TRENDS: Lame answer, I know

The iPhone is finally in stores. In the weeks leading up to its illustrious debut, one friend after another would ask me if I planned to buy it. They'd ask all nonchalantly on the surface, but underneath their thin layer of indifference lay a deep well of lust and anticipation. My response? "Hell no! That thing doesn't even have keys! I'm not paying $500 for that!" This is a lame answer I know. But hey, I was one of the last people on earth to cave in and buy a Blackberry or digital camera. I still like Polaroid cameras and own a few VHS tapes. Not that I don't think Steve Jobs is brilliantly forward-thinking. And aesthetically, the phone is one of the cooler looking ones out there. I'm just not a tech hound like the crazy man in this video (click here) or the mofo's in this clip (click here.)

LIFE: On our to-do list this weekend

"Ghosts of Cite Soleil"
IFC Center
323 6th Ave, NY NY 10003
This documentary, directed by Asger Leth and Milos Loncarevic, looks like the "City of God" of Haiti. It chronicles two brothers who struggle to control their gang under President Aristide's crumbling regime.


Afro-Punk festival
BAM
June 28 through July 7

A few highlights: a panel discussion with Bobby Seale, performance by Taylor McFerrin, screening of the biopic "Mingus," and showing of the rockumentary that started it all, "Afro-Punk." Read more about it in our wardrobe section.

SOUNDS: Today's soundtrack

"Afrospace," by Bembe Segue (click song title to listen)

SOUNDS: Today's soundtrack

"Threestreetworlds," by Two Banks of Four (Click song title to listen)

WARDROBE: Built for sailing

I love how Built by Wendy gives the nautical trend an ironic treatment in her spring/summer collection that's peppered with items featuring this graphic print of boatless sails. It seems to come from a similar point of view as Libertine's subverted preppy items for Target embellished with whales and skulls and crossbones.

TRENDS: Channel surfing: random musings

Sitting here watching the BET Awards, the following thoughts cross my mind:

1) Only here can one see psychedelic rock/rap duo Gnarls Barkley, gospel group Mary Mary and crunk duo Three Six Mafia nominated for an award in the same category.

2) It's nice to see Jennifer Holliday get her props for making that "Dreamgirls" song a hit first.


3) It's interesting to see Diddy sing an '80's rock flavored single (it actually samples Prince's "Erotic City".) Not because he's tone-deaf, but because some of hip hop's most prominent producers and artists seem to be increasingly look to do things outside of the genre. In a recent interview, for example, Timbaland stated that hip hop is pretty much a stale genre and that he's looking to produce music for pop (Madonna, Justin Timberlake), electronica (Bjork) and rock artists instead. I guess Outkast's Andre 3000 and Pharrell Williams's N.E.R.D. can be credited with first sparking that shift.

4) On another note, 50 Cent is doing more singing than rhyming while performing his new single. Is singing the new rap?

5) I love that Kelly Rowland's hair and performance outfit makes her look like Wonder Woman from a distance.

6) And Diana Ross. One word: "Mahogany." And three more: "Lady Sings the Blues." The two reasons I have so many capes and 1970's referencing items in my closet today.

7) Um, does anyone else find it jarring to see Flavor Flav pumping a fist in the air chanting "power to the people" after shucking so hard on VH1? Still, it's nice to see him back with Public Enemy.

8) And I had wondered when someone would wear those Balenciaga leggings that Beyonce Knowles wore during "Get Me Bodied" in public.

WARDROBE: Still have cramps: Home sick: Random musings/surfing the Internet

Handbags are still top sellers for most fashion houses, but it seems like it's been ages since I've heard women talk openly about coveting an It bag the way they did several years ago with purses like the Chloe Paddington, Balenciaga motorcycle bag and Fendi Spy and B bag. Has the idea of the status handbag finally died? As of now, I'm personally into satchels that don't scream "I paid 2 G's for this"--especially after my bag debacle of 2006. I've been particularly loving secondary lines because the bags tend to be cheaper (think $200 to $500) and aren't so obvious.

LIFE: Cramps: Home sick: Stream of consciousness/channel surfing

-Warren G is getting choked up on the "Celebrity Fit Club" finale. He's the fourth contestant to tear up on this show in the last 20 minutes. Only everyone else cried freely and he keeps doing this weird throat-clearing thing in order to man-up and fight back the waterworks. But the throat-clearing is making it worse. He should just cry like everyone else

-"The Real World Las Vegas" cast reunited????? Why did I not know this? This cast was the last time I watched the show, which must have been about five years ago. Alton and Irulan are still at each other's throats.

-My neighbor is playing that new Lauryn Hill song from the penguin movie soundtrack way too loud. I can feel the bass coming through the bottom of my couch.

-An MTV News segment shows the making of a UGK video with Outkast, Three Six Mafia and...Farnsworth Bentley?

-Back on VH1, some man named Cledus with a really heavy accent is crying because he lost two more pounds and is about to conquer his fear of flying. I never knew losing weight was such an emotional experience. This is officially my least favorite VH1 show. I wish "Charm School" were on instead.

-The Ibuprofen still hasn't kicked in yet? I wonder if it's okay to take two more in less than an hour.

-Some woman made a YouTube music video about her crush on Barack Obama. So it's not just me, other women think he's sexy too. But I also happen to also really agree with his plan to end the war in Iraq and improve our healthcare system.

-That reminds me, my friend went to a screening of Michael Moore's "Sicko" yesterday, I wonder if it lives up the hype surrounding it.

-The Ibuprofen is still not working for me.

LIFE: On our to-do list this weekend

Lee Quinones Exhibit at P.S.1
22-25 Jackson Avenue at 46th Ave
Long Island City, NY

P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center has its opening day celebration on Sunday with a party for Lee Quinones' show, "Prelude," which features a series of album covers from the '70's. That's all well and good but I'm really just psyched that the gallery is once again open for its summer outdoor parties, the Warm Up series.

WARDROBE: No you don't have enough summer dresses already

Rachel Roy has really cute frocks marked down for cheap at her sample sale.
Dates: now through June 22
Time: 12:00PM – 7:00PM
Location: 25 West 39th Street, 14th Floor (between 5th Avenue & 6th Avenue)

LIFE: On our to-do list this week

Mira performs her old underground hits and new material at Crash Mansion tonight at 10pm. Get the details here.

THE PALETTE: More lipgloss

From Lil Mama's playground ghettotastic "Lipgloss," which we talk about here to Eve's video for her new single "Tambourine," which features umpteen shots of shiny lips and tubes of MAC lipglass, I'm loving all of the lip lacquer references in pop culture these days. I honestly had stopped wearing the stuff entirely in favor of my Rosebud lip salve instead. But thanks to my guilty Lil Mama addiction, I've found myself wearing DiorKiss on occasion. They literally smell like fruit smoothies, but thankfully aren't flavored. So you don't have to worry about licking it off throughout the day.

WARDROBE: Everybody's doing it

Capsule collections have officially reached a tipping point. Here a few of many collabos coming up between high-end designers and mass market retail brands.

-Devi Kroell has created $35 versions of her python bags for Target

-Libertine will design the next GO International line for Target. It includes preppy classics like bermuda shorts, bucket hats, and argyle sweaters reinterpreted with edgy graphics like skulls and bats and hits stores July 15.

-Robert Cavalli has signed on to create a womenswear and menswear collection for H&M. Expect lots of bold prints and sexy silhouettes.

SOUNDS: Today's soundtrack

"Summer Sun," by Koop (click song title to listen)

WARDROBE: Take me hiiiiigher

Just returned from a mini beach trip to Miami, and noticed several girls strolling up and down Collins Ave in cute high-waisted shorts that looked much like these. I've seen these on several body types and like that the shorts are more figure-flattering, than a pair of high-waisted pants would be.

SOUNDS: Today's soundtrack

“Come and Get Me,” by Steve & I (click song titles to listen)

“Afrospace,” by Bembe Segue

WARDROBE: Sample Sales

I've seen many a clotheshorse drop practically her entire paycheck at this one:

Tracy Reese and Plenty by Tracy Reese Sample Sale
June 19 through June 20
8am to 7pm
Loft Eleven
336 W. 37th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenue)
11th floor
NY, NY 10018

SOUNDS: Today's soundtrack

"Midnight Hour," by Natasha Ramos (click song title to listen)
Recently signed to Star Trak, Natasha's album is still a work in progress. This track is not exactly groundbreaking. But the 20-year-old Puerto Rican's newer work, so far, sounds like a fun, updated version of Lisa Lisa of the Cult Jam.

WARDROBE: Kindred spirits

I've deliberately made this space a tabloid celebrity-free zone, because we can get enough of that from every other media outlet in the word right now. But this week was a big one for parties here in NY, and I found myself coveting the outfits of Chloe Sevigny and Kanye West's fiance Alexis Phifer. I've been having a real legs moment, wanting to show them off in shorts and mini-dresses, which is why I feel compelled to shout out their ensembles. Enjoy.

WARDROBE: Sample Sales

Tashkent by Cheyenne will be selling her shoes marked down more than 50% along with Meredith Kahn's Made Her Think jewelry
Sunday, June 10th
12noon to 8pm
60 North 6th Street
Williamsburg (L Train to Bedford)
(718) 384-1990


Catherine Malandrino
Thursday, June 21 through Saturday, June 23rd
10am to 8pm
Metropolitan Pavilion
123 W 18th Street
5th Floor

SOUNDS: Today's soundtrack

"Bedroom Bossa Band" by Lullatone (click song title to listen)

Yoshimi Tomida's twinkly vocals sound like the audio equivalent of glitter.

SOUNDS: Today's soundtrack

"Switch and Graeme" by Santogold (click song title to listen)

Surfing the web with my guy, he stumbled upon this band Santogold. Lo and behold, it's an outfit fronted by Santi White, the former songwriter behind Res who almost blew up in the early '00's. White later, with the support of Mos Def, tried the solo thing herself. Only it never quite popped off. I'm glad to see she's still going at it.

WARDROBE: On the come-up

Emerging designers are not only good for fashionable but relatively inexpensive clothing, they also give you the cool cred of having worn a brand "way back when" before everyone else started sweating it. I'm kind of getting this feeling about Smart Fitzjerrell, a new clothing line from Brooklyn designer Mary Kathryn Wells that could be the next Built by Wendy, only with girlier silhouettes and brighter colors.

LIFE: Food: $6.79!!!!!!!!!

I swear I'm not a cheapass but I just paid nearly $7 for a McDonald's combo meal and I'm kind of surly about it. And no, I don't eat at McDonald's often. After watching "Supersize Me" I actually dropped the fast food joint entirely until I got an inexplicably strong craving for it today and bought Value Meal #3. But I digress. The point of this post is, I paid nearly $7 for McDonald's!!! Does that strike anyone else as slightly overpriced? It seems like the last time I bought one of those things, I ended up paying no more than $4. Isn't fast food supposed to be abnormally low in price? So today's relapse just reinforces my conviction that McDonald's is bad, bad, bad. I'd much rather spend $40 at a decent restaurant or cook at home.