Peeping Ed

I went to my first exhibition in Boston at the Museum of Fine Arts. I want to thank them whole hearted-ly for putting together such a comprehensive exhibition of Edward Hopper's work. They had 4 rooms of his paintings from all over the world, which I am sure is a curator's nightmare to pull together. Nevertheless, the curators definitely pulled it off.
There is something about Edward Hopper's surrealist and minimalist style that stirs up so much thought and emotion. I have to admit, I do not feel this way about his later paintings of Cape Cod landscape. They just are pretty Cape Cod paintings that you can find in a v. v. expensive Cape Cod hotel and not think to look twice.

I have a feeling that Edward Hopper, when he first started painting, always had in his mind the ambition to make a living through painting. You can see the strive for commercial success in his paintings. They are safe and familiar yet with a twist to distinguish his style and perspective.

The stuff I like the most are his New York era paintings, where he toys with the idea of privacy in the urban world. He looks out from his window into yours. He sees your life as you live it when you do not think anybody is watching. But with skyscrapers like dominos stacked one after the other, you cannot demand privacy. Your world clashes with someone else's. Edward Hopper captures those clashes of privacy. As you look at his paintings, you get this feeling that you should not be there. But you are, and you can't stop looking. You wonder what the people in the paints are thinking. You just witness a lapse in their life, a glimpse of their world.

And Edward Hopper channels that feeling so well. The way he can control light in his paintings is very impressive. Bare rooms, minimal composition and all about how light shines on that moment to share your privacy with all...

If you are in Boston, I would highly recommend seeing this exhibition. Otherwise, try to see him somewhere. When you are standing in front of one of his paintings, it is captivating.

How banksy of you...

Until I read the relatively recent New Yorker article on Banksy, I only appreciated him for his art. After all, he made anarchy and chaos a respected form of art. He brought graffiti indoors into the most exquisite galleries of Chelsea. He is witty and talented. He is one of the most sought after artists.
Never before have I thought to think what it means to be Banksy. It is a complete dichotomy. To produce art for the sake of art, but people willing to pay tons of money for it. Mocking capitalism, government and bourgeois yet having these people as your followers. Seeking acceptance and recognition, yet always having to be incognito and never revealing your face.

I mean can you imagine? Your whole life is a big conflict. Apparently, he gives most of his money to charity but still... Is that playing Robin Hood?

His art has come to a stage that is ironic in its recognition and appreciation. The very people that he mocks are becoming his audience. Well maybe there is a wry humor in that... People pay to be criticized and ridiculed by him. Maybe there is some sort of satisfaction in that. I do not know. I think that this is the very reason why Kurt Cobain committed suicide (well also tons of drugs don't give you a clear perspective but still in essence it was the fact that you can't choose your audience)

Should you just quit what you love to do because you do not like who you are appealing to? Can you quit your passion? Then what is the point of your life? I just never realized how hard it is to have your life be one fat irony... Banksy, you are awesome

The National is coming to town

And I missed them. Well for those lucky people who had a chance to see them at the Middle East, I want to say, I am jealous.

Their first album, Alligator was good. It was just the perfectly created music album. I just did not feel the umpf that would make it wonderful. I appreciated how great National is but did not get obsessively attached to the album the way I usually do with most of the new bands that I see as my proteges. I need to defend them, help with their viral marketing they deserve. With National, I just quietly found them good.

Oh, but that is until they released the Boxer which is something else. It is darker, more complex, their voice and soul discovered. I feel like they are not playing safe any more. They decided to let go to unveil their true awesome self. So now they are one of my favorites but probably not a protege because they are past that band-ling stage.

The lead singer has a dark voice that whispers poems in your ears. It is like walking on the asphalt of a desolate street in a big big city where the moon frolicks skyscrapers. And that is all you can see besides your shadow and the silvery reflection of the asphalt.

The drums are just as captivating as the lead singer's voice. The beats are clever, pushing the limits and declaring the drums as the mood setter.

And now I sit here wondering how wonderful it should be to see them live. Oh how was it? Was it as good as I am afraid it is?

White Rabbit Alert

White rabbit is my favorite candy. It's a vanilla thingie wrapped in rice paper sold in japanese delis. I could eat them in massive quantities.
And that lovely feeling they give me, a new band named White Rabbits has provided me without the calories. Ohhh, I don't know why I am being so lame with my puns today. I really don't know.

But folks, seriously, listen to White Rabbits, as starters their wonderful song "Kid on my shoulders" from their album Fort Nightly.

It is a hip shaking, head bobbing debut of Rabbits singing sweet sensation. The piano is in a minor key, creating a deep suspense within the upbeat melody. The more you listen, the more the mystery wraps you in its ivory fingers. Oh so delightful.
I haven't done my research but I think this is White Rabbit's first album. If it is, it indeed is a huge success. (Disclaimer, it is not that I haven't done my homework. There is hardly any information on them on google - so I suspect they've ought to be new)

I think their name is probably not inspired by my favorite candy but the 60/70's staple psychedelic song White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane (has a billion cover versions, one that I know by Patti Smith)

These boys do sounds like they listen to great music and have been inspired by great music. The lead has such a lovely modern voice with elements of pure brit pop. They have elements of the Cure, David Bowie. They sound both 70s and Gen Y.

So the short of it is, really, this is such an awesome album. Makes me really happy. Oh the tango of it all... Captivatingly beautiful

This mantra is hard to swallow

I hate restaurants that think they can charge you anything and get away with it. Mantra is definitely on my black list in that regard. Mantra is a contemporary French-indian restaurant in downtown Boston, right off of Boston Common. The building used to be an old federal bank I think, or a bank of some sort. The space is very cool yet the conversion from bank to restaurant/lounge has not been so smooth. It reminds me of an 80s communist restaurant for generals and their wives. The bare lighting, white walls, random curtains and music that literally sounds like coming from a boombox makes the atmosphere plain ugly and unfinished.
I was thinking the food must be really good to make up for the lack of finesse, especially if they have the nerve to charge $40 per dish. But I was wrong. The food was at best mediocre. As I was paying the bill, I was just feeling uncomfortable, not only because it was completely not worth the price but also because they started converting the place to a lounge as we were eating.
The lounge did not look very promising either but I did not want to stick around and see. They charge $20 to get in after 11pm. Any place that needs to charge a cover, unless it is a grungy bar with mediocre live music, is LAAAAMEEEE.
And Mantra left a bad taste in my mouth and an undeserved dent in my pocket.

The longest paragraph by Thomas Bernhard

I have been nursing the loser by thomas bernhard for quite some time now. I bought it because of the translator's disclaimer on the first page. To rephrase it, the translator says, Bernhard's style in German is full of complicated sentences with intentionally omitted punctuations and misused conjunctives and nooooo paragraphs. It is one run on paragraph. Haha I love it. Another Nietzsche I thought...

Bernhard's writing style reminds me of a contemporary Goethe with a sprinkle of Kafka. Which is so refreshing. But his narration is completely unique and absolutely wonderful.

The summary of the story is that there are three piano players (the narrator, Glenn Gould and Wertheimer) who meet at a conservatory in Austria. All three guys grow obsessed with one thing: Glenn Gould. And this obsession is the self denied conundrum of their life which consumes them to destruction.

The novel works so well as one rambling paragraph. Because the narrator in his repetitive, obsessive and self absorbed writing draws circles and reveals his true personality while describing his two pianist friends and attempts to leave himself out. The narrator digs himself deep into self doubt and frustration as he repeatedly thinks about Glenn Gould, and criticizes Wertheimer for his shortcomings, his narration reveals his insecurities against his words that claim to have self awareness.

It is amazing how Bernhard can make you read about something that is typically not something people are interested in: 3 pianists from 50 years ago who live in Austria. At a first glance you think reading Beethoven's biography might be a better use of your time but believe me Bernhard knows how to capture you.

Two of my favorite budget wines

I find it tacky to include tasting notes etc but in my years of wine tasting I found these two to be the best value wines.

Number one is my BF's lovely find from religiously reading wine literature. It is a Calera Chardonnay. So thank you so much for introducing me to the best chardonnay ever. It is not oaky and very balanced. And only $12









Second is during a visit to Silverlake wine (my favorite wine store in Silverlake, LA, with kick ass wine tastings on Sunday). I still can't stand the ugliness of the dog on the label but the wine is awesome - especially at $10/bottle.

Here's what it looks like



It is called a Yard Dog because it is mainly made of Petite verdot that is usually only 5% of a blended wine - so it is the yard dog of the bunch: 60% Petite Verdot, 30% Cabernet and 10% Malbec (I wonder what kind of a dog a cab would be, it if were - I never thought of this and I guess I really don't need to)
I think it needs to air at least 30 mins for it to open up. It is a very smooth and full bodied wine with dark berries and all that...

Try them... I think both are very easy to find and widely distributed on the left and right coast of the country.

A List Shopping

When frustrated with shopping (oh btw, I am totally over that spring shopping hump - maybe a bit too much), it has always been my dream to design my own clothes. And so now many fashionista celebs, who are known for their awesome style are coming up with their fashion line.
Kate Moss designing for Top Shop, Mary Kate & Ashley moving up the fashion food chain (from humble beginnings of Walmart Tees) to their high and low end line, SJP with her super affordable Bitten and Sienna Miller with Twenty8Twelve (her birthday).

Firstly, I have to say my fashion icons have been Sienna Miller and Kate Moss. I like anything and everything they wear. They are bold and edgy and a little tomboyish with a girlie flair. I hate categorizing people's fashion sense but I think that's how I would describe it if I had to (not that I had to, but whatever)
Both of these ladies I think did a really amazing job at channeling what people like about their style and creating a fashion line.
Sienna's line apparently will be a middle of the road (not cheap or super expensive line). I wonder where it will sell and whether it will even make it to the US. What a tease...

This is Sienna's











and this is Kate Moss's


I thought SJP's was a little bit like GAP by SJP (which she has done by the way). So I am not v. impressed. I was expecting Sex and The City but affordable but she went in everyday necessities direction. I tnink it would have been nice to see her prove that glam does not have to be expensive.

As for the Olsen Twins, I have not seen their line but expect great things from them as well. They have the money and the taste. They gave us sneak peak at CFDA of the Row (the couture one) and Elizebeth and James (the relatively affordable line?). By the way, even doing two price points is an excellent business idea. The buzz around it is great (drum roll). You know Ashley always walks around with a few things she has designed and if their designs for the masses can catch that vibe that the twins have (MK on her good days of course), I am sooo going to Intermix to buy their stuff. They are looking to sell at Bergdorf and Barney's as well. Wow what a line up!

I really have to say this although it has nothing to do with anything... Did anybody else notice how Posh Spice's fashion sense has gone nuts? And she really cares about fashion too. Awwww...

Forget me not

This weekend, FINALLY, I got up my ass and saw Away from her. I am still a little depressed due to the lingering effects of the too-close-to-life, grave scenario.

It is about a couple who has been married for 44 years. And they are learning to cope with her Alzheimer as well as their past. As Fiona's condition deteriorates, she decides to check into a nursing home where she starts losing recollection of her husband and starts befriending Aubrey, another patient and showers him with her affection. Her husband, Grant, does not know how much of their relationship Fiona has really forgotten in comparison what she is leading Grant to believe. Does she really forget Grant or does she choose to free herself of the pain of his promiscuous past? Is she punishing him by not recognizing or is she trying to give herself peace?

It reminded me of another Canadian movie: Barbarian Invasions. Not simply because of the theme of how taxing it is to deal with a loved one's sickness or scenery but more because of cinematography and style of narration. It is chillingly sarcastic and caustic at times and deafeningly quite and scenic at others.

Overall, on my very scientific scale of 1-10, I would give this movie an 8.9. I feel like the sterile film shots were not always intended. Even if they were, some beautiful nature and portrait shots with more color would have made the movie richer.

oh oh... I really need to mention this. The killer line of the movie is "I just couldn't be away from her." Watch out for a few tear drops when Grant says this for the second time. I was like a Pavlov dog... Bawling... Gently...