So, although I can't vote tomorrow (I will press the button for my Mom, however), I am still very passionate about this historic election that is about to reach its final stretch in less than 24 hours.

My school has done an incredible job about educating us on both candidates for this election, and while there are only three seniors in my graduating class who will be able to vote, I am completely assured that every single one of the 48 girls in my class has formed an educated and informed decision about what candidate they would vote for if given the chance and why.

This election is not only crucial in terms of our country's immediate national interests (economy, Iraq...), but it is hugely important in shaping the longterm interests and endeavors of my generation. This IS the election of the young vote, whether people choose to acknowledge that fact or not.

With that being said, I present to you one of the most inspiring documentaries I have seen in my seventeen years of living. I know it got a lot of press a while ago, but I feel that it is necessary to post the website for 18 in '08 tonight, becuase getting out the vote truly matters.

David Burstein, the creator of this documentary, is actually friends with one of my close friends (he went to her high school), and therefore my school had the opportunity to host an intimate assembly with Burstein-- not only did he show his incredible documentary, but he stayed for over an hour answering our questions and telling us all about the seriously awesome process he went through in order to film, produce, and direct the documentary (he started it when he was sixteen...could he be any cooler?) I know it sounds cliché, but I strongly suggest watching the piece- it's short, sweet, and very informative.

So, there's my litle schtick. Regardless of who you're voting for tomorrow, I just want everyone (and I'm speaking mainly to the girls my age reading this) to realize that your vote DOES count, and if you are fortunate enough to be able to vote in this election,  PLEASE take advantage of the opportunity-- there are other kids dying to be 18 tomorrow and  this chance should not be taken for granted.

Let the battle begin!

I signed online today to find some startling news: Miley Cyrus, teenage goddess to the 14 and under set, apparently posed "nude" for Vanity Fair. Upon closer investigation, I realized this was just the media making a big deal out of tastefully done Annie Leibovitz shots. Granted, she is 15, and her PR people should have probably forecasted the tornado that would hit when these pics leaked onto the net, but no use crying over spilled milk, right? Anyway, here's what's unsettling: as I delved deeper into "Miley Pics" online (FYI I know nothing about this chick nor do I follow her 'music', I just was curious becuase of the story I read on AOL News), I found disturbingly hoe-esque shots of the teen queen and her extremely nerdy looking boyfriend making out. And so I wonder--are these pics real? Who knows. To be honest I don't really care. The media loves to torture the rich and famous, that's no secret. Not to mention I'm sure there are thousands if not millions of photogs that are steaming with jealousy of this girl becuase apparently she makes a mil a day on tour (what has the country come to?) In all honesty, I feel bad for her. She's not growing up like a normal person, her entire life is documented to the extreme by sketchy guys with gigantic cameras...that's just not healthy. Of course I'm not saying poor Miley, she has probably massed a fortune great enough to save Darfur in the past year, but money doesn't buy happiness, and I'm sure she's not too happy right about now. But the most aggravating thing from this entire story is the heat that Annie Leibovitz is getting. Leibovitz is one of my favorite photographers in the world, and she shot tasteful (albeit a little too au natural for Disney, but still) beautiful pictures and I'm honestly angry that the media would have the guts to turn this all around and say Miley was "manipulated" into posing for the pictures. OH PLEASE. Are you serious? Her people were probably with her on set the whole day, and I'm pretty sure that someone who is old enough and "talented" enough to perform for millions in an audience for weeks at a time isn't stupid enough to suddently strip at the command of a photographer. And to say that Vanity Fair manipulated her too? That's a joke. Vanity Fair was doing Miley a favor by covering her in their magazine: VF is a well respected publication, not Tiger Beat. Being showcased in VF would have made her look somewhat more respectable, perhaps not just another extremely moronic teen singer (I'm sure that was the entire point of her even doing a story with them). Then Disney pulled in the reigns and once again Miley is another controlled robot. I understand why Disney did what they did; clearly after the wake of Jamie-Lynn Spears and the bitty baby bump any little disturbance is cause for catastrophe. But the next time Disney, or any other gossip website or television show spins a story to make well respected artists and publications look like the bad guys, more people should speak up, because I, for one, am frankly outraged.

SATs are over. Term paper is handed in. Third trimester has begun- I am officially 3 months away from being a senior...

COME ON MAY!!!

Hope everyone had a fabulous beginning of the week... I'm already hoping for the weekend so I can get some very necessary slumber hours logged in...

So I was just on the BB website stocking up on the tinted SPF 15 moisturizer when I came across "The Bobbi Brown LIfestyle"- thought I'd share with you all, as it's fitting for the New Year:

1. Always be on time.

2. Look people in the eye.

3. Tell the truth.

4. Don't smoke.

5. Drink lots of water.

6. Exercise.

7. Eat healthy.

8. Read.

9. Be nice.

10. Never give up.

"Bobbi's philosophy is about finding balance and cultivating a positive outlook-- it's a way of life".

Inspiring, no?

I rented Becoming Jane in my hotel room the other night. And it's that time of the month. Bad idea. Firstly, the movie is not only beautiful visually, but the INSANE chemistry between my new obsession, extremely cute Scot James McAvoy (In the recent Atonement), and Anne Hathaway is so fierce, so intense, it makes you cry and yelp in wonder as to why you aren't involved in an 18th century love affair not approved by your parents nor society. I laughed. I sobbed. I dried my eyes. I sobbed some more. Why I chose to do this to myself when I hit the big blinking yellow PURCHASE button I will never know. But I surely don't regret it. Call it self-torture, if you will.

Let me just say: if you haven't seen it already- rent this movie. Pre-order it on Amazon immediately. You will be changed. Yes it's a romantic period piece with a girl who played Anna Wintour's faux assistant but she is SO GREAT in this movie, SO BELIEVEABLE...not to mention Mr. McAvoy is just...delish and way better than she is (sorry, Anne). He makes the movie. His eyes sparkle, he's devilish, he's boyishly cute....my friends and I swoon at the thought of him. He is the epitome of knight in shining armour, even if he doesn't have enough money to propose marriage to dear 'ol Jane. It's surely not The Last King of Scotland, but it's great and girly and relateable and you'll love it.

Alright enough rambling, you get my point. So go...off to Amazon little chickies! Just remember, like I warned you: don't watch this movie if you happen to be overly emotional and craving chocolate unless you have a thing for weeping uncontrollably into a box of Kleenex for 2 hours. Then again, they don't call it PMS for nothing- indulge in your over-the-top emotions and call all your girlfriends over.

ENJOY!

I'll make this short, considering last year's list of mostly unfulfilled resolutions are staring at me in the face. Here are 10 things I MUST do this year:

1. Start making a college list (SCARY! By this time next year I may know where I'm going...)

2. Keep staying fit and healthy. (The one new year's res I made last year that is still in effect- YES!)

3. Stick with your good friends and people who are genuine.

4. PASS YOUR LICENSE TEST ON JANUARY 8TH AT 4 PM!!!!!!!!!! (<---- BIG one)

5. STOP PROCRASTINATING! Get off the computer and do your work! Tivo everything if absolutely necessary. Forgo Gossip Girl for the possibility of getting accepted into a university. Five months to go-GET IT DONE!

6. Actually do your SAT work. Don't just stare at it for three hours and say you did it, to then show up at your tutor's office with no worksheets completed and an apologetic smile. Yes, you may not need to know how to do any of the 500 math ratio problems given to you by Dr. Matthew Joseph, SAT Tutor extrodinaire, in your later life, but you do need to know them for the time being... so suck it up.

7. RELAX. Stop stressing. School is school but being happy is slightly more important than 'getting the grade'. Be realistic.

8. Get through the next five months without doing anything stupid, study hard, and you're off to London on July 1st. Most importantly, YOU'RE A SENIOR ON JUNE 5TH, 2008.....HALLELUJAH!

9 Do not, by any means, let anything anyone says about you, good or bad,
make you feel any different about yourself. AKA: Stop caring about what
other people think.

10. Be more appreciative for the things you have, especially family and friends.

So it's been a year. Yes, 365 days. Exactly one year ago, in this same spot (Palm Beach) for the same vacation (Thanksgiving) I woke up one morning to find a peculiar email from a person I had never spoken to before- Gina Pell.

"Dear Ariel", this email read, "I was browsing the internet and came across your fashion blog. I was wondering if you'd be interested in writing for Splendora" (or something like that). Frantic, I ran into the other room, immediately grabbed my mother out of bed yanking her from her slumber, and typed www.splendora.com as fast as I could into my Firefox browser bar.

Needless to say, I was more than pleasantly surprised.

I had never thought that my little, unknown, totally obscure fashion blog I wrote during the summer of 2006 would get me one reader, let alone to the Teen Editor position at Splendora. After contracting mono on my fifteenth birthday, I had read every magazine and book in my house, and watched every DVD, and therefore decided I'd combine the two things I love most- writing and fashion- and turn it into my very own site. Basically a collection of spastic ramblings on fashion and life in general, Le Chic Caniche is not necessarily my best work. I got a few comments, from girls I'd never known or spoken to before, but I had assumed about 3 people in total had read what I had written over those three or four weeks of bedridden illness and online luxury perusing. I guess I was wrong.

Apparently, Gina had found Le Chic Caniche (the totally cheesy name I had come up with in my fever induced state of mind- it means The Chic Poodle in French...) while searching for Christian Louboutin boots on Google. To this day, I send praise and thanks to the Google gods for giving me such good luck and fortune.

Gina liked what she saw, hence, 'The Email'. I think I still have it saved somewhere- my dad made me print it out and keep it so I'd always remember how randomly I was chosen and lucky I am to be able to be a Splendorita.

Since that 2006 Thanksgiving, I've endured many a scandal. My first piece for Splendora, an introduction of who I am, why I love fashion, and how it came to be that Splendora was aligned in my stars, caused (to say the least) a bit of a ruckus at my all-girl's school. Once one person found it, it had spread through the entire school, and copies were posted all over the under and upperclassmen lounges, with girls left and right getting in my face and saying nasty things. All of this culminated with a visit to the Dean's office, where I wound up staying for the remainder of the school day until my mother picked me up- at 12:30- I didn't even finish out the three hours I had left- laughing at the debacle I had gotten myself into. What caused such pandemonium you ask? Apparently, my comments on how '"some teenage girls tend to dress like they've raided Anna Nicole Smith's wardrobe" (note, this was written before her untimely and strange death) and some snide remarks about Hollister offended many students, even though my comments weren't directed towards anyone in particular in any way, shape, or form. But I gave up on fighting that battle a loooong time ago.

Writing for Splendora has helped me grow as a person and become more confident in my writing, my ideas, and myself. Getting through scandals such as the initial "Splendora Cyclone" at school have made me become the girl I am today and helped me realize that no matter what anyone says, your ideas and your thoughts are yours and yours alone, and you should never feel pressured to change them for anyone else- ever. Adding to the shift in my mindset is my shift in style- I've taken more risks in my wardrobe as a Splendora girl than I ever have before. Heidi's chic, structural, austere picks and Karen's usually whimsical and fun ones have filtered somehow into my brain and caused me to gravitate towards things with a little more punch. So what if I'm the only girl in school wearing a technicolor hoodie, or an actual dress on dress down day? I have the confidence to rock it, and that's all that matters.

And I haven't been the only one changing. Since I started writing for Splendora exactly one year ago, the site has undergone a MAJOR transformation. The addition of user "What-To" lists, Star Diaries, and member profiles have taken Splendora from a fabulous blog about the good things in life to an even more fabulous network of incredible girls and women, who share interesting ideas- be it about style, music, or life in general. I look forward to reading everyone's "What-To's" on a daily basis, and always am interested when someone posts a paticularly clever or intriguing diary entry. Splendora is truly a little community of 'likeminded women', and I'd even go as far in saying that it's a family. When I was on summer break in Rome, I got a phone call from none other than Karen Bard, who, besides informing me about Splendora stuff, also was genuinely interested in how my vacation was going, how my summer program in France was, and just how I was doing in general. I'll never forget that. This system of networking is only going to get better and I can't wait to see what Splendora will look like in another 365 days from now.

On another note, all of this change and these fabulous things couldn't happen without the help of Gina, Amy, Heidi, Karen, and everyone else on the Splendora team.

When I met Gina and Amy for the first time at Del Posto in the Meatpacking District one April evening, I was a bit nervous before we got there- what if my outfit is totally passé? What if they think I'm stupid?, the list went on and on- until I finally met two of the coolest, most stylish, insanely chic women I have ever met in my life. Gina and Amy treated me like family and I'll never forget our four hour dinner that went to almost 1 o'clock in the morning where we discussed fashion, school, music, life, and just being a girl in general. My mom also fell in love with the two and to this day she still raves about how sweet Gina and Amy are and how she still can't believe what fluke of nature it is that they found my website and how insane the entire story is. I couldn't agree more.

So, on this one year anniversary (and I hope there are many more to come), I want to thank the stars for giving me mono, thank Blogspot.com for giving me the tools to create Le Chic Caniche, thank the Google Gods for letting Gina search for Christian Louboutin boots on that fine day, once again thank the Google Gods for directing her to my page, thank the internet for being as thorough as possible in searches, and, most importantly, a HUGE thank you to Gina Pell, who took a chance on me and, although it got me into many a predicament, allowed me to express my opinions to the world and be who I am today.

What a whirlwind it's been. First trimester of Junior year is over, I can officially sit down and stuff my belly with some turkey, forget about how many sides are in a rhombus, and listen to the static in my brain for a full 9 days. Finally, I'm in Palm Beach, and I don't think I've been this thrilled for a vacation since...oh right, summer...

...SUMMER! How far away you seem and yet how badly I wish upon your arrival. This summer I will be staying in London for a month and taking a photography class at Cavendish College (yes, I'm practically spastic with excitement) and I actually am counting down the days (FYI, it's over 100...an eternity.) The fact that I have to wait another five months until I can sit on that British Airways flight, slip on a fake Cockney accent, and assume the name Clarissa is like Chinese water torture to think about...I want to be there now now now!

Another thing that's been on my mind recently is how overworked every single one of my friends seems to be this year. You always hear "Oh, Junior year's a real toughie" and "It's the year that counts!", but why? Why is this the life changing year that everyone and the President is going to know about and see, in scrutinizing detail, on your high school transcript? Why must we cry over a not-so-hot quiz grade, or even a B on a test? (yes, one of my friends actually CRIED over a B on a test. Don't ask me why, I couldn't tell you.) I have some friends playing three varsity sports, in all honors classes, tutoring inner city children on weeknights for an hour, and doing more community service on the weekends, while managing to have five hour study sessions for AP Physics afterwards and ace their test the next day. I admire them incredibly and applaud them for their accomplishments of seemingly impossible tasks but really- where is the time to have fun on the weekends? Where is the time to eat, to sleep, to breathe? Where is the time to be a KID? Society is demanding too much of high school students these days, and I for one am terrified that it's only going to get worse.

To get into college during my parent's time, you had to be a good student and a hard worker. To get into college now, you have to have founded your own charity organization, gone to Nicaragua to aid in a peacekeeping settlement, and invented the newest version of fat-free but still yummy mint chocolate chip ice cream. Oh yeah, and it's nice if you won the Nobel Peace Prize, too.

GIVE ME A BREAK!

I'm sorry that I'm not a mathematical genius. I'm sorry that I can't speak fifteen languages- fluently- and that I don't have the drive to sit through a three hour AP Chem lab class while managing to take flawless notes and maintain a 96% average. I'm sorry that I'm...average? That I'm a normal sixteen year old girl, trying to get through classes and manage to live my life at the same time?

Actually, I'm not sorry.

I'm sorry for those parents who pressure their kids, or those kids who pressure themselves to the point of ulcers and neurotic stress syndrome because their pencils are out of order, or they're missing one homework assignment in the quarter. I'm not saying I slack off either, I do my work and I try my hardest, but I know my limits and I know that I can only do what I can do, and no more. Hence, I'm not advocating indolence, rather, I'm advocating sanity and as much of a stress-free environment that you can create for yourself.

Why is it wrong to go after your passions? If your kid wants to be an artist, your kid wants to be an artist- don't try and push stock broker, bond trader, or chemist in their path because they just won't be happy. Why should someone have to struggle in an AP Stat class when they really would love to be taking Art History or photography? Do the students of today really care enough about what colleges will think of them- how they will be labeled by some irreverent admissions counselor reading their life on a piece of paper- that chooses their fate by saying yes, no, or deferred? The answer, sickly and sadly, is yes. We care. We care a lot. We care enough to take up the oboe in 11th grade after 16 years of never playing an instrument. We care enough to spend three months of summer working in a science lab doing research and not seeing the light of day, let alone getting a chance to go swimming or enjoy the fresh air. We care enough to travel to India, for no other purpose than writing about said experience in 'The College Essay'.

My point is, we're being forced to grow up too fast, too soon, with too much on our plates. Our society is solely interested in instant gratification and labeling, hence why we work so hard to get into the 'school of our dreams', which may not even be a right fit for our personalities, but because it's got 'IVY" attached to it's name, it's automatically the best of the estimated 2,618 four year colleges and universities in this country. Yes they're the most rigorous, challenging academic programs, but what about making friends? What guarantees that if you go to a certain 1 out of 8, you'll end up happy and fulfilled with your social life and your friendships? The annual US News College Ranking pull out? Nope. Nothing. Nothing at all guarantees happiness except your own conscience and state of mind.

And so I beg you- someone- please stop the madness. Get your kid a toy, or give them a pat on the back and say 'good job on that math test', not, 'bring up that Spanish grade.' Yes I just went all Full House on you but I truly believe that if more people started acting less stressed and more accepting of anything less than perfection we'd have a much better world to live in. Not to mention, less psychiatrists.

And now....back to my blissful vacation of...doing nothing. Amen to that.

Considering I should be reading excerpts of Song of Solomon for a discussion in my English class tomorrow while simultaneously prepping a lab for Bio, I'll keep this short: Junior year, in essence, is living hell. I refuse to sugarcoat it. I expected the torturous amounts of work, and therefore, I am mentally and physically prepared for the long, LONG road ahead of me (SATS, ACTS, SAT II's, need I go on?). But I'm making this sound much, much worse than it is. Let me backtrack:

Many good things have come about with the beginning of this year- most of my friends have their licenses now, which means getting around isn't even an issue anymore, and I got a car, which I'll be able to drive alone, by myself, in total solitude, in precisely 3 months. Although the work is rough at times, plus the SAT tutoring on top of it (My SAT tutor doesn't comprehend the fact that I go to school; I have more homework from him than my actual teachers), I have high hopes and expectations for the eleventh grade. They say that that all work and no play makes Jane a dull girl; well all work and no play makes Ariel a psycho sixteen year old looking to bust out of the nearest classroom. Case in point: thank God for weekends. Next week I go on a trip to Washington, D.C. with my entire grade of 40-something girls, and I'll keep you tuned in as to how that goes (with pictures, of course), and in general, things are going great. I'm so thrilled to be home from the shore and with my friends again, and I'm really looking foward to visiting colleges and figuring out what in the world I'd like to do with my life. I'm taking new classes too, like Art History, which I've quickly fallen in love with and am entertaining the possibility of majoring in it in college....that is, if I don't wind up moving to some remote deserted island. In all honesty, despite the required duties and such, this is the beginning of something that I think might be my best year of high school yet. Fun and new and unfamilliar things are happening- just what I'd been hoping for after the monotony of August. Plus, the weather's getting colder- perfect for me to wear my new
knockoff Pringle of Scotland knits with some warm and cozy leggings!!
Don't you just love fall?

Expect more updates as the month goes on; I'm back into my normal routine of the year, so I'll have a lot more time to write. Or, really, I have less time, but now my entire life is scheduled from the second I wake up, so I'm MAKING time to write.

Hope you're all fine and fabulous-

xoxo,

Ari

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