Black Friday - Piece by Piece

I don't know if this film, Piece by Piece,  will  be at a cheap theater or streaming  by now - either  way, this is a fun family film for  Thanksgiving weekend. 

I saw an episode of Hot Ones on YouTube and Sean Evans interviewed Pharrell Williams. He's such a creative. Apparently the director Morgan  Neville wanted to do a documentary on Pharrell. He  agreed but said  he wanted his story as  a Lego  movie.  Sounds wacky.  Trust me,  this works and is extraordinarily innovative, colorful,  creative, and fun.   Great music, quite a life story, and a lot of joy. 

He truly sees color in  music and he was an  odd child who could feel the beat and create new ones. Featured in the  film are Chad Hugo (his fellow Neptunes), Daft Punk, Gwen Stefani, Snoop  Dogg, Jay-Z, Missy Elliott,  and more.  Pharrell worked hard and never gave up - this is a success story with a moral  to keep with your belief and focus. 

And as he says, life is kinda  like a Lego set - you build it piece  by piece! 
 

Be Kind on Thanksgiving

 Happy Thanksgiving everyone

Levi turned one a few weeks ago.  Is he ready for turkey?

Whatever Wednesday - Whet the Appetite for Thanksgiving

 That time again. I whisked away Halloween on November 1st, and whipped up some Thanksgiving cheer

Oh man - Memories from 2011 - Dad, me, and Lori in Delaware.  We went to a local beach park for a walk after a feast.   Sadly, Dad is gone now.   But I'm grateful forever that he  was my dad.   We  were so lucky to have him  on this earth. 

 

Forget diet in  November and December.   Moderation...yes.....?

A past turkey a la Ray - he's the best baster

I wish everyone a Happy  Thanksgiving weekend.  I  hope there's some gratitude and good attitude. 

I'm lucky - the Faries gang are all convivial and everyone will contribute to a feast.  Very fortunate and blessed. 

Cheers my blog friends. 

Monday Moments - Costume Magic

Emma Watson was Belle in Beauty and the Beast

Lana Parilla was an Evil Queen in the TV series Once Upon  a Time     Quite dramatic

How about Anna Kendrick's Cinderella in Into the Woods?

One of many glass slippers

Lily James swirled in the Cinderella gown

 And then there's Satine (Nicole Kidman) from Moulin Rouge    You can tell how tall Nicole is from this costume.  So many of the costumes throughout the show are tiny. 

Oh and shout out today to my "baby" sister Lori.  Happy Birthday!!!  She's the best......

Finally Friday - Disney Costumes

The Arlington Museum of Art is hosting an excellent exhibit of all things Disney.   The Crown Jewels include tiaras, watches, earrings, jewelry, and more.  So many little detailed accessories that add to a character.  Quite fascinating.  And  sometimes two items are made - one  real, and one for a stunt double to wear depending on what the object (a pocket watch)  might do in a scene.  Things you don't consider when  enthralled in the movie. 

Heroes & Villains - the Art of the Disney Costume - glorious array of costumes all on the life sized mannequin of the actor who portrayed a character.  
 

Consider Hocus Pocus 2 starring Kathy Najimy, Better Midler, and Sarah Jessica Parker

 

How about Meryl Streep's Witch in Into  the Woods

Jafar from Aladdin 2019  worn by Marwan Kenzari

More  to come.  The  details and richness of the costumers in person is marvelous to behold.   I wanted to touch them all. 

Whatever Wednesday - Sonny Boy

Sonny Boy by Al  Pacino.  Wow

What an  iconic actor on  stage and screen. 

Michael  Corleone

Serpico

I don't need to say much more.  What a life!  He grew up with a mentally unwell  mother, really just wild in the South Bronx.  Crazy friends, but he had a lot of  promise  and a teacher that recognized it.  He entered the New York High School of Performing Arts and never looked back.  Stage, screen, rich,  poor,  drugs and alcohol, bankrupt, success.  So much of life that would worry us - he shrugged as only Al Pacino would, and then  worked to make his life work.  He embodies art and art is in his blood and  soul.

A unique individual who has given it his all.  I can't begin to list all the credits.  Read the book and you'll hear that distinctive voice in your head. 

It's Al F@*king  Pacino!!!!!!!
 

Monday Moments - Hum Along with John Oates

I treated myself to a music night - John Oates - an acoustic evening.   It  was really, really pleasant. 

As he said, "No video screens. No synthesizers.  You have me and my stories with music." 

I saw John Oates when he and  Daryl Hall played in my high school cafeteria. John was a graduate of North Penn High years ahead of me. He met Hall at Temple  University (Philly, PA) and the rest is some music history. A top selling pop duo.  Alas, they are fighting now.  So John has his three talented guys for acoustic shows and musically it was awesome. 

He's seventy-six now, lives in Nashville. A lot more country and blues influence in his new works. His latest album is "Reunion" and I like the songs. Oh, and he did have some deep cuts of Hall and Oates songs, plus the famous "She's Gone". 

Thanks John, I've been a longtime fan and your voice is still mellow and smooth.   
 

Finally Friday - We Live in Time

 I needed to escape one day, so I headed to the movies.  I didn't want stuff exploding.  I didn't want to think too much.  I just wanted fluff.

Success.  We Live in Time filled the requirements.  Yes, I paid admission and I was fine  with it.  You can wait for this to arrive on streaming.  It could have been a "made for tv" movie, but the cast elevated the whole storyline. 

I like Andrew Garfield ( so pretty,  so hot, and such a good actor) and Florence Pugh (so pretty, so hot, and such a good actress).    They had chemistry in this film and were nicely believable.  This movie followed them falling in love (cutesy), them dealing with couple/marriage issues, and finally dealing with a cancer sentence.  (So Sad).   

It was predictable and yet well done.  That's it. That's my review.  Maybe  catch it on  a streaming day when you have nothing else going on. 

Cheers!   Sniffle.  

Whatever Wednesday - More Pumpkins - hey it's fall

Fall at the Dallas Arboretum is absolutely beyond spectacular.   Ray was busy calculating the pumpkin count. Over 500 on one building alone.

Our Texas drought has affected  other areas.  Even the arboretum's flower  color is a tad faded. Still lovely,  but you can only water  so  much.  We  needed rain in  October   (hello climate  issues)

Um, pumpkins  galore

Cue the mums.................oh, yeah!

and a sweet statue finale
 

Monday Moments - A bit more State Fair of Texas

October 17th - the iconic Big Tex -  bigger, bolder, badder than ever - Howdy Folks!   So fun

The Hall of State is a gorgeous Art Deco building that we always visit.  They host excellent exhibits.  This year was a card building exhibit.  Sorta wacky.  This dude uses playing cards and builds replicas.  He was an architecture major, but realized his talents lay in cards.   He's making a living!

Here's the Austin, TX state capitol building

Cotton Bowl....football.  This year Texas Longhorns totally destroyed the Oklahoma Sooners

 And here's the dude with a reflection of Ray watching him work on this tower.  He was very precise in the card stacking. 

Don't sneeze! 

Finally Friday - State Fair of Texas (yes it is over)

Thursday October 17, Ray treated me to the Great State Fair of Texas - a late birthday present.  And really we say "Thanks, Dad" because a very old insurance policy came  to light.  We claimed it from dad's estate and voila - dad chipped in funds.   Whatever - it was a grand day.  I did wear my sling (rotator cuff recovery Week 10) due to crowds

Ray wears the boots in the family. 

Had to try a 2024 prize winning fried food and it was crazy tasty good. 

Cotton Candy Bacon on a stick.    Now think about it.... savory,  sweet....bacon.   OMG, it was really tasty. 

The Latina Mundo folks were celebrating  Day of the Dead at the Women's Museum.   Fun!

 Yes,  I wore the sling.  We went here after Pig Races, Stunt Dogs,  Cars, Fletcher Corny Dogs, and more.  The crowds were beyond nuts.  Ray even said after a million years of fair going, he did not remember crowds this big.  I got a tad overwhelmed and called it quits after 5 hours.  Whew!

Whatever Wednesday - Pumpkins and Fall

Has America fallen?   Nah - I doubt it.  We don't know WTF has happened yet.  So let's enjoy the Dallas Arboretum pumpkin fest.  This covers October and  November.   Enjoy!

Misty fern  glen.  Always so pretty

Me with a fake huge armadillo.  No sling.  Week  11  - the shoulder is healing - slowly, but it's all about time.  Many weeks to go

Ray's face at the Pumpkin  Village Saloon - there was no free whiskey offered.  Well,  shucks!

 There were a zillion  pumpkins everywhere.  So amazing and lovely.  As a member, I'll  take  credit!

Tuesday

Monday Moments - Democracy and Vote

 Tomorrow is election day.  Darn.  It's a bit scary, in my opinion.  I'm writing and doing this for my dad (see above from January 2023)  (he passed in May 2024) who could not vote this year.   But after January 6th 2021, my father asked my brother to get the forms to change his voter registration.  He could no longer stomach the antics of the Republican Party.  I am proud of his choice as a Navy veteran and a man of honor. 

We'll see what happens.  Alas, because of so much disruption, we probably will not have an outcome tomorrow night.  And that's sad, ridiculous, and (to me) not America. 

The central tenet of every democracy in the end is trust -  Bill Clinton 1993

We, the people, elect leaders not to rule but to serve - Dwight D. Eisenhower  1953

The first rule of democracy is to distrust all leaders who begin to to believe their own publicity -  Arthur M. Schlesinger, R. 1960    (hello......DJT....ugh)

and finally from Walt Whitman  Song of Myself 1895  Leaves of Grass

I speak the password primeval, I give the sign of democracy

By  God! I will accept nothing which all cannot have their 

counterpart of on the same terms

Good luck all.  We'll see what  happens and I fear for women in particular.  And frankly, the English language, depending on what occurs. 

 

Finally Friday - Ramble into a Weekend

 You know what?  No doubt, your local community puts on "free" events.  That's your tax dollars at work. 

Ray and I took advantage of Bedford Beer and Brats in the Pumpkin  Patch.  This benefited our local library and was a perfect October Saturday. (10/19/24)   Gorgeous weather.  Great music - The Trinity River Ramblers (see pic) - and food trucks, plus beer. 

It was a ten minute drive. Free parking. Free admission.  The goal was entertainment. Partake of food and beer and buy pumpkins.  Win. win.  Nice family event that started at 3 pm.  The band was excellent.  We stayed a bit for the second group, but then headed home.  So handy. 

Support your local community events!