Say it Ain't So!

What do you mean Ugly Betty is cancelled?

After the news broke this week that Ugly Betty is no more, I thought it was only right to pay homage to the episodes of the show that I love the most. In random order, here goes:

• Fake Plastic Snow, Season 1

The office holiday party, need I say more? So much unrequited love is revealed. Amanda loves Daniel, Daniel loves Sofia, Betty loves Henry — and all is brought to the surface in, oh, the last three minutes of the episode.

• Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Season 1

Marc isn’t ready to tell his mom that he’s gay, so Betty subs in as his girlfriend when she comes to the city for a visit. A dinner party in Queens delivers some of the best one-liners the entire season has to offer, and introduces a softer, more forgiving side of Marc.

• Derailed, Season 1

This episode is filled with lots of Daniel/Betty goodness, but the scene-stealer for this one is Justin. An impromptu rendition of “Good Morning, Baltimore!” on the Subway reunites Hilda and Santos and solidifies their relationship for good.

• East Side Story, Season 1

Why is Ugly Betty fantastic? It all comes down to the last few minutes of this episode. While Justin plays Bernardo in a school production of West Side Story, Santos, Hilda, Betty and Henry get caught up in their own version of the acclaimed musical. The songs of WSS provide the perfect backdrop to Betty’s campiness and create a dramatic conclusion to the show’s first season.

• Something Wicked This Way Comes, Season 2

Betty and Henry’s romance continues with a secret date to see Wicked on Broadway. A love triangle between Betty, Henry and Gio unravels, all juxtaposed with the best songs from the hit Broadway show.

• Bad Amanda, Season 3

Amanda and Betty tag-team an article for Daniel about how to have a fabulous night out in the city without spending a dime. The pair’s love-hate relationship grows deep in this episode, as they each discover qualities about the other person that were previously overlooked.

• In the Stars, Season 3

As part of a final project for YETI, Marc, Betty and Matt team up to produce an important photo shoot with Grammy Award-winning singer Adele — and a breathtaking wedding for Daniel and Molly. This epitomizes what I will miss the most — how surreal meets real in every episode of the show.

Good Eats on the Upper East

Uva on the Upper East.

A conversation with a fellow Upper East Side-er today at work got me thinking about the best places to eat, drink and be merry on the UES. These are my staples — the places I think are worth going back to, time and time again...

*UVA. Great wine, great ambiance, great pasta, great everything.

*BEYOGLU. Mediterranean cuisine, with some of the best hummus (and bread) I have ever tasted.

*AMBER, *SUSHI HANA. For sushi, these are my go-to spots.

*UPTOWN LOUNGE, *BOUNCE. Good bar food, with a few gourmet options to choose from too.

*SLICE, *AL FORNO. Thin crust pizza at its best.

*MXCO, *CANYON ROAD. Both places make a mean mushroom quesadilla — and their margaritas? Delish.

*JG MELON. For burgers and beer, this is the only place to go.

More recommendations? Send them my way!

Moving Madness

The magazines I can't throw away!

No, I’m not the one changing location, but in an attempt to de-clutter my apartment before my new roommate moves in, this weekend, I did a grand purging of the magazines that have been collecting dust bunnies under my bed. To other magazine-lovers out there, you understand my pain. It’s that same old dilemma: New York-sized apartment, New York-sized desire to save a copy of all my favorite issues. Here’s a glimpse of a few of the (now re-organized) magazines hiding beneath my bed. Of this selection, the John Krasinski Boston cover has to be my favorite - especially with his Red Sox pride!

Extra:

Space-saving ideas for magazines from The Container Store.

The Daily Show is Alive with The Sound of Music

Jon Stewart interviews Julie Andrews on the Daily Show.

Behind the scenes at The Daily Show — definitely one of those pinch-myself-I-live-in-New-York moments. As luck would have it, I had the chance to catch an afternoon taping of the hit show over at it's Comedy Central studio on 11th Avenue. Jon Stewart was everything I hoped he would be — after a brief Q and A with the crowd, he got to work and didn't miss a beat for the entire duration of the show. No retakes, no do-overs — he delivered every punch line without pause. And the lucky guest of honor? "The Great" Julie Andrews, as Stewart himself called her. She was elegant, poised, and on the show to promote her upcoming film Tooth Fairy, co-starring The Rock (or as she called him, "Dwayne"). Even though — with tickets! — we still had to wait in line for over two hours, it was worth every minute. Jon Stewart and Julie Andrews? That's two icons in one night!

Funny People

Alice Eve, Geoff Stults and Jay Baruchel share a scene in the film.

On Wednesday night, I caught an early screening of the film She's Out of My League, starring Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve and Krysten Ritter. It's a comedy about a guy that rates himself as a "5," but falls in love with a girl that's a "10". Although it's a somewhat cliché concept, the film actually works, a major credit to the entire cast. In particular, Baruchel is adorable and charming as Eve's insecure love interest, while the three guys that play his best friends (TJ Miller, Nate Torrence and Mike Vogel) deliver some of the best one-liners the film has to offer. If you can handle a little raunchiness, I recommend!

A Little Night Music

Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig.

Last night, I checked out my first-ever concert at the Bowery Ballroom. Who did I see? Brooklyn’s own, Vampire Weekend. And what a show it turned out to be! Not only was the house packed and the show completely sold out, Julia Stiles was even there waiting in line to get in. My favorite song of the night was also the band’s opener — off their new album Contra, it’s called “White Sky”.

Read more about the show here.

All Ears

The perfect solution for the woman that doesn't like hats!

Check out this adorably stylish ear band I just picked up — it keeps your ears warm and doesn't mess up your hair the way that a hat would. I bought mine in black, but you can choose from a variety of colors online at Bitsy Blossoms through Etsy. Even better? Now through January 22nd, 100 percent of all Bitsy Blossoms' sales are being donated to help the people of Haiti!

Go Meryl

Because this speech stands alone.

My Weekend

The bowling lanes at Brooklyn Bowl.

On Sunday, I braved the rain to check out Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. As a Massachusetts girl, candlepin bowling was my thing growing up. I was even a high scorer in a father/daughter bowling league when I was in the fifth grade. But ten-pin bowling? It’s a totally different game. Don’t worry — I still held my own. I just think that the style of bowling that was originally made cool in Canada is ready to make it’s New York debut.

The Glamour of the Globes

A quick fashion recap — here are my favorites from the red carpet at the 2010 Golden Globes. In my opinion, this year, there were more hits than misses. And 2010's best accessory? An umbrella — especially if it's one being held by David Arquette.

Emily Blunt in Dolce and Gabbana with John Krasinski in Prada.

Sandra Bullock in Bottega Veneta.

Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta.

Zoe Saldana in Louis Vuitton.

Penelope Cruz in Giorgio Armani Privé.

David Arquette with Courteney Cox in Victoria Beckham.

"I was in the bathroom, Mom!"

Guests arrive for the 2009 Golden Globes.

Of all the awards shows, the Golden Globes are my favorite. I think I first fell in love around the time Christine Lahti was in the bathroom when her name was called. It was the same year Titanic won and Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson exchanged loving, yet sarcastic compliments over their Best Actress/Best Actor wins. Blame the relaxed atmosphere, blame the merging of TV and film stars in the same room, blame the booze — it's seemingly impossible to have a bad time at the Globes.

This year should be no exception. In particular for me because so many of the stars/shows/movies I adore are nominated! My picks? In a perfect world, I’d love to see Up in the Air win for Best Picture (Drama). I also think Emily Blunt is deserving of the Best Actress (Drama) award for The Young Victoria. I love Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick and Courteney Cox. The Mad Men cast should clean up as usual, although I’d love to see Julianna Margulies take home the Best Actress award for The Good Wife. Finally, Glee! Best TV Series, Comedy or Musical? It's a perfect fit!

Ahoy Matey!

My new Metallic Ruffle Trench from Ann Taylor Loft.

I didn’t grow up on the water, nor did I spend my holidays sailing the high seas. But every winter season, I feel this innate urge to go nautical with all my pre-spring purchases. A recent example — last night, I arrived a few minutes early for a meeting and found myself coincidentally passing by the brightly lit windows of the Ann Taylor Loft near Grand Central. This coat was all I could see — that and the sign crying, “25% off your entire purchase!” I went in, fell in love (did you see the cute ruffles at the neckline?) and decided to invest. New coat for spring? Check!

Pair it with this!

Baby-in-Waiting

Not only is The Office one of my favorite shows, it also happens to feature one of my favorite TV couples: Jim and Pam Halpert. But blame the Olympics in Vancouver (which start one month from today and run through the end of February on NBC) — fans of the show will have to wait an extra month to meet Baby Halpert, the long-overdue off-spring of Jim and Pam (played by John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer). This also means that Pam will have been pregnant for a whole 10 months! But, who’s really counting? If the episodes marking Baby Halpert’s arrival (a 2-parter, scheduled to air on March 4 and 11) are as adorable/endearing/hilarious as the one featuring the couple’s wedding in Niagara Falls (see clip above), it is worth the wait.

Read more: Kathy Bates to join Dunder-Mifflin!

My Weekend

Lauren and I at Wollman Rink in Central Park.

Over the past five years, I have made ice-skating somewhat of a personal tradition. Maybe it’s my country roots — growing up, ice-skating wasn’t just a winter activity, it was a way to socialize. My next-door-neighbor Katie and I used to make elaborate plans every time the temperature dipped below freezing. She had a pond about a half-mile behind her house and, on most winter weekends, we would make our way through the woods (with a fresh thermos of hot cocoa in tow), clear any recently fallen snow off the ice, and skate. We would be gone for hours, coming back at dusk from a day filled with laughter and hard work. (Did you think clearing snow off a pond is easy?)

This weekend, the tradition continued. My friend Lauren was visiting from Connecticut and we made our way over to Wollman Rink in Central Park for a Saturday afternoon of skating and fun. It was a little bit cold outside, but that didn’t matter to us — the sun was out and the rink was packed! It was a great day.

Baby Love

Amy Adams at the premiere of Leap Year in NYC.

Ever since seeing the movie Enchanted, I have decided that life doesn’t get more adorable than Amy Adams. I was right. Check out the now-pregnant star at the premiere of Leap Year this week in New York. So cute! And I love the red. Apparently, Adams commissioned Carolina Herrera to create the dress — and her entire press tour wardrobe — to accommodate her ever-expanding belly. On Good Morning America, The Late Show With David Letterman — all week, she has been impeccably dressed. Not that I would expect anything less from someone as adorable as she.

Read more:

Some Enchanted Amy, Vanity Fair, November 2008

Capturing Capshaw

Jessica Capshaw - Cover Girl!

The cover story came out today — Jessica Capshaw (daughter of Kate, stepdaughter of Steven Spielberg) is featured on the cover of New York Resident’s January issue. Read more background about the interview here or click on the thumbnails below to check out the full story.

*Cover/Interior photos by Andrew Stiles.

Cover Star(s)

I always look forward to the start of each month when a fresh batch of magazine covers arrive on newsstands. February 2010 is no exception — there are quite a few that I can’t wait to get my hands on.

From the timely and relevant…

To the downright bizarre.

From the old/new Hollywood glamour…

To the fashionably elegant.

Two words: Happy Reading!

My Awards Season Short List

George Clooney and Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air.

Count it — I have actually now seen Up in the Air three times in the theater. All before 2010 even hit. It was unintentional, really. I just happened to hang with people that all really had their hearts set on seeing the film. It’s a good one, so who am I to deprive them of that experience? The truth is, each time I watched it, I loved it more and more. Sure, George Clooney is easy on the eyes, but Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick are the film’s scene-stealers.

But now, it's the New Year. I have to stop dilly-dallying and play catch up on all the other films I have yet to see. After all, awards season is upon us and there are quite a few films with Oscar potential! Next on my list? Avatar, An Education, It’s Complicated, Nine and The Blind Side. Yeah, it’s a lot, but I think I can do it. Any other recommendations? Send 'em my way!

New Year’s In Review

Team spirit despite the rain - what a game!

Sunny Tampa — definitely not a bad way to ring in the New Year! Unfortunately, the 70-degree weather on New Year’s Eve faded away with 2009. On Game Day, we were up and at ‘em, out the door early and ill-prepared for the rain and wind and cold that lasted all. day. long. Luckily, the bad weather didn’t break our spirits. Here’s a group shot of us showing our Wildcat pride, just after Northwestern tied it up in the third quarter. Happy 2010!