PARIS IS ON.

yuppers, yippie, how did it happen?

Who cares? We're going.
Now, to keep track of the research (because there's a lot):

Thrift Store sites and reviews:
La Belle Epoque - mostly designer vintage
Free P Star - sounds cool (see below) is close
'This is my kind of thrift store. There is minor editing by the proprietors (most of what you see is on trend), but it’s still crowded, disorganized, and pretty darn cheap. It’s located in the heart of the Marais and open late by Paris standards (until 11 pm), so you can even go here to kill time before dinner.'
Guerrisol is a little far away but one can take the metro, hien? and it is worth the ride.

List of top ten shopping spots:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/sep/13/paris.shoppingtrips

cookin' day

I heart Sunday cooking days. Really. This salad hit the spot! I didn't make the dressing; I cut up some avocado and I used canned corn to put in the salad, which I grilled with the shrimp. I also just squeezed half a lemon over the lettuce. I also drizzled a little honey over the shrimp as it was grilling (which set off the sensitive fire alarm @ one point!) Cheap and delicious; I am a student, after all!

Grilled Shrimp and Corn Salad

• Dressing:
• 1/2 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 cup 1% low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ground black pepper
• SALAD:
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• salt and ground black pepper
• 3 ears corn, husks and silks removed
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup seeded and chopped english cucumbers
• 1/3 cup chopped red onions
• 4 cups mixed torn greens

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Directions

1. To make the dressing: In a food processor or blender, puree the avocado and lime juice. Add the buttermilk, basil, honey, and pepper. Process until smooth.

2. To make the salad: Coat a grill rack or broiler pan with no-stick spray. Preheat the grill or broiler.

3. Season the shrimp with the salt and pepper and thread onto metal skewers, leaving about 1/4" between the pieces. Cook 4" from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque and cooked through. Remove from the skewers and transfer to a large bowl.

4. Cook the corn in a large pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove from the water and place on the grill or under the broiler for 5 minutes, turning every minute, until the corn is speckled with golden brown spots. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Slice the kernels off the cobs and add to the bowl with the shrimp. Stir in the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Toss with the dressing.

5. Serve on a bed of the greens.

I also made this puppy: It's in the oven now and DAMN she smells good!

Vegan Zucchini Cake

Don't be afraid of the vegan. All it means, in this case, is no eggs. And you won't miss them a bit. We got this recipe from Post Punk Kitchen. We heart Post Punk Kitchen for their combination of irreverence and good recipes that don't require animal products.

This fantabulous cake is moist and layered with cacophony of flavor. Like a small, sweet symphony in your mouth.

Rating: Truly 1/2 assed

Here's what you need and how you do it

2-1/2 cups fresh zucchini, grated, peeled

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup canola oil (or use our favorite trick and mix 1/2 cup applesauce with 1/2 cup oil)

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine zucchini, bananas, oil and vanilla. Stir well. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients except chocolate chips. Add wet ingredients to dry, stir thoroughly and fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into lightly greased and floured bundt pan. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool before enjoying.

recipe link

Cheri

Delectable for the eyes... and rather captivating for the plot.
The last shot of the film gave me goosebumps. I forgot I was so young.

I don't know how I feel about this.

I found this because I was researching for a character I'm playing and I was watching an interview of the same time as this done of Harriet Walter on Jane Austen. Then I found this jem...

The romantic idealist that I am inside cringes a little when I hear what I know is probably the truth.
I will say that she pays Austen a great compliment by stripping down her synonymy with romance. I like the quote that "A book is not supposed to be a mirror, it's supposed to be a door."
Who is this woman??

Colin Beavan is my hero

I read No Impact Man this summer, and I also watched the documentary (not necessarily in that order) and I was inspired/frustrated/turned on/overwhelmed/fascinated/inspired by this documentation of his life and his efforts. A truly heroic act to put oneself through so much self-doubt. Not to mention to charge fearlessly headfirst into the world of "environmentalism". I try to do what I can, always, and the book taught me that that is really all we need to get into our heads at this point.
That being said, this was a post on his blog recently, and it doesn't just apply to saving the planet:

This piece comes from my Zen school's newsletter and I just thought it was perfect in the face of all we're dealing with in environment. It's a gift for all of you who are working to save the world for the rest of us.

The first part is a letter from a student to Zen Master Seung Sahn, who founded the Kwan Um School. The second part is ZMSS's response:

Dear Zen Master Seung Sahn,

I feel like I’m going crazy. I’m working for the Legal Aid Society, and the maximum caseload at any one time is supposed to be 75. I have more than 75 cases right now. Starting this Friday, one of the attorneys is going on vacation, which will mean even more new cases for each person (there are three other lawyers.)

I am quite new to the job and feeling totally overwhelmed. As the number of cases increases, I can do less and less for each person. Weeks go by in which there is no time to devote to some of the cases I already have.

I am very worried about this because I’m forced to keep doing a more and more sloppy job. I want to help people, and I like to do a beautiful job.

I fear what this will do to my health (pains, ulcers, etc.) I try to have a good attitude, but I am being completely overwhelmed by all this. I am feeling very desperate.

Habjang [putting hands together in prayer position] with love,

Michael

Dear Michael,

Thank you for your letter. How are you? You are very busy and are helping many people--that is wonderful!

If your mind is busy then the whole world is busy. If your mind is complicated, the
whole world is complicated. If your mind is quiet, then the whole world is quiet. So, an
eminent teacher said, “Everything is created by the mind.”

Do you know an elevator’s job? Many people can push the button wanting the elevator, but the elevator only comes when the proper floor and direction appears. When the elevator is going up, it only stops for up-buttons and coming down it only stops for down-buttons. The elevator understands its correct action sequence. That is only going straight. If you put your mind in order, then it works the same as a computer. Then you will understand your correct action sequence. That is correct opinion, correct condition, and correct situation—Zen mind. Also, that is great love and great compassion mind. If you want that mind you must make your “I, My, Me” disappear. If you don’t hold your opinion, your condition or your situation, then your original high-class computer will work correctly. So, you must practice every day.

I ask you: What are you? If you don’t understand, only go straight don’t know. This don’t know broom will sweep your consciousness computer clear of I, my, me dust. Then clear moment-to-moment working is possible. That is the correct way and the great bodhisattva way.

I hope you only go straight don’t know, which is clear like space, don’t make complicated, don’t make busy, soon get Enlightenment and save all people from suffering.

Yours in the dharma

Zen Master Seung Sahn

May we all be blessed with elevator minds!

The letters are copyright the Kwan Um School of Zen, who kindly gave me permission to reprint them.

via No Impact Man blog

I need to know how to live my life as its meant to be

Arcade PHIRE!

photo via flickr

Let us just say, I saw these guys last night...and I had a concert orgasm. I saw...they conquered...I came. They were just SO ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT.

I've seen them once before and it was wicked, but now this was just ahhhhhaaahhh...

Luckily today is my day off, because I'm in serious withdrawl.

Dirty Pretty Things

I saw this movie recently, it was such a captivating thriller. The cast threw some brilliant performances at the screen, the idea and the script were intelligent and very entertaining and the shots were visually satisfying as well. My favourite line (and you will know it when you hear it because you will no doubt have chills running down your spine) is delivered by Chiwetel Ejiofor, one of the best actors around these days in my opinion. I've seen him in a few things but I first fell in love with his skills in Kinky Boots. This guy has chops. Plus he's worked with Mamet and survived, so I'm pretty sure he can do anything. Even though when you're introduced to his character in DPT, and you don't know, really, very much about him for most of the movie - your heart is with him right from the beginning. Audrey Tatou is also, as ever, wide-eyed and wonderful.

The film is exactly as its title states, Dirty and Pretty (I would also add gritty in there somewhere).

I am Dina

Wow, what a movie. It's frighteningly epic and very exciting to experience. I'm not too keen on the pacing of the story, it's kind of a 'fits and starts' plotline. Visually though, it's candy, and I would argue that Dina is the land as much as she is the character. Who wouldn't go crazy in the middle of nowhere seeing what she has seen? I'd suggest watching it for the landscapes and the cinematography.

King Lear - Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian

I recently watched the RSC's "Great Performances" King Lear (2008) and then had to write my critical thoughts down about the acting...one can't help oneself when moved as I was by this exciting production.

Cast:

	Ian McKellen	...	King Lear
	William Gaunt	...	Earl of Gloucester
	Philip Winchester	...	Edmund
	Ben Meyjes	...	Edgar
	Frances Barber	...	Goneril
	Monica Dolan	...	Regan
	Romola Garai	...	Cordelia
	Sylvester McCoy	...	Fool
	Jonathan Hyde	...	Earl of Kent
	Guy Williams	...	Duke of Cornwall
	Julian Harries	...	Duke of Albany

Directed by: Trevor Nunn

What can one say about Sir Ian McKellan? Other than, brilliant, endearing, commanding, kingly, lowly, human, pitiable, enviable. In an interview after he says, for an actor, what comes after the everest of Lear? Indeed Sir Ian, indeed. "Lear is not a retrospective of a life, you're flung right into it."

If Lear is Gandalf than the Fool is his Bilbo..Seriously the actor reminds me so much of Ian Holm I was surprised to find out it wasn't him! He is also a genius. The fool is the ultimate tragic role in this, and his boyish charm and loyalty to his king is ultimately the most interesting dynamic - so much so that we are bereft without him after his death. His choices were refreshing and exciting.

Cordelia played by Romola Garai is clearly not classically trained for the speech, but she does a decent job at it. I do like her work for its innocence. I find she adds a tremendous amount of hand movements and gestures to highlight her lines at the end of them. Bizarre and uneccessary. She's also wicked bad at playing dead. Keep still woman!

Goneril is horribly ahead of herself, she bursts in fits of tears that do not connect. One second she's crying the next she looks up as if she wasn't upset in the first place - and then a second later back to tears. It takes only the best of actors to do this successfully, and should not be attempted by amateurs because it only makes them look like children trying to find their feet.

Regan is clearly in a league of her own, she's the actress in the scenes with her and Goneril. Quite a brilliantly, well thought out, clear performance. She's got an exciting face to watch, and the actress knows it. I could totally see her as Arkadina from The Seagull. She's also ALWAYS drinking - hilarious choice, considering how she croaks in the end. *UPDATE: I just read Frances Barber's (Goneril) bio on imdb - perhaps I was a little too harsh on her...she clearly has a lot of experience, oddly enough though, apparently she played Arkadina in the Seagull right after this production. Guess I got the sisters wrong!

Edmund was a bit of a conundrum for me. I thought at first that he certainly had the confidence to speak the text, but then I realised I was mistaking the fact that he was trying to make the text "sexy" because I think he's somehow linked evil to sexy. Evil can be and often is sexy, mainly because of the confidence that antagonists bear. But this Edmund only manages to play a villan, and not be one. He also does these overdramatic turns towards (and away from) the camera...making me wonder if he's had more dance training than acting lessons. I'll give him this, since I realise I've torn him apart slightly - his accent is impeccible. I'm pleased to see he has done his homework in that respect, considering he was born in the States.

Kent is very clearly a stage actor, with a great deep voice.

Cornwall is kind of non-descript. Nothing really registers in his eyes, although he has a solid voice...but the result of his lack of animation leaves one, most of the time, watching the performance of his wife.

Edgar started out kind of geeky charming...and then he took his glasses and his shirt off. YUM. But seriously, by the end he turns into a wonderful, believable and honest hero.

All in all, a production to see - and how fortunate that it was captured on film as a record of this great stage production. Shakespeare, come back and we'll get married. Okay?

Vegetally Correct

VEGAN SWEET POTATO MUFFIN RECIPE:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• Ener-G egg replacer for 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease or line a muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Add the egg replacer, oil, and maple syrup, then the pecans and cranberries, stirring just until combined.

Fill muffin tins about 1/3 full with batter and bake for 15 minutes.

I tried this recipe and WOW delicious...I would reccomend mashing the crap out of those sweet potatoes before putting them in, I baked them while I measured the rest of the ingrediants and I think next time I'll bake them well in advance for a better texture. Mmm :)

I found the recipe here.
Here is an alternate recipe which I haven't tried but which uses applesauce.

Efter Brylluppet

I recently watched the Danish film 'After the Wedding' with Denmark's hottest Dane, Mads Mikkelsen. Seriously, a wonderfully looking man...and apparently he was a dancer? Who'd have known.. anyways - the FILM: Not what I expected from the trailer! (Which, on a side note, just goes to show you how trained we are nowadays to judge films based on trailers and how our expectations are normally met because technically with the length and spoilerness of them we've seen the whole movie before we've actually seen the whole movie. hrumph.)


I actually enjoyed the idea that is tossed around the whole film, the idea that we can be forced into roles that we never thought we'd fill within minutes. There are soap-opera like twists and turns through the film and not once did I want to roll my eyes. Mads is maddeningly pretty though, and that might have helped get me through some of the crazy moments. I enjoyed Susan Bier's direction in the tense moments, shots upon shots of eyes and mouths, waiting, anticipating, frightened, shocked. Very captivating and made it all the less overdramatic.


Also, on a final note, the little boy that plays Pramod who Jacob (Mads' character) has looked after in India is possibly the cutest child ever. I could have watched their scenes together for hours.