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January 2009
The long wait
I was so excited this morning when I googled French actress Anna Karina, who is fast becoming one of my favorites, and saw that she acted in Luchino Visconti’s “L’Etranger.” The film is based on Albert Camus’ 1942 novel “L’Etranger,” a book that I could not put down, when I read it late last year, because of the intriguing nature of the main character Meursault. Unfortunately, when I went to add the film to my Netflix queue, I could only save it, which means it will be a long time before I’ll see the cinematic version of the man who captured my attention.
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I missed it!
I can’t believe I missed this. I could have gotten a tube of inimitable Chanel mascara for free rather than fork out the $7 I did for Maybelline’s COLOSSAL mascara, which, by far, was the worst cosmetics purchase I’ve ever made. The clumpy goop constantly gives me tarantula eyes. This is why I typically wait for my mother to buy me a department store brand, rather than purchase a less expensive product that just doesn’t get the job done. Unfortunately, being a cosmetic staple, mascara is the one thing I just can’t go without.
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Inaugural ensemble
With a personal style being compared to that of former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, the eyes of the fashion world are resting on First Lady Michelle Obama. Fashion experts across the nation, and even some in Europe, took special note of today’s inaugural ensemble — a lemongrass-yellow jacket and matching dress by Cuban-born designer Isabel Toledo — saying that the outfit, like her husband’s speech, kindled a sense of hope among Americans. “I think the yellow symbolized hope and renewal,” Sasha Charnin Morrison, fashion director for US Weekly told the Baltimore Sun. “This has been their message all along.” While I have to admit, I did not get the same reaction from her ensemble, I have taken special note of the off-the-rack brands she has been photographed in. I think it gives the sense that her personal style incorporates her American upbringing, something I do find truly inspiring.
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Brideshead revisited
Last night, after a day of complete relaxation in my pajamas, I decided to cash in on the iTunes gift card I received for Christmas. I ended up purchasing “Brideshead Revisited,” a film I had been dying to see in theaters, but had never been able to make the time for. I have to say, it was every bit as good as I imagined it would be. I’m such a sucker for British period films. After watching it, I Googled the title, and found that it was based on Evelyn Waugh’s 1945 novel. I haven’t read the book, yet, but as books are almost always better than the film adaptations, I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.
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Mother-daughter chic
So, as I was perusing the Internet today, I came across a book by Parisian personal shopper Susan Tabak. Tabak, whose blogs under her book title, Chic in Paris, had one post that I found particularly interesting, pertaining to inherited beauty. The post, here, showcases mother-daughter chicness in both fashion and beauty. My own mother is not very fashion conscience, but we have a photograph together from my youth that I think could easily be an addition to this collection. My mother, probably in her early 30s, and myself, around 8 years old, are seated inside an ornate hotel lobby in Cyprus. It was right before dinner, and my mother, in a black chiffon dress that would make Coco Chanel herself jealous, is seated in a chair, and I, in a lot of pink and white ruffles, am standing beside her. Despite the chaos around us, our eyes are locked into a moment of happiness that even decades later, I can remember with distinction. I think it is the closeness that my mother and I had at that moment, rather than our designer duds, that makes the photo so appealing. And perhaps, for the numerous photos of that Tabak chose for her blog entry, the same was true.
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Robotic-assisted surgery
For the past week I’ve been writing non-stop about surgeons. It’s been interesting, but at the same time, I’m sort of skeptical of some of the new advances I’m hearing about. One in particular is the robotic-assisted surgery available at Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital. This is how it works. The device, da Vinci, translates a surgeon’s hand movements into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient. Um, that sounds intense! What happens if it breaks in the middle of a procedure or worse malfunctions and cuts off the wrong body part? Surgeons who utilize the machine, reassure me that those scenarios are unlikely, but I still have my doubts.
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New Year’s diet need a boost?
While I gave up on the New Year’s diet years ago, I am well aware that the time-honored tradition continues to be popular among women. I, myself, practiced the ritual for years, until the realization hit that, rather than reduce my waistline, the loss of cheese was driving me mad. What can I say, I’m a fromageophile. For those women, who may be slightly more disciplined in their diets, here is a list of foods I found here. These foods and spices may give your ordinary New Year’s diet a boost. A small sampling of the list includes:
— Beets — a rich source of folate.
— Swiss chard — a leafy vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
— Cabbage — loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
— Tumeric — a spice that may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
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It’s a steal!
I received an e-mail today from my long forgotten guilty pleasure, www.bagborroworsteal.com. For those who don’t know, it’s a pocketbook paradise where one can rent designer handbags for a small monthly fee. I canceled my membership, but somehow, I’ve managed to stay on the e-mail list. Today’s e-mail notified me of the weekly outlet sale. The e-mail’s 70-percent off logo caught my eye, and quickly, before I could be distracted from my natural shopping instincts, I jumped on the site to see if there was anything to this-so-called sale, and more importantly, if there was anything I couldn’t live without. I must say, the selection wasn’t that great. Most, if not all, of the handbags I liked were sold out. But it was obvious that at one time, perhaps at the beginning of the week, there was shopping to be had. The site displays the availability of each bag, i.e. how many are available, and, had this really great Gucci bag been available, I’m sure it would have taken no time at all for me to fork out the $600 to purchase it. I did locate some other good finds including: a quilted bronze Dior ‘Cannage’ bag, $735.; a Fendi ‘Zucca’ baguette, $495; and a blue Betsey Johnson bowling bag, $135, however, they were either too expensive or too loud for my personal taste. The good news is new styles are added every Monday, and prices are reduced every Wednesday. So, ladies, I have two words for you: Get shopping!
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The skinny jeans
I recently went through the contents of my closet, trying to get rid of the clothes that no longer fit, when I came across my skinny jeans. Similar to Miranda’s pair in episode 81 of season 6 — Yes, I am that much of a Sex and The City fan — I hadn’t been able to fit into them for years. And, as it turns out, I still couldn’t. It was so disappointing. They’re really cute, but also like a size 2. I know, it’s ridiculous. Even if I starved myself for a month, I will never be that size again. Yet, I can’t bear to part with them. They’re my skinny jeans.
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Attention online daters
So a couple months ago, I spent the morning with the ladies of the Nacogdoches Treatment Center bazaar. You can take a gander at our conversation here. It was great, and inspired me to take a look at how many local women use dating Web sites. I set up accounts, with the assistance of a colleague who had used them in the past, at two free online dating sites, and the two highly-publicized dating sites. I wanted to see how this whole thing worked. Unfortunately, it was a disaster, but not completely useless, as I did discover that a number of local women do indeed have profiles — whether they use them or not for dating purposes is still unknown. But I do want to know. So, tell me ladies. I want to know the good, the bad and the ugly of online dating. Send me your comments about the entire process at mmarcotte@coxnews.com.
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