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thursday, december 28, 2000
wednesday, december 27, 2000 please note that i am currently reading, just begun actually, infinite jest, and so if you are irritated at the inevitable extra whiches and likes and and-so-buts that may creep into my writing, please be patient. it's only a thousand and seventy pages, so i should be done soon. heh. speaking of movies, out now is the village voice's second annual film critics poll, which i am going to read in print version, where you don't have to click on the comments overheard section to read it. ah, newspapers. all right, so i wasn't "definitely" back yesterday. instead i was preparing for the arrival today of miss leanne, with whom negotiating plans is sort of like pulling teeth, but perhaps even more like extracting them with an ice skate, and those of you who have seen cast away will know what i'm talking about. those of you who have seen "cast away" (and i'm sure that two-words thing is oh-so-significant) would also agree, would you not, that the film, while engrossing enough despite the trailer having given away the entire story, is basically one long commercial for fed ex. it begins and ends with fed ex deliveries, and the most important and developed and rewarded emotion in the film is dedication to fed ex. love will get you nowhere, but fed ex delivers! i found this to be quite disturbing, along with both the muscle definition of tom hanks in the second half of the movie and the seriousness with which the loss of a volleyball named wilson was regarded by the director. i'd really wanted to see dude, where's my car? but the brother figure rejected it. other movies that weren't playing at the megaplex in freehold, nj, that may not even be playing in new york, although the first one definitely is, that i am dying to see are: o brother where art thou?, traffic, and the house of mirth. so many desirable movies out at one time; hey, it must be coming up on the oscars, huh?
friday, december 22, 2000 excellent site i just discovered today, and read the entire archives of: brooklyn kid. frequency of updates will be unpredictable over the next few days. i'm going home to new jersey tomorrow, where i may be languishing online on paul's computer. or not. definitely back by tuesday. happy holidays everyone!
wednesday, december 20, 2000 whitney gets listy with her top 100 people of the year. and now I am off to do some shopping and see a movie: either "girlfight" at the four-dollar theater or "crouching tiger, hidden dragon." i have an unnaturally strong desire to see "dude where's my car," but i think i am going to save it for the post-christmas movie-hopping with dad. later dudes.
tuesday, december 19, 2000 though I don't really know who the guy is, mr. beller's neighborhood is a great site. it has a huge aerial map of manhattan, with tons of dots to click on for stories specific to that site. so, so much there. tricia gets credit for finding this supercool site, which should be all you need for the rest of the afternoon. tomorrow, hearst employees get the day off to honor the memory of randolph a. hearst, who died monday. shockingly, a countermemo has not come down from editors saying we must work. and this just after my boss distributed presents and took my coworker and I, both with december birthdays, out to the fancy rue 57 for a decadent lunch of steak, wine, and dessert. mmmmm.
monday, december 18, 2000 as long as i'm slacking, may i give a belated birthday shoutout to sharon and gail, who both turned 25 on friday. for sharon, there was drinking at the sleek niagara, then it was off to the rodeo bar, which was a rootin-tootin' good time, with peanuts on the floor and a honky-tonk band singing happy birthday to the alabama-born gail and old friends showing up with newly bleached hair. highly recommended, the rodeo bar. except watch your bags: someone stole one of gail's presents. and then there was les savy fav. first of all let me digress for a moment and say that on the way to the merc, in the 2nd ave. F-train station, to be exact, i experienced the best bit of christmas spirit i've seen all season. i got off the subway and across the platform, it was santarchy. there were at least 50 santas, some in sequins and otherwise flashy costumes, but all santas. you do not see this every day. in fact, you never see this. they were causing a ruckus, too, jumping around and yelling at passengers and stuff. i slowed down to take in the sight. i caught the eye of a young brunette santa, who pointed at me and called across the platform, "hey! you! join our ranks!" i smiled and raised an eyebrow. then they all started chanting, "join our ranks! join our ranks!" it was great. apparently they do it for no reason, just because it's fun, and to spread the christmas spirit. i could not help but smile. and the same was true for les savy fav. last time i saw them i ended up with a sprained ankle. this time i restrained myself so as to avoid injuries. people up front were going bananas though. see, they play an undeniably groovy form of high-energy angular punk rock, let's say. and the lead singer is insane. one of the things he did was to tie his microphone to the wire traversing the stage a couple feet from the ceiling, climb a stepladder and sit there singing from atop his perch while drinking a glass of red wine. and let's just say the singing is not exactly dulcet-toned. (vanessa and staci, in their final analysis, said they liked the music but not the singing. fair enough, although I don't mind it.) another of the things the lead singer did was produce a bunch of garbage bags, pull them over his head like a t-shirt (or, in one frightening case, a klansman's hood), then, when he got bored of that, tie them off and throw them out to the audience to be batted around like balloons. (that got kind of annoying.) he stalked around the stage like a madman, he jumped into the crowd, he climbed up on the equipment. he even looks like a wildman, with an out-of-control beard to match his long scraggly hair. anyway i recommend that you go see them if you get the chance. a live experience like no other.
friday, december 15, 2000 good place to get gift ideas: surprise.com, which has ideas not just for relationship-to-you categories but also for "unusual sense of humor" and "roots for the underdog." i want to get someone a flamingo invasion. the first of what is sure to be a slew of end-of-year listmania posts: here's allstar's archive of various musicians' top 10 lists. aloha!shocking, wonderful news: the breeders are back together! they played a surprise show in l.a., with some new songs, and have plans to record a third album with steve albini in the spring. wheee!!
thursday, december 14, 2000 wouldn't it be cool if you had a cat and also had a scanner? then you could make catscans! note: this is not just a shameless reminder to my DAD about the #1 item on my christmas wishlist. and i did not just link to my amazon wishlist in case anybody out there wanted to purchase me gifts. no. i merely thought the catscans were funny. attention indie rockers of the york, pa. metropolitan area: the following is a dispatch from my friend pete bothum, and while i don't usually allow classified ads on the pita, not that i've ever received any such requests, i'm making an exception in this case. i guess get in touch with me if you're interested: The band is definitely called Terminal Lunchbox. We're getting serious-er, as we jammed last weekend and co-wrote our first song, a Pixies-esque number tentatively called "Head-o-matic." We also recorded a killer cover of GBV's "Office of Hearts." which reminds me: it turns out that i am indeed taking a road trip (along with the aforementioned pete, and his wifey kelly, and leanne) to see GBV on new year's eve at the cat's cradle (how appropriate) in north carolina. any readers want to drop the lowdown on any useful information like what the club is like, where to hang before or after, if there are motels nearby, good places to eat grits or whatever, where the cute boys are, etc., email me. oh my god. it seems amy has developed the pictures from the rhett show. it seems i look like crap as usual. here's a good one of rhett singing his heart out, though. oh yeah: leanne also said that she thought a "box of red" meant a box of cheap red wine, which makes sense. scenes from a magazine, #4. last night was the "staff" christmas party. not the corporate christmas party, which our magazine is traditionally too cool for, but the exclusive ------ christmas party (i'm starting to get a bit paranoid about writing about work on here). it was held at this place in the trendy meatpacking district called apt., which is supposed to be the next-big-thing in terms of hip, hard-to-get-into clubs. we weren't allowed to bring any guests, because then there wouldn't be any room on the list for all the models, publicists, photographers, etc. my friend kim described it as an A-minus crowd, owing to all the industry people, but the only famous person I saw was kate spade, who brought her cute little white lap dog. which was apt, ha ha, because you might expect to see a little dog jumping all over the bed in an apartment, which the place is supposed to be done up to resemble. it wasn't all that convincing, actually, because the bed was clearly not a real bed, and the only other touches were a doorbell outside the unmarked door and some books on the windowsills. but the service was excellent: the model-gorgeous bartenders leaped to attention whenever i stepped up to the bar. kim and i, fabulous in purple leather skirt and black shirtdress with beaded flower on the back, respectively, stayed late, sucking down the free drinks till well past the predetermined end of the party at 9. € sometime around 10:30, we entered a little elevated alcove (uh, breakfast nook?) where a couple of girls (possibly models but not very pretty) and a guy were lounging. kim was telling me a story when one of the girls asked me if i was a music critic. i coyly asked why she thought that. "aren't you on VH1?" she asked. i stared at her for a couple of seconds then said "no..." with a raised eyebrow. kim told them i was lying, to increase the mystique. they didn't know what to think. then the guy, who i had overheard saying, "my dad owns the company," started reaching into his pocket and said, "you want some ecstasy? really good shit." not only were there free drinks at this party, but free drugs too! we declined, however, saying we had to work tomorrow, which brought forth peals of laughter. "they have to work tomorrow!" they roared, elbowing each other as if that were the funniest thing they'd heard all night. it was pretty amusing for us working girls, too. € after that we headed back downstairs to the more-happening basement, but there were very few work people there anymore, so after a little while, we made our way upstairs to prepare to leave, and it was then that i was confronted with a Moral Dilemma. i had just exited the bathroom (which had no mirror, weirdly) and one of the ecstasy girls jumped up from the couch across the hall and said, "oh you're not waiting?" and ran into the bathroom. i sat down and right in front of me were two folded twenty-dollar bills lying on the ground. i stared at them for a moment, quickly rationalized that these people were literally throwing their money around, downing free drinks paid for by my company, whose "holiday thanks" to me is a paltry half-day of personal time, and realized, of course! it's my christmas bonus! heeee. i made an admittedly feeble attempt to atone by overtipping the cabbie who drove me home. please don't judge me too harshly, reader. most of the time i'm good. € anyway, the moral of the story, as i see it? fashion parties aren't so bad.
wednesday, december 13, 2000 I got a landmine in my bloodline: i know you are all dying for news of rhett, huh? well, of course he was amazing, utterly enchanting, as usual. wanting to look nice for us (and this being the "holiday show"), he was wearing a suit (!), sort of, with a purple shirt and white undershirt sticking out in true silly-boy fashion, but the jacket came off just a few songs in. amy and i hopped up on the back of our booth so we could see over the heads of the people crowding near the bar, making for a casual vibe and easier foot-stomping (it was a crowded booth). after the show the two of us plus nate stormed the backstage area to participate in the meet 'n' greet -- and rhett said, to me, ME, "nice to see you again." !! we babbled a bit and then nate took a picture of amy and me with rhett, my hand on his bony hip (ahhhh). i may post this picture here soon depending, frankly, on whether i look good in it. then again i may choose to preserve my anonymity. we shall see. as far as the tunes, well, i took notes so i could properly report on this for you, the inquisitive pita reader: desperate times. a song from 1991 that I didn't recognize. the newbies in the group were won over. i asked them for official comments. sharon said, "i liked how he spiced up those christmas carols & managed to keep his suit jacket on for a respectable portion of time." tricia said, "i think he's really cute with a bouncy head." they are both now fans. wooo!
tuesday, december 12, 2000 you too can bid on a walk-on part in a woody allen film. it's up to $5700, which seems truly ridiculous when you consider that it says right there in the big print that you are not guaranteed to be in the final cut. oh the funny things people will do with their free web space: ricky martin will burn in rock and roll hell. black robes with humans inside them. blogged mainly for the bizarre headline, though I suppose the story itself, about the jokes and bumbling and so forth that occurred during the arguments before the supreme court, is worthwhile too. tonight is rhett miller, i am wearing my new long-sleeved "texas love" t-shirt, and i have amassed what seems like an army of new and potential rhett fans to join. for some reason i have turned more people on to the wonders of the old 97s than any other band. as leanne says, it's all about winning friends and influencing people. interesting story about the successes and failures of a first-year teacher in the NYC teaching fellow program, which I briefly considered doing also. sounds really tough. [via linnea] if you enjoy the new yorker you might enjoy this parody site, where you can convert any URL to new yorker speak. not that thrilling really. i haven't finished reading it yet, but the life of the party is a very interesting story that follows a rave production/promotion crew through the process of throwing a massive party. written by michaelangelo matos, who posted to the list of top five articles you yourself wrote over at rockcritics.com. elliott smith says some really cool things in this interview. he speaks so eloquently about his own work, and yet so unpretentiously. gotta love him. if you live in new york (or new jersey) you should donate one of your old coats to the new york cares coat drive. it's cold out there.
thursday, december 7, 2000 these are the ugliest couches in america, friends. i actually think some of them are quite handsome. [via pith] true confessions of a hollywood hack, who instead of the sharp sci-fi he wants to do ends up writing scripts for "ghoulies 4." funny stuff. because I do sometimes have journalistic tendencies, I feel the need to post this "follow-up" link about that gene simmons sitcom. it sounds like it will have about as much appeal as undressed. it seems to me that music channels (in this case, VH1) should not make fictional shows. they always seem to suck. i'm glad i'm not the only one who watched that made-for-mtv movie last weekend. it was totally cheesy and bad, but christian kane is just "servin'" (which holly c. swears is the new slang for "hot").
tuesday, december 5, 2000 the spark's christmas test actually gave me a couple of good ideas for what to get friends. is the spark trying to be a real service-oriented, profitable website? what is this world coming to? she obviously has not heard the little drum machine boy or thank you dreaded black ice, thank you (possibly the greatest christmas song title ever). remember people: christmas is for freaks, not for bing crosby lovers, and the sooner you realize that the happier you'll be.so it seems that dick cheney is the kind of guy who doesn't mind mass mispronunciation of his name. apparently it's CHEE-nee! [via daily net buzz] the sort-of true adventures of an editorial assistant on the rise, parts 1, 2, and 3. sort of interesting but perhaps a bit jargony for those of us not in the book-publishing field. interview with the guy who created the whole andre the giant has a posse phenomenon. via the spanky-new designed and domained bird on a wire (it's an epidemic), a mind-blowing bushism: "the legislature's job is to write the law. it's the executive branch's job to interpret the law." i think that pretty much speaks for itself, don't you? george bush and chimpanzees: a recipe for funny. [via pearls] the duke in his domain, a famous profile of marlon brando by truman capote that appeared in the new yorker.
monday, december 4, 2000 a problem that I have confronted in recent weeks is the best way to wear my new, ultralong scarf. now, via jejune, i have the gap's ways to tie your scarf to give me even more choices. well, one. i'd already tried the "knotted muffler" and the "doubled-up muffler." now I can try the "chic knot." only six days later, and it's a cool, cool christmas is here! the dandy warhols are now doing a very, yes, cool version of "little drummer boy." and speaking of christmas progress, i did find the perfect christmas card this weekend, which i'd link to but some of you will be receiving said card and the hilarity ought not be revealed. i also began my christmas shopping by purchasing myself a half-price copy of de capo best music writing 2000 (the "best" anthologies really are getting a bit out of control) and a memoir called manhattan, when i was young (just three dollars).
saturday, december 2, 2000 a clueless, meanspirited man wonders what's the deal with "I will survive." Hint: it's not about you. [via bradlands] they were the only bee in my bonnet: After downing a couple of three-dollar beers (!) and takeout Mexican at Welcome to the Johnsons', Vanessa and Staci and I headed over to the Bowery Ballroom, where the bartender was not nearly as friendly and accommodating. The girls had stood in a medium-sized coat-check line and returned to the bar, and I still hadn't managed to secure drinks. I didn't realize this until Vanessa pointed it out, but she was only serving guys, all the while indicating that she'd be right over. Grrr. So after being ignored for 10 minutes, we went upstairs and worked our way to our trusty left-hand, back corner by the stairs, where there's always room. After a little while I realized Vanessa and Staci had their backs to me (ignored yet again!) so I tried to insinuate myself into the conversation a couple of times, after which Vanessa turned to me and announced that they were fighting. So I hit the bar, of course. I lingered, giving them in my mind an extra minute or two to work it out and shut up. When I returned it was a knock-down drag-out. They were screaming at each other. I wondered whether i should cut in, but i couldn't think of a joke or any way to defuse the situation so instead I wordlessly handed Vanessa her beer. I looked around and wondered what to do with myself. Luckily the show started then. They opened with "Birdhouse in Your Soul" or whatever, which is an impossibly bouncy song, and the crowd went bonkers, and I immediately started dancing and bouncing and smiling, while my two friends were still locked in a screaming match. The irony of the situation was just delicious. It continued on like that, though thank God they stopped fighting (it was about free condoms - I have no idea). TMBG completely won me over with their ridiculous hooks and jangly jams -- and their accordion. Is it me or has "Istanbul not Constantinople" a song that has been around since the beginning of time? It is a rare band that can make you dance like that when you don't even like them or hardly know their music. They did the entire Flood album, which V. had lent me and which I had listened to a couple of times. I sort of wrinkled my nose at it, truth be told, but, like I said, it was very, very fun in concert. It's like their theme song from Malcolm in the Middle (with that whiny "you're not the boss of me now" chorus): You don't want to like it but somehow you just do. today is world aids day. let's get educated, shall we? |
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