Spend a Couple Hours »Ultrasound

As you may know, this March I'm going to become the proud auntie of a sure to be fabulous and amazing little boy (name TBD). It's thrilling and a bit surreal but it became more real when I accompanied my sister to her latest ultrasound. The images are staggering and I love the little guy – who was quite a squirmy wormy – with all my heart.

Today's technology, with its new-fangled 3D imaging is pretty astonishing, and I swear I can already see a bit of a resemblance. The appointment was at Lenox Hill and the staff was very friendly and helpful.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

Style Icons: Female »Tammi Terrell

The sudden death of Tammi Terrell was one of the biggest tragedies in American soul music. Only 24, the songstress who found fame and happiness singing along side Marvin Gaye died of a brain tumor after collapsing in Gaye's arms on stage. He went on to record the timeless and classic What's Going On while grappling with the loss.

Her adorable smile and affable stage presence, which would have surely taken her through a very successful career, can be appreciated on a few television performances you can find online.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

Recipes »Pasta with Squash, Sausage and Goat Cheese

It was hard not to be too gluttonous with this recipe of Pasta with Squash, Sausage and Goat Cheese. Another excellent dish from Use Real Butter, this is scrumptous and was absolutely perfect for the ungodly freezing temperatures we have been surprised with lately. The original recipe calls for summer squash and rigatino but we adapted with butternut squash and macaroni. Call it the winterized version and love it.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

TV Shows »Trial and Retribution

Even with the prestigious name of Lynda La Plante attached to Trial and Retribution (she is behind the absolutely amazing Helen Mirren series Prime Suspect), I didn't know if I could expect much more than a Law and Order with accents. I was so wrong. Each episode is about four hours long and explores the emotions, investigation and the prosecution of a single crime exhaustively. Compellingly, you're never quite one hundred percent positive of the suspect's guilt or innocence until the end.

So far we've only seen the first series, starring Danny Deckchair (AKA Rhys Ifans) as a drunken weirdo who quickly becomes the prime suspect in the brutal murder of a young girl. The violence both implied and shown is a bit much for the weak-stomached, but it doesn't feel gratuitous; though the recurring split screen technique kind of does at times. Sometimes it works, but often it doesn't add anything to the story.

As with most BBC shows, the acting is great and I'm really looking forward to seeing more of this intelligent series.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

Places to Visit »Rockaway Shore Park

Weather thwarted all my planned beach days this summer, but I was determined last weekend to spend part of the last warm-ish day of the year near the ocean. After dropping off a bud at JFK, the Rockaway boardwalk was the most convenient place to take in a little salt air and, for a moment at least, relaxed by the sound of the waves crashing to shore.

It was too cold to actually go in the water, unless you were one of the brave surfers out there, but it's a peaceful place to stroll. Not much in way of snack and shopping in the nearby area, but there is a pretty sweet skateboarding park filled with hip little kids.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

Spend a Couple Minutes »Fille de Joie

Late one recent Friday night I got a photo sent to me of a MEnniquin, a long haired, turbaned, vintage clad mannequin that bore a strange and strong resemblance to me, style-wise. I was intrigued for sure, but I really took notice when I noticed there was a wild cat hanging from her neck. I found out where the store was located and went the very next day. The lady felt even more like me in the light of day and we were all a little taken aback, but her wonderful wooden necklace was still there, ready for me to buy.

The shop is Fille de Joie, and while the place is a tad on the pricey side, it's really well styled and the pieces are pretty fantastic. If I had had a pile of cash burning in a hole in my pocket I could have easily walked out with a new wing to my wardrobe. A black cornered hat is still eating at my mind.

P.S. Don't let the awkward cougar window dance featured on their website turn you off too much from visiting.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

Restaurants »Mercat Negre

It's a rare thing when you can feast and graze for three hours at a restaurant and still enjoy full, helpful and cheery cooperation from the staff. Mercat in the city has always been a favorite spot with myself and friends for such a purpose on birthdays and other special occasions, and the new Mercat Negre Williamsburg location was ideal to celebrate a dear friend's recent visit to the city since moving to LA several months ago. Everything from the drinks to the dessert was great – you can't go wrong ordering – but I'll help?you out with some absolute must haves.

Begin with an array of empanadas, croquettes, and bombas, follow with the fried potatoes with alioli (which are far better than the ones we tried when the Manhattan location first opened), make sure to get the?cod entr?e, the sardines on bread, and please – for your own sake and happiness, do not skip the paella with duck and sausage. It is indescribably delicious – we were scraping the bottom of the dish like starving children.

As for drinks, Death in Spain and Ward Eight were table favorites and we were split on deciding the best dessert – I was crazy about the lemon frappe, that was like the top of a lemon meringue pie but frothier, but there was a lot of support for the toasted bread with chocolate, olive oil & salt.

The location is fairly new, and it works in your favor to get a reservation. It was pretty quiet, even on a Saturday. I hope it stays in business with word of mouth, but I'd hate to forfeit the relative calm of the place and the ease of getting a reservation.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

Style Icons: Male »Antonio Marras

I can't say Kenzo has ever been a runway show I've looked forward to with anticipation, but it was certainly one of the most stimulating shows from Milan in my opinion.?/p>

Antonio Marras, who was hired as the house's new creative director last year, mixes the best trends of the season – boxy menswear jackets belted with perfect pants, worldly prints mixed with plaids and stripes… It's a refreshing grown-up look that's still whimsical and fun. He surprises too with a splash of bright chiffon inspired by a 1970's view of gorgeous nomadic women.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

Hunks »Grant Page

When a drugged-up Dennis hopper calls a man crazy, what level of insanity must that man be existing on? Apparently the level where you're setting yourself on fire and falling backwards off a cliff into jagged, rocky waters below?and surviving.

This anecdote comes from Not Quite Hollywood, a decent doc about the overlooked exploitation movies from Australia in the seventies. The man spoken of is the great Grant Page, stuntman extraordinare who has survived more insane feats than anyone one should; it's pretty awesome.

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Posted on October 19, 2009

Albums »True Stories

It's really quite curious that I've never recommended the True Stories soundtrack, because it's been a staple of listening pleasure for me for eons. As I've recounted to you before, the movie itself is spectacular and smile inducing and the music, released with Talking Heads songs is just as uplifting.

Byrne initially intended to release an original cast recording containing the songs as they're heard in the film, sung by actors like John Goodman, Swoosie Kurtz and the late, great Pops Staples but at the last minute DB reconsidered and Talking Heads re-recorded the tracks (a move Byrne later lived to regret); though if you get a recent remaster, you'll at least get the Pops Staples and Tito Larriva vocal mixes.

Music video hits like Wild Wild Life and Love for Sale made this pseudo-soundtrack to a pretty obscure film relatively popular and successful but the entire album is golden, not just the familiar songs. Papa Legba, Dream Operator, and City of Dreams are some of my particular favorites.

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Posted on October 19, 2009