We just got back from 9 days in Florida, including a 2 day stint in Disney World. This was our second trip to Disney World as a family, and this time we stayed at The Swan. Last time we stayed at the Boardwalk Villas, and truly that room was nicer than this one. The Swan is a great hotel, but it really isn’t worth the inflated rates that they list the rooms at during peak season. I assume most people that stay there end up getting discounted rates, and for the $150/night we spent it was a terrific deal! The advertised rate for our room was $550/night and it was not worth that. It really seemed like the decor was dated and there was a weird smell in the hallways and elevator. At the same time there is nothing better than staying on location at Disney and it was very clean. The restaurants in the hotel were very good. As always at Disney they are extremely accommodating regarding food allergies and we really appreciated their excellent service in the food department.
This time we visited Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. Epcot opened early to resort guests our first day there, so we took advantage of it and went there first. We were able to ride Soarin’ twice – which really was quite spectacular. We also fit in Nemo, Figment and Honey I Shrunk the Audience before we decided to get lunch and get over to the Magic Kingdom. We spent the rest of our time at Disney in The Magic Kingdom, and I think we hit most of the rides. We really enjoyed the roller coasters this time, as the kids were old enough now to do them with us. Everyone agreed that Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain were the highlights of the trip. We also really enjoyed Mickey’s Philharmagic, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the kids made us do the Jungle Cruise twice. This trip we didn’t concentrated on meeting all the characters as we met them all on our last visit, and the kids weren’t that interested this time, it was all about the rides. We used our fast passes as much as we could and they certainly helped make our trip more enjoyable.
Next time we promised ourselves that we would go for a longer stay and spend time in both Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios as well. We tried to go to Hollywood Studios one night but it closed at 8pm – seriously?? Over the Christmas break? That was just strange. Overall, we love Disney and it really is the best family vacation spot!
January 5, 2010
vmchick
Tags: Boardwalk Villas, Disney, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, The Swan, Walt Disney World
I pretty much knew I was going to love this from the first time I saw a preview. Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, on screen together in a movie about Sherlock Holmes? Yeah, I’m in.
We finally got to see it on Saturday night and this movie did not disappoint. It was the type of movie that about 5 minutes into it my husband and I looked at each other and just grinned because it was so good. RDJ is honestly beyond brilliant. He never ceases to amaze me with his gift for bringing characters to life on screen. Every role I see him in, seems to be the perfect role for him, and Sherlock is no exception. He is quirky, and funny, and sexy and strong. Very good role for him.
Jude Law is also amazing as Watson. It is a perfect role for him as well. He plays the straight man to RDJ so well, the two just rip up the rapid-fire witty dialogue that fills this movie. I love Rachel McAdams but found her a bit weak in this role, possibly because the other two were just so brilliant. Mark Strong is also really great in his villainous role.
They set up a sequel in the last line and I really look forward to seeing it…wonder if they have started filming it yet?
January 5, 2010
vmchick
Tags: robert downey jr, rachel mcadams, sherlock holmes, jude law, mark strong
I had some bonus money to spend at Shopper’s Drug Mart a couple of weeks ago and have been really hunting for a new lipstick. I decided to go in for the full treatment. I handed myself over to the Make-up lady and said “find me a lipstick!” She asked me all sorts of questions about what I was looking for…my answers were something like this: something I can wear every day, something that moisturizes my lips, not a gloss, something that kind of lasts, and nothing too dark…oh and shiny is good too. We tried a bunch out and eliminated based on “too pink”, “too red”, “just not a fan”, “too light”. As soon as I tried on Dior’s Serum de Rouge – Rosewood Serum 740, I knew we had a winner. This stuff just feels so good. Whereas normally during the day when my lips get all dry and flaky I reach for my Kiehl’s Lipbalm #1, now I am reaching for Dior. It is supposed to do all sorts of things like smoothing and plumping and moisturizing and contains something like 20% skincare ingredients…and I actually think it really does do all that. It just feels similar to lavishing lotion on your dry hands, softens and immediately feels better. I love it!! It is totally expensive – mine cost around $40 cdn, but to me it was soooo worth it.
December 9, 2009
vmchick
Tags: Dior, kiehl's, serum de rouge
I just read 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff…I have to say when I received this book in the mail I was pretty irritated at the fact that it was so tiny and I paid $14 for it. However, since I had it in my hands I thought I would just open it and see what it was like…it really surprised me. By the very first page I was hooked! Now it only took me a little over an hour to read the entire book, but it was such a pleasant read. Helene Hanff is simply hysterical and witty and outrageous in the letters she sends to Marks & Co. The relationship she develops with the staff there, particularly Frank Doel is so beautiful. I especially loved that she sent them those packages full of food – I would have liked to have done that too – it was such a kind and lovely gesture. I just found out there is a second book, called The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street (144 pages)…I am dying to read it.
We also watched the movie starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins (it even has Judi Dench in it). It was not nearly as delightful as the book. There was a lot of filler, as the book was very short and only comprised of letters. At the same time it was nice to see the relationships re-enacted on the screen. They also portrayed Helene a little bit more eccentrically than I had expected and imagined her to be from the book, who knows if she was really like that? Either way it was a fun way to spend an evening…
December 3, 2009
vmchick
Tags: 84 charing cross road, anne bancroft, anthony hopkins, helene hanff
We had tickets to see the double billing of Twilight and then New Moon on November 19 – which worked out so well as we got perfect seats for Twilight and then didn’t have to get up or move for New Moon. I totally did not understand why people came in time for Twilight, and then stood outside and only saw New Moon. Bizarre.
Rewatching Twilight was a lot of fun, as it is always nice to see it on the big screen. They edited it a bit, I guess for time reasons, but really I don’t think they needed to, as we ended up with an hour between films. Either way, it was wonderful all over again, I just love that movie. It was also nice to have the refresher right before New Moon. I thought it was neat that the audience all laughed, gasped and cheered in the same places as the first time I saw it in the theatre.
New Moon was much better than I expected. I had been really worried that it would be way too Jacob focused but it stayed true to the book. I also had been worried that the audience would be anti-Edward with all this Team Jacob crap, but was pleasantly surprised that Edward still got cheered each time he came on screen and there was lots of love for him. Jacob got cheers too, and it was fun to cheer him on. He is just perfect in this role, and really does a good job. I kind of found all the werewolf actors smaller than I pictured them in the book, but I liked them more than I expected to, especially Sam and Quil.
The birthday party scene was really well done, and still one of my favourite scenes from the book. I enjoyed Jasper’s facial expressions in this movie, I am not sure why but he is really growing on me. Alice was wonderful as usual…she is really well played by Ashley Greene. Billy, Bella and Edward are as always, perfect. I just so love the story, and I was really happy to see it all out on the big screen. The Volturi were good, but I didn’t find Jane how I had pictured her, and I had expected Marcus to have a bigger role.
At this point, I am scheduled in to see the movie again this Friday night, and am looking ahead eagerly to the release of Eclipse on June 30, 2010. Oh and I just bought the soundtracks to both Twilight and New Moon – now I will always have them with me 
November 25, 2009
vmchick
Tags: bella, edward, jacob, new moon, twilight
So in light of the movie coming out in 2 days – woohoo! I already have my tickets to see the double billing of Twilight and New Moon 
– I decided to re-read New Moon. It was definitely my least favourite of the Twilight series, with Twilight being my favourite, Breaking Dawn a close second. As I previously blogged, I re-read Twilight a few months ago and was blown away by how much I still loved it. I was kind of dreading reading New Moon again as I really didn’t love it the first time through. I found certain parts of it unbelievably annoying (Bella not realizing Jacob was a werewolf, Bella not understanding why Edward left her, Bella almost falling for Jacob). I mean is she really that clueless?
A funny thing happened during this read though. I think because I have already read the whole series and know how it all turns out, and maybe because this time I read this book all by itself, I found all of these things much less annoying. Yes she is still unbelievably clueless, but I know it all gets worked out in the end so I felt a lot less like screaming, and instead just enjoyed the story. I really enjoy all the characters, however this book has way too little Edward. At the same time, it still does have a lot of Edward, so I am hoping they do a good job with that in the movie version. Jacob and Bella’s friendship is very sweet and loving, and it reminded me why so many people like Jacob. Not that he is in any way a replacement for Edward, that so isn’t the point of the story Stephanie is telling (yes I feel we are on a first name basis). In fact, the whole Team Jacob thing baffles me as it just doesn’t make sense. It is not a series about a love triangle, it is a series about Bella and Edward. Bella never in any way feels like Jacob could be her true love, no matter what is happening, it always comes back to Edward.
I also love the parts with Alice in this book – she is such a strong character, and funny and witty. I hope the parts where she is with Bella at her house before they go to Italy are well portrayed in the movie. Anyhow, all of this writing to say that I really enjoyed New Moon this time, and am now more hopeful for the movie. Wish me luck
November 17, 2009
vmchick
Tags: alice, bella, edward, new moon, twilight
I watched this movie again last night, and it had been years since I watched it. It is one of my favourite movies ever. It is so powerful and has such a stunning cast – Kevin Kline, Hayden Christensen, Kristin Scott Thomas, Mary Steenburgen. And this time I was surprised to see Ian Somerhalder is in it too…the last time I watched the movie, he hadn’t starred on Lost or The Vampire Diaries yet. The beauty of this film is the craziness of all its characters, the flawed, real rawness of their personalities. The way everyone grows, even the people who you think are beyond redemption, is what makes it so beautiful. Kevin Kline is just plain brilliant, as always. He has such a gift, and plays the flawed man looking for redemption so well. Hayden Christensen did this movie before the Star Wars trilogy, and is also brilliant in the role. He can really act, and alongside Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas to boot. Anyhow, if you haven’t seen it, watch it, and if you have, watch it again…with a box of Kleenex at the ready
November 3, 2009
vmchick
Tags: hayden christensen, Ian Somerhalder, Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, Life As A House, Mary Steenburgen
As I mentioned in a previous post, I had tickets to see This Is It on Sunday. I was going with a friend who really wanted to see it. I wasn’t really seeing it with any expectations. Wow! This movie blew me away. I think over the years, all of the personal stuff that was broadcast about Michael Jackson just clouded my views about him as an artist. I am not going to even touch on the personal stuff, except to say that in this movie he is so thin and fragile looking that it made me sad. As an artist however, I had forgotten his brilliance. I really don’t think there is another musician out there with the gift that he had. I certainly am not his biggest fan, but I could watch this movie and appreciate him on a level that I think I knew about once way back when, but had forgotten. The way he carried a melody, even when he wasn’t trying, and hit those beautiful notes, and really felt the music. The way he danced…I mean seriously, the man was 50 years old and was moving like crazy. So innovative! Watching the young principle dancers all jump up and down with glee watching him perform when they weren’t on stage with him was so beautiful. What an amazing gift he gave them that they will cherish for the rest of their days. He was so humble, which I think I forgot. Whenever he had a criticism or suggestion for the way a song was being played, or lighting or anything, he very kindly asked for the change and said it was coming with love. How sweet. He could have been a total diva and no one would have cared. This movie reminded me how amazing MJ really was, and how much I would have loved to have seen his final concert be performed.
November 2, 2009
vmchick
Tags: michael jackson, this is it
Sometimes being a parent and completely responsible for another person’s well being is very stressful! Okay most of the time it is very stressful! This H1N1 thing really has me confused. On the one hand, we never get the flu vaccine. My son has an egg allergy so he can’t get it, and the rest of us just don’t really think about it too much. We have never gotten the flu a lot and it just hasn’t occurred to us to ever get vaccinated. When I started hearing about H1N1 I adopted the same attitude. No need for a vaccination, as really, we will all be okay. But the media is very specifically telling me we will NOT be okay, in fact we are all going to die if we don’t vaccinate. As a parent, I really don’t feel like taking that kind of a chance, so I am considering the vaccination.
However, my son still can’t get it due to his allergy - apparently at some point he will be able to get it through his allergist, but the ETA on that service being available is unknown. At the same time, my daughter doesn’t qualify for the age group of kids getting vaccinated yet, so we have to wait for that too. So the media keeps telling us these horrific stories about perfectly healthy children dying – which is insane and sad and makes me really hysterical – and at the same time, we can’t get either of our children vaccinated yet. Sigh.
On the other hand I am plagued with doubts about this vaccination and what its side effects are, and its effectiveness against the virus. The media is also publishing lots of doubt filled stories about both the safety and research and testing for the vaccine. I am basically churning all of this stuff around my head all the time, and making my whole family bathe in anti-bacterial gel constantly. The fitting end to this story is that this morning on the bus, a woman sat beside me and essentially coughed and phlegmed the whole way to work – for about 30 minutes. I tried desperately to just not touch anything, or even breathe too much, and then seriously washed my hands when I got off the bus. But now, who knows what will happen?
October 29, 2009
vmchick
Tags: h1n1, h1n1 vaccine, h1n1 vaccine egg allergy
I got tickets to go see the Michael Jackson movie, This Is It, on Sunday afternoon. I would not classify myself as a HUGE Michael Jackson fan, but I always enjoyed his music and look forward to seeing what the movie is like. I actually don’t even know very much about what the actual movie is about so it will be a bit of a surprise as well.
I also just got tickets to go see the double bill of Twilight and New Moon on November 19. I am so happy because Twilight is showing at 7pm and New Moon at 10pm. Last year when we went to see Twilight we went at midnight, and then afterwards found out we could have gone at 10pm…so, very amazing that this year we get to see the earlier showings. I am also really hoping that New Moon is good. I am a little anxious because the book was my least favourite of the series and had the least Edward in it, and really – he is my favourite. Hopefully they do a good job and it is as good as Twilight.
Lastly, the latest book in the House of Night series came out yesterday, Tempted. My wonderful friend picked it up for me and I cannot wait to start it! I haven’t had a chance yet, but hopefully tonight I can curl up with it. It is such a fun series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next…
October 28, 2009
vmchick
Tags: edward, house of night, michael jackson, new moon, tempted, this is it, twilight
