HOW TO BE SWEDISH

HERREGUD!!!

My mom (a woman of great taste) just showed me a book called Handmade Living:A Fresh Take on the Scandinavian Lifestyle by Brooklyn-based, Swedish-bred designer Lotta Jansdotter.

It's pretty much amazing. Especially if you're like me and wish that you could be as innately cool and aesthetically inspiring as all Swedes seem to be.

The book is filled with gorgeous photographs of Lotta's home in Brooklyn, New York, as well as fabulous Scandinavian meals and her studio space.

Throughout the perusing of the fabulous book, I kept thinking Goshdarnit I wish she would recipes for all of that fabulous food! And alas! At the very end of the book she provides recipes for every dish mentioned, all of which can be torn from the book and kept as lovely little rectangles.

Oh, and extra points for mentioning the amazing Gee's Bend quilts from my sweet home Alabama.

GO LOOK AT IT! My mom got it from our local library...

TRUE GRIT?

It wasn't a bad film. It was well-made in every degree.

But honestly, this is the Coen Brothers! The same geniuses of storytelling who brought us No Country for Old Men, Fargo, O Brother Where Art Thou, and The Ladykillers. Typical reaction after a Coen Bros. film: WOW!

After True Grit: Meh.

I think the main criticism I have is that the film lacks the "true grit" it advertises! Although there are some cringe-worthy moments, the story was obnoxiously predictable. With a heavy score of cute Western tunes, the atmosphere was far too light for a world that includes Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, rifles, whiskey, and an eye patch.

As much as I didn't want the girl (Mattie, played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld) to get hurt, I thought she could AT LEAST get her braids mussed up! Even when she's captured by "the bad guys" she's offered coffee and food and kept safe.

Maybe it's just the nature of the Western. Since the film is based on the book, True Grit, it must follow the rules: no one innocent gets hurt, someone always saves the other guy at the last minute, and someone good must be struck by a malady (snakebite, malaria) that almost kills them.

There was no shock. No edge. I never worried about Hailee, I never really felt for her. I was hoping to be wowed by her acting, but I just wasn't. It was probably due mainly to the nature of the dialogue, but I found her acting to be very normal and theatrical. There was nothing natural, I never got lost in the moment.

But maybe that was the goal!  Some say, conformity can be the most effective form of radicalism...

Final note: Jeff Bridges is awesome.

Just my opinion! ^^^

NANCY DREW LIVES

Yes I am weird. Let's get past that.

One of my life obsessions is Nancy Drew computer games. You may scoff, but these games are actually difficult, filled with ridiculous puzzles that take hours to accomplish.

Unless you use an online walkthrough. Which I usually do.

WHATEVER! It's still fun. The graphics aren't fabulous and the voice-acting is pretty mediocre (really obnoxious when Nancy has a mission in a foreign country, like Ireland or Japan), but it's just one of those silly little comforts.

The latest game is quite chilling:

Basically, Nancy was meant to have restful stay in Kyoto, Japan but GOSHDARNIT she ends up in a reportedly haunted ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel)!!! Will she ever catch a break? Of course, as a seasoned detective, it is obvious that the haunting is a hoax, but who's behind it?

P.S. A little too much has been borrowed from The Ring. Long black-haired girls trapped in wells? Static on televisions? I mean really...

Anyways, I'll keep you updated on the outcome!

THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS-PREZZIES AND SNOW

NEWSFLASH: WHITE CHRISTMAS IN ALABAMA

That's right, it snowed Christmas day here! For the first time like, ever. Here are some sweet pics (taken with my iPhone's Hipstamatic application, my new obsession):

I also got some great gifts! Some PJ's, a breakfast cookbook from one of my favorite restaurants in the Upper West Side of New York, some lovely jewelry, a new backpack, some art supplies, candy, socks, tights, all the great stuff. I'm honestly just so stoked to be with my family on the holidays.

Oh, and here's a super indie picture of one of my favorite gifts, a keychain from Mexico:

The more you know me, the more you will discover: I am a wannabe-Frida Kahlo

Much love!

TIS CHRISTMAS EVE ☃☃☃

A very Merry Christmas Eve to everyone!

My family is about to embark on our traditional watching of the original Christmas Carol film (from the '40s and starring Alistair Sim, the Brad Pitt of his time...those were hard times)

I hope you all wake up to great joy and love!

And of course, a picture of our Christmas cookies:

HIPSTAMATIC-TASTIC!

This has been a good part of my day:

The amazing iPhone app Hipstamatic!

Your one way ticket to hipster stardom as you take pictures that look LEGIT super indie! I wish I could post some examples but alas, the app has one flaw: it refuses to make photosharing painless.

ALAS! I still love you.

IPHONE 4 + RECONNECTING

I got the new iPhone 4 today! I love it.

NOTES
-install a passcode (settings). SECURITY IS EVERYTHING
-download those sweet apps that make your pictures look all vintage and polaroid-y
-take advantage of the built in HD video camera/iMovie app (drool)
-GO CRAZY

Also, I reconnected with my great friends from home today! And I had some fine Alabama gas station cuisine! : Icees and Mr. Freshley's Pink Coconut Snowballs (BLEGH)

Good times. Happy almost Christmas!