The New Messiah Has Arrived

By now everyone has heard that the most beautiful baby girl on this planet has been born, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. From what I've read about Angelina Jolie, she is very much into the symbolism and meanings of names, so any name she gives her children probably goes through careful scrutiny.

So what does Shiloh Nouvel mean? According to the baby naming tool on babyzone.com, Shiloh has a Hebrew origin and means "the peaceful one". It is also the biblical name for the Messiah. Nouvel is French for "new", although from what I remember from high school French, it should probably be spelled nouvelle since Shiloh is a girl. When you put the two names "Shiloh" and "Nouvel" together you get either the new peaceful one or the New Messiah, pick your favorite. I don't think it's that bad really, at least Angelina didn't name her baby after a vegetable or cartoon character. (I still pray Moxie CrimeFighter manages to make it through grade school without needing therapy.)

While I was on babyzone, I also looked up the meaning of Angelina's other children. Here's what babyzone said the names meant:

Maddox- In Celtic, it means beneficient.

Zahara- In Arabic, it means white, flowering, or beauty. In African/Swahili, it means flowering.

Fear Factor at the Beach

We went down to Jenkinson's Boardwalk yesterday for a day of family fun at the beach. Apparently, so did everyone else in the entire state of New Jersey. Traffic was backed up for miles on the Garden State Parkway and then it took us about two hours just to find parking. While trying to pass the time in the car I looked out the window and tried to see what kind of people were going down to the beach this particular day. The shore has many different kinds of beaches for different kinds of people. There's the beach that caters to the young people, the old people, the nude people (Section H, you Jersey people know what I'm talking about), and the family people. Obviously, we were headed towards the family oriented beach, quite unlike some of the other people on the road who were spending their time stuck in traffic making out in their cars. Dayum people, if you're that hot for each other why don't you head to a motel or something, I've got kids in my car and they don't need to see that! Luckily the kids were napping and didn't see the sex shows and woke up when we finally parked our car at Jenkinson's.

When we got inside, we were all starving so we hit the food stands first. The food on the boardwalk was fabulous. My husband and I had fresh grilled burgers and fries and the kids had pizza and hot dogs. I remembered the 20/20 report of rat poo in hot dogs so didn't eat it but my son insisted on eating one so I let him. I'll ruin it for him when he's older. After we ate, we hit the beach. Now this was a surprise, the only child who had any fun at the beach was my four year old son. The twins were terrified of not only the Atlantic Ocean, but also....THE SAND! They've seen it in the sandbox at the park before, but at the beach, they didn't know how to walk in it and didn't like it touching them. They kept saying their hands were dirty and I needed to clean them up. I hope I didn't foster this behavior by insisting they wash their hands before and after they eat or after they play in the mud outside, every mom does that right? I don't want them to turn obsessive-compulsive about cleanliness, I want them to be okay with getting dirty without freaking out. After spending a good 10 minutes trying to convince two 2 year olds that sand is okay and won't hurt them I had to carry two 20 lb. girls to our mat my husband and son set up and planted them on it. They stayed on the mat the entire time while my son and I tried to convince them to play with shovel and pail and build something with the sand.

We needed some water to make the sand sculptures stick so I decided to let my son go with his father to get some water from the ocean. My son had a fear of the ocean when he was about 14 months old and I was hoping it was gone by now. I watched as the two of them walked towards the ocean, each holding a brightly colored plastic pail. Then I returned to trying to take the fear factor of the sand out of the twins, and was successful in getting them to play with it while they were still sitting on the safety of their mat. Two minutes later, I hear my husband screaming my son's name. I turn around and see my son running back up the coastline with my husband running after him, both of them without pails. Apparently, my son is still afraid of the ocean and he ran away the minute the water touched his feet. My son said he doesn't like the water and just wants to play in the sand, which was fine with me. He'll like the ocean when he's ready. I personally enjoy the water very much and became the water fetcher for the day. I don't go swimming in the ocean, but I do like the feeling of the waves crashing against my feet. Besides, my whole beach fantasy was already going the wrong way. I had imagined a more relaxing afternoon where my husband and I could just chill and watch the kids play together, but the twins fear of the sand didn't help and my son really didn't want to play all alone, so I played with him while my husband entertained the twins. I'm hoping it will get better the older they get and the more exposure they get to the beach. But next time we go, we've decided we'll stick to the boardwalk and the amusement park rides for the majority of our trip. The food was the best part of the trip, I'm still thinking about that burger. The burger alone made the entire trip worth the headache.

Prison Break for Katie

Tom is such a controlling pig, he won't even let Katie go to the bathroom alone. I hope the rumor about Katie going home to Ohio with baby Suri is true. May Katie's parents be successful in deprogramming Katie and never let her go back to LA, ever.

Random Question of the Night

We went to the food court at the mall tonight for dinner which reminded me of a question that always perplexes me.

Why is it that the sample of bourbon chicken they hand you on a toothpick is so tasty, yet when you get the whole platter it tastes like crap?

Voi Valete Ya'll

While trying to hunt down more information on the Star Secrets collection from L'Oreal, I came across these commercials that are currently airing in Europe. The first one is about L'Oreal's Volume Shocking Mascara. I actually tried this mascara and no way did my lashes look like Aishwarya's. My lashes are naturally sparse and short, and after using Volume Shocking Mascara it looked like I had black tarry spider legs growing from my eyelids. So not sexy, and so not like the false lashes Aishwarya's rocking in this ad. I know cosmetics companies claim that's the actual mascara making those lashes look thick but I'm not buying it, those lashes are fake! I think this ad, which is airing in France, is funny actually. It shows a French speaking Aish swiping on the Volume Shocking Mascara and suddenly no one can help noticing how gorgeous she is. Check out the French girl with the red lipstick near the end. LOL!








This next little treat is the actual advertisement for Star Secrets Aishwarya Beige lipstick airing in Italy. In this clip, Aishwarya is speaking Italian. Voi Valete means "Because you're worth it" in Italian. Wow, this girl is so multi-lingual. And damn I want that lipstick!




My husband actually sent me an e-mail from work this morning that he was reading my blog and found Aishwarya Beige being sold on Ebay by someone in Italy. He said he could put in a bid if I really wanted it. Aww he's so nice. I told him thanks but I'll wait until it hits the U.S. When coupled with the international shipping cost, we could end up paying almost $20 for a $8 lipstick. No thanks, I know I may sound obsessed, but I do have patience. Besides, Aishwarya Beige isn't the only color I want, I want Eva Toffee too, and picking up a lipstick up in the store is half the fun. It's similar to hunting, there's a particular high you get when you finally catch your prey.

The Hunt for Aishwarya Beige

I have been all over town looking for Loreal's Aishwarya Beige lipstick and can't find it anywhere. Walgreen's, Target, CVS, no one has it. I came back to the web tonight to see if I could find it online and found out that Aishwarya Beige, along with other Colour Riche Star Secrets colors like Eva Toffee (named after Eva Longoria) have not been released in the United States yet. London and Paris gals get first dibs on these, we in the States are probably going to have to wait a month or two for the line to arrive in our stores. Oh well, I'm sure I'll find something else to obsess over until Star Secrets hits our stores.

Steal Aishwarya's Look

photo: rediff.com

So I did a little research on why the trio below were together and found out they are all Loreal Brand Ambassadors. Now I get it, duh. Anyway, my next stop on the web was Loreal's website because I like to stalk Aishwarya like that and found amazing coverage on the makeup being used at Cannes right now. I normally don't buy drugstore makeup because you can't test the colors before you buy. But if someone tells me about a color from a drugstore line that will look good on my tan/olive/desi skin, I won't hesitate to give it a try. I'm always trying to figure out what kind of makeup is being used on Aish because my skin is slightly darker than hers and I figure what works for her might work for me, or at least give me some indication as to what color field I should be in. According to Loreal's website, here is what Aishwarya is wearing in this photo:

Face
True Match Foundation in W3 Golden Beige
True Match Powder in W3 Golden Beige
Blush in Rosewood

Eyes
Color Appeal Holographic Eyeshadow in Astral Taupe
Volume Shocking Mascara in Black
Contour Kohl- Jet Black

Lips
Color Riche Lipstick in Aishwarya Beige

In the photo, it looks like she has a clear gloss and a matching lipliner on her lips as well, but the website didn't mention it. Either way, I am getting that lipstick. Tonight. From Walgreens.

If you're interested in what colors the other brand ambassadors are wearing, like Eva Longoria, Andie Macdowell, and Kerry Washington, click on the link for Loreal's Website HERE. Once you're in the site, click on "Live from Cannes" and then "Meet our Ambassadors".

The Look of Cannes

The three people I would never imagine together, Andie MacDowell, Kerry Washington, and Aishwarya Rai, ham it up for the cameras at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. I'm not digging Andie's dress. It reminds me of the dresses worn in the movie Titanic and it's aging her. I would have liked to see her in something with a v-neck, it would have suited her better. Kerry's dress is okay, but she probably would've looked better in a different color, she's blending in with the red carpet. I think Aish is the best dressed of all them. Even though I'm not a big fan of ruffles myself, they're working on her, she looks really elegant.

Kerry sneaks a peek. Aish is thinking, "Yes, they're real and they're fabulous!"

[source]

Out out damn bugs

I went to the mall today with the kids and finally figured out the source of the carbug infiltration in my minivan. It's the double stroller. Everytime we go to the mall, the kids are constantly eating food in that thing. Cheetos, Wendy's nuggets, Cini Sticks (from Cinnabon), Cheezits, M&M's, you name it they eat it. The scraps get trapped in the seat and underbasket of the stroller and since I wasn't shaking the stroller out regularly, that thing became an all you can eat buffet for bugs once it was put in the trunk.

The kids ate Cini Sticks today again and luckily I noticed Z throwing pieces of the baked good into the underbasket. This time I shook the stroller out and wiped it down with wet wipes before putting it back in the trunk, but I think what it really needs is a good washing inside and out. I don't have the time to take off each seat cushion and detail the thing, so I've decided to get the kids in their swimsuits and wash it like a car outside as soon as we get a nice hot day. Then I plan to leave it out in the sun to dry so any bug that survived the washing can die from heat expsoure.

I'm so disgusted by my minivan, I thought it was the perfect vehicle for my family of five, but it's just one giant pain in the ass. Bugs aside, it's impossible to crawl into it to get the kids in and out of their car seats, especially the one that sits in the back. I feel like taking the minivan out to the marsh off the NJ Turnpike and torching it, mafia-style. That'll kill the bugs for sure. But I can't because it's a lease, which lucky for me ends in a few months. The dealer knows about the bug incident but can't refuse to take it back. There was nothing in the lease contract that mentioned carbugs, so when the lease is up, the dealer's probably gonna torch it himself. I want a more station wagon type car for my next car, something like a VW Toureg. I test drove it a while ago and I really like the shape of it. Plus, I don't need to do acrobatics to load the kids in it.

Bubble Skirts: Another Fug Trend I'll Pass

Mandy Moore, modelling a Bubble Dress in Elle magazine

La Rok Denim Mini Bubble Skirt

City Unltd Bubble Skirt

I think most of us who lived through the 80's owned at least ONE bubble skirt, right? Me and my sisters weren't the only ones prancing around in these bubbles, wearing them everywhere from school concerts to family photos, were we? And yes, we wore these with ~shudder~ black tights and ballet flats!!! oh, the insanity! I was so relieved when the 90's arrived and we finally sent this fugly trend into retirement in favor of long crinkle skirts from Express. I never imagined the bubble skirt would be back, with gusto, for the spring/summer trend of 2006! First leggings, and now this? Is this something else I can blame Sienna Miller for, or are the designers simply running out of ideas? Who's bright idea was it to start looking back towards the 80's for fashion insipiration? Along with leggings, this is another trend I'm going to sit out. I'm still wearing the tunic top and jeans fashion from last year. I like tunics, they're comfy.

Happy Mother's Day

I just wanted to write a quick note to wish all you moms out there a happy mother's day. My daughter showed me her appreciation by spilling her entire lunch on the floor. She did it on purpose too, she didn't like what was served. I thought she wanted rice, because when I asked her what she wanted to eat, she said the word "rice". But what she was really trying to say was "I want mac n' cheese" and could not tolerate the bowl of rice that was placed before her, so down to the floor it went. This used to make me very frustrated, having to clean up a mess like this, but now after doing it for so long, my clean-up response is automatic. I've learned that a bottle of Windex and paper towels are a mom's best friend. Within 2 minutes, and I clocked it, I had cleaned all the food off the floor. Six minutes later, I had successfully nuked a frozen package of Stouffer's mac n' cheese and served it to her. Damn, I'm getting good at this.

Other than that, we spent most of the day indoors because it was raining and cold outside. We gave the kids a toy for Mother's Day. I know it should be the other way around but they aren't old enough to do those things yet, plus, for the few minutes of peace this toy brings me, it's worth it. The kids got an Elefun, and they love it. My 4 year old son, of course, calls it Elephunk.

Chic Clutch from Louis Vuitton

I mentioned my desire for this LV Lexington Accessory Pouch back in December when it was all the rage for winter weddings. Well, summer weddings are right around the corner and this bag is still perfect. I personally love the gold color, because it matches most of the colors I wear to weddings, but it also comes in hot pink and white to match any bridal theme. It's a timeless piece that will always be in style. With this in your wardrobe, you will never need another clutch. Although I'm sure Urmila got hers for free, it's available at eLuxury.com for $590.

There's a pancake in my room

This is just totally random, but my son just came in to tell me there's a pancake in his room. I asked him what it was doing there, and he said it was sitting on his desk. I went to check it out and found a small Aunt Jemima mini pancake, which I had served for breakfast last Friday. Today is Wednesday. That means it's been petrifying there for five days and I had no clue. Well, at least he's helping me locate the messes now, I used to have to do it alone.

Show Me the Baby, Not the Bra!

Show me the baby! I said, SHOW...ME...THE BAY-BEEEEEE!

Why is Katie Holmes walking around town with her nursing bra undone and visible to the public? I know she's been brainwashed by her captor Tom Cruise, but she can't be so out of it that she can't tell that her flap is open. It seems to be another publicity stunt from the TomKat camp. She and her Master, Tom Cruise, know that they are trailed by paparazzi everywhere they go, so maybe they think showing off Katie's nursing bra will somehow prove that Katie had a baby and is breastfeeding it.

I'm still not convinced. If she's supposedly only a few weeks postpartum, why isn't she wearing nursing pads under her bra cup? New moms leak, and even the most sleep deprived mother makes sure to cover that base before going out in public. Especially when she's wearing a "tell no lies" silk shirt. Which brings us back to the other theory that Katie had her baby back in January and is actually about four months postpartum. That would better explain the lack of nursing pads and how she's fitting into her skinny jeans so quickly after birth (and her shoe shopping spree before the baby was born).

Yet, the biggest question that comes to my mind is where is the baby Katie apparently just fed? You know, baby Suri, the one they named after an alpaca? Tom Cruise, being the publicity whore that he is, surely shouldn't have a problem showing off his new baby to the paprazzos, so where is she? Is she being raised by those freaky Scienotologists? Are Tom and Katie even the baby's parents or is it the spawn of L. Ron Hubbard? How can I go on while all these questions remain unanswered?

Until we get a photo of Suri from Captain Crazy himself, the funny peeps at Save Dakota Fanning have given us this lovely image to savor.

What's up with Galliano?

John Galliano (on the left) is a creative genius when it comes to haute couture. That dress Charlize Theron is wearing, he designed it. But what I'm wondering is why John himself dresses like a tranvestite crack addict? I know Dior makes suits for men, why doesn't he wear one of them? [Source]

Tartan in the City

What do you get when the bridesmaid sleeps with the bagpipe player? One fugly dress.

Mary Kate Channels Morticia Addams

Oh Mary Kate, you goth girl you! What are you doing to me? First you sport the "I get my clothes from a garbage can" bag lady look, and now this? Here's a tip, dressing up like Morticia Addams for a formal event still makes you look like a fashion "don't". You'd look much better if you wore some of the clothes from your clothing line at Walmart.

Fugly Trend Alert: Leggings

Why is Sienna Miller so intent on bringing back leggings? I admit they were comfortable, in the 80's, but unless you've got skinny legs, they are not very flattering to the majority of women. I wouldn't even wear leggings to the gym, the tight lycra gives away too much information about how long it's been since I worked out. Fashion mags drool over Sienna for her bold trendsetting style. I'd like to know what they are looking at because I don't see "style" here. I see someone who raided the clearance section at TJ Maxx's activewear department while carrying a $1,500 Balenciaga bag. [source]

Paris and Stavros Call It Quits

Yup, it's over. After only a year of dating and mass PDA, Paris and her boyfriend, Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos, are over. Poor Paris just can't seem to hang on to her Greek tycoon boyfriends. Let this be a lesson to all future heiresses. If you want to marry a rich Greek tycoon, don't screw around with Rick Soloman.

I Abused Differin, and Paid the Price

"My face is on fire! My face is on fire!". No, it wasn't really on fire, it just got burned really badly from the sun this weekend. Let me explain how it got to this, Tarantino style. A while ago I went to the dermatologist to ask for a cream that would help revive my skin and control my blemishes and breakouts. He prescribed to me Differin gel, a pea size amount on the affected areas every other night. I was also told to wear a wide brimmed sun hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses when I'm outside to protect my face from the sun, because Differin increases skin's sensitivity to sunlight. I'm incredibly impatient, and after a week of using a pea size amount of Differin without seeing dramatic overnight results, I upped the amount to a gob the size of a nickel and rubbed it into my face every night for a week. I started to notice dry flakes on certain areas of my face last Thursday, but exfoliated those away with those new Dove exfolitating pillows (these worked great!). Then on Saturday, I went out into the city with the family and walked outside the entire day with no sun hat and sunglasses (my kids lost the last pair I had), but I did wear a moisturizer with sunscreen, Olay Complete. It wasn't enough. For the first time in my life, (and I'm not exaggerating here), I have sunburn on my face. I naturally have dark skin and never burn from being in the sun too long, I only get tanner. However, the Differin gel was more powerful than I thought, that pea size amount was working wonders, but I tried to speed up the process and made my skin too irritated and fragile to be in the sun. I think if I had worn a sun hat, something like this from Banana Republic, it wouldn't have been so bad, but for some reason, I never feel comfortable in hats like this, I'd rather wear a baseball cap. Especially if I'm wearing a jeans and t-shirt combo like I was last Saturday. These wide brimmed hats look better on me if I'm wearing a sun dress, I don't know why. But as my old chemistry professor in college used to say, "I'd rather look silly for a couple of hours, than not be able to look at all for the rest of my life!" He was talking about wearing safety googles to protect your eyes from acid spills and flare-ups in the chem lab, but the message is very general. Don't compromise your safety and health for fear you might look like a fashion victim, it's not worth it.

So after a full day of being outside and being bombarded by the sun, by the evening I was telling my husband, "My face is on fire, my face is on fire! I need to get to CVS and get some cream!" It's a mild sunburn, not severe, but it itches like mad. My husband asked me how this happened, and I told him about the Differin abuse and he just shook his head, "Why do you do this to yourself?"

So now I'm home, with Eucerin Calming cream rubbed all over my face, looking like I had a chemical peel done at the derm's office. I'm also on shit duty with my kids because two of them caught a stomach virus from the gym's playroom. Life is just great right now. But I must say I have a newfound compassion for my fair skinned friends who come home from the beach looking like red lobsters. I know what it's like to have sunburn now, the pain and the wicked itch is unbearable.