Bad is good, Worse is Better...

Lately there has been this recurring conversation theme around me...
Bad boys... Yes... It seems every woman I know is attracted to bad guys...(Not naming names girls, promised...) The thing is, you see... I remembered reading on the subject a few months ago and I looked it up, because, well... I'm always looking things up... I just can't help it... Here goes...

According to Dr. Peter Jonason there is this thing called the Dark Triad... (Nothing to do with witchcraft...)

The Dark Triad is this set of personality traits that includes:

• Narcissism: Ok.. So they do love themselves a bit too much...

• Extroversion: They are mostly concerned with obtaining gratification from outside and not from themselves...

• Impulsiveness: And, usually don't think before acting...

We should agree that these are not personality traits considered as nice, or attractive but they are supposed to have advantages: Dr. Jonason explains that people would think women would avoid men with these characteristics, but what his study has shown is contrary to what common sense would suggest. Women are attracted to bad boys and these are quite successful at having lots of sex partners. Of course they go for quantity... Not quality. The result being they are serially monogamous, and/or have lots of partners and one-night stands. In his study, these guys appear to be very good at achieving what they want, and so we may consider that the Dark Triad is a character trait that is evolutionary successful.

So, girls... You are only normal... And, yes, you will always be attracted to bad boys, no matter how many times you say: -"Oh, but why can't I be attracted to this guy?... He is soooooo good!!" You may get married to a nice guy... Because in the end it seems like they are the ones who stay... But you will always be attracted to the other kind... The kind that... What was I saying?...

-Wow! Did you just notice that amazing looking guy?... See you girls later!

Bride Wars or Why am I sitting here when I could be having a drink with my girls?

Last night I went to the media premiere for Bride Wars in Mexico City... And wrote a review on it... My first ever for an internet site... I have to confess that as much as I tried to relate, I just couldn't see myself as such a stereotypical woman. I never really thought about getting married until a year before my wedding happened... It just wasn't part of my dreams, or my plans... A year, yes... Seems like quite a long time to plan a wedding, but you see... I never stopped working until the last minute and was decided on planning everything on my own...

All the recipes for the banquet were my recipes, I chose every single piece of music for the ceremony, I read every single wedding magazine looking for a decent dress... And ended up designing my own... I had very precise ideas on what I wanted... then of course... The caterer... who in this city would be willing to prepare my recipes and not theirs? Music... Ok, that one is easy, you see, I'm a classical singer, so I just invited my friends and ended up having a magnificent choir, and in the end the service lasted for 2 hours... (Service or concert you may ask? Well... Both it seems...) The dress... ah!... the dress... oh wait! This isn't about my wedding!!! It's about a film!!!

So, I was telling you, I tried to relate and the only thing I could see in common with this two brides, was neurosis... Nothing else, and I have to confess my review was not very kind... It's actually a pretty bad film!!!! I am not a fan of Ms. Hudson's, for her choice in films seems to be pretty lame... Anne Hathaway on the contrary, is an actress who actually has the ability to act... Or so it seemed? Up until last night!

I keep thinking the story may have been written before the world faced this economic crisis... But still... Suggesting that a wedding that doesn't happen at The Plaza isn't worth having? It was more like taking a look at Brides magazine, and imagining the tag prices, than about a real wedding... Come on! and Emma (Hathaway) being a teacher who saved for ten years to pay for her dream wedding... at The Plaza? I just don't buy it! So the acting... bad... timing... bad... director... hum... Did he even direct? Photography... You would think that the film being about weddings... well... disappointing... To be honest I did laugh a bit... But the ones who got me laughing were the Candice Bergen and Kirsten Johnston, both experienced actresses who do get what comic timing means...

I wish I could say something nice about it... but I just can't, I would be lying, and you see... I'm really bad at lying. So, all I can really say is, if you don't have to go to see this film... (I remind you, I HAD to go...) Don't.

One woman's trash is another woman's treasure

Living in one of the three largest cities in the world is fun, as long as you don't think of the quantities of trash generated by millions and millions of inhabitants...

I think about it constantly knowing this city is about 20 years behind in recycling compared to the USA and about 30 years compared to Europe when it comes to industrial recycling... scary isn't it?
Recycling, though, is part of the city's informal economy as garbage collectors separate and sell raw materials for their own profit to companies in the recycling business, such as hand blown glass factories or recycled glass tile factories.

I try to do as much as I can. I save coffee grounds and eggshells for the garden, I compost...
I usually buy in bulk, although being only two of us at home doesn't make it easy and sometimes proves to be a bigger disaster than buying only small amounts in small packages. I also prefer going to to any of our or markets bettter known as tianguis in order to avoid packages...
I have been known to save bottles during the year in order to have them cut and engraved or etched to give as presents for Christmas or special occasions...

Some people, being even more creative, have been working on making bags and accessories out of others people's trash. Some use old rubber tires and turn them into bags and accessories, some turn snack packages into cute evening bags, and some reuse vinyl event posters and make them into easy to clean, sporty bags.
So you see, you can always help keeping your city clean, and you can look good doing it... I know... I just can't stop being me!!!

moi sporting my fabulous recycled bag!!!

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one" C.S. Lewis

These last few days have been kind of surprising... finding friends from another time, another life... I met this one friend in particular from long, long ago and I have to confess I was a bit scared on my way there... what if there was nothing left? But the moment I saw into those eyes... the smile!! I was immediately transported to my past... And, of course, as we caught up, I discovered, that I have changed and my friend has changed, but the warmth and the love are still there...

That got me into thinking. What is it that makes some people your friends for life and some not? What are the foundations for real friendship? I even went into reading the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy looking for answers... but you know me...Friendship... friends... here is what I think:

• Friends can be different. I wouldn't want my friends to be like me... in fact, I so much prefer it that they are so different... I learn so much from them...
• Friends do feel comfortable together, how else would you be able to spend hours and sometimes days together without going at the other's throat's?
• Friends can argue. Yes, they can...you can think what you want... they can!
• Friends love you and you love them no matter what. Even when they call you in the middle of the night, or ask for advice when you are at work... or wait patiently for your rehearsal to be over...when you are in a lousy mood... (yes, I know, I can be difficult...)
• Friendship IS true love, and it can even happen at first sight... you know exactly what I mean by that...

Moi with some of my friends

photo courtesy of Leonardo Damiani Filomarino

All I know is my friends are my family, my raison d'être, and even when they drive me nuts, I always try to love them more just for being who they are.

That's football guys, that's all it is.

My team lost last week! How am I supposed to watch the rest of the playoffs without a team???
You must be going... WHAT??? This isn't glamorous... how can she follow such barbarity?!?!
I could go about the Vikings dressing so fashionably this year... yes, purple!!!... but no....
You see, football is so full of team play, that it requires, for me at least, every manner of camera angle, analysis, commentary and instant replay just to follow the action, because, OH MY! there is so much going on at every moment!!!
And it's also SO strategic and SO depending on the coaches' plans and minds, constantly changing and adapting, growing as strategists, quarterbacks analyzing tens or hundreds of options all the time with attackers swarming at them... well... let's just say, in it's abstractions, football is very much like real life, isn't it?
So here I am... I have been reading stats, (yes, she can read those...) trying to decide...
I'll give the San Diego Chargers a chance... first... underdogs... always a good thing...
and then... Fact... in each of the past three seasons, the team with the highest offensive yards per passing has won the Super Bowl... this year the Chargers are n#1.
I won't even contemplate the "Defense wins championship" theory... too boring...
And also today's referee in the Chargers vs. Steelers game is Jeff Triplette... admitted Chargers' fan... hum... FUN!!!

Go Chargers!!!
Now I just have to decide on chili or a sandwich...

"Fashion fades, only style remains the same" Coco Chanel

2009 just started and I did what I usually do... went through my wardrobe... tried to decide... clothes, which to keep, what to give away... and then the best part... scan the spring/summer fashion show pictures and pick my favourite styles.

But, let's face it, some runway trends are impossible, at least for real women with real lives... and real bodies... but if you learn to think about them as guidelines, you may be able to achieve some really interesting looks!

I, am very conscious of my body, and know exactly which parts of it I want to get focus on, what colours flatter my skin tone, and what shapes are good for me.
Also, I have to admit that I don't like looking like anybody else. I think each woman is unique and should think of herself as just that, and so, even if I sometimes buy basics at your usual shops, I have a few tricks up my sleeve to achieve the exact looks I want.

• an excellent tailor
• a seamstress
• the patience to look around for original pieces by young designers
• accesories
  
• (and last but not least) the address to a few vintage shops

Vanitas vanitatum... indeed!!!

The best in town, I think, is V.H.O.E. Joel, the owner, has impeccable taste and knows everything there is to know about each piece of clothing he carries.
I originally went after a purple jacket I had seen before, but, walked away with a full skirted, waist focused, floral dress in bold colours... now... who is going to look great this spring?
Oh! and I also got the perfect belt to go with it and a dream of a bag! Thank you, Joel!!!

The perfect spring dress!

V.H.O.E
Cordoba 118-B
Colonia Roma

All photos courtesy of Veronica Figueroa.

e⋅piph⋅a⋅ny

1. (initial capital letter) a Christian festival, observed on January 6, commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the presence of the Magi; Twelfth-day.
2. an appearance or manifestation, esp. of a deity.
3. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or common place occurrence or experience.
4. a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.
   

I sort of had an epiphany today. I decided I should write about the things I love.
I guess I may not be much of a writer, but I do know what I love, and once, a very dear friend of mine told me the secret to writing is knowing your subject well.
So you may be scratching your head, while wondering what the things I love may be...
Clothes, food, films, art, music, people... I love people and I love style... and what a better day to start writing on those than on Epiphany, mind you!
If you live in a place where people celebrate Epiphany, whether you call it Día de Reyes, Fête des Rois, wait for La Befana or eat Dreikönigskuchen, you will most likely do what I will do... Celebrate... but first...I will go see if I got a present in my shoe...