Oscar Time!

When watching the Oscars I always wonder which of the nominated films I would enjoy and should see. Below, I did a little round up of the darlings of the award season that I've had the opportunity to see--it might help you decide what to rent next!

The Artist

I really, really liked this film. I wasn't sure I would be into the silent film thing for 100 min. but I was totally engrossed! A classic story told by such gifted actors. I absolutely love George Valentin and Peppy Miller! (Played by Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo.) A must-see!

The Descendants

I don't really know what to say about this movie. I do recommend it...I just found it depressing. An emotional story. Impressive performances.

The Help

Usually I do not enjoy the movie-version of books I have enjoyed. This was not the case here. I think it totally did the book justice and it had admirable performances by all (hello, Octavia Spencer just won an Oscar). If you are not familiar with the story, it has a nice mix of serious situations and tones with uplifting relationships and comedic relief.

Hugo

I had no idea what this movie was about when I went to the theater. For those of you in the same boat, this is not an animated film (as I thought). The protagonist is a boy who lives in Paris in a train station. Very nostalgic and at times heartbreaking. Loved the 3D, but it’s not necessary to enjoy the movie. A little long, but a well-written story and great performances.

Moneyball

In my opinion, the best part of this movie is the performances. I also liked the tone and cinematography-very Social Network-like. Pacing was too slow for me.

The Iron Lady

This film was not nominated for best picture; however I decided to include it because Meryl Streep was amazing (not a surprise). I thought it would be a little boring, but it was really interesting!

The Tree of Life

Intense. If you like artsy films exploring life, this is for you.

Midnight in Paris* will be discussed in its own post! (I'm obsessed and it is one of my favorite movies. )

I still have to see War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close...any thoughts on these?

This is Ladies Day!

Last weekend I had the best "girlie" day! I began with a matinee of Bridesmaids.....



Then went shopping and scored some great deals at LOFT and finally got the glass canisters from Crate&Barrel I've been wanting for the bathroom.Then dinner and a glass (or two) of strawberry Timmermans at Yard House....

and finally a late showing of Something Borrowed.

I REALLY hope they make Something Blue also! (For fellow fans of the books, the movie was pretty true to the book-I was happy with it!)





Photo Credits: bridesmaids.the-movie-trailer.com, crateandbarrel.com, realbeerco.com, booksabouttheworld.com.

Oui!

G. and I have been trying really hard to save money so we’ve been having many of our dates at home. We always have fun just being together, but we do try to keep these nights at home interesting. Saturday night we decided to have a French-themed evening. We rented Blue, the first of Krzysztof Kieslowski's "trois couleurs" trilogy and picked up a bottle of Bordeaux Blanc.



We also stopped by the bakery and got a baguette which we paired with Gruyere and black olive spread and some pastries.



In addition to that and soup, we also had some pommes frites from le McDonald’s! (Besides being inspired by an episode of SATC, I really was just too lazy to make them myself.) The movie ended early so we caught up on some Mad Men-just finished season 2. We have a ways to go!



What do you do to make a night in a little more creative?



Eiffel Tower Picture Credit/Link: Eiffel Tower

For Twilight Fans Only :)

New Moon opens this Friday and I already have my tickets for Thursday night's midnight show!I was in Westwood Village this evening for work which is where the premiere was. I so wish I had had my camera! It was seriously insane. The level of excitement-electric. People had been camping there overnight just to have a good spot on the red carpet. Tents were set up as far as a quarter mile from the theater. Craziness.

Now if you've never read the series and think all this is lame, I have only one thing to say: don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

Fellow fans: are you Team Edward or Team Jacob? :)

(If you're wondering which "team" I'm on, here's a hint: I like things that sparkle!).





Picture credit: ew.com

Champagne and Chanel

Today I finally saw Coco before Chanel (a must-see for Chanel fans). As a result I couldn't resist adding my pearls to my t-shirt and sweats ensemble and settling down for the CW lineup with some champagne and chocolate. You can imagine how elegant I was when I laughed and bubbly came out my nose! Besides the olfactory tingling, it was a sweet way to spend Monday night!

Friday's Outing

Today G. and I went to see Couples Retreat. Some critics are panning it and while I agree with them on some points, I really enjoyed it. I thought it had as many sweet moments as funny ones. I am grateful to those who made the film because I needed to relax and have a laugh today. I brought my purse to the movie theater to make its debut! I don't think this picture does it justice, but I love it! (I got it a while back at Aldo.) It kind of reminds me of the bag in yesterday's post... Oh! I almost forgot. I saw a preview for the movie, Nine, which is due out in November. It looks so good. It's a musical about an Italian director and his midlife crisis. To be honest, it was the style and the cast that really drew me to it (and of course I love anything Italian!). Seriously though, how great is this cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson, and Fergie! The director is Rob Marshall, who also directed Chicago and Memoirs of a Geisha. I can't wait!

The September Issue

I finally went to see The September Issue!
It was such a delight to watch Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour in action. I won't say anymore, but this is a must-see!

Sick Time is Waste Time

So I was home sick today (in July?!) which pretty much cancels all of my weekend plans because I don't foresee myself feeling right for a few days. I hate being sick for obvious reasons, but I also can't STAND having to neglect my "to-do" list. (And missing beach time).

One good thing came from today though...I FINALLY saw Confessions of a Shopaholic! I'm a fan of the book series so I wasn't expecting to like it, but it was so cute and Isla was great. So if you need a pick-me-up and are in the mood for something girlie, I highly recommend it.

More of our favorite ladies!

Audrey Tautou stars as Coco Chanel in Coco Before Chanel which opens in the States on 9/25/09. OMG!!!!!!!!!!





For more information: CocoBeforeChanel

Boys

So I'm all about the "boyfriend" inspired looks this year...but I'm convinced they look awful on me. I just got this blazer in the mail and it could be cute on (it's totally cute on the hanger!)....it's supposed to be over-sized, but it might be too big regardless. I might try it this weekend and if it doesn't work, back it goes!


BTW...speaking of boys...I saw plenty of them trying to get a glimpse of Megan Fox today in Westwood by the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen movie premiere. I was excited to see the "life-size" Transformer. :) I was going to hang out for the Linkin Park concert, but I was too impatient.

Up!

G. and I had the perfect weeknight date. We went to see Up at the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. This is a must-see movie!It was our first time at this theater and we loved it. We decided to opt for the V.I.P. seats so we sat middle-first row of the balcony. :) The interior is totally Old Hollywood. As you take your seats, there is a live organist (just like the old days!) followed by a pre-show. The movie was shown in 3D so we cuddled up with our goofy glasses on. (Note: bring tissues!) Up isn't just for kids...it's funny and very romantic. We both thought it was one of the best movies in years-a new favorite!

Then we walked home, which we almost never get to do anymore. I adore nights like these!

Valentino

OMG! This film is amazing!

I went to see Valentino: The Last Emperor last night. (Yes, the movie theater spelled it wrong in the pic above. :)) Not only was it interesting, but really fun and touching. I laughed...I cried. Etc. It seems to be playing in most major cities currently and will open in more theaters soon.If you're interested, you can get more information here. I highly recommend it!

Pic: I found this pic on google. It looks like it's from the 45th anniversary celebration.

Hats

I watched Easter Parade over the weekend and was envious of all the women wearing their Easter bonnets. I looooove hats. I wish people wore them more. I wish I wore them more. My favorite hats are by Eugenia Kim. They are fabulous.
Photos from shopstyle.com and kaboodle.com.

SATC Breaking News.....

Mark your calendars, ladies!!! Rumor has it that the Sex and the City: The Movie sequel is due out on May 28, 2010!!! It seems far off, but I'm sure it'll be worth the wait; afterall, the first one was!

Working Girl

Happy Wednesday to all those working girls out there! Only two more days until the weekend!!!! If you are in need of some R&R tonight and you’re sick of TV, I would suggest running to the video store (why wait for Netflix?) and renting Working Girl. I saw the film for the first time recently and it was quickly added to my favorites list. Melanie Griffith was so adorable and Harrison Ford...need I say more? Love it!

Relax and refuel…it’s almost Friday. ;)

Valentine's Day

I don't usually enjoy Valentine's Day even though I have a wonderful Valentine with whom to share it. This year I am loving the simplistic approach to the holiday. Most everyone seems to be on a tight budget and it's the thought that counts...the little things. Here are some ideas to celebrate without breaking the bank.

Have a date at home. Cook your partner's favorite meal. I'm making filet mignon. Set them up a bubble bath. (L'Occitane and Bath & Body Works are having a sale on candles. B&BW is also having a sale on bubble bath, and Valentine's Day Accessories. Heart Pumice, $3).


Rent a movie. My favorites include:You've Got Mail, Moonstruck, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Love Actually (Christmas-y, but it works), Serendipity, The Notebook, and Sweet Home Alabama. For something sexy: Don Juan de Marco, and something classic: Romeo and Juliet (1968). If you need music to set the tone of the evening, I love the music from the soundtrack of The Wedding Date.

A nice gift...an inscribed book perhaps? A new pair of pajama pants (Gap, $19.50). You don't need to go overboard to do something thoughtful.


Want a night out? Catch a movie, go roller-or ice-skating, go to a museum...

Single or attached I hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Movies to catch

This week there are two movies that I recommend that you see....

On DVD...Hors de Prix (aka, Priceless) starring Audrey Tautou. She is sooooo adorable...I just love her. Although this film can be slow and at times you want to yell at the characters (I guess that means you're invested in them, right?) it is worth watching. Charming and fun. Don't rent if you hate subtitles!

At the theater...The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. I heard mixed reviews on this one. I thought it was an emotionally gripping story about life in general. I cried several times. For me, the most touching elements were very subtle. At times it was reminiscent of either Forrest Gump or Titanic. Not for everyone, but I think a must-see before the Oscars!

Next weekend I'm going to have a "chick-flick" weekend: He's Just Not That Into You and Confessions of a Shopaholic...stay tuned! ;)

I'm back.....

So it's been awhile since my last post. I spent a few weeks in Boston. Unfortunately, I didn't get to do much because of the weather.















However, I did get to go vintage shopping with Brianne. I found a really cute dress and handbag (pictured) at Cafe Society in Brookline.














Speaking of vintage, Brianne got me the cutest vintage travel case and scarf (also pictured).
















After New Year's Day, my bf and I headed to San Francisco via LA. We took the I-5 instead of taking the coastal route (it's faster) and I was pleasantly surprised by the scenery. Check out the rainbow!



I haven't been up to too much since as work has been very busy. BUT...I did get a chance to and highly recommend that you also...


See Bride Wars which is a really fun and light. Perfect for a Sunday night with the girls.
Eat at Magnolia on Sunset in Hollywood. It's great for dinner and/or drinks before or after catching a movie at the ArcLight. The blueberry lemondrop is fantastic.
Go to Venice and lay on the beach, ride a bike, or walk along the canals. It makes me want to go back to Italy!

Well that's all for now. XOXO-L