houswives in & out

"Housewives" fans, unite! What started as a single Bravo reality series back in 2006 has grown into a six-edition ratings powerhouse. With the franchise spawning reunion specials and spinoffs galore, fans can't seem to get enough of these women's luxurious lifestyles… or their extension-yanking catfights.

But great reality TV never stands still — and the "Housewives" on our favorite editions are coming and going at a rapid rate. With Season 3 of Atlanta debuting Monday and the D.C. edition wrapping up Thursday, we're taking a look at which ladies are leaving these shows (voluntarily or not), and who's taking their place.

Atlanta:

Out: Lisa Wu-Hartwell

Business-minded football wife Lisa was always the normal, relatable one among the Atlanta banshees… but people don't tune in to reality shows to watch normal, relatable people, do they? Plus, with last season seeing her and husband Ed downsizing to a less-than-opulent home, maybe she couldn't keep up with the franchise's spend-now-file-bankruptcy-later lifestyle. She may pop up in a few episodes this season, though — breaking up fights, no doubt.

In: Cynthia Bailey

Any surprise she's a model? NeNe's close friend Cynthia once graced the cover of Essence and walked the runways in Paris and Milan; now she's settled in Atlanta with 10-year-old daughter Noelle and boyfriend Peter. But after three years together, Peter wants to put a wedding ring on her finger. Will this marriage-phobe give in and tie the knot?

In: Phaedra Parks

This entertainment attorney is no stranger to TV cameras: Phaedra has appeared as a legal analyst on NBC and Fox News, and been profiled by various news magazines in connection with her A-list clients. But this friend to Kandi and Dwight has a few skeletons hanging in her closet: Her young husband, Apollo, spent time in prison (gasp!) for a white-collar crime.

New York

Out: Bethenny Frankel

After last season's screeching showdowns with Jill and Kelly, it's not a shock that our favorite quip-machine is hightailing it off the show. And why not? She's finally content with husband Jason and newborn daughter Bryn, and her solo spinoff "Bethenny Getting Married?" proved she could carry her own show. She is contractually obligated, though, to make a few appearances on "New York" next season. (You can't escape Jill's evil clutches that easily, Bethenny.)

In: Cindy Barshop (rumored)

NYC's Ramona (always a blabbermouth) spilled the beans to Us Weekly that this owner of a chain of day spas would be joining the cast this season. (No confirmation yet from Bravo, though.) One red flag: Along with running a business, Cindy's a single mom to twin baby girls. How will she ever find the time to do all the gossiping and wine-drinking this show requires?

New Jersey

Out: Danielle Staub

Ding dong, the witch is gone. The shrillest, craziest "Housewife" of all (and that's saying a lot) reportedly got the ax and won't be a part of New Jersey's upcoming Season 3. The ever-delusional Danielle insists that she's considering many options right now, including her own Bethenny-style spinoff. Good luck with that… we won't be watching.

In: Melissa Gorga (rumored)

On a show that saw its "Housewives" dwindle to a mere four by last season's finale, there was bound to be new blood — and Radar Online is reporting Teresa's sister-in-law Melissa will be the next infusion. Married to Teresa's brother Giuseppe, Melissa puts Teresa's spending habits to shame; she lives in an enormous $4 million mansion, and employs two live-in nannies. But Teresa's reportedly not too happy about her sis-in-law joining the show. Do we sense another table-flip in the near future?

Orange County

Out: Lynne Curtin

After a tumultuous season-and-a-half run that saw her get an on-air facelift (yikes!) and evicted from her swanky Laguna Beach home (double yikes!), Lynne confirmed via Facebook that she's been dropped from the show. Using many exclamation points, the brunette jewelry designer expressed her belief that a Lynne-and-family spinoff is in the works. Great… slot it right after the Danielle Staub spinoff that'll never air.

In: Fernanda Rocha (rumored)

The producers apparently thought the show could use a little more sun-kissed skin — this is southern California, after all — and approached this gorgeous personal trainer about being a full-time OC cast member, according to Radar Online. Fernanda actually appeared on the show last season, teaching a Brazilian Booty workout, and promises to add some spice to the show with her open bisexuality. Wowzers… that's one way to keep things hot in the OC.

& coming soon the all-new "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," starting october 14.

from yahoo TV

but they didn't say anything about who's in or out in dc

office speak

In Transition

A change from one state of being to another; recession variation: collecting unemployment compensation. Example: "Since the downsizing, I've been in transition." Synonym: doing some consulting.

Brand

Put a good face on. Example: "Okay, so we polluted the groundwater by failing to follow those finicky safety regulations. How should we brand it?"

Space

Industry or field. Example: "I'm in the manufacturing space," "I'm in the waste disposal space," "She's in the adult film space," or "He's in the space exploration space."

Go Offline

Pester me about this after the meeting — or preferably never. "Jones, could we go offline to discuss the $10 underpayment of your expense account reimbursement?"

End of the Day

Formerly 5 to 5:30 p.m., now defined as an uncertain point in the future when everything magically turns out okay. Example. "At the end of the day, the pollution in the groundwater may just drain into the earth's core and become unnoticeable."

Transparent

Open about the facts, but not to be confused with honest. Example: "We've been totally transparent about the 15% fee; we disclosed it on page 37."

Can't Wrap One's Head Around

Unwilling to get into the details or deal with the facts; intellectually lazy. Example: "I can't wrap my head around all this recycling business; Let's throw everything in the dumpster behind Home Depot and let them deal with it."

Bandwidth

Money, staff, computing capacity or other resources. Example: "She lacks the bandwidth to compute compound interest."

KPI (Key Performance Indicators)

Important measurements, usually of the immeasurable. Example: "The American Psychological Association recently established KPIs for marriage: the weekly incidence of sexual intercourse plus the number of hours spent watching the same TV shows, minus total minutes bickering over the proper loading of the dishwasher."

Low-Hanging Fruit

Easy to get, though in the end, often not worth the effort. Example: The Taliban might be low-hanging fruit for our production overrun of beard combs."

Human Capital

Human Resources, previously Personnel. Example: "Human Capital is on the fifth floor."

Skill Set or Fit

Qualifications, generally modified by the words "wrong" or "bad," and most often used by Human Capital staffers as an excuse for not hiring somebody. Example: "His inability to speak in tongues obviously makes his skill set wrong for the litigator position."

Knowledge Economy

An environment in which a person has run up $150,000 in student loans to pay for a law degree only to see jobs exported to India whose citizens are apparently very knowledgeable about the U.S. legal system. Example: "The best job in the knowledge economy is plumbing because nobody with an advanced degree knows how to use Drano."

Throughput

Not your conclusions, but the mind-numbing numbers and facts you chewed over to get there; information generally demanded by a micro-manager who won't believe that you did the work. Example: "Don't tell me what you've decided about the Taliban beard-comb project; I just want your throughput."

Footprint

Impact, formerly ecological, but now applicable to anything. Example: "Auntie Meg's rear end had a significant footprint on our sofa."

Impactful

Having a large footprint. Example: "Auntie Meg's rear end had a very impactful effect on our sofa."

from here

thankfully gwd is an heiress making a large footprint with offline low hanging fruit putting a brand on throughput with plenty of bandwidth to tell human capital to fuck off with their request to be transparent. at the end of the day gwd has the skill set 2 b impactful in the knowledge economy of ur blog space. u dig?

a letter from nate berkus

this came in the mail & gwd is very sharing...

nate even loves grannys who sell laxative yogurt- is there no end to his goodness? btw the granny gray lesbian style haircut is the worst. if u r growing older do not do this. but gwd digresses, read on about the goodness of nate towards bloggers.

Dear Bloggers,

We've been reading your posts...laughing at your stories, learning from leads, loving your wisdom around The Nate Show offices. Since we've gleaned so much from each of you, we wanted to host a special Nate Blogger Day! We are thrilled to announce the date has been set; on September 21st at 2:45pm, the Nate Show will be entirely filled with Design Bloggers.

If you are interested in joining us for this special event, please email confirm1@thenateshow.com with the following:

In the subject field of your email, please put “BLOGGER- 9/21 B”

In the body, please include:

- The Name of your Blog

- Your First name, Last Name

-# of Tickets Needed (Max 2—this includes yourself)

- Address

-Phone Number

-Name of Guest Attending (Must be at least 18 yrs.)

Please RSVP by Tuesday, September 14^th—and if we can accommodate your request, you’ll receive an email confirmation by Wednesday, September 15th, with all additional details on your reservation.

* Please note this email is intended for the recipient only-- and not for public distribution.

Thanks. We hope to see you soon!

The Nate Berkus Show

Audience Services Department

gwd - see u at the taping!

tug on it

venus williams has tennis outfit problems.

John McEnroe: I think that dress has distracted [Venus].

Dick Enberg: It's distracting you.

McEnroe: That's a fair point.

Enberg: It sounds like it might be a distraction to her opponent.

McEnroe: Well, she's tugging at it. She's uncomfortable with it.

Mary Carillo: She uses that fabric a lot in her designs, John. And for the last couple of years we've seen her have to correct her outfit after every point.

CBS went so far as to later display a "tug count" that tallied the number of times Venus and opponent Peer pulled at their respective dresses following a point. At the time, Venus was leading Peer 42 to four.

read more here

other than the tug issue, do u like her outfit? i think it looks cheap & juvenile .

& the dweebs at cbs should do a count contest of how many times guys tug on their shorts.

dorm daze

feeling lazy. gwd dropped out. but some dweeb sent this 2 me. gwd would never live in a dorm. what about u?

15 Dorm Room Essentials You Didn’t Know You Needed

Everybody knows the big stuff you need to survive in a dorm: Hamper, bed, DVD player (not necessarily in order of importance). But there’s more to dorm life than just the major necessities. Here are some dorm room essentials you didn’t even know you needed:

1. Big plastic bins: This is a must. Dorm rooms are limited in size, and as a result you’ll need to come up with some creative ways to store things that still gives you easy access to your stuff. Solution: Giant plastic bins for everything from shoes to books to video games. Slide them under your bed or tuck them in your closet. They’re a life saver.

2. Extra sheets and towels: It seems like guys need to be reminded of this more than girls, but here’s the rule for everyone: Always, always have extra towels and bed linens. College life is fast-paced and can make you forget to do chores like, well, laundry. So to keep yourself clean and keep your roommate from throwing you out, change your sheets regularly, and rotate in new bath towels on similar basis.

3. Mini fridge: Living on campus often means being at the mercy of the cafeteria or food court for meals and snacks, and the dining hall isn’t always an option if you’re looking for a quick bite or something late at night. Solve the problem by getting a mini fridge for your room. They fit easily into corner or under lofted beds, and you’ll never have to roam the city looking for munchies at 2 a.m. (unless you want to, that is).

4. Flash drive: Maybe your printer breaks. Maybe you forget to e-mail a document to yourself for later use. Maybe your laptop is on the fritz. Whatever the technological mishap, you can get aroun it with a portable flash drive. Small enough to fit on your keychain and loaded with storage space (2GB is a common amount), these portable hard drives are ideal for backing up papers or valuable documents for travel or transport.

5. Frames: You’re going to have a lot of posters. But while everyone else on your hall is battling over the same prints of Bob Marley and Gustav Klimt, you’ll be a step ahead by sporting genuine frames on your prints. Be sure to pick some up for regular photos, as well. They’re a cheap but nice decorating solution.

6. Mirror: A lot of dorm rooms don’t have mirrors, especially if you’re dependant upon the community showers down the hall. Invest in a tall mirror for your room and hang it inside your closet door.

7. Toaster: This is another great meal resource that students tend to overlook, but toasting bread or bagels (or, let’s be honest, Pop Tarts) for breakfast will help you get a solid start to the day.

8. Recharger for iPod/iPhone: If you’ve got an iPod or iPhone, chances are you’re familiar with the feeling of trying to check e-mail or send a text before that last red sliver of battery life disappears completely. There are tons of great devices out there to give you a battery charge on the go — here’s just one — so you don’t have to deal with cables or worry about finding an outlet if you need to recharge your phone or music device. Pretty much an essential gadget for today’s students.

9. Dry erase board: Pin one up on the outside of your door for visitors to leave messages while you’re gone. It’s also a great way to leave quick notes for your roommate.

10. Throw pillows: Whether you’re relaxing on your bed or on the sofa you picked up at the thrift store, you’re going to want some extra pillowst. Pick up a few throw pillows for your room to add style and comfort.

11. Camp chair: You won’t have a lot of space for furniture in your dorm room, but you will want a place to sit and watch TV, listen to music, or have ready for a guest. That’s why camp chairs are such a great idea. They’re small but sturdy, and they fold up for easy storage in a closet or under a table. You can even get bigger ones that recline, which are ideal for mid-afternoon naps (a college tradition in their own right).

12. A big rack: Simple, cheap, and more versatile than you’d expect, a tall wire-frame rack set of shelves is a great way to save space and organize your belongings. Use it for your TV, books, even a microwave. The metal construction means you can knock it around and move it as necessary.

13. Desk fan: Buy a desk fan to keep cool in warm months or to help yourself from overheating if you’re roommate keeps the thermostat set too high. You can find them at most department and appliance stores. Here’s an example.

14. Power strip: This seems obvious to some, but it’s still worth pointing out. A lot of dorms are older buildings and have limited electrical outlets, and even newer buildings can be stingy with places for plugs. Bring a couple of power strips with you to school to make sure you’ve got plenty of room to plug in all the electronics you’ll be packing.

15. Rug: Even if your dorm floor is carpeted, a rug adds a nice touch, is more comfortable to walk on, and can be used to stragetically cover stains. Trust me.

reposted from here

when is a wannabe not a stalker

from W editors blog:

We've gotten a lot of positive feedback from readers on Bridget Foley's March story on the legendary model and Avedon muse China Machado. In one of the accompanying images (shot by Bruce Weber, styled by Camilla Nickerson), the 70-something Machado donned a dress constructed of Avedon portraits of herself.

A reader named Ana Covey of Oklahoma City, OK, told us that she and her 15-year-old daughter, Kaitlin, were so inspired that they spent three hours replicating the look with scissors, a role of tape and the March issue of W. It was too good not to share.

See our story on China Machado HERE.

read it dweebs, & learn something about a great lady & some fashion history

china machado's house

china machado's bff geoffrey holder


china machado playing peek-a-boo

china machado wearing alexander mcQueen & tony duqutte earrings


china machado dancing with her family


she's 70 & she's fabulous!

those crazy skating outfits

1. usa goes bollywood!
2. british hillbillies!!

3. russian aborigines!!!

4. canadian class!!!!!


blog reprint from here

Honestly I did not know that ice dancing was an Olympic sport until 2010. I may be really behind the curve, but it never seemed to interest me. I loved when the pairs figure skaters would leap and lift, twist and twirl, in awe defying stunts done on figure skates. Ice dancing does not have that same awe feeling that I like to have when watching the Olympics.

This year, however, ice dancing has been a huge focus in the Vancouver Winter Games. Was it the controversy of the Russian pairs aboriginal outfits during the ice dancing free skate. More information that I did not know about ice dancing is there are three parts to the ice dancing competition: compulsory dance, the Tango (which was decided for these games), and the free skate. History shows that during the free skate the ice dancers usually get "silly." The theme for the free skate, or original dance, was folk/country dance. It was quite strange because you have the German's doing Hawaiian, Chinese doing Greek, American's doing Bollywood and Moldovian, and Canadian's doing Flamenco.

In the end the Canadian's held their place on the center podium, American's Davis and White pulled into second place, and Russian's Oksana Domnina and Maksim Shaballin won third. The Russian's were in first however after the free skate they dropped, could it have been the costume controversy?

To watch videos of the Ice Dancing go to nbcolympics.com

fashion week lounge

kind of cheezy & swarmy lounge at fashion week nyc

from the luxist:

Each year Mercedes-Benz partners with a new designer, and this year they chose an interiors classic, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, creators of some of the most innovative and comfortable furniture design in the country. The lounge was influenced by Mercedes-Benz latest ad campaign for their new SLS AMG, a modern reinterpretation of their classic 1954 Gullwing. The ad, taken by groundbreaking photographer Nick Knight features German supermodel Julia Stegner, who wears a Gareth Pugh metal dress inspired by the design of the SLS AMG itself. The futuristic photo set the mood for the forward thinking behind Mercedes in the lounge.

Mitchell Gold stopped by the lounge once complete to talk about his vision behind the decor. "We started with recognizing Mercedes-Benz's new introduction of the great SLS AMG," Gold told Luxist. "We thought it was very cool looking, very sleek, and yet when you're sitting in the cockpit you're enveloped in comfort." The resulting lounge mixed modern and classic elements with a white vinyl tufted bar with silver buttons, white Lucite coffee tables, gunmetal vinyl ottomans, and insanely soft white faux suede loveseats.

hanged

thank you to lee mcqueen - lady gaga

it gets sadder and sadder...poor poor guy. why couldn't anyone help him?

blog reprint from here:

Alexander McQueen hanged himself in London home

By JILL LAWLESS

LONDON — A bereaved Alexander McQueen left a note, then hanged himself in his apartment on the eve of his mother's funeral, a coroner's inquest said Wednesday, giving the cause of the fashion designer's death as asphyxiation and hanging.

The inquest has yet to formally deliver a ruling of suicide, but police said there were no suspicious circumstances.

Coroner's official Lynda Martindill told the inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court that the body of 40-year-old McQueen was found in an armoire at his London apartment on Thursday. In the dispassionate language of the inquest, she referred to him as "a single man, a fashion designer."

Days before he died, McQueen had left several messages on the social networking site Twitter revealing his grief at his mother's recent death.

Police detective inspector Paul Armstrong told the inquest there were no suspicious circumstances. He gave the note found at the scene to coroner Paul Knapman but did not disclose its contents.

After a five-minute hearing, the coroner adjourned the inquest until April 28. Full details of the autopsy also will be available in a few months.

McQueen's family, who are now free to hold the designer's funeral, issued a statement through their lawyers appealing to the media to respect their privacy following their "grievous double loss."

They have not released details of the funeral.

In Britain, inquests are held whenever someone dies violently or in unexplained circumstances.

McQueen's death has cast a shadow over London Fashion Week, which opens on Friday. A spokeswoman said the event would feature a tribute to the designer, whose attention-grabbing designs helped re-energize British fashion after a fallow period following the punk explosion in the 1970s.

"There will be something simple and tasteful," she said. "The time for memorials will be later in the year."

She spoke on condition of anonymity because organizers are waiting for McQueen's family to approve the tribute.

Known for his dramatic statement pieces and impeccable tailoring, McQueen dressed celebrities from Cameron Diaz to Lady Gaga and influenced a generation of designers.

He was named British Designer of the Year four times and awarded the title of CBE — Commander of the Order of the British Empire — by Queen Elizabeth II.

Unlike many fashionistas, he came from a working-class background. The son of a cab driver, McQueen grew up on a public housing estate in London's East End, left school at 16 and entered the fashion world the old-fashioned way, as a teenage apprentice to a Saville Row tailor. He later studied at Central St. Martin's art college in London and was discovered by fashion guru Isabella Blow, who bought his entire graduation collection. She became a friend and mentor; her suicide three years ago shook the designer, who wept openly at her funeral.

McQueen was a private man who avoided the limelight, but his Twitter postings show emotional turmoil after his mother's death on Feb. 2. McQueen had posted messages four days before his death about his "awful week," and said he had to "somehow pull myself together and finish."

His mother's funeral was held the day after McQueen died.

Friends also said he might have felt under pressure to outdo himself at the unveiling of his new collection in Paris next month.

"I don't think success was easy for him," friend Plum Sykes wrote in the Sunday Telegraph this week. "He told me he was driven by his insecurities, and he believed that all successful people were."

McQueen became chief designer at the Givenchy house in 1996, but was best known for his own label, in which Gucci bought a majority stake in 2001. McQueen retained creative control, and became famous for his dramatic and often uncategorizable creations: sculptural cocktail dresses in psychedelic patterns; headwear made of trash; 10-inch (25 centimeter) heels shaped like lobster claws.

His shows were highly theatrical events, incorporating film and historical references and innovative technology — including, at one memorable 2006 show, an appearance by Kate Moss in hologram form.

His outrageous pieces never sold in great numbers, but he became one of fashion's best-known brands. He designed the outfit Janet Jackson was wearing when she had her breast-baring "wardrobe malfunction" at the 2004 Super Bowl.

Outrageous chanteuse Lady Gaga — dressed in a lacy white ensemble and towering Marie Antoinette-esque wig — paid tribute to McQueen at the Brit music awards on Tuesday. "Thank you to Lee McQueen," she said after winning one of three prizes, using the designer's given name.

Onstage she performed a somber tribute song beside a mannequin wearing those signature lobster-claw shoes.

Associated Press Writer Sylvia Hui contributed to this report.

outside the door of the home of alexander mcqueen

we aren't the world?

have u seen the remake of we are the world?
do u like it? love it? don't care?
will it help haiti?


blog reprint:

from here

Jay-Z: "We Are the World" Shouldn't Have Been Remade

Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARASUs Magazine

Jay-Z wasn't a big fan of the "We Are the World" remake, which debuted at the Olympic opening ceremonies Friday to benefit Haiti earthquake relief.

"I know everybody is gonna take this wrong: 'We Are the World,' I love it, and I understand the point and think it's great. But I think 'We Are the World' is like [Michael Jackson's] 'Thriller' to me. I don't ever wanna see it touched," Jay-Z told MTVNews.com Saturday night at the 2 Kings dinner in Dallas.

Critics agree with the rapper. Sniped The Washington Post of the song, which featured Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber, "The updated take was horribly oversung... save for the 21st-century rap verses added toward the end of the track." Wrote the New York Times, "Lil Wayne, you're no Bob Dylan.... as a piece of work, [the song] has all the pitfalls of a Hollywood remake."

the worst?

r u going out 4 v-day?
the guys tell us what not to wear.
what's the worst thing a guy ever wore on a date with u?

blog reprint:

8 Outfits You Should Never (Ever) Wear on a Date

By Ranya Fattouh, Glamour.com

While our gal pals will almost always give their stamp of approval to fashion-forward outfits, it turns out that some trendy pieces just freak guys out. Here, a few of our guy buddies recall the date outfits that confused them and surprised them—and a few that made them run for the hills.

More from Glamour.com The 10 Best Hair & Makep Looks Ever. Period. How to Dress 10 Pounds Thinner

1. Super-high heels and micro-shorts

I went on a date this summer with a girl wearing short shorts and four-inch heels. It was like she got distracted halfway through getting dressed and forgot to finish the process—and the result was über-trashy. Not exactly take-home-to-Mom material. —George, 29

2. Distracting (and potentially dangerous) accessories

The only time I was on a date and I thought, What was she thinking? was when the girl showed up wearing a Gilligan-esque bucket hat and strange cloglike shoes that she tripped over the entire night. The major takeaway from this story: Don’t wear anything below the ankles that was inspired by the Dutch.

—John, 22

3. All your favorite trends—at once

My date once wore Uggs, a long, giant wooden beaded necklace and big, bug-eyed sunglasses. Worn separately they might have been fine, but together it spelled disaster.

—Matthew, 29

4. OshKosh B’Gosh-inspired gear

I would be mortified if a girl showed up to a date in overalls. I can’t think of any legitimate occasion—outside of milking cows—where that dress code would be considered appropriate. And if our date did involve milking cows, I think I have bigger concerns than what she’s wearing.

—Stephen, 23

5. Harem pants

Those weird high-waisted pants that get wide in the legs and then taper at the ankle? Those are the worst.

—Joe, 28

6. Fluffy, frilly stuff

I met a cute artsy chick while visiting a friend in San Francisco and invited her to go wine tasting in Napa. While I’m not sure there’s a dress code for wine tasting, she definitely broke some rules: Her ensemble consisted of Sherpa boots and a gigantic wool poodle skirt. I spent the entire evening trying to convince myself that heads were turning because of my date’s stunning beauty, not her hideously fluffy outfit. —Rob, 26

7. Athletic gear at non-sporting events

Girls can look adorable in a team jersey, but preferably with sweats or boy shorts. But when we go out at night, it’s better to keep the 88-covered sports gear at home. —Rick, 39

8. Glitzy, trendy overkill

I met this amazingly attractive girl at a concert, but on our first actual date, she showed up in the skimpiest jean shorts, leather high-heeled boots, a shiny tube top and—the clincher—sparkly flesh-color leggings. I was totally embarrassed because this date was a daytime lunch outing, not a night on the town! The thigh bling is what really killed it.

—Vincent, 38

inside jennifer aniston's single girl house

thanks c .dan for the tip to see jennifer aniston pics at jezebel.com
buy the mag even if it sucks.

TDD: Here is where poor lonely desperate Jen cries herself to sleep every night. Oh, it looks like a dreamy, Zen-inspired refuge, but trust me: Those pillows are stained with tears.

TDD: Each one of these empty seats represents a relationship failure.

Beg your pardon, Ms. Dew Dots… But why does Jen look so… happy?
She is literally kicking up her heels with joy!

TDD: Please. That is the yoga pose known as the Scissor of Sadness.

blog reprint:

Guided Tours: The House Where Jennifer Aniston Cries Herself To Sleep

March's Architectural Digest offers an exclusive look inside the home Jennifer Aniston and designer Stephen Shadley worked on for 2½ years. The captions are not nearly tabloid-y enough, so our misguided "contributor," Tiara Dew Dots, rewrote them.

In all honesty, the Bali-inspired house is gorgeous. Much of the wood was not cut, but harvested from fallen trees. It's perfect for parties, and Aniston tells the mag: "I entertain for a living, and I entertain." People gather at her house often, and she always finds herself in the kitchen. But body-language "expert" and tabloid enthusiast Tiara Dew Dots knows better: Jen's house is a cocoon of despair!

nate berkus gets his own tv show

gwd loves nate!

blog reprint:

Interior designer Nate Berkus gives Yahoo the exclusive scoop on his new show

Oprah Winfrey announced today that her protege Nate Berkus is getting his own show. With the backing of several major NBC owned-and-operated stations, the show is cleared to air in six of the largest markets including New York, where the local WNBC station has made room for Nate in Martha Stewart's former time slot. The show is tentatively called "The Nate Berkus Show." In an exclusive interview with Make Home a Haven, Nate told me all about his new daytime series. In Nate's own words, "It's going to be a daily multi-topic talk show. I'm going to have guests, all my great friends and people I haven't met yet, and really let the audience drive. We'll have instant feedback with social media, Twitter, Facebook, everything like that. I'm gonna find out what people really want to know about, whether its design, whether its a celebrity, whether its an idea of how they can help in a certain situation, a current event, and that's what we're going to craft the show on."

culture vultures

culture vultures or artists?
what do u think.

reprint:

By Maggie Hendricks

Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, the favorites for ice-dancing gold in Vancouver, wowed the crowds with their routine at the European Championships. They sit in the lead after their original dance, a tribute to Australian Aborigines.

Except, Aboriginal leaders don't see it as a tribute. They don't really see how it has anything to do with their culture at all.

"They have got the whole thing wrong," said Stephen Page, artistic director of the respected indigenous group, the Bangarra Dance Company. Page said there were no traditional movements in the routine, the music sounded more like it came from India or Africa than Aboriginal Australia and the body paint looked like "a three-year-old child had drawn it on"... "Probably the elders in the bush would be laughing because they would be saying, 'Look how stupid these fellas are,' " he said.

Domnina and Shabalin are required to do an original dance that is representative of a country's culture. The U.S. pair of Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, who won silver in Torino, perform a Moldavian folk dance. Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie Davis won the Grand Prix Final with an Indian-inspired dance.

The dances are not required to be strict interpretations of the culture -- they are meant to represent those cultures -- but Domnina and Shabalin completely miss the mark. At this point, it's likely too late for the pair to change their routine. Hopefully, an Australian will be on the panel who judges their original dance, and marks their unauthentic and offensive dances and costumes accordingly.

modern woman eddie ross

i like this. rock the vote 4 him!
blog post reprint:

from coco and kelly

Now that I'm an official window-dresser myself, I'm even more interested in the challenges and inspiration that come from creating store windows, so of course I've been following Eddie Ross' blog posts on the window he's designed for Elle Decor as a part of the Big Window Challenge...
Well, the sweetheart he is, Eddie sent over some gorgeous detail shots of the window so that we could get an inside peek at the styling! (If you want to see the whole room first, pop over here.) I love the lived-in feel from strewn magazines and his contrasts of antique with modern. The details in the window are insane - like the hand-painted faux bois flooring (the color is Aura, Fiji). And talk about brave - how about that wallpaper! Apparently, Eddie always had a sample of it pinned to his inspiration board at House Beautiful and Martha Stewart, but never had a chance to incorporate it, so when this opportunity arrived, he jumped at the chance...
I think my favorite area of the window might be the bookshelf. Or, should I say, bar shelf? By using the chinoiserie blue vases against the splatter blue wallpaper, Eddie created an eclectic look that's still easy on the eyes. Take that as a tip, m'dears! However, the one part that stands out is the simple bar setup... Check it out.
I loooooove the vintage brass flowers. I've been eying some at the antique store down the street and this setup makes me want to get 'em asap! Love that he used another condensed color scheme here with the brass and orange, too.
The main focal point is obviously the sitting area of the room. The sofa, pillows and artwork are completely over the top, but balanced by the fresh white chairs flanking either side. All the colors in the room are used right here, combining bold modern prints with antique textiles and classic furniture lines. The lamps are a stunning blue with custom shades made by Susan Schneider with Shandell’s in Millerton out of goldleaf wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries.
One thing Eddie and I have in common is our love of entertaining, so of course this room would not be complete without glasses on the coffee table ready to pour! And we all know how much I love a mirrored coffee table.

Now's the fun part people! Hop over to Apartment Therapy to see the other two windows and then cast your vote for your favorite! You can also text your vote to 89800, and use the number 1 to vote for Eddie. (What is this, American Idol???) Obviously, I'm a little biased, but I think Eddie did a fantastic job of creating a window that not only reflects his design aesthetic, but also speaks to the style of Elle Decor. For a little contrast, Maxwell's window is a very cozy saturated library scene. Worth a peek!

*photography by addie juell