BuzzSugar

Inspired: Vibrant Stripes

CasaSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:00:48 PDT

I've been a fan of Jill Scott's music for years, and now I'm happy to see her every week playing detective Precious Ramotswe on HBO's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. While I love watching Jill onscreen, I'm also equally enamored with the beauty of Botswana's wildlife and savannas. Interspersed with shots of the natural landscape are the vibrant colors of the Kgale Hill Shopping Center, Gabarone, and its residents. One of my favorite examples of this mix of color is this shot of a striped wall, which is contrasted with Precious's patterned dress.

Inspired, I decided to look for some equally vibrant striped home goods that could add an oomph of color and pattern to your Spring home. I love these felted wool plant cozies ($54) from Papaver Vert. Want to see my other favorite vibrant stripes? Then

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First Look: The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency on HBO

BuzzSugar — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:30:13 PST

A project I've been curious about for a while now is the television adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith's book series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. We first heard about it when it was planned as a movie directed by Anthony Minghella; now, almost two years later, it's been turned into a seven-episode series for the small screen that will premiere March 29 on HBO.

Before his death, Minghella directed the first two hours of the series, which centers on Precious Ramotswe, the woman in charge of Botswana's only female-run detective agency who not only investigates cases but serves as a kind of makeshift therapist to all who come to see her. Jill Scott stars as Ramostwe, with Anika Noni Rose and The Wire's Idris Elba in supporting roles.

This project apparently went through quite a lot to make it to the screen, and I'm curious to check out the finished product (which also aired in the UK last year). To check out a trailer for the series, just

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Director Anthony Minghella Dies at Age 54

BuzzSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:30:05 PDT

Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella died today at the age of 54 of a hemorrhage following surgery. He won the Best Director Oscar in 1997 for The English Patient, and was later nominated for his work on The Talented Mr. Ripley. He also directed Cold Mountain and the 2006 drama Breaking and Entering.

According to the AP, "Minghella's publicist, Jonathan Rutter, said the filmmaker died at London's Charing Cross Hospital. He said Minghella was operated on last week for a growth in his neck, 'and the operation seemed to have gone well. At 5 a.m. today he had a fatal hemorrhage.'"

His latest projects included the adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith's book series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, which Minghella filmed in Botswana and which will be turned into a 13-part series for HBO. He was also scheduled to direct a short for the film anthology New York, I Love You (the New York version of the 2006 anthology Paris, je t'aime). In addition to serving as executive producer on various projects like Michael Clayton and the Kate Winslet film Iris, Minghella has one acting credit on his filmography: he played the interviewer at the end of Atonement.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is quoted as saying, "Anthony Minghella was a wonderful human being, creative and brilliant, but still humble, gentle and a joy to be with. Whatever I did with him, personally or professionally, left me with complete admiration for him, as a character and as an artist of the highest caliber."

Minghella photo source

HBO Has Female-Driven Programming On Deck

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:31:11 PDT

This year we've seen two network TV shows, Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle, that have tried to recreate the magic of HBO's Sex and the City, with mixed results. By contrast, HBO itself is moving on, leaving SATC for the big screen and once again developing interesting and unexpected female-driven projects.

Jill Scott and Anika Noni Rose will star in Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella's adaptation of the popular book series the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The project, about an all-female private detective agency in Botswana, was originally developed as a movie. Variety reports that this story will now be told on the small screen as HBO has ordered 13 episodes of it. If this sounds confusingly similar to another recent female detective project, never fear, I've broken down the differences between the two. As for the other female-led show HBO has on deck, it's a little quirky, so

Actually, "quirky" is probably a generous way to describe this other HBO project, though I think it will end up being quirky-awesome, not quirky-awkward. Apparently, The comedy is titled Driving Around With Joni and follows "a woman who spends her days driving around Los Angeles with her French bulldog, looking for meaning in her life after the sudden death of her husband." No word on who will star as the widow. Got suggestions?

French bulldog image source