In a playful fantasy romp, the star-crossed lovers of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet come to animated life as garden gnomes in a re-telling of the classic story in Gnomeo & Juliet.

Gnomeo (voiced by James McAvoy) and Juliet (voiced by Emily Blunt) are the representatives of the feuding Blue Gnomes and Red Gnomes, respectively.  They meet serendipitously, fall in love, battle their family stereotypes and feuding, and eventually convince both the red and blue gnomes to live in peace and harmony for the good of all.  In between there are plenty of silly puns, slapstick humor, and lawnmower races to keep the kids interested in what is, at its essence, a tragic love story.

In this version however, everyone lives happily ever after, dancing along to Elton John music circa 1970-80’s.  One new song is features, a duet with Lady Gaga, titled “Hello, Hello.”

Who will like Gnomeo & Juliet:

• Younger kids laughed at the gnome antics, brought to a standstill any time a human appears on the scene, as well as the action scenes of the lawnmower races and the lightweight violence of a tomato feud.  They may be a little bored by goo-goo eyes of the gnomes as they fall in love, and they won’t relate at all to the Elton John songs, popular long before you they were born.
• Mid-aged kids seemed to be the ones most restless in the audience, perhaps finding the races and animation a bit too corny and the love story a bit too silly.
• Teens and adults in the audience seemed charmed, and I overheard lots of chatter afterward about how “cute” it was.  With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it is, perhaps, a cute little movie to enjoy with someone special.

Rated G.  There is some gnome violence, with one having his gnome hat cracked off and one death by shattering, the latter appearing glued back together later in the movie.  One gnome wears a mankini-thong type of thing, of the sort seen on Borat, which exposes a round little gnome butt.

Gnomeo & Juliet is a nice little movie, nothing earth shattering, and in may not instill a love for Shakespeare in the kids.  But, it’s a pleasant escape into a world divided into red and blue; a world where gnomes eventually unite because to do else wise is destruction for all.  Reality check, anyone?

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There’s nothing like a little red carpet glamour to make you realize how hopelessly out of synch you are with pop culture.  Watching the Golden Globes the other night I could count on one hand the movies I’ve seen, and none of those were up for any major awards.

With on-demand options available via any number of sources, it just seems easier (to say nothing of cheaper) to catch a movie at home.  I can snuggle up with a blanket, even stay in my pajamas if I want, and it’s sort of a big slumber party like back in my teen years.

While I should have been doing something profound to celebrate Martin Luther King Day, like working for social justice, attending a rally, etc, I bundled myself up against the Seattle rain and set off to the mall to catch a movie.  I didn’t have anything specific in mind, when you haven’t seen anything there’s not a lot to dither over, so I figured I’d make the best choice once I arrived at the theater.  I was willing to wait for a little while, but didn’t want to put my entire afternoon on a movie schedule.

What was up next when I arrived?  Gulliver’s Travels starring Jack Black.

Perfect,  I plunk down tons of cash for my ticket, get my 3-D glasses (I’ve yet to figure out the fascination with 3-D), and settle in for the show.

Lest you think this movie could be categorized a kid’s flick, let me remind you that the classic novel of the same name (published in the early 1700’s) is both a parody and a satire, so there’s plenty of funny stuff for kids and plenty of aaaaaaah moments for adults.  And, as an extra bonus, in this version Gulliver was a travel writer.  Sure, there’s some frat boy humor (a giant wedgie and peeing to put a fire out), but there’s plenty to give us pause to think as we pause to think about the human condition.

Watch the trailer in the sidebar, and leave a comment if you’ve seen it.

Photo credit:  Amazon

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There’s nothing like combining two things that you love, and for me the opportunity came with the Italy in Book reading challenge.  I love to read.  I love Italy.  Hey, this is a no-brainer!

The challenge is to read 12 book that are set in Italy during the year.  They don’t need to be entirely set in Italy, just that Italy needs to figure prominently in the plot.  The book can be fiction or nonfiction, and can be about any topic.  Now doesn’t that sound like fun?  And, as an extra bonus, there will be prizes for participants!

Everyone can participate – you don’t need to have a blog – so check out the details about signing up and joining the challenge.  After you’ve read the book, you can write a review on your blog if you have one.  If you don’t have a blog, you can click on a link and add your review of the book in an alternate method.  You won’t have to worry about running out of ideas on what to read – you’ll get lots of ideas from reviews written by others.

My first review was on the book Beyond the Pasta, a combination cookbook-travel book-food memoir, about spending a month living with an Italian family and learning the language and cuisine.  Talk about fun!  It’s a bit zany, full of life, with some great recipes as well.  You can read my review of Beyond the Pasta on Traveling with MJ.

If the book interests you, it is available from Amazon for $32.95.  It is not currently available for Kindle.

C’mon – don’t you want to participate too?  Who will join with me?

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In what has become a bit of a tradition, I started out the New Year with some fellow travel loving pals for doughnuts and coffee at the downtown location of Top Pot.  Besides having some of the best darn doughnuts around town, it’s a pleasant location (with free wi-fi) to meet up with friends for coffee and conversation.

As is typical when travelers get together, there was plenty of conversation about where we’ve been, where we’re going, and where we want to go.  Some talk of resolutions and goals, and what we’re hoping will be in store for the coming year.  We laughed and reflected, munched on our doughnuts and sipped our coffee, talked about cold weather and dreamed of warm, and had an enjoyable couple hours.

It’s hard to imagine that a few short years ago I knew none of these people.  These friendships were formed after meeting via travel blogging, twitter, and Facebook. When people say that online friendships aren’t real, don’t believe them.  This morning I spent time with some very real friends:  Pam, Austin, Kelly, Andy, Sheri, Andy, Peggy, and Melody.

Photo credit:  SXC

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Just because February is coming to a close, doesn’t mean that it’s time to forget about our hearts.  The facts are sobering and demand our attention.  Heart disease is the number one killer among women.  One in four women die of heart disease, with women in the 40-60 age range at the highest risk.

That made me stop and read it again.

Some risk factors are hereditary and beyond our control, but other risk factors can be lessened by modifying our diets.  One simple way to change your diet is by adding foods that are high in anti-oxidants, resulting in two benefits – helping to maintain a healthy weight and reducing risk factors of heart disease.

There are some many fruits that are high in anti-oxidants that it makes an easy addition to your diet.  Whether you prefer them raw, or want to add them to a favorite dish, they make a perfect snack food or addition to a full meal.  And they taste good, too!

Here are some heart healthy fruits that you can add into your diet.

1. Berries:  Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries
2. Plums and prunes
3. Cranberries
4. Apples:  Red delicious, Granny Smith, Gala
5. Cherries
6. Red grapes (one glass of red wine is okay as well)
7. Pomegranates (great eaten plain or on salads, and the juice can be used for a basting sauce on skinless chicken)
8. Citrus fruit:  oranges, pineapples, grapefruit
9. Kiwi fruit
10. Tomatoes (officially a fruit, not a vegetable)

I picked up some strawberries and raspberries at the store yesterday, and have eaten some plain.  I’m going to use the rest to make a smoothie, and keep some raspberries to mash up to add to a salad dressing for dinner.  How easy is that to eat well and healthy!

How do you add heart healthy fruits into your diet?

Photo credit: SXC

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I was driving on my way to an appointment, when an interview with Ronald Kessler came on the radio.  Kessler, a prolific author and former columnist for the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, has a new book out, In the President’s Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect . Although a bit too much of the interview was whinging about the Secret Service needing more money (I’m neither agreeing nor disagreeing with that premise), some of the gossipy presidential tidbits grabbed my attention.

I fired up my trusty Kindle, downloaded it, and settled in for a read.

The book was based on interviews that Kessler conducted with over 100 current and former Secret Service agents, including at the management level.  In most cases, he names names and provides sources.  The absences of sources is missing in some of the more over-the-top anecdotes, making them a little more difficult to attach credence to.

The book traces the birth and evolution of the Secret Service, and how its missions has been honed, and changed, over the years.  It’s very clear that Kessler resents the shifting of the Service away from the Treasury Department and over to Homeland Security.  Equally clear is his dissatisfaction with the budget allocation that came with that shift.  He cites countless examples of weakness and gaps in the protection protocol, and continues the whinging for more money.

What struck me as the difficult question in all of this, is that protectees are looking for less (or perhaps less obtrusive) protection, allowing them to be closer to the people who elect them, at the same time that the Service insists on higher levels of protection and risks at an all time.  Until those disparate interests find some middle ground, I don’t see the budget and structural issues of the department getting resolved.

I enjoyed the book, which was a very quick read, for it’s tabloid-like anecdotes about the foibles, misadventures, and lives of Presidents, Vice Presidents, public officials, and their families.  It felt a bit voyeuristic at times, but that didn’t stop me from plowing ahead.

I liked the tidbits about how the Service felt about the people who they protected, which in large part seems to be based on how willing the protectee was in complying with their requests.  A brief overview below:

• Kennedy – No surprises here as they talk about his infidelities.
• Johnson – A picture of LBJ as a sexual conqueror, and Lady Bird’s turning away and choosing not to see or acknowledge
• Nixon – Despised him, felt pathetic toward Pat and her alcohol issues
• Ford – Not the bumbler that was portrayed in the press, he was actually quite athletically gifted – but very cheap.
• Carter – Hypocrite about using alcohol and carrying his own bags, and examples of brattiness on the part of first daughter Amy.
• Reagan – Loved him, thought him jovial and engaging, but Nancy called the shots.
• Bush I – Both he and Barbara were thought to be charming and caring people.
• Clinton – Loved him as well, and though his caring about people and their situation was honest and real.  Always late.  Not fond of Hillary at all.
• Bush II – Loved him, and absolutely adored Laura.  Many examples of kindness and thoughtfulness expressed toward the service.  Always prompt.  Also plenty of stories about the first twins.
• Obama – A little too early for complete feedback, but the initial word is that what you see is what you get, except that he hasn’t quit smoking.  They appear to love Michelle, citing examples of her kindness toward them.  And as for the girls, well, they have to do their homework.

There’s lots of other dirt on public officials, from cabinet members to aides, who’ve made less than stellar choices in their personal life.  While it’s mean spirited to say, we love reading this stuff!  It’s a little like reading the supermarket tabloids, only in book form.

Interested in buying the book?

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