Italian Sausage, Peppers & Onions, a summer staple in my Brooklyn neighborhood. Pair this with a side of Brion's Broccoli Rabe (see link at the bottom for my own Broccoli Rabe recipe). This dinner goes best with a good Italian Chianti. Salute~!
Ingredients
3 pounds of Italian Sausage (I like to get half hot-n-spicy and half sweet)
2 medium red bell peppers
2 medium green bell peppers
2 medium orange bell peppers
2 medium yellow bell peppers
2 medium Anaheim peppers
2 large Spanish onions
4 tablespoons of good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
1 tablespoon of Red Wine Vinegar
2 teaspoons of chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon of dry basil
1/2 teaspoon of dry oregano
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Fresh chopped basil (garnish)
Fresh grated parmesan cheese (garnish)
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit.
Rinse the peppers over warm water (to remove any wax) and then core stems and remove along with seeds. Cut them into 2 inch chunks and place in a large bowl.
Cut and peel the onions and chop into 2 inch chunks. Place in a separate bowl.
In a measuring cup mix the Red Wine Vinegar, olive oil, chopped garlic and miix well.
Pour half the oil/vinegar mixture over the bowl with the peppers and pour the other half over the bowl with the onions. Use your hands to mix the oil in both bowls so all the peppers and onions are covered.
Line two baking sheets with tinfoil. Place the peppers on one of the baking sheets in a single layer. Place the onions on the second baking sheet in a single layer.
Sprinkle both bowls with sea salt, black and white peppers, dry basil, dry oregano, and the red pepper flakes.
Bake both baking sheets in the pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes. There should be a char on them when finished.
Take out the peppers and place in a large metal bowl, cover lightly with tinfoil to keep warm and leave the onions in the oven for another 10 minutes to caramelize.
Take the onions out and place in the bowls with the peppers.
Take your Italian Sausage and place on the broiler (setting your oven now to ‘broil’). Set on the lowest shelf and what closely, most only take about 3 minutes to char on one side, flip them so all sides get flame cooked, about 10 minutes total in time (but watching closely and flipping frequently).
Take the sausage out when fully cooked, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Add to the bowl of peppers and onions and lightly pour some olive oil over all of it and toss. You can turn off your oven which should still remain hot, and put the metal bowl of Sausage, Peppers & Onions in the oven for a few minutes to evenly heat everything. Serve with a bed of Brion’s Broccoli Rabe (recipe link below).
It's easy to make your own roasted garlic (pimentos) and roasted garlic. Both add delicious flavors to recipes that call for them. It's best to have good 'sealed' jars to use for the peppers. You can make both of these at the same time.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Peppers
3 medium or two large Red Peppers (you can also use a variety of colored peppers, depending on your taste)
1/4 cup of good grade extra virgin Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 425 Fahrenheit.
Spread some oil on a lined baking sheet.
Take the peppers (whole) and wash them off with hot water (this helps remove the wax that most stores put on them).
Set the peppers on the baking sheet, once the oven is pre-heated pop them in the middle rack.
The peppers should bake for 30-40 minutes, but every 10 minutes you want to open it and flip them so they roast evenly. It’s normal and correct to see burnt char on the sides, just make sure you are flipping to get all sides.
Once they are done baking, take the pan out and immediately wrap the peppers individually in tinfoil. Note: this can be a challenge since the peppers are pipping hot. Have your measured tinfoil out and ready to just place them on it with tongs. After doing this, take the corners of the tinfoil and quickly fold them up pinching the ends to seal (you do not have to have it pressing against the pepper), the idea here is that the steam will make the removing of the skin much easier.
Wait at least 5 minutes and then open the tinfoil. Let the peppers cool down to where you can safely touch them. Peel off the skin (it should just fall off). Remove the core and seeds. Cut into 1/3 strips and place in your jar.
Fill your jar with the olive oil (it should just cover the peppers, add more if not) and crushed red pepper (if using). Keep the jar in the fridge as it can develop mold if you keep it at room temperature.
Note: You can place the roasted garlic, after prepped, on the same baking sheet as the roasted peppers for the baking process.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Garlic
1 head of garlic – intact
1 tablespoon of good quality extra virgin olive oil
Tinfoil to cover it with
Directions
As with the above roasted peppers, pre-heat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit.
Take the garlic head – if there are any loose skin, take that off (but don’t peel it). With a sharp knife, cut the first 1/4 of the garlic head off and discard top.
Place the garlic head on a sheet of tinfoil, and drizzle the olive oil over the top of the open head, using your fingers to rub the oil in.
Seal up the tinfoil to completely cover the garlic head and put it on a baking sheet – place in the pre-heated oven and let it roast for 30-40 minutes.
Take it out of the oven and let it sit until cool enough to handle. Once you can handle, you will see that each garlic pulp will neatly pop out. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or use right away in your favorite recipe.
Dog treats can be expensive, and when you look at all the ingredients they put in them, well, most are not the healthiest of choices. I like to know what exactly is in my treats and my boys, Gaspard and Marcel, absolutely love these Peanut Butter Bones.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour (we use King Arthur ~ see bottom of page for link)
1 tbsp, baking powder
1/2 can of pure pumpkin (use the other half to add to their food – as pumpkin is very healthy for our furry loves and their digestive system)
1 cup of all natural peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
Note: make sure you are getting ‘All natural peanut butter’ otherwise you will be feeding your dog large doses of sugar laden peanut butter (the regular kind) – definitely not a healthy way to go. Also, it’s very important to know that in some countries, they make peanut butter, advertising it as light, lite, or sugar free or natural by using an artificial sweetener called “Xylitol”. You must read the labels of any peanut butter you are going to feed your furry love to see if the ingredient Xylitol is in it. Xylitol is complete poison for dogs and it will kill them, even in small doses. Please be sure to check all peanut butter labels before buying.
1 teaspoon of unrefined coconut oil (melted)
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
Note: there are two methods to make these treats. There is a product called Bake-A-Bone (much like a waffle iron, but shaped like dog bones, see below link to purchase), which we use, or you can use the oven method. I will leave instructions for both.
Directions
Instructions using the Bake-a-Bone machine:Note: Refer and fully read the Bake-a-Bone manual before operating to understand everything about it, including risks.
Start by plugging in your Bake-a-Bone, when the green light comes on, it’s ready to use.
Placing all ingredients in a large bowl. I take the peanut butter and put it in a microwave safe bowl and heat it for about a minute to melt it a bit – this makes it easier to work with. You can also put it over the stove in a double boiler, simmering water, for about 10 minutes to get the same affect.
With a strong, large, silicone spatula or spoon, start to mix everything up really well, it will become the consistency of a paste.
Open the Bake-a-Bone if the light has turned green. Using the spatula, put the batter in the Bake-a-Bone molds 1/8″ above each of the mold walls.
Close the lid and let it bake for 10 minutes (for safety reasons, use a timer).
Remove from Bake-A-Bone, trim off excess edges to make a clean ‘bone’ look. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes.
This method will yield a slightly soft bone treat that is ready to feed. If you would like to make them dry and harder, simply put them on a cookie sheet (when done baking in the Bake-a-Bone) and place them in a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes. Then turn the oven off and let them sit in the oven for an hour.
Store the treats in an airtight container and refrigerate. (If you leave them in a treat jar at room temperature they could yield mold so definitely keep them refrigerated).
If you make a large batch, keep half of them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and half of them in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw before serving the frozen ones.
Directions
Instructions for using your oven:
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix the same ingredients as listed above, but if the batter is too runny, add more whole wheat flour – you want it to form a texture like cookie dough. You can also add one egg to help make this texture.
After fully mixing, place the batter on parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Place another long strip of parchment paper over the top of the batter and roll it down until the batter is about 1/2 inch thick on the cookie sheet. Discard the top layer of parchment paper.
Using a cookie cutter of your choice, cut out the shapes of the treats, gathering excess dough and reshaping to use it all up.
Place the cookie sheet in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes. Turn the oven off and let them sit in the oven for an hour. Allow to cool before feeding and storing in airtight container in the refrigerator or storing in the freezer.
Note 1: You can also buy silicone pre shaped molds (see below link) – we have this as well, because you can make other kinds of treats that you can freeze for those hot summer months when they need a cooling down treat.
Note 2: Remember that often our furry loves are much smaller than we are. One treat bone can be the equivalent of humans eating it at the hotdog size portion. Feed your dog sparingly or use them as special rewards but don’t over feed them treats or use them as a supplement for their food. Trust me, they will love these and continually ask you for more~! Happy treat eating~!
Please keep in mind that all dog tips should first be consulted with your vet to make sure they fit the needs and special instructions your furry love’s Dr. advises. Especially with food that you give them.
A great breakfast or anytime treat~! This sandwich is 'bread-less', as the prep of the egg and the cheese seal it. Don't be afraid to do the 'flipping' of it - I was scared at first, it really turns out great when you do it~! Do not add any salt, the cheese will already be salty. Enjoy this cheese filled crusty hot ham sandwich I've perfected~!
You will need two frying pans to make this dish, one small and one medium, see photos below.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of butter, cut into 4 halves
2 Extra large eggs (at room temperature)
1 ounce of half and half or you can use sour cream, or whole milk
1/2 tablespoon of Seltzer water (which makes the egg more spongy for the ‘bread’ portion)
2 large slices of ham (any ham choice, or you can also use pepperoni)
2 tablespoons of sliced pimentos (cut lengthwise)
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon of Pesto Sauce (optional)
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of Cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
Directions
Start by measuring everything out and having it at hand.
Place one of the butter halves in the larger frying pan and melt it to just bubbling, add the ham and slowly (medium low burner) fry it until there is a nice char. Remove from pan and place on a plate with a paper towel to absorb the oil.
Place eggs in a cup, add the half n half (or whichever cream base as listed above) and the Seltzer water. Whisk the eggs until it’s fully combined and all one pale yellow color. Add the pesto (if using), Old Bay, Italian seasoning, and pepper, and whisk again until well combined.
Put another halved butter slice in the small frying pan. Let it melt over medium low heat until just bubbling (make sure it’s covering the full frying pan). Place the scallions and the cumin seeds in the pan with butter and fry for about a minute until fragrant. Now pour your egg mixture onto it. Do not touch the egg mixture in the frying pan, let it slowly fry undisturbed. Add the ham slices and pimentos on top right away, then add the shredded cheese which should cover everything. Let this fry for 3 minutes on medium low flame.
Meanwhile, take the larger frying pan, put the remaining butter in it and melt it covering the full pan and just until bubbling over medium low heat flame.
Now the brave part~! Once the small egg pan times at 3 minutes, take a large spatula and mover under the egg to lose it from the pan, then remove the spatula. Now take the small pan with the egg and very quickly flip it upside down so the omelet falls, cheese first onto the larger frying pan. The first few times you do this – some of the cheese may splay outward, just take a spatula and tuck it under the egg. Let this sit over medium-low flame for 3 minutes untouched.
Take the serving plate and put it close to the large pan with the sandwich in it. Take a very large spatula to pick up the sandwich, (swivel it under to loosen it from the pan), while holding with the spatula, flip it right side up (so the cheese part is on top) onto your serving plate. If you did this correctly you will have a crispy egg bottom and a crispy fried cheese on top that seals the ham and cheese inside – see photos below.
Enjoy~!
You will need to use two frying pans to make this dish, one small and one large.
Always measure out and prep your food before cooking.First part frying the egg with all ingredients on top, then you flip it upside down into the larger pan and fry it for 3 minutes, then take it out of the pan with large spatula and flip it right side up onto your serving plate.Ready to eat, the top part is the fried cheese and we all know how delicious fried cheese is~!
I can't stop making this one, I'm already on my third batch in less than a month~! This is a delicious dish that can be made and reheated throughout your week. This recipe is for 8 servings, but you can always cut it in half if you want less. If you do that, note the cooking times will be cut in half as well~! It's very important to have all ingredients, measured out, and ready to go before you actually start the process. You'll need a very large pan, I always use a wok, because it just gives me more room to toss and turn everything. Top with fresh basil and fresh scallions to add extra flavor. Enjoy~!
For the sauce:
Ingredients
1 cup chicken stock or canned low sodium broth
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons of sherry (try to use actual sherry)
2 tablespoons – (low carb – 3 packets of Splenda) sugar or sweetener of choice
1 tablespoon corn starch (or for lower carb; 1 teaspoon Xanthym Gum and 2 tablespoon of coconut flour) – mix this with a tablespoon of cold water for the prep
1 teaspoon of rice vinegar
1 teaspoon of Asian toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
For the chicken base:
Ingredients
4 tablespoons of coconut oil (divided)
2 teaspoon of Asian toasted sesame oil (divided)
3 tablespoons of corn starch (or for lower carb use 3 tablespoons coconut flour and 1 teaspoon of Xanthym Gum)
1 tablespoon of Old Bay
1 tablespoon of white pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
2 pounds of chicken, your choice, but skinless and boneless chopped into 1/2 inch strips
1 pound of either Oyster Mushrooms or Shiitake Mushrooms – thickly chopped
2 medium red bell peppers (or one large), cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 large Bok Choy with full leafs, chopped in 1 inch pieces crosswise
4 tablespoons of finally chopped fresh ginger (I use fresh crushed from a jar because it takes a lot of time to grate and crush ginger)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh chopped green onions (for garnish)
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil (for garnish)
Directions
The sauce
Get a large jar and add the chicken stock, soy sauce, sherry, sweetener, cornstarch dissolved in water, rice vinegar, sesame oil and crushed red pepper. Cover with lid and shake it well and set aside.
Chicken/vegetables
Directions
Start be rinsing your chicken and then patting it dry with paper towels. This step is very important for the chicken to get a proper sear to it when frying and I learned it from the incomparable Julia Child. Then lightly pepper and lightly salt the strips (because the soy sauce will already add salt to the dish).
Take a large bowl and add the cornstarch, Old Bay, white pepper, salt and mix it all together.
Take the chicken strips and place them in the cornstarch mixture and fully cover all strips of chicken, you’ll need to use your hands to make sure all strips are covered. Discard any remaining cornstarch though there should not be any left if you properly covered all the strips.
Place 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and 1 teaspoon of the Asian toasted sesame oil in a large frying pan or wok. Make sure the oil gets very hot over medium high heat until it is just about smoking.
Take tongs and gently add the strips to the pan, but giving them plenty of room and not touching each other (with 2lbs of chicken you will need to do this in four to five batches using a large wok). Fry the strips for a total of about 3 minutes and continually flip them over with tongs to get each side nicely fried. Take the strips out of the pan and put them in a bowl lined with paper towels to absorb some of the oil. Once all the chicken is in the bowl, pat another paper towel on top, again to absorb some of the oil. Then discard the paper towels. Note: I learned that adding the seasoned starch to the strips before frying – helps to create a scaly base on the meat – so when any sauce is applied it will not run down off the meat but actually ‘stick’ to it. It also makes for extra sear to the flavor of the chicken. Be careful, both the chicken and vegetables will cause these types of hot oils to spatter.
Add a little more of the coconut oil and sesame oil to the pan. Add the Oyster Mushrooms and stir fry about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the mushrooms to the bowl of fried chicken strips.
Now add the remaining coconut oil and Asian toasted sesame oil to the pan/wok. Again, make sure it gets very hot, to the ‘just about smoking point’.
Add the Bok Choy and the Red Pepper strips and stir fry for about 6 minutes. You still want your Bok Choy to be crispy not mushy, watch this step closely. When finished, place them in the bowl with the chicken strips.
There should be a slight covering of oil in the pan left (add more if not but only about 2 teaspoons). Place the ginger and garlic in the pan and stir fry for only about 1 minute – you’ll know to stop when it becomes fragrant. Be careful not to fry this for longer than a minute as garlic and ginger can burn very quickly~!
Now place everything back into the pan/wok. Shake your jar of sauce again (flip it upside down and make sure no white starch is stuck to the bottom, shake it until it’s fully mixed) and pour it into the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a boiling simmer. Stir everything for about 4 to 5 minutes, you don’t want the sauce too watery so let it dissolve a bit – it should start to thicken and everything should be well combined when its ready.
Serve in bowls garnished with chopped green onions, and/or chopped fresh basil (both add extra flavor that is beyond delicious).
Enjoy~!
PS: Pair this delicious dish with a red Francis Ford Coppola Zinfandel~!
Always measure out all ingredients – this can make or break a recipe~!Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels before cutting into 1/2 inch strips.As you fry the strips, have a large bowl lined with paper towels handy as you will have to do this in 4 or 5 batches with 2lbs of chicken~!When sautéing the veggies, constantly stir them. The Bok Choy should never be over-cooked, not mushy but crispy, the red pepper strips will become steamed in this step.Pair this delicious dish with a red Francis Ford Coppola Zinfandel~!
When my boys, Gaspard and Marcel, turned age 5, I started to notice they licked their paws often. Talking with my vet, I learned that their little paw pads are like sponges soaking up everything from pollen and dust to virtually everything on the ground they step on. I wanted to help them feel more comfortable, after all, I don’t like itchy hands or feet~!
What to do ~ give them a Povidone Iodine paw soak.
The one, the only, Gaspard.
It’s great to do this when you bathe them, but takes a little organizational effort. (We do the paw soak first, then drain the tub, then shampoo, then rinse, then condition and rinse). That’s often when I do it, but, if you take your furry love outside, you can always bring them in and have them step into the tub (or a small size container where they can put all four paws at once) to do this paw soak. My vet explained that the itchiness is often yeast – which – he warned – using bath products that boast having ‘oatmeal’ in it will only add grease to the yeast fire on your dog’s paws. Consult with your vet before using ‘oatmeal’ products if you know your dog has this issue.
Start by filling (depending on the size of your furry love) a bathtub, sink or any type of tub with lukewarm water. Only fill it enough to cover the paw, about 3 or 4 inches.
Turn the water off and then add Providone Iodine. The water will take on the look of an orangish glow. Mixed it around evenly, you want to put enough in the water to make it look like regular ice tea color, no more, no less.
This is about the color you want the Povidone Iodine bath to look like.
Let your furry love know you are about to make their paws feel so much better. If it’s a hot season, you can make the water cooler to also give them the relief of heat, and warmer water in the winter to reduce chills.
Here are the paw soak instructions:
Place your furry love in the water – make sure they stand, not that sitting in it will do any harm, but the idea is to cover the paws. I like to also massage the paw in the water, going from one paw to the other until I’ve gotten all four (but keep them submerged in the water).
Set a timer for 5 minutes.
When the timer finishes, you can take your furry love out – no need to rinse the paws.
Pat them dry with a towel and walla ~ they’ve gotten a great paw soak that has gotten rid of any nasty, pesky germs and will feel ever so wonderful~!
Marcel just after his bath.
After I finish this paw soak, I often give them Tomlyn Deep Moisturizing Pad Cream Protecta-Pad 4 oz on their paws as well, especially in the winter months when their paws can get chapped, massaging it onto their paws. A note here, if you are a new dog owner, get in the habit with your little furry baby to massage their paws now and then. Dogs, in general have a very strong sensitivity to human fingers touching their paws – and some adult dogs will not let you do it. I trained my boys as babies to let me do this and as they became adults they loved it – and we still do it. It makes it much easier to use these products and really makes their paws soft and prevent cracking, especially in the colder climates.
Happy paw soaking~!
My little family.
Please keep in mind that all dog tips should first be consulted with your vet to make sure they fit the needs and special instructions your furry love’s Dr. advises.
Note: Five popcorns are the highest rating. And, there will be spoilers in this review.
As I was growing up, I read the book Helter Skelter. It frightened me to the core, as it was the first time I learned, truly learned, that bad things can happen to good people. The thought that someone famous, with friends staying in her mansion on the Hollywood hills, eight and half months pregnant, could have such a frightening home invasion and be so brutalized, terrorized and slaughtered, was almost beyond my comprehension. And, yet, it happened.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of this event, and a supposed three films will be coming out marking this story in one way or another. The Haunting of Sharon Tate is the first one released, starring Hillary Duff (also co-produced). The film opens with actual news footage of the day-of murders, bodies, graphic blood of PIG written on the front door. Then jumps to an interview Sharon made a year earlier.
The actual dream that Sharon was quoted giving to a magazine called FATE, was not happening in her own home but that of Jay Sebring’s while she was spending the night alone there. And the things she saw were nothing like her own murder. You can read the article here. Still, people will take things like that interview and twist it around and well, that brings me to my next point.
Many reviews have criticized this film as being totally exploitive. It’s true, it is, but then again, any film taking true events and then manipulating them makes it exploitive. Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds is an example of that, and incidentally he will be releasing a film subjecting Sharon Tate in ’69 that releases this July named, “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood“. Exploitive or not, I tried to keep an open mind watching this film.
Midway through, Sharon has a nightmare that plays out the way the actual murders happened – well – almost – for those who know every move that actually happened, you may be disappointed to know that it is a vague reenacting, but they do not hold back on the stabbings, though a lot of what really happened is left out. Tyler Johnson playing Tex Watson, is not nearly as scary looking as the actual Tex Watson was. And, instead when he shouts, “I’m the devil and I’m here to do the devil’s business” it would have been much more affective had he monotone whispered it to Wojciech Frykowski like the real Tex Watson did.
A number of things were totally not accurate in terms of production design and the facts of the people. Steve Parent was NOT the caretaker living on a trailer home on the lot (in fact, the real caretaker William Garretson, was in a plush house a hundred yards from the main house and is completely left out of the film). There were four killers, not three (though the forth stayed by the gate as a lookout). Sharon had never met Steve Parent, nor had she listened to Charlie’s music tape, nor were the cars the actual type of cars they drove, nor did Sharon fight with her friends about conspiring against her. Abby did not decorate the baby room and Sharon got upset (in fact, the newly painted baby room had the windows open to dry it out, but Linda Kasabian, the fourth look-out, saw this, but did not tell Tex because she was horrified of what they were doing). Sharon never called Roman to say she was in fear of her life and that she didn’t want to stay in their house anymore. The windows in front of the house were not open, (Tex Watson slashed the window screen in the dinning room and broke in), PIG was written on the front door, not Sharon’s window and this list can go on and on and on and on. Jay Sebring (actor Jonathan Bennett who did embarrassingly bad acting in this) was not a big burly man (Jay was shorter than Sharon).
What’s disturbing is that younger generations will watch this and think that’s how it really was, when, in fact, the way it really was, was much, much realer and scarier.
I’d like to just say here, it really annoys me when films are done about the Manson murders and the production designers never really get it right. The one thing that sticks in everyone’s mind about the coverage of those murders was what that house looked like. I suppose cost value made it hard for them to build a set, but I just wasn’t as scared as if I had seen the ‘actual house’.
Sharon Tate’s home where the murders took place in August of 1969
Still, the story premise weighs heavy on “we are in charge of our own fate”. This gives a very different scenario of what ‘could’ have happened. And, if only the production designer and story writer had stuck with the facts – it would have been far more scary to watch than this half-baked version. Hillary looks like Sharon in the beginning, with make-up on, but half way through she does not wear make-up anymore, and, well, she looks like Hillary.
The only redemptive quality I truly got out of this film, is that, Sharon has so many dreams that ‘they are coming’ she has some forethought, the night they actually do come, to defend herself. Instead of the sadness of the tragedy I was cheering as Wojciech Frykowski drowned Susan Atkins in the tub, cheering as Sharon slices Tex Watson in the chest (as he had done to her in real life). There was gleeful joy of Steven Parent bashing Tex Watson over the head and Sharon finishing him off with a F*** YOU gun shot. Each character got to finish off their murderer in real life. And, I do have to say, that was satisfying in some kind of revengeful wishing-it-had-really-happened-that-way, kind of way.
I don’t think people who follow the Manson stories will shy away from this film based on bad reviews, but, it’s certainly not for everyone. Like Charlie’s actual song echoed throughout the storyline, “Pretty girl, pretty girl” the film will not “cease to exist”.
Note: Five popcorns are the highest rating. And, there will be spoilers in this review.
It’s been a week since I saw this movie and I still can’t shake it from my head. The original ’77 film was a classic and given that time period really held a ’shock’ value (now it just looks like over-the-top bad special affects). This film is different and stands on it’s own.
The original ‘shocking ending’ was that the innocent girl from America goes to a German dance studio only to learn that the teachers there are all bad witches running a coven. This 2018 remake starts off with you already knowing early on the women running the dance studio are witches, which only adds to the impending creep factor along the way.
The part that has really bothered me is that it’s so brilliantly done and yet, such a disturbing movie. The Exorcist was like that – you almost feel guilting for appreciating it’s craft of story telling and yet it’s not the kind of movie one wants to talk about with friends over dinner. This film is so incredibly filmed, stylized with cinematography, dance that is visually stunning and yet totally jolting, and perfect acting performances, all wrapped in a disturbing story of power and pain.
I appreciate it so much from a director’s point of view, but it’s not a movie that’s going to leave you with a lot of answers and instead, having you ask a lot of questions. The casting is excellent, (Tilda plays 3 roles, I didn’t know this until the end, and had to watch it again because I could not believe she was one of the main characters so cleverly disguised via gender and make-up), and the musical score by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke adds a perfect eerie feeling.
Be warned, this film has some very violent, drawn out, bloody scenes that are not for the faint of heart. When images and storyline of a film stays thick in my head for over a week – I just have to acknowledge that. Brace yourself if you watch this – it’s bleak, creepy, violent, and it’s also brilliantly done.
You can buy Suspiria here. If you are a horror buff, add this one to your collection for sure~!
Do you ever wake up and really just don’t want to face the day? Early on, I recognized what a joy it was to wake up to my furry boys, Gaspard and Marcel. So much so, we created a ‘morning song’.
Gaspard and Marcel in the morning.
There’s plenty of research out there to show you that singing is good for our health, but it’s also good for our four legged friends mental health. Nothing can get the endorphins going as good as a living creature jumping, rolling, yawning and kissing you first thing when you wake up.
I don’t know how we got started on this theme and this song but every morning, just as I get to that point of ‘ok, I gotta get up’ ~ I start the song. Boy can it really lift your spirits to start your morning off with love and happiness. For my boys, they show their jubilee as if to shout out “yeah ~ another fun packed day ahead~!” If only I could look at life this way, but, alas, this what they taught me each day as I wake and sing;
(Sung to the tune of Good Morning from Singin’ In The Rain)
Good morning, Good morning ~ I hope you slept the whole night through, good morning, good morning to you. I see you in the morning, I see you in the day, I see you at the nighttime, Gaspard~! Marcel~! I hope you slept ok? Gooooood morning, good morning I hope you slept the whole night through, good morning, good morning to you~!
Note: Five popcorns are the highest rating. And, there will be spoilers in this review.
During tough times, thank God for Melissa McCarthy~! I’m not one for comedies much, but this woman, no matter what the movie, or how bad the reviews, she always makes me belly laugh out loud. And, at the center of all her funniness she always shows the characters vulnerable heart.
This film does not hold back. She’s badass and she’s not afraid to show it. I love this because it shows a woman with empowerment in the work force. Someone not to be reckoned with, and yet, she finds herself in the most vulnerable of places, broke and homeless.
Stripped down to the bare essentials, and influenced by a young girl, she starts building a career back with all the skills she had accumulated along the way. Until, it turns against her with a higher level of backstabbing and career climbing, and all this comes from a deep insecurity of her never having had a family. I don’t care what the other critics said about this film, I loved it, on many levels, and she truly had me busting a gut with laughter and cheering for women in the career place.
She deserved her Oscar nod for “Can You Ever Forgive Me”. This film though, I laughed so hard I had tears – shows woman empowerment – with no bars held~!
This is just one of many very funny scenes in the movie.
You can buy The Boss here, trust me, it’s worth it~!
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