Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...The great Walt Disney was born on this date in 1901.

...Warner Archive has released a batch of early musicals.

...Classic Movies Digest and Obscure Classics share thoughts on the Christmas movie REMEMBER THE NIGHT (1940).

...Relatives who live out of state sent us a box filled with '60s candy for Christmas. What a blast from the past! My dad used to buy me Chuckles when I was little. The box also has Candy Buttons, Neccos, and much more. My husband and I have had fun reminiscing about the contents with our kids.

...Speaking of nostalgia, people of a certain age will remember the annual Christmas TV specials featuring the King Family. Their Christmas albums, such as CHRISTMAS WITH THE KING FAMILY, have just been reissued on CD, and there is also a DVD retrospective on their Christmas specials.

...Culinary schools which initially struggled due to the recession are rebounding thanks to people looking for work in the food industry, as well as those who want to save money over the long term by becoming outstanding home cooks.

...Extras have been announced for the DVD release of THIRTYSOMETHING, SEASON 2, due out January 19, 2010. They include commentaries and featurettes on the characters Miles Drentell (David Clennon) and Susannah Hart (Patricia Kalember).

...The new George Clooney film UP IN THE AIR has opened to outstanding reviews and awards. I wish it weren't rated R, but I will nonetheless probably give it a try at some point.

...The uplifting film THE BLIND SIDE is having great success at the box office. That's another movie I'd like to see...

...A nice-looking new cookbook: 400 SENSATIONAL COOKIES by Linda J. Amendt. (Hat tip: Al Dente.) For more ideas on Chrismas cookies, see my post from 2006.

...If you're longing for foods from Britain, check out UK Goods.com. The selection seems fairly small but it's fun to look over the options.

...Hallmark Channel often has fun original Christmas movies. Tonight is MRS. MIRACLE, based on a book by Debbie Macomber. Here's Hallmark's Christmas movies schedule.

...Classic Movies reviews LETTY LYNTON (1932). I enjoyed the apt description of Robert Montgomery's performance as combining "playful affection and gravity."

...As mentioned here in August, Catherine Zeta-Jones is heading to Broadway to star in Trevor Nunn's new production of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, opening December 13th. She's joined by Angela Lansbury. Zeta-Jones has a theatrical background; she understudied and performed the lead in a West End production of 42ND STREET.

...Missy posted that Amazon has a free Christmas song available for download each day until Christmas.

Have a great weekend!