My Daily O

President Obama branded Wall Street bankers “shameful” on Thursday for giving themselves nearly $20 billion in bonuses as the economy was deteriorating and the government was spending billions to bail out some of the nation’s most prominent financial institutions.

Another reason to love him, that and the way he sits. Do you think the DABA girls are going to have to have a support session about this?

Read the rest of the story here.

French Kiss

I’m all into cute girly French music right now for some reason. It makes me think of pretty pink ruffly dresses and big red balloons and I like thinking about that. Listen to Coeur de Pirate and float away...

Maybe it’s because I love this commercial. Yes when you don’t have cable you actually watch commercials. Did you know that it’s directed by Sofia Coppola? I didn’t until today, proving that despite the nepotism factor, she never fails to impress me.

My Daily O

Dating A Banker Anonymous

This shit is hilarious. Read it. Poor baby girls... See Aaron and Deanna this is why I date losers.

Here's an excerpt from the actual blog. I will have to admit it's pretty entertaining.

This whole messy ordeal has advanced my Botox start date by at least two years. Like every other DABA girl, the economy was wreaking havoc on my relationship and youthful good looks. Phone calls went unanswered, Hamptons invitations un-extended, plans canceled (including, but not limited to, expensive opening night tickets to the ballet, which were scalped instead of being graciously offered to me and a galpal), and so forth and so on. Until – the horror of all horrors – my FBF lost his job, which I guess technically downgrades him to just my BF.

Beach on the Moon

The most perfectly named song ever. So dreamy.

My Daily O

Thanks Sarah.

Remember Them?

Oh the 90s, doesn’t it seem like forever ago? I am sorry but I just couldn’t help but post this picture of probably the most beautiful couple ever to grace such a white bed. Effortless. Sorry Brangelina, Johnny and Kate will always be the epitome of cool — even 10 years after their split.

My Daily O

Here's another reason to like the guy. If only G.W. was like this after 9/11, or well, before.

I will never love you more...

This song by Soko is sweet and horrible and I love it....

It makes me want to write my own list: I will never love you more than NY Mag crosswords, I will never love you more than broccoli rabe, I will never you more than sifting through thrift stores, I will never love you more than dancing in the summer rain, I will never love you more than watching futbol with my brothers, I will never love you more than watching Gossip Girl with my roomies, I will never love you more than Gael and MK, I will never love you more than the two weeks of fall and spring, I will never love you more than sipping a chai latte, I will never love you more than Sundays at Aaron’s, I will never love you more than really short shorts, I will never you love you more than outdoor happy hour, I will never love you more than a long game of scrabble, I will never love you more than boys with beards, I never will love you more than Simon and Garfunkel, I will never love you more than summer night bike rides, I will never love you more than watermelon salad….

My Daily O

Papa B

Random Sunday

These adorable Haitian girls saying their prayers in school make me think about something that I just don’t have — Catholic guilt. And in a somewhat convoluted way that lack of a Christian upbringing goes along with my Sunday revelation that being 27 and not in a relationship is kind of amazing.

My Daily O

Winter Wardrobe

Coats and jackets are like shoes to me, I have a ridiculous amount of them (around 80) but I usually end up wearing one pair all the time while the rest sit and gather dust. It’s sad but true. As for the coats, I usually adopt a new one as my go-to each winter; and this year it’s a classic black pea coat that I alternate between two puffy jackets for when it’s freezing out — my totally-inappropriate-for-
work homeless chic grandma coat that is stained and missing all its buttons or the totally appropriate-for-work-but-makes-me-
feel-dead-inside black puffer from the GAP that Deanna gave me. Anyway, I do have a point; yesterday I randomly decided to wear last year’s go-to item (an old black coat from a friend of my stepmoms who so sweetly gave me her vintage hand-me-downs), and Sunny (the coat maker) appropriately commented that she hadn’t seen that one in a while. Then this morning I came across this lovely picture on The Sartorialist that captures exactly what I love about that coat (especially the girl on the right); how it gathers at the waist then poofs out so slightly. It’s the perfect match for a short skirt and tights. So maybe I will give my pea a break for a bit and re-discover why I love all those beauties hanging in the hall closet. Oh coats, I really could go on about them for days.

P.S. It’s 45 degrees out and sadly, and happily, for us NYCers it’s like a tropical heat wave. So fuck coats.

My Daily O

Who doesn't need a little O everyday...

Barack learns to ride.

J is for Japan

I am reading The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Murakami “Japan’s most highly regarded novelist” so I thought it would be appropriate to dig up some fun facts on the land of the rising sun. Did you know that less than 2% of Japan's population is Christian, but over two thirds of households celebrate Christmas? It’s a day to relax, be with family and go to Kentucky Fried Chicken. Yup Christmas = KFC. Their website even starts taking advance Christmas orders on December 1 and often sells out completely. KFC, referred to as simple "Kentucky" in Japan, is so popular that most people there think it is a Japanese company. But despite their love of fried chicken, approximately 85% of Japanese people have never tasted turkey. Interesting.

Michelle my Belle

So Michelle Obama is now a fashion icon, and I think it is a rightfully awarded title. I may not like everything she wears (hello Election Night Narciso Rodriguez) but the fact is that she takes risks, wears interesting colors and supports small designers. I mean any first lady could throw on a red Ralph Lauren gown and call it a night, but Michelle’s experimental taste takes her to an iconic level. Who else would wear a one-shoulder dress on Inauguration Night? Certainly not Laura Bush. Anyway, my personal favorite aspect of Michelle’s style is that she often wears vintage-inspired dresses, and well, I am a sucker for anything from another era. Michelle’s decade of choice seems to be the 50s. I absolutely adore the dress she wore this morning at a service in the National Cathedral, it was by far my favorite of the week. It’s something I would actually wear, certainly not with flats though. But it’s okay Michelle is six inches taller than me. Are those grapes?

More on Michelle's style here and here.

New Year's Again (Sort of)

I would say the only man that could make me endure two of the things I loath most — the cold and Times Square — would be Barack Obama. But see, despite our frostbitten toes and the massive crowd surrounding us, Sunny and I are happy girls! I have a feeling that most Americans are filled with excitement and pride today no matter what party they are affiliated with. Obama is making the world purple one eloquent and moving speech at a time.

Get Inaugurated

Never did I ever think I would be excited to go to Times Square, but I am off to join the masses and watch our man be sworn in as the President of the United States of America. I still can't even believe this is happening. Yay Obama!

Seeing Blue

In Oklahoma, where not a single county voted Obama, attitudes about his presidency are now softening. “I’ve come to think the better man won,” said Leonard Nelson.

Read more here.

Random Sunday

I know it's a little late, but it's perfectly excusable because it's a three day weekend. Happy MLK Day! I had a strange weekend, completely anticlimactic. Had so many random plans and nothing materialized whatsoever. Maybe it was because of the terrible cold, maybe it was just because. Anyway, all it ended up involving was myself and a book, a very good book at that. Thank you Daniel. I am sure I will go into more detail later. Anyway, my one outing was a night of bingo, so I guess this Sunday post wasn't so random.

Remember Them?

Weird facts (maybe) I learned from Perez Hilton. It’s for work I swear!

1) Joaquin Pheonix, who just used to be so dreamy, has kissed acting goodbye for the world of music. This isn’t what surprised me — I just thought he was still running with the whole Johnny Cash thing. But no, in fact my man is making a rap album and P Diddy is producing it. What? Really? Really? What?

2) It appears that the ex possible first lady, Cindy McCain, was in talks to be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars and was super excited about it, until Mr. Frankenstein arms himself (bless his heart) put his little tiny foot down. Well, I know I wouldn’t really want my wife to go on DWTS, but that is for completely different reasons than John. He probably just didn’t want to get hounded by the press for how he never appeared in the audience. I mean, this is the man who didn’t notice that his wife had a drug problem. Poor Cindy, this could have finally been the attention she deserves, and she probably would have been hilarious. Does Botox affect your balance?

Can We Have Soul Birthday Party?

Who doesn’t love soul music? Well if you don’t, you are just silly. It’s the only music that makes you dance—other than house and a little e in 1998—no matter what. So I say Happy Birthday to Motown with the highest of gratitude for making people shake it for 50 years. God I want to go to a Soul Birthday Party tonight!

Diana Ross & The Supremes were Berry Gordy's models of beauty and class during the 1960s and 70s when the group became Motown's most commercially successful act with 12 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

More Motown facts here.

D is for Denmark...Again

One of the many things on the long list of reasons why I hate New York winters is that I don’t get to ride my bike. My ex, who never went anywhere without his wheels no matter the temperature, used to get annoyed that mine always went into a winter hibernation. But truthfully, as much as I love riding through Brooklyn on a beautiful day, I just get too cold come winter time. But maybe I should suck it up and change my ways; I just found out that 80% of people in Copenhagen ride their bikes all year-round despite the snow, sleet, wind and rain. And, Denmark has topped the World's Happiest People surveys for the past 20 years. Coincidence?

P.S. Last night was the coldest it’s been in NYC in three years. Brrr.

Thanks A CUP OF JO.

Speaking of Sisters

I am so lucky to have so much of my family with me in NYC. I never thought it would be this way, being a California girl and all. But seriously I don't know how I would deal with out Dad, Jackie, Aaron, Deanna, Maisie and baby India. I spent a lot of time with them all over the holidays of course, here are some pics:

Midweek Movie

I snuck away and saw Rachel Getting Married yesterday and although there were scenes that caused more anxiety than last night’s drama and parts that moved at a snail’s pace, I really enjoyed it. The juxtaposition of the sad life that Kim has lead and the beautiful life that her sister Rachel is beginning, makes for the perfect bittersweet recipe. Not to mention that the wedding was pretty much exactly how I want mine to be, well minus the sari wedding and bridesmaid dresses and of course the sister in rehab (even the mom was like my mom). A backyard, a bbq, amazing live music and all your friends and family; what more could a girl ask for? Now I just have to get my dad to buy a big house upstate and well, go track down the dude from TV on the Radio. Oh and one last thing about the film, it really made me wonder what my life would be like if I had a sister. There is a bond between sisters that I will never know, it’s something that shapes who you are. It’s so intriguing; I guess I will just have to live vicariously through Maisie and India.

If Only I Lived in Austrailia

I need this. That is all I have to say.

Say Prune

Little baby India is already taking after her crazy auntie. Trouble.

While I’m on the Bush Tip

I love this quote from the guy who's collected all Bush’s verbal slip-ups dating back to his first Presidential campaign in 1999 (there's been over 500):

“People often assume that because I've spent the past nine years collecting Bushisms, I must despise George W. Bush. To the contrary, Bushisms fill me with affection for the man—and not just because of the income stream they've generated. I find the Bush who flails with words, unlike the Bush who flails with policy, to be an endearing character. Instead of a villain, he makes himself into an irresistible buffoon, like Mrs. Malaprop, Archie Bunker, or Homer Simpson. Bush treats words the way he treated recalcitrant European leaders: When they won't do what he wants them to, he tries to bully them into submission.”

Ever since I saw W I have kind of (yes just kind of) feel the same way. Read his top 25 Bushisms here.

A Whole New Bush

I was actually kind of speechless after I watched this — he is kind of funny and sarcastic and smug and real. Still Bush, still a douche, but certainly a more candid and honest one. Watch it; my favorite line is at the end when he’s asked about retirement. It’s also pretty good when he mimics people wallowing in self-pity. And did he always have a lisp?

Happy New Year Part Deux!

The day has finally come where I can truly start living like it is 2009. After many nights at my desk with a glass of wine (or maybe two) and many days with a bit of a hangover staring at my computer screen trying to formulate sentences that somehow show the true me, I have completed and submitted my application to Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. It’s gone. Done. There is nothing I can change now. If I get in I am stoked, if I don’t, well I will probably breathe a sigh of relief. We will just have to wait and see.

But now, I have no excuse; I have to go back to being a social normal person that doesn’t wear the same sweatpants all weekend only leaving her house to go to the bodega. But more importantly, I have to start on all those New Year things people do. I have the usual resolutions: smoke less, drink less, eat less, workout more, blah blah blah. But this year I am more focused on some goals or just shit I need to get done. Here's my list:

*Apply to grad school (check!)
*Learn how to play chess (dad is gonna teach me)
*Take pictures with my new camera (other than at my parties)
*Meet someone who keeps me interested (in a good way)
*Keep someone interested (in a good way)
*Sew all the clothes in the bag underneath my desk (finally)
*Take weekend day trips (yay Mary’s car!)
*Make my bed everyday (been doing good so far)
*Take advantage of all the art in New York City (this weekend)

Random Sunday

Although this picture was taken in Venice in 1984 it reminds me of when I was in Spain and it rained— all the women had colorful, vibrant, usually floral umbrellas and all the men had black ones. That was just the way it went. I remember seeing a bunch of older women huddled in a circle in the plaza in the rain, all you could see was bright patterns and little feet.

Someone Almost Made Me a Table, Once

For some reason this story really made me smile. Maybe because it’s about the Brooklyn Navy Yard right behind my house, but not really—it’s just nice to know that even with our shitty economy, small random businesses are thriving, or at least surviving. Picturing two or three guys in some warehouse making beautiful wooden shelving (which is so much more lovely than picturing some factory line), you might think that in a recession they would be the first to go. But in fact, niche manufactures are making it. These guys quite often sell their products locally, fucking the mass market. And there is just something incredibly sexy about a man who works with his hands. Yes?

P.S. Will someone please get rid of the snow so I can stop listening to Bon Iver?

I is for Israel

A few things I pulled from an article on the Huffington Post in which a timeline shows that Israel broke the ceasefire, not Hamas:

"We have no solution, you shall continue to live like dogs, and whoever wishes may leave, and we will see where this process leads." - Moshe Dayan, former Israeli Minister of Defense speaking about Palestinians in the occupied territories

• Israel, contrary to popular opinion, never left the Gaza strip and still controls taxation, the sea, air and land borders. If China had the same control over the United States, would Bard understand if Americans wanted to defend itself?
• Israel cannot bomb schools and hospitals just because it believes Hamas may be hiding there. It is a direct violation of international law, and therefore constitutes a war crime.

And finally here is a quote from Khalid Mish'al the head of the Hamas political bureau:

“Our message to the Israelis is this: we do not fight you because you belong to a certain faith or culture. Jews have lived in the Muslim world for 13 centuries in peace and harmony; they are in our religion "the people of the book" who have a covenant from God and His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) to be respected and protected. Our conflict with you is not religious but political. We have no problem with Jews who have not attacked us - our problem is with those who came to our land, imposed themselves on us by force, destroyed our society and banished our people.”

P.S. My roommate told me last night that Israel receives more foreign aid from the U.S. than the entire African continent. Hmmmm.

H is for Haiti

It may be beautiful but it is a sad, sad place with chronic problems. One of the worst places for women to live in the world. Here are some sad, sad facts. Makes you realize how spoiled we really are. Well, at least all you need is a ball to play soccer.

• Haiti is the third hungriest country in the world after Somalia and Afghanistan
• The richest 1% of the population controls nearly half of all of Haiti’s wealth
• The poorest country in the western hemisphere
• The world’s fourth poorest country in the world
• Ranks 146 out of 173 on the United Nations Human Development Index
• Has a life expectancy of 52 years for women and 48 for men
• Adult literacy is about 50%
• Unemployment is 70%
• 85% of Haitians live on less than $1 U.S. per day.
• Haiti ranks 38 out of 195 for under five mortality rate.

Do You Miss Her?

Sometimes we all need a little bit of this cunt (sorry) in our lives, it’s just not the same making fun of the chicks on The Bachelor. So Sarah Palin is back and she actually tells us which publications she reads and why she couldn’t let us know before, well, sort of. My favorite part is when she says that a "grizzly rises up in her" when she hears Tina Fey make fun of her daughter. Oh that’s good, I need to use that phrase, gosh darn it.

What You Don't Know About Gaza

Interesting and informative facts. Read on my friend.

Snow Day

Why is Bon Iver such perfect music for when it’s snowing sideways out my window? I don’t know, maybe because he wrote it in a remote Wisconsin cabin, I’m assuming surrounded by snow. Oh boys from Wisconsin, such trouble.

P.S. The Working Class party was last night and it went off fabulously. It really does seem that each time it just gets better and better, and that just feels good.

Beach House

Listening to the Baltimore band Beach House’s album “Devotion” on this rainy Wednesday is just perfect. Rightfully so, the music is ethereal and dreamy and makes you feel like you’re (or at least you should be) floating in a pool looking out over the ocean, with a warm valium breeze blowing past. Of course I would also be wearing a head scarf, over-sized sunglasses and sipping on some sort of refreshing elixir as I gaze into the sunset. But you know what, at the same time, I could just be sitting staring at the snow fall outside the window of my log cabin sedated in blankets. Either way, it involves solitude and daydreaming. If you haven’t already, listen. I love them.

Remember Him?

Oh Eliot Spitzer is back from the dead and criticizing Obama’s “New New Deal” in which Mr. Pres wants to invest in the bridges and roads that hold our country together. Spitzer on the other hand thinks those roads and bridges are a lost cause, and that we should instead invest in robots, well sort of. Read it here, it's interesting and he has some good points. Maybe he would have been able to use them in the future if he didn’t, you know.

I almost felt sorry for Spitzer with the whole prostitute deal—sure a man likes to get laid by someone other than his wife and has such power that he thinks it’s his right to do so—not to say that it’s right but I get it. And that doesn’t devalue his ideas or make him a bad politician. But then you throw in the whole hypocrite deal, and any feeling sorry for him is out the window. As the attorney general for the state of New York his thing was prosecuting prostitution rings and their patrons, he was that guy. So yeah, he might have a valid point but is anyone listening?

Random Sunday

If only we could be riding bikes and swimming, instead of trying to find plastic to seal my windows and keep some of that expensive heat in.