A Blog Where You Can Read About What McDreamy Might Do Next

I just found out today that the writers on Grey's Anatomy have a blog and I already love it. Instead of just being short, lame little postings with no info, like some tv show blogs, this one really contains involved postings from a variety of the writers and they don't hesitate to give you the inside scoop on how they create the show. ABC has also created a blog for the bar from the show and one for a nurse that works at Seattle Grace Hospital. The faux blogs are a cute idea, but I much prefer reading what the writers are thinking.

Take Me Out To The Vineyard

The celebrity created/endorsed alcohol and wine train just keeps chugging along. First it was the musicians and the tv sidekick, then the famous artist and now a famous baseball player (free regis. req'd) and other professional athletes.

From Munich To Mary Poppins

Seriously, I couldn't make something like this up, if I tried. The article is about the fact that Steven Spielberg might do a remake of Mary Poppins as his next movie. I can't fathom that anyone saw that coming. I know that many of his older movies are about kids and loneliness, so in that way it make sense, but to go from Munich to Mary Poppins is quite a leap. Regardless of how crazy it is, I will likely go to see any movie he makes because he is a great director.

Woody Hits It Out Of the Park

After the Woody Allen directed feature, Match Point, was at Cannes, I kept hearing that it was his best movie in fifteen years. Every review I have read in the last week or so has gone on and on about how good it is, so I guess it wasn't just hype. I don't really respect him as person because of that little issue about him essentially marrying a girl that was basically his adopted daughter, but I have to admit that I will likely go see the film pretty soon. The story looks intriguing even if it does seem similar to another movie of his, Crimes and Misdemeanors. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is in the film and he is pretty god damn sexy (this picture is evidence of that) and amazingly talented (if you didn't see him in the CBS Elvis movie you really missed out). If you don't believe me about all the critics being in agreement for once, look at this review, or this one or this one (free regis. req'd).

Has Mel Gibson Gone A Little Mad?

A few years back, I liked Mel Gibson as both an actor and a director. He was amazing in a million movies, but I most especially loved him in Lethal Weapon and his directorial debut, Man Without A Face. I didn't go see Passion of the Christ, but everyone has the right to their own beliefs and he can do what he wants with his money. This weekend though, I saw the trailer for Apocalypto (the movie he just directed) and I decided that he has truly lost his mind and is turning into Martin Riggs (his slightly off balance character in Lethal Weapon) or maybe Jerry Fletcher (his crazy character from Conspiracy Theory). Perhaps it is just me, but I can't imagine anyone seeing that trailer and being able to make a ton of sense of it and/or wanting to go see it. I think I'm going to rent Ransom and Maverick and try to erase the trailer from my mind.

Great Gift For A Film Fan

I know that the holidays are near over (although Hanukkah still has a few more nights), but my friend Debbie told me about a gift idea that she heard about and I wanted to mention it because it's a great idea. If you know someone who really loves movies, get them a Netflix subscription. It's the perfect gift for any occasion. I would be thrilled if someone gave one to me. And no, I am not a shill for Netflix, I just love the movies in case you haven't picked up on that by now.

Movie Quiz, Anyone?

I just finished this interesting movie quiz and I did pretty well, but I am definitely a cinephile. I would say it has a medium to hard level of difficulty, so if you think you are up to the challenge, go for it.

A Merry Christmakuh To All & To All A Good Night

This is the first time in my life that I can remember Hanukkah and Christmas falling on the same day. I went to my Aunt Judy's house and we did the Christmas thing (she married someone who isn't Jewish), but we also did the candle/Hanukkah thing, so we essentially celebrated Christmakuh. My cousin Leah cooked, I got to meet my cousin Erin's new boyfriend (who seemed very nice) and my sister came to visit, so all in all it was a fun time. In the last week or so I have been going to the movies quite a bit and I also watched the finale of Nip/Tuck. I pretty much agree with what this guy at TV Guide says (scroll down to Nip/Tuck) about the Nip/Tuck finale. I was a little bit disappointed with the episode, but it was still pretty good. In terms of the movies I saw, I will start with what I saw today, Munich, which was compelling and surprisingly had a few tiny moments of humor thrown in for balance. Eric "I can't believe I once played the Hulk" Bana is incredible in the film and was an inspired casting choice. Munich gives you so many things to think about, like the reasons that the Palestinians might be doing what they are doing that aren't entirely evil, even if their methods are, and whether all of the violence on both sides is wrong because it just keeps the cycle of violence going, etc. Munich is the kind of movie that you think about for days or even weeks after you see it. Most of the reviews have been positive, but I like this one from the NY Times (free reg. req'd) best. I also saw The Family Stone and really enjoyed it. My sister thought it was a bit predictable in terms of how everything ends up and there might be some truth to that, but it didn't seem to matter to me because I enjoyed the acting, the writing and everything about it. Sarah Jessica Parker was great in the movie and I didn't think of Carrie Bradshaw for even one moment. Here is a review of The Family Stone, if you want to read a bit more about it. The one other thing I saw this weekend was Rumor Has It. It was definitely the light and fluffy part of my movie experience these past few days and I know some critics haven't loved it, but I thought it was a fun little romantic comedy and good for what it was aiming to be. One critic who likes Rumor Has It is Roger Ebert. I'm still so curious what it was that the Ted Griffin (the writer and original director) did or didn't do that ended up with him getting fired and Rob Reiner coming on, but I suppose I will never find out the specifics. I love getting out to the movies so much and likely will keep at it in the coming weeks, so I will update the blog when I do.

Not So D-List After All

When I read recently that the E! Channel is no longer having Kathy Griffin doing part of their red carpet awards coverage, I was disappointed, but not surprised. Keep in mind, that these are the same people that thought putting Star Jones on the awards beat was a good idea. I, for one, love Kathy Griffin and was thrilled to hear that her Bravo show is getting a second season. I find her refreshingly honest, funny and witty as all get out. Yes, I did just say all get out, but I am tired and burnt out from the holidays, so just deal with it. I think she is going to have to change the title of the show though, because you can't have a show on TV on a decent network, get a second season and still be considered D List, perhaps C List, but not D. I was an avid watcher the first season and was sad when I heard earlier this year that her and her husband who seemed so happy might be getting a divorce, but the article mentions that they are trying to reconcile and that he will be on the second season. By the way, my apologizes for not blogging much during the last few days. I do have an excuse though because I had another interview and my sister came to visit. I know they are lame excuses, but they are all I have at the moment.

Take These Numbers & Hold Em

Remember some time ago when I wrote about how I love the show Numbers on CBS? I just read today that professional poker player Annie Duke and author Ben Mezrich, who wrote this great book that has poker at the heart of it, will be on the show January 13th. I know all of you are thinking, blah blah, dorky show with math, blah blah poker player and author, but I bet if you tune in you won't be sorry. It is a tremendously well written show and my guess is that this episode will be pretty intriguing.

I Hate To Be A Sheep, But...

Most of the time, I try to do my own thing and not get sucked into things just because everyone I know likes something. I must admit though that I did like the The Da Vinci Code and I am looking forward to the movie. Tom Hanks has a seriously weird hairstyle in it, but I am betting his acting, the source material and co-star Audrey Tautou will distract me from it. Here is a recent Newsweek article about the movie.

Don't Reach For This If Your Lips Are Dry

When I read about Cheeto Flavored Lip Balm today, I literally thought I was tired and imagining it, but it really does exist. I can't honestly think of a less appealing lip balm flavor. I am quite the lip balm connoisseur. I have tried almost every lip balm out there over the years and my two favorite are Rosebud Salve and Kiehls Baby Lip Balm. The two lip balms I just mentioned are under $10, but this one from Jurlique (which is a great all natural brand that I like) is $69, which is insane. I do like this one other brand of lip balm, but I must admit that it is mostly because of the packaging. I feel kind of shallow that I just did a whole rant on lip balm, but I swear that I have depth in other areas.

Cheeky Little Monkey

You will only get the title of this posting if you watch The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. If you aren't watching, you should give it a try one night when you can't sleep. Finally others are starting to agree with me about Craig Ferguson and his show. The LA Times gives him his due right here. I picked up on his charm and refreshingly honest style months ago. I'm glad to see he is getting the recognition he deserves. By the way, I can't believe it, but this is my 200th posting. Honestly I never figured I'd get to 50, so I am actually pretty excited.

More Proof That Money Can't Buy You Brains Or Class

Here (ny times free regis. req'd) is more proof that money can't buy you brains or class. It's one thing to buy a $15 dollar cocktail in a fancy bar or hotel, but when you are spending many hundreds of dollars for one drink, you should take that money and put it towards therapy.

Live From Will & Grace

I don't regularly watch Will & Grace, but I do still catch it now and again and I must admit that I find myself laughing. Earlier this year they did one episode of the show live and even though it is a gimmicky thing to do and they are not the first show to have done it, I got sucked in and laughed hysterically the entire time. When the show is live it has a whole different kind of energy that comes from the possibility that someone might screw up a line or laugh, etc. I just read today that they are doing another live episode and I plan to tune in.

Do You Know Who The Carver Is Part Deux?

I can't wait to watch the 2 hour season finale of Nip/Tuck next week. They show is crazy, but in the best possible way. Today someone e-mailed me a link to this blog all about Nip/Tuck, so if you are a big fan make sure to check it out.

Golden Ticket, Schmolden Ticket

This is for sure the best review of the UTA chocolate bar holiday gift idea. This girl seems almost as angry as I am today. I pretty much agree with this girl that the idea was pretty messed up, but I can't totally hate it because I have a friend who won $100.

Moody Moodstein

Yes, the title of this posting is lame and just in case you were wondering, I'm in a bad mood today. Even though I have already worked a full day, I wanted to try and blog a little bit, so that is how you got stuck with this lame posting. Cut me a little slack okay. I guess awards season is finally in full swing now that the Golden Globe nominations have been announced. It is funny that they have come to mean so much mostly because of their proximity to the Academy Awards and the fact that the people attending can drink during the show and therefore give better speeches. It appears that it's George Clooney's year and I couldn't be happier. Syriana is an amazing movie on so many levels (will write a full review later) and if you read this blog you know I loved Good Night and Good Luck, so I definitely feel that both of those nominations were spot on. Speaking of George and GNGL, I was at the market the other day and saw Grant Heslov who is an actor, co-writer of GNGL and an executive at George's company and I really wanted to tell him how great of a writer I think he is, but I chickened out. Yeah, I know, I'm a wuss, but the moment is gone so oh well. I personally think it was mean that Ellen Pompeo didn't get nominated for Grey's Anatomy, I mean she is the lead and I think she is great on the show. On the other hand, I could give a crap that all of the Desperate Housewives got nominated but Nicolette Sheridan. I could go on, but I am cranky and honestly not that many people really care so much what I think. Cross your fingers and maybe I'll be in better mood tomorrow. Congrats to all those who got nominated. If you need me, I'll be in the corner feeling bitter.

Dating Trends Old & New

Just in case you missed it when I mentioned the news last week, I started a temp job today so I won't be blogging as much, but I will try to get to it when I can. When I got home tonight, I noticed two articles about dating online, so I am posting them in case anyone needs help in that department. As most of you know, I am single, so it couldn't hurt for me to read this stuff either. This first article is about blind dates being back in vogue. As lame as blind dates can sometimes be, I did date one guy that I met that way, so don't rule it out. This article about a new way to meet people in New York kind of creeps me out, so even if Eye Gazing Dating (NY Times free regis. req'd) takes off in LA, I won't be rushing to an event near me.

Who Knew Jon Stewart Had Such Great Legs

Jon Stewart is handsome (in that boyish, brainy way I like), smart and incredibly talented, but I never thought of him as a super athletic guy. I just found out a few days ago that he was apparently once a very skilled soccer player and is even being honored because of it in January. Read this to learn more about it and see a picture of him from his soccer days where he is sporting some nice quads. Speaking of soccer, I recently read about the new brainy Adidas soccer ball that can tell when a goal has been scored or not. I wonder if the referees are getting nervous.

Bill Gates Grants A Wish

Did you hear that Bill Gates is being featured tonight on Amy Grant's show on NBC called Three Wishes? I never really figured I would be writing about Amy Grant and Bill Gates in the same posting. I've heard that the show does nice things for deserving people, but I can't take the sugary sweet/pull on your heart strings/manipulate you into crying way they go about it. I might have to watch it tonight because a young boy gets to meet Bill Gates and spend the day with him at Microsoft. I must admit the Microsoft visit does sound interesting. I would have loved to have had that wish granted for me, but he never would have wanted to hear what I have to say about how screwed up Internet Explorer is and how much I love the Firefox Browser. Don't take my word for it about Firefox, this famous technology journalist agrees with me.

File This Under Thing You Never Knew About Barbie

In the most surprising news of the week, I found out that the Barbie doll that has long served as a symbol of blond haired, blue-eyed perfection might be Jewish.

Happy Birthday To E

It’s my cousin Erin's birthday today, hence the title of the posting. She is a very talented artist. My other cousin (her sister), Leah is also amazing. She works at this winery and knows everything there is to know about food and wine. Oh by the way, she's an amazing cook as well. Their mom, my Aunt Judy, is also a skilled artist and teacher. I guess we are an artsy fartsy kind of family. In honor of Erin's birthday, I am going to mention one of her favorite artists and tie it back to a movie, so that it still seems to have a place on this blog. Impressive, right? It will kind of be like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, but I will replace him with Erin. Okay, here goes, Erin loves Francesco Clemente. Here is a recent review of his work. His work was featured in the movie Great Expectations . It is a visually stunning movie that is full of saturated color (mostly green -- Erin's favorite) and the many Clemente paintings are a sight to behold. Erin loves this book about Clemente that I bought her, so if you think his work sounds interesting maybe you should buy it. As children, Erin and I loved this famous movie actor who sadly died recently, but when he starred in his most famous role, it was for this director that has a company I once interned at. In speaking to Erin today, she mentioned someone who can tie the interests of her family together. This man is an artist and restaurant owner, but also a fly fisherman, which is my uncle's greatest passion. Believe it or not, I can tie the fly fishing to a movie as well because one of my uncle's favorite movies is A River Runs Through it. Wow, I'm exhausted from all that. Okay, it isn't exactly the Six Degrees thing, but you get the idea. Happy Birthday E!

Clooney And Friends

If I didn't already adore George Clooney and think he was a tremendous talent, this article about him and his close knit group of friends would have nudged me in that direction, but since I already think he is fabulous, it only confirmed what I already knew.

The Best Wit and Sarcasm Money Can Buy

Check out this great article about Mark Lisanti who writes the entertainment gossip blog Defamer. It is a must read for those in Hollywood who want to be in the know. Mark isn't afraid of anyone and that is useful as he comments on and critiques just about everything Hollywood related. I often laugh out loud at the postings. Sad to note from the article that Mark might leave Defamer in the not to distant future to pursue his writing in other forms. I will surely miss him if he leaves because even if the new person is great they won't come near the biting sarcasm and witty titles that his brain generates. By the way, I know I didn't blog for most of the day. I had a meeting today and it looks like I might start a long term temp gig as soon as Monday. Assuming that I do, I won't be blogging as often, but don't be sad, I'm not planning on giving it up for good and will likely keep blogging before or after work or during lunch.

100 Women I'm Jealous Of

Lately I have been trying to be a more grateful person and get rid of my tendency to be jealous. This list of 100 people that I'm envious of certainly hasn't helped the cause.

Slurpeerific

This item is already sold out, but I want one so bad. I had an Easy Bake Oven as a kid, but I never got the Snoopy Snow Cone Machine I so desperately desired and the Slurpee machine seems similar.

Print Your Own Monopoly Money

As I read about this yesterday, I thought isn't this only going to encourage cheating at Monopoly. I'm not saying I would, but I have to think some will. Then I started thinking about Monopoly and realized that it is not the sweet, fun game I always thought it was when I was a kid. In pondering it this am, it occurs to me how it is really a game about being a greedy real estate entrepreneur and ruining everyone in your path. They might as well call it Donaldtrumpopoly.

Being Catherine Keener

This article in the LA Times about Catherine Keener really captures what she is all about. She is a tremendously talented actress who is not dying to be on magazine covers or carry the weight of a big studio picture as a lead, but would rather carefully pick what she does because it interests her. I do not think I have ever not enjoyed one of her performances. The more flawed she is (like in Walking and Talking) the better I like her and I think that is because she seems so real and vulnerable that you can relate to her. I haven't seen Capote yet, but I really want to check it out. I ended up really liking The 40 year Old Virgin, which she starred in earlier this year. With Oscar buzz floating around for Capote and the huge box office of The 40 Year Old Virgin, she might not be able to stay as under the radar as she would like. I hope she gets the success she deserves and still gets to keep the anonymity she clearly desires.

Josh Friedman Is Back To Blogging

Josh Friedman is a talented screenwriter , but is also a hilariously funny blogger. It is refreshing how honest he is about meetings with studio execs, what he sits around wearing in his home office where he works and how he hates to go very far from his house for lunch meetings. He recently got sick and had to go the hospital, but he's BACK and lived to tell the story. There are other blogs about screenwriting that I read like John August's (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish) blog and this other blog about romantic comedy writing. I also like to check out this site because it summarizes the details of what scripts have recently sold. At times I get a little jealous when I read it, but I like to know what is going on.

The King Of Speaking His Mind

People are often surprised to find out that I like Howard Stern. I think people figure that since my politics tend toward the left that he would not be politically correct enough for me or something. The thing is that I am a woman of diverse tastes that can appreciate all sorts entertainment. It's possible to like Howard and South Park, but to also enjoy NPR, and to be honest it makes for a more interesting life. I think that most of the time Howard's humor is satire and is attempting to shed light on ridiculous people who are truly racists or misogynists, etc. 60 Minutes did a wonderful interview with Howard last night that showed a bit more of a sensitive, human side of him that most people don't think exists. This recent article about him is pretty fascinating because of how honest it is. As most people know Howard is about to leave his regular radio job and head over to Sirius. I have not gotten a Sirius radio or signed up for the service yet, but I likely will. I might not always like everything he says, but I appreciate his honestly and get a big kick out of the show.

Cool Hunting

One blog that I check out fairly often is Cool Hunting. The site covers a variety of topics that include: art, design, food, etc. I will often read about stuff on this site before I will see it elsewhere. If you want to read more the guy who started it click here. By the way, the site has a gift guide up for the holidays that is worth checking out.

How Much Do You Know About Movies in 2005?

If you want to see how much you know about films from 2005, check out this quiz from the New York Daily News. I did pretty well, but I'm a movie geek.

My So Called Life

I know, I didn't blog all day today and I suck. I say that like there are tons of people reading this blog who are crushed when I don't blog and god knows that isn't true. Anyway, I do have a life that kept my busy today, so this is the only posting of the day. Here is an interesting interview with Claire Danes, who I LOVED on My So Called Life, but seem to like less since Billy Crudup left Mary Louise Parker (when she was 8 months prego!) for her. I do still think she is talented though, so I intend to eventually see Shopgirl. On a totally unrelated front, the Hello Kitty train keeps on moving forward, so check out this new Hello Kitty product and this one, if you are in the mood.

Bungalow 8 For The Teen Set

This article about a fancy pants elitist club for rich, snobby teens makes me ill. Reading it was similar to looking at a car crash when you drive by, it makes you sick, but you can't make yourself look away. The thing is, that dumb show on MTV called My Super Sweet Sixteen about rich, ungrateful kids irritated the crap out of me, but I watched it. I bet if they made a tv show about the place the article is discussing, I would end up checking it out. I'm not immature or shallow, so can't quite put my finger on why I watch this kind of stuff. You know what, I'm doing research for the edgy teen satire that I will write at some point. Yeah, that's it, that is the ONLY reason I watch any of this stuff.

Good Celebrity Baby Name Choices Part Deux

I recently complimented Conan O'Brien and his wife for the relatively normal name that they picked for their new baby. Earlier today when I read that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner had their baby girl and named her Violet, I thought they also deserved praise for not going the wacky celeb baby name route. Violet is sweet and makes me think of old school names like Rose. The name is slightly unusual, but it a way that is distinct and special, not strange. Congrats on the new baby and the good name decision.

A Pretty Woman And Two Pretty Men

There is no question that I will have to visit New York next year and desperately try to get tickets when Richard Greenberg's Three Days of Rain opens on Broadway. Greenberg is an incredible writer and the play stars Julia Roberts, who to my knowledge, has never performed on Broadway. I just recently read that Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper are also going to be in it, which makes me want to see it even more. They are both a bit pretty looking for my taste (especially Bradley), but I'll survive.