Whoa, not that guy! Eeew!!!

My parents are in town, so yesterday they took me & the sis to the US Open. I’m not really into sports, but seeing tennis live can be an adrenaline pumping blast—especially because 90% of all tennis pros are stellar hotties!

Since I was a little kid, I’ve always chosen a tennis hearthrob to fantasize about. My first love was Pete Sampras, back in the early-mid 90′s. Pete is one hairy mo’ fo’ (probably because of all that Greek heritage), but he always had a great smile and he seemed really nice. Oh, and over the course of his career he won, like, a hundred championships. Woo hoo, Pete!

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My other absolute favorite was Tim Henman. Swoon. Yes, I have a thing for English guys. Henman is a total Kennedy (think Jon Jon). I’ll admit that he has stereotypical “British teeth,” but he’s still a fox, and he has buns of steel. I was beyond excited because we got to see him play at the Open yesterday. Apparently he’s about to retire—he’s 32 after all (old man river! haha).

We were sitting really close to the court so I tried to take a picture, but he still looks like he’s a mile away. Damn! But it was fun to be so close to the action. And it was a really amazing match.

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But I think it’s safe to say I’ve found my next tennis hottie to swoon over. Just look at this Russian god. His name is Marat Safin.

Marat was in the first match of the day against a cute Canadian named Dancevic, but Marat won, kicking some major US Open Ass. God, can you imagine hitting a ball at 130mph? Me neither. Anyway, for those of you who enjoy a little eye candy, here you go. He’s like the McSteamy of the tennis world, no? Yummy.

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And in other HOTTTIE news: Shia LaBeouf and Rihanna? Hmmm. Is it true that my fave cutie is dating the fashionable songstress that made umbrellas (of all things) sexy? I’ve heard that it’s true, but then I also heard they’re “just friends.” Either way, I think they’d make a cute couple. I wonder if they call each other Shia and Ria. Awww!!!!

Yeah, I think I sunk to a new low last night. I dragged my best friend to Radio City Music Hall to pass out BACK TALK postcards to all the girls heading into the Hilary Duff concert. I was thinking it would be a great place to get the word out about my book… but apparently Hilary Duff fans aren’t quite as old as I thought they were. Most of the girls in line had just come from the American Girl store (which I freaking loved when I was a little kid—I had the Samantha doll).

Anyway, it didn’t turn out to be quite the promotional blitz I’d hoped for. We wandered up and down the line passing out promotional Back Talk flyer/postcards, but these little girls and their mothers basically looked at us like we were passing out Crack Popsicles.

Awesome.

I just assumed that the ex-Lizzie McGuire, Cinderella Story chica would have teenage fans. After the whole sex-bomb in Maxim thing, I’m kinda surprised she’s catering to such a young crowd, but whadda I know. She must have a serious Lindsey Lohan VS. Polyanna complex going on in her head.

(And just as a side note, I love this picture. “Scrapbooking with Lizzie McGuire.” I mean, scrapbooking? Seriously? Does she think her fans are 70 year old ladies in a retirement home? Hmmm…)

Whatevs. If I sell one freakin’ copy of Back Talk from that fiasco I’ll consider myself lucky.

I decided I like writing recipes and then discussing fashion. It’s therapeutic, so here’s another one:

Spring Rolls! (as promised)

*1 pack of Spring Roll wrappers (I got this brand: Banh Trang, w/ a rose on the package)
*1 package cellophane noodles (cooked and cooled)
*1 packet of fresh mint
*1 packet of chives
*1 bunch of basil
*1 bunch of cilantro
*1 cup thinly sliced carrot
(for the sauce)
* 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
* 1 jalapeno or habanero well chopped
* handful of peanuts
* 1 clove of garlic
* 1 tspn of minced ginger
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* splash of rice wine vinegar
* splash of water

First, wash all the ingredients and set them in separate piles. Fill a large bowl with very hot water, and one at a time, soak the rice paper Spring Roll wrappers till they’re floppy. Lay one out on a damp towel and layer in the ingredients, starting with the basil, then the mint, cilantro, chives, carrot, and cellophane noodles. Then roll them up, folding in the ends. Arrange them on a damp paper towel so they don’t dry out. Oh, you can add cooked shrimp or pork or tofu as well. I forgot about that. This recipe is so freakin’ easy! And fresh spring rolls are beyond yummy.
As for the sauce, just mix all the ingredients in a Cuisinart, and voila! Tangy dipping sauce to go with your fancy-schmancy delicious spring rolls. Easy and fun to make.

And onto the clothes!!! Deborah Sweeney. I just found her line on Revolve Clothing and I think her stuff is amazing. I guess she used to design for Jill Stuart and H&M and Top Shop, and now has her own line back in New Zealand. Her fabrics are oh-so-summery and light. A great combination of fun and tailored looks.

I go back and forth with one-shoulder dresses, but I love this pattern, and the cut is really flattering.

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Again, I love this pattern. I’m always drawn to bird prints.

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I’m in love with this dress. So cute, dainty, and sophisticated.

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Very cute 60′s inspired coat. I can never decide if I’d actually want to invest in a coat with short sleeves though.

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One last thing: check out the latest review of Back Talk on Reader Views!

Friday night we went to my sister’s apt and had an impromptu Asian night. We made yummy (and healthy!) spring rolls and drank saki. Yum. I love spring rolls, and they couldn’t be easier to make—I’ll post a recipe soon. The rolls in this picture aren’t the ones we made because a) I forgot to take a picture, and b) I’m allergic to shrimp so you would not catch me rollin’ a shrimp filled spring roll. But it’s just a visual aid, ya know?

Saturday we took Kung Fu to the park. Penny is way too neurotic to deal with the concept that anything exists outside our apartment walls, so we let her stay home and get even fatter. Kung Fu on the other hand is quite an inquisitive little feline. Yes, he was completely freaked at first, but check it out. He had an ace time!
After about 45 minutes he came out of the hideous orange cat bag.

Okay, he’s actually just yawning here, but how effin’ scary does he look. Grrr!!!

Kung Fu and I are on the prowl!!!

Kung Fu’s first encounter with a dog! It was a harmless little cocker spaniel who apparently was very good with cats. KF was cool as a cucumber—makes mama proud!

Sorry to be such a pet-slut, but I do love my kitty-cats. Oh, the only bad part was that Penny was NOT happy with Kung Fu when we got home. I guess she thought he smelled funny from his escapades and she kept hissing at him. Check this out:
That is one defensive biatch.

Anyway, we also went shopping in Harlem. We had appetizers at this yummy Moroccan/America restaurant called Native. But I’d have to pinpoint this as the highlight of the day:
That’s right. A purple poodle. Only in New York.

ps- check out the nice things Emma had to say about BACK TALK!

Sadly it’s too hot to have much to say. I just spotted this T-shirt on style.com and was very excited to buy one. Sure they’re $50 , which is insane for a t-shirt, but they’re being sold to benefit carbonfund.org. The environment is an issue close to my heart, so I thought I’d bite the bullet (besides, it’s a mad cute t-shirt). But apparently they only made 150. Are they crazy? I mean, a cute T-shirt designed by Rag & Bone and Lancôme that’s for a good cause. Yeah, I think they shoulda made more.

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So then I went to revolveclothing.com and did a little shopping. I have really been wanting a new sun dress. I know, I know, summer is drawing to a close (how depressing is THAT), but there are still a few more weeks of unbearable heat. Anyway, how cute is this sun dress by Splendid? Everything Splendid makes is so soft and comfortable. And it’s reversible. Yeah, that’s right. I can’t tell you how excited I was about the prospect of a reversible sun dress. The reverse is an equally cute grey and white striped dress.

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And to escape the heat, my sister and I went to see Stardust the other day. I had never seen a preview and had no idea what it was about, but I’m telling you, it was so good. It’s full of magic and fantasy, and the guy is cute. Well, not really cute, but kind of cute. Sienna Miller’s in it, but you’ll just have to look past that. Her role isn’t very big. And Claire Danes is good. I’ve loved her since My So Called Life (and remember I met her and had lunch with her once? I posted about that a long time ago, but it’s a highlight in my celebrity memories). Anyway, I recommend the movie, if you’re looking for something to do. Though next on my list is most definitely Superbad. Oh yeah, baby.

Music I’m listening to: Cold War Kids. (I totally wanted to see them live, but they’re playing Madison Square Garden, and I refuse to see bands there. Too over hyped.) Tokyo Police Club. (fun indie rock). And Albert Hammond Jr. (from The Strokes. His album is really really good).

Have a good weekend, peeps!

The art show Saturday night was a blast. It was a nice cool evening, but there was no AC or open windows in the room, so it got completely hot, sweaty, and frizzy by the end of the night. (But I’ll spare you the pictures of the really sweaty dude—eeew!). As I mentioned in my last post, the show (called Let’s Bolt) was curated by my friends Julie at mcc, Lumi Tan, and Matt Lucas. Each piece had to represent a concert/show you wish you’d gone to, but didn’t/couldn’t. What a great idea, right? As soon as I heard about it, I knew exactly what to do. See, when I was in 6th grade, I had tickets to the HOTTEST show in town: MC Hammer & Vanilla Ice. That’s right biatches. My friends and I were so excited to see Vanilla Ice perform live! But on the day of the show, I got the flu, and my parents said I should stay home. Sob. I’ve always regretted missing that…
Anyway, here’s my piece and a wide shot from the evening:

I know the image quality of this picture is awful, but you’ll have to take my word for it that my piece looked amazing. Glitter is a godsend.

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Other concerts-I-wish-I’d-gone-to entries included Cher, En Vogue, Guided By Voices, Duran Duran, Black Flag, Led Zeppelin, Sonic Youth …

What about you? Is there a band you wish you’d seen, but missed? Either w/in your lifetime or before you were born?

I love to cook, and it is my goal in life to make everything low fat, healthy, and nutritious. If YOU are interested in those things too, check out my quiche recipe. It kicks other quiche recipes’ asses:

* 1/2 cup of egg whites (Horizon sells them in little milk cartons)
* 1/2 cup of fat free milk or plain fat free soy milk (I drink soy milk because it lasts a million times longer than regular milk)
*1/2 pack of soft, low fat tofu (let it drain REALLY well on several paper towels, for at least 1/2 an hour)
* pre-made pie crust (because lets face it, making pie crusts is way too time consuming and frickin’ boring)
*ingredients of your choice. suggestions: cheese, broccoli, sun dried tomato, asparagus, basil, zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, onion …

Pre-heat the oven to 375. Pie shells are pre-cooked, but I like to throw it in for a few minutes first so the bottom doesn’t get all soggy when you put the filling in.

In a blender or food processor, mix the well drained tofu, the egg whites and the milk. Oh, and maybe throw in a little salt and pepper and nutmeg, or seasonings of your choice (garlic powder, oregano, basil …)

Layer your veggies/cheese in the bottom of the pie shell. It’ll be hot down by the oven, but I like to do it while the pie shell is already on the baking rack. That way all the stuff won’t slosh out of it when you’re fumbling to stuff it in the hot oven. So, put the veggies and cheese in the bottom of the pie shell, and then pour the egg mixture over it. It should fill up to the top, if you’re lucky. Sprinkle with a little more cheese, and cook for about 40 minutes. Emphasis on the “about.”

It’s super healthy and freaking delicious. I know it sounds obnoxiously healthy, but I swear you won’t miss the egg yolks and heavy cream from a regular quiche.

And now onto the clothes…

I am loving this layered Marc Jacobs stars necklace. I’m a sucker for stars. Aren’t layered necklaces so versatile? Brilliant.

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I would totally never wear this because it’s a bit too glitzy for the self-consciously shy, but I love it. It kicks Party Dress ass.

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I’m pretty sure I had earrings just like this when I was a kid, but I don’t know what ever happened to them. I also have a feeling Emma or someone already posted about them a while ago, but I LOVE gold mesh!! It’s delish.

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I want a leather jacket so badly. Damn you, leather, for being so expensive!! This one by Mike & Chris is $900. Dizzzamn.

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Ok. That’s it. Thanks everyone for your sweet comments about my wedding. I really appreciate it. It was the most special fantabulous day of my life, and being married ain’t so bad either. lol.

Oh, and PS- I’ve made a painting/collage for a friend’s art show this weekend. If any of you are in NYC, you should come check it out. And don’t worry—you don’t have to say hi to me if you’re scared to break the anonymity of the bloggosphere. There will be enough other people there to blend. Here’s the scoop:

It’s an awesome show curated by Metro Color Collision.
It’s at CSV: 107 Suffolk (btwn Stanton & Rivington). There’s an opening this Saturday (Aug 11) from 6-9?.

The show is called “Let’s Bolt” (a My So Called Life reference) and all the pieces have to do with a show or concert that you wish you’d gone to, but missed. As soon as I heard about this I had to submit, because I have the BEST one ever.
Hope some/any of you can come!!!!!
xo

Guess what, guys—I’m finally posting my wedding pictures. Just a few. It was the best day ever. I loved my dress, I loved my shoes, I loved my boyfriend/husband, my bridesmaids, my parents… a whole lotta love. Hope you like the pics as much as I liked getting married! Well, you probably won’t like them THAT much. Weddings are a beautiful thing. Maybe a little cheesy, but all that love in the air—it’s freaking awesome!!

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Oh, and as a comparison, here is what the original dress looked like, when I bought it. It’s made by Melissa Sweet. It’s cute, but I LOVE my dress and the alterations we made—I had it made about 6 inches shorter, and changed the tulle from white to pink. I look way better, right? Sorry, don’t mean to toot my own horn! hehe.

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My best friend, Amy, got ordained online and performed our marriage ceremony. She did a great job—she only cried a teeny bit in the beginning, but then she really pulled her act together and did a great job. Yay Reverend Amy!

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Holy sh*t! We’re married. The ceremony lasted for, like, 2 seconds! (maybe 15 or 20 minutes but it felt short). It all felt like such a blur. Thank god for the pictures!

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My special “Beverly Hills 90210″ style group photo. The wedding photographer didn’t know what the hell I was talking about, but I insisted on my 90210 shot.

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Our cake toppers. Hand sculpted by my dad, these zombie Alex and zombie Andy figurines are an homage to our film company, Potato Riot Films.

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And the group shot. This is a signature shot that our wedding photographer always does. We loved it. That’s what 120 people look like all together. Pretty fancy, eh?

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Another pic of my fabulous wedding party. My bridesmaids all wore this adorable black sun dress with embroidered flowers from Tibi. And the guys wore sleek Perry Ellis suits. Oh, except Andy wore Joseph Aboud. He looked H-O-T-T-T.

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I wish I had more pics of the actual party. My photographer is a little psycho about relinquishing the files. But I’ll get my hands on ‘em and maybe post some more pics later. We did a lot of dancing—mostly Motown, some Beatles, some current indie. Lots of good stuff. And the speeches were great. Yes, I cried at my dad’s speech.

Oh, and this was really funny: I’ve chosen not take Andy’s last name, so when we walked into the tent, the DJ says “And now, introducing for the fist time, ALEX and ANDY!”
Uh, yeah. That was kind of weird.
But it was awesome!!!

Have a good weekend everybody.