Thursday, January 28, 2016

Some of my "jams" and a few scams

     All of you who know me, also know that I have a major television addiction. With the new seasons starting up-I am in absolute heaven.
     Recently, I started watching Suits (many of my friends have recommended this for years).
I have just begun the current season and I enjoy it. My husband (an attorney) however, hated the
only episode he watched. I don't feel any need to go back and watch the previous seasons though.
For now, it's holding my interest and I will keep tuning in.
     Billions-is a new show with Damien Lewis and Paul Giamatti. The jury is still out on the series
but I like the two main characters, so I will give it a few more episodes.
     The Circus-a political documentary on HBO that shows the 2016 political candidates and some of
their shenanigans. Interesting but not great.
     Coming Soon: Grease-a live production on THIS Sunday, Jan. 31 at 7p.m. on FOX.
                              People VS. OJ-starring John Travolta. Tues. Feb. 2 at 10p.m. on FX
                              Madoff-starring Richard Drefyss and Blythe Danner. Wed. Feb. 3 at 8pm on ABC.






NEW PRODUCTS ("jams")
      Burt's Bees-This brand has come out with a lipstick line. Now you can have moisture and more
 than just their usual hint of color. At drugstores.
      Prada-Olfactories eau de Parfums are ten new scents. Some of the catchy names are Heat Wave,
Double Dare, Tainted Love, Purple Rain, and Pink Flamingo. At $300 a bottle, it's not for the faint
of heart.  For a lot less dinero, my personal fragrance by Prada is Infusion D'Iris.
Two other fragrances I  also love are Bond #9's The Scent of Peace; and Bulgari's Eau de Toilette in
the Purple bottle.
      Radiant Skin-pure Gold Collagen Drink. This reduces fine lines and nourishes within.
At ULTA.
      Nivea-in shower body lotion. First soap up, rinse off soap, apply this lotion, and rinse off.
Provides 24 hour moisture for your entire body.
      Alpaca Socks-The warmest socks ever. My daughter is stockpiling them. From Edel Haus
Farm in Wall, N.J. Contact John Edelhauser at 732-890-1024. Many items are not on the
website so you should call for additional information. Edelhausalpacas.com
When you are at the Jersey Shore, visit the farm! The alpacas are super cute.
      Donald Rumsfeld's new App-former Secretary of Defense developed Churchill Solitaire. This
challenging and addictive game uses two decks and the goal is to move from Cadet to Prime Minister. This is certain to be the new rage.






BOOKS I WANT TO READ ( more "jams")
     The Portable Veblen-Elizabeth McKensie
     The Vegetarian-Han Kang
     The Yid-Paul Goldberg
     Fates and Furies-Lauren Goff
     Between The World and Me-Ta Nahisi Coates


PLACES I NEED TO GO  (totally jammin')
     Pennsy Food Court-Finally, we can purchase something other than Krispy Kremes (which I
adore) at Penn Station. Located at 2 Penn Plaza, there are now gourmet options galore. Commuters
can even grab take out for dinner before they hop on their trains to go home. Some of the stores:
    Marc Forgione-Lobster Press. A variety of lobster infused choices for the seafood lover.
    Adam Sobel-The Cinnamon Snail. This vegan truck chef has a cult following. Many yummy
entrees and desserts offered at this stationary spot. A s'mores donut sounds awesome!
    Mario Battali-infamous restaurateur offers up grilled Italian sandwiches and seasonal soups.
    Franklin Becker-The Little Beet. An offshoot of his healthy gluten free restaurant. Sounds
great.  Right up my alley.
    Pat LaFrieda-Meat purveyor opens his first restaurant offering meatballs and filet mignon
sandwiches. Also available is prepackaged beef to cook at home.
     Broadway's THE COLOR PURPLE-this show returns to The Great White Way, but this time
around,it is, by all accounts, sensational.  New star Cynthia  Erivo is literally bringing the house
down. RUN - don't walk.  Besides, you'll have to wait many months to see Hamilton so give this
a whirl.


SCAMS (finally!)
    Donald Trump-Seriously? This horrible egotistical man is racist and ridiculous. I cannot
comprehend how any intelligent Republican (is that an oxymoron?) could like this man as their
presidential candidate. He is a complete buffoon. Imagine the white house with him in it. I cannot
believe the wave of popularity. That being said-he is a smart businessman who has figured out
what appeals to the public.
    Roger Ailes/Fox News-Now that you understand that I find Trump intolerable and that I cannot
believe he is the frontrunner for the Republican Party, I have to say that Fox News is even more
disgusting than Trump. The fact that they sent out a press release saying that if Trump becomes
president the Ayatollah and Putin will treat him unfairly is pure fabrication. And it is irresponsible
and unprofessional reporting. Fox News has NEVER produced actual news - it is a complete imposter of a news network with crazy individuals hosting nightly shows. Bill O'Reilly, Sean
Hannity and Greta Van Susteren have their own distorted reality and spin on current events.
Please Watch CNN if you want an unbiased view of the news.


REAL SCAMS
    Never believe calls that are purporting to be a Windows or Microsoft Technician. They are not
going to fix your computer or make it run better. They want your personal info. Hang up.
    If you pick up the phone and no one is on the other end. Hang up after your first hello. These
are "silent calls" also trying to obtain information.
    Don't answer emails that offer or suggest anything about credit cards.
    Don't answer your door to people saying they are from the electric or gas company. Ask through
the door for a phone number you can call to check if they are authentic.
    If solicited on the computer to update to Windows 10 or to buy a security app, Do Not Do It.
    If you receive a call or a message from the IRS and they ask you to call back-DON'T! The IRS
doesn't call you.


   


   





     

Monday, January 11, 2016

Reviews of Movies, Television, Radio, and Fashion at the Golden Globes

MOVIES
    The Big Short-All star cast. Well acted, clever, compelling story about the housing credit bubble
                            of  2000's.  Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell are stellar. A favorite!
    Brooklyn-I am definitely in the minority here (or maybe not, since there was no mention of this
                    film at the Golden Globes) but I thought this movie fell flat. A period piece
                    telling a story about an "ordinary series of events". And very ordinary movie. Good for a
                    watch at home flick.
    Carol-A visually pleasing and well acted movie about relationships. Starring Cate Blanchette
              and Rooney Mara. I didn't like this one either. Slow.
    Creed-A great comeback for Stallone. Fun plot, wonderful fight scenes, and well played by Sly & 
               Michael B. Jordan. Director Ryan Coogler did a fabulous job. Stallone might finally get an
               Oscar.  Stallone won Best Supporting Actor at the Globes for this role.
    The Danish Girl-A vehicle for Eddie Redmayne to showcase a great performance. Story of
               the relationship between a husband and his wife; and the husband's desire to transition to a
               woman. Well acted by Alicia Vikandler and Redmayne.  Didn't love this one either!
    The Hateful Eight-Not one of Tarentino's better films, but still quirky and entertaining. It could
                                  have been edited better. Over the top violence. Kurt Russel and Samuel Jackson
                                  were terrific. Worth seeing only if you are a Tarentino fan.
    Joy-Story of Joy Mangano, a successful self made businesswoman/inventor seen frequently on
           HSN. Jennifer Lawrence stars in this and is excellent, but couldn't save the movie. She won
           at the Globes for Best Actress in a Comedy. I thought there were better performances by other
           actresses, but what do I know? Just fair-wait to watch at home and you will be entertained.
   The Martian-One of my favorites this year. Director Ridley Scott and Actor Matt Damon. A story
                        about an astronaut stranded alone on a hostile planet. One of Damon's best per-
                        formances. Damon deservedly won Best Actor for a Comedic Movie at The Golden
                        Globes.
    The Revenant-Directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu and starring Leo DiCaprio.  Based on true events
                            in the American West in the 1820's. A story of a man's love for his son and the
                            revenge he seeks for his son's murder.  An epic that is spectacular to watch. I liked
                            it. Will probably get Best Picture at the Oscar's. At The Globes, DiCaprio won best
                            performance by an Actor in a Dramatic movie. Inarritu won best director. And The
                            Revenant won best picture. I am not in agreement that it was the best picture, but I
                            predict it will sweep the Oscars anyway. Visually stunning.
     Room-Great adaptation of the book. In fact, even better than the book. Brie Larson (won the
                 Glove for Best Actress) and Jake Trembley were superb. Heart Wrenching. A story of love
                 between a mother and her son. Excellent acting and a good movie.
     Spotlight-An all star cast with Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Stanley Tucci. The story of
                     the allegations of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. In my opinion, the best movie
                     of the year. A must see! Too controversial to win Best Picture though.
     Star Wars-The theme of this flick: FIND LUKE! Exactly what you expect. Fun to watch, a
                       crowd pleaser, and fabulous special effects. See it in 3D.
     Youth-Plot focuses on the topic of getting old, something we should all relate to. Although it
                raised interesting questions, it was disjointed and hard to follow. Tedious and lacked
                purpose. Harvey Keitel and Michael Caine were great to watch, but could not save
                this movie. Don't bother.


 TELEVISION
      Flesh and Bones-Ballet and Sex. on Starz. Creepy, but I was enthralled. Watch it if you
                                 are curious and have some time. On Starz.
      Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD-my new favorite series. I especially like Chicago 
                                  Fire. Lucky Lady Gaga-her fiancĂ© Taylor Kinney stars in this and is my new
                                  heartthrob.  
      Shameless-a new season begins. As good as ever. William Macy is fabulous. Showtime on 
                        Sunday night.
      Billions-Hedge fund billionaire Damien Lewis is being watched by U.S. Attorney Paul 
                    Giamatti.  So much fun to watch! Showtime on Sunday night.
     Downton Abbey-the final season.  Boo hoo. Always enticing and mesmerizing. Love it. PBS on 
                     Sunday night. Treat yourself and watch all the seasons on demand.  
RADIO
      Serial Podcast - Season 2 on NPR.  Narrator Sarah Koenig teams with filmmaker Mark Boal 
                                to tell the intricate story of Bowe Bergdahl. Remember he was the U.S.  
                                soldier who walked away from his post in Afghanistan in 2009.
                                Koenig forces you to reassess your views and opinions about what happened.
                               You will look at this situation in various ways. This is a fabulous series. I am
                                only at the beginning of this season, but I guarantee you will love listening.
                                Try it you will be hooked.
THE GOLDEN GLOBES
      Best Dressed
               1) Alicia Vikandler -in Louis Vuitton. That all white dress was magnificent. Her skin
                    looked exquisite. A perfect vision. Simple and Elegant.
               2) Jennifer Lawrence-my #2 pick. That red Dior gown and Chopard necklace were
                    breathtaking. She got it completely right. The gown looked amazing on her body!
                3) Helen Mirren-there is no one more exquisite. That body rocks for any age -she is
                    flawless in a simple black gown and a Harry Winston necklace. Sheer perfection.
                4) Jennifer Lopez-only JLo could pull off that mustard Giambattista Valli gown. She is
                    beyond beautiful and looks so much sexier covered up. And 200 carats of Harry
                    Winston diamonds didn't hurt the look! Absolutely stunning.
     Worst Dressed
                1) Jane Fonda-I hate to say it but the gorgeous 78 year old looked like a clown. All those
                    ruffles were too overpowering for her petite frame. A clear miss. Needs a new
                    stylist.
                 2) Cate Blanchett-in pale pink Givency-it was the worst! She looked as if she had a horse
                     tail at the back. Her hair was horrendous. None of it worked.  Scary!
                 3) Katy Perry-in a pink revealing gown and "bump it" in her hair, she didn't get it right.
                      Her body and hair have definitely seen better days.
                 4) Eva Longoria-there was just too much going on with the gown. The bow at  the neck,
                      the belt at the waist , and the embroidery at her hips. If the belt was gone, it would've
                      looked ok. Not one of her  better looks.
                  5) Kate Hudson- a rocking body that wasn't rocking. If she turned the top around, the
                      gown would've been sensational. And, please get rid of that ugly choker.
   
   





Globes