Happy Halloween From All of Us Here at Riku Writes

Gawker Nick Verreos Love--And A Note to all Sexy Warsaw Poland Office Workers

OK, so Friday morning rolled around (the day after Project Runway) and as it has become my custom, I have my big cup of coffee, sit down and get on the internets. For all these months, I LOVE reading the crazy Gawker/Defamer "Project Runway Recaps". I also secretly (I know I am coming out of the closet!) read their other recaps for the ridiculous Housewives of (fill in the city) and MTV's The Hills and The City whenever I feel like laughing out loud. I just like to read them to reassure myself that I'm not the ONLY one who thinks my brain cells are depleting when I'm watching those Housewives and MTV shows. But I digress...
This last Friday, I avoided them. I was afraid of the "Nick Verreos is NOOOOO Michael Kors" talk. But to my glee-fulness (is that a word?), someone sent me the link and told me the kind words the Recap said:

"Things We Loved:

• Nick Verreos: What a delightful surprise! Nick was kicked off way too early in season two and was one of the most talented and likeable designers in Runway history, and he filled in for Ms. Kors last night. Rather than a shrill, orange gay in a dumpy outfit, we got a witty, naturally olive gay in a dapper ensemble and it made us weep nostalic tears of joy. We're starting a campaign right now: for the upcoming L.A. seasons, replace Ms. Kors with Mr. Verreos. He's smart, knowledgeable, funny, and he knows exactly what the designers are going through on the show. He may not have the name recognition of Michael Kors, who is well know to all TJ Maxx shoppers the world over, but all the Runway diehards know who he is, and that will go a long way toward making us kinda sorta deal with this Lifetime b*******."

Awwww, I just clutched my pearls! Thank you Gawker Recap Writer. Please send any "We Want Nick To Judge Some More Petitions" to MyLifetime.com--or Gawker.com for that matter :)
To Read their entire Gawker Recap click HERE
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And to my Angry Polish Bretheren: Pencil Pusher: Gordana's Look

I hear that you are a bit miffed at my "She looks like an office Worker from Warsaw Poland" comment regarding Gordana Gelhausen's sad grey suit look. Sorry I wasn't specific enough, I meant to say "From pre-Cold War Communist Warsaw Poland..." You see in TV land, you must be brief with your comments. I Need Your Communist Badge Number please: A Uniform from Eastern Europe

I didn't mean to be disrespectful to office workers in Warsaw Poland--it was a joke kiddies. I am sure that there are A LOT of sexy, glamorous and beautiful office workers in Warsaw Poland--and I am sure I will hear from them! You can go ahead and say that all Greek and Venezuelan office workers look sad and gray--and I won't take it personally.

And as Santino Rice so eloquently put it: "Lighten Up It's Just Fashion!"

Nick Verreos Judges Top Six on Project Runway!

...And the Part of Michael Kors Will Be Played By...Instructor Nick: Nick Verreos sitting with Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Kerry Washington

What a whirlwind of a night last night! First, I hosted a fun OUT Magazine Fall Fashion event at the Macy's Men's Store in the Beverly Center from 7-9 PM, grabbed some dinner and then rushed home to watch Project Runway and of course, watch myself as I made a "special appearance" as a Guest Judge. Sitting next to Miss Heidi Klum is daunting enough---but Nina Garcia also?? Then they tell me the gorgeous actress--and L'oreal spokesperson--Kerry Washington was also going to be on hand! Let me tell you, I needed a couple extra tablets of Pepto Bismol to keep my stomach from making noises that even the designers up there on the runway would hear! Since I WAS there and spent nearly FOUR GRUELING hours of judging, from a real "insider's point of view" as well as a viewer,
Here are my Highlights (and lowlights of course!):

Are We Checking into the Plaza Athenee: Millionaire Arm Candy Looks

--Irina's Millionaire Playboy Arm Candy Uptown Look: I swear that's all I could think about when I saw the model Kalyn come down the runway: The Camel-colored woolen and fur sweater wrap, the luxe-looking (even though I agree with Nina, it was a bit Michael Levine's Couch Fabric!) tapestry strapless mini dress, the styling. Yes, it all pointed to a former model from Russia who hooked up with an overweight, not-so-cute, but BILLIONARE Playboy.
--Althea's Winning Jodphurs: We all loved this look. Very now, very fresh. The pants were great and that sweater wrap (yes, ANOTHER sweater wrap) was so cozy! This was the same model as above, BUT with no need to have a Billionaire Magnate on her arm. She has already moved on to own her own Model Agency!

Miss Minnesota 2009: Prom Dress Nightmare vs. Christopher's Bed Sheet Gown

--Christopher's Two-For-One Dress: At first glance, I was kinda liking it, as Katie stomped down the runway, but then--like a Caesar Salad that looks nice but then you begin tasting it and it has a bunch of anchovies--his dress made my face turn from "ah, that's nice" to "Oh dear, minor icky-poos". Nina's observation of a be-draggled bed sheet pretty much summed it up. He should have just ended it at the petals. Done.

Judy After Dark: Judy Jetson Halloween Costumes vs. Logan's zippered collar mini tucked-pouf look

--Everyone's Boyfriend Logan Neitzel Gets Space Age-y: Ahhhh, sad sad sad. I am sure that half the population of America will be giving me dirty looks the next time I am spotted at some random airport, for having a 25% responsibility for booting cutie Logan. I feel bad, trust me. I wish he would have done a better outfit. I know that in the past, stepping out of your comfort zone (or going "out there") is rewarded on Project Runway, but this was the wrong "stepping out". To be honest, I REALLY disliked Gordana's and might have even scored her lower than Logan's but in the end, his Judy Jetson meets Background-Dancer-in-a-Cindy-Lauper video look lost.
But I still love me some Logan. He visited me--along with Carol Hannah Whitfield (draw your own conclusions kiddies!)--at my Downtown LA NIKOLAKI studio not to long ago to say "hey!" (see photo above). I gave him a Nick "hey!" hug back. I hear he's moving to New York City! You get 'em Logan!

Click HERE to read my entire recap on myLifetime.com and click HERE for a fun little slide show the good people at Lifetime.com did of some of my designs.

Halloween Jewelry for Your Inner Goth

Blasphemy! Lechery! Blood! My jewelry box is crying out for a little death and destruction today, so let's get in touch with our inner goth in honor of the year’s creepiest holiday.

If you worshiped The Cure, wore black in honor of Morrissey’s interminable depression, or call The Nightmare Before Christmas your favorite holiday film, you’re already way ahead of the game. For those of you who need a refresher, here is a doom and gloom jewelry primer.

Cross necklaces are the building block of any Goth girl jewelry wardrobe. No, not the dainty little gold cross you might see on your sweet Aunt Linda. We’re talking large, layered, chunky cross necklaces that are definitely NOT a statement about how ‘devout’ you are.




Skulls: According to the experts at FIT,

“The human skull is the type of object once treasured as a memento mori (a reminder of death), later collected as a scientific specimen, and (is) now ubiquitous as an inspiration for gothic accessories.”

Diamond skulls are my favorite skeletal incarnation, but you can find them in an array of precious metal options.





Spikes: Instrument of death meet jewelry accessory. ‘Nuff said.








Chokers: Necklaces generally fit snug around your neck if you’re a goth princess. Perhaps to protect against your run-of-the-mill vampire or to show off your close relationship to a world without oxygen.








Bats and Spiders: Bats are big these days what with vampire chic taking a bite out of the fashion world, but you can expand the category to include spiders, webs, and any matter of the creepy and the crawly.













Rubies: Blood is big in the underworld, people, and what other gemstone could possibly represent the vampire elixir better than the ravenous ruby. Find them on a cross pendant or a spiked cuff, and you’ll double down on the all-important death and destruction factor.

So whether your true persuasion is uber-angelic or devilishly devious, Halloween is the perfect night to accessorize like it’s going to be your last. In the meantime, I’m off to dig up my Siouxsie and the Banshees concert T and that pesky white foundation.

Taylor Swift In Hot Water

Taylor Swift attended Katy Perry's birthday party at Sunset Beach in Hollywood over the weekend. It was attended by whole bunch of celebrity. Everyone attending wore white to have more fun involved in later paint fight. Unfortunately, Taylor was pictured with AJ English wearing a shirt with a swastika on it. Needless to say, Taylor was got involved with the controversy.

Nosferatu, A Symphony of Angles, Shapes, Shades and, Not Incidentally, Horror

It's all angles. Shapes. Shades. A camera that holds focus one beat longer than we expect.

Nosferatu (1922).

The director was F.W. Murnau. He was messing with people's minds.

Nosferatu is like a nightmare. Not a gross disgusting one that you want to run away from. No this is a bewitching, beguiling nightmare that despite the better angels of your nature you want to behold. More than that, you want to follow -- where will it take me? Surely this is ultimately harmless, it's only a dream (a movie). All those haunting images and that's not even including Count Orlock (Max Schreck).

Murnau was perhaps the leading practitioner of the expressionist school of film making that came out Germany in the 1920's (maybe it was Fritz Lang, I dunno). Give him the story of a vampire, indeed the vampire story, Dracula not at all thinly veiled, and well you're in for a spectacle.

The notion of the undead is frightening. A predatory killer is frightening. Innocents preyed on at night is frightening. You combine these three elements into a world that is itself a nightmare and you've got the full title of the movie -- Nosferatu, Symphony of Horror. One of the definitions for symphony is "something that in its harmonious complexity or variety suggests a symphonic composition." That's the film right there.

Imagine your worst nightmare come to life. Not the events so much as the look of it. All is abstraction and distortion. Nothing has more than two eyes, but the eyes are too long. Buildings do not float, or laugh or bleed, but they seem out of shape. There is gargoyle in everything but nothing being unreal, just distorted. Is a gargoyle so impossible a creature, or is just a little beyond what we know?

In Nosferatu so many objects seem to point to the heavens, they're so sharp. Like Orlock's incredible fingers, the masts of a ship and structures. The evil one's castle, at first view, looks like an erect phallus. Strong and angry and pointing.

Roads and alleys tilt, some seem endless like you could drown in them. All that sharpness yet the sense you could be swallowed up. Forest seemed menacing despite their beauty. Mountains are majestic, sure, but they are also foreboding. Windows are not ways to look out so much as ways to be seen, and view a nether world.

Young eyes might look at this relic of the silent era, their eyes washing out all the eccentricity of it. "That's not scary!" they'd exclaim. Obviously preferring a film that is the equivalent of someone sneaking up behind you and yelling "boo!" in your ear. Or perhaps a cinematic version of a steaming pile of feces being thrown at someone. "Yuck! Gross!" But if you let your imagination have any play within the world Murnau created, it'll scare the bejeezus out of you. And you know what else? The lack of voices just adds to the eeriness, making it all the more like a dream state.

Nosferatu is rightly famous for the curious Mr. Schreck's performance. He's meant to look like a rat, the notorious plague caring rodent part and parcel to the story and to many human fears. Herr Schreck lacks the sophistication of Bela Lugosi's Dracula. There isn't the intelligence that can make a predator all the scarier. But there is the inexorable malevolence of the creature totally without reason or the slightest chance of conscience. There is no negotiation with his Orlock, no nuance. Just like a rat he merely is.

The is he is is creepy. In a still photo he may appear silly. But when you watch him move, or worse, not move but watch, you'll shudder.

Nosferatu is a not your silly teenager vampire story of today. It's not about the teeth or bright red oozing blood. It's about creating a world that is your worst nightmare...but you can't look away.

Diamonds and Dial Tones - The Dior Phone Rules

Jewelry hounds, you all know that I J'adore Dior. So like any Charlize Theron wannabe, I'm falling in love with their latest round of blingy phone products due out just in time for the holidays.

Last year, Dior blew all the other designer phone brands out of the water with their Dior Phone Diamonds (Glorious Black) set with a whopping 641 diamonds, weighing in at 3.251 carats. Not enough bling for you? They threw in 34 black sapphire crystals for good measure for a pricetag of a mere $28 grand (yup, that's three zeroes).


This year, the recession must be affecting their price points since the new diamond phone offerings run from $7900 (red Zelie model) to $13, 400 ((white Zenaide model). No word yet on the carat count, but if you'd rather not have a diamond blingtone, there's a sapphire and gold-plated clamshell option covered in black PVD for $6500.

See? They're being reasonable.

I've already added this little ditty to my Christmas list - but one can apparently only get ones hands on the Dior dazzler by special order - so sharpen those claws and start praying to the fashion gods now. Santa doesn't have quite the pull in this arena.

Namewee In Korea

Namewee was in Korea to attend 15Malaysia PIFF Busan Film Festival. He also act as a tour guide bring you around and show you how beautiful Busan is.

Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart Break Up

A source told OK! magazine that Robert Pattinson was talking about marriage with Kristen Stewart. Kristen apparently viewed the idea as retarded and told Robert that they should take a break. Girls are different now, they want freedom and life. They won't sacrifice a forest because of a tree.

Two Taylor Together

Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner were spotted together at Los Angeles Kings game last weekend. Swift sent her driver to pick Lautner up. A source said "Taylor Swift was all dolled up and looked super pretty, she didn't mind the attention. Taylor Lautner, on the other hand, was hiding under a sweater." What a loser? What to shame off when you can hook up with such a pretty young lady.

Nick Verreos Films Kmart Ad!

Layaway Anyone?


Earlier this month, I shot a fun little ad campaign for Kmart and Kmart Layaway. Kmart contacted me and because of the success of the great Sears 2008 Holiday Grant A Wish Commercial I did last year (along with Ty Pennington, LL Cool J and Vanessa Hudgens), they asked if I would want to be a part of Kmart's Holiday Layaway Campaign. Did you know that Kmart is the ONLY mass discount US retailer to have Layaway Online! I know, shut up!Two weeks ago was National Layaway Week (who knew?) and this is when the ads "rolled out" (yes, I am using a lot of Ad Terminology, try to keep up with me). I shot one in Spanish and in English. Yes, kiddies, I'm BI-lingual. The Spanish one was titled a Breve Informativo, or Brief Infomercial. I know, I should work at Berlitz! (not!). We shot it all at the Kmart in Burbank and I had a lot of fun with the sales associates (they were so patient and lovely!) and with the wonderful manager of the store, Lloyd (see above photo). All in all , I was honored to be representing Kmart and to have filmed a Breve Informativo for one of my favorite (yes, I like deals too!!!) stores.
Click HERE for an interview I just did regarding KMART LAYAWAY for the California Apparel News.

The Damned United, A Damn Good Sports Movie

I love sports and I love movies. When the twain meet? Not so much. Most sports movies are cliche ridden, emotionally manipulative fantasies.

Most exceptions to the rule have come in the form of boxing films. Indeed I found enough good boxing films to compose a blog entry of my 11 favorites and with some really good ones left over. I'd be hard pressed to name 11 good movies from all other sports combined. But as of today I've got one I could add to such a list. Namely The Damned United which has only recently hit theaters here in the colonies.

Michael Sheen stars as English football (that's soccer to you Yanks) manager Brian Clough whose glory days stretched from the 1960'a through the 1980's. Sheen has now convincingly portrayed three famous Brits, two of whom are very much alive today, David Frost in Frost/Nixon (2008) and Tony Blair in The Queen (2006). No word yet whether he'll be playing Ricky Gervais or David Beckham anytime soon.

What makes The Damned United so different from your traditional sports film is that it's closer to being a riches-to-rags story than your usual rags-to-riches. No, our protagonist does not end up down and out, but this is a story of mid career failure in a life marked by soaring success.

Clough was, as most great coaches are, charismatic and Sheen captures that. I wanted to jump on screen and play for the man, quite unlike the players at Leeds United who he alienated seemingly to a man during his brief stint there. Clough was a man of strong opinions that he expressed without filtering. If you liked him he was refreshingly honest. If you didn't like him he was an obnoxious braggart. It wouldn't surprise you at this point if I were to reveal that he had an enormous ego. Again a characteristic shared by many of the greats in the world of sport.

Such a massive ego can have disastrous consequences. Blinded by our sense of purpose in life we can lose sight of the fact that there are fellow travelers along with us. Many of whom we rely on. No man is island and all that. Suffice to say that while ruffling some feathers, Clough cut off his nose to spite his face to mix some metaphors.

As we see in The Damned United, when Clough succeeded all glory, in his mind, went to Clough. When he failed others had let him down.

The manner of Clough's failures and success and whether he learns his lesson is best left to be discovered by seeing the film.

Question: Did I especially like the film because of my experiences playing soccer and coaching it and because of my knowledge and love of the British game? Sure. That said the film will have its appeal to Americans. After all the movie transcends sports and the minor cultural and vernacular differences between the world's two leading English speaking nations. In great measure Sheen is responsible. He has a wonderful screen presence, combing both a handsome face and a likable persona. He also is a damned good actor. No more example need be given than to repeat his success at playing a troika of recently famous figures. In this latest instance we see a man who previously looked and sounded quite like Blair and Frost, look and sound one helluva lot like Clough.

The Damned United also benefits from excellent directing by Tom Hooper who'll likely not be a relative unknown for long. The mixture of archival footage is often seamless, as good as you've seen. The rest of the cast is a who's who of British supporting players: Colm Meany, Timothy Spall, Jim Broadbent and the always wonderful Stephen Graham, an inspired choice to play the pugnacious Leeds midfielder Billy Bremner. The film captures the intense love and hate that is British football (why on earth Americans adopted the name football for the sport with the funny shaped ball and all that tackling is beyond me). I'm loathe to say that the Brits are more passionate about their football than Americans are about theirs or any other sport. Actually I believe they are but it's an impossible thing to quantify and thus measure. It is in large part different because of the geography of England is so different with all these teams crammed onto that island right next to each other. There are also less other sports diverting a fan's attention. In America a disappointed baseball fan might at the end of the season point with hope to his favorite basketball team's forthcoming campaign. In England a football fan is much more attached to this one team and does not find solace in other sports.

The Damned United gives a feel for this passion and the mythic figures that have bestrode the British football world. It is like an inside look into how one such person ticked (sometimes when he maybe should have tocked.)

This is what sports movie can and should do. Instead of tugging at our heart strings with sentimental pap they should provide the sort of life lessons that are inherit in athletic competition. When playing or rooting on your team athletics is very much about winning and losing. But stories of sports can explore so much more. We've had quite enough of last second touchdowns, stunning upset victories and improbable comebacks. Real sports has enough of those and they're completed unscripted and far more fantastic to behold.

Sports is an integral part of most cultures, certainly every dominant one in the world today. It thus deserves better tellings with the kind of depth and meaning provided by a film such as The Damned United. Either that it should be left alone by films entirely. That would be damned shame.

50 Cent Downsizes Diamonds

Whether your jewelry box is full of costume pieces or icy diamond jewels, the recession is forcing everyone to take stock of their stash with a discerning eye - including hip hop stars. In fact, rich rapper 50 Cent recently confessed that his diamond habit has taken a hit due to these tough economic times (the horror!)

Is he turning in his diamonds in for dollars? Putting the bling away for good business? Hosting gold parties at the mansion? Not really. He's just had to sell some of his old diamonds before buying new ones, according to The London Telegraph. Life's tough.

“The credit crunch has hit rap,” 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, said.

“I buy diamonds on a very regular basis, but now I am selling my old stuff before I get something new. “These are times when you learn about the value of money.”

50 Cent said he has lost "a few milion." in the past year:

“If you don’t lose money in this recession, it means you didn’t have enough to start off with,” Fitty explained. “Sure, I lost a few million, but that’s because I have so much. This is a time that will sort out the strong from the weak."

I'm heart-stricken by his loss.

Famous Brand Shop

At first glance, it seems to look like the famous outlet we often pay a visit. But when you pay more attention, you will realized that it is a reborn of the famous brand shop. This famous "reborn" brand name shops are to be opened and occupied the whole street of Wen An Jie. This only can happened and accepted in China. In other word, what you can't find in other countries, you can find it in China. Now, let start the game, spot the difference.



This is the famous cafe where we use to hang out is being reverse named. Instead of "Starbucks", it is named "Bucksstar". Hopefully the coffee is not reverse blended.



Our favourite pizza house is known "Pizza Huh" now.



Our favourite dessert house is called "Haagon-Bozs"



This is too much, 7 is replaced by a T.


Famous bakery shop



You can't believe this, "OMC McDonald's". What is this? Crap.... imitate for the sake of imitation.


Even "Watsons" have to become "Watons"