently this supposed miracle in a tube reacts with your "personal skin chemistry," turning your cheeks just as rosy as they would if you were really embarrassed, really excited or just got back off the ellipital machine.

I don't know about you, but I actively try to suppress the blushing effect that comes standard with me sticking my foot in my mouth or watching JT's special on HBO. It's more blotchy than pretty. Maybe that's what the $26 saves you from - a more milk maiden/fresh-as-a-daisy look than that flush I sometimes got when I thought I was allergic to alcohol.

But far be it for me to judge a product that tries to bring out the natural in you! Let me know if any of you have tried this to any success.

One more thing - apparently this is my second post so far about gel blush. That's really, really lame.

My roommate and I were talking the other day about how odd it is that so many remakes of "Umbrella" are floating around the musical universe.

The Pop Sugar gang posted a poll asking which version of "Umbrella" is better: the one by Mandy Moore or Rihanna?

And then there's this train wreck on YouTube...well, Rihanna they say the best form of flattery is imitation. Be flattered!

My girl Britney is coming back - thank god! I was starting to feel like being a fan of Ms. Spears in this day and age was like still being a fan of JTT.

Her new single, "Gimme More," is actually receiving some good feedback.

Click here to listen...I'm here to make sure the love for Brit's new album is contagious. :)

Popculturemadness says this is Britney's new single.

Say it ain't so.

For the girl who ultimately hopped on the cat-eye liquid liner trend way before all the fashion mags did, Amy Winehouse sure has horrible self esteem.

Check out this bit from the London Sunday Times. If you're like me, you'll feel sorry for her the next 950 times you hear "Rehab" on KISS-FM.

Now for more about the feline beauty trend. I read the 840-page September Vogue last night and I must say the main trend piece I gleaned from it was: a bold and/or red lip combined with vampy liquid liner is the thing to do this fall. Winehouse has been sporting that look like she took a friggin Sharpie to her eyelids for months now. Don't be so hard on yourself, Amy.

I also noticed a fun uni-brow/concealer-colored lip chic statement, but we'll forget about that one.

Here's Miu Miu giving you the intense red lip. I like!






















Miss Scarlet Johansson for Louis Vuitton, working that eyeliner:


















Other than that, you're seriously screwed this fall if you are allergic to feathers of anykind.

So picking a costume for Halloween is usually the bane of my existence. You have to sift through wads of latex-y, corsetted slut-gear to find something that won't land you in jail. It's either that or the ironically covered up look like a shirt that says "this is my Halloween costume." That inevitably would make me feel like Janeane Garafalo.

So anyway...I think I had an epiphany today. I will be Jem of Jem and the Holograms.
I get to paint a sweet star on my face, wear a light pink wig and say things like, "truly outrageous!"

I freakin love the 80s...and um, how great is this Jem VS Le Tigre mashup?

Fly fishing. Needlepoint. Cooking paella. All things easier said than done.

Responding to a question in the Miss Teen USA beauty pageant? Apparently that's also easier said than done for Miss Teen USA South Carolina. A sad day for South Carolina...and for the U.S. because you KNOW other countries have this on repeat on their 11 o'clock news tonight.

Well, ladies. It's the end of an era. I knew it was coming, but I didn't realize how saddened I'd be. JANE magazine, purveyor of irreverance in the world of women's magazines (that world usually consists of bronzer and sex how-tos), is officially kaput.

What other magazine is going to give me Zooey Deschanel on the cover and tips on how to not look hungover at work? Dammit!!

This is the crap I get when I go to http://www.janemag.com/. Behold. (Click for legible-ness...if that's a word.)

















The same crap happened to me months ago when I went to http://www.formemagazine.com/, only to be cryptically sent to the Web site for Woman's Day. Ew.

You probably think I'm months behind, but I'm really not. I'm also a JANE subscriber, so today I received a pretty unceremonious direct mail card in my mailbox stating: "JANE has stopped publishing."

Really? Thanks for telling me, because I sure as hell don't have my September issue yet!

It goes on to state that I'll be receiving Allure in its place, and if I already subscribe, it will be tacked onto my subscription. Hey, I get business - I know it's also a Conde Nast publication, but why the hell would a JANE subscriber also read Allure?

I am now forced to receive monthly the magazine with the same "grunge chic" font on its cover since the mid-90s. The magazine that can devote 16 pages to the debate over cream vs. gel blush. The magazine that allowed Britney on their cover without even demanding an interview. Puh-lease.

Allure is probably giddy with their circulation numbers that are going to jump.

So to do the glossy rag justice, I'm going to recall my most-remembered JANE moments, stream-of-consciouness style:

• Annemarie Conte chronicling her eight-hour work day in a "nude" office environment...I vividly remember her discussing their use of disposable plastic "chair covers"
  
• the editor's letter featuring a photo of a subway sandwich emblazoned with mustard that stated "I will not be ignored!"...this lovely treat was used to woo a male, showing how aggressive behavior can make guys freak the eff out


• the graphically adorable six degrees of separation expose on HBO's "Big Love"
  
• The same 5 questions we always ask - what other magazine can ask the same damn questions over and over and it's not boring? My favorite question was, "craziest place you've ever had sex?"
  
• Their party ideas that highly encouraged anti-Martha habits such as faking it with takeout and providing beers in the can

Sigh. Such a good run. RIP, JANE.

Here come the next high/low fashion concepts at Target. I have to say I'm pretty excited that Target is taking an active interest in this "high-fashion-for-the-masses" thing.

According to Fashion Week Daily, Jessie Randall of Loeffler Randall (the girl whose apartment I so adored in the September 2006 issue of Domino Magazine - see "For Like Ever" poster that I had to have and is now sitting propped up against the wall in my living room) has been tapped to design a collection for Target next year.

If she cooks up anything close to what her normal collection is like, I'll be at "Tar-jay" the day the line debuts! I didn't even know about the Hollywould/Target partnership until like, five minutes ago, but at first glance I am not impressed.

Feeling a Funeral Hooker vibe, or is that just me?











Source: nitro:licious

Diaper bags to the D-list stars?





















Source: nitro:licious

The Hollywould line runs at Target from October 21, 2007 through January 19, 2008, according to nitro:licious.

Also, there are still a bazillion tickets left for the Pet Shop Boys concert at the Hollywood Bowl on Thursday, September 27. If anyone is interested in rocking out to the men behind "Absolutely Fabulous," let me know. There's some really great shows coming up at the Bowl, by the way:

Upcoming acts Brazilian Girls, Jason Bentley (I heart KCRW) & Pink Martini spark my interest. Hmm. Also heard some good things about Madeleine Peyroux, but never heard her music. But, I always like a good French jazz singer. Did that just make me sound pretentious? That was the idea. Although, I did just check her out on iTunes and she recorded a track with Elliott Smith, so I'm going to have to delve deeper.