Dear Diary...

HOW MANY TIMES DOES SOMETHING HAVE TO GO WRONG BEFORE IT FINALLY GOES RIGHT?

We the Jury

When you go into court you are putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty.
—Norm Crosby

Instant Jury: The Court of Public Opinion
Order in the court!
Are you arguing with your roommate, girlfriend, or sibling? Can't resolve a debate in fantasy sports? Settle it here! Take your friends to court to tell your side of the story - while a public jury will vote on who's right! You can also help others settle their squabbles by joining a jury and weighing in.

CASE 1: SALES SWINDLER
THE STAKES: A cut of the commission.

Plaintiff: Jabba (35 years old_male_Los Angeles)
Arguments: As salesman, it is very hard to take a vacation. Part of our job is to service our existing accounts. This usually yields 5-10 phone calls a day with issues that need to be taken care of relatively quickly. When you go on vacation, you get someone to cover for you and give them an IOU for the next time they take vacation. Its not too difficult and usually results in the customer understanding that things wont get done as quickly.
Well, Manny was quick to react when one of my current clients called in with a sales lead. What he should have done was take down the info, call the account and tell them that I would be in touch with them first thing upon my return. Instead, he calls the account, takes them to lunch and closes the sale.
This is within the realm of our sales rules as new accounts are fair game for anyone. However, the gray area is that it should have been mine because it came from my client. I would have closed the deal and then tipped Manny for handling the lead. Instead, he got greedy and I want to be paid what is due to me.

Defendant: SignManny (30 years old_male_Los Angeles)
Arguements: Here I am trying to enjoy a beautiful Sunday thinking i still had 24 hours without having to see your fat ass and now this.....
You lost out on this one man. The sale needed to be maded within 2 days or they were going elsewhere. I felt the sense of urgency they needed and took down the sale. You added exactly 0% to the sales cycle so you shouldn't be paid 1 cold nickel.
The client who gave me the lead was extremely unhappy with your service as of late. I actually helped them out when you were away so they passed the lead on to me. Its not like they were suggesting our products because of your superior service. They wanted to buy something and they needed it today.
Hope you enjoyed your pina coladas while I was making bank. Sucker.

Plaintiff Closing Arguements: And now you are rubbing it in my face? You truly are a no shame salesman. My client recommended this customer because of the service I have given them for 3 years. The lead was generated due to my efforts. Don't try to pawn it off as a random sale. They could have just called the 800 number if they didn't want to be serviced by me. This sale was intended for me. It could have waited 3 more days for me to return and close it. You saw $$ signs and went after it. Legal but not cool. We should split the commish and let me service it from here on out.

Defendant Closing Arguements: Like someone said below.....this is the way it works. I plan on cutting you some cash for the lead but there is no way you deserve to split it 50/50 and inherit the client. They know me now and are comfortable. Why would we change service reps after the sale. That would not be right for the client.

COMMENTS
You guys argue a lot. I think maybe you need to take it outside and finish it once and for all.

Sales is a tricky game. I have been in sales for 15 years. We all get freebies like this every once in awhile. It all comes around and evens out.

Hmm...hard to feel the warm fuzzies for someone who ends their opening argument with "Sucker."

Are you really taunting him or is this just bullpen banter?

VERDICT
Plaintiff Jabba = Winner with 57.1% of the vote

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CASE 2: BALD EAGLE PRANK CALL
THE STAKES: A case of beer for Uncle Dave.

Plaintiff: Spoiler (20 years old_male_Philadelphia)
Arguements: My friend and I love to make prank calls and record them. Most are harmless problems we present to people just to see how they handle them.
James called my Uncle's taxidermy shop with the prank call attached as evidence.
My Uncle thought it was for real and started to bug out. He closed the shop and went home because he thought he was having a heart attack.
I told him it was all a joke but he is still pretty pissed. I think James needs to right the wrong here.

Defendant: BookIt! (18 years old_male_Philadelphia)
Arguements: So Uncle Dave is mad huh? The same Uncle Dave that used to chase me around the basement with the stuffed badger when I was 6? The same Uncle Dave who told me to get something from the shed and then shot me in the ass with a bb gun last summer? The same Uncle Dave who told my girlfriend that he she had a nice rack?
Yeah...I feel real bad for him. My only regret is that I should have kept him on the line longer. His high pitched voice was making me laugh though.

Plaintiff Closing Arguements: Those are all perfect examples of why not to mess with Uncle Dave and those were all unprovoked! Now you pissed him off. He knows you have been emailing this to people and he is looking for revenge.
I would take your lumps and go apologize asap.

Defendant Closing Arguements: As I told him in the call, "I will be down in 15 minutes...you be there mother fucker."
I'm tired of his games. Glad he got a dose of his own medicine.

EXHIBIT A
Bald Eagle Short.mp3

COMMENTS
OMG!!! That shit is HYSTERICAL. I feel for your uncle but that is too good.

Dude that is genius. F your uncle. He has to appreciate the talent to make that call.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!­ Love it. I would have a heart attack too.

VERDICT
Defendant BookIt = Winner with 71.4% of the vote

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CASE 3: BOOB JOB PAY FOR?!
STAKES: We split the cost, you pay the whole thing or we wait.

Plaintiff: jeff (29 years old_male_New Castle)
Arguements: Let me start by saying that I'm a "below the belt" kind of guy. Boobs aren't that important to me, if you have them ... great, if not I don't care.
When I met my girlfriend she would mention in passing that she wanted to get a boob job. She said she was waiting for the right time and that she had the money saved up. As we dated more and more she made more comments in passing. Finally the other weekend she thought that we should split the bill for her boobs since we would both be enjoying them. She said it half kidding around but I know there was some intent there. I said to her that I don't have an issue helping pay for them if that is what she really wanted, but I'd rather wait until we have more of a commitment. Like being engaged or married before I make such an investment...

Defendant: aussie (29 years old_female_New Castle)
Arguements: I've wanted bigger boobs for years, and yes I have money saved up for them. However, to your point if we are going to eventually get engaged/married I'd like to have some of that money to help pay for the festivities. My reasoning is that it's not like you won't be enjoying them. I'm getting them for you as well, so why not chip in a bit. Maybe not half but a little something. I'd want them before I get married so I look good in all the pics!

COMMENTS
Does your girlfriend want these or do you? If it's both then I think you need to split them dude. Split them and enjoy! Fake boobs are much better then real ones. They stand straight up and don't go all over the place when they are let off the leash.

An unmmarried man should never offer to pay or split the bill on enhancements of this type. Particularly if you did not ask for them. And f'k it - if she does go ahead and get them on her own you make damn sure you enjoy them and don't think twice about not helping foot the bill. Ask yourself this, or her for that matter, if she ends the relationship for whatever reason is she willing to leave one teet behind? (after all she is asking you to go split-skees).

Once she gets those things, she will be out on the prowl and you will be left in the dust with nothing but a receipt and hopefully a good mental snapshot.

Ask her for a pretitual agreement. If the relationship ends you get your money back Otherwise -NO F***ING WAY.

"fake boobs are much better than real ones"? Amazing...we've finally had an entire generation raised on fake boob porn and they're convinced there's something wrong with nature. Knew this time was coming but still shaking my head.

Tell her sure...as long as she splits the cost of the new 50 inch plasma tv you want. If she splits, you still have a tv.

The defendant is clearly getting these for herself, why the heck should the plantiff have to pay for anything? She wants to alter her body to make herself feel and look better and thats fine, but trying to justify this to get her boyfriend to pay for part of it? STUPID!

We all see right through those A cup titays of yours, this is selfish on your part, these are for you, pay up.

Women are amazed that we men love boobs - they cannot believe the power their boobs have over us - she is getting the store bought babies so she has power and if you don't really care, she is gonna move on anyway. Don't pay for any part of them and you will get to enjoy them before she shoves off for good, in search of a guy she can control!

VERDICT
Plaintiff jeff = Winner with 94.1% of the vote

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CASE 4: FIANCE CHEATER
STAKES: To tell or not to tell.

Plaintiff: Sir Grapefellow (30 years old_male_Phoenix)
Arguements: Wow...this one is TOUGH. We really need some help here.
My best friend is engaged to my fiance's best friend. We always hang out together so the four of us have become very close.
We went to a Super Bowl party with a large number of people because we are naturally Cards fans. My friend went to the game in Tampa so his fiance came with us.
The party started early so we got really, really, really drunk. We were having a blast (besides the outcome of the game of course) so the night continued pretty late. There as a handful of people still partying but most had cleared out.
I had to work the next day so I had to wrap things up. I went to look for my gal who I thought was outside having a smoke. When I opened the door, I see my boys fiance locking lips with another dude. They didnt even see me. I ducked back in and thankfully found my gal standing right behind me. I sent her out to break it up.
We grabbed a cab home with drunken friends fiance who was extremely wasted. She had no idea what she had just done. I decided to play dumb until I could sort it out with my woman.
This is a damned if you do damned if you dont situation. I feel that being drunk is not really an excuse. Then again, I really don't want to expose this if it was a mistake. They are very happy together and I love both of them. But, i feel that keeping this from my friend would be betraying him but by telling him, my fiance may be betraying her best friend.
HELP!

Defendant: MandM (30 years old_female_Phoenix)
Arguements: So now you know the situation, here is my side of the story.
My friend knows I saw her but does not think anyone else did. She does not remember it all. She didnt even believe me when I told her. She as CRUSHED and has been crying for 3 days. She made me promise that I would not tell my man but little does she know, he saw it firsthand.
I did not recognize the guy so I feel as if it would not get out through any other source. However, I feel that she truly made a mistake and we should leave it at that. She was totally not herself this day. The excitement in this city was higher than it has ever been so I think we all just got a little carried away.
I think we should let the two of them sort it out and pretend we know nothing.

Plaintiff Closing Arguements: I'm pretty sure that we are not the only ones that know about this. The guy she hooked up with had to know someone at that party and may have said something. I would rather him hear it from her than us but the worst would be if he heard it from someone else. If he did, we would all look like we were betraying him.
I have been friends with this guy since the day we were born. He would expect me to say something. If it breaks them up, maybe it was all for the better.

Defendant Closing Arguements: This WILL not get out. I do not want to even think of what it would be like to ruin their relationship and never see either of them again.
This was a stupid mistake that was made on a very drunken night. The remorse is there, the heartache is there, we do not need to do anything else.
The lesson has been learned. Lets leave it at that for all of our sakes. Some things are better left unsaid. End of story.

COMMENTS
Sounds like either way, someone will get hurt.

If she did it once she'll do it again. Her slut mentality was just buried in the back of her brain. A few drinks just allowed it to come out. What would happen if she went further with the guy and got pregnant? And then didnt remember it? Would she pawn of the child as her husbands? Rat that broad out.

Why not just pretend you were drunk and you didnt see it? I'd mind my own. If you say something, he may stay with her anyway and it could hurt your relationship.

you have to tell. be a man.

I'm sensing a little too much sympathy from the plaintiff's fiance. Are we sure she hasn't acted the same way at some parties where the plaintiff wasn't present? Or maybe the plaintiff's fiance cheated on him with the plaintiff's best friend, which is why she doesn't want to bring the subject of cheating up.

no way...it's just not your place. What if your friend becomes irrational and get pissed at you. I've seen friendships end over less than this. Think about it - you and your friend don't stand to gain anything from this.

Don't be the messenger!! If they are truly in love, they will stay together anyway - despite this bump in the road. Then you will be the friend that 'tried to break them up.' Never insert yourself in a friend's relationship. I know you've known him since birth, but if he loves her, he will side with her and you will be 'the dead messenger.'

She is just going to cheat on him, catch alot of STD's, give it to him and then look at the mess she caused.

VERDICT
Defendant MandM = Winner with 100% of the vote
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John the Rebel

Hit Man
[NOW Magazine - Jul.09-09]

John Leguizamo's Just For Laughs show is full of angry stories he can't tell in the U.S.

Most Hollywood actors keep quiet about the drama behind the scenes. Not John Leguizamo.

In his 2006 memoir, the fiery character actor best known for roles in Romeo + Juliet, To Wong Foo and Carlito's Way aired tons of Tinseltown's dirty laundry. Now his new solo show promises to take things a step further.

"Every day I'm making a hit list," he quips on the phone from New York City. "It's a laundry list of who's been messing with me and how to get back at them. This show is basically an expose. I take a very harsh look at who I am and how I got to where I'm at."

The play has already rattled some cages south of the border. Earlier this year, Leguizamo had to pull the plug on performances at NYC's Barrow Street Theater and the Actor's Playhouse after some of his barbs landed him in legal trouble.

"I had to cease and desist! I was told by this lawyer that I'm not allowed to say things like 'he's a sociopath' because I'm not a doctor, and apparently that counts as a diagnosis."

He adds that Canada lies outside the jurisdiction of the legal complaint, so what couldn't be said on stage in New York will be part of his show at Just For Laughs.

While he's starred in some bona fide Hollywood duds (The Pest, Super Mario Bros.), Leguizamo has real writing and acting chops and a clutch of stage awards to prove it.

His previous solo shows, Mambo Mouth, Spic-O-Rama and Freak, have earned him a solid reputation for playing all types of characters in rapid succession, as well as being brutally frank about himself and his past - no matter who gets offended in the process.

"Freak was about my father and me growing up as a kid. We never had a good relationship, but Freak put the nail in the coffin, so to speak, and now we're not talking."

He won't reveal who exactly gets dissed this time around (you'll have to buy a ticket to find out), but he claims that "a couple of actors are very angry with me for this, and one of them says he wants to punch me."

His memoir famously outed Leonardo DiCaprio as "a patron of prostitutes," so is it Leo who wants to tangle?

"No, Leonardo's not pissed off, actually," he says. "I saw him recently and he was totally cool. He didn't even mention it."

Balancing comedic and dramatic roles isn't easy, he admits.

"I can do it because I worked at it. I did my time in comedy clubs and doing performance art. I studied with the greatest acting teachers in New York City. I wasn't born a natural actor; I worked my ass off until I looked like a natural actor.

"This show is blatantly honest and unflattering. People are going to hear things about showbiz that they won't anywhere else. Nobody else is brave enough, nobody else has the balls to tell it like this, and I'm proud of that."
**************************************************
John Leguizamo Live! at the Berkeley Street Theatre (Jul.14-18).
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Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends: My Life
In this brash autobiography, comic Leguizamo recalls a life lived "on the fine line between acting and acting out." Readers who know his celebrated one-man shows, Mambo Mouth and Spic-O-Rama among them, will recognize some of the same people and topics: the doting mom, authoritarian father, brother Serge and the author's perpetually adolescent fascination with sex. Familiar, too, are the chameleonlike shifts of tone and theme— Leguizamo's trickster charm and outspoken ethnic pride can morph to candid yet searing takes on money, fame and the acting life. Mostly, Leguizamo tracks his maturation and unlikely rise from a smart-ass acting tyro born in Colombia and raised in Queens, N.Y., to an award-winning actor, director and family man. As he puts it: "I'm a horrible example of how to have a successful career." Yet Leguizamo makes this story full of behavioral quirks and professional beefs memorable. Whether he is being tough on Latin stereotypes or describing his sexual conquests, the text is hilarious—propelled by jokes, quips and situations in which the author usually finds himself driven to reaction instead of reflection. This mix of the glib and the sometimes glam presents a refreshing cultural tonic.
--Publishers Weekly

Bio
Awards


PLAYLIST
Freak - part 9
Sexaholic - part 6
______________________________________________

NEW POSTS
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Bright Ideas

What to do after being laid off? For 26-year-old Alex Light, there was only one option: head down to the beach and get fit. After losing his job in Dubai real estate, he set up Bad Times Bootcamp to help unemployed people get fit and get to know each other. [via]

Remove the lead vocals from a hit song, and you've got the makings for karaoke. Erase a lead actor from a popular film, and you've got the idea behind Yoostar. [via]

Scred — short for "street credit"—allows friends, groups and communities to manage their collective money. [via]
Example of Scredding in a Pool
The user msk has his pay day tomorrow, but he needs a bit for food and essentials today. Another user, setok, decides to lend him some money. Instead of writing the figures down in a random text file or paper slip they can use Scred to register this debt. Simple and easy.

RunMyErrand is a web and mobile marketplace that gives individuals and businesses an easy way to get everyday tasks done. [via]
Top Errand Ideas
**Renew a parking permit. **Wait in line for sports tickets. **Send a birthday gift across town. **Pick up takeout from a restaurant that doesn't deliver. **Pick up clothing donations and deliver them to the charity.

Created through a partnership between Apple and Zipcar, a new application will allow users of Zipcar's car-sharing service to use their iPhones to find, reserve and unlock vehicles. [via]

The Trunk Club now offers men the services of a personal shopper from the convenience of their own office or home. [via]


Book Of Cooks is a new online marketplace that can help consumers find local foodies who are willing to cook for them. [via]


The Music Tee, a shirt that gives wearers the right to free music downloads. [via]
About LnA
"Our focus is always finding a new way to put our own spin on basics..."

Offering a fresh and upgraded take on the ages-old confection, Xooro now operates two stores—in Santa Monica and West Hollywood—with a gourmet line of the mouth-watering fritters. [via]

YrWall is an interactive virtual graffiti wall that avoids the drips and damage because, quite simply, there's no paint involved. [via]

Launched earlier this month, Creative Caravan is a property listing service for people working in the creative industries, devised to help film directors, make-up artists, painters, photographers, etc. find a place to (sub)let or swap. [via]
Bright Apartment in Greenwich Village (Aug.08-Sep.26/09)
Not many responsibilities really, just don't burn the place down and be nice to the neighbours. Rent is $700/week which includes all utilities so nothing complex there, then.

Now aiming to review, highlight and uncover the best of curbside cuisine nationwide comes VendrTV, a video podcast that profiles a different street vendor each week. [via]


An antidote to energy drinks like Red Bull, Slow Cow was developed to help people de-stress. [via]
__________________________________________________

NEW POST
Be Happy
__________________________________________________

Make it Together

Is the Recession Ruining Your Relationship?
[jezebel.com - Jul.19/09]

COMMENTS
Slumdog_Mamabear says:
I think this article missed the mark if it was attempting to resonate with a large group of readers. What the recession has done to mangle my relationship has nothing to do with wine lists or the inability to go running with the bulls. When I married my husband we used to joke that we would happily live under a bridge together.
But this recession hit at the same time as my medical problems did. So not only is he left figuring out how to stay employed in an unemployable field, but we are saddled with medical debt as well.
Financial difficulties don't hurt relationships because we are all wishing we could go to nicer restaraunts. But because it can create a perfect storm of role confusion, guilt, resentment and fear that would tear apart even the closest of couples.
What dopes those two are. Crying into their 30 dollar wines and realizing that their significant other was just....boring.
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WashingMyHair says:
@Slumdog_Mamabear: You are my twin. It's been the same for me and my husband. We started dating when we had no money and didn't feel entitled when we started to make a decent living. But then, his wages started to stagnate, then decrease, right when I started suffering from a few medical issues that not only brought on medical bills, but affected my career and income.

It's been hard on our relationship for the same reasons you cited. But I"m also not too ashamed to say that I also slightly resent that my whole life, I've never even been close to achieving the "American Dream". Maybe that's because we've worked hard and played by the rules.

It sometimes seems that the American dream is only for members of the lucky sperm club or people who hurt others in order to get ahead.
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Slumdog_Mamabear says:
@WashingMyHair: I am slightly embarrassed to say that reading your comment made me tear up. I am so sorry that you have been through some of this stuff as well, but to hear someone reach out from the ether and say they understand means a lot.
We really thought we were on our way to that dream. We were comfortable enough that we even had two kids at the beginning of our marriage. (They are still babies now). But with Papabears industry collapsing and me hardly able to take care of the kids, let alone a job, it just all seems so scary.
But I have to have faith that we can pull through it TOGETHER. We may not have much right now but we don't have anything if we give up.

Facebook Fiasco

Are you sure you want to deactivate your account? Your friends will no longer be able to contact you.
Above is a screengrab from when I deactivated my second account with Facebook. It reminds me, metaphorically speaking, of a sad puppy dog face mournfully pleading Please don't go. Notice the names of my contacts followed by the "will miss you" part? Cheap trick and more than a little hilarious in a pathetic sort of way. I think my "friends" will do just fine without me, thank you very much. It's not like I had time to build any sort of rapport with them. Besides, I'm not that hard to find. Hidden in plain view actually.

My first account, which I'd nurtured for 3 weeks, was disabled without notice or warning. I lost all of my contacts - 104 names to be precise - without any means of retrieving them. Singers, actors, models, business people....all gone. I wanted to bring people over to my site, Miss Delite, and I was achieving that until Facebook pulled the plug.

Upset as I was at how quickly and easily my efforts were flushed down the crapper, I put up another account and started again - until yesterday - I had a moment of clarity. I thought to myself You know what? This is too much work for too little reward. What if Facebook disables my account again? What then???

So I cancelled it.

Seriously though, Facebook and I made strange bedfellows. The entire set up - while efficient and extensive - is extremely straitlaced. Even the hookers are wholesome. If I want to hang out with the Ozzie and Harriet crowd, I'll... well, I'll shoot myself because clearly that's not something I'd ever want to do. I'm not a child and I've no desire to be one or be treated like one.

It's not like I posted anything offensive on my profile. Mostly it had pics of models and music videos. There were a couple of nudes, and I vaguely recalled a No nudity clause, but I thought it was okay to post them only after I'd seen much worse on other profiles, as in pierced genitalia and shaved ass holes. My nudes were tasteful. Art gallery quality rather than pornographic in nature.

But that's Facebook for you: Disneyland for adults. Let's all pretend we're 4-year-olds and that sex doesn't really exist, shall we?

Nauseating.

After all of that, I got an email today from "Fred" in response to my query as to what prompted their decision to piss on my parade. I'm surprised he even bothered; customer service agents are notoriously elusive. Of course, in a capacity typical of robotic officials, the It's-our-way-or-the-highway tone of his email rubbed me the wrong way. He also alluded to some bogus claims without bothering to back them up or solicit my side of the story. It's all very vague and obtuse. Naturally, I had to respond.

Forthwith, our exchange:

Hi facebook,
If I posted material that was offensive to anyone, I would have happily removed it.
I was building interest in my site, http://www.missdelite.com/.
By disabling my account without warning caused me to lose all of my contacts. This hardly seems fair.
I kindly ask that you reconsider your decision.
Thanks for your consideration,
Tia

Hi Tia,
After reviewing your situation, we have determined that you violated our Terms of Use. Please note that nudity and other sexually explicit content is not allowed on the site. Additionally, we do not allow users to send messages that are sexually suggestive, or that other users may find harassing in nature. We will not be able to reactivate your account for any reason. This decision is final.
Thanks for your understanding,
Fred
User Operations
Facebook

Fred,
No, I don't understand.

As to the nudity, yes I posted 2 pictures with nudity, which I thought were ok because I saw much worse on other profiles. Pierced genitalia and shaved ass holes come to mind. If you're truly serious about cracking down on lewd images, you will investigate what the BDSM and fetish communities are posting on their profiles.

Besides, why couldn't someone have informed me of the "offense" and requested I remove the pictures? I would have done so without question or arguement. Is it not your standard procedure to at least give a warning?

As for sexually suggestive messages, I have no idea what you're referring to. The only thing I can think of is that sometimes I would write "hi cutie" in my request form. Did someone complain about that? How ridiculous.

And as for charges of harassment, this goes beyond reasoning. I harassed no one. If someone refused a friendship request, I left it at that and did not pursue it. I exchanged friendly messages and postings with a few people but nothing contentious or upsetting. If someone has accused me of harassing them then they are lying.

My theory is that you probably got a complaint about my profile after I'd removed several names and changed it to private, but since you're not open to discussing the matter with me, I can only surmise this.

As for me, I walk away from my Facebook experience extremely disappointed and more than a little ticked off. I think your team handled my case poorly and I will not be coming back.

One ex-Facebook fan (and I'm sure there are many),
Tia

****************************************************
[Jul.25-09]

Soooo....I reactivated my account.

*shrug*

What can I say? Facebook is a valuable resource and just because I was the victim of overzealous censors, it doesn't mean I have to give up the opportunity to connect with interesting people, right?

Right.

Besides, where else am I going to "become a fan" of Original Taint?

Well, they're not on Facebook (too explicit I guess) but they're the whole reason I came back!

(Now that I hear their shit though, umm...they're different.)

Liar Liar

Toronto's Best Dressed: Deena Pantalone
This week's pick donned the perfect party frock, which nails all the right balances: classic, but not boring; bright, but not blinding; youthful, but definitely not for the teenybopper set. We spoke to the diva behind the dress, Toronto developer Deena Pantalone, who explained her approach to recessionary fashion that, incidentally, doesn't involve skimping on shoes.

WHO DESIGNED YOUR DRESS?
Well, me, sort of. It's a really old vintage dress I've had lying around the house for years. My cousin is a stylist in New York, so she helped me decide how to alter it, and then I just took it into one of those tiny mom-and-pop seamstress shops on Queen West.

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COMMENTS
[torontolife.com]

Ana says:
Speaking of wearing the same dress. I have this dress. The exact same dress, down to the colour and every last detail of stitching. Its neon red and amazing. Although it looks vintage, its not. FYI hunny, ‘you’ didn't design this dress, at all. They didn't make neon red cocktail dresses in the 50’s.
The “tiny mom-and-pop seamstress [shop] on Queen West”, is in fact a fabulous dress boutique called Champagne and Cupcakes. I think credit should be given where credit is due.
Great dress though.

Caroline says:
Deena,
I am EXTREMELY disappointed that you are claiming that you, “sort of” designed the dress and had it “altered at a seamstress shop on Queen.”
WOW!
I’m not sure what you are trying to prove, but you did not “sort of” design the dress. I, PERSONALLY designed AND made that dress. All I must say is WOWEE…talk about trying to steal credit. You should be ashamed of yourself.
And FYI, Champagne & Cupcakes is NOT a “seamstress shop”, as I am NOT a seamstress. I am a designer. Champagne & Cupcakes is a local dress boutique which sells dresses designed and made by myself.
All I have to say is WOW, the nerve of some people.
Ana, thank you so much for making the correction! I really appreciate people who understand how to properly credit someone’s work and have an appreciation for it. Thanks again!
oh…and Deena,
I’m not sure how this dress was “lying around your house for years” if it was only created this season.
Wow.

Maria says:
I HAVE THIS DRESS TOO - but in an electric purple!!! From the amazing designer, Caroline Lim - Champagne & Cupcakes, on West Queen West! BUSTED!!

kathy says:
note to the editor of this section: given the obvious appropriation of the dress design, i think a formal correction is in order. after all, we all know that copyright in the fashion industry is a hot issue right now.

Richard says:
Produce the receipt Cupcakes, finish her off.
Bet there isn’t even a cousin in New York.

Annie says:
I cannot believe Deena’s audacity. What a complete and blatant lie! I work as a fashion stylist and often pull from Champagne and Cupcakes for shoots and magazine editorials. I know 200% that this dress is an original Champagne and Cupcakes design as I would get to preview some of Caroline’s new designs before it’s sold in the store, and this was one of them! She had even consulted me on some of the fabric color choices she was thinking of offering in her new collection. She has options in yellow, green and red in that dress, and it’s one of her best selling designs! Does she seriously think she can fool the fashionistas in Toronto?! I completely agree with Kathy’s comment above on copyright. Please, have some class and own up to your pathetic fabrication.

Viv says:
Champagne and Cupcakes is a wonderful store with a very hardworking and talented owner and designer! She is not only an amazing talent but a great person!
Love you Caroline!

Caroline says:
I really appreciate all the positive feedback! Wow. I’m gonna give credit to where it’s due, so Deena, thanks to you, all the loyal Champagne and Cupcakes customers are getting a treat. I’ll be having a ‘Miss Discredit Discount Sale’. As a thank you for leaving a comment, Champagne and Cupcakes will offer you a discount at the store! Just print out your comment from the blog and we’ll take $5 off each regular priced in store dresses or 10% off accessories on your next purchase from May 27-June3, 2009.
Thanks for the support! XOXO!

Jessica says:
Not that another comment truly needs to be made, HOWEVER, as an employee at Champagne and Cupcakes I can say that this beautiful frock is a genuine Ms.Lim design - I have sold and seen Caroline sell more than just a few of this brand-new and fabulous dress in the store.
And to put Deena straight - Caroline’s boutique is not one bit “Mom and Pop”, and she is a DESIGNER not a seamstress.
Shame on you Deena. If you were even a tiny bit of a designer, you would never claim someone’s elese work to be your own.

ruby says:
this article only caught my eye because i too own this dress! was shocked when i began reading…LIAR!!!
Deena Pantalone: shame on you!

Lorna says:
Deena’s a typical evil developer— finding something cool and then trying to pass it off as their own.
Deena,perhaps you’re one of the best liars but definitely not the best dressed.

Tiana says:
Not even a very good liar to start with…
Caroline, I am so sorry this happened to you. YOUR designs are beautiful and no one should ever try to pass them off as their own..ew tacky.

Kaleigh says:
kind of makes you wonder what else she may be lying about as well…….

Casie Stewart says:
SHAME on you.
Now the whole interweb knows. Boo hoo.

Tiffany says:
hahaha i know this girl…
Deena you really need to relax with claiming a design is yours when it cleary is not. Like what your so spoiled that you’re afraid to let people know that your not wearing Gucci or Prada? way to use the “it’s vintage card”
ps the new york cousin is real, but she is hardly a stylist hahaha She’s just as much of a poser as her cousin.
Caroline, love your designs girl… my girlfriend wore that exact dress for her birthday and was definitely the best dressed birthday girl i have ever seen. I need to come in to check out your collection.

Lilly says:
For the record, the style of this dress is a classic. As if it is an original of Champagne and Cupcakes, if anyone should get the design credit it’s Oscar de la Renta and the store did nothing but knock it off.

Cam says:
Audrey Hepburn had style & grace.
You may have style with this gorgeous dress but honey…you definitely DO NOT have grace!
shame on you.

Steph says:
She stole credit for a dress and why is she called a recessionista if she’s dropping mega bucks on shoes and high end jewelery???
Considering everyone and their dog knows this dress is from C&C - kind of questions the person who is heading up this section in Style, don’t it?
Recessionistas buy accessories where they are cheap. Their shoes are the same. And the dress? Well I think Deena’s been embarrassed enough. Plus very unflattering on her. Looked better on me!

Shannon says:
Now this is funny. Oh, the facepalms.

Fashion says:
Girlfriend lied her butt off and got caught, thinking no one would catch her.
She is getting stones thrown at her in every direction and no one should try to fight it, because she deserves it. There is no credible defense. The only face saving thing to do is to apologize to Caroline. In person. But failing that, no one should try to defend her. This too shall pass (although it’s going to last awhile), so the next best thing is for her to keep quiet.
And not to put a caste system on things, but being a designer does require much more skill than being a seamstress, but Miss Thing is probably too pampered to realize that no one in the service sector is her servant. Everybody that “serves” her is probably a “squire” in her mind - sort of like Don Quixote.

Jean says:
@ Lilly:
It’s ridiculous. Given, that designs are all some sort of knockoff or ‘inspired’ by another design, but to actually wear the item of a designer and claim credit as your own is just wrong.

Valentina says:
And with apparent ease, Deena managed to cram her Louboutin-clad foot in her gaping maw…

Jin says:
This is 2009, and we are living in the world of SOCIAL MEDIA- dont’ even think about lying like ms. Deena here, and get away with it!!
I have never seen so many comments on any TL blog posting.

Champagne & Cupcakes says:
Everyone, thank you so very much for your support. It is very nice to hear your positive feedback. Eventhough your support is very appreciated, please do not post anymore negative comments for Ms. Patalone.
Although, I was upset at first, I now feel like Champagne & Cupcakes has received the proper credit for the dress. I would appreciate if this issue was laid to rest. Honestly, there are no hard feelings.
Thanks again.

Amoryn Engel (National Post writer) says:
This is very evidently a witch hunt that has been staged by the owner of Champagne and Cupcakes. Any dummy could figure out that these posts have been submitted by friends of the shop’s owner Caroline. I find this truly appaling. Shame on you Caroline for encouraging this disgusting display. I will certainly never bring you my business — whatever happened to discretion? How unprofessional.

kathy says:
sorry, amoryn, you seem to be missing the point here. a witchhunt implies an innocent accused - not the case here. ms. deena brought this on herself with her ridiculous story, and lack of smarts (did she really not know that toronto life has comments section on its website, and that there is such a thing as an internet?). and what exactly should the maker of the dress that was claimed to be made by another person be discreet about? if somebody ripped off your work, and claimed it as theirs, you would be ‘discrete’ about it? are you insane?
i don’t know the owner of the store, not that you’d believe me. but even if most of the posters are her friends, so what? does that make the facts of the case different? no.

Glam says:
Discretion flies out the window when the way one puts bread on the table is undermined by someone who claims in print that they made the ugly dress instead of the rightful person who made said ugly dress.

The Truth says:
To Amoryn Engel - it’s far more shameful that you are obviously a friend of Ms. Pantalone and accusing a hard working owner of a business of going on a “witch hunt” against your friend. You are no doubt a great and loyal friend, but a lousy judge of character and propriety. There is no defense for what Pantalone did. None. Zippo.
If you are a true friend, let her wear a sack cloth instead of C&C for awhile, and then she’ll get over it and get back to being a socialite with no regard for all the little people.

Edwin says:
Dear Amoryn Engel
I have no words for you. You truly have no knowledge of what are rights, and what are lies…

The Truth says:
If anyone does a google search, you can find some pretty revealing things.
Ms. Pantalone is no doubt a very powerful lady in the “right” circles, as are her defenders, some of who may have even posted on the comments section...Those that are advantaged, that find themselves in a position to run charity balls need to realize that the world does not revolve around them, and they cannot manipulate and lie just because they are rich and/or beautiful. The truth matters, and if you are the stewards and leaders of your organizations, what do your little white lies, and your bald-faced defenses say about you?
If your heart is pure with charity, then you should know this already.

Valentina says:
Amoryn Engel, this story has made the rounds on Twitter amongst other websites and blogs. How embarrasssing.
Personally, I hadn’t heard of either designer or Queen of the Gaffe (Pantalone) prior to today.
Although I must say it is very noble of you to pander to your society pal with your comments attacking the designer. With any luck, this display will earn you an extra double air kiss from her at the next event you attend together!

Wonder Woman says:
Wow!!! Wow!!
Okay-here is the deal. I know Deena. She is a friend of the family. Lets be clear and fair in our remarks. What she did…in claiming that she designed the dress, is WRONG.
OKAY??? YES!! WRONG!!
But what is with ALL you people freaking out???
I haven’t spoken to her about this-I caught wind on Twitter.
I really feel that many of you have lost your sense of proportionality. You are using crazy and hurtful language to attack someone, because she did something that 95% of us do…which is to bend the truth about fashion?? Where are your heads? DO ANY OF US WEAR MAKEUP? DO ANY OF US PAINT OUR NAILS???? IS THAT NOT ALSO A LIE…?? IS THAT NOT ALSO PART OF THE NEVER ENDING FASHION MYTH??
I mean, its only fashion.
Caroline has every right to be upset. But Deena is an amazing young woman, who is very family oriented, extremely hard working and donates massive amounts of her personal time to charity.
And she screwed up.
But please…back off with this venom. Its simply too much.
There are some real issues in the world for us to be paying attention to…and some of them are the recipients of the amazing charitable work done by pillars in our society, like Deena.
The anonymity of a blog, isn’t really a blank cheque, for you to lose your entire equilibrium. Its only fashion.

I guess I am Super Man says:
Re: Wonder Woman
I love how you think that because she is involved in charitable work, we should somehow find it within ourselves to exonerate her of what is clearly a fabrication.
If it is “just fashion,” then how come Deena couldn’t just say she purchased it at Champagne and Cupcakes?
This is just another case of trying to ‘up’ credibility outside of your professional domain and not having the style gene to pull it off. Deena is obviously not worthy of being named Best Dressed, not only because she is quite clearly taking credit for a several-decade-old silhouette, but also because the design isn’t that remarkable in the first place.

Annie says:
@ Wonder Woman:
Why is this blog getting so much attention?! People are passionate about expressing their outrage because this transcends into more than ‘ONLY FASHION’. Yes, this is a fashion post and the whole subject IS based/started on a fashion topic, re. ‘best dressed’, but what people can relate to is that she obviously lied and took credit for something she didn’t do. Whether you like the dress or not, who cares?! You can take the dress out of the equation because this goes beyond fashion, it can happen in any field of work, creative wise or business wise. Deena could’ve simply said ‘It was specially designed for me’, but instead she took the liberty to create an elaborate lie to make herself look better.
And if Deena really IS a ‘pillar in the community’ as you claim, then she REALLY should have been smarter before she opened her mouth. Because this is no longer an issue of ONLY FASHION. Now I would question her morals and integrity when it comes to professional and business dealings. How can I be sure when working with her or for her that she will not just lie to benefit herself?!
We’ve all been taught the moral of the story from a young age, from ‘The boy who cried wolf’ to dear old former president Mr. Bill Clinton. WHEN YOU LIE, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES!
It’s not only fashion, it’s reality.

Joe d says:
Reading todays Toronto Star Living section page L5 and there is a picture of Ms Pantalone with her Mom in the infamous ‘dress’ from the Butterfly ball. FYI its credited, according to the paper as being a DIOR...Ms Pantalone has unwittingly become digital highway roadkill- Fashion carnage at its frothy finest.

emma says:
I personally would have really respected Deena if she’d used the opportunity to help promote a home grown Canadian small business-part of the very backbone of our country’s economy. As a business person (or someone who works for her dad at any rate) you’d think Deena would understand how valuable this publicity could be to a small business. But instead, she used the opportunity to self-promote in a dishonest way. It makes us wonder what else is fake about her...I have to say that, on a personal note, reading this story brought me right back to my years at Branksome Hall-a private girl’s school that both Deena and I attended (though I’m much younger than she is). This whole silly escapade felt just so authentically Branksome.

Paula says:
Deena is pathetic! Hahaha… with all her friends commenting here, she has no doubt heard that she has very PUBLICLY been found out! She is clearly to embarassed to defend herself, because she knows she lied.
I don’t know this person or that person on here, but I do own that EXACT dress from Champagne and Cupcakes… whether or not she says its Dior or vintage - there is a very specific way you can tell it is neither…:
see the lining at the shoulder peaking out slightly? I remember thinking that was a great touch to my dress - all three of the colourways had these very distinct linings in a slightly off-tone of the dress!
Deena just thinks she’s too special to actually own something affordable by the rest of the general public.
Prententious much?
I dare Deena to apologize in face to the designer she ripped off - or to actually come forward to defend her ridiculous actions.

Joe d says:
the star has replaced it online but trust me when i say the hardcopy newspaper lying on my floor has a pic of her with her and Mom and it definitely says its a Dior. Interesting the Star online just changed the image and didn’t bother to mention a correction or any of the fashion tsunami that is whirling around. A little disingenuous I think on their end.

Janice says:
OMG I just heard the divine Shaun Proulx comment on his afternoon drive on this topic. BEST COMMENTARY SO FAR (he’s also the hottie behind the HIMBO! blog post above) on this disaster. LOL. Deena u suck.
OOPS - I mean his afternoon drive show on 103.9 PROUD FM … the above made no sense otherwise I realized! J. (Deena u still suck.)

Jeremy says:
I do not think that someone should take credit for someone else’s work, but at the same time the way that this was handled was not classy at all. The designer should have called the customer (who had to this point frequented her shop and spent enough money to deserve some respect) and expressed her displeasure. She should then have asked the customer to contact this magazine and provide a clarification/correction (and possibly an endorsement). Only then, if no response or explanation was forthcoming, would it have been appropriate to take the complaint public, and even then, it should never have become a smear campaign.
There is a right way and a wrong way to handle things, and this was not handled well. I would never buy a dress from someone (I don’t buy dresses so lets say suit) who was so quick to attack their customers and to encourage others to do so. The designer’s subsequent comments seem to suggest that she realized this.

RBeezy says:
Jeremy, Deena called Caroline a seamstress. That’s an insult. I’m a graphic designer and if someone referred to me as a typesetter or production artist they’d get it with both barrels.
Props to Caroline for standing up for her artistry.

lia says:
jeremy you’re delusional. this is what twitter and social media are based on: immediacy of information. what are you a mennonite?

The Truth says:
I’m a mennonite seamstress recessionista in laboutin heels
A dynamite seamless procession of venom at the booty deal
Handed to champagne and cupcakes from some bland b-cup fake
While a bad babysitter hits twitter with bitter words that will get her
Equally hated by friends of the offender, who somehow find a way to defend her
Should have given the poor store the fairest mention,
Instead of coming off like the poor man’s Paris Hilton
Next time you find yourself at charity balls, remember C&C, and hope Clarity Calls

Blink says:
Word on the street is that Deena herself went over to C&C yesterday to apologize (sort of) to Caroline.
Case closed.

Jean says:
Re: Jeremy
That’s absurd. You seriously think each and every store you buy something from will take down your number so they can call you, just in case?! And so what if Deena spend money at C&C? So you think spending lots of money means she can do as she pleases?! She paid to buy the dress, not the right to boasts it as her own creation. And I do not see it as a smear campaign as the owner of the store merely stated a fact that it’s her own design. Deena lied, and she got caught.

Joe d says:
Front page of the paper people. Toronto Star. Here is your link.

Eddie says:
Sweet justice! And remember Deena, your deceit will be forever archived in digital repository called the world wide web. The internet—-the great equalizer.
By the way, nice earings. Where did you get them? :->

Eddie says:
One more q: (not meant in a sarcastic way whatsoever)
Caroline says she’s not a “seamstress” but a designer that designs and makes dresses. Does the difference lie in that a seamstress makes clothes based on other people’s designs and a designer designs AND makes the outfit?

sew happy says:
re eddie:
Well in the fashion industry we call a sewer the person who sews the clothes and puts the garment together, usually in large quantities. A seamstress is a person a consumer would normally bring their already bought and finished clothing for alterations, such as fixing a hem or letting out a seam. A designer is the creator of the garment, from design and concept. Caroline is known in the industry for doing it all herself. From fabric choices, to design, pattern drafting and sewing.

Gianni Versace says:
wow, what a LOSER…at least the media storm is causing a lot of attention for the designer and she will probably have the busiest month ever in June.
Deena….what a catch…hope you can find a SUCKER that will put up with your HIGH-MAINTENANCE, gold-digging, lies…did I mention LOSER..

Seraph says:
There is something else going on here besides taking credit for someone else’s work. The underlying point here is that Ms. Pantalone obviously felt the store and the price tag on the dress beneath what was expected of her. To lie about a dress bought and altered from Walmart would be excusable by everyone on this blog. I think what’s really irked people is that she’s elevated herself to a whole other level of snobbery. I’m not quite sure why she felt that claiming to refurbishing a vintage dress would somehow be more socially acceptable than admitting to buying from an inexpensive local designer. This is what confuses me most.

Mike says:
Seraph, not admitting the dress is inexpensive to avoid embrassment and taking credit for someone’s work is two different things.
I could imagine for Caroline that designing clothes represents her career, years of hard work & acquired knowledge, and definitely a big part of her her, if not, pretty much her life..
Stealing credit away from Caroline is like taking away a big part of who she is.
Deena, is a very privileged girl, and is like I said before, having so much yet taking away what little others have.
Really resonates with the rich robbing the poor!

Anna says:
The girl looks fat in the dress. Just my opinion.

Ruth says:
Not that anyone cares, but Salman Rushdie made a comment about rich girls who consider “Couturiers” not as artists but simply personal seamstresses in his book Fury.
It’s not a compliment, obviously. Shame on you.

Rochelle says:
It’s pretty pathetic that these Suburban Socialites feel the need (financially?) to shop at these so-called “mom and pop shops”, but feel the need to lie about it. Ms. Pantalone, you were being singled out for being the best dressed, did you not realize that by being honest, you would’ve gotten more style points for shopping locally? “Cousin in New York?” The fact that you would go so far to insult a talented designer is disheartening. The fact that by insinuating that this city doesn’t have the talent to dress you is just stupid.
Leave the fabulous boutiques on Queen such as Champagne & Cupcakes to those who appreciate it. And the next time you have an event, I suggest you try shopping here: Vaughan Mills.

Cleo Weston Rogers says:
Amoryn Engel’s just peed-off because of all the BACK TRACKING she has to do for her upcoming column where she was going to lavish praise on Deena.
Amoryn of the National Post and Ciara of Hello! Canada make Toronto look like such a small town as they consistently feature the same people in their columns, week after tired week. I hope Toronto Life will step up and feature the NEXT best thing.
Amoryn and Deena - go drink yourselves silly at The Spoke Club. The hipsters can be found at…well, we wouldn’t tell you - if you were hip, you would know.

Tara says:
Since she lied about the dress I bet you her Louboutins are fake too. What a loser.

Gbert says:
Apparently this fiasco has generated so much press that the designer’s website has crashed …

Janice says:
With this debacle, Deena comes across as an Airhead and a Mean Girl.
At least she is apologizing to Champagne & Cupcakes albeit with a truckload of justifications.
Would be better if she just said, “I’m sorry, I F$%ked up.”

KC says:
Yet another example of how money can’t buy class. Lying,looking down on a “mom&pop” shop and yapping about how much you’ve spent on your shoes-how vulgar!

Mel says:
Ms. Lim - you, I assume you have never told a lie or two before, and thus I congratulate you on that superhuman feat.
You are shameful, unleashing your vicious, backstabbing, lying, sycophantic b*tches on that poor girl. And yes, I said “lying”. You, who move in a cutthroat world, how dare you judge others?
Yes, Deena did wrong, but what you did was much worse.
You must feel quite the winner - standing triumphant over the ashes of Deena’s reputation, as curious shoppers flock to your store and website. What success story you are and a role model to others!
Disgraceful!!

NG says:
This is basically a public lynching. Yes, she lied. Yes, she did not give credit where it is due. And yes, she got busted. She has apologized. She has admitted she was wrong. I cheated on my homework in highschool. Does that make me an awful person. I have met Deena before. I don’t know her well - and do not claim to be friends - so don’t freak out and say that this is just another example of the ‘rich defending the rich’ (I by no means am rich). She is a pleasant person, who works hard, is charitable, and as a footnote - quite stylish - who has gotten caught in a scandal that has escalated to ridiculous proportions. Yes she is privileged, yes she has very expensive shoes. That does not make her evil. You should not assume she is looking down on designers (who according to all this chatter are looking down on mom & pop shops). I think this whole thing is an example of how everyone likes to find flaws in someone who has more than they do. We are all flawed folks - and I would be willing to bet that Deena wouldn’t waste her time calling you all liars and losers on the internet should the occasion arise.

The Truth says:
I think the Toronto Star article should be the closure here.
Deena did the right thing in the end and she does deserve respect for that.
Also, Caroline did try to stop the nastiness level pretty early on (Day One to be exact), so to anyone trying to cast aspersions at her for encouraging any of this is just being delusional.
The irony is that Deena has far more class than the people defending her.

Bunner says:
It is a good thing that Ms. Lim is not designing for the Ottawa fashion crowd…that inhabit parliament hill, the Senate etc. . Firstly, they would never buy something that she had produced in several colors. Secondly, she has a big mouth, and she could have used this publicity positively…She will be selling many of this design for a few weeks yet, to all the Josephine Lunchbuckets of
t.O. but the fashion mavens of Toronto wom’t touch her with a ten foot pole. All the movers and shakers in Ottawa that govern what we all say and do, would forget her name and address…Who wants to appear at a government function wearing a dress that has been reproduced in several colors. God forbid that Maureen Harper and the G.G. (Governor General) would order one of Lim’s style and then find out that half of the wives and M.P.’s are wearing the same outfit….Deena bought and paid for that dress,,,that makes her the owner…she can say Mickey Mouse made it if she wants…that does not make her a liar. Would everyone have been happy if she had appeared in sack cloth? Ms. Lim, enjoy your few minutes of fame, but, you blew it by acting like injured dignity….in this case, silence would have been golden….

GB says:
Really Bunner? That’s just what I’d expect to hear from the product of such a morally bankrupt town. Emphasis on ‘town’. The relative merits of the dress in question aside, I find it galling what passes for proper social graces and truthfulness in your world.
BTW…I picture the oh-so-worldly Maureen Harper in a nice prairie frock, and the GG in fur, natch.

Cleo Weston Rogers says:
Again….what a small town Toronto is. The Prime Minister’s wife is not Maureen Harper…..but LAUREEN Harper.
Of course Deena has apologized - she HAD to once she was ousted publicly as a liar. It was the very least she could do.

Trish says:
I agree. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, or should I say Lim’s shop… She has far too many supporters who just happen to have landed on this page…
Is there a reason why this feature is still on the Toronto Life site if the information contained therein has been proven incorrect? And how did it happen that Lim’s dress was featured in the first place? Because those of us who work at magazines know that all that stuff is staged and incestuous. Deena was not likely the best dressed. Friends of the editor, friend of a friend, etc.
Deena has said her piece but as far as I’m concerned it’s Lim who owes an explanation.

Branksome Girl says:
Oh Deena! This douchebaggery is actually NOT the world’s biggest shock, especially to the people who actually know you and your “stories”. LOL, crying you a river sister…not.

Stewart says:
Deena’s living a silver-spooned dreamworld life, where honesty and integrity are just words and not personality traits.

Comment section closed.
Total #: 278
________________________________________

The Lady Eve (1941)
w / Barbara Stanwyck & Henry Fonda

A female card shark targets a millionaire aboard ship.

Check out these two scenes (the best ones) in The Lady Eve. Barbara Stanwyck's in fine form as she delivers her lines with lightning efficiency. In fact, I challenge any starlet today to do what she does in the dining room scene and still manage to call herself an actress.


QUOTES
Let us be crooked but never common.

Every Jane in the room is giving him the thermometer and he feels they're just a waste of time.

What IS your weakness, brother?

This Just in...

HUDSON BAY CENTRE
Gorgeous colour combination

Great colour, but I hate Wellies with a passion

HOLT RENFREW CENTRE
Boldly graphic Ray-Ban poster

Stunning window for the Holt Renfrew Cafe

MANULIFE CENTRE
De Catarina (luggage, handbags and leather goods)

I've no desire to buy a bag of spit - I mean - Spitz

A beautiful, highly collectable Lampe Berger at William Ashley




This one's called The Cobra

About Lampe Berger (vid)

BLOOR ST.
Freshly laid granite sidewalk__Bloor St. E @ Yonge

I think the black tubing may be used in the winter to heat the Bloor St. W sidewalk between Yonge and Avenue Rd. This stretch is also known as the "Mink Mile" for its numerous high end stores (Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Tiffany...)

YONGE ST.
My neighbour, MTV Canada

The Cookbook Store

I want this stool__China Panda

A cute sign of summer

Le Chateau's lifelike mannequin scared the crap out of me

We're in day 26 of the garbage strike

No way in hell is this my Toronto

*******************************************
What the Mayor Stands to Win - and Lose - for Taking a Hard Line on the City Worker' Strike
[NOW Magazine - Jne.25/09]

He Wins
*Brownie points (and maybe a few votes) from the inner burbs for looking like he's trying to hold the line on taxes.

*A reprieve, for now, from the braying on council's right wing about how he's supposedly soft on unions.

*Some $240 million dollars in sick leave savings - if the union gives in.

*Time (but not much) during the impasse to figure out how to get out of this mess without looking like he's caving. Tick, tick, tick...

*Support from non-unionized city managers whose bonuses have already been suspended and cost-of-living increases put off.

He Loses
*The trust of city unions the mayor worked hard to win - and their support in the next election.

*The quality of public services. If you think morale's low now, imagine how ugly it could get should workers be forced back to work and to make concessions.

*The fight against privitization of garbage services. Anti-union backlash is already reaching a boil in the electorate. The mayor's detractors will point to (the suburb of) Etobicoke.

*Political capital if the strike lasts more than two weeks. A fickle and ill-informed public (see the hysteria whipped up by the Star) can turn fast when the whiff of garbage hangs thick in the air.

*Pride weekend, Toronto's biggest single tourist draw. Private haulers have been hired for the post-party cleanup. Will unions picket Pride events?
********************************************

Evidence of Pride Week (Jne.19-28) displayed outside of Crepes a GoGo and Le Pain Quotidien

Rainy day birds eye view of the Pride parade from my condo window__Church St. @ Bloor

Paid 4 bucks for this. It looks like it sucks, but with two hot actors in it I'm hoping I get my money's worth. The blurb reads:

Too much of a good thing...can be deadly. When Alice, an American living in London, meets Adam, a handsome adventurer, she's lured out of her safe, mundane life to pursue an affair that brings her to the heights of excitement and ecstasy. But when Adam's mysterious and violent past begins to surface, Alice investigates...and learns that Adam's past - and her future - may both point to murder!

YORKVILLE AVE.
This grocery store has just gone out of business - it didn't last 6 months. Before that, there was a candy store that also tanked after a short run. Guess what? There's a firehall across the street, the block is a retail desert, and Whole Foods is minutes away. They never stood a chance.

It appears they're making progress at the Four Seasons Residences site but I don't know if they managed to sell the 9,000 sq. ft. top floor penthouse suite for $30 mil yet.

A massive 28,000 sq ft spa is expected at this property, to be completed in 2011. In addition to treatment rooms, relaxation lounges and changing areas, the facility will feature a health club and a pool. Two towers will house 203 one- and two-bedroom units, in addition to a 9,000 sq ft custom penthouse in the Yorkville area of Toronto. Prices range from $1.2 million to more than $16 million. [spafinder.com]

The Regency is a spectacular property (from the outside at least) and wildly expensive, but an acquaintance tells me it's only 30% occupied. I've yet to see anyone besides security walk in or out of this building.

Poster of Scarlett Johansson on the cover of this really shitty magazine whose name is best forgotten

Another one bites the dust

Here's a Ducati bike sporting the characteristic solid panel at the bottom

I prefer the Ducati Monster 696, which as of Mar.09, is available (in the U.S.) for $119/month [Motor Racing]

This car resembles a Studebaker Convertible and is just as pretty



Gorgeous Maserati

The eye-catching Toyota FJ Cruiser

HAZELTON LANES
I'm a sucker for a tight dress__TNT

Not my style but pretty nonetheless__Asian Culture

This dress looks like a tribal costume__Asian Culture

Sasha's ass remains uncovered here in Canada__Whole Foods

Interesting combo of lace-up and sandal__Browns

100 YORKVILLE
The condo development is progressing at a steady clip

Anthropologie will open soon as part of this residential/retail complex

Women can't wait to shop here - I see them peeping in the windows all the time

Anthropologie's presence will help revitalize Yorkville

Sunglass Hut will also join Anthropologie, Teatro Verde and Diesel at 100 Yorkville

RECENT FINDS
vest = $98 & tube = $89 @ Guess

vest = $89 @ Guess & skirt = ? @ American Apparel

shoes = $65 (on sale) @ Aldo

I'm rockin' the gladiator trend with these babies

TV
Wipeout. A rather staid imitation of the Japanese game show, Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (MXC). It's got all of the props and none of the charm. Still, a faceplant is a faceplant and satisfying to watch in any language.



The Agenda with Steve Paikin is a real snooze, but he's smart as a whip and sometimes manages to shed light on topical news, like a recent parliamentary scandal.

Some new shows have cropped up this summer:
Law & Order: UK. Yes, another addition to the franchise. This one's actually pretty good - a little grittier than the other L&Os and the acting's superb. It stars (amongst others) Bradley Walsh (a very familiar face to Brit TV fans)...

...and the gorgeous Freema Agyeman, who I wouldn't be surprised to find posing topless sometime in the future. Hefner - or whoever owns Playboy now - probably has her number on speed dial.

Guess who's on TV now? Tim Roth! With the addition of Jeff Goldblum to Law & Order: C.I., it's my theory that character movie actors on TV just might signal a return to storytelling as an antidote to the glut of reality TV and CGI-laden movies. Is it too much to hope for that quality writing finally makes a comeback? Only time will tell...

Lie to Me is about these body language experts who can tell when a person is lying. It's okay. Not superlative or groundbreaking but kind of interesting because they show actual evidence of their theories through photos of real life public figures caught in a lie. I'm on the fence about this one and since it won't appeal to the Gossip Girl crowd, I'm guessing aging boomers might give it a shot.

I don't know who this actress is but she's hot and brings a feisty energy you rarely see in female roles. Her character in Lie to Me is a prodigy of sorts to whom reading people comes naturally. In this episode "A female soldier says her sergeant raped her."

Don't you know what it's like for a woman in the military? You're either a bitch or a whore. They're just waiting for you to fail.

If your boss makes advances, you're afraid of losing your job, but if your platoon leader makes advances, you're afraid of losing your life.

You're a natural. He's spent two decades trying to see what you were born seeing.

The Philanthropist with James Purefoy is about a billionaire traipsing around the world saving people while he rakes in the dough. It's maudlin and heavily cliched, so the only reason I take a peek at it now and then is because Purefoy's attractive and has a nice speaking voice. Neve Campbell (Wild Things) and Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order) are also in it. Their acting sucks big time which makes me wonder whether they're doing it just to cash a cheque.

The production value seems high on this show as it appears as though they're filming in actual locations around the world. Heavy financial involvement may imply that the studio's committed to an extended run, but I honestly don't think the writing, acting and direction are strong enough to see it through to a second season.

I spent my life watching from behind tinted glass and you know what? I couldn't do it anymore. So I stepped out and the most amazing thing happened.

This show's not new - it's in its 2nd season - but it was the first time I'd seen The Cleaner starring the delectable Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order). His character helps others get over their addiction to booze, drugs etc. by isolating them in a remote location. It's gloomy, depressing and only mildly interesting to me because he's so foine.

Same old P.K. You're back in my life and already 9 miles up my ass.

Hmmm...
I caught this horrible movie called Walk All Over Me (2007) with Leelee Sobieski. The blurb is "A small-town girl becomes a dominatrix." I couldn't watch the damn thing, but here's the interesting part: a blind item not too long ago alluded to a Hollywood starlet who makes big money as an actual dominatrix. Not only that, but apparently this domme also has at least one other girl working for her, effectively making her a bona fide pimp. The name being tossed around was none other than Leelee's. Juicy! Now as far as this crap movie goes, is it a case of art imitating life or vice versa? Was she inspired to pursue "the life" after shooting wrapped up or was she already in the game? I guess the only way to find out is to book a call with her, but dommes - as far as I know - aren't into chit chat.
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