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timeless-hollywood-classics · 4 years ago

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Clifton Avon "Cliff" Edwards (June 14, 1895 – July 17, 1971), nicknamed "Ukulele Ike", was an American musician, singer and actor, who enjoyed considerable popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s, specializing in jazzy renditions of pop standards and novelty tunes. He had a number one hit with "Singin' in the Rain" in 1929. He also did voices for animated cartoons later in his career, and he is best known as the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney's Pinocchio (1940) and Fun and Fancy Free (1947), and Dandy (Jim) Crow in Walt Disney's Dumbo (1941).

Edwards was born in Hannibal, Missouri. He left school at age 14 and soon moved to St. Louis, Missouri and Saint Charles, Missouri, where he entertained as a singer in saloons. As many places had pianos in bad shape or none at all, Edwards taught himself to play ʻukulele to serve as his own accompanist (choosing it because it was the cheapest instrument in the music shop). He was nicknamed "Ukulele Ike" by a club owner who could never remember his name. He got his first break in 1918 at the Arsonia Cafe in Chicago, Illinois, where he performed a song called "Ja-Da", written by the club's pianist, Bob Carleton. Edwards and Carleton made it a hit on the vaudeville circuit. Vaudeville headliner Joe Frisco hired Edwards as part of his act, which was featured at the Palace in New York City—the most prestigious vaudeville theater—and later in the Ziegfeld Follies.

Edwards made his first phonograph records in 1919. He recorded early examples of jazz scat singing in 1922. The following year he signed a contract with Pathé Records. He became one of the most popular singers of the 1920s, appearing in several Broadway shows. He recorded many of the pop and novelty hits of the day, including "California, Here I Come", "Hard Hearted Hannah", "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", and "I'll See You in My Dreams".

In 1924, Edwards performed as the headliner at the Palace, the pinnacle of his vaudeville success. That year he also featured in George and Ira Gershwin's first Broadway musical Lady Be Good, alongside Fred and Adele Astaire. As a recording artist, his hits included "Paddlin’ Madeleine Home" (1925), "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" (1928), and the classic "Singin' in the Rain" (1929), which he introduced. Edwards's own compositions included "(I'm Cryin' 'Cause I Know I'm) Losing You", "You're So Cute (Mama o' Mine)", "Little Somebody of Mine", and "I Want to Call You 'Sweet Mama'". He also recorded a few "off-color" novelty songs for under-the-counter sales, including "I'm a Bear in a Lady's Boudoir," "Take Out That Thing," and "Give It to Mary with Love".

Edwards, more than any other performer, was responsible for the soaring popularity of the ʻukulele.[4] Millions of ʻukuleles were sold during the decade, and Tin Pan Alley publishers added ʻukulele chords to standard sheet music. Edwards always played American Martin ukuleles, favoring the small soprano model in his early career. In his later years, he moved to the larger tenor ʻukulele, which was becoming popular in the 1930s.

Edwards continued to record until shortly before his death in 1971. His last record album, Ukulele Ike, was released posthumously on the independent Glendale label. He reprised many of his 1920s hits; his failing health was however evident in the recordings.

In 1929, Cliff Edwards was playing at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles where he caught the attention of movie producer-director Irving Thalberg. His film company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer hired Edwards to appear in early sound movies. After performing in some short films, Edwards was one of the stars in the feature Hollywood Revue of 1929, doing some comic bits and singing some numbers, including the film debut of his hit "Singin' in the Rain". He appeared in a total of 33 films for MGM through 1933. He had a small role as Mike, playing a ʻukulele very briefly at the beginning of the 1931 movie Laughing Sinners (1931), starring Joan Crawford.

Edwards had a friendly working relationship with MGM's comedy star Buster Keaton, who featured Edwards in three of his films. Keaton, himself a former vaudevillian, enjoyed singing and harmonized with Edwards between takes. One of these casual jam sessions was captured on film, in Doughboys (1930), in which Buster and Cliff scat-sing their way through "You Never Did That Before".

Edwards was also an occasional supporting player in feature films and short subjects at Warner Brothers and RKO Radio Pictures. He played a wisecracking sidekick to western star George O'Brien, and he filled in for Allen Jenkins as "Goldie" opposite Tom Conway in The Falcon Strikes Back. In a 1940 short, he led a cowboy chorus in Cliff Edwards and His Buckaroos. Throughout the 1940s he appeared in a number of "B" westerns playing the comic, singing sidekick to the hero, seven times with Charles Starrett and six with Tim Holt.

Edwards appeared in the darkly sardonic western comedy The Bad Man of Brimstone (1937), and he played the character "Endicott" in the screwball comedy film His Girl Friday (1940). In 1939, he voiced the off-screen wounded Confederate soldier in Gone with the Wind in a hospital scene with Vivien Leigh and Olivia de Havilland.

His most famous voice role was as Jiminy Cricket in Walt Disney's Pinocchio (1940). Edwards's rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star" is probably his most familiar recorded legacy. He voiced the head crow in Disney's Dumbo (1941) and sang "When I See an Elephant Fly".

In 1932, Edwards had his first national radio show on CBS Radio. He continued hosting network radio shows through 1946. In the early 1930s, however, Edwards' popularity faded as public taste shifted to crooners such as Russ Columbo, Rudy Vallee, and Bing Crosby.

Arthur Godfrey's use of the ʻukulele spurred a surge in its popularity and those that played it, including Edwards. Like many vaudeville stars, Edwards was an early arrival on television. In the 1949 season, he starred in The Cliff Edwards Show, a three-days-a-week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings) TV variety show on CBS. In the 1950s and early 1960s, he made appearances on The Mickey Mouse Club, in addition to performing his Jiminy Cricket voice for various Disney shorts and the Disney Christmas spectacular, From All of Us to All of You.

Edwards was careless with the money he made in the 1920s, always trying to sustain his expensive habits and lifestyle. He continued working during the Great Depression, but never again enjoyed his former prosperity. Most of his income went to alimony for his three former wives, and paying debts, and he declared bankruptcy four times during the 1930s and early 1940s. Edwards married his first wife Gertrude Ryrholm in 1919, but they divorced four years later. He married Irene Wylie in 1923; they divorced in 1931. In 1932, he married his third and final wife, actress Judith Barrett. They divorced in 1936. He had no children from any of his three marriages.

As well as being a lifelong heavy tobacco smoker, Edwards also struggled with alcoholism, drug addiction and gambling for much of his career.

In his final years, Edwards lived in a home for indigent actors and often spent his time at the Walt Disney Studios to be available any time he could get voice work. He was sometimes taken to lunch by animators whom he befriended and told stories of his days in vaudeville. He had nearly disappeared from the public eye at the time of his death on July 17, 1971, at the age of 76 from a cardiac arrest brought on by arteriosclerosis. Now penniless, Edwards was a charity patient at the Virgil Convalescent Hospital in Hollywood, California. His body was unclaimed and was donated to the University of California, Los Angeles medical school. When Walt Disney Productions, which had been quietly paying many of his medical expenses, discovered this, they offered to purchase his remains and pay for the burial. Instead, it was done by the Actors' Fund of America (which had also aided Edwards) and the Motion Picture and Television Relief Fund. Disney paid for his grave marker.

In 2002, Edwards' 1940 recording on Victor, Victor 26477, "When You Wish Upon a Star", was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2000, Edwards was awarded as a Disney Legend for voice-acting.

#cliff edwards #classic hollywood #classic movie stars #golden age of hollywood #old hollywood #disney #pinnochio #jiminy cricket #1930s hollywood #1940s hollywood #1950s hollywood #1960s hollywood

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strwbrymoonchild · 4 years ago

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The Albums That Got Us Through 2020

We’ll save you the soliloquy, and get right to it: (skip to the bottom for the full playlist)

LaChelle’s Picks

Overture x Gaidaa

“Sonically, this album was very cathartic. Gaidaa’s songwriting is so imaginative and authentic, and I really love it when her voice hits those lush lower notes, her tone is like butter.”

Favorite tracks: Falling higher, Still Water, I Like Trouble

2. Rose in The Dark x Cleo Sol

“The timeless musicality and vocals are very reminiscent of some of my favorite classic soul artists like Angela Bofill, and Patrice Rushen but sound refreshing all the same. I would love to hear this project live but you know... COVID.”

Favorite tracks: When I’m In Your Arms, Why Don’t You, Rose in The Dark

3 & 4. Untiled (Black is) / Untitled (Rise) x Sault

“I can’t think of any projects more timely for this year than these two albums. They spoke to Black pain, weariness, and resilience in a way that felt mores insightful than preachy. A lot of the drums used on this project had an ancestral feel to them and the use of strings was extremely effective in giving it cinematic energy. The interludes also spoke to the difficult emotions many Black people grappled with this year while maintaining a musically rich sound.”

Favorite Tracks: Hard Life, Wildfires, Sorry Ain’t Enough, Why We Cry Why We Die, Free, Uncomfortable

5. The Angel You Don’t Know x Amaarae

“I first discovered Amaarae as a featured artist on one of my favorite music submissions of the year ‘NASA’ by Rvdical The Kid. I became entrenched upon my first listen to her first full-length project which is a mixture of afro-fusion, R&B, electronic, alté, and alternative hip hop. I love her animated voice and how effortlessly she glides over the track. I enjoy artists who can fuse multiple genres together and make them sound like a whole new sound”

Favorite Tracks: Fancy, Feel A Way, Céline

6. Last Year Was Weird, Vol 2. x Tkay Maidza

“This album had a lot of surprises on it. It’s a mixture of fun-loving R&B, raging nu-metal, and 808 thumping house tracks. While there’s not much fusion in the array of genres, I appreciate her ability to showcase her eclectic range.”

Favorite tracks: Shook, 24K, Don’t Call Again

7. Honey For Wounds x Ego Ella May

“This is a great self-love soundtrack. The pensiveness of this album is tempered by Ego Ella May’s jazzy vocals and even-keeled instrumentation. A very relaxing vibe to listen to during downtime or moments of solitude.”

Favorite tracks: Girls Don’t Always Sing About Boys, Table For One, Song For Bobby

8. Jaguar x Victoria Monét

“This album is oozing with sensuality, sexuality, and confidence. I love the lush vocal arrangements and the production which taps into nostalgia without being lazy or gimmicky. If you're feeling insecure, put on some lingerie, pour a glass of wine, turn this album on and you'll be feeling like a Savage Fenty brand ambassador”

Favorite tracks: Moment, Touch Me, Go There With You

9. Extra, Extra! x Lou Phelps

“ My boyfriend who is a Kaytranada fanboy put me onto this album. Haven’t heard a hip hop EP with such a fun, laid back like this in a minute. Lou’s big bro Kaytranada came through with the dancey vibes but you also get a bit of that classic boom bap energy that an old head like me loves”

Favorite tracks: Party in LA, Nike Shoe Box, Smiling

Dorian’s Picks

Pulp (Director’s Cut) x Ambré

"Ambré takes you deep into her world with sounds of a sweet lullaby, and a pulp garden full of hallucinating trips on a journey towards discovering love, vulnerability, and purpose. Overdosing on ‘Pulp’ has become a nightly ritual for me, no surprise as to why Ambré is my top artist of 2020."

Favorite tracks: free drugs, LUCIADA(EGODEATH), gucci slides

2. A Written Testimony x Jay Electronica

Jay Electronica's debut album, once heralded a myth by many, has finally seen the light of day, 10 years later. It sounds godly, rich in ancestral wisdom, paralleled with classic Hov features throughout. This album to me raps a soulful tune of Black enlightenment, and feels like a really lavish ode to the Nation of Islam.

Favorite tracks: Universal Soldier, Flux Capacitor, The Blinding

3. In Search of Lost Time x Protoje

"The Jamaican OG delivers a sonically wise lesson on life, what it means to live in our truths and light in search of happiness and prosperity as a free spirit. This album at many times served as a soundtrack to my life, a saving grace from my own insecurities and struggles amidst a very unsettling year."

Favorite tracks: In Bloom, Deliverance, Like Royalty

4. I Shine, U Shine x RIMON

"Amsterdam-based artist RIMON delivered a sonically pleasing project shortlisted with a blend of melancholy neo-soul/R&B influenced melodies. This project evokes raw relatable emotions and centers the beauty of the imperfect for full display. With each listen the lyrics pierced my heart and filled my memory of love lost and love found."

Favorite tracks: Out Of My Way, Got My Back, Downtown

5. Note to Self x Jah9

"Jah9's Note to Self, is a call to channel your divine form. Reggae has long been a genre that speaks to a higher force and existence. With the wild year we experienced, this project served as a guideline on how to battle those inner demons and live life to your fullest potential through faith."

Favorite tracks: Love Has Found I, Ma'at, New Race

6. SuperGood x Duckwrth

"The title is self-explanatory. Duckwrth gave us all that we deserved and dropped a bomb ass feel-good record. SuperGood gave me all the contemporary neo-funk grooves I've come to love about Duckwrth. Listening to this project made it easy to tune out all the noise of 2020 and just dance my sorrows away."

Favorite tracks: Quick, Coming Closer, Super Bounce

7. B7 x Brandy

"Brandy, now indie and seasoned in the industry, answers to no one and that's made clear with her experimental R&B sounds on B7. This project is fearless and sounds so different from previous Brandy albums, but delivers in that same angelic aesthetic and powerhouse vocals we've come to love. B7 is criminally underrated in my opinion and will stand the test of time. "

Favorite tracks: Rather Be, Borderline, Say Something

8. It Is What It Is x Thundercat

"Thundercat delivers another soothing jazzy-bassline record. This album feels cathartic, experiential in a sense, almost as if I'm listening to a score from an intergalactic movie set in some futuristic utopia. Best enjoyed with a spliff and/or glass of wine."

Favorite tracks: Black Qualls, DragonBall Durag, Unrequited Love

9. The ExPerience x Lila Iké

"This captivating debut EP from rising reggae siren Lila Iké will make anyone a believer. Her journey is compelling, spiritually guided, a modern tale of romance - the highs and lows of navigating young love. The way Lila belts out these reggae-R&B infused chunes pon ya head top is mesmerizing and sets the standard for Jamaica's new generation"

Favorite tracks: Forget Me, Where I'm Coming From, Thy Will

10. grae x Moses Sumney

“‘grae’, a two part album, explores the complexities of identity. Moses Sumney never quite submits to the boundaries society aims to box us in. ‘grae’ is undefined in sound, Moses gracefully flows from one end of the artistic spectrum to another without landing anywhere too long. What I love most about listening to this album besides Mose's falsetto is the high level of self-awareness, the screams of escapism, and determination to exist in free agency. "

Favorite tracks: Cut Me, Polly, Lucky Me

Rachel’s Picks

Instrospection x UMI

“After another year with no new SZA album, discovering UMI was a godsend. Her voice has that same angelic raspiness and lyrics that sit with you long after the first listen. What sets her and this record apart is how UMI’s lyrics recognize her own faults and the faults of others in a way that is so graceful that it never comes across as self-deprecating or accusatory. Listening to Introspection, you can’t help but introspect your life the way UMI does on this album.”

Favorite tracks: Introspection, Open Up, Pretty Girl hi!

2. Girlhood x Girlhood

“This electropop duo’s vocalist, Tessa Cavanna, has a voice reminiscent of the late artists Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones, and with their neo-soul, 90’s inspired sound being so colorful, it’s impossible to get sick of listening to this album.”

Favorite tracks: Keep On, It Might Take a Woman, My Boy

3. Who Cares? x Abby Jasmine

“Released during the reclusive days of stay-at-home orders, Jasmine’s tracks on her sophomore album made me nostalgic for parties that were once filled with smoke, close friends, and good music. Her brutally honest lyrics, progressive production, and her overall confidence were comforting during a year of instability and empty dancefloors.”

Favorite tracks: Stay With Me, Artificial Lover, Groovy

4. Texas Sun x Khruangbin & Leon Bridges

“Two Texan artists came together and were able to use Bridge’s soulful and textured tone and the fluidity of the psychedelic-funk trio Khruangbin's sound, to create a desolate Texas landscape. Listening to the EP feels like driving with all the windows rolled down, feeling the sun’s heat on your skin.”

Favorite tracks: Texas Sun, Midnight, C-Side

5. They Call Me Disco x Ric Wilson & Terrace Martin

“In a year of so much grief, it is refreshing to hear music that sounds like it was as fun to make as it was to listen to. Wilson and Martin’s rhythmically dynamic collaboration prefaced a summer filled with social media’s fascination and nostalgia for the glittery freeness of the 70’s while still fitting into their respective genres of hip-hop and R&B.”

Favorite track: Don’t Kill the Wave, Move Like This, Chicago Bae

Lionnal’s Picks

Dinner Party x Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper. 9th Wonder, & Kamasi Washington

"These Four legendary musicians came together and gave us an album full of beautiful vocals over smooth, jazzy, soul instrumentals."

Favorite tracks: Freeze Tag, LUV U, Love You Bad

2. Burden of Proof x Benny The Butcher

"This album feels like a vintage east coast rap album. Hit-Boy’s luxury production matched with Benny’s grimey delivery is everything a classic rap fan would ever need."

Favorite tracks: One Way Flight, Burden of Proof, War Paint

3. Sin Miedo x Kali Uchis

"I didn’t know how I would take to an album primarily in Spanish, but Kali’s intoxicating and seductive vibe still found a way to draw me in."

Favorite tracks: Telepatia, //aguardiente y limón %ᵕ‿‿ᵕ%, Quiero Sentirme Bien

4. Fuck The World x Brent Fayaiz

"Brent Faiyaz’s personality is what makes this album so great. His cool and confident approach to tracks make for a unique spin on modern R&B and it’s honestly very refreshing."

Favorite tracks: Clouded, Been Away, Let Me Know

LISTEN TO THE FULL PLAYLIST BELOW

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eurosong · 6 years ago

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Undo my ESC ‘19 (semi-final two)

Good morning, folks, and welcome to part two of Undo my ESC, the feature where I look at the year’s songs and make a change – as small as altering a minor detail like a lyric or a small staging decision, or as big as going for a completely different national final song! Again, it’s just my opinion and is often delivered in jest. Generally speaking, there are fewer things that need drastic changing in this semi-final, but there are always exceptions...

Armenia: When I first heard this song, I was a bit non-plussed. Cut to a few days later, and there was a constant stream of “walking out, aooooo” in my head. I fear that it’s a song that takes a while to win people over – and that it doesn’t help matters that it’s difficult to completely understand what Srbuk is singing. I’d be tempted to shift the verses into Armenian.

Ireland: I was underwhelmed initially by this effort, but it ended up charming me with its low-key nostalgia. It seems like Björkman has done his level best to kill of Ireland’s chances, and RTÉ have done the rest with the garish, Liechtenstein comics meet 50s Americana staging. I’d change this to something a bit more low-key and elegant.

Moldova: As if to detox from 2 years of crazy staging and outlandish songs, Moldova have sent something incredibly dull and beige, which now they’re trying to cover up by using a decade-old Ukrainian gimmick. There were better songs in their national final, particularly “Sub pămint,” a rocky-folky effort with a lot more to hold my interest than “Stay.”

Switzerland: The Swiss were another country to abandon their national final – no real surprise after the years of mediocre entries it produced. I’d take Stones, Apollo and even Last of our kind over the cringeworthy, self-satisfied Justin Timberlake meets Despacito meets Fuego infernal blend that was “She got me.” I’m going to have a laugh with this one and have it so that Switzerland accept “Sister”, which would have been a passable Swiss entry, instead of rejecting it and having it end up in Germany where it screwed a perfectly good national final.

Latvia: Latvia, like its northern neighbour, Estonia, have gone from having one of the most promising and avant-garde national finals to one that has lost its shine, albeit not só much as Eesti Laul did. Credit where credit is due, they picked by far the best of a lacklustre bunch for me – a lovely, understated, saudadic effort. I wouldn’t change much about it at all.

Romania: Whilst it seemed that almost everybody and their mongoose wanted either the creepy poperatics of Laura “No to marriage equality” Bretan or fueclone #382 from Bella Santiago, by far the song that intrigued me the most was “On a Sunday.” I’m glad this delectable and dark tune won and couldn’t be happier for Ester, who was such a lovely person when we met. What I would change, if I could, would be the bizarre voting system that led to her victory – I’d have had her win by a clear margin in the public vote so as not to be the unfair recipient of hate for the way her song was elected winner. I’d also ensure the oddities on stage with her, pretending to play instruments, were relegated far out of view!

Denmark: Speaking of unpopular opinions, I also didn’t think much of “League of light”, a song so dull that the fact that it incorporated Greenlandic still didn’t quit its beigeness. I found the nicest song of the night to have been “Love is forever”, though I would replace the song’s English lyrics with Danish ones, teach Leonora how not to stare into the viewer’s soul and cause an existential crisis, and trim some of the tweeest excesses away such as the sashaying on the top of that massive chair.

Sweden: Another year, another edition of Melodifestivalen where the all-powerful juries have a real fear of anyone without the Y chromosone representing Sweden. “Too late for love”, at least, breaks the chain of self-satisfied boys singing empty pop songs. Instead, we have a barely soulful soul song sung by a more mature man. I would have gone for “Torn” or “Not with me” any day, though.

Austria: Austria’s labyrinthine internal selection came up with a little-known electro artist and I didn’t have the highest expectations, but I was intrigued. It ended up being an unexpected highlight, a true pearl of emotion and exquisite vocals. I don’t know what PÆNDA’s staging will be, but at the minute, I wouldn’t change anything except for her pronunciation of you as “Hugh/hue”!

Croatia: Oh, Croatia. Returning to a national final after Serbia and Montenegro did last year, and having enjoyed Beovizija and Montevizija respectively, I had hopes. Maybe not high hopes, but medium hopes. It was a collection of dated songs, bizarre songs, and then the eventual winner was both bizarre and dated: a screaming angel shrieking out a maudlin ballad that would have been dated even in the early 90s. I don’t have much of a horse in this race – I think my personal favourite was “Tebi pripadam”, which was harmless but pleasant, but I might go for the colourful “Brutalero” as the most likely to make an impact in Tel Aviv.

Malta: Malta bringing something interesting to ESC is one of the Four Horsemen of the Europocalypse, but before the other three come, I’m living for it. I worry how well a young balladeer with static performances will adapt to the sass and sizzle of Chameleon, but for the moment, I wouldn’t change anything other than remove the letters that overshadow the wild and colourful MV.

Lithuania: Lithuania’s NF is another for which life is too short to follow, especially since it takes the best part of 3 months to come up with – well, songs like this. One wonders how something can be both weird and dull, but this is, in turns. As pretty much the majority of folk rewriting this, I guess I would opt for “Light on” instead, though I’d be tempted by the quirky fun of “Mažulė.”

Russia: I can’t begrudge Sergej’s return to try to win after he found himself losing at the juries’ hand in 2016. I won’t even join those criticising him for not bringing another “banger” and instead returning with something a bit more solemn and musically complex. It’s not in my favourites but there’s not much I’d change, other than make the tune a little less repetitive.

Albania: Albania had another good Festival i Këngës – one of my favourite NFs in keeping an orchestra and maintaining national language throughout. My pick of all the songs to win was Ktheju tokës, and I wouldn’t change a thing about this powerful cri de cœur, except, perhaps, change it so that the second verse had different lyrics and was not just a repeat of the initial verse.

Norway: One of the absolute scandals of the season for me. In the red corner, we had one of the best composers to have represented Norway in the past 20 years with a sweeping, moving, classical tune, “En livredd mann”. In the blooo corner, we had a “what if Aqua moved to the woods, discovered they had animal spirits, thought they could joik and created this forgotten b-side in 1998?” Somehow, the latter won, but I feel the former really ought to have.

Netherlands: Though I cannot understand the fuss about this compared to other downtempo songs that I see being forgotten at best, slated at worst, it’s a decent track. I’d change the video so that it didn’t hinge so dramatically on gratuitous nudity, so that we could see who’s praising this for the music and who’s just in for a good looking lad’s bare arse.

Macedonia: It’s a nice, sincere effort from Macedonia – it feels a bit of a step back from me from the experimentation in the past two entries, but at the same time, I think it has a better chance of doing well than them. Not sure what I would change, other than the video. It’s very melodramatic and reminds me of an even more extra version of Bebe’s “Ella”; no small achievement given how extra that is.

Azerbaijan: I’m no great fan of AZ at this contest, but for the second time in 3 years (let’s try to forget the disaster that was “Delete my heart”), they’ve brought a decent song with some local character. My change would be to forget about the overproduced official music track and go instead for the delightfully understated unplugged performance, where Çingiz’ voice and the poignancy of the text come to the fore.

And the automatic qualifiers of this semi:

Germany: Because of my mischievious change for Switzerland, Germany would be free of the non-sisters perversely called Sisters and would have dodged the hole that they keep falling into – including unexperienced wild card artists in the national final that folk vote for out of sympathy, landing them in or near the bottom for several years, except last year, the one time they didn’t. There were plenty of good songs in the German national final, making the choice of S!!$Ŧ4ZZZ! even more perverse. I really enjoyed “The day I loved you most”, but, despite a somewhat dodgy live, I’d have to give the nod instead to the atmospheric, brooding “Surprise.”

Italy: This song and its artist are utter perfection to me. I wouldn’t change a single second. Unfortunately, Eurovision’s rather arbitrary 3 minute rule means that I would have to excise several seconds from the original. Mahmood’s actual solution seems to have been getting rid of the repetition of “[sai già] come va, come va, come va”, which for me sounds odd and wrecks the flow. I’d instead probably remove the “non ho tempo per chiarire, perché solo ora so cosa sei” line. It’d still be a change I wouldn’t ideally make, but I feel it’d be a bit less abrupt.

UK: The UK came onto the scene this year with a massive fanfare about a new format where YOU DECIDE in song duels which version of a song was better. Except, as it transpired, You the Punter didn’t decide – a dubiously qualified trio of “““experts””” did instead. The whole element of intrigue of the new format – finding out which version of a song is best – was taken away from the viewer and in doing so, all they got to decide between was 3 songs, 1 version of each. In the process, they eliminated the best version of “Bigger than us” – opting for the bombastic, X factor winner version by Michael Rice instead of the low-key but likeable country version by Holly Tandy. I’d have picked that instead. I’d have also not gone for that stupid format and instead tried to find at least 6 decent songs instead of 2 versions of 3 mediocre ones.

BONUS ROUND!

Ukraine: When I was doing SF1, I forgot that another country should have entered that semi who were under my imaginary purview. I’m talking Ukraine, of course, whose broadcasters instigated the scandal of the year by humiliating its artists with political questions on live TV, and then basically forced the winner to nót represent Ukraine by giving her a scandalous contact that didn’t offer any help with the financial burden of going to Israel and putting on a show, would shackle her to patently unreasonable terms, forbade her from speaking out of turn or improvising on stage, and threatened her with massive fines for the slightest unauthorised change. Part of me really wants to say that I’d deal with the mess by ensuring that Tayanna (who should have won in 2018 with Lelja) wouldn’t withdraw, thus leading to the inclusion of Maruv at the last minute who ended up winning. But no – a bigger wrong must be righted and, even though her bizarre burlesque is not to my taste, I would have undone poor Maruv’s poor treatment and let her go to ESC with “Siren song” like the majority of voters wanted.

#eurovision #esc 2019 #eurovision song contest #opinion #esc #eurovision 2019

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httpetras · 4 years ago

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2020 for me - K-pop songs edition

2020 was a... tough year. Personally, globally. But for kpop? It was one of the most successfull years and instead of talking all the achievements and breakthroughs, I wanted to share my thoughts on some songs and artists I liked this year

LONG POST (and bad english sksksks)

- no japanese releases

- title tracks mostly

- personal opinion

Favorite albums of 2020 (one album/artist)

Some thoughts:

TWICE

More & More, I Can’t Stop Me, Cry for me

A lot of people disliked the song and TWICE got many hate from various of fandom to the point where the girls were insecure just by standing on the stage and perform. I never understood the senseless fanwars anyway, but this time I truly didn’t understand why everyone was hating on this song? It was definitely among the best summer releases, the album was perfect for the season and TWICE showed a new side of their artistry. There were many releases this year which followed the generic trend, but More&More managed to stand out and show something new among summer songs.

Their next comeback was just p.e.r.f.e.c.t. Okay, first and foremost, I’m a sucket for retro concepts so 2020 was a bless for me from this perspective sksksk. Besides my bias I’m literally in love with this song.

Also with the whole album, I can’t stop myself from listening it. TWICE as always tried something new, showed a different side of them, was not afraid to discover new sounds and concepts. One of the reasons that I’m still with them after 4 years is the fact that TWICE grew up and matured along with their music. This album was their fifth year destination. I just can’t express how much I love not just the concept, but all the songs are so unique in their own way that you can never get tired of listening them.

TWICE being one of the most unique girl groups out there (along with Red Velvet, hope they comeback soon), and I’m just so happy for them and so proud I could be with them for four years seeing them growing as artists.

A.C.E - Favorite boys

Hands down, this was definitely one of my favorire comebacks of 2020. The way I thought they could never do a song like “undercover” again....I was so naive. From the first second till the last you can’t look away from the aesthetically pleasing MV where traditional mixes with modern, gender is a non-existent, meanwhile the song so effortlessly goes from a very strong rap to high notes wigh catchy beats and chorus.

Also the dance and the outfits, don’t forget to mention the teaser photos... it was one of the strongest comeback of the year.

However, I feel like their releases were among the most underrated songs of 2020. I just can’t help but think what if they were a bigger company especially that nowadays when stan twt is all about numbers, groups from smaller company get less and less attention. All I can hope that A.C.E getting the hype they deserve will be one of the positive changes 2021 will bring.

(A million thank you for TATE for introducing me to them!)

ITZY

Wannabe, Not shy

There are some songs from ITZY I really like but their title tracks were really not my style (they are not bad in any way, but felt too much for my taste). But this year!

Wannabe and Not Shy was just *chef’s kiss*.

I felt the same with them as with skz - in their first year they were looking for their sound, trying to find the best sytle for them. In this second year, they seemed to be more confident in themselves and their concept as a group. (And also, finally these songs fit into Lia’s range!). Every member could shine in these eras, show off their singing (and dancing) skills. All together these two songs (and albums) were something I could enjoy very much.

AKMU - Happening

The nation’s siblings came back and created another masterpiece! If I wasn’t in love with the song itself, the MV would have made it fall for it. Something comforting, something melodic, a song you didn’t know you need until you hear it... Recommend it 1010292725282920/10

STRAY KIDS

Too much releases sksksk all of them are amazing obvi

I can’t choose one song from them, they released something new in every month and I’d have so much to talk about sksksks so a short-summary:

2020 was their year. Eventhough I felt like stray kids could not surprise me anymore, I would have never been able to prepare mysef for this year when they came back with full power. Starting with SKZ2020, followed by anime openings and on track, then the iconic God’s menu and Back door - they evolved and said FU to the industry who still rejects them. And I don’t know how to explain, but they seemed much more confident in themselves and in the music they put out, and that was definitely something which helped them to make 2020 theirs. All the concepts, all the song genres while staying unique and not following trends? Every. Comeback. They. Had. This. Year. Just blown my mind. I literally just... I’d show you the songs they released this year and I’m 100% sure even a non-stay would agree with me saying that they deserve so-so-so much more for their songs alone

ONEWE - End of spring

As lovesick girls gave me 2010’s summer song vibe End of Spring gave me the same vibe, something bands such as imagine dragons would release back in around 2015. I LOVE IT. It has such a nice fun energy, whenever it comes up on my playlist, it’s an instant adrenalin boost. It does remind me of summer camps and just having fun with people there

DAY6

I wrote about them in my 30-day Day6 challenge back in september-october

Lee Hi - HOLO

Lee Hi is one of those idols I feel for the most as she’s been through more than enough hardships in her life. She seriously deserves the best from this cruel world.

This year a company change happened and she released a comforting, yet, heartbreaking song about depression and self-worth most likely reflecting on her own struggles. Tissues recommended because this is a song everyone can relate to in some ways and also be prepared for the MV.

SUNMI - pporappippam

The queen of retro is back with another masterpiece because she’s Sunmi, she can’t make bad songs! I love the vibe of the song, the aesthetic MV with purple as the dominant color... it truly felt like a song from 80’s with an unique sound none can master but Sunmi. Kpop would be not kpop without her!

Also, on a totally unrelated note: even though I’m not a fan of her, just a casual listener, I want to state how fcking proud I am of her. I can’t even imagine how difficult it was for Sunmi to be this open about her borderline-disorder especially as an idol. I truly hope she’s healthy and doing alright, wishing her the best for the future

Chungha - Play

As much as I loved every releases from her in this year, Play was the song which was on repeat. Like, this song is full of energy, has such a fun vibe which makes you want to dance along with it! Also, also, the MV was super colorful, her stylist did a great job and the tango was well incorporated into the choreo, it was creative and entertaining to watch her performances of this song.

And let me add how happy I am for Chungha, this year she released songs always trying out something new and participated in many different projects. I also loved her collaborations! They were super underrated even within the fandom.

Gfriend - Mago

Retro. Disco. 80’s. Love the MV. Love the song! Such a different concept from what we are used to see from them, but again, this year Gfriend was not afraid to deviate from their usual sound and try out new things.

As much as I’m in love with this song (and Apple as well!), just as much I appreciate the visible artistic growth they have shown in this year. Wish them many luck for their future!

BTS

Okay, let me tell you quickly a little story. Before the first lockdown happened, in the beginning of the year in school we had this agreement in french class. If we don’t want to take a french exam, we can sit in the back and studying or doing something silently. This was around the time when Mots7 was released and so, during every french class I listened to this album on repeat while studying chemistry. Then quarantine came, classmates got sick, drama happened, took exams, a lonely summer, then university... the world was burning. For me, this album was the “last” normal thing before pandemic hit europe; whenever I listened to it, it takes me back to me our french classes, my friend sitting next to me doing her make up, me reading my chemistry book, windows are open, you can hear a class having PE class, the teacher explains something for those few students sitting in the first row... seems peaceful? Maybe too nostalgic. But Mots7 became that album for me which was there for us before the world fell, which reminded me of the “normal” life throughout this year, and helped me a lot. And I’ll be forever thankful for that. Dynmite: Retro, english, fun, we need it. Hungarians hated it so much? But hungarian kpop fans are edgy they hate everything popular because they “appreciate talent” *eye roll* Life goes on: This song for me is the new spring day in a way - calming, nostalgic, comforting, something we really needed after this hectic year. A perfect song to end 2020. “Life goes on“ = “This too, shall pass”

Taemin

HAVE YOU SEEN A MAN SO PERFECT?

Okay, but seriously. Taemin owned this year! 3 comebacks with SuperM and 3 comebacks as a solo act, multiply MVs and performances, not letting anyone forget about him nor SHINEE. Whenever I thought that okay, this is his peak, he can’t do better than this - Taemin came back and proved me wrong again. Never Dance Again act 1 and 2 were among the best releases this year

Somi - What you waiting for

As much as I didn’t like birthday, I found myself enjoying this song a lot! Nothing astonishingly new or different, but has a catchy beat and chorus, suits to Somi’s range and she even looked more confident while performing on music shows (naturally, she got more used to being a soloist after a year or so, but still. It was good to see her owning that stage and being happy there). Similar to BP, it also has a western pop feeling especially with the full-english chorus, but somehow worked better for me personally here!

Oneus

Such an underrated group which I got to know through one of my moots on twitter, otherwise I would have never heard of them. And what a mistake it’d be!

Alone the concepts stole my heart, I adored the whole prince, vampires, kinght theme going on in a fantasy world vibes of the MVs. Besides that, I love how they sound together as a group, it’s so pleasing to hear how all those different voices comes after each other and somehow makes it work, resulting in an amazing song.

TXT

This year, when the debut hype is long gone, TXT proved that they are much more than just a boy group next to BTS. Their success is thanks to their hardwork and magical, unique style which made millions of people fall in love with them. (Big3 privilige is still a thing tho, but their hardwork should not be underestimated. Because of their privileged situation, they were offered oppurtunities, had a financial background other artists don’t - but it doesn’t make them less than others. Just shows the faults in the unfair music system).

Despite my worries that after Run Away it’d be hard for them coming back with another song, they managed to release a no-skip mini album with an awesome music video “Can’t you see me”. One moment they are laughing, and in the next one they’re killing eachother while singing about growing up and losing touch with friends once they were inseparable with.

Their journey of growing up with its pros and cons are portrayed through their songs, using mystical themes such as a fatal game and a long forgotten magical promise. They enforced this concept furthermore in this year by their next songs, Drama, Blue Hour and We lost the summer which about the impact of the pandemic on teenagers (side note: such a creative MV! They’re truly part ofour generation sksksk).

And I haven’t even mentioned the anime openings and OST they made this year, capturing such a familiar feeling of the magic of our daily lives and fights.

They make music for us, for our generation, about issues and feelings we all face with every day in our daily life. And gosh, we needed TXT in 2020 so bad, I’m grateful for them

Red Velvet - Psycho

(Okay, so psycho is technically was released in 2019, but like only few days before new year’s eve so... I count it as a 2020 release)

RV had only one comeback this year as a whole group, they still made it iconic and served a song which quickly becamone of of THAT songs of 2020. I may say this too many times, but I’m in love with groups with unique concepts and sounds whoch can only be done by them. It’s especially true for RV: they always serve and never miss.

And I could go into details how perfect this song is and that I could spent a whole day just watching the MV, but I think everyone knows what I think exactly. It’s a masterpiece.

(Side note: though it’s not quite my style, I surprisingly like Irene and Seulgi’s song “Monster” too! One of the most iconic songs of this year)

Ateez

Answer, Inception

This was THAT year for 4th groups!

As I mentioned at Itzy and briefly touched on it at skz, i do feel like groups which debuted 1-2 years ago found their own sound, own style, own concept now and more confident and better in the music they put out. Don’t get me wrong, these groups were never bad - but now the improvement comparing to their debut days are so visible. You could feel ATEEZ are going hard, wild yet keeping it elegant and never losing their own style. I’m literally unable to tell you how much I loved their songs in this year and I’m more than excited to see what 2021 will bring for them and for us!

LUCY

Flowering, Jogging, Snooze

Definitely one of the best debuts of 2020. After all, you can’t see many korean bands with a violinist (if I’m correct, there’s only LUCY out there). I am absolutely in love with their uniqe style. It’s so different yet, it’s so needed, especially in this crazy times.

They sound like spring. Hopeful with the re-born nature around them. They sound like summer, july. Full of fantasy, and childish dreams of adventures in the backyard. They sound like early autumn. Something changed, something passed, a little grief in the begging of “please stay a child for a bit longer”.

3YE - yessir

Girl crush conceot is running high, kpop is full of powerful anthems for girls (and I love that!), but completely different what we were used to hear from 2nd generation groups. Music evolved throughout the time so there’s nothing surprising in this. Yet, 3YE was able to release a song which gives me off second generation vibes, it was impossible for me to not fall in love with it. It’s powerful, and catchy... deserved more attention from the gp.

Songs I liked and recommend but lazy to write more mini-essays:

Seventeen - Homerun, Left & right

Iz*one - The secret story of a swan, Panorama

Berrygood - Accio

Wjsn - Butterfly

G-Idle - Oh my god

Pentagon - Daisy

Loona - Star, So what

Blackpink - Lovesick girls

IU - Eight

KARD - Gunshot

Hoppipolla - Let’s

Hwasa - Maria

Weekly - Tag me

StayC - So bad

CLC - Helicopter

Everglow - La di da

Astro - knock

Dreamcatcher - boca

April - lalalilala

Apink - dumhdrum

BAE173 - crush on u

E’LAST - Tears of chaos

Oh my girl - secret garden

fromis9 - feel good

p1harmony - butterfly

HA:TFELT - Life Sucks

Sunmi x JYP - When we disco

Yukika - Soul Lady

Eric Nam - Paradise

Stella Jang - Villain

Zico - Any song

DPR LIVE - Jam & Butterfly (ft. Crush, eaJ)

Got7 - Last piece, Not by the moon

Weekly - tag me

Lacuna - Dancing in the rain

Cignature - Arisong

Jessi - Nununana

Blackswan - Tonight

N.flying - Oh really

Brave Girls - We ride

DreamNote - Wish

Natty - 19

#kpop #personal #sorry for my english

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carryforthtradition · 4 years ago

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Painting " En Plein Air"

The term “ en plein air” or “plain air painting” is the act of painting outdoors in nature. Rooted even before the impressionists in France, was established by an artist called Henri de Valencinees who lived during the 16th century. He urged his students to work on their paintings outdoors more consistently. He suggested to paint plain air at the same spot at different times of the day, in order to capture the fleeting changes of the light. He also considered important to paint outdoors in order to experience the landscape and observe details, like the attire of people, or spesific traits of the landscape. He later on influenced great artists who became famous for their anthropological approach to landscape painting. I think, his, is a more sensitive approach to landscape painting and it resonates with me a lot.

When painting “en plain air “my goals are to experience the landscape, as well as the act of painting itself, at it’s purest form. I have no fixed expectations about the outcome, I enjoy the process and get lost in the moment. I try to experience the landscape’s rythms and peacefulness as much as possible and produce something beautiful and serene.

I observed that time and space acquire a totally different meaning when painting, and painting outdoors intensifies this feeling.

This is Larnaca’s Saltlake, in Cyprus. Famous for the migrating pink flamingos that visit the lake once a year.

This place fascinates me by how it transforms to a completely different place each time I see it. I remember the day I was mesmerised and inspired by this lake. I went there, with my friend, musician and collaborator Bianca Aristia, who visited me in order to develop our art and music project. Two years later, we decided to name our project “ Iridescent Melody”. This name hints back to this moment in the lake. The sun was setting right in the middle of the lake, right in front of us. The lake was almost completely dry at the shore, and some droplets of water were flickering from the sun. The colours of the lake were changing from light purple to bluish and in other areas pink, due to the colour of the salt. I t was so magical, that I felt the urge to visit it again and try to depict it’s beauty.

Of course, each time I go it’s different, due to the weather changes, the shift of the location of the sun from season to season, and the different hours of the day.. But this makes me appreciate and admire more the whole creation, and let go of trying to control things beyond my grasp.

Painting plain air is by itself demanding and a great way to improve our art skills, our concentration and observation, as well as the ability to handle many tasks simultaneously. Adding to that, painting outdoors with oil colours, is even more demanding. Someone has to be mindful of all the above mentioned,but also use different oil mediums ( resins and additional oils with the suitable qualities) and paint faster than usual…

(I will write more about the mediums and technical things on another post, soon.)

My first serious effort to paint with oils outdoors, is the painting I made at the lake of Athalassa National Forest Park in Nicosia, Cyprus. At first, I was determined to finish the painting completely while painting at the spot, but the process itself taught me to be more flexible and allow things to flow naturally. Finally, the painting was painted almost completely, maybe 90 % “en plein air”.

This beautiful lake has taught me many things, and I have grown to love and appreciate this speck of paradise a lot. First and foremost, I discovered a new world and saw this lake like a microcosm. Like a community of beings who coexist in harmony. It was right there all the time, but I wouldn’t really “see” it.

After spending some time there, someone feels immersed in another dimension, in the world of the beings in this lake. They have their own way to communicate, to go by day after day. Their pace and peacefulness is so harmonious , that is so refreshing for us, and it resonates with the hidden universe in our souls.

I started painting plain air as a hobby, as a way to unplug myself from this post modern human society.. But it has grown to be so much more precious and didactic to me. It has taught me to follow the pace of nature generally in my life…To let go of my one sided view in order experience what life has to offer me, what is really in front of me and don’t have yet the wisdom to see it.

It also has given me the opportunity to feel as one with nature, like the example I gave with the lake. After spending some time there, someone feels so blessed and humbled by being allowed to be there and experience the pace of nature.

#ART inspiration creativity joy pleinair artstudio

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markwatkinsconsumerguide · 4 years ago

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Consumer Guide / No.98 / American television, film and stage actress, Bernadette Quigley with Mark Watkins.

MW : What’s new?

BQ : Currently, work is sparse as most of my businesses have been shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. No films or television shows are being shot in NYC at this moment in time and most of my side businesses are on pause as well. This season’s gardening work didn’t happen at all (because NYC had not yet deemed gardening an essential service).

Thankfully, I have a few coaching (acting) clients I work with often and I had one job before this pandemic hit that I’m still working on - a press and radio campaign for Irish singer-songwriter Ultan Conlon’s beautiful new record, ‘There’s a Waltz’. It’s been gratifying to see reviewers agreeing with me that it’s Ultan’s finest record thus far!

MW : Tell me about your role in Law & Order...

BQ : Well, I had four Law & Order roles, actually. Two are on Law & Order: SVU and two are on the mothership Law & Order.

My first big role on SVU was of a victim, Jean Weston, on the season finale of their 2nd season, many moons ago. This character was a mother and wife from Oregon whose husband and son got stabbed to death by a serial killer – played by Richard Thompson.

I’ll never forget this role for many reasons but primarily it was a job where I discovered I could cry on cue. The director and producers decided they wanted to end the episode with a huge close up of my character, breaking down in the gallery in the courtroom. One of the producers shouted out, “Bernadette…can you cry on cue!?” I meekly replied, “Sure.” Next thing I hear was…”rolling….” and “ACTION”… I looked up, terrified I wouldn’t be able to summon up tears but imagined the hell my character went through and looked deeply into Chris Meloni’s eyes and …phew!...started to cry!

The Law & Order franchise has been a godsend for many actors. Not just financially, which it has and still is but for me, the experience I gained working on those shows led to a lot more television and film work over the years, so I’m forever grateful to creator/producer, Dick Wolf.

MW : What are your own views on law & order? Anything you’d like to see relaxed or tightened up on?

BQ : Feels very naïve and idealistic to say this, but I’d love to see major, police reform. Police brutality is despicable and out of control, especially in Black communities.

I believe we’re beginning to see the power of the Black Lives Matter movement resulting in some of these police officers losing their jobs and sometimes being arrested themselves for their unspeakable acts of violence, but I imagine we, as a nation, need to keep the pressure on. The police brutality simply has to stop. There has to be more consequences for those senseless deaths. There has to be better training, etc...

I’d also love to see major gun control in this country. I would love to see guns banned. Period. But that’s highly unrealistic as this country tragically has a major addiction to their gun culture. Perhaps someday we’ll have some common-sense gun control again such as background checks, and high-capacity magazine and semi-automatic assault weapon bans.

MW : What was it like working with Kenneth Branagh?

BQ : I suggested Kenneth’s play “Public Enemy” to the Irish Arts Center’s Artistic Director at the time, Nye Heron, and was emailing and talking with Kenneth’s assistant quite a lot before setting up a meeting with Kenneth and Nye.

I was flying high that I helped to secure the rights to his play. Kenneth then came to our first read-through, and he came back to see a preview or two. He was an absolute prince, kind, intelligent, caring, witty.

However, this success was so bittersweet because my dad died right before we opened the play, a performance I had dedicated to him before he died (because my dad loved Jimmy Cagney, and the main character of the play was obsessed with Cagney). The play got great reviews and we ran for five months. It was so difficult for me to fully appreciate the success of this show as I was mourning the most devastating loss of my life.

MW : Which "shelved" film appearance of yours should have seen the light of day?

BQ : There’s a provocative film I am in about a racial experiment that is under the radar called, “The Suspect” (2014), which stars Mekhi Phifer, Sterling K. Brown and William Sadler.

By the way, I am currently in three indie films that I’m psyched for the world to see: I play a lead role in “Darcy” which is available (worldwide) to stream on Herflix.com; “The Garden Left Behind” has just landed international distribution, so stay tuned for the release date! And finally, I have an interesting supporting role in a film called “Tahara” which had its world premiere at Slamdance in January and is slated for more film festivals.

MW : What makes a good film/TV critic? Can you name any?

BQ : One that doesn’t give the plot, or too much dialogue away. I often don’t read reviews of films, or television shows, I want to watch because I love going in – not being influenced by another’s opinion. But sometimes, I’ll read reviews afterwards to learn more about the evolution of a film or TV show. I often find myself agreeing with A.O.Scott’s (NY Times) film reviews.

MW : How do you usually prepare for an acting role, and has a character ever taken you over?

BQ : The first thing I do is read the script several times and see what the words are telling me about the character, and how other characters view that person. If it’s a period piece, I research the era or history surrounding the event in the play, or screenplay. Eventually, I forget my research, learn my words and hopefully let the character inhabit me emotionally, physically and psychologically, spiritually etc…and try my best to be fully present with the other actors I’m working with moment-to-moment. Every project is different.

Yes, there were times, I found it difficult to shut off the pain of a character after some performances. Two that come to mind are two intensely emotional theatre roles I performed at the Repertory of St. Louis, Elizabeth Proctor in “The Crucible”, and Agnes in “Bug”.

MW : Is performing on film different to TV as an acting discipline?

BQ : I think it all depends on the style of the film, or television show. With a TV show like Law & Order, it’s formulaic and heightened realism (acting style) and so one makes sure one knows every single word, and hits one’s marks, and if it calls for emoting then one must emote! Some films I’ve done are grittier-kitchen-sink realism. A very minimalistic style of acting.

MW : Has your song-writer husband ever penned a song for you?

BQ : Yes, many….Don (Rosler) primarily writes for and with other artists – on the John Margolis: Christine’s Refrigerator CD, there’s many tunes that speak to many moments within the course of our lives: the title track (altho’ the name was changed), “Scrap of Hope” (a pep talk to me when I was stuck at a temp job I hated), “Here’s Something You Don’t See Every Day” (a wedding reverie that literally started in Don’s mind when I fell asleep on his shoulder), and he wrote an exquisite lyric for Bobby McFerrin’s Grammy-nominated record VOCAbuLarieS, a song called “Brief Eternity”… where his words infuse my love for gardening: “Working in the garden has you... ...Breathing in the bloom and then you View the sunset view to move you Close to truly understanding Life and death but nothing ending Voices living on”…..

MW : Tell me about some of your favourite music...

BQ : My music tastes are pretty eclectic – besides all the indie artists I’ve done publicity for, I love so many styles of music from classical to folk to country but here’s some of my fave artists: Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Pink, Beyonce, Billie Holiday, Ani DiFranco, Ibeyi, Sinead O’Connor, Prince, Bjork, Leonard Cohen, Kacey Musgraves, K.D. Lang, Laura Mvula, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Billy Bragg, and Randy Newman, among many others.

MW : ...and your favourite films....

BQ : Ohhhhh-so-many faves but a few, in no particular order :

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019)

Parasite (2019)

Secrets & Lies (1996)

Vera Drake (2004)

Pain And Glory (2019)

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

BlacKkKlansman (2018)

A Fantastic Woman (2017)

Babette’s Feast (1987)

Coco (2017)

To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)

Nights of Cabiria (1957)

The 400 Blows (1959)

12 Years A Slave (2013)

Jean de Florette (1986)

Trees Lounge (1996)

My Left Foot (1989)

In America (2002) (I know I’m biased but still…such a beautiful film)!

Annie Hall (1977)

My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

My Brilliant Career (1979)

And I also love documentaries and a ton of old movies from the 1930’s and 1940’s, such as The Lady Eve (1941).

MW : ...plus your favourite books....

BQ : I’m currently reading this years New York Times Bestseller American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (it’s excellent!).

Some of my all-time faves are :

Of Human Bondage ~ W. Somerset Maugham (1915)

A Confederacy Of Dunces ~ John Kennedy Toole (1980)

Angela’s Ashes ~ Frank McCourt (1996)

The Grapes Of Wrath ~ John Steinbeck (1939)

Lady Chatterley's Lover ~ D.H Lawrence (1960)

Olive Kitteridge ~ Elizabeth Strout (2008)

Americanah ~ Chimanda Ngozi Adichie (2013)

The Feast of Love ~ Charles Baxter (2000)

Everything Here Is Beautiful ~ Mira T. Lee (2008)

An American Tragedy ~ Theodore Dreiser (1925)

Sister Carrie ~ Theodore Dreiser (1900)

Act One ~ Moss Hart (1959)

Born A Crime ~ Trevor Noah (2016)

Wild : From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail ~ Cheryl Strayed (2012)

MW : You enjoy gardening. How is yours designed and tended to?

BQ : I don’t have my very own garden. I live in NYC and dream of having a country house with a garden of my own one day!

This is the reason I started a side business of urban gardening. My dad was an extraordinary gardener and after he died, I started tending to my mother’s flower gardens. Then I found myself volunteering at a neighborhood garden and that led to me working in other people’s gardens. Primarily small back gardens and some rooftop or balcony gardens.

I specialize in flowers, shrubs and trees and love planting lots of perennials (flowers and plants) with annuals so there’s lots of varying blossoms of different heights and textures, throughout spring, summer and fall.

When possible, if space allows, I also love incorporating foot paths, rock walls, or other elements in gardens – art/birdbaths/benches/statues that might be a sweet focal point but primarily I love the combinations of plants, trees, shrubs and flowers to be the focal points.

MW : Recommend five flowers...that every good garden should have!

BQ : Daffodils - one of the first signs of spring! Muscari (aka grape hyacinths) – the color (blue) is gorgeous, as is the scent. Climbing roses – the beauty and romantic history of roses. Anemone Robustissima (late blooming perennial flower). Lady Ferns (okay not a flower, but I’m a fern freak and I love ferns of all kinds!, but Lady ferns in particular are stunning when they sit beside most flowers or surround trees).

MW : How opinionated are you on current events? Would you like to be more, or less opinionated?

BQ : I’m extremely opinionated on current events but find it difficult to find ways to communicate my thoughts without screaming angrily from the rooftops and then of course not being heard. There are those that say we have an obligation to try to talk sense into people whose viewpoints are much more extreme than one’s own (either extreme conservative or extreme liberal).

I’m very liberal but am more pragmatic when it comes to progress, not perfection, so I’m very happy to enthusiastically vote for someone like Joe Biden or in 2016, Hillary Clinton, but I honestly don’t know how to reach people whose minds are already made up – people who either continue to justify their support for the current racist/narcissist/sexist/pathological liar-in-chief, or that justify their “protest” vote by falsely equivocating both candidates as “the same” or “the lesser of two evils”.

So yeah, I offend people at times because yes, I’m judgmental when it comes to politics and I most definitely believe in the power of protests, but believe just as strongly in the collective power of one’s vote and it drives me insane when others don’t show up and vote for local elections, and national ones.

I find I do hold back on Facebook, not because I’m afraid to voice my opinions but because it becomes too much of a time suck for me.

MW : What character traits frustrate you?

BQ : Impatience (in myself). Aggression (in myself and others).

MW : What’s the kindest thing another person has done for you?

BQ : I find this question so complex to answer. There are so many inexplicable moments in my life, where I’ve been blown away by many seemingly small gestures or kind words from strangers. And professionally, I’ve been truly blessed to work with some top-notch directors that gave me the gift of encouraging me to fully trust my artistic instincts.

When I was a child, my parents were not the type of people who conveyed their love in typically demonstrative ways, in ways that I honestly craved, so on the rare occasions when either one of them did utter something like “We’re proud of you”, or “I love you”, I was very moved by them going past their own comfort zones to express that kind of sentiment!

I’ve had many personal and professional challenges in my life and many of my siblings have been there for me over the years in ways I can’t really articulate without choking up. I also think having the courage to face one’s disagreements and past hurt, which comes with the territory of most friendships and relationships, is an act of kindness that I most value. Those I feel closest to have stuck it through with me by navigating through some painful, complex and messy misunderstandings. I’ll never forget those acts of kindness and generosity.

MW : What have you lost, growing older... and gained?

BQ : My mom died in January, and as I mentioned, my dad died many years ago. Sometimes I feel the depths of that loss – the fact that I don’t have my parents to share the ups and downs of the events of the rest of my life. Of course, I do have them close to my heart and their spirits live on….but damn I miss them! I’ve definitely gained a profound appreciation for them and their influence on me in countless ways.

On a professional level, as an older actress, unfortunately it’s easy to become invisible but I’m not ready to disappear and am joining the fight against ageism! I’m drawn to stories and filmmakers that include women and men of all ages, genders and ethnicities.

Perhaps if enough roles are not forthcoming in the next number of years, I’ll venture into writing and directing at some point.

MW : Where can we find out more / keep in touch?

BQ : Thanks so much, here’s a few links…!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0703489/

https://twitter.com/quigdette

https://www.instagram.com/quigdette/

https://www.facebook.com/bernadette.quigley.3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernadette_Quigley

https://bernadettequigleymedia.wordpress.com/

https://bernadettetheconstantgardener.wordpress.com/bio/

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thebluegrasstraveler-blog · 7 years ago

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New Orleans, a city steeped in rich history and its vibrant celebration of life! This year for Christmas, instead of buying each other gifts, we decided that since travel is our passion, this was the city we wanted to visit. Two days after Christmas with bags packed, off we went. No journey is ever exactly how you think it will be but for us, plenty of pre-planning helped to insure that we would enjoy a wonderful time in New Orleans without breaking the bank! We have another big trip that we are planning for later this year that requires a lot more of our resources than usual and we didn’t want this trip to interfere with that in any way.

Travel lodging: As a military member there are quite a few travel options that are available to those in uniform if you know when and where to look. Every military base that has billeting in the Department of Defense offers lodging on a Space Available basis. Since this was not peak season for tourism (or so we thought, more on that later) we decided to take book at the Reserve Naval Air Station, New Orleans for accommodations. At $65 a night and only a 20 minute drive to anywhere in the city, this was by far an easy decision for us. The rooms where very large with Queen size beds, walk-in showers, refrigerator and WiFi. if you have animals with you, they are pet friendly as well. They have a full commissary, Base Exchange, fitness center etc. all of which makes for a very safe, secure and super nice place to stay. They also have an RV park right on base with full hook-ups! We had already winterized the RV so that really wasn’t an option for us on this trip. In comparison to nearly $400 a night downtown this was by far a bargain! If you are a military member, Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve or Retired, I highly recommend looking into this option for you and your family.

Inside the Crescent City:

Belle Chase:

Our journey began the night we arrived into town. Staying outside the downtown area is an advantage for travelers because you get out of the immediate tourist areas and into the local community. We ate our first meal at Salvo’s Seafood and it is definitely the place to go! Our waiter (his name escapes us) was super friendly and the food as you can see was off the chain! All you can eat (Yup, I said it!) Blue Crab, Shrimp, Sausage, potatoes and corn in a seafood boil. A local eatery that was actually the culinary highlight of the whole trip.

Also located in Belle Chase is Town View Cafe. a local eatery/bakery that has been in business at the same location for over 50 years. Open 24 hours a day and serving breakfast at anytime day or night. Almost everyone who walked in knew each other (except us of course) and chatted up with warm welcomes and small talk with each other. The ladies behind the counter welcomed us with open arms and we felt immediately welcome! Awesome experience for sure!

The French Quarter:

The oldest part of New Orleans and the place where the party literally never ends! We thought we were booking during a slow time in New Orleans but I don’t think there is ever a slow time in this city. The Sugar Bowl was being played in the Superdome and Clemson and Alabama football fans descended upon the city by the thousands!

Every street is loaded with bars and restaurants every few feet combined with alcohol at any time, in any flavor 24/7. We tried Absinthe for the first time and realized that you have to be very careful. At 110 proof it needs to be handled with kid gloves otherwise it’s gonna bite you hard!! There are no open container laws (except no glass) and this guarantees a good time by all. Drink while you walk and see all the sites! Street performers keep the entertainment alive and live music from nearly every open door add to the festive air and celebration. From street musicians, escape artists, fortune telling, and artists the city’s vibrant charm is sure to please everyone.

DCIM100GOPRO

The next morning, we got up and decided that we wanted to go to the world famous Cafe Du Monde. Now for travelers, here is a big tip, DO NOT stand in line. We ended up first in a line waiting to be seated in the main area, Two nice young ladies came by and informed us that we just needed to step around the corner and go inside to a smaller area. We walked around the corner and ended up in another line for carry-out (our mistake). Finally after a few minutes, Tiffanie walked into the Cafe Du Monde and immediately called me to meet her in a smaller room away from the main room, she had a seat! Did we cut line? Nope, just walked past unnecessary lines that people themselves created. It is strictly a first come, first serve area! The Cafe Du Monde serves one food and one food only. Beignets which are small, deep fried square donuts covered in confectionery sugar. Enjoyed with a dark roast coffee and chicory blend mixed with hot milk that make up the their Cafe Au Lait you quickly realize why the place is as famous and as busy as it is.

Jackson Square is a local landmark surrounded by some of the most historic buildings in the country. Buildings such as the Pontalba Apartments. The oldest apartments in the United States and St Louis Cathedral, where Pope John Paul II worshiped during his visit. On a whim, we stepped inside an old building that sold tickets for the haunted tours. The first floor was modern and very nice and inside a very nice lady let us explore the other three floors of this old home. She advised that the owners were fixing the upper floors up to Air BnB the rooms but we were more than welcome to look around. During our self-guided tour we discovered that it was rundown, in disrepair and absolutely beautiful.

Birthplace of Jazz and so much more:

New Orleans is known for its artistry and culture. We took a haunted tour at night narrated by a enthusiastic young actress known to us only as “Lucy”. who expertly wove history with myth, the paranormal and superstitions and made it a good learning experience into the cities past. Local artists paint, draw and display their work on the square’s iron fence. Here is where we found a talented young man playing his trade performing a Houdini straight-Jacket escape for the people.

We have a sweet spot in our hearts for street performers and artists. As a young man on occasion I too played guitar along with friends on the streets of Bardstown and Lexington looking for tourists and passer-byes to throw a bit of spare money our way. These folks are living their art form and many are very, very good at it.

Outside the Quarter:

On Frenchman Street is where to true party is. Open air markets, Jazz, blues and funk music pours from every bar and restaurant. Take note though, very few are free. Most require a substantial cover or tickets to get in and all have at least minimum one drink requirements. We had dinner at the Snug Harbor and where treated to the live sounds of legendary Jazz pianist Ellis Marsalus Jr. playing in the next room. If your like us and travel on a budget though, if you really want to hear and see great art in all it’s forms, Just walk! You can find the best shows as you just walk along and see amazing contortionists, skilled poets and talented musicians that rival the greats as well as visual art that could be displayed in any fine art gallery in the world and its all free!

The absolute highlight of the evening was the performance on the street corner of the Young Fellaz Brass Band! A talented group of young men performing their unique style of music that covers many genres, including traditional jazz, hip-hop, R&B, rock and pop tunes . All in an old style Dixieland jazz brass band!! they tore the music up and had everyone dancing in the streets!

National WWII Museum:

Next up, the National World War II Museum. Here they have done an awesome job of telling the story of a nation that came together during one of the darkest times in history. There we met 92 year old WWII veteran, Reid Sonnleitner who served on a tug during the war. The fact that the few men and women still with us of the Greatest Generation are there and willing to volunteer to tell their story is so awesome. Small children can meet people of a generation that literally saved mankind. In just a few short years those first hand accounts of the the most devastating war in human history will be lost to time and the world will will never be the same. Because of them we enjoy the freedoms and liberties granted to us as Americans and as a nation, we are forever in their debt.

During one of our short lulls in the action while sitting in our room, we turned on the TV and began watching the news. After a few minutes we realized that all with all the negativity that you hear in this world about how divided we are and yet no matter where we have traveled across this nation from the subways in New York City to Venice beach, to the Gulf of Mexico and the deserts of the American West and everywhere we go everyone is always friendly and accommodating and New Orleans was no different. We shook hands, asked for pics and delved into complete strangers personal pasts to learn more about the great people that make up this amazing world. We can’t wait until the next adventure to see who we will meet next.

Check out Facebook or Instagram.

You can find much of what we saw and discovered at the websites below.

http://www.salvosseafood.com/

http://www.dodlodging.net/

https://www.hauntedhistorytours.com/

http://www.snugjazz.com

Happy Travels!!

Craig and Tiffanie

The Bluegrass Traveler

The Big Easy New Orleans, a city steeped in rich history and its vibrant celebration of life! This year for Christmas, instead of buying each other gifts, we decided that since travel is our passion, this was the city we wanted to visit.

#adventuretravel #cafedumonde #frenchquarter #jazz #louisiana #neworleans #salvosseafood #snugharbor #townviewcafe #wwIImuseum #youngfellazbrassband #Food #Travel

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thebestintoronto · 6 years ago

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25 reasons to get outside this spring in Toronto

From street fairs and street protests to art shows and concerts, these are the best events happening outdoors in April and May

APRIL

Score free stuff at the Really Really Free Market

Experience the life-changing magic of tidying up (or, alternately, of getting free stuff) at this recurring event in the Junction Triangle. Once a month, declutterers and treasure-hunters meet in the open air to scour through pre-loved items, from clothing, shoes and jewellery to housewares, books, movies, pet items and more. There’s no cash and no swapping – just take what you want to keep. Everything not claimed at the end of the day gets passed along to charity.

April 6, May 4 and June 1. Campbell Park (225 Campbell). rrfmarket.blogspot.com.

Get your bike ready to ride

After a winter of storage, it’s time to make sure your wheels are road-worthy (unless you’re one of those brave souls who rides all winter long, in which case, hats off to you). If you need some pointers on how to do a DIY tune-up, Broadview bike repair studio Bike Sauce is hosting free workshops that will walk you through safety checks and basic maintenance. Can’t make it? Bike Sauce and Parkdale studio Bike Pirates are both open for DIY tune-ups throughout the week.

April 6 and 13 at Bike Sauce (341 Broadview). 11 am. Free. bikesauce.org.

Show up for National Day of Action on the Overdose Crisis

According to the latest numbers, more than 600 people died from opioid overdoses in the first six months of 2018. Three years after frontline workers first warned of the opioid-induced overdose crisis sweeping the country, we still grieve. And now the Ford government has announced it will no longer be funding safe injection sites. We’re falling behind when it comes to dealing with the biggest health care crisis since AIDS and stemming the death toll from tainted drugs. Organizers of this year’s National Day of Action on the Overdose Crisis, which takes place in cities across the country, say 2019 is a wake-up call for the urgent need for the legalization and regulation of all hard drugs.

April 16, see website for details. Noon-2 pm. facebook.com/NationalDOA2019.

Get legally stoned on 420 for the first time

Organizers for city’s first post-legalization 420 smoke-out couldn’t secure a permit for Nathan Phillips Square so are staging their annual event at Woodbine Park. The event is also happening on a Saturday, so you don’t have to worry about the stigmatization that comes with getting stoned midday on a weekday in uptight Toronto. The park location means there will be vendors and a stage this year.

April 20 at Woodbine Park (1695 Queen East). Noon-7 pm Free. fb.com/420toronto.

Get social with Toronto’s cherry blossoms

Over 10,000 kilometres separate Toronto and Tokyo, but cherry blossoms can be enjoyed in both cities. Starting in April, partake in the centuries-old tradition of hanami, the Japanese term for viewing sakura, at parks and sites across the city including High Park, Trinity Bellwoods, York University and Birkdale Ravine. Once cherry blossoms bloom, the equally photogenic Eastern redbud follows suit. Find these bright pink trees at Corktown Common among dozens of parks.

Late April/early May. toronto.ca.

Help clean-up and revitalize the Don Valley Ravine

The 200-hectare ravine stretching from Pottery Road down to Corktown Common is Toronto’s largest and most hidden urban park, which means it’s also a common dumping ground for trash. Join a large volunteer group to clean up a section of the lower Don Ravine and help revitalize a green space that’s home to deer, fox, beavers, muskrats and great blue herons.

April 27 and May 11 starting at E.T. Seton Park parking lot (next to 71 Thorncliffe Park). 10 am-2 pm. Free (registration required). dontmesswiththedon.ca.

Mark Earth Day at Downsview Park

We’d like to think that every day is Earth Day, but most people recognize April 22 as the largest environmental celebration in the world. While there are events scheduled across the city that day, a big one happens a week later. Now in its 15th year, Earth Day at Downsview Park is a free family-friendly event including outdoor vendors, a scavenger hunt, workshops and more. See a birds of prey demonstration, enjoy guided nature walks and take part in litter pickup and invasive species removal.

April 28. Downsview Park Discovery Centre (70 Canuck). 11 am-4 pm. Free. downsviewpark.ca.

Rally to protect public health care

Spring is the perfect season to hit the streets, protest and demand progressive change. The Ontario Health Coalition, a network of more than 400 grassroots community organizations, says the Ford government’s recently tabled legislation to restructure health care will end up selling off vital services and impose costly “mega-mergers” that will put local services and hospitals at risk. In response, the coalition is organizing a massive rally at Queen’s Park, which will bring in busloads of protestors from across the province. So much for Ford’s promise to end hallway medicine.

April 30. Queen’s Park Lawn. Noon. ontariohealthcoalition.ca.

MAY

Check out Carrie Mae Weems’s first Canadian exhibition

One of the U.S.’s most celebrated contemporary artists will make her Canadian debut at Contact Photography Festival, with three site-specific outdoor installations. Carrie Mae Weems, the first African-American woman to have a retrospective at the Guggenheim, will exhibit work at Metro Hall, TIFF Bell Lightbox and via a banner at 460 King West. Her work examines shifting cultural landscapes around the ways Black women have been represented in pop culture – today and throughout history. Other artists’ works will be shown at 16 public sites, as well as on billboards, around town.

May 1 to 31. Various venues. Free. Launch party May 1 at Ryerson Image Centre, 7-11 pm. contactphoto.com.

Get a new perspective on Toronto during Jane’s Walk Festival

Explore your neighbourhood with fresh eyes or discover a new one during Jane’s Walk 2019, the annual festival that honours urban thinker Jane Jacobs through citizen-led walking tours. This year’s highlights include imagining the future of the high-traffic corridor Bridgeland Avenue, near the 401 and Dufferin; a stroll around old Agincourt in Scarborough to explore the development of a suburb and the racial tensions around the Dragon Centre; and a walk through Wychwood Park, designed in 1874 as an artists’ haven.

May 3 to 5, at various locations. Free. janeswalk.org/toronto.

Catch a baseball game at Christie Pits

It doesn’t feel like spring until you sit in open-air stands and watch a baseball game. You never know when the Blue Jays will decide to open the dome, but in the meantime you can catch free games at Christie Pits Park. The Toronto Maple Leafs intercounty league team has been playing since 1969, with baseball at the park stretching back even earlier – and catching a game there is an essential experience. One of the city’s hidden gems.

Season starts May 5 at Dominico Field at Christie Pits, 2 pm. Free. mapleleafsbaseball.com.

Mosh at Yonge-Dundas Square during Canadian Music Week

Ever since the music fest moved from March to May, CMW has been summoning the summer spirit of its rival festival, NXNE, with outdoor gigs at Yonge-Dundas Square. No headliner has been announced yet, but last year Sloan took that spot. We do know the fest will have Azealia Banks (May 8) and Television (May 6), plus a discovery series with Hooded Fang, Witch Prophet, Ebhoni and Ice Cream. Plus: at least one event at the (finally) reopening El Mocambo.

May 11 at Yonge-Dundas Square (1 Dundas East), noon to 11 pm, all ages. Free. cmw.net, ydsquare.ca

Ponder urban monuments at the Bentway

Cities are questioning the relevance and meaning of public monuments, particularly as we Canadians grapple with the legacies of colonialism and residential schools. An international art exhibition and day-long event will ponder the future of city monuments to kick off urban park the Bentway’s spring/summer season. New Monuments For New Cities will feature 25 large-scale posters responding to the questions “What should a contemporary monument look like? Who are they for and what should they represent?” The show is simultaneously at similar land-reuse sites in four other North American cities, and will launch at the Monuments Summit on May 11. Public tours will happen every Tuesday (except June 4) during the run.

May 11 to August 30 at the Bentway (250 Fort York). thebentway.ca/new-monuments.

Eat, shop and party on the sidewalk in Parkdale

Summer is a big season for street fests and road closures, but if you can’t wait for pedestrian-only fun, head west. In early May, the annual Spring Into Parkdale Sidewalk Fest takes over a 1.4-km stretch of Queen West between Roncesvalles and Dufferin, with a kids area, a Little Tibet market, a zero-waste fair, free bike tune-ups, DJs, live music, a flea market and a night market. The event is emphasizing zero waste by encouraging visitors to bring their own containers, cups and cutlery.

May 11 in Parkdale Village. 11 am-9 pm. Free. parkdalevillagebia.com/festival.

Dance at Electric Island

There’s some sort of magnetic pull toward the ferry terminal the second the weather gets warm enough to expose your forearms, and Electric Island is the perfect excuse to head over to the island this spring. The first of four outdoor beach-adjacent raves takes place May 19. And though the lineup hasn’t been announced yet, you can bet on a strong-as-always slate of electronic acts and DJs.

May 19 at Hanlan’s Point Beach (Toronto Islands), 2 pm. $40-$60. ticketweb.ca, electricisland.to.

Check out the Strokes’ first Toronto concert in 13 years

Budweiser Stage, the outdoor amphitheatre at Ontario Place, is celebrating its 25th season, and it’s got a hell of an opener: the Strokes. They’ll take you back to the early 2000s NYC rock dives – or at least 2006’s Virgin Festival, the last time the Julian Casablancas-fronted rockers performed here. (If you miss this gig, Bud Stage’s second show of the season is Florence and the Machine with opener Blood Orange on May 26.)

May 20 at Budweiser Stage (909 Lake Shore West), 7 pm. $55-$175. ticketmaster.ca.

Visit architectural gems at Doors Open

The annual architecture festival gives curious Torontonians the opportunity to snoop inside spaces usually closed off to the public, like secret subway stations, water treatment plants and century-old movie theatres. For this year’s 20th anniversary, Doors Open will also include walking tours that explore the social impact of Queen East and the LGBTQ heritage of King Street, as well as spotlight Toronto’s Indigenous past, present and future through events, panels and films.

May 25 and 26, at various locations. Free. toronto.ca/doorsopen.

Take over the streets at Kensington Market’s Pedestrian Sundays

The launch of Pedestrian Sundays in late May means the city has completely shaken off its winter hibernation hangover. Street performers and pop-up vendors line car-free streets, the patios are bustling and Bellevue Square Park is packed with picnickers snacking on churros, empanadas, fish and chips and burritos from the nearby restaurants.

Launches May 26 and happens on the last Sunday of every month until October, Kensington Market. Free. kensingtonmarketbia.com.

Ride into Bike Month

What better time than spring to discover the joy of biking? Toronto gears up for another bike month in June with the 30th annual Bike To Work Day group commute on May 27 hosted by Cycle Toronto. Participants will ride together from various starting points around the city and arrive at Nathan Phillips Square for a pancake breakfast and coffee. Cycle Toronto will be hosting events throughout June, from films to group rides to workshops. Check out the events calendar for details.

May 27 to June 30. Various locations. bikemonth.ca.

Go on a modern dance journey on the waterfront

Harbourfront Centre will raise questions around land ownership with a site-specific indoor/outdoor dance show taking place toward the end of the spring season. Toronto-based choreographer Heidi Strauss’s interactive experience Lot X will cap off the dance series Torque by leading audiences from Harbourfront Centre Theatre to the waterfront arts complex’s East Campus. The performance is weather dependent. Also: bring comfortable shoes.

Lot X runs May 29 to June 2 at Harbourfront Centre Theatre (231 Queens Quay West). 8 pm. $20-$35. harbourfrontcentre.com.

Sway to R&B stars Jorja Smith and Kali Uchis at Echo Beach

Ontario Place’s other outdoor venue gives you a chance to put some sand under your feet via its (totally artificial) beach. After a couple of louder concerts from Bring Me the Horizon and Led Zep clones Greta Van Fleet, the venue hosts the perfect soundtrack to wafting warmness: a pair of buzzy and rising R&B/pop singers – UK artist Jorja Smith and Colombian-American Tyler, The Creator collaborator Kali Uchis.

May 30 at Echo Beach (909 Lake Shore West), doors 7 pm, all ages. $49.50. ticketmaster.ca.

ALL SEASON LONG

Eat your way through T.O. on a food tour

Think you know everything there is to know about Toronto’s food scene? Walking food tours are a great way to discover something new while soaking up some sunshine. Savour Toronto offers a bunch of tailored recurring tours, including dining excursions around Kensington and old Chinatown ($65 each), as well as a coffee and sweets-specific jaunt around the east end ($55). Or start your weekend off right with T.O. Food Tours’ brunch tour of King and Queen West ($99).

savourtoronto.com, tofoodtours.com.

Shop local at a farmers’ market

The abundance of these markets greatly increases as the weather warms up, and many start up in May, including ones in Trinity Bellwoods, Cabbagetown, Davisville Village and the Junction. Shop local produce, dairy, bread, honey, flowers and more from farmers and artisans. Many of the weekly markets also feature live music, kids’ activities and prepared foods.

Various dates and times. Visit tfmn.ca for a complete list.

Brighten your life at the Toronto Flower Market

Even if you don’t buy anything, theToronto Flower Market is beautiful to walk around in. Once a month from May to October, over 30 vendors selling Ontario-grown flowers and plants gather on the lawn of CAMH’s Queen West location. They’ve got everything from potted succulents and artful bouquets to bunches of tulips, wildflowers and more. The first market happens just in time for Mother’s Day.

May 11. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1001 Queen West). 10 am-3 pm. torontoflowermarket.ca.

Hit up a flea market

In addition to the year-round indoor staples (shout-out to north-end faves like Merchants’ Flea Market on Eglinton and Downsview Park Merchants Market), a few warmer-weather favourites are about to return for your bargain-hunting pleasure. East-end fave Leslieville Flea is back at the Distillery District Fermenting Cellar on April 28 before returning to its open-air location, Ashbridge Estate, on June 9. And the Parkdale Flea is returning from a brief hiatus on April 13 with a brand-new location at 1605 Queen West.

merchantsfleamarket.com, dpmarket.com, leslievilleflea.com, parkdaleflea.com.

The post “25 reasons to get outside this spring in Toronto” was first seen on NOW Toronto

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dramatistsguild · 7 years ago

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DG National Report: Seattle by Duane Kelly

@dramatistsguild

Andrew Lee Creech is a multifaceted young artist who, one senses, has a rich if uncertain journey ahead of him. Andrew first came to my attention when Guild member Elizabeth Heffron told me about this outstanding student she had at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, where Andrew was earning his BFA. Several years ago the Guild instituted a Regional Ambassador program with goals of engaging more young and diverse writers, and providing support for the Regional reps. Andrew readily stepped in as Seattle’s Ambassador and has been gradually taking on more responsibility.

A triple threat, Andrew is an actor and hip-hop artist as well as writer and composer. Last winter he performed in Lorraine Hansberry’s Raisin in the Sun on the mainstage at Seattle Repertory Theatre. His writing work recently led to a role in the season finale episode of a new horror/comedy web series Don’t Do It! Horror Shorts. (www.andrewleecreech.weebly.com is his website.)

Acting feeds his writing, he has found. In rehearsals he keeps a keen eye on how the director works with actors and designers to bring the script to life. After the play has closed, he often discovers that those observations have unwittingly strengthened scripts he has in progress. He increasingly sees how all aspects of making theatre are interrelated.

He’s an avid journal-keeper and makes extensive use of a “Notes” app on his phone. When we met for coffee he showed me where he had 1,200 notes stored on his phone.

His first musical instrument was a recorder in elementary school; then a brief, unhappy affair with the clarinet in junior high, followed by a rewarding relationship with the piano in high school. He wrote his first play in high school, a musical for which he wore all three writers’ hats. College courses included music theory and composition. He enjoys playing piano, which is what he also composes on. One reason he is partial to the piano is, he tells me, is that being left-handed, the bass parts are easy to play and that’s where the funk and the soul live.

The creative experiences he has found most satisfying are making audiences laugh, whether as performer or author. Lately he is feeling a need to tighten his artistic focus. He recalls a professor saying, “Andrew, I can tell you’re very good at a lot of things, but I just can’t tell what you’re supposed to be doing right now.” He worries that the multifaceted nature of his skills and interests may be diffusing his artistic efforts too much. Looking ahead, he sees his theatre career gravitating more toward writing than acting. A saying he is fond of is “Tend to the roots and enjoy the fruits,” and he’s thinking his deepest roots are in writing.

The biggest source of stress in his life, as is sadly the case for far too many young adults in the U.S., is student debt. His student loan payments each month exceed what he pays for rent. He cannot see a way to ever get out from under that debt, which has a 25-year term. That financial pressure has further consequences because he doesn’t know how he’ll be able to provide a stable enough financial environment for responsibly raising a family. If you extrapolate from Andrew’s specific situation to his cohort, society has placed an impossible burden on an entire generation.

On to some good news. Spring 2018 will bring the world premiere of his new full-length musical, Journey West, about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Producing is Copious Love Productions in Seattle. Like his musical in high school (and like Meredith Wilson for The Music Man and Lin-Manuel Miranda for Hamilton), Andrew wrote it all – book, lyrics and music. The score tends toward folksy mixed with a contemporary “Broadway” sound. Two of the songs are hip-hop. Andrew describes Journey West as an American origin story that happens to shed light on the recent American election. I’ll be there opening night.

Andrew Lee Creech

[email protected]

#Duane Kelly #Seattle #dramatist #dramatists guild

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227snewfacebookfries · 7 years ago

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227's™ Facebook Fries!¡' (aka YouTube Chili' NBA) #Nike'Spicy'Tunes Trending News! Alex Chili' Rodriguez’s Nephew Was Kidnapped and Held for Spicy' Ransom: Report #Walmart'Spicy'Tunes #Nike'Spicy'Tunes Spicy' NBA Mix!

Alex Rodriguez’s nephew was kidnapped and held for random over a botched car deal on Wednesday, April 18, NBC New York reports.

Norberto Susini was reportedly with a friend who was attempting to sell a Lamborghini to two men. They met up at a hotel, but things took a turn when the money changed hands. A miscommunication allegedly led the buyers to kidnap the 29-year-old, holding him in a car against his will.

The men reportedly ended up walking the minor league baseball player back to the hotel. New York Police detectives were waiting in the lobby, and the buyers were arrested.

via www.msn.com

Alex Rodriguez’s Nephew Was Kidnapped and Held for Ransom: Report

Baseball Team Won't Let National Anthem Singer Bring Her Gun - So She Refuses to Sing

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celticmythpodshow · 8 years ago

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CMP Special 26 Samhain Holiday Special 2011

Hallowe'en traditions though the years

In this Hallowe'en or Samhain Holiday Special we bring you two fascinating accounts of Samhain traditions: one modern and one Victorian, and an amazing story by a talented story-teller, Chris Joliffe - and we hope to be hearing more from Chris in the future - and 5 of the best pieces of music we reckon you'll hear for this year's Samhain! This one's a corker!

Phew!

Full Show-notes, with all credits, can be found on our main Website at http://celticmythpodshow.com/halloween2011

Running Order:

Intro 0:41

News & Views 1:32

The Cauldron Born by Damh the Bard 2:40

Samhain: Lowering the Veil by Jennifer Emick 9:58

Realm of the Free by Cindy Spear & Colin Mold 22:33

Visions and Beliefs in the West of Ireland by Lady Gregory 28:06

She is Crone by Kellianna 43:40

Forget Me Not by Chris Joliffe 47:58

The Cheshire Souling Song by Kate & Corwen 41:10

Competition Winner 57:05

Samhain Story by Chris Joliffe 58:26

The Shores of Wales by Kray Van Kirk 1:09:09

Outtakes 1:16:53

We hope you enjoy it!

Gary & Ruthie x x x

Released: 19 Nov 2011, 1h 19m

It's always great to hear from you! Email [email protected], or leave us a message using Speakpipe

The Cauldron Born

by Damh the Bard

We can do no better than start our show with Damh singing us in with his song about the Goddess that stirs the cauldron of Awen or inspiration. She is central to the story of Taliesin - possibly the greatest bard - and Damh's song reminds us that in search for inspiration we are all "the Cauldron Born".

You can find out more about Damh on his website at Pagan Music or on our Contributor Page.

Samhain: the Lowering of the Veil

by Jennifer Emick

Often controversial, Jennifer Emick has kindly written a fascinating piece about Samhain traditions for us. Jennifer Emick is an artist, writer, and religious educator. She has promoted religious understanding in the internet community for over a decade. She is the About.com Guide to Alternative Religions, the most popular source for Celtic spiritual symbolism on the internet. Ms. Emick lives in the San Francisco Bay area.

She is also the Author of The Everything Celtic Wisdom Book which you can find on Amazon which looks at Irish, Scottish, and Welsh traditions. See her Contributor Page for more details.

Realm of the Free

by Cindy Spear & Colin Mold

Cindy Spear Cindy has written another amazing poem that has been set to music by Colin Mold called "The Realm of the Free". To find out more about Cindy Spear go to her website or visit her Contributor Page.

Colin Mold Colin is a talented musician who not only plays the band Karnataka in the UK, performs as a session musician and has two solo albums to his name. His latest project is a forth-coming album, Girl On the Castle Steps, on which will you will also hear this track as well as another one with lyrics written by Cindy called Green and Gold. Find out more about Colin on his website or on his Contributor Page.

Visions and Beliefs in the West of Ireland

By Lady Augusta Gregory

Isabella Augusta, Lady Gregory (15 March 1852 – 22 May 1932), born Isabella Augusta Persse, was an Irish dramatist and folklorist. With William Butler Yeats and Edward Martyn, she co-founded the Irish Literary Theatre and the Abbey Theatre, and wrote numerous short works for both companies. Lady Gregory produced a number of books of retellings of stories taken from Irish mythology. Born into a class that identified closely with British rule, her conversion to cultural nationalism, as evidenced by her writings, was emblematic of many of the political struggles to occur in Ireland during her lifetime. Lady Gregory is mainly remembered for her work behind the Irish Literary Revival. [Wiki]

She said:

"The Sidhe cannot make themselves visible to all. They are shape-changers; they can grow small or grow large, they can take what shape they choose; they appear as men or women wearing clothes of many colours, of today or of some old forgotten fashion, or they are seen as bird or beast, or as a barrel or a flock of wool. ..... There are two races among the Sidhe. One is tall and handsome, gay, and given to jesting and to playing pranks, leading us astray in the fields, giving gold that turns to withered leaves or to dust. These ride on horses through the night-time in large companies and troops, or ride in coaches, laughing and decked with flowers and fine clothes. The people of the other race are small, malicious, wide-bellied, carrying before them a bag. When a man or woman is about to die, a woman of the Sidhe will sometimes cry for a warning, keening and making lamentation. At the hour of death fighting may be heard in the air or about the house-that is, when the man in danger has friends among the shadows, who are fighting on his behalf. ....

This is the news I have been given of the people of the Sidhe by many who have seen them and some who have known their power.

A.G.

The full text can be found on Sacred Texts at Sacred Texts.

She is Crone

by Kellianna

Kellianna is an American pagan artist internationally performing song and chant inspired by myth, magic, sacred places and ancient times. With guitar and vocals she brings to life the stories and sagas of the Gods and Goddesses. With frame drum and chant she honors the Earth and the Ancestors via primal drumming and powerful vocals.

This track, the incredibly powerful summoning of the Crone, is from her latest album "Elemental" - well worth checking out. You can find out more about this enchantress on her website or on our Contributor Page.

Samhain Story & Forget Me Not

by Chris Joliffe

Astoundingly, Chris is an undiscovered talent - that is, until now! This amazing bard has given us permission to use some of his amazing stories and poems in the show and we're sure that you'll love them just as much as we do.

In this show, you can hears his short poem Forget Me Not and his mythically-rich story, Samhain Story. We hope to bring you much more of Chris in the future and in the meantime check out his Contributor Page to find out a little more about him.

The Cheshire Souling Song

by Kate Fkletcher & Corwen Broch

Kate and Corwen are more than just folk musicians. They are also instrument makers and workshop leaders who perform folk music and drama, recreate Ancient music and instruments, make crafts, run workshops for schools and demonstrate at museums and other events. In some ways, they have become folk music's scientists in that their research is delving deep into the past to discover the songs (one of Kate's specialities I believe) and the instruments (definitely one of Corwen's!) of the past. We've seen Corwen demonstrate an ancient lyre on YouTube! Hold on, let's see if I can find it...

youtube

You'll find the link to their YouTube channel on their Contributor Page and it really is worth listening to more of their music and finding out about some of the instruments used by the Celts and how they sounded! I think one of the most amazing things I've read about them is on their website where it says: Never afraid to sing all the verses of a long ballad, or play newly composed material on long forgotten instruments, our music has been described as 'hypno/folk'. We aim to make music that their ancestors would understand and appreciate. You can find out more about Kate & Corwen on their website at Ancient Music.co.uk or on their Contributor Page.

The Shores of Wales

by Kray Van Kirk

"I have a different approach now to writing and performing music. I no longer record CDs, as I want to reduce the waste headed to our landfills, and I don't charge money for my songs as a deliberate movement away from the bottom line that seems to govern so much of our daily lives. So I keep writing my songs, and I sing them when I play a show, and I give them away to anyone who wants them. My graduate work takes me to interesting places on rather short notice sometimes, and I try to plan concerts around that travel, although the short notice can make it difficult."

About this track, The Shores of Wales, he says: "Every time I play this, someone comes up to me almost frantic to hear what finally happened in the story. I don't think there's a real answer- the beach is empty, the horse is alone, and William rides still. I do like the Faerie King, though- although he is careless of William's fate and casually cruel, he also lays his own soul on the line when challenged."

Find out more about Kray on his website or his Contributor Page.

Competition Winner

We announce the winner of our competition set in the Chatterbox Show SP24 and wish you all the best of the season and a very Happy New Year!

Get EXTRA content in the Celtic Myth Podshow App for iOS, Android & Windows

Email us at: [email protected]. Facebook fan-page http://www.facebook.com/CelticMythPodshow, Twitter (@CelticMythShow) or Snapchat (@garyandruth), Pinterest (celticmythshow) or Instagram (celticmythshow)

Help Spread the Word:

Please also consider leaving us a rating, a review and subscribing in iTunes or 'Liking' our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CelticMythPodshow as it helps let people discover our show - thank you :)

If you've enjoyed the show, would you mind sharing it on Twitter please? Click here to post a tweet!

Ways to subscribe to the Celtic Myth Podshow:

Click here to subscribe via iTunes

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Special Thanks

Psicodreamics for Spirit of Nature and Earth Prayer from the album Ancient Wisdom. See his website for further details of check out his Contributor Page.

Green Druid for the enthralling lay, Celta. See his Contributor Page for more details.

Adragante, for his track Chanson a la Marie from his album, Harmonie Cosmique. Check out his Contributor Page for more details.

Grégoire Lourme, for 1DSENS - Musee virtuel - Evasion from his album Shorts Works. See his Contributor Page for more details.

For our Theme Music:

The Skylark and Haghole, the brilliant Culann's Hounds. See their Contributor page for details.

Extra Special Thanks for Unrestricted Access to Wonderful Music

(in Alphabetic order)

Anne Roos Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of her masterful music to Anne Roos. You can find out more about Anne on her website or on her Contributor page.

Caera Extra Special thanks go for permission to any of her evocative harping and Gaelic singing to Caera. You can find out more about Caera on her website or on her Contributor Page.

Celia Extra Special Thanks go for permission to use any of her wonderful music to Celia Farran. You can find out more about Celia on her website or on her Contributor Page.

Damh the Bard Extra Special thanks go to Damh the Bard for his permission to use any of his music on the Show. You can find out more about Damh (Dave) on his website or on his Contributor page.

The Dolmen Extra Special thanks also go to The Dolmen, for their permission to use any of their fantastic Celtic Folk/Rock music on the Show. You can find out more about The Dolmen on their website or on our Contributor page.

Keltoria Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of their inspired music to Keltoria. You can find out more about Keltoria on their website or on their Contributor page.

Kevin Skinner Extra Special thanks go for permission to use any of his superb music to Kevin Skinner. You can find out more about Kevin on his website or on his Contributor page.

Phil Thornton Extra Special Thanks go for permission to use any of his astounding ambient music to the Sonic Sorcerer himself, Phil Thornton. You can find out more about Phil on his website or on his Contributor Page.

S.J. Tucker Extra Special thanks go to Sooj for her permission to use any of her superb music. You can find out more about Sooj on her website or on her Contributor page.

Spiral Dance Extra Special thanks go for permission to use Adrienne and the band to use any of their music in the show. You can find out more about Spiral Dance on their website or on their Contributor page.

We'd like to wish you 'Hwyl fawr!', which is Welsh for Goodbye and have fun, or more literally Wishing a Good Mood on you!

Check out this episode!

#celtic myth #podcast #mythology #celts

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hottesome · 5 years ago

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One year later…

Hey all,

Happy June aka Pride Month (for all, but especially for the lgbtqiap+ community)! BE

FREE… BE YOU… whatever that means… because life is a journey and finding and living

your truth is a constant. My truth as a queer vegan wine lush/ foodie and blogger is

getting back into sharing the good word with you… that word being Eat, Drink, Watch…

in the past month(s) I’ve made an effort to see more movies, shows and try out lots of

spots in LA County, but don’t fret… I will be venturing to other places and states this year

for life events such as my best friend’s (one of dos) wedding in Washington (State) later

this year and to Nevada this weekend for the Bachelor party… but don’t worry it’s not

going to be a Julia Roberts situation… well maybe hair wise… thank you pre-summer heat

& humidity.

One way to stay refreshed to beat the heat is with some choice beverages and my

choice beverage in months to come is HARD KOMBUCHA (and that rosé all day even

more so now that there’s rosé EVERYTHING)…. according to wikipedia:

Kombucha is a fermented, slightly alcoholic, lightly effervescent, sweetened black or green tea drink commonly intended as a functional beverage for its “supposed health benefits.”

HARD Kombucha to be more on the nose is very alcoholic, ranging from 4% and up

(much like hard cider) and is a popular alternative for adult beverage partakers who

aren’t big on beer, wine, whiskey, and all that other fun treat yoself stuff.

While finally catching the last season of Broad City season cinco (5)

*insert tears for days*

We (mi and mi amor) had the pleasure of indulging in two quality H.K. brands

among other things… while binging the magic, merriment and mishaps of Abbi &

Ilana… those beautiful “Jew-ess” (Jewish Goddess – call back to the final season and Miss

Wexler finally getting some ethnically appropriate hoops) KWANES of the NY do their

thing we call life.

Abbi goes on a journey of creativity, realizing she’s kind of just jumping from one job

to the next, but not really living out her full dreams (as an artist) since she’s a floor sales

associate at Antropologie (that discount though O.O).

She finally takes life by the metaphorical balls and “Makes the Space” in an episode

of the same name only to get fired for overstepping in Broad City spirit (probably one of

my top three ep picks for this season and not just because of the Guillermo Diaz guest

spot/character arc as Jaime’s boyfriend from Jersey. Love me some Guillermo…who you

may know from Scandal (w/ Kerry Washington), Oil Can Harry’s in Studio City (one of

my bar/dance/karaoke hangs… he’s a regular), Weeds (con en español/with Mary Louise

Parker who I think is somehow related to Parker Posey or should play her sister in some

one off project and have mixed up recently… though I definitely know as well as love me

some P. Posey in The Sweetest Thing, Josie & the Pussycats, Adam & Steve, etc…. so

why I did that is beyond me… but hey I’m 33 and it’s just “spilt milk” and I’m non-dairy so

I’m over it… sorry not sorry mostly…), Half Baked (also starring Dave Chappelle) or I

Wanna Go music video via Britney Spears… it’s Britney… Betch!!!!)

youtube

As Ilana finds her own bliss cashing out her bitcoin capital to start a business and

live out her pansexual freedom… solo… so much freedom that she at some point drunkly

kissed Bevers #bearcub at some point off season.

So much good in this season including the Instagram Stories birthday episode to kick

it all off… sipping Kyla was definitely a highlight. Kyla is a popular craft brew hard

kombucha priced around ten bucks per six pack (without tax) hitting you smoothly at

4.5% abv and comes in 4 different flavors Ginger Tangerine (OG), Pink Grapefruit

(Emmanuel’s aka my boyfriend’s favorite), Hibiscus Lime and Cold Brew… yes hard craft

cold brew kombucha… it’s hella strong and yes I just used the word hella in 2019. Kyla is

best served cold or at room temp, though it does fair well when warm compare to Booch

Craft my favorite craft kombucha brand and not just because I was the VERY lucky

winner of their Sun & Swell mashup IG contest (Lemon Coconut snack bites take the gold

medal, Clean Cookie gets the silver, my fav color). This made grabbing this quality drank

easier than applying some sunscreen

before going out the door for work in

the morning (*hint* pile that ish on…).

While I do believe all Booch Craft is

created equally we did discover that

the Ginger*Lime*Rosemary is more

enjoyable at room temp. Now as a lush I enjoy most beverages both non and completely

alcoholic… that didn’t come out right…, but some people don’t have a pallet for that malty,

yeast-ish, hay ale and beer savor… this would be the closest flavor to these two worlds

and is what I’d recommend for the beer guy or gal or just being who is looking to branch

out and expand their pallet then graduate into some of the more creative mouth-feel

styles such as Apple*Lime*Jasmine and Grapefruit*Hibiscus*Heather. ALJ is a

showstopper like everyone embrassing the sexual fluidity of Abbi in Broad City’s

final season when she starts dating Dr. Lesley Marnell also known as CLEA DUVALL (in

real life) or the explored sexuality of “Striking Vipers”/ Black Mirror season 5 episode 1,

which come BM we can’t have one straight forward representation of queer men… it’s

2019…

Tangents and rants aside… Black Mirror is great and the new season is worth it, go in

with an open mind… by best male friend Mr. Ryan Russell noted we often go into new

seasons, reboots and remakes with so much judgement we can’t appreciate all the

“notes”… the same applies to the world of beverages… maybe kombucha might be

farfetch’d if and when you try it in any form… but take a pause… smell it… take in the

color, texture and all the aspects on the surface… give it a swish and let it roll over your

taste buds then in a few seconds give it another go… you’d be surprised at what you get

and how much you enjoy the second go around… apply this process to your view habits

(less literally) and see where it takes you…. could even work in life… *mind blown*

Catch the last season of Broad City on

Hulu now (meaning asap) and the new

season of Black Mirror via Netflix.

Check out my other blog about holidays,

events, life, life hacks, national days and

everything in between at:

Hottesome

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ THANKS FOR READING ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

CHEERS!!!

Helpful Links:

Follow BOOCH CRAFT on the gram, visit their website and drink up responsibly:

See: https://www.instagram.com/boochcraft/

See: https://boochcraft.com/

Grab some Kyla at TJ, Whole Foods and/or Total Wine:

See: https://www.kylakombucha.com/

Sun & Swell Foods/Snacks

See: https://sunandswellfoods.com/collections/snack-bites/products/snack-bites

Check out OCH

Oil Can Harry’s

References:

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha

See: https://www.hulu.com/

DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW ME ON THE MEDIA FOR

FRIENDSHIP, RECOMMENDS & REVIEWS:

FACEBOOK – INSTAGRAM – TWITTER – YELP – YOUTUBE

BOOCH City: Kombucha & Kwanes One year later... Hey all, Happy June aka Pride Month (for all, but especially for the lgbtqiap+ community)!

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thesnhuup · 6 years ago

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Pop Picks – December 4, 2018

December 4, 2018

What I’m listening to:

Spending a week in New Zealand, we had endless laughs listening to the Kiwi band, Flight of the Conchords. Lots of comedic bands are funny, but the music is only okay or worse. These guys are funny – hysterical really – and the music is great. They have an uncanny ability to parody almost any style. In both New Zealand and Australia, we found a wry sense of humor that was just delightful and no better captured than with this duo. You don’t have to be in New Zealand to enjoy them.

What I’m reading:

I don’t often reread. For two reasons: A) I have so many books on my “still to be read” pile that it seems daunting to also reread books I loved before, and B) it’s because I loved them once that I’m a little afraid to read them again. That said, I was recently asked to list my favorite book of all time and I answered Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. But I don’t really know if that’s still true (and it’s an impossible question anyway – favorite book? On what day? In what mood?), so I’m rereading it and it feels like being with an old friend. It has one of my very favorite scenes ever: the card game between Levin and Kitty that leads to the proposal and his joyous walking the streets all night.

What I’m watching:

Blindspotting is billed as a buddy-comedy. Wow does that undersell it and the drama is often gripping. I loved Daveed Diggs in Hamilton, didn’t like his character in Black-ish, and think he is transcendent in this film he co-wrote with Rafael Casal, his co-star. The film is a love song to Oakland in many ways, but also a gut-wrenching indictment of police brutality, systemic racism and bias, and gentrification. The film has the freshness and raw visceral impact of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. A great soundtrack, genre mixing, and energy make it one of my favorite movies of 2018.

Archive

October 15, 2018

What I’m listening to:

We had the opportunity to see our favorite band, The National, live in Dallas two weeks ago. Just after watching Mistaken for Strangers, the documentary sort of about the band. So we’ve spent a lot of time going back into their earlier work, listening to songs we don’t know well, and reaffirming that their musicality, smarts, and sound are both original and astoundingly good. They did not disappoint in concert and it is a good thing their tour ended, as we might just spend all of our time and money following them around. Matt Berninger is a genius and his lead vocals kill me (and because they are in my range, I can actually sing along!). Their arrangements are profoundly good and go right to whatever brain/heart wiring that pulls one in and doesn’t let them go.

What I’m reading:

Who is Richard Powers and why have I only discovered him now, with his 12th book? Overstory is profoundly good, a book that is essential and powerful and makes me look at my everyday world in new ways. In short, a dizzying example of how powerful can be narrative in the hands of a master storyteller. I hesitate to say it’s the best environmental novel I’ve ever read (it is), because that would put this book in a category. It is surely about the natural world, but it is as much about we humans. It’s monumental and elegiac and wondrous at all once. Cancel your day’s schedule and read it now. Then plant a tree. A lot of them.

What I’m watching:

Bo Burnham wrote and directed Eighth Grade and Elsie Fisher is nothing less than amazing as its star (what’s with these new child actors; see Florida Project). It’s funny and painful and touching. It’s also the single best film treatment that I have seen of what it means to grow up in a social media shaped world. It’s a reminder that growing up is hard. Maybe harder now in a world of relentless, layered digital pressure to curate perfect lives that are far removed from the natural messy worlds and selves we actually inhabit. It’s a well-deserved 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and I wonder who dinged it for the missing 2%.

September 7, 2018

What I’m listening to:

With a cover pointing back to the Beastie Boys’ 1986 Licensed to Ill, Eminem’s quietly released Kamikaze is not my usual taste, but I’ve always admired him for his “all out there” willingness to be personal, to call people out, and his sheer genius with language. I thought Daveed Diggs could rap fast, but Eminem is supersonic at moments, and still finds room for melody. Love that he includes Joyner Lucas, whose “I’m Not Racist” gets added to the growing list of simply amazing music videos commenting on race in America. There are endless reasons why I am the least likely Eminem fan, but when no one is around to make fun of me, I’ll put it on again.

What I’m reading:

Lesley Blume’s Everyone Behaves Badly, which is the story behind Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and his time in 1920s Paris (oh, what a time – see Midnight in Paris if you haven’t already). Of course, Blume disabuses my romantic ideas of that time and place and everyone is sort of (or profoundly so) a jerk, especially…no spoiler here…Hemingway. That said, it is a compelling read and coming off the Henry James inspired prose of Mrs. Osmond, it made me appreciate more how groundbreaking was Hemingway’s modern prose style. Like his contemporary Picasso, he reinvented the art and it can be easy to forget, these decades later, how profound was the change and its impact. And it has bullfights.

What I’m watching:

Chloé Zhao’s The Rider is just exceptional. It’s filmed on the Pine Ridge Reservation, which provides a stunning landscape, and it feels like a classic western reinvented for our times. The main characters are played by the real-life people who inspired this narrative (but feels like a documentary) film. Brady Jandreau, playing himself really, owns the screen. It’s about manhood, honor codes, loss, and resilience – rendered in sensitive, nuanced, and heartfelt ways. It feels like it could be about large swaths of America today. Really powerful.

August 16, 2018

What I’m listening to:

In my Spotify Daily Mix was Percy Sledge’s When A Man Loves A Woman, one of the world’s greatest love songs. Go online and read the story of how the song was discovered and recorded. There are competing accounts, but Sledge said he improvised it after a bad breakup. It has that kind of aching spontaneity. It is another hit from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, one of the GREAT music hotbeds, along with Detroit, Nashville, and Memphis. Our February Board meeting is in Alabama and I may finally have to do the pilgrimage road trip to Muscle Shoals and then Memphis, dropping in for Sunday services at the church where Rev. Al Green still preaches and sings. If the music is all like this, I will be saved.

What I’m reading:

John Banville’s Mrs. Osmond, his homage to literary idol Henry James and an imagined sequel to James’ 1881 masterpiece Portrait of a Lady. Go online and read the first paragraph of Chapter 25. He is…profoundly good. Makes me want to never write again, since anything I attempt will feel like some other, lowly activity in comparison to his mastery of language, image, syntax. This is slow reading, every sentence to be savored.

What I’m watching:

I’ve always respected Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but we just watched the documentary RGB. It is over-the-top great and she is now one of my heroes. A superwoman in many ways and the documentary is really well done. There are lots of scenes of her speaking to crowds and the way young women, especially law students, look at her is touching. And you can’t help but fall in love with her now late husband Marty. See this movie and be reminded of how important is the Law.

July 23, 2018

What I’m listening to:

Spotify’s Summer Acoustic playlist has been on repeat quite a lot. What a fun way to listen to artists new to me, including The Paper Kites, Hollow Coves, and Fleet Foxes, as well as old favorites like Leon Bridges and Jose Gonzalez. Pretty chill when dialing back to a summer pace, dining on the screen porch or reading a book.

What I’m reading:

Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy. Founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, Stevenson tells of the racial injustice (and the war on the poor our judicial system perpetuates as well) that he discovered as a young graduate from Harvard Law School and his fight to address it. It is in turn heartbreaking, enraging, and inspiring. It is also about mercy and empathy and justice that reads like a novel. Brilliant.

What I’m watching:

Fauda. We watched season one of this Israeli thriller. It was much discussed in Israel because while it focuses on an ex-special agent who comes out of retirement to track down a Palestinian terrorist, it was willing to reveal the complexity, richness, and emotions of Palestinian lives. And the occasional brutality of the Israelis. Pretty controversial stuff in Israel. Lior Raz plays Doron, the main character, and is compelling and tough and often hard to like. He’s a mess. As is the world in which he has to operate. We really liked it, and also felt guilty because while it may have been brave in its treatment of Palestinians within the Israeli context, it falls back into some tired tropes and ultimately falls short on this front.

June 11, 2018

What I’m listening to:

Like everyone else, I’m listening to Pusha T drop the mic on Drake. Okay, not really, but do I get some points for even knowing that? We all walk around with songs that immediately bring us back to a time or a place. Songs are time machines. We are coming up on Father’s Day. My own dad passed away on Father’s Day back in 1994 and I remembering dutifully getting through the wake and funeral and being strong throughout. Then, sitting alone in our kitchen, Don Henley’s The End of the Innocence came on and I lost it. When you lose a parent for the first time (most of us have two after all) we lose our innocence and in that passage, we suddenly feel adult in a new way (no matter how old we are), a longing for our own childhood, and a need to forgive and be forgiven. Listen to the lyrics and you’ll understand. As Wordsworth reminds us in In Memoriam, there are seasons to our grief and, all these years later, this song no longer hits me in the gut, but does transport me back with loving memories of my father. I’ll play it Father’s Day.

What I’m reading:

The Fifth Season, by N. K. Jemisin. I am not a reader of fantasy or sci-fi, though I understand they can be powerful vehicles for addressing the very real challenges of the world in which we actually live. I’m not sure I know of a more vivid and gripping illustration of that fact than N. K. Jemisin’s Hugo Award winning novel The Fifth Season, first in her Broken Earth trilogy. It is astounding. It is the fantasy parallel to The Underground Railroad, my favorite recent read, a depiction of subjugation, power, casual violence, and a broken world in which our hero(s) struggle, suffer mightily, and still, somehow, give us hope. It is a tour de force book. How can someone be this good a writer? The first 30 pages pained me (always with this genre, one must learn a new, constructed world, and all of its operating physics and systems of order), and then I could not put it down. I panicked as I neared the end, not wanting to finish the book, and quickly ordered the Obelisk Gate, the second novel in the trilogy, and I can tell you now that I’ll be spending some goodly portion of my weekend in Jemisin’s other world.

What I’m watching:

The NBA Finals and perhaps the best basketball player of this generation. I’ve come to deeply respect LeBron James as a person, a force for social good, and now as an extraordinary player at the peak of his powers. His superhuman play during the NBA playoffs now ranks with the all-time greats, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, MJ, Kobe, and the demi-god that was Bill Russell. That his Cavs lost in a 4-game sweep is no surprise. It was a mediocre team being carried on the wide shoulders of James (and matched against one of the greatest teams ever, the Warriors, and the Harry Potter of basketball, Steph Curry) and, in some strange way, his greatness is amplified by the contrast with the rest of his team. It was a great run.

May 24, 2018

What I’m listening to:

I’ve always liked Alicia Keys and admired her social activism, but I am hooked on her last album Here. This feels like an album finally commensurate with her anger, activism, hope, and grit. More R&B and Hip Hop than is typical for her, I think this album moves into an echelon inhabited by a Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On or Beyonce’s Formation. Social activism and outrage rarely make great novels, but they often fuel great popular music. Here is a terrific example.

What I’m reading:

Colson Whitehead’s Underground Railroad may be close to a flawless novel. Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer, it chronicles the lives of two runaway slaves, Cora and Caeser, as they try to escape the hell of plantation life in Georgia. It is an often searing novel and Cora is one of the great heroes of American literature. I would make this mandatory reading in every high school in America, especially in light of the absurd revisionist narratives of “happy and well cared for” slaves. This is a genuinely great novel, one of the best I’ve read, the magical realism and conflating of time periods lifts it to another realm of social commentary, relevance, and a blazing indictment of America’s Original Sin, for which we remain unabsolved.

What I’m watching:

I thought I knew about The Pentagon Papers, but The Post, a real-life political thriller from Steven Spielberg taught me a lot, features some of our greatest actors, and is so timely given the assault on our democratic institutions and with a presidency out of control. It is a reminder that a free and fearless press is a powerful part of our democracy, always among the first targets of despots everywhere. The story revolves around the legendary Post owner and D.C. doyenne, Katharine Graham. I had the opportunity to see her son, Don Graham, right after he saw the film, and he raved about Meryl Streep’s portrayal of his mother. Liked it a lot more than I expected.

April 27, 2018

What I’m listening to:

I mentioned John Prine in a recent post and then on the heels of that mention, he has released a new album, The Tree of Forgiveness, his first new album in ten years. Prine is beloved by other singer songwriters and often praised by the inscrutable God that is Bob Dylan. Indeed, Prine was frequently said to be the “next Bob Dylan” in the early part of his career, though he instead carved out his own respectable career and voice, if never with the dizzying success of Dylan. The new album reflects a man in his 70s, a cancer survivor, who reflects on life and its end, but with the good humor and empathy that are hallmarks of Prine’s music. “When I Get To Heaven” is a rollicking, fun vision of what comes next and a pure delight. A charming, warm, and often terrific album.

What I’m reading:

I recently read Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko, on many people’s Top Ten lists for last year and for good reason. It is sprawling, multi-generational, and based in the world of Japanese occupied Korea and then in the Korean immigrant’s world of Oaska, so our key characters become “tweeners,” accepted in neither world. It’s often unspeakably sad, and yet there is resiliency and love. There is also intimacy, despite the time and geographic span of the novel. It’s breathtakingly good and like all good novels, transporting.

What I’m watching:

I adore Guillermo del Toro’s 2006 film, Pan’s Labyrinth, and while I’m not sure his Shape of Water is better, it is a worthy follow up to the earlier masterpiece (and more of a commercial success). Lots of critics dislike the film, but I’m okay with a simple retelling of a Beauty and the Beast love story, as predictable as it might be. The acting is terrific, it is visually stunning, and there are layers of pain as well as social and political commentary (the setting is the US during the Cold War) and, no real spoiler here, the real monsters are humans, the military officer who sees over the captured aquatic creature. It is hauntingly beautiful and its depiction of hatred to those who are different or “other” is painfully resonant with the time in which we live. Put this on your “must see” list.

March 18, 2018

What I’m listening to:

Sitting on a plane for hours (and many more to go; geez, Australia is far away) is a great opportunity to listen to new music and to revisit old favorites. This time, it is Lucy Dacus and her album Historians, the new sophomore release from a 22-year old indie artist that writes with relatable, real-life lyrics. Just on a second listen and while she insists this isn’t a break up record (as we know, 50% of all great songs are break up songs), it is full of loss and pain. Worth the listen so far. For the way back machine, it’s John Prine and In Spite of Ourselves (that title track is one of the great love songs of all time), a collection of duets with some of his “favorite girl singers” as he once described them. I have a crush on Iris Dement (for a really righteously angry song try her Wasteland of the Free), but there is also EmmyLou Harris, the incomparable Dolores Keane, and Lucinda Williams. Very different albums, both wonderful.

What I’m reading:

Jane Mayer’s New Yorker piece on Christopher Steele presents little that is new, but she pulls it together in a terrific and coherent whole that is illuminating and troubling at the same time. Not only for what is happening, but for the complicity of the far right in trying to discredit that which should be setting off alarm bells everywhere. Bob Mueller may be the most important defender of the democracy at this time. A must read.

What I’m watching:

Homeland is killing it this season and is prescient, hauntingly so. Russian election interference, a Bannon-style hate radio demagogue, alienated and gun toting militia types, and a president out of control. It’s fabulous, even if it feels awfully close to the evening news.

March 8, 2018

What I’m listening to:

We have a family challenge to compile our Top 100 songs. It is painful. Only 100? No more than three songs by one artist? Wait, why is M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” on my list? Should it just be The Clash from whom she samples? Can I admit to guilty pleasure songs? Hey, it’s my list and I can put anything I want on it. So I’m listening to the list while I work and the song playing right now is Tom Petty’s “The Wild One, Forever,” a B-side single that was never a hit and that remains my favorite Petty song. Also, “Evangeline” by Los Lobos. It evokes a night many years ago, with friends at Pearl Street in Northampton, MA, when everyone danced well past 1AM in a hot, sweaty, packed club and the band was a revelation. Maybe the best music night of our lives and a reminder that one’s 100 Favorite Songs list is as much about what you were doing and where you were in your life when those songs were playing as it is about the music. It’s not a list. It’s a soundtrack for this journey.

What I’m reading:

Patricia Lockwood’s Priestdaddy was in the NY Times top ten books of 2017 list and it is easy to see why. Lockwood brings remarkable and often surprising imagery, metaphor, and language to her prose memoir and it actually threw me off at first. It then all became clear when someone told me she is a poet. The book is laugh aloud funny, which masks (or makes safer anyway) some pretty dark territory. Anyone who grew up Catholic, whether lapsed or not, will resonate with her story. She can’t resist a bawdy anecdote and her family provides some of the most memorable characters possible, especially her father, her sister, and her mother, who I came to adore. Best thing I’ve read in ages.

What I’m watching:

The Florida Project, a profoundly good movie on so many levels. Start with the central character, six-year old (at the time of the filming) Brooklynn Prince, who owns – I mean really owns – the screen. This is pure acting genius and at that age? Astounding. Almost as astounding is Bria Vinaite, who plays her mother. She was discovered on Instagram and had never acted before this role, which she did with just three weeks of acting lessons. She is utterly convincing and the tension between the child’s absolute wonder and joy in the world with her mother’s struggle to provide, to be a mother, is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once. Willem Dafoe rightly received an Oscar nomination for his supporting role. This is a terrific movie.

February 12, 2018

What I’m listening to:

So, I have a lot of friends of age (I know you’re thinking 40s, but I just turned 60) who are frozen in whatever era of music they enjoyed in college or maybe even in their thirties. There are lots of times when I reach back into the catalog, since music is one of those really powerful and transporting senses that can take you through time (smell is the other one, though often underappreciated for that power). Hell, I just bought a turntable and now spending time in vintage vinyl shops. But I’m trying to take a lesson from Pat, who revels in new music and can as easily talk about North African rap music and the latest National album as Meet the Beatles, her first ever album. So, I’ve been listening to Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy winning Damn. While it may not be the first thing I’ll reach for on a winter night in Maine, by the fire, I was taken with it. It’s layered, political, and weirdly sensitive and misogynist at the same time, and it feels fresh and authentic and smart at the same time, with music that often pulled me from what I was doing. In short, everything music should do. I’m not a bit cooler for listening to Damn, but when I followed it with Steely Dan, I felt like I was listening to Lawrence Welk. A good sign, I think.

What I’m reading:

I am reading Walter Isaacson’s new biography of Leonardo da Vinci. I’m not usually a reader of biographies, but I’ve always been taken with Leonardo. Isaacson does not disappoint (does he ever?), and his subject is at once more human and accessible and more awe-inspiring in Isaacson’s capable hands. Gay, left-handed, vegetarian, incapable of finishing things, a wonderful conversationalist, kind, and perhaps the most relentlessly curious human being who has ever lived. Like his biographies of Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein, Isaacson’s project here is to show that genius lives at the intersection of science and art, of rationality and creativity. Highly recommend it.

What I’m watching:

We watched the This Is Us post-Super Bowl episode, the one where Jack finally buys the farm. I really want to hate this show. It is melodramatic and manipulative, with characters that mostly never change or grow, and it hooks me every damn time we watch it. The episode last Sunday was a tear jerker, a double whammy intended to render into a blubbering, tissue-crumbling pathetic mess anyone who has lost a parent or who is a parent. Sterling K. Brown, Ron Cephas Jones, the surprising Mandy Moore, and Milo Ventimiglia are hard not to love and last season’s episode that had only Brown and Cephas going to Memphis was the show at its best (they are by far the two best actors). Last week was the show at its best worst. In other words, I want to hate it, but I love it. If you haven’t seen it, don’t binge watch it. You’ll need therapy and insulin.

January 15, 2018

What I’m listening to:

Drive-By Truckers. Chris Stapleton has me on an unusual (for me) country theme and I discovered these guys to my great delight. They’ve been around, with some 11 albums, but the newest one is fascinating. It’s a deep dive into Southern alienation and the white working-class world often associated with our current president. I admire the willingness to lay bare, in kick ass rock songs, the complexities and pain at work among people we too quickly place into overly simple categories. These guys are brave, bold, and thoughtful as hell, while producing songs I didn’t expect to like, but that I keep playing. And they are coming to NH.

What I’m reading:

A textual analog to Drive-By Truckers by Chris Stapleton in many ways is Tony Horowitz’s 1998 Pulitzer Prize winning Confederates in the Attic. Ostensibly about the Civil War and the South’s ongoing attachment to it, it is prescient and speaks eloquently to the times in which we live (where every southern state but Virginia voted for President Trump). Often hilarious, it too surfaces complexities and nuance that escape a more recent, and widely acclaimed, book like Hillbilly Elegy. As a Civil War fan, it was also astonishing in many instances, especially when it blows apart long-held “truths” about the war, such as the degree to which Sherman burned down the south (he did not). Like D-B Truckers, Horowitz loves the South and the people he encounters, even as he grapples with its myths of victimhood and exceptionalism (and racism, which may be no more than the racism in the north, but of a different kind). Everyone should read this book and I’m embarrassed I’m so late to it.

What I’m watching:

David Letterman has a new Netflix show called “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” and we watched the first episode, in which Letterman interviewed Barack Obama. It was extraordinary (if you don’t have Netflix, get it just to watch this show); not only because we were reminded of Obama’s smarts, grace, and humanity (and humor), but because we saw a side of Letterman we didn’t know existed. His personal reflections on Selma were raw and powerful, almost painful. He will do five more episodes with “extraordinary individuals” and if they are anything like the first, this might be the very best work of his career and one of the best things on television.

December 22, 2017

What I’m reading:

Just finished Sunjeev Sahota’s Year of the Runaways, a painful inside look at the plight of illegal Indian immigrant workers in Britain. It was shortlisted for 2015 Man Booker Prize and its transporting, often to a dark and painful universe, and it is impossible not to think about the American version of this story and the terrible way we treat the undocumented in our own country, especially now.

What I’m watching:

Season II of The Crown is even better than Season I. Elizabeth’s character is becoming more three-dimensional, the modern world is catching up with tradition-bound Britain, and Cold War politics offer more context and tension than we saw in Season I. Claire Foy, in her last season, is just terrific – one arched eye brow can send a message.

What I’m listening to:

A lot of Christmas music, but needing a break from the schmaltz, I’ve discovered Over the Rhine and their Christmas album, Snow Angels. God, these guys are good.

November 14, 2017

What I’m watching:

Guiltily, I watch the Patriots play every weekend, often building my schedule and plans around seeing the game. Why the guilt? I don’t know how morally defensible is football anymore, as we now know the severe damage it does to the players. We can’t pretend it’s all okay anymore. Is this our version of late decadent Rome, watching mostly young Black men take a terrible toll on each other for our mere entertainment?

What I’m reading:

Recently finished J.G. Ballard’s 2000 novel Super-Cannes, a powerful depiction of a corporate-tech ex-pat community taken over by a kind of psychopathology, in which all social norms and responsibilities are surrendered to residents of the new world community. Kept thinking about Silicon Valley when reading it. Pretty dark, dystopian view of the modern world and centered around a mass killing, troublingly prescient.

What I’m listening to:

Was never really a Lorde fan, only knowing her catchy (and smarter than you might first guess) pop hit “Royals” from her debut album. But her new album, Melodrama, is terrific and it doesn’t feel quite right to call this “pop.” There is something way more substantial going on with Lorde and I can see why many critics put this album at the top of their Best in 2017 list. Count me in as a huge fan.

November 3, 2017

What I’m reading: Just finished Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere, her breathtakingly good second novel. How is someone so young so wise? Her writing is near perfection and I read the book in two days, setting my alarm for 4:30AM so I could finish it before work.

What I’m watching: We just binge watched season two of Stranger Things and it was worth it just to watch Millie Bobbie Brown, the transcendent young actor who plays Eleven. The series is a delightful mash up of every great eighties horror genre you can imagine and while pretty dark, an absolute joy to watch.

What I’m listening to: I’m not a lover of country music (to say the least), but I love Chris Stapleton. His “The Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning” is heartbreakingly good and reminds me of the old school country that played in my house as a kid. He has a new album and I can’t wait, but his From A Room: Volume 1 is on repeat for now.

September 26, 2017

What I’m reading:

Just finished George Saunder’s Lincoln in the Bardo. It took me a while to accept its cadence and sheer weirdness, but loved it in the end. A painful meditation on loss and grief, and a genuinely beautiful exploration of the intersection of life and death, the difficulty of letting go of what was, good and bad, and what never came to be.

What I’m watching:

HBO’s The Deuce. Times Square and the beginning of the porn industry in the 1970s, the setting made me wonder if this was really something I’d want to see. But David Simon is the writer and I’d read a menu if he wrote it. It does not disappoint so far and there is nothing prurient about it.

What I’m listening to:

The National’s new album Sleep Well Beast. I love this band. The opening piano notes of the first song, “Nobody Else Will Be There,” seize me & I’m reminded that no one else in music today matches their arrangement & musicianship. I’m adding “Born to Beg,” “Slow Show,” “I Need My Girl,” and “Runaway” to my list of favorite love songs.

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wiremagazine · 6 years ago

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DESTINATIONS: PRIDE JOURNEY: ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

By Jesse Walker

Nestled 90 minutes from Niagara Falls and just off of the southern shore of Lake Ontario in the Finger Lakes region of New York, you'll find the truly limitless city of Rochester. Known for numerous festivals and events throughout the year, immense history, world-class museums, and its inclusive hospitality, New York State's third largest city has something for everyone. I recently explored the city for myself and my expectations were consistently exceeded. My visit coincided with Rochester's Pride Fest. The inclusiveness of the city is apparent, and I felt welcome from the start. "Roc Pride," as it's known, is one of the largest Pride festivals in the state outside of NYC. Complete with events, music, and a parade, there's plenty to experience during this week-long celebration.

When you ask how far something is from the city center, locals will say "about 15 minutes or so." That's because, well, it's true. The greater Rochester region has a population of about 1 million people, so getting from place-to-place is quite stress-free. With nonstop flights from Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) to Charlotte, New York City, Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto, and more, the city is as accessible as ever. For a central location, stay at the East Avenue Inn & Suites. The staff is friendly, the rooms are spacious, and the entire property was recently renovated. Better yet, the location is superb as you can walk to numerous shops and restaurants all within a few short blocks.

Upon arriving, the bar for the trip was set high after a visit to The Strong National Museum of Play. This interactive museum has a surprise around every corner and something for absolutely everyone. Learn about the history of toys, why playtime is so important, and check out the Toy Hall of Fame to see your favorite childhood toys. There's even a mini Wegman's where kids can play 'customer' or 'cashier' at the beloved supermarket chain.

After a full day of travel, it was time for dinner. I visited The Playhouse/Swillburger, which is an arcade/restaurant housed in an old church. The burgers and beer are great, but the tater tots are an absolute must. Check out what the special is for the day, and enjoy. After eating, take a few steps over into the arcade area to enjoy classic games, like Pac-Man and pinball, or immersive and modern thrills like the Jurassic Park game.

Your time in Rochester wouldn't be complete without a visit to the home of one of its most famous residents, George Eastman. Now a world-class museum, gallery, theater, and film/photograph archive, the beautiful home and gardens at The George Eastman Museum will tell the Kodak founder's story from behind the lens. Tour the mansion to get a glimpse of his lavish lifestyle, see the famous elephant in his living room, and learn why he literally cut his house in half. The archives house over one million pieces of film, photographs, and other cinematic artifacts or technologies of importance to the industry. With many rotating exhibitions, there will always be new artwork and exhibits to explore, along with summer events such as their concert series held outdoors on the lawn.

Anywhere I go, I look to try the local beers. One of the oldest and continually operating breweries in America just happens to be in Rochester – The Genesee Brewery. Named after the Genesee River which flows through the city, the Genesee Brew House is located in the heart of the city overlooking a stunning view of High Falls. When it's nice out, sit on the balcony or the rooftop for full appreciation of the view. Plus, order the pretzel appetizer.

Rochester has a buzzing art and culture scene. I've been to traditional galleries before, and ArtisanWorks is everything but a traditional gallery. This non-profit creative community space supports local artists by purchasing their art for display in their 40,000 square foot facility, containing over 500,000 unique pieces. Each turn brings you to a new theme, era, style, or collection. Everywhere you look, you'll see something new and extraordinary. After, head over to the Memorial Art Gallery (the "MAG") for an art experience spanning across 5,000 years. With pieces from around the world, the 14-acre campus features an outdoor sculpture garden with unique pieces open year-round. The MAG features several LGBTQ artists in the collection and hosts events as part of Roc Pride.

On my final day, I enjoyed an iced coffee at Equal Grounds Coffee House, located in the trendy South Wedge neighborhood. It was then time to learn some history. I stopped by the Frederick Douglass Statue in Highland Park, before visiting the gravesites of Douglass and Susan B. Anthony at Mount Hope Cemetery. Both activists were friends and worked alongside each other for their movements. The Susan B. Anthony National House & Museum showcases Anthony's actual home where she lived, organized her community, and was arrested for voting illegally due to being a woman. The home is exceptionally preserved and educational about the incredible work she did.

Up next, the Park Avenue Food Tour by Flower City Food Tours. Pro tip: Don't eat breakfast on this day! This three-hour tour brings you to eight unique locations along Park Avenue ranging from a local staple, Jine's, to Baker Street Bakery, and Magnolia's Deli and Cafe, where President Obama dined in 2013 for lunch while passing through Rochester. (Check out the pictures on the wall from his visit!) This tour was not only delicious, but I learned a lot about the neighborhood and its history. Some of the restaurant owners were even present to greet the group and provide additional information about the food or drink options.

Be sure to stop by Living Roots, an urban winery that makes wines based on the two hometowns of its owners – Rochester, NY, and Adelaide, South Australia. They source grapes from both the Finger Lakes region as well as Adelaide Hills to provide a tasty balance of flavor. One must-see is Radio Social. This state-of-the-art restaurant, bar, event space, and bowling alley features some of the best food I had on the entire trip. I strongly suggest the Kubaneh "Pull Apart" Bread and the Chicken Kebab Pita. My drink of choice here was the "Up the Bracket" Have some fun with a few games of bowling before taking a few pictures around the totally Instagrammable interior.

As part of Roc Pride, Rochester Pedal Tours provided a fun way to get from bar-to-bar. Check out the numerous LGBTQ bars, each with its own flair. Enjoy the great drinks, fun atmosphere, and meet new friends at places like Avenue Pub and Lux Lounge. For a late-night snack, check out Swan Dive, a new restaurant that mixes a classic diner with a modern and upscale aura.

Rochester is a welcoming destination for all types, and I highly recommend adding it to your travel list. You'll discover new events and festivals throughout the year, and will experience the seasonal beauty from the region.

Jesse Walker is a contributing writer to Pride Journeys. Residing in Nashville, Tennessee, he focuses on destinations for millennial travelers. Reach Pride Journeys at [email protected].

This was originally published in Wire Magazine Issue 36.2018

#wire magazine #wiremag.com #wire #miami #miami beach #south beach #sobe #fort lauderdale #wynwood #wilton manors #gay #lgbt #glbt #Destinations #Rochester

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torontotravelblog · 6 years ago

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72 Hours of Food and Nonstop Fun in Toronto

Spring is officially here, and that means it’s time to start planning weekend escapes to the Queen City. Warmer temperatures and longer days allow for more time spent wandering Toronto’s outdoor spaces, sipping drinks on rooftops, dining on patios, and hopping from museum to museum. This guide to spending 72 hours in Hogtown will ensure you make the most of three full days in the city.

Day One

12 p.m.

Early spring in Toronto means the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Start your first day in the city with the Japanese tradition of cherry blossom flower watching, known as Sakura Hanami. Wander High Park in search of cherry blossoms, or simply enjoy the beauty of the lakefront, gardens, and hiking trails.

3 p.m. An enjoyable walk in the park is best followed by a cold pint of beer from a a local Toronto brewery. Walk or catch a cab just a few blocks north to the Indie Alehouse on Dundas Street West. Here, you’ll find a wide selection of craft beers made in house, and mouthwatering bar bites to appease your appetite until dinner.

6 p.m. Dinner is one of the most exciting times of day in Toronto. However, the huge selection of award-winning restaurants can make choosing the perfect one seem impossible. We recommend a visit to ALO Restaurant, where you can enjoy meticulously prepared French food in an unpretentious atmosphere. You won’t be disappointed.

End your evening at the ultra-hip Gladstone hotel, a boutique hotel that’s historic in nature (built in 1889) but contemporary in style, with 37 unique artist-designed rooms, locally-sourced food, and regular cultural events. As the city’s oldest continually operating hotel, there’s no better place to soak in the city’s rich cultural history without even having to venture outside. Don’t miss the hotel’s four floors of art, and the Melody Bar, which is almost always offering specials and entertainment.

Day Two

7 a.m.

You’ll want to rise and shine early on your 72-hour visit to Toronto, because there’s more to see than can be crammed into just a few days. Start your morning at Eggspectation at 20 Albert St., where you can dine on Lobster Benny or a Breakfast Poutine with homemade breakfast gravy, a sunny side egg, cheese curds, bacon, sausage, and ham. Sit on the patio to enjoy an especially warm spring day with a fresh-pressed juice or hot cup of coffee.

There’s no better place to work off a hearty Toronto breakfast than at Evergreen Brick Works. The Farmers’ Market moves back outside in May, and active programs change with the seasons. Stop by Evergreen’s website to see which community-friendly activities will be taking place during your visit.

12 p.m. Toronto locals love their sports, and there’s no better way to mingle with the locals and enjoy an unforgettable day outdoors than at a Toronto Blue Jays game. While spring training begins in March, the regular season kicks off at the start of April, and you can join crowds of screaming Blue Jay fans at Rogers Centre. Located just southwest of the CN Tower, the stadium makes sightseeing convenient before and after the big game.

The stadium is home to some of the best daily-smoked meats and poutines in the city, offering ample opportunities to snack on authentic Canadian and distinctly Hogtown eats.

3 p.m. Depending on the game time, you’ll want to do some sightseeing before or after. The Casa Loma castle and its stunning estate gardens is a must-visit Toronto attraction that’s ideal for travelers of all ages and interests. The castle’s Summer Series of events will feature Symphony in the Gardens on Tuesday evenings and the Soul in the City jazz showcase on Mondays. Casa Loma offers countless opportunities to discover Toronto’s unique history and culture while enjoying the outdoors.

And if you’re traveling with a crew of die-hard hockey fans, the world-famous Hockey Hall of Fame is one of the best places to discover Canada’s favourite pastime in north America. The Hall of Fame is an interactive entertainment destination, and you won’t want to miss the recently launched Centennial Exhibit, commemorating 100 years of NHL hockey with some of the sport’s most sought-after artifacts (like Gordie Howe’s 700th goal puck and Bobby Orr’s infamous knee brace). There’s something for everyone at the Hockey Hall of Fame.

6 p.m. It’s decision time again, and it’s nearly impossible to choose just three dinner restaurants for a 72-hour stay in the city. However, no visit to Toronto is complete without tasting some award-winning Chinese food in Chinatown. Head to the Dumpling House Restaurant on Spadina Avenue a cozy, authentic Chinese atmosphere with pan fried or steam dumplings that you’ll dream about long after you’ve left the city.

Head east of Spadina Avenue along Dundas, and you’ll find the famed Art Gallery of Ontario. Open until 9 p.m., on Wednesdays and Fridays, this gallery is the ideal place to wander after a Chinatown meal. The museum will be running a must-see Georgia O’Keeffe exhibition from April 22 to July 30, this year.

Those who simply don’t want the day to end should head down to the lakeshore for live jazz, swing, and blues music five nights a week at the Reservoir Lounge. Opt for a stay at the InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel for a luxuriously modern room in the heart of the city’s thriving Entertainment District.

Day Three

7 a.m.

A long night out warrants a hearty Toronto breakfast on your third morning in Hogtown. And the Senator Restaurant on Victoria Street is the perfect place to fill your belly with comfort food. Choose from everything from loaded scrambles and open-faced omelettes to salmon eggs benedict or huevos rancheros. You’ll never go hungry on your weekend escape to Toronto.

12 p.m. Continue the excitement of your 7w-hour visit to Toronto at one of the city’s favourite family-friendly attractions, the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada. From morning yoga in front of an exotic aquarium to the new up-close-and-personal Stingray Experience, Ripley offers some of the world’s most exciting aquarium experiences, and they’re right here in Hogtown.

Or, for those seeking the city’s more cultural side, the Textile Museum of Canada is one of the best places in the country to admire the works of local, national, and international contemporary artists. It presents rotating exhibitions, changed throughout the year. Exhibitions draw from TMC’s collection of 13,000 objects, spanning roughly 200 world regions and 2,000 years of history, and present the work of local, national and international contemporary artists. The TMC also hosts touring exhibitions and guest curators through various partnerships and collaborations.

3 p.m.

Just across the street from the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is Roundhouse Park and iconic Steam Whistle Brewing. Sip a world-famous Steam Whistle pilsner take a brewery tour (operating seven days a week), or if you time your visit right, catch one of the brewery’s many special events, including concerts, festivals, yoga, and more.

6 p.m.

Toronto’s theatre scene is highly underrated, and catching a live performance at one of the city’s many theatres will surely make your trip feel complete. The Princess of Wales Theatre will be presenting Strictly Ballroom The Musical through June, and the Elgin Theatre is now showing Sousatzka, an emotional, humorous, and hopeful take on the novel Madame Sousatzka by Bernice Rubens.

Finish your final night in Toronto with a stay at The Ivy at Verity luxury boutique hotel. The Ivy at Verity is a part of Verity, a members-only women’s club, but the hotel is open to both men and women. The Club is housed in an elegantly-restored historic chocolate factory and includes a fitness centre, ozonated pool, the top-rated restaurant GEORGE, and sweetgrass spa, which has been named one of the top 25 spas in Canada. There’s no better place to pamper yourself before heading home.

Day Four

7 a.m.

There’s still time to squeeze in some sightseeing on your final day in the city. Stop by the George Street Diner for some of the city’s most esteemed diner fare in an authentic old-fashioned atmosphere.

Fueled with coffee and eggs, you’re ready for a morning at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). The museum recently opened their highly anticipated Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story exhibition. As the cornerstone of ROM’s Canada 150 programing, the exhibit is turning a tragic event into a heartwarming and uniquely Canadian story. Visitors also won’t want to miss the Gallery of Modern Design, T.Rex Alive!, The Franklin Exploration and the long list of other must-see exhibits on display right now.

Seventy-two hours is never enough time to spend in Toronto, but Hogtown, and it’s unending list of must-visit shops, eateries, hotels, and attractions, is always here waiting for your next weekend escape.

This article " 72 Hours of Food and Nonstop Fun in Toronto " was originally appeared on Flight Network by Courtney Mc Caffrey

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