Wonder Woman T-Shirts

Keeping up with the Wonder Woman theme here I included a few cool T-shirts featuring the most famous daughter of Paradise Island's Queen Hypolite.
Prices range from US$9.00 to US$26.00
Available at 80'sTees.com

Wonder Woman Theme Song & Lyrics

I've been feeling a little nostalgic today so nothing like a bit of the fabulous Wonder Woman to cheer up my mood! I added the lyrics so you can also hum along to this great clip from the TV show's opening sequence. If you are at work refrain from doing your own version of the "Wonder Woman spin" as your co-workers might look at you funny. Enjoy!






Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman.
All the world is waiting for you,
and the power you possess.

In your satin tights,
Fighting for your rights
And the old Red, White and Blue.

Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman.
Now the world is ready for you,
and the wonders you can do.

Make a hawk a dove,
Stop a war with love,
Make a liar tell the truth.

Wonder Woman,
Get us out from under,
Wonder Woman.
All our hopes are pinned upon you.
And the magic that you do.

Stop a bullet cold,
Make the Axis fold,
Change their minds, and change the world.

Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman.
You're a wonder, Wonder Woman.

Bruised Barbie

Either Barbie has some closeted S&M kinky side that we are not aware of or Ken has some explaining to do...

Prada's Spring Summer 2008 Ad Campaign

On Prada's current advertising campaign you will see this vast mural used as a backdrop for their models as they showcase the latest in must-have accessories and intellectual fashion. The panel was designed by Los Angeles artist James Jean as a wallpaper format that measures an impressing 17' x 200'! The artwork can be seen hanging on Prada's flagship stores in Beverly Hills and Soho's Epicenter.

Prada says it “represents the somewhat perverse intersection between Hieronymus Bosch and Aubrey Beardsley. The image depicts an intense landscape of man-eating flowers, dragons, hybrid creatures and eerie fairies.”

Via Yatzer / NOTcot

Rei Kawakubo @ NYT Magazine

Great article on Comme des Garcons' Rei Kawakubo on the NYTimes magazine by Cathy Horyn. It gives great insight on the whole creative process and operation of the world's most conceptual and avant-garde fashion house, founded by Kawakubo almost 40 years ago. Under the Comme de Garcons' umbrella she gave room for the talents of Junya Watanabe and Tao Kurihara, that unlike cheaper CDG collections are separate labels with their own identity and creative independence. Kawakubo claims that the first time she sees their collections is when they are shown on the Paris runways, though they all work on the same office building in Tokyo.

To read the whole article click here

The Art of Zhang Pen

These cute/creepy little Asian girls are the brain-child of Chinese artist Zhang Pen, that through photography and painting creates these eerily beautiful tableaux. Some images can be a bit unsettling as the mix of little kids and blood-like fluids as not an usual visual choice. The doll-looking girl holding the large knife in front of a birthday cake is my favorite image, with it's icing done with several dead gold fish. Creepy!!!

To see her more of her cool work pay a visit to her site.

Via Ectoplasmosis

Milo By A Bathing Ape

New for 2008 is this cute baby gorilla plush toy by A Bathing Ape. This soft, cuddly and furry toy is known as Milo, a character often used on many of Bape's products such as the recent collaboration with Nickelodeon for a Milo x Spongebob Squarepants toy. Love it!!

Available now at Cliffedge.

Via Hypebeast

Stuffed Wacky Packs

These stuffed toys are nothing short of a stupid miracle -- they're Wacky Packs that have been lovingly enlarged and turned into Wacky Pack Pillows. If you remember Wacky Packs from your troubled youth, they're a new twist on nostalgic lunacy. If you're new to Wacky Packs, they're just plain, old funny! The style and artwork of the original Wacky Packs have been remarkably converted to 3-D form. The colors are perfect, and the artwork superb.
Each 3-D Stuffed Wacky Pack is between 5-6 inches tall and about 4 inches wide and they cost US$6.99 each . There are twelve different styles in all with precious names like:

Ratz Crackers, Slum Maid Raisins, Hawaiian Punks, Chock Full of Nuts and Bolts Coffee, Mutt's Apple Juice, Struggle Stool Softener, Krusty Krumbs Doughnuts, Suffertone Tanning Lotion and Gutterade Sports Drink. Love it!

Available at Stupid.com

M-People By Rodolphe Simeon

Vancouver based photographer Rodolphe Simeon's M-People series is quite a sight to behold.
The M-People serie is about people living behind a Mask or Makeup. They live under the influence of Matthew, Mickey Mouse, Marilyn, Marie-Antoinette,Mick and Marianne, Miles and Magritte, and many others...or so Simeon describes it. It is gory and violent at times, with S&M touches and a slight gay innuendo.

To view more of his great work visit his site by clicking here.

Via Who Killed Bambi

Bond No.9's Andy Warhol Union Square

The nice folks at edgy downtown perfumery Bond No.9 are always sending me fun product updates in the mail and I love getting their samples too! Their new Andy Warhol series scent is coming out on March 1st and it's called Union Square. The second of their Warhol collectibles is named for the environs of the two Union Square studios that the artist and his crew successively occupied during 1968-1984—his years of notoriety. It was at these downtown locations Warhol created the Mao paintings, the commissioned portraits of the rich and famous, and his portfolio of 10 Flowers screen prints - same images that adorn it's new bottle.

Let’s start with the scent itself. While most floral fragrances just hint at cool, and vice-versa, this one is an ambi-sexual, daringly balanced mix of sweet and cool. Sometimes the gentle scent of lily of the valley seems about to prevail, looped together with blue freesia, golden amber, and animal musk to enhance its sensuality. At other times, crunchy green-stem notes and white birch wood are poised to turn this scent into one of pure, clean energy. But then the sweetness and the coolness merge, and stay merged.

Available in 100 ml and 50ml flacons, Andy Warhol Union Square will be available at Bond No. 9’s four New York boutiques, through their site and at Saks Fifth Avenue nationwide. Prices range from US$135.00 to US$195.00 depending on size. And for the serious collector who desires the complete Warhol series there is also a portfolio of ten different bottles. They are meant to be viewed as one, as Warhol intended for his Flowers. Suggested retail price: US$1,500.00 for ten 100ml bottles.

Warhol once said “Another way to take up more space is with perfume. I really love wearing perfume!”

Pink Flamingos & Cotton Candy

Nothing like a bucket-full of cute pink flamingos to cheer up one's day. I came across these (plastic) feathered friends the other day here in South Florida, sitting on a tabletop in front of a local shop.

The cotton candy plastic baggie bellow sports a kawaii-licious clown face and says "It's great. Take some home today!"

Persepolis

Sunday night I went to see Persepolis at my local megaplex. I had read about the movie many weeks ago but it was not playing anywhere around where I live, until this past Friday when it seemed to have opened nationwide, probably because of it's Oscar nomination for best animated movie. A brief resume of the movie:

Persepolis - the movie - is based on a French-language autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi that describes her childhood in Iran after the revolution. The title is a reference to the historical town of Persepolis, an ancient ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire.

The film tells the story of of little Marjane Satrapi growing up in politically-unstable Iran. With the fall of the Shah's regime when she was ten years old, her world changed overnight. Girls and boys had to use different doors to enter the school. She had to cover herself with a long dark robe and head veil. Grownups around her began to disappear, including close relatives and family friends. Marjane is a rebel at heart and has several close encounters with the country's morality police and with her strict teachers at school. The Iran-Iraq war comes to her doorsteps as Iraqi bombs fall on the street where she lives. Eventually her parents hoping for a better future for Marjane send her abroad to receive a European education, but she is miserable: she loves her family and country, despite their flaws, too much to stay away for long. She feels like a misfit in Austria for being Iranian but she realizes that she isn't the same Marjane anymore as she returns to her home country.

The movie grabbed me from the beginning with it's stunning (mostly) black & white visuals. After living here in the US for many many years I grew unaccustomed to subtitles in movies, specially when trying to read English subtitles to a French-language animated film. The b&w screen does not help the type either - when trying to take it all in all at once it took me several minutes to get comfortable with it again. Though I wanted to say I loved the whole movie I must confess that I peeked at my watch a couple of times towards the end. This is no cheery Disney-fare - as war, torture, religious oppression and murder don't get much down play throughout the film. This movie won't make you leave the theater a happy camper or humming to some cute critter's sing-along. I was kind of bummed as this was not the uplifting fare that I was expecting. I knew the thematic would involve Iran/religion/politics but I was hoping for a more feel-good ending and that it's not what Persepolis is all about.

Agent Provocateur Window @ Selfridge's London

People on their way to work got an eyeful today when a woman stripped naked in the window of Selfridges - but it was all in the name of art. The model posed nude for an artist to paint her to promote Strip, a fragrance by lingerie label Agent Provocateur.
Passers-by gaped, fumbling for their camera phones, while buses slowed down and passengers swarmed to the windows. But once the artist, who calls himself Jacques le Trompet, finished the painting, the model, Jen, covered up and the curtain was drawn.
Sadly for those with a sudden urge to rush down to Selfridges this afternoon she has now been replaced by a clothed mannequin. It is the latest and most daring window display by the label. A spokeswoman said: "It's part of the tradition for Agent Provocateur. In 2005 we had a live striptease in the window of our Soho branch. The street was rammed."

Via The Daily Mail

High Tech @ The New York Times

All photos by Matthew Brookes.

Via The New York Times

Street Painting Festival

It was a hazy Sunday morning here in Florida, nice enough to be outdoors but not sunny enough for the beach. My plan was to go get some rays today but as the weather was not too agreeable I decided to go check out Fort Worth's 14Th Annual Street Painting Festival that I had seen a blurb about on the news last night. Their site says that the great tradition of street painting began in Italy in the 16Th century. A crowd would gather whenever an itinerant artist used his chalks to turn the ordinary pavement into a fine work of art. Although the "painting" would only last until the next rain, the tradition of street painting has endured over 400 years.

Artists using chalk took the pavement as canvas and transformed downtown Lake Worth into a temporary outdoor museum of original art and masterpiece reproductions. A lot of the artists were being sponsored by local businesses, schools and institutions and the turn out was a mix of suburban families, tattooed hipsters, young couples with strollers and excited teenagers. There were also many pet owners toting their dogs around that really made me miss Booboo.

Besides the paintings on the asphalt there were many tempting food vendors, jazz bands and small tents selling cocktails, T-shirts and what-nots. The local shops were mostly open and holding sidewalk sales. Several cafes and restaurants had their tables outside and there were long lines to grab a bite to eat. The quality of work ranged from the "I can do that" to the truly amazingly detailed chalk paintings. I picked a few of my favorites to post here on the blog but there were way too many more that also deserved a mention. A couple of hours after I got home this huge rain storm came down full force and saddens me that probably most of the work, many still unfinished, was washed away. I am glad I took pictures!

Dita Von Teese @ A Diamond Is Forever Party

I really need no excuses to post Dita Von Teese pictures, as you might know. The Goddess of Perfection has a guaranteed spot on Little-Pumpkins whenever I come across new images of this sultry beauty. Click to enlarge and savour every inch of this lesson in style chic!

Via HCH

Jessica Alba Goes Scary

Jessica Alba is in the March 2008 issue of Latina magazine recreating scenes from some of the most famous horror movies of all time. The photos include classic scenes from the movie Scream, Psycho, The Birds, Rosemary's Baby, and The Ring. My favorite is the black & white Psycho image on top. Her new horror flick The Eyes bombed big time by the way.

Via Egostatic

Andy Warhol Watches

I love these colorful Andy Warhol watches from 15minutesof.com. They have a very late 60's mod vibe and would look so cool paired with a Lisa Perry shift dress. The models shown here retail for US$100.00, though the collection is huge and worth checking it out. I think Andy Warhol was the first big international artist that I was drawn to as a teenager. His over sized Marilyn portraits and Campbell soup can paintings were probably my first introduction to modern and contemporary art and to this day I dream of owning an AW original.

Ruben Toledo For Nordstrom

Nordstrom has teamed up with fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo for their Spring/Summer 2007 ad campaign. Toledo painted 20-by-30 foot walls to serve as a backdrop for the models which were shot by fashion photographer Ruven Afanador. These images are breath taking and very inspirational. I also love the fact that Toledo also painted on the models themselves, adding a surrealist touch to the whole photo shoot. I was in Paris once and while visiting the much-hyped boutique Colette I saw this great Ruben Toledo mural that they had leading up to the second level.

Click images to enlarge and get the full detail

Via NOTcot

Cry Baby Girl Tee

Look what I found online!! I was just browsing for some fun tees when I came across this cool Johnny Depp T-shirt on 80'sTees.com. The interesting thing was that as I open the page I see this picture of Amy Winehouse sporting the same tee, probably on the streets of London, coming home from late night from the pubs, drunk and all. I just made up the last part, as I love Amy and think she is too-cool-for-school and press should just lay off her and focus on Britney that wants all the attention she can get. This great tee retails for US22.00 and comes in sizes S to XXL, ladies only though. To get your own Cry Baby Girl T-shirt go to 80'sTees.com.

Veteran's Monument - Rio de Janeiro

I spent most of 2007 in Rio de Janeiro visiting with my folks. As I had plenty of free time I also did quite a bit of sightseeing, rediscovering my home town with the eyes of a tourist. I cannot recall the last time I had been to the monument on these photos, maybe on a field trip in grade school, who knows. This has to be one of my favorite ones in Rio, in a city where there are plenty of cool places to visit. I just love the main statue style and design. Though done in the early 60's they look so modern and dare I say, sexy? A brief history for you:

The "Monumento Aos Pracinhas", located at Aterro do Flamengo in downtown Rio de Janeiro, was projected by architects Marcos Konder Neto e Hélio Ribas, whose project won a nation wide contest. It was inaugurated in 1960 and it's Brazil's first construction done in exposed concrete, a very futuristic approach for the time. This monument and museum honours the fallen Brazilian soldiers of World War II and features two lofty columns either side of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A changing of the guard display can be seen here on the first Sunday of every month. The monument museum displays medals, documents and military uniforms that belonged to soldiers. The ensemble consists of three main pieces: a metal sculpture by Júlio Catelli Filho, in honor of the Brazilian Air Force - or FAB, a granite sculpture by Alfredo Ceschiatti depicting air force, army and navy men in uniform and a ceramics mural by Anísio Medeiros in honor of military and civilians dead at sea (image below).

If you happen to be in Rio de Janeiro go check it out as it is a only 2 minute walk from the Museum of Modert Art in Aterro do Flamengo.

Pumpkin Mansion: Kitty

This is Kitty. Kitty comes from a Diesel store display. Diesel had a collection in the mid-90's which ad campaign was all about Africa so all their shops were decorated with safari-themed displays. Sometime in my previous life I was responsible for changing the windows in one of their many shops here in the US. Whenever we received new display props and signage the previous windows had to be swapped and the majority of sets were simply discarded in the trash. I fell in love with Kitty from the get-go and couldn't fathom throwing it out in the dumpster - and never understood why no one ever claimed any displays for themselves. Kitty lives with me in Florida and keeps me company when I watch the telly in the evenings, always looking up for some affection. Kitty is made of porcelain (very Jeff Koons!) and stands at about 20" tall. The green Sperry topsiders also happen to be mine and are not a prop. I was just too lazy to move them out of the image and it just added a certain "cinema-vérité" quality to the tableau.

Utopia By Jonathan Adler

I just love everything Jonathan Adler. I have had the pleasure of meeting him in person twice in the past and he is just as nice as you would imagine a designer that concocts such smile-inducing follies would be. So there is no doubt that his personality comes across in his creations as well, full of fun and whimsy, a dash of nostalgia and a pinch of kitsch. His Utopia series doll head mugs, teapot and sugar & creamer set are so adorably camp that are capable to cheer up even the grayest winter morning. Also great for when you entertain your friends to a home-made Sunday brunch or just wonderful to sip some hot cocoa in front of the telly after work. I do own a few Jonathan Adler originals in my Pumpkin Mansion and also love visiting his colorful shops in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. Mr. Adler is also the host of "Top Design" on Bravo and I was on cloud nine when I read that season 2 is in the works.

Teapot US$95.00, Mug US$24.00 and Sugar & Creamer Set US$88.00

All available at Barney's

Kool Man Ice Cream Truck

I took these pictures in New York last year and kind of forgot about them. I was doing some computer clean up this morning when I came across them and decided to post them at once as I am a sucker for a cute mascot. I love this funny looking walrus wearing a Dr. Seuss striped scarf and black bowler hat, looking kind of dazed and confused.

Kirsten Dunst For Miu Miu

Gorgeous Kirsten Dunst posing for the new Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2008 advertising campaign. The images were shot last November in Los Angeles by photographer duo Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Miu Miu has had a long list of indie "ingenues" posing for their campaigns in the past, with the likes of Chloe Sevigny, Selma Blair and Maggie Gyllenhaal adorning the pages of the fashion glossies dressed in Miuccia Prada's second line.

Carnival Exploitation Billboards

These exploitative carnival attractions were found on my wanderings around Florida and they are creepy and sad at the same time. I did not have the heart to pay a US$1.00 (!) to gawk at the "World's Smallest Woman" or "Snake Girl" because I actually felt bad for them, wondering how they must feel being on display as freaks of nature. The billboards are kind of cool though, so are most carnival visual grabbers - cool in a crude and unsophisticated way - right up my alley! The carnival world is filled with hyperboles as everywhere you look you seem to find "the word's smallest this or biggest that" and all for the low US$1.00 price of admission.

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Acrylic Watch by TOY Watch

I am so digging these acrylic time pieces by Toy Watch from their Sport Chrono Collection. These unisex watches are designed in Italy and have clear acrylic straps and a stainless steel bezel with Arabic numerals. They are also water resistant and look so cool with this eye popping red dial. They retail for US$225.00 and I think they are grand!

Available at Neiman Marcus

Lindsay Lohan @ New York Magazine

I just got my New York magazine in the mail today and I was eager to see Lindsay Lohan's pictorial that I had heard so much about in the media. In it, Lindsay poses for photographer Bert Stern recreating the very famous last photo sitting of screen legend Marilyn Monroe. I had just posted here a couple of weeks ago about the photo exhibition being held in Sao Paulo with the original Bert Stern photo shoot. I am not too sure what to think of the images, as I don't think Lindsay looks that great in the shoot. She looks a bit haggard and tired, specially in the black & white close-up, flat boobed and all. Actually she does have great natural breasts I might add. Another odd thing is that Marilyn's original shoot preceded her death for a few weeks and with Lindsay just coming out of rehab it does not seem like a good omen. The photos in the magazine looked way more tasteful than when viewing them online but Is she that desperate for attention?

The B-52's New Album: Funplex

I just found out that one of my favorite 1980's party bands The B-52's has a new album coming out on March 25TH, their first in 16 years! The new album is titled "Funplex" and I just can't wait to hear it!! I saw them perform live only once in the mid 80's at Rock in Rio music festival and they were just awesome. I was watching The Family Guy a couple of weeks ago and I can't remember why but Peter Griffin was humming Rock Lobster. Love it!

Lee Meriwether - Catwoman At 72

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Wow! I came across this picture of Lee Meriwether on TMZ this morning and couldn't believe my eyes how great she looks. She still is mostly known for playing Catwoman on the 1966 movie version of Batman, one of the campiest TV shows ever. Though she was not the original Catwoman - that would be the delicious Julie Newmar - she still makes appearances at fan conventions around the US and is beloved as the forever sexy icon. Lee Meriwether also was cast as Dr. Ann MacGregor in the sadly short-lived sci-fi TV series "The Time Tunnel" and as Betty Jones in the detective drama "Barnaby Jones". She also made numerous appearances in many of the hot TV series of the 60's like "Star Trek", "Land Of Giants" and "Mission: Impossible". Fun fact: as a 19-year-old drama student from California, she was crowned Miss America in 1954, the year of the first live telecast, and was the first to cry tears of joy at the announcement.

Ms Meriwether still keeps a quite active acting career and she recently was cast a recurring character on TV soap "All My Children".

Via TMZ

Nicole Kidman @ Bazaar

Nicole Kidman in the new issue of Australian Harper's Bazaar, looking quite beautiful I may say. I haven't been a huge fan of Nicole Kidman lately as the last few movies I watched with her in the cast were total bombs in my opinion. I did love her in "Moulin Rouge" as the exhuberant temptress Satine and also by playing the dead house mistress in "The Others". I just hated her on that "oh-sooo-boring" movie "The Hours", with that big fake nose and in those unwatchable turkeys "Stepford Wives" and "Bewitched".

Via Egostatic

Under Things @ The New York Times

Louis Vuitton swimsuit and Missoni shoes

Rodarte tulle dress with Swarovski crystals

Akris leather and embroidered tulle coat, Araks cotton bra & briefs and Christian Louboutin shoes.


Vena Cava silk chiffon tank, Doo. Ri cashmere shorts with Swarovski crystals and Christian Louboutin shoes


Louis Vuitton embroidered jacket, organza shorts, swimsuit, and shoes.

Chloe silk mousseline blouse.

Araks cotton bra & and briefs and Emilio Cavallini stockings.

Dolce & Gabbana brocade corset with tulle overlay, Agent Provocateur lace briefs with satin garters, Emilio Cavallini stockings and Christian Louboutin shoes.

Via The New York Times

Carousel

I am fascinated by carousel animals and these I found at the Palm Beach Zoo really caught my eye. Besides being beautifully done, they have a vintage charm that appeals to my "always nostalgic" mood. But if I were a parent I would be concerned if my little boy - or girl - threw a temper tantrum by insisting on riding on the "big black cock". You know what they say...

Naomi Campbell is Thrillicious!

Naomi Campbell is looking gorgeous on the new Sobe Life Water commercial that premiered during this past NFL's Superbowl. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson's Thriller album debut. MJ was THE hottest act at the time - The Prince Of Pop - and MTV would play his videos non-stop ad nauseam. This very cool commercial features some tres cute lizards dancing to Thriller next to an ageless Naomi Campbell. She is another one that has been around forever and still looks better than ever.

Scarlett Johansson & Natalie Portman @ W Magazine

Screen sirens Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman are the cover girls of W's February 2008 issue. They are also featured inside in a very sexy fetish-inspired layout and both look gorgeous. Their new movie "The Other Boleyn Girl" debuts on February 29 here in the US and I can't wait to see it. I watched the preview the other week and it looks just amazing, with great sets and wardrobe. Both Portman and Johansson glow in the screen with their flawless beauty and great acting chops. I just love Natalie Portman and she was just so amazing in "Paris, Je T'Aime" that made me all teary eyed.

Via W Magazine

Batman Bondage

Humm...food for thought...

Florida Flamingos

I finally got to see some real flamingos here in Florida, though it was at the zoo and not quite out in the wild as I had hoped. I keep seeing all these tacky touristy souvenirs with images of pink flamingos and I wonder where the hell are these birds ?!

I went to the gorgeous Palm Beach Zoo this past Sunday and was awed by the beautiful surroundings of the park, but more on that on another post. I took some pictures of the flamingo enclosure there, though I am not sure whether they are captive or not as it was an wide open area surrounded by a moat. It was a nice & sunny winter day here in Florida and a perfect day to be outside near nature. The funny thing was that three days later we had a tornado watch and a twister apparently went through some area of Fort Lauderdale.

Cute Alert: Pug Puppy & Big Bone

Nothing like a cute pug puppy picture to cheer up my day!

I guess that like most dogs pugs seem to only think about food. My beloved Booboo is always on the look out for his next meal, patiently waiting by the dinner table for some falling food debris, following anyone who walks into the kitchen and very alert to the sounds of pots, pans and the can opener. The only food that he is not crazy about is his own dog food, that unless laced with a morsel of cheese or a sliver of ham will sit there untouched all day. Gotta love that Booboo!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all Little-Pumpkins readers!!!

(Click the images and save them as wallpaper)

Jose Miro @ Madrid Fashion Week

Spanish designer Jose Miro brought space cowboys, aliens and interplanetary elements to the catwalks of Madrid fashion week for his Fall-Winter 2008 collection. Simply fabulous!

Brazilian Carnaval Follies

It's been a little over a week since the end of carnaval - or Mardi Gras for the Northerners - but still I couldn't pass up to post some great images I got in my e-mail box yesterday. If you've never had the opportunity to experience Brazilian carnaval in person you don't know what you are missing! The joy and party fever is contagious and people of all ages, races and walks of life join in on the festivities. These images are of a street group in Rio de Janeiro, called banda, where revelers sing and dance to traditional samba tunes, usually accompanied by a small marching band. These bandas can gather anywhere from a dozen to a few thousand people following them on the streets.

I wish I had been there!!

Look Who's In Jail!!

"Look who's in jail!" That’s the pitch used on the cover of “Cellmates,” a weekly publication that rounds up mug shots of people arrested in Palm Beach County, Florida. For US$1, you can take home hundreds of mug shots, and maybe you’ll see someone you know, which seems to be one of the reasons the publication exists. Scan the magazine rack at a local convenience store and you might see an array of criminals staring back at you from the periodical’s cover. There are pretty women charged with battery, smirking men locked up on drug charges, and plenty of dazed looking faces filled with surprise and exhaustion. The periodical promotes itself as “Enlightenment, Entertainment and Deterrent.”

“SEE WHAT THE CHARGES ARE INSIDE!!” reads another teaser on the cover. “Cellmates” also publishes a round up of sex offenders and teenage runaways in its pages. The “Cellmates” office answering machine says that if you’re arrested, your mug shot is a public record and may be published in the periodical. It also says that they will not accept any payments from people looking to buy their way out of the publication’s pages. And yes, people have tried.

Via Palm Beach Post

Just Because: Kim Novak In Vertigo

As one of Alfred Hitchcock's favorite icy blonds Kim Novak enlightens the screen in her dual role in 1958's Vertigo. The Chicago native was one of Hollywood's most enigmatic sex symbols of the '50s and early '60s, though she fought not to be typecast as a simple glamour girl. Kim Novak is currently working on her autobiography.

Isn't she just gorgeous?

Miscellaneous Cute Stuff & Signs

A few more images of stuff that catches my eye from my recent explorations.

Florida Life

I was driving around on Sunday when I spotted this sign by a small lake not too far from my neighborhood. Florida is notorious for it's alligator attacks and every now and then I'll watch incidents in the news of people or pets being killed by these huge gators. What struck me about this particular sign, besides being the first one I see, is that is located a few hundred yards from a kid's playground, near a public park. The are so many interconnected canals here in South Florida where alligators might travel so one never really knows where they might pop up. Scary!

Go Amy Go!

I stayed up last night to watch the Grammy Awards just to be able to watch Amy Winehouse's live performance. As she was not granted an US Visa in a timely fashion she resorted to a via-satellite performance from London - and was all worth the wait because she rocked! She grabbed five of the six awards she was running for including record of the year, song of the year and best new artist. She looked very surprised with all her awards as she fumbled words thanking her family and dedicating it "To my Blake, incarcerated!" - as her hubby is serving a jail sentence for a pub brawl. Amy looked fab in her black mini-dress and trade-mark beehive and gave out a full bodied soulful voice that would impress even the Winehouse skeptics. She sang "You Know I'm No Good" and "Rehab", songs that couldn't be more right-on in regards to her troubled past months. I think she is a fantastic singer and I was all smiles watching her sing and accept her golden gramophones.

Fergie performed next to John Legend and proved she can hold a tune like the best of then. I didn't love her outfit as that long neck scarf looked too "old lady" for her.

Fabulous Rihanna also rocked the house performing with The Times in one of the opening numbers. She is just so gorgeous and talented that she can do no wrong in my eyes and she glowed on stage last night. She didn't go home empty handed though as she won for best Rap/Song Collaboration with Jay-Z for "Umbrella" .

Tina Turner and Beyonce also had an outstanding Grammy performance in their "Proud Mary" duet - one of my favorites. Tina is still as hot and energetic as in her "Private Dancer" days and exhuded her "legend-status diva" even when rocking next to one of today's hottest talents.

Kanye West gave one of those cocky acceptance speechs that made me want to throw up. I get that people should have positive images of themselves but why do some rap/hip hop artists need to be so stuck up? Thumbs down!

I was shocked to see how HUGE Aretha Franklyn has become! I know she's an older lady and all but she looked like a small planet in that horrible one-shoulder lime green dress when performing during that b-o-r-i-n-g gospel number. She is way too fat to be exposing her arms, specially on live TV. The spaghetti straps on her gown were stuck deep in the creases of her shoulder fat and that was not a pretty sight. At least she had the clue to cover up her arms at the post-Grammy party, seen above with Brandy. Aretha is a legend and deserves all r-e-s-p-e-c-t but she needs a new stylist really bad!

Fergie For MAC's VIVA GLAM

Fergie is the newest face of MAC’s Viva Glam campaign, which began in 1994 and has raised more than $100 million for HIV/AIDS.

“I’ve been a fan of the campaign since the early days, and I remembered when RuPaul and Mary J. Blige did it,” Fergie says. “They pick controversial people who aren’t afraid to speak their mind, and that’s definitely me. I’m very proud to be a part of it.”

Fergie, 32, wants to educate her fan base, which largely consists of teens and young adults.

“[MAC is] going toward one demographic, and I think I can be very helpful with that,” Fergie added. “I know certain people who are very proud of having unprotected sex and the fact that they haven’t caught anything yet.”

One must not forget that Goddess Dita Von Teese has also graced MAC's VIVA GLAM's campaign in the past.

Cute & Creepy Bunnies

Oh, how CUTE!!!!!!!!

Oh, how CREEPY!!!! Would you ever let your kid sit on that bunny's lap?

Plastic Animals

A small selection of some faux animals I've come across in the past few weeks. Since I was a kid I've been fascinated with mascots, statuary or anything fake that resembles animals or people, hence my toy collection. I do like when they try to be realistic looking but sometimes the faker they look the better they become.

I tend to carry my camera wherever I go as one never know when that one-of-a-kind moment will pop your way. Maybe I'll run into a celebrity or I'll be able to catch a news-worthy incident, but usually it's just pictures of kitschy colorful stuff. I have a small Sony digital camera that is just the right size (and weight) to keep in your pant pockets and not be a burden. I prefer cargo pockets if I know I'll be walking around a lot or I'll carry a man-purse when I go to work.

Damien Hirst-Like Wall Stickers @ Blik

With colors like lemon, cotton candy pink and kiwi, Blik's SWEET 16 polka dot decals add delicious color and a sense of fun to any wall. Inspired by British artist Damien Hirst's spot paintings where no two colors are alike, SWEET 16 has sixteen different colored dots in a package. You can arrange the colorful circles in a Hirst grid-like pattern or customize it by scattering on a wall like confetti. Random dots of color around your home would be awesome too and would make your guests go "What?". Love it!

I actually own a signed Damien Hirst dot print (I said print, not painting) that I bought years ago for a bargain and have it hanging in my dinning room here in Florida. I'll try to take a picture of it and post it here one of these days. I once saw this picture of Valentino's home and he was sitting in front of an actual Hirst dot painting. As I do not have Mr. Garavani's deep pockets I will have to stick to prints for the time being.

The 16-piece set retails for US$40.00 and it's available directly at Blik

Madonna, Lourdes & Dita @ Gucci

Madonna was the hostess to a celebrity-studded event in New York City on the lawns of the United Nations to aid Malawi orphans, UNICEF and to inaugurate a new Gucci store. Madonna brought daughter Lourdes in tow, looking very grown up for her 11 years of age. Time flies as it seems like yesterday when Lourdes was just a little tyke. Madge is looking a little weird on the face, like she got implants or something, not that I want to add to plastic surgeries speculations...

A staggering £300,000 was paid for four VIP tickets to a Madonna concert, which were part of a package that included business class flights, two nights in the Ritz-Carlton and a private dance aerobics class with Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. It was one of seven lots on auction at Raising Malawi and Unicef, one of the biggest charity events in New York which took organiser Gucci a year to plan. Later, a mystery Japanese businesswoman bought the Madonna tickets. Businessman Arpad Busson bid £30,000 for Gucci fashion show tickets and the chance to have a bag named after him. Lourdes narrowly missed out on tickets to American Idol and first-edition Harry Potter books, which eventually went for £47,000. Salma Hayek outbid American Vogue editor Anna Wintour to pay £175,000 for a private hour playing football with David Beckham. Madonna, wearing a sexy Gucci jersey dress, told the crowd:

"I've earned a reputation for many things: pushing the envelope, for being a provocateur, for never taking no for an answer. For endlessly reinventing myself, for being a cult member, a kidnapper. For being ambitious, outrageous and irreverent. And for never settling for second best."

Also in attendance was Little-Pumpkins favorite Dita Von Teese, looking as fabulous as ever at the Mallawi benefit last night. Leave it to Dita to outshine everyone else...

Via This is London

Project Runway's Wrestler Challenge

Last night's Project Runway reached a new level of cheese with their female wrestler challenge. It was all over the previews that this week was going to be about creating outfits for the divas of the WWE so no big surprise there. I actually did find this episode very interesting as this was clearly going to be a tough challenge. This was definitely not high fashion - no fabulous trip to Paris, no Sarah Jessica Parker visits - but when it comes to entertainment value the show was a blast. The remaining six designers had to create functional stage outfits for the so called divas, so it read: flashy, trashy and sexy! The ladies did look like porn star/strippers to begin with and clamored for lots of pilled on glitz, that some designers achieve better than others. Some totally missed the mark, like the bottom two here. The winning outfit by Chris was a delicious leopard hooded concoction, though Christians ode to Prince's 1999 was a very close runner-up. Rami's pink dress was totally out of place in my opinion and simply looked cheap, not that looking classy or expensive was the idea here. Jillian's all-American racing stripe look was also adorable and quite sexy, with it's interweaving straps reaching all the way down the diva's booty shorts. Sweet P's outfit was a silver fiasco that looked like it could be bought at any clubby record store. She was designing for WWE's reigning champ, a voluptuous woman full of personality and pizzazz and all she delivered was this cheap nightgown. So dull. The orange bathing-suit was Ricky's and with all justice he deserved to be auff'ed at the end. He had no range and after so many times in the bottom three it was his long awaited time to go.

I feel that Project Runway is just heating up now that there are only five designers left competing to show on Bryant Park. The episodes will linger longer on their individual personalities, the execution of the garments and their runway presentations. I like to be able to really hear in detail what the judges' opinions are and with 12 designers it was just a quick skim over. My bets are on Christian, Rami and Jillian as the top three and probably Christian getting the win. Sweet P and Chris are not Fashion Week material for what I have seen so far and doubt they will be serious contenders, but what do I know?

More Theme & Variation

I haven't done any of my Theme & Variation posts in quite a while, but my recent explorations around South Florida have lit up my "frustrated photographer" flame again. As I've said here before I am very attracted to clusters of colorful objects and things, specially when of a similar sort. I love store displays with mountains of eye catching colors, piles of plastic toys and the what-nots. I am sure this was embedded in me way back in my childhood and I haven't recovered yet, hence the Pumpkin Mansion. Here are a few more images of the tacky-licious South Florida Fair, that still will render a few more posts as I was very camera-happy that day. The fair itself was a one-time deal for me, foolishly thinking that would be something way cooler than it was: a white trash grease-fest where carnival folk lacked front teeth, if you get the drift. The teeth part is not a joke by the way. The day kinda of sucked but the pictures made my afternoon worth it.

Paul Smith Boom Box Man Bags

You can always count on Sir Paul Smith to keep infusing his collections with a touch of British whimsey. Since the Grammy Awards are around the corner nothing better for the occasion than his vintage boom box photo print "man bags" shown above. They are printed on hardy canvas and available in two basic shapes, messenger and weekender. The messenger measures 15.5"x 10" (at sides)x 4.5" and retails for US$400.00. The weekender comes with a shoulder strap, measures 21.25"x 11.75"x 10" and will set you back US$455.00.

They are great for the music lover and wannabe rock'n'roller in all of us. Love it!

Available at e-Luxury

Hookers For Jesus

Hookers for Jesus is a nondenominational, faith-based organization reaching out to men and women who are currently associated with or working as prostitutes, porn stars, pimps, and exotic dancers. Their vision includes promoting spiritual, emotional, and physical wellness in the lives of those who have been affected by sexual trauma and related forms of abuse in the adult entertainment industry. Founder Annie Lobért, an ex-sex worker herself, states on the website's mission and purpose:

"Our efforts include loving and accepting men and women REGARDLESS of their past or current lifestyle and encouraging them to achieve their FULL potential! There will be no judgement. It is our heart’s desire that our friends that are working as sex workers would be released from their past and healed through a personal love relationship with Jesus Christ. To that end, we are committed to going wherever God leads us in order to bring those that are in this lifestyle. Whether it be in the casinos, the street, the escort services, the strip clubs, the night clubs … we are willing to go where no one has gone before to let them know that God loves them no matter what."

Lobért's touching testimonial unveils the darker side of the so called "high class call girls" and her own tortured upbringing and descent into prostitution. You can also purchase Hooker For Jesus T-shirts and tank tops for US$25.00 each at their online store.

Juno - The Movie

Finally I got the chance to go watch "Juno" last night. Though the movie has been out for many weeks it was not on my top list of movies to watch just because... As I said before I feel that I never get to catch as many movies as I would like, for several reasons and excuses. I had seen the commercials and previews for "Juno" and it looked cute as in a "I'll get to watch that someday" but no hurry. Then I kept reading the rave reviews, awards galore and the "Oscar buzz" talk in the media, so my Sunday matinee was dedicated to see what the hoopla is all about.

Juno MacGuff is a 16 year-old high school junior who is mature beyond her years. She is also a savvy, sassy, too-cool-for-school independent free spirited little sprite. As we find out early on in the movie Juno gets pregnant after a one time encounter with her geeky/cute high school crush/friend/band mate Paulie Bleeker. Now she is faced with the decision of how to handle this unexpected news: terminate it? adoption? tell her parents? the boyfriend? high school?

The cast could not have been more perfectly chosen in my opinion. Ellen Page gives an amazing performance as the title character, an unbreakable small giant. Her boyfriend Bleeker, played by Michael Cera, is cute-as-a-button in his shorty yellow running shorts and matching headband. Paige and Cera are a match made in heaven and it shows in their great screen chemistry. Juno's very supporting parents, played by J.K. Simmons and the great Allison Janney, are so warm and understanding from the get-go that you wish they were your mom and dad. Jennifer Garner as the hopeful adoptive mother is so sincere in her emotions that my eyes teared up several times. You may call me a softy but "Juno" made me cry during many scenes, not out of sadness, but out of touchingly beautiful moments. But don't forget that "Juno" is a comedy and made me laugh out loud during her many one-liners. I must point out that her gorgeous cheerleading best friend Leah, played by Olivia Thirlby, is a great comedic actress too.

I became surprisingly inamorated with this film, more than I thought I would and I strongly recommend it. Thumbs up!

Japanese Snowmen

Leave it to the Japanese to "kawaii-ize" everything they can, so snowmen should be no exception. There shots were taken on the streets of Tokyo and makes winter seems so much less dreary than already is. Love it!

Via Japundit

Striped Girl Coin Bank

With an adorable blue and red sweater and cheeky smirk, this adorable ceramic coin bank is too cute for coins. A ceramic pin lock runs through her body and when removed her head opens up so you can remove any of your savings. The coin slot is on her back and she comes with mini padlock and key to secure pin, if desired (not shown). She measures about 8" inches high and 3" inches wide and is available for US$32.00 at Three Potato Four.

A super kawaii gift that would be a great addition to my collection!

South Florida Carnival Sexy Gals

A few examples of your run-of-the-mill sexploitation images from my last week's trip to the tacky-licious South Florida Carnival. These are paintings used to decorate the outside walls of many of the rides, promising many come hither busty gals waiting for you. The Hawaiian/Polynesian beauty was one of a dozen lining the front of a semi roller coater kind of ride. Love it!

Look Of The Week: Hair Rollers In Public

I used to work next to this hair salon in Boston where often I would see their clients smoking outside, either wrapped in tin foil or with their hair in rollers. I would recall how tacky and suburban of these ladies standing on tony Newbury Street, the Madison Avenue of Boston, sporting one of most visual offenses this side of the camel toe and muffin-tops. So I was out last weekend at the South Florida Fair, a local carnival festival where corn dogs and giant turkey legs are fine cuisine, when I spot these two beauties above. They were standing in line in one of the many artery-clogging food carts, out & proud of their soon-to-be coiffure. They were probably in some high school cheerleading team and I suppose they were going to cheer somewhere but still no excuse to make me want to wash my eyes with bleach. Why on earth anyone would want to be seen in public with rollers in their hair?? Couldn't they find a scarf large enough to hide that monstrosity from innocent public eyes?

Subway Thriller

This "Thriller" tribute video takes place in a subway train and for the looks of it many passengers were not in on the joke, making it even more fun to watch! Has it been 25 years since Michael Jackson released this album already? Gee, time flies!