Gossip Girl Brings Reality With Elegence And Style Back On TV

Admit it. With the recent invasion of Koreanovelas and sad fated Philippine Teleseryes these days, it's hard to find good quality TV programming. No wonder cable was invented! If I have to rely on the cheap TV programs being aired on the local channels today, I'd be dead by now out of sheer boredom. Good thing that I haven't forgotten the joy of watching cable and surfing the net for the best series to follow.

It has been a year since I got hooked on Gossip Girl . At first I was thinking this might be another teen show with lots of love-sick heroes and people singing all the way through the end of the show (sorry, I was never a fan of High School Musical wannabes like Glee). But all that changed when I saw the first episode of Season 1. For those who haven't watched a single episode of GG, and has no idea what I'm talking about, here's the gist of the series:

Gossip Girl: (Top: Chuck Bass, Jenny Humphrey, Dan Humphrey & Vanessa Abrams. Below: Blair Waldorf, Serena van der Woodsen & Nate Archibald)

WHAT IS GOSSIP GIRL ALL ABOUT?

Gossip Girl is an American drama series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The story is mainly focused on the lives of 6 young people (later became 7 in Seasons 2-4) in the Upper East Side and the controversies and scandals that follow them. Gossip Girl is a blog website so it basically posts the day by day activities of these young Upper East Siders who happens to belong to the top families in New York.

THE CAST AND CHARACTERS OF GOSSIP GIRL:

Serena van der Woodsen

Serena van der Woodsen is the "it girl" of the Upper East Side. She returned from Knightley Boarding school in Connecticut to rebuild her life back in the UES after escaping there to get away from a scandal. She's the modern day version of Barbie and is one of the sought after girls in New York A Paparazzi-favorite, Serena struggles to reform her life from the "girl in the spotlight" to just having a normal life.

Serena's best friends with Blair Waldorf and is Dan Humphrey's constant on-and-off girlfriend. She attended Constance Billard High School and went off to attend Columbia in college after taking a year off from college to decide what she's going to do with her life.

Blair Waldorf

Blair Waldorf  is the "Queen Bee" of the social scene of Manhattan and Constance Billard High School. A top achiever, she is the only child of a famous fashion designer in New York. She's the first girlfriend of Nate Archibald but is Chuck Bass' true love.

Blair is often portrayed as haughty, shallow, scheming but intelligent. Despite of her uptight and frivolous nature, she is in contrast with her best friend Serena. Despite her snobbish ways as well, she is a good loyal friend who takes care and constantly looks out for those she cares about.

Dan Humphrey

Dan Humphrey is considered a loner. The son of a rock musician turned art gallery owner, Dan is well known for his wit and sarcastic responses. He doesn't live on the Upper East Side like everybody else but he sure has a way with women on the A-List.

He is Serena's on-and-off boyfriend in the series and one of the brightest kids in St. Jude High School. He attends NYU after being turned down by Yale due to financial reasons but still managed to shine as one of the gifted writers in this generation.

Nate Archibald

Nate Archibald is the so called "golden boy" on the Upper East Side. Initially torn between Serena and Blair, Nate finds himself frequently making life decisions throughout the series. The son of a wealthy business magnate and closely related to the Vanderbilts, Nate is one of the most sought out bachelors in New York.

Nate is best friends with Chuck and a constant confidant of Dan Humphrey. He has dated all the women in the A-Listers circle (Serena, Blair, Jenny & Vanessa) but managed to be friends with them after their affairs ended. This golden boy can be seen as dependable and a good shoulder to lean on. He attends Columbia University.

Jenny Humphrey

Jenny Hummphrey was introduced as a freshman at Constance Billard with a desire to carve her own place with the in-crowd. She is Dan's little sister and often in trouble with her dad. She's ambitious and often referred to as a social climber. She has tight relations with Blair who she used to idolize and later on with Serena after her attempt to break Serena and Nate's relationship.

Jenny has made her mark in the series from becoming an upstanding socialite to falling from grace and later becoming the most hated character. She managed to ruin relationships all for wanting to achieve "Queen" status. Her social climbing days on the UES ended when she went to boarding school in Hudson at the end of Season 3.

Chuck Bass

Chuck Bass is the only son of the wealthiest man on the Upper East Side. Cynical, world-weary, suave and goodlooking, Chuck has no qualms about living life on the edge. Best friends with Nate. He is the most connected kid on the Upper East Side. He is madly inlove with Blair despite his womanizing.

Chuck's character has evolved all throughout the series; from being the anti-hero in Season 1 to becoming a well loved character in Season 2 onwards. His devotion for Blair has almost severed his friendship with Nate, but sacrificed his feelings for her so Nate and Blair can be happy together. He ended up being Blair's boyfriend in Season 3 but their relationship came to a halt at the end of the season after he slept with little J.

THE VIEW OF THE UPPER EAST SIDE

A friend of mine once told me she doesn't like Gossip Girl because of the issues it brings up and the influence it has on people. I asked her if she has ever watched a single episode of the series and she said "No. Why would I watch a series that is all about gossip?" Well, here's my response to you: If you haven't watched a single episode of Gossip Girl then you have no right to judge what it's all about and to say even the least that you don't approve of it's morale. You don't know what you're talking about because you have no idea what it's all about in the first place! I watched a few episodes of Glee and decided I hated it; but I didn't just go off saying I loath it without knowing what it was about. If you want people to listen to you, you must have your facts straight first. That's what I learned from Gossip Girl and you had to admit I was right and within reason.

The life on the Upper East Side is far from perfect but it brings reality to a new level of awareness. Behind the facade of the lavish life in New York lies a story about people... real people- not like the soap operas and telenovelas with surreal story plots you can watch on the local tube. Relations are the center point of this TV-series with conflicts, back stabbings, secrets and feuds many people can relate to regarding relationships with partners, friends, family, and best friends. If Gossip Girl was a cake, the base would be 7th heaven. The berries would be Sunset Beach and the glazing on top would be O.C. No surprise there because Gossip Girl's producer is Josh Schwartz who happens to be the brain behind O.C. (and you would know that if you stop watching cheap filipino telenovelas and koreanovelas).

GOSSIP GIRL'S FASHION INFLUENCE

The New OLPMC Uniform

Since New York is the fashion capital of the world, we can definitely learn a thing or two about fashion with the likes of Serena, Blair, Dan, Nate, Chuck, Jenny & Vanessa.

Gossip Girl has widely influenced the world and there's no denying that. The school that I went to in High School has just recently updated their uniforms to a similar match with Constance Billard & St. Judes Academy. Not to mention that a lot of people nowadays are beginning to dress up just like the cast of the show. How "in" is that?

Gossip Girl: Constance Billard & St. Jude High School

The craze doesn't stop there- even the ladies would have to agree that headbands became an "in" thing this season because it has been a staple accesorry for Blair Waldorf and her mean girls. Jennifer Behr has widely produced this trend by copying her styles with the ones on the show.

Blair Bands On Gossip Girl

Even the men was not able to escape the Gossip Girl influence. Several websites and blogs can be found on the net today gicing advices on how to dress like Chuck, Nate & Dan.

St. Jude Wannabes

The Gossip Girl hype is all over the world. It's either people are blind or they just wouldn't admit it. What better way to be fashionable anyway than be just like an Upper East Sider?

So before you start judging me and my passion for Gossip Girl, look deep into yourself. You know you have more issues to deal with rather than my fascination with the UES. Some of just know how to handle life in style- while some don't.

You know you love me...

XoXo

Chuck Bass

The Cat's Finally Out Of The Bag: Juliet's Big Secret

I’m sure everyone’s thinking the same thing: phew!  Now we can finally rest easy since we know the truth about why Juliet was out to ruin Serena.  And it sure was a doozy!  Stemming all the way back to years ago.  If you’re out of the loop, sit back and let me fill you in!

Blair, Chuck & Nate Confronting Juliet

Serena was tucked away at the Ostroff Center in isolation.  No visitors.  No phone.  Nothing. This is Serena's capital punishment after the Saint Sinner's Party. All she wanted was to get better.  Unfortunately, this kept Team Blair and Dan on the outside.  They were both surprised.  Blair was S’s BFF!  Dan was her who-knows-what!  But even though Serena shut them out they were both still determined to get to the bottom of this Juliet business.  So they turned to their most reliable source: Gossip Girl!  Ask and you shall receive, kids.  Blair and Dan emailed Gossip Girl for info on Juliet and she provided them with an address in Cornwall, Connecticut.  There they could find out some more about the mysterious Ms. Sharp.  So Blair and Dan hopped in Dan’s dad’s weird looking car and took off for CT.  Road trip!

When Blair and Dan arrived at the address, they were taken aback.  It was a mansion with a ton of kids partying in it.  This obviously was the wrong place.  But Blair told Dan not to fear, this was a clue.  They needed to find out exactly why Gossip Girl would give them this address because seriously she would never lead two of her faves astray.  And lo and behold, Blair and Dan found Damien Dalgaard at the party.  Remember that guy?  The one who Jenny lied about losing her virginity to and who also employed her as a drug mule.  Yeah, him.  Well, Damien did good for once and informed them that he’d sold Juliet the drugs she gave to Serena to make her overdose.  Damien seemed to feel kind of bad about the whole thing so he offered to help Blair and Dan track down Juliet.  In fact, he knew her home address since he’s been an acquaintance of hers ever since he was attending Knightley.  Knightley?  That sounds familiar.  Oh, that’s right.  It’s the boarding school Serena went to almost four years ago.  And Juliet?  Well she was never a student there.  No, turns out, she’s a townie!

Who Would Defend Serena's Honor?

Sadly for Blair, Dan and Damien, Juliet saw the threesome in Cornwall and she quickly fled.  Bummer!  But since they didn’t know that, they went to her house in hopes of finding some stuff out.  Juliet’s mom was there and she, well, she didn’t seem like some psycho stalker’s mom.  She seemed kind of sweet.  Weird.  Blair invited herself and the boys in and Juliet’s mom offered them tea while they waited.  How totally nice and not crazy.  Refreshing coming from someone related to Juliet.  Damien told Juliet’s mom that he went to The Knightley School and he knew Juliet from around town.  Juliet’s mom then asked if he knew her son: Ben Donovan.  And that’s when the puzzle pieces started to come together.  Ben was Juliet’s half brother and he was once a teacher at the boarding school.  Who then got fired because he was allegedly sleeping with a student.  A student named Serena van der Woodsen.  OMFG!

Ben Donovan & Serena At Knightley

 Damien told Blair and Dan how Serena had made a sudden change while they were at school together.  In the beginning, she was a party girl who was constantly looking for fun. That's the old Serena we know. Then one day Serena started studying and taking an interest in school.  Especially Mr. Donovan’s English class. While Damien had always wanted to think the best of Serena, he’d witnessed some pretty damning evidence to prove the contrary.  He saw Serena and Ben at a bed and breakfast.  Checking in.  Scandalous!

With Team Blair and Dan hot on her tail, Juliet made a getaway to New York.  She called her brother to tell him she was finishing this.  Once and for all.  Ben was worried.  What else was Juliet going to do?  But before he could talk Juliet out of whatever she was going to do, she hung up.  Ben pleaded with the guards.  He needed to stop Juliet!  Luckily, he saw Nate who was there visiting his father.  Ben told Nate who he was and that he should check on Serena.  Make sure she was okay.  Scary!!!

Juliet Sharp- Satan In Heels

Unfortunately, Juliet got to Serena first.  And it didn’t look good for S.  Serena still didn’t understand why Juliet hated her so much.  Juliet was annoyed.  Geez, Serena.  It’s because you ruined her brother’s life!  But S was confused.  Who was Juliet’s brother?  So Juliet filled her in.  Her brother was Ben Donovan from Knightley!  The teacher S lied and said she had an affair with even though they never so much as kissed!   Once Serena signed an affidavit saying they slept together Ben’s life was over.  Goodbye, freedom and trying to shape young people’s minds.  Hello, plea deal, restrictions and trying not to drop the soap.  Serena didn’t get it.  She didn’t lie and she never signed anything!?  But Juliet saw the affidavit and Serena’s signature was there.  Hmm…If Serena didn’t sign it, who did?

What's The Secret Lily?

 Are you ready to find out?  It was Lily!  OMG!  So Serena and Juliet went to the van der Woodsens

Lily couldn’t believe Serena would do such a thing.  And well, Serena couldn’t believe her mother would do such a thing like putting an innocent man in jail.  Lily explained that when Serena wanted to come back to New York her grades at Knightley were terrible and all the good schools wouldn’t take her.  So she tried to go to Knightley to speak with them.  Perhaps there was something they could do.  But while Lily was on campus she overheard some girls gossiping about Serena having an affair with a teacher.  So Lily used that information to barter with them.  Luckily for Serena, that helped her get into Constance.  Unluckily for Ben, Knightley got the authorities involved and we all know what happened there.  Serena was furious at her mom.  But Lily said she did it all for her daughter.  Besides, what Ben did was wrong.  He took advantage.  But Ben didn’t do anything!  He was 100% innocent!  Oops, guess Lily thought she was doing the right thing/believed her daughter would have an affair.  Everyone was shocked by Lily’s actions.  Especially Rufus.  Who in turn told Chuck about some very secretive yet serious business matters: Lily was planning to sell Bass Industries behind his back.  Chuck was stunned.  It wasn’t Lily’s to sell.  And there was no way he was going to let her do this.  Looks like everyone’s mad at Lily.

Blair Set To Find Out The Truth

All the while, Nate was dealing with his own family drama.  Turns out, his father was just cozying up to his mother because he was up for parole.  Or so it seemed when Nate learned that his dad was secretly renting his own place in upstate New York.  Classic Captain.  Poor Anne.  Nate hated breaking the bad news to his mother but when he went to confront his dad, the Captain told him what he was actually doing.  The house in Rhinebeck was where he and Nate’s mother had vacationed when they were first married.  The Captain only wanted to rent it so that he and his wife could escape there once he was out of jail.  For some, you know, alone time, I guess (ew parents doing that stuff.  Gross, gross, gross).  Oh crap.  Nate really messed things up between his parents.  But even after explaining everything, Nate’s mom still didn’t want anything to do with his dad anymore.  Her standing in society was more important than her standing next to her husband.   So the Captain was headed for a halfway house.  But then Nate had an idea.  Perhaps his dad could come live at The Empire?  The Captain was thrilled.  That sounded amazing.  Excellent.  Awwww.  Father-son bonding FTW!

Where Is The Real Chuck Bass Off To?

As the holidays were approaching, everyone started making their plans.  Chuck was going to New Zealand for what seemed like pleasure.  Though Blair knew the real reason why he was heading down under.  New Zealand was a bit close to Australia.  Where Jack Bass was.  This wasn’t a good idea.  Chuck couldn’t trust Jack to help him save Bass Industries!  But Chuck told her a shared enemy makes for unlikely friends.  Uh oh.

Serena was going to spend her holidays road tripping upstate to find the judge whose name was on the affidavit that put Ben in jail.  Surely, there was something S could do to get Ben out.  Serena invited Dan to join her.  It’d be fun.  The two of them in a car for however long it took to drive upstate.  Kinda romantic, actually.  But Dan told her he shouldn’t.  He needed some time for himself and this was something Serena needed to do on her own.  Where does that leave Derena???  Need to know…

Nate was going to be with his grandfather.  Eric in Gstaad with Elliot.  This left Blair and Dan.  They seemed to be the only ones in the city for the holidays.  And unfortunately both had the same plans to see the same French documentary.  Ugh.  They promised one another if they saw each other at the movie they’d definitely not sit anywhere near one another.  Thank God for that.

But before Serena headed upstate, she made a pit stop.  At the Staten Island jail where Ben was locked up!  Whaaaat?  Serena told Ben she had to see him.  OMFG!  What is she doing there??

Wow.  Wow.  Wow.  So much went down that I’m gonna need a little break.  Good thing the holidays are coming up and I can take a breather for a little bit.  But don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it.  Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.  And Happy New Year.  I see a lot happening in 2011.  I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it.

 Xoxo

Gossip Girl

Live A Lifestyle In The Upper East Side

Gossip Girl never fails to amaze me. The lifestyle of Blair, Serena, Dan, Chuck, Nate, Vanessa & Jenny are just the kind that I have been longing for all my life! The soirees (my french term for party with style), the clothes, shopping, cars, the accessories... you name it and they have it! And while most of the Upper East Side fancy the drama, the scandal and the controversies that comes with being popular, I for one can simply live with all the spectacle.

As a Chuck Bass, more is expected of me. To live the life of a true Upper East Sider means I must in all my ways reflect the life that Chuck Bass lives in. He may not be the ideal character you can bring home to meet your mom but his way of breezing in to life with all the swagger and the attitude is simply so becoming. After all, Chuck Bass is the guy all girls wanted to go out with and the guy every guy wants to be.

So how does one become a part of the Upper East Side- or atleast live like it? Luckily, you don't necessarily have to be filthy rich to live like them; here's how to live a Gossip Girl life if you weren't born in some wealthy Upper East Side family:

Nate, Serena & Dan At GAP

1. Make sure you are popular and talked about. Gossip Girl is, naturally, all about gossip- while sometimes it may be actually harmful, in small amounts it's innocent, fun and very juicy; not to mention it's one of the main ways to popularity. Make your life worthy to be gossiped about; that includes doing some crazy things once in a while (but not so crazy you're looked down at) and making a reputation as a glamor girl/guy. If your popularity, however, is falling, win back the hearts you were once popular among- by throwing the soiree of the year, getting the hottest girls and guys in the school or getting on the cover of a magazine; anything, as long as it's glamorous and it gains the admiration of people around you.

Gossip Girl On The Upper East Side

2. Look the part. Less than perfect looks are not accepted, as the way you look can make you or break you in a Gossip Girl-like world.

• Take good care of yourself. Brand names accessories and other stuff are very often mentioned in the Gossip Girl books. In matters of products used for grooming, buy the best you can afford (well, actually that applies pretty much to everything...). Have a morning beauty routine: take a shower, wash and style. When you can afford, go to beauty salons and spas and have professionals take care of you; it's very relaxing and you get better results.
• Get the style. Trendy clothes, polished look- that's the predominant look in the books. Read fashion magazines and go on style.com to find out about the latest trends. Don't follow trends like crazy, though; having your own style is very appreciated. Just buying a few items in style at the moment will save you from bankruptcy and losing your fashion identity.
• Buy fine, high quality, well-tailored clothes. They don't have to be designer (although a few designer clothes would be more than welcome), but they must be stylish, well-made and somewhat expensive. In matters of clothes, go for a sleek, high-end style. Buy some awesome shoes too. Own at least a designer it bag, if you afford.

Well Mannered Upper East Siders

3. Be well-mannered. As fellow Upper East Siders, the Gossip Girl characters have impeccable manners; they don't want to risk being seen in public doing something that would go off as rude, gross, offensive, impolite or socially unacceptable in any way.

• Never fart, burp, or cuss in public.
• When arguing to someone, don't shout and be elegant in dealing with that person.
• Don't be annoying, and especially not on purpose.
• Be respectful to everyone.
• Learn to apologize and thank people.
• When going to an event, respect the dress code, if there's one.
• Don't drink too much at a party; drunk people are just lame.

The Cast Of GG At The CTW Awards

4. Go to soirees, events and any kind of social gathering; host one every now and then. Have fun, party 'till you drop, meet new people, flirt and dance. Be the center of attention for at least one night. You will be remembered as the girl who entertained everyone at the party and you'll start being invited to more and more events.

5. Be on good terms with your parents. You don't want to be like little J, getting grounded for everything she does wrong. Earn their trust and get allowance from them for partying, consuming alcoholic beverages (don't overdo it and get drunk though, and do not be underage for drinking alcohol) and shopping for everything you want. You never hear of Blair's or Serena's parents getting them grounded for doing these things. 

Confidence Goes With Style

6. Be confident. A gorgeous, privileged teenage you would have no reasons to be insecure, and since you are aiming for this kind of lifestyle, you'll need loads of confidence to make it. Every time you feel down, do something you enjoy, like shopping or relaxing at a spa, for example. Find things you like about yourself and enhance them.

7. Get a glamorous role model. For Blair, it was Audrey Hepburn; you can choose anyone glamorous, or any other fabulous personality you admire. It has to be someone that lives/has lived the way you want to live, so that it's easier to follow. For example, if your dream job is acting, choose an actress as a role model. It doesn't have to be a real person; it can be a character too, even a character from Gossip Girl (like me- Chuck Bass)

8. Be a good student/employee. In the world of people like Blair and Serena, getting excellent grades and being involved in extracurricular activities and charity is very important, as these are bonus points in getting into the college of your dreams and having a rewarding job and reputation later in life.

The Students Of Constance Billard & St. Jude

Blair & Serena BFF

9. Be charismatic and fun to be around. Nobody wants to hang out with a boring, grouchy person. Entertain people, be talkative (but not the annoying, unstoppable, chatterbox-like type of talkative), make jokes and compliment people. Be energetic and have brilliant initiatives and ideas. You'll attract everyone around you.

10. Be well-informed about all the latest trends, events, and news. People will look up to you for ideas of where to hang out, what to wear and what social events to attend. Know all the latest gossip about everyone around you; the juicier, the better.

Cast Of Gossip Girl Rocks The Vote

11. Enjoy the spotlight. Someone who shies away from attention will never be popular. Don't regard attention as a bad thing; instead, learn to use it to your own advantage. Don't be too much of an attention-seeker, though, as it's purely pathetic.

12. Get a clique you will be the alpha of. Generally, a clique is formed of a leader, her best friend (optional) and a few other weaker, more influenceable, less confident, loyal sidekicks. These insecure, less socially skilled person often need a stronger friend to rely on, as it's difficult for them to stand out and be popular on their own. They still have to be somewhat cool and fashionable (forming a clique of losers is unacceptable), but not too much so they can be seen as potential rivals. However, getting such a clique is often seen as social manipulation, and you may consider the other option: forming a group of strong, confident people you are not bored by. This is a more satisfying option for the less bossy, but be aware that such groups often fall apart because the people fight more than in a hierarchy-based clique, where you can silence other people with a look.

13. Be mysterious. Don't always say what you think; if everybody told the truth right the way it is, our lives would be way more boring. Besides, sometimes a little innocent lie or a "spiced up" story is more interesting than the truth, right?

The Not-So-Goody Georgina Sparks

14. Don't be a goody-two-shoes. Gossip Girl characters have a good public image without being completely innocent and "clean". The secret is keeping your naughty side for an exclusive group of people (only your friends and close ones); if you act in a way that can be considered promiscuous with everybody around, rumors will be spread and your reputation can go down.

15. You must have a stunning figure! No one wants to be around someone who is embarrasing to look at. So tighten up those tummies and hush those thunder-thighs, you want to turn heads with your smoking hot bod. (don't flaunt it too much, you don't want to be perceived as a slut...keep it classy.)

So there you have it- the right kind of look with the right kind of lifestyle. You only have one life to live- so live it well. In the Upper East Side, there is no room for mistakes, no room for regrets and no room for pity. All it takes is a good scandal and with this post, I can almost see a new scandal brewing...

XoXo

Spotted: B, C, N & D. MIA: S

Spotted: B with Dorota at Bergdorf’s buying a bunch of winter accessories.  She also picked up a totally cute hat for baby Ana.  Reunited friends N and D grabbing burgers at the Shake Shack.  So happy these two got kissed by the same girl and made up.  C entering his office building.  Word has it he’s been really busy with tons of meetings after his epic party.  MIA: S.  But I mean wouldn’t you be after all that went down at Saints and Sinners?

Serena was a very bad girl at the Saints and Sinners party.  It was like it was 2006 all over again.  Kissing two guys in one night, outing her BFF’s sexual escapades, S was definitely out of control.  Though it seemed pretty out of character for her.  Even old Serena wouldn’t do things that nefarious.  Oh, old Serena.  Remember her?  She was much more about just having fun.  At any cost, of course.  Wonder what’s up with S…But what I’m really wondering is, WHO IS SERENA CHOOSING: DAN OR NATE?!?!?!  An answer please!!