Hey There, It's Christa!

Now That January's Almost a Wrap, Here's a Few Observations...

In a mere six days, the first month of 2012 is officially a wrap (!!!), so while I recover from shock (yeah, aside from the weather, it still feels like it should only be January 10th or so), here's a few random—and I do mean random— observations.

*There's a whopping 10 months (!!!) until the presidential election, and I'm already suffering from major political fatigue. For the record, Facebook isn't exactly helping my cause.

*It's seems a little weird that last year's leaves (yeah, we never quite got around to raking) and a few new flower blooms are already peacefully co-existing in our yard. But you won't hear this Northern girl complaining about the decidedly Spring-like temps. I'm a fan.

*Now let's talk entertainment. Was it just me or was Snow Patrol's new album was a major disappointment? I mean I'm all for switching things up, but Fallen Empires sounds like something from an entirely different band. Thankfully, the same can't be said for the latest from Kathleen Edwards. Amazing stuff.

*I also had higher hopes for "Alcatraz," namely that it might help fill the LOST void. But aside from Hurley being part of the action, I was pretty underwhelmed by it all. Funny enough, that's how I expected to feel about The Bachelor, but as it turns out, you still can't look the other way with a total trainwreck like Courtney on the loose. I guess that's why it's the guiltiest of all TV pleasures, right?

*Speaking of what's on TV, I think I actually preferred it when Ricky Gervais was a little meaner. One can only hope the upcoming Oscars will be a little more exciting than the Golden Globes were—especially in the fashion department. Almost everyone belonged on the "Worst Dressed" list in my estimation, save for Viola Davis, Elle Macpherson and Octavia Spencer.

*And from TV to sports, it's been nearly two weeks, and I'm still bummed about the Packers losing to the Giants. I can only imagine how bad the 49ers fans are feelin' this week. Sigh.

*Last, but certainly not least, I've noticed something not all that surprising about New Year's resolutions. When you're not eating out all the time and regularly baking Christmas cookies, it's actually possible to eat healthier (quelle surprise!). Now here's hoping all that chocolate available in February won't derail the good progress in January...

Now that all my ranting and raving is over, I'd love to hear from you—what's gotten the thumbs up or down from you this January?

Book Comment: "Then Again" by Diane Keaton

Truth be told, most celebrity biographies are the literary equivalent of a magazine cover that's been Photoshopped to death.

Instead of tastefully showcasing someone as he/she really is, all the imperfections are buffed and buffed until the subject is rendered virtually unrecognizable (read: barely human).

Thankfully, that's not the approach Diane Keaton chose for autobiography, Then Again. Rather than focusing solely on carefully selected moments of her life and storied career (although there's plenty about that, from Annie Hall to Something's Gotta Give), it's really more of an inside look on how she became the person she is today.

Naturally, her family plays a starring role, and we get to know them very well—especially her Mom, who Diane was close to in health and sickness. And since Diane's mom never had an expansive platform to share her thoughts and feelings with the world around her like her daughter has, Diane showcases her journals, musings and poems in her book, a nice way to honor the woman who not only gave her life, but was one of her biggest supporters through everything.

For those more interested in the never-married actress's love life, Then Again won't let you down in that department either. Without resorting to a Kardashian level of salaciousness,  she tastefully discusses everyone from Woody Allen to Warren Beatty and why gettin' hitched was ultimately never for her.

Last but not least, what's probably my favorite part of the book is when she talks about the two kids she adopted when she was in her (gasp!) 50s. Clearly the true loves of her life, the stories about Duke and Dexter are nothing short of priceless without getting too precious (cue: gag reflex)—the mark of a truly relatable writer.

Rating: *** 1/2 out of 4 stars

Experiencing a Little Bit of Paris in DFW...

You know it's been a good day when you come home and your hair still smells like melted butter.

Yes, I think even the Queen of Butter herself, Paula Deen, would've been a little jealous of me today because every single dish I cooked in my "Fast French" cooking class involved her all-time favorite ingredient.

One of the many, many things I loved about Paris was how liberally they used butter in their everyday cooking. From those flaky chocolate croissants I ate every morning to the sole meuniere that was so delectable that I almost forgot that I hated fish, it was pure and utter bliss.

Since I probably won't be making my way back to Paris again for a while, well, unless one of my clients begged me to travel there on assignment (wouldn't that be grand?), you can only imagine how excited I was when my sister signed me up for the next best thing for my birthday present—a French cooking class at Dallas's Sur La Table.

Yes, along with 14 other butter-lovin' Texans, I happily donned an apron and whipped up some truly scrumptious French bistro fare. For the first course, we made these delightful little phyllo cups filled with caramelized onions, thyme and gruyére cheese—something I could totally imagine serving at a fancy dinner party if I were the fancy dinner party givin' type.

Afer that, we went to work on the main course, chicken with tarragon cream sauce and capers. While the chicken itself was tender and delicious, I think I could've probably enjoyed that sauce with just about anything—spooned over pasta or veggies, even straight from the pan. All in all, it's probably a good thing the tasting portions were so petite. Otherwise, the ol' New Year's resolutions regarding good health and nutrition would've gone right out the window.

Yeah, it was that good...

Perhaps, hoping to balance the richness of the aforementioned chicken, we also made a salad. And while the salad greens themselves were practically calorie-free, I'm guessing the warm bacon viniagrette we made for drizzling was not. Ditto for the egg we poached for the top.

By the way, who knew that poaching an egg was so tricky? I always thought it was one of those basic kitchen skills that anyone could do with ease. But alas, mine wasn't nearly as cute as the one our instructor made. Thankfully, I don't really like eggs that aren't in omelet form anyway, so I didn't even give the finished product much of a chance. Maybe it tasted a whole lot better than it looked...one could only hope, anyway.

And French bistro fare wouldn't be complete without a light and airy crepe to end the meal, right? Naturally, I've always enjoyed eating crepes, but as far as making them goes, they always seemed like a far more tempermental pancake. But if one has the right equipment, which is apparently a small non-stick skillet called a Scanpan, it's a whole, whole lot easier.

For these particular crepes, we made an orange-infused sauce and garnished them with a small scoop of Blue Bell vanilla and orange segements on top, a killer combination for what was quite a meal to remember—butter-scented hair and all.

Incidentally, on my actual birthday, I got another enticing slice of Paris when Will took me to Toulouse for the most delicious brunch I've ever had in DFW. Not only does the restaurant have all the details of French decor mastered (it's a dead ringer for this charming little place called Lou Lou that we dined at in Paris), but the food was insanely delicious to boot.

After all, who wouldn't love a place with New Orleans-style beignets with cappuccino sauce? It was basically like having the most mouthwatering mini-donut and morning coffee in the same bite. If that wasn't enough to tickle our tastebuds, the spinach, onion and gruyére omelet with roasted potatoes and a side of bacon pretty much did the trick.

In fact, if it weren't for the lack of French-speaking waitstaff and fellow diners, I would've thought Will and I were back in grand ol' Paris because the food totally brought us back to that vacation of our dreams—without the nasty jetlag, of course—bonus!

So Long, Farewell, 2011...

In the beginning, I wasn't so sure that 2011 and I were ever going to get along...

While it naturally takes a couple of days to get up to speed with writing the new year on your checks (and yes, I still write checks—sooo old school, I know), I was still using 2010 in June, which might explain why this year felt like it whizzed by so quickly.

But whatever the reason 2011 felt so incredibly short, despite the blistering hot, record-setting summer that I was sure was never going to end, a quick glance through my dayplanner (a New Year's Eve ritual of mine) revealed that it was truly an eventful year—and not just on the work front (although I'm very thankful for how crazy that was, too, given the rather challenging climate for freelance writers these days).

So as we say "so long, farewell" to 2011 (and here's hoping I get onboard with 2012 pronto), I'm so incredibly grateful for so many amazing family memories this past year, for good health and great friends, for such gorgeous glimpses of brand new places (like in the picture on the left) with my illustrious hubby by my side. And most of all, I thankful for new mercies every morning and breath in my lungs. It's truly a wonderful life—and I wish the same to all of you in 2012.

Love, Christa

P.S. Here's hoping that 2012 doesn't end up shaking out like its horrible John Cusack movie namesake. Yikes.

The Art of Writing the Annual Christmas Letter...

Ok, so it's a little late for this year (well, unless you prefer your correspondence to arrive a little closer to New Year's Day), but this article with tips on writing the annual family Christmas letter seriously cracked me up.

Notice how many times "Don't brag" shows up? Yeah, I think that's a pretty great rule of thumb, along with "don't try to get a whole year into a page," "keep it light" and "don't use it as a catalog for a home-based business."

Fudge-Covered Ritz: Delightful or Disgusting?

If you tuned in yesterday, you discovered that my cutie patootie niece and my husband Will share a serious love of mini Reese's peanut butter cups in common.

Funny enough, in the same way that Will can easily down an entire bag of that chocolate/peanut butter goodness in record time, he's also been known to devour Ritz crackers in an equally enthusiastic fashion.

Now I'll be the first to admit, Ritz is buttery deliciousness in mere cracker form, but I'm guessing even if I was starving I'd never eat more than 10 at a time, even if hummus or some other yummy topper is involved. But Will? Well, he'll eat an entire roll and call it lunch.

So when my Mom saw that two of Will's favorite things—Ritz and chocolate—had conveniently merged for the holidays, she simply couldn't resist getting a box for his stocking. And given my love for all things sweet and salty (my favorite combo is plain M&Ms on movie theater popcorn), I couldn't resist sneaking a little taste either.

Now for those wondering whether fudge-covered Ritz are delightful or disgusting, well here's the verdict: If you like chocolate-covered graham crackers, you'll adore these! Strangely enough, I wished the salty element was a little more pronounced because it didn't taste all that Ritz-y to me. But they were still pretty delicious, and not surprisingly, our box has already made its way to the recycle bin without even the smallest of cracker crumbs inside.

A December to Remember

Oh, December, you truly never disappoint...well, except for that last Packer game maybe.

Like always, you've been jam-packed with activity, but you won't hear me complaining.

After all, there's been gingerbread lattes, fresh-baked cookies and the faint smell of fresh Christmas pine in the background while I've been running around (and writing, of course) like a madwoman.

There have been movies good and bad (but mostly good, definitely an exception to the rule in my world, trust me), holiday hymns sung in church, lovely cards nestled next to the boring ol' bills in the mailbox and the best part of all? Well, all the celebrating with family and dear friends...

I feel like I've had several Christmases already, whether it was hanging with my dear friend Heather and seeing Breaking Dawn at our mall of choice, reconnecting with my pal Andrea and her adorable son Jack or flying out to Colorado where the bulk of my family lives.

While it wasn't much of a white Christmas, which I'm totally okay with since I grew up in snowy Wisconsin, it was truly memorable all the same. Not only did I get to see my sister and her hubby graduate from college (cue teary eyes), but I got some seriously awesome hang time with my Mom, Casey, Lindsey, Shayne, and of course, Princess Adelyn (she's really into princesses these days). The only sad part really was that it all went by much too fast...

By the way, this is Miss Adelyn Grace after she discovered the wonder of mini Reese's peanut butter cups. Like my hubby who's also been known to down an entire bag in a single sitting, she thought they were so incredible that she hid under my Mom's dining room table and ate them long after she'd been told not to.

Yep, she's got a major sweet tooth. Just like her Mama and Auntie Christa. :)

The Thrill of Hope

I'll admit, once December 10 rolls around, I'm already suffering from major Christmas music fatigue, and this year, sadly, is no exception.

For fear of sounding downright grinch-y let me explain, I absolutely love Christmas music. But considering that every shop owner and radio station in town insists on playing it earlier and earlier every year, well, by this time, I've already heard "Santa Baby" and "Silver Bells" by every artist who's ever bothered recording it like 3,245 times. Just yesterday, I heard John Lennon's "Happy Christmas (The War is Over)" six times in the span of two hours. Good song or not, a girl can only take so much—especially with Yoko singing back-up.

But there is one line of one song that gets me every time, no matter how many times I've heard it. Even if the singer is butchering the vocals, something that happens routinely with "O Holy Night" considering the otherworldly key its in, hearing the "the thrill of hope/the weary world rejoices/for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn" always resonates with me.

And I think what makes it such a crowd-pleaser is because we're all in such desperate need of hope.

Just this week, a former music industry acquaintance of mine's fiancé was taken far too soon in a horrific car crash. Another colleague's beautiful wife and mother of two gorgeous baby boys, is having surgery on a brain tumor next week. I've had friends lose newborn babies and others lose their jobs and financial livelihood. I also know way too people who feel nothing but abandoned and alone during what's billed as "the most wonderful time of the year," and it just breaks your heart.

Even in the grander global scale, the sheer absence of hope is always reliably ripe for the reading on your favorite news website, whether it's what happened at Virginia Tech yesterday, a place that's already known such tragedy and loss, the abuse of countless innocent children or the widespread famine and war that never seems to go away.

The thrill of hope. Even when it feels so incredibly far away like it has this week, and even this year, just being reminded of it and the true Hope, does wonders for the soul—even if you're a bit of a grump about the same Christmas songs being played in a seemingly endless loop.

Book Comment: Mindy Kaling's "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?"

Ever read a book and feel a little sad when it's over?

Well, that's exactly how I felt after finishing Mindy Kaling's very funny collection of essays, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? Like Tina Fey's Bossypants or anything Nora Ephron would dream up, but for a slightly younger demographic, Mindy turns everyday happenings into pure comic gold.

And in case you ever wondering if Mindy happens to share anything in common with her Office alter ego, Kelly Kapoor, she clears that up, along with other pressing matters. In addition to her warts-and-all account of how she got into the business of show, she also expounds on why guys only need two pairs of shoes, how she pulled off playing Ben Affleck, you know, considering she's a woman and all, and my personal favorite, a chapter on the duties of a true best friend.

Written in a warm and witty style, it's a perfect light read for a day when you could use a dose of good humor. And for any single guys brave enough to pick it up (there's pink on the cover, after all) it's an effective how-to guide for how to win a woman over as well—bonus!

Kicking Off the Holiday Season With Serendipity

I don't know how this "tradition" got started, but for the past couple of years, Will and I have officially kicked off the holiday season by watching Serendipity.

Now if you're not a fan of this John Cusack-Kate Beckinsale romantic comedy, I recommend skipping this post altogether because the following paragraphs will address exactly what makes the movie so downright lovable.

But then again, how could anyone not like this film? I mean it stars everybody's favorite Everyman, John Cusack. Even if you're not into romantic comedy (and really, these days, I couldn't blame you for that—they've been sooo bad.), Cusack makes what could've been an awful ordeal downright enjoyable (the same cannot be said, however, for Must Love Dogs, but I won't bother going off on that tangent).

What also helps is there's a pretty good script, not to mention a plethora of engaging side characters. Sure, like most sitcom characters, these supporting players are much too outrageous to resemble anyone from real life, but you still can't help loving them all the same.

Not only is Molly Shannon fantastic as the kooky owner of a New Age bookstore who doesn't exactly believe in what she's selling, but who could forget John Corbett's wackadoodle (yes, I just made that up) world musician Lars? Not only does he insist on sporting totally hideous scarves as part of his everyday wardrobe, but he really gets into his own music videos.

Memo to Lars: Yes, those bloodthirsty vikings hate the music—along with everyone else.

What also doesn't hurt the cause are all those adoring close-ups of frozen hot chocolates from Serendipity, the restaurant. And if that didn't already send your sweet tooth into overdrive, there's the chocolate cake that neither Kate or Molly (yes, I forgot their characters' names, so sue me) even bother taking a bite of when celebrating Molly's b-day. Lemme just say they should both be arrested for leaving that behind.

But more than anything, as frustrating as the journey can be on occasion (the first time I saw it with my pal Jessica, all those near misses between John and Kate were just grrr!), it's this sweet story of the lengths two people will go to for true love. But (SPOILER ALERT) when John Cusack finally gets the girl, Nick Drake, rather than say, cheesy Celine Dion (it does take place in the '90s, after all), is playing in the background.

And who's not a sucker for that, along with some pretty memorable NYC scenery to boot?