On the road again

OUT TO LUNCH: It's not summer yet, but I'm off on a road trip up north. Ain't no time like the present to get a new perspective on life, and of course to do some shopping in someone else's neighborhood.

That '70s feeling

LADIES OF THE CANYON: In my mind the greatest decade for fashion in the last 50 years is the '70s. There were a lot of bad moments, for sure, think platforms for men and hot pants. But the evolution of the late '60s hippie look was a success with natural hair, denim and peasant blouses. And the early '70s were a great time for singer-songwriters, especially women like Carly Simon, Carole King and Joni Mitchell. A recent issue of "Vanity Fair" featured a lengthy article on the three groundbreaking singers, as excerpted from a recent book. With spring finally here it's a perfect time to take fashion inspiration from that time. Think maxi-dresses, floral prints and moccasin boots. And what with jacked-up gas prices and an unpopular war, it's almost like we're really back there!

What dreams may come

One of my favorite movies ever is the early '90s flick "Until the End of the World." Directed by Wim Wenders and starring William Hurt and Sam Neill, the movie is a worldwide trek that ends in the Australian Outback with an invention that allows people to watch their own dreams, which is dangerously intoxicating for all involved. It's such a beautiful film words don't do it justice. Also brilliant is the soundtrack, which is one of the Top 10 film soundtracks ever. Check it out for great R.E.M and Talking Heads, and for the standout title track by U2. The best track though is Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "I Love You Until the End of the World." Who else can write a lyric about a blind pencil seller shouting for his dog that lay dead on the side of the road?

For the birds

HITCHCOCK REVISITED: The recent Hollywood edition of Vanity Fair featured one of their best photo portfolios ever, stars in famous Hitchcock scenes. Jodie Foster playing Tippi Hedron in "The Birds" is my favorite, but also great are Scarlett Johansson and Javier Bardem as Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart in "Rear Window."

The Hills are alive with the sound of backstabbing

IT'S BACK! Twenty-seven hours and counting! "The Hills" makes it's much-anticipated return tomorrow night. Will Kristen really make an appearance in the coming episodes? Is it really kaput between Spencer and Heidi, Lauren and Brody? Whitney and Teen Vogue? We can't wait to see how it all unfolds!

On target

The latest designer line to come to Target is Jojovich-Hawk, a line helmed by actress/model/singer Milla Jojovich and model Carmen Hawk. Truth be told, I haven't been a huge fan of Target's designer collections. Heresy, I know, but I always feel like I can tell that the collections are pale imitations of the original. I was so excited about Temperley's line last year, and was sorely disappointed in the results, a mish-mash of trendy hippie looks with no compelling standout piece. But Jojovich-Hawk's collection is one of the strongest of the Go lines. It's also perfect for spring, as the looks are heavy on florals and flounces. The dresses are very cute, with forgiving silhouettes that would be perfect for a backyard barbecue or just hanging out in a hammock. They definitely make me yearn for Sundays full of badminton, lemonade and farmers markets. And what could be better than that?

Welcome to the jungle

With only one episode remaining in Candice Bushnell's new series "Lipstick Jungle," I can safely say that it's really not that good. It's improved from being stupid enough to offend to being utterly non-offensive in every way, which is a good thing, I guess, but which has rendered the show totally unremarkable. It's not as wildly unbelievable or smugly self-satisfied as "Cashmere Mafia," but it's just as far-fetched. Lindsay Price plays a likable young designer who's swept off her feet by - no kidding here - Andrew McCarthy, who has enough money to drop $50 million on a painting. I meet those kinds of guys everyday, don't you? Brooke Shields plays a film producer who is trying to balance her family and career - yawn. And Kim Raver plays a magazine editor having an affair that began as sexual harassment. It's all very "Unfaithful," but not nearly as well-acted. So, all in all, if you haven't caught an episode yet, don't worry, you haven't missed much. You're safe sticking to "Sex and the City" reruns.

Cute and cropped

This time of year can be tricky wardrobe wise, it's too cool to go jacket-less and too warm for a heavy coat. Last year marked the inauguration of the cropped jacket, a stylish take on the traditional light coat. If you didn't pick one up last year luckily they're still in this year, and J.Crew has the cutest of the bunch. This white jaquard jacket is perfect with jeans or with a summer dress. We like the white best, but try one of their khaki cropped jackets for a more casual look.

It's in the bag

IT'S EASY BEING GREEN: Plastic bags may be convenient and cheap, but they're going to be around a lot longer than the groceries you put in them, and will outlive you as well. Starting April 22, Earth Day, Whole Foods is going to stop offering the bags to shoppers, and many other retailers are curbing their addiction to the Earth-unfriendly bags as well. So now is the perfect time to pick up some canvas bags that are strong enough for your groceries yet stylish enough to tote around town. Keep one in your car and one folded up in your purse and you're good to go, and everyone else will be green with envy.