In 3 Days...

The Academy Awards will be held this Sunday, February 26^th. You can watch the Oscars with host Billy Crystal, at 7e/4p on ABC.

I’m very much looking forward to this evening, seeing if any favorites will be awarded, and watching Mr. Crystal, who is a wonderful entertainer.

Have you had a chance to watch any of the nominated films? If not, here’s one you should put next on your list: “The Help” starring an all female cast including Viola Davis, Emma Stone, and Sissy Spacek.

The story takes place in Mississippi during the 1960’s. An intrepid journalist, Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan (Emma Stone), decides to try something very different for the era: write a book from the help’s perspective. In a moment and place where socializing with the colored wasn’t accepted, the maids take a huge risk to talk to this young woman and share their side of the story.

The audience no doubt will fall in love with Aibileen and Minny, the two of the main characters; and I really like the character of Celia Foote, Minny’s boss. It is just so interesting the way they captured rejection and friendship.

This film has drama, comedy, and fantastic actors. Go ahead and watch it, with a yummy piece of chocolate pie ;-)

For the trailer click here.

Nominados: Los descendientes y El Artista

Estamos a una semana para festejar la entrega de premios Oscar. ¿Ya ha visto alguna de las nominadas?

Si no, no se preocupe, hoy vengo a sugerirle dos de los filmes nominados a Mejor Película que podrá ver antes de la entrega.

Comenzaremos con la película “Los descendientes” (The Descendants), estelarizada por George Clooney. Toda la historia se envuelve alrededor de un trágico accidente, que hace que Matt King (Clooney) revalúe su rol de padre y su forma de cuidar la tierra, dejada por sus ancestros de origen hawaiano.

Se demuestra una buena actuación por parte de Clooney; el escritor del guión, sin duda, pensó bien en diferentes reacciones ante el duelo; y hay unos paisajes hermosos para observar. Sin embargo, se pudo haber omitido mucho del vocabulario explícito y vulgar de las dos jovencitas que hacen el papel de las hijas de Matt King, que después de un rato ya había perdido la cuenta de cuánta palabrería dijeron.

Con una duración de 115 minutos, los acontecimientos mueven al público a pensar: ¿qué haría yo en el lugar de Matt? Entre tanto dolor, también hay suficientes comentarios o momentos cómicos que dan alivio a la temática transcendente. 

Otro largometraje es “El Artista” (The Artist). Con 10 nominaciones para los premios Oscar, y ya otros galardones ganados, esta película le demuestra a todo Hollywood que no se necesitan de avanzada tecnología, violencia o escenas eróticas para crear una maravilla.

Todo el filme se desenvuelve a finales de los años 20 y principios del 30, cuando las películas mudas empiezan a perder su vigor. Los roles principales, interpretados por Jean Dujardin (de origen francés) y Bérénice Bejo (de origen argentino y francés), son dos famosos actores, quienes al pasar de los años entablan una amistad evolutiva, a pesar de varios sucesos tanto personales como profesionales. Aunque quizás no reconozca a los protagonistas, sus habilidades de mostrar emociones y cautivar a la audiencia son excepcionales.

Queda importante resaltar, que la música viene a ser una parte importante de la película. La escogencia de la misma no esta nominada, pero sí es digna de ser admirada.

Muda, al estilo blanco y negro, El Artista brinda comedia, desesperanza, amor y victoria. Sin olvidar, a un pequeño cachorrito que se ganará el corazón de todos.

Give Me A Treat!

Ahh it is once again acceptable to eat a ton of chocolate and blame the holiday! :-)

So if you are in a chocolate-y mood like I am, this can be a very easy & yummy treat for you, adapted from a fellow blogger Bakerella (my comments are in blue)

  

Cookie & Cream Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/4 cup milk
• 2/4 cup hot water
• 24 Oreos, plus more for crumbs

Frosting:

• 1 cup shortening (that’s about 3 Tablespoons)
• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-6 Tablespoons milk
• 2 or more teaspoons Oreo cookie crumbs

For the cupcakes:

I tried both broken pieces and whole cookies,

but I find broken pieces work best.



• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Line tray with baking cups. Yields approx. 30 cupcakes.
• Place one whole cookie in each cup or break apart at least one cookie, and place the broken pieces 1 into each cup.
• Mix the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl, using a wire whisk.
• Add the eggs, oil, vanilla and milk, and mix well until thoroughly combined. Add the hot water and mix until combined.
• Transfer the batter (it will be very liquid) to a large measuring cup and then pour batter into each baking cup so it’s about ¾ full.
• Bake for 16-18 minutes.

For the frosting:

• Beat the shortening in a mixer until smooth.
• Add vanilla and mix until combined.
• Add the powdered sugar in three additions, scraping down the sides after each addition.
• Add a Tablespoon of milk at a time and mix together until you achieve the consistency you like.
• Add the cookie crumbs and mix until completely combine.
• Place frosting in a decorator bag with a 1M tip and swirl on top of each cupcake; insert a cookie on top of each cupcake. (I went another way here and just used a butter knife to frost each one, like a cake; without adding the extra cookie on top.) 
• You can also apply frosting on each cupcake in a mounded shape. Turn upside down and roll the top around in a small bowl of cookie crumbs to coat.

Tips: In my experience, powdered sugar frosting is too sugary if eaten right away, but isn’t quite as sugary the next day. I’ve tried this with refrigeration & room temperature.

When I did it there was plenty of frosting left over, so I made a regular chocolate cake mix too, and used the frosting on that, so not to waste it.

 

If you need these to be spooky, you can try some of Bakerella's decorating suggestions.

I think she's so clever! :-)



Enjoy!

And as always, Stay tuned ;-) for more

Fall-ing For New TV Shows

I can't believe I've not written in so long. Please forgive me. Yes? Ok, great!  :-)

Have you been enjoying the new fall-line of shows? For instance, the new "Two And A Half Men", "2 Broke Girls", "Last Man Standing", or returning shows?

I for one am still undecided about certain programs, and loving others.

Let me start off by saying I'm more of a comedy TV gal, so yes, bring on the new seasons of "Saturday Night Life", "Big Bang Theory", "Modern Family", and "Mike & Molly"! I am excited about newcomers "Whitney" and "Last Man Standing" too.

But I am not thrilled about "2 Broke Girls" - a horse and too many hand gestures did not make me want to come back for more. Of course, I did come back "to give it another try". Still dissapointed. On the other hand, the old "Two And A Half Men" was getting to be too disturbing for my liking, yet I tuned in to see its new phase. What happened? I find a rich, friendly, good looking guy (yes!) who then starts acting like Charlie (no!). I thought the idea was to move on from that, or at least find someone that could fill his shoes. Oh well... I can say I did enjoy seeing the characters of Dharma and Greg, and John Stamos appear in the first episode! :-)

I have yet to watch "Unforgettable", but I have heard rave reviews even from my own family. Apparently, this one is a must-see! Don't take my word for it, but give it a try anyway ;-) Meanwhile, I like seeing the return of of Prentiss (Paget Brewster) on "Criminal Minds" and the addition of Ted Danson on "CSI".

And did you notice "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" with Ty Pennington & crew moved to a new night? To Fridays. I watched this past week, misty eyed as a family received a home suited for their needs. I secretly hope to help out in one of these makeover someday.

Last night, ABC's new show "Once Upon a Time" caught my attention (watch the trailer here). I have to say its different from what I'm used to watching; and I like seeing familiar faces like Jennifer Morrison from "House" playing the lead as Emma Swan, and Ginnifer Goodwin ("Something Borrowed") as Snow White.

Which fall show are you enjoying most?

Stay tuned ;-)

Pass the Popcorn: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

Recently, I enjoyed a nice girls’ day out with a couple of my good friends, when we went to the movies to watch “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II”. Ok, so the title doesn’t sound like a lovely late afternoon plan, but it was! :-)

First of all, we went to see it 3D. I’m not usually a 3D fan (I get a bit dizzy), but in this case I thought it was worth it. The special effects ‘jumping’ out from the screen made us gasp out loud. Throw in a large bucket of popcorn to share with friends, really makes for an enjoyable time.



Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint

The movie itself was great! …



Before I continue, let me add that I’ll try to keep my comments edited so not to spoil the fun for those who haven’t seen it yet.

I liked the way the places looked believable and memorable. The spirit of the film, despite the tragedies that occur along the way, is really triumphant and hopeful.

In summary, the story takes Harry Potter (portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe) and his best friends Ron Weasley (Ruper Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) in search of a way to destroy the evil Voldemort; in their attempts to do so, the Hogwarts wizardry school along with their peers and teachers, face grave danger. Who will win the fight?

Butter on Top

By far the best thing about “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II” was the acting. I was very surprised by Helena Bonham Carter’s performance. Without giving too much away, there is a scene where her character is portrayed differently, and she completely transforms from the angry, scary woman, to an innocent, teenage girl. It is incredible!

Another favorite is Ralph Fiennes, aka Voldemort, whose performance was terrifying and spooky, just as his character should be. Given Mr. Fiennes doesn’t have many facial expressions he can use due to the way his face appears on screen, he was still able to portray real excitement and happiness, while other times worry and anger.

If there are Oscar nominations for Harry Potter films, both Helena and Ralph should definitely get recognized for it.

Plain Popcorn

I’m not a fan of blood and destruction, but I couldn’t help feeling like the battle scene could have been more dramatic. Characters were fighting here and there, but it was until later that you could truly tell who all was there. So it took some of the drama away in that manner… something the book gave us readers plenty of.

Bottom of the Bucket

The ending of the movie, which is also the end of the film series, was very suitable. It portrayed a vision of the future, and summed up the triumph and hope that resonated throughout “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II”.

Tell me, what did you think of the last Harry Potter movie?

Tico concursa (e impresiona) en America's Got Talent



Crédito fotográfico:
Rodolfo Araiza
para mauricioherrera.com



Mauricio Herrera, quien fue criado en Costa Rica, participó en el programa "America's Got Talent" (América tiene talento). Este show de talentos estadounidense lleva 6 temporadas al aire, y es propiedad en parte de un programa similar iniciado en Gran Bretania.

Este show lleva a sus concursantes a Las Vegas, donde televidentes de Estados Unidos votan por su talento favorito. El ganador se lleva nada menos que 1 millón de dólares y su propio show de entretenimiento en vivo en esta ciudad conocida como Capital Mundial del Entretenimiento.

Los jueces actuales de este programa son el comediante y actor, Howie Mandel; la promotora, esposa y manager del cantante Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne; junto con el periodista y presentador de televisión, Piers Morgan. El presentador es Nick Cannon, actor y rapero, quien está casado con la estrella musical Mariah Carey.

Según Wikipedia, el joven tiene 30 años y nació en el estado de California, Estados Unidos. A pesar de haber nacido en el extranjero, Mauricio indica en su página web que sus padres decidieron trasladar a la familia de regreso a suelo tico, donde la carrera del artista fue impulsada. Ha tenido presentaciones musicales en Miss Costa Rica Juvenil, Miss Teen Internacional y en la Teletón.

Mauricio audicionó para America's Got Talent interpretando y bailando la canción "Vive la vida loca" de Ricky Martin. A pesar de que el juez Morgan no estuvo de acuerdo, Mauricio Herrera pasó a la siguiente ronda gracias a los otros dos jueces de la competencia. Esto significó que Mauricio viajaría a Hollywood a demostrarle a los jueces y a la audiencia estadounidense que vale la pena dejarlo continuar en rumbo hacia la fama.

Él fue a Hollywood y continuó impresionando, hasta llegar a cuartos de final, cuando fue eliminado por falta de votos del público. Sin embargo, no permitió que eso le quitara sus ánimos, cuando escribió en su Twitter el siguiente mensaje: “¡Buenas noches a todos! ¡Son lo máximo! Aunque parezca un Mal Día, no lo es… Estoy en casa y ya voy acostarme, ESO es una bendición” *

* Mensaje original en inglés: “GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY!!! You ROCK!!! Even though it seems like a Bad Day, It isn't..I'm home and Just about to go to Bed, THAT'S a BLESSING:)”

Pueden conocer más de Mauricio Herrera visitando su página en Internet: AQUI

Para saber qué otros talentos han surgido en "America's Got Talent", pueden verlo ustedes mismos los miércoles de 7-9pm por el canal estadounidense NBC o visitando su página AQUI

Butterbeer

If you are a Harry Potter fan, have seen the movies, or read the books, you completely understand the title of this entry.

But for those of you who are not familiar with the term, don’t worry, I’m here to help ;-)

From all the strange foods named in the Harry Potter books, probably some of the most famous are the Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, chocolate frogs, pumpkin juice, and butterbeer.

Butterbeer is the beverage to have at the fictional pubs in the wizard world, said to inebriate and warms one right up. However thanks to the dear old Internet, I read a way you and your family can enjoy it!

Although I like to try recipes first, this one I haven’t been able to try yet but I couldn’t wait to share it with you! I’ve been told it takes very sweet and somewhat like butterscotch.

Recipe for Butterbeer (adapted from Fox News)

• 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 6 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
• ¾ cup heavy cream, divided
• ½ teaspoon rum extract
• Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda

1)      In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar and water.

2)      Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240°F on a candy thermometer.

3)      Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar, and ¼ heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

4)      Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.

5)      In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining ½ cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.

6)      To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses (about ¼ cup for each glass). Add ¼ cup of cream soda to each glass, and then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each.

Will you try to make your own Butterbeer?

By the way, I'll be seeing the new Harry Potter film soon! Have you seen it? What did you think? I'll share my thoughts soon... Stay tuned ;-)