Scott Pilgrim & Edgar Wright

I started reading the "Scott Pilgrim" graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O'Malley last week at the hubby's recommendation and I'm through book 4 of 6. Love it. It's funny, clever, full of great characters and silly drama, and the art style is cute-as-all-get-out. So now I'm even more excited to see the film version, which is opening tonight. Supposedly I'm not the target audience, but it stars Michael Cera and many other actors I love, so it would have to suck pretty badly to disappoint me.



The movie, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," is directed by Edgar Wright, who also directed the kick-ass British movies "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead." I recently discovered a British series he also directed called "Spaced" (starring Simon Pegg of the aformentioned "Fuzz" and "Shaun"), which displays his usual hilarious timing and quick cuts between reality and fantasy. The series has a great cast, video game inspired fight scenes, geeky pop culture references and satirical plotlines, and it revolves around of couple of misanthropic, sporadically employed boy/girl friends who share an apartment together. At only 14 episodes, it's not a big viewing commitment and you can see them all for free here on Hulu. Below, a cartoon of the cast of "Spaced."

Leaping Bunny

I had previously been under the impression that Revlon, a cosmetics company I frequently buy from, did not conduct animal testing. Revlon was listed on PETA's website as being at the forefront of major cosmetics companies that stopped testing their products on animals, having given up the practice in 1989.

However, I recently read about the "Leaping Bunny" program, which, according to leapingbunny.org, began in 1996 when eight national animal protection groups banded together to form the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), in response to misleading information from companies that were abiding by their own definition of "cruelty-free" or "animal friendly" without the participation of animal protection groups. The CCIC promotes a single comprehensive standard and an internationally recognized Leaping Bunny logo.

According to the website, the "Leaping Bunny Standard" is short for the Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals, a voluntary pledge that cosmetic, personal care, and/or household product companies make to clear animal testing from all stages of product development. The company's ingredient suppliers make the same pledge and the result is a product guaranteed to be 100% free of new animal testing. All Leaping Bunny companies must be open to independent audits, and commitments are renewed on an annual basis.

So companies like Revlon, who claim to have banned animal testing, may only be referring to the finished product. As stated by Leaping Bunny, the majority of animal testing occurs at the ingredient level. Similarly, some companies may state, “We do not test on animals,” when in fact they merely contract other companies to do the testing.

As an animal lover, this has caused me to re-think which companies I choose to support with my money. Luckily, the website has a convenient listing of all the companies that participate in the the Leaping Bunny program for everything from personal care to household products.

The cosmetics listings include more popular brands such as Urban Decay, Hard Candy, The Body Shop and even your grandma's favorite, Mary Kay, as well as lesser known companies to check out. Shop it here.

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts w/Cherie Currie

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, w/special guest Cherie Currie from The Runaways, will be playing TONIGHT at the OC Fairgrounds Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa at 8:00 PM. Rock! Get tickets here.

"Scarlett Takes Manhattan"

I've been mulling over the idea of creating an online and/or self-published burlesque-themed comic and I wanted to see what was out there already. I stumbled upon a blog post about Molly Crabapple (best name ever), the artist behind the Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School phenomenon, who published her own graphic novel, "Scarlett Takes Manhattan," in 2009. (Read the article here.) The novel stars Scarlett O'Herring, a vaudeville performer, courtesan and fire eater, who romps her way through late 19th century New York.

I'm surprised it took me a year to discover this, but it's now on my wish list.

Women Playwrights in 2010-11 SCR Season

I'm genuinely excited for the 2010-11 season of plays at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa (my workplace), especially for the production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" planned for winter of 2011. But I'm also very much looking forward to the offerings by women playwrights. Here's what the theatre has planned:



IN THE NEXT ROOM or THE VIBRATOR PLAY by Sarah Ruhl
September 26 - October 17, 2010

Broadway's latest mega-hit is set in the Victorian era, just before its corseted women shed their inhibitions. A new electric invention has been introduced to the medical world. Dr. Givings, one of its early champions, marvels at the effect it has on patients suffering from "female hysteria," while in the adjoining room, his own wife yearns for another kind of intimacy. This funny, tender and illuminating play has generated excitement from East Coast to West.

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BECKY SHAW by Gina Gionfriddo
October 22 - November 21, 2010

Like the Victorian upstart Becky Sharp, this modern Becky is unsure, overdressed and socially ambitious. But watch out! She's no shrinking violet, as the silkily cynical Max soon learns. From their first date, which includes an unscheduled visit to the police station, these 30-somethings, along with the newlyweds who set them up, surprise us—and themselves—in a comedy thriller The New York Times called "ferociously funny." Its mega-talented author writes smart crime drama for television ("Law and Order") and sharp-witted comedy for the stage.

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CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION by Annie Baker
January 9-30, 2011

Pretend to be a baseball glove. Write down your darkest secret, and lie on the floor while someone reads it out loud. Have an entire conversation using only the word "goulash." Welcome to Marty Kreisberg's acting class! In a small Vermont town, a divorced and depressed carpenter, a flirty former actress, a pouty 16-year old, and Marty's hippie husband are all a bit bored with life and looking for an outlet. But are they ready for what Marty's exercises reveal about them and their classmates? This Off-Broadway comedy triumph was extended twice by popular demand.

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Prop 8 Extinct?

Here's hoping Prop 8 goes the way of the dodo.

Music Stream: Wavves & Best Coast

My husband, JT, frequently introduces me to new music and he recently told me about two California bands: punk kids Wavves, and Best Coast, an indie band with dreamy harmonies. Rumor has it the two lead singers just happen to be dating each other. Cute. Stream them here:

Wavves "King of the Beach"

Best Coast "Our Deal"