Not like the others

I Netflixed The Chase thinking it would be kind of McLeod's Daughters crossed with Monarch of the Glen - two shows I adore.  I thought wrong.  This show is about a veterinary clinic in Yorkshire run by two sisters and their family members.  It's got no sweetness or humor though.  The whole thing is about illicit affairs and secrets.  Total soap opera and very much not my thing.  Blech!  2/10 - at least it had some pretty settings.

A stylish dream

In the Mood for Love is a dreamy stylish film about neighbors who realize that their spouses are having an affair.   The style of it reminded me of Tom Ford's film A Single Man (a much more recent film) - just gorgeously done all the way through.  The music, the clothes, the mood, the pace - it was all just so eloquent and left me with such a feeling of longing.  Beautiful!  8/10.

Endearing

If you like Tony Bourdain's show, you should definitely read his books.  He comes across as so honest and endearing.  He's less about the attitude than you'd expect.  The most recent book, Medium Raw, did not disappoint.  Loved the chapter of advice for wannabe chefs and his takes on his fellow chefs.  7/10.

Sweet life

The Sweet Life is a memoir of a man who moves to Paris after the love of his life dies. Reason enough for a life change, correct?  He's a pastry chef whose interested in food and culture.  He delves into the good and the bad of Parisian culture.  I like the blanace.  It's a quick, fun read with recipes interspersed.  5/10.

The Chicago way!

Years ago, my boy and I were visiting the cemetary where Eliot Ness is buried, and he discovered that I had no clue who Eliot Ness was.  "The Untouchables!" he kept saying. 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I decided to get the movie.  It's overblown and completely too much and I enjoyed it.  6/10.

Coincidence

Unthinkingly, I picked up Green Witch right after The Red Garden - two books by the same author.  Not a usual step for me.  I read the prequel to the witch book ages ago and figured that I'd finish it up even though I hardly remembered book numero uno. 

Thoughts?  I love anything that references fairy tales.  They're in my blood.  However, the terrorism / 9/11 plot felll with a clunk for me.  Did not work at all.  Seemed like a waste.  3/10.

Charmed

Alice Hoffman's novel The Red Garden charmed the heck outta me.  It's set in a small Massachusetts town in the shadow of a mountain.  Each chapter follows one character.  The following chapter is typically someone from the next generation - starting at settlement and moving to modern-ish day.  The tales follow love and heartbreak and even delve into fairy tale.  It's gorgeous - just the sort of tale to suck me in.  8/10.

Appreciative

Season three of True Blood was a bit of a disappointment....except for main werewolf guy's physique.  Such a highlight!  Will still catch the next season, but I'm hoping for better plotlines for Lafayette and Tara.  Hoping without a ton of hope.  5/10.

Green things



I'm a sucker for a well-thought-out picture book.  One that involves gardening?  So seriously sold!  The Curious Garden is adorable.  Gonna make all my mama friends read it. 7/10.

Enjoy

Dogs shaking off water

Celebrity editor?

Interesting recruitment.  I approve.

Scones

These chocolate and cherry scones are worth raving over.  Yum.

Hooked

Still Life is a nonfic look into the world of taxidermy.  The author delves into lots of different aspects of the field - practitioners, arteests, historical context, and competitions.  After a slow-ish start, I totally fell into this book.  Did you know that one of the categories for competition is making a speciman from totally different animals.  If you aren't sold at that bit of info, then I don't understand you at all.  7/10.

Stunner

Needed sharing.

Dapper

So the Vermeer that's at the center of this doc did less than nothing for me.  Still the story of the hunt for stolen masterpieces is interesting, and the dapper detective is so very cool.  I kind of wish he'd been the center of things rather than the art.  Stolen gets 4/ 10.

Charming

What a pretty space!

Enjoyable

Dorothy Parker twitter feed.

Ms Parker was wicked clever.  One example:

Added!
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Share on Twitter

Likes the quote "Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne."

always post: reviewsuser statuses

"I might repeat to myself slowly and soothingly, a list of quotations beautiful from minds profound -- if I can remember any of the damn things."

Social commentary

Interesting blog commenting on advertising - copyranter.

Spot on

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk kept the boy and I entertained on a recent road trip.  It's short - just 3 hours!  I love how wickedly spot on Sedaris is with various personalities.  He's observations are like a twisting clever dagger into these types - example - the white lab rat who tries to convince her roommate that illness is caused by attitude.  I love how placing these stories into the lives of animals gave it more of a twist.

The story about the owl and the hippo had us absolutely howling with laughter.  7/10.

Dreamy

I'm no fan of the room as a whole, but I adore the painting in this room.  So lovely.

Catching up

Last night, we watched the movie Alien.  Realeased the year I was born, I had never seen it until last night.  Thoughts?  It was a leetle slow and I knew more about the story than I had suspected.  Funny how pop culture seeps into your brain like that.

Also, now I want to get another kitty and name it Jones Ripley.

5/10.



Lyrical and brutal

The Summer of Ordinary Ways is a memoir written in the most lyrical language.  That's particularly remarkable since the book covers some brutal topics - most particularly some extreme violence against animals.  It was a really hard read in many places, but the story of growing up in a small town on a farm resonated with me a bit.  The writer has got some real skill in addition to what must be a complicated relationship with her family.  6/10.

(Totally different subjects, but when I think of books with gorgeous writing about insanely awful subjects, the other book that springs to mind is The Things They Carried which I loved.  It's an interesting and memorable pairing.)