A Tragic Day

Paul Newman died yesterday at the age of 83. I remember the first time I saw a Paul Newman movie. It was in one of my acting classes in college. The professor showed us a clip from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and I couldn't take my eyes off of that handsome young man. In the weeks following, I rented as many Paul Newman movies as I could find. They seem to all be either crap or classic. Later I found out about his charitable work and family life. When his birthday (January 26th) came around, I decided to skip my classes that day and devote my time to celebrating his birthday. It has been my custom ever since to celebrate Paul Newman Day.

I'm so sad I never got to meet him. The closest I ever came was when my friend Annya drove me past what might have at one time been his L.A. home. Lucky for me, he leaves a great legacy behind him. I can eat his spagetti sauce or rent one of his movies any time I want and be reminded that the man had class.

Click HERE to read his obituary.

Thanks you for the many calls and emails this morning, friends.

Movie Review: Royal Wedding (1951)

Secretly this is the movie that started my search in the first place. I was feeling down one night and happened to catch the tail end of That's Entertainment! on PBS. They showed Fred Astaire's famous ceiling dance from Royal Wedding and I was filled with joy. I know I've seen parts of this movie before, but I hadn't ever watched it all the way through. So, at Kate's suggestion, I Tivo'd it.

Royal Wedding stars Fred Astaire and Jane Powell as brother/sister act Tom and Ellen Bowen. When their show closes in New York, their agent (Keenan Wynn) books them a run in London during the wedding of some sort of royalty. On the boat ride over, Ellen meets and falls in love with Lord John Brindale (Peter Lawford). Tom falls in love with one of the girls in the show (played by Sarah Churchill). Now Tom and Ellen must decide if they're willing to break up their act for love.

Did I mention Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling? This is also the film where he famously dances with a hat rack. He and Powell have some wonderful numbers together. I fell in love with her character after five minutes. She and Peter Lawford are the definition of cute. If only Fred Astaire had been given a worthy love interest. Sarah Churchill isn't entirely uninteresting. She's just not worthy. (Even if she is the daugher of Winston Churchill.)

Fast forward moment: Ellen's ballads. They have that Snow White sound that makes me cringe.

Grade: A-

Rewind that! moment: The scene that inspired Lionel Richie.

Brilliant! Just Brilliant!

The other day my sisters and I were discussing baby names because Jen is expecting. Today I noticed that one of the articles in my September edition of Parents Magazine was entitled "226 Brilliant Baby Names." Since many of you, like Jen, are searching for a brilliant baby name, I thought I'd share some of Parents Magazine's gems.

For boys:
Cairo
Axl
Rilo
Charles Xavier (This is one from the "Superheroes" suggestion section.)
Anakin (That's right. They think you should name your kid after The Dark Lord. Why not just name him "Vader"? Let's face it: Vader is a cooler name than Anakin.)
Kairos
Enamerion
Gleneus (Imagine a kid trying to pronounce those last three.)
Hercules (Okay, tiny baby named Hercules=adorable. 35 year-old accountant named Hercules . . .)
Sanjaya (This was a suggestion from the "American Idols" section.)
Alistair
Blue
Greene
Grove

For Girls:
Florence (This is from the section with names of cities. Is that what you think when you hear "Florence"? You're picturing an old lady, aren't you?)
Cleopatra
Fergie
Beyonce (If we have another kid, I call hypothetical dibs!)
Elektra
Buffy
Mystique
Shera (Those last four were under "Superheroes" but I think they meant to put them under "Sassy Stripper Names.")
Gaia
Uma
Eleanor (Nice name. For an old chick.)
Ocean
Lotus

I hope this has been helpful. If any of you are willing to name your kids any of these BRILLIANT baby names, I'll give you . . . yeah, I have no money. All I can offer you is Jeff's iPod. And bragging rights.

Movie Review: Brigadoon (1954)

Since beginning my search for the perfect movie musical, I have come to expect that the storylines will be thin (and often completely absurd) but they will be executed in an entertaining way. Brigadoon seems to be that rare musical where just the opposite is true. I love this story. It's beautiful and thought-provoking. If only it had been told in an entertaining way.

Brigadoon is the story of two New York businessmen (played by Gene Kelly and Van Johnson) who get lost in the Scottish highlands while on a hunting trip. They happen apon a small town called Brigadoon where the people are . . . weird. They meet a lovely lass (Cyd Charisse) who explains the mystery behind the town. [Spoiler alert!] Two hundred years earlier, the local priest asked God to protect the town from evil witches. The town was put to sleep and every one hundred years everyone awakens for one day. There's more to the story, but that's the jist.

The film looks like an extended watercolor--very lovely. I loved Van Johnson's character and the scenes in New York were jolting (in a good way). I was also pleased to discover that Cyd Charisse can sing. (Up until now I'd only known her as the sexy smoker in "Singin' in the Rain.") But, oh those musical numbers! With the exception of the forthcoming clip, the musical numbers are all the same. Slow Scottish dancing. Fast Scottish dancing. Long Scottish song. Longer Scottish song.

Fast forward scene: To be honest, I fast forwarded the last half of every single musical number but two: Kelly's "Almost Like Being in Love" and "Heather on the Hill."

Grade: C+

Rewind that! Moment: Sorry this clip is so long. I think this is what love looks like.

Would You Could You on a Train?

Harrison has finally been earning his keep around here by Swiffering the floors. (That's pretty much why we had kids, so it's a good thing he's stepping up.) Every time he Swiffers, he gets to put a sticker on a chart and after seven stickers, he gets to choose a mother-approved reward. He decided he wanted to take a ride on a "real" train, and since he doesn't know the difference, we took him for a ride on the TRAX.

Oh! The excitement of waiting for a train!

We rode up to Temple Square and back.

Harrison's favorite was the Tabernacle (as evidenced in this slightly blurry and slightly inappropriate picture).

One Day At A Time

Well, thank you all for your excellent suggestions for staying healthy! I spent all day yesterday eating fruit and pretend chocolate stuff while crocheting, chewing gum, and reading "Eat This! Not That!" (Not really, but that's definitely on the schedule for today.)

As far as exercise goes, I love exercising and find that I don't crave fatty foods when I'm exercising. I just don't do running. I prefer to be tricked into exercising. For example, yoga is exercise disguised as relaxation. Aerobics is exercise disguised as dance lessons. Sports are exercise disguised as games. Swimming is exercise disguised as a life-saving skill. Cycling is exercise disguised as transportation. Running, unless someone is chasing you, is just plain exercise. You're not fooling me, running. I'm on to you.

I've been going through detox for the past few days, but I think the worst has passed. I haven't gotten the shakes, yet, today. I'm just gonna take it one day at a time.

Sweet Tooth Root Canal

Here they are--the last two Creamies of the summer. My obsession with all things sweet and frozen has caught up with me. I have exactly two pair of pants that fit me. Time to get serious about my health. I'm banishing sweets from my home for a while. They done me wrong.

Yesterday was my first attempt at a sugar-free day. Everything was going fine until 10:30am when I discovered a snack size bag of pecan sandies. I ripped open the bag like some sort of savage. That's right. I lasted exactly two and a half hours before I caved. Why do I love the sugar so? I would never survive in a gingerbread house. I probably would have eaten my kids by now if they were topped with ice cream. (Sometimes I suspect they are made of caramel. How else to explain the perpetually sticky hands?)



I think I have a problem. The first step is admitting it and the second step is asking for help. HELP! I need some alternatives to eating sweets. I'm mostly an emotional eater, so any alternative will do. I'll try anything but running. And tofu. I mean, I want to live a healthier lifestyle, but let's not go crazy. Any advice?

Movie Review: Viva Las Vegas (1964)

I decided to give the King of Rock 'n Roll a try for my latest movie night(s). Secretly, it took me two days to get through this one. It's not that it's a long movie, it's just longer than it needs to be.

Viva Las Vegas is the story of Lucky Jackson (Elvis Presley) who arrives in Las Vegas with his race car in tow with the hopes of racing in the Las Vegas Grand Prix. All he needs is money for a motor, which he quickly wins and then loses. His only option is to become a waiter at the local hotel to earn the money back. He soon falls in love with the hotel swim instructor Rusty Martin (Ann-Margaret, conveniently always dressed in a bathing suit), but Rusty finds out that (spoiler alert!) racing is dangerous. She could never be with a man who might die in a car crash, so she attempts to make Lucky jealous by dating his rival racer, Count Elmo Mancini (Cesare Danova). Then there's some bit about a talent show where Elvis sings and Ann-Margaret strips.

Elvis is a much better actor than I was expecting him to be. I think I love him. (He reminds me of Jeff, you see.) He and Ann-Margaret are perfectly paired. And I think that Rusty Martin and Lucky Jackson are the best movie musical names, ever. However, there are a lot of questions I would like answered. For instance: Why didn't Lucky get the advertised prize for the talent show? If they can't afford a motor, how could he and Shorty afford a helicopter? Did Rusty just get over her hatred for racing, or did Lucky give up racing for her? How does Ann-Margaret's hair blow in the wind even when she's indoors? Could there BE any more shots of her behind?

Fast-forward moment: the montage of Lucky and Elmo ogling showgirls in search of Rusty. Kind of creepy.

Grade: C

Rewind that! Moment: For those of you looking for some sweet dance moves, here are a few suggestions.

Restaurant Review: The Candy Shoppe

The Candy Shoppe is a charming new establishment that opened yesterday in the Salt Lake City area. The place is owned by CB and Dirty Harry (pictured below).

I had heard good things about their mud pies, so last night I went to check it out. To my surprise, the proprietors act as hosts, cooks, and servers. Impressive! Also a permanent fixture at The Candy Shoppe is Aunt Amy (as the locals call her), the shop's table clearer and songstress.

CB and Dirty Harry were kind enough to grant me this brief interview about their new restaurant:


To sum up:
Specialties: Mud Pies and Mud Cake
Prices: $4-$2,400.
Cleanliness: Does THIS answer your question?

Movie Review: A Hard Day's Night (1964)

A crazy day in the life of John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

Originally released in 1964, A Hard Day's Night was remastered and rereleased in 2000. My current BFF, Tivo, alerted me that IFC (The Independant Film Channel) was showing it this past week.

I had never seen this movie before and now my life is complete. It's unlike anything I have ever seen and I can't wait to watch it again. The music is, of course, fantastic. The Beatles, their management, and "Paul's grandfather" are all hilarious. What really struck me, though, was how beautifully shot everything was. It's a pleasure just to look at A Hard Day's Night. Also, I could practically feel my coolness factor being raised as I watched it. Is there a cooler movie out there? I want to know.

Fast forward moment: Toughy. Ringo's deserter moments weren't particularly interesting, but I wouldn't skip it entirely. It's a classic. Watch the whole thing.

Grade: A

Rewind that! Moment: Here's the opening scene where everyone meets Paul's very clean grandfather.


P.S. If you have IFC, they're replaying it September 11th at 7pm and September 12th at 8am.

The Piano Is His Forte

Harrison has begun taking piano lessons with his Aunt Nicole and is enjoying it very much. (Mozart was composing at five, so we expect no less from Harrison.)

When we went to buy his music books, he told me that he couldn't learn from books because he doesn't know all the notes. I explained that Aunt Nicole would teach him the notes. He said, "You mean, she knows ALL the notes?! WOW!" And thus, Aunt Nicole was put on his list of Smartest People, Ever. (Right behind Sir Topham Hatt and before The Wonder Pets.)

Movie Review: Guys and Dolls (1955)

Guys and Dolls has been one of my favorite movie musicals since I was a kid. It's how I discovered that Marlon Brando was once (really, really) hot.

Guys and Dolls is the story of Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) who, in order to secure a location for his crap game, makes a bet with Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando) that he can't take Sergeant Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons) on a trip to Havanna. Sgt. Sarah is the leader of the Save-a-Soul Mission, but Sky is able to convince her to go to Havanna with him. Once there, he gets her drunk and acts all surprised when she turns out to be loose. Then there's Adalaide (Vivian Blaine), Nathan's long-suffering girlfriend who works as a showgirl or stripper, or something. She has developed a chronic cold because of their relationship. Nathan and Adalaide have been engaged for fourteen years, which is okay with Adalaide as long as Nathan doesn't run a crap game. Which he does. So . . .yeah.

Once I examined the plot more thoroughly, the chicks really looked like losers. But, somehow, this whole scenario works and it's all quite charming. The music is fantastic (unless Marlon Brando is singing it) and the characters are delightful. I could watch Sky and Sgt. Sarah spar for hours. Or, like, almost that. Other than "Luck Be A Lady," the dancing consists mostly of synchronized standing up and sitting down. But these are hardened criminals who do not ever speak in contractions, so I would not expect them to be light on their feet.

Fast forward moment: Marlon Brando singing, the Havanna dance/fight scene, Sarah reading about Havanna . . Ah, heck. Just skip Havanna. Except "If I Were A Bell."

Grade: B

Rewind that! Moment: There are a lot of great songs in this musical, but this one sums things up nicely.

College Road Trip

Okay, secretly it was a trip to Chubbuck to visit my parents, but "Chubbuck Road Trip" sounds dumb. The kids and I went to visit my parents in their new house this past weekend. On our way up to Idaho, we stopped in Logan, Utah to pick up my little brother, Aaron, at Utah State University. What a pretty drive that is! Who knew?

Mom and Dad's new house is really nice and I can't wait to see it all put together. The kids enjoyed playing in the plastic covered couch fort. I'm sure it's totally safe.

Harrison's main mission was to find the Thomas trains and the most inconvenient place to play with them. Mission accomplished.


The hot tub wasn't up and running, so the kids went to the seedy underbelly of Chubbuck where an old hustler taught them how to play pool.

On the way home, we passed through Preston, Idaho but didn't have time to take the "Napoleon Dynamite" tour. Worst day of my life, what do you think?! GOSH!

We did have time to stop at the Pepperidge Farm Thrift Store so Aaron could buy them out. The cashier told me my brother had a sweet spirit. Weird, but nice.

We dropped Aaron off at school with the loot he scored in Chubbuck. Nice haul, Aaron-lou!

I passed the Logan Temple, where my parents were married and risked everyone's lives to take this shot. (I guess I could have just found one on the Internet, now that I think of it.)

The drive home was as beautiful as the drive up and I brought everyone home alive. Success!