Music Monday: Sebastian Castro Is The Ultimate Gay Warrior In "Theban"

    YouTube sensation Sebastian Castro made waves with his hit "Bubble", but now he's back with a unifying anthem for gay men around the world. In "Theban", Castro strips down with a bunch of other warrior guys and belts his anthem about being part of the big gay tribe. The title of the song is a reference to The Band Of Thebes, which was an all gay Greek army back in the day, and the video is made even more awesome by the fact that it features a lot of half clothed men hunting and doing other warrior related activity.  The song itself  has a cool electro feel about it, and it will get your week started off right. Enjoy.

Adventures In Gardening: Spring Cleanup And The First Blooms Of The Year

    Spring has sprung here in Oregon. Oh my gosh, it even hit like 70 today. This has sent tons of people running out to stores and nurseries to pick up potting soil and little baby plants and get to work getting their gardens ready for the spring and summer ahead of us. Seeing all the people go out and get ready for spring encouraged me to get working on my garden. Unfortunately for me, I am from the country so I made the mistake of filling my garden the first year here so there's no planting for me.

Daffodils aka hope spring is coming 

  That doesn't  mean I don't have work to do. I live near the gorge, where we get tons of heavy winds that blows leaves all over the place. So, I had the job this week of cleaning up the flower beds of millions of leaves that had fallen over the winter.Well, that's a stretch, but it was a lot. Being one of my least favorite jobs to do in the yard, I almost quit several times as I picked up leaf after leaf, loaded them into my wheelbarrow, and rolled them to my compost pile. Things weren't made easier by  my succulents, which were hidden below a whole lot of leaves. They break easily, and so I had to be even more careful pulling the leaves out from on top of them. I started at around 3 in the afternoon on Thursday and ended around seven that night. Then I went for round two doing three hours of work on Friday. By the time that was over, I needed a nap because it was pain in the butt, but somebody had to do it!
   My efforts were not without rewards though, as we got some of the first blooms of the year. All of our daffodils came up, and a single crocus showed itself. This hopefully means winter has been put to bed here in the Northwest, and it will force me not to mentally fuss about doing work in the yard. How about you? Has spring sprung in your neck of the woods? If so, what's your least favorite thing when it comes to gardening? Tell me below.

Watch: "Annie" Trailer Previews Box Office Wreck

  Does Hollywood know how to leave anything alone? From awful remakes of "Footloose" and "Dirty Dancing" to other, even worse, remakes of Hollywood classics, the industry is famous for turning something brilliant into something HORRIBLE. They've done it again this time with "Annie", the classic tale of an orphan girl who befriends a billionaire, originally portrayed by the one and only Carol Burnett. While the idea alone is enough to make anyone cringe, the fact that Cameron Diaz is set to play the grumpy Miss Hannigan makes it even worse. As you can see in the preview, Diaz just doesn't nail the part one iota, and it leaves me to hope that Jamie Fox and Quvenzhane' Wallis as a billionaire mayoral candidate and Annie will save this movie. Watch the preview below and tell me what you think.

Rupaul Recap: Who Got Sent Home On "Rupaul's Drag Race" Last Night?

   Last night, Logo aired the second episode of "Rupaul's Drag Race", in which a second set of contestants entered the competition to see who would be America's Next Drag Superstar. This time, Bianca Del Rio, Milk, Courtney Act, Joslyn Fox, Darienne Lake, Magnolia Crawford, and Trinity K. Bonet took their turn in the competition. After the introductions, which featured Bianca Del Rio reading the other queens to filth, it was time for the girls to get down and dirty in a slumber party themed photo shoot with the pit crew. To be honest, I must say that they got the better photo shoot challenge since it seemed to be a heck of a lot easier. Nevertheless, Trinity K. Bonet took home the prize for best photo.

(From www.dragofficial.com)

   Her prize, identical to the prize in the first episode, was to designate boxes which each had a party theme. The queens had to use the boxes to create couture looks. In the workroom, Magnolia Crawford bitched about her ho down box, Joslyn Fox used her whole box, and Milk decided to wear a beard on the runway. Rupaul questioned most of the queens looks, and Bianca Del Rio threw some more shade.
   On the runway, Trinity looked like a futuristic princess. Bianca looked like a tropical dream (and won the challenge), and the judges applauded Milk for being herself. The judges said Joslyn did too much for one look and Courtney Act relied on her body, but it was Magnolia and Darienne who fell into the bottom two. After the lip sync, in which Darienne crushed Magnolia, Magnolia was sent home. This left the remaining queens to go back to the workroom to find the girls from last week being overly dramatic while filing their nails. Credits rolled, and we were all promised that it would be super dramatical next week when we pick things up. By the way, I know that's not the world.
      So what do you all think about this season? Did you find these queens a heck of a lot less annoying than last weeks? Who do you want will win? Share your opinion below.

Oscars Recap: Who Won Big At Last Night's Show?

        Last night was Hollywood's most glamorous night. Although, I've heard some people say that the show was more dull than glamorous. When all was said and done though, only a lucky few walked home with the coveted golden Oscar trophy. Here's a few of the big winners.
         Yesterday, I predicted Matthew McConaughey would win for his portrayal of a cowboy with AIDS in the "Dallas Buyers Club" due to the fact that he delivered a great performance and lost a lot of weight, and it looks like my prediction came true. Matt snatched an Oscar for Best Actor in A Lead Role.

(From www.thewire.com)

          I also said that Lupita Nyong'o, the actress in "12 Years A Slave" would win for Best Supporting Actress, and she won a trophy as well. I think that one of the biggest highlights of the night was her beautiful speech, and she will be one of the brightest stars in Hollywood in the future.
          Jared Leto, who played a transgender AIDS patient in "Dallas Buyers Club" took home the trophy. I had said that I thought Barkhad Abdi would take home the award, but I also said that Jared Leto would be the next best bet for who was going to take home the trophy. After all, I think he's the first man who played a transgender woman to be nominated for an Oscar, and he did a great job at it.
        Now, where I was totally wrong. I said that either Sandra Bullock or Meryl Streep would take home the prize for Best Actress in a Lead Role. Instead, Cate Blanchett took home the prize. I had never even heard of "Blue Jasmine" until last week, but I heard she was great in it. So congratulations Cate!
        Last but not least, "Twelve Years A Slave" won Best Picture. I had no doubt that they were going to take home the trophy because it was a brilliant movie with a strong story and great actors. Basically, that film gives me hope that Hollywood can still do good in the world. So congratulations to everyone who was involved in the film!
        So there you have it. I'm a little surprised I did as well as I did. Now, I want to hear from you. What was your favorite part of the Oscars this year? Is there anyone who was robbed?  Let me know in the comment section below.

Who Will Take Home An Oscar Tonight: My Predictions For The 2014 Oscars

    Today is Oscar Day here at "It Is The Lifestyle", and now it's time for me to tell you who I think will take home a trophy for each category at tonight's ceremony. Here's a list of who I think will win in each major category.

Best Actor In Leading Role- I think this win will probably go to Matthew McConaughey for his portrayal of a heterosexual AIDS patient in "Dallas Buyers Club". Oscars past have shown us that losing weight increases your chances of taking home a trophy, and he certainly did that. If he doesn't win, I think that Chiwetel Ejiofor of "12 Years A Slave" will take home the trophy.

(From www.telegraph.co.uk)

Best Actress In Leading Role- Meryl Streep is usually the best bet for this category, but something tells me that Sandra Bullock is going to take home the award for "Gravity". After all, she had to spend hours in a tiny space during filming, and she was great at her role which involved very little dialogue. If she doesn't win though, Meryl will.

Best Actor In A Supporting Role- For some reason, I think that Barkhad Abdi will take home this award for his performance in "Captain Phillips" because it's a lesser known film that features great acting. If he doesn't win, I think that Jared Leto will for his role as a transgender woman in "The Dallas Buyers Club".

Best Actress In A Supporting Role- I think that Lupita Nyong'o is going to take home the trophy tonight for her role in "12 Years a Slave" due to the fact that she did some awesome acting. If she doesn't take the prize, I'd have to say Jennifer Lawrence will take it for "American Hustle".

Best Picture- I think that this is the year for a movie like "12 Years A Slave" to take home an award for best picture. After all, it is intense and deals with some very deep issues. If they don't walk away with the award, "Dallas Buyers Club" certainly will.

Check back tomorrow as I either celebrate at victory in being right or soak in misery at being wrong.

Oscar Predictions 2014: Who Will Be Best Dressed And Worst Dressed?

     Hollywood's biggest night happens this evening, and as people around the world turn on their television sets to see Hollywood's stars at their brightest, they will be tuning in more for the fashion than they will for who actually wins. Unfortunately, I will be working during the ceremonies or else I'd be blogging the event, but I thought I'd bring you a few Oscar predictions. Instead of forecasting who will win the awards, I thought I'd tell you who I think will be worst and best dressed at tonight's big bash. I'll start with my prediction for my top two best dressed ladies.
                                                     

Image Via www.hollywoodlife.com

          My first prediction for who will wow at tonight's event is "12 Years A Slave" star Lupita Nyong'o. She has a history of wowing on the red carpet, such as this dress she wore to the SAG awards, and I feel like she will definitely be one of the top contenders for best dressed tonight.

From www.huffingtonpost.com

         Next up, I think that Julia Roberts is going to be looking great tonight. She's known to take fashion risks (just look at this pink jumpsuit she wore), and they often pay off. I think tonight will be no exception for the "August: Osage County" star.

        Now, time for who I think will be the worse dressed female of the night. This year, to me, has seen some very shaky fashions on the red carpet, and I feel like tonight might be the same. Here I go with the two ladies who I think the world will be buzzing about tomorrow for all the wrong reasons. 

From www.eonline.com

For some reason, I think that Cate Blanchett is not going to be on anyone's best dressed list tonight. The dresses she's worn this awards season have been weak, and I think she'll continue that trend tonight.

From huffingtonpost.com

       Lastly, it pains me to do this because I love EVERYTHING she's ever done in her career, but I think that America's sweetheart Sandra Bullock might show up on the worst dressed list. Her looks this year have not been as strong as they have been, and I think she might carry this over tonight. Fingers crossed this doesn't happen, but I'm just saying.

        Now it's time for the guys. Since it's mostly the same attire (you know black tie and all), I've decided to do one prediction for best and worst dressed. 

(Image Via www.dailymail.co.uk)

          I think that Leo DiCaprio is going to be on the best dressed list for sure come tomorrow morning. He always seems to go with simplicity, which work wonders for men on the red carpet. So don't be surprised to see him on the best dressed list if he goes with a classic look for tonight's ceremonies.

                                               

Image Via www.popsugar.com

           For worst dressed, I think that "Dallas Buyer's Club" star Jared Leto is probably going to be a top contender. I don't think it's through any fault of his own though. He is edgier than most Oscar nominees, so it's going to take the fashion world a little while to get used to seeing a guy with a pony tail walking down the red carpet. I think that he looked pretty darn good at the Golden Globes earlier in the year, but then again, I'm not really a Hollywood type. Therefore, I won't be surprised if he's on the worst dressed list this year. 

         So there you have it folks, my predictions for tonight's Oscar fashions. Come back tomorrow where I will see how I did, and enjoy the festivities tonight!                        

                                              

                                       
                                              

SNL Delivers Hilarious "Ellen" Sketch With Jim Parsons As Johnny Weir On Oscars Eve

  For those of you who may not keep up with the goings on in Hollywood, tonight is the biggest night of the year. Of course, I'm talking about the Oscars. Tonight's show is looking promising, as funny lady Ellen Degeneres takes the host mic again in L.A. to hand out the most coveted of trophies in Hollywood. SNL decided to take the opportunity to honor Mrs. Degeneres with a sketch featuring Kate McKinnon as the Queen of Daytime and guest host Jim Parsons as the forever flamboyant Johnny Wier. Hilarity ensues! 

Saturday Straight Talk: How Bravo Shows Hurt Race Relations

(Image Via craignj.wordpress.com)

     Bravo TV has been the go to network for viewing reality television that features women. From the extremely popular "Real Housewives" franchise to shows like "Married To Medicine" and "Toned Up", the network pretty much has the market on where to see women living life, often fiercely. The one thing that I have noticed lately though, which is really bothering me, is that Bravo has sort of segregated the shows so they only feature one race or another. For instance, the New York, New Jersey, and Orange County series feature only Caucasian women while the Atlanta version of the show only features African American women (Kim, who was white, left the show for her own spin off). Up until this past season, the Beverly Hills installment of the franchise joined its counterparts in featuring only one ethnicity, and that means that Miami was the only show that has featured more than one race since the beginning. Bravo has launched a few new shows such as "Blood, Sweat, and Heels", "Southern Charm", and "Toned Up", all which feature cast members who are all of the same race.
   This, to me, begs the question, since we are living in an integrated society, why does the television have to segregate us? It's not only Bravo who does this, but most major networks do this as well. Instead, shouldn't TV show that people of all races have friendships, hardships, and love toward one another? The answer is obviously yes, but, for some reason, I guess television executives have a hard time with giving us the gift of seeing people of all different walks of life sharing life together. In not being able to provide us a realistic mirror of life, they are sending a message to those who watch the programs that we all have a group we belong in and should stay in, and this message will obviously hurt us as we go into our future as a society.

(Image Via www.straightfromthea.com)

    So what can we do about this? Well, it's going to take a bold person to let us see the reality of life without separating us into categories. After all, that's how they feel they get viewers, by marketing a show to one segment of the population or another, and having a show where more than one group of people is represented is allegedly risky business in Hollywood. So I guess all we can do in the meantime is ask for change and hope we get it like I am doing now, asking Bravo and other networks to show us a more diverse and real image of life. I won't be surprised at all if we don't see this for a few years though. After all, "The Real Housewives of New York City", set in one of the most diverse places in the world, is to premier in a few weeks, and it features a completely Caucasian cast.

Bang For Your Buck: Does McDonald's, Wendy's, or Burger King Have The Better Value Menu?

(Image Via www.rantlifestyle.com)

    In today's economy, we all have to pinch our pennies where we can. From finding ways to lessen the cost of a family vacation to trying to not break the bank when going out for dinner, we all are trying to get the biggest bang for your buck. That's why, as I relaunch the site, I am introducing a twice monthly segment about how to get the most for your money. Today, I decided that I will compare the value menus of fast food restaurants to let you know where to stretch your dollar...literally.
    The blog has been down for a while because I've been moving, and part of moving is not having the ability to whip something up in your kitchen whenever you want. Therefore, I had to resort to fast food, and I learned a few things about what companies have the best value menu. First up, we have Burger King, who has just expanded their menu to include a one dollar Rodeo Burger which is a burger with BBQ sauce and an onion ring on the sandwich. It was pretty good, but the one downfall was that the hamburger patty was so tiny. Literally, it was about half the size of the bread that it was on. I'm not dissing it because it did taste good, but you should expect your going to want another sandwich after eating it. Due to my hunger, I ordered their rib sandwich, which was pretty good. Again, it was small, but it is so rare to have a rib sandwich for only a buck that I was willing to live with the pint sized sandwich. Overall, I think that Burger King is starting to step up its game when it comes to their value menu, but it still needs a bit of work. If you are a lighter eater though, BK is your best bet.

(Image Via www.abcnews.go.com)

     Next up, we have McDonald's, the stronghold of the dollar menu. At the beginning of the year, they introduced a few new items to their menu. I've only tried the BBQ Ranch Burger (guess BBQ is a theme), which is a burger with ranch dressing and tortilla chips (pretty much Doritos). It was very good, and I would highly recommend it. The only thing is that I find that the classic dollar menu items are better so be prepared to be a little disappointed if your expecting a McChicken or McDouble.
   Last but not least, we have Wendy's, which I find has the best value menu.They have several items on their dollar menu, including a Jr. cheeseburger with onions and tomatoes, value fries, and a great chicken sandwich. They also have items under two bucks for the more health conscious people. These include a chicken rap and chili for just a little over a dollar.
     So there you have it folks, Wendy's is your best bet of getting the most for your money when eating off of value menus. It's good, great quality, and a great price. Don't forget to try McDonald's or BK though, as their new offerings are pretty great too!!!!