Last Saturday, I was living life on the edge. It started with barrel races in West Calabasas (& yes, Orange County women do venture off to other neighborhoods) as hosted by the Pacific Coast Barrel Race Association (something like that). I had never been to any kind of horse race or rodeo in my life and it was wonderful to step into this subculture for a couple of hours. The horse thing is more my sister's cup of tea, but I've always loved taking day horse trips in Idaho, Jackson Hole, Montana, Hawaii, okay--like anywhere I've got a chance to do it! I love horses, too.
Afterward, I took my sister into my world which happened to be a stop at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. We spent time with Rubens, Goya, Rembrandt, and several other magnificant paintings. And like most visits to museums, a stop to the bathroom was unavoidable. So in polite terms, I did my thing and walked out of the stall. I thought at first I was staring into mirror, but the reflection started to move. No, there wasn't a bathroom, there was a woman intensely staring at me. I looked down as most people would and then I realized that she was still staring at me. I looked at her and then click...Holy Cow! That Elizabeth Shue staring at me.
Funny thing was that I got excited that she was the actress that had starred in Adventures in Babysitting, instead of her amazing work in Leaving Las Vegas! HA! That's the child in me that will forever love her in Adventures in Babysitting! Like most Hollywood stars, she was smaller than me & her skin was suffering a bit, but other than that she was the same earthy girl that people have come to love. Earth Day is around the corner & she is the kinda of girl that inspires women to love themselves as they are!
Adventures in Babysitting
Leaving Las Vegas
On a more upbeat note, Elizabeth Shue has got unbeatable beauty & style!
Sophie Monk has got celebrity style that every young lady seeks. She's a combination of sexiness, playfulness, and down-to-earth good looks. If you missed her in Date Movie, here is a hilarious recap:
Here are more photos to get you inspired to look your best around town. Let everyday be a day to inspire your inner goddess!
Monk has total control over her makeup, of course, make-up artists help with that! Don't fret if black eyeliner is hard to apply, take a lazy weekend & go for it! My favorite trick of the trade, that just might change your approach, is to switch out your angle brush to a brush that's meant for your lips. The soft bristles are easier around your sensitive eyes and the liner looks more natural.
Beauty works for PETA
Sophie Monk supports the troops. Here she is hangin' with the Girls!
Back to Monk in LA
Hope that inspired you on your next shopping trip!
What led Ashley Alexandre Dupre, the 22 year-old woman at the center of the Spitzer scandal, to sell herself for $1000? Money, that's the obvious first answer. $1000 bucks isn't chump change, right, and money buys all the beautiful perks in life like fabulous clothes, apartments, cars, restaurants, and travel. The photo above is evidence alone of the sort of exclusive lifestyle, no matter how temporary.
Ashley in the Hamptons, shown on the right, images from Myspace
As women, what do we want and at what price? I can never forget the Coco Chanel quote that goes: I'd rather be crying and alone at the back of a limo, than happy and in love while riding a bicycle. What a quote and it's one I'll never forget because women are caught in that question. Do we sell out or do we live with our hearts? I've sold out to my heart and I've traveled the world in search of my passions. It took tons of work, time, and sacrifice in order to do so. When women work for the things that they desire and have faith and patience, the results will deliver.
So how sad to learn that this woman, Ashley Dupre was an aspiring singer. She like many young adults, ages 16-22, are having a hard time coping with the reality of adult life, which typically doesn't include fame or quick money. And that frustrating reality is being seen on college campuses across the nation. After the last college campus shoot-out, I listened to a doctor on CNN give her reason for the increase in school shootings. She attributed the increased violence in young adults with the need to be famous. Our culture is driven on Britney tabloids and Paris Hilton parties. She went on to say that fame is so important that young adults are doing anything to seek it out and at any cost. Hence, the rise in campus shootings. How do we teach young adults that not everyday is going to champagne & luxe parties?
Is prostitution the next step in seeking fame? Well, If you've never been to YouPorn.com(click at your own risk), which I learned about from Dane Cook in his comedy act, you might be shocked to discover just what people are doing, totally free to get famous.
Dane Cook Rocks
Porn doesn't stop there. A new trend in music videos production is to create porn music video, such as Snoop Dog's Sexual Seduction song which has a porn version with XXX content & a slightly altered title, Sexual Eruption. This is the G version as shown on MTV.
So where do we go from here? Should we legalize prostitution, like certain European countries, in the hopes to reduce sexual crime? Sweetest girl by Wyclef Jean feat Akon & Lil Wayne. This is a great video/song about the reality of the bottom line.
Prostitution isn't always a $1000 bucks a night. It's clear by NYC reaction that America is in no way ready for it.
Oh yeah, back to Ashley. Is middle America really so shocked by her actions? Are we shocked that the Governor of New York paid to have sex with a hooker the day before Valentine's? Why the heck is his wife, Harvard educated, standing beside him? So many questions, so little time! But, hey, Ashley was only motivated to pay the bills until she got famous for one thing or another. Her fame just happened to hit before her music career. At least now she has a resume that could place her as the star of a new Snoop Dogg video. Wouldn't that be better than being dentist like her step-father? After all, fame is what everyone wants.
ASHLEY'S STORY
Ashley Alexandre Dupre, known as Kristen, is the 22 year old woman and
prostitute involved with the Gov. Spitzer scandal, that had a late
night meeting with Spritzerat the Mayflower Hotel in
Washington. The New York Times reports
she has spent the last few days in her ninth-floor rental in an
upscale apartment building in the Flatiron district where studio
apartments (think small, like a closet) start at $3,800 a month! On
Monday, she
made a brief appearance in federal court as a witness in the case
against four people charged with operating the prostitution ring, Emperor’s Club V.I.P.
Benjamin Weiser also reported that Ms. Dupre said on by telephone Tuesday night that she was worried
about how she would pay her rent since the man she was living with
“walked out on me” after she discovered he had fathered two children.
She said she was considering working at a friend’s restaurant or, once
her apartment lease expires, moving back in with her family in New
Jersey “to relax.”
She did not say when she had started working
for Emperor’s Club, or how often she had liaisons arranged through the
ring. Asked when she met Governor Spizer and how many times they had
seen each other, Ms. Dupre said she had no comment.
On her
MySpace page, Ms. Dupre wrote of her “odyssey to New York from New
Jersey through North Carolina, Miami, D.C., Virginia and Austin,
Texas;” public records show that she lived in Belmar, N.J., in 2001,
and in North Carolina in 2003. She owns a company, created in 2005,
called Pasche New York, which her lawyer said was an entertainment
business designed to further her singing career.
Music is her first love, and on the MySpace page, Ms. Dupre mentioned Patsy Cline, Frank Sinatra, Christina Aguilera and Lauryn Hill among a long list of influences, including her brother, Kyle. (She also lists Madonna, Mary J. Blige and Amy Winehouse as her top MySpace friends.) In the interview, she said she saw the Rolling Stones perform at Radio City Music Hall on their last tour after a friend gave her two of tickets. “They were amazing,” she said.
Nothing shouts celebrity style like directing your own film. In fact, these photos of Scarlett Johannson aren't shots of her acting as a director, despite the beret, trench coat, and creative expression, that might have you believing she's in the midst of a scene. Nope! Scarlett has stepped up to bat and is directing her first feature film titled, New York, I Love You. Now, a similar film released this year with the same title, so what happens then...Only Scarlett knows!
My mother always taught me that if you want something, you've got to dress the part. Scarlett looks absolutely radiant standing behind the camera and she needs to since she's directing such heavy hitters like Kevin Bacon.
Scarlett's foray into directing will also test the waters for women directors. I can recall that when I was high school student, who attend a famous LA school that had Beverly Hills 90210 filming everyday on campus, that it seemed rational to tell my high school counselor that I wanted to write and direct my own screenplays. This is how the conversation went:
INT. HIGH SCHOOL OFFICE - DAY
A high school counselor known as the BALD MAN is giving his career advice to a high school senior, MODERN GIRL.
BALD MAN (leans back in his chair, taps his fingers on the desk, and adjusts his wire frame glasses) What?
MODERN GIRL I said I want to write and direct my own screenplays.
BALD MAN You can't do that. You're a woman and women don't do that in Hollywood.
That was the end of the conversation because no one was going to talk me out of my dream. I believed this up until I graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. By then, my interests had drifted into writing novels.
My point is that beautiful, sexy, and, yes, intelligent women like Scarlett Johannson should have equal opportunity to direct just like the boys Ben Affleck to Clint Eastwood. Why should it surprise anyone? The road to women directing behind the camera had been entirely limited and Scarlett's adventure will be an interesting look at where woman are today in the Hollywood studio system. I mean can you name five Hollywood female directors? Nope. I didn't think so. Direct your heart out Scarlett, hit a home run for us girls!
Photos: The Superficial
LCD Soundsystem just so happens to have a song with the same title as Scarlett's film. Hmm...
Let's face it, no one is perfect! Every girl makes wardrobe mistakes. So, let's learn from the stumbles of other women that have less than perfect days of looking 100% fabulous.
TIP No. 1: Simpilfy
Who can resist Sienna Miller's fabulous smile? But, who would wants to wear her outfit? The big black mistake in this outfit is the obvious-too much going on! Toss the hat, loose a sweater, or two, and keep the smile. That's the only thing really working in this picture!
TIP No. 2: No More Leggings
It's gone, over, so hide it away! Leggings are best saved for the gym, a home gym that is! This was a fashion trends that has been in decline for more than one season. The blue empire waisted dress is a fabulous choice for Jordin. However, did she forget a strap on her shoe or is that an anklet? Enough said.
TIP No. 3: Don't Super-Size Your Black
The Olsen's are classic bad icons of bad taste and have been since they stopped making videos for kids. What's the message in this outfit? The only thing that might make sense is that she escaped from the barn with a few hens under her arm. On a more practical note, ladies, get rid of pants, tops, dresses, and handbags that don't fit your frame.
TIP No. 4: Inflatable Clothes are a No-No
Katie Price isn't out on a raft, she's shopping in London! So why is she wearing a life vest! Maybe, there is a cooling system inside that overstated jacket that helps her to shop longer hours. What was she thinking?
TIP No. 5: No Bathrobes Allowed
The Olsen Twins make it another round! But, hey, who other than the Olsen Twins can wear a bathrobe out in public and not be called crazy! Wait, is that even an accurate statement?
TIP No. 6: Everyone Notices Hemlines
Janet! You didn't even wear things like this during your uber-cool Rythem Nation, so why do you think this works now? MC Hammer Pants Weren't Even Cool in the 90s! So drop the strange hemline & add height to the length of your legs. Now, that's a trick any woman wants!
What Works: Lucy Lui
Lucy Lui looks radiant right down to he black toes! She is at once contemporary & elegant. She is an absolute image of style & grace.
Who's going to win? What will everyone be wearing? Who shows up with whom! All the gossip & sightseeing is part of the fun. Find out who Modern Girl Style will be rooting for this Sunday.
Modern Girl Style Pick for BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth II: Only an actress like as Cate Blanchett can carry this film. She is a golden girl of Hollywood & needs to be awarded for her tremendous acting talent. What else can I say? She's a legend!
Modern Girl Style PickforBEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton: I've been a fan of Tilda Swinton since I saw her in Female Perversions. She is talent that needs to be better tapped by Hollywood.
Modern Girl Style PickforBEST ACTOR
George Clooney in Michael Clayton: Wow! I didn't know that Clooney could act until I saw him in this amazing film. Didn't anyone else get sick of his made for 13 year-old boys movies set in Vegas. I'm so over his cool guy character. He rocked in Michael Clayton!
Modern Girl Style PickforBEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: I just saw Casey Affleck in Gone Baby Gone last night & the only thing that really stuck was how great Casey's acting was. Too bad his brother butchered an amazing book by Dennis Lehame. I honestly couldn't believe what a poor job Ben Affleck did! Read the book & avoid the movie. Anyhow, Casey Affleck has got a future in Hollywood even if he doesn't win Sunday.
You know the faces, you love their acting, you love their style! This crop of Hollywood's most fabulous have this in common, and it ain't just their acting skills. They've got style, grace, and beauty to watch! These ladies know who to hire to help them select colors that will enhance their beauty. So, let's make this hit home. Do you know what flatters your skin, shape, and style? If not, you've got some work ahead of you! Start of your homework assignment by studying the best.
This is Emmanuelle Chriqui, though I have no idea what she does, I think she looks fabulous!
Eva is one of the world's only women that can work this dress, but didn't she just get married? Yes, I would have opted for a different color. However, she still looks brilliant!
Keep flexing your style knowledge with a tour of Teddy & Moo! They've got all these images & way more!
Sometimes in life you just need to laugh! Let the stress go & enjoy this Tom Cruise-endorsed parody of him Scientology interview! It'll get your belly rolling! At the end of the day, Tom Cruise is a hell of an actor no matter what the guys believes in!
First, watch his original interview, for as long as you can, then click immediately to the Parody by Jerry O'Connell video.
The madness outside Heath Ledger's home could not describe the loss of this talented actor. It has shocked and stupefied people across the nation. However, as more of his tale is untold and his days are reconstructed and we begin to learn about the stress of this fragile man: Let us not forget the beauty he brought, the joy he created, and the man that he had been-with all the good and the bad include. Modern Girl Style wishes peace and consolation to his family, friends, and fans!
Heath in 10 Things I Hate About You
The Four Feathers
Casanova
Brokeback Mountain
In his last film playing the Joker (perhaps the most frightening Joker ever?)
Joker Film Still Montage
More on some of the events that happened before his death
Perhaps this role lead to his demise? Creativity can be madness. Heath spoke about the role in a New York Times interview two months ago:
It all tied him in knots. “I stressed out a little too much,” Mr. Ledger said.
Mr. Ledger plays the Joker. It is a physically and mentally draining role — his Joker is a “psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy” he said cheerfully — and, as often happens when he throws himself into a part, he is not sleeping much.
“Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night,” he said. “I couldn’t stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going.” One night he took an Ambien, which failed to work. He took a second one and fell into a stupor, only to wake up an hour later, his mind still racing.
Even as he spoke, Mr. Ledger was hard-pressed to keep still. He got up and poured more coffee. He stepped outside into the courtyard and smoked a cigarette. He shook his hair out from under its hood, put a rubber band around it, took out the rubber band, put on a hat, took off the hat, put the hood back up. He went outside and had another cigarette. Polite and charming, he nonetheless gave off the sense that the last thing he wanted to do was delve deep into himself for public consumption. “It can be a little distressing to have to overintellectualize yourself,” is how he put it, a little apologetically.
Australian actor Heath Ledger has split with his actress partner
Michelle Williams, the US Weekly website reports.
The couple who met on the set of Brokeback Mountain in
2005 have a daughter, Matilda, aged 23 months.
A source close to the couple was quoted in US Weekly as
saying that Ledger and Williams, who is American, "quietly and
amicably split a few weeks ago".
"The relationship had been rocky recently. They tried very hard
to make it work but finally decided to separate. They just grew
apart."
"They have a beautiful daughter and they are both committed to
being great parents."
It was like a reunion of Laguna Beach when Heidi, Lauren, & Kristin showed up for the Cloverfield LA movie Premiere at the Paramount Pictures Lot last night. If you couldn't make it, then it's time to get you caught up on all the glitz, plastic, & drama! Heidi looks stunning, fake or not!
Lauren Conrad is standing tall & she should be! She just bought the most amazing $2.5 million dollar home. Ladies, you'll love these images, click over to La Dolce Vita to enjoy the haute design of her new home!
Kristin Cavallari, the girl never headed to the hills, is looking different these days? Maybe it's just the hair & natural makeup!
