Tag: entertainment

Runway Monday All Stars: Good Taste Tastes Good


On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway All Stars, the designers were asked to create a design that would evoke the taste of one of the gelato flavors from Manhattan’s L’Arte del Gelato, use the flavor as their color palette, and complete their look in only six hours.

I couldn’t fly to Manhattan for gelato, so I picked up the next closest thing–raspberry sorbet–from my grocer’s freezer. Because food shouldn’t be wasted, I’m forcing myself to eat it a few bites at a time. Other than slightly changed lyrics to a Prince song, what does raspberry sorbet evoke for me?

I knew my perfect model was Monster High’s Abbey Bominable, because she knows all about frozen treats.

As I tasted the sorbet, I thought of summer nights near the shore, sitting on a garden bench just after dusk, when garden lights give flowers dustier hues than the sun allows. I thought of how cozy a crop top and clamdiggers are to slip into after a busy day.

I thought of little girls who aren’t willing to give up their filmy tutus for less fanciful clothes.


And the way our dreams seem to float around us as we dance through life.

Since the PR designers were allowed a mere six hours, as my challenge, I managed to make my patterns, cut them out, and do all the sewing in around two hours. Jewelry and shoes are from Mattel.

May you have many magical raspberry nights and dreams of your own. See you next time on the runway!


Whoever gave me the print fabric–Lynne? Kathy S?–claim it and I’ll credit you!

This season’s previous looks:
Week 3: Patterning for Piggy
Week 2: A Night at the Opera
Week 1: Unconventional Challenge

Runway Monday All Stars: Patterning for Piggy

On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway All Stars, the designers were asked to create a cocktail dress to be worn by a very demanding diva as she promotes her new movie: MISS PIGGY! Though their designs were shown on models, I’m deviating from using my Monsters because–why not go right to the source?!?


“Moi?”

Yes, Miss Piggy, YOU!


Miss Piggy’s cocktail dress has a lavender crepe skirt with lots of flowing movement for red carpet walks.


The bodice of the dress is an explosion of lavender tulle, as big and bold as Miss Piggy herself.

What does Miss Piggy, accessorized with sapphire and rhinestone earrings, think of her look?


“Moi LOVES it!”


See you next time when the Monsters return to the runway!

Thanks to Lynne, a devoted Miss Piggy fan, for the tulle fabric.

This season’s previous looks:
Week 2: A Night at the Opera
Week 1: Unconventional Challenge

Runway Monday All Stars: A Night at the Opera

On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway All Stars, the designers were asked to create a couture look for a night at the opera. When I think of opera and beautiful dresses, I think of Cher in one of my favorite movies, Moonstruck. So who better to model my opera fashion than Clawdeen Wolf? If she’s not inspired by the moon, no one is.


I chose a bold purple satin sprinkled with silver stars to evoke the night sky in Clawdeen’s dress.


I accessorized Clawdeen with silver-accented shoes and a silver lamé evening bag from Mattel.


The colors also compliment the purple strands in Clawdeen’s hair. Have wolf ears and fangs ever looked so adorable?


Clawdeen shows off a little leg as well as the dress’s flowing, ribbony sash in iridescent lavender.


Clawdeen is off to a howling good time at the opera. Hope we see her and you again on the runway!

Thanks to Lynne for the iridescent fabric and the runway fabric.

This season’s previous looks:
Week 1: Unconventional Challenge

Legacy Writing 365:13

Friday the thirteenth seems to be a good time to discuss Redshirts. I’ll admit that though I saw a lot of Star Trek when I was a youngster, it wasn’t until I grew up and began to meet REAL Star Trek fans that I learned the significance of Redshirts. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, in general, on the original Star Trek, when a character you didn’t know and weren’t invested in was wearing a red shirt when he was part of a mission, he’d die during that episode.

Is it because we were ignorant way back when that we allowed my nephew Daniel to venture into the world wearing this?


Did he know, I wonder?

I swear we loved him and didn’t think of him as the sacrificial lamb in our family dramas. Fortunately, he survived his dangerous wardrobe and abandoned Star Trek for Star Wars along the way. And NO, George Takei, you are WRONG about the real enemy. Stop that!

I didn’t know until I went digging around on the Internet to read more about Redshirts that there’s a trope called “Anyone Can Die.” But I was gratified to see that they listed the TV shows Lost and The Vampire Diaries as examples of this, as I have been jarred again and again by the body count of CHARACTERS I LOVE on these shows. Fortunately, those characters tend to reappear in flashbacks, dreams, or as ghosts. Sort of like school photos: They never really go away.

Other people get dolls, too

You may recall that last Christmas I received the Kirk, Spock, and Uhura dolls from the most recent Star Trek movie. This year, along with his annual Hallmark Star Trek ornament from Lynne, Tom received this doll that she found somewhere:

Note that Old Spock is giving the Vulcan Salute. However, just in case you need him to be doing real work around the Enterprise–or the Universe–he comes with an extra hand:

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small>Note: Could also come in handy–see what I did there?–if you’d like to reenact “the hand of Count Petofi” scenes from the original Dark Shadows.

You don’t know what a challenge it’s been for me to wait THIS LONG SINCE CHRISTMAS to shoot this:

Live long and prosper.

There must be a boy!

Sometime this weekend I need to coerce someone into watching this movie with me.

If you know me, you might be thinking, How many times can she cackle at “Rex Stetson” and Thelma Ritter? Or sing along to “You Are My Inspiration” and “You Lied?” Hasn’t she seen that movie enough damn times?

Maybe. But not with my jolliest Christmas present ever from Tom sitting next to me:


Doris Day is fine, but Mattel did an amazing job on my man Rock Hudson.

Putting Your Minds at Ease

You guys have been pretty worried, haven’t you, that I might have suffered a vampire-free Christmas? Not so!


Score from Michael; game from Lynne. When’s everybody coming over for game night?!?

By the way, writers: Just as the soundtracks from the Twilight movies are UH-mazing, the scores provide great instrumental music to accompany writing sessions. I’m betting they’d be a nice break from Celtic music for body and energy workers, too.

Somewhat related: the Ongoing Saga of the Coasters. Last year, if you recall, I received FOUR sets. One I sent to Marika to match those matching citrus dishes (regifted to her after Christmas 2008). One set I regifted to Laura on her birthday in January–with ART. This year, I snuck Set 3 into a gift basket for Laura and Jess, and individually wrapped Set 4 with ornaments delivered to Lynne in a festive box. Since Laura gave Lynne the original lime coasters this year, I am currently COASTER FREE. I don’t remember the last time this was true.

However, I swear that somewhere out in the ‘burbs there’s a store called Citrus ‘R Us. How else do you explain these little items I received from Laura and Lynne?

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I will find this retail mecca before Christmas 2012. Less than 365 shopping days left!

If you ever want to review the coaster saga:

Laura’s Birthday 2011
Christmas 2010
And previously:
Those coasters Part 1
Those coasters Part 2
Those coasters Part 3
Those coasters Part 4
Those coasters Part 5

More hoochie mama

Here is the doll Marika said she would never buy me:

Here is the doll Marika said she would never buy me wearing an ensemble that came as part of the Stardoll fashion given to me by The Brides:

We’re not sure. Is this inspired by Gaga? Flava Flav? Hos ‘R Us? And what’s that hairpiece thing? Shriveled black bunny ears? Bow? Bat-tastic Rodent? Whatever, the boots are FAB.

Same deal as as with these dolls. Girl needs a name. Marika has provided a plethora to choose from, but she DIDN’T GIVE ME THIS DOLL. She was true to her word.

Magnetic Poetry 365:322

Breaking news: People who hate the Twilight franchise are trashing Breaking Dawn all over the Internet. I know; it’s shocking. 😉 People who love the Twilight franchise are waxing rhapsodic. MANY of them are giving spoilers, and I endeavor not to do that, but if you’re going to the movie, you should know: There’s another scene AFTER the movie ends and some credits roll. It sets up the second movie. Most of the people in my theater had cleared out by the time that scene came on. Did we learn nothing from Ferris Bueller?

I started having what I (with my advanced medical degree) decided was a major allergy attack on Wednesday night. By Thursday, I felt truly wretched and was starting to wonder if I had a sinus infection. But we’d bought our non-refundable tickets for the midnight show in advance, and I’ve waited so long for this, and I really, really wanted to be at a first showing with a new audience for at least one of these movies. So before Lindsey, Tim, and I left for the theater, I made a Walgreen’s run. I got a Vicks inhaler to help me breathe; I was full of Allegra and Alka Seltzer Plus (wanted to cover all possible maladies); I had Hall’s cough drops and lots of hand sanitizer. Then, because I can’t STAND it when people are sick in public places, I bought a mask to wear in case I was contagious (though I didn’t think I was, since I never had a fever).

Thus armed, we arrived at the theater. Sadly, we weren’t early enough, and we couldn’t find seats together. Lindsey had to sit way down front. Tim was a couple of rows back from me. The woman next to him acted like he was going to drink her Coke. People are weird. Then I asked him to trade places, because the further back I am, the better I can see the screen. He did, and suggested I not wear the mask and go ahead and spread my plague to the people who wouldn’t let us sit together. Meanwhile, Lindsey and I were texting. She was disappointed because there was no crazy fan stuff happening. I told her she’d need to be at the Friday night shows, when there’d be a younger audience and more crazy potential.

Then, however, things got good. Right in front of where Lindsey was sitting, some dedicated Twilight fans–Breaking Dawn t-shirts and all–had waited in line for a long time to be among the first inside the theater. They chose their seats, left their coats on them, and went to get concessions/go to the bathroom/whatever. Then some other people came in, shoved the coats aside, and took those seats. When the girls returned, a verbal altercation began. Eventually theater management and the police came in to straighten it out. Just seconds before the previews started, the police escorted the entire group of seat-stealers from the auditorium and the whole audience clapped and cheered. Justice prevailed!

In spite of the fact that I couldn’t breathe–and did you know if you’re wearing one of those masks, the vapors from your cough drops will go right into your eyes and make you cry and it has nothing to do with the movie?–plus if you’re wearing one of those masks, your glasses will fog up and you can’t see the movie?–I relished every minute of Breaking Dawn. I know this allegedly makes me a stupid, lonely old woman with no life and no taste or judgment who betrays the vampire canon and feminism, but fortunately, my self-image comes neither from a movie, a book, nor its haters, so I could just enjoy it. Except that part where the theater speakers kept getting all wonky, so one minute the wolves would sound like Darth Vader thundering out lines of dialogue and the next minute they’d sound like the alpha dog in Up when his collar malfunctions.

After the movie, Tim, Lindsey, and I convened to watch all the credits (and that additional scene), then we were stuck in the parking garage forever, giving us time to do our post mortem. Tim, with his Wedding Bitch background, talked about the wedding, but I won’t tell you a flaw he noticed because if you see the movie it’ll be ALL you can focus on. We agreed that Alice needs her own Bravo Reality Show because she’s a great stylist. Lindsey loved the music–they always have good music in the Twilight movies, and I also noticed that they borrowed from the different scores of the other movies to play during key scenes. Loved the way that tied things together. Then we entertained ourselves by giving Bella new dialogue straight from stylist/designer Rachel Zoe and her reality show. It’s kind of like watching The Wizard of Oz with Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” playing; it works!

As promised, the last Twilight/vampire-themed poem is:

Thank you again, Marika, for the set of magnetic words. Now they and all the dolls are packed away. And I went to a clinic this morning and my initial diagnosis was correct–we are having an active ragweed outbreak so it’s allergies–and I got better meds and other stuff, slept all day, and feel much improved. As soon as I can smell and taste again, I’ll see Breaking Dawn for the second time so I can enjoy a tub o’popcorn, because if you’re going to take out a loan to see a movie, you may as well go all the way.