These are my Obsessions: Happy Halloween!

I love Halloween in the bay area, where you can’t tell if people are wearing their regular outfits or are dressed up for the holiday. I especially love seeing the creativity in the outfits, the decorations and the pumpkin carvings. I had a great Halloween season, carving pumpkins, roasting pumpkin seeds, making some delicious pumpkin soup and enjoying a scary movie marathon in costume (oh, could you tell I am obsessed with pumpkins in both looks and flavor).

Dramatic music videos are really tugging my heart strings lately, particularly, Our Deal by Best Coast (I am loving their sound, listening to their youtube channel makes me want to become a rocker chick) and How to Love by Lil Wayne. They are like mini movies and the dance fighting in Our Deal makes me ridiculously happy.

When I am not tearing up at the above, I am enjoying giggling at a variety of other music videos. Guac it Out is my new favorite rap parody about one of my favorite foods. Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake are back to tell us a bit more about the history of rap. Finally Sophia Grace’s rendition of Nicki Minaj’s Super Bass, her appearance on Ellen and surprise duet with Nicki, are making me jealous that I didn’t have that voice in my younger years.

Speaking of Justin Timberlake, the whole world wants to know why he isn’t making music and I can’t help but agree with this plea for him to return to the mic. We love you in movies and SNL but we can only dance to Sexy Back and get fired up by Cry Me A River so many times until we start to need a new sound (don't get me wrong...I celebrate his whole collection...just want to add to it).

Halloween isn’t the only festival of lights in October. Hindus celebrated Diwali on October 26^th and this NASA photo of India is amazing (not to mention the wonderful colors of the rest of the photos in the article)

In case there wasn’t enough Ryan Gosling in that last post, here is a great interview with him from The Onion.

Luckily, pumpkin season isn’t over yet so try this Pumpkin Bread with a cream cheese layer for a tasty treat.

Ryan Gosling

I have a friend, who shall remain nameless, who loves Ryan Gosling but I wasn’t quite on board with the sentiment. I have felt ambivalent about him for a long time, love his acting but feel like he seems standoffish (since I can get such a read on people from their interviews in magazines that they are doing as part of their job). Then I saw Crazy Stupid Love (out on DVD very shortly, if you haven’t already, see it) and I loved how funny he was, playing a total male peacock while still managing to make you like him and think he was funny. This month he can be seen in two movies, Drive and Ides of March. If I wasn’t won over before, those movies would certainly do the trick.

Drive has the feeling of a really great piece of art, you aren’t always entirely sure what you are seeing but you know it’s powerful and that you want to know more about it. I was totally unprepared for how violent it is and how real the violence feels so if that is not something you deal well with, avoid this movie (I found myself covering my eyes more than once). The movie manages to convey an intense story without much dialogue, through music and the type of acting that doesn’t require words. Without the quality of acting and the way the movie was shot it would be a typical action film but it definitely rises above standard fare. Albert Brooks is perfect and shocking as a gangster who doesn’t let his feelings interfere with his business.

Ides of March is also filled with great actors (Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachael Wood) but isn’t a great movie. The story is good, the acting is good, I enjoyed the music but overall it felt like it was missing something to move it from good to great. It feels like a typical political thriller that was shot with a bit more finesse. I enjoyed the movie but think you would be just as happy to wait for it on DVD.

If a movie triple feature isn’t enough Ryan Gosling for you, the internet has plenty of entertainment for you. F Yeah Ryan Gosling, features photos of Ryan Gosling with ridiculous pick up lines over them. Ryan Gosling even reads a few of them out loud in an MTV interview. Feminist Ryan Gosling takes the idea and changes it to be photos of him talking about feminist theory. If you still don’t understand how awesome he is, check out this video of him breaking up a fight on the streets of New York (then talks about being embarrassed about it here).

Lady Detectives

Ever since I first read Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy, I have loved the idea of being a lady detective. Not in the Mata Hari way, using my feminine wiles to cozy up to powerful men, but more like Nancy Drew, carefully looking at the evidence, taking risky moves to find answers and getting to do a big reveal of all the correct answers at the end of the story. Of course, if I got to eavesdrop, snoop and judge people along the way to the big reveal that would be okay too. Occasionally, they may make mistakes or fumble along the way but they are always witty, sparkling characters. While I do like to go back and read my childhood books, there are lots of adult lady detectives to discover.

Isabel “Izzy” Spellman is featured in The Spellman Files, Curse of the Spellmans, Revenge of the Spellmans and The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz. Izzy is the craziest character in a family of private detectives in San Francisco. The books switch between solving a mystery and exploring the dynamics of a family of snoops, where wire tapping and tailing your relatives is considered love. The books don’t necessarily follow a traditional narrative arc but they do offer lots of giggles at the ridiculous situations and enjoyment at the irreverent, snappy dialogue. They are a quick and amusing read.

Cece Caruso is featured in I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason, Not a Girl Detective, Shamus in the Green Room, Christietown and Dial H for Hitchcock by Susan Kandel. Cece writes biographies of famous mystery writers and always seems to stumble across a modern day mystery in her research. Her other passion is shopping for vintage couture so there are plenty of exciting outfits as she uncovers the mystery. Cece never seems to get her life together but she has a lot of fun along the way. I also really enjoy learning more about the authors of some of the most classic series in the mystery genre, like Earl Stanley Gardner and Dashiell Hammett.

Stephanie Plum is featured in One for the Money (I mentioned the movie version of this in my last post) and sixteen other numbered books by Janet Evanovich (it felt excessive to list seventeen books by one author). Jersey girl Stephanie is a bumbling bounty hunter that used to sell lingerie and then landed in the only job that would have her working bail bonds for her dirtball cousin Vinny. She is caught in a love triangle between a handsome cop that she has a past with and a sexily dangerous bounty hunter/security consultant. Helping her find her targets are an ex-hooker and her wild grandma, both of whom are carrying guns they don’t know how to use. The series are light-hearted despite the often terrible crimes that she finds herself in the middle of and the scary people she interacts with.

This is likely going to be part one of a series, I realized how many of these series I am currently in the process of anxiously awaiting the next book.

Coming Attractions: Vaguely Embarrassing Edition

Judging is both my favorite hobby and the thing I am constantly worrying about. I think by this time it’s pretty clear that my taste is all over the place. I try to have confidence in my choices but sometimes I get in my own head about whether it’s okay to like certain things. Recently I have seen a number of movie trailers that I am super excited about but are featured on sites that are making fun of them. Check them out and judge away!

One for the Money: Katherine Heigl stars as Stephanie Plum, lady bounty hunter and star of Janet Evanovich’s popular series. Stephanie has recently lost her job in the lingerie department and ends up working for her cousin as a bounty hunter. She is tasked with finding Joe Morelli, a former lover and local cop. There are hijinks galore in the trailer, including crazy grannies, ex-hooker partners, cars being destroyed and romantic tension in awkward situations. The books are a fun, fluffy read that often make me giggle out loud and I am excited to see how it is brought to the big screen.

Big Miracle: Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski star as a news reporter and his ex-girlfriend who are determined to save a family of whales trapped by rapidly forming ice. Something about the combination of actors I want to be friends with, majestic whales, a group of people banding together to make a difference and the well chosen music make me a little teary when I watch this trailer.

Contraband: Mark Wahlberg does what he does best, toughest guy on the block with a heart of gold, in this thriller about a former criminal forced back into the life after his brother-in-law ruins a deal with a major crime boss. This trailer will get your heart pumping and looking at Mark Wahlberg is no hardship either.

Breaking Dawn: This is part one of the final book of the Twilight series, pretty sure it doesn’t need any more of an introduction. I am both totally over these badly acted, poorly written movies and strangely excited to see how it all ends.

Man on the Ledge: Sam Worthington goes on a ledge to plead his case that he was wrongfully convicted, meanwhile the largest diamond heist ever is happening across the street in order to vindicate him. Really, do I need to say more? Oh and did I mention that he is using his real aussie accent?

Sibling Rivalry

Sibling relationships fascinate me and many authors feel the same way. A sibling is someone that you will always have a connection to, even when they are making you crazy, someone you love even when you don’t like them very much, an enemy and an ally. Little Women will always be one of my favorite books in this genre but its fun to read some modern explorations of these relationships.

The Weird Sisters-Eleanor Brown

Three sisters move home at the same time after years away from the nest, allegedly to help their mother in her battle with cancer but each has a secret that has left her with no other options. All three have been named by their father, a Shakespeare scholar, after famous women from his plays. They spend much of their time communicating through the words of Shakespeare and fighting the characteristics of their namesakes. With very little in common, roles set since childhood and their looming secrets, the women find it difficult to deal with each other. The sisters must come to peace with themselves and each other in order to move forward in their lives.

The Summer We Read Gatsby-Danielle Ganek

Two half sisters inherit a Southampton cottage from a bohemian aunt. While the more buttoned-up sister is anxious to sell the house, the flamboyant sister insists they spend one last summer at the beach together. They move into the house for a summer of reuniting with past flings, trying to discover a lost treasure, handling their aunt’s houseguest/artist in residence who does not wish to leave, throwing their aunt’s traditional parties and learning more about themselves. The two sisters help each other to experience the world fully and you will be ready to purchase a beach house when you finish the book.

Watermelon, Angels, Rachel’s Holiday, Anybody Out There-Marian Keyes

Marian Keyes is the master of sister fiction. She introduces us to the Irish Walsh sisters in Watermelon and each book that follows goes further into their stories. These books are definitely in the beach read category but are very enjoyable with some giggles and crying along the way. Her most recent books have been a little darker but I enjoy her Irish sense of humor and style.

Fall 2011 Network TV

Every year around August I start getting excited for new Fall TV and printing out schedules of when all the new shows are starting. Inevitably, I don’t care for most of them and the ones I do care about get cancelled. Not to mention that shows I love (The Office, 30 Rock and Parks and Rec), I didn’t really care for in their first season. This year I decided to let shows get a little head start and then judge them by watching a few in a row. Some of these will probably get cancelled, some will probably lose my interest but for now my favorite fall network shows are:

Revenge (ABC, Wednesday 10 pm)

Watch this if you like…Veronica Mars crossed with Dallas.

Quick Summary: Emily Thorn has moved to the Hamptons to take revenge on the people that sent her father to prison years before. Each episode focuses on taking down a different character while telling us a bit more about Emily, her father and the back story on murder that takes place in the first episode. The creator has promised that the first plotline about her father will wrap up in 13 episodes and then the show will move on to focus on the aftermath of the murder. It’s definitely a soapy drama but the characters are very likeable and layered. It’s not always easy to see who is bad and who is good so the show could go in a lot of different directions with the revenge theme.

Hart of Dixie (CW, Monday 9pm)

Watch this if you like…The OC, medical drama and southern sensibility

Quick Summary: Rachel Bilson plays a young city doctor with limited people skills who moves to a small southern town to take over a family practice after she doesn’t get a prestigious fellowship. There are a few secrets being revealed as the show moves along and we are learning more about the relationships between the central characters. It is a little hard to take the medical stuff seriously when it’s being acted out by Rachel Bilson but it’s a fun way to spend an hour.

Up All Night (NBC, Wednesday 8pm)

Watch this if you like…the idea of Liz Lemon and Gob having a baby together

Quick Summary: Reagan (Christina Applegate) and Chris (Will Arnett) are brand new parents struggling to reconcile their old life with their new baby. Chris is a lawyer turned stay at home dad and Reagan is the producer/best friend of a daytime talk show host. From realizing the baby will not be quiet during hangovers to discussing whether a Huey Lewis and the News shirt is ironic if you actually like them, the show has lots of funny moments.

The New Girl (Fox, Tuesday 9pm)

Watch this if you like…Zooey Deschannel inserted into the cast of Friends updated for 2011

Quick Summary: First off, I would like to ask the people that created the marketing for this show to stop using the word “adorkable”, it almost kept me from watching this show entirely. Zooey is adorable and quirky in the show but the interplay between her and the male roommates is what makes the show interesting. The show feels less about her and more about living your twenties in a city.

Metacritic has a great guide to all the new shows, including those that are starting later in the season.

Loving Bullies

Being an only child, everyone assumes you are spoiled (okay, so it’s kinda true…thanks for building my ikea furniture mom) but then sometimes once you have left home your mom finds someone much cuter and more amiable than you could ever be. Then you have to hear stories about what your “brother” is up to and are subjected to entire photo albums of him on vacation. But over time you are totally won over by how adorable he is and find yourself contemplating kidnapping him or sitting at your desk watching two hours of youtube videos of bulldogs getting up to interesting things. Here is carefully curated collection of my favorite cute bulldogs (of course you can see from the photo above that Otis is the cutest of them all).

Pankun and his friend James get up to all sorts of interesting adventures (these tend to be a bit longer): PE Class, training in disaster preparedness, walk to school, Pan takes James and his friends shopping and a whole youtube channel devoted to their adventures.

Baby bulldog has a bit too much too drink and passes out.

Graceful bulldog loves bathtime (and reggae).

Dancing bulldog.

Strong bulldog likes his pool so much he wants it in the house.

French bulldogs lazing about on the swings. English bulldogs love swinging too.

And if you still aren’t convinced that bulldogs are the cutest things ever, here is F Yeah English Bulldogs, a tumblr of bulldogs being bulldogs.

Just to get all the cute animal stuff out at once, Animals Talking in All Caps is totally giggle-worthy.

These are my obsessions: Welcome to Fall Edition

It’s officially fall in Oakland this week: I had my first pumpkin latte of the season, got out my bumblebee rain boots and cuddled up with a book listening to the rain fall outside. Fall is my favorite season. I love wearing sweaters that feel like I am cuddled up in a blanket, eating apples picked straight from the orchard, steaming up my apartment cooking stew, watching the leaves change, seeing persimmons and pomegranates at the farmers market and the pumpkin displays at all the markets.

My first soup making experience of the season was Curried Lentil Soup. This soup was super tasty (I almost licked the bowl…then thought my co-workers would judge me) and I added some turkey meatballs to make it a complete meal.

One of the funniest ladies of Fall TV, Mindy Kaling (aka Kelly from The Office) is all over the internet with a New York Times profile, a guide to women in the movies for the New Yorker and the return of her blog which used to be called Things I bought that I love (not updated since April 2008) and is now The Concerns of Mindy Kaling (it is a little less of a shopping blog and more of an all things Mindy website). Her book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me is coming out in November. She is also one of my favorite people to follow on twitter.

I saw Lord Huron at Outside Lands and would like to sit by a fire drinking red wine or in a park with leaves falling all around while listening to them playing live in front of me. Lord Huron is a singer-songwriter with a lovely sound that is both peaceful and foot tapping.

A few years ago I stumbled across adorable, creative, laser cut metal jewelry from Polli, a sustainable jewelry brand based out of Australia. I first saw it in the SF MOMA jewelry shop, then found a boutique with a large variety in Sydney and most recently acquired a silver babushka pendant in Madison. It looks like it is available online at a few US online shops or you can check out their complete collection at their website.

A few giggles to end things: Hilarious bacon-loving talking dog and Melissa McCarthy REALLY loves Hidden Valley Ranch.