Swag.

I forgot about one of the best lines in movie history until I randomly came upon it today. Talk about swag. I am caught in the middle between finding his confidence completely irritating and completely intoxicating. Thus the basis of his appeal I suppose...

Newly discovered

Last Friday I went into the city to visit a friend before the snow hit and my only goal of the night was to go someplace new, someplace I had never been before. We settled on a small bar in the East Village - the Anyway Cafe. It's one of those places that if you're not looking for it, you'd walk right past it. The tiny bar was decorated perfectly for Halloween and the atmosphere was nice and cozy for a chilly night. We split some raspberry infused vodka and had some crepes for dinner. The live music was a treat and it's in the Village so there were plenty of cool places to go afterwards as well. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, stop in and try some delicious vodka.

Yup, this could be me...

I saw this video (link below) on one of the blogs I visit: A Cup of Jo. The book is pretty cute and a few of the haikus made me giggle.

Haiku for the Single Girl

An animated promo for Penguin Books new collection, "Haiku For The Single Girl". Words by Beth Griffenhagen and original drawings by Cynthia Vehslage Meyers. Animation by Dan Meth and Music by Kevin MacLeod

Oh, Good Morning

If you're having some trouble waking up this morning, these three have got you covered: Adele, Jay Z, Kanye

I mean... I don't smoke, I don't drink...I recyle

When I went to see 50/50 a few nights ago, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew the critics weren't lying - the film had all the elements for an indie to mainstream success story and it had a talented group of actors that were perfectly cast. But in my personal experience, cancer is only funny to a point; sooner or later the laughter stops and you're faced with a reality that's hard to swallow.

But the film expertly toes the line between heartfelt comedy and heart wrenching reality. What impressed me most was the fact that this movie, built around the Big C, was able to convey more than just the typical, "Character finds out he may die and spends what could be his last weeks on Earth crossing things of a to-do-list." The film was really about the raw emotions that come with human relationships. And because of that, there was no immediacy to the story - I wasn't watching characters try and cheat death. I was witnessing people dealing with a shitty situation, in a chillingly real way.

The film allows Joseph Gordon Levitt (who I think we've all been a fan of since 10 Things I Hate About You, Third Rock from the Sun, a guest appearance on That 70's Show, Brick...okay, I could keep going) to be completely and utterly human and he nails it. His vulnerability is almost too much to take and when he rasps out, "...I've never been to Canada...I've never told a girl I loved her..." I almost lost it. The film is sad, yet not depressing and I left the theater quiet and introspective. Maybe not the best movie to see on a Friday night or "date night" but I definitely recommend it - if for nothing else, to give you something real to think about on your drive home.

Also, the film stars an all around fantastic cast: Seth Rogen, (at times a bit too robust, but it's what he does best) Anna Kendrick, (her typical fast-talking style but she embraces the fragile-ness of her character) Bryce Dallas Howard, (I don't think I ever realized how gorgeous she is) Anjelica Huston (a bit underused I think - she's AnjelicafreakingHuston! playing an overbearing mother! Perfection) and Philip Baker Hall (what can I say, other than: love him).

The familiar, yet sometimes not-so-feel-good "chick flick"

 Mindy Kaling ( "The Office") wrote this witty article for The New Yorker on archetypal female characters in romantic comedies and she nailed it. But unlike Mindy, this genre of film is not my guilty pleasure. I know that women (and who are we kidding, most men) watch these movies to feel "better," to "take their mind off things." And I admit to having tried this remedy to a bad day as well. But it doesn't always work. It leaves me (and I imagine many other women) feeling like I should fit into one of these ridiculous categories. I grew up aspiring to be what Mindy refers to as, The Ethereal Weirdo, but, no, it turns out that I don't actually want to make out with you in the rain - it's freezing out here. And unfortunately, you won't wander into a cafe in Paris and find me serving cafe au lait, because honestly, what twenty-something has the money to live that way? I want my "meet cute" as much as the next girl, but I'm gonna get it as a flawed, intelligent, and hardworking young woman who looks and acts (most of the time) my age.

... no one would watch my life in film, would they?...

Read The New Yorker article here