Dearest Readers,
Below is a link not only to my first ever published article, but also to 10 things that NEEDED to be said for this election year. So please, read it, discuss it in the comments section on City Beat Cincinnati‘s website, and pass it along.
Top Ten Behaviors to Keep out of Political Discussions this Election Year
What are your political-chatter pet peeves?
My nieces, one of the sweet age of four and the other a terrifying age of 9 going on 16, are full of questions. There is one question, however, that I hear more often than the rest:
Aunt Elizabeth, why are you taking a picture of your food?
The question seems as absurd to me as I imagine a grown up taking pictures of everything she eats is to two children and, well, maybe to most other people, too. For the sake of my reputation as the cool aunt and in the name of brevity, I tell my nieces:
Because, it just looks so good, doesn’t it!?
The kind souls that they are, my nieces let me get by with a smile of agreement and have even come to ask me:
Aunt Elizabeth, aren’t you going to take a picture of that?
The full explanation for why I snap shots of a seemingly dull subject is this: Food to me is a memory. When I think of my days strutting in Paris, I think of the macaroons. When I dream back to old picturesque Bruges, I remember the fries I ate from a street vendor in front of Belfry Tower. On my 25th birthday I was surprised with a cake in Nashville and with another in Kentucky, the second being a tower of colors with frosting so rich we couldn’t bear it. Every Christmas Eve my family throws a feast of epic proportions called The Feast of the Seven Fish. This Easter we ate our way through four full courses even though it hurt after the second. Lemon Poppy Seed Chicken with mint on the fire escape of my New York apartment, Dad’s famous beef jerky (a favorite of the nieces), the roommate brownie venture that didn’t end well, burrata cheese and strawberries on a city rooftop with my dearest friend . . . the memories go on for a rich lifetime.
So, in the spirit of sharing those tiny bits that make up our stories, here is an homage to some of my favorite dishes. For all of you critics who detest the inane posting of last night’s dinner, this is especially for you.
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For more foodie odes, head to www.JosiesKitchen.com for endless recipes and check out this recently featured post from The Teacup Chronicles, A year in the life of an apple tree.
These days, I hesitate to declare my goals. The reason? Because the number of goal-lists I have cluttering my past far exceeds the number of those goals which I have actually accomplished. You can understand why, after nearly 20 years of this behavior, I’m starting to doubt this whole list making process. The good news is that I’m not doubting myself. It also must be said that while I may not have accomplished all the goals I’ve ever put down on paper, I’ve created and reached countless unexpected goals. Like, for a few examples: being a good aunt, traveling Europe solo, re-learning how to ride a bike, working for a top commercial production company, performing on stage, learning how to drive again, surviving yoga, completing a feature length screenplay, creating a Grateful Dead blog…
It’s a long list and one that, now that I’ve started it, feels pretty damn good to write. Now I’m wondering why we are so compelled to announce all the things we haven’t done but wish to do, instead of celebrating all the things we have done or are actually doing. I find a hell of a lot more inspiration from tales of accomplishment than I do from hopes of maybe one day doing something. Don’t you? Perhaps it’s time to tweet a new list.
Tweet your own #GoalsAccomplished using the hashtag. Take it a step further and document your accomplishments by blogging, sharing photos, writing a book, whatever. Just SHARE, because I’m willing to bet someone else has inspired you at least once by doing the same. Use this as a modern day pat on the back and a means to pay it forward. But don’t get too comfortable. After you’ve soaked in pride and nostalgia for a few minutes, get off your ass and do something more.
- Elizabeth
From Friday to Sunday, here are the three movies I ogled my eyes and heart upon:
FRIDAY:
The Descendants (2011), novel written by Kaui Hart Hemmings, directed by Alexander Payne
Let’s not mention George Clooney’s dashing charm and fine-wine aging (oops) and instead praise him for a role where, really, he’s kind of pathetic. I like this realer-to-life Clooney (a 40-something absent father and husband attorney with quite an inheritance) and hope to see more of him. The rest of the cast was fairly new to me as was the Hawaiian setting, both elements that made the storytelling that much more refreshing. Seeing the same faces too often can kind of kill that whole suspension of disbelief that movies have going for them. Perhaps that’s why the strongest character to the story was one who was in a coma and rarely seen, yet was the impetus for every action.
The story was emotionally complex and interesting, but it never quite gripped me completely. The mix of comedy, although effective and touching, may have taken away from the drama and vice versa. Overall, I thought the movie was lovely and found myself contemplating unconventional family, loss, redemption, regret and forgiveness. And I still laughed.
SATURDAY:
Titanic 3D (1997/2012), written and directed by James Cameron
Titanic, in any dimension, has been and will always be the pivotal movie experience of my life. After seeing this movie in theaters in 1997, I carried it around with me for weeks and ultimately, years. I was overwhelmed by the love story, the history, the loss of life and love, the best and worst acts of man, the grandeur, the Unsinkable Ship, the everything. I was 11. Now I’m 25 and I can’t say that the experience was much different. I understand life differently and have more context to put the story in, but the visceral, heart and gut feelings are the same. The biggest difference was that this time I knew of James Cameron and wanted nothing more than to say, ‘THANK YOU!’ to him and to the hundreds of crew members listed in what was one of the longest credit sequences I’ve ever sat through. And that song, oh that song! THANK YOU, Celine!
The 3D conversion didn’t do much for me, but I suspect the theater projection was a bit poor. I’d still urge you to see Titanic while it is still in theaters, whether you’ve seen it before or not. And then let’s all start campaigning for re-releases, shall we? To never be able to see our greatest films in theaters after one theatrical run is all too unfortunate.
SUNDAY:
The Cabin in the Woods (2012), written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, directed by Drew Goddard
Three cheers for word of mouth and social media (and a Sunday power outage and writer’s procrastination). If it hadn’t been for a text and a tweet, both in praise of The Cabin in the Woods, I never would have even considered seeing this movie. I likely saw the first few seconds of the trailer and wrote if off as being another youth-doomed horror genre movie. Turns out, it kind of is. And yet, it is all genres. Sci-fi, romance, horror, drama, comedy, apocalyptic (that’s a new genre, right?), action; they all make several appearances. It was entertaining and lovable and to my biggest surprise, thought-stirring:
What if we reconstruct the world and while we’re at it, reconstruct horror? To find out, we have to destroy them both.
For more movie reviews that far exceed my blurbs, check out www.GrindMyReels.com.
Inspired by Ottsworld‘s Good Friday post, I’ve put together a collage of my many religious encounters across the globe. Included below are churches, mosques, cemeteries, monuments, memorials and anything else that channels the bigger-than-us entities that so many worship. Whatever you choose to believe or disbelieve, there is beauty to be found here. So on this Easter Sunday, although I am not Christian, I celebrate the good that I believe religion can offer. For example, the four course feast my Italian-Catholic family will devour later today. Or the strength my family found when struck by two overwhelming, sudden losses last October. Or the safety I found in old cathedrals when I was lost and alone abroad. Yes, there is beauty to be found here. Do you see it too?
In response to writing prompt #3 from www.CreativeWritingPrompts.com:
Inspired by CreativeWritingPrompts.com, prompt #1:
Of all the things I brought back from my travels through Europe last Spring, the most outwardly boring is a bottle opener. Not the bottle opener I bought from the Stuttgart tourism shop that proves in images and words where I have been. That bottle opener is distinctly a souvenir of travel, a tourist’s treasure. The other bottle opener has no signs of origin. It is maroon with a top bottle-cap opener and a side corkscrew. It was once adorned with a gold twist-tie although, I can’t remember why. I can’t recall either why I felt the need to keep it on there for so long. There must be another tool on this bottle opener, if memory serves me well which, it isn’t at the moment. With or without a third function, this bottle opener is your standard, no frills bar tool. You could buy something like it anywhere and for dirt cheap. In my case, the cost was in euros making it automatically expensive in comparison to any American-bought bottle opener. I’m a stickler with money, but the expense is not why I keep this bottle opener.
This bottle opener is from Paris, France and a Spring night. My brother and 
I were staying at a hostel positioned ten minutes away from the Iron Lady, Lady Eiffel, La Tour Eiffel. During our stay there we made a habit of ending our day under the light show of the tower. We learned quickly not to show up empty handed, to show up with more than just a camera. We gathered macaroons of all flavors and colors, and scouted out liquor stores for champagne. Our location was prime and it was Paris so the task was easy enough. I remember being worried about finding paper cups and a bottle opener with such short notice. I will learn not to worry so much, especially on my travels, one of these days. Our walk was short enough to enjoy without pain and long enough to inevitably find somewhere with a bottle opener.
The shop reminded me of one of the many hole-in-the-wall delis/mini-markets/convenience stores I wound up in in my six years of New York City living. I never needed a bottle opener from such a place, but I figured it was a promising resource. We found the bottle opener, the only one to choose from, and looked for cups. I will defend that the French are actually a nice people, even to Americans, because of this one shop owner. He could have swindled us, or at least tried, but instead he went to the back room and found us two cups at no cost to us. His kindness sent my brother and I on our way to Eiffel with everything we could possibly need. Within minutes I was drunk with Parisian delight, sweet macaroons, and cheap champagne. When it came time to leave and throw away our trash, I couldn’t very well abandon my bottle opener. And even when it came time to leave Europe all together, the bottle opener went with me.
Today it hangs on a clear pushpin in the cork board above my desk. There is no logical reason for this, but it seems to fit just right. Now that I allow myself to look at it, my Parisian bottle opener does have a third function.
Higher Ground marks actress Vera Farmiga’s 2011 directorial debut. The film stars Farmiga along with Dagmara Dominczyk, other strange-named ladies, and a few American-named gents. If you’ve never heard of the cast, then you know it must be extra special good. I recommend seeing this film for its dare to explore the complicated intricacies of life and religion, topics so often oversimplified and betrayed. While not all of Higher Ground‘s methods are successful, every event, person, and spoken word feels purposeful and honest. The performances reflect the story’s truthfulness and carry us through one of life’s most personal journeys.
Here are a few notable and much more thorough reviews of Higher Ground:
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly (Video)
- Review Thief
George Clooney has golf-club sized penis envy, everyone is impressed that girls can poo in sinks too, Ricky was perfectly offensive and hilarious, but the booze stole the show, Harvey Weinstein is confirmed to be God, the French formally apologize for being French, Michelle Williams is a darling, Claire Danes still reminds us of Jordan Catalano, Octavia Spencer now has the coolest name AND a Golden Globe, Scorsese wins best director years after winning my heart, Colin Firth teaches us Americans a thing or two about vocabulary, Morgan Freeman takes baths in a coffin, and that was the 2012 Golden Globes.
Best Drama
The Descendants
Best Comedy/Musical
The Artist
Best Animated Film
The Adventures of TinTin
Best Actor in a Drama
George Clooney, The Descendants
Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best Actress in a Drama
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Director
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Best Screenplay
Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
Best Score – Motion Picture
The Artist – Ludovic Bource
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Masterpiece” – Madonna
Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation, Iran
Cecil B. Demille Award
Morgan Freeman
Best TV Comedy or Musical
Modern Family
Best Television Series – Drama
Homeland
Best Mini-Series
Downton Abbey
Best Actor in a TV Drama
Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Best Actor in a TV Musical or Comedy
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Best Supporting Actor in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Best Actress in a TV Drama
Claire Danes, Homeland
Best Actress in a TV Musical or Comedy
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Best Supporting Actress in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Best Actor in a TV Movie
Idris Elba, Luther
Best Actress in a TV Movie
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
