Marilyn

Icon. She is the very definition of that word. And I grew up, like most American girls, I assume, idolizing her. There was the hair, the diamonds, the lips, that voice. And let's not forget her more famous assets...ahem. It's easy enough to get wrapped up in the fur and the glitz of Marilyn. But, as her ex-husband Arthur Miller said: "To have survived, she would have had to be either more cynical or even further from reality than she was. Instead, she was a poet on a street corner trying to recite to a crowd pulling at her clothes." I think what always fascinated me about her was the more tragic, quiet aspects of her life. Her life, though charmed, seemed to consist of thorough, measured sadness - punctuated by lightening strikes of vivacity, and ended ultimately much too soon.

Getting ready

The look of a woman in love - Marilyn and Miller

a young Marilyn on the beach

a stolen moment between Marilyn and JFK

A very young Marilyn. I want to know what she was thinking here...I think this picture will haunt me for a very long time

My Favorites of the Golden Globes Red Carpet

Good gravy I love red carpet events. It's always amazing to me how some people have so much money, power, influence and general access to AWESOME clothes and still people choose simply absurd clothes. While we all know who those people are (coughchernicolekidmancough), I'm going to go focus on the ladies of the red carpet who I think nailed it. So, without any further adieu....

a sexy Helen Mirren in Armani Prive

Christina Hendricks. siigh. I know she's not getting the best reviews for this one, but I don't think it's a crime for being pale. This dress shows off those insane curves of hers AND it's a Christian Siriano. fiiiiierce

I really want to hate Emily Blunt. Like really. I mean she's engaged to John Krasinski. And she's gorgeous. And talented. And British. STOP IT. She's looking killer in this Dolce and Gabbana gown. Yet another reason to hate her.

Another dress that's getting some mixed review. I wavered over whether to put it in here, in all honesty, but I eventually decided to because I love the color, I loooove one shoulder dresses, and this year, I'm actually loving Drew Barrymore. So there. This one is Atelier Versace and I don't mind the hip poof all that much....do I?

Another peachy Versace. I remember seeing this one on the runways and thinking dang, yo. Now Ms. Kasia Struss can stomp the hell out of a runway, but this dress looks sooooooo much better on Ms. Christina Aguilera.

Sandra Bullock in an awesomely purple Bottega Veneta. Love the dress, love that it's sheerer down the bottom, just...it's great.

Carey Mulligan. Most of us know her as the giggly sister from the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice - but I guarantee we will be hearing more from her soon. Her performance in "An Education" is already getting rave reviews and her new (awesome) haircut and killer fashion sense will vault her into the acting stratosphere. This Nina Ricci gown is just further proof of her coolitude.

My unabashed favorite. Ginnifer Goodwin is. a.mazing. I love her. She has an aggressive fashion sense, an incredible body (and an even more inspiring attitude toward her body), a baller haircut, and talent. Oodles of it. This Vionnet dress is just one stunning example of why I love her.

The #1 Reason I Wanna Go To Brown

So I realize that it sounds like all I do is sit around and watch movies but....oh hell, who am I kidding. That's all I do. I'm on break, so whatever. Anyways, I was watching the most recent Harry Potter earlier today and I just re-remembered how big of a girl crush I have on Emma Watson. She's smart (hello, freshman at Brown), gorgeous, the most bankable star of the decade, and she has a KILLER sense of fashion. You know what, I just don't even need to validate myself here. She's baller, the end.

Watson at the Half-Blood Prince premier

Stanley Kowalski is a son of a bitch

I just finished watching A Streetcar Named Desire for what I'm ashamed to say was my first time. And may I just say- hot damn, Marlon. He without a doubt just blew my mind. Being the movie nerd that I am, I'd obviously seen him before - but Jesus. The physicality of his acting, he was like nothing I had ever seen before especially not from movies from the early 50's.

But I digress. As you can tell, this particular post is about how big of a son of a bitch Stanley Kowalski is. He's a drunk, surly bastard and the worst part about him is how freakin' sexy he is. I mean come on.

Ladies:




I wanted to hate Stella, to just completely and utterly not understand the attraction, why she didn't just leave that jerkface. But that famous scene - where Stan, soaking wet, shirt ripped and slobbering drunk is yelling "HEY STELLAAAAAAAA!" - and she, hypnotized stumbles down the stairs towards him is such a telling moment. Oh Tennessee, you cut to the core of us women. We do loves ourselves a jackass every now and then. But thank god she wises up in the end. Well, we hope so at the very least. I want to believe that he really will never touch her again, but I'm going to go ahead and say Williams' intent is for her to crumble back into his arms, off those "columns" again, as if his "interfering" didn't do enough to the already unhinged Blanche, never mind to the rest of the people around him.

But, in the scenes without Brando, all I could keep thinking about was a conversation I had with a professorial candidate a few weeks back. He had been lucky enough to see Cate Blanchett as Blanche on Broadway. He described her as "ferocious" and I thought to myself, what a compliment. Needless to say I was a little jealous. All I can hope for is that there's a recording of her performance somewhere...and that I can steal it someday.

Blanchett in Streetcar

Bonjour

Welcome to my little nest, hopefully soon-to-be-devoted readers! I think that the best way to get to know someone is to understand what they love.

I love a lot of things:

What life-loving girl's world is complete without Audrey?

Robert Doisneau

Carefree Brigitte

Levitt

And of course, some nice dry gin.

Trust me, there's a lot more to come, but I'm tired, and new to this so sit tight, and I'll be back