BuzzSugar

A Trip to Marrakesh: Design Tips, Stories, and Inspiration From Maryam Montague and Her Phenomenal New Book

Elka Karl — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:00:33 PDT

Moroccan design and decor may be a popular decorating trend, but for Maryam Montague, the woman behind the beautiful and popular blog My Marrakesh and the new book Marrakesh by Design, it's much more than that: it's a way of life. When Maryam isn't working at her main occupation as a human rights and democracy specialist, she's writing and photographing for her blog; managing her shop, Red Thread Souk; and hosting visitors at Peacock Pavilions, her home and a boutique hotel in a Marrakesh olive grove (which she and her husband designed, built, and decorated).

Maryam recently traveled back to the United States as part of her book tour, and we were happy to catch up with her in LA, where she was presenting at the Legends of La Cienega event at the La Cienega Design Quarter. Keep reading for some of Maryam's thoughts on decorating with Moroccan inspirations in mind, details on her book's genesis, and other fabulous quotes from this always-inspiring woman.

Hysteria Director Tanya Wexler Talks Vibrators, Faking It, and Duck Sex

Tara Block — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:15 PDT

Don't be shy . . . It's time to talk sex toys! And Hysteria director Tanya Wexler is writing us a prescription for pleasure. Tanya's film - what she calls "the vibrator movie you can bring your mom to" - is in limited release and stars Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Rupert Everett. When working on a romantic comedy that centers around the invention of the vibrator, you end up with some entertaining and embarrassing situations along the way, and lucky for us, Tanya spilled all the hilariously dirty details. From teaming up with the film's partner Jimmyjane for a drive-by vibrator drop-off to a certain female Oscar-winner to trying unsuccessfully to get ducks to shag on command, Tanya was bursting with great stories from working on this very unconventional film. And while Tanya isn't ashamed to discuss the sexy subject matter of her latest film with us, the mother of four and her partner of 21 years did have a tricky challenge telling her preteen kids what her movie was about. (She eventually gave them the script and let them figure it out themselves!) Check out our interview with the fun-loving director now, and we dare you not to have a girl crush on her by the end!

TrèsSugar: What were some of the challenges to getting a movie made about vibrators?
Tanya Wexler: Getting the script right was tricky because if you just make a movie about the invention of the vibrator, it's actually a really short movie: you go "bzz" and it's done. And we had a kind of light romantic comedy. I say I made the vibrator movie you can bring your mom to. But some people wanted it to be raunchy or some people wanted it to be more serious and about feminism. People project a lot onto this movie of what they want, because there isn't a lot out there about vibrators and women's pleasure, and we still don't really deal with that topic very well, or we're overly antsy around it. And as a result, people have a lot of ideas of what the movie could and should be, and you can't please everyone. [laughs]

TS: Ha, good one.
TW: It's nonstop!

TS: Do you find sex toys inherently funny or something to be seriously celebrated?
TW: Yes!

TS: Both?
TW: Yes! Yes. I think they make me laugh, and I think that the inner kind of Beavis and Butt-head in all of us goes "[laugh]." You know, that inner 13-year-old, like, "Hahaha vibrator . . . " and yet they're awesome and fun.

TS: What shocked you the most when researching the movie?
TW: That ducks are the rapists of the bird world, and you'll see when you see the movie, because there's a little bit of questionable duck behavior - or awesome duck behavior - in the movie. It's totally a sidebar, but you cannot make ducks shag on command. I'm just saying.

TS: What about the whole history of hysteria being a medical condition?
TW: When I first heard the idea, I was like, "What do you mean it was invented in Victorian times?" I knew about hysteria, but the idea that the treatment was manual [British accent] massage deparaxism - which is what they called it - and, of course, the denial. The most shocking thing is the denial, that they didn't think it was sexual.

TS: Do you think they were really in denial?
TW: No, I don't think that some people were. My college roommate was with her high school boyfriend for two years and she had never had an orgasm. I think there's all kinds of denial, especially with women's sexuality. So the fact that there are young women today who haven't had an orgasm, whether self-induced - which is insane - or with a partner, then why wouldn't we think back then that women wouldn't know what orgasms were?

They would get a massage, and the doctor's saying, "Without a penis, this isn't sex, because sex is about procreation," so what is this? The best physical therapy you've ever had. So once you don't think of it as something other than what the doctor's supposed to do to cure your uncontrollable crying or uncontrollable laughter or whatever, then it's just an awesome muscle spasm. If you don't think women have their own inherent sexuality, then you're not thinking about it like that.

Keep reading for Tanya's thoughts on Fifty Shades and more!

Jane Krakowski Says Jenna Would Play Anastasia in Fifty Shades of Grey

Annie Scudder — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:10:25 PDT

30 Rock's season finale aired last week, and it's official that the next season will be its last. We caught up with Jane Krakowski, who plays Jenna Maroney, the narcissistic actress engaged to her male impersonator. In addition to her work on 30 Rock, Jane's using her comedic talent for Best Night Ever, an upcoming vignette series for NBC. She'll star alongside Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic. We had a chance to talk to Jane, and she reflected on what she's learned from 30 Rock and even took a guess at what Jenna would make of the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon. Read on.

TrèsSugar: The S&M erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey is a bestseller and being made into a movie. Do you think Jenna would find it tame?
Jane Krakowski: I'm sure Jenna is buying the rights already to play the role. Everybody's reading that book. I haven't read it yet, but I see it in everyone's hands.

TS: Have you learned anything from your 30 Rock character over the years?
JK: I think my big lesson is to probably not do anything that Jenna does. So whatever she does, do the opposite. You might be better off. But that's the fun part about playing someone like her. You can be as outrageous as possible and get away with it within our structure that is TGS and 30 Rock, so there are so many things that the character has done over the seasons where I'm like, "Really? Are you sure we're going to be able to do this and get away with this?" And in that world and the blanket that is Tina Fey's genius it always seems to be alright. I will trust her wherever she sends me.

TS: Who is your favorite couple on the show?
JK: Well of course I'm thrilled Jenna has taken one step toward being humane by getting engaged. Although, Paul being a wonderful man it's (still) the most narcissistic wedding that could possibly happen, because she's marrying a male impersonator of her. I've always enjoyed Liz Lemon's relationships. I loved when Michael Sheen was on the show. I really adored him. I think her current relationship with the character of Criss is really a great one.

TS: In your latest role in NBC's TV vignettes series titled Best Night Ever, you play a tarot card reader. What would you hope the cards hold for Jenna?
JK: Wow. I sort of wish the tarot card reader would tell me that 30 Rock is not ending after 13 episodes next season. We found out that it's official that we're only going to be doing 13 more. It's been the greatest experience.

You can watch our interview with Jane below and also find out why she's excited about her new role in Best Night Ever.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer on Modern Dating and the '90s

Annie Scudder — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:00:50 PDT

Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer are gearing up for the June 5 season-two premiere of Franklin & Bash on TNT. The guys hold a special place in our '90s girl hearts, so when we got a chance to chat with them, we had to get their straightforward dating advice. And, of course, we brought up the '90s. How could we resist while talking to Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris and Clueless's Travis Birkenstock? Read more to find out what we learned.

What to Expect Author, Heidi Murkoff, Shares Women's Biggest Pregnancy Surprise

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:02:05 PDT

It's hard to imagine a time when Heidi Murkoff's What to Expect When You're Expecting wasn't a staple on nightstands of expectant moms. But 28 years ago, when Murkoff was unexpectedly pregnant with her first child, she didn't know where to turn for information about how her baby was growing or what she could eat. Being an information hound, she gobbled up information and turned her research into a book that has become the go-to source for newly expectant mothers. Fast forward a few decades and her nonfiction resource is now receiving a big-screen adaptation with Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, and Brooklyn Decker playing five women on the brink of parenthood. I sat down with the author to discuss the state of pregnancy today and how things have changed since she was a first-time parent.

LilSugar: It's been 28 years since the first edition of What to Expect When You're Expecting hit store shelves. Why is it still relevant today?
Heidi Murkoff: It's evolved over the years. The first edition of the first book is definitely not relevant now. First of all, she's in a rocking chair, in a potato sack, polyester pup tent! But certainly some things about pregnancy never change. It's still nine months, you're still bloating, crazy constipated, all those mood swings, etc., but a lot of things have changed. If you look at the fourth edition compared to the first edition - she's on her feet, she's smiling, she's pregnant and proud, she's happy to be pregnant. Sure, she may still be bloated and leaking and constipated, but she's celebrating her pregnancy and her body, which is something that is so different from back in the day, where we covered it up and we had to sit and wait for it to be over. We didn't embrace our pregnant selves and we definitely do now.

Keep reading to see what Murkoff says is the biggest surprise women discover about pregnancy.

What to Expect Director Kirk Jones Shares the Personal Stories He Worked Into the Upcoming Film

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:19:39 PDT

Chances are you probably have a dog-eared copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting laying around your house. The "pregnancy bible" has been the first stop for information for expectant mamas since 1985, and while the nonfiction book has undergone four significant updates since its debut, few readers probably foresaw it being turned into a movie - unless it was a film being shown in childbirth classes. But under the direction of Kirk Jones, himself a father of three boys between the ages of five and 21, the book makes the feature film transition, telling five interconnected story lines about couples trying to start their families. With stars like Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, and Brooklyn Decker all part of the ensemble, the movie is getting significant buzz prior to its May 18 opening. I sat down with the director to discuss his interest in the project, and what it was like directing so many stars who aren't parents themselves.

LilSugar: What attracted you to a movie about pregnancy and babies?
Kirk Jones: For 27 months of my life I've been attached to my wife who was pregnant. One of the things that attracted me to the movie was explaining what that journey is like for guys as well as girls. Understandably, over the years women have been the focus of pregnancy subjects in movies because they're the ones physically going through the changes and all that. Some of the language and comedy in the park with the dudes was raw and fresh.

LS: Did What to Expect When You're Expecting impact you at all when you were expecting your first child?
KJ: When you have that first one, everything is so scary! If you bought a refrigerator from a store, you get more instructions on how to work it than you do a baby when you come out of hospital. Its like bye-bye; good luck!

LS: Did you bring any of your personal experience with your wife's three pregnancies into the film?
KJ: I did. Unfortunately, it was the slightly more tragic one. As is really common, my wife and I, as have a number of our friends, experienced a miscarriage. So when I first saw the script I don't think that story was in [it]. So one of the contributions I made was asking if that story could be included, because I thought if we're presenting pregnancy, we should present the whole story and not just sweet, happy bits. And then just being on set, because I've been there and I just remember the funny little things that happen. Having been through it, I felt kind of qualified to add things here and there.

Keep reading to see what Jones says it was like directing Cameron Diaz with a prosthetic belly.

Interview: Amanda de Cadenet on Loving "Women's Women" Jane Fonda, Gwyneth Paltrow, and More

Tara Block — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:20:00 PDT

We explained why we love photographer and British TV personality Amanda de Cadenet and her new show The Conversation, and tonight is the second episode!

We chatted with the motorcycle-riding mom of three (who's married to a rocker, no less) about everything from sex positions to The Bachelor to the benefits of marriage, but what Amanda's really passionate about is the plight of today's women. On her new Lifetime show The Conversation, Amanda gets into some heavy topics with famous women like Jane Fonda, Kelly Preston, Zoe Saldana, Sarah Silverman, and Gwyneth Paltrow. And she couldn't help but gush about her ladies, who she says are "truly women's women," in addition to opening up about how our sex as a whole needs to start sticking together. Here's what she said:

TrèsSugar: What did you learn from doing these interviews?
Amanda de Cadenet: That women globally are addressing very similar issues in their lives, and that we're not actually that different. I've met so many good people, and that was really the overwhelming feeling: Wow, there are some good people on the planet.

TS: What part of a woman's life do you think we're most scared to talk about?
AC: I would say people have a lot of shame about their relationships. Most women who I know have stayed in a less-than ideal relationship for way too long, and they get embarrassed to say, "Yeah I'm still with this person because I just can't leave."

Or people are uncomfortable saying, "I hate the way my body looks." It's just not PC to be down on your body these days, but the truth is that most of us are. So I love that my ladies are very outspoken about their bodies and how they feel about them. There's been this kind of picture painted, a standard that's been set, by whom I don't really know, that to be a woman who's having a successful life you have to be OK with your body, be earning enough money, be in a relationship. If you're a woman of a certain age you're supposed to have children. You're supposed to be conforming to society's idea of what it means to be a successful woman. None of us are, by the way. And that's part of what The Conversation is about: Who created this notion of what it means to be a woman on the planet? Because none of us are living up to it. And the reality is what we're actually talking about on the show, which is that no one's doing it perfectly. We're all doing the best we can do. And Jane Fonda at 73 says, "I'm finally whole." Gives us all permission to be human, right?

For the rest of the interview and photos of Amanda with some of the women she interviewed, keep reading!

Photos courtesy of A&E Television Networks LLC

Designer Suki Cheema Thinks Spring With His Indonesia Collection

Elka Karl — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:34:27 PDT

Designer Suki Cheema is renowned for his intuitive, in-depth understanding of pattern, textiles, and printmaking, which has landed him positions with Calvin Kelin, Ralph Lauren, and Diane von Furstenberg. In fact, it was Diane von Furstenberg who inspired Suki to follow his dreams of launching his own line. With SUKI CHEEMA, an exclusive collection of home and personal accessories, Suki marries his love of art, textiles, and travel. The line includes throw pillows, quilts, rugs, tabletop items, handbags, and more, all featuring hand silk-screened prints and embroidery techniques that are centuries old.

I recently caught up with Suki to discuss his latest collection, Indonesia and found out his thoughts on printmaking and pattern, Spring decorating, and inspirations.
CasaSugar: What inspired the Indonesia collection specifically?

Suki Cheema: A trip to Indonesia some time ago. I was most inspired by the Batik designs from Java. Batik is unique to Indonesia and is one of its most traditional art forms. It has a special place in the culture and history of the people. My color choices for the collection were also influenced by Indonesia. You will see lots of indigo and shades of blue throughout the collection with pops of scarlet and other bright colors.
CS: How did you develop the patterns for this collection?

SC: During my trip I collected lots of batik fabrics and took photographs of everything that caught my eye. I like to take inspiration from traditional things and give them a modern twist, which is exactly what I did for this collection. I play with the scales and dimensions of patterns and reform things so that the inspiration is just that and not a literal interpretation.

Keep reading to find out more about the SUKI CHEEMA collection and to see more of the line

Hilary Duff Opens Up About Postpartum Exercise, Postbaby Date Nights, and What Fills Her Phone Now

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:28:45 PDT

Hilary Duff's been one busy mama since welcoming son Luca Cruz to the world 5 weeks ago. The new mama's been sharing family photos with her fans, trying to return to her prepregnancy workouts, and getting back into her daily routine. Now Hilary's about to become even busier as she joins Johnson's Baby and Save the Children for the launch of Johnson's Baby CARES, a new initiative to support the basic needs of families during natural disasters. The actress and recording star took some time to answer our questions about the campaign, as well as her initial thoughts on new motherhood.

LilSugar: What's been the most surprising thing about motherhood so far?
Hilary Duff: How much I fell in love with Luca from the moment I saw him; it's so cool to see your child changing every day.

LilSugar: And the most challenging?
HD: Getting Luca on a schedule that works for both of us, it was tough at first, but he is getting better every day.

LilSugar: Who does lil Luca look like?
HD: A lot like me when I was a baby, but he has his daddy's nose!

LilSugar: How did you come up with Luca's name?
HD: Mike [Comrie, Hilary's husband of a year and a half] and I were just bouncing names off each other and Luca just stuck. We both knew when we heard it - it was unique, but not crazy.

LilSugar: Have you and Mike gone out on a postbaby date yet?
HD: Yes, we've had a few dates since Luca's arrival. At first it was nerve-racking, but the second date went a lot better. It's important for Mom and Dad to have time together.

Keep reading for Hilary's thoughts on postpartum exercise and her decision to partner with Johnson's and Save the Children.

Why Pixar's First Leading Lady Merida Is the Bravest Princess of Them All

Tara Block — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:44:25 PDT

I recently attended a Pixar event at the animation film company's HQ for its upcoming Summer flick Brave. I was able to watch the first 30 minutes of the film, interview the director Mark Andrews and producer Katherine Sarafian, learn all about Scottish traditions, and even channel my inner Merida with archery lessons. Not only am I hooked on archery (pretty proud of my bull's-eye), I'm also hooked on Brave's heroine Princess Merida - Pixar's first leading lady! But don't let Merida's royal title fool you. As an adventurous girl in ancient Scotland who'd rather shoot arrows than get married, she's far from a typical Disney princess. Katherine and Mark both shared the ways she's breaking the princess mold and what makes her a great role model for us all. And as you'll see in the clip from the film below, the last thing Princess Merida wants is a Prince Charming.

Brave producer Katherine Sarafian agrees that the studio's latest project is especially exciting because it stars a girl. She asked me, "Who among us wouldn't want to give our daughters or sons a great cinema role model?" And not only is Merida a "powerhouse of a girl" with "fire and gusto and vigor" as Katherine describes her, she's also relatable, as she doesn't come with any special superpowers. "She just has great skills and she practices them," Katherine explains, "and she earned her skills by working hard and practicing and playing archery and playing sword fighting with her dad."

What really makes Merida someone little girls and adult women alike can relate to is that she's not perfect. At one point Merida's mom, Elinor, who's trying desperately to persuade her daughter to conform to her traditional role as a lady, says, "A princess strives for perfection." As women, we're constantly feeling that pressure to meet impossible expectations and aspire to society's ideal of who we should be and what we should be doing. But we rarely hit the mark. Katherine tells me, "I find her very relatable as someone who's coming of age and struggling with that central question of how can I really be seen for who I am in a world where there's an expectation of me that is incongruous to who I am?"

So why is such a relatable female lead so rare? Katherine tells me she's never understood why we haven't seen more strong female characters onscreen. With Brave, the filmmakers weren't trying to produce a story with a leading lady; it was the story, that happened to be about a girl, that got the project made. "If more filmmakers are developing ideas with great females at the center of the story, we should be able to take the world by storm," Katherine says.

The good news is with hits like The Hunger Games that are incredibly popular with both sexes, perhaps Brave is a part of a trend toward more female-driven films. Katherine points out that the box office figures have proven that people want to see girls and women lead stories. She adds, "I'm hoping people are realizing and studios realize that there is an audience, that this is half the population."

I found it interesting that Pixar (a subsidiary of Disney) would have its first female lead in a feature film be a princess, meaning, technically, Merida is a Disney princess. It appears that for a girl to be the lead in an animated movie she has to be princess. But both Katherine and director Mark Andrews insist the princess decision had nothing to do with the classic Disney princess archetype, but rather it was about a more exciting plot. "If you're a teenager and you make a stupid decision, maybe you get grounded," Katherine explains. "If you're royalty, your bad decision can have consequences that could cause a war in your kingdom. It was important that her decisions be tied to something much bigger than herself and her immediate family."