Pretty Snarky

On a mini road trip this weekend, I saw this sign and yelled to Jason,

“Make a U-Turn right now! That place is selling Frozen Custard Butter Burgers!”

For some reason I thought that sounded like the craziest meal and I had to try one. Which of you could resist a Frozen Custard Butter Burger? Once I got inside I immediately realized my mistake. They have two specialties of the house, not one. I left Charlie Brown-style, with my head hanging down.

But in my defense…the reader board is also a little confusing. I know we all like to make fun of grammar mistakes on signs, but at least most of those are still communicating something, if incorrectly…what the hell is a “turtle dive”?

- Jen

Dear Jen,

I can’t decide if Benedict Cumberbatch would be considered good looking.

Judy

YES.

Similar to Ryan Gosling, I consider Benedict most appealing because his features all add up to something breathtaking, something utterly unique. Most importantly his eyes communicate mystery and intelligence. He may not be beautiful but he is fantastic to look at.

(Hey, if People Magazine is going to spend the week celebrating Gwyneth as the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, then I will spend a little time on my man crushes…and it’s Friday so it feels okay to be a little vacuous for a minute.)

- Jen

You can add your puppies to this amazing work that the dogs in our lives have undertaken…mainly sending snuggles and loves the Gosling Way:

goslingdogs.tumblr.com

Since my dog refuses to get under the covers, I must live vicariously through these guys (and that’s what Gosling Dogs are all about!)

- Jen

However, they are really good and sometimes I’m in the mood for sad. But be sure to give your loved ones a warning: I shall be melancholy for the next few days (for some reason I apparently like to give this warning in a psuedo-Madonnaesque accent)

Fever by Mary Beth Keane

This is a novel based on the life of “Typhoid Mary” and if you can put yourself in a time where the idea of being “asymptomatic” didn’t make any sense to a young uneducated woman, then you will feel huge sympathy for her even as she continues to cook for children!

Sidenote: Recently a “letter to the editor” of the NYT Book Review took exception to the use of the word “quarantine” in their review of this book. The letter writer felt that the correct word should have been “isolation.” Apparently there’s a HUGE difference?

The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian

A novel centered on the mass murder (many would say genocide) of the Armenian people by the Turks during WWI. It’s a love story and a history lesson perfectly combined.

Keepsake by Kristina Riggle

A novel about a woman whose hoarding becomes so out of control that CPS threatens to take away her child if she doesn’t make drastic changes. The protagonist (like many of the real Hoarders we see on TV) is not likeable, but as the story unfolds you see how hoarding comes from pain and is often triggered by a tragic event that gets hidden beneath all the piles.

Each of these stories gave me a little more knowledge and a little more sympathy, so I’m glad I read them, even if at times they broke my heart.

- Jen

We are now half way through the latest Masterpiece Theater mini-series, Mr. Selfridge, and the most obvious problem is that no one seems to even notice or care that it’s on television (of course airing on Sunday nights during Game of Thrones/Mad Men season doesn’t help.)

Well, Leslie noticed it and sent me this email:

Jen,

Did you catch this abomination, Mr. Selfridge? Every time Piven was onscreen, I cringed. It was, at best, boring. Would love your thoughts.

Leslie

Her letter gets us straight to the problem:

Based on the true story of an American who opened a hugely successful department store in London in the early 1900s, it has many of the elements that draw us to Downton Abbey. Similar time frame, beautiful sets, tension between the lower-class employees and the wealthy shoppers and owners…

But the success of the show is entirely on Jeremy Piven’s shoulders and that’s where it all falls apart. He plays him like Ari Gold on Entourage but without the humor. He feels like such a modern day man, almost as if he time traveled there. He’s your classic “my dad didn’t love me so I’m going to be successful and awesome and make everyone love me to fill the dad-shaped hole in my heart.”

But we don’t love him. He’s a nice enough employer, a cheat of a husband, overly impressed with himself and just generally, nothing new. He also mopes, which is NEVER GOOD in a leading man.

I’m enjoying the show mainly because I really like some of the supporting characters: Agnes Towler (the shopgirl who has an abusive dad but a great eye for window display visuals), Lady May (the chorus girl turned aristocrat who enjoys the fact that Selfridge is beholden to her), and Miss Mardle & Mr. Grove (store managers having a secret affair).

With the right portrayal of Mr Selfridge (by which I mean a combination of Matthew, Bates and Mr. Darcy) this show could have been a real standout. But that could only happen if Selfridge was the kind of man you were attracted to and rooted for and couldn’t wait to see what he did next. I always know what he’s going to do next: get a glint in his eye, clap his hands and loudly proclaim his store’s greatness. I’m not attracted to him and I’m rooting for Lady May, Mrs. Selfridge and those sweet Towler kids.

Cute side note: Amanda Abbington, who plays Miss Mardle, and her partner Martin Freeman have two adorable children:

(PLEASE bring back Sherlock!)

- Jen

Scott Porter (Jason Street on Friday Night Lights) was married over the weekend and I couldn’t have been more delighted to see Tim Riggins, Smash and Billy Riggins in attendance! (although Riggs could have groomed a little, but I guess then he wouldn’t be him.)

I generally think it says something good about people who can maintain friendships even after the job is over. My favorite Hollywood example is Turk and J.D. from Scrubs. Zach Braff was best man at Donald Faison’s wedding last year:

By the way, if you haven’t heard their version of Somewhere Out There, PLEASE CLICK HERE -it will make you happy. It was recorded this past December, years after Scrubs went off the air, and the magic is still there.

- Jen

But after the week we’ve all had, a little comfort would be appreciated. My nephew, Tugboat, stepped up to spread love through being adorable (you know the Gosling way) and sent me this:

My baby, Mr. Knightly, decided to go Gosling too:

Send me yours and I’ll post them here.  

- Jen

Claude:

Mr. Brown:

And because boys need a hug today too, here’s Emma:

And because cats aren’t often thought of as “comforters”, here’s Shockey:

I don’t even care if the movie’s no good. This trailer for The Way Way Back makes me happy:

It will live in perfection until July 5th when I race to the theater to feel all the giddiness this inspires times 100. And even if the film’s no good, we’ll always have Jim Rash stealing this preview with my new favorite line, “My doctor said not to get water on my face!”

And the Catching Fire preview gives us our first look at Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee:

The gamemaker with a secret agenda…he looks perfect. And I love how much Gale we get to see here, plus they didn’t give too much away. Great preview.

- Jen

If you had seen something, you would have said something.

If you were there, you would have helped.

If we receive word of a way to ease the pain and suffering, we will do it.

As a guilt-ridden, angst-filled, regret-dwelling person, I understand the urge to watch the coverage non-stop, the idea that somehow to look away is to ignore suffering.

But it isn’t true. Sorrow must live alongside joy. Otherwise, we are lost.

If you feel compelled to watch, then watch the good guys and not the carnage of the bad guys.

I’m sure you’ve all seen the widely circulated Mr. Rogers quote:

I am beyond comforted that this remains true and constant and a source of hope…always.

- Jen

I want to eat up this picture of the partners of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, except then I remember how Joan got her shares and I feel a little sick.

Also, it kind of ruins Jaguar for me…

I’ve always loved her: 

*for being so good at her job (still love the scene when they were leaving in the night to start the new firm and had to call Joan because, as Roger put it, “She would know what to do”)

*because she was fair to Peggy and didn’t look down on her for wanting to be an executive

*the pen on the chain around her neck is awesome (and surprisingly hard to pull off)

*her compassion (especially toward Lane)

But I don’t understand why she marries a guy who doesn’t respect her, who has self-esteem problems, oh and rapes her in Don’s office!

And then to follow Pete’s plan (PETE!) and sleep with the Jaguar guy for partnership…it just makes the picture sad instead of triumphant.

- Jen