Speaking of small indulgences, the holidays are upon us! It’s okay if you just have one, right? My favorite indulgence is sugar cookies… yum!! Some of my other favorite holiday treats are “Holiday Pecans”, page 514 of Nourishing Traditions, “Mulled Cider” on page 33 and “Egg Nog in Quantity” on page 50 of Joy of Cooking (complete with funny quote from Mark Twain)… and of course snuggly sweet romantic comedies. Just the thing when I need my hands free so I can crochet my Christmas gifts!
Here are some of the best to snuggle up with:
Return to Me (2000)~Sounds like a really dramatic tearful movie, but it’s actually pretty light. A man falls in love with a woman who has his dead wife’s heart. That’s the short story. The long story is really well done. Starring Minnie Driver and David Duchovny and directed by Bonnie Hunt.
It Happened One Night (1934)~This is a cute older film directed by Frank Capra about a reporter (played by Clark Gable) and a run-away heiress (Claudette Colbert) who get stranded together and have an adventure.
Moonstruck (1987)~A woman (played by Cher) falls in love with her fiance’s brother in this wonderful moonlit romance directed by Norman Jewison. The side family characters are endearing too. This is one of the few movies I really like Nicolas Cage in.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)~A fun film directed by Donald Petrie starring Kate Hudson & Matthew McConaughey. A writer for a women’s magazine does a study on tried-and-true ways women get themselves dumped. The guy in the story also places a bet on the writer and they can’t get rid of each other.
Mon Meilleur Ami (My Best Friend) (2006)~Not really a romance, but sort of that same spirit. It’s a really sweet (and funny) french film about a “tough guy” who wants to make a friend. Directed by Patrice Leconte starring Daniel Auteuil and Dany Boon.
Ratatouille (2007)~An animated film directed by Brad Bird & Jan Pinkava about a rat who befriends a young man needing help with life and love. Cute and cuddly!
Elizabethtown (2005)~A suicidal man (played by Orlando Bloom) on a planeride to Kentucky for his father’s funeral meets a happy-go-lucky flight attendant (Kirsten Dunst) who helps him recover. Directed by Cameron Crowe.
You’ve Got Mail (1998)~Directed by Nora Ephron. A really fun movie starring Meg Ryan & Tom Hanks about two people who fall in love on the internet but who are enemies in “real life”. Sometimes people question why you would want to see a remake of a really great film. This is a perfect example of why you might enjoy both. The original The Shop Around the Corner (1940) has a similar plot line, but so very different! It’s charming and has a sweeter flavor. Directed by Ernst Lubitch and starring Margaret Sullavan & James Stewart.
Snuggle up! Winter is upon us!
Jesse Lee Harmon is the bookkeeper/library assistant at the Oliver Wolcott Library and enjoys playing guitar and singing her songs, cooking, crocheting & a hot cup of mulled cider.
