Places to Visit »Natural History Museum, LA

900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

It’s taken me awhile to get this entry together because I took so many photos at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum, about 50 or so can be seen below/after the jump. Since a photo is worth a thousand words, I’ll keep it brief.

The museum, even though it may not rank as a must-see among locals (none have ever mention it to me), boasts the best of the museum world: A. animal dioramas; B. dinosaur bones; and C. a killer gem room (mmmm gem rooms….).

If you find yourself in the city on a rainy day – and every time I go I get at least one of those – this is a prefect distraction.

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Posted on April 18, 2010

TV Shows »Callan

Originally Aired 1967-1972

Callan is a serious minded and intelligent spy show that came out of Britain in the late 1960s. Edward “The Equalizer” Woodward plays a reluctant, obstinate but gifted (and handsome) killer who works for a shadowy government agency called The Section. Morals, plots and allegiances are ambiguous and you’ve really got to pay attention to appreciate the twists and plotting.

The thrills here are more subdued and psychological and Callan lacks the gadgets, cars and big explosions of typical spy fare. Not surprisingly, the recommendation came from good friend and spy aficionado Matthew (of the blog Double O Section) who also set us up with the similarly intelligent and complex Sandbaggers, which came to BBC a decade later.

Only the third series, the first in color, and subsequent are released on DVD, so if you do Netflix these prepare yourself to be dropped in the middle of major story arch – but don’t worry, you’ll figure out what’s going on in no time.

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Posted on April 18, 2010

Laughs »Winston the Cat

Kitty Pride

I love fourfour and the “kitty pride” segments, featuring that other Brooklyn exotic shorthair (my dearest Tiptoe isn’t the only one!) named Winston have been giving me so much pleasure lately.

The E.T. Halloween costume is one of my favorite things on earth, and the site features many videos.

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Posted on April 18, 2010

Recipes »Minced Pork with Soba Noodles

from Serious Eats via Appetite for China

I’m telling you: ground pork plus an Asian recipe equals me me making kitchen magic. This particular concoction of Minced Pork with Soba Noodles comes from the great Serious Eats (which found it on Appetite for China) and boasts a list of very simple ingredients that result in a very complex and spectacular dish.

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Posted on April 18, 2010

Movies »Black Book

directed by Paul Verhoeven (2006)

Black Book is a sexy, entertaining, tiny little explosion of a movie. Telling a supposedly true story about the Dutch resistance during the final months of World War Two, it follows the indomitable cabaret singer Rachel Stein as she flees Nazi traps, bombs, betrayal and spies only to land a key spot within the Gestapo headquarters in Holland, by way of the captain’s bed.

All the lead players are excellent, especially Carice Van Houten who is sparkling, alive and incredibly riveting to watch. Her ruggedly handsome male counterpoints are equally impressive: Sebastian Koch (who you might recognize from The Lives of Others, but looks strangely similar to Verhoeven veteran Jeroen Krabbe) and Thom Hoffman.

As good as a movie as it is though, it was far more straight forward than I expected from Verhoeven, a man who usually adds some unusual flare to his films. While the signature sex and violence were intact, I suppose I was expecting something a bit more off the rails. Still, I was entertained and satisfied once I settled in.
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Posted on April 11, 2010

Books »I Married A Dead Man

by William Irish (1948)

An implausible thriller containing train collisions, stolen identities, pasts reemerging, and doomed romances, I Married a Dead Man is the stuff of classic Hollywood noir. No surprise, considering author Cornell Woolrich (using the pen name William Irish) is the author of the books that Rear Window, The Bride Wore Black, Mississippi Mermaid, and Cloak and Dagger (to name just a few) were based on.

Woolrich is also the author of one of my best book of the year picks, Rendezvous in Black and while I Married a Dead Man lacks the darkness, strangeness, and suspense of that gem, it’s still a satisfying noir that’s a quick read for summer time.

The book was made into a 1950’s Barbara Stanwyck film, No Man of Her Own and (with less success) loosely adapted into the 1992 comedy called Mrs. Winterbourne starring Ricki Lake and Brandon Frasier.

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Posted on April 11, 2010

Songs »Buffalo Gals

by Malcolm McLaren (1983)

Malcolm McLaren, punk pioneer and provocateur, passed away this week at the age of 64. Let us all remember his hit single, Buffalo Gals, which (ever on the cuting edge) introduced American hip hop’s art of scratching to the UK. Only McLaren would think to combine hip hop and square dance chanting.
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Posted on April 11, 2010

Hunks »David Rappaport

Wizard and Time Bandit

David Warner wasn’t the only hunk to emerge from my recent review of Time Bandits. I distinctly remember developing quite the crush on David Rappaport, leader of the rogue time travelers. While this was most likely his most famous role, he also starred in a series called The Wizard, that after looking up on the very in-depth fan site, does tickle some long past memories for me.

I’m also fairly certain (though could find nothing to corroborate) that he starred in an unaired pilot based on the Mongo detective novels by George C. Chesbro.

I was absolutely distraught and dismayed to learn that he killed himself a while back after a long battle with depression.

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Posted on April 11, 2010

Style Icons: Male »Pat Kiernan

NY1’s #1

You just don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone. Even though, thankfully, Pat Kiernan‘s absence from NY1’s morning news is only temporary (presumably he’s vacationing in Canada), it’s really made a dent in my morning ritual.

It’s little wonder that I’m definitely not the only New York that begins their day with the man; his dry wit and sense of humor hits exactly the right note with New Yorkers and I miss him.

Kristen Shaughnessy doesn’t even mercilessly poke fun at Roger Clark!

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Posted on April 11, 2010

Restaurants »Soba-ya

229 East 9th Street

Ever end up in a pickle when you crave noodles, but it’s too warm for ramen? Enter Soba-ya where the dishes are offered cold and absolutely delicious. I loved, loved loved, my meal of cold udon, dipping sauce, and tiny shrimp and leaf tempura.

It was the kind of meal (sans tempura) that I could eat any time of the day, any day of the week. I’ve had the dish elsewhere, but there’s something indefinably special about the noodles here, which is probably why there were throngs of people waiting for a table by the time we left.

The authentic spot does unique takes on their appetizers, offering a shrimp ball with soft noodle shell version of shumai and veggie options like fried taro in broth, which was excellent.

The staff is polite and the crowd is hip to the fact that this is a step above some other St Mark’s area eateries. The restaurant also boasts a washlet, which you’ll read more about in this week’s how to spend a couple minutes section.

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Posted on April 11, 2010