A Foodie Friendly Environmental Film Festival

The DC Independent Film Festival is still underway that already another exciting movie event is kicking off in the nation's capital: the DC Environmental Film Festival. The 2010 Festival explores the vital connections between food and the environment so it's not surprising that it opens with two events focused on food. The first, a special screening of "What's on your plate?", occurred at the Warner Theater earlier today. The second, the Festival's Launch Party at the Warner Building Atrium (6:30 pm, March 10th, $20, rsvp at effrsvp@gmail.com) features Nora Pouillon, a local pioneer of the organic and local food movements who opened the nation's first certified organic restaurant, Nora, and helped establish the FRESHFARM markets, as its featured speaker. 

The festival kicks off this week and runs from March 16 to 28.  Green-minded film buffs and environmentally conscious foodies can gorge on more than 155 showings at 56 different venues throughout the city. Here are a few screenings and events that I noted:

• Utopia at GALA Hispanic Theater, co-presented by the Embassy of Spain (March 16, 7pm, free) suggests a few possible formulas to bring us closer to a utopian world where environmental, social and spiritual crises are no longer a threat. A discussion with filmmaker Alex Ruiz will follow the screening.
• FRESH at National Geographic Society (March 17, 7:30pm, advance purchase required, $15 or $18) celebrates the farmers, thinkers and businesses people across America who are re-inventing the food system. The screening will be followed by a discussion with filmmaker Ana Sofia Joanes, Ann Yonkers, Co-Director of FRESHFARM Markets, and, by phone, with Joel Salatin, owner of Polyface Farms.
• Terra Madra at E Street Cinema, co-presented by the Italian Cultural Institute (March 18, 7pm, $10), explores the slow food movement through individual cases of local farmers.
• Ladies of the Land at the National Museum of Natural History's Baird Auditorium (March 20, 2pm, free) profiles women farmers.
• Homegrown at the National Museum of Natural History's Baird Auditorium (March 21, noon, free) spotlights a 21st century organic family farm operating off the grid in urban Pasadena, CA. Homegrown is followed by a screening of Ingredients, a film that celebrates the farmers and chefs who are creating a truly sustainable food system (March 21, 1pm, free).
• Lunch at American University's Wechsler Theater, co-presented by Earth Day Network and the Center for Environmental Filmmaking (March 22, 7pm, free) looks at the nation's school food program through the meals offered by the Baltimore Public Schools. The screening of the 25 minute film will be immediately followed by a screening of Potato Head.
• Nora at the International Student House (March 23, 7pm, free) will be followed by a discussion with Nora Pouillon.

And of course this wouldn't be FrenchTwistDC if I didn't point out some of the French related showings: Taberly about the famous French sailor will show at the French Embassy on March 21 (4pm, free, rsvp to philippe.berthier@diplomtie.gouv.fr) and a Jacques Tati retrospective at AFI Silver Theatre throughout the duration of the festival.

There's more to Idaho than potatoes!

To say that I had low expectations when I ordered a Riesling from Idaho during the DC food blogger happy hour at Vinoteca last night would be quite an understatement. But the 2008 Sawtooth Riesling came with a high recommendation from Jenny from Eating with Pleasure so I decided to give it chance. And I’m sure glad I did.

The saying is “you learn something new every day” right? Well, I learned that there's more to Idaho than potatoes! The Northwestern state produces a decent Riesling! Apparently, Idaho has a long wine producing history, with the first vineyards there being planted here in the 1860s. The prohibition essentially wiped out their wine industry and when it resurrected in the 1970s, Idaho began producing cool climate white varietals like Riesling, Ice Wine, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. The majority of the state's wineries are located in the Snake River Valley, west of Boise, and that’s exactly where the Riesling I tried last night was from. Sawtooth Winery is Idaho State’s second largest winery and it produces several European wine varietals, including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. The fresh, off dry Riesling, which features hints of pear and peaches, is available for $8 ($5 during happy hour between 5-7pm) by the glass and $32 by the bottle at Vinoteca. Try it next time you’re out there, you might learn that you like it too!

Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland

Last night I had the opportunity to preview Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, which is slated to open in DC theaters on Friday March 5. Throughout the story, Alice gets accused of not being the “real Alice” and if you are a true fan of Lewis Carroll's original tale, Tim Burton’s version may not be “real Alice” enough for you. But it is an enjoyable version nonetheless.

Rather than update the original story, Tim Burton appropriates Carroll’s characters and uses them in his own modern-fantasy film. In his version, the story begins with an older Alice, attending her proposal party. The “adults” in her life are in essence telling her what her life ought to be: to marry a Lord she doesn’t love and take her place in society. Unconvinced, she drops out of the party and falls down the rabbit hole into a visually stunning -if dreary- Underland. There, she carves her own path towards not only defeating the Red Queen but also finding out who the “real Alice” is and what her personal path in life shall be.

Johnny Depp - Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham-Carter - Red Queen

 in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland Photographs by Mary Ellen Mark

I felt the movie lacked a bit of humour and did not enjoy the 3D experience. Alice in Wonderland was originally shot in 2D then transferred to 3D but the effects are more distracting to the plot than spectacular and while children might enjoy them, I would recommend that grown-ups save the extra bucks. The true wonder of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, for me, was the visual universe of the film, of which the costumes play an important part. For Alice, Tim Burton hired one of Hollywood’s most sought-after designers, Colleen Atwood. The American designer, who has been nominated for 8 Oscars throughout her career and has won two, is no stranger to the creative universe of Tim Burton. If Alice in Wonderland, marks the seventh collaboration between the director and (France resident) Johnny Depp, it also marks the fifth time he has worked with Colleen Atwood. Her creations, from the various dresses that Alice dons as she switches sizes to Johnny Depp’s colorfully punk rock Mad Hatter outfit or the thigh high poker print stockings worn by The Red Queen are visually stunning and have already fuelled Alice-inspired fashion and beauty trends throughout the world. I certainly will not be surprised to see Ms Atwood's listed as a best designer nominee for the 2011 Academy Awards.  In meantime, tune into this year's Oscars to see if she takes home a golden statuette for her work dressing Marion Cotillard and Penelope Cruz in Nine.

Bottle Shock: Screwtop Edition

Call me French but comparing France and California is a little like comparing apple and oranges. In my biased French opinion, of course. Yes, California is roughly the size of France and yes the West Coast state has about the same global economic heft as my homeland. In economic terms, if California were its own country, it would be the 5th largest economy in the world. France is at best number 6 or 7 depending on the year. But we're not talking about GDP in this post, we're talking wine and cheese!

Well, as it turns out, California, in addition to being a heavy weight in economic terms, is also a heavy weight in the wine world. Indeed, California alone is responsible for some 90% of all the wine produced in the US and if it were its own country, it would be the fourth biggest wine-producer in the world with some 1,200 vineyards turning out everything from mass produced bottles of $7 Korbel sparkly to world class pinot noirs. Ever since the 1976 "Great Vinous Smackdown" known as the Judgement of Paris, France has had to come to terms with the fact that it is not longer THE player in the international wine arena, but just A player. Of course, you'll never hear a French girl admit that ;-)

 

The movie Bottle Shock retraces the early days of California wine making

leading to the 1976 "Judgement of Paris" blind tasting.

In a fun, local rematch of the legendary tasting which saw California Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons beat out their French equivalents in a blind tasting, Screwtop Wine Bar is throwing a France vs California Wine & Cheese Throwdown on Sunday March 28 (6:30-8pm, $59 per person). Six wines and six cheeses will go head to head (and possibly to my head too) during this special class/tasting. Now, I'm willing to accept the wine challenge but I'm going to go on the record questioning the cheese portion of the throw down. I know that happy cows come from California but c'mon, French cheeses have their own laws! Oh my... I'm starting to sound like Steven Spurrier - the overconfident organizer of the "Judgement of Paris" wine tasting... not the football player. I hope that's not a bad omen for my dear fromages!

Higher Education

Famous DC reports that classes are starting today at the hot spot of "higher education" (literally!), the Trapeze School of New York. Last year, I wrote a post about the Trapeze School, back when it was located in Penn Quarter at 9th and H streets, on the old-convention center parking lot. The school has moved since then to a tent located at Navy Yard, at the corner of 4th St SE & Tingey St SE. Classes again are filling up fast, so don't wait too long to take the plunge!

Hello Kushi!

When I lived in Montreal, one of my favourite place to indulge in my sushi cravings was Isakaya, a cute little Japanese bistro located on Avenue du Parc, right on the outskirt of the McGill ghetto. I never thought twice about its name, but I've been hearing the word isakaya thrown around DC a lot lately...

I first investigated this isakaya business when writing about the upcoming opening of Kushi in my neighbourhood. Isakayas, it turns out, are more about drinks than food. They're actually Japanese drinking establishments who happen to serve food too! Thus the word "izakaya": "i" means to sit and "sakaya" means sake shop. Of course, the label "isakaya" gets thrown around a little losely at times. For example, the little sushi counter at the Whole Foods on P Street is called Isakaya despite the fact that it doesn't serve sake or other alcoholic beverages. But two downtwon spots are bringing sake back!

The Source by Wolfpang Puck turned its downstairs lounge into a Japanese isakaya, defined here as a Japanese gastropub. The popular Kobe beef sliders and General Tso’s chicken wings now share the menu spotlight with sushi, dumplings, noodles and mini–bahn mi sandwiches, which can be washed down with shochu (distilled sake), sake (rice alcohol) and other fancy cocktails.

For a spot that aspire to be an isakaya and nothing else, we'll have to be a little more patient. Kushi is coming to a neighbour near you! well, at least to a neighbourhood near me! Brightest Young Things describes the new restaurant as an inexpensive, neighbourhood type of establishment where you can "come in, have a drink, and build a little meal for yourself." Since I live ridiculously close, I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot of that... coming in... having a drink... Kushi will have huge sake casks, japanese macrobrews on tap as well as small-batch sakes and shochus. Kampai!!

Kushi's ♫ bringing sake back... ♫ those other Isayaka don't know how to act! ♪

Alice in Paris... I mean... Wonderland

My special correspondent in Paris and enabler of macarons obsession (also known as my dad) reports that Paris is currently "émerveillé" with Alice au Pays des Merveilles. That would be French for Alice in Wonderland ;-)
Tim Burton's adaptation of Lewis Caroll's tale only comes out on March 24th in France, but Alice's whimsical world has already taken Paris by storm. The Arludik Gallery, for example, is hosting an exhibit of artists selected by Tim Burton himself to define the artistic and graphic universe of the film (March 4-7, 12-14 rue St Louis en L'Ile, 4eme). Paul & Joe imagined a make-up line inspired by the fairy tale and Stella McCartney collaborated with Disney to create a special edition of necklaces and bracelets. Speaking of Disney, my former place of employment, Disneyland® Resort Paris, is also celebrating with special Alice in Wonderland characters meet and greets as well as a special edition Alice t-shirt sold exclusively at the resort.

But the most exciting celebration is happening at Le Printemps. Since February 1st, the department store's windows are displaying select designers' interpretation of Alice's famous dress. Chloe or Alexander McQueen, among others, were given free reigns to fashion Alice, for the enjoyment of passers-by. Meanwhile inside Le Printemps, Paris' most renowned pâtisserie La Durée has transformed the ground store into a re-creation of Mad Hater's tea party with a special salon de thé. In another tribute to the enchanting world down the rabbit-hole, La Durée imagined a special green apple macaron, sold in a limited edition musical box to satisfy children and grownups alike. I wish I could tumble down a rabbit-hole and emerge in the middle of the Printemps right now...