Le blog d'Anne

Into The Woods

Ovation's! Into the Woods is stupendous, fantastic and humorous. I saw the show last night for the first time and was blown away by the color, music and vibrant story. The costumes...if it is at all possible Barbara Klingberg and her crew outdid themselves. Everything was interwoven together, yet each character was unique and stood out. The singing was marvelous and the cut offs were on cue:) I enjoyed myself immensely. I think this is going to be a memorable summer with Into the Wood stamped on our minds. This show is for all ages and is really funny and poignant. I thought this show wasn't suited to children at first because of dark fairy tale elements but it turned out to be perfectly appropriate for all ages.

Ovation! Musical Theatre Bainbridge is proud to present Stephen Sondheim's modern classic, Into The Woods in nine performances July 11-27, 2008. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 3:00 PM. All performances are at the Bainbridge High School Theatre (9330 NE High School Road on Bainbridge Island). Tickets are $13-$20.

Peeled, Kabul Beauty School, Omnivore's Dilemma

I am currently reading the Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan and it is fascinating. The fact that we have a history of excess corn and in our hopes to not waste anything we have agreed to becoming fat. We are literally breaking the biological cycle of agriculture and transforming it into an industrial system. It is kind of dense but once you get into the first couple chapters you are continually amazed by the type of food we eat i.e petroleum. These issues of food and others are the roots of our growing unsustainable society and world. It is worth reading because it really inspires you to buy locally to help local farmers and eat more sustainably.

Blame it on Fidel

Blame it on Fidel is a film that I truly enjoyed. It tells a story from the angle of a child's perspective. I think what struck me about this movie, compared to mainstream ones, was that it made you think. It engaged you in the story, it was funny and charming. It subtly made fun of adults and stereotypes because it is from a child's perspective. What bothered me the most throughout the movie was that everybody smoked non-stop.

All Robbins

Every time I go to the ballet I always leave with amazement. This Sunday I saw PNB's performance of "All Robbins", three pieces choreographed by Jerome Robbins; Fancy Free, In the Night and The Concert.

Lluvia, downpour

Showers of torrential rain has been falling from the sky since early this morning on the island of Bainbridge Island. This is quite unusual for Bainbridge is known for its "light rain and morning showers", but no downpours.
At least we get rain and it makes everything vibrate lush green.

May Day

May Day! The Day where protests happen across the world for better labor conditions. I long for the days when you're a little kid and May Day was all about putting flowers on people's doorsteps and running away as you rang the doorbell.

Spring Trip: Ashland and the Rogue River

This year's spring trip was lovely. Drove down to Ashland passing through the Willamette Valley which I found
really beautiful. In Ashland there is not much to do and the weather was terrible so we went bowling on the first day because Grizzly Peak was closed. We stayed at the Flagship Inn... I recommend renting a house instead for a week.
That night Raven, Wue Youp, Tony, Amy and I went to the Standing Stone Brewery which was excellent. A nice quiet dinner. I shared a pear, prosciutto, and pesto pizza with Amy. Very yummy:) For dessert a slice of Mud Pie split between us.

Hail in April

It's hailing in April on Bainbridge Island. The skies can't seem to make up their minds; whether to be blue or grey. One minute it is snowing then it is raining and a burst of sunlight tops it off. I don't think the seasons will ever be the same again.
Cloudy skies and sunny beams.
Blooming buds on spring trees.
White hail bounces off branches.
April showers, snow flowers.

Le Scaphandre et Le Papillion

A beautiful yet difficult film about a man, Jean-Dominique Bauby, who writes his memoir with the blinking of his left eye while he is in locked-in-syndrome. I have not yet read the book but it is on my list to do. The film was excellently shot and was very poignant. The director was Julian Schnabel and it was nominated for 4 oscars.
In 1995 at the age of 43, Elle France editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, suffered a stroke that paralyzed his entire body, except his left eye. Using that eye to blink out his memoir, Bauby eloquently described the aspects of his interior world, from the psychological torment of being trapped inside his body to his imagined stories from lands he'd only visited in his mind.

Romeo et Juliette

Today I went to go see PNB's last performance of Romeo et Juliette. It was beautiful. A really moving production, verified by the packed house. The choreography was by Jean-Christophe Maillot and was more contemporary than other Romeo and Juliets. The lighting, sets, acting and dancing all contributed to the emotion of the performance.

Caucuses

Today I atended my first caucus. I went to observe since I can't vote. Bainbridge turned out a majority of Obama delegates. It was interesting to see how many turned up and were excited to participate. This democratic race has made many people actively particpate in voting and their governments. It's taken a long time for this to happen and we are definetly ready for a change. I hope that people keep advocating for what they believe is right when Clinton or Obama are in the White House!

Madame ?

Here are some pictures of me from Fine Arts Night, IT. It was a fun show to be in. This fine arts night was about information theory. I was Madame? a crystal ball psychic. Mac the person next to me was a scottish detective. It was an interesting role to play. I also played the piano and made a movie for this show. It was an amazing production.

Stardust

A fairytale/fantasy movie about a boy who crosses the hole in the wall in his village into a magical world. He is in search of a star. Also searching for the star are princes and witches. A good fantasy movie packed with action and humor.

The More the Merrier

Another movie, this time directed by George Stevens starring Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea and Charles Coburn. Set during WWII, Connie (Jean Arthur) decides to rent half of her apartment to Mr. Dingle (Charles Coburn) in overcrowded Washington DC. Joe Carter (Joel McCrea) comes along and Dingle decides to rent half of his room to him in hopes of setting Joe up with Connie. The rest is history and is very funny. The movie was nominated in 1943 for 6 Academy Awards.

The Brouhaha over Hillary's "Tears"

Granted, I don't have a TV so I haven't seen her talk or followed what her campaign's message is, as well as Barack Obama's. But Hillary's tears, I personally believe, were a perfectly natural human emotion and should not affect her campaign or voters particularly. She's devoted her career to this country; it is obvious that she should feel attached to it in some way! These presidential canditates put a lot of effort and energy to promote themselves, whether it is manipulation of the media or not. I think its time that we concentrated on the political agendas of these candidates and vote for what we believe are the most important issues to take action on. Personally, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton should join forces and both be in the White House next year.

Copenhagen Cycle Chic

If you haven't checked out this new blog, you really should. It has great pictures of bicylces and updates regularly on the Copenhagen Cycle scene with all its high heeled cyclists. Enjoy!

Hansel and Gretel

Opening this Friday November 30th, 2007 at the LGI is Ovation!'s Christmas Classic, Hansel and Gretel, by Engelbert Humperdinck. Tickets are on sale now at Winslow Drug Store and Ovation!

Enchanted

It was a good funny fairytale movie. Giselle, a princess from the kingdom of Andalasia gets transported to present day New York. She has a hard time fitting in, but she takes it all in good stride, singing away. Her Prince Edward soon follows to rescue his fair maiden, but she is quickly adapting to her life with Patrick Dempsey. It is a nice holiday movie.

Frank Capra

It Happened One Night was the first Capra movie that I ever saw. I also remember it being one of the first classic films that my father introduced me to. From then on I've just been addicted. I really like Frank Capra's movies because they are funny realistic fairy tales. Last night I just watched Lady for One Day. Sappy at some points but the rest of the time hilarious. Lady for One Day was filmed in 1933 and was nominated five times. The following year Capra made It Happened One Night and finally won the five Academy Awards.
List of Capra movies:
Lady for One Day, It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds goes to Town, Lost Horizon, You Can't Take it With You, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Arsenic and Old Lace, and the ever famous It's a Wonderful Life. Capra seemed to like to work with a team of the same actors so his movies are very ensemble like...

Alfred Hitchcock

I've recently watched three Alfred Hitchcock movies; Vertigo, To Catch a Thief and Rear Window. All three of them were excellent. I think I liked the ones with Grace Kelly. Vertigo though interesting just wasn't as appealing to me as To Catch a Thief. These are the first Hitchcock movies that I've seen in color. For the most part I've seen the ones with Cary Grant. I still have yet to see Psycho, The Birds...etc.

Book List

I decided to make a list a books that I would like to read. Because everytime I order a book from the library I don't seem to have time to read it. It then becomes a habit to check out the same book every three months as a reminder that I need to read it!

Bel Canto- Ann Patchett
Run- Ann Pratchett
Catch 22- Joseph Heller
Animal Farm- George Orwell
Bridge of Sighs- Richard Russo
Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter- Phoebe Damroch
Just Listen- Sarah Dessen
A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini
Restless- William Boyd
Twilight- Stephanie Meyer
Suite Francaise- Irene Nemirovsky
Madame Bovary- Gustave Flaubert
Lord of the Flies- William Golding
La Fille du President-
Nana- Emile Zola
Love in the Time of Cholera- Gabriel García Márquez
Water for Elephants- Sara Gruen
Snow Falling on Cedars- David Guterson
Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury
Blink-
The Maytress- Annie Dillard
Le Scaphandre et le Papillion-Jean-Dominique Bauby

Breakfast With Buddha- Roland Merullo (isn't that a great title??)

That's it for now...

Deviant art

My friend Trowers blog on her art work. Very sweet stuff:P

Arsenic and Old Lace

Arsenic and Old Lace is currently playing at BHS' LGI and it is an excellent production. I highly recommend going to see it. Aunt Abbey is hysterical, the set and lights are great and althogether it was a very tight show. I enjyed it a lot because every character was full of life and had little mannerisms that made the story even more real. Congratulations on the cast and crew for sharing such a wonderful show with us!

Three Cups of Tea

A book about one man's mission to promoting peace, one school at a time in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Three Cups of Tea is an inspiring book showing what one person can do to help the world become a better place. I highly recommend reading it as well as setting up a fundraiser for the Central Asia Institute which is the organization that builds these girls schools in the remote villages, to promote literacy. Kitsap County chose this book for the whole county to read and we were able to raise money for the cause as well as hear Greg Mortenson speak about his mission of building schools and peace in war stricken countries.

Paris

A paris... I had such a fun time with my sisters and my mamie. I miss my sisters, my mamie, my cousin and the language. No one can understand me if i just want to speak french. Coming back, I felt like I just picked up my life where I left it since my leaving to go to France.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

A series that the whole world has read and loved has ended. I feel sorry for children who will have never experienced the anticipation of waiting for a book to come out about every two years or growing with Harry as he goes on new adventures discovering more about his life. From July 21, 2007 the seven Harry Potter books will stand in order on a bookshelf, throughout the world being reread. No more midnight parties with dressing up at midnight.
The seventh book was all that you could ask for and a big thanks to J.K. Rowling for making the ending a good one. One want to ask what would the world have been without Harry Potter? How many people would not have started to read?

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARIELLE!!!

La Baule

Where the sandy beach stretches for kilometers and all sorts of sails are floating in the bay and thousands of skinny girls tanned in bikinis walk around (its not at all intimidating). Mamie cooks enormous, scrumptious lunches with a melon, apres un peut de viande, des pommes de terre, une salade, <<tu veux pas un peut de pain, cherie?>> et du fromage. Finalement un petit desert de fruit cuits , un yaourt, une glace. Ummm delicieux. Merci Mamie! When its nice out, I go to the beach and lie on my towel reading a book or soaking in the sun. Then its time de prendre un bain et jouer dans les vagues pour des heures!

1st week in Paris

My first week in Paris for the most part has been trying to stay out of the rain. I've walked around with my sister Abi and got comfortable with the city. On Friday we went to go see Le Misanthrope a la Comedie Francaise. The visibility was impaired, seats a bit uncomfortable and the play three and a half hours long. Thursday I met up with my friend Maddy in the Louvre. It is an overwhelming museum. There's too much art.

Le Valet ou La Doublure

A movie by the same director that did Le Placard, with a couple of the same actors. This new movie is about un voiturier nomme Pignon played by Gad Elmaleh who is hired to live with top model Ellena played by Alice Taglioni. Daniel Auteuil is a president of a company who is caught with Ellena and needs to fix this publicity so as not to ruin his reputation. Le film est drole et mignon. The film also stars Virginie Ledoyen who plays Gad's true love. It is showing at the Lynwood; I highly recommend seeing it.

Washington DC

Apart from the intense humidity and huge bug bites that I received, I had a fantastic time with my relatives. I  went to the Folklife festival, the National Art Gallery, Chinatown, the capitol hill tour and the pool. I had lots of fun playing music, going shopping, eating, and just laughing.

Oklahoma!

I sure am going to miss Ovation! over this summer. I highly recommend everyone to see Oklahoma! It's a great production, with amazing costumes as always, powerful ensemble and lots of fun. Break a Leg everybody and have the best summer of your lives. It goes by fast so cherish the moments.

Aurevoir Bainbridge

Tomorrow I leave on a Red Eye for Washington DC where I will stay for a couple days with my sister and my relatives. Then I will fly to Paris and stay there for 2 weeks before I got to Venice for 4 days and then back home to France and La Baule where I will stay with my grandmother. I won't be back until September, missing out on Ovation!'s Oklahoma, and the lazy summer that Bainbridge offers. Hope that everyone has a lovely time in the sun.

A Little Romance

A very sweet comedic movie about two 13 year olds who fall in love in Paris and runaway to Venice to kiss at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs. With them comes an old gentleman that helps them achieve their wish.  The movie stars Laurence Olivier, Diane Lane, Thelonious Bernard and is directed by George Loy Hill.

Ninotchka

"Garbo laughs!" and so will you. Its a hilarious movie, which then quickly becomes a sappy romance of the 1939's film era. Ernst Lubitsch is the director and it stars Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, and Ina Claire. The first half an hour was funny.

Canyonlands Field Institute

The week of May 13-19, my school flew down to Utah to do their annual Spring trips.
We arrived in Salt Lake City and drove to Temple Square. Salt Lake City was practically empty. Its large, clean, streets were quiet and nobody was walking around. It was the weirdest thing to be in the desert in a deserted city. The climate down there is so different that that in itself is something that everyone should experience; living in a hostile and arid region. We went to temple Square because our head of the school wanted us to learn about the culture and history of the pioneers as well as the natives. Ideally many people thought that we would receive a history lesson on the architecture of the tabernacle and the temple. Instead a couple sisters gave us a 15 minute tour while proselytizing a majority of the time. It was interesting to get to see the Mormons perspective on their religion and beliefs. We watched a movie called "legacy" which told the story of Mormons pioneers. overall i thought my first day in Utah was... a different word than interesting.

Bon Voyage

A beautifully made film and sweet, suspenseful, comic story just before the Germans occupy Paris during WWII. The cast is an ensemble of some of the best actors in french cinema. It was filmed in 2003 and is directed by Jean- Paul Rappeneau.

Volver

Volver, meaning to return or come back is a film by Pedro Almodovar, starring Penelope Cruz. It's an intense and yet beautiful film about women and their relationships to men. When their aunt dies their mother returns from supposedly being dead. Secrets are then revealed as daughters and mothers reunite. 

Un sandwich de arroz

This is a recording of me telling a short story in Spanish, from the book Mango Street. the first part was cut off so you only hear 3/4 of it.  Esucha

My Name is Rachel Corrie

Today my school took us to see "My Name is Rachel Corrie". A play about a 23 year old young woman from Olympia who gets killed by a bulldozer in Gaza as she is protesting the demolition of Palestinian homes. It was a one woman act, and I thought very effective. The story was a one sided view of this controversial conflict.