Fabulous Finds

So I've got a wedding to go to this weekend. Which means I've been pondering the outfit. Which means a trip to my favorite second-hand boutique had to happen.

The good news: I'm super excited to attend these nupitals two hours from home. I haven't seen my about-to-be-wed cousin Matt in a long time, and come to think of it, I haven't been to a wedding in some time. I'm thrilled to be part of this celebration, and also can't wait to catch up with family I haven't seen in awhile. Good news, part 2: it's always fun to have a reason to dress up.

The not-so-good news: I'm missing the huge annual flea market sale at said favorite second-hand boutique.

Which made me realize now would be a most perfect time to share my love for Zany, a most fantastically awesome consignment boutique. Pretty much my favorite place to shop. Though I can't make the big sale, I hope some of you can. It starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12. Zany is housed in a quaint two-story Victorian house at 318 Vine St., behind Sleder's restaurant.

I've mentioned Zany before here, or at the very least have talked about the great finds I've stumbled upon at this boutique. I discovered it maybe four years ago now, when I was constantly on the hunt for small businesses to profile for a northern Michigan newspaper. Since then, I've been a regular -- as are most of Zany's customers. It's easy to get hooked to the fun, stylish and funky finds there. Owner Kate Kohler and her staff of friendly, fashion-forward women also keep you coming back for more.

The sluggish economy leads even more of us to second-hand shops, places like Goodwill and other stores that have gently-used clothing, accessories, home decor, even furniture. Seems I come across articles about the popularity of re-sale shopping more and more lately. Indeed, it is an increasingly booming business -- resale is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, according to the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops. Goodwill Industries alone generated $1.9 billion in retail sales from their 2,246 Not For Profit thrift stores across America in 2007.

Zany stands out among other second-hand shops for a few reasons:

* Quality is important. You're not going to find items that are less than truly "gently-used." Name brands also are big. Kate and her staff are picky, which is a very good thing.

* Shopping is easy. With clothing organized by size and color, you can find what you're looking for (or didn't even know you were looking for) quickly. I also love how Kate and her staff take the time to create eye-grabbing displays -- pairing jewelry, scarves and handbags with clothing in daring and interesting ways.

* It's an experience. Friends and I have begun creating girls' nights around trips to Zany. We'll meet there around 4:30 p.m., shop until closing at 6 p.m. and head to a nearby restaurant for dinner and drinks. It's just too fun having someone there to show off your finds and get their opinion about that skirt or pair of jeans that caught your eye.

Among my most treasured finds: a pair of 7 for all Mankind jeans, an Italian-made pink wool coat that fits me to a T, a BCBG wrap dress, a chocolate-and-cream-colored halter dress I'll wear to this weekend's wedding.

Check out the sale this Saturday if you can -- and be sure to let me know what you find. I asked Kate what you can expect to find and here's what she had to say:

"The flea Market is a huge sale of all-season items, all kinds of items -- shoes, handbags, clothes, home decor, under a big tent outside. It's the biggest sale of the year that we do, super fun and fabulous deals. The sale ends at 6 o'clock or until the last person leaves!"

Still want to know more? Call Zany Boutique at (231) 933-4199.

Just Right at Left Foot

About a month ago, my friend Cari inspired me with how she celebrated her 40th birthday. Not interested in a formal gathering, but still wanting to commemorate her entry into a new decade (without the stress of hosting said party at her place), Cari invited friends to gather at Traverse City's urban winery Left Foot Charley. I hadn't yet been there, only had heard about its distinct vibe and delicious wines, and was eager to check out the brick building I'd been running by for years given its location near some of my favorite trails.

The first thing we noticed walking toward Left Foot Charley were the pairs of tango dancers in the street out front. And then there were the bocce ball players on the lawn nearby. Both instant reminders of why I am so enamored with The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, formerly the Northern Michigan Asylum and one of the most extensive historical restoration projects in America.

It's the 480-acre development's meshing of historic charm with cosmopolitan vitality that attracts entrepreneurs like Left Foot's Bryan and Jen Ulbrich. The couple opened their 1,200 wine-making facility in the old laundry building two years ago, providing the state's first taste of wine tapped right from 1,000-liter tanks. Along with a spacious tasting room with views of the cellar and tank rooms, an outdoor patio beckons with live music many nights. The outdoor area even has a small sandbox on one end should you be walking through the grounds with kids and decide to stop for a glass.

Cari's party was a smashing success, so much so that I left wanting to know more (not to mention get back again soon for another taste of their yummy Murmur and pinot grigio). A few weeks later, sharing party details with my friend Juliette, I learned that if I wanted a well-rounded story, I needed to not only visit Left Foot, but also take a trip to Crane Hill Vineyard in Leelanau County. Of course I insisted Juliette join me in investigating the biodynamic vineyard supplying grapes for some of Left Foot's white wines.

We head toward Crane Hill late in the afternoon, both sun-drenched after a day at the beach with our kids. It is one of those perfect summer days, made even more perfect because it's a Friday. It's sunny and breezy, and I can't imagine what could be better at this moment than walking barefoot through a vineyard.

We meet up with Bryan, vineyard owner Robert Brengman and Chantal Lefebvre, who is owner of Moon Dog Vineyards in Antrim County and also is a wine-making apprentice at Left Foot Charley.

"This is probably what I am most excited about," Bryan tells me as we stop atop the hill overlooking rows of lucious-looking grape vines. He's referring to a block of vines growing the gewurztraminer grape, one of seven varieties grown on the 45-acre vineyard owned by Robert and his wife Joni.

"It's kind of a cult grape," Bryan says of the gewurztraminer, which is ripening now and eventually will be made into wine offered at Left Foot Charley. "It's not that it's unknown. We compare it to Frank Zappa -- people either love it or hate it."

Crane Hill Vineyards, formerly a cherry orchard, had its first harvest in 2007. Having discovered they shared "mutual philiosphies" about growing grapes, Robert and Bryan have been collaborating on creating wine for Left Foot Charley ever since. Both are committed to growing grapes the most natural way possible, or what is called the biodynamic way. It's about working with cycles of nature to grow grapes and make wine, and using plants and animals to take the place of chemicals and fertilizers.

"I'm trying to find people who have a smart sense of growing," says Bryan, who works with more than a dozen regional vineyards. As he puts it, he buys grapes "from guys who love wine, relish in a challenge, and own parcels of land well suited to raising vines."

I love what Bryan has to say about our interest in "place" when it comes to what we eat and drink.

"Something new is unfolding in the American consciousness," he says. "We are beginning to appreciate 'place.' Our tables, our songs, our whisky, our wine needs to be from somewhere or it all becomes just another white page. Left Foot Charley is joining this movement and throwing color around like a frenzied painter. We encourage you to grab a smock, a paint brush, and taste our local colors."

We cap off the vineyard tour with a glass of Robert's peach wine before setting off to end the evening at Left Foot. At the wine bar we try a 2008 Riesling from Seventh Hill Farm on Old Mission Peninsula and pair it with a cheese plate and an appetizer called The Hungry German -- three soft prezels with locally made mustards and bbq sauce for $4. Another great thing about Left Foot: you'll likely run into someone you know, and tonight is no exception. We pull up chairs for friends and listen to the live music.

Just arriving at Left Foot....Joni, Adam (the friendliest of bartenders), Juliette and me.

This December I'll turn 35, a definite milestone. I can't help thinking about Cari's party, and how I'd like to do something special to mark this point in my life. Since a patio party at Left Foot Charley won't work so well for my birthday, given, you know, Michigan's cold and snow, I'm considering my options...like maybe celebrating a tad earlier -- it's my birthday, I can do this, right? I'm picturing an early fall, indian summer kind of gathering....

Lots of exciting things happening at Grand Traverse Commons, including a wine and food festival and a beer and music festival, both to be held yet this month. Details here. A dairy festival (locally-made cheese!) also is in the works for next summer.

Left Foot Charley Winery & Tasting Room is at 806 Red Drive in Traverse City, MI. Call (231)995-0500 for more information. Learn more about the wine bar's latest news (and where the name Left Foot Charley came from) by going to their web site.

An Inn to Remember

Chef Paul, helping preserve the Inn.

Memory of Bowers Harbor Inn: Decked out in a decidedly too-fancy, but oh-so-90s black-and-white frilly prom dress, my hair in a french twist and adorned with white rose buds, I eagerly anticipated a fancy dinner with my then-boyfriend and several other couples. It was spring 1992, and yes, I ordered the ever-popular Inn entree Fish in a Bag. Photos of me and the boyfriend, my once coiffed 'do disinigrating in the wind, followed dinner across the road along West Grand Traverse Bay. (If I could find a photo, I'd post it here, embarrassing attire and all. I swear.)

Flash forward 17 years (17?): The Fish in a Bag remains on the Inn's menu, but much has changed -- most notably my taste in clothing, thank God. But that's for another post. On this day, I'm sitting on the front patio of the Inn, sipping a glass of "unwooded" chardonnay on a most beautiful late summer afternoon on Old Mission Peninsula. Earlier the gray skies promised dampness, a warm dreariness, but the sun somehow won them over, pushing through and offering a glint of warmth for a true golden hour. It's heavenly, I think as I sit gazing out across the sparkling waters to a distant Power Island.

This is not the Bowers Harbor Inn of years ago. And yet, it is. Sort of.

You may know the history, or at least some of the history, of this restaurant. It's one of those places that's hard to forget once you visit. Built in 1882 as a summer retreat for Chicago lumber baron J.W. Stickney and his wife Genevive, the Inn sits along Traverse City's West Grand Traverse Bay, several miles out Old Mission Peninsula. Maybe you've heard the ghost story of Genevive, how she's haunted the place because her husband took a mistress and left his fortune to her. Since 1974 it's served as a restaurant, a scenic spot known for its fine dining. It's why high school students -- like my early 1990s self -- make prom night reservations at the Inn each spring.

In more recent years, I've made only a couple of trips to the Inn, to celebrate our December birthdays one year and on another occasion to partake in a wine dinner we hoped would rid us of the middle-of-winter blues. (Mostly, quite honestly, it just broke our budget. But the food and wine? Fantastically amazing.)

Chef Paul Olson, who took the reigns of the Inn's kitchen a little over a year ago, acknowledges the reputation the Inn long has held. In other words, this married dad to two school-age kids gets that the restaurant has a hoity-toity past -- and he's doing what he can to change it for the better.

Far from compromising the historic integrity of the restaurant - the goal of current owners Jon Carlson and Greg Lobdell, after all, is to preserve the Inn -- Olson simply wants people to feel good about coming on a regular basis and not just saving a visit for special occasions.

Consider the deck on which I sat. "It's the most under-utilized place in the world," Olson says, motioning with his arm the gorgeous lake view from where he stands on the 50-seat deck. "It's phenomenal."

Shouldn't more people take advatage of this beautiful spot, Olson asks me. I nod in agreement, soaking up the the view all the while.

Inside, the Inn looks much the same but has undergone several upgrades, including freshly-renovated restrooms both upstairs and down and re-done banquet/reception rooms above the main dining area. A refurbished side patio is the perfect spot for cocktail hour. Then there's the simple touch of adding parchment paper to tabletops to create a more casual dining experience, Olson says. (It's something great NYC restaurants do, says Olson, who graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and refined his talents in Manhattan and Connecticut).

"Also, my price point is lower. Entrees are between $20 and $26 -- there's only one thing over $30, the grilled filet mignon," he says. "We're trying to give a good value."

Just as exciting is the Inn's commitment to buying local whenever possible. Just one example: vegetables come from farmer and winemaker John Kroupa, who happens to live just down the road. Cherry Capital Foods also supplies much of what Olson uses in his cooking.

Olson's Summer 2009 menu includes scrumptious items like cured wild salmon, Werp Farms rocket arugula salad, pan roasted walleye and grilled lamb chops. Olson kindly prepared samplings of these, and they were absolutely delicious.

Then there's the wine.

I'm a red wine girl at heart, but whites are starting to make an impression on me, thanks in part to Olson's great suggestions. The "unwooded" chardonnay (it's aged in stainless steel rather than an oak barrel, he tells me) is from Bowers Harbor Vineyards and is pleasantly crisp and refreshing. I also have a taste of BHV's pinot grigio that's very good because it's not too sweet. A final sampling -- a red, cabernet franc from Peninsula Cellars -- is a perfect pairing with the grilled lamb chops.

If you're looking for great beer, Olson promises you'll find it at Jolly Pumpkin, the newly-renovated, much more casual restaurant next door that longtime fans of the property will remember as The Bowery. Starting this month the brewery will offer beer made on site, in the 8,000+ square-foot building that also houses a great space for wedding receptions and other events. Not to be missed is the outdoor fireplace and benches on the flagstone patio between Jolly Pumpkin and what's called The Peninsula Room.

As you may imagine, leaving this picturesque spot wasn't easy. But I plan to head back that way soon. No prom dress involved. Hope you get a chance to check it out soon, too.

The Inn is at 13512 Peninsula Drive. Call (231) 223-4222 for more information or go here.

Home is where my water is

I've been thinking a lot lately about that place, that mind-set really, that makes you feel at ease. That allows you to breathe a little easier and gives you a sense that all is right with the world.

"You know when you close your eyes and think about where you want to be? That's the place I'm talking about."

These are the words that stayed with me following a conversation I had not too long ago with Rod Call, a person clearly passionate about striving for the best life possible and working hard to achieve it. For him, it's building a company -- Snoloha -- that's as much about comfortable, laid-back clothing and accessories as it is about finding that place, that personal truth, and living it out each day -- no matter where you are.

Curious name for a business, right? When you hear the story, it makes perfect sense. Awhile back, upon returning to frigid Michigan from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Rod found himself amazed at the stark difference between the two climates. And how within just a short time he'd gone from one extreme to another.

Just so happened he was driving by the 45th Parallel -- the sign that lets you know you're "Halfway Between the Equator and the North Pole" -- as he reminisced about his travels, and that's when this phrase came to mind: "Somewhere between the islands and the arctic."

I love that he reached across his seat and scribbled the words on a Rolling Stone magazine.

"Snoloha is a way of life," Rod tells me. "Snoloha is a reflection of how we live, work, play, vacation and simply enjoy life somewhere between the islands and the arctic. It is a lifestyle people live everyday, a couple times a year, once in a lifetime, or in their minds all the time. It's carrying a vacation mentality through everyday life, celebrating and enjoying all the seasons that get thrown at us."

Sure, it's not easy to maintain this mind-set. I definitely struggle. It takes effort to keep it all in perspective and go a step further even and actually embrace where you're at at any given moment. It helps to surround yourself with loving family and great friends, to find work that's satisfying, to get out of your own way and look beyond yourself.

I don't mind winter in northern Michigan (well, except when it lasts until May...), but I also can't get enough of summer here. Maybe it's because we have definite seasons here that I savor summer so much when it finally arrives. The older I get, the more appreciative I am of the lazy days spent at the beach, the gorgeously cool runs through the trails and the nights of grilled cheeseburgers and watching the kids play in the yard well into the summer evening.

When I ask myself when it is I feel most at home, an image of the Lake Michigan shoreline immediately comes to mind. It's my place, my spot "somewhere between the islands and the tropic." How about you?

Go to Rod's web site to learn many more cool things about Snoloha. He's got a great blog, an online store (check out how he donates shirts, a "pay it forward" kind of thing), and he's just an all-around good guy.

**Since some people have asked about it, here's the scoop on the photo with this post: It was one of those amazing summer afternoons in northern Michigan. We were at Young State Park, a beautiful state park along Lake Charlevoix, not far from Boyne City. Lake Charlevoix flows into Lake Michigan.**

Green Chic

Super cute and comfy. Not the words to describe many of my shoes. I have a thing for shoes, and am willing to endure slight discomfort when necessary in the name of fashion. I’m sure I will eat my words at some point, having come down with a foot ailment that can be traced to my love of heels. But for now, it’s working for me. It’s not like I’m completely uncomfortable; I’m not on my feet all day, I do have my share of fun flats and flip-flops and doesn’t the amount of time I’m in my running shoes even things out? It’s all relative. Some girls just don’t like heels, period. But give me an opportunity to don a pump, wedge, kitten heel or stiletto, and I’m one happy woman.

So you can imagine how fun it is to have found these stylish sandals, which are both super cute and comfy. Cooler yet is the story behind them.

As Jennifer Lett and Karen Boyle will tell you, theirs is a story not unlike so many others who are navigating choppy waters thanks to our enduring economic storm. The Traverse City, Mi. friends-turned-business partners are behind the cleverly-named Blue Jeans Gone Green, a business born out of necessity – and a desire to do something good and right.

With Jen laid off from her recruiter position earlier this year, Karen’s once-thriving daycare business took another hit. (I know how hard this was for Jen to tell Karen her kids would no longer be coming to her home while she worked; we had to break similar news to Karen last year when my husband was laid off from his job). Taking stock of their situations, and realizing they shared a vision for how they’d like to move forward with their lives, the pair began brainstorming business ideas. Both women desired flexible work schedules for themselves and their families. They also wanted to create an environmentally-friendly product.

Using reclaimed denim -- from Goodwill, family and friends, wherever great jean material could be found -- they started creating a variety of products. Ultimately, it was sandals, originally inspired by Jen’s sister-in law, that garnered the most attention. Turning out a "green" product was important -- as was ensuring a comfortable shoe. The idea: that these sandals would be as classically comfortable as the jeans that embellish them.

The icing on the cake came when they found a shoe sole that not only was comfy, but was made of recycled rubber. "We like to say we're helping our environment one pair at a time," Karen says.

I got my first pair last week and I wore them all weekend, walking downtown, hanging out at a family reunion and later relaxing at a neighborhood bonfire. The squishy soles of these wedges -- knowing my tastes well, Jen suggested for me The Erin Wedge, pictured above -- made my feet very happy no matter where I went. Equally as great is how these "flip-flops" stand out among all the others out there.

You can order Blue Jeans Gone Green sandals online here. Want to check 'em out in real life? If you're in the Traverse City area this week, stop by the first annual Mt. Holiday Ladies' Night Open House from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 17th. Jen and Karen will be on hand at the at the community ski resort's shopping, shoes and cocktails event. They'll have a selection of their shoes on hand, and if you bring in your unwanted blue jeans, they'll make a charitable contribution to Mt. Holiday. Want to learn more? Contact Jen & Karen at sales@bluejeansgonegreen.com

Speed bumps on the road of life

When I decided to help coach a running program at my kids' elementary school this spring, I didn't exactly know what to expect. I'd never coached a team before and I've come late to running, having grown to love it only in the past three years. It wasn't like I was an expert on the ins and outs of exercise drills or the various muscle groups used during stretches and runs. Important coach stuff to know, I would think.

But here's what I do know: I have a passion for running, for working toward a sound mind and body, and most importantly for this particular program, a desire to help young girls feel strong -- both mentally and physically. As the mom of an almost-tween, and a woman who has dealt with (still deals with!) feeling "good enough," I can't shake this longing for doing my part to combat all the junk out there that suggests girls should look and act a certain part to get ahead in life. It starts early, from my own experience and from what I see just watching my own beautifully unique nearly 9-year-old navigate her own world of relationships and the images she's exposed to through various forms of media.

Four weeks into coaching Girls on the Run, a national program with chapters across the country, I'm so happy I've taken on this role. Incredibly, we have nearly 70 third-, fourth- and fifth-grade girls on our team -- we're the largest chapter in our region. Of course I am not doing this alone, and I am so grateful for how seven other parents -- including one dad! -- have stepped up and entered into the lives of these amazing young girls. It's not been easy at times, thanks not only to the sheer size of the group and the twice-weekly time commitment, but because...well, 8, 9 and 10 are tough ages to be.

Ok, so each age has its challenges. (I have a two younger boys, ages 6 and 3, and believe me, there's plenty of issues with each of these ages as well, and I can just imagine what's in store for me during the teen years...) But there's something about the upper elementary grades, for a girl, that make life I believe especially trying. I can remember these days clearly: who's your best friend, who's not can change nearly weekly...clothing takes on new significance...boys as friends vs. boys as people with cooties to avoid at all costs becomes a concern...and, then, the whole body thing, with changes happening for some of us quickly (or slower) than others.

During the six practices we've had so far, we've dealt with the to-be-expected physical trials like skinned knees, cuts and bruises, even a minor asthma attack. Most recently we've faced the inevitable, heart-breaking tears over friend misunderstandings, hurtful gossiping and general relationship ickiness and drama. It's gonna happen, and while frustrating at times, I almost welcome it because the curriculum we follow talks about all this stuff, and then some. I feel almost honored to be there, helping these girls make sense of what's to them a very confusing time in their life. And in between all this, of course, we run. We stretch and play games and we run. We fall, figuratuvely and literally, but we help each other get back up, move forward and ultimately find out that we really can do more than we thought we could.

I love that now, walking through the school's hallways, girls yell out to me, "Hi, Mrs. Durocher!" and stop to share tidbits from their life, like how they talked things through with a friend or have been running on the weekends with their families.

I've also realized how much I'm learning from these girls. As I write this today I'm facing a decision I don't want to make, and I can't help thinking about how I'd be smart to heed some of the advice dispensed through the Girls on the Run program. Make healthy choices. Respect yourself. Take good care of your body.

As I've shared on this blog, I signed up for my first marathon this spring. After three half-marathons, a handful of 10- and 5-Ks, I felt ready to take the plunge and train for 26.2 miles. Having heard tales of runners pushing themselves too hard during training and injuring themselves to the point of having to pull out of the race, I was determined from the start to train smart. I imagined myself walking that fine line of challenging myself while listening to my body. I printed out a training guide based on my best half-marathon time of 1:48, but even that outline seemed overly aggressive at times. So I modified it some to be sure I kept to my goal of making it to race day unhurt.

Then it happened. I got overly-confident.

One cool, sunny Friday I laced up and headed out for a 10-miler. It went so well and I felt so good afterward, I somehow thought I would have no problem doing 12 miles just two days later, and then another 12 several days after that. Up to that point I'd been doing 6 miles at the most on a fairly consistent basis and so this jump up didn't seem too crazy at all. And maybe it wouldn't have been if I hadn't also dialed up my speed and incorporated a bigger hill into the mix. All together, it apparently was just too much. My left achilles informed me of my mistake.

I haven't run for a week now, having had to cut a planned 18-miler short after experiencing intense pain 10 miles in (yes, even after initial aches following the previous 12-miler, I thought I could do this even longer run). I pushed through a few more miles that afternoon, stopping every so often to rest and hope the throbbing would just go away. But it didn't. So I walked. Fighting tears, I walked several miles home, feeling stupid, ashamed, guilty...and then angry for not going easier on myself. Why is it I am so hard on myself when I would be nothing but loving and compassionate toward a friend in the same situation?

I thought of the girls I'm coaching and the all the lessons we're learning, that even I'm obviously still learning. And while I want to run a marathon very badly, now perhaps is just not my time. The last thing I want to do is injure myself further. There will be other races. Other times to prove to myself that I can do something I never thought I could do. Take care of yourself.

It's rather astounding to me that, at age 34, taking care of myself could prove to be such a difficult task. But the more I am aware of the benefits of doing so, and the more I witness it in the young girls I'm coaching and experience it firsthand, the more I realize it really is the only way to go. I think my girls would be proud to hear me say so -- and to see me actually live it out, too.

If you'd like to learn more about Girls on the Run, please check out the non-profit's web site. Also see the founder Molly Barker's very cool blog.

Loving Laughing: A tiny story about a penguin & a polar bear

John and Karen
by trescourt

You know the kind of laughing that comes busting out when you least expect it? A giggling fit that, just when you think you’ve got it under control, spills out of you for another round? Any humor that triggers this reaction in me, I just love. Just as funny as the thing you’re laughing at is how you just can’t seem to keep yourself collected, no matter how hard you try.

I found myself laughing like this the other day when my husband and I went to see the compilation of this year’s Oscar-nominated animated shorts. I had to share the one short – John and Karen, a U.K. film directed by Matthew Walker – that got me in this silly mood, short-lived as it was since this particular short film is all of about four minutes long. It’s perfectly timed. Click on the screen above to watch.

The giggles began when Karen opened the door. Something about how small she was in comparison to John, maybe. Or their their British accented-voices. I don’t know, all of it. It just got me, and it only got better as it went on.

By the way, the rest of the shorts were, overall, pretty good. A couple definitely didn’t resonate with me, but the animation is quite impressive. My second favorite, which I couldn’t find online, but if you have the chance to check out absolutely do: LE MAISON EN PETITS CUBES, directerd by Kunio Kato. Best of all, these were showing at The State Theatre, the fantastic volunteer-run movie house I’ve written about previously here. This was our first volunteer experience at The State – I had way too much fun saying “Enjoy the show!” as I collected tickets – and we’ve now signed on to be regulars.

Long live the movie - and animated short - that makes you smile and laugh. Really laugh.