Go Barbie Go!

Never thought I'd be posting a commercial for Barbie's, but this one is so empowering, and demonstrates little girls that they are capable of anything!

Netflix Addiction

About a year and a half ago, my husband and I made the executive decision to end our cable service.  In lieu of our $100+ a month on cables, we invested in a Roku, a device that enables streaming on your TV.  Instead of our usual channels, we actually found MORE channels at our disposable, which wasn't in our original "watch less TV" plan.  

Now all of a sudden, entire series were available to us immediately, one episode flowing easily and effortlessly into the next.  I attribute the beginning of our Netflix-streaming spiral to Friday Night Lights.  It all started with Tim Riggins...  Having heard the hype about this beloved cult series, my husband and I shrugged, figuring, "it's an episode, who knows, we may like it."  Well, one episode turned into two, three...and then suddenly we found ourselves choking up at the series finale....five seasons later.. Um, yeah, so much for watching less TV!

Now, my latest past time is reliving my late 90's high school-era TV series by revisiting old favorites, Felicity and Dawson's Creek.  Right now I'm knee-deep in the Dawson/Joey/Jen/Pacey drama, laughing at their fashion mishaps, and enjoying reliving a similar high school experience before texting, twitter, facebook, and the like.  

But still, I must warn you...Netflix is dangerous!  Worth it - but dangerous.  Use at your own risk, be prepared to indulge in a series, or two...

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DVD Binge

Growing up, my dad cultivated an enormous movie collection.  I remember our weekly pilgrimage to Blockbuster Video, to walk and scour the perimeter of the store, tirelessly searching for a worthwhile, but appropriate new release to rent for us kids for the weekend.  At the checkout counter, he always perused the VHS/DVD for sale bins and we usually left with between 1-2 new movies to add to the collection on most trips.  

Hence, I am a movie buff.  I love movies, especially oldie but goodie movies.  In recent years, I have found myself starting a substantial DVD collection of my own, which I attribute to affinity for movie-watching ingrained by my dad long ago.  When watching a flick and a friend mumbles, "Who is that guy, I think he's in something I've seen," I pride myself on being that person who can successfully make the movie-to-movie connection instantaneously (or at least reasonably fast)!  Yeah, I'm that girl, I know, I know, don't worry, I am aware that my actor and actress trivia and the ability to recite lines from movies is not favored by all... :)

Lately, I've been feeling a little ho-hum about my movie selection, and went on a bit of a DVD binge on amazon picking up some new flicks to add to my collection including... 

 and

What are your favorite rainy-day, go-to, pick-me-up-when-you're-in-a-bad-mood, or just plain random FAVORITE MOVIES?  I'm dying to hear!

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The Deathly Hallows

Last night I saw Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 in IMAX with some friends. Man, it was intense!~ You forget this series was actually written for children/young adults. In case you're not familiar with the series - the content of this book (and movie) is incredibly dark. By Book 7, pretty much all hell has broken loose in the wizarding world!

Though the movie was 2-1/2 hours long, but definitely didn't feel it (and I'm an antsy movie theater-goer, so that's saying something). The movie was literally running from the first 5 minutes, I don't think there's been such an action packed HP film thus far. It makes me want to go back and reread the 7th book, so I can be prepared for Part 2 next year!!!

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The Hills Are Alive!

Can you believe it's the 45th anniversary of the Sound of Music? The Today Show hosted the Von Trapp Children and Fräulein Maria last week to celebrate the anniversary of this magical movie. I always loved this movie, and I actually have a personal connection to the film.

Five years ago, I backpacked around Europe for a month with two of my girlfriends. One of our many stops among our travels was Salzburg, Austria, where this historic film was made! We decided since we loved the movie so much, we just had to take the Sound of Music tour, which is a 4-hour long excursion all over (highly recommended). You and your guide drive through those very hills from the song (listening and singing along to the soundtrack all the way - mind you!). We stopped at many iconic destinations from the movie; including the VonTrapp house by the lake, the church where Maria and Capt. Von Trapp were married, and many more...including the gazebo.

In case you don't remember, the gazebo was home to the famous song by Liesel and Rolf "I Am Sixteen, Going on Seventeen," (my favorite from the movie). Well when we arrived at this famous site, and encountered a crowd. Puzzled, we crept closer, and discovered the character Liesel from the movie was there filming the 40th reunion slot!!! It was such a random coincidence that she was there. We were thrilled!! The best part was, the 20 or so of us joined hands, and actually got to sing this wonderful song along with Liesel. It was a magical moment I'll never forget. Here's a picture of us and Liesel!

And the clip of the entire cast singing together!

The Facebook Movie

I just realized I never blogged about the last movie I saw - The Social Network, which despite actually knowing the title, I find myself consistently referring to as "The Facebook Movie." I didn't have high expectations for this movie, but I was entertained throughout and pleasantly surprised. For a movie all about computers, the plot was engaging, and the characters while not likable in the slightest (sans Eduardo), were well cast. (For anyone who's seen it, were the Winkelvoss twins not the dreamiest boys ever??).

The bf and I did a date enjoyed our dinner & a movie date night, dining at our fave burger joint, Red Mill Burgers, and then off to see the flick. Overall, I was very satisfied with the movie, I would even go so far as to say I'd even see it again...in the theater. And, it was an interesting vantage point for those of us who are members of facebook, a modern-day history lesson of sorts as to how we all got on there in the first place.

Letters to Juliet

My most recent Netflix movie was Letters to Juliet, starring Amanda Seyfried. I'm a sucker for a romantic comedy (even the ones that are entirely predictable off of a 3-minute preview).

Well this movie was totally predictable (as expected), but was light, enjoyable, and easy to watch. My favorite part was probably the setting itself. The movie took place in Verona, home to Juliet's balcony, a place where girls leave love letters or tokens of loves lost for Juliet to answer. Who knew?

Basically, what this movie reaffirmed for me is...that the next time I return to Italy, I definitely need to explore some new cities, Verona being one of them. And if and when that time does come, I'm sure I could whip out my high school copy of Romeo and Juliet and brush up on my verses OR just fancy a visit to Juliet's balcony and see the literary landmark in person.

Movie Review

I had the opportunity to watch Invictus on the plane ride home from Japan. Granted, I'm a sucker for a good sports movie, but this movie was truly inspiring! Before seeing this movie, I had never heard the story of Nelson Mandela's mission to unite South Africa through the nation's rugby team. Directed by Clint Eastwood, this movie was powerful, moving, and makes you want to get out there and do good!

Rent it, and tell me what you think!

Eclipse!

Going to opening night of Eclipse tonight in IMAX!! Seattle Center is hosting "Science with a Twist," a Twilight-themed happy hour preceding the 12:01 showing of the movie. Can't wait for fun with the girls and some vampire and werewolf drama! Woohoo!

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Broadway Buzz

Guess what hit movie is being turned into a Broadway Musical in 2010??? Sleepless in Seattle!! I love, love, LOVED this movie, back in 1993 when it debuted and still today. Can't wait to see how this plays out on Broadway!

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Croissant Lesson

I was feeling under the weather this weekend. Perfect timing, right? 4 days of school left and I catch a cold. Brilliant! Anyway, during my time being sick on the couch, I caught up on my Netflix. I've been on the waitlist for the Meryl Streep/Alec Baldwin movie It's Complicated for a while now, and it finally arrived. The movie was okay, but my favorite part was when Meryl Streep and Steve Martin share a romantic date after hours at her bakery, laughing and enjoying each others company as they make croissants. First of all, the scene was lovely, the setting, the music, etc. etc.

But secondly, croissant-making is quite a cool process! I had no idea! Chocolate croissants (pain au chocolat) may be my all-time favorite pastry and watching the process unfold on the silver screen was enchanting. Makes me want to learn how to make croissants!

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Wizards of Wonder

I literally cannot communicate how excited I am about Universal Studios latest theme park - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I may be 27, but I'm still a fool for theme parks, the thought of Disneyland makes me giddy, and now my expectations have been exceeded! Even before I became a teacher, I was an avid Harry Potter reader + follower. It's amazing to me how Universal was able to recreate J.K. Rowling's imaginative world! I literally cannot wait to visit the theme park in Orlando.

Here's a first glimpse inside the walls with some of Harry Potter's cast members. It looks AMAZING!


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video via labellevie

Mothers Day Recap

We celebrated Mother's Day with a family feast at my parents house. We dined on delicious Kalbi marinated ribs, avocado, pomegranate, and feta salad, and baked potatoes with all the fixings at my parents house. After dinner, my mom and I went to a 7:15 showing of the new documentary Babies.

The movie was a little different than I'd anticipated, but a good show nonetheless. I'd expected a narrator or some kind of voice over to navigate the audience through the very different lives of these 4 babies. However, there's almost no dialogue in the movie, aside from parent-infant chatter. It's interesting to see the similarities between parents and children from rural Namibia and Mongolia to very urban Tokyo and San Francisco. Also, many funny moments, including babies interacting with their local animals, and of course sibling rivalry; which is apparently the same 'round the globe, even down to the biting, hitting, and hair pulling.

Anyone else seen it yet? How was your Mother's Day?

The September Issue

In case you haven't heard of it yet - The September Issue is the real story behind The Devil Wears Prada. It's a documentary following esteemed Vogue editor Anna Wintour for several months as the magazine prepares to put out their legendary September issue. If you're like me and go, "Why is the September issue so special?" Let me tell you...this issue is the trendsetter, and kicks off the next season of fashion, trends, and all that is to follow.

Having read The Devil Wears Prada and owning the movie, I was curious to see if the movie was true to form. While she's got a flat affect, she doesn't seem to fill the shoes as the cold-hearted "Ice Woman" Meryl Streep played in the movie.

Ultimately, I found it interesting and fun documentary (especially since I'm not usually one for documentaries). Check it out!

Eat, Pray, Love

I seriously cannot wait for this movie. LOVED the book, and I love the way this preview is looking... Doesn't it make you want to get up and just GO somewhere!

Now, here's the big question: If you went on a journey for a year...where would you go? I need some time to ponder my own query, but I'll post my answer tomorrow!

Hot Tub Time Machine!

This movie was hilarious! Seriously...it's so ridiculous that it just works! It was even the Critic's Pick in the Washington Post with the subtitle, "don't judge a movie by it's title." So true! If you at all like raunchy humor, swearing, folks from the TV show The Office, and John Cusack, this movie doesn't disappoint!

The Weekend

This has been a long week...I'm very ready for this weekend to arrive. No big plans aside from laying low, sleeping in, and of course seeing Hot Tub Time Machine!

Also, next week is my school's Spring break which means I have the entire week off! This is cause for a celebration in itself! I didn't have any plans initially, but just found out my grandpa's memorial is scheduled for next Saturday in LA, so I'll be flying down there for the weekend to attend with family.

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Time Traveler's Wife

I rented The Time Traveler's Wife on Netflix recently and was pleasantly surprised how close the movie was to the book. As an avid reader, I'm always a little wary on how a books is translated in film. You never know how it's going to turn out. Often times, the director's butcher the storyline, others they leave out crucial points in the plot, but in my humble opinion, this one delivered a pretty accurate rendition of the story.

If you haven't read it yet - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is an unusual, clever and creatively written love story that literally follows a love through time. I thought Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana had great chemistry onscreen and closely resembled what I'd pictured for the main characters: Henry DeTamble and Claire Abshire. Add it to your Netflix queue and see for yourself!

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Eclipse

My Top 10 Chick Flicks

I was intrigued and inspired by Lindsay's Top 10 Chick Flick movie list for Valentines Day over at La Belle Vie, so much so that I created my own list of chick-flick faves. Now of course, this is only a tiny fragment of the chick flicks I have seen, rented, or actually viewed in the theater. But these are the most memorable (in my humble opinion).

10. Serendipity - it's all up to fate in this movie. The will they/won't they find each other story line gets me every time (even though I obviously already know the ending...)9. Center Stage, I was never a ballerina, but this movie made my friends and I wish we were!

8. Bridget Jones Diary7. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
6. The Thomas Crown Affair
5. One Fine Day - I loved this duo (Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney)4. The Notebook - great book and a great movie3. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days2. The Cutting Edge, I LOVE this movie. Love, love, love! Also makes me wish I'd pursued a career as a professional ice skater (a little)...

1. Dirty Dancing "No one puts Baby in a corner!"

What are your fave chick flicks? Did I name any of them?