I recently bought Amy Winehouse's second album, the Grammy Award-winning "Back to Black." I bought it, not because I particularly cared more for her music than, say, Lupe Fiasco's (If you are what you say you are...), but because I realised last week I have something incredibly in common with her. If you know me and you know her, you'll know what it is--and no, it isn't the crack itch. Once I realised we shared two initials, I decided I had to buy her CD. Sounds silly, but it's the absolute truth.
I knew the song "Rehab," but none of the others, and I only recently grew aware of the fact it swept the Grammy's with four wins (four right?). It's only 10 tracks long, but it was on sale at Target for $11.58, so I said, "SCORE! I still hate the radio, and I'm tired of my mix CD's!" and gave it a buy.
Upon first listen, I easily determined there were four songs that stood out, and I immediately grew skeptical as to why all ten songs garnered the win for album of the year. Four songs is less than half. And since my opinion on her music was obviously identical if not superior to the entire Recording Academy's, I couldn't see why they voted on her so favorably.
But much like the crack-album release of last year (Justin Timberlake's FUTURE SEX/LOVE SOUNDS, if you didn't know--not because he necessarily did crack, but because his music IS like crack), this album got better with every listen.
5 Reasons Why Amy Winehouse's BACK TO BLACK is worth repeat audio exposure:
1. The songs "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good," "Back to Black," and "Tears Dry on Their Own," not necessarily in that order.
2. The record is produced by Mike Ronson, who we (and by "we," I mean "I") also love.
3. It's her singing. No electronic gizmos altering her voice to make it sound like it's coming through a space heater. Sometimes there are warbles, but there's always emotion, and she's mostly all divine.
4. It's great driving music. It's great shower music. It's great cooking music. It's great lounge music. It's great eating, talking, hanging out and listening music. It's great music.
5. Even though she originally said "No, No, No," she did, eventually, go to rehab. And we should support that.
THE ARTIST: http://www.amywinehouse.co.uk/
dimanche 23 mars 2008
samedi 15 mars 2008
Staight men don't wear Prada: my Feb issue of GQ
Imagine this: a straight man wearing Prada. It's like a gay man wearing Sketchers. It's sweetly intriguing, but otherwise revolting. Not to be done. A straight man sporting Prada is like a straight man donning Dolce & G.
February GQ with Rachel Bilson on the cover = way too many Prada ads. And by "way too many," I mean the first one that's about five pages in. Too many slimly fit obviously viscose-blend cardigans. I'm over you.
Sure, you'll argue, "Is GQ intended for straight men? I mean, really. Really. (pause) No, really."
And you know, suddenly I'll realise...I guess you've got a point. The "Q" on the cover of the month of March is pink, after all.
Five reasons why GQ is still my favorite magazine:
1. There are no waif-like girls selling me their phony slim-down secrets. (I KNOW the recipe for the ultimate slim down, okay? It's a diet of Evian water and Columbian nose candy!)
2. Its writers are very obviously pretentious, left-wing, ex-frat boy alcoholics.
3. The intern who writes Editor-in-Chief Jim Nelson's monthly letter is really witty.
4. The intern who writes the magazine's closer "Open Letter" is also a notch above droll. (Give that kid a RAISE already!)
5. The photo spreads are fabulous. Prada ads and all.
the magazine: http://men.style.com/gq
February GQ with Rachel Bilson on the cover = way too many Prada ads. And by "way too many," I mean the first one that's about five pages in. Too many slimly fit obviously viscose-blend cardigans. I'm over you.
Sure, you'll argue, "Is GQ intended for straight men? I mean, really. Really. (pause) No, really."
And you know, suddenly I'll realise...I guess you've got a point. The "Q" on the cover of the month of March is pink, after all.
Five reasons why GQ is still my favorite magazine:
1. There are no waif-like girls selling me their phony slim-down secrets. (I KNOW the recipe for the ultimate slim down, okay? It's a diet of Evian water and Columbian nose candy!)
2. Its writers are very obviously pretentious, left-wing, ex-frat boy alcoholics.
3. The intern who writes Editor-in-Chief Jim Nelson's monthly letter is really witty.
4. The intern who writes the magazine's closer "Open Letter" is also a notch above droll. (Give that kid a RAISE already!)
5. The photo spreads are fabulous. Prada ads and all.
the magazine: http://men.style.com/gq
lundi 10 mars 2008
Movie of the Moment: STEP UP 2 THE STREETS
09march08
STEP UP 2 THE STREETS
Five reasons why:
1. The tag line, which has two dangling prepositions. Count em: "It's not where you're from. It's where you're at."
2. The lack of a colon in the title, leaving the viewer/reader to question, "Is the title 'Step up 2: the streets' or 'Step up TO the streets'?" We may never know.
3. The deeply intriguing and emotionally riveting plot.
4. No, now here's a real reason: the dancing. It is sic, and I am jealous. Who needs a plot when you're pop-and-locking in the rain?
5. "Boots with the fur." Those four words really say everything I mean to say.
the plot: Dance...then rain...more dance....
the thought: I really don't have one.
out of five: 5/5!!!!!
the movie (4.9/10 stars on IMDB): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1023481/
STEP UP 2 THE STREETS
Five reasons why:
1. The tag line, which has two dangling prepositions. Count em: "It's not where you're from. It's where you're at."
2. The lack of a colon in the title, leaving the viewer/reader to question, "Is the title 'Step up 2: the streets' or 'Step up TO the streets'?" We may never know.
3. The deeply intriguing and emotionally riveting plot.
4. No, now here's a real reason: the dancing. It is sic, and I am jealous. Who needs a plot when you're pop-and-locking in the rain?
5. "Boots with the fur." Those four words really say everything I mean to say.
the plot: Dance...then rain...more dance....
the thought: I really don't have one.
out of five: 5/5!!!!!
the movie (4.9/10 stars on IMDB): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1023481/
MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY
I'm not made of roses, cotton candy, puffy white clouds and swan feathers; mostly just blood, guts, water and bile, but you know, I'm still a girl, and every girl at one point falls for a girly movie. The Frances McDormand/Amy Adams starrer MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY, was my girly movie of the day (and probably the week...nay, the month).
The story revolves around a nanny turned "social secretary" in late 1930s London. The country is about to go to war, but all a startlingly flighty wannabe actress can dwell on is how she's hoping to get her first big break. Just like Hollywood, really. And anyone who's thinking of Hollywood, life in it or around it, should probably see this movie. No, honestly. It starkly depicts the caste system of the performance elite--didn't you know that was the director's hidden MO? Club owners rank above musicians but below lingerie designers and, apparently, true loves. And if you didn't know that, now you do. Luckily, this film let's you laugh while you figure it all out. Take notes, kids; the exam counts for half your grade.
plot: "Nanny dearest saves the day!"
thought: It's British. Everything to love.
in five: 4/5
highlights: "Pushing Daisies" star Lee Pace puts on a (73% successful) British accent! He's so dreamy! Tell that man to make me a pie!
the movie: http://www.filminfocus.com/focus-movies/miss-pettigrew/movie-splash.php
The story revolves around a nanny turned "social secretary" in late 1930s London. The country is about to go to war, but all a startlingly flighty wannabe actress can dwell on is how she's hoping to get her first big break. Just like Hollywood, really. And anyone who's thinking of Hollywood, life in it or around it, should probably see this movie. No, honestly. It starkly depicts the caste system of the performance elite--didn't you know that was the director's hidden MO? Club owners rank above musicians but below lingerie designers and, apparently, true loves. And if you didn't know that, now you do. Luckily, this film let's you laugh while you figure it all out. Take notes, kids; the exam counts for half your grade.
plot: "Nanny dearest saves the day!"
thought: It's British. Everything to love.
in five: 4/5
highlights: "Pushing Daisies" star Lee Pace puts on a (73% successful) British accent! He's so dreamy! Tell that man to make me a pie!
the movie: http://www.filminfocus.com/focus-movies/miss-pettigrew/movie-splash.php
samedi 8 mars 2008
How I got so full: Lunch at bld
The owners of the classy westside number GRACE recently (I think it was recent, anyway) opened a diner of the upscale variety two blocks up the street that goes by the name bld. The hosts are kind, the windows are wide and clear and the clientèle is pretentiously unpretentious--but in a good way. "Bld" isn't some sucker's shorthand for boulevard without the "v," it stands for the three mainstay meals that comprise the bld menu: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Simple, to the point. Good (and bad) for me, they serve breakfast basically all day. And dammit if I don't want to eat breakfast all day.
Took a "work lunch" on Thursday with two fellow cube-dwellers, who we'll call Connecticut and Local (obviously based on the places from which they hail). They both went the lunch route, ordering the tuna melt which came with a healthy-portioned side salad. I thought they had ordered salads and gotten bread smeared with tuna on the side. Boy, was my face red. What do you mean that salad wasn't the meal?
I, however, opted for breakfast and got the menu item "eggs as you like them." Nice. Because that's JUST how I like my eggs. That's right, I like them as I like them. Scrambled, that is. The waitress recommended the thyme-seasoned fingerling potatoes and the famous bld brioche bread to round out the $7 meal. But when the eggs came, bld's "generous" portions appeared before me, monstrous. It had to be five eggs scrambled there on my plate. And in some fight with nature to consume them all, I went at them like a beast.
The potatoes, I wouldn't take again, but I don't blame them: I hate potatoes. The bread was nothing to write a blog about, either (though I'll mention them briefly here for posterity's sake). But the eggs? I'm still feeling those eggs. And after falling prey to the chessboard of food options at a friend's place hosting a poker night this evening, I'm too full to think straight. Typing hard it is. Too hard for to continue me.
Wait. Let me get it together.
This friend (who we'll call Disney--name surely to be explained in a future post) cooked, baked, simmered and sifted every type of edible good I could think up to eat if asked quickly with a twenty-second window to respond. And I ate it. I ate it all. And now, hours later and hurting from the inside out, I have to ask myself: how did I get so full?
I blame the eggs. Next time, bld, I'm having the soup of the day. Those eggs were delicious, but there's just no need for so many. Another thing to skip: the chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Despite what the waitress will say, they're not that big, and they taste just like Nestle Tollhouse--probably because they are. So obviously, I learned something I already knew about myself that day: portion control is not my strength. Let's see if I have the motivation to run it off.
the restaurant: http://www.bldrestaurant.com/
(not up as of publish date, but has been claiming "coming soon" for the past two months)
Took a "work lunch" on Thursday with two fellow cube-dwellers, who we'll call Connecticut and Local (obviously based on the places from which they hail). They both went the lunch route, ordering the tuna melt which came with a healthy-portioned side salad. I thought they had ordered salads and gotten bread smeared with tuna on the side. Boy, was my face red. What do you mean that salad wasn't the meal?
I, however, opted for breakfast and got the menu item "eggs as you like them." Nice. Because that's JUST how I like my eggs. That's right, I like them as I like them. Scrambled, that is. The waitress recommended the thyme-seasoned fingerling potatoes and the famous bld brioche bread to round out the $7 meal. But when the eggs came, bld's "generous" portions appeared before me, monstrous. It had to be five eggs scrambled there on my plate. And in some fight with nature to consume them all, I went at them like a beast.
The potatoes, I wouldn't take again, but I don't blame them: I hate potatoes. The bread was nothing to write a blog about, either (though I'll mention them briefly here for posterity's sake). But the eggs? I'm still feeling those eggs. And after falling prey to the chessboard of food options at a friend's place hosting a poker night this evening, I'm too full to think straight. Typing hard it is. Too hard for to continue me.
Wait. Let me get it together.
This friend (who we'll call Disney--name surely to be explained in a future post) cooked, baked, simmered and sifted every type of edible good I could think up to eat if asked quickly with a twenty-second window to respond. And I ate it. I ate it all. And now, hours later and hurting from the inside out, I have to ask myself: how did I get so full?
I blame the eggs. Next time, bld, I'm having the soup of the day. Those eggs were delicious, but there's just no need for so many. Another thing to skip: the chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Despite what the waitress will say, they're not that big, and they taste just like Nestle Tollhouse--probably because they are. So obviously, I learned something I already knew about myself that day: portion control is not my strength. Let's see if I have the motivation to run it off.
the restaurant: http://www.bldrestaurant.com/
(not up as of publish date, but has been claiming "coming soon" for the past two months)
lundi 3 mars 2008
Multiple Discs in One Day
I spent all of Sunday (and the last of my money) at a hair salon. Secret about me, if you didn't know it, is that I'm black (though the website http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/ will try its damnedest to make you think otherwise). And black hair takes longer than white hair to get "did." Quite a bit longer. Eons longer.
So in between hours spent in agony beneath the pressure of a woman's chubby fingers gnawing a path across my scalp, I watched discs one, two and three of Jamie Foxx Presents America's Funniest Comics. I didn't pick the fare to be viewed, I just watched it to take my mind of the fact that I paid money to be tortured. They were funny enough (I'm choosing not the rate them). But the highlight of the afternoon surely came from the two features I saw before this Afro-American laugh factory took flight.
First was SOUL FOOD. Dude, I guess it's because I'm not Black American--or simply that I'm culturally insensitive--but I've yet to see BARBERSHOP or WAITING TO EXHALE or FRIDAY or FRIDAY AFTER NEXT (Or was it "LAST FRIDAY"???) or any other of these hosts of movies that feature all the black talent that Hollywood seems to have to offer. SOUL FOOD is one of them. It stars Vivica A. Fox...and some chicken dumplings...and some mac and cheese...and some collard greens.
plot: Family rekindles love through feasting.
thought: So THAT'S soul food? Noted.
in five: 3/5 for the unrealistic amounts of realistic family drama. And for the fact that I know a few more things about black American culture now. See, films TEACH you things. Education.
NOTE: I've seen HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK. Watched that when I was too young to see that on TBS or something. Plus one point to me.
After SOUL FOOD wrapped, we moved onto another movie again featuring, though much more briefly, the actress Gina Ravera--who, might I haltingly suggest, at times *almost* resembles a black Angelina Jolie. In fact, I'll be honest, when she first hopped on the scene in SOUL FOOD, I thought they'd spray-painted Billy Bob's ex. I'm sure no one else will agree with me. But at any rate, this film, KISS THE GIRLS, also briefly co-stars my favorite buddy/best friend/Hollywood power agent co-star, Jeremy Piven. Who knew?
plot: Must solve female abduction mystery.
thought: Morgan Freeman is your best bet.
in five: 2/5 (Not because of Morgan. I love Morgan. But it was just...violent and hard to watch)
After the Black-American-Culture-themed afternoon (what, between seven hours of hair tugging and some Hell-to-the-Nah's from Jamie Foxx, preceded by a splash of Vivica A. and Morgan Freeman's soothing voice, yes, it was a cultural experience from which I emerged enlightened) I rushed home to, naturally, see another film. Why not? Settled down for dinner and a movie, eating some left-over thai from the cute, Zagat-rated joint I recently discovered right in my neighborhood: Tuk Tuk Thai Cafe ($8.95 lunch special on shrimp-only pad thai--way good!). I also baked some No Pudge brownies (8oz. of yogurt instead of the 6 the box's receipe calls for make them fudgier and hence more perfect in their tastiness). They disappeared from the plate thanks to me, the Flatmates and two Great Friends who came over to enjoy dinner and a movie with us. The flick of the evening? My "overlooked greatness" pick of 2007: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
plot in long: The country's going to hell in a hand basket, and all I can do is sing about it.
thought in short: The Beatles are still relevant.
in five: 4.5/5
Beautiful!
THE FILMS:
Jamie Foxx - http://imdb.com/title/tt0465335/
Soul Food - http://imdb.com/title/tt0120169/
Kiss the Girls - http://imdb.com/title/tt0119468/
Across the Universe - http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/acrosstheuniverse/
So in between hours spent in agony beneath the pressure of a woman's chubby fingers gnawing a path across my scalp, I watched discs one, two and three of Jamie Foxx Presents America's Funniest Comics. I didn't pick the fare to be viewed, I just watched it to take my mind of the fact that I paid money to be tortured. They were funny enough (I'm choosing not the rate them). But the highlight of the afternoon surely came from the two features I saw before this Afro-American laugh factory took flight.
First was SOUL FOOD. Dude, I guess it's because I'm not Black American--or simply that I'm culturally insensitive--but I've yet to see BARBERSHOP or WAITING TO EXHALE or FRIDAY or FRIDAY AFTER NEXT (Or was it "LAST FRIDAY"???) or any other of these hosts of movies that feature all the black talent that Hollywood seems to have to offer. SOUL FOOD is one of them. It stars Vivica A. Fox...and some chicken dumplings...and some mac and cheese...and some collard greens.
plot: Family rekindles love through feasting.
thought: So THAT'S soul food? Noted.
in five: 3/5 for the unrealistic amounts of realistic family drama. And for the fact that I know a few more things about black American culture now. See, films TEACH you things. Education.
NOTE: I've seen HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK. Watched that when I was too young to see that on TBS or something. Plus one point to me.
After SOUL FOOD wrapped, we moved onto another movie again featuring, though much more briefly, the actress Gina Ravera--who, might I haltingly suggest, at times *almost* resembles a black Angelina Jolie. In fact, I'll be honest, when she first hopped on the scene in SOUL FOOD, I thought they'd spray-painted Billy Bob's ex. I'm sure no one else will agree with me. But at any rate, this film, KISS THE GIRLS, also briefly co-stars my favorite buddy/best friend/Hollywood power agent co-star, Jeremy Piven. Who knew?
plot: Must solve female abduction mystery.
thought: Morgan Freeman is your best bet.
in five: 2/5 (Not because of Morgan. I love Morgan. But it was just...violent and hard to watch)
After the Black-American-Culture-themed afternoon (what, between seven hours of hair tugging and some Hell-to-the-Nah's from Jamie Foxx, preceded by a splash of Vivica A. and Morgan Freeman's soothing voice, yes, it was a cultural experience from which I emerged enlightened) I rushed home to, naturally, see another film. Why not? Settled down for dinner and a movie, eating some left-over thai from the cute, Zagat-rated joint I recently discovered right in my neighborhood: Tuk Tuk Thai Cafe ($8.95 lunch special on shrimp-only pad thai--way good!). I also baked some No Pudge brownies (8oz. of yogurt instead of the 6 the box's receipe calls for make them fudgier and hence more perfect in their tastiness). They disappeared from the plate thanks to me, the Flatmates and two Great Friends who came over to enjoy dinner and a movie with us. The flick of the evening? My "overlooked greatness" pick of 2007: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
plot in long: The country's going to hell in a hand basket, and all I can do is sing about it.
thought in short: The Beatles are still relevant.
in five: 4.5/5
Beautiful!
THE FILMS:
Jamie Foxx - http://imdb.com/title/tt0465335/
Soul Food - http://imdb.com/title/tt0120169/
Kiss the Girls - http://imdb.com/title/tt0119468/
Across the Universe - http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/acrosstheuniverse/
dimanche 2 mars 2008
I am my own Urban Dictionary
I'm coining a new word: poredom. Pronounced like "boredom," but of course with a "p," poredom is a noun. It is the state of being so poor one cannot afford to do anything, resulting in a state of slough-like boredom and, at times, abject misery.
Example of usage:
1. I'm suffering from poredom.
2. Sorry I can't make it out tonight; I'm heavy in poredom right now.
3. Dang, I just coughed up 195 bucks to settle an overdue parking ticket...looks like I'll be living in poredom 'til next paycheck.
Note 1: Though poredom is a state of being, one cannot "be" poredom (as one might "be" bored). Because then they'd just "be" poor. And though related, that's not the same thing.
Note 2: The writer of this blog is in poredom. What a great time to stay in and watch some movies (i.e., avoid driving and hence avoid paying upwards of $3.50 per gallon to fuel the auto).
The night before I realised I was in poredom (for sometimes, alas, it can sneak up on you), I trekked to SuperMall to see my "he's a cute kid" pick of the year, Anton Yelchin, in the Robert Downey Jr costarrer, CHARLIE BARTLETT. You may remember wee Anton as the unfortunate victim in the stellar sleeper ALPHA DOG, out last year. You won't really remember him from CHARLIE BARTLETT.
plot: Wannabe psychiatrist kid tells jokes.
thought: RD Jr. plays an alocholic!
in five: 2/5
Today, heavy in the throes of my current poredom, I double-featured an oldie and a not-that-new-but-never-seen-by-me movie. The first film was NETWORK, starring the rather thin husband-theif Faye Dunaway across from Robert Duvall. My, is he a charmer. And by "charmer," I mean "scorpion."
plot: Trash on TV; America goes crazy.
thought: This movie's writers were psychic!
in five: 4/5
Then I settled into a cute French film starring Charlotte Gainsbourg opposite her real-life husband Yvan Attal. The film, MA FEMME EST UNE ACTRICE (My Wife is an Actrice) is mostly funny because in real life, they're both actors! And successful ones at that. But as they say, reality doesn't always make good cinema; hence the Notting Hill-ish turn for the husband as a nobody dating The Somebody.
plot: Uh...oui...ma femme est une actrice.
thought: She's also cute as pie!
in five: 4/5
With that, excuse me while I return to my poredom.
THE FILMS
Charlie Bartlett - http://charliebartlett-themovie.com/
Network - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/
Ma Femme est une actrice - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0269499/
Example of usage:
1. I'm suffering from poredom.
2. Sorry I can't make it out tonight; I'm heavy in poredom right now.
3. Dang, I just coughed up 195 bucks to settle an overdue parking ticket...looks like I'll be living in poredom 'til next paycheck.
Note 1: Though poredom is a state of being, one cannot "be" poredom (as one might "be" bored). Because then they'd just "be" poor. And though related, that's not the same thing.
Note 2: The writer of this blog is in poredom. What a great time to stay in and watch some movies (i.e., avoid driving and hence avoid paying upwards of $3.50 per gallon to fuel the auto).
The night before I realised I was in poredom (for sometimes, alas, it can sneak up on you), I trekked to SuperMall to see my "he's a cute kid" pick of the year, Anton Yelchin, in the Robert Downey Jr costarrer, CHARLIE BARTLETT. You may remember wee Anton as the unfortunate victim in the stellar sleeper ALPHA DOG, out last year. You won't really remember him from CHARLIE BARTLETT.
plot: Wannabe psychiatrist kid tells jokes.
thought: RD Jr. plays an alocholic!
in five: 2/5
Today, heavy in the throes of my current poredom, I double-featured an oldie and a not-that-new-but-never-seen-by-me movie. The first film was NETWORK, starring the rather thin husband-theif Faye Dunaway across from Robert Duvall. My, is he a charmer. And by "charmer," I mean "scorpion."
plot: Trash on TV; America goes crazy.
thought: This movie's writers were psychic!
in five: 4/5
Then I settled into a cute French film starring Charlotte Gainsbourg opposite her real-life husband Yvan Attal. The film, MA FEMME EST UNE ACTRICE (My Wife is an Actrice) is mostly funny because in real life, they're both actors! And successful ones at that. But as they say, reality doesn't always make good cinema; hence the Notting Hill-ish turn for the husband as a nobody dating The Somebody.
plot: Uh...oui...ma femme est une actrice.
thought: She's also cute as pie!
in five: 4/5
With that, excuse me while I return to my poredom.
THE FILMS
Charlie Bartlett - http://charliebartlett-themovie.com/
Network - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/
Ma Femme est une actrice - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0269499/
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