Film « Chez Sasha

Oh hi there!

Allow me to preface this post by asking, how do you feel about my new layout? I happen to think it’s pretty dope, but I would, wouldn’t I, since it’s my blog…

Anyways, here are some things that I’m really fond of as of late:

Lucky Peach (Follow the link to purchase your copy)

Momofuku’s chef-owner David Chang, writer Peter Meehan and Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations‘ production team are behind this brand-new, quarterly food journal. So far I’m still on Issue One, ‘The Ramen Issue’, but I can already tell that this publication is, though painfully hipster, genius. It’s full of great stories and recipes from culinary big shots, like Wylie Dufresne for one. There are no annoying advertisements, just excellent writing and beautiful illustrations.

Like Crazy

I saw this movie when it first came out in theaters about a month ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it. It’s about an American boy (Anton Yelchin) and an English girl (Felicity Jones) who fall in love during their last year at a California university. They are forced to part due to visa issues, and their long-distance relationship of several years ensues. I know you’re thinking that this is just another teenage tear-jerker but it is so not. Their relationship is portrayed very realistically and the ending was, to me, surprising. And if the plot fails to impress you, the sheer cuteness of Yelchin and Jones – together and separately – is sure to keep your attention. Watch the trailer!

Biotin aka Hair Skin and Nails Vitamins

A few months ago, my hair began to fall out like mad and my hair stylist suggested I start taking these vitamins (about $4 at Duane Reade) to make it stop. Sure enough, after about a week of taking these, it stopped. My nails got stronger, too. And I’m not sure what it’s supposed to do for my skin but as far as I can tell, nothing’s changed. Maybe what’s happening is the classic placebo effect and there’s no way of knowing for sure. Either way, if you’re having problems with hair or nails, I highly suggest this as a treatment option.

And what are you currently obsessing over?

-French movies: I recently subscribed to Netflix (and am currently very angry at them for splitting Instant Play and mailed-in DVDs into two different services), so now each moment of my leisure is spent on the French cinema, old and new. If you are at least half the Francophile I am, check these out:

“Hors de Prix” (Priceless), a modern-day French take on “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” starring Audrey Tautou (you may remember how much I admire her from this post). It’s a cute, funny, light-hearted rom-com, and it shows some gorgeous views of the French Riviera.
“Paris” (2008), starring Romain Duris and Juliette Binoche (you may remember her from “Chocolat” with Johnny Depp), is a fantastic drama. It tells the stories of several Parisians and their very different lives, but centers around one, very wise and possibly terminally ill man. This movie is philosophical and deep, and shows the true (in my opinion) essence of Paris. I must admit, I cried like une petite chou chou at the end of this one. I highly recommend it!
I also decided to watch all of Jean-Luc Godard’s films. So far I’ve seen Le Mepris (Contempt), starring Brigitte Bardot…

damn, I’m a sucker for French women. This film was a bit hard to get into but paid off in the end. It documents the life of a suffering screenwriter and his physically flawless yet utterly miserable wife. It shows the downsides of love, marriage and ultimately patriarchy.

…and “A Bout de Souffle” (Breathless) – this one was more up my alley. It documents the adventures of a young criminal, Michel, who is on the run from the French police, and a young American girl with whom he is in love. The movie is mostly set in Paris. This film is critically acclaimed for its revolutionary cinematography – even if not for the story, I highly recommend it for this reason alone.

(The girl is played by the stunning Jean Seberg – an actual American)

-Black nail polish: even though most would say it’s more of a colder months color, I completely adore it year-round. I like its seriousness and the way it contrasts with my skin. I also like that if it’s chipped, it looks badass and kind of rock-and-roll as opposed to negligent. I’m currently using “Black Caviar” by Duri – it has a wide brush, goes on smoothly and has great staying power. -Prosciutto: I’ve never been a big fan of prosciutto – I enjoyed it in sauces but not really on its own. I was recently cooking something that required its addition and was left with quite a bit of it. I decided to give it another go and realized how incredible this product is. It’s salty, smoky, meaty… I’ve always vouched for bacon as my favorite pork product but I may have converted. I think it’s always worth it to buy the absolute best possible quality Prosciutto di Parma when it’s available, even if it costs extra.