Monday, February 28, 2005
Depersonalization
I think I need to see the movie Tarnation. Actually, I'm afraid to because I'm worried I'll really identify with the guy and then secret floodgates will open in my mind and I'll have a breakdown and be unable to work or get out of bed.
I think I need to see the movie Tarnation. Actually, I'm afraid to because I'm worried I'll really identify with the guy and then secret floodgates will open in my mind and I'll have a breakdown and be unable to work or get out of bed.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Oh Dear...
I really feel bad sometimes for Paris Hilton. The sexy stolen vid thing must have sucked (except she makes money off it too), but how does a Sidekick get "hacked"? I don't believe that, by the way. I think she left her purse somewhere yet again, and someone took the device and downloaded everything. Anyway, here's the pics. (thanks Gawker).
I really feel bad sometimes for Paris Hilton. The sexy stolen vid thing must have sucked (except she makes money off it too), but how does a Sidekick get "hacked"? I don't believe that, by the way. I think she left her purse somewhere yet again, and someone took the device and downloaded everything. Anyway, here's the pics. (thanks Gawker).
Monday, February 21, 2005
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Monday, February 14, 2005
A Less Star-Fuckered Eye
Never disappoints. "my lord, when one actually leaves one’s cozy apartment to nurture a non-internal life, one sees celebs! and if one is a people and US magazine WHORE like myself, then one sees celebs that may escape a less star-fuckered eye. so. here goes. on friday night, at the west bank cafe in the theater district, i spotted the shockingly beautiful bobby cannavale of station agent and third watch fame. he’s perty, that fella, even when he sports the thug look. just afterwards, at a showing of the unbelievably wonderful and hilarious new musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (which is a must-see, i kid you not), i saw the slenderly beautiful kevin bacon and his slenderly gorgeous wife kyra sedgwick (who laughed all the way through the show, i kept looking back to see if she liked it), who were sitting in the same row (but not WITH) village voice columnist michael musto and a very strange looking heavy set woman with an orange page boy hairdo, a grim look on her face, and dark purple lipstick applied only in the dead center of her lips. said woman was also seen in the sunday styles section of yesterday’s NYTimes so she must be ‘someone.’ whatevs - i was wayyy more excited about the bacon. "
Never disappoints. "my lord, when one actually leaves one’s cozy apartment to nurture a non-internal life, one sees celebs! and if one is a people and US magazine WHORE like myself, then one sees celebs that may escape a less star-fuckered eye. so. here goes. on friday night, at the west bank cafe in the theater district, i spotted the shockingly beautiful bobby cannavale of station agent and third watch fame. he’s perty, that fella, even when he sports the thug look. just afterwards, at a showing of the unbelievably wonderful and hilarious new musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (which is a must-see, i kid you not), i saw the slenderly beautiful kevin bacon and his slenderly gorgeous wife kyra sedgwick (who laughed all the way through the show, i kept looking back to see if she liked it), who were sitting in the same row (but not WITH) village voice columnist michael musto and a very strange looking heavy set woman with an orange page boy hairdo, a grim look on her face, and dark purple lipstick applied only in the dead center of her lips. said woman was also seen in the sunday styles section of yesterday’s NYTimes so she must be ‘someone.’ whatevs - i was wayyy more excited about the bacon. "
I Worry So About The Nominees...
One sad and superficial note - saw Imelda Staunton (per Vera Drake) on TV at the SAG awards or somesuch... she was completely frumpadelic on the red carpet in an obviously old, unattractive, unflattering and worst of all WRINKLED party dress. She needs to get her hair and makeup done stat, as well as secure a properly glam dress, as she must appear soon at the Oscars, and she deserves to win.
One sad and superficial note - saw Imelda Staunton (per Vera Drake) on TV at the SAG awards or somesuch... she was completely frumpadelic on the red carpet in an obviously old, unattractive, unflattering and worst of all WRINKLED party dress. She needs to get her hair and makeup done stat, as well as secure a properly glam dress, as she must appear soon at the Oscars, and she deserves to win.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Funny Chubby Euro-Disco Guy Lip-Synching In His Room
(SFW - needs sound)
Reminiscent of the Star Wars kid. Courtesy of Keith.
(SFW - needs sound)
Reminiscent of the Star Wars kid. Courtesy of Keith.
Friday, February 11, 2005
Brain Teaser
My friend writes:
"[blah blah blah Prince Charles is marrying a divorcée]. A gazillion people have done that before. Heck, my mother has never told me this (and I won't comment on how I know this), but my father was her second husband, half a century ago."
OK, what does this mean, exactly about his father and mother?
Me so confused.
My friend writes:
"[blah blah blah Prince Charles is marrying a divorcée]. A gazillion people have done that before. Heck, my mother has never told me this (and I won't comment on how I know this), but my father was her second husband, half a century ago."
OK, what does this mean, exactly about his father and mother?
- They got married 50 years ago (this seems too long)? And his mom was previously married & divorced?
- Or, they got married 50 (?) years ago, but the mom was previously married but never DIVORCED from her first husband?
- Or, his dad was Camilla Parker-Bowles second husband 50 years ago?
Me so confused.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Sent Email To Jan Wong Today
Lovely site of Chinese propaganda posters. Hope she doesn't wanna have lunch.
Lovely site of Chinese propaganda posters. Hope she doesn't wanna have lunch.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
When Will I Be Loved
I saw this unusual movie last night. Frankly, the story and the characters make it unlikeable. And yet... it's so weirdly unusual you're pretty much glued to the end. The opening sequence mixes cuts of the storyline and juxtaposed music that draw you in quickly because you're wondering what the hell's going on... Neve Campbell (Vera) is giving herself a very sexy shower making full use of the massage head, and meanwhile this guy Ford, who you later learn is Vera's boyfriend, is going all around New York talking absolute crap about fanciful deals he's trying to put together. By the way, I was heartened to see that Neve Campbell has a normal, non-stick insect body (smokin' hot, but realistic).
Sets are important to the story. You can immediately tell Vera's apartment is totally, unrealistically amazing, just from the fact that she's showering in an open shower by a window with a New York skyline clearly visible. Later the apartment is revealed to be just as incredible as hinted at in the shower scene..
Ford runs frantically around the city trying to put his ridiculous deals together, never once taking a cab or even the subway. He knows a lot of women: women he scammed in the past, women he's scamming in the present -- all of whom he's trying to pimp out in different ways.
Vera is job-hunting and trying to land a position as an assistant to a high profile professor at Columbia. They walk along the street having a sort of open-air interview, and whenever the professor is distracted by acolytes Vera is immediately picking up men she meets along the way. Basically everytime she's outside she's gettin' with someone she sees. But why does she need an assistant job when she lives palatially in NYC? This is when I got the feeling she was doing things just to do them, that she didn't need money and probably had plenty.
Ford's a shameless hustler but he almost does seem on the verge of putting something together with Damon Dash, but then it all falls apart in a hurry. You never believe Ford has the girls he keeps trying to pimp out to Dash... until you see Ford having a crazy threesome in the park with the ladies. Fo shizzle.
Vera manipulates everybody: her parents, her girl lover, the prof, the men she meets on the street... it doesn't seem to be about revenge at any point (as I have read).
When Ford finally puts together a deal that does work, Vera super-sizes it, seemingly just because she can. Then Vera pits Ford against the high profile john he hustles up for her with deadly results. And Vera has made a million dollars she didn't need, in one afternoon. She sensibly puts it into safety deposit boxes.
The final scenes, which seem rushed, are of Vera not defending Ford when he's charged with murder. Then she makes a tearful call home to her parents to prepare them for a talk she wants to have with them. Then we end as we began with a long shower, to cap off all her conquests. Vera smiles to herself in the mirror.
Some of the dialogue seems like painful improv, while at other moments the writing resounds like a tightly written play. The kooky musical turns in the movie keep it moving, but the loud Glenn Gould moments just seem too obvious. Funny cameos: Lori Singer as wacky NYC actress has-been. Mike Tyson playing himself in denial about himself (hilarious and creepy).
I saw this unusual movie last night. Frankly, the story and the characters make it unlikeable. And yet... it's so weirdly unusual you're pretty much glued to the end. The opening sequence mixes cuts of the storyline and juxtaposed music that draw you in quickly because you're wondering what the hell's going on... Neve Campbell (Vera) is giving herself a very sexy shower making full use of the massage head, and meanwhile this guy Ford, who you later learn is Vera's boyfriend, is going all around New York talking absolute crap about fanciful deals he's trying to put together. By the way, I was heartened to see that Neve Campbell has a normal, non-stick insect body (smokin' hot, but realistic).
Sets are important to the story. You can immediately tell Vera's apartment is totally, unrealistically amazing, just from the fact that she's showering in an open shower by a window with a New York skyline clearly visible. Later the apartment is revealed to be just as incredible as hinted at in the shower scene..
Ford runs frantically around the city trying to put his ridiculous deals together, never once taking a cab or even the subway. He knows a lot of women: women he scammed in the past, women he's scamming in the present -- all of whom he's trying to pimp out in different ways.
Vera is job-hunting and trying to land a position as an assistant to a high profile professor at Columbia. They walk along the street having a sort of open-air interview, and whenever the professor is distracted by acolytes Vera is immediately picking up men she meets along the way. Basically everytime she's outside she's gettin' with someone she sees. But why does she need an assistant job when she lives palatially in NYC? This is when I got the feeling she was doing things just to do them, that she didn't need money and probably had plenty.
Ford's a shameless hustler but he almost does seem on the verge of putting something together with Damon Dash, but then it all falls apart in a hurry. You never believe Ford has the girls he keeps trying to pimp out to Dash... until you see Ford having a crazy threesome in the park with the ladies. Fo shizzle.
Vera manipulates everybody: her parents, her girl lover, the prof, the men she meets on the street... it doesn't seem to be about revenge at any point (as I have read).
When Ford finally puts together a deal that does work, Vera super-sizes it, seemingly just because she can. Then Vera pits Ford against the high profile john he hustles up for her with deadly results. And Vera has made a million dollars she didn't need, in one afternoon. She sensibly puts it into safety deposit boxes.
The final scenes, which seem rushed, are of Vera not defending Ford when he's charged with murder. Then she makes a tearful call home to her parents to prepare them for a talk she wants to have with them. Then we end as we began with a long shower, to cap off all her conquests. Vera smiles to herself in the mirror.
Some of the dialogue seems like painful improv, while at other moments the writing resounds like a tightly written play. The kooky musical turns in the movie keep it moving, but the loud Glenn Gould moments just seem too obvious. Funny cameos: Lori Singer as wacky NYC actress has-been. Mike Tyson playing himself in denial about himself (hilarious and creepy).
Monday, February 07, 2005
Montreal Weekend
I was in Montreal this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It was fun and I was only mildly homesick and wondering about the dog.
I was prepared for lots of snow and -35 temps... but it was sunny and mild all weekend. It was not even zero degrees, so everywhere I went in my coat I just about passed out from the heat. I wore my super-industrial dog walking coat and I really just needed my pea coat.
I made the hotel resos and booked the restaurants. Our hotel is new. It was not the one everyone wanted. Originally we planned to stay in a boutique hotel way downtown in the old city. The Nelligan looked very nice when we walked by but I was glad we didn't stay there. It was very quiet and dreary in Old Montreal this weekend. Instead we stayed at Loews Vogue, which was perfectly positioned a few steps from Ogilvy / downtown.
We ate in some great places:
- L'Express (wonderful; packed; very French menu with things kidneys in deux moutardes and "marrow")
- Au Petit Extra (great service; again, packed and fun; excellent service and also very French)
- Le Poisson Rouge (excellent value and byob; a funky tiny fish place)
Enjoyable, fun, interesting and different. And my high school French held up really well.
Had a bad breakfast at Eggspectation and a great breakfast at La grand-mere poule in Outremont. Near La grand-mere poule there is a lovely bakery (Première Moisson), an excellent cheese shop & a fabulous tea shop called "The Tea Merchant" (but in French so I don't know the name exactly). These are all around Bernard & Outremont.
Got very loaded at the Ritz bar on Saturday night... talked too loudly but hopefully the stories were amusing. Felt a little fuggy the next day.
Other than that... took some walks, shopped, went to the musee beaux arts, skated in Parc la Fontaine. The "Via 1" service train was totally worth it. Comfy huge seats... Not bad meals, and the bar cart never stopped rolling. It was fun to snooze and chat and laugh. Better than the stress of the airports.
I was in Montreal this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It was fun and I was only mildly homesick and wondering about the dog.
I was prepared for lots of snow and -35 temps... but it was sunny and mild all weekend. It was not even zero degrees, so everywhere I went in my coat I just about passed out from the heat. I wore my super-industrial dog walking coat and I really just needed my pea coat.
I made the hotel resos and booked the restaurants. Our hotel is new. It was not the one everyone wanted. Originally we planned to stay in a boutique hotel way downtown in the old city. The Nelligan looked very nice when we walked by but I was glad we didn't stay there. It was very quiet and dreary in Old Montreal this weekend. Instead we stayed at Loews Vogue, which was perfectly positioned a few steps from Ogilvy / downtown.
We ate in some great places:
- L'Express (wonderful; packed; very French menu with things kidneys in deux moutardes and "marrow")
- Au Petit Extra (great service; again, packed and fun; excellent service and also very French)
- Le Poisson Rouge (excellent value and byob; a funky tiny fish place)
Enjoyable, fun, interesting and different. And my high school French held up really well.
Had a bad breakfast at Eggspectation and a great breakfast at La grand-mere poule in Outremont. Near La grand-mere poule there is a lovely bakery (Première Moisson), an excellent cheese shop & a fabulous tea shop called "The Tea Merchant" (but in French so I don't know the name exactly). These are all around Bernard & Outremont.
Got very loaded at the Ritz bar on Saturday night... talked too loudly but hopefully the stories were amusing. Felt a little fuggy the next day.
Other than that... took some walks, shopped, went to the musee beaux arts, skated in Parc la Fontaine. The "Via 1" service train was totally worth it. Comfy huge seats... Not bad meals, and the bar cart never stopped rolling. It was fun to snooze and chat and laugh. Better than the stress of the airports.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
A Little Violence In Cabbagetown
Yesterday after work I was in Cabbagetown picking up a painting I had framed. I parked on Parliament St. across from the framer. I parked legally. I parked behind a car that was taking up 2 spots. There was half a spot in front of and half a spot behind this car -- a pearly-coloured Corolla. I parked behind this car. In order not to block a driveway behind me, I parked very close to the rear bumper ahead of me. Not really touching, but awfully close. Keep in mind, the other car had a half a length open in front of it.
I was in and out of the framer's in about 7 minutes. When I came out, a woman was waiting for me, standing by my driver side door. She was very rough looking and sounding. She acted jittery. In fact, she looked like a street person (a street person who drives an ok-looking Corolla...? Anyway...). She was unkempt and, oddly, an albino (I don't know if there is a more politically correct way to describe that condition). She berated me for my parking job and repeated twice, "Don't touch my car, man! Don't touch my car!" I apologized, got in my car and drove away. Later we discovered that the front driver side tire was completely flat due to being slashed. My friendly neighbourhood mechanic is replacing it for $155.
At least our new painting is fabulous.
Yesterday after work I was in Cabbagetown picking up a painting I had framed. I parked on Parliament St. across from the framer. I parked legally. I parked behind a car that was taking up 2 spots. There was half a spot in front of and half a spot behind this car -- a pearly-coloured Corolla. I parked behind this car. In order not to block a driveway behind me, I parked very close to the rear bumper ahead of me. Not really touching, but awfully close. Keep in mind, the other car had a half a length open in front of it.
I was in and out of the framer's in about 7 minutes. When I came out, a woman was waiting for me, standing by my driver side door. She was very rough looking and sounding. She acted jittery. In fact, she looked like a street person (a street person who drives an ok-looking Corolla...? Anyway...). She was unkempt and, oddly, an albino (I don't know if there is a more politically correct way to describe that condition). She berated me for my parking job and repeated twice, "Don't touch my car, man! Don't touch my car!" I apologized, got in my car and drove away. Later we discovered that the front driver side tire was completely flat due to being slashed. My friendly neighbourhood mechanic is replacing it for $155.
At least our new painting is fabulous.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Gung Hei Fat Choy!
Oh my, this movie about making Chinese dumplings out of aborted fetuses sounds mucho disturbing...
Oh my, this movie about making Chinese dumplings out of aborted fetuses sounds mucho disturbing...
