French Women Don't Get Fat
Mireille Guiliano
This book was a good read. More of a lifestyle recommendation than a diet book, it does contain some very interesting recipes and a lot of solid advice. Guiliano is a mite condescending at times, but because she speaks the truth, it didn't bother me so much. Give the Leek Soup a miss, it's really not that great, more like leek flavoured water. I don't think one could live on it and the leeks themselves for a weekend without going completely nuts. Not to mention the only weight you would lose would be water weight. Her website is pretty good, I would be interested in reading her follow up book.
The Time Traveler's Wife
Audrey Niffenegger
This was an amazing book. Well written, incredibly interesting plot, excellently drawn characters, just amazing. It's five hundred pages plus, and I read it in under a week. I would have been done sooner if work hadn't gotten in the way! :) Clare was really lovely, as was Gomez. I wasn't the hugest fan of Henry, but he was definitely interesting. It was very sad, made even more so by the readers fore-knowledge. Thoroughly enjoyable, if you haven't already, go out and read it at once!
Runaway Bride
Cute, but not spectacular. Had all the same people from Pretty Woman in it, so the actor chemistry was spot on, if not a bit repetitive. It was funnier than I thought it would be, and I was surprised to see what a great job Christopher Meloni did with his role. I'm so used to seeing him as Eliott Stabler on SVU, it took a moment to adjust. As I've said before, I'm not the world's greatest Julia Roberts fan, but I liked her in this. Definitely wouldn't have gone to see it in a theatre all those years ago, but on TV, it was a good distraction.
Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year
Esme Raji Codell
This was an incredible account of a first year teacher working in a Chicago inner city school. So many of the things she wrote were exactly how I felt in my first year. This book was filled with so many positive moments yet so many negative ones as well. It clearly outlines the joys and frustrations of teaching. I would recommend it to non-teachers, if only to understand that this job is more than the sum of its parts, a fact few people truly appreciate.
The Last Summer (Of You And Me)
Ann Brashares
This book was hard to get into, but ultimately, a good one. It's the story of two sisters and their dear friend Paul during their last summer on Fire Island, near New York City. Brashares is the famed author of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants books, so I was intrigued to see what she would do with a young adult novel. It was a touch self indulgent, at times, but the story was quite touching and took a sad turn near the end. This is a good millieu for Brashares, she should try another novel in this vein.
There's Something About Mary
I'd never been inclined to see this movie, given the number of people who told me how funny it was, but it was on TV so I thought what the hay. Turns out, I'm missing the gene that finds physical comedies full of toilet humour amusing. With some exceptions (American Pie being notable) I generally find these types of movies extremely off putting. There were a few genuine bits in this one that were watchable, and I did laugh a few times, but, for me, it's nowhere near the classic everyone raves about.
Becoming Jane
Proof that just because something is historical fiction, doesn't mean that I'm necessarily going to love it. It'll keep me watching, if it's well done from a costume and setting perspective (which this film definitely has in spades) but the plot still has to be there. All the pieces were there, great cast (Anne Hathaway, James MacEvoy, James Cromwell and many more), a great subject, an interesting time period, but just didn't seem to pull out a great film. Hathaway's Jane was far too bold for the period. Even if they were trying to suggest that Austen was different for her time, there was no way a woman of her standing would kiss a man the way she did in her first kiss with Mr. LaFroy. It's good, but not the best, see it if you really love historical fiction, like me!
French Kiss
Ummm, not totally horrible, but pretty terrible. Meg Ryan plays the same character in every movie! What's up with that? I usually love Kevin Kline, but his fake French accent and the presumption that his French is good enough to act alongside amazing French actors like Jean Reno, is laughable. Not to mention they didn't even translate the subtitles correctly. The premise was cute, and the French cinematography (especially in the South) was beautiful. If there's something better on, watch that.
De-Lovely
Everything is de-lovely about this film! Of course, I'm biased due to my predilection for historical anything, fact, fiction, biography etc. :) This is the story of Cole Porter, one of the greatest American songwriters of the 20th century. My favorite Cole Porter tune is "Night and Day", and it's conveniently sung in the movie by one of my favorite modern song and dance men, John Barrowman! The period is dead on, with glorious costumes and sets. Kevin Kline is fantastic, and Ashely Judd is amazing as Linda Porter. You pretty much have to like musicals to enjoy this film, but it's really worth a look. Enjoy!
Mona Lisa Smile
Another wonderful period piece. Throw in the subtle feminist movement grassroots plot and I was hooked! I'm not usually a huge fan of Julia Roberts, but thought she did an excellent job here as the influential art history professor who tries to circumvent tradition. The depiction of 1953 Wellesley College was amazing, so well done. Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles and Maggie Gyllenhaal were all brilliant. Moving and thought provoking, a definite must see.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Running Log 31/01/09
To assure my small readership, I won't be blogging about every run, just about the ones that I feel I've made significant progress.
Today I went for my first winter run. Actually it was two runs, each 2.3 km long. The first run was exclusively uphill, carrying a two kilo backpack and the walks were quite snowy. It was pretty cold, -14 with wind chill. It really made a difference in my breathing. With the exception of two pauses for lights, I ran the entire way. On the way back it was much easier and with the exception of one stop because my bag was undone. I didn't run very fast, and because I wasn't on the treadmill, I didn't keep track of the distance or time. I feel that I did improve though, because it's really different to run outside. It was really tough on the way up, but I felt a real sense of accomplishment when I was finished.
Today I went for my first winter run. Actually it was two runs, each 2.3 km long. The first run was exclusively uphill, carrying a two kilo backpack and the walks were quite snowy. It was pretty cold, -14 with wind chill. It really made a difference in my breathing. With the exception of two pauses for lights, I ran the entire way. On the way back it was much easier and with the exception of one stop because my bag was undone. I didn't run very fast, and because I wasn't on the treadmill, I didn't keep track of the distance or time. I feel that I did improve though, because it's really different to run outside. It was really tough on the way up, but I felt a real sense of accomplishment when I was finished.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Running Log 30/01/09
Time: 33 min
Distance: 4 km
Speed: 7 km/hr
Intervals: 15 min running, 1 min walking, 15 min running, 2 min cool down
Today I ran a 13.5 minute mile (I am so not a math person, I've tried and given up trying to figure out what kind of minute km that is... :( can any of the 3 people who read my blog help me?)
I'm improving, but it's seems slow. At this pace I'll have to run the 5km in 40 min. Tomorrow I go for my first outside winter run. Hopefully I don't slip too much in the snow, given my history with breaking body parts in the snow!
Distance: 4 km
Speed: 7 km/hr
Intervals: 15 min running, 1 min walking, 15 min running, 2 min cool down
Today I ran a 13.5 minute mile (I am so not a math person, I've tried and given up trying to figure out what kind of minute km that is... :( can any of the 3 people who read my blog help me?)
I'm improving, but it's seems slow. At this pace I'll have to run the 5km in 40 min. Tomorrow I go for my first outside winter run. Hopefully I don't slip too much in the snow, given my history with breaking body parts in the snow!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Running Log 27/01/09
Time: 35 min
Distance: 4 km
Speed: Between 6 and 7 km/hr
Intervals: 10 min running, 1 min walking, 10 min running, 1 min walking, 10 min running, 3 min cool down
My goal is 30 min continuous...my nutty uncle seems to think I will be able to do this 5K run in 30 min, and he's in excellent shape, so I've taken on the challenge.
I am making progress though, which is great!
I'm looking forward to when I get to put:
Intervals: None :)
Distance: 4 km
Speed: Between 6 and 7 km/hr
Intervals: 10 min running, 1 min walking, 10 min running, 1 min walking, 10 min running, 3 min cool down
My goal is 30 min continuous...my nutty uncle seems to think I will be able to do this 5K run in 30 min, and he's in excellent shape, so I've taken on the challenge.
I am making progress though, which is great!
I'm looking forward to when I get to put:
Intervals: None :)
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Back in the Running Saddle
With my cold/borderline bronchitis finally out of my system (except for the odd cough and phlegmy stuff here and there) I've started to train for a future 5K run. I'm not sure which one I'll do, I still have to check them all out. Something along the water would be my preference. Amy and I are encouraging each other and hopefully, when the weather warms up, will start running together! It's always fun to run with a buddy.
Below are my first two running logs.
Running Log 25/01/09
Time: 32 min
Distance: 3.5 km
Speed: Between 6 and 7 km/hr
Intervals: 5 min running, 1 min walking, 6 min running, 1 min walking, 7 min running, 1 min walking, 8 min running, 3 min cool down.
Running Log 24/01/09
Time: 30 min
Distance 3 km
Speed: Between 6 and 7 km/hr
Intervals: 3 min running, 1 min walking, 4 min running, 1 min walking, 5 min running, 1 min walking, 6 min running, 1 min walking, 7 min running, 1 min cool down.
Below are my first two running logs.
Running Log 25/01/09
Time: 32 min
Distance: 3.5 km
Speed: Between 6 and 7 km/hr
Intervals: 5 min running, 1 min walking, 6 min running, 1 min walking, 7 min running, 1 min walking, 8 min running, 3 min cool down.
Running Log 24/01/09
Time: 30 min
Distance 3 km
Speed: Between 6 and 7 km/hr
Intervals: 3 min running, 1 min walking, 4 min running, 1 min walking, 5 min running, 1 min walking, 6 min running, 1 min walking, 7 min running, 1 min cool down.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Friday night at the Rex
Went to see The Dave Young Group at the Rex with Pat and another friend last night. Here's the line up.
Kevin Turcotte - Trumpet
Gary Williamson - Piano
Dave Young - Bass
Terry Clarke - Drums
John Johnson also joined them on tenor sax. What a band! Great trumpet (of course, Kevin Turcotte is amazing) and with John Johnson, the sound is seriously sweet. Dave Young is a fiend with that bass, what a player! I was too tired to stick around for the entire second set, but what I heard was brilliant.
If you get the chance, definitely check them out!
Kevin Turcotte - Trumpet
Gary Williamson - Piano
Dave Young - Bass
Terry Clarke - Drums
John Johnson also joined them on tenor sax. What a band! Great trumpet (of course, Kevin Turcotte is amazing) and with John Johnson, the sound is seriously sweet. Dave Young is a fiend with that bass, what a player! I was too tired to stick around for the entire second set, but what I heard was brilliant.
If you get the chance, definitely check them out!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Another great dinner party
Yesterday, after a ridiculously long rehearsal, Pat and Em came over. We decided to hit the market for fresh ingredients to create dinner. What a meal! We started off with bread and a triple cream Quebecois cheese, followed by a main of fresh tilapia in a pomegranate sauce (Pat's invention) with pan fried leeks and a parsnip/potato mash. All accompanied by a wonderful 2007 Pinot Grigio Veneto by this Italian winery. The Veneto isn't in their product list anymore, but I would be happy to try the Pinot Grigio Piave listed, as the Veneto was quite spectacular. We had some rather disappointing tartuffo for dessert. Too sweet, and too much like ice cream, not gelato. Homemade chocolate chip cookies and espresso finished off the meal. Great company, wine and food, what more could one ask for. I'm happy to be making good on my promise to myself to entertain at home more often.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
2009...what's in store?
Right off the bat, I will repeat my New Year's Mantra...I don't make New Year's Resolutions.
Taking stock:
Health
Aside from the worst flu bug I think I've ever had in my life that's lasted a whole week's worth of my holidays, I'm doing ok. My RA continues to be in drug related remission, and I'm getting back to the things I used to do before the ankle break and the diagnosis. I even went skating for the first time again in 3 years! It was great, I'm looking forward to getting back to skating more regularly.
Work
New assignment this year, same place. Ho hum. Nothing new to say except for I'm now 18 months away from my sabbatical. The countdown begins! Tune in to my blog for preparation updates, and of course, the journey itself.
Dating
I've changed so many of my old paradigms, sometimes I don't even recognise myself. I've become a fan of the non traditional, and learned to fully (not just topically) accept people for who they are, and then decide whether or not they have a place in my life. Patience has not traditionally been one of the things I have in spades, although I've certainly developed in this area. As with anything, there are developments I wish for, but if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. :)
Home
Looking pretty good, better the neater I keep it! :) I'm so glad I was able to get my living room drapes up, and hopefully will get the bedroom drapes up very soon. Another goal for 2009, get rid of useless stuff! I definitely have trouble letting go of sentimental things that I never look at, but when I go to throw them away, I can't. Still need to do the floors and paint, but I'm not sure I want to before I sublet. On the other hand, I want to enjoy my home fully, and done up the way I imagined, before I sublet. We'll see what happens.
All in all, I hope that 2009 brings about some real changes in my life. I'm on a mission to improve my fitness, eating habits, personal relationships and musicianship. I know, it sounds like New Year's resolutions, but really, they're just holdovers from my goals from last year. I made some amazing progress last year, so I'm hoping to continue this year.
Happy New Year! All the best in 2009!
Taking stock:
Health
Aside from the worst flu bug I think I've ever had in my life that's lasted a whole week's worth of my holidays, I'm doing ok. My RA continues to be in drug related remission, and I'm getting back to the things I used to do before the ankle break and the diagnosis. I even went skating for the first time again in 3 years! It was great, I'm looking forward to getting back to skating more regularly.
Work
New assignment this year, same place. Ho hum. Nothing new to say except for I'm now 18 months away from my sabbatical. The countdown begins! Tune in to my blog for preparation updates, and of course, the journey itself.
Dating
I've changed so many of my old paradigms, sometimes I don't even recognise myself. I've become a fan of the non traditional, and learned to fully (not just topically) accept people for who they are, and then decide whether or not they have a place in my life. Patience has not traditionally been one of the things I have in spades, although I've certainly developed in this area. As with anything, there are developments I wish for, but if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. :)
Home
Looking pretty good, better the neater I keep it! :) I'm so glad I was able to get my living room drapes up, and hopefully will get the bedroom drapes up very soon. Another goal for 2009, get rid of useless stuff! I definitely have trouble letting go of sentimental things that I never look at, but when I go to throw them away, I can't. Still need to do the floors and paint, but I'm not sure I want to before I sublet. On the other hand, I want to enjoy my home fully, and done up the way I imagined, before I sublet. We'll see what happens.
All in all, I hope that 2009 brings about some real changes in my life. I'm on a mission to improve my fitness, eating habits, personal relationships and musicianship. I know, it sounds like New Year's resolutions, but really, they're just holdovers from my goals from last year. I made some amazing progress last year, so I'm hoping to continue this year.
Happy New Year! All the best in 2009!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
December 2008 Books and Movies
Good-bye Lenin
Absolutely brilliant movie! D gave this to me for xmas, knowing I liked historical fiction. It centres around a family in East Germany right before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The mother suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma. When she awakes, the family decide it's best to keep her in the dark about the opening to the West, lest it upset her and cause another heart attack. The lengths they go to are very comical and the film is very well written. It's in German with subtitles. Definitely see it!
Don't Be That Girl
Travis Stork, MD with Leah Furman
This was not a very helpful book. It was poorly written (sorry Leah, I don't think it was your writing) and full of cliches. The types of women he describes are true enough, but it really comes off as "I know best, because I was on The Bachelor, but more importantly, because I'm a doctor". The overwhelming tone was, it's not him it's you. Of course I, and everyone else, knows that it takes two to tango and that sometimes it's the guy and sometimes it's the girl. So it seems a bit insulting to read something that insinuates that there are tons and tons of wonderful guys out there, just ready to date, as long as you fix all of your problems first. There are always the token "well it's not always this way" statements thrown in, possibly for legal purposes, :) which I suppose is meant to make one feel better. Give it a miss, there are a gazillion better books out there that deal with this topic.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Really enjoyed this movie. Yes, the excessive CGI was a bit distracting, but the story was pure and engaging. I didn't quite cry, but was misty eyed at parts, which for me, is always a good sign. The story is unique, based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The hero is born old and gets younger over time. Brad Pitt is well cast and Cate Blanchett is wonderful, as usual. I love historical fiction, and the production company certainly used gobs of money to make every detail historically accurate. Good film, go see it!
Irish Girls Are Back in Town
Various
Another great collection of short stories by Irish authors. Of course I didn't love every single one, but found some great authors that I will definitely look into. Particular mention should go to Julie Parsons, Morag Prunty and Cecelia Ahern (the Irish Prime Minister's daughter) who also wrote P.S. I Love You. There's a Scottish version of this collection, so I'm looking forward to discovering more new authors.
Twilight
In a word, fromage! Wow, that movie was super cheesy! I meant to read the book before going, but now I'm glad I didn't, because I have a feeling I would have been really disappointed. I will still read the series, but the movie definitely fell flat. There was some gorgeous cinematography of Washington State and the fight scene was pretty cool at the end, but the love story was stilted. A human falling in love with a vampire has been done so many times, there's only so much you can do with it. Oh and you could totally see the white powder they used on the vampires. Cheesy!
Chasing Harry Winston
Lauren Weisberger
Hmm. Well, it's no The Devil Wears Prada, or even Everyone Worth Knowing. For a third outing, not really up to par. That being said, I still read through it fairly quickly and enjoyed the characters, if not the plot so much. Two friends make a pact to change their romantic lives, with the marriage seeker having flings and the socialite to look for a man to marry, while the third friend looks on but doesn't join in. Of course, her life ends up changing as well. I did really like the character of Adriana, she was a hoot. I'll still read Weisberger novels, but I'm hoping that the next one is another Prada.
Ensemble, c'est tout (Hunting and Gathering)
Great movie of an even greater novel. I enjoyed reading this novel so much I even got it out in French after finishing it in English. The film stayed fairly true to the book, although there were necessary cuts due to the sheer length of the book. A couple of things I thought were turning points in the developing relationship between Franck and Camille were left out or worse, watered down, such as the first time he cooks for her and the first time she resumes drawing. An important pair of characters, Camille's "guardians" were not a part of the film. I adore Audrey Tautou in her French movies, The Davinci Code, not so much. Guillaume Canet is beautiful, and a wonderful actor. I really liked Laurent Stocker and Francoise Bertin as well. Excellently cast, beautifully shot and a great story, go and see it!
The Next Thing on My List
Jill Smolinski
Great chick lit. Fun, breezy writing style, interesting plot, non cookie cutter herione, a few plot twists and she doesn't end up with the guy you think she will. Although I know it was a deliberate plot device, to lead the reader on, I still suckered me in, so it was well done. The story is about a girl who sets out to complete a to do list made by a girl who suddenly dies and her adventures while doing it. The characters are well drawn, although a couple of introductions were a bit abrupt or even completely out of left field. I found myself searching for one character, paging through the parts I'd already read, because she was introduced with such familiarity. That's small potatoes compared to some of the clunkers I've read. This was a nice easy read.
3 Women
Very interesting. Robert Altman is pretty wacky. Lots of interesting stuff here: role reversal, feminism, accurate portrayal of the mid-70s, great cinematography of California and cool (for the time, 1977) special effects, fantastic, eerie score with lots of flute. It's hard to describe the plot, you just have to watch it. Lots of ideas will swirl around in your mind once you've seen it, they'll drop in days afterwards. Excellent film!
Certain Girls
Jennifer Weiner
Warning....spoilers!
Oh Jennifer Weiner, what were you thinking! It was such a great book right up to the end, and then kablooie! Why, why, why did you think that killing off the best character in the novel would make your novel better? I thought it was a bad, bad move. It completely erased all the great writing and made it very difficult to finish. I almost didn't keep reading after that. It was just plain bad writing. The death happened too quick, instead of feeling like an out of nowhere surprise, it just felt like sloppy writing. Not a fitting ending for Cannie, not a good follow up to Good in Bed. A real shame, I was expecting more. Oh well, I enjoyed it 3/4 of the way through.
Torchwood: Season 1 DVD
Absolutely brilliant! Pretty much watched it straight, one episode after another. A bit of science fiction, a bit of fantasy, lots of real life, set in Cardiff (I have to go there, I can't believe I spent nearly 2 years in England and never went to Wales), great case, cool sets, fantastic stories, the list is endless. I watched most of season 2 on the Space Channel, but was quite confused sometimes. I'm less confused now and gagging for more! I know Season 3 is being shown in the UK, but have no idea when it's coming here. Hopefully sooner, rather than later.
Absolutely brilliant movie! D gave this to me for xmas, knowing I liked historical fiction. It centres around a family in East Germany right before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The mother suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma. When she awakes, the family decide it's best to keep her in the dark about the opening to the West, lest it upset her and cause another heart attack. The lengths they go to are very comical and the film is very well written. It's in German with subtitles. Definitely see it!
Don't Be That Girl
Travis Stork, MD with Leah Furman
This was not a very helpful book. It was poorly written (sorry Leah, I don't think it was your writing) and full of cliches. The types of women he describes are true enough, but it really comes off as "I know best, because I was on The Bachelor, but more importantly, because I'm a doctor". The overwhelming tone was, it's not him it's you. Of course I, and everyone else, knows that it takes two to tango and that sometimes it's the guy and sometimes it's the girl. So it seems a bit insulting to read something that insinuates that there are tons and tons of wonderful guys out there, just ready to date, as long as you fix all of your problems first. There are always the token "well it's not always this way" statements thrown in, possibly for legal purposes, :) which I suppose is meant to make one feel better. Give it a miss, there are a gazillion better books out there that deal with this topic.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Really enjoyed this movie. Yes, the excessive CGI was a bit distracting, but the story was pure and engaging. I didn't quite cry, but was misty eyed at parts, which for me, is always a good sign. The story is unique, based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The hero is born old and gets younger over time. Brad Pitt is well cast and Cate Blanchett is wonderful, as usual. I love historical fiction, and the production company certainly used gobs of money to make every detail historically accurate. Good film, go see it!
Irish Girls Are Back in Town
Various
Another great collection of short stories by Irish authors. Of course I didn't love every single one, but found some great authors that I will definitely look into. Particular mention should go to Julie Parsons, Morag Prunty and Cecelia Ahern (the Irish Prime Minister's daughter) who also wrote P.S. I Love You. There's a Scottish version of this collection, so I'm looking forward to discovering more new authors.
Twilight
In a word, fromage! Wow, that movie was super cheesy! I meant to read the book before going, but now I'm glad I didn't, because I have a feeling I would have been really disappointed. I will still read the series, but the movie definitely fell flat. There was some gorgeous cinematography of Washington State and the fight scene was pretty cool at the end, but the love story was stilted. A human falling in love with a vampire has been done so many times, there's only so much you can do with it. Oh and you could totally see the white powder they used on the vampires. Cheesy!
Chasing Harry Winston
Lauren Weisberger
Hmm. Well, it's no The Devil Wears Prada, or even Everyone Worth Knowing. For a third outing, not really up to par. That being said, I still read through it fairly quickly and enjoyed the characters, if not the plot so much. Two friends make a pact to change their romantic lives, with the marriage seeker having flings and the socialite to look for a man to marry, while the third friend looks on but doesn't join in. Of course, her life ends up changing as well. I did really like the character of Adriana, she was a hoot. I'll still read Weisberger novels, but I'm hoping that the next one is another Prada.
Ensemble, c'est tout (Hunting and Gathering)
Great movie of an even greater novel. I enjoyed reading this novel so much I even got it out in French after finishing it in English. The film stayed fairly true to the book, although there were necessary cuts due to the sheer length of the book. A couple of things I thought were turning points in the developing relationship between Franck and Camille were left out or worse, watered down, such as the first time he cooks for her and the first time she resumes drawing. An important pair of characters, Camille's "guardians" were not a part of the film. I adore Audrey Tautou in her French movies, The Davinci Code, not so much. Guillaume Canet is beautiful, and a wonderful actor. I really liked Laurent Stocker and Francoise Bertin as well. Excellently cast, beautifully shot and a great story, go and see it!
The Next Thing on My List
Jill Smolinski
Great chick lit. Fun, breezy writing style, interesting plot, non cookie cutter herione, a few plot twists and she doesn't end up with the guy you think she will. Although I know it was a deliberate plot device, to lead the reader on, I still suckered me in, so it was well done. The story is about a girl who sets out to complete a to do list made by a girl who suddenly dies and her adventures while doing it. The characters are well drawn, although a couple of introductions were a bit abrupt or even completely out of left field. I found myself searching for one character, paging through the parts I'd already read, because she was introduced with such familiarity. That's small potatoes compared to some of the clunkers I've read. This was a nice easy read.
3 Women
Very interesting. Robert Altman is pretty wacky. Lots of interesting stuff here: role reversal, feminism, accurate portrayal of the mid-70s, great cinematography of California and cool (for the time, 1977) special effects, fantastic, eerie score with lots of flute. It's hard to describe the plot, you just have to watch it. Lots of ideas will swirl around in your mind once you've seen it, they'll drop in days afterwards. Excellent film!
Certain Girls
Jennifer Weiner
Warning....spoilers!
Oh Jennifer Weiner, what were you thinking! It was such a great book right up to the end, and then kablooie! Why, why, why did you think that killing off the best character in the novel would make your novel better? I thought it was a bad, bad move. It completely erased all the great writing and made it very difficult to finish. I almost didn't keep reading after that. It was just plain bad writing. The death happened too quick, instead of feeling like an out of nowhere surprise, it just felt like sloppy writing. Not a fitting ending for Cannie, not a good follow up to Good in Bed. A real shame, I was expecting more. Oh well, I enjoyed it 3/4 of the way through.
Torchwood: Season 1 DVD
Absolutely brilliant! Pretty much watched it straight, one episode after another. A bit of science fiction, a bit of fantasy, lots of real life, set in Cardiff (I have to go there, I can't believe I spent nearly 2 years in England and never went to Wales), great case, cool sets, fantastic stories, the list is endless. I watched most of season 2 on the Space Channel, but was quite confused sometimes. I'm less confused now and gagging for more! I know Season 3 is being shown in the UK, but have no idea when it's coming here. Hopefully sooner, rather than later.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Wonderful Company
Last night I held a dinner party for D and two friends. I didn't really cook (just bought, heated up and put together stuff) but it was a weeknight, so I simply didn't have the time. The company was fabulous, we ate well, made our way through 2 bottles of red (one of which was an amazing 2006 Chateau Timberlay Bordeaux), had wonderful conversation in three languages and finished the evening with a homemade (not by me) maple sugar pie. The entire evening was a real treat and made me realise I have to do this more often, with more of my friends. Looking forward to the New Year, when they will host!
Monday, December 08, 2008
Wee Big Band at the Old Mill
Tonight I went to see one of my directors of music play in Jim Galloway's Wee Big Band at the Old Mill. I'd never been to that venue before, it's pretty cool. The band is quite slipperish, but the sound was cool. Bob DeAngelis was subbing in, I just love his clarinet sound. There was fair amount of xmas music in the second half (which I complimented by having a gorgeous English date pudding with toffee sauce...mmmm) including a great arrangement of Jingle Bells (in actual fact a Thanksgiving song that was so popular it stuck around until xmas) and The Duke's Nutcracker Suite. I especially liked Arabesque Cookie, what a groove! It was a touch expensive at $35 but worth it to support my peeps. :)
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Birthday Party and New Hair
Here's a pic of my new hair:
Unfortunately for me, I had a severe allergic reaction to the dark rinse and have spent the day going to the walk in clinic for help. I've been prescribed a heavy duty anti-histamine and a cortisone lotion for the rash. It's pretty icky. And my head is sooooo itchy!!
Party was fun, although I would have preferred to have held it in my condo party room. Betty's was a great alternative though. There were a lot of people there, but unfortunately a few were missing. I managed to chat to everyone, then the stragglers and I went back to my place to watch an episode of Torchwood. I think I've gotten John addicted to it! :)
Unfortunately for me, I had a severe allergic reaction to the dark rinse and have spent the day going to the walk in clinic for help. I've been prescribed a heavy duty anti-histamine and a cortisone lotion for the rash. It's pretty icky. And my head is sooooo itchy!!
Party was fun, although I would have preferred to have held it in my condo party room. Betty's was a great alternative though. There were a lot of people there, but unfortunately a few were missing. I managed to chat to everyone, then the stragglers and I went back to my place to watch an episode of Torchwood. I think I've gotten John addicted to it! :)
Sunday, November 30, 2008
November 2008 Books and Movies
James Bond: Quantum of Solace
Hmmm, that's the first thing that came to mind when this movie had finished. Daniel Craig is still as gorgeous as ever, but this movie really was a string of action sequences with a bit of plodding plot in the middle. It's my theory that a Bond girl should have that special something that men and women alike fancy. Unfortunately, although Olga Kurylenko is a pretty girl, she wasn't a Bond girl. They did a bit better with their choice of Gemma Arterton, she at least had a unique look about her. I enjoyed Judi Dench as always, as well as the gadgets, so it wasn't a total loss. It just felt like the director took a lot of the things that were "James Bond" out of this new film, somewhat like the martinis he was drinking on the plane. Apparently, that type of martini is exactly what he drinks in the first book Casino Royale, but not what was established in the first movie. To quote someone from the IMDB board, remarkably unremarkable.
Knitting Under the Influence
Claire LaZebnik
Good and bad. Good for the unique story elements, knitting and autism, bad for the predictability of the storyline. I knew exactly who the three girls were going to end up with at the end from almost the beginning and of course, not one of them could end the novel single. That would be the real tragedy! I'm trying out authors from the short story collection below, but this one, I would give a miss.
How To Be Single
Liz Tuccillo
This book didn't get the best reviews, but luckily, I didn't read them before I started. The overall tone was a bit negative, but the characters were finely drawn and there were some uproariously funny moments. This is not a how to novel, but the story of one women's research on how to be single around the world. Just as a warning, the Thomas story is heartbreaking. I'm think I would actually read her next outing, if it was a piece fiction as opposed to a manual like "He's Just Not That Into You".
American Girls About Town (Short Stories)
I originally ordered this book from the library based on a search for Jennifer Weiner novels. I didn't realise it was a book of short stories until I had it in my hot little hands. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it also included a story by Lauren Weisberger (The Devil Wears Prada) and disappointed to find a story by Cindy Chupack (I really didn't like her novel effort, although I liked her writing for SATC). I also found a few others I liked (Nancy Sparkling and Claire LaZebnick) and have put their novels on order. There are a few other short story anthologies of this ilk out there (Irish Girls About Town, Irish Girls Are Back in Town and Scottish Girls About Town) so we'll see what they're like. At the very least, perhaps I'll find some other authors to read.
Hmmm, that's the first thing that came to mind when this movie had finished. Daniel Craig is still as gorgeous as ever, but this movie really was a string of action sequences with a bit of plodding plot in the middle. It's my theory that a Bond girl should have that special something that men and women alike fancy. Unfortunately, although Olga Kurylenko is a pretty girl, she wasn't a Bond girl. They did a bit better with their choice of Gemma Arterton, she at least had a unique look about her. I enjoyed Judi Dench as always, as well as the gadgets, so it wasn't a total loss. It just felt like the director took a lot of the things that were "James Bond" out of this new film, somewhat like the martinis he was drinking on the plane. Apparently, that type of martini is exactly what he drinks in the first book Casino Royale, but not what was established in the first movie. To quote someone from the IMDB board, remarkably unremarkable.
Knitting Under the Influence
Claire LaZebnik
Good and bad. Good for the unique story elements, knitting and autism, bad for the predictability of the storyline. I knew exactly who the three girls were going to end up with at the end from almost the beginning and of course, not one of them could end the novel single. That would be the real tragedy! I'm trying out authors from the short story collection below, but this one, I would give a miss.
How To Be Single
Liz Tuccillo
This book didn't get the best reviews, but luckily, I didn't read them before I started. The overall tone was a bit negative, but the characters were finely drawn and there were some uproariously funny moments. This is not a how to novel, but the story of one women's research on how to be single around the world. Just as a warning, the Thomas story is heartbreaking. I'm think I would actually read her next outing, if it was a piece fiction as opposed to a manual like "He's Just Not That Into You".
American Girls About Town (Short Stories)
I originally ordered this book from the library based on a search for Jennifer Weiner novels. I didn't realise it was a book of short stories until I had it in my hot little hands. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it also included a story by Lauren Weisberger (The Devil Wears Prada) and disappointed to find a story by Cindy Chupack (I really didn't like her novel effort, although I liked her writing for SATC). I also found a few others I liked (Nancy Sparkling and Claire LaZebnick) and have put their novels on order. There are a few other short story anthologies of this ilk out there (Irish Girls About Town, Irish Girls Are Back in Town and Scottish Girls About Town) so we'll see what they're like. At the very least, perhaps I'll find some other authors to read.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A Great Birthday!
Had a lovely day from start to finish. Work wasn't too bad, and I was able to get away relatively early. Went to part of band practice where everyone serenaded me with "Happy Birthday". That was pretty cool, I've never had a whole band play for just me before! Way too much yummy food and drink, all of my favorites, pizza, mushroom salad, calamari, tartuffo, pinot grigio, espresso...it was delish and too filling. D gave me a lovely present, a hardcover copy of Chekhov's novellas. He is my absolute favorite Russian playwright, with The Cherry Orchard being the best of the bunch. I'm really looking forward to reading the story collection. It's too bad that the day had to fall in the middle of the week, with two more work days to go. Can't wait to party on Saturday night, should be fun!
Monday, November 24, 2008
John McLeod's Rex Hotel Orchestra
What a band! Or should I say, what a big band! Great sound, really tight, and they even had two french horns!
The line up was fantastic: David Braid on keys, John Jonson and Andy Ballentine (I teach his kid) on alto sax, Kelley Jefferson and Alex Dean on Tenor, Reg Schwager on guitar, just to name a few. There was even a surprise visit from Bob DeAngelis playing some Xmas music.
Well worth it, especially with a stellar arrangement of "It Don't Mean a Thing" featuring the trombone section and another of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" featuring the trumpet section.
The trumpet section were a hoot, a lot of them know each other from the Rob McConnell Boss Brass days, so they were acting like naughty school children, talking while the teacher is teaching type thing. They could surely play though! John McLeod is awesome, especially on flugle. Here's a clip
Well worth the $10 admission. They play on the last Monday of every month, check it out!
The line up was fantastic: David Braid on keys, John Jonson and Andy Ballentine (I teach his kid) on alto sax, Kelley Jefferson and Alex Dean on Tenor, Reg Schwager on guitar, just to name a few. There was even a surprise visit from Bob DeAngelis playing some Xmas music.
Well worth it, especially with a stellar arrangement of "It Don't Mean a Thing" featuring the trombone section and another of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" featuring the trumpet section.
The trumpet section were a hoot, a lot of them know each other from the Rob McConnell Boss Brass days, so they were acting like naughty school children, talking while the teacher is teaching type thing. They could surely play though! John McLeod is awesome, especially on flugle. Here's a clip
Well worth the $10 admission. They play on the last Monday of every month, check it out!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Soulless
Fantastic! I love seeing indie/fringe theatre. Click here for the synopsis. Great acting, simplistic set design, intimate space, just what I needed to get my head back into theatre again. I had lost my way somewhat, because of the crap I'd been seeing. I'm inspired to see as much Canadian independent theatre as I can. All thanks to this this website, which is awesome. Check it out!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Banana Boys - The Play
Went to Hart House Theatre tonight to see a play by Leon Aureus based on the novel Banana Boys by Terry Woo. I know the author slightly and had read the book, so I was interested to see how it translated into live theatre. The results were mixed. Although a great novel, it doesn't lend itself very well to story telling on stage. The playwright and director got around this by introducing elements of 1970s style collective creation giving the actors authorship of their work. The resulting blocking was quite powerful at times. Is being CBC (Canadian Born Chinese) as relevant now as it was 8-10 years ago? I'm sure I can't answer that question, but according to the playwright's notes, times are a-changing. I'm glad I saw it, and wish the playwright and author continued success.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Remembrance Day
Through a number of odd happenings, I had a very powerful and spiritual experience this November 11th. The afternoon before the Remembrance Day assembly I found out the trumpet player I thought was coming to play the Last Post for us, was actually not booked. I never received the message. Knowing that I would never find a player in that short a time, I went in on Tuesday and found myself a school trumpet. I took a trumpet minor in high school, played a little in dance band years ago, and taught middle school band 4 years ago, so to say I was rusty would be a huge understatement. As I started to practice, it sounded, well, worse than a grade nine student, to be honest.
As the soldier I had booked was taking to the students, I slipped outside the gym to warm up. Still not great. Moments before 11:00 am, I told myself: "You have to do this, for everyone who has served and especially your grandfather, a World War II vet and not long gone from this world". I honestly believe that he helped me today, because, although not picture perfect, I played every note clearly and didn't kak once. For those of you in the know, the Last Post is HARD, with G's out of nowhere, not to mention all note changes are done with your embouchure as it is all open. I had tears in my eyes at the end, as I know I did my grandfather and myself proud.
It was a profound moment in my life and I'll never forget the feeling.
Lest We Forget.
As the soldier I had booked was taking to the students, I slipped outside the gym to warm up. Still not great. Moments before 11:00 am, I told myself: "You have to do this, for everyone who has served and especially your grandfather, a World War II vet and not long gone from this world". I honestly believe that he helped me today, because, although not picture perfect, I played every note clearly and didn't kak once. For those of you in the know, the Last Post is HARD, with G's out of nowhere, not to mention all note changes are done with your embouchure as it is all open. I had tears in my eyes at the end, as I know I did my grandfather and myself proud.
It was a profound moment in my life and I'll never forget the feeling.
Lest We Forget.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Halloween Street Party
What a blast! Every year Church street closes between Isabella and Alexander for a massive costume street party.
Here are some of the highlights.
Em and I
Bert and Ernie
Awww!
Alf!
Creepy guy from the Saw movies
This guy's costume was fabulous! Orange fleece pants and black duct tape, orange work gloves and an actual traffic cone with a working yellow light on top.
Facebook fun!
Obama and a drag Sarah Palin
Your furry lovable pal, Grover!
Davy Jones
I'm looking forward to going next year, although based on what I saw, I'm going to have to jack up the creative juices for the costume. D says he's going as the Pet Shop Boys character from the video of "Can You Forgive Her". That'll be cool!
Mark it for next year and come on out!
Here are some of the highlights.
Em and I
Bert and Ernie
Awww!
Alf!
Creepy guy from the Saw movies
This guy's costume was fabulous! Orange fleece pants and black duct tape, orange work gloves and an actual traffic cone with a working yellow light on top.
Facebook fun!
Obama and a drag Sarah Palin
Your furry lovable pal, Grover!
Davy Jones
I'm looking forward to going next year, although based on what I saw, I'm going to have to jack up the creative juices for the costume. D says he's going as the Pet Shop Boys character from the video of "Can You Forgive Her". That'll be cool!
Mark it for next year and come on out!
October 2008 Books and Movies
Burn After Reading
Excellent movie! John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney and the Cohen brothers are a good combo. Funny as h*ll and quite dark. I enjoyed it thoroughly from beginning to end, and that is saying a lot, considering some of the movies I've seen lately. Highly recommend it, go see it!
Goodnight, Nobody
Jennifer Weiner
Well, no one is perfect, so I knew there had to be a clunker in there somewhere. This book was just bad. The heroine was one of those really annoying klutzy, always saying and doing the wrong thing all the time, types that I really can't stand. Maybe it's because they just make me so uncomfortable thinking about real life situations while making those kind of gaffs. The worst part was, the plot dragged on and on, then didn't actually satisfactorily resolve! Bad author, bad! It's about a housewife who investigates the murder of one of the neighbourhood "perfect mommies" while recounting flashbacks to her single life in NYC. Give it a miss, there are others that are much better.
Excellent movie! John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney and the Cohen brothers are a good combo. Funny as h*ll and quite dark. I enjoyed it thoroughly from beginning to end, and that is saying a lot, considering some of the movies I've seen lately. Highly recommend it, go see it!
Goodnight, Nobody
Jennifer Weiner
Well, no one is perfect, so I knew there had to be a clunker in there somewhere. This book was just bad. The heroine was one of those really annoying klutzy, always saying and doing the wrong thing all the time, types that I really can't stand. Maybe it's because they just make me so uncomfortable thinking about real life situations while making those kind of gaffs. The worst part was, the plot dragged on and on, then didn't actually satisfactorily resolve! Bad author, bad! It's about a housewife who investigates the murder of one of the neighbourhood "perfect mommies" while recounting flashbacks to her single life in NYC. Give it a miss, there are others that are much better.
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