{{{ The Wonderful World Of Miss TLC }}}

The Don Is Gone - R.I.P. Tony Soprano

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:57:00 +0000

It has been sadly reported that actor James Gandolfini has died today of a stroke while on vacation in Italy. He was 51. The actor recently wrapped filming on the movie "Animal Rescue" with Tom Hardy, and direct from the mouths of everyone I knew who encountered him on set, he was a total down-to-earth gentleman.

Gandolfini made a mark in Hollywood as an abrasive gangster in films such as "True Romance", but his true breakout role came in the form of the HBO series "The Sopranos", which aired from 1999-2007.

A MISS TLC NEW TRAILER ALERT: "Only God Forgives"

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:35:00 +0000

Just reuniting the "Drive" team of Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling gets me excited. The soundtrack, cinematography, graphics, and limited dialogue in that film easily propelled it onto my personal favorites list. I know there are some who felt the limited dialogue caused the movie to drag and become a little too "arthouse", but I beg to differ. By limiting the dialogue, you essentially force the actors to ACT. Their body language becomes the script, and the grace of Gosling's cautious and measured movements in "Drive" created an exceptionally heavy tension throughout that entire movie. Brilliantly shot if you ask me.

This is why I am equally excited about "Only God Forgives". Allegedly this piece has the same sparse wording, and relies heavily on the choreography of its actors in fight scenes and in slowly filmed vignettes. Not to mention Ryan looks gorgeous in every perfectly captured frame.

"Only God Forgives" is slated for its U.S. release on July 19, 2013.

Miss TLC Hearts Healthy Snacking: Danielle Roasted Coconut Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:05:00 +0000

Healthy snacking is the key to happy living. Which is why I love to stumble upon new delicious treats with health benefits. Let me spread my wisdom to any of you looking for guilt-free snacking. Danielle Roasted Coconut Chips. I'm a HUGE fan of coconut anything so these were made for me. My sister spotted them in a store and bought me a bag to try. Needless to say, I've been buying cases of them online ever since.

This is ALL that's added to these little gems of nutritious deliciousness:

Fresh Coconuts
Sugar
Salt

They are crunchy, very slightly sweet, slightly salty, and perfectly coconutty.

Hot Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:42:00 +0000

Charlotte Olympia must have been inspired by the Gatsby craze when designing these two new beauties:

To add to the Hollywood glamour, these shoes are named "Art Deco" and "Leading Lady" respectively.

The Charlotte Olympia "Art Deco" retails for $1195, and the Charlotte Olympia "Leading Lady" retails for $945.

[To view more "Hot Shoes" pics (believe me, it's worth it), just click "Hot Shoes" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

A MISS TLC NEW TRAILER ALERT: "The Wolf Of Wall Street"

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:08:00 +0000

...Speaking of Leonardo DiCaprio (see earlier post below), his latest partnership with Martin Scorsese is officially on its way. Based on the book of the same name, Leo plays Jordan Belfort, a former "boiler room" runner, who was convicted of crimes related to stock market manipulation (for which he spent 22 months in jail).

MISS TLC SAYS: I love this story (who wouldn't purely for its entertainment value?), so I am fully onboard for this one. I do love Leo, but Matthew McConaughey & Jonah Hill are poised to make a big splash in this one as well. Perhaps this pairing can finally net Leonardo the Oscar that's been escaping the talented actor thus far (but probably not). He's very believable as Jordan with the boyishly trustworthy looks and excited outbursts. "The Wolf Of Wall Street" is set to be released on November 15th.

PS - Doesn't Kanye's "Black Skinhead" fit perfectly into this trailer? Good timing for Yeezus.

"The Great Gatsby" Was Great In Some Areas, Fell Flat In Others (A Miss TLC Movie Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:51:00 +0000

As it turns out, I am not a huge fan of "The Great Gatsby" story. You would think I would revel in the debaucherous parties, heavy drinking, and scandalous love affairs. However, I don't think the book is all that 'great'. It's very elementary in its storytelling and falls flat as far as epic narratives go. Don't get me wrong. I DO love the roaring 20s. The music, the fashion, the backdrop of a world dripping in excessiveness - all my scene. But based purely on the prose, there is nothing that really pulls me into that time through "The Great Gatsby" book. Well Baz Luhrmann made sure to pull you into the period. The lush, colorful party scenes in his recently released movie DO have you yearning for an invitation from Jay Gatsby much moreso than Fitzgerald does. Now it should be mentioned that Fitzgerald was not a fan of the overindulgence of the "new monied" crowd in Long Island. One of his underlying intentions in writing the Gatsby book was to issue his own social commentary about the wasteful life of those same rich partiers. Therefore, its probably not a coincidence that the book doesn't present to me the romanticized version of the flapper scene that is often advertised elsewhere. However, my main issue with F. Scott Fitzgerald's storytelling is that it seems indecisive in its delivery. On one hand, you can almost taste the venom in his descriptions of the party people attending Gatsby's fetes; but on the other hand, he seems to be envious of the world he is observing from the outside. This all makes sense considering he was a willing participant in the overindulgence of the era, but at the same time, it caused irreparable damage to his beloved wife Zelda (who suffered from alcoholism).

Getting back to Gatsby the movie...Baz did a wonderful job visually stimulating the audience with the colors and costumes of the era. But as far as the music goes, the movie was a disaster. As much as I appreciate Jay-Z as an artist, he did not add to the film with his construction of the soundtrack. I already addressed my concerns towards this in an earlier post. Unfortunately I was proven right. For example, Jay allowed his wife to re-record a classic song ("Back To Black") that should not have been touched by anyone except Amy Winehouse (unless they were creating a very similar cover version). Granted, he was not the Music Supervisor for the film, but I find it suspect that snippets of two songs connected to him, "H To The Izzo" and "Empire State of Mind", both made it into scenes (where they felt out of place and forced). I happen to LOVE the soundtrack as a standalone album, but I don't believe any of those same (modernized) songs should've been placed in the movie itself. The movie needed pure JAZZ. The story is set against the backdrop of the jazz age for heaven's sake. The tempermental nature of jazz directly matches the highs and lows of Jay Gatsby's personality. And the beautiful riffs set within many jazz masterpieces could've easily set the tone for the erratic behavior conducted by Myrtle, Tom, and the various partygoers and co.

My other gripe with this movie is in the casting. Leonardo DiCaprio was pure perfection in the title role. If Jay Gatsby was a real person, I would 100% believe that he looked, spoke & acted like Leonardo. Holy moly, he looks delicious in this movie. As for the rest, I think they were all bad choices from the casting department. I happen to know that practically every hat in Hollywood was thrown into the ring for the role of Daisy, and it was a highly contested race. In the end, Carey Mulligan won the coveted job. Carey is beautiful and Carey is talented, and I loved Carey in "Drive", and thought she was perfect in "Shame". But Carey is not Daisy. She was too preciously plain and sweet to carry Miss Buchanan. As for Tobey Maguire? Too timid. And Joel Edgerton and Isla Fisher were just 'eh' to me.

As a period piece, the movie succeeds (minus the music). The clothes, the language, and even the opening credits graphics followed suit by placing you right into this historical moment. But the biggest problem I think I had with the film is that it was a fairly straightforward representation of Fitzgerald's book (except for Nick's stay in a sanitarium); and as I stated at the start of this post, I'm just not in love with the book.

Random Question

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:45:00 +0000

Saw this in a neighborhood store and wondered...are people really hiding their washing machines with designated covers? Is it a bad thing if people see your washing machine?

[To view more "Random Question"s (believe me, it's worth it), just click "Random Question" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

A Miss TLC Delicious Drink Recipe (For Your Summer Sipping Pleasure)

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:07:00 +0000

The Miss TLC style of drink creation involves mixing ingredients in whatever measurements YOU desire, and tasting as you go along. In my world, the science is in the flavors you add to your cocktail, not in the amounts. So feel free to try the gems I will post throughout the summer and use a heavy hand (if you are a heavy drinker) or a light hand (if you are a light drinker). Use more of the mixers & sweet additives (if you like your drinks sacchariferous) or less (if you like to taste the alcohol). My recipes are listed by element (i.e., for buzz, for fizziness, for sweetness, etc.).

The first in my series of Miss TLC Summer Sips is the Grapefruit Thyme Sparkler. This drink is perfection for anyone who likes gin (get on board if you don't!) and/or herbaceous flavors in their spirits. Grapefruits offer amazing health benefits as well so...why wouldn't you want to drink this deliciousness?

The Miss TLC Grapefruit Thyme Sparkler

FOR BUZZ:

Hendrick's Gin (you can use other brands of gin if you must, but Hendrick's offers top of the line taste when it comes to matching the herbal flavors of the thyme and grapefruit)

FOR BODY:

Fresh Grapefruit Juice

FOR SWEETNESS:

Simple Syrup

FOR AN HERBAL FRESHNESS:

Fresh Thyme

FOR FIZZ:

Seltzer

Mix all ingredients together, garnish with a fresh sprig of thyme & enjoy!

(Oh, and always drink responsibly. :))

Nice Nails

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:16:00 +0000

60s fashion has always been one of my go-to style inspirations. Last week's manicure reflects that era nicely. Using a mod black & white vibe alongside ballerina pink evokes the days of Nancy Sinatra in a mini-dress with her hair teased up high.

Perfect example is the above picture of Nancy Sinatra glammed up and ready to go.

[To view more "Nice Nails" pics (believe me, it's worth it), just click "Nice Nails" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

Where Have I Seen You Before? Matthew Perry on "Who's The Boss" Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:25:00 +0000

As I was flipping through the channels at 3am last week, I stumbled upon an old episode of "Who's The Boss" and couldn't believe who was sitting next to Ms. Alyssa Milano on the couch... It was Mr. Matthew Perry!

I had no idea that Samantha Micelli and Chandler Bing ever met. Who knew.

[To view more of "Where Have I Seen You Before?" (believe me, it's worth it), just click "Where Have I Seen You Before?" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

'Mad Men''s Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:56:00 +0000

All season the tension has been mounting on 'Mad Men' with violent symbolism. Rumors have been circulating for weeks that Megan's days are numbered, or else another (major) castmember would be killed off in her place. The evidence leading into last week's episode was fairly convincing in that many believed the signs pointed to Megan being murdered while Don was in L.A. After all, why would Don have hallucinated Megan in the same "place" as his (dead) military friend? Megan said she "moved here", and we knew she didn't really mean L.A. Did she move into the afterlife?

Well it turned out that Megan was still alive and well in NYC when Don returned. However, there is still a (small) chance that Don has been in a state of hallucination all along. The season started with his morbid fascination about death when the doorman caught a glimpse of the light on the other side. Has Don been dreaming the rest? I strongly doubt that theory. I just think that this season has been one big identity crisis for Mr. Draper. After all, the promo posters for the current season (shown above) illustrated the two sides of Don Draper, and seemed to want to evoke the confusion he has been feeling while trying to remain true (family man, hard working exec Dick Whitman-esque), but also letting his destructive side return (affairs aplenty, carelessness at work). Don reemerged as a lothario this season while Megan focused on her career. The affair with Sylvia Rosen has shaken him to the core, and his dalliance with Betty had a lasting effect as well. Don is clearly losing his grip on his reality (master of the universe), and has begun doubting his power in the workplace, the bedroom; and now even within his own family. (Considering Sally can now blow up his spot at any time with news of his affair with Ms. Rosen, Don is on VERY shaky ground.) Is he the boss anywhere anymore? He couldn't keep Sylvia, Megan is more obsessed with fame, and Betty used him like a toy and went back to her secure "first lady life" with Henry like nothing ever happened between the two. His agency is in turmoil, and the world around him is in the midst of a social revolution. What's a Don to do?

Well now that there are only two episodes remaining, our curiosity will be addressed sooner than later. I hate to burst everyone's bubble but Matthew Weiner has issued a response to all of the "Megan's gonna die" hysteria, and claims NO ONE is dying this season. Well alright then. The similarities between Megan and Sharon Tate are still eerie. Having Megan wear a t-shirt that Sharon Tate wore in a photo shoot for "Rosemary's Baby", which Sally was shown to be reading on the night the apartment was broken into by Grandma Ida, was still a bit much if it meant nothing (Megan in that famous t-shirt shown above). But as some fashion bloggers have pointed out, other characters invoke famous faces from the 50s & 60s on the show but they are NOT them. I believe it's all just a ploy for the show to feel as authentic as possible. And it works. Which is why we all keep coming back for more.

(Not) Hot Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:55:00 +0000

Speaking of my love for a black & white design, the B&W palette does not always work. Case in point, these Louboutins are just not working for me. They look juvenile and I'm surprised by the overwhelming off-ness coming from Christian's couture house.

I think it's a combination of the matte & patent leather, and that hideously cheap looking tie on the front. No thanky on these CL.

The Christian Louboutin Foraine shoe retails for $995.

[To view "Hot Shoes" pics (believe me, it's worth it), just click "Hot Shoes" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

Hot Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:51:00 +0000

I am always a sucker for a black and white design, so these Alice & Olivia beauts with the Mondrian-like herringbone caught my eye in a second:

Unfortunately, wedges do not look good on me, so I don't think I will be purchasing them. Ugh...but they are just SO beautiful!!! Good job Alice & Olivia. :)

The Alice & Olivia Sorell wedge retails for $325.

[To view more "Hot Shoes" pics (believe me, it's worth it), just click "Hot Shoes" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

Random Question

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:32:00 +0000

Is it safe to say that SoapNet's The Fashionista Diaries (which aired for 1 season in the summer of 2007) is never returning for season 2?

[To view more "Random Question"s (believe me, it's worth it), just click "Random Question" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

Miss TLC Hearts Healthy Snacking: Laughing Giraffe Banana Coconut Snakaroons

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:10:00 +0000

Healthy snacking is the key to happy living. Which is why I love to stumble upon new delicious treats with health benefits. Let me spread my wisdom to any of you looking for guilt-free snacking. The Laughing Giraffe Banana Coconut "Snakaroons". Yup. I'm a big fan of macaroons, a big fan of bananas, and a HUGE fan of coconut so these had my name all over them. But then, when I saw the ingredients, I was S-O-L-D.

This is ALL that's added to these little gems of nutritious deliciousness:

Organic Unsweetened Coconut
Organic Agave Nectar
Organic Almonds
Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Organic Bananas
Organic Vanilla Extract (Gluten Free)
Himalayan Pink Salt

And they are also Raw Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Certified Organic!

Check them out at The Laughing Giraffe now!

How A Manti T'eo "Hoax" Happens So Easily in 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 01:47:00 +0000

It's all a little (cat)fishy to me.

By now you've all heard about the Notre Dame football star Manti T'eo, and the controversy surrounding his "imaginary" girlfriend. Manti's emotional disclosure last year that his longtime girlfriend was dying of leukemia while he stayed determined and focused on football made him an instant media darling, considered worthy of admiration for his devotion to his team, and his strength amidst an emotional meltdown (his grandmother had also died at the same time as his alleged GF). Now it turns out the girlfriend does not exist. Whether T'eo knew this and made her up (like an unpopular 4th grader who swears he has a girlfriend from summer camp but that she can't ever visit because she lives too far away), or that he was duped "Catfish" style (which is what T'eo is claiming) remains to be seen. The public still wants to believe that the latter is true. However, there are many questions involved in accepting that excuse. Did Manti EVER suspect that his girlfriend (of YEARS, mind you) was not a real person? And who was it that duped him? Manti claims he received frequent letters from this person as she suffered from cancer, and also spoke to her on the phone daily. Manti's father had explained to the press that his son and this girl met in 2009, but now that turns out to be untrue as well. So if Manti and this "catfish" were in a relationship for years without meeting, why hadn't they met? And why was Manti ok with the fact that they hadn't ever met in person?

Of course to many people, this all seems way too unbelievable to even be considered a potential reality. To those people I say, watch an episode of MTV's "Catfish" and get back to me. The show, based on the movie of the same name, explores the world of online relationships. And no, I'm not talking about online "dating" where two people meet on Match.com and then soon after MEET IN PERSON. I'm talking about people who apparently consider themselves in real relationships with people THEY HAVE NEVER MET. SOMETIMES FOR YEARS. WITHOUT SKYPING. SOME WITHOUT EVER TALKING ON THE PHONE! I wasn't interested in seeing the movie "Catfish" when it came out because I had read an article which uncovered the "documentary" story to be a little too similar to a popular internet legend that was revealed years before. I figured the movie had to be "Blair Witch Project"/James Frey-ish in that it claimed to be true, but wasn't. Then the show aired and I stumbled upon a marathon one night and was hooked on this guilty pleasure. Whether or not Nev Schulman was telling the truth about his own love hoax (the subject of the "Catfish" movie) no longer mattered to me. These people that Nev meets with week after week are real. And they are trusting. And they are crazy. I don't say that to be mean or dismissive. I'm just stating the truth. Sure, you can develop a relationship with someone you've never met (through extensive emails, texting, social media, and phone calls). And you might even develop true feelings for said person. But there is NO WAY that you can believe that nothing is "off" about the fact that you've never met after months (or even years) of talking about being in love (and with some, discussing plans to get married!).

While it's true that some people don't get to see their loved ones often when they are overseas for the military or transferred for a job or struggling in another country while their significant other can't afford to move the entire family; those people DO know each other. They've previously spent time together in person. They've touched and kissed and slept with each other before, even if they aren't able to do that right now. Truthfully, I do have a couple friends who I consider myself to be very close to, but that I don't get to spend time with in person anymore (for whatever reason). They are not strangers though - I've spent plenty of time with them in person as well, so the texting/email/phone relationship can continue to fulfill me in some area of my life at this point in time. So let's just be honest - if you're communicating with someone online, and something keeps "coming up" whenever you try to meet in person, then the person you are talking to is not the person in the pictures. They're just not. They most likely have a different name, come from a different town, and may even be a different gender than what they portray on Facebook.

So here's the thing about Manti. Is he in the same boat as one of those poor souls on "Catfish" who just want to believe so bad that their denial mutes their instincts? (They do say that "love is blind", so maybe "internet love is deaf, dumb, AND blind"?) I think the Manti story will be revealed as much more than meets the eye as the days go by. However, I don't think it's impossible that he really believed he was in this fake relationship (if that turns out to be the case). When our world is now conditioned to text as opposed to talk, and to email meeting notes instead of going over them in person, you can't help but develop a removed persona that is more in love with a computer or a smart phone than it is with real live people. I know plenty of people who have thousands of Facebook friends, but haven't gone "out" to have a drink with anyone in months. Thankfully I'm balanced in that I am addicted to texting and heavily involved in social media, but I still prefer seeing (most of) my friends & family in person. I like being out, I like looking in people's eyes when I talk to them, and I am truly saddened when I see teenagers with no real social skills texting away while real people talk around them (welcome to the generation of the personality disorder!). What can we expect when TV shows direct you to Twitter or Facebook while watching (because it's more important to discuss the show with people you don't know than simply pay attention!) or automated computerized voices walk you through prompts on the phone whenever you have a customer service question? What happened to watching a show with a real live friend? Me personally, I've never met someone online in the dating sense, but I do talk to people online who I have never met in person on Twitter. However, I'm smart enough to know that they are not my true friends. They are "Twitter friends". We can have heated discussions, we can share laughs, and pictures, and news headlines; but I am not inviting them to my house for dinner. They don't even have my phone number. So the concept of falling in love, and/or calling someone my boyfriend if we've never met is completely foreign to me. But I do see how it could happen to others because we now live in a "virtual" society. Frank Ocean's 'Novacane' lyrics address it best with "...can't feel nothin', super-human...even when I'm fu**in' Viagra poppin'...every single record autotunin', zero emotion, muted emotion, pitch corrected, computed emotion..." Nowadays our music is fake (autotune), mens' erections are fake (Viagra), emotions are fake (muted by drugs and/or our undeniable addiction to computers), and so it's naturally harder to tell what (if anything) is real anymore.

Someone can easily make up a story on Twitter, have it catch fire, go viral, get it picked up by a legitimate news organization, and appear on "The Today Show" the following week. The media proliferates this nonsense of "crowdsourced journalism" because they are desperate to keep their jobs and remain relevant in an ever-shrinking sector. The demand put on news organizations to report as quickly as Twitter can is unfair and unrealistic...if you want your news to be guaranteed and "real". Fact-checking takes time. Research takes time. And we all know rushing usually leads to mistakes ("baby take your time, do it right" anyone?). So you can't have it both ways. You can't expect every story to be fully vetted before it's reported if you want your news anchors to comment on everything reported on Twitter. But the Manti story was a very big deal at the time. So it seems pretty sloppy that NO ONE came forth last year to declare it all fake during the tears and the interviews and the pictures shown on camera (that turned out to be of someone else). Then again, the public loves when their heartstrings are tugged. That's why journalists always look for the hidden gem comment ("he was planning to register for veterinary school next year so that he could treat handicapped dogs!") after even the most hardened criminal is killed. People wanted to believe that T'eo was an angel sent here to play through the pain while his loved ones passed on. Unfortunately, it looks like there is more to this story and it might not be as beautiful of an ending as originally hoped. LESSON LEARNED: No matter how much time you spend in the digital world (whether it's for business, pleasure or necessity), don't believe everything you read, nurture real connections, and choose to live your life virtuously, not virtually.

Why I'm Not Excited About Jay-Z Scoring "The Great Gatsby"

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:20:00 +0000

Let me start by saying, I love Jay-Z. I think he's a fantastic lyricist. And I think he's an even better businessman. However, I don't look at him as a musicologist or composer. Never have. So when it was announced that Mr. Carter was going to score Baz Luhrmann's new "The Great Gatsby" movie, I was perplexed. Sure, the fans were thrilled. Jay + Leo + one of the most classy stories of all time = amazing. But I am a realist. So I didn't express instant joy. Jay doing a score? Was he qualified?

Granted, it's not really Jay who is scoring the flick. Baz recruited music producer The Bullitts to score the film WITH the "help" of Jay-Z. Now yes, there are a plethora of musicians who have created outstanding scores: Trent Reznor's Oscar-winning aural background for "The Social Network" naturally comes to mind as a recent classic. But has Jay ever been touted as a musicologist? He's had hit after hit after hit since the 90s, but I've never heard anyone proclaim HIM as the musical librarian behind the sample choices or productions that have laid the groundwork for those hits. Just Blaze, DJ Premier, Kanye West - they were the musical archeologists who were digging in the crates to craft a sound that has everyone dancing in the clubs or banging those hits in their cars. Therefore, if you had told me that Kanye or Just or other producer/rappers like Dr. Dre or Pharrell would be creating the sonic landscape for Baz' new film; I would understand. In fact, I'd probably be excited. I'm just not sold on the Jay connection. In order to be a successful composer, producer, or soundtrack supervisor; you need to have a deep knowledge of the past, present, and future when it comes to the library of music in your brain. Alex Patsavas and Scott Vener are extremely adept at musical supervision for some of the best television shows of this generation. Patsavas and Vener made "Gossip Girl" and "Entourage" into powerful indicators of taste when it came to music. Both of the aforementioned shows spawned countless sound bytes which helped to create stars based on their sharp ear and eye for talent. Musician/DJ/Soul Train enthusiast Questlove is another example of someone who eats, breathes & lives music in its purest form. Anyone of those three could have also done a great job scoring "The Great Gatsby" in my mind.

Bottom line, Jay-Z has his work cut out for him. If you recall, there was much pomp and circumstance when it was announced that Jay would be creating the soundtrack for Denzel Washington's "American Gangster" movie back in 2007.

Me, being a Jay fan, I was psyched and right away got the connection. However, in the end I was one of only a few of my friends who loved that album. (It's possible that I was just excited for anything better than Jay's previous album "Kingdom come", but I did genuinely enjoy "Sweet", "Dope Boyz", and "Say Hello"). At least in that case, Jay wasn't "scoring" the film, he was just creating music inspired by the movie. And even that wasn't a stellar hit. In the end, I'm concerned. But I'm also optimistic. Jay is a rare gem in this industry, in that he still has a successful rap career over 40, and has moved on to much bigger and better things in the process. I can only hope that he shocks me and puts forth a musical tour de force (with The Bullitts) to help Baz' art to jump off the screen. Although, I might just credit The Bullitts if he does. ;)

Prince Stars In A Red Cafe Video???

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 20:30:00 +0000

While watching MTV Jams this week, the Red Cafe video "Champagne For My Pain" came on and I cracked up when I saw this video chick rocking the "Prince 'My Name Is Prince' era infamous chain hat":

What's really crazy is that this chica probably never even saw the "My Name Is Prince" video. OR the Arsenio Hall Show performance where Prince rocked a red and blue suit with a cane AND the chain hat and jumped on top of a car to proclaim "In the beginning, God made the sea...but on the 7th day, he made me"...

For real, you shouldn't try and emulate the one and only Prince.

I guess I should leave homegirl alone. It was probably hard enough to explain to her family that she finally landed a part in a music video...but that her face would be concealed by chains everytime she was shown. Aw.

[To view more of "A Miss TLC Random Observation" (believe me, it's worth it), just click "A Miss TLC Random Observation" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

No Comment

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:13:00 +0000

[To view more "No Comment" pics (believe me, it's worth it), just click "No Comment" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

Where Have I Seen You Before? Rhonda Pearlman in "Bad Teacher" Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:40:00 +0000

As I was watching the movie "Bad Teacher" the other day (not worth it by the way), someone popped up in a couple scenes who I recognized from......."The Wire"! It was Rhonda Pearlman, the Asst. State Attny/McNulty's on-and-off booty call/Cedric's woman!

The actress' real name is Deidre Lovejoy.

[To view more of "Where Have I Seen You Before?" (believe me, it's worth it), just click "Where Have I Seen You Before?" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

Nice Nails

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:51:00 +0000

Nail art has become a huge trend over the past few years, with a rebirth that was spearheaded by the introduction of Minx (first used by celebs and Miss TLC back in 2009). Nail wraps and rhinestone decals can now be found in every store from CVS to Claire's. Miss TLC doesn't have the time to sit for a Minx application, or nails big enough to fit the over-the-counter adhesions and still look good. Instead, she chooses to spice up her fingertips with different color combinations and interesting adds. Every once in a while, we will take a photo and post it here for your amusement. There have been many queries as to the color combos on her nails, so we will reveal them here as well, as part of our new feature "Nice Nails".

The above color is Essie Mint Candy Apple with a standard gold metallic tip. Yum.

[To view more "Nice Nails" pics (believe me, it's worth it), just click "Nice Nails" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

A Miss TLC Random Observation

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:14:00 +0000

Over the summer, I saw this "toy" while shopping in Toys R Us with my niece:

I honestly couldn't believe this was real. A Mudpie picnic!?!?!? And "all you need is the mud!"??? How disgusting. Who exactly is buying this for their children? I understand getting dirty is a kid's thing, so fine, they wanna play with dirt. But to buy them a contraption that promotes "preparing a picnic" with said dirt? No thankey.

(PS - Something tells me this one won't make the "hot toy" list this Christmas.)

[To view more of "A Miss TLC Random Observation" (believe me, it's worth it), just click "A Miss TLC Random Observation" in the Labels list located on the right sidebar under the music videos. Enjoy!]

A Miss TLC Spotlight On: Suzanna Dai

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:48:00 +0000

Sticking with our "Goodbye To Gossip Girl" tribute theme, our last straight GG post (before returning to our regularly scheduled programming) is dedicated to Suzanna Dai jewelry. Suzanna Dai pieces have been showcased on "Gossip Girl" several times, and thank heavens for that because it caught my BFF's attention, who then exposed me to the brilliant accessories collection. (Thank you Eric Daman for using Suzanna Dai on "Gossip Girl". I'm looking forward to many other fashionable wardrobe choices on the upcoming "Carrie Diaries"! :))

I had the pleasure of meeting the designer of Suzanna Dai, Suzie Gallehugh, at a recent trunk show in Soho House. Ms. Gallehugh's taste for international design is evident in her intricate pieces. Inspired by exotic destinations, Suzanna Dai jewelry is generally sparkly, detailed, and tres feminine. I instantly purchased several new pieces to add to my growing batch of Suzanna Dai accessories (which was thankfully started with Monte Carlo earrings from my BFF for my birthday).

To further showcase some beautiful Suzanna Dai items, I have posted a few pics from "Gossip Girl" scenes below (where Serena & Blair are wearing Dai). I have listed the product names so that you can look them up on the company website (Suzanna Dai website) if you'd like.

Serena is wearing the Antwerp necklace:

Serena is wearing the Delphi earrings:

Blair is wearing the St. Petersburg necklace:

All amazing!

Also, First Lady Michelle Obama recently wore Suzanna Dai's Weimar earrings at a recent White House dinner.

Miss TLC's Advice: If you're looking for a showstopping accessory to accent any outfit, get yourself some Suzanna Dai pieces today!

The Miss TLC "Gossip Girl" Playlist Series

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:43:00 +0000

If you're like Miss TLC, you are devastated that "Gossip Girl" is ending in a couple short months.....but you do (reluctantly) understand why it's time to wrap it up.

As crazy and soap opera-y as the storylines have become, one thing has never faltered during all 6 seasons of the show - the music. Alex Patsavas and Chop Shop have provided viewers with amazing tunes while watching Chuck and Blair and Dan and Serena and the rest of the Upper East Side dalliances.

In order to commemorate those creative soundtrack choices, Miss TLC has posted playlists for Seasons 1-5 over the course of the past two weeks. Now we post them all for you in one concise place below.

SEASON 1:

SEASON 2:

SEASON 3:

SEASON 4:

SEASON 5:

Feel free to share or embed these playlists on your website, blog, tumblr, Facebook profile, Twitter feed, or simply in an email to friends! Enjoy! :)

Listen to The Miss TLC Playlist - Gossip Girl Season 5!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss TLC) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:16:00 +0000

Two Mondays ago, we referenced our "Gossip Girl" playlists. Even if you aren't a fan of the show, you still might enjoy these gems. Thanks to Alex Patsavas and Chop Shop, the music used on "Gossip Girl" is fab. Over the course of the past two weeks, we posted our playlists for Gossip Girl Seasons 1-5.

Today, we bring you the final installment with Season 5. This volume includes tracks from Viva Voce, Lana Del Rey, M83, Gotye and more. CAUTION: Listening to this soundtrack may cause your mind to flood with memories from classic GG moments like Chuck apologizing to Blair ("Video Games"), Blair walking down the aisle ("Slow"), Chuck asking Blair to run away with him ("Wait"), Nate witnessing Blair & Chuck's car accident ("Heartlines"); and Blair telling Dan her heart belongs to him ("New York City").

Feel free to share or embed this playlist on your website, blog, tumblr, Facebook profile, Twitter feed, or simply in an email to friends! Enjoy! :)