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Saturday, March 31, 2007

Everywhere That I'm Not


Not in London, Not in California, Not in Oslo. I'm not in St. Tropez (pictured below) and very happily not in Darfur (pictured below that). My ever-changing plans. They remind me of an obscure, funny but semi-rueful 80s song by Translator, "Everywhere That I'm Not."

Here's the video for your watching pleasure!

You can even sing along with the lyrics:

I thought I saw you.
Out on the avenue.
But I guess, it was just someone
Who looked a lot like I remeber you do.
'Cause, I thought I heard your voice.
In a bar, making a choice.
But, no. It was just someone

Who sounded a lot like I remember you do.

'Cause that's impossible, that's im...
That's impossible, that's imposs...
That's impossible, that's impossible.


'Cause you're in New York, but I'm not.
You're in Tokyo, but I'm not.
You're in Nova Scotia, but I'm not.
Yeah, you're Everywhere That I'm Not
Yeah, you're Everywhere That I'm Not
I'm Not, I'm Not, I'm Not.

I thought I felt your touch.
In my car on my clutch.
But I guess, it was just someone
Who felt a lot like I remember you do.

'Cause that's impossibe, that's im...
That's impossibe, that's imposs...
That's impossibe, that's impossible.

'Cause you're in New York, but I'm not.
You're in Tokyo, but I'm not.
You're in Nova Scotia, but I'm not.
Yeah, you're Everywhere That I'm Not
Yeah, you're Everywhere That I'm Not
Yeah, you're Everywhere That I'm Not
I'm Not, I'm Not, I'm Not.



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Friday, March 30, 2007

To Be Headless and Cooked


Well, neither this turkey nor I will be seated in a transatlantic plane this evening. Work obligations have effectively grounded me through to Tuesday and probably forfeited what I paid Travelocity to fly me around. There's still a possibility I might get some sort of mini-break from Tuesday night to Sunday - we'll see what lemondade I can squeeze from this odorific, sharp mountain of lemon pulp.

There are few things as scary, in a culinary sense, as a deep-fried turkey.

I've lost 10lbs since New Year's! Woo hoo! A waist is a terrible thing to mind....

Anecdote of the Day:

A few weeks after my surgery, I went out to play catch with my golden retriever. When I bent over to pick up the ball, my prosthesis fell out. The dog snatched it, and I found myself chasing him down the road yelling
"Hey, come back here with my breast!"

- Linda Ellerbee




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Thursday, March 29, 2007

Gone With The (Trade) Wind?


Is my Easter vacation really cancelled, fallen victim to the vagaries, slings and outrageous fortune of the almightly deal? Have I really lost enough Airfare to buy a Flat-Screen TV? We shall see. My flight to London is tomorrow at 7:30pm, and I'm coming to work packed - just in case. I'd hate for both the deal and the vacation to vanish simultaneously. My head is spinning, juggling alternate plans B, C, D, and E, for a variety of work and personal events, ever more frequently...
In the background, a lot of good music and language lessons... I'll spare you Danish Verbs, but you might enjoy the 60s-ish High Llamas.

Stop, Look, and Listen: High Llamas - Sun Beats Down.


I was once 'mooned' by a llama - at Macchu Picchu - all those years ago.









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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Back From Buzios...


...is yesterday's birthday girl, Celia Elman, with a full report. At left, a picture of Buzios' Azeda Beach I took from Google Image. Celia will send her own photos shortly. Here's what Celia had to say:

Armaçao do Buzios is located 180 km south of Rio do Janeiro, it was a whale fishing center. Yes in the IXX Century there were plenty of whales in the Brazilian coasts. Portuguese made quite profits with the proceeds of whale fishing. They even used the oil for making bricks. At that time they used sea shells, earth and whale oil in the manufacturing of bricks for building their forts along the coast of Brazil. Unfortunately, nowadays, there are few whales that travel from Brazil to Patagonia back and forth.

However, Brazilians took advantage of the privileged geography of their costs, and since the 60's when Brigitte Bardot went to Buzios and Cabo Frio (30 kms from Buzios) for the first and only time (I think) some paparazzi published her famous photographs, Buzios was known as a sophisticated-exclusive tropical fishing town. They even have a statue of Brigitte Bardot, the name of their cinema was taken after her, a part of the main street along the coast is named "Orla Bardot".

Summing up, a beautiful sixties/seventies bossa nova/jazz, gourmet, tropical town in which Americans, Europeans and South Americans use to spend a wonderful and relaxed time. From 1 to 5 I give Buzios a 4 plus!!! I would go back there every time I can.


Quote of the Day:
"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it. " - Mark Twain





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Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Happy Birthday, Celia!


A Birthday Salute! To my friend Celia Elman and our beloved Buenos Aires, seen here in photos of the city's historic Plaza de Mayo and its iconic Cafe Tortoni.


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75


Here's our Kelly in Terrence McNally's "Some Men," which opened last night. It's a play of vignettes about gay men over the last half century or so - I'm hoping to see it on April 11 with Bart.

It's going to be 75F in NY today. Echoes of Summer.

I'm watching the strange and surreal "Science of Sleep." Watch the trailer here. It stars Gael Garcia Bernal, the brilliant and beautiful Mexican actor, as a shy and stunted twentysomething whose stark life contrasts sharply with his wild, cartoonish, colorful dreams.. I have no idea where this is going, but I'm enjoying the ride. Just the visuals are worth it.

Quote of the Day:
"If you don't want your dog to have bad breath, do what I do: Pour a little Lavoris in the toilet. " - Jay Leno








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Monday, March 26, 2007

Tip Your Genie


Meet Mr. Jack Hammer, my least favorite musical instrument. Apparently the work crew using it skipped church this morning : - ) Spring is in the air!!

Lazy weekend. I got caught up on 'Lost', hunted for potential dates, studied Danish ahead of my vacation next week, talked to friends near & far. My Brazil friends were bummed that I missed Milton's birthday party..

And so... HAPPY BIRTHDAY MILTON!!!

I would have gotten up tomorrow at 5am, to be picked up at 6am and taken on a 4-hour drive to a sugar plantation. Some other time, I guess...







Today's musical treat is a The Long Blondes, a young British outfit with deep late-70s punk/new wave influences, she sounds like Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, with sexual politics and wistful aging seen through the prism of the 'now' generation. I particularly love this video, "Weekend Without Makeup"





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Sunday, March 25, 2007

I hate the sound of jackhammers. They're not very musical, you know.

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Turns To Falafel


A young man's fancy. In springtime. Really, it does!. Nutrition-free iceberg lettuce crunching with deep-fried balls of wholesome goodness...

It's been a very quiet weekend, unexpectedly home and work-free! Last night I saw "Casino Royale" and I can say with utter confidence that Daniel Craig's James Bond far surpasses Woody Allen's original. Those of you my age know I'm kidding. : - ) Surprising depth and interpersonal relations - Bond girls are no longer bimbos, and his boss is Judi Dench! Exotic locations include Czech, Uganda, Bahamas, and Madagascar. The 'Casino Royale' this time is not in Monaco but in Montenegro, as in Serbia-Montenegro, on a mountain in a walled city. The excellent Bond theme, shockingly underplayed, is "You Know My Name" by alt-rocker Chris Cornell, former lead singer of Soundgarden. Watch a Casino montage as you listen to it. Listen to Judi Dench talk about it.

Quote of the Day, still on the canine theme:

"If you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater. . .
suggest that he wear a tail. "
- Fran Lebowitz



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Saturday, March 24, 2007

I'm Here!


Horton hears a Who? : - ) I'm not going to Brazil tonight, we decided that late yesterday afternoon. I was beginning to think we weren't going to decide until I was seated on the JFK runway in business class having a Bailey's®, straight up.


The hills are alive... with the sound of... jackhammers! Isn't 8:30am on Saturday a LITTLE early to start with jackhammers?



Just Fine-yl



I had a nice dinner last night w Fernando & Sunil at VYNL, in it's new location at 754 9th Ave between 50th & 51st. VYNL's motif is records and music - the menus are all attached to old album covers. I ordered from The Best of Blondie. The 'nouvelle diner food' is still scrumptious, and very reasonable. I had a delicious tuna steak with sweet sauce, smashed potatoes and spinach for $15. The bathrooms are named for Cher, Nelly, Whitney and other divas. I peed to the sound of Cher's 'Strong Enough.' Utterly inspiring.

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Friday, March 23, 2007

Moommmmmy? Why Does Everybody Have a Blog?


Brian's best musical joke, ever? : - )
Well, Brian, maybe because we like to express ourselves! The honest truth is I enjoy playing with pretty colors...

How I loved Prince's 1999 song and album. But that was 23 years a-GO, when there used to be a SHOW. (another musical in-joke). Special prizes for anyone who picks up on any of these musical hints.
Honest to goodness. Give me the answers, and you'll get something nice, if small.

Tomorrow night I am headed for Brazil on a special project, arriving Sunday in São Paulo, just in time for Milton's birthday party. Monday up at dawn's crack to drive to some remote rural location. Then, Wednesday night I fly home, arriving Thursday morning. and Friday night, I'm off on a 9-day vacation in Europe, to London, Oslo, and Copenhagen. More on this later.

Another Brian-ism is: "I can't keep up with your travelling ass." Such wit. : - ) I may be seeing 'Equus' in London with David - I missed this play in the 1970s when my parents saw it on Broadway.
I guess that's what they talked about at the grown up table : - ) (see Wednesday's entry)

Quote of the Day:

Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later.
- Mary Bly


Cartoon du Jour:



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Thursday, March 22, 2007

Brokeback Finance

Quote of the Day:

"Asking a writer what he thinks about criticism is like
asking a lamppost what it feels about dogs. "
- John Osborne

Sign 'O' The Times?

and while we're on the subject of sheepherding....



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Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Exposé: At the Grown-Up Table..


This is from a hilarious New Yorker piece about Grown-Up Table dialogue as imagined from the Kids' Table:

Dialogue below....











A Conversation at the Grownup Table, as Imagined at the Kids’ Table
by Simon Rich


MOM: Pass the wine, please. I want to become crazy.

DAD: O.K.
GRANDMOTHER: Did you see the politics? It made me angry.
DAD: Me, too. When it was over, I had sex.
UNCLE: I’m having sex right now.
DAD: We all are.
MOM: Let’s talk about which kid I like the best.
DAD: (laughing) You know, but you won’t tell.
MOM: If they ask me again, I might tell.
FRIEND FROM WORK: Hey, guess what! My voice is pretty loud!
DAD: (laughing) There are actual monsters in the world, but when my kids ask I pretend like there aren’t.
MOM: I’m angry! I’m angry all of a sudden!
DAD: I’m angry, too! We’re angry at each other!
MOM: Now everything is fine.
DAD: We just saw the PG-13 movie. It was so good.
MOM: There was a big sex.
FRIEND FROM WORK: I am the loudest! I am the loudest!
(Everybody laughs.)
MOM: I had a lot of wine, and now I’m crazy!
GRANDFATHER: Hey, do you guys know what God looks like?
ALL: Yes.
GRANDFATHER: Don’t tell the kids.


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Tuesday, March 20, 2007

The Joy of Wincing


There are few musical pleasure on par with the graceful, witty, and unusual melodicism of The Shins. Can they save from the Zeitgeist? They appear dressed for the task in this photo! Listen here to their lovely 'Girl Sailor.'


I Know Why



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Monday, March 19, 2007

The British Are Coming!


But this Yankee Doodle is headed for Brazil. I think.

My daily routine:


My daily routine:


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Sunday, March 18, 2007

The Road Back


It was a fairly mellow weekend, still trying to get my health in gear. Finally made it to the gym today, a big step. I met my friend Christi for lunch and we saw the dystopic and thoughtful sci-fi film "Children of Men," which I would heartily recommend. I'm going to be thinking about it for days. The bleak cinematography was an accomplishment in itself, turning Britain into a something at once familiar and unrecognizable.


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Saturday, March 17, 2007

Happy, Snow-Covered St Patrick's Day




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Friday, March 16, 2007

It's snowing. NY may get 7 inches.
Will it look like this?

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TGIF


It was a long, slow week, as opposed to a long, stressful week. Some say the world will end in fire, some in ice... The temperature has dropped some 30 Fahrenheit degrees. Last night I watched the first half of 'Shortbus,' John Cameron Mitchell's flawed but fascinating X-rated non-porn film. Some classic one-liners at a 'sex gathering' include 'Well, I was once the Mayor of New York.' : -) Not a classic like 'Hedwig,' so far, but certainly not a waste of time. I saw prairie dogs outwest, not far from South Dakota's Badlands National Park, pictured below...



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Thursday, March 15, 2007

Ring Around The Collar


From an old commercial for Wisk laundry detergent and stain remover - leave it to Madison Avenue to find something new to make Americans self-conscious about, in this case, the 'ring' of sweat around the neck of one's shirt. I wonder if 'Madison Avenue' is still associated with advertising in the mind of the younger generation?

Discontinued Food Products:

I miss Rice-a-Roni's Stroganoff flavor. I used to combine this with another discontinued products, Old El Paso Beef Taco Filling, to create 'Mexican Stronganoff.'


When Betty Crocker, Old El Paso's owner, discontinued Beef Taco Filling, I began using their Tamales and Enchiladas, but they've since discontinued those, two. Happily, I've learned how to cook, and can now approximate the combination of stroganoff and taco flavor in rice by myself. Still, it's not quite the same..



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Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Immoral. Not.


British rockers XTC got it right:

Click here and sing along.

Generals and Majors ah ah
they're never too far
from battlefields so glorious


out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
till once again victorious

Generals and Majors always
seem so unhappy 'less they got a war

Generals and Majors ah ah
like never before are tired of being actionless.

Calling Generals and Majors
Generals and Majors everywhere
Calling Generals and Majors
your World War III is drawing near

Generals and Majors ah ah
They're never too far
away from men who made the grade

out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
until the battle's lost or made

Generals and Majors ah ah
like never before, are tired of being in the shade




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Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Happy Camper


Campy, cute young singer-songwriter Mika is certainly a guilty pleasure of a high order. This adorable Anglo-Lebanese artist has put the fun - and the flamboyance - back into British pop. Check out this home-made video of "Lollipop," with its candy-coated refrain "Suckin' too hard on your lollipop, girl it's gonna get you down." Mika is 23, and probably gay, though he prefers not to discuss his sexuality with journalists. Here's a brief article on this phenomenon.









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Monday, March 12, 2007

Ooh Ee Ooh Ah Ah


Just give in to it.
Click here.

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Unscramble It


The Democrats' Challenge:





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Sunday, March 11, 2007

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry


And we did! My first dinner party in ages was lovely. Here's a table full of friends:


and here's the food:


Chicken with Carrots and Ginger:




Intense Mushroom Rice:


and Salad with Artichokes and Palmitos:





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