Crush of the Day: 20 Pack

Please don't laugh at me or judge me too harshly for this one... It's a totally guilty pleasure.

So, I was watching some reality TV with Kim and Ann tonight (I know, random, right?) and, during the latest episode of I Love Money 2, Ann made the comment that 20 Pack is kind of cute. I admit: at first, I didn't agree.  However, it didn't take me long before I realized that, hey, Ann was right.  20 Pack has got it going on!

He was originally on I Love New York 2, and she was the one who first noticed his ridiculous body, thus naming him 20 Pack.

On a related note, I have decided to become a reality TV star.  I'm auditioning for the upcoming show A Fierce Shot at Real Love or Money with 20 Pack Bus.  It'll probably be on VH1. Details to come.

Why the &#*$ do you have a kid?

This little blog asks the above question along with some confusing, scary, disturbing, funny, and strange photos of people with child (or with a child).

I hope I don't end up on a site like this someday...  Check out this pic of my niece and me and decide for yourself.

Xtina has never left!!!

What a fierce pic!  I am so excited for Christina Aguilera's next album, due to drop this summer.   ???

I'm not sure what this pic is for, but it's great!!!

Beyonce is giving...

...lots of fierceness.  Her tour is starting out with a BANG!  Included in her set list are these hits...

"You Oughta Know" (originally by Alanis Morissette)

"Angel" (originally by Sarah McLachalan)

Here's the thing...  I like that B is giving these fierce vocals on great songs, but couldn't she use something of her own???  I'm just saying...

I have eaten at Hardee's one time.  It was at the beginning of a road trip from Bloomington to Chicago in 2006 (I think).  It was delicious, but obviously not as delicious as Padma Lakshmi (of Top Chef fame) thinks it is...  Talk about a racy ad!

Things Paris Loves...

Great clip.  She loves a lot of things, right?

Thanks to Kim for the tip!  Loves it.

Just for laughs...

Check out this great YouTube clip...  Some people just have no common sense.

David Foster Tribute

Legendary composer/producer/conductor/pianist David Foster was recently honored by PBS with a tribute including some of the best singers and musicians of our time: Celine Dion, Michael Buble, Andrea Bocelli, and Katharine McPhee.  I'm watching it right now, and it's pretty awesome.

Foster has won 15 Grammy awards and has produced for pretty much every major artist of all time: Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, Cher, Josh Groban, Donna Summer, Brandy, Mariah Carey, Destiny's Child, Dolly Parton, The Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Chaka Khan, Seal, and Bryan Adams.  An impressive list, right?

Here's a brief description of the show from Access Hollywood, with comments from Katharine McPhee.

And, because I couldn't find a good clip from the PBS show, here's Foster and Katharine singing "Somewhere" on The View.

Emergency Spanish Phrases

I had a professor in college, Dr. Trix, who had the goal of learning a new language every decade.  I think that's pretty cool.  The next one on my list (after German and [some] French), is Spanish; it's an incredibly powerful and influential language for this day and age, and quite useful in the restaurant industry.

Anyhow, here's a list of basic phrases that beginning Spanish speakers will find useful.  It's funny.

Walk down Belmont Ave...

...and I bet you can win Hipster Bingo!

Looks fun, don't you think?

Via The Catbirdseat.com.

Crush of the Day: Kevin Zegers

I first noticed his good looks in one of my favorite movies, Transamerica, also staring the fiercely talented Felicity Huffman.  Kevin Zegers, 24, is originally from Ontario, Canada, and has been doing TV, movies, and commercials since he was six years old.  His other work has included Air Bud, The X-Files, and House, among many.  He has also signed on to play one of the title roles in the re-make of Bonnie & Clyde, alongside Hillary Duff.

His role in Transamerica is that of a hustling street kid who drives across the country with his biological father (played by Huffman), who is a pre-operative male-to-female transsexual. Kevin's talent is overwhelming in the film; he's at times sexy, completely broken, naive, frightening, fragile, and funny.  If you haven't seen the movie, please check it out, if for nothing else than a pretty fierce skinny dipping scene...  ;)

Here's his IMDB profile; most notable is his Cannes Film Festival award for "Male Revelation." More pictures below.  You're welcome.

Which one would you choose?

I love lists.  Forbes has quite a few of them, and this one kept me up for a few extra minutes the other night...  It's a list of the most expensive homes currently on the public market.  Most have sports arenas, home theaters seating up to 50 people, at least 12 bedrooms, and all kinds of other incredible features.

This list came to me after reading that Mariah Carey is planning on moving to the Los Angeles area amidst rumors that she has put in a bid for the #1 house on the list: Fleur De Lys, a gargantuan mansion in Beverly Hills.

One day...  One day...

Crush of the Day: Gilles Marini

Quite possibly perfection in male form, Gilles Marini first made headlines when he exposed quite a bit of himself in the Sex and the City movie.  Now, he's on Dancing With the Stars, partnered with Cheryl Burke, and the two have been the top-scoring couple both weeks in a row!  Now, I'm not here to judge whether or not he's really a "star" enough to be on that show, but he sure has star-power.  

I really don't know what could make him hotter...  His body is incredible, he's classically tall, dark, and handsome, and he has a French accent.  I literally melt every time he is on the screen.

The best abs in Hollywood?

Someone compiled a list of the best abs in Hollywood, and I don't quite get the punchline...  Do you?

Ryan Reynolds is my number one, at least from the list they provided.

Another reason why IKEA is fierce.

The most recent IKEA catalogue and ad campaign is showcasing what it means to be a family in this day and age, complete with same-sex couples.  The slogan is this: "Family life is changing...  Welcome to the new era."

After the release of the catalogue, a group of Catholic activists (dare I say extremists?) began a letter-writing campaign to protest the inclusion of a homosexual couple in the company's publications.  In a quick, skillful, well-worded, and applaudable response, IKEA had this to say: "Homosexuality is one of the essential elements of living in contemporary society."

Congrats to IKEA for standing up for the truth and what they believe in.

Crush of the Day: Mochaschino Guy

I don't think I'll ever be able to afford clothes like these, but it's never a bad thing to dream...

Speaking of dreaming, I have a feeling I'll be seeing this guy when I'm sleeping tonight.  What a physique!

YUM Sandwiches.

What a great blog!  It's purely scans of delicious sandwiches, and I'm guessing it's in the NYC area, but I don't actually know.  All I really know is that I'd bite into any of these sammys right about now...  

Speaking of good sandwiches, here's one of my favorites:

Ingredients:

whole wheat bread

sliced roasted turkey breast

muenster cheese

fresh spinach

herb mayonnaise

Method:

Butter the outsides of two slices of whole wheat bread.

Spread the insides of the bread with an herbed mayo (rosemary, basil, etc.).

Layer sliced turkey, muenster cheese, and fresh spinach.

Build the sandwich cold, then transfer it to a pre-heated frying pan, griddle, or flat top grill.

Grill over medium heat until both sides are golden brown.

MMM!!!

"If You Seek Amy" Video!!!

Here it is...  The third music video and single from Britney's new album...  It's fiercely giving you Desperate Housewives, choreography, hot boys, controversy, and sex.  I love it.

Kate Moss is OVER IT!

Hahaha, I love this picture.  Kate Moss was at a concert or something and had to hang out with little kids.  Either she's wasted, on drugs, bored out of her mind, or completely uncomfortable.  I can feel her on all of those things, and I don't blame her one bit.

Just a funny pic, really.  Check out the story from D Listed.

Crush of the Day: Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Call me cliche, but Maks is my Crush of the Day today.  He's one of the professional dancers on Dancing With The Stars, and he knows he's super hot.  And I'm fine with that.

Season Eight (I think) of DWTS premiered on ABC on Monday night, and it was great.  Some great people are part of the cast this time: Steve O, Shawn Johnson, Lil Kim, the girl who lost on The Bachelor, Holly Madison, and the hot naked guy from the Sex And The City movie, to name just a few.  

Anyhow, Maks is totally sexy, especially when he dances. And he loves showing off his body which is never a bad thing.  He also likes to smile in pictures, which, honestly, is something that you don't see from that many hot Hollywood guys.

He's originally from the Ukraine and is based in Edgewater, NJ, but is spending more and more time in Hollywood for DWTS and other projects.  He also owns three dance studios in the NYC area and choreographed the show La Reve at the Wynn hotel and casino in Vegas. Not a bad resume, if you ask me.

Passed Out & Caught on Film!

You know what I like best about my friends?  They'd never strap me down to my bed when I'm passed out from drinking a few too many Ketel gimlets and Miller Lites, nor would they outline the shape of my peacefully sleeping body with beer bottles while crashing on a floor after a frat party.  They just have more class than that, and, frankly so do I.

Unfortunately for some people, they just don't have friends as great as mine.  Or the self-control to prevent such embarrassing situations from ever coming up.

Love is in the air. At least for the Hollywood gays.

Perez is exclusively reporting that Kyle XY star and past Crush of the Day Matt Dallas is dating Mean Girls' Aaron Samuels, known in real life as Jonathan Bennett.  The couple has apparently been together for a while and are quite happy.

There's really no cultural relevance to this story.  It just makes me think that I'll be cold and lonely for the rest of my life...  

Yet, at the same time, it gives me hope; let's face it, Aaron Samuels really isn't that good of a catch.  I mean, his face is a little beat up, if you ask me.  

Earth in a few hundred million years...

What a cool video!  

It's fascinating to think that the continents on which we live are moving, just like they have been for millions of years.  They're moving at such a slow pace that it's almost immeasurable...  

Take a look at this video to see what scientists project Earth to look like a few years in the future.

As a geography nerd, this is pretty exciting stuff for me.

That's quite a flush...

Ok, there are many directions I could take this post.  I'm going to take the high road and just say that this new toilet from St. Thomas Creations can handle quite a load.

Check out the video here.

3.5 pounds of dog food?  18 hot dogs?  Wow!

Funny song charts & graphs!

Just a quick laugh here...  A few funny graphs and charts related to popular songs...  Can you figure them all out?

Check it out.

I'm totally watching!!!

Fox is airing a new show soon called Glee.  It follows a (really good looking) guy as he becomes the director of a high school glee club.  Amazing, right?  It premiers in May after the finale of American Idol, but then goes on hiatus until Fall.

The show was created by Ryan Murphy, who also came up with the show Nip/Tuck.  Interesting... As for the cast, it includes a host or Broadway and TV veterans, most notably Kristen Chenoweth, Victor Garber, and Debra Monk.

Thanks to Perez for the tip--I feel the same way: I'll watch, I'll love, and it'll get cancelled.  Oh well.

Crush of the Day: Luke Grimes

Do you watch Brothers and Sisters?  When it first came on, I watched an episode or two and didn't get really excited about it. Lately, though, Libby and I have been watching it on Sunday nights (flipping to Animal Planet on commercial breaks, of course). It's a good show.  I mean, it's no Desperate Housewives, but there's definitely some good drama.  And lots of attractive men.

This week, for like the seventh time in the show's history, a new sibling was introduced.  And he's by far the prettiest Walker...

Luke Grimes, hailing from my home state of Ohio (Dayton, to be exact), is adorable.  He's tall and thin and totally resembles Johnny Depp (with a hint of Robert Pattinson and James Dean), which is never a bad thing.  

Everyday Etiquette

Have you ever wondered how to shut up the Chatty Cathy next to you on a long airplane flight? Or worried that you're being greedy for the last parking spot in a crowded lot?  Here are 11 points of "Everyday Etiquette" to help you solve these dilemmas, as well as answering some other questions you haven't thought to ask before.

Personally, when I'm on an airplane, especially for a long flight, I don't really try to engage my fellow passengers in any kind of conversation, and I get annoyed when people start questioning me too much. Sometimes, if I'm feeling adventurous, I'll make up a life for myself.  I'm an opera singer flying to a concert, a student who is heading to a lecture on the opposite side of the country, or a small business owner going to check out some competition.  It's fun, try it.  You can be anything you want to be since these people are, as Tyler Durden from Fight Club said, "single-serving friends."

Image via Real Simple.

Need a quick laugh?  Check out this YouTube clip from comedienne Kristen Schaal.  It's not fall on your face in tears funny, but it's a good chuckle.

Crush of the Day: Matt Dallas

He's young, he's talented, and he looks great with his shirt off. Those are three qualities I often look for in determining a crush of the day. Today's crush is no exception.

Matt Dallas, the star of Kyle XY (which I've never seen--oh well), is a young Hollywood hot

tie with super sexy eyes, a great smile, and a body that's chiseled but not over-toned.  Love it.

Hopefully we will see more of Matt in the future.  Oh, if you want to see him wet and shirtless (haha), check out the YouTube clip below.

This brings a new meaning to "hope you can hold it!"

European no-frills airline RyanAir, which I have had the pleasure (?) of flying myself, is known for it's bare-bones ticket prices.  On their website, you can find flights for under 1 Euro, though with taxes and fees, tickets are usually somewhere around 25 Euro.  Not bad, really.

In order to increase revenues and keep ticket prices low, RyanAir has come up with a plan to begin charging travelers a fee to use the on-board lavatories.  Wow.

Read up about it here, and check out the video on the bottom of the page in which the owner (or someone important) explains RyanAir's plans to begin offering "special features" for their upcoming Transatlantic flights.

Circus set list announced...

For those of you who care, and that should be everyone, Britney has announced her set list for the Circus tour which opens tonight in Louisiana!  It's pretty fierce.

CIRCUS

Perez/Parade Intro
Circus (Funky Remix)
Piece of Me
Thunderstorm Segue
Radar

HOUSE OF FUN (Anything Goes)

Martial Arts Segue
Ooh Ooh Baby/Hot as Ice
Boys
If U Seek Amy
Me Against the Music (Bollywood)

FREAKSHOW/PEEPSHOW

Everybody's Looking for Something Segue
Freakshow
Get Naked
Britney's Hotline
Breathe on Me/Touch of My Hand

ELECTRO CIRC

Break the Ice Segue
Do Something
Slave
Dancer Solo Segue/Heartbeat Segue
Toxic
Baby One More Time (Remix)

ENCORE

Womanizer (Extended Remix)
Circus Reprise: The Bow

Musical Theatre Monday

I've been trying to clean out my computer lately.  It's running quite slowly, so I figure removing some of the unused/unnecessary files will help fix the problem.  We'll see what happens.

Anyhow, I found a Sticky with an unknown YouTube link on it, so I decided to check it out. Guess what it was?  A clip of my boyfriend Gavin Creel singing "Hero & Leander" from Adam Guettel's Myths & Hymns.  It's delicious.

Mmmm... Cheeseburgers...

If I were to ever go vegetarian, which is highly unlikely, the thing I'd miss most, even more than a Rutherford Ribeye, would be a cheeseburger.  Mmm.  

There's a blog (well, there are probably a few, but I like this one quite a bit) dedicated to cheeseburgers.  Check it out!  It's mostly reviews of burger joints in the Toronto area, but there are some super delicious looking burgers.  

With that in mind, I thought I'd share one of my favorite burger recipes.  It's been a favorite at TLYCC for years, and, well, it's DUL.

ground beef (I prefer chuck or round)

Lawry's seasoned salt

Worchestershire sauce

black pepper

Combine the above ingredients and form them into patties.  Basically, season to taste.

Then, the fun begins.  Grill the burger to medium-rare and melt cheddar cheese on top.  On a toasted bun, put a light layer of mayo to keep the bun from getting soggy.  Add the burger, top with bacon, maybe more cheese, and two thick-cut onion rings.  Drizzle BBQ sauce and ranch dressing on top.

YUM-O, right?

Damn Yankees?

Really?  I mean, I understand the appeal of movie musicals, trust me, I do.  I love them.  Give me Dreamgirls or High School Musical and a bottle of wine and I'm set for the night.  However, there comes a point where it's just going overboard, and the upcoming remake of Damn Yankees just might be that point.

Starring Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal, Damn Yankees is being produced by New Line Cinema. 

I mean, I guess I'm pretty excited to see Jake in a musical...  Can he sing?  Can he dance?  Only time will tell.

Crush of the Day: Dustin Lance Black

I've had a week to really think about it, and my initial response has been confirmed: I'm in love with Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.  To be completely honest, I didn't really know anything about him until the Oscars last week; I was lucky enough to see Milk a few days before the awards show, but the screenwriter's name didn't really stick with me.

Anyhow, he's a doll.  In addition to writing Milk, he's done a few other feature-length films, as well as being a credited writer for the HBO show Big Love.

Defamer has complied a "user's guide" for Lance (as his friends call him), which is quite helpful in answering some general background questions.

Oh, and my other suspicion was correct: he looks great with his shirt off.