In our Memorial Day travels this weekend, Grace and I finally (and I mean finally) managed to make it to the most publicized cupcakery in all of Los Angeles, Sprinkles Cupcakes. Featured in many a blog, many a newspaper article , and even the most hypey of hype machines, Oprah Winfrey, Sprinkles has built itself a reputation for having the best and most excellent cupcakes in the city of Los Angeles. Good enough for us to hunt down, buy a few, and sample ourselves.
Having only one location in Beverly Hills as of right now, the bakery is notorious for having a moderately-sized line for a moderately pricey cupcake. Thankfully, we arrived early enough that there was no cadre of cupcake-lovers waiting for us, but looking at the menu was enough to give one pause when ordering. Where to start? Is it the ultimate favorite of mine, Carrot, or the enticing promise of their super Dark Chocolate cupcake. If they had more on the make that day, I'm sure we'd have made off with more than the four we packed away. At $3.25 a pop, these are not your mother's cupcakes.
We settled on Red Velvet, Dark Chocolate, Carrot, and Lemon. Settled being a very loose term seeing as any of these mouth-watering cupcakes are as delicious to read about as they are to taste. The usual words to describe the best cakes aren't enough for these gems. Moist? They are more than adequate. Sweet? So sweet, they melt in your mouth, but not so rich that you are crying for that glass of milk. Spongy? The texture itself is amazingly soft and just chewy enough. Frosty? Their hand-made frosting is not too heavy, nor too light to be non-existent. These cupcakes are perfect.
Seriously.
If you haven't ever been there and are in dire need of a cupcake fix, I highly recommend their goods. Believe the hype, they are worth every penny.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Summer Movie Mayhem, Week 2
$107 million at this weekend's box office means X-Men 3: The Last Stand was the record-breaking champion of the silver screen for Memorial Day weekend. $107 million also meant many, many people actually went out of their way, and out of their wallets, to see a film with the promise of action and amazement to propel the summer movie season into new heights. $107 million also meant that we were some of those people in cushy, new theater seats awaiting the on-screen spectacle.
Now, the promise laid-out before this film in X2: X-men United was that of classic comic book stylings filling the silver screen. We were left with an achingly good cliffhanger, a fully-realized universe, and a set of core characters the audience could now call familiar. The first film, although very crucial, was definitely not as awe-inspiring as the first. Shot on a small budget, Bryan Singer (the director) made people care about these character, their lives, and their fears. If one wasn't in touch with what made Wolverine tick, then he never actually did his job. When I found out that Mr. Singer would not be returning for X3, I was very... very worried.
Bottom line, I had no expectations whatsoever for the replacement, Brett Ratner, that he would be able to accomplish more than what had come before. Although competent, Mr. Ratner's directing style thus far has been unremarkable. While entertaining, his films have been lacking in substance and identity. What good can come from that, however, is that he is a cinematic chameleon. As well as he aped Ridley Scott's style in Red Dragon, he was able to bring back enough Bryan Singer in X3.
What to love? The casting was quite good. The one new character to care about, Beast (played by Kelsey Grammar), fleshed out the intellectual side all X-men fans may know and love. Action-wise, his stunt men pulled off the acrobatics we were hoping to see, but unfortunately, not enough of what everyone may have wanted. Speaking of which, all the action scenes were quite incredible. As far as this movie goes, it's filled to the brim much moreso than its predecessors with action setpieces, all of which are very entertaining. All this is backed-up by some incredible special effects. The picture doesn't neglect to remind you that one are supposed to be surrounded by mutants every day. There's many more little things, Storm's presence and role in the film, the incredible opening sequence with a de-aged Magneto and Professor X, the immense power of the Phoenix, there's a lot to love. Unfortunately, there's enough to not like as well.
My biggest problem with the entire movie is its lack of cohesion. I could liken it to the first celluloid Harry Potter in its devotion to a world of amazement while sacrificing storyline and pacing. The difference with Potter and this film though, is that Potter actually had a decent storyline. While the Mutant cure itself could be compelling, I don't believe that enough of the internal conflict for each Mutant was explored. While you do get the sense that Beast considers the cure for himself, it's never delved further than a brief look on his face. Even Angel, who has a somewhat pivotal role in representing how one should treasure his gift, barely shows up at all. It's very much, "Hey, here's the beginning. Oh wow, the movie's over?" throughout the entirety of the story. Yes, characters die, and yes, there are some good scenes promising even better things to come, and most of it plays out quite dramatically, but it would be so much better if the story focused instead on the Phoenix itself, rather than the cure.
Which is my biggest problem. After watching X2 again, to get the bad taste out of my mouth, I got a glimpse of what Mr. Singer may have had in store for Jean Grey and her new powers. You get more wonder, more power, more innocence, and a much better manifestation of the Phoenix force. From what I understand, Mr. Singer's concept for the sequel would have been stretched out over two films. Would it have been better? Who really knows. My thing is, I didn't really expect much from Mr. Ratner in the first place, so I'm neither disappointed, nor am I really surprised. I can say that I did enjoy it, but I didn't love it. See it, the summer wouldn't be complete without it.
Overall Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Now, the promise laid-out before this film in X2: X-men United was that of classic comic book stylings filling the silver screen. We were left with an achingly good cliffhanger, a fully-realized universe, and a set of core characters the audience could now call familiar. The first film, although very crucial, was definitely not as awe-inspiring as the first. Shot on a small budget, Bryan Singer (the director) made people care about these character, their lives, and their fears. If one wasn't in touch with what made Wolverine tick, then he never actually did his job. When I found out that Mr. Singer would not be returning for X3, I was very... very worried.
Bottom line, I had no expectations whatsoever for the replacement, Brett Ratner, that he would be able to accomplish more than what had come before. Although competent, Mr. Ratner's directing style thus far has been unremarkable. While entertaining, his films have been lacking in substance and identity. What good can come from that, however, is that he is a cinematic chameleon. As well as he aped Ridley Scott's style in Red Dragon, he was able to bring back enough Bryan Singer in X3.
What to love? The casting was quite good. The one new character to care about, Beast (played by Kelsey Grammar), fleshed out the intellectual side all X-men fans may know and love. Action-wise, his stunt men pulled off the acrobatics we were hoping to see, but unfortunately, not enough of what everyone may have wanted. Speaking of which, all the action scenes were quite incredible. As far as this movie goes, it's filled to the brim much moreso than its predecessors with action setpieces, all of which are very entertaining. All this is backed-up by some incredible special effects. The picture doesn't neglect to remind you that one are supposed to be surrounded by mutants every day. There's many more little things, Storm's presence and role in the film, the incredible opening sequence with a de-aged Magneto and Professor X, the immense power of the Phoenix, there's a lot to love. Unfortunately, there's enough to not like as well.
My biggest problem with the entire movie is its lack of cohesion. I could liken it to the first celluloid Harry Potter in its devotion to a world of amazement while sacrificing storyline and pacing. The difference with Potter and this film though, is that Potter actually had a decent storyline. While the Mutant cure itself could be compelling, I don't believe that enough of the internal conflict for each Mutant was explored. While you do get the sense that Beast considers the cure for himself, it's never delved further than a brief look on his face. Even Angel, who has a somewhat pivotal role in representing how one should treasure his gift, barely shows up at all. It's very much, "Hey, here's the beginning. Oh wow, the movie's over?" throughout the entirety of the story. Yes, characters die, and yes, there are some good scenes promising even better things to come, and most of it plays out quite dramatically, but it would be so much better if the story focused instead on the Phoenix itself, rather than the cure.
Which is my biggest problem. After watching X2 again, to get the bad taste out of my mouth, I got a glimpse of what Mr. Singer may have had in store for Jean Grey and her new powers. You get more wonder, more power, more innocence, and a much better manifestation of the Phoenix force. From what I understand, Mr. Singer's concept for the sequel would have been stretched out over two films. Would it have been better? Who really knows. My thing is, I didn't really expect much from Mr. Ratner in the first place, so I'm neither disappointed, nor am I really surprised. I can say that I did enjoy it, but I didn't love it. See it, the summer wouldn't be complete without it.
Overall Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
My Name is Scott Pilgrim
If you haven't read Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life, or heard me blab about it at some time or another, you are required right now to either ask me about it, or read it online for free. This bad boy of an original graphic novel series is brought to you by comic artist Bryan Lee O'Malley who has painstakingly crafted one of the most original and funniest comics that I have read to date. Simply, Scott Pilgrim is comics crack for anyone who hasn't picked up a series in their lives. The first hit is free...
The plot is simple, Scott meets a new girl and must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends in order to become her official boyfriend. It's more complicated than that, of course, but why get into Vegan nirvana, High School Kung Fu, and a super mystical delivery girl? They're wild concepts and executed with the perfect sense of whimsy.
Yes, I said whimsy.
So, I've said it before to many people, and I'll say it again here: Read Scott Pilgrim. You'll thank me for it.
Did I mention it's inspiring to see a smaller publishing house have such incredible critical success? Oni Press, a small Portland publisher, is responsible for bringing this to many stores across the country. It's incredible in the sense that most people won't look outside of tights and capes and gives me hope that there is a future in independent comics. Truly amazing.
The plot is simple, Scott meets a new girl and must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends in order to become her official boyfriend. It's more complicated than that, of course, but why get into Vegan nirvana, High School Kung Fu, and a super mystical delivery girl? They're wild concepts and executed with the perfect sense of whimsy.
Yes, I said whimsy.
So, I've said it before to many people, and I'll say it again here: Read Scott Pilgrim. You'll thank me for it.
Did I mention it's inspiring to see a smaller publishing house have such incredible critical success? Oni Press, a small Portland publisher, is responsible for bringing this to many stores across the country. It's incredible in the sense that most people won't look outside of tights and capes and gives me hope that there is a future in independent comics. Truly amazing.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
The Magic Kingdom
Grace and I went to Disneyland this Saturday.
Yes, Disneyland.
We hit all the usual rides including the new Space Mountain (awesome) and the last new ride to be added, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at a rate of high efficiency, blasting through the smaller rides in the early afternoon until mid-evening while nabbing up fastpasses and then jumping on all the best rides in the evening with those same passes in tow. Running from one ride to the other, we did manage to also hit the fry truck and the dinner of all dinners at Disneyland, the deep-fried turkey leg. Delicious.
It was too much fun, really, as when we got back to our humble apartment, we immediately conked out from exhaustion. I think this is where I realize, we are getting older, at least older to the point where we can't spend the entire day at the park.
It's sad in a way, but I don't take the park for granted at all. Even though we had a few run-ins with people not knowing the concept of personal space, it was a great day. It brought back memories of a Thursday night with nothing else to do but take advantage of the annual pass in my pocket. I got to know the ins and outs of the park, memorize the fastest way to get to certain places during the peak hours and most importantly, memorize where the bathrooms are. Not to mention the little hidden aspects of Disneyland privy to only the minds of filthy teenagers. Who remember's Walt's Wood?
Anyhow, we've considered buying annual passes again for this year, but it's much harder to get there than it was when I was only living 15 minutes away. We always have so much fun though so maybe it's time. Pays for itself in only 6 measly visits!
So, if anyone hasn't been to Disneyland in a while, it's time to go back. If anything, go back for the Turkey leg and the new Space Mountain. You will not be disappointed.
Check out more pictures here.
Yes, Disneyland.
We hit all the usual rides including the new Space Mountain (awesome) and the last new ride to be added, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at a rate of high efficiency, blasting through the smaller rides in the early afternoon until mid-evening while nabbing up fastpasses and then jumping on all the best rides in the evening with those same passes in tow. Running from one ride to the other, we did manage to also hit the fry truck and the dinner of all dinners at Disneyland, the deep-fried turkey leg. Delicious.
It was too much fun, really, as when we got back to our humble apartment, we immediately conked out from exhaustion. I think this is where I realize, we are getting older, at least older to the point where we can't spend the entire day at the park.
It's sad in a way, but I don't take the park for granted at all. Even though we had a few run-ins with people not knowing the concept of personal space, it was a great day. It brought back memories of a Thursday night with nothing else to do but take advantage of the annual pass in my pocket. I got to know the ins and outs of the park, memorize the fastest way to get to certain places during the peak hours and most importantly, memorize where the bathrooms are. Not to mention the little hidden aspects of Disneyland privy to only the minds of filthy teenagers. Who remember's Walt's Wood?
Anyhow, we've considered buying annual passes again for this year, but it's much harder to get there than it was when I was only living 15 minutes away. We always have so much fun though so maybe it's time. Pays for itself in only 6 measly visits!
So, if anyone hasn't been to Disneyland in a while, it's time to go back. If anything, go back for the Turkey leg and the new Space Mountain. You will not be disappointed.
Check out more pictures here.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
The end of ALIAS
Here I am, one night after having viewed the series finale for one of my all-time favorite shows, Alias. What was once the most exciting show on television, it was spinning its wheels in the last couple of years mired in lost direction and too many dangling plot threads. Now that it's over, I can say that I will miss it terribly. From the pilot episode until the final curtain fell, I can't say that I ever missed an episode, that's how big of a fan I was.
Was there doubt that the same man who brought the world the schmaltz that was Felicity could do double-agent spy-action? Of course, but amazingly, I think JJ Abrams proved the world wrong with what was a most ambitious television show. Starting at roughly the same time as another auspicious spy show, 24, the show raised the bar for action, drama, and for what people's perceptions of a television show could be. What did we love about the show?
Action aplenty: this show packed it in every week from international set-pieces cleverly filmed on location (in Los Angeles) to some amazingly complicated stunt work. I will always remember the climactic season 2 finale where Sydney squares off against her duplicated roommate for a fight scene lasting almost 5 minutes, which is ages in television screen time.
High tension: 24 was the only other show for a long time that could rival Alias in the high stakes and perilous circumstances the main characters would find themselves in. Although you would never question the fact that anyone would make it out alive, there were many times I felt Dixon would be cashing it in one last time. It's still amazing to me that he made it to the very end.
Mad science: when I think of this show, I will equate it with what made it so great within it's first year. It wasn't the fact that Jennifer Garner was a chameleon, it was the maguffin of Rambaldi. Who couldn't love the story of a mythical Renaissance-age scientist and philosopher who's artifacts are treasured and sought after so fervently that people are willing to kill for them? What could live up to the promise of the Horizon? You would have to see the finale to find out.
Yes, there was romance and yes Jennifer Garner had a star-making role as Sydney Bristow, but the supporting cast was awesome. Kevin Weisman as Marshall, Victor Garber as Jack Bristow, and David Anders as the inimitable Julian Sark brought the screen to life. Even if there were too many new characters within the last year, one could count on these actors every time to make the show all the more interesting.
Whatever went wrong within the last two years, I can forgive the show for how great it was during its amazing first two seasons. If anything, this show will springboard everyone involved into greater things.
Was there doubt that the same man who brought the world the schmaltz that was Felicity could do double-agent spy-action? Of course, but amazingly, I think JJ Abrams proved the world wrong with what was a most ambitious television show. Starting at roughly the same time as another auspicious spy show, 24, the show raised the bar for action, drama, and for what people's perceptions of a television show could be. What did we love about the show?
Action aplenty: this show packed it in every week from international set-pieces cleverly filmed on location (in Los Angeles) to some amazingly complicated stunt work. I will always remember the climactic season 2 finale where Sydney squares off against her duplicated roommate for a fight scene lasting almost 5 minutes, which is ages in television screen time.
High tension: 24 was the only other show for a long time that could rival Alias in the high stakes and perilous circumstances the main characters would find themselves in. Although you would never question the fact that anyone would make it out alive, there were many times I felt Dixon would be cashing it in one last time. It's still amazing to me that he made it to the very end.
Mad science: when I think of this show, I will equate it with what made it so great within it's first year. It wasn't the fact that Jennifer Garner was a chameleon, it was the maguffin of Rambaldi. Who couldn't love the story of a mythical Renaissance-age scientist and philosopher who's artifacts are treasured and sought after so fervently that people are willing to kill for them? What could live up to the promise of the Horizon? You would have to see the finale to find out.
Yes, there was romance and yes Jennifer Garner had a star-making role as Sydney Bristow, but the supporting cast was awesome. Kevin Weisman as Marshall, Victor Garber as Jack Bristow, and David Anders as the inimitable Julian Sark brought the screen to life. Even if there were too many new characters within the last year, one could count on these actors every time to make the show all the more interesting.
Whatever went wrong within the last two years, I can forgive the show for how great it was during its amazing first two seasons. If anything, this show will springboard everyone involved into greater things.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Slacker
Lately, I've been pretty bad about updating. I probably won't get any better at it anytime soon, but I do promise that I will try and start up chapter two of my little magician story when I have a moment.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Seis De Mayo
This year, the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration was once again, shifted to the corresponding Saturday, which made it Seis de Mayo. This makes it easier for everyone involved, of course, since the drive to Hawthorne can't be all that great on a Friday night.
Well, it's also a lot easier for me to have the entire day to cook and prep everything for the party as well.
Anyhow, we took some good pictures of the event while partaking in some good tequila and good conversation. You might think that I'm crazy, for taking the time to make everything, but it only happens once a year and I really enjoy doing it, even if it can be a bit stressful. Lucky me, I had some great friends helping me out as usual.
This year's menu consisted of shredded chicken tomatillo tacos, enchiladas (of the green and red varieties), Mexican barbecue beef, chile verde, rice, beans, and the usual assortments of sals and guacamole. My personal favorite, the enchiladas, came out a little overcooked, but still awesome. Everything else, I'd cooked at least once before to practice, thankfully, and came out much better than I could have predicted. I'm glad that everyone seemed to enjoy it, and am even more glad that it was another great time in la Casa de las Enchiladas.
Good times, next year we'll actually be able to party on the fifth!
Well, it's also a lot easier for me to have the entire day to cook and prep everything for the party as well.
Anyhow, we took some good pictures of the event while partaking in some good tequila and good conversation. You might think that I'm crazy, for taking the time to make everything, but it only happens once a year and I really enjoy doing it, even if it can be a bit stressful. Lucky me, I had some great friends helping me out as usual.
This year's menu consisted of shredded chicken tomatillo tacos, enchiladas (of the green and red varieties), Mexican barbecue beef, chile verde, rice, beans, and the usual assortments of sals and guacamole. My personal favorite, the enchiladas, came out a little overcooked, but still awesome. Everything else, I'd cooked at least once before to practice, thankfully, and came out much better than I could have predicted. I'm glad that everyone seemed to enjoy it, and am even more glad that it was another great time in la Casa de las Enchiladas.
Good times, next year we'll actually be able to party on the fifth!
Monday, May 15, 2006
Movie Addiction
Apparently, if you've seen more than 100 of these movies, you are officially addicted to movies. I think I have a problem:
(1)Pirates of the Caribbean
(2) Boondock Saints
(3) The Mexican
(4) Fight Club
(5) Starsky and Hutch (the one with owen wilson)
(6) Neverending Story
(7) Blazing Saddles
(8) Airplane
(9) The Princess Bride
(10) Young Frankenstien
(11) AnchorMan
(12) Napoleon Dynamite
( ) Saw
( ) White noise
( ) White Oleander
(13) Anger Management
(14) 50 First Dates
( ) Jason X
(15) Scream
(16) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
(17) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
(18) American Pie
(19) American Pie 2
(20) American Wedding
(21) Harry Potter
(22) Harry Potter 2
(23) Harry Potter 3
(24) Resident Evil I
( ) Resident Evil 2
(25) The Wedding Singer
(26) The Wedding Planner
(27) Little Black Book
(28) Donnie Darko
(29) Lilo & Stitch
(30) Finding Nemo
(31) Finding Neverland
(32) 13 Ghosts
(33) Signs
( ) The Grinch
(34) Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original)
(35) Texas Chainsaw Massacre2 (the one with jessica biel)
(36) Butterfly Effect
( ) Thirteen going on 30
(37) I Robot
(38) Dodgeball
( ) A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came A Spider
( ) Deep impact
(39) KingPin
(40) Never Been Kissed
(41) Meet The Parents
( ) Meet the Fockers....
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
(42) A Cinderella Story
(43) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(44) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumb & Dumberer
(45) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
(46) Halloween
(47) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2 -- japanes version
(48) Harold & Kumar (white castle)
(49) Practical Magic
(50) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
(51) From Hell
(52) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) The Day After Tomorrow
(53) Child's Play
( ) Bride of Chucky
(54) Ten Things I Hate About You
(55) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(56 ) Nightmare on Elm Street
(57) Bad Boys
(58) Bad Boys 2
(59) Joy Ride
(60) Seven (SE7EN)
(61) Oceans Eleven
( ) Oceans Twelve
(62) Identity
( ) Lone Star State of Mind
(63) Bedazzled
(64) Predator I
(65) Predator II
(66) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(67) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My boss' daughter
(68) Maid in Manhattan
(69) Frailty
( ) Best bet
(70) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(71) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
(72) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(73) Ever after
(74) Forrest Gump
(75) Big Trouble in Little China
(76) X-men 1
(77) X-men 2
(78) Jeepers Creepers....
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(79) Catch Me If You Can
(80) The Others
( ) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(81) Cruel Intentions
( ) The Hot Chick
( ) Swimfan
( ) Miracle
(82) Old School
(83) Ray
(84) The Notebook
(85) K-Pax
(86) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
(87) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(88) Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
(89) A Walk to Remember
( ) Boogeyman
(90) Hitch
( ) Back Door Sluts 9
(91) The Fifth Element
(92) Star Wars episode I The Phantom Menace
(93) Star Wars episode II Attack of The Clones
(94) Star Wars episode III Revenge of The Sith
(95) Star Wars episode IV A New Hope
(96) Star Wars episode V The Empire Strikes Back
(97) Star Wars episode VI Return of The Jedi...
(98) Troop Beverly Hills
( ) Swimming with Sharks
(99) Air Force One
( ) For Richer or Poorer
(100) Trainspotting
( ) People under the stairs
(101) Blue Velvet
(102) Sound of music
(103) Parent Trap (the original)
(104) The Burbs
(105) The Terminator
(106) Empire Records
( ) SLC Punk
(107) Meet Joe Black
( ) Wild girls
( ) The Order
(108) Spiderman
(109) Spiderman 2
(110) Amelie
( ) Mean Girls
(111) Shrek
(112) Shrek 2
(113) The Incredibles
(114) Collateral
(115) The Fast & The Furious
(116) 2 Fast 2 Furious
(117) Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow
(118) Closer
(119) Titanic
(120) Saved
(121) The Sixth Sense
(122) Artificial intelligence (AI)
(123) Love actually
( ) Shutter
( ) Ella Enchanted
(124) Princess diaries 1
( ) Princess diaries 2
(125) Constantine
( ) Envy
( ) Eurotrip
( ) Malibu's Most wanted
(126) Big Daddy
(127) Black Sheep
(128) The Breakfast Club
(129) A Christmas Story
(130) Spanglish
( ) Sleepover
(131) The Evil Dead
( ) Killer Klowns From Outer Space
( ) The seed of chucky
(132) Vanilla Sky
(133) Nightmare Before Christmas
(134) Interview With The Vampire
(135) The Crow
(136) Wayne's World
(137) Wayne's World 2
(138) 21 Grams
(139) Blow
(140) Edward Scissorhands
(141) Clerks
(142) Beauty And The Beast
( ) Guess Who
( ) Monster In-law
(143) ELF
( ) Stuart Little
( ) Stuart Little 2
(144) Mall Rats
(145) Chasing Amy
(146) Chasing Liberty
(147) Dogma
(148) Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
(149) Beetlejuice
(150) Last Samurai
(151) The Amityville Horror
(152) The Aviator
(153) Romeo and Juliet (original)
( ) Beauty Shop
(154) Legally Blonde
(155) Legally Blonde 2
( ) Forgotten
( ) Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen
( ) Grudge (japanese or american)
( ) Wimbledon
(156) Bring It On
( ) Bring It On 2
( ) flight of the phoenix
( ) Johnsons family vaction
(157) Vegas family vacation
( ) Thirteen
(158) 2001: a space odessy
(159) Dr. Strangelove how i came to love the bomb
(160) indiana jones and the temple of doom
(161) indiana jones and the raiders of the lost ark
(162) indiana jones and the last crusade
( ) animal house
(163) happy gilmore
(164) once upon at time in mexico
( ) love dont cost a thing
( ) Breakfast at Tiffany's
(165) Goonies
(166) Bend It Like Beckham
(167) The Village
(168) Universal Soldier
( ) I Am Sam
(169) The Terminal
(170) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
(171) Sixteen Candles
(172) Sideways
(173) A Clockwork Orange
( ) Bowling For Columbine
(174) Farenheit 9/11
( ) Million Dollar Baby
(174) West Side Story
(175) Pulp Fiction
(176) Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
( ) Purple Rain
(177) Reservoir Dogs
(1)Pirates of the Caribbean
(2) Boondock Saints
(3) The Mexican
(4) Fight Club
(5) Starsky and Hutch (the one with owen wilson)
(6) Neverending Story
(7) Blazing Saddles
(8) Airplane
(9) The Princess Bride
(10) Young Frankenstien
(11) AnchorMan
(12) Napoleon Dynamite
( ) Saw
( ) White noise
( ) White Oleander
(13) Anger Management
(14) 50 First Dates
( ) Jason X
(15) Scream
(16) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
(17) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
(18) American Pie
(19) American Pie 2
(20) American Wedding
(21) Harry Potter
(22) Harry Potter 2
(23) Harry Potter 3
(24) Resident Evil I
( ) Resident Evil 2
(25) The Wedding Singer
(26) The Wedding Planner
(27) Little Black Book
(28) Donnie Darko
(29) Lilo & Stitch
(30) Finding Nemo
(31) Finding Neverland
(32) 13 Ghosts
(33) Signs
( ) The Grinch
(34) Texas Chainsaw Massacre (original)
(35) Texas Chainsaw Massacre2 (the one with jessica biel)
(36) Butterfly Effect
( ) Thirteen going on 30
(37) I Robot
(38) Dodgeball
( ) A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came A Spider
( ) Deep impact
(39) KingPin
(40) Never Been Kissed
(41) Meet The Parents
( ) Meet the Fockers....
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
(42) A Cinderella Story
(43) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(44) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumb & Dumberer
(45) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
(46) Halloween
(47) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2 -- japanes version
(48) Harold & Kumar (white castle)
(49) Practical Magic
(50) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
(51) From Hell
(52) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) The Day After Tomorrow
(53) Child's Play
( ) Bride of Chucky
(54) Ten Things I Hate About You
(55) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(56 ) Nightmare on Elm Street
(57) Bad Boys
(58) Bad Boys 2
(59) Joy Ride
(60) Seven (SE7EN)
(61) Oceans Eleven
( ) Oceans Twelve
(62) Identity
( ) Lone Star State of Mind
(63) Bedazzled
(64) Predator I
(65) Predator II
(66) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(67) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My boss' daughter
(68) Maid in Manhattan
(69) Frailty
( ) Best bet
(70) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(71) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
(72) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(73) Ever after
(74) Forrest Gump
(75) Big Trouble in Little China
(76) X-men 1
(77) X-men 2
(78) Jeepers Creepers....
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(79) Catch Me If You Can
(80) The Others
( ) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(81) Cruel Intentions
( ) The Hot Chick
( ) Swimfan
( ) Miracle
(82) Old School
(83) Ray
(84) The Notebook
(85) K-Pax
(86) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
(87) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(88) Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
(89) A Walk to Remember
( ) Boogeyman
(90) Hitch
( ) Back Door Sluts 9
(91) The Fifth Element
(92) Star Wars episode I The Phantom Menace
(93) Star Wars episode II Attack of The Clones
(94) Star Wars episode III Revenge of The Sith
(95) Star Wars episode IV A New Hope
(96) Star Wars episode V The Empire Strikes Back
(97) Star Wars episode VI Return of The Jedi...
(98) Troop Beverly Hills
( ) Swimming with Sharks
(99) Air Force One
( ) For Richer or Poorer
(100) Trainspotting
( ) People under the stairs
(101) Blue Velvet
(102) Sound of music
(103) Parent Trap (the original)
(104) The Burbs
(105) The Terminator
(106) Empire Records
( ) SLC Punk
(107) Meet Joe Black
( ) Wild girls
( ) The Order
(108) Spiderman
(109) Spiderman 2
(110) Amelie
( ) Mean Girls
(111) Shrek
(112) Shrek 2
(113) The Incredibles
(114) Collateral
(115) The Fast & The Furious
(116) 2 Fast 2 Furious
(117) Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow
(118) Closer
(119) Titanic
(120) Saved
(121) The Sixth Sense
(122) Artificial intelligence (AI)
(123) Love actually
( ) Shutter
( ) Ella Enchanted
(124) Princess diaries 1
( ) Princess diaries 2
(125) Constantine
( ) Envy
( ) Eurotrip
( ) Malibu's Most wanted
(126) Big Daddy
(127) Black Sheep
(128) The Breakfast Club
(129) A Christmas Story
(130) Spanglish
( ) Sleepover
(131) The Evil Dead
( ) Killer Klowns From Outer Space
( ) The seed of chucky
(132) Vanilla Sky
(133) Nightmare Before Christmas
(134) Interview With The Vampire
(135) The Crow
(136) Wayne's World
(137) Wayne's World 2
(138) 21 Grams
(139) Blow
(140) Edward Scissorhands
(141) Clerks
(142) Beauty And The Beast
( ) Guess Who
( ) Monster In-law
(143) ELF
( ) Stuart Little
( ) Stuart Little 2
(144) Mall Rats
(145) Chasing Amy
(146) Chasing Liberty
(147) Dogma
(148) Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
(149) Beetlejuice
(150) Last Samurai
(151) The Amityville Horror
(152) The Aviator
(153) Romeo and Juliet (original)
( ) Beauty Shop
(154) Legally Blonde
(155) Legally Blonde 2
( ) Forgotten
( ) Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen
( ) Grudge (japanese or american)
( ) Wimbledon
(156) Bring It On
( ) Bring It On 2
( ) flight of the phoenix
( ) Johnsons family vaction
(157) Vegas family vacation
( ) Thirteen
(158) 2001: a space odessy
(159) Dr. Strangelove how i came to love the bomb
(160) indiana jones and the temple of doom
(161) indiana jones and the raiders of the lost ark
(162) indiana jones and the last crusade
( ) animal house
(163) happy gilmore
(164) once upon at time in mexico
( ) love dont cost a thing
( ) Breakfast at Tiffany's
(165) Goonies
(166) Bend It Like Beckham
(167) The Village
(168) Universal Soldier
( ) I Am Sam
(169) The Terminal
(170) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
(171) Sixteen Candles
(172) Sideways
(173) A Clockwork Orange
( ) Bowling For Columbine
(174) Farenheit 9/11
( ) Million Dollar Baby
(174) West Side Story
(175) Pulp Fiction
(176) Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
( ) Purple Rain
(177) Reservoir Dogs
Friday, May 12, 2006
The Flying Coaster
When I was much, much younger - probably in elementary school - I used to be horribly terrified of roller coasters. It wasn't so much the atmosphere of being strapped in as much as it was the hatred of feeling my stomach rise up into my chest whenever coming down that first waterfall drop. It didn't matter where I was, Knott's Berry Farm or Disneyland, I was scared to death to ride anything potentially thrilling.
That was years and years ago. My first experience on a thrill ride (or attraction, as Disney likes to call them) was everybody's favorite ride at Disneyland, Space Mountain. Relatively tame compared to some of the bigger coasters out there, the Mountain itself is one of the fastest and most atmospheric rides that the Disney has to offer. Save the fact that Disney World has the new Expedition Everest, this ride is the benchmark for the classic Disney thrill ride. Needless to say, when you want true thrills, you do not go to Disneyland.
My first experience of a modern roller coaster was on the classic and frightening Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain. At the time, this ride had the second longest drop in the park, second only to the monstrous ride, Goliath. Having never been on a ride with a steep drop, loops, and corkscrews, I was incredibly nervous.
My immediate reaction afterwards: Must. Ride. Again.
Since then, I've been a huge fan of true thrill rides. I'm not talking about strictly the ride itself, but the physics behind it, the design of the entire experience, and the excitement you get when waiting in line for a new coaster. Pretty soon, there will be a new addition to Magic Mountain's already stellar group of coasters, one billed as a true flying coaster, Tatsu. Having been on a flying coaster at Paramount's Great America, I can honestly say the experience is unparalleled. Their one flying coaster, Stealth, unfortunately has been moved for dubious reasons, but it was one of the best coaster experiences I've had aside from X. They've been hyping it all week on the news and in the papers, and it might be warranted. All I can say right now is that there has to be a trip to Magic Mountain in the future. More than likely there will be a 5-hour wait, but also more than likely it will be worth it.
That was years and years ago. My first experience on a thrill ride (or attraction, as Disney likes to call them) was everybody's favorite ride at Disneyland, Space Mountain. Relatively tame compared to some of the bigger coasters out there, the Mountain itself is one of the fastest and most atmospheric rides that the Disney has to offer. Save the fact that Disney World has the new Expedition Everest, this ride is the benchmark for the classic Disney thrill ride. Needless to say, when you want true thrills, you do not go to Disneyland.
My first experience of a modern roller coaster was on the classic and frightening Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain. At the time, this ride had the second longest drop in the park, second only to the monstrous ride, Goliath. Having never been on a ride with a steep drop, loops, and corkscrews, I was incredibly nervous.
My immediate reaction afterwards: Must. Ride. Again.
Since then, I've been a huge fan of true thrill rides. I'm not talking about strictly the ride itself, but the physics behind it, the design of the entire experience, and the excitement you get when waiting in line for a new coaster. Pretty soon, there will be a new addition to Magic Mountain's already stellar group of coasters, one billed as a true flying coaster, Tatsu. Having been on a flying coaster at Paramount's Great America, I can honestly say the experience is unparalleled. Their one flying coaster, Stealth, unfortunately has been moved for dubious reasons, but it was one of the best coaster experiences I've had aside from X. They've been hyping it all week on the news and in the papers, and it might be warranted. All I can say right now is that there has to be a trip to Magic Mountain in the future. More than likely there will be a 5-hour wait, but also more than likely it will be worth it.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
A Recent Acquisition
Thanks to the great people at Ooqboo, I was able to score a holy grail in terms of rare Kubricks. Specifically, the ones you see in the embedded photo, the awesome and meticulously-detailed Batman Begins Kubricks. Not seen on Western shores due to licensing issues, these Kubs are hard to find and are definitely worth the wait for me.
Things I love about this set, the detail of the Scarecrow's mask, the faithful recreation of the face of Ra's Al Ghul, and the spot-on adaptation of the updated Batman costume. My first Kubrick buy in quite some time, these suckers will be the end of me.
Things I love about this set, the detail of the Scarecrow's mask, the faithful recreation of the face of Ra's Al Ghul, and the spot-on adaptation of the updated Batman costume. My first Kubrick buy in quite some time, these suckers will be the end of me.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Summer Movie Mayhem 2006, Week 1
The summer movie season kicked off this last weekend with a big, big bang. Not unlike the start of the universe, it was an explosive onset to an already action-packed Cinco de Mayo weekend with the inclusion of the Tom Cruise action flick, Mission: Impossible 3. Being that this film itself had an impressive actor in the role of villain this time in Philip Seymour Hoffman and a very capable director in JJ Abrams, anticipation of blowing away both the Brian De Palma version and the John Woo version was quite high. Well, at least it was in my book.
Was it a success? Well, on many levels, yes it was. On some levels, I think JJ could definitely do better but still hit one out of the park on his first at-bat.
We'll start off with the plot itself. Not necessarily a rehash, but perhaps a more mundane build-up of events than one is accustomed to in most M:I flicks. We start off with a gratuitous friend of JJ cameo with Greg Grunberg at a seemingly run of the mill engagement party. Of course, Agent Hunt's fiancee has no idea what he does and no sooner is the party in full swing is he whisked away on a mission returning him to the field. This, of course, sends him away on several culminating adventures destined to bring him in direct conflict with Mr. Hoffman's villainous Owen Davian and also put the lives of his friends and his fiancee in jeapordy. Tensely shot and tightly directed, the sequences are quite imaginative in their staging. Mr. Abrams doesn't pull any punches with Ethan Hunt's predicament and while Tom Cruise's public persona has been critically assaulted as of late, it's hard not to root for his character to make it through each harrowing escapade unscathed. Unscathed, however, is hard to come by in this film.
Granted, more often than not, the best action films are ones in which the hero is less than perfect. You don't usually connect with a film in which you believe the lead to be flawless and untouchable and there's no way that would fly in this film. You're automatically aware that there are consequences, people do make mistakes, and every plan is bound to have errors. I honestly don't think there is any mainstream action film in which Mr. Cruise has starred in where he's been more tortured, more harassed, and more vulnerable than he is in this film. On the one hand, this is a welcome change, on the other hand, the film's sequences do get a little comical when he breaks into his trademark run. Supporting him is a regular cast of characters anchored by the only other actor to be in all three films, Ving Rhames. The supporting performances are serviceable, with Simon Pegg being a sentimental favorite in a Marshall Flinkman-like role of Reggie, the computer technician. There are a few twists with each character, and one plot thread I felt was left dangling, but no performance was as good as Mr. Hoffman as the crooked arms dealer.
Understated, yet menacing, you get the sense that he always feels in control of any situation, moreso than the IMF agents pursuing him. No sooner do they capture him does one start fearing for the safety of his captors. Perhaps this is what ultimately does him in, but whenever he's on screen, or delivering a pitch-perfect monologue, one is glued to their seat. I have to give him credit for going from a fully dramatic role into a film of epic popcorn proportions, but he never plays it too big. Perhaps this is JJ's real touch on the film (besides some Alias type technology): a villain that really compels you. More of this credit could go towards the performance of the actor himself, but why not give the director some kudos as well.
Really, I guess that's what this review is about. The filmic debut of television wunderkind and Los Angeles native, Mr. JJ Abrams. To go from the early twenties college drama that was Felicity, to the improbable cult classic (at least the first 3 seasons) of Alias, would one have expected a competent full-fledged summer feature? Truthfully, unless someone told me Chris Carter was coming back to direct the X-files 2, I wouldn't have believed it myself, but I was sorely impressed with the steady hand Mr. Abrams showed in each action sequence. The unique balance between solid action, high-grade thriller sequences, and over-the-top (yet halfway believable) spy technology is handled beautifully. Some would expect it to be a rehash of his former work and although there are some shades of familiarity, it is never overwhelming. I really do love the touch that he added to the franchise, and definitely look forward to more from him in the future.
Great way to start the Summer.
Overall Score: 4 out of 5 stars
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Spin Me A Yarn (Continuing...)
If I had my way, this story would end with:
But no, that's a cop-out, and I'm not lazy. This story writes itself! Click for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
A whipcrack of the gun's report spattered an echo through the Hall. The gaping wound in Ajax's chest signaled the end of an era: the Hossletassle Magician gene was lost forever and the Company would be forced to hold new elections for High Magician. If only they could see him now. Somewhere, the Black Hat Swami was laughing in his grave.
But no, that's a cop-out, and I'm not lazy. This story writes itself! Click for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
A Tisket A Tasket - Part 4
If it wasn't for the low level of sunlight from the High Magician's Dais, Ajax never would have seen past the blinding glint of Chatter's gift that temporarily blinded his immediate crowd. It was every magician's dream, right before him, in Chatter's webbed hands was a knotted length of yellow metal that would have stretched from his shoulder to his elbow. What first looked like intricate etchings along an awkwardly lathed surface at a distance turned out to be a series of notched alternating discs along a non-concentric axis. Taking it from Chatter's hands, Ajax marveled at the ancient text inscribed across the very few smooth surfaces of this gift. He knew instantly what it was, and the very idea of holding the Antikytheran Key both chilled his blood and sent his heart into a full sprint.
"I swear on this day of my inauguration, I will uphold the seat of High Magician in the grand tradition of those before me." Ajax said, thrusting his arms into the air, he was met with a grand applause and amazement. As quickly as his arms were in the air, he brought them down. Surely, there were some who would recognize the Key for what it truly was. On the surface, it was the Magician's Staff, a literal transformer that would amplify his power tenfold. In reality it was his greatest asset.
***
As the last of the revelers were ushered out of the great Hall, Chatter turned to his master and noticed the immense gravity of his mood.
"Take the time to rest, Master." Chatter said. "There will be many days more troublesome and with many less reasons to celebrate."
"Yes, this I know. Please, leave me for a moment." Ajax motioned as a dismissive afterthought. "If you might, for one moment though..." Ajax trailed off. Chatter hadn't even moved a step, anticipating his line of thought.
"The Key has been in the Von Dox line for generations, Master Hossletassle." Chatter said. "It was always your family's destiny to inherit it, from your grandfather, Ecclesius, to his grandfather, Watt. All that was left was for one of you to become High Magician. On this day, you have been deemed worthy, Ajax."
"Worthy? How worthy must I be to wait my entire life to become High Magician?" Ajax said. "How worthy am I that I have no idea what I will do with it? How worthy must I be to use it and not lose my mind?" Ajax said, calmly.
"Those are not my questions to answer." Chatter said as he climbed down the dais and walked a few steps before meandering into a hop, his Familiar's robes gathered behind him. Taking in the emptiness of the Hall, save the great iron throne behind him and his retainers, Ajax's attentions moved to a polished door hewn from an ancient petrified tree. This door, set behind the grand drapery of the Hall, had an iron handle set deeply into its face, shaped like the maw of a great dragon, who's name had been long forgotten. Forged from the same iron as the Throne, this door would open for no one but the High Magician. Confidently, with the Antikytheran Key in arm, Ajax opened the door to reveal his observatory and the massive orrery that was Archimedes' Device.
Upon first sight, the enormous porcelain globes and bronze arms of the incredible machine lit a smile on his face. Three simple astrolabes, set with three crimson rubies, greeted him below the vast base of the Device. It wasn't the cold touch of the astrolabes before him that stopped his heart, but it was the warmth of the Key in his arm.
"I swear on this day of my inauguration, I will uphold the seat of High Magician in the grand tradition of those before me." Ajax said, thrusting his arms into the air, he was met with a grand applause and amazement. As quickly as his arms were in the air, he brought them down. Surely, there were some who would recognize the Key for what it truly was. On the surface, it was the Magician's Staff, a literal transformer that would amplify his power tenfold. In reality it was his greatest asset.
***
As the last of the revelers were ushered out of the great Hall, Chatter turned to his master and noticed the immense gravity of his mood.
"Take the time to rest, Master." Chatter said. "There will be many days more troublesome and with many less reasons to celebrate."
"Yes, this I know. Please, leave me for a moment." Ajax motioned as a dismissive afterthought. "If you might, for one moment though..." Ajax trailed off. Chatter hadn't even moved a step, anticipating his line of thought.
"The Key has been in the Von Dox line for generations, Master Hossletassle." Chatter said. "It was always your family's destiny to inherit it, from your grandfather, Ecclesius, to his grandfather, Watt. All that was left was for one of you to become High Magician. On this day, you have been deemed worthy, Ajax."
"Worthy? How worthy must I be to wait my entire life to become High Magician?" Ajax said. "How worthy am I that I have no idea what I will do with it? How worthy must I be to use it and not lose my mind?" Ajax said, calmly.
"Those are not my questions to answer." Chatter said as he climbed down the dais and walked a few steps before meandering into a hop, his Familiar's robes gathered behind him. Taking in the emptiness of the Hall, save the great iron throne behind him and his retainers, Ajax's attentions moved to a polished door hewn from an ancient petrified tree. This door, set behind the grand drapery of the Hall, had an iron handle set deeply into its face, shaped like the maw of a great dragon, who's name had been long forgotten. Forged from the same iron as the Throne, this door would open for no one but the High Magician. Confidently, with the Antikytheran Key in arm, Ajax opened the door to reveal his observatory and the massive orrery that was Archimedes' Device.
Upon first sight, the enormous porcelain globes and bronze arms of the incredible machine lit a smile on his face. Three simple astrolabes, set with three crimson rubies, greeted him below the vast base of the Device. It wasn't the cold touch of the astrolabes before him that stopped his heart, but it was the warmth of the Key in his arm.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Dirk the Daring and Me
Yes, I'm one of those nerds who remembers the old Laser Disc arcade chestnut that is Dragon's Lair. You think you know all about it, but then you stumble into Electronics Boutique and find the 20th anniversary edition discs on sale for the ridiculous price of $3.99. Nostalgia most definitely set in, so what am I left to do, but purchase that bad boy and pop it into the PS2 as soon as I get home.
Granted, my first experience with this game was at the very young age of 10 in the Las Vegas arcade of Circus Circus. I spent an innumerable number of hours popping quarters into both Dragon's Lair II and Space Ace. Probably wasting money, but nevertheless, having fun. It wasn't so much the simple gameplay of the game, but the animation that I loved the most. Does the video look familiar? Well it should.
The man behind all three arcade games - Dragon's Lair, Space Ace, and Dragon's Lair II - is none other than the erstwhile Disney animator, Don Bluth. You can recognize his naturally emotive work in the Disney films Robin Hood and The Rescuers, but many probably know him better for his independent work for other studios, which includes An American Tail, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Anastasia. Funny thing is, I probably remember him most for the three preceding video games more than anything. Maybe because it was my first exposure to his work, but definitely because there's something contagious about the distinctive line of his animation. I think it's the inherent personality each of the character designs has, the attention to detail, and especially the individuality of the character animations. Catching up with these games on DVD is enough inspiration to make me want to watch some of his movies over again. I hope he can find funding for a new movie somewhere soon, such a shame that not many studios have faith in traditional hand-drawn animation.
But, that's a post for another day...
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Fürni Assembly Madness
You all know the Ikea Nesting Instinct, right? The one where we populate our homes with as many carbon-copied cookie-cutter pieces of furniture as is humanly possible. Doing this, supposedly we fulfill that tiny part of our lives we call home in an effort to make ourselves feel worthwhile.
Well, that's part of the theory I guess.
Anyway, this weekend, I experienced this in full force in the grand city of Burbank. It was very crowded and a bit manic, but we were able to pick up what we needed for full assembly later in the day. In total, we put together a chest of drawers, a media storage unit, 2 lawn chairs, and a patio set. Lots of work, but at least it all turned out nicely.
The nesting instinct itself didn't rear its head until we filed into the warehouse itself and saw the families, the expectant mothers, and even the young couples dribbling about, looking for beds, cabinets, cribs, everything you can think of. Ikea itself is a brilliant idea for many people, affordable, easily-assembled furniture that's stylish enough to be considered attractive. Personally, I have a few of their pieces, but there's a sense of impermanence about them that wouldn't quite fit well in a home.
The trip itself was pretty fun, even if it did take a while to get everything together, we still had something to show for it.
Well, that's part of the theory I guess.
Anyway, this weekend, I experienced this in full force in the grand city of Burbank. It was very crowded and a bit manic, but we were able to pick up what we needed for full assembly later in the day. In total, we put together a chest of drawers, a media storage unit, 2 lawn chairs, and a patio set. Lots of work, but at least it all turned out nicely.
The nesting instinct itself didn't rear its head until we filed into the warehouse itself and saw the families, the expectant mothers, and even the young couples dribbling about, looking for beds, cabinets, cribs, everything you can think of. Ikea itself is a brilliant idea for many people, affordable, easily-assembled furniture that's stylish enough to be considered attractive. Personally, I have a few of their pieces, but there's a sense of impermanence about them that wouldn't quite fit well in a home.
The trip itself was pretty fun, even if it did take a while to get everything together, we still had something to show for it.
Monday, May 01, 2006
No-chella
This past weekend marks the first weekend in two years that I have not gone to the Coachella arts and music festival. While the past few years have been marked by awesome performances by bands I love, this year saw the first time that I was more ambivalent about going. Even so, I'm crushed that I missed what was perhaps the biggest and most crowded music-fest that Southern California will see this year. Over 60,000 people packed the Coachella Polo field near Indio this year and boasting not only two of the biggest rock acts in Depeche Mode and Tool as headliners, but also two of the biggest pop acts in Madonna and Kanye West, it was destined to be bigger than ever before. I missed two bands that I really want to see in concert this year in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Franz Ferdinand, two of the breakout bands of the year in Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Ladytron and really, it just depresses me.
I guess, in some way, I'll make up for it. It's been fun for the last couple of years, too bad it wasn't inspiring enough to rally the troops. Next year...
I guess, in some way, I'll make up for it. It's been fun for the last couple of years, too bad it wasn't inspiring enough to rally the troops. Next year...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
