The Silent "I"

Movie Review: What Riddick 3 Teaches Us About Survival (Spoilers!)

I went to see the new Riddick movie this weekend with my husband and son. I'm either the worst mom in the world or the best, depending on who you talk to.  The theatre was filled with teenage boys, their dads, and 20-something guys.

Women were scarce in the theatre and were either dates who thought "Riddick" was short for "Ridiculous" and was a comedy starring Reese Witherspoon, or were older women who were paying penance for forcing their husbands to see the last Reese Witherspoon vehicle.  There may have been a few women who just dig Vin Diesel's "just got outta jail and ready to rob a liquor store" look.  If so, I  sincerely hope there is a support group or a 12-step program for that. 

The new Riddick movie is the third installment of a series starring Vin Diesel as a man from some far-off planet who has been left for dead repeatedly throughout his life. As an infant, all the babies on his planet were killed to forestall some prophecy from being fulfilled.  Clearly, these people skipped Vacation Bible School as children and didn't realize that this plan never, ever works.

If you didn't see the first two installments of the Riddick saga, I'm told that neither of them made much sense, so you are at no real disadvantage.  What you need to know is that Riddick is the ultimate survivalist, a sort of Bear Grylls in Space. If you can stomach the violence and gore, you can learn a great deal from Riddick about surviving in a hostile environment, whether it's a barren planet full of monsters or the local PTA.

Here are the key things I learned about survival from Riddick 3:

1. Don't Get Involved in Local Politics. Riddick's predicament is the outcome of a power struggle with another guy (played by Karl Urban, not Keith Urban, as my husband erroneously informed me). The two are in an argument  over who will be the Lord Marshal* of some small planet. My husband originally told me that they were vying for Grand Marshal. I thought that it was a little silly to get so upset over who gets to ride in the back of a convertible in a parade.  I have heard that the politics behind the Rose Parade can get, well, thorny, so the point is that you can never tell.   Actually, Karl/Keith and Riddick are fighting over who gets to wear a spiky neckbrace and sleep with four naked women at a time, so the stakes are much lower than the Rose Parade. Just ask Vin Scully.

 *Also, don't rely on descriptions of movies from my husband, ever.

2.  Memorize Web MD.  If you fall off a cliff (or are pushed off one) and your leg is broken, you need to know how to set it without anesthetic, using only the screws that fall out of your body armor.  Riddick has been left for dead repeately since infancy, so he instinctively knows what to do and seems immune from infection. He's just too badass for bacteria to colonize on, I suppose.  He also proactively innoculates himself against cobra-scorpion hybrid venom, which comes in handy later when people are trying to shoot him full of horse tranquilizers.  Remember the Riddick motto: Bandages are for wussies!

3. Be Creative. If Bear Grylls has taught us anything about surviving the hours in the wild you're not holed up in a five-star hotel with a camera crew, it is that you need to use everything you find in your environment to your advantage.  Riddick shows us that if you find some giant monster traps lying around, use them! Especially when giant, water-dwelling monsters are just under the next raincloud. If you find a woman's make-up compact, use it!  The mirror can come in handy to look around corners, temporarily blind an enemy, or to freshen up your look.

4. Find a Companion.  If at all possible, find an ally to help you in hostile territory. The planet Riddick is on is chock full of weird monsters that love to eat man-meat. He tames a Dingo-Dongo, an animal that reminded me of an old joke: "What do you get when you cross a hyena with a tiger?" ..."I don't know, but it's standing right next to you." Even the stoic Riddick, whose two facial expressions seem to be "bored" and "teeth-baring grimace," can't go it alone. Riddick realizes that with a little training, Dingo-Dongos make excellent pets, can sniff out danger, and will entertain for hours when they are not trying to eat you.

5. Know Who to Trust. If you send out a distress beacon, be prepared for whoever might show up. They could be friendly, helpful firefighters, or a crew of bounty hunters who are literally out for your head.  The first group to show up looked like they all were released from prison the same day, entered a mud-wrestling tournament, then joined the Intergalactic Merchant Marines on a whim. The first wave came prepared with a high-tech lucite box with its own micro-climate to store Riddick's severed head in when they transported it back to the Grand Marshal's lair. It seemed like a pretty fancy box for such a gruesome task. The first group was quickly followed by a team of aging Abercrombie models with high-tech gear and a token lesbian sharpshooter.  The first bounty hunters wanted to kill Riddick, but the other group wanted to talk to him before they killed him. Luckily, Riddick was able to gain the upper hand on all of them by being stealthy and creative. He was also able to get ahead using knife skills that a Benihana chef would envy.  He was even able to charm the lesbian sharpshooter by complimenting both her pedicure and her breasts in under 10 words. What woman wouldn't fall for that?

Overall, I liked this film more than I expected I would and walked away with some practical knowledge I can use if I'm ever marooned on a deserted island, trapped in a movie theatre full of teen boys, or forced to serve on our Homeowners Association Board. Vin Diesel's limited facial expressions and somber monotone grew on me over the nine hours of the film (actually 2 that just seemed like 9). By the end, I  was rooting for him to run off with the sharpshooter and be welcomed back to his home planet on the back of a convertible spaceship wearing a satin sash.

Oh, and Hollywood, if you're reading this, I have an idea for a Rom-Com screenplay starring Reese Witherspoon and Keith Urban who start off as rivals for the title of Grand Marshal of the Rose Parade who end up falling in love.  Contact my agent, Donna Schwartz Mills, if you're interested in a meeting.

 

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Movie Review: Jobs

Movie Review: Jobs

 

I finally went to see "Jobs" last night, mainly because it was playing down the street from me and I had some time to kill while my Candy Crush lives refilled. 

Unlike most people in Silicon Valley, I don't really have a preconceived notion of what Jobs was like in real life, whether he was a visionary or villain or something in between. The Valley seems to have a love-hate relationship with Jobs.  Nearly everyone I know has a "Steve Jobs was an jerk" or "Steve Jobs was a saint" story to share; sometimes one of each. I never met the man, so I am in no position to judge the accuracy of this movie or any other movie about him.  

"Jobs" is the movie that would result if you said "Siri, find me random anecdotes that Steve Jobs was an asshole" into your iPhone. Siri would likely say things like:

"Jobs denied stock options to most of the guys who helped build the Apple I in his parents' garage."

"Jobs initially denied that Lisa was his daughter, but named a computer after her anyway."

"Jobs was a fruitarian who didn't like to wear shoes." 

"Jobs lived in a palazzo in Woodside, while he made his parents lived in the same crappy tract house in Los Altos."

"Jobs had BO."

Conversely,  according to this movie, if you ask, "Siri, find me random anecdotes that Steve Jobs was a nice guy," you would get:

    "I don't understand your request. Try your search again."

Overall, the movie was mildly entertaining and had moments that were truly moving. There were a number of jumps in the script that didn't make much sense, or relied on the viewer to know something about Jobs to fill in the gaps.  Characters seemed to appear without much introduction or exposition and then just disappear. Since my only relationship to Apple is the Island of Misfit Macs located in my garage, I had no clue who most of these people were supposed to be.

The most fully realized relationship  in the movie was the one between Ashton Kutcher's Steve and Josh Gad's Woz.  To me, they were like Frodo and Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings, but instead of questing to save the Shire, they were on a quest to sell computers to the masses, most of whom could not operate blenders without injuring themselves.  Like LOTR, the real hero of the story, in my mind at least, was never Frodo, but the stalwart Sam.  Frodo may have been the chosen one, but he was nothing without the pure-hearted, portly Sam.  

When are they going to make "Woz: The Musical"? I'll be first in line on opening night. As for the upcoming Aaron Sorkin Jobs movie, I'll probably pass until it's available on iTunes.

If you'd like to know what I thought about Elysium, the Sci-Fi movie starring Matt Damon, check out my review on House of Prince. Thanks to Kim Tracy Prince for posting my Facebook ramblings in blog post form and inspiring me to dust off my blog and actually post something.

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The Lion King in SF: Long Live the King!

 

Jelani Remy, as Simba in The Lion King

My family had the opportunity to see the latest incarnation of The Lion King at San Francisco's  beautiful Orpheum Theater recently, courtesy of SHN.  My son and I had seen the show about 7 or 8 years ago, when he was a very little tyke who was scared to death of the big stampede.  He was so scared, in fact, he hid under the seat until the wildebeast stampede was over. As a jaded, world-weary 12 year old, I wasn't sure how he might respond to what had been one of his favorite, yet most traumatic, stories of his childhood.  At twelve, he was as enthralled with this production as he was with the one he had seen at age 5, and more impressed than ever with the showmanship, the dazzling costumes, puppetry and sheer magic of the production.

Prior to the show, we had a chance to meet the stars of the show, Syndee Winters and Jelani Remy, who play the adult Nala and Simba, respectively.  Both are hugely talented singers and dancers, and are destined for great things on the stage or movies and television, wherever they chose to land.  They were wonderful with all the moms and kids, answering questions and posing for pictures with everyone. 

The Lion King is not a show that is easy to write about; so much of it is visual and defies words.  From the waving grass on the savannah represented by dancers posing and contorting themselves on the ground, to the African-inspired songs sung in Swahili, to the visual schtick of comic relievers Timon and Pumbaa, the show is chock-full of stunning imagery and auditory delights.

This is a show I can recommend for the entire family, although, be forewarned that some scenes may be intense for the youngest children.  There were a 3 year old and 5 year old sitting in front of me who took the whole thing in stride, but my son was a little more sensitive to loud noises and the death of Simba's father, Mustafa when he was 5.  Know what your child's sensititivies and tolerances are for loud noises, the idea of a parent's death, and a tremendous amount of visual stimulation and plan accordingly. Older kids will definitely love the music, costumes and jokes.

If you are looking for a real holiday treat, or a terrific present for grandparents, go see this staging of The Lion King before it leaves San Francisco on January 13, 2013.  Tickets are available on-line at SHNSF or by calling 1-888-746-1799.

 

Photo Credit: Top photo by Joan Marcus, courtesy of SHN/Disney. Used with Permission. Bottom Photo by Glennia Campbell, The SilentI.com, All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure: We received three complimentary tickets and some Lion King promotional products from SHN Orpheum, but no financial or other compensation for this post.  As always, the views expressed herein are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of SHN Orpheum or the Disney Corporation.

 

Room 77: Trip Planning Made Simple

 

 

Country Inns & Suites Hotel Room

Last week, I took an overnight business trip to Nashville, Tennessee for a meeting. It's not the most glamorous or exciting way to travel, especially when you're in and out in one night.  My office is very mindful of budget issues and we try to save money whenever possible.  So, how do you plan for a trip that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and provides the creature comforts that you need to work?

Enter Room 77.

Room 77 is a new hotel search website that allows users to find excellent deals gleaned from the top hotel search functions, narrowing the searches by specific parameters set by the user.  Need wifi? No problem. Room 77 finds the cheapest options in the locations you want with free wifi.  Want a free breakfast? Narrow your search to only include those that include breakfast in the price (a great feature for families who travel).  You can also search for special rates, like AAA or Senior discounts if you want to. You can narrow your search by the amenities you want, the star-rating of the hotel, and the Trip Advisor score. 

What I really liked about Room 77 is that all the information is displayed on one page, and shows Room 77 deals along with deals from other vendors like Expedia and Orbitz. Instead of searching through ten different sites for the very best deal available, Room 77 does all the work for you, showing the best deals first.  I have used other search engines that do this, but open ten different windows at a time, which was way too much seizure-inducing activity on my screen. I liked Room 77's clean, easy user interface.

In addition to narrowing searches by amenities and price, Room 77 also allows users to research hotel layouts and room views, and availability of parking and shuttle service as well.   They also offer an exclusive Room Concierge service  with fast checkout on 4 to 5-star hotels or stays more than $400. 

Whether you're planning an extended family vacation or a quick business trip like I was, Room 77 will give you all the tools you need to plan your trip and choose a hotel that is right for your needs and within your budget. Room 77 also has a convenient iPhone app, so you can make plans right from your phone.

Never wonder whether you’ve gotten the best deal on your hotel room again. Check out Room 77 when planning your next travel adventure!

 Disclosure: I was selected for participation in this campaign as a member of Clever Girls Collective. I received compensation for the post, but all opinions are my own.

Cavalia Opens in San Jose

Internationally acclaimed circus-style show Cavalia by Normand Latourelle, one of the creators of Cirque de Soleil, arrived in San Jose, California last week amid a flurry of manes and tails and hooves, and local press. Cavalia combines beautiful trained horses, daring feats of riding and acrobatics, lights and music for a spectacular entertainment.  It's a mash-up of horse show and circus, a "Horse de Soleil," if you will. I was there on their arrival with a number of bloggers, newspapers, and TV stations to cover the event.  It's not every day a world-renowned show like this comes to town.

I was driving on Highway 101 near the airport week before last when I noticed a huge white castle-like structure on the side of the highway, normally reserved for empty lots and office parks.  I don't go that way often, but I knew it didn't belong there.  I wondered what it was and saw the sign that said "Cavalia" with a picture of a horse.  I thought maybe San Jose was opening up some new Renaissance dinner theatre or hosting some kind of show pony competition.  I looked it up and found out that it was something much more.  When I received an invitation to attend the press preview, my curiosity got the better of me and I had to see it for myself.

The horses arrived on Friday, much to the delight of the trainers/performers who ride and care for the horses while they travel.  The horses were back from two weeks of R&R at a large horse farm, a kind of horse spa, where I'm sure they enjoyed idyllic frolics through verdant pastures, pedicures, and plenty of fresh air.  The performers also had time off, and were lined up outside the stable to greet their horses when they arrived by truck.  The company had finished a successful run in Mexico City a few weeks prior, and were ready for prime time in San Jose.

Performer Fairland Ferguson came out to greet the members of the press on hand and answer questions about the show, the horses,  and the performers.  There were several young girls along with their moms in attendance, who all wanted to know how one trains to become a performer in Cavalia. Fairland noted that she had grown up around horses and after finishing college had learned trick riding in a dinner-theatre show in her home state of South Carolina.  The performers hail from around the world, and we cold hear them speaking French, Spanish, and English as they milled around waiting for the horses to arrive. 

The horses finally pulled up and the excitement was palpable. It was clear that the performers and the horses share a special bond.  We were then treated to a tour of the stables and a short demonstration in the practice tent of various riding techniques used in the show.

On Tuesday, we were invited back to see a sneak peak of the show, with full costumes, music and lights.

The show is ostensibly about the evolution of the relationship between horses and people, so the opening scene is very austere: a beautiful horse running freely around the arena, and a man in simple costume giving hand an voice commands and befriending the horse.  The segment ends with the man riding bareback on the horse, with no saddle, bits or bridles, just holding onto the horse's mane. It is a simple, gentle performance that was touching and beautiful.

Later, acrobats bound in from the sidelines and perform some amazing tricks, including a guy doing about 30 one-armed handsprings in a row that made me tired just watching him.  A troupe of dancers whirled around while the acrobats performed gravity-defying flips and formed various human pyramids and towers.

In the following segment with a backdrop reminiscent of the Coliseum, Roman riders thundered in, circling the arena, with a rider standing atop a pair of perfectly sychronized, incredibly fast horses.  How the riders kept their balance is a mystery to me, although performer Fairland Ferguson earlier told us that "you have to develop big thighs" to do this.

Probably the most enchanting portion of the show was what looked to me like a fairy tale sequence in which female aerialists, hanging by the thinnest of silver wires, dropped down to swoop above and around male riders and horses.  It was a beautiful, ethereal scene, like colorful birds or angels descending into the theater to protect and guide both horse and rider. The women performed some lovely acrobatic dance moves in the air, while snow fell all around.

As the show progresses, the tricks and settings become more elaborate and fast-paced, culminating with acrobats, aerialists, and two dozen horses all performing simultaneously. It was a dizzying spectacle, and it was hard to know where to look at times with so much happening at once.

Cavalia runs in San Jose from July 18-August 12, 2012. Tickets are available through their website, and range from about $50-$250. VIP packages are available that include dinner and some special access. If you like horses, circuses, or just plain fun, go see it.  You will surely be entertained and delighted.

Disclosure: I was invited as part of the media corps to cover the arrival of the horses and a complimentary short preview of the show. I did not receive any compensation for writing this review. All opinions are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cavalia.

Photos: All photos were taken by Glennia Campbell for TheSilentI.com. Sets, costumes, and scenes depicted are copyright of Cavalia and were photographed permission.  All Rights Reserved.

Food, Glorious Food: What to Eat in St. Lucia

 

St. Lucia offers a variety of food options to suit just about any palate, from the gourmet to the gourmand or the mac-and-cheese-addicted child.  Freshly-caught fish and seafood abound, combined with locally-grown seasonings, vegetables and traditional Caribbean preparations, making for healthy, delicious, and unique culinary experiences.  Some popular dishes are found in different forms on other Caribbean islands, but St. Lucia puts its own twist on food. Even if you think you know what Callaloo or Shark & Bake tastes like, you haven't tried it until you've tasted it here. 

Green Figs & Salt Fish

The national dish of St. Lucia is the dynamic duo known as "green figs and salt fish".  The "figs" are actually unripe bananas, peeled and sauteed with garlic, onions, celery, and peppers.  If the combo of bananas and garlic don't sound appealing, never fear.  Unripened bananas are not sweet and taste more like potatoes than the yellow bananas we're used to putting in cereal and eating as an on-the-go snack.  Unripe, the bananas are much starchier and harder, with less banana flavor. Green Figs & Salt Fish also features salt fish, rinsed thoroughly to drain out most of the salt, then flaked and sauteed with the bananas and vegetables.  It is a hearty, filling meal for lunch or dinner, but I even ate it for breakfast while I was there.  Bananas, green and ripened, are abundant on St. Lucia and are the island's primary crop for export.

Floats & Bakes

"Bakes" are a popular form of bread in St. Lucia, made with a round of plain flour dough that is bake or fried.  When baked, it has a taste similar to English muffins, not sweet, but dense, chewy and hearty.  You can eat them on their own, or with a variety of fillings to form a handy sandwich-like snack. Add a little powdered sugar or jam, and you have a breakfast treat.  Much of the street food sold at markets and stands in St. Lucia has a bake filled with a meat or fish filling.

Shark & Bake

The same dough recipe can be deep-fried to create a "float", a popular base for St. Lucian street food like Shark and Bake.  Shark and Bake, as the name connotes, is a mixture of fish and stewed vegetables eaten as a sandwich.  I'm not sure if the fish meat was actually shark or something else, but it tasted good.  Other islands may have originated and popularize this version of the fish sandwich, but St. Lucians have adapted a version all their own.

Callaloo

Callaloo is a dark green leafy vegetable that comes from the leaves of the taro plant.  St. Lucians use it in place of spinach or kale, and when cooked up, it produces a smoky-flavored addition to fish or seafood dishes.  Combined with mashed dasheen (taro root), the leaves form a thick, green, flavorful soup base for crab or other seafood.  It reminded me of the Seaweed Soup my mom makes, both in taste and texture.  My travel companion, Julia, tried the Callaloo crab soup, which was a little hard to eat since the crab meat had to be extracted from the tiny crab legs.  She said it was worth the effort, even though some of it ended up on her lovely white dress.  I had Callaloo and Snapper at one meal, which was a mixture of snapper sauteed with callaloo leaves.  The leaves were similar in taste to cooked chard or kale, with none of the bitterness. 

Places to Dine

Street Food

Throughout St. Lucia, there are open-air stands selling a variety of ready-to-eat local delicacies, like shark and bake, roast pork, and bakes.  Grab a foil-wrapped Shark & Bake for an inexpensive, hearty meal on the go.  On Friday nights, Trios Restaurant at Bay Gardens Beach Resort offers up their parking lot to a food and music festival called "Calaloo Fridays" with food stands featuring typical street food, the ubiquitous Pitons Beer, music and Carnival bands showing off their elaborate costumes and dance moves. This is a fun and inexpensive way to try out a variety of St. Lucian delicacies. 

Caribbean Fusion

For a fine-dining experience with a pan-Caribbean flair, check out Trios Restaurant at the Bay Gardens Beach Resort in Rodney Bay.  Featuring locally grown fresh vegetables and fresh fish dishes from the sea, Trios offers excellent seafood, jerk-style chicken, and hearty vegetarian dishes in a romantic, tropical setting frequented by locals and visitors alike.  I enjoyed the Crab Chowder served in a coconut shell bowl, with large chunks of crab and vegetable in a coconut-based broth.  The Trios Snapper was served with three sauces that all complemented the fish and mashed sweet potatoes well.  For dessert, try the Fruitcake, which is more the color and consistency of gingerbread than the Christmas doorstop that we think of as fruitcake.

Pumpkin seem to be a favorite ingredient among St. Lucian chefs, who use it for a spicy soup, a base for vegetarian dishes, and for dessert treats like pumpkin pie. 

Indian Food

St. Lucians share a long history of trade with India, and nearly 40% of St. Lucians have some Indian ancestry.  It's only fitting that one of the top new restaurants in St. Lucia is the acclaimed Spice of India. Spice of India offers tradional Indian food served with a dramatic flair.  We had what seemed like a suptuous 90 course meal at Spice of India, and no one at the table could stop eating. From the luscious, creamy butter chicken to flavorful deconstructed samosas to perfectly-grilled tandoori chicken to the deep-fried chocolate cake at the end, every bite was a new twist on some familar Indian dishes.  This is not your mother's chicken tikka masala, and you might not ever want to go back to it after dining at Spice of India.  This restaurant was voted #1 by TripAdvisor, and for good reason: the food is simply out of this world.

If you just can't take all this exotic goodness, and have a hankering for some good old American fast food, there is a KFC, a Domino's and even a Subway in Rodney Bay.  McDonald's, however, has not made it into St. Lucia yet, so you'll have to wait to get to the airport in Miami or New York to get your Big Mac on.

 

 Creme Brulee, Fruitcake & Pumpkin Pie

 

“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life - and travel - leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks - on your body or on your heart - are beautiful.”

                                                                                                        -Anthony Bourdain

 Disclosure: Food and accommodations for my trip to St. Lucia were paid for by Bay Gardens Resorts. I did not receive any additional financial incentive or compensation for writing this post.  All opinions expressed are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Bay Gardens Resorts.

Photos: Copyright Glennia Campbell/The Silent I. All Rights Reserved.

PS Vita: Living in a Gamer's Paradise

 

Alex Checks out the PS Vita

A few months ago, I was honored to be asked to join PlayStation Family, a group of tech-savvy mombloggers who were invited to work with PlayStation.  I have to admit, we just bought an Xbox last summer, and already had a Wii for several years.  I wasn't sure if we really needed another gaming system. PlayStation was kind enough to loan us a PS 3 for a year, so I figured we would be a good test family since we had some inside scoop on the competition.  Over the years, we've had more than our share of Gameboys, PSPs, DS, DSI and other small handheld gaming systems. Honestly, I thought I'd seen it all.

In February, PlayStation released its new handheld gaming system, the PS Vita, to the US Market.  The PlayStation Family group was offered loaner units to try out.  My 11 year-old son thought he'd hit the jackpot, since none of his friends have one yet.  Unfortunately for him, mama had other plans.

I never really considered myself a gamer.  Sure, I spend hours on Facebook shooting balls out of a frog's mouth and playing solitaire, but I've always thought of gaming systems as things for kids.  We had Pong when I was a kid, which was a little more exciting than watching TV static late at night when the broadcast signal ended for the day.

I decided that the PS Vita was going to be mine first, because I knew that once he got his grubby paws on it, it would disappear into the chasm of doom known as his room and I'd never see it (or him) again. Fortunately, I have a kid with a great respect for property rights, and he has not absconded with it yet.

The only problem with this plan is that I have no idea what I am doing on a gaming system.  It took me at least a week to figure out how to play Wii bowling without making the remote fly across the room and take out a lamp or two along the way.  Despite being someone game-challenged, I decided that the Vita was my baby.

I carefully opened the package and read all the inserts.   My son hovered around me like a hyperactive bumblebee descending on an azalea festival, asking repeatedly if he could play with it, help me set it up, or just observe what I was doing. I banished him to his room and completed my task.  I was quite proud of myself that I was able to set it up in about ten minutes, with no swearing and no tears (except for the kid's). 

The first game I dove into was ModNation Racers Roadtrip, a madcap racing game in which you can choose a location and race around some scenic courses all over the world.  I've played this type of game in arcades and thought I would know what I was doing.

I was wrong. 

I had no idea how to use the tiny joysticks to steer the car and crashed into walls, viewing stands, directional signs and everything else along the way.  My little driver ended up in last place, with a possible concussion.  I realized I needed some coaching on how to use the controls.

Abel Gance's Napoleon, Epic Silent Movie: Guest Post by Frank

My husband, Frank, discovered that Abel Gance's epic silent film, Napoleon, was playing with a live orchestra in Oakland last weekend.  When I found out it was 5 1/2 hours long, I told him, "You're on your own, bub."

This is his account of a classic movie-going experience that may not be repeated.

I had the good fortune to get a ticket last weekend for the final showing of Napoleon, Abel Gance’s silent movie masterpiece. I recall hearing about the version released with a score by Francis Ford Coppola's father in the early 1980’s, but I skipped it then, and always wondered what I’d missed.

Now, for the first time in 30 years, a new, more complete restoration was on offer as part of the 2012 San Francisco Silent Film Festival, It was being shown with a live performance by the Oakland East Bay Symphony, playing an original score conduced by the composer Carl Davis. Billed as a once-in-lifetime experience, I snapped up a ticket online and headed to Oakland on Sunday, April 1.

This French movie was made in the 1920s, and was first shown in 1927. The director, Abel Gance, got funding to make 6 films to chronicle the whole life of Napoleon. He blew the entire budget on just the first installment, which only carries us through Napoleon’s early life, but even with this limited material, the film is over 5 hours long.

At first, we see him as a teen at boarding school, commanding a snowball fight among his peers. We watch the French Revolution and Napoleon’s imprisonment and the effect this has on him. We see his military talent (and defiance of authority) at the Battle of Toulon in 1793, his romance and marriage to Joséphine, who turns out (at least according to the movie) to have been imprisoned with him (and was saved by a judicious bureaucrat who literally ate – yes, tore up and swallowed - her paperwork rather than letting her be guillotined). The film finally ends with Napoleon’s invasion of Italy in 1796.

LiveOn Rewind: Family Photos Digitized & Restored

 

My Mother, As a Teenager in Korea

I've confessed here before that I used to love scrapbooking.  So much so, my husband used to call it my "cult meeting" when I would dash out of the house to join my friends for scrapbooking time together.  Unfortunately, having a full time job, a seasonal job, a volunteer position and a blog don't leave much time for other hobbies, so my scrapbooking gear is gathering dust in a corner.

 

Still, preserving my family's memories is important to me.  I have boxes and boxes of old photos that haven't made their way into scrapbooks yet.  With the advent of digital scrapbooks making it so easy to create and duplicate beautiful scrapbooks with a few mouse clicks, all the time and energy spent on paper books seems like a waste.

Unfortunately, most of our family's photos pre-2000 are in paper form.  Who has time to stand over a scanner and scan hundreds of photos? 

Enter, LiveOn Rewind...A few months ago, Clever Girls Collective asked me to be a brand ambassador for a new photo sharing, digitizing, and restoration service called LiveOn. As part of learning about the company, they offered to digitize some of my family photos without charge to me. It was an incredibly easy process, and I am completely sold on their services.

The first thing I did was figure out which photos to scan.  I decided start with photos from before 1990.  I ordered a postage-paid box from LiveOn Rewind, which arrived in a few days.  I was a little surprised at how small the box was, but I was even more surprised that I could fit nearly 500 photos into it.  I included some that were in pretty bad shape, thinking that someday I would learn Photoshop well enough to fix them.  Some of these are photos of my mom from the 1950's, when she was a young girl in Korea.

I filled up my box and slapped on the pre-made UPS label and dropped it off at a local UPS store.  A few days later, I received an acknowledgement that my photos had arrived safe and sound at the LiveOn Headquarters.

While I was waiting for my photos to return, I got an email from someone at LiveOn stating that they could fix my damaged photos.  (Note: there is an extra charge for this service).  I was beyond thrilled.  They sent me a sample of their work, which I posted.  I couldn't wait to see the rest.

A few weeks later, all of my photos were returned to me, with a DVD enclosed containing digitized versions of them.  There are copies of both the original image and the restored ones. There is also a gorgeous musical slideshow of photos that is like watching your life flash before you (or in this case, my mother's life). The results brought tears to my eyes. 

Original Photo, Before LiveOn Restoration

Photo After LiveOn Restoration

My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year.  I can't think of a better belated gift to them than a scrapbook of their early years together, and this way, I can keep a copy for myself and my brothers as well.  I can't thank the folks at LiveOn enough for the precious gift they have given me and my family.  I plan to put the DVD in our safety deposit box for safekeeping.

 

If you would like to let your family photos LiveOn, use this code at checkout for a 30% discount at Liveon.com:  cgc65 

Thank you to LiveOn for sponsoring this blog post. Please visit LiveOn to learn more about sharing and preserving your most important memories. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective. Although story ideas were provided, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Country Inns & Suites: Home Suite Home

Ever hear of Country Inns & Suites?  I hadn't until about a year ago, when they generously offered us a voucher to stay in one of their fine establishments.  We were not able to take them up on the offer until our Christmas roadtrip to Austin, and I was pleasantly surprised by the accomodations they offer at reasonable prices.  We enjoyed a complimentary overnight stay  at the downtown location in Tucson, Arizona, during our long journey through the desert.

Like many of the better highway hotel chains, they offer free Wifi in the rooms, complimentary breakfast, and a pool.  What sets Country Inns and Suites apart are the little things, like complimentary cookies and bottled water on arrival, a full hot breakfast (not just microwaved sandwiches and cold cereal, but bacon, eggs, the whole works), and a homey, charming decor.  We found the staff to be friendly and efficient, as well as knowledgeable about the area.

On our December roadtrip, we left the Salton Sea Recreation Area and headed east on I-8 through the dusty California border towns toward Tucson. We were hoping to be in Saguaro National Park before sundown.  Unfortunately, we arrived too late for the park.  I dubbed this our "Too Late Tour," since it seemed like we always arrived at our destinations just after the sunset so we couldn't see anything.  Frank said that he planned a perfect itinerary for summer, or anytime the sun stays up a little past 5:00 pm.

Anyway, we arrived in Tucson after dark and couldn't get to the Saguaro National Park on time, so we went straight to the Country Inns & Suites.  We were welcomed with freshly baked sugar cookies in the lobby, a homey fireplace, and some bottles of water, which were great after a long, dry drive through the desert. The front desk staff was extremely friendly and answered all of our questions.  There were some kids running around the lobby, and the hotel seemed to be extremely family-friendly.

Our room was nicely furnished and large enough for the three of us. The furnishings and decor were nicer and more traditional than some that we encountered later on our trip at similar hotels. It seems that the latest trend in hotel decor is blinding florescent lighting and migraine-inducing neon green bedding with fuschia accents and large black and white photos of doorknobs and exposed pipes in the hallway.  I was happy to find the room to be comfortable and not over-done, with more muted colors and soft lighting.  During our trip, we used Marriott and Hilton loyalty program points to stay at Fairfield Inn and Hampton Inn in different locations along the way.  We liked Country Inns the best for food quality, service, and general ambience, although the three were pretty similar in locations, space, and pricing.