My Top Five Girl Crushes.

I've enumerated many a time my Top Five. However, I've never enumerated my Top Five Girl Crushes. These are ladies I want to befriend and converse with. I want to steal all their clothes, or simply go shopping with them. I want to pick their brains. I want to get hair and make-up tips. I want them to tell me their secrets to their confidence. These women, in my mind, rule.

I present to you, in no particular order, my Top Five Girl Crushes:

Gwen Stefani

No surprises here, right? I mean, she's been the inspiration to my LIFE since 1995. Through her music, honest lyrics (from a female point of view), fashion, classiness, business sense, and the way she seems to own at her own life - there's no one I'm more afraid of ever meeting, as well as hoping to become best friends with. If I could choose any one in this world to be a "mentor" in my own life, it'd be Gwen.

Penelope Cruz

I would be Penelope's frenemy in real life because I'd constantly be jealous of her beauty. And her talent. And her fiance. Just kidding about that last one! Kinda. She's simply mesmerizing - from Volver to Broken Embraces - and I want to figure out how to embody that hypnotizing quality. I wouldn't mind the sexiness, either.

Julie Delpy

Have you SEEN Before Sunrise and Before Sunset? Two of my favourite films of all time? You may remember me discussing how they are amazingly realistic romantic stories?? Because if you do, tell me how Julie Delpy manages to be ethereally beautiful throughout the films (and her career) with constant pre-makeover hair and little to no make-up. When my hair was long, it would look similar to Delpy's in it's frizziness and spontaneous waves. Yet, I was never so damn cool. Couple her effortless beauty with the loveliest French accent I've ever heard, and I'm smitten. Plus, she writes, directs, produces, sings, and gets nominated for Oscars for writing.

Zooey Deschanel

She's the reason I spent 2007 with bangs - the year I met Jesse. I want to steal her cute dresses and, sure, I'll take those gargantuan blue eyes, too. I remembered her very clearly from her bit part in Almost Famous. I followed most of her career since then through Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Weeds and 500 Days of Summer, and found her endearing and, suprisingly, not annoying. Then she co-founded She & Him. If you don't know yet, I basically think someone created that modern band with a 60s sound straight out of my head. And as someone close to my age that is also married to a musician (mine's cuter!), I feel like we could really bond if we ever met.

Tilda Swinton

If I could learn "badassery" from anyone, it'd be Tilda. She seems like she does whatever she prefers concerning fashion, the red carpet and her personal life - and all with a certain strength, confidence, and aplomb. Plus, she's strikingly gorgeous. If Zooey rustles up the girliness in me, Tilda (with a splash of Gwen) inspires the ties, the menswear, and any androgynous fashion I may wear on occasion. I once saw her walking out of a movie theater I was entering - I swiveled dramatically, in awe of catching a glimpse. As with all the ladies on this list, she's supremely talented. Sigh.

What are your top five girl crushes?!

You are an epidemic.

I took some time for a few love affairs this weekend.

I went to dinner on Friday night with three lovely ladies, and a jazz man. The food, previously tested, held up as scrumptious as the first try, and the margaritas were also delicious. Despues, Kelly, Amber and I went to a late showing of Broken Embraces, Pedro Almodovar's latest film starring Penelope Cruz. I can't express how much I love Almodovar and how I truly believe he's one of the only directors these days who takes the effort to portray art in filmmaking. Broken Embraces is another near-perfect movie from the director; another display of incredible talent from Cruz and a story that is heartbreaking and beautiful all at once.

And though many have tried to varying degrees of success, I think Almodovar's consistent homage to old Hollywood is simply the best. I've never seen Hitchcock's style used so brilliantly before Almodovar. I definitely recommend the film, as well as All About My Mother, Talk to Her, and Volver. Seriously.

But I'm not done professing my love, yet - on Saturday morning Amber and I woke up and decided we needed our eyebrows waxed. We looked up a nearby salon in Manhattan and cruised in to find ourselves in a quaint shop. I noticed all the pretty nail polish colors and Amber noticed the prices ($8 for a manicure!) and we decided to do both. And I picked out a light blue Essie shade that I am still completely in love with:

As we made our way to SoHo, we found a vintage store whose clearance rack held the PERFECT holiday party dress. This year will be our apartment's 4th annual holiday party, so a festive getup is a must. It's kind of ridiculous, but that's the point. You'll see! Afterwards, we met up with Tiffany in SoHo - Amber needed a winter coat and I had found an $80 Ben Sherman gift card unused from two years ago. Thus, Amber found a stellar plaid number in Zara and I found a cool button-up that only cost me $6.

That afternoon, Jesse returned from playing a show, and proceeded to play video games the rest of the night, as he had just recieved his new x-box. (Dudes.) Luckily, Gurj came over and Erica and I made margaritas while catching up and playing...Scrabble...and Jenga...and Sorry. We're way-cool Saturday night kids. But apparently tequila makes me SUPER tired?! Erica and I hit Snugglestown, USA (my bed) to watch UP which I just bought on blu-ray, and I was in and out of sleep for most of it.

I had a great night of sleep, however, and woke up bright and early on Sunday to shower, cook breakfast, and then settle in for some Netflix. Oh the activity! Anyway, here's where I came upon my next little obsessive affair - I watched Mysterious Skin (recommended by Christina). The story is eerie and quite sad; I cried during a few scenes. Also, it certified Joseph Gordon-Levitt as LEGIT TALENTED in my book. Whereas before he was yes, of course, quite talented...now he is legit, per me. And how adorably enthusiastic was he during SNL? Possible shake-up in the works.

The rest of Sunday was filled with Tom Brady, Taco Bell, and other things that can be shortened to "TB" - er, except tuberclosis. There was none of that.