Early Hanukkah Gift?

Meet Rebecca Rubin, the newest member of the American Girl family. Her description reads,

"She is a 9-year-old girl living on the Lower East Side in 1914 with her Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, siblings and a grandmother known only as Bubbie."

They failed to mention that her outfit is totally 1900's Jewish Casual. Does it get any better?

Love and Basketball

In case you are wondering, I love Shaquille O'Neal. Here are my reasons:

• Shaq loves a good dance-off (above) and will even perform in earnest (see his routine with the Jabbawockeez).
• Shaq will call you out if you make him mad (see retaliation rap against Kobe Bryant).
• Shaq loves the kids (Oprah intro'd him to a 12- year-old boy who is already taller than the b-ball star! Plus, he had that under-watched reality show helping kids lose the l-b's.).
• Shaq will kindly take time out of his day to shake hands with 5'4" red heads (true story, if I had a pic, it would be posted).

My Arch Nem

3. Shorts: My body is too pear-shaped to wear shorts.

Thin Is In

(This image review came my way via a Huffington Post slide show of "The World's Most Famous Swimsuits.")

Yes, this picture of Demi Moore's in Charlie's Angles: Full Throttle is a few years old (6 to be exact), but this time around I noticed how incredibly skinny she was (and still is) and I don't mean that as a compliment. After seeing Marilyn's iconic one-piece (I know, it's a trite comparison), even Kathy Ireland's 90's look (creepy eyebrows!), I was somewhat stunned, and yet not, by the evolution of a modern woman's desired weight: Demi's starvation-chic bod apparently sets the current standard.

Jewish Casual

Attention readers, there is a dress code category you have been missing out on your entire lives: Jewish Casual. Coined by my mother (really, do other parents use this term?), Jewish Casual is equal to dressy casual, but may some more limitations unlike the latter. Though not a spoken rule, Jewish Casual implies no jeans, and nothing too skin-bearing. It can be worn to social events, but not Saturday morning Shabbat services. Realizing this may be an exclusive family term only my bother and I were raised with, my cousin did some interweb research and found an alternate and equally appropriate definition:

"“Jew Casj” (Jewish Casual). That is when a cool out-exterior is masterfully negotiating a jumble of inner-neurosis."

While I was raised to think of Jewish Casual as a dress code, I feel my world has expanded by considering it a state of being. Today, neither my outfit or attitude would be described as Jewish Casual, but I have a feeling I will be both for an upcoming family event. L'Chayim!

Celebrity Relatives

Perhaps the ultimate in kooky celebrity relatives that I would be honored to have in my family: Cloris Leachman! She took a page from the young starlets and started her own fashion line, and it's pretty fierce. Plus, Cloris called out Russell Crowe for being an a-hole and has a raunchy sense of humor- amazing combo!

Get Lost!

Kate Austen proved her uselessness last Wednesday with her faux reach for a dangling Juliette. Nice work, Freckles! Go back to using sex as a weapon, it's way more your stylo.

Theodore Huxtable

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Is now 39. Is he still teaching? Does he like red heads?

Let's Get Dirrty, Let's Get Dirrty

For those who loved Christina Aguilera's dirrty days, here's a blast from the past: Xtina's MTV diary! Take a trip to 2002 and enjoy a behind-the-scenes photo shoot for the Stripped album, a performance with the Pussycat Dolls (before they were PCD) and bits of Christina starting to talk about her pet issues (sexuality, domestic abuse, etc.). The ep. is broken into 6 parts, but definitely worth watching.

Top That!

Beyond all my other hang-ups, one of the scariest parts of having children is one's own physical change. My fears have been solidified with this new blog: The Belly Project. It's endless pictures of pregnant, post-pregnancy, and never-been-pregnant bellies. I know this should incite some female solidarity, but it just supports my narcissism (I'm forever 21, right?). Thanks, interweb!

Feliz Navidad

This post has 2 discussion purposes: Aretha Franklin's inauguration hat and recognizing the correct pronunciation of the local neighborhood Los Feliz. 1) Aretha Franklin took a fashion risk with her hat choice at Obama's inauguration and retailers have noticed. It may be a little early, but making money off of Christmas proves to be a year round activity with the Aretha Franklin hat ornament, a lovely addition to any tree! Saw'll one up if you're into that whole Christmas in July thing. 2) One of LA's hipster neighborhoods, Los Feliz, often gets its own name butchered by Los Angelenos, but I am here to correct it (five years of high school Spanish are paying off!):

• Incorrect Pronunciation: Los Feel-Iz
• Correct Pronunciation: Los Fell-Eez (like Feliz Navidad, get it?!)

We'll Do It Live!

I Hate White People

My first embedded video, welcome to the future! More importantly, while I'm not a Wanda Sykes fan, I didn't mind her 'controversial' comments about Rush Limbaugh at the White House correspondence dinner. Anyone who attacked Sykes was secretly laughing and afraid to get caught so they jumped the gun. Plus, I loved that she told Michelle Obama that putting her arm around the Queen of England was the visual equivalent to patting the Queen on her back for sliding in to home plate.

Celebrity Relatives

I've recently decided there are some celebs I love so much I wish they were family. This is the start of my list, each celeb's relation to me is tentative as this is a work in progress (obvi): 1) Joy Behar- boisterous aunt 2) Joan Rivers- surrogate grandmother

Family Reunions Must Be Awkward...

When even your own brother is spilling the beans! Kate Gosselin's brother Kevin and sister-in-law Jodi, former guest stars on Jon & Kate Plus 8, spilled the beans to Radar Online that the Gosselin marriage is kaput. I've read there is some bad blood between the couples, but airing out your sister's dirty laundry? Not so classy. Guess that's a family gene. *This magazine cover is the latest and greatest from the Gosselin drama.

Flawless!

Michelle Obama looking fierce at the White House poetry jam.

My Arch Nem

The beginning of what will likely grow into a long list...

1. Cheddar cheese
2. Cosmopolitan Magazine

Can I Get a Witness?

CNN is currently running a touching story on dogs who comfort young abuse victims as they testify in court. While interesting, the unintentionally hilarious highlight is at 1:26- Dory, the featured golden lab, is sitting alone on the witness stand. Kudos to Kristen Cusato for including this shot in her report.