*hey there, it's christa*

What I've Been Doing on My "Summer Vacation"...Part 4

While our perpetually balmy temps are certainly no indication that fall is even close to being around the corner in DFW, all those school supplies I'm seeing at at the nearby Target are basically saying "it's a wrap."

And really, I couldn't be happier...I see many less frizzy days in my hair's future.

Plus, I've always had a thing for school supplies, and August always brings out the proverbial cream of the crop. Whether I need them or not, I simply can't resist the allure of new three-subject notebooks, post-its and hot pink highlighters and will pick them up, regardless of the fact that I haven't taken a class since 1998. 

And now to officially celebrate fall's imminent arrival (the school supplies never lie, I tell ya), I'm presenting my final installment of "What I've Been Doing on My 'Summer Vacation'"...

1)Celebrating Miss Adelyn Grace's third birthday...Yeah, I can hardly believe she's already three (!!!) since I've been blogging about the cutie patootie since she was an itty bitty baby. As always, I had a wonderful time in gorgeous, humidity-free Colorado, and it's been such a pleasure to be part of every one of Adelyn's b-days. She even liked the cake this time, which hasn't exactly been the case in the past. Plus, I got to see her with her first pet, a pretty hot pink betta named Louie. And because Louie is named, well, Louie, I taught Adelyn how to sing "Hello Dolly" like Louis Armstrong. Trust me, there's nothing funnier than hearing a tiny little girl imitating me imitating Louis Armstrong...in fact, I'm cracking up just thinking about it.

2)Catching up on my reading...After enjoying The Help like the rest of the human race did months, even years ago, I plowed through Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan (a two-star read in my humble opinion...really, I only finished to find out what would happen to April, the story's most outrageous character) and Jennifer Weiner's latest Then Came You, a compelling story about classic class struggles, surrogacy and women whose lives intersected in rather intriguing ways.

For the record, now I'm reading Jane Green's Promises to Keep, which I'm told I'm going to need tissues nearby for. After that, I'm going to (finally!!!) see what all the fuss is about The Hunger Games. Everyone I've talked to says it's "intense," so we'll see....

3)Learning to love green tea instead of grande, non-fat caramel macchiatos...yeah when it's iced and has a squeeze of lemon and lime it's not so bad. But it still doesn't taste like caramel.

4)Still loving "Food Network Star" (we're down to the final three...go Sandwich King!) and contemplating what I'd do with the mystery baskets featured on "Chopped." Yeah, that's my kind of reality TV...

5)Working on my novel....yep, Tuesday Nights in Italia is coming along beautifully. Can't wait to for everyone to read it in the not-so-distant future.

6)Rediscovering the gym...because walking outside in triple-digit temps isn't an option. Plus, when you're treadmilling you can watch multiple forms of entertainment at once—the CNBC folks going on and on and on about just how bad the stock market is, a bunch of older gents (in cowboy hats, natch) playing racquetball and a yoga class that I'm pretty sure I'd get kicked out of after five minutes. How everyone's that flexible is one giant mystery to me!

7)Playing Scrabble, Words With Friends and Lexulous. Yes, I love competitive word games, what can I say?

8)Enjoying new music from Fountains of Wayne and Mat Kearney (Young Love is easily his best yet), watching one bad movie after another (exceptions being One Day and Crazy Stupid Love) and being thrilled to pieces that the NFL lockout is over so I can watch my Packers defend their title. Plus, that gives Jim Rome a lot more to "burn" about, so that's always fun, too.

A Few of My Favorite Things: Spring Edition

I don't know about you, but I've been ready for Spring since, well, February. Now that everything's back in full bloom (and don't my allergies know it—maybe Zyrtec should be on the list) and the birds are singing away, it's done wonders for my mood—even when I'm inside writing away.

Now in celebration of the season before the sweltering heat wave in Texas officially kicks off, here are a few of my favorite things during this oh-so-sunshiney season.

Bossypants by Tina Fey-Just the cover alone makes me laugh. I mean, c'mon, those big ol' arms are hilarious. Thankfully, what's inside certainly doesn't disappoint either. I've laughed and laughed and laughed some more. Once my chuckling even startled the ladies I was sitting to at Starbucks—bonus!

"America's Next Great Restaurant"-Yeah, I'm a sucker for foodie shows, and I gotta say this one has been really fun to watch as the contestants are competing for their own fast-casual chain in the three cities (Minneapolis, L.A. and NYC). Not only are the judges (Bobby Flay, Curtis Stone, restaurant owner Lorena Garcia and Steve Ells, founder of Chipotle) brutally honest with their critiques in such a constructive way, but I love the stories of the people competing for the title—especially Jamawn Woods, who I'm hoping will win with his soul food concept. Considering how tough the job market is right now, it's great to see people who are already doing well investing in the career of someone who might not have the opportunity otherwise.

Salads!!!! I love that tomatoes, basil, arugula and avocados are tasting downright summer-like, so I've been eating salads like nobody's business. Now I can't wait for some great corn on the cob...mmmm.

Benefit's Foamingly Clean Facial Wash-I'm always on the lookout for a great cleanser that's hydrating and won't irritate my dry skin. Well friends, I've finally found my new favorite. Not only does it smell great (I know, it shouldn't matter, but I can't help it) and really live up to its name in the foamy department, but my face feels squeaky clean and moisturized when I'm done. Plus, the bottle is pure cuteness, which is just another bonus.

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain-I read this while I was in Europe and still find myself thinking about it from time to time. It's basically Ernest Hemingway's story from the perspective of his first wife, Hadley, and my, my, my is it a page-turner! Loved the beautiful descriptions of Paris and getting the behind-the-scenes scoop on not only what motivated Hemingway as a writer but what shaped him as a person as well. In the beginning, he was a romantic and then...

Water for Elephants (the movie)-I don't know about you, but I've seen basically one dud after another at the cineplex in 2011. So after sitting through everything from Arthur to Madea's Big Happy Family, I kept my expectations very, very low for Water for Elephants and ended up just loving it. Not only is Rosie the freckled eared-elephant downright adorable, but I loved the movie's decidedly old-timey feel. Plus for anyone who wondered if Robert Pattinson could do anything but brood, I'm happy to report that he can.

Rosemary Clooney-I don't know why, maybe it's because Lauren Graham mentioned her on an episode of "Gilmore Girls" I was watching. But whatever the reason, Rosemary, along with Ella, Billie and Frank, have basically been my soundtrack to Spring.

Now how about you? What's been rockin' your world this Spring, dear readers?

List #10: 10 Things I've Been Thankful for in 2010

I don't know how my pal Lori @ Girly Muse did it day after day earlier this year, but I gotta say that coming up with 10 truly superb lists for your blog is way, way more of an arduous task than I ever expected. It's not like Wayne and Garth coming up with their favorite hot babes, that's for sure.

So at long last, here we are at list #10, and I'm ending things on a thankful note.

Considering that it's after Christmas and almost the end of the year—something I still can't believe—I thought this would be an appropriate move because there's sooo, sooo much worth celebrating. It was a year of big change in the Banister house as we moved from St. Paul to the Dallas metroplex, but now that we're settling in a bit, we're seeing how switching things up has been really good for us.

And now with no further adieu (I am the queen of tangents, after all, and could ramble on and on and on about nothing in particular for days), here are 10 things I've been thankful for in 2010 (in no particular order).

*Grace (and lots of it)

*Five glorious years of marriage to Will, my best friend and the guy who still makes me swoon every time he walks through the front door...

*Plenty of freelance work in what's been a horribly devestating year in the oh-so-scary job market that's particularly so for journalists, writers, editors, etc.

*Having not one, but two, fabulous interns who helped me with a gazillion important projects in Minnesota

*Reconnecting with old friends on Facebook, in Nashville during GM Week and in my new hometown of Dallas. Thanks, as always, for staying in touch and making me feel so loved and appreciated.

*Trading in my piece o' junk phone for a proper smartphone. Yeah, they're actually worth the hype, I tell ya.

*My GPS that helps the direction-challenged like me actually get from here to there in DFW. Yeah, I'm sooo not a map person.

*The Food Network, my escape from the daily grind and the inspiration for many a delicious meal.

*Starbucks coffee, which provides that big ol' jolt of energy I need to get started every day with their caramel macchiato goodness.

*Warmer winters and more sunshine for, well, all the obvious reasons...after four years in Minnesota, I'm already 864% less grumpy than I normally am during those sluggish winter months, and for that, I'm grateful.

Now that I've shared mine, I'd love to hear from you. What have you been most thankful for in 2010, and what are you looking forward to in 2011? As for me, I'm already looking forward to a healthier mindset and getting to serious work on novel #3.

List #8: 10 Christmas Movies That Make the Season Merry Indeed

While my morning Starbucks cup may be red instead of the traditional white and green, and my house is now all tinsel-y and bright, I'm still in a bit of denial that it's actually Christmas time.

Maybe it's the absence of snow (which for the record, I don't miss in the least) or that I haven't actually started my holiday shopping (tsk tsk). Or maybe it's because 2010 has been a gigantic blur for the most part (I chalk that up to moving), but I just wasn't really feeling it.

Well, until I started listening to Harry, Bing, Frank this past week and watching holiday movies. Now it's beginning to look—and sound—a lot like Christmas...

And just because I'm in such a giving mood, I thought I'd dedicate my 8th list to my 10 favorite flicks (in no particular order, naturally, because I wouldn't want to hurt any of the other films' feelings).

Basically, if you haven't seen some of these, you've now got a cheat sheet for what to add to your Netflix queue...

Christmas in Connecticut—Can't believe that Hollywood hasn't ruined updated this one yet because it's such a fantastic movie. Basically, Barbara Stanwyck's character pretends she's this domestic goddess in her popular magazine column, but truth be told, she can hardly boil water. And just when the charade couldn't be going better, she's forced to deliver the "perfect Christmas" to a soldier who's just come home from war.

Cue culinary hi-jinks and a whole lot more...

Love Actually—Why watch just one rom-com when you can have like seven packed into a single movie? Any movie with Hugh Grant and Colin Firth is usually a winner in my book, but this one particularly shines because the script it so darn funny and heartfelt. Plus, as a Wisconsinite, I busted out laughing when one the character's big journey to America was to Milwaukee of all places. Turns out, it made a memorable first impression, and not just for the beer.

Home Alone—Yeah, after 20 years, it still cracks me up when the pizza guy shows up and Macaulay Culkin's character presses play on Angels With Filthy Souls.

White Christmas—Singing. Dancing. That song about sisters. Yeah, it pretty much rocks.

Serendipity—Ok, so it's not technically a Christmas movie, but the story begins on Christmas Eve, so close enough. Love, love, love the New York and San Fran scenery, and John Cusack is his usual self-depracating self in this twisty rom-com that questions the significance of fate's role in our love lives.

Elf—Will Ferrell declares that smiling is his favorite while sporting the elfish green tights. Plus syrup stands in for spaghetti sauce as the perfect pasta topper. Basically, what's not to love?

It's a Wonderful Life—I know what you're thinking...hello Captain Obvious. But work with me here: Even though this film has been probably airing on NBC since the birth of television, I never watched it until I was a newlywed. Funny thing is, both Will and I were probably the only people on the planet who'd never seen It's a Wonderful Life until 2005. But now that I have, I definitely know why everyone loves it so much...

How the Grinch Stole Christmas—The cartoon, not the frighteningly bad Jim Carrey version, is absolutely genius. Love the songs, love the old-school animation, love the Seuss.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe—Journeying to the world where it's always winter, never Christmas, is always a delight—Turkish and otherwise. I always love the scene when Lucy first steps foot in Narnia...the sense of wonder on her face is beyond memorable.

The Holiday—Yeah, it's not your traditional holiday movie either, but since everything happens during Christmas break, I've decided that it counts. Not only does is take place in two of my favorite cities (London and Los Angeles), but I just love the story that Nancy Meyers has whipped up here. Sure, it's got little basis in actual living, breathing reality (I could write an entire blog entry about that, but I won't bother ruining the fantasy), but really, it's the perfect escapist flick—and quite quotable to boot—just ask Will.

Ok, so now that I've weighed in, what are some of your Christmas must-watches and why? What should I add to my Netflix queue—pronto?

 

List #6: 10 Websites That Qualify For My Coveted M.V. Status

Yeah, like everyone else on the planet these days, I participate in everyone's favorite form of procrastination social networking: Facebook and Twitter.

On any given day, Google also racks up plenty more pageviews thanks to silly ol' me (namely for driving directions since I'm a little challenged in that area and happen to live in a brand-new city), and I'd be an awful, awful freelance writer if I didn't check out the sites I write for, right? So everything from Crosswalk.com to GospelMusicChannel.com to Scribble Chicks gets some regular attention from my Web browser.

But aside from the aforementioned, I'd like to nominate 10 more websites for the coveted M.V. (that's must-visit) status. These are the places that are nothing but a pure joy to visit online and are rather helpful and insightful to boot—a formidable combination, no?

Food Network.com: It's no secret that I absolutely love to cook, and there's nothing more fun than dreaming up a recipe on the fly. But every once in a while when I find myself completely uninspired by the chicken I've defrosted for dinner, I go to Food Network.com and see if I can jazz things up a little, and it's never failed me yet. Plus, if you're like me and regularly watch the Food Network chefs like Ina, Giada, Paula, Sunny and Rachael, they always post whatever they've made that day for easy reference (and bookmarking).

Writeitsideways.com: Now that I've been a professional writer for a decade (yeah, I can't believe it's been that long either), one of the most frequently asked questions I get is whether I still love it, considering it's something I do every day, rain or shine, whether I'm feeling the Jerry Maguire, up-until-the-wee-hours-of-the-night level of inspired or the I-can't-possibly-dream-up-anything remotely-inspiring-to-say doldrums.

For the record, the answer is definitely yes. But from time to time, working as a full-time freelancer can feel a little isolating, so it's great to know there's people who absolutely, positively get that. And that's just one of the many reasons I like WriteItSideways. Not only do they offer great professional advice and helpful tips on grammar, beating writer's block, etc., but they totally understand what it's like to work with words.

HipParis.com: Yes, I've always dreamed of going to Paris, and that's actually happening in early 2011, meaning that all my reading up on the City of Love on HipParis.com hasn't been for naught. From fashion to restaurants to sightseeing off the beaten path, trust me, they've got it covered.

Sephora.com: Shopping at Sephora.com is almost as much fun as shopping at my favorite cosmetics purveyor itself—almost. The best thing is the web-only exclusives and your choice of free samples whenever you buy something. Yeah, you get to pick the samples!!!

Goodreads.com: 'Cause it's always fun to see what everyone's reading, right? Plus, I keep track of everything I've read, too, which is a nice reminder at the end of year when I wonder what I've done with all my spare time.

Chicklitisnotdead.com: Love the name, love the site, love the girls who run it. In fact, whenever I need a good laugh, it's my go-to webpage because Liz and Lisa not only do a fantastic job of spotlighting great female writing talent, but their blog posts seriously deliver the funny in that lovingly sarcastic way I adore so much.

Pandora.com: Yeah, I'm a little late to the game, I know. But when I don't feel like driving to Panera for Wi-Fi, their hazelnut coffee and classical music to write by, it's been my new best friend when I'm craving a good dose of Vivaldi, Chopin and Debussy.

ThePioneerWoman.com: While I'm pretty sure I'd never trade city living for a downhome country existence, I still love reading how Ree Drummond (a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman) does it. Plus, there's plenty of great home and cooking ideas all in one place...think HGTV meets chic hillbilly housewife.

Groupon.com: Awesome discounts on everything from entertainment to beauty services to restaurants. Yeah, I'm hooked.

Kayak.com: If you're like me and don't like searching for cheap airfare, car rentals and hotel rooms on a gazillion different travel websites, Kayak.com actually knows how to multi-task. I've not only found countless awesome deals on travel this way, but managed to save a little sanity in the process. Bonus!

List #4: 10 Albums I Never Have to Cherry-Pick Through...

I know, I know, nobody really listens to albums anymore, thanks to that wonderous gizmo, the iPod.

And trust me, I'm definitely not anti-iPod. I absolutely love mine. It's adorableness personified. For starters, it's hot pink (so what's not to love?) and how else, short of making a weirdo mixtape, could I ever hear Mumford & Sons, Debussy, Norah Jones, Simple Minds, Matt Redman and Ella Fitzgerald in the same set? 

But as cool as the iPod's "shuffle" setting is, I suspect there are still a few music lovers out there who enjoy the immense pleasure of hearing an entire CD the way the artist intended—from start to finish. After all, there is an art to sequencing an album, and I like taking advantage of that from time to time.

So that idea is precisely what inspired today's list—10 Albums I Never Have to Cherry-Pick Through. Unlike the old days where you were stuck buying an entire CD for that one song you loved on the radio (total waste of money, I know), that's no longer the case in the mad, mad world of downloading.

Truth be told, it's a rarity when you come across an entire album that you like soooo much, you're actually willing to download the whole thing, let alone listen all the way through. But over the years, I've come across a few choice selections worthy of everyone's full, unadulterated attention, and with no further yammering on and on, here they are...

Radiohead, OK Computer-I've always had a thing for British bands, and Radiohead is pretty much tops in my book. In fact, they're the last band left on my "Artists I Absolutely, Positively Must See Live Before I Die" list. Now if someone could just persuade them to come back to the States and play somewhere other than NYC...

Ok, back on topic...OK Computer hit stores when I was college, and I was absolutely smitten at first listen. After a steady diet of Blur and Oasis (yeah, I loved 'em both and didn't take sides in their feud), my ears were definitely ready for something new, and OK Computer hit the spot in every possible way. Not only was the production something entirely new for 1997 (and something that's been unsuccessfully imitated by practically every Brit rock band around), but Thom Yorke's signature falsetto never sounded so beautiful and yet thoroughly creepy at the same time. And yeah, I'm still bummed they didn't win "Record of the Year" for OK Computer at the Grammy's because they totally deserved to.

Josh Rouse, Nashville-Before we even knew each other, Will and I both loved going to Tower Records (R.I.P.) in Nashville where we'd put on those hideous oversized headphones and listen to new music. And once we met, that tradition continued, and that's where Josh Rouse's Nashville album comes in. Will told me I'd absolutely love this album, and he was dead on.

It's been five years since it released, and I still listen to it regularly from start to finish. There's just something so warm and inviting and perfectly mellow about it. And yes, it always reminds me of Nashville and when Will and I were dating, so there's happy memories beyond these stellar songs, too.

U2, Achtung Baby-Yeah, I know, I'm supposed to say The Joshua Tree. But the album that made me fall in love with U2 was Achtung Baby. There, I said it. Supposedly, the band argued and argued about the musical direction, and I think it totally paid off. I love how progressive the music was for its time and how darkly introspective the lyrics are. Plus, I think Bono's vocals have never sounded better, particularly on "Zoo Station," "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" and "Love is Blindness."

Keane, Hopes and Fears-In my opinion, Keane has yet to make a bad album, and that's pretty incredible, considering they've already made four. But their first, Hopes and Fears, is still my favorite, hands down. Tom Chaplin's vocals are nothing short of mindblowing, and it's actually quite amazing what a band can do without guitars in the mix. Yeah, I never thought mostly relying on a piano for the accompaniment would work either, but it does—really.

Sarah McLachlan, Surfacing-From her longing in the songwriting to Sarah's gorgeous soprano, it's absolutely exquisite.

The Beatles, Revolver-In the proverbial desert island situation, this is The Beatles' CD I would've grabbed before the iPod was invented. I love the mood and those crazy psychadelic textures, plus if you're all by yourself on a desert island, you may as well mope and cry a little. And listening to "Eleanor Rigby" would definitely help set the mood, wouldn't ya say?

Ray LaMontagne, Trouble-That sad, sad voice gets me every time, what can I say?

Jars of Clay, Jars of Clay-The band would probably cringe at my choice, and yes, they've certainly made better, more inventive music since their much-ballyhooed debut. But this album is part of my college time capsule, pure and simple. I played it over and over (and over again), much to the chagrin of my 2nd floor neighbors, and to this day, I still love these songs, particularly "Love Song for a Savior," "Art in Me," "Liquid" and "Boy on a String."

John Mayer, Heavier Things-After listening to Room for Squares for the better part of two years, I was pretty sure that John Mayer didn't have another album in him that was equal to that. But as it turns out, he did, and it's even better, thanks to killer tracks like "Clarity," "Wheel" and "Something's Missing."

Ella Fitzgerald, The Best of the Songbooks: Love Songs-During my third year in Nashville in 2003, I went through a phase when I listened to nothing but Ella Fitzgerald for almost six months, and really, who could blame me? What a voice! While it's really difficult to choose a favorite from her "songbooks" collections, I find myself revisiting Love Songs again and again because it's got timeless gems like "From This Moment On," "Love You Madly" and "Solitude."

Honorable Mentions: Other albums that totally fit this bill are Ryan Adams' Gold, Death Cab for Cutie's Transatlanticism, Beck's Sea Change, U2's All That We Can't Leave Behind, Switchfoot's The Beautiful Letdown, Gavin DeGraw's Chariot, Ben Folds Five's Whatever and Ever Amen and Harry Connick Jr.'s We Are in Love.

Now it's your turn, readers. What are some of the albums you never have to cherry-pick through and why? Any new bands I should be listening to pronto?

List #2: 10 Movies I Watch Over and Over (and Over) Again...

When you're a film critic, it's goes without saying that you watch lots and lots and lots of movies of varying degrees of quality.

Lately, I seem to be on a bit of a hot streak. I loved The Social Network. The Wall Street sequel exceeded my expectations. Life As We Know It actually made me tear up for approximately 1.3 seconds, and that's saying a lot, (darn those cute babies!) considering it stars my least favorite leading lady, Katherine Heigl. And RED (yep, that's the one with Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker and a machine gun-toting Helen Mirren) was a total hoot. Yeah, I laughed. A LOT.

But despite all that praise for the aforementioned, those movies still won't be making my oh-so-elusive "Movies I Watch Over and Over (and Over) Again" list. After all, that esteemed ranking is reserved for those extremely rare breeds—the ones you always reach for when you're sick, the ones that cheers you up after a bad day at work, the ones you know every line from, much to the chagrin of your close friends and family.

Even my favorite flick of all time, Roman Holiday, won't make this particular cut because it's more of a once-a-year event. Ditto for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind which is simply too sad to watch over and over again, and Amelie, which requires me to read while I watch because I don't happen to be fluent in French. Now don't get me wrong, I never mind a movie with subtitles, but sometimes, it's just too much work.

So now that I've clarified all of that (whew!), at long last, here's the 10 movies I watch over and over (and over) again in no particular order:

(500) Days of Summer-I love a good rom-com, but even I have grown soooo tired of the same ol' tired storylines. Thankfully, someone thought to shake things up, which is exactly what (500) Days of Summer does with aplomb (and a killer soundtrack to boot). Whether breaking up, making out in the copyroom or shopping at IKEA together, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel's characters are just plain cute while simutaneously breaking your heart when it's all said and done.

Almost Famous-What can I say? I heart Cameron Crowe films, and this is one of his finest. Great characters. Great music. Fantastic characterization of the music industry and how it all really goes down...

You've Got Mail-Horrible memories of the wheezing sound of AOL's dial-up aside, this movie is my go-to sick day flick. I love the dialogue, the decidedly '90s feel, and I don't even care that five whole minutes are practically an infomerical for Starbucks. Plus, is there anything better than NYC in the fall? Or when Parker Posey's character declares that if she ever makes it out of the elevator that she'll have her eyes lasered? I think not.

Zoolander-So many quotable lines, so many laughs. In fact, I've got three words for ya: Orange mocha frappuccino! (Cue Wham's "Wake Me Up Before You Go- Go)

Breakfast at Tiffany's-It's such an odd little movie, but you certainly experience the full spectrum of emotions whenever you're watching. I mean, I'm not even a cat person, and I still get chocked up when Holly Golightly opens the cab door and throws poor ol' Cat out in the street. On an unrelated note, have you ever noticed how the couch in her living room looks just like a bathtub? Yeah, I always spot the most random of details...

Two Weeks Notice-Even though I resent whoever titled the movie for leaving that crucial apostrophe out after the "s" in "weeks," this Hugh Grant-Sandra Bullock comedy never gets old. Of all Hugh's female costars, (and trust me, I've seen everything he's been in because I think he's so funny) I think he and Sandy are the best together and need to reunite pronto.

Elf-Even if it's not Christmas, who can resist watching Will Ferrell in those crazy green tights? Or proclaiming that smiling is his favorite? Certainly not me.

Julie & Julia-I absolutely adore everything about this movie—the gorgeous Parisian scenery, the mouthwatering shots of food with copious amounts of butter, the fact that Julia Child didn't find her calling until she was 40 (!!!) but didn't let that stop her. Nora Ephron did such a great job of adapting two beloved books for the big screen. Truth be told, I much preferred the movie to them any day of the week, particularly in the case of Julie & Julia.

Marie Antoinette-I know, I know, I was probably one of 10,000 people who actually saw Sofia Coppola's modern interpretation that starred Kirsten Dunst back in 2006. But I'm not afraid to say that I loved each and every minute of it. Everything from the cool ambient music to casting Jason Schwartzman as Marie's reluctant hubby to all that pink (!!!) was right on point.

Yes Man-This was probably one of Jim Carrey's least successful comedic outings, save for The Cable Guy, but one of my all-time favorites because it's just so darn funny. In fact, it's one of those movies that gets funnier the more times you watch it. And pairing him with the equally quirky Zooey Deschanel was a genius move.

 

For the Love of Lists

For whatever reason, I've always loved making lists.

Grocery lists. Lists of the places I absolutely, positively must visit before I die. Lists of potential characters names. Lists of songs I've been meaning to download from iTunes. And of course, there's my weekly to-do list (yes, one of the only joys of Monday morning is making the aforementioned) where I often add inane, not-really-all-that-pressing matters just so I can have something I can quickly cross off.

Yeah, I know it probably sounds silly, but I can't even begin to tell you how much comfort that little "x" provides during a busy, busy week. See, it provides the perfect illusion of productivity while I tackle the rest of my writing assignments, etc.

As it turns out, though, I'm hardly the only person out there who loves a good list. In fact, my friend and esteemed blogger about all things girly, Lori Sabin, is also a big fan and proved it in a big way recently by devoting 10 days on her page to all things list-worthy. Favorite restaurants. Favorite TV shows from childhood. Even her favorite things about being a Mama to two adorableness kids named Greyley and Indigo.

And since writers often borrow from other writers, (they just can't help it, I tell ya) I threatened to pilfer her idea via Twitter, to which she kindly replied "Pilfer away!"

So starting tomorrow, I'm going to be doing just that for my next 10 blog posts, so be sure to stay tuned for all the list-making fun...

Now back to enjoying Coldplay's Viva La Vida and that regularly scheduled to-do list (and yes, I've already crossed off a few legitimate things)...