Nick Verreos Attends the World Figure Skating Championships in Los Angeles

How I became a Superfan of Figure Skating: Golden Girl: Republic of Korea's Yu-Na Kim wins the 2009 Ladies Figure Skating Championship (photo courtesy of Johnny Nicoloro)

Last week, the all-important "Academy Awards" of Figure Skating Competitions--the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2009--came to the Los Angeles STAPLES Center. The US and South African Pairs Team Is: Nick Verreos and Kara Janx, Season 2 Project Runway

Now, as many of you Project Runway fans may know (there are some of you still out there?) that back in Season 2, we were asked to design a costume for Olympic Figure Skater Sasha Cohen for the 7Th week of the show. The episode was aptly titled "On Thin Ice". Well kiddies, I was the ONLY one who even knew who Sasha Cohen was and acted like a thirteen year old girl meeting the Jonas Brothers when she was introduced to us (as well as what the challenge would be) . Not For Sasha Cohen: Nick Verreos' design for "On Thin Ice" episode, Project Runway Season 2

In short, I "came out of the closet" as being a fan of Figure Skating on Cable TV. To be honest, I was exposed to the sport by my partner and NIKOLAKI co-designer, David Paul, who is the REAL fan. So much so, that when David and his friend found out that the Championships were coming to LA, they each bought an entire WEEK'S PASS--to ALL the events! Needless to say, I didn't do that. He's SUPERFAN, I'm just a fan and a respectful TV watcher of the sport--oh and I REALLY love seeing those sometimes-wacky costumes!Superfan: NIKOLAKI co-designer David Paul, watching the practice sessions (photo courtesy of Johnny Nicoloro)

The entire week passed by and David was gone from 9 AM until 11 PM, almost living at the STAPLES Center, while I tended to NIKOLAKI and various other events and duties I had during the week. Saturday came and I had enough: After 6 days of listening to him in the evening go on and on about how AMAZING the Championships were, I caught the bug!Stand Out In A Crowd: Nick Verreos at the Staples Center

I went ahead and spent $200 and put my jacket and scarf on and got myself to the STAPLES Center to see the all-important Ladies Final Figure Skating Championship. My seat was fabulous (it should be for that price!) and it was near David and his skating buddies but I was by myself. A Fan With Taste: Renee Klish, the Army Art Curator for the US Army Center of Military History in Washington DC, poses with Nick Verreos at the STAPLES Center, World Figure Skating Championships

I was sandwiched between two lovely ladies who promptly schooled me with the "who, what and how" of the Ladies Final Championship skaters. Little did they know that I was already "up to speed" with fifteen years of watching figure skating on TV--heck I was even sent to Italy back in 2006 for the Torino Olympics to comment for NBC on the Ladies Figure Skating Costumes!
Miss Universe Parade of Nations: The top three skaters display their pride in front of the World's press

The Championships were AMAZING! I cannot lie. It was such a treat after years and years of seeing it on TV to be there, LIVE, watching it all happen . The Ladies Final Championship lasted about 6 hours (yep, all you see is about 2 hours of it on TV, when they get to the top 6 skaters at the end). The top Gold Medal Prize went to South Korea's Yu-Na Kim for her gorgeous and athletic performance. She did so many triples (triple jumps), she almost made me dizzy. The sold-out STAPLES crowd went CRAZY when she won. You'd think that half of South Korea was in attendance from the roar of the crowd and the flags that were being waved. Oh Canada, Oh Canada: Canada's Joannie Rochette at the World Figure Skating Championships ( photo courtesy of Johnny Nicoloro)

The First Runner Up, or Silver medal, went to one of my favorites, Canada's Joannie Rochette. I just love her. Don't know why, I just do. She reminds me of the "old school" Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen skaters. Lots of grace, beauty and artistry, which tends to be missing from the sport because it is now so heavily concentrated on athleticism and those all-important jumps. By the way, half of Canada WAS at the Staples cheering her on, as she won the Silver. Japan's Miki Ando "turns it out!" at the World's Figure Sakting Championships (photo courtesy of Johnny Nicoloro)

Finally Japan's Miki Ando received the Bronze, or Third Prize. Our American contenders didn't fare so well, but my favorite and the top US skater, Rachael Flatt, was incredible and in fact received a standing ovation for her performance. Rachael ended in fifth place, which was amazing for her considering she's only 16 years old and this was her first World Championship (more on Rachael at the end of this posting--wait for it!).Lyrical Ingenue: Sixteen Year Old Rachael Flatt: Fifth at the World Figure Skating Championships (photo courtesy of Johnny Nicoloro)

I was curiously drawn to her asymmetrical bodice red beaded Guipure Lace costume because the top portion silhouette reminded me so much of the design I did for Sasha Cohen on Season 2 Project Runway.
The Medal Ceremony: Kristi Yamaguchi is on the far left of the photo

A Medal Ceremony (which they don't show on TV unfortunately) soon followed, in which figure skating icon, Kristi Yamaguchi was on hand to present . Kristi, by the way, looked FABULOUS; her Dancing With The Stars body was in tip-top shape. After the Championships ended, I made my way to the lobby to find David and his friends, and before you could say "Michelle Kwan", I was surrounded with what seemed like 50 thirteen year old girls and their doting Mom's! They were all asking to take a photo and have me sign their booklets. I wondered if they were confused and thought that somehow I was a Figure Skater.
"I'm Not a Figure Skater from Greece!": Nick Verreos signs autographs and poses for photos at the Staples Center

In fact, I told the first photo-and-autograph seekers "Ummm, you know I'm not some famous figure skater right?" in embarrassment. They quickly responded with "Oh no, we know, you're Nick from Project Runway!!!!!" Well, I had no idea that Figure Skating Fans=Project Runway Fans. But now I do.
Now here's that "wait for it" moment: As I finally made it out the STAPLES Center, a woman with a couple of beautiful young girls came running up to me holding a phone: "Nick Nick!! Rachael Flatt (the 16 year old US skater) is on the phone and she LOVES you and wants to say 'Hi' !!". Then shortly after, her father introduces himself, telling me that they were big fans of the show and would love it if someday I would design Rachael's competition costume. Wow, I could not believe it! (neither could David). So we'll see. Maybe Rachael Flatt might be wearing a "Nick Verreos Original" when you see her at the Olympics next year.
Oh and you know that part about me not really being a "SUPERFAN". I am now.

Click Below for a video of the Medal Ceremony and the National Anthem of the Republic of Korea:

New York Housewife Dis-‘Count’-ed

The clothes, the jewelry, the botox, the self-imposed detachment from reality - our favorite reality show car crash, Real Housewives of New York City, certainly has it all. But fasten your diamond-clad seat belts - the juicy dish just got a whole lot dish-ier.

While all of the cast members – from Fran Drescher incarnate, Jill Zarin, to the social climbing ex-model, Kellie Killoren Bensimon – inspire my wrath on every episode, no one makes my eyes roll harder than LuAnn de Lesseps. Otherwise known as – The Countess.

For those of you who are blissfully unaware, The Countess takes great pride in being the Miss Manners of Manhattan – throwing her title around like it’s a one-way ticket to her own fiefdom. If her upcoming book title, “Class With The Countess” doesn’t give you enough of a picture, her overbearing and misguided etiquette lessons to anyone within earshot surely will.

The truth is, The Countess was originally a (gasp) commoner, who married in to her title. Her husband, the Count de Lesseps, has always been a fleeting presence on the show – dashing off to do ‘count-like’ things in Europe and the like leaving LuAnn to scoff at the help on her own.

But soon after celebrating her 16th wedding anniversary on March 16th, The Countess got the news (by email no less!) that her one-way ticket to the ‘other half’ decided that taking up with an Ethiopian woman in Geneva was more fun than being LuAnn’s ‘better half’ – leaving her stunned and – for once - at a loss for words.

A source told Page Six, “LuAnn was blindsided. She was just devastated. They have basically lived apart for many years — he lives in Europe and comes and goes as he pleases, but she never thought this would happen. "

I wonder if there is a chapter in her book on the graceful way to milk your husband for millions?

Equally as gauche is the recent court case surrounding housewife, Kellie, who while she isn’t spending her waking hours making sure her cast-mates know she’s well 'above' them, is apparently punching her boyfriend in the face. Oh, and designing jewelry.

I found this link to her small jewelry line that debuted last year on Owl's Lab. The imaginative collection is a series of…you guessed it…owl styles that are actually kindof a 'hoot' (sorry).

The Real Housewives of New York airs Tuesdays on Bravo! at 10pm.

acne heels

acne

I neeeed them - especially in beige <3!

Dietrich and Donat Find Love and Adventure During the Russian Revolution and I Discover A Fantastic Film

I love surprises. I got quite a surprise the other day when TCM offered its first ever showing of a film I'd not yet heard of, Knight Without Armor (1937). I saw that it starred Marlene Dietrich who has greatly enriched my fantasy life over the years (if only I could build a time machine I'd send myself back to the 1930's and...). That it co-starred Robert Donat, so wonderful in Hitchock's The 39 Steps, made it a must for the old DVR.

I didn't know what to expect. At this point in my life if I haven't heard of a film with such major stars in it I assume that it mustn't be very good. In this case I was very mistaken.

Donat plays a British journalist in pre Revolutionary Russia who, upon being booted out of the country for criticizing the Czarist regime, is recruited to stay and spy for his homeland. Meanwhile Dietrich is a very wealthy Countess who lives in luxury with a houseful of servants at her disposable.

Only a revolution could bring these two souls together and Mother Russia obliges. They fall madly in love. I'll dispense with further plot points, its best you discover it for yourself. If you missed it last week, fear not, you won’t have to wait three months or more to see it again. TCM will be re-airing next Monday at 1:00 am. Set your recording device now. (It’s not currently available in DVD.) Go on. Do it right away, you don't want to take a chance of forgetting. The rest of us will wait....

Knight without Armor is a Korda Brothers production and indeed TCM showed it as part of a tribute to the sibling film makers. The Hungarian born producers filmed this story of Russia in England with a German star and a French director born in Belgium, Jacques Feyder. The screenplay, based on James Hilton's novel, was adapted by American Frances Marion. How international can you get?

This melting pot of the movie had me wondering where it had been all my life. Unlike many other films set around the Russian Revolution it manages to be epic in scope without an epic length (just under an hour and three quarters).

One doesn't quite know what to rave about first. There is the lush cinematography of Harry Stradling Jr. who had a long and distinguished career; there is the wonderful score by Miklos Rosza for whom this was the first of nearly 100 films. And there is the brutal honesty of the story itself. White Russians executing Red Russians and Red Russians executing White Russians. By rifle and machine gun. It’s as violent a story you’ll see from the latter half of the Thirties. There is an alarming sense of arbitrariness coupled with an inevitable doom, that makes that violence all the more chilling.

I was struck by how realistic King Without Armor was. Yes you've got a fantastic love story with all manner of near miss high wire escapes and incredible fortune, but you've also got a vivid re-telling of the human toll and the unimaginable tragedy the Russian Revolution caused so many.

The train scenes alone have a documentary feel. The anxious waits at the trains stations, the crowding aboard trains. The desperation to get out, to anywhere. Then there are the on-the-spot trials many resulting in on-the-spot executions that are oh so chilling.

But the film’s most powerful scene is of the countess waking up in her mansion to find the servants gone. Every last one. Not a soul to wait on her hand and foot. There is the overwhelming sense that the world had been turned upside down (it had been) as she races around the empty rooms and out to the gardens finding no one. (The unexplained emptiness is eerie.) Finally she's confronted by an angry mob of revolutionaries seeking revenge on the aristocracy. It's an amazing scene and again the photography and score enhance it, but so does Feyer's composition of it.

And of course there is Dietrich's face. Feyer does not have the camera caress her in lingering close ups as von Sternberg so famously did, but he does have her framed perfectly in many shots. Using that lovely and evocative face to tell the story.

Dietrich is wonderful as the poor little rich girl, her very life capsized only to find an inner strength never before called upon. She also finds love in the arms of a stranger that helps her tap further reservoirs of bravery.

Donat here proves what a terrific star he could have been had not the terrible asthma that ultimately killed him much too soon limited the number of roles he could play. (Production of this film was slowed when he suffered a serious attack that sidelined him for a month). He is dashing and intelligent but shows enough fear to make his character seem all the more human and the story thus more real.

Together Dietrich and Donat are heroic because they betray vulnerabilities and doubt. They are not superheroes but two people facing an imaginable crisis using all the wits at their disposable.

What could have been, and indeed I feared, would be, a corny romance/adventure was a wonderful slice of history and touching love story.

What a great find this film was for me. I already cannot wait to watch it again to find more within it. And to think there is doubtless so much more out there to discover!

Yesterday:

dress - Zara; necklace - from Tokyo; boots - Zara; oxford booties - H&M

Can you tell I was more than a little inspired by the Vogue Nippon editorial I posted earlier? =P

I ended up wearing it like this because these Zara boots are much more rain resistant than the oxford booties.

Nick Verreos Will Be In San Antonio Texas this Thursday April 2nd!

Texas (Fashion) Hold 'Em!!!Nick Verreos co-emcees the IADT IMAGINE 2009 in San Antonio Texas, Thursday April 2nd

Watch out San Antonio, 'cause I'm coming! This week I will be flying into the big ol' State of Texas to co-host the International Academy of Design and Technology/IADT IMAGINE 2009 Fashion Show on Thursday April 2nd at the Norris Conference Center.
Last year, I had the pleasure of being invited to IADT San Antonio to emcee this wonderful event which showcases the fashions of IADT design students. I will also be doing a special workshop/seminar the day after at the IADT San Antonio Campus, discussing how I got into the world of Fashion Design and what steps you can take to navigate through "this crazy industry". Sibling Pose-Off: Nick Verreos poses with his sister Rita Verreos (wearing NIKOLAKI), at IADT San Antonio IMAGINE 2008 "red carpet" last year

I am always excited to return to the city San Antonio since it also just happens to be where my sister, Rita Verreos, lives as well as my beautiful nephew and niece, Alain and Casia. My parents also reside there. So as brief as my visit will be, I will try and get in some "Uncle Nick" time with them. Last time, they got a big kick out of riding in the limo with me to the event and sitting front row. I will have to see if my nephew Alain can put down his X-box 360 long enough to pay attention to his Uncle hosting and the pretty models (and fashion) that will be coming down the IMAGINE 2009 runway.Meet & Greet: Nick Verreos chats with a guest at last year's IADT San Antonio IMAGINE event and fashion show

If you are in the San Antonio area, make sure not to miss the show because it will be a great night of fashion , and a "Walk-Off" or two from yours truly--and hopefully I will get to meet you and take a fun photo--Call 210-530-9449 for tickets and info regarding my Seminar/ Meet-and-Greet the following day.
Click HERE for more IMAGINE 2009 Fashion Show information.

Paula Abdul's Accessory Overload

Dennis Rodman isn't the only celebrity courting an intervention. Paula Abdul might be America's favorite Idol judge, but she needs to be stopped when it comes to her shocking fashion choices.

It might be the Kids' Choice awards, but the age-appropriate police were totally sleeping on the job here.

Less is more, Paula. Less is more.

Rachel Zoe Designs for the Masses

Love her or hate her, uber-fashionista, Rachel Zoe, is fast becoming the empress of her own sartorial domain. In between filming her Bravo! show, The Rachel Zoe Project, and styling Hollywood’s A list, including Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner, Cameron Diaz and Demi Moore, People.com reports that Zoe is getting the ‘witch vibe’ for her own full-range clothing line.

We die!

While collection details are still top secret, Zoe promises a complete line that includes clothing, bags, fragrance, and – of course – jewelry. And price points won’t be as crazy stratospheric as her well-heeled clientele can afford.

“It will be absolutely, 100% accessible fashion for sure — for everybody.” Zoe explained.

“There’s no reason for me to do a luxury-level design. That’s not who I am. I don’t think it’s what people want from me. I think that I would need to give people that fantasy becoming a reality. That’s my job.”

Awww, she’s thinking about us huddled masses yearning to find deals.

And if you can’t wait to see what jewelry Zoe offers up (the collection launches next year), the fashion maven recently cleaned out her jewelry box to benefit the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. You can bid now on pieces she designed for Judith Leiber along with costume jewelry straight from her drawers on eBay’s DecadesTwo store and www.decadestwo.com.

And fans of the show will go bananas for news that the second season is scheduled to air sometime mid-year. Bring on the Brad bow-tied meltdowns!

It's Great To See You! A Celebration of Towering Figures in Small Roles

They're like an old friend who pops into town now and again. Or like a beloved Uncle who pays an occasional visit. They never hang around for long but their brief appearances are memorable. You can't wait to see them again. They're idiosyncratic, they're delightful. They are supporting players from films of the Thirties and Forties. Always a best man, never the groom.

The mere fact of their name in the opening credits can create anticipation. In addition to say Robert Montgomery and Carole Lombard you're getting a wonderful bonus that may help turn a good movie into a classic. It's no coincidence that they show up in most of the great films of their era. I suppose that calling them supporting players is a misnomer, after all, there are no small parts only small actors and these men are truly giants.

So I offer to you a dozen male "supporting" players who are as much apart of Hollywood's Golden Age as Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney or Clark Gable. For each I've included seven of the films in which they appeared. To show just how much territory they covered I've been careful not to mention any movie more than once. Is this the definitive list? Absolutely not. There are others, but these 12 will do for now. Could a similar list comprised of women by made? Indeed it could. This is a gentleman's only list, though female readers are, as always most welcome. This Not At All Dirty Dozen is offered in the order I thought of them.

Guy Kibbee. Chubby, bald and bumbling and fumbling. In other words, adorable. He usually had a fair amount of dough and was always a sucker for any nice looking dame who'd coo in his ear. Kibbee featured in some films but shined as a supporting player. Great as an inept politician. Seven Movies He Enhanced: Babes in Arms (1939), Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933), Footlight Parade (1933), 42nd Street (1933), Blonde Crazy (1931), Taxi! (1932), Rain (1932).

William Demarest. Gruff but lovable. Plenty of bluster but as harmless as a kitten. One of Preston Surges' regular company of players. Demarest will be best remembered by me as Constable Kockenlocker, the father of an unwed young mother-to-be in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Demarest proved here that he was a master of the pratfall. Often a very protective right hand man as in The Lady Eve were he has the great closing line: "positively the same dame." Seven Movies He Enhanced: Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944); The Lady Eve (1941); Sullivan's Travels (1941); The Devil and Miss Jones (1941); Palm Beach Story (1942); Along Came Jones (1945); The Great Man Votes (1939).

Eric Blore. The wonderful blogger and artist Kate Gabrielle of Silents and Talkies opined to me, that the world would be a far better place if everyone liked Eric Blore (pictured above). Amen sister. He was the British sidekick to countless stars. Often a butler, often simmering with anger, often up to something. Always a delightful character. Seven Movies He Enhanced: Swing Time (1936); Joy of Living (1938); The Lady Eve (1941); The Shanghai Gesture (1941); Love Happy (1949); The Ex Mrs. Bradford (1936).

Franklin Pangborn. No one would have dared point this out back in Pangborn's heyday but he was gay and he played gay characters. It wasn't an issue one way or another as long his sexuality wasn't spoken of and it wasn't. Another regular in Sturges' films. The classic Pangborn performance was as the frustrated reception comittee organizer in Hail the Conquering hero. Usually played an officious sort trying to keep things going while all around him went kablooey. Seven Movies He Enhanced: My Man Godfrey (1936); Flying Down to Rio (1933); The Bank Dick (1940); George Washington Slept Here (1942); Hail the Conquering Hero (1944); Now Voyager (1942); Stage Door (1937).

Charles Lane. Is there anything he wasn't in? My God the guy shows up everywhere. Counting TV he had 347 acting credits to this name. That's no typo, 347. Never a big role, often a desk clark or bureacrat. There's something about his ubiquity (look it's Charles Lane!) that gives any movie he's in a seal of approval. Never a cuddly character but always a pleasure to see. Lived to be a 102 years old. Seven Movies He Enhanced: Employee's Entrance (1933); Broadway Bill (1934); Twentieth Century (1934); Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936); You Can't Take it With You (1938); Union Depot (1932), Ball of Fire (1941).

Sig Ruman. Thrice a foil for the Marx Brothers most notably in A Night at the Opera as the Opera Manager Herman Gottlieb. Having been born in raised in Germany (served in their army during World War I) its no surprise that he played Germans. But was wonderful as a Russian in Ninotchka. Given his girth (ample) and his voice (booming) he could feel the screen visually and an aurally, always to wonderful effect. Seven Movies He Enhanced: Ninotchka (1939); A Night at the Opera (1935); A Day at the Races (1937); Only Angles Have Wings (1939); Berlin Correspondent (1942); It Happened Tomorrow (1944); A Night in Casablanca (1946).

Thomas Mitchell. Of this 12 he was probably the finest actor and won an Oscar (Best Supporting Actor in Stagecoach) to show for it. Memorable as a drunk or doing drunk scenes and an absolute revelation as Uncle Billy in It's A Wonderful Life. He could be smart, cynical, cowardly, dim witted or brave, but he was always lovable. Seven Movies He Enhanced: Stagecoach (1939); It's A Wonderful Life (1946); Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939); Theodora Goes Wild (1936); The Black Swan (1942); Bataan (1943); The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939).

C. Aubrey Smith. If the call went in to central casting for a tall, austere, older British gent, Smith most have topped the list. The white handle bar mustache, regal bearing and posh accent made him seem the epitome of the upper crust Englishman. Often a Colonel, sometimes a vixen's plaything, always a money in the bank performance. Seven Movies He Enhanced: Trouble in Paradise (1932); Queen Christina (1933); Cleopatra (1934); The Scarlett Empress (1934); Rebecca (1940); The Prisoner of Zenda (1937); China Seas (1935).

Edward Evertt Horton. Had a notable TV career but I 'll always think of him as Professor Nick Potter, mentor and friend to Cary Grant in Holiday. Was a constant companion to Fred Astaire in the Astaire/Rogers musicals. Best as a wealthy sophisticate but one possessed less with intellectual capacity than witless charm. Seven Movies He Enhanced: Holiday (1938); Arsenic And Old Lace (1944); The Gay Divorcee (1934), Top Hat (1935), Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941); The Devil is a Woman (1935); Lost Horizon (1937).

Frank Morgan. To most he was the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz but I'll always think of him as Hugo Matuschek the shop owner in Shop Around the Corner. It was a most moving performance as the kind-hearted boss who wrongly suspects that his most trusted employee is having an affair with his wife. Morgan was great as the dad, the boss or the absent minded professor. Seven Movies He Enhanced: The Shop Around the Corner (1940); The Wizard of Oz (1939); The Human Comedy (1943); The Mortal Storm (1940); Boom Town (1940); Honky Tonk (1941); Bombshell (1933).

Jerome Cowan. Best known for his brief appearance as the lecherous and doomed Miles Archer in The Maltese Falcon. Cowan had a long run in TV. He was perfect as the suave and wise second banana. Often the star's best friends, more often beaten out of the girl, a worthy rival but always second fiddle. Seven Movies He Enhanced: The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Hurricane (1937), You Only Live Once (1937); Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Mr. Skeffington (1944); Shall We Dance (1937); Torrid Zone (1940), City for Conquest (1940).

Asta. This plucky canine was, lamentably, typecast as a dog. But I'd be barking up the wrong tree if I made too much of that. The very fact of his being a dog cut short his career as his species don't tend to live as long as us homo sapiens. Played opposite William Powell and Myrna Loy several times and was always a scene stealer. Also noteworthy was a supporting role with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne in The Awful Truth. His private life is little known as he did not grant interviews. Doggone good actor. Five Movies He Enhanced: The Thin Man (1934); After The Thin Man (1936); The Awful Truth (1937); Topper Takes a Trip (1938); The Thin Man Goes Home (1944).

tagged

I got tagged by the lovely Mi-Ji from Styleseeking Zürich ^o^
What are you wearing right now? jeans, black tank, silver multi-chain necklace, grey long hodded cardigan
What's the last thing you read/are currently reading? Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami and the Manhwa Seduction More Beautiful Than Love (Vol. 2)
Do you nap a lot? No.
Who was the last person you hugged? My best friend.
What's your current obsession/addiction? avocados
What's for dinner? I didn't really have a proper supper but for lunch I had delicious Korean Bibimbap.
What was the last thing you bought? basic panties
What are you listening to right now? Tokyo Police Club <3
If you could have any super power, what would it be? To communicate in all languages.
What is your favorite weather, and why? Spring weather! I love mild and sunny weather, you can finally leave the house without a jacket after a long cold winter. Everything is coming to life and the air smells so good of freshly grown grass and blossoming flowers.
What time do you usually get up? 6.20 AM on weekday, on the weekend usually around 12AM >.<
What is your most challenging goal right now? I start my studies in Fall so right now I have to get all the paperwork done - quit my job, send the college application, transfer all my insurance services and stuff like that and figure out what I want to do in August until I start studying in September (most likely go to Paris!!)
Say something to the person who tagged you: Mi-Ji. Danke viil mal für's tagge. Ha grad kei Kamera zur Hand aber wird sicher mal no es Bild vo mim "blog spot" mache. Mached wiiter so mit oiem Blog, find ihn würkli sehr schön!
If you could have a house- totally paid for, fully furnished- anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? An apartment in Stockholm would be nice...or one of these typical Swedish houses in the coutryside surrounded by nothing bt nature.
Favorite vacation spot? Japan
What is your favorite item of clothing? Dresses and skirts.
Favorite pair of shoes you keep going back to over and over, even though your closet is overflowing with a zillion others? Vagabond biker boots
Name one thing you cannot live without: Music
What time is bed time? Anytime between 11PM and 1AM
If you could wake up anywhere tomorrow morning, where would it be? New York. I've become so obsessed with New York while watching Gossip Girl that I'd really love to visit some day. There are also tons of other beautiful places where I'd love to wake up but I thought I'd rather choose a place I've never been to before ^o^
I TAG: Nicky from Panda Lack of Color, Gennie from Maison des Rêveries, Behind the Seams and Frances from Happy Because

pictures from hobo magazine n°10 scanned by steen at TFS

morning glory

Lazy saturday mornings are the best <3! And now I'm going downtown to meet up with my friend. Hopefully it'll stop raining soon. Have a good Saturday!

sleep is no friend

It's been such a long week, I'm so glad the weekend is finally here and I get to relax a little. And what's the first thing I'm going? Taxes...>.< gah.

I just love Vogue Nippon, they always have such enchanting and endlessly beautiful editorials...not the mention the always incredible styling!



Vogue Nippon July 07 via ht_photography
TO DO: Dig up my black and white striped tights!

Diamonds Down Under

Bronx Mowgli's mom, Ashlee Simpson, brought out the bling at the MTV Australia Awards last night. Hubby Pete Wentz was also there as both a nominee and the show’s host, and the happy couple surprised the audience with a raunchy kiss after their onstage appearance.

"Sorry we haven't seen each other in a while," Simpson said. "So we're going to find a quiet place to go fornicate."

Poppa Simpson, cover your ears.

Ashlee’s red carpet uniform consisted of a basic black dress and a stunning pair of statement diamond earrings in a geometric design. Other red carpet winners included The Hills’ Audrina Partridge, who accessorized her blank stare with diamond drops to die for.

Singer, Duffy, made her own contribution to the little black frock brigade, but could have fared better with a little sparkle to liven things up. And Kylie sister, Dannii Minogue, proved the apple doesn’t fall far with a stunning silver J’Aton Couture dress with bejeweled fingerless gloves and peep toe pumps.

US band The Killers opened the awards show at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, followed by The Fray, Mauboy, Sia, Kaiser Chiefs, and Kings of Leon (via satellite).

And the highlight of the night? A surprise performance by none other than Vanilla Ice. Not the kind of ‘ice’ we jewelry hounds prefer, but I’m sure it was worth the cost of admission.

Word to your mother.

It Takes All Kinds (Or So I've Been Told)

Growing up I always heard that "it takes all kinds." It was never clear to me just exactly why "all kinds" were in fact required. As I grew older I wondered just exactly why we couldn't get away without certain kinds, such as homicidal maniacs, serial rapists, child molesters and Ann Coulter.

I thus long ago concluded that, taken literally, the concept of having all kinds is undesirable.

I was reminded of this yesterday while riding the bus, a form of conveyance that indeed attracts all kinds. I was minding my own beeswax (which is my wont on buses) reading a book titled "Berlin Games: How the Nazis Stole the Olympic Dream" by Guy Walters about the 1936 Olympic Games in Nazi Germany. I've always been at once intrigued and repelled by the Third Reich. It is equal parts fascinating and horrid. Ultimately nothing good came from it save valuable lessons on the nature of evil.

The gentleman occupying the seat next to me asked what I was reading. I gave him as brief a summary as possible and returned to my reading hoping that what would do.

No such luck.

"Do you know who this is?" he asked showing me photo of man that had been printed from the Internet.

I answered honestly that he looked familiar but I couldn't quite place him.

Heidegger, he informed me adding that the German philosopher was an inspiration to Nazi thinkers.

"Doesn't look Aryan, does he?" my bus mate asked.

"No he doesn't" I allowed still unaware that he was building towards something.

Next he showed me a full page of mug shots showing various leaders of Nazi Germany, Hitler himself among them.

"Do any of them look Aryan?" he asked.

What a coincidence, I thought. Here I am reading about the Nazis and I randomly sit next to someone who has pictures of their leaders. Moreover these pics reveal that the hypocritical b*stards didn't even resemble the Aryan ideal they so extolled.

Then my new friend outed himself as a true loony. "They were all Zionists," he revealed.

Yes, I thought, that would explain their systematic annihilation of 6 million Jews, wouldn't it. (I even think like a smart ass.)

My actual verbal reply was something along the lines of "uhmpfhg."

Before I could form an actual coherent sentence like, "say buddy, ever consider making cyanide a daily part of your diet?" the whackjob showed me a picture of the White House with a Jewish menorah superimposed over it. "You know what this is?" he asked indicating the menorah. Before I could reply he said, with great satisfaction, "a menorah; everyone in the White House now is a Zionist. See, its what they do, they take over governments."

Ya know, the fact that you can photo shop an iconic Jewish image over a picture of the White House is not terribly convincing of anything other than computer skills.

I looked up and saw that we were approaching my stop. I thanked the heavens that this had been a particularly short ride.

"You see what I'm saying," he asked.

"Yes, I do." I replied, meaning, of course, that as far as I was concerned what he was saying was that he himself is a certifiable kook trapped inside a normal looking body.

I knew better than to engage my Zionist-hating friend. People in his frame of mind have switched off the reasonable, rational portion of their brains. Any new information they receive is filtered through their rigid ideology (psychosis). Offering contradictions or alternative views to them are just like lobbing a softball. They'll swing from the heels and try to smash it back at ya.

My stop came and I veritably flew off the bus.

Our culture allows all kinds to speak out. Thankfully it allows us to tune them out if we so choose.

A Story As Timely as If Ripped From Today's Headlines!

Rape.
Manslaughter.
Hunger.
Amputation.
Mass unemployment.
Mobs of juveniles attacking police.


Not exactly the fare one associates with films of the 1930's. But it's all part of director William Wellman's, Wild Boys of the Road (1933). As is a teenager complaining to a judge about how banks, soldiers, farmers and breweries are getting help, but "What about us? We're kids!" This is not the "let's put on a show!" hokum most are accustomed to from 1930's cinema. Wild Boys is part of the truly Golden Age of American film known as the pre code era. Censorship was not rigidly enforced and films tackled mature and controversial subject matter in a way they would not be able to again for several decades. (See my recent posts on the pre code era. The first is linked to this sentence. And the second to this one.)

I hope you all saw Wild Boys on TCM the other night or that you taped, Tivo'd or VCR'd it. If not thank your lucky stars that it's finally come out on DVD.

This is a movie that pulls no punches; I submit as evidence the beginning of this post.

Two teens in Depression Era America take to the road to relieve their hungry families the burden of feeding them. The central character, Eddie, is so selfless he's already sold his beloved jalopy and given the cash to dear old dad. Along the way our friends meet a fellow traveler, a lovely young girl badly disguised as a boy. Not surprisingly their numbers soon multiply as other adolescent vagabonds join them. They ride the rails seeking an elusive job, along the way providing each other with company and solidarity.

Meanwhile they constantly run afoul of authorities, who after all have to enforce the laws of the land. These desperate times call for desperate measures and the waifs take on first railroad bulls and later the police. The results of this latter battle are inevitable.

Wild Boys is a great companion piece to John Ford's Grapes of Wrath (1940). Both show a bent but not broken country in which the American dream has given way to nightmare. The rich and powerful have survived the Depression relatively unscathed while the masses have taken a direct hit. (This would be an appropriate point to pause and read the great Langston Hughes poem "Let America Be America Again" which this sentence is linked to.) Both Wellman and Ford were depicting an American in which the indomitable will of the people could take on and perhaps even overcome any hardship. Their films show the ugly truth of America during the depression. Good people resorting to any measure, even slipping into lawlessness, in a desperate attempt to maintain their dignity.

What is dignity if not a roof over your head and a full belly for you and yours? Is it not also self sufficiency? The myth perpetrated over the years by conservatives is of legions of American with their hands out begging for government relief or welfare checks. That's not most Americans. Most Americans will accept a temporary handout but truly desire a long term solution. As far as these people are concerned a government that has done so much for businesses is more than welcome to help. That law abiding Americans were forced to resort to crime speaks of America's great peril. This also, not incidentally, serves as a primer to what poverty doe to those who suffer it in even the bet of times.

Wellman and Ford have captured the struggle that ripped not just at the social fabric of the country, but within the souls of Americans. Whether it is Henry Fonda as Tom Joad or Frankie Daro as Eddie or anyone of dozens of other characters, the bewilderment mixed with moxie combined with faith are etched in their faces. And thankfully Wild Boys shows that not all such faces are white. These films are prescient today as America teeters precariously on the brink of another Depression and its citizens rage at corporate heads handed huge bonuses as rewards despite public records of incompetence.

Wild Boys ends with a note of hope. Our arrested heroes face a kindly judge who gives a personal pledge to help. Eddie's somersault down the sidewalk bespeaks the renewed optimism Americans were starting to feel at the time of the movie's release. After all they had just elected a new president who offered hope after the failed policies of a Republican. Wait, that really sounds familiar.....

Carrie Ann Inaba wears NIKOLAKI (again!) on "Dancing With The Stars"!!

(Grecian) Hawaiian Goddess!!!!One Shoulder Empress: Carrie Ann Inaba critiques in NIKOLAKI gown on Dancing With The Stars

This week on ABC's Dancing With The Stars, we accomplished a NIKOLAKI first: Three gowns in two weeks on national TV! The gorgeous judge Carrie Ann Inaba (sorry Bruno) wore another one of our gowns on this week's Elimination Show. We were thrilled, surprised and ecstatic when we got an email saying that indeed the lovely Ms. Inaba would be wearing another one of our designs.
My design partner, David Paul has been away at the Staples Center attending the World Figure Skating Competition and I have had to helm the NIKOLAKI studio on my own (crazy thought!) and I rushed to hit the DVR/TiVo button--oh and tell everyone from here to Caracas Venezuela!. The DWTS Panel: Carrie Ann workin' her NIKOLAKI gown (from chest up!)

Carrie Ann chose an ivory silk jersey "Grecian Goddess" one-shoulder draped cowl gown with black silk-rayon Duchesse satin band (is that enough of a description for you guys?) and looked GORGEOUS in it! White looks REALLY good against her skin color. It goes without saying: We love you Carrie Ann!!!! Athena: Model Dominique in the ivory silk jersey one-shoulder gown worn by Carrie Ann Inaba

We got so many emails from friends and family who recognized the gown, but were bummed that not enough was shown--so here's the entire gown as it was shot for our Website Look Book on the equally beautiful 16 year old model, Dominique.
Click BELOW to view the elimination portion of this week's episode (and catch a glimpse of Carrie Ann Inaba wearing NIKOLAKI)

Champagne, Cinema and Scarlett Johannson

She acts, she models, she 'sings'…now the effervescent Scarlett Johansson can add “First Face of Champagne” to her glittering resume.

Last night London’s finest stepped out at the famous Blue Sky studio to celebrate Moet & Chandon’s “Tribute to Cinema” event, where they unveiled the first celebrity ambassador to the world of bubbly libations.

Tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.

"Moet and the movies both tell compelling stories and share authentic emotions with the world," explained the divine Miss Scarlett.

"I am honored to have been chosen as their ambassador and to make history with the brand, as the first celebrity face of champagne!"

The lady of the hour arrived looking VERY brunette in a lacy little black dress and stunning S-shaped diamond earrings. British celebs like Thandie Newton and Joseph Fiennes (where have you been?) made a red carpet appearance, and model Eva Herzigova dazzled in a diamond choker and a strapless red Dolce & Gabbana puff dress from their Spring 2009 collection.

Moet will launch an international advertising campaign starring Johansson, which was shot by renowned photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. The campaign will include print, outdoor and online advertising, featuring Moet and Scarlett as icons of celebration and reinforcing the brand as the champagne of cinema.










So you’re an 'icon of celebration'. You're drop-dead gorgeous. Ryan Reynolds is your husband. You can hand-pick your starring roles. AND you get a lifetime supply of Moet?

Pass the bubbly. I'm getting depressed.