December Supper Club

A Christmas Tea hosted by Gwen and Erin, featuring warm spinach-and-tomato salad with spiced pecans and goat cheese, three-onion soup, rasberry cordial and champagne, chicken-almond-cranberry tea sandwiches, minature quiche and crabcakes, brie-and-raspberry tartlets, cheese and crackers, english breakfast and herbal orange spice tea served out of a camel teapot, scones with clotted cream, lemon curd, and strawberry jam, chocolate shortbread petit fours, and coconut-almond-fudge cookies. Delightful indeed!

SAG Awards Nominations...

Now this is what I'm talkin' about!!

FILM

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

George Clooney (Michael Clayton)
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl)
Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild)*
Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age)
Julie Christie (Away From Her)
Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose)
Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart)
Ellen Page (Juno)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)
Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)
Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild)*
Tommy Lee Jones (No Country for Old Men)
Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Cate Blanchett (I'm Not There)
Ruby Dee (American Gangster)
Catherine Keener (Into the Wild)*
Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone)
Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

3:10 to Yuma*
American Gangster
Hairspray
Into the Wild*
No Country for Old Men

TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, Drama Series

James Gandolfini (The Sopranos)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Hugh Laurie (House)
James Spader (Boston Legal)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, Drama Series

Glenn Close (Damages)
Edie Falco (The Sopranos)
Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters)
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)

Outstanding Peformance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, Comedy Series

Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Ricky Gervais (Extras)
Jeremy Piven (Entourage)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, Comedy Series

Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)
Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty)

Outstanding Ensemble, Drama Series**

Boston Legal
The Closer
Grey's Anatomy
Mad Men
The Sopranos

Outstanding Ensemble, Comedy Series

30 Rock
Desperate Housewives
Entourage*
The Office*
Ugly Betty

*YEAH!!
**Still no love for Lost...hmmm. It's really too bad.

Radical Christmas

An abundance of laughter, food, gifts, hot pink, games, and good old-fashioned '80s style cheer. Joy!

PNB does it best

Last night, The Nutcracker! It still seems as magical to me as it did when I was a little ballerina...my heart is stirred every year with a pang of longing and regret that after ten years of dancing, I quit to pursue other sports (running, mostly.) It was my dream for a long time to be a part of this cast one day. I really think Seattle does it best...I love the sets & costumes by Maurice Sendak and the choreography matches Tchaikovsky's symphony so well. I know many who grew up with more traditional performances can be shocked at some of the variations in this version, but to me it is quintessentially Seattle...and an essential part of our family's holiday season! (I think we've only missed one performance in the entire run of the ballet.)


The party scene is one of my favorites...



Michael loves the Harlequins and the Chinese Dragon...


My dad loves the Waltz of the Flowers...


And my mom watches Clara & The Nutcracker Prince carefully to make sure he isn't a "weenie prince." (Stanko Milov passed the test with flying colors.)


As far back as I can remember, I longed to be the beautiful, sexy Peacock...

It was so fun to run into many friends before and after the performance...now to bask in the glow until next year.

Traveling, traveling, near and far...

Christmas bells are ringing!

Highlights from the last two weekends...

On a snowy hill above Wenatchee with Leah, Caroline, and

Rachael...it was a Winter Wonder Weekend filled with Christmas cheer!



In Leavenworth Village with Father Christmas



Warming up by the fire



The famous Hat Shop!



Magic!!
A weekend of Christmas carols, snow falling, White Christmas and hot toddies, and the celebration of the first Sunday of Advent...truly delightful.



And then on to a warmer climate...



Nicole and I on our way to the LA Fashion District



Strolling in Burbank after lunch at the Granville Cafe - "The Best New Restaurant in Burbank!" All organic...mmmm.



We made frequent stops at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf...



...and we relaxed with many episodes of The Office.



On a clear day you can see the Hollywood Sign from The Grove.



In front of the Christmas tree with Mandy & Amiliah...



...and Kelly & Nicole with the giant menorah! Happy Christmukkah everyone!



Baby, it's cold outside (even in LA.)

Great friends, lots of laughter (The Groundlings, The Office, and ourselves), SUNSHINE, really good food, red carpets, celeb sightings...the perfect SoCal Weekend. FABULOUS!

Golden Globes Nominations

Announced this morning!

FILM

Best Motion-Picture Drama

American Gangster
Atonement
Eastern Promises
The Great Debaters
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

George Clooney (Michael Clayton)
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
James McAvoy (Atonement)
Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises)
Denzel Washington (American Gangster)

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age)
Julie Christie (Away From Her)
Jodie Foster (The Brave One)
Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart)
Keira Knightley (Atonement)

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Across the Universe
Charlie Wilson's War
Hairspray
Juno
Sweeney Todd

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy

Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd)
Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl)
Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Savages)
John C. Reilly (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story)

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy

Amy Adams (Enchanted)
Nikki Blonsky (Hairspray)
Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd)
Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose)
Ellen Page (Juno)

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

Cate Blanchett (I'm Not There)
Julia Roberts (Charlie Wilson's War)
Saoirse Ronan (Atonement)
Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone)
Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)
Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilson's War)
John Travolta (Hairspray)
Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton)

Best Director

Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd)
Ethan and Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men)
Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly)
Ridley Scott (American Gangster)
Joe Wright (Atonement)

Best Screenplay

Diablo Cody (Juno)
Ethan and Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men)
Christopher Hampton (Atonement)
Ronald Harwood (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly)
Aaron Sorkin (Charlie Wilson's War)

Best Original Score

Michael Brook, Kaki King, Eddie Vedder (Into the Wild)
Clint Eastwood (Grace is Gone)
Alberto Iglesias (The Kite Runner)
Dario Marianelli (Atonement)
Howard Shore (Eastern Promises)

Hmmm. Really excited (and surprised) to see Casey Affleck and Across the Universe on the list, but other than that I'm pretty disappointed. My two favorite movies of the year (Into the Wild and 3:10 to Yuma) were almost complete shutouts. I'm happy Eddie Vedder at least got nominated but no mention of Sean Penn or Emile Hirsch (not to mention Catherine Keener or Hal Holbrook)?! Russell Crowe ignored for both 3:10 to Yuma and American Gangster? John C. Reilly, REALLY?! Charlie Wilson's War, REALLY?! (I feel like all of those nominations came solely from the star power of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts playing "serious" roles.) Clint Eastwood is nominated for Grace is Gone but not for directing, and no John Cusack?! And I've never even heard of The Great Debaters! *Sigh* Well...the race for Best Actor, Drama will be exciting...those are five very fine actors. A hearty congratulations from me to George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, James McAvoy, Cate Blanchett, Jodie Foster, Johnny Depp, Ryan Gosling, Amy Adams, Ellen Page, Casey Affleck, Tom Wilkinson, Clint Eastwood, and Eddie Vedder. Those are my favorites.

TELEVISION

Best Series, Drama

Big Love
Damages
Grey's Anatomy
House
Mad Men
The Tudors

Best Actor in a Drama Series

Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Hugh Laurie (House)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors)
Bill Paxton (Big Love)

Best Actress in a Drama Series

Patricia Arquette (Medium)
Glenn Close (Damages)
Minnie Driver (The Riches)
Edie Falco (The Sopranos)
Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters)
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)

Best Series, Musical or Comedy

30 Rock
Californication
Entourage
Extras
Pushing Daisies

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy

Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies)
Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy

Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Steve Carell (The Office)
David Duchovny (Californication)
Ricky Gervais (Extras)
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies)

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Movie

Rose Byrne (Damages)
Rachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters)
Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)
Samantha Morton (Longford)
Anna Paquin (Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee)
Jamie Pressly (My Name is Earl)

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, or Movie

Ted Danson (Damages)
Kevin Dillon (Entourage)
Jeremy Piven (Entourage)
Andy Serkis (Longford)
William Shatner (Boston Legal)
Donald Sutherland (Dirty Sexy Money)

NO Lost and hardly any Office??!! Booooo! I am especially dismayed by the omission of Matthew Fox and Dominic Monaghan, who both did amazing work in the last few episodes of Lost in the Spring. Katherine Heigl gets nominated again while Chandra Wilson and Sandra Oh are ignored?! Hooray for Steve Carell! Hooray for Entourage! Otherwise, Hollywood Foreign Press, you deeply disappoint me.

Intruiging...

First, it was Cardanon, a Fox.
Then, Boreallus, a Wildcat.
Now Arion, a Falcon:



...I'm going to think of it as more of a Patronus than a (shudder) Daemon...

Last Night...

Hee hee.

star-studded weekend...

...sort of.

Oh, Hollywood. ;)

"You're Emma!"

Perhaps not entirely flattering, but...true.



You scored as Emma Woodhouse
Emma is possibly one of the most loyal characters of Austen, always wanting better for those around her and doing all she possibly can to make it happen. Her motives sometimes get in the way of her good intentions and her own opinions can end up ruling her actions, but she has a good heart. She loves to be social and is welcoming to most, unless they are too silly to tolerate. While she sometimes changes her behavior to make others feel comfortable, she knows who she is and is always bettering herself.

Emma Woodhouse 81%
Elizabeth Bennet 72%
Elinor Dashwood 59%
Jane Bennet 53%
Lady Catherine 47%
Charlotte Lucas 41%
Marianne Dashwood 38%


You are Emma Woodhouse from Emma. A classic only child personality, you are constantly trying to rearrange the world (and society) to suit your personal world-view. Mostly, you succeed at that! You are persuasive and charming, and almost always manage to get your way-- which is good, because, as we all know, your way is the right way.


You scored as Emma Woodhouse
You're Emma Woodhouse of Emma! You're intelligent and manipulative, and tend to form strong opinions of people. You are also very popular, and like to help others.



Emma Woodhouse

Who needs love when you can set up other people??? You enjoy making matches for your friends and family. Although your intentions are good, you can be very inconsiderate at times. You matches almost always turn out badly.



You are Emma Woodhouse of Emma! You like being the queen of your social circle (small and provincial as it may be), and feel it's your duty to help those less influential than you. You often meddle in the affairs of others, though you do it with a pure heart. You are often deluded in your flights of fancy, but your good intentions and creative spirit make you someone anyone could like.