Monday, August 10, 2009

I Love Meryl Streep Again.


I saw Julie & Julia yesterday and am happy to inform Meryl that she is off my shit-list from the whole Mamma Mia debacle. She was wonderful and really stole the movie (it should have been renamed Julia & Julie).

I was completely charmed by the love story between Paul and Julia Child and fell a little in love with Stanley Tucci, too, as Child's doting husband. Nora Ephron wrote the screenplay and cleaned it up tout de suite (the book and Julie's blog had the f-bomb every other word and offended many delicate readers).

The kitchens Julia Child cooked in were very small and tended to be unfitted because they lived in Europe in the late 40s and early 50s. Which is funny because the larger and fancier the American kitchen has become, the less cooking actually goes on in it. I love a kitchen with tiled walls and a big pine table in the middle of it, separated! (gasp!) from the family room so I can hide the mess I made from actually cooking! I've always been a renegade...

Speaking of kitchens, the new issue of House Beautiful is a must-buy (and not because it's practically THE ONLY SHELTER MAGAZINE LEFT!). Windsor Smith did this Polo Blue kitchen which I am head-over-heels in love with. There are also black rooms galore (so Black is the New Black, after all, or is Blue the New Black? whichever, I solemnly promise not to use that phrase anymore :-).


But I do find myself admiring blue in a way I never did before. So when I saw 500 Days of Summer starring my girl crush, Zooey Deschanel, I fell in love with her little apartment. Simple, blue toile, iron bed, white-tiled kitchen, quirky little touches like origami birds. Sweet. Sweet movie as well, although as it warns: it is not a love story.

13 comments:

Decorina said...

I saw it last night - it was wonderful. The only jarring note was the actress who played her sister - that little tiny head on a huge body (I think she was wearing a big body suit). Really, she looked stupid.

The movie was great, especially the parts about Julia and her husband. Julie and her SO - meh.

Dumbwit Tellher said...

I held off to see the J & J movie because I knew I needed to study; so glad to hear such positive reviews. You posted favorite kitchen of the moment. I was in design euphoria when I spotted it in HB. I can't tell you how much I have for years wanted a huge farm style table in the center of a kitchen. Those navy walls were just the tour de' force! Great post :D

the gardeners cottage said...

Loved the movie and WS to-die-for home and kitchen. Have not seen the Zoey movie, but it sounds cute.

Foquinha! said...

Nice! I don't know about the movie, but I love kitchens too, and all it has to offer... hmmm! The best part is: a small image make us happy. [Sorry my english, pleasee!] Have a nice week!

Foquinha/Galápagos :)

Valerie Rojas Braverman said...

i think i'd want a tiny kitchen...there's no REAL need for more!

vicki archer said...

Can't wait to see this movie..Have a wonderful weekend, xv.

Raina Cox said...

I saw J & J last weekend and adored the Julia "half." I could have done without Julie. I was too distracted by Amy Adams having one eyeball a half-inch higher than the other to even think about her wooden performance.

Please tell me those dark walls aren't going to jump the design shark any time soon, because I want to try it in our master bedroom.

Maria Killam said...

I loved that movie, you truly think Meryl Street IS Julia! Great post you've written, and thanks for your kind works on my blog just now :)

kalliope said...

Saw J&J tonight with my goddaughter who is visiting from Germany, we both LOVED it. We're going out to buy Julia's book Mastering the Art of French Cooking tomorrow, and are going to cook "together", her from Munich me from Portland. The love story between Julia and her husband was the absolute best.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you. Her taste is awesome in the movie!

Holly said...

Can't wait to see the movie -- if you haven't read 'My Life in Paris' yet, you must!

Anonymous said...

Should have been named "Julia and that's it. Julia freaking rules." I seriously could watch that movie over and over and over again. don't be afraid!

Is this an awkward time to mention I've been to her kitchen in the Smithsonian in D.C. too many times to count?

Dianne said...

Mama Mia was one of Meryl's best...what's wrong with you?!!!!!!!!!!!!! How can anyone resist the music from Abba...you didn't even need acting. Perfection!

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