Romance & Cigarettes

Romance & Cigarettes is a 2005 offbeat romantic comedy musical written and directed by John Turturro.

The film has quite a stellar cast; James Gandolfini (The Sopranos), Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise, Deadman Walking), Kate Winslet (Titanic, The Reader, Mildred Pierce), Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter, Pulp Fiction), Steve Buscemi (Fargo), Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Aida Turturro (The Sopranos) and singer Mandy Moore.

Romance & Cigarettes is not your usual drama about a troubled marriage. It attempts something original by melding light opera with soap opera into a modern day musical. It is a dark and passionate comedy about one man's journey into infidelity and redemption. The hero, Nick Murder (Gandolfini) is a Queens, NY iron worker who has been married for years to Kitty (Sarandon), who works as a seamstress and is the mother of Nick's three daughters (played by Moore, Parker and Turturro). While Nick loves his wife, he is seduced by the sexy red haired lingerie salesgirl Tula (Winslet). When his wife finds out about the affair, she becomes enraged and kicks him out, forcing him to decide what he really wants from life and what's most important to him. During the movie, the characters periodically turn to their favorite songs to explain their emotions, lip-synching along with the original recordings.

There is a scene during the film with a slicked back Christopher Walken performing Tom Jones' "Delilah". It's quite fun! Walken had a notable music video performance in 2001 with Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice".

Some of the other songs featured on Romance & Cigarettes' soundtrack include; Engelbert Humperdinck - "A Man Without Love", Dusty Springfield - "Piece of My Heart", Bruce Springsteen - "Red-Headed Woman", Cyndi Lauper - "Prisoner of Love", Elvis Presley - "Trouble", Buena Vista Social Club - "El cuarto de Tula", James Brown - "It's a Man's Man's Man's World", Vikki Carr - "It Must Be Him" and original performances by Mandy Moore with Aida Turturro and Mary-Louise Parker of "I Want Candy"  and also James Gandolfini and Susan Sarandon singing "The Girl That I Marry".

Romance & Cigarettes is quite the work of art; it breaks out of the Hollywood movie mold with originality that is bold, cheeky and liberating.

Sarah Vaughan - Whatever Lola Wants (Gotan Project Remix)

 



American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan recorded "Whatever Lola Wants” back in the 50’s. What makes this version so special is that it has been remixed by Gotan Project who distinctly gives it their unique signature sound with sultry tango beats and the incorporation of the rustic romantic accordions.

Gotan Project is a musical group based in Paris, France consisting of musicians Philippe Cohen Solal of France, Eduardo Makaroff of Argentina and Christoph H. Müller of Switzerland.  This Gotan Project Remix of Sarah Vaughan's "Whatever Lola Wants" appears on the Verve Remixed 2 compilation released in 2003 on Verve Records.

 

"Whatever Lola Wants" is a popular song that was written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for the 1955 Broadway musical Damn Yankees. The song is performed by ‘Lola’, who plays the role of the Devil's assistant, a role performed by Gwen Verdon who also stars in the role for the musical film "Damn Yankees" that was released in 1958.

"Whatever Lola Wants, Lola gets" has been recorded by many artists through the years among them; Petula Clark, Ella Fitzgerald, Eartha Kitt, Mel Tormé and Sarah Vaughan.

"Whatever Lola Wants" is also the title of a light romantic comedy film, released in 2007. The movie directed by French Moroccan Nabil Ayouch and stars Laura Ramsey who plays the title role of 'Lola'. The movie is about a young woman who dreams of being a dancer but has to work as a New York City postal worker to make ends meet. Lola decides to travels to Cairo to find and reconcile with her recent boyfriend but ends up pursuing a passion for belly dancing and finds 'Ismahan' a legendary Egyptian dancer played by Carmen Lebbos to be her instructor.

Le Barbu

Last week, I had the opportunity to go to the Lanaudière region of Quèbec with my sister Pauline and our maman. Our first stop on our journey to discover Lanaudière, was in St. Roch de L'Achigan to visit the Fromagerie La Suisse-Normande. This artisanal cheese producer is the maker of one of my favourite Quebec goat-milk cheese Le Sabot De Blanchette.

The farm and cheese production is owned and operated by husband and wife team Frédéric & Fabienne Guitel. Fabienne is a Swiss native and her spouse is from Normandie, hence the name "Fromagerie La Suisse Normande". The cheese production is done on the premises directly across the street from their goat farm. Visitors can view the artisans making the cheese from the glass windows inside the cheese shop.  It was a wonderful visit, where we were welcomed by a lovely friendly lady who introduced us to several Fromagerie La Suisse Normande cheeses.

Le Barbu is a delicious artisanal pasteurised goat-milk cheese with a soft paste and a white bloomy rind. Le Barbu has a fresh mushroom aroma with a lingering floral and woodsy flavour. The texture is slightly chalky but creamy on the tongue with a fairly pronounced nutty goat-milk taste. This chèvre comes in a small 90 g. conical form.

Le Barbu pairs well with a Sauvignon Blanc or California Chardonnay.   

                                                 

http://www.lasuissenormande.com

Clematis 'Jackmanii'

Clematis 'Jackmanii' is a hardy perennial climbing vine with large purple blooms. The jackmanii species is a hybrid clematis which was derived from crosses between Clematis lanuginosa, Clematis viticella and Clematis hendersonii introduced in 1862 by nurseryman George Jackman from Surrey, England.
 

The Clematis Jackmanii will grow to a height of 2 to 3 meters (7' to 10') and a spread of 1 to 2 meters (3' to 6'). Its showy blue-purple flowers will bloom from late June through July.  Clematis generally prefers full sun, but the Jackmanii will tolerate part shade. It is a fairly easy maintenance plant as long as you make sure the roots of the plant are kept cool. Always shade the base of the clematis by planting a low annual or perennial and protect its base with mulch. The yearly blooms on the clematis occur on the plant's new growth, therefore prune back the plant in early spring to 1' to 2' from the ground to guaranty an abundance of showy purple blooms.

Rogue River Blue

A year ago this week, at the 2011 American Cheese Society Convention, I had the opportunity to taste Rogue River Blue cheese from Oregon for the first time. I quickly became a big fan!

Rogue River Blue is an award winning blue cheese, which is wrapped with chestnut leaves that have marinated in pear brandy. This raw cow's milk, natural rind, blue cheese is aged between eight and twelve months and has a moist creamy texture with crunchy granular bits. The flavours are quite complex with notes of burnt cream, coffee, ripened berries and a lingering sweet note of pear brandy. Heavenly!

Rogue River Blue pairs well with a German Gewürztraminer, a Cabernet Franc, a desert wine or even a pear brandy.

Rogue Creamery is one of the USA's oldest dairies, in operation since 1935, located in the beautiful Rogue Valley of southern Oregon. Rogue Creamery has been known for a while now for producing repeat award winning blues and cheddars and the unique Rogue River Blue.

Rogue River Blue Awards;

World’s Best Blue Cheese – 2003 World Cheese Awards, London, England

Best in Show - 2009 American Cheese Society in Austin, Texas.

Best in Show - 2011 American Cheese Society, Montreal, Canada

http://www.roguecreamery.com

Meet the owners and cheesemakers of Rogue Creamery.

Episode #2 Rogue Creamery from Everyday Wonder Productions on Vimeo.

Tommette Baies Roses

Tommette Baies Roses is a fresh raw goat-milk cheese seasoned with a pinch of "Herbes de Provence" and sprinkled with pink peppercorns.  The peppery flavour reduces the acidity of the fresh goat milk cheese and leaves you with a delightful fresh and fruity aftertaste.

Tommette Baies Roses is a wonderful chèvre that can be served after a meal or in a salad or it would certainly add character to any cheese platter.

The Tommette aux Baies Roses cheese comes in a small 100g round shaped wooden box. It is produced by Fromageries de l'Étoile located in Haute-Provence, France.

http://www.fromageries-etoile.com/

Amy Winehouse - Wake Up Alone (Live)

A year ago this week, we unfortunately lost one of the most powerful female singers of our time. On 23rd of July 2011 soul-jazz singer Amy Winehouse passed away at only 27 years old. Her unique deep contralto vocals and her eclectic style will forever be remembered.


This performance of "Wake Up Alone" is an excerpt of her "I Told You I Was Trouble" DVD recorded live at London's Shepherds Bush Empire in London, England in 2007. There is an intimate moment during her performance where she lips "I love you" to her then husband up in the balcony.

Check out these other memorable Amy Winehouse tracks performed live; Back To Black, You Know I’m No Good, and Valerie.

Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones Live At The Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981

In the middle of the Rolling Stones American Tour 1981, the Rolling Stones arrived in Chicago on November 22nd before having to play 3 nights in Rosemont Illinois. The band paid a visit at the Checkerboard Lounge to see the legendary bluesman Muddy Waters perform.

It didn’t t take long before Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Ian Stewart were joining in on stage and shortly later Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Lefty Dizz also played their part. It was a unique occasion that was fortunately captured on camera. This amazing blues night has recently been released in an official DVD release, restored from the original footage and with sound mixed and mastered.

The Rolling Stones were highly influenced by the Chicago blues, the group's name actually comes from one of Muddy Waters songs.
 

Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones - Baby Please Don't Go



Also check out Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones perform Mannish Boy and  Champagne & Reefer recorded live on the same night at the Checkerboard Lounge.
 

Jac Le Chevrier

Jac Le Chevrier is a soft paste, natural rind pasteurised goat milk cheese.

This artisanal cheese is presented in the form of a small cylinder 6 cm (2 1/2") round and 4.5 cm (2") high and weighs approximately 135 grams (4.75 oz.). Jac Le Chevrier has a golden wheat coloured wrinkly rind with a white fine chalky paste.

Jac Le Chevrier has a mild to medium intensity with a delicate goat milk aroma and hazelnut flavour. Its texture is rather smooth and creamy if ripened one month.

Jac Le Chevrier is produced by cheese-maker and farmer Jacques Mailhot on his eco-cert organic farm located in Saint Flavien in the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Québec.

http://www.routedesfromages.com/repertoire/detail/413

Louie

Stand-up comedian Louis C.K. has written directed and created this television series entitled Louie. The show is a fictionalized version of Louis CK, a recent divorced stand-up comic, struggling to raise his two young daughters in New York City.

 

 

This comedy series consists of different stories and segments about Louie's life as well as fragments of his live stand-up performances.

Louis CK lets you see life as something ridiculous, vulgar, honest, funny and beautiful.

I highly recommend this hilarious comedy series. "Louie" Season 1 & 2 are out on DVD. Season 3 is currently airing on FX Network.

http://www.fxnetworks.com/louie/