Lifestyle notes: Emma, Beyonce, Bridesmaids and more

I just realized that I’ve only done one single post during the past week and I’m honestly ashamed. One post a week will hardly push the blog forward and make it grow as I want it too. The fact that I started actively going to the gym is barely an excuse – the lack of self-organization is real enemy here. On another note I found that to keep more organized with the blog I need to do more regular weekly features – yeah, that’s the former weekly newspaper lifestyle section editor speaks in me.

So I give you the Notes (likely the new regular feature) – things that inspired strong (relatively at least) impressions in me over the past week and which also generally influence lifestyle, pop culture and … well … fashion.

Emma Watson showed up a the premiere of her latest movie (the one that has no need to be named) with new hair – and I personally think it’s adorable.

She sure rocked the pixie crop but I guess I really prefer longer haircuts on women. Plus, when you have very little hair on your head you have to really plan your accessories and makeup around it at all times since you have no gorgeous locks to hide behind. Again, I believe Emma was totally pulling it off, but the same can’t be said for at least a part of all those celebrities who caught the “short” fever along with Emma (and in some cases – because of her). Anyway, her new “almost bob” provides great hair inspiration as well as a style tip for those trying to grow out the hair after a pixie crop.

Beyonce has released her newest album “Year of 4” and though I’m not gonna hear but a few hits form it as usual (I’m not really a mainstream pop fan), I really loved this new video for the single “Best Thing I Never Had.” Visuals are simply gorgeous and the lyrics are very fitting too – I’m pretty sure every girl has a man she could dedicated this to. 

“True Blood” is back on and after seeing two episodes of the fourth season I have to say that my hopes of improvement after season 3 were in vain.

I know plenty of fans still love it as it is, but I initially fell for Blood’s “sex, drugs & rock’n’roll” feel and the original take on vampires – the first two seasons clearly stated that while vampires are surely a menace to society, humans with their double standards, intolerance and thirst for blood (different from that of vampires, but no less damaging) are the True danger onto themselves. However, starting the third season the population of various creatures in the story suddenly increased – werewolves, shape shifters, some sorta panther people and even fairies (seriously, fairies??) joined the monsters’ ball. Man, I miss the time when we had no idea why Sookie was a mind-reader and plus that was the only mystery that remained within the show. And now – what we have a small redneck town populated by so many creatures that there is hardly any room left for people. Also any semblance of a central plot is gone – story just keeps on jumping from one thing to another, getting less and less convincing. Anyways, Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) is our only hope – he’s the only one who still keeps his cool when even Lafayette has lost his edge after getting involved with the stupid witch cult.

This week I went to see “Bridesmaids” which has just now come out in Greece.

Really entertaining and quite refreshing to see a comedy about women which is not stupid, bitchy, cheese, and has nothing to do with husband/boyfriend hunting and shoe shopping. Kristen Wiig plays Annie – a cool and witty failed bakery owner who seems to have failed in most other things too, since at her age she works as a shop assistant, lives with two obnoxious roommates and has no boyfriend/husband but a complete jerk for a fuck buddy. But things take a sudden turn for the worse when Annie’s best friend Lilian gets engaged and appoints her the maid of honor. Soon Annie finds herself competing for Lilian’s friendship (clearly the only stable and valuable thing in her life) with another bridesmaid, Helen (Rose Byrne) – a trophy wife and a complete phony who doesn’t play fair. Indeed the movie gets a tad too sentimental and it’s a little too long, but still a very very worthy watch. It also got me thinking about how much bullshit people go through (and spend money on) to just get married. I mean I thought a fancy wedding party was a major hassle on its own, but all these engagement parties, showers and bachelorette trips? I know it’s all cute as hell, but it’s also phony as hell and way too much ceremony for 21 century!

And as the last note for today, I ordered books from Amazon for the first time ever.

Well, you know, I really prefer browsing at proper book stores, but here in Athens selection of books in English is really slim and the rest are all in Greek, so I can’t even get books by Ukrainian and Russian authors, or translations (from languages other than English) into Ukrainian/Russian. Anyway, my first Amazon experience was seriously disappointing – not only I paid 20 bucks only for handling and delivery of my four books (cheapest option available), estimated delivery date is … wait for it … 11 of August – after having shipped on 7 of July! WHAT the hell??? What is it going to ship by – Tom Hanks in Castaway on a makeshift raft across the ocean? I really would like an answer to that… Anyway, looks like those would be the first and last books I buy from Amazon because it’s just plain humiliating. Also I clearly need to get an e-reader to save me book hassle in the future – it may as well be Kindle, though when I think about the possible waiting time… No, I can’t even think about it right now. Too stressful.