"Holland’s papa wouldn’t stay in the ground, dead and buried and he walked into town. Lord God, what is Ma to do? Mama’s so mad cause he muddied up his suit, caught in a thorn bush, blowin' on a flute. Lord God, what is Ma to do?" ~the felice brothers

I've been listening to my recording of the last Felice Brothers concert I went to, and I fall even more in love with them every time I listen to it. I wasn't crazy about their newest album (Celebration Florida) at first, but now I'm obsessed. Hearing those songs live definitely had something to do with it. At first "Fire at the Pageant" (posted above) did NOT make me happy, but now I absolutely LOVE it. It's one of my favorite songs; I could listen to it over and over. And I do. Try it; you might love it, too.

This is one of the best things I've ever seen. I can't stop watching it. Have I mentioned that I love Kristen Bell? Lately I've been getting into her new show, House of Lies. It's funny. I'm not sure if I'd watch it if she weren't in it, but I am enjoying it. Anyway, this is amazing:


I'm still recovering from the end of Chuck. My friend Leah and I are going to see The Head and the Heart at Terminal 5 in March. She wrote to me, "I'm hoping between now and then, I'll be able to listen to 'Rivers and Roads' without sobbing" (that's the song that played during the last few minutes of Chuck's finale; it's in my last blog post). I feel the same way, but I think I should be okay in a couple of months.

What else? I'm sure there's a bunch of stuff I need to write about (movies, a few shows), but I don't have time. I bought an apartment, which is crazy, and I'm in the process of packing, which is not fun. I have a LOT of stuff.

I filmed the Felice Brothers show in September, so here's the playlist if you want to revel in their awesomeness like I've been doing (you can click on the rectangle-shaped button on the bottom to scroll through the songs).

"A year from now we'll all be gone, all our friends will move away. And they're going to better places, but our friends will be gone away. Nothing is as it has been, and I miss your face like hell. And I guess it's just as well, but I miss your face like hell. Been talking 'bout the way things change, and my family lives in a different state. And if you don't know what to make of this, then we will not relate. So if you don't know what to make of this, then we will not relate. Rivers and roads, rivers and roads, rivers 'til I reach you." ~the head and the heart



Thank you for the last five years, Chuck. There really are no words to express what you mean to me.

"I think I heard you singing, 'Oh poor sky, don't cry on me. Did somebody break your heart again? Oh poor sky, don't cry on me. Are you gonna fall apart again?' My head plays it over and over. All dolled-up in straps, all colored in. Now, love, where have you been? Dolled-up in straps, all colored in. Now, love, where have you been? Where have you been?" ~the national

My 15 favorite Movies of 2011

It's that time again, time to reflect on the previous year, and for this blog that means looking at what the entertainment industry had to offer. Today I'm focusing on movies. It's too difficult for me to rank them, so I'm simply listing my fifteen favorites in alphabetical order. Though if I were forced to choose my favorite film of the year, right now I'd probably go with a tie between The Descendants and Win Win (if you ask me tomorrow I'll probably have a different answer). Anyway, here are my favorites:

Bridesmaids - pure hilarity.
The Descendants - it just seemed so real. Incredibly affecting but also very funny. Beautifully acted and directed.
Drive - stylistically gorgeous, incredibly intense, captivating.
50/50 - a lovely blend of comedy and drama, and a realistic look at a tricky subject.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - fabulously acted, thrilling.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - a wonderful close to the series.
The Help - amazing acting, a solid adaptation of the novel.
Hugo - a loving tribute to the art of film, a faithful adaptation of the book.
The Ides of March - well-adapted from the play (Farragut North) and also very well-acted.
Martha Marcy May Marlene - clever, haunting, and featuring a brilliant debut from Elizabeth Olsen.
Midnight in Paris - absolutely lovely.
Moneyball - a beautifully made intelligent film about so much more than baseball.
My Week With Marilyn - an interesting portrait of an icon with a brilliant performance by Michelle Williams.
Win Win - I love everything about this movie.
Young Adult - sharp, hilarious, and uncomfortably realistic.

And an honorable mention goes to Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. So there you have it. There are a handful of movies I still need to see (The Artist, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Iron Lady, Shame, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Albert Nobbs, and more), so obviously my picks are based on what I've seen.

"Now there’s no leaving New York. Now there’s no leaving New York. You’re so far around the bend. You’re so far around the bend." ~the national

I live in New York. It is January. It was over 60 degrees (F) today. Seriously. I walked around the city wearing this:
No jacket. 3/4 sleeves. No socks under my favorite TOMS. Rips in my jeans (letting the air in). And I was hot. Seriously. It was lovely. 60 degrees! In January!

Here is how I'm spending my evening:
Yes, I'm home alone on a Saturday night. Watching Downton Abbey (I've just fallen in love with it), eating pizza, and drinking Four Loko. And you know what? I couldn't be happier.