So, David and I made it home safe and sound and as I sit here in his apartment in NYC I cannot help but think back fondly our our amazing trip to Reykjavik, Iceland. It was entirely too short but well worth the effort. Since we did one big thing each day there wasn’t a lot of downtime for us to just enjoy for the sake of enjoying. Thinking back, I’d've loved to been able to just walk around, sit on a park bench or just lay on the moss covered lava rocks. I felt such a sense of peace there … I can’t wait to go back. We’ve already begun talking about a possible quick trip back … I guess we’ll see.

For our last few hours in the city, David and I made our way down to the harbor to check out the area there. On the advice of Pink reader Hona, we sought out a place called The Sea Baron to try their lobster soup — OMG, it was just delicious beyond belief. Much, much love to you Hona for the suggestion … I’m so glad we got to sup there before we had to leave. We did a bit more shopping in the area — the Icelandic handcrafted items are so beautiful, I had a hard time not buying everything in sight. David and I took great pains to make sure everything we bought was made in Iceland out of Icelandic materials. I brought home a few wool hats, a pair of soft and waterproof gloves and lots of books and runic items. Here are a few pics of our last hours in Iceland. To my glee and amazement, we saw a huge full, clear rainbow as we were driving towards the airport … it was the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen in my life, these pics do not do it justice:

Additionally, as if seeing that full rainbow wasn’t cool enough, as we were flying away from the Iceland coast, I saw another rainbow below the plane reach from the clouds to the ground below … you really can’t see it in the cameraphone pic I snapped but … it was just beautiful.

Our flight home was lovely, Icelandair is a great carrier … wonderful service, great amenities and really comfy, roomy seats. David and I somehow got the best seats in the coach area so we were very pleased.

For those of you who were reading my Twitter updates yesterday (the “pink sheep” ones) this picture is for you:

I think I like them now … but I’m still pissed I didn’t get a My Melody. Ah well.

And that was our trip. Tonight, David and I are meeting up with his sister and aunt Judy for dinner … it looks like it’s gonna rain here but somehow it’s not as charming or alluring as it was in Iceland. Go figure.

• Lance Bass says he is “happy” for Clay Aiken.
• MacKenzie Phillips is doing “great” in rehab.
• 50 Cent starts a new beef with Jay-Z.
• Britain to Busta Rhymes: “No Thanks“.
• Fight the Power has been named the Best Hip-Hop Song of all Time.
• Clay Aiken did not enjoy a big payday for his coming out story/baby photos in People magazine.
• David Letterman doesn’t let McCain get away with lying to him.
• Paris, France erects the first skyscraper in the city limits in 30 years.
• Tom Ford does Vanity Fair magazine.
• Jessica Alba shares her lurve of the beach with her daughter Honor Marie.
• Aubrey O’Day‘s dog is a hot tranny mess.
• The Jolie-Pitts say Au Revoir to France and Guten Tag to Germany.
• David Blaine survives another pointless stunt.
• T.I. is 28, Catherine Zeta-Jones is 39, Will Smith is 40 and Mark Hamill is 57 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.
• Click HERE to see which celebs are FOR marriage equality in California and are AGAINST Proposition 8.
• Charlize Theron does not get The Hills.
• Who needs to watch True Blood for the vampires when the totally nekkid men is reason enough. (NSFW)

Fortunately, David and I arrived from Reykjavik, Iceland in time to watch last night’s ep of Project Runway on TV. We were a bit tired an hungry but there was no way we were gonna miss seeing last night’s ep. Overall, there was a whole lotta mess on the runway last night … I could barely stop Twittering all ep long:

The designers were challenged to design a look for one of the other designers using a genre of music as their inspiration. LL Cool J was on hand for celeb guest judging duties. After the jump, find out who was in, who was out and who was able to follow their muse and create the hottest design for the episode titled Rock N’ Runway …

Nicole Richie has updated the Richie-Madden Foundation website with a new video explaining the new initiative to help raise money for the Beyond Shelter organization. This from the organization’s website:

Founded in 1988, the mission of Beyond Shelter is to develop systemic approaches to combat poverty and homelessness among families with children and enhance family economic security and well-being. Beyond Shelter accomplishes its goals through responsive service delivery, people-centered community development, and the creation of knowledge for social change.

Nicole and Joel Madden have decided to use the power of their foundation to help raise awareness and much-needed funds for this very needy organization by launching a Text-to-Donate program (Text “CHILD” to “90999″ to donate $5) whereby folks can easily donate money to Beyond Shelter. Here is a new video which features one of Nicole‘s visits to Beyond Shelter and a personal letter explaining her desire to help raise money for this organization. I urge you to watch the video in its entirety to get a good feel for what is being asked of you:

This past year, philanthropy has opened my eyes to so much need and so much beauty. I have also realized how easy it is to help, and how rewarding it feels to be able to make a positive difference in someone’s life.

Last week, my friend Carlos and I brought a video camera to Beyond Shelter. Just the two of us. There are 175 children with families here, most of whom have been homeless at some point.

Today, they play in a concrete courtyard. Because of the neighborhood they live in, they have nowhere else to play. I met a woman who has ten children living in a three-bedroom apartment. The Beyond Shelter rec room only allows ten kids at a time. I wish you could all go there with me and see.

I’d like to share with you a glimpse of these beautiful children through my eyes.

Please watch this video, Text “CHILD” to “90999″ up to 5 times, share this with as many people as you can — and ask them, from your heart, to join you in bringing more light and laughter to these beautiful faces.

It’s just you and me making this happen. There is so much we can do together to help. A playground is just the beginning. We can change the world — you and I.

I’m asking from my heart, and I cannot do it without your help. Please, you guys. Thank you for watching, texting and passing it on.

Peace & love,

Nicole

It it’s first week, the Text-to-Donate program raised an average of $1,400 every day from individual $5 donations by texting “CHILD” to “90999″. Additionally, the RMF is asking folks to not just donate once but to take the Ask5 Pledge and ask five friends to text “CHILD” to “90999″. I have already texted my donation because I absolutely believe in what the Richie Madden Foundation is trying to accomplish. These kids have nothing, let’s help them get a playground to help brighten their lives just a little. It doesn’t take much from each of us individually to help a group of needy kids gain so much. I think this campaign is very worthwhile and I urge each of you to help out if you can.

[Source, Source]

Very, very sad news today … unbeknownst to me, it has been recently announced that two of my favorite Broadway musicals will be closing within the next few weeks. Xanadu, it was previously announced, was scheduled to end its Broadway run on October 12 but has had their closing night moved up to this weekend! Legally Blonde is scheduled to close on October 19. Fortunately, both shows will live on in touring versions that will travel around the country but their respective runs on Broadway are, sadly, very close at hand:

Xanadu, the Tony-nominated musical based on the infamous flop film of the same name, will end its run two weeks earlier than recently announced. The producers of the musical had announced Sept. 16 that the musical comedy at the Helen Hayes Theatre would end its run Oct. 12. A new closing date was announced Sept. 23: Xanadu will now play its final Broadway performance Sept. 28 at 3 PM. The producers released a statement saying that the decision to close the show early was made to avoid losses in the current economic climate … Xanadu received four 2008 Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical. The Xanadu cast recording is available on the PS Classics label. The national tour of Xanadu will kick off in November at the La Jolla Playhouse, followed by a six-month run at Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre. Additional tour dates will be announced at a later time. A foreign production recently opened in Seoul, Korea. Plans are underway for productions in London (co-produced with David Ian and John Gore), China, Australia and the Philippines.

After 595 performances and 30 previews, LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL will play its final performance on Sunday, October 19, 2008. The show opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets) on April 29, 2007 following preview performances that began on April 3, 2007. The musical will continue to play across the country, in over 35 cities, on its first national tour. “Producing Legally Blonde has been one of the highlights of my career. Much like Elle Woods, the entire company, creative team and crew has worked with heart, wit, enthusiasm, integrity and style throughout the entire, thrilling run. I can’t wait for the rest of the country to be able to experience the show live,” said LEGALLY BLONDE’s lead producer Hal Luftig … The first national tour of LEGALLY BLONDE kicked off on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at Rhode Island’s PPAC.

I understand from Pink reader Jamie that another fun Broadway musical [title of show] (which I have not been able to see) is also closing after opening this past July (it is scheduled to give its final performance also on October 19). I gotta say … all these closings are really sad. There are many theater purists out there who are, I’m sure, not at all sad to see these “frivolous” shows close down but I, for one, really enjoy them and find them an invigorating and refreshing way to get young people excited about musical theater. I am heartened by the fact that both Xanadu and Legally Blonde will live on in touring versions but … there is something sad and finite about a show closing on Broadway. This morning, I purchased a ticket to see Xanadu one last time before it closes … I’ll be at the Friday night performance. I urge any of y’all who are able to come out to see these shows on the Great White Way while you still have the chance.

[Source, Source]

Drew Barrymore, who dumped ex-boyfriend Justin Long back in July (and who was just dumped again more recently by Kirsten Dunst), is having a grand ol’ time enjoying the single life. Drew has been bizzy stalking mackin’ on the young hot boys from Gossip Girl and even managed to successfully bag at least one of them! First up, here are pics of Drew with Chace Crawford last Saturday night as the pair made their way to the official Saturday Night Live afterparty. Note how Drew was careful to lay hands on dear Chace so that he couldn’t stray too far away from her:

HMMM … while we can’t be absolutely sure that Drew was able to get her hooks into this young’n we do have photographic proof that she did manage to get lucky with … wait for it, wait for it … Ed Westwick. After the jump, check out a scandalously awesome photo of Drew suckin’ face with Ed at the Bowery Electric after the Kings of Leon show at Webster Hall on Tuesday night …

Sad news this AM … Kirsten Dunst and Justin Long have, according to In Touch Weekly magazine, decided to end their fairytale romance after being together for only about 2 months. I, for one, am aghast that things didn’t work out between these two but … whatevs … Dunst-in are dunzo now:

Just two weeks after Drew Barrymore and Justin Long broke up, he was spotted getting cozy with Kirsten Dunst. But after two months of dating, Justin and Kirsten, 26, have split. “They are taking some time off for now,” reveals an insider. Kirsten, who also dated Fabrizio Moretti, another of Drew’s exes, ended the relationship. Still, the insider insists that there is no bad blood between the two: “Kirsten gets bored really easily and she needs a break from men right now. They are still both friends and will hang out.” Meanwhile, a rep for Justin says that he and Kirsten have always just been friends.

I suppose it’s possible that these two were never actually together together but I do believe that something was going on betwixt the two of them. Two months may not seem like a long time to most for a relationship/fling/rebound/whatever but the loss of lurve is sad nonetheless. Every time a Hollywood couple decides to call it quits an Angel in heaven dies so … this is really sad, y’all.

[Photo credit: X17; Source]

Britney Spears was snapped out and about in SoCal last night wearing a short black bobbed wig which looks eerily similar to the, now infamous, pink wig that she wore almost daily last year. You may recall that Britney‘s “pink wig phase” was the time when her life was spiraling out of control — she began wearing the wig after she shaved off all of her hair in February of 2007. I understand that this particular wig, tho, may be featured in the new music video for her new single Womanizer so we may have no cause for concern but … something about the wig still bothers me very much:

Now, I have to trust that things are still stable in Britney Spears‘s world and that this new wig thing is nothing really to worry about … but the mere sight of it does remind me of those dangerously crazy times when Britney was basically a walking time bomb. Pink wigged Britney seemed like an alter ego that I hoped we’d never see again … this Black wigged Britney is just a reminder of that “other person”. Again, I’m sure there is no cause for concern … she actually looks very cool in this wig (and it really looks like a quality hair piece, not just some effed up thing she found at a costume shop). If, in fact, this is the look for her new Womanizer music video than I’m cool with that. I just hope this isn’t the beginning of a new persona or anything like that … I like Britney Spears just the way she is.

[Photo credit: X17]

People magazine has finally updated its official website with their exclusive Clay Aiken coming out interview (after news of this development spread like wildfire on the InterWeb late yesterday). Here are portions of Clay‘s monumental interview with the mag, the full interview can be read in this week’s issue of People which is due to hit newsstands today:

Following the Aug. 8 birth of his son Parker, singer Clay Aiken is following through on a promise he made to himself as a new dad: to publicly acknowledge that he’s gay. “It was the first decision I made as a father,” Aiken, 29, tells the upcoming issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. “I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn’t raised that way, and I’m not going to raise a child to do that.” Aiken says he expects the news may overwhelm some of his fans. “Whether it be having a child out of wedlock, or whether it be simply being a homosexual, it’s going to be a lot,” said Aiken, who returned to Broadway last week as Sir Robin in Monty Python’s Spamalot. He adds that he hopes his fans “know that I’ve never intended to lie to anybody at all. … But if they leave, I don’t want them to leave hating me.” The born-again Christian singer also reveals how he told his mother Faye he’s gay four years ago. After dropping off his younger brother Brett, who was being deployed to Iraq, at Camp Lejeune, “I started crying in the car,” Aiken remembers. “It was dark. I was sitting there, thinking to myself. I don’t know why I started thinking about it … I just started bawling. She made me pull over the car and it just came out.” So what was his mom’s reaction? “She started crying. She was obviously somewhat stunned. But she was very supportive and very comforting.” Even now, Aiken admits, “She still struggles with things quite a bit, but she’s come a long way.” As for his own child, Aiken tells PEOPLE that Parker – who was conceived via in vitro fertilization with his best friend, music producer Jaymes Foster – will be raised in an environment that is “accepting and allowing him to be happy.” Says Aiken: “I have no idea if he’ll be gay or straight. It’s not something I’ll have anything to do with, or that he’ll have anything to do with. It’s already probably up inside the code there … No matter what the situation you’re in, if you’re raised in a loving environment, that’s the most important thing.”

People magazine will publish the full text of Clay‘s interview as well as the first photos of his newborn son Parker Foster Aiken in their new issue on newsstands today. Again, I must commend the man for stepping up and acknowledging his homosexuality to the world. It is not an easy thing for anyone, professionally this may hurt him, but I think he will be able to live a more happy and fulfilled life now that he is being honest, not only with himself, but with the world at large. Well done Clay … as I mentioned previously, I think his son will be a much better person now that his father is being totally honest about who he is :)

[Source]

Well … that’s it, y’all. David and I are about to be on our way back to NYC but before we go I want to extend my heartfelt love and thanks to all the people of Reykjavik, Iceland. We had, simply, the best holiday ever. Last night we spent a few AMAZING hours relaxing in the Blue Lagoon geothermic spa pool and words cannot express how wonderful it was … unfortch, I wasn’t able to take any photos because my camera is not waterproof … you’ll just have to visit for yourselves ;) Also before we go, I wanted to post a few more pics from our adventurous vacation:

I swear to the gods, I love this place. I deffo plan on visiting again, hopefully soon. Things should be back to normal around here by tomorrow morn ;) Much love Reykjavik and many, many thanks again!!!