Best This Week Is Dedicated to Beauty: Hygiene

It looks like I'm being marketed to.

For a while I've just been using my hands to bathe with my bodywash, but that's no way to live. So I went to the drugstore to get a scrubby thing. They had them in light blue, they had them in white, they had them in pink (all colors I've done before) and wait...they had them in Black? What a fine manly color, I thought to myself.

When I got home I noticed the tag:


For Men!

Best This Week is Dedicated to Beauty: Design, Internet Fame, and Coincidences

Two of my favorite beauticians (meaning someone who works in the realm of beauty--why, is there another meaning to the word?) are Claire the Architect and Brittany the Interior Designer. As far as I know (and I feel I know pretty far) these two don't know each other at all and I'm hear to talk about some mad coincidences.

Presently, Claire is living in Holland working for a "eating designer." Brittany is in Copenhagen honing her craft. Last week Claire's workplace (and face) were featured in Wallpaper Magazine Online (you'll have to click on the slideshow to see her). Also, last week Brittany began contributing as a foreign correspondent for Design*Sponge (here's one, and another [those are in reverse chronological order]). These two substantial and praiseworthy online conquerings were first made known to me through gchat statuses on the same day at practically the same time. That's out of the ordinary, isn't it? Can you imagine how I felt with all these coincidences raining down on me? It was crazy.

Anyhow, a public bravo to both of them. Perhaps their internet accomplishment and Euro-proximity shall yield a new friendship? Or, more excitingly, a terrible and bitter archrivalry? Time will tell!

Best This Week is Dedicated to Beauty: Film.

It's too bad that it wasn't until Thursday that I decided Steady Mobbin' would be dedicated to beauty this week, but the first three days of posting seem consistant enough with the theme.

Right now what I want to say is: I'm pleased and relieved that Ebert gave 500 Days of Summer four stars. If you've talked to me in real life you might know of my worries about this movie (which I'll go into after I see it and talk about it here), but Roger has given it a pretty strong stamp of approval. I am prepared to let this be the second movie I see this summer that I actually like without reservation.

Best This Week Is Dedicated to Beauty: Literature.

In case you were worried or wondering, yes, I'm reading Ulysses and yes, I'm having a great time. It's going slower than anticipated and it turns out the book is trickier than I remembered but still I'm loving every minute and every sentence.

Originally I had pretty ambitious notions of making a post about each chapter of the book and dropping lots of quotes and insight and research on you. After spending the better part of a Sunday several Sundays ago just tackling the introduction to my thoughts on Telemachus, the book's first chapter, I realized that that ambitious notion wasn't going to happen.

BUT that doesn't mean you aren't getting any Ulysses. This week I've mostly been reading the Wandering Rocks chapter and I came across a scene I just thought was too nice not to share. Please, read and see what can be done with words. (A little background: in this chapter Stephen Dedalus, one of our protagonists, is walking around Dublin):

Stephen Dedalus watched through the webbed window the lapidary's fingers prove a timedulled chain. Dust webbed the window and the showtrays. Dust darkened the toiling fingers with their vulture nails. Dust slept on dull coils of bronze and silver, lozenges of cinnabar, on rubies, leprous and winedark stones.

Born all in the dark wormy earth, cold specks of fire, evil lights shining in the darkness. Where fallen archangels flung the stars of their brows. Muddy swinesnouts, hands, root and root, gripe and wrest them.

and a few paragraphs later:

Stephen went down Bedford row, the handle of the ash clacking against his shoulderblade. In Clohissey's window a faded 1860 print of Heenan boxing Saers held his eye. Staring backers with square hats stood round the roped prizering. The heavyweights in light loincloths proposed gently each to other his bolbous fists. And they are throbbing: heroes' hearts.

Just little descriptions, that's all. But to me they stood out.

Best It's About Time

He always wanted a brother.



First night out on the town with the new kid. I was halfway home on the subway when I realized I had left half of my belongings at work, I guess I was a little too excited about the new kid. Back to the office I went and then cabbed it home. I never ever take taxis, but it was 11:30, I'd had enough.












Pretty pleased with the uninformed snapshotting so far.

Best Long-Awaited Totally Awesome Party

So yes, like I was saying, Saturday night Carol had her Tom Cruise Party. Why "Tom Cruise" of all the themes to pick? It's a little out there, right? Why not a robot party? Answer is simple, it's because Tom Cruise lived in Carol's very apartment in the 80's. Seriously.

When I got there her apartment had already been converted to the Scientology Celebrity Center for the evening.

But the party was not yet full-blast, some folks were just having dinner, others watching Top Gun.

But give it 45 minutes and the costumes come out. Carol as a...wait, just now I don't know what Carol was going for, I assume a Last Samurai geisha? That must have been the idea. Collin was a Risky Business Tom Cruise.

Di's Wide Shut.

Me, I was Nazi Tom Cruise from Valkyrie.

Grace was Keri Russell in Mission: Impossible III. Maybe you should click here to understand how spot on her get up was.

Dave: Goose. I've never really seen Top Gun. Or any Tom Cruise movie. In fact, I think I've only seen him in the Mission: Impossibles and Minority Report.

Jeff was a Rain Man.

Helen, the Unicorn from Legend.

Hillary a Suri Cruise.

And here's the winner: Lexia as the Top Gun girl. Perfect.

How about another one, just to drive the point home?


Collin kept trying to feed Tom all night.

Jared showed up as Goose, too. Great uniform, right?

Turns out HE DREW THE WHOLE THING ON. Wow. So maybe it's a battle between Lexia and Jared for best costume?

Reghan: Girl from Cocktail.

Chris: Outsider.

Emily: The Outsiders girl.

Ashley: A Magnolia.

Nick: Also an Outsider.

And now we party and dance. Who's Jeff? He's Joe, from Joe vs. the Volcano. Jeff misunderstood, he thought it was a Tom Hanks party.

Chateau: Cocktail Tom Cruise.

Lexia: Hair + Ray Bans problems.

Mindy: Katie Holmes.

Maria and Katie: Pretty sure they were just chillin'.

Like Jamar.

Kim was the girl in Jerry Maguire.

A highlight, as mentioned: Droppin' Old Time Rock n Roll for the various Risky Toms. I had no idea Abby was at the party until this song played and I think she vanished when it was over...or maybe the song just summoned her out of thin air? Who knows.




Adam: Couch-jumping Tom Cruise.

Amber: Also a Suri.

Hostess, happy, because she's got a totally excellent party.

Then getting serenaded with a little "You Lost that Loving Feeling" a la Top Gun (apparently.)

Ty: Mission: Impossible T. Cruise. Hilarious.

It seems there's a scene in Rain Man where Tom teaches Dustin to dance?

No dancing lessons necessary.

Whatsoever.
Jamar was just chillin and keeping it low key all night so I had to play something to bring him out.

And that's why I played Single Ladies.


Suvi, also enthusiastic for the dancefloor.


Collin and Jared fly into the Danger Zone.


Apparently marker runs when it gets wet? Or soaked?


Well into the night, Amber teaches some Brazilian dance steps.

It's for the song about the stolen scooter.

And finally, a knee slide.



Totally excellent party. Can't wait for the Hootie and the Blowfish gathering in the fall (Because, yes, Hootie [and I know that's not his name] lived in Carol's house in the 90's. Deal with it.)

Best Old Time Rock and Roll Setlist

After months of planning and dreaming, Carol threw her Tom Cruise Party Saturday night. It was a monstrous success. I had the honor and the pleasure of picking the music for the party--thanks to Carol's input I had plenty of hits from T.Cruise's movies and lots of crowd pleasers to play in between them. Plenty of party pics to be posted tomorrow, but I'll start you off with the most important thing that happened that night:


What Was Played:

"Everything In It's Right Place" by Radiohead (from Vanilla Sky)
"Playing With the Boys" by Kenny Loggins (from Top Gun)
"Black Hole" by She & Him
"Take Me, I'm Yours" by Squeeze
"U Got the Look" by Prince
"Kiss Me" by Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy
"Sometimes" by Les Rythmes Digitales
"Lights and Music" by Cut Copy
"Deceptacon" by Le Tigre
"I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5
"Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
"New Sensation" by INXS
"Ready for the Floor" by Hot Chip
"Shut Up and Let Me Go" by the Ting Tings
"Poker Face" by Lady Gaga
"Time to Pretend" by MGMT
"White Collar Boy" by Belle & Sebastian
"Mission Impossible Theme" by Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. (from A Few Good Men)
"Nothing to Worry About (Troublemaker Remix)" by Peter Bjorn & John and a bunch of rappers.
"Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn & John w/o any rappers
"P.Y.T." by Michael Jackson
"Iko Iko" by the Belle Stars (from Rain Man)
"Girls & Boys" by Blur
"To Die a Virgin" by the Divine Comedy
"Old Time Rock & Roll" by Bob Seger (from Risky Business)
"A Little Respect" by Erasure
"Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics
"Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J
"Take On Me" by Aha
"You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC
"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by the Darkness
"Get Low" by Flo-Rida (from Tropic Thunder)
"Kiss" by Prince
"You've Lost that Loving Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers (from Top Gun)
"That's Not My Name" by the Ting Tings
"Je Veux Te Voir" by Yelle
"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Punk
"Common People" by Pulp
"Like a Prayer" by Madonna
"Single Ladies" by Beyonce
"Just Dance" by Lady Gaga
"We Are Your Friends" by Justice & Simian
"Talk Like That" by the Presets
"Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins (from Top Gun)
"Age of Consent" by New Order
"See You Again" by Miley Cyrus
"Come on Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners
"Kokomo" by the Beach Boys (from Cocktail)
"You Should Be Dancing" by the Bee Gees
"If I Ever Feel Better" by Phoenix
"When I Get You Alone" by Thicke
"Daft Punk is Playing at My House" by LCD Soundsystem
"Around the World" by Daft Punk
"Motinho Roubada" by Some Brazilian
"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson
"Requiem for O.M.M.2" by Of Montreal
"Take My Breath Away" by Berlin (from Top Gun) Technically this was the last song of the evening, but I followed it up with my...

HARDCORE TECHNO AFTERPARTY!!

"Three Little Birdies Down Beats" by the Chemical Brothers
"Kalifornia" by Fatboy Slim
"Lovelight (Soulwax Ravelight Vocal Mix)" by Robbie Williams
"Original Nuttah" by UK Apache
"Up to the Wild Style" by DJ Supreme

And after the party, the Hotel Lobby:

"Long-Forgotten Fairytale" by the Magnetic Fields
"Secret Garden" by Bruce Springsteen (from Jerry Maguire)

What I absolutely loved about this party was playing next to no hip hop. It was nice to take a break and play some different stuff.

Now Please Tell Us About Breakfast

Clif Bar and what I thought was juice. It's not juice, it's drink and there are some serious problems with it.

V8, you have betrayed my trust.

Dinner!

Here at the office, every Thursday night is Quesadilla Night and all through the day the workplace anticipation is absolutely electric.

And What About Today's Lunch?

I'm the worst at salad bars.

Best Welcome to the Fun Corner

Don't these two pictures remind you of those "Spot the Difference" picture games? You know?

Let's Try?

Can you Spot 10 Differences between these two pictures?



(Confession: I only know of one difference, but certainly there will be many, right?—Ed.)