What I Watched -- Blue Jasmine

Another awards-season flick: Blue Jasmine. I didn't actually expect to like it much, but much to my surprise, I did.

It was a pretty typical Woody Allen movie in the sense that there was a messed up female character, and the man swoops in and rescues her, solving all the problems in her world.

But if you can get over the misogynism, you can see that - perhaps with some irony - Cate Blanchett really carries the movie. She moves back and forth between the devastated ex-wife whose life has fallen apart and the hopeful newcomer looking for a fresh start.  And she flips from one to the other so effortlessly that sometimes you weren't quite sure who she was for a minute.

Bottom line: despite Cate's wonderful performance, I left this movie as I leave most Woody Allen movies - wanting to slit my wrists.

What I Watched -- American Hustle

In preparation for awards season, I have been busy watching a couple of the nominees.  The first candidate was American Hustle.  I had heard a lot of good things about it, but I have to say that I was disappointed.

Let me explain.  As an ensemble cast, everyone was great.  Especially Jennifer Lawrence, but really all of them were. And in fact, it won Best Ensemble Cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards this year.

But nothing happened.  I was a little bored.

Bottom line: if you've gotten enough sleep to stay awake and you enjoy some 80s clothes, it'll keep you entertained.

Beethoven at the Symphony - Gamiln Whiskey House

Last weekend, I was offered some very last minute tickets to see Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, and my friend E was able to go - thank goodness! We had some of the best seats in the house, and the performance was stellar.

We went to the Sunday matinee, so from there, we headed over to try out Gamlin Whiskey House, a new(ish) establishment in the CWE.  We had the bok choy shallot risotto, one of the special appetizers, a scoop of homemade salted caramel ice cream, and the pumpkin doughnuts.  The food was on the whole pretty tasty.  The service left a fair amount to be desired.

Brunch at Table

I had another brunch long, long ago with the same group of girlfriends, and I was reminded of it when writing about Melt.  We went to Table (what is it with these one-word names?) back when the weather was still nice and we could enjoy their pseudo-outdoor seating, and also back when they were serving brunch, which it doesn't appear that they are anymore.

But way back in the day, I had some pretty tasty duck hash, and sweet potato doughnuts for dessert.  But far and away the tastiest part was my brunch cocktail, a delightful lemonade and vodka concoction with thyme-infused simple syrup.  I'd go back for another drink - if they were still serving brunch.

St. Louis Architecture

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Olive and 10th

Goal #4

Goal #4: limits on the coffee.

Two cups a day.  Tops.  After that, it's tea.  Tea is better for you (as Magda says).

Recap of goal #3: furniture moved.  I still have to do lots of cleaning and organization to do, but progress was made!

Random Links

A little late for Turkey Day, but this is a hilarious recounting of British geographic knowledge of the U.S.

Scout.

Everyone loves a library.

Possibly the cutest dog-and-baby pictures on the interwebs.

Paper is not dead.

11 comics every introvert will understand.

Quote of the Day

True, real inspiration and growth only come from adversity and from challenge, from stepping away from what's comfortable and familiar, and stepping out into the unknown.
  -- Ben Saunders, polar explorer

Brunch at Melt

Some girlfriends and I had brunch at Melt, the newest Cherokee Street hot spot, the weekend before last.

While, true to Cherokee Street form, there are some vegan and vegetarian options, most of the menu is pretty meat-heavy.  It is well known as a breakfast place (although it is open late), so it's not surprising that the menu is loaded with bacon and sausage, as are many of the waffles.  I wasn't feeling particularly carnivorous that day, so opted for the old standard, there called the Violet Beauregarde - a waffle with blueberry compote.

It was good, but not overwhelmingly so.  The waffle batter was tasty, but they make thin waffles, and I'm more of a fan of Belgian.  Oh well.

They do have a Kaldi's Coffee self-serve coffee bar though, so I can't complain too much.  And they have 4 pinball machines lined up on the wall.  The way to a girl's heart...

Goal #3

Goal #3: get cleaned up enough to see about moving some furniture.

It's not a big deal, but I'm considering reorienting the big armchairs in my apartment.  The problem is this: they've sort of become the repository for all the stuff in my apartment that I'm not sure to do with right now.  That makes it hard to rearrange the furniture.

Recap of goal #2: turns out that, if you put just a minute of thought into it, it's actually really easy to appreciate something small every day.  Witness:

Sunday: sunshine.  It was miserably cold and grey and rainy all week.  Sunday was sunny, if somewhat windy.  Lovely day to be out.  Just ask T, who went for a walk around Creve Coeur Lake.

Monday: a comfortable bed.  Nothing like it at the end of a long day.

Tuesday: a good workout.  Or two.

Wednesday: optimism.  I don't always have it.  Some people do.  When I don't, their optimism can be annoying.  But still good.

Thursday: humor.

Friday: a good drink at the end of the work week, and an interesting person with whom to share it.

Saturday: the weekend.  Obviously.

Downton Abbey

It's back!  Just after my completion of Parade's End, Downton Abbey makes its triumphant return to the small screen here in the U.S.

I somehow managed to get T hooked on DA last season, and he binge watched to get caught up.  So far my performance in season 4 has not been impressive.  I fell asleep during the first episode, and just barely managed to get through the second episode.  It looks like I am back to my old ways - completely unable to stay awake until the end of a movie or TV show.

But I will make it happen so I can find out what happens!  I sure am sad that you-know-who is off the show though.  I liked him.

Game of Thrones

I've started watching Game of Thrones.  I wanted to read the books first (I usually do), but some fantasy-reader friends of mine warned me off the Game of Thrones books, saying that, if you aren't a big time fantasy reader, they can be a little overwhelming.  With all the weird names and made up places and people whose faces you can't even imagine, such a sprawling and unknown world can apparently be a little much.  "They did a great job with the show," they all said.  "Watch it first, and if you like it, come back and read the books later."

I like it.  HBO, as usual, has done a killer job with their original content.  I must watch more.

What I Watched -- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

T and I, against critical advice, went to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug last week.  It was nice to see it so quickly on the heels of the first one, even though the original plan to see Desolation in Durango fell through.

If what you liked about The Lord of the Rings was the fighting, you'll like this one much better than The Hobbit.  The fighting was better, and much more Middle Earth-like fighting.  The bummer about some of it is that it's so obvious that it's CGI-enhanced.

Evangeline Lilly, whom I've liked since Lost, is lovely as the wood-elf Tauriel, the lust object of Legolas, who makes his reappearance.  I admit, it wasn't until the credits that I figured out who she was, but I puzzled over it the from her first appearance on screen.

The trouble with these movies is that, aside from Bilbo, I'm not particularly invested in any of them.  Even Thorin, and this whole thing is his quest to get his kingdom back. And Bilbo is essentially the same character as Frodo is in the LOTR trilogy, a hapless dope at the outset who seems to come into his own as a "nasty, tricksey little hobbitses" as the movie rolls on.

Bottom line: it's okay. I hope the third one is better.  All three could probably have been improved if there had only been two.

What I'm Reading Now -- Hyperbole and a Half

As if I needed another book, K gave me the print version of Hyperbole and a Half for my birthday.  In what might not be the best use of my time, I started reading it.  I'd like everyone to note the subtitle: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things that Happened.  Story of my life.

(For the record, I have lost track of how many books I am now in the middle of.  Certainly more than at any other time in my life.  Let's see, there's The Book Thief, Winter's Tale, Sugar in My Bowl, How to Stay Alive in the Woods, The Cellist of Sarajevo, Dracula, Defending the Damned, The Secret Battle, and I'm sure there are a bunch more that I'm forgetting.)

The nice thing about this one is that it's a quick read.  And since each "chapter" is one of Allie's blog posts adapted for print, reading this is a little bit like reading a book of short stories; you can dip in and read a few pages without having to make any major commitment.  I like that.

Goal #2

Goal #2: appreciate something small every day.

It's a good habit to get into.  Why not work on it early in the year?

Recap of goal #1: I erged!  Just once, but I did it.  And the worst part of it all?  On the day that I made it out, my rowing buddy overslept.  It was cold and I was all by myself.  Damn the bad luck.  Regardless, I head back out on Monday.

What I Watched -- Parade's End

I heard Parade's End - a British WWI era television series based on the Ford Madox Ford tetralogy of the same name - was the new Downton Abbey.  Of course, I had to watch it.  (I like the word tetralogy.  I stole it from the Wikipedia article, and now it will be mine.)

It's quite a bit less soap opera-y than Downton, but also less fun.  However, I very much enjoy how much the characters despise each other, and they do it in such a proper British way too!  Plus, it's just fun to say the name Benedict Cumberbatch.  Can that even be a real name?  (Turns out, yes.  The real thing is even better and more fabulously English: Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch.)

I never really gave this show my full attention, and that might at least partly explain why I didn't get drawn into the story.  But I have to say, I like Downton better.

What I'm Reading Now -- How to Stay Alive in the Woods

The Letter J, I think in an effort to under no circumstances be held responsible for my demise should it happen when we are out on a climbing trip, gave me some light reading: How to Stay Alive in the Woods.

I've been casually perusing it before bed, hoping that a few vital tidbits of information will stick in my brain and prevent me from eating some terribly poisonous plant.  Or freezing to death.  Or being gored by a grizzly bear -- K's worst fear!

The Last Walk -- Take 2

I finished reading The Last Walk just as my plane touched down in St. Louis on the way back from Durango.  I spent a not insignificant portion of that flight with tears running down my cheeks.  Luckily for me, I had an aisle seat and, on an otherwise full plane, there was no one in my window seat.  I curled up, facing the window, and kept on reading.  Because I had to.

There is nothing particularly Earth-shattering in this book.  But even if the author's experiences are just like everyone else's who has lost a pet, there's comfort in knowing that the loss of that beloved friend is a shared experience.  She quotes Mark Doty, saying, "Because dogs do not live as long as we do, they seem to travel a faster curve than human beings, flaring into being and then fading away as we watch."

And, sad though it was, it was -- I can't say "nice," but "worthwhile," maybe -- to revisit parts of that experience.  Since I lost R the Wonderdog, my life has gone on.  I still think about him all the time, and find his white dog hair stuck all over everything in my apartment, but it isn't the oppressive misery anymore that it was right after he died.  But reliving parts of R the Wonderdog's final days reminded me how much I still love him, even though it's been months since I last got to scratch his ears.

Aside from the personal remembrances, there were a number of other enjoyable aspects of the not-too-scientific book. For example, there's a short (just over a page) but fascinating section on whether companion animals understand human death.  Most of the tales of animals "foretelling" their person's death is anecdotal and require some, as Jessica says, "healthy skepticism."  But she does also point out the well-documented ability of dogs to detect certain types of cancers (a la The Art of Racing in the Rain), drops in blood sugar, or impending seizures, because their super-sensitive noses give them the ability to smell chemical changes in the body.  "Why not smell when a body in in the early stages of dying?"  Does the breakdown of carbohydrates produce a smell?

The introduction to the third chapter is a good reminder to all who have pets.  "Change has been like this with Ody -- bit by bit, right under my nose, but beyond my view....I noticed, but didn't really take it in.  It was too incremental, and I was too close to really see. I would have an occasional epiphany, when I would think to myself, My God, he's really getting old.  Now, at thirteen years and eight months, it is no longer so gradual."

Give your puppies some love!

Goal #1

Here we go -- another year of setting goals!  I am not off to a great start, since I missed this post by a day.  Oops!

Anyway, this year I decided to pull some lists out of magazines that I read.  You know, general self improvement type stuff, some practical, some ethereal.  I will mix them in with my more practical goals, one per week, as part of my improvement plan.

Goal #1: get back to the boathouse!

I have been plagued by injuries of late (okay -- actually only two injuries, but it sounds better to say "plagued"), which have kept me away from the boathouse for about a month now.  Also, the fact that it was -30 here today with the wind chill did not inspire me to get out to the boathouse, which is only about 40 degrees inside when the outside temperature is in the 20s.  So, this week, back I go!

Recap of goal #52: aside from two thank-you notes which are waiting on something to go in the envelopes with them, all the notes are sent!  Maybe we're off to an okay start after all!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Durango, Day 7

My last day in Durango began with an early alarm so we could get our butts out of the house and over to the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.  We took both Keys and Roxy, and had a lovely - if somewhat chilly - hike.  (K also made sure we were thoroughly educated on the difference between the Anasazi and the Ashkenazi.  Always a teacher.)

A couple of the old Anasazi canyons

Keys figured out he could cool off by rolling in the patches of snow.  We all stood by, amused.

They both enjoyed munching on the snow too.  Nothing like ice cold water to quench one's thirst.

The view looking out.

And that was the end of the trip.  After a quick shower, I was off to the airport -- homeward bound.

Durango, Day 6

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (or D&SNGRR, for short, because that's better) runs all year.  Turns out that it doesn't go all the way to Silverton all year, but no matter.  Dad scored us tickets in the glass-roofed train car, and we hopped on and enjoyed the ride to Cascade, which was as far as you can go this time of winter.

The station in Durango

Our ride!

If you look closely, you can see our Polar Express locomotive

Looking down on the Animas River

Just looking down (that's actually the foamy river down there)

We had to stop and load up some extra water at Tank Creek

Before we left, we stopped at Bread and picked up a couple of sandwiches and a few bags of chips for lunch.  We noshed during the last bit of our ride to Cascade, which gave us the whole time the train was stopped, a half hour or so, to explore the Cascade Creek wye and the valley alongside the tracks.

Looking up Cascade Creek from the footbridge

There's the fire that kept us moving

Our intrepid (not-so-)little locomotive, #486

And the heavy duty machinery that moved us up the valley

Dad picked up a geological map of the route in the gift shop, and it was fun to read it and say big words and pretend like I knew what I was talking about.  That was fun, because rocks are cool.  And so are trains, for that matter.  I spent lots of time out on the platform just listening to the clackety-clack and we trundled back down the hillside.

Looking for his sleigh.  Or maybe some of the food that's in that bucket.

When we found ourselves back in civilization, we finished up our shopping then called D for a ride home.  She brought Keystone and Roxy, but that wasn't quite enough for Keys.  He missed his peeps and decided it was necessary to clamber over the back seat and be part of the, um, dogpile.

We celebrated my birthday that night with a lovely dinner at Seasons, which was quite tasty.  D and I shared the hoisin-glazed ribs as an appetizer, and then I filled up on the delicious lobster risotto.  That would have been plenty, but we were celebrating my birthday - so I capped it off with a cranberry-orange linzer torte.  Never heard of such a thing before, but it sure was a good idea!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is feeling okay this morning!