My favorite things

I have been doing some work from home these last couple days and while I work I like to watch movies, more listen to than watch, but I like to have something on in the backgroud to keep it from being too quiet. Now since I tend to do this work from the bottom of a pile of warm, fuzzy blankets on my couch on on my bed I prefer to watch/listen to long-ish movies so that I don't have to climb out of my nest too often. Today's movie choice was the classic The Sound of Music and listening to Julie Andrews sing about strudel and silk dresses made me think about the things in life that make me happy, and I was overcome with the desire to share my crazy little list.

I love the sound of thunder. There is something powerful, yet soothing about that booming noise that rattles the windows.

I love Nutella - bless the person who decided to combine chocolate and hazelnuts.

I love shopping bags. Shocker I know! I just love the feeling of walking out of a store with something new in my bag, and watching people eye my pretty bag wondering what is in there.

I love prezel bites. If you have not had the pleasure you must seek them out and try them imediately, they are salty, buttery pillows of happiness that are only improved upon when they are dipped in mustard.

I love Great Danes. I want like 3, they are so big and cute. I squeal like a little girl whenever I see one on TV and have to fight down the urge to run out and find one to bring home.

I love the way the tops of baby's heads smell, so sweet!

I love bubble baths. There is something so indulgent about soaking in steaming hot water and feeling all your muscles relax.

I love pedicures, I could paint my own toe nails but it is the whole experience that keeps me coming back. The foot massage, the soaking, all of it.

I love a cold pillowcase when I am going to sleep. I want the rest of the bed to be warm but I like the pillow to start of cold. I am a freak, I know.

I love show tunes, it is so cliche but they make me happy and I love that I know the score of at least 50 musicales by heart.

I love the smell of coffee brewing, there is nothing that wakes you up like the smell of coffee.

I love Diet Pepsi, no revalation I know.

I love hammocks and sometimes contemplate replacing my matress with one.

I love Peeps, but only the yellow chicks - I am a purist that way.

I love creepy pieces of classical music like Toccata and Fuge in D Minor and the Symphonie Fantastique, they send the coolest chills down my back.

I love to snuggle.

I love a good crying movie, something that really turns on the water works. After a good cry I feel cleansed.

Last but definitely not least I love shoes - I just get so excited by a great pair of shoes. Maybe if I could really explain what it is that I love so much I could control it but all I have to say is that if this is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Feliz Navidad!

Only two more days and I am on my way to a beautiful California Christmas!

Sans snow.

But before I get on that jet plane, hopefully on time, I wanted to take a minute to say Merry Christmas to you all. May this Christmas season bring happiness and warmth to your heart, and may that light stay with you into next year.

I wish you many new shoes, delicious food, happy family, and massive luck at the New Year's day sales. ;)

Kisses and a very Merry Christmas!

Another stop on the road to self discovery

WARNING:
This post may bother, worry, disgust, or horrify some readers. Adult supervision is advised.

When people ask what my favorite movie is, it kind of upsets me because I am completely unable to provide an answer. How could I possibly pick a favorite movie, I would no sooner be able to pick a favorite shoe in the Nordstrom shoe department.

Now this may be a round about way of saying it but if I had to, as in life or death decision/declare or get pushed into the volcano, pick a favorite movie of all time...I think it would have to be...

Ok, these two:

Funny Girl, and The Way We Were

So it isn't ONE favorite.

My blog, my rules.

Deal with it.

These movies have one major thing in common. Do you know what it is? I'll tell you:

BARBARA STREISAND

(Warning: proceed with caution)

I love Barbara! I do. I really do! Now I know that there are many out there who are unable to appreciate the wonder that is Barbara. Who cannot fully appreciate her trademark nails and eye makeup, and the way her voice makes the world just a little bit brighter, but I don't care. I love her.

And today I made an amazing discovery: Barbara and I have the SAME BIRTHDAY! I always felt that Barbara and I were linked somehow, now I know why. Just one more reason to love her.

So what is your favorite movie? I am always interested in expanding my movie repertoire and I would love to know what other people love watching over and over again, until the DVD is exhausted and racked with seizures that make watching it any longer impossible.

Share on dear friends, share on.

Inspiration for a new project

Guess what, guess what, guess what!

I got a new cookbook last night, but not just any new cookbook: Martha Stewart's cupcake book.

Isn't it beautiful?

Now I know that there are some out there that do not approve of Martha, but I love her. All you have to do is look past her obsessive compulsive nature, and deplorable wardrobe, and what you will find is a marvelously creative woman with a talent for making beautiful and delicious things.

Anyway, my love of Martha led me to the realization that I needed her cupcake book in order to be happy. This book holds 116 cupcake recipes, some filled and some frosted, some glazed and some dipped, and I intend to try them all.

Now while this idea may sound vaguely familiar, especially if you have been to a movie theater in the last few months, I assure you all that I am not stealing the idea from dear Julie - I will merely share with you my failures and successes as I work my way through this entire cookbook. I also have grand and glorious plans to purchase a new battery for my camera so that I can even provide some pictures for you.

That's it. I just wanted to share my great happiness in my new cookbook with you, and warn you ahead of time that at least one more "new cookbook" celebration post is in this blogs future.

But that is all I will say for now.

Twinkie Theory

Twinkies are delicious!

They are soft, and sweet, moist, and tasty. You tear open that crinkly plastic wrapper and your senses are assailed by the tempting aroma of this grocery isle treasure. You divest the Twinkie of its plastic prison, and admire its beauty. The rich yellow color, the convenient shape that makes shoveling them into your mouth so effortless.

Now is the moment you have waited for in such anticipation - the first bite. Delicately you sink your teeth into the supple sponge cake and taste, for the first time, the fluffy cream filling.

Oh, the bliss! The blinding moments of utter contentment!

I like Twinkies, I don't know if you got that.

Alas, for all their tasty perfection man, or woman in this case, can not live on Twinkies alone.

Now before I go on I feel it important to note that I cannot claim full credit for the following theory. It came to me, as if in a dream...okay more like the reality of family dinner. During said event the conversation turned to movies, one of my favorite subjects, and my Uncle Chad's use of Twinkie imagery inspired me. Thank you Chad!

Anyway, back to the task at hand.

There are times when we all get sick of the cold cereal/PBJ sandwich/cold pizza/cracker and cheese - meals held standing at the counter, and long for a good home cooked meal. Something wholesome and filling that you walk away from full and enriched. These are the times when your gas tank has been filled and you are given the power to dig deep and do great things and feel the drive to think and make the world a better place that it is.

Are you lost yet? I have a point I promise!

Well just as there are times when we crave substance, sometimes we just want a Twinkie. It has no nutritional value, in fact it may be of negative nutritional value, it does not fill you up, and you don't often light upon brilliant realizations during the consumption of a Twinkie. But sometimes...sometimes a Twinkie is just what you need - the opportunity to escape and enjoy a few precious moments away from the meat and potatoes world.

This is Twinkie Theory. It can be applied to just about anything, but I found it most applicable to movies and books. My mother, sisters and I had a little girls only day this past week, and we went to see The Proposal. It was a Twinkie. It was adorable! Light, funny,romantic, made me cry - shocker I know. I knew walking into the theatre and taking my reclining seat, exactly what I was going to see play out on the screen for the next 2-ish hours. But that is exactly what I wanted, and it delivered.

Being an English major I hear so many of my class mates and teachers rant about all the "good" literature and movies there are out there to be consumed, and how they cannot bear to hear of people who would waste the precious time we have on this planet by dallying with less-than-Earth-moving-drivel! To them I say that I am sorry. Don't get me wrong, I still love my Fillet Mignon and roasted summer vegetables with a dark chocolate torte for dessert, but sometimes you just need a Twinkie.

So, my wish for each of you is that you go forth today in search of a Twinkie to brighten up your life. It need not be an actual Twinkie, but you know what I mean.

I want to go to Australia!

So I took some time this weekend, away from the studying and the baking, and did something just for me.

I went to the movies, and I saw Australia.

Crikey, it was Amazing!

I will be honest; one of my primary reasons for wanting to see this movie was that it required me to stare at beautiful Hugh Jackman for two and a half hours, but the movie itself was so great! And it goes without saying that Hugh was very pretty.

Now if you have not already seen it, you should know that the style is a little different, but don't throw in the towel and hate it ten minutes in - keep with it. You will be glad you did. The characters are colorful and rich, and the story is fabulously mulit-faceted with the perfect blend of comedy, drama, tragedy and triumph.

My advice: see it. Take tissues. I say TISSUES, plural. Even if you are not an Olympic crier like I am, you will need them.

See ya down under mate!

My favorite part of fall is...

As many of you know I am originally from northern California, a place that for most part is without major seasons, so when I moved to Utah the noticeable change in season was a new experience for me. There is however one season that always came though with brilliant clarity, and one of my favorites; fall.

Fall isn't a season that comes on gradually like spring and summer with their subtle warming and blooming, fall seems to happen overnight. One day it is summer, warm and mellow with the smell of sunshine in the air, and then you go to bed one summer night and the next morning there is a distinct chill to the air and the change has been made - summer is gone and fall is here.

Now although it is sad (almost painful) to bid farewell to the sunny, carefree days of summer, fall brings with it it's own brand of delight. As I turn off my air conditioner and pull out my sweaters my mind turns from thoughts of Coppertone and barbecues to those of spices, holidays and, best of all, fall shopping! One of my first fall purchases was a new pan from one of my favorite, and most dangerous, stores; Williams Sonoma. It is an acorn cakelet pan, and it is adorable! It makes little mini muffin sized acorn cakes and you can serve them that way or you can make frosting and stick them together to make a 3D acorn cake.

My roommates think I am totally nuts, no pun intended, because the first time I made them I was so overcome at how cute they were I could not stop squealing with delight. As usual they just rolled their eyes and communicated with eye rolls and loaded stares that I was totally and completely crazy - oh well I love my acorn pan.

Bake ware isn't it though, oh no! Fall is the time of year when stores start putting out all sorts of delightful things that can only be found during this fall/holiday time. Now since I possess and greater than normal love of the retail world this is the lens through which I automatically view the world. There are however thousands of things that we can enjoy about fall that don't cost a cent (these are the things my father things my father would prefer I pursue) and there are everywhere around us. So, roll down your windows and breath in the crisp autumn air, take a moment to notice the beautiful red and orange colors blooming on a tree that was so recently monochromatic, bake a pumpkin pie or maybe even...do some early Christmas shopping. ;) Whatever it is enjoy fall before it is gone.

Now very last, I want to share with you the recipe for one of my favorite fall treats: Pumpkin Dessert Bars.

Pumpkin Dessert

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (save 1 cup for topping)
1 egg
½ cup butter, melted

Mix and pat into 9 x 13 greased pan.

15 oz. can pumpkin
A pinch each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
2 eggs
2 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup milk

Mix and pour over bottom layer.

Topping:
1 cup cake mix
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup butter, melted

Mix and sprinkle on top. Bake 45 to 60 minutes at 350.

"And really bad eggs." Drink up me 'earties. Yo ho. " - Captain Jack Sparrow

Yo ho maties! A happy "talk like a pirate day" to you all!

Now sing with me, I know you know how.

"We're rascals, scoundrels villains, and knaves
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
We're devils and black sheep - really bad eggs
Drink up me hearties yo ho
Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate's life for me"

Celebrate the day right by feeling your sea legs and doing something very piraty - such as roping a couple of sea turtles, using rope made of human hair...from you back - this might be more difficult for some than others, feel free to do something else equally as piraty.

Take what ye can!

Give nothin' back!

I love my TiVo!

Each year there is a special event that accompanies the changing of the leaves and the cooling of the evening temperatures - an event that I look forward to all summer: the beginning of new seasons for all my favorite TV shows! YIPPEE!

Now it is dangerously easy to get swept up in the joy and excitement of seeing what happens next to all the lovable characters that you left a few months earlier in cliff hanger season finales, but the seasoned TV lover understands that serious thought and planning is required. Luckily for me, since "serious thought and planning" are not really my shtick, I have made a delightful new friend called TiVo, oh how I love little TiVo! Best of all; all I have to do is, to borrow from one of my favorite infomercials, "set it, and forget it!" I tell little TiVo what to record and then hours, or days, later I can watch my shows sans annoying commercials and with the power to pause and rewind...oh ya, I am in love with my TiVo!

Movies 101

I love movies. I have many and watch them over and over and even get to a point, whith my favorites of course, where I can recite the lines along with the actors. I LOVE MOVIES! So this has inspired me to share with you some of the movies that I consider essentials.

(These are listed in no particular order)

1. "An Unfinished Life" - Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman, need I say more?
2. "Much Ado About Nothing" - One of my personal faves and Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh are so great!
3. "Steel Magnolias" - Classic
4. "The Italian Job" - Good action and very funny
5. "Iron Man" - A recent addition but I just love it so much!
6. The Jack Ryan movies: "The Hunt for Red October", "Patriot Games", and "Clear and Present Danger" - I love Sean Connery in "The Hunt for Red October" but I really do prefer Harrison Ford in the last two to Alec Baldwin who plays Jack in the first.
7. "Idiana Jones" - All of them. I am honestly not the giggest fan of "Temple of Doom" but it should be seen at least once.
8. "50 First Dates" - So funny!
9. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" - Such a great team in Redford and Newman
10. "The Way We Were" - I am a total sucker for a hopless love affair

To finish off the list for today here are my favorite John Wayne flicks:

• "The Quiet Man"
• "McLintock"
• "Hatari!"
• "Donovan's Reef"
• "North to Alaska"

ENJOY, the are all fabulous!