“God Is the Bigger Elvis” is a true Hollywood story, screaming to become a full feature film starring, I think, Meryl Streep. A 35 minute short subject about the life of Mother Prioress of the Abbey of Regina Landis, or Mother Dolores, “God Is the Bigger Elvis” tells the story of young Hollywood starlet Dolores Hart who, in the middle of making it big, abandoned the fame and fortune she was about to acquire to become a cloistered Benedictine nun.

During her brief career, Dolores Hart appeared in 10 movies, and in 1959, the year she turned 21, she earned a Theater World Award and a Tony nomination for her role as a featured actress in “The Pleasure of His Company.” But her future shifted that same year, when she first visited the abbey to unwind from her hectic performance schedule. She was already a devout Catholic, and the abbey visit, she says in the film, gave her “a sense of peace and interior renewal.” Four years later she decided to leave Hollywood forever and, shortly after an autograph-signing session for what would be her last movie, “Come Fly with Me,” she packed a single suitcase and left New York for Bethlehem to establish her life at the abbey – a converted brass factory set on 400 bucolic acres, which includes a chapel, a dormitory and a working farm. The abbey has been her home ever since.

Nearly fifty years later, while visiting Archbishop Pietro Sambi in Washington, the idea of making a film about monastic life was introduced. The Archbishop wanted to make a film about consecrated life and thought, given Mother Dolores’ background, that she could help.

“I said to him, ‘Archbishop, it’s been 50 years since I was in Hollywood,’ ” Mother Dolores said. “ ‘All my contacts are dead or gone.’ ” “Have no worries, Dolores,” she recalled the Archbishop saying. “The Lord will find a way.”

Two days after she returned to the abbey, HBO called. Call it sheer coincidence or heavenly intervention, but Sheila Nevins, president of HBO Documentary Films, who has a weekend home near Bethlehem, had suggested to Ms. Cammisa, the film’s director, that the abbey and its Mother Prioress might make an interesting subject for a documentary. And the rest is history.

But what does any of this have to do with Elvis? Well, it seems that, among her accomplishments, Dolores holds the distinction of being the recipient of Elvis’ first on-screen kiss. While the documentary does not explore whether or not there was any connection between that kiss and Dolores’ decision to join an abbey, it does offer a glimpse of what life is like as a cloistered nun.

“God Is the Bigger Elvis” did not take home the statue, but Mother Dolores certainly made a lasting impression on the Academy crowd. The only person to walk the red carpet in a black habit, the 73 year old Prioress was poised and, oddly, at home in the frenzied environment. She smiled and waved at the receptive crowd and, when asked what she thought Elvis would think of her return to Hollywood, Mother Dolores said she thought he would be proud.
“God Is the Bigger Elvis” premiers on HBO April 5 and I can’t wait to see it!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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What a day! There were the Pre-Red Carpet shows with commentators telling us all about what was going to happen while the cameras repeatedly panned the empty red carpet preparing us for the eventual real thing. Then there were the real-thing Red Carpet shows with commentators asking the arriving celebrates all those thought-provoking questions like, “Were you surprised to be nominated again this year?” and, “So, what do you think winning an Oscar will feel like?”, and, of course, the most meaningful question of the evening, “Who are you wearing?”

Finally, after what must have been the three hundredth cream-colored Oscar de la Renta gown with accenting Judith Ripka clutch, the show began. Billy Crystal, all properly stretched and shiny, led us through the evening with admirable audience control and the statuettes flew off the shelves with amazing precision. “The Artist” and “Hugo” accumulated the biggest haul and there were a few surprises, like Woody Allen winning anything and Meryl Streep beating out Viola Davis for Best Actress. But, for the most part, the show was exactly what it always is: an “insider’s” celebration that we are, for whatever reason, allowed to watch from a distance.

So, why does this fascinate us so? I don’t know. All I know is I and my friends wouldn’t miss it for the world. We gather each year like lemmings. We make the dips and chips, chill the wine, simmer the turkey chili, bake the jalapeño cornbread, and frost the red velvet cupcakes all morning long so as not to miss a single moment of this show of shows. We laugh at, critique, and admonish the celebrities as they travel down the carpet, then get serious with our Oscar Ballots as soon as the curtain rises. We applaud the wisdom of the Academy when their selections match our votes and boo and hiss when they don’t. During commercial breaks we race to the buffet to load up our plates again and then race back to our seats for the next exciting announcement. We are, without question, twelve or so of the millions of people worldwide who are utterly transfixed by this “American Sport.”

And, of course, as the marathon comes to an end somewhere around 9pm, we complain about how much we have eaten, banter about whether the show was better or worse than last year’s Oscars, laugh at ourselves for wasting an entire day on such trivia, then hand out the food assignments for next year’s party when, once again, we will wait with baited breath to hear “…and the Oscar goes to…”

So, what is it that fascinates us so much about the Oscars? What was once a 50 minute show has now turned into an all-day event if you, like millions, tuned in at 3pm to ensure that you did not miss a single wave, exclamation of surprise, or catty remark about someone’s less-than-flattering gown.
What a day! There were the Pre-Red Carpet shows with commentators telling us all about what was going to happen while the cameras repeatedly panned the empty red carpet preparing us for the eventual real thing. Then there were the real-thing Red Carpet shows with commentators asking the arriving celebrates all those thought-provoking questions like, “Were you surprised to be nominated again this year?” and, “So, what do you think winning an Oscar will feel like?”, and, of course, the most meaningful question of the evening, “Who are you wearing?”
Finally, after what must have been the three hundredth cream-colored Oscar de la Renta gown with accenting Judith Ripka clutch, the show began. Billy Crystal, all properly stretched and shiny, led us through the evening with admirable audience control and the statuettes flew off the shelves with amazing precision. “The Artist” and “Hugo” accumulated the biggest haul and there were a few surprises, like Woody Allen winning anything and Meryl Streep beating out Viola Davis for Best Actress. But, for the most part, the show was exactly what it always is: an “insider’s” celebration that we are, for whatever reason, allowed to watch from a distance.
So, why does this fascinate us so? I don’t know. All I know is I and my friends wouldn’t miss it for the world. We gather each year like lemmings. We make the dips and chips, chill the wine, simmer the turkey chili, bake the jalapeño cornbread, and frost the red velvet cupcakes all morning long so as not to miss a single moment of this show of shows. We laugh at, critique, and admonish the celebrities as they travel down the carpet, then get serious with our Oscar Ballots as soon as the curtain rises. We applaud the wisdom of the Academy when their selections match our votes and boo and hiss when they don’t. During commercial breaks we race to the buffet to load up our plates again and then race back to our seats for the next exciting announcement. We are, without question, twelve or so of the millions of people worldwide who are utterly transfixed by this “American Sport.”
And, of course, as the marathon comes to an end somewhere around 9pm, we complain about how much we have eaten, banter about whether the show was better or worse than last year’s Oscars, laugh at ourselves for wasting an entire day on such trivia, then hand out the food assignments for next year’s party when, once again, we will wait with baited breath to hear “…and the Oscar goes to…”

Click here to view the embedded video.

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The first book of the trilogy, of course titled The Hunger Games, immediately grabbed me. A combination of Twilight and the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, The Hunger Games is filled with nerve-racking tension, thrilling action, and a great engaging love story that kept my attention no matter how hard I tried to put the book down. I found myself completely caught up in the story’s plot, set in some future time and place where the government has become a dictatorship, telling its people where to live, what to do and who to love. Of course, those who did not comply with these demands were subjected to any number of punishments!

The Hunger Games starts in a North America we do not recognize. Now a dictatorship, the country is divided into 12 districts with each district fulfilling a particular purpose. For example, one district is responsible for food, another for mining, and so on. Each year the government holds a game that pits children from the ages of 12 to 18 against each other in a fight to the death. This game is held in a giant, treacherous arena, is televised, and is highly anticipated all over the country. The book’s main character,
Katniss Everdeen, in an act of bravery, takes her sister’s place as one of the 24 “tributes” (the name given to the children who are forced to participate in the game) when her sister’s name is called. Katniss is taken to the capital to be prepped for the game and, all the while she is being trained, she struggles with knowing that the only way she can return home to her family is to survive the game, but the only way she can survive the game is to kill her opponents who are all children. In short, her survival is diabolically linked to how effective she can be at becoming the pawn of this monstrous government.

The Hunger Games , then, is the story of Katmiss’s struggle. She battles fire, hunger, thirst, wild animals, injuries and other children in her quest to survive. She, of course, falls in love, makes and loses friends, is exposed to horrific spectacles like one of her fellow tributes being slowly eaten by a wolf-like creature, and is forced to make adult decisions that push her to her limits. With all of this, it is a bit surprising to realize that this trilogy’s targeted audience is young adults as clearly some of the book’s subject matter seems better suited for a more mature reader.
A more mature reader, like me! I loved this trilogy and the only thing that I think could possibly be better than these books is Liongate’s much anticipated film version of this fantastic story. I, for one, cannot wait to see the movie and am holding my breath that they will do the books justice and keep me on the edge of my theatre seat in the same way that the books kept me on the edge of my sofa!

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The competition gets started with Budget Travel reaching out to its readership to nominate towns and then the magazine’s editorial team whittles the selection down to the most promising contenders. Those finalists are then sent back to the readers of the magazine for them to make the final pick. Last year’s winner was Lewisburg, West Virginia and, who knows, maybe our own Borrego Springs will be the recipient of this year’s recognition.

Launched in 2006, the “Coolest Small Town in America” contest has brought attention to some 60 small communities across the country. Defined as a town with a population of fewer than 10,000 residents and an “…indescribable something, independent shops, a sense of energy, an epic backyard, culture, delicious coffee and shopkeepers with purpose,” the coolest small town in America does not have to be quaint. In fact, Budget Travel says they “…want towns with an edge and a heart.”

Well, we ask you. Does any town resemble that description more than Borrego Springs? We think not!

Budget Travel will be posting their 10 finalists sometime this month and, if we make the list, they will be asking us to vote for the winner. Keep your fingers crossed.

Here is the link for the magazine: http://www.budgettravel.com/contest/coolest-small-towns-2012-nominations,8/#ixzz1iq55hi5e

And here is a link for a short video on last year’s winner, Lewisburg, WV: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1123530126001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAAyoUyA~,IyxgMYxKnrbVjcEEX7lT3uZJ5rqtn6k7&bclid=0&bctid=1123500258001

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Ask 100 people and you will get 100 answers. Of course, some songs will probably show up on virtually everybody’s list…songs with lyrics like “…it’s Christmas time in the city”, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire”, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas”, and “…sleep in heavenly peace”. Songs that bring back great memories, songs that warm your heart.

So, which are your top 10 favorites? We at WeAreBorregoSprings.Com did a little poll and, while we were not surprised by many of those that made the list, there were a few that we weren’t expecting! Here are the answers we got and we would love for you to weigh in and tell us which ones are a “hit” and which ones are a “miss” from your point-of-view:

CHRISTMAS TOP 10

10. “Blue Christmas”, by Elvis Presley
“Blue Christmas” was written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. The heart-broken tale of unrequited love during the holidays haslong been considered a Christmas staple of country music, and this popular example of that genre was recorded first by Doye O’Dell in 1948 and then popularized by Ernest Tubb the following year. Elvis Presley effectively made “Blue Christmas” a rock-and-roll holiday classic by recording it in his signature style in 1957.

9. “ Last Christmas”, by Wham!
“Last Christmas” is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released on Epic Records in 1984, on a double A-side with “Everything She Wants”. It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo. The song has been covered by many artists throughout the years.

8. “Let It Snow!”, by Dean Martin
“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”, was written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in 1945 on one of the hottest days on record for Hollywood, CA. First recorded by Vaughn Monroe, it became a popular hit, reaching number one on the Billboard music chart the following year. One of the best-selling songs of all time, “Let It Snow!” has been covered countless times by many artists but, perhaps, most memorably by Dean Martin. Due to its seasonal lyrics, it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song. However, despite the song’s cheery, holiday feel, it is a love song that never mentions Christmas.

7. “Christmas Don’t Be Late”, by The Chipmunks
“The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” was written by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. Although it was written and sung by Bagdasarian, the singing credits are given to The Chipmunks, a fictitious singing group consisting of three chipmunks by the names of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. The song won three Grammy Awards in 1958: Best Comedy Performance, Best Children’s Recording, and Best Engineered Record.

6. “Sleigh Ride”, by Debbie Gibson
“Sleigh Ride” is a popular light orchestral piece composed by Leroy Anderson. The composer had the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946; he finished the work in February 1948. Lyrics, about a person who would like to ride in a sleigh on a winter’s day, were written by Mitchell Parish in 1950. The orchestral version was first recorded in 1949 by Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops Orchestra.

5. “Santa Baby”, by Eartha Kitt
“Santa Baby” was originally recorded by Eartha Kitt with Henri René and his orchestra in New York City on October 6, 1953.The song was a huge hit for Kitt, and she later said that it was one of her favorite songs to record; she reprised it in the 1954 film “New Faces”.(Madonna’s popular rendition for the 1987 charity album A Very Special Christmas is based on this latter version.)

4. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, by Gene Autry
“Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” was created by Robert L. May as a coloring book character for the retailer, Montgomery Ward. May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, decided to adapt the story of Rudolph into a song. Marks was a radio producer and wrote several popular Christmas songs. The song was first sung commercially by crooner Harry Brannon on New York City radio in early November, 1949, before Gene Autry released it on November 25th, creating a major seasonal hit that has since filtered into the popular consciousness of many generations.

3: “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”, by Perry Como“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” is a classic Christmas song written in 1951 by Meredith Willson. The song has been recorded by many artists, but was officially made a hit by Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra on September 10, 1951. Bing Crosby recorded a version on October 1, 1951, which was also widely played.

2: ” Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, by Judy Garland“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical “Meet Me in St. Louis”. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics, which has become more common than the original. The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane.

1: “The Christmas Song” (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire), by Nat King Cole“The Christmas Song” (commonly subtitled “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” or, as it was originally subtitled, “Merry Christmas to You”) is a classic Christmas song written in 1944 by musician, composer, and vocalist Mel Tormé, with Bob Wells. The Nat King Cole Trio first recorded the song early in 1946. At Cole’s behest — and over the objections of his label, Capitol Records — a second recording was made the same year utilizing a small string section and it was this version that became a massive hit on both the pop and R&B charts. Cole again recorded the song in 1953, using the same arrangement with a full orchestra conducted by Nelson Riddle, and again in 1961, in a stereophonic version with an orchestra conducted by Ralph Carmichael.

So, these are the ones that were named in our poll. Which songs are your picks?

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Not exactly the true spirit of Christmas. So, a couple of years ago, we decided we would not spend another Christmas day entirely on the road. We obviously wanted to see our family on Christmas, but we decided we needed to make spending part of Christmas day with each other as much of a priority as we were making visitng all of our relatives. So, we made some changes. We set some limits on how much of the day we would spend visiting others, deciding to make sure we were home for our own Christmas celebration no later than four in the afternoon.

Of course, this wasn’t going to be easy as we had set up a lot of expectation with our families by having historically been so available We started with my boyfriend’s mother because it was her house that we had always ended up at for Christmas dinner. We broke the news to her that we would not be spending Christmas evening with her over Thanksgiving dinner. She was quiet for a moment, asking if she had done something wrong. We quickly explained that it wasn’t her or her dinner; it was just that we wanted to spend some part of the Christmas day alone, in front of the fireplace, in our own home. She was quiet again, then said she understood and could work with our new plan with one condition: we had to still let her make our Christmas dinner, so we would have to come by and take plates of food home. We quickly agreed!

So, when that December 25th rolled around, we got up just as early but with a little more energy to start our journey. We visited each family member, gave them our love and gifts, and moved on to the next with laudable precision. To our amazement, we had great visits with each of them and were still able to be home, in front of our own fireplace, sipping champagne, exchanging gifts and eating Mom’s “to-go” Christmas dinner by 4pm! We had stayed strong and that Christmas felt like the first Christmas that truly belonged to us…not to our obligations.

The following year money was tight and we couldn’t afford all our usual Christmas hoopla. So, by necessity, that Christmas had to be just about us. We shopped at the dollar Christmas store, bought simple gifts for each other, and sent out a Christmas card to all our family with a photo of us standing in front of our tiny tree with our dollar decorations. Everyone told us how happy they were for us because we had each other to share Christmas with in these hard times. We drank our glass of champagne and were able to watch the entire “Home Alone 2” movie without interruption. We didn’t even get into our car. That was the best part.

This year finances have improved but we still plan to stay home on Christmas day. Our families have adjusted to the idea that Christmas is now our holiday and they look forward to us celebrating New Years and other holidays with them, instead. For us, defining Christmas has been a journey and we are pleased with the decisions we have made to make it a special day for ourselves. We can now say Merry Christmas to each other and really mean it!

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The official beginning of the holiday-buying season, Black Friday has become one of the most profitable days of the year for retailers. In fact, the name itself is a reference to profit, i.e., “moving into the black” Even though retailers are mostly profitable all year around, the major chain stores consider Black Friday a very important shopping day of the year.

Black Friday was created to respond to the nagging retailer question: “How do I get the customers into my store”. The event initially answered the question by creating a sense of urgency about getting the best deals of the holiday season by showing up at 6am to get that deal before the merchandise ran out. However, the competition for market share quickly prevailed and stores began opening earlier and earlier to try to be the first store open for Black Friday. Consequently, Black Friday is now really Black Thursday, Right After You Finish Your Dinner with some retailers opening as early as 9pm Thursday evening.

But not everyone is pleased with these “creeping” start times. Serious Black Friday shoppers who treat Black Friday like a sporting event, have taken to their blogs, Facebook and Twitter to protest these early openings. For many, it is like saying that Half Time can start before the end of the second quarter! The purpose of the game is to be at the front of the line before the doors open and if the doors open earlier and earlier, there is no way to effectively play the game!

Of course, there is also the possibility to move this frenzy into the online shopping realm. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a retailer promote an online Black Friday that requires you to be logged on and waiting to strike your Enter Key at the stroke of Midnight to give yourself access to the best deals in the Universe. Just wait, now that I have said that, someone will be making it a part of their next year’s Black Friday sales strategy!

So, are you reading this the morning after Thanksgiving, or are you in line fighting for the last pair of those adorable reindeer socks? Let me know!

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Number 10: Only 5% of Americans don’t eat Turkey on Thanksgiving

Number 9: The only interruption of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade occurred between 1942-1944 because of World War II

Number 8: There were no pumpkin pies at the first Thanksgiving

Number 7: FDR tried, and failed, to move Thanksgiving Day forward a week.

Number 6: Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to become the National Bird of the USA

Number 5: The average American consumes 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day

Number 4: 20% of all Cranberries eaten each year in the USA are eaten on Thanksgiving Day

Number 3: Fossil evidence shows that turkeys roamed North American as early as 10 million years ago…a few years before our first Thanksgiving

Number 2: Thanksgiving has even been celebrated in space- US Astronauts had a traditional Thanksgiving meal, though freeze-dried

Number 1: The two turkeys pardoned by the President each year live out their days peacefully at Disneyland

If you want to add to this list of things most of us don’t know about Thanksgiving, just leave your comment below and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

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The key to planning a vacation or a “staycation” is knowing yourself well enough to know what you will like and what you will not like. Sometimes that is easier said than done and invariably involves some trial and error. We have all had what looked like the idyllic getaway in the brochure turn into beaches that were too crowded or too boring, hotels that appeared to offer everything but fell miserably short of providing even the bare essentials, or cruises where the entertainment was actually irritating and the boat’s gentle rocking did not calm us but sent us to the rail! So, thinking back and eliminating all those “misses” will help you better define the “hits” and will help you identify what of each of those experiences was actually pleasurable and worth repeating. For example, if that cruise, in spite of all its “misses” introduced you to the pleasure of unlimited buffets, that eating experience may well be something you want to replicate.

Once you’ve got your hits and misses identified, you’ve got a great chance of creating a successful “staycation” for yourself because you can focus your time and resources on activities you have already found to be pleasurable and relaxing.

Your next step is to find local sources of those activities. Of course, it helps if you live in a place like Borrego Springs because it is a vacation destination and, as such, comes equipped with services and activities sought after by vacationers. The only difference is that you don’t have to spend half of your time getting there and getting home because you are already there!

So, let’s test this out a little. Let’s say that your “hits” list includes the following: horseback riding, golf, massage, shopping and at least one memorable dining experience. Your time limitation: 3 days, 2 nights.

Can this be accomplished in your own backyard? You betcha! Can you arrange a horseback riding experience? Yes! Can you play a round of golf? Yes! Can you get a massage? Yes! Can you do a little shopping? Yes! Can you have a great breakfast, lunch or dinner? Yes! Yes! And yes!

All you need is a little creativity and imagination to structure a truly enjoyable “staycation” that meets all of the criteria you would have for a vacation without loosing any time or expense to travel. Be as serious in your planning as you would have been if you were flying somewhere to have this experience. Make sure to make your plans concrete: book your massage; decide what restaurants will fulfill your “memorable meal” fantasy; determine whether or not to stay in a local hotel or bed-and-breakfast to further ensure your sense of “respite”. In other words, give your “staycation” every bit as much attention as you would have given a vacation and you will undoubtedly create a “staycation” that you’ll remember as fondly as (or more than) many actual trips. Enjoy!

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Hannah’s photograph is a landscape showing a rushing stream of water dancing across the rocks. Isabella’s photograph depicts a young woman sitting atop a rocky point looking out across a seemingly endless desert landscape. Like Isabella, Sita has captured someone sitting quietly, looking out into the desert’s grandeur.

The Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest is a highly competitive contest sponsored each year by the Anza-Borrego Institute. The theme of the contest is the unique and natural beauty of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the Institute receives literally hundreds of images from photographers all over the country. It is quite a feat to be recognized as a winner in this prestigious competition and we are very proud of Hannah, Isabella and Sita for achieving this recognition!

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