Erin H

Well, that was quick. Texas Governor Rick Perry has already called another special session of the state legislature in an attempt to resuscitate the draconian anti-abortion legislation that Wonder Woman State Senator Wendy Davis just filibustered for 13 hours.

When Janelle Monáe and Eryklah Badu teamed up for their video for the song "Q.U.E.E.N.", our own Madeleine Davies called it "possibly the most fun and stylish music video of all time." The pair have managed to up their cool factor 5000 percent by getting Prince himself to remix the song, which is basically like getting the best fairy godmother in music to bless you for life.

It's not like Monáe woke up this morning and got the best news of her life out of the blue though; Prince is reported to be featured on her upcoming album The Electric Lady, out in September. If that song sounds anything like this, let's hope that Samsung swings Monáe some sort of pre-order deal for her album ala Jay-Z (or it's leaked like Yeezus wasn't supposed to be).

[h/t Consequence of Sound]

Image via Youtube/Ethan Miller/Getty

This is a five-year-old boy with a style blog. And yes, he's more stylish than you'll ever be. And no, his name isn't Quinoa, and he's not imaginary.

We've already explored the idea of children living out their parents fantasies in over-priced, mainly inappropiate (admittedly sometimes very adorable) clothing, but tiny fashion tot Alonso Mateo takes the cake.

The Laguna Beach resident was sired by a mother who has contributed to Harper’s Bazaar Mexico and Latin America and a father who is the owner and CEO of a private equity firm. Which, I suppose, is the perfect storm when creating the world's most fashionable child.

Each morning before school, mom and son head to his personal walk-in closet, where one wall is dedicated to shoes. He’ll tell her which pants and shoes he wants, and then he might choose a T-shirt. “I’ll say that’s a summer tee and we’re in winter,” she explains. “I’ll help him coordinate outfits so that they make sense, but mostly it's him.” When they leave the house, fans might ask to take his picture. But like most young kids, even those dressed less ostentatiously, she says her boy can be a bit shy: “Sometimes he’ll turn down a fan and say he’s too tired.”

Turn them down now if you want, Mateo, but soon you'll be just like Sally Fields in Soap Dish, all going to the mall and making Whoopi Goldberg beg for your autograph. Fame is fleeting.

If you want to get lil' Mateo's look, you're gonna have to head to some of his personal fave stores (and also: Be very, very wealthy):

Kitson Kids, Dior, Gucci (“for leather jackets”), Stella McCartney, Bon Point (“French couture for kids”), Nordstrom, H&M (“for amazing basics”), Little Marc Jacobs (“amazing”), Dolce & Gabbana (“great”), and even Target. “As long as it’s nice quality, I’ll take it,” she says.

Words to live by.

[NY Mag]

Today is the 161st birthday of Catalan architect and designer Antoni Gaudi. If you've caught a glimpse of the amazing Google Doodle created in his honor, you can see that the Modernista creator of Sagrada Familia and other notable Spanish monuments is sort of a big deal.

As an architect, Gaudi possessed a distinct vision that incorporated nature, religion and Catalan culture to create beautiful organic monuments that remain hallmarks of Spanish architecture. Attention to detail was a marked trait of his colossal churches and palaces, culminating in swirling terraces and bulging balconies that lent a whimsical touch to familiar neo-gothic and orientalist styles. His unique imaginations paved the way for the emerging Catalan Modernisme and Renaixensa movements, which soared to success in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

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The documentary Miss You Can Do It, which premiered on HBO last night, is a heartwarming look at the beauty pageant of the same name that celebrates little girls with special needs and challenges, founded by Abbey Curran, who has cerebral palsy and was the first woman with a disability to compete in the Miss USA Pageant.

While the film is, for the most part, very sweet and feel-good, there are some dark moments that are shared by the six different families it profiles. One family has two daughters with Down Syndrome. After their little girl Meg was born, they decided to adopt a child from the Ukraine with Down Syndrome, Alina, so that Meg could have a sister she could connect with. Basically, they're like the nicest, most giving people ever. But that didn't stop some evil people in their neighborhood from vandalizing their property, spray-painting "retoddsz" on their home and car. While the anecdote isn't pleasant, it really helped illustrate why the pageant is important, and that these kids need more opportunities to be applauded by an audience.

Sheet cakes decorated with red, white and blue berries for the Fourth of July are the summer version of Halloween's graveyard dirt cakes — sort of comforting in their ubiquitousness, but not terribly appealing and usually produced more for looks than taste. But I must have a soft spot for holiday-themed desserts because this year I've made a revamped version of a graveyard cake and now this, a sophisticated spin on a red, white and blue dessert. Instead of soggy sheet cake, light and airy meringue shells are the base for a bright strawberry sauce, fresh whipped cream and handfuls of sweet summer berries. And this recipe is gluten-free!

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In my very pregnant state, I will pretty much take any opportunity to get my big body in water. No, I am not above a blow up baby pool. It’s basically July, people. The Vessel is an out of this world tub that’s inspired by the hammock, as it slings the body and is completely suspended above the ground. The dreamy escape of a tub is made from carbon fiber and a foam core, which insulates it, meaning the bath stays hot for considerably longer than your standard bath. Unfortunately, it’s only designed for use in a wet room, so it can be drained right onto the floor. Unless you have one of those in your pad, you’ll have to make do with a good ole’ Kohler.

Babies: they’re bald. If they’re not, it’s probably because they hung out in the womb for an extra couple of months or whatever. I don’t know! I’m not a doctor. Not a medical doctor, anyway! Or any kind of doctor. But I do know a doctor — Dr. Pepper. He’s a soda! Plus my U.S. History professor in college. True story. Riveting, I know. Amanda Lillie, owner of Etsy shop TheLilliePad, was tired of seeing bald babies and decided to do something about it. She makes Cabbage Patch Kid style wigs to fit on baby heads. And grown up baby heads, too! You can buy the pattern or, if you’re not skilled at crotcheting, request a custom order and she’ll whip up a wig for you. Or your baby. Yeah, why don’t you start with the baby and go from there?

Recently, my husband and I were going out to an event where we'd be outside for an extended period of time. I put on jeans.

"You'll get hot. Why don't you wear something else?"

"We'll be up and down a lot. I don't want to wear a skirt or a dress."

"What about shorts."

"I don't own any shorts."

"How... how do you not own shorts?!"

I used to be able to wear shorts. I wore them all the time. Little hotpants shorts, slightly longer shorts, capris. They looked fab. Then something happened. In the past five years or so, I haven't run across a pair of shorts that I thought looked good on me.

I decided it was just because I wasn't trying on enough pairs, so I went to Target and started pulling all manner of shorts off the rack. Certainly, at least one pair of shorts would look good on me!

No. Just... no. They looked weird in the crotch. They made my normal legs look like I had thunder thighs. The butt fit strangely. They were insanely short. Every. Goddamn. Pair.

Am I alone? Are there others who have trouble finding shorts? I'm going over to a higher end store tonight, hoping that it was just Target being weird.

Everyone deserves to use the restroom appropriately. The Colorado Rights Division just made that official with a groundbreaking decision in favor of six-year-old transgender student Coy Mathis. Coy, who was born male but identifies as female, can now use the girls’ bathroom.

Fort Carson School District, located in a town south of the ultra conservative Colorado Springs, allowed Coy to wear girls’ clothes, stand in the girls’ line and play sports with the girls, and they had allowed her to use the girl’s bathroom at school. But after a few months of attending the school, the district banned the first grader from using the girls’ bathroom and asked her to use the boys’ or gender-neutral bathrooms instead. This humiliating order prompted Coy’s parents to opt for homeschooling.

The school district cited Coy’s birth certificate, on which she is identified as a boy, as grounds to deny her using the girls' bathroom. Coy's parents and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund consequently filed a complain with the division.

The division found that Coy’s state-issued identification, passport, and recent medical records to prove that Coy is considered a girl and the school must comply.

The decision stated that “compartmentalizing a child as a boy or a girl based on visible anatomy, is a simplistic approach to a difficult and complex issue,” and that telling Coy “that she must disregard her identity while performing one of the most essential human functions constitutes severe and pervasive treatment, and creates an environment that is objectively and subjectively hostile, intimidating or offensive.”

Apparently this is the first ruling in the entire nation that allows transgender students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity. It will undoubtedly serve as a landmark case for families and communities determined to expand the rights of transgender people.

As for Coy, she is just excited to return to school. Although Fort Carson has to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that are appropriate to their gender identity in the future, the Mathises have moved to Aurora, CO. a town that is considerably more liberal compared to the Fort Carson District. Coy's mother reports: “when I told Coy we won, she got this giant smile and her eyes bugged out. She said, ‘So I can go to school and make friends?”

Rights Unit Finds Bias Against Transgender Student [New York Times]

Photo by Brennan Linsley/AP

From the files of internet speculation comes this gem about Dwayne Johnson possibly starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the recently fast-tracked "Terminator 5." According to WWE Examiner, "one version of the script is being produced specifically for The Rock himself."

HuffPost Entertainment reached out to Johnson's representatives to confirm the WWE Examiner report about "Terminator 5"; this post will be updated with their response.

That Johnson would potentially lend his name to "Terminator 5" is hardly surprising. In the last three years, the 41-year-old star has breathed life to fledgling blockbuster series like "Fast and Furious," "The Journey to the Center of the Earth" and "G.I. Joe."

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I got the new position.
I’ve got a four day weekend with visiting family.
I want to sleep but I’ve got shit to do.
I made these enchiladas.
They turned out perfectly.
Let’s eat.

I found these shoes on Barney's website and emailed them to ask the designer, but they wouldn't give me a name and instead showed me a similar style in their inventory!

Can you please help me find these tan peep toe round heeled sandals?

Executive Pastry Chef Chris Teixeira's doughssants are fried layers of croissant dough baked into long john-style doughnuts. They're available in chocolate raspberry, blueberry lavender, and coffee cream cheese and are $3.50 each. [ more › ]

Last week the USDA, in an unprecedented move, approved a non-GMO label for meat and liquid egg products. The label, which is certified by the Non-GMO Project, will indicate whether the meat or eggs in question came from animals raised on feed without any genetically engineered ingredients like corn, soy and alfalfa.

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Arwa Damon finds that Syrian refugees are marrying their daughters in their early teens to protect their innocence.

Today is day three — Ladies' Day — at the Royal Ascot (an annual horseracing event), held at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. But let us not delay. HATS AHOY.

Images via Getty and AP.

That's correct. According to TMZ (so taken with the giantest grain of salt in the kingdom), but if they're correct, Kimye's baby is named North West. This couple is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

We've been wrong before, but TMZ claims the birth certificate from Cedars-Sinai hospital list's America's Baby's name as North. I don't even know. Discuss?

[TMZ]

Get the perfect look for the matriarchal takeover!

ETA:

AHH. MAINPAGED.

You think you're so sneaky with your mainpaging, Laura Beck!

ETA2: I should probably credit: http://chuck-charles.tumblr.com/post/528945718...

Charles and Ray Eames, the visionary couple behind the chair you're currently sitting in, also have a pretty fantastic love story.

Brainpickings has their hot little hands on a copy on Charles' proposal letter to Ray, and it's goddammed heartwarming. We should all probably print it out and use it to propose to someone tonight — deal??

Dear Miss Kaiser,

I am 34 (almost) years old, singel (again) and broke. I love you very much and would like to marry you very very soon.* I cannot promise to support us very well. — but if given the chance I’ll shure in hell try –

*soon means very soon.

What is the size of this finger??

as soon as I get to that hospital I will write “neams” well little ones.

love xxxxxxxxxx

Charlie

I know "sigh" is overused, but SIGH.

[Brainpickings]

That's a one hundred percent improvement for every member of the Prancing Elite cheerleading team.

And just when you thought this video couldn't get any better, the little girl runs across the front. I mean, come on! Too much awesome in one little video.

[via Colorlines]

Because you were waiting with bated breath for Serena Williams' thoughts on the Steubenville rape case: she thinks the 16-year-old who was raped by two high school football players who "did something stupid" shouldn't have gotten so drunk. She's also concerned about the girl's virginity.

From a Rolling Stone profile that's not online yet, via Deadspin:

We watch the news for a while, and the infamous Steubenville rape case flashes on the TV—two high school football players raped a 16-year-old, while other students watched and texted details of the crime. Serena just shakes her head. "Do you think it was fair, what they got? They did something stupid, but I don't know. I'm not blaming the girl, but if you're a 16-year-old and you're drunk like that, your parents should teach you—don't take drinks from other people. She's 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn't remember? It could have been much worse. She's lucky. Obviously I don't know, maybe she wasn't a virgin, but she shouldn't have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that's different."

Whyyyyyyy.

[Deadspin]

Image via AP.

Not content with those usual lyric videos that just blind you in the face with their extreme fonts, John Mayer decided it as nigh time to redeem himself as a human worth paying attention to, and what better way to do that than releasing a new music video? Specifically, a video for his new song that is allegedly about Taylor Swift featuring Joanna Rohrback of Prancercise LLC? [Insert the world imploding on itself here.]

"What about a prance to romance to?" asks Rohrback, who then cautions that, "If you're pregnant or nursing, you should consult a physician before your romancerize. However, if you're not pregnant or nursing, why not consult Jarrad?"

This is actually a headshot of actor Jarrad Paul, and not a photo of Rohrback's son. You may remember as Paul in the role of Duncan, a dude that Josh Hartnett works with in 40 Days and 40 Nights (he's in this classic scene, briefly). He was also apparently in Monk and is friends with Eddie Cibrian?

The lyrics of "Paper Doll" have been pinpointed by our own Laura Beck as a distinct Fuck You to Taylor Swift's "Dear John":

Paper doll, come try it on
Step out of that black chiffon
Here’s a dress of gold and blue
Sure was fun being good to you

This one we made just for Fall
And Winter runs a bit too small
This mint green is new for Spring
My love didn’t cost a thing

You’re like twenty-two girls in one
And none of them know what they’re runnin’ from
Was it just too far to fall?
For a little paper doll

Fold a scarf, Moroccan red
And tie your hair behind your head
Strap into some heels that hurt
You should’ve kept my undershirt

...

Cut the cord and pull some strings
And make yourself some angel wings
And if those angel wings don’t fly
Someone’s gonna paint you another sky

Poor Joanna. She probably has no idea what she's gotten in the middle of. Taylor Swift's next video will probably feature the kid from Chocolate Rain or something as she desperately tries to curry the Internet's favor back her way.

Man, rich people really like to spend ridiculous amounts of money on garbage cans. If you thought that $600 for a trash can with polkadots on it was insane, wait to you see what $6000 gets you. For six G’s (as in jeez, who the hell would spend that much on a trash can?) you can get a designer trash can wearing couture outfits. The garbage garb is designed by Lessja Verlingieri who has created outfits for celebrities like Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and Gwyneth Paltrow… so obviously she has plenty of experience designing for trash. Zing!

You think you don't like Fabio, but when you see these pictures of him holding men at Whole Foods, you realize that you do. You really do.

Ripped, tattooed underwear model Alex Minksy will take your breath away. Not because he's beautiful — he is! — but because his story is heart-squeezingly inspiring.

Three years ago, Minksy was a Marine in Afghanistan went a roadside bomb exploded. He lost consciousness — and lost his leg. After being in a coma for 47 days, Minsky's brain "came back online" and he started the slow journey towards recovery. A drinking problem set him back again, but when a photographer spotted him at the gym and asked him to pose, he stumbled into a new career: Modeling.

"I just want people to look at me and not give up," he says. "To not quit."

Uh, while were on the subject of things that just won't quit…

Wounded SoCal Marine Becomes Underwear Model [NBC LA]

Alex Minsky [Facebook]

It's Roky Erickson's inclusion on the list that has our interest piqued. [ more › ]

From photographer James Mollison, whom you might remember from his poignant series on where children sleep, comes Disciples — a visual study of musical subcultures, reminiscent of the Exactitudes project. Between 2004 and 2007, Mollison travelled across Europe and the U.S. with a mobile photography studio, which he parked in front of music concerts, taking individual portraits of fans outside the respective band’s gig. He then composited the portraits into lineups of eight to ten fans, creating a single pseudo-panoramic image. Disciples gathers 62 of these fascinating images, featuring more than 500 individual portraits that capture the spirit and tribalism of comtemporary music culture, from death metal to Lady Gaga.

Jennifer Lopez


Bjork


Kiss


Puff Daddy


George Michael


Spice Girls


The Cure


50 Cent


Missy Elliot


Madonna


More At The Source

Editor's Note: Whether you're a tourist or an office worker in downtown Chicago, you can get sick of eating at chain restaurants all day. So we've started a series to get you the lowdown on where to find a great and affordable lunch.

[Photographs: Dennis Lee]

It's been a week since I've been untethered from a full time job, which means I have plenty of time to start exploring the northern section of the Loop. Because my old office was in the South Loop, going up north usually took too much time, and I didn't want to incur the wrath of the boss. We all know boss wrath is pretty high up on the Dennis Lee Scale of Wrath. Getting caught taking long lunches is one of those things a boss keeps in their back pocket in case they are crabby and want to roast you for something.

There's a stretch of Wells that I've always wanted to visit, and on this block, there are lots of fun-looking lunch spots I haven't checked out. They include Lemon Tree, Curried, Crepe Bistro, Off the Tracks Grill, and one I've always been especially curious about, Pierogi Heaven. Sadly, when you walk in, there are no angels or cherubs made of pierogi, which, now that I think about it, would be pretty creepy. Creepy, yet delicious.

Now that we have creepy pierogi angels out of the way, starting a meal out with a hot cup of red borscht ($1.99 for a cup) is a good idea if you want something comforting. Now that summer is starting up, a hot cup of soup might not be the first thing you think of, but this borscht is good enough to take the edge off a lousy day.

It has that deep red color from the beets, but isn't as earthy as you might imagine, and instead of being sweet, it's actually pretty salty. I noticed a distinct savory flavor, which I could tell was a hit of MSG, so out of curiosity I asked the woman behind the counter about the ingredients in the soup. It turns out they use bouillon cubes (she didn't specify which type).

There are 11 different types of pierogi on the menu, and you can mix and match in groups of three. I wanted to try every one of them, but eating 33 pierogi didn't seem like a particularly good idea, so I tried three types: Meat, potato and cheddar (per recommendation from the cashier), and the fruit mix ($7.87 for 9 pieces).

The potato and cheddar is the best out of the three. With a little bit of bacon, sautéed onions, and sour cream, it's pretty much like a chewy baked potato. The shredded pork and beef pierogi is fairly dry; the filling is tightly packed, and it isn't particularly seasoned. Maybe I'm not a fruit pierogi person, because the berry and plum filling is very tart and not sweet, but to be fair, these are the first fruit pierogi I've ever eaten. And just so you know, all of the pierogi are boiled and not pan-fried.

There are a few sides, one of which is the sauerkraut ($2.70). It's a relatively unique version, with a deep cabbage flavor and a soft texture. It definitely has a homemade flavor to it.

You can get a single piece of Polish sausage ($2.90), which I definitely recommend. It's scored and charred, and the skin has a hefty snap to it. It is dense, heavy, and juicy, with a very tight grind, and goes well with a bite of sauerkraut.

If you're looking for a bite of comfort food for lunch, Pierogi Heaven might be up your alley, plus it's an interesting option in an ocean of bland sandwich joints. And if you see a confused looking Korean guy running around the Loop with a DSLR, taking pictures of his lunch, say hello. It'll be even funnier if it's not me.

Pierogi Heaven

169 N Wells St, Chicago IL 60606(map)
312-263-9305
pierogiheaven.com

About the author: After a failed attempt at starting a chain of theme restaurants called "Smellen Keller," Dennis Lee traveled the world to discover his true passion. Sadly, midwifery didn't pan out. Now he works in a cubicle, and screws around as much as possible. Follow his shenanigans on Twitter.

At the risk of being cruel, this video of a man getting his brows waxed — and recoiling in horror at the pain — is hilarious. Weakling.