Book Reviews 2017: Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman

**All reviews on Randomness With Rachel are done on a five-star rating system. The reviews are solely my opinion and no one else's. Randomness With Rachel does not receive any incentives or compensations for reviews.**

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson

Who doesn't love Audrey Hepburn? A friend gave me this book because Audrey is my favorite actress of all time and I adore the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. I've read Truman Capote's book, so I knew his Holly Golightly and the Holly Golightly of the movie were NOT the same. I also knew about all the other differences between the book and the movie. I did find some of the history about the creation of the book and the making of the movie fascinating. It was interesting to see who else they wanted to star in the movie.

Also (I don't think this is really a "spoiler" so I don't think I need to warn you), I was a little sad to hear that Audrey didn't really care for George Peppard (he wasn't a popular person on set with really anyone). It was interesting to hear how the movie could have been so different. The author talked about scenes that were cut or re-written. I wish the alternate ending was somewhere on film (the author said no one knows for sure if the film survived from the cutting room floor). Although in my opinion, I like the actual ending of the movie better. No, I won't tell you what the alternate ending was going to be, you have to read the book. :) 

I didn't realize that Audrey had as many miscarriages as she did. He doesn't go too much into detail about Audrey's personal life (sadly), but he does provide tidbits here and there. He did write a little bit about her slightly troubled marriage to Mel Ferrer.

At the end the author talks about why he wrote the book. Why do people love this movie? It got me wondering why I love it- my answer is because of Audrey. I don't think the movie would have worked with anyone else. Is it the best love story out there? No, not at all. But no matter what, I will always find time to watch it when I'm wanting to have an Audrey marathon.

Oh, at the end of the book after all of the author's notes and references, he talks about his personal conversation with actress Patricia Neal- well worth the read. She seems like she was a hoot! :)

I finished this book on September 15, so it goes towards my 40 by 40 challenge.

XOXO!

Happy 2017!

First of all, HAPPY 2017!! I hope your holidays and New Year were FANTASTIC! I know, I haven't posted in two months. Shame. On. Me. You have probably been wondering what I've been up to lately (okay, you probably couldn't care less, but humor me). I've just been so busy (so you can understand why I've been absent from the blogging world). I know, where are my priorities? Well, as you will see below, a lot of things were more important to me.

I have been hanging out with friends.

I went to San Antonio to see Billy Joel in concert. Shout out to my sweet friend Eric for taking me (it was my Christmas gift). We made the round trip in a day. San Antonio is about 4.5 hours from Dallas, so you can imagine, we got back like at 3:30am. Thanks to Eric for driving the whole trip as well!

I spent the holidays with my family.

My cousin Travis surprised my folks with a visit at Christmas. We hadn't seen him in eight years.  

I saw a handful of my nieces and nephews at Thanksgiving (no, this isn't all of them). Everyone takes a picture with Aunt Rachel (whether they want to or not). Lol.

I went to several Christmas parties.

My Sunday School class Christmas party

My friend invited some of his favorite co-workers (that would include me) to his church's Christmas party (which involves free steak). I won a door prize that included a free set of steak knives and a $100 gift card to a nice steak restaurant. Funny story: It was almost 80 degrees when I went to the party, so I didn't take a coat. A cold front hit during dinner, and it dropped to the 40s. I was quite cold when I left! 

I saw Breakfast At Tiffany's in the theater. Yes, I own it on DVD and have seen it 100 times (not an exaggeration), BUT, it was my first time to see Audrey Hepburn on the big screen. It was awesome!

I spent New Year's Eve with Stan Lee and a bunch of nerds/geeks (I say that lovingly). 

Stan Lee was super nice. He was so full of energy too. I hope I'm like that when I'm 94!

Maurice LaMarche and Rob Paulsen- better known as the voices of Pinky and the Brain (I'm standing by Rob- the voice of Pinky). Fun fact: When I worked for a newspaper, my nickname was Pinky. My friend was The Brain. We still call each other that to this day. When I got my picture signed, I told Rob that my nickname was Pinky, he signed it "From one Pinky to another". 

Peter Mayhew, better known as Chewbacca from Star Wars. Yes, he's tall. He's sitting down (and he's still almost taller than me).

I won an Emmy. Okay, I didn't. BUT, this is a real Emmy. It belongs to Mark Kistler. He's the host of a children's art program on PBS. He let me take a picture with it.

I would like to thank all my fans for making this possible....

I survived the great cold front of 2017. It dropped to temperatures my Texas body cannot handle. It was maybe 12 degrees at one point (all of you up north kindly stop laughing at me). HOW DO YOU PEOPLE LIVE LIKE THIS FOR MONTHS??

Okay, I am HOPEFULLY getting back to my What I'm Loving Wednesday post next week. Stay tuned!! :)

XOXO!

Book Review 2016: A Night In With Audrey Hepburn

**All reviews on Randomness With Rachel are done on a five-star rating system. The reviews are solely my opinion and on one else's. Randomness With Rachel does not receive any incentives or compensations for reviews.**

A Night In With Audrey Hepburn by Lucy Holliday

My wonderful niece-in-law Jennifer tagged me in a post about this book a few weeks ago on Instagram. I had never heard of it before then, but this is me whenever I see or hear anything about Audrey Hepburn.  

                                

I was intrigued. I immediately went online to see if it was available for check-out at the library near my house and I was sad to find out that NO branch of the Dallas Public Library carried it. After a search of local bookstores, I found a Barnes and Noble not TOO far from me that had the book in stock, so I "forced" myself to make a trip to buy a copy. I possibly bought two other books besides this one while I was there. I have no self-control in a bookstore.

First of all, this is a work of fiction. I don't want to lead people into believing this is some sort of biography of the great Audrey Hepburn by the title. This was a fun book to read, even if you AREN'T a die-hard fan of Audrey (like I am). The protagonist, Libby Lomax, in a kind-of-wannabe-actress who would rather spend her evenings at home watching Audrey Hepburn movies than be out socializing (I can relate to that-except being an actress part). When Libby goes through a life and career crisis, Audrey all of sudden appears next to her on the couch, ready to give her some much needed advice. What Audrey fan WOULDN'T like that?

I love how the author makes Audrey "come alive" in her writing. The stuff that Audrey says in the book is written in the style that Audrey would have said it. I could "hear" her voice in the dialogue. Libby is a likable character and next to Audrey Hepburn, I would say my favorite character is Libby's reliable best guy friend, Olly. I will admit to laughing out loud throughout the book, the characters are really great (even the ones you want to dislike).

This is a fast read (or at least it was for me) and is the perfect read for a weekend or vacation getaway. It's a simple plot (I don't mean that in a bad way, I just mean it was easy to follow). I will admit, it starts out a little slow, but it picks up quickly. I like the author's writing style.

This is book one of a trilogy, I look forward to reading Libby's further adventures with classic Hollywood movie stars (book two has Marilyn Monroe in it).

XOXO! 

It's OK!

It's OK...

...that I've had this song stuck in my head for the past week. No, I don't know why (I'm not even that big of a Carpenters fan). Lol.

...that I want to read this book SOLELY because of the title (actually the description sounds interesting). Thanks to my wonderful niece-in-law Jennifer for making me aware of this book!

...that I blocked Carter Blood Care from calling my phone. I understand that donating blood is important, but they are calling me every other day. I've already told them I'll donate during the next drive at my office (which happens quarterly). No need to keep calling. I'm O +, it's not like I have a rare type or anything.
...that this picture accurately describes my life. I will eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a week if that means I can buy a new book (or two...or three). :)

...that I'm sad there are only THREE new episodes left of The X-Files. It was just a special six-episode event, but gosh, it has made me miss this show. Why can't they just bring the series back? WHY?? 

...that I'm having a difficult time getting into the book Pride And Prejudice And Zombies. The zombies part is okay, I'm struggling with the part that Jane Austen ACTUALLY wrote. It's not my favorite style of writing (sorry Ms. Austen). 

I'm determine to finish this book before I see the movie (yes, I'm going to see the movie)

XOXO!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

With the holiday this week, I almost forgot it was already Wednesday! Glad I remembered at the last minute to do the link up! I hope you'll link up below and join us! :)

I'm loving...

That I got to dog-sit for my friend Chance last weekend. I took care of his sweet dog Dobby for four days (yes, he was named after THAT Dobby). :) We had so much fun, Aunt Rachel spoiled him rotten. I was so sad to see him go on Monday night. I'm pretty sure I took more pictures of him this weekend than my friend has in the whole time he's owned him. Everyone tells me I need to get a dog. Not sure I'm ready just yet, but I'm getting closer. :) Yes, lots of Dobby pictures today. Lol.

He was so excited when I got home from work on Friday

I let him watch TV with me in my bedroom for a while on Friday night (he was not allowed to sleep there. He had to go to his crate). He's a big fan of Dick Van Dyke as well! :) We watched episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show and Diagnosis Murder all weekend.

I took him on a car ride to Whataburger to get breakfast on Saturday (for me, not him). He went on walks at the dog park in my complex (he loved rolling in the grass) and got lots of belly rubs. He didn't like the stairs at my apartment, so I had to carry him up and down the stairs whenever we went out. On Saturday night, I started feeling bad and I think he could tell. He curled up next to me and then got down by my feet and rested his head on them. Such a sweet boy.

The look he gave me when I told him his dad was picking him up a day early. I think he wanted another day with Aunt Rachel! :)

I'm loving...

That so many people participated in "Back the Blue". Our local law enforcement need our support, I appreciate all they do in protecting and serving us. 

I wore blue on Friday to show my support

My complex is showing support with blue ribbons around all the trees

I'm loving...

That no matter which Half Price Books I go to, they somehow always have something Audrey Hepburn related right by the front door (I think it's a company policy). I went to a location I had never been to before and this was the first thing I saw:

If I owned a record player, I would have bought it. I almost did anyways, but I refrained

I'm loving...

That my sweet momma is doing better. I didn't mention it on my blog, but if you follow me on Twitter, you might remember a few weeks ago I asked for prayers and good thoughts for my mom. They thought she had a stroke, but it turns out she had a bad reaction to some pain medication. She is still moving slow and gets tired easily, but she is tons better. Thanks to everyone who has asked about her!

My sweet momma finally got some Blue Bell ice cream! :)

Also posting a picture of my sweet daddy (I can't post a picture of one and not the other). :)

I'm loving...

That my BFF Mandy and I are going to the Supernatural Convention in Houston next February. We are obsessed fans of the show. She lives in Austin, so I'm looking forward to being able to hang out with her, we rarely get alone BFF time these days!

BFFs!

What are you loving today? Even if you didn't do a post, feel free to leave a comment about what you are loving! :)

XOXO!

Beach Boys Concert!

I have said many times I was born in the wrong decade. Sometimes I think I'm a 60 year old trapped in a 29** year old body. I would rather watch reruns of The Dick Van Dyke Show or Leave It To Beaver on Netflix than Modern Family or New Girl (no disrespect to either show. I've never seen them so I couldn't tell you if they are good or not). In most cases, on a movie night I would rather watch something that starred Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Gregory Peck, or Audrey Hepburn. Or just about anything else that airs on the Turner Classic Movies channel. I would rather listen to a "Best of the 50s and 60s" Pandora station than "Today's Top Hits". I know, I'm just weird. Actually, I don't think I'm weird, I think I'm unique (which is just a fancy word for weird, but I'm going with it). I've been told MANY times I have an "old soul". I agree. 

**Okay, I'm not 29, let's move on!**

If you have been following my blog for a while, you already know this. I went to see Davy Jones (may he rest in peace) and David Cassidy back in 2010. If you missed that, you can check that post out here. Then in 2013 I went to see the (remaining) Monkees in concert (you can check out that post here). Both times I went with my college roommate Mel (who also love oldies music and is always willing to check out a concert of an "oldies" group). Last night we were able to go to The Beach Boys concert (oddly enough, at the same venue where we saw the other concerts).

We got to the Verizon Theater in Grand Prairie just as the front doors had opened, so we debated if we wanted to buy anything from the merchandise table (we passed- that time) and then found a bench to sit on (the main doors weren't open yet because the band was doing a sound check). While waiting for the doors to open, we found out that the Verizon Theater has a Mazda VIP suite for Mazda drivers (and their guests). I am a Mazda driver, so we took advantage of that. It was a nice suite complete with a "refreshment" area and even had seating in the arena portion if you wanted to stay there during the concert. Our seats were a tad bit closer to the stage, so we opted not to stay.

I love going to these concerts because the age range of the fans usually varies. We saw a lot of older men walking around in Hawaiian shirts, which was cool. There were a few people who looked younger than us, or maybe some about our age, but a good amount of the crowd had obviously been Beach Boys fans since the beginning. The concert was great. There were only two members of the original Beach Boys there (Mike Love and Bruce Johnston). There is a long, messy story about a "disagreement" that has torn the surviving members apart, but I'm too lazy to type about it (and honestly, most of you probably don't care, so why waste my time). :) Mike and Bruce were two of my favorites, so I was okay that they were the only ones there (for you Full House fans, you may remember their appearance here). The rest of the "new" Beach Boys band did a fantastic job as well. For a lot of the concert, there was a beach ball being thrown around the crowd. It was just a fun atmosphere. 

Before and during the concert

During intermission, I broke down and bought a tour shirt. After the concert Mel decided she wanted to buy a souvenir program so we went back to the merchandise table. I wasn't going to get one originally since I had already spent a good amount of money on a shirt, but I decided at the last second to buy one as well.

When Mel and I go to concerts at the Verizon Theater, we usually hang around the stage door to see if anyone is signing autographs. After the Monkees concert, there was a huge crowd by the stage door (sadly none of the group signed that night). We were kinda shocked that no one else was there after this concert. We stayed there a good 30-40 minutes, making small talk with the nice security guard. We eventually saw Bruce walk out and get on the bus. A few minutes later, the bus started backing up, so we figured we were out of luck. The bus had to drive by where we were standing and it stopped right in front of us. The security guard spoke to the bus driver and he said Bruce was willing to sign for us. **Thank you to the nice bus driver who had noticed us waiting and told Bruce, and he said he would stop.** Originally we were going to hand him our programs, but he was like, "it's cold out there and you aren't wearing jackets, come on in here." (Mom: Ignore that part about me not wearing a jacket. It was 80 degrees when we went inside the theater, I didn't realize it was going to cool off so much). Mike had left earlier, but we were able to meet Bruce. He was super nice and signed our programs and took pictures with us. He wanted to make sure he knew our names, and used them when he said bye. He thanked us for coming to the concert and we thanked him for stopping. Super cool moment.

I'm so glad that I decided last minute to get a program! :)

Yes, it was another adventure in my so-called exciting life. Thank you for letting me share!

XOXO!

The ABC's Of Me- Blog Challenge Day 2

Day 2: What is something that describes you from each letter of the alphabet?

A: A.D.D. Seriously, I have the attention span of a two year- ooh, what's that, something shiny!

B: Baseball. If you have read any other posts on my blog, I'm sure you are quite aware I love baseball.

C: Chick Fil-A. I could literally eat there every day.

My love of baseball and Chick Fil-A in the same picture! :)

D: Dr Pepper. Seriously, it's like sweet nectar from heaven.

E: Elvis. I'm a big Elvis fan (and I mean that as in Elvis Presley AND Elvis Andrus). :)

Seriously, how could you not like either Elvis? :)

F: Friend. I try to be the kind of friend I would want. 

G: Guns. Nothing like going to the shooting range to let off a little steam.

Say hello to my little friend...

H: History. I love learning about history. I've been known to plan vacations around what kind of museums I can see while I'm there. :)

I: Ice cream. I love me some Blue Bell!

Me and my sister touring the Blue Bell factory

J: Jesus follower. I think this speaks for itself!

K: Kindhearted. Well, I try to be. Unless you cut me off in traffic, then I unleash my wrath. :) But seriously, I hate hurting someone's feelings, so I try my best to be nice in (most) circumstances. 

L: Laugh. I love to laugh and to make other people laugh. I make myself laugh all the time, I feel I'm quite funny, I could have my own comedy TV show. :)

See, my nephew E thinks I'm funny! :)

M: Musicals. I enjoy a good Broadway show, or a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein production.

N: Nerd. It's true, and not like book smart nerd, I'm just overall nerdy. ;)

O: Old movies. I love watching the classics. Especially anything with Audrey Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, Gregory Peck, or Cary Grant. I love them all. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is my favorite cable station!

P: Pictures. I take lots AND lots of pictures (in case you haven't noticed).

Q: Queso. I love queso, oh so much. I'm pretty sure it should be in a food group all by itself!

R: Reader. I love to read. I have so many books my friends borrow from me instead of a library! 

S: Silly. I tend to be very silly sometimes. Again, have you read my blog at all? :)

I also have silly friends! :)

T: Talkative. If you ever meet my family, you'll know where I get it from. Good luck trying to get a word in at any family function! :)

U: Unique. I know, it's cheating to use this word because EVERYONE is unique. But, I'm using it anyways! How many other gals do you know who love Steve Avery, Chick Fil-A, Dick Van Dyke, and will spend money to go see the surviving members of The Monkees in concert? Yeah, didn't think so. Side note: Yes, I'm going to a Monkees concert tonight. Be very jealous. :)

V: Vivacious. Someone I work with used this word to describe me recently, I had to use it, it made me laugh.

W: Writer. Obviously, I mean, I have a blog, I must love to write. I also used to be a sports writer for a newspaper (I know, shocker!) :) And I've been trying to write a novel for some time, it's a slow process. :)

X: X-ray. Thanks to a few car accidents and also my own clumsiness, I've had more than my share of X-rays done. And seriously, how many words start with "X"? I never played the xylophone so I couldn't use that one. 

Y: Young at heart. I sometimes forget I'm not as young as I used to be, but hey, you are only as old as you act feel, right? ;)

Z: Zoo. I love going to the zoo. I'm hoping my sweet great-nephews and my new great-niece will come see me soon so we can go visit the Dallas Zoo again! :)

I just realized this picture is three years old. My little monkeys need to come back for another zoo trip! :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!! Thanks for all the positive feedback on my challenge! Again, leave me a link to your blog if you participate. I look forward to your posts!

XOXO!