1. The Manny Abortion Episode/Accidents Will Happen

Unlike that horrible cesspool (that I still occassionaly watch) Secret Like of the American Teen, Degrassi has balls of steel and actually wrote an episode about a central character getting an abortion! Manny, who was hooking up with cutie pie Craig while he was dating his “soul mate” Ashley, soon discovers that she is carrying his baby (after she breaks up with him, of course). In true Degrassi fashion, this is a two part episode with Manny not even realizing abortion is an option until the very last 10 minutes. For the most part this is a pretty tame episode (they only show her signing her name in at an abortion clinic), but as far as I’m concerned, this episode defines everything I love about Degrassi.

2. Rock n’ Roll High School/Craig Apologizes to Ashley

Also relating to the whole Craig/Ashley/Manny triangle is the Rock n’ Roll High School episode. A while after Manny’s “big A”, Ashley still feels seriously pissed with Craig for “like cheating on her and impregnating the other woman.” Since Ashley and Craig bonded over their mutual love of music it makes sense that they would resolve things during Degrassi’s battle of the bands contest. Ashley writes her feelings out and pens this amazing little diddy called, “Mr. Nice Guy” where she essentially talks about what an asshole Craig is and how she will destroy him. her band wins the prelim competition nats.

With Ashley kicking Craig’s ass all over the place, he has no choice but to do a little self reflection. Craig eventually over comes his writers block singing a ballad apologizing to Ashley for his treachery. He and his band, Downtown Sasquatch win the actual competition, nats. Oh, and he also earns Ashley’s respect back. Double Win!!!!!

3. Jimmy is Drake, Drake is Jimmy! What? A Rap Star in the Making.

I don’t care how big Drake is, he will always be Jimmy from the block. I never thought he had it in him!

4. When Liberty Got Hot…

Maybe it’s a bit arbitrary, but I loved that liberty went from being all awkward to being all geeky hot in season 5! Go Lib.

5. Jimmy Has No LEGS Son!!!!!!!!

Okay, on the real tip, school violence isn’t funny. However, there is just something so redic about Jimmy getting shot that it tops my list of memorable moments.

Background: School freak, Rick, who is teased mercilessly (before you get too sympathetic, he was an abusive bf who put his girlfriend in a coma, hence why everyone hated him) snaps and goes on a shooting rampage. Poor Jimmy gets targeted because Rick is mislead into believing that Jimmy planned a prank that humiliated him in front of the entire school. Rick ends up dead and Jimmy is in a wheelchair for the next 3-4 seasons until his character gets stem cell surgery and walks on off the show. Seriously!

So everyone has been losing it about Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in Rhinebeck, NY this weekend, and for the most part I’ve stayed away from the fervor. However, I just took a look at the photos and was completely touched. She looked gorgeous in her Vera Wang gown, and the ceremony looked beyond lovely. Such a cute and in love couple, I melt!

What can I say, I’m sucker for sexy French thrillers. As such, La Femme Nikita has always had a special place in my heart (even though Nikita herself is a relatively unlikable character). My favorite scene, despite all the  great action sequences, is a very quiet but pivotal exchange between Nikita and her trainer Amande (played the exquisite Jeanne Moreau). In terms of screen time, Amande is a very minor character but she is single-handedly responsible for transforming the rebellious/tomboyish Nikita into a full-fledged femme fatale. This scene is so elegant and powerful, and its subtlety blows me away every time. Clip below (sorry it’s in dubbed Italian lol!).

Amande: Are you looking at my hands?
They were beautiful, once. Now they give me away.

Nikita: Did you go through this?

Amande:[Amande smiles and hands Nikita a tube of lipstick]
Let your pleasure be your guide. Your pleasure as a woman.
And don't forget...there are two things that have no limit:
Femininity...and the means of taking advantage of it.

When your friends hook you up, you have to bust out the Dionne Warwick!

It’s been raining all day! On awful grey afternoons like this, I find that I’m in desperate need of a pitch perfect song (not too upbeat and not too melancholic) . Below i’ve posted one such example, Del Shanon’s- Gemini (Pilooski edit). Enjoy. 

After some painstaking revisions over the past week, I have finally created a Summer Playlist that I can get behind. Not all the songs are specific to summer per se, but in one way or another they all speak to the essence of the season- good times and warm vibrations. If you find yourself unfamiliar with any of the artists or songs listed, feel free to click on the hyperlink for an audio sample. Note to Reader: Don’t just “enjoy” the music, get revved up for some sunshine!

1. Vampire Weekend, “Run”

2. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave”

3. Two Door Cinema Club “Undercover Martyn”

4. The Drums “Saddest Summer”

5. Bob Marley, “Could You Be Loved”

6. Toro Y Moi “Talamak”

7. Brigitte Bardot “Moi Je Joue”

8. Madonna,  “Borderline”

9. Broken Social Scene “Texico Bitches”

10. The Soft Pack “Answer Yourself”

11. Architecture in Helsinki, “Heart it Races (Dr. Dog Remix)”

12. LCD Soundsystem “Someone Great”

13. Small Black “Despicable Dogs”

14. DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, “Summertime”

15. Dum Dum Girls “Jail La La”

16. The Police, “Every Little Things She Does is Magic”

17. New Young Pony Club “Chaos”

18. Delorean “Stay Close”

19. M.I.A. “Born Free”

20. Talking Heads “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)”

-TbeeBK

Can we talk about Crewcuts? I’m not really sure when this happened, but sometime in between begging my mom for Delia’s merchandise and getting a salaried pay check, J. Crew has “reinvented” itself. What used to be a store filled with overpriced khakis and white oxford shirts is now a haven for young professionals to get “edgy” yet work appropriate apparel. Of course, their definition of edgy means pairing a mauve cardigan with a neon green polo shirt. We get it J. Crew, you’re trying to be fashionable in a quirky way.

My J. Crew gripes aside, the real meat of this guest blog is not to skewer its annoyingly smug-yet-not-smug take on corporate wear, it’s to complain about one particular worm hole that is growing unchecked in the J. Crew universe – the monstrosity that is Crew Cuts. For the unaware, Crew Cuts is J. Crew’s “fashion” line for children. There is an innumerable number of reasons why you, me and everyone we know should be offended by this clothing line.* Luckily for you, I’ve narrowed these reasons down to five.

1) Children should not look like mini versions of me. Children should look like oompa loompas.

(Does this come in a child’s size 40? I’ll take two.)

2) Composite outfits that cost more than the average gym membership. How much do you think this outfit is worth? A t-shit, a pair of shorts and some vintage-y looking glasses. I’d say it’s worth about $20 bucks. It costs $269. Without tax.

(Those glasses aren’t even prescription!)

3) Racially ambiguous child models. United Colors of Benetton trademarked edgy racial ambiguity in 1965, Crew Cuts. Step. Off.

(Gotta admit though, this kid looks pretty hip.)

4) Ridiculously impractical accessories. Does a child need a flower pin the size of his/her face? A reusable tote bag? An analog watch? The only accessory that should be on a child is a leash.

( They don’t need turtles made out of aluminum foil either.)

5) Girls: Lolita complex, Boys: inappropriate “just tousled” look. Half of these child models look like they just got out of bed. And by just got out of bed, I mean had sex.

(Looks like a walk of shame to me.)

Seriously, parents. When I see your child, I don’t want to stop and admire their/your adventures in sartorial wonderland. I want to get the fuck away from them before they try to drool on me. A well-behaved child is a fashionable one, and trust me, that is more than your $269 dollars can buy.

* Don’t even get me started on Crewmutts.

-STFU

[all pictures courtesy of www.jcrew.com]