Weekend Picturebook: Chicago
S A T U R D A Y
[lunch at portillo’s + catching up with my favorite walmartian-arkansan-chicagoans!]
[contemporary art museum]
[pre-dinner drinks at Pop’s Champagne (not pictured) then pizza at the famous Lou Malnati’s! it was amaaaazing]
[post-dinner walk along the beach with beautiful views of the skyline]
[the drake! my beautiful, old hotel in a perfect location]
S U N D A Y
[early morning walk on the beach – it was cold, but totally worth it]
[after the cold, long walk, I deserved this, right?? vanilla bean + chocolate old fashioned from glazed and infused]
[art institute of chicago was incredible – saw some of my favorites from renoir + monet. I could have spent all day in here!]
[cliche bean picture + walk through millennium park – then more walking, eating, and shopping before …]
[the big event – oscars war room! we were certainly exhausted by the end of it, but very proud of a successful campaign]
If you didn’t see the Oscars and are interested in learning more about how we played a part in the night, check out these videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs6zAwIMDe3MCfYpFAi2PYe9TtUJC3Ig9
xo xo
Oscars 2015: Predictions
I LOVE the Oscars. I will be plopped in front of the TV from the second they start the red carpet coverage until the last word of the final speech. And of course, with ballot and champagne in hand. I’ve hosted several Oscar parties in the past [you can see pictures here and here], but after a month of hosting duties, including a Birthday blowout and 50-person wedding brunch, I will be very content in my joggers on my couch.
I was on a mission to watch all of the nominees for Best Picture, but unfortunately have failed. We will, however, make it to 6/8 after watching The Theory of Everything tonight.
Though I haven’t seen all the nominated films, I’ve read voraciously about who will win, who should win, and who will be a surprise. Below are my predictions – put your money on me or not!
B E S T P I C T U R E
[Nominees: Boyhood, American Sniper, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, Selma, Birdman, Whiplash, Grand Budapest Hotel]
I just adored this movie. It was all I wanted and more. I’ve read reviews people didn’t like it because it was boring, or too long, or didn’t have much of a plot. But that’s exactly why I liked it. It didn’t have a plot with a climax and grand finale, because it was just about life. Life doesn’t have a plot. It has it’s ups and downs and in betweens, and this movie captured it so perfectly.
B E S T A C T O R
[Nominees: Michael Keaton – Birdman, Steve Carrell – Foxcatcher, Bradley Cooper – American Sniper, Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game, Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything]
We saw Birdman and I wasn’t the biggest fan. However, there was no denying the acting was phenomenal. They were nominated in three categories, including Edward Norton and Emma Stone. If it hadn’t been for the acting, I might have walked out of the movie. Michael Keaton was so realistic as this schizo actor, he truly made me believe in what he was seeing.
B E S T A C T R E S S
[Nominees: Julianne Moore – Still Alice, Reese Witherspoon – Wild, Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night, Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything, Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl]
I haven’t seen this movie, though I’m dying to, but I’ve heard just incredible things about Julianne Moore. She seemed born to play this role she does it so well. She’s a very clear win, but I do want to also applaud Reese Witherspoon and Rosamund Pike for their performances. They absolutely deserved their nomination.
B E S T S U P P O R T I N G A C T O R
[Nominees: J.K. Simmons – Whiplash, Robert Duvall – The Judge, Edward Norton – Birdman, Ethan Hawke – Boyhood, Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher]
Again, I haven’t seen Whiplash, though again, I’m dying to. Out of what I have seen, I would have picked Edward Norton to win. However, from what I’ve read and heard J.K. Simmons is a pretty clear winner and did an exceptional job.
B E S T S U P P O R T I N G A C T R E S S
[Nominees: Patricia Arquette – Boyhood, Emma Stone – Birdman, Laura Dern – Wild, Keira Knightly – The Imitation Game, Meryl Streep – Into the Woods]
Patricia Arquette was the clear star of Boyhood. Ethan Hawke was pretty good, the main boy Ellar Coltrane was really good, but Patricia was amazingly good. She was a mother – the good, the bad and the ugly, and made me feel for her throughout. My second choice to win this award would have been Laura Dern – surprisingly transcendent in Wild through her minimal scenes.
Will you be watching Sunday night to see who takes home the top honors?
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Oscars 2014: 5 Best + Worst Dressed, 10 Facts You Should Know About The Oscars
Oscars 2014: 5 Best + Worst Dressed
B E S T D R E S S E D
{Cate Blanchett, Armani // This dress and those applique details are just a dream. She looks like a goddess, just floating along without a care in the world. The nude could easily wash her out, but somehow it complements her skin and hair perfectly.}
{Lupita Nyong’o, Prada // Oh my goodness, breathtaking. She set the bar pretty high as she’s been killing it all awards season, but this “Nairobi” blue instantly set her apart from her peers. Only change in my opinion – lose the headband. It makes her look too young.}
{Angelina Jolie, Elie Saab // Angelina Jolie (and Brad Pitt) are practically royalty in the movie star realm, and she totally brought it. This is the definition of confidence and age-appropriate sexy.}
{Charlize Theron, Dior // Talk about a simple stunner. The fit of this dress could not be more perfect and I absolutely love the nude straps. Top it off with perfect hair, makeup and accessories and you’ve got a winner.}
{Kate Hudson, Versace // I really have no words except, just look at her. The plunging v-neck accentuates her fit figure flawlessly and that cape takes it from beautiful to outstanding.}
Honorable Mentions: Jennifer Lawrence, Olivia Wilde
W O R S T D R E S S E D
Okay, to be fair, there really wasn’t any look on the red carpet I thought was just awful. Overall, the gowns were beautiful, but the five below were just some of my least favorites.
{Jennifer Garner, Oscar de la Renta // I just don’t love this for the Oscars. She looks too much like a high-end flapper and the neckline is too grade school. Spice it up a little bit, Jen.}
{Kristen Bell, Cavalli // I ADORE Kristen Bell, so I hate to put her on this list. Again, it’s not horrible, but it’s not great either. The dress is fine, but the entire look is a little boring and safe. Also, the middle part hair? No.}
{Anne Hathaway, Gucci // This just looks strange. I can’t really put my finger on it, but it kind of looks like she’s wearing an armor breastplate on top of a gown. Sorry, Anne.}
{Sally Hawkins, Valentino// Sally, this was your moment! You were nominated for the first time! You could have killed it and you totally lost it. As we saw, the nude and applique were huge trends, but she did not pull it off properly. It looks like this dress was not fitted for her at all and she just threw it on last minute.}
{Amy Adams, Gucci // I was so excited to see what Amy was going to wear after her amazing dress at the Golden Globes … and this was totally underwhelming. It’s a beautiful dress, but the look is just so-so. I would have completely changed the hair and accessories to make this look more sexy.}
xo xo
Pop, Fizz, Clink!
This will be one of the first years in recent memory I have not hosted my annual Oscars viewing party. Awards season is one of my favorite things ever and it all leads up to the Academy Awards. A good watch party includes friends, ballots, champagne and red carpet critiquing.
Below are a few photos from my first ever viewing party in high school. The attire was sweats (which back then meant we were all wearing Victoria’s Secret PINK), we traced our hands on a fake red carpet and we drank sparkling cider.
Last year I rented out the theater at our apartment complex and had a special cake made just for the event. You can see photos and read my post here. Unfortunately this year I decided not to host an event. As it turned out, mother nature affirmed my decision, as we’re currently in a thunder-sleet-pocalypse and I’m not sure how many people would have been able to attend anyway.
While of course I’ll still be watching (ballot and champagne in hand) I wanted to share some fun viewing party ideas I’ve seen around the web.
Enjoy your evening with the stars! xo xo
{Oscar nominated actor straws via}
{popcorn bar via}
{easy gold decor via}
{movie quote cupcakes – TDF via}
{custom labels via}
{confetti poppers via}
You might also enjoy: 10 Facts You Should Know About the Oscars, Oscar Noms Reviews: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Oscar Noms Reviews: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
This snowy weather (again!) makes me want to stay in all day and watch movies. Alas, that is not an option, but I wish it were. I could sit and watch movies for days on end. If made correctly, they’re so beautiful and give you a peek into another world, sometimes so different from you that you could have never imagined on your own.
With the Academy Awards less than a month away, I’m on a mission to see as many nominated movies as I can. You can see the full list of nominations here. While I still have a few to go, below are reviews of the movies I’ve seen lately. As I always say, take reviews with a grain of salt. If you want to see something, go see it. No matter what anyone says.
Wolf of Wall Street: B+
Here’s the short of it – the acting was phenomenal, but everything else was excessive. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill absolutely deserve an award for their work, but it was overdone with sex and drugs. I understand why Martin Scorsese did what he did, but I just don’t agree with it. It also could have easily been cut by an hour at least.
American Hustle: A-
You want to talk about beauty, this was a beautiful film. The clothes, the music, the hair, the music – it was all absolutely perfect for the era. (I was born in the wrong decade!!) This acting was also top-notch. Every single performance was terrific, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale and of course, my love, Jennifer Lawrence.
Gravity: A+
I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a film so much. Scratch that – enjoyed and been on the edge of my seat so much. The entire film was just breathtaking and Sandra Bullock was perfect. George Clooney was good for some eye-candy and comic relief (per usual). Alfonso Cuaron needs to win Best Director.
Her: A-
I give this one a minus simply because parts of it were just too odd. While we are in the day and age where this could legitimately happen, we’re not quite ready to embrace it. That being said, the film was wonderfully made, retro and modern at the same time. Scarlett Johansson was brilliant. She made you feel and believe simply by her voice. That’s true talent right there.
Blue Jasmine: B+
The story was interesting enough, but as a whole it just wasn’t quite there. The movie’s one redeeming quality was Cate Blanchett, who seems to shine in any role she plays. However, when you don’t have the supporting actors and the plot to hold you up, there’s only so much you can do.
August: Osage County: C+
This movie was just sad. And I mean that in several ways. Sad as in super depressing and sad as in, I was really looking forward to this movie and it did not live up to expectations. Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts were INCREDIBLE. Streep’s monologues were remarkable and reminiscent of a stage play, but the story was just too depressing to justify the performances.
On the top of the list to watch before March 2: Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Nebraska, 12 Years a Slave, Frozen
What do you think of the Oscar nominations?
xo xo
And the Oscar for best party goes to …
Theme: Simple with a touch of glam
Attire: Casual comfy with bling accessories
Food/Drink: Pizza + Champagne
Location: Ranch at Pinnacle Point Clubhouse/Theatre
Enjoy some pictures of a few of the night’s details + honored guests.
xo xo
{the invite}
{Kira}
{Shawn + Rhagen}
{Amanda + Ryan}
{Tayler + Luis}
{Jessica + Jonathan}
{Jon + Ashley}
{Lauren + Alex}
{girls}
{no papparazzi allowed}
{Seth McFarlane = hilarious}
{our very own Oscar}
{ballots}
Love, your hosts M + K
You might also enjoy: 10 Facts You Should Know About The Oscars, My Top 10 Movies of 2012
10 Facts You Should Know About The Oscars
One of my favorite times of the year is red carpet season. I love to see who takes home the big awards (including Best Dressed of course!)
I’ll be back tomorrow with my Oscar party recap, but until then, happy Sunday and enjoy!
xo xo
1. Only once in 80 years has a film (Driving Miss Daisy) won Best Picture without getting nominated for Best Director.
2. Amour is only the 9th foreign language film ever nominated for Best Picture.
3. Silver Linings Playbook got four acting nominations, the first time in more than 30 years that’s happened and only the 14th film to ever get all four nominations. No film has ever won all four acting awards. A Streetcar Named Desire won three of its four nominations back in the 1951 race, the only film in history to do so.
4. No film has won Best Picture in the last 30+ years without a Film Editing nomination.
5. In the past 25 years, only three films have won Best Picture without being nominated for any acting awards.
6. Only two Best Picture winners from 2000 onward had productions budgets exceeding $100 million.
7. This year in the Best Actress category includes the youngest person ever to be nominated (Quvenzhane Wallis, 9) and the oldest person (Emmanuelle Riva, 86) ever to be nominated.
8. The most nominated films in Oscar history are Titanic and All About Eve with 14 noms each.
9. The only sequel to have won Best Picture is The Godfather: Part II.
10. Meryl Streep has had the most Best Actress nominations (14) but Katharine Hepburn holds the title for winning the most in the category (4).
You might also enjoy: My Top 10 Movies of 2012, The Evolution of Movie-Going
Pop Candy {Destiny’s Child Reunion, Blue Ivy’s First Birthday, Kimye Baby Bump}
I wrote my first Pop Candy post this summer {Pre-Weekend Pop Candy} sharing the latest pop culture and entertainment news I’ve been enjoying lately. So I thought it was time to re-visit. What IS going on in the world of celebs these days??
Destiny’s Child to release new song Nuclear + new album with past recordings, oh my GOSH how exciting. This song better live up to some oldies like Survivor and Bootylicious. But wait, there’s more – HOT off the press: Destiny’s Child will reunite at Super Bowl halftime. This is almost as exciting as the Spice Girls reunion at the Olympics. {Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams}
Speaking of Beyonce, her little one turned 1 year old a few days ago! How cute is this pic with daddy and Blue Ivy?! Fun fact: Jay-Z rents a luxurious basement suite at the Barclays Center for $1 million/year so they can watch the Brooklyn Nets without worrying about little Blue. {Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter}
Oscar nominations were announced yesterday, and I’m THRILLED to report Quvenzhane Wallis as the youngest Oscar nominee ever! The 9-year-old was nominated for Best Actress in Beasts of a Southern Wild, as I predicted in my post {Top 10 Movies of 2012} a few weeks ago … {Quvenzhane Wallis}
Speaking of youngins, thank GOODNESS T-Swift is over this 18-year-old punk. Supposedly she’s already in the recording studio writing about it. Funny tweet I saw for a song name: “You’re Just Not My Style.” {Taylor Swift, Harry Styles}
Okay, okay, I know this is fairly old news, but honestly I’m still fascinated/intrigued by it for whatever reason. And these photos were just released of the pair in Paris where you can actually see Kim’s baby bump for the first time. {Kim Kardashian, Kanye West}
xo xo
Spring [Fashion] is in the Air
As a tribute to March and a prayer for warm weather (and no more snow, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.) I’ve decided to start my spring fashion list of hot trends and must-haves. And what better way to begin than by my favorite Oscar 2011 fashion look, Mila Kunis.
This look exemplifies everything I want for spring: sexy, lacy, bold, confident, unique.
To be honest I wasn’t sure what I thought about this dress at first glance, and then it just hit me. I think it’s reminiscent of love at first sight — I was unaware of it at first, because I’m not sure if I believe in that sentiment, and then I just realized, this is the one.
For those of you non-fashion lovers out there this probably sounds very cheesy, but for those of you like me, you know exactly what I mean.
Anyway, this Elie Saab dress is stunning in so many ways and will provide the basis of my spring look book.
Lace
Though I’ve never been much of a lacy fan, I’m reconsidering it for spring. My problem with lace has always been one of too much femininity. It’s romantic, delicate, girly, sweet — none of which I’ve never used to describe my personal style. But this trend saw a lot of diversity at the spring fashion shows and is bringing a new generation of lace that I can definitely get behind — sexy and glamorous.
Bold colors
Let’s turn to another example from the Oscars to prove the power of bold.
This was the first dress I saw on the red carpet and it nearly took my breath away. I didn’t even know who this woman was. Now I know. Twenty-year-old Jennifer Lawrence from Winter’s Bone. 20 years old! Can you believe that? Studies have shown that red is the sexiest color for girls and guys to wear. And doesn’t she look sexy AND confident?
Bold colors should be worn head held high. They make a person stand out in a sea of safe LBDs. And though I am often guilty of choosing the safe black route, which will always be a classic, if you want to turn heads this spring stick with my mantra: Go for the bold!
Michael Kors
Accessories: Gold & Lucite
Gold has always been a favorite of mine and seems to be a hot accessory for winter and spring. Gold accessories come in such a wide range they can make a simple outfit more elegant or a party dress more funky. The gold metallic perfectly complements the spring break tan and bold colors, showing off the body’s natural shimmer.
Though lucite was really a big trend last spring, it’s still hot for 2011. Lucite is a solid, transparent plastic, seen everywhere from necklaces to earrings to bangles to high heels. The fun look is a mix of sophistication and innocence. (Aren’t these similar to the plastic bangles I wore growing up?)
Add the two hot accessory trends of gold and lucite together, and you get some amazing modern jewelry.
m.davis xoxo 
