Jessica Simpson on the May 2010 Marie Claire Cover with NO MAKEUP!

I was not surprised that Jessica Simpson graced the cover of the May issue of Marie Claire  But I was surprised to that the photo had not been touched up in any way.  And...GASP...Jessica is not wearing ANY makeup.  ON THE COVER!

Confession:  I'm not really a Jessica Simpson Fan.  A girl should be celebrated for her brain, and not for the size of her boobs.  Unfortunately in Jessica's case, it's the opposite.

Having said that, it took a tremendous amount of guts for Jessica to appear makeup-less and not electronically augmented on the cover of Marie Claire.  She is promoting A Beautiful Me, an initiative encouraging young women to be comfortable in their own skin and love themselves for who they are.

In a world where many women don't feel comfortable leaving the house without at least some minimal makeup, Jessica's cover should be an inspiraton to us all.  If Jessica can grace the cover of a major fashion magazine without makeup, every girl should feel comfortable leaving the house makeup-less!  

So if you're going to the market, or you're going to hang out with some friends, pass on the makeup.  Just slap on some sunscreen and go have fun.  You're beautiful just the way you are!

The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsella

After liking Twenties Girl so much, I had to get more Kinsella books.  So of course I picked up The Undomestic Goddess.

This book is about Samantha, a successful London lawyer whose idea of house work is picking up her clothes at the dry cleaners and ordering take-out for dinner.  Samantha is on the fast track to making partner, until she makes a major mistake.  The kind of mistake that may cost Samantha everything she's been working for her whole life - her career.  In shock from the realization, Samantha walks out of the office, boards a train, and finds herself in the middle of nowhere.  She stops at a fancy house to ask to use the phone, but is mistakenly interviewed for a housekeeper position.  She is offered the job, and accepts it.  Unfortunately, she has no idea how to run a household.  She can't cook and she can't clean.  But as she learns how to work a stove, and a washing machine, and an iron, and a vaccuum cleaner, she also learns that there is more to life than 16 hour days at the office.  She begins to embrace the daily life of her new domestic self, and finds unexpected happiness.  Unfortunately, you can't just run away from your life and disappear.  At some point your past catches up with you...

Kinsella is an excellent story teller and her characters are compelling.  The Undomestic Goddess is no exception.  I could not put this book down.  I could identify with Samantha, and her struggles and her instinct to just walk away and start a new life.  I could also appreciate that you can't really start fresh without accepting where you came from and what you've done.  And most importantly, this book reminded me to appreciate the simple things in life, no matter how small and 'insignificant' by society's standards.  Life is too short to take anything for granted.

I loved this book and recommend it.  If you love 'chick lit' and romantic comedies, then put The Undomestic Goddess on your reading list.  You won't be disappointed.

At the Movies - The Back-Up Plan

Of course I had to see The Back-Up Plan.  After all, it IS a chick flick - my kind of movie.

In The Back-Up Plan, Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) has her life together.  She is getting older and really wants kids, but there is no man in the picture.  So Zoe takes matters into her own hands, and goes to a sperm bank.  On the way home from her insemination appointment she meets Stan (Alex O'Loughlin).  He turns out to be someone she wants to date.  Unfortunately, just after their first official date, Zoe finds out she is pregnant.  So as Sam and Zoe start their life together, they must deal with all the trials and tribulations of a first pregnancy.

I am not usually a Lopez fan.  Maid in Manhattan - blech!  But The Plan was a funny movie.  I was definitely entertained.  There are some corny parts that I could have done without, that make me not super enthused about this one, but overal it was a decent flick.  Having said that, I would recommend it to my girl friends who enjoy a decent chick flick.

In short, it was cheese - but good cheese.

How about you - see any good movies lately?