Let's talk movies! Chef

Last weekend I went to see Chef  at my favorite movie theater.  I feel like the theater is worth mentioning, because it really does add to the overall viewing experience.  I have been going there regularly since high school, Gateway movie theater in Ft. Lauderdale has been only lightly renovated since the 1950's when it was a movie "palace" and only showed one movie compared to the 4 theaters it now has.  They have recently replaced the old rickety seats with big squishy reclining ones, and they have paper towel robots in the restrooms, but those are about the only notable changes.  In a world that focuses on new, new, new; I'll be the first to say that I really enjoy going somewhere that I can count on to be the same.  Deliver the same; rounded bathroom entrances (you'd have to go to understand), tiny ticket booth, and where you can still see the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" at midnight on Saturday nights.  It would be an understatement to say that I thoroughly enjoy this theater, I would say it's my movie watching home. 

But let's talk about "Chef" the movie.  Let me first say that I have worked in restaurants since I was 13 years old, and it is possible that I may have a more skeptical eye (than most) in that department.  Food service and preparation are things that I know.  With that said, overlooking a few items that only food service personnel would recognize, this movie is delightful.  

Carl Casper (John Favreau) is a talented chef who wants to be creative in his kitchen.  His boss/owner of the restaurant he works at (Dustin Hoffman) tries to stifle his creativity by ordering him to cook a tired boring menu.  At the suggestion of his son's mother (Sofia Vergra) he meets up with her ex-husband (Robert Downey Jr.) to discuss trading in the professional kitchen he is used to, for a food truck where he could call all the shots.  His former employee Martin (John Leguizamo) Joins him and helps transform a broken down old taco truck into a restaurant that any chef would be proud of.  In addition to helping his father run his food truck his adorable son Percy (Emjay Anthony) also heads of all the food trucks social media outlets, really making this truck an overnight success.  

The soundtrack in this movie really rocks.  And John Leguizamo really makes this movie believable and even more enjoyable.  I would highly recommend this movie.  

I give it 8 1/2 popcorn bags (out of 10): sweet story line, amazing cast, and dancing inducing soundtrack. 

Let's talk movies! The Grand Budapest Hotel

I love movies.  A lot.  So I like to go to movies quite regularly.  And as an adult there aren't always people with coordinating schedules to go with me.  So mostly I go alone.    Even though I have been told that this is a little strange, I enjoy it.

This past weekend I went to see:

Entering into a world created by Wes Anderson is like going on a vacation, to a place that doesn't exist in reality.  Immediately you are immersed in his world, with characters rich in back story, and sets soaked in detail.  The story is that of M. Gustav (Ralph Fiennes) , a hotel concierge, who treats his elderly blond female  guests with special "kindness" shall we say.  After one of his wealthy guests bequeaths him a priceless painting in her will, the plot thickens, and the story really begins.  There are many chase scenes, prison breaks, and lots of ridiculousness.  The actors in this movie are many of the Wes Anderson arsenal: Jason Schartzman, Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, and Owen Wilson.  As well as some wonderful new ones:  Saoirse Ronan (Agatha) and Tony Revolori (zero).  Every one of them  did a phenomial job guiding the viewer into this cinematic world.

Highly recommended for your viewing pleasure.

Life and death

I've heard that death is as much a part of life as living is.  But knowing it  doesn't soften the blow.   Dealing with death is difficult, painful, and confusing.  I was reluctant to post about it, because its taboo, and well saddening.  

However, just like studying your history will (hopefully) help you to prevent making future mistakes.  Being aware of death, might help you to lead a more fulfilling life.  

I've adapted a strategy for dealing with stressful situations, that directly references death:

When you are stressed out about something that seems incredibly important (at the time), and it's going around and around in your mind.  Just think, one day I will die.  How important is this, really?  And poof!  Whatever it was, really in the grand scheme of things, not important at all.  

Missing loved ones is extremely difficult.  The only small piece of advice I can share is; live with honor and intention.  Your Loved one would have done the same, and remembering them as you walk through life, being an honorable, intentional person is the only way I know to never let them die. 

xo Dinah

Hello 2014!

I fell asleep on the couch way before midnight on New Year's eve.  Leaving the champagne corked in the refrigerator, and the sparklers unlit.  The new year creeped in quietly in our house, and with the exception of flipping the calendar page, not much else has changed.

I am not really a believer in resolutions, because they are seldom followed, and most of the time may you feel bad about yourself that you couldn't pull it off.  I was inspired by some of the other blogs I read, because they set more attainable goals, that they actually reached.  So I have decided to set 1 goal a month, but not something overly ridiculous, and after that goal has been reached- set a new one for the next month.

The first goal I set is to bake my way through the "Babycakes" cupcake cookbook I got myself for Christmas.  I am just going to bake the gluten free recipes, and I began this goal yesterday.  The result was not picture worthy, because I added chocolate chips and failed epically.  Baking gluten free is very different from traditional baking.  There is no ad-libbing, you can't just toss in some of this or some of that.  Lesson learned.

My overall goal for 2014 is happiness.  

xo Dinah!