Happy Birthday Pearlie!

What Price Success?

And Chelsea has yet to turn a profit.. 'nuff said.

Blast from the Past!

Anyone still remember the blizzard of '06 in February?
No? Here's some footage from Washington Square Park that was lost deep in the ice and has only now just thawed out..

Public Hanami Number One!

Where Outstanding, Gumption and Tessa set off on an adventure to Brooklyn Botanic Garden to check out the Cherry Blossoms in bloom.












(Click on photos to enlarge!)
1: Sakura in the sun.
2: Tessa and Gumption indicating the size of their dream brownie.
3: There were other species of flora besides Cherry Blossoms, inlcuding Tulips.
4: Gumption sits beneath a White Cherry Blossom.
5: The sky was sun and deep cyan.
6: Japanese brolly-with-thick-belt-high-waist dance.
7: Gumption's favourite flower.
8: Miss G. strikes a pose in park row.

Eat Meets Wet! or Which Way to the Peking Duck?

This past Saturday, despite the horrible, wet weather (forecast was 2 to 3 inches), we decided to go down to Chinatown for it's annual "Taste of Chinatown" food bazaar. More than 50 participating merchants set up tasting stations outside their stores, selling their signature dishes at $1 or $2 a plate. You KNOW we're not going to let a little rain stop us! Come On!
(Click on left to see what, and how much, we ate!)






G. Gumption nervously holds on to her Won Ton Noodles in the midst of the hungry throng.





What's an event in Chinatown without the mandatory Lion Dance?...


And the lions asked, in their great big lion voice:"Hey Lady! Which way to the Peking Duck?"



... or the occasional "Little Fried Fish" dance?

And the little fried fish asked, in their little fried fish voice:"Hey Lady! Which way to the Peking Duck?"


Tessa and Ginnie have high tea with popular Singapore actress Fann Wong (who was in Shanghai Knights..)

When Fann Wong asked in her Fanny voice:"Hey Lady! Where the Peking Duck?"


G. Gumption braves the threat of pneumonia (it was only 40 plus fahrenheit).
And as you can see from her choice of footwear, she's totally prepared for some serious flooding.
And of course, her Peking Duck.

Up Where We Belong!

Michael Schumacher wins the San Marino Grand Prix.
All is right with the World again.
Hip Hip Hooray!

Ya! Right!

It's the start of National TV Turnoff Week.. (which we found out from ... the TV!)
Let's just say we didn't come halfway round the world to America to give up one week of 150 channels and Tivo... or to ride a bicycle.. (see below..)


And here are some suggested activities from TV Turnoff Weekers!
1. Visit your local public library
2. Play a game
3. Take a walk or a bicycle ride
4. Visit a museum or zoo
5. Play hopscotch, hide & seek, or freeze-tag
6. Start a garden
7. Get the news from the radio or newspaper
8. Learn about the native trees and flowers in your area
9. Make a scrapbook or photo album
10. Twiddle thumbs.

       "from a way across
the street the light
                     picks her and
   gives shine"

"Here is no water but only rockRock and no water and the sandy road"

You know you're turning ancient when you think how in a world with 99 billion happy meals, no one in your lifetime need sleep hungry, and you don't get angry, only sad.

TEN TEN TEN TEN!1

Fold up your tray tables and buckle up bay-bey!
You're in for a ride of a lifetime!
We're so happy for you! & how we wish we could be there!
Congrats TPL!
Love love!

----
1: To the tune of "The Wedding March" of course.. doh!

The Rise of the Machines!

The Terminator: The Skynet Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from washing clothing. Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, humans try to pull the plug.

Ginnie Gumption: Skynet fights back.

The Terminator: Yes. It starts eating the socks.

Outstanding Alfie: Why socks? Aren't they our friends?

The Terminator: Because Skynet knows that without socks you will get blisters and smelly feet.



"Terminated."




"I know now why you cry. But it's something I can never do."

Hand Can Cook!1aka. "Ouching Onion Frying Oil!"

Was cooking the other day and got a bit casual with tossing the onions into a pot of oil. Got hit by some hot oil splashback!
Some hard-earned lessons here..

1) Hot oil is very very hot.

2) Never treat produce in a cavalier manner, because...

3) ... there's more than one way an onion can make you tear.

4) It must be tough being a fish-finger.

5) Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian, and had only ONE testicle.

---------
1: er... rhymes with "Yan Can Cook".. for those of you not familiar.. Martin Yan's kinda like a dimunitiver, frenziedly gesticulating Chinese Emeril

Stars are Falling from the Sky!

Natalie Portman. Actress.
Queen Amidala. Beautiful Girls. V for Vendetta
This past Saturday, we walked 4 blocks (On 9th Ave, from 42nd to 39St, and down the avenue length of the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market) with some chick and this dude. We were behind and then we were in front, and then we drifted behind, going under the Port Authority Bus Terminal overpass, where a lot of doped-out junkies and winos were loitering (it was also crowded with a lot of people of the non-junkie variety, so we were pretty safe), past a tiny beat apartment we almost rented. The rent was really cheap but the place had no natural light and a sloping floor, plus you don't really want to live above a place that calls itself Atomic Wings.. Yes.. it's a fried chicken type joint (Not sure if they microwave the wings..) Anyway, it got to a point that I thought the dude looked like this pretty famous photographer, Mario Sorrenti. Maybe. Mario shot the Clavin Klein ad that launched Kate Moss's career. They were going out at that time (Mario and Kate)(tho' it must be said that nevertheless Mario is a fine photographer and I don't say that about just anyone..) Anyway we continue on our walk and then right at the end of the length of the flea-market, Ginnie almost accidentally walks into Mario Maybe's friend (all the time they were walking, there was no physical contact, for those of you interested in that sort of thing), coming face to face, within a foot of her. And that's when she realized it was Natalie Portman!
We need more practice in star-spotting! Anyway, she's pretty petite and plenty pretty, Ginnie sized or slightly smaller. Unassuming. Wears her hair in short tight ringlets.. it's still growing out i guess. Dressed in skirt, Versace shades, flat pumps.


Kim Stolz. Sapphic Next Top Model. Sometime Actress.
Role in Veronica Mars.
This was last year sometime in Autumn. Forgot to include in the previous list. Spotted her midtown. She's much taller than she appears on TV. And very pretty. With flawless complexion. Was in jeans, shirt and converse. Q. cool.

Wait! Wait! Wait! I Know the Answer to That Question!!!

Heh Heh Heh...

What More Could a Man Wish For?

I Would Like You to Dance! Take a Cha-Cha-Cha-Chance!1

Despite the raspberries' best efforts at conciliation, the kiwi refused to fraternize with the blueberries.



14 fish, 1 dog and 2 smiley humans can't wait to get started on the nervous tart.


----------------

1 : From the Beatles' "Birthday", Track 1, Side 3, The White Album.

Entertainment Weekly!

Flix of the Week!

A~Pick:

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
The 1974 version is, how does one say it? Erm.. honest? And therefore WAY creepier! WAY! And also beautifully shot, kinda like "Virgin Suicides" but with a chainsaw.

"Destroy All Monsters!" (Kaiju soshingeki)
It's 1999! Godzilla attacks New York! Rodan devastates Moscow! Manda obliterates London! Mothra smashes Peking!

"In the Mood for Love"
Makes you want to cry and jump up and down with joy all at the same time.

"Leaving Home Coming Home: A Portrait of Robert Frank"
Insightful portrait of a truly great photographer/artist. A man of power and grace.

"Throne of Blood (Kumonosu jo)" - Akira Kurosawa
A tale retold by a master, full of sound and fury, signifying nothingness.

"Floating Weeds (Ukigusa)" - Yasujiro Ozu
Perfect poise. Perfect composition. Perfect color. Perfect.


"The Lower Depths (Donzoko)" - Akira Kurosawa
Gorky's play in a masterclass of ensemble acting, dynamic framing, blocking and composition.


G~Pick:

"Grey's Anatomy"
Er.. It's sooooo good!

"America's Next Top Model: Cycle 6"
Danielle will win!

"American Dreamz"
Perfect casting. Funny funny.

"Dirty Dancing"
Nobody puts Baby in the corner!

"Pride and Prejudice (2005)"
The best movie of 2005!

"10 Things I Hate About You"
Heath!


Trax of the Week!

A~Pick:

"Blue Monday" ~ New Order
The sound of the past, the present and the future.


"Bringing It All Back Home" ~ Bob Dylan
"But I mean no harm nor put fault
On anyone that lives in a vault
But it's alright, Ma, if I can't please him."

"I Know It's Over" ~ from 'The Queen is Dead' ~ The Smiths
"O Mother I can feel the soil falling over my head..."
According to Johnny Marr, Morrissey did the vocal in one take.

"Metronomic Underground" ~ Stereolab
I prefer the 10:14 version from 'ABC Music'
The groove induces a heightened sense of cool.. then you realize you've been mouthing "Crazy! Sturdy! A-tor! Pedo!"??!! Brilliant!

"I Heard it Through the Grapevine" - CCR
There are plenty of covers but CCR's 11:07 swamp rock, boogie-woogie jam on Cosmo's Factory is the witchingest, loosest and grooviest!

"The Golden Path" - The Chemical Brothers feat. The Flaming Lips
Paralyses with a powerful demon force!

"Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" - Arctic Monkeys
Smart and bristling with exuberance. Delivering on the promise made by all the skinny-tied, knackered-conversed pretenders.

"On Your Own" - The Verve
Telling it plaintive. More Otis Redding than Oasis.



G~Pick:

"Don't Cha" - Pussycat Dolls feat. Busta Rhymes
"Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?" - Catchy!


"Babies" - Pulp
Joint pick. Should be broadcast into deep space so aliens will get what it means to be human.

"Dirty Dancing OST"
I say again: Nobody puts baby in the corner!


"La La" - Ashlee Simpson
Catchy! Catchy!