Vintage Mint

This is probably the funniest internet meme I’ve seen since … probably since forever (to be honest, I don’t get “lol cats” nor do I care) — behold these gems from the F*** Yeah! Ryan Gosling tumblr and the Feminist Ryan Gosling tumblr:

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So I’m a good 8 years behind; “Arrested Development” is hilarious, super spot-on  smart hilarious. Husband and I have recently started watching all the episodes (thank you, thank you Netflix!) and we are addicted. It’s definitely not as pretentious as we initially thought (back in 2003), and definitely a million times funnier than the last 3 years of “The Office” (I can’t believe “AD” was only on for a mere 3 seasons when increasingly blah episodes/seasons of “The Office” are allowed to be made — sorry but that show should been axed after season tres.)

And we “discovered” this show just in time, it turns out, after years of rumors, an “AD” movie is actually in the works as well as (a few?) more episodes! YES!

I suppose my visit to Sweden this past summer helped pique my interest enough for me to actually read Steig Larsson’s novel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. [Or maybe because this book is EVERYWHERE.] Usually I don’t have free time to read, or read books (apparently I can only muster enough free time to “read” my 3 fashion magazine subscriptions each month), or let alone read a book that didn’t resemble anything I had read before or ever had an interest in reading (a story with grisly rapes? wrought with despicable and intense sexual violence against women? featuring a promiscuous gothic hacker-crimefighter? (way off, by the way) no thanks!). And a part of me tries to buck trends and not be swayed by whatever pop culture deems is “cool” or “now”. (I’m still holding out on Twitter…). So when this book, and it’s Swedish movie, gained massive buzz the past couple of years, I just tuned it out, well as much as possible.

But then comes the footage of David Fincher’s movie rendition of the book which looked hauntingly edgy with meticulous perfection in only a way Fincher could produce. Then I learned that the story revolved around a “locked-room” mystery and I had to know the ending, and so I picked up a copy of the book and read it vehemently, cover to cover, in 2 days. I read the book with more voracity than any other book.

The grisly subject matter and intense violence was almost too much. That was not an easy read. Several passages in the book are deeply unsettling. I definitely don’t see how people could label the book, or create a movie that portrays the heroine, Lisbeth Salander, as “sexy”. A poignantly accurate article in Ms. Magazine (see here) clarifies that Salander “is a survivor of multiple sexual assaults, her gritty appearance crafted to deter, not encourage, men’s advances.” And she is not a badass. She follows her own code of morals because that is all she knows. It’s Salander’s vulnerability within society and how she copes with being stigmatized that “won” me over. Although her lifestyle and circumstances are totally otherworldly, she is still a somewhat relatable character. And she’s smart and not cliche.

{I love Rooney Mara’s portrayal of Lisbeth — she’s perfect!}

Up next: The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.

Finally, a bank that doesn’t plan to screw people over! That’s right Hells Fargo! Move on over Bank of the Devil (formerly Bank of America)!

Seriously, check out Bank Simple.

Please help, if you can.

Google’s Crisis Response for the 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami website: http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

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What a great way to go into Halloween — go orange + black!

I never thought I’d be cheering for the Giants but woo-hoo! they be in the World Series and walloping the T-Rangs {but congrats to them for winning the ALCS and going to the World Series for the first time ever}. My husband, who kinda sort of resembles Brian Wilson {in certain lighting, with beard, sans mohawk…okay, that’s probably every guy}, and I, are hoping there won’t be any ”torture“ for the remaining WS games.

Fear the beard:

Brian Wilson, the new Ricky Vaughn, aka The Machine {aka Pat B}.

 Note: Most information expressed in this post was absorbed by verbal-osmosis via my husband repeatedly explaining to me about ”all things baseball”. Apparently there have play-offs and sacrifices. So much to learn.

After perusing the AMC “Mad Men” website {a Monday morning ritual — amongst reading thorough commentary/analysis —  after watching a new episode the night prior}, I noticed this MM book. Illustrated by Dyna Moe, who created the MM avatar, the book has humorous tidbits and factoids about the show, it’s characters and environment with, of course, playful illustrations. This will definitely feed my Maddiction, at least until season 5 {July 2011, you could not be farther away, sigh}. I wish they’d come out with a Style & Fashion File book for this show, I’d have my fix…maybe….

Can you believe there’s only ONE more episode left for this season?

Only $10 on Amazon!

{Image via AMC Mad Men blog}

Dearest Blog,

How could I forget your 2nd birthday like that? I’m not just 1 or 2 days late, nay, I be more than two weeks late. I didn’t mean to neglect you like that, don’t be mad, ‘k? To make it up to you, I’m posting some whimsical, b-day imagery. Here’s to more {un-belated} blog birthdays!

{and if you could walk…}

 
{Top image via Jalouse}
{Photos via Confetti System}
{Shoes image via Christian Louboutin}
{Shoes image by Karen Mordachi via Brooklyn Bride}

I am absolutely enamored by this poster, and it’s not just because of my affinity for JP. Aesthetically, the composition, font, coloring, and feigned nonplus photo are moody and perfect . Side note: JP almost looks like a celebrity doppelganger of my husband {to his chagrin}, that is, if my husband vanquished his disdain for sunglasses — then they’d be identical {much like their rap skills}. That being said, I’m such an empathetic wimp I don’t think I could handle the formidable candidness of this film.

I can’t believe it either: two movie/film references on this blog, all within the same year.

{Photo via Magnolia Pictures}

It’s not often I get excited to go see a movie {Husband, on the other hand, is a movie/film.o.phile}, but wow, Christopher Nolan’s work reels me in every time. And Inception doesn’t disappoint:  it’s complex, ambiguous, smart, with mesmerizing visuals, and a captivating storyline. And let’s be real here, how often does something intellectually original like this come about these days? {Movie critics: there are plenty of other movies (Sam Mendes) to get pretentiously snobby about.}

{Photos by Stephen Vaughn and/or courtesy of Warner Bros.}