FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, IT'S GONNA START RAINING MEN

God bless Pitti Uomo - men's fashion week in Italy. And God bless Dolce & Gabbana, for this:

God is good.

*Styx, signing off

(image courtesy of jakandjil.com)

CHANGE CLOTHES AND GO, AND GIRL I PROMISE YOU, NO SUBSTITUTE

Oh. My. Stars. More insaaaaane inspiration:

Chains? Check. Shredded tee? Check. Bad girl look on mad successful woman? Love it.

The leather + the cut + the yummy tee + the perfect platforms = YES.

*Styx, signing off

(images courtesy of jakandjil.com, hanneli.com)

MY WILL AND SELF-RESTRAINT HAVE COME TO FAIL NOW, BAILA EN LA CALLE DE NOCHE

Oh and btw, or fyi, or wtfe.. Thanks to Silent Bob for referencing the "Shakira" 'do in final pic of the previous post.. because I am now, OFFICIALLY, come hell or high water or tempting pics of hot a** short cuts, GROWING MY HAIR.

Inspiration numero uno, coincidentally named "Shakira" by the photog who did this shoot almost five years ago:

*Styx, signing off

A LADY DOESN'T WANDER ALL OVER THE ROOM AND BLOW ON SOME OTHER GUY'S DICE

Snapshots of loveliness. Some of me, some from the ubiquitous blogosphere. All drum up inspiration (like the abs shot, circa 2004) and happy fuzzy feelings (abs, and all of the below):

*Styx, signing out

(images courtesy of moi, and some others: jakandjil.com, stockholmstreetstyle.com, style.com)

DON'T GO, YOU'LL ONLY WANT TO COME BACK AGAIN

Anyone familiar with my diagnosable psychological disorder of fixating will agree that- good or bad- if I want something, I get after it. For the last few years, I've been mildly engaged in the act of fixating on getting myself onto a nice bike (no, not Specialized or Bianchi, more like Ducati or BMW). Well, friends, the degree of my obsession has quadrupled over the last year, and I'm siding with Napoleon Hill on this one: "Don't wait. The time will never be just right." (Yeah, sure, he was talking about taking professional leaps and asserting one's self to think outside the occupational box- not motorcycles- but it's all relative as far as I'm concerned.)

So, bless Silent Bob, my buddy who has realized my dream (he's a Ducati owner), who sent me this article today to deepen the pool of saliva I've created just dreaming of these inconceivably sexy machines:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/automobiles/03DUCATI.html

And sure, as is always the case, it's fun to dream and wish and want and forget the reality: these bikes ain't cheap and there's a foot of snow out there right now. Nay nay nay I tell you! I'm an optimist, remember? I think positive, uplifting, Naploleon Hill-like thoughts. I fixate! So the following conversation ensued between me and Silent Bob, concluding with a resounding "Yes! Yes! Yes! Give me Ducati or give me death!!". The edited version:

SB: Saw this link today (queue NY Times article)

STYX: I need one. Stat.

SB: Yes, you do. I can see you on a Ducati Sport Classic.

STYX: Isn't that funny.. I can too. (visualizing the attack) ((reality check: those things require money)) (((shit, gotta get a second job, or ditch the kid.. whichever comes first))) ((((what the f* is wrong with me? The kid's a total chick magnet. Ok, gotta get a second job.)))) (((((f*)))))

SB: ((((((wait... kid + bike = I'd be unstoppable))))))

STYX: (((((((wait... kid + bike + current state of affairs = I'd be unstoppable AND broke))))))) ((((((((AWESOME!!!)))))))

SB: ((((((((wait.. Italian bike = endless combos with Italian boots = stupid awesome))))))))

STYX: (((((((((even better- if I stop incessantly buying new boots, I could maybe perhaps one day possibly potentially perchance buy a bike!! Genius!!!!)))))))))

SB: ((((((((((ooooooooor, I could indulge both of these and be the baddest b* this side of Bologna)))))))))) (((((((((((why does it feel like I'm talking to the devil?)))))))))))

...Which is about the point when I digress, I write down what I want, and then a plan to get it done. Yep, it's the new year. Anything's possible. Like these, to compliment my new Ducati*:

Isabel Marant. Drooooooooool.

* I love my child more than life itself. No, I'm not pawning him for a bad a** Italian - bike, boots, bello uomo, or otherwise. He's the only non-negotiable in this Ducati deal. The rest is fair game..

*Styx, signing off*

(Ducati image courtesy of Silent Bob, boot image courtesy of trendycrew.com)

SEND ME A POSTCARD, DROP ME A LINE, STATING POINT OF VIEW

Who doesn't need/love/want/shamelessly enjoy a little inspiration every now and then? Here are some of my favorites to kick off the year:

Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook.

However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

The most important sex organ is the brain.

Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

Overprepare. Then go with the flow.

What other people think of you is none of your business.

Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway.

If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

The best is yet to come.

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves.

The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own.

Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life.

*Styx, signing off*

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY, DON'T LET IT GET AWAY

I'm fired up for the new year. Armed with a litany of learned lessons and disasters averted, I am eagerly anticipating this bold year of 2010, which is mobbed with metaphors (the year of the tiger, the lunar year, a new/clean tablet [or slate], the perfect 10); seems to me 2010 is going to rock and as a self-professed optimist, I'm ready for it.

The power of positive thinking is immeasurably huge. Reflecting on the last year, I'm keeping in line with this life-altering attitude, and rolling with Edith Lovejoy Pierce's thoughts about grabbing 2010 by the cajones:

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

Or really, any day, TODAY, is the day. So today, I'm ordering this book:

And then, as the book's title asserts, I'll write down what I want and then I'll find a way to get 'er done. Like, for instance, I totally want this:

Heavens to Murgatroyd- this is perfection!

Which means I'd better stop blogging about it and find a way to "make it happen"! (PSA: anyone willing to part with a cool $100K for a much needed home makeover? Just trying to make it happen....)

Okay, alright, parfait, parfait, I'll start small and work my way up. I must visualize the attack. Meditate on the moment. Become one with my inner.. something. Luxuriate in my own sweat. So I'm headed to hot yoga. The list of what I want and making it happen? To be continued..

Ha!

*Styx, signing off*
(image courtesy of habituallychic.blogspot.com)

SWEET DREAMS TIL SUNBEAMS FIND YOU, SWEET DREAMS THAT LEAVE ALL WORRIES BEHIND YOU

Having a little "anywhere but here" moment, in this subzero arctic hell (I know, a total contradiction of terms, but you get the point). So here's a little dreamy snapshot of what I look forward to this summer:

Swimsuits, sun, sprinklers, scrumptious sandals, and something that closely resembles a suntan!

And it's official- this will be my view each and every morning the first week in June:

The sunny, heaven-sent beaches of South Carolina!

Until then, dreams are bittersweet as I wake up from the subconscious state of bliss only to start my car 20 minutes prior to departure (a process that saves Junior and I from completely freezing to death on our drive to school) ((the things I would do for a heated garage right about now)), and days are x'ed off the calendar with great anticipation for sunny days and a whole new season's wardrobe.

*Styx, signing off*

(images courtesy of patricianicolas.blogspot.com, imageshack.com)

IF YOU'RE LOST AND YOU LOOK, THEN YOU WILL FIND ME

2009: Year in Review

(reporting from the Underworld, about only the things that interest us)

It's been a helluva year. Good, bad, and ugly - 'round here it's all relative and as far as we're concerned it keeps the wrinkles coming and the laughter abundant. We needn't bother you with the sordid details of life as late-20-somethings, of the travels, the tantrums, the slaps and the kisses. Nay, we'd rather find comfort in living through another year of experiences, readily anticipating another year's surprises, dreads and delights. Here's a round-up of the good, the bad, and the stupid (and some slightly fictional):


Styx bought yet another pair of disgusting boots: (not fictional)



Hecate hurt her ankle - again: (Fractured, this time)



Styx martyred herself for three JBF events (NYC, Miami, Minneapolis) and learned more about how NOT to run a foundation/business/friendship than any class, book, self-help guru, parent or magic 8 ball could ever reveal:

(Don't be fooled by her smile. Styx knows the importance of good PR, even in the midst of total disarray.)

Hecate kicked arse organizing the entertainment for two totally awesome Saint Paul City Ballet events:




Tiger Woods. F****ed. Up. Just when you thought guys would smarten up after Steve McNair got finished off by his mistress, Tiger reminds us that you can't give men too much credit:



Hecate revelled in a very rare and exciting year of new experiences in filmmaking: (1) a 'blink and you'll miss it' bit part in the Coen Brothers' uber-angsty sleeper hit A Serious Man, (2) starred in an Animal Planet segment (No, Styx was not the subject), (3) a blip in a commercial for BW3's (if you don't know about it, it's probably better that way) and (4) a delightful turn or two in this music video for up-and-coming local artist Matthew Curney- see Plagiarism, http://www.myspace.com/mattcurney.

Styx revelled in a very rare and exciting year of new experiences in mistake-making.

The United States of America welcomed President Obama into the history books again for being awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. The Norwegian Nobel Committee decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 was to be awarded to President Obama for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Thank you nobelprize.org! It's almost like the fist-bump as a sign of impending doom between the First Lady and His Presidentness Himself never happened. Sock it to 'em, Mr. President!

The Sartorialist released an epic book:

Daria Werbowy (still) rocks, and continues to be our fav model:

Rodarte killed it:

Balmain annihilated it:

Paz got even cuter! :

...and cheekier...

Hecate chopped her hair off:

So did Styx:

Hecate went to NYC for Breanna's 30th and gained a number of cool points thanks to the gift she bought Styx for Festivus (see previous post), and a few extra pounds thanks to Roebling Tea Room, rye, The Flying Cow, Blackbird Cafe, mmmmm yes and so many others.

Hecate and Styx both made New Year's resolutions. The only part we'll let you in on is more style, more brainiac goodies, more stories, more "make you say huh?"s, more info, more diligent blogging. The rest is, well, most certainly too much information.

HAPPY NEW YEAR COMPADRES!! Hecate & Styx - wishing you all a hootin' and hollerin' 2010.

(images courtesy of style.com, amazon.com, tmz.com, politicalhumor.about.com,freepeople.com)