Reel Review: Shouting Fire

Tonight I went to the screening of the upcoming HBO documentary Shouting Fire: Stories from the Edge of Free Speech. Held at Atlanta's Woodruff Arts Center, the screening was a combined event put on by HBO, PRSA of Georgia and the Atlanta Press Club. Who better to talk about free speech than those who write and tell stories every day?

The documentary was eye-opening and frustrating, poetic and inspiring. The struggle for freedom of speech today is just as much of a struggle as it was during each major social movement in America's history. The case studies that were highlighted in this film really brought to light the question, "Does America even have true freedom of speech?" Or, is that freedom only reserved for certain groups? The film will stretch your own thoughts about free speech, so I encourage you to watch the premiere this coming Monday, June 29 at 9 p.m./8C on HBO.

Please watch the film and share your thoughts here. For now, I'll leave you with some quotes from the film that struck me:

"Defending free speech equals defending the speech of people you hate."
"If it comes at a price, it is not free." - Ward Churchill

One Love

I'm loving Playing for Change more and more as I learn about the movement. Here's their rendition of "One Love," featuring my favorite, Keb' Mo. This song is special to me, as our honeymoon was in Jamaica!

Reflections on Color

I really want these curtains. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about decorating our apartment, and I've basically settled on the following color combination, which I uploaded using Behr's Color Smart Lab:



It might not be perfect, but at least it gives me an idea on how to work with our dark sofa, black furniture and add some of the yellows I'm loving now! It's still hard to imagine spending much money on decor while we still live in an apartment - with each new apartment, you never know if everything will mesh as well. However, I do think it is important to have a vision of what you want before you ever begin shopping, to avoid impulse purchases. My hope is to have one fabulous piece in each room - whether a piece of art or a great piece of furniture - and mix together old favorites, new staples and great finds from local markets and antique stores.

Anyway, that's my plan. For now, just the curtains, please.

Mansion Dreams and an Anniversary

Hubby surprised me with a fabulous first anniversary gift - a "staycation" at one of Atlanta's newest hotels, The Mansion on Peachtree in Buckhead. I was thrilled to have a night "away," but the hotel was beyond expectation. The service spectacular, to the point where hubby and I felt like we were actually VIP guests, not local newlyweds! (We even think we saw a celeb/athlete/musician leaving the hotel the next morning!) Beyond service, the hotel itself was gorgeous. The architecture and decor were modern but comfortable - with serious taste. I wish I had taken my own camera, but for now, the Web site photos will have to do:




We also did manage to remember our wedding cake, which had been stored in the freezer since May 17 of last year. The white chocolate shavings still tasted great, but the cake itself? Let's just say I hope we can get another one soon!

With a glass of champagne, we toasted the year behind us and the year ahead. Can't wait to see what adventures Year 2 will hold...