Day 30... Team Threesome

Life with a desk is just as sweet as I imagined it would be. Although, ironically, I woke up with an annoying lower back ache this morning. I'm hoping it's from the way I slept and not the way I sit in my pretty new chair.

My productivity has definitely been upped by the desk, but sadly my beloved Filofax is still not on its way. I called the shipper today and apparently, it's backordered. They just failed to mention that to me... of course. I kindly requested (aka demanded) that they either expedite the shipping once it's back in stock or refund my shipping costs (scored the latter), and I also asked WHEN they would be expecting more. Maybe tomorrow... maybe next week. UGH. I want it NOW! That Gala Darling is quite something. Her post caused every online filofax retailer to sell out of the beautiful (and beautifully priced) raspberry Metropol! Oh to have that kind of influence... So it's likely I won't have it for at least another week, which means I'll be forced to just continue daydreaming about the gorgeous organizing I will do upon its arrival. Oui, c'est ma vie.

Tonight I went to one of the most gorgeous movie theaters ever (the AMC at Lincoln Center) to see Eclipse with a couple of friends. The theater was RIDIC - it has mezzanine level seating! Upon securing our badass second row seats, I exclaimed, "WOW! It's like I'm at a musical!!" at which point the entire front row of the mezzanine turned around, gaped, and laughed (at me, not with me). Yep, that's how I roll!


As for le flick, it was entertaining and definitely the best made of the 3. Yes, it's still cheesy as heck and the acting is pretty awful at times, BUT Edward was hot in it and so was Jacob, and let's be honest, that's really what these movies are about. Yes I am both Team Edward and Team Jacob. Yum. I couldn't be more jealous of Bella. Having 2 incredibly hot super powered men (ahem, boys) fight over me? Yes, please!

Oh and even if you're not a Twi-hard, I highly suggest you check out the soundtrack. It's filled with fantastico tracks from Florence and the Machine, Beck, Bat for Lashes, Sia, Muse, Vampire Weekend, and much much more. Enjoy!

Psst - Can you believe it's already July??

No Impact Man

I'm not sure if you know, but Whole Foods is doing this rad thing called "Let's Retake Our Plates." It's all about knowing where your food comes from and your decisions about what you eat affect the entire planet. One of the fun things involved with this project is that Whole Foods around the country will be screening certain films relating to this concept of conscious consumption. One of the films is Food, Inc. (no surprise there), and my friend Jenny and I are going to go see it when it airs here in Austin (Jenny's going veggie for a month - yay!). As I scrolled through the list of films, another one caught my eye... No Impact Man.



As soon as I got home from work today, I started watching via Netflix (yes yes I re-subscribed...) and was immediately enthralled. This family spent an entire year attempting to eliminate their carbon footprints. Oh and they live New York City. UH HUH! They did things like get rid of the TV, stopped eating out and buying any kind of packaged food, committed to no riding in cars or traveling by plane, stopped making garbage, used cloth diapers (yuck) and... for 6 months, they GAVE UP ELECTRICITY IN THEIR HOME. Uh huh... yeah. I'm talkin' lots of candlelit dinners. I'm talkin' weird makeshift refrigerators (that ultimately didn't work). And they're not like hippie alternative New Yorkers, they're like... the real deal. Fifth Avenue residing, designer clothes wearing professionals.

The film is so good. SO good. And you know what? It kind of slapped me in the face. I try to be "green". I carry reusable shopping bags, I rarely buy bottled water (and only when it's my only option), I recycle as much as possible (my apt doesn't recycle glass and b/c I can't bear the thought of just throwing it away, I save it and either drop it off at Whole Foods or take it to my friends' houses who have recyling bins), I never brush my teeth with the water running, and I turn off the lights as much as possible. And yet...

I find that I've gotten lazy. I use way more ziploc bags than I should, I create an enormous amount of garbage for one person (and two pets), I subscribe to way too many magazines (half of which I don't end up reading), I keep the TV on when I'm not watching it, I use baby wipes and cleaning wipes like they're going out of style (OCD much?), I stopped buying recycled toilet paper (b/c it kind of feels like sandpaper), and I just... I got lazy. It's really easy to do that in this capitalist, consumerist society, especially when we're so far removed from the effect of all this consumerism and waste. This film reminded me of just how important it is to think twice about my carbon footprint.

I'm inspired, and I hope you will watch the film and be inspired, too.

New Moon: A Review

Last night I went to my first midnight showing, and it was worth every painful, uncomfortable second of sitting on hard (and probably filthy) concrete with a bunch of other Twilight freaks. Voila my petite review of the epic NEW MOON!

LIKES

1. Better overall aesthetic – Although I absolutely adored the original Twilight, you could tell it was made with a tres limited budget. Things just weren’t as polished as you’d expect a sci-fi romance to be. All that changed with New Moon (as it should’ve – hello big bucks!). The movie was executed much smoother, and the special effects (aka BADASS WEREWOLVES TO BE DISCUSSED BELOW) were fantastic.

2. Better Bella? It pains me to say this b/c I absolutely abhor Kristen Stewart as an actress and person overall, and she was GOD AWFUL in the original Twilight (that scene in the hospital bed??? you’ve got to be kidding me). But. She was actually better in New Moon, and I didn’t want to smack her every 5 minutes like I did with Twilight. Her lack of tears still upset me (hello, Bella in the book = a big hot mess when Edward dumps her), but overall, she was much more bearable. (She’s also thinner and prettier in New Moon. Damn you, Hollywood!)

3. Hello, Jacob – So, I am mature enough to admit that Twilight was a pretty awful movie in many respects. Nonetheless I saw it a total of SEVEN (yes, seven!) times in the theater. Pourquoi? Because of Edward Cullen. Because of Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen. Because he was absolute perfection in that role. Fast forward to New Moon. I had my fears that Edward wasn’t looking as suave/gorgeous in this one based on trailers and pics I had seen, but wow, he really disappointed moi. His hair isn’t as big (makes a huge difference), and he looks… older. Almost wrinkly. And the color of his skin is different, too. I was not a fan. JACOB, on the other hand? Holy. Cow. I feel like such a pedophile for saying this (ya know, b/c he’s like 12), but good god that boy has a bangin’ body. Body + tan + short haircut + adorable sweetness? I found myself beyond conflicted by the end of the film. Team Edward or Team Jacob? I just don’t know.

4. WEREWOLVES!!! By far, my FAVORITE part of the movie was the werewolves. First, they were freaking terrifying (AND GINORMOUS). Second, they were just so badass! I felt myself loving the werewolves more than the vampires (which SO did not happen when I read the book). Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t like the cast of werewolves when they are human (with the exception of Jacob) better than the vamps, but as werewolves, they are incredible. I want one!!

5. Le Book – New Moon, like Twilight, stayed true to the book which is exactly what Twilight fans want.

6. Music – Wowza, this soundtrack is incredible. Death Cab, Thom Yorke, Anya Marina, Bon Iver & St. Vincent, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Grizzly Bear… So. Freaking. Good. Download immediately.

DISLIKES

1. Not-as-hot Edward – See #3 above. Also? He looks gross sans shirt.

2. The ending – The ending was meh. The ending of Twilight? Phenom. That scene in the gazebo with bazillions of twinkle lights and Iron & Wine’s Flightless Bird, American Mouth (best song EVER) playing, and Edward’s big hair, square jaw, and luscious lips?? Heavenly. This ending? Sort of lame, but I guess, to be expected.


As you can tell, I don’t have many complaints. I loved the movie. I can’t wait for Eclipse as there is more action between vampire and werewolf. Most of the complaints of New Moon that I’ve seen is that there was no chemistry between Bella and Jacob and that it was corny. First, the chemistry is completely diff. from Bella and Edward b/c that’s the way it’s supposed to be. She sees him as a friend. Their almost-kissing scenes are not supposed to be as sexually charged as those with Edward. Duh. Second, the books are corny so it naturally follows that the movies will be. Deal with it.

Aaaand… because I can’t help myself. Here’s some eye candy!


P.S. My Twilight buddy (who will remain anonymous b/c she is beyond embarassed about her obsession whereas i broadcast it to the world) and I are definitely getting together tonight to watch the original Twilight. Uh huh!

Weekend Recap

First, MERCI BEAUCOUP for all the wonderful feedback on the last post. I definitely hesitated before hitting "Publish Post," but I'm so glad I did. xoxo

My weekend involved beaucoup sleeping, but here were a few highlights...

*RUNNING 101: I made it to our Saturday meeting! Despite a late Friday night bedtime, I somehow dragged myself out of bed to meet my group, and I'm *SO* glad I did. Saturday mornings are our long runs, and while this one was only about 28 minutes, it was so good to be out and running outside (i normally do treadmill), and it felt so easy doing it with a bunch of other peeps! I also chatted with this fab girl who moved to Austin a year ago from NYC and who writes for ALLURE magazine - so fun!



*COCO AVANT CHANEL: Tried to go see this on Saturday, but slept instead. Oops! Made some time on Sunday before my Pink Heels session, and I even got dressed up for it. Seriously! I put on my black lace Anthro skirt, black top, menswear inspired vest, and strands and strands of pearls. In an ideal world I would've carried my Chanel 2.55 bag, but since I'm still sans Chanel, I made do. ;-) The movie is a delight. It's very much a love story (very moving and sad... I def. cried), and Audrey Tatou is incredible (as always). It's not as fashion-focused as I had hoped, but I still loved it.

*PINK HEELS: Had a wonderful session with Jennifer last night and experienced a very unexpected A-HA! moment. It was incredible! J said she felt like a proud mama. ;) It definitely helped me get up and get to work this morning with a (somewhat) positive attitude - yay! As I mentioned before, Jenn is coming to visit moi in Austin the first wknd in November, and i cannot WAIT! She already has a "project" lined up for us. Apparently I need to get a cheap full-length mirror, several sheets of posterboard, and magazines. Hmm... I'm scared.

What were the highlights of your weekend?

THE COVE

Wow. Has this been the summer of animal cruelty or what? First there was Food, Inc. (which was not in itself violent but led to me watching the preview of Earthlings which was, well, scarring), and then last night I went with my dear Matty to see The Cove, the preview of which I first saw before Food, Inc.

Truth be told, when I saw the preview, I wasn't entirely sure what the premise was. I knew there was some controversy about dolphins and Japan, but I didn't know any specifics. After doing a little research, I discovered that the town of Taiji, Japan harbors a deep and very, VERY dark secret. Because the fishermen in Taiji engage in the massive slaughtering of thousands upon thousands of dolphins every single year, and no one seems to know anything about it. No, not even the Japanese.

Apparently this all began with the creation of Flipper. Once people discovered how much money they could make training dolphins for show, it was all over. Most of the dolphins you see at Sea World or aquariums, held in captivity, are from Taiji. Basically the fishermen use sound techniques to scare the dolphins into this area along the coast of Taiji. They then close off the area and dolphin trainers come and choose the ones to buy/sell (aka the Flipper look-alikes). As for the rest of them, they are herded into a small hidden cove where they are, I kid you not, slaughtered in one big giant pool of red. It's horrifying and unbelievable. I didn't actually think they'd get live footage of the slaughter, but they did. And oh my god, oh my god, I couldn't believe my eyes.

Because here's the thing - we Americans do the same. We slaughter all kinds of animals in inhumane, awful ways. But our excuse has always typically been food. Cows, pigs... this is their fate. But dolphins? Dolphins are the sea equivalent of dogs, everybody loves 'em! They "smile" and do fun tricks and protect you from sharks and all that good stuff. Right? So HOW on earth could Americans stand for this massacre of dolphins that occurs every year in September in this small coast town of Taiji?? Because they don't know, well, they didn't know, that is until this film.

Things I learned from The Cove that I didn't previously know:

- The dolphins being held in captivity at aquariums/Sea World/etc. are fed all kinds of medication (sound familiar?) to treat/prevent ulcers. Why? Because to the massive amounts of stress these dolphins feel (due to their captivity), they develop ulcers. More often than not, these dolphins die from the stress. Can you imagine dying from stress??

- Dolphins are self-aware creatures. Just. like. us.

- The dolphin that played the first Flipper essentially committed suicide. Because she was depressed and stressed.

- Japanese people do not consider eating dolphin meat to be normal and/or okay. Plus? The toxicity in dolphins is unbelievably high so eating it is extremely dangerous.

- If the fish trade continues at the current rate, in 40 years, there will be no fish left.

- Money really is the root of most evil.

- Dolphins are not smiling.

I urge you and everyone else to go see The Cove. It's *SO* well done, really plays out like a suspenseful Bourne Identity-esque thriller, but it's 100% authentic. Is it difficult to watch? Sure. There are some very sad and painful scenes. But believe me, you've seen worse on the movie screen so you can deal with this one. The point is, the film is chock full of truth. And it sends a message that unless we do something, this will continue happening. The world organizations aimed at preventing these kinds of horrors aren't doing a damn thing. It's totally up to us.

I have never been an animal activist, but films like this are quickly changing that. The veil has been lifted, just as it was in Food, Inc., and I'm so shaken up that I'm not sure what to do. I'm struggling to understand my feelings, process this information, and figure out just what I can do to make a difference. Please go see The Cove. I've said it before and I'll say it until I'm blue in the face, ignorance is not bliss.

I've decided to do another giveaway, and this time I'm giving away 2 tickets to The Cove. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post, and I'll randomly select a winner on Sunday evening. Good luck.

Bonjour, Weekend!

I know I've been slacking a bit lately on zee blog front, but it's because I got (surprisingly) slammed at work. I'm really happy about it though because I'm hoping to make up some of my hours. (I never thought I'd ever be happy about working on the weekend! Bonjour, adulthood!)

Speaking of le weekend, I'm so glad it's here!! Here's a sneak peek at what I'll be doing:

- driving to Dallas for my Papa's bithday (today!)

- having breakfast and seeing Julie & Julia w/ this pretty lady (yay for blogger meet-ups!)

- having Afternoon Tea w/ my London ladies (i ADORE afternoon tea - it's one of the things i miss most about living in Londy)

- working and snuggling with Miss Lola

- eating lots of delicious (and hopefully vegetarian) Korean food

- working on my planner pad, reading, journaling, attempting to draw, etc.

What does your weekend look like?

Oh and next week I'll tell you about how I got mistaken for a high school student... le sigh.

Austenite

I watched a super cute flick over the weekend (no, not 500 Days, although that was tres cute indeed) - The Jane Austen Book Club. I adored this movie for several reasons (among which is Hugh Dancy - YUM), and I must confess, I watched it twice! It's one of those great background movies to have playing while you clean the house, do laundry, etc. Actually all romantic comedy's are great background movies, which is why I own so many of them. :)

Anyhoo, the movie is about 6 people (5 women + the adorable Mr. Dancy) who start a Jane Austen book club. Each is responsible for leading a discussion on a different book. It got me thinking about Jane Austen and the fact that I am probably the only woman I know who hasn't read Pride & Prejudice (and therefore who isn't obsessed with it). I tried to read it once, but got supremely bored a few pages in. Since then I have yet to pick up another Austen novel.

But after seeing this movie, I think it might be time for me to give Jane another chance. There has to be a reason most women adore her books, right? Some of the novels that I'm considering are: Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Sense & Sensibility. I really don't want to read P&P (esp since I know the story already), but figure I probably have to.

What do you guys think? Are you Jane Austen fans? Which book should I start with? Is it weird that I didn't love P&P??

Merci Pour Le Weekend!

This has been a nuts week, both good and bad, but thankfully it's over! Let the weekend festivities begin...

Friday: Going to see UP again tonight (b/c mon amie hasn't seen it and yes, it's that good that i'll go again!). Hopefully this won't happen again...

Saturday: Yoga, errands, laundry, and then seeing 500 Days of Summer!! I'm SOOO excited to see this darling indie flick. Adore Zooey Deschanel, but then again, who doesn't? I'll also be enjoying delicious food and drink b/c I'll be seeing it here! (P.S. The soundtrack rocks!)

Sunday: Hopefully a bed retreat aka oodles of reading, Pink Heels homework, journaling, SWIM-ing, etc. I'm way behind on my writing in general and since my Friday and Saturday are pretty booked, I'm reserving Sunday as my catch up in bed day. :)

What're y'all up to ce weekend?

FOOD, INC.

Last Friday I took myself on an Artist Date to see the much acclaimed Food, Inc., a documentary that basically informs us of what the heck we are eating. I wasn't particularly interested in watching the film for informational purposes (I've read a couple of Michael Pollan books and took a Food Safety class in law school), but to see if the film would/could appeal to the general public. It has occurred to me that an alarming number of bright, well-educated people don't want to know where their food comes from. Many of my friends said they were "too scared" to see Food, Inc. because they "like food too much." Um, HELLO, I like food, too! I LOVE food, actually. And loving food is even more incentive to go see this film.

As I predicted, I already knew 90% of what the film told me. I already know the horrors of the beef, poultry and dairy industries, and I know that 99% of the products in the supermarket are derived from corn. I know about the little boy Kevin who died from E. Coli (although seeing his mother talk about it was tres difficult), and I know that 5 giant multi-national corporations control the U.S. food industry. I also know that the government agencies that are supposed to protect us (USDA, FDA, etc.) are corrupt and that their leaders are paid (whether directly or indirectly) by these food giants to regulate in their favor.

Even though I knew all of this and had seen much more graphic images before (Food, Inc. is NOT graphic btw), the film hit me really, really hard. I kid you not when I say that I spent most of the movie crying, out of sadness and pain, anger and sheer frustration. My reasons for cutting out meat in the past were mostly dietary and also a little because I didn't agree with how our country produces its meat. But I never thought it was fundamentally wrong to kill and eat animals. For some reason, Food, Inc. made me see things differently.

Every time I saw a suffering chicken, cow, or pig, I thought of Lola. Maybe that's silly or overly dramatic, but really, how is it any different? Animals are animals, and just because we've chosen to domesticate some more than others does not mean each animal doesn't experience the same pain. Can you imagine seeing your beloved dog or cat or whatever pet in the kind of pain you see those chickens and pigs and cows in? It would kill you. And it pretty much killed me, and every excuse I had for sneaking a little bacon here or there into my mostly meat-free diet fell by the wayside. How can I eat meat knowing it was raised/treated/slaughtered that way?

After watching Food, Inc., I learned of the documentary Earthlings. Um, wow, if you can't handle animal cruelty, then don't even watch the preview because it has haunted me for days. I can't imagine seeing the entire movie, i just don't think I could sit through it, but wow, what an impact it must have on those who do see it. It actually made me want to go vegan, and believe me when I say, I've never wanted to go vegan in my entire life.

This post is not intended to be preach-y (and I'm sorry if it has been), and there really is only one message I have here: Go see films like Food, Inc. You have a right to know where your food comes from. And really, you should want to know. Ignorance is not bliss. As for moi, I'm not sure where I go from here. Cutting meat? Easy peasy. It's GONE. But what about my whole seafood thing? And what about veganism? Can I, in good conscience, be a vegetarian but still eat the by-products of the meat industry? I mean, I love me some goat cheese, I really do. What about leather? Can I give up my beloved Chloe bag, my many many shoes?? Augh, I don't know. I just don't know.

Things I'm Happy About

1. TGIT. I spent all day yesterday convinced it was Thursday, and when the reality set in that it was not, i kind of died. Luckily today is, in fact, Thursday which means...

-1 more day until le weekend

-2 more days until i go to San Antonio to have a fun blogger playdate with Sarah (we plan to to eat good food, drink champagne, thrift to our hearts' content, and lay by the pool - divine, n'est ce pas?)

-3 more days until i have a tres French (and undoubtedly delicious) brunch with Lauren at Brasserie Pavil

Of course that brings me again to Sunday night, and let's not even go there because i'm already depressed just thinking about it. UPDATE: Totally forgot i am having a reunion playdate with my dear Matty on Sunday night - yay for something to look forward to!!

2. On a brighter note, i'm thrilled that some of you have gotten your snail mail packages. I've been so exhausted this week so i haven't made up anymore, but hopefully i'll get to do some this weekend before and/or after my trip to SA.

3. Have any of you seen Enlighten Up? I know it showed in DC a little while back. It's opening in Austin tomorrow night, and i'm tempted to make a solo date out of it and lose myself in a dark movie theater (avec smuggled treats). Thoughts?

4. In the midst of my soul-searching, i sent an email to a few dear friends asking, "What am i good at?" Eloquent, huh? But really, i just found myself unable to answer this question on my own and was curious as to how my friends would answer it. I've gotten some wonderful, helpful and heartfelt responses, which of course, j'adore. And now, I open up this question to you, dear readers - What is Carolyn good at?

5. I'm taking my friend J to Sandra Bullock's restaurant BESS BISTO for lunch today. It's her belated birthday lunch, and i'm TRES excited! I have a $25 gift certificate (that i got for $2 via restaurant.com), but the catch is that we have to order $50 worth of food. That means appetizers, entrees, desserts, drinks, cafe's, and leftovers!!

Tell me, mes amies, what's making you happy these days?

...and then my pants fell down

Tonight i went to see what is probably one of my favorite movies to date - UP. I saw it on the fancy new 3D/4K screen. I laughed. I cried. I sobbed a little bit. And then i guffawed. It was wonderful. On top of all that, i was able to enjoy a tall ice cold glass of Blue Moon and a delicious artichoke/tomato/goat cheese pizza (ok and yes, maybe some chocolate cake and ice cream as well) whilst enjoying the flick. What a perfect evening.

As S and i walked out of the theater, we heard the torrential downpour that apparently had made its way down from North Texas. I was thrilled, of course, as i love thunderstorms and was insanely jealous of all the rain Dallas was getting. Unfortunately, the parking lot is large, and i wasn't entirely sure of the exact location of my car. That's ok - S suggested we run to hers and then she'd drive me to mine. Great idea.



Now, this wasn't just rain, it was fat rain. You now the kind that gets you wet no matter how fast you run or how long you're outside? Yeah. Here I am in my white denim shorts and black American Apparel sexuali-tee (LOVE those btw), clutching my Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 with one hand and my leftover pizza in another, frantically running towards S's car. Suddenly i see my car not far in the distance and scream a goodnight/talk to you later to S and haul it.

Guess what? It's not my car. I can't find my car ANYWHERE. It's raining so hard i can barely see. Headlights flash in every direction. I'm soaked to the bone and starting to freak out. And as i run up and down the aisles of the parking lot, my white denim shorts, growing heavy with wetness, start to slide down my hips. Suddenly i feel them fall. To my ankles. In the pouring rain. With tons of people around me running to their respective cars (b/c unlike moi, they remember where they parked) and driving away. Hands full i have to stop, put my stuff down on the trunk of another car and desperately try to pull up my shorts. Meanwhile i'm getting wetter, if that's even possible, which i don't think it is.

Eventually i found my car, threw Lola's blanket onto the driver's seat, wrapped myself up in a beach towel (thank G these were in my backseat!), put the keys in the ignition and started to laugh. Hysterically.

I swear, these things only happen to me...

NOTE: When my shorts hit the pavement, i couldn't help but think, "Phew - thank GOD i'm not one of those girls who wears dental floss on a daily basis or this situation would be 100x more embarassing." You know what i mean.

Welcome to Bollywood

I heart Bollywood. If you don't know what that word means, you are certainly missing out, and I highly suggest you get thee to wikipedia asap and also search "bollywood" and "Aishwarya Rai" on youtube.



My obsession with all things Bollywood, i'm ashamed to say, came from watching a silly little flick called "Bride and Prejudice", aka the "Bollywood" version of Pride & Prejudice featuring the beautiful Aishwarya Rai. It was a small taste of what was to come. Since then i've watched a number of flicks (can't remember any names, sorry!), mostly with my BFFFEFEFFF from college (who's Indian) and loves to entertain my obsession. I've also seen the musical Bombay Dreams, own the soundtrack and frequently dance around to tracks like "Chaiyya Chaiyya" and "Shakalaka Baby" in my apartment when no one but Lola is watching.



Sadly, my dancing is quite limited as i have zero training in Bollywood-style dance. Enter BOLLYWOOD BHANGRA WORKOUT, a new class through UT Informal Classes that will allow me to pursue my love for bollywood moves AND sizzle some calories at the same time. Genius! Classes start July 15, and i CAN'T WAIT!!


P.S. It's no surprise that one of my fave scenes from Slumdog Millionaire was the end scene in which the actors danced to Jai Ho!

Atlas Shrugged Le Movie?

Just heard (this may be old news) that tehre's a movie adaptation of the book "Atlas Shrugged" in the works. This is one of my faaaavorite books (if not my #1), and i'm tres curious as to how this would translate on the big screen. Honestly? i don't think it can...

Twilight!!

Bon matin! That's moi (still half-asleep as evidenced by my coin slot size eyes and hideous hair) after purchasing my copies (yes that's plural, had to get the regular dvd and the bluray!) of TWILIGHT @ Tarjay this morning. Wheeee!! I felt like i was 13 all over again. :-)

Off to SPIN! Have a great Saturday!!

Shopaholic Fever

Bonjour, mes amies!! I apologize for this late post; life's been quite hectic. I spent last weekend in Dallas visiting the parentals and spending time with Ma Soeur and bro-in-law. Highlights of the weekend include: eating my mom's delicious Korean food, driving to Dallas in my new ride, and seeing Confessions of a Shopaholic on Saturday!!! I absolutely adored the film, despite expecting the absolute worst. I had some serious issues with (1) Becky not being British, (2) the movie not taking place in London (my second favorite city in Europe, after Paris), and (3) Luke Brandon not being some tall, broad-shouldered high power PR executive. Now, after having seen the movie (twice, i must confess), i am: (1) still a bit sad that Becky's not British because really, nothing's cuter than a British shopaholic, right?, (2) OK with the fact that the movie took place in Manhatten (mostly b/c i'm going to be there in just a few weeks and can't WAIT to hit the shops!!), and (3) completely head-over-heels in love with Hugh Dancy, the darling Colin Firth/Hugh Grant hybrid that played the perfect movie version Luke Brandon. Oh and (4)? I ABSOLUTELY ADORE ISLA FISHER. I mean, look, can you imagine anyone playing a better Becky Bloomwood? (Totally loved her courageous color combos and fabulous gloves! Oh and can I pull off red hair?)





I've been reading lots of negative press re: the movie and how it's completely inappropriate in a time like now. But honestly, it's a light-hearted, fun, funNY romantic comedy at heart. The shopaholic angle definitely struck a chord with me (especially considering i first read the book nearly a decade ago and related with Becky way more than i ever intended to). There was one quote in particular that stuck with me. When asked, by a very angry, very handsome Luke Brandon why she shops, a tearful Becky replies: "When I shop, the world gets better...the world IS better! And then it's not anymore. And then I have to do it again." Sad? Perhaps. True? Very. And although i can honestly say that i'm on the road to shopaholic recovery, part of me can only hope that i look this happy when i hit the streets of Manhatten:


P.S. And boys? If seeing Isla Fisher in fitted tops, short skirts, and major stilettos isn't enough incentive for you to tag along with your girlfriend or gal pal, you should go just for the laughs. Seriously, this movie is laugh-out-loud F-U-N-N-Y. Plus, you might gain some helpful insight into the very complex mind of the beloved women in your life...

Legally...Asian?

I'm currently watching Legally Blonde while studying for my con law II exam. Goodness i'd almost forgotten how much i adore this flick!! It's so funny to think back to when i first saw it... i had absolutely ZERO intention of going to law school when it first came out, and now... well, now i'm right smack in the middle of law school, aren't i? Granted UT Law is nothing like the Harvard Law portrayed in the movie (although i do empathize with the complete and total non-pinkness of it all), and i am grateful for that. Still, i don't think that handing out scented pink resumes would fly around these parts...