"j'adore it!" He's back!

and just in time! Just as I was starting to miss my Monday nights of Be Good Johnny Weir, Bravo threw us a bone (ha!). (BTW, is Be Good JW over? Nothing was ever announced and since, sadly, Sundance isn't a real network yet, there's not way of telling.) Christian Siriano, the OG Diva of Fierceness, is back (or was back)with a one-off show to let us all know what he's been up to.


they cut off the best part of that Tori Spelling fitting... when CS says"she's skinny with torpedo boobs...!".

I died. It was so funny. He's so funny! It's just madness to think that this is how he works and how his "business" is run! Bravo needs to give him his own show... period.

But his likeness to JW is kinda crazy and makes me wonder... who do you like better Johnny Weir or Christian Siriano? Rank-em!

Bump and grind

I think that Jess has found her new look! Or maybe her wedding hair?



You see, she has this theory that she's losing her hair because she always pulls it back in to a ponytail. uh, huh.... well it's a theory. Anyhow, it was also her thinking that the remedy to this situation was a bump-it or two. hmmmm.... What do we think?

I think it looks great. The higher the hair, the closer to God... right?
Totally.

Mmmm, malasadas!

A fried doughnut like no other! From Leonard's Bakery on Kapahulu Ave or from one of their many mobile malasadas trucks. Thankfully, one such truck parks at Windward Mall, near my house in Kaneohe, almost daily! I've searched for these gems from the gods in LA with no luck... But today heard a rumor the King's Hawaiian Bakery in Gardena has them on the weekends?!?
And introducing malasadas with li hing powder! They were pretty good! And apparently there is a new version made from taro that's purple on the inside and supposedly broke-da-mouth (aka delicious). I'm on the lookout!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Deconstructing the RZP: So is she rexy or not?

In this very special episode of the Rachel Zoe project, Tay alienates herself even further from the group, Rachel gets very nervous about modeling herself, Rachel gets hurt feelings by people calling her "pin thin", and we see her reunited with Nicole Richie at the Byron & Tracey salon opening.

When Rach is not fretting about her modeling for Marie Claire, she is fretting about being called too skinny. She tries on several dresses that either have an open front or open back (neither of which are good because you can see her ribcage or her spine) but then claims that she can't just wear a normal full-front and full-back dress because it is "summer". She's upset that people would make such judgments about her, despite the fact that hello, she is one giant clavicle! But she just dances around the elephant in the room. Here's a friendly piece of advice from me to you, Rach: Just tell us about it. Tell us you're naturally skinny (though this is doubtful given that old college "modeling" picture). Tell us that you work out incessantly, or you subsist on one meal a day, or that you use some kind of diet pill so that you can stay sample size skinny. Tell us that working in this business (which is based only on looks) has taken a toll on your self-esteem and you've forgotten what a "normal" size is. The reason why people are obsessed about your weight is because you clearly have an issue with it. So just address these issues and we can all move on.

I speak out of love. Rach's style is spot on - loose caftan dresses, long wavy hair, sequins and glam; I am a big fan of all of it. And her passion and excitement for what she does is contagious. I get excited about fashion because she's so excited and I've taken to repeating her signature catch phrases of ah-mah-zing, I die! and bah-nah-nas. Bottom line is that I love her, I love her style, I think she seems like a sweet (if somewhat ditzy and simple) person, but I just want to know: Why is she so skinny?

Party in the USA

Did I tell you guys that I am totally loving Miley's "Party in the USA"? Perfect summer jam. But you know what I love even more? This "Party in the USA" music video that I found on YouTube; mostly because it is clear that everyone in it had a blast making it (including the little wiener dog). I literally watched it five times in a row, smiling the whole time.




Many MANY years ago, Jason and I and some other friends went to Maui and one night, because we were bored and had had a bottle of pineapple wine, we made a video spoof of "My Best Friend's Wedding," which was ultimately unwatchable (and before the days of YouTube), but we had the best time making it. I think we laughed until we cried and then we laughed some more. It is still one of my all time favorite moments ever. I miss the gang...I hope we can all get together soon!

Deconstructing the RZP: Wherein I disgress and harangue about leather jackets, among other things

RZP Season 2, Episode 3.

Oh Tay. I know that all of your bitching and moaning is really just wrongly-placed insecurity over not being the only "styling assistant" in Rach's newly growing business. But you know what happens when you grumble too much? Brad gets put in charge of dressing Annie for the Oscars, including getting her changed into the surprise performance piece, and he totally kills it! He shuts it down!

Not to mention, although Tay had to help Rach pull the outfits for Liv's wardrobe, Brad was the one that got to be there when Liv came to try everything on. Because he's not such a Debbie Downer. And Rach's clients all seem to love to work with him. Did you hear how he says that he's "partied with Liv" on several occasions? Has Tay ever "partied with Liv"? And, what is Liv doing out partying? Doesn't she have a son she's supposed to be raising?

Aside from saying that every girl should have a killer pair of red heels (check), Rach also gives us this bon mot about how essential a leather jacket is: “Throw a leather jacket over a ballgown. Throw it over a romper. Throw it over anything and everything. It’s the quickest way to get that edgy, cool, I-didn’t-try-too-hard look.” Now, I can see what she's saying (conceptually), but I don't think I will be taking this piece of advice to heart because I am just not a leather jacket girl. Even those new shrunken ones that are more like bomber jackets.

Don't leather jackets remind you of the '90s? I remember my first year in Philly, everyone was wearing those ugly leather jackets in the winter that looked something like an unfortunate combination of a blazer and a peacoat.


(Maxwell Spense Leather Blazer from Wilson's Leather.)

These days, the leather jackets are cuter, I admit.


(Jacket from ShopBop, Mike and Chris "Janus" leather jacket.) (Also, as a side note, my mom would DIE for me to have this model's hair.)

But, I dunno, there is still something...icky to me about wearing an entire jacket made out of leather. If you get even just a little hot (or go to some restaurant with a pervasive food smell), can you just imagine what that thing would smell like?? It is a good thing I live in LA where it rarely is cold enough to justify leather so I can continue to ignore this fashion trend.

However, because I am full of contradiction, I am totally digging the trend of the leather (looking) legging, notably Sass & Bide's Black Rats.


From Net-A-Porter, which notes, "Pair these ruched wet-look leggings with a tunic or oversized tee for a directional day-to-evening style. Shown here with a McQ blazer, a Rick Owens Lilies top, Christian Louboutin shoes, a Philippe Audibert bracelet and a Chloé clutch."

This leggings-and-a-boyfriend-blazer-with-cuffed-sleeves look is ubiquitous now. Am I too short to pull it off? Also, I don't know about the whole wearing blazers outside of work thing. I mean, I have to wear a suit most days, and the last thing I want to wear "out" is part of a work suit (or at least something that looks like it is part of my work suit). I also feel like girls that wear blazers out to social events look like they take themselves too seriously. True? What do you think?

ANYWAY, back to the liquid leggings. Currently, ShopBop is selling grey "Black Rats" for $176. But! Last weekend I found a pair of shiny leather-esque leggings at Target for $12.99! (They also had lace leggings and side zipper leggings!)



Once my shopping hiatus ends (and the trend is totally played out) I can buy these leggings and rock them all over town!

Deconstructing the RZP: Mismanagement Rules

Season 2, Episode 2.

The main thing I learned in this episode is that fashion designers seem to be cookoo crazy pants. DVF calling her collection of eskimo-outfits "nomand friends"? Ummm, huh? And Armani seemed out of touch and senile. When Rach asked him who he designs for, he said not an actress in particular, but "a person with an allure." Oookkaay, Georgio.

BTW, Tay needs to just deal already. Yes, the organization is mismanaged. Yes, there is no communication and Rach neglected to tell you at some point that you didn't actually need to pull all those dresses and accessories for the Jen Garner shoot because it would only be beauty shots. And yes, there is no room for job growth and you are under-appreciated. But seriously? You knew all this already and yet you continue to work there, continue to grumble and whine to everyone BUT Rach herself (Joey, Brad), and she does nothing to help her situation. Has she told Rach she doesn't want to style anymore? Or does she just want to continue to play the martyr every chance she gets?

Fashion-wise, this episode was also a dud because we already know that Annie chooses the Armani Prive dress without a train the end. I mean, it is a nice dress, but agreed, the trains were a disaster.

I'm also wondering how there is only one dress for all different body sizes? The skinny model tries on the dress because Tay is too "big" for it, but then Annie looks actually "bigger" than Tay. So then how does Anne fit into the dress? Do they let it out at the last minute? Sew Anne into it the day of for the perfect fit? Questions for the RZP next season, I guess.

Deconstructing the RZP

Episode 1, Season 2

The first thing I thought of when I watched the Rachel Zoe Project the other night was how all the people on her "team" are caricatures in a comic or maybe a bad Cathy-type workplace cartoon. (Yeah, it wasn't the clothes, which didn't make their appearance until the end of the episode.)

Tay is that typical passive aggressive underminer that we've all worked with (or that maybe we are?). You hate her because she gets everything done, but has no people skills and complains and whines all the time. She also has no friends because she complains and whines all the time, and because she's better than you - and doesn't hesitate to remind you of it all the time. She's also paranoid that you will come in and do what she does - but better and without whining - and so she's constantly undermining everyone she works with to enforce her own superiority (like not properly explaining the job duties). That way the boss will continue to think she is "indispensable" and thus will keep her on, despite her attitude. Here, Tay wonders where else she can go in the company since she's been working for Rach for three years and her job duties haven't changed. (Hint: Maybe because you won't let anyone else do them.)

Brad is the total opposite. Brad is the personality pet at the office. He's the one chatting you up at the coffee maker, and you are having so much fun you don't realize it's been 30 minutes and you should have been back at your desk 20 minutes ago. He's not that bright and he's so. slow., but he has somehow ingratiated himself into the boss' good graces - so much so that he can do no wrong. I mean, the boss will ask Brad to lunch while you're still there, plugging away on the project. You hate him because you know you are clearly a better employee than him, but WHY CAN'T THE BOSS SEE PAST THE CUTE BOW TIES?

And Rach? She's the typical ditzy boss that doesn't know where to draw the line between "boss" and "friend" so she has a hard time keeping her employees in check.

But! On to the substance of the episode. It starts off with a bang and Rach and the team are dressing five stars for the Golden Globes - Deb Messing, Eva Mendez, Cammie Diaz, Demi Moore, and Anne Hathaway. Drama ensues because there are no good dress options out there and this is the first award show of the season and Eva wants to make a statement and Deb is like a tall drink of water and CD is fashion forward and Annie is nominated and hasn't had a "navy moment" yet, and yeah.

Deb and Demi are dealt with quickly:

Deb is in a navy Vera Wang with green earrings. Rach muses a bit about the green earrings and calls her a "tall drink of water" on the red carpet, but that's about all that's said about that. And I agree. The dress is nice, but...yawn. Also, I don't like the poofy hair. It looks like mine when I just wake up.



Even less is said about Demi. We just know that Brad was dispatched to get her jewelry and that she's dripping in Cartier diamonds.



Again, kinda yawn. It is Christian Dior, and it looked better on the runway. The color choice is fun, but I think it makes Demi look more muscular than necessary. But, you gotta hand it to Demi, she looks GOOD for her age.

Next, is Anne. Rach finds the navy and black Armani Prive and claims it is perfect for her since she is a nominee.


I think it is sort of plain and also too "old" for Anne. Especially with that hair. But Rach said that they thought Anne looked like "Cinderella", so what do I know?

Cammie D's dress was a nail biter because it showed on the runways with one cap sleeve that Rach asked Karl (Lagerfeld, you know) to take off for the Globes because she didn't think the American public was ready for a one-shouldered cap sleeve dress. Karl agreed, but couldn't promise when the dress alterations would be done. But, it was all finished in time, and Tay picked out the perfect silver shoe (I guess CD doesn't really need a 7 inch platform since she's so tall already) and the outfit all came together.



This I like. It's fun and age appropriate and highlights all of Cammie's best assets. The silver shoes and clutch and ring are perfect, and the hair works. (Better than Demi's.) Karl liked it too because he sent Rach a handwritten note afterwards congratulating her and basically saying that he harbored no hard feelings against her for changing La Lagerfeld's design (to suit the less avant garde American public).

Last, was Eva Mendez. Who hadn't been the the Globes in a couple years so really wanted to make a statement. Rach envisioned her in this all white Christian Dior gown that screamed for some vintage, archival, Van Clef turquoise around the neck. (When you're Rach Zoe, you have access to "archival-quality pieces." But the Dior was accidentally shipped to Chanel and Tay had to make sure it got to the studio! And then right before Eva left her house, she found a small spot on the dress behind a pleat! And Rach thinks that a really simple, messy chignon would be the best hair to go with the dress!



I like this one too. I like the architecture of the dress and I like the pop of the necklace, and I remember that it definitely made a statement at the Globes. Even the hair worked. (Though it looked more like a messy french twist instead of a messy chignon.)

All in all, a job well done for the team. (Unlike last year, when Brad didn't leave Rach with a kit. The horror!) However, a rift is developing because it is tradition for everyone on the team to have a viewing party of the red carpet moments of Rach's clients. Brad and the interns show up, but Tay is no where to be found, and has told Rach that she's "worn out" so she's just going home. Is Tay going to quit and open up a competing stylist business? Or maybe she'll go postal and take out Brad and the other interns one by one until it is just her and Rach again? What will happen to Brad? So many things promise to unfold this season....

(All pictures courtesy of Harper's Bazaar.)

Ten weird things about me. (There are a lot more, but let's just start with ten, shall we?)

In honor of my recently-passed birthday, I'm sharing ten weird things about me.

(1) I hardly ever wear make-up or do my hair. My daily routine in the morning is to put the hair in a ponytail and to smear some sunblock on my face. I have spent hundreds of dollars on makeup and hair products and always admire others that are made up and look put together, but I just somehow feel like a kid playing dress up when I wear make up and do the hair.

(2) I am a clean-freak, but I am not a neat-freak. That is to say, that I am constantly concerned about germs, dirt, and invisible food particles in areas that are not "the kitchen sink", but will leave dirty clothes in the hamper in the hallway for weeks (so long as it is in a pre-designated "dirty" area) and clean clothes unfolded in the designated "clean" basket for days (oftentimes because there is no "clean" area upon which to fold the clothes). It makes for an interesting apartment, I tell you.

(3) I have really small feet. Like smaller than a 5. But I will buy a 5 if there is an ankle strap or if it is a boot or something that will make the shoe stay on my foot. This has conditioned me to snap up any and all size 4.5 and 5 shoes that I ever see (they are so rare) - which is not very good for my wallet.

(4) I think diet soda is lame - I have very strong feelings about this. And yes, Coke Zero counts as diet. There is just something...icky about it. Like really? You can't just enjoy a Coke? And if you are just so concerned about calories, then just drink water! There is seriously no point for diet soda. And I call bullshit on "I like the taste of diet Coke better than regular Coke." Come on. No one likes the taste of fake sugar. (Related: Single people - NEVER date a man that has mixed drinks made with diet soda, like a "jack and diet". You just KNOW that he'll be bringing an overabundance of issues to the table. Not worth it.)

(5) I have very specific laundry procedures. This includes washing (certain) clothes in both detergent and ammonia. I won't go into more detail about this because even just thinking about it makes me realize how crazy I sound.

(6) I like to christen each year with a certain attitude or thing that I'd like to accomplish. Last year was "footloose and fancy free" which meant that I was trying to pay off my credit card debt, and I was trying to work out more. I didn't succeed entirely by my birthday, so I have extended the deadline for "footloose and fancy free" until the end of the year. I can definitely pay off the debt by then, and then I can claim the year as a success.

(7) Relatedly, I also like to christen "looks" with names. Mostly, I name Jason's looks. When he was dressing sweater vests and looking for jackets with elbow patches, I called it "The Absent-Minded Professor". And when he was only wearing black, white, and gray with hints of red, I named it, "Every Rose Has its Thorn." LOVE naming Jason's looks.

(8) I hate sauces or condiments of any kind. I'll order pasta with sauce on the side and will just add a dribble. I special order my McDonald's burgers dry. I don't need any hot sauce from Taco Bell, and don't eat ketchup with my fries. The only exception is chili cheese fries or poutines or anything with country gravy. Man do I love me some country gravy.

(9) I am inordinately and morbidly obsessed with the bubonic plague. Mostly, the actual medical manifestations of the illness and how it spread and what the symptoms were and how it was treated, but also the societal upheaval that occurred in its wake.

(10) I am highly susceptible to "food smells" on my clothes and in my hair and it will bother me if I can't change my clothes and shower immediately thereafter. The most egregious places where one can pick up food smells is at Japanese restaurants, Korean restaurants, and any other place where they deep fry a lot of the food. (Unfortunately, these are also some of my favorite places to eat.) I just have to remember to wear machine washable clothes to these places, and plan to come home to shower immediately thereafter.

Comic Con from Lil' Bit on Vimeo.

Jason and I went to Comic Con yesterday. It was so truly crowded and insane (and much more corporate than I expected) that I have no words, so I thought I'd leave you with this video for now. We were laughing so much when we were trying to film it.

a wall of clocks

Literally. I like the idea and I like that it's kinda like creating art. Maybe a little? And it's very symbolic for those who know me and know that, 15 minutes late = on time. (I call ethnic time, but I'm trying! but seriously think I'm getting better) But for some reason, it's just not coming together. Is it the layout? do I need more? less? more variety? hmmm.

diy - window shade

the entry to party central

Ever wanted to wake up and make breakfast in the woods, like you were on a camping trip? No? Me neither, but I was able to find a way to infuse a little character and some major function into my kitchen.

Here in CDM, our neighbors are pretty close. And with summer here, the neighbors have taken to partying in their backyard on the weekends. I was in need of a quick-fix to cover up the window on my kitchen door. Enter Ikea and thier a fantastic of window covers (and pretty much everything else). I settled for an easily installed pull down shade (note - oddly, it didn't come with screws! so I had to get them on my own) that was a sheer white. I also picked up a tree printed screen that I laid over the white for added blockage and for a fun little pattern. I also left the length on the screen for a little character and an added punch.

Now when the kids next door party into the evening, they won't get to chuckle at the site of the old man next door, in his PJ's, making a cup of hot tea before bed at 10pm.

peonies and roses

Peonies are one of my favorite flowers. Aren't these gorgeous?

i've got reservations

yay!

The new season of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain premiers tonight on the Travel Channel! Rock! I’ve been watching reruns all week gearing up for it... sad, I know, but that's what I do.(did y’all see the one when in Jamaica, TonyB trips and falls in the bat-&-roach-shit infested cave and emerges with shit smeared across his face? I died.) Not including some of the strange-non-eating segments of the show, how awesome would be to tag-a-long with the master for a city culinary tour?

I’d been filling my No Reservations void with the poor substitute, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman. Which, is TOTALLY the same show (but with some lameness), right? I do love to cringe whenever he puts something nasty in his mouth and am glad that the cameras choose not to show the post-meal toilet time, but AndyZ is no kitchen badass. Dude doesn’t even stop to take smoke-breaks.

Side note to jess: New career for us – Travel Show Hosts!? (Did you know that the Travel Channel teaches classes on how to be a travel journalist?)

boo!

about jason

Hi! I'm Jason, but I also go by Jase. Well, not really... but I don’t mind being called as so by those who do. I sometimes stand at a commanding almost-five-feet tall, but am working on my posture and have been known to hit five feet nine inches on a good day. After years of calling LA my second home, I now live in cougar country, Newport Beach. I love sleeping in on the weekends, the smell of anything baking in the kitchen, dining out, bad reality TV, Barneys, sitting in first class (though business class will do), the day after it rains, laughing and conjuring up hair-brained schemes with my best friend Jessica, and third-wheeling with her and her boyfriend [redact 12.09] fiance, HVSGF.

about jessica

Hi! I'm Jessica, but I also go by Jess, Jessie (in high school, to my mortification, but it stuck), and sometimes Lil' Bit, because I stand at a commanding almost-five-feet tall. I live in LA, and I like sleeping in on the weekends, the smell of clean sheets, dining out, the Gilmore Girls, window shopping at Barney's, the triple oxygen facial at Bliss, bare feet on warm sand, laughing and conjuring up hair-brained schemes with my best friend Jason, and being sickeningly lovey-dovey with my boyfriend, MVSGF.

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