Burning the candle at both ends since 1982.

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.

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.

I really like the table linens since they look sturdy enough for every day use (they're 100% cotton) and they're not that expensive. They also have reversible placemats for only $4. That's the cost of one grande skinny vanilla latte at Starbucks! If I wasn't on a self imposed home decor buying freeze, I'd definitely pick up the taupe and cream kitchen towels ($5) you see below here.


















I have a mild obsession with chocolate brown + baby pink, so the crib set below ($80) is definitely adorable to me. I like that it's girly but not overly saccharine sweet like a lot of baby girl bedding can be. Not like I've been shopping for that or anything...just a random observation!

















I also think the Dwell Studio bedding looks pretty cool. Even just the accent pillows and shams might be cool to mix up your bedding you already have, like with this guy or this guy. I noticed that the original Dwell bedding is actually very similar to the Tarjay line. Check out the original Dwell bedding called "Talon" below (left) in comparison to the Target version called "Baroque" (right.) They're a little bit different, but the execution is still the same. (Ah, side note - is this baroque/damask thing not out of style yet? Good, because I like it and my dishes don't need to be passe.)



















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.

But I am excited I found this little gem of a site through Apartment Therapy (of course) that finds "inexpensive rents in expensive places." Supposedly, these places are supposed to be full of charm and originality, too.
Well, I don't know if Stockton foots that bill, but I think they did a pretty good job scouring for places in San Diego. While I wouldn't even touch "Albert's College Apartments" off 55th when I was a sophomore at San Diego State (I once went to a party there that was broken up by more than 30 cop cars and four helicopters), The Bluffs II and Ballpark Place seem nice enough and aren't in bad areas.

So if you're thinking of moving anytime soon, you might want to use this site. Looks like they post around five to six apartments per day, so check back often. They'll even send you personalized listings within 24 hours if you email info@cheap-apts.com the city, number of bedrooms and maximum rent you want to spend. Just for a good laugh, I went ahead and emailed them to search for LA three bedrooms under $1,500...I'll let you know how that one goes. Ha!

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.







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.

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.


When we're all adding this artery-clogging cheapie staple to our diets, it's all too revealing that the U.S. is headed for economic ruin and we're going to shove comfort food in our faces while we crash and burn. Why? Because this easy, cheesy meal was first introduced during the Great Depression in 1937, when people were trying to find inexpensive substitutions for dairy and meat. Well, maybe the situation isn't quite so dire, but it's an interesting correlation.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, single-serve microwaveable Easy Mac cups experienced a 50 percent rise in sales for the year. Not only does this make me concerned about our fiscal well being, but I want to know how many poor single people are nuking this no-nutrient dish and eating it alone while standing up in the kitchen. It's just how I picture the scenario.

So put down the starch and have a salad, please. Maybe even set the table, even if it's just for yourself. Don't crap out on me now! Most of you reading are no longer in college and we're not in a recession yet. And don't tell me you can't totally afford a Lean Cuisine when they're on sale for $2 a pop at Target. Like that's any better with all the sodium in those frozen goodies. Then we'll just be a puffy nation that for some reason can't quite figure out how our rings don't fit anymore....at least we'll be eating better than corn syrup solids and partially hydrogenated oils.