Favorite Movies of 2011

http://www.cowboysandaliensmovie.com/splash.php

Well, we may not have seen all the movies nominated for best picture but many of our friends do have a favorite movie from 2011.  Here are some of their favorites.

Let us know what movie of 2011 was your favorite and why.

Best Super Hero Movie – Captain America

Cameron chose this movie as the best of 2011 because “it was simple and well made.”  How can you not like the underdog who goes from wimpy kid to strong man. Then saves the world from a crazed Nazi.

Sci-Fi – Super Eight

Tanner loves this movie and says, “Everything is good about it.”

This movie captures the innocence of a young group of kids making a movie and they accidentally film  the escape of  an alien from the military.  The alien causes havoc in their town and the kids are right in the middle of it all.

 http://www.super8-movie.com/#/video

Best girl comedy – Bridesmaids, I wasn’t sure I would like this movie but found myself laughing through it.  – Karen

Best Kids movie- I heard it from Dain, a second grader, that she loved Real in Rio. 

Her parents agree that this is a very entertaining movie, even for adults.  The music is fantastic according to Dain who sang a line for me.The song “Real in Rio” was nominated for an Oscar as best original song.

Best Cowboy Movie – Cowboys and Aliens

Dave thought this was a great movie.  What is so cool about it is the  first third of the movie is a western which could stand on its own.  Then they introduce something so preposterous as aliens into the movie and make it believable. They definitely pulled it off!  According to Dave and Cheryl.

Best Period Piece – The Help

Cheryl loved, loved the book and was so pleased that they were faithful to the book in the film.  She talked about the film with such colorful description that it made me want to run out and see the movie.

Best Drama – The Help

Janell also loved this movie.  She liked the poignant messages that it reminded us of, racism and the class system and the detrimental affects on people.  The acting was also superb, a very well made movie.

Thanks for your input friends!  Enjoy the movies, Karen

Mid-Winter Break

So, do you like a cold, snowy destination or a warm, sunny beach for a mid-winter break?

We spent three days skiing at Whistler in Canada with our son and friends. What a wonderful ski village and mountain.The village walk is lined with cute little shops and restaurants to please any taste. You can ski either Whistler or Blackcomb and you have an amazing amount of runs to choose from.

If you do not ski, you can ride the gondola up and then take the Peak2peak Gondola across one peak to the other mountain peak. The Peak2peak was built for the Winter Olympics and is definitely something to experience.

It was amazing how many Europeans we met riding up on the chairs. One gentleman from Switzerland said that Whistler village was modeled after a ski resort outside of Geneva, near his home. No wonder the village has such a European feel. However, he did say that the runs in Switzerland are twice as long as the runs at Whistler. I am definitely going to have to put the Swiss Alps on my list of places to visit.

We had some great skiing, a few falls, some great meals and good times with friends! Whistler is absolutely one of our favorite places to visit.

Post a picture of your favorite winter vacation destination on our Facebook page or comment here on our blog. We would love to hear and see your favorite mid-winter vacations spots.

Karen

Etsy – Kimonocards

Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods.

OK, until a week ago I had never heard of Etsy. I was talking with a gal in a store and she was telling me that her daughter sells vintage clothing on Etsy. She could not believe I had never heard of the site. Well, I have been in my stay at home mom bubble for over 16 years and just coming back into the “real world”. I am sure there are many current trends I have yet to discover.

Later the same week, I was on a bus going to watch a golf tournament and all the ladies on the bus were also talking about Etsy. Well, this site must be popular if I hear about it for a second time in the same week. One of the gals on the bus has a friend, Mona, who has Kimonocards on Etsy and makes these unique silk balls. What I found so interesting is that her friend Mona travels to Japan twice a year and buys vintage silk kimonos. She then cuts them into small pieces and makes these beautiful fabric hanging balls for weddings and baby rooms. The gal on the bus helps her friend Mona cut pieces of fabric into thousands of small sizes for assembly, a long and arduous task.

If you have shopped on Etsy, let us know which vendors are your favorites, so we can check them out too. If not, check them out and see all the wonderful handmade items. Etsy.com

I look forward to meeting our friends on friendsfavz and sharing all of your favorites. – Karen

Happy Valentines Day!

Friends Favz is all about our favorite things, experiences and people we love. I thought I would share one of my favorite people on this Valentines Day, my husband Craig. We have been married 21 wonderful years. There is never a dull moment around our household. We love to travel together, ski, boat and share time with our extended family and friends.

Who is your special valentine? Post a photo or comment on our blog or facebook page.

Favorite Winter Sunny Day Activity

Friendsfavz is all about the things we love and are passionate about. Well, I love a wintery sunny day in Seattle. It seems to restore our hope that sunshine does exist and gets us out of our Seattle blues. I ventured out to the Sammamish trail today and enjoyed riding my bike along with many other Seattleites who have been hibernating for the last three months. What a glorious day! If you have never had the opportunity to walk or bike along the Sammamish trail, you can catch it in Woodinville at Wilmot park. I love riding along this trail with the Sammamish slew winding its way into Lake Washington, and the tall Poplar trees lining the pathway. The open fields and the wineries add to the ambiance that reminds me of biking and living in Sweden so many years ago. -Karen

So Seattlites and our friends in other cities, what do you do on a sunny winter weekend? Share your favorite spots with us so we can enjoy them too.