Monthly Archives: March 2011

Cristal

Cristal just flew into Seattle last night and we are so excited to have her here in Seattle for her birthday celebrations! She is easily one of the most hysterical people I know and I love her. Join me in wishing her the very best birthday in the world. (And wish me luck in cooking rajas con crema tonight!)

elk in the sunlight
peering through thick forest drapes
startled by ginger

Happy Birthday, Cristal!


Elizabeth Taylor

Of course, I was sad to hear about today’s passing of Elizabeth Taylor. I just googled her yesterday and I’ve known she’s been ill for a long time. This past Sunday I watched Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and I thought, boy they don’t make movie stars like that anymore. And they don’t. She was gorgeous, spunky, hilarious, glamorous and so talented.

In a 1999 interview, Barbara Walters asked her what she wanted on her tombstone and she said, “Here lies Elizabeth, she hated being called Liz… but she lived.” Amazing.


Rachel

Here’s just an old-fashioned Happy Birthday to one of the sexiest girls in the world! I love Rachel because she is SO fun and SO nice and she’s one of those girls who is super hot but either she doesn’t realize it or she just doesn’t act like it. Either way, she’s amazing.

Happy Birthday, Rachel! LOVE YOU!


Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

I watched Cat on a Hot Tin Roof yesterday morning and it was a perfect rainy day movie. I love it so much. If you haven’t yet discovered this 1958 classic starring the two most gorgeous people to have ever walked the earth, Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor, then go watch it right away. They are both magnetic and beautiful, especially Elizabeth Taylor who ignites the screen with every lip quiver and sassy quip. She’s strong, sexy, and amazing in this movie.

I try not to spoil a movie’s ending here on my blog, so I apologize if this is a spoiler, but I just have to say that in the film’s final moments when Paul Newman looks to Elizabeth Taylor and says, “Lock the door” I honestly thought I was going to die. It is easily the most romantic, sexy, and gorgeous climax to a film that I’ve ever seen. I’m on fire just thinking about it.

Check out this classic gem today, and even if you’ve already seen it maybe this post can just serve as a reminder to watch it again.

Machete

I’d been kind of wanting to watch Robert Rodriguez’s 2010 exploitation film Machete since I first saw the trailer almost a year ago. And when I saw that Lindsay Lohan was going to be in a movie with Robert DeNiro, Cheech Marin, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez and Don Johnson of course my first thought was, “What the hell kind of G.D. movie is this gonna be?!”

Well last night, my friend Kristen and I decided it would be our weekly grilled-cheese-tomato-soup-movie-night feature film and it was fun. It wasn’t Rodriguez’s best film (which I would say is arguably Sin City) but it was a’ight.

With that said, Rodriguez continues to come across as a sort of poor man’s Quentin Tarantino, who I LOVE. I appreciate the stylized violence and the cheesy sequences paired with great music, but Rodriguez doesn’t do it as well as Tarantino no matter how hard he seems to try.

I’m blogging about this movie because it was fun. It made me laugh and it was entertaining. I would recommend it to fans of Rodriguez (and even fans of Tarantino), but don’t expect it to outshine the competitors because it won’t.


Rosie


silent summer raft
small waves clapping at our side
waiting for orcas

Happy (belated) Birthday, Rosie!!


Schoolyard Games for Unpopular Children

This list was published in Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney’s Humor Category and it made me laugh pretty hard. I’ll post more in the future.

Schoolyard Games for Unpopular Children
by Greg Knauss

-Hide ‘n’ Be Lonely
-Goose Goose Goose
-Teeter
-Unhappy-Go-Round
-Kick the Can, Over and Over Again, Angrily
-Studio Apartment
-Very Easy Tag


127 Hours

I watched Danny Boyle’s latest film 127 Hours the other night and I loved it. To be honest, I had huge reservations about a movie based on Aron Ralston’s intense ordeal. I once heard Aron tell his story at a book signing in Salt Lake City and I honestly didn’t see how it could make a good movie. I was wrong because it was really good.

I’ve actually heard a lot of negative criticism about Aron: websites and blogs where commentators call him “stupid”, “idiot”, “asshole” and “retard.” While Aron is likely the first person to admit that he screwed up by climbing alone and not telling anyone where he was going, I really don’t think he deserves that much negative criticism. He’s not claiming to be a “hero” or “courageous” but he did survive a horrific incident and it’s a fascinating story to tell. So to all the haters, cut him some slack.

And check out this awesome movie!


Sazi


holiday sweaters
drinking egg nog and longing
for lobster pancakes

Happy Birthday, Sazi!


Alfie

I forgot to post a blog about the newest member of my family, Alfie! (Alfalfa)

Alfie is about 13 months old and spent his first year of life as a stray and in a few rescues throughout the Seattle area. We got him this last President’s Day at the K9 Rescue and Rehabilitation in Kirkland and he has been SO FUN. He’s pretty skittish around other dogs and strangers (probably a habit he picked up in rehab) but he is also so sweet and fun.

The first day we met him, he ran out of his crate and jumped right on my lap and put his head on my chest. He knew what he was doing because I fell in love with him right then and there.

His interests include rolled-up socks, kisses, chickens, playing fetch, and pooing when he shouldn’t. He also loves to get in the shower with me and paw at my face in the morning.

Come meet him! He doesn’t bite, he’ll just be nervous for a little bit.

JUST LOOK AT THAT FACE!!



Chris Nelson took the photo on the left.