A Pause for Celebration.

This post is dedicated entirely to one of my favorite people of all time, Chris Wilhite. My cousin's husband is one of the most fantastical people ever. He makes me smile, and my heart smile.

Happy Birthday, dear Tris.

We are silly.

He gives me flowers.

Duv u!

-Tan

Best of 2009: Top 5 TV shows (for me)

Now, I had comments yesterday about how my taste in music was similar to a lot of friends'. I have to warn you that I probably DON'T have the best taste in TV shows ;). But for me, TV and movies are a way to escape reality. I get lost in the characters and it is an easy way to unwind from my day.

5. Lie to Me: This is a show I've just recently started watching. Airs on Fox Mondays 9/8c. This show is about a psychologist that can read clues embedded in the human face, body, and voice to expose the truth and lies in criminal investigations. Basically, he reads liars. It's terribly interesting and I haven't guessed the ending yet!

4. Royal Pains: This show piloted this year on USA. It is scheduled to return for a second full season in 2010. This is about Dr. Hank Lawson, who was fired from the hospital he worked in because he chose to save a neighborhood teen who appeared to need more medical attention over a powerful hospital patient, who ended up dying. He went off to the Hamptons for the weekend with brother, Evan, where he had to save a hot chic at a swanky party. Because of this, he became the new "concierge doctor" to the Hamptons.

3. Vampire Diaries: This show also piloted this year on the CW, Thursday 8/7c. In my defense, the main reason I love this show is because of what comes with it. I go pick up Chinese and my uncle and I sit and watch it (and sometimes my roomie joins us too!). I love spending time with him and I love how into the show we get! PS last night the show won Favorite New TV Drama at the People's Choice Awards!

2. Brothers and Sisters: Airs on ABC Sunday 10/9C. This has consistently been one of my favorite shows on television since it came out a couple years ago. The Walker family goes through so much drama it makes your own family problems seem like a piece of cake! Currently Kitty is battling Cancer, Norah was swindled out of a crap load of money from her much younger BF, Justin and Rebecca are pregnant, and so on and so forth...

1. Gossip Girl: Airs on the CW Monday, 9/8c. Come on, who DOESN'T love Leighton Meester(Blair Waldorf), Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodsen), Penn Badgley (Dan Humphrey), Chase Crawford (Nate Archibald), Taylor Momsen (Jenny Humphrey), Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass), Jessica Szohr (Vanessa Abrams), Kelly Rutherford (Lilly van der Woodsen), and Matthew Settle (Rufus Humphrey)??? The fashion, the drama, the secrets of Manhattan's upper elite are so far from my reality, that I can't help but be intrigued by the constant stream of gossip. Judge me if you want, but Chuck and his bow ties and Blair and her headbands could be the reason for what you're seeing in stores as of late.

Note: Usually Project Runway and So You Think You Can Dance would have made this list. I could not get into the latest seasons of either so they have been demoted...so sad. Also, I love House, but I usually just catch re-runs of it with my sisters, who are OBSESSED.

What are your favorites?

Best of 2009: Top 5 Albums (for me)

So, you know when you first play an album, and it HITS you...WOW I really love this. It is completely speaking to ME. Now, granted, these albums may not hit me right when they hit everyone else, but I can still appreciate their impact on my soul.

5. MGMT//Electric Feel---yes, yes I know it came out in 2007/2008, and I saw them at ACL in 2008...but 2009 was their year for me. I was pretty unhappy at work, and as my friend Luis and I discussed, this album is the one you put on when you kind of want to run away from your life. When I quit my job a few months ago, Luis first said "Uhoh! Too much MGMT!" Regardless, I could listen to "Kids" on repeat still. Looking forward to their new album, Congratulations, due this Spring.

4. Ra Ra Riot//The Rhumb Line---saw them twice in 2009. Their unique sound comes from their electric cello and violins played by two rockin' females. "Dying is Fine" is probably one of the best songs on the album, a tribute to their late original drummer, John Ryan Pike, who died on tour.

3. Miike Snow//Miike Snow---It was summer, I needed something peppy. About 2.2 seconds into "Animal" and I was bouncing my elbows. My cousin's husband, Chris, and I can turn a frown upside down with that song. Looking forward to seeing him in March!

2. Temper Trap//Conditions---I think my love for this album was magnified during my trip to South Africa. With "Sweet Disposition" rocking the 500 Days of Summer soundtrack, the album was off to a great start. "Down River" gets me bouncing in my seat STILL!

1. Phoenix//Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix---come on. Have you heard it? From "Liztomania" to "Lasso" to "Girlfriend"...I still have this on in my car. Have you checked out the "Liztomania" Bratpack mash up video? OK, I'll just include it here for all you Breakfast Club fans. Loved seeing them at ACL this year and two years ago for their other fantastic albums, Alphabetical and It's Never Been Like That.

Runners up were: A Fine Frenzy//Bomb in a Birdcage, Grizzly Bear//Veckatimest, Ingrid Michaelson//Everybody, and Regina Spektor//Far.

Recent album you should check out: Bibio//Ambivalence Avenue,

Older albums I still can't get enough of: Foals//Antidote, Jose Gonzalez//In Our Nature, Feist//The Reminder, Andrew Bird//Armchair Apocrypha.

Is it next Tuesday yet?

Vampire Weekend--Contra--release date: January 12, 2010.
Remember I forewarned you about it here?

How to Use What You've Got Part III.

Pencil Skirts. Well, really, any kind of skirt. I'm most fond of the pencil. Some prefer A-line, some long, some short, some mini...take your pick and work with it :)

I love wearing skirts to work. Sometimes I think I overdo it and look like a secretary but mostly it makes me feel feminine and professional. I think there are several ways you can wear a skirt without looking too stiff.

How to move away from this look...

...and into this look:

1. Pick a skirt, any skirt. I, as aforementioned, start with a pencil skirt most often.
2. Stay away from the crisp blouse look. If you MUST wear a blouse, pick something frilly.

3. You do not have to tuck in your top. I repeat, you do not have to tuck in your top.

4. Layer if you like. I often do a tank and cardi, a blouse and vest, a blouse and cardi...

5. Add jewelry. It's not corny to wear pearls.

6. And then there's footwear. Who doesn't like t strap shoes with skirts!? Tights can be added for cold weather.

These are my favorite skirt looks: (mostly from JCrew...)

What do you think?

Best of 2009: First up, momentus occassions.

5. Visiting friends this year: Clare in Minnesota, Liza in NYC, Grace in NM...list goes on.

*taken by me in Minnesota

4. Landing a new job so I could quit mine.

*this was right after I quit, at ACL!!!

3. Becoming Godmother to my newest nephew, Moses

*taken by my fabulous cousin.

2. Buying a condo.

1. Falling in love with South Africa.

*taken by my incredibly talented and beautiful cousin.

Where did the sun go?

It's cold here. Really! Anyone want to be doing this instead of working today?

(c) The Sartorialist