Domesticity, Part II

In keeping with my low-key weekend, I spent almost the entire day, following the Starbuck's stop, at the library. My research took me to many different places today, and six hours passed in the blink of an eye. I would have continued, but the need for nutrition was overwhelming.

I stopped into my old haunt, The Franklin Square Deli, for my usual, a tuna bagel, one of my favorite treats.

Following that I spent a few hours at the bookstore, drinking coffee and picking up the new issues of Modern Painters and Art in America.

I was trying to decide whether to purchase a number of books, and confronted with so many choices, I simply fled with my coffee and magazines.

For some reason, I was compelled to read short plays of Samuel Beckett, plays by Jean-Paul Sartre, a biography of Ray Bradbury, poems by Billy Collins, the collected works of Jules Verne, Well's The War of the Worlds, short stories by Russell Banks, and several film reference works. With this disjointed collection to choose from, it was impossible to gauge my reading temperament. Magazines seemed to do nicely.

The rest of the day was spent on the phone, with many leisurely conversations.

Domesticity

There are those days when the best thing is just staying in your house – cleaning, doing laundry, being domestic. It was that day today. I even got to cook myself a meal, a rather simple thing to be sure, but not one that I have time for very often. While I was doing my dishes, a dove flew onto my windowsill, and sat there watching me. Most birds would be frightened (I would assume) by my movements, but this dove stayed on my sill, sharing a little moment with me.

What a reward for keeping a clean kitchen...

Untimely Movie Review: The Astronaut's Wife

When I got home from work (Thursday currently being my Friday night), I was really too tired to do much at all, so I watched this film which I have no recollection of ever being released.

The Astronauts Wife stars Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron, a happily married couple whose world is going to be destroyed. The plot is a basically a riff of Rosemary's Baby meets the Abyss, in outer space. Now I know why I don't recall any publicity when this came out in 1999...

For some reason, throughout the film, I was always shocked to see Johnny Depp...I kept expecting him to be Keanu Reeves because this film seemed like a lesser version of the Devil's Advocate...so many similarities, but with weaker characterization. To wit, happily married couple, one of whom is Charlize Theron, leave their little world and go to Manhattan (to a ridiculously stylish and ultra-expensive apartment) where Charlize thinks she is going crazy and the man is somehow...changed.

Charlize's hair (mimicking Mia Farrow's Rosemary's Baby style) was great. And the final confrontation was done exceptionally well and was actually surprising...it just took a long time to get there.

New Music Tuesday – Cheryl Bentyne : Let Me Off Uptown

I scored a promo copy of Cheryl Bentyne's new CD this afternoon, and from the first few seconds of the first track, I knew I was going to love this one. And I do.

A tribute album to Anita O'Day ( which puts me in mind of Cheryl's bandmate, Alan Paul's tribute to the great singer), this CD is chock full of great, accessible tracks. As C. Michael Bailey said,

There is a population which craves musical excellence but may not crave the experimental edge. Cheryl Bentyne’s new recording is perfect for the latter group.

I must admit to not being nearly as familiar with O'Day's body of work as I am with, say, the previously reviewed Miss Peggy Lee. But spending time with this disc has made me curious...so perhaps we will see her pop up here again in the next month or so.

My must-listen tracks are the last, Waiter, Make Mine Blues and It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream.

Six Obstructions

Before I had to be at work this afternoon, I watched a documentary called, The Five Obstructions. Lars von Trier tracked down his film maker hero Jorgen Leth, and asked him to to re-make his film The Perfect Human five times, each time following rules (obstructions) imposed by Lars.

It was fascinating to watch the creative process, and to see Leth's inherent artistry and ethics be unvanquished by Lars' boundaries. My favorite version of the obstructed films was the fourth, in which Leth is forced to make a cartoon. He, of course, is incapable of making a cartoon, and instead makes gorgeous art. The fifth version is a beautiful summation of the experience, and a great way to end the film. Very outstanding.

Now, for the Sixth Obstruction: I keep hearing rumors of snow. Lots of snow. Down where I live, the sky was just white, but a white that was impenetrable after about 100 feet. So, with a heavy heart I set out on my journey north.

It is a well-known fact that my place of employment is the very epicenter of where the snow coming down from Canada looses steam and drops dead from exhaustion. So, the roads were clear and fine until I got about 10 minutes from work. Then it all started. The exit ramp off the highway wasn't plowed, and the snow was drifted to a height that was over my car's grill. All the street lights were out. Trees were down everywhere due to the weight of the snow. Most folks lost power for several days. And still, the snow kept falling.

The good news was that my store was deserted after 6 o'clock (it being Passover and all) so we got a lot of work done early.

By the end of my shift we had received 27” inches of snow. Being outside, trying to get work done in the middle of the night with that amount of snow is ridiculous. Everyone was cold, and wet and cranky. Everyone's shoes and socks were soaked. And there is just no way that you can be a happy, productive sort with cold, wet feet. So we left early tonight, at 12:30 in the morning.

It's a Date: A Movie, Dinner and the Theater

I had an excellent day today. The day started out at Bruegger's Bagels for a nice bagel with egg and cheese and a hazelnut coffee, then a stop at the Weathervane Playhouse to purchase tickets for The Tale of the Allergist's Wife. While I was there, I noticed that there was an Indian restaurant across the street from the theatre. I was so excited to discover this -who knew an Indian restaurant was in my neighborhood? But, it was still early in the day...

Next up on today's schedule was a matinee of Sin City. I was very reluctant to see this film, as I have little tolerance for the level of violence I expected to see. But I was very intrigued by the look of the film, and intrigue always wins.

Well, it certainly is an amazing piece of art. Really mind-blowing. I can't speak to whether it is true to the novels, having never read them, but I have a feeling it is. It is a gorgeous film depicting a brutal and ugly world. I didn't really care for the theme or the plot,and I was glad when the film was over, but I am very glad I experienced it. It is truly amazing.

Following the film, there was time to stop in at home to shower and change, before arriving at the Saffron Patch. I was a bit worried as I quickly perused the menu and did see any vindaloo offered. I don't know what came over me, but I asked the waitress if they served vindaloo and she said that they certainly did, they just didn't have room on the menu. I found that odd.

Anyway, the vindaloo came, and I must say it gets a B+. It was more like the vindalooo I was searching for than the offering from Cafe Tandoor, however, the naan at the Saffron Patch cannot hold a candle to the naan at Cafe Tandoor, but that fact did stop me from placing four orders for the stuff, so I look at that as a positive.

Now it was time to go to the theatre to see Charles Busch' s Tale of the Allergist's Wife. I had to go because last night, while reading the paper, I saw a picture of the production, and my friend is one of the leads! Allow me to quote from the program:

Margo Parker (Lee) Margo won a Chanticleer for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Weathervane's The Dining Room in 1985, during a decade in which she was very active at Weathervane in plays including Daughters, Brighton Beach Memoirs, What I Did Last Summer and Dracula. She has more recently been seen in the Coach House productions of Without Apologies and The Cocktail Hour.

I would like to add that she is also an accomplished film actress, starring in a little three minute film my partner, John, and I made for the Project Greenlight contest for HBO.

It was great to see her on stage again, and the show was pretty entertaining. Margo extended an invitation to go out for drinks with the cast after the show, and it was great. It's always a good time to sit around and to listen to actors re-hash what went wrong in the show, and other production gossip.

Movie Review: Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous

I have always a had weakness for Sandra Bullock. I figure if I pay my money, it could be a silent movie as long as Sandra is on the screen for 90 minutes and I will be happy.

That being said, I was happy when I left the theatre.

But really, the film has gotten undeservedly terrible reviews. The film is a pleasant little diversion. And by the last third, when Sandra is sporting very little make-up, and a great tailored FBI black suit and shades, it became much more enjoyable for me.

Regina King, one of the highlights of Ray, is saddly underused, but as I have mentioned, I paid to see Sandra be Sandra. If I wanted acting, I'd go see a Julianne Moore film...

Coffee Talk

H__ invited me to join her at Cafe Limbo for coffee out on their lovely patio after work today.

There always comes a time when conversations turn serious, and today was the day for that.

For me, this afternoon was a testament to the extrordinary work that was accomplished in those three long years with my therapist. In the recent past, there would have been no way that this conversation would have ever existed. I never would have been able to participate in any meaningful way. I was quite proud of my growth and accomplishments in this area.

So, all in all, it was a beautiful afternoon.

New Music Tuesday - Pete Belasco : Deeper

A self-described sucker for cover art, I was drawn to Pete Belasco's CD, Deeper, at the store today.

It was described as neo-soul / jazz, conjuring Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield. How bad could it be? So I gave it a listen, and deemed it a very nice CD for quiet evenings alone. Well, not really alone...
There really isn't a stand-out track here; the tracks all ooze into one another to create a wonderful mood and ambiance. This is a disc to just put on, and enjoy yourself.

One caveat, men singing in falsettos - not usually a big favorite of mine, but in this setting it works due to the atmosphere evoked from the interplay of the vocals and the sax solos.

Indulge and enjoy.

A Very Long Day

I had to be at work today at 10 am to have a meeting with our district manager. In other work environments, this would have made me very anxious, to say the least, but in my lovely little current job, I was actually looking forward to spending some one-on-one time with him.

The meeting went incredibly well, and we got to sit outside (a cherished treat in this climate!) at the chess tables in our center. (Where I work, they have created a chess area, with a giant ground chess set for the wee folk, where the pieces are as tall as the kids, and many chess tables complete with heaters for the evening, umbrellas for the rare days of sun, and clocks to time your turn. There is even a "chess guard" on duty, to help you learn the game, or to mediate fights, I suppose. I have yet to see that happen though...)

Following the meeting, I went in to work, and left at 11:30 at night.

A Day Without A Plan

H__ and I had the most minimalist of plans of today, and sometimes the form of an afternoon just stays ambiguous, no matter how hard you try to impose structure onto it.

We wandered down to Coventry Road, intending to pick up a display stand for my glass marble (to no avail). Then we decided to stop in at The Winking Lizard for a quick meal. The food and the draft root beer were fine, but the volume of the music was very disruptive to conversation, and we both were getting cranky and eager to be on our way.

Back at H__'s house, we watched the aforementioned Rivers and Tides, as H__ is also a big fan of Andy Goldsworthy. She truly loved the film, as I thought she would. The highlight for me was that while the film was on, H__ was making a bracelet for her sister. It is an art that mystifies me. It is incredible to watch a big pile of tiny things become one thing with its own inherent order and logic. Many similarities then between Goldworthy's Zen practive and H__'s art; however, I am happy to report there was no fatal collapse after hours of delicate work as so often happens to Goldsworthy.

Fine Food and Fabrics

It will come as a huge surprise to all Faithful Readers that I went out for dinner tonight with H__ and that we went to Sergio's. Just for the record, there ARE other residents in Cleveland. Really. I just don't go to them.

The meal was completely perfect, as it always is, the service prompt and efficient, and the Brazilian coffee was addictive and exquisite. Oh, and we had a great time, good conversation, etc etc.

Back at H__'s house, she showed me one of her newer projects, that being two quilts she is making from fabric samples I have been hoarding from my previous job at a luxury bedding purveyor. They are going to be wonderful works of art, wall hangings, lap quilts, or coverlets. I can't wait to see the finished products.

As an extra bonus, she is also whipping up two pillows from my fabric samples of my very favorite Matteo sheet ensemble...hopefully with silk cording on the seams...absolutely divine.

Yes, I adore my bed.

New Music Tuesday – E.G. Kight

So there I was at work, minding my own business, when some kind soul changed the XM Radio to the blues station for me. And this Phantom-conjuring song, complete with steamy sax solo, came on, and I had no idea who this performer was.

Checking out the display, it said : E.G. Kight. Not only did it not ring a bell, it looked suspiciously like a typo. So I stopped into the record store, and lo and behold if E.G. Kight isn't a blues-singing, guitar playing performer that would give K.T. Oslin a run for the money. Granted, K.T. is certainly country, but I think it has something to do with their ages, and that they go by their initials - in any case, they seem to be one and the same in my book.

The CD is Takin' It Easy, the track is When You Were Mine. A very unexpected discovery, and a great companion for those days when you easily exhaust the K.T. Oslin oeuvre. Nice, simple, honest arrangements. I am quite sure she would be a hoot to see live in some little bluesy dive.

The Volcano Lover

This year does not look promising for compiling a year-end wrap-up of the best books I read, since it took me well over two months to finish Susan Sontag' s The Volcano Lover.

Not that it is a boring book, because it isn't at all, but it is very dense. And not the sort of book you can use to read a few chapters in before drifting off to sleep. No, this is a wide-awake, must pay strict attention to it book.

Superficially about the love triangle of Sir William Hamilton , Emma Hamilton, and Admiral Horatio Nelson, the book's main theme is a discussion of collecting and the temperaments required to be collectors.

It is a wide-ranging and intriguing work, made more so as it is historical. When I finished it, I had to go and check out biographies of Nelson to see pictures of him, and Emma. She was a great beauty in her day, being the muse of many painters including George Romney.

My favorite parts are the early chapters dealing with Sir William's first wife, and her romantic involvement via music with her young admirer, William. It was sheer poetry.

And the final chapters of the book are wonderful, recapping the story through the first-person recollections of several characters, a change from from the previous chapters told by the omnipresent narrator.

I do recommend this book, but only if you have a vast amount of time and attention to give it. But you will be rewarded for your patience.

Weather Report - Part Ten

I have to note for the record that today is the first day I was able to be outside without a coat.

Hoopla and Huzzah!

And for those of you familiar with Dennis Deal's infamous production of Robin Hood, now would be a good time for a Duck Dance...

The Spring Social

Tonight I threw a party for my store.

With the help of my excellent taskforce, we assembled a sit-down, family-style Italian feast (antipasto, warm bread and European butter, salad, pasta and meatless meatballs, eggplant cutlets with mozzarella, Prosecco wine, and Italian water and sodas, and the piece de resistance, a homemade tiramisu).

We played a short and humorous "game show", kind of a cross between Weakest Link and the Price is Right, then ate, then, with the help of the Master of Ceremonies, the talented and marvelous Jeff, everyone was presented with an award.

The truly amazing thing about the evening was that all 53 employees came to the shindig. My manager said that he has never seen a 100% turnout at a company event in his life.

It was a great night filled with laughter and camaraderie.

It lacked in only one area, that our very own BIRTHDAY GIRL was not able to stop in and be the guest of honor. In any case, I wish you a most happy birthday, my friend, and I look forward to a sinful meal to celebrate with you.

New Music Tuesday – Pink Guitar

I swear this is a very bizarre coincidence.

I got an email the other day from my friend informing me that this year's Grammy award for Best Pop Instrumental Album was Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar, which he happens to be featured on. So now he is a multi-Grammy winner! Congratulations!

I swear I knew nothing about this album when I made my previous NMT post last month entitled Pink Piano...wow.

Anyway, here is my review of the CD...

The opening track, the Pink Panther theme by Laurence Juber is absolutely mindblowing. Virtuosity at its finest. The next great track is the theme to Peter Gunn by Pat Donohue.
My third favorite track is the lovely and touching Dear Heart by Wayne Johnson. Read his liner notes regarding why he chose that tune..

And by the way, Wayne's solo disc, One Guitar (2003) was listed as the #2 out of the Top 20 Acoustic Solo Guitar recordings to own by Jazziz Magazine! Samples are on on his site - check it out!

Rounding out the disc is the very surprising theme to the TV show What's Happening, which gets an incredible makeover by Mike Dowling.

This was a great discovery. If you are into guitar heroes, you have to check this one out.

Near or With ?

When one is presented with a life-changing decision, list making is often quite useful. In the past I think I was more inclined to run into things without thinking too much about the consequences. On the other hand, before I moved out here to Ohio, I very carefully analyzed the pros and cons of my decision with a trained professional, and neither of us could have foreseen the series of unfortunate events that unfolded, nor the direction the good events would take me.

What pleased me about my though process on this particular subject, made more delicate as it concerned someone else as well, was that we independently came to the same conclusion.

NEAR is better than WITH.

Or, to be succinct I can thank Whoopi Goldberg for this one:

"Anyone living with you, who is not you, is a problem."

Weather Report Part 9 : More Friggin' Snow

Yes, that's right. Off to work I go, and I get to be outside dealing with about a foot of the stuff.

Granted, I don't have a lot of patience for the stuff to begin with, but believe me, it has been used up long ago.

What I really liked about Washington and Oregon was that if for some reason you had a yearning for snow, you could go TO it - go to Rainier, or Hood or some other volcanic peak of your choice. The white stuff just stayed up, very well-behaved and didn't infringe on one's getting around hardly at all. Here, it just comes down and fouls things up whenever it feels like it. Very ill-mannered, in my opinion.

Rumspringa

What is up with this? They say it is going to snow today, in mid-April, and they are right.

Luckily, I had no reason to leave the house. H__ had been quite ill the past few days, and now has a week-long visitor. I took advantage of this opportunity to become domestic and do my laundry and ironing, and to watch a documentary entitled Devil's Playground.

The film was different from what I expected, though after seeing it, it is hard to recall what I was expecting. It is a philosophical meditation on what it means to have to make a life-altering decision at the age of 16. Amish children are allowed to venture out into the "English world" at that age, to discover the world of electricity, malls, cars, music and drugs. They are given a period, referred to as "rumspringa", to decide whether or not they want to join the Amish church. If they join, they are baptized and taken in to the community. If, for some reason, a tragedy would befall and Amish teen who has not made their decision, the Amish believe that their soul will be lost forever.

The film adequately captures the difficulty of making an unchangeable decision about the rest of your life as a teenager. The teens are portrayed in all their wildness, given their first taste of the modern world and "freedom", yet they are also surprisingly philosophical and understandably overwhelmed and confused at the task ahead of them.

This is a little film, but one that will make you think about many things that we take for granted and never question. Maybe we should.

No Fooling ! A New Member of The Family

A moment to wish a hearty congratulations to MyFriendJason, My Adoring Public Jaimie, and the rest of my work family that went off to forge a new outpost on the other side of town.

My best wishes to you all for an amazingly successful store!

But keep in mind that we, your OLD store, will humiliate you in an inter-store tug-of-war competition...