Sergio Says! Musings From Marie Claire (and Beyond...)

2012 July 27

Over indulging on cotton candy for my last real meal!
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You know it's the weekend when your weekly dose of Sergio has arrived! What has the gatekeeper to Marie Claire EIC Joanna Coles been up to this week? Without further ado...

Sunday
I must have missed the memo about it being summer and all. For some reason, my eating habits during these less-clothes-more-skin months have been out of control. No wonder my waistline is starting to resemble that of Ricki Lake’s in Hairspray (yes kids, there was an original and a much BETTER version of the film starring Miss Lake. Look it up). Anyway, I decided to have my last overindulgent meal at Landmarc in the Time Warner center before committing to a week-long cleanse consisting of 1 meal and 2 David Kirsch meal replacement shakes per day. After 3 Blood Marys, a 5-egg omelet, chopped salad and 2 orders of cotton candy, I was left to starve like a common fashionista. Because as everyone knows, nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.

Monday
Hungry and cranky, I made my way into the office. I was so ready to be annoyed by everything when a ray of light by the name of Liz Rosenberg made it all better. A package from Madonna’s right hand (Liz is Her Madgesty’s gatekeeper and publicist) was waiting for me at my desk. MDNA tour merch for yours truly from La Liz and her team. T-shirt, beanie, key chain and a pin set from The Queen’s record-shattering MDNA tour. I’m not worthy! Then again, who am I kidding—I’m worth every penny!

Tuesday
No matter how much one wants to ignore that hot mess Snooki, a little-bit-less annoying JWoww and their new show on MTV, one thing you can’t deny is the incredibly catchy theme song that rolls through the opening credits. “I Love It” by Stockholm-based Icona Pop has thumping beats, raw energy and in-your face vocals that are infectious and addictive. It’s one of those songs that even I, a complete music snob, cannot resist. The group consists of Aino and Caroline, two hot Swedes who came to NYC on a press tour, so of course they had to see me. There must be something in the Swedish water, because the country’s biggest export is brilliant pop (ABBA, Roxette, Neneh Cherry, Ace of Base, The Cardigans and Robyn). These girls, who also DJ in their spare time, are on the verge of massive success. Check out my interview and prepare to get hooked on Icona Pop.

Wednesday
Ring, ring! Hi, Sergio, do you have some time to come to RCA Records and hear new music from P!nk? Duh, do I? Anytime I get the opportunity to hear something the rest of you have to wait for, I run, especially if I'm a superfan. Two hours later, I was at 550 Madison Avenue inside the legendary Sony building, (where I used to work eons ago) rocking out to pop’s original badass, P!nk. My favorite of the three new songs was a mid-tempo rocker called “Try,” which sounds like a long-lost Pat Benatar anthem with a modern edge and P!nk’s raspy vocals. Can’t wait to hear the rest of the album, The Truth About Love, out September 18.

Thursday
Office birthday celebration for my partner in crime, cubicle buddy and favorite hipster on the planet, Marie Claire’s Bookings Director, Jeremy Lee Spears. Jeremy always complains about not getting enough shine in my posts, so in honor of his 21^st birthday (again), a few of us took JLee out for lunch at our fave neighborhood sushi spot. Since I’m still on my life-changing cleanse—“Just tea for me, please”—I had to watch Jeremy & Co. stuff their faces with enough Bento boxes to feed a small village. Jeremy’s not used to restaurants that don’t have $5 footlongs or 2-for-1 meal deals. He almost died and went to heaven when he saw the silverware. Happy birthday, buddy. Only the best for you.

Friday
Obsessed: If you love Amy Winehouse, Adele, Janelle Monae and Lauryn Hill you will love the English folk & soul singer Lianne La Havas and her single “Forget”; Nelly Furtado’s latest body moving single “Spirit Indestructible”; George Michael’s new dance stomper after suffering from pneumonia, appropriately titled “White Light”, which features everyone’s fave supermodel Kate Moss in the video; “Hate & Love," the surprisingly amazing collaboration between the Italian and English singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti and Sienna Miller; “Cherry Wine," a posthumous collaboration between Nas and Amy Winehouse; and finally, the radio mix for Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness”, which reminds me of one of my faves, Belinda Carlisle’s “Circle In The Sand." Enjoy your weekend, and I’ll be back next week. Until then, follow me on Twitter at @SergioKletnoy!