Christian Louboutin and Havaianas

Who would have thought that Christian Louboutin, mastermind behind all those teetering red stilettos would have such affection for Havaianas? That's just what he divulged to Brazilian mag Veja when interviewed before the opening of his first store in San Paolo. He has a staggering 30 to 40 pairs of his own.

When asked, "How many pairs of shoes does a woman need?" He responded, "Every woman should own three pairs of shoes- high heels, flat shoes, and Havaianas." We agree, at least if you're referring to packing for your girls' getaway!

Fango contest! Film Club pick! Fridays rule!

Yes, you read that headline right! I've got all sorts of goodies for you today. So why don't I just shut up and get to 'em already?

First up: I've got 4 day passes to Fangoria's Chicago stop on their Weekend of Horror tour! 4 passes to give away! In a giveaway contest! The show is coming up fast (March 6-9) so enter now by dropping me a line:

Send an email to stacieponder at gmail dot com with "FANGO" in the subject line by...mmm, 2pm (PST) on Monday, March 2. I'll draw winner names that day- they'll be drawn randomly, so butt-kissing won't get you anywhere.

Of course, that doesn't mean that butt-kissing isn't welcome.

The guest list is SA-WEET- Lamberto Bava! Ruggero Deodato! Marilyn Burns! Alan Rowe Kelly! Don't be a jerk...enter NOW!

Nextly, this recent discussion of Ye Olde Timey Slasher Movies can mean only one thing: it's Film Club pickin' time! And I'm pickin'...

Fulci, baby, and his 1981 goresterpiece (I don't know what that means) The Beyond. Boing!

The film has been recently released in a super-fancy-pants edition but it's not on Netflix's current rotation, so you "everything has to come to me or I won't do it" types may have to rethink your strategy. Or not. I guess it depends how cool you want to be. Or not be. Whatevs.

Prepare to have your mind warped!

The film: The Beyond
The due date: Monday, March 30

On Our Radar: Prime Italian Miami

We can't remember a trip to South Beach when we didn't indulge in a great steak dinner at Prime 112. It has everything: good decor, celebrity sightings and people watching, a crowded bar, and most importantly fantastic food. The people behind P112 have opened another restaurant just across the street, Prime Italian. They still offer up plenty cuts of beef; but this spot has a definite Italian lean: Kobe beef meatballs, brick oven pizza with Maine lobster or ribeye, prosciutto with honey crisp apples, blue cheese and walnuts, and chicken parmesan soup.


The interior resembles its big brother's with masculine furnishings and dark wood; but takes on a more modern feel, especially with the prominent red leather chairs. The bar looks like the perfect spot to order up dirty martini-pickled onions hold the olives.

Is a restaurant alone enough to pull us down to Miami? We'll let you know when we book our plane seats.

101 Ocean Drive
South Beach, Fl.
305/695-8484

photos courtesy of thrillist (also a great review)

Trilogy of Terror 2, part three

Part one is here, part two is here!

Celebrity iPods for Sale

As anyone who went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras earlier this week knows--the city is recovering, but still has a long way to go. That's why we love the Tonic's iPod Auction series to benefit Music Rising, a non-profit that supports the musical culture of the Gulf Coast. The group has partnered up with an impressive list of designers, rock stars, actors, supermodels and dignitaries to autograph an iPod and upload a personalized playlist. New iPods will be up for auction each week, now through August. A few of the many A-listers participating are: Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Madonna, the Edge, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Affleck, Bill Clinton and Warren Buffet.

Here's what's on Marc Jacob's Playlist. The auction on his iPod (shown above) ends next week and bidding is already past $300. Can't wait to see where it ends!:

1. Poker Face (Lady Gaga)
2. Circus (Britney Spears)
3. Bounce (Timbaland)
4. Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
5. Borderline (Madonna)
6. Goo (Sonic Youth)
7. Tears Dry On Their Own (Amy Winehouse)
8. Suzanne (Leonard Cohen)
9. Kool Thing (Sonic Youth)
10. No Scrubs (TLC)
11. Big Pimpin (Jay Z)
12. Fell In Love With A Girl (White Stripes)

Michelle Obama Goes Sleeveless

We love the Narciso Rodriguez dress Michelle Obama wore on Tuesday night, it's our favorite color afterall; but she's gotten criticism for going sleeveless in D.C. in February. Yes, Michelle Obama was at the Congressional Address and yes, most everyone there was in a boring Washington power suit (kudos to Nancy Pelosi for choosing that cool shade of green); but she's doing a great job of picking what looks great on her. Ladies, we all know that means showing off your best assets and she has great arms. Better yet, we hear they come after hard work and sessions with a trainer, not good genes alone. Let's face it if she were showing too much cleavage or too much leg like Jill Biden at the Inauguration there would be a lot more uproar. Let's not forget Mrs. Obama got tons of slack for wearing a sweater over another Narciso Rodriguez dress on election night and she was outside in Chicago in November. She's got it hard trying to please everyone.

Photo courtesy of Instyle.

You'll find us going sleeveless in ridiculously cold weather, after all, that's why we wear coats and on really cold nights, layered underneath with a cardi we take off once we arrive at our destination. And our arms don't come close to Michelle Obama's either. Check her out wearing Tracy Reese on the cover of People. It's another great shot of her guns.

thank ye thank ye

If you listened to Dead Lantern's Splatcademy Awards pod splattercast, then you already know this l'il tidbit, but now I have a fancy button to make it official:

A big fat THANK YOU and all two of my thumbs up to everyone who voted for me. You guys are really the knees, and I'm not just saying that. No, really. I mean it. I do. No lie.

Coming up later: Trilogy of Terror II, part 3!

Coming up now: the cast of television's It's A Living!

A Peek Inside a Flirtexter's Carry On Bag

JSG has gotten in trouble a few times over a text message--for drunk texting boys we shouldn't, for slurring over a text message (Yes, it's possible. Don't ask how we know.), and most recently for not sending a text message to check in with the SO on our most recent girls' trip. So here's a book on our must-read list: Flirtexting: How to Text Your Way to His Heart. We suggest you study up on it too!

We checked in with co-author Debra Goldstein to see what she has in her carry on. Not surprisingly for the author of a book on flirting in the digital age, she's heavy on the technology:

My Lanvin Padova tote is super chic and the perfect size to throw all of my various forms of entertainment in. I hate being bored. My biggest fear is being stuck at the airport with nothing productive to do. That’s why I fill my carry-on with lots of different things that can keep me entertained if my flight gets delayed.

Deb keeps her iPod fully loaded. Here's a small sampling of what you'll find on it:


For music, I like Kings of Leon, Jazmine Sullivan, Kanye, Coldplay, T.I., M.I.A., Michael Jackson, Jay Z, Beyonce, Raphael Saadiq, Akon, U2, Adele, Usher, Citizen Cope.


Besides music, my favorite thing to listen to on my iPod when I travel is Mitch Hedberg. I’ve listened to his stand-up comedy routine’s hundreds of times and continue to laugh hysterically.


Recently I’ve become a huge fan of political comedy. Right now I’m obsessed with the Colbert Report and the Daily Show with John Stewart. I always download their latest shows before going on a trip.

For movie’s, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is an underrated classic. Hawaii, humor, hot bodies. What more can you want from a comedy? I also like Transformers. I’m a big Shia Labeouf and Optimus Prime fan. What can I say?

When inspiration strikes I like to have my laptop around so that I can write about it. So if you are a hottie-bo-body and sit next to me on a plane, beware. I may be blogging about you as we fly.


My Blackberry 8830 is great for flirtexting, bbm’ing, e-mailing, facebooking, and making calls…and in that order.

I just started reading a book that came recommended to me called The Luxe by Anna Godberson. I was told it’s like a Gossip Girl set in the 1900’s in NYC. Very excited to delve in!



Cocoa butter lip balm is by far my favorite beauty find of all time! It leaves your lips super- moisturized and with a glossy glow. I end up buying 20 at a time because whenever I let someone borrow mine they end up taking it. But I don’t mind since they only cost 99¢ at the drug store!



I’m a warm weather kinda girl. I try to travel to tropical places as much as possible. These Tom Ford's sunglasses are my favorite because they never seem to go out of style.

Check back next week, when we peek inside the carry on of Olivia
Baniuszewicz, the other half of Flirtexting: How to Text Your Way to His Heart.

Trilogy of Terror 2, part two

Part one is here!

Lippmann Collection Start Me Up Set

From JSG's Hope: It's hard to believe that I haven't had my nails done since Christmas. Between the two of us, I'm the one who loves to have a weekly mani/pedi (Anne's the one who gets the blowouts). But in an effort to be more economical I've been doing my own nails. Let's just say, it's pretty obvious to anyone who's seen them. That's why I was so excited to get my hands on this all-in-one Lippman Collection Start Me Up Set. It features everything you need for a do-it-yourself manicure. I start with the 4 sided Smooth Operator Nail Buffer, then the Cuticle Remover, the 2 Second Nail Primer (which rids the nails of oils that might sabotage a good paint job), the Rehydrating Base Coat, the easy to wear but light-for-me Baby Love Nail Lacquer, and the super shiny On a Clear Day Top Coat. I finish with the Cuticle Oil which is out of the recommended order; but it works for me and I love the tropical smell from the jojoba oil.

I just learned Kate Winslet was wearing Baby Love at the Oscars. There's one more reason to covet the set.

I'll definitely be bringing this along on our next girls' trip. The entire kit including the buffer is housed in a cute light blue striped bag and the small bottles fall under TSA volume requirements.

At $39, roughly the cost of a budget salon's mani/pedi, or a manicure alone at a fine salon, you get all of these products. Considering how many times I've used the set, I think I've saved up at least enough for a new pair of boots, no?

You can find the Start Me Up Set at Nordstroms or Lippmann Collection.

news one can use

Part 2 of my Trilogy of Terror II cartoon review will be up later today...meanwhile, why don't you head over to AMC and give some love to the unsung hero actors of horror? Like this guy:

Hmm? Why don't you?

Salma Hayek's Wedding Lingerie

While we're on the subject of stores we plan on visiting on our next travels, here's one more we'll definitely hit on our next trip to Paris: Vannina Vesperini. Rumor has it that no other than sultry Salma Hayek shopped at the sexy lingerie boutique prior to her Valentine's Day wedding to Monsieur Francois-Henri Pinault. Hey, if it's good enough for Salma...


Available stateside at Faire Frou Frou. Word of warning: All that seductiveness ain't cheap!


For other risqué stops in the City of Lights, check out Naughty Paris.

Salma Hayek photo courtesy of People.com

Penelope Cruz in Balmain from Lily et Cie

When watching the Oscars the other night, all our twitter friends were aghast when Penelope Cruz said, not only that she was wearing a 60-year old Pierre Balmain dress, but she had first spied it in a store 8 years ago! LizaJane411 tweeted: 8 years and that dress was still there, where in a museum? and how did she still fit into it I mean she deserves an award for that! JSG, too, was solidly in the camp of doubters on that story, until now.

Thanks to the investigative work of Sxy Fashion Queen, we understand the history of both the stunning Balmain dress and Lily et Cie, a store we are putting on our itinerary of our next west coast jaunt. Yet even though we now get the history of Penelope Cruz's frock, it doesn't change our opinion of it (which several of our Twitter friends shared): It looked like a wedding dress, but we give Penelope major props for the eco-friendly dress.

Trilogy of Terror 2, part one

Something a wee bit different.

Tune in tomorrow for Part 2!

What to Pack for a Cruise

We met our friend Steve over ten years ago when we lived in San Francisco. He's a true cruise expert, logging 13 trips in the past eight years and recently becoming a cruise travel agent. We asked him to let us know what to pack for a 7 day cruise with the caveat that his wife Elaine pitch in. Here's what he had to say:

Packing for a cruise is a little different than packing for a land vacation. One big distinction is that for a cruise, you’ve got to pack both casual clothes for daytime wear and dressy clothes, including formal wear, for the evenings. For a 7-night cruise, most mainstream cruise lines will have two formal nights. So ladies will need to dress to the nines, which means packing your best cocktail dresses or floor length gowns. Also, my wife always brings a wristlet purse, just big enough to fit her lipstick and her room key (which is used for all onboard purchases).

For men, you’ll need a nice suit, or you can do what I do – bring the tux! I realized right after my first cruise that I should add a tuxedo to my wardrobe for all of my future cruises. The tux really impresses the wife, and you feel like James Bond after dinner when you sit down at the blackjack table. I recently added the white dinner jacket to my repertoire, which gives me a different look on the 2nd formal night. For the rest of the cruise, the main dining room will have a “smart casual” dress code, which means no jeans or shorts. If you must wear jeans or shorts, you can eat at the lido buffet. So you’ll need to pack clothes that are appropriate for the casual nights in the main dining room. And I do highly recommend going to the dining room on most every night as it is by far a better alternative to the buffet.

So that handles the clothes, but what else should you pack? Here’s my list of other not-so-obvious things that I suggest you put in your suitcase:
Alarm clock. The only clock in the cabins is on the phone, and in the middle of the night, it is impossible to read the clock. This is especially important if you are booking an inside cabin, as there will be no sunlight coming into the room at all and you have no idea what time of day it is.
MP3 player and speakers: It’s nice to bring along your own tunes to enjoy in your cabin. I like using mine while the wife is putting herself together on formal nights.
Power strip: If you need to plug in your iPod, video camera, cell phone, or any other electronic gadgets, this is especially helpful as most cabins only have two plugs you can use at a time.
Drinks: The cruise line will usually allow you to bring on some sodas or waters. So if your favorite brand is not available to purchase on the ship (or if you want to avoid paying $2 for a can of Coke), bring your own onboard. Also, although it is definitely not allowed by the cruise lines, some of you might be inclined to bring onboard some alcohol that you can enjoy on your private balcony during sail aways. Now I am not suggesting you do this, but if you must, be sure to put your alcohol-contraband into your checked luggage, otherwise it will likely be confiscated from you if you attempt to carry it on. (One JSG bought liquor at the duty-free shop on board and kept it in her room.)
Costumes: This one is recommended for groups. Cruise lines don’t have official costume parties, but my friends and I have enjoyed creating our own theme nights. Pirate night was a lot of fun, and Gilligan’s Island won me a free trip to Mexico.
Your Passport: This is a given, you will need this for every cruise or else you will be denied boarding.

So now that you know what to pack, what are you waiting for? Gather you girlfriends, significant other, or whoever and plan a trip on the high seas. Bon voyage!

You can contact Steve at cruisersteveh@gmail.com if you're interested in booking a cruise, have some pressing questions or want more information on cruises in general.

Kate Winslet's Hair and Makeup at the Oscars

We're constantly in awe of Kate Winslet's style and beauty. For the Oscars on Sunday night, Frederic Fekkai's Renato Camporo gave Kate "a modern day Grace Kelly" look.

To recreate her hair: Start by applying Fekkai More All Day Density Styling Whip on wet hair. Blow-dry smooth with the Fekkai Extra Large Round Brush to create some volume. Then use a one inch curling iron and let it set for 20 minutes. Brush it through and use the Fekkai Coiff Magnifique Ultra Light Finishing Creme at the ends to help roll hair under. Finish with Fekkai Sheer Hold Hairspray.

Products are available at Frederic Fekkai.

Her makeup: Jillian Dempsey used Lancome and Jillian Dempsey for Avon Pro products to create a classic, natural look. First she used Lancome La Base Pro Primer, then brushed Lancome Brow Expert in Naturel on her brows. She used Jillian Dempsey for Avon Pro Eyeshadow Trio in Ice Shimmer on her eyes and Jillian Dempsey for Avon Pro Mascara in Black on her lashes. She finished by using Lancome Color Fever Lipstick in Old Flame for a soft, matte finish.

Awards-n-Things

Hey y'all, today's the day of Dead Lantern's Splatcademy Awards! For which I was nominated! In a category!

Let's all listen at 1pm central time today and find out if enough of you kind folks voting so I can be crowned "winnah". I certainly hope so, otherwise I'm sitting here in a Mishi Mooshi gown for nothing. Alright, so it's enough to simply be nominated. Sigh.

I made up Mishi Mooshi, by the way. This gown- and by "gown" I mean "appliqued vest" is actually from the Quacker Factory.

Anyway, give the good fellows at Dead Lantern a listen. And don't just say you'll listen- do it! Lest 1) you fail tomorrow's quiz, and 2) this happens:

Why that would happen, I can't really say. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

Film Club: F13 and MBV uncut

I couldn't "run" a "blog" that's "supposedly" about "slasher movies" for almost four "years" and not have reviewed Friday the 13th (1980) and My Bloody Valentine (1981) before today. Well, I could, of course, but that would be silly. The point is, you can click those links to read my original reviews; I love these movies, always have, probably always will. In the wake of the new remakes of each film, uncut special editions of the originals have hit the market- if you're a veteran like moi, are they worth your time and dollars? In the interests of answering that very question, I watched 'em back-to-back: a good old-fashioned early '80s slasher double feature. In further efforts to recreate the early '80s, I put a friendship ribbon in my hair, squeezed into a training bra, and chugged about half a gallon of Sunny D. No, it wasn't pretty at all, but thank you for asking.

In related news, holy crap, almost four years I've been doing this.

My Bloody Valentine

I'm still struck by how well this film fits the slasher paradigm while it also sets itself apart from its contemporaries. Director George Mihalka really captured the feel of a small mining town (perhaps because...umm...it was filmed in one)- far better than the remake did. The mine is still unbelievably creepy, the miner is still one of the great killers in all of slasherdom, and nearly thirty years on (!!!) the film still works.

Is it worth a double dip? Absolutely effing YES. Prior to My Bloody Valentine's release, the MPAA notoriously excised virtually all the gore; now we can all see what we were missing all those years ago and...wow. MBV doesn't fuck around! Every single kill has been amped up here and there are body parts and eyeballs galore. It's a completely sick thrill to see poor Mabel (excuse me...Madame Mabel) flop around in that dryer like never before.






In addition to the lost footage, there are documentaries, interviews, and everything else you could hope for on a Special Edition release. This DVD is probably the greatest thing to come from the release of a remake- if it weren't for MBV 3D, who knows when or if this would have seen the light of day? Hooray remakes!

Whoa, sorry, I take that back. Don't wanna get carried away, there.

Friday the 13th

Upon watching Friday the 13th, I was struck with some primo "Get off my lawn but bring me an icepack first because my bursitis is acting up!" I just couldn't help but think, "Golly, remember when the characters in horror movies were likable? And they weren't all douchebags? And even though they weren't necessarily deep or particularly well-drawn, they were still interesting? And they would even do things like read?"


Then I got really sad that Laurie Bartram is no longer with us and that she didn't make more movies while she was.

You know what? This movie still holds up, dammit. It's written off as a pile of crap all the time, even by horror enthusiasts, something I'll never understand. There's a bit of mystery, there are plenty of frights, and the explicit violence is still shocking and is still some of Tom Savini's best work. And Crazy Ralph is just so cool in this I can't even take it. So there.


Is it worth a double dip? Absolutely effing NO. If you're a Friday/slasher wackadoo like myself, that word "uncut" which adorns the DVD case may prove irresistible, and if you've never owned Friday the 13th, I'd probably still recommend you drop $10-20 more and get the box set containing films 1-8. The "extra footage", however, amounts to mere seconds- a few kills are a wee bit longer, and in one case (the famous Jack gets a spear through the neck scene), the additional angle actually gives away a bit of the fakery. Move along, kids, there's not much to see here.

There are a couple of documentaries- who wants to be the one to tell Robbi Morgan that Annie isn't the first one killed in Friday the 13th?- that are alright but not particularly groudbreaking. The sick thrill here is watching Betsy Palmer call the script a "piece of shit" as she sits next to writer Victor Miller. The short film Lost Tales from Camp Blood is, to be honest, a complete waste of time. A couple of morons in a plywood house get killed by...is it supposed to be Jason? I don't know. You can't really see him and in the credits he's just called "killer". If you want some no-budget horror, look elsewhere; Lost Tales is 8 minutes of your life you won't get back.


The early 80s have still got it, baby...Sunny D, on the other hand, is pretty damn nasty.

-------------------------------
Film Club Coolies, y'all!
-------------------------------

Evil on Two Legs
From the Depths of DVD Hell
Hudson Lee: Friday the 13th / My Bloody Valentine
Gorillanaut
Goremania: My Bloody Valentine
Invasion of the B Movies: Friday the 13th
Sam Hawken
Movie Moxie: My Bloody Valentine

Angelina Jolie's Hair at the Oscars

We have a love-hate relationship with Angelina. She's so undeniably gorge we love her. And that's exactly why we hate her, too. Does she always have to look so effortlessly fab? Well, here's some good news: She did put some effort into her hair last night--or at least celeb stylist David Babaii did. And JSG got the dish straight from David:


I sprayed Angie’s entire head with David Babaii for WildAid Bohemian Beach Spray and scrunched it into the hair (this gives just the right texture and hold).

Next, I dried her hair by dividing her tresses into 3 sections: top, sides and back leaving the nape area free. Taking small sections starting at the nape, I used the David Babaii for WildAid Blow Dryer with the nozzle attachment and finish the drying process with a large round brush to smooth hair straight. At the crown area, I sprayed David Babaii for WildAid Volcanic Ash Root Amplifier to the root area and down the hair shaft. Then, I dried this section with a jumbo round brush to add lift and volume.

Once dry, I sectioned the hair again using the same sectioning process as I did for blow drying. Using the David Babaii for WildAid Styling Iron, I once again sectioned the hair into 3 sections: top, sides and back leaving the nape area free. To curl, use the Styling Iron to create “ribbon curls” by taking small “V” shaped sections. To achieve, I wrapped the hair around and inside the styling iron close to the scalp area and pull the iron down (similar to curling ribbon).

After curling the entire head, I smoothed some of the curls with a brush while leaving some intact. At the crown area, I back-brushed the hair at the scalp area only, sprayed some additional Volcanic Ash Root Amplifier and gently smoothed the surface not to remove too much of the back-brushing. Next, to create her half-up, half down look, I brushed the sides up and back and secured with pins. To complete the back, I ran my fingers up several curls to create volume and variations in texture. For a long but natural lasting hold, I used David Babaii for WildAid Mise en Plis Light Styling Spray.

To complete the look, put on 115 carat Lorraine Schwartz emerald earrings, grab your equally stunning hubby and go!

Oscar Fashion

Red carpet fashion didn't disappoint last night. The Best Actress winner and our favorite was Kate Winslet (why save the best for last) wearing a two tone, steel blue and black, YSL dress. Her hair was back and off her face in a "modern Grace Kelly" coif. Check back later today for the details of her hair and makeup.

A close runner up was Natalie Portman in an orchid Rodarte gown. The photo doesn't do justice to the perfect fit and color that was pink without being too sweet.

There was a good amount of red last night. Amanda Seyfried's hair and chunky necklace complemented the clean lines of her Valentino dress.

Amy Adams balanced this huge Fred Leighton necklace with her pulled back hair and sexy Carolina Herrera dress.

Heidi Klum has been wowing us this awards season; but not last night. Her modern Roland Mouret gown was too hard and the slit too high. Her chunky jewelry (huge earrings and too many bracelets) was over done and the matchy shoes looked prom-ish.

The were a lot of light colored dresses as well. Anne Hathaway, who knows how to work the carpet, wore a silvery Armani Prive gown covered in little silver paillettes which fit perfectly and flattered her pale skin and dark hair.

Taraji P. Henson wore a Cavalli gown with small soft tiers of fabric. Her perfect bob and chunky necklace (which looks the same as Amanda Seyfried's) were a great match.

Jessica Biel caught serious slack on Twitter for the sloppy hair; but at a distance and in pictures we think it looks good. Her Prada dress is attractive; but has just a bit too much volume and covers her fab figure, which sparked preganancy rumors throughout cyberspace.