Pues Mira Que Llegó el Otoño

Brrrrr, mis bonitos!  I know Tony Perkins mentioned that this morning's temperature of 50° F would be the highest we'd see today, but where did the wind come from?  It's hard to blow some casheesh on clothes for oneself when one's eyes are watery.  But the cold did inspire me to buy the preppiest (in camel) Spanish autumn outfit ever.  Cute, non?  It'll be perfect for happy ho' with Nykelpiga and Shatterproof tonight at Black Jack.  I hope handlebar-mustachioed bartender/manager Jack likes the get-up.  I might have a slight crush on him.  But don't tell the Jayhawk.  He gets jealous.

(Photo: The Dance of the Leaves when the Autumn Winds Blow by Joseph Brauer.  All rights reserved.)

A L’Excès, For Sure

Lovin' how Iggy Pop is le nouveau visage for Paco Rabbane's new Black XS L’Excès fragrances.  I have a feeling that many moments during our long weekend in Vegas (T minus 14 hours until the Town Car picks Shatterproof, the Jayhawk, and me up...yes, I got a Town Car to give us a ride to the airport; go big or go home, mis bonitos) will be black(ed out) in excess.  Yay!

Pretty Pictures Version 03.06.10

So, I was watching MhZ's Strictly Global before I decided to die slowly with the Twisted Thistle last night and thought these pictures would be pretty to look at.  Quite Brit retro and Caprica (I know I'm a nerd for loving that show) coming out of LA.  The people say that fashion is circular and comes around every 20 years.  With the Interwebs it's probably more like 10 now.  And these tunes are a testament to that.  Health with "Die Slow." 

Pretty Pictures Version 06.05.09

Sorry to have missed you last weekend, Danny B. And to have missed you wearing The District's purple glitter platform boots at the P-Rat. It was good talking to you drunky on the phone, though. Here are some Pretty Pictures for you to make up for it: Bat for Lashes with "Daniel."

No More Candy

Of the Daily Candy variety. My computer don’t like them. Good computer.

As for putt-putt golf on Hipster Alley? I love putt-putt golf, but keep them Indie Rock Fecktards (IRFTs™) away. Oh, gawd, like the girl I saw on the bus the other morning. Cute as a button with the jet black hair with bangs and black plastic-framed glasses and stuff. Just adorable in her Ugly Betty outfit. But then she whipped out her Blackberry to text and check e-mail the entire bus ride to work out of her Coach hobo bag that was in her Ralph Lauren tote. Logos everywhere. Yes, I judged.

(™ property of Bosox. Used with permission.)

Pretty Pictures Version 05.22.09

Today's Pretty Pictures immediately made me think of Lady LaLa and all of the great shoes she's got. If I has shoes like hers, I wouldn't take them off either. Except when I've got a hot-feet hangover attack. Then I can't wait to take them off. But I'm usually at work when that happens, and taking off my shoes then isn't really appropriate, though. Which makes the hot feet absolutely unbearable. Ugh! Much like today after having tied one on with Shatterproof during our impromptu U Street bar crawl last night. Much love to Maryna, Lili, and Tisha. My ladies rock. Here's Tiga with "Shoes."

Pretty Pictures Version 03.02.09

Just a little something to take our minds off the cold and curl up to on the couch with our Snuggies (or Lippi Selk Bags or Sleeping Bears or even our Pantalaine Couch Dresses): Fanfarlo with "Fire Escape."

As an aside: This whole blanket/sleeping bag/keeping warm while lounging garb thing has really gone too far. Please let the warm weather get here so the insanity will finally stop! Where's Susan Powter when you need her?

Forget Oscar Fashions

Obama fashions are much better. Jeebus, they look awesome in this photo! They could make a Snuggie look good, though (even though the Snuggie is so December 2008; the Lippi Selk Bag is where it's at now, mis bonitos). Sean Penn said it alright: We most definitely have an elegant President in the White House. Thank goodness.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Pretty Pictures Version 02.22.09

Staying up until 3ayem watching Karl Lagerfeld talk too fast in French about his German mother and living the Chanel lifestyle while holding onto his childhood pillow for dear life to keep his tummy from getting upset had me awake last night but has me quite sleepy today. Today's Pretty Pictures describe my current state perfectly, then: School of Seven Bells with "Half Asleep."

Them's the Breaks

Much like the world economy, my Internets were broken for the past few days. And it was no bueno, mis bonitos. I've spent my time watching endless hours of reruns on HGTV, Food Network, and the Travel Channel, and being educated on the horrors of child abuse in Spain thanks to the lack of Web access and the lack of new episodes of my shows on regular network TV. But I did learn that no recession is a good recession and that no good magenta is a real magenta. Both are mind tricks, much like how HTC is tricking me by releasing their new GPhone on Vodafone and Telefónica with no plans to let us officially play with it here in the States. HTC: I love you. Why do you do you toy with me so? I want some Magic in my life, too.* At least Art Lebedev will let me have some verbal time in my life. For $211.54. But I can still have it.

Back to the magenta thing for a second, though. If magenta isn't a real color, then what color is this blog? And what color is my new argyle sweater that I hold so dear? I thought I was being all non-DC and cool by owning it. Does this now mean that I'm totally anti-cool because I'm simply imagining that the sweater even exists? And have I fooled those around me by seeing it, too? Or maybe it's the ultimate in mind tricks that Banana Republic's got us all believing in the sweater? Curses to you, retail fashion sorcerers!

(*Article en español)

Update!: Magenta is a color, after all.

How Did This Happen?

How did Boston Steamer receive a friendlier family rating than we did? We got a PG for use of the word "bitch" three times and the word "kill," onetime. I don't remember using either word, but the robot widgets know more than I ever will. Them robots are taking over soon, for real.

I wonder what our rating will be by posting what Uncle Karl had to say the other day regarding the crazy PETA people and their disdain for fur in fashion. Oh, Uncle Karl...Such a way with words he has.

(Rating courtesy of oneplusyou)

¿Qué pasa, USA?

First comes word from Overland Park that trouble's brewing just underneath the official surface over at Sprint. And then comes word that even Uncle Karl is feelin' the pinch in the economy (in his own special way, bien sur). What's happening in this pretty world of ours?

Let Your Body Move to the Music

This is the story: Vogue took out a full 2-page ad in the Sunday Times proclaiming how everything is hunky dory there. Does this smack of desperation to anyone other than me? Although maybe Uncle Karl directed Anna to take out the ad to prove to the world that the economy doesn't touch him or her. I wonder if Carine took the move as Anna's "bring it, bizzatch."

L'économie? Ce que l'économie?

Oh, Uncle Karl. L'économie ne te touche pas. I wish I could say the same for me.

Gimme Gimme #1

We're (I'm) starting a new category now that we're entering the Season of Receiving.

First on my list, I want Uncle Karl on me! Or on my finger, more specifically. And while I'm at it, I might as well ask for a Finger Anna, Finger Rei, Finger Doe, and Finger Yves to keep all my digits warm. Ooh! How about gloves with all of their faces on them? Even better!

But please keep Uncle Valentino away from me. He might rub off like he did on poor SJP. ¡Fóchila!

The Chicken or the Egg?

Hmmm...What kind of racket does Crate & Barrel think they got going on here? Looks like C&B wanted to compete against West Elm's fancy Lutz & Patmos pillows and throws by knocking off Simone Shailes' designs instead of just collaborating with her like TopShop is. Tssk, tssk...It looks like peeps at C&B are getting lumps of coal in their stockings for Santa Claus Day. And they can even buy them off their own catalog! Nice.

Fashion Ba-rocks!

Who da style icon? Not just Michelle. Barack's rockin' his own fashion scene. We've all been reading about how Obama's going to bring the cool back to DC. Well, he's promising to bring the cool style back to town, too. Of course, Hart Schaffner Marx gloating that I, too, can look "Presidential" if I wear their clothes is a bit much, but it's a brutal out there for retailers right now, so latching onto our new hope in politics makes sense as a business move. And they do have some demmed nice ties. Just sayin'.

Japi Bersdei

Vogue Russia!

These are too cute and remind me of how my dad and I lost a bidding war with some Canadian tourists for a set of Russian dolls the Russian sailors were selling off when the Grand Regatta Columbus '92 was in San Juan. I hated them Canadians for getting the dolls, but we made out with some pretty awesome lacquer boxes, so I guess it all evened out in the end.

(Photo courtesy of my daily morning read, Fashionista)

Toros y Julie y Karl, Olé(stra)!

I forgotted to mention that the Jayhawk and I went to Bodega in Gtown on Monday night for dinner. The space is actually really nice with that whole retro-modern/contempo take on tradition vibe going on. And the menu was good. I mean, it's no Jaleo, but there are very few places that can wannabe Jaleo. We had all hot tapas because it was cold as fuzz out. The tortilla española good but was also all about the tangy mayo sauce that came with it. The croquetas de pollo were good and creamy but way too hot in temperature and not at all in spice (not that croquetas are spoda be spicy, but add some flava to them, onetime). The pulpitos were way overdone and way powdered in paprika (not cute). The butifarra catalana with the stewed white beans were amazing, though. The sausage was so nice and gamy, and the beans were perfectly savory and tender. The albóndigas estofadas (meatballs) were just that (meatballs with not much going on for them). The piquillo peppers stuffed with scallops and mushrooms were much better. And the creamy saffron rice with the grilled shrimp were right up there with the Catalan sausage. Overall: decent. Not a place I'd rush back to (or even go back to). But a place I'd recommend trying. Hey, can't be any worse that any of the places surrounding it, right? Mr. Smith's? Garrett's? Blech. Run away from that.

Just like the Cowardly Lion. He's got a new book out! Don't run away from that (especially when thinking about what to get the Mango for his birfday, you know?).

Oh, and Bodega's bread was good, too. Crusty but not mangle-the-roof-of-your-mouth crusty. Which I'm sure Uncle Karl would appreciate since he apparently only eats fake bread to go with his fake butter (scroll down like halfway down the page). Looks like he and Rosa Inés del Pilar (my little hermana, Juliette) got something in common. He'd be mortified.

It's Cool, Daddy O

So I heard from Miss Veeda at the bus stop tonight that Barack and Michelle are going to be in town on Monday to meet with the Bushies for some QT. Which means that downtown's gonna be all kinds of on lock down. But it also means that the electricity in the air will be full on. And hopefully the coolness factor will be getting on, as well. And how can it not, really? This town's suffered through 8 years of unhipness with its Texas tuxes and ladies who fur. But now that we have a President-Elect that even Silvio Berlusconi admires, we have nowhere to go but up on the snap factor (no matter what people say about Michelle's wardrobe choices). Bring it on, cool cat. "Giovane, bello, e abbronzato," indeed.