WeirdCurves
3.30.2004
BUST
After perusing the Web site for the past several weeks, I finally got my hands on a print copy of BUST magazine. Wow! I don't think that I have ever gotten more enjoyment from $4.99. I read the sucker from cover to cover and am now using this issue as a guidebook for learning more about subversive arts and crafts, female graffiti artists, double dutch, cute handbags and more on the Web! Just about every article has a URL reference making research and shopping easy. If it were not for this quarterly, I never would have stumbled upon an embroidered portrait of Dolly Parton (see Sublime Stitching for more stitching fun).
"Blue Dolly" by Jenny Hart 2003
The writers at BUST also cover the latest music, films and books. There are favorable reviews of Ambulance Ltd. (saw them at Black Cat last night--excellent performance) and The Walkmen. I was inspired to check out a couple of tracks of the Casual Dots' debut LP on iTunes music store after reading the line, "you'd expect to hear a Casual Dots song playing while Divine is walking down the street in an early John Waters movie." You can check them out live at the 9:30 Club on April 25.
Expect to read several future posts beginning with: "Guess what I just read in BUST!"
"Blue Dolly" by Jenny Hart 2003
The writers at BUST also cover the latest music, films and books. There are favorable reviews of Ambulance Ltd. (saw them at Black Cat last night--excellent performance) and The Walkmen. I was inspired to check out a couple of tracks of the Casual Dots' debut LP on iTunes music store after reading the line, "you'd expect to hear a Casual Dots song playing while Divine is walking down the street in an early John Waters movie." You can check them out live at the 9:30 Club on April 25.
Expect to read several future posts beginning with: "Guess what I just read in BUST!"
3.27.2004
Three Days in Reykjavik
After hearing stories from my friends about their trips to Iceland over the last couple of years, I finally took that trip myself. Icelandair advertised a terrific deal that I couldn’t pass up--round-trip air fare, two nights in a hotel, breakfast two days and transfers to and from the airport for $299 (plus about $100 for taxes and fees). The airline is definitely the Southwest of international travel (no free beer, wine or soft drinks), but at such a low price, I can’t really complain about the bare bones service.
I was lucky enough to have one of my friends take me up on my mass e-mail invitation titled, “Anyone Wanna go to Iceland?” NM and I made the most of our orgranization skills by spending weeks planning virtually every minute of our three-day vacation (NM made quite the impressive multi-column table for our itinerary). While we had a lot of options, we kept our minds open to new opportunities. Our preparation and attitude made for a great trip.
Here is my list of the highlights from my brief stay in Reykjavik. I can’t wait to go back!
Top Ten Things to Do When Visiting Reykjavik
1. Get an in-water massage at Blue Lagoon
A shuttle picks visitors up from their hotels to take them on the 40-minute ride to Blue Lagoon in Grindavik. A visitor to the lagoon floats on a square piece of foam while Helga works her magic. When she’s done, she gently pushes the massagee into the 100+ degrees F water. Heaven.
2. Eat some Skyr
A snack that tastes like yogurt blended with cream cheese. It’s available in several flavors including vanilla, strawberry and pear. Delicious!
3. Slide down the 86-meter slide at Laugardalslaug
Icelanders love their swimming pools. This one has three hot pots (hot tubs), three other pools and a great water slide in addition to full massage services, a gym and cafeteria.
4. Drink tap water
The water there is as pure as it gets--tastes better than any bottled water. (This is a special treat for D.C. residents.)
5. Eat a hotdog with the works
Ketchup, pylsusinnep (sweet mustard), crunchy fried onions, raw onions and remoulade sauce top the dogs. Good option for a bite on the run.
6. Ride an Icelandic horse
Shorter than North American horses, but tough from surviving harsh winters. The gene pool has remained untainted from when these horses were bred in the ninth century by Vikings.
7. Eat dinner at Tveir Fiskar
A lovely staff serves seafood entrees prepared by an award-winning chef in a dining room designed based on Feng Shui principles.
8. See the Medieval Manuscripts--Eddas and Sagas exhibit at Culture House
Sagas, poems and narratives documenting the cultures of Northern Europe from pagan times, Viking expansion and the spread of christianity.
9. Shop at Dead
Handmade shirts, jackets and skull caps for the goth in all of us. The man behind the wearable art, Jon Audarson, works the cash register and is happy to talk to you about his creations.
10. Play pool at Gaukur a Stong
This three-level bar/club often hosts live music. When there are no performances scheduled, this is a great place to observe locals while drinking a Viking beer and playing a game of pool.
I was lucky enough to have one of my friends take me up on my mass e-mail invitation titled, “Anyone Wanna go to Iceland?” NM and I made the most of our orgranization skills by spending weeks planning virtually every minute of our three-day vacation (NM made quite the impressive multi-column table for our itinerary). While we had a lot of options, we kept our minds open to new opportunities. Our preparation and attitude made for a great trip.
Here is my list of the highlights from my brief stay in Reykjavik. I can’t wait to go back!
Top Ten Things to Do When Visiting Reykjavik
1. Get an in-water massage at Blue Lagoon
A shuttle picks visitors up from their hotels to take them on the 40-minute ride to Blue Lagoon in Grindavik. A visitor to the lagoon floats on a square piece of foam while Helga works her magic. When she’s done, she gently pushes the massagee into the 100+ degrees F water. Heaven.
2. Eat some Skyr
A snack that tastes like yogurt blended with cream cheese. It’s available in several flavors including vanilla, strawberry and pear. Delicious!
3. Slide down the 86-meter slide at Laugardalslaug
Icelanders love their swimming pools. This one has three hot pots (hot tubs), three other pools and a great water slide in addition to full massage services, a gym and cafeteria.
4. Drink tap water
The water there is as pure as it gets--tastes better than any bottled water. (This is a special treat for D.C. residents.)
5. Eat a hotdog with the works
Ketchup, pylsusinnep (sweet mustard), crunchy fried onions, raw onions and remoulade sauce top the dogs. Good option for a bite on the run.
6. Ride an Icelandic horse
Shorter than North American horses, but tough from surviving harsh winters. The gene pool has remained untainted from when these horses were bred in the ninth century by Vikings.
7. Eat dinner at Tveir Fiskar
A lovely staff serves seafood entrees prepared by an award-winning chef in a dining room designed based on Feng Shui principles.
8. See the Medieval Manuscripts--Eddas and Sagas exhibit at Culture House
Sagas, poems and narratives documenting the cultures of Northern Europe from pagan times, Viking expansion and the spread of christianity.
9. Shop at Dead
Handmade shirts, jackets and skull caps for the goth in all of us. The man behind the wearable art, Jon Audarson, works the cash register and is happy to talk to you about his creations.
10. Play pool at Gaukur a Stong
This three-level bar/club often hosts live music. When there are no performances scheduled, this is a great place to observe locals while drinking a Viking beer and playing a game of pool.
3.15.2004
Yes, they are still fighting the War of Northern Aggression
Crystal River Reenactment, March 13, 2004
XXX, inc. directed me to go to Tallahassee once again. Given a couple of travel options, I chose the one that allowed me to drive to Tampa to see my family for the weekend. As I drove south on US 19 early Saturday afternoon, I noticed a group of horses galloping and what looked like a cloud of dust behind them off in a field to my right. I slowed down and took a closer look. I saw dozens of khaki-colored tents and men in uniforms. That wasn't dust behind the horses--it was smoke. What I saw in the distance was a Civil War reenactment! I saw the entrance sign and pulled over. I had to see this display for myself. There were cannons and guns and Confederate flags all over the place. Frankly, I was a little afraid. The spectators sat in beach chairs around the perimeter of the battlefield. Each person with whom I interacted was quite nice and polite. One guy explained the procedure of firing the cannons to me so that I knew the sign to look for when a cannon was about to fire. The commentator started spouting rhetoric about how there is nothing wrong with displaying the Confederate flag. He said that we "should vote for the candidate in November who will preserve history." People cheered. I left.
XXX, inc. directed me to go to Tallahassee once again. Given a couple of travel options, I chose the one that allowed me to drive to Tampa to see my family for the weekend. As I drove south on US 19 early Saturday afternoon, I noticed a group of horses galloping and what looked like a cloud of dust behind them off in a field to my right. I slowed down and took a closer look. I saw dozens of khaki-colored tents and men in uniforms. That wasn't dust behind the horses--it was smoke. What I saw in the distance was a Civil War reenactment! I saw the entrance sign and pulled over. I had to see this display for myself. There were cannons and guns and Confederate flags all over the place. Frankly, I was a little afraid. The spectators sat in beach chairs around the perimeter of the battlefield. Each person with whom I interacted was quite nice and polite. One guy explained the procedure of firing the cannons to me so that I knew the sign to look for when a cannon was about to fire. The commentator started spouting rhetoric about how there is nothing wrong with displaying the Confederate flag. He said that we "should vote for the candidate in November who will preserve history." People cheered. I left.
3.08.2004
Pissy, pissy Missy
I have been in one heck of a pissy mood today. Don't know why. Just woke up in a pissy mood and stayed that way for most of the day. This was especially annoying because I have been in such a good mood over the past week or so. No real reason for that either. Well, maybe one reason. I started walking to work every other day and found that getting a little fresh air a few days a week elevated my mood quite a bit. I didn't walk today because someone told me that it was going to rain this morning.
I don't think that I laughed the entire day. This is unusual for me. I laugh a lot. And I don't have a cute little demure giggle. I laugh a loud, dorky AH-HAHAHAHAHA kind of laugh. I like my laugh and I like to laugh. I missed my laugh today.
While I didn't laugh today, this made me laugh tonight.
Learning that The Raveonettes will be at Black Cat on May 7 made me smile. I'm there.
I don't think that I laughed the entire day. This is unusual for me. I laugh a lot. And I don't have a cute little demure giggle. I laugh a loud, dorky AH-HAHAHAHAHA kind of laugh. I like my laugh and I like to laugh. I missed my laugh today.
While I didn't laugh today, this made me laugh tonight.
Learning that The Raveonettes will be at Black Cat on May 7 made me smile. I'm there.
