Cotton's candy

One of my favorite contemporary artists, Will Cotton (the man Mary Boone made famous for his creamy-skinned nudes lounging among clouds of cotton candy, sumptuous gingerbread houses and frosted forests) is bringing his artistic vision to life at Partners & Spade gallery on Great Jones St for the next two Sunday afternoons. "Bringing to life" in the form of food, not naked ladies, that is. For years, he has been making his own pastries to use as models for his work, and now Cotton will share his baked creations with the public. This gloriously decadent art (at recession-friendly prices) is truly good enough to eat.

Healthcare hurrah

The House of Representatives took one big step forward Saturday night when they passed President Obama's Affordable Health Care for America Act (and one of the 220 votes in favor of the bill was made by a Republican representative). Although the battle is by no means won (especially in light of the amendment prohibiting federal funding for abortion services in the public option), this move represents a chance, as Obama said, "to deliver" by signing this act into law by year's end. What a holiday gift that would be!

Keep on keepin' on

A woman in South Korea whose attempts to pass the written portion of the driver's license exam numbered approximately 950 finally achieved the minimum score of 60 points needed to pass. Hey, if she can do it, maybe I can too!

via Huffington Post

Line up, ladies

Posted on a billboard in TriBeCa:

Lloyd Dobler comes to life

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of one of my all-time favorite romantic comedies, Say Anything. Because every girl wants a real-live Lloyd Dobler (in the form of John Cusack) to try to win her back by blasting Peter Gabriel from a boombox, a mob of impersonators (the "Mobler") reenacted this famous scene from Union Square to Times Square to commemorate love, awkwardness, and the 1980s.
Check it out:

Batter up, and bring me a beer while you're at it

After last night's political disappointment ($157 per vote, Bloomberg, really?), New York needs some good old-fashioned cheering up from the boys in pinstripes.
Here, BlackBook's list of some of the best alternative watering holes to watch our Yanks kick some Philly butt.

I gotta fever ... and the only prescription is more Gaga

Video of the day: Christopher Walken's spoken word rendition of Poker Face. Step off, Jude Law - you can't f**k with cowbell.

A screamingly successful soiree

Hope everyone had safe, happy and creepy Halloweens! Here's how mine panned out:
The meal: squid ink pasta with roasted butternut squash, orange peppers and olives (thanks Gourmet, R.I.P.), artichoke "bones," and Black Widow Punch (2 bottles Champagne, 6 cups Blackberry Brandy, 1 cup sugar, and fresh blackberries for garnish). Hello Kitty napkins optional.

The costumes:Night 1 - "Birds of a Feather" (parrot, peacock and flamingo). Still have the hot glue gun burns and feather-covered apartment to prove it.

Night 2 - Sexy Polygamists. Bibles not pictured.

I'm sad it's over. Time to start planning for next year!

A freaky fiesta

At midnight tonight, my favorite holiday begins. Here, some tips for throwing a ghoulishly spooktastic shindig that's really something to howl at:

Eat: Potato Ghosts, Creepcake Cupcakes, and lots and lots of candy corn

Drink: Eyeball Highballs and Pina Ghouladas

Watch: The Five Cheesiest 80s Horror Films or the Spike Jonze-Kanye collab ... one of the creepiest things I've ever seen.


Listen: The Zombie Danceparty Mix, Fever Ray's Halloween podcast, Dana's spooky playlist, and of course, Nightmare Revisited (a Nightmare Before Christmas cover album featuring Marilyn Manson, Rodrigo y Gabriela, RJD2, Devotchka, KoRn, and more).

Trick or treat yourself to the best Halloween ever!

Ready, set, type!

November is National Novel Writing Month, and if you register over at nanowrimo.org, you can race the clock with thousands of scribes across the country scrambling to write 50,000 words by November 30th. If you succeed, you'll receive a Winner's Certificate and Web Badge, and join the ranks of Times #1 bestselling author Sara Gruen, who wrote Water for Elephants during the challenge!