I dream of Donna

Watching It's a Wonderful Life last night reminded me of my childhood obsession with Donna Reed. I watched a lot of Nick at Night back in my earlier days, preferring The Donna Reed Show, I Love Lucy, My Three Sons, and the Dick Van Dyke Show over the typical kid themed entertainment of the times. Oh they were the best!!

Someone asked once what I wanted to be when I grew up once and I quickly answered, in all honesty, "Donna Reed." I wonder if that desire, albeit utterly unattainable, has ever gone away. It seems silly for a modern girl to idealize such an old fashioned, mom-in-the-kitchen role, doesn't it? But last night as I drooled over her frosty glow and perfectly flirty persona in It's a Wonderful Life... not to mention her characters boldness, quiet strength, loyalty, caring, creativity (the cute DIY honeymoon anyone!!) and extreme patience with her seemingly cuckoo hubby George Bailey... I began to remember why I wanted to be her in the first place.

When I was a single digit, I loved her perfectly puffed skirts, high heels, frilly aprons, the plates full of cookies and that she was funny. The fact that she was a total babe didn't hurt of course!

Nowadays, I still love those things! Ain't she beautiful??

I feel I could write a whole dissertation on: fifties era female stereotypes, how after all this hard work other women have done to free me from it, I still want to be one and how that might be messed up, but might also be great...but I won't. Not tonight. It's Christmas and I want to enjoy the presents.

The way it should be...

When I was in Seattle, every latte looked like this, but not here! So, I was pleasantly surprised the other day to find a spot in Manhattan where they take the time to make you something this beautiful and tasty!

WHere?

Cafe Grumpy
224 W 28th street (between 6 & 7)
or
128 Meserole (at Diamond) in Greenpoint.

They brew each coffee by the cup and the scent of beans grinding is intoxicating! The shop sports a neutral decorating scheme which is neither minimalist nor crowded. I am pleased by the lack of post cards and homemade advertisements. I've also had lovely, unexpected banter with all the servers which, second only to the coffees, makes me want to go back!

Thanks Guys!
and iphone for helping me locate a cafe in the area when I was ten minutes early for rehearsal and for taking this photo.

Current Crushes

My latest crush? The voice of Caleb Folowill, front man of the band Kings of Leon. I heard them for the first time on Saturday Night live this weekend, of all places! I was tuning in for another crush and was pleasantly surprised by the harsh yet somehow delicate sound of this guy. His voice is raspy, in that sexy way that's usually more of a plus for girls. It's bursting at the seams and I trust it. Probably because it's not some affectation begging me to swoon like so many other plaid shirted dudes in pants so tight I get jealous. It's just honest and comes out how it needs to.

The uniqueness of his voice sent me on a short research session on the band where I read one little magazine article and watched a home video of the singer (ok, his name is Caleb) talking about recording a song. I'm not going to get all into it because really, I don't really know anything about this band and I haven't even finished listening to the album I downloaded 20 minutes ago. It just seems like they're nice boys, or brothers/cousins rather from Oklahoma who have a respectable approach to music making. Like all brothers, they fight about whose going to wear which tight pants, but I can forgive them that. It's not like they're running all over the stage showing it off (from what I've seen at least. ) They just peaceably stand there and let the music do the talking.

A long sentence....

You know those times when you should really be like, sleeping, but instead you're listening to Justin Timberlake, sending random envelopes of lined school paper to your pals across the the country? Yeah, me too.
It really is quite difficult to sleep with Justin serenading you after all.

Man, I really need to get some new stamps, mine are all 37 cents! How long ago was that???

Current Crushes

Walt Whitman
I heard a poem of his the other day while watching the PBS documentary about New York City and it peaked my interest in the guy. The documentary uses much of his work, as he was an early American-lover of NY -ahead of his time kind of writer. His poem, Crossing the Brooklyn Ferry, just captures the exact feeling of this city, even now. In a time before the Brooklyn Bridge, before Man had even envisioned building UP instead of OUT, Whitman seemed to comprehend this constant for all New Yorkers. Despite the changes to come for his New York and ours, this poem just gets it:

1.
Flood-tide below ! I watch you face to face;
Clouds of the west! sun there half an hour high! I see you also face to face.

Crowds of men and women attired in the usual costumes! how curious you are to me!

On the ferry-boats, the hundreds and hundreds that cross, returning home, are more curious to me than you suppose;

And you that shall cross from shore to shore years hence, are more to me, and more in my meditations, than you might suppose.

(I skip some here)

3.
I am with you, you men and women of a generation, or ever so many generations hence;
I project myself- also I return- I am with you, and know how it is.

Just as you feel when you look on the river and sky, so I felt;
Just as any of you is one of a living crowd, I was one of a crowd;
Just as you refresh'd by the gladness of the river and bright flow, I was refresh'd;
Just as you stand and lean on the rail, yet hurry with the swift current, I stood, yet was hurried;
Just as you look on the numberless masts of ships, and the thick-stem'd pipes of steamboats, I look'd.


NYC, Brooklyn and the Bridge.
Thanks to this poem and the documentary, I've discovered a new love for the city. I can't quite get into it here, but am grateful. I'm especially amazed, yet again, by the Brooklyn Bridge. The thing that got me, was hearing that at the time of it's opening, May 1883, it was the tallest thing around. In a city just four stories high, people, had never seen anything from that perspective before. Because of the strictly pedestrian pathway, to this day, we are able to get an unobstructed, awe inspiring view of the city. I just can't get over the extreme intelligence and fore thought of the early designers of our country!

Like Alexander Hamilton

Bringing it back to the current century, this band called Bon Iver is really rocking my world. Check out their myspace page to listen! The song "The Wolves" has the best yet most subtle use of that voice changing effect thing (that Cher made popular) ever. See if you can hear it and agree with me!

My melting heart...

Even in the heat today's busy flea market, I could hardly stop drooling over these nearby chocolatiers, I mean, chocolates! Some may know that I am not the hugest chocolate fan, but it was love at first site with Mast Brothers Chocolate. One look at the beautifully patterned papers used to perfectly wrap each bar and I was smitten. I finally ran over to their booth when I saw them packing up early and was lucky to snag a couple of bars that were left.



Please take a moment to view their website, which expertly exhibits their old fashioned aesthetic. Boys, your style, it pleases me greatly. Thank you!

In honor of you.... I old this photo!

New Old Kids on the Block?

I heard it on the radio tonight, seriously. The "Kids" are back with a new summer single. I'm so conflicted! I mean, they were my first concert! Well, actually the first was the Beach Boys followed by The New Kids. Oh how I loved them. "My Favorite Girl" is still one of my favorite songs. I used to ride around southern Vermont during college, blasting that song, twelve years after it was cool. Sure, loving the New Kids is not half as lame as it was when were 13... but do you really want to hear these guys, who I admit look pretty good, singing about summer time love? I'm even the perfect candidate to win over here. I'd much sooner give these guys a chance over any other polished looking "man band" that come up on my radar.

Don't you guys have families and children by now? Haven't you moved on to successful acting careers ? Perhaps I'm just thinking of the Wahlbergs? Still, if you sang about that, or heck, even your lack of that, I'd be into it! What I can't handle is thirty something men singing about girls in bathing suits or whatever melted popsicle stuff I overheard earlier this evening.

Then & Now

Are they seriously Hangin Tough up there?

I think I coined two new terms... feel free to use them liberally, or as often as applicable.

Man Band
The grown up, more creepy version of a "boy band."

Melted Popsicle
Used to describe a style of music, often produced by Man Bands. Similar to Bubblegum pop, only, more confusing, as the man bands collected age would suggest a more sophisticated audience that did not obsess over candy.

The Rare Bird

You know those times when your roommate invites you to see the friend of the guy downstairs play bass for the first time with this other guy... those times? Well we all know its a gamble don't we? And yet we go, time and time again to show support for our brethren, the struggling artists, because a night out with the rooms typically bodes well for you. So you hop on the G train to Williamsburg's Pete's Candy Store and order yourself a shot of whiskey. You thoughtfully nurse that whiskey until his set is done, when, in all honesty, you thank the 'guy' for playing.

And just when you begin debating whether or not to get another drink, it happens. The second act, King Wilkie saves your life. Not only redeeming this and all other nights you've gambled on in the past, but becoming an instant favorite band. Inspiring desires in you to create matching tie tacks and cuff links for each member and learn millinery so you can outfit them in matching derby's or something. They have a nerdy cool presence on stage and the beautiful bass & mandolin combo is heavenly. I really took to them, can you tell?

Crafting with MacGyver

Having exhausted all the 'new' internet episodes of my usual programs: LOST, Grey's Anatomy, Men in Trees, Ugly Betty, Gossip Girl, 30 Rock, Brothers & Sisters, How I met your Mother and Eli Stone. I've now also depleted the fringe shows: Samantha Who, Lipstick Jungle/Cashmere Mafia (they're the same right?), Big Bang Theory, Friday Night Lights, the brief appearance of My So Called Life and Miss Guided. Sadly(well actually it was pretty fun) I've even cycled though all the Digital Shorts from Saturday Night Live! This one is my favorite:

So now I've moved on the MacGyver reruns thanks to our Friends at CBS. It makes sense, doesn't it? That I would spend my quiet rainy Saturday afternoon crafting, while MacGyver fixes the acid leak with chocolate bars in the background? He's pretty crafty that one. It's certainly behind the times, ah "science labs" that mainly consist of brightly colored little flashing lights on a bunch of boards anyone... effing brilliant. It's PC rating is a little behind too, but still, gotta love our DIY hero!