Peer Pressure List, Vol. 8

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: I loved this film more than I could have imagined. It is a beautiful, epic love story, an incredible feat of special effects, and a major tear-jerker. It's also an homage to the city of New Orleans, which looks absolutely gorgeous. Go see it.


• Gabriel Kahane: I had the great pleasure of hearing this singer-songwriter-composer at Le Poisson Rouge this week, and I was blown away. I immediately went home and downloaded all his music from iTunes. You should, too.


• Tarte tatin: My amazing roommate made this for dessert the other night, after cooking me a dinner of steak and pesto pasta. The tarte tatin was the perfect ending to the perfect meal. Best with vanilla sauce.


• Suite Française: My Gay Husband gave me this book for Christmas, and I've been enjoying reading a bit of it each night before I go to sleep. It's exquisitely written, and the characters are all fascinating. Also, there's a chance reading it will get me into an exclusive book club I heard about.


• Gossip Girl: I tried to resist the siren call of Gossip Girl, but it was too strong. Since arriving in NYC, I felt the need to catch up on the episodes I had missed, and I was not disappointed. So trashy, so addictive. And the clothes…perfection.