Oscars 2010

First things first...the show wasn't very good. The opening was bad, even though I like Neil Patrick Harris, and I thought Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin's stand-up opening wasn't very funny. Steve Martin's later off the cuff stuff was funny, but that was about it. Didn't enjoy a tribute to horror movies (wtf?) and the people talking about the actor nominees wasn't as moving as last year. I did like the dance to the best score nominees and, of course, I liked the John Hughes tribute. But, who cares, right? We're here to talk fashion.

Ruffles, ruffles, everywhere:
Vera Farmiga
I love the color but I'm not a fan of this type of dress which seems to pop up a lot. Too many ruffles!

Worst use of the color grey:
Elizabeth Banks
A lot of women wore grey/silver on the red carpet. Like A LOT. But I found that her hair color and complexion made this color all wrong. She later changed into this which I think I like better.

Best use of the color grey:
Helen Mirren
Okay, so maybe it's silver but damn, she's a silver fox.

Old lady dresses:
Marisa Tomei and Meryl Streep
Marisa just looks ridiculous but I was really disappointed in Meryl. She usually brings the kooky crazy but this just looks grandma-ish. I think it has shoulder pads.

Best way to draw attention to your boobs:
Charlize Theron
Don't hate the entire dress, per se, but hate the chest area. You can't help but stare at her boobs because those things are so distracting.

Worst attempt to combine two dresses:
Zoe Saldana
I don't really understand this. Yes, the bottom is crazy. But I don't always mind the crazy dramatic. But it's just that the top sparkly part doesn't seem to have anything to do with the skirt. So my overall vote is a NO.

Lifetime achievement award for most uncomfortable in a dress on the red carpet:
Tina Fey
Oh, Tina. I just don't know what to do with you.

Best lingerie:
Miley Cyrus
Oh, wait, she wore that as a dress? Crap.

Favorite color:
Penelope Cruz
I'm a sucker for burgundy and man, she wore it well.

Most embarrassingly similar dresses:
Jennifer Lopez and Amanda Seyfried
So apparently Armani made both of these dresses and they are pretty damn similar. The great news is, I hate both of them! Amanda's seriously stiff breast plate freaked me out and JLo's hip tumor seemed silly. Points to Lopez for being just naturally beautiful though, no matter how annoying. Amanda's a two time loser because she changed into this terrible number for the after party.

The Just Say No to tight updo's award:
Nicole Ritchie
Sorry honey. Jennifer Lopez might have the face to pull off a bun but you, sadly, do not.

Token male review:
Quentin Tarantino
Mickey Rourke was not in attendance so we get to focus on Quentin. He wore a regular tux to the Oscars but he did seem either drunk, high, or sick while presenting. But I was happy to see that he changed into his standard leather, hip hop trainwreck for the after parties.

Can't we just change the color of the dress? Please?:
Demi Moore and Anna Kendrick
I'm really not a fan of the "nude" color or "blush" or whatever you want to call it. At best it's boring and, at worst, it totally washes a person out. Demi's dress almost perfectly matches her fake tan. But I do really like the dress for some reason. And Anna's dress is lovely and soft and fits perfectly. It was just sort of blah in a sea of shiny sparkly stuff on the red carpet. Though it is WAY better than the unfortunate dress she changed in to.

Weirdest couple:
Jamie Foxx and Stacey Dash
I was flipping channels and caught Foxx giving an interview and who was on his arm? Stacey Dash. One of my favorites from "Clueless" and "Renaissance Man". Apparently they're dating. Or something. Weird. But I've always thought that she was gorgeous.

Somewhat scary:
Hilary Swank

Best dress on a non-famous person:
Zoe Kravitz
Okay, so she's not totally incognito, but Lenny Kravitz's daughter (with Lisa Bonet) looked really pretty. I like that.

The most retro:
Heidi Klum
Yes, crazy, but she's rad and pulled it off.

Dress with a sense of humor:
Carey Mulligan
At first glance, I liked Carey's gown. It wasn't as unflattering as her previous ones and, though I thought it was really bedazzled, I didn't mind it. But then people started talking about what all the stuff on the bodice was...little tiny scissors and forks and knives. I like it.

What's going on here?:
Leslie Mann and Salma Hayek
I stared at Leslie Mann's dress for 5 minutes and my first thought was that she was pregnant. She's not. And Salma is just trying to hypnotize me.

The dress that caused the most inner turmoil:
Sarah Jessica Parker
I just don't know. On the one hand, she's SJP so she has to wear something non-traditional. On the other hand, it's basically a bag with no shape. On the other hand, I kind of liked the buttercream yellow on her. On the other hand, her hair is big and weird. On the other hand, I kind of enjoyed the back. I just don't know.

The award for surprising me by looking really great:
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kelly Osborne, and Kristen Stewart
Surprisingly good, no? I usually think Maggie either looks like a bag lady or an alien and I really liked her last night. I admire her choice of a print when no one every does that. And the colors, cut, and hair were all very pretty. Kelly Osborne yes, has purple hair which is atrocious, but I was shocked when I saw the dress. I really like it. And Kristen Stewart who is BY FAR the worst public speaker I have ever seen actually chose a pretty rad dress. One of my favorites.

Most disappointing:
Cameron Diaz
Most people thought she looked great. I thought she didn't look like herself at all. She usually brings the quirky young style with interesting dresses. But this A-line shiny ballgown was boring. And so was her hair. Just not into it. She changed into this which I realize isn't out of this world, but I like it better. I guess I don't like big skirts on her.

Best dress on a woman who has no business looking good:
Molly Ringwald
Is it me or is that dress kind of rad? The gold metal accessories are slightly weird, but I'm just kind of down with the cut and color. Christ, I've even forgotten that it's one shouldered. What's wrong with me?

Avant Garde?:
Diane Kruger
Diane always always wears interesting high fashion stuff. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it sucks. But I was not feeling this. The big puffy parts just in the middle section just turn me off. And, to make matters worse, I thought it was the worst hair and makeup she's had in a long time. She did change into this and maybe it's just the sweet Pacey arm candy, but she looks better.

Least favorite:
Kate Winslet
The worst dress on my favorite person. I am sad. This two piece David's Bridal number just plain SUCKS though.

Favorites!!:
Sandra Bullock, Rachel McAdamsand Kate Bosworth
When Sandra showed up on the red carpet, I wasn't sure. Was it too gold? But the top detail and the shots from the chest up were just lovely. And on stage in high-def that dress kicked ass. I do love Rachel's dress a lot. The multi-color tie-dye esque pattern is kind of rad. And the dress looks totally comfortable while being dramatic. Love it. And, shockingly, I really like Kate Bosworth's dress. She usually looks like a starving skeleton, but I love the color and the cut. Bravo.

Oscar Nominations

This morning the oscar nominations were announced. This year they expanded the Best Picture category to 10 films in the hopes that it would bring more viewers to the telecast. I find that hysterical because all they did was nominate more small indie movies that no one has seen. I thought that with the expansion they would nominate a "Star Trek" or "The Hangover". Nope, it paved the way for a "A Serious Man" nomination which is a film that has been seen by 15 people. Well, let's hope something draws the viewers....

My thoughts...

Best Actor

Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner in "The Hurt Locker"

Colin Firth and Morgan Freeman were maybes but I guess I'm glad that Mr. Darcy is getting Oscar nods. Jeremy Renner was amazing but Jeff Bridges will win. And why shouldn't The Dude be an Oscar winner?

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon in “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds"

I think they wanted to be sure that Matt Damon showed up looking good in a tux so they've cemented that reality. Haven't seen the Plummer or Tucci movies. I'm so happy that Harrelson got nominated because he was damn good. But Christoph Waltz is the clear winner here.

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep in "Julie and Julia"

First, I'm kind of over this Gabby Sidibe chick. Is she really that good in the movie? She doesn't have that many lines and to me she didn't seem like she did that much. But whatever. Oscar likes their fairy tale stories. And, speaking of...Sandra Bullock has been nominated for an Oscar. Wow. It seems like everything thinks that movie is a joke yet she keeps winning awards. So good for her. She's made enough amazing girl movies that I support her. But the fact that she could beat Meryl Streep is a bit ridiculous. This one's a toss up.

Best Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

The Academy must love Penelope Cruz because she's always nominated under the radar. This was the one category that I was surprised by because Maggie Gyllenhaal was nominated. She hasn't really been nominated at all this awards season. I have to say, I have never been a fan and I thought she was completely miscast as a love interest for Jeff Bridges in that movie. But oh well. Mo'Nique will win in a landslide and she deserves to.

Best Director
“Avatar” - James Cameron
“The Hurt Locker” - Kathryn Bigelow
“Inglourious Basterds” - Quentin Tarantino
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” - Lee Daniels
“Up in the Air” - Jason Reitman

Tarantino doesn't have a chance which is too bad because he's so rad. (And would give an amazing speech). This is the one category which I will be so pissed about if Cameron wins. For a guy who makes movies I love (mostly...up until recently), I really can't stand him. What an arrogant prick. So I hope Kathryn Bigelow wins. Not only because she made a great movie, but because she directed "Point Break". Amazing.

Best Picture
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

This was a little surprising as I said above. I thought they'd nominate a few more mainstream movies. Although The Blind Side was very unexpected. Not sure what will win. I'm worried that they'll reward Avatar simply because of the technology it's created and the VFX strides that they made. Which is a bummer because that movie sucks. My vote is for The Hurt Locker or Inglourious Basterds. We'll see on March 7th!

Best/Worst Movies of 2009

I can honestly say this was the worst year for movies I can remember in a long time. At least for the 7 years I've been doing this on this blog and for many years before that I'm sure. Not sure what happened but not a single movie really blew me away. There were a couple good ones but, seriously, what a mediocre year.

TOP 10 LEAST FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2009

10. Avatar
Yes, technologically amazing and pretty. But I just can't ignore the fact that I didn't like any of the characters and I could not get any real emotion from either the male or female lead. And the Pandora world was so cartoon-y looking with it's bright colors and CGI that it refused to hook me.

9. 500 Days of Summer
Annoying hip and indie. And of course I have a Zooey Deschanel problem.

8. An Ugly Truth
My god is Katherine Heigl annoying nowadays. And this movie plays up her uptight annoying factor. Of course, I said the same thing last year about 27 Dresses on this exact list and I've watched that like 15 times on HBO.

7. GI Joe
I worked on it. And it sucked.

6. I Love You Man
I wanted this to be good because I adore Paul Rudd. The only way to make me not like him? Make him a girly wussy with no male friends.

5. Bruno
Just didn't think it was funny.

4. Bride Wars
Ugh. I'm offended for all chick flicks.

3. Confessions of a Shopaholic
See above.

2. Watchmen
Had trouble sitting through this one it was so bad.

1. Twilight: New Moon
Now, the first one was "bad" but it was enjoyable. This was just bad bad. Will I see the third film? Probably.


TOP 10 FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2009

10 1/2. First 30 minutes of Funny People
This movie deserves a shout out because it could have been good. COULD have. It started off so well...

10. Crazy Heart
Simple story and, while Maggie Gyllenhaal was annoying, the music is FANTASTIC and Jeff Bridges is great.

9. Julie and Julia
Ahh, Meryl Streep. So comforting.

8. An Education
Nice little British movie with a refreshing young star.

7. Star Trek
The best big summer popcorn flick I've seen in a long time. Probably because Chris Pine and the rest of the cast are so charismatic.

6. The Hangover
Have you heard? It's funny.

5. The Proposal
Makes the list if only because the scenery and the house was so damn awesome. But, up until the last movie I saw this year, it was the ONLY movie to move me to tears. Yes, I know.

4. Up In The Air
Nice movie. I think it's overhyped but it's nice.

3. The Messenger
And this is the movie that truly made me cry. A tiny movie that's under the radar but see it if you can. Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson are really terrific in a very moving movie.

2. The Hurt Locker
I wish all of these actors were getting more attention. The three leads are great and it's just well done all around.

1. Inglourious Basterds
I love Quentin. This is a movie that, the more you think about it, the more you realize how awesome it is. He makes it seem effortless but it takes a lot of talent to make something seem so easy. The farmhouse scene? The basement tavern scene? Rad.

SAG Awards

Truthfully, I didn't get to watch most of the SAG awards because in a world without Tivo or DVR, it's hard to actually catch TV at appointed times. But I did see some of it and I definitely saw some dresses. Not as comprehensive as the Golden Globes, but worth noting. Most of these people were all at the Globes a week ago so it was interesting to see how different they dressed.

Diane Kruger
I really liked this dress. I don't know if I would wear that color but I thought she pulled it off.

Sandra Bullock
Big miss for me from one of my favorites. I actually like it when she pulls back her hair like this but I am so so confused about the top. She was giving an award to Betty White so maybe she decided to dress like an old lady from the 80s?

Anna Kendrick
Better. Not great though. The color is younger but the top neckline kind of freaks me out as do the ruffles. And I don't love the hair thing.

Anna Paquin
Well, I thought this was a breath of fresh air. Totally different and I loved it.

Carey Mulligan
Still not getting it. Too much fabric, didn't like the cut.

Tina Fey
Improved. Still looks uncomfortable all dressed up, but much better.

Mo'Nique
A little old lady-ish and safe? Yes but her hair and makeup looked nice.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Yuck.

Marion Cotillard
Not only is it one shoulder but that one shoulder has been built up and is structured? Ugh.

Toni Collette
Still wearing sparkles which I admire. But I hate the ruffled skirt and I think the top should sit higher.

Lea Michele
Yay! I love this on her. Love the color and love that girly youth.

Jenna Fischer
Well, at least Jenna seems like a nice person.

Nicole Kidman
Confusing. It's actually kind of a rad dress but felt totally out of place for a formal awards show. In the winter. On ice queen Nicole Kidman. I'm thinking it would work on Kate Hudson at a summer concert series.

Juliana Marguiles
From a Star Trek dress to this weird velvet thing. Not feeling it.

Kyra Sedgwick
For a woman who often looks weird, I thought Kyra looked really pretty.

Christina Applegate
I loved this dress. So pretty.

Kate Hudson
I like it. Is that wrong? It feels wrong. Front was boring but this woman can wear white and when she turned around it was pretty stunning.

Joan Allen
Worst dressed. Period.

Drew Barrymore
I'm not sure I can defend Drew on this one. I mean, I know it's high fashion or whatever. But I don't like it. And I don't like her washed out makeup and her hair. Is this the end of our love affair?

the movies in the middle

So I'm almost ready to do my top and bottom 10 movies of the year. Just have to watch one or two more. But I thought that in the mean time I'd mention a couple that won't make either list. I had high hopes for these movies but they fell flat in the middle "average" column. Most people disagree with me but....

District 9
There are great things about this movie. The main actor is absolutely fantastic. He gets to play an amazing arc and I bought every second of it. I really admired a lot of things about this movie. I admired the acting, I admired the originality, I admired what they accomplished on a tiny budget. But, as a whole, I just wasn't totally sucked in. I don't know if it was the actual creature design, or the lack of ending, but it didn't make my top 10 list. But I would recommend it.

500 Days of Summer
This one was pretty much what I expected. A cutesy indie movie that was trying so hard to be hip that it bordered on annoying. Don't get me wrong, I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt. But Zooey Deschanel is one of my least favorite actresses of all time. Ugh! I just find her so grating. So I didn't care about their love story and, consequently, didn't care about the movie.

Sherlock Holmes
This is the one movie I left and thought "this movie could have been so much better!" I mean, really. Robert Downey Jr. is absolutely charismatic and charming in everything and this was no exception. And he was great with Jude Law who, for the first time in a long time, I enjoyed. But something about it just wasn't executed well. I didn't like the color and the look of the whole movie. I thought Rachel McAdams was horribly miscast, and I thought it was too long. Oh well. Maybe they'll get it right in the sequel.

It's Complicated
Now this is (or should have been) a Lisa movie homerun. Seriously. It's been called femme-porn and I agree with that. A woman with a lot of money, a lot of free time, a gorgeous house with a gorgeous kitchen and gorgeous furnishings, and a little bakery we'd all love to own. Meryl Streep is lovely as usual. But Alec Baldwin was distracting as...well, Alec Baldwin. That's all he can do and it's great on "30 Rock" but sort of weird in a romantic comedy. Still enjoyable but John Krasinski was the best part of this movie.

Golden Globes 2010 Recap

I was sad when I realized that I'd be out of town for the Golden Globes this year because I like to have a little get-together with my favorite ladies and make snarky comments at the screen and watch Ryan Seacrest chase down celebs. But this year I was in the Doubletree Hotel in Pittsburgh. So there I gathered my few friends in my hotel room and we watched on my sad 36 inch tube tv. We also don't get the E! channel here so I was forced to watch Billy Bush on NBC. Ugh. Annoying. I won't go into the show really (Ricky Gervais was okay but barely on...I hate James Cameron) but here's the really important stuff.


I applied too much spray tan:
Penelope Cruz
I love her but she looked orange on TV and didn't love the dress.

I'm accessorizing my head:
January Jones
A few people had headbands and I thought hers looked quite nice.

I'm too young to dress this old:
Jennifer Garner and Lea Michele
Lea is young, fresh, and plays a teenager on a show called "Glee". Nothing about this outfit makes me think she's any of those things. She looks good, but it's a little sad. Poor Jennifer, who I adore, has 55 year old hair and the dress, while she looks good in it, is too old for her. And she has lost too much weight.

I'm too old to dress like this:
Heather Graham and Kate Bosworth
Ah, Heather Graham. Remember when she was young and hot? And Kate. A little braid? Really? And oh my god eat something please!!

I'm big but I'm bringing it:
Mo'Nique
Mo'Nique is a big girl. But I think this dress is a nice choice for her and she looks lovely. And her speech made me laugh and cry. And she really is the one and only performance this year that knocked it out of the park.

I'm old but I'm working it:
Helen Mirren, Glenn Close, Sigourney Weaver, and Meryl Streep
Love these ladies. Mirren always looks phenomenal, I don't understand how Glenn is so muscular, Sigourney is a classy lady (and Stanford alum), and Meryl is Meryl.

I'm avant-garde so deal with it:
Diane Kruger, and Chloe Sevigny
First of all, I always expect the weird from our friend Chloe. This is no exception. It's fairly ugly but I thought it was cool that from the side it looked like the front and back weren't connected. She's so cool that she changed into another crazy outfit for the after-party. And Diane Kruger. How can you not love her when she's dating Pacey who is so obviously adorable? The dress was weird but in her close-up shots, the top is so interesting and textured that I thought it worked.

I wish I was avant-garde:
Amanda Seyfried
I love Amanda on "Big Love" but this is just too much for her to pull off. You're no Chloe.

I'm most improved!:
Jenna Fischer and Maggie Gyllenhaal
I've gone on record for usually hating poor Jenna's outfits but this is an improvement. Not great, but she looks more comfortable and the hair is more natural. And Maggie actually looks good here. I've called her an alien face and usually her dress choices are awful. And while the top of this is weird, I kind of like it and like the details and the color.

I'm actually a wax figure:
Cher and Christina Aguilera
Ugh. Yuck.

I am auditioning for the next "Star Trek" movie:
Julianna Marguiles
This particular picture actual makes the dress look okay. But the waist up shots looked weird because her boobs were squeezed in there and I didn't like the geometry.

I am abusing my bust:
Mariah Carey and Christina Hendricks
Mariah has squeezed into a too-tight dress again and looks ridiculous with her son, oops I mean husband, holding her umbrella. And I understand that Christina knows that men love her GIGANTIC boobs. But my goodness are they highlighted.

I need help:
Jennifer Morrison, Lauren Graham, and Amy Poehler
Jennifer...I don't like the old lady hair, I hate the pukey color, and the ruffles are overwhelming. Lauren...that color does not suit her and the satin isn't doing her any favors. And Amy, poor Amy. I love "Parks and Rec" but this red is overwhelming, the pink lipstick doesn't match, and the top is cut way too high and is too heavy.

I'm the worst dressed here:
Julianne Moore and Tina Fey
Oh goodness. Julianne...a pretty lady but that dress is so so unflattering and yucky. Even with those bitchin' emerald earrings she's not a winner. And Tina Fey. My god. I know she often looks weird when she dresses up but that is one of the worst skirts I've ever seen. Terrible length, terrible stiffness, terrible pattern.

I refuse to let the one shoulder trend die:
Kate Winslet, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon,
Marion Cotillard
All of these ladies look lovely as usual. Kate looks so sophisticated, Jen's leg looks bangin', Reese looks skinny with FABulous hair, and Marion looks cute and French. But wouldn't these dresses look just as good with no straps or two straps? Help me out people.

I'm Drew Barrymore, bitches:
Drew Barrymore
So obviously I love Drew. That is well known. And, while this dress has weird sea urchin things coming out of the shoulder and waist, I kind of like it. Maybe it's because I love her hair and makeup but I think she looks nice. In spite of the urchins.

But I'm Julia Roberts, bitches:
Julia Roberts
Julia, Julia, Julia. Lately I've heard some rumors that Julia's a pretty big bitch. I think she thinks the world revolves around her and, that may be valid in some ways. But I have to admire someone who showed up to the red carpet wayyy tipsy after many limo cocktails and then proceeded to hang on Tom Hanks and make fun of everyone on live TV. And damn. That smile really does light up a room. Or Los Angeles.

I'm the next big thing so I need to do better:
Anna Kendrick and Carey Mulligan
Anna and Carey were both fantastic this year in "Up in the Air" and "An Education". They are young, nominated for Golden Globes, and can wear whatever and whoever they want. So I was really disappointed in Anna's RUFFLED one shoulder (the only way to make the one shoulder worse) and Carey's dowdy black heavy dress. I kept wanting to pull it up.

I'm all sparkly!:
Anna Paquin, Toni Collette, and Lindsay Lohan
I'm a sucker for sparkles I think. Maybe because I would NEVER wear them. But Anna looks crazy but cool, Toni looks fantastic, and Lindsay...well, Lindsay is Lindsay. She's wearing a HOOD with sparkles.

I'm making you confused:
Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, and Nicole Kidman
I am torn on these. Do I like Cameron's red lipstick and red dress? At first I thought the shoulders were too extreme but now I might like it. And at first glance I hated Kate's dress but the white sort of pops in a sea of other dresses. Too architectural though? And Nicole...it's boring but her hair is nice (and red) and it's kind of lovely.

I look surprisingly good:
Ashley Olsen
I am not a fan of the Olsen twins. They generally look like homeless trolls but, breaking news, I think I like this. LOVE the color and the detail on the top is kind of rad.

I am the best dressed:
Ginnifer Goodwin, Sandra Bullock, Emily Blunt, Zoe Saldana, and Courtney Cox
I can't get over how cute Ginnifer Goodwin looks. The cool top works perfectly with the short hair and I love the color. Sandra is one of my favorites and I've seen her in some TERRIBLE dresses but I thought this looked nice on her. Emily is marrying Jim from "The Office" so she's a winner. I don't want to like Zoe because she only weighs 90 pounds but I really like this dress. Love the color and, while the details are very different, I think it kind of works. Then there's Courtney. Totally boring black but she looks GREAT. I mean, check out this close-up. Did she make a deal with the devil or what?

I get the Lifetime Achievement award:
Halle Berry
Holy shit.

Dear Ndugu,

So, is this still a blog if I haven't touched it for 5 months? Maybe, not sure. It's post Golden Globes time and I usually do a fashion roundup. I think I still will if only for posterity because I know no one is actually checking this blog anymore for new content. But now that work has calmed down, I do want to start blogging again. What better comeback than snarky fashion reviews?

my senior thesis

When I was a senior in college, I chose to do my thesis on John Hughes' movies. Sure, kind of bullshit...or a lot of bullshit... but it was amazing. I knew all of his movies pretty well, but the thesis really made me delve into the 80s culture, classism, the brat pack, etc. In that time I read one of my favorite non-fiction books, this one. Cheesy but great. Wasn't too moved when Michael Jackson died but when John Hughes died this week, I was pretty damn sad. I happened upon this blog which made me tear up a little. It may seem pathetic, but it's true...

Sincerely, John Hughes

Read it.

bali in brief. emphasis on brief.

Bali was amazing. For many reasons. One, the island is gorgeous. You get sandy beachs, sea cliffs, and warm ocean water along the shore. Head inland and you get rice patties, rainforests, tropical flowers, and green, green, green. We were lucky that we got to split our time between these two different landscapes. Half the time we were in a personal bungalow with a giant patio looking out at the rice patties. I adored this location. The bathroom was outdoors and there's really nothing like a private outdoor shower while looking up at the coconuts in a palm tree. The end of the trip we moved to the beach and stayed in a more American-style resort. Sure, it's more of what we're used to, but there's something to be said for a giant pool with a swim-up bar that's right on the sand and ocean. Good times.

Second reason it was amazing was the Indian wedding culture and traditions. It was amazing to see such a different culture. I loved the colorful outfits the females wore and all the shiny beads and jewels. It was beautiful. No black dresses here. The henna, the orange flower leis, the temple you had to walk around, the wrestling matches between relatives... all good times.

And thirdly, it was awesome to get to become friends with all of these LA people that my sister knows. We drank, we ate, we partied, we argued about movies, we bonded. Just like summer camp except we came home and, guess what? Everyone lives without 20 mins of each other so we're still hanging out. Who would have thought? All in all, an unforgettable time.

asian flu virus

Back from a week in Bali (which was fantastic) but somehow managed to catch some nasty Asian flu virus. My doctor assures me it's not the swine flu which is a relief, but I'm second guessing my decision not to wear a mask on the flights like 90% of the other people. Luckily, I'm not alone though. All told, I think there were 8 of us who got really sick the minute we got home.

Once I'm recovered, a full Bali post is in order!