"PLEASE, let me be your Rock of Love..."

[NOTE] Leading up to this concert, I couldn't find many reviews -- mostly because this was only the third or fourth stop of this tour -- so I hope this helps people going to future concerts get an idea of what's in store.

As I mentioned last week, my girlfriends are fantastic for supporting my love of Bret Michaels and this weekend only elevated my irrational obsession of the "seasoned" rocker.

My four friends and I journeyed down to the House of Blues in Showboat Casino Friday night (March 20) for Bret's Atlantic City stop on the "Rock of Love Bus Tour."

We made it down in good time, but our 20-minute check-in and dimly lit hotel room made getting ready for the show a frantic mess of high heels, eyeliner and lingerie (What? Did you think we would show up to a Bret Michaels concert and not dress the part?).

Doors opened at 8 and the show was set to begin at 9, but we unfortunately got in there a little later than I had hoped and fans were jammed tight up to the stage. My friends and I scooted through the crowd and landed about 20-25 rows of people away from the stage. I wanted to get closer, but we were essentially stonewalled by people much larger than we. (Rachel would later say we were blocked by the "fat fortress.")

In my opinion, Bret brought the house down. His voice is a little gruffer than it used to be and he didn't play long (little more than an hour?), but his and the BMB's energy had the crowd -- hardcore Poison fans, Bret Michaels solo enthusiasts and reality television lovers alike -- dancing, jumping and unskinnybopping all over the place.

Bret was smiling the entire time, doing some dancing in his skintight jeans and repeatedly reaching out to the extended hands of fans pouring over the railings. He told mildly insightful stories about his songs (like writing "Every Rose" in a laundromat), reminded us that "ROL" has been the highest rated show on VH1 for three seasons and directed cameramen around the stage as they filmed segments for the channel.

The music was a mix of old Poison, new Bret Michaels Band and cover songs. He opened with the again-popular "Talk Dirty to Me" (for all the Guitar Hero fans in the room), ripped through the "oldest of the oldschool Poison" with "Look What the Cat Dragged In," ended with "Fallen Angel" and encored with "Nothing But a Good Time" (which I called from a mile away -- video below).

Bret also went oldschool with covers of "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Knocking on Heaven's Door." Of his newer material, he played the theme to his hit reality show, "Go That Far," the corny-but-catchy "Bittersweet" and --my favorite-- "Driven."

Looking back, I'm a little disappointed we didn't work to get backstage, and while I didn't get to meet Bret, my friends and I did manage to meet and get a hug from Chuck Fanslau, the drummer from the Bret Michaels Band (and who infamously kissed Beverly in ROLB ep. 4 -- pictured below)!

So, overall, Bret Michaels' solo concert was nothing but a good time and my friends and I are already planning to see Poison (with Def Leppard and Cheap Trick) in June when they kick off their tour in NJ in June -- whoo! And you can bet your extension-wearing, silicone-loving butt I'm going to be front row next time Bret comes to town ;)

"If you wanna be my lover..."

As a poor journalist, shelling out $100 for anything makes me grimace...but dropping $105 to see the Spice Girls in Philadelphia last night was anything but silly and completely worth it to fulfill all my wildest 1997 dreams.

The concert "started" at 7:30, but the British fivesome didn't come on until 8:30 and there was no opening act. Had we planned on the delay a little better, my friends and I might have gotten some brews at the McFadden's inside the Wachovia Center, but as we climbed and climbed and climbed to our seats, it was clear we weren't going anywhere until the show was over. Yes, that's right--very last row.

Here's the view from our seats, with and without zoom:

The crowd was without a doubt fired up before the show even began, with tons of glitter-clad teenage girls and 20 somethings dancing and singing to the "warm up" music, but when the lights came down and five podiums arose from below the stage, it was complete pandemonium.
"La, la, la, lalala, la, la, laaaa... When you're feeling sad and low, we will take you where you wanna go."

The concert kicked off with the high energy "Spice Up Your Life." Watch this video and tell me this doesn't look like insanity. (And PS. ignore the singing around me. I forgot to inform my friends that I would be taping, haha.)

During their first dialogue, the Spice Girls announced that they were getting "Silly in Philly," and then broke into my personal favs, "Stop," and "Say You'll Be There." The girls were dressed in coordinating gold, glittery outfits and they all looked phenomenal. The girls slowed it down a bit for their newest song, "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)," which gave the amped up audience a chance to get a breather--and at our altitude, that was tough.

"Lady is a Vamp" was excellent, followed up by the girls in a dressing room-like set to perform a sexed up version of "Too Much." I'm pretty sure this was when all the feathery props came out - bright boas during these numbers, and then giant, white, fluffy things for "2 Become 1," where the girls road an imaginary carousel with candy cane poles--VIDEO BELOW! You can really see how buff Sporty Spice is and how crazy the crowd goes for Posh Becks (though, I don't understand why).

After "Who Do You Think You Are?" the girls each had some solo time out on stage, and Victoria took it upon herself to ditch the singing and strut up and down the runway stage to RuPaul's "Supermodel" - WORK! Work it girl! Yeah. She sucks.

Scary Spice brought one of the six men in the entire venue on stage as she sang a cover of Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" as she whipped, gyrated and gave the guy a faux BJ--no, not kidding. Were they like this when I was 12??

Baby Spice sang her single--so...apparently she came out with a single. The aesthetics for the song were really cute--very Austin Powers-esque.

The group reunited on stage for a Spanishy rendition of "Viva Forever" and picked it up with their newer song, "Holler," in which they led hunky dancers down the catwalk on leashes. Girl power!

Geri came on stage, and much to my dismay did not sing her single "Look at Me," but she did belt out a pretty fun rendition of "It's Raining Men" (below, left). And then obviously, Sporty Spice sang her single--the most successful of the lot--the techno-inspired "I Turn To You" (below, right).

After slowing the pace down for "Let Love Lead the Way," the girls gathered at the end of the stage and Sporty Spice--in her cockney talk--described her admiration for her four Spice friends who have all popped out some Spice babies in the last few years...which of course launched them into "Mama."

The concert started going down the beaten Bah Mitzvah path as the band pumped out "Celebration," "We Are Family" and such. "Goodbye," which you can see my videdo of by clicking here, ended the set and the girls fled the stage.

After some crowd encouragement, the platoon of male dancers hit the stage again in rainbow wear and break danced to "The Humpty Dance," which I found particularly entertaining. And then it got Spiced-up with the girls reappearing and chanting the chorus to "If U Can't Dance."

And what would a Spice Girls concert be without some "Wannabe"?! By far, the best moment of the concert. VIDEO BELOW.

The concert ended with a funky reprise of "Spice Up Your Life" as glittered blasted the stage (below, right). It was absolutely insane.

Yes, the show was short (about 90 minutes), our seats were bad and the dance moves were a littly crusty. But the Spice Girls sang. They by no means lip synched (as evident by a few off key notes throughout), but Sporty Spice is without a doubt the most talented of the bunch, belting out song after song as the others seemed more like background singers at times. And the Spices looked fan-freaking-tastic. Mel B's and Geri's stomachs looked insane and Mel C's arms were jacked. The girls chatted it up on stage and kept the energy going the whole time. It was well worth the hundred bucks.

I went to a Spice Girls concert 12 years after their prime, and it was incredible.

[PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW
THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM THE SPICE GIRLS CONCERT!]

Dessert in a can = no no

I know I've written about the genius of Dr. Pepper's viral marketing campaign, but I finally got my hands on some Cherry Chocolate Dr. Pepper, and yeah, not so good.

I wasn't expecting much, so the first sip was, "Oh, hey, this isn't so bad. It really actually tastes like chocolate covered cherries." But by the second sip, my thoughts were more like, "Okay, this gets really old, really fast." And also, don't let it go flat. It gets even worse.

They offer a $1.00-off coupon on your next purchase, but even an $0.39 beverage that tastes that bad couldn't rope a bargain shopper like me in.

Sorry to say, but I'm thinking this beverage is going to follow the same broken road as good ole' Pepsi Kona, R.I.P. 1996.

RELATED LINKS
Dessert in a can
Chocolate's 'Reign' over marketing

Thanks, TJS!

My own Consumerist story

My boyfriend and I recently had dinner at a Bennigan's restaurant, which is never really high on the list of dining destinations, but we wanted a change.

On the way in, we saw a sign for the Triple Dare dessert, which features some combination of fried Twinkies and brownies and vanilla ice cream; the tagline on the sign said was something to the effect of punching the Surgeon General in the face [click here for photo and description]. Still, we decided to save room for this artery-clogging confection.

Now, in an effort to eat on the relatively 'lighter' side, I opted for a cup of soup and half a sandwich. "Oh, half a Monte Cristo? Sure, that looks pretty good," I said as I looked at the picture featured on the menu. Yeah, it says it's lightly fried, but I'm looking at the photo (below) and thinking, "Oh, okay, crispy bread."
But what appeared on my plate was the most abhorrent thing I'd ever seen.

The picture to the left is not mine, but boy do I wish I had a camera that day, because even this does not do it justice. When I say the server brought me two triangular lunch meat-filled donuts, that's an understatement. I could barely even pick up the sandwich because its greasy inch-thick fried covering was slipping out of my hands. I understand those pictures on the menu are just a "suggestion" of what you are to be served, but that picture was a boldfaced lie!

When I returned home, I did some research on the sandwich and found that I am in the vast minority of American's who tried the sandwich I now affectionately refer to as coronary on a plate. Nearly everyone in this country freaking loves this sandwich! I couldn't believe it. I felt I needed to expose it for all its dietary detriment.

Anyway, back at the restaurant, I ate about five bites of the sandwich and held off for the Triple Dare, which yes, was much more disgusting than the Monte Cristo, but at least they weren't trying to cover up its fried, chocolatey, Twinkie goodness.

Feeling absolutely awful, I went home and wrote to Bennigan's. I told them the drinks we ordered were phenomenal, and our server was quite pleasant...but that their irresponsibility in menu artwork left me considering a post-meal run around the block to try and "reverse my fortune" of dining at Bennigan's.

The story does not end there, though, because had Bennigan's not written me back, I would have posted this story anyway, encouraging all readers to boycott the restaurant.

Instead, this weekend I received a friendly letter from the corporation, saying they valued me as a customer and would bring up my concerns with management. And while that could be standard protocol for the company, I appreciated the response and the $10 gift card to give them another shot.

So the moral of the story is: If you want to die an early death, order the Monte Cristo sandwich at Bennigan's. And if not, go there anyway - they appreciate their customers. And their drinks (alcoholic and non-) are fan-freaking-tastic.

I am a sacred vessel--all you got in your stomach is Taco Bell.

I don't get out to the movies as often as I'd like, but last night, I was fortunate enough to catch Jason Reitman's new indie-like, "Juno." [click to watch trailer]

In a nutshell: Juno, a 16-year-old girl who gets pregnant by her nerdy best friend, searches for a suitable couple to adopt the child while dealing with her high school peers and semi-dysfunctional family.

Might not sound like a standout film, but it totally is.

The acting performances are all on-point, and I'm sure Ellen Page ("Juno") is going to blow up as a huge star in no time; she's like a young Janine Garofalo. Michael Cera, whom you may remember from "Superbad," isn't in the movie as much as you'd might think, but I laughed incredibly hard anytime Bleeker said anything (but that's because I'm in love with all things awkward). Jennifer Garner, who plays Vanessa, really makes you feel her pain as a mother who can't conceive and is struggling for the chance to be a mother with her husband, Mark, played by Jason Bateman.

This is a non-spoilers review, so I'll withhold all ending details, but the movie keeps your interest the entire time without fail. It's a dark comedy feel, mixed with some Napoleon Dynamite/Superbad-ness, but has also got a slightly heavy and emotional side when dealing with adoption and love of all kinds (yeah, I cried for the last 20 minutes of the movie after laughing for the first 75).

While the dialogue is a little off-putting at first (lots of abbreviations and trend-speak), you adapt after about five minutes and it becomes entertaining, brassy, cheeky, laughable, etc. etc. etc. "Can't we just like kick this old school. You know, like I stick the baby in a basket, send it your way, like Moses and the reeds?" [click to read quotes from "Juno"]

The soundtrack is also noteworthy--little odd, really catchy and the song that Bleeker and Juno sing at the end of the movie will undoubtedly become a huge iTunes download if enough people wise up and see this awesome movie.

Humdrum Hills "finale"

WARNING: SPOILERS

Dry your mascara-laden eyes, Hills fans. Despite the "finale" episode last night, the season is not over!

Yes, if you missed last night's special aftershow you missed nothing but MTV compensating for the writer's strike and extending its most popular reality show's third season, beginning "in the first quarter" of 2008.

Lauren announced that viewers would "get to see our whole trip to Paris, and everything that follows afterwards." But based on last night's "last hurrah," I'm thinking these episodes are gonna be a snoozefest. Let's recap:

Heidi and Spencer went their separate ways, but we're not actually sure if they broke up...?

Whitney is asked to again join the skeleton-like Lisa Love in Paris and Lauren is sad. Whitney accidentally asks Lauren what Paris is like this time of year (duhhh) and Lauren is sad again. Then, to the shock of viewers across the nation (note sarcasm, please), Lauren is invited on the trip and she shares her Cheshire-cat like smile with us all.

But wait! What about Brody? Will Lauren again be forced to choose between some pretty boy who is likely banging every other blond girl in LA and the je ne sais qua of Pari?

Actually, it doesn't matter, because she's going for like, four days and she and Brody aren't even dating. YAWN.

There was a lot of self-recollection time while the cast drove in their fancy schmancy cars and half of them got on airplanes. My favorite part was of it all was Audrina, sitting alone in the apartment doing nothing while everyone else is going through some life-changing experience.

Overall, this finale was super lame and the only thing more pathetic than it was the slopfest that followed on the aftershow. I don't think MTV could have picked two more annoying and incompetent hosts. They got no information out of the show's "stars" and they were practically drooling all over the place.

I know this is a paltry recap effort, but please, let me direct you to a fantastic analysis of last night's episode. It's so wonderful, I must give it props.

"If I do fringe, it's gonna look like armpit hair"

WARNING: SPOILERS

Though tonight's Project Runway featured no celebrity guest star, I think it posed the most interesting challenge this season (even though that's not saying much [yawn]).

The designers were asked to select from passé fashions--such as baggy sweaters, overalls and shoulder pads--and create a cohesive set of three designs in groups of three with $225 and two days.

Jack, Christian and Kit = best group ever. They selected zoot suit, fringe and pleather (or "Britney Spears on crack," according to the mighty fine Jack). They totally rocked their designs, but then again, would we expect anything but the best from--as Christian said--Team Star, Like Celebrity.

(Left to right: Christian, Jack and Kit's designs)

Ricky, Elisa and Victorya = team disaster. I'll hand it to Ricky for trying to communicate with spacy Elisa, who somehow stayed in the background this episode. And somehow Ricky ended up as team leader, even though Victorya bossed him around the entire episode, but more than likely didn't step up as leader because she didn't want to take the blame for the atrocious set that came out of their neon, cut-outs and underwear as outerwear designs. Bleck!

(left to right: Ricky, Elisa and Victorya's designs)

Then there was team Chris, Sweet P and Steve, or the forgotten team, because no one's designs were more yawn-worthy. Sweet P's was decent as the modern baggy sweater look, and Steven's was just okay, but Lord almighty...Chris, what happened??? (see below)

The winning team turned out to be another problematic team, but unlike Ricky's, these guys pulled it together. Jillian, Kevin and Rami won the challenge for their cohesive set of designs and modern take on overalls and such.
During judging it became quite clear who the bottom two would be: Chris and Ricky. And in the end, the judges made a horrible mistake in sending Chris home. Yes, his outfit was really bad (below), but Chris has 15 times as much personality and talent as Ricky, AND Ricky has been in the bottom two almost every week since the show began! And his stupid conductor's hat has got to go!

The previews for next week look pretty good, and I'm thinking maybe we're going with overweight models? Who knows! What I do know is some extra special spoiler information involving one of my favs, Jack, and his big announcement for next week, but don't click this link if you want to be surprised next week!
Four down--11 to go! Make it work!

RELATED LINKS:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3

Thrills in The Hills? I should write for this show...

Now I don't usually do a weekly update of The Hills (mostly because I usually catch a rerun over the weekend), but tonight's episode left me with a lot of interrogative thoughts:

• Why does Spencer want to marry a girl who kind of looks like his sister (Stephanie, right)? Then again, he and his sister looks creepily similar...are Heidi (left) and Specer related? Ooh--that could make a nice scripted twist for next season!

• Why are Heidi and Spencer 21-going on-35? "Don't you dare lea--if you leave, don't come back! SPENCER!" Please...You guys are young and (somewhat) attractive living in Los Angeles! You should be chugging Grey Goose and waking up with some strangers' overly priced designer clothes on!

• Did Brody get some extremely bad haircut just prior to the filming of this episode? Not only did we see him more in this episode than any other this season (now that Lauren decides to fall for him), but his backward black cap was doing nothing but making his head look ungodly square...but I guess that's fitting for his character, eh?

• And finally...now that next week's episode is the season finale, is The Hills production team praying for the end of the writers strike? I mean...how will they create such a horrendous, but terribly addicting script if the strike doesn't end? At least we have a nice rehashing of footage this Sunday during Lauren Looks Back: a 2-hour movie event.

"Imagine you were 5'3 in that outfit; you'd look like Cousin It"

WARNING: SPOILERS

*My apologies for the tardy PR update; like a good majority of Americans, I grudgingly went to an overcrowded bar on Thanksgiving Eve and was not able to catch the second episode's re-airing until last night.

Episode 2 boasted a super special guest, and prior to his or her arrival, the contestants offered up some guesses--Snow White? Come on...was that serious? The doors open and in walks Miss "Fashion Icon" herself, Sarah Jessica Parker, and though Maxim magazine may disagree, she looked gorgeous.

Kevin, one of the few straight men on the show, accidentally dismissed SJP's friendly handshake, making him look like a jerk. And I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty hilarious to see a 300-pound gay man blubbering over Carrie Bradshaw and the inspiration she has given him.
The challenge was to create a new look for SJP's clothing line, BITTEN, on a $15 budget. The designers pitched their sketches and Sarah Jessica picked the top seven, who then chose a partner from the remaining seven designers.

The most obviously awkward pairing was poor Sweet P and wacko Elisa, who used her own spit to mark her "polymorphic" fabric. Yuk. The judging panel actually asked her what planet she's from...and she thought they were joking.

The judges were less than impressed with Christian and Carmen's dress--which looked like it came out of a 1982 time capsule--and Steven and Marion's outfit (right), which looked like it came out of my great grandmother's basement.

Despite their difficulty working together, the Sweet P and Elisa managed to produce a look that all the judges liked, but I gotta say...that shawl was hideous. The judges also approved of Victorya and Kevin's dress/plaid vest thing and Sarah Jessica must have said the word "simplicity" 70 times throughout the episode.

Honestly, I wasn't a fan of most of the designs in episode two. They were mostly dull and/or horrendous, and if that's what BITTEN is all about, it doesn't matter that it's "affordable" wear for the average woman--I'm not buying it.

In the end, the slightly odd and forgettable Marion was sent home for sending Pocahontas in a potatosack down the runway. Victorya's dress (left) took home top prize and a version of the dress is now available as part the BITTEN line, sold at Steve & Barry's stores.

Two down--13 to go. Make it work!

"Life's too short to wear a bad outfit"

WARNING: SPOILERS

Yes folks--The fourth season of Bravo's Project Runway premiered last night at 10 p.m.

The cast of designers is large, so it's hard to distinguish some of the 'less colorful' contestants from one another. However, I'm pretty sure that this is the gayest cast yet, and I mean that in the nicest way possible. Out of the seven male contestants, at least five of them are gay--not that there's anything wrong with that!--but I'm sure it will make it a bit harder for girls to get their boyfriends to take this show seriously (I know from experience).

The first challenge kicked off in Bryant Park (ahh, memories). Three tents were set up about 100 yards away with thousands of dollars of fabric. Then Heidi and Tim say "GO" and the contestants have to sprint to the tents to pick up their fabric. Did anyone else think this was an evil scheme to make the very large Chris look pathetic 10 minutes into the season?

The contestants' challenge was to create a look that described them as a designer--what a snoozefest of an inaugural challenge! Take fabric and make something? Blah. And talk about boring, how about Ricky's baby doll/lingerie dress. Been there, done that. Step it up, buddy, it's the FOURTH season!

My favorite is Kit "Pistol"--she's rad. Christian seems like a little punk, but will more than likely land in the finale. Jack is the super hot gay guy and that's all I really remember about him. And then there's Elisa...what a wacko. But, I am glad they didn't send her home because her sound effects and fairytale land descriptions are entertaining.

Personalities aside, my favorite garments (or at least the one's I can still remember the day after) were Chris' and Christian's. Still, Rami won the challenge with his swooping Statue of Liberty-looking piece. It kind of bugs me how he's designed for Jessica Alba--what the heck does he need to be on this show for?

Unfortunately for whatshername, oh right, Simone, she was the first to be sent home after she sent a dress that I could have made in 6th grade Home Ec class down the runway.

One down--fourteen to go. Make it work!