THE WEEK IN RETROSPECT

Introducing a new feature on the blog that will ensure that however busy I am, at least I’ll have a weekly post for you guys. It will basically be recapping the pop culture moments that tickled me. Hope you like it.

Starting with Mama North West.

 Jaws around the world dropped for a variety of reasons when the Karl Lagerfeld shot, Ricardo Tusci styled May shoot a heavily pregnant Kim Kardashian did went public. I mean; there was jam, there was bling, she wore GRILLES, there were veils and Yankees caps, it is Kim, it is la Lagerfeld, it is Ricardo, and we all know how badly Kanye wants Wintour to put Kim on the cover!

Mercedes Benz fashion week is like fashion blogger’s paradise. For me though its like a buffet that leaves me undecided what to pick and what to leave. So I disregarded the runway shows in favour of street fashion. This particular instant was a PR stunt by British singer and designer Madame Allsorts to debut her sweatshirt line which was modeled by Anna Wintour clones and featured a cartoon drawing of her face and the words “Spring, Summer, Autumn”. I loved it!

Idris Elba is generating Oscar buzz for playing the eponymous Nelson Mandela in a movie co-starring Skyfall’s Naomie Harris as Winnie Mandela. I shall leave this there without comment for your enjoyment.

In a week filled with movie premieres and fashion week, Olivia Wilde wears my favorite dress of them all to pick up the first ever IMDb’s STARmeter Award. I half fear I would sell my soul for an optical illusion dress this good! Lord, it whittles her waist down to a handspan! My dream.

These deserve their own post, amirite? 

Mani rings are the best thing to happen to nails since…well, since nail art. They’re like ducals but longer lasting, more versatile, and reusable. Even Queen Bey is all up in this! And if this isn’t up to your speed, may I interest you in temporary cuticle tattoos?

Also this happened. Twitter, I love you

Action hero, politician and former muscleman Arnold Schwarzenegger and boxer-turned-actor Wladimir Klitschko (on-again boyfriend to Hayden Penettiere) swapped shirtless pictures of themselves on Twitter

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GAME OF THRONES

Can you believe that vicious dragon is merely a tennis ball (so actors have a physical reference) and a green screen? (So the visual effects guys can work their magic?) Wow. Just wow!

You guys, let me preface this by confessing my trials and tribulations vis a vis this blog! Regular updates will keeping down an 8 to 5 are proving harder than I ever imagined! I kid you not, I have folders upon folders upon folders (imagine some inception shit here but in computer form) on my mac of lots of things I want to blog about but do i ever get the time???

I thought getting my new cammy would make this easier but colour me disillusioned! Xuma and Eliza have nothing on me!

Anyway, moving on to Game of Thrones which is my latest great obsession. I haven't felt this fully immersed in a fantasy world since Harry Potter! Eragon came close before the movie killed it for me. But GoT? I devour any and all titbits of Westeros and co. that cross my path!

Dany with her tennis ball and stick (above), Dany with her Dragon(ish) (below). Bare in mind they animators had no actual flying dragons to base their designs on and just studied a couple of pre-existing creatures whose characteristics were combined to give a realistic looking fantastical beast.

After all 3 seasons I figured why wait for the next when there are the books to catch up on? A wiser decision I've never made cuz the books are like 10 times funner that the show! I could go on and on and on but this post is about the great work the show guys are doing with George R.R. Martin's creation.

The biggest influences for the flight of the dragons were eagles and bats. The former for their soaring motions and the latter for the take-off and hovering.

I can't be the only one that thinks actors that work with green screens do way more work than those that do say topical comedy that relies on fat suits and fart jokes *ahem Tyler Perry, ahem*. So Daenearys's dragons are a particular point of interest to me. When I came across these details of how they bring them to life with CGI and tennis balls and green screens I just had to share! No folder for these guys!

Puppeteers are also used for the actors' interactions with non-existent dragons. Pixomondo builds details step by step, early frames featuring the dragons look cartoonish (pic above), the same CGI attention to detail is used in scenes with a massive setting and huge crowds like the wrap up of season 3 when khaleesi was lifted up by the freed slaves.

Water simulations and digital wind tunnels were also taken into account on how they affect the aerodynamics. Nothing was left to chance! If only the Sharknado producers brought in even one of these guys on their team!!!

westeros.org did an interview with the VFX producer Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor which you can read in its entirety here and/or watch wired magazine's behind the scenes video of the wind tunnel simulation and how it all comes together here (I failed to embed it in the post.) If you're anything like me you're obviously going to do both and you'll be all the happier for it!

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JANE FONDA Everyone *drumroll*

When I grow up, I wanna be Jane Fonda. No, seriously. Who else can make 75 look this good? I mean Goop is trying but until she's there we'll never really know, right?

In L'Oreal's campaign for its new line of nude lipsticks, Jane Fonda outsmized professional smizers over 30 years younger  like VS Angel Doutzen Kroes, 28 and supermodel Liya Kebede, 35 alongside others like Frida Pinto, Julianne Moore, Fan BingBing and Eva Longoria.

Now do you get where I'm coming from? I'd have her as Monster-In-Law any day if it meant learning graceful ageing secrets from her.

I'm not big on the nude lipstick trend being a classic red lip girl myself but this new Color Riche Collection Privée by L’Oréal Paris just might persuade me! Especially as the range of perfect nude shades of lipstick comes with matching nail polish!

Created in collaboration with their 'spokesmodels', the lip colour shades are custom-made in six versatile shades to suit almost every skin tone/ethnicity and each lipstick features the spokesmodel's own signatures.

Rosewood Beige

This sensual and delicate rose pink shade Enhances the radiance of pale complexions and evokes elegance and sophistication.

Ebony Elegance

A subtle hint of brown, perfectly suited to dark skin, adds a contrast of colour for a barely-there, natural nude finish.

Mauve Tint

This lavender shade is perfect for emphasising the delicacy and elegance of the caramel toned complexion and delivers a freshness
with sheer sophistication.

Greige Glow

Ultra-chic and iridescent, this nude shade compliments the honey complexion, enhancing its natural beauty.

Peach Skin

Best paired with a golden complexion and dark hair, the gold hue will capture the natural radiance of matte skin and perfect the complexion.

Hint Of Pink 

This barely pink nuance is perfect for blondes with a fair complexion. The combination of freshness and femininity gives indispensable elegance.

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