popculturegrrl

Good morning my loves! So right, more lists! What is everyone doing for NYE? I am going to see Slumdog Millionaire and eat pizza. And drink champagne and perhaps play a little guitar hero. Oh, and my top albums of 2008 will come after the New Year as I need more time to think and process.

Onward…

Top 5 Movies Already on DVD I Want to See

1. Burn After Reading

2. The Changeling (I think it’s out)

3. The Women

4. Vicky Christina Barcelona

5. Wall*E

Top 5 Movies I’m Looking Forward to in 2009

1. New Moon

2. Bride Wards

3. Confessions of a Shopaholic

4. Harry Potter!!!!!

5. He’s Just Not That into You

Top 5 Breakout Stars

1. The Jonas Brothers! Woo! (don’t judge me I looourve them)

2. Robert Pattinson (new haircut and all!)

3. Miley Cyrus (I know I know, but really 2008 was a big year for her)

4. Chace Crawford (dude seems to be everywhere, plus once you get a “are you gay” scandal, means you made it in my book haha)

5. Selena Gomez/Demi Lovato (once Miley Cyrus mimics you on YouTube…you know you’ve made it. Plus they are just both so gosh darn adorable I can’t stand it)

Top 5 Most Overexposed Celebutards

1. Speidi (please stop staging photo shoots, no one poses like that when the vote)

2. Tila Tequila

3. Lindsay Lohan (I have loved her since her Mean Girls days, but really, taking pictures of her when she is shopping, not newsworthy)

4. Jessica Alba (I don’t know, I’m just not that into her)

5. Paris Hilton (although I will note that her fashion choices have been sooooo much better in recent months)

Top 5 Trashiest/Trainwrecky Realty Shows

1. Charm School: Rock of Love Girls/the normal Rock of Love show

2. I Love Money

3. The Bad Girls Club

4. Celebrity Rehab (I mean does this really have to be a show?)

5. Shot at Love with TT

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

xoxo

Happy almost New Year! So my plan is for today and tomorrow do some “top” lists for 2008. Fun, no? And also, I need to figure out my New Year’s resolutions. Definitely be on time for work. That is numero uno. Not sure about the others yet.

So before I launch into my lists, who watch The City?! I know you all love to hate those crappy and scripted reality shows on MTV as much as I do. haha I thought it was better than The Hills…but the Hills was good way back when too. Anyways, that “social” Olivia Palermo is fabously douchey. She is totally awkward and is totally Whitney’s new frenemy. And has great hair. Sigh. I wish I could have uncomfortable dinner parties on the roof of my Tribeca apartment. And make sure all my friends talk about their art deal fathers. I did love, as they were leaving, when Erin (who’s daddy is in ACDC) made a comment that the guy with the “bronzer” called her a hooker. Loves it. I think Erin is the new Whitney since Whitney is the new Lauren. So I smell reality show for miss Erin Lucas coming soon! Also, I thought it was funny that Whitney was like “how does everyone already know each other…” well duh because MTV hand picked most of the people from the same group of friends. And something totally shady is going on with Jay and Olivia. I’m sure of it.

Off to the lists:

Top 10 TV Characters, non-reality (in no particular order)

1. Walter Bishop, Fringe

2. Chuck Bass, Gossip Girl

3. Ando, Heroes (actually the trifecta of Ando/Daphne/Parkman)

4. Sun, Lost

5. Blair Waldorf, Gossip Girl

6. Amanda Tannen/Mark St. James, Ugly Betty (they sort of work as one entity)

7. Dwight, The Office

8. Brenda Walsh, 90210 2.0

9. Simon Elder, Dirty Sexy Money

10. Liz Lemon, 30Rock

Top 5 Reality Shows (no particular order)

1. Top Chef

2. Project Runway

3. Blush

4. Iron Chef America

5. Whatever, Martha

Top 5 Songs I Can’t Get Enough Of

1. Let’s Dance, Lady GaGa feat. Colby O’Donis

2. Guilty Pleasure, Cobra Starship

3. Cupcakes Taste Like Violence, Jeffree Star

4. Sour Cherry, The Kills

5. Circus, Britney Spears

My Top 5 Favorite Trends

1. Headbands!

2. Long sweaters…longer in front than the back

3. Maxi dresses

4. Fringe boots

5. Colored tights

Arighty…more tomorrow!

xoxo (new episodes start January 5!!)

And I am at work. waahhh. Oh well. I am only working a half day and then my sister and I are off to the spa! Then back to my place and perhaps dinner at Wilde. Yum yum. Haven’t been there in forever.

Anyways, soooorrrrry for the lack of updates. Being a wannabe scene queen and self proclaimed popculture whore keeps one very busy. This past weekend I was in Bloomington visiting some family. My little cousin Becca, who is 2.5 is so f-ing cute. She needs to have a play date with Joshua. It would be like that movie Baby Geniouses but for real. And not creepy because they are both so smart and cute. Monday I had off but worked from home and wrote out my article by hand since my computer has no Internets or printer. Will someone pleeeease take pity on me and buy me the new Mac laptop that is all green and stuff? I will be your new best friend and love you forever. Thankssomuch!

Tuesday worked…then came home and wrapped presents, ordered food, and watched White Christmas. And Bridget Jones because I never get sick of it. Wednesday, we were off from work but I did some editing and then headed home. My dad and I watched 10 minutes of Mark Morris’ “comic book inspired” Nutcracker (The Hard Nut) before realizing we are not artsy enough to actually understand it haha and then put on Christmas-themed sitcoms such as Fraiser and Will and Grace. Oh and A Christmas Story was intersperesed in there. We also watched Throwdown with Bobby Flay. He challeneged Mark Malnati (Lou Malnati’s son) and they were at the BG location. So that was fun. I heart Bobby Flay. Is he married? So yeah, that’s basically what us Jews do on Christmas Eve. After the fact, we were like oh, crap, why didn’t we order Chinese!

Yesterday I went to Mike’s for Christmas Day and then headed back to my Dad’s for Chrismakkah! And presents! I am sooooooo excited for everything I got! Things I got include new sheets, TWO fabulous plush robes in pink and maroon, a Hello Kitty pez collector set, the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, a Gone with the Wind Calendar (mmmm Clark Gable), gift cards, Rent (the movie), New York Stories, and this Michael Stars shirt that I have been wanting! Basil got some fun kitty gifts and loves his bird toy that actuall chirps. Ahhh I am sure my neighbors love me.

So all in all, I had a fabulous holiday! Not sure what New Years plans are just yet though. Off to actually be productive and then go wander around until my sister gets here. I think I need a calendar for my house. I am thinking either Ugly Betty or something Hello Kitty since I am obviously obssessed and think I am 12. Wee! It’s fun.

Also, if anyone can help me out with the order of the Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles I would be forever grateful. I know that it’s interview, Lestat, queen of the Damned…and then???? I can’t seem to find the order! Thanks!

Bonjour my lovely bunnies. Yes, I just called you a bunny. Seemed appropriate. Oh, and the title of my post is from the Bridget Jones movie! Love both the book and the movie. Did an extensive paper on the book compared to Pride and Prejudice and the way the woman are portrayed (feminist or not) in college for an English class. I know, so shocking that I wrote a paper on whether or not women in a book were portrayed as feminists. haha

Anyhooodle, so for Hanukkah I am thinking of what to get myself. So far I am thinking this t-shirt, robot toothbrush holder, a Jac Vanek bracelet, and some Harry Potter plush. I’m thinking Crookshanks or Buckbeak. But how cute is the monsters book?! Remember to stroke the binding when you open it!

This weekend I am going to Bloomington (IL) to visit my cousin Amy, her husband Doug, and their two kids Nick (6) and Becca (2.5). They also are babysitting their two cousins (on Doug’s side) Tommy (5) and Sammie (3ish). So it should be a crazy and fun weekend. Eventhough its suppossed to snow. And be icy. Winter advisory starting at 7pm tonight. Anyways, I am taking Becca to gymnastics and then we are all going to make/paint pottery. I am excited! I love my litter holidays in the country.

Right. Time to get back to work as my article is not going to write itself. And is due in Monday, but luckily can go in late due to the holidays. I think I will work on stuff on Monday though since I have the day off, but really just want to get this done. So off to organize my notes then get cracking. Sustainable design on a budget…for commercial real estate pros.

xoxo

So more snow for Illinois, well at least in the city. I am braving the weather and getting all my Chrismakkah shopping done tonight. I work on Michigan Ave…so shouldn’t be too hard.

So The Hills. I mean, I don’t even know what to think. Does the show think that we, the viewers, are really that dumb that we believe that while Speidi were off getting fake married in Mexico that Whitney was leaving LA? Yeeeeah. Not so much. Too bad we all know that Spencer and Heidi got married like three weeks ago and Whitney is already done filming the first season of her show, in which she resides in New York. And love that they staged a fake airport scene. With her brown hair! But I gotta say, I love me some Whitney. She seems so nice and genuine. Although sometimes I wonder about her fashion sense…but hey she rocks it most of the time, so whatever. And also, did Speidi get married at night? The next day? Was Heidi hungover? Does she practice her “forlorn” looks into the mirror so that she can get them just right when the cameras are there? Do we really believe she just happened to bring a white wedding-esq sundress with her to Mexico just because? And did she bring her own make up and hair team there?! Who wears their hair like that when lounging in a cabana? Come on! ahaha

So tonight is the finale of Blush on Lifetime, and I am sad to report that I just read that finalist Todd Homme has passed away. My heart and thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Even though I have never met him, he seemed like such a wonderful person.

xoxo

You like me! You really like me! Okay so I forgot to post about this…but I won this blogger award complements of Maria. So go read her awesome blog about dancing! :)  And also, thanks Maria! I need to pass on the award and will make my list of ten blogs tomorrow!

Hello my lovelys!  Crazy busy weekend for moi. Friday night was dinner at Cafe Bolero for Debbie’s birthday and delicious Cuban food. Saturday I went to S Factor for Melissa’s 30th to learn some new pole tricks. It was so much fun! And I am still so sore! I love that there are no mirrors and the vibe there is totally positive. They dim the lights too. So you just sort of do your own thing with the instructor helping you. I totally have a crush on the instructor. She is hawt! haha Anyways, after that, I went home and relaxed and ordered food from Sinbad’s per Joel’s recommendation. OMG it was sooooo good. It’s on Belmont near the El if anyone is wondering. Then got into my 70s gear and went over to Craig’s apartment for a quick drink before we were all whisked away in our awesome hummer limo to Orbit Roller Rink in Palatine.

It was awesome. I sat in the back part with a girl named Colleen and we bonded and played DJ. I had so much fun in the limo. I love being around people who just accept you right away and feel comfortable with. I even got to sing “I’m in Miami Bitch” when the song came on the radio. But yeah, the people who came on Saturday night are some of the nicest, awesomest, fabulous people I have ever met. We made it to the rink, Melissa and David were waiting with cake for later and we all headed in. And also, I learned the term “RinkRat” as it applied to roller skaters NOT hockey moms. Yeeeeah. There are some heardcore roller skaters (and bladers) out there.  Some were doing fancy tricks. Some were glaring at us though. Oh and then these little sk8erbooooois totally came and were like out of control and doing tricks and just generally acting obnoxious but were funny. One of their girlfriend’s totally wanted my heart-shaped sunglasses. Which I wore, but discovered, it is very hard to skate indoors with sunglasses. Anyways, at about 1:30 we headed back to the city. Yesterday was family Hanukkah fun. And tonight is laundry and cleaning. My apartment is a di-saster. Mostly because I am messy but also because Basil is always like 80 steps ahead of me with the fur and the random messes and such. And watching Heroes and The Hills.

Did a little holiday pressie shopping today at lunch and plan to do the rest tomorrow and be done by Wednesday. To save money and be green I am using newspaper to wrap my gifts. And perhaps some fun glitter glue and bows.I love crafts.

xoxo

LOVING Brit’s new album. Anyways, so caught up on Heroes last night…was defo better than it has been. I love Masi Oka and am not sure why they gave him such a crappy storyline. Anyways, I have a feeling Peter P. will be the one to save the day haha. Started reading the book for my NOW BC…it’s called Pushed: The Painful Trith About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block. I’m not that far into it but have learned a lot. And didn’t even realize what a “business” childbirth has become in the U.S. Like more babies are born during the week in between the hours of 9-5, and the precentage of women who have a C-section is really high, and it actually doesn’t need to be.

Anywho, here are a list of things any popculture grrrrl needs to survive the winter! Warning: Some items on this list may be shallow and superficial. 

1. A good pair of waterproof boots. I got a fleece-lined pair of rain boots from Target. They are great. And are actually waterproof. They run a bit big, which is good because I double up on socks for extra warmth. Even in the snow and ice they are great.

2. A warm pair of boots for non-snowy/slushy days. I have Uggs and faux ones from Payless. I’m not going to lie, but I love my Uggs, and if I had money to burn, I would buy a new pair. But they keep my feet so warm, especially walking to and from the bus and waiting out in the cold! But just a side note, Uggs are to be warn in the winter and colder weather only. They are not to be worn with a short jean skirt in the summer. I mean really. Just no. haha

3. Laura Gellar lip strip. Due to wind and snow and the fact that my apartment is oh-so-dry, my lips get dry. And for me, applying chapstick every 5 minutes doesn’t always help. You can get this or any similar type lip stuff at Sephora. Basically, it’s sugar mixed with mint and oil. You put it on your lips and rub in a circular motion and then wash off. Afterwards I usually put on either Vaseline or Rosebud Salve as an extra oomph. The lip stuff can be kind of pricey, regular sugar works well too. Either way, sugar is a great way to get the dry skin off your lips!

4. Gloves, scarves, hats. I don’t care if you think hats make you look dumb. They don’t. It’s cold out. Bundle up. And stock up on gloves from places like Target and Walgreen’s. Because if you are anything like me, having back up gloves is great! And also, note to girls at my bus stop, even though I may look like a fool in my winter get-up, I would rather be warm than shivering in a tiny corduroy blazer! Coats this year are super cute! As are scarves and hats. So invest! Cheap places to buy: Target, Forever 21, H&M, Cost Co, Old Navy

5. Glitter nail polish and glitter eyeliner. Perhaps not to be worn at the same time, but both make a fun holiday statement any time of the day. I bought some Covergirl nail glitter (although need to check if it is phphtalate free) and have a glitter eyeliner from Lorac. Urban Decay also makes some awesome glitter liquid eyeliner in lots of fun colors. I want it in ice blue! But either way, your nails and your eyes will look very festive…whatever holiday you celebrate.

6. A comfy cardigan for layering. I got one on sale at Nordstrom. It’s long-ish but doesn’t have buttons or anything. I love it. I wear it all the time. At work when I get home, paired with a fun tank for going out, around the house, anything. It’s great because you can layer and then take it off if hot. Try Nord, Gap, and Old Navy.

7. Festive headbands and hair jewels. My dedicated readers should know my love of headbands. Hair jewels are my new thing. Well mostly just big flower hair pins. I need to get some. I think they are a great addition to any outfit. Even comfy clothes! Forever 21, Claires, and H&M are definitely places that will have tons for cheap. For more of a splurge, American Apparel has some fun headbands for you hipsters. I just got a sparkly one I will probably debut tomorrow.

8. Slippers! I have become a slipper whore! I looove them! I have a cute pair of black booties (Payless) and a pair of boot slippers that are gray and orange stripped from Old Navy. And I want more. Old Navy is definitely the way to go for slippers. Cheap and cozy! Now I just need a cozy robe and I am all set.

9. Tea. I drink tea year round but more so in the cold weather. Celestial Seasons (I think that’s the name) makes a bunch of holiday flavors such as gingerbread and candy cane. I love mint tea in the winter. Also, if you want to get like a “designer” drink, Argo Tea makes a minty beverage called Frostea. Its a little overwhelming (minty) but it is delicious! I think you can get it sugar free as well. Otherwise, I also indulge in non-fat or soy red tea caramel lattes from Argo. Yum.

10. Movies and books for staying in on cold nights! Even though I don’t celebrate Christmas, I love Christmas movies! Christmas Story and Elf are my two favorites at the moment. I also love Love Actually.  I also asked for a bunch of movies (just normal ones) for Hanukkah so I am happy about that.  As for books…gawd, I could list a million, which maybe I will do for tomorrow’s post, but really…laying on the couch or in bed with a cup of tea and reading, is my favorite thing to do. I recommend Harry Potter or the Twilight books if you want a series. I am hopefully going to start the southern vampire series (what True Blood is based on) soon. And finish up Anne Rice.

And there you have it!

xoxo

American the Beautiful (the documentary I saw last night) was/is amazing. Click here and check it out. And see if it’s coming to your city sometime soon. And if so, please go see it.  It’s really well-done. The director was at the screening last night and was great. We did a Q&A after the movie and then there was a cocktail party at a bar across the street. I am lame and didn’t make the party, but again, see this movie.

Tonight I am going to probably watch Heroes. And Top Chef. And start the book for the Chicago NOW book club.  Oh and possibly run to Walgreens and get socks for my 70s get-up for the roller skating party on Saturday night. I need those socks with the stripes on the top. And don’t really want to spend a ton of money on them (the ones they have at American Apparel are pricey but yes, made in America true). I should check out Marshall’s too. Well, if anyone knows where I can get a cheap pair let me know! I think I will try my whole outfit on tonight to make sure it isn’t a bust. and then figure out what I am wearing Friday night for D.Ro’s b-day dinner. Probably this shirt I have with a beaded bow on it. But of course Basil chewed and pawed at the bow so some of the beads came loose and I had to glue them back on…I think it looks weird but Mike says he can’t tell. And maybe some sort of headband. I want to wear my fringe boots but the weather really isn’t that great with all the snow and slush on the ground. Oh fashion crisis du jour. hahah

Oh and I hope the rumor about Chace Crawford and Taylor Momson is no parts true. Cuz ewwww. Plus. Chace is soo mine. Hands off you skinny beyotch!

xoxo

GG was so good last night! But really, when are they getting rid of Aaron? Loved Dan’s “I got it first” line about the text that Serena sent both the boys. And Blair and Chuck, mostly Chuck broke my heart this episode. I do love that Blair totally loves Cyrus and was even eating lox and bagels. And then not even making comments when he told her more capers and onions. And then took the plate with her when she left. Not to mention the line when she said she was “becoming Jewish.” And then thought she saw Kugal. Too funny. Although, I did not like the dress she wore for her mother’s wedding. It just wasn’t flattering on her at all. And honestly, what mother, rich or not, would let their 17-year-old daughter go to South America with their 20-something boyfriend for the holidays minutes after her step father was “killed” (I don’t believe that Bart is dead haha) not to mention plan her own trip? Oh Lily. What about Eric? And just generally, what mother would let their teenaged daughter go with their 20-something bf to South America alone.

And The Hills? zzzzzzzzzz So f-ing boring. I don’t really care all that much to watch The City, but I love DVF so I think I might tune in. And Bromance? I am embarrassed for Brody. Seriously. Boys are going to compete to be your friend? Don’t people want to make friends the old-fashioned way anymore?!

So yeah…am going to see the movie America the Beautiful tonight and am excited. It’s an in-depth look at the modeling industry and the ridiculous standards they have for the models. It also touches on some beauty issues as well.  Tomorrow after work I may try my new “ballet sexy legs” work out DVD.

Anyways, I think my post tomorrow will be the top ten things any popculture grrrrl needs for the winter!

What’s on everyone’s Hanukkah/Christmas lists this year? So far from my dad I have asked for the special two-disc DVD of Gone With the Wind and the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice.

xoxo