Weekly Us Weekly Musings

I've decided that every week I will have a post about a cover story in the latest Us Weekly.

Luckily, the stork brought my Us Weekly to me on Thursday instead of Friday this week -- giving me an extra whole day to read before I muse. And even better, this week Heidi Montag was finally not on the cover (whew) ...giving me a full good three stories to choose from. So, I decided to write about two (two!) stories at once!

First, Us Weekly sources say that Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal are close to tying the knot. Even Ryan Phillippe has given his blessing (as if!). Good for Reese and Jake! I think they're very cute together, and Jake seems to be such a nicer guy than Ryan (who still hasn't denied the cheating rumors, even when asked about it on the Howard Stern Show). And because Jake's career is so much more successful than Ryan's, I think there will be less conflict in this relationship. I see a cover story about a wedding coming soon.

And shocker, shocker, in our second cover story, Kevin Federline is thinking of reuniting with Britney Spears. Thing is, now that he realizes why she's crazy (bipolar disorder), he thinks it can work. Granted, now that she's medicated, I hope they can figure something out, for the sake of those boys and for Britney's sake. But of all the Hollywood relationships out there, I just don't see this one lasting. You see, it's a simple law of physics: trailer trash + trailer trash = divorce. And even when money is thrown into the equation, the values simply don't change.

Spanish Steps on the Hudson?

It was announced today that Tishman Speyer won the bid to redevelop the MTA-owned Hudson rail yards -- a 26-acre desolate site stretching from 30th Street to 33rd Street, between 10th Avenue and 12th Avenue. This would bring in a new Rockefeller Center-like vibe to the Midtown part of the Hudson Riverfront, currently a place no one would ever choose to visit.

The plan includes a green-themed, New York version of Rome's Spanish Steps leading to a plaza dubbed "The Forum," surrounded by four skyscrapers. The complex would include 10 million square feet of office space, 3,000 residential units, 550,000 square feet of retail space, a 200,000-square-foot cultural venue, a public school, and 13 acres of open space. According to http://www.tishmanspeyer.com/HudsonYards/ (which also contains a lot more cool pictures), "The Forum will become New York City’s next great meeting place, a new town square for the Far West Side."

Very cool! But by the time this actually happens, will I need a walker to get up those steps? They constantly talk the talk, but they never walk the walk. Weren't we promised something like this on the lower west side four years back? And what about the beach complex that's been in talks for years on the lower east side? Until they break ground, I ain't buying it. And let's just hope we already have some kind of version of the Freedom Tower by then. All in all, props for the ambition, but please, just build something already! If all this takes just over a decade, as some very hopeful critics suggest, we'll be lucky.

Le Lunch at Le Cirque

Le Cirque is back, and it's mmm mmm gooood. The original restaurant opened in 1974 at NYC's Mayfair Hotel (where restaurant Daniel is now located). In 1997 it relocated under the name Le Cirque 2000 to the New York Palace Hotel (where Serena VanDerWoodsen resides, for all those Gossip Girl fans out there). Then, in 2004 owner Sirio Maccioni announced he would be packing up the restaurant yet again. Alas, I never got to taste Le Cirque during its golden years. But in 2006 Le Cirque opened its doors again...right near my work. So today, I finally went, and let me tell you -- it's so worth it. Well, for lunch it is. In fact, it's a steal at just $42 per person for the three-course prix-fixe lunch. And let me also tell you, my arteries are deliciously clogged right now. I did have the salad Le Cirque to offset the delectably unhealthy braised short ribs (mmm). And then, my party of four shared four desserts. The best, by far, was the creme brulee, le Cirque's signature dessert. And all the while, one of the best parts of the experience was the gorgeous main dining room, with its tall, bronze, circus-tent ceiling. Very soothing. So, if you're in NY and looking to lunch somewhere fancy, this is the place to go.

If You're 62, Considering A Face-Lift, and Are Willing to Forgo Facial Expressions...

So I was watching Priscilla Presley on Dancing With the Stars last night, and I was mesmerized with her lack of wrinkles way more than with any of her dance moves. Yes, she's totally Botoxed-out and can't form a smile. Yes, she's probably had as many plastic surgeries as her former son-in-law. But go Priscilla -- you're the hottest 62-year-old I've ever seen, so who cares how you did it? And I have HDTV, so I see all the wrinkles, and she barely had any. What impressed me the most, though, was her neck -- I mean, that's one of those places that's a dead give-away to someone's age, and hers looks like a 30-something's. Screw the disco ball trophy, Priscilla wins the GILF award hands-down.

The Beginning

I'm not a blogger. But I guess every blogger said that before blogging for the first time. Everyone had to start somewhere. So this is my start.

The truth is that I've been reading more and more blogs and disagreeing with more and more of what I read, while still feeling the urge to keep reading. And honestly, that little comments section is just not enough for me to express my disagreement (or agreement). Sometimes, you just need your own full post. So why not try a blog?

So, some ground rules: This blog will be devoted to anything, everything, and nothing at the same time. Random musings will cover it all, in no specific order: pop culture, politics, relationships, health, societal observations, etc. We all know Seinfeld was a success, so I'm not about to reinvent the wheel when it comes to musing about nothing.

This blog will not be a personal diary or journal. (Though, of course, random musings will often be inspired by personal happenings.) It will be a thought-provoking, practical outlet for ideas and observations -- all open for your comments. So now that the rules are set, let's blog.