Live in the Present

The more I read about Buddhism, the more I believe they're on to something.

I love rereading the Dalai Lama's Rules for Life when it comes across the email.

It's so true, isn't it, that we make ourselves miserable in life by regretting the past or fearing the future. But, it's easier said than done to always live in the present. After all, we shouldn't lose the lessons of the past, lest the challenges keep presenting themselves. I can attest to that.

This was all brought to mind when I talked to a friend today who said she heard her ex was getting married today. I asked her how she felt. And the answer was "happy and sad."

Woodstock Anniversary

Okay...I've never really identifed with Woodstock in any way. However, I do enjoy the history of it. 400,000 people, mostly hippies, attending a Music and Art Festival in Bethel, N.Y. on August 16, 1969, defined the 60's. The promoters originally expected 10,000 to show up. And then the rain came...and more and more people showed up.

When I heard the Orange County Market Place was doing a "Welcome Back After the Fair" event, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock last weekend, and I found out my friend, Connie Early, and her The Summer of Love Show, were performing, I knew I wanted to be there.

Also, it had been a long time since I had been to the "swap meet" there, so that was another reason to trek on down. I told a few friends, and we all met there to see the band perform. We had so much fun! I had first seen this band at the Orange County Pavilion. It is pure entertainment. Great imitations of Janis Joplin and Grace Slick (Connie) and Jimi Hendrix (Gerald Davis) were a delight to hear and see. This is a very talented group of people. Connie as lead vocalist, Gerald as lead vocal/guitarist/harmonica; Ron Olsson, lead vocals/guitarist; Julie Dolan, keyboards/vocals/harmonica; and David Abercrombie, bass/vocals. They are all having a great time performing, and the crowd really

got into it.

You can keep up with "The Age of Aquarius" performances and hear a sampling of their work here.

Interesting to note that at the original site of Woodstock, a not-for-profit foundation has been set up to run a museum and concert space. Concerts are regularly scheduled over the hill from the original stage at a modern, 4,800-seat amphitheater.

Joe Cocker and Santana boosted their careers at Woodstock. You can discover Woodstock on disc "Woodstock - 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm."

Julie & Julia

I guess it's just the difference in the way men and women think about or enjoy certain things. After reading two reviews by the male species, I expected to be at least a little bored or unimpressed with the "Julie" part of the show.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie!! Nora Ephron did her usual great job of directing this film (as well as writing it). "Cooking is all about time travel. Cooking is about traveling back in your memories." Meryl Streep is just...as you can imagine... sensational in this role! A true delight to watch. I loved the scenes where she was competing with the men at the Cordon Bleu school. I adore watching Stanley Tucci in anything. Remember how great they were together in The Devil Wears Prada. You won't be disappointed.

I guess the popcorn dulled my appetite a bit, because I didn't necessarily salivate over the sole meuniere. The food stylists did such a great job; all of the food displayed in the film was so tantalizing. I had been listening to Melinda Lee discuss in great detail the filming of the food and how audiences are so sophisticated today that you must use the real thing...no fake anything! Unbelievable how many lobsters, etc, it took to get just the right take. That's an interesting story in itself.

Amy Adams is darling as the blogger who made her way through all 524 (?) recipes in Julia Child's, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I thought the casting of her husband, Chris Messina, was a wise one as well. I had just started reading Julia Child's autobiography, My Life in France, written with her nephew, Alex Prud'homme, and published after her death in 2006. I guess the publisher felt they could sell more books with "Julie and Julia" on the cover, but when I bought it at Border's, I told the clerk that I was disappointed in the cover. She said, "Oh, I'll go in the back and get you the other one," which happened to have a picture of Julia and her husband, Paul, on the cover.

Well, I went as far as to cut out the recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon that Cathy Thomas had reprinted in the newspaper because that looked so good in the movie. Will I be brave enough to cook it for guests? Why not! Why let 17 ingredients and several hours of cooking deter me.

Go see the movie. It's really not a chick flick. I heard many men in the audience laughing out loud, and everyone applauded at the end of the movie. I recommend you plan to go out with friends for a nice dinner afterwards. You'll definitely be in the mood.
But, skip the movie popcorn.

I wonder what my blogger friend, Jan at the Movies, will think of this film.