This is default featured slide 1 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

This is default featured slide 2 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

This is default featured slide 3 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

This is default featured slide 4 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

This is default featured slide 5 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

Friday 15 March 2013

Cynthia Rowley Gets CuRious

 Gosh, one of my fav games as a kid was CandyLand, remember that game? I wanted to play it for hours. And while I'm not a huge candy nut, I won't lie and tell you I don't love a great candy store. When I first visited the Toys 'R Us in Times Square I was just like a kid in a candy store. Well, designer Cynthia Rowley has just opened a new four-story townhouse in upper Manhattan, complete with - you guessed it - candy. Folks, I missed the opening by days during my New York trip. This will be a must-see next time I'm in the city - and hopefully that's soon!It's located at 78th Street and Madison Avenue and really is like a fairytale - you even enter through a gated courtyard. The first floor is the well-known boutique, and up the enchanting staircase you'll find all of the CuRious candy (cute name, right?). Custom pinatas and party decor are fun things you'll find other than the gobs of candy goodies (some passed around by amazingly dressed staff members, obvi). Oh, and there's even an edible place setting you can buy. The top two floors are for Exhibition A (Cynthia's husband is an artist) and shown by appointment only. The whole townhouse is an experience not to miss if you're around the neighborhood. P.S. Did you catch my HuffPo Live interview a couple of weeks ago with CR? She discussed a lot about her new candy concept![Photos Courtesy Cynthia Rowley]

View the original article here

Tuesday 12 March 2013

Green for Spring

 It's hard to believe a pair of "green jeans" could be a wardrobe essential, but they are. Trust. Every, single time I wear my green jeans, I get compliments. They're just so cheery and green is so on trend for this year! I've been dyyyyying to try out C. Wonder - haven't you heard a lot of buzz about it? When they sent me images of some of their "green things" for spring, I was completely flipping out. AdorABLE. The length on these jeans looks perfect - what a great pop of color, that's also still very flattering. C. Wonder has has amazing accessories. And what I love about this brand is they sell very high-quality pieces that look like they cost a ton, but they really don't. We're talking a bracelet for under $50 here. This cute little purse is a great way to incorporate green into your nighttime step and repeat, huh? And the bangle below is one of my absolute favs. It could stand alone on that cute little wrist of yours and still look fab. Everyone needs a great cardigan, especially for the bipolar weather of spring. I live in cardigans during this season. This seafoam shade of green is a gorgeous alternative for those of you who can't do something so bold as the brighter jeans. (I'm hoping I can wear seafoam, but will def have to try it on...my fingers are crossed with this tempermental hair color of mine!)While we don't have a C. Wonder store near where I live, I'm currently surfing the Web (um, with my credit card out) to see what all I can scoop up for spring. It all looks so refreshing!!

 [Photos Courtesy C. Wonder]


View the original article here

Monday 11 March 2013

Holographic Heels, Anyone?

 Stop it right now. Ok, really, don't, Alejandro Ingelmo. My heart is beating at a rapid pace on this Monday. Holographic heels are a thing this spring, girls, so you might wanna get to these beauties fast. This pointy-toe, single sole pump (d'orsay style) silhouette is the shoe to own this spring season. But add a little excitement with a holographic shimmer and WOW. You just can't replicate this shoe (shaking my head).While there are quite a few gorgeous silver and ice hues (take the last round-toe featured...squeal!), the teal has me swooning a thousand times over. It reminds me of those little Barbie heels I used to put on my dolls and stare at for hours (I had a problem even back then, folks). The lace-up is also a biggie these days (although not my personal fav because I don't like my feet restricted). This one is a glistening goddess and trust me when I say a lace-up shoe looks amazing on the foot because it sure does. Drama mama. Wear these holographs all spring and summer long with something otherwise muted (chambray, please?) - the green would look amazing with something super white. And no matter how you wear those sparkly white hues, your feet are guaranteed to look a million times tanner. Not a bad thing?
 



View the original article here

How I Wore My Heels: With Camo

 I took these photos in the moonlight because I thought that would be awesome! Ok, no, really, I just ran out of time (it's something called a toddler) and almost captured them in pure darkness by the time I was done, ha. Turns out these metallic black wedges by Bronx I just started testing out for spring truly glisten in the moonlight, and therefore, I heart them like no other. What else? Being from the south, I never thought I would wear anything camo...nothing, nada, not even a tiny spec of the fabric. (It's not exactly done in the best fashion around these parts.) Well, PacSun sent me another (crate!) of spring goodies, one thing led to another, and voila! I can't stop wearing (this particular) camo. I mean, it has studs on the shoulders?! This is camo done right, y'all. I've actually been wearing it to pieces because you can wear it with soooo many things - for instance, just last weekend I wore it with black jeggings, a moto jacket and black sneaker wedges. Great for the "spring transition" weather! But, I wanted to show you another way to wear it come spring (60s here this week...ahhhh), so here I paired it with the Acid Wash Halter Dress. This is a great summer dress, but one I would personally feel more comfortable layering (I'm just not 16 anymore...sigh...). I love the mix of it with the camo! Feeling like you need a new pair of shoes? You could win a pair of these wedges...in brown! Just enter your info in the box at the bottom of this post and you're all set. I'll choose one winner at random next week! Just in time for spring, eh? xoCamo shirt, acid wash dress and pendant, gifted by PacSun - can I mention this pendant is is the best I've ever found? It's actually looooong and I can never find that. So good.Metallic wedges, gifted by Bronx (these are a dream...you'll def wanna win; they're even more magical in real life!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

View the original article here

Obsessed with MiH

MiH is pretty much killing it lately with their line-up of endlessly chic, comfy clothing seen on one celeb after another. Olivia Palermo is one of my absolute fav style stars, and she recently wore this knit Pavillion Sweater ($220) with distressed jeans and a blazer. While the starlet wore red, it also comes in a pretty blue. As we head into spring in a few weeks, this is the type of oversized sweater I long to rock every, single week with my denim cut-offs. No joke.
Then look at these jeans!! Selena Gomez was just spotted in the new MiH Bonn jeans ($233) - in the Mini Dot Light wash. Squeal! I'm such a sucker for a polka dot, but a mini dot?? Oh, y'all, it's gotta be the new polka dot. I do assure you, it's much easier to wear as well. This MiH is a new style this season - it has a high rise (thank you) and a super-slim ankle (thank you again). I mean, all I really want in life is to live in a higher rise jean with super skinny ankles for my ankle boots and sneaker wedges...MiH has answered my daydreams. Extra-soft and extra-stretchy are bonus points. See why I'm in love? Gotta get.

[Photos Courtesy MiH]

View the original article here

Sunday 10 March 2013

Stuart Weitzman Does Black and White - Just Right

Sometimes a simple, yet stunning black and white shoe is all we need to brighten our Monday afternoon, yes? Boldly dramatic and truly embracing the color combo of the season, this Stuart Weitzman stripey strappy sandal makes me giddy, gleeful and downright giggly. Ain't no Monday gonna get me down.

View the original article here

Saturday 9 March 2013

Whiny Wednesday: Me in a Tree

Can't believe it's just now Whiny Wednesday! Certainly seemed like it was yesterday here. :) Today I'm here to share with you a new online program I've discovered called Me in a Tree. I'm pretty excited about it! (Rest assured, I spent I way too much time perfecting my avatar look below...you like?)Anyone can try out this family-oriented interactive (life managing!) site for free - for two weeks! And that's the perfect amount of time to realize you might wanna sign up for the year for just $5.99. You login, create avatars for the whole family and it's so simple. You let the fun begin! There are so many resources in this puppy to help build a better (closer knit!) family, I love it. Hey, we're all going to be online these days, so let's do it together.You can create a Family Huddle (even schedule them) to support open communication, and there's a bright and cheery, handy, dandy calendar where everyone can write in their assigned duties. Granted, my little C. is a tad bit too young for this, I don't see a problem with our family starting to use this between just D. and me at first, until little C. gets around kindergarten age. As much as he likes to help clean the house with me, he's going to love filling in his chores on here - and being recognized (his fav thing).  There's even a spot to journal and fill in some of your fav things about your family - it's the Pledge Stone. Overall, this tool is amazing for improving family relationships, for those of us (that's all of us) who are too busy to stop and build a better life together. Try it out and see how you can challenge your family this week. Oh, and don't have too much fun choosing which shirt to wear in your avatar (totally guilty). Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Me in a Tree, but the opinions are all my own, obvi. I truly like this site! ;)

[Photos via Me in a Tree]


View the original article here

Win "The Client List" Prize Pack!

 Ready, set...time to watch The Client List again - this Sunday! The show's back for a second season and I'm pumped because little C. dropped his nap and goes to bed early now. Can't wait to curl up and watch Jennifer Love-Hewitt as Riley Parks, a single mother of two who works at a day spa where all kinds of secrets seem to unfold. Eek! New guilty pleasure?Hewitt actually helped executive produce this show, and Lifetime has ordered 15 episodes (up from last season's 10). Lucky for you, we're giving away the season one DVD and an embroidered blanket so you can catch up in style and be ready for the season two premiere March 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.Enter to win this prize pack by filling in the box at the bottom of this post...best of luck and let me know what you think after you watch! xo 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

View the original article here

Sunday 3 March 2013

James Brown's "Living In America"/Weird Al's "Living With A Hernia"

When I think of the '80s, I don't usually think of The Godfather of Soul.

Released in 1986, "Living In America" became Brown's first Top 40 hit in a decade, and as of this writing, his last (sure, he's dead, but come on, that never stopped 2Pac). However, I'm wondering just how glad Brown was to have been living in America just a couple of years later, when he was arrested for drugs and weapons charges, then led police on a high-speed car chase, and was ultimately sentenced to six years in prison (of which he served three). I suppose one could say that James Brown "served for his country."

But before all that image-burnishing, there was Rocky IV. I'm not sure if "Living In America" was written specifically for Rocky IV, but it might as well have been.

I remember my roommates in college catching Rocky IV on TV and laughing copiously; I wandered in and out of the room, and did not feel like I was missing a cinematic treasure. I just read the plot summary on Wikipedia. Let me get this straight: over-the-hill Apollo Creed challenges a young and studly Soviet boxer who's pumped up on steroids to a fight, Apollo dies in the ring, Rocky avenges Apollo's death by training in the Russian mountains with an axe and a sled, he beats the chemically enhanced Soviet boxer using nothing but his hard work and determination, and then he gives a big speech about the Cold War? Hmmmm. I seem to recall the first Rocky being at least somewhat plausible. I mean, why not have Luke Skywalker swoop down and blow up the Death Star while we're at it? And have hobbits and oompa-loompas help Rocky train?

Ah, but thanks to Weird Al, whenever I hear "Living In America," I never think of Rocky Balboa saving the free world from communism. Oh no. I always think of a man with a very painful medical condition.

"Living With A Hernia" became the lead-off track to Polka Party, which, according to Wikipedia, "holds the dubious honor of being the lowest charting studio album released by Yankovic." I'm not sure how Weird Al managed to receive parody permission from a man with such a bad attitude, but props to the Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness for being willing to go along with jokes about intestines. It also probably helped that at the time, James Brown and Weird Al shared record labels.

The song quickly becomes a contest to see how many words Weird Al can come up with that end in "-ation." We've got: "aggravation," "ruination," "location," "humiliation," "irritation," "medication." I'll bet if the situation called for it, he could've come up with more. There's also a highly educational section where he names several different types of hernias, in lieu of Brown's naming several different American cities. I mean hell, I already know the names of American cities.


View the original article here

Joan Jett Suspiciously Claims To Love Rock 'N' Roll

I've always felt that songs about rock and roll are kind of stupid. If a song wants to rock, it should just rock; it shouldn't sit around and talk about how much it's rocking. Did "Jumpin' Jack Flash" stop and say, "Hey, look at me everybody, I'm totally rocking right now"? No. No it did not. Did "Purple Haze" pull over to the side of the road and say, "Hot damn, I am really rocking like nobody's business"?

That's why I always thought Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" was kind of silly. I mean, if you really loved rock and roll that much, you wouldn't need to tell me; it would already be understood. In fact, the more you tell me how much you love rock and roll, the more I'm inclined to doubt that you really do. Me thinks the Joan doth protest too much.

I also thought it was silly how she brags about some attractive young man "moving on and he was with me - yeah me." I mean, he wasn't moving along with me, was he? No, he was moving along with you. Why should I care about your flirting success and not mine?

However, it turns out that Joan Jett didn't actually write "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (it was written in the mid-70s by an obscure British band named the Arrows), which makes the declaration a little less self-serving. Instead of "Hey, look at me, I'm trying to create a rock anthem," it's more like, "Hey, I found this song that somebody else wrote in the '70s that I really dig, so I'm going to use it to rock out." Having discovered that piece of information, and also appreciating all manner of '80s music anew, I have to say that I now like this song and agree with those who are inclined to share their supposed affection for rock and roll.

If pressed, I have to admit that the song does, indeed, rock. The guitars crunch. The drums pump. The vocals shred. It's not false advertising. On the other hand, certain mustachioed tunesmiths may have agreed with my original view that such blatantly anthemic statements are ripe for ridicule.


View the original article here

Saturday 2 March 2013

John Belushi Lectures The Go-Go's About Using Coke ... And Then Offers Them Coke

On Miles Copeland's orders, the Go-Go's traveled to New York to record their debut album. But making a hit record was hardly the only activity on the band's mind:
Before leaving L.A., some of us had started to get into cocaine, though none more than me. I finally had enough money coming in to afford such an occasional indulgence. The funny thing was, I only knew one person who dealt it - a guy in a photo lab on Santa Monica Boulevard. I had to have him FedEx it to me in New York.
Ah yes, here comes the coke. But if Belinda thought she already knew how to do the dust, she had another thing coming. Time to meet a true master:
One day I got a package with half a gram in it and later that night I went with Kathy to the Mudd Club, where we were having a good time when John Belushi sidled up alongside us. John was one of my favorite comedians, and he was an equally big fan of the Go-Go's. He had seen us play the previous December at the Whiskey and partied with us a bit backstage afterward. After Kathy and I traded hellos with him and explained why we were in New York, I asked him if he wanted a hit of my coke.

Because of his reaction, I almost felt like I had insulted him. First his eyes widened, then he pulled Kathy and me close so we could hear him better, and then he proceeded to give us a stern lecture on the evils of drug use, fame, and the sycophant-filled world of show business. I was shocked. I felt kind of embarrassed and stupid for having offered him coke.

A week later, the phone in my hotel room rang at one in the morning. It was John. He said he was in the lobby and asked if he could come up. I said, "Sure, we're up." A moment later, I let him in and then stood back, shocked, as he blew past me like a blast of wind and circled the room. He was wild-eyed and obviously wired. He took a huge vial of coke out of his pocket, dumped it on his hand, and looked at me and Kathy and the other girls with the face of a toxic teddy bear.

"Do you want some?" he asked.

Uh ... wait a minute. What about that whole ... lecture?

Turns out Belinda hadn't been stupid for offering John Belushi coke. She'd been stupid for taking anything John Belushi said seriously.


View the original article here

Friday 1 March 2013

Madness' "Only" Hit AKA That Song About A House

In America in 1983, Madness came out of "nowhere" and released their "only" hit, "Our House."

When friends in college used to play "Our House" on the stereo, they would get this look on their faces which seemed to suggest thoughts such as "Who sings about their house? What a silly topic for a song!" But instead of this being an amusing insight, this was only an unintentional comment on the sad state of American pop music, where 95% of radio hits are generic love songs. When confronted with music that is not about a boy/girl relationship, the typical American listener does not know how to respond. He or she experiences discomfort and embarrassment, and covers up these feelings with defensive humor. The question, my friends, isn't "Who sings about their house?," but rather, "Why doesn't everybody sing about their house?"

I'm not surprised Madness didn't have many American hits; they were more British than the Queen's armpit hair. I am somewhat surprised, however, that their one big American hit happened to be "Our House." I mean, why "Our House"?

In one sense, it's simply another strong Madness single in a long line of strong Madness singles. It may not be their best song, but it is probably in the running. Is it slightly less "British" than their other singles? Did the presence of a string section make the song seem more "pop"?

On the other hand, "Our House" is arguably the kind of song that Madness had been working toward its whole career. Its sentiment is universal, its sound is stately and sweeping. There's nary a hint of ska to be found. Although it was not their biggest British hit, my guess is that even in the UK, it is probably their most well-known song.

I think the answer is that, while "Our House" is somewhat odd and kooky by typical American radio standards, it is less odd and kooky than songs about baggy trousers and joke shops. In other words, by Madness standards, "Our House" is relatively normal. It is just the right amount of odd: odd enough to be memorable, but not so odd that it simply bounces right off you.

Likewise, the video doesn't strike me as being one of Madness' strongest or poorest; if anything, the clip's goofy tone doesn't really do justice to the poignant, nostalgic flavor of the lyrics:

Father wears his Sunday best
Mother's tired, she needs a rest
The kids are playing up downstairs
Sister's sighing in her sleep
Brother's got a date to keep
He can't hang around

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our street

I remember way back then when everything was true and when
We would have such a very good time, such a fine time
Such a happy time
And I remember how we'd play, simply waste the day away
Then we'd say nothing would come between us, two dreamers

Wait, so if "way back then" was "such a happy time," then what does that say about the present? Does the present really stink? And who are the "two dreamers," and did something eventually come between them? These lines suggest that "Our House" is actually not a silly song about people's houses, but an elegy for lost youth and innocence.

You see, Madness songs are not mindless little ditties; they are three-minute works of literature. Madness singles are like mini-plays. Being fully aware of this, I was not surprised to learn about the existence of a Madness jukebox musical, which is called - surprise - Our House. Here's an excerpt of the plot summary:

Our House is the story of Joe Casey who, on the night of his sixteenth birthday, takes Sarah, the girl of his dreams, out on their first date. In an effort to impress her with bravado, he breaks into a building site overlooking his home on Casey Street, which is owned by Mister Pressman, a high-end property developer. The police turn up, at which point Joe’s life splits into two: the Good Joe, who stays to help, and Bad Joe, who flees.

Good Joe, having stayed to help Sarah, is sent to a ‘correctional facility’ for two years. On his release, finding that his past prevents him from getting a good job, he struggles to make ends meet. Despite managing to buy himself a second-hand car, he convinces himself that he is an embarrassment to all who care about him – especially Sarah, whose new college lifestyle reading law is complicated by Callum, a fellow student. In an effort to keep up with this guy, Good Joe is beguiled by his ‘mate’ Reecey into helping stage a break-in for some easy money – is caught and this time sent down.

I can already see the choice of numbers: "House of Fun," then "Driving In My Car," followed by "Embarrassment," then "Shut Up" - why, a Madness musical writes itself! Somehow or other the plot revolves around Joe's mother trying to keep a developer from destroying the cherished family ... you guessed it.

I think there's another reason why Madness are mainly known in the U.S. for "Our House": it was probably their last truly great single. Americans caught Madness Fever at precisely the wrong time. Sure, the group stuck around for a few more years, but the spirit faltered. The production grew dated, the lyrics became more generic - go and listen if you want. In that sense, "Our House" wasn't just an elegy for lost youth, but also for the band's artistic peak. I think if Madness had been able to follow up "Our House" with, say, "Night Boat To Cairo" or "Cardiac Arrest," they might have made a bigger splash over here. But instead, they had to sit back and let their earlier catalog spread the legacy. For those who bothered to find it.


View the original article here

Margot Olaverra and Kathy Valentine: The Pete Best And Ringo Starr Of The Go-Go's

If the Go-Go's were the female L.A. Beatles of the '80s (and they obviously were), then Margot Olaverra was their Pete Best. Like Best before her, Olaverra suffered through the difficult, unglamorous years with her band, only to be kicked out at the last minute and be denied even the tiniest sliver of fame and fortune. Pete Best's main problems were threefold: 1) he couldn't play the drums very well, 2) he was boring and he had no sense of humor, and 3) he was better looking than the other Beatles. Clearly, the addition of Ringo swiftly solved all three issues in one fell swoop. Margot's fatal flaw? She didn't want to actually be in a successful band:
She was still a committed punk and felt that we were selling out with pop-sounding music. She was against anything that sounded too polished and commercial. But that was the direction in which we were headed ...  She didn't take care of herself and missed rehearsals, and when she was there she was contrary and argumentative.

One day, as we struggled with the bridge to a new song, she stopped playing, which brought the song to a halt, and looked at us with a frustration that I found impossible to read. Then it became apparent that she didn't like what we were doing.

"Why can't we play songs like X?" she said.

I felt like she left rehearsals and bitched about us to her friends, like Exene Cervenka of X, who seemed to turn against us, especially me. I already felt like Exene thought I was a stupid, silly girl anyway.


In December, Margot was diagnosed with hepatitis A. It was another sign that she wasn't taking care of herself. We had to go to a clinic and get hepatitis shots, which put me in a foul mood. But we turned the situation into an opportunity to make a lineup change before the very important Whiskey gigs.
Kathy had been playing professionally since her teens in Austin, Texas. At sixteen, she had moved to London, and then three years later she'd come to L.A. and co-founded the Textones. She knew one of our roadies and immediately fit right in ... Onstage, she played as if she had been doing it for years. I looked at her at one point and thought, "We have to keep her."
Let's see...Kathy could play better, she wrote her own songs, she didn't care about militant punk ethos ... can you say "no brainer"?

But alas, Margot couldn't read the writing on the wall. Like the Beatles before them, the Go-Go's passed the painful duty on to their manager:

In January, Ginger was charged with the messy job of firing Margot. She was told that since she was the manager she had to do it. It was a chickenhearted move on our part, but none of us could handle the dirty work.

Margot responded as expected. She protested, cried, begged, and denied any of the problems we raised really existed. Ginger kept responding, "It was the band's decision."

Yeah, but it was the manager's misfortune to have to sit there and tell her it was the band's decision! At any rate, you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, and with the addition of their spunky new bass player, the Go-Go Alliance was finally complete: "With Kathy on board, we were a unified group. We eliminated the tension and added a talented new songwriter all in the same move."

Even though they'd just kicked out their most hardcore punk member, the Go-Go's didn't entirely abandon their gritty side. Belinda moved into an apartment that had become infamously known in the L.A. punk scene as Disgraceland:

Clothes were piled high as people, food had been left on every possible surface, the walls were filled with random scribbles and band posters, and it was as dirty as you would expect from a party pad that had the same hours as a 7-Eleven. It never closed.

I built a small altar in my room at Disgraceland. Even though Pleasant and I had serious boyfriends, we would cast spells on boys we liked. We would put a small amount of our period blood in a vial and surreptitiously drop it into the drink of whichever unsuspecting boys we were crushing on that night. It was something we had read in a book, and every time we did it, I laughed hysterically, thinking, If only they knew.

Belinda!

Bad Belinda! Bad!


View the original article here