Casting Fifty Shades of Grey

My thoughts on who will play the main characters in what will inevitably be the movie version of Fifty Shades of Grey...

In no particular order, the person I see as the 27 year old, copper haired, grey eyed, billionaire CEO & Domineer, Christian Grey?  Chace Crawford, Jeff Buckley or Christopher Pine.

And the awkward,  submissive, Anastasia Steele?  Elizabeth Olsen, Emma Watson or Shenae Grimes.

Illusion Necklines

Bridal Market just happened in NYC again.  One trend all over the place for Spring 2013 brides is the illusion neckline. 

(Top L to R: Christos, Oscar de la Renta, WToo

Bottom L to R: Lela Rose, Monique Lhuillier, Amsale) 

Mix It Up

Mac & Cheese in a box is one of the easiest meals you can make.  Ramen would be the other.  But when one lives on a budget that pretty much has you eating these noodles every day, it can get real boring real fast.

There are a ton of ways to shake things up in that bowl.  One time I was babysitting and the mom requested I put sweet peas into the Velvetta for the kid because he didn't even know he was eating them that way.  She also told me to help myself and I did.  Literally a life changing meal.

I realized it was so simple and easy to just add things into these basic dishes!  There is obviously another level of gourmet food but that is not what I am talking about.  I don't have the budget to go buy truffles and fancy cheeses.  I am strictly talking cheap stuff.

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For mac & cheese, fry up some bacon or grill chicken!  Use some scallion.  Or broccoli.  Or even some garlic salt and red pepper flakes.  Put it in a ceramic dish, sprinkle some bread crumbs on top, and bake it just till its crispy on the top.

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For ramen, definitely throw in some scallions and almost any vegetable would work in the soup version.  Some spinach leaves or the oh so trendy kelp.  For a dry version, you can put it on top of a salad.  Cook the noodles and mix the shrimp flavor with cajun spices and if you can swing it, some real shrimp.  

My ring bearer?

Don't

"Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon." ~ Brandt Paul 

Memories

Remember when I was trying to convince my now fiance to move to NYC and on a walk home on the first night he was visiting, I found a dead body?  Oh, memories.

Edward vs. Doug

The lead singer in British band Friendly Fires & Doug, my coworker, are the same person.  

Bachelorette Parties

There's Vegas for some.  Miami or NYC for others.  Even Napa, a yoga retreat or Mexico is sometimes in the cards.  But when travelling is not an option and maybe you aren't much of a typical bar and stripper bride-to-be, what else is there to do with your girls?  Well...

For the thrill seeker, do something daring and crazy like go skydiving.

For the kid at heart, go to an amusement park like Six Flags or Dorney Park.

For the nature gals, rent a cabin or tents at a campground and go camping.

For the competitive, go bowling. There's Bowlmor, Lucky Strike, or Brooklyn Bowl.

For the foodie, there are tons of cooking classes or DJ Chef.

For the music lover, try looking into concert tickets or if you want a good laugh, a comedy show.  Or make it a Broadway night out if they are a theater buff and maybe make it extra special by adding a tour of backstage or arranging for the bachelorette to meet the star of the show.  Then head to a karaoke bar and request all the songs you just saw and try to out sing the pros!

For the ocean lover, board a party boat or rent something like a mini yacht for a relaxing day at sea with the ladies.  Hire a masseuse and bring her along too!  Maybe a really nice friend who owns a boat will help you out.

There are so many fun things to do. Get creative and try to think about what kind of person the bride is and what she would like to do.  There are plenty of options out there.  As long as you are all together and having fun, it will be memorable and successful.

UPDATE: The Washington Post decided to write about alternative bachelorette parties too!  Get some more ideas while I go to apply for a journalist job.

Divine Chairs

There's a flea market gem on the upper west side of Manhattan called Green Flea.  Among the junk collectors and treasure collections was a vendor called Divine Chairs.  It's been a while, I am not even sure if they are still there but her website seems to be up and current.  Check out these groovy re-upholstered chairs!

Peplum Is The New Black

pep·lum: A short overskirt or ruffle attached at the waistline of a jacket, blouse, or dress.

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When I "Grow Up"

Confession - I've always said that when I "retire", I aspire to be an actor.  I want to be one of those crazy old lady actors in movies and commercials.  It wouldn't just be on-screen antics either.  Every single day, I aspire to go all out.  Think Zelda Kaplan (RIP) & Iris Apfel, Betty White & Cloris Leachman.

For some inspiration on the subject, check out Advanced Style.