Stretched Thin

Pale is Pretty

2010-01-25T15:26:00.000-08:00

So being that it's vacation... nearly all of my friends are away in beautiful, tropical locales, getting perfect tans. I however, am home. So here's to paleness! Whoever said pale wasn't gorgeous?

(the stunning Louise of Pandora)

(kate moss for calvin klein)

Whoops!

2010-01-22T00:07:00.001-08:00

I'm ridiculously late on this one, but HAPPY NEW YEARS! My busyness

prevented me from spending the time I wanted here. I

just barely finished midterms and began my school's freakish mid-

January break.

But I concur with the above statement!

Mary Robinson

2009-12-30T22:51:00.000-08:00

You MUST check out the Galeria de mary_robinson on flickr. Click there.

Winter Wonderland

2009-12-27T00:53:00.001-08:00

The holiday season is nearly over... but winter in New York is,

unfortunately, not. But i suppose i should really come to terms

with that and accept the finer aspects of the season. Hence the

photos.

(I really must apologize about not having photo credits for these pictures. I'm not very good at keeping track!!)

The Best Dog

2009-12-19T19:38:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, I went to my cousin's wedding. The bridesmaids and, of course, the bride looked stunning. But my favorite part had to be the couple's dog, Cash, dressed in a tux, accompanying the groom down the aisle.

(That's what i wore)

dress- ann taylor

cardigan - h&m

tights - dkny

Bulletin Board

2009-12-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

I came across a bulletin board in my house a little while ago, and decided to turn it into an inspiration board of sorts... i figure i'll change it up seasonally?

So here's for Autumn 09, which is nearly over!! I need to decided when to redo it...

Autumn Inspiration

2009-11-21T23:50:00.000-08:00

Fall... the season of sweaters, tights, and wool coats. Of hot chocolate and pumpkin pie. Of family. Of taking walks and drinking coffee. Of romances that will survive past the easy, carefree summer.

What's inspiring me:

Grunge?

2009-11-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

Taylor Momsen is a goddess. No joke. Look at her!

But serious envy aside... I admire her for finding her own niche in the crazy Hollywood industry, even if it's not exactly what was expected of her. And I'm LOVING her updated grunge-chic style!

I guess inspired by her personal style, I've tried to branch out and try some grunge-y looks of my own. Sort of. There's only so far I can go! But here are a couple recent looks I've attempted to pull off... what do you think?

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T09:50:00.001-08:00

So i'm Jewish. But i don't think that should mean i have to miss out on all the fun of Halloween and other such non-Jewish holidays!

Firstly, here come some pictures from Lula magazine, last year's i believe, that go right along with the theme of this post

Though on Halloweens of the past, i stayed home and watched a scary movie or two and waited for trick-or-treaters to ring my doorbell, this year a few friends and i decided to shake it up. We took the packed train into NYC for the annual Village Halloween Parade. AMAZING!! I have never seen such incredible costumes before! And it served as serious inspiration for Purim (a Jewish holiday in February-March for which we dress up).

The Empire State Building even dressed up!

When else can you see a vampire princess and a banana walking the streets of New York at the same time?

Peter Pan nimbly climbed up on the scaffolding (between my friends and I and a ninja) to watch the parade proceed down 6th Ave.

One last thing I wanted to mention is that I'm very sorry for not posting more! School has become ridiculously intense, and I'm afraid I'm going to have to save blogging for the weekends lest it become too much of a distraction!

The Edge of Love

2009-10-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

Saw this gorgeous movie a couple weeks ago. The plot is a bit hard to follow until half way through, but the costumes and scenery are beautiful throughout. Basically, it's about two women semi-competing over the affection of a poet, who end up befriending one another. Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller were magnificent. It completely transported me to a different era (the 1940's), and made me wish I had been alive then!

Sorry, Guys

2009-10-18T09:12:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry for my lack of recent posts... my computer's being a

butt head and won't let me upload pictures!

I'll be back as soon as possible!

Best Job in the World

2009-10-05T13:24:00.001-07:00

I know what everyone says about models having a really tough job/life. But come on! Who wouldn't want to look like that and have such an exciting career, especially around Fashion Week season. These photos were all taken during Paris Fashion Week, of models looking just as stunning off the runway as on.

Photo credit goes to altamira and jak and jil.

Burberry Babe

2009-09-24T22:54:00.000-07:00

Between AP Bio and AP English homeworks... here are some of my favorite looks from the Burberry Prorsum s/s2010 line:

Bonus: Emma Watson, whom I adore showed up to support the brand she's the face of. Looking stunning as always.

3.1

2009-09-22T22:13:00.001-07:00

I generally don't take pictures of what I wear to school, because I generally dislike what I wear to school. My school follows a very strict dress code policy, which includes relatively high necklines, a ban on sleeveless tops, and the restriction that skirts must come to the knee. Today, I happened to really like my outfit, for the first time in ages. I only managed to snap this picture before dashing out the door this morning:

(Jacket from Marshalls. t-shirt from Forever 21. Skirt from H&M. black studded flats from Marshalls.)

The following are 3 outfits that I liked from the 3.1 Phillip Lim Spring 2010 show. I found most of the collection uninspiring... a lot of the same old trench coats... sigh. But these are great:

(This feels a little bit Rodarte to me...)

Little Romance

2009-09-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Wanting a boyfriend. Call me a romantic, but... well, hell yeah, I'm a romantic. All of these stunning photos are from oncewed.com.

Song:

Little Romance - Ingrid Michaelson

Autumn Playlist

2009-09-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, my computer hasn't been allowing me to upload photos to the blog. So for now, I'll have to post without pictures.

In the past few days I have made a (very long) playlist of songs that I'm loving for this season.

1. Summer Skin - Death Cab for Cutie

2. Happier - Guster

3. The Winner Is - DeVotchka

4. The Rush - Dashboard Confessional

5. Two Points for Honesty - Guster

6. You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates

7. Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop - Landon Pigg

8. 1901 - Phoenix

9. Such Great Heights - The Postal Service

10. Fidelity - Regina Spektor

11. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap

12. Nobody Knows Me At All - The Weepies

13. Vagabond - Wolfmother

14. Tonight, Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins

15. Quelqu'un m'a dit - Carla Bruni

16. Rock 'N' Roll - Eric Hutchinson

17. Can't Go Back Now - The Weepies

18. The Chain - Ingrid Michaelson

19. A Lovely Sound - Chase Coy

20. Our Swords - Band of Horses

21. Geraldine - Glasvegas

22. All At Once - The Fray

23. Xavia - The Submarines

24. Fireflies - Owl City

25. Closer - Joshua Radin

26. Creator - Santigold

27. Little Romance - Ingrid Michaelson

The playlist is not finished yet though... so I'd love to hear your music recommendations!! I'm looking for music that will put me in a good mood while I'm walking to school in the mornings.

PinkBow in Paris

2009-09-03T17:08:00.001-07:00

PinkBow, a long-standing but recently-discovered (by me) member on flickr is inspiring me today with her gorgeous photos of Paris, taken on various trips to the city. Being an avid Francophile, I really must get myself to France in the near future!!

Jerusalem, City of Gold

2009-08-19T23:09:00.000-07:00

(the sunset in Eilat)

Just a few days ago, I returned from Israel. The past 5 weeks were literally the best of my entire life. But as amazingly unbelievable and fantastic as my trip was, I am glad to be home in my clean, air-conditioned room, with my computer on my lap. Here are a few pictures from my trip that I hope you enjoy!!

(camel riding in the desert)

(the Dead Sea)

(this was taken on my friend's balcony in Netanya, while we were getting dressed up and preparing for the Sabbath)

(a shop in the artists' quarter in Tzefat)

(a synagogue in Tzefat)

(the Kineret)

(delicious lychee fruits at the shuk (outdoor market) in Tel Aviv)

(a distant view of Jerusalem)

(a view of the Old City of Jerusalem - the most gorgeous place I have ever seen)

She's Got It

2009-07-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

There's a certain 'it' that only French girls seem to have. As much as any of us Americans may try, we will never posses the confidence and stylishness of a woman who has grown up in France. In my opinion anyway.

The only exception I can think of is the first ever French It Girl: Marie Antoinette. She was originally Austrian, but moved to France at age 14 (I believe) and learned rather quickly!

Two more current French It Girls come from the world of blogging:

1. Le Blog de Betty

2. The Cherry Blossom Girl

Two more French It Girls come from the world of entertainment:

1. Charlotte Gainsbourg (singer)

2. Clemence Posey (actress)

Macaroons

2009-07-06T10:30:00.001-07:00

I'm a bit of a Francophile. I'm semi-obsessed with anything French. So the next two posts are going to be dedicated to French things: pastries, and 'it' girls.

French pastries have to be the most beautiful food in existence. As difficult as I'm sure it will be, I'm going to endeavor to bake some of my own when I return from my tour this summer (I'm leaving TOMORROW!).

Anyways, here are some fanciful photos of macaroons and other gorgeous french baked goods. (My apologies for the lack of photo credits... I'm not very good at keeping track.)

Sun Dress

2009-07-03T10:12:00.001-07:00

An outfit bought for my summer trip. It makes me feel like it's genuinely summer, despite the constant rain.

(gap sun dress/ gap cardigan/ sofft shoes)

My Sister's Keeper

2009-07-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

The other day, I went to see My Sister's Keeper with a few friends. I read the Jodi Picoult book it is based upon years ago, and must say that I am not impressed with the movie remake. First of all, the ending was entirely different than the ending in the book. And not only that, but the movie ending was TERRIBLE. It's difficult to explain unless you've read the book, which I encourage that you do - Mrs. Picoult's writing is exceptionally good.

One good part of the movie was some of the acting. Cameron Diaz surprised me with how believable she was, as did Thomas Dekker.

The only other part I enjoyed was the soundtrack. The most memorably good song on it was Girls Just Want to Have Fun - sung by Greg Laswell. Click, listen, enjoy.

An outfit post! An outfit post!

2009-06-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

I have decided to follow in the steps of such legends as Alix from The Cherry Blossom Girl, Karla of Karla's Closet, and Marie of Rouge Marie. Not that I could ever measure up to them.

So I'm not too good at this yet, but here goes....

(target tank top / gap cardigan / forever 21 skirt / sofft shoes)

SUMMER

2009-06-24T00:41:00.000-07:00

FREEDOM!!!

I took my last final and cleaned out my locker, after 10 endless months. Now it's summer time... I will be sure to enjoy it.

Some pictures that express my current state of mind:

photos courtesy of flickr and sabino.

Another Shoe Post

2009-06-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

i recently acquired a few new pairs of shoes, in preparation for my summer trip. purple converse sneakers, patent pumps, and strappy sandals... what more can a girl ask for?

the following are some gorgeous, jealousy-inducing pictures of shoes, all via the selby:

NYLON

2009-06-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

Reasons to love NYLON magazine:

mischa barton

zooey deschanel

freida pinto

ashley greene

I think it's time to subscribe....

Reasons to Be Nervous

2009-06-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

My stomach is absolutely twisted into knots today! Why?

a. In less than three hours I will be taking my chemistry regents - sort of a large final administered by the state of NY,

b. I will be seeing a friend of mine for the first time in three months... and let's just say we might be more than just friends now. Maybe. Possibly.

In other news, here are some gorgeous, romantic photos from flickr:

These are all courtesy of The Girl Who Tamed the Tiger. They all seem like stills from a dream...

Home Sweet Home

2009-06-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Some of the most creative architecture I've ever seen:

My favorite is definitely this last squiggly one! For more buildings, check out Toxel. It's a website filled with all sorts of creatively designed gadgets and whatnot.

In other news, I will be leaving home in exactly 3 weeks from today!! I'm spending my summer on an organized tour of Israel. I've never been before, and couldn't be more excited. But since that means 5 or so weeks without any posting, I'll have to make it up with a whole bunch of posts for the next 3 weeks and then again, once I return. Don't worry, I'm not abandoning you guys!

Summer

2009-06-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

You know who I love? I love Zooey Deschanel. She is talented, quirky, and really gorgeous! I sometimes think that if there was one person I could swap exteriors with, it would be her. Some photos that illustrate just how pretty she really is:

Additionally, she will be starring in a movie coming out about a month from now, called 500 Days of Summer. Click for a clip from the movie. I don't know how to get videos directly on here yet... but if anyone would be interested in teaching me, it would be much appreciated!

And it's not only me, right?

Who are your girl-crushes??

Amazing Cakes

2009-06-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

I can't believe some of these are edible! Still though, they make my mouth water. Stupid bikini diet...

Fetish?

2009-06-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

I have ridiculously flat feet, which makes it difficult for me to find shoes that fit. When I was younger, this caused me to resent everything related to shoes. But recently I've found that it has just made gorgeous shoes even more desirable to me.

Here are a few of the most desirable shoes out there (in my opinion, anyway):

Photo credits go to The Cherry Blossom Girl, Shoelust, and Jak and Jil.

Water For Elephants

2009-06-08T09:57:00.001-07:00

Partially because I'm trying to procrastinate studying for my finals, I decided to post about a book I read the other day. It is titled Water For Elephants, by Sara Gruen. The story takes place in a 1930's depression era circus, and is filled with inspiring and hilarious characters. This is actually the type of book that I would want to see made into a movie, surprisingly.

Another book that should be made into a movie?

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Anyone who hasn't read that has been seriously deprived.

illegal?

2009-06-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

I was browsing through The Selby tonight, and it inspired me to

post a couple of photos that I took in my friend's house. She lives

on the beach in a large, airy, gorgeously-decorated home. It's no

wonder... her mom is an interior designer! However does the fact

that I didn't ask her to take these pictures make posting them

illegal?

These are from a bathroom... the rest of the house is even better, but I couldn't exactly wander around taking photos...

The following are a couple pictures from The Selby that I find particularly inspiring:

(Daniela Kamiliotis')

(Michelle and Tracy McCormick's)

My Life Now

2009-05-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being completely MIA for the past many many days... I had a term paper, along with tons of other schoolwork. But now that's all pretty much over, except for my finals. Anyway, a quick summary of my life right now:

1. Just watched Benjamin Button on DVD. Must have been the last person in the world to see it. Was really good.

2. Listening to the following music:

Fernando Pando - The Virgins

Season of Love - Shiny Toy Guns

This Modern Love - Bloc Party

Ramalama - Roisin Murphy

3. Dying to see these movies (click for trailers):

~ 500 Days of Summer

~ Where the Wild Things Are

~ What Goes Up

4. Planning to go on a diet so I can fit into this bikini, among others:

Forever 21

Love

2009-05-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

...I think I'm in love:

Urban Outfitters - $158

Too bad they're so darn expensive!!

Survivor

2009-05-08T14:57:00.000-07:00

I have just finished my AP Euro exam, and have never felt a greater sense of freedom in my entire life. I recently compiled a list of songs one might listen to while dancing around in their underwear in the privacy of their room... now seems like a good time to put the list to use. Like a victory dance, or something along those lines.

1) You! Me! Dancing! - Los Campesinos!

2) Sleepyhead - Passion Pit

3) Shut Up and Let Me Go - The Ting Tings

4) Common People - William Shatner

5) In the Beginning - K'naan

6) That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings

7) Sour Cherry - The Kills

8) No You Girls - Franz Ferdinand

9) Paper Planes - MIA

10) Kids - MGMT

I'm open to any new suggestions to be added to the list!!

Cartier Loving

2009-04-28T16:07:00.001-07:00

I came across a video a while back, and it gives me butterflies every time I watch it...

It's a short black and white film directed by Olivier Dahan. Click here for the youtube link. There's a less blurry version on love.cartier.com.

I hope you have someone special in mind when you watch this (I know I do!). Enjoy!

Eugenio Recuenco

2009-04-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous, haunting photography by Eugenio Recuenco:

Spring...maybe

2009-04-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

The weather in NY may not be too convincing, but it actually is Spring. A few recent purchases to pull out when it starts acting like Spring around here:

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb perfume

American Rag blouse

Gap sailor-style t-shirt

Dress I got from my friend in a clothing swap

Forever 21 t-shirt and H&M skirt. I'd like to try this as an outfit.

Disney lip balm from Sephora

Korres tinted lip balm in Wild Roses

Tough Week...Good Music

2009-03-31T15:40:00.001-07:00

I hadn't really planned on venting on this blog... but I have been having a really difficult week. I'm sort of on the verge of breaking into tears. The only thing getting me through is a new band that one of my friends introduced to me. Actually, I have no idea if they're new - they're just new to me. It's called Tally Hall and I am especially obsessed with their song "Good Day."

Not only are their songs great, but they created a really entertaining internet show. The last couple minutes of the show are the music video for "Good Day."

Click below to check it out:

http://tallyhall.com/media.php

(Click on it. Really. I promise it's worth it.)

Rachel Comey shoes

2009-03-15T19:56:00.000-07:00

I was born with the genes for bad feet. I blame my parents for my

extra-long toes and complete lack of anything resembling an arch.

Because my feet have always practically refused to fit into any shoe

that can be considered attractive, I developed a natural aversion

to shoe shopping. But recently, my distaste has changed into

something else. Now instead of hating shoes in general, I have started

coveting, lusting after, and drooling over all the shoes I wish I

could wear.

The other day I read in Nylon about Rachel Comey shoes, and I now

have another item to add to my "If only I could afford it" list (which

was already pretty extensive). Not only are these shoes GORGEOUS, but

they look like they're made with the highest quality materials and

serious love and care. And they even look comfortable! Sigh.

If Only.....Spring '09

2009-03-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

The following are my three favorite looks from S/S '09 NY runways. I wish I could pull off all three - or even just one - of these looks this season!!

Rocker-military-distressed-acid washed-punk. A la Balmain.

Sexy-vintage-pin-up-tailored-sailor. i.e. D&G.

Free-spirited-neohippie-flowerchild-goddess. As seen at Diane Von Furstenberg.

Recent Concoctions

2009-03-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple things I've baked recently:

a birthday cake for my mom

Butterscotch blondies

chocolate-toffee cupcakes

glazed cinnamon cake

I'm such an amateur...I wish I could get some real experience in baking/cake decorating.

Angela's Ashes

2009-02-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I finished reading Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt. It deserved every reward it received. Literally, one of the most touching, funniest, best books I have ever read. It's funny - recently, I've been reading a lot of novels that give insight into Irish culture and folklore. I find it really fascinating... definitely something I'll be looking out for at the library from now on. What have you guys been reading? Any suggestions? I do not discriminate, I'll take any genre.

Vicky Christina Barcelona

2009-02-14T21:04:00.000-08:00

Just watched Vicky Christina Barcelona, the first Woody Alan movie I've ever actually enjoyed. Other than the plot being off-beat, and the style being very artsy (what with the camera going out of focus every now and then, and the narrator's voice giving it the feel of a nature documentary), my favorite part was definitely Penelope Cruz. Not only was her acting believable and arresting, but the way she dressed was incredibly inspiring. Of course, looking that gorgeous helps... but even though she has a thing or two in the looks department that I'm missing, I am absolutely planning on emulating her style this summer.

The Dress I'll Never Own

2009-02-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

I was in Forever 21 tonight, shopping for preppy skirts and dresses for Penn University Model Congress, which is coming up at the end of this month. While I was there, I noticed a myriad of boho-chic clothes that I wish I could pull off! One in particular that stood out was this dress:

This is the kind of dress I dream about wearing, while knowing all too well that I would never take such a big venture away from my tailored, formal style. *Sigh* Besides, WHEN would I ever have to chance to wear it?..

(Dress - $27.80, Forever 21)

My Most Favorite...

2009-02-07T22:38:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I discovered the wonder that is international street style blogs. Since then, one picture has always stood out in my mind:

This Parisian woman looks beyond perfect. Her accessories are definitely my favorite part... especially the glasses and opaque tights! This isn't even really my style - but this girl has the IT factor. I wish I could meet her.

When Harry Met Sally

2009-01-27T16:29:00.001-08:00

This past weekend, when I still had time to breathe (unlike now, as school has started up again), I watched When Harry Met Sally. I LOVED it. For ages my father has been telling me that it's one of the best movies out there, and now I agree. In fact, I watched it a second time. STRONG recommendation.

H&M

2009-01-24T15:50:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to the city, I went to H&M in Herald Square with a $40 gift card that I received as a birthday present a few months back. I ended up buying some very practical clothing for school (grr), but while I was there, I fell in love with two dresses that I did not buy:

The first, a large black and white plaid which was not at all flattering ON...it made my shoulders look even broader than they, unfortunately, already are. It looked good on the mannequin though..

The second, a gorgeous 50's style dress that had a stunning silhouette. It gaped bizarrely in the back, though. I look back with regret - I should have bought it and had it taken in...

Other than these two pieces, the store was filled with sales on all their winter-wear. Also, they got in racks upon racks of beautiful, delicate pastels in blue, pink, green and peach. I suppose I'll just have to go back for some of those...

Shrek: the Musical

2009-01-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

Last night I saw Shrek: The Musical on Broadway. I feel very cultured (and privileged) to have seen two shows in one week!

It was very entertaining, though I wouldn't consider it to be good theater. But it was funny, with good choreography, and a cast full of talented actors!!

That was partially the reason I saw it: I recognized two of the actors from previous plays. Daniel Breaker (who played Donkey) also played The Youth in Passing Strange, my favorite play. And Sutton Foster (who played Princess Fiona) also played Jo in Little Women (which was only on Broadway for a short time...something like 6 weeks).

After the show I did something new. I waited outside the stage door with my two friends. And I met Daniel Breaker! He was very funny (even in real life), and personable. We discussed the movie version of Passing Strange, which is apparently getting great reviews at the Sundance festival. Hopefully it will be picked up by a producer soon; I know I would pay to see it.

In The Heights

2009-01-19T15:42:00.001-08:00

Last night, I went with the family to see In The Heights on Broadway. The original concept, lyrics and music were done by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also happened to be the main character. He came up with the show when he was a sophomore in college. I hate Wunderkinds - they make me feel so incompetent!

Anyway, I loved it, though no one else in my family shared that feeling. The music was incredible and unique - I'm pretty sure it's the only musical on Broadway with rap music. My dad thought the plot was shallow, which it was (though not at all as shallow as the likes of Mamma Mia, Hairspray, and Wicked), and my mom thought the music was disappointing, because there weren't any numbers that she could see becoming classics (she really likes classics). My brother, who is 10, is too young to have understood the concept or any of the jokes, so he hated it.

The fact that I have a year and a half of high-school Spanish under my belt helped a lot, because pretty much every song had at least a few words in Spanish. And the fact that I'm an adolescent helped, because many of the themes were ideas that pertain to teenagers, or ideas that I will have to face in a few years, once I hit my 20's.

In conclusion, In The Heights was extremely entertaining, the acting and singing were fabulous, and I recommend it for people ages 13 and up.

Sailor Style

2009-01-19T14:39:00.000-08:00

If, like me, you don't actually plan on getting on a sailboat this spring, there is another option for us "landlubbers." We can still capture the preppy, sun-soaked mood with these sailor-inspired finds:

Chloe striped dress $2185

Chloe Myrtle sunglasses - $290

Gap double button skirt - $58

Gap Favorite Striped crew neck T - $14.50

Covergirl Outlast lip stain in Coy Coral

Diane Von Furstenburg Spring 2009 RTW

Gianna Rose seashell soaps $29.10 per box

Kate Spade wedge sandal $198

H&M cardigan $34.90

Old Navy belt $12.50

Tory Burch flip flop $45

OPI "Sea Ya Later, Sailor" nail polish

Juicy Couture flip flop $98

Freedom

2009-01-14T15:38:00.000-08:00

I am now officially done with my midterm exams, which means I'm on vacation. FINALLY. I'm not going anywhere interesting, unlike my friends who are headed off to Florida, Cancun, Israel, and South Africa. Instead I'll be at home, with a week and a half to watch a ton of movies, read a stack of books, add to this blog, and most importantly - SLEEP.

Inspired by Modern Marie, here are a few songs about vacation, freedom, and hanging out:

1. After Hours - We Are Scientists

2. All We Ever Needed - The Early November

3. Dear Maria, Count Me In - All Time Low

4. Clockwatching - Jason Mraz

5. Everything's Right - Matt Wertz

6. Sleeping In - The Postal Service

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

2009-01-06T11:46:00.000-08:00

I recently finished reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter, by Kim Edwards. For lack of better words, it rocked!! Good plot, realistic dialogue, incredible character development, it was just perfect... I definitely recommend it for fans of Jodi Picoult's writing - I found some similarities. Now I really want to see the movie! TGFN(thank G-d for netflix).

As far as books, I have moved on to Life of Pi by Yann Martel. It seems interesting, but I'm not enjoying it AS much. I hate when that happens: you finish reading such a good book that for a while afterwards you compare everything you read to it.

What are you reading/any suggestions??

p.s. that question was directed to all my imaginary readers... unless I were to attract a couple of real readers?

In Defense of Israel

2009-01-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

I have been keeping up on news of the current Israeli-Palestinian war, and I must speak out in favor of Israel. The media tends to paint Israel in a bad light, accusing them of unnecessary violence and murder of innocent Palestinians. However, I'm going to present what I know of the Israeli side of the story:

In 2003, Ariel Sharon gave the Palestinians a small strip of land in Gaza, displacing hundreds of Israelis from their homes, in an effort to make peace. Once in control of this land, the Palestinians elected Hamas, a globally-known terrorist organization, to run their government. And as "thanks" to Israel, they have launched THOUSANDS of Qasam rockets into Israel, aiming not for army bases and government operative buildings (which would have been bad enough), but for towns filled with innocent civilians. The town which has been hit the hardest is Sderot, which has been hit up to over 20 times in a single day. On a good day, only 3 or 4 rockets land in Sderot. The children of the town have to live with the daily reality of running for their lives into bomb shelters, situated in their PLAYGROUNDS and KINDERGARTENS.

When the 6-month cease-fire expired on December 19th (during the cease-fire, an average of 3-4 rockets were STILL fired into Israel DAILY), Israel wished to renew it. Hamas would only agree on the condition that Israel give them more land from which they could launch rockets. Israel said no, and each day more and more rockets were fired into residential neighborhoods in Israel. On Friday, December 26th, 30 rockets were fired. On Saturday morning, Israel finally struck back, from the air, dropping bombs on Hamas operative bases, and places where bombs were made and/or stored for use against Israel. There were casualties, as there always are in war. But there were many fewer than Palestine's media wants us to believe. And as Hamas struck back, sending in more and more rockets, Israel sent in AID PACKAGES for the Palestinian civilians. Those same packages were destroyed by Hamas, without being distributed to their ailing citizens. So Israel is not fighting the Palestinians - they are fighting Hamas. And now, Israel has begun sending in foot-soldiers to specifically seek out Hamas leaders and terrorists, or people who are hiding terrorists or their bombs, to avoid killing any more innocents. I honestly think that Israel cannot be considered the antagonist in this conflict. Shouldn't everyone have the right to protection?

Bands of a Feather

2009-01-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

Because I am Jewish, I celebrate Chanuka rather than Christmas. I have never been envious of Christmas-celebrators; we get presents on Chanuka, we have awesome traditional food (potato latkes (translate: fried pancakes), sufganiot (translate: jelly donuts) and chocolate coins) and it lasts EIGHT times as long!!!

However, one thing that always seemed unfair to miss out on was Secret Santa. So this year, I came up with an idea, which I then presented to two of my best friends. We would have Secret Dreidel/Maccabbee/Chanuka Armadillo (from Friends) - we couldn't decide on a name. We were a few days late though - we just exchanged the gifts at our new year's party. One of my friends got the other, and me, lip gloss (we are both unnaturally obsessed). I bought bras for each of them (push-up for one, a loud seasonal print for the other). And my other friend bought us feathered headbands from a local hosiery store. I am absolutely obsessed!

Some other feathered headbands I would buy if I had the money and if I could own 6 of these w/o being considered a loser:

bowtiquefrieda.com ($40)Forever21.com ($4.80)

Forever21.com ($7.80)

Urbanoutfitters.com ($24.00)

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-01T21:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, my future (hopefully) followers!

My resolutions for the upcoming year?

~Get more sleep

~Redecorate bedroom

~Read a LOT

~develop sewing skills (which are, at this point, WORSE than mediocre)

~become more aware of current events

~see lots of plays and movies

~get a boyfriend (please?)

~Make this blog popular...though I'm really not sure HOW yet.

Went to a New Year's/birthday party for a friend last night. Wore:

Sorry the picture isn't so great (that's another resolution: finally learn how to USE my camera)

dress: Calvin Klein

tights: Conway (which I seriously recommend for hoisery - these cost me $1.99)

shoes:Jildor

I hope everyone has a happy, healthy, stylish 2009!

Spring Awakening

2008-12-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

I would be a terrible theater critic. I haven't seen too many shows, but I loved just about every one I've seen... I live in a suburb (unfortunately) near New York City (the only positive), so thankfully I am close enough to take the train in fairly often.

Last Sunday, I went with one of my friends to see Spring Awakening. We were already familiar with the soundtrack and were desperate to see it before its closing date (January 18th). We stood in line for two hours in the freezing cold to get discounted tickets with my student ID, through the student rush promotion. It was well worth it: we fifth on line, and we got front row seats for $27 a ticket! The view was partially obstructed, but that only affected the experience at two times during the show.

The plot and theme of Spring Awakening are rather risque...it's basically about a group of stifled teenagers growing up in the late nineteenth century in Germany who are exploring their sexuality. I do NOT recommend it for children under the age of 14 or so...

The three main characters are Melchior, his sort-of lover Wendla, and their childhood friend Moritz. Melchior is played by Hunter Parrish of Weeds, who is both beautiful to look at and to listen to. Wendla, played by Alexandra Socha, was very good as well, her voice more than her acting. However the audience completely fell in love with Moritz, played by Gerard Canonico, whose acting was both amusing and heart-wrenching. One of the smaller parts who I found to be incredible was Ilse, played by Emma Hunton. Her voice sent chills down my spine, and her acting was entirely believable as well.

To find out more about the show and the student rush promotion, go to:

http://www.springawakening.com/home.php

I promise it is worth your while. Do everything in your power to see this show before it leaves Broadway.

My reasons for keeping a blog:

2008-12-27T22:37:00.000-08:00

There are a few reasons I decided to start keeping a blog:

1) I realized that I have more interests than can be discussed with my friends (hence the blog's title) and I figured that I would probably be able to find people with common hobbies/pursuits/fascinations on the internet. Though I'm really not sure how safe this is...

2) I need a place to rant.

3) I'm curious to see if anyone will take interest in anything I have to say.

Things I hope to discuss on my blog (aka topics that sound good in theory, but which I will probably discard in favor of whatever I find interesting next month...):

~Books/movies/theater/TV

~Music

~Fashion

~Politics

~The average life of a trying-not-to-be-average teenager

I have pretty much no idea what I'm doing, but hopefully I'll figure it out as I go along... so, patience please!!!