Eat. Pray. Do As I Say.

Boone, NC (i took this pic with my new camera!)

Rafa and I are just back from a wonderful long weekend in the mountains of North Carolina. The weekend was just perfect: filled with friends, food, activities, simply gorgeous surroundings, and Rafa really came into his own as a mountain dog! Our days were spent hiking, eating, playing games, painting, doing yoga, and reading (just writing that makes me want to go back). Though the hikes were challenging and the game competition fierce, it was really the reading that caused the most hostility during the trip.

Specifically, it was the book that I am reading called "Eat. Pray. Love." that caused all of my travel companions to get all up in arms. Apparently, they have something against self-discovery and contentment. I have to admit that I, too, was skeptical about reading this book. You may not know this about me, given my pedestrian movie tastes, but I am kind of a cultural snob. I have avoided the Da Vinci Code like the freaking plague and if there is a book you don't want me to ever read...just go ahead and put that Oprah's book club sticker on it and consider it done.

One Sunday, a couple of weeks ago, I was strolling around Border's looking for something new to read and EPL was prominently displayed on one of the front tables. So I picked it up and read the back and decided to give it a go. Here I should probably admit that Julia Roberts is currently filming the movie version of EPL and this played a not insignificant role in my decision.


Anyway, the book is about a woman whose life falls apart and who then decides to travel the world looking to explore the concepts of happiness, spirituality, and balance. I tore through the section on Italy where she described, in salivating detail, all the meals and pleasure she experienced there. Next, we were off to India to spend 4 months in an Ashram. This part was, admittedly, less up my alley. Not sure I am into all that deprivation and chanting.

I am now onto Bali and hoping that this section brings the book to a close on a high note. Spoiler alert: I already know she falls in love and it has a true-life, it could happen to you fairy tale ending...also a factor in my decision to read the book.

I will report back just as soon as I am finished.

Hey Kids! Happy Friday!!

Although I am busily preparing to host a fete for family and friends this evening I wanted to take a moment to share something pretty special with you.

Did you ever wonder what it would be like if someone created a television show JUST for you. One that fit your interests perfectly? I have often lamented here and here that Hollywood is not meeting my cinematic needs...same goes for TV (excluding american idol and reruns of House). Well, no longer!!! Glee is here!!

Glee is my everything. Witty dialogue, genuine charm, and winning song and dance routines. Last week they raised the bar with the football team breaking out an "All the Single Ladies" performance in the final minute of their game.

If Julia Roberts does a cameo as the new drama teacher I will seriously lose my shit.

Crazy in Love

I want to be Beyonce. I have wanted to be her for quite sometime now. She is smokin hot, sings real pretty, is married to Jay-z, and is arguably a better dancer than I.

This has only strengthened my desire to trade in my j.crew and crocs in favor of a leotard and some double sided tape:

Beyoncé - New Music - More Music Videos

Please ignore the annoying commercial before the magic starts.

WTF?!?!

Feel good film of the decade?? Are you f-ing kidding me?

I am not sure how, with all of the Oscar buzz and people absolutely fawning over the movie, that the warning never made its way to me. But seriously, SOMEONE should have told me that no matter what, no matter how tempting, no matter how many Oscars, that I should never, ever, under any circumstances see Slumdog Millionaire.

I think there is really enough blame to go around on this one. The misinformation campaign for this film is right up there with GW Bush and the tobacco companies. WHY would you show me a song and dance routine? You know I can not bypass a strong piece of choreography. Couple that with a catchy song (you're next MIA)... I didn't stand a chance.

And what about the people who actually saw this movie (friends of mine) who then did not immediately forbid me from ever seeing it. I am disgusted with you.

So I ended up watching this "film" on my laptop in the backseat on the way to VA for a wedding this weekend. Bad bad idea. 1 hour and 56 minutes of unimaginable suffering and 4 brief minutes of redemption at the end.

1 star out of 5. Despite a happy ending this film contains gratuitous filth, sadness, poverty, and despair.

Don't Make Me Use This!!!!!

As you may recall I have recently come under strong advisement by my father to purchase pepper spray...necessary arms for walking the Rafa at odd hours. After several empty promises to purchase and one actual lie about having purchased it- my safety-minded co-worker, Stacy, intervened on my behalf, and bought me some pepper spray.

JUST IN TIME as it turns out.

I was heading in from my evening walk with Rafa tonight only to be greeted by a mumbling, drunk, lunatic at my doorstep. I have no problem with having a few too many at dinner...it happens to the best of us. I DO, however, have a problem when that overindulgence leads one to believe that my front stoop is their home and that I am someone to whom they can speak crossly.

Rafa and I tried to ignore the loiterer but this guy was having NONE of it. He tried to ask me a question and persisted after I ignored him. I finally turned around to acknowledege him with my finger on the trigger ready to put liquid peppers right into his eyes if he pulled anything. He was speaking jibberish and I was in no mood to fight so I opted to cross the street and wait it out. But the creep FOLLOWED me. I then yanked on Rafa and pulled him toward the safety of a nearby restaurant. Fortunately, I am an in excellent physical shape and have no problem outrunning a staggering drunk guy.

From the safe harbor of the Belgian Cafe, I was able to call 911 (fool me once, bad guys...) and Philly's finest came right away and carted him off. If you ask me, he got off easy. Trust me - he did NOT want to mess with the business end of my pepper spray!!

Kitten and Cuervo

It turns out I am not the only internet sensation among my group of friends. Move over wedding dancers, step aside prison Thriller re-enactments, make room for Kitten and Cuervo. Please view the youtube clip below. It is a few minutes long, but please resist the temptation to think you've got the idea after a minute or so. This performance must be seen in its entirety to be fully appreciated. There is a special treat waiting for the listener at around 1:50.




Now this is a judge-free zone and I am pretty sure I was alowed to drink soda, eat candy, stay up late, and watch R rated movies starting at the age of three... but there is something both jarring yet endearing about watching an impossibly cute three year old sing of Jose Cuervo, bar fights, and cowboy conquests.

For a glimpse into the background of this youtube starlet check out her dad's blog . You may remember, he was also the man who brought us Foxy's Tale and has once before launched Kitten to stardom

BOOOO BIRDS!!!

I have only ever been the fan of one football team: The Philadelphia Eagles. Growing up, I don't think I realized there were other football teams...so great was the enthusiasm for the Iggles in my family. My father, upon moving to a remote mountaintop in Costa Rica drove 6 hours to the capital city to wait in line to get satellite TV so that he could follow his team from the middle of nowhere. Each conversation we have on the phone involves some discussion of the Eagles (what with politics and my love life being off limits for discussion). He recently expressed some dismay that I had not been "following the Eagles off-season moves very closely" and then went on to predict the Eagles will win the Superbowl this year (which they have never done) and that it was a safer bet than anything in the stock market. Sound advice.

The only problem with all of this?? I am no longer an EAGLES fan. This happened at about 10pm last night when I heard they signed that horrible, puppy-killing, sub-human beast Michael Vick. SOOO not ok. I actually feel sorry for Michael Vick he went to jail, he is broke, he needs a job. Whatever. You don't get to spend your millions orchestrating violent doggy-death camps and then go back to making millions. You should get the $12/hour or whatever they pay the person who cleans the cages at the city animal shelter. ughhhhh.

I have taught Rafa to sick balls whenever he sees a Michael Vick Eagles Jersey. Vick Fans: Consider yourselves warned.

photo courtesy of 13gb.com