Went to the new Harry Potter film on Saturday night. Saw it at the IMAX in 3-D, no less - the last half-hour or so was in 3-D, which was kinda neat, but left me feeling a bit ooky afterwards (all that motion...blergh). Anyway, the story was pretty good, though nothing amazing. The HP movies keep growing ever darker, though - we're a long, long way from happy-clappy Chris Columbus and the Philosopher's Stone, at this stage.
I suppose it's time I got stuck in to The Deathly Hallows as well. C. is going to let me bum her copy, I think.
30 July 2007
27 July 2007
Schama: the Biz
More artsy-fartsy PBS goodness last night. I've been so busy the last month or so that I've missed most of Simon Schama's new series, Power of Art. PBS repeats stuff like that endlessly though, so I should have another opportunity to see the whole series later.
Anyway, I've got a few episodes recorded, at least - and last night, I watched the first one, on Jacques-Louis David. It was truly excellent. I wasn't sure what it would be like - Schama is no art expert, after all - but I'm happy to listen to his highly educated opinion. What he seems to be doing in this series is taking great works of art and setting them in historical and cultural context. In David's case, the iconic work under consideration was, of course, The Death of Marat (1793):
Next up are episodes on JMW Turner and Mark Rothko. Looking forward to those.
Anyway, I've got a few episodes recorded, at least - and last night, I watched the first one, on Jacques-Louis David. It was truly excellent. I wasn't sure what it would be like - Schama is no art expert, after all - but I'm happy to listen to his highly educated opinion. What he seems to be doing in this series is taking great works of art and setting them in historical and cultural context. In David's case, the iconic work under consideration was, of course, The Death of Marat (1793):
Next up are episodes on JMW Turner and Mark Rothko. Looking forward to those.
26 July 2007
I Loves Me Some Coocher
Stumbled on a great little programme on PBS last night, while channel-surfing. It was a BBC4 docu called The Secret World of Haute Couture. Very, very interesting stuff. The film-maker was primarily concerned with the women who support this dying trade. Not celebrity actress/model/whatevers, mind - those women are merely loaned the clothes for red-carpet events (with most donning whatever frocks their stylists tell them to wear, then gushing on cue about the genius of the designer). No, this programme focused on the tiny, exclusive club of stratospherically-wealthy society ladies who actually buy couture.
It's clear that these women class couture as an art form, which in turn justifies the expense. Several of them, while displaying pieces in their collections, noted that at some point in the future, they would probably donate them to the costume collections of museums (thus earning themselves a tidy tax write-off in the process). I'd agree that couture is undoubtedly an art; part of the programme was filmed in various ateliers in Paris, where seamstresses and other artisans take the designs and then construct these fantastical clothes by hand. The level and range of skill is awe-inspiring, all the more so as these are dying arts. How many women call on the services of milliners, embroiderers, corsetiรจres, etc. these days? But the cost! Apparently, those who buy couture in Paris can normally expect to spend in the range of €20,000 for a suit and blouse, and €100,000+ for an embroidered evening gown.
Then again, people pay millions for artworks like Voice of Fire and rotting sharks in tanks, so maybe it's not all as decadent as it seems.
It's clear that these women class couture as an art form, which in turn justifies the expense. Several of them, while displaying pieces in their collections, noted that at some point in the future, they would probably donate them to the costume collections of museums (thus earning themselves a tidy tax write-off in the process). I'd agree that couture is undoubtedly an art; part of the programme was filmed in various ateliers in Paris, where seamstresses and other artisans take the designs and then construct these fantastical clothes by hand. The level and range of skill is awe-inspiring, all the more so as these are dying arts. How many women call on the services of milliners, embroiderers, corsetiรจres, etc. these days? But the cost! Apparently, those who buy couture in Paris can normally expect to spend in the range of €20,000 for a suit and blouse, and €100,000+ for an embroidered evening gown.
Then again, people pay millions for artworks like Voice of Fire and rotting sharks in tanks, so maybe it's not all as decadent as it seems.
23 July 2007
Black Bunneh
There's a new fosterling in our house. This bun came home with A. last week. Someone brought her into the clinic - said she'd belonged to one of their neighbours. Apparently the neighbours moved away, and simply abandoned her - 'setting her free' in the backyard. Naturally, she just hopped around in people's gardens for a few days before A.'s client picked her up and brought her in.She is all black, with lovely soft fur. And she has a very sweet, gentle temperament. She's obviously been handled a lot, because it's easy to pick her up, and she tolerates being held quite well (most rabbits hate being picked up and held). I can't imagine A. will have any difficulty in finding a good home for her.
If we didn't already have two rabbits of our own, I'd be tempted to keep this one. But we just can't house four rabbits permanently - remember, we've still got Gnasher on our hands. I don't know what in the hell we're going to do with that animal. We've been fostering her for almost a year now, and she's as evil as ever - I still have to wear leather gloves when I approach her, otherwise she'd take a chunk out of me.
22 July 2007
Deck 'Garden'
Our garden isn't really happening this year, as so many of the flower beds are sitting empty while we CONTINUE to wait for the builders to turn up. (It's now been seven weeks since they said they'd come and fix our shed. But I digress.)
In the interim, we've tried to make our deck look nice, at least. Some of our flowers, like the poppies, responded disastrously to being dug up and plonked into pots (i.e. they died). But a few have done OK. The delphiniums, in particular, look marvellous. They have been at their height (literally!) these last two weeks. Along with the salvia, dahlias and nasturtiums also in planters, the deck looked rather nice when I took these pics on Thursday:
Glad I took these photos when I did, because the heavy rain of the last two days have beaten the delphiniums into near-oblivion. *grumbles*
In the interim, we've tried to make our deck look nice, at least. Some of our flowers, like the poppies, responded disastrously to being dug up and plonked into pots (i.e. they died). But a few have done OK. The delphiniums, in particular, look marvellous. They have been at their height (literally!) these last two weeks. Along with the salvia, dahlias and nasturtiums also in planters, the deck looked rather nice when I took these pics on Thursday:
Glad I took these photos when I did, because the heavy rain of the last two days have beaten the delphiniums into near-oblivion. *grumbles*
18 July 2007
White Stripes
Nova Scotia's been in the grip of White Stripes fever this past week. I didn't go to the Halifax show - tickets sold out in a heartbeat and I'm not much of a fan to begin with. Seems they did a secret show in a downtown pool hall the afternoon of their gig at the Cunard Centre, and they even went on to play in Cape Breton, for God's sake.
But then the news today that their secret show Monday night in Newfoundland consisted of a single note. ??!?!?! *rolls eyes*
The White Stripes: musical geniuses, or pretentious prats? Hmmmm....
But then the news today that their secret show Monday night in Newfoundland consisted of a single note. ??!?!?! *rolls eyes*
The White Stripes: musical geniuses, or pretentious prats? Hmmmm....
17 July 2007
Sicko Jazz
Off tonight to a college alumni 'do, down in the VIP tent at the JazzFest (ooh la la). It's a beautiful warm evening, so it should be fun. I could be persuaded to toss down some canapes and a chilled glass of wine, all right. L. and M. are meeting us there, so we can all swap travel stories (they got back last week from their honeymoon in Iceland).
Forgot to mention that I saw Sicko on Sunday night. Not as compelling as some of Michael Moore's other stuff, but pretty good nonetheless. I don't believe for a second that Moore is unbiased - he's definitely working his own agenda. The rosy glow he painted around the Canadian health care system is proof enough of that (I mean, it's really nice that he likes us and all, but still...). And the last half-hour of the film, which was based in Cuba, had me shaking my head - cos I'm sure it had Fidel Castro's propaganda machine clapping their hands with glee.
Despite that, the same thing I thought about Fahrenheit 911 applies to Sicko: even if only, say, 25% of what Moore says is true, it's still an utterly damning indictment. What shocks me the most is that Americans, as a people, still have yet to stand up and demand universal health care as a fundamental human right. I honestly don't understand anyone who could argue against it.
Forgot to mention that I saw Sicko on Sunday night. Not as compelling as some of Michael Moore's other stuff, but pretty good nonetheless. I don't believe for a second that Moore is unbiased - he's definitely working his own agenda. The rosy glow he painted around the Canadian health care system is proof enough of that (I mean, it's really nice that he likes us and all, but still...). And the last half-hour of the film, which was based in Cuba, had me shaking my head - cos I'm sure it had Fidel Castro's propaganda machine clapping their hands with glee.
Despite that, the same thing I thought about Fahrenheit 911 applies to Sicko: even if only, say, 25% of what Moore says is true, it's still an utterly damning indictment. What shocks me the most is that Americans, as a people, still have yet to stand up and demand universal health care as a fundamental human right. I honestly don't understand anyone who could argue against it.
16 July 2007
Out of the Loop
It's amazing how quickly you lose touch with what's going on in the world, once you go on holiday - all the more so when you're in a non-English-speaking country. In Venezuela, they at least have English news, though it's limited to CNN and *choke* Fox.
So I missed two weeks of goings-on, including all the Live Earth hoo-ha. Since I've got back and have been hitting the papers, I keep finding other weird stories of note, too. Like these:
- the Starbucks outlet located inside the Forbidden City in Beijing (?!?!?!?) has closed after considerable protest. A long-overdue move, if you ask me - A. stumbled across this cultural monstrosity in person, when he was in China four years ago.
- the British fashion icon Isabella Blow died on 7 May. Tragically, it was later confirmed that she'd committed suicide by drinking weedkiller. :-(
Mad as a hatter, but the world is a duller place without her. RIP Isabella.
- in considerably more cheerful news, it appears almost certain that robber-baron scumbag Conrad Black is going to jail. Which, if it transpires, is proof positive that karma will bite you in the ass, in the end. Woot woot!
So I missed two weeks of goings-on, including all the Live Earth hoo-ha. Since I've got back and have been hitting the papers, I keep finding other weird stories of note, too. Like these:
- the Starbucks outlet located inside the Forbidden City in Beijing (?!?!?!?) has closed after considerable protest. A long-overdue move, if you ask me - A. stumbled across this cultural monstrosity in person, when he was in China four years ago.
- the British fashion icon Isabella Blow died on 7 May. Tragically, it was later confirmed that she'd committed suicide by drinking weedkiller. :-(
Mad as a hatter, but the world is a duller place without her. RIP Isabella.- in considerably more cheerful news, it appears almost certain that robber-baron scumbag Conrad Black is going to jail. Which, if it transpires, is proof positive that karma will bite you in the ass, in the end. Woot woot!
14 July 2007
Summer Evening
Whoa. I've got a warm summer evening on my hands here. June was so crappy, and I've been away for two weeks...I forgot that this is what mid-July is supposed to be like. I've got the windows all open, and I'm making some pasta salad with pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh beet greens (home-grown and hand-delivered by J.'s dad yesterday). There's some chicken to throw on the barbecue a little later, and white wine in the fridge.
I think I might go pour myself a gin & tonic now, since that seems an appropriate thing to do on an evening like this.
I think I might go pour myself a gin & tonic now, since that seems an appropriate thing to do on an evening like this.
12 July 2007
I'm Back
Returned from hols earlier this afternoon. Delayed by about three hours due to weather problems in windy, foggy Halifax - boo.
The three days in Los Roques were fantastic. Tuesday was, incidentally, our eighth wedding anniversary - and the best one yet, naturally. Everyone applauded when A. and I came down to breakfast that morning, and we bought a few bottles of champagne so everyone could have a little toast before our candlelit group dinner on the beach that evening.
Legs burned yesterday while at the beach, floating in the water with the others and drinking beer (hey, someone's gotta do it). So I'm in a little pain today. But all in all, it was a wonderful holiday. The travelogue and Flickr albums will, of course, be composed and links posted here in due course.
So good to be home. Have mountain of laundry to do, mind, but looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.
The three days in Los Roques were fantastic. Tuesday was, incidentally, our eighth wedding anniversary - and the best one yet, naturally. Everyone applauded when A. and I came down to breakfast that morning, and we bought a few bottles of champagne so everyone could have a little toast before our candlelit group dinner on the beach that evening.
Legs burned yesterday while at the beach, floating in the water with the others and drinking beer (hey, someone's gotta do it). So I'm in a little pain today. But all in all, it was a wonderful holiday. The travelogue and Flickr albums will, of course, be composed and links posted here in due course.
So good to be home. Have mountain of laundry to do, mind, but looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.
08 July 2007
Wedding No. 2
My first-ever Latin wedding last night - what a blast. Never-ending supplies of food and drink, fantastic music and hours of dancing. Best wedding ever!
There's a post-wedding dinner this evening up in the mountains above the city, then we all catch a flight tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn, to the islands of Los Roques. Three days of fun on the beach...except all of us 'gringos' are still sunburnt, so we'll be hiding under big umbrellas most of the time. I suspect I'm going to end this holiday nearly as white as I began it!
Flight back to Canada Wednesday night, and if all goes well, we'll be back in Hali by Thursday morning.
There's a post-wedding dinner this evening up in the mountains above the city, then we all catch a flight tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn, to the islands of Los Roques. Three days of fun on the beach...except all of us 'gringos' are still sunburnt, so we'll be hiding under big umbrellas most of the time. I suspect I'm going to end this holiday nearly as white as I began it!
Flight back to Canada Wednesday night, and if all goes well, we'll be back in Hali by Thursday morning.
06 July 2007
Back From the Jungle, Baby
Returned to Caracas tonight after three amazing days on the Caribbean coast at Ocumare de la Costa, with four other Canadians also attending the wedding with us.
Spent Wednesday afternoon at a stunning beach, and all day Thursday at a lagoon camp owned by the lodge where we were staying (to which we travelled by boat). We spent a lot of time on the water, kayaking and then snorkelling on the coral reef. The range of tropical fish we saw was unreal - and apparently, the place we're headed to on Monday is even better for diving. This morning, we were up early for a trek into the rainforest - three and a half hours hauling ass up a jungly mountainside. Waterfall at the top where we could cool off and have some lunch, but we nonetheless emerged at the end very sweaty, sticky and quite filthy. It was still bloody cool, though.
Just had my first hot shower in days and cleaned myself up - Jesus, I'm a wreck after this little adventure tour. I've got to attend this wedding tomorrow and have a lovely strapless dress to wear...but my shoulders and back are sunburnt, I've a rash on my upper arms, and my legs are a mess of bruises, coral lacerations, scratches and mosquito bites. Kinda scuppers the image I had of myself as a bathing beauty on the beach at Los Roques next week, too. Feh. :-/
Spent Wednesday afternoon at a stunning beach, and all day Thursday at a lagoon camp owned by the lodge where we were staying (to which we travelled by boat). We spent a lot of time on the water, kayaking and then snorkelling on the coral reef. The range of tropical fish we saw was unreal - and apparently, the place we're headed to on Monday is even better for diving. This morning, we were up early for a trek into the rainforest - three and a half hours hauling ass up a jungly mountainside. Waterfall at the top where we could cool off and have some lunch, but we nonetheless emerged at the end very sweaty, sticky and quite filthy. It was still bloody cool, though.
Just had my first hot shower in days and cleaned myself up - Jesus, I'm a wreck after this little adventure tour. I've got to attend this wedding tomorrow and have a lovely strapless dress to wear...but my shoulders and back are sunburnt, I've a rash on my upper arms, and my legs are a mess of bruises, coral lacerations, scratches and mosquito bites. Kinda scuppers the image I had of myself as a bathing beauty on the beach at Los Roques next week, too. Feh. :-/
03 July 2007
Wedding No. 1
The first wedding was this afternoon. Here in Venezuela, the civil and church ceremonies are different entities, so C. and P. had their civil ceremony today. We all travelled to a small town on the outskirts of Caracas called El Hatillo - very historic, with lots of charming architecture. We got there a few hours early in order to go shopping at a store called Hannsi, which is simply enormous and stocks a huge range of Venezuelan handcrafts. At 3pm we convened at the town hall, so that C. and P. could be married in the Mayor's office. All very nice, and afterward we went to a nearby hotel with about 30 of the bride's friends and family, where the red wine and tapas flowed for many hours. It's the best practice wedding I've ever been to, by far!
Tomorrow begins our jungle adventure. We're being picked up at 8am and will hit the road for the village of Ocumare de la Costa and the Henri Pittier National Park. It's a 3-4 hour drive through the mountains to the eco-lodge, where we'll be staying the next few days. Back on Friday evening!
Tomorrow begins our jungle adventure. We're being picked up at 8am and will hit the road for the village of Ocumare de la Costa and the Henri Pittier National Park. It's a 3-4 hour drive through the mountains to the eco-lodge, where we'll be staying the next few days. Back on Friday evening!
02 July 2007
In Caracas
OK, so...we've arrived. Got in late Saturday night. All went well except that my suitcase didn't arrive with me. *curses* Cue much anxiety and hurried shopping Sunday morning for something clean to wear for the day. But thankfully my bag was delivered this morning.
Yesterday all the Canadians were taken out of the city for the day by the bride's brothers, to visit a "rum farm" (as they call it...haha). Santa Teresa has been distilling here for over 200 years and we had a full tour of the facility and the estate where the sugar cane is grown, etc. Of course there were the obligatory tastings also. I don't much like rum, but I must say that the Cuba Libres, mojitos and other v. tasty rum drinks we quaffed all afternoon were very nice indeed. :-D
Today was a free day so I hit the shopping centre - which was surprisingly North American and so slightly odd. I'm off to investigate the hotel pool now, then have a little rest before dinner with the others this evening. More Canadians and Brits have been arriving today, so there should be quite a few of us.
Blogging from Caracas should be fairly easy as our hotel has a computer room. I'll probably post again before we head out to the jungle on Wednesday a.m.
Yesterday all the Canadians were taken out of the city for the day by the bride's brothers, to visit a "rum farm" (as they call it...haha). Santa Teresa has been distilling here for over 200 years and we had a full tour of the facility and the estate where the sugar cane is grown, etc. Of course there were the obligatory tastings also. I don't much like rum, but I must say that the Cuba Libres, mojitos and other v. tasty rum drinks we quaffed all afternoon were very nice indeed. :-D
Today was a free day so I hit the shopping centre - which was surprisingly North American and so slightly odd. I'm off to investigate the hotel pool now, then have a little rest before dinner with the others this evening. More Canadians and Brits have been arriving today, so there should be quite a few of us.
Blogging from Caracas should be fairly easy as our hotel has a computer room. I'll probably post again before we head out to the jungle on Wednesday a.m.
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