Golden Rules

I just finished Tim Gunn's Book, Gunn's Golden Rules. I saw him on Jon Stewart and he was hilarious so I decided to pick it up and I really enjoyed it. I have to say I enjoyed the first half better than the last half but it was a quick and enjoyable read.

The book is broken down into his "golden rules", which basically consist of minding your manners, taking risks, hard work and doing what you love. He does use these rules to tell personal stories some of which have gotten a lot of press (particularly one featuring a certain Vogue editor). He does give insight into the show Project Runway and how it started and his role in its inception. The stories are honest and very interesting.

I loved the reminders the book includes. Little courtesies that today we forget and ignore like writing thank you notes, being a good guest, being a good host, being careful how you communicate with others and my favorite was taking the high road. I really needed that reminder.

I highly recommend the book to anyone who likes Tim Gunn and anyone who like Project Runway will enjoy it. Great, quick and fun read.

Book Worm Update

I am working on my late summer reading list and here is what I have read so far...

A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenoweth. Cute fun book but wouldn't recommend to those that don't love the Broadway star.

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote. Very short, quick read. I really enjoyed it.

Spooky Little Girl by Laurie Nataro. I really enjoyed this more than her non-fiction. It reminds me of that show, Dead Like Me. Very funny.

5 AM Fifth Avenue by Sam Wasson. This is a chronicle of the making of Breakfast at Tiffany's. It is also a statement as to how the character of Holly Golightly changed the perception of American women in film and eventually women in general. Also includes a lot of insight into Hollywood at this time as well as Audrey's impact on fashion and film. Highly recommend it! Read it. Seriously.

Right now, I am reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Re-reading it actually in preparation for the movie.

I am also looking for recommendations for my fall reading list. I have only one book on my reading list for the fall. Any suggestions?

Book Worm

Lately I have been a voracious reader. I love spending my Sunday afternoons in a good book. I have so many titles that I cannot wait to read. Here's my late summer reading list...

Seven Year Bitch (gotta love that title), Marcus of Umbria (rec of Jenn Lancaster and I am assured the dog does not die. if he does, tell me know. I don't read books or watch movies where the dog dies.), 5th Avenue 5 AM (about filming Breakfast at Tiffanys), Breakfast at Tiffany's (never read it), The Great Gatsby (loved this book in high school), Mennonite in a Little Black Dress (rec of Jen Lancaster), A Little Bit Wicked (I love broadway!), Orange is the New Black (about a woman sent to prison), Spooky Little Girl, Undress Me In The Temple of Heaven (rec of Jen Lancaster), Final Days (about Watergate. I am fascinated by Richard Nixon. Dork I know), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (re-reading it in preparation for the movie and yes I love Harry and I will admit I cried not only when Sirius died but I cried in the theater when Dumbledore died.)

My Reading List Update

So I stand before you a failure. Not really. I am fine with this failure. I put 13 books on my reading list and I only read 7. There are tons of books I want to read right now so I am moving the books I did not get to into my "One Day I'll Read This" pile.

On a good note, I read lots of great books and here are my reviews.

SOMEWHERE INSIDE by Lisa Ling and Laura Ling: I reviewed this book previously but it is about Laura Ling's captivity in North Korea. I really loved this book. I found it fascinating because we know so little about North Korea. Excellent read.

JANE EYRE: This is also on my "Before 30 List" and I feel like I have volunteered to have my eyelashes plucked out one by one. I have no idea why I have done this to myself but I am in the middle and I am going to finish. Or at least go get the cliff notes and lie on my Before 30 List.

HOW DID YOU GET THIS NUMBER by Sloane Crossley: Really funny essays. I did like her first book, I Was Told There'd Be Cake, better but this is funny too.

THE PARTICULAR SADNESS OF LEMON CAKE by Aimee Bender: Really good book. I do feel like I need to have a discussion with someone smarter than me about the book because I have one question. "Is her brother a chair?"

THE SUMMER WE READ GATSBY by Danielle Ganek: Freaking loved it! Awesome book. I read it in a matter of days and ready 90% of it in two days. Really really good.

IN HER SHOES by Jennifer Weiner: I had never read a Jennifer Weiner book before so I read this one. I did like the movie way better but hey who didn't? I do really like her writing style though so I am going to have to play catch up and read some of her other books.

COMMITTED by Elizabeth Gilbert: It's no Eat, Pray, Love. I skimmed and didn't finish it. I think it's because I work as part of a bureaucracy so I don't want to read about one. Glad they are together and married though. I was rooting for them.

So what did I learn from my summer reading list?

1. I really need a Nook because I spend a fortune on books

2. Re-reading your favorite classic is often not a good idea. Let yourself keep believing it's your favorite book.

3. Kim Jong Il scares the crap out of me. Seriously, he just makes me nervous now.

4. Sometimes it's okay to like the movie better

5. Sometimes you can totally judge a book by it's cover.

6. I still haven't read a Jane Austen book but I am on "classics" overload at the moment and that's okay.

New Favorite Book

Seriously. I absolutely loved it.

Faves & A Reading List

Thanks to everyone for humoring me with my Entertainment Week series. I totally need to live in a Nancy Meyers' movie as you must have noticed.

Anyway, many of you were up to adorable things on your blog this week. Here are just a few of my favorites from this week.

Kelly at Fabulous K featured a vignette of her adorable living room and her new lamp. So cute.

I loved this party from Diary of a Lovely

And, Full House totally made me want to get on a plane and stay at this hotel (yes, that's a hotel!)

On other topics, I have a reading list update and my very lofty goals for my summer reading list (but let's face it, I never read all of my books on my reading list anyway).

As for the update, this was my Spring reading list...

Eat Pray Love. Really really liked it. I though India tended to drag a bit but overall I really enjoyed the book.

Water for Elephants. Liked it, didn't love it. I really have a hard time with someone being cruel to animals so I didn't enjoy those moments. Definitely worth reading.

Lunch in Paris. Brutal honesty, I didn't like it but lots of other people do. I might not have been in right mood.

Eating Animals is on my summer reading list now.

And here's my summer reading list...

I have some new goals for my reading list. I want to include some serious nonfiction (politics, history, etc.). I don't know why. I guess it makes me feel smart. I also want to start including some classics that I have never read. Now this new goal comes with a confession. I have never read a Jane Austen book (Gasp!).

I am currently reading Somewhere Inside, which is Laura Ling's recount of being imprisoned in North Korea. After that I have the following on tap:

Jane Eyre (on my "Before 30 List"

Emma (my first Jane Austen)

Eating Animals

Committed

Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley

The Summer We Read Gatsby (courtesy of the awesome reading guide in the new issue of Real Simple)

The Believers by Zoe Heller (she wrote Notes on a Scandal)

In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner (I love this movie and I have never read Jennifer Weiner before)

Omnivore's Life

Imperial Life in the Emerald City (b/c I want to feel smart :)

Girls in Trucks (written by a fellow South Carolinian)

Whew. So clearly I have to go read to get all of this read by the Autumn Solstice.

Happy Weekend!

Faves: Entertainment Edition

Here are my Entertainment Favorites. What are yours?

FAVORITE BOOK/MOVIE COMBINATION

I absolutely loved this book, Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller. The movie is also very good. I recommend reading the book and then seeing the movie.

GUILTY PLEASURE

Broadway Musicals and Plays. I absolutely love plays and I adore musicals. I have to always turn down the music in my car when my friends get in because most likely I've been singing to the Nine soundtrack.

Style Icon

Kate Winslet. I love her hair, her makeup and the fact that she looks like a normal person.

Dresses

As for Emmy Dresses, I loved Toni Collette's dress last year. I love the pink. For Golden Globes, I don't know that anyone will surpass Eva Mendes in this white dress. Cate Blanchett's dress at the Oscars will always be one of my faves.

Actors

This is ever changing depending on what I am into at the time but these are some of my favorites. Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, Toni Collette, George Clooney (even though he's old enough to be my dad I would totally have his children), and Matt Damon (he's Jason Bourne!)

Shows

Right now I love Glee and United States of Tara. Friends will always be my favorite show ever.

Music

I love Dave Matthews and Coldplay. Right now I am really into Florence + the Machine. I also have a weird thing for Broadway Musicals.

Movie I Want To Live In... Any Nancy Meyers movie. I want to learn french and live in Napa or the Hamptons every time I watch one of her movies.

What are your favorites?

Favorites.

I hope everyone had a delightful week. These are the things that made me happy this week.

Peonies from Whole Foods! I've been waiting for months for peonies to appear in the stores.

From the blog world...

I love this tablescape courtesy of Eddie Ross

These letters are divine from Simply Seleta

I love this mirror from DC by Design (and this is the home of a "recovering lawyer" who has become a designer)

I love these odds and ends from ModCloth

I also have a reading update. I finished My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster. It was pretty hilarious and very entertaining. I want her to be my BFF. Maybe I will ask her at her book signing in Charlotte next week.

I am headed to the BMW Celebrity Pro Am Charity Golf Tournament this weekend so pray for lots of celebrity sightings! Happy Weekend.

A List and Another B-Day

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you were really busy and you can't remember why or what you did that makes you so busy? No? Never? Just me then. Anyway. Alas, it is Friday and I didn't have time to put together my favorites list but this is the next best thing...

My Reading List. Well an update of my reading list at least (I feel that I'm letting you guys down)...

I finished Water for Elephants. Really good book.

I am 1/3 of the way through Eat, Pray, Love. If you've read the book, I am in India.

I am taking a break from Eating, Praying and Loving to read the book I have been looking forward to all year, My Fair Lazy by my favorite author Jen Lancaster. She's hilarious. I'm on chapter one and I've already laughed out loud. If you don't know who she is, check out her blog here.

On a non-book front, if you don't have this issue of House & Home. Go Get It! It's awesome.

Last but not least I want to take a minute to say...

Happy Birthday Mom!

you are the best ever!

I wish everyone a great weekend. Hug your mom!

Spring Reading List

This is my spring reading list....

Lately I really haven't been able to find the time to read as much as I would like. I am a few chapters into Water for Elephants. These are the others books I plan to read to finish out the Spring. What are you reading?

What I'm Reading

I picked up Water for Elephants this weekend at Target and I am excited to start reading. First, I finished up Staying True by Jenny Sanford.

Some of you may have no idea who Jenny Sanford is but she is the soon to be ex-wife of SC Governor Mark Sanford, whose affair and disappearance from the state for several days caused quite the stir a few months ago. I read this book out of blatant and morbid curiosity and although I strive to avoid any political talk on my blog I will say that I am not a Mark Sanford fan period and I never was one and I never voted for the man. That being said the book was a quick read and really just chronicles their marriage, political life and the affair that ended their marriage. I do admire Jenny Sanford's faith and dedication to her children throughout what was a horrible end to her marriage.

In case you have no idea what I am talking about here is none other than a fellow South Carolinian Steve Colbert to explain the events that brought down Governor Mark Sanford...

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Governor Alert - The Search for Mark Sanford
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Skate Expectations

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Mark Sanford Does Something Interesting
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Skate Expectations

Gotta love The Colbert Report.

Must Read: Shoo, Jimmy Choo by Catey Hill

Now if you are thinking this is some chick lit along the lines of Chasing Harry Winston or Confessions of a Shopaholic you will be a little surprised when you find out this book is all about personal finance.

Today in B&N I was intrigued by the cover and I flipped through the book quickly. I wasn't really shopping for a book on finance but when I flipped through and saw all of the information on student loans, retirement accounts, insurance and emergency funds I was intrigued. I got home and read the book in one afternoon. It was excellent.

I went to Law School so I know a fair amount about taxes, mutual funds, blah blah but I do lack a lot of basic knowledge about certain aspects of investments but the book gives you an excellent base knowledge of all things personal finance. Also the book does a fabulous job of breaking down the reality of credit cards, student loans and mortgages. I really wish someone had given me this book when I graduated from college. The information is simplified but perfect someone just starting out with student loan or credit card debt and anyone trying to determine how to prepare for the future. If you have no idea what a no load mutual fund is, this book is for you and this is a great gift for all women in their 20s or 30s too.

Who would have thought a book about finances would catapult me out of my reading rut? Who knew?

Thanks!

For all of the book recommendations! I seriously needed to be pulled out of my rut and I think you all have.

Here is my amended Winter Reading List...

1. Water for Elephants

2. A Thousand Splendid Suns (everyone says this is better than The Kite Runner)

3. Eat Pray Love ( I have heard people who loved it and people who thought it was boring, what's the verdict?)

4. Catcher In The Rye (can you believe I made it through high school without reading this?)

I am going to try to work some into the spring except Twilight (I tried I really did and it seems like a vampire after school special to me). Thanks girls!

I'll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours

I have a confession. I have read none of the books on my winter reading list. I am in a reading rut. I have found that when I get like this I can regain my reading enthusiasm by re-reading a favorite book. Also, I need to get some new material because nothing I have on my reading list is making me excited. So here's the deal,

I will show you my bookshelf if you show me yours...

These are my top 5 Favorite Books

You all know this, The Lovely Bones

Jane Eyre. How high school literature class is this? I still have an old tattered copy my mom read in high school. I love this book so much I swore for years I would name my first child Adele.

Notes On A Scandal by Zoe Heller. This movie was later made into a movie that was excellent as well. It's so torrid. I just love it.

To Kill A Mockingbird. Need I say more?

Bitter Is The New Black by Jen Lancaster. I think books can signify a period of time in our lives. This book was recommended to me by my sister while I was taking the Bar Exam. If you've never taken a bar exam, the horror that is the Bar Exam is hard to comprehend. The SC Bar Exam is 3 days long and covers a huge breadth of material. Bar applicants spend three months studying for the test and in the last few weeks you study every waking moment. While I was enduring that hell I bought this book and I would stop studying every night and read for a half hour or so. I laughed out loud the entire time I read this book. It was definitely a time in my life that I needed to laugh. This book is hilarious, irreverent and will make you smile on every page.

Who what is yours? Come on I need new material. Pretty Please

Winter Reading List

I have a confession. It's difficult to admit. Maybe I'm just not smart enough or deep enough. Maybe I have ADD. I am having the hardest time getting through The Kite Runner. I sort of want to jab a pen in my eye when I read it. Nevertheless, everyone says it's wonderful so I am going to make myself get through it. Now that's out of the way, here's the rest of my reading list for the winter months...

We Thought You'd Be Prettier by Laurie Nataro. I have heard her compared to Jen Lancaster and I love to laugh.

The Martha Rules. Inspired by High Heeled Foot In The Door.

Nanny Returns. This is the sequel to the Nanny Diaries, which I loved.

Stop Getting Ripped Off. I heard about this on the today show. Sounds like a good idea. Can't go wrong with not getting ripped off.

The Kite Runner. It's like I'm on a mission.

Your Favorite Reads

My Favorite Book ever is The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

followed by Jane Eyre, Fugitive Pieces and To Kill a Mockingbird

I have just gotten back into reading after having my love of reading beaten out of me by law school. What are your favorite books or what are you dying to read?

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jen Lancaster has a release date for her new book. May 4, 2010 to which my husband responds, "That's a long time." I'm still so excited. Yay. Yay. Yay. Its already on pre-order at Amazon.

No idea who she is? She is a hilarious writer that my sister introduced me to. She has written four books: Bitter Is the New Black, Bright Lights Big Ass, Such a Pretty Fat, and Pretty in Plaid. Love her. I laugh out loud when reading her. She also has a blog, Jennsylvania.

Key Lime Martinis with Graham Cracker Rims are Proof That Jesus Loves Us.

Jen Lancaster

A Lovely Reminder

You've all read this book, right?

No? Are you kidding? Go get it. You have to read it now.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is my favorite book ever. It's gorgeous and just amazing. The movie is coming out this winter so you have to read it so you will be as excited about the movie as I am. Go now. If you have read it, I'm going to read it again as soon as I get done with The Help and The Kite Runner.

Here's the trailer, in case you have no idea what I am talking about.

Fall Bookshelf Update

Prospect Park West by Amy Sohn.

I actually didn't finish it. I really didn't love it. I sort of felt like I was hanging out with someone who name-dropped constantly. It wasn't horrible and from the book reviews I read some people absolutely loved it. I just wasn't one of them.

A SIDE NOTE: There is a character that is loosely based (and I hope really loosely) on Jennifer Connelly. If I were her I would be PISSED.

As to an unrelated matter, thanks to everyone for their budget tips! They are awesome. You guys are great.