The Family That Surfs Together Stays Together

By Jared Keo

In today’s society, the family core is constantly being threatened. It has become popular to hold off on getting married, and it’s now trendy or glamorous to be single and able to “mingle”. However, it’s the family that provides the most happiness to any individual. When times get hard, the family, not your friends, are the ones that will love and support you unconditionally. This article is not to speak ill of the importance of having good friends, but rather to bring to attention that there are activities that can be done as a family that will strengthen the bond of the family nucleus.

Most people define Disneyland as the happiest place on earth. However, how many times do you need to visit Disneyland before you realize that it has become extremely expensive, and once you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it all. Surfing can become a healthy alternative to the annual family vacation. Taking a surfing vacation as a family will provide the experience that all families can appreciate. In fact, surfing as a family activity can prove to draw families closer to each other.

The simple fact that you are going to the beach as a family means that everyone is being active. This will lead to a healthier lifestyles as a family, and can lend to many teaching and learning opportunities. Dependent on the conditions of the surf, a parent can teach patience, respect, and perseverance to a child as they are surfing. One must be patient in order to catch the right wave. He must be in the right position, and must also respect the ocean and its force. In tough conditions, he must demonstrate perseverance to not only maintain position, but also to be able to catch the wave.

Other lessons can be taught. Discipline, Determination, Humility, and Love are examples lessons that can be learned through surfing.

Taking a surfing vacation is probably the best thing a family can do every year. Most surf camps offer a variety of surf vacation packages that fit the skill level of all surfers. In some cases, a mother may be just “tagging along”, but may want to take a few surf lessons in between her time at the spa. A father may want to spend most of his surf sessions with his sons and/or daughters. What ever combination makes up your family, consider taking a surf vacation with the family.

Surfing is an activity that is relatively cheap when you consider the amount of time you can spend in the ocean. The key to having a happy family is doing things together. Surfing is a great way to keep a family close to each other, and it’s the type of family activity that will never get old.

Stay stoked!

It’s time to take the family surfing! Visit http://www.soulsurfsession.com and book your next family surf vacation. If you’re a beginner, wanting to learn, or an experienced charger, stay at all-inclusive accommodations and surf crowd-free waves. Guaranteed fun at http://www.soulsurfsession.com

Article Source: Jared Keo
The Family That Surfs Together Stays Together

Vegan Christmas Cookies

By Colleen Boucher

I spent the past weekend doing some Christmas shopping, and I am not only feeling like an incredibly organized person, I am full of the holiday spirit. Embracing rampant consumerism to a soundtrack of Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald is my favorite winter activity, hands down. All jokes aside, they don’t call this the most wonderful time of the year for nothing. But more than presents and shopping, this holiday is defined for me by food. And Christmas cookies are the centerpiece of my holiday food traditions.

Ever since I was a little girl, my mom and I have been making cut-out cookies. Christmas and these cookies are inextricably entwined in my memory. We’ve been using the same cookie cutters for 20 years, and their precious, and occasionally indiscernible shapes (a bear with a top hat?) are like old friends.

The recipe itself comes from the original goddess of dessert, Alice Medrich. Medrich is responsible for bringing the chocolate truffle to America. Her Berkeley shop Cocolat is deservingly renowned. When the Joy of Cooking published their revised edition, they asked Medrich to be their baking expert. I had the immeasurable joy of getting to attend a cooking demonstration by Alice Medrich a couple of years ago, where she cooked, and we ate, several amazing desserts. Her recipes are the gold standard of classic cookies guaranteed to taste “as good as you remember them tasting.” Thin, crisp, and impossibly buttery, coated in a thin layer of sugary icing and sprinkles, these are the epitome of the Christmas cookie, and incredibly easy to adapt to a vegan diet.

Basic Butter Cookie

Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Cookies and Brownies

16 tablespoons non-dairy butter softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

Icing

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

3 tablespoons water

Food coloring

In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until creamy and smooth. Add the flour and mix until just incorporated. Collect into a ball and knead a couple of times until smooth. flatten into 2 round patties, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove one circle of dough from the refrigerator and allow to soften slightly. The dough will become softer as you work. If it becomes too sticky or difficult to work with, return to the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper until it is 1/4″ thick. Peel the top sheet of wax paper from the dough. Replace and flip the dough over and peel the wax paper from the top of the dough. Cut out the cookies from the dough, using the space as efficiently as possible. Using a spatula, transfer the shapes to a cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the cookies are golden at the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack, and allow to cool thoroughly before icing. Repeat this process until you have used all the dough.

In a medium bowl, combine the water and confectioner’s sugar. Add more water or sugar as necessary, until the icing is thin enough to spread, but not drippy. Divide the icing evenly among a number of bowls. Add the food coloring and stir thoroughly. Decorate according to your whim!

Colleen Boucher is the creator and writer of the blog Dinner Peace ( http://dinnerpeace.blogspot.com ). She is an evolving vegan eater, and recipe creator, health advocate, and wellness specialist. Dinner Peace is a blog for current vegans, vegetarians, and anyone interested in occasionally trying to go meatless, lose weight, or just get healthy.

Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle can be intimidating, and Dinner Peace was founded to combat that apprehension with numerous examples of delicious, plant based, healthful, compassionate, cruelty-free and animal-free dishes, ranging from breakfast to lunch to snacks, dinners, and desserts. The vegan lifestyle is also an effective tool for weight loss, or just to achieve your optimum level of health. If you are looking to make a positive change in your life, or just get a sense of the reality of a vegan diet, check out Dinner Peace!

Article Source: Colleen Boucher
Vegan Christmas Cookies

By Chris Pandolfi

A Romcom for Auld Lang Syne

Garry Marshall’s New Year’s Eve is ostensibly a sequel to last year’s Valentine’s Day, a film I was very critical of for its surplus of subplots, overabundance of characters, and ceaseless intercutting. I described it as “a romantic comedy with Attention Deficit Disorder.” I could easily make the same argument for New Year’s Eve, and yet I feel much more forgiving this time. It’s mushy, routinely implausible, a little too coincidental, and often times highly predictable, and yet I found the subplots a lot easier to keep track of, I could invest in more of the characters, and in some instances, I was genuinely touched. Yes, this is yet another instance of me going easy on a romantic comedy. If you’ve read my reviews, then it’s your own fault for not seeing this coming a mile away.

Unabashed star vehicles, both films are a series of intercut vignettes taking place over the course of one day. All feature a number of characters whose lives are, to some degree, interconnected. But there are some key differences. For one thing, whereas Valentine’s Day took place in Los Angeles, New Year’s Eve takes place in New York City. This makes perfect sense. Where else to be on the last day of the year than in New York, specifically Times Square? Furthermore, although the film once again features Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher, and Hector Elizondo (a veteran of Marshall’s films), they play different characters than the ones they played in Valentine’s Day. The biggest difference is that, while the previous film focused almost exclusively on romantic relationships, this one expands its horizons to include family and friends.

The best place to start is with Claire Morgan (Hilary Swank), who has recently been appointed Vice President of the Times Square Alliance. Quite simply, her job is to make sure the ball in Times Square drops on schedule. She wants to make a good impression, although she’s understandably edgy. There to support her is her friend, a security guard named Brendan (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges). As would be expected, things don’t go smoothly; as the ball is being raised into position, several of its 3,000 LEDs suddenly go out. Everything grinds to a halt. Claire is forced to make a speech to the spectators on Times Square, and while it was a bit sentimental, perhaps even out of place, it was nice to hear. After a while, it becomes apparent that the only one who can fix it is a Russian electrician named Kominsky (Elizondo), who everyone refers to in nervous whispers.

Meanwhile, a professional caterer named Laura (Katherine Heigl) is busy preparing for a New Year’s Eve bash. Into her life reenters a music superstar named Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi), who’s set to perform at a concert in the middle of Times Square. The two were supposed to get married a while back, but he got cold feet at the last second and split. He has been regretting his decision ever since, and he wants her to give him a second chance. Understandably, Laura isn’t as ready to put the past behind her. Hovering around Jensen like a cat in heat is Laura’s sous chef, Ava (Sofia Vergara). Her bouncy enthusiasm is exaggerated enough to be amusing but not so exaggerated that she seems like a hyperactive child.

And now, a quick rundown of the remaining subplots. A courier named Paul (Zac Efron) helps a timid woman named Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) cross off items on a list she has made. Paul’s best friend, a lovelorn New Year’s hater named Randy (Kutcher) becomes trapped in an elevator with a young woman named Elise (Lea Michele), one of Jensen’s backup singers. A single mom named Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker) must find her runaway teenage daughter, Hailey (Abigail Breslin), who desperately wants to have a New Year’s kiss with a boy from school that she likes.

A man named Stan (Robert De Niro) lies in a hospital bed dying of cancer; his final wish is to be taken to the roof so that he can watch the ball drop one last time. At his side is a nurse named Aimee (Halle Berry). A man named Sam (Josh Duhamel) gets stranded in Connecticut after a wedding and is forced to hitch a ride with a family in an RV. He has to make it to New York City in time to give a speech, and possibly reunite with a woman he met on New Year’s Eve a year ago. Finally, two pregnant couples – one played by Biel and Seth Meyers – are on the verge of delivery; it becomes a competition, as the first to give birth on New Year’s Day with a $25,000 cash prize from the hospital. A few of these characters are connected in some way, although I leave it to you to discover how.

Of all the film’s subplots, the one I liked the least was the one with Biel and Meyers. I don’t know – something about turning impending birth into a contest doesn’t sit well with me. Without it, however, we would not have Carla Gugino, which in turn would mean the loss of an outtake played during the end credits. To describe it would only ruin its hilarity. As for the other subplots, they’re about as good as they can possibly be given their brevity and innate implausibility. I’ve long since learned to expect this from romantic comedies, which is why I’ll often accept them for being exactly what they are. New Year’s Eve imparts no wisdom about life and love. It’s just what it is: A lighthearted, uncomplicated, feel-good date movie. Need it be anything more?

Although Chris never officially studied film, film theory, or even journalism in college, his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Creative Writing has taught him to appreciate story, character, and the imagination – all aspects that apply to the movies, and if there’s anything his years of living in Los Angeles has guaranteed him, exposure to movies would be at the top of the list. He has always appreciated the art of filmmaking, but it wasn’t until 2006 that he began writing reviews on various websites for new releases. Still residing in L.A., his reviews can be read at his website, http://www.atatheaternearyou.net.

Article Source: Chris Pandolfi
Movie Review: New Year’s Eve

How to Choose the Right Snow Tires

By Matthew Keegan

Winter driving has its own hazards including snow, ice and general slippery conditions. Even roads that appear to be dry can pose a danger as “black ice” secretly builds up with you unaware and perhaps unprepared for what is on the road. You can’t do anything about road conditions, but you can choose the right kind of tires to help you get through the winter months. Your safety as well as the safety of your passengers and other drivers may be at stake.

Review your owner’s manual — The type of snow tires your car should use are largely dependent on what the manufacturer suggests. That information should be found within your owner’s manual or with related information included in your car. Check your glove box for those details.

Local conditions — If you live where it seldom snows, then the type of tires you choose will vary from what a person in the snow belt would choose. For the latter category, high performance all-season tires should do. For people who live where winter precipitation is frequent, then severe snow service tires are a must. These tires are branded with the mountain/snowflake symbol and are the types of tires driven on European highways.

Studded snow tires — Frequent snow and tough rough conditions mean one thing — you should put studded snow tires on your car. These tires are not legal everywhere and you will be required to remove them after a certain date. For example, in the state of Washington studded tires are only permitted from Nov. 1 to March 31. Use these tires outside of this date range and law enforcement personnel may fine you.

Lightweight studs — Besides studless and studded tires, lightweight studded tires are an option, and may provide a happy medium between these two tire types. You’ll get sufficient grip and these tires don’t need to removed when studded tires must come off or your car.

If you’re not certain what tires to buy, consult with a tire professional who can discuss with you the right tires for your car and your driving conditions. Tire placement will depend also on what type of vehicle you drive and which wheels power the car — front-, rear- or all-wheel-drive. Lastly, compare prices and research the reputation of each brand. Some tires wear better than others and can give you many miles and years of service.

Matthew C. Keegan is editor and publisher of “Auto Trends Magazine.” Matt is also a contributing writer for Andy’s Auto Sport and affiliated websites, an aftermarket supplier of quality auto parts including Ford Econoline parts and Ford Five Hundred parts.

Article Source: Matthew Keegan
How to Choose the Right Snow Tires

In the game of volleyball, you’ll find rules about how the player is permitted to set the volleyball. It may be especially aggravating to have players consistently called for illegal contact of the ball. Being a coach is without question nerve-racking enough without requiring you to regularly put up with a player that is constantly doing this.

There are in essence two kinds of mistakes when it comes to setting or passing the ball – double contacts and lifts. You will discover conditions to the double contact rule; nonetheless as you are going to notice, you’ll find no exceptions to lifting. Beach volleyball rules and indoor volleyball rules both apply to the examples below. Beach volleyball does contain one exception although.

Double Contacts

A double contact performed by a volleyball player on the initial touch is essentially legal. To illustrate, if the spiker spikes the volleyball, the player-performing defense could contact the ball two times in an effort to dig the ball. Double contact shouldn’t be called till contact is made after the primary play on the ball. A different feasible scenario for a player that makes a genuine touch is if the ball bounces off of the forearm, then your shoulder. This is certainly acceptable provided that the player performs an “athletic movement” throughout the contact of the volleyball. Double contact will be whistled when a setter makes a blunder setting the ball or passing the volleyball, once again, following the first contact. It is somewhat easy to see a double contact because the ball will come out of the player’s hands with a lot of spin, and it will just look awkward.

Lifts

Lifting the volleyball, which is essentially catching or throwing the ball, is not allowed during the entire match. There you will not find any exceptions to this rule. When a player or setter basically catches or throws the ball, that is a lift. The ball stalls in the player’s hands and essentially has to be thrown. This is a called a lift and players in indoor volleyball likely will never get away with it. A great example of this is when a setter tries to set the ball from “below the belt”. The ball will have to be lifted up above the shoulders for the setter to set it. This happens often and will always be called a lift. Beach volleyball actually has different rules for this. Beach volleyball rules allow the volleyball to be slightly lifted while setting. It actually looks like the setter catches the ball and throws it. However, for some reason, this is allowed in beach volleyball. Not surprisingly it cannot be a total catch and throw. It should be all in one motion. So by trying to set exactly the same way indoor as setters set in beach, the referee will likely blow the whistle each time. It is humorous as you can frequently notice setters who plainly are beach volleyball players.

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Article Source: Kevin Shannon
What is a Double Contact and a Lift in Volleyball?

Different Measures to Control Marine Pollution

By Steve Last

Knowing how to handle things and how to get things done is usually very important. Knowing the details of the best way to go about doing it is also important. However, you cannot stop there, that is not enough by itself. Knowing exactly what NOT to do and what mistakes to avoid can also be important. Among the best methods to achieve that is understanding just what mistakes others have made so that you can avoid making those same mistakes.

For the measures to control marine pollution, this also applies. There are a number of people who succeed there. You prefer to be one of them instead of one of those who make mistakes and fail. Presented here below are the 3 most frequent errors that people make with the measures to control marine pollution.

First and foremost. The most important of all measures which people forget, and make the mistake of omitting is the most important of all the measures that need to be implemented to control marine pollution. It is the avoidance of the discharge of untreated sewage into the sea around our coasts. This is important because the discharge of sewage to beaches, which is hard to avoid without these measures, not only damages the environment of the beach, and marine life locally. It can give bathers stomach upsets and other infections. To avoid this issue you need to intercept all sewers that discharge untreated sewage, and pump the sewage back inland to treat it in a sewage treatment works.

Second, To fail to stop marine pollution especially around busy ports all boat, and this is where ship owners need to take measures to hold the sewage they produce on-board until it can be pumped off at a port location and also sent to a sewage treatment works. This is a crucial point because this sewage if allowed to flow into the ports and docks and estuaries will destroy normal marine life. To prevent the bad results of this frequent mistake you will need to build waste water storage tanks into boats and ships and provide facilities at all ports for off-loading and treating this sewage.

And lastly, it is a mistake to forget that measures must be taken to ensure that marine pollution is not caused by the remaining pollutants in rivers flowing into the sea after the sewage has been treated in municipal sewage treatment works. This problem is encountered in cases where older sewage treatment works convert nitrogen into a much less damaging form of nitrate, but do not remove that nitrate before it is discharged to the rivers. This is particularly a problem in estuaries where shell-fish are harvested for human consumption, as it can be a contributory factor in the production of algal blooms in estuaries. This will be avoided by taking measures to add an extra stage of treatment at the sewage treatment works which will convert the nitrate to nitrogen and harmlessly vent it back into the atmosphere.

Study these marine pollution mistakes and carefully avoid them. As a substitute, stick to the suggestions above with regard to doing it right. Much better results will then be your reward!

Realize tips to prevent marine pollution amongst other forms of pollution at by going to this biological wastewater treatment site at biologicalwastewatertreatment.org/.

Article Source: Steve Last
Different Measures to Control Marine Pollution

Surfing For Non-Surfers: A Beginner's Tips To Fellow Beginners

By Miles D.C.

Some say surfing is an “extreme sport” and that label alone is enough to give anyone who wants to give it a try enough reason to doubt whether they can do it or not.

But then, you have to remember, not all kinds of surfing is “extreme”. How about just trying it out long enough to know how liberating it feels gliding thru the water. Never mind if they’re not 6 feet waves just yet. Those 3 footer ones will give you a sweet ride too.

So, for those who want to give surfing a try, here’s a few pointers to keep in mind:

1. Safety First.

On your first try, it would be best to have someone out there with you. A licensed instructor would be even better. And he/she has to have the same mindset about it. It’s no use giving surfing a try if after your first lesson you end up badly bruised and traumatized by the experience.

2. Bruises Are To Be Expected.

Let’s face it. Surfing is not your run-of-the-mill sport. You’ll get tossed around. You’ll wipe out several times. A lot of times. You’ll fall face first into the water and even if it’s just water, it will hurt. You’ll slip on your board if you don’t pay attention. Or if you’re like me, you wouldn’t know yet how to turn and hit the rocks (twice in my case) and get all these cuts and bruises on your knees and legs. You’ll get rashes on your legs and tummy, maybe even your arms.

Expect to get bruised up a bit. It’s part of the learning process. And if by the end of your lesson, you’re already standing up and giving folks the hang ten sign, then those cuts and bruises are your true badges of honor.

3. The Goal Is To Be Able To Stand Up… Not Look Cool.

Here’s the thing. You’ll see professional (or at least people who’ve been surfing for some time) looking all cool on their surfboard, doing all those tricks, and smiling while they’re at it.

But let’s be realistic, you’re goal, at least on your first try, is to be able to stand up. All the way to the shore if that’s possible. Being able to stand up may come easily to others though and you’ll just have to see for yourself when you’re out there if you need more time finding your sea legs or not.

It came easily for me. I stood up on my first try and that much I’m proud to say. But then again, I’ve been pole dancing for more than a year now and that means I’ve been able to develop my core, arms, and leg muscles, not to mention sense of balance. So it’s not just about being brawny or having bulging arms muscles – I’m a tiny barely 5″1 woman who doesn’t weigh more than 95 pounds. You need to have developed the right set of muscles to be able to catch and ride that wave.

If after a couple of wipe outs you find yourself standing up long enough not to fall, or at least fall gracefully (like you meant to), make sure you do the hang ten sign and give a big smile to whoever may be watching – because someone always will be. You’re having fun. Now that’s cool.

4. Respect The Wave.

Remember, it’s not just water. It’s Mother Nature. It’s the rhythm of the moon. It’s a force to contend with so learn to respect the wave. Don’t take it for granted just because you think you’re a pretty ok swimmer. Listen to it, feel it. Feel the swell under your board and let it take you where it wants to.

OK. I’m waxing romantic here but only because there’s nothing quite like the feeling of standing up and feeling the water’s power under your surfboard.

It’s such a natural high. And you’ve got to respect the wave to be able to feel that.

5. Have Fun With It.

In the off chance, you find, that your balance sucks. Or your muscles are not yet well suited for surfing. Or you get bruised up really bad… there’s really only one thing to do. Just have fun with it.

Hey. At least you tried. Who knows, maybe you’ll do better at windsurfing instead. Now that’s another sport I’ve tried and enjoyed enough to want to try again.

As for you, fellow beginner, I say, kudos to you for trying.

http://joybound.wordpress.com/

Article Source: Miles D.C.
Surfing For Non-Surfers: A Beginner’s Tips To Fellow Beginners

By Crista White

Generally speaking, any movie where the lead male character also plays the part of a woman is a really bad idea. With the exception of ‘Tootsie’ and ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’, I stand by this statement EMPHATICALLY. I don’t think we need to look any further than the recent ‘Madea’ phenomenon–which, by the way, I am at a loss to understand–to prove this point. And let’s now give Adam Sandler a warm welcome as we add him to the list of contenders in ‘Jack and Jill’.

THE GOOD: The movie starts out with some promise as we meet several sets of twins who share their feelings of growing up with a double entity, with some of the comments being laugh out loud memorable. Then we segway into meeting Jack (Adam Sandler), a big time ad executive living with his wife (Katie Holmes) and their 2 children in a stunning Los Angeles mansion. His current biggest problem consists of trying to get Al Pacino to star in a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial….until the arrival of his twin sister Jill (also played by Sandler), which puts everything into perspective. Jill is, as you can imagine, not much of a looker, but top that off with a heavy Brooklyn accent, really bad clothes and makeup, and an obnoxiously loud voice, and you have—well, what you have is an episode of Jersey Shore, really—but more to the point, it’s a disastrous holiday visit that Jill is spending with Jack and his family. What starts out as a 2 day nightmare quickly escalates into what I’m sure Jack felt was FOREVER…..I know that’s how it began to feel for me personally after about 45 minutes. To be fair, there were some honestly funny moments, although they rarely came from the expected sources. It’s not that I dislike Adam Sandler, per se. But I don’t really buy into the mentality that something is funny just by virtue of him showing up for it. He had his moments here and there, but what really got my attention was the hilarious cameo by Johnny Depp—yes, you read that right, he is actually in this movie; believe me when I tell you that I will be covering THAT point in-depth coming up. Not only was he eye candy as always, but he got one of the biggest laughs in the movie from me. Another pleasant and unexpected surprises was watching Al Pacino getting jiggy with it in a dance scene. How much they had to offer Don Michael Corleone to move like that is probably beyond mortal comprehension.

THE BAD: We have a lot to cover in this section, so let’s get started, shall we? First of all, I CANNOT comprehend how anyone managed to talk megastars like Depp and Pacino into appearing in this movie! Are they BFF’s with Sandler? Are they edging their way towards bankruptcy and need some spending cash? Have they decided that they are so well loved and respected as actors that no one will care if they appear in a stinker now and then? Please help me understand it. There were plenty of other cameos in the movie that I didn’t question AT ALL—for Jared from Subway, and Vince the ShamWow guy, this movie was probably the best they could hope for. Even David Spade, who was dressed up as a skanky woman probably felt like this was a high point. But Depp and Pacino?? Payment for something was being redeemed here somewhere, mark my words. The other glaring problem with this movie was the “Adam Sandler in drag” thing. Yes, I realize it’s comedy and really, what makes an uglier woman than a man with a wig and spandex? It just felt too over the top, and, as much as the writers want you to see Jill as a good hearted, misunderstood, and underappreciated human being, all you can focus on is her lack of social etiquette and that grating whiney voice. And so yes, when Al Pacino not only takes notice of her but becomes obsessed with making her his one and only, it’s a tough sell. Something tells me that if they had just cast a slightly homely woman to play the part, the believability factor would have skyrocketed, and it might even have been funnier.

THE UGLY: Although there’s certainly nothing enjoyable about seeing a beautiful man like Johnny Depp wearing a Justin Bieber t-shirt, the clear winner in this category goes to Jill for her first experience with eating Mexican food. Lots and lots of Mexican food. Please, don’t make me explain this nightmare to you in any greater detail.

This film clearly panders to anyone who thinks bodily functions and racial stereotyping are the hallmark of comedic greatness, so if you have a 10 year old boy living with you–or your husband just acts like one–by all means, make an evening of it. Otherwise, save it for a rental night when you are looking for some lowbrow humor–and the need to see Al Pacino bust a move.

The Trophy Wife gives this 2 1/2 trophies.

Jack and Jill has a running time of 91 minutes and is rated PG for crude and sexual humor, language, comic violence and brief smoking.

http://www.squidoo.com/trophywifetwocents

Get a trophy wife’s view of things!

Article Source: Crista White
Movie Review: Jack and Jill

For a long time, I was very intimidated by gravy. The whole concept of a roux, and the constant threat of lumps made me an anxious gravy-maker. Apparently my aunt feels the same way, because she always puts my mom in charge of the gravy at Thanksgiving. But, the other day, I was making gravy, all by myself, and it totally worked. And it tasted delicious! It had the right color, texture, consistency, everything. I was pretty proud of myself.

So, now that gravy has been demystified for me, I feel confident sharing this recipe with my readers. The key to a great gravy is a super flavorful broth. Because vegetable broth is, in its essence, a lightly flavored broth, I suggest a porcini mushroom broth. The mushrooms are capable of real depth and developing flavor. Pairing the mushroom stock with a good red wine yields a meaty and rich gravy perfect for mashed potatoes, and anything else that calls out for gravy!

Porcini Mushroom Stock

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup madeira wine
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Add 8 cups warm water and stir. Bring to a boil, and simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Strain the stock thoroughly. Refrigerate for up to four days, or freeze for a later date.

Mushroom Gravy

• 1 3/4 cups mushroom stock
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup red wine*
• 3 tablespoons non-dairy butter
• 3 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Combine the stock, wine, and water in a small saucepan. In another pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk constantly over heat for 2 minutes. Add the stock gradually to the roux, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Once all the stock has been added, stir until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. If your gravy is not thickening, make another roux out of 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon butter in a separate sauté pan. Add the roux to your gravy mixture, and stir until thickened. Serve immediately!

*I like my gravy with a discernible wine flavor. If you want something with more mushroom flavor, you can change the proportion; the amount of wine and amount of stock should total 2 3/4 cups.

Colleen Boucher is the creator and writer of the blog Dinner Peace ( http://dinnerpeace.blogspot.com ). She is an evolving vegan eater, and recipe creator, health advocate, and wellness specialist. Dinner Peace is a blog for current vegans, vegetarians, and anyone interested in occasionally trying to go meatless, lose weight, or just get healthy.

Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle can be intimidating, and Dinner Peace was founded to combat that apprehension with numerous examples of delicious, plant based, healthful, compassionate, cruelty-free and animal-free dishes, ranging from breakfast to lunch to snacks, dinners, and desserts. The vegan lifestyle is also an effective tool for weight loss, or just to achieve your optimum level of health. If you are looking to make a positive change in your life, or just get a sense of the reality of a vegan diet, check out Dinner Peace!

Article Source: Colleen Boucher
A Vegan Thanksgiving: Porcini Mushroom Gravy

Movie Review: The Descendants

By Chris Pandolfi

It’s Hawaii, but It’s Not Paradise

The Descendants, adapted from the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, shows that people can always surprise us, no matter how well we think we know them. It tells the story Matt King (George Clooney), who may live in Hawaii but doesn’t live in paradise. His wife, Elizabeth (Patricia Hastie), lies in a coma in a Honolulu hospital following a boating accident; only after finding out that she will never reawaken, only after deciding to take her off life support, does he finally learn that she had been cheating on him. He found out from, of all people, his seventeen-year-old daughter, Alexandra (Shailene Woodley), who fought with her mother after catching her with another man. Even now, as she lies in a hospital bed with her mouth agape and an air tube sticking out of her throat, Alexandra remains angry and rebellious – a boarding school party girl who’s first seen as a belligerent drunk.

The details of the affair are for the most part not discussed. The best we get is a close friend telling Matt that Elizabeth was unhappy in the marriage. We, of course, will never know what share of the blame she deserves. It is clear, however, that Matt has been distant from his family. If he were engaged, it wouldn’t be a matter of missing the telltale signs of an affair, which are very hard to hide; it would be a matter of her not wanting to cheat on him at all. He’s a lawyer by trade, and a successful one at that. Despite this, he isn’t one to let himself or his family spend money recklessly. According to his opening narration, Elizabeth considered this stinginess. He considers it the best piece of advice his father gave him: Give them enough money to do something, but not so much that they do nothing.

He never had to be so actively involved in the life of the younger daughter, ten-year-old Scottie (Amara Miller), who seems understandably confused by it all. He was always the backup parent, the understudy. Now that Elizabeth is dying, he has no choice. Although his primary reason for retrieving Alexandra from boarding school was to give her the chance to say goodbye to her mother, there’s no escaping the fact that he also wanted help raising Scottie. He even tells her at one point that he has no idea what to do. I was torn between admiring his honesty and wondering why he got married and had children in the first place. I would not classify him as a workaholic, but he’s definitely not a family man. Even during the periods where he gets along with his children, it’s obvious that the connection is weak.

Matt has more on his plate than the impending death of his wife. He’s the trustee of his family’s ancestral lands, a beautiful patch of virgin soil where Elizabeth and Alexandra used to go camping. He’s under pressure to sell the land, which will be developed into a luxury resort and commercial complex. Obviously, Hawaii doesn’t have enough of those already. It’s a family affair, with most of those involved being his cousins. The most prominent is Hugh (Beau Bridges), with the long, windblown hair and a vocabulary partially influenced by surfer dudes. They’re all the descendants of a Hawaiian princess and a missionary, who married sometime in the nineteenth century. Many of them feel entitled and would like Matt to make the sale. The select few that don’t are pretty much in line with the entire population of Hawaii.

Eventually, Matt learns the name of Elizabeth’s lover and decides to confront him – and allow him the opportunity to say goodbye to Elizabeth. So begins a cross-island search for a realtor named Brian Speer (Matthew Lillard), whose wife, Julie (Judy Greer), could not be sweeter. Along for the trip are Scottie, Alexandra, and Alexandra’s friend, Sid (Nick Krause). Sid has the appearance of an idiotic beach bum, and indeed, he possesses the uncanny ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Case in point: He’s punched by Elizabeth’s perpetually angry father (Robert Forster), who can never address Matt or Alexandra without resorting to personal attacks. That being said, Sid understands the situation better than Matt gives him credit for.

One of the strengths of The Descendants is that it doesn’t have an emotional arc. It runs the gamut from solemn to hilarious to heartbreaking to inspirational, much like life itself during times of stress and uncertainty. The best scenes all take place in Elizabeth’s hospital room, where various characters have one-sided conversations of surprising depth and power. What they and the rest of the film so expertly demonstrate is something so true and yet so often glossed over in the movies: People are imperfect and complex. When tragedy fractures a family, there will inevitably be a long and difficult process of healing. There is no one way to go about it, and there certainly isn’t a fixed time for everything to work itself out. There’s no guarantee that anything will work out at all. But if there’s love somewhere within, perhaps it’s possible for life to go on.

Although Chris never officially studied film, film theory, or even journalism in college, his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Creative Writing has taught him to appreciate story, character, and the imagination – all aspects that apply to the movies, and if there’s anything his years of living in Los Angeles has guaranteed him, exposure to movies would be at the top of the list. He has always appreciated the art of filmmaking, but it wasn’t until 2006 that he began writing reviews on various websites for new releases. Still residing in L.A., his reviews can be read at his website, http://www.atatheaternearyou.net.

Article Source: Chris_Pandolfi
Movie Review: The Descendants