Chado Ralph Rucci 2011 Resort Collection is wonderful! I love the Asian flavors in some of these.

[via]

MP3: Baddies – We Beat Our Chests
[Off Wir Schlagen Unsere Brust EP, available for Free Download]

Plot: The team comes to rescue Parker when she gets trapped helping her former mentor. The con victim is a VP at a global agricultural firm.

Thoughts: This episode is more rescue than con – a pleasant change of pace from Leverage‘s usual episode structure. I like how Season Three has focused more on the family aspect of the team. Lisa Brenner puts in a phenomenal performance – I think she’s one of the best villains of the series. The aspects of the con in this one are less important – they exist to get Hardison in the door and, once he’s in, are superfluous. I also think it’s fascinating the writers are using techniques of the con, such as images planted in the subconscious inspiring action later (pay attention to what Nate’s watching on TV at the first of the episode). The scripting in this show is so excellent. Plus they’re throwing in easter eggs for fans (hello Parker’s bunny) – repeat viewings are well rewarded.

[Rebecca Taylor Resort 2011 Collection]

I can’t decide if this is totally cool or totally ridiculous.

AudioDrums has a great track I just have to repost – Wamdue Project with Jessica Tondor. “Paths” continues the chill vibe I’ve been favoring the past week.

MP3: Wamdue Project – Paths (ft. Jessica Tonder)

From the Dsquared² Resort 2010 collection.

Plot: Cheryl West (Virginia Madsen), determined to go straight, takes a job in a supermarket, which leads to a confrontation with the sleazy boss and an accusation of stealing from the register. Cal is working for the Hongs and finds himself in a decidedly unprofessional relationship with Mrs. Hong. Heather talks Hope’s screenwriting partner into shooting a modeling session.

Thoughts: Well, it was an improvement over the first episode, but so far this show is still just cycling through cliches rather than giving anything new or thoughtful. The unimaginative Cheryl-gets-framed plot was redeemed somewhat by the way it was resolved. Less forgiving is the Heather-wants-to-be-a-model subplot, which has gotten more tedious and ended the episode in a totally preposterous fashion. It seems the writers are just flopping back and forth between cliche and dreamland, skipping over everything in between. Unfortunately the in between is what makes good shows.

At this point, the only characters of any interest are Cheryl and Cal. Hope is more boring than engaging thus far, but at least she gives a glimmer of optimism. The rest of the cast is just rolling out well-worn roles. The police detective who doubts the ex-con, the detective’s idiot assistant, the store manager who harasses his female staff. Yawn.

One more week I think – if episode 3 doesn’t give something notable this show will probably drop by the wayside.

I’ve posted on The Hundred In The Hands before, and this new remix is both (1) a great excuse to repost the above photo, which I love, and (2) enough reason for a post in and of itself. It’s got a nice Air chill vibe to it – for whatever reason those type tracks have been sounding really good to me lately.