The whole world's gone Mad: Mad Men Season 4 premiere this Sunday!

What the new Mad Men S4 photo (above) tells us. (Yes, a body-language expert was actually interviewed for the article.)

It's almost time for an all new season of Mad Men!

Without giving away too much, the first episode will be titled "Public Relations" and -- from what I've read -- sounds like it's going to be amazing. 10pm on Sunday cannot come soon enough. To satiate your fix until the premiere, here's a roundup of my favorite Mad Men links:

SPOILER ALERT (seriously, if you read this article you are going to know exactly where everyone stands in episode 1; read at your own risk): Exploring Don Draper as a single man in Season 4.

New photos are out from the upcoming episodes! Peggy, that haircut is just not doing it for you.

Speaking of Peggy's hair, series costume designer Janie Bryant discusses Peggy's coif choice, Bryant's new mod line and vintage clothing.

A writer at Salon.com admits that she most identifies with Mad Men's "brattiest, least feminist character": Betty Draper.

The NY Post is Mad about the girls. "Forget Carrie Bradshaw," they write, "today's girls are trying Betty, Joan and Peggy on for size."

SPOILER ALERT: The SF Chronicle argues that identity is key to the start of Mad Men season 4 (makes sense; creator Matt Weiner mentioned months ago that this year the characters would all be asking: "Who am I?").

We're in good company: Obama is a huge Mad Men fan. "He wrote to say he enjoyed Season 3," Weiner said. "He was congratulating me on my and the show's success, and I wanted to say, 'But wait, you're the successful person."

Since you've already Mad Menned yourself, maybe you should Mad Men your living room. I know I already have.

Christina Hendricks looks absolutely stunning on the latest cover of LA Times Magazine.

Slate contemplates how season 4 will handle Betty's storyline. Betty Hofstadt Draper Francis? I'm not a fan; drop the "Francis" and we'll talk.

Will Mad Men continue after season 5? If not then my life is over as we know it.

SPOILER ALERT: The Wall Street Journal is obvi still Mad about the Men (as they should be).

For the diehards out there planning to throw a premiere party, here's a how-to guide so you won't miss a thing (note to self: serve Old Fashioneds with Utz potato chips). For more party pointers, the Boston Globe shows how you can toast the return of Mad Men in style and also has tips on wardrobe and hair for your retro-themed party.

Spoiler-free reasons (finally) why you should be excited about the upcoming season.

According to the LA Times, "[Don Draper] may look great, but he has no heart, nor capacity for truth. He's Satan in a starched collar." I (of course) don't agree, especially when the writer attempts to make a Don-Draper-as-devil case by saying he chose that pseudonym because both the first and last name have six letters each and six is the devil's number. Creee-per.

For the fashion-philes out there, Janie Bryant gives viewers a sneak peak at season 4 garb (the costume closet = buh-nanas).

And if you're still unclear as to why 98% of women are in love with Jon Hamm, here's the classic SNL "Don Draper's Guide to Picking Up Women" video:

First day of work (with new outfit)

Well, I'm all caffeinated up, my hair's been styled, my makeup applied...and I'm ready for my first day of work.

I have to admit that after this last year and a half of waking up and simply strolling across the living room to my "office" (a small Ikea desk a kind neighbor left me before they moved out), actually waking up at a set time, putting on an ensemble diligently chosen the night before, and heading out (with second cup of coffee in hand, of course) to commute into the city till rush hour back feels foreign. I barely remember what it felt like before...then I remember, and all those feelings of resentment get dredged up toward CEO of the Year (this is what we're alluding to him as now) and trudging to "Hell" (what my ex-coworkers and I used to call our office) in 95 degree weather with 90% humidity and I start getting a knot of anxiety in the pit of my stomach that feels like I ate a bag of patio rocks from Home Depot because I hated, HATED commuting into the city half-asleep every morning with my face pressed against some man's armpit in a crowded, stinky metro train until I remind myself:

"Crystal. This is different. You will actually enjoy this job, unlike the last. Do not be anxious. You cannot continually compare every career experience going forward to Hell and its Commander. Doing so will only wear you down before you even start. Plus, news flash: Your job before Hell (your first job that kicked off your career) was fabulous and you had a great time at that for nearly two years. Remember this. Not all jobs are alike."

And then I breathe a sigh of relief (as I'm doing now) and realize I am right. It will not be like before. The news focus is different; the people in this newsroom are different. Best of all, no matter what time of day (or how hot it is) there's never really any humidity here so I don't have to worry about completely schvitzing in my new, dry-clean-only dress before I've even stepped foot into the office. More sighs of relief.

So here's what I'm wearing for my first day outfit (please forgive the horribly tacky MySpace-ness of these pictures, but I'm in a hurry and still putting on my makeup, which would explain why I'm also headless):

I think Joan Holloway would approve and yes, that is Moneypenny in the last picture, wondering what her deranged owner is doing up so early in three-inch heels. I think I'll add a skinny red belt to the mix and head out!

Mad Men fashion; or, When did we stop dressing up?

So by this point many of you are probably thinking I'm beyond obsessive about certain television shows (and you're right -- I am, just like I'm obsessive about red nail polish and poodles and George Michael). You're probably also thinking "All right, we all get it. Mad Men is the greatest show ever created. Get over it already." But I can't, and here's why:

The fashion, oh the fashion. Not like the writing and acting and directing already make the show incredible, but head costume designer Janie Bryant truly knows how to round out the storytelling with the outfits she chooses for each character based on their story arc.

"Everyone thinks that Janie’s job consists of picking cool clothes, but she’s really a storyteller. She cares about who the character is and what we are trying to say about them. If I write a fur in there—say, Don gives Betty a fur—I know that we can develop a history of that coat and how it relays a bit of the sad story of their marriage," said Matt Weiner recently to The Wall Street Journal, in a fantastic article describing how Mad Men has not only "reshaped television, but inspired the fashion world, popularizing the clothes of the era, from sharp suits to fitted dresses."

Thank God. I've personally had my fill of ill-fitting denim, tired tank tops, and sad androgynous flats from Urban Outfitters. When did we start thinking "dressing up" was only for special occasions and that it's somehow appropriate to perpetually "slum it"? In my humble opinion men and women should be expected to look...well...like men and women, not like teenyboppers or like they've been home with the flu all weekend or like disheveled vagrants. No one likes the look of a vagrant except maybe Janis Joplin and that strung-out hippie I met recently on the beach, though even he said he was into demons more.

Men: You look best in tailored wool suits with pocket squares during the week or Penguin-brand garb as casualwear on the weekends. Women: Dresses and pencil skirts during the week; if no dresses are on hand then sleeveless blouses and capris for weekend outings, mmk? There's never a wrong time to wear heels. And while you're at it, a little red lipstick never hurt anyone.

Fashion democratization, Buenos Aires for expats and "Sunset Boulevard"

Here are a few links that caught my eye last week:

• The New Yorker is a little late to the Polyvore game (um, about 3 years, to be exact), but they recently ran a fun, lengthy expose on the Silicon Valley-based fashion start-up. Apparently women obsessed with Polyvore -- the ones who spend hours at work putting together mock outfits or perusing the latest fashion collages rather than, well, work -- are known as "Polywhores" and there is an actual "Anna Wintour" of the Polyvore world. She's some chick from Calgary who creates collages under the screenname MyChanel. The more you know.

• Ok, so this New York Magazine article is from 2006, but having just traveled to Buenos Aires I see it's still completely accurate: Buenos Aires is an expat haven like Paris was in the 1920s. Imagine a city with the conveniences of Manhattan, the old-world charm of Paris, the street-style of Milan, and you've got Buenos Aires. Everyone is chic, there's no dearth of great shopping, the restaurants are spectacular, the wine is amazing, and the cherry on top? You can totally afford it all. Americans are moving there to feel rich. Money just goes so much further there than in the U.S. or anywhere in Europe (I hear the word "Euro" and I cringe. Ten dollar gelatos, anyone?)
  

• A recent NY Times Critics' Pick was "Sunset Boulevard" and they published an excellent 2-minute clip about the film. "Sunset Boulevard" is about a famous silent film star named Norma Desmond who's unable to come to grips with her descent into obscurity once films with sound become popular. Like a spider she creeps into each scene and is terrifying in her portrayal of a woman hell-bent on denial and preservation, trapping a young scriptwriter in her web of grandiose narcissism. (Famous Norma Desmond line: "I am big, it's the pictures that got small.") In the film noir genre, "Sunset Boulevard" is hands-down one of the best. Go netflix it. Now.

• It looks like the "hot" baby names right now aren't as Twilight-centric as they were last year (thank GOD, there is nothing creepier than naming your baby Esme, people). The SF Chronicle blogs that according to a certain baby name expert (by the way, is that real job?) the new "it" names have a distinctly elite ring to them. After skimming this list (disclaimer: three names mentioned are what I plan to use for my kids), I don't find them "elite" as much as I do vintage. Names like Atticus and Phineas have a early 20th century feel; they're literary and dated in a good way. Not sure why this makes them seem high brow, but so be it.

• In an Ayn Rand-esque effort to stave off the "totalitarianism" that he witnessed as a child in the Soviet Union, it turns out Google co-founder Sergey Brin was the major proponent in abandoning Google's operations in China due to the strict censorship guidelines the country demanded and the cyber-attack that followed. Brin told the WSJ that memories of that time—having his home visited by Russian police, witnessing anti-Semitic discrimination against his father—bolstered his view that it was time to abandon Google's policy.

• Just in case you're curious as to how many calories that burger with fries has but don't want to have to dig to find out, you no longer have an excuse. (Damn it.) In signing the health-care legislation last week, Obama will be requiring all restaurant chains to include calorie counts on their menus. It's time to gear up for bikini season, boys and girls.
  

• Apparently there are eight types of people to unfollow on Twitter or defriend on Facebook. Such people range from "The Overusers" to "The Oversharers". I think we can all agree that no, none of us really want to hear about your yellow toenails.

• Last but not least: I loved this Quentin Tarantino reference page. You know, just in case you need a tear-out sheet to remember the basics by. I think I'm putting this one on my fridge. (And if you're wondering, Kill Bill 1 and 2 are my Tarantino favorites. Revenge really is a dish best served cold.)
  

One of the most amazing things this year...

...is happening today:


Mad Men Season 3 is coming out on DVD. Contain your excitement (!!!) because I can barely type this blog post without flinging my laptop across the room like a Nerf frisbee and dancing the Mad Hatter's Futterwacken jig right here next to this couch.

More existentialism. More Joan. More Roger Sterling ("You ever get three sheets to the wind and try this thing on?" he asks, pointing to suit of armor in the office). More Peggy and Pete. And the most important thing: More Don Draper. Throw in 13-episodes' worth of Kennedy-era misogyny, a John Deere tractor, a presidential assassination and the start of the Vietnam War, and you've got another brilliantly written season (that yours truly will re-watch and analyze at least three times initially, if we're counting commentary here). If there was one quote to sum up this season, it would be Joan telling Don:

"That's life. One minute you're on top of the world, next minute some secretary's running you over with a lawn mower."

Personally one of my favorite episodes was "The Souvenir," when Don took Betty to a Fellini-style Rome and we watched the spoiled girl that we'd come to know Betty as surprise us as a smart and savvy woman on foreign soil -- the kind of woman she probably was during her modeling career pre-Don:

My other favorite episode? "My Old Kentucky Home," which included this fantastic scene between secretary Joan and ex-secretary Jane, when roles shifted, and the superior and the inferior were reversed. The tension between the two was unnervingly palpable and so well acted (check out Jane's slight eye twitch at 0:18 in response to Joan's cigarette smoke being blown her way):

Anyway, I cannot stop gushing about this show. J likes to tease me about my Mad Men obsession, but I say there's only one way to be a fan of anything: You're either in it all the way or you're not into it at all. ("In it all the way" for me includes tacking the calendar on our kitchen wall, using the theme song as my ringtone, buying mid-century modern furniture, quoting episodes daily, and only drinking Gimlets and Old Fashioneds.)

I feel like I'm walking in tall cotton about this DVD release and I have to ask any viewers out there (without giving too much away): What were your favorite episodes or scenes from Season 3? Did any characters surprise or disappoint you? How did you react to Sal's...problem...at work? Did you cringe at Roger on stage at the country club? Better yet: What did you think of Betty's decision in the finale and what did you think of Don's confession? I'm dying to know...

Your weekly cup of Zoe

"It's so weird to be back in LA." Rachel looks over at Brad (above). "I feel like you literally forgot your pants. I mean, and you have a linen tote bag ..."

Brad: "Hopefully this shoot is a Xanadu and not a Xanadon't."
Rachel, straight-faced and after a long pause: "Do you lie awake at night thinking of the worst jokes in the entire world?"
Brad: "No, they just come to me just before I say them. It's part of my gift."

"Perfume is the final step in getting dressed everyday. It's that perfect finishing touch." - Rachel, on the merits of perfume

"This smells too citrus-ey. I'd like a note of it, but not a whole song."
- Rachel on a potential fragrance

"I used to dunk myself in patchouli oil when I was in college." - Rachel being Rachel

A voicemail Brad leaves Rachel while she's in New York: "Hiiiii Rachel, it's Brad. I hope you're having a good time in New York with Taylor. I know you're probably super busy but I just wanted to let you know that my legs look really, really good in short shorts. Byeeee!"

"This shoot is a Xanadu story taking place in a gym and what we need is a big, hunky beefcake." - Brad, after he and Rachel are disappointed with the effeminate male models they've seen so far

"I really need to find the male equivalent of Jessica Stam."
- Rachel, frustrated

"You could've worn that in Paris, but you didn't get invited."
- Brad to Taylor

"Multi-colored, multi-fabric tranny heel. God knows what. It's absolutely all about the thigh high." - Rachel's final fashion advice for the season

Your weekly cup of Zoe

Rachel & Co. in Paris. I should be in this picture. Sigh.

"Look. Black and White. Coco. Chanel. Everywhere. Ugh. Dying."
- Rachel, passing the Chanel store with Brad

"... And those diamante leggings? I hope they're a trend everywhere."
- Brad, during the Ungaro show

"I think I'm going to pass out. I have on Coco Chanel's glasses."
- Rachel wearing Chanel's original glasses as she stares at Brad

"I am obsessed with the Beatles. I did my senior thesis on John Lennon. And I. Literally. Die. for Paul McCartney." - Rachel seeing Paul at the Stella McCartney show

"And all of a sudden," she says at Stella's show, "out comes electric silver dresses and like nubby purple mohair jackets and chunky knits that I just want to put on my body. Right now."

"This is beyond. This is OOC. Out. Of. Control." - Rachel admiring an 800 euro vintage Dior leather trench coat on Brad

"Rachel gets a little aggressive when it comes down to your purchases. She's like a vintage designer couture pusher. Buy it Brad. Get it. (in high pitch voice: 'Cause then I can distract Roger when I buy my coat!')" - Brad, in response

“How about I give you a raise?” - Rachel asks Brad, so he can buy said Dior trench coat and absolve her of shopper's guilt

"Backstage at Galliano is like a cattle herd. Literally, I feel like a cow about to moo." - Rachel

“I would eat this shoe for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” - Rachel drooling over 12-inch platforms backstage at Galliano

"Platforms are here to stay. Get yourself some stilts, girls." - Brad to the general public

Your weekly cup of Zoe

I'm elated to see that I'm not the only one who (shamefully?) hearts the hilarity that is Rachel Zoe. Her assistants Brad and Taylor, her penchant for boho muumuus, her interaction with husband Rodger, who's been called "Rod Blagojevich in a Zac Efron wig". Yes, these are all comedic in their own right. But the true entertainment value of her show shines through with her random and oft-clueless quotes on profound topics like life, work, Ashton and Demi, and fashion. (Two episodes ago she mentioned that she "loves herself a sequin." See? Sequins are doable.) As one reader put it, "she's a hot mess, but that's why we all love her."

Anyway, her musings are too hysterical and/or poignant to let fade away into the cable television abyss, so I'll be compiling the best here for a weekly cup of Zoe. Email me if you've got any gems to share and I'll include them.

The new must-have Fall accessory: a Brad.

"Nothing makes a woman feel better than a whole slew of gay men cheering you on, striking poses and just making you feel good about yourself and making you laugh when you're feeling insecure."
- Rachel Zoe

Buenos Aires in retrospect

If Buenos Aires had a theme song, it would be “Cite Tango” by the Gotan Project.

The city is sexy and cosmopolitan, yet a little rough around the edges after emerging from a long history fraught with political upheaval and strife. Though the government is relatively calm now compared to the days of Peron et. al., the financial situation still weighs heavily on the country, with unemployment very high and inflation quite rampant ($1 equals about 4 pesos). While this doesn't bode well for Argentinians, for Americans it's a dream come true. You can live like a king on almost nothing here, especially in the trendiest, hippest neighborhood of Buenos Aires: the Recoleta district. Here is where Santa Fe Avenue lies, with its endless boutiques, cafes, book stores and restaurants that stretch for miles both ways. I stayed in an apartment just around the corner from Santa Fe, and when I wasn't visiting the usual sights, everyday was spent shopping here or on Calle Florida (another long street filled with retail in both directions), drinking espressos at corner cafes.

During my stay I bought a black peacoat ($30), a black wool trench ($50), a real(!) leather handbag in the style of Balenciaga's motorcycle bag ($55) and knee-high leather boots ($60). In other words, prices here are ridiculous compared to what I'm used to -- especially for quality leather items. The unspoken uniform in Buenos Aires (at least in the fall/winter) is knee-high leather boots, whether flat or heeled. Every woman is wearing a pair, so to blend in with the locals and look stylish, a pair is necessary. Speaking of style, I found the women here to be more stylish than anywhere I've seen in Italy, France or NYC, and they pull it off with ease and the knowledge that designer labels aren't needed to look good. Sometimes it was fun just to people watch with a cappuccino because of all the great oufits that passed by.

Our apartment was beyond charming, and true to most of the architecture in the city, was impossibly French in every way. It felt like a flat in Paris, but was instead nestled nicely in the Recoleta district, and came out to only about $100 per night. (For a two-bedroom/two-bath with modern kitchen, it was a steal.):

I fell in love with the building's French cage elevator just outside our
front door. It was like a scene right out of "Amelie".

San Telmo:

Every Sunday there's a big artisan's fair in the San Telmo district of Buenos Aires. It's called the "feria de San Telmo" and is filled with tables of arts, crafts and antiques from local artists and collectors. Fun to peruse and soak in the culture, as San Telmo is a historic district known for its tango and tango dancers it used to house:

The city:

Me in front of the Casa Rosada (or "pink house"), where the president's office is.

Calle Florida (or "Florida Street"):

A group of tango dancers on Florida Street continuously perform for tourists and passerbys near the entrance to a mall called the Galleria Pacifico.

The entrance to Galleria Pacifico (above). This mall is incredible. I've never seen any like it.

I couldn't help myself.

Recoleta Cemetery:

On our way to the cemetery (above). I really want to own that building with the for sale sign behind us. According to real estate rates quoted by an agent I spoke with, it probably costs about, oh, $200,000. I don't know what I'm waiting for.

Now I don't usually visit cemeteries on my off days...or any days for that matter. Frankly they creep me out (as do most things that are tied to death), but the one in Recoleta is world famous so we had to pop by for a visit. It's exactly like the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris (you know, the one from the Oscar Wilde vignette in "Paris Je T'aime"), and in true cemetery fashion, is pretty eerie:

Many of the tombs had glass doors, and you could see the coffins lined on shelves inside. I'll be honest, it was ... different. After we visited Eva Peron's grave (above), we hightailed it out of there. The feeling of just how mortal we were was a little too palpable for our tastes.

El Ateneo:

I've heard it said that Buenos Aires is one of the most literary cities in the world, and the many book stores I came across was evidence of this. I couldn't go more than three or four blocks without stumbling upon another hole-in-the-wall bookstore or behemoth that could easily rival a Barnes and Noble at its best. For a bibliophile, I was in heaven. In fact the most stunning bookstore I've ever visited thus far was the El Ateneo on Santa Fe Avenue. Even if you could care less about books, you MUST visit the El Ateneo. The giant space is an old majestic theater converted into a modern bookstore, where a cafe sits in the stage area, and the tall red velvet curtains, frescos and gold trim detailing along the eaves have all been kept in immaculate condition. Where else can you spy readers lounging with their books in historic opera boxes near the stage area?:




The restaurant scene:

If you were to live permanently in Buenos Aires, you would easily be able to afford eating out almost every night -- and you wouldn't have to rely on fast food to get you through your journey. Locals go to dinner around 10pm, and often stay out enjoying their food and drink till midnight. Going out to eat is an event here -- something to look forward to in your day. Even the most upscale restaurants in the city only run about $10 to $12 a plate – the same kind of restaurants that in the states would cost $30+ per entree. And bottles of wine, both ordered in restaurants and bought in grocery stores, is a pittance compared to what we're used to paying. If dining out is your thing, this is the city to do it in:

A dinner show (above and below).

A charming fondue restaurant (above) we ate at one night in the Soho district. Below, Restaurant Cabernet, a romantic bistro with candlelit seating in a courtyard inside the stucco walls.

If you love Italian food, you have to try the fresh handmade pasta at La Baita (above), also in the Soho district. During our dinner two opera singers came out among the tables and sang while customers enjoyed food and wine.

Evita Museum:
I know she was corrupt and all, but I'm obsessed with Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Evita" and have always been intrigued by the cult status of Eva Peron, so we visited her museum during our stay. Though it's small, it's definitely worth a visit and houses many relics like her collections of hats and dresses:



All in all, Buenos Aires is a beautiful city, and I can't wait to go back and stay longer. It's an interesting hybrid of the old and new, of antiquated Europe and modern Manhattan. It has all the conveniences of an American city, but with the charm and sophistication of Paris. Best of all it's 10-folds more affordable than any other city I've ever visited. If Carrie Bradshaw had lived here instead of the Big Apple, her clothing and shoe addiction on a columnists' salary would have been much more believable. ;)