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Brianne
Burning the candle at both ends since 1982.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Moving on...
Posted by Brianne at 12:57 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Nintendo: 1; Me: 0
I unceremoniously ditched my gray, boxy Game Boy as a little girl. The two games I tested, "Kirby's Dream Land" and "The Little Mermaid," proved to be much too difficult for me. Kirby just wouldn't eat clouds fast enough and Ariel was unwieldy and hard to navigate. So, at 25 years of age, I'm a little surprised that the Nintendo DS™ would catch my eye.
Posted by Brianne at 10:07 PM 0 comments
Labels: celebrities, fun, marketing
Monday, June 02, 2008
Carrie's Brownstone, v.2.0
There were a few audible gasps in the movie theater during Sex and the City: The Movie. Relax, I'm not giving anything away for the four of you who read my blog and haven't seen the flick yet. I'm talking about the response to Carrie's apartment remodel.
The audience, 99 percent female, lived through six seasons of "I had to wonder"-thoughts and watched her type them out on her Macbook in that apartment. (BTW - have fun on Carrie's Macbook Pro here. I'm already addicted.) But in the movie, the gray neutrals and mismatched bohemian pieces gave way to brights and grown-up clean lines.
Casa Sugar interviewed the set designer Jeremy Conway about his vision for the room, and will have more details tomorrow....I'm so hoping they give some insight on Carrie's 70s-inspired mural, which totally caught my eye. I think it says "LOVE" but I only saw the movie twice in a 24-hour period, so who can really be sure? Ha.
Thanks to Casa Sugar we do know that the walls were painted a custom blend very similar to Benjamin Moore's Electric Blue. The Chicago Tribune says the paint, Benjamin Moore's No. 2061-40, is about $45 a gallon. It completely makes me rethink blue, which I previously relegated to little boy rooms and cheesy nautical-themed living spaces.The coffee table the gals gather around for a shower - how vague of me - comes from the always-intense ABC Carpet & Home. (My two trips to ABC Carpet & Home went like this: the first time, I had no idea there was more than one floor and thought it was full of only chandeliers and Indian-inspired rugs and on the second trip, the elevator was broken and I called it a day at the floor with the overpriced Frette linens.)
Check out the old skool Carrie suite here, where there's also some scans of the Traditional Home issue that covers the apartment remodel. I like their suggestion to find a rug similar to the one at the foot of her bed, especially since it looks more of an eggplant than black and white on second glance. Love these Thomas Paul rugs!
All in all, a great redesign, but I had to wonder...where did her kitchen go? I mean, I know she uses the stove to store sweaters, but a culinary appliance is nowhere to be found!
Posted by Brianne at 10:11 PM 1 comments
Labels: design, home, Sex and the City
Monday, March 31, 2008
All I Really Need to Know I Learned from The Baby-sitters Club
Oh. My. Gawd. Pardon my randomness, but there is a microcosm of my childhood floating around on the Internet. Apparently there are people in this world that revere The Baby-sitters Club by Ann M. Martin as the holy grail of girlydom, just as myself.
As I am known to do, I was able to click-click-click my way into discovering a whole little online world devoted to the BSC that I never knew existed. I've discovered a blog solely devoted to character Claudia Kishi's off-the-wall attire (I also learned a new word, Whatthefuckery, but I digress) as described in this series of pre-teen fun. There's also BSC Wikipedia, Claudia's Room, BSC Stamped and Stoneybrookite, a blog dedicated to the "best friends you'll never have."
Wow. If I ever felt I am a reader of niche sites on the Internet, I do now. But I love that communities have grown to support the BSC books, as they basically half raised me. And look how good I turned out! I don't know about you, but every BSC book I ever purchased was the best $3.50 in the world. When a Super Special came out, it was like my birthday. Sigh. I miss the days when "boyfriends and babysitting don't mix!" spoke to me.
But in all seriousness, I think we love the Baby-sitters Club because the girls were real characters. Mallory rode horses and had, like, 18 brothers and sisters, Dawn was a "vegetarian" from "California" and wore white linen pants, Mary Anne had that boyfriend, and Claudia was artsy and painted Native American prints on her rain slicker. How weird were they?!
And yet it was okay to like them, and they were liked in the books. What a good lesson! And by another token, each book was narrated by a different babysitter. A true lesson in seeing the world for all its valid opinions. I think the entire BSC series should be mandatory reading at the elementary level. Not a believer? Let me just end with this. A book in which a girl can wear this outfit, and still have friends at the end of the day, is an open-minded, worldly book indeed:
(Claudia was wearing): "a big yellow shirt with red x-shaped buttons,
enormously baggy white pants, and big red Doc Martens double-laced with black
and yellow shoelaces. Her long straight black hair was pulled upon top of her
head with more black and yellow shoelaces braided together. Her earrings said
'stop' and 'go' - 'stop' in her left ear and 'go' in her right."
Posted by Brianne at 9:12 PM 4 comments
Labels: fun
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Google turned off the "light"
Can I just say I love Google? Being the festive person I am, I love when they recognize holidays Google-style. However, it's great when they can leverage their visibility to draw attention to something greater.
Posted by Brianne at 11:17 AM 1 comments
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Hell hath no fury like a gossip blogger spammed
In the latest development in the public relations world, "grassroots marketing" means posing as an uneducated tween and blasting horribly misspelled comments on various gossip blogs. I do not envy those in internship positions at the moment who are having to come up with new and fun ways to spell "freaking" (freakn) and "genius" (genies) or analyzing the extent to which they should forget all grammar rules learned in college to moonlight as overly excitable evangelist fans.
It seems E!'s new Ashton Kutcher show, "Pop Fiction," has been spamming gossip blogs via the Cashmere Agency. Cashmere cites promotional tactics with quantifiable results. Well, they sure got E! some results at Celebitchy. The gossip blog analyzed IP addresses to find out multiple comments parading as those made by fans were posted by Cashmere Agency on behalf of several E! programs...and even Snoop Dogg.
One of the offending comments left on Celebitchy made by "gena":
“Hahaha!! It was all a prank on the paparazzi!! Its that new show on E! Pop Fiction. Its freakn awsome. The celebrities play pranks on the pap. What a genies idea. Paris Hiltons one was great all the paparazzi bit right into it. Shes not religious come on people. I love this show. Heres the link you wanted. Tell me what you think.”
Celebitchy wrote in an email to Cashmere Agency that more than 20 spam comments a day were attributed to their IP address. I don't blame them for their "celebitchiness" toward the agency - by the same token, can you imagine having to sift through 20 junk emails per day from the very same email address? Maybe some of the gossip blog fury has to do with the fact that Ashton's show aims to beat paparazzi and celebrity blogs at their own game - even though the show's jig is officially up.
As of 3/22, no one had returned a call to the blog or responded via e-mail. Yikes! There's a nice USAToday piece on "Pop Fiction," but two unflattering Jossip pieces are just as visible in a Google News search. Don't discount the bloggers.
Posted by Brianne at 10:21 PM 2 comments
Labels: media, public relations
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
New(-ish) footage from SATC: The Movie
Ladies, get ready! Sex and the City: The Movie debuts in just a mere 94 days!
Apologies. I have truly been off my game reporting on this cultural event set for May 30, 2008. Without further adieu, it's incumbent upon me to share with you the extended trailer for the movie.
Aaaand...I'm a little sad to report that it seems like this movie will be serving us endless fairy tales gone bad. I know certain die-hard SATC fans would get pissed, but weren't all the girls supposed to end up happy in the end? We can't have watched six seasons of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda go through gut-wrenching breakups just to see them ultimately fail in love altogether.
It's open to interpretation, but it seems like everyone but Charlotte is getting the raw end of the deal. Review the trailer and let me know what you think. And check out some stills from Jezebel if this YouTube video gets taken down. By the way, I feel like the movie is really showing its cards on this trailer - let's hope Darren Star and Michael Patrick King have something up their sleeves. (I just unknowingly made a ton of cliches related to poker. Deal? Cards? Sleeve? Horrible.)
May is really proving to be battle of the dorky movie camp out, since the boys get Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and the girls get SATC: The Movie. Do you think people will go all out, a la Star Wars or LOTR? If not, I will be in line, alone. Scaring small children.
Posted by Brianne at 9:08 PM 1 comments
Labels: Sex and the City
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Dwell Studio lands at Tarjay
So, I have one more reason to love Target, or shall I say Tar-jay. Not good news, since I consider it a small act of God if I get out of there under $50. Anyway, they've just recently started to carry Dwell Studio bedding, baby bedroom gear and kitchen stuff! There's not too much fanfare on Target's site, but a few bloggies are liking the goods. I've kind of always associated Dwell with hipster modern mommies with good taste and the Target line doesn't seem to sway too far away from that.
Posted by Brianne at 10:39 PM 0 comments
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Let's all move to Stockton, Calif.!
Yes, let's do it. According to cheap-apts.com, a Stockton two-bedroom apartment can go for $675 a month. What! I think that's what I spend in shopping per month...okay, hopefully not.
Posted by Brianne at 9:21 PM 0 comments
Labels: apartments
Sunday, February 10, 2008
LV leaves print on a jet plane
In another move that makes me nervous for the four-color glossies, Louis Vuitton has announced they will no longer be focusing on print ads, which have featured the likes of ScarJo and Mikhail S. Gorbachev and talent like Annie Leibovitz.
Beginning February 15, the LV logo will be featured in spots running on your TVs and in movie theaters worldwide, in 13 different languages, naturally. The segment is a montage of self discovery and travel and was filmed in France, Spain, India and Japan. I also enjoy the font gracing the screen, and wish I could download it somewhere.
According to Fashion Week Daily, this marks the first on-screen corporate campaign by a luxury house. However, Louis Vuitton's boldest move is the length of the spot. The campaign designed by Ogilvy Paris asks, "Where will life take you?," and sucks you in for a total of 90 seconds, about three times longer than most spots that interrupt you during Gossip Girl. Why?
Says LV: "The choice of the exceptional 90-second format enables Louis Vuitton to
take the time to convey the true and enriching essence of travel as a process of
both discovery and self-discovery," said Antoine Arnault, head of communications
at Louis Vuitton. "Time is the ultimate luxury."
Very telling. Pricey goods like Louis Vuitton handbags have become somewhat attainable by a the masses in past years. Analysts are citing the "death of luxury," which has the truly elite retreating to the last bastion of poshness - the luxury of time. While the nouveau riches may be able to buy an LV handbag, then can't very well travel to Dubai for months without a care in the world.
Lesson learned: jetting around the world is the new black - preferrably while using Louis Vuitton luggage, s'il vous plaƮt. Enjoy the pretty video.
Posted by Brianne at 10:26 PM 0 comments
Labels: brands, fashion, Scarlet Johansson
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Sugary sneakers? Oh, yeah!
Grape-"flavored" Reeboks?
No, these aren't just purple versions of the Reebok Princess shoes my mom has been rockin' since 1987. And no, don't try and taste this footwear, it's not like Jessica Simpson's syrupy sweet "Desserts."
These are Kool-Aid Reeboks, a hybrid of sneaker and sugar that will make plenty of people want to shell out the $50 - $75 they cost. Grape, strawberry and cherry launched on Feb. 1, but we have to wait until Mar. 15 for orange, lemon and lime. I guess citrus footwear isn't in as high demand.
The co-branded marketing promotion, Instant Classics, is part of Reebok’s 2008 spring collection. Yes, these shoes are kind of ridiculous, and I can't really believe how these brand extensions worked together - but it does. The soles are hilarious and I love that Kool-Aid Man's little face is on the inside. Him so cute! The "strawberry" is a little Pepto-Bismol-esque, but I really like the purple.
According to PSFK, the collection can be purchased at http://www.undergroundstation.com/ or select Reebok retailers nationwide. They make them for toddlers, too, how cute is that?! But why don't I see any women's shoes? Sad. We like color-saturated weird apparel just like the next Joe Schmoe.
Posted by Brianne at 1:48 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Why do we need comfort food?
The scariest thing about carbohydrates are that they are fortune tellers. Predicters of the future. When I ingest a box of mac n' cheese, it predicts for me that yes, I will have gained two pounds by the morning.
Posted by Brianne at 9:50 PM 0 comments
Labels: food
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Ode to Organization
Since January is the month designated for tax preparation, self-loathing, football and cleaning out closets, it's only natural the topic of organizing one's crap has been circulating amongst my friends and family this week.
During these conversations, I've decided Sterilite boxes are absolutely the most ineffective way for me to organize myself. You know, the ones you can stack in your closet and conveniently seal with duct tape when you move? They give you a false sense of organization. You actually don't have to deal with what's inside as long as you can keep stacking, resealing and avoiding. Hi, my name is Brianne, and I'm a Sterilite-aholic. (Hi, Brianne...) I'm really trying to break away from this nasty habit, and I will succeed in 2008.
Since I'm a curator of crap, I've decided to edit my collection a bit. I realized my own personal hoarding habits hit an all-time low when I was cleaning out my closet on MLK day. I had a collections of term papers, insanely complicated scrap booking supplies (they look like you'd use them to conduct arthroscopic surgery), unorganized photos and bills from, oh....2001. This has got to stop. Now that most of the junk is gone, I've been hunting and gathering for an upkeep method that might actually work with my lifestyle, and I think I've come up with a few tips that are universally helpful. These are my three resolutions for this year. Let's see if I actually stick to them.
1. Organization is like brushing your teeth.
It's needed daily, apparently. For those managing a household out there, my sister is raving about flylady.net. It's a day-by-day system of getting your house under control when you're in what they call CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome.) It starts off with just bleaching and shining your sink. I don't have quite the amount of mess a household with children might, but I like the philosophy of taking baby steps, and I'm sure moms that barely have time to shower will, too.
2. Treat my closet like a shrine.
I need to remember my closet contains clothing and shoes - you know that stuff I spend a ton of money on? My closet probably has the most value-per-square-foot of anywhere in the house, so why am I treating it like a red-headed stepchild? Instead of allowing sweaters and dresses to fall off the hangar and possibly meet their demise, I should probably keep it clean.
Anyway, a word about closets - there are a million opinions and preferences of how to organize this space. Lifehacker says to organize your closet left to right with outfits so you won't ever "overwear" anything. In an effort to rid herself of things she never wears, my former roommate Suzie has designed a system which she hangs her hangars backwards, and returns them to the closet the right way only after wearing them once or laundering them. After a month, all clothing on backward hangars goes to Goodwill. Harsh, but effective!
Another site has a four-box system of cleaning your closet that I could have used when I was knee-deep in birthday cards from 1999 and high school swim team shirts. They recommend "Box C" for items you are emotionally attached to, but unready to give up. It says to leave it be for a month, and if you don't use them, give to charity. Real Simple, patron of organization, gives 12 tips from "closet pros" (what a job) and they say "NO more wire hangars!" Haha.
3. Stop buying ugly boxes, or lack thereof.
There's a reason why I am unorganized. I refuse to spend money on shoe boxes or anything from The Container Store, because I'd rather spend it on things that are "fun." But really, if you can't find anything and your place looks like crap, all the Voluspa candles and west elm vases in the world won't make your apt look decent.
So, I'm taking note of Domino's cute ideas to be an organized individual. I especially liked their spread on Rashida Jones' place that showed me if they can make 400 square feet look good, I should be able to get it together. In fact, I think everyone should bookmark their "Get Organized" section. Speaking of west elm, I rather enjoy their canvas boxes to keep my crap calm, cool and collected.
To commit myself to this journey to organizational enlightenment, I'm aiming to post photos of my work. That will hopefully keep me on track, because who wants to broadcast photos of their messy room? Stay tuned...
Posted by Brianne at 11:28 PM 4 comments
Labels: Domino Magazine, home, organization
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Speidi Makes Us Sick
If the celebrity tabloid world was anything like high school, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt would be voted "Most Likely to Make Us Vomit." Even by Us Weekly, surprise, surprise.
Posted by Brianne at 10:43 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
I heart d*s
is that peony wallpaper? love the lamp.
this console-as-a-desk makes me want a laptop, real bad.
shall i ever get a ginormous collection of books and a non-working fireplace,
this will be the look for me.
cat + anthropologie-like bedding = a good time to me
i have a similar yellow/pink/green combo
in my room, and it seems to work.
Posted by Brianne at 10:41 PM 0 comments
Monday, January 21, 2008
Coachella will be hot
As a teenager, the Coachella/Indio region held not much excitement for me.
Posted by Brianne at 10:32 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Apple + Blue Sequin Jumper = Fun
I took this Mediabistro course in LA a few months back on "Blogging Basics" taught by an editor for Unbeige, Alissa Walker (I highly recommend it, by the way and there is one coming up on March 29!) Ever since then, I've been reading Unbeige more frequently, and get a kick of Alissa's posts. Another thing I've done since then is feel bad I don't post more often like she advised. Oops.
Anyway, today Alissa posted the MadTV video spoof "They iScrewed Me Again," based off the Apple iPod Nano commerical featuring Feist, who I heart to death. It's pretty comical, and I'm certain it took them quite a while to match Feist's royal blue sequin jumper she wears in the video for "1 2 3 4." Also, I am kicking myself for not seeing Feist while she was in town with Spoon.
Anyway, for anyone who has experienced feeling obsolete by Apple's clever product release timing, enjoy! And here's a link to the original version.
Posted by Brianne at 10:53 PM 0 comments
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Oh, and happy 2008...
Posted by Brianne at 9:23 PM 0 comments
Labels: fun
How to paint a "headboard"
The new year is all about setting really unrealistic goals for yourself that you might not meet, but they were pretty fun to make. Like "get abs of steel" or "clean out my scary closet."
So I'll just go ahead and qualify my excuse as "I live in an rented condo" for why I can't make use of this fun idea to paint a faux headboard in one weekend. The idea is from Apartment Therapy, which has been giving me design envy for quite some time.
The color pink is pretty intense, but mellowed out by all the white bedding. Plus, I really dig the mirror over the bed. Hopefully you have a nice landlord or own your home sweet home, so you can take advantage of this cool idea.
Posted by Brianne at 9:00 PM 0 comments