Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
I recently saw a display of vintage mannequins from the turn of the century that shocked me. They were life-size and wearing dresses equivalent to a Size 10 or 12. Fast-forward to a shopping trip to a downtown Chicago department store where the mannequins were roughly the shape of your 12-year-old nephew.
Petite Rachael Ray looks exactly the way she does on her Food Network shows, “30-Minute Meals” and “$40 a Day.” But even she’s a little surprised when–as she leaves a Starbucks in downtown Chicago–a man stares at her cup of java and shouts, “Hey, Rachael! Is that on your $40 budget?” It’s not.
Some women might take offense at being dubbed a Wacky Chick, but Jacklyn Kim revels in it. “I love being wacky and different.” Though she’s employed at one of the city’s most luxurious spas, Jacklyn rarely indulges in manicures and massages. The tiny dynamo–who is almost always clad in New York black–can’t sit still long enough to relax.
Threading is so old school it’s trendy. The ancient Middle Eastern practice of hair removal is tops with trendsetters such as Jennifer Aniston and Salma Hayek. Even Grammy winner Michelle Branch sings the praises of threading.
If you’re like most people, you choose your destinations based on things like beaches, museums, shopping and night life. But why be like most people? We’ve got one of the best reasons yet to hop on a plane: eclectic and fun cooking classes, where you can learn from the best and then splurge — go ahead, you’re on vacation — on your own creations.
“Free Winona”? That was so 2002. This spring’s must-have shirt is the plain and kinda ugly T-shirt touting “Jesus is My Homeboy.” Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck, Ashton Kutcher and Pamela Anderson have all been seen wearing the shirt. Even barely-there Lara Flynn Boyle (above) found a size small enough to fit her. Urban Outfitters reports brisk sales of the shirt, which is priced at $28.
If Jennifer Lopez has anything to do with it, torn sweatshirts, leg warmers and a big ol’ hairdo will be back in style, thanks to the “Flashdance” theme running rampant in the music video for her latest single, “I’m Glad”–a song she wrote for the man of her dreams, Ben Affleck.
Have you heard? Hilton Hotel heiresses Paris and Nicky Hilton are the latest “celebrity” designers. Last GLARE noticed, the only designs the sisters had before were on the likes of hottie actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Edward Furlong.
GLARE is disturbed by reports that the split of Hollywood cute couple Jennifer Garner and Scott Foley may be due to her career overshadowing his. But Foley isn’t the first celebrity hubby to have to bask in the reflected spotlight of his wife’s glory. Here’s a look at some of their resumes.
Roman Polanski may never be able to escape the stigma of sexual molestation, even though most grant he is a talented director. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the infamous case.
It’s a cocktail jungle out there. Drink menus are increasingly becoming so large, they sometimes rival a restaurant’s actual food menu. With a resurgence of the fashionable Cocktail Hour at area lounges, clubs and hotel bars, it can be quite daunting to decide which fabulous libation (or two) you simply must have. What’s in? What’s passe? What is the latest ‘It’ drink? And just hou much does it coset to be cocktail cool?
“Without a question, Bruce Lee was the uncontested idol for a lot of little black boys growing up in the ’70s. We absolutely accepted him as Soul Brother No. 1.”
Never mind how good Ben Affleck looks poured into his Daredevil costume. Let’s talk about the headgear. Why does such a fierce fighter have such teeny-tiny horns? Size must count for something, especially in the land of superheros. With that in mind, we’ve decided to dissect the functionality (and fashionability) of our top superheroes’ masks.
For every woman who has complained that all the best men are married, gay or dead, we did a little legwork and came up with a few guys who aren’t. Granted, a couple of our accomplished hotties have girlfriends, but isn’t it nice to know guys like this exist? We’re presenting just a portion of what’s out there; it’s up to you to find your own bachelor. How hard can it be? After all, there are 1.3 million single men in Chicago, and they may just be looking for you.
Is no relationship better than a bad one? Yup. The problem is, most of us don’t know we’re in a bad one until we’ve managed to break free.
Don’t call the man. Don’t accept a weekend date after Wednesday. Don’t ask him out on a date. We all know about those tired old Rules spelled out in that book a few years ago. But it’s 2003 and we’re wondering what today’s singles consider to be the rules for dating in the 21st century. The participants in our non-scientific survey have a few things in common. They’re all single, active daters who aren’t afraid to speak their minds. Most are afraid to have their real names printed in a newspaper though, so we compiled their collective Top 5 rules for dating and asked a handful of brave and savvy singles to share their thoughts.
Everyone has a favorite shoe designer, be it lowbrow (Keds) or haute couture (Jimmy Choo). Though Sarah Jessica Parker steps into Choo and Manolo Blahnik shoes on “Sex and the City,” the diminutive actress has been known to scour Soho boutiques for a great pair of Robert Clergerie boots. And Chicago-based actress Shane Williams has a love affair with Ferragamo.
In the 1950s, sophisticated fashionistas traded in their chunky 1940s shoes for sexy Italian stilettos. But for the bobby-socks set, penny loafers were still the rage.
There’s a scene in “Bull Durham” that encapsulates why women enjoy getting pedicures so much. Kevin Costner is cradling Susan Sarandon’s foot in his hand while he carefully paints her toenails red. The scene is sensual, but also surprisingly relaxing and comforting.
It’s 8 o’clock on a Friday night. Chris’s Billiards on Chicago’s Northwest Side is full of some serious pool players. They glance at our table. If they’re thinking we’re uncoordinated players, they’re too polite to point that out. Instead, a kindly gentleman walks over and suggests we take a bit more time to focus before we hit the ball. “It just takes a little getting used to,” he says. “You’ll get used to it.” Though my friend and I have only played pool a combined total of five times–ever–we’re having a ball.