Photo: lolitas.se

If my dreams became reality, this is what it would look like.

And Best Picture Goes To…

Photo: filmindustrynetwork.biz

The Academy Awards is without doubt one of the best award shows of the year. With captivating hosts and the right production team, the Academy Awards is also one of the most entertaining shows.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recently announced that they are making a change to their “Best Picture” category. Instead of having 10 “Best Picture” nominations, the Academy will now have the freedom to nominate between 5 and 10 films. If there are only 7 movies that are deserving of the “Best Picture” title, 7 it will be.

In 2009, according to the Washington Post, “the Academy expanded the category to 10 nominees, aiming to generate interest and more viewers.” While this was a justified business move, what should the criteria be for the Oscars’ highest honor? Do you nominate more movies to produce a “highest viewed awards show in 50 years” and attract a mainstream audience with movies such as James Cameron’s Avatar and Pixar’s Toy Story 3? Or do you nominate the films that did not gain much attention but had a truly compelling story and was well produced? Not to say that Toy Story 3 or Avatar didn’t have compelling stories or weren’t well produced, but how can one differentiate between box office gold and just...gold?

The most recent Academy Awards in February 2011 had an astonishing 10 ‘Best Picture’ nominees, including The King’s Speech, Black Swan, 127 Hours, True Grit, and Toy Story 3. Other categories such as “Best Actress” and “Best Directing” were limited to 5 nominees. Having so many nominees in one category almost takes away from the prestige of the Oscar. Just as it is difficult to win an Academy Award, it should be even more difficult to be nominated for one.

I am looking forward to seeing this new change be implemented in this year’s award show. As the Academy executive director Bruce Davis noted, “A best picture nomination should be an indication of extraordinary merit. If there are only eight pictures that truly earn that honor in a given year, we shouldn’t feel an obligation to round out the number.”

Films will not know how many slots there will be in the “Best Picture” category until the votes are cast and the nominees are announced. The bar has been raised for everyone in the film industry, and I can’t wait to see how producers, actors, directors, and studios, (etc.) will step up their game!



Peaceful Afternoons

My own

Some of my most enjoyable afternoons have been spent walking my puppy around the park. Blue skies and sunshine make these afternoons even better. Seeing an old bench, a tall tree, or a calm lake through the lens of a camera or filter can make even the simplest things seem magical.

My own

My own

Summer Sorbet

Summer is the perfect time to kick back and enjoy a big bowl of ice cream or sorbet. When I was feeling inspired one night, I decided to see if I could make a melon sorbet with this recipe.I had made ice cream before, but sorbet seemed more challenging. I followed the instructions and ended up with a delicious honeydew sorbet. The sorbet was neon green in color, but it was purely just the ripe fruit color. I would go lighter on the mint so there is a more fruity taste in this icy treat. Also, I recommend eating right away because it doesn't save well in the freezer.

Hiatus #2

[Photo Credit - jenniferbrogee.files.wordpress.com]

I haven't posted anything in what feels like forever, and while I'd like to blame finals, work, and family...it's really no one's fault but my own. I definitely have not forgotten about my reader (readers?) Who's really even reading this blog anyways? :)

That said, there will be a new post up tomorrow morning! I'm back and ready for blogging!

Pure Magic




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[Photo Credit - flickr.com]



[Photo Credit - naturaltechnology.net]





Happy Birthday, Audrey!

[Photo Credit - glassesandgummybears.blogspot.com]

Audrey Hepburn was not only a beauty icon, but an incredibly talented actress. I've read a couple of her biographies, and each time I was wowed by her life and all that she had been through and accomplished. Happy birthday to an inspiration!

[Photo Credit - covellifashion.wordpress.com]

[Photo Credit - classicfilmstars.com]





Biker Chic

[Photo Credit - wrenhandmade.typepad.com]

 I had an idea yesterday that I am still obsessing over. I am throwing the idea around to invest in a bike (with a basket). When I want to pop over to the mall or pick up groceries, a bike is a healthy and cheap way to get there. It would take 10-20 minutes, and I would save a lot on gas, not to mention get an extra workout in for the day. I would also be out in the sun and getting my Vitamin D. There are too many benefits, here!

I would save hundreds of dollars in gas, especially with the rising gas prices. While I do try to be green, I'll admit I'd rather drive to the park to walk my puppy rather than actually walk there. But this summer, that will not be the case. It really pays to slow down and take time to walk or bike somewhere. I'm on a mission to find a cute, vintage-looking bike. This is one more step/goal to my Summer of Learning (as I've officially dubbed it).

Does anyone have any bike (and helmet!) recommendations?



[Photo Credit - thesweetestoccasion.com]



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[Photo Credit - elizabethannedesigns.com]



Comfortable Isolation



[Photo Credit - mi9.com]

I've reached a point in my night where I have focused so hard all day that I can't even focus on my book or a television show. Frankly, I'm not even feeling tired. A few lines I just read in Katie Couric's new book perfectly summed up what I am feeling: "Listen once in a while. It's amazing what you can hear. On a hot summer day in the country, you can hear the corn growing, the crack of a tin roof buckling under the power of the sun." - Russell Baker

This description is exactly what I would love to be doing right now. Watching the sun go down over a sea of corn, basking in the leftover heat from the day, closing my eyes, just listening to the sounds around me. Because that way, even though I am not running around or jumping and singing, I would still feel alive. Alive in that way when you feel very connected to nature and the world around you.

Another way to describe this feeling could be expressed through The Notebook. This scene in particular:



[Photo Credit - entertainment.ezinemark.com]

In this scene, the moon and streelights are the only sources of light. It is that time of night on an empty street when it only feels like you are the only breathing being. Also, there is a hint of romance and first love, not only in this movie, but in this stillshot itself. Most importantly, Billie Holiday's I'll Be Seeing You plays in the background. I am comfortably independent, and this type of isolation is something I absolutely wouldn't mind. Bring on the corn, sunset, and slow dancing under the moon.



[Photo Credit - flickr.com]

[Photo Credit - smithcountylakehouse.com]

Pretty Things

Black and white photography / Cinema / New York City



Everyday I am inspired by something, whether it is a color, a book I am reading, a magazine article, a stranger's nice manners, nature, the environment and people around me, beautiful pictures, or recipes. There is always a lesson to learn from an action, an awkward moment, an event, or a lecture, and even though I am not in a classroom 24/7, I feel like I am learning a little bit more about the world and myself every day. I want to constantly be motivated and in awe of what is around me. I hope to always find pleasure in the little things, and to find joy in simple moments like standing still in the middle of a crowded New York City street or organizing my books and magazines.

P.S. Happy Easter!

Carrie's Closet
[Photo credit - honeybee-emily.blogspot.com]



Organization / Shoes




Photo contrast / MK / Color



Polka dots / Room decor
[Photo Credit - ohjoy.blogs.com]