Whip It Good!

Storyline: Small town misfit, Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page), balks at her mother's (Marcia Gay Harden) insistence to enter local beauty pageants by pursuing the thrilling world of roller derby. Finally finding acceptance in the derby arena as alter ego, Babe Ruthless, Bliss has yet to gain acceptance from her disapproving mother. A story of indomitable spirit & the courage to pursue one's dreams!

There's quite a bit of buzz on Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, Whip it, that comes out in theaters today. The critics are raving about Drew's new movie, which makes me happy for the remarkable 34 y/o, who is scion to a dynasty of lauded theatrical and Hollywood legends. Grandaughter to 20's screen and stage star John Barrymore, who was brother to acting power weights Lionel and Ethel Barrymore, Drew has forged a name in her own right! The mercurially fabulous Drew Barrymore can now list talented actress, producer, AND director to her repertoire of credits. I hope the success of her new movie will make up for the Emmy loss last month for her exceptional portrayal of Edith Bouvier Beale, a.k.a. "Little Edie", in the HBO film Grey Gardens.

You ...... Go ...... Drew!

A Virtual Evening at Le Petit Théâtre de Chimères

This evening the lovely Bonnie from Diamonds and Daisies has lured me from the sandy deserts of Cairo to virtually alight a carriage that will take us to Paris....

where her very talented playwright friend Anita from Castles Crowns and Cottages has virtually invited blogging guests to attend the third act of her cleverly written play, Goodnight Sweet Prince, performed at Le Petit Théâtre de Chimères: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3. <--Click here x 3.

The play centers around an incorrigible, yet loveable fox terrier named Balzac, who mills around the winding streets of Paris and into the melting place of your heart!

The final act will be unveiled next Saturday. Interested guests are asked to submit their entries to Anita by email no later than Friday, September 4, 2009. So, alight your own virtual carriage to catch the third act and become inspired!

But alas! I need to hurry!!! This is also my first attendance, and I'm in a flutter as to what to wear! I just glanced over my balcony and caught sight of my awaiting carriage below. Needless to say, it's causing quite a commotion on the streets! So, I've decided to wear vintage flapper.

Decisions. Decisions. Maybe I'll wear this?

Egads! I must simply get rid of this ol' thing! But low n' behold, tucked in the nether regions of my bursting closet is THE perrr-fect dress!

Just need to touch up my make-up. Apply new lipstick. Pull back my bob with this adorable marcasite barrette. Dab on Chanel.

Slip my feet into these silken slippers.

Grab my mobile and change out my evening bag.

And last but not least, carry my lace fan for a li'l flirting.

Au Revoir!

Update: Click here for the unveiling of Act IV.

A Burtonesque Alice in Wonderland

Visionary filmmaker Tim Burton is in post-production on yet another film adaptation - Lewis Carroll's opium induced classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Talk about the perfect marriage! I can't think of another film director more suited to pull off Alice in Wonderland's bizarre imageries and eclectic characters than Burton. Take for example some of his other films: Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber on Fleet Street. While I've always found his films a bit dark and outlandish for my taste, Burton never fails to deliver a story that resonates a touch of humanity graced with indelible impressions. Burton has teamed up again with fave actors Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter) and wife Helena Bonham Carter (Queen of Hearts), who will play opposite relative newcomer Mia Wasikowska (Alice). AIW will be out on March 5, 2010 in 3-D and 2-D. Looks like it'll be an enthralling trip down the rabbit hole. So, don't be late for a very imporant date!!

"Only in a Woman's World" Contest

Wanna win a Girlz-Wanna-Have-Fun-Get-A-Way-For-2 in NYC ? Enter the "Only in a Woman's World" Contest, and submit a funny tale about yourself. The winner's tale will become the season finale webisode (episode 13), and the winner will receive fabo prizes to be shared with a lucky BFF!

Just imagine....

• Round-trip air transportation
• Accomodations in a luxury hotel x 3 nights - Holla!
• Pampering spa treatment for 2 deservant galz
• Tour of the big apple - NYC, baaaby!
• $500 spending money for guiltfree shopping spree

Click here to register:

• must be 18 years or older to enter
• legal resident of any state or DC in the good ol' US of A
• not an employee of Frito-Lay, Inc. or its affiliated companies
• not a family member or live-in of employee of Frito-Lay, Inc., etc.
• submit entry NLT 10:00 PM CT on August 17, 2009
• get-a-way to be held in September

Submission criteria:

• 100-2000 character limit
• identify WHO (character or characters)
• identify WHAT (situation)
• identify WHEN (time of day)
• identify WHERE (place of action)
• have insightfulness or connection with real women
• have comedic value
• fits with current webisode series on website
• be sure to follow online submission instructions

Share your hilarious tale! NYC or Bust.... G' Luck!

Friday at City Stars Mall

I love the week-ends. While friends and I headed to the mall to catch a 10 am Friday movie, fam and friends were asleep in the States with their alarm clocks set to wake them for work. Gotta love the Middle East!

We first stopped at Costa Coffee for a quick muffin and cappuccino.

Friday mornings here are like Sundays. It's a day of worship for the Muslims, so traffic is light and business is slow. I love the quietness of Friday mornings.

Afterwards, we walked over to Stars Cinema to see the 6th Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. (Was hoping Julie and Julia would be released here today. Ugh!)

But I loved the movie! It was as good as its predecessors, and left viewers wanting more. The 7th and last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be split into two films. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is due out on November 19, 2010 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is due out on July 15, 2011. I'll be ready!

After the movie, we headed to Rainforest Cafe for lunch.

What a fun place! The ambiance was something else!! Every 15 minutes simulated lightning would break out, and thunder could be heard rumbling in the restaurant. Flashes of lightning would streak across the ceiling's painted clouds. So kewl!

Jungle sounds could be heard throughout the restaurant: birds chirping, elephants trumpeting, lions roaring, and gorillas grunting. A simulated waterfall flowed from the top level of the restaurant; its sound soothing to diners' ears.

It was like being on safari all over again. I had always wanted to eat at one in the States, but never got the chance. Now that I had, I wasn't disappointed!

Went shopping afterwards, and then made our last stop at Starbucks. I happily slurped my caramel iced frappuccino venti all the way home!!!! Sl-lu-u-urrr-r-rr-rrrrrp.

Daily Blog Becomes a Movie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjvJHsJD8ic <---- click for trailer

Take an ebullient world renown chef, an inspired New York blogger, two Oscar worthy actresses, and a brilliant writer/director and you've got a recipe for a fine chick flick! Julie & Julia is based on two true stories on the parallel lives of Julie Powell and Julia Childs. Julie finds new purpose in life by taking on the 524 recipes of Julia's cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," in 365 days. Julie chronicled the trials and tribulations of her culinary ordeal in a daily blog that grew into a book, and blossomed into a movie. Julia Child's story is based on her postwar memoirs, that was finished and published post-humously by her grandnephew Alex Prud'homme. Julie & Julia co-stars Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, who team up again after last year's film Doubt provided Oscar nods (but no wins) to both actresses. Although they do not share any scenes together, as Streep plays larger-than-life-Julia in postwar Paris, while Adams blogs and cooks Julie through 21st century Queens, Nora Ephron interweaves the two stories into what critics predict to be a fine concoction. So, be sure to catch it in theaters tomorrow, and let me know what you think. If anything else, this movie will be an inspiration for all bloggers. Can you imagine YOUR blog turning into a movie. What kind of movie would it be? I think mine would be a National Geographic thriller. LoL.

http://juliepowell.blogspot.com/ <---click here for Julie Powell's blog

Count Down to my Kenya Safari Adventure!

Well, I'm 10 days out from my safari adventure in Kenya. I've been so busy at work that I've frankly not had time to get excited about it.... until today. I'M SO EXCITED! I'll be staying at a safari camp in Masai Mara (huge game reserve in southwestern Kenya), named for the Maasai Tribe (that still inhabit there) and the Mara River that runs through it. I'll be there for the big Masai Mara Migration - Africa's greatest wildlife spectacle that has millions of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles, etc. crossing the grasslands of Kenya's Great Plains from July to October. A spectacular event that has cyclically occurred for hundreds of thousands of years.... AND YOURS TRULY WILL BE THERE! The safari camp will be in the open plains unfenced and right next to a watering hole where hippos, elephants, and other wildlife will drink and play. I can't wait to camp out underneath the stars, and trek in rugged open terrain Land Rovers by day. Word!

Sexiest TdF'er E-v-e-rrrrrrr!

Can I just state for the record that Lance Armstrong can take me to bed or lose me forever? Sigggghhh. LA stats: 37 y/o hottie to infinity. Bachelor. Testicular cancer survivor. Father of 4 (baby daddy to Max born last month). 7 consecutive Tour de France winner. TdF comeback cover story after a 4-year hiatus. TdF 411: Grueling 21 stages. Covering 23 days. Pedaling over 2,500 miles of flat and daunting mountainous roads. Current TdF placing: 2nd overall @ stage 5. Sixteen stages remaining. Race ends in Paris on July 26th. Go LA Go !!!! {Blogger's Note: Willing to sacrifice body to be LA's next baby mama. Call me, LA! 1-800-F-A-N-A-T-I-C}

[Update: Alberto Contador (Spain) claimed TdF victory. Poor LA placed 3rd.]

New Found Duct Tape R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

Wanna help a high schooler win a $3000 college scholarship? Vote here for your FAVORITE prom outfits MADE OUT OF DUCT TAPE! Who woulda thought duct tape would come in so many colors? I was TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY by the creativity and talent of all the contestants and how game they were for wearing their DTs to prom. There were over 200 entries! I showcased my faves below. I especially loved the ones with a theme. Entry #252 got my vote. Which one has yours? Last day to vote is July 2nd. [Update: Peacock Costume below won 1st place.]

Vote for #252!

Paper Heart

Charlyne Yi is a 22 y/o actress, comedienne, and musician, whom many of you have probably never heard of or recalled seeing. Her film debut in Knocked Up was so small, I doubt you remembered her as one of the medley of livingroom stoners. Quite frankly I hadn't heard of her either, until I started stalking "cutie in the hoodie" actor Michael Cera. Call it my inner geekdom, but I really like that kid. He has an understated charm that can't help but make you like him despite his nervous awkwardness. Although he's not widely known, he does have a recognizable face... but most folks have to stop and think about where they've seen him until films like Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Superbad, and my all time Indie fave, Juno, comes to mind. Why am I devoting an entire blog on these 2 geeky, but adorable people? All because of a li'l award winning 2009 Sundance film that comes out in theaters on July 24th called Paper Heart; a film that added "screenwriter" to Charlyne's repertoire of talents. In the movie, Charlyne (playing herself) makes a mockumentary across America in search of answers to the quintessential question - "does true love exist?". She interviews people from all walks of life and locations to get their take on the age-old question. On her journey she meets fellow actor Michael Cera (playing himself) and falls in love. Sounds like my kind of chick flick. Take a look of the trailer and see if it'll be something you may want to see too.

Update: New limited release date for Paper Heart is August 7, 2009.

The Choice.

So, after 70 years Archie has decided to marry. Will it be girl-next-door Betty? Or high maintenance Veronica? And what will his choice say to the masses? That he prefers sweet? Or vamp? Coming from someone who never settled... but is still an incurable romantic... I hope he marries for love. Or am I reading too much into a comic book? LoL. Annyhoo, which comic-licious are you pulling for?

The Two Edies of Grey Gardens

Living in the Middle East, I am often behind the power curve on "new buzz" popculture arrivals. Case in point: I missed the April 18th HBO docudrama debut of Grey Gardens, starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore. From all accounts, Lange and Barrymore delivered stirring performances as "Big Edie" and "Little Edie", the mother-daughter "poor relations" of the venerable late Jackie O.

Thanks to my virtual skeleton keys, I tiptoed into entry ways of blogger homes that featured the "Two Edies", and ill-fatedly sealed my new obsession. Rather than wax poetic on the "Two Edies" and the Hampton estate for which the movie is named after, I will defer to the blog articles that whetted my appetite, and will have you also hungry for more.

• Kawana Blogs... : compilation (3)
• *VISUAL*VAMP*: compilation (7)
• La Dolce Vita
• Grey Gardens Online

How the former socialite and debutante found their way from 1930's East Hampton wealth and prestige to 1970's abject poverty and squalor, while cloaking their demented states in spirited charm, is beyond me. All I know is that I'm hooked - and in despair. The movie doesn't get released to DVD sales until July 14th. Grrrrrr. In the meantime I moved the 1976 Albert and David Maysles documentary, Grey Gardens to the top of my Netflix queue, but it still hasn't appeared in the mail. Fortunately, the "Two Edies" allowed the Maysles brothers to come in and film them, so that we have video footage of their kooky, yet arresting co-dependent relationship. If you get the chance, watch the HBO film and 1976 documentary. I hope Grey Gardens piques your interest as it did mine. Enjoy!

DWTS Geek Alert

It's a no brainer. I'm a Dancing With The Stars dweeb. I don't know if it's all the sequins.... mens' unbuttoned silk shirts baring smooth lounge lizard chests.... golden spray-on tans... or the pure entertainment of the dances.... I LOVE IT ALL!!! [beep, beep, beep..... oops. There goes my geek-o-meter again.]

This season, I keep waffling from Euro Yum Yum Gilles Marini (and yes, Ladies, we all melted like buttah during his shower scene in Sex And The City The Movie)....

to Julianne's hottie man-toy Chuck Wicks ....

to The Bachelor's jilted betrothed Melissa Rycroft ....

to wardrobe malfunctioned rapper Lil' Kim.

These are my Final Four. Which team are you staking?

Well, tonight is elimination night ... and living abroad, I won't know the results until tomorrow. So if you watch it, keep it on the hush-low until then.

Word.

[Update: Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and partner Mark Ballas (his 2nd consecutive win!) took home the Mirror Ball Trophy for Season 8.]