Fortunately, I found that needle! The blog is http://jessicakroy.com/blog-page/ and reading it is like a hot bubble bath or a delicious cup of tea; cozy, warm and comforting.

The blogger’s name is Jessica Roy and, I’ll admit, I’m the last person in the blogging world to notice her. Roy is a fantastic writer and is extremely open about her personal life, which makes for a blog that I can’t resist.

I came across Roy’s blog via VanityFair.com. As a voracious reader of the website, I decided to type “literary scandals” into the search bar because, yes, I am the type of person that types “literary scandals” into the Vanity Fair website (I highly recommend the 2006 piece on J.T. LeRoy.)  Any way, I decided to read Jim Windolf’s article, “You’ve Got (Hate) Mail: The Curious Case of Keith Gessen and Emily Gould,” which detailed the two young New York writing sensations. In the piece, Windolf mentioned Roy on the fourth page of the April 2009 web exclusive, writing, “Jessica Roy, a 20-year-old student at New York University, was there. She had begun to get attention for her own blog, Jess & Josh Talk About Stuff, which she ran with friend and fellow N.Y.U. student Josh Becker.”

A 20-year-old mentioned in a VanityFair.com piece? I was intrigued. I searched for Jess & Josh Talk About Stuff, which was long gone, and then I searched for Roy. She still exists in the blogosphere and thank goodness for that, because Roy’s blog is fantastic. She writes about her boyfriends (both past and present), N.Y.U., her future career, life in the Big Apple, depression and literature. Roy divulges her personal life with the detail of a memoirist and I read her entire blog in one spurt of I’ve found a good blog glee.

For those that enjoy reading memoirs, I highly recommend checking out Roy’s blog, as it is a wonderful read. And as a fellow blogger, I tip my hat to you, Jessica Roy.
New content is on my new website, The Pop Can!

Having previously heard about the documentary following fashion designer Valentino Garavani, the ad ignited me to rent the DVD. Although the gorgeous gowns are highlighted, the main feature of the film is Valentino’s relationship with Giancarlo Giametti, his partner of 50 years.

Tyrnauer told the history of Valentino’s career in fashion, as well as his love story with Giancarlo, but barely scratched the surface of Italy’s renowned designer. The private and guarded Valentino didn’t wish to divulge his past with the film maker, even demanding Tyrnauer stop filming and  since the film was self-financed, Valentino’s cooperation was vital to film success.

Valentino: The Last Emperor shows the glamorous life of an acclaimed fashion designer; from a private jet to residences in France and Italy, and star-studded soirees, Valentino lives the good life. But for all of his possessions, the designer works extremely hard to earn everything he has. The Italian is meticulous with each garment, striving for perfection, and the beautiful finished pieces are a tribute to Valentino’s hard work.

The glimpse into Valentino Garavani’s life is an interesting one and apparently others agree. According to the Hollywood Reporter, after producer/director Ivan Reitman watched the film in Toronto, he recommended it for his neighbour, Oprah Winfrey. Like Reitman, Oprah enjoyed the film, and decided to dedicate half an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show to the film. Thanks to Oprah, what started off as a self-financed, self-distributed film has grossed nearly $2 million thus far.

Although Valentino may not have enjoyed the filming process, the end result must please his perfectionist taste. Like the designer, Tyrnauer clearly paid attention to detail, and it shows. Valentino: The Last Emperor may have been self-financed, but no expense was spared in the quality of this production. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film has made the shortlist for best documentary feature Oscar; karma for a dedicated and hardworking documentarian.

Strolling the crowded streets of Toronto, it’s hard not to notice the Bay’s advertisements for Vanity Fair Portraits, the exhibit sponsored by the department store. On Friday I decided to visit the exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum, and on my walk down Bloor street I felt giddy with excitement at every sign and billboard I passed.

I have been a Vanity Fair reader for years now, indulging in every page of the high-cultured magazine. I’ll never forget Evgenia Peretz’s “Truly, Madly, Nicky” in the Society pages of 2008’s September issue. I remember reading the article in my dorm and thinking that this is the best magazine article I’d ever read. There wasn’t anything particularly different from Peretz’s article to other VF pieces, nor was the content groundbreaking; it was simply that I had never before heard of Nicky Haslam, nor would I have ever heard of Haslam, if it weren’t for Peretz’s article. And that is why I love Vanity Fair; because they find interesting societal figures and shine a spotlight on them.

Vanity Fair is the epitome of meticulous magazine perfection. Not only does the magazine have incredible articles, but they have groundbreaking photographs as well. Every issue includes fascinating pictures by iconic photographers. It is truly a treat to study the lighting, contrasts and content of every photograph in the glossy pages of Vanity Fair.

However, because the size of a magazine is limited, the pictures can only take up one to two pages. To see photographs in all their glory as full-sized pictures framed on museum walls truly is a sight to see. Prince William looking dashing as he gazes into the camera, and Hilary Swank in mid-air as she runs on the beach are two of the photographs featured in the Vanity Fair Portraits exhibit.

There are also the pinch-me moments at the ROM’s exhibit; the historical figures captured by the lenses of Vanity Fair photographers provide us with an insight as to who the people with magnificent minds were during their time. These photographs include Pablo Picasso, Albert Einstein and Amelia Earhart, among many others.

The exhibit also features videos documenting the making of iconic photographs. One such video features George Clooney on the Universal set surrounded by women, as Annie Leibovitz photographs him.

From photographers like Mario Testino and Annie Leibovitz, to stars like Julianne Moore and Madonna, Vanity Fair Portraits is a must visit for aspiring photographers, VF readers and fans of pop culture.

Click here to follow me on Twitter!

While most children watch Charlie Brown and the gang for their annual Christmas cheer, I relished in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. I thought Jack Skellington’s vision of getting the ghouls and goblins of Halloween Town to celebrate Christmas was fascinating, and I loved the songs! I distinctly remember my parents saying “well that was weird…” when the credits rolled and thinking it was fantastic! No, I may not have been the most normal six-year-old in the group, but I sure did love Tim Burton movies.

Which is why while reading the November 2009 issue of Vanity Fair magazine, I was delighted to find in Fanfair on page 96 Aaron Gell’s “Death Becomes Him: MoMA Celebrates the Dark Artistry of Tim Burton.” According to Gell, from November 22 to April 26, the Museum of Modern Art will feature a gallery and film exhibition of Burton’s work. Aptly titled “Tim Burton,” the exhibition will include Burton’s 14 feature films, 700 pieces of art, home-made shorts from his teen years, and Disney Channel’s 1983 Hansel and Gretel.

I cannot think of a director more deserving of a MoMA exhibit, and to showcase an artist so creative is sure to create a stunning exhibition. Unfortunately, I also cannot think of a way to get to the MoMA, so I’ve created a blogpost to highlight some of the director/writer/producer’s work for us non-N.Y. locals.

Since Burton has quite a resume, here are some of my favourite features:

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall

Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands is a modernization of Mary Shelley’s monster in Frankenstein.

When a brilliant inventor creates Edward (Depp), he only has one final touch to add: Edward’s hands. As the inventor is about to attach Edward’s hands, he dies, leaving the creation with nothing but a pair of lengthy scissors as fingers.

Poor Edward is left isolated in the inventor’s hilltop mansion, feeling desperately alone until a nice lady named Peg (Wiest) meets the gentle man.

Peg invites Edward to live in her home, and he quickly falls in love with her daughter, Kim (Ryder). Unfortunately, the scissorhanded man cannot help but get into all sorts of trouble, finding himself in the same shunned position as Victor Frankenstein’s monster.

But will Edward avoid the same fate?

View the trailer below…

Beetlejuice (1988)

Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis

“Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!” What child didn’t love the antics that the rebellious Beetlejuice got himself into? He was always acting out and always getting scolded, which is probably why kids adore the character.

I myself loved the children’s cartoon, and being too young to have watched the film in theatres, I remember renting the video cassette and giggling away at dear ole’ Beetlejuice’s antics.

The film features Adam (Baldwin) and Barbara (Davis) Maitland, who, after being killed in a car crash, become ghosts in their New England home. When a yuppie couple moves in, the Maitland’s grow concerned with the new resident’s modern taste.

Trying to scare the new homeowners away, the Maitland’s attempt at being spooky ghosts, but their efforts are unsuccessful. Hoping to get the family out, the Maitland’s turn to a rambunctious ghost named Beetlejuice (Keaton) to do the deed.

View the trailer below…

Big Fish (2003)

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman

I adore the movie Big Fish. It is magical, eccentric and heart-warmingly sweet. It is a tale about love and believing, and it truly is a wonderful film.

Will Bloom (Crudup) thinks his father is a liar. Growing up, Ed Bloom (Finney) told his son outrageous tales of his youth, and now that Will is all grown up, he believes his dad is full of it.

But when Ed Bloom faces his last moments as he dies of cancer, Will visits after years of silence to piece together the truth of his father’s life. Ed Bloom’s tales of wonderment cannot possibly be true, can they?

The father’s mystical stories come to life in flashbacks of his younger days (McGregor) gallivanting from adventure to adventure.

Big Fish is the sentimental bond between father-and-son. It is a sweet movie for any age, and is far adrift from Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, with its beautiful sets and cute costumes.

View the trailer below…

The MoMA “Tim Burton” exhibition is sure to be fascinating to fans of the eccentric artist. Reading his impressive list of films, I realize I have a few DVDs to rent (Hansel and Gretel for starters!) Burton’s latest project, Alice in Wonderland, is expected to be released in 2010 and I for one am hoping to see it at an IMAX.