Category Archives: Film

Highlights: Thanksgiving Day

Posted in Breakfast, Dinner, Film, Food, Fun, Treats by

Wow, where does the time go? All the build-up and the planning, coordinating; then eating, sleeping, eating, watching a movie, and more eating until it’s all over. Thanksgiving was a complete success on my end. In large part because I had the best company, and we ordered the most delish ham from The Honey Baked Ham Store, with a slew of sides from Bristol Farms. Let’s just say we had Thanksgiving dinner two nights in a row, ham and eggs for breakfast twice over the long holiday weekend, and at some point this week a ham sandwich will be in my immediate future.

As I look back on an amazing, relaxing, and food-filled Thanksgiving Thursday these are the parts that made me smile and what I’ll always want to remember:

I stopped on Wednesday afternoon (in the actual chaos of last-minute grocery shoppers…I did it for the drama!) and got a fresh bouquet of flowers to give my place a bit more of that festive Thanksgiving vibe! They were perfect!

How the food arrived. 🙂

Thanksgiving entertainment. We tried to find movies that were themed for the holiday (and I just thought E.T. would be awesome to re-watch). We eventually got through everything during those 4 days, but Planes, Trains and Automobiles was the perfect flick to kick-off a movie-filled weekend.

Thanksgiving dinner: honey baked ham, glazed baby carrots, green beans almondine, mashed potatoes, and candied yams. That’s a little sparkling apple cider in the wine glass. Words cannot describe how happy I was at this moment – yum! 🙂

Dessert: Pumpkin pie, naturally!

The BEST surprise and my personal favorite, this Esque candle that my boyfriend gave me as a little Thanksgiving day present. Aww! I was totally shocked because I was admiring it a few months back at Z-Gallerie, but didn’t get it. It’s so pretty I don’t even want to burn it!

I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving holiday this year. There was much more for myself on the horizon as the long weekend got started (posts to come) but it truly was a day to be remembered. Thank you to my awesome guy for making it such a special day!

On to Christmas….yikes!

Thankful

Posted in Books, Fashion, Film, Food, Fun, Inspiration by

I loved this festive cake I saw in a bakery while in San Juan Capistrano recently.

It’ll be pretty low-key on my end for the long Holiday weekend. We went the total lazy route and ordered our big feast from a combination of The Honey Baked Ham Store and Bristol Farms. We even decided to change things up this year and have ham instead of turkey. Such rebels!

While I write a weekly post (sometimes twice a week, or when I can’t think of anything else compelling to write) where I reflect on the “Highlights” of the simple things happening around me; I thought this would a good time to reflect on what I’m truly thankful for in life in the grand scheme of things that is the year of our Lord, 2012.

My first apartment! I moved into my own place earlier this year and words cannot describe the sense of accomplishment and independence I feel every time I walk through the front door. This is my favorite wall in my humble abode and I’m thankful for having a small place in the world to call my own.

My best friend, who happens to be my boyfriend, for being the awesome guy that he is! This is an old picture I took last year while in Catalina Island. It’s a favorite of mine of us.

I’m beyond grateful in the midst of a tough economy to be working and working in the field that I actually studied in college.

I joined a book club this time last year and one year later, not only have I given myself the motivation to actually begin and finish a book (rather than juggle two at a time and never finish either one of them); it’s also opened my world to a whole new group of girl friends. We’re all ages and from different walks of life, bonded by our nerdiness for books. 🙂

One of the happiest things I’ve done this year was start this blog. It’s really given me the creative outlet that I had been craving for such a long time. Thank you to those that read, comment, or like even one of my posts. I’m grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Highlights: The Weekend

Posted in Film, Food, Treats by

It was a pretty relaxing, non-eventful weekend on my end. I’m usually running about town, obsessing about what to blog about for the upcoming week. Two days of lying low, listening to the rain, renting embarrassingly cheesy (and sometimes just plain bad) movies that I never get the chance to watch alone, and sipping my first wine cooler (yes, wine cooler…don’t judge) in years was simply fun. Since it’ll be a short writing week because of the Holiday, I thought I’d share some highlights from my weekend because I’ve really come to enjoy writing these posts…

My first cup of coffee for the weekend. This isn’t super extraordinary for me on a Saturday morning; but what makes this cup of coffee a special one, was that this was the first time I used this cup and saucer. Awhile back, a former colleague of mine was headed to France for a few weeks on vacation, and sweetly asked if he could bring anything back for me. Since I’ve always had this fantasy of sitting in a french cafe sipping espresso, I told him I wanted a cup set from France so that I could channel it from the States. I packed it away a few years ago and after moving, came across it and thought it’s time to channel that French experience. I can’t wait to have the real version someday.

 I spent a lot of time on the couch right next to my remote control and hit Redbox more times than I care to admit (okay, three times this weekend and 6 movies later…).

I re-discovered my love of cheese and crackers! Specifically, my new obsession with Gouda cheese of all things. Add some multi-grain crackers from Trader Joe’s and a few red grapes and I had my go-to snack for the weekend.

Ah, flowers! Something I love to have around me when I know I’ll actually be home to enjoy them.

Highlights: Last Week

Posted in DIY, Explore, Film, Food, Fun, Treats by

What a crazy week as I look back on it.The weather was indeed fickle last week: warm one day, then foggy and rainy the next, then cold and sunny. In the midst of the strange weather patterns, the election, the AFI film festival, and prepping for my boyfriend’s birthday, I always took a moment to enjoy the small things. Here are highlights from last week:

{A very unusual looking L.A. skyline for us. With the weather came my first few cups of earl grey tea.}

{As I mentioned: rainy one day, sunny the next. A beautiful view of Manhattan Beach while out on a surprise birthday errand for my boyfriend.}

{Wrapping presents!}

{Opening one of the presents early to enjoy a chocolate fudge cupcake from Cupcakes Couture. 🙂 }

{The final remnant of my “I Voted” sticker before tossing it. What a great voting and election experience it was for me personally.}

AFI Fest 2012

Posted in Documentary, Explore, Film, Fun, Independent Cinema by

AFI Fest officially ends today. 8 days and 133 films from across the globe, screening in some of Hollywood’s most historic theaters. From November 1st though November 8th, hundreds of people waited in lines in front of The Egyptian Theater, The Chinese 6 Theater, and Grauman’s Chinese Theater in an effort to celebrate the undeniable magic of cinema.

Perks of attending this festival: free films, hanging among film enthusiasts and industry “hot shots” alike, enjoying the chaos that is Hollywood, and engaging in some of the most compelling storytelling collectively curated under one umbrella.

Not so great parts: standing in line for up to 2 hours to see a film, getting terrible seats because half the theater is already reserved for said “hot shots,” spending tons of money on parking, and my personal favorite – not being able to see the subtitles on the screen because someone’s head is blocking them. Happened to me twice!

{Personal highlight? Hot Tamales in the old school packaging!}

I appreciate what the American Film Institute aims to do with this festival and was very happy with all 6 films that I saw over the last week. They were excellent stories that brought up injustices in our legal system, shared insight into the wrongly accused, the bullied; and even added a bit of humor to the life of an icon.

Naturally, I have my complaints: the lack of organization with lines and people not knowing where to stand; the strange method of giving a ticket, to receive another ticket, to then get another ticket into a screening seemed wasteful; and consistently starting films late, while expected in a festival atmosphere, didn’t help matters after you’d already been waiting in line for hours.

{Lines.}

I do want to acknowledge that it’s not easy coordinating and pulling off a festival. I can only imagine the amount of planning, scheduling, and rescheduling that went into such a feat and I commend that. However, I’m looking forward to get back to seeing movies the old-fashioned way. Where you pay for a seat, can sit wherever you want, and not a 2 hour-long line in sight! 🙂

My grades on this year’s films I saw:

Hitchcock – Grade: B
The Central Park Five – Grade: A-
West of Memphis – Grade: B
After Lucia – Grade: A
The Hunt – Grade: A
Rust and Bone – Grade: B+

Highlights: As November Begins…

Posted in Explore, Film, Food, Fun, Treats by

Happy Turkey Month! I’m pleased to report October went out with a bang! A huge goal of mine was accomplished and these recent highlights were the icing on the cake:

I love a good joke. Anything pertaining to humor, poking fun at someone or a situation, especially when the humor is completely true, is always welcome in my world. I saw a red “No Parking” zone spray painted with these delicious words and couldn’t help but stop and laugh (and take a picture!).

Our recent apple picking adventure left lots of apples to get through. An afternoon in the kitchen took our apples from whole fruit to an apple crisp that was fun to make and even more fun to eat.

The American Film Institute Film Festival started November 1st. A visit to the box office to pick-up the tickets was pretty funny when I pulled them all out and lined them up. I’m going to be spending A LOT of time at the movies as you can see.

Enjoy this first November weekend!

Halloween

Posted in DIY, Film, Food, Fun, Treats, Uncategorized by

Happy Halloween my pretties! Halloween has finally arrived. While I didn’t get to everything on my project list exactly, I got plenty accomplished that put me in the right spirit for the festivities!

1. Bake a gluten-free pumpkin pie. – DONE!
Interestingly, this was one of the first things to be crossed off. A simple pre-made gluten-free crust from Whole Foods and Libby’s Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix was all it took. I added a dash more nutmeg and cinnamon to ensure true sweetness to the mix though it doesn’t call for it. Add a little Cool Whip and you’re ready to pumpkin pie it out!

2. Carve a pumpkin. – DONE!
This year we headed out to Los Rios Rancho in Glen Oak, CA to pick our pumpkins (and some apples). Blog post to come on what turned out to be a very memorable day trip, but here’s a quick collage to capture our pumpkin carving adventure:


3. Decorate my apartment. – DONE!
I decked out my place with simple pumpkin lights I got a few years ago at Target, so admittedly, it wasn’t anything too drastic. They offered the perfect ambiance while watching scary movies all month long, and using my orange pumpkin scented candle created a great final touch and smell for the Halloween season.

4. A scary night out with the girls. – SEMI-FAIL!
The girls and I had a change of plans, while we thought about a night out at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios, this never seemed to come together (timing was a huge culprit). We did get together last night for an awesome scary movie girl’s night in complete with pizza, treats, and lots of laughs.

5. Scary movie night at least once a week with a big bowl of popcorn and all the lights turned out. – DONE!
This was the one goal that went without a hitch (though popcorn was only present during one flick, there was ALWAYS a sweet treat nearby). I managed to see a lot of scary/suspense films throughout the month. My top 3 likes and 2 hates to not even waste your time on:
Likes:
1) When a Stranger Calls (1979)
2) What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
3) Sinister (2012)
Hates:
1) The Hunger (1983)
2) The Last House on the Left (1972)

6. Read Midnight, by Dean Koontz. – FAIL!
Didn’t finish. I’ve been picking this book up and putting it down all month. Unfortunately, I never found the time to get into it before I moved on when my book club announced the November selection; which has been pretty creepy ironically so I been delving into “Room”, by Emma Donoghue.

Bad Turns 25!

Posted in Documentary, Film by

Location: 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood

I am the first to admit that I get bored easily and I can be pretty fickle. One of the few things this logic doesn’t apply to is my eternal love for Michael Jackson’s unmatched legacy of music!

I was beyond stoked when I heard through the grapevine, that a new MJ documentary exploring the cultivation of and stories behind the production of the Bad album and its iconic music videos was making its way to Los Angeles for a one week limited theatrical release at the Chinese 6 Theater at Hollywood and Highland. The theater’s Chinese inspired decor has a modern flair and was designed as a newer counterpart to the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theater downstairs. I don’t make the rounds to this theater very often. I’ve seen a handful of films here this year – usually in the morning or afternoon – so I was surprised at the $16.00 per ticket peak weekend price tag! Really? That’s more than the Arclight!

Boy, was I glad we overlooked the ticket prices (thanks Darlin’ :)). Director Spike Lee uses his accomplished narrative skills and industry connections to examine track by track the enigma and timelessness of MJ’s “Bad” LP as it turns 25 years old. I spent an awesome Friday night in Theater 1 reliving my childhood anthems, reinforcing my love affair with his music, smiling, laughing, and mini dancing in my seat. I had 2 hours of the most consecutive fun in the movie theater that I’ve had in quite awhile.

While the 400 seat theater was not at all crowded for a weekend screening, it was packed with some of his die hard fans. You could tell from the audience’s loud cheering, clapping, singing, and later sobbing as we learned more about MJ’s world circa 1987.

What a treat to see archival behind the scenes footage of the late November film shoot for the “Bad“ video with current commentary from director Martin Scorsese himself; to catch up with Tatiana, the extension wearing beauty every girl wanted to be in “The Way You Make Me Feel” video; and to learn how “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” was written as a possible duet with Whitney Houston that was eventually recorded with Siedah Garrett. Garrett, who is drenched throughout the film, shares her accounts of working alongside MJ intimately and how “Man in The Mirror” came from writing pad to recording studio. Even better, the film is chocked full of interviews from MJ’s sound engineers, producing team, instrumentalists, and fellow musical peers singing his praises from Mariah Carey to Kanye West.

This is the most entertaining documentary I think I’ve ever seen! If you can’t make it out to the Chinese 6 by the end of the week, there will be a special presentation airing on network television on Thanksgiving night. Get together with your loved ones, have some turkey, some laughs, share what you’re thankful for, and crowd in front of the TV. You won’t be sorry.

Highlights

Posted in Beauty, Film, Food, Fun by

I can say with confidence that Fall has officially made its way to Los Angeles. Damp, crisp mornings, chilly nights, scarves, and boots have been all the rage in my world lately. Other rages?

{Curling up with some fresh kettle corn from the farmers’ market and watching “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. All I can say is O.M.G! Find a copy of this and “make it a Blockbuster night” if you haven’t seen it. I loved it so much I actually watched all of the bonus materials (over 2 hours!) to learn more about our early divas, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.}

{Another highlight salad? Yes! This Greek Salad for lunch was heaven. Ingredients: lettuce, garbanzo beans, pepperoncini, tomatoes, black olives, feta cheese; drizzled in a red wine vinaigrette.}

{In LOVE with this new seasonal fragrance mist from Bath and Body Works – Honey Autumn Apple. Don’t be jealous, I smell like Fall and you don’t!}

Have an amazing weekend guys! I plan to! 🙂

Amoeba Music

Posted in Books, Documentary, Explore, Film, Fun, Independent Cinema, Music by

Location: 6400 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood

I don’t care how much more convenient, cheap, and cool it is to go digital; I’ll always be a fan of physically being around CDs, DVDs, and books. Yes, I love my iPod as much as the next music fiend and rarely play CDs in my car anymore; and yes, I smile to myself whenever something on-demand is instantly streaming on my screen with the click of a button; but there’s still something so enduring and solid about the real thing.

Amoeba Music needs no introduction. I’ve been here more times than I can count. It’s one of the few remaining places you can head to in L.A. to buy CDs, to scout for rare and used DVDs, or pick up an LP for your record player. Part of the fun here is just in the atmosphere, the simple elation of being around such a vast collection of art in its many forms. It’s cluttered (in a good way – makes you feel like you can find anything or that you’re digging for treasure), has that “I’m an independent record store” old dusty smell, and while the new stuff can be on the pricey side, this place rocks when it comes to hard to find titles.

My only complaint and continued frustration is that they don’t let you bring beverages in the store. Hello!?! How much more fun would this place be if you could peruse thousands of titles while sipping an iced latte? I’d sure spend more money here if I could. Caffeine affects the body like that.

Thanks to an awesome Groupon find passed my way, I spent an hour on Saturday afternoon sifting through new and used DVDs and Blu-Rays to update my collection. The problem with Amoeba is that you walk in with an idea of what you want, but then you start flipping through the inventory and get side-tracked (owning “Death Becomes Her” on DVD would be real treat once I thought about it!).

In the end, I had 4 movies I was trying to decide on and only a $30 credit to use. I walked out with two films that gave me lots to laugh and think about last year that I knew would get plenty of rotation in my Blu-Ray player: Friends with Kids and 50/50.