Best Last Weekend, pt. 2

More adventures of me taking pictures in Utah continue NOW!


Not only did my trip to Utah for Grandma's birthday coincide with President Hinckley's funeral, but I was also able to go to Liesel and Adam's wedding reception. It was the best reception I've been to in ages!


Family time ran over a bit so I barely got to the reception in time for the toasts, but they were such wonderful toasts, everyone seemed happy, except for Rebekah, because she couldn't understand her camera.


See, here's Mr. & Mrs. Sparhawk. Doesn't everyone look happy? These smiles aren't fake, we were all having a great time.


I was fortunate to be seated at the table for New Yorkers and ex-New Yorkers. Here's Natalie. You all remember Natalie, don't you?


Here's Rebekah, cutting up some prime rib and getting her daily good turn taken cared of.


Here's me and three members of the Blakesely family. Did you know I've been to two different Mexican restaurants with Amber's mom? It's true. I have. And one with her dad.


Here's Sara, sister of the groom, and a brother of the groom I didn't even know about until that night.


I never saw Rebekah again after this picture because I had to go away and be a ship's captain or something.


And here's sister of the bride Erin and Scott.


Sunday family business was wrapped up with one last cake and party for Grandma.


The article read, "Don't bother."


The perfect present for the 80 year old who has everything? A digital picture frame full of photos from across the decades. Very good move, Uncle Greg.


The Edwards have this new cat. It's an absolute troublemaker.


In case you forgot, that Sunday was the Superbowl. I watched the game at about four different places, winding up at Erin's Aunt and Uncle's house with Erin and (drum roll...) Don!!


¡Amigos!


Monday Grandma was too busy to hang out, so I had to do stuff on my own like go to Del Taco because I LOVE DEL TACO.


To be unwrapped: two crispy beef tacos, two chicken soft tacos, one tostada (total cost: under $4.50)


Disney licensing is getting too greedy.


Then that afternoon I went to Cheryl's because we had a secret mission to undertake.


This sign was inside her building, I found it both funny and useful (and, no duh Sherlock, this picture was taken at a later time then these other ones).


Icicles, everywhere! Deadly dangerous icicles everywhere!


On the road...


Zooming past SLC landmarks...



And arriving at our Top Secret Destination.


Again, icicles having their way with everything.


No one was home, but our secret goal ("the bag") was obtained.


Good thing Cowboy was locked up because he sounded like a vicious guardian of the home.


We celebrated a successful secret mission with some Utah delicacies, me, I just wanted a proper corn dog and some fry sauce


Cheryl feels about cheese fries the way I feel about corn dogs.


Then Monday night something absolutely tremendous happened. Some super big email coincidences lead to a London mini-reunion of sorts starring McKay (he did NOT go to London with us, but he's got connections), Karisa, Heather...


and Matt, Andrew, and Me. We met at a Cafe Rio, devoured enchiladas and salads, and then went over to Heather and Jim's for further conversation.


Andrew spent the night at Grandma's and the next morning we stumbled upon the house record collection.


Uncle Greg had just been talking about this Evel Knievel record that weekend.


If you've got the time and the eye sight, I recommend trying to read the lyrics to "Why" by Mr. Knievel.


Zoinks!


Then we got a little breakfast (it doesn't look like much, but was actually pretty good) and then Andrew had to head back to Logan to make some bread (literally and figurativley, hardy harhar.)


Andrew's fork gave him problems.


Grandma disappeared for a while that afternoon and I was like "Man, what happened to Grandma?!" but then she showed up and I was like "Well, duh! She was doing her civic duty!"


We went downtown and had a late lunch at Z'Tejas. Bad news, guys. Z'Tejas is still delicious, but they took their catfish fritters off the menu. Z'Tejas is dead to me now.




But good news, guys. Grandma has a new cat, Benny/Sofi/Kelsi, and she haz activated lazurs!


Then the clock started ticking swiftly on my Utah trip. Cars returned, goodbyes were uttered and a final meal was eaten at, where else, the Red Iguana. Because I needed needed needed some exotic moles.

Best I Totally Know These Guys

Little NY Times article on missionaries in Manhattan from Sunday's paper.
Link

I was totally ambushed by the Times' photographer for the story as I arrived at church Saturday afternoon for the Leadership Broadcast.

Best Hold-the-Phone!

Guys! Guys! Did you see Cloverfield? I just saw Cloverfield and it was AWESOME! Man! Just fine giant-monster moviemaking, you know? I was totally excited, from start to finish.

Best Last Weekend, pt. 1

To celebrate my internet being up and running properly again, here's a post about my little trip to Utah from last Thursday until Tuesday.

Something I learned by flying to Utah and being in Utah that I didn't really know from living in New York is that it is winter right now and that much of our country is covered in snow! New York has been cold some of the time, but I think it has only snowed once this winter, and that barely lasted a day.


Now, the main purpose of my going to Utah was to be there for Grandma Barnes' 80th Birthday Surprise Party, but the party was Friday night and I flew out Thursday afternoon so I had to lay low until the next day. To aid in laying low, Cindy picked me up from the airport and we headed to the Conference Center for President Hinckley's viewing. We were battling the clock and eventually had to leave before seeing the Prophet because we had to have dinner and be home in time for the LOST premiere. (I'm sure you know what that's like.) {But hey, don't let me leave you in suspense...the next morning Mom, Uncle Duke, Cousin Rachel and I went to the Conference Center bright and early when there was practically no line and were able to see the Prophet then}


Now, in that last paragraph when I said "have dinner" I was understating it because we didn't just "have dinner", we had like a whole biggish party at the Blue Iguana with all sorts of friends (there were more than are in these pictures [but not a whole, whole lot more]). My brain wanted to believe this was a "Welcome to Utah" party thrown in my honor, but in my heart I knew it was actually a "Have a Nice Month Long Trip to London" party in honor of Cindy's month-long trip to London that was to begin the next morning.

Kim, Cindy, Marsha.


Me and Whitney (from London. 7 & 3/4 years ago.)



Are you ready for Mexican food pictures? I ate myself unto immobility at this meal. It was great. I had missed great Utahn Mexican Food so bad.


These are shrimp, pineapple, and chorizo tacos. With such a daring combination on the menu, I just couldn't resist.


Then it was off to Cindy's for LOST and the last-minute finishing up of art projects that needed to be taken off to London.


The next we got up super-early and I drove Cindy to the airport in a gentle but continuous snowfall. As I left the airport the snow turned into a regular beast of a storm and I slowly made my way to Duke & Teresa's on a snow-covered freeway with cars skidding out about in front of me. It was great fun. I kept my hands at 10 and 2 and an eye on all my mirrors and dashboard needles and made it home safe no problem. By 8 am the storming had ended and hard workers were working hard.



After visiting President Hinckley, Mom and I had lunch at the Cotton Bottom. I'm kicking myself in the shin right now for not having a picture of the Cotton Bottom...but it's this bar by my Grandma's house that I've associated with Salt Lake City for my entire life. My earliest memories of driving from LA to Salt Lake all include coming off the subway freeway as our trip was ending and seeing the Cotton Bottom's Bugs Bunny'd sign before me. Anyway, last August I was at this popular Tribeca eatery (right after the Mulcock reception, in fact) and I noticed something very interesting listed on their menu. I quote:

"Garlic Burger: A recipe borrowed from The Cotton Bottom Bar in Salt Lake City. We've been told by some Salt Lakers that ours is better. Served on a toasted garlic bun with lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickle."

And while I didn't order this Garlic Burger (I think maybe I had something like meatloaf? I get these meatloaf moods sometimes) I was very, very surprised by what my eyes saw. A Tribeca hotspot (of sorts) sending a shout-out to this obscure little bar from the fragments of my childhood memories? And then boasting to all of New York that they were better than this spot that no one in the city had ever heard of? So I did a little research and discovered that this burger was slightly famous in and around Salt Lake (My Uncle Duke said that it was pretty good and that he had it "One or zero times" [he couldn't recall which])in fact this Cotton Bottom garlic burger is so renowned that it was ranked as Utah's 2nd Best Burger (after Carl's Jr.) by utah.citysearch.com users (seriously). Being a pretty big fan of Carl's Jr. I was anxious to try a burger that a highly reputable internet poll deemed to be nearly as good, so (as I was saying paragraphs ago) Mom and I headed down and tried the burger and forgot to take a picture of the bar's famous sign.


It was ok. The bun was super serious. Needed mayo. And let the record show that the Cotton Bottom isn't like a bar with burgers like the Corner Bistro in New York or Goldyburgers back home, the Cottom Bottom is a straight up dark and smoky little bar featuring a crowd that's 2/3rds Bar-going, 1/3 hamburger-investigating (so Mom and I weren't too out of place). But can I send a shout out the the bartender/order taker/hamburger bringer? He was a super nice dude that made us feel plenty comfortable and not at all dumb (and really, we should have felt a lot dumber.)

After lunch Mom and I saw the Diving Bell and the Butterfly. I hope you remember the little review I posted on that. Ok, let's move on to...

The Utah Trip Main Even! Grandma's Surprise Party!


Teresa masterminded a birthday dinner for Grandma where 27 or so of Grandma's choicest descendants (including all of her children, lots of her grandchildren, her favorite grandchild, and a great-grandchild or two) surprised (shocked, perhaps?) our octogenarian matron by being there. Here's the way too dark, way too short video of Grandma's entry that captures some of the spirit of the occasion:


Once Grandma got over the surprise she went about greeting her relations with so much speed I could barely capture her on digital film.


Back at the table, Dad was explaining his method of remembering where one's breadplate and glass can be found at their place setting. (look at his hands [duh] and maybe you can figure it out...the next day I implemented his strategy and recoiled with horror when I realized that my entire table at Liesel's reception was using their neighbor's bread plate)


This is what Grandma is saying in this picture about the surprise we had just given her: "If I were the fainting type I would have fainted!"


Dinner! Really quite decent in all honesty.



And here's Grandma with her birthday cheesecake. Notice that she kept the candle in as she ate it, she found the cake to be much prettier that way. Very clever, Grandma. Very clever.


You know what? I'm splitting this Utah trip up into multiple posts. Sorry. You're just going to have to deal with it.

Best Intermission

While I'm waiting for my internet to be more friendly so I can upload all my Utah pictures, why don't we consider this picture that has begun roaring around the internet:

Best News Story About a Wealthy Family Who Lost Everything, and the One Son who had No Choice but to Keep Them All Together

For what it's worth, Jason Bateman has confirmed that the important people that make this sort of thing happen are in talks to make an Arrested Development movie happen. Sounds like all the actors from the show are on board and that Mitch and Ron want to make this movie be. I consider this good news, great news.

The article where I learned this.

Best Internet Thing I Learned About this Weekend

Songerize. Type in a song title and artist and it streams it, just like that.


That's just a picture, but really, you should be able to embed it.

Here's how my first free-association string of song searches went (I can't explain why "Jump" by the Pointer Sisters was the first song I thought to look for. It just was.)

"Jump" by the Pointer Sisters = Found it
"Jump" by Van Halen = Found it
"Jumo" by Kriss Kross = Did not find it
"Jump" by Kriss Kross = Did not find it
"Jump" by Kris Kross = Found it
"Jump" by House of Pain = Found it
"Jump Around" by House of Pain = Found it
"Around the Way Girl" by LL Cool J = Found it
"'Round Midnight" by Thelonious Monk = Found it
"Girl" by the Papas Fritas = Did not find it
"Girl You Know It's True" by Milli Vanilli = Found it
"Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight = Found it
"Decision at Midnight" by the Toasters = Found it (holy cow)
"Steady Mobbin'" by Ice Cube = Totally found it.
"Pump up the Volume" by MARRS = Found it
"Girl You Have No Faith in Medicine" by the White Stripes = Found it
"Red Bowling Ball Ruth" by the White Stripes = Did Not Found it
"Pills" by Bo Diddley = Found it, but what in the world version is this one?
"Pills" by New York Dolls = Found it
"Trash" by New York Dolls = Found it
"TV Eye" by Iggy and the Stooges = Did not find it
"TV Eye" by Iggy = Found it
"Lust for Life" by Iggy = Found it
"Born Slippy" by Underworld = Found it, but it was a weird remix
"Born Slippery" by Underworld = Did not find (good.)
"See the Trouble" by Black Legend = Surprise, surprise, totally found it.
"La Tacha" by Factor X = I was getting to confident in this website, did not find.

I'm pretty impressed. What do you think of it?

Best Out of Office Auto-Reply

Best All the World is Green

Today I saw the Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Lots of people are saying very positive things about this movie, very 4-Star, Two Thumbs Up things. Me, I'd say it's more of a 3 and 1/2-Star, Two Thumbs Up movie. I hope you're familiar with the premise, but let me refresh you on the premise: A True Story--Editor for French Elle magazine has a terrible stroke, wakes up from coma completely paralyzed except for his left eye. Decides to write book dictated by blinking his left eye.

I thought I really really enjoyed this movie for most of it but by the end I was kind of like "Geeeze...stop reciting the alphabet and move along, already!" (that's how he'd communicated, the person he was speaking with would recite the alphabet and he'd blink when they got to the letter he wanted next in the word he was forming. My mom says the book he wrote wasn't terribly long, still, what a herculean accomplishment of patience) The movie was good, but something keeps me from calling it absolutely great.

BUT these are things I can totally get behind from this movie:

-The cinematography, you really feel like you're looking out through this guy's eye for so much of it. The motions of the camera are so true to the motions of an eye and convey so much thought and feeling.
-The soundtrack. Very spot on all the time. Remember in In America when they surface from the tunnel and the radio static bursts into "Do You Believe in Magic?" Lots of moments of perfection like that in this movie...from an obscurish Dirt Bombs song that I thought only I cared about to a segment when suddenly I felt a U2 song was valuable to the perfect placement of a Tom Waits melody (perhaps something about this post can bring you to guess which one?)
-The movie as a tribute to or perhaps a meditation on Memory and Imagination and one thing I certainly love to meditate on are Memory and Imagination. Many of his imaginings were magnificent. Is the Memory the Diving Bell, the means of exploring depths and the Imagination the Butterfly, the means of escaping into the impossible? I propose that they are.
-Almost forgot. There's a scene where the guy's Dad, a 92 year old that can't leave his apartment, calls the guy and it's very emotional. And there's a scene where the guy's Mistress calls him for the first time since his accident while his Wife is visiting him and the Wife has to dictate to the Mistress for him. It reminded me a lot of a story I read about Rocky Aoki. (see this post and check out Matt's comment).

What I really appreciate about this movie was that it wasn't miserable and depressing, but I can't say it was a stirringly inspiring as I know it secretly wished it was, despite acting so cool. But I don't mean to be negative. I said this was a ***1/2* movie and I mean it.