Safe and Sound

I may be a little late to the game on this one, but I just listened to Taylor Swift's single Safe and Sound, which was written for The Hunger Games movie and features The Civil Wars, whom I love!

Not only does it give me little chills when I listen to it, but it fits the story so well. The lyrics are kind of eerie, with a sad and dark undertone, and yet there is hope in them, too. In my opinion, this combination perfectly encompasses the essence of the story and the characters' relationships.

My Week with Marilyn

I just got back from seeing My Week with Marilyn and I really enjoyed it! I've never been a big Marilyn Monroe fan, and to be honest, I don't know a lot about her aside from her famous curves, her young death, her rumored affair with JFK, and that her real name was Norma Jean (thank you, Elton John). This movie took the famous image of Marilyn Monroe that most of us have in our minds and added in her humanity and her vulnerabilities. She was a troubled woman with an unending desire to be loved and valued, and My Week with Marilyn beautifully portrayed this.

(via)

The movie was told through the eyes of Colin Clark, a young director's assistant for Laurence Olivier who became a favorite of Marilyn's while she filmed The Prince and the Showgirl. He was privileged enough to enter Marilyn's world away from the cameras; a world where she battled her private demons with flirtations and alcohol, and where those closest to her used medications to keep her calm enough to handle.

Michelle Williams' portrayal of Marilyn Monroe was simply phenomenal. She captured the icon's naive innocence and ability to perform for the cameras with perfection! I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who is a Marilyn Monroe or Michelle Williams fan.

This (and the excited chills it gives me) is what's getting me through the evening

I think a re-read of the series is absolutely necessary!

What the day holds for me

Cups of Lady Grey tea with a splash of milk because even when it's in the 90's, I love the comfort of a hot beverage.

A quick lunch date with my Mom because she truly is one of my best friends.

Stolen moments for daydreaming; briefly giving into my unsettled feeling that tends to arise when I'm stressed. Australia has consumed me ever since I got back from my trip, and I can't decide if it's due to a shift in me or if it's because my mind and body need a little more then the 2 weeks I gave them to fully digest my experiences.

Juggling my Fire Invoice Auditor hat with my Fire Invoice Trainer hat...I love the additional help, but rarely give myself enough credit as a good teacher.

Reading this blog, which encourages, rather than helps, my unsettled feeling.

Contemplating yoga again.

Itching for an evening jog; just me, my music and my thoughts.

Wondering if I should pick up a bottle or two of wine on my way home. I'm all out and I like having them around in case I need to bring a bottle to a girls night or gift one (unopened, of course) to a friend, but the knowledge that I need to pack for my upcoming move has me second-guessing my usual actions.

Wishing I hadn't brought up the move...too stressful at the moment.

Wanting a chat with Jamie, but unable to find the time for more than just a few random snippets between our crazy schedules.

Needing to see Harry Potter 7.2. Again. I feel like a door of my childhood was just closed.

Midnight in Paris

I am absolutely dying to see this movie soon, perhaps even this weekend!
Paris, Woody Allen's quirkiness and Rachel McAdams is a recipe for perfection in my mind.

It was an Italian getaway kind of night

I've been battling a nasty sinus infection since last week, and I felt absolutely horrible last night, so I stayed in and had a quiet evenings. It was lovely. I played along with the suffering-from-a-cold stereotype and ate chicken noodle soup, drank tea and orange juice and curled up on the couch with a movie.

I'd gotten The Tourist from redbox (love the availability of redbox) earlier in the day and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Angelina Jolie's character was the epitome of wealthy, British class and she plays parts like that so well. She was beautiful. And, in my book, Johnny Depp can rarely do any wrong. He played the part of Wisconsin tourist who gets thrown into the middle of an international plot well, and also took on his character's twist with perfection. I know this movie didn't get the best of reviews, but I thought it was well casted, enjoyed the thrills and the plot twist and loved the Venetian scenery.

This movie made me want to hop on a plane and start my own Italian adventure. Since that wasn't a legitimate option, I opted to follow up The Tourist with Roman Holiday. Audrey Hepburn, the original American royalty and epitome of class, and Gregory Peck, tall, dark and handsome. I left behind the winding canals of Venice for the history of Rome. If only I could tour the Eternal City from the back of a vespa with Gregory Peck as my guide.

I love when a movie trailer gives me chills

I think this movie looks wonderful. I'm a sucker for anything based on a true story, and, even though he's a total bad boy, I do enjoy Colin Farrel. I also love movies that go to my town's local, small and kind of off-beat theater that caters to those of us who enjoy foreign and independent films. It's a ghetto-fabulous little treasure!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Mother-Daughter movie date soon (hint hint, Mutti).

ps- obviously, I haven't fallen off of the face of the blogging earth, but I think you'll know notice less substance to my posts than usual...blogging is serving as my little escape from work right now.

Love is never ugly

Ok, everyone, I am soooo freaking excited for the movie Beastly to come out. I know I've babbled about my love of Beauty and the Beast before, but just in case the point hasn't hit home yet: I want to be Belle; I want to live in a castle; I want a 2-story library that I can get lost in; and I like a guy with some hair on his chest. Definitely not news to all of you lovely readers, right? Haha, anyway...

I think the modern re-telling of a fairy tale classic is going to be pretty awesome. I'm intrigued by Mary-Kate Olsen's role as the witch, and absolutely love that tattoos and scarring, rather than a full-on animalistic transformation, are used to create a "monster". Plus, setting the movie amid the hustle and bustle of New York City seems the perfect juxtaposition for this classic tale.

"find someone who can see you better than you can"

Perfect Sense

I saw this trailer over at ...or so i feel and watching it gave me chills, so I wanted to share it with you all. I love Ewan McGregor and even though I'm not entirely sure what Perfect Sense is about, I'm certainly intrigued enough to want to see it.

"You meet a thousand people, then you meet that one person and your life is changed."

I just got back from seeing Love and Other Drugs with my friend Chelsae and I loved it! I've wanted to see this since it came out, and once Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal were up for Golden Globes I knew I needed to see it while it was still in theaters.

According to imdb.com, Love and Other Drugs is about "Maggie, an alluring free spirit who wont let anyone - or anything - tie her down. But she meets her match in Jamie, whose relentless and nearly infallible charm serve him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie's evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love."

What this synopsis doesn't reveal is that Maggie suffers from early on-set Parkinson's disease, which is why she doesn't let anyone get close to her. She doesn't feel that she has anything to offer a true relationship other than her illness, and who would want to sign on for loving a woman who will slowly lose her motor control? What the synopsis does get right is that Maggie meets her match in stubborn Jamie Randall.

I was worried that this movie was going to have a sad ending, but despite the feeling of finality that comes with Parkinson's, this movie ended with hope, happiness and love. It was wonderful.

I heart 3 day weekends

Weekends are splendid things. A lovely little reprieve from the chaos that seems to be everyone's lives during the week. But, a 3 day weekend? It doesn't get much better than that! Ok, so a full on vacation beats out a 3 day weekend, but let's not go there right now...

(I don't mind a break from this...and yes, that's my blog.)

Anyway, this weekend was the first one I've had in a while that wasn't chalk full of things I needed to do. I hadn't over-planned, hadn't put off a bunch of things throughout the week and my list of chores was miniscule. This meant 3 days of time that was all mine!

On Friday, I left work early enough to fit in a long walk before the sun went down, cooked up a little dinner, poured myself a glass of Zinfandel and settled in on the couch only to receive a text that said, "Trivia tonight?". I couldn't resist, so off I went to a local pub for trivia with the boys and the usual gang of people. It ended up being a bit of a shit-show kind of night (I was sober cab) for the boys, but there was a lot of laughter in the end (and a little kissing).

On Saturday, I didn't get home until noon and proceeded to lounge on the couch, drinking coffee and watching Beautiful People on Netflix. Does anyone else remember that show? Jamie and I discovered it during a Sunday homework marathon while we were still living in the dorms. I wish it hadn't been cancelled; I still want to know what happened to the characters! I didn't shower until almost 4, which was heavenly, ran a few errands, scarfed down a bowl of cereal and then met my friend Lisa for a couple of beers at my (our) favorite bar, Lucky Joe's. We enjoyed our drinks, ate a ton of peanuts, psychoanalyzed the current boys in our lives and had one hell of a time people-watching...typical girls at the bar, right? It was so much fun!

Sunday was another fairly unproductive day. I slept in, showered, and ran around town with my Mom. We did a little shopping, she generously bought me several things and Mom gets major points for putting up with my cranky mood. I am not built for 2 late nights in a row! Kind of lame, but true. I am so glad that I went out both nights, but I don't know that I would have done it if I hadn't had a 3 day weekend. I finished the day by going for a walk, cooking a nice dinner while watching The Golden Globes and enjoying a cup of tea before happily falling asleep on the couch.

Today started off with a full brekky, another long walk (notice a theme?) and a movie with my parents. We saw The Fighter and I was floored. The cast was amazing, and Christian Bale impressed me to no end, especially after seeing the footage of the real Dicky; he was dead-on! Christian Bale is sometimes criticized for taking his roles a little too far, but in my opinion he's incredibly talented. One look at him in The Fighter and you know you're looking at a has-been, crack-head who's lost in the world; it was the perfect transformation! He absolutely deserved his award last night. Watching Amy Adams in this movie made me want to watche Julie & Julia. Her two roles are on opposite ends of the spectrum, but she's wonderful in both. So, I rented a copy of Julie & Julia, did a load of laundry, ate some leftovers and baked a small batch of chocolate chip cookies. It was a low-key day, but a lovely one.

Now the real question is, will I finally clean my bathrooms or put it off one more day?

Water for Elephants

I just watched the movie trailer for Water for Elephants and I cannot wait. Have any of you read this? (Kaity, I know you have). The book took me a bit to get into, but once I was in, I was hooked. It's a beautiful story with a colorful cast of characters that you can't help but get attached to. And who doesn't love the supposed romance and adventure of a traveling circus? I had such vivid pictures in my head while reading the book, and I hope the movie lives up to them. The trailer looks fabulous, so I think I'm going to be happy. Check it out here!

ps- I'm a huge Christoph Walz fan and think he is perfectly cast as August.

Getting in touch with my inner Domestic Diva

This may not be a long post, but it's been such a lovely Sunday that I just had to drop in and say hi. Usually Sundays are kind of bittersweet because they signal the end of the weekend, but today has been really nice.

I lazed around this morning, watching Season 2 of F.R.I.E.N.D.S and drinking Dunkin' Donuts coffee that my Uncle brought all the way from Boston. My theory on this coffee is that it most likely tastes the same as the stuff I could buy here in the grocery store, but thanks to my overpowering psyche, drinking it whisks me away to chilly East Coast mornings; Dunkin' Donuts coffee warms my soul! Along with my coffee, I treated myself to cinnamon rolls and excessive time spent on my couch.

I finally dragged myself off to the shower, ran a few errands with my Mom, picked up some books (gifts) at Barnes & Noble and drank more coffee while Mom and I read all of the latest gossip on the Royal Wedding (I'm totally in love with Wills and Kate, by the way). This little outing was followed up by a nice, long, chilly walk through my neighborhood, and then I settled back in my apartment before the snow flurries came.

This is when I became a football-watching Domestic Diva. That's right, not only did I voluntarily watch the Broncos v. Rams game (we almost pulled off a win!), but I also voluntarily slaved away in my kitchen for a few hours. I had the urge to cook, so I made a huge pot of black bean and turkey kielbasa soup and threw together a quick mushroom, broccoli and bacon quiche. I seriously love quiche, and discovered that I have made this dish so many times that I no longer need to look at my recipe. This is major for me because I am one of those annoying, recipe-following, control freak kind of cooks. I've finally made my way to the top of the quiche world!!

And now my kitchen is clean, I'm FB messaging with my bestie who is currently having an amazing time in Sydney, I'm all comfy in sweats, watching "The Ugly Truth" (love me some Gerard Butler) and drinking a glass of Petit Syrah. Sigh of contentment.

Little Letters v.2

Dear Colin Firth,
No matter what, you'll always be Mr. Darcy to me...

and you'll always be sexily stepping out of a lake with your white shirt clinging to your chest.
Love, Me.

Dear Love Actually,
'Tis your season, and I cannot wait to obsessively watch you.

My sappy romantic heart needs a few sighs from time to time.
Love, Me.

Dear Boston,
I'm craving you.

There's simply no other way to put it.

My heart, my soul, my psyche crave your energy.
Love, Me.

Dear Ann Taylor Loft boyfriend cardigan,
You're perfect. You're cozy.
You fit just right,
and combined with a ruffled tank and dark jeans,
you make me feel classically beautiful.
Love, Me.

Dear Mom,
You're the best. End of story.
Love, Me

Dear Snow,
I almost cannot believe it took you this long to make an appearance here in Northern Colorado.
You're truly lovely, but I prefer to enjoy you from the comfort of my couch,
rather than my desk.
Love, Me.

Dear Jane Eyre,
You're being made into a fabulous-looking movie, but I haven't read you yet.
I think it's time to remedy that.
Love, Me.

Dear Chex Mix,
I don't actually like your pretzels,
which is why I pick them out first.
I much prefer your zesty chex pieces.
Please add more.
Thank you.
Love, Me

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Paul Varjak: I love you.
Holly Golightly: So what.
PV: So what? So plenty! I love you, you belong to me!
HG: No. People don't belong to people.
PV: Of course they do!
HG: I'll never let anybody put me in a cage.
PV: I don't want to put you in a cage. I want to love you!

Still loving...

I watched The Young Victoria again last night and may have fallen even more in love with it than after the first time. What true romantic's heart isn't touched by the beauty of a real life, society defying love story in a time when marriages were politcal and women were supposed to be ruled by their men? Not this romantic's, that's for sure.

Victoria: Do you ever feel like a chess piece yourself? In a game being played against your will?
Albert: Do you?
Victoria: Constantly...
Albert: Then you had better master the rules of the game until you play it better than they can.
Victoria: You don't recommend I find a husband to play it for me?
Albert: I should find one to play it with you, not for you.

Albert: I'm going back to England.
Baron Stockmar: There must be a reason if you wish to visit Her Majesty.
Albert: Then find me a reason.

Duchess of Sutherland: Look at that demure little head. And all of us wondering what's inside it.

Albert: Good morning, wife.

Sir John Conroy: How changeable they are. They hate you, they love you, they hate you.
Duchess of Kent: They punished her. They never hated her.

Victoria: Why did you do it? So stupid, why did you do it?
Albert: I had two very good reasons. First, I am replaceable and you are not.
Victoria: You are not replaceable to me!
Albert: Second, you're the only wife I've got or ever will have. You are my whole existence, and I will love you until my very last breath.

"if you never do anything, you never become anyone."

I finally watched An Education last week and I must say, it was wonderful! Carey Mulligan and Peter Sarsgaard were fabulous in their respective roles, and had undeniable chemistry as "pupil" and "mentor".

I've never been much for the 1960's, other than some of the music, but after swooning over the classic dresses and perfect up-dos in this film I have a newfound appreciation for the era. I want to sip on cocktails in a full-skirted dress while dancing and gossiping in a crowded music hall!


Ahh, and to be swept away to 1960's Paris, where my romantic heart thinks of ex-patriots smoking and chatting at outdoor cafes, and of strolls along the Seine, stopping to browse at the book-dealer's stalls. And perhaps sitting for a quick, hand-drawn portrait on the way to Sacre-Coeur. I'll probably always prefer my romanticized image of Paris over it's actuality: dirty and sometimes unfriendly, but still Paris nonetheless.

Fill in the Blank Friday

Can I just say how excited I am that Friday is finally here?! I feel like I could sleep for days, and am looking forward to sleeping in this weekend, relaxing and procrastinating studying for my Accounting test that's due Sunday night.

Anyway, moving on from the humdrum that is my life, let's fill in some blanks! If anyone wants to participate, head on over to Lauren's blog, grab the blanks and have at it! 'Tis quite fun. This week is all about movies:

1. My absolute favorite movie of all time is either An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant and Debra Kerr or the 6 hour, BBC version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. *sigh*

2. My favorite movie as a child was The Last Unicorn. I used to rent this every weekend and imagined that unicorns lived in a stand of trees that was across from my house. I was a bit obsessed with unicorns as a child, and they still hold a special place in my heart. And yes, I do own this movie...it was $5 at Target a while ago and you would've thought I'd just won the lottery when I saw it. Just more proof of how cool I am...

3. The best movie quote ever is Mr. Darcy's declaration of love in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice: "You must know...surely, you must know it was all for you. You are too generous to trifle with me. I believe you spoke with my aunt last night, and it has taught me to hope as I'd scarcely allowed myself before. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on." Add in the incredible sunrise over a field of wildflowers to Matthew MacFadyen's perfect delivery of these lines and you have the ultimate, swoon-worthy scene.

4. My favorite actress is Rachel McAdams. I think she is absolutely lovely, versatile and talented. My favorite actor is Morgan Freeman. This man possesses more talent in his pinky finger than many other actors (in my opinion).

5. The movie I could watch over and over is Persuasion. You all have read many posts about my obsession with this story and movie, so I won't bore you with repetition, but I do love this movie.

6. My favorite movie genre is either Romantic Comedy (no shock, I'm sure) or Psychological Thrillers. I love trying to guess the twist before it happens, which I'm actually fairly good at. Oh, and I love a good indie or foreign film as well.

7. A movie I'd like to watch this weekend is Coco Before Chanel. I've had it from Netflix for nearly a month and just haven't made the time to sit and watch it. I've read amazing things about it, and love Audrey Tautou, so I'm sure it wont disappoint.

The one where I play catch-up in bullet form...

I've been a bad blogger...again. This seems to be a new pattern for me, which I should probably work on. But for now, I'll just thank you all in advance for sticking with me.

- My parents recently returned from the family condo in Florida and they brought back an old, hand-colored photograph of my grandfather that I have always loved. He's very young and crouched over a pond, exploring something. I think it's beautiful and I love getting to look at it every time I go into my bedroom.

- I saw The Back-up Plan this past weekend and thought it was great! It was funny and entertaining, J. Lo played her role beautifully and Alex O'Loughlin certainly isn't hard on the eyes. If you love a good chick-flick, I suggest making a girls night out of this one.

- I'm currently obssessed with Airplanes by B.o.B and Hayley Williams.

- I've been making an appearance back into the world of dating recently...I know, let's all have a collective GASP, it truly is the most appropriate reaction.

- I recently finished the book Jane Austen Ruined My Life and now I'm in a book slump. I just don't feel like reading any of the books I have from the Library or any that are on my bookshelves. But, on the plus side, I did receive my gorgeous copy of Persuasion in the mail, so I have been reading bits and pieces of that when I get the urge.

- I have a stack of packages that I desperately need to get in the mail (some are quite late!), but I keep forgetting until after the Post Office is closed. I hate when I do this.

- My mom and I went to a local dance production called Ripple this past weekend. It was very unique and I truly enjoyed it. The best part: the space that was used was incredible!! I mean, incredible enough that I want to have an excuse to throw a party in this space...or have a wedding reception there. Yep, that cool!

- I also saw How to Train Your Dragon...amazing! I seriously want a pet dragon now.

- I'm officially down another pant size and it feels soooo good! I'm pretty sure the last time I was this size was in high school. I love food and will never deny myself good food, but I've been eating healthier and have become a bit of a gym rat. I think I'll stick with this new me.

Fill in the Blank Friday

It's that time again...time, for Fill in the Blank Friday, that is! I look forward to this all week, and am always excited to see what Lauren's questions will be.

1. Today I'm wearing a raspberry-colored cardigan with jewel buttons over a black cami, jeans and cozy boots to keep my feet warm in this snow.

2. My favorite childhood food was pizza or cookies and my favorite food now is simple pasta with lots of veggies (and still cookies)!

3. A day that I'm too busy to have a conversation with my Mom and/or best friends is a day that I'm too busy.

4. The last movie I saw was: Remember Me, which was wonderful and the next movie I want to see is The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus or The Last Station.

5. My favorite smell is lavender because it's peaceful, lovely and fresh.

6. A weird little quirk I have is preferring to take the 2nd or 3rd item from the shelf when I'm purchasing things in a store. There's something about taking the first item that I don't like. This is especially true with books; I like to hunt towards the back of the stack for my chosen copy.

7. When I take personality quizzes they always say I'm a nurturing ambivert who likes to be in control...and I think that's pretty spot on.