Julie and Julia. Blogging and Cooking and Following One's Dreams

It's 2 a.m. and I should be sleeping.  We leave on vacation tomorrow.  My alarm is set for 6 a.m., but here I am, just finishing a movie and wanting to talk about it.

"Julie and Julia" is one of my favorite movies of all time.  The first time I saw it, I watched it again a few hours later.  Then, as now, I weep as I watch.  Why?  It is not a sad movie, really, but one of following the muse in one's life and discovering oneself along the way.

I love the food aspect, and the relationships between the women and their men.  I love the way Julia interacts so zanily with her sister.  I love the way the movie goes back and forth in time.  I love Meryl Streep.  This movie inspired me to blog.

My darling brother and his wife got me the DVD for my birthday last month, by my request.  Tonight I was sorting through clothes, deciding what to take and stuff and popped the movie in.  I decided I was finished packing for the night and lay down on the bed, covering myself with my adored down throw blanket with the snowmen on it and settled in for another viewing of this beloved movie.

I have not run out to buy a copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, but I have to say that I know it will cross my path and when it does, it will be mine.  I had sworn off acquiring new cookbooks because, though I have pared down, I own too many still.  They sit and occasionally help me out with an answer to a question like how long to cook brown jasmine rice, but for the most part, they just sit.  I have gotten into the habit of blowing the dust off the top of them each time I grab one off the shelf.  I do own The Joy of Cooking (which was a wedding present to us 19 years ago) but it has always intimidated me.  Once I saw the movie, I no longer felt guilty about not cooking more out of it, as the author is not flatteringly portrayed, although I must recommend the Beef Stroganoff recipe.  It's divine.

Julia was a mature woman when she "finally learned to cook".  I am almost 40.  What lies before me?  What passions lie inside, dormant, waiting quasi-patiently to emerge?  I do love to cook.  It is an act of passion and of love for me a lot of the time.  On other occasions, it is simply a duty so my family does not go to bed hungry.  This movie inspires me, however, to keep reaching and cooking and living life as an adventure. 

One of these days, I will attempt Julia's "Beef Bourguignon".  It sounds too delicious to pass up.  I can't wait until I pour the wine over the meat and the delicious steam envelopes me.  I don't know about boning a duck, however, or all those aspics. Probably not so much.  Anyway, gonna sign off, get a little sleep, then finish up that packing.

Bon Appétit!