Snowbound, Part Two

Christmas morning I walked to the Quik Trip—a long-held snowstorm ritual—walking to the nearest store to get "supplies" whether I need them or not.  I have Neos, the tall ones, (New England Overshoes, designed to fit over Birks) so the walk was quite comfortable in that I wasn't cold, and I did not fall on my ass. I decided to see if I could find myself a toy of some kind at the QT, but they didn't have anything much.  I walked/lurched past the lofts at the end of the block, the ones that look like a fire station. Someone had outside speakers hooked up to share Christmas carols of the chorale and orchestra variety.  I would have preferred something more ironic, like Streisand's "White Christmas", still, it was nice.  Neos and the lofts below:

                      

For breakfast I made tarragon scrambled eggs.  The recipe came from Arabella Boxer and Philippa Back's herb book from back in the 80's. (You can still get a copy from Amazon.)   Essentially. you scramble eggs over low heat very very very slowly (maybe 30 minutes) stirring a lot, I mean a lot, then add some tarragon and a soupçon of cream.  They're great with rye toast.  Do not attempt to make these if you're in a hurry; it's all in the attitude—if it feels tedious, chill out a bit.  And speaking of tedious, I went to see "Sherlock Holmes" yesterday and left after 30 minutes.  A shameful waste of good actors.    

With the eggs are some sauteed peppers, some  toasted slices of a bran muffin from Queenies.  (I buy them by the dozen and wrap them individually in Freezer Press and Seal) (worth the money).  I like these muffins because they aren't too sweet like so many muffins these days.  In the small plate is some of Miss Pam's Extravagant Applesauce. (November 20, 09 blog post)  In the teacup is dandelion leaf/mint tea.  A friend gave me two of these cups; I like them because the turtle on the inside bottom of the cup is outlined in very shimmery gold.

A note about tarragon:  I use tarragon which I have dried myself;  when my gardener friends give me tarragon, I strip the leaves and put them in a small bowl in the fridge; after a long time they are nicely dried without having lost all of their color.  Their flavor is very intense, more intense than fresh tarragon.

Sources:  For the Neos http://www.overshoe.com/                           

For the tea:  http://www.atlanticspice.com/ I mix one cup of the dandelion leaf with one Tablespoon of Organic Peppermint  from Rishi Tea.  To brew, one level teaspoon per cup, boiling water, steep 10 minutes.  Atlantic Spice Company is also a good source for quality almonds and walnuts.  Dandelion leaf tea is very inexpensive and is good for you. Look it up. I came up with this blend because I don't drink caffeine most of the time.  The mint is unnoticeable—it merely lightens the flavor of the dandelion leaf.   

The placemat is a bandana from Orvis.  It's a replica of a bandana which Teddy Roosevelt wore.  I went to the gun show once, just once, and there was a man dressed like Teddy Roosevelt in his Rough Riders outfit.  The man was very serious; he strolled (with authority) up and down the aisles.  Kinda creepy.

At the Movies: Avatar

In Hinduism, Avatar or Avatara (अवतार, IAST ), often translated into English as incarnation, literally means descent (avatarati) and usually implies a deliberate descent from higher spiritual realms to lower realms of existence for special purposes.

OK.  You've got to see it.  It's a major cultural event.  The first hour is fabulous, fabulous.  Then it's a war story, with many many mixed messages—something to please and/or offend everyone.  But it's still just a war story with amazing special effects. Think of it as a relatively inexpensive  trip to a dark "Fantasia".   Not dark enough to be deeply riveting, but darker, say, than Cruella Deville. I was not unmoved by the story, but I was always aware that I was being manipulated. Which is not that fun.  In this case, the medium is the message.  I don't know what happens next with this technology; they're certainly not going to be doing a Tennessee Williams play with it.  And, if there are no projectiles, what's the point of special effects like Cameron's?  Thus, war movies.  And maybe porn.  You get the picture. 

And when you do go to see it, do it right.  See it at the Imax.  Buy your tickets online.  They sell out.  Trust me.  Go one hour early.  Be prepared to stand in line.  Severely limit your fluid intake 3 hours before start time.  Bathroom  right before the movie begins; it's almost 3 hours long, and it would be disorienting to deal with taking off the 3D glasses in the middle.  Sit as far back as you can; (that's why it's important to go one hour early).  If you want concessions, be prepared for a long line.  They're understaffed.  Take something to read or someone to chat with. 

In the coming months, be prepared to see more face painting, more dreadlocks, and white facepaint dots  which glow in the dark. 

And television's got some catching up to do.  Big screens and HD  are not enough any more.

"If you say 'war' just once more, I'll go in the house and shut the door.  I've never gotten so tired of any one word in my life as 'war...'"  Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone with the Wind"

Snowbound with Marcello

Christmas Eve night —Eating Ms. Jones's extraordinary See's fudge while Watching Fellini's 8 1/2. It's a Criterion Collection disc so there's much extra info.  The introduction by Terry Gilliam (You have seen "Brazil", haven't you?) is a must see.   Gilliam claims that Fellini is a documentary filmmaker, that he just films what he sees. I also noted that  Gilliam was dressed very nattily in a casual way--cords, a sweater, excellent gray and white striped socks and cream colored canvas or suede oxfords.  

I  carry in my mind and heart  that there are many on the planet whose goal is to find enough to eat to stay alive for one more day. Still, never in the history of the world (as far as I know) have so many had so much inexpensive access to the arts.  And access to produce one's own art of whatever ilk.  I'll never get over the gratitude I have for it.  I'm so glad I lived to see it.  So much richness available to me for so little money.   For example check out this quote  I just found when I was looking for an image of Gilliam in his striped socks.

From Fellini: 

"I don't like the idea of 'understanding' a film. I don't believe that rational understanding is an essential element in the reception of any work of art. Either a film has something to say to you or it hasn't.  If you are moved by it, you don't need to have it explained to you. If not, no explanation can make you moved by it."  Which is, by the way, pretty much the same thing T. S. Eliot said about poetry.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Friend of mine had to go to a grocery store  on Christmas Eve to pick up a few things.  He wrote, "Dang....with the approaching storm and being Christmas Eve, it was like trying to catch the last flight out of Nam in there."  Pretty apt, I thought.

Poetry on a Saturday

"Shut in from all the world without,

We sat the clean-winged hearth about,

Content to let the north-wind roar

In baffled rage at pane and door,

While the red logs before us beat

The frost-line back with tropic heat;

And ever, when a louder blast

Shook beam and rafter as it passed,

The merrier up its roaring draught

The great throat of the chimney laughed;

The house-dog on his paws outspread

Laid to the fire his drowsy head,

The cat's dark silhouette on the wall

A couchant tiger's seemed to fall;

And, for the winter fireside meet,

Between the andirons' straddling feet,

The mug of cider simmered slow,

The apples sputtered in a row,

And, close at hand, the basket stood

With nuts from brown October's wood."

from "Snowbound" by John Greenleaf Whittier

You'd Better Watch Out

T Town Totems

Top photo 16th just East of Denver                                                           

Bottom photos 38th and Delaware.  I do  hope they serve drinks with umbrellas there. 

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You Wouldn't Kick Him Out of Bed for Eating Doritos

You, too, ladies. 

Remember this photo from the 2009 Vogue December issue?

His name is Roberto Bolle.  He dances with the American Ballet Theatre.  He's Italian. 

When Bolle was extremely young, he entered the Theatre La Scala ballet school. When he was 15, Rudolf Nureyev noticed his talent  and chose Roberto to interpret Tadzio in the ballet "Death in Venice".

In a piece in the NYTimes  Matthew Gurweitsch said, "In an age of pyrotechnics the Italian ballet star Roberto Bolle positions himself as a danseur noble, delivering a lofty eloquence rather than leaps that are higher, beats that are faster and turns that are more numerous. With his GQ face, long limbs and tapered silhouette, he definitely looks the part." 

If you want to read more, here's the link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/10/arts/dance/10gure.html?scp=3&sq=Roberto+Bolle&st=nyt

 Eye Candy for the Holidays:  I'm writing all this in order to say to you that "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus".  Bruce Weber, the photographer, is doing a book about Bolle.  It will be available on December 20 from Amazon and elsewhere.  Eye candy is so much less caloric than, say, toffee.  Treat yourself. 

Extra Credit:  Here's a link to a You Tube video—Bolle dancing