I honestly believe that non-natives to South Louisiana provide some of the best perspectives on the unusual, unwieldy, slightly unsettling vibe of this region. And it helps when those non-natives are sort of kooky, creative types with keen powers of observation, and a genuine affection for this place.
The makers of Beasts of the Southern Wild, an independent film that’s been winning film festival awards and getting lots of great industry buzz, took on the rather daunting task of trying to convey the strange and remarkable undercurrent of energy that truly separates this region from the rest of the country, with pretty impressive results. Just as the movie's co-writer, Lucy Alibar suggests, “It’s cinematic, completely visual, and sensory. It does everything that only a movie can do.”
Shot in Terrebonne Parish using local, first-time actors, it’s the story of a young girl named Hushpuppy who lives in a remote, fictional swamp community at the very tip of Louisiana, called The Bathtub. Her mother has long since abandoned her, and her alcoholic, ailing father (Dwight Henry, owner of the Buttermilk Drop Bakery and Café in Mid-City, New Orleans) uses a tough-love approach in preparing his daughter for his death and an impending storm, which is threatening to decimate their home.
At first glance, theirs is a filthy, harsh, bizarre existence, but as the story progresses, with the help of Hushpuppy’s insightful and colorful narration, and a rather unconventional filmmaking style, we begin to appreciate the amazing outlook that the lifestyle and culture has afforded this little girl. It combines mythological elements (prehistoric cave paintings that come to life) with ecological considerations (the destruction of Louisiana’s wetlands, thanks to disruptive levees) and existential ponderings (Hushpuppy often contemplates the unraveling of the fabric of the universe). The outcome is a very primal, yet sort of high-concept representation of the region. Does that sound obtuse and pretentious? Sorry, it’s a multi-layered film that’s a bit hard to describe!
Luckily, I got the chance to speak with the filmmaker, his co-writer, and the star of the movie just before the New Orleans premiere. Each add some much-needed humanity to my clumsy attempt at a synopsis.
After a little prodding, Quvenzhané Wallis, the spunky eight-year-old from Houma, Louisiana, who plays Hushpuppy, sheepishly admits that like any normal kid, she’d rather be spending time with her Yorkshire Terrier and family at home. But she politely responds to a question about the grueling post-production marketing campaign (which has included press junkets and trips down the red carpet in Cannes, L.A., and now New Orleans) by happily chirping, “I want to be positive, it’s all been great and beautiful!”
When I first met Quvenzhané, known as “Nazie” to friends and family, she had casually plopped herself in the director’s lap, and remained there while we chatted. This may sound a little sketchy on paper, but it was actually quite sweet, as Behn Zeitlin is a youthful, moppy-haired 29-year-old who seems more like her big brother than the boss who made her traipse around the swamps for seven weeks.
On the subject of filming the movie, she says, while grinning and hugging Behn’s neck, “It was not boring with this director! And I liked all the animals, except the pig. He was big and fat,” she admits, seemingly struggling to stop herself from holding her nose, as though indicating a possible pork-based hygiene issue would be rude. “And I’m used to the swamp, but I’m not used to the mosquitoes – all the mosquitoes! We don’t have mosquitoes like that in Houma!”
Mosquitos weren’t the only challenges they faced during filming. Guess what oil well in the Gulf of Mexico exploded during day-one of production! Considering the storyline of the movie, I wondered what effect the timing of the BP oil spill disaster would have on the production.
“It definitely felt like life imitating art. It was eery,” Behn explains. “We didn’t want to make a political movie or anything that was about the science of (Hurricane Katrina) or a call to action, but more of an emotional experience of living through an environmental catastrophe.”
And there it was. Right on cue.
Benh has been friends with his co-writer, the aforementioned Lucy Alibar, since they were 13 years old, so their decision to collaborate was an easy one. For this project, they decided to combine elements of Lucy’s imaginative, Southern gothic play, Juicy and Delicious, which is based on her own struggle to come to terms with her father’s declining health, with Behn’s short film, Glory at Sea, which is about a mysterious man who gets people to build a boat using Hurricane Katrina wreckage to rescue loved ones lost at sea. To gain a little insight during the writing process, they moved into a Terrebonne Parish fishing village to observe the language and the general vibe of the locals.
Lucy is a sunny, thoughtful young woman who uses her whole body to speak. When describing her experience in Louisiana, she gets a distant look in her eyes and seems to channel the tides, making wide, fluid motions with her arms. “I had never been to Louisiana before, but it felt like home,“ she admits. Then, she sums up the locals’ style of communication thusly, “They give you the whole world when you ask a simple question.”
Behn conveys a similarly esoteric, feel-don’t-think approach when describing the production. “We cast as we wrote, and we kind of let actors rewrite their roles. We tried to let places and people that are in the film breathe and speak for themselves, and not bring in preconceived notions. We were just trying to… stay back and not force any ideas.”
In speaking with both Benh and Lucy, you can’t help but recognize the heartfelt fondness they feel for this region. Benh has made New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood his permanent home, while Lucy admits that she’s never felt like a true New Yorker, and she wants to move to New Orleans, as well. I wondered how two writers from New York could connect so quickly and deeply with South Louisiana, then I discovered, they both have roots in the South. Behn’s mom is from South Carolina, while Lucy is originally from South Georgia.
Ah, therein lies the basis for the connection. South Louisiana is like the foreign-born cousin to the Deep South. It’s definitely its own country, but with some decidedly familial Southern threads.
As unique and somewhat odd as it is, Beasts of the Southern Wild probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but those who get it, will really appreciate the affection with which this film was made. It taps into and conveys the indescribably energy that locals are born with, and so many of us transplants are so excited to discover.
Beasts of the Southern Wild opens at The Theatres at Canal Place and Prytania Theater on July 4.
31 Aralık 2012 Pazartesi
BIG SCREEN: Meet the Inspiring Talent Behind Louisiana's "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
BIG SCREEN: Les Miserables Revieux (PG-13)
The timing of the release of this screen adaptation of Les Miserables is especially poignant, as the emotions it evokes seem to mirror the roller coaster of emotions our country is experiencing right now. We’ve been mired in the horror and heartbreak of terrible tragedy that has brought about acts of kindness that serve to renew our faith in humanity. So, be prepared. It’s quite a cathartic experience!
So, the plot… a 19th century Frenchman named Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is finally released from prison after serving nineteen grueling years for stealing a loaf of bread. As he jumps parole and tries to make a new, meaningful life for himself, he’s ceaselessly hunted by Javert (Russell Crowe), the man who made his life extra hellish in prison. Just as he’s about to surrender to Javert, Valjean finds a new reason to remain free when he vows to raise the young daughter of a destitute, dying factory worker (Anne Hathaway), and later finds himself fighting alongside the passionate young rebels of the French Revolution.
In addition to the breathtaking cinematography and wonderful directing by Tom Hooper (The King's Speech), what makes this version so successful is the casting. Pure genius, with maybe one or two missteps.
Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman are just astounding. Hathaway’s raw portrayal of Fantine is just hard to comprehend. The musical’s signature song, “I Dreamed a Dream” has been done a zillion times, yet she manages to totally own and reinterpret it in a gut-wrenching fashion. How the heck do you emote and sob to the degree that she did, while maintaining vocal control? If they did overdubs, I don’t want to know.
And Jackman’s amazing transformation into a hollow, unrecognizable shell of a man at the start of the film is mindboggling. He then proceeds to ably carry the entire film, and beautifully performs some seriously, seriously difficult songs. Holy smokes, is that dude talented.
The child actors are all heartbreakingly spot-on, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen as the innkeeper and his wife are brilliantly absurd, and the rest of the supporting cast members just nail it. Then, there’s Russell Crowe. One of the aforementioned missteps. Oh, Russell. Bless his heart, he’s not bad, but next to all the powerhouses, he just falls short. You can sense the incredible amount of effort he puts into the role, but it just doesn’t measure up to everyone else. I felt sort of the same way about Amanda Seyfried as the adult Cosette. The acting was great, the vocals just didn’t do it for me. Bummer.
Other than those two blips, the rest of the film is just perfection. Do yourself a favor, though – be sure to go with fellow musical lovers. It’s pretty faithful to the stage play – all singing, all the time for two-and-a-half hours. Trust me, you do not want to sit next to someone sighing and squirming throughout the movie, as I did. You may also want to make a pact with your fellow moviegoers to be allowed to freely and openly weep, as needed. I seriously would like to rent an entire theater out for myself so I can sing and sob to my heart’s content.
It’s a true masterpiece. Enjoy!
It's In My Blood
Um, okay, you may be thinking.
“Well,” I say to you head scratchers. “The reason I am bringing up Robert Maynard, is he was my great, great, great, (maybe throw in a few more great’s) uncle, and like him, I do not like pirates.”
Ahh, you might say with the little light bulb going off over your head.
Yes, this post is about piracy and I want to say a few words about it, starting with... STOP IT!
Seriously people, this is just WRONG. Let me say that I have no reason to believe that any of you are involved in this, (You're way to awesome) but I'm asking each of you to help me get the word out about this huge problem.
It was pointed out to me a few days ago that at least one of my books is being downloaded for free. Did you catch that? FOR FREE!!!!!!!! This is the same book that I worked on for almost 9 months. I then spent several more months trying to get it published. When I found a home for my MS, my publisher then had to produce it, which by the way, takes lots and lots of time and money Pirated books take money from all of our pockets and if this doesn't stop we won't be able to continue producing books.
Believe me when I say I understand being broke. Broke and I are very close acquaintances. Because of this fact, I have purchased few books in my lifetime.( I know, *gasp*) This was not because I didn’t want them, but because I couldn’t afford them. Like anything else I can’t afford, I have to either do without, or find a LEGAL way to obtain what I want. And there are legal ways to obtain free books.
1.GIVEAWAYS Many authors, myself included, host tons of giveaways. Enter them.
2. REVIEW Many authors/publishers will send you a free copy for an honest review. Ask.
3. PUBLIC LIBRARY This is the easiest solution of all. You can read practically anything for free—legally. Due to my financially challenged bank account, I visit my local library A Lot.
Of course, as an author I wish everyone in the world would buy at least one copy of all of my books, but if you can’t afford it, check with your local library to see if they have a copy. Both of my books are in the library system. This means that even if your local library doesn’t have it, they can get it. Do the authors and publishers a favor and request it. It’s a win win for us all. You get to read the book legally, and we get a sale.
Consider this, If I were to make $1.00 for every book of mine that was sold (which I don't) and IF I sold 100 copies a month (which, I could only hope for) that would leave me making a mere $100.00 a month. Could you pay your bills with that? Yeah, me neither.
Let’s ban together to stop piracy.
Picture also from wikipedia
I know it's November but...
Blog
Oneyear while in college, my best friend and I decided to take a “girl trip” fullof shopping and pampering. On Mom’s recommendation, we went to Eureka Springs,Arkansas, and stayed at the Crescent Hotel. Of course, I knew about the hotel’shauntings, but my friend wasn’t a believer, so I decided to just not put muchemphasis on it. There was plenty for us to do without going ghost hunting. On ourfirst night at the hotel, it stormed. If you’ve never been on top of a mountain(inside, of course) during a lightning storm, you don’t know what you’remissing. It was incredible. But eventually we got tired of taking pictures ofthe storm and went to bed. I wasin that state between asleep and awake when I felt someone jump into bed withme after an especially loud clap of thunder. It wasn’t until after I’d rolledover to make more room that my brain kicked in and I realized that somethingwasn’t right about that. My best friend, the only other person in the room, wassoftly snoring in her bed, across the room. I slowly reached out toward thedepressed area of my bed and felt a distinct cold spot. Whatever was in my bedonly took up a small area of space, and I didn’t feel threatened, so I rolledover to go back to sleep. A fewmoments later, another bolt of thunder sounded, and my friend quit snoring. I’dalmost drifted off when she hissed, “Keshia, there’s someone in my bed.” Shesounded, well, panicked. But the little form snuggled next to me was stillthere. I have enough of my mother in me to know it was time to do a little ghosthunting. I rolled out of bed, flipped on the light, and grabbed my camera. Myfriend was sitting up, staring at an empty spot on her bed. “It’s right there.”She pointed, and when I ran my hand through the area, sure enough, there was acold spot. I quickly turned and snapped one picture of my bed before my camerabatteries died. But not to worry, I had extras. Rechargables, that I’d pluggedin before we went to sleep. Or did I?” I ranover to where I’d left them, only to find the batteries scattered on the floor,and the charger, neatly folded up, sitting several feet from the outlet.Apparently, whatever was with us didn’t want their picture taken. As you canimagine, I had a lot of explaining to do. Myfriend and I sat up for hours, talking about ghosts, what it was like to livewith them, and what I thought they were. I even talked to our bed-sharingghosts, but they weren’t willing to move at all. I finally convinced my friendto close her eyes and try to get an impression from the ghost lying at herfeet. She told me the first thing that came to her mind was a small child,afraid of the storm. When I told her that was very similar to what I felt, amixture of being calmed and exhausted let her fall asleep. When wewoke the next morning, the storm had passed, and the cold spots were gone. Butneither one of us could get the incident off our minds. Finally, the eveningrolled around, and the hotel was putting on a ghost tour. We got there early totalk to the tour guide, wanting to see if anyone else had reported what we hadexperienced. I told him everything, leaving out only that my friend and I hadboth thought of scared children. The owner of the ghost tour listened to ourtale without comment. After we finished, he said he hadn’t heard anything ofthat nature before, but it didn’t surprise him. At one point the hotel had beena hospital, and our rooms were part of the children’s wing.
$40 New Years Eve in New York City!!
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For more information, read Discover New York Skyline View for $99 or to buy your tickets online, visit Ravel Hotel.
27 Aralık 2012 Perşembe
I know it's November but...
Blog
Oneyear while in college, my best friend and I decided to take a “girl trip” fullof shopping and pampering. On Mom’s recommendation, we went to Eureka Springs,Arkansas, and stayed at the Crescent Hotel. Of course, I knew about the hotel’shauntings, but my friend wasn’t a believer, so I decided to just not put muchemphasis on it. There was plenty for us to do without going ghost hunting. On ourfirst night at the hotel, it stormed. If you’ve never been on top of a mountain(inside, of course) during a lightning storm, you don’t know what you’remissing. It was incredible. But eventually we got tired of taking pictures ofthe storm and went to bed. I wasin that state between asleep and awake when I felt someone jump into bed withme after an especially loud clap of thunder. It wasn’t until after I’d rolledover to make more room that my brain kicked in and I realized that somethingwasn’t right about that. My best friend, the only other person in the room, wassoftly snoring in her bed, across the room. I slowly reached out toward thedepressed area of my bed and felt a distinct cold spot. Whatever was in my bedonly took up a small area of space, and I didn’t feel threatened, so I rolledover to go back to sleep. A fewmoments later, another bolt of thunder sounded, and my friend quit snoring. I’dalmost drifted off when she hissed, “Keshia, there’s someone in my bed.” Shesounded, well, panicked. But the little form snuggled next to me was stillthere. I have enough of my mother in me to know it was time to do a little ghosthunting. I rolled out of bed, flipped on the light, and grabbed my camera. Myfriend was sitting up, staring at an empty spot on her bed. “It’s right there.”She pointed, and when I ran my hand through the area, sure enough, there was acold spot. I quickly turned and snapped one picture of my bed before my camerabatteries died. But not to worry, I had extras. Rechargables, that I’d pluggedin before we went to sleep. Or did I?” I ranover to where I’d left them, only to find the batteries scattered on the floor,and the charger, neatly folded up, sitting several feet from the outlet.Apparently, whatever was with us didn’t want their picture taken. As you canimagine, I had a lot of explaining to do. Myfriend and I sat up for hours, talking about ghosts, what it was like to livewith them, and what I thought they were. I even talked to our bed-sharingghosts, but they weren’t willing to move at all. I finally convinced my friendto close her eyes and try to get an impression from the ghost lying at herfeet. She told me the first thing that came to her mind was a small child,afraid of the storm. When I told her that was very similar to what I felt, amixture of being calmed and exhausted let her fall asleep. When wewoke the next morning, the storm had passed, and the cold spots were gone. Butneither one of us could get the incident off our minds. Finally, the eveningrolled around, and the hotel was putting on a ghost tour. We got there early totalk to the tour guide, wanting to see if anyone else had reported what we hadexperienced. I told him everything, leaving out only that my friend and I hadboth thought of scared children. The owner of the ghost tour listened to ourtale without comment. After we finished, he said he hadn’t heard anything ofthat nature before, but it didn’t surprise him. At one point the hotel had beena hospital, and our rooms were part of the children’s wing.
The Byrrh Is Back, and Is Ready for Your Next Cocktail
Byrrh, a fortified wine once unavailable in the U.S., shines in the Marianne cocktail, a riff on our cherished Manhattan.Several years ago, while pouring through Vincent Gasnier’s Drinks, a gorgeously photographed and curated tome of alcoholic beverages throughout the world, Paul stumbled upon a minuscule entry for a fortified wine called Byrrh.
Byrrh is produced in Roussillion, in the far south of France. It is red wine treated with quinine . . . and herbs. The mixture is matured for three years before bottling.
You will either love or hate this distinctive apéritif—its combination of sweet flavors and bitter finish is unique. Serve it either at room temperature or slightly chilled.
So many things in these two succinct paragraphs intrigue: “matured for three years,” “love or hate,” “unique.” Also, the name itself. Byrrh looks like the word myrrh (frankincense and gold’s biblical sibling), so Paul decides, in rhyming solidarity, to pronounce it brrr, as if shivering from a chill in the air. After doing a little sleuthing, he discovers that Byrrh (actually pronounced beer—how’s that for confusion!) is unavailable in the U.S. Like a child confronted with the unobtainable, he is stung by the bee of acquisitiveness and that bee will remain buzzing around his bonnet for the next six years until Byrrh finds its way to these shores (thanks to Pernod Ricard).
Byrrh is categorized as an amère (bitter), specifically a quinquina, a fortified wine that contains the herb quinine, which was added to wines as an effective malaria prevention. Invented in 1866 in the Eastern Pyrénées, Byrrh’s popularity grew steadily after poster competitions were launched in 1903 to promote the brand, and were continued throughout the early part of that century. By 1935, Byrrh achieved the position as the number one apéritif in France.
Cut to a few years later, Paul is trying to come up with a name for a cocktail he created for his mom. In doing so, he googles “Marianne Cocktail” to see if her name is already taken. Lo and behold, it is. And one of its ingredients is Byrrh! (Foiled again.)Scouring old cocktail books can be an entertaining but often frustrating endeavor if a spirit is unavailable. Take for instance David A. Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. Ever since Mud Puddle Books republished it, we had been meaning to get a copy, so when we finally did, we looked through the Manhattan section only to rediscover the Marianne cocktail. But this time, we were in luck. The bee that was busily buzzing in Paul’s bonnet would be laid to rest; Byrrh was being sold at Astor Wines & Spirits.
We’ve played with several spirits brands in making the Marianne cocktail, and find that following the recipe below will make you look at the Manhattan in an entirely new light. Akin to what we now would call a Perfect Manhattan (Embury called it a Medium Manhattan), the Marianne cocktail replaces sweet vermouth with Byrrh. But before you make the cocktail, you should take a sip of this enticing quinquina. It’s sweeter than most vermouths because it contains mistelle, a syrup made from mixing neutral spirits with partially fermented grape must. You can taste the lusciousness of the fruit. Enjoy.Marianne
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)
Ingredients
2 ounces rye (try Bulleit or Templeton)
1/2 ounce Byrrh
1/2 ounce dry vermouth (try Noilly Prat)
1 dash Angostura bitters
Method
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Garnish with a maraschino or brandied cherry.
❤ ❤ ❤
If you like the taste of Byrrh, you may love the Rye Byrrh, which reverses the potency of the spirits in the Marianne. It’s lighter, and on the rocks. Perfect for a casual cocktail party. Serve with bacon-wrapped dates.
Rye Byrrh
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)
Ingredients
2 ounces Byrrh
3/4 ounce rye (try Bulleit or Templeton)
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
lemon twist, as garnish
ice
Method
Stir in ice for 15 seconds and strain into ice-filled rocks glass. Express twist over glass and toss in.
photo © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz
Piny Cocktails for the Holidays
Bold and original, the Scots Pine will keep you festive this holiday season.Both of us grew up celebrating Christmas. We still do. One year we visit one family in Connecticut, with hopes of freshly fallen snow blanketing the New England landscape; the next year, we escape the cold Brooklyn for the dry, saguaro-spiked desert called Arizona. Truth be told, we’ve never spent Yuletide in NYC, but we vow to spend Christmas in New York in the near future. That would make our job of making creative Holiday-themed cocktails a little easier, since we have over 150 bottles of booze on the shelves, and in the fridges (one regular-sized and two mini), with spillover in the sideboard.
With all those bottles, experimenting becomes a chore insofar as we have to decide among six ryes, eight gins, seven bourbons, four orange liqueurs—you get the idea. It’s a chore of which we never grow weary. What we imagine being a full-time taster for Häagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry’s might be like.
But being part-time cocktail tasters is just as fun. Indulgence has its limits (same as with ice cream), so you kind of have to know ahead of time what you want your cocktails to taste like; thus, what spirits, juices, and other ingredients you’re going to be working with. So, when your booze arsenal is vast and varied, you tend to use items you normally would keep hidden at the back of the shelf. It’s good to bring these spirits to the fore to challenge your creativity.
Over the years, we’ve been playing with the flavor of pine. Yes, pine, as in fir tree. The conifer you bring indoors and decorate year after year, just so you can get high on the piny smell of Christmastime. So we offer you two drinks that find their roots in pine and we bestow them names that befit their essence, O Tannenbaum and Scots Pine.
Paul came up with the Scots Pine a few years back, unbeknownst to Steve, who was away visiting family. Scotch whisky was primed to the be the main ingredient since Steve isn’t the biggest fan of the spirit. And Paul was itching to mix with a recently acquired bottle of Zirbenz stone pine liqueur. This liqueur smells like someone baking blondies in the middle of a coniferous forest. The taste is mildly sweet and resinous. It is definitely one of those things that make you go hmm, then mmm. Paul felt he was onto something when he mixed it with a blended scotch, but when he added some sweet vermouth (particularly Carpano Antica), he knew he was onto something. Here was a scotch cocktail that got some zing from the Zirbenz, but then a little taming and smoothing over the rough edges from the vermouth. Alas, a scotch cocktail that Steve would like. An orange peel expressed over and dropped into the glass was the one last touch needed to elevate this lovely drink to even lovelier.
The Scots Pine is the perfect cocktail to share with friends over an intimate Holiday gathering. A few sips will open the palate and pair nicely with an array of cheeses and little nibbles, like spiced nuts, preparing the way for dinner.
Scots Pine
(created by Cocktail Buzz)
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces blended scotch
1/2 ounce Zirbenz stone pine liqueur
1/2 ounce Carpano Antica sweet vermouth
orange peel, as garnish
Method
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or coupe. With a vegetable peeler, peel a 3/4 × 2-inch swatch of orange, but careful not to get any pith. Express peel over drink and toss in.
❤ ❤ ❤
After dinner, you might want to gather round the dessert buffet with a simple drink we call O Tannenbaum. We came up with it one night when trying to come up with a cocktail for a NYC theatre company’s holiday party. It’s an odd bird really, using an old timey liqueur called crème de noyaux (pronounced nwah-YO), a primary ingredient in a pink squirrel (a great name that makes sense since crème de noyaux is almond-flavored and, in most instances, bright red). Mixing almond flavors with the juniper flavors in a London dry gin creates a piny explosion. The half and half unites these flavors with its mellowing caress of dairy, giving the drink a bright deep pink hue. Perfect for nibbling cookies by the fire while lovingly gazing at the tree.
O Tannenbaum
(created by Cocktail Buzz)
2 ounces London dry gin
1 ounce half and half
3/4 ounce crème de noyaux
nutmeg, as garnish (optional)
Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into chilled punch or small cocktail glasses. Garnish with nutmeg, if so desired, for an extra spicy kick.
Serves 2 (or 1, if you’re terribly thirsty).
Further Explorations in Pine
If you love the taste of pine, you must try Clear Creek Distillery’s Douglas Fir eau de vie. The aroma is slightly redolent of pears, with a hint of pine, but when drunk with a little water to soften its alcohol content (47.73%), the roles reverse. You taste the resinous pine, mellowed by a hint of pear. Exquisite.
cocktail photos © Steve Schul and Paul Zablocki, Cocktail Buzz
Zirbenz photo courtesy Haus Alpenz
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£41,500 per night (USD $67,321) Hotel President Wilson Royal Penthouse Suite, Geneva, Switzerland
£19,160 per night (USD $31,018)The PlazaRoyal Plaza Suite, New York, NY
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Must-See Travel Destinations in the USA for 2013
According to Lonely Planet travel editors, there are ten must-see travel destinations in the USA for 2013. Offering a variety of trips for families, outdoor enthusiasts, historians and more, be sure to put at least one of these on your vacation list and you'll be glad you did ;)Without further adieu, here are the Must-See Travel Destinations in the USA for 2013 (in no particular order):
- Glacier National Park, MT
- Verde Valley, AZ
- Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
- Bangor/Katahdin/Moosehead Lake, ME
- Eastern Sierra/High Sierra, CA
- American Samoa, South Pacific
- Philadelphia, PA
- San Juan Islands, WA
- Fairbanks, AK
- Louisville, KY
20 Aralık 2012 Perşembe
I know it's November but...
Blog
Oneyear while in college, my best friend and I decided to take a “girl trip” fullof shopping and pampering. On Mom’s recommendation, we went to Eureka Springs,Arkansas, and stayed at the Crescent Hotel. Of course, I knew about the hotel’shauntings, but my friend wasn’t a believer, so I decided to just not put muchemphasis on it. There was plenty for us to do without going ghost hunting. On ourfirst night at the hotel, it stormed. If you’ve never been on top of a mountain(inside, of course) during a lightning storm, you don’t know what you’remissing. It was incredible. But eventually we got tired of taking pictures ofthe storm and went to bed. I wasin that state between asleep and awake when I felt someone jump into bed withme after an especially loud clap of thunder. It wasn’t until after I’d rolledover to make more room that my brain kicked in and I realized that somethingwasn’t right about that. My best friend, the only other person in the room, wassoftly snoring in her bed, across the room. I slowly reached out toward thedepressed area of my bed and felt a distinct cold spot. Whatever was in my bedonly took up a small area of space, and I didn’t feel threatened, so I rolledover to go back to sleep. A fewmoments later, another bolt of thunder sounded, and my friend quit snoring. I’dalmost drifted off when she hissed, “Keshia, there’s someone in my bed.” Shesounded, well, panicked. But the little form snuggled next to me was stillthere. I have enough of my mother in me to know it was time to do a little ghosthunting. I rolled out of bed, flipped on the light, and grabbed my camera. Myfriend was sitting up, staring at an empty spot on her bed. “It’s right there.”She pointed, and when I ran my hand through the area, sure enough, there was acold spot. I quickly turned and snapped one picture of my bed before my camerabatteries died. But not to worry, I had extras. Rechargables, that I’d pluggedin before we went to sleep. Or did I?” I ranover to where I’d left them, only to find the batteries scattered on the floor,and the charger, neatly folded up, sitting several feet from the outlet.Apparently, whatever was with us didn’t want their picture taken. As you canimagine, I had a lot of explaining to do. Myfriend and I sat up for hours, talking about ghosts, what it was like to livewith them, and what I thought they were. I even talked to our bed-sharingghosts, but they weren’t willing to move at all. I finally convinced my friendto close her eyes and try to get an impression from the ghost lying at herfeet. She told me the first thing that came to her mind was a small child,afraid of the storm. When I told her that was very similar to what I felt, amixture of being calmed and exhausted let her fall asleep. When wewoke the next morning, the storm had passed, and the cold spots were gone. Butneither one of us could get the incident off our minds. Finally, the eveningrolled around, and the hotel was putting on a ghost tour. We got there early totalk to the tour guide, wanting to see if anyone else had reported what we hadexperienced. I told him everything, leaving out only that my friend and I hadboth thought of scared children. The owner of the ghost tour listened to ourtale without comment. After we finished, he said he hadn’t heard anything ofthat nature before, but it didn’t surprise him. At one point the hotel had beena hospital, and our rooms were part of the children’s wing.
Cover Reveal
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by Toni De Palma
When 17 year old Cooper dies in an attempt to burn down his school, he finds himself in the afterlife. Lucy, the Devil's sister who has crossed party lines, decides to give Cooper another shot at heaven. The deal? Cooper returns to Earth and has to find a girl named Grace. The rest is up to him. While Cooper figures out his mission, he's thrown into the life he's always wanted. Great parents, a spot on the Varsity football team and a real future are all within reach. But what he really wants is Grace, a feisty girl with an abusive boyfriend that can pound Cooper into pulp if he doesn't watch out. While Lucy plays demonic-puppeteer, clues to an unknown past between Cooper and Grace start to unravel. Cooper discovers that what's keeping he and Grace apart is far more sinister than anything this bad boy could have ever imagined. ISBNs
| 978-1-939173-03-4Devil’s Triangle print |
| 978-1-939173-04-1Devil’s triangle Ebook Find Toni and The Devil's Triangle here:Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13610688-devil-s-triangleWebsite:http://tonidepalma.com/published-works.htmlTwitter:https://twitter.com/ToniDePalma1Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/#!/toni.depalma |
Top 5 World's Most Expensive Hotel Rooms
£41,500 per night (USD $67,321) Hotel President Wilson Royal Penthouse Suite, Geneva, Switzerland
£19,160 per night (USD $31,018)The PlazaRoyal Plaza Suite, New York, NY£16,000 per night (USD $25,956)The Ritz-Carlton TokyoCarlton Suite, Tokyo, Japan£15,250 per night (USD $24, 738)Four Seasons Hotel George VPenthouse Suite, Paris, France£9,000 per night (USD $14,600)Emirates PalacePalace Suite, Abu DhabiImages: Best in Travel
Take a Tacky Light Tour of Christmas Near You!
Well, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Tis' the season to bundle up, jump in the car and drive around the neighborhood viewing the twinkling lights of holiday decorations...But there's another alternative if you don't feel like going out into the cold - take a Tacky Light Tour right from the comfort of your own home! Now in it's 8th year, Tacky Light Tour originated with actual tours to decorated houses in Richmond, VA, but in order to share their festive holiday spirit the Tacky Light Tour website was born.
Visitors to the fun winter website can view photos and videos of Popular Christmas Lights from around the world in destinations like Canada, US, Australia, Belgium and France. You can even donate to your favorite charity, vote for your favorite, or visit holiday displays in person as addresses and viewing times are included ;)
Happy Holidays!!
Image:Snow on Wendhurst, Glen Allen, VA
Winter Fun in Beautiful British Columbia!
While visiting anytime during the year is spectacular, there's just something about winter fun in beautiful British Columbia, Canada! Maybe it's our national determination to enjoy the coldest of weather, hockey, skiing, or maybe it's because we're all Tim Horton's addicts ;)Let's take a look at winter fun events from around the province perfect for your weekend getaway or family outing - enjoy!
December 2012:
- Ghosts of Christmas Past, Victoria - now until April 25, 2013
- Magic of Christmas at Butchart Gardens, Victoria - now until January 6, 2013
- Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Capilano - now until January 5, 2013
- Festival of Lights at VanDusen Botanical Gardens, Vancouver - now until January 1, 2013
- Vancouver Christmas Market, Vancouver - now until December 24
- The Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain, North Vancouver - now until December 24
- The Whistler Holiday Experience, Whistler - now until January 6, 2013
- Festival of Trees, Victoria - now until January 4, 2013
- Bright Nights in Stanley Park, Vancouver - now until January 2, 2013
- Sun Peaks Winter Festival of Wine, Kamloops - January 12 to 20
- Telus Winter Classic, Whistler - January 25 to 26
- Coldsnap Winter Music Festival, Prince George - January 18 to 26, 2013
- Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Fest, Nelson - February 22 to 24
- Vernon Winter Carnival, Vernon - February 1 to 10
- Vancouver International Boat Show, Vancouver - February 7 to 11
- WinterPRIDE, Whistler - February 3 to 10
- Over The Hill Downhill at Silver Star Mountain, Vernon - February 10 to 12
- Big Whites at Big White, Kelowna - March 23
- Griz Days, Fernie - March 1 to 3
- Panorama's Mountain Stampede, Invemere - March 9 to 10
- Pacific Rim Whale Festival, Ucluelet & Tofino - March 16 to 24
- World Ski & Snowboard Festival, Whistler - April 12 to 21
16 Aralık 2012 Pazar
Celebrate the Holiday Season in France
The only thing better than visiting Paris in the spring is visiting during the festive holiday season when the City of Lights truly earns its name.With twinkling holiday lights strung from tree to tree along the magnificent Champs-Elysees, the magic of the holiday season is everywhere - from ice skating on the first level of the Eiffel Tower (57 metres above the street!) to exquisite les marrons glacés (glazed chestnuts), mulled wine, hot chocolate and freshly baked gingerbread - the French definitely know how to celebrate the holiday season.
Just 45-minutes outside of Paris in Maincy, the stunning Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte is the quintessential example of classic baroque architecture and opulence. While not as well known as its counterparts of Versailles and Fontainebleau, Vaux le Vicomte spans 41,000 square feet including lavish bedrooms, apartments, and its signature double-height Grand Salon.
Vaux le Vicomte celebrates the holiday season in style on December 15 & 16th and from December 22 to January 6, 2012 (11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.). You're invited to view the beautifully decorated christmas trees and all of the gorgeous holiday decorations within the chateau - children can dress in period costumes and the dining room is open for your pure pleasure.For more information on celebrating the holiday season in France, visit Christmas Cuisine in Paris and one of my favorite things, Vaux le Vicomte.
Images:Courtesy of Vaux le VicomteLa Tour Eiffel
BIG EASY: 'Disney’s The Lion King' Theater Revieux (with special guest revieuxer…)
Okay, so Les Bon Temps Mom was not feeling very bon on Friday, the night Disney’s The Lion King, presented by Broadway in New Orleans, opened at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts here in New Orleans. So, Les Bon Temps Dad took our 6-year-old son, who is making his debieux today, as Les Bon Temps Boy.
It sounded like a good idea at the time. However, getting his feedback was a little like trying to eat Jell-O with chopsticks. But, let’s give it a shot. Take it away, LBT Boy…
When we got there, we were kind of early. We had to wait about eight hours for the show to start, but I got a Capri Sun and a goody bag with pretzels and fruit snacks. That was good.
So, you somehow entered a timewarp, but managed to score awesome refreshments. Got it. Do go on.
Then we got to our seats, and they started playing music, and giraffes and birds and a “hunormous” elephant came marching in from behind us. They were puppets. Some looked real, and some didn’t. I could see the strings sometimes. They really need to work on getting invisible strings.
Duly noted.
When asked to elaborate on the puppets, his description became more show than tell, with a whole lot of pantomime and sound effects, so LBT Dad had to step in with a more coherent explanation. Much of the puppetry involves mechanical headpieces and large, elaborate costumes that require tools, and often more than one person, to move all the parts. A little research revealed that the techniques they use are Bunraku Puppetry from Japan, and shadow puppetry from Indonesia.
Okay, back to LBT Boy. Let’s hear about the story…
Simba’s dad (Mufasa, the king) is trying to teach him how to be a lion, but everyone laughed when he tried to roar. His uncle (Scar) was a bad lion who kills his father. Simba was trying to climb up to get away from a herd of wildebeests. His father came to help, but the uncle stabbed him with his claws and made him get run over. I didn’t like that part.
Simba’s uncle tells him it’s his fault his dad died, so Simba runs away. His new friends are a hog (Pumba, the warthog) and a little tiny guy with a hairy head and a hairy bottom (that’d be Timon, the meerkat), and he grows up. And his friends teach him to say “potato potata” (he either meant ”hakuna matata,” or the production has gone Gershwin, which I would enjoy). He went back and met his girlfriend and they kissed! Oooooh, we can’t have girlfriends at school! Then Simba got to be king.
Excellent. So, the storyline is easy to follow. And PDA is discouraged in kindergarten. Good to know.
I didn’t need to ask about his favorite part, as he interjected it into his synopsis (which I edited out, you're welcome) about every minute-and-a-half. Apparently, there is a monkey who occasionally pops in to shake its bottom or swing across the stage. LBT Dad informed me that this took up about 30 seconds of the entire show, but, if the level of hysterical laughter is any indication, it will be the highlight of LBT Boy's oral review to his schoolmates. And a letter home will likely follow.
How ‘bout some final words from LBT Boy...
What did you like least about the show?
When Simba’s dad died.
What did you like best? Besides the monkey.
I liked the music and the lights and the costumes.
Would you go see it again?
No. It was too long.
But , would you recommend it to your friends?
Yes!
Why?
Because they’d really like to see the monkey shaking his bottom!
Sigh. Jell-O and chopsticks, folks.
The Lion King is at the Mahalia Jackson Theater through April 15. Despite LBT Dad’s hilarious impression of LBT Boy’s frequent fidgeting and brief nap, they both gave the show high marks, overall. At almost 2 ½ hours (with a 15 minute intermission), perhaps the show runs a little long (especially the 8pm shows) for some kids. Maybe try an earlier show and/or stick with kids over 8. Go here for ticket information.
BIG SCREEN: Meet the Inspiring Talent Behind Louisiana's "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
I honestly believe that non-natives to South Louisiana provide some of the best perspectives on the unusual, unwieldy, slightly unsettling vibe of this region. And it helps when those non-natives are sort of kooky, creative types with keen powers of observation, and a genuine affection for this place.
The makers of Beasts of the Southern Wild, an independent film that’s been winning film festival awards and getting lots of great industry buzz, took on the rather daunting task of trying to convey the strange and remarkable undercurrent of energy that truly separates this region from the rest of the country, with pretty impressive results. Just as the movie's co-writer, Lucy Alibar suggests, “It’s cinematic, completely visual, and sensory. It does everything that only a movie can do.”
Shot in Terrebonne Parish using local, first-time actors, it’s the story of a young girl named Hushpuppy who lives in a remote, fictional swamp community at the very tip of Louisiana, called The Bathtub. Her mother has long since abandoned her, and her alcoholic, ailing father (Dwight Henry, owner of the Buttermilk Drop Bakery and Café in Mid-City, New Orleans) uses a tough-love approach in preparing his daughter for his death and an impending storm, which is threatening to decimate their home.
At first glance, theirs is a filthy, harsh, bizarre existence, but as the story progresses, with the help of Hushpuppy’s insightful and colorful narration, and a rather unconventional filmmaking style, we begin to appreciate the amazing outlook that the lifestyle and culture has afforded this little girl. It combines mythological elements (prehistoric cave paintings that come to life) with ecological considerations (the destruction of Louisiana’s wetlands, thanks to disruptive levees) and existential ponderings (Hushpuppy often contemplates the unraveling of the fabric of the universe). The outcome is a very primal, yet sort of high-concept representation of the region. Does that sound obtuse and pretentious? Sorry, it’s a multi-layered film that’s a bit hard to describe!
Luckily, I got the chance to speak with the filmmaker, his co-writer, and the star of the movie just before the New Orleans premiere. Each add some much-needed humanity to my clumsy attempt at a synopsis.After a little prodding, Quvenzhané Wallis, the spunky eight-year-old from Houma, Louisiana, who plays Hushpuppy, sheepishly admits that like any normal kid, she’d rather be spending time with her Yorkshire Terrier and family at home. But she politely responds to a question about the grueling post-production marketing campaign (which has included press junkets and trips down the red carpet in Cannes, L.A., and now New Orleans) by happily chirping, “I want to be positive, it’s all been great and beautiful!”
When I first met Quvenzhané, known as “Nazie” to friends and family, she had casually plopped herself in the director’s lap, and remained there while we chatted. This may sound a little sketchy on paper, but it was actually quite sweet, as Behn Zeitlin is a youthful, moppy-haired 29-year-old who seems more like her big brother than the boss who made her traipse around the swamps for seven weeks.
On the subject of filming the movie, she says, while grinning and hugging Behn’s neck, “It was not boring with this director! And I liked all the animals, except the pig. He was big and fat,” she admits, seemingly struggling to stop herself from holding her nose, as though indicating a possible pork-based hygiene issue would be rude. “And I’m used to the swamp, but I’m not used to the mosquitoes – all the mosquitoes! We don’t have mosquitoes like that in Houma!”
Mosquitos weren’t the only challenges they faced during filming. Guess what oil well in the Gulf of Mexico exploded during day-one of production! Considering the storyline of the movie, I wondered what effect the timing of the BP oil spill disaster would have on the production.
“It definitely felt like life imitating art. It was eery,” Behn explains. “We didn’t want to make a political movie or anything that was about the science of (Hurricane Katrina) or a call to action, but more of an emotional experience of living through an environmental catastrophe.”
And there it was. Right on cue.
Benh has been friends with his co-writer, the aforementioned Lucy Alibar, since they were 13 years old, so their decision to collaborate was an easy one. For this project, they decided to combine elements of Lucy’s imaginative, Southern gothic play, Juicy and Delicious, which is based on her own struggle to come to terms with her father’s declining health, with Behn’s short film, Glory at Sea, which is about a mysterious man who gets people to build a boat using Hurricane Katrina wreckage to rescue loved ones lost at sea. To gain a little insight during the writing process, they moved into a Terrebonne Parish fishing village to observe the language and the general vibe of the locals.
Lucy is a sunny, thoughtful young woman who uses her whole body to speak. When describing her experience in Louisiana, she gets a distant look in her eyes and seems to channel the tides, making wide, fluid motions with her arms. “I had never been to Louisiana before, but it felt like home,“ she admits. Then, she sums up the locals’ style of communication thusly, “They give you the whole world when you ask a simple question.”
Behn conveys a similarly esoteric, feel-don’t-think approach when describing the production. “We cast as we wrote, and we kind of let actors rewrite their roles. We tried to let places and people that are in the film breathe and speak for themselves, and not bring in preconceived notions. We were just trying to… stay back and not force any ideas.”
In speaking with both Benh and Lucy, you can’t help but recognize the heartfelt fondness they feel for this region. Benh has made New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood his permanent home, while Lucy admits that she’s never felt like a true New Yorker, and she wants to move to New Orleans, as well. I wondered how two writers from New York could connect so quickly and deeply with South Louisiana, then I discovered, they both have roots in the South. Behn’s mom is from South Carolina, while Lucy is originally from South Georgia.
Ah, therein lies the basis for the connection. South Louisiana is like the foreign-born cousin to the Deep South. It’s definitely its own country, but with some decidedly familial Southern threads.
As unique and somewhat odd as it is, Beasts of the Southern Wild probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but those who get it, will really appreciate the affection with which this film was made. It taps into and conveys the indescribably energy that locals are born with, and so many of us transplants are so excited to discover.
Beasts of the Southern Wild opens at The Theatres at Canal Place and Prytania Theater on July 4.
It's In My Blood
Um, okay, you may be thinking.
“Well,” I say to you head scratchers. “The reason I am bringing up Robert Maynard, is he was my great, great, great, (maybe throw in a few more great’s) uncle, and like him, I do not like pirates.”
Ahh, you might say with the little light bulb going off over your head.
Yes, this post is about piracy and I want to say a few words about it, starting with... STOP IT!
Seriously people, this is just WRONG. Let me say that I have no reason to believe that any of you are involved in this, (You're way to awesome) but I'm asking each of you to help me get the word out about this huge problem.
It was pointed out to me a few days ago that at least one of my books is being downloaded for free. Did you catch that? FOR FREE!!!!!!!! This is the same book that I worked on for almost 9 months. I then spent several more months trying to get it published. When I found a home for my MS, my publisher then had to produce it, which by the way, takes lots and lots of time and money Pirated books take money from all of our pockets and if this doesn't stop we won't be able to continue producing books.
Believe me when I say I understand being broke. Broke and I are very close acquaintances. Because of this fact, I have purchased few books in my lifetime.( I know, *gasp*) This was not because I didn’t want them, but because I couldn’t afford them. Like anything else I can’t afford, I have to either do without, or find a LEGAL way to obtain what I want. And there are legal ways to obtain free books.
1.GIVEAWAYS Many authors, myself included, host tons of giveaways. Enter them.
2. REVIEW Many authors/publishers will send you a free copy for an honest review. Ask.
3. PUBLIC LIBRARY This is the easiest solution of all. You can read practically anything for free—legally. Due to my financially challenged bank account, I visit my local library A Lot.
Of course, as an author I wish everyone in the world would buy at least one copy of all of my books, but if you can’t afford it, check with your local library to see if they have a copy. Both of my books are in the library system. This means that even if your local library doesn’t have it, they can get it. Do the authors and publishers a favor and request it. It’s a win win for us all. You get to read the book legally, and we get a sale.
Consider this, If I were to make $1.00 for every book of mine that was sold (which I don't) and IF I sold 100 copies a month (which, I could only hope for) that would leave me making a mere $100.00 a month. Could you pay your bills with that? Yeah, me neither.
Let’s ban together to stop piracy.
Picture also from wikipedia