Is It Wrong To Wish for Hollywood Endings?

My two friends and I are planning a European adventure for 2010. We have it narrowed down to either: a) Italy and Greece, or b) England, Scotland and Ireland. None of us have been to any of these countries, so we really have no idea what to expect.

I am really torn between the two destinations but am also fine with either. Why? Because since I've nothing to base my decision on but the Hollywood films I've seen, they both seem to hold unbridled potential in my eyes. Is it wrong to base such a decision on what I've seen on celluloid? Is it wrong to wish for a Hollywood ending?

Italy and Greece
How can Italy and Greece not be the countries for me after watching:

Under the Tuscan Sun
I could definitely get used to this . . . well, minus the scorpions and fixer-upper.


Roman Holiday
In Rome, you can be anyone you want to be.


Stealing Beauty
The picturesque countryside steals Liv Tyler's beauty.


Mamma Mia!
The chalk-white buidlings against the sparkling blue ocean is breath taking.


Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 1 & 2 (This is the trailer for 2)
Both 1 and 2 featured Greece's beauty.


England, Scotland and Ireland
But, what about:

The Importance of Being Earnest
Who wouldn't love to get lost in a completely British mansion like this?


Tristan and Isolde
Yes, I'm a few centuries too late but I'm sure there are still tons of natural beauty to see.


Far and Away
Granted most of the scenic beauty is in America, but both characters do come from Ireland. Plus, this was a Tom Cruise I could actually stomach.


P.S. I Love You
This one definitely sealed the deal for Ireland - tons of green everywhere you looked. Hopefully, there'll be tons of hot Irish lads like Gerad Butler's character (although, I'll take his hot native Scots as well).


Made of Honor
You might not be able to tell from this trailer, but Scotland and kilts were definitely a big player in this film.

Chick Lit Only for Chicks?

As I sat in my car waiting for the light to change at the intersection of Piikoi and Kinau, something caught my eye. Crossing the street was a guy in his 20s-30s who had in his hand a copy of P.S. I Love You. I found this quite intriguing.

While I haven't read the book myself, I've seen the movie, which stars Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler. Now, for all intents and purposes, it seemed like the movie was targeted toward women. I'm sure not many men would willingly watch a flick that focused on how a woman overcame the grief she felt from the death of her husband. Described that way, even I don't think it sounds all that appealing.

With this said, I'm going to assume that the book was also targeted toward women and probably labeled "chick lit." So, you can see why it surprised me that this guy was walking around with this book in his hand for all eyes to see. Granted, it wasn't the original cover but you still gotta give this guy some credit for even reading it.

This new revelation brings up the question: Is chick lit only for chicks? I don't know many guys who would read something that wasn't sports related, let alone read chick lit, but it would be interesting to find out if men really did get into chick lit when no one's watching.

For the most part, these types of books all similar and have identical story arcs. Most deal with the fields of public relations, marketing, television, fashion and journalism. The main character is always looking for love and usually experiences some rocky moments before finding her true love.

Do guys find this topic appealing as well? Who's to say that only women have these issues when society seems to be pushing family life later and later in the game? Maybe guys can relate to this too and it's a universal theme? Maybe they just like the quick read (like I know I do)?

In any case, to that guy on the street proudly clutching his copy of Cecelia Ahern - Bravo!

Image source: www.barnesandnoble.com