November hodgepodgery

Wow, I was one busy little bee in November but I still managed to get some major things accomplished. So let's get started!

4. Pay Katie and David back

Yes, I finally paid my sis and step-dad back after all these years. $750 later...I feel a TON of relief. Now I just have to start chippin' away at that chunk I owe my mom... ;)

8. Read 12 books (7/12)



This month I finished Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, which is appropriate since the movie came out and is doing extremely well at the box office. I absolutely LOVED this book and thus I asked for the remaining three of the series for Christmas.

10. Cater a cocktail party

Katie and I hosted a harvest cocktail party at my parents' house the weekend before Thanksgiving and it was a total success and such a blast to plan, organize, and execute. Together we prepared Spiced Mixed Nuts, Crackers with Brie & Fig Spread, Butternut Squash & Apple Soup, Cranberry-BBQ Meatballs, Fried Ravioli with Pumpkin Dipping Sauce, and Pecan Pie Bars & Pumpkin Bread. The guests loved the food which made me so happy I may have to do it every year!













13. Eat at one new restaurant every month



Well I didn't technically eat at a new restaurant but I did get to do something I've wanted to do all year and that's try the brunch and infamous Bloody Mary at Bayou. So Nate and I headed there one lovely Saturday morning and I got the Chicken & Waffles and a Blackened Bloody Mary. Both were amazing. In fact I even ordered a second Bloody, and I can honestly say it's the best in the city.

15. Donate $5 to 1-3 charities of your choosing every month

This month I donated $5 to the Hunger Task Force through the food drive Kohl's is running Nov-Dec. I also donated $25 to the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.


So I only have one month left to tackle this list and it's no secret that I'm not going to get it all done. But the holidays are meant to be enjoyed so I'm not going to bust my hump to do 478727 things. I'm definitely going to try my best to get as much done and be proud of the accomplishments that I do achieve.

Happiness

I haven't blogged in a million years and it's not yet time for my November hodgepodgery entry. So what's the dizeal? I guess I just want to remember this moment. Today is just one of those rare days where everything feels perfect. Even having to wake up at 5:45 to get to work by 7:00 had it's own cozy element. At first I thought, it's dark and cold and thus very unnatural for me to be awake. But once I was up, took a shower, shared a tender goodbye with my shmoopy and hit the road, I felt this sense of serenity. I made a little side trip to pick up some blueberry Krispy Kremes for my co-workers. It felt good to do something nice for the people who have been busting their asses with me all week. And once I was here, everyone was in that mood where, even though our eyes were barely open, we were supercharged and ready to get some shit done. So I got some coffee and breakfast, put on Kanye West's "Paranoid", and got in the zone. And everything, for the first time in a long time, feels in its right place.

October hodgepodgery

Okay I feel like I kinda slacked off this month, but that's cool. I did accomplish the one thing on my list that was the most daunting, and that meant everything.

13. Eat at one new restaurant every month

Well let's see, this month I ate at several new places. Nate took me to Samurai, a sushi restaurant in Glendale that was wonderful. And the techno Happy Birthday music was just icing on the cake ;) I ate at Fat Abbey with the fam and had the most delicious blackberry turkey sandwich and sweet potato fries. We also went to a lot of great places in Galena, Il...my favorite being One Eleven Main which had probably the best mac n cheese I've ever tasted.

15. Donate $5 to 1-3 charities of your choosing every month

This month I donated $30 to the Amputee Coalition of America. I was inspired by a storyline I saw on ER last week. One of the doctors was in a really horrible accident and lost both his legs. He came back in last week's episode and had been given prosthetic legs. He and another doctor actually went for a jog in one of the scenes and it was amazing to me. And speaking of jogging...

22. Run a 5K



Yep, I actually ran a motherfucking 5K. It was the Lakefront Discovery Run and I finished it in about 33 minutes. Yeah, I can't believe it either. But it was one of the single greatest experiences in my life especially because I had my family and Nate there to congratulate me afterward. I really have to thank my step-dad for all the advice and encouragement throughout the year. I couldn't have done it without him :)

Thank you, Boston

I just want to say congratulations to the Boston Red Sox for advancing to the ALCS for the 4th time in six years. More importantly though, I want to thank them for putting a skip back in my step. The last 10 seconds of the game last night were phenomenal and they reminded me of how wonderful baseball can be...especially when it goes your way :)

BEST OF LUCK IN THE ALCS BOYS!!!

September hodgepodgery

Alrighty, I don't have much to preface this with (translation: I don't have TIME to preface this) so let's just do this thing!

1. Finish notes on all Hitchcock films

I finished notes on 2 Hitch films this month!

Number 17



Champagne



13. Eat at one new restaurant every month

This month I indulged in two fabulous Milwaukee restaurants...Sake-Tumi and Rustico. I've actually been back to Sake-Tumi since the first time I went, and I am officially adding it to my list of favorite Mil-town eateries. Rustico also has one of the best gin martini's I've ever had.

15. Donate $5 to 1-3 charities of your choosing every month

My friend Dave who I work with at Kohl's has some friends whose little boy died of cancer last month. He participated in Al's Run in the boy's honor and I donated $30 toward the effort.

18. Create a food blog with recipes and pictures

I added five recipes to my food blog, Culinary Zelights, this month including Kung Pao Lettuce Wraps, Mediterranean Chickpea & Orzo Salad, Spicy Crab Cakes with Mango Cilantro Salsa, Coconut Lime Tilapia with Mango Rice, and Caprese Salad. Mmmm!

21. Watch at least one documentary every month



This month I watched an AMAZING documentary called Darfur Now. It's an incredible story of six people trying to fix the crisis in Darfur in their own unique ways. The film definitely inspired me to investigate this situation further so that I might be able to help in my own way.

25. Buy 15 classic albums from the Rolling Stone 500

This month I bought...

Neil Young - After the Gold Rush



Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon



Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything




That's all for now. Until next month!

PSLs and fall movies...what could be better!

I'm not sure what brings me more joy...seeing the Pumpkin Spice Latte go back on the menu at Starbucks or the Fall Movie Preview issue of Entertainment Weekly hitting the stands at Barnes & Noble. Both are such glorious sights to be seen, but tonight I'd like to pay special attention to the latter. There are so many fabulous films I'm looking forward to seeing in the coming months. And while the one I was most looking forward to seeing has been pushed to Summer 2009, I'm still extremely pumped.

So here's a little rundown of the 15 movies I want to see the most... (and don't forget to click on each movie title for the trailer!)

Appaloosa



A western starring Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, and Renee Zellweger directed by Ed Harris that echoes the old-fashioned classics like My Darling Clementine and The Man Who Shot Liberty Vance. Clementine happens to be one of my fave westerns so I'm really excited about this one.

Righteous Kill



Pacino and DeNiro? Nuff said.

Blindness



An epidemic of blindness infects the human race, starring Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo. There's been a rash of these post-apocalyptic thrillers lately but I'm intrigued by this one and happy it does not involve enraged, blood-thirsty mutants.

Body of Lies



DiCaprio and Crowe? Nuff said.

Rachel Getting Married



I've never been a huge fan of Anne Hathaway but her performance in this one has 'tour de force' written all over it. She stars as a recovering drug addict who is temporarily released from rehab to attend her sister's wedding.

RocknRolla



Guy Ritchie is going back to doing what he does best: a fun, edgy, crime thriller filled with twists, turns, and plenty of testosterone. I've been hearing excellent things about this one and I hope it's the movie that reignites Ritchie's career. Oh and it stars Gerard Butler. Yes please!

Australia



Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman star in Baz Luhrmann's epic period picture about two people who fall in love in Australia during World War II. This feels like a bit of a departure for Luhrmann but with Jackman and Kidman behind the wheel, I have confidence that he'll knock another one out of the park.

The Road



I have yet to read Cormac McCarthy's beloved Pulitzer Prize winning novel, however, I did read No Country for Old Men and I love his language and point-of-view. I believe they translate beautifully to film and I know after I see this one, I'll want to read the book immediately.

Milk



Sean Penn stars in Gus Van Sant's film about the first openly gay man elected to a major political office and the days leading up to his assassination. Van Sant has been off the grid for awhile doing mostly avant garde and experimental films so this is exciting. It also stars Josh Brolin so you know I'LL be there ;-)

Quantum of Solace



Daniel Craig is back as Bond and that's really the only reason I need to buy a ticket.

Revolutionary Road



Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio are reunited for the first time since Titantic in Sam Mendes' cautionary tale about a married couple struggling to stay together.

Doubt



Based on the Tony-Award winning Broadway play, Doubt is the story of a nun and principal (Meryl Streep) who accuses a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of sexually abusing a 12-year old black student.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button



This is David Fincher's follow-up to the grossly underrated Zodiac and as a Fincher fanatic I'd see anything of his. But it also happens to have a very interesting story not to mention a fantastic cast. Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Benjamin Button stars Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton and centers around a man born with a rare disease that causes him to age in reverse.

Defiance



I'm a sucker for anything World War II related so this one had me at hello. Then I found out it was the story of three Jewish brothers played by Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell. Phew, how can this one go wrong?

Twilight



Stephenie Meyer could very well be the next J.K. Rowling if this movie is a success. She's already worshiped by teen girls everywhere for penning the four-book series chronicling the love story between a savvy high school girl and the blood-sucking heartthrob she falls for. I'm currently reading Twilight, the first book in the series, and I am absolutely smitten. Casting Robert Pattinson as Edward, the smoldering vampire, was a brilliant choice and I have a feeling he may soon be giving Daniel Radcliffe a run for his money. Funny, since he played Cedric Diggory, Radcliffe's fictional rival in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.


Well, peeps, I hope I've inspired you to set some movie money aside this fall. There's so much good cinema on the docket, I think everyone can find at least one or two films worth busting out the wallet for. I've got my dollars, my list, and my enthusiasm. Now all I need is a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

August hodgepodgery

Well it's been one awesome summer and August capped it off perfectly. Besides having a blasty blast with friends and family, I took a pretty good whack at my 25/25 list. It's a little scary only having four months left but I'm also really excited to try and get it all done. For now, though, let's focus on what Zeetlebee accomplished in the month of August...

1. Finish notes on all Hitchcock films

I finished notes on two Hitch films this month.

Easy Virtue



The Skin Game



8. Read 12 books (6/12)



This month I read Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich. Excellent book...very interested to see how the film that is based on it (21) compares.

13. Eat at one new restaurant every month

This month I discovered two EXCELLENT Milwaukee restaurants...

Bayou





Sheridan's





15. Donate $5 to 1-3 charities of your choosing every month

This month I donated to St Mary's Episcopal Church. Every year, family friends of mine throw a drive-in party at their amazing Frank Lloyd Wright house in Dousman, WI. I feel so privileged to be a part of it so a few bucks toward their church is the least I can do to repay their generosity.


That's all folks! Stay tuned for my annual Fall Movies Preview, coming very soon!

July hodgepodgery

Alright well I was a busy, busy, Zeetlebee in the month of July and sadly, it had little to do with my list. But things are slowing down for me as the summer draws to a close and I should crack down harder in the months to come.

But for now, let's do this thing!

1. Finish notes on all Hitchcock films

I finished notes on three Hitch films this month!

Rich and Strange



Blackmail



Young and Innocent



Okay, I've said it before and I'll say it again...British Hitch movies from the 1930s are the SHIZ!!

13. Eat at one new restaurant every month

So I did nada in terms of checking out new Mil-town restaurants this month but I made up for it and then some on my trip to Iowa last weekend. I had me some killer corned beef hash and biscuits & gravy at The Kitchen at the I-80 Iowa Truckstop, THE most delicious steak and crab stuffed shrimp ever at The Big Steer, Southwestern Spring Rolls and Cajun Pizza at The Court Avenue Brewing Co., and Huevos Rancheros and MORE biscuits & gravy at Drake Diner. Sigh. So good.

15. Donate $5 to 1-3 charities of your choosing every month

This month I donated $15 to the Bone Cancer Research Foundation. The inspiration was a young guy named Dustin Eglseder who got to sing the 7th inning stretch at a Cubs game after winning a contest. He recently past away after struggling with bone cancer for a little over a year. Dustin was an amazing person and a true Cub fan and it's tragic that he was taken from the world so soon. I should also mention that him being from Iowa also struck a chord with me :)


So being that I'm a little more than halfway through the year, I decided it was time to make a few adjustments to my list. Seeing as a lot of the remaining things on here either involve saving money, paying people back, or spending money, I thought that realistically speaking I would have to do a little tweaking.

SO instead of 3. Take a wine class which costs upwards of $150, I'm going to instead tackle breaking my 'movie viewings in the theater' record that to this day remains at five for Spider-Man. Since I've seen The Dark Knight three times in the theater, it's probably going to be that one. And this task will only cost me around $50 which is MUCH better than $150.

AND instead of 23. Take a yoga class/join a gym/take up tennis, I'm going to do a Pilates Challenge. This involves like 30 pilates sessions within a matter of two months or something along those lines. I plan on tackling it after my 5K, and the best part is...it's totally free!

Alrighty that should do it!

Holy randomness, Batman!

So I don't do this very often but I'd like to give a shout out to my recent obsessions. I think it's because I'm particularly enamored with the current crop of them and because, right now, I really don't want to be formatting Excel spreadsheets.

And here...we...go...

Anything related to The Dark Knight specifically box office returns, Oscar buzz, and mass acclaim.



Big Soda and Nachos at the theatre



Yeah that's right. Having gone to see The Dark Knight three times in five days, this has become a staple in my diet. Horrifying? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely.

Mad Men



I caught the Season 1 marathon this past Sunday and yeah, I'm hooked. It's just a stellar show with one of the most phenomenal ensemble casts I've ever seen. Especially...



Vincent Kartheiser who plays Pete Campbell. Okay so he's a total a-hole but man, am I in love with him.

the Prince Pandora station



Prince, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson. So glorious. And it definitely gets me through all the workplace BS.

Twitch from So You Think You Can Dance



A killer dancer with a big heart and a sweet body? Doesn't get much better than this, people.

All things Joker related







It's no secret that I've got a bit of a thing for the Joker. And when Zeetlebee has a thing for anything, the wallet is the first place that gets hit. So Christmas may come a little earlier and you know what? I don't feel guilty. Not...one...bit.