There are many hot Ryans out there...

But my new favorite hot Ryan is of the Gosling variety. Don't get me wrong- I love Ryan Kwantan's hot-and-stupid Jason on True Blood, and Ryan Reynolds could not be cuter (especially with Sandra Bullock in The Proposal.) Ryan Phillippe was cute before he cheated on Reese, and the hardest working man in showbiz, Ryan Seacrest, deserves some props.

But after seeing Crazy, Stupid Love last weekend and then Drive today (squeezed in a matinee before the kids got off the bus- don't judge), I have to say that my heart belongs to Ryan Gosling. He has the best swagger ever in Crazy Stupid Love and the best smoldering loner look in Drive.

Enough of my school girl crush: a quick movie review for those looking for some entertainment advice. At this point, you will probably have to catch Crazy, Stupid Love on DVD when it comes out, but I truly feel like this is a DO NOT MISS romantic comedy, from someone who doesn't even like rom com's. I don't like them usually because they are schmalzty and predictable, with actors who may or may not have actual chemistry. Phil (who missed his calling as a casting director) claims that there is a wheel in Hollywood that 10 actors and 10 actresses are on at any given time and when a romantic comedy script presents itself, the wheel is spun and voila! Katherine Heigl and...Josh Duhamel! Kate Hudson spins and gets...Matthew McConaughey! There are those that have fallen off the wheel due to age (Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks) but others are still on it after many many years of Rom Coms (Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock.) It's always exciting when a fresh new talent makes the wheel (Emma Stone)...And yet again, I digress.

Crazy Stupid Love is about a middle-aged man who is our new everyman ala Tom Hanks, Steve Carrell. He married the beautiful Julianne Moore, his high school sweetheart, but somewhere along the way, he lost the love spark. The movie opens to a scene where they are having dinner and while he declares he wants the Creme Brulee, she says she wants a divorce. Steve starts drinking his sorrows at a bar, and is observed by the uber-cool Ryan Gosling, a young 20 something who says he wants to help him. Steve Carrell loses his New Balance tennis shoes and buys some cool jeans ("Repeat after me...I am cooler than The Gap.") He learns to pick up women from his hot young friend and hilarity ensues. I won't give the rest of the flick away, but there are a few fun twists and though the happy ending was inevitable, it was also rewarding.

Drive was a darling at Cannes, winning the Best Director award. Perhaps I'm biased from his sexy smirk, but Ryan Gosling made this film. He gets a lot of comparisons to Steve McQueen, who was a little bit before my time, but I do know he was the definition of cool. This one looks to be on the surface an action film but it much more rounded than that. It was edge-of-my-seat thriller at times and also an understated drama. We don't know much about Ryan's character (we never even heard his name- he was called The Kid and Driver a few times) but he was still quite deep. The scenes between Ryan and Carey Mulligan (loved her in An Education) were filled with a palpable chemistry and such a sweetness. The only drawback (for me) was the EXTREME violence, which was so shocking and gruesome that I had to look away at least 3 times. The movie evokes a lot of feelings and a lot of adreniline.

CSL is more of chick-flick, though husbands will enjoy it. Drive is more of a guy flick, though wives will enjoy it. And if you haven't gotten enough Gosling from those two, rent Blue Valentine. Not the happiest movie about love and marriage, but two great performances from Michelle Williams and my boyfriend. And to think...he's Canadian?!?

Something Wicked this way comes...

Last night was opening night for Wicked at the Fox Theater, the first of a 4 week stint. I have been searching for discount tickets for weeks for this show (I really hate to pay full price but would've done it if I couldn't get a deal) and came across a new deal site specifically for tickets- concerts, plays, sporting events. So I must make sure my readers of this entertainment blog know about it...www.goldstar.com. You can sign up for their daily or weekly deals newsletter, similar to Groupon. They had a special for $50 Wicked tickets for Wednesday and Thursday only, so I grabbed two and texted the sitter and my bestie, Kim.

I moved from Manhattan in 2003, the year Wicked opened on Broadway, and didn't get to see it then. It has since been through Atlanta one or two times and I was busy with babies or some such. I tried reading the book and only got through about 1/3 of it...it was really dark and just not my thing. Now a few of the songs have made their way to popular culture (Rachel sang, "Defying Gravity" on Glee last season) and the two original actresses in the show have both had guest starring roles on Glee: Kristen Chenowith as April Rhodes and Idina Menzel as Rachel's real mom. But I didn't really know what the show was about.

At it's heart, it's a friendship tale. Elphaba was born green and unloved. Her heart was not wicked, but mostly misunderstood. Her sister, Nessarose, was the favored one and was wheelchair bound, for which Elphaba blames herself. She meets Galinda (who later shortens it to Glinda) at boarding school, who is blond and perky and everything Elphaba is not. She is such a funny character- her made-up words for things had me laughing out loud. (When she got to Oz, she declared it "Sooo Ozmopolitan!") But the two girls end up helping each other and becoming friends and drawing on each other's strengths. Elphaba's strength is her intelligence and natural gift of witchcraft, while Glinda wants to help her become popular (another hilarious song.) Elphaba becomes outraged at the way people begin treating the animals, by putting them in cages and not allowing them to speak, so she travels to Oz to get the Wizard's help. The Wizard turns out to be the one behind the whole silencing of the animals, and so Elphaba escapes and is declared by all of Oz to be Wicked. Glinda stays, lured by the popularity of being the right hand of the Wizard. I won't spoil the rest of the show for anybody who hasn't seen it...but it does such an amazing job with the songs, special effects, and very clever storyline of bringing in the tin man, cowardly lion and eventually the scarecrow too.

In the end, the two witches sing a song to each other called, "For Good" where Glinda says that she doesn't know if its true that people come into each other's lives for a reason, but she "knows I am who I am today because I knew you." And Elphaba tells Glinda that "whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend."

It couldn't be more fitting that Kim and I saw this show together. She was my first friend in our subdivision, we have shared 3 nannies (only 2 of them were crazy), the ups and downs of life and loss and love, and lots of laughs. She is such an amazing person- fiercely loyal to her family and friends- and one of the strongest women I know. When we moved to Texas, Kim and Em were our first visitors and when we had the opportunity to move back, Kim paved the way (how many friends would stand in line for you to ensure your kids' spot in preschool??). I cried with her when she lost her friend to breast cancer, and walked 60 miles with her on the Susan G. Komen walk. When I made the decision to stop working and stay at home with the kids, Kim was so supportive and never made me feel like my job is less important than hers (even though she is so accomplished in her career.) We would do anything for each other, and it feels so good to know that I have her on my side. Like Elphaba and Glinda, she has helped re-write my story by being my friend. (And if we have to pick which is which, she is so the super smart green witch and I'm on the one with a closet full of glittery shoes. :)

So you have almost 4 weeks to go see this show...it makes for a lovely date night but an even better girlfriend night. However you get there, I say just go!

The new Fall TV Season is upon us...

I have always loved TV. It was fitting that I got into the biz as a media buyer, and got to meet lots of B, C and D list celebs at network parties (a few A listers too, but very few.) I got to write our cable bill off for tax purposes because I was supposed to watch TV. Our ad agencies would get the full pilot episodes of the new shows and we could screen them through the summer so we would know what we wanted to watch. And in our 20's, in between going out, we had plenty of time to watch our favorite shows.

And then kids came along, and I got out of the biz. And then started watching less and less TV. And when kids started getting old enough to have a voice, off went Oprah and on went Martha Speaks. (It is only recently that they have refused PBS Kids for the cartoons on Nick, Disney and Cartoon Network. I draw the line at iCarly and Suite Life-type shows...Mia does not need another example to show her how to be sassy.)

So here we are, 2011, and I only have a handful of shows I consider appointment viewing. And I have decided now that Phil is traveling like a fool, I am going to start watching TV again. I took to the Internet and my trusty Entertainment Weekly and filtered through lots of previews and reviews. Below is my tentative schedule for fall viewing:

Daytime- Now that Oprah is gone, who do we turn to? I do like Ellen but sometimes I want topical, not funny. Enter Anderson Cooper, the silver-haired fox from CNN, with a daytime show that is supposed to be like the old Phil Donahue. LOVE.

Monday- Probably going to stick with the CBS comedies that night. I already really like How I Met Your Mother and am interested in how Ashton is going to make Two and a Half Men funny again. And after seeing Bridesmaids, I have to turn on Mike and Molly, which I missed last season. The new gem in this bunch is called Two Broke Girls and it looks a little Laverne and Shirley, an old favorite. It has Kat Dennings in it, and I really loved her in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Indie film darling = I'm in.

Although the casting is always interesting (and this year is no exception...Chaz Bono? Clooney's ex? Nancy Grace?) I don't watch Dancing with the Stars because I have no idea if the stars dance well. They all look pretty good to me and then the judges tear them apart. I watch a singing competition because I can tell if people can sing but I can't tell a waltz from a tango. Well, actually I could but barely. BUT- I'm not watching the Sing-Off either because 1. Nick Lachey is painful and 2. My friend Georgia almost got on with her a capella group but got cut, so I'm boycotting.

If I stayed up past 10, I would check out The Playboy Club on NBC for costumes and kitch, but it probably won't happen.

Tuesday- This is a FOX night, starting with Glee, one of the few shows I have watched from the beginning. It has meandered a bit this last season, but I still find the message a very good one and the characters are endearing. (see pic of twins above as tribute to Sue Sylvester.) The other new show on after Glee is New Girl with Zooey Deschanel, another indie-film darling. I am sensing a pattern here.

Am also curious about Ringer on the CW because I like Buffy but if I don't get hooked right away, I'm out. Too many shows, too little time.

Wednesday- The NBC comedy Up All Night looks very funny, with Christina Applegate and Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett. Great cast plus who cannot relate to this that has kids. I'm then back over to Modern Family on ABC at 9, it is so stinkin' hilarious and full of heart. I love all of those characters. That show is what a sitcom should be.

The other show getting lots of buzz is one at 10p on FX called American Horror Story starring super dreamy Dylan McDermott and Connie Britton from Friday Night Lights. It's spooky and bizarre and created by the Glee guys, so I'm thinking it's worth a DVR. (10p is very hard! Do you know what time I have to be up every morning to wake these ungrateful kids!?!)

Will I sample The X Factor? Probably. It's hard for me to not watch a paired up Simon and Paula again, I have missed their dynamic. But I don't know if I will commit. We'll see.

Thursday- This used to be a big night for me, but I've stopped watching Grey's Anatomy about 2 seasons ago and all the other shows I used to watch that night moved. So, what's good now? NBC has their solid comedy lineup with The Office and Parks and Rec but I'm okay if I miss them, not really appointment shows. I like Big Bang Theory but the show after is a new one on CBS with Kevin Dillon and he really bugs me. I hate his character on Entourage and I think he is actually like Johnny Drama so no go. If I watch X Factor, I will probably turn on some of the results show. And the big new drama on for Thur night is called Person of Interest on CBS...created by JJ Abrams and also stars creepy Michael Emerson from Lost. It looks very good and is getting tons of buzz.

Friday and Saturday- do they even have shows on these nights?

Sunday- One show I will NOT be watching is The Amazing Race, who I am bitter against since they did not call Jamie and I for an interview after submitting a very funny audition tape. ha. I wish I watched The Good Wife from the beginning because so many people say it is one of the best shows on TV and I think Julianna Margulies is amazing and will probably win an Emmy. But I'm not starting now. If I'm in the mood for funny, the FOX lineup of cartoon sitcoms with the Simpsons and the new Allen Gregory, Jonah Hill's new show, are a sure bet. But as for new dramas, ABC has an intriguing Once Upon a Time, where a bunch of fairy tale characters have been trapped in a Maine town and cursed into forgetting their true identities. It's got lots of flashbacks like Lost and I'm a fan of that type of storytelling. And my DVR will also be set for Pan Am, another 10p show on ABC, that looks like Mad Med and stars indie darling Christina Ricci. Need I say more?

It's a pretty full TV schedule I have laid out for myself and about 150% more TV than I've been watching the past few years. But I'm up for the challenge. The laundry may pile up and the house may be cluttered, but come 8p those kids are going to be in bed and the remote will be in hand.

For my 10 readers, feel free to give me feedback...do you agree or disagree with any of these picks? Or let me know what you think of a show after it airs.

Happy viewing!

Fro-Yo Pro

Two blog entries in one week? It must mean that the kids are back in school and I have time, glorious time, again! Today I am on the subject of frozen yogurt...a personal passion of mine since I could count calories. There are so many new yogurt places popping up all over the place- but beware, not all fro-yo is created equal.

Fro-yo comes in many flavors and forms. You can buy it in the supermarket, but packaged fro-yo is typically not very good- you're better off with light ice cream if you go the grocery route. But the soft-serve frozen yogurt sold in a small parlor operation, with a variety of fruit and candy toppings to heighten the experience, is what this post is really about. The flavors range from typical (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry) to the more exotic (honeydew, pistachio, dulce de leche). I often taste some of these flavors (almost every fro-yo parlor has a small spoon or mini cup to sample), but I always purchase the flavor that's called either "plain" or "original tart" -- something like that. It is creamy and delish, and when topped with fresh fruit, some nuts, and maybe a sprinkle of chocolate bar pieces, there's nothing better.

First off, just let me say that the first and best tart yogurt I discovered was at Bloomingdale's NYC, at their restaurant called Forty Carrots. Phil says that I have a thing for quirky, off-the-beaten-path restaurants like department store dining, but I contend that some of the best lunch dining really can be found in department stores. There's a restaurant on the top floor of Barney's NY (called Fred's...pretty funny) where I have never had a bad meal and I ALWAYS see a celeb. In Atlanta, the cafe at Nordstrom is DELISH. With kids, I have fed them dinner at Costco and Target more times than I can count... but I digress.
The best fro-yo that is not available here is at Bloomie's, so the next time you are in NYC, go there to shop and take the elevator to the 7th floor to Forty Carrots, and enjoy the greatest yogurt on the planet. I get mine with a side of their signature melba sauce.

Here in the 'burbs, there is no shortage of yogurt dens. Some of the first places to come on the scene are still solid choices:

If you are shopping North Point Mall, there is a Yogen Fruz in the food court. They put the toppings on for you, I think you get choice of 3. This is a flat rate S,M,L situation...unlike most of the other places that charge $.39 per ounce and you control the toppings.
If you are seeing a movie at Regal Medlock Crossing, there is a place a few doors down called Yogur-Le-Hee. It's got an asian flair to it (many of them do) and has some funky flavors like pomegranate and green tea. They also control the toppings for you, but I think that makes it a little more sanitary in most cases.

Since these two emerged, at least a half dozen have popped up in our area.

MENCHIE'S: This is a west coast favorite. I'm a fan of the one in Crabapple that was below my old Pilates studio. Pumpkin flavor was delish. Place is very clean and fun.
PINKBERRY: Also a Hollywood favorite that has been franchised out here. Closest ones are in Marietta or Buckhead though. Phil gets this at work after a chicken salad sandwich to complete his girly lunch experience.
SLIMBERRY: Opened within the last few months very close to our house on Old Milton Pkwy. Very limited flavors and the toppings have looked squirrelly at times. The kids like it because they have a chocolate fountain to put chocolate sauce on your yogurt and they have two iPads at the tables for use while you dine in. Kids are sold easily on gimmicks.
TUTTI FRUTTI: On Windward Pkwy, in the same shopping center as the Original Pancake House and Cracker Barrel. It's next door to a Smoothie King, so I wonder if that is a little bit of competition for the same audience? Anyway, it's got the asian vibe to it with funky flavors and toppings. Overall a decent choice.
YOGLI MOGLI: Several Atlanta locations- I've tried the one in Sandy Springs, on Windward Parkway, but I most often frequent the one next to our Publix on Old Milton. It's got the best location for us and has always been clean with fresh-looking fruit. Good for people watching if you sit outside and also to meet for a mom date (as I am doing next Wed with my friend Leslie.)
YOGURT MOUNTAIN: The best of the best. This is a little bit of a trip for us, located on 141 and Sargent road, near the Portrait Innovations. But has great flavors and the best selection of toppings that I've seen. Very large seating area and bright, colorful decor. Worth the trip.

I don't know if all of these places will survive...the competition is fierce for the yogurt consumer. I'm thinking Slimberry is the first to go- it's mediocre and in a shopping center that has had several closings lately. I'm sort of wishing I would have jumped on this bandwagon and opened a franchise a year ago. I think somewhere on North Point Parkway would be a good location to open one, so you don't have to go into the mall if you are craving a yogurt fix. Perhaps I'll open one next to the new Nordstrom Rack opening in the spring, so I can have two of my favorite things in one place. I'll have the steal the name Yoforia since that's as close to heaven as we're gonna get in Alpharetta.