My good friend Billy! Love ya babe!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
For your viewing pleasure: The Tommy Lee Waltz
Josh Freese from Devo makes these very bizarre, but engaging videos set to his own funky music. Check out this one based on a phone message from rocker Tommy Lee...
New Jams Tuesday on Wednesday
I got the new Vampire Weekend album yesterday and it really is pretty great. I know I have put both videos up on here and you should all have checked them out by now. I just can't get these lilting beats out of my head. I love a band that is at once infectious in a good way, and not full of themselves either.
Go buy it.
Go buy it.
Monday, January 28, 2008
There Will Be Blood
and the amazing sequels: "There is Some Blood Right There" and "There Was Blood" and the incredible finale "Remember the Blood?"
So if you haven't already guessed, this post is about movies I saw this weekend. I started the weekend off with a bang and saw the perfect little gem of a film called "Juno." I can't stop telling people how much I loved this film. Yes, it was hyped to the ends of the Earth by the time I got to see it, but it really lived up to all the buzz. Cody Diablo, aka Brook Bussey Hunt, has written an incredible first screenplay that is almost a shoe-in to winning Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars. I have looked up her memoir as a stripper in Minneapolis and will be buying it and reading it before the week is out. I can't wait to see what she brings to the table in the future. If you can see one film this week and haven't been out to see this one yet, do yourself the favor and check it out.
Sunday I went to see the other highly hyped film, "There will be blood." This film was pretty, Daniel Day Lewis was wonderful and creepy, the mood and suspense of each shot was perfectly done.....but it kind of left me cold. I really wanted to like it more than I did. I couldn't really put my finger on why until the credits rolled and there was my answer: "based on 'Oil' by Upton Sinclair." The main issue I had with this piece, was the fact that we couldn't really get too close to these characters....and that can be due to Upton Sinclair's writing style. I have found his writing to be a bit dry when it comes to the backgrounds, and flushing out of the people who populate his works. Sinclair tends to be more a man about the main idea and less about the intimacy of the lives in front of us. I must hand it to DDL as it must have been hard to fill in the blanks on a character that spends half his time lying, and the other half refusing to divulge anything about how he feels or what his past contains. We are always kept at arms length with these men. The ideas and issues are palpable and clear, but the real interesting stuff for me, would have been to see under these rough exteriors a bit more. My guess is the hype will work, and if "No Country for Old Men" doesn't take best picture, it'll surely go to this film. I think as far as a perfect, well crafted gem I wish "Juno" stood a chance, but those dreams never really come true on Oscar night do they?
So if you haven't already guessed, this post is about movies I saw this weekend. I started the weekend off with a bang and saw the perfect little gem of a film called "Juno." I can't stop telling people how much I loved this film. Yes, it was hyped to the ends of the Earth by the time I got to see it, but it really lived up to all the buzz. Cody Diablo, aka Brook Bussey Hunt, has written an incredible first screenplay that is almost a shoe-in to winning Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars. I have looked up her memoir as a stripper in Minneapolis and will be buying it and reading it before the week is out. I can't wait to see what she brings to the table in the future. If you can see one film this week and haven't been out to see this one yet, do yourself the favor and check it out.
Sunday I went to see the other highly hyped film, "There will be blood." This film was pretty, Daniel Day Lewis was wonderful and creepy, the mood and suspense of each shot was perfectly done.....but it kind of left me cold. I really wanted to like it more than I did. I couldn't really put my finger on why until the credits rolled and there was my answer: "based on 'Oil' by Upton Sinclair." The main issue I had with this piece, was the fact that we couldn't really get too close to these characters....and that can be due to Upton Sinclair's writing style. I have found his writing to be a bit dry when it comes to the backgrounds, and flushing out of the people who populate his works. Sinclair tends to be more a man about the main idea and less about the intimacy of the lives in front of us. I must hand it to DDL as it must have been hard to fill in the blanks on a character that spends half his time lying, and the other half refusing to divulge anything about how he feels or what his past contains. We are always kept at arms length with these men. The ideas and issues are palpable and clear, but the real interesting stuff for me, would have been to see under these rough exteriors a bit more. My guess is the hype will work, and if "No Country for Old Men" doesn't take best picture, it'll surely go to this film. I think as far as a perfect, well crafted gem I wish "Juno" stood a chance, but those dreams never really come true on Oscar night do they?
Friday, January 25, 2008
"Twisted Love" Backyard Screening February 9th
It's that time again. After a brief hiatus for the holidays, our series of Backyard Screenings is back. The boys of "Gay Gardens" along with our good friend Mark present an evening of cinema to celebrate/destroy all that you know about love. Bring us your huddled masses, your bitter angry loners. Bring forth your downtrodden souls who ache for the Valentine's Day decorations to cease. Come one, come all and see what lurks within the world of "Twisted Love!"
The pre-show entertainment will be:
Movin' With Nancy (1967)
Billed as the "full-hour musical spectacular that won Nancy Sinatra the coveted Hollywood Star of Tomorrow award," this 1967 NBC-TV special, sponsored by Royal Crown Cola, is hosted by Nancy and features Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Lee Hazlewood and Frank Sinatra (billed as 'A Very Close Relative').
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Our kick ass feature films will be:
Private Parts (1972)
When Cheryl and her roommate quarrel, Cheryl moves into her aunt's skid-row hotel in downtown L.A. rather than return home to Ohio. The lodgers are odd, Aunt Martha is a moralizer obsessed with funerals, murder is afoot, and the inexperienced and trusting Cheryl may be the next victim. She wants to be treated like a woman, and she's drawn to George, a handsome photographer who longs for human contact but sleeps with a water-inflated doll and spies on Cheryl as she bathes. Jeff, a neighborhood clerk, may be Cheryl's only ally in what she doesn't realize is a perilous residence haunted by family secrets. And, what happened to Alice, a model who used to have Cheryl's room?
Wild At Heart (1990)
Wild at Heart is a film written for the screen and directed by David Lynch, based on Barry Gifford's novel Wild at Heart: The Story of Sailor and Lula about Sailor Ripley (Nicolas Cage) and Lula Pace Fortune (Laura Dern), a young couple from Cape Fear, North Carolina who, after his return from prison, decide to go on the run from her overbearing mother (Diane Ladd) and, because of her mother, the mob becomes involved. The film is a road movie and includes bizarre, almost supernatural events and off-kilter violence with sometimes overtly heavy allusions to The Wizard of Oz and references to Elvis Presley and his movies.
Dressed to Kill (1980)
A transsexual murders one of his psychiatrist's patients, and now he's after the prostitute who witnessed it. Tagline: "Brian de Palma, master of the macabre, invites you to a showing of the latest fashion... in murder."
Feel free to bring a guest or two. Bring some snacks or anything you want to drink, and we'll provide the only working Backyard Drive-In Movie Theatre in Atwater Village. This event is dependent upon the weather, so if rain is expected we'll cancel, but for now save the date! It may be a little chilly so feel free to bring blankets, warm up with a cocktail and we will have our fire pit cooking off to the side to warm you if ya need it.
What: I Already told you that!
Where: My place aka "Gay Gardens" (If you want to come and need the address, let me know)
When: February 9th 2008, Pre-show entertainment starts at 7pm.
How: What you need me to show you?
Why: Cause this event is just too darn fun to stop now.
See you there....
Dale Jr, you're such a Big Mo!
"Um, Hi... this is Dale Jr. Calling, how's my number one publicist? Yeah things are good, I was just calling to find out how you spell fired?"
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
All the Doo Dah day
I always have a blast haging out with my friends Billy and Glen, as well as the fantastic company of Disco Mark and Dog and Snowball... This was the perfect entourage to watch the Doo Dah parade with. The crazy and nonsensical just wouldn't have been the same without these guys shouting things out, laughing together and even for a brief moment joining in the parade. (Yes John Malkovich we saw you.)
One personal favorite was the group of "Dead Robert Palmer Girls."
One personal favorite was the group of "Dead Robert Palmer Girls."
Friday, January 18, 2008
A wind came a blowin'
Wednesday night, the wind in LA had picked up and the warmer Santa Ana winds were swirling about my neighborhood. It was electric and charged with warmth that always feels good after its been so cold (by LA standards) for so long. It brought me right back to those warm nights of Burning Man, and just so happened to co-incide with the first day of ticket sales for the event. I need to find a way to swing a ticket asap, cause they just get more expensive each block that sells away, as well as the fact that they are not selling ANY tickets at the gate this year. I better not have that freakout of the potentially lost ticket the night before like I did last time.
As a kid, the Santa Ana winds were always fun to play in at night, running around chasing the dry leaves and pouncing upon them with a hearty CRUNCH! The feeling of these breezes takes me back to the big windstorm Grammy night in the early 1980's when I was watching Whitney Houston perform (I kind of adored her) and the lights went out aafter a large bang from the front yeard. The transformer on our street had blown and the sparks caught our neghbor's lawn on fire. As a kid, it wasn't really scary, as much as a cool free fireworks show. I love the wind.
As a kid, the Santa Ana winds were always fun to play in at night, running around chasing the dry leaves and pouncing upon them with a hearty CRUNCH! The feeling of these breezes takes me back to the big windstorm Grammy night in the early 1980's when I was watching Whitney Houston perform (I kind of adored her) and the lights went out aafter a large bang from the front yeard. The transformer on our street had blown and the sparks caught our neghbor's lawn on fire. As a kid, it wasn't really scary, as much as a cool free fireworks show. I love the wind.
Perfect song for Friday
Here's another short video from the group Vampire Weekend. I really can't wait for this ablum to come out, I'm really digging the two songs they've released so far. This video is funky, lo-budge, but really kinda great. Check it out, it makes me happy just watching it...
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Damn you Menudo McMesh Hat!
You may have escaped this time, but you'll cry again.... perhaps next week will bring you down.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Cross your fingers...
I'm guessing tonight is when Menudo McMeshhat gets the boot from Project Runway. I would entitle the episode: "No more tears."
Monday, January 14, 2008
Thank you Urban Dictionary!
Two terms presented/ created by friends have been ushered into the lexicon of Urbandictionary.com due to a few clicks while bored by yours truly. Thanks to Mark for coining the term Straw Chewer, and a bizarre group effort on Thanksgiving that proposed the term Rose Fart. You can also see my previous effort Clause-trophobia. Any new ideas for words?
To do: Doo Dah Parade '08
If anyone is up for it, me and a few friends of mine are heading down to Pasadena Sunday morning for the annual Doo Dah Parade. It kicks off around 11- 11:30ish and is always a fun display of the bizarre, creative, and just downright tacky. Take for instance the "Briefcase Drill Team" pictured above. Everyone loves an event with Shriners, Hippies and Drag Queens all in equal measure. Bring your sense of humor and maybe dress appropriately...
Am I the only one....
Who really can't tell the difference between Lily Allen and Kate Nash? I mean who's ripping off who? I know Lily Allen actually helped out Kate Nash by giving her a public thumbs up, but what if this was like some weird fake out and its really just the same bitch trying to diversify by getting two fan followings? Are we completely sure this isn't some sort of music industry "Parent Trap?"
Thursday, January 10, 2008
The band cd cover meme
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first article title on the page is the name of your band.
2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
Rather than tagging, I'll let anyone who wants to do one, and feel free to let me see the results. I must say that Cecilgene's is the best I've seen.
Mission Accomplished
I can now breathe a little easier since I got my car back today and the amount of money ticking away each day has ceased.... All in all this $1,000 experience has been horrible and exxhausting, but I have survived and my baby is back safe in my arms. The creepy feeling each morning walking out and hoping my car is still there will hopefully fade away with time. I know I'll certainly trust less when it comes to where I park, what's seen inside etc...
I promise my snarky sense of humor will return soon ladies and gentleladies...
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Learning lessons, and parking on the street is a costly adventure
Re-upping the insurance...... ..........................$158.00
The tickets, fines, and fees the asshole racked up in a red zone after stealing the car...as well as fees and re-registration for the vehicle.......................................................$430.00
To get the car out of impound........................ $187.00 plus $35 a day over the first day
The rental car.... .............................................. $30.00 a day
Paying off the tow guy to fix the pulled wires....$20.00
Getting my sad little car a "CLUB"......................$45.00
Eventually getting my car back, as in tommorrow: Priceless
Do you hear that empty hollow sound?........yeah that's my wallet and soul....
The tickets, fines, and fees the asshole racked up in a red zone after stealing the car...as well as fees and re-registration for the vehicle.......................................................$430.00
To get the car out of impound........................ $187.00 plus $35 a day over the first day
The rental car.... .............................................. $30.00 a day
Paying off the tow guy to fix the pulled wires....$20.00
Getting my sad little car a "CLUB"......................$45.00
Eventually getting my car back, as in tommorrow: Priceless
Do you hear that empty hollow sound?........yeah that's my wallet and soul....
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Meh
That's about how I feel today. I am exhausted, and dreading the next few days of running around trying to figure out how to sew up this pretty little mess with a bow.
Long story short: The police never showed up.....6 hours at work waiting and four phone calls...nothing....they suck. So I started cold calling tow places locally and they had a car matching my description. A short jaunt later I found it there. Some asshole had stolen my car and dumped it by the beach in a red zone, where it got some tickets....and sat....till it was towed.... then they checked their diabolical system once in custody, thinking I had just left my car there, and saw what I had mentioned yesterday.....my lapsed insurance..... oy.... so they revoked the registration... To get the car out of hawk I must pay the tickets, re-register the vehicle, show proof of this to the tow company, and pay their huge fee to get my little white shitmobile back in my hands. Bright side: no broken windows, the car just has some messed up wires torn out, but that can be fixed. In the meantime, it helps to work on a movie where people like you, cause the transportation dept. guys got me a deal on a rental car in the meantime, and hopefully my family can help me out a bit to get this stuff taken care of. It'll be top ramen and quiet nights in with a book for me for a while... It just one of those weeks....
Long story short: The police never showed up.....6 hours at work waiting and four phone calls...nothing....they suck. So I started cold calling tow places locally and they had a car matching my description. A short jaunt later I found it there. Some asshole had stolen my car and dumped it by the beach in a red zone, where it got some tickets....and sat....till it was towed.... then they checked their diabolical system once in custody, thinking I had just left my car there, and saw what I had mentioned yesterday.....my lapsed insurance..... oy.... so they revoked the registration... To get the car out of hawk I must pay the tickets, re-register the vehicle, show proof of this to the tow company, and pay their huge fee to get my little white shitmobile back in my hands. Bright side: no broken windows, the car just has some messed up wires torn out, but that can be fixed. In the meantime, it helps to work on a movie where people like you, cause the transportation dept. guys got me a deal on a rental car in the meantime, and hopefully my family can help me out a bit to get this stuff taken care of. It'll be top ramen and quiet nights in with a book for me for a while... It just one of those weeks....
Monday, January 07, 2008
Lesson for the day...
When you let your insurance lap for a month or two cause of bills and the holidays, your car will inevitably be stolen the day you return to work....
Tagged and trying to take my mind off stuff..
While I stew in my anger and juices of confusion at my car going missing, let's reply to a meme to take our mind off it...
"TIED TO A CHAIR" Meme:
Michael of Beefy Cat Angus fame tagged me on this meme of his: "So, I was thinking today- what are my favorite musical theatre songs of all time? If I was chained down to a chair a la Daniel Craig in "Casino Royale" and forced to listen to musical theatre, what would I want to hear? What *could* I hear over and over again?"
Here, in no order (as that might make my head explode and all for different reasons, musicality, range, emotion, beauty, humor) are my Top 25 Favorite Musical Theatre Songs:
1) Being Alive - Company
2) Weekend in the Country - A Little Night Music
3) It's an Art - Working
4) You Can't Imagine - Narnia: the musical
5) Belly up to the Bar, Boys - The Uninkable Molly Brown
6) New York, New York - On The Town
7) Love Song - The Threepenny Opera
8) Sorry Grateful - Company
9) Later - A Little Night Music
10) Steam Heat - The Pajama Game
11) The Ballad of Mack the Knife - The Threepenny Opera
12) Someone to Watch Over Me- Oh, Kay
13) No Moon - Titanic
14) A Little Priest - Sweeney Todd
15) Tennis Song - City of Angels
16) All Through the Night - Anything Goes
17) All I Need is the Girl - Gypsy
18) Get Away Boy - Jelly's Last Jam
19) Mood Indigo - Play On!
20) Small World - Gypsy
21) Consider Yourself - Oliver
22) Soon Its Gonna Rain - The Fantasticks
23) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Meet me in St.Louis
24) Why God - Miss Saigon
25) Going Going Gone - Merrily We Roll Along
"TIED TO A CHAIR" Meme:
Michael of Beefy Cat Angus fame tagged me on this meme of his: "So, I was thinking today- what are my favorite musical theatre songs of all time? If I was chained down to a chair a la Daniel Craig in "Casino Royale" and forced to listen to musical theatre, what would I want to hear? What *could* I hear over and over again?"
Here, in no order (as that might make my head explode and all for different reasons, musicality, range, emotion, beauty, humor) are my Top 25 Favorite Musical Theatre Songs:
1) Being Alive - Company
2) Weekend in the Country - A Little Night Music
3) It's an Art - Working
4) You Can't Imagine - Narnia: the musical
5) Belly up to the Bar, Boys - The Uninkable Molly Brown
6) New York, New York - On The Town
7) Love Song - The Threepenny Opera
8) Sorry Grateful - Company
9) Later - A Little Night Music
10) Steam Heat - The Pajama Game
11) The Ballad of Mack the Knife - The Threepenny Opera
12) Someone to Watch Over Me- Oh, Kay
13) No Moon - Titanic
14) A Little Priest - Sweeney Todd
15) Tennis Song - City of Angels
16) All Through the Night - Anything Goes
17) All I Need is the Girl - Gypsy
18) Get Away Boy - Jelly's Last Jam
19) Mood Indigo - Play On!
20) Small World - Gypsy
21) Consider Yourself - Oliver
22) Soon Its Gonna Rain - The Fantasticks
23) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Meet me in St.Louis
24) Why God - Miss Saigon
25) Going Going Gone - Merrily We Roll Along
Back in the blogging saddle: Holidays 2007-2208 edition
How many times can an airlines lose your luggage in one trip? Oh that's right, twice... once on the way to Seattle and once on the way back. All in all flying home to see my parents was a good experience, despite the luggage fiasco. My mother has lost a whopping 87 pounds (an entire Linsay Lohan) and she looks great. My sister and I noticed a few days into it that the house was like her personal catwalk with about four outfit changes each day. My parents both have adapted to eating healthier and are on a pretty unrestricted diet as long as it is a vegetable or on their program dietary list. They both still managed to lose a little weight even with the holiday rich foods. I'm really proud of them.
My trip into Seattle alone the first Friday I was home, a pilgrimage that I do at least once a visit, was fun and sad this time around. I was disheartened to see how many relics from my past had been torn down or were slated for demolition to make way for pre-fab condo buildings. So. so. sad Seattle, how could you? The city loses more of its funky heart every time I visit, and soon all it will be left with are condo lined streets with a wet discarded flannel shirt lying in the middle of the street to remind it of its grunge induced past.... At least the coffee was good, and I could still get my hair cut at the Rudy's in Capitol Hill. A trip to Market Spice in the Pike Place Market flooded me with memories of helping my roomies with inventory and getting paid minimally. If they only knew how much our kitchen had been stocked with stuff that "fell of the shelf" or was "Discontinued" or just "walked off," they'd have charged us to do inventory. We had every spice, tea or coffee known to man those bizarre few years we shared that house on 12th avenue in Caitol Hill.
With Christmas in full swing, it was one of those times of year I actually don't mind hearing all the standard Christmas tunes, except for my anger filled hatred for the song "The Little Drummer Boy." I did however find a version of this song that both warmed my heart, and made me enjoy this holiday jewel: "The Little Drummer Boy" as performed by Grace Jones on the Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. It is a version at once horrific, nearly pornographic, and commanding.... in a word hilarious. My mom had to run into the room to see what was making me cackle so loudly.
After I returned home I helped work on a Rose Parade Float for the city of LaCanada/ Flintridge. My sister and brother once worked on this city's float and I always wanted to be part of the action as a kid. It was a fun experience, ended all too soon as my stomach wasn't co-operating in allowing me to stand upright about halfway into my shift. I enjoyed those I met, and getting to paste some love onto the big goofy masterpiece, but was a little pissed the day of the parade when my tivo was surveyed and the damned float didn't even make it into the coverage. C'est la vie!
New Years was a drink induced evening of fun and merriment with hugs all around, fire spinning, having to put out a friend's pant leg after said fire spinning caught him ablaze, and lots of good company. Just the way you want to spend a New Year's Eve. The next day......they rested....and slept in......long past noon.....even past 4pm.... feeling like a lump and moving to the couch.....and then returning to sleep.
Today its back to work, and back to reality. I'll be posting more frequently again too, I promise.
My trip into Seattle alone the first Friday I was home, a pilgrimage that I do at least once a visit, was fun and sad this time around. I was disheartened to see how many relics from my past had been torn down or were slated for demolition to make way for pre-fab condo buildings. So. so. sad Seattle, how could you? The city loses more of its funky heart every time I visit, and soon all it will be left with are condo lined streets with a wet discarded flannel shirt lying in the middle of the street to remind it of its grunge induced past.... At least the coffee was good, and I could still get my hair cut at the Rudy's in Capitol Hill. A trip to Market Spice in the Pike Place Market flooded me with memories of helping my roomies with inventory and getting paid minimally. If they only knew how much our kitchen had been stocked with stuff that "fell of the shelf" or was "Discontinued" or just "walked off," they'd have charged us to do inventory. We had every spice, tea or coffee known to man those bizarre few years we shared that house on 12th avenue in Caitol Hill.
With Christmas in full swing, it was one of those times of year I actually don't mind hearing all the standard Christmas tunes, except for my anger filled hatred for the song "The Little Drummer Boy." I did however find a version of this song that both warmed my heart, and made me enjoy this holiday jewel: "The Little Drummer Boy" as performed by Grace Jones on the Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. It is a version at once horrific, nearly pornographic, and commanding.... in a word hilarious. My mom had to run into the room to see what was making me cackle so loudly.
After I returned home I helped work on a Rose Parade Float for the city of LaCanada/ Flintridge. My sister and brother once worked on this city's float and I always wanted to be part of the action as a kid. It was a fun experience, ended all too soon as my stomach wasn't co-operating in allowing me to stand upright about halfway into my shift. I enjoyed those I met, and getting to paste some love onto the big goofy masterpiece, but was a little pissed the day of the parade when my tivo was surveyed and the damned float didn't even make it into the coverage. C'est la vie!
New Years was a drink induced evening of fun and merriment with hugs all around, fire spinning, having to put out a friend's pant leg after said fire spinning caught him ablaze, and lots of good company. Just the way you want to spend a New Year's Eve. The next day......they rested....and slept in......long past noon.....even past 4pm.... feeling like a lump and moving to the couch.....and then returning to sleep.
Today its back to work, and back to reality. I'll be posting more frequently again too, I promise.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Um.....wtf were you searching for when you came across that?
There is a bizarre cult of Spanish and French singing divas who like to make music videos of themselves belting away with images of Rugby players dressing in the background... who knew? Can I make my own video somewhere? Is there a mall nearby with a booth that allows me to do this? (insert evil grin)
New band to check out: Vampire Weekend
Here's their video for their single "Mansard Roof" that's been getting some good airplay. I really dig the singer's voice and the drumbeat on this song. I can't wait to hearwhat the rest of their stuff sounds like. Album out January 28th 2008.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
He's alive...
I herby declare and promise that since tomorrow is about housecleanin' and staying indoors due to rain in sunny southern California, I'll be back to blogging tomorrow... I gots me some stories to be sharin'!
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