Favor!te Film: Bridesmaids

Favor!te Album: Adele – 21; Jack’s Mannequin – People and Things

Favor!te Book: Just Kids by Patti Smith; Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? By Mindy Kaling

Favor!te Designer: DVF, Tory Burch

Favor!te TV show: Homeland, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Up All Night, New Girl

Favor!te Twitterer: Mindy Kaling; Sophia Rossi, Khloe Kardashian

Who do you most want to smooch on New Year’s Eve? My husband, this is our first New Year’s Eve as husband and wife!

What do you want the most as a holiday gift? Garmin Forerunner GPS watch for running, so I can track my pace and distance accurately. I could have used one in the NYC marathon this year, so hopefully it will inspire me to run some big races in 2012.

Harry Potter Page to Screen by Bob McCabe   

Coming in at over 500 amazing pages, Harry Potter: Page to Screen opens the doors to Hogwarts castle and the wizarding world of Harry Potter to reveal the complete behind-the-scenes secrets, techniques, and over-the-top artistry that brought J.K. Rowling’s acclaimed novels to cinematic life.   

Buy Harry Potter Page to Screen or watch a video.   

How I Got This Way by Regis Philbin  

In this entertaining memoir, the irrepressible Reege—consummate talk-show host, man-about-town, loving husband, father, and yes, obsessive sports fan—looks back at his years in show business and is filled with stories of lessons learned—and elbows rubbed—with extraordinary, and often unsuspecting, teachers.  

Buy How I Got This Way or read an excerpt.  

 Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis by David Wills  

In Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis, David Wills has gathered spectacular, museum-quality work from Marilyn’s key photographers to create this dazzling portfolio of images from every period of Marilyn Monroe’s adult life, from her wedding day in 1942 till just weeks before her death two decades later, this stunning collection pays homage to her continually evolving style and extraordinary beauty.  

Buy Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis or read an excerpt.  

100 Unforgettable Dresses by Hal Rubenstein 

100 Unforgettable Dresses is filled with the stories, secrets, intrigue, and insights behind the most indelible dresses in our collective memories. This book celebrates the staying power of these gorgeous, sleek, sultry, and outrageous creations as well as the lasting impact they’ve had in fashion, popular culture, and our own lives. 

Buy 100 Unforgettable Dresses or read an excerpt. 

Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon  

With unparalleled honesty, Dyan Cannon shares the heartwarming and heartbreaking story of her magical romance and stormy marriage to screen legend Cary Grant. He was the ultimate star, defining Hollywood glamour as well as cinematic achievement. She was a bright new actress, beautiful and funny. What could possibly go wrong?  

Buy Dear Cary or read an excerpt.  

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories by hitRECord and Joseph Gordon-Levitt  

To create The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1, Joseph Gordon-Levitt directed thousands of collaborators to tell tiny stories through words and art. Reminiscent of the 6-Word Memoir series, The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1 brings together art and voices from around the world to unite and tell stories that defy size.  

Buy The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories, read an excerpt or watch a video.  

Manolo Blahnik and The Tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker by Camilla Morton, illustrated by Manolo Blahnik  

International bestselling author Camilla Morton reimagines the classic “Elves and the Shoemaker” fairytale, blending elements of famed shoe designer Manolo Blahnik’s life story into the fabric of the immortal “Once Upon a Time” favorite, complete with original illustrations from Blahnik himself.  

Buy Manolo Blahnik and The Tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker or read an excerpt.  

The History of the World According to Facebook by Wylie Overstreet  

Now, for the first time, a full-length history of the world, from its creation up through present day, as if Facebook had existed all along and Abraham Lincoln had written a status update about “taking the missus to the theater” and Ben Franklin had done the same alerting his network that he’d signed the Declaration of Independence. Filled with hundreds of real-life historical figures and thousands of not-at-all-real Facebook statuses, this is the definitive humor book for a new generation of scholars.  

Buy The History of the World According to Facebook or read an excerpt.  

The Art of The Adventures of Tintin by Weta Workshop  

Go behind the scenes and explore the movie-making magic that comes alive on screen in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film The Adventures of Tintin, shown through text, photos and illustrations from Weta Worskshop, the ground-breaking  and Academy Award-winning visual effects team.  

Buy The Art of The Adventures of Tintin or read an excerpt.  

Menagerie by Sharon Montrose  

Celebrated author and photographer Sharon Montrose presents a compendium of wild and domestic animal portraits displayed in unusual and innovative ways-the perfect gift for the legions of fans of cute animals everywhere.  

Buy Menagerie or read an excerpt.  

 The History of American Graffiti by Roger Gastman and Caleb Neelon  

Unprecedented in scope, The History of American Graffiti is the definitive story behind the most influential art form of the last one hundred years. With more than one thousand photographs from more than two hundred photographers, The History of American Graffiti captures the look and feel of a genuine American art form with exceptional clarity and detail.  

Buy The History of American Graffiti or read an excerpt.

HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS ACQUIRES NEWMARKET PRESS NAME AND CATALOG

Esther Margolis to Join the It Books Imprint

New York, NY (October 24, 2011) HarperCollins Publishers today announced that it has acquired the rights to the majority of titles published by Newmarket Press. As part of the agreement, Esther Margolis, Founder, President, and Publisher of Newmarket Press, will join the HarperCollins It Books imprint as an Executive Editor, where she will continue to acquire entertainment-related books to be published under the imprint Newmarket Press for It Books. The move is part of HarperCollins’s continuing expansion in the areas of pop-culture and entertainment publishing. The changes are effective immediately.

“For years, Newmarket Press has been the industry’s leading publisher of film-related books. Its list of screenplays, making-of books, tie-ins, and other titles on cinema is second to none. Esther Margolis is a highly respected veteran of both the publishing and the film industries, with unparalleled relationships with countless studios and filmmakers. Her wealth of knowledge and experience in publishing to this audience will be an invaluable asset to the growing It Books list,” said Cal Morgan, Senior Vice President and Publisher, It Books.

“HarperCollins Publishers makes a great home for the Newmarket list,” said Margolis. “The resources of HarperCollins and the It Books team will allow the Newmarket backlist to flourish in all channels and formats while enabling me to add to the list going forward.”

Newmarket Press was founded by Margolis in 1981. During its 29 years, the imprint has published more than 200 books in the areas of film, theater, and performing arts, including official tie-in books for films that have garnered more than 300 Oscar nominations and nearly 100 wins. Newmarket Press is especially noted for its illustrated books on such films as Milk; The Matrix; Gladiator; Moulin Rouge; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Chicago; Sense and Sensibility; Saving Private Ryan; and Dances with Wolvesand for its acclaimed Newmarket Shooting Script® Series, including screenplays for King’s Speech, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, Juno, Little Miss Sunshine; Sideways; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; American Beauty; and Shawshank Redemption, among others. Other notable Newmarket titles about moviemaking include The Jaws Log, Final Cut, and Making Tootsie.

In addition, the Newmarket Press list has included more than 100 titles in the fields of parenting, psychology, health, biography, history, business, and fiction, including such popular and acclaimed books as the two-million-copy bestselling What’s Happening to My Body? series of puberty education books by Lynda Madaras; Daphne Oz’s national bestseller The Dorm Room Diet; Suze Orman’s national bestseller You’ve Earned It, Don’t Lose It; Dr. Georgia Witkin’s The Female Stress Syndrome; Gene Hackman & Daniel Lenihan’s first novel, Wake of the Perdido Star; Stuart Avery Gold’s international bestseller Ping: A Frog in Search of a New Pond; Shalom, Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin, winner of the National Jewish Book Award in nonfiction; The Words of Gandhi and The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and six works by William Wharton. All non-film-and-entertainment-related Newmarket Press titles acquired by HarperCollins will be published as trade paperbacks under the William Morrow Trade Paperbacks imprint.

Esther Margolis received the 2008 Poor Richard Award from The New York Center for Independent Publishing, given to a publisher who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of independent publishing. A member of the Women’s Forum, the Women’s Media Group, and Writers Guild of America, Margolis serves on the Trade Executive Committee of the Association of American Publishers, and the American Advisory Committee of the Jerusalem International Book Fair. She originated Bantam Books’ publicity operation in the 1960’s, later becoming Bantam’s first division head for marketing, publicity and communications worldwide, and worked closely with such authors as Jacqueline Susann, Maya Angelou, Louis L’Amour, Gail Sheehy, and E.L. Doctorow.

About It Books
Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including the # 1 New York Times bestsellers Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern and Red by Sammy Hagar as well as Getting the Pretty Back by MollyRingwald, Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss, All My Life by Susan Lucci and The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life by Maria Menounos. Upcoming publications include Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon and Beauty, Disrupted by Carré Otis. It Books is an imprint HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.

About HarperCollins Publishers
HarperCollins, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world, is a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups around the world including the HarperCollins General Books Group, HarperCollins Children’s Books Group, Zondervan, HarperCollins UK, HarperCollins Canada, HarperCollins Australia/New Zealand and HarperCollins India. HarperCollins is a broad-based publisher with strengths in literary and commercial fiction, business books, children’s books, cookbooks, mystery, romance, reference, religious and spiritual books. With nearly 200 years of history HarperCollins has published some of the world’s foremost authors and has won numerous awards including the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott. Consistently at the forefront of innovation and technological advancement HarperCollins is the first publisher to digitize its content and create a global digital warehouse to protect the rights of its authors, meet consumer demand and generate additional business opportunities. You can visit HarperCollins Publishers on the Internet at http://www.harpercollins.com.

If you haven’t heard (I can’t see how you haven’t), Just Kids is Smith’s memoir of arriving in New York in 1967 and the then 20 year old’s chance encounter with Robert Mapplethorpe, another 20 year old aspiring artist. It’s her story of their love, their friendship, their art and a New York few would recognize today.

So the question goes out… who would you cast as Smith and Mapplethorpe?

Kristen Stewart (age: 21) and Robert Pattison (age: 25)

Surely these two will be at the top of studio exec’s wish list. Stewart, proved that she could rock in her transformation into Joan Jett in the film biopic The Runaways and the resemblance between the two [rumored] real-life couple to the originals is uncanny. But the fit and the two megastars’ ties to the mega-Twilight-franchise may not hit audiences (or Ms. Smith) the right way.

Frances Bean Cobain (age: 19) and Ezra Miller (age: 18)

The Princess of Grunge as the Godmother of Punk? Can Miss Cobain act? Who knows? But if she can – and would want to step up into the Hollywood world, the photos by Hedi Slimane that recently were released prove she has the look – and the balls – to play Smith. I’d cast the currently almost famous Ezra Miller as Mapplethorpe against Cobain’s Smith. He has the East Village circa 1967 thing down already – and if his performance in the upcoming We Need to Talk About Kevin is as amazing as is being predicted, this could be the massive follow-up he will be looking for.

Emma Watson (age: 21) and Nicholas Hout (age: 21)

Former Harry Potter student Emma Watson seems poised for an image-crashing turn in to catapult her out of Hogwarts. I’d pair her with fellow Brit Nicholas Hout, who came to fame years ago in About a Boy and crashed his own child-star image in the amazing British take on Gossip Girl (but dirtier and better) Skins. His follow-up to that, playing the lovelorn college boy pining for a night with professor Colin Firth in Tom Ford’s A Single Man.

Jennifer Damiano (age: 20) and Eddie Redmayne (age: 29)

Perhaps the modern day Smith and Mapplethorpe might be found forty blocks north of The Village and on Broadway. Jennifer Damiano got amazing attention for her originating role in Spring Awakening. Followed by her Tony-nominated role in Next to Normal. Currently she’s starring in Spider Man. So she should be looking for a new job soon. The Mapplethorpe to Damiano’s Smith? Eddie Redmayne, the Tony award-winning star of Red and the upcoming film My Week with Marilyn.

So who do you think should be cast as Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe in Just Kids?

NEW YORK, NY (August 4, 2011) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today that it has acquired Born to Be Brad: Life and Style Lessons from the Front Lines of Fashion, by TV and fashion personality Brad Goreski. The publication of the book will coincide with Goreski’s premiere season on BRAVO’s “It’s a Brad, Brad World,” produced by Shed Media and Television 360, in 2012.

Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Director of Creative Development at HarperCollins, acquired North American rights for It Books from Farley Chase of the Waxman Literary Agency. Amy Bendell will edit the book. Collaborating with Goreski is writer Mickey Rapkin, former editor at GQ and author of Pitch Perfect (2008), now in development from Universal Pictures.

Fans know Brad Goreski as a top celebrity stylist, fashion trendsetter, and the fun-loving former assistant to Rachel Zoe, but few know the story of how he got there. The book will recount Goreski’s childhood in Port Perry, Ontario, where he escaped the taunts of bullies by reading fashion magazines, performing in the local children’s theater group and playing stylist to Barbie. Moving to Toronto and landing an internship, and later a job at Vogue, helped him break into the competitive fashion world and eventually capture the hearts of millions as the quirky and endearing assistant on BRAVO’s The Rachel Zoe Project. Along with the moving story of his road to success, he will offer a glimpse into his world now, filled with insider access to behind-the-scenes photo shoots and the countless red carpets and awards shows. And of course, the book will also feature his fashion advice and style tips and tricks, complete with color photos.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be working with the creative team at It Books and to tell my story to my fans. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is be true to yourself. I hope that Born to be Brad will inspire others to pursue their dreams, because to make dreams come true we have to listen to our hearts and not be afraid to fail,” said Brad Goreski.
“There’s no one out there like Brad, and this book will be as unique and creative as the style trendsetter Brad has become. Fans everywhere will be empowered by his moving life story, and entertained by his wit,” said Lisa Sharkey.

About It Books: Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including the # 1 New York Times bestsellers Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern and Red by Sammy Hagar as well as Getting the Pretty Back by MollyRingwald, Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss, All My Life by Susan Lucci and The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life by Maria Menounos. Upcoming publications include Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon and Beauty, Disrupted by Carré Otis. It Books is an imprint HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.

In addition to being awesome, it would need to possess certain qualities:  

• Satisfying to watch repeatedly
• Enough of a relationship to the rest of the show that hours of entertainment could be had by discussing (with yourself or your volleyball) the larger significance of the episode
• Not a cliffhanger. How evil would that be?

For me, the answer is, hands down, the Buffy musical episode, “Once More, With Feeling.”  

For those of you who have seen it, I know that you know what I’m talking about. This is clearly the right choice.  

For everyone else: First off, I can tell that you’re thinking, “A musical episode of a show about high school students who fight demons? How could that be good?”* Well, I’m not the only one who thinks so. It was nominated for an Emmy, and received rave reviews, like “‘Once More, with Feeling’ is rhapsodic, original, deeply affecting, and ultimately, transcendental. Quite simply, television at its best.” (The Toronto Star) Also, if you’re a fan of Glee, just think: wouldn’t Glee be even better with a few vampires and Joss Whedon’s writing?**  

The basic premise is that a demon (a dancing demon…no, something isn’t right there) shows up in Sunnydale, and suddenly everyone is singing and dancing about anything and everything: dry cleaning, parking tickets, the difficulty of feeling connected to life when you’ve been brought back from the dead by your well-intentioned friends, secret plans for leaving town, bunny conspiracy theories. You know, the usual. It doesn’t sound too demonic until you realize that A) some people are dancing until they burst into flames and B) nobody has any control over what they’re singing, so they end up spilling their innermost secrets.  

In terms of desert island appeal:  

• Think of the weeks of entertainment that could be gained by learning all of the songs (if, um, one didn’t already know them) and the corresponding dance moves.
• The execution is brilliant; hours could be spent marveling over how well the songs move the action forward. The songs are a realistic (within the Buffyverse) way of having secrets come into the open all at once–how cool a premise is that?
• Because of that, there are many major plot points happening within this episode, so there’s tons of stuff to analyze. (To be fair, this would only be helpful if you had seen, at a minimum, the first part of the season.)
• There are a number of jokes that are easy to miss the first time or five around, so it only gets better the more you watch.
• Spike. (Swoon.)
• Perhaps most importantly, if you are stuck on an island watching a single episode of anything over and over again, you need an episode that will motivate you to get your butt in gear, build a raft and/or signal fire, and figure out how to get off the island already.*** Buffy’s struggle to reconnect with her own life should resonate with you and motivate you in your time of need.

So–if you had to pick only one hour of TV to bring to your island, what would it be? 

*Technically, because this episode is in the 6^th season, only Dawn is still a high school student. The others graduated in epic Sunnydale style at the end of Season 3. Speaking of which–Alyssa Rosenberg has an excellent post about graduation & after here. 

**Yes.  

***It seems like Lost or Survivor might also have episodes that would be good for this particular purpose. But do they have singing and dancing? No. No, they do not.

As a child born in the late 80′s and raised in the 90′s I feel it is my duty, nay, my honor to share with you the joy that Nickelodeon gave to me in my childhood years (dramatic much?). This week Teen Nick launched “90′s Are All That” promoting the late night 90′s shows that are now back at Nickelodeon. These shows include: All That, Kenan & Kel, Clarissa Explains It All, and Doug (a personal favorite).

It is rumored that the executives over at Nick are open to suggestions for other 90′s favorites to be added to the late night list. Personally, I wouldn’t mind Rugrats, CatDog, Hey Arnold!, The Secret World of Alex Mack, or my favorite, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, to be added to the line-up.

Did I stay up late last night giggling like the child I was over the epic shorts from All That?
You bet your bottom dollar I did!

If you are like myself, and many other kids of the 90′s, then what are some of your favorite shows from way back when?

Chinese astrologers may claim that 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit, but I’m going to have to respectfully disagree. The omens are clear for the Year of the Geek Girl:

• In early 2011, kickass website TheMarySue.com launched, with the goals of “highlighting women in the geek world, and providing a prominent place for the voices of geek women.”
• GeekGirlCon, a nonprofit organization and convention celebrating the female geek, will have its first event October 8-9.
• Leslie Simon’s new book, Geek Girls Unite: How Fangirls, Bookworms, Indie Chicks, and Other Misfits Are Taking Over the World, goes on sale October 18. (Full disclosure: I’m the editor.)

One of my favorite things about getting to work on Leslie’s book has been finding out about the countless incredible women who are shaking things up across a variety of industries, like comics,  video games, literature, music, film, comedy, home decorating, and more. And Leslie is going to be blogging about the most inpiring with a new Geek Girl of the Week feature on her site! Check out her initial posts on Bonnie Burton and Bjork here. (And, no, it’s not limited to geekettes whose names start with “B.”)

Finally, super important note: I only mentioned three of them here, but there are dozens or possibly even hundreds of other great sites, twitter feeds, Facebook groups, and Google+ circles (OK, maybe not that) aimed at extraordinary women. Please let us know your site or your favorite site in the comments, and we’ll make sure to keep everyone posted on book launch events and giveaways!

The history of tattoos goes back thousands of years. Though how this artistic trend came about is hazy, the evolution of the tattoo is sometimes extreme. So to honor the crazy, the awesome, and the just-plain-idiotic (you can decide for yourself) enjoy this collection of “fan”actical tattoos.

*face palm*

Want more tattoos? Check out “The Word Made Flesh: Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide”.

These questions cover stuff you learned in school at some point, as well as things you pick up from modern pop culture, making it hipper than Jeopardy and less obscure than Trivial Pursuit.  For instance:

(Marky Mark’s got a what?)

(Answer: #sharp)

In addition to the standard multiple choice question format, there’s “Dis or Dat”, where you distinguish a Tweet from Taylor Swift from one by the Dalai Lama (“Others have the right to happiness, just like yourself”; “Japan is amazing”), or the title of a film by the Three Stooges from one by porn star Jenna Jameson (“Rockin’ in the Rockies”; “4 for Texas”).  Is the Crypts of Lieberkuhn a body part–or a Harry Potter location?

(Answer: body part.)

The game’s available for the major home gaming consoles, as well as in a scaled-down iOS version.  Try the free lite version for your iPhone and try not to burst out laughing in public.

And if you’re feeling generous, YDKJ would appreciate your rating it in the App Store: