Taking Stock at the Halfway Mark

I'm at the halfway point between my last birthday and the next one and so I thought I'd review where I am vs. where I'd like to be. For my New Years "intentions", I made up a list of goals I wanted to work towards for 2008. I've still got six months to go, but let's take a look at how I'm doing so far:

1. Earn more money - As it stands now, I'm earning LESS money than when I wrote that. But give me another month or so and I'm sure I'll make good on that!

2. Find a new place to live - Apartment building issues still remain a problem. Some idiotic wenches were rapping at my door at 4:45 am a couple of weeks ago because they had my apartment (number 7) confused with the one next door (number 6).

Memo to Morons: If you're not sure which apartment you're going to, do NOT be knocking on a stranger's door at 4:45 am! This is just common sense and common courtesy, people!

Anyway, intention number two is contingent on completing intention number one...

3. Get out more and meet more people - Eh, I'd give myself a "C" on this one. Need to work harder!

4. Read more - This is the ONE intention I have actually been able to follow through on! Books I've read so far this year:

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon
Until I Find You by John Irving
The Sidewalk Artist by Gina Buonaguro and Janice Kirk
The Autograph Man by Zadie Smith
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
The Moor's Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie

and I just finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy (Review to follow soon!)


That's ten books in about six months--not too shabby, although nowhere near as impressive as my blogging buddy Elisabeth.

My last "intention" was:

5. Eat plenty of peanut butter!

And I've succeeded in fulfilling that one as well.

To celebrate my half birthday, I:

picked up prescriptions at the drugstore, checked out a new book (The Sweet Hereafter by Russell Banks) from the library, washed my car, took my car in for an oil change--and went to see Wall*E, which was totally enchanting (Review to follow!).

Hmmm--I wonder if I should go to the store and look for some half birthday cake...

EcoStiletto: Green is not only Hip, it's Chic!

Green is a lot of things these days: it's driving a Prius instead of an Escalade, it's buying organic instead of pesticide-laden, it's recycling and reducing carbon footprints and Earth Day. And while it's very hip and trendy these days to be green or go green, it's not generally known for being stylish or chic.

Until now.

Last night at Murano in West Hollywood, EcoStiletto had its official launch party. Dedicated to taking green beyond hip and trendy to fashionably chic, EcoStiletto features green picks in Fashion, Beauty and the Good Life to help turn your carbon footprint from an oversized Ugg into an slender Manolo.

The party featured yummy treats from Sweet Debbie's Organic Cupcakes and organic cocktails provided by VeeV as well as make-up application courtesy of Josie Maran Cosmetics and manicures by Acquarella--which makes a water-based, non-toxic, non-flammable nail polish. Wow--if they can make non-toxic nail polish, can a solar-powered car be far behind?

There was quite a crowd at the party--over 300 people showed up! My friend Hollie and I saw Adrian Grenier (Entourage) Josie Maran and Kelly Rutherford (Gossip Girl) along with EcoStiletto founder and creator Rachel Sarnoff. Before you go and think my life is oh so impossibly glamorous, I should probably confess that it was fabulous fashionista Stevie who was actually invited to the swanky soirée. But alas, she had another engagement (the girl is always on the go!), and so she asked me to cover the event for her.

The evening was not without its pitfalls, however--despite Stevie coordinating my attendance, my name was not on the guest list when I arrived. Not a big problem--there was no big burly bodyguard blocking our entrance. The woman managing the guest list simply asked for my business card and let us in. The next issue was food--or lack thereof. There were some hand-passed trays of appetizers, but there was barely enough food for a gathering of 30 people--much less 300! I got one little smear of olive spread on a tiny piece of toast. Had I known this in advance, I would have eaten before I left home. But seriously--how does one schedule an event from 6 - 9 pm (Prime dinner hours!) and not have food on hand for their guests? It looked what little appetizers there were were being diverted to the celebrity coterie. Hollie and I had to make do with a cupcake; the tower was devoured in about two hours!

In addition to leaving with empty stomachs, Hollie and I left empty-handed as well. I saw some guests toting gift bags, but neither one of us managed to snag one. Too bad--I would have been able to regale y'all with tales of its contents in future posts, but unfortunately I haven't a clue what the lucky recipients found inside theirs. Actually, we didn't leave quite empty-handed: at the end of the evening prizes were raffled off and mine was the first name called! I was awarded a Rebecca Minkoff shopping tote which retails for $185! I ended up giving it to Hollie, in appreciation for her company and acting as my official photographer.


Overall, it was quite a classy (albeit mostly foodless) affair for the launch of EcoStiletto. If you want to do your part to save the planet--look great doing it--check out the website and sign up for the free newsletter to get a heads-up on what's coming up on the site, plus exclusive discounts, a chance to win stuff and information on go-to green events in cities around the country.

Because caring about our planet is something that will never go out of style...

Verabella Skin Care: 'Cuz Green is Good for your Skin!

Last month I had the opportunity to sample the exquisite pleasure that is a facial treatment at Verabella Skin Therapy Salon. After my soothing Cucumber facial, Aesthetician extraordinaire Dana Waldie loaded me up with some exclusive skin care products created by Verabella founder, Vera Kantor.

Kantor, a skin care expert who studied paramedical cosmetology in her native Russia, worked alongside renown estheticians such as Aida Thibiant and Ole Henriksen before founding Verabella in 1997. Her approach to skin care is both personal and scientific: combining the latest advances with generations-old homeopathic remedies. She works with leading skin care professionals, from homeopathologists and naturalists to dermatologists and plastic surgeons, in an effort to create products and treatments that help clients achieve optimal skin. For 10 years, she sold her handmade skin-nutritive products exclusively to clients who visited the salon, but now the recently reformulated paraben-free, Aloe-based, Green line will be available nationwide.

These are the products I got to sample:

Chamomilk Cleansing Lotion - a creamy, milky cleanser that gently cleanses without drying. The light scent of chamomile soothes my skin and leaves it feeling moist and smooth. Aloe-based, the cleanser nourishes with squalene and vitamins A & E. Perfect for my sensitive, slightly dry skin!

Honey Almond Scrub - Smells good enough to eat--but I use this 2-3 times a week to gently exfoliate and tighten skin. The finely ground almonds slough off dead skin cells while the honey has astringent properties to tighten and tone skin. It can also be used as a facial mask!

Verabella Super Firming Cream - A light but emollient gel-like moisturizer enriched with Vitamin E and Sodium Hyaluronate leaves my skin refreshed and glowing and doesn't clog my pores! It smells delicious, too!

Verabella SPF 45 - I love all the Verabella products I've been using, but their sunscreen is absolute GENIUS! With 9% micronized zinc oxide, it provides both UVA and UVB protection. Plus it contains skin nourishing ingredients such as alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C, vitamin D, grape seed extract, evening primrose, sunflower seed, safflower seed, slippery elm, borage oil, chamomile, plaintains, allantoin, hyaluronic acid and squalane. Whew! And if that weren't enough, it's lightweight, non-greasy, completely sheer and doesn't clog my pores or break me out! It's PERFECT.

Another brilliant Verabella product is the Aloe Tea Tree Healing Gel. It combines the purifying properties of Tea Tree oil with the soothing hydration of aloe vera in a multi-purpose product that can help heal blemishes, soothe post-shaving, protect from bacterial infections after a manicure or pedicure, as an antiseptic for cuts and scrapes or be used as a clarifying mask.


Verabella Skin Care products are:

• Botanically-rich
• Aloe-based
• Paraben-free
• Petrochemical-free
• Sodium lauryl sulfate-free
• Free of artificial preservatives, fragrances and dyes
  
• Contain no animal by-products and are never tested on animals!
• Available at Verabella.com

Letters from Home

And before I know it,
comes and goes another August
and the dreams of spring
lie dying in the dust.
I look in the mirror
with tired eyes.
When did I get older
and still no wiser?

I don't want to rule the world,
just a place to call my own.
I don't need to stand out in a crowd;
I don't want to sleep alone.
I sit here contemplating;
my future's unknown.
I spend my time waiting for
letters from home...

And even if the world
don't know who you are,
you can hold your head high
and pretend you're a star.
And you may say
lies aren't pretty,
but if you can't see me cry,
then I won't feel your pity.

I don't want to rule the world,
just a place to call my own.
I don't need to stand out in a crowd;
I don't want to sleep alone.
I sit here contemplating;
my future's unknown.
I spend my time waiting for
letters from home...

Ugly Betty - Looks Like the Decision Has Been Made...

When we last left the intrepid Betty Suarez she was about to head off for parts unknown. But with whom? Dweeby heartthrob Henry? Or Italian hottie Gio? Both Rae and I thought the answer was "neither" and it looks like we may be right.

A Reuters/Hollywood Reporter article reports that Christopher Gorham, aka sweet geeky Henry Grubstick, is leaving Ugly Betty for a role on CBS' Harper's Island. In addition, Freddy Rodriguez (Deli owner Gio Rossi) is possibly only scheduled for one more episode next season.

But Betty won't be lonely for long--the article states that Val Emmich has recently been cast as Jesse, a new love interest for our plucky heroine. OK now--first there was Walter, then Henry and then Gio and now Jesse? So much for being allegedly "ugly"--our girl Betty sure gets around!

Why I wish I had HBO...

In the summer drought of TV, cable still offers some high-quality programming. Unfortunately, I still don't have cable...yet. But thanks to Netflix and my friend Dave, I've been able to catch up on what I've missed by not having access to HBO.

When Michael Moore touched upon the fiasco that was the 2000 election in his film Fahrenheit 9/11, I felt the same sinking pit in my stomach that I had back then. Although those of us who decried the results back then have been morally vindicated by the idiocy that has been the Bush administration, it's a small comfort.

They say those who do not learn the lessons from history are doomed to repeat it--as the voting irregularities that caused popular vote winner Gore to concede the election in 2000 have never been adequately dealt with, similar issues occurred again in 2004 giving Bush the election over Kerry. Hopefully, films like Recount will illuminate the problems inherent in our electoral system and get people motivated to demand changes. With a stellar cast of character actor stalwarts like Kevin Spacey in non-snark mode as Ron Klain, Denis Leary using that native Boston accent to full effect as Michael Whouley, the always magnificent Tom Wilkinson as James Baker, Laura Dern putting a more human face on the overly made-up face of Katherine Harris and John Hurt delivering a stately Warren Christopher, Recount not only demystifies the story of the 2000 battle for Florida, but crackles and sizzles with drama. Although the actual event dragged on for over a month, the HBO film zips along at a brisk pace never ceasing to be completely engrossing.

The script was written by Danny Strong, who also served as co-producer on the project and for whom this is the first and only produced writing credit. With numerous acting credits, Strong deftly juggles the juxtaposition of the Gore vs. Bush camps and a plethora of personalities. Obviously his acting skills informed his ability to create compelling characters with unique voices; the script is as exceptional as the cast. Jay Roach produced and directed the two hour drama. He also producedCharlie Bartlett. Thanks to Recount, I completely absolve him of that derivative dreck.

I was looking forward to watching this after reading Tom Shales rave review in the Washington Post. His cohort, Howard Kurtz, nitpicks at some of the dramatic license taken with the facts--but no doubt he is a Republican. Truth be told, the film attempts to strike a balance but leans a bit more to the left. Even if you're not into politics or history, it's a tense and gripping drama and well worth watching. It will be released on DVD on August 19th. Definitely check it out!

Available now at Netflix is the HBO mini-series John Adams which also got rave reviews. My feelings after watching the seven hour depiction of the life of our second president and the first fifty years of the United States were a bit mixed. On the positive side, the acting is top-notch with some stand out performances: David Morse disappears into the stately persona of George Washington, Tom Wilkinson offers a slyly superb Benjamin Franklin and Stephen Dillane is understated as the philosophical Thomas Jefferson.

The costumes and settings look authentic and we get much insight into the time period--from the historic speeches and battles to gruesome details like seeing a tarring and feathering, an amputation, the ravages of smallpox, bloodletting, a primitive mastectomy and really, really bad dental care. So we can not only be thankful for our freedom and independence, but for modern medicine which is decidedly less brutal that in the 1700 and 1800s.

What I was not enthralled with was the camera work of Tak Fujimoto which employed jarringly artsy camera angles to the detriment of the historical epic, the clumsy scene transitions and the sound mix which, despite my excellent hearing abilities and jacked up volume, had me straining to make out what was being said much of the time. In a dialogue heavy production, not being able to hear said dialogue is a definite problem. In addition, the actors had a tendency to speak in muted tones--sometimes hushed whispers, sometimes muddled mumbles. It was frustrating trying to make out what was being said.

The other problem I had was the casting of Paul Giamatti in the title role. Giamatti is a formidable actor and to his credit he did not shy away from portraying Adams' vanity and pettiness as well as his passion and intellect. But physically he often resembled the lead character of Ratatouille than our second president. Not only did Giamatti's physical characterization not have me convinced, he was the world champion mumbler of the entire cast. There was genuine chemistry between Giamatti and Linney (playing Abigail to flinty perfection), however, and the relationship between Adams and his steadfast wife was effectively portrayed showing both the tough and tender sides of their partnership.

My memory of Revolutionary War history being limited to viewings of Johnny Tremain in grade school and the musical 1776 (William Daniels making a much more believable John Adams in my opinion...), John Adams provided a thorough and insightful look at the creation the United States of America out of 13 ragtag colonies.

Sixty Six

It's 1966 and Bernie Reubens is about to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah. When he's not being teased or bullied, Bernie is perpetually neglected and ignored. But he believes his Bar Mitzvah will be the turning point that changes everything! Unfortunately, a confluence of events conspires to derail Bernie's big moment--family money problems, a house fire, his father's precariously mental and physical health and, most of all, the World Cup Soccer Finals.

Although my knowledge of soccer doesn't extend past Bend it like Beckham, I was still surprised to learn that England had never even made the World Cup quarter-finals prior to 1966. And so their entry into the finals and win over West Germany for the first and, so far, only time in history was a big deal. Footage from the 1966 World Cup matches is colorized and edited into story of Bernie's Bar Mitzvah giving the film its historic grounding as well as the juxtaposition of the two underdog stories.

Sixty Six was based on the experience of director Paul Weiland, who actually did have his Bar Mitzvah ruined by the coincidence of the World Cup Finals. Writing team Peter Straughan and Bridget O’Connor were hired to take Weiland's story and turn it into a script. And somewhere along the way with all the quirky characters and obstacle-course strewn path to the inevitable finale, that story got lost. On one hand, Sixty Six is a classic coming of age tale. On the other hand, it also focuses quite a bit on the character of Manny, Bernie's neurotic OCD-ridden Dad. And then there's the English soccer team--a perfect metaphor for Bernie's own underdog status. The film can't seem to decide if it's the coming of age story of Bernie Reubens, a story of father-son reunion and acceptance or a paean to the ultimate success of those overcoming the odds. As such, it's a bit unfocused and uneven.

The filmmakers focus so much on Manny and his journey, that the story of the neglected Bernie ends up being--ignored. Newcomer Gregg Sulkin does a winning job as the beleaguered thirteen year old, but we've all seen this character before. The film opens with a scene of Bernie being left behind as the family heads home from a vacation in Brighton. Hmmm--where have I seen that before? Home Alone, Little Miss Sunshine, to name a few movies with comic scenes of abandoned children. Bernie has an older brother who torments him ala Hal Hefner in Rocket Science or Kevin Arnold in The Wonder Years. He's a geeky kid with few friends just like Napoleon Dynamite. Even the coming of age celebration theme has been done in movies like Sixteen Candles or Keeping up with the Steins.

The film features understated performances by Helena Bonham Carter as Bernie's mother and Stephen Rea as his asthma doctor--but both are woefully under utilized. I can't even begin to understand what the point of Stephen Rea's character was in this movie. Still, it's always a good thing to see him in a film--I've loved him ever since The Crying Game! Eddie Marsan (most recently seen in Hancock) does a nice job of playing Bernie's eccentric Dad--although he seems to be channeling Chico Marx appearance-wise, albeit not personality-wise. It's Marsan's Manny that helps Bernie experience the feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself, culminating in the film's oddly affecting finale. I wish the parallel between Manny and Bernie had been better structured throughout the film in order to have made the pay-off of that moment even bigger.

In the end, Sixty Six is still a mildly amusing, innocuously charming indie family film. Not quite Little Miss Sunshine in the way of laughs and poignancy, but by far a more sweetly entertaining story of hopeful young misfit than Napoleon Dynamite. It's rated PG-13 (although for the life of me I can't figure out why...It says for "some sexual content and brief nudity." Damn, I missed that!) and will open in New York City on August 1st and expand nationwide throughout August. If you're nostalgic for a simpler time, Sixty Six might be your ticket...

Chiller Dare 2 Direct 2008

Do you love horror flicks? Aspire to be the next Hitchcock, Craven or Romero? Then dig up those old Halloween costumes, get the digital camera rolling and let the fake blood spew! Chiller TV has just announced Dare 2 Direct 2 for all of you zombie loving vampire slayers out there. According to Chiller TV's Dan Harrison:

"It was the most popular contest of its kind among all of the NBC Universal Entertainment websites. This year, we're looking forward to what our incredibly talented viewers come up with. We wanted to give our enthusiastic audience plenty of notice to get their blood - er, creative juices - flowing."

The Dare 2 Direct Contest challenges fans to get creative and compete for great prizes and a chance to be featured on Chiller's Dare 2 Direct Film Festival as they write, produce, and submit short horror films. Shorts will be judged in multiple categories by a celebrity judge. Viewers vote online to select finalists in each category and a top figure in entertainment will select final winners. The films will be available for viewing and voting online beginning in late summer. On Halloween night, finalists and winners will be announced and featured in Chiller's 2008 Dare to Direct Film Festival at 10 pm (ET).

Complete rules, prizes and categories can be found at Dare2Direct.com.

Soon to be an Olympic Sport

Emil Steiner posts about competitive shoplifting over at OFF/beat:

According to reports, at least two Cincinnatians have been arrested in the past week for...elevating shop-lifting to a competitive sport. First came a Winton Place man who was busted after "stuffing three packages of T-bone steaks down his shorts at a Walnut Hills Kroger." Then on Tuesday, Christopher Penn allegedly "stuffed eight T-bones down his pants at a Marsh supermarket, putting the old record to shame and landing himself behind bars on a theft charge."

This reminded me of my first and only time serving on a jury. Most jury trials, by the way, are nothing like what you see on Boston Legal or even Law and Order. The lawyers aren't eloquent and passionate--they're barely even prepared! They are rarely any GOTCHA! moments or breakdowns on the stand. Most jury trials are fairly pedestrian and even a little boring...

The case on which I was a juror was a grocery store shoplifting case--just like Steiner's post. The accused had stuffed items down his sweatpants, but noting the guard at the entrance, thought better of his plan and removed the items from his person. He was arrested anyway, because the act of concealment constitutes shoplifting under Virginia law. Of course his rather lame public defender tried to bring up the fact that he was unemployed, with a pregnant girlfriend and infant at home--blah, blah, blah. He might have gotten the sympathy vote had the items the accused tried to steal been stuff like baby formula, strained peas and Pampers.

It was not.

The accused attempted to shoplift two steaks (shoved down the front of his sweatpants...I'm feeling sorry for the customer who purchased them after they had been removed and replaced...), a couple of pairs of tube socks and a can of beer. He also had a record of check fraud and petty theft. It wasn't too hard of a deliberation.

When it came time to decide his fate, we gathered together. We had to elect a foreperson. We looked around at each other. "I'll do it," I volunteered. I was duly elected. About half of us were hardcore "red state" types who were ready to give the guy the death penalty. The other half were bleeding heart types who wanted to give him the steaks and beer and a hug. A couple of us (including me) were squarely in the middle. The bleeding heart types needed to be convinced that the act of concealment constituted shoplifting--even if the accused had ended up changing his mind. (And it was pretty obvious that he changed his mind only because he feared getting caught!) Once they were on board with the legal definitions, it was pretty easy to find him guilty.

Interestingly enough, once he was found guilty those same bleeding hearts had no problems giving him a pretty tough sentence. We were told we could give time and/or a fine. In order to expedite matters as foreman I wrote down each juror's suggested penalty. Then I added them up and divided by the number of jurors. You're not supposed to do that, but it was the simplest way to handle it. Once we had an average time/fine calculated, we voted and went back to the courtroom to deliver the verdict and sentence. And then we went home.

So let that be a lesson to all you future competitive pants-stuffing shoplifters! Unless you're doing it as part of a Price is Right game, you best leave the steaks in the meat case...

The Kiss Off Playlist

If you've had enough of silly love songs (with all apologies to Paul McCartney), then maybe tunes with a "@#$% off" sentiment are more up your alley. Here are some of my favorite kicked to the curb songs from my iTunes library:

1. You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
2. Irreplaceable - Beyonce
3. I hear you knocking - Dave Edmunds
4. Already Gone - Eagles
5. The Only Flame in Town - Elvis Costello
6. Would I Lie to You? - Eurythmics
7. I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
8. Bye Bye - Jo Dee Messina
9. What Goes 'Round - Justin Timberlake
10. Walkaway - Kelly Clarkson
11. Ways to be Wicked - Lone Justice
12. Bye Bye Bye - *NSYNC
13. Ex-Girlfriend - No Dobut
14. Good-bye to You - Patty Smyth
15. Just Too Easy - Romeo Void

What's your favorite kiss off tune?

The Moor's Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie

A couple years ago, the book club (R.I.P.) read The Satanic Verses at my suggestion. I had long wondered what all the fuss was about given the fatwa issued by Khomeini against Rushdie following its publication. To be sure, the so-called "blasphemous" elements are easily discerned--but they are no more outrageous than Dante's critique of the Catholic church in The Inferno. I've always believed if your gods and prophets aren't tough enough to take a little criticism, then they're not much in the way of deities at all...

The Moor's Last Sigh is Rushdie's follow-up to The Satanic Verses and, according to Wikipedia, "is referential to that circumstance in many ways, especially the isolation of the narrator, as well as the shadow of death that seems to constantly hang over him." The narrator in question is Moraes Zogoiby, aka "Moor," but the tale he tells is less about his own life--foreshortened due to a congenital disease whereby he ages at twice the normal rate--and more about his ancestry and his country.

Bombay was central; all rivers flowed into its human sea. It was an ocean of stories; we were all its narrators, and everybody talked at once.

The Moor's Last Sigh is indeed an ocean of stories--and the most striking characters are the many women. From Moraes great-grandmother, the irascible Epifana da Gama, followed by her strong-willed daughter-in-law Belle, and then in turn by her headstrong daughter, the artist Aurora who married Abraham Zogoiby at age fifteen and gave him three daughters--and a son, Moraes. Like The Satanic Verses, The Moor's Last Sigh is filled with dense prose that requires careful and thoughtful reading. Unlike Moraes, who ages two years for every 365 days, the novel's pacing is quite the opposite--languorously wending through the complex story.

But it's beautifully written by a master artist who seems to have an unlimited arsenal of colors and textures in his lexicon to paint with words the detailed canvas of the Moor's story. It's a harsh story--in addition to his life speeding by twice as fast as normal, the Moor witnesses deceptions and betrayals, infighting and rivalry, bitterness and jealousy. Morose and bleak and ultimately pragmatic, Rushdie writes:

...we look up and we hope that the stars look down, we pray that there may be stars for us to follow, stars moving across the heavens and leading us to our destiny, but it's only our vanity. We look at the heavens and fall in love, but the universe cares less about us than we do about it, and the stars stay in their courses however much we may wish upon them to do otherwise. It's true that if you watch the sky-wheel turn for a while you'll see a meteor fall, flame and die. That's not a star worth following; it's just an unlucky rock. Our fates are here on earth. There are no guiding stars.

But even in the darkness of this imagery, there remains a bit of light in the somber story. As long as there is life, there is hope and our stories allow us to live forever.

Peace of Mind with Disquieting Designs

disquieting (adj.): causing anxiety or uneasiness; disturbing.

How strange that a company creating a bath and body line to enhance appearance, smooth skin and soothe the soul would choose an appellation that's paradoxically at odds with its products purpose? But then again disquieting designs is an offbeat combination of rocker chic meets Greenpeace in philosophy and sensibilities. Dedicated to PETA-certified cruelty free products that are not only kind to animals, but to human users as well, with quality ingredients and a "chemicals are bad for you!" mentality.

I had the opportunity to check out the Hawaiian Luau salt scrub which blends the scent of plumeria, coconut and bananas with salt, sea salt, dendritic salt, soybean oil and sunflower oil. This isn't a goopy, gooey scrub. The oils are infused in the salt so you just need to scoop the crystals out of the jar and massage into damp skin. No oil slick on the shower floor--or on your body! Just smooth, soft and delicately scented skin...The scrubs also come in Chocolate Brownie sugar scrub, Pink Lemonade sugar scrub and Plum and Pomegranate salt scrub to name just a few.

I also got to check out some of the perfume spray fragrances. Alcohol-free, these fragrances are prepared using a base of cyclomethicone--so instead of drying out skin, they soften it! And they're vegan friendly! I sampled:

Carnation - a classic light floral with a bit of a bite...

Lotus - a white floral with musky overtones (perfect for turning yoga class into an aromatherapy session!)

Ylang Ylang - Trippy, heady, incense-fused with a note of jasmine

Lick Me All Over - an exotic and seductive rich fruit aroma

The perfume sprays also come in Sex for Two, a unisex green/citrus scent with a mild musk base and First Date, a blended fragrance with fruity top notes, herbal base notes and green bottom notes. Sounds a lot more invigorating than most first dates I've been on!

The line also includes talc-free all natural eye shadows, lip products, hand-made soaps and candles. And everything is on sale now so check it out! disquieting designs focuses on yummy smells and yummy feeling products, believes in fair trade and fair prices, was established by native Pittsburgher (GO STEELERS!) Megan Rae Brame and caters to rock stars, riot grrls, and anyone who wants to have a party with their makeup.

Rock on.

Barker Block Sunset Series

Filter Magazine presents another great FREE event. This one is part of their Sunset Series at the Barker Block which is a cultural endeavor with the L.A. skyline as a backdrop--complete with libations (that means alcohol!), artwork and soundscapes (a.k.a. "music"). Cardboard Robot, ASCAP, Vans and VH1 Rock Honors join with Filter to present:

• The artwork of James Tolentino who will be displaying new pieces from his "Ellay" series
• The DJ stylings of Mr. White and DJ Pants Off
• Drinks from Colt 45
  

Here are the details:

Date: Thursday, July 10th
Time: 6 - 10 pm
Place: 513 S. Molino Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
RSVP: barkerblock@filtermmm.com (You must RSVP for entrance to the event!)

Happy Birthday, Blog!

Amazingly enough, I started this blog exactly one year ago today. I'm not sure I realized at the time the auspiciousness of its birth date (07/07/07), but here we are a year later and a year wiser. What have I learned in a year of blogging? Here's a few things:

1. Consistency is key. Posting every day is a challenge, but it keeps the creative juices flowing and keeps me disciplined. And it makes for a blog that readers will keep coming back to.

2. Mistakes can be corrected, but a typo in your headline lasts forever. I try to make sure my posts have correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. On occasion, I'll notice a typo after the fact and go back and edit the post to correct it. But once you hit publish, Blogger creates a URL for the post based on your headline. And if you misspell or have a typo in your headline, it's forever captured in the URL. Yuck!

3. Google indexes based on your feeds and not the actual website. I found this out when, in an attempt to thwart the wretched content scrapers, I switched my feed settings from full to excerpted. My traffic was cut in half! I changed it back, but I'm still struggling to regain the momentum that I had a couple of months ago.

4. Being part of a blog network is a great way to increase traffic. My friends Stevie and Tami are part of the Glam Network and have TEN TIMES the traffic I do! But their stats are nothing compared to blogger Joey deVilla's stats which are TEN TIMES Stevie and Tami's! Of course, Joey's been blogging since the end of 2001. Perhaps seven years from now, I'll be able to boast hundreds of thousands of visitors each month. Right now, it's more like just thousands...

5. You can never predict what will generate traffic. The more obscure and offbeat something is, the more likely it will generate search hits for my blog. Sometimes a random rant generates more hits than a thoughtful review. For example, my diatribe against Speedos and Crocs has generated far more traffic than I ever expected it to. But if I've saved even one person from committing the heinous offense of sporting an ill-advised Speedo, I feel that my blogging has all been worthwhile!

6. You meet the coolest people by blogging! Elisabeth and I share a love of words and The Office. Rae has an awesome blog devoted to TV, another shared passion. Tami blogs about the sensual pleasures of life: food, wine, music, luxury products. Her blog always makes me hungry!

7. Speaking of people I've met blogging, there's a whole list of people I'd like to meet: my regular readers! Thanks to statistical applications, I get information about where people are logging on from, how they found me, etc. Some people come directly to the blog without using Google search. When it's a someone in Hampton, VA (formerly Hartford, CT), I know that someone is my sister, Laurie. When the location reads "Berkeley, CA," I know my brother David has checked in. When the OS says Linux, I'm pretty sure that's a visit from my friend John. And when the visit comes from Anchorage, AK, I know that's my OTHER friend John checking up on me. My blogging buddy Elisabeth checks in from Minneapolis (formerly College Station, TX), Rae from Orlando, FL and Hollie from Pacific Palisades.

But there are some direct hits that I've no idea who they are. So, who are you people? If you stop by here regularly (Hello Tokyo, New Zealand, Boston and New York!), I'd like to say welcome and hello and thanks. Perhaps you could post a comment and introduce yourself. I'd really like to get to know you better!

Hancock

When I first saw the trailer for Hancock I was really looking forward to its release. I mean, how could it go wrong? Summer superhero popcorn flick starring the king of the July 4th box office, Will Smith? Mr. Smith has a talent for picking projects that showcase his likable persona, and I had no doubt that Hancock would be no exception.

And then the critics started to rant. Using words like "mess," "disaster" and "train wreck"--and not in a "superhero saves the day" kind of way. With a 36% rating (rotten) on Rotten Tomatoes and a 49 on Metacritic, it looked like it would take a Herculean feat for the special effects extravaganza to recoup its reported $150 million dollar production budget.

I decided to go see it anyway.

But despite the critical derision, IMDB User Ratings are running at 7 out of 10 stars, it gets a solid 3 out of 5 stars on Moviefone and users at BoxOfficeMojo give it a B grade. Not too shabby. Add to that the fact that it's grossed over $185 million worldwide in five days and I'd say there are no worries about covering the production budget. So I decided to head off to an early showing this morning.

I liked it.

Really, I'm not sure what the critics beef is. It's not meant to be a classic superhero movie--Hancock is darker, more brooding and more troubled than Iron Man, Batman and The Incredible Hulk all put together. And Will Smith's visage achingly portrays that pain. He manages to make his curmudgeonly asshole of a superhero sympathetic. And really--who would love to boot some snot nosed kid to the moon every now and then? Some critics have complained about the lack of a comparable villain--but I'd say that the whole point of Hancock is that the villain is the demons we fight within ourselves. And the villain is our exaltation and denigration of our heroes. How we are unable to allow those we imbue with special abilities to be human. Fallible. Or, in the case of Hancock, assholes.

I liked the way Jason Bateman's PR guy wasn't the usual slick huckster, but instead a really nice guy who wanted to save the world. Bateman gives his usual scene stealing performance here. Someone needs to give him a starring role in a movie--I'd watch him for hours! And to be sure, the plot gets a bit twisted and convoluted at the end--but what superhero mythos isn't? Radioactive spider bites? Krytonite? Please. The special effects went by in a frenzy. For all the money that most likely was spent on them, it would have been nice if the audience actually had a chance to appreciate them. Still the multi-talented Peter Berg does a competent job with his direction and Hancock is ultimately just what it intends to be: a blockbuster summer popcorn flick. What's the problem with that?

This is not an adaptation of a DC or Marvel action hero. Perhaps comparisons to the already glutted superhero movie market are what's driving the disdain. Or maybe it's backlash at the talented and super successful Will Smith. Or yet another example of critical mass mentality where heaven forbid someone offer an independent and individual opinion. Will Smith fans will enjoy the movie, as will those who love Jason Bateman. It's dark and sad and twisted and funny with great action sequences and special effects. What's not to like?

Random Threads of Conversation

Went to my friend John's housewarming party today. Unpacked boxes are still scattered around his new apartment despite the fact he moved in at the end of April. An eclectic group of people came together of drink wine and beer and nosh on quinoa and potatoes salads, chicken pesto wraps, cheese and crackers, hummus and flat bread. And to talk.

Among the random conversation topics:

1. The idea that turkeys are so dumb that they will drown when it rains from looking up at the sky with their mouths (beaks?) open. This was stated as fact by a very well-spoken and intelligent guest. A quick search on Google proves that to be a myth.

2. The birthstones of each month:

January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl
July - Ruby
August - Peridot
September - Sapphire
October - Opal
November - Topaz
December - Turquoise

3. The concept of art vs. skill: i.e.; you can improve your writing, drawing, dancing, acting skills, but basic creativity is an art that cannot be taught or learned.

4. The inherent coolness of Santa Monica for banning smoking and leaf blowers.

5. What the IRS considers reportable income:

• Kickbacks
• Bribes
• Rewards
• Utility rebates
• Found property
• Gambling winnings
• Lotteries and raffles
• Money earned from illegal activities such as drug deals

As you can see, the IRS don't mess around!

6. The recent writers strike and how the internet is becoming the new source of programming content. Which led to a discussion about a project ANOTHER friend named John is working on: ffwd.com which bills itself as "your personal remote control for video on the web..."

7. An unusual fish story that included great words like "scuffle" and "ruffian." Scuffle--I have to remember to use that more often!

8. What the hell "Ruby on Rails" means? I asked my friend John, who works as a computer programmer 'cuz I've been seeing a lot of job openings for "Ruby on Rails." And because it sounds wicked cool... (Ruby is a programming language like Perl or PHP while Rails is a web application framework written with Ruby code.)

Pretty diverse topics of discussion! And great food...

Free Rice

No it's not a group dedicated to the liberation of Condoleezza, it's a website that my friend Diane turned me on to. You know all those games like Flixster and Scramble and Mesmo TV and Vampires on Facebook? Well now you can indulge in a time suck that improves your vocabulary AND donates rice through the U.N. World Food Program to help end hunger.

Check it out at FreeRice.com. I played for less than five minutes, earned 500 grains of rice, increased my vocabulary level and am completely addicted. If you're going to kill some time, might as well do something good for the world and yourself, don't ya think?

Hooray for the Red, White and Blue!

It's the Fourth of July and time for parades and picnics and plenty of flag waving. Other than the auspicious occasion of celebrating 232 years as an independent country, I started musing about the flag while watching the HBO presentation of John Adams. In a scene where Adams and Franklin are over in France conjuring up support for the American revolution, they hand out flags to French aristocrats. Oddly, the flags looked like this:


I was expecting the classic Betsy Ross version with the circle of stars. I checked Wikipedia, and indeed the Betsy Ross version would have been the official flag during the time Adams and Franklin were in France.

Weird.

Anyway, it got me to thinking how the colors of Old Glory are ubiquitously used in branding and logos all over the place. You can't go very far without stumbling across the red, white and blue in some form or another.

Many oil companies use the colors:























Although with escalating gas prices and record profits, it's not like the public is fooled into thinking these companies are in any way patriotic.

Speaking of patriotic, Bank of America not only uses red, white and blue in its logo, but evokes the sensibility in its name. America's bank? Really? I wonder how Citibank and Wachovia feel about that...U.S. Bank also uses red, white and blue in its logo as well as having a nationalist name. Bank of America recently altered their signage. It still uses red, white and blue--but mostly red.

I think it looks garish.

Of course our banner's palette is often found used in organizations, associations and election campaigns. Nothing says America like the colors of the stars and stripes. Also, nothing says America like the color of green--consumerism and capitalism rule when it comes to using red, white and blue as part of a product's branding efforts.

Beverages:


Foods:


Stores:




Motor Oil and Snake Oil:

Just kidding. I have nothing against real estate agents--even though the two that handled the sale of my condo were WORTHLESS. I'm sure that they're not all useless idiots...

Anyway, have a happy and safe holiday! Wave your flag--or if you don't have one, raise a Budweiser or Pepsi instead!

Orgies: More American than Apple Pie

An interesting article in the Washington Post poses the question: Are we what we Google?

"This was the question floating around the periphery of a recent obscenity case, in which a Florida attorney planned to argue that Google records of pornographic searches were an indication of community values."

The article points out that using Google Trends, one could show that "orgies" are more popular (as a search term anyway) than "apple pie." Interesting factoid--but other than looking online for a recipe, what's there to know about apple pie? I've been fascinated by the seeming randomness of how people end up at my blog. The most popular search term that ends up here is "star tattoo." I can hardly hope that the would-be purveyor of new ink designs will deign to stick around and read my movie reviews and other musings, but there you have it.

I've also had readers stumble upon me with searches such as "wombat on a surfboard music," "funny costume of a possum," "slutty whore Alyssa Milano" and "i hate socks." I wouldn't presume to ascertain the hidden motives of any of these searches--sometimes it's just a matter of if you Google it, they will come. And apparently if you Google it, Google will use that information to further their goal of world domination. According to a recent article in Advertising Age, they're poised at the brink. A recent Harris Interactive poll rates Google the most reputable company in America. They weren't even on the list four years ago.

And last on the list? Halliburton.

Ah yes--Google, more reputable than the Vice President of the United States.

Product of the Year

While leafing through my issue of Advertising Age magazine, an insert caught my eye. Partly because of the red, white and black color scheme and partly because of the large logo like the one at left--only bigger. You might have seen this logo in print ads of various products and maybe it influenced your decision to buy a product. Anyway, I thought it was odd that a so-called Consumer Survey of Product Innovation would be inserted into a publication on advertising--especially touting its ability to increase sales--so I did a little reading and here's how it works:

Basically a company can submit their product into a yearly "contest." There's no entry fee, but the product should demonstrate innovation in one or more areas including design, function and packaging. So far, so good. Then a panel of judges ("distinguished industry professionals") reviews the entries and selects finalists to ensure "only innovative products go on to the final round." According to the info provided, 22% of entries are eliminated which means 78% of entrants make it to the final round. Those are pretty good odds!

The reward for becoming a finalist? $25,000. Uh, wait--that's a $25,000 finalist FEE. Yup, winners pay $25 grand for the privilege of being a finalist. But wait, that's not all! Finalists receive a research report valued at $80,000!!! That's so much better than the extra set of Ginsu knives thrown in FREE! So, once you're a finalist, your product gets voted on by a panel of 100,000 shoppers (recruited to represent a fair sample from all regions as well as a wide range of demographics) who decide which products are the best in each category. Well, that sounds more impartial...Consumers rank the products on a variety of factors including innovation, usage and satisfaction.

So, since it's "Product of the Year" there's only one winner, right? Uh, no. Truthfully it probably should be called "Products of the Year" since there are multiple categories there are multiple winners. There's a category for shower gels, instant glue, hair dye, pasta sauce, pizza, drinks, bakery, convenience food, snacks, pet food, insect control, men's grooming, women's hair removal, feminine care, facial skin care, make-up, body care, anti-aging, self-tanning, sun care, hair styling, shampoo, battery, surface cleaner, air freshening, dishwasher, laundry, baby, oral hygiene to name some. Obviously quite a few chances to win. And what do the winners get?

They get the right to display the "Product of the Year" logo in their advertising and on their product for a full year. For a small licensing fee of $90,000. Since the award claims sales increases of 13% for the winner of the pizza category and 40% for shower gel category, it seems a small investment to make. So the contest sponsor wins, the winners win and the consumers? Well, they get duped into thinking they made a smart buying decision by selecting a product of the year winner when all that logo really means it that the company who made the product can afford $115,000 to pay to be a finalist and the licensing fee.