Tuesday, May 27, 2008

the threepenny opera

...To be poor is an illness,
And this was the cure...

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Tow-In

IRON MAN












Finally.

Snail Mail





Does anyone remember these? If you were born after 1970 you weren't old enough to experience these educational gems that were sent to you through the mail. Mid 70's were around the time they were showing up in the mailboxes of America. They were packs of 4x6 cards having to to with various topics, sports, animals gardening, food recipes, Olympic hopefuls(?)...They would arrive wrapped in cellophane in packets of 20 or so and with them was a order form used to obtain more packets in a series of these cards,...on the off chance you had completely taken leave of your senses.

The 70's was a funny time, the 60's was renewal, awareness, the 80's was self importance, the awakening of technology, at least we cared, granted it was plastic shirts with about 11 zippers on them but at least we cared alittle. The 70's, Americans stopped thinking all together I think. We suffered oppressive temperatures outdoors while wearing cool, breathable 3 piece polyester leisure suits, all the while letting heat escape through our heads by growing a pound of hair and wrapping it with sideburns the size of a small cat.

The information super highway was a dirt road. The time it would take for you to agree to receive more of these cards,...filling out the order form, putting your check inside, mailing them (I remember you had to use your own envelope), the company receiving your order, processing it, then sending them to you, would probably take at least a month to..whenever. What's hilarious is I remember my parents decided to not order any of these cards, and about 8 or 9 months later they sent us the rest of the complete set!,...like nobody wanted that crap and they were just dumping them! Today you can get the same information contained in a complete series of these cards in the time it takes to click a mouse a few times. Seconds compared to months.

Now, it's not fair to compare what was available to us back then to what is available to us today. It's not fair, but it is fun.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

The Swell Season/Bonnaroo



Reminder: THE SWELL SEASON Glenn Hansard and Marketa Irglova will be at Bonnaroo JUNE 12-18. Shows for Raleigh, Richmond, Baltimore, New York, Pa, ARE ALL SOLD OUT! See Bonnaroo/The Swell Season.

Lenticular



Lenticular clouds (altocumulus standing lenticularis) are stationary lens-shaped clouds formed at high altitudes. Their specific features cause them to often be mistaken as UFO's. Where stable moist air flows over a mountain or a range of mountains, a series of large scale standing waves may form on the downwind side. Lenticular clouds sometimes form at the crest of these waves. Please read the complete excerpt at Wikipedia.com.





Tackle Box



I first heard of Tackle Box in Georgetown D.C. from the local food section of our paper and it got some pretty good reviews, then I read it has a Lobster Roll on the menu and I immediately starting working out in my head a travel route and my secret parking spots near Wisconsin and M St.

Tackle Box opened two weeks ago and is a New England-style shore shack eatery conceptualized by PH Restaurant groups Chef Barton Seaver (who I met there with his chocolate lab puppy in hand) and New Orleans Executive Chef Robert Bechtold. They first opened the up-scale restaurant Hook on M street, and then Tackle Box right next door. The kitchen shares and borrows from each other throughout service. Although Tackle Box is a casual eatery, the menu has a upscale look and taste.

I got the crispy fried oysters ($9) to start, and they were great,..super light batter around plump, briny flavor. Then on to the Lobster Roll ($19). Comes with fries and they rival Elevation Burgers olive oil fries, perfectly cooked and crispy. The Lobster Roll at first appears small for the price but fills up nicely with an app and fries. Delicious, a light, horsey/mayo sauce, hardly any filler,..on a toasted potato roll. Bring the price down to $15 and we might be talking though. They make their own blueberry pie so I had a go, a very light buttery, flaky crust surrounds a disappointing filling, should of tried their homemade brownie.

The main thing to do at TB is for $13 bucks. You pick a fish, two sides and a sauce, that's what everybody is talking about and seems to be the very popular way to go. They also offer for carry-out, complete "Lobster Pots" as many as you need. A casual, airy, dining experience right on M street. Soon opening till 4am! Fri @ Sat.

,$$$$$
,15 min lunch wait
3245 M Street NW
Washington DC

202.337.TBOX

Friday, May 16, 2008

Bugs

Sunday, May 11, 2008

docs

I'm a big movie fan like everyone else, I have a movie collection that's pretty extensive, and love to collect them. I used to go to the movies as a kid by myself and watch the same film over and over again like I still do today. I appreciate the creators involved, the hard work, the massive effort it must take to bring a feature from concept to completion. I think it's the great connection that we have with the rest of the world, our ability to be the best in creating the most exciting, relevant films today.

But a third of my movie collection are documentaries. I'm a huge fan of the docs. For me it's the only real "reality" in the reality genre. The reality TV today is pretty much the most opposite of it. Some documentary films today are still very informative and do a pretty good job telling you the story it set out to tell you, but there still are alot of fancy edits, graphics and narrations. That's fine but if I can suggest to you a couple of my favorite films, documentary features that take a subject and chronologically record events over a long period of time, I think you will see the pure definition of documentation through film.


My first recommendation is Stevie.
Steve James, creator of the sprawling "Hoop Dreams", was a "big brother" to troubled kid Stevie Fielding when Fielding was a boy. Steve James sets out to see what actually happened to that boy he knew. Recording the events over a period of 4 years of his adulthood.


There is Country Boys from filmmaker David Sutherland. Filmed over 3 years, it records the stories of two boys through the ages of 15 to 18, trying to make it through in the Appalachian hills of Kentucky. And the entire 24 part series is available on line! here at pbs.org.

This type of material may not be for everyone, but if you got the time and the notion to see a story of real people that takes it's time telling itself, I think you may enjoy these two films.

Friday, May 9, 2008

MOBA not MOMA


Peter the Kitty
Oil on board by Mrs. Jackson
10.5" x 7"
Acquired from Salvation Army Thrift Store, Hyde Park by Scott Wilson

Stirring in it's portrayal of feline angst. Is Peter hungry or contemplating his place in a hungry world? The artist has evoked both hopelessness and glee with his irrational use of negative space.



"Art Too Bad To Be Ignored"
It's MOBA, Museum Of Bad Art. "Art Too Funny To Be Ignored" I say, It's the worst of the worst art found mostly in the garbage and garages. The guys at MOBA also provide brilliant commentary to go along with the canvased atrocities. They have also published a book called Masterworks, a hardcover containing the classics like "Mama and Babe", "Shy Glance" and "Think Again". See the entire collection at museumofbadart.org. You'll be glad you did.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Walken The Walk



Conjure up your best Christopher Walken impersonation, get a video camera, maybe a couple of lights,... rehearse, shoot, and submit, you could win the best trophy EVER. Or just vote for your favorite. See Naathan Phan. Lots of Walken stuff at Walken the Walk.



Monday, May 5, 2008

"Game Fish"







If there was one piece of art available for purchase and money was no object, I would be salivating for a Gustav Klimt, or a Mark Rothko, or a Chuck Close. But that would probably involve negotiations with reps, agents, fees, license, contracts,...

Forget all that for now, the first thing I would do is call artist Larry Fuente and promise him if he would allow me to purchase his brilliant "Game Fish", I would make quick sure it would be permanently housed in an contemporary gallery of his choice. I first saw this piece at the Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C. 2 years ago, and have not gotten a nights rest since.

A link to see a close-up.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

The U.S. National Arboretum

please click for full size










The Potomac Bonsai Festival was held at The National Arboretum this weekend, if you missed it, don't worry, their permanent, world-class collection rivals those in the festival. There was also a huge Bonsai sale today under tents, on the grounds. The Arboretum is kind of a wonder in this city, ask anyone who's been there. It's our version of Central Park in New York. Of course you'll have to haul your groceries all the way to New York Ave and Bladensburg road NE. But it's worth it for sure. If you ever want to get lost in almost 450 acres of winding paths and lush plant, this is your kinda place. Now that's all great, but they also have a koi pond that's just ridiculous! Thousands of koi from 3 feet long to 3 inches, at your fingertips,.. your right with them too, you don't get to see them from above, you can be along the edge of the pond 6 inches from the water, feeding them food. At times they look so numerous, you feel you could walk on top of them. Worth the trip alone. For more pics click here. The festival is through May 4 only.

RFD



If you live here in the D.C. area and your looking for the best multi-tap bar/saloon, and your tired of the BULLSHIT service and lack of "inventory" at the Brickskeller (although those crab claw appetizers at the Brick are unbelievable) get your ass down to RFD's on 7th St. NW. Although there the same owners as the Brick that doesn't account for the crappy service from their staff.

The dining room is HUGE, plenty of tables for everybody, lots of flat screens, all surrounded by a long, winding oak bar backed by a pretty cool and knowledgeable staff. Their glassed refrigerators displaying the multitude of brews is something to behold, it's the last vision I want to see before I leave this world. Their "beer book" is like a phone book for a small town. They sport over 300 different types of bottled beers, which I'm told is constantly changing and updated, and they have the areas largest tap list. Their menu has burgers, pasta and pizza, most of which have fine beers incorporated into their recipes. Heaven, right? Open till 2:30 am Fri-Sat.

810 7th St.
Washington D.C. NW

202.289.2030

Julian Schnabel



Mutli-media artist Julian Schnabels feature "The Diving Bell And The Butterfly" is now out on DVD, and I am sorry I didn't see it on a large screen in the theatre. If you loved "Before Night Falls" and "Basquiat" like I did, it's only natural you'll love the "The Diving Bell". An beautiful job in cinematography, editing, direction, and screenplay adapted from Jean Dominique Baubys "The Diving Bell And The Butterfly". Schnabel has also cast an array of the most beautiful french actresses ev-er. Touching and life affirming.

E.E. Cummings

love is a place

love is a place
& through this place of
love move
(with brightness of peace)
all places

yes is a world
& in this world of
yes live
(skilfully curled)
all worlds