Nails of the week!

I've missed a few weeks of adding my nail art to the blog. But I'm back. Forgive the quality, these pictures are from my phone. I got this new blue nail polish. It's a fun vibrant blue, I luuuurve it. Also, just did some silver accents. I tried to do this look again but with different colors.

Life Unexpected

Liz Parker! You're back!

My sister recommended the new CW show Life Unexpected. There were a couple of episodes recorded on the DVR and I took advantage one day and watched them back to back.

The show already has one major plus, it takes place in Portland. It's fun to see city shots incorporated in the show. Even though they film the show in Canada they do a good job making it look like Portland.

The show is about a young 15 year old girl who has been in foster care her whole life and when she decides to take control and become emancipated she needs the signature of her birth parents. Her birth mom (Shiri Appleby...forever Liz Parker) gave her up for adoption when she was a baby (she never was adopted because of health issues), and her birth father was just a guy her mom was with for only a time in high school. In the first episode they reconnect and lives change.
The show is entertaining and isn't super cheesy like a 7th Heaven. I approve, I think it's sweet. Yes, I said sweet.

Distraction of the show? The the girl who plays Lux (the girl in foster care) reminds me so much of Rita from Dexter (or if you're a Roswell nerd like me: Ms. Topolsky).

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2010

Jean Paul Gaultier decided it'd be okay to appropriate Mexican culture for his Spring 2010 Couture Collection. Even Style.com thought Señor Gaultier went a little to far trying to place a theme on his show. Not so much because he was being a conquistador and taking the culture, but because he always tries to do something so big and elaborate. I went through the entire collection and it just felt like it was La India Maria in haute couture form. He had rebozos, "Aztec-inspired" items, and charro-type head pieces. He even had one of his models lip-synch to Carmen Miranda as he came out at the end. Pendejo, she was Brazilian! What does she have to do with mariachi bands and Mexico? It's one thing to be  "inspired" and one thing to take from the culture and not know anything about it. Don't try to interpret something you don't understand, Gaultier! Quit trying to make my people exotic and "othering" them, jerk.

 

  

(images via style.com)

I Want This Bag...

I need a new life bag in my vida. I'm always out and about and need a million things throughout the day therefore I need a nice looking bag rather than a serial killer duffle bag. I saw this and fell in amor. It's from Urban Outfitters. If you buy it for me I'll call you my friend for 24 hours.

An Exercise Tool?

You be the judge:

Did you feel uncomfortable and wrong for watching that? I did too. This is a legit piece of workout equipment.

Power Style Couple

I always see photos of these 2 and they always look so sharp! Diane Kruger always looks super classy and she makes things work very well. I honestly think she has had influence over Joshua Jackson's attire, the classic "girlfriend makes boyfriend wear better clothing" case. Ever since he's been with her, he always looks way more put together.

Their latest appearance @ the SAG awards:I love that color. I just wanted to give a "I'm a fan of what they choose to wear" post to these two. I should hate her for being with Pacey but I can't. Kudos to this couple.

Get Up on that FroYo Action

Frozen yogurt (FroYo) is a delish treat that leaves you feeling less guilty than a frozen death dessert like Dairy Queen (I love you but it's just hard DQ, it's me not you). IHST has taken it upon themselves to try a couple of new FroYo establishments for the blog.

FroYo #1:
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt @ Washington Square Mall (Tigard OR)This is a new place at the mall. I went for the first time with my sister and my nephew (who made his mini-puerco FroYo debut). I had to share the love I had for this place to la Marb$.

It's a self-service shop that charges you by the ounce. They have a variety of fruit flavors such as strawberry, blueberry, and pineapple (my favorites include pomegranate and mango). They also have the classic vanilla, chocolate, and classic tart flavor. I like to mix up the fruit flavors and add a bit of vanilla to balance it out.
Then after you FroYo your cup up, then you go to the topping station....tons of great fruit, nuts, chocolates, and some candies.

IHST Rating: A

FroYo #2:

Swirl Frozen Yogurt-SE Hawthorne Blvd (SE Portland)

We drove by this place and went Gwen Stefani bananas because of the name: SWIRL. If you love us you know why this word means something special. One day we were feeling crazy and decided to try this place. We loved the Washington Square bear one so much, we thought we might give this one a try. Swirl is also a self-service place, but they have crazy different flavors. Some include: peanut butter, jolly rancher fruit punch, pistachio, cheesecake, as well as the vanilla, chocolate, and original tart. Each FroYo station has 3 levers: on the right for one flavor, on the left for another flavor, and a middle lever that swirls the two flavors together. FUN! Their topping station includes everything from cereal to kiwi to hot fudge and caramel. This place is more for the puerco in you, well the choice to go healthy or to go puerca is up to you...you hold the power.

I have to say my treat melted a bit too fast, but overall it was pretty good. The establishment was really cute and is a great place to sit and chill.

IHST rating: B for the treat, A+ for the name

Surf dudes with attitude (Kinda groovy)

I'm a fool for the 90s. I loved everything about the TV, the music, and wanting to be like my older sister. I've been feeling a bit nostalgic lately so I dove into the world of Netflix to see what I could watch. Of course I now have Saved by the Bell and Felicity in my queue, but also I re-discovered the show California Dreams! It was kind of the Glee before it's time: cheesy, high school, and singing. The show was part of TNBC...do you remember that block of TV? Teen time!

Over the years the show had a bunch of cast changes and they tried to really make the cast "diverse." Meaning over the course of the show there was the token black guy, asian, and "hot mamasita" latina. As you probably guessed it, they did wonders for tokenism and reinforcing stereotypes. Now as I watch this show as a 20-something college grad with a Soc degree it's interesting to see it through a different lens. But I keep it real and take this show in like it's a Snickers candy bar to my brain and eyes.Since the show changed it's format every season, I don't think it ever really found it's footing, but it did crank out 4 seasons of amazing 90s fashions!

I asked Marb$ if she remembered this show....she said NO! WHAT?!?!? How did this happen?! Well perfect opportunity to jump right in and catch some eps...I think there are a few floating around youtube. It's ok if you haven't seen this show, just don't admit it and act like you know what I'm talking about so I feel better about the world.

The 1st season intro, just a mini-appetizer into amazing-dom...

Men Who Don't Keep it Bomb

Stefanie and I have noticed that some men like to wear dorky sunglasses. They intentionally buy these sunglasses thinking they look good. Nobody looks good in what we have dubbed, "Love-Don't-Cost-A-Thing-Sunglasses. That's right, they were named after the song by J.Lo because she wears them in her video (featured below):

These glasses usually have a color-tint to them and you can see clearly into their eyes. Back in 2001, both men and women thought these glasses were fly. I even had a pink pair myself with rhinestones, but that was when I was 14. I'm not a grown-ass man in 2010 trying to make this look work.

Another offender in sunglass-gear are Oakley's that look like this:

 An even more offensive move would be to wear them BACKWARDS. I have seen this look run-rampant on the streets of Portland, Oregon. People who pull this move aren't from Portland at all and are usually just visiting from small towns like Hood River or Roseburg. Nothing screams small-town like these Oakley's.

                                   Want to keep it hella bomb? Follow our suggestions below: 

1. Aviators. You can't go wrong with the aviator shape and color (below):

 

2. All black Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses are simple and to the point. This is like the dude version of a classic Chanel suit, it's always "in". Now Remember, ONLY black will do. Colored wayfarers make you look hella hipster and tool-ish. No one wants to be a tool.

Betseyville Shoes!

  Look at what me and my mom found while going through the bins in the Columbia River Gorge:

Betseyville mules! They were NEVER WORN. EVER. How cute is that acrylic hello-kitty-esque bow? Adorable! For TWO DOLLARS. My mom already found them a new home and sold them. Why didn't I keep them for myself? Because they were a 7.5 shoe size...I am an 8 usually, and when it comes to heels, even an 8.5. I tried to smush my foot into these, but it was futile. I felt like the evil stepsisters from Cinderella (featured below) when they try to shove their monstrous feet into the glass slipper. How depressing to see these go...

Colored Jeans and Two-Finger Rings

I bought more stuff. I deserve it, it's almost my birthday. It's been so long since I have spoiled myself, let us all relish in the new items I am currently waiting for:

 

Every fierce baxter needs a two-finger ring. I LOVE two-finger rings. It's a pretty bold piece of jewelry--at least I think so. I'm still obsessed with anything chain-related and gold.

I also bought navy denim jeans. They are practical and a nice change from black skinny pants. I already have these in a dark teal color and I like the way they fit. It's very hard for me to find jeans that don't make me look like a centaur. Sometimes I'll find the perfect fit. But if the pockets in the back are too small, it creates an optical illusion that looks like I am smuggling two Spalding basketballs in the back. Not cute.

Hater Jueves: Tea

As part of my New Year's resolution, I've decided to drink less coffee and opt for healthier options, such as tea. I thought I had this whole tea thing in the bag since I used to be an avid tea-drinker as a teenager. Whenever my Grandma would concoct a tea beverage such as manzanilla or hierbabuena, I was able to drink it until the very last drop.

The very first day back after New Year's, $cruz and I order tea to start our mornings. I had ordered regular green tea and loaded it up with lemon and honey. It tasted alright so I drank it all. Then it hit me, I started to feel super nausous and barfy. I excused myself and took a break from work to go get a bagel because I thought I drank my tea too fast. I tell myself not to puke in the elevator, because to be honest, I was ready to let it all go in there. It wasn't until I got outside and puked in some shrubbery that I felt a lot better. Thanks, tea. I tell $cruz what happened and she tells me she didn't even finish hers because it was so gross.

Today, I wanted to give tea another shot. I drank green tea with lemon and ginger already in the tea bag. The ginger flavor was so strong it reminded me of sushi. It also stung the back of my throat. Ugh, eff you tea. You think you're all high and mighty because you're healthy and pretentious people drink you.

Thigh-highs.

Lately, I've been obsessed with boots and socks that go over the knee. I just bought these thigh-high socks from American Apparel in dark grey. The idea is to pair it with cute skirts and attempt a preppy-ish look of some sort. Maybe I'll pair it with my blazer that makes me look like a gay cruise-director. We'll see. In the mean time, tell me I made a good purchase. 

Style Icon: Paulina Rubio (Chica Dorada Days)

I caught an E! True Hollywood Story on Paulina Rubio in Mexico and was inspired by her "Chica Dorada" era. It was flashy and sparkly! I'm into the gems and stones that she incorporated into her outfits. I'm also big on thigh-high boots, red lipstick, and brown eyebrows with blond hair. I'm sure she was heavily influenced by Madonna during her Blond Ambition/Vogue days since they paralleled each other during this time.

 

Just for kicks, below is an old school video of her singing "Mio" on Sabado Gigante. Sorry, Don Francisco does not make a cameo in this YouTube. We all know how much of a fox he is.

C3PO Oxfords!

Courtesy of Free People

For the low-low price of $218 American dollars, I could be the proud owner of these shoes. I think I felt faint when my eyes first laid eyes on this picture. If only I had a chip in my brain that would let me drop this much money. Knowing my parents grew up in third-world living conditions definitely puts a halt on my $plurge urge. Those stories totally trump the "when I was your age, we had to walk a mile to go to school..."  But how fierce would my feet look? Imagine with me, please.

Same-sex loving C3PO approves!

Stuff I want for my birthday!

In a couple of weeks, I Marb$, will be 24 years old. When I celebrate my birthday, I like to do it REAL big. I don't care if I get presents, I just like to have tons of fun with my friends, get all dolled-up, and make memories. Plus, I like attention. So on  February 2nd, I expect you all to acknowledge my existence and celebrate my born-day.

Below is a list of items I would very much enjoy. If you so wish to buy them for me, by all means, go on with your bad self.

1.  I still want the complete Golden Girls series on DVD. This would make me ever so happy! From the style to the razor-sharp quips, I am so in love with this show. One of my favorites of all time.
2. A gift card to Sephora
3. A gift card to Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and Powell's Bookstore. 
4. A gift card to a fabric store
5. A white iPhone
6. An iMac
7. A videocamera to record all my precious moments/drunken conversations/enlightening moments with friends.

Just get me giftcards, they are pretty safe.  No one ever gets it right. We don't want another Christmas debacle on our hands...unless you want to see me shed tears. 

19 Pastimes that Boost A Guy's Sex Appeal

When I saw the title of the article, "19 Pastimes that Boost a Guy's Sex Appeal" I automatically filed it under "garbage" in my brain. What do these people know? Women/Gay men aren't so simple and homogenous-- we are individuals with varying taste. However, upon reading this...I pretty much agree with everything it said.

I know, I'm a tool. I've been conditioned to like these social constructions mentioned on this list. I can't fight it. CLICK HERE TO READ IT

Some of my favorites mentioned on the list:

• Dance Machine
• Being McGuyver (knowing how to be crafty and fix stuff)
• Speaking more than one language- if people speak Spanish, it reels me in. Especially if they are native speakers...it's just hot.
• Volunteering--The article said Volunteer firefighter, but I'm not into that. I'm more into volunteering with youth and kids. Making a difference in the world is pretty bomb.
• Stylin--Nothing is better than a guy that can dress pretty fierce. Everyone should take lessons from Robin Thicke (or his stylist)

Some things that were stupid on the list:

• Martial Arts--this just reminds me of those weirdos that are obsessed with Asian culture so they can bag Asian girls. It also reminds me of Dwight Schrute from the office...ew.
• Biking-- it's just not my thing.

The Little Mermaid

Mermaids are the unofficial mascot of this blog. Both $Cruz and I had the same Little Mermaid cake when we were kids! We even have the pictures to prove this. Since we both don't have homework to deal with, we have a lot of free time on our hands (which means more blog material for you kids!). We just re-watched the Little Mermaid, and it was marvelous. I openly admitted this... it's part of my "keeping it really real" agenda. So let's talk about some things that stuck out:

• Prince Eric, have mercy, he is fine. Not just fine, but foiiiiine. I'd let him buy me a drink and dance with me. I'm 100% sure every little girl sweat him, and the ones that didn't were the ones that wanted to see what was underneath Ariel's seashells. 
• Ariel was only 16 when she married Prince Eric. How could Disney consent to this? 
• Flounder is Ariel's gay best friend. 
• Ariel had to lose her voice to get her guy....typical.
• Is it just us? Or does Ursula in human form look like she could be a stripper?  C'mon, keep it real.
• King Triton reminds us of our dads.
• We are pretty sure Ariel has a Brown girl story, selling-out and giving up her life to be with her white dude (shit call us Stephanie Cross and Mary Moore. For Prince Eric, we would too).