My Favorite Things This Week

1. Tween music

It's just so catchy. I don't care if it's Disney pop and I have the play list of a 13 year old. It makes me feel good and isn't that all that's important?

And how gorgeous is her make-up. I want that smokey eye.

2.  Capes.

I loved them last year when they were only made by high-end designers and I'm still in love now they are at Loft.

3. Grey nail polish

Less goth girl than black and previous year's dark purple. Essie's Chinchilly is just the right shade - not too light, not too dark. It almost changes colors in different lights. And did I mention I've gotten more compliments on it than any other shade I've worn recently?

4. Fall

I'm not a fall girl. I love summer. I don't even care if it's hot. I live in the south we grow up on warm weather and sweet tea - a hundred degrees is nothing an AC and a cute tank top can't fix. That being said, our AC is broken so a little cool breeze would be nice. I'm thinking jeans and flip flop weather. Plus there's something kind of fun about getting pumpkins and preparing for all the holidays.

Photos from a Google search.

5. This commercial...

I know it's old - it came out in the Superbowl. But I still love my Jetta and I still think this is the best commercial of 2011. And in honor of Jetta's being one of the top ten cars sold in 2011 - this commercial makes my list. Good job VW! :)

Happy Friday - My Favorite Things

So I'm waiting to get in the shower and actually get this day going but OMG People just made my entire day.

First there was this story, annoucing Tim Gunn is writing a third book. He's calling it a fashion bible. One word. Amazing. I love him. My dream fashion lunch would be with him. Think about it - inside scoop on Project Runway and fashion advice. Too bad the book isn't getting released to 2012.


And then there was this....

Britney's new video! The song isn't my favorite Britney song ever but it's catchy so I find myself singing it. I won't buy it yet because I'm waiting for the album. The music video - I don't know - I don't have my contacts in - it looks ok.... What do you guys think?

Yay! New Britney Single!

Did I mention that Britney Spears is only my most favorite singer. So excited for March!

Glamour = Posh Spice

I love my Glamour magazine subscription. Until maybe three years ago I was a Cosmo girl through and through. For some reason (maybe I'm getting older) but Cosmo doesn't have the same allure it had when I was sixteen. I subscribed to Glamour when I moved back to VA and could no longer take advantage of S's free leftover magazines. So how does this relate to Posh Spice?

Let's back track a bit. It's the 90's. The biggest band on the planet (or in my planet) is the Spice Girls. I loved everything about them - what can I say I love cheesy pop music and glamorous clothes. The Spice Girls would probably fall in line somewhere after Britney Spears in my all-time favorite bands/musicians. You can boo all you want that the songs aren't great and that they might not be able to sing without computer help but I love them. I love each and every cheesy song. And from the beginning Posh Spice was my favorite (followed closely by Baby and Ginger, the other two not so much).

What was not to love about Posh? She didn't really sing all that much but was in a hugely popular group. She wore great clothes (for the time - mid drifts and chunky platform heels aren't that great anymore). She was gorgeous and had a cool accent.

So I was pretty thrilled when my Glamour arrived and who should the cover model be but Mrs. Beckham (aka Posh) herself. So here are a few of my favorite photos (pick up the March Glamour or visit http://www.glamour.com/ for more).

Love her or hate her - you have to admit she's got an amazing figure (although sometimes too skinny) and amazing clothes. I know people are always all about Lady Gaga and her boundary pushing style but normal girls wouldn't wear that. Victoria pushes the style boundaries but in a way that makes average women sit up and say I want super short hair, or I want five inch stilettos and a pencil skirt. I think a trendsetter is someone that pushes the rules but is still somewhat attainable.

Love Your Love The Most

Happy Early Valentine's Day! What are your plans? Well to get you in the mood - here a few current songs I think are perfect for the big day of love tomorrow. Enjoy!

Chris Young - Getting You Home

Song gives me goosebumps and that excited first date feeling every time I hear it.

Eric Church - Love Your Love The Most

Sinner's Like Me is probably one of the best country cd's I've heard in a while. This one is from Carolina and I haven't heard all the songs but the ones I heard are amazing. It's a good rock out love song because not everything has to be Barry White and candles.

Luke Bryan - Do I

So it's really about love that may or may not be ending but it's an awesome song. Makes me want to scream to K - I love you.

Lady Antebellum - Need You Now

Probably my favorite song of the moment.

Colbie Caillat - Falling For You

Perfectly captures that feeling when you first fall in love and you're not sure you should tell him because what if he doesn't feel the same...

Colbie Caillat - Realize

So the song is more about star-crossed lovers but the video is so perfectly cute with the two writing each other letters and driving to see each other you just want them to make it.

Boys Like Girls and Taylor Swift - Two is Better Than One

Because we all need to remember what it felt like to love someone so completely as these group of teens.

Ok that's all I can think of right now... what would you add?

Music Review: Taylor Swift Fearless Platinum Edition

Remember high school? Too long ago… don’t worry Taylor Swift’s album Fearless Platinum Edition will have you back at sixteen after a listen or two. Listening to the CD over and over again you quickly realize that her songs have a distinctive younger vibe about them. Teen angst, love and heartbreak play a central role in her songs. After a few songs you are brought back to the days of anxiously waiting for the will he or won’t he look at me in history class and to cliques where you don’t quite fit in and your crush is in love with the head cheerleader. Maybe I’m getting old but I feel like taking Swift aside and saying: Don’t worry little one it’ll get better, people grow up, cliques aren’t so important and the people that don’t give you the time of day aren’t worth your time. And boys…. Well they never change you just learn how to live with them. But what mothers always say about nice girls finishing first can be true – guys may date the promiscuous moody head cheerleader (that’s who the object of her affection is dating in “You Belong With Me”) but they don’t line up to marry her. You’ll have your time Taylor…

I do not doubt that Swift is a talented singer and song-writer. I’m in awe that someone her age can accomplish all of this and still seem so grounded. So I spent all day listening to this CD on repeat, mainly because I was at work and they’ve blocked a bunch of websites and I’m not sure I can log into Sirius’s web radio anymore. I don’t hate the CD after listening to it a half a dozen times. I find myself mouthing the words (I can’t sing at work I don’t want them to think I’m a weirdo). I actually like songs I didn’t like so much the first time more and more with each listen.

My favorites are: “You’re Not Sorry” (this is the country version, there is a second version on iTunes that she performed for CSI which is a bit more pop – both good), “Fifteen” (typical teenage angst over things that aren’t so important in the long run but seem so very important when you are fifteen), “Forever and Always” (I like the piano version), “White Horse”, and “You Belong With Me”.

I do wonder how Swift gets a boyfriend with all her songs that supposedly are about real people. If I was a guy I’d think twice about dating her for fear I’d end up “that guy” in her song.

Here is my only complaint and this is to the music industry in general. I absolutely hate the re-release of old albums with a few new songs and a DVD. I don’t know about you but I never look at the DVD’s. I don’t have the time or the desire to watch a concert I didn’t have the money or time to go to in person, I can watch music videos on YouTube and I don’t care about behind the scenes photos. I think a re-release is simply a ploy to make fans shell out more money for the same CD they already have and a cop out from making a new CD with all new songs. Plus in the case where I actually bought the version the first time I feel cheated. Hey, I got your CD the first time before it hit the Billboard Top 100, before you were headlining major concerts and now to repay me you’re going to release the CD again with new songs that aren’t on my CD? Really?? Ok I know I could go to iTunes or Amazon and buy the missing songs but that’s a pain and I’ll admit I’m a little old-fashion when it comes to singers I really like… I want the songs on a CD with the little booklet of lyrics and photos. If I wanted half of the songs I would have bought them online the first time around.

Britney Spears lipsyncs... really?

I want to devote today’s blog to Britney Spears. I love Britney Spears’ music. I think everyone has a soft spot for singers and bands they liked in their teens.

My thing with Spears is this; you can say she isn’t that great of a singer that she doesn’t write her own songs, etc. but she’s a great performer and she knows what it takes to get people to like her. A year or two ago when she was flashing her privates, staying out all hours of the night at clubs, shaving her head and just generally looking like her life was a disaster pretty much everyone wrote her off as a has-been. I’ll admit I was the diehard fan – she just needed a break and then she can come back. Everyone gets stressed and her life happens to play out for the tabloids. And I'm happy to say I was right. Spears is back and looking fabulous (check out her new video 3 if you don't believe me).

Now she’s back in the tabloids because Australians are making a big deal that Spears lipsyncs at her concert. Really? I mean who didn't know that. Spears' concert is more about the performance, she's putting on a show and with all the dancing she does, she'd be out of breath if she sang. I went to Circus when it first toured and the show is amazing. It's probably one of the best concerts I went to. I went knowing she probably would lipsync all of it. I went for the experience not to hear a great singer belt out her best songs. This isn't a Celine Dion concert where she just stands there and sings (I'm guessing - I've never been to a Dion concert).

I personally feel, you know what you're getting into with her and she's not exactly the only singer that lipsyncs so I feel like she's getting a bum rap. Do I think it would be cool if she could sing a few songs live - sure but with all the dancing and effects I didn't really miss it.

I've even posted a photo from the concert. And I have to say if she ever tours again - I'll probably be there singing along.

My Favorite Things - My First Post

So I've been debating writing a blog for awhile. The problem for me in getting started was what could I write about that anyone besides my mother would want to read on a fairly regular basis. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I can't write about celebrity gossip, Richmond isn't exactly a hopping celebrity hangout. I don't have the energy to cook everything in a cookbook and write about it - that and I'm a pretty picky eater so half that stuff would go straight in the trash. And my life at this point is fairly ordinary - I think. Besides the fact I'm not really sure I could write about myself or my friends without inevitably hurting someone's feeling and I'm not sure I need that kind of drama.

So I've decided instead to write about my favorite things... but what exactly are my favorite things? An ever changing list of places, items, must haves, music, books, TV, etc. The only thing they have in common is that they have won my heart - for the moment at least.