Sync Weekly

Archive for the ‘Holiday’ Category

Howdy 2010. Since it’s not 2012/the end of the world, I guess I’ll need to buy a calendar to represent you.

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Marking X-es on my Twilight wall calendar last year was so blasé.  I’m sure you feel the same way about your 2009 Puppies of the World calendar.  In order to spice up the year that is to be 2010, I* present you with the Bubble Calendar which is essentially a sheet of bubble wrap mounted over a calendar.  In other words, the greatest scientific breakthrough of this century.

Popping bubble wrap every single day for an entire year... heaven needs to install one of these.

Popping bubble wrap every single day for an entire year... heaven needs to install one of these.

Foreseeable problems with the Bubble Calendar:

  • You won’t be able to contain yourself and all the bubbles will be popped by Presidents Day.
  • Marking your friends’ and family members’ birthdays might prove difficult.
  • Disclaimer on the website, “Due to manufacturing processes out of our control, some bubbles may fail to inflate.” **

Why foreseeable problems don’t matter:

  • It’s a bubble wrap. CALENDAR.

Interesting addition:

  • When you click “add to cart” the website automatically adds two calendars to your cart, not one.  Tricky tricky, Bubble Calendar.
bubble_calendar_2010e_m

2010 Bubble Calendar, $20.10. Comes in both vertical and horizontal 47" x 18" Available at bubblecalendar.com. They're sold out of all languages save French which I'm led to believe doesn't have different holidays than the English version. It's hard to tell since neither have Groundhog Day bolded. Nor New Year's Day. Nor Christmas Day for that matter... Oops. Okay, I see, this is actually just bubble wrap. I'm buying it anyway.

* A special thanks to Kathryn Heller for bringing Bubble Calendar to my attention.

** Bubble Calendar, LLC will replace any tainted calendar if returned within two weeks.

Jingle Shell Rock/ Carol of the Shells/ Jingle Shells

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

shotshellslit

Screw tinsel and twinkle lights.

Merry and manly, shotgun shell lights are perfect for adding Christmas cheer to any man cave.   And, no, it’s not too late to decorate.  In fact, if you decorated before now then you’re probably not a real man anyway.  Run on over to Haus Werk in Hillcrest (behind Leo’s Greek Castle) and pick yourself up a box.

"The Real McCoy" Shot shell Holiday Lights, 20 light string (approximately 6 ft.), $24. Available at Haus Werk.

"The Real McCoy" Shot shell Holiday Lights, 20 light string (approximately 6 ft.), $24. Available at Haus Werk.

I’d like to thank Josh Blevins for the hot tip on these bad boys.  Anyone else see something of interest, send it my way at shannon@syncweekly.com.

You can’t ask for a smoother transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving than this

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
knife-holder

"The Ex" 5-piece Stainless Steel Knife Holder in Red. Available at Overstock.com for $69.99

True, some people skip straight to Christmas after Halloween, but call me a traditionalist.  I like Thanksgiving.  And what better product to feature than jazzy cutlery to carve the Thanksgiving turkey?

Raffaele Iannello designed this clever/sinister knife holder available in the most literal of colors, red (pictured) as well as silver, gold, black, white and green.  Christened “The Ex,” this voodoo doll design goes beyond utility of functional storage.  Now removing and replacing your kitchen knives becomes a healing, cathartic practice sure to cut that certain someone out of your heart for always and forever.

Set includes: 5 stainless steel knives: 8″ Chef Knife, 8″ Bread Knife, 8″ Carver, 5″ Utility Knife and a 3.5″ Paring Knife that each slide into their specific magnetic plastic casings.

Amelia Earhart. My Halloween Costume Inspiration. Could I be wearing more leather?

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

On Halloween night, I switched from John Hughes 80s film high-school sweetheart to the mysterious, tomboy aviator, Amelia Earhart.  I chose to be her as she would look today.  So… deceased.  It is Halloween after all.

AMELIA for web

Amelia Earhart. Cuter than you remembered, yeah?

The catalyst for this costume came while perusing the array of booths at Midtowne Antique Mall.  I unearthed some thick, gray suede pants labeled, “lederhose” in a booth that had only a few clothing items for sale amongst an assortment of antiques.  They were so ridiculous and interesting looking that I had to try them on.  Miraculously, they fit.  Well, they fit well enough.  If you were wondering if the enclosure of these pants  required an initial button, two zippers and then a belt as well as a tie in the back and buttons at the knees and if they robbed me of my ability to sit down or walk up stairs properly….  Then yes, all of those things.

If you found random leather pants for $16 that fit you for some reason, wouldn't you buy them too?

If you found random leather pants for $16 that fit you for some reason, wouldn't you buy them too?

To make it obvious I was the aerial darling, I wore the following:

• Leather bomber-like jacket

• Form-fitting pants

• Cap with ear flaps and goggles

• Leather gloves

• Tall leather boots

• Silk (or a Savers special polyester) blouse with built-in scarf

• Dead makeup

Excuse the crop, but my picture partner's costume is much too distracting to include.

Excuse the crop, but my picture partner's costume is much too distracting to include.

Costume Perk: People, young and old, recognized who I was.   This rarely happens to me because I pick slightly obscure Halloween costumes.  This was my secondary costume and one much more appreciated by onlookers.  Yes, I finally did it.

Costume Drawback: Limited mobility and ironically, limited airflow.

Sloane Peterson. My own Halloween costume inspiration.

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

For my Halloween costume, I drew inspiration from a post I wrote in June featuring characters from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.  Since then I have been searching the internet and local stores in pursuit of a formidable Sloane Peterson ensemble.  After scouring every thrift store imaginable and diligently searching ebay, I found my white whale: an XS cropped white leather jacket complete with fringe.  After this paramount discovery I knew that I was going to be the best Sloane this side of 1986.  I give you, me as Sloane Peterson.

Cameron, Sloane and Ferris at the Chicago Art Institute

Cameron, Sloane and Ferris at the Chicago Art Institute

"Ed, you're a beautiful man.  I want to thank you for your warmth and compassion."

"Ed, you're a beautiful man. I want to thank you for your warmth and compassion."

To radiate Sloane Peteron, I needed:

• White leather fringe jacket

• Purple shirt over a white shirt

• High-waisted shorts with a hanging braided belt

• Tall, slouchy boots

• One long earring and one pearl stud

• Small camel purse with a long strap

• Straight late 80s hair

Channeling Sloane.

Me channeling Sloane.

Costume Perk: Once people got it, they were amazed that I had so much of Sloane’s look right.

Costume Drawback: Not a lot of people got it or cared and I was best recognized with my Ferris Bueller counterpart.  If we had pulled in a Cameron Frye we could have possibly brought down all of Halloween with our greatness.  Alas, it was a quiet, personal victory.

How well did my Sloane Peterson costume come together?

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Sittin’ Pink. Halloween Costume Inspiration, Part V.

Friday, October 30th, 2009

For my fifth– and most likely my last– installment, I give you Andie Walsh from Pretty in Pink.

pretty_pink_300x400

"Well, I have taste."

To be the poor, the stylish, the fabulous Andie Walsh, you’ll need:

• A pink dress. duh.  Preferably one with a high collar

• Red hair is kind of necessary… or at least it’s highly recommended

• Pouty lips that scream, “I’m a conflicted girl who deserves the hottest guy in school.”

• A flamboyant sidekick to play your Duckie

Vintage pink dress available at Underground Socialite in Midtowne Antique Mall, $20.

Vintage pink dress available at Underground Socialite in Midtowne Antique Mall, $20.

PinP close

Close up of neckline.

Underground Socialite, $30. Size 8.5

Underground Socialite, $30. Size 8.5

Available at WAD booth at Midtowne Antique Mall, $10.

Available at WAD booth at Midtowne Antique Mall, $10.

Costume Perks: You get to wear head to toe pink for a whole night.

Costume Drawback: You have to wear head to toe pink for a whole night.

lv-prom10_pretty_0500113295

I’m not bad. I’m just drawn that way. Halloween Costume Inspiration, Part IV.

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

For my fourth installment, I give you Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Jessica-Rabbit_l

"You don't know how hard it is being a woman looking the way I do. "

To be a convincing Jessica, you need:

• Red, swoopy hair across one purple eye-shadowed eye

• A spectacular pair… of long purple gloves

• An amazing pair… of red shoes

• Oh and something to fill your red sequin dress.  Be it your own pair or one supplied by Miracle Bra or perhaps a slew of kleenex.

Long, red sequin dress, $25.  The tag says the dress is size 10, but that vintage size translates into a modern 4-6.  Available at Paddywack's at 304 N. Main Street, North Little Rock.

Long, red sequin dress, $25. Tag says dress is size 10, but that vintage size translates into a modern 4-6. Available at Paddywack's at 304 N. Main Street, North Little Rock.

Costume Perk: Ha. Perk.

And now I’d like to apologize because evidently I turned into a 14 year-old boy while writing this.  Forgive me.

Costume Drawback: No one’s waist is that tiny.

You birth what you eat.

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Because you do what you can while they’re young and powerless.

On a trip to Spirit Halloween store in North Little Rock (next to Michael’s), I noticed this ridiculous costume for a wee baby.  There are more at the Spirit website that are very much worth looking through, I mean if you want to see more things like this.

Tootsie Roll costume available at Spirit Halloween store in North Little Rock.

Tootsie Roll infant costume available at Spirit Halloween store in North Little Rock.

A costume for your beer or root beer or bottled coke, whichever

Monday, October 12th, 2009
My Michael Jackson Jacket from paperfoldables.com

Michael Jackson Beat It Jacket Beer Bottle Topper from paperfoldables.com

Perhaps you’re lazy. Maybe you’re cheap.  Whatever is holding you back from buying a costume this year at least don’t neglect your drinking vessel. Adorning your beer bottle is the poor man’s costume and you’ll appear to have put forth mild effort which is good enough for you I’m sure.  In honor of Michael Jackson, “Print. Cut. Fold. Tape.” this paper version of his Beat It jacket from paperfoldables.com. Go to the website, find the red jacket and click for a pdf with the pattern. Go on, show them who’s funky.

Michael Jackson in his video, Beat It.

Michael Jackson in his video, Beat It.

Halloween Costume Inspiration, Part III. Abide.

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

What’s Halloween without sequels?

For my third installment, I give you The Dude from The Big Lebowski.

The Dude in his classic getup, the Pendleton sweater.

The Dude in his classic getup: the Pendleton sweater.

The Dude getting some Half and Half.
The Dude getting half and half for some white russians.

Little touches to be more convincingly like The Dude:

• Long hair and goatee are a necessity

• Bobby pin holding a tiny section of hair out of your face

• A pager on the neck of your shirt or a bag phone or both

• Carry half and half in your robe pocket

The exact Pendleton sweater The Dude wears!  Size Large, vailable on ebay until October 13.

The exact Pendleton sweater The Dude wears! Size Large, $79 at time of post. Available on ebay until October 13.

Christian Dior robe, One Size, $30.  Available at Underground Socialite in Mid-Towne Antique Mall.

Christian Dior robe, One Size, $30. Available at Underground Socialite in Mid-Towne Antique Mall.

Costume Perk: You’ll be very comfortable all evening.  People would change the song if the Eagles came on the radio.

Costume Drawback: You’ll never be as good as the people who go to Lebowski Fest.  What’s Lebowski Fest you ask?

Upon my diligent internet searching for the exact Dude’s sweater online, I stumbled upon something intriguing, wacky, perverse: Lebowski Fest.  It is, according to the website, “a celebration of all things related to The Big Lebowski.”  There’s a movie screening, bowling, trivia and most importantly, a costume contest.  This year the The Lebowskifest Speed of Sound tour visited 8 towns across the U.S. and is wrapping up October 9 & 10 in Austin, Texas. Click here for serious fan costume ideas.

It's all so much bigger than it seems in the beginning.

It's all so much bigger than it seems in the beginning.