We watched the much-anticipated Barbie movie this weekend, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie. The film is fast, fun, feminist, and empowering. It’s a feast for the senses, with gorgeous sets and costumes, fun dance numbers, wink-wink satire, and a beautiful message for all. Gerwig wrote and directed the film, and Robbie is one of the producers. Dame Helen Mirren narrates.
The critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes: “Barbie is a visually dazzling comedy whose meta humor is smartly complemented by subversive storytelling.”
Outside the theater, life-sized photo booths designed to look like a boxed Barbie added to the fun. I couldn’t resist.
Sunday morning, we ventured out to buy corn, peaches, apricots, and tomatoes at the last working orchard in San Jose. I chatted briefly with Mr. Cosentino, letting him know we appreciated his small farm stand, lovingly nurtured since 1945. It’s a gem, and so is he.
As we returned to the car, I asked Mike to snap this photo of me with a towering sunflower. For perspective, I’m 5’10” or 178 cm. This plant is by far the tallest sunflower I’ve seen. Given its proximity to the orchard, I imagine a squirrel planted and forgot about the seeds. This house has no garden to speak of, just a pair of majestic sunflowers.
Back in our garden, neighborhood squirrels continue to munch on Acer seeds, showing their agility as they move from branch to branch. They drink water from the fountain outside the window before bounding up the side of the tree.
It felt like an old-fashioned summer seeing a movie in a packed theater for the first time in three years, visiting the farm stand, and staying up too late on a warm Saturday night. I’m dreaming of a few more weekends just like it.
Gardening Nirvana 
Lovely photographs all. That sunflower is cheating by standing on a wall.
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You made me laugh, Derrick. Good point about it standing taller in the planting bed, but still…
Thank you!
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Lovely post and a great description of Barbie. Fun pictures of you in the box and of you by the sunflower. (That is some sunflower!) I, too, really liked Barbie. Despite all the fun, the movie had a lot to say about women and men. That vegetable stand and farm look like such a treasure. And I hope you have more old-fashioned summer days.
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Thank you, Laurie. Most of the Barbie reviews played up the fun and funny, but that only made the payoff all the more sweet and endearing. I hope that folks avoiding the film, thinking its a Sacharin sendup will give it a chance.
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I think reviewers might be holding back for fear of giving spoilers. I know I certainly wrote with that in mind.
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Yes.
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Hoping to see Barbie soon but I’ll bet there won’t be a photo opportunity like you had. If there is I might be tempted.
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I won’t go until next week yet from Alys’ and others’ posts, it seems as though the Barbie box is standard at the theaters. Of course, I’ll want a pic in it too!
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I hope you’re right, Mary.
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Oh I hope there is, Lynn. You must pose in one and share. xo
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Barbie sounds like fun, I read Laurie’s review yesterday, too.
I love local farms and farm stands, the produce at yours looks beautiful. Summer is such a delightful time of year!
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I enjoyed Laurie’s review as well. Oppenheimer is on our list, but the subject matter is tough. I’ll need to pace myself.
Consentino’s produce is legendary in the Valley. We’re so lucky that he’s hung on, as I’m sure a developer would love to get there hands on his orchards.
I hope you go see Barbie. It’s a treat.
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I too love this post and the pics. Your delight is charmingly contagious; thank you!
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Aww! Thank you, Mary. I think you’re seeing Barbie today (and I know you love that farmstand). Now you need to post with the towering sunflower. xo
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Sounds like a really lovely weekend
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Thank you, Dawn.
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Re the giant sunflower, WOW!!
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Isn’t that something?
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What a fun day! That is one beautiful farm stand. I haven’t seen the Barbie movie yet, but looking forward to it.
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I hope you enjoy the movie as much as we did. It’s so well done. This farm stand is an oasis in a sea of otherwise unremarkable tract homes. They lost any acres to a developed freeway, but he doubled his production on the remaining land.
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Sounds like a wonderful weekend. I love the squirrels. I have a few ornery young’uns in my yard this year. They are small and quick and wild, but I like them. They dig in my garden pots no matter how many peanuts I try to bargain with…honestly, I think they are burying the peanuts for a later date.
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What fun to see you as Barbie in the box! And what a great farm stand. I thought the same thing Derrick did, that the sunflowers had about two free feet. Still, it’s really tall. I have some giants in the garden this year and they are attracting finches. They were also all volunteers. It sounds as though things are generally well with you, Alys. I’m glad!
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Lisa, what a treat to see you here. I hope you are doing well. I’m happy to hear that you also have sunflowers. Isn’t nature something? One planted seed produces gorgeous flowers, followed by I’m sure at least 100 seeds.
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I planted seeds last year. This year, I had a dozen or more volunteers and distributed them in the garden. Unfortunately, we had a hella storm on Saturday and it knocked down some of the biggest ones–20 feet high, big blooms. The smaller ones did survive and the goldfinches are after them. I also have a song sparrow nest in my rosemary bush–likely the second nest of the season–and it’s lovely hearing them sing and seeing them come out to look at me when I’m in the garden. We should talk some time. I think of you often.
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Wow, Lisa. Twenty feet is really something. I’m sorry to hear about the storm, though nice that it spared a few plants for the goldfinches. Are you blogging again? I didn’t see anything come through in my reader, but perhaps I was following you another way. I’ll go check.
Sunday mornings are generally the best time to reach me at home, and also compatible with our time difference.
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I’m not blogging. Can’t seem to get organized to do it. Though I have hopes.
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It’s hard to jump back in. Perhaps a short photo essay of your garden to kick things off.
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The only movie I’ve seen in the last four years was “A Man Called Otto” Most people who are seeing the Barbie movie are saying good things about it. They are the people I trust, not the critics. There were never Barbie dolls in our house or any other kind of doll. H wasn’t a fan. I don’t know if we will get that movie up here but I’ll look and see. I liked the photo of you in the box.
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I haven’t seen that one but I’ve heard good things. I think I read one of the authors books. I hope the movie comes to your area and if not it will be streaming soon enough.
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Tom Hanks did a wonderful job of being true to the book. I’ve read most of Fredrick Bakman’s books.
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Sounds like summer fun Alys! And that sunflower is amazing! Now I want to try and grow a giant one myself but I can’t rely on sauirrels to bring me the seed so I will hunt some down! 😉 Enjoy your summer evenings in your garden Alys. 🤗
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They are a lot of fun to grow. I’m so happy to have this volunteer crop alongside the others.
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Awesome sunflower. Glad you’re enjoying a nostalgic summer.
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Thank you!
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sounds delightful and thanks for sharing the pictures of your day…
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Thank you so much for your visit.
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Your Barbie box photo is awesome and I think that is such a fun idea for a photo shoot opportunity. We haven’t seen it yet but our theater had a box like that and I took a silly photo of John in the box. Oh my goodness that sunflower is HUGE – that must have been amazing while it was in bloom!
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I hope you enjoy Barbie when you get around to seeing it. Meanwhile, I’m delighted to hear that John posed n the toy box. The marketing around this movie has been extraordinary.
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I had mixed feelings on the movie as I thought it was a light headed romp (as the previews told me) but it was much more complex than that. :-)
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It was more complex, and perhaps a tricky movie to market without giving away the heart. I read this week that’s its reached a billion dollars at the box office. That is really something.
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