A little over a month ago, we all watched the evening news in surprise as it was reported that a woman in California had given birth to eight babies. The reaction varied depending on the person, of course. Some of us found it amazing while others found the whole concept of having that many children at once (“a litter” as some people put it) to be a bit terrifying. There was probably many a woman out there who winced at the thought, whatever their opinion of the events. Of course, the story began to gather momentum in the days that followed. It was revealed that the mother, Nadya Suleman, already had six children, bringing her total number of offspring up to fourteen. Word also broke that Ms. Suleman was a single unemployed mother, meaning that the burden of paying for her children’s support would more likely than not fall on the taxpayers of California.
Now that time has passed, we have to say that we’re getting pretty tired of hearing about the “Octomom”, as she’s been dubbed by the media. Did we really need to know that some plastic surgery experts suspect that she had work done, possibly to look more like Angelina Jolie? Is it really news that a porn company is offering her a million dollars to star in one of their films? Why does she have her own category over at TMZ? It really does go to show that people out there can become a celebrity for anything. However, it is rather interesting to see the larger ramifications of her actions, such as the scramble by lawmakers to create a bill that limits the number of embryos that can be implanted by a fertility clinic.
I don’t know about you, but there’s something thrilling about seeing the stars you love in person. Whether it’s screaming from the stands as your favorite team scores that tie-breaking goal or singing along with the crowd as the musician you’ve listened to for years performs, attending such an event in person lends itself to creating memories that will last far longer than if you simply watched a game on TV or popped a CD in your stereo system. Even in times of economic turmoil when wallets and budgets are slimmer than ever, there are still plenty of fans who work to scrape together the money to go see the games or shows that they love live.
Of course, for many people, simply attending the event isn’t quite enough. It’s all about getting the best seats possible. Perhaps this is a once-in-a-lifetime concert and you want the best view possible. Or perhaps you’ve taken your kids to quite a few ball games and want to give them a real treat with seats that are right next to the action. Whatever the impetus, scoring tickets to the best seats in the house can be a difficult proposition, particularly if the event is one that’s extremely popular.
Luckily, being quick on the trigger (or phone dialing or mouse button as the case may be) isn’t the only option for those scrambling for the front row. Services like VIP Tickets (located in Los Angeles) cater especially to those who are looking to get these prime spots in the stands. After all, why not let the experts deal with the stress. They’re used to it!
It’s likely that most fashionistas out there don’t place Sears at the top of the list for cutting-edge fashion. In fact, it’s quite likely that Sears isn’t anywhere to be found on such a list. However, the department store, well-known for its “softer side” advertisements, is introducing a new line of men’s clothing that we have to admit has caught our attention. There are no pictures as of yet (and to be fair, we’re not expecting much in terms of cut and style). What makes this new clothing line so interesting is the material that it will be constructed from.
Starting this spring, Sears plans to debut a new line of suits that will be called EcoGir. The line is said to be made for “fashionable males” (we’ll believe it when we see it — none of the fashionable males that we know would ever buy a suit from Sears) and made from 100% recycled materials. The noteworthy material that will be used for the creation of these suits is plastic chips from soda bottles. It is estimated that approximately 13 2-liter soda bottles will be needed to get the material for one suit. EcoGir suits will be able to be washed in your home rather than having to be taken to the dry cleaners. These will also be rather affordable for suits, costing only $150 each. While these certainly won’t be the most fashionable suits around (after all, they will basically be 100% polyester), it’s still fascinating to hear about the continuation of green trends in fashion, particularly in such a mainstream store. We look forward to seeing similar lines from more stylish sources in the future.
There’s nothing that we women love quite as much an item of clothing that is both fashionable and comfortable. That is why we love Velvet by Graham & Spencer. The line started with a very simple concept: that a T-shirt could be fresh, flattering, and feminine all at the same time. The resulting creations were soft, sensual, and an immediate hit with fashionistas. Found in trendy, upscale boutique shops around the world, Velvet has expanded to encompass a broader range of fashions, including the recent Velvetmen line. Velvet clothing is all manufactured in Los Angeles and can be found for sale on their website, velvet-tees.com, as well as in major fashion capitals the world over.
Browsing their collections on their website, you’ll see beautiful colors and sleek designs. There are very few prints in the Velvet line — instead, the designers have focused more on texture and detail. The clothes have a casual elegance but are still quite feminine. Both the tops and the dresses can be dressed up or down, making the pieces a versatile addition to your wardrobe. Our favorite tops are the Sallyanne and Moira styles — both look like they would be perfect for a quick day-to-night switch. We also love Keriam in the dress collection; it’s a great LBD that we would love to add to our wardrobe.
The men’s collection is still small at the moment, with only five different shirt styles available for sale. However, we do like the clean, simple lines and crisp colors. They still look comfortable enough that even the less fashionable of our male friends would enjoy wearing them.
Anyone who follows the lifestyles of the rich and famous knows that celebrities are big on charity. Whether they are passionate about issues or they simply want a tax break (we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt, but we know not everyone is actually the angel they appear to be for the press), having a celebrity throwing their weight behind a cause can mean a big boost in donations for related charities. Regular people love the celebrity lifestyle — that’s why there are so many shows and websites devoted to the things they say and do and wear. For those who want to be a little bit more like their favorite actor or singer or model, supporting a cause that they support is a way to feel like you have something in common with them while also doing something that you can feel good about.
With so many deserving charities out there, it can be difficult finding a way to attract the celebrity support that they want. One organization, Tag the World, has taken an interesting approach to this. They have had jewelry designer Michael Barin create five different dog tags to represent five different causes: children, cancer, animals, Africa, and green. The term “dog tag” is a bit of a misnomer, as these sterling silver necklaces each have a beautiful and elaborate open design that is meant to symbolize the heart of the cause. The proceeds from the sale of these tags will be donated to related charities. This organization has already attracted some celebrity support, and we look forward to seeing these lovely tags around the necks of some of the hottest stars around.
It doesn’t matter how much you have. Who can resist free goodies, especially when they are worth a bundle? That’s what the presenters at the Oscars used to look forward to each year when they receive their gift bags from the Academy. These highly-coveted bags were packed with goodies worth up to $100,000. What kind of items could be found in these treasure troves? Everything from iPods to stays at five star hotels to watches worth thousands of dollars.
Why is it that companies would want to give away such expensive products to celebrities, considering that they’re generally more than wealthy enough to pay for them? The companies actually see this as an affordable form of advertising, as a celebrity spotted with one of their products can spark a huge rush in sales. Giving away a product to a celeb is less expensive than a nationwide ad campaign, and the results can sometimes be much more rewarding.
However, as of 2006, the IRS declared that these bags counted as taxable income, leading the Academy to discontinue the presentation of these bags. Instead, for the 2007 Oscars, presenters were given carbon offsets from a company called TerraPass, as well as an offer to have their carbon footprint calculated. While not exactly the same as the swanky swag of the past, you have to give the Academy credit for taking a more green approach to things.
For those of us who are both shoppers and collectors at heart, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of obtaining a new piece to add to our collection. Sure, the economy might be going south and times might be tight, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t indulge in our hobbies every once in a while, right? The key is being a discerning collector — only buying the pieces you really want and the ones that are really worth the money. That way, you can have a collection that you truly enjoy rather than one that you’re not sure that you invested wisely in.
One of the more popular collecting arenas these days is the world of entertainment memorabilia. Whether it’s the musical artists that you grew up listening to, your favorite movie to watch over and over, or the sports team you cheer for season after season, many of us love owning a little piece of whatever it is that has brought us so much enjoyment. One of our favorites sites to shop for entertainment collectibles is American Royal Arts. This dealer specializes in fine art collectables that relate to entertainment. From stunning publicity photos from the Wizard of Oz (who didn’t grow up loving that movie?) to signed artwork of golf sensation Tiger Woods, the selection of pieces on this site is truly awe-inspiring to browse through. The nice thing about fine art collectables like these is that they are something we’re happy to display in our home or our workplace, rather than just being an item we admire for a few minutes and then shove on the back of a shelf or inside a closet, never to be heard from again. Besides, these are purchases that we can just pass off as home décor, right?
One of America’s favorite shows has returned to the airwaves. That’s right, music fans (and train wreck fans), American Idol is now in its eighth season! The show couldn’t come back fast enough for us. We have to admit, the fun of American Idol isn’t just watching it for us — it’s discussing the contestants with like-minded fans. Which singer performed best? Were the voting results fair? Who deserves to win it all? If you’re looking for a place to talk with other fans about the show, we recommend Idol Fan Forum, a great website for viewers to discuss the hits and misses on the popular show. It appears that this season, the website will include recaps of each episode of the show, perfect if you’re one of those people who has trouble keeping track of the contestants’ names or remembering who sang which song.
The show is mixing things up this season by adding a fourth judge to the panel: singer, songwriter, and record producer Kara DioGuardi. The results shows will drop back down to half an hour in length, something that we haven’t seen since season five. And there is a promise to focus less on the embarrassing auditions and more on the genuinely talented singers that stand a real chance at being crowned the next American Idol. There’s also talk that we will learn more about these contestants than we have previous ones: more about their personal history, dreams, and aspirations. That could be a good thing or a bad thing, in our opinion. While it’s always good to feel a little more like the singers are real live three-dimensional people, our favorite element of the show itself is, of course, the singing. It’s the core of the show, after all. Hopefully, any changes this season and in future seasons won’t serve to detract from that.
With the nominations for the Oscars having been announced this week, the countdown to one of the biggest events in Hollywood is well on its way. Every year, we love seeing the stunning fashion dos and horrific fashion don’ts that are paraded down the red carpet. The gowns, the jewelry, the shoes, the hairstyles–it’s a veritable feast for the fashion-lover’s eyes. Oh, and we can’t forget about those little gold statues they hand out. Those are pretty important too.
There are some really great movies that are up for awards this year. We have to say that our favorite of the nominees is Slumdog Millionaire. We went into this movie not knowing much more than “Bollywood-inspired” and “romantic comedy.” The former we didn’t really see until the closing credits and the latter doesn’t actually give much of a sense of the actual scope of the story. We laughed, we cried, we had the urge to watch Who Wants To Be A Millionare. You can’t say that about very many movies. If you haven’t had a chance to see this film yet, we highly recommend catching it before it leaves theaters. It’s one of those movies that’s big enough to warrant paying $10 for a ticket.
On another note, we have to admit that we’re a little disappointed that The Dark Knight didn’t get a nod for best picture. If a superhero film can draw in so many viewers that have never picked up a comic book before in their life, doesn’t that deserve special recognition?
In our humble opinion, fashion meets function is a wonderful thing. Sure, we love to splurge on beautiful goodies as much as the next bitch, but when they actually offer us something aside from the ability to sit there and look pretty? We fall in love.
That’s why we were so excited to hear about a company called Arcadia that’s designing a system for designers to create heated jackets. We don’t know about you, but the quest for finding the perfect winter coat often boils down to a struggle between something that looks good and something that actually helps keep us warm. The idea that we could be bundling up in a system that works like the heated seats in luxury cars makes winter look a whole lot brighter.
The best thing about this step in technology is that Arcadia isn’t actually designing a coat. That’s fine by us–their background is in building fuel cells, not fashion design. While they could certainly come up with an… interesting style, we’re happy to pass. Instead, they are building a warming layer that is intended to be used under an outer shell. That of course is the coat that people will see, and it will be designed by companies that are already known for making quality coats. While this is likely to be aimed at outdoor sports enthusiasts first, not the most fashion-conscious bunch, we hope to see it utilized on the runway-quality fashions someday in the future.
