Amazing. GRACE.

So I've seen some pretty great concerts in my thirty plus years. The highlights are all the times I saw Blossom Dearie, when Sarah and I saw Dolly Parton at Irving Plaza in Summer 2002, the Blind Boys of Alabama that same year, and the half-dozen times I've seen my chum Carolyn Mark.

Lemme tell you, last night's Grace Jones show at Hammerstein Ballroom is up there, and worth all nine thousand pennies or whatever I paid. I've seen all those lazy-a$$ new kids out there who have their dirty hair and just slouch over their guitars and play their records without even looking up. Not our gal.

Not all the pictures I took were so exciting, but I did a web-trawl this morning over coffee and found some goodies. I think we now have all seven or eight costume changes documented.

For starters, she did the opening song completely under a silk cloak.

Then she popped out wearing what was a cross between her Andy Warhol graffiti outfit of yore, a skeleton suit, and My Little Pony...


A few songs later she put on this glitter outfit for a few numbers - which threw off some pretty fun sparkles when the strobes hit it.

Then what else would you wear for La Vie En Rose, but this fun one? Eat your coeur out, Edith Piaf.

And really, what else would you wear for "My Jamaican Guy," but a Jamaican Flag Costume? I think this was right after she called out her friend "Miss M," aka Bette Midler, who was in the audience. I looked around but she wasn't up at stage right in front of the speaker with me.

"Corporate Cannibals?" This of course:

I was excited to see Grace show her pun side when she danced with a mannequin of herself for "I've Seen That Face Before."

My personal favorite was this costume for "Hurricane" - she sang it while walking into a wind machine with this satin parachute trailing behind.

There were a few more songs and costume changes, then it was time for the encore.

You know when Grace busts out the symbols and the confetti you're dancing to "Pull Up to the Bumper" and "Slave To The Rhythm."

My ears are still ringing, but they do that anyway. And it was worth it.

Truly Mad Men Deeply

I'll admit it, I'm just not a fan of the Mad Men program. I like tableaux vivant as much as the next guy, but I don't connect with the show. That's OK though, I have a lot of friends who like it and one great thing to look forward to on the Cape is watching it with Sarah. Any show is fun to watch with friends.

One thing I do like is the Mad Men Videogame they have over on the AMC website. You can create your own little mad man version of yourself.

Here's Sarah now, on her way to the office eating a donut. Mmm, donuts.


I also made ones of me and Amber. In this tableau she's bringing me a coffee, since she can't drink the stuff herself anymore.

It sure was fun in the 60s when your friends would bring you caffeinated beverages. And you would drink cocktails in your suit.

New (Sac)Religion

Here are some horrible things I found on the internets.

Some wiseacre posted these pictures mocking our Lord. I felt bad that the pun in the first one made me giggle. And who doesn't like a good YMCA reference? Jezebels indeed.

Despite all those years of CCD and other after-school Catholic activities, this picture here makes me feel even worse. Our erstwhile Marty McFly is promoting MILK-shakes at a local diner. Milkshakes, people.

Also? Where No Grammarian Has Gone Before

I try to stay away from Politics. But when they come mixed with SCIENCE and ART and AWESOMENESS, what can you do?

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mister Bill Shatner:

Also, Peas In A Weird Pod

Can someone draw for me the parallels between Gay Black Men's Lives and Ancient Maritime History? Because they've gotta be working on a heck of an omnibus up in heaven.

Elephants In The Room

Tim Conway is hysterical.

Sometimes a little too much so for his costars.

Silent Lucidity*

*well, neither really.

Anyway, this may be as phoney as those German Sprite ads, or it may be the next hot thing like that wedding dance.

Der Haifish in Venedig

So if you know me at all, you know I'm terrified of scary movies. The oft-told tale of my 3rd grade experience with a film strip of The Headless Horseman is example enough - after several evenings of nightmares a note went to school and every subsequent Halloween I read quietly in the school library while the rest of the class re-watched that classic of decapitation and revenge.

And yet, I love monster movies. This probably stems from my fascination with sharks and with Jaws - though Jaws is certainly a terrific movie for many reasons, not just the scary fish. Piranha II: The Spawning, is another fave, and yet I can't really attest to that flick's artistic values.

Anyway, I recently stumbled across the preview for this modern classic, and promptly added it to my queue. The title leads me to believe there's a Thomas Mann homage going on, but whatever Baldwin brother is here is certainly no Tadzio.



Perhaps even better? This one here, which seems to have drawn its inspiration from a post I made a few weeks ago.



Netflix, here I come!

Baby Update

In case you're wondering what my nephew is looking like these days, I think he's turning out to be one of the two cutest Zachs I know.

What, They SKIP The Puns?

All I want to know is why no one is calling this "Gates-gate." That is all.

Also? This Butter Be A Hoax

Mmmm, Butter water...

Butter Water - watch more funny videos

Murder by Confusion

So the other night at Awesome Club we watched Murder By Death, a 1976 detective movie spoof that Amber allegedly saw in the theatre when it came out.

Even more confusing than that bit of calendrical math was the plot, which while non-sensical was pretty entertaining. Internals Plural favorites like Peter Falk, Eileen Brennan, Dame Maggie Smith, and Rhoda's mom, Nancy Walker, played caricatures of literary crime-solvers (Nick & Nora Charles, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Charlie Chan) all trapped in a house by Truman Capote.

The most confusing part? Why Sir James Cromwell, of SIX FEET UNDER and BABE THE PIG fame was wearing a see-through mesh outfit while in bed with this Dom DeLouise like actor.

Roll tape!

It was no Murder, She Wrote. But it was still pretty good.

Ouchy Beasts!

Wow. A kind reader from the west coast sent in a link to this wonderful blog.



Really it's so cute that there's nothing I can do but cry with tears of joy.

Many of the pictures come with little stories about how this sad thing happened to the pooch or kitty or kangaroo, and how these pictures are several months old and now it's all better and happy-go-lucky, which warms up my heart even more.

My soul aches for not knowing any of these beasts.

I mean, they're such troopers!

This one is extra cute on account of his funny eyes. People sure love Pugs.

And this one is extra cute because he's a foreigner!

And this little baby looks like MY little buddy. I wonder if this really is a picture of Zach, and before I met him he was outfitted with a bionic arm.

Oh internet. You make me complete.

Also? Neither Lemon Nor Lime Please.

Wow.

These are just wrong. Nicht gut.



And this one:



Ich muss meine Hausaufgaben machen. SCHNELL.

Odds, Ends

These are a few of my favorite things that I have found on the internet lately.

I'm totally over all the Michael Jackson Hullaballoo. However, I do wish someone explored the story of this attendee at el Funeral Mas Spectaculo. Really? Mickey Rooney?*

Then I saw this beautiful piece of Art celebrating Michael and felt even more over it all.

Then I noticed that this artist also did that British lady who sings. My favorite part is the British Kitty that is singing along.

Speaking of British Kitties, I was really excited to see this snap of Dame Angela Lansbury greeting Dr. Ruth. Either Dame Angie was on her way to a tranny bar or she was half-way into her make-up for Blithe Spirit.

Sarah sent me this of Dame Cloris waving in the San Francisco Pride Parade.

And finally, I liked this advert I stumbled across. I liked that I learned that Smallville is STILL on the air (really?), and that they have no shame in saying "No Experience Needed" when they're casting. Thanks, Internet! A pleasure, as always.

* The initial version of this post mis-identified MICKEY Rooney, loveable star of Pete's Dragon and Breakfast At Tiffany's, as ANDY Rooney, loveable curmudgeon of 60 Minutes. Oops.

HELLO, Johnny!

THIS I would actually go to see in the theatre.

"My dream role would be to play musical legend Carol Channing in a biopic of her life. I love her, I really do. She's amazing. With all the digital technology available these days I could probably pull it off. I'd have a go at playing a 12-year-old girl if they asked me to." - Johnny Depp

There WILL Be Badminton

So I mailed the deposit check for our week on the Cape - if you're looking for me and Sarah the first week of September, like Sotomayor, we'll be on the court.




BRING IT, Vacation!

Mister! Belvedere! Fun! Kit!

I want this so bad I can't even tell you.



What on earth could be in a Mr. Belvedere Fun Kit?

Live Blogging! My Walk To Work

I like to think that Jesus healed a beggar on 8th Ave this morning.

Live Blogging!

Thursday:

Morning Puss, A Photo Essay

Sometimes people ask me "What Is The First Thing You See When You Wake Up Every Morning?"

Well, I will SHOW you.

Saturday:

Sunday:

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday: