Movie Watch! - Ratatouille

Ratatouille (2007) - An absolute, undeniable delight in every sense of the word. Amidst a glut of CGI movies that have spanned the range from painfully boring (Meet the Robinsons) to downright mediocre (too many to list...), Ratatouille delivers in a way that only Pixar can. This may not be a touchstone film like Finding Nemo or Toy Story 2, but this film is certainly the most splendidly hilarious of all those that have come before it. And even if director Brad Bird didn't mean to make this a love letter to Paris, it comes at a time when cinema is showcasing the beauty of the city on many fronts, even if rats happen to be a part of that vision. It's not a morally forceful film, it's not particularly heavy in any way, but it has all the rich delight of the best mousse au chocolat. 9.5/10

Movie Watch! - Un amour à taire

Un amour à taire (A Love to Hide) (2005) - Compare the French and American covers of the film above. The American cover emphasizes the joyous moments and the awards or festivals or whatever this film has been in. The French cover reveals just how dark and rather depressing this film can be. It's really not a very happy film by a long shot. I think the American cover tends to skit around the fact that this is a film set in the severe Antisemitism of World War II France. Yikes. Anyways, on the the movie. It was pretty respectful, adequate, decent. Jérémie Renier (who will star with Gaspard Ulliel in next year's The Vintner's Luck) and Bruno Todeschini (who was in 2004's Le dernier jour with Gaspard) play Jean and Philippe, lovers of four years who have fallen into a certain pattern of everyday life, keeping their love hidden from society. Jean's older brother, Jacques, is the black sheep of the family who seeks to become the prodigal son after he is released from jail. With Jacques's misbehavior, Jean stands to inherit the family laundry business. Sara, a Jewish girl and childhood love of Jean, escapes the Third Reich and winds up back in Jean's life. As a Jewish refugee, she takes on the identity of Yvonne Brunner and blends into society as best she can. Jacques becomes enamored with Yvonne. Trouble ensues. It's a fairly classical situation in some ways, except set in the heart-wrenching reign of the Third Reich, and while the film tries to encompass messages on homosexual love, familial loyalty, divided affection, war morality, it never quite accomplishes to do any in a real convincing manner. On top of that, they try to portray the role of the non-Jew in the labor and internment camp system. Great attempt, but director Christian Faure just tries to do far too much with too little time. Overly ambitious, somewhat unfocused, but with a few very decent performances from the leads. 6/10

Fatal Bazooka Might Be Insane

Because there are a few reasons to avoid France (et tu n'aime pas les boules des mecs!).

Who Needs A Shirt?

Who knew the wonderful Washington Post had such wonderfully gorgeous topics to discuss? And to analyze his coverage here, Chris Evans is wearing a shirt in 4 out of 5 pictures, which is 80% of the time. It just felt wrong to show too much, even if the Washington Post thinks it's okay. Maybe some other day...

Men's Spring 2008 - Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen has apparently fallen in love with 1950s surf culture and Americana. That's a far cry from his past collections, which have been inspired by everything from World War II to Lord of the Flies. It's safe to say that this collection is a whole measure brighter and enlivened than many have come to expect from McQueen. On the whole, his concept came off beautifully. Without any ideological theme riding too heavily on the clothes, every look was lighter and more approachable than ever before, without losing that signature McQueen edginess. He continued the season's trend of shorter shorts and cropped pants, paired with lengthier coats and parkas in more assertive colors. Fabrics spanned the range from cotton suiting in shades of white polka-dot, to slicked and soaked black wool Men in Black looks, with hippie cotton "love" shirts, extra-long sock-hop cardigans, and Technicolor neoprene diving pants all in between. While that sounds like a maddening mix, McQueen deft hand and sharp editing kept it all under control. With pieces like shark-print and flower-embroidered t-shirts, down-to-earth plaid shorts, and a few easy trousers and trenches, this collection was also built to sell. It was a bright, wet delight that was filled with easy statement pieces that I'm quite sure men will want to start wearing now. But, alas, we have until 2008 to wait!

Oh Lordy...

Because you haven't laughed yet today.

Men's Spring 2008 - Marni

Consuelo Castiglione sent out a spectacular collection last season that I absolutely fell in love with. After seeing that collection, as well as finally seeing some pieces in person at Nordstrom Downtown Seattle, I've grown quite fond of what Castiglione has in mind for the Marni man. Her latest collection for Spring did not disappoint. She sent out a stream of wearable clothing in unmistakably Marni length: the shorts were short, the pants were cropped right above the ankle, and the short-sleeved shirts reached down to the elbow. The fabrics were deeply saturated and lightweight, with a slight sheen to some that will bode well in the cloudy summer days of Seattle, like today. It almost felt like this was a cross between Raf Simons for Jil Sander and Band of Outsiders. Which actually turned out to be a very good thing. Now if only I could afford it...

YouTube Watch! Music Video Edition! Yay!

Because you still can't get enough Paolo.

Because you love a good trip (and Of Montreal knows how to give it to you).

Because you love videos that make you feel, well, beautiful.

Boo Wal-Mart!

Boo! Wal-Mart, you may have the lowest prices around, but you're certainly quite the pushover. Shame on you!

YouTube Watch!

Because you haven't had enough of '80s dance music and you miss big, feathery hair.

Because you love James McAvoy but you don't have the heart to watch "Band of Brothers" (or maybe you just never had HBO).

Because British people are lovable but completely insane and Starter for Ten is taking forever to be released in America.

Because you love Louis Garrel's extremely fast French and you know he looks so much better on film than in photographs (like James McAvoy!).

Because Latvian pop makes you incomparably happy.

Gasp(ard)!

Luxury On The Rise In Seattle?

Seattle Times Business Reporters Melissa Allison and Monica Soto Ouchi recently discussed the implications of the Barneys relocation on the luxury retail sector in Seattle. Opening June 29, the new Barneys isn't exactly a gigantic upgrade in terms of selling space. In fact, at 16,448 square feet, roughly 1/3 bigger than the old location on 5th in the City Centre mall, it’s significantly smaller than the new locations that Barneys has opened in Boston and Dallas. This new store isn't as much about expansion as it is about increased visibility. The old store, having stood in the same location next to Butch Blum and across from the Red Lion since 1990, was only frequented by the fashionably in-the-know of Seattle and the curious tourists and business travelers staying in hotels. Its location was closer to the luxury intersection of 5th and University than it was to the central shopping core near Westlake. Many Seattleites actually had no idea there was even a Barneys in the city to begin with. It was simply out of the way for those not looking for it. This new store is all about heralding a new Seattle image for the store. Located in Pacific Place, the location will likely receive significantly increased amounts of foot traffic among both locals and visitors alike. Pacific Place’s parking garage is well-known to be one of the most affordable, often mentioned in tour books and visitor's guides. The shopping center, along with the flagship Nordstrom directly across the sky bridge, form what many consider to be the heart of downtown Seattle shopping.

In particular, the location is interesting in how it will reshape shopping in Seattle. As far as shopping for luxury brands goes, Barneys doesn’t have a particular edge over other Seattle shopping meccas. According to the Pacific Place website, the store will offer "Balenciaga, Lanvin and Prada for women and Jil Sander, Paul Smith and Dries Van Noten for men. The CO-OP will offer Vince, DVF, Trovata and Rogan." Balenciaga and Lanvin have been on offer for women at Nordstrom for a couple of years now, with Prada, Paul Smith, and Rogan available at Mario's just down the street. Butch Blum has a decent selection of Jil Sander for men, while Trovata can be found at Ian, Blackbird, and even at Nordstrom now. Contemporary brands Vince and DVF are carried in several boutiques and department stores in the area.

While surely the buyers have chosen completely unique selections, there aren't many brands names in Seattle that aren't on offer at at least one other store, one that is also likely to be considered more of a Seattle institution than Barneys has been in the past 17 years. Mario's, Butch Blum, and of course Nordstrom have all been here longer and gained very loyal customer bases. Barneys customers include a wide array of decidedly fashion-conscious and experimental shoppers, from the visiting tourist who may not be back very regularly, to the fluttery fashionista who only comes in to buy the things she wants and doesn't feel as much loyalty to any particular store. Barneys may have a stellar shoe selection, but Nordstrom still has more Louboutins and Manolos. Barneys is great, but at this point they’re just another player in the increasingly crowding luxury market. With Neiman Marcus and the Bravern opening in Bellevue, Barneys will really need to differentiate their product selection to bring buyers in. To Barneys’ disadvantage, their service isn’t exactly legendary and they have no ties to the Northwest. To the average shopper, the biggest thing Barneys has going for them at this point is their famous name, made iconic in “Sex and the City” and “Will and Grace.” While Barneys indeed had a sizable amount of return customers, the biggest opportunity in this relocation will be to increase sales with increased visibility and foot traffic. This location in Pacific Place should definitely help in that respect, but how far will that take them? How many loyal Nordstrom and Mario’s customers will they be able to convert?

Just how much will the new Barneys influence downtown shopping? It will certainly help polarize the luxury shopping core to the north and south ends of the shopping district, with luxury department store and jewelry shopping to the north and boutique shopping to the south. It will build some prestige and fight the Seattle stereotype of flannel and Birkenstocks. But ultimately, only time will tell what, if anything, will really change downtown.

Cross-posted via The Fashion Investor

The Fashion Investor

Hey there! Check out The Fashion Investor! It's full of the sort of wonderfully fashion-oriented stuff that you'd see here, with a bit more of a business slant. Anything I write is cross-posted here, but there's much more over there that's going to go up very soon! Check it out!

Lino Villaventura

Lino Villaventura made waves at São Paulo Fashion Week with a gorgeous collection that reminded me of the deeply romantic, tortured angels and ghosts that avant-garde Japanese designers like Jun Takahasi of Undercover have been playing with on-and-off for years. Bravo! It was a wonderfully, deliriously haunting trip.

Via Made in Brazil

Gasp(ard)!

If you haven't seen Jean-Pierre Jeunet's A Very Long Engagement, you should. I watched it again this weekend and learned a few things about the French language, a few things about World War I, and a few things about how gorgeous Gaspard Ulliel is. These caps are from a deleted scene (merci el_aka...). Netflix it now!

Designer Watch! - Riccardo Tisci

When Riccardo Tisci debuted his eponymous ready-to-wear line in Milan for the Fall 2005 season, it was a gothic masterpiece unlike anything else happening in Milan at the time. The collection recalled the works of other young upstarts like Olivier Theyskens, encompassing beautifully envisioned romanticism infused with a rich, dark edginess. Just as quickly as he was listed as one-to-watch, he was snatched up by Givenchy to take over the design helm for both ready-to-wear and couture. The word is that he got the job because he never once mentioned the legacy of Audrey Hepburn, who was Hubert de Givenchy’s muse, an influence that would continue to dominate the Givenchy legacy long past its relevance. In just 2 short years, he’s taken the house to places Ms. Hepburn never could have imagined. Instead of working within the same frameworks of the Givenchy name, Tisci threw it all out and the window and started fresh. His latest collection for the house had a naval/nautical theme, unique in Tisci’s flair for dramatic silhouettes and even more dramatic detailing. Bolts of pleated chiffon floated over thigh-high leather boots and under thick navy wool coats with oversized lapels embellished with gigantic gold studs. And in terms of what makes it to the selling floor, Tisci has consistently proved his ability to cut a mean pair of trousers and a sharp LBD. Now that the revival of the handbag division is also underway (as seen on the arms of the Olsen twins, among others), Riccardo Tisci’s Givenchy will be a force to be reckoned with.

Cross-posted via FabGrind and The Fashion Investor

Movie Watch! - Paris, je t'aime

Paris, je t'aime (2006) - Just released in America in May, this movie is for anybody who's in love with Paris. Francophiles like me will enjoy it very much. Those who don't may feel a bit lost. Here are my favorite segments:

- Quais de Seine - written by Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha, directed by Gurinder Chadha - It's the story of a teenage boy who helps a Muslim girl in need, much to the guffaw of his pig-headed friends.
- Le Marais - written and directed by Gus Van Sant - Gorgeous, lovely, incredible Gaspard Ulliel is an artist's assistant, who reveals his heart to a stranger, Elias McConnell, in an incredibly charming monologue.
- Loin du 16ème - written and directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas - Cataline Sandino Moreno is Ana, a mother and housekeeper who sees the parallels between the classes.
- Place des Victoires - written and directed by Nobuhiro Suwa - Juliette Binoche is a mother who deals with the loss of her son in a touching portrait of loss.
- Quartier des Enfants Rouges - written and directed by Olivier Assayas - Maggie Gyllenhaal is an American actor in Paris who feels a connection with her drug dealer.
- Faubourg Saint-Denis - written and directed by Tom Tykwer - Natalie Portman's blind Parisian boyfriend recounts their whirlwind of a relationship in his mind.
- 14ème Arrondissement - written and directed by Alexander Payne - Margo Martindale is a mail deliverer from Denver who recounts her transition to Paris as a woman alone in a foreign land.

Some segments lull, but these seven (and a few others) are charming little slivers of a city that looks as romantic as anything imaginable. Even when romance in Paris goes sour, it has the feel of dreamy wonder, like it was meant to happen in a city as wondrous as the one each director presents. It really made me want to go to Paris, really, really badly. Even the bad looks good, dammit! 8/10

More Paolo

Because focusing on just Gaspard wouldn't be fair.

Just Watch...

Movie Watch! - Waitress

Waitress (2007) - A delectably wondrous confection, light and airy like a tangy-sweet lemon meringue pie. That's a perfect description for the late Adrienne Shelly's final film, who wrote, directed, and has a supporting role in this warm-spirited comedy about Jenna, a Southern waitress/pie-making genius who's stuck in a terrible marriage to a terribly insecure, controlling man. Jenna comes to life in a revelatory performance from Keri Russell, who makes Jenna shine through all the doldrums of her life with an irresistible charm and a heartbreaking smile. Her husband Earl is played by Jeremy Sisto, who is equally important in making us understand the difficult situation Jenna faces. For as awful and horrid as Earl, he seems like he might genuinely love Jenna on some level. Whether it's driven by insecurity and fear or by pure mental instability isn't known for sure, and this ambiguity is delivered to perfection by Sisto. Jenna's ob-gyn Dr. Pomatter (played by the clean-cut, sweetly handsome Nathan Fillion) is a wonderful, loving, married man, maybe also a little crazy, but purely kind in every way to Jenna. She could leave the man who clings so desperately to her for this man, but who's to say he'd be right to leave his wife? There's a ton of side characters that we all fall for, and while the movie seems to change moods sporadically, music and attitude and all, it's still an effectively delightful time, even if it is rather fluffy overall. 7/10

Movie Watch! - No Night Is Too Long

No Night Is Too Long (2002) - Lee Williams might be really, really attractive, but this is some of the most amateur bullshit I have ever seen, even by made-for-television movie standards. The script itself wasn't that horrendous, but when you take a mediocre script, add a paltry budget, indifferent directing, and a few painfully awful performances, you get something worth watching only for the eye candy. And even in this case, that only gets it a 4/10.

Photos via BBC

Movie Watch! - Grande école

Grande école (2004) - After watching La Doublure and seeing how absolutely stunning Alice Taglioni looked, I decided to watch some of her other films. I looked at my Netflix queue and realized that Grande école was already in my queue, so I moved it to the top. It was everything I would have suspected it to be: a film that tries to a say a lot about everything. Writer/director Robert Salis attempts to tackle sexual politics, racial and religious inequity, class division as a whole in France, class division within the elite class itself, and even the difference between business and humanities. There was just so much going on that it was difficult to keep it all in order at times, but I was captivated enough to keep watching. Gregori Baquet plays Paul, a student who comes to the top business school from the southwest part of France, a countryman at heart who feels angst at his wealthy parents' choice to keep him away from the blue-collar construction workers they employed. He continues to stand up for the lower-class worker, even as those around him question his choice. He lives in an apartment with nerdy redhead Chouquet and the studly handsome, extremely well-bred, water polo-playing Louis-Arnault (played by Jocelyn Quivrin, who was actually in Syriana). Paul's girlfriend Agnès (Taglioni) notices Paul's increasing fascination with Louis-Arnault and, feeling as though it could end the security within her relationship, decides to make a risky, rather psychotic bet with Paul: whoever can seduce Louis-Arnault first "wins". Bizarre. Very bizarre. At the same time, Paul becomes physically intimate with one of the workers at his school, a Frenchman of Arab descent whom Paul stood up for when he was being chided on the job. The sexual entanglements of all these young, gorgeous French folk is fascinating when their clothes are off, neurotic when their clothes are on, and just a little discomforting to see unfold. The cinematography, which takes into account a strong sense of the scenery's architecture, is often breathtaking, the direction is well-paced and focused, and the characters feel intense, but real, in a way nobody on The WB's wimpy dramas could ever comprehend. Quivrin's entire wardrobe was furnished by Lanvin, which alone makes this film worth watching. I did have a problem with casting Baquet for the role of Paul. He looked almost too old, his hair was distastefully bleached, and he just didn't fit into the vision of gorgeous but misguided country bourgeois that I had in my mind. I think even Gaspard Ulliel would have been a fine choice for the role. But that's just wishful thinking. 8/10

Young British...Designers?

YBA has long stood for Young British Artist, a term art historians have used to categorize all the avant-garde and post-modernist London "youngsters" blowing up in the art world for the past couple of decades. This has included everybody from Damien Hirst to Marcus Harvey. However, the past couple of years in the fashion world has given rise to a new breed of creative Londoner: the Young British Designer. Long regarded as an experimental, if not always spectacular, breeding ground for new talent, London Fashion Week has recently become a much more exciting place to be. Even those YBDs who aren't exactly in their 20s are still worth watching, if only because they're injecting something so much more exhilarating into fashion than the usual art school fashion major. Here are some names to watch:

Christopher Kane - Currently the most promising of the crowd, Kane's body-hugging elastic band construction has garnered comparisons to Hervé Léger (whose own vintage creations are popping up on starlets all over Hollywood). For Spring 2007, his look was loud, brash, and party-ready. Think hyperneon pinks and oranges with day-glo yellows and greens, topped off with gigantic Swarovski zipper pulls. His Fall 2007 collection brought about a sense of maturity, evident in the more muted color palette - mostly black, with shots of deep scarlet, amber, and emerald - and mid-thigh hem lengths instead of last season's hyper-micro-mini. Kane's sense of color and detailing has set him apart from the other Gianni Versace-revivalists, so much so that Donatella herself has hired Kane as a part-time consultant. Ikram in Chicago, which bought his entire first collection on exclusive for America, promptly sold out in just a few days. When wider distribution comes about, expect the same massive hysteria from coast to coast.

Marios Schwab - For this 28 year-old designer, flashbacks to the late 1980s and early 1990s aren't about crazy coke-fueled partying - he was still just a young chap back then. Fair enough, but can someone so young bring back an era that many are desperate to forget? Well, Schwab is trying, with mostly promising results. His Fall 2007 collection wasn't his strongest, with Schwab evidently trying to capture the 1980s by mixing Azzedine Alaïa body-hugging silhouettes with an unfortunate Laura Ashley-esque floral print. What worked best were his breezy frocks in a black paisley scarf-print silk chiffon, as well as his wide selection of very sellable sportswear and cocktail dresses in solid black and ecru. While his identity may be based on an Alaïa-revival philosophy, he certainly needs to develop this more commercial range before he can make it in the big leagues of Paris.

Giles Deacon - The oldest of the crowd, Deacon has garnered a lot of attention for his recent S&M/punk-inspired collaboration with Mulberry, purveyor of fine, conservative leather goods. Often featured in Harper's Bazaar, his work takes on exotic, directional visions of something very beautiful in nature. Within every collection, he falls somewhere between timelessly elegant and youthfully irreverent. For Fall 2007, he focused on the most dramatic aspects of creatures that humans tend to overlook. He incorporated the textures and patterns of both bird plumage and sea-creature skins, bold and rich and oh-so-beautiful. With his recent collaboration with British chain New Look and his new position as head designer for the more-upscale British company Daks, Deacon has secured quite a bit of financial success for his future.

Gareth Pugh - Initially criticized for making clothing that was more about theatrics than, well, clothing, Gareth Pugh is still fairly resistant to producing a runway show filled with anything that will hit the sales floor. While his theatrics have earned him comparisons to last decade's big YBD, Alexander McQueen, it still remains to be seen whether Pugh follow in McQueen's footsteps and tone things down to a wearable dimension. There's no doubt that he can make a killer coat - see here - but more often than not his work is drowned in a sea of almost Surrealist insanity. With his various editorial features in W over the past several months, it's hard to deny that he must be doing something right.

The Scoop!

1) Handsome GORGEOUS stranger! (Via Made in Brazil)

2) Eve wears a fantastic Christopher Kane creation near the end of her equally fantastic new video for "Tambourine"

3) "Shameless" is a pretty darn addictive British television series centered around the struggles of the Gallagher siblings, who have a missing mother and an absent drunk of a father. Good stuff. Look for James McAvoy's recurring role in season one. Hehe.

4) Roland Garros! Watch it! Serbians are taking over on both the men's and women's draws, with Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, and Novak Djokovic all in the semis. Djokovic cleans up very nicely, played an exceptionally efficient match against Igor Andreev in the quarters, and was a good enough sport to go crazy (and take his shirt off) singing "I Will Survive" in the laundry/karaoke room at the stadium. Good man! Roger Federer may be the epitome of class, good style, incomparable tennis skills, and all that good stuff, but I just want to give Djokovic a big ole' hug when he tries to speak English.

Fall In Love With Ryan McGinley

At 30, Ryan McGinley is the toast of the town. He is, of course, the photographer extraordinaire of the moment. His work is at once dreamily ethereal and starkly real. The editorial he did with Kate Moss in the June issue of W is somewhere between romantic and nightmarish, like poetic purgatory. He is, simply, a very talented man whose work is worth a glimpse. But, if you're like me, you'll find yourself taking more than just a glimpse. You'll be captivated.

Five Men’s Brands To Watch

3.1 Phillip Lim

New York designer Phillip Lim already has a fledgling women’s line, stocked in virtually every upscale boutique and department store from Mercer to Mario’s. Now, men can get in on his modern design sensibility and upscale construction for prices that are a relatively good value for what you get. It’s the Marni man look for around half the price. From $145 for shirts to $875 for trenches, all prices approximate.

Available online at barneys.com and shopjake.com.

Band of Outsiders

Named after Jean-Luc Godard’s 1964 classic French Nouvelle Vague film, Band of Outsiders has been seen everywhere lately, from James Franco on the red carpet to Justin Long in the “Get a Mac” ads. Smart shirts and slick skinny ties give off a less severe version of the Dior Homme look, all at a more affordable price. From $170 to $300 for shirts, about $125 to $145 for ties, all prices approximate.

Available in Seattle at Blackbird and online at barneys.com, shopjake.com and others.

A.P.C.

A.P.C. (which stands for Ateliers de production et de Creation) has quietly gained a cult following among guys who love clean looks, free of labels and infused with just the right amount of French preppy cool. Their well-made, straight-leg dark denim has been extremely popular, often seen in GQ and Details, and their entire summer line is selling out online. Jeans from $140, t-shirts from $50, collection from about $125 to $450, all prices approximate.

Available in Seattle at Blackbird and online at apc.fr.

Helmut Lang

While Mr. Lang himself parted ways with the label that bears his name in 2005, the brand has recently relaunched under the helm of Michael and Nicole Colovos, the duo behind denim label Habitual. They’ve recreated Lang’s downtown cool, sleek and monochromatic aesthetic, now within the bridge price range (a step above contemporary, a step below designer). Expect modern, texturally intriguing fabrics and cuts, including filmy, bias-cut tees, gauzy, twisted seam sweaters, and well-made city parkas. Collection from $105 to $680, all prices approximate.

Available in Seattle at Barneys New York and online at barneys.com.

Theory

Recently acquired by Japanese investors, Theory has long been synonymous with subtle, understated cool. They made their name on their precision-cut trousers in modern fabrics, such as cotton-polyamide-lycra weaves. They’ve expanded their collection to include a variety of shirts, sweaters, and jackets appropriate for any occasion both uptown and downtown, on a business trip or in Easthampton. Trousers about $225, collection from $65 for t-shirts to $875 for leather jackets, all prices approximate.

Available in Seattle at Barneys New York and Nordstrom Downtown and online.

Directory

Barneys New York
Downtown Seattle on 5^th Avenue in City Centre
New location in Pacific Place opening June 29
barneys.com
206.622.6300

Blackbird
Ballard
helloblackbird.blogspot.com
206.547.2524

Jake
Chicago
shopjake.com
773.271.5253

Nordstrom
Downtown Seattle
nordstrom.com
206.628.2111

Roland Garros!

Tommy Robredo (newer above and older below)

Filippo Volandri (above and below)

The French Open is in full-swing! Maria Sharapova fought hard to beat Switzerland's Patty Schnyder in three sets: 3-6, 6-4, 9-7. Schnyder had two match points, but Sharapova miraculously kept on slamming forward. Yikes! Serena Williams, the last American in the draw, whooped past Marat Safin's sister Dinara Safina in straight sets: 6-2, 6-3. On the men's side, Roger Federer, much adored by America's magazine editors, swept past Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets. He now faces (the very handsome) Tommy Robredo, who beat (also very handsome) Filippo Volandri in three sets. Very oddly, Robredo and Volandri wore identical outfits on the court: the same headband, shirt, shorts, and shoes. Both were even wearing watches. If not for Robredo's floppy hair, there would be no way to tell them apart. Ah! The wonders of Roland Garros!