"Why not take lil metal bottlecaps and nail them to your living room floor...to give you the impression that you are walking upon lil metal bottle caps" ~ Davy Jones

Yeah, from the Monkees episode: Monkees A La Mode. I have referenced this quote before because it cracks me up. Yet, I see things that are suggested for real that sound just as dumb. Take this silly catalog I got in the mail today. They want me to nail what to my wall?

Giant ampersand signs to hang on wall $49

They also had a bureau with a sign that said bureau. They talked about how cool Parisian cafe dishes are because they are timeless and white and simple then offer for your consideration a set of white dishes that say Cafe on them and underneath Cafe say established in 1986. What the hell?

Chinesisches Roulette (1976) -Fassbinder

This weekend I watched Chinesisches Roulette. I could go on and on about this film but it wouldn't be 1/10th as articulate or informative as this writing on it.

I recommend. It was intriguing. Actually, I could see the SCTV troupe spoofing it easy. It was enjoyable, funny and a foreign film stereotype but nevertheless, interesting and not a waste of time.

One step forward two steps back

Playboy After Dark is tres cool! I highly recommend this DVD set if you want a taste of the good life circa Camelot. The show's format is sweet and quite fresh and provides the viewer with unique interviews. I loved watching Lenny Bruce make lil quips to Nat King Cole and Rona Jaffe. In this new and modern world a big deal is made of any celebrity who says anything on the air inebriated. Compared to that era, we are total squaresville, eggheads, bores, L7.

Okay, I can't get enough of the cocktail dresses! Sketch pad out, all my retro patterns are out, it's sewing time, I have been inspired once more. Nothing beats a well tailored, strappy, lil number. It's all in the darts. Dig those cute pointy shoes! The men sport their sharp, close fitting suits-TRES DISTINGUE! How sloppy today's menswear has become. Nothing ruins the male silhouette more than any sort of slouch or wrinkle to his pants. Put today's man in those suits of the late 1950's and early 60's and you'll get a taller looking, streamlined dreamboat. All this bagginess is so unecessary. It's the style du jour to let the pants on suits sort of trail down to the shoes. Because I watch so much retro television when I do see a "modern day" tuxedo, they always look ill fitting or slightly over sized on the guy. I was reminded that this is because the style is no longer as close, tight, short fitting as they used to be. "Ah, noted". The tuxedo of today makes the guy look impish, I truly wish this style would really go retro. Zoot Suit is another thing, it's a Zoot Suit, I'm talking Men's Warehouse, en masse, burn those suits, start all over and bring back retro silhouettes.

The 1969 episodes were still swingin but ten years made a big difference, the party had moved to California. The women looked younger, perhaps the fashions or the fact they were in color. The men's suits started their metamorphis. So after getting a full dose of Hef and his guests all weekend ...it's evident that while we take steps forward, we have taken more than just a few steps back in many ways.

Viva Las Vegas 2007 and other minutiae

Yet another year that I have not been able to make it to VLV. I'd go to wear gorgeous numbers by Whirlingturban and Stop Staring and for the car show. I really don't mind not going this year what with the Stardust implosion in March (car show would take place in their parking lot) and the Riviera and Sahara not being long for the world(c'mon, we know that Freemont is the best they can do as far as preservation and even then, one day, poof). Maybe as long as the Peppermill and Carluccio's are there, I'll be fine visiting and maybe next year.

The Today Show has declared sewing is in again. Several articles in late 2006 and early, early this month already declared it a trend, hop and ever so in. So, here's hoping someone out there will create an exclusive series of patterns based on the outfits in all the Audrey Hepburn movies. Another thing that was mentioned in some of these articles was a return to older styles and retro.

I just realized it isn't long before I go to Los Mochis,woohoo! I am excited about that. I won't be there long but five days with my Abuelita is gold, pure bliss. Topolabampo Bay with my Granny, frijoles con crema, the papaya trees, the palm trees, the Spring (just before hurricane season)!

Still very much in love with Rohmer's films! Would like to visit France soon.

Also, anyone got a Subbuteo game lying aorund? I want to play, looks like fun. I have been in a board game mood as of late. I didn't realize that LIFE had changed so much. BLEHK! I need to find a 70's or 80's version, the graphics are what I am used too. I don't want to spin the wheel and get a Hummer.

I am parting with many of my possessions this year. The 1960 Silvertone Stereo Console in a minimalist design. Why? Well, it's procurement was sort of by default, never been happy about that. It is tube, not solid state. I could fix it, all it needs is a new idler wheel and those are easy to get online but it's over 5 feet long and I have no place to put it! I could even send the old idler wheel to this place and they'll refurbish it for under $30 but still, no room. I don't want to make room for it either, this is in every sense of the word...baggage. I am selling it for $40 but contemplating a donation to a local church store by the end of next week. I'd like it to go some lovely Luddite who will replace the wheel and love it, love it, love it.

I was going to sell my retro television but after finding a guy in town who can fix it so that it no longer overheats on top, I decided to keep it. I remember waking up at 6am and calling Claudia on a Sunday morning to wait in line with me to enter the estate sale to buy it. She was the only one who would do that for me back then. I was anxious, I really wanted it and if it was sold I'd be pissed because the price on Saturday was CHEAP but at the time I needed to watch my money. Doors opened and there it was 50% off, so we loaded up and drove to my place pleased!

I found an authentic Predicta at Hog Wild for $350. It's a nice tabletop console for anyone wanting a vintage television. That's 150 times what I paid for my television. I will still purchase a Predicta, but uh.....not until this televison goes kerplunk, kerpluey. In fact a visit to a few vintage stores this weekend made me want to sell less and just hold on more.

Patrick Dempsey no es guapo

The continued appreciation for Robert Sean Leonard. He's right too.

Espresso Bongo (1960)

This turned out to be an awesome film. Lawrence Harvey's first "big" role. I highly recommend.



Cliff and the Shadows anyone?

Would you vote for Max Frost?

Do you shop at Target? Are you a thirtysomething? It's odd how Target's main demographic includes the "Gen X" group who are approaching 30 and well into it and yet they still thought using the song "Shape of Things To Come" was a cool move. The song is from the movie Wild in the Streets, released in 1968.

I hate that they used that song because I loved it and now I can only think of Target logos filling a tv screen. So in the movie, Max Frost(Republican candidate nonetheless), declares anyone 35 and up to be put in camps and fed LCD to keep them veggin and out of the way until they die. I think Target's advertising dept should have thought a lil more about this. Isn't it the yupppie, thirtysomething to fortysomething demographic that they are targetting? Maybe they did research and knew exactly what they were doing. Very clever of them, how ironic.

Centennial (1978)

Man! I loved this mini series when I saw it in the 70's. I still remember parts of it like the whole don't tamper with the animals thing. I haven't seen it since but found out that it will be out on DVD or is out already. I'd like to see it again but not into owning it. No, I didn't watch Shogun, Roots, none of the Lace mini series and only saw parts of the Thornbirds.

Béatrice Romand

Becoming a HUGE fan. It's somewhat difficult trying to watch her films because they are not easy to come by and I want to watch alleverysingleoneofthem. She is the best actress I have seen in a long time. In her interviews she comes off as uber intelligent and interesting. She has such a real and natural way of acting yet, doesn't play Beatrice Romand in every film. I love her hair.

Crashing Icicles

Love the sound of icicles falling to the ground. The most fun I had today was prying my car out of an ice cube this morning. The sound of sheets of ice hitting the ground combined with picking sheets of ice an inch to half an inch thick was more than just pleasant. It was pretty enjoyable in a zen like sort of way. I would have stayed out doing this longer but I had to drive to work.

I must be wired for long stays indoors. I suffered no cabin fever, perhaps this comes from spending eight hours a day in a cubicle, in an office without windows. Being at home surrounded by windows, my books, my projects, movies and hubby was uber blissful.

Poulet Saute a'la Boderlaise

Poulet Saute a'la Boderlaise
Originally uploaded by Tera in the Isles

Dinner was so delicious this evening. Maybe we'll get another free day. I'm not done yet. I still have books, magazines, movies and a painting among other projects to get too.

Having all this time off after a nice long Christmas break has been a dream come true. To have the luxurious opportunity of an afternoon off to make a real Julia Childs dinner has been much appreciated.

Nothing about this dinner was rushed. I took the time simmer everything and hurried nothing along. As a result, I truly enjoyed what I cooked. Usually I pick and nibble at what I have made because I am so flusterred from cooking it.

Sleet, Snow, Ice

The backyard is awesome! We need this every now and then to change things up a bit, take a break. It is rare that we can have a day off when all you need to do is what makes you feel warm and cozy and keep yourself satisfied without becoming busy and involved in anything.

Mule Skinner Blues-The Fendermen

Whenever I wanted to embarrass an old friend of mine, you know, just for laughs because the summer is just too long and boring, I used to do the following:

Drive through a hip, posh neighborhood at 5 miles an hour with the windows rolled down and without warning, crank up Mule Skinner Blues by the Fendermen and watch the terror hit her face! It's amazing how this song can really bug someone and make them feel so unhip.  Doing this in some old vintage car, while drunk (you or your friend) yields completely different results. To work correctly it  must be the Fendermen's version  of this song and five miles at hour and preferably in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday when everyone is outside. It's a riot!

Personally I dig the song, I think it's pretty awesome and don't mind cranking it up but uh...it embarrasses the hell out of some people. I dig the guitar, almost sunds like an 80's synth for a second.

Just wondering whatever became of...

I attended a private school until the 8th grade and high school at a public school. I had heard the stories, they'll beat you up because you are coming from private school etc... Since I had my first real "fist fight" (there was a fist thrown, mine, but it turned to slapping, scratching and hair pulling and profanity) in 7th grade I was no longer afraid of a fight. Still, I really wanted to continue private school elsewhere (out of town, state or a European boarding school) but yeah right....

My first day I met up with Angela, a tough girl exiled from New Jersey because her parents could not control her so they sent her to Del Rio to see if her grandmother and a small Texas town out in the sticks would help. We were in the same boat, new. Angela claimed to be from a rough hood in Jersey, gang girl, she had the extra big hair, the long nails and wore her face scars well. She had long scar across her cheek she claimed was from a knife fight. I didn't know how much of all this was true, I mean I read this 50's novel called Gang Girl in the 6th grade (our lil library was full of these early 50's teen novels), saw Westside Story, but uh, Del Rio was a long ways from urban and I had clue what living in the inner city was like. We had some tough cholas but no organized gangs that I was aware of.

Angela was cool! She came off as really level headed, however, bored, and was in a few of my Ap classes. She taught me how to do my make-up, hair and how to dress for public school. I had no clue, I had been wearing a uniform ever since I started school and had the complexion of a nun. She taught me how to tease my hair into various shapes, she sported "the claw" herself. Yeah you can imagine what I looked like.

Angela met the love of her life a few days before school started. His name was Freddy and he had been held back three years in a row. A month into their courtship Freddy was arrested because Angela's uncle called the cops when Freddy wielded a knife at him on their front porch. It was all in the name of love. We would call each other after school and discuss her "problems". Freddy was temporarily indisposed and she was falling in love with a "flyboy" on base and had several crushes on others she had met while at the mall one weekend. She had been sneaking out of her grandmother's house every night to hang out with them at a local club. "Do you think Freddy will get mad?","What do you think Freddy would do?" UGH! She became a bore pretty early on. All I could think was, this was a girl in AP math and in some of my other AP classes (I was not AP math), I figured she had to be a brain or our school system sucked. I didn't know how she kept an active social life that ran into the early morning and got her homework done. She managed great grades until November.

One day at lunch about two months into public school, I met up with this girl who, like Angela, was new to town. She was pretty cool, carried a 12 inch, black marker and an 18 inch can of hair spray in her purse, was into cool bands and the Bogies catalog. We have been friends ever since. Angela's life got more complicated and she ended up having a one night stand with a substitute teacher, got pregnant and dropped out in the middle of tenth grade. We had stopped hanging out early in the semester because she started skipping out, got a lot of detentions for being a smart ass to our Spanish teacher and tended more and more to her personal life. She had no time for hanging or phone calls. Those phone calls got boring anyway. I do wonder what became of Angela.

Enchiladas Tapatias

A cold, rainy, possibly icy weekend is predicted. I am prepared for the duration.

1. Bought groceries and checked out an MFK and the Alice B. Toklas cookbook from the library. I have been wanting to delve into these but didn't want to drag ome books that I would never have time to read.

Going to prepare Poulet Saute a'la Boderlaise and make some bread, maybe make Mimosa Soup again, it was so good. Picking out a desert from Alice B Toklas' cookbook (not THAT dessert).

Made Enchiladas Tapatias from the Frida Kahlo cookbook for a lunch/dinner

The cream makes it look rich but it wasn't. It made the enchiladas just moist enough. They don't take cheese on the inside and don't cook in the oven. I'm pretty darn proud of the way the ancho chile sauce turned out.

2. Got all of Rohmer's Six Moral tales and have spaced them out to last or outlast the weekend.

3. Have the Maysles What's Happening! The Beatles in the USA Don't you just love the Maysles, man, I LOVE THE MAYSLES. I love Frederick Wiseman's stuff too but at the moment his films are difficult to procure.

I have seen Titticut Follies, saw it when I worked at at the Austin State Hospital Clinical Library. I also saw High School through a college class and then caught Ballet on cable once. I have seen bits and pieces of others here and there. Just enough to figure out that just about all his stuff is awesome.

Kerouac Scroll Tour

I'm patiently waiting for the On the Road scroll to come by the Harry Ransom Center. I have one year....UGH! When it arrives I'll be spending my lunch time with it. I am dying to see how it looks.

2007

January 1 to March 31, 2007: Denver Public Library, Denver, CO

April 6 to May 31, 2007: Palace of the Governors, Santa Fe, New Mexico

June 7 to September 14, 2007: Lowell, MA National Historical Park

September 28, 2007 to February 15, 2008: New York Public Library, New York City

2008

September 28, 2007 to February 15, 2008: New York Public Library, New York City

March 7 to May 30, 2008: UT, Austin TX

July 3 to September 28, 2008: Indianapolis Museum of Art

October 3 to November 30, 2008: Columbia College, Chicago, Illinois

December 3, 2008 to March 6, 2009: Fitton Center , Cincinnati, OH

2009

December 3, 2008 to March 6, 2009: Fitton Center , Cincinnati, OH

Rosca de Reyes

The best place to procure a Rosca de Reyes is at La Mexicana. But sometimes they sell out before I get one. I ended up getting this yeras at Fiesta. I was able to see them making it fresh, taking mine out of the oven and placing it in a pretty box adorned with the Three Kings. The aroma was heavenly!

I would stay away trying to get a Rosca de Reyes at Central Market. They put out a heavy adorned King Cake at Mardi Gras but their Rosca is impish, dry and resembles bad pan de dulce. They sell it in a bag and there is never an aroma and you just feel it's an after thought and some stale, left over Christmas goodie you happened to stumbled upon. Whatever you do, don't ask them if they are going to make Rosca de Reyes, you'll find yourself in the middle of some discussion trying to explain. Don't call it King Cake or you'll confuse them. I find myself at Central Market less and less these days simply because Fiesta carries a lot of what they have but more earnestly and at better prices.

PS: If anyone out there knows where I can get stollen for next Christmas please email me! I have bought this at Central Market in the past and wonder if it is just a dry and impish version compared to the real thing. So please promote your bakery!

It's my minutiae

I'm going to Los Mochis, Mexico this March to visit my Abuelita! I have not been there since 1989. I have not seen her since 1999 or 2000 when she came to see me. I miss her so much. To visit Los Mochis takes quite a bit of negotiating since it is not located near the tourist areas. We are going for her 90th birthday and staying a week.  There is so much I want to do and talk about with her and this time I have a digital camera and things like the internet and can send my husband photos. Sadly, Sam's, Wal Mart and Cosco are now in Los Mochis and I fear this may have taken all the charm out of the place. On the other hand perhaps those post Nafta nightmares will keep me from becoming ill. I always got ill when I ate in Mexico. I'll miss not seeing my Abuelito or the beautiful walled garden he would keep. I am sure I won't see the produce man with his donkey either.

I am reading a lot about the French: their culture, their fiction, their cookbooks, their movies, their style....

My cat, Mona, is giving me grief for feeding and tending to the whims of a strange stray that has shown up. I just don't want him to cross the street so I go outside to be at his beckon call with food and fresh water. He is too skittish and doubt he'll ever let me pet him but, I don't to step out my door and see a tragic lump of fur.
I think I'll name him Sal Mineo.