Fashion Report Card

I felt that there was a surprising amount of bad fashion at the Oscars this year....especially considering how much I've loved a lot of it this awards season in general. Not a lot of color in the gowns and it made the ones who wore color really stand out...most of the time in a good way.

Hated it!!
I was not a fan of Marion Cotillard's dress...I couldn't quite figure out the bottom of it and what it was trying to do. But I also must admit that I haven't been a big fan of the dark blue and black mixture this year...I didn't like it when marcia cross wore it earlier this year, nor did I like Reese's dress from Sunday either.

Amanda Seyfried's dress seems silly, not particularly formal and a little ridiculous, no?


I'm not 100% sure what Melissa George's dress looked like in the front, but I hate that uber-mermaid bottom on it. I think a little flair would have been great, but this is too much.



Jessica Biel's dress is just odd...I don't quite understand what they were going for with this flap of fabric that looks untucked or something...

I saw Miley Cyrus roaming around the theater from above before the show started and I thought her dres looked cute...and then I saw it from the red carpet photos and whoa....i thought it was hideous. Think if you do those layers, it needs to hug the body, not flair out into a big A-line skirt.

Couldn't Mickey Rourke even class it up a bit, just a BIT, for the Oscars? I mean....come on.

Queen Latifah looked WAY better in the dress she sang in...what is THIS exactly?


I didn't hate Amy Adams' dress per say...it just seems a bit misguided. I think the red dress would be beautiful just with the black piping on that bodice. Why bring up the extra piece of fabric to tack up in the middle of her chest? And that necklace...I like it but wouldn't it have been better with a black dress to set it off? or even a white one?

And there are no words to describe what Beyonce wore....just hideous.









Middle of the Road....
I liked Kate Winslet's dress but didn't love it...and I thought her hair seemed a bit matronly for her.

I felt the same way on some level with Frida Pinto's dress....I thought the lace sleeve was beautiful and the design on the dress was a nice way to incorporate some Indian touches, but at the same time it felt too old for her...I wonder if it was the color.


Meryl Streep looked very nice and age appropriate...but I didn't like jump out of my seat, so I put it here...

I think Sarah Jessica Parker's dress was beautiful and in person, she looked great in it. It made her waist look SO tiny...I just wish her boobs were tucked in a bit more....


Felt that Penelope Cruz looked beautiful but I think the dress was a bit much at the bottom...I saw a picture of the dress she wore to the parties and I thought it was a bit simpler and just as elegant.






Fashion Favorites!!
Anne Hathaway, Taraji P. Henson, Marisa Tomei and Natalie Portman were my absolute favorites!!











Angelina, Evan Rachel Wood and Alicia Keys definitely were up on my list as well.















I thought all these women were beautiful and had the right look with their gowns...hair was good, accessories were good and though Evan Rachel Wood's a little pale for hers, they all looked stunning.

Oscar night addendums...

As I think of things from last night, I'll just keep adding them here...

Funny tidbit - Brad Pitt was cracking up and almost falling out of his seat when Robert DeNiro said that line to Sean Penn, "How did Sean Penn play straight for so many years?" or something like that. It was funny to see that

Also- I was telling Sage that I really didn't think the Apatow comedy thing was that funny...others agree or disagree? I thought the idea was cute but didn't really think the short was all that funny.

oh and Chris totally stepped on Heath Ledger's sister's dress on the way out at the end of the night.

And the Oscar goes to.....

Us!! ha ha. I wish!! But I did get to attend the 81st Academy Awards and Governor's Ball last night!! I almost don't know where to begin with the post, so I'll go chronologically....

The "night" began when Chris and I started getting ready about noon....I had gone gown shopping VERY late in the game b/c we weren't officially sure if we were going until late January and things just got busy, we were out of town, etc etc, and I didn't find anything I liked. But, in a rare circumstance, I was able to re-wear a bridesmaid gown I already owned! Sage had us in strapless, black Amsale gowns for her wedding and I decided that this was a perfectly elegant choice for the Oscars. I dressed up the outfit with my wedding earrings, borrowed a FANCY bag from Sage and did my best to do something fancy with my hair. We were not allowed to take ANY photos at the show or in the ball (in fact, I almost had my phone taken away after snapping a picture of the dessert at the table), so Chris and I took a photo of ourselves when we got home at the end of the night. So forgive the fact that we look tired and I think my hair and make-up were a bit worn at this point....

So back to the show- we did NOT walk the red carpet (there is a longer explanation of why but it's mainly b/c there weren't enough actual tickets for seats for the company and spouses, so we figured out another system but it's too long to explain) and instead entered through the backstage entrance and so we had no long wait and virtually no security delays because of it. Woohoo! And because of our production passes, we were able to go anywhere in the theater, including backstage, and this also meant we could be on the lobby floor....which is where the champagne was flowing as stars arrived and headed to their seats or to the more exclusive waiting room just off the lobby. Up close, we got to see Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Anne Hathaway, Rob Pattinson, Penelope Cruz, Emile Hirsch, James Franco, Judd Apatow & Leslie Mann, Sean Penn (who looked REALLY tan in person), Viola Davis, Queen Latifah, Miley Cyrus, Hugh Jackman, and ummm.....okay so that might be it for lobby sightings.

During the show, since we didn't technically have seats, we hung out in the balcony box with two other people from the company who did. Chris and I had been to the full rehearsal of the show on Saturday night, so it was okay for us that being in the box meant not seeing a lot of the back portion of the stage. I must say, that all the live performances sounded SO much better in person than they did on television (b/c of course we went home at the end of the night and watched the show on DVR)...though you could understand Hugh Jackman a bit better on television.

For me personally, I thought the show was fantastic! Hugh's opening number was great, he was charming and a lot of fun. I thought the stage design was fantastic and bundling all the costume/make/art direction and then all the tech awards w/Will Smith were good choices. It seemed to get through them a bit quicker and feel a bit more cohesive. Chris was not a huge fan of the Baz Luhrman number and I must say on TV I didn't think it worked as well, but it was SO fun live!! I know some people thought maybe it didn't belong on the Academy Awards show, but I think it's nice to have live performances to break up people just presenting the whole time. And speaking of presenters, I am a bit mixed on the five actors giving the award out together...I like the idea but I did think it contributed to the show going long. I wish the speeches had been a bit shorter, but overall the idea was cute. As was the idea to do some montages of the genres that aren't typically celebrated at the Oscars, like comedy, romance and action...I thought the animation one was a bit long and maybe out of place since there is an animation category now. Finally, I will say that doing the 2009 preview afterwards was a great idea! I can't believe no one thought of it before!! And of course, our upcoming movie JULIE & JULIA with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams was prominently featured (I think it was the third movie).

Anyways, so the show's over and we're heading to the Governor's Ball....It takes place in a large space in the Kodak Theater complex....and truthfully, I was disappointed. I had been in the same space for the MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA and the PETER PAN premiere parties....and I think those were more fun! The Governor's Ball is really a sit down dinner, with Wolfgang Puck as the chef. The tables are totally cramped and every inch of that ballroom was used. They did have live music, passed apps and drinks, as well as a four course meal. Now I will say that the food was great for the most part, but the main dish was braised short rib and I was not a fan. It was kind of mushy actually, though Chris likes that kind of meat so he had half of mine. We had lots of champagne and a martini, but didn't really party too much. The dessert box was really the coolest thing of the night (see right). It was a white chocolate box with a treat in each section. After dessert, we quickly realized how tired we were and headed home around 11:15pm. But yeah, there was live music at the Ball but no dancing and we realized that this is the "dinner" event that people come to first before heading out to the bigger parties, like Vanity Fair, etc etc.

So that was our Oscar night!! It was so fun to be there and to feel all the excitement in the room....Chris made a comment that it was almost surreal, and I agree. Below is a photo of our passes and the little gift we got at the Ball...of course we go the year everything is scaled back and no big gift boxes/bags. Oh well! We can't complain - it was pretty awesome!! p.s. I will do a fashion post later when I get to watch the red carpet stuff and I'll of course add in my two cents on the award winners as well.

Gram's obituary

Virginia G. Leblanc
RANDOLPH , Virginia G. Jean (Moran) of Randolph, formerly of Boston, February 12, 2009, at the age of 84. Loving mother of Theresa Chestna and her husband Thomas of CT and John LeBlanc and his wife Dianne of PA. Sister of the late Donald Dodge and Moore W. Dodge. Dear grandmother of Thomas, Tamara, Donald and Allura. Also survived by 1 great grandchild. Reposing at the Cartwright Funeral Home, 419 No. Main Street, (Rte 28), Randolph until 8:15 a.m. on Monday followed by a Funeral Mass at 9 a.m. in St. Bernadette Church, 1027 No. Main Street, Randolph. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours Sunday 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Burial in Forest Hills Cemetery, Boston on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Rosie's Place for Homeless Women, 889 Harrison Ave. Boston, MA 02118. Virginia was born in Boston and graduated from Roxbury Memorial High School. She was the former owner of the Corner Store in Randolph from 1955 2003. She enjoyed traveling to Aruba and trips to Foxwoods. For additional information, directions or to leave a sympathy message please visit our website www.cartwrightfuneral.com.

To see the write-up online in the Patriot Ledger, click here.

Virginia LeBlanc

My grandmother, who would have been 85 on Feb 21st, passed away this morning, and I thought a nice way for me to remember her would be to write about some of my favorite memories of the times we spent together.

When I was growing up in CT, we would spend a good chunk of the summer up at my gram's house in Randolph, MA. She had a pool and when I was really young, an awesome husky dog named Sheba. I owe my love of baseball and the Red Sox really to my Gram, as it was the nightly tradition to watch the Sox games in the summer...and I remember her always falling asleep on the couch by the 8th inning and I would wake her up when it was over. I am so glad that she lived to see them win, not just one but two, World Series.

We also had really amazing times in Nova Scotia, when we went to visit her Aunt Thelma...we would take the overnight ferry from Portland, ME up to Canada. It was so fun b/c it was a gambling boat and my Gram would let me pull the lever on the slot machines. Plus I could play bingo and actually, once we were up in Canada, I went with her and my mom a couple of times to these big Bingo nights and won some serious cash! The house we stayed at was pretty much in farmland in the Anapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, and it was so beautiful. Right near a river and blueberry fields...we loved to pick the fresh berries and bake pies!

The biggest thing about my Gram and how my memories are tied to her are through her and The Corner store. She ran her own "mom and pop" grocery mart for 49 years in Randolph. I loved running in the back door and grabbing lunch everyday that we were there. She'd sometimes let me help her make the egg salad sandwiches for the deli...and I remember how much the house stunk like eggs after they'd been boiling all afternoon. I didn't get to run the cash register often, even when I was high school...somehow she never saw me as being old enough to handle it. We went to the warehouse places to buy supplies and make orders together...I got to sometimes help her restock. I remember I loved being able to go in the freezer with her or other employees and help. It was so much fun...and such a part of her life. I mean, Gram was a hard worker. She almost always opened and closed that store - 6am and 9pm. And I know that in some ways that lead to problems in the family over the years, her being almost overly devoted to the store, but at the same time, I respect that she was so independent and very committed to the business.

I loved her and I'm so glad that Chris got to meet her a few times. Especially glad that we saw her so recently on New Year's Day. Love you Gram!

Feel the Love...

Just a post to give Chris props for sending me these flowers as an early Valentine's Day surprise :) yay Chris!

Visiting C & D....

This weekend, Chris and I traveled down to San Marcos (a bit north of San Diego for those not from Cali) to visit our good friends Daryn and Chip (see left). We'd been meaning to get down to see their new digs for quite some time, and of course, we finally make the trip about 10 days before they are moving out and back down to San Diego. Whoops. But regardless, it was great to see the house they'd been renting since last summer and feel the appropriate jealousy for all the space! AND we got to meet their two kitties, Finley and Hanson. We'd heard so much about them and I was dying to meet them. They are adorable and very active... you can see them sitting on top of the fridge to the right.

So we arrived Friday night after a drive in the rain (which on the highways in California is risky since no one here knows how to drive when any water falls from the sky), had a drink and caught up with one another. While we hoped for some sunny skies so the boys could golf, the mother nature was having none of it. It's been like 5 days or so of rain here. So instead, we drove to Temecula on Saturday for some wine tasting, something Chris and I looove to do! We went to a couple of our favorite wineries, had a HUGE lunch and then went home for a nice afternoon nap. Here you can see Daryn and I toasting with a special dark chocolate shot of port and almond champagne. yum!






Later, got to play some games and hung out at the house while the weather continued to be bad, but it let up just enough for Daryn to grill some delicious Mahi Mahi for fish tacos. (On the right, you can see the cats are observing her every move in the kitchen.)
Sunday, we woke up and went to a really great local brunch place in Cardiff By the Sea (near where Daryn grew up) and omg- delicious! We then had to get on the road to get back to our own kitties and my book club meeting.

Thanks for the hospitality Daryn!! We had so much fun and it was such a nice, chill weekend.

Not much new to report

Hey guys and gals...it's been a pretty work-filled week, which doesn't make for a ton of fun blogging. So I'll just say hello and let you know that Chris and I are doing well. We're a bit worried about his job situation, but Chris is out there and interviewing. We found out that his termination date at Hilton will be between April 6-20th, unless he's kept on during the transition....which they won't tell you possibly until March 31st. How nice, right?

Other than that, we're just trucking along....heading to visit Daryn and Chip in San Diego this weekend, so we'll have lots to report on Monday!

Are you ready for some football?!

Yes, yes we were. Even though I wasn't super into the teams that were playing, I kind of have an affinity for the Steelers, so I was okay with watching them. But then during the game, I really was rooting for Arizona. When they came back in the fourth quarter, I was like "Oh yeah! It's on! Go Kurt Warner"....and then when the Steelers came back, I was like, "wow, this sucks but where the F is defense!!" And THEN this morning while I was watching Sportscenter and saw all the film of Ben Roethlisberger and how well he was moving in the pocket, over and over again....he totally deserves it. Gotta give him some respect and some love!!

Anyway, we watched the game at Jerry and Kristen's apartment and had a great, gluttonous time!! Seriously there was SO much food. Four different dips for chips, wings, pulled pork sandwiches, potato balls (like mini-shepherd's pies), veggies, pizza, blondies, cupcakes, fruit tartes and some cake. Wowza. Chris and I had to be rolled home and then felt like we were going to burst.And of course, we all had our 3D glasses on and I thought it was pretty cool that they did that. I think 3D is here to stay now and we'll see more and more of it - both in the theater and at home.

First Birthday...Russian Style

In Russian culture, apparently the first birthday is a big big deal for the parents and the child. So they throw a big party... not really for the kid, but for the parents, family and friends to celebrate this occasion. So we got all gussied up and went to Romanoff's, a Russian restaurant and club (sort of) in Studio City. It was really fun! The tables are strewn with family-style Russian food and it just keeps on coming!! We didn't even get our main entree until midnight-ish! By then, we were already stuffed and pretty tipsy. There was music (this really fun bad), disco lights and even go-go dancers at the end of the night. Randomly, Mel Gibson was there on the balcony smoking a cigarette for a bit, but I didn't get a photo of him. He looked bad anyways with a random mustache.

Here are some photos from the night!