Julie & Julia

Last night was the bestest, girliest thing I've done in a looong time.

We traipsed over to Julie & Julia after work, collecting sandwiches from Beacon Hill's Cafe Vanille (just walk in and try not to drool at the pastry case - I dare ya) and settling in for the free preview!

I could get used to this movie screening thing, enjoying a smart film about smart women... the movie was really sweet and very funny. Meryl Streep as Julia Child is just enchanting, and though I haven't seen many of Child's shows she just exudes this phenomenal energy and spirit. Amy Adams's character is a little hard to love, but it must has to be tough to play a "fanatic" opposite a genius (Hollywood/Culinary alike) and she is fun to watch.

In all honesty, while I enjoyed the past/present division at moments, as the scenes switched to "modern day" I just wanted more Julia less Julie. The drama in Julie's life is rather shallow and kind of minor (though she does work for NYC as a pencil pusher in a 9/11 recovery center - that could be a film unto itself and the writers gloss over it, even making it maudlin at times). The real human drama was in Child's life - her childless but passionate marriage, her international intrigue and her husband's interrogation by the McCarthy administration...

The movie left me wanting a biopic on Julia Child herself (more Meryl more Meryl!), and I'm determined to read the autobiography she wrote with her grandnephew - My Life In France.

After watching 2 Days In Paris last week this is just fanning the flames of my francophilia. My attempts to "learn French by Kindle" are failing miserably and I can't understand for the life of me why someone hasn't created an audiobook/read-along language primer for Kindle. Is that available in Kindle 2? I need to do me some research.

Oh - also we stopped at La Patissier at Troquet on the Commons afterward and had divine desserts.