The weather outside is frightful!

It's 4:03 am and I just got home from the airport, after being stuck in an icy traffic jam for over 3 hours. I would complain about how sucky it was, but I was lucky enough to be in the car with my friend Jenny, who I had picked up from her flight at around 11:30, and we kept ourselves pretty well entertained. Also, there are still people on the road who are trying to get home from their evening commute--as in, LAST evening. We heard people on the radio who had been stuck in traffic for 7 or 8 hours. So I feel grateful to have made it home in half the time. A huge thanks goes out to Missy, who was stuck in the traffic jam too, but was slightly ahead of us and warned us not to go on the I-5 North onramp from the airport--she had to go on it and said it was just a sheet of ice. We took her advice and got home safely. I can't believe the DOT didn't close the onramp, or at the very least sand it. It's pretty sad how unprepared Seattle is for snow, but hopefully this storm will change that. Although I have to say that I've never seen weather like this in the five years I've lived here--it's just bizarre. I've forbidden Larry to drive to work tomorrow (or I should say in a few hours, since that's when he would normally leave), and I recommend that anyone else reading this in Seattle do the same. It's downright dangerous out there.

Time waster for today...

Check out the Absolut 100 and vote for the "Absolute" item (blog, museum, sci-fi movie, etc.) in a whole bunch of categories. It's only up till tomorrow, so get a move on.

Let's go to the mall!

Last night's episode of How I Met Your Mother was even funnier than usual, thanks to this video, now up on Barney's blog. Check it out...

I don't understand...

Yesterday Larry came into the office to show me two letters--one from W, one from Vogue. He gave me subscriptions to both for my birthday, and I've received a couple of issues, although I'm still waiting on the Cate Blanchett Vogue. This is what both the letters said:

"Dear Subscriber:

We are having difficulty delivering copies of VOGUE/W to one of your gift recipients. That person's name and mailing address as supplied to us is shown below. The Post Office has informed us that this address is undeliverable.

Please verify this address and if it is not correct, make note of the correction on this letter and return it to us. We will then correct the address and make the necessary adjustments so service can be restored."

Since we live together, the "undeliverable" address with my name on it is the exact same address as the one with Larry's name on it, THE ADDRESS WHERE WE RECEIVED THIS LETTER. So if we can get the letter, why can't we get the magazines?

I went to the post office this morning, and they told me to talk to the magazine service department since the address is, in fact, deliverable. Larry called the magazine service department and they couldn't figure out why this would be happening. This afternoon, my W magazine arrived right on schedule.

Get thee to the kouch!

Tonight we went to our friend Dustin's film festival at Central Cinema in the central district. I've been wanting to check this theater out for a while, and of course we were super excited that they're hosting Kaspar's Kouch. Last year the festival was literally on Dustin's couch in his apartment, which was really fun (and Dustin made gourmet ice cream almost every night--you wouldn't think it, but avocado ice cream is surprisingly delicious). But the new space at Central Cinema has lots of couches, with tables at each couch and a menu full of pizzas, salads, calzones, and all kinds of other goodies plus a big screen. It feels so official now that it's at a theater, AND the festival even has its own trailer this year!

Dustin has to charge admission this year to pay for the theater and movie rights, but the tickets are super cheap--$7.00 for one movie, $10.00 for two (there are usually two movies shown each night). Tonight's Cubicle Challenges lineup was Fear and Trembling, a very cool French film about life in corporate Japan starring the awesome Sylvie Testud, and Office Space, which really needs no explanation. I love that movie, and I love the soundtrack even more (Kendra, if you're reading this, Damn it feels good to be a gangster!). Wednesday's films are being kept secret, but you know they're going to be good if Dustin's screening them. The rest of the schedule is below; if you're in Seattle this week you should definitely check it out.

November 15, 2006 SECRET SCREENING
um....it's a secret.......you'll just have to be curious enough to find out.
(first screening at 6:30, second screening at 8:45)

November 16, 2006 MISSING PERSONS
6:30 THE LADY VANISHES (1938) directed by Alfred Hitchcock (NR, 97 min.) Inspiring many films in its wake (Bunny Lake is Missing and 2005's Flightplan amongst the best known) this early Hitchcock confection pits feuding train passengers bound for romance against a mind-bending mystery. A passenger on the train (the lady of the title) is unable to be found the next morning. Young Iris (Margaret Lockwood) queries other passengers on the ladies disappearance and is met with the simple claim that they have never seen the person she is talking about. Alternating between light comedy and exciting tension, this is early Hitchcock at his finest.
8:50 THE THIRD MAN (1949) directed by Carol Reed (NR, 104 min.) THE THIRD MAN is considered by many filmmakers to be one of the greatest films of all time. An American, Holly Martens (Joseph Cotten) arrives in post-WWII Vienna to visit his friend, Harry Lime. He soon discovers his friend has been killed and finds himself being questioned by a police officer who claims Lime was involved in racketeering. Holly vows to clear his friend’s name, but soon becomes caught up in his friends' shady history. Don't forget this film also stars Orson Welles who, by the late time he appears onscreen, still gets one of the most famous entrances, speeches (the 'cuckoo clock' which he scripted himself) and climactic chases in the history of cinema.

November 17, 2006 CONTEMPORARY GERMAN MASTERPIECES
Both films are in German with English Subtitles
6:30 WINGS OF DESIRE (1987) directed by Wim Wenders (R, 127 min.) The sky over Wenders's war-scarred Berlin is full of gentle angels wearing trench coats who listen to the tortured thoughts of mortals and try to comfort them. One of the angels wishes to become mortal after falling in love with a beautiful trapeze artist. Peter Falk, as himself, assists in the transformation by explaining the simple joys of a human experience, such as the sublime combination of coffee and cigarettes. The result is a film that reaffirms the beauty of life and the absolute potential of cinema.
9:00 THE PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR (2000) directed by Tom Tykwer (R, 135 min.) After his breakout hit, RUN LOLA RUN, Tom Tykwer upped the ante with THE PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR. Sissi (LOLA's Franka Potente) is a nurse in a mental hospital. One day, she mistakenly walks in front of a semi and is saved by a mysterious young thief who caused the accident. Unable to get her savior out of her mind, she sets out to find him. Eventually the wheels of fate turn as she becomes involved in a transfixing bank robbery and the two embark on a personal odyssey toward their own destinies. Tykwer's use of floating camera, a hypnotic musical score, and an impeccable use of sound all work to created the films unique sensory experience.

November 18, 2006 NON-CONVENTIONAL MUSICALS
5:00 UNFAITHFULLY YOURS (1948) directed by Preston Sturges (NR, 105 min.) Rex Harrison stars as a symphony conductor in this super-black comedy from the brilliant Preston Sturges. Harrison believes his wife is cheating on him and while conducting a symphony uses the 3 pieces on the program (each by Rossini, Wagner, and Tchaikovsky) to imagine his homicidal revenge fantasies. But good imagining doesn't always work out as planned in this brilliantly performed mixture of razor sharp dialogue and uproarious slapstick.
7:30 32 SHORT FILMS ABOUT GLENN GOULD (1993) directed by Francois Girard (PG, 98 min.) Comprised of 32 shorts about Glenn Gould, Francois Girard (who would later create The Red Violin) helms what started as a biography of portraits and becomes a meditation on the loneliness of exceptional artists and their perception of music. Colm Feore stars as Gould in all 32 shorts, which range from narrative to experimental and contain some of the most marvelous depictions of experiencing music I have seen captured on celluloid.
10:00 THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984) directed by Rob Reiner (R, 82 min.) Before BEST IN SHOW and WAITING FOR GUFFMAN, there was SPINAL TAP. The grandfather of the mock-u-mentary is still the best of the bunch. The bands absurd behavior is offset by director Rob Reiner's adherance to a strict documentary treatment. You will never forget Harry Shearer's encounter at the metal detector, Christopher Guest's collection of guitars and amps, or Michael McKean leading the band in circles trying to reach the stage. I guarantee, this night we're going to turn the sound up to 11. It will be one louder.

November 19, 2006 KINGDOM FINALE
5:00 THE KINGDOM, PART I (1994) directed by Lars von Trier (NR, 271 min.) Seattle's own Sean Axmaker once described THE KINGDOM as "a nightmarish cross between Twin Peaks and Chicago Hope as directed by David Cronenberg, and even that hardly captures the giddy absurdity of Lars Von Trier's soap-opera-cum-horror-tale." A bizarre mixture of hospital politics, cult activities, ghosts, graveyards, and one amazing cliffhanger are capped with a greek chorus of dishwashers. It needs to be seen to be believed. Not to be missed.

Plans, plans, plans

Very excited to see this exhibit at the Met Museum on our trip...all those beautiful couture gowns up close!!!

Musical joy

I don't think I've mentioned it yet, but we're going to the east coast for 2 weeks over Christmas to spend the holidays with Larry's family. We'll be in Boston, Rhode Island, and after New Year's, Manhattan. I'm super excited, because I've never been to the east coast (except airports, which don't count) and have wanted to visit for a long time. But when Larry got us tickets to The First Emperor, my excitement level went through the roof. It's a brand new opera--the world premiere is December 21st and we get to see it on January 2nd. Tan Dun is conducting, Zhang Yimou is head of production and Placido Domingo plays the emperor. Plus, hello, it's the Met! How could it not be fun?

In other exciting music news, only 11 days till the Decemberists show at the Paramount...I'm totally counting down.

Don't just stand there...

Last night we went to Sunset Bowl for our friend Missy's birthday party. I can't believe I never noticed till last night that Sunset is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. A 24 hour bowling alley. We're so going on Thanksgiving.
The party was awesome--we bowled, ate greasy bowling alley restaurant food, and at 9 pm headed to the lounge for karaoke. First up was the best rendition of Joey EVER. We also heard and sang along to such gems as Jack and Diane, Sister Christian, and Love is a Battlefield. My favorite part, though, was singing backup for Missy's classic version of Bust a Move. Yeah, we rocked the house. Seriously, she didn't even need the teleprompter. She knows ALL the words!

Confession: The summer after 6th grade I went EVERYWHERE with this album in my Walkman. On cassette tape. (I also wore oversized t-shirts over biker shorts, but that's a whole other post.) And yes, I had a huge crush on Young MC. So for old time's sake--and those of you who lack the mad rap skills of Missy--here are the complete lyrics to Bust a Move. Enjoy!

Bust A Move
This here's a tale for all the fellas
Try to do what those ladies tell us
Get shot down cause you're over zealous
Play hard to get and females get jealous
Ok smartie, go to a party
Girls are stancin the crowd is showin body
A chick walks by and you wish you could sex her
But you're standin on the wall like you was Poindexter
Next day's function, high class luncheon
Food is served and you're stone cold munchin'
Music comes on, people start to dance
But then you ate so much you nearly split your pants
A girl starts walkin, guys start gawkin'
Sits down next to you and starts talkin'
Says she wanna dance cus she likes the groove
So come on fatso and just bust a move
You're on a mission and you're wishin'
Someone could cure your lonely condition
You're lookin for love in all the wrong places
No fine girls just ugly faces
From frustration first inclination
Is to become a monk and leave the situation
But every dark tunnel has a lighter hope
So don't hang yourself with a celibate rope
New movie's showin... so you're goin'
Could care less about the five you're blowin'
Theatre gets dark just to start the show
When you spot a fine woman sittin' in the front row
She's dressed in yellow, she says "Hello,
Come sit next to me you fine fellow"
You run over there without a second to lose
And what comes next, hey bust a move
If you want it baby you've got it (repeat)
Just bust a move
In the city ladies look pretty
Guys tell jokes so they can seem witty
Tell a funny joke just to get some play
Then you try to make a move and she says "no way"
Girls a fakin' ... goodness sakin'
They want a man who brings home the bacon
Got no money and you got no car
Then you got no woman and there you are
Some girls are sophistic... materialistic
Looking for a man makes them opportunistic
They're lyin' on the beach perpetratin' a tan
So that a brother with money can be their man
So on the beach you're strollin'... real high-rollin'
Everything you have is yours and not stolen
A girl runs up with somethin to prove
So don't just stand there, bust a move(break down)
Your best friend Harry has a brother Larry
In five days from now he's gonna marry
He's hopin you can make it there if you can'
Cause in the ceremony you'll be the best man
You say "neato"... check your libido
And roll to the church in your new tuxedo
The bride walks down just to start the wedding
And there's one more girl you won't be getting
So you start thinkin', then you start blinkin'
A bridesmaid looks and thinks that you're winkin'
She thinks you're kinda cute so she winks back
And now you're feelin' really fine cus the girl is stacked
Reception's jumpin', bass is pumpin'
Look at the girl and your heart starts thumpin'
Says she wants to dance to a different groove
Now you know what to do g, bust a move

Tilth, take 2

Last night Larry and I went to Tilth so he could try it out too. Once again, the meal was fabulous. Super fresh ingredients, interesting (in the best sense of the word) flavor combinations, and beautiful presentation. And upon reflection (and a second visit), I don't think the noise level is that much louder than other restaurants with tile or wood floors. Plus, we called at 7 and were able to get a table for 7:15. You can't beat that!

What we ate:
K: Full Circle Farms Baby Lettuces--lemon vinaigrette, pistachio, parmesan crisp
Very tasty, but I think I'll order the pear salad next time (or as long as it's on the menu)
Balsamic Glazed Alaskan Sablefish--polenta cake, remoulade, parsley
I hadn't had sablefish before, but I would definitely have it again! The polenta cakes were super buttery and rich. A great dish.

L: Local Comice Pear Salad--arugula, walnut, ewe’s blue cheese
Grass Fed Seared Top Sirloin--fingerling potato, radicchio, béarnaise sauce
Again, such a well thought-out dish. The radicchio was a perfect foil for a medium-rare steak.

Dessert:Smoked Theo Chocolate Pudding--graham cracker, vanilla marshmallow
A no-brainer...it's Theo chocolate, so you know it was good.
Mini Caramel Heirloom Apples--hazelnut, hot apple cider shot
Still the cutest dessert EVER.