Totally Tubular Tuesday: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

This coming Friday marks the season 2 premiere of my favorite Australian series, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.  This is pretty much the best Australian TV import since that mermaid show (don't pretend you didn't watch it). Here's a couple of reasons to start watching the most faboluos show to date.

Miss Phryne Fisher (other than having an awesome name) is the kind of plucky heroine that reminds me of a grown up version of Harriet the Spy.  This wealthy socialite spends her time solving murders while looking fabulous.  She embodies the kind of fearless modern woman that actual 1920's flappers wished they were.  Can you feel my jealousy seething through the screen?

This show is set in the roaring 1920's, an era I can't seem to get enough of lately.  Prohibition, the Charleston, the appropriation of Jazz music.  This show romanticizes the time as much as I do, which is probably why I like it so much

My romantization of this era is made worse with the ridiculously gorgeous fashion that permeates this show.

While this show is hardly the Australian version of Boardwalk Empire (which I actually like), each case is filled with intrigue and fun, two things that I have never really found in BW since I spent half the tie worrying about which of my favorite characters would be killed of during the episode.

The rest of the ensemble cast is great as well.  For someone as scandalous and modern as Miss Fisher , she somehow manages to surround herself with the most adorable people that look like something out of an L.M. Montgomery novel.  There's her sidekick Dot that's terrified of the phone (oh to have 20's problems), the butler called Mr. Butler, a young orphan girl who pops up everyone once and a while called Jane, and clumsy policemen that are more cute than annoying.

Did I forget to mention she's best friends with a lesbian doctor named Dr. Mac.  And yeah, she dresses like that ^^^

The soundtrack to this show is also amazing.  Each episode is chalk full of vintage hits that are a staple for any modern Flapper girls Ipod playlist.

If nothing else has won you over, just think of the clothes!!!!

Manic Pixie Monday: My Favorite Dance Sequences I Have Embarasingly Tried

You didn't need to be my 4th grade Jazz teacher to know that I have absolutely no skills in the high art of dance.  My Puerto Rican rhythm must have been stamped out by my Puritanical Spanish ancestors in the gene pool.  But my immovable hips couldn't stop me from at least trying out some of my favorite dance sequences, even if it was usually in the privacy of my own room.

1. Meet Me in St. Louise - "Bamboo Tree"

I played Judy and my little sister played Margaret O'Brein and we would prance around our living room for hours watching and re-watching  this movie.  Years later I would even use this movie to calm down rowdy boys at a summer camp. Judy works every time.

2.  The Breakfast Club - "We're not Alone"

The way I saw it, The Breakfast Club were teenagers and if I was a teenager, then I would need to learn how to dance like them.  I guess this is the reason I why I was never asked to dance, but also why I had so much fun.

3.  The Little Colonel - "Stairs Dance"

I can never walk up a pair of steps normally ever again.

4.  Smash - "Rumor Has It"

I heard a "Rumor" that people didn't like this show.  I don't get it.  How can someone not be hypnotized by the synchronized  snaps and claps?  My limbs automatically flail whenever this song comes on, which makes driving a bit difficult.

5.  Bring It On - "Intro"

My semester stint as a varsity football cheerleader was probably due to this short clip.  Though I was hardly a better dancer afterwards, at least I've never had to resort to Spirit Fingers.

Silent Sundays: Bluebeard 1901

For the first installment of Silent Sundays,  I"m posting one of my favorite short silent films, Bluebeard by the incredible mind of George Melies.