Timothy Olyphant Is Here To Start Your Weekend Off Right

 

Hot, hot, hot. And a good villain (Scream), but we mainly remember him from the cute "Catch and Release" with Jennifer Garner, and the episode of Sex & the City where he played guy-in-his-20s, Sam. Which was weird, because we're pretty sure he's the same age as Sarah Jessica Parker, in real life.

timothy olyphant

For a guy with a fairly solid film resume, you'd think it would be easy to find a good shirtless shot of him, right? No. Sadly, no. We have to settle for a weird video-montage-type thing from one of his movies.

timothy olyphant

Meh. It's better than nothing.

 

HAPPY FRIDAY & HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, FROM THE GOLIGHTLY GIRLS!



 

Labor (Day) Pains

 

Oh the pressure to have fun plans for the Big Labor Day Weekend!  "Hey, what are YOU doing?  Where are YOU going?  Who are YOU doing stuff with?"

 

labor day

 

While the Memorial Day weekend retains a smidgen (or at least an illusion) of somberness - at least during that part of the parade where you remember the day is supposed to honor war veterans - Labor Day weekend has no such restrictions.  The Central Labor Union of New York City, created Labor Day, in 1882, to give a "day off for the working citizens".  And boy do we working citizens make the most of that day!

There are long weekends at the beach, backyard barbecues, picnics, fireworks, music festivals - WHEW!  Or maybe just a spending bonanza at the Labor Day Weekend Sales.  Whatever you're planning on doing, make sure you wear all your white shoes one last time, before putting them in storage until next May.

But what if you haven't made any specific, crazy-fun-outrageous plans?

We think that's okay.  Sometimes coming up with specific, crazy-fun-outrageous things to do, just for the sake of doing something on a holiday weekend, is kind of a pain.

Since we are all "working citizens", we should be free to spend Labor Day Weekend as we so choose.  Coming up with fantastic weekend extravaganzas can often be work in and of itself.  Relax and do exactly what you feel like doing.  Laundry?  Sure!  Napping?  No problem!  Catching up on past episodes of "Gossip Girl"?  We won't tell a soul.

I mean, not that I'm going to be doing any of that...

No I'm going to be on Lake Havasu, waterskiing while holding a picnic basket, and having fireworks shoot out of my ponytail.

What are you doing for your Labor Day weekend?



 

Wear-It-To-Travel Wednesday - Agyness Deyn

 

The most recent "big thing" to hit the modeling world is Ms. Agyness Deyn, a sassy young Brit with a rock-&-roller attitude, and a fashion sense very much her own.

"Fashion sense" may be too strong a phrase for this. It would really fall more under the fashion non-sense category.

Agyness Deyn

Photo: Matrix/Flynet

I have several issues here. First of all, dressing your name up with a fancy spelling doesn't change the fact that you are Agnes. Secondly, I realize that Ms. Deyn is not the one comparing herself to the likes of Sienna Miller and Kate Moss in the fashion pioneer arena, and I should really just blame the press. The time spent unlacing and lacing those Chuck Taylor's for airport security is enough of a reason not to wear this while traveling.

I know fashion is subjective but...

I hope there is a machine gun in the guitar case - I need to shoot my eyes out
Leather shorts? Really? For traveling?
Finally! A model who makes me feel better about the way I look!
I do appreciate that she's keeping the plaid and the polka dots in the same color family...

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Bermuda Music Festival - October 1-4, 2008!

 

We love a great music festival, and to combine it with a fabulous beach trip to Bermuda is like a chocolate-new shoes-Christmas sandwich. Accompanied by a fruity drink with an umbrella.

 

Alicia Keys

 

This is a fantastic option for a Bachelorette weekend, or just a regular girls' weekend. If you're coming from the West Coast, you'll want to make it a very long weekend.

"If there is anything more magical than our crystal clear waters and pink sand beaches, it's watching the biggest stars perform in paradise! The 2008 Bermuda Music Festival is bigger than ever, as we welcome The Whispers, Solange, Lyfe Jennings, Beyonce, Collie Buddz, Ub40, Aaron Neville and Alicia Keys to our shores.

We invite you to come experience four fantastic nights with us at the 13th annual Bermuda Music Festival. Come relax by day and move to the music by night!"

Full details at Bermuda Music Festival


To book this trip:
Call or email Debbie Pinsky of Jazz Fest Travel, Inc.

Tel: 877 887 2835

jazzfesttravel@aol.com



 

Top 10 Carry-On Items

 

With all the restrictions on what we can and cannot carry on the airplane when we fly, we have to be very selective when packing up our carry-on bag. The personal espresso machine and massaging jet foot spa will have to stay home.

aquaphor

These are the top 10 things we are always reaching for, after the cabin doors have been secured:

1) Band-aids - if you're having the same difficulty as we are in finding the ultimate travel shoe, you may have to prepare for blisters from schlepping through the airport. These are also useful if you happen to catch a finger in the seatbelt closure.

2) Book - for entertainment OR for the ideal "don't talk to me, I'm reading" message to your overly chatty seatmate. A magazine will work, but a book is more of a commitment, and it's not as easy for the seatmate to read over your shoulder.

3) iPod - also a good alternative to #2 - particularly if you have the video iPod.

4) Emery board - there are few things more annoying than a hangnail or the jagged edge of a fingernail when you're flying. If you've forgotten your book, the nail is almost all you can focus on.

5) Facial Wipes - especially for longer flights, where you just start feeling all goopy and greasy. The facial wipe will perk you right up.

6) Snack - it is always a good idea to carry something of nutritional value in your bag, or you're at the mercy of the trans-fat-peddling flight attendants. Granola bars, nuts, and those cute Babybel cheeses are all good, relatively healthy options. Peanut M&Ms have protein too...

7) Hair ties - even if you don't want the ponytail-with-outfit look, it is nice to have the option of tying up the hair to avoid getting it in the snacks.

8) Lip balm - Chapstick, Vaseline, Rose's balm, or our personal favorite, Aquaphor, whatever you use - bring it in the carry-on. The cabin air gets very dry, and you'll want to re-moisturize your lips after your snack.

9) Tide Stick - you will spill or smudge something. It's inevitable. Particularly if your snacks include chocolate.

10) Gum - preferably the kind that touts itself as a suitable alternative to brushing your teeth.

 

 



 

Best Travel Coats For Fall

 

Signs Fall is coming: temperatures cooling, kids going back to school, leaves changing color, and the arrival of pumpkin-anything at Starbucks (latte, muffin, chai, etc). You'll need a good Fall coat, but not just any coat. Your Fall coat should double as your "go to" coat, for when you "go to" some fun place that is not your hometown (whatever Staycation-ers).

According to the experts at Holiday Golightly, a great travel coat:

  • should be above the knee, but covering the hindquarters/nether regions. My dad liked to say "make sure your internal organs are covered". What?
  • ideally would have a hood, but those are hard to come by. Bring a hat instead
  • is not too heavy. Yes, you want to be warm, but you don't want to give yourself a hernia hanging the coat up when you go out for lunch.
  • is made of somewhat water resistant fabric. No silk.
  • has front pockets. Bonus points for any secret inside pockets with zippers. Those are just fun.
  • have full sleeves. We know the 3/4 sleeve length is verrrry popular with this season's coats (we're talking to you, Nanette Lepore), but for practical purposes, we want your wrists to be warm.
  • can easily transition from the U.S. to Europe to Asia. Blending in is part of the travel experience.

Here are our picks:

Juicy Couture - $398 at Shopbop

The ruffle pea coat offers a flirty take on a classic coat. We love the color, which Juicy calls "Essex", but we call "Green", the cute Peter Pan collar, and the slightly bling-y buttons which will ensure your friends can find you, should you get separated in the Louvre.

juicy couture

Nili Lotan - $675 at RevolveClothing

A slim-cut, ultra-flattering trench, in 100% virgin wool. If you grow tired of your friends' incessant chattering at the outdoor cafe in Prague's Old Town Square, you can sneak away and pretend you're a secret agent deciphering codes from the Astronomical clock.

nili lotan

APC - at Net-A-Porter

Every group of friends needs a ray of sunshine, and you can be IT, in this happy, double-breasted wool pea coat - shining your warmth on the Spanish Steps of Rome while licking a matching lemon gelato.

apc


Gryphon - $798 at Intermix

The stretch twill funnel neck coat is a cotton-wool blend, with a soft velvet-lined collar. It's a chic and sophisticated option for toodling around Stanley Market in Hong Kong. You will find excellent deals there on cashmere gloves and scarves, and a bunch of other stuff that has nothing to do with complementing the coat.

 

Honorable mention goes to this Paul & Joe pea coat ($1131 from Shopbop):

paul and joe

The coat is gorgeous, however we advise against the color. There could be a Bloody Mary/chocolate incident on the plane.



 

Ryan Lochte Is Here To Start Your Weekend Off Right

 

Once again the Summer Olympic Games come to a close. With a final medal count of 2 Gold, and 2 Bronze in various swimming categories, Ryan Lochte should be returning to the US a happy guy.

We figured Michael Phelps didn't really need any additional coverage, and Ryan Lochte just looked at us with those puppy-dog eyes. We couldn't resist.

ryan lochte

We then completely forgot all about the puppy-dog eyes.

ryan lochte hot

 

Go USA!

 

HAPPY FRIDAY & HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, FROM THE GOLIGHTLY GIRLS!



 

Our Great Leader's Impressions of China

 

Kerry recently returned from a whirlwind trip to the complex enigma that is China! From the Great Wall, to the Terra Cotta soldiers of Xian, to the 2008 Olympic Games, she saw a lot. And she's sharing her impressions with us here...

"Wow! Color me impressed with China. Whatever they're doing, they want to be the biggest, the best, the first... insert-your-favorite-superlative here. And while some of their methods may be questionable (did you hear they had a little girl lip synch in the opening ceremonies because the actual cute little singer girl wasn't quite cute enough?? Seriously? Seriously?), they certainly know how to do things in a big way. Their meals are big! Check out lunch below.

china meal

Their cities are big (did you know Chong Qing, a city you've never heard of, has 32 MILLION people? The size of California?!) Their buddhas are big (we saw 51 THOUSAND in the caves at the Yungang Grottoes, including one 55 feet high!). I think everything is big except their gymnasts!

While I didn't get to attend the opening ceremonies personally, two of our friends did and one gave it a "10 out of 10 for how spectacular it was, and a 10 out of 10 for how $@# hot it was". Did you know you could actually sweat out of your EARS? Apparently so. The rest of our group got busy attending various Olympic events, and dodging police escort cars as they shuttled various dignitaries around town. Nothing like having a group of Communist Guards herding you out of the Forbidden Palace so Laura Bush can get her own private tour... Here are some of the girls outside the Bird's Nest, heading to watch Shawn Johnson and the US gymnastics team in their quest for the Silver.

girls in china

Alas, we didn't get a glimpse of any of those fabulous male swimmers ... but close your eyes and think real hard. You can picture them inside the Water Cube (here all lit up at night).

water cube china

If your imagination's not working ... click HERE.



 

Wear-It-To-Travel Wednesday - Jennifer Aniston

 

Our favorite Friend! Our favorite hairdo! While Ms. Aniston has not had any recent projects to promote, she has still been featured, regularly, in all the tabloids, which must be annoying. Although if I had a rockin' body, and people wanted to publish photographs of me in a bikini, I'd probably be okay with that.

jennifer aniston

Photo: Richard Beetham/Splash News

Jennifer is startlingly unencumbered for an airport stroll, unless her purse is hanging on the other shoulder...As usual, she is breezily casual, wearing well-fitting jeans and t-shirt, with the appropriate accessories, and I'll bet those platform sandals are hot.

She appears to be very calm and poised, and is dutifully promoting her SmartWater. She seems unfazed by the undoubtedly relentless paparazzi who are most likely asking her about her recent break-up with John Mayer. Who wouldn't want to date a sophisticated, sexy, successful ex-Friend?

John Mayer broke up with her because...

Her body was not, in fact, a wonderland.
No one wants to compete with the memory of Brad Pitt.
They'll get back together. He just wants to be able to yell "We were on a break!"
I don't know, but that is a lot of scarf she's wearing.

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Top 10 Best Things About Seattle

 

We are not, we repeat NOT, succumbing to the false allure of the "Staycation". However, we do empathize with those who are choosing to enjoy the offerings of their own backyards, and our backyard is Seattle.

seattle

 

Everyone has her own list of favorites, and these are Holiday Golightly's Top 10 Best Things About Seattle:

1) Kerry Park - This is where most of your Seattle postcard photos are taken. The park sits on Highland Drive in the Queen Anne neighborhood, surrounded by multi-million dollar homes, and a sweeping view of Puget Sound and downtown Seattle. On a clear day you can see forever Mount Rainier.

2) Woodland Park Zoo - It's a zoo and a concert venue. It's a zoncert venue. One of these days we will resist the urge to combine words to make nonsensical labels. But Us Weekly will probably not. The zoo is a great day-trip, and a great diversion from "city life". The summer concert series' usually feature some good mellow, folksy artists, which are a nice compliment to your lawn picnic.

3) Greenlake - The 3-mile loop around Greenlake provides an open stretch of uninterrupted workout space for walkers, runners, roller-bladers, and bicyclists. Although we've said it before - the Greenlake bicycling should be left to kids under the age of 11. The lake also offers an actual lake, for rowing and the stray fisherman.

4) University Village Shopping - The city's premiere outdoor mall is a pristine, upscale playground for those in the mood to spend money. If it is raining, grab one of the mall's yellow courtesy umbrellas and continue on about your shopping. Mercer, Sephora, Blue C Sushi, and Crate & Barrel can keep us occupied for hours.

5) Theo Chocolate - A hometown favorite, Theo Chocolates creates organic chocolate treats in zippy, unusual flavors (like Chai!). They are located in the friendly neighborhood of Fremont, and offer chocolate tours. The word "tours" usually conjures up unappealing images of massive groups of badly dressed Septegenarians, but anything that starts with "chocolate" is okay by us.

6) Club Zum - No, it's not a dance club. But you could probably dance there if you wanted. Club Zum is a hip, quirky "modern day fitness mecca" in Belltown that offers the standard cardio machines, weights, spinning classes, as well as a few more creative options like the indoor sandpit, bungee cords, plyometric boxes, and a climbing rope.

7) Lake Union 4th of July Fireworks - okay, this one is fairly specific, and only happens once a year, but it really is one of the best things about Seattle. Lake Union is beautiful in and of itself, but garnish it with a spectacular fireworks display, on a clear night, and you have a recipe for pure visual bliss.

8) The view of Mt. Rainier when driving I90 from Seattle to Bellevue - possibly even more specific than #7, but chances are you can see it more often than once a year.

9) Mojitos at Cactus in Madison Park - Cactus is a solid restaurant, in the Madison Park neighborhood, with tasty offerings in the food arena. Their Mojitos deserve a category all their own. Delicious, refreshing, perfectly concocted, and very, very dangerous. They're so subtle, you forget you're imbibing. Until you try to stand up to use the restroom.

10) Pike Place Market - The most obvious, but also the most warranted. Pike Place Market offers a plethora of sights, sounds, smells and visual appeal with the myriad booths of produce, flowers, cheeses, pastries, you name it. And we can't forget the always-entertaining Fish Guys, who ham things up for the crowds while tossing 12-pound salmon across the counters.

If you are firmly opposed to the Staycation, and do not live in Seattle, we recommend checking it out!