A few weeks ago, I sauntered
into my local NY&Co. store looking for work shirts and
slacks. I was browsing the petite section (short gals unite!) when something
from across the store caught my eye. Something that glittered. Something that
sparkled. Something that said “City Diva” in bold silver lettering. I made a
mad dash across the store and reached an entire section made just for me! Ok,
maybe it wasn’t made just for me, but
when a clothing collection is called “City Diva”, one begins to wonder. With
just one XS Glitter Diva Logo Teeremaining (it was fate, I tell you), I plucked
it right up. The tee is slimming, comfortable, and the perfect fit for any
Diva.
I've been a loyal fan of Dancing With the Stars (known as the “DWTS” to all the cool kids in the crowd) since it debuted in all
its sequined and spray tanned glory in 2005. There’s something truly stunning
about seeing “stars” plucked from obscurity (I’m looking at you Stacy Keibler
and Kate Gosselin), paired with professional ballroom dancers and made to twirl
around the dance floor until they collapse from the pressure or rise to
glory to win the coveted mirror ball trophy.
A few years ago, in an effort to rival the March Madness
euphoria that overtook our office every spring, I decided to create a DWTS
Fantasy Bracket for that season of DWTS. If you think a Fantasy Bracket
involving vaguely familiar actors and unheard of champion ballroom dancers
can’t get competitive, think again! We watched the performer’s paso, tango, and
waltz their way onto our TV screens every Monday and then eagerly awaited the
announcement from host Tom Bergeron on Tuesday to see which of our teams had
been eliminated. And much like the lucky winners of the TV show, the winner of
our DWTS Fantasy Bracket won their very own mirror ball trophy. Even pesky
judge Len Goodman would give that a “10!”
Without further ado, and sadly without an opening video
montage al a DWTS, I present to you my Top 5 DWTS Performances of All Time:
1 – Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke: Argentine Tango
First introduced to women everywhere as Dante, Samantha’s
hot and steamy California neighbor in Sex
and the City: The Movie, the French-born actor Gilles Marini danced onto TV screens during season 8 of DWTS. My pick for the best dance in DWTS
history belongs to Gilles and
his professional dance partner, Cheryl Burke (a huge honor for Gilles and Cheryl, I’m sure). Their interpretation of this
sensual dance had just the right amount of intensity and passion and their
intricate footwork was flawlessly executed.
2 – Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke: Paso Doble
In their Week 5 performance of the Latin style of dance
known as the Paso Doble, Gilles portrayed an artistic and agile matador and
Cheryl, dressed in an eye-catching black and white ensemble, represented the
matador’s swirling cape. And, Gilles performing shirtless? Muy caliente!
3 – Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff: Paso Doble
Mario and Karina were a match made in DWTS heaven. They were a sizzling duo from their first Cha-Cha-Cha and viewers couldn't get enough of their onscreen and off-screen chemistry. Their precise Paso Doble to "Cancion Del Mariachi" by the Chicano rock bands Los Lobos and Tito & Tarantula was near perfection and inspired Carrie Ann Inaba to call them, "Too hot to handle."
4 – Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough: Viennese Waltz
Just one year after her Dirty Dancing co-star Patrick Swayze died of pancreatic cancer, Jennifer Grey and her partner Derek Hough performed a moving Viennese Waltz to the Otis Redding hit "These Arms of Mine". Reminiscent of her onscreen performance with Swayze, this tender dance brought the audience to their feet and judge Carrie Ann Inaba to tears.
5 – Evan Lysacek and Anna Trebunskaya: Argentine Tango
Known for his elegant style and powerful jumps on the ice at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics where he placed first in men's figure skating, Even Lysacek was a household name when he joined season 10 of DWTS. Paired with the feisty Russian professional dancer, Anna Trebunskaya, they didn't hit their stride until they performed this Argentine Tango in Week 10.
Honorable Mention: My Favorite Non-Competitive Performances These dances are pure fun and showcase the talent that the professional dancers bring to the ballroom each week.
The brother and sister duo Julianne Hough and Derek Hough have been performing together since they were kids growing up in Sandy, Utah. This performance to "Shake Your Tail Feather" will get you shaking in your seat and tapping your toes.
Veteran DWTS professionals Julianne Hough and Tony Dovolani perform alongside country superstars Rascal Flattsin this 2009 piece to "Here Comes Goodbye."
Do you watch DWTS? If so, who are your favorite performers and what are your favorite performances from the past 13 seasons? Tune in tonight for the premiere of Season 14 of Dancing With the Stars on ABC!
On Wednesday, February 29th, I landed in Orlando
ready for a three day work conference. Heading into the terminal to collect my
luggage, I switched my phone out of Airplane Mode and was greeted
by texts, tweets, and messages informing me that my childhood crush,
Davy Jones, had died. Growing up in the 1980’s, some girls loved Joey McIntyre.
Others hung posters on their bedroom walls of Scott Baio. Even more pre-teen girls
debated which of “The Corey’s”, Corey Haim or Corey Feldman, was the cutest
(personally, I was a Corey Haim fan.)
But for me, at the tender age of seven, my first celebrity crush
was forty-two year old Davy Jones. I grew up with parents who had strict rules
about what was appropriate TV viewing. Soap operas were out of the question. Married With Children? Not a chance. But
anything on the “Nick at Nite” channel? You bet. I loved getting lost in the
black-and-white worlds of The Donna Reed
Show, Mister Ed, and The Patty Duke Show. But my favorite
late night program, and one I never missed, was The Monkees. Sure it was campy and cheesy and over the top. But it
was also harmless fun with catchy tunes as its soundtrack. The star of both the
show and the band was a cute, British lad with a bowl cut named Davy Jones.
With his deep brown eyes, pouty lips and British accent, he had me at “Cheerio!”
Then in the summer of 1987, after faithfully watching every
episode of The Monkees and committing
his cute face to memory, I asked my mom for the concert ticket that every
American girl wanted. A chance to see The New Kids on the Block and Tiffany's Hangin’ Tough tour? Blimey! This wee
diva wanted nothing more than to see her true love Davy Jones and the rest of
The Monkees on their Here We Come Again tour. So, off my mom and I went to
the fabulous Fox Theatre in midtown St. Louis. In true 80’s fashion, Weird Al Yankovicopened the show with such memorable hits as “Living With a
Hernia” and “Addicted to the Spuds.” [Like, seriously?]
The Monkees with Weird Al, on tour in 1987 {Photo credit}
But then it was time. The lights dimmed. The band took the
stage. And The Monkees (minus Michael Nesmith) started to play! At least, everyone
except me seemed to think it was The Monkees. Where was the adorable, teen aged
Davy Jones of the TV show? Where was the young, youthful, shaggy haired boy I
daydreamed about? I stood there, one seven year old among a sea of soccer moms
reliving their youth, shocked to see that my Davy Jones, the one on my Zenith TV screen every night had aged. Considerably! I was shocked and a little
saddened. No one ever mentioned to me that I had been watching re-runs from
twenty years before! But then, suddenly, it didn’t matter. I became lost in the lyrics
that I knew by heart, the catchy melodies, and the (slightly older) band
members that were The Monkees. To my seven year old self, I was in heaven.
Hearing of Davy Jones passing struck me particularly hard.
He was as much a part of my past as he is my present, as much a part of my
youth as he is my adulthood. Prior to its cancellation, I was looking forward
to attending The Monkees reunion tour in 2011. And there’s not a jukebox that
passes my radar that doesn’t get a healthy dose of Last Train to Clarksville played through its speakers. Through
moves out of my childhood home and across state lines, I’ve faithfully carried
with me a well worn copy of They Made a Monkee Out
of Me, the collection of interviews between Davy Jones and Alan Green,
first published in 1987. I was hoping to carry it with me when I attended the
2011 reunion tour in hopes of meeting my childhood crush and getting his
autograph. But that was not meant to be. Instead, I’ll carry with me the
memories of my first crush, my first concert, and the Monkee who made me a fan
of it all, Davy Jones.
This cute little blog has seen very little of me over the
last week. Between traveling for work, getting my second sinus infection of the
year (as the kids like to say, “Epic Fail!”), planning another work trip, and
catching up with friends, I’ve had little time to update my little corner of the interwebs. But, oh,
the posts I have planned! A post about the time I met the cutest reality TV stars
ever. And a post about the the time I landed in Orlando, turned on my phone and received texts,
tweets, and messages that my childhood crush, Davy Jones had
died. But those posts are for another day. Today, here’s to lying on the couch
and feeling better.
You know what else makes me feel better?
Little Sophia Grace Brownlee strutting her little sassy self
on Ellen and singing her heart out to Nicki Minaj’ Super Bass:
Checking Groupon Getaways every day and hoping for a good
deal. Anywhere. Mama needs a vaca.
Catching up with the ladies of the OC. I use the term
“ladies” loosely. Seriously, why did Vicki divorce Don? Why are Vicki and Tamra
friends again? Why in the world is Gretchen dating Slade Smiley? These
questions demand answers, people!
It’s no secret that
my 2003 Ford Focus is on the last of its figurative little legs. 133,000 miles
and counting, a crack in the wind shield, chipped paint, and a recent minor
accident have all done their damage to my wee vehicle. Like many frustrated car
owners before me, I've toyed with the idea of buying a new car. Perhaps one
with automatic windows and locks! Heated seats! A quiet engine! Oh my!
But, when my friend
Peter emailed me photos of the Fiat 500 by Gucci, I was immediately in amore.
Making its debut
during New York's 2011 Fashion Week, this stylish little car is perfect for any diva with its trademark green and red Gucci accent
stripes and two-tone leather interior. And girlfriends, this car comes
with matching accessories!
As of tomorrow, I’ll
be leaving on a jet plane for a business trip at this fabulous Orlando resort. Hope this post finds your week speeding by!
As much as I love St. Louis and discovering new places and
things to do, I also have a habit of staying in Soulard for week night dinner and drinks.
But, when a place describes itself as “Sexy, Magic, Food” and THE BEST BOSS
EVER* gives you a Groupon to said place, I knew I had to get myself to South Grand and Mojo Tapas Restaurant and Bar pronto!
St. Louis is made up of seventy-nine different
neighborhoods with flavors and savors as diverse as the residents who reside
within them. Mojo is located in the eclectic and ethnically rich neighborhood
of Tower Grove South. Known for having a “flavor all its own,” Tower
Grove South offers visitors a wide variety of culinary options from Afghani to Vietnamese
to Lebanese and everything in between. Located just south of the sprawling Tower Grove Park, South Grand is home to a vibrant and active international
community.
With its unpretentious and uncluttered interior,
flowing water fixture and touches of red accents, Mojo fits right in with its
South Grand neighbors. Once we perused the drink menu, we began our evening
with two freshly squeezed Lemon Basil Mojitos and then studied our dinner menu.
Chef Eric Erhard, formerly of Annie Gunn's and Boogaloo, brings to Mojo a contemporary selection of soups, salads, and tapas. We
decided on the Shredded Chicken Tacos, Veal Meatballs, Spinach Feta Spanakopita,
and Sautéed Garlic Chili Shrimp served over “Sexy” Grits. Everything we tried
was flavorful and filling and down-right delicious.
Need to put a little magic back into dinnertime? Get to Mojo Tapas pronto!
Friend Mojo on Facebookor view their menu and wine list on their website.
*And I’m not just saying that because she reads this blog.
No, nu-uh.
As the self-proclaimed STLCityDiva, I like to think I know a
lot about the best restaurants, the best rooftop bars and the best artisan pizza in St. Louis. But, even I can’t get to every happening spot in the
city (but I try, dear readers, oh do I try.) When my co-worker, and fellow food
lover, Brian offered to write a post about his experience at Sam's Steakhouse,
I jumped at the chance.
A life-long St. Louisan, Brian graduated from St. Mary's High School and he and his wife Callie have been married for two years. They
return to Sam’s Steakhouse time and again to experience the superb service, the
Old World charm, and the award winning steaks. Sam’s Steakhouse is located just two blocks east of Grant's Farm and has
been a staple of this South St. Louis neighborhood since 1991. Since then, Sam’s has been providing St. Louisans
with the best steaks, seafood, and desserts.
Without further ado,
I present to you STLCityDiva’s first guest blogger!
“Linda, thanks for all or your great feedback and suggestions for all things great in our wonderful city of St. Louis! My wife and I just recently spent a wonderful Valentine’s Day dinner at Sam’s Steakhouse, located in South St. Louis County. Service was fast and the food was phenomenal! We love the quaint atmosphere and old-world charm. I highly recommend starting with the traditional Caesar Salad, followed by the 8 oz. Pepper Filet (with melted bleu cheese!), and for dessert you have to try the Crème Brulee. Just wanted to pass along this little gem to your followers - this is a must visit!"
Guest blogger Brian and his adorable wife Callie
After dinner, you’re going to need to run those calories off
somehow. Brian is organizing the first St. Louis area 4.2 mile "Shadow Run" to benefit
the Pat Tillman Foundation, created to honor the memory of Corporal
Patrick Tillman who was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004 while serving
with the 2nd Ranger Battalion of the US Army. The Shadow Run will be held on Saturday, April 21 and proceeds from the Shadow Run directly support theTillman Military Scholars program.
