Sometimes things are funny, but also scary.

Travis has been participating in Movember this month (that thing where guys grow moustaches all month to fundraise for men's cancers and to have an opportunity to grow a moustache without a social stigma attached).  The month culminates in a big moustache ball tomorrow night, where participants are supposed to dress as their moustache.  We have joked that Travis doesn't just look like an 80s dad or an off duty cop, but really, a truly weird creepy guy.  I know what you're thinking: all youngish guys look creepy when they grow moustaches.  And to that, I say: No, really.  It looks creepy.

So we decided he should go as the creepiest moustache dude of recent history: Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones.

Here he is:

Amazing right?  

Here is Travis:

It's really uncanny.  Travis was really nailing it, doing these creepy intense facial expressions... I couldn't stop laughing!

...Until it started to actually freak me out.  (Because it's totally scary.)  I covered my face and said, "Hey Trav.  When I open my eyes will you please not have that facial expression anymore?  I think it's funny, but I am also getting scared."

And when I opened my eyes, he was really close to me, making that same face right at me.

And guys?  I burst into tears.  For real.

The end.  Night, guys!!

My Favorite Muppet Clip

Just saw the new muppet movie last night.  It's totally good-cute, guys.  Definitely worth checking out.

And it made me remember this, my favorite muppet clip of all time:

Don't you love this?  How do you aggressively kiss a muppet?  And isn't it amazing how there's, like, actual chemistry between Charles Grodin and Miss Piggy?  Love.

One of the sexiest moments in all cinematic history... am I right, ladies?  Meow!

Hunger Games Map. Yay!

Guys, it took 11 months of telling everyone I knew to read The Hunger Games trilogy, but finally, everyone I know is reading it/has read it.  THANK YOU, GUYS.  FINALLY.  I TOLD YOU IT WAS GOOD!  This great news is especially timely, because since the trailer came out for the movie (March 23 is so in my calendar), I’ve re-gone through that phase where basically all I want to talk about is The Hunger Games to anyone who will converse with me.  

Hungergameshungergameshungergameshungergames!

When my husband read the books (finally!), he gently but firmly told me: “Look, I know you want to be Katniss.  But… it would never happen.  You would be Rue.  Or Prim.  Or actually… maybe the Game Maker [Seneca Crane].”  All of which I’ll take.  Gladly.

But guys, I have a fun HG treat for you, straight from the magic of the world wide web: a fan art map of Panem!  No idea if it’s accurate, but it seems pretty good, and I am really enjoying it. 

Maria Rizzoni, I love you, whoever you are.


In case you need a refresher on which district does what:

District 1- Luxury

District 2- Masonry 
District 3- Electronics 
District 4- Fishing 
District 5- Power 
District 6- Transportation 
District 7- Lumber 
District 8- Textiles 
District 9- Grain 
District 10- Livestock 
District 11- Agriculture 
District 12- Coal Mining 

And if you live under a rock and haven’t seen it (or are just a normal person who’s already obsessed and wants to see it again), here’s the trailer:

If I were in charge of this movie’s ad campaign, it would probably be this:

Hunger Games: Guys, KIDZ KILLING KIDZ.  You guys.  Hunger Games.

More Time Consuming Art!

My friend Tara sent me this great example of weird time-consuming art, for which I have a deep love.

Okay, check out this picture.

Guess what?  It's made of something weird.  Can you guess what it is by looking a little closer?

Okay, I'll tell you… It’s made of SPRINKLES.  It took 8 months to make.  

How ridiculous/amazing is this???  (Also, if you’re going to spend 8 months making a piece of sprinkle art… I’m curious as to why this person selected a beagle getting washed as the subject.)

:: All photos from artist Joel Brochu ::

Check out the full story here.  

On a completely unrelated note, I saw “J. Edgar” last night.  Highly recommended if you love movies where young people wear lots of weird age makeup and try to make their voices sound old and do old person shakes a lot.

Bye!

Wow.

Wowzer.  A totally magical forest.  I can't even imagine what this place feels likes/sounds like/smells like.

:: photo by rachel_thecat ::

I hope you have a magical Thanksgiving.  Or at least a not annoying Thanksgiving where you eat well but don't feel disgusting later and are still feeling relatively happy to be spending a couple more days with your family.

Gift Guide: What to buy for me (Part I)

Tis the season, guys!  Everyone makes holiday gift guides, but I’m not that great at doing that kind of thing (I don't know what dads want.  Who knows what dads want?!), but I was still inspired to try my hand at it, so I decided to stick with what I know.

So I present to you: A Gift Guide, for me.  That’s not crass at all, right?  Basically a list of stuff I want.  But I'm imagining it's also stuff you might want.  So in the end, we're getting right back to the spirit of the season: wanting stuff!

Ready?  Here we go!  

Hudson Bay Blanket

I know what you’re thinking.  “Joanna, that blanket is FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS.  You are a monster!”  And to that, I say: Look, I said this was a crass display of gluttony.  I refuse to apologize.  But do you know the storied history of Hudson Bay blankets?  Early American settlers traded them to Native Americans for beaver pelts!  This is part of our history as Americans!  Also it is bound to be a family heirloom.  You can’t put a price on that!  (Or you can, and it’s $400-ish.)

Also, a “cheaper” version here, by Pendleton, which I feel is fairly legit because even though it’s not original gangsta like Hudson Bay, Pendleton is a renowned maker of woolens.

LL Bean Wicked Good Moccasins

Yes please.  I have fond memories of the LL Bean and Land’s End catalogues (I’m lumping them together… I have no idea what the difference is between the two) because as a kid, they were some of the only catalogues that came, and I loved me some catalogue play-time.  Now that I have resided long enough at my residence to get on random catalogue mailing lists (grown-up stuff!), I get my very one once again!  I have a feeling everything in the LL Bean/Lands End catalogues is odd and oversized and boxy and generally ill fitting (even though I sort of really want a classic barn jacket), but shoes are going to fit like shoes, right?  And these slippers look really cozy.  I am imagining myself making waffles in these and then reading a book on the couch while Travis watches football.  Then I also imagine that I decide to walk to Peet’s to grab some coffee and think “These are so comfy and cute – I’m not going to take them off!” and feel really cozy until I get into the store and feel ridiculous for wearing slippers in public.  Remind me not to do that, guys.

Yubz Retro Handset Extension

Oh, hi there!  Let me just lay back on the couch so I can catch up with you on the phone, enjoy our conversation, and look darling… all while totally not getting brain cancer!  (You plug this into your cell phone as a handset.)  Gwyneth Paltrow featured this in Goop’s gift guide, and I love it.  I pretty sure it would become a clunky item that I'd forget to use and don’t know where to put away, but the thought of it reminds me of being in middle school, sprawled on a couch or bed or floor patch gabbing away on the phone.

Stanley Thermos

I am feeling convinced that if I toted my soup to work in this thermos, I’d be much more excited to bring lunch and I’d look really cool.  Like that chick who’s all “Oh, this?  Yeah, I’m always on the go.  I made an amazing soup last night from scratch…. just bringing the leftovers for lunch today.  I guess that’s what I do when I’m not on spontaneous camping trips with my friends or watching hip documentaries at home or going to underground concerts late at night on school nights but still come to work looking fresh as a daisy… you guys have no idea what a cool life I live outside of here!  …Gotta run, time for soup!”

Lululemon Astro Pant

I know.  It’s a $100 sweat pant, basically.  But you really look 200% better than you do in a $33 sweat pant.  I promise.  I like the leg opening… not a flare, but not a legging… because as much as I like the idea of wearing a long legging… without the aid of boots over them, they make everyone’s body look strange and mis-shapen, right?

Oh, PS -- more coming.  (You didn't think this was all I wanted, right?)  Stay tuned.

Book Review!: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

The question I’ve heard most in regards to Mindy Kaling’s new book of essays, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), isn’t “Is it good?”, but “Should I buy it in hardback or wait?”

No one’s asking “Is it good?” because everyone who’s paying attention to Mindy  knows that homegirl is funny, smart and engaging.  So obviously this book won’t be a dud.

And it’s totally not a dud – it’s totally fun.  But if I’m answering the question of buy it now or later, I would say: Buy later, or borrow it from a friend.  (But if you’re really looking forward to it and need a distraction over the holidays while you’re staying at someone else’s family’s house, you should buy it now.  And the hardback is, like, $15 on Amazon.)

Here’s why:

(Okay, actually, I feel like I need to start with why I liked it before I launch into “why to wait” because then I’ll sound super critical when I really liked it.)

Okay, here’s why I liked it:

I liked it because I totally like Mindy and enjoyed the chance to hear more from her.  For those of you who didn’t follow her original, now-defunct-but-still-living-on-the-internet-blog, you should.  And you should also be following the newer version of her blog she re-upped once her book was soon to be released.  She is just a funny fun smart girly girl, and I thoroughly enjoy reading what she has to say.  I read what she writes, and I want to find a way to get in touch with her and go, “Okay, girl.  Enough already!  We should be best friends!  When are getting brunch and then buying iPhone cases and cute belts???  We basically like all the same things and think the same and would totally find the same stuff hilarious!!!”  But then I realize the beauty of Mindy is that basically every girl thinks that about her.  She is just fun and relatable, but on top of that, smart and funny.  Like if Lauren Conrad (circa The Hills’ peak popularity) had way more personality, brains and humor.  We all want to hang out with her!  And in this book, you get the opportunity to hang out with Mindy for 200+ pages.  Totally cool.

Okay, but back to why you don’t need to rush out and buy it THISSECOND:

The book feels lazy.  Like a publisher said “Hey Mindy.  You are hot right now.  Do you think you could write a book in 8 weeks?  If you did that, we could get it released in time for the holidays, and it could be a great gift book.”  And then they all went through with it.  Look, I’m sure it took more than 8 weeks (like 10 weeks probably), but the point is, it feels rushed.    Some essays are two pages.  Or, like, “Here’s my 5 favorite movies” and then just a list.  I don’t have an inherent problem with that… I like short things and lists, but I guess I expect more from a book. 

Some things I really enjoyed were:

• An essay on the types of characters that appear in romantic comedies.  (It was published in the New Yorker as a teaser for this book, so if you’re dying to read it now (it’s really good, guys!), it’s right here.)
• A lot of frank discussion on body image issues.  (I like it when honesty and comedy intersect.
• An essay/list (essist?) entitled “Non-Traumatic Things That Have Made Me Cry”.  And there’s lots of other stuff like that in the book.

Some things that bugged me were:

• Tons of “The Office” talk.  I could totally be way off-base here, but in 2011 is anyone dying to know more about “The Office”? 
• An essay called “Jewish Guys” which I actually found offensive.   (All Jewish guys are hypochondriacs?  Please.  Seriously.)
•  Lots of references to very recent things.  Like a scene in “Bridesmaids” or “The Voice.”  It left me thinking “How can this be in a BOOK that I can buy in a STORE??  Didn’t that JUST happen?  Even if you have adequate lead time, shouldn’t you need to think more about it before it hits the published page??”

But guys, I liked it.  I read it quickly.  I had fun.  You should just all borrow my copy.

Amazing, Amazing Gift I Received

I always grew up in a bedroom with a quilt.  In fact, I don’t think I realized that bedrooms didn’t have to have quilts until I went to college and got a chambray blue Ralph Lauren comforter at TJ Maxx.  (I also had those cloud printed jersey sheets, which were all the rage in the fall of 2000, and I still think my college dorm room was pretty cool.)  I stayed quilt-less in adulthood, but had been hankering for a clean quilt in a crisp classic pattern with a lot of saturated colors.  I didn’t have much luck finding one at my price point, but the yearning remained.

Imagine my delight, then, when Ann, a dear family friend, offered to make me a quilt as a wedding gift.  (Very sweet also because when I was 10, Ann taught me how to quilt, and everyone got placemats and potholders from me that years as holiday gifts.  My mom still has the potholders, and I’m pretty sure they are awesome.  Especially if you like Williamsburg blue and small apple prints on a black background.  Which you do, I’m sure.)  Ann sent me to pick up a few inspiration fabrics, and she did the rest.

Guys, the quilt is in.  It’s insanely beautiful.  I love it.  Basically the sweetest gift ever.

Look at this – it has our names and wedding date!  So cute!

These colors are just too wonderful…

And let’s take a little side trip to my nightstand… 

Sneak Preview!: I’ll be reviewing all these books shortly.  (Also this is basically every hardback book I’ve ever bought.  Don’t get any ideas.  I don’t live in a house made of gold bricks, people!) 

Also, if you are feeling the quilt love, the adorable Emily Henderson has a great quilt roundup post here.

Bye!

Some things that are making me glad lately

sisterwolf, via adventures-of-the-blackgang

Husband's mention here as one of the Funniest Twitter Users You've Never Heard Of makes me smile. (And a Jack Handy reference!)

A wonderful article for anyone who's at all Feminist-y inclined.

It's the holiday season!!!  I can't wait to make these!  (I add more cayenne pepper for a bit more kick.)

Wow!  I love strange time-consuming art!

A riveting documentary that held me in rapt attention and gave me a whole new set of heroes.

Remember this feature from Lucky Magazine?  It's been a guilty pleasure of mine in blog form for a while now...

My Favorite LA Breakfast Spot: Wendy’s Place Cafe

If someone told me it was okay for me to eat eggs 10 times a week (and that person would cut the toppings and wash the pan for me), I would.  Easily.  Basically there are three great foods in the world.  They are: lasagna, Thai food, and breakfast.  If you are one of those people who doesn’t like breakfast, I don’t get you.  Seriously, what is your deal?

While I am strangely okay with standing in line at Huckleberry, even on a Saturday at 9:30am, and I enjoy the poshness of brunch at Joe’s, to me, the single best breakfast in the greater Los Angeles area is found at Wendy’s in El Segundo.  I realize most of you won’t make the trek out there just for breakfast, but think about mixing it into your schedule next time you are going to LAX in the morning (mere minutes away!).

Wendy’s isn’t “old fashioned” or “classic”… it’s just… old.  Like it was erected mid-century, and literally nothing changed about it, except for the waitresses who are youthful and adorable.  Check out these dishes. 

Eating action shot!

And these Rockwell prints, like, from Rockwellian times.  (The wall décor is all Rockwell prints or Rockwell puzzles, laminated and framed.  Awesome.)

Wood panelling!

If you’re looking for a unique breakfast menu, don’t come to Wendy’s.  There are, like, four omelet choices, which I think are just some variation of eggs with cheese and/or bacon and/or vegetables.  (But seriously? What else do you want in an omelet?)  Then there’s the option of pancakes or French toast or just eggs, cooked to order.  Nothing fancy, but it’s all done right, and in an environment you simply can’t find in Los Angeles (or at least no where that I’ve found).

 So excited to eat... I have a meerkat face!

So check it out.  Order the Spanish Omelet or Jose’s Favorite, with hash browns (with peppers and onions) and an English muffin.  You will love it.  Cash only.

Wendy’s Place Café

107 W. Grand Ave.

El Segundo, CA 90245

But enough about Wendy's... What are your favorite LA breakfast spots?

Simmer Down Now... with This Cool Silk Thing

Do you guys ever have that thing happen to you where you're driving a rental car 60 miles from home and realize you're running low on gas and don't know how sensitive the gas gauge is on the car, so you think you're fine, but then look down and you have, like, NO gas, so you exit to find gas, and have a really hard time finding a gas station, but when you do, all the on-ramps to the 405 are closed and then you accidentally wind up in a town called Hawaiian Gardens, CA and have no idea how to get home?  And then you get home, and you just need to chill?

Well, the next time that happens, you must check out this very groovy, relaxing website -- weave silk.  I can't really explain, but you just click and drag your mouse and make these jellyfish like undulating designs, like this, only cooler, and moving.  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.............

Advice: Gifts for the Newly Engaged

My friend Lisa wrote me to ask a two part question: (a) would it be weird to give a newly engaged friend a wedding-related gift for her birthday and (b) if not, what inexpensive gift would I suggest?

My answers were (a) not weird at all; it's way fun to be a bride, and (b) I have just the thing!

My all time favorite engagement gift is a ring dish.  I keep mine by my nightstand, but I wouldn't mind having another one to keep by the bathroom sink (hint, hint!).

I treated myself to this one, from Anthropologie, which makes me smile when I look at it.  (The ring goes in the goldfish's mouth -- how cute is that?!)

Also from Anthropologie, and very darling (even though I think raccoons are the worst animal in the world [ed: I was going to link to some freaky raccoon images and stories about raccoon attacks, but I decided not to.  You're welcome.]):

A lovely modern option from West Elm:

All great choices, all under $20!

Bye!