Katy Perry: Part of Me - Movie Review

We <3 Katy Perry. We absolutely adore her. But we were skeptical of a Katy Perry movie. I mean, we'd already seen her in concert, so what could we possibly see in the movie that we hadn't already seen? Seriously, why bother when you've already seen the concert, listened to the songs, heard the drama about the break-up, read People magazine, etc.... But as true fans, who decided to give it a chance, but skip the 3D version (which we suggest you do too) and we left the movie theater even bigger Katy Perry fans, if that was possible.

Katy Perry's "Part of Me" movie turned out be an inspiring tale of how much hard work and dedication it takes to become such a huge star. When most of us think about famous people we think how fabulous their lives are and how we wish we could be in their shoes, but we often forget that most famous people had to work really, really hard to be where they are today.  Part of Me reminds us that if we work hard enough we really can accomplish our dreams.

Walking into the theatre we didn't really know what to expect. We thought the movie would show a lot of Katy's concerts (which it did), but not really show much of her real life ups and downs (but it did). However, the movie showed a ton of personal information, but never slammed anyone. In true Katy Perry style she stayed upbeat, even in the midst of her own personal heartbreak.  And, she wasn't an overnight success, there were years of hard work, coupled with luck along the way.

But Part of Me also showcases how nice Katy Perry is. Sure, this is her movie and her editing, but you can't fake the stuff from before she was famous! Pretty much everyone who works for her started out as "nothing," just like her.  Her stylist is one of her closest friends, she discovered him, and now he's on tour with her... she just seems loyal, respectful, fun, and hardworking. And now, Katy Perry is one of the most iconic pop stars of our generation, proving once again that "what comes around goes around." The concert shots were entertaining, but the behind-the-scenes footage adds subtle, yet substantial, lessons in being a true "star" with lots of examples of perseverance and being true to yourself. Katy Perry's Part of Me really did share a part of her... and we definitely recommend it!

The Selection by Kiera Cass "required" summer reading

The Selection is a book good enough to keep you up all night... with a love triangle that's believable, bite-your-fingernail thrills, and futuristic fantasy. My love/hate relationship with a great book is that while I savor every word, I hate reaching the last one!  When I finish a great series like The Hunger Games, I immediately look for the next big thing. And this is it: The Selection by Kiera Cass had the same "OMG - when's the next book coming out - I can't wait" impression!

I picked up The Selection by Kiera Cass, and all I can say is you should too. Now. Today.  Kiera Cass writes beautifully and creates a world in which you just lose yourself. Ok, I better back up and tell you a little about the plot:

When there is an upcoming prince is in need of a future wife, there is a "contest" that takes place called the Selection. This contest is where the upcoming prince, or Prince Maxon, randomly chooses thirty-five girls from all social classes to compete to be his wife. When the girls are chosen, they are removed from the path that was decided for them before they were born. They then live in a fantasy world to "fight" to become Prince Maxon's future wife and the Queen.

America Singer already has a boyfriend, Aspen, and doesn't even want to be part of the Selection. Her secret boyfriend convinced her to at least try for it and once chosen she isn't sure what to think. It gets complicated once she is selected because she actually likes Prince Maxon and realizes she might enjoy the life she's learning about.  She has some decisions to make....

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book. At first I was reluctant to read it, because I'm not into "futuristic" books, but this wasn't just another dystopian fantasy. Although it had a similar romantic plot line to The Hunger Games with a love triangle, it's not really that similar, except that it's a sensational book... and I'm DYING for the 2nd book to come out (Spring 2013, we think)!!!  The story line pulls you in and the The Selection is nearly impossible to put down, so I didn't and just read through the night... honestly.  Get it, read it, let us know what you think!  And if you are looking for other great summer reads, we definitely recommend On The Line and Queen of Kentucky.

Beach Books: On the Line is a great catch

When we are looking for great beach books for Spring Break or summer, or that beach getaway in our mind, we want compelling characters, a page-turning story, juicy details, steamy emotion, and enough romance to keep it real. ? On The Line, by Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper, fills our checklist perfectly... but really is so much more than just a juicy beach read. Piper, the main character, truly loves the beach. It is her home and is her essence, and because the author understands beach living and is aware of the real tensions that exist in living in a tourist destination, each of the characters were real to us; we understood them and were rooting for them. Good beach books help you pass the time and let you get lost in another world, we were hooked after a few chapters when we met Logan, the handsome newcomer with a few secrets, but who already knew about Piper's fishing skills. Is he too good to be true? What secret is he hiding... and why do strange things start happening on the island? There are so many stories within the story, but Jackie is a masterful storyteller and so skillful that we didn't realize how she was reeling us in. All we knew was that we couldn't put the book down. Which, by our very strict standards, means On The Line? is one of our beach books of the season!

Synopsis from Amazon:

Sixteen-year-old Piper Wesley has always been better at hooking fish than guys. But with her best friend Benny by her side, she’s never minded. And besides, her fishing skills have made her a celebrity in her hometown of Islamorada, an island paradise in the Florida Keys. So when a slump in tourism threatens to sink her family’s fishing charter business, Piper recruits Benny to help her win a major fishing tournament and the $25,000 grand prize. It seems like a perfect plan. Put her skills to use, win some money and help her parents weather the storm. Except that now Benny cares more about hanging out with his girlfriend Marina than helping Piper. And he keeps disappearing, usually after something suspicious happens on the island. Add in Logan, a Michigan transplant with a growing interest in something other than Piper’s fishing, and it looks like practicing for the tournament will be anything but easy. Leaving Piper to wonder how she'll win. And who will be there when it’s over.

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The Pretty Little Liar's Effect

Are you exhausted today? Do you feel like you've been on a roller coaster ride of emotions lately? We don't want to oversimplify things, but if you watch Pretty Little Liar's Season 2 Finale last night: you have! You have waited patiently to find out who was "A" and last night (spoiler alert) found out that "A" was Mona. Within those last 10 minutes of finding out that Mona was "A", we also saw a crazy car chase, and didn't know who was going to come out alive, saw Hanna almost kill Mona, saw Mona go off a cliff and didn't know if she was a live or dead, watched Spencer be angry with Toby when she realized that he really did love her and, after a few moments of anger that he tricked her, that also she loved him, were reunited with Dr. Sullivan, saw Emily's mom tell her that Maya is dead, saw Mona being put away, and realized that there might be a whole "Team A". What a roller coaster ride of emotions.

Do you know how exhausting and draining watching an action-packed show after a full day of school and after-school activities can be on you? And, on top of experiencing a tidal wave of emotions, you were likely tweeting about it. You already had a long day at school, maybe had quizzes or test, maybe had friend drama, probably had sports or after school activities, and you don't have much down-time or time for reflection. Your brain and body have so much to process in a short amount of time so you actually may have felt a little stressed when you watched so much drama in such a short period of time. Typically, 3 things happen when you experience short term stress: your heart rate goes up, your breathing gets faster and you have a burst of energy (this came in handy when you were a cave-woman and running away from a lion or bear!). (Source:? CDC). But, this also makes it harder for you to go to sleep, so your body may have take some time to relax before you were ready to fall asleep last night. Which means you may not have slept as well, and you may be more tired today.

It's not tv that makes you stressed, it's a long day with no breaks, plus all the drama, emotion and excitement you experience while watching an energetic show like PLL that activates your stress levels and creates energy in your mind and body, especially if you haven't had a chance to calm your body and mind during the day.? ? So, how do you get a good night's sleep after not having a chance to calm down during an action-packed day? Our suggestion, if you have a big test, or a lot of homework, is to save the electronics for later and focus on studying first. If it's a show that can't be missed, then use that short-term stress to your advantage and return to studying after the show to calm your mind and body. Use that newfound energy wisely by studying if you need to, and then focus on calming your mind and body so that you can get a good night's sleep.? Turn off electronics, read a calming book, drink warm tea, journal, or anything that calms your mind.? For more ideas, check this out.

And let's be thankful Pretty Little Liars doesn't return until after final exams (June 5), but wow, what a night of PLL, it didn't disappoint!

Sophie and the City

There are very few fairytales that we would recommend to such a savvy group of teens, but then again there are few that mention Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, and Balthazar on the first page! The Super Adventures of Sophie and the City is a fashion fairy tale for ALL ages. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to spend an afternoon at the Met Ball, going to Fashion Week, and traveling to Egypt, all with a fashion fairy godfather? Sophie's story is based on the real-life adventures of sophisticated insider and author Kelly Florio Kasouf, which made it extra special since we got a kick peeking into her life with her magnificent Dad. We especially love her live interview on the Super Adventures of Sophie? iPad? App. Kelly and Sophie are ultra chic fashionistas who are also so down to earth that each of them is the kind of BFF every gal needs! So look for her on Twitter @SophieandNYC and read on for some great stories about Kelly's inspiration and top teenage moments!

Daddies and daughters have a special bond... can you share some special memories? I was my dad's mascot! He was a giant teddy bear and could make any moment in life feel like a party and you were center of attention. Fathers and daughters have an instant unconditional love for each other. My dad was my best friend growing up and we always had adventures together from playing in a doll house in the backyard to pretending I was his boss when visiting the office. I remember the first time I saw the Nutcracker with my family. I sat on my dad's lap the majority of the performance because I was too excited to sit alone. It was the whole idea of going in to the city, picking out a pretty dress, wearing a special coat and being a part of a whole night surrounded by a show that took place where the Sugar Plum Fairies danced and pranced. I remember how special I felt when I was all dressed up and my dad said I was "his date." The second time I will never forget the way my dad looked at me like that was my wedding day. He cried when he saw me in my wedding gown for the first time. It was waterworks after that (and four days of partying with 200 of our closest friends!)

Sophie sneaks to the office with her Dad. Was that a fantasy of yours, or a reality? I went to visit my dad all the time at his office. As soon as anyone from our family would step into the office, everyone knew everything what was going on in our lives. From boyfriends to concerts to field trips! The big joke in our family was:? Dad do you talk about business ever or just us! It got embarrassing at times but he couldn't help himself. I remember seeing the Vogue closet for the first time and couldn't imagine a more perfect job. Then I found out what Grace Coddington (Vogue's Creative Director) did and I was hooked.

What part of your Dad's job as the former President and CEO of Condé Nast seemed most glamorous to you? He met the most talented people in every industry and worked with them too. It was the best of the best at Condé Nast. He ran the company like it was a movie studio and all of his employees were the super stars, even down to the mailroom clerks. He made everyone feel like they were a part of something bigger. He would tell stories of cooking with world renowned chefs, Paris Fashion Week, dinners with pals Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren, escorting Princess Diana to an event, the list went on. Hearing his stories of Oscar parties and Met galas was so incredible to hear about but at the end of the day, he wanted to know how my art project was coming along. I didn't truly understand how absolutely glamourous my dad's job was until I was much older, and in the industry.

What was your most memorable exotic trip you took as a child? We went to Italy because my dad was receiving an award from the Italian Government. We made the trip for the award into a vacation. Started off in Rome with tours of the Vatican then ventured down to Positano where we stayed at Le Sirenuse and took private helicopter rides courtesy of the Della Valle family over Pompeii and boat rides on JFK's personal yacht to Capri everyday. It. was. pure. heaven.

Can you tell us about Isaac Mizrahi: is he a friend of yours, what did he think of being the fashion fairy godfather? I met Isaac when I was 15. It was Take Your Daughters to Work day and Anna Wintour took me out to lunch with Isaac. We were sitting at Da Silvano and I remember Isaac asking me about turning 16. As a joke I asked, "Would you help me design a dress?" And he said YES! It was the most amazing experience that I still hold close to my heart. He taught me everything from inspiration, to muslin forms to fabric selection. I loved going to his studio for the fittings. It was amazing to see the form emerge. When thinking back about my childhood, he just seemed like the perfect fashion fairy godfather. Plus he looked amazing in Swarovski-encrusted wings.

<---Check out this page from Kelly's scrapbook with a younger Isaac Mizrahi and a stunning Sweet 16 dress by him!

Did you have a fabulous sweet 16 party ... can you tell us about it? My sweet 16 was not over the top like you see on TV by any means. It was at the Crescent Club in Bayville, NY and we had great food, a great DJ and awesome friends. Oh yea and a killer dress! :)

You mention McQueen, Chanel, Rodarte, Diane von Furstenberg, Vera Wang and others in the book? How did you choose them among so many fabulous designers? These designers epitomize the art that it is to be a designer. Chanel was a revolutionary and McQueen was a true artist. Rodarte (the Mulleavy sisters) I met when working at Vogue for a CFDA fashion show and their work struck a cord with me. When I saw Black Swan and their amazing tutus, I thought what girl wouldn't want to twirl all day in that confection of beauty! Diane is the American Dream and Vera Wang produces fantasy. They are all amazing and talented and awesome in their own right.

We are pretty sure you know all hot spots in NYC, what places would you recommend for a teenage Sophie? The Standard Hotel for ice skating on their little rink then hot cocoa rink side. I love Chelsea Market to pick up some pastries or hit up Fat Witch bakery for a brownie and a stroll on the Highline. For the best shopping deals, I love the young designers market which just moved to the Meatpacking District. ? You can get everything from photography to jewelry with the best prices. No need to hit up Canal Street for fake designer bags. Support and enjoy emerging talent here!

Do you recall a favorite party dress as a teen... the one that made you feel like a princess? I loved my prom dress senior year. It was navy blue Vera Wang. It was boat neck, sleeveless and cut low in the back. Very Audrey Hepburn. It was my Sabrina moment! The gown was long and in the back it opened with ivory satin. I felt like a tulip. That sounds really lame but I felt really pretty that night and I loved that I set myself apart from the rest of the girls by covering up a bit. Like Coco Chanel said, “the most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”

Best teen fashion or beauty tip? If I could go back in time and talk to Kelly at 16 I would say, "WASH YOUR FACE BEFORE YOU GO TO BED!" Nothing says gross like blackened eyes the morning after a fun night out!

Do you still go to the Four Seasons for cotton candy and ice cream? Every birthday!

Thanks so much, Kelly, and we can't wait to see what future adventures Sophie takes! Think art deco glamour!

The Queen of... 2012

We picked up the brand new book, The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker, because of the title; but, we couldn't stop reading this pageturner because it addresses serious issues told by a teen narrator with a great sense of drama and humor who understands exactly what matters to a teen.? "Fourteen-year-old Kentucky girl Ricki Jo Winstead, who would prefer to be called Ericka, thank you very much, is eager to shed her farmer's daughter roots and become part of the popular crowd at her small-town high school. Caught between being a country girl and a wannabe country club girl, Ricki Jo begins to forget who she truly is: someone who doesn't care what people think and who wouldn't let a good-looking guy walk all over her." blurb from aleciawhitaker.com And, Alecia Whitaker is? on tour! She just read in NYC, and now she's reading from The Queen of Kentucky in... Kentucky. ? We'll see her 1/13 at 7 at Carmichael's Bookstore? and are counting down the minutes. Join us, or check her out at these locations.

Our author interview How would you sum up your book if you were pitching it to a Hollywood agent to make a movie? Judy Blume meets "Friday Night Lights".

Growing up, what was your favorite teen book &/or author? I have to say that I was a sucker for the Sweet Valley Twins series, as well as The Babysitter's Club. But other books that I read that really stayed with me were Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, and Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt.

Is there any particular passage in the book that your friends will say is "so you"? I've already gotten a little feedback about this actually. My friends see a lot of Ricki Jo's spunky nature in me and I think the scene at the beginning of Chapter 7 really nails the way I was at her age. Not one to just say, "Can I try out for cheerleading?" Ricki Jo uses her sense of the dramatics to cover all aspects of how this is a good idea and to squelch any possible reluctance her parents may have. And yes, that kind of hilarious propaganda is in my personal repertoire. As my mom just told me on the phone, "We didn't call you Drama Queen for nothing."

When you were writing this book, how did you research teen magazines and styles to reference? Well, I picked up several weeks worth of Seventeen magazine, I watch shows like "Project Runway" and "America's Next Top Model," and I follow a hilarious fashion blog gofugyourself.com. And I searched the internet, of course.

When you were a teen, what did you think you would be when you were older? How did you decide to be an author? I never had grandiose visions of being a silver screen star in Hollywood, but I definitely had the goal to make a living off of the arts and I wanted to be an actress. I have been mildly successful in that area of my life here in New York, but I think that writing is my greatest strength. I was always a good writer and I took that talent for granted. It just seemed too easy. When I finally realized that writing doesn't come easily to everyone, (that maybe I was actually special), I decided to pursue it as a career and things really took off.

Did you enjoy high school English?? Nerd Alert! I was a straight A student and English always came easiest to me. I didn't have to work at it or study. I actually enjoyed the reading assignments so English class felt like an elective... that is until Mrs. Andrews came to our school. She taught AP English my junior year and I strongly disliked her for the first 9 weeks of school. Work for my grade? Are you serious? She taught at a college level and insisted that since we were "advanced placement" students, we should act like it. I didn't like it at first, but she quickly earned my respect and became one of my all-time favorite teachers. That A in English stood out from all the others because I earned it. I was proud of it.

What advice would you give teen girls about trying to fit in or being popular? I would tell them to celebrate as many parts of themselves as they commiserate. We're so good at tearing ourselves down, especially in the area of body image, but we don't always like ourselves like we should. Once you love yourself, you'll care less about getting other people to love you.

And because we love seeing how our guests respond to our "PopCosmo Questions": Age: 32? (wait, what?) Always has: a new book to read Proudest of: my son, Knox, who is now walking everywhere and climbing everything. Is thankful for: indoor plumbing Wants to: see one of my books turned into a movie one day (SO DO WE!) Is afraid of: snakes, spiders, and a world without chocolate Believes everyone should: work as a waiter once in their life Is embarrassed by: bad manners My style is: whatever the mannequin's wearing, then down a notch Pet peeve: eye boogers (seriously, look in the mirror, get it out)

Alecia, thanks so much for sharing some of your time with us... and come back and visit with us ANYtime!