#Blogmas Day 23: The 12 Films of Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought I'd do one last "12 Things of Christmas" post by rounding up my most favorite holiday films! This is a smattering of old classics I've loved forever (or discovered in more recent years on TCM), and all the best contemporary classics thrown in as well both from childhood and adulthood. They are all quite special to me and I make sure to watch each of them at least once or twice during the month of December.

Disclaimer: I have never seen It's a Wonderful Life. I don't know how or why, since I love old movies so much and that one is THE quintessential classic. But for whatever reason it has escaped me in each of my 30 years of life. Maybe in 2016 that should be a holiday goal! Also missing from this list is A Christmas Carol, which I love reading but am not too keen on any of the movies really, aside from the Muppets, and even that just doesn't make my favorites list! So hope a few of your favorites are on here, and a few you haven't seen that you'll still have time to check out this year or add to your list next year. Enjoy!

1  White Christmas My absolute favorite old holiday film since I was about 7 or 8 years old and made my mom buy the VHS tape for me at Sam's Club. It's become a family favorite.

2  Love Actually This is a classic, for me. I love all the intertwining love stories and British accents. And while maybe the recent criticisms have some slight validity, it's still my favorite contemporary holiday RomCom.

3  Meet Me in St. Louis This is a year-round favorite for me (and in my top 10 favorite movies of all time, non-seasonal), and of course the movie takes place through the course of a year as well. But Judy Garland's stunning rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" makes this officially a Christmas movie, and that'a that.

4  The Holiday This movie, I just love. I watch it probably at least 6 times a year anyway. I mean, I'm a fan of Nancy Meyers' entire oeuvre, really, from Baby Boom all the way to this year's The Intern. So this is naturally in my favorite holiday films list.

5  Christmas in Connecticut This classic film has a special place in my heart, because the lead character (played by the stunning Barbara Stanwyck) is a bit of a predecessor to the modern-day lifestyle blogger. And like me, she doesn't quite have it all as together as it seems either. It's a hilarious romantic comedy that's definitely worth checking out!

6  Home Alone I'm using this as a two-for-the-price-of-one because I also love the sequel, and it was probably my first real look at the city I'd one day call my home! So both Home Alone movies are just total childhood classics for me. And they really hold up, in my opinion, since I watched them both this year. While the haircuts and home decor are a bit appalling, they are just 90s perfection.

7  Holiday Affair Janet Leigh is just the most beautiful woman who ever lived, in my humble opinion. And in this romantic Christmas drama, she is so unbelievably charming opposite Robert Mitchum. Plus the little boy in this movie will just break your heart and make you laugh all at the same time. You must watch this next year!

8  Elf I mean, do I even need to say anything about this one? It's easily the most quotable holiday movie ever. It's such a favorite, I have to watch it at least twice every December, but...sometimes more, if I'm honest! I love it so!

9  It Happened on Fifth Avenue This is such a cute story about a group of people who find themselves squatting in the home of one of NYC's multi-millionaires after the boys came home from World War II. Certainly not a plot that could be remade in 2015, but certainly hilarious and oh-so-charming for 1947.

10  The Santa Clause This movie starring Tim Allen is right up there with Home Alone as a total 90s classic. It just screams childhood to me, and it's both nostalgic for me but also a really nice story! I didn't realize until this year that it was made by Disney! Which explains why it has something for everyone, and has stood the test of time.

11  A Christmas Story Love love love this movie. It's a family favorite and we like to watch it at least once or twice on Christmas Day (after all it plays for 24 straight hours!)

12  How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Live-Action) While I love the classic cartoon just as much, I truly love the live-action version of The Grinch starring Jim Carey. The updates to the story are just so cute, and I really feel the Christmas charm whenever I watch this. Aww, it warms my heart.

And there you have it! My holiday favorites! Which are yours? I'd love to hear more from you guys in the comments below!

#Blogmas Day 9: Merry Quizmas

Okay, my little Christmas Kweens (or Kings), the time to prove your Christmas Pop-Culture Know-How has arrived! The Challenge is Merry Quizmas - A Nearly-Impossible Holiday Character Challenge that my friend sent me this morning. Things started out well for me, checking off the entire top two rows, easy peasy. Then there were some head-scratchers like...was this a Christmas movie? Why is the Russian from Rocky IV here again? I think I need to rewatch a lot of movies, starting with Trading Places. Also, this must have been made by boys because Little Women and Meet Me in St. Louis are nowhere to be found and there are so many aliens and people with guns #boymovies #amirite?

...BUT by the time I was half-way through, the entire office was in on the challenge! We were completely obsessed with guessing correctly, and as designers, we were drooling over these adorable illustrations by James Kenison! I could only manage to get 42 out of 60 on my own (the images in white vs. the colorful backgrounds). Note: I whited out the correct names so as to not give away any spoilers! Tell me your score in the comments below!

How cute are these illustrations by James Kenison?

Questions 1-30: Code by Tad Thorley

Questions 31-60: Copy by Ryan Kroker

Artist Inspiration: Mary Blair

Did you see the beautiful article on Disney muralist and concept artist Mary Blair on The Huffington Post earlier this week? Her modern illustration style was a huge inspiration to me growing up, and her interesting take on shapes and colors was so quintessentially 50's and 60's that I credit her with being a large part of what I love so much about that period in art and design. Enjoy some of her paintings from the article below!

All images via The Huffington Post article

Mary Blair herself

The Great Gatsby

The character posters from The Great Gatsby have been revealed, and I am so, so excited! I have been looking forward to this movie since I first heard whispers about the project and ties to Baz Luhrmann, director of Moulin Rouge and Romeo+Juliet. I think he has such a unique, dreamlike visual perspective that will be perfect for helping to recreate the glorious jazz-age parties on Jay Gatsby's lawn. And the rest of the casting decisions have been equally exciting. I'm very much looking forward to the performances of Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher, Toby Maguire, and of course Leonardo DiCaprio. Are you guys looking forward to the movie? Any fans of the book? It's one of my favorites. I reread it this past fall, and I have to say that while I enjoyed it as a 15-year-old English student, I have a completely different perspective this time around. Perhaps you need to have lived some life to really understand where Daisy and Gatsby are really coming from? But these costumes can be enjoyed by just about everyone!

Movie Night: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Sunday dinner is a thing in our apartment, and I have to say, it's easily my favorite part of having roommates again. That sense of having a family, even if we annoy each other or disagree about things sometimes, is part of what has made moving here such a smooth transition. I couldn't have imagined living alone! And our Sunday dinners have normally been followed (and also preceded) by some serious work on the apartment in the form of painting, shelf-hanging, art placing, decision making and the occasional decorating tiff...but this week we took a break, sat on our beloved, extremely comfortable sectional and watched a movie. And the movie was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Two of my roommates read the book recently, so I tried my best not to annoy them with questions or audible reactions, but what can I say? I am pretty annoying to watch TV with. It's kind of a problem...But with the exception of that, most of the noise coming from that living room was the sound of TEARS. And sniffles. And more tears from all of us. In other words, this movie was sad, people. Very sad. It tells the story of Oskar Schell, a socially awkward and too-smart-for-his-own-good boy, living in Manhattan, and his struggle to come to accept to circumstances of his father's death in the World Trade Center attacks on September 11th. I knew that it would be hard to watch this movie, no matter where you live, because that day certainly affected us all in a unique way...but to live in the city now and partially identify as a New Yorker, it really shook me up. I can't believe that more than ten years later, with how distant that memory feels to me now, how truly horrific and terrifying those events must have been to people walking to my right and left every single day. And to experience, through the film, the emotional effect that day had on the protagonist, his mother, and each stranger he met on his incredibly complex journey of discovery, it made me feel even more fiercely loyal to this magical place I now call home. It was beautifully shot, and I'm told the screenplay's adaptation did an even better job of creating a rounded arc for these characters than the book. I highly recommend the movie if you need a good cry. Just bring your tissues, and NOT your boyfriend, unless you're lucky enough to not be an ugly crier...I don't personally fare as well.

Oskar had an extremely close bond with his father, played by Tom Hanks

He struggles, throughout, with accepting and dealing with the events of 9/11

His search, throughout the movie, keeps the memory of his father close to him

Hungry? Why Wait!

Did you see the movie yet?? As planned, I saw The Hunger Games on Friday night in Times Square. (It still trips me out to come out of a movie and find myself in the craziest, most crowded part of New York City, though I think I love it...) But before the movie, I met Cody, the jewelry artist I blogged about here and he gifted me my very own beautiful charm necklace to wear! I was beyond surprised and excited. All through dinner, I couldn't stop looking at it...I even clutched it a few times during the movie in moments of nervous suspense. Let's be honest, the entire theatre got a little emotional at certain parts (you know exactly which ones I'm talking about) but my roommate Colleen and I were maybe the top teary offenders...Oops. Anyway, it was everything I wanted it to be. Can't wait for the next one!

And because the world is still very much suffering from Hunger Games mania, I decided to put together a little assemblage of some of my favorite Etsy items I've found while scouring the web. Hope you loved the movie! If you haven't seen it yet, or read the books, I definitely recommend both. But (as always) start with the books!

1  "Change the Game" print 11x14 from EntropyTradingCo on Etsy
2  Pyrite and Black Tourmaline crystal bobby pins from BashfulOwl on Etsy
3  "Let the Games Begin" t-shirt from DarbyandDash on Etsy
4  "I am as Radiant as the Sun" print 8x10 from FaithHopeTrick on Etsy
5  "Rue's Song" poster 11x14 from EntropyTradingCo on Etsy
6  "The Rebellion" poster 11x14 from PurpleCowPosters on Etsy
7  The Hunger Games print 11x17 from TheArtOfAdamJuresko on Etsy
8  The Hunger Games charm bracelet from 1LuckySoul on Etsy

The Hunger Games: Charms

Are you guys hitting the midnight showing of The Hunger Games tonight? Sadly, I'm way to exhausted from gallivanting around beautiful New York City (or just working full-time...) to stay awake that late on a school night. But I'll be hitting it up in IMAX tomorrow with my roommates and I know we are all beyond excited. It seems like people have been talking about this movie non-stop for the past six months. And the trilogy was the first set of subway books I read on my Kindle when I moved to NYC in January.

Anyway, I have been eyeing some beautiful Hunger Games-inspired jewelry over on the Etsy shop 1LuckySoul. The designer, Cody, is incredible! The attention to detail is completely amazing... He's thought of everything: the Mockingjay pin, the bow and arrow, the tracker jacker, a District 12 medal, Katniss' pearl, Peeta's locket, even a coal bead... I kind of geeked out over this charm necklace. And there are a ton of other options too...a charm bracelet, a reaping bowl necklace, and of course the classic Mockingjay regalia as well. And he doesn't just stop at The Hunger Games. There's some fantastic Harry Potter stuff as well as some really cool steam punk pieces. Check out 1LuckySoul for some handmade, whimsical wares! (See the full necklace below)

All images via 1LuckySoul on Etsy

Midnight in Paris

Let me preface this by saying that I know I am very late to this party. People have been telling me I needed to see it since it first premiered, but I finally saw Midnight in Paris last night, and it was absolutely perfect. It was my final trip to the very underutilized "Dollar Theatre" on Bethel road. (Why didn't I take more advantage of this theatre? It will probably be one of my life's biggest regrets now that movie tickets will cost me 15 dollars, and popcorn won't even be an option...) Anyway, this movie felt like it was made for me. For one thing, the protagonist spends his life romanticizing another time period and fantasizing about the many ways life was better then. That sounds only vaguely familiar to me... And lots of other people out there too, I imagine! And Midnight in Paris certainly gets to the heart of why we prefer the fantasy of another era to sometimes less-than-glamorous reality of living today.

Regardless, there is nothing unsatisfying about the journey we take in this movie...back to 1920's Paris! And we're in excellent company with bohemians, masterful artists and writers, many of whom we've studied in high school and college, and certainly revisited since we realized maybe there was a pretty good reason we were required to study them in the first place... I won't spoil any of the cameos for you, since meeting and discovering them on your own is half the fun. All I will say is, this is actually my new favorite movie of all time.

By the way, I should mention that after the movie, Cate's mom Annie (a very dear friend of mine) gave me a fantastic idea! I should reward myself for this brave new step in my life by treating myself to a long weekend in Paris this Summer. I've never been, despite my love of the fashion, films, music, and food...and especially the language, which I don't speak, but have always planned on studying. I felt absolutely inspired by this suggestion, and am already mentally saving my pennies! It makes me smile to think about turning this recent streak of independence into a habit.

The Final Countdown: 9

Yesterday I had a little farewell dinner and strategy meeting with the publisher and the editor-in-chief at Edible Columbus, both wonderful ladies and former New Yorkers! They surprised me with a nice little gift: The Little Black Book of New York! It's a pocket-sized guidebook filled with pull-out maps of each Manhattan neighborhood, a full subway map, and a ton of suggestions for cool things to do in the city. I've pulled it out of my purse to look up certain things all day today, so I can already tell that I'm going to be using it to plan lots of my future adventures.

I know the city is constantly changing, so piecing together this New York puzzle will be a nearly impossible feat. Once I feel like I've got it all figured out, I'll realize that I'm still missing pieces, or that ones formerly in place will have changed shape. Then I may just feel like Frank Sinatra in this scene from On The Town! But it's definitely better to have a guidebook and goals than none at all. Thanks so much, Tricia and Colleen! I will use my new Little Black Book well!

P.S. Watch a handsome young sailor and a very forward (for the 1940s, anyway) lady cab driver on their ill-fated sightseeing tour On the Town in this video! 9 days!!

Once Upon A Time...

There was a girl named Jenna who watched way too much television. The most terrible, horrible shows that turned her brain to absolute mush! First, there was Dance Moms and The Real Housewives of Everywhere... Even, on occasion 19 Kids and Counting, or whatever the running number is at the time. Oh, the shame!

Of course there are plenty of shows I will unapologetically love forever, like Project Runway and Gossip Girl, and but once in a while, I find something that is actually really great television. Enter the new ABC fairytale series, Once Upon a Time. I look forward to it every Sunday, to see which new fairytale characters are going to be introduced, and watch the crazy evil queen and Emma Swan go head-to-head. You can get all caught up by watching the first few episodes on Hulu here. So what do you think, guys? Anyone else loving this show? Anyone willing to give it a try? I'd love to chat about it with you!

50 Years with "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

I am very happy to celebrate 50 years of one of my all-time favorite movies! I think I have watched this movie at least once for every year since it's release, but condensed into my age (which is exactly half that amount of time!)

Though some aspects of Breakfast at Tiffany's haven't exactly stood the test of time, this is truly a movie that has inspired my love of classic cinema, 1960s fashion, and the always elegant Audrey Hepburn. If you haven't seen it, check it out as soon as you possibly can. And while watching it, keep in mind that I believe what's most endearing about the character of Holly Golightly is the fact that she is probably one of the most put-together hot messes of all time. And aren't we all really just trying to keep our heads above water and (hopefully) looking great while doing it?

100 Years of Style

I really love this commercial spot that I saw over on The Hairpin...cool dancing (Charleston, anyone?), amazing period clothing, and nearly seamless transitions through decades of fabulous fashion. Check it out below!

Feature Film: How to Marry a Millionaire

This 1953 comedy starring Femme Fatale powerhouses Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, and Lauren Bacall is a little outdated, but it will never be short of mesmerizing. To see three of the most beautiful actresses in the history of cinema out there scrambling for a man is, well, hilarious. But hey, I like how they aimed high and went for the gold by renting an upper-crust apartment for 1000 bucks a month (in 1953...) and then systematically selling all the furniture so they could pay the rent! It also yields classically antiquated lines such as, "If you don't marry him, you haven't caught him, he's caught you..." It's worth watching the film just to see Marilyn rock a pair of cat-eye glasses that make this four-eyed blogger green with envy. Though I try not to believe her when she spouts off her classic catchphrase, "Men aren't attentive to girls who wear glasses." In short, I adore this movie. Have you seen it?

The Kennedys

The first two parts of the 8-part Miniseries were fantastic. It's just as fraught with drama and fabulous clothes as I'd hoped it would be. If you missed last night's premier, you can catch up tonight at 8 o'clock! And here are some fabulous stills to entice you...

Cocktail Hour: Elizabeth Taylor

In honor of the beautiful lady with the violet eyes, I am happy to bring you today's cocktail, the Elizabeth Taylor. This champagne cocktail is simple to mix, just a little bubbly with some Creme de Violette, which gives it a beautiful purple color. And oh-so-glam, just like it's namesake. So, this weekend, I suggest you rent a few of the classics, mix up an Elizabeth Taylor champagne cocktail, and toast to a lady more glamorous than any of us could ever hope to be. Cheers!

JSQ Note: This recipe was adapted from the Hotel DeLuxe recipe here

To check out my other Cocktail Hour posts, click here!

Got an idea for a fabulous cocktail you'd like to see featured here? Leave a comment, and you could see your favorite drink as next week's Cocktail Hour post!

L'Amour List: Cate

I spend a lot of time talking about things I love on this blog. In fact, I do it every single day. So I decided to turn the tables on you readers a bit! Every Wednesday I am going to feature a new Jenna Sais Quois reader, or a blogger, or general mover-and-shaker in order to change it up a bit. Thus, the L'Amour List is born. Today, to hit the ground running, I feature my fellow Columbus  blogger, and best friend, Cate!

1 Cate's obsessed with pears. And words that sound like they start with "pear"...It mostly started because of the Joanna Newsom song "Peach Plum Pear" // photo

2 Her big celebrity crush, Andrew Bird // photo

3 She blogs about bookshelves a lot, but this one is definitely her fave

4 The dress that got away...from Urban Outfitters

5 A big time Want: An Olympus Pen half-frame camera // photo

6 She loves the movie The Shop Around The Corner (and owns a hat just like the one Margaret Sullivan is wearing here)

7 The last book she read: Super Sad True Love Stories by Gary Shteyngart

8 Her shoe obsession, brown oxfords of any kind...seriously.

9 A photo she took at the Gallery Hop in the Short North

10 Her favorite relaxing beverage, a nice bottle of wine (a pretty label is a must) // photo


And there you have it folks, Cate's L'Amour List! Would you like to share some of the things you love? If you're interested in having your own list, or promoting your blog, leave a comment below and you could be next Week's featured L'Amour Lister!

Good Old-Fashioned Romance

I never considered myself a hopeless romantic, but I watch way too many old movies to be anything else. It never occurred to me that this was completely skewing my mind to what modern romance was like. I realized yesterday, on Valentine's Day, that no matter how and when I find the man of my dreams, he won't be able to dance like Gene Kelly or sing like Frank Sinatra. He won't chase after me on a train, or kiss me in the Times Square wearing a sailor's uniform, or strike up the band to play our song. And our song will most definitely not be Time After Time, or You Belong To Me, or any of those wonderful songs my grandparents danced to.

Nobody ever threw rocks at my window, because they could just call my cellphone. Nobody ever wrote me a love letter, because they could just send me an e-mail. But, as God is my witness, when I really do fall in love, it may not look quite like this to everyone else, but these photos are how it will look to me. And we will still get to dance like crazy to this, so modern life does have it's perks...

Boy and Girl // photo

Falling in Love // photo

Men with Moves // photo

Now That's a Major Kiss // photo

Cut the Cake // photo

One Big Happy Family // Photo

Happily Ever After // photo

Global Guts

The 2011 Golden Globes were on Sunday night, and I just can't seem to get the red carpet choices off my mind. While I was really impressed by the simplicity we saw from some, I was kind of underwhelmed by most, and some made me feel down right uncomfortable...

Thus I bring you, the very first ever (and who knows if it will ever be repeated...) Jenna Sais Quois Red Carpet Awards.

Emma Stone is my first pick for Best Dressed because she looks fresh, age appropriate, beachy and tastefully simple. The cut of this Calvin Klein dress is stunning, and while she looks a tad washed out, she took a chance and was definitely rewarded.

January Jones is my first pick for Worst Dressed and I know some of you will disagree with me on this. I will firmly say that, yes, she looks stunning and that Versace dress is a conversation starter, but I thought her Décolletage simply made me uncomfortable. I can't be the only one...

Anne Hathaway was absolutely Best Dressed in Armani Privé. I don't even dislike those shoulder pads a tiny bit. She looked absolutely gorgeous, and her hair and makeup were soft and pretty, but that sheer illusion piece on the back of her dress was a little bizarre. That's my only criticism. And I'm reaching for that one...
 

Julianne Moore in Lanvin is a Worst Dressed winner for me because though I applaud her guts, I just don't think the world is quite ready for it. I am all for asymmetry, and I could totally see some Beverly Hills socialite mother wearing this in 1988, but in 2011 and with that the sleeve going through that Bulgari necklace, and that bizarre bag it was frankly just a hot mess...

Claire Danes was another Best Dressed winner for me because like Emma Stone, and both wearing Calvin Klein, she looked fresh, young, simple, and classic. I loved the color on her, and we all know honeysuckle is the 2011 Pantone of the year...My only criticism here is that her hair kind of looks like Kate Gosselin, which is not cute...

Finally, Natalie Portman rings in the last Worst Dressed award and it has nothing to do with her being pregnant...she just looks like a Valentine's Day singing telegram girl who is secretly a conehead. The hair is disastrous, the rose...I don't even know, and that necklace? Natalie would have done well to heed the sage advice of Coco Chanel. If you know you're going to win an award, spring for the stylist. That is all I'm saying.


Missing from this list is Helena Bonham Carter, because I really think she is in a completely other league...and even if she had been wearing Catherine Zeta Jones' dress, nobody would have named her best dressed anyway. She's just on her own planet. I'm not against wearing two different colored shoes, if you're going for that look, but just don't make them dye-to-match junior bridesmaid shoes, please.