Erin Nichols

The New York Times is sending political reporter Jim Rutenberg to cover the Hamptons all summer. Rich people vacation spots are, uh, important.

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We’ve been eagerly awaiting the next film from the writer/director of Love Actually, Richard Curtis. Details in In Time have been scant but today we finally have a full trailer that details what it’s all about.

And it looks brilliant!

Here’s the full synopsis:

At the age of 21, Tim is told an incredible family secret by his father: all the men in his family have the ability to relive their past. He can revisit any moment in his life to try things differently until he gets them perfectly right.

He decides to use his special new gift to win the heart of the beautiful Mary, but finds that the course of true love can be hilariously difficult — even with the ability to try, try and try again. And even when everything seems to be going well, an unfortunate twist in time means that he never met Mary at all… While his unique gift might just help him find true love, Tim discovers that it can’t save him from the ups and downs that life brings to everyone. In the end, he finds that making the most of love and life will mean giving up the past and living for the moment.

Richard Curtis is the writer of TV shows such as Not the Nine O’Clock News, Blackadder, Mr Bean and The Vicar of Dibley. His movies include Four Weddings and a Funeral; Notting Hill; Bridget Jones’s Diary; and Love Actually and The Boat That Rocked, which he also directed. Most recently, he co-wrote the screenplay for War Horse.

About Time opens in September in the UK and in the USA in November.

The post About Time: First Trailer Released for Richard Curtis’s Next Film! appeared first on Anglotopia.net.

Looking to capitalize on Downton Abbey mania, PBS has commissioned a multi-generational American drama with all the hallmarks of the hit British drama — an arranged marriage, class conflict, sweeping vistas and history. Leave it to the New York Post to call it Downton Abbey…with flava.

The PBS pilot, which carries the working title “Alta California”, will be set in 1800s California and revolves around merging family fortunes, one rich Mexican, the other European American. Those themes include class conflict and history as well as great landscapes. “Alta California” will tell the story of an arranged union between two families – one Mexican-Californian and the other European-American.

The proposed series is to be created by Dennis T. Leoni, whose series “Resurrection Blvd” tells the story of three generations of boxers within the East Los Angeles Santiago family. It aired for three seasons on Showtime making it the longest-running Latino dramatic series in the history of American television and starred Tony Plana and Nicholas Gonzalez.

More news throughout the week as Tellyspotting files reports from the PBS Annual Meeting in Miami. Lots of upcoming Masterpiece programming news for 2013-2014 including, hopefully, a hint at possible broadcast plans for Sherlock 3, Downton Abbey 4, Mr. Selfridge 2 and Call the Midwife 3. Stay tuned…..

Did you ever notice that Riker from Star Trek The Next Generation sits down like a complete lunatic? Be warned, once seen, it can never be unseen.

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We've been dying to share a first glimpse of Gravity with you ever since we saw this intense footage at CinemaCon. It's visually stunning, and absolutely terrifying. Cuarón directed Children of Men, so you can expect great things from this movie.

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A behind-the-scenes look of the U.S. adaptation of Gavin and Stacey. (FOX)

Before you get your knickers in a bunch over one of your favorite British shows being remade in the U.S., let us point out that Gavin and Stacey creators James Corden and Ruth Jones, along with Steve Coogan, are executive producing the pilot for Fox.

The original show detailed the relationship between Gavin, who lived in Essex, England, and Stacey, who is from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. They had a long distance phone relationship before even meeting in person.

The show has been renamed Us and Them and will star Jason Ritter (Parenthood) and Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls), reports Radio Times. The show’s new title is referring to the dynamic between the young couple and their well-meaning, but nosey, friends and family. In an attempt to embrace that “from different sides of the track” feel, the U.S. script presents Ritter as a city guy and Bledel as his small town girlfriend.

The series is a collaboration between BBC Worldwide and Sony Pictures Television. Corden and Jones will be nearby and keeping an eye on the full 13-episode series.

Haven’t seen Gavin and Stacey? You’re missing out! You can watch all three series on iTunes, here.

You can get sped up with the trailer, here.

Here is a clip from the first episode, introducing the characters, who are exactly that, a bunch of characters. Gavin (Matthew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page) meet for the first time with their best mates Smithy (Corden) and Ness (Jones) in tow:

What do you think of the U.S. casting?

The human palate is arguably the weakest of the five traditional senses. This begs an important question regarding wine tasting: is it bullshit, or is it complete and utter bullshit?

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Spring and Easter should be times of celebration, not disaster. But if you don’t keep your feline friends away from -- and I mean let them nowhere near -- Easter Lilies, the season could mean death or irreparable physical harm to your cat.

I learned this lesson firsthand with my Little Yellow. He was about a year old when I brought my summer plants inside for the fall. Many could survive inside if they were out of the snow.

The plants came in off the deck into an inside enclosed, unheated area, away from the cats, who didn’t have roaming access to this area.

It was a beautiful fall day. The temperatures were up into the 70s, and that’s quite unusual for October in rural New England. I decided to open up the doors and let some fresh air inside the house while I straightened up and did that overdue housework.

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White Easter lily by Shutterstock.

I was quite engrossed in cleaning when all of a sudden I spotted Little Yellow, up on the table, nibbling on the very few lily leaves. I’d mistakenly left the door ajar, and he had snuck in. I was horrified, yelling at him to get away. He begrudgingly leaped down to the floor. The minute I turned my back, he was back at the plant, only this time, it looked like he was nibbling on the leaves. I immediately grabbed him and locked him in the living room.

I did know lilies could be toxic to cats. I was concerned. I was pacing and walking in circles. Had he just sniffed the lily? There really wasn’t any evidence of teeth marks. But one little nibble could be bad news.

He wasn’t acting like his playful self. Was he scared because I had yelled at him? Was he scared because I had reacted with haste to get him away from that plant? Or was it something more?

I immediately grabbed the phone book to get my vet’s number. It was Saturday, and I knew they’d be closed. The emergency pet clinic’s number -- some 70 miles away -- was on their machine. I called and took down the number.

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Tiger lily by Shutterstock.

Yellow was huddled in the corner. He was quiet, lethargic. Cats don’t have very long memories. It seemed very abnormal for him to just lay there. Was he trying to tell me something?

It wouldn’t be right not to do the best by him. I called the emergency clinic. They said, “A lily -- bring him in as soon as possible.”

I packed Little Yellow into a cat carrier and placed him on the passenger seat where I could keep a close eye on him. We began our 70-mile journey. It would take close to an hour and a half. I couldn’t get there fast enough.

Little Yellow was scared. He began crying with little meows. They grew louder till they became almost screams. I tried to comfort him, but he’d have no part of it. Then he started to hyperventilate. Saliva was coming from his little mouth. Was he having a kitty anxiety attack, or was this the effects from the lily? I pushed on the accelerator a bit harder. I had to travel as fast as I dared on these winding country roads. All the while, I had an eye on Little Yellow.

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Little Yellow offers himself as a cautionary tale -- see where his front leg was shaved for an IV.

The trip seemed endless. I had lost two cats -- one from old age and kidney problems, the other to FIP -- over the past two years. I could not bear to lose another.

At the clinic, I could hardly think. I rushed in with Little Yellow and a debit card in hand. They were expecting us.

His vital signs were good, but they wanted to run some blood tests just to make sure. I retreated to the waiting area. It seemed like hours before I heard my name.

The vet: I’ve got good and bad news for you. It appears that Little Yellow is stable and has no outward signs of kidney failure. However, there are some antibodies in the blood that indicate otherwise. We’d like to put on intravenous fluids and keep him here overnight.

Yellow looked very fragile. His little arm had been shaven from his paw to his elbow. There was a big bandage on it. They put in the IV and started the drip.

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Little Yellow seemed comforted by my presence. I really hated to leave him. I didn’t want to leave, but I had to be back by 7 a.m. sharp the next day, to pick him up and take him to his regular vet the next morning.

I went to the car, feeling lost. How could I have let him get into that room near that deadly plant? Why didn’t I just trash it? Will he be OK? Will he have long lasting effects from this?

At 9 p.m., I called to find he was resting comfortably. I didn’t sleep well. I had to be on the road by 5 to guarantee I’d be on time. They are only open when the regular vet’s offices are closed -- nights and weekends.

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No more lilies!

My Little Yellow seemed glad to see me. My regular vet kept him for observation for 24 hours.

It was a long 24 hours, but at least I knew he wasn’t going to die -- at least not that day. But if I hadn’t taken him to the emergency clinic, he could have gone toxic, even with a tiny nibble of a lily leaf. The fluids helped flush his system. If that hadn’t happened, who knows what could have happened.

Little Yellow has doubled in size and become a gorgeous Silver Maine Coon mix. He is a Velcro cat, perhaps because of his brush with death.

Read more about cats and toxic plants and foods:

• Take It from a Vet: Lilies Are Toxic to Cats
• Quick-Thinking Caretaker Saves a Cat Who Ate an Easter Lily
• Plants and Foods that are Poisonous to Cats
• 6 Everyday Foods that Are Toxic to Cats
• How to Decorate Your Place With Plants Without Killing Your Cat

Got a Cathouse Confessional to share?

We're looking for purrsonal stories from our readers about life with their cats. E-mail confess@catster.com, and you might become a published Catster Magazine author!

This new footage from Brian K. Vaughan's Under The Dome looks good — it looks really good. Especially the cow part.

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Guccifer has struck again. After hacking Candace Bushnell, the author who created Sex and the City, the conspiracy-loving hacker tweeted, from her official account, the first 50 pages of Bushnell's new novel—and then screenshots of her frantic emails trying to take the book down.

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Here's the full list of new Netflix DVD releases this week (detailed list): The Impossible, Pawn, To the Arctic, Cold Prey 2, Wuthering Heights, Assassins Run, Parental Guidance, Family Weekend, Any Day Now, Pegasus vs. Chimera, K-11, The Central Park Five, and Happy People: A Year in the Taiga.

Interesting streaming releases include Netflix's Hemlock Grove, Dark Matters: Twisted but True, Safe, Copper Season 1, House of Bodies, Paranorman, Continuum, Kitchen Nightmares (U.S.) Seasons 1 & 2, Tom Green: Live, Top of the Lake, , Mr. Bean's Holiday, and Drop Dead Fred.

Violet and Daisy stars Alexis Bledel and Saoirse Ronan as two big-city gals just trying to make some extra money. By waiting tables, you ask? No, of course not — what a banal question. They kill people for money, people like James Gandolfini, a mysterious mark who might also be a therapist. He at least asks therapist-like questions and sits in a fancy leather therapist chair. Violet and Daisy really don’t know what to make of him, and their sudden reluctance to pull the literal trigger is what this odd-looking movie is all about.

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Single people, but especially women, are expected to be in a constant state of partner-search, with all other forms of personal fulfillment considered second best to finding a lifelong mate.

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When you have a breakout hit, I can only imagine that there will be immense pressure on the follow-up. The trailer for Kristen Wiig's follow-up to Bridesmaids might be a look into her future, but from the looks of it I think she's safe from the old sophomore slump.

In Girl Most Likely, Kristen's character is a playwright that goes from the "next big thing" to "last year's news" in quick... Read More

Please keep bringing me your soft furry babies that I may pet them.

"I'm just learning how sensitive people are, and sometimes they think that if you're doing something different, then you're judging them."

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Ah, 1999.

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Feeling science-savvy? Take Pew Research Center’s 13 question Science and Technology Knowledge Quiz and see where you stand against a representative sampling of Americans.

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Welp, they’ve done it again. My amazing friends Bill & Hayley, of The Food Lover’s Kitchen and “Make It Paleo” fame, have created another unbelievable masterpiece that will for sure be an absolute must-have in every Paleo chef’s kitchen from here on out. These two don’t miss a thing, and have made all  of our lives easier for when we want to entertain while still keeping things paleo. Personally I LOVE cooking for my friends, and would do it every day of the week if I could. But I know that for some people, cooking for others is super stressful, especially when trying to stick to whole foods or accommodating food allergies and sensitivities.

This book is broken down into the four seasons and each has upwards of 25 recipes! Within each season they have designed some of the most creative, complete entertaining menus you will ever find. From simple and fun, friendly gatherings like “Takeout Fake-out” and “Birthday Celebration,” to more elaborate festivities like “A Night in Tuscany” and “Thanksgiving Feast,” you won’t have any trouble finding the perfect plan for your next get-together.

I really love how Bill & Hayley even included a “Shopping and Preparation” section for each gathering. They give advice on creating the perfect ambiance to match the theme of the menu, plus how to plan out shopping for supplies and what dishes can be made ahead of time so you can spend more time hanging out with your guests (instead of stressing out in the kitchen while everyone else is having fun).

My favorite menu plan is the Takeout Fake-out. In my former fat kid pre-paleo days, I was a pretty big fan of Chinese food (mainly because I never cooked for myself and we all know how addictive and delicious that stuff is… MSG, yum!).  So when I saw a recipe for “General Tso’s Chicken,” I may or may not have freaked out a little and immediately ran to the kitchen to try it out. Well we all know how this story ends: the flavors are seriously spot-on and I was so pumped that the “breading” was thick and flavorful just like I’d hoped it would be. Follow the recipe directions people and The Food Lover’s Kitchen won’t steer you wrong!  I was so excited about writing about this book, I forgot to mention where you can buy it.  Have no fear, you can click on any of the photos which will link you to the book, or you can click right HERE.

Just in case I was not clear enough above, of the fact that you  MUST buy this book right now, I will leave you with another one of their AMAZING recipes from their Book.  A gorgeous Pizza Margherita.

Recipe Taken from the new amazing book Gather: The art of Paleo Entertaining.  You can get it HERE.

4.5 from 79 reviews

Pizza Margherita

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 cup arrowroot flour
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 eggs

Sauce

• 14 ounces crushed, fire-roasted tomatoes
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 2 tablespoons finely minced onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

• 1/2 cup buffalo mozzarella
• 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
• 10 basil leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 Celsius)
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine your almond flour, arrowroot flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, marjoram, garlic powder, onion powder, coconut oil, and eggs
3. Mix thoroughly until a dough forms
4. Roll the dough into a ball, and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet
5. Flatten the dough to a consistent thickness of 1/4-inch, forming it into a rectangle or circle
6. Bake the dough for 20 minutes or until it becomes a firm crust
7. While the crust is baking, make the sauce
8. In a medium saucepan, heat the fire-roasted tomatoes and tomato paste over medium heat
9. Add the pressed garlic, minced onion, oregano, basil, salt and pepper
10. Stir to combine, and let the sauce simmer while the crust is cooking
11. When the crust is done, smooth a small portion of the sauce on the pizza, using more of less depending on your preference
12. Less sauce will yield a more crispy pizza, and more sauce will yield a softer pizza. Be careful, however, as too much sauce will make it impossible to pick up the pieces
13. Add the mozzarella, tomato, and basil toppings on top of the sauce and bake the pizza for an additional 20 minutes
14. Turn up the heat to 400 degrees fahrenheit (205 Celsius) after 20 minutes, and cook for a final 5 minutes

3.2.1753

***Disclosure: If you purchase any of the products linked in this post or products through the links on the right side of my page, I receive a small percentage from the respected affiliate programs***

The great actress Meryl Streep will narrate the first ever audiobook edition of Heartburn, a novel by the late Nora Ephron.

Random House Audio will release the audiobook in July 2013 as “a digital download exclusive.” Streep and Ephron were friends, and Streep starred in an adaptation of Heartburn in 1986. Here’s more from the release:

Additionally Random House Audio will be releasing digital download exclusives of Ephron’s magazine articles and essay collections, Wallflower at the Orgy, Crazy Salad and Scribble Scribble. Casting for the narrators of these three titles, also available in summer 2013, is underway. Heartburn is Ephron’s sidesplitting novel about the breakup of the perfect marriage.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

So I wish I could take credit for this genius and delicious recipe, but this was all Russ from The Domestic Man.  I didn’t make it exactly like he wrote, but if you know me you know that I had to add bacon.  Plus I do not use heavy cream so I substituted coconut milk which you will read about below.  Outside of that, the extremely talented Russ was the main man.  This recipe that I had to try actually came at the perfect time.  Why you ask?  Because unfortunately I was not nominated for the Saveur awards this year, BUT RUSS WAS!!!!  So guess what I want you to do?  Come on, you know me well enough by now.  So please take a minute and go vote for The Domestic Man HERE.

Just in case you didn’t go vote yet like I asked in my last sentence, here is another chance for you.  Every vote counts and the more exposure we can get for the Paleo/Primal community the better we can reach the mainstream.  We need to enable people to take control of their health and provide them all the options possible when they get here.  If you are confused on the voting process, Russ also wrote a brief blog post on the fastest way to get your vote in which you can read HERE.  Or if you are like me, and just want to go click through and figure it out, click that picture below this line.  Thank you so much for taking the time to make a difference and help Russ get recognized.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Bacon Beef Ravioli

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 package Cappello’s fresh lasagna sheets (12oz)
• 3 cups (24oz) organic pasta sauce
• 1/2 onion, blended
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound grass-fed ground beef
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (thick part from top of can)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
• 6 slices bacon

Instructions

1. You are going to follow the instructions for this recipe over at The Domestic Man which is where I got it from with a few modifications.
2. You need to cook your bacon until it is crispy. I do this in a 375 degree oven on a aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, flip the bacon and then remove once it is crispy
3. Once your bacon cools, dice it up into fresh bacon bits and set aside
4. When you are cooking your beef, add the coconut milk instead of heavy cream
5. When you get to the step in the recipe to stuff the ravioli, add your bacon to the beef mixture to go in your ravioli and then add the remaining bacon to your sauce with the extra beef
6. Enjoy the rest of the recipe as is

3.2.1753

 ***Disclosure: If you purchase any of the products linked in this post or products through the links on the right side of my page, I receive a small percentage from the respected affiliate programs***

Although it does appear that I have a high maitenence-looking beauty style, over the past 15 years, I've managed to figure out ways to get ready quickly when I need to.

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