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Summer Style: Sam's Wine Country Shack

CasaSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:00:06 PDT

While I wanted to love Bottle Shock, the film about California's vineyards featuring the blind Paris wine tasting of 1976, I had mixed feelings about the movie. However, I had nothing but love for the decidedly rustic digs that Sam (Rachel Taylor) inhabited on the Chateau Montelena vineyard.

While I can't imagine anyone actually living this exposed to the elements (at the very least some mosquito netting would've helped), I do love the overall effect of the building.

For some of my favorite decorating ideas from Sam's wine country shack,

I loved the use of antique furniture in Sam's digs, especially the rocking chair and the iron bed frame. The al fresco wine tasting, shown below, also inspired me to eat out of doors on every sunny evening this Summer. The lack of rugs or busy textiles emphasizes the austere, uncomplicated look of this old, dilapidated building, putting the emphasis on the outdoors. In your own home, cut back on heavy Winter rugs and blankets, and take a cue from Sam by covering your bed with a white or light-colored blanket or duvet cover.

Try also moving some indoor furniture out of doors for an impromptu dinner or gathering. There's something absolutely magical about seeing a table normally reserved for the dining room out on a lawn or a porch.
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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:30:32 PST

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to my selections below you can now add Bottle Shock and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa to your queue.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
I still smile when I think about this movie starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks because it's so silly and raunchy and yet manages to be somewhat heartwarming. But it should come with a serious warning: This is pretty graphic stuff so you should avoid watching with say, a boss, or a brother, or even maybe your roommate's boyfriend. It's a series of really awkward movie moments just waiting to happen. It's also hysterically funny in parts, though, so don't hesitate to add this one to your queue.

The special features both frighten and intrigue me. They include deleted scenes; a "making of" featurette; something called "Money Shots Webisodes"; outtakes, ad-libs and bloopers; and "Seth vs. Justin: Battle for Improvisational Supremacy."

Two more up next, just

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Juno has been playing on HBO a lot these days and I've been flipping to it during commercial breaks for little bits of Michael Cera goodness. Well, I'm just about Juno-ed out now, so I'm glad the adorable Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is finally out on DVD. I may be a little biased because I read the book but the movie is also super-duper cute due to Cera and his awesome co-star Kat Dennings. Good music, good actors, boys and girls having crushes on each other - what's not to love?

Special features include outtakes, deleted scenes, "Middle Management" music video by Bishop Allen, and "A Nick & Norah Puppet Show" by Kat Dennings.

The Secret Life of Bees
Zack and Miri, Nick & Nora, and now Bees?! Clearly I won't be hanging out with other humans this weekend because my couch and I are booked. This screen adaptation of the beloved bestseller is a satisfying tale of female friendship that might not be getting a lot of awards or attention, but will touch your heart nonetheless. The movie's dreamy cast includes Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, and Queen Latifah. I'm glad it's finally time to watch this again at home.

Special features include the director's extended cut, eight deleted scenes, and lots of featurettes including one titled "Adaptation: Bringing the Secret Life of Bees to the Big Screen."

Buzz Interview: Talking Wine With the Cast of Bottle Shock

BuzzSugar — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:00:14 PDT

I had the good fortune to attend the red carpet premiere of Bottle Shock at the Napa Valley winery where the movie's true story takes place (I know, it's a tough job but someone has to do it). Before they screened the movie, which is about the emergence of Napa as a legitimate winemaking region, I got the chance to chat with some of the movie's stars.

First up, the venerable Alan Rickman with whom I'm slightly obsessed. Surely you know who he is, but have you ever perused the man's IMDB page? It's stunning. He has worked with everyone in everything from the Harry Potter movies to Kevin Smith's Dogma. When I met Alan, I found him to be. . . kind of sassy actually. But in a British way.

I also chatted with Bill Pullman who plays a grumpy guy in Bottle Shock. It's some great acting on his part because he is warm and generous in person, and was as excited as anyone else to be in gorgeous Napa Valley.

To see what I discussed with these two veteran actors of the silver screen,

Buzz: When you were introduced to your character, did you think of him as a wine snob?
Alan Rickman: You can't judge any characters that you play - so to say the word "snob" is to judge him. I simply think he believes he knows what it is he's talking about.

Buzz: When your character arrives in Napa the winemakers are pretty skeptical of him. Do you think he was expecting that?
Alan Rickman: Well, you know the English go where no man dares tread, creating empires and such. . . hack their way into other peoples' lives whether they want them there or not.

Buzz: Did you know much about wine before working on this movie? Did they put you in a wine boot camp or anything?
Alan Rickman: No, but I think I've been in a wine boot camp for the last 25 years.

Buzz: Your character wants so badly to make good wine so that he doesn't have to go back to his nine-to-five job in the city. It kind of reminded me of someone wanting to make it as an actor - did you relate to him in that way?
Bill Pullman: I remember when I was in New York starting out, I got my first paying gig at a regional theater and came back and had to work at a bank. I handed coasters to people that started new accounts. I remember feeling like, "Oh man, I don’t know if I can come back to this." The management determined I had potential! That was just the first week I felt like that, though. I realized there’s another role, so I can hand out these coasters. But yeah when Jim puts on the suit and tie, sucking up to people, it's painful isn't it? It's different, you know, when you're alone out in the field, you don’t have that pettiness.

Buzz: Do you prefer the country yourself?
Bill Pullman: My brother and I have a ranch in Montana. I’m there quite a bit. I was there this past week with the lightning all around, I was alone trying to fix a sprinkler head and I was covered in water, and the lightning was all around and I thought, "I could go this way! It would be good to go this way!" It’s beautiful, it’s wet. . .you know?

Buzz: You don't seem at all as cranky as your character Jim!
Bill Pullman: Two of my kids will see the movie; I, too, have this idea that I have to carry everything to make it happen. I can’t really rely on weak people around me, so I'm not going to be touchy-feely for you - I sometimes have had that as a dad. I can’t wait to have them see this movie because they’ll say, "That is scary! You owned up to that, Dad!"

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Bottle Shock: Intriguing Story Muddled by a Fruity Aftertaste

BuzzSugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:00:11 PDT

I live near Napa Valley and I enjoy wine a great deal, so when I first heard about a new little movie called Bottle Shock all about the historical legitimization of California wine, I was intrigued. I may have taken for granted the fact that Napa hasn't always been a world-renowned winemaking region, and that at one point it was viewed as nothing more than a bunch of back-water country hicks noodling around with grapes. Which is why I was disappointed to not love this sincere attempt to bring this story to life on the screen. I had such high hopes, but in the end the movie spends too much time on other stuff and not enough on the part that's the most interesting.

Invariably, this tale of Napa's beginnings will be compared to another indie film about California wine, Sideways, and though the subject matter may be similar, it's not an accurate pairing. Where Sideways uses wine country as a setting in which to explore the lives of four intriguing characters, Bottle Shock is a saccharine mix of slapstick comedy, melodrama, and sweeping shots of California's golden hills. This director practically fetishizes the beauty of the state's coast, and at times the movie feels more like a tourist ad than anything else. I wish the filmmakers had relied on the interesting true story for a dramatic arc rather than tossing in several tedious subplots, including an emotionally weightless father-son drama and a mind-numbing love triangle. To see why,

In 1976 a British wine shop owner named Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) and his American neighbor Maurine (played wonderfully by Dennis Farina) come up with the idea of a blind tasting that would pit France's best winemakers against the renegades in America, intending to prove that great wine could only be made in France. Surrier travels to California and makes his way from one roadside tasting to another, carefully noting which regions are best. At the same time, Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman) and his free-spirited, slacker son Bo (Chris Pine) are attempting to create a perfect chardonnay at their winery, Chateau Montelena. Bo sees Surrier's arrival as a chance to prove to his dad that he can make something happen for the winery. Meanwhile one of the Barrett's employees, Gustavo Brambila (Freddy Rodríguez), is making his own wine on the side and frequently butts heads with Jim.

Oh, and then a blond bombshell "intern" shows up at the Chateau and proceeds to befriend and bed both young men amidst winery duties, which include wearing sexy outfits and hosing off a barrel while the water runs down her body, not unlike a Playboy fantasy, while the dirty old men of the winery gawk.

There's a lot of time spent on these characters but it all falls flat because tonally their stories don't jive with what's going on over in Alan Rickman's movie. While they run around an Anthropology catalogue, delivering dramatic monologues about feeling wine in your blood, Alan's tasting Kentucky Friend Chicken for the first time and it's hysterical. Eventually we get to the climax of the film - the industry-changing wine tasting in France - but by that time I was pretty much over it and couldn't care less about the fate of these people.

The sad thing about this movie is that it's well-intentioned and wants to do justice to the stories of these real-life people. The saving grace, predictably, is Alan Rickman and there isn't a single scene he's in that doesn't sparkle with wry humor and simple elegance. But alas, his scenes are too few, and when they end we're swept away via endless aerial shots of vineyards to the dopey plotlines of the other characters.

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Buzz Interview: Freddy Rodriguez at the Premiere of Bottle Shock

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:30:21 PDT

When I traveled to Napa to attend the premiere of Bottle Shock, one of the stars I was most excited to speak with was ~~Gio!~~ Freddy Rodriguez. I've always admired his work on shows like Six Feet Under and of course Ugly Betty, and I'm excited to see that he'll still take part in an independent movie now and again.

His character in the movie, Gustavo Brambila, is a person in real life, and Rodriguez appeared to have a good relationship with him at the premiere. Gustavo is supposed to have an incredible palate and winemaking abilities, and though he's portrayed as an intense dude in the movie, Rodriguez told me he's actually very shy in person.

To read about how much Freddy really knows about wine and even some clues about Gio's feelings for Betty,

Why fit a little movie like Bottle Shock in your busy schedule?
Well, I shot this right after I finished Grindhouse, which was so incredibly demanding, physically and mentally, I just needed a change of pace. So this came up - right elements, great script, I loved the character. It just fit right.

How much did you know about wine before you started filming?
I didn't know much about wine! It wasn't until I got here that I started to learn about what to look for when you’re tasting wine, but I learned a lot more. I'm not a good drinker though! We were drinking wine earlier today and I said, "Man, I can’t drink wine at like one in the afternoon or I’ll fall asleep!"

I wanted to make sure and tell you that I'm on Team Gio.
What? That’s funny! What does that mean?

You've never heard "Team Gio?" It's like, who are you rooting for Betty to be with - Henry or Gio? So, what does Gio see in Betty? Why does he like her?
(laughs) What does Gio see in Betty? Wow, you know, I think he just sees her for who she is, you know? It isn’t about physicality at all. I think he just sees what's inside, you know?

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Movie Preview: Bottle Shock

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:30:13 PDT

Did you like Sideways, a quirky indie movie about wine (and relationships)? Then you might dig Bottle Shock, another indie movie about wine, this time with an emphasis on the history of American winemaking. It may sound like a snoozefest to some of you, but the trailer makes it look incredibly interesting. The film premiered at this year's Sundance and I was sorry to miss the screenings while I was there.

The movie focuses on the mid-1970s when French wine makers were starting to sit up and pay attention to what was going on in California vineyards. Alan Rickman stars as a wine snob from across the pond who comes over to find out what these California "hicks" are up to with their so-called wine. The supporting cast includes Bill Pullman, Dennis Farina, Chris Pine, Eliza Dushku and Freddy Rodriguez, among others. It looks funny and interesting, and opens in limited release August 8. To check out the trailer,

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Buzz News Roundup, 7/20

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:30:35 PDT

Two top writers on the new Brooke Shields series "Lipstick Jungle" have been fired, as producers apparently want to take the show "in a new creative direction," Zap2It reports.
Apparently, Jennifer Lopez has never gone on tour, but Billboard says she and her hubby might do a string of shows together.
According to Hollywood Reporter, five more actors - including Alan Rickman, Chris Pine and Eliza Dushku - have been added to the cast of Bottle Shock, a drama about the birth of the Napa Valley wine industry.
Variety reports that director Gavin Hood (Tsotsi, Rendition) has signed on to direct Wolverine, the X-Men spinoff featuring Hugh Jackman's character from the series.
Rihanna's reign on the Billboard Hot 100 ends with the Plain White T's.
Just about a week before Comi-Con, Fox has canceled its presentation at the show, Variety says.
NME reports this gem that Bon Jovi wants the Mijovi energy drink to change its name.

21 Disposable Products You Can Reuse

Wise Bread — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:39 PDT

Even when the product is supposedly "disposable," you can always reuse it. Wise Bread shares awesome ways to reuse these 21 disposable products.

It’s said that we live in a disposable society. But the word "disposable" is a misnomer. Disposable is considered throwaway, something you use once and dump, regardless of the life that may be left in it. As a frugal shopper with a concern for the state of our environment, I think that just won’t do.

I often reuse many so-called “onetime-use” items, and I asked friends, family, and colleagues to tell me which disposable items they squeeze more life from. Here’s my list, including some of the surprising ideas I was given.

RELATED: 25 Things to Throw Out Today

1. Butter Wrappers

If you’re like most people, you unwrap your butter, pop the stick into your handy holder, and throw the wrapper away. But wait a second - instead of trashing the wrappers, keep them in a sandwich bag. The next time you need to grease a baking tray or dish, you’ve got something all ready to go.

Read on for more.

Emma Stone Goes Back to Blond: Love It or Leave It?

Jaime Richards — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:18:51 PDT

For her appearance at WonderCon 2012, Emma Stone showed off a new look: lighter hair featuring strawberry blond undertones. But this isn't the first time we've seen Emma hit the bottle - the hair color bottle, that is. Back in Dec., 2010, Emma sent shock waves through the Internet with the debut of platinum blond strands. While the change-up was for her role in The Amazing Spider-Man, and the star subsequently went back to her signature, vibrant copper tone, her latest flaxen-stranded look is a bit warmer than last. It's interesting to note that Emma is actually a natural blond, but do you like her latest, in-between style?

How I Gained 30 Pounds in College (and Then Lost It)

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 03:08:40 PST

In college, I was no stranger to the "Freshman 15." In fact, all that newfound freedom to eat whatever and whenever combined with the all-you-can-eat dining hall and late-night pizza runs made it the "Freshman 30." Now that I've been at a healthy weight for a while, I can look back on all the mistakes I made. I'm sharing these mistakes now in the hopes that I can help someone else avoid the sadness and insecurity that comes with weight gain.

Good-bye, Home-Cooked Meals
With no one to cook me healthy, balanced meals, or tell me to eat my broccoli and not a brownie sundae for dinner, I quickly made my own - unhealthy - meal decisions. This included ordering take-out, devouring junk food, and eating way more food than I did when home.

Is That Cookie Vegan?
My school population was 90 percent hippie, and I was already a vegetarian, so it's no surprise that becoming vegan was my next move. I didn't miss milk or eggs at all. Why miss it when there's decadent vegan ice cream, dairy-free cheese, and even a pizza place downtown serving vegan pizza? I was a total junk-food vegan and must have gained 10 pounds on vegan cookies alone. The late-night candy runs for Swedish fish didn't help either.

No, I Don't Need a Bowl - I'll Eat Out of the Bag
Chips, cookies, crackers, cereal; I ate a lot of my snacks with no plates or bowls because I was too lazy to do the dishes, which often meant polishing the entire package in one sitting.

Carrot Cake Counts as a Vegetable
I may have been vegan, but I hardly ate vegetables, unless you count tomato sauce on pizza, carrot cake, and greasy french fries. My diet was based around these four food groups: pasta, bagels, cereal, and cookies. Come to think of it, I hardly ate fruit either since it wasn't that easy to find on campus (or rather, not that appealing).

Continue reading to see the other reasons I gained weight, and more importantly, how I lost it.