Life of Pi : Movie Review

Last night, we saw Life of Pi, an Ang Lee film based on Yann Martel's prize winning novel by the same title. The movie is a bold and wondrous visual 3D creation that immerses you in the survival story of Pi, who is cast away at sea after a tragic ship wreck takes the lives of his family. Pi does have four surviving zoo animals on board the life boat for company including a feline friend, a hungry Bengal Tiger name Richard Parker. The screenplay follows closely to the book. Thanks to Lee's master of literacy adaptations and attention to details, the supposedly unfilmable book was not lost in translation to the big screen. The themes of religion and faith flows beautifully through the story but in a rather subtle manner. There are occasional clunks in the story telling but the acting is superb and the sumptuous, naturalistic beauty on display is a real viewing pleasure. 

Blogging Blues

So part of my New Years resolution is to get back to blogging. It was a unintended break. I simply let too much time slip by which is how I entered the blogging black hole. Trying to get back into the rhythm of things has not been easy. My blogging habits have changed over the years. I used to document the little bits and pieces of my life as a way to reflect. But the once feverish urge to write has become less frequent. I blame Facebook. Another change is the slow and systematic process of me finding stability and happiness in my life. There was a time when I sought solace in the written word but this new found serenity has left me with little rage. It is easier to write about pain, heart break and anger than it is to write about happiness. Just think about those famous ballads - all of them are sad songs. The transition was not easy but I learned to cope and I was able to sort out my feelings as well as deal with some glaring flaws within myself. I concentrated on upping my happy hormones (Serotonin & melatonin) as it turned out I lacked the later. This was why I was a insomniac. It was part of the reason why my mental health was deteriorating so rapidly. It didn't help that the anger bottled up had no release. It was something I and my family ignored for a long time even though the surface signs were there as a child. Personality disorders are not so easy to diagnose. My mother on the other hand suffered from bouts of severe depression and was clinically diagnose with PTSD. She rarely spoke about her struggles although we lived with it day to day. Writing helped me confront whatever demons I was battling. It was my sanity saver and now that I am saved, what do I write about? 

Thrifty Furniture Finds

Last week my sister and I went consignment shopping in Bristol. We found a veritable gold mine of unclaimed wealth including a beautiful mid century modern coffee table that spins. It was in excellent condition and only needed a little TLC. The fact that it was made here in the good ol USA was a plus. My husband sanded and stained the wood surface in a darker shade. He added a polyurethane and wax finish for a protective layer. The cost of the coffee table was $70 + the DIY cost = $75 Not too shabby!

Mid Century Coffee Table @t Second Helpings, Bristol R.I

A few days ago, I stumbled upon a listing for a shabby chic accent table on Craigslist, a online resource rich in fine and fabulous furnishings. At $30 it was the perfect piece to compliment the Safavieh Lola Distressed Sideboard in our dining room. 

Shabby Chic End Table $30 via Craigslist

Safavieh Lola Distressed Sideboard $319 via Amazon

I love combining the past with the present. Pairing unlikely pieces together like a vintage coffee table with modern pillows gives the room a eclectic look on a budget.

So if you are looking for a way to stretch your dollar or go eco green by reusing or upcycling gently used furniture and decor, than check out your local consignment stores and thrift shops or browse the listings on Ebay and Craigslist. As always, keep an open mind and consider whether the furniture needs little or a lot of work to restore. Having a plan and taking the time to browse through the store will most likely make the trip a great success.

To me,there's no better feeling then coming across an awesome piece of furniture that really has a personality at an incredible price. Happy Hunting!

The Cutting Edge

I've been using Osaka series knives to chop, dice, mince and peel just about everything. I bought them for cheap at Marshalls in a set that included a santoku and a paring knife. The duo has served me well over the years except age has started to show. A tinge of rust has settled over the beautiful stainless steel blade.  My non-brand name Chef's Knife will also need to be replace as it dulls far too quickly and does not have a comfortable grip.

After doing some research on cutlery, I found two brands that will meaningfully supplement all of my cutting needs. I also selected knives based on what my niece would enjoy using when she comes over and makes dinner. :)


Wusthof knives, a German brand world-renowned for their high quality cutlery offers knives that are made of high carbon stainless steel that will not stain, pit or RUST and will hold its edge. The unparalleled balance and sharpness makes Wustof the top choice by professional chefs. I looked at the different lines offered by Wusthof and went with the Grand Prix II because of their modern features including a molded pebble grain handle that provides nonslip comfort. The Grand Prix II is also more competitively priced than the Classic line. So I picked up the santoku with a hollow ground edge (5 inch) for $59.95 on Amazon. (I believe they have recently raised the price to $79.95) 

For more information on Wusthof knives click on the link.


The other well known brand is the leader in ceramic knives, Kyocera (Japanese). I have always seen ceramic knives at the store but not knowing much about them I never made a purchase. It turns out ceramic knives are actually sharper than stainless steel knives. The material used to construct the knives are the second hardest after diamonds. Ceramic knives are also light weight, never rust and are sanitary because the blade is very dense and not porous so there is also no odor. A high quality ceramic knife is also less expensive than a stainless steel knife of equal caliber. The fine craftsmanship produced is shown in this video. The only major drawback with ceramic knives is that they are breakable if not properly handled or dropped. So I intend to take extra care of these beauties.

Chef's Knife 7 inch $45.42 and Paring Knife 3 1/7 inch $13.00 via Amazon 

Shades of Gray

The elusive pale blue gray paint...finding the perfect mix has not been easy.

I know it's out there but I simply can't afford to pay $110 a gallon for it. Yes, I am talking about Donald Kaufman's DKC-37. An indescribable shade of blue gray that has a luxurious velvety quality to it. The subtle green undertone adds even more depth to the paint. The way different lights reflect off the surface is just awe inspiring. 

Again, $110. It also can't be duplicated because DK's paint uses as many as 13 pigments to create the subtle shades while most paint brands use only 3 pigments. The variety of colorants and their unique techniques in creating paint also means a copycat will most likely be inferior in quality. The numerous hues in each shade also react to changing light with much of the same richness and range of color found in the natural world. 

So while I can't afford the paint at least I am passed the stage between having identified what I want but I guess finding it is a whole nother story...

Ok.

Well this story includes numerous trips to Benjamin Moore over the course of 3 weeks. Numerous paint samples - that are now part of my scrap book collection. Than there are the strips of test colors on the wall which serve as a reminder to me and the hubby how radically different the paint swatch is in comparison to the actual paint. This is the sorta thing that will lead someone on an unhappy path that ends in frustration...

FYI: C2 paint swatches are actually made with their paint. So what you see is what you get. Unlike most paint companies, a swatch sample is computer generated and since there is no industry standard for this, one paint brand's robin egg blue is another paint's brand ducky blue. Yeah...wtf.

I could not accurately rely on the Internet as computer monitors render colors differently (based on the calibrations). Also the inspiring pictures with the paint colors - well they look different under different lighting. Sooooo....

I checked out the painters' forums and read reviews upon reviews. Yeah I did my research than decided I had to order a sample of Farrow and Ball. This company is said to make the best paint. I also picked up a sample of Pratt & Lambert's White Smoke and C2's Dorian Gray which turned out to be our absolute favorite. It isn't DK-37 but it gets high scores for being the right shade of gray and blue. It is soft and subtle which we really like. It just doesn't have the same depth but it is a high quality paint. C2 uses a 16 colorant European tinting system (similar to Farrow & Ball's) which produces higher solid content and a rich color vibrancy. 

I am almost sold on this color. It looks great during the day and at night under lamp light, it is almost a wispy kinda February winter day. Yanno with floating greyish clouds.

I think Dorian Gray will also work with Benjamin Moore universally appealing cloud white as a trim (a crisp white that doesn't look institutional) or with Farrow and Ball Pointing, a white that can only be described as a pillowy pile of buttery marshmallow.

Dorian Gray by C2