#4. Cool Summer - May Movie Review

Grade: A, dude.

Wow. Way cool. If I didn’t feel cool before, I definitely do now –

I have joined an elite group of surf fans and movie fans of The Endless Summer. Directed by Bruce Brown, this movie is recognized to be a breakthrough for the sport of surfing, and also for its documentary style as more “relaxed” versus “educational”…so to speak.  

The premise of the movie is cool too – the idea is two surfers (real surfers – not actors) Mike Hynson and Robert August follow summer around the world, looking for the perfect wave, and essentially creating an ‘endless summer’. The locations are amazing – South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, plus Hawaii and California.  (Whoa! This could inspiration for Girl Turns 41…)

Watching this movie also increased my awareness of how dangerous the sport really is.  All the characters use long boards – which seem a lot harder than the more common short boards of today….but anywho, this Girl is not a surfer so what-do-I-know!

If you haven’t seen it, it’s tough to find – but well worth watching!

Later,

GT40

Stay tuned for the Trip of the Month – I am headed to my own endless summer at Oak Island and Bald Head Island beaches!

#37. Pretty Paper

I love pretty paper, and the stores that sell pretty paper.

Delicious paper products:

Wrapping papers

Tissue papers

Personal notes

Party invitations

Greeting cards

 (Tree huggers: please forgive… I do try to buy recycled paper products.)

Mmmm. Yummy.

Time to select my own personal stationery – and fulfill #37 from the Girl’s Top 40 list.

So many choices – so little time.

I had no idea there were so many styles for personal stationery!

There are:  Flat note cards, Folded note cards, Letter sheets, and Envelopes.

Next, you must select COLORS….and a font for “YOUR NAME”

(What size? Embossed or engraved?)

Then whether or not you’d like a wrapping (see below) at the top of your envelope.

Whew! So many decisions. I need a snack.

Done! I am so excited! I chose flat cards with “MY NAME” and matching envelopes with my address printed on the flap (no wrapper). I love it! The final product will be ready in about two weeks, so I’ll post a picture for your viewing pleasure.

Now, if you will pardon me, I must make a list of recipients to send a personalized note of special correspondence.….Hmmmmm?

Of course….

My sincerest regards,

Ms. Girl Turns 40

#7. Lucky Seven

Well, it’s been ages.

My deepest apology for not posting – I’ve been on a little hiatus from Girl Turns 40 – but no longer! I am back with lots of good updates….so, let’ s catch up!

Cue the music folks – it’s time to DANCE! (Lucky #7 on the Top 40 ‘Drops’ List)

One of my all-time favorite things to do is to dance…and I’ve decided the Girl doesn’t  do enough of it. 

It doesn’t really matter what kind of dance, I like it all:

DWTS/So You Think You Can Dance… Think DVR.

Salsa… Think the Conga Room in Los Angeles.

HipHop… Think Apple-Bottom Jeans. Boots with the fur….

Country… Think boot scootin’ and two-steppin’.

Shag… Think beach music, not Austin Powers.

Line… Hey, Macarena, I like it too.

So, it was Ladies Night at the local country western honky-tonk, and my friend Shazzie and I decided to try the line dancing lessons.  Free admission, and no cowboy hat required.

Surprise - There were no less than 100 people on the dance floor!

Plus, a live band – Out of the Blue – very cool.

We had a GREAT time, and we’re planning to go back this week!

Yee haw,

Girl Turns 40

PS – These pics are not great. Please forgive - better next time.

More tomorrow! Have to make up for lost time – so stay tuned…

Beach Days - May 2011

(I can’t believe it’s May already. Where does the time go?)

All I can say is: ‘Tis the month for Beach Days.

And I can’t wait to get to the coast! So, befitting my desire for wind in my hair, and sand between my toes, my focus this month is all sun & sea…

Movie of the Month: The Endless Summer directed by Bruce Brown

The ultimate documentary movie about surfing culture, and finding the perfect wave. Made in 1966, it’s a classic.

Book of the Month: The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

This non-fiction book details the year-long travels of the author searching for the happiest places on earth. 

And finally,

May Trip of the Month: Oak Island, NC! (with a trip to Bald Head Island!)

We are headed to the NC coast where there are lots of dunes and very few people…..ahhhh.

Stay tuned for more... 

 - GT40

Bonus Trip – Liberty Antiques Festival

Fun! Fun! Fun!

Over the weekend, we attended the Liberty Antiques Festival in Liberty, NC…of course. Touted as the #1 antiques show in the Southeast, it certainly did not disappoint. There were over 300 vendors (high cotton vendors, folks – no flea market stuff here…) spread over 100 acres on a private farm. This was the real McCoy! (Tee hee…no pun intended.)

A great crowd.

Really fun stuff like: a Harley-Davidson bike.

Cool, old signs.

Furniture.

Rooster stuff. (Love this picture.)

Musical instruments.

Lots of dishes.

Even a roof gable!

The Girl wasn’t much of a shopper, but more of a Gawker. Now that I’ve visited, I can be better prepared for the next festival in September.

Once I get my ducks in a row…

then I can hone in and figure out which items are Girl Turns 40 treasures!

Stay tuned for May – it’s lookin’ good!

 - GT40

#3. May Book Review – Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen

Grade : C 

OK, but I was hoping for something...different.

I hate to say it – Carl Hiaasen has sold millions of books – but I am not a fan.  

(Big Sigh.) Mr. Hiaasen is a best-selling author, and is most acclaimed for his fictional works with themes of property development and subsequent environmental destruction of his native Florida.  Sounds promising, eh?

The Girl Gist:

This book is about a woman who is tossed overboard by her husband during their wedding anniversary cruise. The husband becomes suspicious that his wife (Joey, the main character) has ‘found out’ about his fraudulent behavior in falsifying records for corporation illegally dumping fertilizer and waste products in the Everglades. Paranoid, he attempts to kill her by chucking her overboard – only she doesn’t die. She’s rescued, and then plots against him (think blackmail) until, I guess… he implodes. It goes on and on…it’s just not very believable.

Certainly Mr. Hiaasen has serious fans, and the best thing about the book is that it is easy to read. The descriptions are certainly entertaining and attention-grabbing - I had high hopes! Afterall, this was my choice for a book on the subject of the environment… and Carl Hiaasen seemed the perfect choice…but, no.  I mean, is it too much to ask to have an educational anecdote about the environment, but believable, and easy like a beach read? Hmmph. Well, I haven’t found one.

So, on to greener pastures – no pun intended.

Stay tuned for my bonus trip: the Antiques Festival in Liberty, NC!

GT40