golden globe 2011 – my predictions

Every year I take great pride in partaking in the Golden Globe Awards by attending some of the functions as well as predicting the winners. This year is no exception of course, so I have made a list of my predictions from the films and actors nominated for the Golden Globe Award 2011. For a detailed film reviews click here or  bookmark  my entertainment blog – http://www.b-lot-buzz.blogspot.com

GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES 2011 & MY PREDICTIONS

Best Motion Picture, Drama

**Black Swan – Golden Globe choice

The Fighter

Inception

The King’s Speech

**The Social Network – My choice

Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical

Alice in Wonderland

Burlesque

**The Kids Are All Right – My choice & GG choice

Red

The Tourist

Best Director – Motion Picture

**Darren Aronofsky – Black Swan –  Golden Globe choice

David Fincher – The Social Network

Tom Hooper – The King’s Speech

**Christopher Nolan – Inception  - My Choice

David O. Russell – The Fighter

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

**Jesse Eisenberg –  The Social Network – My 2nd choice

**Colin Firth –  The King’s Speech – My 1st Choice

James Franco – 127 Hours – strong contender

Ryan Gosling -Blue Valentine

Mark Wahlberg – The Fighter

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

**Halle Berry – Frankie and Alice – My 2nd choice

Nicole Kidman – Rabbit Hole

Jennifer Lawrence – Winter’s Bone – strong contender

**Natalie Portman – Black Swan – My 1st choice & Golden Globe Choice

Michelle Williams – Blue Valentine

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy

Johnny Depp – Alice In Wonderland

**Johnny Depp –  The Tourist – My choice

**Paul Giamatti – Barney’s Version – strong contender Toss Up GG choice

Jake Gyllenhaal – Love and Other Drugs

**Kevin Spacey – Casino Jack – Toss Up GG choice

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy

Anne Hathaway – Love and Other Drugs

**Julianne Moore – The kids Are All Right – My 2nd choice & GG toss up

**Annette Bening – The Kids Are All Right  - My 1st choice  & GG toss up

Emma Stone – Easy A

Angelina Jolie – The Tourist

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Christian Bale – The Fighter

**Michael Douglas – Wall Street – Golden Globes politically correct choice

Andrew Garfield – The Social Network

**Jeremy Renner – The Town – My 2nd choice

**Geoffrey Rush – The King’s Speech – My 1st choice hands down

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Amy Adams – The Fighter

**Helena Bonham Carter – The King’s Speech – my 2nd choice

**Mila Kunis – Black Swan – My 1st choice and GG contender

Melissa Leo – The Fighter

Jacki Weaver – Animal Kingdom

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

127 Hours

**The Kids Are All Right – My 2nd & GG choice

The King’s Speech

**The Social Network – My 1st choice

Inception

Best Animated Feature Film

**Despicable Me – GG choice

**How to Train Your Dragon – My 2nd choice

The Illusionist

Toy Story 3

**Tangled – My 1st choice and GG choice

what makes julia roberts marketable?

As I stated before, we all have a favorite celebrity role model, whether we admit it or not. I at least admit it more so than my circle of female acquaintances and speak of them often. What I do want to state is that there is not just one female celebrity I admire but many, for different types of reasons.

One female celebrity I admire is of course Julia Roberts. But it wasn’t until my flight back home from France this week, when I actually was thinking about her and wondering why or what is it about her that I admire to the extend I consider her a good role model.  I mean she is a woman over 40 and a celebrity who in my opinion doesn’t really get out of her way to look spectacular. She has a simple look, a huge mouth and of course ALOT of hair but she still looks ordinary and very unrelatable to. Come to think of it, none of the movies she made thus far is anything I relate to, not even Pretty Woman and I haven’t yet seen Eat, Pray and Love to judge otherwise (Only because I was away from the U.S.). But I still pick up the magazine with her photo on the cover and continue to see every movie she makes no matter how good or bad the outcome.

So I suppose it comes down to,  her quiet lifestyle out of the limelight, which I totally appreciate. Her ability to stay true to her looks no matter how her career dictates otherwise. Her simple acting techniques which are versatile enough to showcase in any film she makes and the most I appreciate about her is her ability to make you smile no matter what comes out of her mouth.

No matter how huge of an actor she is right now, I think in time, Julia Roberts will become our generation’s Meryl Streep.

Footnote: The best performance in my opinion was in Ocean’s 12, when she had to pretend to be Julia Roberts to bail the Ocean’s 13 guys out of a bind.

midlife crisis in film

I watch movies like it’s going out of style. I enjoy watching and reviewing them and of course often offer my two cents worth on a good movie which in my opinion go unnoticed as a result of all the 3D craze. Here is one I highly recommend for the woman over 40 and even some under 40, which in my opinion, although pretty predictable, is an eye opener for all of us who go through the crisis in either denial or in silence.

The film is called The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, which probably lasted in theatres about a week or so and since it was an independent film, it wasn’t marketed like Avatar and Alice In Wonderland and so not too many people have heard of it. The film stars the beautiful Robin Wright Penn, who at the time the film came out was going through her own personal struggles with Sean Penn. It is a simple film, very touching and one that alot of women can relate to one way or another. My recommendation for watching the film however, is to either do it by yourself or have a girls night out, just to not freak out your spouses with your choice of film for a couples night.

I loved the film and was actually hoping Robin Wright Penn would at least be nominated for her performance in the 2010 Oscars. Anyway, if you have seen the film, please let me know what you thought of it.

how do we choose our role model?

When blogging, the author has the option to view stats which tell her (in this case) what articles or topics are the most popular and since I have been blogging, I noticed every time I write about Jennifer Aniston, people listen.

This doesn’t really shock me much, because I like Ms.Aniston myself, even though I poke fun of her alot, but I am amazed that out of most celebrities over 40, the usual choice is Jenny – not from the block.

So, I guess my question to my readers is, how do you choose your role model? Better yet, who is your favorite women over 40 to follow and want to be like?  I know this may sound like a childish game but in all reality women over 40 like to play games also. No matter how silly or trivial. Besides it takes the edge off raising their kids and dealing with their day-to-day life.

cougar town

I have heard alot about the show Cougar Town and for some strange reason kept missing it every week. So two nights ago I watched it and I just could not stop laughing. The show starring Courtney Cox is about women over 40 feeling the effects of middle age and getting older with a funny twist.

I think what I liked the most about the show is that I actually was able to relate to most of it. It was funny, very realistic and the fact most of the characters didn’t look like models helped alot.

I guess what I am trying to say is that, even when women over 40 cannot find humor in their own lives as they deal with family, work and all that jazz that goes hand in hand with being the woman over 40, it is great to step back for 30 minutes a week and watch Cougar Town and take on a few laughs. The show airs Wednesday nights on ABC at 9:30 p.m. in California, not sure about the rest of the country or even the world for that matter. In my opinion the show is much better than Desperate Housewives and more “relatable” than Sex In The City.

getting ready for two weddings

Maggy London Illusion Back Pleated Matte Jersey Dress (Nordstrom)$148.00 – This is my best black dress choice for an evening wedding in Sausalito, California this June. I prefer wearing black for most evening occasions, it is the fall back dress for me when I feel self conscious about anything physically or just plain self conscious. Be careful however, with a dress like this one, you want to make sure your curves and bulges are in the right location of your body otherwise your attempt will be disastrous.

Alex Evenings Portrait Collar Mesh Dress (Nordstrom)For a more full figured and bustier than myself woman, I suggested going with the following choices.

Eliza J Ruffle Print Wrap Dress (Nordstrom) $158.00 – This is the dress I decided on for a daytime outdoor wedding in Santa Barbara July 2010. Again this style works for my body type but may not do justice for the full figured woman over 40.

Instead, for daytime or outdoor events, I suggest sticking to neutrals and whites with some sort of sheer wrap to cover the arms, the ideal skirt should cover the knees and have flares in order to give the illusion of height and in my opinion the confidence you may be looking for to minimize feeling self conscious.

I hope I am not offending anyone, but merely sharing my thoughts and suggestions. In my opinion every woman, no matter what shape or size can be sexy and sensual when taking the time to wear clothes that will compliment their physique. Settling on the love of a designer or a favorite color sometimes may not be the best thing. Also remember an outfit does not need to be expensive to look good. Shop wisely and take pictures of yourself in the outfit you chose to make sure you actually look good in them.

no recipe here just good food

I love “good” food like most individual with an artistic palette. I refer to palettes as artistic because if you think about it, those who lack creativity, lack a taste for good food (in my opinion).

Good food to me is something that has to compliment my taste buds, it has to enhance my sense of smell from the array of spices used to create the dish, and finally it has to fulfill my innermost sensuality. Believe me if you think about it, you will understand what I mean.

I am always in search of good food and when I find myself settling due to my financial state at the time I frequent the restaurant, or the party I am with doesn’t have an artistic palette, I leave the restaurant feeling unhappy and a bit grumpy.

Keep in mind I am not implying that only expensive restaurants or those who claim to work with the best chefs in the world have the best meals. I am stating that even the simplest and most inexpensive places have quality meals which will also do the job.

I have a few places that I frequent in San Francisco which I want to share with you, where you can get a good meal without $$$$ too much:

Burgermeister – For the best burgers in town
NanandCurry – For good to great Indian Food
Squat and Gobble- A girls gotta have her crepes
Osha Thai – Inexpensive Thai food at its best
Tarboosh – Middle Eastern Restaurant
Specialty Cafe – Excellent Coffee, pasty and sandwiches
Mozzarella Di Bufala – Excellent Pizza

Feel free to suggest your favorite restaurant in your area.

handbag and shoes for the woman over 40

If there is anything I can say I am addicted to, even in midlife, is shoes and handbags. I can walk through department stores and browse through the selection of designer shoes and handbags, oh probably an entire day without feeling tired.

I know I am not alone in this, but choosing the right shoes and handbags for a woman over 40 could sometimes be very challenging. There is a certain protocol when you reach a certain time in your life and the shoes and handbags you select should compliment your maturity rather than hinder it.

A handbag should never be too big or too small and the handle should be designed so that when you carry it, it doesn’t seem like you are struggling. Sticking to pale colors in the summer is ideal and keeping with the blacks is appreciated in the winter months. Women over 40 should stay away from bright yellow or fuchsias and greens. If color is your thing, then stick to lavenders and power blues instead for spring and summer. Multi color handbags may seem interesting on the shelf but over your shoulder when overweight or paired with the wrong attire could be nothing but disaster. And the final note to keep in mind, please don’t hang your keys, cell phone or other gadgets from the strap of your designer purse.

Learning to carry it the right way is also key to success with designer bags and filling it to capacity and keeping the inside messy is simply unattractive and says more about you than you care to divulge. But if you must use the bag to haul around everything but the kitchen sink in, then organize the items in smaller travel bags or pouches.

As for shoes, know your limit, in heels that is. Having the appropriate heel inch is key to sexy legs without causing damage to knees and toes. Over 40 women need to make sure their shoes are comfortable enough in order to prance in them looking as sexy as ever, rather than struggle as if walking on hot coals.

Women with long toes should stay away from strappy shoes and consider peep toes instead or sling backs to get their strap fix. Buying a size too small is not very smart and most unappealing to the eye. Wearing the wrong shade, while matching a dress or a pair of pants, is a no no; and wearing the exact same purple as the dress or the pants is even more no no. Stay with neutrals if you are not sure and invest in several pairs of black shoes for sure.

So I guess, what I am trying to say is, be careful when you shop
for shoes and handbags and think twice about your purchase. If the shoe fits, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right buy, and if you are simply inlove with the color of the purse, then it probably is not the smart choice.

face lift, hollywood and moi

It is difficult reaching midlife and watching one’s wrinkles, among other bodily mishaps, deepen and take shape like the Grand Canyon. And it seems no matter how much lotion you put on and overnight creams and make up, it doesn’t work consistently or continuously. Vitamins, pills, botox beads and more are overrated, overpriced and promise to do things to you that of course are not realistic.

I love it when a celebrity, when asked what they feel about botox and cosmetic surgery, immediately say NO they do not believe in them, as if trying to convince themselves and us that Au Natural is the way to go. HA! I say to them while laughing of course. No hard feelings, cause as I always say, it is what it is. They have photo touch ups and camera ready makeup, while the rest of us have Oil of Olay and Este Lauder to rely on.

I think I could live with myself as I prune away and shrivel before I die, if I were able to avoid all fashion magazine covers and TV commercials as well as celebrity talk, but until someone puts a lid on all the hype of anti-aging and anti-wrinkling “secret formulas” I will forever feel like crap as I wake every morning to discover a new dept in my wrinkles and signs of aging.

an exert from InStyle Magazine from an intervew with Salma Hayek: On whether she’d ever have plastic surgery: “No surgical tweaks. No Botox either. Look. [She raises her eyebrows.] I think it is terrible, these girls in their late 20s injecting their faces and lips. One told me, ‘If I kill my muscles now, I’ll never get wrinkles.’ Can you imagine?”

Salma Hayek, I will tell you this, if I were married to a multi millionaire French businessman and probably have not a care in the world such as yourself, I may also find a way to fib a little about BOTOX and Plastic Surgery, in the meantime stop looking so good and so happy, it really isn’t doing anything for my self esteem.

no mini skirt needed to feel sexy

I don’t consider my self too conservative when it comes to wearing skirts or dresses, but I do consider my limit when choosing the length of the skirt.

Sure, mini skirts are sexy and is intended, in my opinion, to stear attention from other parts of a woman’s body. But, a woman over 40, no matter how sexy and shaply should stay away from mini skirts. I don’t care how good they feel and look.

If I want to go for sexy, I choose a black knee (or just below) lenght pencil skirt and compliment it with a nice pair of high heels instead. I wear super sheer taupe stockings for evening time and go with au natural (bear legs) during the day unless my workplace requires me to wear stockings.

Mini Skirt: D&G Bouche Miniskirt $285.00 At Nordstrom
Pencil Skirt: Ingenuity Pencil Skirt $86.00 At Nordstrom