Best Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday Mom! As usual, I'm worried that I'm getting your birthday wrong, but it's the thought that counts!

Here is a picture of a baby llama!


And here is a picture of Paul McCartney, your favorite Beatle!


And here is a picture of Bumblebee from the Transformers movie that will come out next year!



Happy Birthday!!!

Best! Best! Best!

Spider Man 3 Teaser!

Whoah. I'd trade Superman, Pirates 2, How to Eat Fried Worms, and Monster House to be able to see this movie this summer.

I appreciate the May 4th opening date, though. That's barely the beginning of the summer!

Best Free Haircut

On Thursday of last week I started thinking that I could use a haircut. On that same day I received an email from Joe saying Aveda needed haircut school patients. On Friday I called up and made my haircut school reservation.

Before:



After:



This was the first time I ever had my hair cut by a "stylist" as opposed to a barber, roommate, Erin, or a woman that my mom knew. My Aveda stylist was Cherrie, she was from Singapore. Or Taiwan. I think it was Taiwan. Anyway, she told me she was going to give me a soccer-player haircut. She also tried to get me to let her color it, I declined. She also really wanted to shave some lines into the side, I declined. Stylists take a lot longer on your hair, and they wash it a lot more, and the rinse it a lot more. Sometimes Cherrie's teacher would come by and remind her that I wasn't an Asian man and that my hair would need to be cut differently. Cherrie aspires to open an Aveda institute in Singapore. Or Taiwain. She also told me that I didn't have an egg-shaped face like her . . . at least I think that's what she told me. My free fancy hair cut was a journey through mystery, but I'm fairly pleased with where I wound up.

Best Content Drought

I just don't have much to blog about these days because studying for the bar is all I do. And I don't mean this like "Dude, I study soooo much, all I do is study, bro, my life is over, this stinks, kill me, kill me, kill me" way but in the "I have a full time job, it is called Study for the Bar" way. That's just how things are.

Anyway, you know that I like blogging and I was trying to come up with content this weekend. I almost blogged (with photos) about a bottle of orange juice I had on Saturday . . . I found all the hippie talk on my orange juice a bit too much to handle and was really going to let it have it . . . but then I realized I was about to use my space on the internet to give the label on a plastic bottle a hard time. What? Also, I was going to go to this barbecue on Saturday, it was going to be my big social activity of the week. But rain. So no barbecue.

Still, I appreciate you stopping by to see if I've done anything. Maybe I'll be hungry again and things will get exciting once more.

Oh. This weekend my bar studies entered the flash card making stage. Because nothing says serious learning like flash cards.

Argentina Stinks

Bad Idea Jeans: The Restaurant

Hip Hop SodaShop.
I had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1st.
I suppose the 00's need their Planet Hollywood
(I mean disaster-wise)

C'mon, Juelz.

Best Behind-the-Times Movie Review

I finally saw X-Men 3 the other night. For the most part, it was fine. I liked the first X-Men, X-Men 2 frustrated me, and X3, as I had no expectations, wasn't so bad. Here is a numbered list of things I have thought about the movie:

1) When Wolverine tries to get into Jean Grey's house Juggernaut stops him by . . . throwing him into her house? But I'll forgive that weirdness because I liked it when Juggernaut threw Wolverine through the ceiling and then Wolverine fell back down through the ceiling, making another hole.

2) Jean Grey lifts the house with her Phoenix powers. This made me think of the Wizard of Oz.

3) The movie starts with Prof. X and Magneto visiting Jean's house. They pull up in a Mercedes. Magneto looks something like Dr. Who. Twenty years later when Prof. X returns to Jean's house, parks in pretty much the same spot as before, and has a Maybach.

4) I liked that Arclight was in the movie.

5) What was the deal with Magneto's gestures and facial expressions when using his magnet powers? Just seemed weird to me, not how I imagined the Master of Magnetism doing his thing.

6) I like Magneto lifting cars and Pyro setting them on fire.

7) I liked Rogue absorbing Colossus' powers to save herself in the Danger Room.

8) I liked Juggernaut chasing Shadowcat.

9) Remember at the end where Wolverine walks towards Phoenix as his body is disintegrating and rehealing? That reminded me of the Wolverine & Havok miniseries that came out when I was in 4th or 5th grade. Wolverine fights a guy during a nuclear meltdown in a reactor and his body melts away and regenerates during the fight.

10) You could tell that Halle Barry really demanded more attention because she thinks she's such an important actress.

11) I think eternal flames are played out.

12) Can we say that Angel was really even in the movie? And did he fly from New York to San Francisco on his own or sneak aboard the Blackbird>

13) Now that I've seen the SR-71 in real life, can I just say that the Blackbird is totally fake.

14) Do you know how the Blackbird turns invisible or the Danger Room does all that crazy stuff? Alien technology, from the Shi'ar. Also, Prof. X is consort to the queen of the Shi'ar. It's okay that they leave that out of the X movies.

15) The bonus scene after the credits? I approve.

16) The Magneto has his powers back already scene? Hmmm. I don't know if I needed that. Why not have him show up in the next movie and say "Ha ha! I got my powers back!" It reminds me of how all my friends and I thought that the Joker might be coming back because we supposed his lucky deck was in his pocket when he fell off Gotham Cathedral.

17) Magneto tears Golden Gate bridge from its foundations and sends it to Alcatraz: Late Afternoon. Magneto and his minions arrive at Alcatraz: Middle of the night.

18) I did not appreciate the voiceover during the army scene telling us that they were getting plastic guns.

19) Why did the X-Men fight to stop Magneto from destroying the "cure" anyway?

20) Beast? Whatever.

I think that's about it. On the whole, I think that these X-Men movies are fine for people who never obsessed over the comics and all the ideas and scenarios are new to them, but for me, I sort of felt like I was watching a sci-fi TV show that I didn't really care about super much.

Best Go Huskies!

Dear Cassian,

Here are some pictures of Eleanor Friedberger from my High School yearbook.

Her Senior Picture:


Her Junior Picture:


Her Sophomore Picture:


Softball team picture (back row, to the right of the coach in white)


Tennis team picture (second from the top, second from the left)


P.S. Here are bonus pictures of Ludacris when he was still going to my High School.

On the gymnastics team, between my friends Javin and Eric, with whom I went to Philmont.


On the wrestling team, beside my friend Carlton a.k.a. "Peanut"


Related: Remember my illustrated guide to Sweet Spots?

Best New Weekly Feature!

Thanks to insanely popular demand, I present to you this week's Weird Toyota, the new Toyota Bat-stationwagon. I've seen these all over town but finally had my camera on me when I cam across one parked (where else) in Soho.



Last week's Weird Toyota, the FJ here.

Best Follow-Up

I had no idea that that last post about my desperate food situation would open the hearts and minds of my loyal readers. Thanks for all the suggestions and advice and whatnot. Yesterday I bought a toaster and it has really improved my life.

Yesterday I ate: a really good blt, the rest of my chicken nuggets, may glasses of white grape peach juice, plenty of milk, a couple of cookies, a chicken tostada, a tamale, a hotdog, and an avocado on toast sandwich. And some of the new Habanero Doritos. I definitely felt a lot more fulfilled at the end of last night.

Best Plea for Help

help, help! there is a disaster. I am sooo hungry. I bought nearly $40 worth of groceries today and nearly ate all of them this evening and I'm still h u n g r y. (Actually, $32 worth of groceries if I take out the laundry detergent). Why am I so hungry? Do I have a tapeworm? I need to buy a new toaster first thing tomorrow morning so I can eat BLTs all day long. Or is there a good and safe way to make toast in the oven or on the stove? Grumble. That's my stomach at 2:31 am. I will give a prize to anyone that can help me think of a way to not be hungry all the time . . . I eat and then I want to eat more . . . I'm locked in a mortal battle between what to eat, studying, and sleep and when those guys battle it out, you're only going to be a loser. I must have a tapeworm. I bet I got it from Nacho Libre, that's how authentically that movie portrayed the Mexico experience.

Things I ate today: minestrone soup, salad I made myself (not from a bag!), an almond joy, many glasses of white grape peach juice, nearly an entire big box of Tyson's chicken nuggets covered in hot sauce and dunked in blue cheese dressing, a whole shrimp cocktail ring, two cookies, so many glasses of milk, many slices of cheese set atop wheat crackers or triscuits, some caramel Hershey's kisses, one miniature reese's peanut butter cup. Obviously we're dealing with a lot of bad nutrition here, but shouldn't I be not hungry anymore?

Best Law School Was Right

In Art Law I read an article about how Klimt's portait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, if put up for auction, would set a new record for a price paid for a painting.

Turns out it did.

Best Flurry of Weekend Activities

This is what happened this weekend. Yes, this very weekend. Not some weekend many weekends ago.

1) I now have Bar classes 6 days of week. So, not pictured: me sitting in class Saturday from 9 to 1:30, acting really grouchy, writing down my notes very resentfully.

2) Gladys Knight came to the Stake Center with her Saints Unified Voices choir this weekend for two nights of shows (two shows a night). I worked as an usher on Saturday, I got to 1) Hold the VIP list and check to see if people's names were on it and 2) Hold the clicker and count the concert attendees. I really liked these jobs a whole, whole lot. I might get a job at Disneyland this fall, counting people as they get onto Splash Mountain or turning them away from Club 33.

This is me with my fellow ushers Don and Oscar. Totally outstanding ushers, it was an honor and a privilege to work with them. Although they closed their eyes for this picture, they did not have their eyes closed when it came to checking tickets!


Oh, and don't let it be said that a free Gladys Knight concert won't draw a crowd (word was the line stretched to CPW and around the corner)



3) While ushering, I got a call from Karisa saying "Hey, my boss gave me his ballet tickets for tonight, want to come?" As I was already wearing a suit and as I was already across the street from Lincoln Center I answered in the affirmative. We saw Giselle (apparently this is a really famous ballet) and it was my first non-Nutcracker ballet and it was great! So much jumping and feet wiggling and leg pointing, and lining up and lifting up and bending over, etc. etc. etc. Two thumbs up! I'd go again!


Here's a sneaky, tricky photograph of the Met's chandalier. (Shhhh. No pictures allowed.)


These noble beasts appeared in the ballet.


4) Post-ballet: Would you believe we met up with a mess of people to catch a late screening of Nacho Libre. The movie was ridiculous, I haven't decided if it was good-ridiculous or bad-ridiculous. I'll let you know.

5) Sunday night I went and saw Glady's show for myself. It was really, really good. The music wasn't always my style, but I can't hate on the show, that would be impossible.

While standing in line (it has been getting HOT in New York) the ice cream truck pulled up. Would the temptation be too much for the Sabbath-keepers then present?


YES! BUSTED!


Like I said, that was the weekend.

Best I Bet You Thought I Forgot

It's Bloomsday.

Every year there's this big long Ulysses celebration at Symphony Space here in town. I was strongly tempted to spend the afternoon/evening/night there today, but the whole thing is being broadcast online by WBAI. So that's what I'm doing now, listening to the fireworks portion from Nausicaa. I sure wish I hadn't missed the Christmas Dinner scene from Portrait of the Artists or the beginning Calypso . . . but at least there's lots of great stuff left to be read (Circe! Ithaca! Penelope!) after this Beckett interlude of several hours they're about to lay on me).

It's something else listening to this stuff being read with proper Irish accents. It gives me goosebumps. If you've ever been the least bit Ulysses-curious, you should tune in at 8:30.

Steady Mobbin' on Bloomsday 2004
(In 2005 I just linked to the 2004 post)

Best Periodical of the Month

Hold it! Did you find the new National Geographic in your mailbox yesterday? This month's issue is off the chain! It features:

1) A Lucha Libre/Sumo Wrestling Compare & Contrast!
2) Freestyle Human/Dog dancing!
3) Chimpanzees!
4) The Mysteries of Blackbeard the Pirate!

And More Than Anything (If you didn't figure it out already):

5) Pandas! Pandas! Pandas!

If you're into animal cuteness, this issue might be more than you can handle--it rivals the famous "Animals at Play" Issue from the 90's.

The July 2006 National Geograhic Magazine. It's a subway reading must.

P.S. In the good old days of blogging this article might feature pictures of me reading the magazine and pointing to each article . . . but they're the good old days, not the good now days.

Best I Guess We Live in the Future

The Toyota FJ. The first time I saw this thing I felt like someone had set a full-sized Hot Wheel in front of me. Toy shape, toy color . . . is this thing for real?

It has three windshield wipers?!


It's called the "FJ"?



I don't get it, but whatever.

Best New Reality TV Sensation

As if the Puppy Bowl weren't trashy enough, Animal Planet has sunk to new lows in exploitation even for reality TV with their new series, Meow Mix House (it's Big Brother with kitties).

News report here

Best Sporting News

I just want to send a shout out to Mexico and say "Way to go" on their World Cup victory over Afghanistan Iran this weekend. I wish I had known to be aware of this game happening. Oh well. I'm downloading it right now to watch someday. I bet it's a really exciting game as the score was 3-1 and I hear that two of those Mexican goals happened in the last 15 minutes of the game (and were scored by the same guy, too). So go Mexico! I hope you beat whoever is next!

Also, doesn't the World Cup have a lot more buzz in the US this time? Slowly but surely, we are being converted unto Soccer. That'll be one of the developments in 21st Century United States, that we become a nation of Soccer fans. I think it means other sports will have to go out of style. I think Tennis is waning. That's just the feeling I get, here in the city, away from all the tennis courts and tennis players.

Another Best Delayed Post

Almost two weeks ago I went to see Lexia's graduation-related show gallery at 26th Street and 11th Avenue.

26th Street and 11th Avenue.

That is about as middle of nowhere as you can get in Manhattan and there is no easy way to get there if you're not taking a cab. I took the 14D Bus to 18th and West and then it was time to walk forever.

The Far West Side, it's a combination of desolation


And development.


Building art


and sidewalk art


And buildings gazing at each other with brown, imperturbable faces


As you may or may not remember or know, Lexia was my intern on the Personal Best project and just finished working on her, uhm, Masters of Video Art? at SVA. So she was playing her video art magnum opus there in the gallery with all the other grad students.


Someone had built this mirrored cubes with lights and things inside where you were supposed to where black robes, for some reason. The artist responsible was explaining it to me a little, but I would have understood more if I knew Japanese.




Something I did understand was this big 3D (you put on glasses) picture.


Turns out that the gallery was on the fifteenth floor of a big old building and it had a serious terrace with a serious terrace







Oh, Far West Side, you are so different

Best Impersonal Dedication

To all my friends who hate cats (you are so many) . . .


(Discovered whilst digging through Tiny Vices)

Best Delayed Post

Last weekend, no, not the one that just happened but the one that had Memorial Day attached to it, I got to hang out with furniture genius Jared Rusten and photography genius Karen Rusten. On Friday night we went on a mission to examine cool lighting with architecture genius Jon. We started at Peep, here Jared and Jon chill outside of Peep.


I lead the group up to the Meatpacking District (because the restaurants are like Disney Land crazy up there) through the West Village and on the way we stopped off for a little bit of the Magnolia Bakery.




Up in the Meatpacking District I learned something: You can go into restaurants that you're not going to eat at and walk around if you want, no one really knows what you're up to and no one can stop you. SO if you're ever inclined to check out some serious "oh-no-they-didn't!" looking megarestaurants from beyond what your imagination can imagine, might I suggest visits to Morimoto and Buddakan. Oh, and if you want to get your Indiana Jones on, check out Spice Market (just don't stress over the waitstaff's outfits).

This is some of a wall at Morimoto. But Buddakan was more amazing, I really don't even know where to start with that place except it was a lot more like a movie set than anything I had ever seen before.