I’m a sucker for period pieces. Jane Austen films? I own them all. Mad Men? I’m obsessed. Happy Days? Aaayyyyy. (That’s my Fonze impression.) It should therefore be no surprise that I’m all over HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, a show set in Atlantic City during the prohibition era. It’s a semi-fictionalized glance into the world of the speakeasy, “classic” mobsters, and flapper dresses. The second season has recently started and we’re again treated to the show’s most enticing eye candy of all: Steve Buscemi sets decorated to exacting detail with the look of the time – the transitional period between art nouveau and art deco. If you oggle the fixtures during the show and ask yourself, “why don’t they make beautiful things like that anymore?” I’ve got a website you’re going to love. [click to continue…]
TV
Even if you’re DIY-minded, you can’t always get what you want done. Time, money and abilities have a funny way of sidetracking our plans to redo that kitchen, update that bathroom or upgrade a living room. But fear not! For the low, low price of your dignity privacy, you could get some of those renos you need done for free. Here are two television casting calls we came across. Please note that we have NOTHING to do with these TV shows or casting decisions. We’re just the messengers, people. [click to continue…]
Little Chocolatiers? TLC, are you effing with me?
Do you remember what the channel TLC used to be like? Once upon a time, it stood for The Learning Channel and offered programming that lived up to its name. Then, when the real estate industry was booming, TLC practically rivaled HGTV in its offerings. Whether it was buying, decorating, renovating or flipping your / that / this / my home, TLC had a program (or five) about it. And that was fine. They were interesting, gave you ideas and were generally inoffensive (although Paige Davis certainly came close to crossing that line).
Then the sub-prime mortgage crisis hit and real estate tanked. The happy endings that fueled these programs became fewer. Instead, just before the credits, a black screen would appear with a note from the producers saying something to the effect of “Joe’s house is still on the market. It’s been 15 months. He hates his life. This was a mistake. We are all doomed. Doomed. DOOOOMED!”
So, TLC had to find some other kind of programming to lighten the mood, and apparently there are only four things that will do that for us: [click to continue…]
… and by “Handyman” they do indeed also mean “Handywoman.” “Handyperson” or “Handyone” just don’t have quite the right flow.
If you know how to swing a mean hammer, are a fan of HGTV and dream of one day becoming tabloid fodder, consider applying to the HGTV casting call for All-American Handyman: [click to continue…]
