The Perfect Age of Rock & Roll - and to see family ; )

So last nite I was invited to a party at an open Venue.  That venue was Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg.  See Brooklynbowl.com   It was a charming space.  Dark with a massively high ceiling.  It was accented with antique carnival displays of old games that were once used for target practice.   16 bowling lanes suitable for impromptu games and a light bite of dinner.  There was also a large stage with generous room for dancing and such.

My cousin, Michael Jeremiah aka Giaramita is an actor.  The last time we met I was a toddler.  Family dysfunction separated our families and Facebook reconnected us.  This gathering was the film release party in celebration of the film he will be apart of: The Perfect Age of Rock and Roll.  This his first speaking role.  He is a striking presence as most Giaramita-men ARE.  Handsome, charming, warm and friendly.  It was pretty effing cool.  I also met his lovely wife Debbie and my 2^nd cousin (my cousin’s son) Joshua Giaramita who is a talented young man in his own right.  I’m looking forward to hearing great things about him as well.

We stayed for a light bite and heard two bands.  The first band was known as The Hired Killers, which played covers of many recognizable songs, not that I can remember any of them, lol. 

The second band was The Sugar Blue Band.  http://www.sugar-blue.com/ They were amazing hearing the blues never brought a smile quite like this to my face before.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sugar-Blue/160108061584?ref=search&sk=wall

I was with my new man and we swayed and kissed during the evening.  We stayed until about ten o’clock and then my feet (locked in their 4” black cage  heels were screaming for relief).  I said my farewells and we were on our way home.

Much earlier in the evening we had some time to kill and walked to the nearby vintage store: Beacon’s Closet, located @ 88 N. 115h Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn 11211  (Shop online @ beaconscloset.com)  I bought a lovely Chinese accented angel sleeved blouse for $15).  When I first saw the sign swear-to-God I thought it read Bacon’s Closet, lol.   There is also a 2^nd location in Park Slope, which peaks my interest as I’ve been meaning to visit my old neighborhood and now have another (good) excuse to do so.

Larry Crowne - A MOVIE REVIEW

LARRY CROWNE - A Movie Review

So on a fervent Saturday afternoon, I caught a movie with my mom.  We went to see “Larry Crowne” the story of a middle-aged man, who without having the benefit of a college degree is phased out of a Walmart-ish job after many years.  Tom Hanks in an unusually diminutive role as Larry Crowne decides to go back to community college.  Gal pal Julia Roberts as the jaded Speech Teacher and part time lush trapped in a bad marriage.  Directed, written by Tom Hanks.  (I imagine he can add this one to his resume as “Things I did on my summer vacation).

Check your brain at the door, this one a DVD rental at best.  Was good for an afternoon with mom in a primo air conditioned theatre, a respite from the heat.  Its almost an unwritten rule that I see with my mom every movie Julie Roberts has ever made, lol.

Pet Peeve -No. 6,573

There is a fashion trend amongst younger generations that irks the fuck out of me.  Its something I usually ignore but I’ve seen it so many times in JUST the last two days I can no longer remain silent in my seething disgust.

It is the trend of MEN/boys (same thing) wearing WHITE sunglasses.  WHAT THE FUCK?!  I just never got the appeal of this look.  Just like I never understand why some people put ketchup (or jelly, snicker) on their eggs.  It just makes no sense to me.

The only person who could pull of this look and remain semi-cool was this guy.

Plus the fact it was the 70s at the time, it was the look.

Now whenever I see some guy (usually in a luxury car) wearing those hideous excuses for eyewear all I see is this. 

Oh well, nuff said.  Questions?  Comments?  Contradictions?

Pane e Vino - a Restaurant Review

So when I was on vacation me and my new guy took a trip to NYC.  After our fill of culture we went strolling along just walking and talking.  One of the things I truly enjoy about a trip to the city is being with someone who shares my adventurous spirit. 

I just love the idea of discovering a new place to eat.  Of course this can only be done if time is not an issue and your dinner partner is flexible about the choice.  So during our walk we discovered Pane e Vino http://www.paneevinonyc.com/

It was a sprite little Italian restaurant in the Flat Iron District.  The location wasn’t particularly aesthetically pleasing, but inside the restaurant I found it to be an oasis from the city’s noise and heat.

Of course it would be nice if I could remember anything we ate when we were there, unfortunately that was over a week ago and I cannot, lol.  Suffice it to say I would definitely go back.  The only thing I would have changed was our choice of table.  I think I would have preferred to sit in the back.

SCIENCE FICTION (DOUBLE FEATURE)?

So I love the science fiction genre.  Now don’t get me wrong I’ve never attended a Star Trek convention, though I have gone an NYC Comic-Con event once. Sci-Fi is fairly gender neutral and thoroughly entertaining.

Recently I have a new man in my life and he is trying new things with me.  He enjoys movies and slowly I have been picking his brain to find out what movies in common that we have both seen.  Driving to work today my favorite sci-fis popped into my head.  So rather just share them with him, I thought I blog as well.

What ARE my favorite Science Fiction favs.?   In NO particular order:

2001 Odyssey, (sentimental value, it’s a movie my dad MADE me watch).

Blade Runner (the echoey sax music of Vangelis, and Rutger Hauer, need I say more?)

A-I (gotta love that sex-robot character Jude Law played).

Minority Report,  (Steven Spielberg deserves a big 2 thumbs up for this creation) the compelling drama, the gadgets with all the bells and whistles.

I-Robot  - Will Smith as the loveable but paranoid detective, is perfectly cast in this compelling drama, with plenty of action, for action flick junkies.

The Matrix  - ONLY THE ORIGINAL.

Aliens – Because women kick ass too

Planet of the Apes!  - Cuz I think I know a thing or two about being gropped by some damned dirty apes, lol.

X-Men – Hugh Jackman (sigh………gimmie strength)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Wild Kingdom @ home - a non-cultural blog

So last night when Tyler came home I could hear he was not alone.  He brought home “a friend” another bird, sigh.  Quickly I jumped from bed and closed the door that separated the two rooms. 

When I finally strolled out of bed to prepare for work, I expected to see a bloody carcass somewhere on the kitchen floor.  I did not.  A feather or two but no bird, maybe he took it outside.

I opened the front door and scanned the backyard once over to look for sign of life, or death as the case may be.  Hmm maybe it was a close call.

After my shower I flip on my computer, pour some juice, and pull some eggs and bacon from the frig.  When I go to place the items on the kitchen counter there it was.  The previous night before I laid a handtowel on the kitchen counter to serve as a drying surface for dining utensils that wouldn’t fit into the dishrack.  He was sitting on a 3 inch piece right beside serving tongs and a few forks.

This came under the heading of “things that only happen to me”.  I kept hearing the AA message in my head “We will intuitively know how to handle situations which previously used to baffle us.” Um yeah, not quite, lol.

I mashed up some blueberries and set a small saucer of water out.  After all he is a victim and perhaps abit tramautized and there was no need to forget good manners, LOL.

So I set about making my breakfast, bacon and eggs, yep you heard me.  The night before I didn’t eat dinner and I needed REAL FOOD.  So I started the bacon and then picked up an egg and grabbed a bowl.  Cracked one egg and muttered to the bird“so sorry”, two eggs, “so sorry”, third egg, “so sorry”.

Trying to throw myself into the day I sat down and ate breakfast.  I figred at some point during the day Tyler would find the bird again and wild kingdom redux would resume.  But then something else happened.  The bird decided to make a break for it.  It was flying around my kitchen.  I locked Tyler into the bathroom opened the front door and out and off he went.

A REVIEW: Savion Glover’s – Sole Sanctuary

The stage is set with two tap platforms.  A bare brick wall towards the rear of the stage.  Along the wall are rows of red votive candles as if in church.  On a platform sits an Asian man crossed legged seemingly engaged in prayer and meditation.

Our lead dancer, Savion Glover (also actor: Bamboozled) stands over the candles, finally he turns and faces the audience.  His hand scoops over his head as he reins in his dreadlocks and bundles them into a pontail.  He then steps onto the platform and begins a very slow dance rhythm. 

At first I made the mistake of watching his body when I should have soley (pun intended) been looking at his feet.  They were making music, just his feet, for the first 10 or 15 minutes.  He took great care in every step building a rapport with the audience and the audience with his feet.

As the music changed another dancer came on-stage (Marshall Davis, Jr.).  The two dancers then danced in synch.  After a while the music changed and then they danced as if in competition.

I’m merely scratching the surface here as the performance went on for 90 minutes without intermission.  Savion was soaked and his stamina was endless. 

I was mesmerized and thoroughly entertained.  I’ve wanted to see a live tap performance at its best and now I can say I truly have.

A Pre-vacation Rant

5 hours to go.  Anywhere but here.  I need a break from people complaining how poor the bathrooms are kept.  FYI just because I sit nearby I’m tired of hearing about the poor quality of the toilet paper in there.  Or how shitty the soap dispensers are.  Or how it smells bad from time to time (don’t they realize it’s a fucking bathroom)  at least its not the kitchen that smells like ass, ya know? From this one might think I'm a bathroom attendant.  But no I'm actually a mild-mannered receptionist at a law firm.

In this recession I am glad to be employed, etc but a week off is needed at this point.  An extra hour to sleep late.  Spend time with my friends who are blessed with being off all summer.  To get outside and bike till my thighs hurt.  To go to the city and see a show, find a street fair and remember why I love living in New York.  To catch up with some out of town friends who will be in town this week, woo hoo.  To lay on the beach with a good book and get good and burnt, til the sun goes down and the gulls are overhead.  Yeah I want some of that.  Oh yeah and to get laid too.