Dirty Movies #2: Halloween, the Sequel

Halloween is days away still, which means avoiding trick-or-treaters, and going for Chinese. Traditions are life, people. So here is part two of my dirty movies- Halloween edition post. Enjoy ;)

Yeah, Zombie Walk 04!!

Shaun of the Dead

I really am not into zombies. Like, at all. You will likely never catch me watching The Walking Dead, Night of the Living Dead, or Sister Wives. (what, I never said every thing in these lists would be relevant to each other.) I once lied at a slumber party that I was not allowed to watch horror movies, just to avoid having to watch NOTLD. I also kind of love to hate the Thriller video. That said, I love love love Shaun of the Dead. Sure, it's gory, there are droves of the undead all over, and they're feeling kinda bitey. But at the heart of this story is just a guy, his best mate, and the woman he loves. And her annoying friends. And his bastard step-dad. And irritating roommate. This is a real piece of the human condition, people! But, y'know, with zombies. It's funny, it's British, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost can do no wrong, and it definitely made me want to always have a shovel handy.

Rose Red?? More like poop brown!

Rose Red

I try to not get into many miniseries, for the fact that I tend to forget about them somewhere around the second night. That's also what happened with Rose Red, so it took me a long time to see it. And to this day, I can't say that I have seen it all the way through all at once, but it's a goal. I have seen it all, piecemeal, and it is a favorite. Haunted house, psychic kid, investigative group, secrets, secrets, secrets...it has everything. And Bones! And it reminds me a lot of the next movie...

You think that fireplace is creepy now....ha ha

The Haunting

This one is a remake of a 1963 movie of the same name, and are both based on a book, The Haunting of Hill House, published 1959 (which is probably also the basis of at least 90 other movies with similar titles.) In this, a rag tag group of insomniacs- meek Nell, bi Theodora, and duuuuude, Luke- are participating in what they believe is a study on their insomnia. Another house with a secret, plus a doctor with an agenda, an ancestral connection to the house, and murdered children, however, mean this is more than just a few nights trying to sleep in a creepy house. A few...unpleasant...physical things will likely make you recoil a bit, but the movie is not super scary, so much as a wistful, coming home story. But with ghosts and murder and human guinea pigs, of sorts. 

Oh, this old thing? Yeah, it was part of Tiffany's "Bloodletting" collection.

Interview With the Vampire

I have seen this (also at Dinnah's...I miss her mom's movie collection!) And I have read the book. It may be cliche to like Anne Rice and Stephen King, but meh. What I do not particularly care for, is Tom Cruise, but in this, he really never looked better. I also like period sets, and this does not disappoint. I do not like having my wrists fucked with, so scenes like the above image, really make me cringe. But what is a horror movie without a few wanna-puke-inducing moments? I have the same issue with True Blood (that, and Marni. What the hell. Really?!) I hope to catch this one on one of the various channels showing it lately, as I haven't seen it for a bit, and really, who is a more lovably messed up vamp than Louis? 

I'm trying to avoid a miles-long post, so that's it for this time. Til next time, have yourself a scary little day!

Dirty Movies #1: Halloween Edition

I am not much of a movie watcher. I hate theaters (panic attacks), Blockbusters everywhere have closed their doors, and I generally fall asleep during them. Seriously, it took me about a decade to see all of Uncle Buck. I am not without my favorites, and I have watched the same twenty or so movies many, many times. A trait from my parents, no doubt, as my father has probably watched The Outlaw Josey Wales oh, every time it has ever aired on tv. Believe me when I say, it was a lot.

When I was about half my current age, plus a few years and a driver's license, I lived for Blockbuster runs. Even if it wasn't actually TO a legit BB store. My mom once refused, in front of god and everyone, in the middle of our local chain, to ever go there, ever, because they wanted her credit card info on the BB card form. Never mind she gave that out to, oh, every other retailer in the area, Blockbuster was so not getting her shit. So when I was able, I got my own, and proceeded to rent The Craft, Welcome to the Dollhouse, and Drop Dead Gorgeous fifty million times. I have a trophy. I was also a fan of Slums of Beverly Hills and But I'm a Cheerleader! So I liked Natasha Lyonne before she was all hot mess. Doesn't mean I bat for the other team, cashier who bore a striking resemblance to Rupaul out of drag, mmmkay??

Repetitive movie rentals aside, and once I'd outgrown my fear of horror movies- another post for another day- I usually made a beeline for the horror section. Less chance that all copies of Marvin's Room would be rented. As far as horror goes, I love anything that involves ghosts. I am all about the supernatural. Monsters are fine, except for zombies, I have liked vampires since childhood, and if anyone does comedy with horror well, then they have my undying (undead?) devotion. Here's the list!

Habbudduh fwabbudduh bwuh bwuh bwuh

The People Under the Stairs

So, I actually rented this one maybe once or twice, every other time, it was on TNT, when Joe Bob Briggs hosted whatever late night movie show that was. I lived for this movie. Suspense, adoptive parents, secrets, old ass houses with a sinister past, A.J. Langer...it had everything I was looking for in a movie in 1997 (and it is by Wes Craven, who I have loved since Nightmare Cafe.) I haven't watched it in more than a decade, and it's possible the soundtrack hasn't aged well, but Roach will forever have a place in my heart. And some Progressive commercials.

Shit, my Tide to Go is empty!

Carrie

This was another one from the "hardly rented but always on TNT" bin. Now, I do love Stephen King. I will read his books, I will watch his movies, and I will forever wish he had a better ending for IT. Not that spiders aren't creepy, but I digress. Sissy Spacek starred in this, about a girl with a crazy mother and a secret. It was the 70s, a simpler time, where bullying a naked girl in the school showers was looked upon as harmless fun after gym class. No big, right? Wrong. You don't fuck with Carrie. If she weren't telekinetic, she could have sicced her mom on you, and called it a day. Instead, she's a real do-it-yourself-er, and took matters into her own hands, and made bbq out of everyone. If you get nothing else out of this movie, besides "I should really be nice to the quiet outcast," at least enjoy Piper Laurie's infamous "they're all gonna laugh at you!" I know I have.

Come play with us....we have Trivial Pursuit...

The Shining

I originally saw this at Dinnah's house, way way back in high school, because her mom owned lots of horror movies. It was glorious. Not only is this movie balls to the wall frightening, it is potently quotable. I'm fairly obnoxious, so quotability is a quality I look for in a film. I wish I had never seen it, so I could see it again for the first time. Dinnah and I were laughing nervously, almost shrieking in fear, and I think we were trying to climb into each others' laps toward the end, because Jack Torrance was after everyone. There have been maybe two remakes, one for tv, but I have not watched it, probably won't, and regret not getting this from the $5 bin last time I saw it at Wal Mart. 

Yeah, I can't believe a palmful of Dep and half a can of Aqua Net is keeping her hair like that, either.

The Gate

This was released when I was still too young to be allowed to see anything without a G rating. Despite my strong dislike for horror as a child, the ads for this made it look too good to miss, but my mom swiftly put the kibosh on it. We probably saw The Aristocats instead. And I did not see The Gate until 1998. I watched it the night of my 17th birthday with two friends, and while this movie was not that scary then, the hair was pretty terrifying. And the little demons bore a striking resemblance to my dog, Psycho. Those are more or less all I recall of that, besides playing records backwards, metal nerd kid, young Stephen Dorff, and the giant hole (the gate) in the backyard. It's not the greatest movie, and certainly was not what I was hoping for in 1987, but if you like to laugh at dated movies (and insanely high, geometric hairstyles) then go find this movie. It is allegedly being remade, and could really be done well, what with improved special effects. And they could reuse the little creatures from Guillermo Del Toro's Don't be Afraid of the Dark. This economy is hard on all of us.

There's nothing under your bed, trust me, I was just there...

Don't Go to Sleep

Last up is a little gem I saw on vhs back when my mom babysat like every kid in the neighborhood. Between this and Old Yeller, the tape was probably personally worn out by moi. In DGTS, we find a typical family starting over after the loss of their eldest daughter, Jenny. They are moving out of L.A. and into grandma's (Ruth Gordon, love her in this) house in the country. Which appeared to be the outskirts of L.A.? I think Aaron Spelling confused suburbs for country. For younger daughter Mary, however, all is not well, as she is soon plagued by noises and general creepiness each night. Is it Jenny? Is it life in an old house? Or is Mary experiencing a psychotic break? What we know for sure is, people are dropping like flies around Miss Mary. It's not super scary, but the suspense is there, and in my opinion, pretty good for a tv movie from 1982. I have seen this on Youtube (you have to watch it in 10 minute chunks last I looked) but it's worth a look if you like a little bit of psychological suspense with your ghost stories. 

I'm considering a part two to this post, maybe worst of scary movies (ahem, Eyes of Fire) or possibly more of the horror flicks I have known and loved. Off to think about this some more!

Girly-stash, October 2012

I've found myself somewhat flush with cash this fall, so like any responsible human, I decided to save that shit like it was the last money on Earth give back to the economy by buying myself a few little things. Never feel guilty for treating yourself, people. Two bottles of Chanel's Peridot varnish? It's called stocking up! Buying five NYX jumbo eye crayons each trip to Ulta? What, they can be hard to find! Sometimes, going a little overboard isn't a bad thing. Just make sure you have money for gas, food, and houseplants (or glitter polish. Or whatever may be on your constant list of wants. I'm not bossy, swear ;) ) The following were found at Walgreen's:

 Sally Hansen's Complete  Salon Manicure line is being discontinued/reformulated, so those polishes are on sale pretty much all over. If you can find any, that is. The regular price of these was about $8. I paid $1.89 each for the two I got, shades "Angel Wings" and "Shall We Dance?" They are not my usual crazy glitters, far from it. SWD? is a pinky nude, and angel is opalescent white in the bottle, but shows up more iridescent pink on my nails. I really like them both. If you are a fan of nudes, you may be in luck, as those shades may be the only ones left in your area. Best part? On those two polishes alone, I saved $11.20. Not too shabby.

Still in the  Ms. Hansen section, I decided to give a new nail treatment a try. Hard as Wraps promises acrylic strength in 60 seconds. I am not so sure about this, as it seems acrylics would not fall prey to a steel wool scrub pad in a sink full of dishes, but I also fully admit, I am murder on my nails. I had been using Nail Life (sans formaldehyde) and it used to work well for me, but it tends to thicken about halfway through the bottle, and leaves a bubbled finish on. Never mind the fact that it peels like mad. So if HAW can outlast my obsessive hand washing, and not turn into a bottle of goo in a month, it may be my new go-to. Oh, and that's assuming it makes my nails longer and stronger.

In the travel section, I found a bottle of Clear scalp and hair therapy shampoo. I had never used it before, it smells ok, and was $1.99 for a 3oz bottle. I know these are about $5.99 full sized (about 120z),and when I did the math, the full sized is, per ounce, a better bargain, ringing in at roughly 50 cents/ounce. The travel size is 66 cents/ounce. Don't be like me and always assume a travel size is a bargain! I hate math, but I love saving my cash, so I promise to work on this :) As far as the shampoo itself goes, I like it so far. The smell is a weird, plastic-y, grape-y scent, but it doesn't linger.

Next is a Studio 35 Beauty brand travel touch-up brush set for $2.99. I've been looking for a set of eyeshadow brushes for a wee bit now, and as I could not shell out for the Eco tools set, I decided to get this one. The blush brush is too small for any sort of blushing, but I kinda like it for an all-over eye color brush. The smaller brushes aren't bad, and it also includes a lash/brow groomer, which I have been in desperate need of for some time now. So, while these are not super-awesome-professional quality brushes, they are at least as good as my travel size mark brushes I've been using for several years now. I do think the blush brush could have been better, though.

Lastly, Invigorating Apricot Scrub (store brand) was 99 cents, and seems ok, perhaps a little rougher than its brand-name counterpart of Swiss origin. I can't use it every day, but I do like it. I am an oily, sensitive gal, and if there is no exfoliation on my face, things go awry.

All in all, I'd say this was a good trip. I'm only sorry that I hadn't signed up for the rewards card before  today.

Thrifting Log #1, The Lampe Berger

I forget when and where I first discovered the wonder that is the Lampe Berger, a catalytic fragrance diffusing lamp that allegedly purifies air and was used in hospitals many years ago. But I'm glad I did. I am slightly less glad that they tend to cost upwards of $100 (and the oils to go in them, usually $17 and up.) There are a few other companies making fragrance lamps like these; you can get one at Fred's for less than ten bucks (I have two of these), but they aren't true Lampe Berger.

But I found one for 99 cents at Goodwill.

Allegedly a real Lampe Berger, as it is on the lamp itself and the band around the top. However, color is flaking off of it (transparent yellow paint perhaps?), but I choose to believe it is the real deal until I find out otherwise. And even if it's not legit, it is pretty in a shabby chic, seen better days manner, and they are damn good air fresheners. I doubt either version actually purifies the air, but they do make a house with four cats and a dog smell better.

And did I mention, 99 cents?

I have yet to actually purchase LB brand oils to go in my lamps, I buy mine at Fred's. It's been a bit, but believe they are around 7-9 dollars a bottle. My favorites are the mixed berry and another one that is (I think) rum-butter-vanilla-sticky bun frosting. Something like that. It's probably well past time for a trip to Fred's. I'm sure there is some tutorial online about how to make your own catalytic lamp oils, I just haven't found it yet. Or, you know, looked. But! I did just come across a fragrance/essential oils site, Wellington, and that looks interesting. I'm very much into creating my own home fragrance. It'd be fun to see what I could come up with, combining my favorites and Brian's. Violet vanilla springs to mind. Link to Wellington Fragrance.

Speaking of home fragrances, Mary's Candles. Yes please. I've seen those little stands in grocery stores and WalMart for as long as I can recall, and everything smells so good around them. Then you run into the home cleaning supplies and you get a headache from all the Tide/Surf/Gain fumes. Dinnah likes the creme brulee scent, so when I noticed the little stand on my way to grab dog food, I grabbed a bag. Her house always smells good (brulee or no), and any sort of vanilla-y scent goes over well around here. I put the bits in my Scentsy warmer, and while the scent is nowhere near overpowering, everything does smell really good around it. Which I believe has more to do with my warmer's bulb being weak, and not the melts themselves. I'm going to add some to a tea light powered diffuser I have and see what happens.

So I'm happy with my new lamp, legit Lampe Berger or no. It will look sweet on a nightstand or side table, and as I've recently sort of decided on a decorating scheme for what will be the living room, its (flaking) yellow color will go well. Yellow, navy and white are currently my home decor faves :)

October Loves

I am so glad summer is finito. I hate hate HATE summer. Perhaps if I lived in L.A., not La., where temps year-round were not sweltering and too muggy to breathe, my opinion would change. However, I live in the temperate region I refer to as Satan's Taint. It's as unpleasant as that sounds.

Gladly, October has arrived, cooled things down enough to be bearable, so I am in a better mood, and thinking about the things I am loving now. First up, a new favorite blog. Beauty in Budget is written by Teresa, who regularly scours drugstores, Target, Ulta, Sally's and the internet, for the best deals in beauty. Her philosophy, that being thrifty does not equal being stuck with low-quality products, is a smart one. Her reviews are honest, especially helpful if you are a dry-skinned gal (but don't let that deter you! I'm oily and find her reviews insightful for my issues too), and her writing style reads like a chat from your very knowledgeable friend. She also shares her monthly gets from Birchbox, offers giveaways, and reviews any higher end products she receives (as either gifts or with great discounts.) If you love makeup, want to know where your dollars would be best spent, follow her blog. http://beautyinbudgetblog.wordpress.com/ 

Keeping in the budget theme, we move from the vanity to the kitchen. Our eating habits of late have left much to be desired. Frozen pizzas, drive thru, repeat...I'm sick of the same ol same ol. So I made a list one night, based on things we already have around the house, and built a menu from there. The two main aspects of this are 1) will this meal provide leftovers, and 2) are the ingredients able to be used more than once. I call that stretching. And it has changed how I cook. In the past, leftovers either went to waste, or don't exist (on chicken pot pie or enchilada nights, especially.) Now, I am planning leftovers. It's not quite once a month cooking, which I think my kitchen is currently too messy/disorganized/small to make work, but it's in that vein. I keep in mind the number of servings, what goes with the main, and will I be ok eating this more than twice a month? Because a nice pot of red beans and rice is great, but it's not my favorite, so the thought of eating it frequently does not set my heart aflutter. Which might be a shame, I do make really good red beans. It is on my list of to be mades, so sometime before this month is over, we will have some and freeze the rest. My goal is to stay out of WalMart as much as possible, not spend a ton on food, and stretch things as far as I can. I have a list of meals to make, how many servings they will provide, and I have tried to assign them to a day, so I can see how far they will go. It hasn't exactly worked out that way, because so far, two meals went to the freezer, and two more were eaten later in the night, or for lunch the next day. However, I feel I am on the right track, since starting this we have only spent about 200 on groceries, and I know I have enough to finish this month, and stretch into November. Fingers crossed that we make it to November 7th. Probably a lofty goal, but with careful planning, I see no reason why not :) I have a few other culinary favorites right now, but I am saving those for a possible future giveaway, so subscribe and stay tuned!

The other loves of my autumn are pretty much required for this time of year. Halloween, pumpkins, candy, nicer weather...the usual. I loved Halloween as a kid. I was always very shy, but putting on a costume seemed to help some of that float away, at least for the night. I love the holidays, despite their inherent insanity, so this time of the year is like the best of both- fun days are coming, but things haven't gotten nutso stressful just yet. And fun sized chocolate everything is everywhere. Love that! ;)