3 on Thursday

As happy as I am to see my Dawgs secure the SEC East title this weekend, I was even happier to have a few more days of nice weather before the harsh New York winter makes its presence known.

I can't believe I forgot to share pics of my Halloween costume!  Though I usually throw a party, I took a year off since the holiday fell too close to my housewarming party.  Just because I wasn't hosting the festivities doesn't mean I took a year off from the holiday as a whole.  When it comes to Halloween costumes, I always make my own.  They are typically more cerebral (lots of wordplay) and always done on the cheap.  This year I went as 50 Shades of Grey.  The only thing I paid for was my manicure (a french tip with two different grey polish).  I used a skirt I had at home and then made a top out of paint samples pilfered from Home Depot.  Loved the result!

Before the power went out during Hurricane Sandy, Danielle and I started a Homeland marathon.  I am now obsessed!  Sadly, I got rid of my Showtime so I'll be finishing Season 1 via Netflix.  Lots of intrigue in this one!

Turns out, if you ignore the cold seasons, they still come anyway.  Not buying appropriate clothing in protest will not stave off the chill.  This weekend, I gave myself a budget of $250 and went out in search of Fall clothing.  I found two dresses at Coup de Coeur, a boutique by my apartment that carries trendy clothes at a reasonable price, a great pair of peeptoe snakeskin booties at Second Time Around, and the above pictured shirt at Pookie and Sebastian.  Pookie is usually a little too pricey for me, but I splurged after coming in under budget on the other items.  I'm so glad I did because this shirt is absolute heaven.  It is the closest you can get to wearing a sweatshirt and still looking cute.  It doesn't look super special in the pic, but when paired with bangles and cute ballet flats it made the perfect brunch outfit.     

3 on Thursday

Lots of new discoveries this week...

On Monday, I decided to pop into La Maison du Chocolat because I am always on the search for a good macaron and heard theirs was top notch.  Since it was my first time in the luxe chocolate shop, I decided to try a few things.  First, I picked out three chocolates (all dark chocolate with creamy dark chocolate centers mixed with different flavors - cinnamon, raspberry, and passion fruit).  Then it was onto the macaron I had been hearing about.  The flavors were all pretty classic so I went with the pistachio, my favorite of those more traditional flavors.  It was basically a perfect macaron.  Instead of a jelly-like center, the middle was creamy pistachio chocolate.  Though La Maison du Chocolat is not a macaron shop, this could easily be their specialty.  What made me like them even more was their offer to taste a chocolate.  Now, these tiny chocolates are $2.50 apiece and I had already purchased three so I was ecstatic to receive a fourth for free.  I hope they make this offer every time I stop by, though something tells me it's a first timer thing. 

Like always, it took me a while to jump on the "Girls" bandwagon, but once I did, I was obsessed.  I watched five episodes in a row and then attempted to savor the flavor of the remaining episodes.  I'm sure you can guess that didn't work out and I, of course, devoured the rest of Season 1 in one sitting.  Though I'm not sure Marnie totally fits with the other girls, I think the rest of the show is a pretty close chronicle of my first few years living in New York.  Maybe I'm not exactly like these girls, but I know enough people who are.  It is definitely a more realistic version of Sex And The City.  It's all sorts of witty without being cheesy and I am full on in love with the characters.

Everything on Steph's registry had already been purchased when I went to buy a gift for her bridal shower so I had to get a little creative.  I knew she already had martini glasses so I rounded out her bar with drinking accessories like a pitcher, a stirrer, and coasters.  To personalize the gift a little bit, I took the bar theme a step further.  Whenever Steph and I go out for our own lil date nights we always order lychee martinis.  They may be a little passé now, but 1) it's tradition and 2) they taste dang good.  Anyway, along with the bar accessories, I gave her all the fixins for our favorite lychee 'tinis.  Inside the package I placed a can of lychee and a bottle of vodka.  Now, if you saw this vodka, you'd probably be a little put off, as I'm sure Steph was, so I made sure to explain to her why I picked the brand I did.  The employee at the liquor store across from my apartment seemed very knowledgeable and when I told him what I would be using the vodka for and that my dear friend preferred Grey Goose, he implored me to buy Star Vodka instead.  He told me it was new, American brand that beat out Grey Goose and Belvedere in a blind taste test among women.  It was a dollar less than Grey Goose so I asked if he was getting extra commission for selling it through and he convinced me he just thought it was really good vodka.  The moment of truth came Saturday night when Steph and I prepared our lychee 'tinis and discovered that it was a delicious, smooth vodka.  It may not be well known, but I'm a big fan.

3 on Thursday

This was my first full week at work in a while and I was dreading it.  Thankfully, it hasn't been too terrible and I have been trying to make it go by quickly by getting to the gym and adding some post-work events to the schedule.

After hearing all about this show for months, I finally decided to Netflix it.  The show - from PBS of all places - reveals day-to-day life at British estate Downtown, with a focus on the staff.  It is so interesting - and I don't mean that in an "it's fine enough" way.  I mean I was so interested in learning about the staff's hierarchy and the process by which they keep the estate running that my eyes were glued to the screen.  Now if I could just get myself to stop calling it Downtown Abbey we'd be good.

My friends are so much cooler than me.  The three ladies pictured above are the type who kick butt and take names.  Unsatisfied with their lives, they decided to actually do something about it (novel idea) and just launched Quarterlette about two weeks ago.  Quarterlette is a website designed to help girls navigate the quarter-life crisis.  Think crises are only for midlife and men?  Wrong.  I, myself, have been trying to figure out what the heck I want out of life.  Is this the career I want?  Am I happy with the status of my love life?  Do I want to live in this city?  These are the questions that plague many a 20-something, and now we have a place to help us sort through them.  I am so proud of Emily and Rachel for identifying an underserved niche and conquering it at full speed.  I encourage you to peruse the beautifully designed website - there's a little something for everyone.  Also, try to find their video "A Quarterlette Story" on the homepage where you may spot a certain someone (me!).  If you can't find it on the site, check it out on YouTube here.

Blow dry salons are actually not new to the city.  In fact, I wrote about Blow a while ago.  Then how is it that drybar made such waves?  I'll tell you how: great prices and great branding.  All blowouts are $40, no exception.  The atmosphere is fun and girly like a cocktail party where movies like "Mean Girls" and "The Holiday" play on flat screens around the salon.  It's infectious.  For me, it means the opportunity to flaunt the big Southern hair I love but can't do myself.  On a run last weekend, I noticed they are planning to open another location this Summer, right by my apartment.  I don't plan on going weekly, but it'll be nice having it around for special events, especially as Matt and Karina's wedding rolls around (the wedding hotel is right around the corner making this uber convenient for us bridesmaids).

3 on Thursday

This week has seemed impossibly long.  Yesterday definitely felt like a Thursday, which led to extreme disappointment when I realized it was Wednesday.  Thankfully, there are some really cool things going on right now...

Last weekend I went to a Mets game - my first baseball game of the season!  I was so happy Bridget didn't want to spend her bachelorette party weekend shopping.  This was a welcome reprieve from the activities most friends want to do when they come to town ("OMG McDonalds in TIMES SQUARE?!  We have to go!").  I like the baseball atmosphere more than the game itself.  I grabbed myself some Shake Shack, made friends with our neighbors in the stands, and soaked in our Great American Pastime.  

Some of my friends recently participated in Atlanta's first ever, sold out color run.  You start out wearing all white, and throughout the race are sprayed with paint so you wind up crazy colorful.  I'm not much of a distance runner (and, yes, I'm aware a 5K isn't considered "distance"), but I would totally train for this and participate next year.  How can you not finish this smiling?!

I didn't set my DVR to record ABC's new show, Don't Trust the B---- in Apt 23 because I thought it would be stupid, but I caught up on Hulu and loved it.  The irreverent humor has pushed this show into the ranks of my 30-minute faves (which currently includes Happy Endings, New Girl, and Modern Family).  The main girls are cute, but James Van der Beek plays a hyperbole of himself that pretty much makes the show. 

Burgers and [True] Blood

Burgers and corn salad.  Those two things sound like perfect Summer Sunday fare.  I'm not sure how Andrew knew I had been craving burgers all week - perhaps he tapped into Sookie's telepathic powers since we were meeting for our weekly True Blood dinner.  ESP aside, Andrew's real superpower is cooking up a great meal.  The corn had been perfectly grilled and tossed with red onion and mint.  The lamb burger was massive and although andrew was unhappy with the tomatoes, I thought they were perfect.  He was bummed he couldn't manage to master the perfect, thick, grilled tomato - they kind of fell apart.  For me, I thought it was one of those happy accidents, like penicillin.  The burger was already so thick that I wouldn't have been able to open my mouth wide enough had a thick tomato been piled on top.  What we got instead was more of a smoky tomato relish that absorbed the meat drippings and was easily spreadable on the bun.  The bun, may have been my favorite part of the burger.  Andrew had toasted Norwegian rye rolls he found at the market that day.  I didn't know Norway was big on bread, but I'll award it the rank of #2 Norwegian export, the first being the band A-ha.

As far as my recap goes, I am thrilled (as I am sure every female HBO viewer was) that Sookie and Eric finally hooked up.  A full on nude romp in the woods and even talk of love - it's what we've all been waiting for!  After showing enough boobies in that episode to keep the men happy - my dinner companion included - it was about time True Blood gave the women something to squeal about.  Other thoughts on the episode:

• I don't care about a Hoyt/Jason/Jessica love triangle.  I think Jessica and Hoyt are too cute together.  
• When is Sookie going to let Eric call her "mine"?
• Pam needs to check herself before she wrecks herself.  She has always been my favorite character, but she needs to redirect her anger away from Lafayette and toward the crazy old Spanish witch who just possessed a woman.

Fish and Fangs

On Sunday night, Andrew and I started a new tradition: he cooks; I watch True Blood.  I think I’m getting the better end of the deal since I am acquiring access to HBO and eating a delicious meal that I don’t have to cook.  Though Andrew is benefiting from the presence of my company, so he may be the real winner here. 

Andrew had pillaged the New Amsterdam Green Market on Saturday and made a meal out of his loot.  The main course was black sea bass that he cleaned himself (something I’m not even going to try) and cooked whole with tomatoes, lemons, and fresh herbs.  This gorgeous piece of fish was served on top of an amazing risotto.  Risotto is something I have never attempted at home.  It intimidates me a bit with all the stirring and watching required so I save it as a restaurant treat.  Andrew's risotto was slammin and filled with squash, zucchini, and duck bacon.  I didn’t know it was possible to make bacon from a duck, but apparently it is, and it’s delicious.  Paired with a glass (bottle) of chilled white wine, Andrew created a wonderful summer meal.   

Now about the show...How much do you love Eric right now?  I think they are doing a great job making Bill unlikeable this season to make room for Eric and Alcide.  But mostly Eric because he was just great this episode.  With his memory loss, he was nice and vulnerable.  Combined with his usual sarcastic manner, vampire strength, and abs, he is suddenly the perfect man, minus the whole undead thing.  

Gleecap: Diva-meter - 5/24/11 Episode

I'm so sad there's no more Glee for the season but before we start crying, let's get into the Diva-meter of the season finale:

• Rachel knows everything there is to know about Broadway - there's no way she would buy Cats tickets. -1
• Quinn takes quite the whack at Rachel during the pillow fight +1
• Finn and Rachel's date takes them from Central Park to Midtown West to the West Village.  That's barely do-able if given all day.  -1
• Quinn flips out and it's awesome - nice acting chops.  She's most concerned that she's the popular girls but sadly even Zises hooks up and she's alone.  +1
• Song Recap: 
• The main two non-original songs of the episode ("I Love New York" and "For Good") fit perfectly. +2
• The original songs also worked (I'm lumping the Matthew Morrison song in this category although technically it was a plug for his new album). +2
• Um Vocal Adrenaline is not supposed to do an original song; that's New Directions' thing.  -1
• Finn seems a bit over-confident about his kissing abilities.  -1
• Santana goes on a Spanish rant!  +2
• At the end of the previous episode, Quinn cryptically insinuated that she had big plans for New York.  I thought there was going to be some major glee club sabotage going down but all she did was cut her hair.  -1
• +1 for all the cute couple-ness: Blaine gazing at Kurt with his chin in his hand, Kurt and Rachel bonding over New York, Mercedes and Sam's budding courtship, Santana and Brittany's peaceful come-to-terms moment, and finally, Rachel finally realizing that it's stupid not to date when she doesn't graduate for another year.
• I would totally see a "Pip Pip Hooray": a Broadway Musical about Pippa Middleton.  +1

Total: 5 --> Though totally absent of great Sue Sylvester lines (thankfully she satisfied us in the previous episode), this episode was still a very pleasant way to bring the season together and set us up for Season 3.  Though it's not looking good for Jesse St. James - the biggest diva of them all - the glee kids diva'd it out all over NYC.  I'm going with Elton John for this episode's diva counterpart.  He does the ballads and the poppy stuff and you always feel good and calm after listening.

Gleecap: Diva-meter - 5/17/11 Episode

Since I have not one but two episodes to recap, I'll get to the point:

• Though harsh, Jesse St. James pointed out what everyone's been thinking: why does Finn get all the big solos/duets when he's clearly not the best singer. +1
• Howard Bamboo is back! +1 because I've missed him.  Another +1 for his nickname Panda Express.
• Rachel Berry gold star along with a monologue about how she now has bangs: +1
• And now we get to the more serious part of the episode: Sue's Downs Syndrome inflicted sister passes away.  Between Kurt and Finn coming together as brothers to put together the funeral service to Sue's experience through the stages of grief, it was very poignant.  I cried.  A lot.  +2  I'm also giving it an additional +1 for slipping in jokes and making it work: "I'm allergic to pansies, and I don't mean that as a swipe at either of you" and "I wouldn't dare lean on you.  There's so much grease in your hair I'd probably slide right off."
• Overall, I'm giving song choice in this episode a -3.  I'm not a fan of the straight audition songs.  When songs are incorporated into the episode this way, they don't really allow for the music to further the plot.  Great, you've all got awesome voices but those songs meant nothing in their context.  The only reason I didn't further deduct points was because Rachel's audition piece and the Willy Wonka song sort of worked.

Total: 3 --> So maybe it wasn't the best episode (though Jesse St. James brough.t a whole lot of diva to the table with his stories of Vocal Adrenaline's Nationals prep and his brother's whip it addiction).  I'm thinking this episode is the diva equivalent of Chris Brown.  Right now - as with the time following the Rhianna incident - you're not so thrilled with it.  It kind of bothered you.  BUT you can tell that it can redeem itself.  After all, didn't Chris Brown just rock out a top 10 single?

Unanswered Questions: Gossip Girl Recap - 5/16/11 Episode

Though entirely unbelievable, the GG finale was not too bad.  Since I'm so behind in my blogging, I'm getting right to it:

• Why is Eric the only one who recognizes just how ludicrous this show can be?  "Just tell me nobody's trying to stop a wedding or a ponzi scheme, give anybody cancer, or turn into a justifiable vengeful townie."  Nobody else seems phased by this.
• Was that the actual GG book author that Headmistress Queller was introducing to Serena?!  Seems like a hail mary when they know the show is on its last leg.
• Georgina was almost likeable.  Is this possible or is everyone else getting that annoying?
• How did it take Vanessa this long to realize that Dan always wanted to be in the in crowd?  Everyone else realized it in the first episode. 
• Why did Dan not try a little harder to protect anybody's identity?  Sabrina?  That's not fooling anyone.
• Vanessa lectures Dan about the UES crew's lack of values so her solution is to betray his trust, steal his novel, lie about it, and embezzle the money?
• Serena texts Nate and Dan to meet her to apologize for not choosing either of them before.  Is it just me or after they arrive, does she still not choose either of them?

Not too bad overall.  Though I've had three weeks to think about it, I'm still not sure how I feel about Blair and Chuck vs. Blair and Louis.  Now that Little J and Vanessa are officially out of the cast and the plots have gone beyond crazy, I'm not sure what the future holds for our Upper East friends...

Gleecap: Diva-meter - 5/10/11 Episode

I wish my prom was as good as Glee prom.  At 25, I am jealous of a fake high school prom.  Lame?  Moving on to the recap…

•          +1 to Blaine and Mr. Hummel for being upfront and realistic with Kurt while discussing his prom outfit.  I respect that Kurt is now out and proud, but it does seem like he’s trying to create unnecessary dramz.
•         Instead of jumping at the opportunity to work the prom, Will says the glee club needs to prep for Nationals – they still have a ton of taffy to sell.  -1 because he still hasn’t realized that selling taffy will never earn enough money to cover 12 kids’ travel and accommodations.
•         Sue tells Will he should apologize to America for “Run Joey Run” +1.  +1 again for Rachel requesting to sing it at Prom.      
• I’ve said it plenty of times in these recaps, but the worst episodes are the ones with forced themes.  +1 for having Sam echo our sentiments when he sees Will scroll “prom” on the board and fears for an assignment of prom-themed songs.
•         Kurt asks Blaine to prom by addressing him as Blaine Warbler, like Warbler is his last name.  +1
•       Karofsky on Bully Whip patrol: “No burning Liberace mannequins, over.” +1 for that and his touching apology to Kurt/tortured soul
•        Santana plans to move to a lesbian colony or Tribeca when they get to New York.  Tribeca?  -1 because she would definitely move to Chelsea or Hell’s Kitchen, duh.   
•         +2 for songs.  All were good and fitting.  Bravo. 

Total: 6 --> This episode was the diva equivalent of Barbara Streisand because she epitomizes the sad underdog.  Between the Carrie-esque prom queen scene with Kurt, Karofsky's tearful apology, and all the lovelorn folks of this episode, there was a lot of sad in this episode.  Only Barbara (and Glee) can make those tragic underdogs so endearing.   

Unanswered Questions: Gossip Girl Recap - 5/9/11 Episode

I have to say, Gossip Girl sucked me back in last night - and not just because of Cyrus Rose's return.  Since I'm so happy about liking a GG episode again, let's jump right into the recap:

• Why would Charlie spill out all pills and the bottle in plain sight?  At least cover it with kleenex or something in a vain attempt to cover your tracks.  More importantly, if you're going to throw away the bottle anyway, what was the point of spilling out the pills first?  That seems unnecessary.
• Blair knows her princess status is shaky at best so why is she meeting up with Chuck when Louis' mother is still in town?  After getting engaged is one thing, but why did she need to warn him about his Uncle Jack in person?  It seems like a text would have sufficed.
• Did anyone else catch Wallace Shaun's princess bride reference?  Aaah I loved it.
• I know Nate wants to be a good guy by telling Raina the truth about her Dad.  I also think he couldn't think of a good enough lie in time.  But does he really think it's a good idea to tell the deep dark secret of a man who has now been proven to be a murderer?
• NYC private schools may have formal fundraising events, but I've never seen one with a red carpet.  Am I shattering anyone's perception of the UES?
• Is it just me, or for a split second did it seem like Dan was going to ignore Charlie's single white female-esque "call me Serena" request and keep trying to have sex with her?

Well it looks like next week will be a doozy - can't wait!

Gleecap: Diva-meter - 5/3/11 Episode

I was a little leery of a Fleetwood Mac episode.  I was sorely disappointed by the Britney episode, but this was much better than I expected.

• Though I thought the songs actually fit well (much better than other themed episodes), I thought it was a little odd to use Fleetwood Mac when "Landslide" was just featured, like, two episodes ago.  -1 for lack of forethought, but +1 because they acknowledged it.  Wash.
• +2 for "Fondue for Two", mostly because of Brittany's logical conclusion that Lord Tubbington can eat scalding hot cheese because he's on Atkins.  
• Sue pays for her mocha powder with Euros: +1.
• I'm glad Quinn is keeping Sam's secret, but after cheating on two boyfriends in a row, why does she think she deserves trust, no questions asked?  +1 because that's exactly how high school divas think.
• This offer to be in April Rhodes' show should not be tearing up Shu.  -1.  Can't he just go to Broadway after he takes New Directions to nationals?  Plus, aren't Nationals in NYC...you know, where Broadway is?
• There were two close-up shots of tots in this episode.  +1 to the writers for sneaking in this reference to a past episode.

Total: 4--> This week's episode is the diva equivalent of Lauren Hill.  I'm pretty sure there was some major dramz within the Fugees, but once she/they start singing, it seems to fade away because the music is full of such good emotion.

Unanswered Questions: Gossip Girl Recap - 5/2/11 Episode

Because I lapped up every moment of the royal wedding, I was happy to extend my royal dream as far as possible with this week's GG episode.  As unlikely it may be that a real prince is bouncing around the UES with a 20 year old and giving her a honking ring, there are other questions we need to tackle:

• When Serena walks in on Blair and Louis, she says it's 2:00 so she started her day hours ago.  Why does she say this like it's a given?  Serena does absolutely nothing all day.  She doesn't go to class (unless she's hot for teacher) so I'm pretty sure she doesn't usually get out of bed until it's time to get dressed for whatever party is going down at the end of the respective episode.
• Nate makes the distinction between a smoking jacket and robe to Chuck...aren't those basically the same thing?
• Why did Blair choose that kinky hairstyle when she goes to meet Louis' royal parents?  Not her best and will definitely not impress the Grimaldis.
• Why is Blair still wearing her heels long after leaving the party?  After being shamed in front of royalty, I would have at least put on fuzzy slippers.
• Is Serena's gossip radar down?  The Serena who attended Constance would have already realized Charlie's life is the one that needs ruining, not Blair's.  
• Why is Raina so mad at Chuck?  She seems to be overreacting a bit and her anger is way misdirected.  
• Why did Charlie think it was ok to swipe Lily's credit card and charge thousands of dollars on Per Se caviar, catering, and crystal?  More importantly, after realizing how much [of somebody else's money] Charlie just spent, how could Rufus just waste that amazing , top-rated Zagat food and take the band out to a restaurant?

A Modern PB&J

A couple weeks ago, I was watching one of my favorite shows, Modern Family, and was struck with inspiration.  In this particular episode, flamboyantly gay Cam is hijacking a middle school musical and his boyfriend, Mitchell, brings him a pb&j in an attempt to be supportive.  Of course, a crazy gay man won't eat peanut butter and jelly, and we soon learn the sandwich is actually pear, brie, and jambon.

I thought the sandwich sounded so delicious, so when I was at the Union Square Green Market yesterday, I picked up some fresh sourdough and the other ingredients to re-create the sandwich.  So simple and yet such a perfect meal.  Sweet, juicy, salty, creamy - all rolled into one.

It was so good, I made it again today.  Get on this one - you'll love it.

Gleecap: Diva-meter - 4/26/11 Episode

Last week's Glee was an hour and a half which means an extra 30 minutes of awesomeness.  So much good stuff goin on in the latest episode so let's get to it:

• Great line off the bat from Santana: "I hear Rachel's got a bit of a schnoz.  I wouldn't know because like Medusa I try to avoid eye contact with her." That in addition to her diatribe on Finn's custard filled nipples earns a +1.
• I'm glad Emma accepts her ginger heritage, especially because it means we get to hear all sorts of interesting ginger facts like they "smell like copper" and "can get a sunburn indoors at night." +1
• Quinn is SO happy to be helping Rachel with her nose job "I'm surprised more girls haven't asked me.  My nose is awesome!"  Bitchy, self-involved Quinn is the best!  +1
• Karofsky: "I was just seeing what jeans he was wearing" Santana: "Like that's any less gay."  Very true, Santana: +1
• Auntie 'Tana tells Karofsky she's not ready to "start eating jicama or get a flattop...maybe in junior college."  +1 not so much for the line, but because she already knows she's only going to junior college.
• Bully Whips outfits include berets. +1  Additionally, it seems like Karofsky is starting to get a little nicer - I don't think it's all an act.  I'm hoping this is paving the way for him to come back to glee club because I liked him in the Thriller episode.
• Karofsky's dad called homosexuals "The Gays." +1
• "Somewhere Only We Know" sort of fit, but not nearly as well as the other songs this episode.  It was very well sung by the Warblers; however, I'm giving a -2 because Blaine randomly starts playing the piano.  He doesn't do a great job faking it and why is there a piano outside anyway?
• Is it bad that I agree with Quinn.  She was dealt a bad lot, was extremely unhappy so she did something about it.  Not gonna lie, I've been there so I see nothing wrong with what she did.  -1 to Glee writers for making it seem wrong to tweak your appearance.  It's only wrong if you're ugly on the inside.
• Overall, song choice gets a +1 for performance and relevance, but the mash-up of "Unpretty" and "I Feel Pretty" was particularly poignant and earned an additional +1.
• Best shirt: Puck's "I'm with Stupid [arrow pointing to penis]" +1

Total --> 7: This week's episode was the diva equivalent of Jessie J.  Sure, she's new to the scene, but her sound is unique and her songs' messages are usually uplifting, much like this episode.  

Unanswered Questions: Gossip Girl Recap - 4/25/11 Episode

This episode was definitely better than last week's.  There is definitely some shady stuff going on that we'll have to watch unfold, but let's focus on what's currently going on for now:

• Would Lily really shop on Gilt Group?  I get the product placement, but if she can't shop on Madison Ave., someone like Lily Van der Woodsen would call up Donatella herself if she wanted clothes and couldn't leave the house, not scour the web for discount duds.
• Raina wants to hide all the information about her mother from Chuck...so she leaves it right out in the open in his apartment?
• Question to all readers: Have you ever kissed anyone to confirm you don't have feelings for him/her?  No!  That only happens in movies and is not a plausible excuse, Blair.  
• Where's the real Blair?  The one we've grown to love has spent way too much time practicing deception in the UES to think no one would find out about her and Dan's kiss at a packed party.  That was a careless error, B. 
• Has anyone better described Serena's clothes than Blair who said "No, that says 'Let's skip dinner and make a sex tape'"?

Congrats, GG, this episode kept me interested in the season.

Gleecap: Diva-meter - 4/19/11 Episode

Glee was back from hiatus this week and I found it to be a little lackluster.  I'm keeping hope alive, though, as it looks like it's going to get much better as we approach Nationals.  For now, let's recap the highs and lows of this week's episode with our Diva-meter.

• The equation for taffy that Mr. Schuster writes on the board is wrong.  5,000 x .25 does NOT equal 20,000.  +1 because I caught that.
• +2 for the other categories in the Smarty Pants competition which include:
• Fat or Pregnant
• History of Shoehorns
• Famous Mervs
• Defunct Sodas
• Sue passes out beepers to her henchmen.  +1 because she must have worked very hard to find beepers.  I would have no idea where to look for that now completely irrelevant piece of technology.
• +1 for Sandy.  While he wasn't as amaaazing as usual, the Pink Dagger had a few good moments, such as his all pink outfit (including cape and hat with Pink Dagger logo) and the fact that he refers to himself as a "predatory gay."
• Why did Santana have to ruin a good ghetto, Lima Heights Adjacent moment (scaring Karofsky with the razors all up in her hair) with "It was more fun doing it together"?  Too cheesy. -1
• Mercedes demands were only ok and not overly creative...until she requested a fresh puppy to dry her hands. +1
• Was anyone else bothered by the fact that none of the artists were really neglected? -2

Total: 3 --> This episode was the diva equivalent of Julianne Hough.  Like our Glee club, she's trying to make it and is clearly talented, but what she's best known and loved for is her work of days past.  We're pulling for you.

Unanswered Questions: Gossip Girl Recap - 4/18/11 Episode

Gossip Girl was back from hiatus last night and while I was happy to have a more robust Monday night viewing schedule, I realize just how far this show has drifted from plausibility.  We’ll see how much longer this recap will last, because – let’s face it – Gossip Girl is no longer the best show on tv.  The show was great when there was a glimmer of truth in these prep school kids’ lives, but now it is so completely far-fetched.  Oh well, that’s how I’m feeling now; I could always change my mind.  Since I’m still on the fence, we’ll soldier on with this week’s Unanswered Questions:

• Does Vanessa only pop up every couple episodes to stir up dramz by leaving a voicemail for someone to tell them their loved one has eyes for someone else?  I think she’s done this four times already.  When will she learn?
• When Charlie shows up at the Modern Royalty photo shoot, did she think the family’s theme was ice capades?  It looks like she’s prepping to be on Skating with the Stars.  Serena dropped $1000 on her at Intermix and that's what she wound up with?  I would have at least expected a dress featuring some side boob with Serena as stylist. 
• Speaking of Charlie’s outfit at the Modern Royalty shoot, did anyone else notice she’s in white while everyone else in the family is wearing black?  Symbolism!
• How much satin is too much?  There are way too many shiny sheets at Blair/Serena/Charlie’s slumber party.  I felt like I was looking at what’s left after a Playboy shoot.
• Uh oh.  Dan’s making goo goo eyes at Charlie during brunch.  Is this boy capable of liking anyone he’s not quasi-related to?  And wasn't he just staring longingly after Serena once Blair said the kiss meant nothing (though of course, up until she said that, he was into Blair)?  No one moves from girl to girl that fast...oh wait; teenage boys do.
• Didn't Papa Van der Woodsen have to leave NYC by helicopter to escape the law?  If he's on the run, I'm thinking a very public photo shoot is not the best idea.
• Does Lily really think she's going to teach crafts in jail like Martha Stewart?  I don't think that woman has crafted anything other than an alibi her entire life.
• So clearly Charlie’s going to turn out to be some form of wackadoo, as her mother cryptically indicated to Lily.  If your child is, indeed, nutso and you’re about to let her live with another family, shouldn’t you give them a liiiittle more advice than “watch her”?  

As I'm sure you expected, most of our questions revolved around fresh meat Charlie.  Can't wait to see where that leads! 

Blais of Glory

So for the last two weeks, I thought I was going home to the Top Chef Allstars finale and for the last two weeks, I have been wrong.  Normally, I hate being wrong; but in this case, I am happy to extend the life of one of my favorite shows.  Finally, it was finale time last night and I was happy to see Richard Blais - my favorite from day one - win.  How could he not?  On a drool-worthy scorecard, he consistently pulled A+ grades.  Plus he lives in Atlanta (where he puts out amazing food at Flip), and I am proud a Georgian took home the title.

Both Mike and Richard put out elegant dishes that showed a level of restraint on their parts.  Richard, known for his amorous relationship with liquid nitrogen, contained some of his craziness and let it seep out only in the most appropriate of places.  The best example: his amuse bouche (which was not required and created just for the hell of it).  I would like to live inside Richard’s notebook for a little while because it seems to house some of the most interesting ideas.  Richard decided to name his “dream restaurant” Tongue and Cheek.  Here’s why he’s a genius:  Even the name itself is tongue and cheek since tongue and cheek are both food items.  He used the name to imply that food should be whimsy and carried that theme throughout his dishes, most perfectly with the amuse: an oyster with pearls (the pearls being lemon horseradish ice cream).  Mike’s fish and pepperoni sauce looked great but overall, it had to be Richard.   

I can’t watch a show like that without making some good food of my own, so I tried out a few new recipes last night.  I was inspired by the creamy artichoke soup I had in Boston, so I decided to attempt one.  Mine was not as velvety as the one at Upstairs on the Square, but I was too lazy to strain it and re-blend – this is a weeknight meal after all, so I got it as smooth as I could with an emersion blender, decided it was a rustic soup, and called it a day.  I topped the soup with truffle oil and pesto croutons which gave it tons of flavor.  It definitely seemed like it took a while to make but I managed to cook the whole thing while browning my sausage, which brings me to dish number two.

I browned up some sweet Italian sausage and served it atop a bed of garlic kale.  This was my first time cooking kale so I made my life a bit easier by buying the pre-cut and washed kale and just dumping it in the sauté pan.  It took longer than I expected to wilt down, but I was happy with the finished product and the fact that I just blasted myself with a ton of healthy antioxidents.  Did you know kale is the new wonder-veggie?  For a side dish, I made an orzo salad with radish, basil, green onion, pine nuts, a vinaigrette, and a little goat cheese.  The goat cheese was actually unnecessary but I had a little lying in the fridge and figured I would use it up.  I may not have made fois gras ice cream like Richard, but I think my dinner was pretty solid. 

Gleecap: Diva-meter - 3/15/11 Episode

I was leery about an episode featuring original songs, but I was pleasantly surprised by last week's Regionals episode.  Let's see where it landed on the Diva-meter:

• Quinn got a great, self-absorbed monologue.  I've missed Queen Bee Quinn, the one who calls Rachel Ru Paul and Treasure Trail and those ramblings about prom queen reminded me how fun that girl was. +2
• I'm glad Kurt said what everyone else has been thinking about Blaine's many [albeit perfect] solos...but then when Kurt automatically gets to sing in the duet, don't you think all the Warblers were like WTF?!  They get a brief moment of "Finally - our turn!" only to have Blaine finish by saying he's not going to not sing, but he'll be so magnanimous as to let someone [of his choosing]  do it with him. -2
• Sue calls Brittany and Santana Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Fake Boobs.  +1 because Jabs at Santana's store-bought knockers never get old and I think they send a good message to teens.
• Gay kiss!  No points just because there's gay kissing, but they do get +1 because I think it was Kurt's first kiss.
• Brittany's favorite song is "My Headband". +1
• Sue throwing sticks at Mercedes and walking around with an armload of kindling is random and kinda awesome.  +1
• Quinn's speech to Rachel about she and Finn's future, depressing life is sad and realistic.  +2
• All the songs in this episode were pretty solid.  Somehow they managed to be all be plot relevant and anthemic (glad the writers didn't forget they had thrown that in there a few episodes ago).  "Loser Like Me" was a tad too High School Musical for my taste, but it worked. +2
• Not a fan of Kathy Griffin here.  Her acting is not great and they should have thought of much better lines for a Jesus freak than the ones they gave her.  (Remember the pageant queen from last year: "those deaf kids weren't singing they were just honking") -2
• The woman announcing the winners is wasted.  +1
• The New Directions' MVP Award is a gold star trophy.  That's kinda Rachel's thing.  +1

Total: 8 --> This episode is the diva-equivalent of J Lo.  You hear her name and you're pretty much like "Yup, she's a diva.  And I love it."