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VIDEO: LIers discuss Hall of Fame-worthy toys
Long Islanders talk toys as three favorites recently got the call to the Toy Hall of Fame. Newsday's Meredith Daniels asked some locals to recall their best memories playing with: the ball, the Big Wheel and Nintendo's Game Boy.
Which toy deserves a Hall of Fame nod next year? Comment below.
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‘Project Runway’ episode 12: Irina, Carol Hannah and Althea are "in"
Who is in, and who is out? From left: Christopher Straub is going home, Irina Shabayeva is in, likewise Althea Harper. Gordana Gelhausen is aufed, but Carol Hannah Whitfield makes the finals.
It’s an all-girl finale folks.
The challenge is to draw fashion inspiration from the J. Paul Getty Center -- the fabulous art, the antique furniture, the architecture and grounds. Five designers left, three will be chosen to show at New York Fashion Week and two will be aufed. In the end, however, it was less about what the designers created for this particular episode and more about their cumulative work.
Not surprising in the least: Irina Shabayeva was first pick for the final big gig. Though her minty dress based on the painting “Mischief and Repose” by John William Godward was not our absolute favorite, she has undoubtedly been the superstar within the group since early on with work that is sophisticated and swanky – stuff you want to buy.
Carol Hannah Whitfield has a point of view and designs pretty dresses. Poor thing looked positively wrung out in this episode with makeup that was virtually melting off her eyes. Her dress however, inspired by a European Arts French bed from 1775 was beautifully made and glamorous.
Althea Harper’s ensemble, drawn from the architecture of the Getty Center was, well a brick, yet she makes the finals anyway, because she has been good throughout. Judges, who include Cindy Crawford, Cynthia Rowley and Nina Garcia, admire the fact that she took a risk.
So long to Christopher Straub, whose gown was supposed to conjure rocks and algae in the fountains at Getty. Additional waterworks from Christopher featured him weeping uncontrollably into his model's dress on the runway. That said, we actually loved his structural evening frock though the judges felt the material on the bottom was too stiff and he should have known it.
As for Gordana Gelhausen, well, she is knocked out of the competition after doing perhaps her best work ever. This simple strapless number is based on a beautiful Monet painting that reminds her of Europe and brings out her spirituality, she says. The colors are almost exactly extracted from the painting. The problem, say the judges, is that they still have no sense of her as a designer. She is sorely disappointed.
So, on to Fashion Week for the three gals –hope they can keep from stabbing each other with their scissors – this is no lovefest.
Motivational line of the week? Tim Gunn to designers, telling them to do such fabulous work that, “Nina Garcia’s stilettos blow right off her feet and shoot across the room.” Nina must have known that was the plan, so she wore strappy gladiators.
Tags: Project Runway, Nina Garcia, Cindy Crawford, Cynthia Rowley, Christopher Straub, Irina Shabayeva, Carol Hannah Whitfield, Althea Harper, Tim Gunn, Getty Center
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Victoria's Secret model search finalists introduced
It was like being plunked down on another planet where all the creatures were tall (very), curvaceous (va-va-voom) and gorgeous.
Welcome to the first open media meet-and-greet by the 10 women who won finalist spots in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show national model search.
>>See photos of the 10 Victoria's Secret Runway Angel finalists
The gals, now housed in a luxury condominium in the financial district, were culled from some 20,000 Angel wannabes from across the country, all vying to walk winged in what is arguably the most fabled runway show of all time. For now, they’re in heated competition at VS Angel boot camp and the next time we see them as a group, there will only be five.
Bonus: You get to vote on who will walk the walk on the televised show (Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 10 PM ET/PT on CBS) starting November 9 at 3 PM at VSAllaccess.com.
For now, you can watch the below video with the finalists, view photos of their media introduction and vote for who YOU think should be the next Angel.
Meet them now:
>>See photos of the 10 Victoria's Secret Runway Angel finalists
>>Vote for your favorite model search finalist
>>View photos from the 2008 Victoria's Secret Runway Show
>>Check out the sexiest Victoria's Secret Angels of all time
>>Watch video of Miranda Kerr and Adriana Lima during Fashion Week
Tags: Victoria's Secret, Angels, Heidi Klum
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Old school Tuesday: Bugs Bunny baseball
Watching Cliff Lee shut down the Yankees for a seventh consecutive inning in Game 1 of the World Series last Wednesday, I grew enraged at my Bronx Bombers and changed my Facebook status to read as follows:
"someone please get word to the Yankees dugout that Cliff Lee is NOT Bugs Bunny. Get a freakin' hit, please!"
That sent me to YouTube to watch the old-school cartoon classic. Allow me to share this 7:35 treat with you.
Tags: old school tuesday, bugs bunny, cartoons, baseball, sports, yankees
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‘Project Runway’ episode 11: Mean girls
Meow. The vibe is getting ugly as the field narrows with the girls consistently walloping the boys – six designers left and only two fellas. The challenge is to create a companion piece to the designers’ already-made best looks, but it almost seems secondary to the downright nastiness that permeates the air.
At one point in the show, Logan says, “Irina has the nickname ‘Mean-a Irina’ for a reason.” True, she’s getting a little witchy – the whole “I’m not here to make friends,” biz and all that accusatory stuff, but man, can that woman sew.
As for Logan, well, he hurled a few horrid little insults of his own. And alas his space age, Judy Jetson zipper dress was horrid too – finally, handsome guy is aufed. Nina Garcia called it “an indulgent fashion student project,” though we’re not sure his look was worse than Gordana’s drab, sad jacket and skirt ensemble described as an outfit for “an office worker in Warsaw, Poland.”
Althea wins with a sparkly, slouchy sweater over a camisole paired with cool harem drawstring pants. She has spent much of the show grousing that loser Logan copied one of her past collars. Heidi (who wants to own this outfit) is innocently surprised by the presence of two oversized sweaters on the runway– Irina’s has faux fur cuffs and tops a swank brocade strapless cocktail dress. Irina, somewhat inappropriately, and with steam coming out of her ears, suggests that Althea knocked her off, but no one but Althea seems to hear it. For the record, the sweaters were both gorgeous, but if we’re talking knock-offs, well Althea’s smacks of Donna Karan.
If the kids are spiteful, the grownups – as in the judges, who included actress Kerry Washington tonight -- are somewhat cruel, each trying to out zing each other while the designers are lined up on the runway – enough! And then, during their deliberations, cackling like hens about the designer missteps, kind of shameful. This needs a tighter edit – have fun, but don’t rip these people to shreds. It seemed undignified.
Rising above the fashion fury: Tim Gunn, always a gent and a true mentor in this episode, Carol Hannah, whose sweet party dress matches her personality, and Christopher who never seems to get nasty despite his overwrought gown described as “one dress throwing up another,” by Irina. He is the last guy standing and oddly, the only designer without any professional training.
And now for a jab of our own: if any of the designers had created what Heidi was wearing tonight – silver Bermuda shorts, a pink shirt and short blazer with rhinestone encrusted sleeves – um – buh-bye.
Photo: At top, Althea's creation, Logan's design at bottom. Courtesy of Lifetime.com
Tags: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Kerry Washington, Gordana Gelhaus, Christopher Straub, Althea Harper, Carol Hannah Whitfield, Logan Neitzel, Irina Shabayeva, Donna Karan
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Watch It: Fox's new '24' TV promo
Jack Bauer is back and he’s ready for trouble!
In a promo clip for the new season of “24”, Jack is making plans to move to
Tags: tv, 24, entertainment, fox, keifer sutherland
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Victoria’s Secret fashion show returns to NYC
After five long years, the super sexy, glam, mega-fabulous Victoria’s Secret fashion show returns to New York, so get ready.
This show will have it all: natch, those glorious Victoria’s Secret Angels including supermodels such as Alessandra Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr and Doutzen Kroes, and some new, um, talent, plucked from a pool of VS Angel wannabes who entered a beauty contest. More on that later.
Then there’s the entertainment – Black Eyed Peas – yay (and talk about the right kind of place for “Boom Boom Pow”) – with Fergie – double yay!!
And let’s not forget about the world’s ultimate undergarment that will shimmy down this runway – just your basic $3 million dollar Harlequin Fantasy Bra designed by famous Italian jeweler Damiani and worn by supermodel Marisa Miller. Touted as the ultimate holiday gift, the bra features a rare 16 carat heart-shaped champagne diamond pendant surrounded by more than 2,300 brilliant cut white, champagne and cognac diamonds. The weight of the bra is nearly 150 carats. Put it on your wish list.
The live show goes on November 19 at the Armory but tickets are beyond hard-to-get. Your best bet is to mark your calendars for Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 10 p.m. when the whole knock-your-eyes-out extravaganza will air on CBS. Got that?
>> See photos of the 2008 Victoria's Secret lingerie show in Miami
Tags: Victoria's Secret, Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, Marisa Miller, Alessandra Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr, Doutzen Kroes
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'Rocky 7'??? Please, no!
Dear Sylvester Stallone ...
Stallone, you're my boy and all, but seriously, don't do a seventh "Rocky" movie!
I mean, really. Your wife is right: You would embarrass your kids.
And you'd embarrass me, and just about every other "Rocky" fan out there. We loved "Rocky Balboa" in 2006 because it was a long time coming. You walked out of the ring with grace and dignity in that movie. "Rocky VII" is just too soon.
Of course, any time this movie hits theaters would be too soon.
"Artists like me have to go through the dark over and over again," you told the UPI. OK, sure, but fans don't need to go through "Oscar" or "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!" again.
Don't ruin the "Rocky" franchise. I'm the only guy out there who contends that "Rocky V" is not AS BAD as people say it is. Don't let me down, Rock.
The worst part is that I'd still go see "Rocky VII" on opening night. You know it. I know it. The box office cashier knows it. I just won't be happy about it. Don't do that to me, Rock!
Father Carmine, where are you when we need you? Don't throw any more blessings out of your window, please.
Yours truly,
A fan
Tags: Rocky, Sylvester Stallone, movies
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Project Runway Episode 10: Kors, Kors, Kors!
La Monica here filling in for Annie B, who had the gumption to run off to sunnier shores for a few days with only seven designers left on Season 6 of “Project Runway.”
First, let’s cleanse ourselves of all the self-serving Episode 10 dumped on us. Michael Kors is a judge on the show. Michael Kors presented this week’s challenge . . . from the floor of the Michael Kors West Coast flagship store on Rodeo Drive.
And what exactly was this challenge? Design an outfit based on the inspiration of a select list of locales around the world. Those locales, of course, were chosen by Michael Kors, based on locales that once inspired Michael Kors.
Designers chose from these hot spots: Palm Beach (Carol Hannah), Greece (Nicolas), St. Tropez (Althea), New York (Gordana), Aspen (Irina), Santa Fe (Christopher) and Hollywood (Logan).
Much of the show dialogue and confessionals centered around Christopher Straub’s work. Two quick highlights:
1) “His dress looks like something an Amish woman would wear,” Irina Shabayeva said.
2) “If Christopher can put that garment down the runway and not get eliminated, then I don’t know what is going on,” Althea Harper said.
Kors wasn’t exactly nice either when, during the judging process, said, “I think it’s so important that you use the inspiration, but we don’t turn it into a costume. Quite simply, I don’t think anyone who’s ever thought about the American West would get that from this look.”
Yikes. And yet, he still made it through to next week. Who got axed, with help from guest judge Milla Jovovich? Nicolas! His Greece-inspired white shirt and gray pants ensemble was just that: a white shirt and gray pants. I’m fairly certain if anyone checks their closet when they get home tonight, they’ll find something similar to what this Putvinski sent down the runway. Here, take a look:
Once again, our boy Kors laid the wood to this design. “I think you got the wrong Greece,” Kors said. “I think you got ‘Grease’ the movie with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.”
It’s electrifying!
The winner of this week’s challenge was Irina (her third win this season), who dropped bombs with her Aspen-themed outfit, seen below.
Forget the bunny slopes, fellas. Hello, snow bunny!
(Lifetime photos)
Tags: Project Runway, television, reality tv, Michael Kors, Irina Shabayeva, Christopher Straub, Nicolas Putvinski, Althea Harper, Milla Jovovich
