Just a few thoughts on last nights Oscar telecast. (Also, as the cookies show, was rooting for The Theory of Everything and Selma throughout the night.)

Best Dressed Ladies: Reese Witherspoon, Anna Farris, Gwyneth Paltrow, Margot Robbie, Anna Kendrick (when she presented) and Benedict Cumberbatch's wife - love her red (maternity) dress.

Best Dressed Men: the Brits win it - Eddie Redmayne (that's how you wear a blue tux) and Benedict Cumberbatch (white dinner jackets are so fab). Buuut, I also loved Neil Patrick Harris's red tux jacket, and Ben Affleck was looking pretty good. (But I have a soft spot for him; not really sure why.....)

Moving on:

Neil Patrick Harris is an awesome singer. (Was he just a bit flat though, at the very beginning?)
I liked the "Whitherspoon" pun. I actually liked all of the pun jokes. It could be because that's the humor of my childhood.
Love the hotel backdrop and bellhops. Subliminal messaging that The Grand Budapest Hotel is going to win best picture?
I feel like I know Dakota Johnson. I think it's her eyes; they are very familiar.
The speech by the director of Ida, Pawet Pawlikowski, who won for Best Foreign Language Film, was great, discussing place and time and where he was in contrast to the movie. And then it went on and then - wait, did they stop playing the music because he kept talking? I didn't know they did that? Did they start again? OMG, he's still talking. LOL. It was awesome.
Next years Oscars host: Andy Samberg.
Jared Leto's eyes match his suit. Jared Leto's suit matches his eyes.
I want Laura Dern's haircut.
The In Memoriam artwork of each actor was so beautiful.
I could listen to John Legend sing Glory everyday. It's such a powerful and moving song. And he's such a spectacular singer.
Wow, Lady Gaga, that was awesome.
A few words you never thought you would hear Dame Julie Andrews say, "Dear Lady Gaga..."
Have the Oscar's ever ended on time?
OMG! Eddie Redmayne is so so so wonderful. Such genuine surprise. So great. Awesome movie, awesome performance. So thrilled.
#alright.
Hm. Birdman. Interesting.

Keeping going to the moving pictures!

JV and I spent Valentine's - President's Day Weekend with a quick getaway to Philadelphia. Below are 15 photos from our weekend, and quick list of what kept us busy. We enjoyed our quick tour of the city despite the bitter, bitter cold; we could only enjoy everything inside, and had to train and taxi it everywhere, not getting to walk the city at all. We hope to visit again when it is warmer - it's a great little city.

Saturday: A couple of hours at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (the older of the two buildings is beautiful), walkthrough of Reading Terminal Market (Beiler's Donuts are the bomb), a quick warm up at Le Meridien (our hotel), Steve's King of Steaks (for a cheap, crazy dinner) and drinks at Hop Sing Laundromat (the doorman was a trip, right out of Lilyhammer, as JV put it.)

Sunday: FREEZING COLD walk to the Washington Square West neighborhood for brunch at Grace's Trading Company (tomatillo Bloody Mary with mozzarrella was the menu hook, but a great brunch deal and awesome service), the train to tour the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and Indepence Visitor Center (all free; we skipped the new Constitution Center because it's not and a bit pricey, if you're down to just a couple of hours) FREEZING COLD walk to Rittenhouse Square's La Columbe (the original, and the best coffee) then back to the hotel to warm up and rest a bit (the EXTREMELY cold is exhausting), and late dinner at Il Pittore (modern take on Northern Italian Cuisine - so so so good.)

Monday: Hotel checkout, breakfast at Sabrina's Cafe & Spencer's Too (long wait, good breakfast), a few hours at the Barnes Foundation (incredible collection of art: Matisse, Renior, Cezanne, Picasso, and so much more), quick shopping stop in South Philly's Italian Market shops on our way home (with ravioli, gnocchi, cheese, and meat all in tow.)

Oh, Oscar

Fifteen Photos From Philadelphia