The Goldfinch Dream Casting

The Goldfinch is being made into a movie (or is it a mini-series?) and I can't wait. This is a great book, intense with lots of layers and a big story to tell. I'm so obsessed with The Goldfinch I have created a Pinterest Board and am hosting a book club with my girlfriends to discuss it!

Usually by the time I read a book this popular, it has already been made into movie and is coming out shortly, but not this one. The book covers a large timeline, from a 13 year old Theo to his mid-twenties. So Theo, Boris, Pippa would have to be played by young and older actors.

The story moves from New York City prep school, to the deserted suburbs of Las Vegas, back to New York City with a lot of time in an Amsterdam hotel at the end. Even in posh settings, like a 5th Ave townhouse with great works of art, there is a very seedy undertone and drug use is everywhere.

It hasn't been cast yet, so here is our chance to pick our cast!

Theo - Theo Decker is a tough one. I imagine him, tall and lean (because he never eats), with long brownish hair in his eyes. Adorable and evokes a motherly response from everyone he meets. He has a restlessness and self loathing you have to believe, but mostly he is vulnerable. Hunter Parrish would be good, but you might have to scrub some of the handsomeness off of him for this. Or Ian Harding.

Boris - Dane Dehaan would make a great well travelled, wired up Russian teen/young adult. Loved him in In Treatment. He looks like a young Leonardo DiCaprio, and like Boris, it seems trouble would follow him everywhere.

Kitsey - Mia Wasikowska is perfect for the society ice princess with a few secrets of her own.

Larry Decker (Theo's Dad) - A washed up actor who has moved from alcoholic to pill addict gambler, who the ladies love.. ummm Jon Hamm please! He can play dirty and mean, as well as charming. Matt Dillon would be good too.

Mrs. Barbour - Blonde high society charity dame has Robin Wright written all over it. She is warm and fragile in the end, and Robin could play both off.

Pippa - Pippa one is a hard one, and of course the redhead of the moment is the obvious choice. Someone quirky and not obviously a beauty. Australian actress Sarah Snook is one that comes to mind.

Kotju - Wouldn't Kristen Stewart with black stringy hair be great as Boris's strung out high school love interest? Maybe she's too old (and she is older than all the other kids)... but I love idea of her in this role.

Who do YOU see as Andy, Theo's Mom, Hobie, Welty, Xandra and the rest of the characters?

Book Club: Where'd You Go Bernadette

I host a charity book club with a group of friends, and it is always a challenge when my turn comes around to set the tone for the evening. You want to serve items and decorate around the theme of the book. Of course we had to include some penguins, and I wore the yellow scarf and sunglasses part of night.

The highlight was Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Cobbler in celebration of blackberry bushes that took over her backyard. I also served little Trader Joes Pizzas, just like the pizza cart they had in the disastrous party. At the bar I served a Pink Sangria (equal parts Rose wine and Blood Orange Soda, with fruit garnish) that I dubbed The Pink Penguin.  Here is a great article called "Where'd You Go (for dinner) Bernadette?" that links up the actual Seattle version of the fictional family's meal plan and might give you more ideas.

Table Setting:

I made my little chalkboard menu from black butcher paper, which works just like a chalkboard! I love using black butcher paper and black poster board as a chalkboard, it is so easy and super inexpensive! I collect cool wrapping paper too, and use it for all sorts of project, but rarely to wrap a gift (go figure!). Here I used it as a table runner since it's an easy way to add color and patterns to the table. The vase is a reused olive jar the I used thin painters tape and gold spray paint on to add some shine.