Right Brain Ramblings

Red Riding Hell

admin — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 00:08:24 +0000

I’ll admit when my friend April Riggs invited me to a free screening of Red Riding Hood, my first thought was back to the trailer. A trailer that was dark looking with pouty men and simpering women and Gary Oldham. When I first saw the trailer my thought was, “Oh my god… Little Red Twilight!” So I wasn’t excited. In fact, I was only looking forward to hanging out with my friend. Little did I know we were both going for the same reason. It’s too bad we didn’t get to sit together and I ended up sitting next to a woman with a tray of food on her lap. Yes, I said it. She had a TRAY OF FOOD at the movie theater, including a gigantor-size blue slushie. When they started handing out free prizes, she felt the need to scream “Pick me, please! Oh, you gotta pick me!” And she gave me a dirty look when I laughed when Gary Oldman screamed about “There is power mightier than God!” I think she might have enjoyed the movie. Which is scarier than the movie itself.

I only have 5 things to say about this movie:

#1 – Don’t go see this movie.

#2 – Nobody acts well in this movie. NOBODY! I have always loved Gary Oldman and yet he too was terrible.

#3 – The writing may be part of the reason the acting is so bad.

#4 – “Grandma what big eyes you have!” is uttered in a non-comedic manner.

#5 – There are no hints as to who the wolf could be, so you can’t even try to play “spend all my time trying to solve the mystery since the movie is so bad I can’t focus on it without laughing.

Why Having Narrow Feet Sucks

admin — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 01:39:26 +0000

I don’t like to get negative on my blog. I know, it’s been forever since I’ve written, but new year and new focus on writing this thing. Anyways, I like being angry, cranky or any of that in my ramblings space. But, I have been shopping for a pair of boots, hell actually any pair of shoes that will fit my feet. So far I get tempted by the lovely selection out there, only to be disappointed one pair after another as I was either able to step right out of them, or in the most recent case, my heel kept rising in the boot. Why all this trouble? Because I’ve got narrow feet. I endure endless painful shoe shopping trips to the extent that my husband hates it when I need shoes. I have friends who think the fact that I have worn loafers (and sometimes with socks) is funny. If only they knew that due to the higher rise of the shoe, it holds my feet tighter so they don’t slip and the socks can sometimes help when the shoe is slightly wide.

I want to wear stylish shoes. This weekend I went to DSW, which can be a good place because of the gigantic selection. They have this new brand called, Poetic License, and man is the name right on. I mooned over each pair of cute, funky shoes. I want to express myself with what I put on my feet. I want to be the cool hip chick with awesome shoes. But time and again it just won’t happen. Imagine the horror of shoe shopping in 7th grade and realizing the only shoes that will fit your foot are weird old lady laceups that look like witch shoes, but in no way cool. I mean real bad. This is the story of my shoe life. I see the cutest pair ever and am constantly disappointed that my crazy thin feet won’t fit.

I just spent all weekend trying on every pair of slightly cool boots. I found this hot, HOT pair on sale at DSW. I took pictures of them and sent them to my husband. His response was: “Those are some sexy rocker boots!” I knew I wanted to buy these boots. I walked around the store in them mulling the purchase, feeling awesome in these boots until I realized my heels were slipping in the shoe. Slowly it dawned on me that I couldn’t in good conscience purchase these boots as they would be hell the first time and probably every time I wore them. Then they would end up gathering dust in my closet. I left broken hearted and I’m still out of luck with boots.

The only companies that make narrow shoes specialize in either cutesy or really plain shoes. What’s even worse is that last year when I was buying a pair of narrow pumps from Nordstrom (my most expensive pair – Stuart Weitzmans - actually fit but damn they were pricey!), the shoe salesperson told me that with the economy I would have a harder time finding shoes. Why? Because narrow is the first thing that gets cut at shoe companies when belts start tightening. And it’s true. Every once in a while I’ll catch a new brand making narrow shoes and get excited until I see the price tag. My friends go to vintage shops and all sorts of great places and buy cute, inexpensive shoes. I, however, am stuck with black or maybe brown mary janes that usually cost over $100. YIPPEE!!

What I want to know is why can’t someone make cute narrow shoes? My Stuart Weitzman pumps are exactly like the normal pumps, but they are cut to fit narrow feet. So, why can’t anyone else do this without charging so much? I am not one who likes to complain, but the shoe situation out there has become incredibly frustrating. I would give my right arm (I’m left-handed) for 10 pairs of cute, on-trend shoes that fit my foot.

Geeks Rejoice – Intergalactic Nemesis Is Coming for YOU!

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:31:22 +0000

Do you like comic books? How about old-school radio shows? Put those together and you get Intergalactic Nemesis. I was fortunate to be in the first audience to see Intergalactic Nemesis this weekend. The idea of watching a live-action graphic novel was really interesting and I was curious as to what it would entail. Well, one evening, 3 voice actors, a foley artist and a pianist later, I found myself really excited that such a thing existed. As many folks may know, I am a big fan of comic books. Every Sunday morning, the hubby and I sit and read trade paperbacks. It is really impressive the quality of comics out there and the stories are often more original than most popular novels. Needless to say, when I heard about Intergalactic Nemesis, I knew I had to see it.

Over 1200 images were drawn for this show and what is nice is they take their time changing images so you have the chance to watch the comic and keep your eyes on the actors and the sound effects guy. I don’t know about you, but since I was a kid, foley artists have always intrigued me. I knew I was in for some fun when I watched the man behind all the sound effects hold up a box of mac n cheese and shake it to make the sound of a train. The story of a group of people fighting an alien invasion is a perfect fit for a radio-style show. As a comic enthusiast, I particularly enjoyed the climactic moments when things went quiet and the screen showed a single, powerful image. It’s a standard in comic books (read Ex Machina and leave a comment when you reach the first one of these) and made my inner-geek so happy.

All of you out there thinking about going to this on September 3rd or 4th: buy your tickets and GO! It is so original and interesting; I found it a refreshing change from the same old movie. PLUS, the Long Center is going to be projecting the images onto a giant screen, so I am betting this’ll look amazing! And don’t forget, you’ll be supporting a local production as Intergalatic Nemesis originally got its start here in Austin.

Might as well face it, I’m addicted to Bollywood

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:54:54 +0000

As some of my friends know, I have a good amount of free time right now. I have been taking advantage of it by getting lots of “summer cleaning” done around the house. But I also have been spending an inordinate amount of time with something I have a strong fascination in: Bollywood movies.

I love musicals. I love singing and dancing and fun movies. When I think of Bollywood, I mostly think of movies like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, also known as DDLJ. Yes, that’s a mouthful, but it’s also a fantastic 3-hour epic that is responsible for my introduction to Bollywood. Many, many, MANY years ago I read an article in Salon about DDLJ. What got me was the fact that it was still packing theaters after being out for over 7 years! So, I ended up seeking it out and watching it alone as my husband could not imagine watching a 3-hour subtitled movie. What progressed that night was hours of me sobbing uncontrollably while I watched a Romeo and Juliet-type love story. And thus my Bollywood fascination was born.

Thankfully, I have a few friends who are hip on the Bollywood scene and they suggested some more modern movies for my enjoyment. When I found out Netflix has a very large selection available for instant stream, I ended up having a Summer Bollywood marathon that has been very entertaining and enlightening.

I started with a movie called Chance Pe Dance, a simple movie about a guy who wants to become a “Hero” or a star of Bollywood movies. It stars my now favorite actor, Shahid Kapur (sometimes Kapoor). The story was ok, but the music was an interesting mix of modern and traditional Indian music and the dancing was outstanding. And don’t get me started on my new obsession with Shahid Kapur. The photo to the rightshould explain it all (don’t ask me about the mullet, he’s always got it, I think it’s trendy over there).

Now that I had an actor I liked, I moved on to a whole list of movies:
Jab We Met (highly recommend starting with this)
Kismat Konnection
Chup Chup Ke
Kaminey

I have to say these are all pretty good representations of modern Bollywood: comedy, dancing and singing. However, Kaminey was a big surprise. It’s an actual drama where Shahid played twin brothers. The story was really great; it has a Guy Ritchie-styled ending and is possibly the best quality Indian movie I have ever seen.

My final words of wisdom for those seeking to watch Bollywood:

Most Bollywood movies are over 2 hours long. Be prepared for a loooong movie that just when you think it’s over, something comes up that extends the movie another hour.
All Bollywood is subtitled, so be prepared for some poorly translated subtitles. How do I know? Because often characters will speak in English and the subtitles will translate something different. Go figure.
Indian culture is VERY different from ours (duh). Bollywood movies are a great way to learn more about this beautiful culture. However, there is a lot of history that you may not get and some politics that don’t make sense without knowledge of this history. Romances are always being held back due to arranged marriages and there is a lot of angst that sometimes builds up to a kiss and nothing more. Imagine my shock in Kaminey when one of the main characters has to deal with his girlfriend being pregnant. This was definitely a surprise coming from a society that tends to portray romance in a much more conservative light.

Radioactive Lettuce

admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 14:52:03 +0000

OK, it’s not really radioactive as one of my co-workers dubbed my crazy lettuce. Instead, I let a couple of heads of lettuce bolt to see what would happen. In case you have never grown lettuce, as it starts getting hot and the head of lettuce gets to the end of its growing cycle, it shoots up. In fact, both of these are almost as tall as I am!!! Then, it starts blooming. Have you ever seen what lettuce looks like when it’s blooming? Neither had I, hence this experiment. I had to catch the flowers in the morning as they seem to close and disappear by afternoon. But, without further ado, here are 2 photos of one of these “radioactive lettuce” heads:

Close up of the lettuce flowers

The entire bolted lettuce, remember this is almost as tall as me!!

Pampered Pedal Ride

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:56:08 +0000

Whitney and @SweetLeafApril ready to ride!

Several friends and I decided to check out the Pampered Pedal Ride put on by Austin on Two Wheels. This was a pay ride, unlike most rides I’ve done. However, it was worth every penny because of all the activities and food/drink that were included.

I had been worried about the weather because the morning started off with some sprinkles and then turned grey. I still found my way to Bo Concept, the high-end furniture store that hosted the gathering. While waiting for the last folks to check in, screaming erupted nearby. Everyone turned to see a giant group of people holding up pot leaves and marijuana signs. It was the Marijuana Legalization parade and rally! I knew the day was going to be fun as this odd bit of randomness had to be a sign.

Marijuana protest!

The ride leader in the front had a ghetto blaster on his bike, so we rode all chill-like to Curtis Mayfield and Pasty Cline. It was sweet and the easy going ride just made me happy. We rode to Hem Jeans where I looked at jeans that were laughably expensive. They had some really cool jeans, don’t get me wrong, but I just could never spend that much on jeans. Their sister-store Stanton, on the other-hand was a find with really cute clothing at a much more affordable price point. I will be checking them out in the future.

We rode over for some more shopping at Estilo and Beyond Traditions. Estilo made me feel old. Everything in the store looked like it was plucked from 80’s fashion. And the prices were insane. I actually found a dress and a top that were super cute and decently priced. However, I didn’t go on this tour anticipating spending over a $100, so I had to leave the shop. While, their clothes are not to most of my taste, I will say the pieces felt quality and the owner was so friendly and excited about her products. Beyond Traditions had some gorgeous jewelry. They had one of my favorite jewelry designers, Cynthia Bloom. So, I drooled over those before hopping back on my bike as we headed to Halcyon.

I have never been to Halcyon before. I will be going back because the chicken panini we had was delicious! Having finally filled our bellies, we headed to Black Swan Yoga where everyone had a small round of yoga, cupcakes from Delish, Champagne, foot baths and really great chair massages. All of us drooled over the hot yoga teacher, who besides being attractive was a really great yoga instructor. All stretched out, relaxed and pretty much a lump, we rode back to Bo Concept where we finished the day with champagne, goodie bags, and a drawing where, once again, I won nothing (I never win anything, but I never lose anything = Even Steven April).

I cannot wait to ride with these folks again. This was such a fun day and a really great idea. Definitely recommend chilling out on a Saturday with this group.

American Idol’s Green Room Cam

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:09:44 +0000

Yes, I admit it. I watch American Idol. It’s totally not my normal thing. However, I love innovative cover songs and sometimes we get that on AI. In other words, I watch a whole bunch of schlock for a few shining songs.

This season has been interesting. No Paula. Ellen. Ryan Seacrest acting like a jerk the whole time. And an odd mix of constestants. One of the changes I just can’t get behind is the Green Room cam. Not only do they make contestants talk to a camera right after they get off stage, they have set up a camera in the one place where they get away from the drama outside and I just hate it.

If a contestant has a bad performance, they just want to get out of the spotlight and process what happened. Being followed back into the Green Room where a camera is poised on them as they cry, or whatever, is tacky. These kids are constantly being filmed and have little privacy. I would think giving them time to recover and let out their emotions would be a nice thing to do. But no, instead we have a camera intruding to the point that now we get to watch fake hugs as a contestant rolls in after performing. I say fake, because who can be supportive when focused on their own performance? Plus, who is going to not hug another contestant when a camera is broadcasting the moment to potential voters?

Someone must’ve thought this was a good idea. But, due to the awareness of the camera, we get the same scene over and over: contestant walks in and hugs every other contestant. Ugh! That is not good television. That is a bunch of kids trying to come across as nice people when all they want to do is perform well and win the contest.

Stop trying to innovate, American Idol. The concept alone was the innovation. People tune in already, don’t add these forced moments as a weak attempt at building your audience.

Awesome croissants!!

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:21:01 +0000

Made croissants today. Well, made the dough yesterday and finished them today. Used a great recipe out of Sherry Yard’s The Secrets of Baking.
One of the problems I’ve always had was how to proof without a proofing box. Never works quite right when I rig up the oven, but she had a great suggestion. Just place your cookie sheet in a garbage bag with a cup of hot water on top of fridge. Blow up the bag like a balloon and tie it up. Works perfect!

My croissants came out beautiful and better than they’ve ever been!! They tasted wonderful (I’ve already eaten WAY too many)!

One Night of Queen

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:59:52 +0000

It’s easy for the band Queen to be overshadowed by Freddie Mercury. I think he was one of the best rock singers ever, with his incredible vocal range and tone. He also knew how to work the stage. However, it would be a grave mistake to underestimate the skills of the rest of the band. It takes skills to keep up with a voice like that, and the band definitely had that. These were the thoughts that kept going through my mind as I saw Gary Mullen and The Works perform One Night of Queen last night at The Long Center. I’ve seen Queen cover bands, and it’s rare to find a singer who can match Freddie Mercury. I don’t think anyone really can and yet Gary Mullen blew my mind. The man sounds as close to Freddie Mercury as you will ever hear. He could hit the high notes, and at times you might think you were actually watching Freddie on stage again. Which for a giant Queen fan, and yet someone who never got to see them live, was a dream come true.

I know I look nerdy, I was excited! Note the cushy seats, not a rock show norm.

I had never been to The Long Center before and was really impressed. Inside were comfortable seats, and it basically looked like what you think of when you think of a nice performing arts center. I did find myself giggling as I watched grannies and people dressed to the nines find their seat. It seemed to be an interested contrast to the rock show we were about to see. Yet once they took the stage, the band rocked everyone’s socks off. Gary Mullen had the cocky swagger and flamboyant nature that was inherent to Freddie Mercury. He got the crowd to its feet and everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, stood up and danced. Even the band without their singer was phenomenal. They had moments to shine and would tear up the stage. Davie Brockett on lead guitar was particularly a standout. His solos were terrific.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this show. You never know with a Queen cover band. But I came out of the show feeling I saw the best Queen cover band in existence. The morning after I still can’t help but think it was a phenomenal show, and I’m really glad I got to see them in this one-night performance.

Hot Tub Time Machine Screening

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:37:55 +0000

If you haven’t seen the trailer for this movie, check it now: http://www.apple.com/trailers/mgm/hottubtimemachine/.

Giant pin and koozie given out at the screening

Ever since I saw the teaser a while back, I have been looking forward to this movie. As a child of the 80s I remember the lure of rated-R comedies. They seem to be having resurgence in popularity and I am hoping this movie continues the trend. If you are a fan of 80s movies or even love 80s popular culture, you are going to get much more from this movie. There are references GALORE to other movies, trends, etc. There were several times I saw something I owned or wore, and it would make me cringe as I do when anything 80s becomes trendy again.

The movie begins with Lou (Rob Corddry) getting into an accident that propels the group to return to a ski resort where they hit their peak in their youth. Along for the ride are the core friends: Adam (John Cusack), Lou, Nick (Craig Robinson) and Jacob (Clark Duke), the nephew of Adam (John Cusack) and the biggest geek of the bunch.

They get to the ski resort to find it is way past its prime and the guys have nothing to do until they come across the hot tub in the title. After a wild 4-man hot tub party, they find themselves in 1986. Of course, they don’t realize it right away, but the hints are hilarious. Chevy Chase steps in as some sort of hot tub repairman/time traveler wise man and honestly I did not like his character. I felt he wasn’t needed and didn’t bring anything to the movie beyond confusion. In comparison, Crispin Glover has probably the best continuing gag of the whole movie. I can’t spoil it, as it is so funny I want to see the movie again to watch his saga. I also found his presence to be a nice reminiscence to Back to the Future. The guys realize they can make changes in their past and despite warnings and attempts to keep things straight, end up doing whatever the hell they want.

Rob Corddry absolutely steals the movie with his character Lou. He is raunchy, repulsive, and ridiculous yet you want him to be the hero he never was. Poor Craig Robinson has the job of being the whipped man of the bunch. When he finally decides to take things into his own hands, he ends up jumping on stage to be the performer he never was and even takes a cue from Marty McFly. John Cusack is about what you expect, playing pretty much the same type of character he always has. His Adam has sabotaged himself all his life and this is his chance to break out of his shell and refuse to let his life be pre-determined. Clark Duke is so great as the only one not reliving his past. From his Second Life character to his constant reference to things (email, texting) that didn’t exist in the 80s, he is the sane man that no one listens to and yet there is purpose to his being there. You’ll see.

This movie is flat out funny. From the typical 80s bad guy to the fact that every gag just works, I loved it. Who thought we’d ever see John Cusack smoking a bong and eating mushrooms? Hell, who thought Rob Corddry would ever find a movie that worked so perfectly for him?

There are a few annoyances. Twice there are things mentioned by the 3 friends that are just never explained. Even Jacob asks what they mean and they never tell him. It’s almost like they had scenes to explain them and then just left them out. Which drove me a bit crazy. Chevy Chase should’ve been cut from the movie. The squirrel and strange man in bear suit are odd. If you are expecting a deep movie with sharp insights, you should avoid this movie. However, if you too enjoy a great adult comedy and can handle gross moments (there are a few), you’ll love this movie.

Keep an eye out for the cameo by William Zabka (Johnny in Karate Kid), my husband didn’t even notice until I pointed him out. And make sure you stay with the credits because it might have been one of the funnier gags. I was crying from laughing so hard.