London 2012 Opening Ceremony: The Queen, a Beatle, and Fabulous Fashion

Matt Lauer correctly called it; Queen Elizabeth made the most memorable Olympic Opening Ceremony entrance ever!

In a scene filmed in advance, 007 actor Daniel Craig arrived at Buckingham Palace in a dinner jacket, strode past the palace guards and corgis towards the royal study.

"Good evening Mr Bond," said the Queen, before the pair make their way to the stadium, while back in real time, "the Queen" and "Bond" parachuted from a helicopter towards the arena.

He's Back! 

Other memorable moments included the battle between good and evil as hundreds of Mary Poppins lookalikes took on the Queen of Hearts, Captain Hook, Cruelle de Vil, and Lord Voldermort.

Beatles doppelgagers also made their way through the stands during the Industial Era segment, and hundreds of cute kiddos dawning their PJs sang to the Queen.

But it wasn't just a celebration of Britain's past. It made a quick shift to technology through the boy-meets-girl tale of Frankie and June. Like all great love stories, there's ended with an epic embrace, and projected on the big screens was the most memorable scenes of classic kisses.

Of course the real reasons for the show was the Parade of Nations. 10,000 athletes from more than 200 countries dawned their Olympic kits for the famous march.  Between Greece's Nike knockoffs, and the US Team threads coming from China, the latest and greatest in sportswear was of course on the brain.

Jamaica can thank Puma
for their designer duds. 

No competition, Djibouti wore the best accessories, while Czech athletes sported less attractive bright blue wellies. Germany separated the sexes-boys wore blue and girls pink. And, Belgium and Belize took a page from the past when it came to their headgear. A low point of the evening came when the Independent Athletes made a stupid spectacle of themselves, but India's sweet sarees and Jamica's green and yellow suits quickly made up their competitor's mistakes.  New Zealand's flag bearer must have killed something in the stands because ugly brown feathers donned his shoulders.

If medals were given out for fashion, here'd be my rankings Bronze-Jamaica, Silver-The Queen, and Gold-Djibouti.

As the Parade of Nations came to a close, the torch was brought to its final resting place about 13,000 miles, Sir Paul McCartney wowed the crowd, and a beautiful fireworks display lit up the London skyline.

Sir Paul McCarney closed the ceremony with a rousing performance of "Hey Jude"
with the entire Olympic stadium singing aloud to every word. 

2012 Style Awards are Making Their NY Debut at Fashion Week

Kim may seem like the style icon of the family, but Kylie and
Kendall were named the most stylish sisters at the 2011 awards.

Because New York Fashion Week just doesn't feature enough stylish celebs and designers as it is, an awards show has been added to the lineup. 

"Penske Media Corp. has signed a deal with IMG Fashion and NBC Universal's Style Network to bring the 2012 Style Awards" to the Empire State, WWD reports. 

Los Angeles is usually home to the show that hands out top prizes to behind-the-scenes influencers and fashionable celebs. The change in venues is an effort to boost the award's visibility. 

There's no word yet on who the celebrity host and musical guest will be, but past presenters include Kim Kardashian, Kristin Davis, Eva Longoria, and Emily Blunt. 

Lincoln Center will be the venue for the September 5 show. A week later, the televised event will appear on the Style Network. 

And for the inside line on more New York City Fashion, be sure to check out Thread NY. 

Three Girls Loose in the Big City

For the past four days I’ve been playing tour guide to my mom and grandmother who came to New York for a girls’ only trip.  The last time Ma (as her grandchildren call her) saw the Empire State was the 1950s, so we of course made stops at Time Square and Macy’s.  But for us, it was less about tourist destinations and more about fabulous food.  From the Yaffa Cafe and Alfredos to Hard Rock and Serendipity 3, there’s no denying we ate well!  And, in between all those meals we stopped off at 30 Rock, Tiffany & Co, the Disney Store, and FAO Schwarz.  We even saw Jersey Boys on Broadway.  I’m so sad to see them head back to GA (and let’s face it I’m already counting down until Christmas), but at least I’ve got pictures to prove all our adventures!

 FAO Schwarz is turning 150!  To mark their extra special anniversary, 150 toys from years gone by are scattered throughout the store.  Be sure to get your picture taken with toy soldier guarding the door, and don't forget to see the famous Big Piano.

Looking for the best desserts in New York City?  Then head over to Serendipity 3 for  their famous frozen hot chocolate.  Once she moved to Manhattan, Jackie O would frequently be found enjoying a sundae from the famous cafe.  And today, young Hollywood stars like Paris Hilton and Justin Bieber have all stopped by.   

After watching "Jersey Boys" it's quite obvious why it won the 2006 Tony Award for best musical.  Its costumes are fabulous, and the singing's superb.  My grandmother made a great decision with this pick!

Dylan's Candy Bar may be known for their sweet treats, but I was much more impressed with their oversized cupcakes and giant gum ball machines.  If you make the trek to 60th and 3rd, be sure to check out the colorful stairs too.  Even the wall paper looks like something you'd find in the land of Willy Wonka. 

Big Daddy's

Big Daddy eating at Big Daddy's 

Way back in March, smack dap in the middle of mid-term studies, I found myself wasting time in the Resource Center.  My friend Shivam was just finishing up his shift and when the usual "how's your day been going" was exchanged I awkwardly substituted his name for Big Daddy.  Immediately I realized my super weird mistake, apologized, then spent the next 30 minutes laughing.  For weeks I tried to get his new nickname to stick, but it turns out I'm the only one who still calls him that.

Well, a few weeks ago I was walking back from the movies and found a diner on 20th and Park called Big Daddy's.  Since then, I've been pestering Shivam to let me take him there, and last night our ticket finally came up.

Yes that is  Cotton Candy atop my milkshake 

With their '80s themed decor and delectable menu, it's the place to visit if your craving diner food with a fun environment. They're known for their tatter tots, so before we'd even looked at the menu, our appetizer order was in.  For me, Berry Berry Yummy Pancakes were sided with a Cotton Candy Circus Shake.  And Shivam had a Cookie Monster Shake and a Mr. Gobble's Terrific Turkey Burger with fries.  If the food names alone don't make you want to plan a pit stop, it's prices were pretty reasonable too.  The final bill compared with IHOP's prices.  I'd say my only  problem with Big Daddy's was the music; they played today's hits when '80s songs would have fit in better with the ambiance.  

Hello Final Cut, It's Nice to be Back

Burt Reynold's game-changing film "Deliverance" is turn 40.  To mark the occasion, Popcornbiz decided to run a feature package on the picture, and guess which intern was asked to write the script and edit the piece?  In my latest NBC project, Burt Reynolds recalls his memories of working on-set and becoming close friends with his costars.  Click here to view the story, and don't forget to tell me what you think. 

Free Philharmonic Park Performances

In a city like New York quiet nights are often interrupted by honking horns. It's known for its hustle and bustle, but I've discovered one of the few places where thousands of New Yorkers gather and it still reminds quaintly quiet...a free New York Philharmonic concert in the park.

So Many People 

For more than 45 years, the world famous museums have been leaving their classic Lincoln Center venue for an outdoor theater open to the masses.

I'm certainly no musical maestro,  but there's just something about listening to the classical tunes after a long week of work that revels in relaxation.  At tonight's concert in Central Park, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor took the first act followed by Respighi's Fountains of Rome after intermission.  The evening perfectly ended with a booming firework display over the City skyline.  

The free performances end on the 17th, so click here to get all the information about the remaining dates, times, and places.

Oh, and a word to the wise, pack a picnic and be sure to bring comfy seating and a precautionary umbrella. 

With a Name Like Penelope, It Had to Be Cute

Nestled on the corner of Lexington and 30th is the cutest little restaurant called Penelope.  Its quant atmosphere makes you fell like you've left the hustle and bustle of the Big City, and their upscale sandwiches could rival the best your mom can make.  So of course, it'd be a place I'd frequent with Jamie and Joanna.  

Nothing too crazy can be found on the menu-just your typical American comfort food-but I can vouch that there three types of grilled cheese sandwich topped with pesto, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts is delicious.  Served with a heaping side of fries, the $10.50 price tag was just right.

So Many Flavors to Chose From Too

 I've heard their desserts are great too (and the cupcakes on display looked delicious), but after such a heavy meal the only thing I wanted was a scoop of ice cream.

Joanna suggested a quick walk over to Ralph's Famous Italian Ices. A small cup of their peanut butter cookie dough ice cream's was my sweet treat for the evening.  They're no Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, but for Madison Square Park their flavors were unique enough.