The White Cliffs of Dover and Vera Lynn

I've just discovered a new singer that I can add to my list of favorites, and as is pretty typical for me, I came across her by way of the movies. 

Last night I was watching The White Cliffs of Dover (1944) starring Irene Dunne and a supporting cast that included Alan Marshal, Frank Morgan, Van Johnson, Gladys Cooper, Dame May Whitty, Peter Lawford, Roddy McDowall, and uncredited Elizabeth Taylor (just before National Velvet) and June Lockhart. 

The story is about an American woman living in England during both world wars.  She loses her husband in the first World War, and the film opens with her waiting for word on her son who is fighting in the second.  It then flashes back to the beginning of the story.  Though perhaps not of the same quality as Mrs. Miniver, I found it to be a very effective and moving homefront war film from both the English and American standpoint. 

The story begins when Susan Dunn (Irene Dunne) and her father (Frank Morgan) visit England for a week and Susan falls in love with and eventually marries a wealthy English army officer.  The story continues to unfold from there, but throughout the course of the film, Susan continually longs to return to her home in the United States.  Perhaps among the most powerful scenes in the film are when the American army enters each war and marches into England playing The Stars and Stripes Forever, Over There, and When Johnny Comes Marching Home.  It is easy to feel along with Susan her loyalty to her country and her nostalgia for her home.  This is probably one of, if not the best of Irene Dunne's film performances.  Often playing comedic roles, she was just as wonderful in the serious part of a homesick American longing for her English husband and son away at two different wars. 

As I started looking up the movie The White Cliffs of Dover on the internet, I came across a song by the same title sung by Vera Lynn.  This song does not appear in the movie.  Since I love music from the same time period as my movies, I thought I'd give it a listen.  I was pleased to hear a lovely song, and a lovely voice.   Here it is:

 

 

I am really excited to explore more of Vera Lynn's music!  I hope you have enjoyed it.  

 

Disney 2013 and New Fantasyland Editions!!

I'd like to take a moment and write about my trip to Disney World about a month ago.  Having grown up in south Florida, I've visited Disney too many times to count with all possible combinations of family and friends, but I was especially excited for this trip because of the latest editions to the Magic Kingdom! 

It is probably common knowledge that many of the rides in the Magic Kingdom were beginning to feel a little outdated, especially in Fantasyland.  Rides such as It's a Small World and Peter Pan's Flight haven't gone through major changes since Walt Disney World opened in 1971.  Personally, I don't consider those rides outdated.  I enjoy the classic Disney feel of them, but I can also understand that Disney runs the risk of losing popularity if they don't stay abreast of the changing times and technologies.  One of my favorite rides is already long gone:  Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.  And in 2011, Snow White's Scary Adventure closed. 

http://www.insidethemagic.net/2012/06/tribute-snow-whites-scary-adventures-permanently-closes-a-walt-disney-world-classic-dark-ride-since-1971/

Of course as the article states, more Snow White attractions are currently under construction. 

However, Disney very rarely fails to please, and so I had confidence that anything new they bring to the park would be just as wonderful, and hopefully more so. 

One of the new editions is Prince Eric's castle (from The Little Mermaid) which houses Ariel's Undersea Adventure, a slow moving ride in traditional Disney fashion that takes you through a summary of the movie.  You ride in a clam shell, of course (what else??!).  Through the use of animatronics, one can no longer see the joints when any given character moves, and the effect is much more life-like. 

Here is Prince Eric's castle!

The next new edition that was well worth the wait is the Be Our Guest Restaurant.  It's about time Disney did this.  Be Our Guest, by its very nature, is a perfect Disney restaurant theme.  Reservations are necessary for dinner, but lunch is provided by quick service.  As you go in, you are directed to one of several computer stations where you punch in your order on a touch screen.  Then you can choose your seat in one of three dining rooms: the ballroom, the library, or the west wing.  Your food is brought out to you. 

 

Pictured above is the outside of Be Our Guest, Beast's castle.  The food was excellent, as most Disney food is, and it featured French-inspired cuisine.  The quick service was very efficient, as it should be in a crowded theme park. 

 

Another change that I noticed in the Magic Kingdom was that activities were added to keep children (and really, adults too) occupied during long waits for rides.  This was especially apparent at The Haunted Mansion.  You now have a choice of waiting through the cemetery or not, and the cemetery has more headstones with funny epitaphs written on them, an organ that plays different things when you touch it, and a few other similar distractions.  I think it's an excellent idea, especially in a place where there are so many children likely to be getting bored, hot, and tired of standing. 

 

Also, I was especially pleased to see that The Enchanted Tiki Room was returned to its previous, classic state from 1971. Several years ago, it was updated to include interruptions from Disney birds Iago (Aladdin) and Zazu (The Lion King), and the sign read The Enchanted Tiki Room, Under New Management!  I always thought that it was a little annoying.  There was a lot of shouting and loud music, as opposed to the gentle singing of the birds and flowers of the old Tiki Room.  As it turns out, a fire rendered Iago and Zazu unusable in the show, but did little damage to the rest of the attraction, and so The Enchanted Tiki Room is as it always was. 

 

I'll end by just saying that the fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom literally gets better every time I see it.  They never ever show a skimpy display of fireworks....it goes on for quite some time.   And the technology used for the light show on the castle is more advanced every time I see it.  It's such a spectacular production, and for me, the best part is still when Tinker Bell flies out of Cinerella's castle. 

 

 

Here is a link to the Disney Parks Blog.

 

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/

 

 



Trip to Selby Gardens

This past weekend, in lieu of a beach trip, I went to Sarasota's Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.  They have an especially impressive collection of orchids and bromeliads from all over the world.  The ambience of the whole place is very calming, and you feel like you've been transported to a tropical rainforest. 

The orchids are in a special climate controlled house, but you walk through the rest of the outdoor gardens on a mostly paved path. 

Here are some of my favorite photos from my visit.

 

 

There are also banyan trees on the property.  The expansive roots never cease to amaze me.  If you haven't visited the Edison/Ford Winter Estates in Ft. Myers, that is a great place to see these special trees. 

 



 

 

An ibis looking for something to eat.

 

 

 





The edge of the gardens overlooks a beautiful view of Sarasota Bay. 

Here is a link to information about the history of Selby Gardens.

http://www.selby.org/gardens/history-marie-selby-gardens

And thus concludes another Sarasota adventure "by the sea!"

Back to the Beach!

Well, it's been over 2 months since my last post, but I've finally moved to Sarasota, FL!  Now the "by the sea" portion of this blog can be accurate. 

I've got a lot of beach exploration to do, but last weekend I started with Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island.  I arrived mid-morning on a Sunday and found the beach to be not too crowded at all, even though the busy season is just beginning.  There is a lovely park there with an extensive bike/walking path and many picnic tables set amongst pine and palm trees. 

The beach itself is overlooked by beautiful white, sandy dunes and sea oats. 

Of course any time I go to the beach, one of my favorite things to do is look for shells.  I grew up shelling on the beaches of Sanibel Island, which is considered by many to be one of the best of such places in the world.  And so my expectations are probably a little high.  They say that Sanibel is so ideal for shelling because it is situated somewhat east/west or perpendicular to Florida and therefore catches many shells that would otherwise be washed on down the coastline. 

Nevertheless, I have been excited to explore the shelling possibilities in my new home of Sarasota.  The shells that I've seen have been nothing that I haven't seen on Sanibel, but certain shells may be more plentiful here.  There has been an abundance of coquinas and calico clams, and I have found more shark's eyes than usual as well.  Like Sanibel there are also many arks, lucines, various clams, cockles, and slipper shells. 

Here is what I picked up at Coquina Beach (5 calico scallops, 2 calico clams, 1 cockle, 2 olives, 2 shark's eyes, and 1 baby's ear, a turkey wing, 4 jewel boxes, 1 clam, 1 buttercup lucine, and 1 auger).

 

For comparison, here are the shells I picked up at Turtle Beach on Siesta Key.

 

 





 

It was also a beautiful day for bird watching on Coquina Beach. 

brown pelican

 

 

sanderling

 

 

This snowy egret was definitely posing for me.

 

 

And another snowy egret, fishing at the jetty.

 

 

All in all it was a pretty good start to my beach exploration in the Sarasota/Bradenton area, and any day at the beach is a day well spent.  I'll close with some fun pictures of my Lucy bird at bath time. 

 

 

"May you always have a seashell in your pocket and sand in your shoes."











Beachy Christmas Wreath

I've never made a Christmas wreath before, so this was my very first attempt.  I wanted it to be beachy, but still clearly say, "Merry Christmas!"  I hope this one does just that. 

For some reason as much as I love to make crafts, which is supposed to be just a fun hobby, I still find myself getting irritated when everything doesn't go exactly how I plan it to go.  This wreath was pretty simple though (even though I almost wish it had more shells).  And this year, I've been really wanting to do Christmasy things (note: the previous posts on seashell Christmas ornaments). 

All in all, an evening spent making a Christmas wreath and listening to the Chrismas mix CDs I recently put together for myself and a few friends is a pretty nice evening. 

Now I think I'll pop in a holiday movie and make some hot chocolate! 

Top 25 Favorite Holiday Movies

With the holidays approaching, I thought I'd take the time to compile a list of my 25 favorite holiday movies.  Some may be a stretch as to whether or not they can actually be classified as a "holiday" movie, but they are great to watch this time of year anyway!

 

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

I love this movie so much.  It's got to be one of the happiest movies ever made, and no Christmas is complete without it. 

 

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Frank Capra movies pretty much represent the best of humankind, and this one is no exception.  It's the story of a man who realizes the value of his life when he is given the rare gift of seeing what the world would be like without him.  It makes you step back and appreciate what you've been given and the people around you, just in time for Christmas. 

A Christmas Carol (1938)

This is my favorite film version of Charles Dickens' classic novel. 

The Bishop's Wife (1947)

This is one of my very favorite movies of all time.  Originally a novel by Robert Nathan, it tells the story of an angel who visits a bishop and his wife in answer to his prayer for help amidst the church's financial problems.  The angel Cary Grant brings everything together in time for Christmas and reminds the whole family what they have to be thankful for.  It's a completely charming and wonderful story. 

 

Prancer (1989)

My mother and I watch this one every year, and the end makes us cry every time.  It's a heartwarming tale of a little girl's unwavering faith amidst her family's personal and financial troubles. 

White Christmas (1954)

This is actually loosely based on Holiday Inn, the film in which audiences first heard Bing Crosby sing Irving Berlin's White Christmas.  Two pairs of performers combine their talents to save an inn in Vermont and fall in love in the process.  As a big fan of Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, I love to see them together in this movie. 

Holiday Inn (1942)

I actually like this one better than White Christmas.  There is a fairly typical love triangle, but the musical numbers are wonderful, and Fred Astaire's dancing makes any movie worth watching at least once. 

The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)

A group of nuns and a priest work together to keep their school going when it appears their building is about to be condemned, and there is no money to fix it.  Friendly rivalry over teaching situations occurs between Sister Benedict (Ingrid Bergman) and Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby), but they both have the students' best interests at heart.  Part of the film takes place at Christmastime, and the theme of spreading good will makes it a classic just right for the holidays.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 cartoon)

In my opinion, this beats the Jim Carrey movie every time. 

Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

This is a fun movie about a columnist (she writes about cooking and household matters) who has pretended to her readers and her boss that she is the perfect housewife.  Trouble begins when her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her lovely fictional home in the country for a traditional Christmas dinner.  I love to watch Barbara Stanwyck in lighter roles, and she is great in this one!

Holiday Affair (1949)

This is a lovely film starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh.  She is a widow with a son who lost her husband to the war, and he is a sales clerk.  The romance begins when she accidentally causes him to lose his job.  There is something about this movie that is bittersweet, and it is fairly predictable, but nonetheless a joy to watch. 

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

I include Meet Me in St. Louis in my top 10 favorite movies of all time.  The plot is so simple:  a midwestern family looking forward to the World's Fair during the holidays.  Yet it is timeless.  The themes of family and home are so apparent throughout, especially when the father's job threatens to send them to New York.  The costumes and sets are lush and beautiful, and the musical numbers sung by Judy Garland are some of the best performances of her career.  There is still no one who sings Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas like Judy. 

In the Good Old Summertime (1949)

This is another Christmas classic starring Judy Garland.  There are fewer songs in this one, and they aren't as good as the Meet Me in St. Louis songs, and that is because June Allyson was initially cast to play the part, and singing was not her strong point.  To me, Judy is always a joy to watch in any movie.  This one also stars Van Johnson, Spring Byington, Buster Keaton, and S.Z. Sakall, and was one of the films that inspired Nora Ephron's You've Got Mail. 

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

This is another film on which You've Got Mail is based, although not a musical like In the Good Old Summertime.  Starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, it's the story of two competing shop employees who are unknowingly exchanging love letters with each other during the holidays.  Depending on my mood, sometimes I actually prefer this version over You've Got Mail. 

Little Women (1994)

Usually when there are multiple versions of a film, I prefer the older ones, but this is probably the only occasion where I actually prefer the most recent rendition.  Next to To Kill a Mockingbird, this is probably my favorite film adaptation of a novel.  It is cast so perfectly, and it really brings the beloved novel to life with beautiful costumes, scenery, and music. 

Since You Went Away (1944)

This is another one that always makes me cry.  One of Claudette Colbert's best performances, she plays a woman dealing with issues on the homefront while her husband is away at war.  Its impressive cast also includes Joseph Cotten, Jennifer Jones, Robert Walker, Shirley Temple, Lionel Barrymore, Monty Woolley, Hattie McDaniel, and Agnes Moorehead. 

You've Got Mail (1998)

Romantic comedies are always great at Christmas, and in my book, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks definitely get added to the list of timeless Hollywood screen pairings. 

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

Another Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan classic that some people prefer over You've Got Mail.  I love them both! 

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

I have to admit, I wasn't really familiar with this until recently, but I loved it.  It's simple, and it captures the true meaning on Christmas. 

 

The Holiday 2006)

I just find this movie fun to watch.  For one, there are many classic movie references, but I think I also like the idea of the two main characters escaping their daily lives and having adventures. 

 

 

Remember the Night (1940)

 

I just watched this movie for the first time, and it was fun to watch Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in a completely different setting from Double Indemnity.  This is a charming movie about a shoplifter whose case in court has been postponed until after Christmas, during which time she would have spent in jail if Fred MacMurray's character hadn't taken pity on her and eventually invited her to spend Christmas with his family.  And I bet you can guess the rest! 

 

 

Meet John Doe (1941)

 

This movie makes my list because it ends on Christmas Eve, but also because Frank Capra films are great for the holidays in that they make you feel warm and fuzzy and positive about the human race!

 

 

It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)

 

I just watched this for the first time last night, and it was a really cute movie.  A hobo moves into a millionaire's empty home during the holidays, and eventually he makes some friends that move in with him (ex-servicemen and their families who can't find apartments in NY).  The catch is that the millionaire and his family gradually come back and pretend not to be themselves, by request of the daughter who has fallen in love with one of the men living there.  By the end of the film, the millionaire has learned a few life lessons from his humble houseguests just in time for Christmas. 

 

 

The Preacher's Wife (1996)

 

A modern remake of The Bishop's Wife, this is a pretty enjoyable movie too.  Whitney Houston shines and is absolutely beautiful, and who wouldn't love to have Denzel Washington visit as an angel?! 

 

 

Love Actually (2003)

 

This movie actually took some time to grow on me.  There are parts of it that are a little crude, and given the nature of this blog, I'm sure it's clear that I mostly prefer classic, black and white movies.  However, there are also parts of it that are so touching and human that I began to love it! 

 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!