Chocolate Goodness

13 Jun

There’s a certain freedom that comes from knowing that as much as I may want to lose weight, it’s more fun to not even try.

So that’s why when I saw on the Travel Channel or the Food Network or some other channel earlier this year that there was a Chocolate Bar at the Langham Hotel here in Boston, I knew I’d get there sooner or later. Thankfully, Nina felt the same way I did, so we went with her husband today to celebrate my birthday, his birthday, and their anniversary in gluttonous style. Continue reading →

About Last Night

8 Jun

I’ve been to Las Vegas twice, but thankfully, I’ve never experienced anything quite as crazy as what you’ll see in The Hangover.

This movie — a sort-of cross between Very Bad Things and Dude, Where’s My Car? — is about a bachelor party gone very wrong, and how the morning after, three guys attempt to piece together what happened the night before (and find the groom, who has gone missing).

The unlikely trio of Bradley Cooper (Alias), Ed Helms (The Office), and Zach Galifianakis (Between Two Ferns) generate plenty of laughs — to spoil any of them would just be cruel, although there are a bunch of clips available on the web that ruin a few surprises.

No matter. Continue reading →

One Degree Closer?

7 Jun

I was reading the new issue of Entertainment Weekly this weekend, and in a Q&A with actress Kyra Sedgwick, who is, of course, married to Kevin Bacon, I saw this exchange:

Do you pay attention to your press?
My husband is a Google Alert guy. He has one on himself and me. I’m like, Dude, I don’t want to know what people are saying.

So I just wanted to test that out. If you’re reading this, Kevin or Kyra … Hi there! How’s it going?

Lots to Celebrate

7 Jun

It wasn’t me who coined the phrase “The Day of All Days,” but whatever you call it, the day is here again.

Today is my birthday — number 35.

Jeez, I’m getting old.

Thankfully, I don’t feel 35. And of course, I don’t act like I’m 35.

Today especially, where I’m all about attention and celebrating, just like I was when I was seven. Continue reading →

Touch of Grey

6 Jun

I’ve been fascinated by the story of the Beales for only a short time now — ever since I watched the movie Grey Gardens on HBO — and when I heard that there was going to be a production of the Broadway adaptation here in Boston at the Lyric Stage Company, I decided to check it out (with my friend Nina).

I’d never seen the Tony Award–winning show when it was on Broadway, never had much interest, but hey, why not see it now? The story remains fascinating to me, and thankfully, this production (which ends today) kept the mystery alive. Continue reading →

Home Is Where the Heart Is

5 Jun

Watching the new film Away We Go, it’s hard not to think of Billy Joel’s classic song, “You’re My Home.”

The story of a couple traveling around the country in search of a place to live before their baby is born, Away We Go is a very sweet film and a very nice surprise. Written by Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) and his wife, Vendela Vida, directed by Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road), and starring The Office‘s John Krasinski and Saturday Night Live‘s Maya Rudolph, it’s filled with enough quirky characters to fill a few independent films, and it defies a bit of logic (for example, how this couple that is just barely scraping by is able to afford cross-country travel), but it has so much heart and so many laughs, and the acting by Krasinski and Rudolph is so unexpectedly tender and good, that you can suspend your disbelief pretty easily. Continue reading →

The Sky’s the Limit

3 Jun

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words.

And then there are Pixar movies, where the beautiful imagery is just priceless.

So it goes in the company’s latest, the simply named Up, which is a gorgeous, bright, colorful movie that has as much depth and emotion as it does stunning visuals.

I just don’t know how those Pixar folks do it. Every single film they make is an impressive achievement, each one better than the last. Continue reading →

I’m Gonna Go to Friendly’s

3 Jun

What better way to spend my upcoming birthday weekend (psssst … the big day is Sunday) than by enjoying some free ice cream at Friendly’s? Woo hoo! So consider this your heads up. From noon to 5 p.m. this Saturday, Friendly’s is giving out free scoops of ice cream. I’ll be there. Will you?

The Remix Gets Iced

2 Jun

I’m not one to complain about getting something for free, especially when it comes to ice cream. In fact, there are few things I get excited for more than free ice cream. So you have to assume that when the good folks at Cold Stone Creamery emailed me Sunday with a coupon for a free ice cream in honor of my birthday (which, ahem, is this Sunday), I was quite excited. That is, I was excited until I saw the coupon itself: good for a free small size original creation of my choice, i.e.: ice cream and one mix-in. One. You’d think that Cold Stone, which features a Signature Creation called Birthday Cake Remix (yum), would offer you a free cup or cone of that flavor — or at least a creation with enough mix-ins so you can make it yourself — on your birthday. Nope. Not that this is going to stop me from claiming my gift between now and June 14, when the coupon expires, but I just thought it deserved a comment.

Lock Me Up

1 Jun

Here’s another story from the “Sometimes I Can Be Such a Moron” department …

So as you know, Saturday night I went to see Dave Matthews Band at Fenway.

I drove my car to the St. Mary’s T stop on Beacon St., fed the parking meter, and hopped on the T to meet some friends at Bukowski’s.

As the train started to pull away, I thought to myself, “Wait a second. Did I lock my car door? Yes, of course I did. Why wouldn’t I? How could I forget that?”

(You know where this story is going, don’t you?) Continue reading →

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