Belle!

Sofia Coppola looks so beautiful on the latest Paris Vogue.
I feel like many magazine covers are same ol' same ol' but to me,
this one has great interest.Oh, how I wish I spoke French.

"The One"

How do you know if you've met 'the one?'

"I knew Hope and I would be together forever when I turned on ESPN's SportsCenter for the first time — and she didn't ask me to change the channel!"— Jason Brown, 29, Troy, MI

"I met my wife just before I turned 30. Ten minutes into our initial conversation, she asked if I'd seen the latest Rogaine commercial. The question was more than a little impolite, since I had lost most of my hair in my early 20s. I quickly concluded that she had either no clue or remarkable pluck. The latter turned out to be the case. I asked her out, and 10 months later we were married."— Rob DeRocker, 42, Brooklyn

"The first time my girlfriend went on vacation without me, I couldn't get her off my mind the entire time she was gone — I missed her so much. The moment she walked in the door, I dropped down on one knee and asked her if she would be my wife."— Brian Shultes, 40, Palmetto, FL

Preggo?

(Barack as a little boy. How cute!)

Rumor Mill: Word on the street is that Michelle Obama
is preggers. How fun would it be to watch the First Lady during
her pregnancy? Let's hope for a little baby boy; Baby Barack!

We'll have to see how this pans out...

Fat?

Last time I checked, Jessica Simpson was not fat...

Even in unflattering high-waisted jeans. Not even close.

No wonder more and more young girls are getting disorders.

Is this really necessary? Compliments of NY Post.

Bridal Show.

Ladies With a Ring on Your Finger:
The Dulles Expo Center is having a big bridal show this
Sunday from 11am-5pm. If you're planning to be married this is a
must-see. I'll be there representing Gaines Weddings and Events, so
stop by and say hello! Click here for more info.

Beautiful wedding photo by Marley.

Nova Fashion Week.

Ladies and gents, Nova Fashion Week is coming soon! The fashion-

festivities start at the end of February and tickets are between $15-$51.50. This

week of fashion includes runway shows by both big-name and local designers, as well

as opportunities to purchase these delicious clothes. Who wants to go?

Let's Toast to Love! (Har-Har)

This is the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Get it here for only $6.

Confessions.

"V-Day was invented by women to get the men in their lives to

ignore the TV for a week -- six days to organize it and
pull it out of our hair, one day to pretend we had it planned
from the year before." - Mario Daniels, Brooklyn, NY

Check out more male V-Day confessions here.

Best News of My Life.

No Doubt announced a summer 2009 tour.

They haven't toured since 2004!

In the words of Rachel Zoe, "I die. I just die."

MTV Still Makes Interesting Shows?

How's Your News? is show that recently caught my eye. The premise revolves around several journalists with disabilities traveling across the country to document their experiences.

The show, which been around since 1998, has appeared on HBO/Cinemax, PBS and Channel Four England and I must say that I am pretty excited for its debut.

Craziest News Ever!

This is the most nutso-news I have read in quite some time. According to a study in China, the wealth of your partner can determine the frequency of your orgasms.

Yes, you read that correctly.

The Chinese Health and Family Life Survey studied the relationship between the female orgasm and the characteristics of their partner in a large representative sample. Turns out that women reported having more orgasms if their partners made more money. In summary, it seems that the female orgasm has an adaptive function.

Crazy, right?!

Obama's People.

The New York Times has done a very interesting project on
Obama's fifty-two top advisors. Meet some of these remarkable
men and women here. Their photographs are very telling and a nice
introduction to the people that are going to be shaping our presidency.

Welcome to D.C.

Welcome to D.C., President Obama. I'm happy to have you.

"In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations," Obama.

Speaking of Gaga...

MySpace Presents: The Fit with Lady Gaga


Check out Lady Gaga's latest MySpace video. She dishes on her fashion inspiration, including Versace.

I am feelin' her Versace shades. And her hair-bow. Very Gwen Stefani meets Hello Kitty.

Gaga.

Lady Gaga doesn't seem to ever wear pants.

Literally, inside, outside, performing, not performing. No pants.

Lady Gaga's non-pants attitude is:

A) Ferosh! I worship The Gaga!

B) Nuts! I don't get it.

Can you guess my answer?

Imposter-Gladiators.

If you've been to Rome in the last few years, then you've noticed the men dressed up as gladiators surrounding the infamous Coliseum. They haggle you, they yell for you to take a picture with them and then demand your euros. They're kinda cute, but it seems that Rome has had enough.

"Rome's city government has had enough. It has tried for years to crack down on the city's freelance gladiators — and has now decided that the best way to do that is to give travelers a more realistic experience. Umberto Broccoli, the recently named head of archaeology for Rome, is pushing ahead with a proposal to recreate gladiator battles in or near the Coliseum. Dressed in original costumes and carrying actual swords and tridents (unlike the plastic and aluminum toy replicas used by the current hustlers), well-trained gladiator actors will be choreographed to perform historically accurate battles..." says Jeff Israely of Time Magazine.

As somebody who was literally felt up by these imposter-gladiators, I will be relieved to see them go! Arrivederci!

Vacay.

I need to get away. I'm thinking Thailand, or what my dad

calls, "the most beautiful place I have ever been."

Sniffles.

I've been sick these last few days (I feel like everybody
is sick right now). What makes you feel better when you're
under the weather? Chicken soup makes me feel good.

The Male Species.

The males species is a fascinating one. They're complex and yet simple. Insensitive and yet caring. I usually try not to assume what they're thinking, but if you're wondering what he's wondering then this blog is perfect for you. It's called I was Jake (Now I'm Married) and it's super clever and interesting. Here's an exert that cracked me up;

"Don’t call it Boys’ Night Out: I used to have friends. I used to have friends named Mike. I used to have friends named Luke. I used to have friends named Peter and A Couple of Other Guys I Go to the German Beer Bar With. You know what my friends’ names are now? Tony and Sarah. Olivia and Charles. I realized the other day that all my friends (who are also Blossoms’ friends) come in twos now. They’re not beer friends, they’re wine friends. And even when you get drunk and crazy, it’s tame. It’s neutered fun. I am officially sick of couple friends."

If this tickles your fancy, check out his blog here.

Valentine's Day.

Perhaps a bit premature, but I've been thinking about Valentine's Day recently. In all honestly, how can you not be aware of it coming when all the stores have their Valentine's Day stuff out already? (I mean, Christmas just ended. Can I have a few weeks to recover, please?)

What are your usual plans for Valentine's Day? If you're in a relationship, is Valentine's Day a big affair or just another day?

If you're single, is it a night with Ben & Jerry's and the remote or a fun day to spend with other single friends?

More specifically: Ladies, do you expect flowers and a big ta-da? Gents, what about you?

I've always been a big sucker for Valentine's Day. Sure, it's a Hallmark-holiday but I think it's a nice excuse to tell the people you love how special they are; friends, family, and significant others alike.

I usually make Valentines for my friends too. I know, I'm a cheeseball.

Thoughts?

Pho Sho'!

My boyfriend recently introduced me to this fun website called Pho Fever. If you're crazy about pho (pronounced "fuh") like I am, this website is immensely helpful. Type in your location and you'll find a (long) list of pho places in your area, as well as reviews from other pho-lovers.

Pho places are like laundromats, they're everywhere. So, use this website to find a place that's worth your $6.50!

I've been frequenting Pho Hot in Annandale a lot lately. Their broth is always very flavorful, and they're open really late.

Do you have any favorite pho places?

Bastille.

I have been having major Europe withdrawl lately, France in particular. I think a trip to Old Town Alexandria' Bastille might cure my blues.

While I have never been, I've heard rave reviews from Northern Virginia Magazine's brilliant food editor, Warren Rojas.

Anybody want to go with me? S'il vou plait?

Plus, Old Town Alexandria is just so charming, no?

Oh, Ann Coulter.

Oh, Ann Coulter. You silly little minx, you. Coulter always has a lot to say, and Michelle Obama has become her latest target.

“Her obvious imitation of Jackie O’s style - the flipped-under hair, the sleeveless A-line dresses, the short strands of fake pearls - would have been laughable if done by anyone other than a media-designated saint," said the beloved Ann Coulter in reference to Michelle Obama.

Um, hello?! Coulter is always Queen of Pointing Out the Obvious. Ok, so Michelle takes style cues from Jackie O. Yea, her and every other stylish woman in the world. Jackie O is a style icon and influences modern fashion every day. So yes Ann Coulter, Michelle Obama dresses like Jackie O. Good job.

You might want to take some cues from Jackie O too, Ann. Your pant suits aren't really working for you, love.

New Year's Resolutions.

One of my New Year's resolutions is to dress more
like a French woman. My dressing has been super Dulls-ville
lately and that needs to change. In all fairness, the woman
above is technically Italian, but you know what I mean.

This woman, on the other hand, is straight from Paris.
Her outfit is really working for me. Note to self: Dress more like her.