Please Don't Hold the Mayo

I had to do it, I just had to I tell ya.  I'd somehow missed (avoided?) watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty until today.  This 1947 film stars Danny Kaye in the title role and it's no surprise I'd never watched the whole blessed thing before because I've seen very little of Kaye.

Danny Kaye was a very funny man and his performance in Walter Mitty is proof. Comedy is all about timing and he had that in spades. Kaye had the physicality of a Red Skelton who could sing and dance.  He combined verbal along with physical gymnastics. I guess you could say that Kaye had a motor mouth, but one with clear elocution that made for some funny bits. Kaye was perfect for film because he had such an likable, agreeable face.  If I had Jewish aunt she'd say: "What's not to like?"

The film itself is a pleasant enough diversion.  Some of the humor is a bit broad, especially by today's standards. The premise of a man stuck in a hum drum existence who daydreams fantastic adventures was tailor-made for film.  The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was based on a James Thurber story.  The author was apoplectic when he saw the film. The cinematic telling added real adventure to the story, thus, in Thurber's mind, diluting the fantasy.

The film is very pretty all gussied up in technicolor with elaborate sets for the fantasy sequences and real shots of 1940's New York melded into the story. In addition to Kaye, there's a delightful cast featuring Boris Karloff, Thurston Hall (once again playing a boss), Ann Rutherford, Fay Bainter, Reginald Denny, Fritz Feld (you may not recognize the name but Feld was a regular presence in movies and TV from the 1930s through the 1980s –  usually as a waiter or Maitre D' constantly making a popping sound with his mouth and hand, supposedly being very European, definitely being very officious) and last, but certainly not least, the delicious Virginia Mayo (pictured above with Dany Kaye).  Mayo plays Mitty's love interest. He's engaged to the drab Ann Rutherford but with Mayo our star gets adventure, heroics and real romance.

Mayo is a terribly underrated star perhaps best remembered as James Cagney's gun moll in White Heat. She was also part of a stellar cast in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) and was heart breaking and gorgeous opposite Joel McCrea in Colorado Territory (1949).  She played the wonderfully-named Colorado Carson.

Mayo was tough, smart and sexy all rolled into one.  She'd have been a star in any era –  including this one. Mayo saved the oft-times silly Secret Life of Walter Mitty for me.

Norman McLeod, who twice directed Marx Brothers films and was at the helm for the original Topper, directed Mitty and it's hard to find fault with his him.  Action, sight gags and transitions were all artfully done. 

  

According to IMDb a remake is in the works, which in itself is not a bad idea but Mike Myers is supposedly writing it and set to star which is a horrendous idea indeed.  In my opinion, Myers has lost his way since the second Austin Powers movie and he's liable to become a very bad toilet-humor version of Jerry Lewis.

Meanwhile, the original Mitty is available on DVD and is occasionally aired by TCM.  It's decent enough fun and the kids may like it if they've a taste for "older" films.  I've got the experience out of the way and it was painless _ as anything is with Virgina Mayo.

One please for...

I just watched a Seinfeld episode about the troubles our four friends have meeting at a movie on a Saturday night. In addition to providing the requisite chuckles it got me thinking about going to the movies.  I can't remember the last time I went to a film with anyone besides my wife or children.  More often than not I go alone.  A lot of people think it odd to go to a movie solo and I've even heard it suggested that its the sign of a loser to go it alone. However, going to a movie is not like sex, having a partner does not necessarily improve the experience.  A movie is not like dinner where you can not only talk before and after dining but during as well (between bites).

I would hazard to guess that serious movie goers are more likely than others to go alone.  We're not looking for a social experience and indeed that can inhibit viewing the film.  For God's sake, you could end up going with a movie talker. Plus, who knows where they're going to want to sit and they may want to leave before the credit finish (blasphemy!).

Not for me. My wife knows how to watch a movie. We have preferred seat locations and once the films starts we are alone together.

Another thing the episode got me thinking about was Saturday night at the movies.  That's the worst time to go unless you've picked a less attended or a movie that's not hot hot hot. Lots of young people, dates, and casual movie goers on Saturday nights.  Yak, yak yak.

My exception is the Pacific Film Archives in Berkeley, which is about the last place in the world people you'll ever hear people talk. And they do NOT allow food in the theater so you don't have to worry about pop corn chompers. (That's something I  just don't get:  spending exorbitant amounts of money on food that's bad for you. I've even seen people miss parts of a film buying the junk.  You get the same deal at the ballpark.

Anyway, unlike my good friends on Seinfeld, I never have to worry about trying to meet people at a movie theater on a Saturday night.  I'm glad they did though, it was worth some more yuks.

A Trip to Stockholm

Last week, I spent a few days with a friend sightseeing in Stockholm, Sweden. I have to admit I wasn't expecting much because I don't hear a lot of stories about travelling in Northern Europe from my friends. But Stockholm turned out to be seriously gorgeous and so comfortable.

The weather was absolutely perfect -it was cool, breezy and sunny. The weather definitely made the whole experience more comfortable and relaxing. Not to mention it made the sky and sea look especially blue for photos!

We first went to the Nobel Museum. Admittingly the exhibition was very short and there wasn't much to see. But there is a video room that plays short videos of past Nobel prize winners (mainly old interview footages.) You can sit there for hours and just watch -the videos are mostly pretty interesting. Coincidentally, we got the timing just right -we went there after 5pm on Tuesday so it was free entrance!

The next day we went to the Vasa Museum. It's basically a display of the old, sunk ship with many supporting displays of the old sailor days. It was definitely interesting to see such an old, authentic ship up close. After seeing the exhibition, we were very grateful we weren't sailors (despite our love for the nautical trend)! Afterwards we went to the Nordic Museum, which was frankly boring and not worth the visit.

Afterwards, we went to the Moderna Museet (Museum of Modern Art). The art there was actually fun and interesting to look at as it was modern and made up of artwork of a variety of medium, such as photography, sculptures and paintings. It's a nice change from looking at old paintings.

On the third day, we ventured out to see the Millesgarden, which is used to be the house of an architect. It's basically an exhibition of an amazing garden, his house and collected art pieces. I loved his garden! The fountain at the centre was absolutely gorgeous -especially with the amazing view behind it. It was so nice and relaxing to just sit there and feel the breeze!

Afterwards we went shopping, or at least we tried to. It turns out that the clothes in Stockholm were expensive, even more so than in London. We checked out NK, one of Stockholm's big department stores and were not impressed by the range of clothes or by how messy the sale was. So we ended up chilling at a park nearby, where a band was performing.

On the last day, we went to the Royal Palace, which is one of those must-see sightseeing spots. It was not a very grand palace (compared to the French or some other European ones) but it was still fun to walk in and around it.

Overall, I think it was just the weather and whole chilled out atmosphere of Stockholm that made it such a fabulous holiday! Seriously, look at the view!

Image Credit: My camera

A Golden Pickled Bull

Art? Well whatever your opinion this piece of art is more than worth its weight in gold. A pickled calf is expected to go for between $16 to $24 million at an auction in London this September. The calf is the latest offering from British artist Damien Hirst and if you think this art is a tad expensive, bear in mind his last offering, a diamond encrusted platinum skull sold for $100 million in 2007.

The calf has been submered in formaldehyde, its hooves and horns are cast in 18 Karat gold and its head is crowned with a solid gold disc. The 2.15 meter sculpture sits on a marble base and is encased in a gold-plated box.

In Jewish and Christian tradition, the term `Golden Calf' is a euphemism for the false god. Hirst's sculpture shows his interest in ``science, religion, beauty and death,'' according to a statement released by the auction house.

daily inspiration

This weekend was great - the sun was shining constantly and it was really hot. I spent most of my time outside by the lake side or by river side listening to music, hanging out with friends and family, eating lots of fruit and occasionally taking a swim. The time I spent inside I played Super Smash Bros. Brawl on Wii with my boyfriend, so much fun.
Then yesterday the Euro 08 finale took place and I went to the fanzone one last time. What a great night that was, the city was electric everybody was celebrating.
I've never seen the city so alive and buzzling as it has been now during the Euro, it was one big party almost every night. I hope all of your had a great weekend!


from StockholmStreetStyle
I recently got this skirt but so far I've only worn it once and in a rather unspectacular combination. This cute Swedish girl combined the skirt perfectly, making it look cool and laid back - like a rebel princess who ran off to become a rockstar ^o^ I might try something like this once the weather gets a bit cooler again. Right now I can't imagine wearing layers or something like a nylon skirt >.<

On another note, today the Haute Couture F/W 08.09 season starts in Paris. Today's highlights include Christian Dior and Giorgio Armani Privé, yay!

A Big Fat Omission

If you've never checked out a website called List Universe, be sure to set aside some time before you first visit it;  it's a fabulous time waster. They've got lists of everything from coincidences, mental disorders, controversial non-fiction books, disgusting parasites and on and on and on. Suffice it to say, there's something for every taste and it's constantly updated. (The most recent list is quotes from George Carlin. However, I mention them today with a heavy heart.)  

They've a recent list entitled:  Top Ten Funny Fat Guys in Entertainment.  Where, you ask, does Jackie Gleason rank on this list?  Try no where.  Chris Farley, who was around for the blink of an eye, is on the list. Some guys  named Ralphie May and Gabriel Iglesias are there. I've never heard of them, which means they must be new kids on the proverbial block. Rodney Dangerfield tops the list, which is fine, but how do you not have The Great One?  He meets all the criteria: he was very funny, very fat and very entertaining. For God's Sakes, he was bloody Ralph Kramden. Kramden (one of my alter egos along with Barney Fife, George Costanza and Homer Simpson) is one of the most recognizable characters in TV history.  Gleason himself was not only a wonderful comic but an outstanding dramatic actor (see The Hustler if you've any doubts).  Both Farley and John Candy (who's rightfully on the list) emulated Gleason.

If Gleason were 6th or 7th on the list behind these Ralphie and Julio guys I'd have squawked but it wouldn't have warranted a blog entry. When you disrespect one of the great entertainers of the 20th century, well you've done gotten my dander up. And it's not like the list maker(s) had a short memory because Oliver Hardy and Curly Howard were there.

So this is a lousy introduction to List Universe, but for those of you who've not visited, take it from me, this is a GREAT Web site. 

But what a bogus Funny Fat  Entertainer list.

It's Really Good Too

From today's New York Times Arts & Leisure section:

"Hugely entertaining!"
"I Love it. Sexy, built to thrill."
"Touches your heart."
"Sweetly exuberant."
"Terrific! Beautifully acted and written."
"The perfect thriller."
"Awe-Inspiring."
"Hilarious and heartfelt."
"Weaves a spell."
"Funny as hell."
"Mega-tons of fun."
"Really something to see."
"Absolutely riveting."
"Some kind of miracle...intelligent and sincere."
"A wondrous work."

"A summer smash.

"Genuinely enjoyable."

"Absolute rubbish.  The worst in years."

(Okay, so I threw in the last one to see if you were paying attention.)

Window Shopping at US Urban Outfitters Online

Last month I online window shopped the UK Urban Outfitters (-no, I didn't end up getting any of those items,) so I decided to do the same for the US site. Boy I tell you, the US UO has a way better selection of clothes at very decent prices. I'll try not to rant too much about the much cheaper prices in the States compared to the UKs.

I love this dress, especially the pink and teal-coloured ones. It's not exactly unique and it really reminds me of the early Rory Becca and Lauren Conrad designs but that's why I love it. It's simple, colourful and looks very versatile. I imagine it would be fantastic for many occasions in the summer. Plus, it's made of chiffon and looks like it's worth the 48usd price tag.

Even I think this dress is boring, but if I still had to go to school everyday, then this would be a great throwing-it-on-in-a-hurry piece. And judging from the photos, the dress provides a good canvas for the accessories to liven up the outfit if you feel like it.

I really liked this dress when I first saw the photo although now that I stare at it more, I'm liking it less. Maybe it's because the design's actually more interesting than the plain dress above. But anyhow, it looks like a fun dress to wear during daytime. And it somehow reminds me of Lauren Conrad too. Oh gosh, why does everything remind me of her?

Even though this dress is really not my style, it just looked too pretty for me not to post it. I can imagine Peyton wearing it in One Tree Hill.

Barneys Girl recently emailed me about this shirt and I love it! It's got small flowers all over the pattern but it's nice in that it doesn't look fussy. The design is clean cut and looks easy to wear. I find it so hard to find pretty blouses like this because most of the high street designs are there are either too boring or has too much detail on them. But this one is just right. I want a red one!

I've always related Urban Outfitters to graphic tees -that was one of the sources for its original success right? Anyhow, I'm a fan of most white tees that have simple or black and white designs on them and these fit the bill. I especially like the scribbled tee -it's all about the designed messiness!

I've been looking for a mid-waisted, structured mini dress for ages. There are loads of black minis out in shops now but they're usually not structured or skintight. The slight A-line silhouette this skirt has is so much more flattering.

I've been looking for simple, long necklaces in the UK Urban Outfitters and found nothing. This necklace (from US UO) is exactly what I'm looking for, and it's so affordable at 18usd (although I would probably wait for it to go on sale.)

All this imaginery shopping is making me want to go to the States just for UO!

Image Credit: www.urbanoutfitter.com

Elton John's Fancy Fete

Recently some star-studded events have been a case of 'spot the jewel' as opposed to 'sunglasses out'. The mega-bling look this year is definately on the outs as stylists and celebs generally prefer the more demure look. But, as they say, there has to be an exception to prove the rule. The exception was on Saturday night in a rather overcast UK country estate. The estate belonged to none other than Elton John and David Furnish, the event was their 10th annual White Tie and Tiara Ball, which was supported this year by Chopard and naturally the bling was outstanding.

Some 630 party-goers paid about $6,000 to glitter and gawk at some major jewelry pieces on some major Hollywood celebs.

There was the whopping 180-carat sapphire - one of the largest in the world - worn by Chopard co-president Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele's, pictured here in the red satin Dolce & Gabbana corset-gown.

Singer Natalie Imbruglia decided more was better when she chose this pendant that featured a 23.59ct spinel cabochon, a 41.06 emerald cabochon and a 180.65ct sapphire cabochon.

Actress Zhang Ziyi, literally dripped in diamonds - her necklace featured an astounding 98.18 carats worth - then of course there were her pear diamond drop earrings (6.59ct) and a large white gold bangle bracelet set with diamonds almost 8 carats worth.

Elizabeth Hurley made sure she stayed in the spotlight - after all there was heavy competition that evening - by wearing a fancy shaped diamond tiara weighed down with a total 192.2carats, diamond drop line earrings and a diamond cuff bracelet and of course, let us not forget Ms Anger Management herself, Naomi Campbell, wearing diamonds, diamonds and more diamonds.

Uma Thurman is engaged and has a mighty big ring to prove it.

The Kill Bill star broke the news in none other than the wedding section of the UK's The Times newspaper. In last week's Saturday edition of the paper, it read "The engagement is announced between Arpad, son of Mr Pascal Busson, of Paris, and Mrs Florence Harcourt-Smith, of South of France, and Uma, daughter of Mr and Mrs Robert A. F. Thurman of New York."

Uma's fiance is Swiss multimillionaire Arpad "Arki" Busson. He was previously married to supermodel Elle Macpherson. This will be her third trip down the aisle - her first marriage was to Gary Oldman and then to Ethan Hawke whom she divorced in 2003.

According to the papers, her engagement ring is a mega-rock - an 8-plus carat center stone surrounded by 20 smaller stones. One report in the New York Daily News, quoted a source saying "it's so big, she can't fit it through the sleeve of her coat".

Today's Outfit: fringe time

Pretty simple outfit today for going to the lake:

hat: Zara, top: H&M, shorts: self made ages ago, fringed gradiators: Topshop, fringed clutch: H&M

Like Tears in the Rain, Blade Runner Revisited

I don't generally care for  movies like Blade Runner which probably contributes to why I love it so much. Sci Fi films to me are usually silly, tedious and ultimately empty.  Blade Runner is none of those things.  It has at its heart a compelling story with intriguing characters.  Harrison Ford in the lead role is as good if not better here than he's been before or since. His Deckard is tough as nails yet thoughtful and vulnerable. It's not just that he falls in love with a replicant, the man gets scared practically to death and he gets his butt whipped three different times. Deckard proves the adage that its better to be lucky than good. This is not your run of the mill action hero. This is a regular guy up against irregular forces. In a world of make believe, he's believable.

It would be easy enough for the surrounding characters to be mere one dimensional props for the surrounding action, but they have heart and soul, even if they are androids. Speaking of best-ever performances, Rutger Hauer is utterly fantastic as the lethal killing machine who aches only to live longer to defy the genetic mortality that will soon claim him. We are thus forced to empathize with this killer at the most basic human level.

Blade Runner is filled with wonderful set pieces; individual frames that are rich, stand-alone tableaus.  A few such moments in a movie are a gift but Blade Runner has veritably two hours of them. The set designs evoke a future that is dark and wet and crowded. Director Ridley Scott has created a kind of futuristic color film noir. Scott has always liked to use rain or dripping water as an atmospheric touch (see Alien, Black Rain, 1492 and Gladiator) but never better than here. It is a creepy future all the more so because of its seeming plausibility.

Set pieces are all well and good but a movie is more than stills and Blade Runner delivers with indelible scenes from start to finish. Whether a chase through impossibly crowded streets or the administration of a replicant test, the pacing is excellent. All of the deaths in Blade Runner (save one brutal murder done literally by hand) are operatic. Yet this does not have the effect of making the violence pretty; rather, it is often heart breaking and like so much else in the movie, evocative.

In my latest viewing of Blade Runner I kept comparing  it with another movie I admire, Steven Spielberg's Minority Report.  Both are set in the future and involve police actions  that are unlike those required today. Perhaps not incidentally, both are based on stories by the late Science Fiction Writer Philip K. Dick. Minority Report is much sleeker, cleaner looking and frankly a lot more accurate in depicting the future world (Deckard uses a pay phone in Blade Runner; there are no mobiles). But it is that less glossy look of Blade Runner, the rough edges, that help make it a masterpiece.  

Both films expect the audience to ask important questions. Minority Report is very much a contemplation on government power and corruption – vital topics indeed.  But Blade Runner asks essential questions about the nature of life itself. It is an extraordinary film to discuss. It's hard to name many movies with so many strong talking points.

One of the reasons Blade Runner warrants repeat viewings is because it can be watched and admired in so many different ways. You could, for example just view it as a Sci Fi thriller. You can also try to decode some of its many complexities (there's several plot points I still haven't figured out.)  You will surely see something new each time you watch it.

Shhhhh!

I know what I'll do next time I got to a movie theater, I'll bring a big bag of food! It being impossible to eat either just before or just after a movie so I'll dine right there in the theater. First I'll open a can of soda. Pop fizz, the wonderful sounds of a can opening and cool refreshment on its way! Then I'll unwrap a sandwich, open a bag of chips and finish by tearing the wrapper of a candy bar. Oh, I may struggle with it a bit but I'll eventually get that darn wrapper off. Hmm, it’ll be dark during the movie so I may have to root around in the bag a bit but I'll be done before the movie's even half over!

Here's another thing I can do: chew gum! No, not discreetly. I’ll chomp away. The person sitting in front of me will understand.

Gee, l sure hope I don't forget to turn my cell phone off! If I don’t though, it's no big deal as cell phones ringing in public places is a common enough occurrence.

Maybe I should bring a friend and we can chat during the movie, comment on the characters, wonder what's taking place, and ask each other questions. Of course we'll keep our voices down to practically a whisper.
Yes there's nothing like a trip to the movies, especially if you're a complete-enough moron that you're able to disregard your fellow patrons.

Enjoy the show!

Nicole Kidman on Vogue's Cover for July 2008 Issue

Nicole Kidman cover in lieu of her upcoming Luhrmann film Australia of US Vogue’s July 2008 issue which was potographed earlier this year by Annie Leibovitz. The said issue includes 8 large glossy images by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz.

“The interview for the cover story was entitled "Days of Heaven" that candidly details an on set visit by Vogue reporter John Powers, as he had an intimate interview with, a heavily pregnant, Nicole Kidman discussing child baring, the Australian heat, her amazing co-star Hugh Jackman and crew visionary crew Baz Luhrmann. “

Check out the behind the scene video at Style.com’s Vogue section

Today Show Wedding Bling

The Today Show's "Race to the Alter" wedding on Wednesday featured no small amount of bling. The beautiful bride, LaDonna Bradford sparkled in $1 million dollars worth of platinum and diamond jewelry by Kwiat when she wed Darnell Suggs.

LaDonna choose a necklace featuring a whopping 50 carats (hey - why not), a 20 carat diamond bracelet, and a pair of classic platinum and 10-carat stud earrings. That's a total of 80 carats of diamonds - not including the rings themselves. To symbolize their official commitment, the couple also exchanged platinum wedding bands by Kwiat. In all, the blinging bride wore $1 million dollars of Kwiat diamonds.

The platinum rings, from Kwiat’s new bridal collection “Fidelity,” feature two individual bands of pure Platinum running parallel to each other to symbolize the couple’s intersecting love.

Juicy Couture: Something Looks Familiar

Whenever I go shopping, I can't help but say things like, 'This Zara top looks very Prada,' or 'Hmm, this shop is filled with Marni-esque stuff.' (Although I have been trying to voice it out loud less.) This year, while browsing through Juicy Couture accessories online, I can't help but see the similarities between the Juicy bags and bags by other designers. Now I'm not saying Juicy copied other designers. There are just elements of the bags that remind me of other bags.
The first thing I thought was, this looks like a Goyard bag. But after staring at the bag closely for awhile, it occured to me the print is of little puppies. And after staring at it for even longer, it starts to remind me of LAMB bags, which I didn't think was totally original either. What a web! (Or maybe just a triangle.)
The Gucci one is too cutesy for me and the Juicy one is too preppy and seems to be made of terry cloth (-says it all.) While the two technically have very different designs, they superficially look similar to me.
Reminds me of a Gucci F/W07 bag. I think it may even have been featured in an ad. Does anyone remember it and think so, or did I just imagine it?

It doesn't look exactly like a Gucci bag but that gold, circle metal piece in the middle is like the metal piece on a lot of the Gucci 08 bags.

Again, it's the metal plate on this Juicy bag that reminds me of another designer's bags. Can anyone guess?
I love this type of gold hardware that looks like a lock on handbags. The designer bag that has a lot of gold fake locks is by... it starts with the same letter as the one above.
This one is sort of obvious. One is by Dior and one is by Juicy. One is super expensive and one is relatively affordable. To be fair, both are equally cute, though not exactly my style.

Note that I am not saying Juicy copied the other designers. Nowadays with so many choices and designers out there, designers just seem to be inspired by other designers' designs or elements of the designs a lot. It reminds me of Derek Lam saying "There's no such thing as original design...... In a way, that's what fashion's about." Afterall, it's why certain designers are held higher than others, and why some designer collections are considered 'directional' in terms of trend. Anyway, it was fun just to look at the bunch of Juicy accessories together like this, wasn't it?

Image Credit: http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/, http://www.shopbop.com/, http://www.eluxury.com/

The Brat Pact

Knocked Up teen girls

These teen girls think it's fun to be pregnant.

They'll soon find out that it isn't. Dumb little girls!

Teenage girls getting pregnant on purpose and excited about it. If you haven’t heard this news story, let me explain. 17 teenage girls at a Massachusetts high school formed a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together. When one of the girls found out she was pregnant she said, “Sweet.” These girls were so desperate to get pregnant that one of them even had a homeless guy impregnate her. These teenage girls are fuckin crazy. Couldn’t they have found something better to do with their time like having a slumber party or getting drunk. Getting drunk is better than getting pregnant. These girls could’ve spent their time drinking Bacardi than having a baby. I’ll take a Bacardi over a baby any day.

Who the hell told these girls that having a baby is a good thing. Having a baby is never a good thing. Babies are loud, annoying, and obnoxious. They’re worser than wild animals. These girls will soon find out that having a baby isn’t fun. I’ll be surprised if all of these girls don’t give their babies up for adoption after they become tired of them.

These girls rushed to get pregnant. They didn’t even wait for the prom. At least wait for the prom to get knocked up. These girls see these young celebrity girls like Jamie Lynn Spears and Ashley Simpson getting pregnant and they want to get pregnant too. Just because a celebrity does something, doesn’t mean that you have to do it too. If Lindsay Lohan decides to get a penis implant, will you get a penis implant too? Do you want a cock like Lindsay?

The school was aware that these girls formed a pact to get pregnant and yet they didn’t do anything. That’s irresponsible. Don’t you think it would’ve been a good idea to stop these girls from getting pregnant after the gym teacher reported that all the girls are missing from gym class because they’re all in the nurse’s office getting pregnancy tests. I think the dean got most of these girls pregnant. That’s why the school turned their heads and acted like nothing was going on.

Don't Shoot the Blogger

TYPICAL AMERICAN FILM: Words exchanged between two characters. Tempers flare. Bullets fly. Operatic deaths. Much running, dodging about. Hero victorious, antagonist dead.

TYPICAL FRENCH FILM: A character goes about mundane daily tasks, slowly, carefully, typically. Another character enters the scene. They talk. Conversation meanders. Finally their talk reaches a climax, a gun is pulled one person is shot, falls over dead. The other character leaves.

In the American film the viewer has watched an action scene in which they've had a rooting interest and the denouement has satisfied the American desire for justice.

In the French film the viewer has felt less like a participant and more like an observer. Viewers are asked to contemplate the shooting without necessarily passing judgment.

Okay, so American action films can be a lot of fun and they do at times offer strong story lines and interesting characters. These films are often visually stunning and provide a couple hours worth of diversion.
French, and for that matter Italian and many other foreign films, give audiences a little less and ask a little more. Of course, what you get out of any experience is often equivalent to what you put into it. So viewers are more likely to "get something out of" watching a foreign film. There is more ambiguity in “foreign” stories as there is in life. They are a little closer to reality and a little further away from comics.

Of course I generalize. There are many great American films in large part because when you make thousands there are bound to be dozens of good ones and a handful of greats.

Viva le difference.

Haute Couture Cupcakes

Cupcakes are a great way to cut down on stress when planning your own party. People love having their own, individually wrapped slice of heaven, so it's a win-win situation! Present your cupcakes in a beautiful and fun display! Visit Paper Orchid Stationery to see more.

Delicate, blue snowflakes.

Pretty, cream seashells.

A spot of tea, anyone?!

Love Letter to Joan Blondell

Dear Ms. Blondell,

I realize that this comes to you at somewhat awkward time what with you being dead these past 29 years and all, but I just HAD to write. You see, despite your terminal condition, I have a mad crush on you. My feelings for you only intensified earlier this evening when I watched a double bill at the Pacific Film Archives here in Berkeley featuring none other than you. 

First I saw with you with Melvyn Douglas in There's Always a Woman. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the picture. I was just so terribly jealous because Douglas got to play your husband (tell me there was nothing between you). As you may recall Mary Astor was in the movie, too, and I've gotta tell ya, as much as I love Ms. Astor, she couldn't hold a candle to you. There are your eyes, like the biggest most beautiful round saucers in the universe. Oh and your body is so shapely and, let me just say, huggable. Now I know I risk embarrassing us both by adding this part but there was one scene in which you walked away and...well, your can just giggled so delightfully. 

Oh but please don't misunderstand Ms. Blondell, this is not just a physical attraction. It's always crystal clear that you're an intelligent woman, always one step ahead of everyone else. Maybe you're not always book smart, but definitely street smart and savvy.

I’ve seen lots of your pictures and loved you in every one of them. You stole the whole show in Gold Diggers of 1933. Sure Jimmy Cagney was great in Blonde Crazy, but that was YOUR movie. I don’t think of Night Nurse as a Barbara Stanwyck picture, I think of it as a Joan Blondell production. You don’t always have the biggest role, but you sure always have the biggest impact on the picture. I also admire how unpretentious you are (not like that stuck up Joan Crawford). Oh Ms. Blondell, you're obviously really fun-loving; it comes across whenever you’re on the screen. And Ms. Blondell I’m a fun-loving person, too.

Anyway, the second movie tonight was Three Girls About Town. You were hilarious again, smart again, and beautiful again. I just wish you'd have let your younger sister have that stupid old John Howard character so that WE could have run off together. I know this whole business about you being dead prohibits us ever getting together (and I don't think my wife, who's pretty terrific herself, would put up with it anyway) but if there's another life for us to live and we can be in the same place at the same time and be about the same age...well let’s just say I'd do anything to make you happy.

I love you Ms. Blondell -- may I call you Joan?

Sincerely,

Richard Hourula

SS08 Trend- Bronze and Blue Hues

One of my absolute favourite things to do every season is to scout out the latest eye shadow palettes. They are almost always drool worthy, making me want a piece of everything, even though I already have more make-up than I need.
This season the consensus for eye shadow seems to be bronze and blue hues. This look above from Sephora is the epitome of these two shades.
Smashbox calls it Desert Chic, with these Heat Wave (left) and Oasis (right) palettes.
Stila (left) just calls it their limited edition summer palette, while Lancome (right) calls it the Brazilian colors.
Shu Uemura has something similar with their Fleur de Rose (left) and Fleur de Source (right) palettes from their 25th Boutique Birthday Make-up Collection. I tried out the look for the Fleur de Rose palette, and besides bronze they also seem to favor a tinge of pink/red. The colors go on really strongly. The pink/red doesn't exactly make me look like somebody punched me (I asked), but let's just say that pink/red, dark purple and bronze (the suggested combo) is not exactly the most flattering colors for my fair skin tone. I think this Fleur de Rose palette has potential though, if you use only one or two colors at a time.
Other brands favouring the metallic bronze trend are Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier. Bobbi Brown also has a pink tinge, with their Bronzed Pink Look using the Bronze Pink metallic shade above (left). Laura Mercier has these really cute eye color pots (right) for their Gold Digger collection (they come up with all sorts of names for bronze....), that has an eye shadow shade AND a complimenting shade of their loose powder. I tried it and combined together, they go on extremely strongly. This is not for the faint heart. As much as I liked the double decker combo, it was definitely not my style.

To be honest, none of these bronze and blue palettes are really my style. Perhaps with the exception of the Fleur de Rose, none of the colors in these palettes seem to go together really well. Maybe it is just me, but despite the "look" shown above from Sephora, I just cannot imagine what I would do with these colors. It is a sad day indeed when this season's eye make-up palettes fail to excite me.

Image Source: Sephora, Shu Uemura, Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier