SONG

I had to really think about this one. Not because there were SO MANY great songs released this year (there weren't) but because I thought I would have trouble finding one that I first heard this year. Turns out, I didn't have to go far.

I checked out my iPod and all the songs I'd purchased over the past year, and the one that stands out is a frothy little ditty with an unbelievably great hook and fun lyrics. Not to mention a fun video. "When Did Your Heart Go Missing" by Rooney. The band got it's big break playing on The O.C. a few years ago, but I never really listened to them. Then this song hit, and I really liked it. It's been on replay for the second half of the year. Check out a snippet at the band's website.

Runner up:
Also another iTunes replay: God Only Knows by the Geoff Gascoyne Trio featuring Jamie Cullum. I figured this couldn't count as my favorite new song b/c it's a remake of the Beach Boys classic, but WOW. A wonderful recording. Go buy it on iTunes. No need to sample it, trust me. And hearing the song live? Yowza!

BOOK

I shouldn't have even given it a second glance. I should have kept on walking. But while visiting Book Expo with Sharon last June, I was stopped in my tracks by the most sumptuous dress I have ever seen! It was on the cover of a book called The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. I asked the book rep what it was about. She replied, "Well, it's Gossip Girls in turn of the century New York!" I assumed she meant turn of the twentieth century, given the dress. She turned away from me, but I grabbed her arm, and asked, "But what's the story? What ages is it for?" She again said, "Well, it's Gossip Girls in turn of the century New York." Clearly, she had not read the book she was promoting. (Don't you hate when people do that?)

That was all I needed to grab a copy--not the description from Miss I Know Nothing, but the dress, and the prospect of sending this woman MY review of the book. Never did I think it would be my favorite book of the year! In fact, it sat on my desk for almost 2 months before I finally picked it up.

Sure, you can compare it to Gossip Girls. I'll admit the characters are nearly identical. I had someone come up to me and tell me it's just like the British Royalty-there's Charles and Diana, Camilla and the Queen! That's pretty cool. But the story----a historical romance, where love conquers all. But let's be honest, that's not where the fun lies.

Here's a more in depth description from Harper Collins' Website:

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.
Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.
White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.
This is Manhattan, 1899.

Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone—from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud—threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future.

With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city's gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear...

In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.

Still need more convincing? The book opens at Elizabeth's funeral! The sequel is out in June, 2008.

So what did I miss while I was obsessing over The Luxe?

Best of the Best

It's time for the FIRST ANNUAL GIGS AWARDS, or FAGA for short (Next year will, of course, be SAGA.) Each day between now and the new year, I will post my favorite in a category such as movies, songs, fictional character, etc. And of course you have the opportunity to tell me what you favorite is. Please keep in mind the winners are what I saw, read, heard this year, not what actually was released this year. So without further ado, today's category:

MOVIES
"Hey, baby, you look like you could use a stiff one!"

As if you couldn't guess, ( "Is it charm, is it poise?), no it's Hairspray." No other movie this year made me laugh as much as this one. Who would have guessed that Travolta's return to the musical oeuvre ( I love that word!) would be dressed as a woman, and a woman who wore the coolest dress, made of pink sparkles! And how bout that Nikki Blonsky? How amazing was she? No doubt that this might be the only movie she wil be in, but what a way to break into Hollywood! And that supporting cast! Bynes, Walken, Snow, Efron, Latifah, and Marsden! Could your big break BE with better actors?!??! But the real prize should go to Adam Shankman, who has been a Gigs fav since he choreographed the Buffy musical episode. For an added happy, watch the movie with Adam and Nikki's commentary. You'll learn that, yes, it was alluded that Corny got that girl pregnant at the beginning of the movie, and that Nikki is indeed a very comfortable girl on her 4'11" frame. What a great role model for teens (better than, ahem, any of the Spears clan. Or anyone in Hollywood for that matter).

Runner Up:
The Lookout with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Wowee! Talk about nail biting! One of the BEST young actor working today. The other being Ben Foster. Put these two onscreen together and watch it explode!!!!!

I Want My MTV back!!!!!

Remember when you were a teen (or younger) and you had to sneak cigarettes so your parents wouldn't find out? I don't b/c I never did. I sneaked music videos! A friend and I were reminiscing about music videos from the 80's. The conversation started by him mentioning Cradle of Love by Billy Idol. I used to sneak watching that one, b/c it was very risque for it's time. A girl come to her dorky neighbor's door with a tape, asking to use his tape player and proceeds to dance to the song through his living room, on his bed, while wearing-GASP- a black bustier and skirt. This is so tame by today's standards.

That got me thinking about all the videos I grew up on...well, until 1987, when my parents had MTV scrambled off our cable b/c they didn't like the content. My parents were so forward-thinking! Before it was cool to hate MTV, they were already doing it! Anyhoo, here's a list of my favs in no particular order:

Land of Confusion by Genesis
anything by Madonna
Cold Hearted by Paula Abdul (another one i had to sneak)
Goin' Crazy by David Lee Roth
Simply Irrestiable by Robert Palmer
When I Think About You by the Divinals ( keep in mind I was 8 and had NO IDEA what this song was really about).
Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
anything by Poison
Dancing In the Dark by Springsteen
that Paul Simon video featuring Chevy Chase

There are more....TONS more...but I want to hear about the ones you remember watching.

The End is Near

The title of this post is based on the fact that the sky is falling, hell has frozen over,a giant meteor is headed for earth that even Ben Affleck can't save us from, and the weekend box office top movies. Yes it's no big surprise that I Am Legend took the top spot, and the Golden Compass slipped to number 3, but the BIG SHOCK was the number two movie of the weekend! Any guesses? Yes those adorably creepy CGI'd chipmunks beat out a talking polar bear to gross $45 mil! That's not even mentioning the ginormous amount between Alvin and Compass--Compass only made $9 mil this weekend. Guess people are getting sick of the is it or isn't it blasphemous Compass. And Enchanted made only $6 mil! Isn't this family movie viewing season? Though given the choices I'd see Legend,too. Enchanted is a close second, tho.

But this is all nonsense. Let's talk about the next GREAT movie I just can't wait to see.....Cloverfield! What's it about, you ask? I have NO IDEA! NO ONE DOES!!!!! Don't believe me? Check out the trailer. But it's written by Drew Goddard (of Buffy and Angel) produced by JJ Abrams (you must know that name by now) and directed by Matt Reeves (who co-created Felicity with JJ). So that is where I will be on Jan 18. What movies can you not wait to see?

"Just a Sprig of Holly"

It's officially Christmas Movie Viewing Season! I kicked off the season with probably my absolute favorite holiday flick, Love, Actually. I still cry at the sappiest of scenes: the one with Juliet and Mark, the one where Jamie asked Aurelia to give him her hands, and of course when Rufus gift wraps the perfect gift in that perfect way. Course, that last one are tears of laughter. And how bout John and Judy's meeting as, ahem, stand ins. And the most perfect use of my fav xmas carol, All I Want for Christmas Is You. Lest we forget the amazing Colin Firth. He made a great movie so much better. Doesn't every girl dream of being proposed to in front of her whole town, with her intended bumbling his way through her language.

"I've come here with a view of asking you to marriage me. I know I seems an insane person - because I hardly knows you - but sometimes things are so transparency, they don't need evidential proof. And I will inhabit here, or you can inhabit with me in England."


**SIGH** Colin, I will inhabit anywhere with you.
To get you in the mood, check out this wonderful snippet:




So tell me, what are your favorite Holiday movies?

Engaged Couples-Take Note

Check out this clip my sister sent me. No, I am not planning a wedding any time soon, but if you're sick of all those smaltzy first dances at weddings, this is the clip for you. And if you are planning a wedding, take note: