674 Manhattan Ave
I’ve mentioned the creamy, slushy summertime delights of Uncle Louie G’s before but am happy to say they’ve made Greenpoint their newest home.
Desserts »Uncle Louie G’s
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Style Icons: Female »Phyllis Diller
RIP
With her wacky do, wild get ups, signature voice and jokes like “Housework can’t kill you, but why take the chance?” Phyllis Diller was pretty awesome.
While working as a mother of five, she broke huge barriers in the (still) male dominated world of comedy.
She was vibrant, honest and seemed like she’d be tons of fun to drink lots of cocktails with at some old midtown haunt.
She didn’t find fame til later in life after years of being a poor and often unfulfilled housewife. She made other wives laugh and with the encouragement of her husband took steps towards a life on stage. Quite inspirational, really.
See more: Style Icons: Female Comedians
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Posted on August 22, 2012
Movies,Style Icons: Male »Tony Scott
RIP
Shocking and sad news about Tony Scott. His films entertained millions. Personally, True Romance and The Hunger are huge favorites. Huge. What a loss.
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Posted on August 22, 2012
Laughs »Maru
Funny Kitty
We all know Maru, we all love Maru. Has there been a more lovable pet that’s not your own?
The round tabby with a penchant for wearing boxes and bags is even more lovable when you show videos to your two year old who giggles uncontrollably.
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Posted on August 19, 2012
Hunks »Steve Olson
Hunky Skateboarder
Skateboard culture has always been one of perpetual adolescence. A boys club of daredevilry, snotty behavior and high-fiving asinine antics. No one embodies this quite as well or for so long as Steve Olson.
Now a worn out greying “artist” who dates famous women, he looks like a sleaze ball you’d expect to see in an LA gallery snug between Olivier Zahm and some tits. But then, he’s also still dashingly handsome… and in the prime of his youth? I would have wept to twelve year old fantasies of romance with him – had I known of his existence.
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Posted on August 19, 2012
Style Icons: Female »Cindy Crawford
Iconic Supermodel
I don’t know why, but I was really hoping when the September issue of Vogue was revealed it would feature someone like Cindy Crawford, looking all golden age supermodel. While Lady Gaga is a considerably better choice than Sienna Miller, I’m not thrilled with pop icons taking over all the important covers.
Oh well, better things to worry about, right?
But it did get me thinking of what a phenomena Crawford was back in the day. The Mole, the Pepsi ad, the House of Style (love!!), the Billy Baldwin movie.. And eventually the sectional collection available at Raymore and Flannigan.
She was sexy, everyone’s fantasy, yet still somehow relatable. She never seemed like some lofty , snooty supermodel despite being the most iconic one of her time – which frankly made her not my very favorite top model because I like lofty and snooty.
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Posted on August 17, 2012
Laughs »Hey! Why Should I Be On The Internet?
Circa 1995
Was 1995 really that long ago? (yes) and can you imagine that we lived most of our adolescences without the Internet? (no).
Another gem unearthed by Refinery 29.
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Posted on August 16, 2012
Albums »Ray Charles In Person
by Ray Charles (1959)
My sticking point with Ray Charles has always been over-production. Those Disney-esque backup vocals and cascading orchestra? It’s too much and distracts from his voice.
So, a live album like Ray Charles in Person is perfect.
Same great songs minus all the fluffy polish. It’s a quick one, blink and it’s over, but you get some classic favorites ( “The Right Time”, “What’d I Say”, “Drown In My Own Tears”).
Most impressive? It was recorded on a rainy night by one guy in the audience with a microphone but it sounds amazing.
See more: Albums 1950s Soul
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Posted on August 15, 2012
Books »Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
by Susanna Clarke (2004)
I wish I was more excited about the hit novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It’s very pleasant, very imaginative and most impressively – I read the whole huge hard bound thing (since having limited spare time, I tend to give books the ax quickly if I’m not feeling it) yet it didn’t leave me overwhelmed with delight as charming as it can be.
Often engrossing, I can imagine lots of people would love it more than me.
Sorry, not much to go on, I know – but (as you can tell from the infrequency of this blog’s posts) I’m getting late in my pregnancy and loosing all eloquence and patience.
See more: Books 2000s Fantasy
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Posted on August 14, 2012
Movies »Smile
directed by Michael Ritchie (1975)
I’d hate to spend this whole review comparing the small town pageant comedy Smile to the best of Robert Altman, which it so clearly drew inspiration from, so I’ll just say this: while it has the flavor of the fly on the wall film making which makes films like Nashville and Short Cuts among my most favorite, it does fall short.
Still it boasts a great cast, that no only includes Violet Beauregard (from Willie Wonka!), a young topless Melanie Griffith and Annette O’Toole and Kate Sarchet as extremely natural and likable contestants in the Young Miss pageant. You’ve also got Bruce Dern!
“Dernsie”, as we fans like to call him at first seems to be playing to type as a sleazy car salesman but he bucks his creepy type casting to play a decidedly optimistic man who fails to see anything negative (even if it hits him in the face) and lives for the joy of the annual pageant he judges.
Smile is often funny – the unusual “talents” like packing a suit case and thinly veiled stripping stand out, but it turns dark with the subplot of the town drunk and plays with themes of suburban ennui, adolescence, and the American Dream – like a good old American novel from the era.
It’s available to watch on Netflix and might just be worth a viewing for all the period maxi dresses and feathered hair.
