Under a Red Roof

I Like Vince Vaughn, Circa 1996 – 1998

June 18, 2010 in Quoting, Spotlighting, Watching by Colleen | 2 comments

Well, actually, I should say that I prefer his films of this era, because I still think he’s pretty terrific as a person. He seems like a good guy: affable, likable, decent, and any time I’ve seen him on Ellen he’s been game for pretty much anything. As a matter of fact, he’s probably the best celebrity I’ve seen play Humdinger, so there. I’m just not crazy about the movies he’s made lately.

It all started with his breakout role in Swingers, and Trent, of course. He’s ballsy, a natty dresser with a cool car (a 1964 Mercury Comet), and the best cheerleader of a friend any fella could ask for. He’s got so many great lines that, at least for me, never get old:

” Baby, you’re so money and you don’t even know it!”

“You take yourself out of the game; you start talking about puppy dogs and ice cream, and of course it’s going to end up on the friendship tip.”

“I don’t want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone’s *really* hoping makes it happen.”

Then, in what I consider his best year of film, he played what I now realize is kind of the serial killer version of Trent in Clay Pigeons. He’s Lester Long (the name does have a killer ring to it), a guy’s best friend, with an edge, though he’s decked out in western wear gear this time (come square dancing!).

In A Cool Dry Place, he’s divorced and raising his son in a small Kansas town when life gets complicated by a new romance, a life changing job offer, and the return of his ex wife.

Return to Paradise pairs him with Joaquin Phoenix again (he’s the Clay of Clay Pigeons), in a rather sad tale of good times gone bad. A trio of men meet in Malaysia, do a lot of partying and drugs, before two return home. Unfortunately, they leave their drugs and the third, played by Phoenix, is accused of drug trafficking as a result. Two years go by and they are contacted and asked to go to jail in order to prevent the third from being hung for his “crime.” It’s a beautiful tale, one that asks some pretty interesting questions, too.

So Vince, since I know you read my wildly popular blog, how about some more 1998? It would make this fan very happy!

Tags: Movies

Not Their Usual

June 4, 2010 in Inspiring, Spotlighting, Watching by Colleen | Permalink

As my cutie pie neighbor Keirnan (age five) might say, “She’s up to her old tricks.” He’d be right, too. I am up to my old tricks, loving the offbeat films where the actors are decidedly not up to theirs. It is so refreshing!

The hubster and I saw Greenberg this past weekend. Finally, finally something I was interested in seeing at the Academy. I have been waiting for ages. Seriously, I cannot remember when I was there last, and it totally bums me out. I love movies. I love sitting in movie theaters. I love watching people file in and search for the perfect seat. I love the moment the lights dim and the action starts, all the while munching on buttery popcorn and Reese’s Pieces, despite their absence of nutrition. For the film is the sustenance, the essence of life, moments in darkness that ultimately illuminate.

I digress. Greenberg, save two, um, cold(?) sex scenes, yes, cold, is one of those train wreck type films. I could not look away, yet my heart kind of ached to. It is the story of Roger Greenberg: broken man, letter writer, vest wearer. He’s come to Los Angeles to house sit for his brother’s family after suffering a mental breakdown. He’s meant to build a dog house, take care of its future occupant, Mahler, and, as he states rather explicitly, do nothing else. It doesn’t quite work out as planned, as he immediately has feelings for his brother’s assistant Florence (a pitch perfect performance from Greta Gerwig), the dog gets sick, and he generally makes an ass of himself, though he puts the blame squarely on others. It’s a great story about loss, starting off on the wrong foot, and the way we cobble our lives back together. Perfect in its imperfection.

Will Farrel is Harold Crick, a boring and friendless IRS agent who suddenly starts hearing a voice. A voice that knows him well, is never wrong, and clearly states that he is going to die. What ensues is a beautiful transformation – from a numbers man ticking away the hours to a human being truly living and loving life. So very, very good. It makes me want to be a better writer.

This is Paul Thomas Anderson’s fantastic and exhilarating art house version of Adam Sandler. As much as I like movies like 50 First Dates and Mr. Deeds (Are you surprised? Do you underestimate my sneakiness? They’re funny!), I sure wish he would make more movies like this. Sandler plays Barry Egan, intense, lonely, incessantly badgered by his annoying and domineering sisters, he is constantly on the verge of rage and violence, and utterly powerless to stop it. When a woman unexpectedly enters his life, there is instant chemistry and mystery. What will he do? Will this end badly? What about that awful guy at the phone sex place? Finding out is a great and scary ride.

This last one could actually be tied with Vampire’s Kiss. Have you seen that one? Nicholas Cage (circa 1988) plays a guy who thinks he’s been bitten by a vampire and acts accordingly, sporting fake teeth and all. Which only makes me think of Chris Cooper’s teeth in this movie, oy vay, creepy. This movie is strange, smart, and beautiful. Nicholas Cage plays the Kaufman brothers, so unlike any character I have ever seen. Fearful, weird, out of shape, paranoid, balding, and obsessed, yet likable. The kind of underdog fellas you root for. Besides that, there’s Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper. Who could ask for anything more?

Tags: Movies

Classic Home Desserts

May 7, 2010 in Cooking + Baking, Reading, Spotlighting by Colleen | 2 comments

This, my friends is a slice of terrific banana cake. I’ve adapted it from what I think is a pretty terrific book, Classic Home Desserts, by the late Richard Sax. My number one favorite in this department, and one that I’ve had since 1994, longer than any other, of any kind, I might add. As someone who is a great purger, this is saying a lot. This book, no doubt, will be with me until it is coming apart at the seams, all 688 glorious pages. It is full of great stories and historic recipes, not only a treasure to bake from but one to read, as well. I’ve made countless recipes from it, all went off without a hitch and tasted even better (two other examples are here and here). How is that for a product endorsement? Fortunately, the book is not out of print, but the latest edition, from 2000, is, in my opinion, prohibitively expensive, at least on Amazon ($45 used – $99 new, zoiks!), so, if you’d like to give it a try, head to Powell’s (I’ve seen used copies for $25), your local library, or cross your fingers that they print another edition.

Anyway, to the recipe. I’ve adapted it from his original, of course, for it is my way, but I honestly don’t think he (or you) will mind. An additional bit, part of my love for this cake stems from the fact that it is made in a Bundt style pan. Have I ever spoken of my love for the Bundt pan? Dessert is somehow elevated when it comes out of a pan shaped like that, truly.

Banana Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened or, if you are short on time, grate it fine with a cheese grater

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup ripe mashed banana (about 2)

1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt

Preheat the oven to 350. Generously butter a 10″ tube or Bundt pan. Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl. Set aside.

Beat the butter with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until very light. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one by one; beat in the vanilla. Put mixer on the lowest speed and add half of the flour mixture, alternating with the banana. Add the remaining flour, alternating with the sour cream or yogurt, in batches. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Carefully unmold the cake and cool to room temperature. Eat plain, dust with powdered sugar, or frost. This is great with a caramel, vanilla, or chocolate frosting. I’ll bet it would be great with a cream cheese frosting, too. You can’t go wrong! Like the picture, it also tastes great with coffee.

Enjoy!

Tags: Books, Cooking and Baking, Reading, Recipes

The Pleasures of Cooking for One

April 30, 2010 in Cooking + Baking, Eating, Reading, Spotlighting by Colleen | 3 comments

Do you cook much for yourself? I don’t. When I am on my own, my efforts are pretty slapdash, grabbing this and that, and often eating while standing up in the kitchen, as I just did (I’m writing this on Wednesday afternoon), happily consuming two slices of Dave’s Killer Bread with a light smearing of unsalted butter, a giant spoonful of white bean dip (made on Sunday to last the week), a slice of Havarti cheese, and a kiwi. I guess I’ve never seen the point in making an effort when it is just me. In contrast, I receive great satisfaction in making food to share with the hubster. I like the time in the kitchen, the gathering of ingredients, the easy rythm of cooking, like the best jazz. Then there is the pleasure of sitting down together, chatting happily about whatever strikes us, and having just enough so he can take leftovers for lunch the next day. Sweet perfection.

Then the book pictured above, The Pleasures of Cooking for One, by Judith Jones, came along and got me wondering. She’d been married a long time, and when her husband died, she didn’t initially cook for herself, thinking it wasn’t worth doing. Then, with time, and some encouragement from some of her readers, she decided she would do it and found it an exciting and enjoyable challenge to adapt recipes that serve many into individual servings or those that can be morphed further into new meals over the course of days. More than that, I think it is about deciding that, as individuals, we are important and merit the preparation of a delicious meal. We matter. What we eat matters.

Though Judith and I don’t share all of the same tastes (tongue and organ meats not being among mine), we are both economical shoppers and make every attempt not to waste. The photo is a perfect example. I was on my own for dinner (the hubster was working out), and I decided I would really make something for myself rather than my usual slapdash meal (though I did double the recipe so he could have some when he arrived – I love to share). I looked in the fridge and realized it would have to be the souffle because I had neglected to go to the store that day, and we didn’t have much on hand. I had eggs, rice milk, a little bit of Appenzeller cheese, and butter lettuce. The souffle left me with two egg yolks, so I decided to gild the lily and make a hollandaise sauce. The timing was perfect, too. I made the souffle batter, put it in the oven, made the hollandaise, washed and dressed the lettuce with a simple balsamic vinaigrette, and had about one minute to spare. As I sat there on my own, with a crazy bun atop my head, wearing sweats stretched at the knees, I felt kind of special, savoring every bite, even oohing and ahhing, like I was being treated to a delicious meal. Which, I guess, was true. I treated myself, because, as they say in the commercials, I’m worth it. Aren’t we all? I’d definitely do it again. Thank you, Judith, for the inspiration and the recipes.

Tags: Cooking and Baking, Reading

The Memory of a Killer

April 23, 2010 in Spotlighting, Watching by Colleen | 1 comment

I love a good surprise of a film. When we got this one in the mail we, quite frankly, were a little worried. A killer with Alzheimer’s? This can’t be good. Why did I even put it in the queue? Besides, we’d been on a Mad Men Season Three spree (one more DVD to go!) and weren’t terribly keen on breaking up the flow, but, reluctant as we were, we did, and boy were we ever glad. This is a fantastic film.

The story follows two men on very different sides of the law. One, a cop who cannot let go of a particular case involving a young girl, and the other, a professional hit man. Each man is damaged and worn in his own way. Vincke (the police officer) is obsessed by work and a great loss, and Ledda by the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s and a past he thought he left behind. The two men’s lives intersect when they both find themselves working on the same case. Vincke wants to bring the criminals to justice, while Ledda prefers them dead.

It is a race to the finish, as Ledda, with a clear lead over the police, leaves them clues and calls them out on their slowness. It is an expertly written and well acted story. Full of moral ambiguity, surprises, twists, and odd bits of humor, this film was a worthy pause in the Mad Men frenzy.

Tags: Movies