First off, I have never actually been to the Tiger Mountain exhibit. I have only walked by it a handful of times. But it makes for a nifty title and it does have its significance. Tiger Mountain is the zoo equivalent of hell. Those who are assigned there for the day have the pleasure of standing in the sun in an isolated exhibit that is purgatory for a seasonal worker. And the only task you have is to ask people to park their strollers. Well, that doesn't sound SO bad now, does it? But have you ever dealt with suburban moms and their 6k strollers? Yes, one of them did claim to have a 6k stroller. And if they did- why? And more importantly, why bring it to the zoo? On a regular basis at Tiger Mountain, you are yelled at for asking people to park their strollers. You are insulted. You are given nasty looks. All while baking in the sun, in the middle of nowhere and not really being able to say anything but, "I'm sorry, ma'am, it's park policy." Well, that's what you're SUPPOSED to say. I think some of the employees have been a bit more creative in their answers.
Therefore, it's no surprise that if you find yourself on the roster for this attraction in the morning, you groan and try to figure out what you must have done to anger the Zoo gods to put you in this space. The rumor is that it's a punishment zone. As I said, I have never been there but was assigned to it once, only to find myself spared at the last moment when a cashier called out. Score one for me.
But you know, all in all, the zoo has been okay. Sure, I can complain and all-who doesn't complain about their jobs- and really, the only thing keeping me from fully loving it is the pay. But I knew of that situation going into the position.
And to think I thought I wouldn't have to work there. I was told by the third-party recruiter that I would never be hired as they would see me as a "flight risk." I still got an offer. I was having several interviews around the same time and naively assumed at least one of them would make me an offer. In fact, a recruiter called me my second day of training at the zoo and I assumed it would be to tell me that the company wanted me. But then he said the news was "bittersweet" and that they went with somebody else. (Note to recruiters: there is NOTHING bittersweet about not getting a job. It is just bitter.)
And here are a few things I've learned about myself and others so far this season:
- I am old. I mean, really old. You laugh, but when some of the people you work with are 16 through 21 and have never heard of the Mary Tyler Moore show or All in the Family and you cannot connect on a lot of levels, it's odd. I like these people a lot and- while I wouldn't broadcast it- I always have this desperate need to be liked. But I also know that I need to set boundaries because if I try to suggest hanging out, I don't want to be that creepy older guy.
- On the flip side, most people there are surprised when I tell them how old I am. And I get some kind of kick out of saying, "I'm turning 40 next year" and being told I look younger. Score!
- Gorillas are awesome.
- I think there are a lot more gay guys in my department than even they know. But I'd never, ever call any of them on it. Unless they tell me, I won't confront them. I'm rarely wrong but - again, here is the age thing - I don't want to be seen as some creepy older guy. I'm not hitting on them, I'd just like friends and if they needed to talk about it, would be willing to be there for them. But I can volunteer on a hot line as well. I'd love to have them be honest, as I am. But nobody needs to be rushed into facing things about themselves that they are not ready for.
- I can wear shorts above the knee and get over my shame that my legs look like pipe cleaners.
- I haven't yet gotten tired of eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. It's all I can afford. I'd love to go to McDonald's once in a while but I don't dare.
And just this past Friday, I saw a great sight. I was working at an attraction across from the giraffe lawn. The zoo hadn't opened yet and the giraffes had just been let out. One of the younger giraffes was running in circles around the field in that beautiful, loping gait they have. He was probably happy that he didn't have to be at Tiger Mountain either.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Eddie Does Easter
This is kind of a lazy post. It's just the letter I wrote to the restaurant where I had an awful Easter brunch. Yeah, I know. I haven't posted anything in months and the first thing I do is an email. But I just thought I'd introduce you to my life as a perpetual "Mary Tyler Moore Show" dinner party - you know, always hopeful they'll be fun but something always goes wrong. And every word of this is true. You may think, "Wow, this queen really does get bitchy about his eggs." But it was EASTER and I wanted a nice meal with friends. So, read on.
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to express my disappointment with Havana Central and their staff at the Morningside Heights restaurant on April 4, 2010. Now I have been to this restaurant many, many times in the past before it even became Havana Central and have never had any reason to complain. But the staff just wasn't firing on all cylinders this day.
I had come to brunch with two of my friends. I had ordered the "Huevos Fritos Cubanos." I have had them several times before. Our server took my order, then my friends. When I was served, I was given the same dish as my friend had ordered. (Later, the receipt would show that this is how it was entered into the computer- that despite us ordering two different dishes, it had been input in error.) It took a long time to get our server's attention, I asked for the menu so I could show him what I ordered as he seemed to have no idea what I was asking for. I kept saying, it's the two eggs over rice. So after being told that "because we're so busy, it'll take a while to make you that" and waiting, I was presented with a different dish a second time that was wrong. This was swimming in beans and I know that there is a small portion of beans on what I had ordered but this was eggs and beans, again, not what I had ordered - indeed, the Cuban pressed bread wasn't even there so I know they didn't get it right. I sent it back again (and the busboy gave me the most annoyed look as he did so.)
Our server came back and said, "We're out of that dish." How can you be out of a dish that consists of two eggs, rice, some onions and a spoonful of beans? Was anybody in the kitchen even familiar with the menu? Our server said that the menu has changed recently, but first of all, why would that be my fault? Secondly, this is a dish I've ordered a few times before so it's been around. Was somebody in the kitchen just annoyed with me that they were being stubborn? Well, I'm sorry, it's a recession, I do not go out to eat as much as I once did and I do want to get what I have ordered.
So I ordered a burger as it was getting late. I asked for it "medium rare." The server said, "Medium well." I had to correct him. But it didn't matter. The burger I got was medium well. I felt badly for my friends who had to wait for me to eat while they were done, but there was consolation in the fact that the appetizer we had ordered (and had asked about three different times) never came out until they had finished their meals.
All in all, I am very disappointed by my experience at your restaurant. As I said, I've been a patron since 2001 so I know that it's not the standard procedure. It's said that if you have a good experience, you tell two people but if you have a bad one, you tell ten. I am not going to tell ten people but this experience has made me less likely to frequent your establishment in the future.
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to express my disappointment with Havana Central and their staff at the Morningside Heights restaurant on April 4, 2010. Now I have been to this restaurant many, many times in the past before it even became Havana Central and have never had any reason to complain. But the staff just wasn't firing on all cylinders this day.
I had come to brunch with two of my friends. I had ordered the "Huevos Fritos Cubanos." I have had them several times before. Our server took my order, then my friends. When I was served, I was given the same dish as my friend had ordered. (Later, the receipt would show that this is how it was entered into the computer- that despite us ordering two different dishes, it had been input in error.) It took a long time to get our server's attention, I asked for the menu so I could show him what I ordered as he seemed to have no idea what I was asking for. I kept saying, it's the two eggs over rice. So after being told that "because we're so busy, it'll take a while to make you that" and waiting, I was presented with a different dish a second time that was wrong. This was swimming in beans and I know that there is a small portion of beans on what I had ordered but this was eggs and beans, again, not what I had ordered - indeed, the Cuban pressed bread wasn't even there so I know they didn't get it right. I sent it back again (and the busboy gave me the most annoyed look as he did so.)
Our server came back and said, "We're out of that dish." How can you be out of a dish that consists of two eggs, rice, some onions and a spoonful of beans? Was anybody in the kitchen even familiar with the menu? Our server said that the menu has changed recently, but first of all, why would that be my fault? Secondly, this is a dish I've ordered a few times before so it's been around. Was somebody in the kitchen just annoyed with me that they were being stubborn? Well, I'm sorry, it's a recession, I do not go out to eat as much as I once did and I do want to get what I have ordered.
So I ordered a burger as it was getting late. I asked for it "medium rare." The server said, "Medium well." I had to correct him. But it didn't matter. The burger I got was medium well. I felt badly for my friends who had to wait for me to eat while they were done, but there was consolation in the fact that the appetizer we had ordered (and had asked about three different times) never came out until they had finished their meals.
All in all, I am very disappointed by my experience at your restaurant. As I said, I've been a patron since 2001 so I know that it's not the standard procedure. It's said that if you have a good experience, you tell two people but if you have a bad one, you tell ten. I am not going to tell ten people but this experience has made me less likely to frequent your establishment in the future.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Let's Scare Viewers to Death
It's October! I became a horror movie convert several years ago and have never looked back. It was cathartic because as a kid I was chicken about everything. I especially hated having to sleep next to the closet, sure that there was something in there at night. I had classmates who were allowed to see R-rated movies when they weren't even in puberty and that was so weird to me. One Halloween night, I was sleeping over at a friends and "Friday the 13th" was on. I refused to be in the same room as the movie.
But now? That's all changed. So I've decided to compile a short and nowhere near exhaustive list of some great horror movies you should try and rent this season. Yes, some are very common so you wont be surprised to see them here but I've tried to include a few that not as many people know about/have seen. I haven't mentioned many horror movies from the past few years because I tend to find them, for the most part, lame and unimaginative. (Not to mention a large number being remakes anyhow...) Note that all the movies I list here are the originals. And I know I may get a lot of "I can't believe you didn't mention ..." But space is limited. :)
The "No, DUH!" List:
1. Halloween (1978) - I don't even need to explain why this is here. General rule, stay away from most of the sequels although H20 despite it's obvious "Scream"-inspired style provides good closure (which be undone a few years later) and brings back not just Jamie Lee Curtis but Nancy Stephens from parts one and two. She's the cigarette smoking nurse who Michael attacks in the car in the first film.
2. Friday the 13th (1980)- I like this movie. A lot. Yes, it's a rip off of "Halloween" but it also works on its own. I love the early sequence when the young counselor is wandering through the quiet New Jersey town and is warned about the camp. It sets up some good atmosphere. Plus, while it's not the gold standard of acting, the cast is all pretty likable (including Kevin Bacon) and you really do feel the darkness and isolation of the camp.
3. Night of the Living Dead (1968)- What's more disturbing? The flesh eating zombies or the zombie-free final few minutes where a character meets a fate far too close to what was happening in 1960s America? Great, great movie. Plus, Judith O'Dea (Barbra) wears one of the most unconvincing falls ever.
4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1973)- The dinner table scene with the hammer is almost too much for me now, not sure what people thought in 1973 but damn. This is intense and there's a LOT of good screaming.
5. Poltergeist (1982) - Funny how I hated horror movies but did love this. Not so much pure horror to an adult as it is thrilling, for kids, this movie brings every childhood fear to life. Oh, and it was rated PG so kids streamed into the theaters in the summer of 1982 and a whole generation got messed up. Notable for the really strong performances and warmth from Craig T. Nelson, the great Beatrice Straight and the fantastic JoBeth Williams who should have been nominated for an Oscar for this.
Also: "The Exorcist" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street."
The "Be Sure and Look For This" List:
6. "Black Christmas" (1974) - Did you ever wonder what a horror movie starring Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin (SCTV and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding") and the girl who played Juliet in the "Romeo and Juliet" movie we all saw in high school where she flashed her boobs and Romeo his butt, would be like? (Her name is Olivia Hussey, by the way.) Wonder no more. This is a great, unsettling slasher/thriller set in a sorority house. The best thing about it is the air of mystery of who the obscene caller is, something the abysmal 2006 remake spells out for you. One of the scariest scenes for me is when a woman discovers something in a park and screams and screams but we are never shown what it is yet it's still horrifying. Good stuff. A perhaps apocryphal tale has it that when this was first broadcast on network TV, it was yanked at the midpoint because of viewers calling in and saying it was too scary. Another cool thing? It was directed by Bob Clark who nine years later directed the much gentler "A Christmas Story."
7. "Don't Look Now" (1973) - Ahhh, Venice. Canals, gondoliers, piazzas and murdered women. Wait, what? This is not the Venice of David Lean's "Summertime." This is Venice in the off-season. Gloomy, abandoned, eerie, dangerous. Is it haunted the by the ghost of Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland's dead daughter? Who is responsible for the murders? Who are the two weird sisters? This film is notorious less for the story than the sex scene between Christie and Sutherland that was rumored to be real. Warning: Donald Sutherland naked butt alert. But it's not as frightening as his curly wig.
8. "The Haunting" (1963) - remade as a crappy CGI fest in 1999, this is the real deal. Think you're tough? Watch this by yourself with the lights out. Go ahead, I DARE you. I saw this at the age of 24 and had trouble sleeping for the next three weeks. The scariest movie where you never see the ghosts. The music, camera angles and black and white photography are all unsettling. Plus, it has a great cast that includes Julie Harris, Russ Tamblyn and Claire Bloom wearing one great mod outfit. Again, watch it alone. Ha.
9. "The Innocents" (1961)- There have been a lot, lot, lot of versions of "The Turns of the Screw" (and why not? It's a kick ass ghost story) but this is a very faithful and very scary adaptation of the Henry James short story. Deborah Kerr is great as the nanny who's seeing evil, manipulative ghosts - or is she? Also in the cast is the creepy boy from "Village of the Damned." We do see ghosts in this movie, but there's also a lot of great psychological horror going on here as well.
10. "Let's Scare Jessica to Death" (1971)- Hey look! A movie set in rural Connecticut that was FILMED in rural Connecticut and not Ontario or Romania. Great movie about an unbalanced woman who has visions and weird experiences when she moves into an old farmhouse with her husband to "live off the land." Well, it *was* 1971. Vampires and ghosts and Jessica herself all prove pretty scary.
11. "Suspiria" (1977) - An Italian movie, set in Germany and filmed in English. A young woman goes to a dance school that turns out to be home to a coven of witches. Beautiful, rich, vibrant colors make it look like a gore soaked "Wizard of Oz." Not for the faint of heart (it's Italian horror and that's code for blood) but gorgeously filmed with a killer soundtrack.
Modern Horror List:
Since they're relatively new, I will only mention:
"Let the Right One In" (Swedish vampires!)
"The Orphanage" (Spanish ghosts!)
I don't want to say much about these two as they have plots that need to be experienced rather than described.
Not Horror but Horrific:
"They Shoot Horses Don't They?" (1969)- No, this is not a traditional horror movie but you'd be hard pressed to find a movie more unsettling and disturbing. And you thought dance marathons were only fund raisers that high school students participate in!
Happy viewing!
But now? That's all changed. So I've decided to compile a short and nowhere near exhaustive list of some great horror movies you should try and rent this season. Yes, some are very common so you wont be surprised to see them here but I've tried to include a few that not as many people know about/have seen. I haven't mentioned many horror movies from the past few years because I tend to find them, for the most part, lame and unimaginative. (Not to mention a large number being remakes anyhow...) Note that all the movies I list here are the originals. And I know I may get a lot of "I can't believe you didn't mention ..." But space is limited. :)
The "No, DUH!" List:
1. Halloween (1978) - I don't even need to explain why this is here. General rule, stay away from most of the sequels although H20 despite it's obvious "Scream"-inspired style provides good closure (which be undone a few years later) and brings back not just Jamie Lee Curtis but Nancy Stephens from parts one and two. She's the cigarette smoking nurse who Michael attacks in the car in the first film.
2. Friday the 13th (1980)- I like this movie. A lot. Yes, it's a rip off of "Halloween" but it also works on its own. I love the early sequence when the young counselor is wandering through the quiet New Jersey town and is warned about the camp. It sets up some good atmosphere. Plus, while it's not the gold standard of acting, the cast is all pretty likable (including Kevin Bacon) and you really do feel the darkness and isolation of the camp.
3. Night of the Living Dead (1968)- What's more disturbing? The flesh eating zombies or the zombie-free final few minutes where a character meets a fate far too close to what was happening in 1960s America? Great, great movie. Plus, Judith O'Dea (Barbra) wears one of the most unconvincing falls ever.
4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1973)- The dinner table scene with the hammer is almost too much for me now, not sure what people thought in 1973 but damn. This is intense and there's a LOT of good screaming.
5. Poltergeist (1982) - Funny how I hated horror movies but did love this. Not so much pure horror to an adult as it is thrilling, for kids, this movie brings every childhood fear to life. Oh, and it was rated PG so kids streamed into the theaters in the summer of 1982 and a whole generation got messed up. Notable for the really strong performances and warmth from Craig T. Nelson, the great Beatrice Straight and the fantastic JoBeth Williams who should have been nominated for an Oscar for this.
Also: "The Exorcist" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street."
The "Be Sure and Look For This" List:
6. "Black Christmas" (1974) - Did you ever wonder what a horror movie starring Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin (SCTV and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding") and the girl who played Juliet in the "Romeo and Juliet" movie we all saw in high school where she flashed her boobs and Romeo his butt, would be like? (Her name is Olivia Hussey, by the way.) Wonder no more. This is a great, unsettling slasher/thriller set in a sorority house. The best thing about it is the air of mystery of who the obscene caller is, something the abysmal 2006 remake spells out for you. One of the scariest scenes for me is when a woman discovers something in a park and screams and screams but we are never shown what it is yet it's still horrifying. Good stuff. A perhaps apocryphal tale has it that when this was first broadcast on network TV, it was yanked at the midpoint because of viewers calling in and saying it was too scary. Another cool thing? It was directed by Bob Clark who nine years later directed the much gentler "A Christmas Story."
7. "Don't Look Now" (1973) - Ahhh, Venice. Canals, gondoliers, piazzas and murdered women. Wait, what? This is not the Venice of David Lean's "Summertime." This is Venice in the off-season. Gloomy, abandoned, eerie, dangerous. Is it haunted the by the ghost of Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland's dead daughter? Who is responsible for the murders? Who are the two weird sisters? This film is notorious less for the story than the sex scene between Christie and Sutherland that was rumored to be real. Warning: Donald Sutherland naked butt alert. But it's not as frightening as his curly wig.
8. "The Haunting" (1963) - remade as a crappy CGI fest in 1999, this is the real deal. Think you're tough? Watch this by yourself with the lights out. Go ahead, I DARE you. I saw this at the age of 24 and had trouble sleeping for the next three weeks. The scariest movie where you never see the ghosts. The music, camera angles and black and white photography are all unsettling. Plus, it has a great cast that includes Julie Harris, Russ Tamblyn and Claire Bloom wearing one great mod outfit. Again, watch it alone. Ha.
9. "The Innocents" (1961)- There have been a lot, lot, lot of versions of "The Turns of the Screw" (and why not? It's a kick ass ghost story) but this is a very faithful and very scary adaptation of the Henry James short story. Deborah Kerr is great as the nanny who's seeing evil, manipulative ghosts - or is she? Also in the cast is the creepy boy from "Village of the Damned." We do see ghosts in this movie, but there's also a lot of great psychological horror going on here as well.
10. "Let's Scare Jessica to Death" (1971)- Hey look! A movie set in rural Connecticut that was FILMED in rural Connecticut and not Ontario or Romania. Great movie about an unbalanced woman who has visions and weird experiences when she moves into an old farmhouse with her husband to "live off the land." Well, it *was* 1971. Vampires and ghosts and Jessica herself all prove pretty scary.
11. "Suspiria" (1977) - An Italian movie, set in Germany and filmed in English. A young woman goes to a dance school that turns out to be home to a coven of witches. Beautiful, rich, vibrant colors make it look like a gore soaked "Wizard of Oz." Not for the faint of heart (it's Italian horror and that's code for blood) but gorgeously filmed with a killer soundtrack.
Modern Horror List:
Since they're relatively new, I will only mention:
"Let the Right One In" (Swedish vampires!)
"The Orphanage" (Spanish ghosts!)
I don't want to say much about these two as they have plots that need to be experienced rather than described.
Not Horror but Horrific:
"They Shoot Horses Don't They?" (1969)- No, this is not a traditional horror movie but you'd be hard pressed to find a movie more unsettling and disturbing. And you thought dance marathons were only fund raisers that high school students participate in!
Happy viewing!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Random thoughts, (some up, some down), to end September
As I said in a previous post, last week was great because I kept myself busy the entire time getting ready for the dinner party on Friday. (And I need to add here that one of the books that was crucial to the dinner party's success FINALLY arrived from the library today, all of two and a half weeks after I place the request. I had to find the actual book in a bookstore and copy down the recipes.) This week has been a big ol' letdown so far. Since I see no point in buying unlimited Metro Cards for the time being, I tend to stay in my neighborhood a lot. No problem as it's a nice neighborhood, (one of the cast members from "As the World Turns" lives up here and I see him all the time) but some weeks are more boring than others. This is one of them. Perhaps it's the cold and the fact that people are bundling up. I like cold weather, always have and will, but this year it reminds me how much time is going by and that I am still out of work. I'm looking forward to a nice Indian summer if anything to get those Columbia boys back in t-shirts.
Also compounding the general malaise is the sudden uptick in rejection letters that I am getting. I suppose it's good that there seems to be movement but none of the movement is in my direction. But I still send out those resume dutifully and faithfully every day. I know a job will come, but I just don't want it to happen too late. Yeah, the news is rather depressing about the job situation and I know so many others are in the same situation as I, but I get a little selfish and think, "Yes, but only I can control what happens to me." So I second guess myself, wonder what I am doing wrong, wonder if I have done nothing but take the wrong career path my entire life, kick myself when another rejection arrives as though it's some form of judgement.
Nevertheless, there is something satisfying about sending out resumes, knowing that you're working on getting it out there, that each day your name goes out to more and more people, like a ripple effect in a pond. And the more who know about me, the better the odds have to be mathematically. Right? RIGHT??? It's that conundrum: I know I can do the job well, but these people can only choose one person and in this competitive climate, they'll go with the most "golden" resume. And so I am still here and so ashamed to admit that last week, I made it a point to tune into "Oprah" to see the Mackenzie Phillips debacle. Oh, how I've fallen.
Geez, thank god for this blog so I can get it all out. I don't want there to be too much annoying navel-gazing here but every now and then I have to vent.
So, let's talk Sarah Palin for a second. And only for a second for that's all I can take. The woman is incapable of stringing together a coherent thought - this is not saying she cannot form a sentence, she can. It's just that her sentences makes very little sense. Therefore, her book will be completely ghostwritten as we know. The only thing that bugs me is that it probably will be a bestseller. I guess there's no accounting for taste.
And finally, a farewell to September, a month that began with me on Martha's Vineyard, having one of the most glorious vacations ever, to a more sobering month as some friends lost loved ones, members of the family sold their homes, ending an era, and a final gathering was held on the ground of another relatives home that will be sold soon. That was especially moving as it was the place where our families have been gathering since I was an infant (and before) and I'm sad to see the house go.
As I finish writing this, somewhere outside my window, some old creaky door is opening and it sounds like the effect used in horror movies for coffins. That can only mean that it's time for October.
Another month, more possibilities.
Also compounding the general malaise is the sudden uptick in rejection letters that I am getting. I suppose it's good that there seems to be movement but none of the movement is in my direction. But I still send out those resume dutifully and faithfully every day. I know a job will come, but I just don't want it to happen too late. Yeah, the news is rather depressing about the job situation and I know so many others are in the same situation as I, but I get a little selfish and think, "Yes, but only I can control what happens to me." So I second guess myself, wonder what I am doing wrong, wonder if I have done nothing but take the wrong career path my entire life, kick myself when another rejection arrives as though it's some form of judgement.
Nevertheless, there is something satisfying about sending out resumes, knowing that you're working on getting it out there, that each day your name goes out to more and more people, like a ripple effect in a pond. And the more who know about me, the better the odds have to be mathematically. Right? RIGHT??? It's that conundrum: I know I can do the job well, but these people can only choose one person and in this competitive climate, they'll go with the most "golden" resume. And so I am still here and so ashamed to admit that last week, I made it a point to tune into "Oprah" to see the Mackenzie Phillips debacle. Oh, how I've fallen.
Geez, thank god for this blog so I can get it all out. I don't want there to be too much annoying navel-gazing here but every now and then I have to vent.
So, let's talk Sarah Palin for a second. And only for a second for that's all I can take. The woman is incapable of stringing together a coherent thought - this is not saying she cannot form a sentence, she can. It's just that her sentences makes very little sense. Therefore, her book will be completely ghostwritten as we know. The only thing that bugs me is that it probably will be a bestseller. I guess there's no accounting for taste.
And finally, a farewell to September, a month that began with me on Martha's Vineyard, having one of the most glorious vacations ever, to a more sobering month as some friends lost loved ones, members of the family sold their homes, ending an era, and a final gathering was held on the ground of another relatives home that will be sold soon. That was especially moving as it was the place where our families have been gathering since I was an infant (and before) and I'm sad to see the house go.
As I finish writing this, somewhere outside my window, some old creaky door is opening and it sounds like the effect used in horror movies for coffins. That can only mean that it's time for October.
Another month, more possibilities.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Where's the Boeuf? (Yes, I know that was terrible.)
I can cook. I have made entire Thanksgiving dinners, I am a whiz at eggplant parmesan, my shepherd's pie is a delight but I was feeling limited in what I was able to produce. So, as many of you know, I took a big step last week and tried something new. A multi-step recipe that required real attention and skill. And I did it. Have I mastered the art of French cooking? No. But I came that much closer the other night.
I spent the better part of a month worrying about cooking up the boeuf bourguignon (god, I wish that were easier to spell) and as of last Friday night, I served it, people ate it, they seemed to enjoy it and that was it.
The last several months of my life have been very rote. A typical day goes with me getting up, taking my walk, going home, and sending out resumes while I have "The Young and the Restless" on in the background. (For those of you who used to watch it but haven't in years, you'll be delighted to know that Kay and Jill still hate one another. Since 1974.) Then I tend to worry about my future obsessively for the rest of the day.
Last week was a change of pace and it was nice to stave off the few work rejections that I did get and go shopping. I turned in my coin at the bank and bought items a few at a time. I think that was a psychological thing so it wouldn't look as though I had spent too much money all at once. Always the glutton for punishment, I even walked through the heat and humidity last week to the Fairway down under the viaduct to get the stew meat. And truthfully, I just didn't want to pay for a subway ride to the Fairway on 75th. A friend insisted that I should only go to Fairway, but I'm not sure why that should have been my only option. But I did get my meat and bacon there. Yes, the recipe calls for both bacon and beef. Vegetarians had best stop reading here.
My mind wouldn't rest. While lying in bed on Wednesday night, I was puzzling over what it would be like to cut the bacon from the "rind." I don't think I'd even seen bacon that hadn't been sliced before. The task of separating the bacon from the rind ended up being a lot easier than I thought. The rind is just the skin anyhow. And it all worked out swell. I bought a copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" recently but didn't want it to get all messy. perhaps I shouldn't have been so reticent. I always tell my mother that I want her old Betty Crocker cookbook one day, and that things is so splattered by grease and flour and shortening and god knows what else that the book could probably be cooked in the oven and taste good. But I couldn't bring myself to soil my new cookbook. I photocopied the recipe and had it right in front of me as I went step by step, bit by bit over the recipe. There were a few adjustments I had to make - the bacon didn't render out enough fat to brown the meat successfully and in the end, there was no fat to pour out. I started at 1:30 in the afternoon and was done by 7:45 pm. That includes the whole process of cooking in the oven (and frequently checking to make sure it wasn't simmering too much.) Unlike Julie Powell, I did not fall asleep and burn it. Although, my recipe looked a lot different than the one shown in "Julie and Julia."
And as Julia said, the flavors come together much more harmoniously when left overnight. There was barely enough for leftovers when the party was over. That's partly due to a nosy roommate with boundary issues but that's another story entirely.
So what do I tackle next?
I spent the better part of a month worrying about cooking up the boeuf bourguignon (god, I wish that were easier to spell) and as of last Friday night, I served it, people ate it, they seemed to enjoy it and that was it.
The last several months of my life have been very rote. A typical day goes with me getting up, taking my walk, going home, and sending out resumes while I have "The Young and the Restless" on in the background. (For those of you who used to watch it but haven't in years, you'll be delighted to know that Kay and Jill still hate one another. Since 1974.) Then I tend to worry about my future obsessively for the rest of the day.
Last week was a change of pace and it was nice to stave off the few work rejections that I did get and go shopping. I turned in my coin at the bank and bought items a few at a time. I think that was a psychological thing so it wouldn't look as though I had spent too much money all at once. Always the glutton for punishment, I even walked through the heat and humidity last week to the Fairway down under the viaduct to get the stew meat. And truthfully, I just didn't want to pay for a subway ride to the Fairway on 75th. A friend insisted that I should only go to Fairway, but I'm not sure why that should have been my only option. But I did get my meat and bacon there. Yes, the recipe calls for both bacon and beef. Vegetarians had best stop reading here.
My mind wouldn't rest. While lying in bed on Wednesday night, I was puzzling over what it would be like to cut the bacon from the "rind." I don't think I'd even seen bacon that hadn't been sliced before. The task of separating the bacon from the rind ended up being a lot easier than I thought. The rind is just the skin anyhow. And it all worked out swell. I bought a copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" recently but didn't want it to get all messy. perhaps I shouldn't have been so reticent. I always tell my mother that I want her old Betty Crocker cookbook one day, and that things is so splattered by grease and flour and shortening and god knows what else that the book could probably be cooked in the oven and taste good. But I couldn't bring myself to soil my new cookbook. I photocopied the recipe and had it right in front of me as I went step by step, bit by bit over the recipe. There were a few adjustments I had to make - the bacon didn't render out enough fat to brown the meat successfully and in the end, there was no fat to pour out. I started at 1:30 in the afternoon and was done by 7:45 pm. That includes the whole process of cooking in the oven (and frequently checking to make sure it wasn't simmering too much.) Unlike Julie Powell, I did not fall asleep and burn it. Although, my recipe looked a lot different than the one shown in "Julie and Julia."
And as Julia said, the flavors come together much more harmoniously when left overnight. There was barely enough for leftovers when the party was over. That's partly due to a nosy roommate with boundary issues but that's another story entirely.
So what do I tackle next?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Special, esoteric "Mad Men" fans only posting
As I've mentioned many times before, I'm obsessive. My latest obsession? "Mad Men." How can I even begin to describe how much I loved last night's episode? My friend and I are hooked on this show. In the early 90s, he and I used to spend every Saturday night in his basement watching "Twin Peaks" and nearly twenty years later, we have another "Twin Peaks" to capture our interest.
First, here's a good quote from an"Onion" critic about the season that reflects what I've discussed with people about the slow nature of the show and is it better to watch all at once on DVD or week by week:
http://www.avclub.com/articles/guy-walks-into-an-advertising-agency,33092/
"I’ve read a lot of criticism—in the comments section here and in other places—that while Season Three has featured a number of memorable moments, it hasn’t really cohered. The leisurely pace that’s been Mad Men’s trademark mode has, at times, seemed a little indulgent, as though creator Matt Weiner were trying to convince us that there’s more happening than there actually is… if only we’d look hard enough. Since I enjoy spending time in the Mad Men universe whether it's drama-filled or not, I haven’t minded the slow-drip, scene-by-scene approach. I think of this show as being like one long novel, and though each chapter has its own careful construction and unique themes, it often feels wrong to judge the individual elements of the composition until we’ve seen the whole picture. Three years from now, when we see how much (or how little) everyone’s lives have changed over the course of Mad Men, those “not much happe
ning” times we’ve spent with them will be all the more meaningful, because we’ll have come to know these people."
I totally agree.
Some things about last night I really liked:
- Pete's reaction when they said that Ken Cosgrove is head of accounts as is Pete Campbell, "for the time being." Vincent Kartheiser has some great, momentary reactions shots, like a few weeks ago when the jai alai guy was talking about "balls coming at his face."
-Peggy fainting into Pete's arms.
- Joan. Joan. Joan. Was she great in this episode or what? How can she leave Sterling Cooper? And how can they let her go? I swore she was going to ask Don to help her get her job back when they were in the hospital but she didn't. Damn. But man, she and Don have some smokin' chemistry. But as Joan noted in the first season, he never went after her. I'll bet Don never has affairs with coworkers. Joan is the one with brains in her fingers, not her husband.
- Betty apparently still doesn't care for Bobby much. "Go beat your head against the wall. Only boring people get bored."
- Evil Bubble Cut Barbie.
- Why don't we know Don's secretary's name? Peggy has Olive, Pete's had Hildy forever, Paul has/had Lois.
- Did you notice the quick shot of Mr. Hooker and a secretary run into the room, all mussed up when the accident happened? Man, I wish Joan would put him in his place.
- Paul Kinsey going crazy over having to cut his beard and then playing the guitar while the top brass comes through.
- And the accident itself. Completely unexpected but this is the way MM always confounds our expectations. Here I was thinking, we now have this young upstart, he's going to cause all kinds of trouble and tension, everybody will hate him. There will be episodes worth of resentment and then blam!, his foot gets cut off by a lawnmower and suddenly the status quo is restored. Brilliant play on the title as well, "Guy Walks Into Advertising Agency" as his name was Guy and then of course, he doesn't walk out.
I love this show.
First, here's a good quote from an"Onion" critic about the season that reflects what I've discussed with people about the slow nature of the show and is it better to watch all at once on DVD or week by week:
http://www.avclub.com/articles/guy-walks-into-an-advertising-agency,33092/
"I’ve read a lot of criticism—in the comments section here and in other places—that while Season Three has featured a number of memorable moments, it hasn’t really cohered. The leisurely pace that’s been Mad Men’s trademark mode has, at times, seemed a little indulgent, as though creator Matt Weiner were trying to convince us that there’s more happening than there actually is… if only we’d look hard enough. Since I enjoy spending time in the Mad Men universe whether it's drama-filled or not, I haven’t minded the slow-drip, scene-by-scene approach. I think of this show as being like one long novel, and though each chapter has its own careful construction and unique themes, it often feels wrong to judge the individual elements of the composition until we’ve seen the whole picture. Three years from now, when we see how much (or how little) everyone’s lives have changed over the course of Mad Men, those “not much happe
ning” times we’ve spent with them will be all the more meaningful, because we’ll have come to know these people."
I totally agree.
Some things about last night I really liked:
- Pete's reaction when they said that Ken Cosgrove is head of accounts as is Pete Campbell, "for the time being." Vincent Kartheiser has some great, momentary reactions shots, like a few weeks ago when the jai alai guy was talking about "balls coming at his face."
-Peggy fainting into Pete's arms.
- Joan. Joan. Joan. Was she great in this episode or what? How can she leave Sterling Cooper? And how can they let her go? I swore she was going to ask Don to help her get her job back when they were in the hospital but she didn't. Damn. But man, she and Don have some smokin' chemistry. But as Joan noted in the first season, he never went after her. I'll bet Don never has affairs with coworkers. Joan is the one with brains in her fingers, not her husband.
- Betty apparently still doesn't care for Bobby much. "Go beat your head against the wall. Only boring people get bored."
- Evil Bubble Cut Barbie.
- Why don't we know Don's secretary's name? Peggy has Olive, Pete's had Hildy forever, Paul has/had Lois.
- Did you notice the quick shot of Mr. Hooker and a secretary run into the room, all mussed up when the accident happened? Man, I wish Joan would put him in his place.
- Paul Kinsey going crazy over having to cut his beard and then playing the guitar while the top brass comes through.
- And the accident itself. Completely unexpected but this is the way MM always confounds our expectations. Here I was thinking, we now have this young upstart, he's going to cause all kinds of trouble and tension, everybody will hate him. There will be episodes worth of resentment and then blam!, his foot gets cut off by a lawnmower and suddenly the status quo is restored. Brilliant play on the title as well, "Guy Walks Into Advertising Agency" as his name was Guy and then of course, he doesn't walk out.
I love this show.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Mary Travers (1936-2009)
Just a few hours before I had heard that Mary Travers had died, I was listening to the song "Early in the Morning" on You Tube as sung by Colin Hanks on "Mad Men." That song is the first song on the first "Peter, Paul and Mary" album. It wasn't until maybe an hour after I had heard that she died that I realized I'd just been listening to one of their songs earlier that day. That made everything that much sadder for me.
Amidst all this contemporary tea party nonsense, the ugly rhetoric being thrown around, the sense that everything is falling apart, we have lost one of the voices in the struggle for freedom and civil liberties. It was once said about folksinger Malvina Reynolds that her protest songs sound gentle, but she doesn't protest gently. The same can be said for Mary Travers.
I have a CD boxed-set from a few years ago entitled "Washington Square Memories" which is the folk music from the era. One of the photos in the booklet shows a young, pretty, teenage blonde singing along with a girl in a guitar. The photo is dated 1954-55. I can give you three guesses as to who that young blonde is.
If you want the quintessential 60s folkie, I'd say it would be Mary Travers. This isn't to put down Joan Baez because I love her but Travers was the archetype of the folkie. She was a city dweller who would go down to Washington Square on the weekends and sing along. Eventually, she played the clubs, was discovered and recruited to be part of a folksinging trio. Yes, you heard me right - "recruited." "Peter, Paul and Mary" did not form spontaneously but were put together by a record company. This doesn't take away from any of their legacy for me (or the fact that, as a book I once read noted, that Mary was blonde whereas the true authentic folk singers all knew that it was the brunettes who were the most earnest, the type who carried a copy of "The Bell Jar" in their purses.)
So there's both a hint of authenticity and the commercial in the story of Mary Travers. But to me, it doesn't matter. What I remember are the songs. My mother had a few Peter, Paul and Mary albums and when we were growing up, she would often play them when she was doing the dishes after dinner or on lazy Sunday afternoons. My mother owned their first album, the one when Mary is holding a bouquet of flowers and the name of the group is written on chalk on a brick wall behind them. The song I seem to remember best, and I have no idea why, is "Lemon Tree." But the song I grew to love when I started listening to them on my own at the age of 17 is "If I Had a Hammer." Yes, in the era of hair metal and Funky Colmadenas, I went in the opposite direction.
It's because of the influence of "Peter, Paul and Mary" I went and discovered all these other wonderful, brilliant folk artists from that era and beyond. It's why I always feel as though I was born too late and wish that the Greenwich Village I knew was not the one where I worked for 6 years in the '00s but the Village of the 50s and 60s. I know I idealize it, smoky coffeehouses, acoustic music, beatniks but there has to really have been something there for the legend to grow. It sure beats all the Marc Jacobs boutiques that have taken over Bleecker Street.
Goodbye, Mary. Thanks for the fight, the music, your voice, your inspiration and everything else. I was going to try and end this with some reference to one of her songs, like "your soul is blowin' in the wind" or "now you're much further than 500 miles" but I think it's best to show my love and respect and just stop right here.
Amidst all this contemporary tea party nonsense, the ugly rhetoric being thrown around, the sense that everything is falling apart, we have lost one of the voices in the struggle for freedom and civil liberties. It was once said about folksinger Malvina Reynolds that her protest songs sound gentle, but she doesn't protest gently. The same can be said for Mary Travers.
I have a CD boxed-set from a few years ago entitled "Washington Square Memories" which is the folk music from the era. One of the photos in the booklet shows a young, pretty, teenage blonde singing along with a girl in a guitar. The photo is dated 1954-55. I can give you three guesses as to who that young blonde is.
If you want the quintessential 60s folkie, I'd say it would be Mary Travers. This isn't to put down Joan Baez because I love her but Travers was the archetype of the folkie. She was a city dweller who would go down to Washington Square on the weekends and sing along. Eventually, she played the clubs, was discovered and recruited to be part of a folksinging trio. Yes, you heard me right - "recruited." "Peter, Paul and Mary" did not form spontaneously but were put together by a record company. This doesn't take away from any of their legacy for me (or the fact that, as a book I once read noted, that Mary was blonde whereas the true authentic folk singers all knew that it was the brunettes who were the most earnest, the type who carried a copy of "The Bell Jar" in their purses.)
So there's both a hint of authenticity and the commercial in the story of Mary Travers. But to me, it doesn't matter. What I remember are the songs. My mother had a few Peter, Paul and Mary albums and when we were growing up, she would often play them when she was doing the dishes after dinner or on lazy Sunday afternoons. My mother owned their first album, the one when Mary is holding a bouquet of flowers and the name of the group is written on chalk on a brick wall behind them. The song I seem to remember best, and I have no idea why, is "Lemon Tree." But the song I grew to love when I started listening to them on my own at the age of 17 is "If I Had a Hammer." Yes, in the era of hair metal and Funky Colmadenas, I went in the opposite direction.
It's because of the influence of "Peter, Paul and Mary" I went and discovered all these other wonderful, brilliant folk artists from that era and beyond. It's why I always feel as though I was born too late and wish that the Greenwich Village I knew was not the one where I worked for 6 years in the '00s but the Village of the 50s and 60s. I know I idealize it, smoky coffeehouses, acoustic music, beatniks but there has to really have been something there for the legend to grow. It sure beats all the Marc Jacobs boutiques that have taken over Bleecker Street.
Goodbye, Mary. Thanks for the fight, the music, your voice, your inspiration and everything else. I was going to try and end this with some reference to one of her songs, like "your soul is blowin' in the wind" or "now you're much further than 500 miles" but I think it's best to show my love and respect and just stop right here.
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