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November 2005

November 30, 2005

Missed Queens of The Stone Age on tour? Check out their live DVD/CD, Over the Years and Through the Woods-Fashiontribes Music Blog

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QUOTSA have become-and do not take this lightly, for I am snobby and not a joker when it comes to matters of the musical.  While I didn't exactly see them in my ideal venue (Madison Square Garden instead of some smoky dive with 1/18th the people), I must report they rocked my world.  Literally.  If you haven't seen them, Queens of the Stone Age: Over the Years and through The Woods, which includes some rarer songs and a live-in-London DVD, would be a great intro.  Now remember, thou shall adore the Queens.

You can think of this feature-length concert DVD/live album, which features all the crucial Queens hits from their studio albums, as a "to go" version of their decibel-happy shows, but that really won't be doing the three and a half hours of live, rare, and acoustic performances and behind-the-scenes footage of the band and their pals like Dave Grohl, Mark Lanegan, Billy Gibbons, and former Queens bassist Nick Olivieri making fools of themselves, justice.

It might help to think of Over the Years as a 21st-century version of Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains the Same for the volume of its material, or even A Hard Day's Night for its willingness to show the Queens having a laugh, but they'd rather you see and hear it for what it really is--the definitive encapsulation of the band and their music from their not-so-humble beginnings to their current status as one of the rock's biggest and most dynamic acts.Included in the concert footage from the band's sold-out Brixton Academy and Koko shows in London last summer are live favorites from Rated R and Songs for the Deaf such as "No One Knows," "Feel Good Hit of the Summer," and "Go with the Flow," as well as new Queens classics from their latest album Lullabies to Paralyze like the smash single "Little Sister" and their most recent bombshell, "Burn the Witch." In addition to the three-plus hours of live and uncut Queens mayhem, Over the Years also boasts 75 minutes of audio bliss that covers all the bases Queens fans need to get the rush of their favorite songs performed live and loud shot directly into their homes.Also included are the brand-new track "Fun Machine" as well as "Make It Wit Chu," a previously unreleased gem from singer Josh Homme's fabled Desert Sessions, an ongoing series of collaborative songwriting and recording sessions where marquee musicians such as PJ Harvey and Deen Ween are invited down to his studio Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree, California, to join him in collectively exploring new musical terrain.

-Rachel

P.S. Don't EVEN get me started on Desert Sessions.

 

Posted at 11:59 PM in Music [1], Pop Culture, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

The Coach Store at NYC's Time Warner Center - A Vision of Winter White, Fur, & Accents of Chocolate for the Holidays. FASHIONTRIBES STORE WINDOW & FASHION BLOG

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- Lesley Scott

Posted at 11:00 PM in Accessories, Fashion, Store Report, Weblogs, Window Dressing | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Me likey the red dress-Of course, I have to find one that's less long and more me-Fashiontribes Nic Notice

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10 out of 10 people surveyed would tell you I am not the red dress type.  Tough cookies for them, because I am SOOOO going to rock this Isabel Marant Red Dress to EVERY Yuletide event I m invited too.  Even though the colour is bold, it is also versatile.  One day with glitter encrusted pumps, one day with leopard flats-the list goes on.  When I strut out there with my Nicole Richie pose, we'll see what those I surveyed say then...
-Rachel

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Posted at 10:00 PM in Fashion, Fashiontribes Files, FT's daily outfit, Items We Idolize, Pop Culture, Store Report, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

I Want, I Need, I Have to Have: Silver Paddington Edition-Fashiontribes Fashion Blog

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I have a red one, and yet it seems to be not enough.  This little silver fellow would look swell sitting underneath the Christmas tree with a giant bow, waiting for my little paws to caress it, filling it with all my earthly possessions.  Oh, Santa Baby, please consider me when you pick this little number up!

-Rachel


Posted at 09:00 PM in Accessories, Bags, Design, Items We Idolize, Store Report, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Thanks to These Genius Tiny Tapas Plates Which Perch Atop Your Wine Glass, Munching While You Mingle Has Never Been Easier. FASHIONTRIBES HOME DECOR BLOG

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I love tapas. I love cocktail parties. What I don't love is trying to negotiate the crowd, my purse & my tasty beverage - all while attempting to balance that wee plastic plate lurking with serious stain potential.

Thanks to the fabulous Maxwell at ApartmentTherapy.com for turning me onto these tiny Tapas Plates - choose from either glass or wood (we love the wood ones!) - which perch atop any wine glass 2" to 3" in diameter.  Salut! SurLaTable.com

- Lesley Scott

Posted at 07:00 PM in Food, Food & Cuisine, Home Decor, Parties and Entertaining, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Pumpkin Pie Overload? Try Pumpkin Bars-Part Cake, Part Pumpkin Pie, all delicious-Fashiontribes Sweet Tooth Blog

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PUMPKIN SPICE BARS

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1- 16 oz. can pumpkin
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 cup cooking oil

   

Preparation Directions:

   1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
   2. Combine beaten eggs, pumpkin, sugar and oil, beating until well mixed.
   3. Add dry ingredients, and mix together until smooth.
   4. Spread batter into an ungreased baking pan (15" X 10" X 1")
   5. Bake in oven for 25-35 minutes.
   6. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1. Beat together the ingredients below until light and fluffy:

  • 1- 3 oz.. package of cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup margarine
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla.

2. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating until smooth.

3. Spread cream cheese frosting over cooled cake.

4. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. 

-Rachel

Posted at 06:00 PM in Food, Food & Cuisine, Parties and Entertaining, Recipe, Sweet Tooth, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Had Just About Enough Logo Mania? Fight Back With a "F**k Gucci/Say It With Daggers" T-Shirt from Ju$t Another Rich Kid. FASHIONTRIBES FASHION BLOG

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JustAnotherRichKid.com

- Lesley Scott

Posted at 05:00 PM in Affordable Fashion, Fashion, Fashiontribes Files, Pop Culture, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

An Isabel Marant Baby Blue Long Beaded Glass Necklace is a simple, elegant wardrobe injection of French cool-Fashiontribes Jewelry Blog

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Perhaps it is the adorable way that this necklace is shot around the neck of a teddy bear, or berhapsit's the gentle shade of turquoise, but I am totally coveting this Isabel Marant Baby Blue Long Beaded Glass Necklace.  From the multi-shaped beads arranged in perfect pattern, to the mid-chest length it is basically impossible to not desire the ability to throw something this cool on when you awake in the morning.  Since it is a piece by Isabel Marant, it has that certain French style that makes it seem totally neccessary and absolutely frivoulous-exactly as jewelry should be.

-Rachel


Posted at 04:00 PM in Accessories, Design, Fashion, Fashiontribes Files, Items We Idolize, Jewelry, Necklaces, Store Report, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

Need a gift for the men in your life? Ebay Canada's Thread Syndicate has awesome skull hoodies-Fashiontribes Gifting Blog

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You know that something will be a hit when it is "pointed out" to you by a future giftee.  3 of my guy friends so suavely mentioned that they adore this Thread Syndicate Skeleton Hoodie, becuase unlike most of the items that bear the skeleton print, it holds the entire skeleton.  With the full rib cage, shoulder blades and the skull adorning the hood, this is definitely the choice when it comes to skeleton hoodies.  The price is terrific too-at around $35 dollars shipped, it will definitely make some boy in your life extatic.

-Rachel

Posted at 03:00 PM in Design, Fashion, Fashiontribes Files, GIFTING, Items We Idolize, Store Report, Weblogs | | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Show Your Love the Old Fashioned Way with an Honest-to-Goodness Keepsake: a Message Engraved on a Gold-Plated Charm From Tiger & Jones. FASHIONTRIBES GIFT BLOG

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Like a ritzier version of the saucy, handwritten missives sent back & forth all day in Victorian society, this single, folded card from Tiger & Jones - TigerAndJones.com - containes a 1 inch square, 18 karat gold-plated charm sealed in its own pouch with a hand-dyed silk ribbon. Choose from sayings such as:

  • with love
  • thinking of you
  • I am smitten
  • I love you
  • kiss kiss
  • and my fave: oops!

- Lesley Scott

Posted at 02:00 PM in Design, GIFTING, Parties and Entertaining, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Put your fashion maverick skills to the test with this pom-pom wraparound accessory-Fashiontribes Accessory Blog

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Much like Sienna Millers novel use of the scarf-as everything from a belt to a sort of ankle tourniquet-we love to find bizarre uses for strange accessories.  After our Sienna experiment succeeded (we tried the ankle look, it was truly fab), we have decided to branch out.  The perfect way to start our little science experiment?  An Apple Red Pom Pom Wraparound.  What exactly is that, you ask?  A little velvet ribbon adorned with pompoms at either end.  Designed to adorn knee-socks and legwarmers, we feel it is versatile enough to adorn your wrist, neck, belt loop, ankle, or purse.  Give it a shot, shoot a pick and send it to us.  Put your Fashion Maverick to the test-and see if it compares to ours.

-Rachel

Posted at 01:00 PM in Accessories, Design, Fashion, Fashiontribes Files, Store Report, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Operation Nike McFly is Live! Sneaker Journalist Al Cabino's Online Petition is Over 2000+ Signatures Strong & Even Spawned a Blog. FASHIONTRIBES BLOG

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In a little under 10 days after he launched his innovative sneaker petition (CLICK HERE for the Fashiontribes post on this) to coax Nike into producing the moon boot'ish kicks that Michael J. Fox - as the character Marty McFly - sported in Back to the Future II, the planet's most famous sneaker activist, Al Cabino (cabino at gmail dot com), has gotten newspaper & blog coverage from over 30 countries, including USA, Italy, Japan, France, Russia, Chile, Spain, Hong Kong, China and Canada. He's even featured in this week's Maclean's Magazine (Dec 5 - 12, 2005) as one of their Top 10 Newsmakers - as #2 no less.

And now, it's Operation McFly The Blog - OperationMcFly.Blogspot.com - dedicated to the world's first sneaker petition. So go on, stick it to The Man: Just Sign It! 

- Lesley Scott

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Posted at 12:30 PM in Men's Fashion, Pop Culture, Sneakers, Weblogs | | Comments (4) | TrackBack (1)

Serve all your Swiss on this holey Cheeseboard from the Moma Store-Fashiontribes Lifestyle Blog

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Oh the irony of serving a giant wedge of cheese on a holey board.  The perfect way to surprise your guests is to have whimsical items to use when you serve up your appetizers and  meal.  I can't wait to set hunks of cheese out on this quirky Ulrichadolf Namislow Cheese Board.  The wooden board has been carefully carved to resemble Swiss cheese-a look we absolutely adore.  Leave it up to the good folks at MoMA to seek out such crazy little gems of design.

-Rachel


Posted at 12:00 PM in Home Decor, Items We Idolize, Parties and Entertaining, Pop Culture, Store Report, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Fab & French, You Need a Fleur-de-Lis in Your Life, Ma Chere. This Vintage Inspired Charm Bracelet from gS Lillian is Tres Chic. FASHIONTRIBES ACCESSORIES FASHION BLOG

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I love the vintage locket & the watch face is nice, offbeat touch. GSLillian.com

- Lesley Scott

Posted at 11:00 AM in Accessories, Affordable Fashion, Bracelets, Fashion, Fashiontribes Files, Jewelry, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Looking for a perfect black pump? Ashley Dearborn Spices it up with a zig-zag lightening streak-Fashiontribes Shoe Blog

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It seems that no matter what cool shoes come out-I adore Louboutin's turquoise suede platform peep-toe stilettos-I always seem to draw back to simple black pumps when I am in a shoe bind.  Black pumps are the most basic form of footwear-like a little black dress, you can yank them out at anytime and put all worries aside.  Of course, it helps if your pumps have some dazzle.  These Ashley Dearborn Flashback Shoes sure do.  The simple, medium height high heels are accented with a bolt of copper lightening down the back of the upper.  The metallic applique gives you tons of dash for your cash-and a pair of kickers that will definitely stand out from the crowd.

-Rachel

Posted at 10:00 AM in Accessories, Design, Fashion, Fashiontribes Files, Items We Idolize, Shoes, Store Report, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Chloe's Wool and Cashmere Cape is definitely a little crazy art girl-Fashiontribes Fashion Blog

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Chloe mania doesn't seem to be disappearing any time soon.  Especially not here in the FT offices, where it seems to have reached a fever pitch.  Phoebe Philo seems to have a knack for sending every bag, shoe and item of clothing you could ever want parading down the runway.  What I want  most for fall is this luxe, soft Chloe Cashmere and Wool Blend Cape.  The horse blanket styling-a recurring theme with Ms. Philo, and her old friend and former boss, Stella McCartney.  The kimono-style sleeves, large cargo pockets and black finishing makes this cape sophisticated, yet not dowdy.  I could come up with a million uses-from a simple statement with black pants or jeans to the perfect accent to my staple LBD.

-Rachel


Posted at 09:00 AM in Design, Fashion, Fashiontribes Files, Items We Idolize, Store Report, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Enjoy Minty-Fresh Breath 24/7 - Even When You First Wake Up - with new high-tech Smart Mouth Mouthwash. FASHIONTRIBES BEAUTY BLOG

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Enemies of fresh breath: Cigarettes. Garlicky Food. And the worst...morning breath.

Banish bogus breath to the dustbin of history with Smart Mouth - aka TriOral (just in a smaller bottle). Simply mix the contents of the two bottles right before rinsing - and re-rinse after consuming anything with onion or garlic - and notice a huge difference within 1-2 weeks. Apparently the secret in this alcohol-free formula is in the "zinc ion technology". What sold me were the swooning testimonials from the now happily halitosis-free.  Walgreens.com

- Lesley Scott

Posted at 08:00 AM in Beauty, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Mini Cheeseburgers: Another cute and tiny bite for the perfectly petite party-Fashiontribes Recipe Blog

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MINI CHEESE BURGERS

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • Basic bread dough, recipe follows
  • Ketchup
  • 14 cherry tomatoes, sliced thinly
  • 1 head lettuce, torn to fit buns
  • 1 (12-ounce) package American cheese, sliced and cut in squares to fit on buns


To make cheeseburgers:
In a bowl, mix ground beef, salt and pepper. Shape 1/4-ounce at a time into 1 1/2-inch patties. Broil or grill 30 seconds per side.

To assemble:
At serving time, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice buns in half. Layer ketchup, tomato and lettuce on each bottom half. Place burgers on baking sheet; top each with a slice of cheese. Bake until cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Place in buns and serve.

Basic Bread Dough:

  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups warm (110 degrees F) water
  • 1 large egg
  • 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered milk
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 cups bread flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into small pieces
  • 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
  • 1/4 cup poppy seeds

Nonstick cooking sprayTo make the basic bread dough: In a small bowl, mix yeast, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 cup warm water. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat remaining 1 1/4 cups warm water, egg, powdered milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 1 cup flour. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 7 minutes. Add yeast mixture; beat on medium. On medium-low, beat in 3 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough comes together (it will be sticky), about 2 minutes. Switch to dough hook. Gradually add butter; beat until dough is soft and sticks to fingers slightly, about 7 minutes. If dough is too wet, add 1/4 cup flour. On lightly floured surface, knead dough several turns into a ball. Cover dough with plastic. Let stand in warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat convection oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat parchment lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll dough into 3/4 inch balls; place 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap lightly coated with cooking spray. Let stand on a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 20 minutes. Brush egg wash over dough; sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating pan half way through. Cool buns on rack.

-Rachel
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Posted at 05:00 AM in Food, Food & Cuisine, Parties and Entertaining, Recipe, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tis the Season for Eggnog. If You're a Vegan, or Perhaps the Traditional Version Leaves You Queasy, Here's a Recipe to Try. However, Liquor Makes it Quicker so Be Sure to Spice Things Up with the Poison of Your Choice. FASHIONTRIBES FOOD BLOG

Eggnog_1  (Photo from Condons.net)

Raw Foodie-Friendly Eggnog

  • 1/4 c raw sunflower seeds
  • 1 c water
  • 2 medjool dates (no pits)
  • 1/2 t cinnamon
  • 1/8 t nutmeg
  • 1 t vanilla
  • half a dash sea salt

Run it all through the blender until smooth.

Note: This yields but a single serving. Double, triple or quintuple the recipe for your party needs - and if you want to ensure your guests get suitably trashed, be sure to add rum, brandy or bourbon.

From Rusticanda.Blogspot.com via WeLikeItRaw.com.

- Lesley Scott

Posted at 04:00 AM in Food, Food & Cuisine, Parties and Entertaining, Recipe, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Jill Stuart's "The Belle" Dress is a perfectly charitable lacey wonder-Fashiontribes From The HEart Blog

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So, my latest fabric obsession would be lace.  For winter, for summer, whatever-I just love how sweet and simple it is.  Jill Stuart is probably the queen of lace.  It seems I can't walk into her shop without falling in love with something short, sweet and lacy.  Now that this gorgeous Jill Stuart The Belle Dress is up for bids on ebay's 7th on Sale, I feel obligated to spread the word.  The peachy, pink dress has a plunging neckline and a sweet lace pattern.  The nipped waist is accented by angled pin-tucks coming from both above and below.  It's totally a princess moment dress-slip it on and feel dually good-you supported charity and came out with a great, sexy little number.

-Rachel

Posted at 03:00 AM in Design, Fashion, Fashiontribes Files, From the heart, Items We Idolize, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tsunami Survivor Petra Nemcova's Happy Hearts Fund Helps Children in Distress Around the World. They Rebuild Schools, Provide Grief Counseling, & Put Hope Back into Kids' Lives. FASHIONTRIBES BLOG

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The Happy Hearts Fund (HHF) is a charitable campaign started in 2005 by model Petra Nemcova after her miraculous survival and recovery from the Tsunami of 2004. Pelvis broken, she clung to a tree for hours, and was never expected to walk again. After her recovery, she visited the region, and was so deeply moved by the orphans who had survived, but had "eyes with no signs of life" she started the Happy Hearts Fund.

Its mission is to aid children in need who have suffered loss or hardship as a result of natural, economic or health related disasters. HHF actively partners with charities, donors and foundations committed to providing immediate, tangible assistance for children, enabling them to live healthy, decent and happier lives – lives filled with hope instead of fear.

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HHF, in conjunction with Give2Asia, is focused on helping children who survived the Tsunami of 2004 and are now in great need. The scope of HHF's focus is not limited to Southeast Asia, however. HHF investigates other areas of the world where its assistance would greatly benefit children in distress, and has already aided in several projects, from providing necessities such as mattresses, food, and uniforms, to sending steel for the rebuilding of a school and dormitories in Khao Lak, Thailand.

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Some accomplishments of the Happy Hearts Fund:

  • Hhf_r_foundation_1  Donated funds totaling $130,000, enabling the Rajaprajunugroh Foundation in Thailand to build a dormitory for 80 school children.
  • Hhf_pic_w_missing_tooth Granted $38,190 to the Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, which is being used for psychological and emotional programs for the children in Tsunami affected areas.
  • Hhf_classroom Provided $12,100 for the Orphan Aid project in Aceh, Indonesia which will cover a full year of expenses for 20 children for food, lodging, school tuition, books, transportation, uniforms, and other miscellaneous expenses.

For 2006, they want to keep helping rebuild the lives of children affected by the Tsunami and other hardships. Their lives will never be the same, but together, we can bring them a sense of normalcy and hope & help protect the future for these children. Give2Asia.org

- Lesley Scott

Posted at 02:00 AM in From the heart, Weblogs | | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

Zadie Smith's White Teeth was one of my favorite books-I can't wait to cozy up and read On Beauty-Fashiontribes Book Blog

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I can't express the joy  felt while reading White Teeth.  Not exactly modern fictions most avid supporter, I was thrilled to pick up a tale that was complex and fragile, sympathetic and harsh-in other words, a brilliantly written contradiction.  That's why, after reading glowing reviews, I can't wait to sink my eyes into On Beauty by Zadie Smith.

In an author's note at the end of On Beauty, Zadie Smith writes: "My largest structural debt should be obvious to any E.M. Forster fan; suffice it to say he gave me a classy old frame, which I covered with new material as best I could." If it is true that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Forster, perched on a cloud somewhere, should be all puffed up with pride. His disciple has taken Howards End, that marvelous tale of class difference, and upped the ante by adding race, politics, and gender. The end result is a story for the 21st century, told with a perfect ear for everything: gangsta street talk; academic posturing, both British and American; down-home black Floridian straight talk; and sassy, profane kids, both black and white.

Howard Belsey is a middle-class white liberal Englishman teaching abroad at Wellington, a thinly disguised version of one of the Ivies. He is a Rembrandt scholar who can't finish his book and a recent adulterer whose marriage is now on the slippery slope to disaster. His wife, Kiki, a black Floridian, is a warm, generous, competent wife, mother, and medical worker. Their children are Jerome, disgusted by his father's behavior, Zora, Wellington sophomore firebrand feminist and Levi, eager to be taken for a "homey," complete with baggy pants, hoodies and the ever-present iPod. This family has no secrets--at least not for long. They talk about everything, appropriate to the occasion or not. And, there is plenty to talk about.

The other half of the story is that of the Kipps family: Monty, stiff, wealthy ultra-conservative vocal Christian and Rembrandt scholar, whose book has been published. His wife Carlene is always slightly out of focus, and that's the way she wants it. She wafts over all proceedings, never really connecting with anyone. That seems to be endemic in the Kipps household. Son Michael is a bit of a Monty clone and daughter Victoria is not at all what Daddy thinks she is. Indeed, Forster's advice, "Only connect," is lost on this group.

The two academics have long been rivals, detesting each other's politics and disagreeing about Rembrandt. They are thrown into further conflict when Jerome leaves Wellington to get away from the discovery of his father's affair, lands on the Kipps' doorstep, falls for Victoria and mistakes what he has going with her for love. Howard makes it worse by trying to fix it. Then, Kipps is granted a visiting professorship at Wellington and the whole family arrives in Massachusetts.

From this raw material, Smith has fashioned a superb book, her best to date. She has interwoven class, race, and gender and taken everyone prisoner. Her even-handed renditions of liberal and/or conservative mouthings are insightful, often hilarious, and damning to all. She has a great time exposing everyone's clay feet. This author is a young woman cynical beyond her years, and we are all richer for it.

-Rachel

Posted at 01:15 AM in Books and Literature, Pop Culture, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Did the Roman Empire Fall, or Was it Merely Pushed? Find Out in Peter Heather's "The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History". A London Times Top 2005 Book. FASHIONTRIBES BOOK BLOG

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"There are any number of theories to account for the decline of the western Roman empire in the 5th century — indeed, many modern scholars argue that it didn’t fall at all, but was merely “transformed”. The beauty of Heather’s book lies not so much in his unashamedly old-fashioned theory, which, pace Gibbon, asserts that a still-vigorous late empire was felled by a killer blow from barbarian invaders, as in the way it is told. This is narrative history of a high order, gripping, pulsating with drama, and backed by impressive scholarship lightly worn." via TimesOnline.co.uk

- Lesley Scott

Posted at 01:00 AM in Books and Literature, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

November 29, 2005

Patti Smith's Seminal Punk Rock Recording, Horses, Turns 30-Shouldn't it be in your CD Collection?-Fashiontribes Music Blog

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As a rebellious teen, Patti Smith was one of my first female icons.  I loved everything about her -her howling voice, her punk-poem lyrics and her androgynous style.  From her long and dirty hair to her  yelp, all I wanted in life was to be just like her.  With the release of Patti Smith    Horses, she became a New York cultural icon, which, to me, a girl living in the burbs, seemed beyond amazing.  I only wished I had been around, sponging off New York at the time.

On her 1975 debut, Smith was full of piss and vinegar, seriously interested in bringing together high art and low three-chord rock & roll. As a result, her free-form poetry meshes with covers of "Gloria" and "Land of a Thousand Dances," and the album centers on two long, highfalutin' pieces, including the three-part suite (warning! warning! art!) "Land." (The CD version appends a messy live take on The Who's "My Generation.") Led by Richard Sohl's piano, the arrangements don't exactly rock, and some of Smith's songwriting gets buried in its stylistic affectations (there's a great song under "Redondo Beach"'s fake reggae). But the point of Horses was Smith's persona of volume, cunning and exile, and it comes through distinctly.

-Rachel



Posted at 11:59 PM in Music [1], Pop Culture, Weblogs | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

NYC's Time Warner Center Gets Gussied Up for the Holidays. Plus Some of the TWC's Store Windows: Williams Sonoma; Davidoff; Blair Delmonico. FASHIONTRIBES STORE WINDOW BLOG

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BLAIR DELMONICO:

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DAVIDOFF:

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WILLIAMS-SONOMA:

   

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- Lesley Scott

Posted at 11:00 PM in Fashion, Home Decor, Store Report, Weblogs, Window Dressing | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Nic's cute vest combo at TRL has the FT offices drooling-and wanting to force feed her-Fashiontribes Nic Notice Blog

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Today is surely a day of my obsessions-first we present Amber Tamblyn in shorts, and now Ms. Nicole Richie in a vest-another on of the things I can't get enough of.  Ever.  Period.  While I have a collection of many-ranging from vintage with sequins to over=priced Chloe, i thought we'd do something slightly less ordinary, and give you a selection of our Internet faves, for your consumption.  I mean, you all know where to find a white tank and black pants, no?

-Rachel

11506_index_1Chloe Vest with Sequin Lapels

11962_indexProenza Schouler Striped Wool Vest

12189_indexSass & Bide Fitted Denim Vest

Wwc5_20_sizes_blackvelvetwaRokit Vintage Black Velvet Waistcoat

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Amber Tamblyn is well dressed? Yeah, our hearts stopped as well-Fashiontribes Fashion Blog

Intouchtamblyn

Of all the girls whom I thought might support my tights-and-shorts-are-pretty theory, for some reason Amber Tamblyn never came to mind.  Maybe this is because I don't really know what she does-her show where she saw God frequently and had handicapped Jason Ritter as a brother was canceled and her "book" of poems didn't seem to get much buzz.  She did, however, look totally spiffy at this outing, where she dons my much preached about favorite winter look with cute shoes.  WHile I would go with opaque tihgts, she definitely has the look.  Go, Amber!

-Rachel

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