Saturday, January 31, 2009

Wish list

Things I want to go to in the next month or so which I probably won't be able to:
1. The Stephen Sprouse "Rock on Mars" exhibit at Deitch Projects (until February 28)
2. Passion Pit at The Ottobar on Monday (I'll just be watching this video on repeat to simulate the experience)
3. The Virgins at Music Hall of Williamsburg on February 14
4. Mardi Gras

Boo.  Here's a little good news, though (that's what I'm supposed to be spreading, right?):
The awesome online art bookstore PictureBox Inc. is having a crazy sale until February 8th.  "Overspray: Riding High with the Kings of California Airbrush Art" is just $20!  Want that.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Family ties

Guess who's related to Obama?  That's right, blogfans - yours truly!  After extensive Googling and a whole lotta research into our family tree, my grandmother informed me that in fact, Barack and I are 11th cousins.  
Here's the breakdown, for anyone who cares: one of the ancestors of Obama's mama was a man named Samuel Hinckley who came to Cape Cod from England in 1640 with his wife and 4 children.  Because my grandma's grandmother's family are also descended from Hinckley, she discovered that Obama is one of the 12th generation of his descendants - as am I.  Hence, 11th cousinhood!
She also informed me that Obama and I each have 4094-some other great-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandparents, in addition to Samuel Hinckley and his wife, and that Obama and I are part of a possibly-millions strong network of 11x great grandchildren.  Talk about the strength of our union, right?  I guess I should relinquish bragging rights just about ... now.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Winter warm-ups

Due to some sky-high Baltimore electric bills, I'm chillin with the heat on low bundled inside my winter coat.  Here's what I've come up with to make the freeze feel a little less frigid:
- Spiked hot chocolate (Peppermint Schnapps are delish) or apple cider (brandy plus an emulsion of cinnamon and nutmeg)
- Scrubbing the kitchen floor (gets the heart rate going pretty good, as I learned yesterday)
- The bright side of five hours of sorority rush: being in close proximity to over 100 nervous girls at a time means giant spikes in body temp (please shower, everyone)
- Not getting out of bed
Who's got more?  I sure would love to unglue my coffee mug from my hand so I could think about getting ready for class.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Futuristic nostalgia

First there was the Polaroid camera, that bulky piece which, when worn around the neck, still provides the perfect dash of street-cred to any wannabe hipster's outfit.  The film was faded and the click was satisfying, and there's really nothing like shaking out a Polaroid picture to see what surprises your artist's eye has in store. Then the company filed for bankruptcy, eventually discontinuing Polaroid film.  As of last February, Polaroid was no more.  When I heard that a company had purchased the old factory in the Netherlands in order to breathe life back into analog instant film ... well, I have to admit I was more than psyched. But of course, once the film technology is re-released in 2010, it will only benefit those who've managed to get (or keep) their paws on a vintage Polaroid cam.  
The temporary/technological/tantalizingly simple solution?  The downloadable (and free!) Poladroid application which mimics the original by "developing" your digital pics in that classic white frame design, complete with the sound of the photo popping out and the pics "drying" as the brown chemical wash fades.  What's more, the application has a capacity of 10 treatments per session, imitating that of a real Polaroid cartridge.  So although it's not quite the real deal, it is easier to share, more environmentally-friendly, and most importantly, it's ready right now!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Free movies

For those in Baltimore, our own City Paper is sponsoring a free movie night at the Charles Theater (also known as the greatest movie theater of all time).  Doors open at 5 and all movies start at 6:30p.m.  The first 800 people get to see one of five movies playing:
Slumdog Millionaire
Milk
Last Chance Harvey
Revolutionary Road
Rachel Getting Married

They'll be serving beer and other concessions, but I'm getting there early in order to get my Tapas Teatro on.

Monday, January 26, 2009

How the Lohan got her spots

I'm all about nails that don't conform to expectations - no nudes or pale pinks need apply.  So naturally, I fell in love with Lindsay Lohan's rainbow, leopard-print tips.  As over-the-top as they may be, they add a dash of humor and fun to her look.  As for me, I wouldn't mind a twist that imitates the muted color scheme of a beige and gray leopard-patterned fish I saw at the Baltimore Aquarium on Friday.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Back to school, back to school

Last first day of classes ever tomorrow (yikes? YIKES), so I thought I could take the opportunity to reflect on my uber-long winter break and whether I made any use of it.  Here, some things I did to be proud of, most of which I'd recommend:

1. Read "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" in the place where it was set (although the manmade beach I sat on admittedly had nothing in common with the real deal D.R. of the novel).  Junot Diaz, you rock.  Also finally finished "The Bell Jar" over the same vacation (strongly suggest the book, strongly discourage thinking of it as any sort of beach-read.  Whoops).
2. Learned to make the following somewhat-complicated dishes: Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto (part of my bomb New Year's Eve dinner pictured below), Veggie Dumplings, Apple Crumble (actually really simple but also delish), Persian rice (finally got it right - thanks mom).
3. Saw the following art exhibits: Kehinde Wiley (no longer showing at Deitch Gallery, but still incredible if you ever get the chance), Art and Love in Renaissance Italy at the Met (sort of mehh, to be honest), and my favorite of favorites, which I went to twice - the Pipilotti Rist video exhibition at the Moma.  Grrr, I miss New York.
4. Tried my darndest to think about the dissolving economy in a positive light in terms of my impending graduation (South American travels are my favorite brainstorm scenario thus far).
5. Finalized a Spring Break trip to Negril - nothing like looking ahead to beach-weather to shake the cold out of your bones. 

Phew, didn't think I'd make it to 5. Looks like it's been a productive break after all. And now for a not-so-secret, moderately-dorky guilty pleasure: school supply shopping!  This USB-powered lunchbox warmer kinda makes me wish I still ate in a cafeteria.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Macao Trading Co

Nice to know that even in the midst of a recession, great restaurants are still opening (and in my 'hood, at that!).  Can't wait to try this place when I get home - from the Chanterelle chef and the guys who brought you Employees Only.  Moroccan/Chinese/Indian/Euro fusion? Yes please.

Photo courtesy of Hannah Whitaker

Friday, January 23, 2009

Milk money

The nominations for the 81st Academy Awards, released Thursday, may have ignored a few deserving candidates, but I was extremely pleased to note Milk's nomination for Best Original Screenplay.  For those who are unaware, Milk is Dustin Lance Black's first produced feature screenplay.  Black, also a writer for the HBO hit show Big Love, grew up in Texas as a devout Mormon and closeted gay individual.  Black counts activist Harvey Milk as a major inspiration for his own coming out.  He credits the deceased politician with inspiring the same brand of hope as our new president: "I would be listening to these speeches by Barack Obama and looking at transcripts of the speeches by Harvey Milk and it was eerie and very, very exciting for me to hear that again," he said.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

I was hot before Barack, imagine what I'm gon' do

Can't decide whose presidential rhymes are iller, Rev. Joseph Lowery or Jay-Z's. 

Here's some from Hova:
"My president is black, in fact he's half white/ So even in a racist mind he's half right/ Even in these racist times we alright/ My president is black but his house is all white
Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther could walk/ Martin Luther walked so Barack Obama could run/ Barack Obama ran so all the children could fly/ So I'ma spread my wings, you can meet me in the sky"
Check out footage of Young Jeezy and Jay-Z's performance at Jeezy's "Presidential Status" inaugural ball at Club Love here.

And here's the Reverend (who gets extra points for being the cutest old man I've ever seen):
"We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right."
What say you, faithful readers?  My money's on Lowery.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

"We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist"

Back in Salty Balty after two days in the nation's capital, and I have to say, it feels a little like the morning after prom (you know, you've been looking forward to it for so long, and although its end marks the beginning of summer, you sort of want to rewind and do it all over again ... okay, maybe prom wasn't the best analogy to the first black president's inauguration, but you catch my drift).  Between manageable metros, a not-too-horrifically-early 8:30a.m. wakeup, a 15 minute walk to the Lincoln Memorial, and a position in front of the WWII memorial facing the JumboTron, braving the cold was the only glitch in an otherwise ideally managed inauguration day (well done, D.C.).  For the entirety of our new president's address, I managed to forget the chill and rise up alongside some 2 million others to meet the man we have so long been waiting for.

Obama's stories focus on the moment inspiration leaps from one hand to another.  The momentum of these exchanges that rose throughout the course of his campaign came to a palpable head yesterday morning, when millions gathered from all over the world to feel, see, or touch some part of the excitement that Barack Obama engenders.  Tuesday's success, and that of his campaign as a whole, was about spreading hope and enthusiasm from person to person on the individual level, inextricably tying everyone into a network they felt emotionally connected to. 
January 20, 2009 is a date many will not soon forget, and I feel so blessed to have been there to witness the smiles, tears and hope of all those whose lives Barack Obama has touched and changed already. 

Monday, January 19, 2009

Obama yourself

Headed to D.C. today, so I probably won't get a chance to post anything until Wednesday or so.  Until then, have fun putting yourself in Obama's position (thanks Sarah!)

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Wonder how Bono feels about this

 "High and high in the sky/you make me feel like I can fly/so high/elevation"

U2 isn't getting any credit for the newly-studied emotion that has positive psychology researchers in a tizzy: autonomic responses denoting elevation (an emotion once reserved for the fields of philosophy and religion), have been scientifically observed in subjects listening to the vocal stylings of Barack Obama.  This elevation effect, characterized by stimulation of the vagus nerve (which leads to feelings of warmth in the chest and a lump in the throat), has the power to open people's cognitive centers to new possibilities and hope for change.  Obama himself may be what is called a "vagal superstar," someone whose high vagus nerve activity allows them to respond to stress and conflict with ease (let's hope so).  For more of the science behind why B-Rock gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling, see here.

In unrelated presidential news, it would be cool if my local Baltimore liquor store is stocking this stuff:
Then again, remembering Tuesday would be cool too. 

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Print out and carry in back pocket at all times

My top picks from Ted Travelstead's Crisis-Aversion Index Cards That Get Me Through a Normal Day (the first one would have come in handy for the two cranky guys fighting over a seat on the 6 train yesterday):

So, you didn't get a seat on the subway.  There's no reason to cry, little dude!  Look around!  You see all those beautiful people standing?  You're one of them!  Look how tall you seem next to those seated around you!  Why don't you tuck your blanket into your bag now, OK?  It's OK to have a security blanket, but let's pull it out only when we really need it, all right?  There you go, bud!  Just think, the next time you get a seat on the subway, it's gonna be awesome!
 . . .
You can't cut in line at Starbucks, chief, or you get yelled at.  We've been over this.  Take a deep breath, brocephus.  That's it, just calm down for a sec.  Wipe your eyes and reassess.  OK, look around.  Here you are at the back of the line, feeling a little humiliated.  How many people do you count in front of you?  Fifteen? Twenty?  People like Starbucks, bro.  Fact of life.  And all these people deserve it just as much as you do.  So you can't walk in and expect to go to the head of the line just because you're in a great mood after beating an elderly Asian woman to a seat on the subway.  Be patient, bro.  Count bald dudes or something.  You'll have your pipin'-hot joe in no time.


Okay, going to catch this movie with my fourteen-year-old brother now.  Hope there's no line.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Steven Johnson might be telepathic

Glad to see that Boing Boing's new guest blogger is no Negative Nancy: Steven Johnson's recent post is a lesson in positive thinking.  He recollects waiting on a runway and observing the American Flight 587 crash of November 2001, just a month after 9/11.  
Seven years ago.  The last fatal full-size jetliner crash on US shores was seven years ago.  This statistic is beyond unlikely; it approaches the miraculous.  At the very least, apparently our pilots, transit officials and jet engineers are doing something right.
Johnson also recalls a recent USAToday front page headline: zero fatalities on any US commercial aircraft in the past two years.  This is a first in the history of the jet age.
Here's the freaky part: a friend emailed Johnson's story to me yesterday morning, the day after it was posted.  Hours later, I was with another friend, whose phone beeped the NY Times update about US Airways flight 1549 that plunged into the Hudson.  155 passengers were all rescued, a testament to pilot Chelsey Sullenberger's heroism and expertise.  The fervent collective rescue effort brought about by the crash is reminiscent of New York's post-9/11 spirit, as the safety of our skies remains intact.
(Photo courtesy of Janis Krum's Twitter.  New Yorker Krum reported, "There's a plane in the Hudson.  I'm on the ferry going to pick up the people.  Crazy.")

Now that's what I call good news.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

I'm partial to Baracky Road, myself

(Image courtesy of Slate)

Perhaps not the ice cream wizards' punniest piece of work, but pecans are yummy and so is our 44th prez-to-be - better believe I'll have a pint in hand while parading the streets of D.C. on Tuesday.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

I want to live here

There has to be some kind of clause to the no-open-umbrellas-inside rule when they look this pretty.

Very special thanks to CreateBuildDestroy for the kind words!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Persian poets and positive planters

Recently came across this photo from Nimbin ("the Amsterdam of Australia"), where I spent a highly unusual day in August of 2007 amidst children running shoeless in mismatched clothing, the town's various glassy-eyed wanderers proffering speeches about the universe, handmade clothing, and home-baked space cakes.  

Anyway, the picture reminded me a little of a piece by the 13th century Persian philosopher/poet Rumi:

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows, 
who violently sweep your house 
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent 
as a guide from beyond.

Rumi was a cool guy - I've often failed to appreciate his words for their simplicity, but this age (as full of trials as any, as much as the media suggests otherwise) could certainly benefit from his pared-down wisdom.   Although the divinity of the gifts we've been given may at times appear dulled by the distractions of trinkets and tax breaks, our ability to recognize and appreciate the dignity of human life is the most precious present of all.  Whatever proverbial plant you choose to cultivate, I believe that keeping Rumi's message close will help it to flourish.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Babar in the bathroom

Yesterday's recession-friendly $9.99 brunch at Esperanto (comes with coffee and choice of  Mimosa, Bloody Mary, Screwdriver or juice!) revealed the staying power of a certain hipper-than-thou clothing company run by a certain brother and cousin of mine. Check it: CBD sticker applied to the inside of a toilet seat circa Father's Day 2008 is still hangin' on. 


And if I had to choose one spot to sit in the rest of my life ... 
... it might be the 9th Street Community Garden Park opposite Esperanto - muy, muy bonita.
(okay, so maybe I'm missing summer juuust a little)

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Let your tips do the talking


Like I needed another reason to obsess over her.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

In the waiting line

Waited on line* for thirty minutes in the below-thirty degree weather last night to see Q Tip DJ at Santos' Party House ... gave up when we were halfway to the front in favor of wandering the LES, finally ending up at Darkroom (nymag calls it the best bar to pick up a musician).  Instead of picking up a bass player, I picked a fight with the guy behind me on line for the bathroom, who I thought was trying to push his way to the front.  
The negative ends here, when this man, a beam of light in that dark and not-so-subtly-puke-perfumed room, rocked my perspective on line-waiting entirely.  "Sorry, baby," he said in reaction to my scowl.  "Didn't mean to push."  
Sorry? In New York? Phew, that's refreshing. Maybe I'm the jerk here. "It's okay," I replied.  "I'm just not doing well with lines today."  
"I get you, girl.  If you want my opinion, waiting on lines isn't so bad as long as you know how to smile and look around properly, take advantage of the view."  He was right. When I exited the stall (after performing a complex leotard-tights-removal-redress feat), I made sure to get a good look at his gap-toothed grin.  The lift in spirits was well worth the wait.

* Apparently, "in line" is the proper terminology for everyone but New Yorkers ... plain ol' city snobbery or a legit argument for separate status? Third option is the Aussie version, but "queue up" doesn't sound nearly as good without the accent.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Tell me something good

Today, I switched on CNN and watched Israel bomb the Gaza strip, logged on to Perez and read the latest on the death of Jett Travolta, scanned the NY Times to see that jobless rates have hit a 16-year high, and visited my grandmother who bemoaned Iran's opium dependency.  As a college-educated individual, I was aware of all this before today.  I've heard it too many times.  It's one thing to be informed; it's quite another to be a vessel of negativity.   In the age of the information overload, it's not knowing what to read, watch or listen to that's the trouble - it's what to tune out.
As a New York Jew, I know how to do a lot of things.  I know how to drink like a fish, worry and whine like a champ, and that there's no such thing as too much black.  The thing that comes less naturally?  Filling the other half of my proverbial glass (with positivity, not booze).  But as a soon-to-be college grad about to witness a new age (read: presidency), and on the brink of the exciting/scary/never-ending search for the elusive job-apartment-soulmate combo, it's dawning on me that there's a lot to look ahead to.  
So here it is: just the good stuff.  I know it's not all rainbows and rent control, but really, what's wrong with a winky-smiley face here and there? I'll try to keep updated on great music, film, food, and tales of general good fortune.  As for you, whatever happy stuff happens, go ahead and post it here. Save the salt for your next dinner party.