Georgie Girl

Long time, no blog...loving many things!

Went to see Julie & Julia today and it was such a scrumptious treat. It was the perfect treat - full of lovely food, lovely clothes and quirky things. Loved it!  Now, I want to try to make Julia's Boeuf Bourguignon. I came home and grilled steaks and made some delicious mushrooms that I have never tackled. The mushrooms had all kinds of goodies like butter, sour cream ... yum.. .. I will definitely make them again.  I was reading some recipes for marinated mushrooms and they sounded fun to tackle as well.  For dessert I made a fantastic sour cream apple pie. 

I have been totally addicted to Monarch of the Glen on Netflix. I used to watch it on BBC Americas, but now I can watch the entire series on Netflix OnDemand. How awesome!!!  Such a funny, beautiful show set in the wilds of Scotland - Glenbogle.  Tasty tasty show! 

    

Movie Review: Once Upon A Time in the Midlands

Too long, but it has Robert Carlyle and I adore him.  A plus is that it also co-stars Shirley Henderson who was his lovely romantic interest in the series Hamish MacBeth. And you know how much I love Hamish!

This movie, Once Upon a Time in the Midlands,  was 1hr45m. It could have been cut by 15 or 20 minutes. The premise is a n'er do well Carlyle gets in trouble with a heist gone wrong and happens to go back to the Midlands to escape and also to catch up with his baby mama, Henderson, who just rejected her boyfriend's proposal on national Scottish TV.  That's all I'll say for now - it's playing on Sundance and you can get it on Netflix.

More important things! I grilled steaks tonight and took The Girls on walkies. Then started exploring my blogs - I love the blog-o-sphere. Tonight I found TWO awesome new recommendations.  

For baking, check out this COOL NEW store Layer Cake Shop for everything you need for awesome baking supplies.  I don't bake so it's primarily eye candy for me. I adore the photography, the colors, the amazing selection of stuff makes me want to buy some baking supplies... it's almost scrap-bookie kind of stuff.

Look at these AWESOME bakery stickers that you can order! SO cool!

 

Then I was reading another blog and found out about Bonjour Mon Cousin - they make fantastic pillows! This one with the insert is called WINDY and is 31Euros. I want is SO MUCH.

I adore finding these new sites and ideas. Now it's late and I must get ready for another Monday - maybe I'll log off Merry MacBook and go do some crafting.

Dreaming peace for lovely week to all the Georgie Girl peeps.

Pre-Oscar Reflections

I tried to watch Frost/Nixon. I didn't like the Changeling. 

And now there's three.

I have The Visitor on DVD and I'll try to watch it tonight or tomorrow (sort of how I watched La Vie En Rose at the last minute).  I have Tropic Thunder. I have Frozen River.

The Girls have Oscar gowns ready. I didn't get a chance to buy their Oscar Doggie Cupcakes. Hopefully there is time tomorrow to figure out doggy treats (other than carrots).

Movie Review: Rachel Getting Married

OK, today was hell. I ain't gonna beat around the bush. It was that kind of day where I see a character like Kim, played by Anne Hathaway, in Rachel Getting Married and I just want her to rail the crap out of all the super pretend-broad- minded eco-friendly world religious-superior- intellectual-view-glass bubble living people in her family.

Seriously. I was just rooting for her.

People dynamics being what they are in this film it's so full of things that reminded me of people I know, have dated or have endured. Demme has a sweet masterpiece of family funk on his hands for sure.

I loved it. Anne Hathaway was better than Sandra Bullock in 28 Days but I'd be lying if I didn't say some parts like hair, story lines, etc. didn't seem familiar. Then again if you have any friends or family with addiction issues - there are just really classic themes that roll w/ that scene.

Debra Winger was the cold detached mother who really just wishes everyone would let her permanently disengage. The sister got on my nerves. I think she was supposed to - don't they all?

Anyway, I liked it but it didn't exactly settle me down - I was also scrapping a Durham Bulls layout. So far I have finished THREE layouts this week. I haven't taken any pictures of the layouts cause I'm too busy cranking out memories for my "TK Time Capsule". 

searching for peace but wishing YOU peace!

Movie Review: Revolutionary Road

I had one of those anxious Mondays so Revolutionary Road was a bad choice. However, I got it done and can now check it off the official Oscar list. 

Visually an interesting movie. Always an interesting time period for clothing and home decor - and I love the final scene with Kathy Bates stroking the dog on her lap at the end and the husband turns down the hearing aid. Family memory there plus a nice touch that represents one of the several approaches (pretend to listen and zone out) to unhappiness in marriage (other than oh I don't know, suicide, affairs or abuse).  Yeah, it's one of those feel good flicks.

Kate was good. She looked great - especially in a couple of scenes. In one she is wearing a light steel blue gray cut away top dress that is just divine on her figure. Of course, she is proving in general for everyone how a woman in her 30's has such comfort in her own skin - and I like her.  I don't however know how I'm feeling about her performance in this role.  

I have to noodle on this movie for awhile.  I did like some of the cinematography. Especially this one scene where Leonardo is standing overlooking a balcony on some stairs while a plethora of similarly dressed men and women pour down the stairs heading out for the rat race of trains to get home.

Worked on a new scrapbook page tonight!  The ALAMO. It is pretty lovely.  Will post that one and my "Woah Nellie" page later this week.

Peace, mini hotdog peace.

Movie Review: Friday the 13th

No, this is not a joke. I went to see Friday the 13th tonight. You sort of have to have three mich ultras to enjoy it - needless to say I didn't pay for the ticket and I had a good time. What is cool about horror films, and I forgot this, is that it is completely expected that you will talk out loud at the screen.

That was really fun. People did stupid things - the top 10 usual horror film things like the guy who drags the girl TOWARDS Jason cause he wants to know where he's lugging a dead body.  Um, guy dragging a body somewhere typically means (for me) go the OTHER WAY.

If you have a free ticket, I highly recommend going! 

Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

A curious case of a pretty good movie that should have been cut short. I kept hearing that this movie was about 40 minutes too long and I concur with the multitudes that said that. Hear hear!

That said, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has an interesting premise, the story of a man who ages backwards. Beginning life as an elderly old man and all the issues of aging - hearing loss, feebleness and wrinkles galore - and who ages backwards to become a hot, delicious Brad Pitt mess. 

Julia Ormond plays Cate Blanchett's daugther - I adore Julia Ormond ( a case of loving Smilla's Sense of Snow) and doesn't have enough screen time but I get her role (just sayin....)

Cate Blanchett is visual heaven as the young dancer, the young woman and until the make-up aging process catches up with her in the film.  The camera loves this woman's face. Her hair is flawless. She does a good job in the role.  

Brad Pitt was very good. I adored his delivery of dialogue in the film - actually I loved so many lines and his intonation that I lost track.

I'm glad I saw the film cause it marks it off Oscar Challenge. It was no Gran Torino.

Oscar list update...

Here is where it sits two weeks and some odd days before Oscar night (February 22). I am confident that I can get them all completed in time. Next year it will be the 10th anniversary of the beginning of Oscar Challenge.  In some ways, it is more physically, olfactory and mentally challenging than Survivor. It is more spiritually challenging than a 1x1 session with Oprah.

Seriously. If you do Oscar Challenge diligently (down through adapted screenplay)... you are a strong soul.

Georgie Girl's 2009 Oscar To Do Update

1. The Visitor (arrived in the mail yesterday)
2. Revolutionary Road
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Frost/Nixon
5. Rachel Getting Married
6. Changeling
7. Tropic Thunder (Netflix)
8. Frozen River

Big day! and a um, Movie Review: The Reader

Hello Magazine's latest issue was shrink-wrapped and sitting in my mailbox today!  My very first issue.  Finally I don't have to go to Barnes & Noble every week for my fix of Hello. The cool thing is that every issue has a guide to BBC TV for the week. The bad thing is that subscribing on their site is a "beotch". I didn't even receive a confirmation of subscription - not cool.  However getting the magazine finally delivered is a tasty treat. 

Then to top it off, the latest installment of Hamish Macbeth Season 3 was waiting for me! Bonanza. 

AND on top of all this, I went to see The Reader.  One more Oscar pick down! It was ok. Typical Oscar theme. Kate Winslet was good. The make-up to show the aging process was too white/cakey/odd. I have to see her performance in Revolutionary Road to compare. So I can't weigh in on her yet. 

The positive - scrumdillyumptious Ralph Fiennes who when he plays non-Voldemort characters, can sometimes make me do that .... special sigh. 

The story was layered which I like... he's in a personal prison while she's in prison, when she dies, he is released. He controlled the information that could have alleviated her sentence which made her pay for her sins but at the same time, by not speaking the truth he didn't reveal her most embarrassing secret.

OK, enough of that flick. Now, more Ralph.

 

Sweet English Fiennes  peace.

Movie Review: Doubt

Just saw Doubt and it is an excellent film. Well put together - the period films can be so difficult for visual consistency. The acting is lush given the subject matter. Chock full of nuances in believable compelling acting delivery and for once, a great story line that arcs all in the same direction.

I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the movie. Remaining in my Oscar challenge queue includes:

1. The Visitor (in my Netflix queue!)
2. Revolutionary Road
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Frost/Nixon
5. Rachel Getting Married
6. Changeling
7. Tropic Thunder
8. Frozen River
9. The Reader

Movie peace. Love is good.