Sunday afternoon search terms

Once again, it's time for that ever-so-popular* feature, These Are Some Google Search Terms People Have Typed In And Subsequently Found Their Way To Final Girl.

Mind you, these aren't all from today, but that doesn't diminish their power! Feel free to hazard your guesses to the many, many questions in the comments.

sex goddess loses her wig

supernatural nudies

magic little nudies

- Clearly the two "nudies" searchers should meet and fall in love.

master of unlocking

- This one pleases me to no end.

horror movies good for the soul

- Why yes...yes, they are.

retro tits blog

- "retro tits" are almost as good as "worker boobs".

Naked Bea Arthur photos

- Really? REALLY?

what movie was it when a giant worm fucks a girl?

what it means if girl laughs at you at night club?

- Your fly is open?

if a girl uses a pen to masturbate what will happen?

- There's a Vagina Monologues joke in there somewhere...

girl with masturbating shoe

- A masturbating shoe? I'd pay real money to see that!

will you marry me with string?

- Sir, I wouldn't marry you with twine.

what does it mean when burning sunshine while been horny?

genie francis plastic surgery

- This has become my most frequent search hit, surpassing even "Shannon Tweed nude".

what if a car has a wig on that stink like a terd would I still love her.

- Car...has wig...that stinks? You know, putting a bunch of words in a row doesn't necessarily constitute a sentence.

I once knew a chick named annie may oooh

- Good for you! Celebrate this moment of your life with some International Coffee.

It amazes me that people sometimes click through to Final Girl when the search results come up. I'm also amazed by what people are searching for.

You said it, Charles Nelson Reilly!

Previous editions of These Are Some Google Search Terms People Have Typed In And Subsequently Found Their Way To Final Girl can be found HERE and HERE.




*it amuses me

Hangover Cures

Thanks to the guys over at Men.Style.com for bringing us an interactive list of favorite hangover cures. Some of our favorites are missing: Miso soup, Emergen-C and coconut water, but they have a nice list. We dare any of you to try the pickle juice cure and report back to us! Just looking at it makes us queasy.

Got any foolproof hangover cures? JSG is always on the lookout for a new one!

By George in Austin

This week, the New York Times featured By George in Austin in a piece on the struggle of independent boutiques in these budget conscious times.

Shopping -- even when it's just window shopping -- is always a highlight of our girls' trips. When we were in Austin, the legendary By George was the first store we hit. Even though we're on a tighter budget these days, the selection was so special and unique compared to what we've seen in big department stores, we bought a Rag & Bone dress. We can't wait to start wearing it to holiday parties this month. And because we bought it in Austin and haven't seen the dress in other stores, we know no one will show up in the same outfit.

The point of the Times piece is that independent stores have it tougher than department stores or chain stores, which have deeper pockets and greater leverage due to their size. The strength of the boutique store -- the good ones, that is -- is that it knows its customers better and can offer a cherry picked selection of the season's best fashions. By George not only did this, it baked them up in a pie served topped with fresh whipped cream.

So keep on shopping at By George and other boutique stores. We realize those 40 and 50 percent off sales at Saks, Neimans, Bloomies, and Macy's are hard to pass by. But buying something on sale isn't a bargain unless you really need it or love it and it fits you. And this recession isn't going to last forever. We need boutiques for their hand selected fashions, better service and unique shopping environments. Go on--just have a look.

holiday time!

Have a very jaunty Thanksgiving, y'all...and for those who don't celebrate it, have a very jaunty Thursday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're spending the long weekend busy with family and friends. We're so thankful to be here one year later sharing our experiences with you. Our best to everyone on this-the start of the holiday season.
XOXO
Anne and Hope

i love the 80s, even though sometimes they sucked.

Let's get this out of the way: Sorority House Massacre (1986) blows with a capital BLOWS. Last night, however, I was in the mood for a big fat slice of 80s slasher, and in the end, SHM delivered. Mind you, it only delivered in that it fulfilled my wispy nostalgia-fueled desires; even as cheesy 80s slashers go, this one is bad.

Bad bad.

As in really not good.

Still, I was okay with that because popping in the DVD immediately took me back to sleepovers at Elena's house, when we'd walk down the hill to Nick's Video and rent crappy horror movies even though we were underage, and then we'd walk next door to Nick's Pizza and pick up a pizza to go with the movie.

Apparently Nick had a real stranglehold on that section of the town.

Anyway, we'd pretty much bring home anything- the more lurid the better. Titles featuring the words "massacre", "blood", "death", "slaughter", "evil", or "the" were sure to be mind-melting winners. Of course, our hopes for mental scarring were rarely realized, but who cares? Even when the movies stunk, they were still fun- and that's why, every once in a while, I get the urge to watch some 80s crap. Sometimes they stink, but they're usually still a bit fun.

Sweet mama, I'm old.

Sorority House Massacre really effs with your head, man, as Beth (Angela O'Neill) keeps dreaming these, like, totally creepy dreams involving the horror movie dream staples: children, bloody ceilings, mannequins, and boring dinner parties.



Meanwhile, at The Old Mental Asylum Place, some dude who may or may not be seen in Beth's dreams is thrashing about and displaying an overabundance of beta waves, meaning: he's a good 9.5 on the crazy scale.

Are you scared yet? If not, then pull up your pants and hold on tight, kiddies, for things are about to get all ten kinds of terrifying up in here: Sorority House Massacre is an endless parade of some of the worst 80s fashions you will ever, ever see. EVER. EVARRRRRR.



They just. Kept. Coming. I realize that, you know, every era has its own style. I realize that I myself was certainly a fashion victim in the 80s- we all were, and we all thought we were cool. It's pointless to get all wrapped up in outdated hair and clothes when watching a movie, but... JESUS FUCKING CHRIST.

Even the background players are an affront to my delicate eyes! Yes, I'm talking about you back there, Banana Orbison. We see you, and we see that your outfit is atrocious.

I know those outfits are causing you to think "Oh, horror movies. Those sorority girls are such degenerate sluts!" and boy, are you right! In fact, when the whole entire campus except them and their boyfriends goes away for the weekend, our Fashionable Foursome gets up to some dirty, dirty no-good! All alone in the big Kappa Kappa They Never Named The Sorority In This Movie house, the girls immediately decide to "eat Melanie's ice cream" and "try on Cindy's clothes"...and then they do. Those crazy college kids! What shenanigans.

The girls try on Cindy's clothes in a montage set to music that sounds like the theme of an 80s morning show, and it's all just the lamest excuse in the history of ever to get some tits on the screen.

It does, however, provide us with an inkling as to exactly how deep Cindy's love of the jumpsuit is.

And yes, THEY'RE DOO-WOPPING.

So the brainwavey kookadook busts out of the asylum and further gets his Michael Myers on by breaking into a hardware store to steal a knife and then speeding off in a battle wagon.

Beth's dreams continue, and it seems that she and the brainwavey kookadook are connected somehow. Could it have anything to do with that story about the guy who, years before, killed everyone in his family except his one little sister? Could Beth's dreams be not dreams at all, but rather...dun dun dunnnnn...repressed memories? Gee, I wonder.

It plays out how you would expect: the cuckoo nutso shows up at the sorority house and he kills everybody. Beth finally remembers her sordid past and kills the killer...or does she? Dun dun dunnn...cue the reappearance of the bad guy at the end when Beth is in the hospital! Is it all a dream? Or is there really a boy in the lake?


Who can say? All I know for sure is that Beth really needs to learn how to scream with her eyes. I wonder if Tyra and Company could teach her that?

Sorority House Massacre is the gift that keeps on giving, though, and the most perplexing mystery of all is saved for the end credits.

The biggest problem with this film isn't the plot, which is standard 80s slasher stuff- in fact, while watching this I thought, "I'd love to remake the shit out of this movie"...or maybe it was "remake the fuck" out of it, I don't remember exactly. The point is, there's a little glimmer of an alright slasher plot in there, but it dies due to poor execution all the way around.

The acting is some of the most lifeless I've ever seen; really, a box of crayons would have done as good a job. People die and no one reacts. Lines are read in a monotone. In the big end battle between Beth and the wackadoo, he repeatedly stabs her in the legs as she tries to crawl away, or so, at least, I thought: I couldn't be sure if that's what I was seeing, because she didn't acknowledge it at all, not even with an "Ow, cut it out!" There's no sense of urgency or terror or...or anything, really. The guy shows up, stabs people in the gut, and that's that. There's nary a scream echoing the halls of Ye Olde Sorority House.

Of course, the action itself is as lackluster as the performances. Survivors run upstairs, then downstairs, then upstairs, then downstairs, and that's about it. This film does make me wonder, however, if it really IS possible to dive INTO a second story window from the ground.

As I said when I started this post, Sorority House Massacre is a pretty terrible movie, but it scratched my 80s itch, and for that I'm thankful. Perhaps, though, I should stop scratching before it gets infected.

Best Body Moisturizer Ever

Typically on Thanksgiving I head south to see my mom in Alabama. As you might guess there’s no such thing as a direct flight from NYC to Mobile, so I always have to switch planes in Atlanta. The only good part about that airport is the Body Shop store in the Delta terminal. I made it my annual tradition to buy a Body Butter on my way back home. My skin is extra dry and slathering that on nightly is the only way I can make it through a winter.



This year, I’m staying put (even cooking my first turkey. Please send good culinary thoughts my way.), so it’s a good thing I’ve discovered a moisturizer I like even better: Elemis Skin Nourishing Milk Bath. It’s meant to be used in the tub, but it doubles as an ultra-rich moisturizer. I haven’t quite figured out how one product can do both—and I have yet to try it in the bath—but as a moisturizer, it rocks. Not only does it leave my skin super soft for a full day, it soothes my itchy, cracked skin immediately.



It does have a few downsides—it smells powder-y and old lady-ish, for one; it’s a liquid, so the screw cap can prove to be messy (remember, it’s a bath milk, first and foremost) and at $66, it’s on the pricey side. That said, my 13.5 oz. bottle is sure to last me through the winter and beyond. If you’re skin is as dry as mine, it's worth it for relief.

briefs

Not only is Wednesday Prince Spaghetti Day, it's also AMC Day! Go forth, friends, and read about Final Girls...vote in the little poll thingy that's been added, leave a comment, and let the world know exactly who your favorite Final Girl is. You don't have to say ME- I know I'm number one in the hearts and minds of everyone everywhere.

RIGHT??!

Twilight the Movie (Makeup) Review

We saw Twilight this weekend and thought it was fun, especially since the theater was brimming with tweeners (we brought two with us) and teenagers that squealed for Edward the whole time. We can't help comparing it to Harry Potter because it's geared to the younger set, Twilight star Robert Pattinson was in the Harry Potter movies and the flick is pretty tame. For better or worse, we learned one thing about ourselves and that's that we like some raunch and gore.


If you want to sport your own Twilight look we got some scoop from the makeup artist, Jeanne Van Phue, who used MAC powders (Blot powder/pressed in Light pictured below) and shadows on both Bella and the vampires. We thought Edward's pale skin was too pasty. It looked more like Edward Scissorhands and less like marble. We think Van Phue could have used something with sheen like MAC Strobe Liquid, which would foreshadow Edward's diamonds-in-the-sun glow. We did love Bella's natural makeup, especially the MAC shadow in Wedge (a soft muted golden beige taupe) she wore in Biology class.






The fabulous Jenny at Sephora's Beauty and the Blog dished that Van Phue used Benefit lip colors on set, one for humans and one for vampires. Bella wore Benefit's Silky Finish Lipstick in Good-to-Go (a cream/plum brown) and Edward and his family wore Ms. Behavin (a cream deep dark plum purple). We'll be looking for these at Sephora since we're still wearing purples.

lawd love a list 2: the listing

Remember when I recently posted the Top Ten Horror Movies of All Time According to Me? And how I said that B-Sol over at The Vault of Horror was going to tally up a bunch of Top Tens and make a Top Fifty? Well he did it, and you can read all about it right here! For those of you too lazy to click your mouse, I present...le top fifty, in eye-popping RED:

1. Halloween (1978) dir: John Carpenter
2. The Exorcist (1973) dir: William Friedkin
3. Psycho (1960) dir: Alfred Hitchcock
4. Night of the Living Dead (1968) dir: George Romero
5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) dir: Tobe Hooper
6. Frankenstein (1931) dir: James Whale
7. The Shining (1980) dir: Stanley Kubrick
8. The Thing (1982) dir: John Carpenter
9. Alien (1979) dir: Ridley Scott
10. Nosferatu (1922) dir: F.W. Murnau
11. Dawn of the Dead (1978) dir: George Romero
12. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) dir: James Whale
13. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) dir: Wes Craven
14. Jaws (1975) dir: Steven Spielberg
15. The Blair Witch Project (1999) dir: Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez
16. The Haunting (1963) dir: Robert Wise
17. King Kong (1933) dir: Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack
18. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) dir: Roman Polanski
19. Dracula (1931) dir: Todd Browning
20. The Evil Dead (1981) dir: Sam Raimi
21. Poltergeist (1982) dir: Tobe Hooper
22. Black Sunday (La Maschera del Demonio) (1960) dir: Mario Bava
23. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) dir: Rupert Julian
24. An American Werewolf in London (1980) dir: John Landis
25. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) dir: Jack Arnold
26. Friday the 13th (1980) dir: Sean Cunningham
27. Evil Dead II (1988) dir: Sam Raimi
28. Alucarda (1978) dir: Juan Lopez Moctezuma
29. Carrie (1976) dir: Brian DePalma
30. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) dir: Francis Ford Coppola
31. The Fly (1986) dir: David Cronenberg
32. The Fog (1980) dir: John Carpenter
33. The Wolf Man (1941) dir: George Waggner
34. House on Haunted Hill (1959) dir: William Castle
35. Night of the Demon (1957) dir: Jacques Tourneur
36. Frankenstein (1910) dir: J. Searle Dawley
37. Dellamorte Dellamore (Cemetery Man) (1994) dir: Michele Soavi
38. Thriller (1983) dir: John Landis
39. The Addiction (1995) dir: Abel Ferrara
40. Aliens (1986) dir: James Cameron
41. Phantasm (1979) dir: Don Coscarelli
42. The Thing from Another World (1951) dir: Christian Nyby
43. Zombi 2 (1979) dir: Lucio Fulci
44. The Mist (2007) dir: Frank Darabont
45. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) dir: Jack Clayton
46. The Living Dead Girl (1982) dir: Jean Rollin
47. The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962) dir: Joseph Green
48. The Return of the Living Dead (1985) dir: Dan O’Bannon
49. Suspiria (1976) dir: Dario Argento
50. Salem’s Lot (1979) dir: Tobe Hooper

All but one of my choices made the list, meaning I have very few original opinions.

I don't know...I think I'm getting tired of the same old movies. Sure, sure, Halloween is amazing and all, but...enough already! I need something fresh and exciting to keep up with the break-neck pace of my active lifestyle, you know? Something that's as cutting-edge as I am.

It all makes me wonder about the criteria I apply in a "best of all time" situation like this, and why I'm reluctant to choose recent films. Is it because they've yet to stand the test of time? Does something have to hold up for 10, 15, 30 years before I think it's "worthy"? Maybe. I mean, if I were to make the list right this minute, I might very well include Inside, which rocked my face off wicked hard just the other day. Will I still feel that way about it in five years, or am I just harboring a crush? Where's Miss Cleo when you need her?

So, comment here, comment at the Vault of Horror, make your voices heard: "Where's THIS? What, no one included THAT? What a bunch of jerks!" Take a cue from anonymous:

None of the participants are qualified to judge these films. Only the general public who pay to go to the cinema should be allowed to vote. Critics should be outlawed!

I know..."anonymous". Shocking, right? I love how lists angry up the blood.

A Year in High Heels Review

A friend gave us a copy of A Year in High Heels: The Girl's Guide to Everything from Jane Austen to the A-list
by Camilla Morton. Normally we prefer trashy fiction or dishy tell alls to how-to books, but this follow up to How to Walk in High Heels has an intro by the shoe guru himself, Manolo Blahnik, which was enough to convince us to give it a shot.

The rest of the book does not disappoint. We flagged 5 pages on our subway ride home the very evening we were given the book. Arranged month by month, it has such tasty morsels as quotes by the famous, such as:

"A newspaper reported that I spent $30,000 a year buying Paris clothes. I couldn't have spent that much unless I wore sable underwear." -- Jackie Kennedy Onassis

To tips on how long to cook that turkey for: we're looking at 4.5 hours for our 15 pounder; to advice on writing a sincere thank you note, the history of the sneaker, a primer on Jane Austen's library and how to shop for vintage clothes by Lulu Guinness.

It's the perfect Christmas gift for the girl who has everything. It will help her understand what makes an original Pucci so valuable and why it's of note that Maria Callas and Gianni Versace have the same birthday (December 1).

And in the spirit of A Year in High Heels, a special thanks to Erica for giving us the book that you knew we would love!

Matthew Williamson for H&M

We skipped the H&M Commes Des Garcons collection, but come April 22, you'll find us camping outside of our local H&M. The creative director of Pucci and Sienna Miller BFF who consistently nails Boho chic, combining bright colors with dreamy prints, is designing a collection for H&M, according to WWD. These samplings from his Spring '09 show are a Jet Set Girls dream come true (courtesy of Style.com).

How to Get a Smoky Eye

We finally did it! We learned how to create a foolproof smoky eye all on our own thanks to a lesson at the Sephora Eye Studio. Currently in the NYC's Times Square, Las Vegas's Venetian and San Francisco's Powell Street Sephora stores, the experts at the Sephora Eye studio teach you how to apply fake lashes, master color, create a cat eye or achieve the ultimate smoky eye.

Handily, the stores sell discounted kits with the key products in them so you can recreate the look at home.

Here's how to do the smoky eye, with tips from Lyn Lynch, Education Market Trainer:

1. After using a eyeshadow primer, like Urban Decay's Primer Potion (not included in kit), line upper and lower lids heavily with a black cream liner, like Stila Smudge Pot. Lyn saved us years of aggravation by teaching us that eyes don't have to look exactly the same. As Lyn says, "Eyes are not evenly shaped to start with, so don't drive yourself crazy by trying to make them symmetrical with makeup." Huh. So that was our problem all this time!

2. Top with rich bronze shadow, like Smasbhox in Rapture. Lyn used a blunt brush to apply the color from our lashes (on top of the liner), on up to our crease, but stopping short of our brow. She then took a blending brush to soften the edges. She did this in what she called a "windshield wiper" motion, gently back and forth.

3. Next, apply a Champagne shimmer shadow, like Bare Essentials Glimmer in Queen Phyllis under the brow and at the inner corner of the eyes. (JSG confession: When Lyn did this, it looked hot, when we try, we end up a shimmer-y mess. For now we're skipping this step.)

4. Top of with mascara. The Smoky Eye Kit comes with a mini Benefit Bad Gal Lash. After watching us wrestle with the giant brush, Lyn taught us to apply the mascara vertically to get it on our lashes, then turn the brush horizontally to work it through.

We've been rocking out our new look perhaps a little too much. Our SO now thinks we have a secret lover at our day job--but now that we know how to do it, the smoky eye is too sexy to leave for special occasions!

y'alls've spoken

58% of you decided that the next Film Club choice will be Grindhouse, and so Grindhouse it is.

Check it, youse guys: you can instantly watch the whole shebang on Netflix by clicking HERE. You can watch or rent Planet Terror by clicking HERE; for Death Proof, click HERE.

As for me, I'm going to make it a true grindhouse experience by doing the following:

1) dumping soda and garbage on my floor
2) creating mysterious stains on my couch
3) inviting several shady people over to sit in my living room while I watch
4) starting the movies at midnight
5) watching both movies in a row

So there.

Hey, I've never seen Planet Terror- I can only assume that her gun shoots flame-colored lightning and words.

To the 42% of you who voted for Pete Walker's Schizo, don't worry. It'll have its day in the Film Club, I promise!

The film(s): Grindhouse
The due date: Monday, January 6

Thanks to everyone who voted!

A Peek Inside Dr. Jennifer Walden's Carry On

Jennifer Walden is not only a successful NYC plastic surgeon, she's gorgeous to boot. Dr. Walden travels a lot, both for for work and for fun. We recently caught up with her after she returned from her hometown of Austin for a friend's wedding--lucky Dr. Walden, she got to stay at the Driskill. Bookmark her blog, Celebrity Plastic Surgery, where Dr. Walden gives her no holds barred takes on what work celebs have really had done from Fergie to Brad Pitt. Here's what she travels with:


I carry a large Gucci signature tote, circa 2005, similar to the one below.


My lipstick choices are:
Chanel Glossimer lip gloss in "Coral Reef" and Loreal Colour Riche lipstick in "Golden Splendor" (JSG note: We adore that Dr. Walden is a high/low girl!)

My manicures last less than a week because I scrub in so often for surgery, so I need a little extra help from CVS. I have no idea how I got through security with this in my pocketbook.
Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No Chip nail color in "Champagne Toast"


Speaking of surgery, I have dry hands from scrubbing in and Vinotherapie by Caudalie Paris Antioxidant Hand and Nail cream is my hand cream of choice.


iPod touch 32 GB with a strangely wide variety I have been told: Willie Nelson, Yaz, Coldplay, Alison Krauss, Bruce Robison, Squeeze, Tina Turner, 50 Cent, Sugarland, George Strait, Dolly Parton, Spin Doctors, Jack Johnson, Gipsy Kings, Blues Traveler, Jerry Jeff Walker, and John Conlee to name a few.

Book I am reading: Fareed Zakaria's The Post-American World:






...and some more random stuff that no plastic surgeon can do without:
a Medical Penlight
a Medpor chin implant for demonstrative purposes
2 DVDs with live surgery--Breast Augmentation by Dr Jennifer Walden, and Breast Lift with Augmentation by Dr Jennifer Walden-- for me to review in flight for an upcoming presentation at a surgery conference.

umm...

So...err...I saw this...movie and...I don't...know...it...there was...

I think Inside (2007) broke my brain. It's another one of those movies that I can't really say I "enjoyed", but then again I kind of loved it....or should I say, I suppose, that I was completely riveted and completely horrified. Kind of literally like this, for a good sixty minutes:

I was surprised, when it was over, when I realized that I'd only closed my eyes and looked away once.

It's a simple film- Sarah (Alysson Paradis) is home alone and very pregnant. A woman (Beatrice Dalle) breaks into Sarah's house because she really wants that baby. It's not perfect, but the small problems don't undermine Inside's power even a smidge- there are a couple of logic quibbles, but technically the film is exquisite and near flawless.

I don't really want to say anything about it, except that yes...it's every bit as brutal, violent, bloody, and hardcore as you've heard it is. It's outrageous, but it never feels exploitative or...lawd love a tired phrase..."torture porn"-y. In the end, it's an experience you don't get at the movies very often- something that really hits you on a gut level...something that grabs you by the ya-ya sisterhood and won't let go.

I heartily recommend this film, unless you're extremely squeamish or...you know...you have an aversion to overly explicit violence. It's odd, because usually I'd throw myself into those camps, but here I am. I loved it. I think.

How 'bout that Beatrice Dalle, huh? Damn.

Atlantis in Dubai

Sometimes when you're pinching pennies, it helps to fantasize. On that note, celebs including Charlize Theron, Denzel Washington, Mary Kate Olsen, Mischa Barton, Lily Allen and more were partying it up in Dubai at the opening of the Atlantis the Palm in Dubai (Yes, the same Atlantis that's in the Bahamas). The brand new $1.5 billion hotel opened with a show that put the opening of the Beijing Olympics to shame. (Watch it all on the Atlantis the Palm Dubai's website.) Sigh...Must be nice!

Playboy Party for Movember

If you ever get invited to a Playboy-sponsored party, we have one word for you: GO! Last night we went to NYC's Capitale for the Movember Gala. What is Movember, you ask? According to Movember website, it's a global charity event that invites men to grow moustaches to help raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer. The party was sponsored by Playboy, Canadian Club and Norelco razors.

We've been to many a party and have on occasion been called jaded, but this was one for the record books. It had the key element that is the success to the handful of legendary parties we've ever been to: A fun crowd! It helped that it was a costume party--everyone was dressed up as their favorite mustachioed hero, from Sherlock Holmes to 70s airline pilots to Ron Burgundy to Jim Dangle. The women went as their favorite 70s and 80s icons, think lots of Madonnas in her Boy Toy phase and aerobic instructors. (JSG heard about the party at the last minute and did not know it was a costume party.) Ghandi was the big winner of the night--he won two tickets to the Playboy Mansion--lucky dog!



Just how good was the party? We went all on our lonesome because it was on our way home from dinner and planned to stay for 15 minutes. Four hours later we stumbled into a taxi!

If you do make it to a Playboy party, some advice: Start swiping your Playboy gear early. People were taking bunny shaped pillows, curtains and votives with the Playboy silhouette on them (one of these curiously landed in JSG's clutch). One of the many new friends we made last night who used to work at Playboy told us this free for all is par for the course at a Playboy party and they just turn a blind eye.

Happy Movember!

Editor's Note: Read the Washington Post's A Look That Seems to Be Growing on Us ... The Mustache is back! from November 25th, 2008.

scenes i love - the thing

Sexiest Man Alive 2008: Hugh Jackman

It's hard to argue with People magazine's pick of Hugh Jackman and 2008 Sexiest Man Alive. What's not to love about that chiseled chin, rugged scruff and piercing stare? We adore that Hugh has been married for 12 years and are a wee bit jealous that he wears fake tattoos, dresses up like a stockbroker and does an "80s-like hip-swiveling number" for the lucky b--ch. Guess there are more than a few benefits to being married to an actor.

Not to worry though, ladies, if for some unfathomable reason Hugh isn't your type, there are plenty of hot guys in this issue, including James Bond (aka Daniel Craig); Ed Westwick, who somehow did get infinitely sexier over the summer; and Joshua Jackson, who will always remain Pacey in our hearts. People teases us with an online slide show of the sexiest men alive.


We don't usually buy our magazines in print editions these days, but this issue is for sure a keeper. Aside from getting too many finger prints on our computer screen, we love that it has a special scratch and sniff section. No kidding! Find out what scent is Michael Phelp's favorite: Surprisingly, not chlorine but L’Homme YSL.


Finally with Playgirl ceasing publication, People's Sexiest Man Alive issue is the next best thing to get your heart racing!

my new obsession

Though it may be old news to you, I was only recently turned on to David Lynch's contribution to the Lumiere and Company project, this extraordinary short:



The project involved handing the Cinematographe camera to 41 filmmakers, who then had to produce shorts following several rules:

1) The short could be no longer than 55 seconds
2) No synchronized sound
3) No more than three takes
4) Natural light only
5) No editing between scenes

I'm just so taken with Lynch's effort. The music and sound effects (wings?) are haunting, the subject matter is horrifying, and there's more of a wallop packed into 55 seconds than most filmmakers can manage in 90 minutes.

I would love to see Lynch tackle some straight-up horror. Sure, his work tends to have elements of the genre, but what could he do with something like The Shining? Or Silent Hill?

Lynch talks a bit about Lumiere and Company here.

On Our Radar-Chelsea Hotel Atlantic City

Just because our budgets are stretched tighter than we've been known to pack out suitcases doesn't mean we're going to quit traveling all together. We've already shared our best budget tips for travel and here's one more to add: Look to a destination that's close to home. Those on the east coast should give Atlantic City a second look. JSG is -- with the holidays seconds away and airfare makes Vegas a no go. We visited Atlantic City last year and had a mixed reaction on the city. So why would we go back? To check out the recently opened Chelsea Hotel.

Situated on the boardwalk, the Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City is a non-gaming hotel (in regular parlance that means it doesn't have a casino). Why is this a bonus in a gambling town? Because unlike Vegas, the casinos in AC draw a primarily, um, older crowd dressed in tracksuits. Not the type of people you want to be doubling down with.

The man behind the Chelsea Hotel is Curtis Bashaw of Cape Advisors. He consulted with Matthew Abramcyk and Paul Sevigny (Cholé's brother) of Manhattan's still swinging Beatrice Inn, when designing the hotel's chic 5th Floor club. Like the Beatrice Inn, the 5th Floor has a variety of rooms to wander through, like the Living Room, the Bar, the Game Room and the Terrace Lounge. This would be a great after party spot if you're in town this Saturday to see Madonna.



And between now and March 31st, you can book the special recession buster- Rescue package. It includes:
* Overnight stay in Chelsea Luxe room
* Breakfast special at Teplitzky’s for two — a Stephen Starr restaurant
* Two rolls of quarters to be used to try your luck at the slots at the nearby casino, save, or just enjoy “Free Parking”
* Gas re-imbursement (a $50 gift card redeemable for gas for the return trip)
* Unexpectedly pink slipped and need to cancel? “Rain-check” and re-book for another date without penalty
* Priced at $199 per night Sunday-Thursday; $249 per night on Friday and $299 per night on Saturday

We'll meet you at the bar with the martinis!

Celebrity Solstice and Riedel Wine Glasses

Our favorite event on the Celebrity Solstice was a wine tasting guided by Max Riedel, whose family has been making crystal for over 250 years. Most notably, the Riedel wine glasses are of such quality and function that they are used almost exclusively for wine tasting and competitions world wide.

He entertained us with stories of his grandfather escaping the Russian army and falling in love with Italian women; but he also opened our eyes to the importance of the shape of the glass as a functional way to enjoy wine. We tasted four varieties from Sauvignon Blanc to Cabernet each in its appropriate glass but also in the wrong glass for that wine. It truly smelled, tasted and felt different in our mouth depending on the glass.

Mr. Riedel was so convincing that we're investigating the best places to find sets for our own homes. Williams-Sonoma has a large selection ranging in quality and price which we could use for special occasions. For Thanksgiving next week, we're going to stock up on the Pinot Noir glasses from Target. They aren't as high quality; but buying them in bulk is easier on the wallet and we usually break one between now and New Years.

Riedel Vinum Sauvignon Blanc from Williams-Sonoma (2 for $64):

Riedel Vivant Pinot Noir glasses from Target (4 for $40)

In the spirit of full disclosure, it's only fair we tell you what else we learned on the Celebrity Solstice. Bud Light is good drinking. Hear us out: one of the reasons JSG's Hope has never been on a cruise is her uncanny ability to get queasy by simply turning her head too quickly and riding in the front seat of a car definitely does it; so boats pose a serious problem. Short of the wine tasting, the only beverage that she could drink was Bud Light which was in fact a recommendation from our girlfriend Abby (2 Bud Lights and you'll feel better). You can imagine it was embarrassing to sit at the Solstice's Martini Bar and order a can of Bud Light ("in a glass please") when what we'd really like is Grey Goose martini. Life is full of compromises and surprises. Cheers!