cirquedusoleil.com

While watching the underwhelming Olympics opening ceremonies, all I kept thinking was, “just wait until they bust out the Cirque du Soleil!”…but instead we got beat poetry. I love Canada, but the country is home to one of the coolest, exciting, fun, beautiful entertainment events ever, and it didn’t even utilize it!

I may not have seen it on TV, but I’m going to see it in person tonight! Wahooo! We’re going to KOOZA at the Del Mar Fairgrounds…and I can’t wait to see the show that’s deemed a “return to the origins” of Cirque du Soleil.

Sony Pictures Classics

A couple weeks ago we saw An Education, a coming-of-age film with the lovely, mesmerizing Carey Mulligan as the heroine growing up in 60s London. I really enjoyed it, and I was especially enamored with all the costumes. Boatneck shifts, fur coats, leather gloves, retro floral prints…love it all.

After the jump, as many images of the movie’s fashion I could find.

topspresents.com

This weekend we are going to see Casablanca at Cinema Under The Stars – an outdoor theater in Mission Hills – and I highly recommend you check out a film there before they finish for the season at the end of the month!

Last year we also waited until the end of the season, but I kind liked being able to snuggle in the blanket they provide with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate. We saw Young Frankenstein (LOVE it), and swore we’d come back. While it is a little pricey at $13.50 each, I think if you live in San Diego you’ve got to go at least once.

They show old and new movies, provide zero-gravity lounge seating and couches in the back, a blanket, concession stand and lots of outdoor heat lamps. Plus, you get to watch a movie “under the stars,” which is pretty awesome. If you’re hungry beforehand, your ticket also gets you discounts at some local eateries. There is a different movie every weekend, and unless you are a member you have to go in person to buy your ticket(s) for the Thurs., Fri. or Sat. shows, which they start selling at 6 p.m. every Thurs. If you don’t get your ticket Thurs. for any of that weekend’s showings, chances are they will sell out. The remaining movies this month are Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Star Trek 2009 and The Big Lebowski.

Glee (fox.com), Bones (fox.com), Community (nbc.com)

While I’m (not so) patiently waiting for 30 Rock to begin (Oct. 15!), the fall lineup, so far, has some tasty offerings to sustain me – two newbies, Glee and Community, and one ol’ faithful, Bones.

Since I marathon-watched all four preceeding seasons of Bones this summer (via TV, DVD and the Internet), this is the first season I will be watching as it airs, and the premiere DID NOT disappoint (well, except for the fact that Booth didn’t man up at the end of the episode and tell Brennan how he feels for her). Some may call it cheesy, but really, I challenge you to watch it from season one and not grow attached to the characters and the crazy sexual tension between Booth and Brennan. Do it. I dare you. **Another bonus this season, the rumored guest appearance by Emily Deschanel’s real life sister, Zooey – love her!**

My thoughts on Glee and Community, after the jump!

Jayma Mays - fox.com

The first Glee episode I saw was the third one that aired last week, and it just didn’t do it for me…it seemed cheesy and I didn’t really know much about the characters. But I decided to give it a chance and watch the first and second episodes online. Much better. There are genuinely funny/inappropriate lines, impressive actors and actresses (you can’t NOT smile during the song and dance routines), and likeable characters. I especially love Jayma Mays as Emma Pillsbury, the adorable, obsessive, germiphobic school counselor. I loved her in Heroes (back when I watched the show) and even in her guest appearance in Pushing Daisies (R.I.P.), and she does a great job in this role, mastering a character that’s sweet, conflicted and slightly neurotic.

Community - nbc.com

A show about community college with both Chevy Chase and Joel McHale? Sign me up. And the pilot was great – Chevy Chase can make standing in line in the cafeteria hilarious – let’s just hope it doesn’t lose its steam in the upcoming up episodes. **If you don’t already watch The Soup, please do. It will change your life.**

Ulrich Mühe in The Lives of Others

Last week, we rented The Lives of Others (2007 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film), a German drama about the GDR’s secret police monitoring artists in East Berlin. It was a powerful reminder of what life was like in East Germany prior to the fall of the Berlin wall. The film was incredibly moving, the kind that stays with you. One of the best I’ve seen this year – I highly, highly recommend it.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend spending the majority of a sunny San Diego weekend indoors, but quite frankly, there are a lot of sunny San Diego weekends, and sometimes you just need to be lazy. Below is a list of the food and entertainment I embarked on this past weekend – and if you want, you can save it for a rainy day (not that we have much of those).

• Watched: Happy-Go-Lucky (didn’t really meet my super high expectations, but still a good movie.)
• Ate: China Inn takeout (oh man, the kung pao chicken is DELICIOUS.)
• Exercised: on my beach cruiser (love biking around PB.)
• Played: Bananagrams (best. game. ever. period. the end.)
• Sat: on my couch and watched way too many Bones episodes (but it’s just so good!)
• Ordered: a My Way pizza from Hoboken (so very good.)
• Read: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (slowly making my way through the series.)

Kevin Bowyer Performing at the Summer Organ Festival in Balboa Park

Date night most definitely cures a case of the Mondays, and this Monday we packed in happy hour at The Glass Door in Little Italy, Summer Organ Festival in Balboa Park (free!) and 500 Days of Summer at the Landmark Theatre in Hillcrest.

I was most surprised with how much we enjoyed the organ concert. Kevin Bowyer was the organist, and his sense of humor and diverse selection of songs – from “A Church Service Interrupted by a Thunderstorm” to “Jazzman Swing” – really made the experience fun. The crowd was larger than I expected too. Refreshments were really cheap – $1 for coffee, for example – and there were people there will full-on picnics, bottles of wine and everything. Bowyer was a really incredible organist, and I love that in his bio it says that he lives in Scotland in a 15th century castle that is also a bed and breakfast. Um, sign me up! 

I also love this excerpt from his bio: “In his earlier days he won first prizes in five international organ festivals and made about 100 CDs. He has played many concerts on both sides of the Atlantic and is a popular organ teacher. More importantly, however, he is an enthusiast of malt whiskies and real ales.”

500 Days of Summer, The Watchmen, my haircut

So after watching 500 Days of Summer Monday, and then The Watchmen last night, I made the spur-of-moment decision to get my haircut today…and I’m seeing some similarities…

By the way, 500 Days was really, really good. Sweet, funny, real – all things I love in a good movie. Definitely not your typical romantic comedy – so much better. And I love Zooey…enough to copy her hairstyle.

Warner Bros. - harrypotter.warnerbros.com

If there was one standout character in the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie, I would have to it’s Luna Lovegood. She’s quirky, sweet and a little loopy, but I love how she’s not afraid to be herself (this is especially evident in the scene with the lion headress). I really enjoyed all her creative outfits, and thought it was a good reminder to take some chances with fashion and not get caught up in following the norm. If you catch the movie this weekend be sure to take note of her funky earrings and one-of-a-kind pieces.

It finally felt like summer this past weekend in San Diego, and I’m proud to say we took full advantage of the yummy weather in our beautiful city. I thought it’d be fun to breakdown what we did this weekend, since we ate some great food, saw some interesting movies and embarked on some inexpensive, entertaining local attractions.

The who, what, where, after the jump!

Friday

Pelly's Mini Golf

We went over to Pelly’s Mini Golfin Del Mar – so fun! Prior to this, the only mini golf I had played in San Diego was at Boomers. And while Boomers is good, cheap fun, it’s also desperately in need of a maintenance makeover. Pelly’s, on the other hand, was so well-kept, with beautiful sculptures of whales (see below), lots of water, koi fish, fun little facts at all the holes, clever names and just an all around good-looking course. And it’s only $9 per adult for first round, $4 for replay. We did the Ocean’s Adventure course (more to look at, easier) but I’m definitely coming back here to try the Surfin’ Safari.

Rachel Getting Married

We also rented Rachel Getting Married, a pretty intense drama featuring Anne Hathaway as a twenty-something who has been in and out of rehab for the past decade and takes a leave to attend her sister’s wedding. A very real, raw portrayal of a dysfunctional family, this film is at times difficult to watch. It moves very slowly, but I like how it leaves a lot unsaid (Ryker pointed that out), allowing the viewer to come to his or her conclusions about the family and the tragedy that no one wants to talk about. Anne Hathaway does a great job as Kym – a difficult, uncomfortable character in a lot of pain.

Saturday

Broken Yolk Cafe - thebrokenyolkcafe.com

We went to breakfast (well…brunch) at the Broken Yolk Cafein PB. A San Diego legend, this place always has a group of people waiting outside – I couldn’t wait to try it. Right off the bat, I was sold. Literally a minute after we sat down there was a coffee cup filled with steaming black coffee in front of me, and it couldn’t get down a quarter of an inch before being filled up again. My kind of place! Service was great, and we both loved the omelets we chose – Ryker had the Border Check, with beef chorizo, jalapenos, jack cheese and topped with guac and sour cream; I had the S.B.A., with spinach, bacon, asparagus and cheddar cheese. Now that I can ride my bike here, I’m in trouble!

Pacific Bean Coffee Co. - yelp.com

Next up, we took a walk down to the Crystal Pier and back, grabbing some iced coffee drinks at the Pacific Bean for the walk back. If you’ve never had a mocha at the Pacific Bean, you are missing out! They have pretty much any kind of mocha you could dream up. So good!

LOUNGEsix - jsixrestaurant.com

That night we went downtown to J Bar, which I guess is now LOUNGEsix – I don’t understand the name change, the place is exactly the same as I remember it, but I digress. This rooftop bar is above Jsix Restaurant and unlike most other bars downtown doesn’t have a cover or a line. It has a laid back atmosphere, there are fire pits and a pool (which looked really tempting), and the crowd is more thirty-something that twenty-something. I think mixed drinks are pretty average for downtown, around $10.

Sunday

View from our table at Jack's.

We started out the day with lunch at Jack’s La Jolla. Jack’s is made up of three restaurants – Ocean Room, Viaggio and Jack’s Grille - several bars and a club. We had lunch in the Ocean Room, but for the first time sat in the corner nearest the ocean (open air, up on the balcony) with an amazing view of La Jolla and the water. The weather was PERFECT and the spot is a must if you’re going to Jack’s in the summer. To start, we had the crab spring rolls – mint, butter lettuce with papaya mustard – which were fresh and light and delish, and for our main meal we both ordered the steak sandwich. Seriously, this is my favorite sandwich in San Diego. A-MAZING. Ciabatta roll, lightly buttered and toasted, roasted red peppers that pack a crazy flavor punch, swiss cheese (my fav), crispy onions (I mean, seriously?), and perfectly, PERFECTLY cooked steak – tender, not chewy. Also, there’s a creamy horseradish sauce, which Ryker loves, but I’m not a sauce person. The cocktails are also really good, never had one I didn’t like.

mcasd.org

Trying to walk off the enormous sandwiches we just consumed, we took a walk and walked down to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego on Prospect St. Apparently it’s free for people 25 and under! We’ll have to stop by more often before we pass the 25 mark… Anyways, the exhibit going on was interesting, but not really my thing. It’s called MIX: Nine San Diego Architects and Designers, and it had a bunch of, at times, abstract displays of different projects by local architects and designers. A lot of it was over our heads and very technical, but it was fascinating to see what’s going on right here in our hometown that we don’t even know is there. We also checked out Nancy Rubins’ “Pleasure Point” outside, which never ceases to amaze me. The gravity-defying sculpture, consisting of boats, jet skis, rowboats, canoes, surfboards, always makes me think of barnacle on the side of the museum. I’m also a sucker for museum gift shops – with all the original art and mini sculptures, they blow all other gift shops out of the water.

Wristcutters: A Love Story

That night we rented another movie on our to-watch list, Wristcutters: A Love Story. Romantic, right? It’s sort of a drama, dark comedy and romance all in one, and we actually really enjoyed it. It takes place in a world reserved for people who committed suicide, and it’s “like this world only a little worse.” Patrick Fugit (from Almost Famous) plays Zia, the protagonist, who is looking for his ex-girlfriend (played by Leslie Bibb) with his friend Eugene, a dry, funny, sleazy, but charming, former Russian rocker. Even if we could only understand half of what he said, he’s probably my favorite character in the movie. They are joined by Mikal, who is trying to find “The People in Charge” because she believes she’s there by mistake. It’s a clever, funny movie, and I promise it’s not as depressing as it sounds.

Zia: “I’m not going out tonight. I just makes me depressed.”
Eugene: “So, what you gonna do? Kill yourself?”

Away We Go

Last night we saw “Away We Go” and after reading a few poor reviews of the film, it surpassed both of our expectations turning out to be a sweet, funny, thoughtful dramedy. Read my mini review, after the jump.

John Krasinski (Burt) and Maya Rudolph (Verona) were really great and at no time did I feel I was watching Jim or any of Maya’s SNL characters. The dialogue between them is relaxed and natural, not forced and cutesy. There are also some awesome supporting actors and actresses in the film – some gut-wrenching, but some really, really funny. Allison Janney is so hilarious as Verona’s former colleague, Lily, and Paul Schneider does a great job as Burt’s brother, Courtney. While there are a lot of characters, they aren’t haphazardly thrown in like in, for instance, Bottle Shock. You care about the ones you need to care about, and you enjoy the more quirky ones. If I were to rate it, I would probably give it an 8 out of 10 – it’s no Diving Bell, but it’s very well done.

Chanel Resort 2010 (style.com) and inspirations.

With all the buzz about Coco Avant Chanel – Anne Fontaine’s French biopic of the legendary designer, starring Audrey Tautou - I’ve been in the mood for the Parisian lifestyle, daydreaming about taking a European vacation. Then Chanel’s Resort 2010 collection came and just pushed me over the edge into straight up Euro-lust. Lagerfeld had his models take a sunset stroll along the Venice Lido – one of Chanel’s favorite summer locales – in beautiful 30′s-inspired frothy frocks.

See my favorite runway looks, after the jump.

Once

This is my “movies to watch” list that I’ve been adding to and checking off for quite a while. My great idea was to add brief reviews on the ones I see, as I see them, so that someone, somewhere might heed my advice and avoid wasting time and money on a lousy film. Also, I wanted this list to remind me what movies I still need to see.

While a good amount of the movies I watch could go either way, there are some that I think are just plain terrible (Bottle Shock comes to mind), and some that just have that perfect amount of humor, sweetness, sadness and even soundtrack (e.g., Once).

The list of movies, both in theaters and on DVD, with the short and sweet rundown, after the jump.

• A Christmas Tale
• All the Real Girls
• Amelie
• An Education
• Apres Vois
• Avenue Montaigne
• The Band’s Visit

Bottle Shock

Bottle Shock – I wanted this to be good, but it was quite possibly the worst movie I’ve ever seen, which is a shame, because it really did have so much potential. Not even Alan Rickman could save it – and he sure did try. Loosely based on the true story of the Judgement of Paris in 1976, when California wine beat out French wine in a blind tasting, this “comedy” wasn’t funny, gave me no reason to care about any of the characters, and focused more on pretty scenic images than an actual plotline. 

• Boy A
• Burn After Reading – It definitely had its funny moments, and I see that the Coen brothers were trying to make a point out of pointlessness, but I just wish that the plot had gone somewhere. 
• Chasing Amy – I think I had built this movie up as being this great comedic classic, but its dirty jokes/language was a bit much and I was left with that “meh” feeling after it was over.
• Choke – I wrote a review on this here. A great film.
• The Class
• Coraline
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Definitely, Maybe – A surprisingly cute, sweet romantic comedy with a great cast – Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher and Rachel Weisz. It’s no “When Harry Met Sally,” but it’s worth seeing, on DVD.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (le scaphandre et le papillon) - Although completely in French, American Julian Schnabel directed this beautiful true story of French Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, who after suffering a stroke in 1995 became completely paralyzed, except for his left eye, which he used to literally blink out his memoir. Known as “locked-in syndrome,” Bauby’s condition left him unable to move, but freed his mind to his memories and imagination. Not your typical heartwarming film, The Diving Bell doesn’t turn Bauby into someone to be pitied or put on a pedestal, his humanity – flaws, humor and all – are always quite evident.

• Doubt – A thought-provoking film that leaves you more questions than answers. And really, can you go wrong with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep?
• The Duchess of Langeais
• Fay Grim
• Flight of the Red Balloon
• Frost/Nixon

Ghost Town

Ghost Town – A genuinely laugh-out-loud funny romantic comedy with Greg Kinnear, Tea Leoni and Ricky Gervais. And Kristen Wiighad a hilarious little part as the surgeon.

• Hamlet 2
• Hannah Takes the Stairs
• Happy-Go-Lucky
• Heartbeat Detector
• I Served the King of England
• In Search of a Midnight Kiss
• Jar City
• Kinky Boots
• La France

Lars and the Real Girl

Lars and the Real Girl – I love this film. It’s sweet, funny, awkward at times, and every single major and minor actor did a great job. Gosh this is a good movie. I might have to go home and watch it again right now!

• The Last Mistress (une vieille maîtresse) – Wasn’t too impressed with this film. While it was definitely intriguing, and humorous at times, it was a little too French for me.
• La Vie en Rose
• Love Me if You Dare
• Love Songs

Man on Wire

Man on Wire – Who knew a documentary could be so interesting, funny and exciting at the same time? The story of Philippe Petit illegally crossing a wire from New York’s twin towers in 1974 is more like Ocean’s 11 than a PBS special. It’s a crazy, nerve wrecking story that you have to see to believe.

• Milk – Sean Penn as gay activist Harvey Milk did an amazing job in this film. Really well done.
• Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day – Cute movie. And Amy Adams is adorable as usual.
• Mister Lonely – This movie is strange. And sad. And really strange. What’s disappointing is that you get attached to some of the characters, but then the plot starts getting fuzzy. On the upside, the soundtrack is pretty awesome.
• Next Stop Wonderland
• Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
• Nights and Weekends
• Once – Oh man, I love this movie. Everything about it. Dubbed a “modern-day musical,” the music perfectly fits each scene and the soundtrack is the kind you listen to over and over again. But more importantly, thanks to the camera style and the fact that the main actors were actually musicians, the two main protagonists interact so freely and relaxed, it’s as if you’re watching two real people just living their lives. A beautiful, sweet, funny film.

Persepolis

Persepolis – This was a lot more depressing than the previews portrayed, but a good movie nonetheless. I didn’t love it, but I thought it was really well done. A vivid look into the life of the film’s writer and director, Marjane Satrapi, as she grows up during war in Iran.

• Pineapple Express – A funny stoner/action movie with a LOT of violence. Seth Rogen plays his typical type of character, but James Franco was hilarious.
• Rachel Getting Married
• The Reader
• Revolutionary Road
• Role Models – From Clueless to Wet Hot American Summer, Paul Rudd can do no wrong. And in this movie, he is really in his element. Especially in his scenes with Seann William Scott, where you get the feeling they are just having a good time bickering with each other.
• Savage Grace

The Savages

The Savages – With two amazing actors – Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman – this movie takes a sweet and funny (two things I usually go for) look at age and family. It’s difficult at times, but really, really good.

• Slumdog Millionaire – Yes, this was a good movie. Do I understand why it’s so outrageously popular? No. Romantic, funny at times, but at the heart of it is the very real, very sad reality of the poverty in India. I enjoyed it as a whole, but it was hard to watch.
• Smart People – This movie tried way too hard to be funny and smart (pun intended), but it just lacked any substance. I wasn’t impressed at all with the story or the characters, and had that “meh” feeling at the end of it.
• Snow Angels – I can’t say this was a bad movie, the actors did an amazing job and the story was well put together. However, it was so depressing from start to finish, that I don’t think I could bring myself to watch it again.
• Sunshine Cleaning
• Synecdoche, New York
• Tell No One
• Tropic Thunder – Great cast, funny movie. Really, one of Tom Cruise’s greatest roles. I didn’t even recognize him at first! One of my favorite comedies though? Not so much.
• Trouble the Water

Two Days in Paris

Two Days in Paris – I love that Julie Delpy – who wrote, directed and starred in the movie – cast her real parents as her parents in the film. Her and Adam Goldberg work great together, and this is a hilarious look at how blase the French can be.

• Two Lovers
• Venus
• The Visitor – This is an example of how a movie can be sad, but still hopeful. It’s very eye-opening about illegal immigrants, specifically, in New York.
• W. – I liked this movie, and Josh Brolin was dead-on. Thandie Newton as Condoleeza Rice, however? Super annoying. I also felt like too many Bush stories were crammed into the movie, and I would have liked to see less of the political scenes and more of the personal interactions, such as further development into his relationship with Laura.

The Wackness

The Wackness – This film is mostly a look at the relationship between Josh Peck’s character and his psychotherapist, played perfectly by Ben Kingsley, who he trades pot for sessions with. I think the cast did an amazing job, and the soundtrack and the cinematography really captured New York in the summer of 1994.

• Water Lilies
• Wordplay
• Young @ Heart
• Zack and Miri Make a Porno – Definitely not as funny as I thought it would be.

Based on a novel by Chuck Palahniuk, who also authored Fight Club, this dark comedy is rough around the edges – the whole plot-line, after all, centers around a sex addict, Victor, played by Sam Rockwell, who fakes choking in restaurants to swindle money from good Samaritans. But it’s not just another dirty, twisted film. Some of the themes - such as those related to Victor’s relationship with his dementia-stricken mom, played by Angelica Huston – examine relationships in a pretty profound way.