Giveaway: Macy's Fashion Director Challenge Winner

Thanks so much to everyone that entered my Macy's Fashion Director Challenge Giveaway.

I love all of the must-have items you shared, I'm pretty sure mine are a good tank top and pair of flip flops (currently I am living in my Reefs, lurve them).

Anyhoozits, without further adieu, by the powers invested in random.org, the winner of the $50 Macy's gift card is...

Congratulations ThatShortChick who will probably get a cute sundress or two with her gift card!


Thanks again everyone and you still have a week to enter the $500 a day challenge, just head on over to www.macys.com/fashiondirector

Movie Review: My Sister's Keeper

As I've mentioned before, I am a big fan of Jodi Picoult's books. So far I have read My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, The Pact and Handle with Care and I plan to read them all eventually I just like to space them out a bit. With that said, I was very curious to see how one of her amazingly well written and emotional books would translate to the big screen and finally I was able to rent My Sister's Keeper and witness it for myself.

If you haven't read the book here' s what you should know:

• Jodi Picoult changes narrators in every chapter. Almost every character gets a chance to speak and you really start to feel connected to all of them for all sorts of different reasons.

• The story revolves around Anna, who was born for the sole purpose of helping her cancer stricken sister, and how she decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body and no longer wants to undergo surgeries to help her dying sister.

Now how do these key factors translate into the movie? Well there is some attempt at having every character narrate some part of the story but I just don't think it really helped me attach to them in any way. And as for Anna's story? It's not nearly as big of a factor in the overall movie as you would have imagined. I believe there is maybe one or two courtroom scenes and that's it. Her case doesn't become nearly as important and pivotal as the rest of the family's dilemmas and issues and Kate's, her sister, declining health.

So what did I think of the movie overall? I'm still torn. I in no way loved it like I did the book and I still didn't buy Cameron Diaz as a mother of three teenage children. However, I did LOVE Sofia Vassilieva's performance as Kate. She was absolutely amazing, by far the most well portrayed character on the screen. You could not only feel her angst and depression about her health but you also could feel her happiness on the good days and I loved it.

Nonetheless, I absolutely detested the ending. I won't give anything away but it is the complete (and I mean COMPLETE) opposite of the way the book ended which I thought was incredibly appropriate and an appreciated turn of events. I remember reading that even Jodi wasn't pleased with the ending and I don't disagree with her one bit, it's just sad Hollywood couldn't keep to it.

Now I wonder if any more of her books will be penned for the big screen or if they're just better left for our imagination.

Giveaway: Macy's Fashion Director Challenge

Are you a fashionista? Love Macy's clothes and accessories? Well this is the giveaway for you!

Macy’s Fashion Director Daily Challenge is a 30-day contest that lets fashionistas put it all together. By mixing and matching the right pieces around a daily theme, participants get the chance to win a $500 gift card every day. The interactive outfit maker at www.macys.com/fashiondirector lets you combine the season’s hottest fashions and accessories to style, shop, and share the perfect look. From putting together an outfit for a blind date to selecting the perfect look for a big work presentation, the challenges will mirror everyday situations, as well as special occasions. Using the mix and match tool, participants can virtually select pieces to create a unique outfits ideal for the challenge of the day. Suggested pieces from Macy’s Spring 2010 collections will help those in need of guidance.

I messed around on the site a bit and it is so easy to use, I think I even like it better than Polyvore (not that I use that site all that much). However it is a little dangerous to my wallet since I've found so many cute outfits I want, haha.

Anyhoo, so not only can you win a $500 gift card every day from Macy's, but you can win a $50 gift card from me!!


How to win?
Leave a comment telling me what your favorite item of clothing is or your fashion must-have.

For additional entries:

• Twitter about the contest "Calling all Fashionistas! Put it all Together with @MacysInc and @katelin for a chance to win a Macy's $50 gc http://bit.ly/a6JzQ7" and leave the permalink in a separate comment.
• Follow Macy's on Twitter
• Blog about the contest
  

Giveaway ends Wednesday, March 31st 4pst.


So embrace the fashionista inside and good luck!



*Macy's is a client of my company.

Movie Review: Public Enemies

For a movie starring Christian Bale AND Johnny Depp you would have thought I was all over seeing it in theaters. Alas it was one I missed but thanks to the wonders of Netflix I finally saw it Sunday night and umm I don't really know what to think.

There was so much potential with this story and the cast but in the end I think it just fell short and was so incredibly slow! At one point, both Matt and I were playing games on our phones and loosely paying attention to the movie, why we didn't just turn it off I have no idea.

In case you've never even heard of this movie, the plot goes something like this: The movie follows the final years of notorious bank robber John Dillinger (Depp) and his gang as well as the FBI agent that finally brings him down (Bale).

Basically the story was lackluster and I really disliked how it was filmed. It was like the director wanted to go for a realistic feel and give the movie a documentary effect, however I just thought it came off as annoying. Despite the weird filming and slow moving plot I did enjoy Marion Cotillard's character (Dillinger's girlfriend) and all the other random celebrity spots (Stephen Dorf, Channing Tatun, Leelee Sobieski) just for making the movie interesting.

I will say that the movie peaked my interest in learning more about Dillinger (thank you Wikipedia!) like most true story movies do, however I don't think I'll be watching this movie again, once was enough.

Book Review: Water for Elephants

Yes I realize it's been a while since I've done a book review and boy have I been doing some reading, but this book definitely warrants a review because it was just so good.

I don't even remember who recommended this book to me or what reading list I saw it on, but I am so glad I picked it up at the library. The book revolves around an elderly man, Jacob, as he looks back on his time where he unconventionally and unintentionally worked with a traveling circus.

I know that's a pretty vague description but you don't really want to know more before getting into this book because there are so many twists and turns along the way it was so entertaining not knowing what to expect. I also appreciated the book went back and forth between Jacob as an old man and back to his youthful days multiple times, like two coinciding stories almost.

However I will say, be prepared to be a little shocked, maybe shed a tear or too and sometimes feel a little risque reading it. But all around I absolutely loved this story and I didn't want it to end. So go pick yourself up a copy right this second!

And made reading this book even better? Water for Elephants is currently in the process of coming to the big screen. And who will be playing Jacob? None other than Mr. Rob Pattinson himself. I can't say that he's a perfect fit or anything but I definitely won't object to seeing him on the big screen again especially in a story that I love.

Giveaway: TCM 21 Days of Oscar Winner

Thanks so much to everyone that entered my TCM 21 Days of Oscar giveaway. It's good to see so many fellow movie lovers out there that I know will be enjoying the Academy Awards this Sunday as much as I will.

So without further adieu, the winner of the TCM Oscar prize pack is...

Congrats Nora, who said her favorite movies are the Shawshank Redemption and the Notebook. Um I freaking LOVE the Notebook.

Anyhoo, I hope you have a very A-list Oscar's!