Thinking a lot about oil lately? You might want to check out the documentary, FUEL. Learn how the oil industry falsifies information, lobbies Congress, markets consumers and eliminates competing fuel sources (including the never-solved drowning of Mr. Diesel - yes THAT diesel - when he was sailing from America to Europe on a steamship. Consider whether or not you REALLY need that Hummer (ahem Governator). Available from Cinema Libre.
Also from Cinema Libre: THE END OF POVERTY. Martin Sheen narrates this documentary that maintains that Planet Earth is actually capable of sustaining everyone on the planet. No one should be hungry ANYWHERE. So why are so many people in so many countries starving to death? Could mega corporations have anything to do with this? The answers are in THE END OF POVERTY. Watch this film, then dig up that useless lawn and plant some food, dudes.
I don’t know what it is about spring and summer that makes me think “escape”. Could be my East coast roots. Winter meant being virtually house-bound in the frigid weather and working at a feverish pace. Spring meant slowing down, opening the windows to birds and sun and camping trips. So my yearning for an escape from moderate SoCal winters musts be psychological. I start to crave movies shot in exotic locals with romantic themes that are so different from frat boy flicks and loud, headache-inducing action films. I reflect on former loves and wonder if I’ll ever love again. Ah spring!
LETTERS TO JULIET is my summer film. No blood, car chases, angst, distress, failure, etc. If you can’t afford a trip to the Tuscan countryside, go see this film. The enchantingly humorous script (by Jose Rivera and Tim Sullivan) and gorgeous cinematography are like a vacation from the rapid techno pace of modern life. The big burly guy sitting next to me actually laughed at times (even though it wasn't a Judd Apatow film!).Amanda Seyfried (someone write a Bette Davis biopic for her, please!) plays a writer looking for a story and she finds one in a note written to the “Secretaries of Juliet” (that’s Shakespeare’s Juliet) and lost in a Verona wall 50 years earlier.Gael Garcia Bernal provides most of the comic humor as her NYC-based Italian chef boyfriend and during the touching scenes between veteran actors Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero, one can’t help but reminisce about their on-screen sparks in CAMELOT so many decades ago.Letters to Juliet charms with with a simple plot and reminds us that the best love relationships are not to be found via IPhone.
French Trade Commission wine tasting at London Hotel. Photo by Dianne Bates, copyright 2010.
Wine reviews:
Vina Alicia Paso de Piedra 2007 Malbec. I admit I’m loving the Malbecs from the Mendoza region of Argentina. This wine was aged 8 months in oak and the 13.8% alcohol is about as high as I prefer my red wines to be. Sorry, but although the 14% and higher wines are certainly lush and full bodied, I prefer lower alcohol content in wines accompanying dinner. Americans (who certainly love getting blasted) seem to prefer being sloshed before the main course and are driving American producers to up the alcohol ante. So if you want to be coherent after a couple of glasses, look toward European and South American wineries.That being said, the Vina Alicia Malbec is beautifully garnet in color with a cherry vanilla nose.A rich caramel/vanilla palate with robust tannins softens to a lingering citrus finish.A delicious wine that will please your dinner guests. On the other hand, the Vina Alicia 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from old vines didn't have much bouquet at all, yet the taste was spicy with notes of plum, bell pepper and tobacco.
What a treat it was to taste French wines at a tasting sponsored by the French Trade Commission at the London Hotel recently. None of the wines are currently available in California (thus the tasting for distributors and media) but you can find states online where the wine can be found.The Maison Galhaud Chateau La Rose Brusson 2008 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru was lush and full-bodied, with a deep ruby color and a buttery vanilla mouth. The fresh fruit forward 2009 Gamay Rouge from Rethore Davy expresses the distinctive terroir of rocky slopes in the Loire Valley.The 2003 Chateau de Petit ThouarsReserve should be experienced immediately as I think it has peaked and will not improve with any more aging. The 2006 Reserve (100% cab franc) is fruity and at about $10 per bottle retail an absolute bargain for the taste. The Chateau vineyard is planted on a clay and limestone plateau, excellent for Cab Franc.
Chateau Fongraves’ 2006 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru is a deep rich red color with strong tannins and notes of blackberry that develops into a lovely pepper/tangerine finish.The 2004 Chateau Laronde Desormes Cuvee – Bordeaux Superior is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. The long finish is memorable, but as only 2,500 cases were produced, finding a bottle might be a daunting task. Chateau Viex Mougnac produces organic wines (no weed killers or pesticides). The vineyard’s Laeticia Ouspointour was on hand to pour the 2003 red. The spicy licorice note was predominant and lasted forever on the palate. The 2009 Chateau Roquetaillade La Grande is a blend of 50% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, and 10% Muscadet the medium finish features cinnamon note.
I also enjoyed tasting the robust Andre Petit Cognac XO Special and a smooth Rastignac V.S.O.P. Cognac.
