heart shaped rocks

Shiloh and I agree, this is not okay:

For shame, Longchamp. For shame.

We do not like it when a classic, elegant brand turns around and le sells out.

Le horrible!

We had the distinct honor of being invited to the Nordstrom Grand Opening Event at their new store in the Burlington Mall on Wednesday night!

The Good: It was fabulous. The evening began at 6:30 with passed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, as well as buffet tables and open bar throughout at the store.

The two full-length fashion shows featured the latest designs by Milly (adore), Vince (snore), Missoni (yuck), Diane Von Fustenberg (yum), and St. John (surprisingly adorable), to list a few. These 20 minute shows gave us ample opportunity to put all our reality TV watching to good use by making snarky comments on the models’ walks and the designers’ designs.

Miss J and Nina Garcia would be so proud!

During the fashion show, the tables were reset for dessert, featuring the most delicious lemon bars, chocolate tarts, glasses of mousse, and even “smores on a stick.” Delectable.

The Bad: Juggling plates of salmon and giant sugar-rimmed peachtinis is relatively dangerous around the pseudo couture. One juggling act resulted in a thai shrimp skipping down my pencil skirt. buffets are dangerous! Also, buffets (like Amtrak stations) bring out the worst in a crowd. They need to pick ONE end of the table to load with plates and silverware. Otherwise people will flow from both ends along the buffet, resulting in a traffic jam in the middle, with all parties feeling self-righteous and impatiently glaring at each other while vying for the salad tongs. Just a suggestion.

The Ugly: Imagine this: you are dressed to the nines, teetering back to the coat check after innumerable glasses of champagne and peachtinis, when you see it: the wall of giant silver boxes. THE GIFT BAG. Your mind swims with the possibilities: tiny pots of La Mer, mini bottles of Laura Mercier liquid liner, a vial of the new Chanel Chance perfume (totally snagging this for summer by the way), maybe even a free makeup gift set. Your smile widens in delight as you struggle into your coat and charge towards the gift box. It is passed into your grip like the Olympic torch and you stumble along until you’re an acceptable distance before, heart pounding, adrenaline coursing through your veins, you rip it open to reveal…a commemorative plate. and a tacky, doodled “girly” plate that looks like an embarassing dailycandy illustration ripoff.

(shudder).

Facebook, you are amazing.  We all know this.  The stalking possibilities are endless. Suddenly I have the ability to know what someone I went to high school dresses their child in.  I know people are fans of Wawa.  I know they are having a bad day.  I know that their favorite quote is so stupid that it should not be put on the internet.  I know they frequent websites where they can download images of cats doing stupid sh*t (please tell me why do these exist).  You are a crucial weapon in the daily battle of procrastination.  I applaud you, Facebook.

However,  you are constantly coming up with ridiculous ploys to waste more time on the site.  Its incredible, really.  I don’t want to know what SATC character I am (see Shiloh’s earlier post), I don’t want to Superhug someone, I don’t need to see what Videos someone loves.

However, your latest invention is the best of all.  Starting this week, I noticed that my News Feed page now includes a little column called “People You May Know.” Umm Facebook.  These people fall into 3 categories:

People I do not know and do not want to know.
People I know of but would NEVER. FREAKING. FRIEND.
People I know, decide to “Friend”, and who will wonder wtf I am friending them.

As you can see, all of these situations are extremely awkward.  There is a reason I am not friends with these people already. CLEARLY.  Why are you doing this Facebook?  Do you want some random person that once ignored me on campus to get a Friend Request from me?  Do you want me to meet people I hate? Do you want me to feel that heinous awkward cringe as I hit “Submit Friend Request”?

I hope you don’t want these things, Facebook.  I love you but I hope you want the best for me.

Dear Boston,

What’s the deal with Downtown Crossing. I meeeean, i understand the history of this old “department store district” and that is cool. But now it looks like the park threw up after a night of drinking. Are you going for a Yin and Yang feeling Beacon Hill on one side, Downtown Crossing on the other?

A Scenario: I am a tourist. I just flew into Logan and excited to see the city. I look at the T map and think, Hmm where to stop? State Street? No. Government Center? No. Charles MGH? NO. Downtown Crossing? Sounds Great! I lug my bags onto the bus that takes me to the silver line where I struggle on to the red line. What do I get when I pop out from the underground? This??? A ratastic CVS an old Macy’s and a HUGE empty building. This Is Downtown Crossing??? I would turn around and go home. All the way back. to Russia.

Can we risk that type of word of mouth about our city!? These tourist are going to go home to Russia and tell all their comrades that Boston is a dump. We are in real trouble here.

Sincerely,

Shiloh

Here is an excerpt from Howards websitetoday recaping this mornings show.

“Howard started off the show saying he’d try to be in a good mood today, as some problems with his TiVo set him off yesterday. Howard admitted that he knew it was gay to get so upset over missing an episode of “The Biggest Loser,” but he couldn’t help himself.”

I just find Howard Stern amusing. period. I feel like this is something I have to defend, something embarrassing.  If someone asked me at a dinner party I would fully deny that I listen to that filth. I would even go so far as to join in on the commentary of how he is a despicable character. Yet every morning I look forward to my commute knowing that Howard and his crazy group of side kicks will entertain me as I navigate the pot holes of Boston.

Here’s how i see it. I listen to Howard with my Rose Colored glasses on (so to speak. I would never wear heinous rose tinted shades, a la J. LO). I ignore the fact that he exploits women by making them take their clothes off and just enjoy his quirky idiosyncrasies and his Robin banter.  I am listening for three things  a) the guests b) the Whack Pack c) Artie Lang.

a) Thursday Adam Durst was a guest with his band Counting Crows. I got to learn a little about how Adam is a lot crazy! Regardless of the fact that Adam is on a “fruit salad of medication” and the fact that he was wearing a bunny suit during the interview, absolute fact: everyone loves Counting Crows. Who hasn’t locked themselves in their room on a drab day and listened to August and Everything After on repeat? Hours later, having written three drafts of your suicide note, luckily Mr. Jones comes on for the 13th time; you snap back into reality, realize there isn’t really anything in your life to be that depressed about, and walk out the door to meet your friends. Even though you were one “Round Here” away from bringing the hairdryer with you into the tub you still look back and think “man I love that CD.”

My point is Counting Crows was on Howard Stern because they have released a whole NEW CD of dark lullaby music to coddle you into your most introspective state.  Reviews agree that the new album conveys the same bleak lyrics and somber tunes, that do not disappoint. Pick up your copy of Saturday Nights and Sunday mornings. Do not miss, Counting Crows touring this summer with Maroon 5.  

I am very excited for this concert because I love Maroon 5 and Counting Crows. Probably because these were two bands I love when being depressed was a hobby of mine.

 b) I wish i could lump a few of my friends into a group and just call them the Whack Pack. I would always refer to them in a clump and everyone would know exactly who I was talking about.

I could say “Oh i was hanging out with the “Whack Pack” and People would nod and think of us all in a clump doing something crazy. Howard’s whack pack is more eccentric because many of them are mentally retarded. I will not elaborate on the comedy. Just use your imagination.

 c) Artie Lang is disgusting as a human-being but I find his wit to be in tip-top shape.

Even though 90% of his contribution is plugging his comedy tour the 10% that is comedic is really great.

I might be the only twenty-something, educated, female, not driving a semi truck, to be listening to Howard Stern but I hope to find others.

ps.

Howard Stern went to BU.

Adam Durst is a University of California Berkeley Fanatic. He can be seen wandering around campus and Memorial Stadium during every football game.

Hello all Heart Shaped Readers…we have spoken of our love for all things Harry and of course the wonderful Emma Watson.  Word is that the next Potter Movie, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (Movie 6) will be released on November 21st, 2008.  Get your popcorn and calendars out!  Heres the only production picture so far from the movie I have found….

Can’t wait! Emma, lets be friends!

Also- latest news says that the last movie, Deathly Hallows, will be released in two parts, as they can’t get everything into one movie.  Part One will be released in 2010.

Harry Mania! Dream!

OK, so I totally ranked on American Idol. I know I did. But last night when those kids started crooning I found myself drawn in. Well, I flicked back and forth between that and Biggest Loser.  Thats about as much drawing in as AI can muster.

Not lots to say but the Idols sucked way less this week than last week. And how awesome was David Cook’s interpretation of “Billie Jean”? It was pretty cool. As Randy would say yo yo you dawg, yo, check it out….

I thought it was cool and innovative.  That little David kid looked like he was in Enchanted singing “How Will I Know” or whatever that song is.  Cheeseball “America” songs will not be tolerated.

OK, and on this week’s Biggest BooHoo, I mean..Biggest Loser.  This week the women kicked as$! Wahoo!  It was great to see them at the top of that screen after 100 minutes of filler.  Spoiler Alert–Dan was kicked off this week and the crying made a river that floated him back to his mom, house, and snack foods.  The cockiness of the Blue Team was really starting to get to me.  I mean, take that down a notch.  Like DOWN BELOW THE YELLOW LINE, YEAH.  Anyway, even though the show is filled with tears and wayy long, it always gets me to the gym.  Losers, you look great!

Is there any chance this movie will be good?

We are really rooting for Jim and George but I am just not sure if this movie concept will really appeal to a mass audience. Or any audience. I’m not going to mention Licence to Wed. If you read our site you know how I feel about Mandy Moore. John Krasinski made a definite upgrade on his co-stars when he signed on with George Clooney. Good work. I am just still stumped why George would agree to work with someone who makes him look so short. George is looking like a Matthew McConaughey or a Tom Cruise out there.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for this one. We HEART John(Jim from the office).

ps I am sure you all know this but John is from Boston!! His father is actually a doctor in Newton. I am still working on getting an appointment.

Hello all HeartShaped Readers!

Not too much time today for posting, but wanted to spread the excitement for my favorite part of the year. Red Sox season!

I love the Red Sox. Period. Now, just 10 years ago I hated baseball and thought it was the most boring sport on the face of the planet, or perhaps tied with Curling (what is that by the way?). But by 2003, I was loving it, and so was AppleHubs–suddenly he had a sports fan wife. However, I don’t have to tell you that 2003 was not the perfect year to fall hard in love with the Sox. By the time Aaron Boone hit his homer I was so obsessed that that night I cried like a little baby all the way across the country in our new little apartment over a Hot Tub Store in Santa Barbara. Luckily I only had to wait one year to experience the pure joy of a World Series win. Wahoo! These days being a Sox fan is totally different, as referenced by many articles lately. But it all comes down to the love of the players and the game. Last years successful series was just so fun to watch–the younger guys, the veterans, everyone coming together.

Now you can say I am not a real fan cause I didn’t suffer through like 60 years of misery. But I can definitely tell you the love I have for the Sox is real. I mean, how can you not love these faces??

This week the Sox started off their season in Japan. AppleHubs and I DVRed the games at 3AM and yesterday morning woke up Christmas morning style to watch with the morning coffee. TRAGEDY. DVR snafu taped black screen for 3 hours. Damm. You. AT&T. (For so many reasons). Anyway, I then watched SportsCenter for like 80 minutes to catch the highlights. It was worth it! Amazing game, Manny being Manny, close-ups of hotter than possible Jacoby Ellsbury, happy Dice-K. YES. Life is Good Again!

For all the wonder of Red Sox Nation, visit the archive of our beloved SportsGuy and check out faves like “$14 million Grand Slam” and “Destination Destiny”.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/subject/archive

Sox, we love you. We’ll try to watch every minute–unless work gets in the way (boo). See you next week in Oakland! I’ll be the one with the silly grin a million rows up!

Everyone knows the Golden Age of travel is O-V-A. And never is that more apparent than when you’re idling on a runway in a Delta branded tin can, listening to the Screaming Baby Octette. So if they can’t be first in comfort, luxury, customer service, or on-time departure and arrivals, at least Delta can be first in “Airline video with the most YouTube hits.”

And it’s all thanks to this little lady:

She’s a real Delta flight attendant and instructor at their flight attendant academy, and her cheeky finger-wagging in the No Smoking section has earned her quite a fan base. They’ve had over 300,000 hits on this video.

I have to wonder if her popularity has anything to do with her resemblance to a certain sultry office manager:

Joan from Mad Men.

Hmm. You decide.

In the meantime, please return your seat backs to the upright position, and check out the video: