NOT YOUR AVERAGE MOVIE THEATRE

Usually I let my husband and kids pick our movies, which means I've seen a whole lot of sci-fi, fantasy,  gore, action and comic-based movies.  Ever so often though, I dig my heels in, and insist that we see something worthy of being called "film" or "cine."  For the last few years, that's been a problem, since the only art house theatre in Austin was on the far north side.  I lucked out when I happened to find Midnight in Paris showing at one of the mainstream theatres, and again when I just happened to be in Dallas during the one week when Bride Flight was being shown.  But those two just whetted my appetite -- made me crave more of the same!

So, imagine my glee when I stumbled across some facebook chatter about a new place called The Violet Crown!  With its convenient downtown location, it's at least 20 or 30 minutes closer to us than the other art house theatre, and there are other plusses as well.  Such as the lovely cafe/bar just off the lobby, in case you want to meet friends for a drink or dinner beforehand.  I was kinda tickled with the beverage selection too -- at a help-yourself fountain in the hallway, with free refills allowed.  It's not every day you see selections such as these:

That's Dublin Dr. Pepper, in case you didn't notice, and Texas Prickly Pear Cactus Juice Lemonade!

When I checked to see what all was showing on that particular day, I realized that I would be happy seeing just about any one of the five or six choices, so we just went and enjoyed a leisurely lunch at nearby Walton's Staple and Fancy (the cafe I wrote about in my last post), then showed up at the theatre and bought tickets for whatever show started next -- which is how we came to see Buck, a wonderful documentary about a real life Horse Whisperer.  See it if you get the chance!  Now if only Austin would extend that light rail south, to Kyle.

A VERY SPECIAL DAY

Yesterday was a near perfect day.  It started with DH and I having a leisurely breakfast at our favorite bagel joint.  Have you ever had a cheesy bagel fresh from the oven, slathered with salmon cream cheese?  Definitely a moaner -- especially when you only get to eat them a few times per year.  Afterwards I dropped John off at the office and went back to the hotel for a bit.  When I was ready to head out on my adventures, I discovered that the key gizmo I had (John's car is a hybrid that uses a sensor thingamajig, rather than an actual key) was dead, which meant walking all the way back to his office to get his key, in the rain, then walking back to the hotel again, to get the car.  Know what?  It was actually rather pleasant.  I can't remember the last time I walked anywhere on a nice, overcast day, holding an umbrella over my head!  Again, some things are much more fun the less often you do them.

First stop was my favorite mall from days gone by.  It was time for my annual clothes-shopping trip, mostly to replace the everyday essentials that I had worn to a frazzle.  I also nabbed a couple of summer tops, shocked that they had already been put on clearance.  I couldn't believe how quickly I had forgotten the way the stores do everything a whole season ahead, after all the time I'd spent working in retail! After a solid three hours of trying on clothes, coming on top of my walk to John's office and back, I was feeling a bit weak in the knees, so I headed off to get one of these.

That's the old-fashioned, char-grilled hickory cheeseburger at Beck's Prime -- the only burger I really love!

Mid-afternoon John called to say he'd had enough of work and would rather be having fun with me, so I wen't to fetch him.  The mall was filling up with people by then, and I'd had enough of it to last me another year.  Was there really a time when I used to go to malls almost weekly?  Next we headed for our favorite cluster of free-standing stores.  I like it way more than the mall.  For one thing, it has a great bookstore, where I found a promising new book that I will probably be reviewing for you soon.

It also has a Williams-Sonoma shop, and the most gorgeous container gardens around.  I could do pots like these, if it weren't for the dang deer.  A former boss and I used to do them for all the La Madeleine cafes in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, because it added to their French ambience, but then the economy went south and they had to tighten their purse strings.  I love visiting this shopping center each season, just to see what these pots have in them!

At W-S I bought a jar of beef demi-glace, to use in a crock-pot recipe for Boeuf Bourguignonne that I've been wanting to try, along with some really good olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and, at a nearby HEB grocery store, I nabbed some Barilla whole wheat pasta and French green lentils! (see 10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Cooking)

From there we went to have dinner with son Austin, only I was so busy catching up with him (and, perhaps, pumping him for information about his new girlfriend) that I totally forgot to pull out my camera.

So, how do you end a most wonderful day?  By paying tribute to the ending of the most wonderful book series ever written.

 

Won't someone out there please write another good one?  Soon?  I'm feeling rather bereft right now.

WHAT GOES AROUND

Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX

Remember the movie You've Got Mail, with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan?  I loved that movie.  And yet, I hated that movie.  I hated it because, up until that point, I was pretty much oblivious to what was happening to all the little Mom and Pop businesses across the United States.  I adored that little children's bookstore in the movie, and cried real tears at the thought of it being forced out of business and replaced by something so huge, cold and impersonal.

Meg's little shop reminded me so much of all the stores that used to be in our neighborhood shopping center where I grew up, Hillside Village -- most of which had owners who lived right there in the area, and who had kids that went to our schools.  It was the shopping center where I got my very first job, at a place called Community Sewing Center.  The movie got me to thinkin', and I realized those shops had all disappeared, one by one, and been replaced by the larger, glitzier, chain stores that you could now find in every other shopping center, in every other city.  It made me wonder when I had grown so blase about shopping in places where no one knows my name.

Soooo, fast-forward about thirty years, and imagine my surprise when we drove up to the Borders Bookstore in south Austin the other day (the only bookstore anywhere near us), only to find it draped with "Going Out Of Business" banners!  I got to thinkin' again...about the big malls in Houston that have been torn down recently, because people have grown weary of that whole "mall experience" and want their shopping to be a little more personal.  Now "mixed use" developments, that are trying to recreate the aura of a village or neighborhood shopping center, are springing up everywhere.

Then I remembered the charming little Blue Willow bookstore that was near our townhouse there.  It has served several generations of book-lovers -- it took a lickin', but kept on tickin'!  Wouldn't it be ironic if the tables were about to be turned?  What if the on-line book dealers and the popularity of e-readers, which has put the monster stores and their huge overhead expenses out of business, ends up creating opportunities for some small shops who cater to those who crave a more intimate experience?  If they ever make a movie about that, you can bet your boots, I'll be there cheering!

P.S.  Many thanks to susankmitchell.com for the image above.

JUMP RIGHT IN

It hasn't been intentional, but somehow there have been a lot of books and movies popping up in my life lately, all covering the same era and topics, 'though each has come at it from a slightly different angle. It's an era I can't help but be fascinated by, for it's all about people trying to shed their shackles -- about the yearning to have some say over their own destinies.

The first was one of those audio books in the Elm Creek Quilt series that I told you about. It was called The Runaway Quilt, but it wasn't strictly about the American abolitionists and the underground railway. It was also about all the immigrants who fled to America in order to escape rigid caste/class systems, and about women struggling to have a bit of say over their own lives, via the suffragette movement. So much going on all at once, all for the sake of "free will!"

Next I got caught up in the latest PBS series on Masterpiece Classic - something called Downton Abbey. Do you recall how I once told you that when I visit a castle or palace, I'm not really interested in seeing the formal public spaces? What I wan't to do is explore the bowels of the place -- to run amok in the kitchens, pantries and wash rooms, so that I can discover how people really lived. This series allows me to do just that. It's also a fairly clear picture of the struggles the privileged class were up against at this time, trying to salvage the trusts that had been handed to them via "entailment", and that, despite all appearances, they too had very little say over their destinies -- especially if they happened to be female.

Finally, just as I became totally engrossed with this ongoing series, I stumbled across a discussion that several of my blogging friends were having, about the Kate Morton novels. Now, if there is one thing I have learned in my quest for the Good Life, it is this: when the river of synchronicity comes flowing past your door, you don't stand on the banks, wringing your hands -- you jump right in, and swim like crazy!

I could have put those books on reserve at the library, but something told me they were books I would need to share with friends, and to revisit upon occasion. I am now immersed in The House at Riverton, and am every bit as giddy as when I first discovered Jane Eyre as a young tween. You must pardon me now, for my books are calling me. They are nice and fat, and there are three of them!

ORNAMENTAL VS. GRITTY

For one reason and another, I've been thinking a lot about "pioneer women" lately. First it was seeing the movie True Grit. Then it was reading Half Broke Horses. And, now that I'm trying to dredge up memories of my days as a newlywed in Indonesia, it's all sorta swirling around together in my head. Mostly I've been thinking

about the kind of wife most men think they want, and about what happens when they actually get what they asked for.

For as long as I can remember, I have adored books about adventurous women. Not just American pioneer women, but all kinds and nationalities. Years ago I saw a great series on PBS called The Flame Trees of Thika, starring Hayley Mills, and later I read the book, which was by Elspeth Huxley. It was about one of those British "younger sons" who had no hope of inheriting anything, so he packs up his little family and takes off for Africa, thinking it will be a piece of cake to amass a fortune of his own down there. Fortunately for him and his children, his wife had a bit of grit, some common sense, and they managed to build a pretty good life there -- despite the many hardships, and the fact that they had no clue what they were getting into. Other men, who had chosen women of a more...ornamental nature, shall we say? Well, they didn't fare quite so well.

I've always known John and I were both pretty darn smart. First of all, I was smart enough to send him off on his first big adventure with my good graces, and no commitments. Then he was smart enough to realize, within a few short months, that the adventure would be even better if he had someone special there beside him. What made him absolutely brilliant was the little test he devised for me, after watching a good friend's life fall apart when he tried to bring one of those ornamental wives over, to see if I had what it takes -- to see if I had true grit.

P.S. Many thanks to sabob.com for the Flame Trees image, and to digitaltrends.com for the image from True Grit.

A PASSING OBSESSION WITH GIADA

Thinking about our first Christmas here in Wimberley reminded me of how much of it I spent watching Food Network! I happened across it when I was flipping channels one day, and when I saw this gorgeous young Italian woman named Giada, who was preparing for a holiday get-together, I decided to pause and watch for a while. A moment or two later, I was hooked!

I tried a few of the other shows this channel offered, but none of them called to me the way Everyday Italian did. This chef used real food, fresh herbs straight from the garden, everything she cooked made my mouth water, and best of all, she made it look doable! She made me realize that putting good, fresh food on the table for my family didn't have to take any more time or be any more difficult than going to fetch take-out or using a bunch of packaged, processed stuff.

By watching the way she chopped an onion, smashed a clove of garlic, and sizzled them together in a bit of olive oil, I came to realize that such things did not have to be painful or tear-inducing, and that by grabbing a handful of frozen, pre-chopped onions from a package, I was depriving myself of one of the most meditative, aromatic, sensual parts of the whole cooking process. She also made me realize that it really wasn't necessary to have shelves full of cookbooks and collect hundreds of recipes. After watching her show for a while, I couldn't help but notice that she was doing the same basic steps over and over again, and once you had those down, the rest was just variations on a theme. So, in essence, she brought about her own demise, for after that, the show began to feel a bit repetitive.

But, that was a good thing, wasn't it? For, if I've learned anything at all since embarking on the good life, it's that it is far better to be doing and making, rather than just watching and taking!

P.S. Many thanks to teale-edwards.com for the image above.

COLOR MAD MONDAY & BURSTING JOHN'S BUBBLE

I just adore the colors of the season. They go so well with my home decor! Oooorrr...perhaps I decorated my entire home, so that it would go well with the colors of the season. Who knows?

John just left to go back to Houston this morning. It was really lovely, having him here for an extra day. The weekends fly by so quickly, we rarely have time to just putter around the house, as we did yesterday. Soon, though, we'll have all the time in the world! Last night, while I was cooking up a yummy dinner, John sat out on the porch, enjoying the view with his stereo blaring, whilst sipping a drink and smoking a cigar -- his favorite way to relax. Later he told me that he'd been making a mental list while out there, of all the things he planned to do once he was here full-time. Such a happy boy!

Unfortunately, we kinda spoiled his glow with the Christmas movie we decided to watch after dinner. Remember the book I mentioned earlier this week, called On Strike for Christmas? Well, unbeknownst to me, they turned it into a movie, and it just happened to be showing last night on Lifetime or LMN. A few minutes into it, John snidely said "Yeah, yeah, yeah! I see where this is going!" "Probably not," I replied. "If it's following the book, it will take a surprising turn. But that's OK, we don't need to watch it. I already know the story, and these made-for-TV movies are never all that great anyway." "No,no. That's OK. I can take it!"

I guess he hasn't read my blog lately, because mid-way through the movie he started looking kinda sad, then he turned to me and asked "Is this why you didn't put a tree up this year?" "Well, no, not really," I assured him, "though the book did contribute to my desire to simplify things. It helped me realize that I'd rather spend less time decorating and trying to make things "perfect", and more time relaxing and enjoying the company of my loved ones." I don't think my answer did much to mollify him though, cuz by the end of the movie, he was looking downright pitiful! When I flipped off the movie and got up to leave, he pulled me back into his lap, gave me a big squeeze, then apologized for all the times he left it up to me to "make Christmas happen." After a moment though, the impish grin returned, and he called after me, saying "But don't forget all the time I've spent in there on the computer, working my fingers to little nubs, shopping, shopping, shopping!" That's my boy.

MOVIE LISTS AND EARLY BIRTHDAYS

John and Austin (and Guinness, of course) came in yesterday evening, to help me celebrate an early birthday by finishing That Dang Wall for me. Woohoo! Unfortunately, I woke up to the sound of pouring rain during the night, and it looks like we may get some more today. Since that wall happens to be a cinder-block retaining wall, that means there will be water seeping through it for the next couple of days, from the sodden soil behind. And, I reckon that means any paint we tried to apply to it right now would probably not stick too well, huh? Well! Doesn't that just chomp big green boogers? Ah well, it's the thought that counts, right?

Hmmm. Here's a thought! Maybe I could talk them into fetching me a truck load of mulch to spread in the perennial beds instead, and maybe a little straw for the veggie beds? Yeah, that's the ticket! Meanwhile, this looks like it's gonna play out to be the perfect kind of weekend to curl up with a great classic movie - perhaps one containing "visions of domesticity."

According to Jane Brocket, author of The Gentle Art of Domesticity, "Sometimes, there is nothing better than a couple of hours' quilting or knitting or crochet in front of a favorite film. When I know I am going to treat myself to this luxury, I choose my film carefully. Nothing too tense, dramatic, searing or frightening (Rear Window, 1954, is about as far as I can go, and that's mainly so that I can be reminded of James Stewart's stunningly blue eyes and Grace Kelly's outrageously beautiful couture dress)." The following films are the ones she watches over and over again - the ones that make her feel good about domesticity:

• Brief Encounter (1945)
• Young at Heart (1954)
• I Capture the Castle (2003)
• Houseboat (1958)
• Amelie (2001)
• Little Women (1949)
• Brodeuses (A Common Thread) (2004)
• Sense and Sensibility (1995)
• The Sound of Music (1965)

Have a great weekend!

P.S. Many thanks to teegardennash.com for the image above.

A DAY FOR DITCHING ROUTINES

Yesterday I decided to take a day off from "shoulds", and concentrated on "coulds" instead. As soon as I finished posting the pics from Saturday evening's festivities, I threw on some clothes and headed out for Austin. First stop? A 10:15 (bargain-priced) showing of Secretariat. What a wonderful, inspiring story - made even more enjoyable by treating myself to one of those little kid's snack-packs that comes with a bit of popcorn and a wee cup of soda, all in a cute little box with a handle. I love tiny stuff.

After the movie I wandered through several stores, looking for a few of the things I still need in order to complete my handmade Christmas gifts. I really needed to go to Hobby Lobby, but of course, they are closed on Sundays. Still, I did manage to score one of the main ingredients, and it was a very pleasant way to pass the time until 3:00, when it was finally OK to go have my lunch/dinner at Mama Fu's. Why 3:00, you ask? Cuz that's when Happy Hour starts! Which means anything you order from the appetizer menu is only half price. And that means I got a mini order of pot stickers, that lovely sesame-crusted ahi tuna draped over a yummy asian slaw, and a big ol' glass of tea, all for about seven bucks. What a deal, Lucille!

Since I ate so early, I then had a long, lovely evening ahead of me, which I spent puttering in the garden and watering plants, starting the new book by Audrey Niffenegger - Her Fearful Symmetry, knitting, and watching some of the Doc Martin: Season Two video that I got from Netflix. Ahhhhhh. My kind of day!

P.S. Many thanks to eatdrinkand beware.blogspot.com for the above image.

HECK OF A RIDE INDEED

Know what I love? I love it when you take a chance on something you know nothing about, and it turns out better than you could possibly hope. Especially when you've dragged a couple of other people into taking a chance on it with you!

Such was the case this week when I saw a little blurb in The Wimberley View, about how local shop owner Jill Jones was part of a show called A Ride With Bob: The Bob Wills Musical, which was wrapping up this year's tour with two performances in Austin this very weekend. Now, our Jill has a special talent that few people know about. She yodels. Award-winning, Texas swing style yodeling. I've been mighty curious ever since I heard about that. Furthermore, since this play was about Texas legend Bob (Ah-Hah!) Wills, and was co-written by another Texas legend - Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel - and he and his band would all be performing in it, well, my gut was telling me "Becky, get on that computer and get you some tickets!" So I did.

John was no problem. He's a longtime fan of Asleep at the Wheel. Poor Lex though, had never even heard of that band, or of Bob Wills, and thought music that involved yodeling could not possibly be a good thing, but if she got a free meal out of it, she was willing to give it a try. All we can say is, we feel sorry for the rest of you, who didn't rush out to see this while you had the chance. Now you have to wait for the 2011 tour to start, and pray that it comes to a town near you.

The thing I loved most about this show was not just that it was funny and entertaining and full of great music. It's the way Ray is using it to showcase the talents of other lesser-knowns, such as Wimberley's yodeling phenom, Ms. Jill Jones, young Ruby Jane Smith, Timothy Curry from Midland (his singing sent shivers up my spine), and a most amazing trio of sisters who can fiddle to beat the devil, while singing angelic Andrews-Sister-style harmonies. Take my word for it. You'd better keep your eye on The Quebe Sisters Band!

P.S. Many thanks to pegasusnews.com for the first two images, and to wholoblog.com for the one of the Quebe (pronounced kway-bee) sisters.

DIFFERENT. NOT LESS.

Have you seen the HBO movie Temple Grandin yet? If not, drop what you are doing, run check your HBO schedule, or your Netflix que, or head to the video store, but somehow, get your hands on a copy of this movie.

Claire Danes, supported by Julia Ormond, Catherine O'hara and David Strathairn, does a remarkable job playing title character Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who was born before doctors had any clue what autism was about. At the time, most believed it to be some form of pediatric schizophrenia, brought on by the mother's failure to bond with her infant, and parents were encouraged to lock the child away in an institution. Fortunately for the world, Temple's mother refused to listen to them.

One of the current catch phrases that you hear bandied about is "being present", and this movie brought the meaning of that home to me in a big way. I once read something, written by the father of a special needs child, which compared the experience to embarking on a long anticipated vacation - one you have been saving for and planning for years - only for some reason, your plane gets diverted and dumps you in a completely different country from the one you were expecting. Now you have two choices. You can spend the entire vacation feeling sorry for yourself, finding fault, focusing on what this country lacks in comparison to the other and being absolutely miserable. Or, you can let go of all that, and just be present. If you can do that, you might find that this country is an amazing place in its own right. Different, but not less.

Temple, who didn't even learn to talk until she was four years old, ended up earning a PhD. Because her mother, aunt, and a very special teacher were "present", they came to realize that Temple's brain was just wired differently than most. She had a photographic memory, and saw the world in pictures - pictures which she could connect and rearrange in her head. She also had a special affinity for animals. Though she found it almost impossible to read the subtle signals that humans sent out, she had no problem at all when it came to recognizing the cries of cattle in distress. She could also see patterns in their movements that changed in reaction to different stimuli, all of which lead her to design systems that revolutionized the way cattle are handled in many stockyards and slaughterhouses today. She was different. Not less.

P.S. Many thanks to tvworthwatching.com for the above image.