February: 10ish Things

Galentine's Weekend 

  
• I spent the long holiday weekend with three of my best gal pals. ("Best friend isn't a person, it's a tier.") On Friday, Elise and I got our Will & Grace party on complete with a baguette and brie from Trader Joe's. Delightful.
• On Saturday (Galentine's Day proper), Sam and I had a full day. First we had an amazing afternoon Italian dinner at Siragusa's. Everything was so tasty and the garlic cheese bread... *nomnomnom*
  
  Then we attempted to make French macarons. (But first, we had to run to Bed, Bath & Beyond, because even though Sam told me she had pans *lol*, she did not, in fact, have cookie sheets.) It did not go well. I blame part of it on the recipe we used (though I should definitely not have mixed in that egg white in the food processor). Also, the pastry bag we were using fell apart mid-piping. So they ended up looking like this. The ones on the left are ours; the ones on the right are from Trader Jacques. Pinterest fail! They were, however, quite delicious. Then we watched Bridge of Spies (finally caught up on all the Best Picture nominees) and Far from the Madding Crowd (which we originally planned to see back in May). Carey Mulligan and Matthias Schoenaerts: so very attractive.
• On Monday, I had lunch with Ellen at our favorite Thai restaurant. She's a teacher, so we basically only see each other on school holidays, and most of the time it's at Thai Mano. It's our thing—and they have the best curry puffs! This is us now; after all, we are turning 30 this year! and we'll have to think of something awesome to do to celebrate.

• It didn't happen over the holiday weekend, as Kristen was then busy in Seattle (without me!), but we finally hung out last weekend at our favorite spot, The Bayou. We also just happened to be there during Firkin Friday, which was delightful. We caught up, cheated on our diets, and got a good buzz going.

More Adventures in the Kitchen
I got into drinking kombucha tea last year, and while it is delicious (and probiotic!), it is also expensive and comes in glass bottles—and we don't have recycling. =( So I decided to follow The Kitchn's guide and brew my own! It did require a certain outlay from obtaining a SCOBY to buying a set of swing-top bottles, but the process is fairly easy and the first batch was quite tasty (and I didn't die!). It was, however, not very fizzy. The Kitchn promised it would be carbonated within 3 days of bottling (which is what I followed), but another website said it could take 1-2 weeks. So we'll see how the next batch goes. And I think I might add hibiscus next time. Ooh.

This Month in Hamilton
The highlight of this month's Grammy Awards was the performance of the opening number "Alexander Hamilton" live from Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre. I almost passed out from excitement! (Another high point: Lin-Manuel Miranda's acceptance speech. Adorbs.) The most depressing news from the Grammys was that "Who is Alexander Hamilton?" search spiked on Google ("America forgot him"). In other Hamilton/book news, I checked out a new book that dropped that same time as the soundtrack (fortuitous timing), War of Two: Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and the Duel that Stunned the Nation by John Sedgwick. There is also a book that came out a couple of years ago, Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry that Forged a Nation. And, yes, I also plan on reading Ron Chernow's biography sooner or later. Information I've gleaned from Hamilton is also illuminating my reading of Lafayette in the Somewhat United States. Also, this story about Miranda saving The Drama Book Shop just might bring tears to your eyes. I can't wait for the Tonys! Also, Sam now wants us to go see Hamilton—good luck!
Fun Home
Last year's big Tony winner was the new musical Fun Home (which was nominated alongside Hamilton at the Grammys). It is based on one of my favorite all-time books, Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir of the same name. And while it took me two years, we finally got the book in the collection at the county library this month! Anyway, I listened to the Original Cast Recording last summer, and fell in love. This month I decided to buy the new Broadway Cast Recording. (I actually prefer the original for a few reasons: Alexandra Socha as Medium Alison left the show and was replaced, "Al for Short" was replaced with "Party Dress," and more non-essential dialogue was included. Sadly the original recording is no longer available.) Nevertheless, it's a great coming-of-age musical based on a great book. Check it out!

Game of Thrones
I finally started the fifth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series after buying the book last March (its thickness intimidated me). I plan on finishing it before the series returns to HBO in April (even if most of what happens in A Dance With Dragons was already included in the last season). I am also re-watching the entire series before the premiere. Another series that also returns in April, but is otherwise complete different: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt! which I am also re-watching.

Hey Marseilles
This a great local band; that location being Seattle. I saw them a couple of times when I lived up there and greatly enjoyed their first album To Travels and Trunks. Their sound is indie folk/chamber pop (sometimes employing an accordion and mandolin!). I missed their second record, but their third, self-titled album came out earlier this month, and I have been enjoying it. While the first album is loose, folk-y (by way of French polka), and full of surprising turns-of-phrase, Hey Marseilles is a tighter, poppier effort. It starts off with a strong driving beat in "Eyes On You." "West Coast" is giving me some Death Cab vibes while "Perfect OK" is throwing me some Paul Simon. And there's a dreamy/trance-y cover of "Heroes." They're coming to SLC in March, and I think I might go out to see them. Anyone want to join me?

 
High Tea
Our book club met this month at the lobby of The Grand America Hotel for afternoon tea and literary discussion. Unlike most book clubs, our group skews male, and we may have been the only four guys at tea that day. Anyway, we ate delicious sandwiches and pastries whilst contemplating The Myth of Sisyphus and the Absurd. Meanwhile, Elyse and Hadley were quite entranced by the flowering tea. We now have an expedition to the ballet planned. Our book club is classy AF.

No Dames
Elise and I went to see Hail, Caesar!, and while it was not the Coen Bros romp like the trailer suggested, it was an interesting film. (The folks over at PCHH liked it a lot.) The best parts are the classic, genre movie vignettes that are hung on the rather strange, shaggy plot of the main film. Our favorite bit was the Channing Tatum sailor dance number, "No Dames" which riffs on those Gene Kelly/Fred Astaire sailor films like On the Town and Anchors Aweigh as well as the South Pacific song "There's Nothing Like a Dame." Worth the price of admission.

Oscah Fevah
So the Oscars were Sunday, and they were so much better (and more political) than last month's Globes. Chris Rock made funny yet pointed (and sometimes problematic) observations about #OscarsSoWhite and sold a lot of Girl Scout cookies. Joe Biden introduced Lady Gaga who performed "Til It Happens to You" with sexual assault victims. The Big Short said no to Wall Street candidates. And winners Jenny Beaver and Leonardo DiCaprio brought up climate change in their speeches. I was happy that Leo and Brie won, that Spotlight beat out The Revenant for Best Picture, and that Mad Max: Fury Road cleaned up the technical categories. We ate brie and pecan quesadillas, individual cherry chocolate pies, and drank Brooklyns (made with Irish whiskey) in honor of my favorite film of the bunch. Delicious.

How many things was that? I lost count. See you next month!

January

Boys for Pele 

 I took a break from repeated Hamilton listening to revisit Tori Amos's album Boys for Pele on its 20th anniversary. The record (which while it was her highest charting, probably based on the goodwill/popularity generated by her first two albums) received mixed reviews and largely ended her mainstream/radio career. But this challenging concept album, which is a journey to Hell and back with a detour to the South (following the wake of her breakup with boyfriend and producer Eric Rosse), has emerged as arguably her most impressive achievement and a fan favorite. Here are three fans' takes: 
Chris Gerard in the Metro Weekly ranks it as her best album: 
"It’s not an album of easily digestible pop songs and it requires repeated listens to “get.” ... Give it time, let it unfold, and you’ll be ready to jump into the fire by the end of the journey. Pele is always hungry."
Reluctant Tori fan Charlotte Richardson Andrews in The Guardian: 
"While Alanis Morrisette and Liz Phair were trying to hitch a ride out of Guyville, Amos was razing the patriarchy to the ground, serving up vampiric ex-boyfriends to Pele, the Hawaiian fire goddess rumoured to enjoy man flesh. ... What I found were taboo-smashing gospels, potent with passion, trauma, pleasure, destruction and female power manifested in a thousand different ways." 
 Michael Tedder (the rare straight male fan) writing for Stereogum: 
"Boys For Pele is an album only a rock star would make. It’s way too long, often wildly self-indulgent, and designed to dazzle you with its virtuosity. This, of course, is also what makes it great." 
And Chris Gerard again for PopMatters: 
"Some of it makes no sense in a literal fashion, but is meant to evoke feelings and thoughts through a word, or a sound, or a flash of imagery. Boys for Pele is a journey, one fraught with elemental human impulses. It’s a catharsis that’s harsh and beautiful and strange and bedeviling and contradictory, but never for a moment less than authentic." 

Joyful Salad 
On NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, Glen Weldon shared his four secrets to weight loss (80 lbs in a year!): 1) Grueling Exercise, 2) Joyless Salads, 3) Self-Loathing, and 4) Denying yourself everything that makes life worth living. Sound advice. I find most salads to be joyless, and I avoid them as often as Lorelai Gilmore does. However, I wanted to share this delicious kale salad from The Pioneer Woman. It involves a fair amount of cooking for a salad. What makes it joyful? 1) lardons, 2) caramelized red onions, 3) sauteed mushrooms in a red wine reduction, and 4) goat cheese (the grocery store was out of chevre when I went, so I picked up some feta instead—which I prefer anyway). The kale itself is not cooked, but instead stripped from the stalks. Ree Drumond did not instruct me to massage the kale which apparently is de rigueur, but whatever. The dressing is a basic balsamic vinaigrette. I am not as in love with kale as the rest of America supposedly is, but this is one tasty salad! (Weight-loss not guaranteed.) 

Fosse Fists 
Speaking of which, Elise, Andrea, Alissa, and I are each pursuing some weight-loss goals for the first three months of 2016. (Down 3.5 lbs since last week!) Our weekly weigh-ins aren't always successful, like that time we went to Sizzler instead of doing yoga. Last Friday we did a Pilates-based weight-loss workout followed by matwork sans mat on a hardwood floor (I bruised my coccyx). And then we drank red wine--for our health! Elise and I are now really into Cline's Ancient Vines Carignane. So good. 

The Reading Life 
I finished several books in January including A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (shortlisted for the National Book Award) which is both very long as well as a generous and devastating portrayal of friendship and love. I knocked out a couple of graphic novels starting with The Sandman: Overture (which I got for Christmas) which is an illuminating look at the events that happened before the first issue. It really makes me want to reread the entire series, and ain't nobody got time for that! I also finished the second trade volume of the new Ms. Marvel series which continues to be an enjoyable YA comics series. And I started a few books including Ruth Reichl's food memoir My Kitchen Year, Lafayette in the Somewhat United States ("Ev’ryone give it up for America’s favorite fighting Frenchman!") by Sarah Vowell and The River of Doubt, which a patron recommended to me. 

Whisting to the Fullest 
I also finished last month's book club selection, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. (Confession, I did not finish the book until after our meeting. Shame!) The book, universally adored by the SLFS staff, was my first Murakami. I was not expecting the novel's elastic realism, but it was still enjoyable. We had a lively discussion whilst eating brunch at the Oasis Cafe. (For next month's selection, we chose The Myth of Sisyphus, and reading it reminds me why I was not a philosophy major.) We then headed to the SLC Library where we attempted to play a hand of whist, though we did not get very far before I had to leave... 

Golden Globes 
...because I had a Golden Globes party to attend! Sam hosted, and we all dressed up very snazzy. [There would be a picture of us except Sam totally dropped the ball here.] The show itself was fairly mediocre this year, but the party was fun. We (or at least Sam and I) booed when The Revenant won Best Picture. Ugh. And then some us drank too much bubbly. And in Sam's words, "The best part about the golden globes was Leonardo's reaction to Lady Gaga bumping into him, Lady Gaga winning for AHS, and Brie Larson winning for Room. That is all." 

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 
Perhaps the most emotional part the awards show (which happened in the first five minutes), was Rachel Bloom's win for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. And so I went and watched the show, and it is wonderful. Rebecca (Bloom) gets most of her life advice from butter ads and occasionally breaks out into song. What' not to love? The Daily Beast writes, "There is near universal consensus that Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has a terrible title. There is also near universal consensus that it’s an excellent show. Only one of those things is true." 

 Cineasts 
Sam and I (and sometimes others) continued our quest of watching Golden Globe and Oscar nominated films. We saw Spotlight, which would probably be my pick for Best Picture (even though Brooklyn is still my favorite), but it may not be flashy enough to win. Carol is a gorgeous film that I didn't quite love, but I would like to see it again. (I often want to love Todd Haynes films more than I do.) I sweated my way through The Revenant (the theater was SO hot), and no one in the group except Quinci liked it. And finally we saw The Big Short which is a fairly oddball movie. Overall, the crop of Oscar films this year isn't my favorite. 

Will & Grace 
Since Kristen and I ended our Buffy Night Fridays, there has been a hole in my heart. That hole has recently been filled by Will & Grace Nights with Elise (well, we've only had one night so far). We have started with Season One (not necessarily my favorite) and some of the late 90s references are dated, but it's still fun. 

Car, Travel, and Money 
I got my car fixed (and I still don't know how much it cost. eek.) and now it runs much better. Yay! I added another $500 to my Paris fund. Yay! And Lillian and I finally booked a hotel for PLA in Denver in April. Yay! Now we just need to hope that my car can make the trip to Denver and back. *fingers crossed*