Movies We Love - Escape from New York



One silly evening not too long ago the husband took me out for a Throwback Thursday treat. New York City's Film Forum was running a SciFi and Horror festival replete with a bevy of old movies, and we found our way into the neighborhood one evening for a showing of Escape from New York. The theater is a real joy: small, always packed with avid film fans that are a pleasure to view with and ever-fresh, old-fashioned popcorn that seems to taste fresher and is infinitely more satisfying than the fast food version sold at most chain theaters.

Best of all? The film features old favorite Kurt Russell, an actor that Pie and I can't seem to get enough of lately. The entire move is a trip; from it's over the top dramatic tone to it's cheesy, synthesized 80's soundtrack. Russell plays "Snake," an ex-military man turned criminal banished to the island prison of Manhattan. Yes, Manhattan, the golden isle, is just one big prison in this "future." If the absurdity of that premise doesn't grab you then Snake's growling, gravelly voice might. Or maybe the ridiculously dramatic dialog and fantastical premise that Air Force One would happen to land on an island full of criminals and the U.S. President would be the only survivor.

Cue a mad scurry to rescue the President in 24 hours lest our poor anti-hero Snake be neutralized himself. It's a ridiculous journey, but goodness it's a fun one.

The Look of the Emmys

 

 

I'm not a big awards show lady.  The best part for me when I used to have cable was watching the red carpet pre-show to scope out all of the glittery outfits.

 

Compared to the Oscars, the Emmys this fall were pretty subdued.  Actresses for the most part kept it simple in figure flattering, unembellished frocks, with pinks and whites dominating.

 

A few standouts?  Claire Danes flapper look sings to me (of course), and my insides still ache with lust for Laura Dern's backless confection.

 

With award show season rearing it's glamorous head, I'm hopeful my favorites will forgo simplicity in favor of some outrageous, dazzling risk taking.

 

1. Claire Danes, Atelier Versace; 2. Linda Cardellini, Donna Karan Atelier;

3. Laura Dern, Naeem Khan; 4. January Jones, Givenchy.

Huffington Post



What We're Buying - Transitional Bedding

This time of year always sets me yearning for a change- I try to cajole my husband into rearranging furniture, and I start looking at new accent pieces and bedding. But what bedding to use? Summer weights don't quite work in a New York apartment, and it certainly isn't cold enough to break out my down comforter and duvet covers just yet. Luckily, I think I've found an answer and it comes in many an affordable option. These transitional quilts look mighty tempting, and while they might not exactly be fall-festive don't they just look airy and cozy? Perfect for a bedroom sanctuary and a bit of snuggle.

Boho Boutique Bombay Fleur Quilt Set, Target; Hand Blocked Medallion Quilt, West Elm;

Laura Ashley Roland Quilt, Amazon; Nostalgia Piper Quilt, Macys.

The Headbands of Clemmie Watson

 

 

Fortune and I sure do love us some spikes.  While I'm more of a spiked jewelry aficionado, Fortune has branched out into the hardcore headband zone.  A more adventurous look than I'd normally dare, I can't help but want to try with Clemmie Watson's insanely layered headpieces.  Delightfully subversive, I'm leaning towards the first band - blue leather + silver and gold spikes finished off with chain metal.  With such a tough tiara in tow, try not to revel in your new role as rock star princess.

 

Clemmie Watson Headbands, Farfetch

Books We're Reading - Room

 

 

Room is not the sort of book I'd ever pick out. Instead it must have received some high praise or an award at some point, and this led me to add it to my Kindle. It remained there, unread, probably for almost a year before I needed something to read on the train. Then, seeing the title and associating it immediately with both In a Strange Room and A Room of One's Own, I selected it for my next piece of reading. What a journey I was in for.

The book is told entirely in the first person, and in this instance that person is a five year old boy. A five year old boy named Jack with a small world and objects he personifies and addresses by their name (Table, Wardrobe, Bed and Rug are all key characters in his world). At times this is exactly as tedious as it sounds. You can only read along as a boy narrates about his "bouncy bounces" and how much he hates green beans so many times before yearning for adult perspective. If you're patient that perspective does come, and usually at the most haunting times.

Jack and his Ma are visited nightly by a man they call Old Nick, and when he comes into Room the boy hides in Wardrobe and counts his teeth and the creaks of Bed until he falls asleep or Old Nick leaves. Slowly you learn that Jack has never left Room, and that he believes the things he sees on TV happen on other planets.

You can tell right away that something is not right, and your instincts warn you that the entire situation is terribly wrong. I don't want to say any more because anyone vaguely intrigued by the concept should read the book. The ideas are fascinating, and the moral and societal questions that the novel raises are insightful and heart wrenching. Eventually the scope of the novel broadens, and Jack's perspective is no longer a hindrance but a brilliant lens through which you may experience the world we all take for granted anew.

Movies We Love - Drinking Buddies

 

Olivia Wilde has been on my radar ever since I saw her in Butter, a dark comedy about the sordid world of butter carving.  Already a hugely popular actress, I had somehow never seen her in anything before.  And she was just hilarious.  A few disarmingly candid interviews later, and I was decidedly charmed - and very eager to see her latest, Drinking Buddies.

 

The film is largely improvised, the director only providing a general outline of each scene.  Shot predominantly in a brewery, the action is centered around the close friendship between co-workers Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson).  Seemingly made for each other, they're both in other relationships.  After the two couples spend a weekend away together, however, things start to get complicated.

 

As with most of the movies I end up falling for, I can't explain much more without giving away the goods.  But I love the choices made by the actors in unraveling this tale.  It would be so easy to jump to conclusions about what happens, but normal conventions of love triangles (squares?) aren't at play here; the film is so much more real than that, which I think is largely because everyone improvises.  Even costume selection, which was also left up to each performer, plays a part in the story.  Luke's girlfriend, Jill (Anna Kendrick), wears a never-ending array of flirty dresses I kept wanting to steal for myself.  Kate, though, is a total guys girl - in one scene, her and another male co-worker realize they're even wearing the same pair of pants.  I found the fashion choices really interesting in how they reveal a bit about each character.  While Anna plays Jill as silly and fun, still able to hold her own in a group of guys, she is, at heart, 'traditional'.  She wants to get married.  She's a huge nurturer.  And her outfits reflect that, as she's always found in an ultra-feminine frock.

 

The acting is phenomenal; Olivia Wilde, yet again, is so, so funny, and Jake Johnson, who I love on New Girl, is as sweet and sarcastic as ever.  And although the final moments of the film leave something to the imagination, I think there is an ending hinted at - one that I thought was really appropriate, a perfect end to this unpredictable, immensely enjoyable ride.

 

Drinking Buddies

Covets - Boots That Go Bling

I'm a little obsessed with black and gold footwear for fall. There's something so undeniably edgy about cool, black leather paired with a sprinkling of gold studs. I'm over the moon for the look, but I have yet to find the perfect pair. I have commitment issues, I suppose. Usually I debate for so long that my top choices are no longer available and I can only look back, forlorn, at the purchases that might have been. Fall and winter account for a long stretch of time, though; maybe I'll be able to pin myself down before Spring arrives and all I want is to show off a good pedicure and some sandals.

 

 

Jeffrey Campbell Benatar, All Sole; Betsey Johnson Yendell, 6PM;
Coconuts Goldrush, Swell; Circus by Sam Edelman Harley, Macys;

What We're Buying - Turbans

Ever since catching a glimpse of Miss Liz Taylor rocking a considerably bedazzled turban, I was instantly sold - I wanted one.  Hard.

 

  

Never before encountering a just-right headpiece, I finally met my match at The Real Designer Market this spring. 

 

Vibe Jewels had a whole table's worth of spangled, glittering finds.  Of course, there were full on turbans, but also half headbands for the curious neophyte.

 

I, of course, went all the way, picking up an onyx number replete with a rhinestone snake. 

 

I can't imagine a winter coat it won't go with, making it the perfect new staple for my cold-weather wardrobe this year.

Vibe Jewels 

Trends We're Watching - Elaborate Headdresses

To call these accessories "headbands" would almost be to insult them. Headbands have been on trend for many seasons (thank you, Gossip Girl, I never watched you but I am in your debt), and I'm one of those devotees who will perpetuate the look far after it's heyday has passed. Headdresses are a godsend for my curly, ofttimes unruly tresses. A quick morning fix for me usually involves a headband and a couple of quick braids, or a dainty low ponytail, and in a flash I'm out the door and feeling great.

The newest incarnation of my favorite look is edgier, bigger and bolder than before. Multiple trends are being incorporated- studs, velvet, feathers and punked out leather. Some of the them I love (Eugenia Kim's Grae Crown below just positively sings to me), others I simply wouldn't know what to do with (I'm looking at you, BCBG Winged Headband. Am I to dress up as Mercury for Halloween?). You may love some and you may hate some, but I think these day the biggest challenge would be hating them all. There's a headdress out there for everyone, and you don't really have to look that hard to find them anymore.

 

 

 

 

Hanging Flower Crown, Asos; 

Wings Headband, BCBG; Johnny Loves Rosie Velvet Alice Headband, Asos;

Colette Malouf Embroidered Feather Headband, Neiman Marcus;

Eugenia Kim Grae Glitter-Finished Leather Crown, Net-A-Porter.

 

Covets - Old Navy Animal Sweaters

Remember last winter when we were all obsessed with Taylor Swift's adorable fox sweater from Aubin & Wills?

Old Navy came to the rescue then with their own incredible interpretation, and this year they're back with an even cheekier reimagining.

Available in four styles, their graphic crew-neck features a bespectacled fox, a dapper owl, a fancy Boston terrier, or a regal bluebird.  I still can't decide which version I covet the most, as all would equally charm worn over a collared shirt with a bib necklace, patterned skinnies and ankle boots.

With Old Navy once again on my radar, I'll be checking back frequently to see what other treats they have in store for us this winter.

Old Navy

Covets - Phillip Lim for Target

Phillip Lim is the latest in a long string of designers to collaborate with Target on a ready-to-wear collection that is both affordable and fashionable. I'm so excited to get my hands on these pieces, which are just perfect for fall and look so much richer than their pricetags would suggest. That navy dress and the navy and kelly green blouse/skirt combo are just two of the things on my list to snatch up when the collection hits Target's stores on September 15th.

 

 

 Phillip Lim for Target

 

Rashida + Kidada Jones for Band of Outsiders

 

 

I have a huge girl crush on Rashida Jones that cannot be denied.  Fantastic in Celeste and Jesse Forever, hilarious on The Office, and just always, always dressed so perfectly pretty, she's without a doubt one of my fashion icons.

 

Recently collaborating with her sister, Kidada Jones, for Band of Outsiders, I'm crazy for these snaps; shot at the Dresden Restaurant, they give off a whole too-cool-for-school-ladies-who-lunch vibe.  Making me, of course, ache for an invitation to the sweater-turban party.

 

Band of Outsiders 

Beauty - CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara



I'm not much for drugstore mascara. Not because I'm snobby about it (I'd much rather pay $8 than $25 for eye shadow), but because I've had such poor experiences with drugstore makeup in the past. There are exceptions to this rule. I'll always trust a friend's reccomendation, and I swear by Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Enhancer, which boasts sheer, moisturizing color with the added benefits of SPF 20 and retinol all while remaining oil-free. It's been my favorite foundation for a year now, beating out several other more pricey options that I've sampled. It's lightweight, it goes on easily even when you only have your fingertips for an applicator and it blends effortlessly leaving my skin looking luminous.



When I decided to pick up CoverGirl's Clump Crusher Extensions mascara I was skeptical, but I only wanted a cheap mascara that I could leave in my emergency, work make-up bag for those mornings when I just don't have enough time to bother with my face. Okay, okay... this is almost every morning for me. I only do my makeup at home if I'm going somewhere totally luxe after work, and that doesn't happen very often. So yes, I'm that wan, NYC face you see on the subways at 8AM. Judge not.

 

 

I was in for a treat with this mascara, which does exactly what it promises. I even found it comparable to a mutual favorite of Pie's and mine, Benefit's They're Real! mascara. The CoverGirl Clump Crusher line comes in three options: original, extensions and waterproof. Not foreseeing many watery days in my office I opted for extensions, and I am very happy with the result. You have to apply a couple of coats to see the "extension" effect, and layering is a breeze because the mascara, as promised, just doesn't clump. At $7 a pop, this is a real steal.

 

CoverGirl