I wish I could teleport to a warm, sunny beach this weekend. It’s been so gloomy here the past few days, the most I can be thankful for is that it hasn’t snowed.
It’s officially the kick-off to Oscars weekend! And while deep down I know most of this stuff is rigged (do a little research on the Weinstein Company and their Oscar campaigns), I still get caught up in the glamour and magic of it all. Like any other normal little girl I stood on my toilet and held a hairbrush, pretending that I just won an Oscar for my moving portrayal of an overweight girl who becomes a swan (and Brad Pitt’s wife). Truly moving, I know.
My dear friend Brittany hosts an Oscars party each year (her family in CA has a hardcore ballot contest and she brought a little of that fun to MD), so I’ve asked for her thoughts on the big awards on Sunday. Keep in mind, Brittany sees all the nominees every year.
Best Picture
Brittany’s Pick: Argo
This movie was definitely the best out of all of them – well put together, great cinematography, wonderful acting, great screenplay. It was the best all-around movie. I walked out of that movie in complete awe and with zero complaints (which is not normal for me). I will say, though, that this year of movies was a tough one. I was blown away by so many of the nominations, but this one came out on top.
Directing
Brittany’s Pick: Stephen Spielberg, Lincoln
Honestly, I’m still pretty pissed that Ben [Affleck] isn’t nominated. He definitely deserves it more than any of the other directors, and most of the other award shows have been agreeing with me However… of the ones that are nominated, I would have to go with Spielberg – though it was a toss-up between him and Russel, who did ‘Silver Linings Playbook.’ The only reason I went with Spielberg is because Lincoln really excelled in so many aspects of film-making: screenplay, acting, cinematography, etc. ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ excelled in pretty much just acting (and by excelled I mean was off the CHARTS in terms of ensemble) and screenplay. Although I think ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ was a better movie, ‘Lincoln’ was much more complicated in terms of directing and it was done beautifully.
Best Actor
Our Pick: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Best Actress
Our Pick: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Best Supporting Actor
Our Pick: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained (but I think Leo was slightly better)
Best Supporting Actress
Our Pick: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
- Nom Nom Paleo’s Roast Chicken with Gravy - By far my favorite meal we’ve made. Unfortunately I don’t have a picture, but trust me – you will put this gravy on everything. Two modifications we made: 1) sub in more chicken stock for the white wine to make it Whole30 compliant and 2) add carrots to the pot while cooking because it makes for a better, thicker gravy.
- Pork with Onion Jam – This was a close second. I’d eat that onion jam by itself for lunch, it was so good. Our fat of choice was Whole30 compliant coconut oil.
- Low Carb Crab Cakes - We made the red pepper sauce, but I skipped it in favor of a little homemade mayo on the side. I was a big fan of these, especially reheated the next day with a salad.
- Smoked Tuna Salad – Don’t judge a recipe by it’s cover. I know it sounds weird, but it really is the most delicious tuna I’ve ever eaten in my whole life. Making your own homemade mayo helps this recipe become Whole30 compliant (also, be sure to check the labels on your tuna to make sure they didn’t add any weird ingredients).
