Fatkins
Barb sent this to me (and so I post the link in her name, as she undoubtedly would have posted it herself if she was still blogging.) It's hilarious, and I feel exactly the same way. The Atkins backlash begins here.
- posted by Nicole @ 7:11 PM

 
The Transition Phase
Sadly, my honey from Texas returned home this morning (and I do mean morning, ie: my ass was out of bed at 5:30 because he had a 7am flight). And now I'm sad. But it was so great having him here. He got to meet most of the family and survived unscathed. He's such a sweetheart! I miss him already.

But we leave for the Vineyard in, like, t-minus 36 hours and I haven't even begun to address packing. AGHHHHH! So I'm in a transition phase. Trying to muster enough energy to get off my ass and be productive. And then when I get home, I have 3 days before I leave for Europe. The good thing is, I'm not going to have TIME to miss Nick.
- posted by Nicole @ 3:15 PM

 
Let Me Call Your Attention to My Sidecar
Oops, I mean my sidebar. I have just added links to a number of online news resources that I read frequently. (This is in part to answer people like my mother who insist that my distaste for our current president comes from reading too much of the NYT.) So check out some of the links if you would like a version of the news less histrionic than what FOX and CNN have to offer.
- posted by Nicole @ 5:49 PM

 
Texas Boy!!!!
Yes, the rumors are true: my very own Texas Boy is coming this Saturday to visit! HOORAY!

. . . I finally got around to seeing The Godfather last night (the Blockbuster unlimited rental pass continues to serve as my salvation from ever-enchroaching boredom). And even though it was like three hours long, I was captivated the entire time. I thought it started slow, but after that, it was amazing. Al Pacino is so intense - AND YOUNG! Who knew? I liked it so much, I rented Part II for tonight. I've heard that Part II is just as good, but that the third one sucks, so I think I'll stop after tonight. I also rented The Birdcage, and expect it to be absolutely hilarious - with Nathan Lane and Robin Williams on screen at the same time, how could it not be?
- posted by Nicole @ 6:22 PM

 
Sunset BLVD
I watched Sunset Boulevard with Barb the other night (at least, watched it with Barb till she quit and went home . . . ) and it was totally amazing! I was absolutely captivated the entire time. Gloria Swanson rocks my world! What a classic!

. . . in other movie news, I saw Keira Knightley on Leno last night, and they were showing trailers for King Arthur (which, as I understand it, is not yet complete? Hello - you guys in the editing room ARE aware that the movie opens in like two weeks, yes?) which looks nothing short of spectacular (but I did also say that about Troy and look what happened. I'm still seeing a therapist about it). But how can you go wrong with Clive Owen and Keira Knightley???
- posted by Nicole @ 11:08 AM

 
A Dozen Long-Stem Red Roses
Yup! All for me!!!!! From my honey in Texas! They came the other day for our four month anniversary (cannot believe he even remembered!). Bless his heart, he's so sweet. If you live close enough, come by and see them!
- posted by Nicole @ 10:43 AM

 
Beyond Borders
You know how you forget most movies by the time the credits are done rolling? Not so with Beyond Borders. This movie will stick with you for days. It's so powerful, but also very graphic. (Shock facotr is very high) Angelina Jolie plays this upper class London woman who falls in love with a doctor who works for international aid/relief groups (Clive Owen - will be King Arthur in July). He works in third world countries (Ethiopia, Cambodia, Chechnya) decimated by war, famine, and disease, and the movie serves as a shocking message about the conditions of these places and the need for funding and dedicated aid workers. The crisis of poverty and hungar is startlingly portrayed. It is painful, unsettling, and disturbing, and I think everyone should watch it.
- posted by Nicole @ 5:15 PM

 
Matt Haimovitz
Thanks to a tip from Nana, Al and I went to go hear cellist Matt Haimovitz perform at Nietzsche's last night. What, you ask, is a cellist doing playing in a bar??? I had the same reaction, but I gues it's kinda "his thing", bringing classical music to a wider audience, allowing himself greater freedom with his repetoire, and bringing classical music back to its earliest venues. He was awesome! He played a nice mix of traditional music and some avant-garde stuff, including the Prelude from Bach's First Suite for cello (believe me, you'd recognize it if you heard it) and this really kick-ass-Jimi-Hendrix-style version of the Star Spangled Banner - totally cool! I've never seen a cello played like an electric guitar before, it was awesome. "Challenging the electric guitar's testosterone monopoly", as he said. He also had some cool things to say about art as an alternative to war, suggesting that celebration of American composers and American music is a better expression of patriotism than glorification of military might. The performance was intellectually stimulating/challenging on multiple levels, and I really got a lot out of it - musically and otherwise.
- posted by Nicole @ 2:21 PM

 
HARRY POTTER ROCKS MY WORLD!
The amount of disappointment I felt upon seeing Troy is equal to the euphoria experienced upon seeing Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It was fabulous! Everything I'd hoped. The new director (Alfonso Cuaron) gave the film a very distinct look, but it totally worked. I know you've been hearing everywhere "This film is darker than the last one" - which is the most hackneyed phrase EVER used to describe sci-fi/fantasy film series - but it's true not only for the material, but for the actual appearance of the film. It's highly stylized in a very sophisticated, classical way (eg: use of "scope" - the black circle that opens/closes to begin/end a scene . . . Barb, can we go see this together and then chat over coffee afterwards?), which is unusual for "children's films". And the style was perfect and approriate for the film, and flawlessly executed (*cough-cough* unlike Troy *cough-cough*). It was superbly acted and the new characters where brilliantly casted (one possible exception: the jury is still out on the new Dumbledore - we miss you Richard Harris! - Michael Gambon obviously choosing to play the character in a markedly different manner, and I think it works, it's just gonna take a little while to get used to. He's quirky and odd, and actually reminds me of Master Haller (the master of JE). But like I said, I think it works. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black - 2 of my fav characters in the book - did not disappoint, and the three young leads were splendid as always. But I think it's really the supporting characters that shine in this film, which gives it more depth. Oh, and did I mention that John Williams' score is absolutely brilliant? Definitely the best score of the three films so far, and his best score in general in a while. In every aspect, the film was amazing. I only wish it could have been longer . . .
- posted by Nicole @ 1:59 PM

 
So Aunt Toni asked . . .
So Aunt Toni called on the phone and asked what I was doing, and I replied honestly, that I was looking up US Embassies in China so that Nick could safely flee the country in case they try to harvest his organs when he goes there to teach in July.
- posted by Nicole @ 6:11 PM

 
More Movies
God Bless the Month-long movie pass from Blockbuster. I'm making them lose soooooo much money! Good movies so far: "The Great Train Robbery", based on my favorite Michael Crichton book and starring the ever-dashing Sean Connery; "L'Auberge Espagnole", a french/spanish film that coincided quite appropriatly with my first year at Yale; and "Nowhere in Africa", a German film that won best foreign flick at the Oscars last year, about a Jewish family that flees to Africa as the Nazis begin to take over Germany. All really great films! And then, of course, when the whole fam was here we stayed up late and watched Casablanca, which is amazing, as always. Today I'm watching "Bringing up Baby" with Katherine Hepburn and Gregory Peck.
- posted by Nicole @ 12:29 PM