Project Rami! Week... um... semifinals

Rami! Rami! Rami! We can't express how excited we are for you right now! And very proud. You have withstood the lustful/envious gaze of Michael Kors, the overly critical gaze of Ninagaahceea (as Heidi calls her), and the, frankly, quite frightening gaze of Heidi Klum, all to make it to the pinnacle of the Project Runway Experience: Bryant Park! Bravo! (Ha, ha.)

Of course, we're not too surprised Rami made it, but we had our doubts for a little while-- namely, when he created yet ANOTHER, however immaculate and gorgeous, draped evening dress (right) for the final regular challenge, inspired by the artwork found in the Met. And really, when we saw him looking so intently at the Grecian statues in the classics room, we practically saw the show's producers licking their chops, and we wanted to scream at him not to take the bait. And he did, and the judges called him out for draping again, but it all worked out because they (very wisely) decided to give him AND Chris another chance. But, unlike last season, only one of them would progress to the finale-- after, of course, creating an entire collection and showing their best three looks to the judges. Sneaky, sneaky!

Cut past the rather uneventful reunion special to this week's episode, in which Tim Gunn visited each of the final four to check on their progress, as he does every season. Nutshell: Christian works out of a closet, essentially (no pun intended) and appears to have a rather lonely private life; Jillian still makes us feel tired and her entire family is more interesting than her; Rami's house is just as tasteful as his designs and his life story was, of course, heartbreaking (though we wish he would have mentioned Palestine...); and Chris remains wacky and fun and sweet and has friends who appear to be just the same (what was UP with that guy's apartment?). Focus now on Rami and Chris' designs: Rami's have been inspired by Joan of Arc and appear quite intriguing, except such oddities as a mustard-colored coat that Tim identified as very heavy, and Chris' heavily made use of-- yes-- human hair as trim. WTF? Suffice it to say, Tim was weirded out, and so were we. And although the designs he ended up showing the judges were actually quite nice, we couldn't get over the hair part (I don't think they could, either-- their expressions were priceless) and did, for the first time, agree that they were actually quite costumey. Thankfully, we won't have to hear the judges utter that word again, because poor Chris got auf'd in favor of our boy Rami, whose three looks didn't really offer too much to criticize save for the overdone-ness of the teal coat, which was still very well-made. See the three looks Rami offered up below:




















(Credit to this third one goes to ProjectRunGay, with our thanks, because Bravo's image of the dress really sucked. And, coincidentially, it was our favorite look out of the three.) Best of all, Rami LISTENED to the judges, and although we often suspect they've been smoking hashish, it really paid off this time.

We can't let Chris go, though, without saying how good of a job we think he did and how much we have really come to like him over the season-- even more so than his designs, which we never actually thought were as questionable as the judges seemed to. Chris has a bright future ahead of him, whether he chooses to spend it desgining costumes or clothing.

And so, we look forward to next week, in which we will get to watch the runway show (and Posh's grapefruit-like boobs popping out of whatever she wears-- best guest judge EVER), and find out who the winner will be. Truly, we think Rami has an excellent chance, based on what we've seen of the collections so far and on the fact that he is a true talent. Good luck, Rami!

Vay...

Dear readers (all three of you), we apologize for the dearth of posts lately. While this blog is extremely important to us, we have been crazy busy doing thousands of other things, including but not limited to working, dancing, drinking coffee/tea/vodka and plotting the revolution, reading, planning adventures in Middle Eastern travel, and studying (sort of). All while looking fab. So you see, this blog has fallen to the wayside a bit amidst the craziness-- we haven't even had time to watch Project Runway. Insane, we know. Good thing it was just the reunion (our guess: Heidi laughed like a crazy, Ricky cried as usual, Rami defended the draping, Christian was a droll bitch, and Jillian and VictorYA rolled their eyes a whole lot, while Tim Gunn was very tactful though silently wishing he could tap his ruby Prada slippers together and be transported back to his apartment with a cup of Constant Comment and the latest issue of the New Yorker). Anyway, no worries, because the wheels of thought have still been turning, and we should be posting again soon. We love you!

The Bush-Capades

I am finally posting my long-awaited review of the day in Palestine when ...

On Thursday, January 10th, 2008, George W.B., along with 1700 US Soldiers, took their 1st trip to the WB, the West Bank, Palestine, the place over 4 million refugees and expatriates, including myself, call home. Not only did Bush bring 1700 US personnel along, but all the employed Palestinian police, army, and security forces were on duty that day. It was like a national holiday. All shops in downtown Ramallah (Al Manara) were required to close. The forces roaming Ramallah were doing everything at all costs to stop opposition to the President we all hate, not just in Ramallah, but in all the West Bank.
Those living in the streets surrounding the Muqat'a, the Palestinian President's headquarters, were forbidden to leave their homes or even look out the window. They were warned that they would be shot at if they did so. All the nearby streets were closed. Oh, yes, and schools were closed as well for this ... day.
As I woke up late and began walking toward the center of town with my laptop bag, sans laptop, I was stopped by a jeep full of Palestinian army men. They asked if they could talk to me for a minute and then the man in the passenger seat got out and asked if I had anything in my bag. I said yes. (I don't normally carry big bags without anything in them, I was thinking.) He asked me what was in it. I said notebooks (telling the complete truth), want to see? I opened my bag, looked at him dumbfounded, and then he appologized and returned to his seat. I set off walking, a bit frazzled, as they drove away. (At this time I was unaware of the security measures I described above).
As I walked on, I realized, a bit slow on hte uptake as usual, that my big bag had suspect written all over it and that I could have possibly been plotting to kill Bush or something. I guess it's a good idea I didn't plot ahead of time, as much as it sounds like a great idea looking back. I've never been that close to Bush! I arrive uptown disappointed ...
Not only was there no protest, which I later found out the reason for, but the only people who were there silently holding up signs were foreigners. Obviously non-Palestinian, native speakers of English, German, etc., and they were holding up signs about peace, "Bush = Terrorist," and one that completely irritated me which said, "Our Freedom Is NOT For Sale." A great message, yes, I agree, but shouldn't that message be coming from Palestinians who actually own the land that should not be for sale and not foreign activists? I was PISSED! Where were the PALESTINIANS??
I later found out where they were. The Palestinian protesters were stopped before they could even start. Two of my friends were planning to just pump up hundreds of black balloons to release upon Bush's arrival around 11am, but they were stopped in the place that was pumping them up, were physically searched, and had their hawiyyas (or ID cards) taken; all this dome by Palestinian police. (How did they know where they would be pumping?? Talk about secret service ...) All of the protests throughout the West Bank were instantly smothered, Gaza being the only region to take a stand against Bush's visit. Could this be a divide and conquer tactic? I am uncertain, but now I will pose more questions for you to ponder.:

1. Why can foreigners speak on behalf of Palestinians, but Palestinians can't speak on behalf of Palestinians?
2. If the Palestinian President, or anyone in the world for that matter, came to DC to speak with the US President, would work close? School close? Would people be threatened of leaving their homes or looking out windows? Would protests be stifled? (Shu? Bafakruna klab? - What? They think we're dogs?)
3. Why does the US worship Israel when their government allowed and didn't stop protests against Bush's meetings with Palestine and Israel? Why were Israelis allowed to work and go to school?
4. Why did Bush go out of his way to pay a visit to the graves of Israelis but refused to visit Yaser Arafat's grave when he was only 15 meters away? (It was literally 15 meters, for I was in the headquarters with a Presidential guard member just days after his arrival where he showed me how everything happened.)
5. After Ramallah Bush went to Bethlehem. Actually, he went to the Church of the Nativity. When asked cordially but the Minister of Tourism on Palestine multiple times to walk around Bethlehem, take a look at the wall, and get a better feel for what Palestinians live like, he REFUSED! Not that I'm optimistic in any way, but how much can Bush help the Palestinian people if he doesn't even care to know their conditions?

Project Rami! Weeks 9 and 10

Hello, dear readers, and welcome again to Project Rami!

Various busy events in our lives, including the dispatch of our dear friend Hector Bouvier to al-Misr (that's Egypt for you gringos), and the return of our own lovely al-FallaHa from the homeland, have prohibited us from reporting recently on the adventures of our Rami. Nevertheless, we only have two weeks with which to update you, as last week aired, unfortunately, a repeat of the previous week's episode.

Now on to the previous new episode. The ladies and, uh, "ladies" were taken on a field trip, which had them shaking in their Prada shoes. Fortunately they were not taken to a garbage dump (as you may remember took place in a season long ago and far away-- last year) but to a warehouse full of Levi's jeans, in which they were instructed to grab as many denim items as possible in order to design an iconic yet fashion-forward look. Our clever boy ran around grabbing as many pairs of dark denim as possible, knowing it would help him convey the sophisticated look he loves. And it paid off! Rami's design (at right) was gorgeous, and certainly the one we'd most like to wear. And we'd rock it! (This is the royal we, of course, as our Prince of Kabob wouldn't be caught dead in anything resembling a skirt.) The zippered detail is gorgeous and unique (I'm surprised nobody else thought of that, but that's one reason why Rami is so good, I guess!) and the buttons give a very subtle pseudo-nautical touch that is light enough to remain classic. Also, the consistency in the color and texture makes it look classy and quite high-end. We think our boy should have won, but instead the judges picked... Ricky?! This wasn't completely out of left field as his strapless tube dress, with button detailing down the center and a generous ruffle at the bottom, was indeed very cute and could be considered iconic. But I don't know, as far as fashion goes, Rami's just stood out more. Though I do give Ricky props for nearly giving Christian an aneurysm with his surprise win! The auf went to Victorya, no surprise, for her embarrassment of a "coat" (really, I could sew some scraps of denim onto a jean jacket too, girl). We're gonna show it here on the left because it's really just too bad... needless to say, we're not too upset to break up the Sullen Sisters, though now Jillian has to frown and furrow her brow all alone...

Regarding this week's episode, we'd like to convey this message to Rami: draping is not for spandex, and draping is definitely not for wrestling! Yes, friends, wrestling. The challenge this week was to create a look for a professional female wrestler to wear in the ring based on her personal taste-- and, um, the fact that pro wrestling is incredibly tacky. Chris almost cried tears of joy, as to him, this was the next best thing to dressing a drag queen (which they initially suspected the challenge would be about). Our BFF Tim Gunn, meanwhile, good-naturedly called himself "grandpa" while attempting to climb into the ring in his impeccible suit. What a sweetie!

Poor Rami was a little frustrated with this challenge, as someone who is accustomed to designing high-end outfits and sophisticated eveningwear might be. And we really felt for him, and didn't mind his choice of hot pink spandex, either-- the girl looked like a Barbie doll, so what else would be more appropriate? But when we saw him starting to drape that fabric over the shoulder of the dress form, we wanted to scream-- and would have, if our mouths hadn't been full of brownie at the moment (oops). Rami, please! No more draping, at least until you get to do an evening look again. We don't want to see you go!

Fortunately, our boy did not go, as his look turned out all right after all (at right) and other designers appeared to fare even worse. Sweet P, although she dramatically rescued her outfit at the last minute, managed to create something more suited for the boudoir than the ring. And Ricky, last week's unexpected winner, decided to make a bathing suit for Jennifer Lopez. Granted, his model, Layla, worked it to no end (girl has a head of hair we envy!) but unfortunately, could not conceal the fact that it was, um, not a wrestling outfit. And so, poor Ricky, we say auf to you. Now your tears can flow freely and in peace! The winner for this week was Chris, we are glad to report. Each week makes us more fond of him, and it is only fitting that someone who designs outrageous looks for drag queens and stage shows should win this tacky challenge. Plus, who didn't love it when he said his ideal superhero would "crush men between her enormous breasts"? Oh Chris!

And with that, friends, we conclude this week's Project Rami, looking forward to another week with our boy who has remained in the game thanks to his talent and tact (and, we'd like to think, maybe a little of Michael Kors' drooling over his muscular physique). Next week looks like it should be a good one, too, so don't miss it!

xoxo,
WMEG

Thoughts regarding the Democratic primary...

Like many people, WMEG has been closely following the primary elections this year. Like anyone else, we are extremely concerned with the state of this country-- not to mention the world-- and we know that whoever is elected our next President will have a significant effect on what happens with Iraq, immigration, civil rights, and more. Obviously, we WMEGs are left-leaning ladies and ladysirs, and look to this season's Democratic primaries for our next presidential hopeful (since, unfortunately, any candidate from a more liberal party or-- gasp!-- no party affiliation at all, has no chance). Essentially, then, for us it has come down to two candidates, really-- Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Now, perhaps we should let it be known that WMEG "endorses" Barack Obama in this election-- based on his political history, his ideas, and the change he stands for, which really should be the reason anyone votes for whoever they do. But regardless of our choice-- which isn't really what this post is about anyway-- we are truly excited that the candidates to choose from are a woman and a person of color, and not the same old white men we have had to put up with every four years since Native Americans were the number one target of choice for their oppression (not that much has changed since then except expansion of their range). But, of course, we can't have this kind of election without the fact that the candidates will be thought of as representatives of these particular groups-- women and black people/people of color-- rather than as individuals who should be regarded as such. I do recognize that it is natural for this to occur, since this lineup is the first of its kind (sadly), and as with other new and unfamiliar things, people are quick to stereotype and compartmentalize. Also, it is very cool (and about time) that the two top contenders for a major party's nomination are a woman and a black man, and in some ways it should be recognized and celebrated. But really, we can't realistically think about this situation without considering the inherent discrimination involved.

This election has made me wonder if many will vote based on who they have fewer qualms about-- or against whom they discriminate less. Can they better stand the idea of a woman in charge of the United States, or a black man? Both would inherently challenge the status quo, at least representationally, and aesthetically. No doubt that the perspective of a non-white/non-man would be at least a little different than that of a white man-- unless you are Condoleezza Rice, and therefore insane. Of course, many people welcome this change in perspective, and truly will vote based on the candidates' ideas and past actions. But I do feel there is this pervading sense of identity politics that is more or less present but not addressed (not that it would be, since this would mean treading into some mighty deep and murky waters). Though I have reasons for not making Hillary Clinton my choice, her being a woman doesn't have much to do with it. When people talk smack about her for crying, I get really frustrated because they act like it's because she's a woman and therefore prone to insane emotional fluctuations, which means she can't be President because she's a human being and not a robot, as candidates are apparently expected to be. I personally think this means she is just more likely to act with compassion, which is something that we desperately need. And when people act skeptical of Barack Obama because they say he is "inexperienced," I can't help but think that they actually mean "black." Maybe they think he can't be taken seriously because they don't see many black people in politics; it's outside their realm of thinking. He doesn't fit the stereotype they have-- he's successful, but not a hip-hop artist or basketball player, so maybe this confuses them. Nobody would admit these things, but they exist. They're inherent. Different is uncomfortable to many people. But at this time in our history, different is exactly what we need. I just hope this means people vote with their heads and their hearts, and not with their eyes-- or their blindness.

Electioneering

On Super Bowl Sunday, John McCain's campaign called my parents' house repeatedly. My parents live in Ventura County, CA. Via his enthusiastic recorded message, Senator McCreepy stated:

- the borders are broken, and we can fix them (if we elect him, of course)
- he can protect America from radical Islamic terrorism

Well, Senator, who is going to protect you from Mama Jan? Hm? 2008's primary will be her first American voting experience ever, following her semi-recent citizenship. And she's been running a one-woman campaign show for Barack Hussein Obama. Her main canvassing areas include Macy's and the Warner Center mini-shopping mall in Woodland Hills, CA, during her lunch breaks. Together, and with the help of all liberals everywhere, they are going to enlist all your illegal alien Arizona border babies into a Wahhabi madrasa and train them to bomb suburbia. You are so royally fucked.

By the way, you need to spend your campaign advertisement dollars better; my parents are registered without party affiliation. In California, home of your best friend Arnie the Barbarian, your beloved Republican party decided to hold a closed primary. So all the decline-to-state unaffiliated people are going to vote in the Democratic primary. Not yours. So, please cease and desist your little telephone jihad. Thanks!

Al-FallaHa

Ok, so I picked my alias, my blogger name, after long term contemplations. I will now be referred to as Al-FallaHa. One of my dearest friends from the Holy Land constantly refers to me as Al-FallaHa and addresses me as "Ya FallaHa" as we speak to each other of the qari'a (village) while fully emphasizing every "chaa" instead of "kaaf" and every "kaaf" instead of the medani hamza (or dropping of the "qaaf" sound all together). I am thoroughly cconvinced that this name is the most fitting as I recall stories of the blad (not blaaaaaad, dear cousin) where my family would work in the fields and spend cold winters in a stone hut, the stone hut Sedi, my grandfather, was born in, as they produced the best tasting olives and olive oil in all the world. Bianco Jan (prince of kabob), I know you're not fond of olives, but I know you will appreciate the roots in which my name is derived because the only other fitting name for me would be Al-Nawariyya, which has been assumed, and rightfully so, by my notorious, curl-rocking cousin. So I hope WMEG will accept Al-FallaHa as a frequenting blogger on their mission to take over the world!