January has been rainy and dreary here in Dallas.  Who says you have to dress the same??  I say that wearing something bright and punchy will lure in the spring!

Here is my wish list:

I do not love you, but I love Tom Colicchio and Gail and the rest of your show.  Top Chef is to be loved and revered, and I watch it religiously.  I was sooo happy you came to my homeland, as we clearly got some good cookin’ going on.  Chili, ribs, Tex-Mex, holla!  But, is this what you think Texans wear??  I have been all around this great state, and there are some ridiculous sites to be seen, yes, but I have NEVER seen a denim jumpsuit.  You hurt my heart and eyes and now, my reputation among all my friends that hail from other states.

Are we wearing a picnic table cloth?  Is that your boyfriend/lumberjack’s shirt??

Cute (ish), but no.  NO.  Denim and pleats?  NOOO.

Are we ready for our Quinceanera??

THE WORST.  There are no words.

Dear loyal readers, we have MUCH better style than this in Texas.  I promise.  Don’t judge me.  Also, a friendly reminder, while we might tote hefty firearms, we do not ride horses everywhere.  I said not everywhere…

So, in my usual yearly attempt to catch up on the Oscar nominations and understand what is relevant in culture (film culture, that is), I always try to watch as many Best Pictures as possible.  Usually, that’s about 1.5 per year.  Buuut, I’m shooting for the stars this year.  First stop:  Midnight in Paris.  I love Woody Allen, so this is the natural start for me.  I wanted to see it in the theaters, but no one would go with me!  Sorry there aren’t stunts like Mission Impossible, people.  I love Woody’s style, love his stories, love the soundtrack, LOVE PARIS.

Nostalgia is denial – denial of the painful present.

First off, I have to love it because if I could pick an era of history in which to live, I would most definitely also go with Paris in the 1920′s.  I took an English class on Americans in Paris in the 20′s in college, and you just yearn to be around such style, sass, and flare.  People were so classy (well, depending on who you ask, I guess, but at least compared to today, where we revere artists that wear meat outfits and tattoo Thug Life Across their knuckles (though, don’t worry, I’m still pretty modern – I do request Umbrella be played at pretty much every bar with a dj where I’ve had more than two drinks)) and artistic.  Maybe I’m just running with the wrong circle.  Lawyers, they aren’t always so hoppin’.   I don’t care for Hemingway, but I would absolutely hang out with Scott and Zelda.  And Dali!  And Gertrude Stein!  Especially Zelda – she is portrayed as such a firecracker.  She’s fabulous.  And nuts.  But fabulous.  I am definitely inspired to read a biography.  Adrian Brody as Dali was hilarious, and Kathy Bates as Gertrude Stein was an amazing choice.

Anyways, I digress.  I thought the movie was cute, romantic, quirky.  So Woody.  Despite the time travel, which really isn’t my deal, I loved it.  See it!!  Fantastic cast.  Carla Bruni, I love you.

That’s what the present is, unsatisfying.  Because that’s what life is, a little unsatisfying. 

Booking.  Trip.  To.  Paris.

Anyways, I digress.  So, trying to read more.  While one goal is to read more novels, that didn’t work out this time around.  Next time.  I like non-fiction because I know I’m learning something.  (Another reason I probably don’t read as much as I’d like is because I tend to pick out books about Bosnia or genocide (or both!), and sometimes, laying in bed or dragging yourself home after a bad day at work, you shockingly just don’t want to pick up something that heavy.  Crazy, I know.)  Yet, I’m not learning my lesson.  I picked out this book because 1) I read and LOVED Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (if you haven’t read it, it’s great – history, murder – who doesn’t love it???) and 2)  this promised… well, history and murder!  Plus, I think World War II is such an interesting period in history.

This book is unique because it focuses on the rise of Hitler when the world did not know who he was.  No one had any clue what was coming.  The perspective is of the arguably naive, newly minted American ambassador to Germany, William Dodd, appointed by Roosevelt in 1933, when Hitler had just become Chancellor.  The ambassador, and his slutty daughter (oh yeah, she had some international relations (zing!)).  It was the job of the family to hob-nob with the regime, and they regularly dined, socialized, and attended parties with the likes of Joseph Goebbels and Herman Goring.  It’s interesting to read about the Nazis before people realized how awful they were.  Yet, the portraits give a bit of humanity to many of the members of the Nazi party, especially those that did not fall in line with Hitler.  It’s also really interesting to read, in small vignettes, how this American family came to realize the true nature of Hitler and his regime, and how hard it was to convince the outside world upon their realization.  You want to scream “Hello!!!  Don’t you see what’s happening?!?”  But, hindsight is 20/20, and it is just incredible the number of people that turned a blind eye.  Or, more often, convinced themselves that each atrocity was just an isolated incident and not a systematic destruction of an entire race and an aggressive campaign to expand borders.

In the end – *spoiler alert!* – Hitler turns out to be a bad guy!  Seriously, though, Dodd ends up being removed from his post for speaking out against the regime, when the American government felt that his job was to keep communication open and to work with the regime.  Dodd was too disgusted to do so, and he heads back to America, the antithesis of a hero.  America’s isolationist attitude is particularly highlighted, as the country desperately attempted to avoid entanglement in Europe, and Dodd returns to his small Virginia farm, with his only consolation being a big, fat “I told you so.”

At times, especially at the beginning, I felt like the book was a bit slow and hard to get into, which was really disappointing after Devil in the White City.  It does not come across as as dark and as exciting as you might expect from a book of this time period.  I don’t believe that the terror of the era was appropriately conveyed to the reader.  I just felt like I wanted… more.  Still, I do think this book gives an interesting perspective on the time leading up to Hitler’s aggression, and I still think it’s worth the read.  Buy it here!

Check out this art project that I discovered from one of my favorite blogs.  The challenge is to remake a famous work of art.  Below are a couple cool ones.  I love American Gothic because they modernized it a bit, though it’s not as true to the painting as the Frieda one (which is, I’ve got to say creeepy..but awesome).

See more submissions here.  I just think this is such a fun and creative idea.
You really should check out all of them.  Some are super creative and interesting.

P.S., yes, I’m back.  I will try to blog more in the new year.  I find it cathartic, and I’m sure all four of my readers have been devastated by my absence anyways.  You’re welcome in advance.

Have y’all checked this out?  As my birthday and Christmas are rapidly approaching (both equally sacred and wonderful), you probably need to add the “wish list” button from Amazon to your interwebs browser.  I’m a huge fan of the Amazon wish list, cause I have serious problems with the over-buying of books and movies, so I just send the link to my fam, and done!  BUT, did you know you can add the button to your browser toolbar, and add things from ANY website to your Amazon list?  So you have everything you’ve EVER wanted on one list.  Ohh, it’s dangerous.

Plus, you get entered to win things!  (I never win anything, but I do hope to score some rad Christmas presents.)

[This post was not sponsored by Amazon; the views expressed herein are solely my own.  I mean, if they wanted to pay me for things, byah!  But, I digress.]

I’m asking for a faux fur throw for my couch, some Tory Burch jewelry that I do NOT need, and a black clutch/crossbody purse to go out in.  In case anyone needs any ideas.

I have REALLY been craving some fabulous killer heels these days.  Like, show-stopping, jaw dropping (pardon the rhyme), MONSTER heels.  A whole outfit on your feet.  Here are some to drool over.  As I just put myself on a budget, this is all window shopping, but my birthday is in two weeks if anyone loves me…

I made this soup tonight from one of my favorite blogs – it was yummy, but definitely not the same as my favorite tortilla soup, from Mi Cocina – as any Dallasites know, it’s a staple.  I can’t figure out what is so good about it compared to all other tortilla soups (and there are many a soup of this type in Dallas) – maybe they put crack in it.  I did forget the cheese for mine though, so that could be one problem – it’s really probably the most important part!  Still good though, but next time I’m going to go a very different direction and try this tomato-based tortilla soup.  And someday, hopefully come up with my own secret perfect recipe.  But I’ve been really interested in soup lately – it’s finally getting a tiny bit cooler (this weekend was perfect!), so I want comfy homey food.  I made this crock pot soup last week…and ate it four days last week for dinner.  I’m going to make this Skinny Baked Potato Soup soon, hopefully sometime this week.  Cooking really has become therapy for me, I wish I had more time to do it.  I wish I could just not work and have a food blog and fiddle around and make everything from scratch all the time.  Sigh.

photo from Eat, Live, Run

Speakeasy – WSJ.

How can I get a job blogging about what is happening when I’m just watching tv??  Not even commentary needed?  I can do a summary, I went to 3rd grade (and am a lawyer).  And, on WSJ, not even some crap-ass no-name “publication”.  I’m available!  (Promise I would try harder than I clearly do when I’m ranting blogging  after a glass of wine….)

Promise I’ll post about something real/potentially a little thoughtful/intellectual soon.  Work has been rough.

But, while I’m at it, regarding the current latest post on Speakeasy, a summary of the latest episode of Revenge (so glad WSJ recognizes it hah) (and per my fave tv taste maker) – love it!  It’s Count of Monte Cristo meets Gossip Girl – riiiight up my alley!  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not winning an Emmy or anything, but there are beautiful people, parties, clothes, and, duh, revenge!  Who would NOT want to watch this??  Guilty pleasure.