Getting Ready for the Oscars

Matt & I have a busy weekend planned and I am looking forward to it! Melvy & Jeanne (Matt's dad & step-mom) are coming to the D for a little visit. Jeanne hasn't seen the house yet, so we are looking forward to showing it off. We will probably find something delicious to eat downtown - maybe Xochi's? And then we are going to the DFT on Saturday evening to see "Harvard Beats Yale 29-29" (listen to the interview on Fresh Air).

On Sunday, we are having a little Oscar party at our place with a group of friends that I have dubbed our "Dinner Club." For the past several months, we have been taking turns hosting dinner on a Sunday night. It is always an occassion for good food and lots of laughter. Two of my most favorite things! Anyhow, I think we are going to make the most delicious mac&cheese recipe that I know of. Always a hit!

But I was thinking that it would be fun to have food to go along with the Best Picture nominations. I don't know if we will actually be able to pull off something for all 5 movies. The mac&cheese will work for Milk, right? I mean - it does have 5 1/2 cups of milk in it. And I think we can pull off something for Slumdog Millionaire - maybe samosas or naan. I haven't seen Benjamin Button, The Reader or Frost/Nixon ... so I am not as motivated. But I did find an article with some cute recipes to go along with these films.

Even though I haven't seen as many movies as I had hoped to (again), here are my Oscar picks:

• Best Picture & Best Song & Best Score & Directing & Editing & Screenplay & Sound Mixing & Sound Editing & Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire (yeah, I loved it!)
• Short (Animated): undecided ... maybe Lavatory Lovestory or Oktpodi
• Short (Live Action): Manon on the Asphalt (but I also liked The Pig quite a bit)
• Actor in a Leading Role: Mickey Rourke
• Actor in a Supporting Role: Heath Ledger
• Actress in a Leading Role: Kate Winslet