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Song of the Day: "Let It Rock" by Kevin Rudolf and Lil Wayne

BuzzSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:30:37 PDT

I try to keep an eye on the iTunes store top songs list and I've noticed that a duet by Kevin Rudolf and Lil Wayne called "Let it Rock" has been hovering around the top 12. For those of you who aren't familiar, Rudolf is a producer/guitar player-turned-singer (for this single) who's credited on an array of pop songs, like Nelly Furtado's "Say It Right."

"Let It Rock" is super catchy and (almost) makes me feel like I should go for a run. It's exactly the kind of song that could have been the "can't get it out of my head" song of Summer 2008. I can also totally envision a Gossip Girl episode ending to this tune, with Blair leaving a club in slow-motion to the lyrics "Well, you'll get what's yours/ I got mine."

Rudolf's first full-length album, In the City, will hit stores Nov. 25. To listen for yourself,

Beauty Byte: Vivienne Westwood Rocks Fragrance

BellaSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:22:19 PDT

With her London punk legacy, Vivienne Westwood is no stranger to awesomeness. So it's fitting that the fashion designer's new fragrance is called Let It Rock. According to Cosmetics International (via Now Smell This), the scent, which debuted yesterday in London, is named for the boutique Westwood opened in 1971. The fragrance blend was also inspired by the '70s, using prevalent vintage scents like patchouli and sandalwood. Here's Westwood elaborating on her inspiration, from Cosmetics International:

“It’s the best name for a fragrance right now. People are interested in the idea of glamour. I thought back to the 1970s when I opened the shop. We felt heroic and tough. Young kids were revolting against the older generation, and that’s what rock and roll is all about.”

Manufactured by Coty, Let It Rock also uses top notes of bergamot and freesia and comes in a bottle adorned with the designer's signature orb and red-lipstick logo. It will go on sale in the UK in August then roll out to the rest of Europe later. No word on when it will be available in the States, but I would love to get my hands on this punk-inspired perfume.

Source

How Young Is Too Young For a Dye Job?

Kate Stahl — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:37:53 PDT

Gwyneth Paltrow recently shared a picture of her children, Moses and Apple, rocking out at a Jay-Z concert (shown above; they call him Uncle Jay. Yeah, we're jealous too). While we're still not sure how we feel about the whole kids-at-concerts debate, the thing that interested us the most was Apple's new 'do. The 8-year-old was sporting some seriously shocking pink hair.

Apple joins other celeb offspring like Willow Smith, who has rocked yellow and green hair, and both Maddox Jolie-Pitt and Kingston Rossdale, who have sported blue mohawks and bleach-blond styles. Maddox's sister Zahara has also turned her locks a deep shade of blue. So what do you think? Is it cool to let your kids dye their hair before they reach their 10th birthdays? Or should hair dye be reserved for adults - or at least teenagers? Weigh in below.

American Idol: Did Phillip Phillips Deserve to Win?

Maggie Pehanick — Thu, 24 May 2012 06:25:01 PDT

After 132 million votes, Phillip Phillips is the winner of American Idol season 11. The finale was a total talent blowout. Cars were given to the top two (and their mentors), a number of bedazzled spandex bodysuits were rocked, and Jane Lynch was in the audience! Steven Tyler showed off his sloth and Idol alums Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo even got engaged on stage! But let's talk music.

Phillip got to have a jam session with Creedence Clearwater Revival's John Fogerty and Jessica Sanchez sang with Tony-winner Jennifer Holliday. But the finalists weren't the only ones who got to perform with their musical inspirations; second runner-up Joshua Ledet sang with his personal idol Fantasia Barrino, Skylar Laine jammed with Reba McEntire, and Hollie Cavanagh lit up the stage with Jordin Sparks. Legends Chaka Khan and Neil Diamond were also there, J Lo and Aerosmith brought down the house, and Rihanna performed her hit "Where Have You Been." Inevitably, it was all foreplay to the moment when Ryan called out Phillip's name. So what did you think? Are you surprised? Was the right winner chosen?

Photo courtesy of Fox

6 Secrets to Building a Healthy and Lovely Terrarium

Angela Swinderman Elias — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:00:06 PDT

You might have seen our terrarium tutorial with floral experts Leigh Oakies and Allison Futeral of Crimson Horticulture Rarities. The design duo shared so many helpful insider tips about how to create and care for terrariums that we decided to pull together our favorite tips to share again with you. If you're considering crafting a terrarium, you'll definitely want to read these first!

When choosing a vessel, don't limit yourself to the traditional glass bowl or vase. Leigh and Allison have experimented with everything from beakers to mason jars!

Air plants do in fact need water. To water larger air plants, hold them under running water, shake off excess water, and dry them in the sun before returning them to their vessels.

For smaller air plants, simply immerse them in a bucket or sink of water and let them soak for an hour. Shake off excess water and allow them to dry in a sunny spot before returning them to their vessel. Watering should be done once a week.

Keep reading for more insider tips to create the perfect terrarium!

A Reader Shares Why She Loves Running in the Rain

Fit Community — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:05:25 PDT

Don't let the elements stop you! OnSugar blogger egilbride shares her thoughts on why she loves running in the rain in her blog, Ready to Run.

Today I went for a run . . . in the rain. I know most people HATE running in the rain, but sometimes I prefer it to running on a sunny day. Take my Rock n Roll Half-Marathon (did I mention it was my first half-marathon EVER?!) that I ran last August. I may sound a little extreme when I say this, but it was literally like a monsoon. And I loved every minute of it! If I had been running in 90-degree weather in the city in August, I'm not sure I would have finished. But running a half-marathon in the rain was . . . refreshing. Other than causing me to wait in line for the porta-potty a couple of times, the constant downpour didn't have much of an adverse effect on me.

Then today, I went for a run . . . and it was amazing. I left my cell phone at home (see my last post reviewing my armband), which meant no GPS and no way to track my time, other than by using my iPod nano, which was set for the wrong time. It was just me, the road, and the rain. And what did I accomplish? A lot! Since I didn't have my phone telling me when I hit each mile and what my time was, I wasn't as worried about speeding up my pace at every mile to hit my goal time. But instead, I reached another "goal," which was to run my entire "course" - which includes running around my ENTIRE hilly block, including one the size of Grendall - twice! And I felt great! It may seem like a small feat to some, but that 2.62 miles (it's just a guess) was the best accomplishment I've made since I started running again! Here's to more victories to come in the future!

Do you like running in the rain? Share your own thoughts on outdoor running below. Start your own OnSugar blog and we might feature your posts on our homepage.

8 Things You Think Are Good for Your Money . . . That Aren't

LearnVest — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:03:23 PDT

You may be wasting money when you think you're saving. LearnVest shares eight of the biggest money misconceptions.

Frugalista. Recessionista. In the past few years, people have coined a lot of silly words describing women and their approach to money, but the thought behind each of them is the same: You care about your hard-earned dollars and want to make them stretch.

That's true of most of us: We scrimp, we pinch, we try to feed our proverbial piggy bank as much as possible. Yet sometimes, in our excitement to be financial overachievers, we overreach.

It turns out there are a number of things that sound like they'd be doing good things for your money, and make you feel like you're saving more . . . when, actually, they're having the opposite effect.

Paying Every Debt Equally

When you have multiple debts to pay off (a credit card here, a student loan there) you might feel like a rock star simply for keeping up with them all and dividing your attention in a lot of different directions. Which, in a sense, you are! After all, you should always pay at least the minimums on all your loans.

But, if you have extra money to pay down your debts, you’re doing yourself a disservice by dividing it equally. The debts with the highest interest rates grow the fastest, so you should focus your muscle on the most toxic debts first.

Read on for more.

The Poem That Inspired Mad Men's "Lady Lazarus"

Annie Scudder — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:05:16 PDT

Megan Draper sets out for a new life this week on Mad Men, as she quits her job at Sterling Cooper Draper Price to resurrect her acting career. As the title of the episode, "Lady Lazarus," suggests, our friends on Mad Men are adapting to new lives. Don lets Megan pursue her acting dream, but he's lost at work without her. Pete has morphed into the sad Don of the past, cheating on his wife and sneaking around. Megan is leaving the working world to go back to acting class and auditions, finding time to play the housewife in between.

The episode borrows both its title and themes from a Sylvia Plath poem ("Lady Lazarus") about rebirth. Lazarus, of course, refers to the man Jesus raises from the dead in the Bible. In Sylvia Plath's poem, which uses allusions to Nazi Germany, the narrator almost dies three times. The first is an accident, the second is a failed suicide attempt. Sylvia Plath did commit suicide in real life, and her "Lady Lazarus" poem reads in part:

The second time I meant
To last it out and not come back at all.
I rocked shut

As a seashell.
They had to call and call
And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls.

Dying
Is an art, like everything else.
I do it exceptionally well.

Finally, the third time, she is reborn like a phoenix: "Out of the ash/ I rise with my red hair/ And I eat men like air." The rebirth is not wanted, and she hopes to eat the men who continue to revive her.

The episode about new life came filled with overt references to death, just like Sylvia Plath's poem. When Pete talks life insurance with his train buddy, Howard, he touts that his current plan even covers suicide after two years. Howard later mentions that Pete's father died young, but in a plane crash - an accident. We also see Don warn Megan about the dangers of cooking barefoot, and Don nearly step into an empty elevator shaft. Later, Megan lies lifelessly on the floor during her acting class, and Don listens to the Beatles song "Tomorrow Never Knows," off their album Revolver. This season, you can find signs predicting the death of a variety of characters. But perhaps the line from the poem - "Dying/ is an art, like everything else/ I do it exceptionally well" - references Megan. After all, Peggy complains that Megan does everything exceptionally well.

The uncomfortable changes and rebirths present in both the poem and the episode could represent the societal upheavals happening in 1960s America. Change is coming whether these individuals want it, and rebirth is being forced on some of them.

Photo courtesy of AMC

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Lady Lazarus"

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 07 May 2012 06:30:14 PDT

Megan and Pete have been center stage for much of this season of Mad Men, and they're back in the spotlight this week. Pete's journey to rock bottom continues with more self-destructive behavior, while Megan makes a major life change that affects Don and her co-workers.

We haven't seen a lot of Don and Peggy standoffs lately, but Megan's decision throws them back together - and not necessarily in a good way. There's a lot to chew on, so let's get into it when you

The lying game: Megan receives a call at work that's suspiciously from someone who's using her maiden name. That night, she tells Don that she's working late, but then tells Peggy that she's going to dinner with Don. It doesn't take long for their wires to get crossed, with both Peggy and Don realizing that something isn't quite right.
Pack your ads and go: As it turns out, Megan's basically the only character on this show that's not sneaking around with someone else; rather she was at a late-night callback for an off off Broadway play, and comes clean to Don about the lie almost immediately. That's only the tip of the iceberg though: she also admits that she's not happy at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, despite her obvious talent for advertising. Don tries to talk her out of quitting, but eventually succumbs and says he's willing to help her chase her dreams. Joan draws the obvious connection between Betty's background as a model and Megan's acting, but Don's disappointment really shows the differences between his two marriages. He truly wanted Megan to succeed as a copywriter rather than be relegated to a trophy wife; will his feelings toward Megan change now that he's realizing she's not the complete anti-Betty?
Getting the shaft: Despite his endorsement, Don's obviously not that excited about Megan's decision to leave SCDP, and he gets a creepy omen when Megan leaves the office for the last time: an empty elevator shaft. Not only is it an unsettling sign, but the moment is reminiscent of the Mad Men season 5 poster that featured a falling man.
Gilmore girlfriend: Pete's obnoxious train buddy Howard brags about his new floozy in the city over a morning chat about life insurance. Right on cue, Pete finds Howard's wife Beth (it's Gilmore Girls' Alexis Bledel!) stranded at the train station waiting for her husband, and asks if Pete will give her a ride home. It doesn't take a genius to predict what happens next: she's vulnerable, he's desperately unhappy, so they end up doing it. Though Beth tells Pete she doesn't want to see him again, Pete becomes fixated on her and even worms his way into their household at dinnertime. He proposes that she meet him for a hotel rendezvous, but she stands him up. However, when he sees her later in the car with Howard, she sends him a very mature message: a heart drawn in her steamed-up window. Pete seems to be looking for anything to latch onto these days, but with the casual mentions of suicide and life insurance, I'm a little worried about what will happen to him if he plays into Beth's mind games.
Just try it: Don's not just emotionally affected by Megan's decision to leave; she also leaves Don hanging with his new campaign for Cool Whip. Peggy is once again caught in the middle, this time tasked with playing Don's wife for their little skit for the "head of desserts." Peggy mucks up the bit, leading to an all-out bickerfest between her and Don that feels a lot more like an authentic married couple than their skit. They blame each other for Megan's departure, and Peggy eventually shuts him down.

Photo courtesy of AMC

Why Pixar's First Leading Lady Merida Is the Bravest Princess of Them All

Tara Block — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:44:25 PDT

I recently attended a Pixar event at the animation film company's HQ for its upcoming Summer flick Brave. I was able to watch the first 30 minutes of the film, interview the director Mark Andrews and producer Katherine Sarafian, learn all about Scottish traditions, and even channel my inner Merida with archery lessons. Not only am I hooked on archery (pretty proud of my bull's-eye), I'm also hooked on Brave's heroine Princess Merida - Pixar's first leading lady! But don't let Merida's royal title fool you. As an adventurous girl in ancient Scotland who'd rather shoot arrows than get married, she's far from a typical Disney princess. Katherine and Mark both shared the ways she's breaking the princess mold and what makes her a great role model for us all. And as you'll see in the clip from the film below, the last thing Princess Merida wants is a Prince Charming.

Brave producer Katherine Sarafian agrees that the studio's latest project is especially exciting because it stars a girl. She asked me, "Who among us wouldn't want to give our daughters or sons a great cinema role model?" And not only is Merida a "powerhouse of a girl" with "fire and gusto and vigor" as Katherine describes her, she's also relatable, as she doesn't come with any special superpowers. "She just has great skills and she practices them," Katherine explains, "and she earned her skills by working hard and practicing and playing archery and playing sword fighting with her dad."

What really makes Merida someone little girls and adult women alike can relate to is that she's not perfect. At one point Merida's mom, Elinor, who's trying desperately to persuade her daughter to conform to her traditional role as a lady, says, "A princess strives for perfection." As women, we're constantly feeling that pressure to meet impossible expectations and aspire to society's ideal of who we should be and what we should be doing. But we rarely hit the mark. Katherine tells me, "I find her very relatable as someone who's coming of age and struggling with that central question of how can I really be seen for who I am in a world where there's an expectation of me that is incongruous to who I am?"

So why is such a relatable female lead so rare? Katherine tells me she's never understood why we haven't seen more strong female characters onscreen. With Brave, the filmmakers weren't trying to produce a story with a leading lady; it was the story, that happened to be about a girl, that got the project made. "If more filmmakers are developing ideas with great females at the center of the story, we should be able to take the world by storm," Katherine says.

The good news is with hits like The Hunger Games that are incredibly popular with both sexes, perhaps Brave is a part of a trend toward more female-driven films. Katherine points out that the box office figures have proven that people want to see girls and women lead stories. She adds, "I'm hoping people are realizing and studios realize that there is an audience, that this is half the population."

I found it interesting that Pixar (a subsidiary of Disney) would have its first female lead in a feature film be a princess, meaning, technically, Merida is a Disney princess. It appears that for a girl to be the lead in an animated movie she has to be princess. But both Katherine and director Mark Andrews insist the princess decision had nothing to do with the classic Disney princess archetype, but rather it was about a more exciting plot. "If you're a teenager and you make a stupid decision, maybe you get grounded," Katherine explains. "If you're royalty, your bad decision can have consequences that could cause a war in your kingdom. It was important that her decisions be tied to something much bigger than herself and her immediate family."