classy vs. unclassy

• Retro art featuring women. CLASSY.
• Retro approach to women... like Republican Tom Ganley, challenger for a seat in Congress, who mass mailed a flier that said "Let's take Betty Sutton out of the House and send her back to the kitchen". definitely UNCLASSY. Who do you think you are Mr. Ganley? No, no, you're not Ricky Ricardo from I Love Lucy. So much for getting into politics Tom.

Congresswoman Betty Sutton (R)... not to be confused with Betty Crocker.

• A cute little black skirt that fits in all the right places. CLASSY.
• THIS black skirt that looks like an awkward attempt at a chastity belt. UNCLASSY. not only does this look weird, but it probably is completely uncomfortable to wear!

• Low riding boyfriend jeans!! Adorable, and oh so CLASSY.
• Contraptions that aim to cover your coin slot when wearing jeans that expose your crack. UNCLASSY. Okay, so they're decorated with rhinestones AND they're only $14.99, but really?! As if you wanted more attention to your out in the open buttcrack. Kimberlily's Backtacular Shields? Ummmm, not okay. Spend your $14.99 on a BELT.

• Tie-dyed/ombre style summer dresses!! CLASSY.
• Tie-dyed dresses that just look cheap! UNCLASSY!
  

UNCLASSY winner goes to J-Woww
Girl, I know MTV has to be paying you well enough to buy a new pair of jeans! And you're definitely being paid well enough to buy yourself a shirt... hell, I've seen you wear EdHardy. Don't go around acting like you cant afford a shirt!

What do you think?
Classy or Unclassy?


Baggy Winecoat $58

Perfect for picnics and ... well, getting discreetly saucy in public places?

stay classy,
madeleine

unrequited love

I have never had a favorite photographer, but after learning about her in my Art History class, I've decided that Diane Arbus is my favorite. Officially. According to Wikipedia (the best source ever! except if youre doing research papers, that is), Diane Arbus is...

"an American photographer and writer noted for black and white square photographs of deviant and marginal people or else of people whose normality seems ugly or surreal... the photographer of freaks."

Read that and tell me how her description on Wikipedia is not the ultimate embodiment of an amazing artist! I dare you! Her work is so fabulous I wish I could have a room dedicated to Diane Arbus prints! Her work is so eerie and creepy, but I love it.

My personal favorite...

What a classy lady. Cheers to you Miss Arbus. You are fabulous.

Hope you all are having a fabulous weekend!

stay classy,
madeleine

new art

"Bang bang, we're beautiful and dirty rich" -LadyGaga

My new piece of art that I finished a couple weeks (/months maybe?) ago and never got around to posting! Elements of Rolling Stones, Marilyn Monroe, and of course Lady Gaga. Currently, I'm still working on my John Lennon/Jimi Hendrix trip painting at home, and a little 50's pinup type print during class. I've been painting all semester, and I think I've discovered that painting isn't really my medium... so once I finish these projects, its back to the collaging and spray painting for me!

Anyways, I've been crazy busy, and it's been quite exciting! On Sunday I was in a fashion show, where I got to wear the cutest outfits... actually all dresses! These are my favorites....

Banana Republic - I loved how silky smooth this dress was!!!!

BCBG -this was by far my favorite!

Loved them.

Things are going fabulously. And you?

And with that, I bid adieu, but leave a little playlist for those interested.
(all except "Airplanes" is from Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist)
1. Training - What Laura Says
2. Airplanes - B.o.B.
3. Animal - Neon Trees
4. Atacama Disco - The Salvadors
5. So Caught Up In You - 38 Special



stay classy,
madeleine

shoe porn

Christian Louboutin

36 pairs for design $6,300 a pair no big deal.

Alexander McQueen

Christian Dior

Beatrix Ong

$611

yummmm....
in my dreams!

stay classy,
madeleine

classy vs. unclassy

- The 5th avenue Easter Hat Parade in New York City where women can show off their crazy/kooky/beautiful/weird hats. CLASSY. It was quite the show!
- Protesting the Pope outside of St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th avenue, NYC on Easter Sunday. UNCLASSY. Don't get me wrong here. I do not agree with how the Pope & Catholic Church is handling these issues, but come on protesters, respect the Holy Day of Easter! Protest any other day, anywhere... but not in front of a church on Easter!

This picture may not give these amazing hats justice, but these people don't mess around when it comes to their hats!

- Retro Barbie. CLASSY.
- Being addicted to plastic surgery, like Heidi Montag is, in hopes of looking like Barbie. UNCLASSY. Miss Montag, you were gorgeous before, whyyy?! Her latest made up plastic surgery? Back Scooping. Really?

Oh Heidi...

- Flying Virgin America Airlines where the lighting is purple, you can order food, movies, games, music, etc from your seat on your personal screen. A couch potato's dream. CLASSY.
- Spirit Airlines charging $45 for carry on bags. UNCLASSY. Really? Are they trying to go out of business? Tough times, I know, but over head bags, $45?!

Walking onto a Virgin America flight you think, "Am I in a night club?". You might as well be!

- Matching outfits with your mother. CLASSY.
- Matching tattoos with your mother located on your lower back. UNCLASSY. I just don't want to hear about them or see them.

The Kardashians certainly know how to do it in style!

- Sexy sleuths like Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in Sherlock Holmes. CLASSY.
- Sleuthing around behind your friend's/significant other's backs. UNCLASSY.

There is absolutely no way you can't love these two.

- Fashionable leaders of countries (including their wives). CLASSY.
- (fashionable?) dictators of countries like Kim Jong-Il. UNCLASSY. but apparently someone out there finds his fashion entertaining enough to make a inspiration board. "He's all about minimalism".

Michelle Obama, Jackie Kennedy, Princess Di... all politics aside, you gotta admit, these ladies are classy.

1. Kim’s glasses brand remains a mystery (see, he is a hipster!), but we found these Urban aviators that will do the trick. [$10, Urban Outfitters] 2. Channel Kimmy’s starch crisp military jacket with a classy Burberry windbreaker. [$440, FarFetch.com]

What do you think?

Ballet Flat style Crocs. Classy? Unclassy?

I must admit, they sure look comfy!!

stay classy,
madeleine

concrete jungle

"In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do." -Empire State of Mind - JayZ & Alicia Keyes

day 1: The weather was absolutely fabulous! Hotel right in the middle of Times Square... a bit hectic, but I love being in the middle of it all! Dinner at this itty bitty trendy little Italian restaurant called Etcetera. Super yummy!

day 2: Walked around downtown/Wall Street. Took the ferry ride to Liberty Island and Ellis Island... more beautiful weather, more lovely people. Maybe I'm used to being courteous, but a lot of people were oh so rude! We encountered this 50 people group from Wisconsin that thought they were entitled to everything, just because they were a big group (which included cutting us in a line we'd been waiting in for awhile). Let's just say things got a bit confrontational. After enjoying the beautiful weather and ferry rides, we walked down to So-Ho, peeked in some cute shops, and had cupcakes at Buttercup Bakery (see "Cupcake Diaries")
day 3: Subway ride to Columbia University, and enjoyed yet another sunny, beautiful day! Had an AMAZING lunch at 5 Napkin Burger in the Upper West Side. Mmmm. Walked through Central Park where others were enjoying the sun just as much as I was! Explored the Met for hours. I wish I could just stay there forever! Like Claudia in the book, "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" - one of my favorites.

day 4: Easter Sunday mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral... it was quite beautiful! Saw Jersey Boys on Broadway! Let's just say I'm obsessed. Probably one of my favorite Broadway musicals, and I've seen quite a few. Cupcakes at Crumbs Bakery. Dinner at a yummy restaurant in the Time Warner center that overlooked Midtown. What a nice Easter Sunday!

day 5: Visited the school I will be attending next year, Fordham University! Train to Washington D.C... I concluded my New York trip with 2 days spent in D.C. where the heat was almost unbearable! 88 degrees!!!

All in all it was a lovely and fun trip!! Quite a beautiful way to spend my spring vacation. And visiting Fordham made me 45708372525 times more excited to go there in the fall!

stay classy,
madeleine

The Cupcake Diaries

Buttercup Bake Shop

New York City
141 West 72nd Street
New York, NY 10023
(212) 787-3800
buttercupbakeshop.com

I visited Buttercup at their West Side location. Walking in, it felt a bit like a deli, I'm not sure why. We ordered a Lemon cupcake, and a Red Velvet. Both were so delicious! The Lemon had very tart frosting, and was filled too, with a sweet, moist cake. The Red Velvet was yummy as well, the cake was super rich and moist, and the frosting was sweet, but not overwhelmingly sweet. Buttercup cupcakes do not have the best presentation, they nix the sprinkles, and cutesy presentation and all... but don't let that fool you! Their cupcakes are absolutely delicious, tastier than some of the cutest cupcakes I've tasted before. I would definitely recommend Buttercup Bakeshop! I wouldn't buy here if you're looking to sit down and enjoy your cupcake in the shop... but buy one, take it to Central Park, and enjoy! And again, even though these may not be the CUTEST cupcakes out there, they surely are of the best tasting. They also have a location in the East Side on 2nd Avenue. If I'm in the area, I would definitely make a stop again at Buttercup!

-Price Per Cupcake: $2.25
-Store Decor: C+ (it's clean! but not cute)
-Yelp gives it 4 stars.
-I give it 4.5 stars.

stay classy,
madeleine

The Cupcake Diaries

Magnolia Bakery

New York City
1240 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
(212) 767-1123
www.magnoliacupcakes.com

Visited this cute corner bakery while walking around Rockefeller Center. I opened the door to an overpoweringly strong scent of sugar... which I usually find pleasant, except that there were so many people in the little tiny bakery that I just couldn't stand the smell/lack of space/body heat. Personally, I did not like the cupcakes all too much. The decor of the bakery is very cute though! Very clean, cute, and light. For being located in a heavy tourist spot, I'd say the bakery takes full advantage of the Rockefeller crowds. When I went outside to catch my breath, and get some air, I stood in front of the store window and watched a very declicious Red Velvet cake being made. Another day I walked by to see some of the bakers frosting cupcakes with beautiful pastel vanilla frostings! But like I said, the cupcakes aren't exactly to die for, the frosting is very sweet, for my taste, but the cake is very moist! If you're not into the touristy crowd, or the overwhelming numbers, Magnolia has 2 other locations, one in the Upper West Side, and in West Village. Although Magnolia has been featured in Sex In The City, I hate to say their cupcakes were not fantastic, but then again, I haven't tried their other baked goods! I would probably skip Magnolia Bakery if I was in the area again... but that's just me!

-Price Per Cupcake: $2.75
-Store Decor: B-
-Yelp gives it 3 stars.
-I give it 3 stars.

stay classy,
madeleine

Cupcakes, Tea, and All Things Classy.

Well, cupcakes are simply my favorite thing in the world. Add delicious tasting cupcakes with a fine cup of tea, and you get a great big chunk of heaven. If all things ceased to exist and tea and cupcakes remained, I would be completely and utterly happy with the world and life as it was. I think cupcakes and tea are the keys to happiness, simply put. This being said, I have decided that every new place I go, I will attempt to find a cute, tasty little cupcake shoppe and or a tea salon, and blog about it. But of course, I have encountered many cupcake shoppes / bakeries / tea salons already. So I will also be including those ones as well. Besides, what's classier than cupcakes and tea?! You can just call me the Cupcake & Tea Connoisseur!


Right now I am traveling, but once I return home and get time, I will be blogging about my new and old, cupcake and tea finds. And let me tell you, New York has TONS of amazing cupcakes out here! :D I'm running quite behind on blogposts, I know. I have a Classy vs. Unclassy post in the works too! Anyhow, I hope you all have a marvelously fabulous Easter weekend!

stay classy,
madeleine

say it ain't so joe.

So it's official, Joe Biden may not be the best politician out there, but he is and always will be, my favorite character in politics. In light of his latest foot-in-mouth moment at Obama's healthcare bill signing, the DNC has turned Biden's blunder, into a marketing strategy. If you may, or may not recall, Biden whispered in Obama's ear that his signing was a "Big Fucking Deal", and of course, since it was Biden, the press picked up the soundbite. So instead of making an apology, and turning against Old Joe, the DNC has been printing this fabulous shirts. Whether you're democratic or republican, you have to admit these shirts are hilarious! I might even have to pick one up for $25!Is it weird that I wish Joe Biden was in my family so he could be that crazy Uncle that runs his mouth during Thanksgiving dinner??

Anyways, I am currently in my hotel in Times Square, NYC using the Free Wifi downstairs. The weather here is AMAZING! It's warmer/sunnier/prettier than it is back at home in San Francisco! Since when does that happen?! Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and great Easter plans! I know we are going to try to get to Mass on Sunday at St. Patrick's Cathedral. I will post more on the trip later!

stay classy,
madeleine