Rififi

Blacklisted during the McCarthy era, director Jules Dassin was forced to make this movie in France on a tiny budget of $8000 using little-known/past-prime actors as well as himself to star in it.

A pre-cursor to movies like Ocean's Eleven (the 1960 Rat Pack version, ahem), this is about the perfect heist. Highly recommended especially if you get the Criterion edition which has an interview with Dassin in 2000 where he speaks of the Red Scare in America during the 50s.

Classic film noir plot with a bittersweet ending. The actual heist scene takes up about 1/4 of the movie and is performed without dialog or score. It is hard to watch because you feel as though you are right there with them. (I'd also like to note that Carl Mohner as Jo wears the classic Spring Court plimsolls in this scene, which I love very much)

Rififi is being remade with Al Pacino playing the role of Le Stephanois, due out next year. Please don't mess it up.

Jean Painleve

Edit: We arrived at Monkeytown and headed for the back room. It's set up with each wall as a screen, and a projector shows the film on each of the walls. Low tables line the room, with cush pillows and mattresses. It sounds a little janky but it's actually really nice. Dinner and drinks are served during the film and we ordered some of their house cocktails: Elderflower Bell (St. Germaine, cava, concord grape juice), Westminster Fennel Club (fennel infused gin, grapefruit bitters, pearl onions, twist), Umami Martini (shochu, brine, parmesan, clam juice, caper berry, spicy pickle).

The films were amazing and the re-score by Yo La Tengo was beautiful. My favorites were "Sea Urchins," "The Seahorse" and "The Love Life of the Octopus." The subtitles/commentary was a little tongue in cheek as well, and not so dry which was good. I definitely want to see it again and will try to get to the gallery at least once to do so.

The DVD + score are available as a 2-disc set on Yo La Tengo's website for $45, but only as a region 2 DVD. I guess I can buy myself a few bday presents :)



We're going to see a few of Jean Painleve's films scored by Yo La Tengo tomorrow night (reservations pending) at Monkeytown in Williamsburg. They're showing them through Sunday and reservations are free with a table minimum.

His photographs will be on view at CristineRose/Josée Bienvenu Gallery, 529 West 20th Street, Chelsea through Jan. 11 and his films will also be shown there every day at 4pm or on request.

From the NY Times article:
In 1944, Painlevé made a horrific nature film that is clearly an allegory of Nazi Germany. The film, ''The Vampire,'' originally set to music by Duke Ellington, begins with a survey of animals known for sucking or squeezing their prey dry. You see the octopus, the mosquito and the tick. You see the tongues of insects lapping blood from their victims, a map of Europe and a map of South America. The star of the film, the South American vampire bat, appears with his European screen double, Nosferatu. The subtitle ominously explains the choice of experimental victim: ''Decency has replaced man by a guinea pig.''

Slowly the vampire bat sidles and lurches up to the guinea pig, which is all innocence. The bat gives the guinea pig a gentle kiss on the lips, which, as the subtitles explain, numbs the victim in the place where the bloodletting will occur. Then the bat begins sucking on the guinea pig's cheek. You see the poor furry thing paralyzed, apparently sitting calmly, while the blood is drained from its body. The camera turns cruelly to an image of a cat lapping milk. At the end the bat, seemingly drunk on blood, begins to doze, but not before raising a wing in a hideous ''heil.''

Something new every day

So I'm knitting a scarf for Alex that involves stripes in three colors. I messed up the order the other night and freaked out but apparently there is a way to fix it, called "frogging."

So I Googled it and came up with this, but while the photos were pretty it didn't really help since the pattern is a 1 x 1 rib. Instead I found some videos on this site, which helped tons. Basically you thread your needle on the row you want to start up again and then just rip all the rows out. I practiced on scrap yarn first until I got it.

Just goes to show you, even when there's no one around to help, the Internet is always there for you. It's how I learned to knit in the first place. 2 scarves down, 2 to go. Eeesh!

More time wastin

Will post Saturday shenanigans later. Just joined Musebin, a one-line music review website still in beta. This seems a perfect format for me as I hate wordy, extraneous reviews. Some recent gems of albums I have (not written by me):

On Boards of Canada's Music Has a Right to Children: These kids have no faces. Fortunately, you can have yours melted off as well while listening to these electronic sweeps.

And also: Cracks open the doors to a misty, sun-drenched, ethereal childhood that you though was long since lost.

My review: Rainy day brainsplosions.

On Kleenex Girl Wonder's Ponyoak: Great lo-fi indie-pop indulgence. Makes the Big Brother list of albums you should foist on others.

On David Bowie's Low: DB's art-rock masterpiece still sounds fresh & futuristic after 30 years with styles from post-punk to spacey funk to ambient euro-chill. (This is the kind of music review I cannot stand. Too label-y.)

On albums I do not have:
On Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak: While it's his most daring and polarizing release, it's also his best. The pop-hip-hop answer to "Closer" and "Disintigration."

On Guns n Roses' Chinese Democracy: Chinese Democracy is not like reviewing music. It's like reviewing a unicorn. Should I be primarily blown away that it exists at all?

Etc. etc. etc. Like Twitter, you only have 140 characters to make your voice heard each time. And, you can have all your reviews shared on Twitter. What I want to know is, where's the movie site?

Mac n Cheese for Dummies

Real dummies. Here's a recipe in Ryan & Alexis speak:

Ryan: Looks like I'm doing Mac and cheese for Maan's dinner. Do you have recipe?
me: 1. mac 2. cheese 3. bake

Mac & Cheese for Dummies:
1. Cook mac al dente.
2. Melt butter in a pot, add flour and cook flour taste out.
3. Add heavy cream.
4. When it simmers, add cheese, any cheese. Gruyere, cheddar, fontina best.
5. Melty times.
6. Then add mac.
7. Mix mix. Add cooked bacon if you like.
8. Then dumpy in Pyrex.
9. Bake bake. Add bread crumbs. Bake bake some more.

Ryan: I like melty times! :D

Je voudrais....

Three-dollar subway rides?? In this time of economic turmoil, here are some shopping tips, from a shopper who never sleeps.

1. If you're buying from a chain store (Gap, Club Monaco, J. Crew...) NEVER NEVER NEVER buy full price! Gap has crazy cheap sales and J. Crew often lowers their prices w/i 1-2 weeks of releasing new items, for promotion. Allow yourself only one or two must-have items but as much as possible, wait for it to go on sale. And if the item you want isn't on sale or is sold out, then tell yourself you weren't meant to have it. If you're worried about buying online, try the items on at the store. Then wait for them to go on sale.

2. Go to Forever 21 or H&M for super trendy items. Splurge on the classics, save on the frivolities.

3. If you use websites like Gilt Groupe or Hautelook, and you see something you like, check for it on eBay or Bluefly first. It may be cheaper. Additionally, if you see something on a retail site that you want, use Google shopping to find it cheaper. I found a pair of Tretorn skimmers on Zappos that I loved but at $70 they were a little much. So I typed them into Google and Eastern Mountain Sports had them for $35. I win!

4. Sample sales, sample sales, sample sales. Get on some newsletters and dig dig dig.

5. Overstock.com is a godsend.

6. You don't have to wait til the end of the season to find deals - mid-season is when most things go on sale to make room for the next one. So you still have half a season to wear your new things.

7. Make a list and stick to it - do not allow yourself to make impulse buys.

What are your tips for saving while spending?

Saturday in Pictures

Photos before my back gave out.

Some background on my lower lumbar: my last stint at the farm, I was riding a young horse around the ring. It was only my 2nd or 3rd day there. He spooked at some cows and did a little crow hop sideways. I wasn't ready for it and next thing I knew, I looked down and there was no horse! So I landed on the ground right on my tailbone. Long story short, my back was shaped like an "L" and my right foot was about 6" higher than my left. I had to go to the chiropractor 3x a week for about a month, after which he said I was pretty damn lucky to not be injured forever and ever.

Fast forward to last week: I did some pilates after about a month without exercise thinking it'd do me some good. The next day, I bought a lamp in Soho and had to carry the thing from Broadway all the way to 6th Ave, dodging tourists on Canal Street. Then on Saturday we went to Ikea where I picked up one of those giant yellow bags and stuffed it with kitchen things. All these things culminated in the 2008 Fall (Back) Blowout of one lazysundae.

I'm at work today but I'm leaving right at 5pm. Please let there be a seat on the train.

On a brighter note, I didn't realize how easy it was to get to Ikea from Clinton Hill! We took the B26 (you can also take the B25) at Washington and Atlantic to Borough Hall, where there is a free Ikea shuttle every 20 or 30 minutes. Coming back we took the B52 which left us one block from home.

There's a lot to see in Red Hook that we are missing - will be back for sure.

sittin sideways

i either have a pinched nerve or a slipped disc. on our way back from ikea and downtown brooklyn today, i stepped off the b52 after alex and immediately felt that familiar shooting pain. thankfully (or not) it didn't fully manifest until we reached our front steps, when i collapsed in pain before even entering the front door.

i have a lidocain patch on my back, topped off with a heat patch. wine and aleve haven't done anything to relieve the pain and now i'm surfing the web lying sideways in bed, after several attempts to finish joan didion's the white album which i received 2 christmases ago at a gift exchange from work.

i'm hoping it will get better tomorrow. it's an adventure just to get to the bathroom to relieve myself and today it took me about 20 minutes to take my jeans off. stupid back!

More things I want

49 Mile Scenic Drive sign by wexfordgirl on etsy. Saw these all over San Francisco and fell in LOVE with their simple design and bright colors. They make me happy. I'd like to do the drive one day and photograph all the signs, though I believe many have been stolen. And why not, they are awesome!

Another rendition in linoprint also available in orange. From The Curiosity Shoppe via SFGirlByBay via BonBon Oiseau. I love the how the blogosphere works!

Another one via SFGirlByBay, a page from Eli, No! an unpublished children's book by Katie Kirk. Love the simplicity and colors, again. This style of design makes me happy happy joy joy.

Apothecary jars from Design Within Reach, number one on my "If I ever get married this place would be on my registry" list. What to put in them? Or would you even put anything in them? The possibilities are endless.

Photo by Patricia Lim via lomography.com

You just have to be sure you're doing the right thing.
I mean it's very easy to forget - she's just sitting there in the pub with her new friends and her new life and her new hair, and it's been five years but you'd know just to look at her.

I wasn't even sure it were her at first, I was ready to walk away but she smiled and called me over and we said hello for a bit. When we back to our tables we were trying not to look over at each other and told our friends to stop staring. I didn't see her for the rest of the night, but by closing time the beer's kicked in so I go up and speak to her and we end up talking about our new homes, our new jobs and our new birds.

She says she's been going out with him now for about two and a half years, but they don't live together so he'd never find out. And you think about chasing her about school when you were wee and lying in your bed and listening to love songs and pretending they were about you. And the first time you asked her out she said no but one night you went to a wedding and when you came back to the pub she's changed her mind and you went out. You remember the way she swung her arms when she held your hand but you can't remember how she kissed and now you've got the chance to find out.

But you have to remember there's this other kiss. She's at home, wondering where you are and what you're doing. And you work hard on this kiss and you know it inside out, it's as much yours as it is hers,And it took a long time to get right, it took months of practice and months of embarassment but now you've got it perfected and you've been looking forward to that kiss all week.

You can see her breath in the air between your faces as you stand in the leaves and she just asks you straight out if you want to come and stay at her flat. But you make sure you get separate taxis and you go home and there might be a slight regret and you might wonder what you missed but you have to remember the kiss you worked so hard on - and you'll know you've done the right thing.

Arab Strap - "New Birds"

How's this for nostalgia?

Entries from my previous blog. I left Brooklyn in November of 2004, just as the election craziness was getting underway. I'd only been in NY for a year and a half and already I needed an escape. So I left my non-home in Brooklyn on a cross country trip with an old high school friend and headed to the farm where I spent most of my summers since I was 13.

Oct. 27, 2004
i swear the things i think about when i don't want to be thinking.

1. hillsborough, ca - i don't even remember this home but from what i've heard, it was nice.
2. burnaby, bc - all i remember is the giant trampoline in the backyard, the second floor solarium where i had my 6th birthday party and lindsay's sandbox next door.
3. foster city, ca - small and cozy; we had a lagoon in the back and a rubber boat - we could boat to nicky's house or to the shopping center for groceries and ice cream. my bedroom was wallpapered with 2 different kinds of paper; i shared a bathroom with giles and we used to lock each other out of it in the not-so-memorable bathroom wars of 1986. the notorious blue poop is born.
4. woodside, ca - a huge property with guest house; long sloping driveway good for riding down on the roller racer; somersaults in cardboard boxes; kick the can, water fights, playing tennis against the garage door; my own bathroom; a dining room and living room we never used; a wine cellar in which we stored xmas ornaments
5. san juan, manila - my grandparent's home where i shared a bedroom with giles for a few months.
6. ayala alabang, manila (palosapis st) - this house was notoriously easy to sneak in and out of. the foundation and structure were built of cement because of the typhoons and therefor it was practically soundproof.
7. indonesia - we stayed about 3 months whilst in the middle of the southeast asian world cup qualifiers - our apartments were on top of our horses' stalls and we had an outdoor kitchen. 5 times a day we would hear the call for prayers. a 5 minute walk took us to the pool, complete with mini clubhouse where on our last night we cooked a huge filipino feast for everyone. i seem to have blocked it out for some reason. could it be because i saw my mom get completely wasted that night? dancing with one of the federation officials? coming home at the buttcrack of dawn and then spending the entire day moaning and groaning with an ice bag on her head?
8. molave st - my family moved here after i left for college. i don't really remember much of it at all - just bits and pieces of the backyard and my bedroom.
9. hackettstown, nj (grand st.) - my surrogate family was born here, with anywhere between 5-8 people living in the house at once. we had an open door policy, which meant that on any given day i could walk in and find none of my roommates there...but a cluster of their friends grouped in front of the tv playing video games. and also, drunks from the bar next door walking in and asking for water or "where's joe?"
10. madison st. - and then we were 3, me rc and lee. a house that was made into a duplex, where the font door opened right into our bedroom. use the back door please.
11. new york, ny - we never really did fix the place up. it was tiny but it had a good kitchen and hardwood floors. and we ate on the floor.
12. brooklyn, ny

this home, this room, this is the worst fucking place i've lived in my whole life. not because the plumbing is bad or the heat doesn't work or it's a shithole. it just doesn't feel like home. i get here, distribute the mail (when i remember to get it) and then retreat to my hole. if i want to see b i have to msg him, tell him i'm coming over and then speak in hushed tones lest the hulking beast that is our 3rd roommate hear. i'm glad i'm leaving for a spell.

i'll be returning to my second home. i doubt much has changed. if i concentrate hard enough i can conjure up the smell - leather and dogs and hamburgers and coffee and sawdust and horses and open air. the brown shag carpet, the wagon wheel-turned coffee table, the needlepoint clown pillow on my bed, the too-soft down pillows, the handpainted ceramic plateware, the quilted blue placemats, the fridge always stocked with caffeine free diet pepsi and corona, the boxed ice cream in the freezer... i remember it better than my own home.

i've been waiting so long for this it doesn't seem real anymore.

Oct. 29, 2004


I’d forgotten what a pain it is to travel in New York. Unless you are in a car from home to airport/bus/train you are fucked. I left the house with all my shit, only after one nasty spill on the steps. My beast of a roommate was coming home just then and couldn’t even bother to hold the door open for me.

I made it to 8th avenue without any mishaps and thankfully an older woman noticed that I was all retarded with my bags and helped me up the elevator and across to my connecting train, which of course was full and of course I nearly fell on my face because there was hardly anywhere to move.

I got to Port Authority, picked up my ticket and almost got on the wrong bus to MD. The bus ride was fine until some smartass decided to let loose an SBD, stinking up the entire ride for about 10 minutes.

Oct. 30, 2004

We are busy packing up Ryan’s van. “As long as it goes,” I’d said to him on the phone. And it goes. But it is a fucking monster! The sliding door doesn’t close and has to be wired shut through a latch that he drilled into the back. Also the driver and passenger doors do not open from the inside; on the driver’s side you have to roll down the window (power, surprisingly) and on the passenger’s side you have to open the back window, stick your arm out and then let yourself out. He has a crash site which consists of a narrow bedroll, sleeping bags and several crocheted hippy blankets. His whole life is packed into the van - drum kit, several thrift store guitars, easel, tools, music, clothes.

I arrived in MD last night and we drove about an hour or so to his sister’s house in VA. Last I saw her, we were dropping her off at her 8th grade dinner dance. She made us food, let us crash in her room and then printed out driving directions for us.

I had a succession of weird dreams. The first was about my dead friend Ismay. The second, about my friend Matt - we were walking around in some wasteland looking for jobs. And in the third, I was in the bathroom and I had to crap real bad. I almost didn’t make it to the toilet and as I was sitting on it, people just started busting in and out on me. I guess what that means is, I lost my shit, and everyone was there to see it. Not a terribly good omen the night before our trip.

DUDE AT 1ST STOP IN OVERALLS STRESSING ABOUT GAS CAN: I ain’t drivin across the street just so’s I can eat and then back across to git gas...Hell, I left my keys in my truck too so someone could just drive off with it. Whup! There it goes!! HAH HAH HAH!


Oct. 31, 2004

It’s hard to drive while trying to find animal shapes in the clouds overhead. I haven’t driven in over two years and even then, it was around rural New Jersey and not on the open roads. I’m hoping the fact that we’re driving on major interstates makes it easier.

Drove through 2/3 of Ohio by myself. The winds were pretty strong and kept blowing me to the side of the road but we kept chugging at a steady 70 mph. We kept going until we hit Indiana. Stopped at a rest area for dinner and then slept in the van. It was hard to fall asleep - the bedroll is only meant for one person and the winds kept up and started rocking the van. It was cold as hell and there wasn’t much room to fit - I kept kicking the snare drum and waking myself up. Ryan woke up at around 6am and started driving while I finally got some real sleep in. I awoke sometime later to Bob Dylan singing about wishing someone were dead...going to their funeral to see them lowered into their death bed...

It’s Halloween. We spent it at a diner in Ottowa, IL with bottomless cups of coffee, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, eggs cooked in fake butter, and sausages. Once we hit middle America we were able to smoke indoors so I remembered to bring the smokes in wherever we went.

While Ryan changed the oil I decided to stock up on smokes. $3.49/pack! 3-pack deal - $9.00!! God bless the midwest. In New York they’re $6.50/pack. In Brooklyn.

Today we are going to drive 15 hours.

* * * * *

Things were going pretty smoothly until we suddenly got a flat tire. We heard a loud BANG! and gave each other scared looks. Ryan dicked around for a bit - our problem was that the jack was too small to lift the van up high enough to get the tires on and off. He finally gave up and settled on the grass at the side of the road. I was pissed, I wanted to get back on the road and I had no signal to call for help. Cornfields for miles.

Finally a trucker stopped to help us. His name was Al, with trucker breakfast belly and Wrangler cowboy shirt, clip-on shades and cowboy boots. He got right down on his belly and figured out a way to jack the van up high enough. As we were putting all our shit away we saw a kid about 18 or so walking towards us on the shoulder. We thought he’d come to help; he was carrying a plastic bag.

Ryan: Hey man.
Stranger: What’s up. Name’s Derek, friends call me Double-D. (WHAAAAT?!)
Ryan: What’s in the bag, man?
Double-D: Some Smarties...Time Crisis...Gonna play some video games...
Ryan: Need a ride, man? (he calls his mom that too)

So we took Double-D about 10 miles down the road to the Iowa City exit. He offered to smoke us out but we declined. Seemed nice enough. He learned that we had been driving since PA and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. “I’d just as soon go all the way out to California with ya’ll!”

We continued on without any more problems and had an okay dinner at a rest stop diner where our waitress Shari was disturbingly perky and dressed in a purple and black court jester costume. We paid as soon as we could and got out of there.

It’s near impossible for me to drive at night. I can’t see shit and the lights from the other cars are blinding. The van, who I’ve come to call the Moose, doesn’t have high beams and the regular lights are about as good as parking lights. Maybe I should drive with contact lenses in.

I’m cranky. Tired. And PMSing.

I’m cursing all the people who said the road trip would be so much fun.


Nov. 1, 2004

In Wood River, NE we stayed at a small motel in a room that smelled clean and had two beds, thankfully. It was good to shower and get some real sleep. I got to read my book while Ryan showered and watched TV. Some program about a freak whose passion was to dress up cockroaches. He kept them in the freezer, then baked them for a couple of hours before applying paint and other accessories to them. It was sick. He even had a Paris Hilton cockroach with handbag and hat.

Off to a late start. Stopped at Wal-Mart for supplies (socks, white tshirts, soap). I made Ryan buy some deoderant. Then we got new tires for the Moose. And then lunch. He wanted to try out this Chinese buffet. I said yes only because I was ready to chew off my left foot. It was shitty - mostly fried food and a salad bar that had chocolate pudding. Fast food would’ve been way better.

Stopped in at Buffalo Bill Cody’s museum which was set up to look like a fort from the outside. Inside were the usual tourist trappings - “American Indian” jewelry, moccassins, knives; candy, jewelry boxes, cowboy hats, tie dyed tshirts with wolves, pins, stickers, pens... I did all my souvenir shopping there and bought magnets shaped like all the states we were driving through as well as a pink cap gun with matching holster. Because it’s FUNNY.

The sky in Nebraska is low and gray with a thick cloud blanket. In the distance I can make out a sliver of sunset. There is a storm in Colorado, I think we are going to be driving right over it. It’s gonna be cold as fuck and I’m not looking forward to it.


Nov. 2, 2004

We are almost there! We are in Wells, NV. As soon as we crossed the border the first thing we noticed were billboards for casinos - even the shitty ones. Casinos everywhere - mini slot machines at gas stations, at rest stops, at diners. This state is ridiculous.

Ryan drove until 6am today after my four hour stretch through the Rocky Mountains last night. I wish it had been daylight at the time because I’m sure it would’ve been nice too look at, not to mention a lot warmer than 18 degrees. My feet were freezing and I could barely feel my toes even after putting on a second pair of socks.

Today, after napping for about two hours we are off again. The radio got unhooked so Ryan hopped in the passenger seat with guitar and harmonica and played the songs he’d been working on since he moved out to Charlottesville. He’s got a pretty good singing voice though the lyrics need some work. I taught him how to work the iPod and he seems to like it a lot. We were cruising for a while listening to Madonna. I think we’ll get to California a day early.


Nov. 3, 2004

So we’re finally here. It took us an extra hour because of the stupid scenic route that Yahoo! (fuck you, Yahoo!) told us to take. It took us about 8000 ft. up a mountain filled with lodges and resorts with the poor Moose struggling and groaning the entire way.

I drove for about 10 hours. Ryan took over in Carson City when I missed the exit due my horror at being surrounded by cars. I do much better on deserted highways. I decided to hop in the passenger seat after getting hot fudge sundaes at McDonald’s.

Everyone worries about his driving. I wasn’t really that worried until we started heading down the mountain. He was tired and pissed off that we had taken that route and just took his foot off the brake and we went careening down the incline way too fast, slowing down only when there was oncoming traffic. He was trying to get off the mountain as fast as possible. Katz’s Thrill Ride O’Death. I had to close my eyes to keep from yelling and jumping across the seats to strangle him. We were listening to some pre-election day coverage on the radio. Maybe that's why he took his foot off the brakes.

We stopped in Jackson, about 30 minutes from home, to get some food. The supermarkets out here have a wine aisle - we got a bottle of cheap champagne to celebrate.

Upon arriving at the ranch you can only imagine my horror - no cellphone reception and only dial-up internet connection. I’ve been disconnected. I’ll see you all in March.

Goodbye, city life.

(Edited for content. Why did I like using the F word so much?)

Artifacts

Braille bottles, originally uploaded by switthoft.

This is a project by switthoft on Flickr - a set of four text messages printed in braille on used audio tape. Text messages they were unable to delete.

I know you have some. Spill the bytes:

Alex, 9/20/2007: Quit makin me mad

Ryan, 10/13/2008: Gtyf: Good thing you farted

Don't answer!!, circa 2004: I heard a knock but ceased reaching for the door because I knew tonight's chance for enlightenment had passed (since deleted, but sadly memorized)

MKL, 6/19/2006: When are you comin home I want cookies

Patty, 1/1/2006 (or was it 2005?): OMG NAM AND RICHARD ARE ENGAGED!!!!!!!

Putting the messages in this format and sealing them reminds me of Wong Kar Wai's 2046. "Do you know what people did in the old days when they had a secret? They would climb a mountain and find a tree. They would carve a hole in the tree and whisper the secret into the hole, which they would pack with mud so no one would ever hear it."

I've seen the future and it is bleak

Paranoid Park

No Country for Old Men

Both based on books by authors I read in high school. Blake Nelson wrote Girl, which takes place in Seattle and follows main character Andrea in her adventures as the groupie of an underground band. I must've read it about 20 times in high school, always wondering how he managed to get inside the head of a teenage girl without sounding contrived. In Paranoid Park he continues the theme of high school but with a sadder outlook. In a first time pairing, Gus Van Sant (GVS) and Christopher Doyle (most famous for his work with Wong Kar Wai) provide a minimal glimpse into the mind of high schooler who inadvertently commits a murder. With Elliot Smith providing most of the soundtrack, the entire mood of the movie was somber and alienating.

Coincidentally I happened to have No Country for Old Men at home this weekend as well. Cormac McCarthy's books carry a common theme - bleak, dark, post-apocalyptic and Western. However there is usually some dark humor throughout. The Coens did a fantastic job. Acting was excellent (even dumbass Woody Harrelson in a bit part) and the cinematography was - dare I say - breathtaking. DP Roger Deakins managed to make west Texas look beautiful, with its barren deserts and open skies.

I'm a big fan of both movies, though I might not necessarily recommend viewing them back-to-back as I did.

Sunday in Pictures

Lazysundae reminding you to LOOK UP!

Saturday in Pictures

A double whammy: Wintuk in the morning, the Jealous Girlfriends/Asobi Seksu at night. Brunch at Bar Milano in between.

I've loved Cirque du Soleil's productions since I was a child. My brother and I would watch them on VHS over and over again and I've always wanted to see them live. This was my first time and the magic is still there after all this time. I would love to see them in Vegas one day. From start to finish, magical and beautiful.

Bar Milano is owned by the same people as 'ino and inoteca, two of our favorite Italian spots. This is the higher end version, with an extensive wine list and refined food menu. Our waitress was very knowledgeable in wines and we had a nice relaxing brunch in a cozy booth looking out into drizzly New York.

The Jealous Girlfriends started off rocking the venue. Great band from Brooklyn.

This is my second time seeing Asobi Seksu live. To tell the truth, this is the way I prefer to hear them. Their recordings don't do them justice - they've been away from touring for a long time because of a new album (dropping early next year) but don't sleep on them next time. Here they are singing "Thursday," my favorite song of theirs:

This was June 2006 at Joe's Pub, which I went to with Ryan. I'd never really listened to them before which is always kind of a dodgy situation when going to a live show but their shimmering sound was too good. It was love at first tambourine shake.

Fuck yeah! It's the weekend!!!

Ain't got no human grace

Couple nights ago I watched Eyes Without a Face (1960, dir. Georges Franju). A suspense/thriller about a plastic surgeon so racked with guilt by his part in disfiguring his daughter's face that he goes to drastic measures to save her. Unwatchable at times and very eerie. Edith Scob as the disfigured Christiane is ethereal and horrible at the same time. Very subtle movie - I wouldn't recommend if you want lots of blood, gore or screaming.

Check it twice

Ugh...

I first saw these cute ass cameras at ICP and thought they were adorable then. Now they're also available on/at Fred Flare. They use 110 film though, which you may remember if you had one of those old blue and yellow Fisher Price cameras like I did.

When I was little I had a set of highlighters in these colors. I love seeing them all together. Maybe that's why I like these sneakers so much. Adidas Adi Hoop Mid in white patent leather. These sneaks are too hip for me though.
Nike Court Force Hi - I love these shoe! And this colorway is awesome but also way too young. I wouldn't even wear these sneakers; I'd just put them on a shelf and look at them every day.

I love this sweater from J. Crew. I want one in every color but since I'd probably wear the shit out of it basic black is the way to go. I've been wearing a lot of black lately - not sure if that means I should buy more black or get out of the habit by buying more colors.

Some books I want:
My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals / Portraits, Interviews, and Recipes by Melanie Dunea
Secret Ingredients: The New Yorker Book of Food and Drink by David Remnick
Roast Chicken And Other Stories by Simon Hopkinson
A Nation of Sheep by Andrew Napolitano
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Mike Mills: Humans by Mike Mills
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
It Still Moves: Lost Songs, Lost Highways, and the Search for the Next American Music by Amanda Petrusich

I want to be die

I don't know who these puppies belong to but this is a live stream from SOMEWHERE in the world of a litter of adorable shiba inus. My friend Stephanie Stringbean sent this to me. I want to die. Watch it here.

Photo from Gothamist

Let's Sundae

No BK Flea this Sunday because of the NYC Marathon. So instead, we headed up to Lafayette for breakfast at Choice Market and to see what we could see of the marathon. Turned out to be not crowded at all and I was able to get some good shots.


Chocolate w/ mocha buttercream and Red Velvet with cream cheese buttercream


Women joggers all in a row


The first group of men that came through the neighborhood. You can see this year's winner Gomes on the left, in the yellow jersey and black arm warmers.


More of the men, running past the beautiful fall foliage


On our way home we passed by this breakfast setup on Washington Ave, right by the sidewalk. Apparently it's an omelette station!

It was so inspiring to watch all the marathoners. The amount of training and dedication that goes into such an event is amazing and I only wish I had the discipline to do that again. And by "do that again" I don't mean run in marathons, I mean dedicate myself to training every day, even in the rain and snow. I also mean experiencing the thrill of competition. And I also mean feeling my entire body ache from hours of activity. I miss that.

Later in the day we watched 30 Days of Night. I only ask for those 2 hours back so that I can shove push pins into my face instead. That would've been a much better use for the time.

And, in celebrating our two years, I surprised Alex with dinner at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. Much meat and tequila were consumed. It was a good Sunday.

Hollerween

Took Friday off. See my day here at Flickr.