Movie House Monday - The One That Started It All

Since my dream house is basically all planned out and ready to go (I'm still waiting for that call from HGTV/Sarah Richardson to do a season of Lindsey's House), I've decided to start another home decor blog series, honoring my favorite homes in movies and TV. Because it's just fun to dream and scheme right?

Naturally, I had to start with the house that started it all. The house that basically the entire country fell in love with in the 90's, and as such, a large part of the sequel's plotline revolved solely around the house.

I'm talking of course, about the Father of the Bride house.  I don't think I'm alone in my awe of Nancy Meyer's impeccable taste, she's the genius behind such memorable homes in films like The Holiday, Something's Gotta Give, and It's Complicated  (and we'll definitely get to those homes later).  But really, Nancy Meyers is perfection.  To borrow from Franc himself, "She's a genius, okay?" (I hope you read that in his accent). And I just had to start this series of posts off with the one that started it all.

And now, the house.  THE house.

The seed of a generation's idea of a dream home. And even though the movie came out over a decade ago, the decor has aged remarkably well. Of course it needs some major updates, but the bones of the house are timeless.

Those french doors and gorgeous trelis with wysteria...so dreamy 

I love the built-in bookshelves flanking the fireplace

beautiful trim and molding detail in the dining room

Another view of the living room

A very unassuming master bedroom with ensuite bath

Apparently they added those beautiful dormer windows by the time the second movie rolled around, which I love

I love a white kitchen with french doors leading to the dining room

Who could forget the staircase with that trim and window?

The fun backyard and garage area 

Annie's bedroom with those high ceilings 

And of course, who could forget, the infamous Baby's Suite? Swoon.

Thoughts on a Friday

What a sad commentary on our country when the first thing I read about at work is another shooting, the fourth in just over a month between Aurora, Texas A&M, The Sikh Temple, and now in New York.  There was even an attempted shooting here in DC a couple weeks ago during the whole Chik-Fil-A fiasco, but thanks to the heroics of a security guard, he was the only one that got shot and it wasn't fatal. And I really don't know that stricter gun laws will do anything to help, after all, the shooter in New York wasn't using an automatic weapon.  It's all so awful and tragic and it doesn't matter if you are in New York City or little Aurora Colorda, there are sick people everywhere.  I really feel for those families, but I can't help but feel like the country is almost becoming desensitized to it a little bit.  Or is it just me?  It does kind of make me want to ask for a Taser for Christmas though...

Oh Lance.   I don't think he did anything that all of his competitors weren't doing too. I mean, didn't one of the cyclists in the London Olympics admit to doping after-the-fact and no one did anything and he wasn't stripped of his medal?  But let's single out Lance Armstrong because people actually know who he is, and he basically single-handedly put the sport on the map.  The man beat cancer, a fete more inpressive than any stupid sports title. He raised a TON of money for cancer research, and oh yeah....inspired a generation to get healthier and take up cycling, gave hope to millions of cancer patients, no big deal.  And I don't really get how they can say he was doping then--even though his tests were always clean--now, however many years later. It's confusing to me and doesn't really make sense. 

Sorry to be a bit of a downer, at least it's Friday right?

Gearing Up

We are getting ready for a lot of activities around here...

Brody goes back to school next week as a big 2L. It's a little bittersweet for me--I'm excited for him to start his second year and be that much closer to graduating ;) but at the same time, I'm not so excited for all the late-night studying and crazy job interviewing that will be going on, it's been so nice spending so much time together this summer. As a 2L he gets to choose his own schedule and classes so hopefully the subject matter will be that much more interesting this year. And supposedly, your first year of law school is the hardest and it gets progressivley easier with each subsequent year. We'll see....

My parents and my aunt and uncle will be here next week and we are so thrilled to see everyone and do some exciting sightseeing.  My parents have been to DC once before, but I don't think my aunt and uncle have ever been so we are going to let them dictate the schedule and it sounds wonderful so far... including a day trip to Fort McHenry (which inspired the Spangled Banner) and Gettysburg (pictured above), a possible daytrip to Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, which all sound amazing since I've never been to any of those places. Plus, I'm sure they will want to see all the sights and museums DC has to offer including a tour of the West Wing! (let's hope no one's birthdays were entered incorrectly this time) through Brody's internship.

I'm getting excited and exhausted just thinking about it all :)

Lunching at "The Mess"

When Brody told me we were going to eat lunch at the White House "Mess" (as it's referred) I was picturing a large, cafeteria-style setting with hords of staffers and neon lighting located in the New Executive Office Building.

I should have known better.

The White House "Mess Hall" is a small, intimate, stunning room, with wood-paneled walls, leather tufted chairs, and beautiful paintings of ships and nautical memorabilia as a nod to the US Navy, who runs it.  It's sit-down, silk-napkin, fresh flowers, White House-style dining, in the actual West Wing of the White House.

As in, we walked by the Situation Room on our way there...

This Situation Room

So needless to say, my celebu-senses were tingling the entire time, and although we didn't really have any VIP run-ins, it was an incredible experience.  The food was delicious, and the company was as pleasant as you could hope for.  We were the guests of Mr. Ben Tucker, Deputy Director of State, Local, and Tribal Affairs who runs the office for Brody's internship. He is a Presidential appointee and was so gracious to let us dine with him.  I was too nervous to take any pictures--and I didn't know if it was even allowed--so I'm using the wonder of Google for all of these pictures (except the first two).

When we approached the first security station and I handed them my license, the guards promptly entered my info in their system and found out that whoever had enter my info had reversed the date of my year of birth so that it read 1958 instead of 1985! Not the gravest of mistakes but usually enough to make it so you can't get in. But they made a call, spoke to someone, and luckily, let me in. Mr Tucker said I was very lucky, as they usually won't permit someone to come in when that happens--I was really relieved.

Next, we came to the second security station where I presented my ID again, sent my purse through the xray and stepped through the scanner. I was issued visitor credentials and we made our way to the West Wing entrace. It was crazy!  Upon entering, you pass a small reception-looking area and head down a small stairway and make a left to get to the mess (you go right for the Situaion Room). Eeek!

It was beautiful, and not at all what I had been picturing. Our waiter was wearing his Navy uniform and the whole experience was just cool. If you ever go, get the Chocolate Freedom for dessert, it was divine.  As we left, they gave us each a couple boxes of Presidential M&M's, and a menu to take with us.  It was another surreal, and awesome experience. 

I just love the picture on the left to show how pretty the room really is, and the one of the right is when the Kennedy's were celebrating an occasion in the Mess in 1963.

I must say, I'm a little sad Brody's internship is shortly coming to a close...

Desert Island

Brody and I tried to narrow down our "desert island" lists during a lovely walk in the rain on Saturday evening, and here were the results...for now at least

Book/Author:

• Brody: C.S. Lewis, Robert Ludlum, and Michael Crichton
• Me: JK Rowling, Jane Austen, and I really couldn't decide on a third...but it's between CS Lewis, Tolkien or Fitzgerald...I think

Movie: (we decided we could pick up to three director's and you'd get their entire catalog because yours truly is super indecisive if you couldn't tell by my third author pick)

• Brody: Christopher Nolan, Ron Howard, and Steven Spielberg
• Me: Nora Ephron, John Hughes, Spielberg (mostly for Goonies)

Music/Band/Artist:

• Brody: Billy Joel
• Me: Beatles

These kinds of conversations are always entertaining and surprisingly enlightening about someone's personality, don't you think? What would yours be?

Random Musings

The ridiculously charming Georgetown Canal



 



• Am I the only person that wonders where all those TOMS one-for-one shoes are? I'm waiting for the day when the Discovery channel has a special on an African village all sporting TOMS.  But really though...they've had to have sold millions by now, right?
• The irony of watching the Olympics: being inspired by the world's greatest athletes to get in better shape, and yet not being able to tear myself away from the television.
• You can tell a lot about a person from their shoes. It's one of my favorite activities on the metro...try it the next time you're in a public place.
• I don't think I've ever gone to Target and not found something I want to buy.
• The same goes for Trader Joe's.
• If you're ever in DC, be sure to spend some quality time in Georgetown. It's the most charming and European-esque part of the city (especially the canal). You'll feel like you've stepped back in time.
• While walking through the circle yesterday I saw a group of break dancers having a dance-off, a homeless man and/or hippie meditating in the grass while playing a wooden flute, and a girl tightrope walking about 8 feet in the air. Ya know, just your typical Monday evening :)

The Dark Knight Rises...Again

For Brody's birthday, his boss took us to lunch at The Hamilton, where we both ordered the greatest turkey-bacon-avacado sandwich I've ever tasted. It was amazing.  So good in fact, we were both too stuffed to go to dinner that night after presents, so I took him to dinner and a movie in Chinatown on Saturday, where we saw the Dark Knight Rises for the second time. Anyone who knows Brody knows he's a HUGE Nolan-Batman fan and he had been dying to see it again. And yes---it's just as good the second time.

And a special thank you to our sweet families for all their love and birthday cards.  There is nothing quite like receiving a hand-written note from a loved one :)  We love and miss you all!

Upper Twenties

Sigh...27 just sounds so much older than 26 doesn't it?  It's upper instead of mid-twenties...although being on the East Coast makes me feel better about it. People here are surprised I'm even married being "so young", whereas at home you'd think my eggs were about to dry up.  It's funny the difference in social norms.

Despite the age factor, it was a really great birthday.  Brody took me out on the town for dinner at the greatest pizza place in DC, 2Amy's.  It's pure neoplitan-style deliciousness.  Afterwards, we strolled around the grounds of the beautiful National Cathedral where we tried to find the Darth Vader gargoyle.  I think we did, but it was too high to tell for sure.  It was crazy to see how much damage had been caused by the earthquake last year, they even had some of the spires that had fallen off and broken on display.  Afterwards I came home to some fabulous and thoughtful gifts, capping the night off with--what else--the olympics.

Oh, and remember that "third thing" from this post?  Well, I was wrong, it wasn't a good thing, it was a GREAT thing.  Without getting too specific, I got a pretty sweet 'birthday present' at work too. It's been a pretty good week around here.

What Happened to the Perfect Score?

(tell me those aren't the faces of two judges that just witnessed perfection)

Sorry for the lack of posts, it's been a very busy week around here, not too mention the fact that we've basically been glued to the Olympics every night from 8 pm to midnight.  I. love. them. I just love them...although watching them with Brody McScrooge--the Grinch who stole the Olympic Spirit, has opened my eyes to some of the less-than-desirable coverage and editing choices of NBC.  But I'm still watching every single night.  And I've definitely teared up and gotten misty at least once every night too, I can't help it.  When the women's gymnastics won the team gold, and those poor little lambs from Russia were balling it was just such an emotional rollercoaster, and don't even get me started on the swimming.

But I do have some critiscisms that will make Brody proud. 

I will never understand when people don't act in their own self interest. Not because they're being noble otherwise, but because they are just being stupid.  Like the gymnastics judges. Other than every four years at the Olympics, you don't see or hear about gymnastics.  And if you do, it's usually about some scandal about bribery and judges.  They need as much excitement and positive press as they can get.  So you can see why I was so surprised that during the men's team final, they went back and changed the scores for the final Japanese athlete after their coaches submitted some formal complaint thing and a $100 bill, thus changing the medals for everyone.  In one fell swoop, (and on the sport's greatest stage) they basically solidified the fact that judged sports are ridiculously subjective and that if they were wrong on that score, who's to say they aren't wrong each time? I mean really....think about it.  Why wouldn't you stick to your guns, and for the good of your sport, stand by your original scores?

And then they did it again.

I can't tell you anything about Nadia Comaneci, except that she was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 in the Olympics.  Everyone knows that.  Everyone knows that Mary Lou Retton also got a perfect 10.  On those rare occasions that they've given a perfect score, it creates excitement and enthusiam for their sport...which it so desperately needs. So why, oh WHY didn't they give McKayla Maroney a perfect score the other night on her vault? It was perfect.  Even the annoying commentators thought so.  Even they couldn't understand where these judges pulled almost three-tenths worth of deductions from. It blows my mind.  Why wouldn't the judges put aside whatever personal feelings they may have for the US, or whatever their reasoning was, and, for the good of their sport, give the girl the perfect score she deserved?? Ammiright? I mean, tell me this isn't perfect...