One More Week Until Awake!

Ladies, only ONE MORE week until Josh Groban's Awake comes out! Can you wait that long?

More on Josh and the cd here.

Plus, lots more from his website:

• Catch Josh on TV! Tune into NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday, November 16th and Entertainment Tonight on Oct. 31st to see a special segment on Josh. Check your local listings for time and channel.

• Josh performed Live in London tonight from the Mermaid Theatre! You can stream his performance online at BBC Radio 2 ...Josh’s performance is approximately 1 hour into the show. Below is the set-list:You Are Loved, February Song, Un Dia Llegara, Smile, So She Dances, Not While I’m Around, Broken Vow, Machine,

• Catch Josh on TV! Tune into ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday, November 8th to see Josh perform two songs! He will also be a guest and perform one song on Regis and Kelly on Friday, November 10th!

Lots of great appearances!

Technorati Tags: Josh Groban, Awake, Music, CD,

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Season 6 Trailer!

24 fans: you can see Sneak Peek Season 6 trailer here. Exciting!!!

More related to 24 here, here, here, here, and here.

Plus, hilarious Jack Bauer facts here.

Season 6 of 24 premieres next January 2007 with a 2 Nights, 4 Hours: Sunday, January 14 at 8pm and Monday, January 15 at 8pm.

Technorati Tags: 24, Jack Bauer,

Breakfast For Dinner

Tonight for dinner we had breakfast: eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and . . . Gingerbread Waffles! Of course, the waffles are a Rachael Ray recipe.

I LOVE gingerbread, so these were fantastic. The recipe made a ton of waffles, so I plan to freeze some for later. I think this would be a perfect recipe for a Christmas Morning Breakfast. Heat up the syrup for a perfect accompaniment.

I look forward to making them again! The whole house smells like Christmas!

What are your favorite kinds of waffles and what do you eat with them?

Technorati Tags: Rachael Ray, Gingerbread Waffles,

Very Diverting!

Jane Austen fans will enjoy this crossword at ExcessivelyDiverted.com.

I love Jane Austen and have a ton of books, but I still had to look up some of the answers. It is a lovely challenge.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Jane Austen, Crossword,

St. Hedwig

Most people know the name "Hedwig" from the Harry Potter novels (Harry's owl is named Hedwig), but there was a Saint Hedwig.

Today, 16 October, is the Feast Day of Saint Hedwig.

Saint Hedwig was the

Daughter of the Duke of Croatia. Aunt of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. Married Prince Henry I of Silesia and Poland in 1186 at age 12. Mother of seven. Cared for the sick both personally and by founding hospitals. Widow. Upon her husband's death, she gave away her fortune and entered the monastery at Trebnitz.

She is the Patron Saint of:

Bavaria; Berlin, Germany; brides; duchesses; death of children; difficult marriages; diocese of Görlitz, Germany; Silesia; victims of jealousy; widows

More on St. Hedwig:
-Catholic Encyclopedia -Catholic Online -St. Hedwig -EWTN


(Crossposted at A Lady's Ruminations)
Technorati Tags: St. Hedwig, Catholic Saints, Feast Day,

Banana Bread and Shepherd's Pie

Goodness, I've just been in a cooking mood lately. It feels like I have been in the kitchen all day.

This morning I made two loaves of former Seattle Mariner Jay Buhner's Banana Nut Bread (I didn't put the nuts in). The recipe comes from one of the Mariners Wives charity projects in 2000, a cookbook titled Home Plates- Favorite Recipes of Mariners Players and Staff.

I usually double the recipe to make 2 loaves.

Jay Buhner's Banana Nut Bread

1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/4 teas baking powder
1/2 teaspoon
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teas salt
1/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 Tbs milk
1 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup nuts, chopped (pecans or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, beat the sugar and shortening until light. Add eggs-one at a time. Add milk. Beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and bananas, alternating, to a creamed mixture. Beat until smooth. Fold in nuts. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8x4x2 loaf pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until tester inserted in comes out clean. Melt 2 Tbs butter all over the top. Cool on a rack.

For dinner tonight, I made Rachael Ray's Ground Turkey Shepherd's Pie. This tastes even better the next day. I love it with chicken, but it is also good with ground beef. You'll also find the Shepherd's Pie recipe in Rach's Cooking 'Round the Clock, along with a 5 Minute Bread Pudding Recipe (it is her "UK Comforts" meal). If you haven't had Shepherd's Pie, it is traditionally made with lamb. You cook the meat with carrots and onions and then make a gravy and add it, along with peas. Mashed potatoes cover the top. Yum-o!

Technorati Tags: Jay Buhner, Banana Nut Bread, Rachael Ray, Shepherd's Pie, Recipes,

What kind of Intelligence do you have?

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Southwest Casserole

I haven't made this in awhile, but I made it for dinner tonight. Yummy!

Southwest Casserole

olive oil
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, in bite-size pieces
package taco seasoning mix (or mix up your own)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup (or more) corn
1/4-1/2 cup salsa
1 can diced tomatoes (with chiles would be great)
water
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups crunched up tortilla chips

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add some olive oil and then the chicken. Cook until the chicken is cooked through. (You could add onions, bell peppers, etc. with the chicken). Add the taco seasoning, beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, and some water. Mix it all up and cover for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the chicken mixture has simmered, transfer it to a 9x13 dish. Cover the top with the cheese and the crushed tortilla chips. Bake for about 15 minutes.

I like to serve it over rice.

Tonight I added a few dashes of chipotle sauce. You can add whatever sort of heat you like and additional vegetables, as well. I imagine crushed Doritos would taste great too.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Recipes, Southwest Casserole,

Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere

Most people are excited when Pumpkin season comes around, but sometimes, one can only make so many pumpkin pies or pumpkin bread (which I am currently eating, toasted warm and buttery).


Luckily, the internet holds countless pumpkin recipes to break you out of a rut.

And, conveniently, Yahoo gathered 30 Ways To Eat A Pumpkin. Yummy! I have a great pumpkin cheesecake recipe, a delicious pumpkin gingerbread recipe, and a couple of fabulous pumpkin scones recipes. What I would love to try making is pumpkin pancakes. Delicious!

What do you like to make with pumpkin?

Technorati Tags: Pumpkin, Recipes,

"Not 'Sagna"

Don't know what to make for dinner, but want something really fast, easy, and good? This is the perfect recipe!

Not-sagna Pasta Toss

Like most of the recipes I try, this is a Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meal. Rather than spending hours putting lasagna together and then waiting for it to bake, you can make this delicious "Not 'Sagna" super fast.

My mother and I have made it 3 times, including for dinner tonight. Each time we made it in less than 30 minutes (25, 25, and 22). I think even making it alone I could do it in less than 30. The ingredients are all things we generally have on hand and are (if you use low or non-fat cheese) healthful. The flavors are delicious and the pasta toss tastes even better the next day.

I highly recommend this recipe! I love it.

Rachael also makes a Vegetable Not-sagna Pasta Toss (which I have seen her make on 30 Minute Meals).

As Rach would say, "Yum-o!"

Technorati Tags: RAchael Ray, Recipes, Not-sagna Pasta Toss, Pasta,

Penblwydd Hapus, Ioan!

Today is the 33rd birthday of one of my favorite actors, Ioan Gruffudd. He's a gorgeous Welshman with a gorgeous accent and plenty of talent to spare.



To Ioan,
Have a lovely birthday and many blessings throughout the year.
God bless you and your endeavours!


Penblwydd Hapus, Ioan!
Happy Birthday, Ioan!

Some of my favorite photos (lots more at Ioan Online):






Here are some of my favorite Ioan movies:

He is probably best known for playing Horatio Hornblower in the tv film series of the same name: Horatio Hornblower. They have made 8 films based a few of the 11 novels, so far, but Ioan has said he would love to play Hornblower through the end. From his lips to God's ears!


Last summer, Ioan played Reed Richards, aka "Mr. Fantastic," in Fantastic Four. He was excellent, though often overlooked. They are currently filming a second F4 film.


Two years ago, Ioan played Lancelot alongside Clive Owen's Arthur in King Arthur. He seems perfectly suited to the role, if one uses Tennyson's description in my favorite poem, "The Lady of Shalott":

His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd;
On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode;
From underneath his helmet flow'd
His coal-black curls as on he rode,
As he rode down to Camelot.

nd, in 2007, Ioan will play British abolitionist William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace.

Technorati Tags: Ioan Gruffudd,

Apart for Four Hundred Years

Curtsy to Gentleman Jay for the link and story. Thank you!

UK Telegraph: V&A brings family together after 400 years apart---

A husband, wife and their children, separated for more than 400 years, have been reunited for a spectacular exhibition on the art and culture of domestic life in Renaissance Italy.

Paulo Veronese, one of 16th century Venice's greatest artists, painted a pair of double portraits of the wealthy da Porte Thiene family, of nearby Vicenza, in 1551. They were to hang in the hallway of their new palazzo, built for them by Andrea Palladio to demonstrate their importance.

The young Veronese, a contemporary of Tintoretto, divided the family along gender lines in his portraits.

You can see a photograph of the portraits, side by side, here.

In one, he showed Count Iseppo da Porto, a knight of the Holy Roman Empire, with his eight-year-old son, Leonida.

The other was of his wife, Livia Thiene, wearing a marten's pelt with a jewelled head and gazing devoutly at her husband, standing with their daughter, Porzia, aged about four.

Though the Palazzo Iseppo da Porto still stands, the portraits disappeared from it by the end of the 16th century and scholars did not hear of them again until the early 20th century. Then one, father and son, surfaced in the collection of Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi. It now belongs to the Uffizi gallery in Florence.

The other appeared in the shop of a Florentine antiquarian and was bought by the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.

Don't you want to know where they were for all those years?

I do wish I could see them:

They go on show, side by side as Veronese intended, for the first time in four centuries at the Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington, west London, from Thursday.

Four centuries!?! Amazing.

You can visit the Victoria & Albert website here. (Fun activity from the website: design a Renaissance Room!!!)

Technorati Tags: Paulo Veronese, da Porte Thiene, Portraits, Renaissance, Victoria & Albert Museum, Italy,

I Prefer Earl Grey

Well, this is good news for those of us who love, love, love tea.

Reuters: Beat stress, drink tea ---

LONDON (Reuters) - Regular cups of tea can help speed recovery from stress, researchers from University College London (UCL) said on Wednesday.

Men who drank black tea four times a day for six weeks were found to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol than a control group who drank a fake tea substitute, the researchers said in a study published in the journal Psychopharmacology.

The tea drinkers also reported a greater feeling of relaxation after performing tasks designed to raise stress levels.

Andrew Steptoe, of UCL's department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and one of the report's authors, said the findings could have important health implications.

"Slow recovery following acute stress has been associated with a greater risk of chronic illness such as coronary heart disease.

"Although it does not appear to reduce the actual levels of stress we experience, tea does seem to have a greater effect in bringing stress hormone levels back to normal."

Of course it does. I always find tea to be a comfort when I am stressed or upset or feeling ill.

My favorite is Earl Grey, but I love tea generally. I had some English Breakfast this morning.

What kinds do you like to drink? How do you take your tea?


Technorati Tags: Tea, Research, Health, University College London,

All About Gerard

I love Gerard Butler! Have you seen his movies yet? (especially The Phantom of the Opera?)


In the past two weeks, GB has had two movies come out on dvd (unfortunately not in theaters): The Miracle Match (aka The Game of Their Lives) and Beowulf & Grendel.

I saw The Miracle Match last week and absolutely loved it. It tells the story of the 1950 US World Cup soccer team. They hadn't a chance against the professional teams fielded by other countries, but the scrappy American players pulled off what I have heard described as the greatest upset in World Cup history. I enjoy sports, so the soccer aspect of the movie was fun. More importantly, the film was very patriotic and family-oriented. Gerard plays Frank Borghi, the keeper (goalie). The movie also stars brothers Louis and Costas Mandylor, Zachery Bryan (the oldest brother from the tv show Home Improvement), Wes Bentley, John Rhys-Davies (aka Gimli from LOTR), and Gavin Rossdale (singer and husband of Gwen Stefani). It was excellent and moved me to tears.


I haven't yet seen Beowulf & Grendel, but I have read the epic poem it was based on. From what I have seen (photos, etc.), the scenery is breathtaking. (Not to mention Gerard.)


Buffalo News: Butler did it---

With his striking good looks, irresistible Scottish brogue and magnetic old-Hollywood screen presence, you would think Gerard Butler would be an international superstar of paparazzi-obsessive proportions.

The fact that Butler is a darn good actor and a funny guy who isn't above making fun of himself only adds to his appeal.

So what gives? Maybe it's that Butler takes on flawed characters and roles that defy typecasting - not the usual Hollywood thinking. He's equally at home in wonderful "small" films like "Dear Frankie" as he was in the big-screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera," or taking on Angelia Jolie in "Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life."

Butler's two newest films to arrive on DVD again show the diversity of his projects. One is an inspiring true story with mainstream appeal; the other is a visually stunning movie based on an eighth-century poem.

I highly recommend The Miracle Match. It is a movie the whole family can watch together and cheer during.



Absolutely gorgeous. And that Scottish brogue . . .

Technorati Tags: Gerard Butler, The Miracle Match, Beowulf & Grendel, Movies,

OotP Photos!

Pictures from the set of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix have been surfacing on the internet. They look great (and the boys have cut their hair!). You can find a number of them here.

Included are pictures of Umbridge (with her kitten plates!).

HP and OotP is my favorite of the first six books and I hope the movie is excellent. The film comes out

Ron, Harry, and Hermione
Technorati Tags: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Movies, photos,

Awake!

Finally, finally, finally, news on Josh Groban's brand new album, out in stores 7 November!



From JoshGroban.com:

JOSH GROBAN NEW CD 'AWAKE'IN STORES ON NOVEMBER 7TH
The legions of Josh Groban fans will slumber no more as Reprise Records announced today a November 7th worldwide release of the hotly anticipated "Awake", the follow up CD to the mega star's previous two albums, the self titled “Josh Groban” and the multi- platinum "Closer" which collectively sold well over 13 million CD’s.
Groban's 'hands on' approach in the creative process of "Awake" is reflected in several Groban penned and produced songs along with musical contributions from Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Dave Matthews, Glen Ballard, Eric Mouquet, John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting) Marius DeVries, David Foster, Imogen Heap and Herbie Hancock.

"Awake's" 13 new songs including the just released first single, "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" show the Grammy nominated Groban's tremendous growth as a vocalist, producer and songwriter since he first appeared on the musical landscape.

"I learned from touring that my fans are really open-minded, musical, intelligent people and I feel like they want to come on this new journey with me. The music still sounds like it's coming from my heart and my soul and my voice. That is always the most important thing to me. My goal on "Awake" was to create the music and find the best people to help me create it," commented Groban.

With a lineup of stellar producers including Marius DeVries, Guy Sigsworth, Glen Ballard and David Foster, the album contains songs in Italian, Spanish and of course English. An early stand-out, "February Song" with Josh on keyboards came to the 25-year-old Los Angeles native on a sleepless night. “I wanted to write a song that melodically and lyrically represented the craziness I felt in that moment in the dark dark space. I walked over to the piano and it just came to me in a half hour in the most magical way."

Additionally, Groban recorded a suite of two stunningly haunting songs where he harmonizes with longtime idols Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The first song, the Groban/Dave Mattthews penned "Lullaby" is sung a cappella and the follow up, the South African song, "Weeping" which Josh first heard on a trip to South Africa.

You can hear the first single, "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" at Josh's website (lyrics at Grobania). I must say, I love it and could already listen to it for hours and hours! That gorgeous voice!

Additionally,

A Josh Groban tour for 2007 is expected to be announced shortly.

And,

Catch Josh on TV! Tune into ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday, November 8th to see Josh perform two songs! He will also be a guest and perform one song on Regis and Kelly on Friday, November 10th!

Which are your favorite Josh Groban songs?



One has to love those Byronic curls!

Technorati Tags: Josh Groban, Awake, Music, CD,

POTC: DMC DVD!

Just in time for Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest comes out on dvd on December 5!

USA Today: DVD places the loot in 'Dead Man's Chest'---

Industry observers expect the DVD of the year's biggest movie to easily be the year's top seller, beating another Disney title, The Chronicles of Narnia, which was released before Easter and sold more than 11 million DVDs in the USA alone.

"It's definitely a repeatable movie that people will want to own," says industry analyst Tom Adams of Adams Media Research. He predicts sales of 12 million to 13 million for Dead Man's Chest.

The sequels only fuel renewed interest in the movies that came before. During Dead Man's summer theatrical run, the DVD of the original Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl shot back into the top five on the national DVD sales chart nearly three years after it was released.

"That's likely to happen again with the DVD release of the second one," Adams says.

What will it feature?

The Dead Man's Chest DVD will come out in both a single-disc edition ($30) and a two-disc collector's edition ($35).

Both DVDs have bloopers and commentary from writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, who also are writing the upcoming movie.

The collector's edition also comes with 10 featurettes, including a profile on Depp, an inside look at the movie's premiere on Disneyland's Main Street, a photo diary from producer Jerry Bruckheimer, a feature on how Disneyland's popular Pirates of the Caribbean attraction became the basis for a movie and an extensive making-of documentary.

For the DVD, Bruckheimer worked to be sure the special features give audiences something fresh.

"We wanted to give people more than they saw in the theater, a little insight into the filmmaking process," he says.

I can't wait to get it and watch all the extra features.

The third film is expected to open May 25, on Memorial Day weekend.

And by Christmas 2007, expect a DVD release and a boxed set of all three films.

Ahhh! A BOXED SET of ALL THREE!?!?! Better start saving!

Technorati Tags: Pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Movies,

Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Today is Talk Like A Pirate Day! I love pirates (of the Captain Jack variety).

Time to put on lots of black eyeliner, gold hoop earrings, and Talk Like A Pirate!



Get a Pirate name here.



Songs to sing here.


I also recommend watching Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, which is one of my favorite movies.

You can read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest here.

The Talk Like A Pirate page has lots of great suggestions, ideas, and things to do. Have fun visiting!


You can read A Lady's Diversions in Pirate Speak here.

Technorati Tags: Talk Like A Pirate Day, Pirates, Captain Jack,

New Tolkien Novel?

Sort of.

AP: Unfinished Tolkien work to be published ---

NEW YORK - An unfinished tale by J.R.R. Tolkien has been edited by his son into a completed work and will be released next spring, the U.S. and British publishers announced Monday.

Christopher Tolkien has spent the past 30 years working on "The Children of Hurin," an epic tale his father began in 1918 and later abandoned. Excerpts of "The Children of Hurin," which includes the elves and dwarves of Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" and other works, have been published before.

"It has seemed to me for a long time that there was a good case for presenting my father's long version of the legend of the `Children of Hurin' as an independent work, between its own covers," Christopher Tolkien said in a statement.

Fabulous news for Tolkien and LOTR fans.

Crossposted at A Lady's Ruminations

Technorati Tags: Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, The Children of Hurin,

A Little RR!

My favorite Food Network personality and cookbook author Rachael Ray has a new television show! It starts tomorrow on ABC and you can find out what time it will be showing where you live on the official site, which is here. Lots of fun things on the site.

It looks like it will be a really fun show and not so serious and "I know what's best" like lots of talk shows out there. Rachael is fun and entertaining. Plus, there'll be cooking every day!

Rach is my cooking role model! I have all (most) of her cookbooks. I get her magazine. I love her shows on the Food Network. What I really love about 30 Minute Meals, in particular, is that Rachael shows you how to time things. I think that is the hardest part of cooking for me: getting everything to finish at the same time. I use my 30 Minute Meal cookbooks all the time. Seriously, whenever I am going to make dinner, the first thing I do is go through my RR cookbooks. I have found a ton of new favorites in them and the other recipes all look good, even if I don't usually like some of the ingredients.

Rachael rarely uses really expensive ingredients and everything is pretty easy to find. If it is something a bit more pricy or unusual, Rachael tries to use it in several recipes, so it is worth the expense/experiment.

Rachael is hilarious and so completely herself! She is always laughing and very full of life. Oh, and one of my favorite things about her is that she always says, "If you prefer this or have this instead of that, go ahead and use it!" Very refreshing because some chefs (MS, anyone?!) seem to think that only certain, fancy, expensive, or items of food you don't like are acceptable.

If you haven't seen Rachael's Food Network Shows, you should really watch her new talk show. I think it looks like lots of fun!

Technorati Tags: Rachael Ray, TV, Cooking,

Don't Lose That!!!

What a near miss for Book 7! Can you imagine if it had been lost?!?!

AP: J.K. Rowling challenges airport security---

LONDON - J.K. Rowling says she won an argument with airport security officials in New York to carry the manuscript of the final "Harry Potter" book as carry-on baggage. Had security agents not relented, the British author said on her Web site, she might not have flown.

"I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't — sailed home probably," she wrote. The posting was dated Wednesday.

The 41-year-old author had participated in an Aug. 1 book reading for charity with fellow writers Stephen King and John Irving. Security was drastically tightened after Aug. 10 when British police said they had intercepted a plot to blow up U.S.-bound airliners.

"The heightened security restrictions on the airlines made the journey back from New York interesting, as I refused to be parted from the manuscript of book seven.

"A large part of it is handwritten and there was no copy of anything I had done while in the U.S."

Eventually, she added, "They let me take it on, thankfully, bound up in elastic bands."

How much damage would a manuscript do???

Also, this tidbit:

Rowling said she was still considering two possible titles for the last of the boy wizard's adventures.

"I was quite happy with one of them until the other one struck me while I was taking a shower in New York," she wrote.

"They would both be appropriate, so I think I'll have to wait until I'm further into the book to decide which one works best."

Can't wait to know!

You can find J.K.'s website here.

Technorati Tags: J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter, Manuscript,

2,996

At my political blog I am honored to remember Betty Ann Ong. Please, take a moment to read about this heroic woman.


Betty Ong was a Flight Attendant on American Airlines Flight 11.



We must NEVER forget.

Technorati Tags: September 11, Betty Ong, Flight 11,

The Pirates Grab $1 Billion

BBC News: Pirates is third film to top $1bn---

The Pirates Of The Caribbean sequel has become only the third film to make over $1bn (£536m) at the global box office.

Dead Man's Chest, which stars Johnny Depp, had sold $1.003bn-worth of tickets as of Friday, said its distributors Walt Disney.

This makes it the third highest grossing film of all time, behind Titanic and The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King.

A third film, At World's End, is set to be released next May.

Oops, the BBC has a punctuation error in that last sentence. The 3rd Pirates movie will be called "At Worlds End." More on that here.

You can read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest here.

Buy Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl here and support my blogs! :)

Technorati Tags: Pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Movies,

House Rules Its Opening Night

E-Online: A Very Hot "House"---

Scurvy hasn't been this big since the Great Famine.

The third-season premiere of House, featuring a diagnosis of the vitamin C deficiency, was watched by an estimated 19.4 million, Fox said Wednesday.

The Tuesday opener was up 22 percent from last year's kickoff, and up 13 percent from last year's overall season average.
[. . .]
Come October, however, most of the [Fox's] series, House included, will be off the air for a full month, waiting out the baseball playoffs and World Series.

If the sports-induced hiatus doesn't break its momentum, House could emerge as TV's top-rated medical series. Last season, in a close race, it was beat out for the title by Grey's Anatomy. But this fall, ABC's M.D. entry is moving to a new night and time opposite CSI, TV's top-rated anything not called American Idol.

The next new episode of House airs on Tuesday, 12 September at 8pm on Fox.

Official House site here. Lots of great stuff, including fabulous "House-isms."

Blogs for House

Season 2 came out on DVD on 22 August.

Technorati Tags: House, Hugh Laurie, DVD,

Which Wallflower Are You?

I finally took the "Wallflower" Quiz at romance novelist Lisa Kleypas' website (You can take it here.

My results were as follows:

You're most like:

Lillian Bowman

You are high-spirited and stubborn to a fault, but also loyal and extremely loving. You secretly long for a man whose strong will is a match for your own. People tend to tread lightly around you, to avoid provoking your infamous temper.

You would rather have a few, very close friends rather than a wide circle of lesser known acquaintances. However, you will go to any length to protect and help the ones you love. And when the right man comes along, you and he will be the most powerful pairing imaginable. Get ready for fireworks!

Best trysting place : outside in a rose-filled garden
Most flattering color: blue
Best Feature: your long, well-toned legs

If you don't know who the "Wallflowers" are, then you should read Lisa Kleypas' Wallflower Quartet Series:

• Secrets Of A Summer Night-Annabelle's Story

• It Happened One Autumn-Lillian's Story

• The Devil In Winter-Evie's Story

• Scandal In Spring-Daisy's Story

Technorati Tags: Lisa Kleypas, Wallflower Quartet, Novels, Quiz,

House Premiere Tonight!

Don't miss the Season Three premiere of the fabulous show House tonight on Fox at 8pm. I have seen some commercials and it looks, as always, very interesting and great. Hughh Laurie is awesome.

Season 2 came out on DVD on 22 August.

Don't forget to visit Blogs for House for the latest House updates (but don't do it right now, unless you want to see what happened in the Season Premiere---I hate spoilers, so I won't look!).




Technorati Tags: House, Hugh Laurie, DVD,

Most Beautiful British Woman

I love Gone With the Wind, movie and book. Vivien Leigh is one of my favorite old-time actresses. She was perfect as Scarlett O'Hara, as she had an air of aristocracy down to her bones.

AFP: Vivien Leigh most beautiful British woman---

LONDON (AFP) - British actress Vivien Leigh, the star of Gone with the Wind, has topped a poll published for the most beautiful British woman of all time, ahead of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Kate Moss.
[. . .]
Leigh, who died in 1967, was ahead of Elizabeth Taylor -- born to American parents in Britain -- in second place, and actress Catherine Zeta-Jones in third.

Princess Diana was in fourth place . . .

Interesting to see that a woman who died almost 40 years ago placed first, ahead of Princess Diana, especially.

Some Vivien Leigh pictures:



This last one if probably my favorite costume from Gone With the Wind.

Wasn't she beautiful? I do wish I could look just like that. :)

Technorati Tags: Vivien Leigh, Most Beautiful British Woman, Gone With The Wind,

A Billion for the Pirates

From Reuters: "Pirates" nears historic $1 billion mark---

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Scoring a ninth consecutive weekend as the most popular movie at the foreign box office, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" is poised to become only the third movie to gross more than $1 billion in global ticket sales.

The worldwide box office for the Disney sequel stands at $993.7 million, of which $579.5 million was generated internationally. The $1 billion mark should be exceeded by Friday, the company says.

The global record is held by 1997's "Titanic" (global boxoffice of $1.8 billion), while 2003's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" ended up with $1.1 billion.

The foreign box office total for "Pirates" was enriched over the weekend by an estimated $11.6 million from 49 territories.

Topping the list were France, an estimated $2.4 million in the sixth weekend for a total of $46.5 million, and Japan, $1.6 million for a market total of $78.4 million.

Bravo for Pirates! I am so happy to see such a great film doing so very well.

You can read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest here.

Buy Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl here and support my blogs! :)

Technorati Tags: Pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Movies,

The Closer Marathon is On!

Oops, I meant to post about this last night. One of my favorite television shows is The Closer, on TNT during the summer. This past summer was the second season. Kyra Sedgwick is fabulous as LAPD Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson and the rest of the cast who make up her Priority Homicide Squad are great. The season finale is tonight and TNT is showing the whole second season of the show all day today, leading up to the finale (official website with great stuff here).

The Priority Homicide Squad is tasked with taking charge of high priority or profile cases. Brenda is "the closer" and somehow always manages to get a confession out of a suspect. She was brought in from Atlanta and given the position of Deputy Chief, which rankled longtime members of the LAPD, who don't appreciate an outsider taking over. At first most members of her squad disliked her, because of her outsider status and her way of doing things, but by the end of the first season, they all appreciated and respected her.

The Closer always has interesting cases that end differently than one would expect based on the early assumptions. The officers who make up Brenda's squad are hilarious, quirky, and just really great characters. I laugh every single episode.

If you have never watched The Closer I recommend turning on the marathon today. You can buy the first season at Amazon.com.

One of my absolute favorite episodes is on at 1pm (PST), "To Protect & To Serve." Provenza and Flynn are hysterical.

Go watch it!

Technorati Tags: The Closer, TNT, Kyra Sedgwick, TV, LAPD,

More Quizzes

I'm tired today, so this is what I have been up to. Here are a few quiz results:

These two go together, I think.

You Are an Excellent Cook

You're a top cook, but you weren't born that way. It's taken a lot of practice, a lot of experimenting, and a lot of learning. It's likely that you have what it takes to be a top chef, should you have the desire...

Are You A Good Cook?

I LOVE to cook.

Your Inner Retro Girl Is

1950s Domestic Diva

What Retro Girl Are You?

---------------------------------------

You Are a Classic Beauty!

You have a timeless beauty that looks great in every decade Instead following trends, you stick to what works And this means you never skimp on your beauty routine Upside? Your classic looks tends to attract gentlemen - not boys.

What Type of Beauty Are You?

I don't know about having any beauty, but bring on the Gentlemen!

---------------------------------------

You Are Winter!

Intelligent Serious Cozy Calm Shy

What Season Are You?

---------------------------------------

"At Worlds End"

According to ComingSoon.net,

Screenwriter Terry Rossio has confirmed to fans at the Word Player forums that Disney is going with Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (no apostrophe after World) as the full title for the anticipated third installment, opening in theaters on May 25, 2007.

The studio was deciding between "At Worlds End" and "Worlds End," and the former prevailed.

Interesting news! I am looking forward to POTC3. POTC is one of my absolute favorite movies, with POTC:DMC coming close.

You can read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest here.

If you haven't seen it, get to the theater!

Buy Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl here and support my blogs! :)

Technorati Tags: Pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Movies,

Specialist Subject: Jane Austen

Take the BBC's Mastermind: Jane Austen quiz here.

Here is what I got:

At the end of the specialist round you scored 21

You seem to be a real Jane Austen fan. Well done!

I should hope I seem a "real Jane Austen fan," as I am one! By the by, the score is out of 24.

Curtsy to AustenBlog.

Technorati Tags: Jane Austen

New Old Bach Work Discovered

I love Bach's music, so this is a very exciting discovery.

AP: Previously unknown Bach work discovered---

BERLIN - A previously unknown work by Johann Sebastian Bach has turned up in a crate of 18th-century birthday cards removed from a German library shortly before it was devastated by fire last year, researchers said Wednesday.

Experts say the work for soprano and string or keyboard accompaniment, composed for a German duke's birthday, is the first new music from the renowned composer to surface in 30 years.

Researcher Michael Maul from the Bach Archiv foundation found the composition, dated October 1713, in May in the eastern city of Weimar. The Leipzig-based foundation said there was no doubt about the authenticity of the handwritten, two-page score.

"It is no major composition but an occasional work in the form of an exquisite and highly refined strophic aria, Bach's only contribution to a musical genre popular in late 17th-century Germany," said Christoph Wolff, the foundation's director and a professor at Harvard University.

More about the piece:

Bach composed the work for a solo soprano, to be accompanied by strings or a harpsichord, to mark the 52nd birthday of Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Saxony-Weimar, whom Bach then served as court organist, the foundation said.

The soprano was to sing a 12-stanza poem beginning with the duke's motto "Everything with God and nothing without him" written by the theologian Johann Anton Mylius.

The work was Bach's only known strophic aria, in which several stanzas are set to the same music, and the precise date made it valuable to researchers studying the development of the German composer's style, the foundation said.

It was not clear if it was played at the time, but the foundation said English conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner is preparing to record it.

Gardiner last month received a medal in recognition of his performance of Bach music from the Saxony city of Leipzig, where Bach was cantor of St. Thomas Church for 27 years.

I hope I get to hear it some day.

Do you like Bach? If yes, what piece is your favorite? I adore the Brandenburg Concertos.

More at the Bach-Archiv Leipzig and J.S. Bach.

Technorati Tags: Johann Sebastian Bach, Classical Music, Bach-Archiv, Leipzig, Germany,

Lady Washington

The ship that served as the Interceptor in Pirastes of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl is actually from Washington State and is named Lady Washington.

Lady Washington has docked in Olympia:

Lady Washington, the brig that shared billing with Johnny Depp in “The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” has docked in Olympia in time for the annual Olympia maritime celebration Harbor Days.

Starting today, visitors can tour the Lady Washington, a replica of the vessel that Capt. Robert Gray helmed in the 1790s to trade with the Pacific Northwest Coastal Indian tribes, while it sits at the dock of Percival Landing. The boat will also sail around Budd Inlet for three hours starting at 6 p.m. during its stay in Olympia, but tickets for the sail are sold out this year, said Stephanie Talevich, spokeswoman for ship’s owner, the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority.

I would love to go for a sail on Lady Washington (though I don't know how to sail).

Some interesting facts about Lady Washington from the article:

-- Though the Lady Washington stood in for a military ship in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” it is actually a replica of a merchant ship. The ship’s other credits include “Star Trek: Generations” and the IMAX movie “The West.”

-- Capt. Robert Gray, who helmed the original Lady Washington, discovered Grays Harbor, his namesake, and the Columbia River during his travels to trade pelts with the Pacific Northwest Indians. He also was the first American to circumnavigate the globe.

-- The ship traveled to the Caribbean to film the “Pirates of the Caribbean;” the second disc on the collector’s edition DVD has a short feature about the journey.

-- The replica ship was launched in 1989 by the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority as an educational tool for students to learn about global trade, sea travel and Washington state history.

Technorati Tags: Lady Washington, Pirates of the Caribbean,

Dublin for Me!

You Belong in Dublin

Friendly and down to earth, you want to enjoy Europe without snobbery or pretensions. You're the perfect person to go wild on a pub crawl... or enjoy a quiet bike ride through the old part of town.

What European City Do You Belong In?

The "go wild on a pub crawl" is certainly not me, but I have long wanted to visit Dublin. Some of my ancestors were Irish.

A Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino

Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino

Smooth and sweet, you fit in to almost any crowd. No one would suspect you of being a coffee tweaker!

What Flavor Frappuccino Are You?

Well, I don't know about that description, but I do love vanilla!

The 2006 Quill Book Awards

If you love books like I do then you might want to vote in the 2006 Quill Book Awards. Use the link to learn about the nominees and see if you have read any of the books nominated.

If you prefer to just vote, you may do so here.

Shameless

Dear Readers,

I know it is rather vulgar to speak of money, but I just wanted to bring this to your attention.

A few months ago I decided to join Amazon.com's Associates program. That meant that when someone used one of my links/ads from Amazon to purchase anything from Amazon, I would receive a small, small bit of revenue. Recently, the Associates Program has developed Associate Stores. This is exciting because I got to pick some featured items (some of my favorite things!) and the basic look of my "store."

You can find my store, "Lady Jane's Diversions," here. If you plan to buy from Amazon, please consider visiting through one of my links. It does not cost you anything extra and gives me a little bit of money. The same goes for any of the Amazon ads I might display on the sidebar or in posts.

Thank you. End of shamelessness.
Lady Jane

Season 2 of House on DVD!

The Season 2 DVD set of House came out today. My sister bought it and we look forward to re-watching all the fabulous episodes.

Included as bonus features are, according to Amazon.com:

An Evening With House" panel discussion at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with the cast and executive producers
Commentary by executive producers David Shore and Katie Jacobs on the episodes "Autopsy" and "No Reason"
Alternate takes from the episodes "Daddy's Boy" and "Sleeping Dogs Lie" with Lisa Edelstein (Cutty) and Jennifer Morrison (Cameron) performing, like, Valley Girl style
"It Could Be Lupus..." - A montage of clips highlighting the shows oft-repeated diagnosis
Blooper Reel

The blooper reel will probably be hilarious.

The 3rd season of House premieres on 5 September at 8pm. If you haven't seen any episodes, I suggest renting (or buying) the dvds. Hugh Laurie is hilarious as Dr. Gregory House.



Technorati Tags: House, Hugh Laurie, DVD,

Do you want to be a Pirate?

Apparently a lot of people do.

Reuters: Pirate scene hooks recruits---

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shuhe Hawkins wanted to be a pirate when he grew up. Apparently, he was not alone.

Hawkins is part of a subculture of pirate lovers across the globe, a growing tribe that encompasses history buffs, musicians, actors and hipsters.

Across the United States, from New York City to Portland, Oregon, the pirate movement has spawned pirate bars, social circles, bands, festivals, magazines and apparel.

Devotees are attracted by pirate fashions, the spirit of rowdiness and the opportunity to engage in anti-establishment behavior. It's unclear where it began, but pirates are clearly in vogue.

"We are in the throes of its real peak," said Hawkins, 35, who performs as pirate Luc the Lucky in Portland. "Pirates are like the new cowboys."

Modern pirates fall into several categories. There are the re-enactment crews, which perform in staged battles at parks, yacht clubs and festivals.

There are music groups, like Portland-based Captain Bogg & Salty, that have adopted the pirate as their symbol, dress the part and typically attract a pirate-centric crowd.

And then there are the non-performers, who simply like to dress as pirates.
[. . .]
The huge success of the summer movie sequel "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" underscores the subject's broad romantic appeal. But the subculture emerged long before the original movie in July 2003, with some experts dating the trend back to the mid- to late-1990s.

Of course, Johnny Depp as a pirate doesn't hurt. I have seen POTC: DMC four times and my "review" is here. If you haven't seen it or the first one yet, I highly recommend both.

Technorati Tags: Pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Movies,

P&P: HP Style

If you like Harry Potter AND Pride and Prejudice, then you will most certainly enjoy this little video:



Brilliant!

(You'll also find it here.)

Technorati Tags: Pride & Prejudice, Harry Potter, Video,

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

I love Shakespeare. What could be better for a summer day than this sonnet?

Sonnet 18

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed,
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Read the 1609 Quarto version and commentary here.

Lots more about the Bard:
-Shakespeare Resource Center
-Shakespeare Online
-Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
-Shakespeare Collection at Bartleby.com
-Folger Shakespeare Library

And, for fun, the Shakespearean Insulter.

Technorati Tags: Shakespeare, Sonnets,

Coming Soon: 21 November 2008!

My goodness! This is quick!

Reuters: Potter No. 6 claims Thanksgiving '08---

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the sixth installment of the lucrative franchise, will come out in theaters on November 21, 2008.

Now, Warner Bros. just needs to hire a director and confirm the cast. The fifth installment, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," bows in July.

The "Prince" date will mark a return to the Thanksgiving period for the sorcerer series. Of the four "Potter" films to date, only the third installment, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," has been released during the summer.

What exciting news! I am quite looking forward to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, as it is my favorite of the six novels already out. I hope it is fantastic.

Movie 6 is just over 2 years away. Is anyone in line yet?

And in related news, E Online has a story on "Harry" Woos Helena , about Helena Bonham Carter, among others, joining the cast of HP5 as the horrid Bellatrix Lestrange. She'll be perfect.

Very Selective Book Meme

I found this meme at Tea Reads and thought it would be interesting. I absolutely adore books.

If you would like to participate, feel free! I'm not going to tag anyone.

Now, on to the questions. I believe I could use the same book for every answer!

1. One book that changed your life:
What a difficult question! I have read so many books, but my absolute favorite is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It has bettered my life in so many ways. First of all, it brings me such joy to even think about, let alone read, it. Every time I pick it up, I find new insights, new clever lines, new witticisms, and new joy. I want to be Elizabeth Bennet and find my Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth has such a lovely way of looking at life.

2. One book that you've read more than once:
Pride and Prejudice, of course! I have already read it twice this year and I daresay I shall read it again. One could never grow tired of such a book.

Since I already put P&P, I'll add another book:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. It simply seethes with passion and emotion and turmoil. I read it every October, as that month seems to fit perfectly with the tone of the book. While one cannot really love any of the characters, one cannot help but feel for Heathcliff and Catherine.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island:
Pride and Prejudice Seriously, I will never tire of reading this novel and can really think of nothing better to have on a desert island. Mr. Darcy: need I say more?

4. One book that made you laugh:
Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen really is hilarious. Her wit makes me laugh. As she wrote in P&P,

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?"

Lots more great quotes here.

5. One book that made you cry:
Pride and Prejudice How can one not cry at such a great love story? Some people might think there isn't much of a love story in it, as Elizabeth and Darcy really aren't together that much, but it certainly is. I cry from the sheer joy of reading the novel. It is exquisite and I hate to see it end every time.

Another book that makes me cry is A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks. Such a lovely sad story.

6. One book you wish you had written:
Pride and Prejudice Who wouldn't want to have written one of the greatest novels of all time? It is a masterpiece. Such unforgettable characters, which have served as the pattern pieces for countless other heroes and heroines. Such plot points. Such lines. It is simply brilliant.

7. One book you wish had never been written:
Hmmm, a difficult question. I don't really know. I'm sure there are countless political and disgusting books that I wish weren't written, but I'm not going to list them.

8. One book you're currently reading:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. I have read this before a few times, but one can never tire of HP! I am re-reading the series and happen to be on HP and CoS. These books are great. Read them!

I am also reading Lost In A Good Book by Jasper Fforde. It is the second in his series of Thursday Next novels, following The Eyre Affair. I love recognizing the literary and historical allusions. Quite a challenge!

9. One book you've been meaning to read:
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. I am going to read it this week, on my train trip back from Seattle. I love Shakespeare, but have never read this play. I can't wait!

And, I'll have to say To Rule the Waves: How the British Navy Shaped the Modern World , which I received for my birthday in 2005. Looks quite interesting!

Technorati Tags: Books, Meme, Jane Austen,

Domesday Book Online!

This is absolutely fascinating. I'm quite glad that such a valuable resource is now available to anyone!

AP: Survey of 11th-century England goes online---

LONDON - The Middle Ages met the Internet age Friday when the Domesday Book — a survey of England conducted almost 1,000 years ago — went online.

The book, a record of the people and lands ruled by William the Conqueror, is the oldest record held by Britain's National Archives and one of the country's most valuable documents. Now anyone with an Internet connection can — for a fee — download copies of handwritten records that provide a picture of life in the 11th century.

"It is important that people of all ages should be able to read and use this national treasure," said Adrian Ailes, a Domesday expert at the National Archives, which in the past few years has placed millions of historical documents — from World War I records to 1960s public information films — on the Net.

How beautiful is this? I can't wait to peruse everything.

If you don't know about the Domesday Book, the article provides us with background knowledge:

The Domesday Book was compiled on the orders of William I, who became England's king when he defeated the Saxon king, Harold, at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. In 1085, he ordered a survey to determine the taxable value of his kingdom.

Officials fanned out across England to assess who owned the land and what was on it. The result is a detailed record that lists more than 13,000 places. Farmland, woodland, meadows, pastures, mills and fisheries are enumerated; there are estimates of the number of freemen, indentured peasants and slaves on each estate.

Many place names listed in the book are still recognizable, although the places themselves have been transformed. Holborn, now a central business district of London, was Holeburne, home to peasants and a vineyard. Islington — now a busy commercial and residential area of north London — was the rural settlement of Iseldone.

Kensington — now one of London's wealthiest areas — had "meadow for two ploughs, pasture for the livestock ... woodland for 200 pigs and three arpents of vineyard."

"I think people warm to the Domesday Book and its specific contents because it contains 13,418 place names," said Ailes. "Everyone is related in some way to this piece of history. It is very tangible."

The site allows surfers to search by place or a person's name. Summaries of the records are free, but the pages themselves — along with a translation from the original Latin — $6.60 each.

Isn't it simply fascinating? You can find the Domesday Book online here.

Technorati Tags: Domesday Book, England, William the Conquerer, Historical Documents,

I am Winter

You scored as Winter. You are WINTER. You're more introspective, thinking deeply, feeling deeply. You love nothing better than to enjoy one on one time with those who are important to you. You are cautious, and sometimes second guess yourself. Dreams, though you have them, are a luxury, because life is not a plaything.

What Season Are You?
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