Showing posts with label Catching up with 'Quelle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Catching up with 'Quelle. Show all posts

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Catching Up with Quelle (14)


January, a Month of Liars - During this month of January, several liars have been publicly exposed. First there was Lance Armstrong's doping scandal and televised confession to Oprah, then it came to light that Manti Te'o's dead girlfriend wasn't a real person, Beyonce may have lip synced the national anthem at the President's inauguration and Jodi Arias, accused of murdering Travis Alexander, lied twice and a jury in Arizona is trying to figure out if her third story is a lie or the truth. (My thoughts on Beyonce and my thoughts on Jodi Arias)

Classic film fans on Twitter found themselves face-to-face with another liar. Someone pretending to be Shirley Temple on Twitter. I fell for it and so did a lot of other people. Shirley Temple wouldn't be the first classic film star on Twitter. Both Shirley MacLaine and Debbie Reynolds have accounts. For a few folks, Shirley on Twitter was too good to be true and her tweets were deemed suspicious. Reps of the retired actress confirmed that the account was a hoax and it was quickly turned into a SPAM account. I guess having a major figure of film history on Twitter is too good to be true. If you ever see a Mickey Rooney or Deanna Durbin account on Twitter, don't believe it! (Watch Ben Stiller explain Twitter to Mickey Rooney).



Recording of Cary Grant on the Phone with his daughter - Posted by Warner Archive on their Tumblr, this is absolutely charming. Listen to it here.

I highly recommend the memoir Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father by Jennifer Grant. You can read my review of the book here.




Hats, Hats, Hats! - The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA currently has an exhibition devoted to Hats. And I just love hats so it was imperative that I attend. For the occasion I wore my best cloche hat, a cream and black wonder made by the San Diego Hat company and acquired from Kate Gabrielle. I got so many compliments on my hat and someone even asked to take my picture. Wow!

We all know hats were an important accessory in classic movies. Hats are not as appreciated today as they were back then but that should change! I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside the exhibit unfortunately. We did get to see hats worn by Charles Boyer, Marlene Dietrich and a couple 1940s toppers from model and burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese's collection. It wasn't the best exhibit and there were an unfortunate paucity of men's hats but I still had a great time.






Sunday, January 20, 2013

Catching Up with Quelle (13)

Happy Sunday! How are all of you? I am finally getting around to another edition of Catching Up with Quelle.


TCM Classic Film Festival - It looks almost certain that Carlos and I will be attending the TCM Classic Film Festival in April. We have our tickets and our hotel booked. All we need is to buy plane tickets. There is still a chance we won't be able to go but it looks more certain that we will than it did before. I am excited to go, to see Hollywood, to meet a lot of classic film fans and of course to watch some great movies!


New Robert Mitchum iPhone Case - Remember the Robert Mitchum iPhone case I had custom made in September? Well it broke. I have a tendency to drop my iPhone a lot. So I got a new one and am determined to not abuse my iPhone as much so I can keep this case a lot longer. Otherwise this will be an expensive new hobby of mine!

I like this iPhone case better than the last one. It's a great colorful of image of Robert Mitchum's 1953 visit to Hawaii. If you want to create your own custom iPhone case, I recommend using CafePress. You can get one made for $25 but I suggest you wait for a sale or a good coupon code. I ended up getting a few dollars knocked off the price with a custom iPhone case sale.


Sidney Poitier's letter to President Roosevelt - I love the blog Letters of Note which shares real letters from notable figures. They include a scan of the real letter along with the text typed out for those who may not be able to read the handwriting. I have read some of the most fascinating and endearing letters on that blog. Recently they posted a letter from a young Sidney Poitier to President Roosevelt. Poitier wrote the letter before he became a famous actor and when he was poor living in the U.S. and hoping to get a loan from President Roosevelt so he could go back to his family in Nissau. It's a very intriguing letter given the time period and also how Poitier became such a successful actor in the U.S. afterwards. You can find it here:
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2013/01/my-name-is-sidney-poitier.html

Classic Film Books on Goodreads - Do you love books on classic films as much as I do? Please come join me on Goodreads and add to my Classic Film Books list and vote for your favorites. I'm thinking of starting a book club but am not sure if there is enough interest. So I thought I'd start off with a list to see how it goes:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/30492.Classic_Film_Books


Sunday, January 6, 2013

Catching Up With Quelle (12)


Pillow Talk (1959) - My boss gave me a B&N gift card for the holidays and Carlos and I used it to have a date night at our local B&N store. We had some drinks at the cafe and had fun browsing through the DVD/Bluray section. I bought Pillow Talk (1959) on BluRay. It's a restored anniversary edition and what I liked about the package was that it came a BluRay, DVD and access to a digital download and also a fun 4-color booklet inside. The booklet is not removable so you can't lose it! I already had an old DVD of this but the quality was so poor that I am glad I made the upgrade. I played the BluRay on our HDTV and there was a noticeable improvement! But for some reason I couldn't watch the film all the way through. Something about it annoyed me. I think I need to distance myself from the film for a while so I don't fall out of love with it.

Have you ever fallen out of love with a classic movie? Have you upgraded one of your old DVDs to a restored DVD or BluRay?

Downton Abbey Rant - Downton Abbey's Season 3 premieres tonight in the States. However, the entire season has already aired in the UK and a DVD will be available with limited access fairly soon. Why is it that we in the United States, as rabid Downton Abbey fans as we are, cannot get access to the series when it airs in the UK? Why can't it be a simultaneous premiere on both sides of the pond?

I want to make the case to ITV in the UK to allow PBS's Masterpiece Series to air the episodes simultaneously for season 4. My first reason is to reduce piracy. I already know of a few American bloggers who have watched the full third series before it aired in the US and they did this by getting access to pirated copies. I didn't do this myself because I like PBS and would rather support them. Not that I'm above accessing pirated copies of shows, I had to do that with Mad Men when I didn't have cable (I'm both sorry and not sorry about that).

My other reason is that a lot of UK shows are supported heavily by American audiences. I would like to offer two case studies.



From what I have heard in the past, this show was marginally successful in the UK but a huge hit on PBS in the US. It was especially popular around Christmas time and I remember seeing lots of episodes on PBS during the holiday season. The series continued on primarily because US audiences wanted more. I wish I could quote a source on this and if I find it I will link or quote it here! We helped keep this show going! And while I adore the Vicar of Dibley, it's full of very odd references to UK culture that we just don't get. In fact at one point, I started making a glossary of names and references so I could better understand the show! But audiences in the US still love it for it's quirky characters, funny jokes and overall charm.



I was watching a fundraising special on PBS some years ago (after the series had ended) and on the special were actress Moira Booker, she plays Judith, and Philip Bretherton, who plays Alistair. Both Booker and Bretherton said on the fundraising special that the support of American fans was one of the main reasons this series lasted so long. TV shows like these do not have very long lives in the UK and the longevity of this one was a result of the support of PBS and American audiences. I absolutely adore this show and my repeat viewings and the fact that I own EVERY SINGLE DVD IN THE SERIES is definitely part of that support. Both Booker and Bretherton had also mentioned that they came to the US with the other actors in the series for some public event and were wowed by how much support there was here for the show and how much audiences here loved it.

Why do we love British shows so much? Because they are so well done, we are sick of all the reality crap and want something well-done and entertaining like Downton Abbey. Please do not punish us! Let us be a part of the experience by doing a simultaneous release for Downton Abbey Season 4!

Will you be watching Downton Abbey tonight? Have you already seen season 3? (NO SPOILERS PLEASE)

UPDATE: Thanks to Twitter I found out that the delay in Downton Abbey being aired in the U.S. was a decision made by PBS and not by ITV or by any rights issues. I think that decision on PBS' part is stupid and I hope they'll reconsider in the future.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Catching Up with Quelle (11)

It's been a tough week for me. I had some personal problems, then Jack Klugman died and my week off has been full of chores and catching up with stuff that I haven't been able to before when I was working. I did manage to watch a few movies and do some reading so there is that. I hope all of you had a better holiday than I did!

Period Of Adjustment from Warner Bros.Period of Adjustment (1962) - I really wanted to write up a review and post it before TCM's airing and before Christmas but I just never got around to it. At first I thought this film was just another kooky comedy from the 1960s kind of like Lord Love a Duck. I watched the first hour and gave up. But for some reason, the film kept popping into my head and I couldn't quite let it go. I had to give it another chance.

Isabel (Jane Fonda) and George Haverstick (Jim Hutton) are newlyweds. They got married on Christmas after having met not so long ago at a hospital. They are on a honeymoon trip (traveling in a hearse!) which is turning out to be a disaster. They make a pit stop at the home of Ralph Bates (Anthony Franciosa) and his wife Dorothea (Lois Nettleton) but they only find Ralph there. Dorothea left after Ralph got fired from his job by his boss, her father. Both couples are going through a period of adjustment. The newlyweds have been thrown into their situation and are highly uncomfortable and not ready for sex and the married couple are dealing with issues of disappointment and unrealized expectations.

I watched the film again and was surprised to find that it is quite good. Newlyweds or anyone going through a new phase in their romantic relationship can appreciate this film. The main conflict of the story is essentially a battle of the sexes. The male and female characters are struggling with their respective roles, especially Franciosa's Ralph who is always trying so desperately to be "the man." One of the most interesting characters just happens to be the most quiet. And that is Ralph and Dorothea's son Skip "Junior" (Scott Robertson). He's a quiet little boy who likes to play with dolls. This angers and frustrates his dad Ralph. This innocent little boy is breaking down gender binaries unknowingly by playing with the toy that he wants to play with rather than the one he's expected to play with. The mere act of playing with a toy intended for little girls threatens his dad masculinity by voiding his influence as a male role model. In one scene, Ralph gets so angry that he throws the boy's doll into a fire. Quite an interesting subtext! I am so glad I gave this film a second chance.


Lady in Cement (1968) - Speaking of second chances, I thought I'd also give Lady in Cement another try. I didn't like it when I first watched it and this surprised me. I'm a huge fan of Tony Rome (1967) and Lady in Cement is the sort-of-sequel to that film. I have been partaking in multiple repeat viewings of Tony Rome and I was hungering for something more. So I decided to watch Lady in Cement again and I quite enjoyed it on the second viewing! There is something about the broken detective genre of the 1960s that I really enjoy. Also it's funny to see Lainie Kazan as a Spanish-American stripper! I really wish there were more than just two Tony Rome movies. There should have been more. I enjoy these much more than the James Bond films I've seen, although I like those too. For those of you who like Tony Rome and Lady in Cement, The Detective is similar but takes place in New York rather than Miami. Tony Rome is probably the most mild of the three whereas Lady in Cement and The Detective concern themselves a lot with homosexuality as part of the crime world.

Now Listening - I thought I'd share what music I'm listening to. Lately I have been listening to The Shelter of Your Arms, a collection of Sammy Davis Jr. songs. It's quite wonderful!


I just realized this post is very 1960s and that my recent viewings have been mostly films from the 1930s or the 1960s. I'll need to start finding more films from the decades around and in between to round things out a bit.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Catching Up with Quelle (10)



Skyfall (2012) on the IMAX – The internet has been buzzing with great reviews of Skyfall (2012) and I was particularly excited about this new addition to the James Bond film legacy. My husband Carlos took me out on my birthday to see this film at an IMAX theater. Let me confess to you dear reader that I have never been to an IMAX theater to see a movie. I have been to the Mugar-Omni Theater at the Boston Science Museum where I had seen several wildlife documentaries. The Mugar Omni Theater has a five story tall IMAX dome screen which wraps around you. The seats are slanted and you feel like you are floating and falling at the same time. I always had to take Dramamine as the experience kicked in my motion sickness.

I came prepared to see the Skyfall movie the same way, I even took my medication in advance, but this IMAX was much different. It’s not a dome so I came to it expecting something very different and was quite relieved that the regular IMAX experience is not quite so intense as the IMAX Dome one. The visuals were wonderful and the experience was very enjoyable. I felt very immersed in the action and the settings. Skyfall (2012) was a wonderful entry into the James Bond repertoire. It had a solid plot, lots of twists and turns, a great cast and good quality action. I am a sucker for a good chase scene and the one in the beginning of the movie did not disappoint. My only complaint about the film was the lack-luster femme fatale Severine who was just plain boring.


Everything else about the movie was spectacular. Daniel Craig  as James Bond works for me. I like him as Bond just as much as I like Sean Connery’s Bond. One theme I noticed in the film was the importance of doing things the old-fashioned way. Bond and Agent M are continuously put down by various people in the story for being too old or to old-fashioned in their actions. At one point someone says “sometimes the old ways are the best”. Even the new Agent Q with all his new technology can’t compete with the fundamental and classic tactics employed by Bond and Agent M. While the film is not anti-technology, it still demonstrates that sometimes the old ways truly are the best. This theme made me so incredibly happy. It felt like some sort of vindication for my nostalgia for the past and appreciation for history and the old ways. Thank you Skyfall! I thought the experience had some nice irony. A story reinforcing old-fashioned methods while being shown on a screen that is made of new(ish) technology. The IMAX was great but I don’t think I need to see all films that way. Sometimes the old ways are the best!

Shameless family plug - Check out my cousin-in-law Nick's article about Bond's Aston Martin on AskMen.com.


The Stecher men love their cars! Here they are (Nick and my husband are in the middle) on our wedding day in front of a sweet Bentley.

10 top films I have never seen - The blog Shadows and Satin had a post of the top films Karen had never seen. It was pretty cool so I thought I'd do my own. I limited mine to just 10 as I saw a lot of new-to-me classics this year including To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Birds (1962), Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

Cape Fear (1962)
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
West Side Story (1961)
Indiana Jones (any)
Star Wars (any)
Psycho (1960)
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
City Lights (1931)
Ben Hur (1959)
My Fair Lady (1964)

I have seen bits and pieces of Psycho and I have been avoiding West Side Story, Indiana Jones and Star Wars for year. It's kind of "my thing". The others I plan to watch eventually!


Picture of the week - From Classic Montgomery - Film thoughts from a modern Robert Montgomery fangirl. James Cagney and Robert  Montgomery with their sons James Cagney Jr. and Robert Montgomery Jr.




Sunday, November 25, 2012

Catching Up with Quelle (9)


Happy Birthday to Me! - I share my birthday with the following actors and actresses:

Kathryn Grant
Charles Emmett Mack
Ricardo Montalban

Nostalgia and Comfort - 2012 has been a year of major change for me and sometimes I want things to just slow down. I find some comfort in thinking about the past, looking at old pictures and watching movies that I know well and love. As I said in my previous Catching Up post, I have been having a difficult time with new-to-me movies. There is too much new in my life I need some more familiar.  I have found that if I watch one or two old favorites that I am more open to watching a new movie. For example, after watching Tony Rome (1967) and Ocean's 11 (1960), two of my favorite 60s standbys, I was more than ready to watch the new-to-me movie Walk Don't Run (1966). Too bad I didn't watch that during the Olympics! What a perfect tie-in.

Here are the films I have stacked by our DVD/Blu-Ray player so I have them ready to go whenever I need some comfort movie viewing.


From top to bottom:
Ocean's 11 (1960) (looks so much better on Blu-Ray!)

I have also been reaching far back into my childhood and have been thinking about some of my favorite childhood cartoons. One of them in particular is Adventures of the Gummi Bears, a Disney cartoon from the late 1980s. I have been singing the song around the house (much to Carlos' dismay, he dislikes my random bouts of Gangnam Style dancing too). I even added the Gummi Bears DVDs to my Netflix queue so I can watch them again. Just yesterday, my friend Lisa forwarded me a link to none other than Alicia Keys performing her version of the Gummi Bears theme on Jimmy Fallon's late night show. What a strange coincidence. To have been thinking of this show and relishing the memory AND to have one of my favorite singers perform the song on TV. Weird how the universe works like that sometimes.






What's your favorite comfort movie? Which cartoon did you love as a child?

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Catching Up with Quelle (8)


Anna Karenina (2012) -  While I love classic movies, what you may not know about me is that I also have a deep love for period films, especially adaptations of classic novels. Anna Karenina is one of my favorite books and I was excited to see that a new adaptation was being released into theaters. For some reason I became absolutely determined to win advance screening tickets to this film and I entered every online contest I could. I ended up winning a couple tickets from a local Whole Foods for an advance screening last Wednesday.  (They ended up being two tickets for four instead of two tickets for two, oops!). I got a gorgeous pass and when we left the movie they handed out these great tri-fold double-sided posters (see above).

It was a really good film despite Keira Knightley being in it. One of the reasons I don't watch as many period films as I used to is that she seems to be in a lot of them. If Zooey Deschanel ever decides to do Period Films I will have to give up the genre entirely.

It's good to note that Anna Karenina (2012) is partly choreographed and a lot of the sets are on stages that change and open up into other sets. If you don't know this up front or if you are not okay with this, the movie might not be as enjoyable. This reminded me of an adaptation of Shakespeare's As You Like it from 2006 in which you got glimpses of a real contemporary audience which reminded you that this is a performance. I loved the blending of reality with fantasy. With Anna Karenina, the stages remind you that this is a production and it also gave the filmmakers more liberty to be visually expressive with history and fantasy.

It's a beautiful film and I thought it was well-executed. I don't understand why they didn't just put Jude Law in the role of Vronsky instead of an unknown. Besides Keira Knightley, Jude Law and I'll make the case also for Emma Watson because I love her, everyone else in the film are minor actors or up-and-coming ones. I think the two major roles should have gone to the two major actors. Downton Abbey fans will recognize the familiar faces of Michelle Dockery (who looks just like my friend Haze who went to the movie with me!) and Thomas Howes who have minor roles in the movie.

One thing I have to say is that there is a gory scene in the beginning of the film which I thought they could have done away with. When I left the film, it's the one scene that stuck in my head. And that should not have been the case.

Will you see Anna Karenina (2012)?

Period Films - Do you like period films? If so, which ones? I have to say that I do not enjoy historical classic films as I do contemporary ones. I feel like todays film makers have a lot more pressure on them to be historically accurate whereas using Victorian style clothing in Pride & Prejudice (1940) (it's Regency not Victorian!). Also because of Hays Code and heavy-handed movie studios, film makers often had to change major plot points or characters in order to please the big bosses. Personally, I would like to know more about the decision behind making Lady Catherine de Bourgh a nice character at the end of the P&P 1940 adaptation (sorry for the spoiler!).

Advance Screenings - I have only been to one other advance screening and that was in 2004. A lot has changed since that time and I noticed while watching Anna Karenina that there were several guards at the theater waving some sort of laser thing over the audience. Also, they checked our bags for recording devices. Someone told me that at some advance screenings they'll take your cell phone and only give it back when the movie is over!

2013 Turner Classic Movies Festival - For those of you who have gone to this festival in the past, what advice do you have for those of us who are going or who are contemplating going in 2013? Cinematically Insane has a nice post detailing the differences between passes from 2012 and 2013 and offers some advice on what to invest your money in and Laura from Laura's Miscellaneous Musings gave me a good tip about standby lines for evening shows ($20 to get in if there are open spots). Any other advice?

Have a good week!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Catching Up with Quelle (7)


Oh Wedding Day - Many thanks to J.P. from the blog Comet over Hollywood for sending me this lovely picture of actress Susan Peters on her wedding day with director Richard Quine. I had never seen it before!

 How well do you know my favorites? - Play my IMDB Quiz! Make sure you play the Genius version for even more fun. 

Old Favorites versus New-to-me Classics - I have been going through a difficult time lately. I feel trapped with no way out. Every time I find a glimmer of hope it seems like there is always someone that comes along to block it out. Whenever I feel blue, I can't be bothered to watch new movies. I know a lot of you watch movies by the boatload but I just can't handle that. Watching a film that is new to me can be an emotional ordeal. There is a lot to take in and to think about. When I'm feeling blue, I find that old favorites are comforting. Movies that I know well, that I know I will enjoy and that have no mystery. What kind of movies do you like to watch when you are blue?


Maybe a viewing of one of my all-time favorites Nancy Drew - Detective (1938) will cheer me up.



Sunday, November 4, 2012

Catching Up with Quelle (6)


Celebrities in my town - I helped break a local news story that a scene from the HBO movie Clear History (2014) was being filmed in my town. Not only that the location was a block away from where I live. The film will star Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Jon Hamm (OMG), Kate Hudson and more. It's being directed by Larry David and he's the only celebrity anyone saw.

Another pair of celebrities in my town - Laurel and Hardy!



My town has a Halloween parade every year. That's right. A Halloween parade. And each year I see this miniature car with two guys pretending to be Laurel and Hardy. I always miss taking a picture of them but I got one this year!




TCM Classic Film Festival 2013 News - Tickets will go on sale November 15 and they haven't announced the full lineup but have revealed some of the events. There will be a gala to celebrate the restoration of the film Funny Girl (1968). I wonder if Barbra Streisand will be in attendance. Or perhaps Omar Sharif. I'd much prefer to see Omar Sharif! Other films being screened include The General (1926) with Alloy Orchestra playing live musical accompaniment, a restoration of Giant (1956)  and The Great Escape (1963). So far this is looking kind of disappointing. I have already seen the Alloy Orchestra perform, I have no interest in Funny Girl and watching newly restored brown face in Giant doesn't necessarily appeal to me. If Carroll Baker and/or Rod Taylor made an appearance, I think it would be worth going. And if James Garner attended the screening of The Great Escape that would be amazing. So far I'm not impressed. I look forward to see the full lineup which should be announced very soon.

At this point, it looks like I have a very slim chance of going. Finances are definitely a problem with my recent hospital visits and my car issues. But if the festival is truly amazing (Kirk Douglas, Olivia de Havilland or Joan Fontaine, Mickey Rooney, etc.) then I might make the sacrifice financially to go.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Catching Up with Quelle (5)

Oops! I forgot to do one of these last week.

Business Cards - New design, new domain and now I have new business cards! The design is by the talented Julianna Rose and they were made using Moo.com.



Poll - Please consider filling out the Poll below. I'd love to know what you would like to see more of on Out of the Past. There are a few things I just don't do well. I am terrible at keeping up with news and new DVD/Blu-Ray releases, I'm horrible at remembering birthdays and holidays and obituaries make me want to cry (that's why I do the quick ones). I like to think that I'm decent at everything else.

I'll leave the poll up until the end of November.






I believe in picture books - I did this video for a picture book campaign (read more about it here). I talk about how picture books help children develop empathy. In fact, the same can be said about classic movies. Please take a moment to watch the video.


Sunday, October 14, 2012

Catching Up with Quelle (4)


Mae West and the Power of Suggestion - Noir Girl retweeted the following from @SonyVine on  " Did You Know?: Mae West never spoke a "dirty" word on screen nor did she ever kiss a leading man. http://via.me/-5w8o66c " Wow! Really? That is simply quite amazing. Goes to show you the power of suggestion. Mae West suggested raunchiness and sex but never really did either on screen.


New Blog - My husband has his very own blog! It's called Live Fast, Look Good. It's a gentleman's blog all about cars, fashion, books, movies and lots of other things. He's very excited for this new venture so I very much encourage you to head on over to the blog and check it out.



New Domain and Design - I am so excited to announce that  Out of the Past is now www.outofthepastblog.com . If you still link to my old address, no worries it will still work!

Also, my good friend and super talented illustrator Julianna Rose did some new designs for my blog. My site really needed an update and it was time to retire Bette Davis. Julianna designs are slick and super cool. They are very Saul Bass and she put a lot of time and effort into them.

Please make sure you check out Julianna's Etsy Store Friends with Pets. She does custom pet illustration which makes for a really great thought gift for a loved one who adores their pet.


Carla Laemmle turns 103 - I received an email from two folks who are trying raise funds to through Carla Laemmle a really nice 103rd birthday party. For those of you unfamiliar with Carla, she's an actress who worked during the silent film area. She had a bit part in The Phantom of the Opera (1925) as a ballet dancer.

Watch the special video message below. If you want to make a donation to help make the birthday celebration happen, visit the project's fundraising page on Indiegogo.



Sunday, October 7, 2012

Catching Up with Quelle (3)


Classic Film Dress at the MFA - Recently I went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and in the Contemporary Art wing I saw this:



The piece is called "Hollywood Stars Paper Dress" and it's from 1968. It's a paper dress which were popular in the late '60s. This one was made by Universal Studios to promote their biggest stars. Actors and Actresses featured on the dress include Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Steve McQueen, Julie Andrews, Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Kirk Douglas, and more. I really dislike Contemporary Art (I'm more traditional) but I loved this piece!

Classic movies seem to follow me everywhere!

It's so hard to pass up a good sale - I was at B&N with Carlos the other day and we were browsing in their Music & Movies section. We stumbled upon this great selection of DVDs for 50% off. With the discount, most of them were $7.50 or $10.


These were the ones I really wanted: 



I asked people on Twitter what I should get and several people suggested their favorites. While I was narrowing down my selection to my 5 must-haves, I got a call from the car mechanic shop. My vehicle needed $1,300 worth of repair! Yikes! So I reluctantly put all of these back. Carlos took pity on me and bought me Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House as a gift. That's the one I wanted the most. 




James Bond Breakfast - To celebrate the 50th anniversary of James Bond, Carlos and I have been watching early Bond films. Last night we saw From Russia with Love (1963) and in it James Bond (Sean Connery) orders a breakfast of green figs with yogurt and black coffee. I absolutely love it when characters in classic movies either order food or explain what they are serving for dinner. It gives me great ideas. For breakfast this morning, I served up a bowl of Lactose Free Yogurt (Green Valley Organics brand), some chopped Green figs I got at Whole Foods and drizzled honey over the top and added a sprinkle of cinnamon. It was divine. It's a very Mediterranean breakfast considering the James Bond character is in Istanbul, Turkey in the movie.





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