Carrie Ann Inaba’s Season 16 Dancing With the Stars Blog: Week Two

March 27, 2013 at 1:39 pm , by Ladies' Lounge

I began this season with cautious excitement. I honestly hadn’t heard of many of the stars and had no idea what they would be like. Last season we had some incredible dancing and we knew everyone because it was the all-star season. But this time around, we’ve gone back to the heart of the show, which in my opinion is transformation. There is transformation on so many levels on our show and I love it. We transform our views and ideas of the stars as we watch them go through an intensely challenging ten-week competition. There’s also the physical transformation for every celebrity that dares to battle for the mirror ball trophy. And of course, there is emotional transformation of their spirit in the process of this soul-baring competition. And I think that’s what gets people hooked on the show.

This year we have some really fun personalities and I’m already excited to see them come back and perform their next dance. I think this season will be remembered as the season with heart. Everyone has room to grow. This is not feigned. It’s real and true, which makes for exciting TV.

Two of the biggest transformations so far are those of DL Hughley and Andy Dick, two comedians who have been through a lot and experienced many challenges in their lives. They were both so genuinely excited and relieved to be safe, you could see how much it meant to them, and that shows me how genuinely hard they’re working.

While I have flashed more “6″ paddles than I usually would at this point, I think our contestants are all very special. They have large personalities and their performances are bright and filled with energy and charisma. They all need to work on their technique, but there’s still an enjoyable quality to their performances. It’s refreshing.

Last night, when Dorothy Hamill suddenly decided to excuse herself from the competition—yes, that was a real moment—I was shocked. But then I was very impressed. In this day and age where we’ve all become so competitive and driven to succeed, she stopped and reminded us that we have to take care of ourselves first. Our health and our well-being should be our first priority. And while I am sad I won’t be seeing her dance again, which was a treat, I wish her well and I hope we women follow her lead by taking good care of ourselves and knowing our own boundaries as she did.

Next week we have a prom theme. I went to about 11 proms when I was in high school and I have fond memories of Journey songs and taffeta. Evening gowns have come a long way since my 80s prom days back in Hawaii! I can’t wait to see what happens next week, and I’m still wondering who would have gone home if Dorothy hadn’t pulled herself out of the competition. Someone got a free pass, but I wish everyone well and we’ll see how they do on Monday night. Until then, let’s all take good care of ourselves.

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Your Essential Grammy Awards Playlist

February 5, 2013 at 1:31 pm , by Maggie Niemiec

We looked at 81 different Grammy categories—and multiple songs within every category—to pick our 15 favorite songs you need to hear before music’s biggest night. Take a listen, and even if you don’t know your Fun. from your Frank Ocean, you’ll be an expert by Sunday!

1. “We Are Young” – Fun. Featuring Janelle Monáe

record of the year, song of the year, album of the year, best new artist, best pop duo/group performance, best pop vocal album

2. “Thinkin Bout You” – Frank Ocean

record of the year, album of the year, best new artist, best urban contemporary album

3. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” – Taylor Swift

record of the year

4. “I Will Wait” – Mumford and Sons

album of the year, best rock performance, best rock song, best Americana album

5. “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” – Kelly Clarkson

record of the year, song of the year, best pop solo performance, best pop vocal album

6. “Lonely Boy” – The Black Keys

record of the year, album of the year, best rock performance, best rock song, best rock album

7. “Somebody That I Used To Know” – Gotye Featuring Kimbra

record of the year, best pop duo/group performance, best alternative music album

8. “Payphone” – Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa

best pop duo/group performance, best pop vocal album

9. “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Eli Young Band

best country duo/group performance, best country song

10. “Madness” – Muse

best rock song, best rock album

11. “Wide Awake” – Katy Perry

best pop solo performance

12. “Love On Top” – Beyoncé

best traditional R&B performance

13. “Wanted” – Hunter Hayes

best new artist, best country solo performance, best country album

14. “The Motto” – Drake

best rap song, best rap album

15. “We Take Care Of Our Own” – Bruce Springsteen

best rock performance, best rock song, best rock album

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Golden Globes Fashion Wrap Up

January 14, 2013 at 11:26 am , by Gabrielle Porcaro

The Golden Globe Awards were last night and the Hollywood Foreign Press passed out awards to Argo, Homeland, Les Misérables, and Girls. But who really cares who wins! It’s all about the fashion right? I mean aren’t awards shows all about judging stars for their fashion choices while you are in your pajamas eating Oreos? Here are my thoughts:

The Hot Colors

Red was huge. Claire Danes, Jennifer Lawrence, Zooey Deschanel, and Jennifer Garner all wore different shades of the hot color. Sex appeal was everywhere. Angelina legs were popping out all over (see Heidi Klum and Eva Longoria) and neutral-colored, body revealing, see-through numbers were also a hit (see JLo and Kerry Washington).

Major Vs

It seems you can’t talk about award show dresses with out discussing breasts. Who showed them, who didn’t, who picked a dress that made theirs look horrible (Yes Halle Berry I’m talking to you!) V-neck dresses were worn by big winners including Jessica Chastain in her mint colored Calvin Klein frock and Clare Danes–who I can’t believe had a baby less than a month ago. Also Julia Roberts, in another plunging dress, was a nice surprise. She looks better than ever!

While we are discussing boobs…  Jennifer Lawrence fell on a lot of people’s best dressed list but not mine. Sorry her dress was begging for a Madonna cone bra reference. Am I alone?

While we are discussing sex appeal, I am loving newly single Amy Poehler’s sexy looks! You go girl with your age-appropriate cleavage! I also loved all of Tina Fey’s dress choices. These two did an awesome job. I hope they host again next year. If not can these 2 host?

Fresh and Modern

Does Marion Cotillard ever look bad? Her asymmetrical hem Dior dress was perfect and refreshing. So was her simple beauty: hair down, minimal makeup. (No makeup seemed to be a huge trend. Loved it on Marion but others were begging for some lipstick-  Yes I am looking at you Sienna Miller!) Marion looked so modern whereas Lena Dunham in Zac Posen, (I LOVE Lena and was thrilled to see her win) was the opposite. For someone whose writing is fresh and edgy her look was just not. Plus, girl, didn’t you learn at your senior prom, always pick comfortable shoes. No one wants to limp the whole night, especially George Clooney present.

Less Is More and More Can Be More Too!

I liked Emily Blunt’s and Kristen Wiig’s cut-out dresses.  I am, however, on the fence about Kate Hudson’s McQueen keyhole dress. She looked beautiful but the gold collar was a bit much. I also liked stars that donned long sleeve numbers. Julianne Moore  in Tom Ford, Naomi Watts in Zac Posen and the always glowing Helen Mirren in Badgley Mischka, made excellent gown choices! Modesty in general works, as seen in Michelle Dockery’s gold and white gown. The Brits are so classy!

Worst Dressed, In My Opinion

A tie between Lucy Liu (was that a Laura Ashley bedspread?) and Giuliana Rancic (too much was going on).

So what are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree?

 

 

 

 

 

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365 Days of Inspiration: How to Start Your 365 Project

December 21, 2012 at 12:26 pm , by Amanda Wolfe

Have you heard of 365 projects? In our February issue we featured 8 amazing women who decided to to do something creative every day. It’s definitely a commitment, but whether it’s snapping a photo or knitting a cup cozy, the effort is totally worth it. If you’re looking to start your own 365 project in the new year (and you totally should!) here are tips for choosing your idea and sticking with it:

• Choose your project. You could go two ways: Pick something you’ve always wanted to learn how to do and get better at it day by day. Or choose something you absolutely love. Taking a photo (either with a digital camera or—even easier—a smart phone and a service like Instagram) is popular. But other women knit, illustrate or draw, write poems, write letters—we even talked to one woman who vowed to enter an online contest every day. (Hey, it’s not creative but she has a way better chance of winning some free loot than the rest of us.)
• Start today! Don’t wait for January 1, the first of the month, a Monday, or a full moon… it doesn’t matter how the 365 days shake out on the calendar, what’s important is the practice of actually doing something small every day. Taking that time for yourself—to be creative, to reflect, to capture life’s everyday magic—is what makes a 365 project so satisfying.
• But, don’t kill yourself if you goof! 365 days is a lot of days. You might get sick and skip a day, or any number of other things could pop up in your busy daily life. It’s ok. Just start again tomorrow instead of giving up completely. Or take a tip from one of the women we featured who knit a few cup cozies early if she knew she was going to be busy or away. It totally counts!
• Make it public. Start a quick Tumblr or blog to share your project with the world and keep yourself accountable. Even if you don’t want to put your project out there on the web, tell your friends and family. They can help keep you motivated, and will probably want to know what the heck you’re up to anyhow. Even better, start a 365 club and get friends and family involved. You don’t even have to do the same project to give each other support and encouragement, and at the end of the year you’ll have even more great memories.
• Check the web for inspiration, ideas, and people who’ve been successful. For instance, these specific photo-taking tips from daily photo service Photojojo are super-handy.
• Last but not least, share your project with us! If you start a 365 project and share it with us (just leave a link or info in the comments), we may feature you here!

Photo by Meredith Winn, whose 365 photo project is featured in our story.

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Carrie Ann Inaba’s Dancing With the Stars, All-Stars Blog: The Finals!

November 27, 2012 at 12:55 pm , by Ladies' Lounge

Oh, what a night! The ladies came out in full force last night. It was the first all-female celebrities final we’ve ever had, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how the night went. It wasn’t a 10-fest, but it was a great night of dancing. When I got home my twitter was exploding with comments—it is without a doubt the most intense night on twitter every year. The fans are so passionate about who they want to win, it gets heated! Everyone gives their commentary on who should win and why we should have scored differently and why the judges are so biased. The insults get hurled and I try to correct the ones whose facts are off but I love the passion and interaction with the fans. We wouldn’t have a show without them, so it’s only right to take some time to interact with them.

I do block cruel and inappropriate comments about anyone. I don’t think public spaces or the internet is a place for harsh name calling… there really is no place where I think that’s okay. But there are young kids reading and I think that’s what the block button is for. So for those who get a little “over –heated”—you’ve been blocked. What I do love is spirited conversation. I answer questions, give feedback and sometimes I explain rules and reasons. I like the questions and I don’t mind taking the time to answer. I know our fans are truly dedicated and rooting for their favorites and I support that. We can’t all have the same opinion—that would be boring! I know that the audience doesn’t always agree with us judges, but that’s just part of the process. It’s still wonderful to see the fans come out and support, and I say support with a capital S! They give SUPERSIZE SUPPORT (to continue the theme of the night). Read more

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Carrie Ann Inaba’s Dancing With the Stars, All-Stars Blog: Week Nine

November 20, 2012 at 12:55 pm , by Ladies' Lounge

I can’t believe we’re already in the semi-finals. We only have one more week left until we crown our Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars season 15 champion! It’s been quite a battle for everyone who’s still in the game and all of the competitors deserve recognition for their hard work. Getting this far was no easy task and it will be a big (and probably quite emotional) double elimination tonight. I’m quite certain that no one had any idea how competitive this season would be, or for that matter, how challenging. It’s been quite a unique experience for all of us. We’ve done things never seen before in the history of our show and that’s been quite a treat.

The dancers and choreographers did outstanding work this season. No one knew they would be choreographing Big Top Jazz, Knight Rider Bhangra, Surfing Flamenco, Espionage Lindy Hop or Caveman Hustle. (Some of those categories are quite puzzling, wouldn’t you say?) It’s been a whacky, unpredictable and entertaining season. Our producers really pushed the envelope this season with new challenges and we owe them a round of applause for really thinking creatively and outside the box. I think our production value has increased over the seasons and I’d like to acknowledge our incredible crew. They are such a wonderful group of top-notch quality professionals and it’s a joy and an honor to work with them all. I’ve worked with some of these camera operators, electricians, audio techs and stage managers for over 18 years, on various shows that I’ve choreographed or danced on, and I’ll tell you without any doubt, we have some of the industry’s finest working on our show. Read more

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What Do You Love Most About Thanksgiving Day?

November 20, 2012 at 11:00 am , by Julie Bain

To kick off the holiday season, we asked Journal staffers to share what they love most about Thanksgiving, that wonderful holiday that’s all about good food, friends, family and feeling grateful (with a little football thrown in). We know you’ll relate to these!

• My girls love to bake (that’s Lily and Sophia in action, right). Since I learned all my baking skills from my mom, they always like to whip up a sweet treat with their “Mimi.” This year they’ll be making my mom’s famous “spice cake” (don’t call it fruitcake!), which I was honored to write about for our December issue. The recipe is on page 106 if you’d like to try it too.
Sue Erneta, fashion editor

• Now that my sister, my cousins and I are in our twenties and living across the country, Thanksgiving is one of the few days of the year that we’re all together again, and my life feels about as simple as it did back when I was a kid.
Lauren Piro, assistant editor

• I love that I don’t have to travel on Thanksgiving. Family and friends come to us. It’s a great excuse to stay at home, eat and drink, and sit on the couch. What could be better?
Jeffrey Saks, creative director

• One of my favorite Thanksgiving memories happened last year. My family and I were sitting at the dining table. My mother was in the kitchen, and I heard her in say in a calm voice, “Gab, can you come in here?” I walked in and there was the turkey on the kitchen floor with its juices and grease splattered everywhere. My mom gave me a look that conveyed, “Help but don’t say a word!” (I was called in instead of my sisters because one of them would have fallen to the floor the laughing and the other would’ve shrieked; I’m the least dramatic of the three.) We picked up the turkey, quietly holding in our laughter, and scrubbed the grease off the floor. My mom fixed it up, carved it and served it. It was delicious. We didn’t tell anyone until later. Please note: My mother keeps her floors so clean you can literally eat off them!
Gabrielle Porcaro, associate fashion editor Read more

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