Back at it....and here to stay!

So yes I’ve been off the map lately.  And I could make up a laundry list of reasons why, but I’m not so sure anyone is all that interested. If you are – let me know.  But my guess is everyone has enough of their own stuff going on.  So here’s the short version:

"I get knocked down.

But I get up again.

You’re never gonna keep me down."

Forgive me for that.  Sadder yet, it’s not the first time I’ve quoted it here, but dammit if it isn’t catchy.  

Moving on.

So I’m up again and getting caught up.  Trying to get back to things that make me happy and finding myself with a whole new bucket of obsession and lusts (of the shopping variety).  And there’s no better time to indulge than during a deliciously long holiday weekend. 

Punk!  Chaos to Couture:

So excited to see the Punk: Chaos to Couture exhibit at the Met, which was amazing on so many levels.  For one, I’m obsessed with the costume exhibits and being able to be that close to some of the most amazing designs – the Elizabeth Hurley safety pin Versace dress, the McQueen graffiti dress and some of the original Vivian Westwood and Malcolm McClaren designs from the 70s and 80s was just amazing.

I’m a child of the 80s who listened to Adam Ant and Blondie, but had no idea what punk rock was or what all was going on.  (I was a kid. I wasn’t supposed to.)  So to see the actual t-shirts Adam Ant wore on stage?  Ahh-may-zing! 

For the record I probably would have made a horrible punk, being all high-maintenance, but I embraced my Doc Martens in college and totally loved seeing the history and evolution of the exhibit.  Total appreciation for it.   Though maybe not for the designs made out of plastic grocery bags, but tomato, tomatho. 

Princesses Long Island:

If you haven’t already….if you’ve hesitated….if it looks like another throwaway reality show, let me assure you, you will not regret watching this show.

Bravo’s latest and greatest continues to suck me in and give me so much to be grateful for.  Now sure, there are times, when I wish my parents were loaded and I didn’t have to grind away at a day job.  And I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous that the most parental-dependent of the group dropped almost $6K on shoes and charged it all to her dad’s credit card.  I’d rather have $6K in clothes or purses, but you get the picture.  But then I think I’d rather have my own money to drop on things.

They all still live with their parents, with the exception of one girl who moved to NYC and works and supports herself.  This should not be unusual mind you, but the whole premise of the show is that some Long Island girls live with their parents until they get engaged.  Though they live with the parents until the wedding night.  And while I suppose there is some practicality to this plan (they must save a lot of money), I’d have to believe it might stunt your emotional and mental growth.  And it might be the reason these girls have spouted gems like these:

• Interventioning me
• Independament woman
• Spontanuity

These are not typos.  This is how they talk. And I’d like to thank them for that.

Then there’s the girl who drinks way too much.  We all know that girl.  There was probably a night or two when we each were that girl.  Though I never peddled Adderall to my friends at 3 a.m. at a post-party.  (To be clear, I’ve never peddled or taken Adderall at any point in the day or night.  Even I have limits.  Or smarts.  It could go either way on this decision.)  But watching this girl drink her face off in one scene after another makes me feel like even my bad choices are good choices.

And sometimes a photo does more than words ever could

It’s on right now.  Just put on Bravo already!

Twitter:

I’ve had a love/hate/struggle with getting on this bandwagon five years too late. I signed up for it in my “I need to be building my writing platform and this is a great place to start” phase.  And without even posting a single tweet I’ve managed to gain three whole followers.  (Thanks, friends!  You know who you are.)

But the more time I spend wasting away doing valuable research and surfing on the internet, I realize I need to get on board.  For one, some of my favorite authors and bloggers and general people of interest and friends are on there.  For two, it could be fun.  And for three, I need to be building my writing platform and this is a great place to start.

My hope is that it’s easy to maintain, but if I can text all day surely I can string together a sentence or two online.

Tweet!  Tweet! 

eBay:

I have managed to get back on the eBay bandwagon.  Partially because I’ve been watching so much Resale Royalty (more on that later) and partially because my closet it packed with things I don’t wear, don’t like or bought in the throes of bad judgment and I need to make space for the new.  And if the old is going out I might as well make a few bucks on it.

I’ve got a dozen listings cooking and so far have cleared ~$50.  Not a windfall, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s a game. It’s luck.  It’s a time suck.  But I’m in it to win it. 

And maybe, hopefully (though I doubt it) I’ll think twice before I buy something so-so.  The reason I know I will never learn is that I have a jacket to return but I’ve managed to lose the receipt and now am probably going to get stuck with a cheapie store credit.  By the only vices I have left are shopping and Diet Coke so cut me some slack. 

The Legacy:

I’m knee deep in revisions and rewrites.  I’ve given in to way too many distractions (and a few naps) but I made some great progress this weekend.  My goal was to get it out pre-Paris…..less than three weeks and counting…..but I don’t want to rush myself.

I also know I can’t live in this book forever.  Eventually I’m going to have to send it back out and start on the next.  I really don’t want to be one of those people who spends twenty years working on one book that never sees the light of day. Sure part of the pleasure is in the process, but it’s also in starting something new.  So here’s to it and from it and to it again.

I’m also all caught up on The Killing, tonight’s episode aside and have to say it’s so damn good.  I won’t talk plot because I don’t want to be one of those spoiler people, but it definitely trumps the first season (particularly, Part II of Season 1).  Watch this too.  You won’t regret it.  (But if you struggle with TV violence skip it.  Pitch Perfect is practically playing on repeat on HBO and that’s more feel good.  I’ve literally seen it 20 times in the past 2 weeks.  I can feel the shame raining down on me.)

Time to wind down with TV.  I’ll have a much better reality update to come.  It’s good to be back!

PS - This is what NYC looked like on July 4th.  I'm literally standing in what is usually the middle of traffic on Park Avenue.  I love the city when everyone else leaves it!

Fab Five Friday - Obsessions Take Over

 

And I’m back.  Always have the best of intentions, but my day job is getting in the way of my dream job and sucking all my energy away as it’s sucking away the hours of my day. But I’m making a deal with myself and not opening the work laptop this weekend. It’s going to be all about me me me!!! (Knock on wood).

So yes I’ve been off the blogosphere for a bit, but rest assured I’ve had lots I’ve wanted to say.  (Does it count if I’m writing in my head?)  There’s been some highs and lows.  A trip to Texas.  Finished reading a book.  Started another.  Cleaned my closet.  Got a great pair of shoes. And yes, clearly procrastinated with my writing for no good reason other than the fear.  But then there’s this (so true):

  

So here we go again.  And here’s what I’m obsessed with this lovely (minus the humidity) Friday:

#1 - Before Midnight:

Not enough words for how excited I am for the next installment in the Before Sunrise/Before Sunset movie series.  I fell in love with Ethan Hawke in Dead Poet’s Society.  And then seeing him in Before Sunrise was my point of no return. 

That movie made me believe in all of the romantic magic of fate and destiny and the idea that one encounter…one day….can change everything.   And then he writes the book about her in the hopes they will meet again.  And then do.  (I might be crying a bit right now.  So damn great.)

Ethan and Julie Delpy are amazing together.  I am a bit obsessed with Jesse and Celine.  And I cannot wait to see what happens next.  There is something so sexy and dreamy about spending one day just talking.  Letting all the passion build up. Having such an intense human connection. 

Hurrah to Ethan, Julie and Richard Linklater for doing it all over again.

And if you haven’t seen these movies yet, first up I have to say, FOR SHAME!!!  And then I say get you on Netflix and get on it.  You won’t regret it.

#2 - Book Architecture:

I got this book after April’s Writers Digest Conference.  It’s essentially what it sounds like.  It’s a process of dissecting your book – organizing and revising your manuscript by literally taking it apart (as in cutting up the pages with a scissors, into the individual scenes) and then putting it back together again.  Change the order.  Toss what doesn’t work.  Write what’s missing.  Rewrite what’s almost working.   Okay, so maybe that wasn’t exactly what it sounds like unless you’re a writer and fan of architecture, but either way, a few weeks after I bought the book and one round trip business trip to Dallas afforded me the time to take a deep dive into the book. 

The Legacy revision project is underway and I have my one agent lead on deck when I’m done.  I need to prioritize this baby and get it done quicker than what I thought would be a fairly easy lickety-split refi.  But four months later and I *finally* have a closing date for next week.  Ohthankgod!  Word to the wise fellow New Yorkers….don’t go co-op.  They have no respect for your time.  Just saying.

First up.  Book Architecture.  Then I can deal with home architecture.

#3 - Million Dollar Listing – New York:

As a Bravo-addict I’ve seen endless commercials for this show.  And nothing about it really appealed to me.  I worked with brokers for a decade and while I did have the good fortune to work with some really great guys, I also got to meet the smarmiest of the smarm.  Why would I want to watch this on TV?  I lived the commercial broker life.  I’ve worked with residential brokers and know a lot of them are cut from the same smarmy cloth. 

And then there was a marathon on earlier this week. 

Bravo was ramping up for the season premiere which of course requires playing all of last season’s episodes, what seems like non-stop.  (Where are my Real Housewives reruns when I need them???).  So Million Dollar Listing… 

Who am I kidding?  Totally.  Sucked.  In.    

Egotistical dudes acting like frat boys with trust funds.  Ridiculous New York real estate.  Even more ridiculous clients who bash the hell out of the most amazing $10M apartments with views of Central Park that are so ridic they kind of look fake.  Oh, and best of all?  Complete male-bitch-fight drama between these custom-suit wearing, Rolex-watch-flaunting, potty-mouthed, I-have-a-full-time-driver broker dudes. 

Need more reasons to watch?

It’s grown men throwing drinks in each other’s faces.  Jumping in the pool at the other broker’s showing just to piss him off.  (And, yes, I wrote POOL.  As in a NYC apartment.  With.  A.  Pool.)  It’s catty and ridiculous and over-the-top and preposterous and dripping with self-absorbed egotistical obnoxiousness.  Which clearly makes it ahh-may-zing.  And you get to gawk at Ryan’s bare ass in the season opener.  In case you needed a little nudity to pique your interest.

I have one word for you. 

Watch.

The Met Ball:

Monday night.  All the fashiony fashion guys and gals hit the red carpet outside the Metropolitan with the “Chaos to Couture” theme.  (bee-tee-dubs…cannot wait to see this exhibit and flash my member pass to skip the line.)  More on that later. 

For now, so much really cool fashion:

  

 

But where was Rachel Zoe? I miss her already.  Which brings me to…

#5:  The Rachel Zoe Project.  As in “the end of”….

I read online that this season was the last. And I kind of have no doubt because the season finale had “series finale” written all over it.  There were flashbacks.  Voiceover retrospectives.  And a closing shot of the cast that might as well have been Kelly and Steve and Dylan and Nat dancing the night away at David and Donna’s wedding.  (I’m pretty sure Mrs. Teasley was rocking out in the background somewhere.)

I’m so sad if RZ is really dunzo.  For one, because I just love the show.  Fashion.  Drama.  Celebs.  Hysterical catchphrases.  Great style.  Paris. New York. Milan.  LA.  Award shows.  Photo shoots.  Chanel.  Jewelry.  Over-the-top everything.  Vintage shopping. I could go on and on. 

I’m sad to see it go. Thank god I have all the old esp. from iTunes.  (Obsessed.  Party of One.)  And in the last two seasons there was Mandana who I think just might be one of the coolest cool girls out there.   What can I say?  She just rocks.  And I barely had enough time to develop a proper girl crush.  I wanted to see what other outfits she came up with.  How she continued to style her hair, which is the same general length of mine (bangs included). But hers always looks so much better.  And I want to know – does she still eat Cheetos for breakfast? (She’s my hero.)  Is her ulcer finally gone?  Is she still working until midnight on Sundays?  (Hope not!)

My dream is that we’ll meet again. Like Jesse and Celine. But hopefully it won’t take us nine years. 

Until we meet again, there’s this.  (Seriously.  Watch these movies.  Now.)

Twofer Tuesday - Or A Dozen Reasons to Keep Pumping

So it was the season finale of Vanderpump Rules last night, which means it’s the last time I’m going to get to write about it.  Sigh. Until next week’s reunion of course.  And probably after I catch a rainy Sunday marathon and I feel the need to just chatterbox about the ridiculousness of it all.  And then I can only hope…pray…make wishes at 11:11…that there’s going to be a Season 2.  Bring it on Andy Cohen!

But until then I’ll just have to talk about last night.  

If you didn’t catch it then A) WTF?  Do you have something better to do on Monday nights?  And B) If you do then you could have DVR’d it and watched it this morning like a regular, resourceful, totally normal, not at all obsessive girl.  Stop judging me immediately and if you watched the ep or don’t fear some spoilers, read on…

So the episode started out a bit slow and snoozy and I was starting to get annoyed.  Finale are supposed to be built for drama.  Best for last.  You know the drill.  And then BAM! Here comes cray cray:

L-L gets all G.G.

1. Laura-Leigh quits. Because she booked a movie.  With Jennifer Aniston.  Huh?  What?  How?  Yet, this turns out to be totally legit.  Filmed the movie last fall with Jen A. and Ed Helms and Emma Roberts.  Comes out this summer.  And she graduated from Julliard. Not sure when she detoured to the dark place, but leaping from a waitress at Sur and sparring with Princess (yak) Stassi to a Jen Aniston movie.  O. M. G.
2. And speaking of O. M. G. L-L was in Season 2 of Gossip Girl as the chick who Chuck hired to pretend to date Dan to bring out the worst in Serena so she would dethrone Blair as the Queen Bee.  The mean girls poured a Nair cocktail on her and chunks of her hair came out.  You may not remember it (oh the shame), but it makes me like her a little more.  And then I remember she “dated” Jax.  Though she did a fabulous job tearing him apart after he started to ignore her and blow her off by de-friending her on Facebook.  LOL!  Coward. Party of one.
3. In the next scene Jax follows Stassi around like a puppy. He also follows her puppy around like a puppy.  I don’t like him, but I am embarrassed for him.  You know.  As a man.  (Him.  Man.  Me.  Pitying him not acting like a man.)
4. Then it gets a little snoozy again.  And then there’s a photo shoot for the staff at Lisa’s house.  (Huh?  What?  How? And seri….Why?).  And then Jax puts a sock down his bathing suit for more…ahem…flattering photos.  And swears it’s a “best kept secret of modeling”.  Sure, dude.  Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night.  The best-kept-secret party would have been better kept if you didn’t do it on camera.  But that’s the least of your worries, dude.
5. Then there’s another photo shoot at Sur.  What what?  Admittedly I’ve never worked at a restaurant, but to me…still seems odd.  But I’m going to chalk that up to Hollywood.
6. Everyone is besties with Scheana despite Stassi’s quest to make everyone hate her.  Even Stassi thinks she's pretty damn cool these days.  And even though Scheana was the dramatic bridge between Housewives and Vandy Pumping she was actually the least dramatic…and dare I say the least interesting of them all.  And that counts the two brunettes that I can’t really tell apart.
7. Token girl-on-girl kiss.  Worst staged moment and it looked completely awkward to say the least.  Snoooooooooooooze.
8. But then I wake up….Jax decides to go to a shrink in one of his steps to improve himself and show Stassi how worthy he is.  And we get a fabulous peak behind the curtain of this former model/current bartender, 33-year old dude who has kept us captivated all season. (If you can’t read my sarcasm in this, allow me to assure you….I am rolling my eyes and laughing my ass off while I type.)
9. Brace yourself for this one. Jax’s name isn’t really Jax.  (SHOCKING!)  It’s Jason. Which was cool enough for Priestly.  And Bateman.  And Bourne.  What up JAX?
10. What's up is that he's a compulsive liar.
11. And he did cheat on Stassi a few months ago and knock up the random chick in Vegas.  Did not in fact happen years ago, pre-Stassi.
12. And…you guessed it….HE LIED ABOUT IT.  TO EVERYONE.  Including his friends.  And his shrink.  And Lisa.  And Bravo during his confessional.  And to Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live! a few weeks back.  Though Stassi and Jax were back together again on that episode, so I’m not really sure how that happened…how he got away with lying…how Stassi took him back…since Vandy isn’t filmed in real time.  But no judgment.  (Lie.  Total judgment.)

And there you have it.  

So where do we go from here?  Like you don’t know.  Bravo Vandy Reunion next Monday.  I’m not sure what I’m more excited about…seeing it….or dissecting the hell out of it here.

And fear not….Vandy may be coming to an end (for now) but next week is the comeback of Rachel Zoe.  I'm lusting her necklace from this pic b-t-w.  And can't wait to see what she's wearing.  And who she's dressing.  And the fashion shows.  And celeb stuff.  And her funny, random phrases.  

Still not sure how I feel about Rodger's hair, but one thing at a time.

And RZ is followed by A Brad Brad World which I will admit annoyed me a touch the first season, but considering I made it through the whole Stassi/Jax/Frank/Laura-Leigh thing, then surely I can see what Brad is up to.  Plus he does have some funny one-liners. And I’m a sucker for the celebrity sighting.  Until then…..

Five Fabs on a Really Tired Friday

Brutal honesty.  I’m tired. 

It’s been a hell of a day.  A hell of a week. A hell of a month.  (January, that is.  I haven’t totally given up on February on the first day.)  I could go as far as a “hell of a few lot of months” but who isn’t tired and busy and somewhat overwhelmed and scatterboxed and feeling like there’s just not enough time in the day. 

Or maybe I’m feeling like this because free Showtime has sucked me into “I Don’t Know How She Does It”.  Which was said to be a pretty good book, but I have to say, not so much of a movie.  Cliché.  Underwhelming.  Kind of lame.  Missed boat.  And I’m suspect of a movie that can’t legit make it to 90 minutes.  And one that has the perfectly, perfect happy ending.  Yawn. I blame Pierce Brosnan.  And Sarah Shahi.  And Busy Phillips.  And Olivia Mumm.  But it could also be that I’m so damn tired….physically…mentally….emotional spent. 

And while I may not have much to give, I haven’t written in a while and that makes me sad because it is one of the few things I truly love, so here goes Fab Five Friday….the things I’m kind of obsessing about….the tired edition:

#1:

This is the best indication of how my life is going.  Spend freeze is still in place.  (Minus those DVF shoes from Ruelala.  But they were 50% off and I had a credit so they were like 70% off.  Does the word “duh” mean anything to anyone?)  But then a giant Gap offer and I always need basic tanks because I pretty much live in them.

Package arrived today. 

And instead of a good old white tank….

I got this….

Quality control has left the building.  Can’t wait to trot this into the store to return.  Or maybe I should just save them for a rainy day.  It’s like my own version of the Cinderella glass slipper.  LOL!

#2:

30 Rock is officially over.  Cannot wait to see what Tina Fey does next, but I’m going to miss this show.  So many funny lines.  It’s the end of an era.  Thank God Psych will be back in a few weeks.

And thanks for this last gem Liz Lemon:

“I was perfectly happy with what I had.   Eating night cheese and transitioning my pajamas into daywear.  You’re the one who told me to want more.”

#3:

Julianna Marguelis at the SAG Awards.  I’m a bit obsessed with her I realize.  The Good Wife is that and more. And I just think she’s looking amazing. 

#4:

The line that made “I Don’t Know Why….” worth it….Olivia Mumm’s – “If you sign an email or text “XO” you may as well sign it ‘I want you to enter me’.”

One of my friends at work said I post inappropriate updates on FB. I have to disagree.  I think I’m pretty mild mannered. Like I would never post this on there.  Though I kind of wanted to.

#5:

Not only was Sunday’s episode of Girls thirty more minutes of spectacular.  (Also beyond obsessed with Lena, as you may have already figured out.)

“You’re a really good dancer.”

“Thanks.  I know.”

And Hannah and Elijah dancing to this before it all went to hell:

End.  Scene.