...and I am beginning to think this is very true. No sooner did I mention a certain lovely younger judge in my previous post, then the next day I saw him as I was driving out of my street. He doesn't live in this area. What was he doing here? There is only one way in and one way out where I live. Interesting?
That spurred me to google him again and be mortified to find that this lovely hottie I had exchanged a very surprising but extremely lusty flirtation with a few years ago was only ten years older than my own daughter. Oh God...but he was so willing at the time he went out of his way to tell me he "wasn't married" when it was totally unnecessary for me to know it.
And to make it even more serendipitous, when I looked him up again, remembering a charitable organization he is deeply committed to, I discovered that among the three recipients that were honored at last years fall gala is the name of the "older" prominent surgeon who kissed me in the neck several times and called me "incredibly hot and sexy" at a certain Jazz club a little over a week ago and gave me his card. I got chills reading this. It was just too coincidental....it's such a big world out there and yet...
Is the universe playing a joke on me, especially when last year I considered going to said Gala in order to get a peek at the unforgettable judge in his natural environment?
And to take it further, the entertainers at said Gala is a group that I play often, especially the song called "All This Love" which, whenever I hear it, I have to undulate to the melody...and its slow, sensual Latin beat.
Life is so bloody interesting, isn't it? I can hardly wait to see what comes next in this comedy called living because in the middle of all the chaos there is a plan and a purpose we are not privy to. The universe rules and life has me thinking that old adage "youth is entirely wasted on the young" may have some validity to it! The woman I am now would have made mince meat out of the girl I used to be in the area of love and sex. And she was pretty well loved by quite a few incredible and sexy males (starting in kindergarten and I have the photos to back it up.) One day I shall write about it. For now, I am thankful every day for who I am and that I have never had a wish to be anyone else (except for the occasional wish to be a masseuse to certain beautiful male celebs I've admired). I do have good hands and a third eye and they both go a long ways into understanding the messages they see and feel.
I suppose some would categorize me as a "dirty old women" at this stage of the game, but they would have to be privy to my birth records to say it! I also think the Maitre d at a certain Italian hot spot in West Hollywood would argue the case while he was speaking to S, T. and I last night ( he is an old friend of S, but he also knows me as I frequent the restaurant) and his eyes were mostly on my chest (and a very modest cleavage it is too) and blushing the whole time. God, I do hope I get to go round again...because I still have a lot of living to do and one lifetime is not enough!
It is midnight and I just finished eating (a lovely pork loin stuffed with prunes I cooked up on the spur of the moment and a tender sweet potato and some salad and two glasses of a very nice Santa Barbara Pinot Noir). I have "All this Love (is Waiting for You)" playing and I am sitting at my kitchen counter thinking I should go to bed soon if I am to get up and get into town early enough to enjoy the great L.A. weather and meet up with my friends for a few parties at the Pacific Design Center tomorrow. I also have a DVF gift certificate burning a hole in my pocket and I need to check in with her store.
My friend S is another night owl, but I'll see him sometime tomorrow too. We get along famously and he's so easy to be with....and so straightforward. We all need that kind of friend. We talk about everything. He's a life long bachelor and loves women. He thinks he knows everything there is to know about them, but he's learning from me that he doesn't (perhaps because I am secure enough to be honest too) and I'm loving every minute of surprise I spring on him. I will post some of his personal observations on certain common "recreational" (as in sex enhancement) substances later this week when I have some free time. In the meantime...
...life is good...even when it's bumpy...and I am eternally grateful for all it's blessings.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Speaking of Dancing
Last Thursday I went to a jazz club on Sunset to hear a little Latin Jazz. I've seen this group play several times before and they are great. My friend T and I decide to grab a bite there too and I ordered a bottle of wine, as the show would not start for another half hour or so. I had just gotten my taxes out to my accountant and I was in the mood to celebrate.
Once the group started playing it immediately awakened my ever present "dancing spirit" and it was difficult for me to sit still. After about the third tune, I noticed a couple in a booth across the room got up and were dancing. I stood it as long as I could and about half way through the song I couldn't take it anymore and got up went and stood near a wall facing the stage and did my "thing." Getting it out of my system, I quickly sat down once the music stopped. Apparently I had attracted the attention of the people at the table next to us, which was a party of about 6-7 people, because once the music started again, this "older," smartly dressed man came up to me and asked me to dance.
I never turn down the opportunity to dance and jumped up at the chance. The guy could dance, but we danced apart, each doing our thing....and doing my "thing" I was....eyes closed...lost in the music, arms up in the air, body swaying...hips in sync with the bongos.... I was busy expressing my "inner" dancer....when I was rudely awakened by my dance partner kissing the side of my neck and asking me if I knew how incredibly hot and incredibly sexy I was. I barely opened an eye, placed my hand on his chest and gave him a friendly little shove. By this time another two couples ventured by the same wall and were dancing....and I continued...lost in my self expressive way and gliding on the floor in my 3 inch heels and my favorite DVF fitted silk dress....when my partner again started kissing my neck anew and again singing my praises in a repeat of the same words.
Unperturbed and thinking he was a few sheets to the wind maybe...I gave him another gentle, but firm, push (pretty much the same treatment I'd given over-amorous young men in my youth). Surely he would get the hint? Finally he took my hands and we did a few moves together and then the song ended and he took me back to the table and taking my hand..says to my friend..."Thank you for giving me the pleasure of dancing with your beautiful and incredibly sexy friend" and as he went back to his friends, I suddenly turned to T and said "Why the hell is he thanking you? Does he think we're Lesbians?" She started giggling and I gave her a dirty look.
Well, a few seconds later, I noticed he was paying the bill for the entire table of guests (male and female) and he comes up to me, leans over my shoulder and asks me if I have a card. I said I didn't and he puts his on the table and tells me he would very much like to take me to dinner and if I wanted to go to please call him. I smiled but don't even remember what I said.
After T and I left the club, she called our friend S. and he told us he had just gotten home from dinner with a group of friends and had had too much Sake, but asked us to come over. T said he sounded a little fuzzy and I was in the mood for coffee and desert, so we stopped at the Coffee Bean on Sunset near Palm and I got a large latte and some almond croissants for me and cupcakes and a large chocolate latte for him. At his apartment, the three of us spent another hour talking and then I headed for home but not before S told me he liked my dress as I went out the door.
When I got home, I pulled out the card and looked at it. Turns out my sticky admirer is a very serious, prominent Beverly Hills surgeon (Stanford grad) who has a worldwide reputation in his field. After having a good laugh, unable to reconcile his ardor with the serious field he was in, I e-mailed both T and S about it and S kiddingly answered that I better make friends with him in case any of us was ever a candidate for the delicate surgery this man does. At that point I was thinking that I was awfully glad that I hadn't knocked the guy down with my gentle shoves and all I could think of is that it is hard to judge a book by its cover...the man had had a few drinks perhaps...and probably thought the same of me...so it was easy to take the liberties...the kind a smart female takes as flattery, without too much importance and the kind one just swats away like a moth that gets too close.
The next day, out of curiosity, I pulled out the card again and did a little research....and had the thought that my tax accountant (who lives in a very pricy part of town overlooking the ocean and had called me about taking me to lunch ) probably knows the guy. I was grinning and thinking how curious it would be if there was a connection. All I will say is that it is a very small world and one should never make snap judgements. All I thought at the moment he came up to me was that it was an "old guy" (because I see myself as eternally young) and he was asking me to dance and I would have danced with King Kong...if he had asked....just to get out there and do something I love doing so much.
I was also very gratified that night, when another couple came by our table and the male told me that I was a "great" dancer and that their side of the room had all been commenting....SO, needless to say....I had come home, one very content and very swelled headed, hot (and sexy) lady... and wondering whether the "old" guy still had some life in him? I do remembering looking in the mirror after removing my make up....and saying to myself..."You are no spring chicken, luve....so who are you calling old?"
Almost a week later his card is sitting next to my computer. I keep thinking maybe I'll talk to my accountant and see if he knows him, after all, one can never have too many friends... But I recognize that the problem with me is that, at my core, I am still that young girl....lost in her dreams...and again waiting for the ONE man "with the right heat" who will knock ME off my feet (on the dance floor or not) to walk into my life.
The cynic in me doesn't believe he exists anymore....but my heart just doesn't want to believe it. It's happened before so why not! I still think of a lovely, younger judge that made my heart (and other body parts) do funny things. I was a fool to let that one slip by. How many times can one do that before fate says....that's all you get, lady! Don't be greedy! You've already had your lifetime quota!
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Once the group started playing it immediately awakened my ever present "dancing spirit" and it was difficult for me to sit still. After about the third tune, I noticed a couple in a booth across the room got up and were dancing. I stood it as long as I could and about half way through the song I couldn't take it anymore and got up went and stood near a wall facing the stage and did my "thing." Getting it out of my system, I quickly sat down once the music stopped. Apparently I had attracted the attention of the people at the table next to us, which was a party of about 6-7 people, because once the music started again, this "older," smartly dressed man came up to me and asked me to dance.
I never turn down the opportunity to dance and jumped up at the chance. The guy could dance, but we danced apart, each doing our thing....and doing my "thing" I was....eyes closed...lost in the music, arms up in the air, body swaying...hips in sync with the bongos.... I was busy expressing my "inner" dancer....when I was rudely awakened by my dance partner kissing the side of my neck and asking me if I knew how incredibly hot and incredibly sexy I was. I barely opened an eye, placed my hand on his chest and gave him a friendly little shove. By this time another two couples ventured by the same wall and were dancing....and I continued...lost in my self expressive way and gliding on the floor in my 3 inch heels and my favorite DVF fitted silk dress....when my partner again started kissing my neck anew and again singing my praises in a repeat of the same words.
Unperturbed and thinking he was a few sheets to the wind maybe...I gave him another gentle, but firm, push (pretty much the same treatment I'd given over-amorous young men in my youth). Surely he would get the hint? Finally he took my hands and we did a few moves together and then the song ended and he took me back to the table and taking my hand..says to my friend..."Thank you for giving me the pleasure of dancing with your beautiful and incredibly sexy friend" and as he went back to his friends, I suddenly turned to T and said "Why the hell is he thanking you? Does he think we're Lesbians?" She started giggling and I gave her a dirty look.
Well, a few seconds later, I noticed he was paying the bill for the entire table of guests (male and female) and he comes up to me, leans over my shoulder and asks me if I have a card. I said I didn't and he puts his on the table and tells me he would very much like to take me to dinner and if I wanted to go to please call him. I smiled but don't even remember what I said.
When I got home, I pulled out the card and looked at it. Turns out my sticky admirer is a very serious, prominent Beverly Hills surgeon (Stanford grad) who has a worldwide reputation in his field. After having a good laugh, unable to reconcile his ardor with the serious field he was in, I e-mailed both T and S about it and S kiddingly answered that I better make friends with him in case any of us was ever a candidate for the delicate surgery this man does. At that point I was thinking that I was awfully glad that I hadn't knocked the guy down with my gentle shoves and all I could think of is that it is hard to judge a book by its cover...the man had had a few drinks perhaps...and probably thought the same of me...so it was easy to take the liberties...the kind a smart female takes as flattery, without too much importance and the kind one just swats away like a moth that gets too close.
The next day, out of curiosity, I pulled out the card again and did a little research....and had the thought that my tax accountant (who lives in a very pricy part of town overlooking the ocean and had called me about taking me to lunch ) probably knows the guy. I was grinning and thinking how curious it would be if there was a connection. All I will say is that it is a very small world and one should never make snap judgements. All I thought at the moment he came up to me was that it was an "old guy" (because I see myself as eternally young) and he was asking me to dance and I would have danced with King Kong...if he had asked....just to get out there and do something I love doing so much.
I was also very gratified that night, when another couple came by our table and the male told me that I was a "great" dancer and that their side of the room had all been commenting....SO, needless to say....I had come home, one very content and very swelled headed, hot (and sexy) lady... and wondering whether the "old" guy still had some life in him? I do remembering looking in the mirror after removing my make up....and saying to myself..."You are no spring chicken, luve....so who are you calling old?"
Almost a week later his card is sitting next to my computer. I keep thinking maybe I'll talk to my accountant and see if he knows him, after all, one can never have too many friends... But I recognize that the problem with me is that, at my core, I am still that young girl....lost in her dreams...and again waiting for the ONE man "with the right heat" who will knock ME off my feet (on the dance floor or not) to walk into my life.
The cynic in me doesn't believe he exists anymore....but my heart just doesn't want to believe it. It's happened before so why not! I still think of a lovely, younger judge that made my heart (and other body parts) do funny things. I was a fool to let that one slip by. How many times can one do that before fate says....that's all you get, lady! Don't be greedy! You've already had your lifetime quota!
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
DWTS - Another Hot Male Contestant...
...who I hope can dance.
I've watched the show before for two reasons....Christian De La Fuente, Giles Marini and I'm contemplating watching a few of them for contestant William Levy (a fellow Cuban) who I hope can dance as well and come off as sexy as the above mentioned.
The other two were very sensual and loose (pelvic wise) in their moves and Mr. Levy has the looks and the sex appeal. Now lets see if he has the moves.
It is in his blood so I predict a whole slew of women that normally don't tune in will be watching and, of course, Cheryl Burke's his dance partner....so if he can do a fox trot as well as a mambo or a cha cha cha, then watch for him to be up there in the ratings.
Now if Gerard Butler would just donate a little of his lovely mane to the nice looking, but somewhat follically-challenged Cuban actor...
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
I've watched the show before for two reasons....Christian De La Fuente, Giles Marini and I'm contemplating watching a few of them for contestant William Levy (a fellow Cuban) who I hope can dance as well and come off as sexy as the above mentioned.
It is in his blood so I predict a whole slew of women that normally don't tune in will be watching and, of course, Cheryl Burke's his dance partner....so if he can do a fox trot as well as a mambo or a cha cha cha, then watch for him to be up there in the ratings.
Now if Gerard Butler would just donate a little of his lovely mane to the nice looking, but somewhat follically-challenged Cuban actor...
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Sunday, February 26, 2012
2012 Academy Awards (Oscars)
Yahooooo! All my personal picks for awards won tonight and I congratulate all of them (see some of my reviews on this blog).
If you haven't seen The Artist, go see it! Congratulations to Michel Hazanavicius!
Best actor winner Jean DuJardin is so charming and sexy.... I love his smile and his crooked teeth! My sister and daughter agree...he is very charming.
Also congrats to Woody Allen for penning the lovely Midnight in Paris.
Meryl's Streep's speech was bittersweet, when she said she knew it was the last time she would be up there....although I'm not so sure. The Meryl Streep's and Helen Mirren's of the world still have a lot of life left in them. Look at Christopher Plummer tonight! Bless him!
My very favorite parts of the show were the vignettes of varioius actors themselves talking about movies. It really made the show special...listening to what they "feel" makes a good movie and how much of themselves they put into it and then wait and hope....These touches made it personal and really engaged the audience.
Lastly....my congratulations to Brian Grazer for personalizing the show this way and making it more watchable and to Billy Crystal for the clever opening skit.
A few of my favorite dresses for the night were worn by Cameron Diaz, Gwenneth Paltrow (with the cape), Angelina Joliem(just because she always looks so pretty), Stacy Keibler and Milla Jovovich. Penelope Anne Miller's dress was lovely too. I'm sure there are others and I'll add postscripts as I remember them.
The Artist's costume designer and Meryl Streep's make up artist won and those were also two I picked.
I have always loved the fashions of the 20's...the low waist with the bias cut skirts...and the long necklaces. I hope these will make a comeback because of the movie.
Congratulations too to Harvey Weinstein for picking winners.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
If you haven't seen The Artist, go see it! Congratulations to Michel Hazanavicius!
Best actor winner Jean DuJardin is so charming and sexy.... I love his smile and his crooked teeth! My sister and daughter agree...he is very charming.
Also congrats to Woody Allen for penning the lovely Midnight in Paris.
Meryl's Streep's speech was bittersweet, when she said she knew it was the last time she would be up there....although I'm not so sure. The Meryl Streep's and Helen Mirren's of the world still have a lot of life left in them. Look at Christopher Plummer tonight! Bless him!
My very favorite parts of the show were the vignettes of varioius actors themselves talking about movies. It really made the show special...listening to what they "feel" makes a good movie and how much of themselves they put into it and then wait and hope....These touches made it personal and really engaged the audience.
Lastly....my congratulations to Brian Grazer for personalizing the show this way and making it more watchable and to Billy Crystal for the clever opening skit.
A few of my favorite dresses for the night were worn by Cameron Diaz, Gwenneth Paltrow (with the cape), Angelina Joliem(just because she always looks so pretty), Stacy Keibler and Milla Jovovich. Penelope Anne Miller's dress was lovely too. I'm sure there are others and I'll add postscripts as I remember them.
The Artist's costume designer and Meryl Streep's make up artist won and those were also two I picked.
I have always loved the fashions of the 20's...the low waist with the bias cut skirts...and the long necklaces. I hope these will make a comeback because of the movie.
Congratulations too to Harvey Weinstein for picking winners.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Saturday, February 18, 2012
In Honor of Fashion Week...
... I am going to share a few beauty tips. I will keep it short and simple.
FROWNIES: They are an excellent and a very old Hollywood way of keeping frown lines at bay without resorting to Botox. If you do use Bo for those two little lines between your brows or if you have a lot of lines on your forehead, Frownies help to keep your use of Bo to a minimum or a once a year thing.
I learned about Frownies from the lovely Rene Russo, who named them as one of her beauty essentials and to my surprise, the bloody things work. They are small, thin pieces of skin tone cardboard with adhesive that you simply dampen and apply to certain areas of your face that reminds it not to "squint." In other words, it trains the muscles.
As always, I tweak things around to suit myself. My personal tweak of the "frownies" is that I cut them down and round off the edges and instead of using water to dampen them, I use two drops of CELLEX C Advanced C Serum (I love the stuff). It works magic to minimize those lines.
My daughter D now uses them and I have given them as gifts to female friends and family. They work as well on men who are man enough and vain enough to want to stay youthful or look good for their partners or for their careers. D's new boyfriend is a rugged, nice looking 45 year old, who swims with sharks, surfs, dives, etc....and is also concerned with looking good, so I expect at some point to find him wearing a little frownie...along with all the other things she is teaching him about staying healthy and looking good through diet and other natural modalities. She learned at her mother's knee and it is a private joke between us now that he told her (upon meeting me this fall) that I was "really well preserved" for my age. I laughed like a loon and told her to tell him that he made me sound like I was "pickled in formaldahyde." Trust me, I really don't look "preserved."
Frownies? They really work. I wouldn't steer you wrong. I get mine through drugstore.com, but I am sure any big, good beauty supply store may carry them, though both products will be cheaper online than through a beauty supply. And if you want to pack a bigger punch to this beauty regimen, plunk down the $$ for a bottle of Cellex C or any other vitamin C serum to wet them down with. If you do use Botox you may be able to kiss it goodbye after a while. There are two topical things that help build collagen, one is vitamin C and the other is retinol.
Frownies: Around $13 to $14 online
Cellex C - Advance C Serum: Between $80 and $125 (the lower range is obtainable on-line-shop around) and at two drops a night it will last quite a while. This is one thing I do splurge on and I also use it under my moisturizer (to protect my skin from sun damage) and also fortify my night creams with it.
I am a frustrated chemist, so I concoct my own creams using a simple base and adding my own ingredients. You would be surprised how much and how cheap you can get the basics like Hyaluronic acid, liquid zinc, niacin, green tea extract (for caffeine), DMAE, Ester C and glycolic and lactic acids at high concentrations, etc.... and just about anything else that are the ingredients in some of the most expensive creams on the market. It is especially good when you want to treat the skin on your body as well as you do your face and it would be too expensive to do so.
If you have sun damage, ask your dermatologist to give you a 0.1% retin A cream. They usually prescribe .05% but 0.1% is stronger and better. You can use this to fortify other creams too!
As for the Frownies... Thanks Rene Russo! Good things are meant to be shared and passed on to others.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
I learned about Frownies from the lovely Rene Russo, who named them as one of her beauty essentials and to my surprise, the bloody things work. They are small, thin pieces of skin tone cardboard with adhesive that you simply dampen and apply to certain areas of your face that reminds it not to "squint." In other words, it trains the muscles.
My daughter D now uses them and I have given them as gifts to female friends and family. They work as well on men who are man enough and vain enough to want to stay youthful or look good for their partners or for their careers. D's new boyfriend is a rugged, nice looking 45 year old, who swims with sharks, surfs, dives, etc....and is also concerned with looking good, so I expect at some point to find him wearing a little frownie...along with all the other things she is teaching him about staying healthy and looking good through diet and other natural modalities. She learned at her mother's knee and it is a private joke between us now that he told her (upon meeting me this fall) that I was "really well preserved" for my age. I laughed like a loon and told her to tell him that he made me sound like I was "pickled in formaldahyde." Trust me, I really don't look "preserved."
Frownies? They really work. I wouldn't steer you wrong. I get mine through drugstore.com, but I am sure any big, good beauty supply store may carry them, though both products will be cheaper online than through a beauty supply. And if you want to pack a bigger punch to this beauty regimen, plunk down the $$ for a bottle of Cellex C or any other vitamin C serum to wet them down with. If you do use Botox you may be able to kiss it goodbye after a while. There are two topical things that help build collagen, one is vitamin C and the other is retinol.
Frownies: Around $13 to $14 online
Cellex C - Advance C Serum: Between $80 and $125 (the lower range is obtainable on-line-shop around) and at two drops a night it will last quite a while. This is one thing I do splurge on and I also use it under my moisturizer (to protect my skin from sun damage) and also fortify my night creams with it.
I am a frustrated chemist, so I concoct my own creams using a simple base and adding my own ingredients. You would be surprised how much and how cheap you can get the basics like Hyaluronic acid, liquid zinc, niacin, green tea extract (for caffeine), DMAE, Ester C and glycolic and lactic acids at high concentrations, etc.... and just about anything else that are the ingredients in some of the most expensive creams on the market. It is especially good when you want to treat the skin on your body as well as you do your face and it would be too expensive to do so.
If you have sun damage, ask your dermatologist to give you a 0.1% retin A cream. They usually prescribe .05% but 0.1% is stronger and better. You can use this to fortify other creams too!
As for the Frownies... Thanks Rene Russo! Good things are meant to be shared and passed on to others.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Saturday, January 21, 2012
The Artist - Everything we go to the movies for!
I finally got to see The Artist last night and today I still have a warm fuzzy feeling every time I think about it. I LOVED this movie! As pure entertainment....it shines brightly...an homage to all the old Hollywood movies our parents loved and some we sharpened our own teeth on.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I grew up in love with movies. Movies were a portal to another world where we could be anything we wanted to be and where falling in love with a handsome stranger was as close as your nearest movie theater. For those of us with wild imaginations and passionate temperaments couched behind shy exteriors, movies were simply... our magic!
What "The Artist" does or did for me, was take me back to those simpler more innocent times where we did believe in "ever after" and that it really was possible that the dividing line between rain and sunshine was a matter of inches.
I revisited the little girl clothed in a hand-me-down full dress, tap shoes (probably from The Goodwill Store), who danced in puddles, twirling her umbrella and belting out "I'm singing in the rain...." on her way home from school. It also made me realize that some things never change because I still walk around with some "song" in my head and when it rains and I hold an umbrella, I still want to be Gene Kelly....or a female version of him...anyway...and break out in a dance. That little girl is still very much alive and I think she is the one who keeps me young on the outside...and last night, watching the movie, I would have given anything to be "Peppy" Miller and dance the way she did...so light on her feet and so absolutely adorable as she batted her eyes at the equally adorable George Valentin.
I saw the movie with two friends, the male liked it the female was so-so about it and I guess I couldn't believe that they didn't "love" it like I did. Didn't relate to it, I guess.
The performances in the movie were so good! Talk about communicating with your eyes, your smiles, your body.... I fell in love with Jean Dujardin's crooked smile and Berenice Bejo's expressive eyes. John Goodman was almost a Harvey Weinstein kind of guy and he was terrific in the role as the Studio Boss, as was James Cromwell in the role as the faithful driver. And who could forget Uggie the dog as hero and faithful companion to Dujardin's Valentin, as his prospects dim with the coming of the talkies.
Of course, if you are a movie junkie, you will recognize some of the music, particularly the Edward Herrmann score for Vertigo that plays towards the end of the movie and for which Kim Novak said she felt was a "rape" of something that was created for her. While hearing it does take you out of the movie momentarily, you immediately jump back in because it works so well in the scenes and situation and it is so lovely and intended to be an homage to the late great Herrmann's work.
Written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist is a big winner and whether it wins the Oscar or not....it is tops in my book. Harvey Weinstein sure knows how to pick them!
I unreservedly give this movie a thumbs up or five stars...or whatever one gives a movie...because it enchanted me and I am still carrying that fuzzy feeling around and tuning in to Turner Classic Movies to see what other nostalgic movie I can find.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
I don't know about the rest of you, but I grew up in love with movies. Movies were a portal to another world where we could be anything we wanted to be and where falling in love with a handsome stranger was as close as your nearest movie theater. For those of us with wild imaginations and passionate temperaments couched behind shy exteriors, movies were simply... our magic!
What "The Artist" does or did for me, was take me back to those simpler more innocent times where we did believe in "ever after" and that it really was possible that the dividing line between rain and sunshine was a matter of inches.
I revisited the little girl clothed in a hand-me-down full dress, tap shoes (probably from The Goodwill Store), who danced in puddles, twirling her umbrella and belting out "I'm singing in the rain...." on her way home from school. It also made me realize that some things never change because I still walk around with some "song" in my head and when it rains and I hold an umbrella, I still want to be Gene Kelly....or a female version of him...anyway...and break out in a dance. That little girl is still very much alive and I think she is the one who keeps me young on the outside...and last night, watching the movie, I would have given anything to be "Peppy" Miller and dance the way she did...so light on her feet and so absolutely adorable as she batted her eyes at the equally adorable George Valentin.
I saw the movie with two friends, the male liked it the female was so-so about it and I guess I couldn't believe that they didn't "love" it like I did. Didn't relate to it, I guess.
The performances in the movie were so good! Talk about communicating with your eyes, your smiles, your body.... I fell in love with Jean Dujardin's crooked smile and Berenice Bejo's expressive eyes. John Goodman was almost a Harvey Weinstein kind of guy and he was terrific in the role as the Studio Boss, as was James Cromwell in the role as the faithful driver. And who could forget Uggie the dog as hero and faithful companion to Dujardin's Valentin, as his prospects dim with the coming of the talkies.
Of course, if you are a movie junkie, you will recognize some of the music, particularly the Edward Herrmann score for Vertigo that plays towards the end of the movie and for which Kim Novak said she felt was a "rape" of something that was created for her. While hearing it does take you out of the movie momentarily, you immediately jump back in because it works so well in the scenes and situation and it is so lovely and intended to be an homage to the late great Herrmann's work.
Written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist is a big winner and whether it wins the Oscar or not....it is tops in my book. Harvey Weinstein sure knows how to pick them!
I unreservedly give this movie a thumbs up or five stars...or whatever one gives a movie...because it enchanted me and I am still carrying that fuzzy feeling around and tuning in to Turner Classic Movies to see what other nostalgic movie I can find.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Meryl Streep's Iron Lady ...
...blew me away. What a fantastic performance by one of my favorite actresses.
I thought Viola Davis was wonderful and deserved the Oscar for her performance in The Help, but that was before I saw Iron Lady last night. The lovely Viola is a Streep fan and will forgive the demotion to second place.
The movie was intense, sad and quiet good. As the older Margaret Thatcher, the actress was mesmerizing. The ravages of age were sadly poignant, really. The problem with Streep is that you forget how good she is until you see her again and then you realize that she makes it look so easy you also forget she isn't the person she is portraying. I honestly think this is one of her best performances.
Hats off to the make up crew who worked on the film. They are to be commended for their excellence in aging the characters, quite unlike those that did J. Edger, where some of the aging make-up was over the top. Granted Streep and Broadbent are already older, but even the dentures she wore looked authentic.
If you are a fan of Streep, go see the movie. I thought it was excellent and though I disagreed with a lot of Thatcher's politics, she was a tough old gal, but more so, I think, because she had to prove that she had as big, if not bigger, balls then the men around her in the political arena. That that proving might have been detrimental to her in the long run is an interesting question. Strangely enough, her spouse was a more mild mannered type, who cheered her on most of the time and they seemed to get along famously.
I was pleasantly surprise how much I enjoyed the movie, though many find fault with the story. This was "one" view of MT, shown through the vulnerability in her later years. I am sure there is a wealth of material for a few more stories, but this view didn't please everyone. There are many who feel it is a disrespect to show her thus because she is still alive. Despite that, I thought it was an even handed attempt to show the woman behind the iron.
I originally set out to see The Artist but didn't get there in time for the performance, so we opted for The Iron Lady. I'm so glad we did.
The supporting performances, especially Jim Broadbent, were very good. Alexandra Roach, the actress who played the young Thatcher, was also very credible in the role.
If she doesn't win the Academy Award this year, I will be very disappointed. For me she was "that" good.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
I thought Viola Davis was wonderful and deserved the Oscar for her performance in The Help, but that was before I saw Iron Lady last night. The lovely Viola is a Streep fan and will forgive the demotion to second place.
Hats off to the make up crew who worked on the film. They are to be commended for their excellence in aging the characters, quite unlike those that did J. Edger, where some of the aging make-up was over the top. Granted Streep and Broadbent are already older, but even the dentures she wore looked authentic.
If you are a fan of Streep, go see the movie. I thought it was excellent and though I disagreed with a lot of Thatcher's politics, she was a tough old gal, but more so, I think, because she had to prove that she had as big, if not bigger, balls then the men around her in the political arena. That that proving might have been detrimental to her in the long run is an interesting question. Strangely enough, her spouse was a more mild mannered type, who cheered her on most of the time and they seemed to get along famously.
I was pleasantly surprise how much I enjoyed the movie, though many find fault with the story. This was "one" view of MT, shown through the vulnerability in her later years. I am sure there is a wealth of material for a few more stories, but this view didn't please everyone. There are many who feel it is a disrespect to show her thus because she is still alive. Despite that, I thought it was an even handed attempt to show the woman behind the iron.
I originally set out to see The Artist but didn't get there in time for the performance, so we opted for The Iron Lady. I'm so glad we did.
The supporting performances, especially Jim Broadbent, were very good. Alexandra Roach, the actress who played the young Thatcher, was also very credible in the role.
If she doesn't win the Academy Award this year, I will be very disappointed. For me she was "that" good.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Sunday, January 8, 2012
The Return of Downton Abbey
One of the good things about the new year is the return of Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Classic starting tomorrow, January 8th. on PBS. It was one of my favorite shows last year and I'm glad to see it is back for a second season and glad to hear it's been signed on for a third.
Between all the big budget movies with their 3D and their "superheroes, " extraterrestrials, zombies and vampires and reality TV, the world is ready for some more some adult drama and the backstairs intrigue between the classes of the venerable Masterpiece upstairs-downstairs variety. Although this has been a good year for films in terms of their quality scattered among the more silly fare like Transformers and Green Lanterns that appeal to the younger male audience, it is still nice to welcome back the well made and well acted stalwarts that make one look forward to watching the tube again.
Julian Fellowes has done a crackerjack job as writer and creator of Downton Abbey. It still amazes me that the charming actor who played the often pompous, but unintentionally humorous and kind hearted Kilwillie, best friend and neighbor of Hector McDonald, Laird of Glenbogle on Monarch of the Glen, is the same fellow who has written so many period favorites such as Gosford Park and Young Vicitoria, as well as the screenplays for Vanity Fair and The Tourist.
Last year I watched all six seasons of Monarch of the Glen in the evenings while I did my treadmill. It become something I looked forward to every night, as I grew more fond of the quirky inhabitants of the fictitious Glenbogle Estate in the Scottish Highlands and some nights would find me sitting through two episodes, eagerly awaiting my next netflix envelope every few days to retreat to another world and spend time with what seemed like some old friends.
Our friends across the pond have a knack for writing intelligent and entertaining drama and they are not afraid of dialogue and don't pander to the lowest common denominator as some moviemakers in the states sometimes do.
I recently had a "professional" critique a script. I actually paid someone to tell me it was good and then proceed to tear into it in the most brutal way, even telling me I should change my villain in the piece. One of my favorite critiques though was him saying that I needed to "dumb" it down for American audiences and asking me if I thought I was writing for Masterpiece Theater because I dared to use the word "supplant" in the context of "supplanting someone in a person's affections." The character who spoke the words was an artist and an educated and literate person so why would he not use such a word?
Needless to say, I found this one critique a huge compliment rather than a put down of my skills.
So Sunday night will find me tuning in to Downton Abbey.
Even though I have a very eclectic taste in films, if you took a peek at my Netflix queue you would find a lot of old Masterpiece Theater and BBC dramas scattered throughout. I find myself looking forward to those particular ones and lately find they are the only ones that rarely disappoint.
And nary a car chase or demolition derby in the bunch! Hallelujah!
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Between all the big budget movies with their 3D and their "superheroes, " extraterrestrials, zombies and vampires and reality TV, the world is ready for some more some adult drama and the backstairs intrigue between the classes of the venerable Masterpiece upstairs-downstairs variety. Although this has been a good year for films in terms of their quality scattered among the more silly fare like Transformers and Green Lanterns that appeal to the younger male audience, it is still nice to welcome back the well made and well acted stalwarts that make one look forward to watching the tube again.
Julian Fellowes has done a crackerjack job as writer and creator of Downton Abbey. It still amazes me that the charming actor who played the often pompous, but unintentionally humorous and kind hearted Kilwillie, best friend and neighbor of Hector McDonald, Laird of Glenbogle on Monarch of the Glen, is the same fellow who has written so many period favorites such as Gosford Park and Young Vicitoria, as well as the screenplays for Vanity Fair and The Tourist.
Last year I watched all six seasons of Monarch of the Glen in the evenings while I did my treadmill. It become something I looked forward to every night, as I grew more fond of the quirky inhabitants of the fictitious Glenbogle Estate in the Scottish Highlands and some nights would find me sitting through two episodes, eagerly awaiting my next netflix envelope every few days to retreat to another world and spend time with what seemed like some old friends.
Our friends across the pond have a knack for writing intelligent and entertaining drama and they are not afraid of dialogue and don't pander to the lowest common denominator as some moviemakers in the states sometimes do.
I recently had a "professional" critique a script. I actually paid someone to tell me it was good and then proceed to tear into it in the most brutal way, even telling me I should change my villain in the piece. One of my favorite critiques though was him saying that I needed to "dumb" it down for American audiences and asking me if I thought I was writing for Masterpiece Theater because I dared to use the word "supplant" in the context of "supplanting someone in a person's affections." The character who spoke the words was an artist and an educated and literate person so why would he not use such a word?
Needless to say, I found this one critique a huge compliment rather than a put down of my skills.
So Sunday night will find me tuning in to Downton Abbey.
Even though I have a very eclectic taste in films, if you took a peek at my Netflix queue you would find a lot of old Masterpiece Theater and BBC dramas scattered throughout. I find myself looking forward to those particular ones and lately find they are the only ones that rarely disappoint.
And nary a car chase or demolition derby in the bunch! Hallelujah!
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
A Lovely Late Evening with Jane Monheit
Friday night I finally made it to Catalina Bar and Grill to see Jane Monheit. After picking up some dinner and a bottle of wine from Joan's On Third and a few goodies for New Year's eve I put on ice in the cooler in the back of my car, I headed over to a friend's apartment where we caught up on the last few weeks of our lives over a roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, spicy snap peas and several dips and crostini. After a few glasses of wine we headed down Sunset for the 10:00 show.
I've been a fan of Monheit for about 10 years and always told myself I was going to catch one of her shows and Friday night she didn't disappoint. She has a lovely voice and backed up by a pianist, a bass and her husband on the drums, she put on a very entertaining show. She covers a lot of the old standards from some of my favorite composers, but the killer for me was when she sang "Over the Rainbow." She sings a very slow and melancholy version that breaks your heart to hear. It did me in the first time I heard her sing it on one of her first CD's and her version of it is what made me a fan those many years ago.
Several years ago, when my sister A's health started deteriorating, whenever I had to take her to the doctor or somewhere in the car, she would sit in the passenger side. I would fasten her seatbelt and hold her hand because she had developed a fear of riding in the car. Anyone who had known A in her prime would know she loved speed. When she was in my car and I would drive fast or go down a hill, she would smile and show her pleasure by shouting out "wheeeee." Now, with the advancing Alzheimer's, any motion or sudden moves terrified her and that joyous "wheeeee" had turned to fearful whimpers. The one thing that would calm her down was me putting on the CD and skipping to Monheit singing "Over the Rainbow." She and I softly sang it together with Monheit while I drove. She felt the message of that song on a deep level and the tears would roll down her cheeks.
Well A can no longer form words. She looks at me and tries, but they don't come out. She's locked in her own world and only music brings her out a little and what's left of her long term memory registers a sad kind of recognition. In the car, when I would play it, I knew she was thinking that she had always been trapped in her "borderline Down's syndrome" mind and body and that she was never going to fly over the rainbow like she dreamed doing. The thing was that she knew I knew it...even though I would always tell her that she and I would see the world together. She well understood she had to live with mom. She was mom's constant companion after Dad died and the two had never separated. But to A, I was her salvation, her ticket to the world she might have lived had she not had her handicap. She wanted to live with me and live my life.
So it was so bittersweet, that lovely version, sung Friday night, with the same melancholy cadence I remembered...and the memories it evoked for me of my sister through the progression of her illness broke my heart all over again. We all want to fly away from our troubles and over the rainbow is where the dreamers go.
I talked to Ms. Monheit after the show. I didn't take a photograph or ask for an autograph (although I did buy a new CD). I just had to share that little thing with her and she genuinly seemed pleased I did. I only took a small moment, but it meant so much to her that her voice had reached out and really touched both my sister and myself.
Music is a universal language and at its best it enriches us and helps us make indelible little moments special. Music allows us to relive those moments long after they are gone. We fall in love to music, we remember our losses over music, we celebrate life through music and each song creates a feeling within us that takes us to a certain place or a certain person. Music makes us dance with joy at the celebration of being alive and still able to go with the "vibrations" that make us feel alive!
Those in the arts can sometimes be annoyed by cloying fans, but Monheit's sincerity was palpable when she spoke with me and I had a "need" to let her know that she had shared something very personal with both of us in the form of her voice and her interpretation of the song.
Monheit sings in a very sensual and personal manner. She is able to interpret a song as she "feels" it and when you see her in person you "get" why it comes across in the the audio alone. That is the best thing I can say about a singer. Good voices are sometimes a dime a dozen and it seems like everyone "screams" a lot these days to reach the higher octaves. She has lovely control, but it is her nuance and her own style with the songs that make them special.
If you haven't heard of her, look her up. If you get to see her, she's a treat. Her musicians are right there with her on the journey she takes. I've put the new CD in my rotation of five in the car. I will download it to my iPod. I've got so much to download into my *iPod, but for now I will enjoy her singing everytime I get in my car. And every time I hear that particular song, those bittersweet moments I shared with my sister A when we both sang along with Jane Monheit will always live in my heart.
Thanks Jane!
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
*There is an especially lovely song on the new CD that has become an instant favorite because it touches me. Below is a link to the very evocative "piano only" duet with Peter Eldridge"It's Only Smoke."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEf4TVLmSqw
Over the Rainbow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP_5veYs1vE
I've been a fan of Monheit for about 10 years and always told myself I was going to catch one of her shows and Friday night she didn't disappoint. She has a lovely voice and backed up by a pianist, a bass and her husband on the drums, she put on a very entertaining show. She covers a lot of the old standards from some of my favorite composers, but the killer for me was when she sang "Over the Rainbow." She sings a very slow and melancholy version that breaks your heart to hear. It did me in the first time I heard her sing it on one of her first CD's and her version of it is what made me a fan those many years ago.
Several years ago, when my sister A's health started deteriorating, whenever I had to take her to the doctor or somewhere in the car, she would sit in the passenger side. I would fasten her seatbelt and hold her hand because she had developed a fear of riding in the car. Anyone who had known A in her prime would know she loved speed. When she was in my car and I would drive fast or go down a hill, she would smile and show her pleasure by shouting out "wheeeee." Now, with the advancing Alzheimer's, any motion or sudden moves terrified her and that joyous "wheeeee" had turned to fearful whimpers. The one thing that would calm her down was me putting on the CD and skipping to Monheit singing "Over the Rainbow." She and I softly sang it together with Monheit while I drove. She felt the message of that song on a deep level and the tears would roll down her cheeks.
Well A can no longer form words. She looks at me and tries, but they don't come out. She's locked in her own world and only music brings her out a little and what's left of her long term memory registers a sad kind of recognition. In the car, when I would play it, I knew she was thinking that she had always been trapped in her "borderline Down's syndrome" mind and body and that she was never going to fly over the rainbow like she dreamed doing. The thing was that she knew I knew it...even though I would always tell her that she and I would see the world together. She well understood she had to live with mom. She was mom's constant companion after Dad died and the two had never separated. But to A, I was her salvation, her ticket to the world she might have lived had she not had her handicap. She wanted to live with me and live my life.
So it was so bittersweet, that lovely version, sung Friday night, with the same melancholy cadence I remembered...and the memories it evoked for me of my sister through the progression of her illness broke my heart all over again. We all want to fly away from our troubles and over the rainbow is where the dreamers go.
I talked to Ms. Monheit after the show. I didn't take a photograph or ask for an autograph (although I did buy a new CD). I just had to share that little thing with her and she genuinly seemed pleased I did. I only took a small moment, but it meant so much to her that her voice had reached out and really touched both my sister and myself.
Music is a universal language and at its best it enriches us and helps us make indelible little moments special. Music allows us to relive those moments long after they are gone. We fall in love to music, we remember our losses over music, we celebrate life through music and each song creates a feeling within us that takes us to a certain place or a certain person. Music makes us dance with joy at the celebration of being alive and still able to go with the "vibrations" that make us feel alive!
Those in the arts can sometimes be annoyed by cloying fans, but Monheit's sincerity was palpable when she spoke with me and I had a "need" to let her know that she had shared something very personal with both of us in the form of her voice and her interpretation of the song.
Monheit sings in a very sensual and personal manner. She is able to interpret a song as she "feels" it and when you see her in person you "get" why it comes across in the the audio alone. That is the best thing I can say about a singer. Good voices are sometimes a dime a dozen and it seems like everyone "screams" a lot these days to reach the higher octaves. She has lovely control, but it is her nuance and her own style with the songs that make them special.
If you haven't heard of her, look her up. If you get to see her, she's a treat. Her musicians are right there with her on the journey she takes. I've put the new CD in my rotation of five in the car. I will download it to my iPod. I've got so much to download into my *iPod, but for now I will enjoy her singing everytime I get in my car. And every time I hear that particular song, those bittersweet moments I shared with my sister A when we both sang along with Jane Monheit will always live in my heart.
Thanks Jane!
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
*There is an especially lovely song on the new CD that has become an instant favorite because it touches me. Below is a link to the very evocative "piano only" duet with Peter Eldridge"It's Only Smoke."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEf4TVLmSqw
Over the Rainbow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP_5veYs1vE
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