Does anyone use this? It seems everyone has a MySpace page now, even my friends' band that disbanded and has since reconnected, but aren't we too old for this? And I can't stand that it takes five years for the page to load because there's all kinds of b.s. all over these pages!
MySpace: giving people everywhere the ability to create horrible-looking websites! Ugh.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Amon Tobin on tour
I've never seen Amon Tobin live, so I can't say what it would be like. His mixes are sometimes ethereal and lounge-y, and other times dark and moody, but I think of his music as a film score without a film... they feel cinematic to me.
Anyhoo, he's playing around the country, including on 5/22 at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland; 5/23 at Neumos in Seattle; 5/25 at Mezzanine in SF (cool place); and 5/26 in L.A.
Anyhoo, he's playing around the country, including on 5/22 at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland; 5/23 at Neumos in Seattle; 5/25 at Mezzanine in SF (cool place); and 5/26 in L.A.
My sister went to Coachella this weekend
My sister's friend got free passes to Coachella because she's friends with Flea. My sister was supposed to meet Flea but it didn't happen due to chaos at the show... Hmm. Anyhoo, my sister hung out in the VIP section with some celebrities! She got a pic of Paris Hilton (which I hope to share with y'all soon) and apparently she just missed seeing Joaquin Effin Phoenix. Holy sweet baby jesus.
I'm still waiting to get her rundown of Sunday's show, and Rage's performance, and any other tidbits. Saw this on the Internets:
I'm still waiting to get her rundown of Sunday's show, and Rage's performance, and any other tidbits. Saw this on the Internets:
The frontman addressed the crowd only once between songs, when he likened the current U.S. administration to Nazi war criminals. "They should be shot as any war criminal should be," he said.Ahh, good ole Rage!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Oakland meltdown!
Just read an article about an oil tanker fire on the MacArthur Maze that collapsed a section of the freeway, the section I used to use when I drove from Peachpit to Alameda!
Friday, April 27, 2007
Happy Hour Friday (5)
So, usually I'm thinking the whole week about what cocktail I can come up with to share with y'all. I have to say, nothing came to mind this week (maybe I'm still reeling from all that Jungle Juice talk?). Nevertheless, I'm committed to this series of posts and I won't let you down!
Speaking of down... I was listening to downtempo music today, which is like modern-day lounge music. A better description would be "light jazz meets electronica"? That sounds awful, but trust me, this music is awesome. Perfect for a dinner party or small soiree, where you want some groovy, instrumental beats in the background (check out Zero 7, Thievery Corporation, The Gotan Project, some of Amon Tobin's stuff).
So, I was wondering: what kind of drink would go well in your downtempo-inspired setting? Something easy, something mellow for sure. Wine is always a legit selection, especially red wine, with its comfort appeal.
But what if you want to kick things off with something different? I highly recommend serving an apéritif before dinner. I especially like Lillet Blanc, which you can find at BevMo or the like. This is not sweet, dessert-like wine. It's more floral than anything else and has a very smooth taste. Serve it chilled, and a little bit goes a long way (if you don't have port glasses, you could always use champagne flutes. And if you don't have champagne flutes, frankly you can use anything. I would drink this stuff out of a coffee mug if I had to!)
I used it when I made this cocktail for Mullin's bachelorette soiree a couple years ago! Very delish, and perfect for a warm evening. Cheers!
Speaking of down... I was listening to downtempo music today, which is like modern-day lounge music. A better description would be "light jazz meets electronica"? That sounds awful, but trust me, this music is awesome. Perfect for a dinner party or small soiree, where you want some groovy, instrumental beats in the background (check out Zero 7, Thievery Corporation, The Gotan Project, some of Amon Tobin's stuff).
So, I was wondering: what kind of drink would go well in your downtempo-inspired setting? Something easy, something mellow for sure. Wine is always a legit selection, especially red wine, with its comfort appeal.
But what if you want to kick things off with something different? I highly recommend serving an apéritif before dinner. I especially like Lillet Blanc, which you can find at BevMo or the like. This is not sweet, dessert-like wine. It's more floral than anything else and has a very smooth taste. Serve it chilled, and a little bit goes a long way (if you don't have port glasses, you could always use champagne flutes. And if you don't have champagne flutes, frankly you can use anything. I would drink this stuff out of a coffee mug if I had to!)
I used it when I made this cocktail for Mullin's bachelorette soiree a couple years ago! Very delish, and perfect for a warm evening. Cheers!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Then We Came to the End
I recently listened to Fresh Air podcast with Bill Moyers, and at the tail end of the show was a brief intereview with Joshua Ferris. Ferris recently wrote his first novel, Then We Came to the End, about office life at the decline of the tech boom. I haven't read this yet, but plan to. The excerpt is pretty funny... here's a snippet:
We had visceral, rich memories of dull, interminable hours. Then a day would pass in perfect harmony with our projects, our family members, and our coworkers, and we couldn't believe we were getting paid for this. We decided to celebrate with wine at dinner. Some of us liked one restaurant in particular while others spread out across the city, sampling and reviewing.We were foxes and hedgehogs that way. It was vitally important to Karen Woo that she be the first to know of a new restaurant. If someone mentioned a new restaurant Karen didn't know about, you could bet your bottom dollar that Karen would be there that very night, sampling and reviewing, and when she came in the next morning, she told us (those of us who didn't know about the other person's knowing about the new restaurant) about the new restaurant she'd just been to, how great it was, and how we all had to go there. Those of us who followed Karen's suggestion gave the same advice to those of us who hadn't heard Karen's suggestion, and soon we were all running into one another at the new restaurant. By then Karen wouldn't be caught dead there.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
McSweeney's Recommends
McSweeney's, the publisher of books, magazines, and other things, has a lovely (if not odd) website that you may want to check out. I especially like the lengthy "McSweeney's Recommends" section, in all its randomness:
And:
And one more:
PS: Make sure to check out Open Letters To People Or Entities Who Are Unlikely To Respond.
Half Nelson
It's not about wrestling. Quite the contrary, and it's likely the best film of last year. Plus, it breaks the record for the difference between its super-low-quality-sounding synopsis ("druggie teacher befriended by student") and its actual high-quality nuance (subtle and sharp at once). Queue it up again, oh lovers of Netflix.
And:
Figuring out some way to have leaves change to their fall colors but then not fall off the trees
We like the fall landscape, but not so much the raking or even the leaf-blowing. Seems like something the science types could figure out.
And one more:
The Shirt Dance
Apparently this is big with junior high school boys these days. It's hard to describe — you sort of yank at the front of your shirt and bob around. Guaranteed results.
PS: Make sure to check out Open Letters To People Or Entities Who Are Unlikely To Respond.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Apartment searches in Phoenix/Tempe
First off, everyone I talked to in Tempe didn't use Craigslist. At best, they heard of it, but didn't use it themselves. WTF?
As rents for apartments near campus climb, living right near campus (and potentially the swarms of undergrads) seems unappealing. I'm actually considering living in Central Phoenix, given that it's cute (from what I saw), going to be near the light rail system, and more affordable.
Now that I have a better idea of where to look, I'm finding some promising leads on Craigs... we'll see!
As rents for apartments near campus climb, living right near campus (and potentially the swarms of undergrads) seems unappealing. I'm actually considering living in Central Phoenix, given that it's cute (from what I saw), going to be near the light rail system, and more affordable.
Now that I have a better idea of where to look, I'm finding some promising leads on Craigs... we'll see!
Affordable Europe (?)
The NYT has a nice series of articles on visiting Europe for relatively cheap.
As the Euro keeps going up and the British Pound is now twice the value of our dollar, it's good to know where the reasonably-priced deals might be...
As the Euro keeps going up and the British Pound is now twice the value of our dollar, it's good to know where the reasonably-priced deals might be...
Visiting Phoenix (briefly)
After visiting Tempe last Friday, I spent a little bit of time in Phoenix before my flight back to CA.
Phoenix is huge. It's hard to get your bearings there because it seems to go on forever! It's right next to Tempe, but you still have to drive 20 minutes on the freeway to get to the center of town, to give you an idea.
I was debating whether to spend some time in Scottsdale instead, but in the interest of not getting lost or running out of time before having to get back to the airport, I decided to check out central Phoenix.
I planned on visiting the Heard Museum, then grabbing some coffee, then heading to the airport after. But there was so much cool stuff to check out at the museum that I ended up skipping coffee. Here are some pics of the museum:
The entrance to the museum.
The walkway behind the entrance.
A saguaro cactus in one of the gardens at the museum. Saguaros are protected and they are found everywhere. This one was probably 8 feet tall. The fruit they produce can be fermented and made into some type of alcoholic drink!
Sculptures in the inner courtyard of the museum.
Cool "fence" made out of clay, wood and glass.
Phoenix is working on a light rail system, starting with a line that goes from Central Ave. in Phoenix (near the museum) all the way near and past campus in Tempe. They hope to have it finished by 2008. Very cool!
Phoenix is huge. It's hard to get your bearings there because it seems to go on forever! It's right next to Tempe, but you still have to drive 20 minutes on the freeway to get to the center of town, to give you an idea.
I was debating whether to spend some time in Scottsdale instead, but in the interest of not getting lost or running out of time before having to get back to the airport, I decided to check out central Phoenix.
I planned on visiting the Heard Museum, then grabbing some coffee, then heading to the airport after. But there was so much cool stuff to check out at the museum that I ended up skipping coffee. Here are some pics of the museum:
The entrance to the museum.
The walkway behind the entrance.
A saguaro cactus in one of the gardens at the museum. Saguaros are protected and they are found everywhere. This one was probably 8 feet tall. The fruit they produce can be fermented and made into some type of alcoholic drink!
Sculptures in the inner courtyard of the museum.
Cool "fence" made out of clay, wood and glass.
Phoenix is working on a light rail system, starting with a line that goes from Central Ave. in Phoenix (near the museum) all the way near and past campus in Tempe. They hope to have it finished by 2008. Very cool!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Visiting Tempe, Arizona
Late last week I flew to Phoenix to visit the Sandra Day O' Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. They recently named the school after the former Supreme Court Justice, and she will actually be teaching a course at the school once a year!
Anyhoo, I'd never been to Phoenix or Tempe (where the school is located), so everything was new to me and I wasn't sure what to expect. My first full day was spent visiting the law school for the "Welcome Day for Admitted Students" they organized. I met a lot of friendly students and they had great things to say about the school.
First off, we met several students who represented the various Law Student Organizations. I was most interested in the Sports and Entertainment Law Students Association - not for the Sports (obviously) but for the Entertainment. The president of the group also mentioned that he too wasn't interested in sports but was drawn to the group due to his interest in filmmaking. They organize presentations and symposiums on the entertainment industry, hosting discussions by local filmmakers, producers, and screenwriters in the community. It's not a large community, but it exists.
Here are some pics of the law school buildings:
My first view of the law school. This is the east side of the building.
Around the corner and to the right, I come across The Sidebar Cafe, the cafe attached to the law school.
Continuing past the cafe, I get to the south side entrance of the law school.
This is the law library, which is across a small courtyard from the south side entrance to the law school.
And here is the main, north side entrance to the law school.
My visit to the school was very productive. I got to meet several professors, including Charles Calleros. Professor Calleros hosted a mock class wherein all of the visiting students discussed a Supreme Court case as if we were in a real law class. I was really impressed with this professor's ability to keep the discussion moving and developing, and for his ability to synthesize lengthy diatribes by some of the students into digestable summaries that added to the conversation.
I had lunch with an admitted student named Simona and Legal Writing professor, "Zig" Popko and got some good advice about how best to succeed in his course (I want to try and get on law journal and you need to hone the writing skills to get there).
Throughout the day, I met a ton of students who (except for one) praised ASU up and down and talked about how collaborative and friendly their fellow students are, how great the professors are, and how much they loved law school. Music to my ears!
At the end-of-the-day soiree that Professor Calleros hosted at his home, I was able to chat with more current and admitted students, including Professor Michael Berch whose wife is a Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court and shares my name. That helped him remember me! Ha.
I also met an admitted student named Angela who invited me out with her friends that evening! What a doll! We had a lovely dinner at Caffe Boa, on Mill Avenue near campus. Mill is like a cross between Telegraph Ave. and 4th Street in Berkeley, with no street kids or panhandlers (that I saw!). The food at Caffe Boa was delish and the wine list was amazing. Dinner was fun and I met some more law students and a gal who was finishing up her undergrad degree. And random note: she had family in Ventura! Small world.
Another lovely thing about the people there: they think I'm much younger than I am. Angela even asked if I was 21! God bless that girl.
My brief report about Phoenix to follow!
Anyhoo, I'd never been to Phoenix or Tempe (where the school is located), so everything was new to me and I wasn't sure what to expect. My first full day was spent visiting the law school for the "Welcome Day for Admitted Students" they organized. I met a lot of friendly students and they had great things to say about the school.
First off, we met several students who represented the various Law Student Organizations. I was most interested in the Sports and Entertainment Law Students Association - not for the Sports (obviously) but for the Entertainment. The president of the group also mentioned that he too wasn't interested in sports but was drawn to the group due to his interest in filmmaking. They organize presentations and symposiums on the entertainment industry, hosting discussions by local filmmakers, producers, and screenwriters in the community. It's not a large community, but it exists.
Here are some pics of the law school buildings:
My first view of the law school. This is the east side of the building.
Around the corner and to the right, I come across The Sidebar Cafe, the cafe attached to the law school.
Continuing past the cafe, I get to the south side entrance of the law school.
This is the law library, which is across a small courtyard from the south side entrance to the law school.
And here is the main, north side entrance to the law school.
My visit to the school was very productive. I got to meet several professors, including Charles Calleros. Professor Calleros hosted a mock class wherein all of the visiting students discussed a Supreme Court case as if we were in a real law class. I was really impressed with this professor's ability to keep the discussion moving and developing, and for his ability to synthesize lengthy diatribes by some of the students into digestable summaries that added to the conversation.
I had lunch with an admitted student named Simona and Legal Writing professor, "Zig" Popko and got some good advice about how best to succeed in his course (I want to try and get on law journal and you need to hone the writing skills to get there).
Throughout the day, I met a ton of students who (except for one) praised ASU up and down and talked about how collaborative and friendly their fellow students are, how great the professors are, and how much they loved law school. Music to my ears!
At the end-of-the-day soiree that Professor Calleros hosted at his home, I was able to chat with more current and admitted students, including Professor Michael Berch whose wife is a Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court and shares my name. That helped him remember me! Ha.
I also met an admitted student named Angela who invited me out with her friends that evening! What a doll! We had a lovely dinner at Caffe Boa, on Mill Avenue near campus. Mill is like a cross between Telegraph Ave. and 4th Street in Berkeley, with no street kids or panhandlers (that I saw!). The food at Caffe Boa was delish and the wine list was amazing. Dinner was fun and I met some more law students and a gal who was finishing up her undergrad degree. And random note: she had family in Ventura! Small world.
Another lovely thing about the people there: they think I'm much younger than I am. Angela even asked if I was 21! God bless that girl.
My brief report about Phoenix to follow!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Happy Hour Friday (4): Sunday Edition
I'm back from Arizona, and while I have pics and stories to share from my very fun and productive trip, first things first!
In honor of said trip, I want to either introduce you, or remind you, of the dangerous party drink Jungle Juice. It came up in a conversation I had with some students at ASU (who, not surprisingly, were about 10 years younger than me). One of these young'ns was telling us how at one party, the hosts lined a trash can with a plastic trash bag and filled it up with said Jungle Juice... ahh, college.
The real recipe is a puke-fest waiting to happen. But I think with some modifications, this could actually work at a party!
Jungle Juice Lite
This is like sangria, but using vodka instead of wine. Start with a large bowl, pitcher, or pot that can hold the equivalent of 6 bottles of wine. You could also use an ice chest, but that's a little low-brow. (ha!) You want to be able to fit it into the fridge or keep it cold somehow for a long time.
1 bottle of vodka
1/3rd bottle triple sec
2 containers orange juice concentrate
1 bottle of cranberry juice
1 bottle of pineapple juice
sliced, fresh fruit (oranges, apples, pears, lemons, limes, raspberries, blackberries - whatever you want)
Combine all ingredients and let sit overnight, or at least 4-6 hours before the party. Serve over ice and enjoy!
In honor of said trip, I want to either introduce you, or remind you, of the dangerous party drink Jungle Juice. It came up in a conversation I had with some students at ASU (who, not surprisingly, were about 10 years younger than me). One of these young'ns was telling us how at one party, the hosts lined a trash can with a plastic trash bag and filled it up with said Jungle Juice... ahh, college.
The real recipe is a puke-fest waiting to happen. But I think with some modifications, this could actually work at a party!
Jungle Juice Lite
This is like sangria, but using vodka instead of wine. Start with a large bowl, pitcher, or pot that can hold the equivalent of 6 bottles of wine. You could also use an ice chest, but that's a little low-brow. (ha!) You want to be able to fit it into the fridge or keep it cold somehow for a long time.
1 bottle of vodka
1/3rd bottle triple sec
2 containers orange juice concentrate
1 bottle of cranberry juice
1 bottle of pineapple juice
sliced, fresh fruit (oranges, apples, pears, lemons, limes, raspberries, blackberries - whatever you want)
Combine all ingredients and let sit overnight, or at least 4-6 hours before the party. Serve over ice and enjoy!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Happy Hour Friday (4) will be delayed!
But not to fear: I should have something up before the weekend comes to a close. I'm on my way to Arizona tonight to visit the school!! I'll bring back pictures!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
My trip to the E-B, Part Two
When I visited Oakland last weekend, I spent the night at Ren's lovely bachelorette pad. Ren recently moved into an adorable, classic apartment in downtown Oakland (crawling distance to the Ruby Room!) near Lake Merritt.
On Saturday we took a brief stroll around the hood. We visited the beautiful Grand Regillus building and I snapped a pic of the rear entrance:
Here are other pics of the hood, thanks to Ren!
Tudor Hall, a lovely apartment building.
Oak tree?
A view of Oakland City Hall, from across Lake Merritt.
Another view of the lake (near Grand and Lakeshore).
Here are some pics of Ren's lovely place!
The staircases leading up to her apartment.
The living room, by night. Ren has a day bed in the living room, all SATC-style.
The same room, but by day. The light is lovely all day in her apartment.
Another view of her apartment.
And one more.
Ren's ability to organize is awe-inspiring.
We did spend some time outside the apartment, too. We left Ren's nest for a few hours and had a scrumptious sushi dinner at Miyozen with Karen and Denis.
On Saturday we took a brief stroll around the hood. We visited the beautiful Grand Regillus building and I snapped a pic of the rear entrance:
Here are other pics of the hood, thanks to Ren!
Tudor Hall, a lovely apartment building.
Oak tree?
A view of Oakland City Hall, from across Lake Merritt.
Another view of the lake (near Grand and Lakeshore).
Here are some pics of Ren's lovely place!
The staircases leading up to her apartment.
The living room, by night. Ren has a day bed in the living room, all SATC-style.
The same room, but by day. The light is lovely all day in her apartment.
Another view of her apartment.
And one more.
Ren's ability to organize is awe-inspiring.
We did spend some time outside the apartment, too. We left Ren's nest for a few hours and had a scrumptious sushi dinner at Miyozen with Karen and Denis.
Grindhouse: Gory Hilarity Abounds
I finally had the chance to see Grindhouse last night and it was excellent!
I highly recommend checking it out in the theater, while it's still around. While it hasn't fared well at the box office, I have to say, this double-feature is well worth the price of admission.
There are fake trailers before and between each film (which are hysterical in their ridiculousness and goriness) as well as fake ads and old school transitions (same as the "Feature Presentation" slide at the beginning of Kill Bill).
But on to the movies themselves:
Planet Terror is the first movie shown, and was directed by Robert Rodriguez. The plot: A chemical is released which turns a portion of the community into radioactive zombies. The action never stops and you laugh and cringe at the gore the whole way through it. Rose McGowan is AWESOME in her role as a go-go dancer full of disappointment and hell-bent on revenge (seriously, these movies are making me talk this way for real!):
Freddy Rodriguez (Rico from Six Feet Under, Josh Brolin, Bruce Willis and Naveen Andrews all play twisted characters.
Death Proof is the second movie in the double-feature. The plot: A stuntman drives a "death-proof" car and he purposely gets into car crashes in order to kill women. Kurt Russell stars along with several recognizable faces, including Rosario Dawson. The first part of the movie seemed slow - granted; we had just gotten off the bender that was Planet Terror so it was hard to shift down a gear (sorry for the pun). The movie has classic Quentin Tarantino dialogue, except this time you mostly watch groups of women talk about random crap.
But hang in there, because the last 1/3 of the movie was sooo good. It involves a car chase that is so unbelievable and awesome, you'll be so glad you saw it.
Lastly, a competition was held at SXSW to come up with the best "Grindhouse-like" trailer, which would be played during Robert Rodriguez's presentation at the conference. You have to check out the winning trailer: "Hobo with a Shotgun".
I highly recommend checking it out in the theater, while it's still around. While it hasn't fared well at the box office, I have to say, this double-feature is well worth the price of admission.
There are fake trailers before and between each film (which are hysterical in their ridiculousness and goriness) as well as fake ads and old school transitions (same as the "Feature Presentation" slide at the beginning of Kill Bill).
But on to the movies themselves:
Planet Terror is the first movie shown, and was directed by Robert Rodriguez. The plot: A chemical is released which turns a portion of the community into radioactive zombies. The action never stops and you laugh and cringe at the gore the whole way through it. Rose McGowan is AWESOME in her role as a go-go dancer full of disappointment and hell-bent on revenge (seriously, these movies are making me talk this way for real!):
Freddy Rodriguez (Rico from Six Feet Under, Josh Brolin, Bruce Willis and Naveen Andrews all play twisted characters.
Death Proof is the second movie in the double-feature. The plot: A stuntman drives a "death-proof" car and he purposely gets into car crashes in order to kill women. Kurt Russell stars along with several recognizable faces, including Rosario Dawson. The first part of the movie seemed slow - granted; we had just gotten off the bender that was Planet Terror so it was hard to shift down a gear (sorry for the pun). The movie has classic Quentin Tarantino dialogue, except this time you mostly watch groups of women talk about random crap.
But hang in there, because the last 1/3 of the movie was sooo good. It involves a car chase that is so unbelievable and awesome, you'll be so glad you saw it.
Lastly, a competition was held at SXSW to come up with the best "Grindhouse-like" trailer, which would be played during Robert Rodriguez's presentation at the conference. You have to check out the winning trailer: "Hobo with a Shotgun".
Comment posting for the non-Gmailed
Hey everyone!
Amber graciously informed me that the settings on this here blog were such that anyone without a Gmail account couldn't post a comment! Oh no!
I changed the settings, so please comment away! Gmail account be damned!
XO
Amber graciously informed me that the settings on this here blog were such that anyone without a Gmail account couldn't post a comment! Oh no!
I changed the settings, so please comment away! Gmail account be damned!
XO
Monday, April 16, 2007
My trip to the E-B, Part One
This weekend I drove up to the E-B (East Bay) to visit friends in Oakland and Alameda. It was Dexter's 1st Birthday, and the BBQ in his honor was awesome! The weather was divine and it was great to celebrate with the little man, his family, and friends!
Baby D's cake.
For the rest of us... complete with his nicknames (clockwise from top left: Dexatrim, The Dexican, Sir Dex-a-Lot, and Dexalotapus)
The birthday boy crawls fast!
Katherine's holding baby D, and that's Suzie's mom, Carolyn, and her husband, Gopal.
Looks like Baby D had a very good birthday.
That's Ren, Dexter's Aunt Nini, The Other Rebecca, Andrei, and his wife Ivy, all admiring the birthday boy. Check out a close-up of Andrei's t-shirt here.
Karen, Denis, and Ren, looking lovely and cute.
Dexter's not sure why so many people are gathered around him, taking pictures!
"Why is everyone watching me?"
Dexter digs in to the cake, and his momma is there to cheer him on!
Uh-oh! Sugar overload!
Baby D's cake.
For the rest of us... complete with his nicknames (clockwise from top left: Dexatrim, The Dexican, Sir Dex-a-Lot, and Dexalotapus)
The birthday boy crawls fast!
Katherine's holding baby D, and that's Suzie's mom, Carolyn, and her husband, Gopal.
Looks like Baby D had a very good birthday.
That's Ren, Dexter's Aunt Nini, The Other Rebecca, Andrei, and his wife Ivy, all admiring the birthday boy. Check out a close-up of Andrei's t-shirt here.
Karen, Denis, and Ren, looking lovely and cute.
Dexter's not sure why so many people are gathered around him, taking pictures!
"Why is everyone watching me?"
Dexter digs in to the cake, and his momma is there to cheer him on!
Uh-oh! Sugar overload!
Friday, April 13, 2007
Happy Hour Friday (3): Lucky 13 Edition
Happy Friday the 13th! Historically, these are lucky days for me. I don't want to jinx it, so I won't say too much about that. But to celebrate, today's edition focuses on what to order from your favorite dive bar.
If you're like me, you have a favorite top-shelf liquor. It might be Bombay Sapphire or Belvedere. But do you ever notice that when you order this divine potable at your favorite waterhole, the bartender overdoes it (I assume so you know you are getting the good stuff)? I appreciate the effort, but if a drink is too strong it ends up sucking.
But, then, how can your sensitive palate suffer through a well drink? Easy, order a cocktail made with vodka and grapefruit juice.
I discovered this drink after realizing that the GTs at The Ruby Room were knocking me on my ass. Pink grapefruit juice is both sweet and tart, so it cuts right through the bite of those vodkas they serve from the well. Admittedly, the best place to get this drink is Cafe Van Kleef, where a juicer is a regular fixture at the bar, and grapefruits and oranges are squeezed-to-order for inclusion in your favorite fruity drink.
Here's how I would recreate this at home:
Fill a glass with ice.
Fill the glass (1/4th to 1/3rd high, depending on the strength you want) with vodka (any kind will do!)
Squeeze 1/2 lime over the vodka
Top the drink with pink grapefruit juice (orange or cranberry juice works, too).
I highly recommend adding fresh lime or lemon juice before the mixer, rather than after. I think the lime/lemon juice incorporates into the drink a lot better and makes a difference in the overall taste of your cocktail!
XO
If you're like me, you have a favorite top-shelf liquor. It might be Bombay Sapphire or Belvedere. But do you ever notice that when you order this divine potable at your favorite waterhole, the bartender overdoes it (I assume so you know you are getting the good stuff)? I appreciate the effort, but if a drink is too strong it ends up sucking.
But, then, how can your sensitive palate suffer through a well drink? Easy, order a cocktail made with vodka and grapefruit juice.
I discovered this drink after realizing that the GTs at The Ruby Room were knocking me on my ass. Pink grapefruit juice is both sweet and tart, so it cuts right through the bite of those vodkas they serve from the well. Admittedly, the best place to get this drink is Cafe Van Kleef, where a juicer is a regular fixture at the bar, and grapefruits and oranges are squeezed-to-order for inclusion in your favorite fruity drink.
Here's how I would recreate this at home:
Fill a glass with ice.
Fill the glass (1/4th to 1/3rd high, depending on the strength you want) with vodka (any kind will do!)
Squeeze 1/2 lime over the vodka
Top the drink with pink grapefruit juice (orange or cranberry juice works, too).
I highly recommend adding fresh lime or lemon juice before the mixer, rather than after. I think the lime/lemon juice incorporates into the drink a lot better and makes a difference in the overall taste of your cocktail!
XO
Ahh, Portland
One of the only sections of the NY Times worth reading is their Travel section, and today they posted a lovely article about Portland.
Powell's Books is on their list (how could it not be?), along with some other cool-sounding spots I didn't know about:
Powell's Books is on their list (how could it not be?), along with some other cool-sounding spots I didn't know about:
Check out the latest indie bands at Doug Fir Lounge, connected to the trendy Jupiter Hotel (830 East Burnside Street, 503-231-9663). It is Portland's primo spot to hang out, drink beer (draft Black Butte porter for $4), rub shoulders with the young and pierced and catch emerging groups like the Decembrists. The room is surprisingly modern and woodsy for a dance club, with gold-toned lighting, a fire pit and walls clad in Douglas fir logs.The article didn't mention Amber's new haunt, Tony Starlight's, but it sounds like that's a place to check out, too.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Kurt Vonnegut
With Hunter S. Thompson having died recently, and now Kurt Vonnegut, I'm wondering who are the new voices to replace them?
Salon posted a nice summary of Vonnegut's writings (assembled by Dave Eggers) and McSweeney's posted an interview with him. You can see his interview with Jon Stewart here.
Salon posted a nice summary of Vonnegut's writings (assembled by Dave Eggers) and McSweeney's posted an interview with him. You can see his interview with Jon Stewart here.
JFK conspiracy: a development
If you are reading this, you probably know I have a thing for conspiracy theories... I came across this Rolling Stone article today about ex-CIA agent and Watergate "plumber" E. Howard Hunt. From his deathbed he told his son that Lyndon Johnson was behind the assasination:
In the meantime, there are other theories, some compelling, to amuse myself with...
Saint had been working toward this moment for a long while, and now it was going to happen. He got his father an A&W diet root beer, then sat down in the old man's wheelchair and waited.Could it be true? Maybe. Hopefully, someday, the truth will come out.
E. Howard scribbled the initials "LBJ," standing for Kennedy's ambitious vice president, Lyndon Johnson. Under "LBJ," connected by a line, he wrote the name Cord Meyer. Meyer was a CIA agent whose wife had an affair with JFK; later she was murdered, a case that's never been solved. Next his father connected to Meyer's name the name Bill Harvey, another CIA agent; also connected to Meyer's name was the name David Morales, yet another CIA man and a well-known, particularly vicious black-op specialist. And then his father connected to Morales' name, with a line, the framed words "French Gunman Grassy Knoll."
In the meantime, there are other theories, some compelling, to amuse myself with...
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
BYOBW
Last Sunday, San Francisco hosted the 7th annual "Bring Your Own Big Wheels" event. I like the 'heads up' they give you:
Photo by Scott Beale/Laughing Squid
I highly recommend checking out this gallery of pics, here.
7 TH ANNUAL BYOBW
EASTER SUNDAY, 2007
4 PM
TOP OF LOMBARD, SF
BRING YOUR OWN BIG WHEEL
FREE EVENT!
PRIZES!
FUN!
NO RUBBER WHEELS!
--PARKING IS AWFUL - COME EARLY TO PARK--
--NO PUBLIC RESTROOMS!--
PLEASE INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES!
Photo by Scott Beale/Laughing Squid
I highly recommend checking out this gallery of pics, here.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Checking in with the DB
Periodically, especially on weekday afternoons, I peruse the Internet Movie Database to see what my favorite directors or actors are up to. Thought I would share my notes with you!
Wes Anderson is in post-production with his new film, The Darjeeling Limited. The film stars Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Natalie Portman (among others) and was co-written by Anderson, Roman Coppola (Sofia's brother) and Jason Schwartzman. Plot summary posted on IMDB:
Speaking of the Coppolas...
Francis Ford Coppola just completed his first film in 7 years. Youth on Youth is a mystery set in Europe during WWII starring Tim Roth. Coppola is also in pre-production for his next directorial effort, Tetro. Papa says that he had given up directing, but his daughter Sofia inspired him to pick up the camera again.
Sofia Coppola doesn't have any current projects slated, but is featured in a new, yet-to-release documentary about bay area filmmakers called Fog City Mavericks.
Steven Soderbergh is in pre-production on a pair of films about Che Guevara, both starring Benecio del Toro as Che. Franka Potente is in both films too! I love Steven Soderbergh for the chances he takes (Bubble, The Good German), for the glossiness (Ocean's Eleven), and for simply being a great director (Out of Sight, Erin Brockovich, Traffic). I'm curious to see what he does with the story of Che Guevara...
Kevin Smith is working on a new horror(?) script for a project called Red State. Sam Mendes is working on a Rufus Wainwright documentary. Alan Ball (creator of Six Feet Under) is working on another TV series for HBO called True Blood. Kiefer Sutherland is in talks to star in film version of 24. That's fine, let's just hope it doesn't suck as much as season 6!
Joaquin Watch: He stars with Mark Ruffalo and others in Reservation Road - filming completed in late January and the movie should release later this year.
Wes Anderson is in post-production with his new film, The Darjeeling Limited. The film stars Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Natalie Portman (among others) and was co-written by Anderson, Roman Coppola (Sofia's brother) and Jason Schwartzman. Plot summary posted on IMDB:
The brothers believe their father has been reborn as an albino leopard, and trace their mother to a convent where she teaches poor children. The train they travel by is The Darjeeling Limited, and they are on a search for their father/Leopard.
Speaking of the Coppolas...
Francis Ford Coppola just completed his first film in 7 years. Youth on Youth is a mystery set in Europe during WWII starring Tim Roth. Coppola is also in pre-production for his next directorial effort, Tetro. Papa says that he had given up directing, but his daughter Sofia inspired him to pick up the camera again.
Sofia Coppola doesn't have any current projects slated, but is featured in a new, yet-to-release documentary about bay area filmmakers called Fog City Mavericks.
Steven Soderbergh is in pre-production on a pair of films about Che Guevara, both starring Benecio del Toro as Che. Franka Potente is in both films too! I love Steven Soderbergh for the chances he takes (Bubble, The Good German), for the glossiness (Ocean's Eleven), and for simply being a great director (Out of Sight, Erin Brockovich, Traffic). I'm curious to see what he does with the story of Che Guevara...
Kevin Smith is working on a new horror(?) script for a project called Red State. Sam Mendes is working on a Rufus Wainwright documentary. Alan Ball (creator of Six Feet Under) is working on another TV series for HBO called True Blood. Kiefer Sutherland is in talks to star in film version of 24. That's fine, let's just hope it doesn't suck as much as season 6!
Joaquin Watch: He stars with Mark Ruffalo and others in Reservation Road - filming completed in late January and the movie should release later this year.
Monday, April 9, 2007
In Vino Veritas
This last friday I went wine tasting with my friend Catherine. With our proximity to the Santa Ynez Valley (made famous in the film Sideways) it would have been easy to head up the coast and go to a winery... but instead we went downtown to a lovely little shop called Paradise Wines in Ventura.
The shop is on the eastern end of downtown Main Street. The family-run business focuses on small, independent growers from around the world. You don't find these wines in the grocery store. The owners take great care in their selection so that you walk away with something delicious and memorable.
There are tastings each week to introduce you to the variety of wines - everything from the bubbly to the serene. My favorites were two wines by Kenneth-Crawford Wines. Their granache was divine and the 2005 Pinot Noir from Babcock Vineyard was possibly the best wine I've ever tasted.
Ventura has really changed since the days before I moved away for school! There would never have been a sophisticated wine shop like this one... probably just a liquor store carrying Night Train.
The shop is on the eastern end of downtown Main Street. The family-run business focuses on small, independent growers from around the world. You don't find these wines in the grocery store. The owners take great care in their selection so that you walk away with something delicious and memorable.
There are tastings each week to introduce you to the variety of wines - everything from the bubbly to the serene. My favorites were two wines by Kenneth-Crawford Wines. Their granache was divine and the 2005 Pinot Noir from Babcock Vineyard was possibly the best wine I've ever tasted.
Ventura has really changed since the days before I moved away for school! There would never have been a sophisticated wine shop like this one... probably just a liquor store carrying Night Train.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Loving iTunes Part Two: Mix Tape 2.0
Believe me, I'm not shilling for Apple. I just have to sing the praises of iTunes over a couple (few?) posts, since it's been such a godsend for getting through the drudgery of work.
Lately I've been putting together a lot of mix CDs for friends, and iTunes makes it so easy. The only drawback is that if you buy a track through the store, you can only burn the track to a CD 7 times (so this limits your mix CD distribution list). But if you bought DRM-free tunes or added tracks via your own CD collection, there is no limit to the number of CDs you can burn.
It's easy to create new playlists, and you can easily drag tracks up and down the list to get the order of songs right. The name of your playlist becomes the name of your CD when you burn it. You can easily print the track list from iTunes, in a variety of styles. (I wish you could edit the style templates more, or at least be able to choose what data is shown on the track list).
But despite a few limitations, the service is so easy and fast and cool that it's hard to resist the urge to avoid work and spend an afternoon working on the perfect mix CD!
Lately I've been putting together a lot of mix CDs for friends, and iTunes makes it so easy. The only drawback is that if you buy a track through the store, you can only burn the track to a CD 7 times (so this limits your mix CD distribution list). But if you bought DRM-free tunes or added tracks via your own CD collection, there is no limit to the number of CDs you can burn.
It's easy to create new playlists, and you can easily drag tracks up and down the list to get the order of songs right. The name of your playlist becomes the name of your CD when you burn it. You can easily print the track list from iTunes, in a variety of styles. (I wish you could edit the style templates more, or at least be able to choose what data is shown on the track list).
But despite a few limitations, the service is so easy and fast and cool that it's hard to resist the urge to avoid work and spend an afternoon working on the perfect mix CD!
Happy Hour Friday (2)
We'll see if I can make this a regular feature... You know I loves me some cocktails!
I came up with this drink idea after my parents were cleaning out their liquor cabinet and gave me a bunch of stuff I usually didn't drink: Kahlua, Old Turkey Bourbon, Bailey's, and Disaronno Amaretto. I was a gin-and-tonic girl but I couldn't pass up the free booze!
The best of the bunch, I discovered, was Disaronno Amaretto. I think they've since dropped the "Amaretto" in the name but I still call it that. It's an Italian liqueur with a sweet, nutty flavor, caramel in color.
One day I had some sparkling lemonade around, so I tried mixing the two. De-lish!
Lemoretto
Fill an "old-fashioned" shape glass with ice.
Add 1 part Disaronno liqueur
Add 2 parts Lorina Sparkling Lemonade (the clear or 'white' kind)
Top it off with 1/4th of a lemon, squeezed and dropped into the glass (mind the seeds)
I would stir this before drinking it. Enjoy!
I came up with this drink idea after my parents were cleaning out their liquor cabinet and gave me a bunch of stuff I usually didn't drink: Kahlua, Old Turkey Bourbon, Bailey's, and Disaronno Amaretto. I was a gin-and-tonic girl but I couldn't pass up the free booze!
The best of the bunch, I discovered, was Disaronno Amaretto. I think they've since dropped the "Amaretto" in the name but I still call it that. It's an Italian liqueur with a sweet, nutty flavor, caramel in color.
One day I had some sparkling lemonade around, so I tried mixing the two. De-lish!
Lemoretto
Fill an "old-fashioned" shape glass with ice.
Add 1 part Disaronno liqueur
Add 2 parts Lorina Sparkling Lemonade (the clear or 'white' kind)
Top it off with 1/4th of a lemon, squeezed and dropped into the glass (mind the seeds)
I would stir this before drinking it. Enjoy!
Grindhouse opens today!
Shameless, gory, hilarious... I'm sorry, but these movies look rad. Grindhouse is a double feature of Planet Terror (by Robert Rodriguez) and Death Proof (by Quentin Tarantino).
From a positive Salon review:
Check out the trailer here.
From a positive Salon review:
As movies have gotten more sophisticated, so have we, and in their double-feature B-movie homage "Grindhouse," Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez suggest, with the subtlety of a buzz saw headed for a villain's private parts, that we've lost something along the way. "Grindhouse" is the filmmakers' love letter to the cheaply made, rough-edged action and horror pictures that, in the '60s, '70s and early '80s, would play the crummiest, most run-down movie houses in the worst part of town, or perhaps, if you lived in a more suburban locale, the drive-in.
Check out the trailer here.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Actually, this is my penultimate post on Hawaii
Before I end my travelogue with pics of my trek out to the lava flow, I wanted to post some pics of my aunt's house. It was such a great place to chill for a week!
The front of the house, and the rock mound that will someday be covered in lovely tropical plants.
The entryway.
My aunt splurged and bought this for the house.
Looking out toward the California Deck and the ocean.
The living room. We hadn't put on the futon cover yet!
The tropical bouquet on the dining room table. And we finished that jigsaw puzzle!
The lovely kitchen.
The guest room where I stayed.
The front of the house, and the rock mound that will someday be covered in lovely tropical plants.
The entryway.
My aunt splurged and bought this for the house.
Looking out toward the California Deck and the ocean.
The living room. We hadn't put on the futon cover yet!
The tropical bouquet on the dining room table. And we finished that jigsaw puzzle!
The lovely kitchen.
The guest room where I stayed.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
The Daily Weather Report is back!
If you haven't seen this, you have to check it out. Accessible via www.davidlynch.com, as well.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
My penultimate post about Hawaii
I've been back on the mainland for nearly a month, so I figure I need to wrap up my travelogue.
One evening, my aunt and I trekked along a place I call Kalapana Path, even though I don't know what it's called officially. This area used to be Kalapana Beach, but a lava flow destroyed the area.
Now you hike over about a mile's worth of volcanic rocks to get to a lovely black sand beach.
This is taken from the path, looking back toward the main road. The ocean is behind me.
Cooled lava on the trail.
The locals encourage visitors to plant coconut palm trees on the path. You plant the tree right in the cinder (small volcanic rocks) and the sun and rain takes care of the rest.
At the end of the path, you reach the black sand beach.
One evening, my aunt and I trekked along a place I call Kalapana Path, even though I don't know what it's called officially. This area used to be Kalapana Beach, but a lava flow destroyed the area.
Now you hike over about a mile's worth of volcanic rocks to get to a lovely black sand beach.
This is taken from the path, looking back toward the main road. The ocean is behind me.
Cooled lava on the trail.
The locals encourage visitors to plant coconut palm trees on the path. You plant the tree right in the cinder (small volcanic rocks) and the sun and rain takes care of the rest.
At the end of the path, you reach the black sand beach.
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