I have always loved Alec Wilder's song "Blackberry Winter," and though I know most people associate it with Frank Sinatra, my favorite version of it is Teddi King's. Nowadays, though, I bet a lot of people will know the song through Hillary Kole's version. Author Sarah Jio chanced upon her version and it became the inspiration for her novel. The novel tells of two stories, one from 1933, and the other from 2010. The "yesterday" storyline is of a woman during the Depression whose son disappears, while the "today" part is of a woman caught in a rut. Initially, the thread that connects the two stories together is a "blackberry winter" storm - a late season one- almost eighty years apart. But as the stories progress, you realize there is more that ties the characters - ten and now - together. This book is a page-turner. I started reading it and literally couldn't put it down. While sure, there may be a lot of coincidences and things are tied up too neatly, it gets there interestingly. Even though you kind of have an idea where it is going, the journey was still engrossing, and there were enough twists and turns that kept me interested. Jio has a flair for writing believable and relateable characters that are fully realized and three-dimensional. Some of the characters around them can be cardboard-like, but they propel the story forward so I have no complaints. It was interesting that I read this book while Hurricane Sandy was hitting the East Coast, and I couldn't help but sense a connection, as Sandy is also a late season storm. This is the first book from Ms. Jio, though I have another one on my to-be-read pile. (It makes me want to read that one soon)
I couldn't find Teddi King's version YouTube, but they have a wonderful version from another favorite of mine, Marlene Ver Planck:
I guess since it's Halloween, I might as well wear and write about a scent that's like a costume. This year, I am going as Calamity Jane, and wearing Calamity J, by Juliette Has A Gun. I actually do like this line : it's unfussy, straightforward, and their scents have a lot to say without being too noisy. They're not provocative and attention-getting, but they are classy, easy to wear, and well-done. Calamity J plays with the idea of a tomboy-ish flowery fragrance. It's a rose, but it's a tough one: it has leather chaps, it has a hard hat. This is an amber accord, but the one thing I smell here is a woody iris. It's softer and earthier than the one in Dior Homme, probably because it is surrounded by patchouli. There is a soft musk here, but it doesn't penetrate like most musks do. It complements the woods and the amber just enough to not make it too delicate. I find myself reaching for Calamity J most days when I feel "sporty." It's the kind of scent you reach out for on those days when you dress down: a jeans and t-shirt kind of scent that's easy, familiar, comforting. Once or twice, on tough days, I wear it before I go to sleep and it's the equivalent of a chamomile tea.
At first, "Take This Waltz" is one of those movies that will take your patience. It is slow, and you don't always gets its point. But almost an hour through it, I stopped trying and just gave in to it, and I just gave in to the wonderful performance of Michele Williams. Is there a better, braver young actress working today? She reminds me, brevity wise, of a young Nicole Kidman. Like Nicole, her artistic choices can at times be puzzling, but you always admire her for it, and their performances always come out unscathed even if their films don't measure up. She plays Margo, a woman in a five year marriage to Lou, played with quiet intensity by Seth Rogan (I think it's the first time I remember seeing him in a very adult performance) They are caught in a rut, and Margo, while on a business trip in Nova Scotia, meets Daniel. They meet cute, then realize that they love across the street from each other. She then goes on an emotional and intellectual exploration. This exploration is played with both wide eyed innocence and knowing by Williams. She has a do-good face, and she realizes her decision is tough, but she plays it so well that you don't actually realize that she knows how tough it is, but then you understand that she does take it to heart. It really is a simple decision - will she or won't she - but the movie doesn't make it easy for her - and for you. When finally something snaps, the decision is quick, and the pay-off can be slight. I like the film, but it also makes me mad. I don't know if, in the end, I sympathize with the characters I am supposed to be sympathizing to. But then again, that may be the whole point of the movie - one can not judge these characters as they are real. They are not dancers in a waltz, where every step should be perfect - they are just dancing to the tune.
Sometimes you just got to shrug. An earlier version of me would have been very upset after seeing the pilot episode of DTLA, the new series on Logo. It showed such promise - an urban series about young gay men and the people in their lives, set in Los Angeles, wherein you can walk down a street and find multiple interesting stories. But none of that showed in the first episode. What do we get? A couple who is having financial problems and then discovers they have black mold in their loft. They hold a birthday party and one of their guests puke in the bathroom. A partner suspects his boyfriend of cheating so he gets a massage and expects a happy ending. A teacher (who is a fame whore) catches his seventeen year old student dancing at a club, so he goes to manager and snitches only to have sex with same manager. I know this is the first episode, but a little exposition would have been nice. After spending an hour with these people, you know nothing more about them, and frankly, I didn't care. I don't really know if I want to spend more time with them. The show is poorly shot in mostly darkness (sorry, but it didn't feel moody) and the acting was almost universally bad. I never saw Noah's Arc, but Daryl Stephen seems distracted here, unable to form a cohesive character. I really do hope the show gets better, since i will not give it precious space on my DVR if it continues like this.
I didn't like Sabrina Zollos "Why I Love My Gay Boyfriend." It has a great title, and that is what attracted me to the book. I thought it would explore that great friendship between straight women and gay men. Instead, we get another rehash of the "The Devil Wears Prada," but this one more cliched. Zollos introduces too many characters but they mostly sound and act the same. Plus, the main character is unlikeable, and we really don't get to know her - there's nil back story, limited characterization. Most of all, though, the book seems dated, like it is from a decade ago, and i wonder if it was written and has languished since before getting released now, because it kind of shows.
BC-84
What happens when you put two Os together? You oooohh! (Hey, I can be corny sometimes!) But as the colder weather arrives, I find myself exploring oud yet again, and this time it's Jo Malone Oud And Bergamot which is part of its Cologne Intene collection. and it smells heavenly - there is a perfect juxtaposition of the dark and bright. The Jo Malone oud is not as dark and medicinal as other ouds. It is musky and cleaned up. The bergamot here is a big bright orange. When put together, it is a sunny combination, and could really be more a summer scent. It evokes a happy and jumpy state It is also pretty linear and uncomplicated, which I think is a very Jo Malone quality. This is a no fuss, no think perfume - you put it on and enjoy it, there is no more there there. My big complaint with it is its longevity. After two hours it is gone, and this is quite weird, as "Iris and White Musk," also from the Cologne Intense line, has stealth wear. But a cologne is still a cologne, I guess, so they are not doing false advertising - no matter how intense they claim.
I know only two things about Christina Perri: that she had a hit with the song "Jars Of Clay," which I discovered through Lea Michele and Glee. (In fact, I may prefer Lea's version of that song) The other thing I know about Perri is that she is dating (maybe dated) Tony winner Steve Kazee from Once. She has released a Christmas EP, titled "A Very Merry Perri Christmas," with six songs. She starts the album with an original, "Something About December," and it's fantastic. Very rarely do I hear an original Christmas song that touches me, and this hits the spot. Her ethereal vocals convey just the right mixture of longing and wistfulness. This song alone is worth the whole EP experience, and, frankly is the only shining star in the collection. She does rote versions of classics (Can we have a moratorium on "Have Yourself.."?) and there's an "Ave Maria" that is kind of embarrassing for her. But here is the video for "Something About December," and it's wonderful.
"August" is one of those slow-burn movies that get to you, and get to you deeply. On the surface, "August" is a very uncomplicated movie - Troy (Daniel Dugan) returns to Los Angeles after living in Spain. He places a call to Jonathan (Murray Bartlett) and the phone is answered by Raul (Adrian Gonzales) who takes a message for Jonathan. This simple scene triggers a tsunami of emotions. Troy is Jonathan's ex, "Oh you're the one," as Raul says. They had an emotion-filled summer. But then Troy leaves him. You don't really know the whole story, but you know enough. You know that it took a while for Jonathan to get over it. You know that Troy hurt him. You know that there probably wasn't sufficient closure. You know that there is still a myriad of feelings Jonathan feels for Troy, even if he seems to be happily partnered now to Raul. The film effectively and heartbreakingly shows these dilemmas. I love its non-linear editing, it mirrors the layered and complicated emotions the characters are feeling, and reacting to and for. I love the gentle nuances of three actors - all excellent here - gently aided by a sparse script that tells you less but more. The way one looks at another, the way a glace is stolen, the way a kiss is given. I love its open-ended ending. You think you have resolved things by the end, but the air seems heavier, just like the sweltering heat hovering over them. This is a film you feel more than you understand.
Jerome Kern's "The Way You Look Tonight" is one of my favorite songs of all time, and that is also the title of Claire Matthew's novella. I liked it - it's a small romantic story, one that made me wistful, one that made me think. It's a fairly standard romance story, and truth be told, a bit predictable, but Matthews knows her way around characters and dialogue, so it's believable. For a short story, its pretty "full," and the cast of characters were defined. It took me just a short while to finish it, and I felt rewarded.
I also am lumping the short story "Is It Spicy" with this entry, as it is also a short story I just read. This one is just as charming. A mother of two teenage kids goes to a Thai restaurant with her own mother, and hilarity ensues. I's one of those one-situation stories, and you can't help but relate to it. BC-83
When I told a friend that I loved Dior's Oud Ispahan, he told me, "How much many oud and rose combos can you have?" Apparently, I have room for one more, and I can declare this is the best one of all. Maybe all this time I was still seeking because I still had not found the perfect one. I can stop looking now. Oud Ispahan is so good it makes me want to visit Iran. I think I am the only person who does not mind this oud renaissance we are having right now. Yes, everyone is doing it, and some people do it better than others - Francois Demarchy, the in house nose for Dior, has hit a jackpot with this one. It starts out with that fruity jammy rose - so rich, so delicious - but then the oud comes in and it is dirty, of course, but it is not sex-dirty, it is romantically dirty. It reminds me of when lovers kiss on the beach, the dirt and sand that gets on their body represents love more than dirt. There is a burst of amber and patchouli in the middle note that rounds it out, and then the rose and oud comes back in the drydown. Oud Ispahan has a most unique base, and I think that's what I love with Dior creations - the beauty is all in the blending. The notes all come together and it doesn't smell like a specific something, but more a finely crafted bouquet. That seems to be my one complaint with the Chanel Exclusives - while they all smell as wonderful, they all go down to the same Chanel road of aldehydes, which isn't the worst in the world, for sure, but it becomes too familiar after a while.
It may seem like "Georgia's Kitchen" is a slice of Italy, but it is more a love letter to New York City. It starts and ends there, and Jenny Nelson obviously has an affinity for the place. I love the little details she infuses when describing a street corner in the Upper East Side, or Rockefeller Center at Christmastime. In that manner, she describes the Italian food in good detail, you can tell she loves Italian food just as much. The story is kind of general and follows a pattern, and I didn't even mind that part so much. I did wish there was a little more to the story - it seemed too formulaic, and I didn't really get a lot of wow surprises from it. I felt like the character got out of situations too conveniently, so my sympathy wasn't too great. One of my favorite parts of the book is when the character visited Taormina, a charming little Sicilian town I myself have visited. It brought back memories of my visit there. I wish I could say I loved the rest of the book, but I only liked it.
BC-82
You know exactly what you are going to get when you go to a Donny and Marie show.And if that means something cheesy and something corny, then so be it. As for me, I personally like cheese, and corn, so what's the problem? Their current show at the Flamingo Hotel, "Forever Fabulous," is one of the few shows that sell out night after night, so they must be doing something right for their fans. And on Wednesday night's performance, I could see why: they give 110 % of themselves for their fans. Sure, some of the energy could probably be misguided: Marie's trying-too-hard soprano for Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Pie Jesu" was almost laughable, and when Donny tries to rock ("Crazy Horses") it just seems forced. But give these two an A for effort: they give the songs their all, for better or worse. They fare better with their hits: "Paper Roses," and "Puppy Love" got enormous applause, and deservedly so. They may scoff at these bubblegum pop, but that is their bread and butter, and I lapped it up. And the two of them, after all these years, still have sizzling chemistry. I could watch them banter with each for a whole night. Donny is a guest on Susan Boyle's newest album, so she surprised the audience by showing up to sing a duet last night, an unfortunately arranged, "This Is The Moment," a song I didn't think could sound any worse. I don't think there was anything natural in the orchestration, and Susan Boyle - oh my, what else can I day about her? She was just sad. Like literally, sad. While singing, she started at empty space, not even bothering to connect with Donny. Marie says later on that she grew up worshipping Donny, so I am guessing she may have had a case of nerves. But still, I found it inexcusable to not even know the words to her song (Donny could be seen prodding the lyrics) Is she on drugs? Is she sick? Is she really that unprofessional? It was kind of scary, to be honest.
Years ago, I was at the now-defunct Footlight Records on 12th Street, my home-away-from-home at the time, when film director John Waters walked in. "Is that..." I asked Arnold, one of the guys who worked there, and he quickly answered, "John Waters? yes, he comes here all the time. Would you like me to introduce you?" And before he could answer, he called him, and introduced me, and we shook hands. And he want back to perusing the "Soundtracks" section of the store. I am a fan of a lot of people, but don't consider myself one of his. I cannot say I have seen all of his movies, but I liked enough the ones I saw (Hairspray, Serial Mom) or the ones I remember anyway. So I read his book, "Role Models," with a fresh eye - I wanted to know more about him, as a person. The book is more a collection of essays, recollections of people he has met - most of them he admires in some way or another; all of them shape the person and artist that he is. I enjoyed reading about most of them - I am also a fan of Johnny Mathis, for example, and cherished reading the account of their meeting. Some of the other people he profiled are more obscure, and, frankly, new to me. My favorite sections were of the pornographers, especially Bobby Lopez, who filmed himself having sex with only Marines. Some essays were difficult to get through - a chapter on all the Commes de Garcon slothes he owns could be interminable for someone who doesn't care for fashion, never mind avante garde ones. Like Waters himself and his films, you have to share his enthusiasm for weird things to fully enjoy this book.
BC-81
I don't know why I was a little hesitant in seeing "Argo" but I shouldn't have been: it's one of the best films, so far, of 2012, and I won't be surprised if it wins at least one thing - Ben Affleck for Best Director - on Oscar night. The movie tells the story of six American hostage who escaped through a back door during the infamous attack at the United States Iranian Embassy in 1979. They were taken in by Ken Taylor, Canadian Ambassador at the Canadian embassy. The US Government, running out of options, took the best of the bad ideas: to have the six hostages pretend to be filmmakers location scouting in Iran. Led by CIA operative, Antonio Mendes (Affleck), he leads the six to safety. The movie is a great mix of serious, and ridiculous, and Chris Terrio's script does the almost impossible: balance both of them seamlessly. You have not even finished laughing yet when you are being faced with something serious and dangerous. The finale is so action packed and suspenseful it can rival any summer blockbuster. And this movie has, in its core, a genuine hart as well. You have a specific sense of who to root for, yet the culprits are human enough not to be total cartoon characters. Affleck directs with a master's hands - the performances are flawless, and everyone gives extraordinary performances without any excess. It would have been so easy to make his character over-the-top but he goes for the opposite. Affleck gives a quiet, reflective performance that I hope won't be ignored for not being too subtle. Even the flashiest character, the producer (played by Alan Arkin) is just right, maybe because it is a composite character instead of a real one. (Truth is stranger than fiction, after all) I must give special mention to the production design: the movie looks and feels so much from that era. This film garnered raves at the Toronto Film Festival. it deserves them all.
"The Song Is You," has a beautifully written prologue - about the narrator's grandfather at a Billie Holiday concert. Holiday asked the audience what song they would like to hear, and he shouts "Waterfront." Unbeknownst to the man, the gig was being recorded live and while recuperating from the Korean war, he hears himself on the record. It was such a poetic anecdote, and I found myself instantly instantly engaged to the story. Then the book cuts into modern times, and to the grandson of that man. He is separated from his wife, after their baby has died. There was so much potential to this story, I was so ready to get engaged to it, but it never really caught me. I kept waiting and waiting to connect with the character, but I never agreed with the character's choices. Nor the author's writing. It is more a taste thing, and I will comparing it to a song. When someone sings a song you already know, you either agree or disagree with how a singer sings that song. You may disagree with a pause, or love the way the singer interprets a phrase. This book has a nice melody, but its execution was just not for me.
BC-80
