20 August 2009
Trade-In Allowance?
In the past three days I've seen three dorks people zipping around on Segways. Are they having an end-of-model-year sale or something? Can you apply the Cash for Clunkers discount to the purchase of one?
19 August 2009
Watch Wednesday (8/19/09)
I was all set to shoot some watch pictures with the other camera (the one that's better at close-ups), but it needs a new battery, and it takes a weird lithium one. I keep meaning to stop and get one on the way home from work, but it's been so hot that I don't want to do anything after work other than get home as fast as possible. (Having several nearby coworkers who run heaters under their desks because their feet get cold from the AC means the office is less comfortable than it ought to be.) Since I skipped doing this last week I didn't want to blow off doing it again, so I used the newer camera that doesn't focus as well up close.
After the vintage Bulova, I thought I'd go with one of my contemporary pieces. This is a Momentum M1 dive watch that I bought new three or four years ago, on eBay of course. I'd been looking around for something with an orange face and came across this (it's also available in several other colors). I wear it frequently during the summer, but almost never during the rest of the year. Orange is just more of a summer color, I guess. I don't dive, but divers' watches tend to be highly water resistant, which never hurts. It's also easy to read, which is always a bonus.
This watch has had several straps since I got it, and I haven't really been happy with any of them. It came with a horrible nylon thing that I had no intention of keeping (I often buy watches knowing the first thing I'm going to do is change the strap), so I put on whatever leather strap I had around.
Later I came across someone else selling these watches on eBay who also sold silicone straps with contrast stitching in the same colors as the faces, so I ordered one with orange stitching from him. But it was shaped in such a way that the edges of the strap flared out past the inside edges of the lugs (difficult to imagine without an accompanying image, I know) and I never really liked how it looked. The strap that's on it currently is a faux-Kevlar style, another one that I just had lying around. I still like the idea of the stitching picking up the color of the watch face, so I'm looking around for something else in that vein.
18 August 2009
One-Track Wonder
I finished watching the second season of USA Network's very worthwhile In Plain Sight. The show is about a US Marshal who works in the federal Witness Security program (what most people incorrectly refer to as "witness protection"). It's wry and funny, the characters are very nicely drawn and played, and the show made some great strides in its storytelling this season.
Typically, they left us with a cliffhanger that won't be resolved until the show returns next spring. But as the final scenes of the episode played out, they were accompanied by a striking piece of music that grabbed my attention. It was unfamiliar to me, but the show's web site is courteous enough to list songs that are featured in the episodes, so I browsed over to check it out.
I was stunned to learn that the song, called "The Lightning Strike," was by Snow Patrol, the Irish band responsible for that horrible, insipid weeper ballad "Chasing Cars." You know the one, "If I lay here/If I just lay here/Would you lie with me/And just forget the world?..." Ecch, just typing that makes me feel ill. I never would have guessed the two songs could possibly be by the same band.
I only heard a minute or so of "The Lightning Strike" during the show, but it turns out that what I heard was just the beginning; the song is made up of three "movements" and clocks in at around 16 minutes long (link to listen here). Unfortunately, the other two parts of the song are not as impressive as the first, and they probably should have been three separate songs, but I'm just a snarky blogger so what do I know?
And of course, you can't buy the song by itself at iTunes; you have to buy the whole album to get it. while that other piece of dreck is on a different album, I still don't think I'm going to be interested in the rest of this one, based on a quick sampling of the other tracks. Anyone got a copy?
Typically, they left us with a cliffhanger that won't be resolved until the show returns next spring. But as the final scenes of the episode played out, they were accompanied by a striking piece of music that grabbed my attention. It was unfamiliar to me, but the show's web site is courteous enough to list songs that are featured in the episodes, so I browsed over to check it out.
I was stunned to learn that the song, called "The Lightning Strike," was by Snow Patrol, the Irish band responsible for that horrible, insipid weeper ballad "Chasing Cars." You know the one, "If I lay here/If I just lay here/Would you lie with me/And just forget the world?..." Ecch, just typing that makes me feel ill. I never would have guessed the two songs could possibly be by the same band.
I only heard a minute or so of "The Lightning Strike" during the show, but it turns out that what I heard was just the beginning; the song is made up of three "movements" and clocks in at around 16 minutes long (link to listen here). Unfortunately, the other two parts of the song are not as impressive as the first, and they probably should have been three separate songs, but I'm just a snarky blogger so what do I know?
And of course, you can't buy the song by itself at iTunes; you have to buy the whole album to get it. while that other piece of dreck is on a different album, I still don't think I'm going to be interested in the rest of this one, based on a quick sampling of the other tracks. Anyone got a copy?
17 August 2009
Clickin' Drag
Technology is just great, until it fails you. At work I use a trackball that I bought years ago, but at home we have a small bluetooth mouse because the Mrs. has wrist issues and prefers to mouse with her left hand, and it's much easier to switch back and forth with a wireless device.
On Saturday the mouse, which is three years old, gave out. Actually, it still turns on, but its bluetooth seems to have ceased to work. I have another of those trackballs somewhere (I used to use the same kind at home), but damned if I could find it. So I had no other input device available, which is an odd situation indeed.
Yesterday I made a trip to a nearby OfficeMax. I didn't expect to be able to find what I wanted, and they didn't disappoint me. (Well, technically they did, but I was expecting to be disappointed, so...) They carry one bluetooth mouse, it's made by Microsoft and they sell it for $50. I paid $30 for the dead one, and that's about all it's worth to me.
I asked the upstairs neighbors if they might have a mouse I could borrow, but the only one they could come up with was from a pre-USB Compaq with the old cylindrical type of connector. (I think they're all using laptops at this point, so they don't need modern mice.)
It was weird to spend the weekend unable to use the computer. We have a laptop, but it doesn't have any of my passwords stored, and its screen is too small to use for long periods of time. I have a spare mouse that came with my work computer, which is going to fill in until I can get a replacement, but I couldn't get it until today.
On Saturday the mouse, which is three years old, gave out. Actually, it still turns on, but its bluetooth seems to have ceased to work. I have another of those trackballs somewhere (I used to use the same kind at home), but damned if I could find it. So I had no other input device available, which is an odd situation indeed.
Yesterday I made a trip to a nearby OfficeMax. I didn't expect to be able to find what I wanted, and they didn't disappoint me. (Well, technically they did, but I was expecting to be disappointed, so...) They carry one bluetooth mouse, it's made by Microsoft and they sell it for $50. I paid $30 for the dead one, and that's about all it's worth to me.
I asked the upstairs neighbors if they might have a mouse I could borrow, but the only one they could come up with was from a pre-USB Compaq with the old cylindrical type of connector. (I think they're all using laptops at this point, so they don't need modern mice.)
It was weird to spend the weekend unable to use the computer. We have a laptop, but it doesn't have any of my passwords stored, and its screen is too small to use for long periods of time. I have a spare mouse that came with my work computer, which is going to fill in until I can get a replacement, but I couldn't get it until today.
15 August 2009
This Week in Awesome (8/15/09)
If you haven't had a chance to see the first two seasons and you're looking to get up to speed quickly, New York Magazine has an extremely concise (some might call it pithy) synopsis of the first 26 episodes. If that's not quite enough detail, AMC has put together a four-minute video recap of season two. If you'd rather watch the episodes and find out what happens on your own, I suggest avoiding these links. Come to think of it, that's probably true of most of these...
The food section of Wednesday's New York Times had a fun little piece about the role of alcohol and drinking in the show and the producers' quest for accuracy in this, as in everything else about MM.
In a slightly more serious vein, the Times also talked to Matthew Weiner, the show's creator, about the seismic cultural shifts of the 1960s that serve as the show's foundation.
This month's Esquire has an interview and photo shoot with Christina Hendricks, who plays office manager Joan (Holloway) Harris. The word "hotness" seems ridiculously inadequate. This is (some of) what you're missing if you don't watch, because there's plenty of beauty among the whole cast, the gents and the ladies.
And for something a bit different, here's a well-done video essay on the cinematography of Mad Men.
(By the way, the image above is from the December 2007 issue of GQ. Front, left to right: Christina Hendricks, Jon Hamm (Don Draper), January Jones (Betty Draper). Rear, left to right: John Slattery (Roger Sterling), Bryan Batt (Salvatore Romano), Robert Morse (Bert Cooper), Vincent Kartheiser (Pete Campbell), Elisabeth Moss (Peggy Olson).
14 August 2009
What Gives, T?
And now for the flip side... For the past three years, I've been going to work through Wellington station on the Orange line. My daily travels have generated some observations about how this station could be improved.
When the northern portion of the Orange line was rerouted and extended out to Oak Grove in the early 1970s, perhaps the station's design made sense. I'm not really talking about the aesthetics, because there are none; it's just a big lump of concrete. I mean the functionality, the ways that people and vehicles approach and exit the station.
For pedestrians, entering the station is needlessly difficult. There is only one entrance, with eight steep steps up from curb level, which slows people down. The station doors are almost never propped open, which slows things down more. Once you get up the steps, the corridor is too narrow for the volume of people using it at rush hours, and then you have to make a 90-degree left turn to get to the fare gates. The entire area leading up to the gates is a giant choke point. It seems like every aspect of the on-foot approach was designed to be as difficult as possible, to thwart the movement of people in and out of the station.
There is a ramp, which was probably added later, that is easier to walk up, but the bottom of the ramp is situated away from the doors, away from the direction people are moving. This entrance also serves people coming in from the parking areas. It could be widened and extended outward and made so the whole thing was a ramp instead of stairs. (The ramp could not be built inside the existing structure because of the clearance needed above the train tracks.)
But before people can even get into the station, they have to pass through other obstacles. Most buses enter from the eastbound lanes of Route 16, requiring a tight right turn that also descends a grade. Then they have to stop for crossing traffic coming from a road that runs under Route 16 (some of which is heading into the station's parking areas, some to get on 16 going east), make a left turn, and pull up to the station to drop off passengers.
I think the biggest problem is that buses coming into the station have to mix it up with vehicles near the entrance. There should be a way to establish some sort of priority for incoming buses. I think the best way to accomplish this would be to build a dedicated roadway for buses leading into the station. An elevated viaduct could funnel buses off Route 16 and into the station above and parallel to the train tracks; they would not have to contend with crossing traffic, and passengers could then descend to station level instead of climbing up stairs. Buses would then loop around to pick up passengers where they do now. Access to the roadway would be controlled by transponders in the buses that would activate a gate or bollards (those pop-up pillars used in European parking facilities).
I realize this is just idle daydreaming. It's unlikely that any of this will ever come to pass, especially given the T's always-precarious financial situation. But the station is probably going to have to be overhauled and refurbished at some point. Why shouldn't we imagine how it could also be improved?
When the northern portion of the Orange line was rerouted and extended out to Oak Grove in the early 1970s, perhaps the station's design made sense. I'm not really talking about the aesthetics, because there are none; it's just a big lump of concrete. I mean the functionality, the ways that people and vehicles approach and exit the station.
For pedestrians, entering the station is needlessly difficult. There is only one entrance, with eight steep steps up from curb level, which slows people down. The station doors are almost never propped open, which slows things down more. Once you get up the steps, the corridor is too narrow for the volume of people using it at rush hours, and then you have to make a 90-degree left turn to get to the fare gates. The entire area leading up to the gates is a giant choke point. It seems like every aspect of the on-foot approach was designed to be as difficult as possible, to thwart the movement of people in and out of the station.
There is a ramp, which was probably added later, that is easier to walk up, but the bottom of the ramp is situated away from the doors, away from the direction people are moving. This entrance also serves people coming in from the parking areas. It could be widened and extended outward and made so the whole thing was a ramp instead of stairs. (The ramp could not be built inside the existing structure because of the clearance needed above the train tracks.)
But before people can even get into the station, they have to pass through other obstacles. Most buses enter from the eastbound lanes of Route 16, requiring a tight right turn that also descends a grade. Then they have to stop for crossing traffic coming from a road that runs under Route 16 (some of which is heading into the station's parking areas, some to get on 16 going east), make a left turn, and pull up to the station to drop off passengers.
I think the biggest problem is that buses coming into the station have to mix it up with vehicles near the entrance. There should be a way to establish some sort of priority for incoming buses. I think the best way to accomplish this would be to build a dedicated roadway for buses leading into the station. An elevated viaduct could funnel buses off Route 16 and into the station above and parallel to the train tracks; they would not have to contend with crossing traffic, and passengers could then descend to station level instead of climbing up stairs. Buses would then loop around to pick up passengers where they do now. Access to the roadway would be controlled by transponders in the buses that would activate a gate or bollards (those pop-up pillars used in European parking facilities).
I realize this is just idle daydreaming. It's unlikely that any of this will ever come to pass, especially given the T's always-precarious financial situation. But the station is probably going to have to be overhauled and refurbished at some point. Why shouldn't we imagine how it could also be improved?
13 August 2009
Smart Move, T
It hasn't been a good time for the MBTA lately. Lots of malfunctioning subway trains, the general manager being shown the door last week, problems with the launch of the online CharlieCard system, etc.
But I noticed something recently that (to me, anyway) constitutes improvement: for about a week now, the T web site's service alerts page has been including information about delays on bus routes. (Because I'm a bit anal, I check this page every morning before I leave the house, so if there's a problem I can attempt to avoid it.) Most of these delays seem to be due to traffic problems. Prior to noticing this, I can only recall info being posted about diversions due to road closures or station work, but these alerts are of a more up-to-the-minute sort.
Finding out your bus is going to be 20 minutes late may not be what you want to see when you're getting ready to head home from work, but it's better than standing around waiting for a bus that never comes, and not having any information about what's happening. Knowledge is indeed power, and knowing there's a delay can help you reroute, or just kill time somewhere until things get back to normal.
But I noticed something recently that (to me, anyway) constitutes improvement: for about a week now, the T web site's service alerts page has been including information about delays on bus routes. (Because I'm a bit anal, I check this page every morning before I leave the house, so if there's a problem I can attempt to avoid it.) Most of these delays seem to be due to traffic problems. Prior to noticing this, I can only recall info being posted about diversions due to road closures or station work, but these alerts are of a more up-to-the-minute sort.
Finding out your bus is going to be 20 minutes late may not be what you want to see when you're getting ready to head home from work, but it's better than standing around waiting for a bus that never comes, and not having any information about what's happening. Knowledge is indeed power, and knowing there's a delay can help you reroute, or just kill time somewhere until things get back to normal.
Out of Focus
I didn't do a watch post yesterday, because I'm unhappy with the quality of the pictures I've been getting. I finally realized that my camera just isn't any good at close-up shots. We have an older camera that is much better at this type of thing, simply because it has a different lens that is able to focus on items as close as a couple of inches. When I bought the newer camera I completely forgot about this feature, which is very useful when shooting things for, say, eBay. I'll get to work with the other camera and go from there.
10 August 2009
Mulch
Lucky me: I got to do yard work yesterday. It's one of my least favorite things; I'd rank it right above camping, because yard work is over in a couple of hours, but you're stuck in a tent for a whole night, or worse.
Last year, our landlord let the back yard get really overgrown. We tried to tame it with a weed whacker, but it was just too dense and thick. After he finally took care of it, I thought he might hire someone to maintain it. Instead, during the winter he told us he was going to make it maintenance-free. In the spring he had a load of mulch delivered and spread it over the grass. But the weeds grew right back, because he didn't lay down a barrier layer of landscape fabric, like you're supposed to. This year's excessive rain didn't help.
I told him the yard was getting overgrown again, and he needed to come by and deal with it. He put it off, and the weeds grew. When the biggest ones got close to my height, I sent him a photo. He finally came by a couple of weeks ago and cleared everything, and put down some landscape fabric. Last week he had another load of mulch delivered and he came by and covered the fabric with it, so we probably won't have any more weed issues.
After he'd cleared all the weeds and dirt, he put everything into heavy-duty plastic bags and left them by the curb, but last week the trash truck didn't take them. He didn't close the bags, so the contents got wet. Meanwhile, this week is the monthly yard waste pickup, but they won't take anything unless it's in barrels or those brown paper yard bags. Like a sucker, I told him that if he got us some of the paper bags, I'd transfer the yard waste from the plastic bags.
So that was my chore yesterday. There were half a dozen trash bags, and I ended up using one paper bag for each one, plus one more for a pile that for some reason he'd left in the back yard. The toughest part was keeping the bags balanced, because he had pulled everything out including roots, so there were these big, heavy, wet clumps of dirt and root balls and long, wet weeds that caused the bags to tip over. I just wanted to do the right thing and make sure the waste gets properly taken away and turned into mulch, or whatever it is they do with it.
Last year, our landlord let the back yard get really overgrown. We tried to tame it with a weed whacker, but it was just too dense and thick. After he finally took care of it, I thought he might hire someone to maintain it. Instead, during the winter he told us he was going to make it maintenance-free. In the spring he had a load of mulch delivered and spread it over the grass. But the weeds grew right back, because he didn't lay down a barrier layer of landscape fabric, like you're supposed to. This year's excessive rain didn't help.
I told him the yard was getting overgrown again, and he needed to come by and deal with it. He put it off, and the weeds grew. When the biggest ones got close to my height, I sent him a photo. He finally came by a couple of weeks ago and cleared everything, and put down some landscape fabric. Last week he had another load of mulch delivered and he came by and covered the fabric with it, so we probably won't have any more weed issues.
After he'd cleared all the weeds and dirt, he put everything into heavy-duty plastic bags and left them by the curb, but last week the trash truck didn't take them. He didn't close the bags, so the contents got wet. Meanwhile, this week is the monthly yard waste pickup, but they won't take anything unless it's in barrels or those brown paper yard bags. Like a sucker, I told him that if he got us some of the paper bags, I'd transfer the yard waste from the plastic bags.
So that was my chore yesterday. There were half a dozen trash bags, and I ended up using one paper bag for each one, plus one more for a pile that for some reason he'd left in the back yard. The toughest part was keeping the bags balanced, because he had pulled everything out including roots, so there were these big, heavy, wet clumps of dirt and root balls and long, wet weeds that caused the bags to tip over. I just wanted to do the right thing and make sure the waste gets properly taken away and turned into mulch, or whatever it is they do with it.
08 August 2009
This Week in Awesome (8/8/09)
A full bucket of awesome this week, kids:
Are you a gloom-and-doomer? Do you enjoy speculating about nightmare scenarios? This little exercise is for you. (Slate)
It was only a matter of time... the Snuggie is spawning. (TV Squad)
These go around the web every so often, but I think this is a fresh batch, because I don't remember reading any of them before. (AOL Jobs via Consumerist)
But the most awesome thing about this was a comment posted to the Consumerist story: "After a friend of mine realized he had no chance of getting the job, he replied to one of the interviewer's question with. "KHAAAAAAAAAAAN!" He was promptly escorted from the building by security." Brilliant. (If you don't understand why that's funny, email me and I'll explain.)
And finally, an amusing little clip starring Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen that comically skewers the potential dangers of watching too much television in a way that's very meta. Bonus: it also features Fred's fiancée Elisabeth Moss, who plays Peggy on Mad Men. (Funny or Die via New York Magazine's Vulture blog)
Next week, in honor of the show's return: an all-Mad Men edition of TWiA!
Are you a gloom-and-doomer? Do you enjoy speculating about nightmare scenarios? This little exercise is for you. (Slate)
It was only a matter of time... the Snuggie is spawning. (TV Squad)
These go around the web every so often, but I think this is a fresh batch, because I don't remember reading any of them before. (AOL Jobs via Consumerist)
But the most awesome thing about this was a comment posted to the Consumerist story: "After a friend of mine realized he had no chance of getting the job, he replied to one of the interviewer's question with. "KHAAAAAAAAAAAN!" He was promptly escorted from the building by security." Brilliant. (If you don't understand why that's funny, email me and I'll explain.)
And finally, an amusing little clip starring Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen that comically skewers the potential dangers of watching too much television in a way that's very meta. Bonus: it also features Fred's fiancée Elisabeth Moss, who plays Peggy on Mad Men. (Funny or Die via New York Magazine's Vulture blog)
Next week, in honor of the show's return: an all-Mad Men edition of TWiA!
06 August 2009
Summer Clearance
If you're fortunate enough to be employed and have money, the end of season clearance sales are in full effect. Fall fashions are starting to hit stores, but the retailers still have stock left that they need to unload. You can find summer clothing for as much as 80% off original prices, depending on the store, and still have a month or two to enjoy it.
But keep in mind that stock will dwindle as discounts increase, so if you see something you like, don't hesitate, especially if you are of a more common size, because if you don't grab it, someone else definitely will.
(UPDATE Saturday 8/8: According to a story I read in yesterday's New York Times about July retail sales, stores have less leftover inventory this season due to more conservative ordering, so your mileage may vary.)
Last night we were at our local Stop & Shop, and I noticed that they were clearing out seasonal merchandise like coolers and outdoor furniture. On a previous trip a little "balcony set" had caught my eye: a high table with a small-diameter top and two tall, barstool-like chairs with backs, intended for small outdoor spaces.
I'd thought this would fit nicely on our back porch, which is only about five feet wide. Yesterday it was 50% off the original $100 price, and there were about half a dozen sets left. Rather than return today and risk having them be gone, I sent the Mrs. to the car with the groceries and went back and bought the set. I intend to spend weekend mornings sitting out on the porch, drinking coffee and reading the paper, until it turns too cold.
But keep in mind that stock will dwindle as discounts increase, so if you see something you like, don't hesitate, especially if you are of a more common size, because if you don't grab it, someone else definitely will.
(UPDATE Saturday 8/8: According to a story I read in yesterday's New York Times about July retail sales, stores have less leftover inventory this season due to more conservative ordering, so your mileage may vary.)
Last night we were at our local Stop & Shop, and I noticed that they were clearing out seasonal merchandise like coolers and outdoor furniture. On a previous trip a little "balcony set" had caught my eye: a high table with a small-diameter top and two tall, barstool-like chairs with backs, intended for small outdoor spaces.
I'd thought this would fit nicely on our back porch, which is only about five feet wide. Yesterday it was 50% off the original $100 price, and there were about half a dozen sets left. Rather than return today and risk having them be gone, I sent the Mrs. to the car with the groceries and went back and bought the set. I intend to spend weekend mornings sitting out on the porch, drinking coffee and reading the paper, until it turns too cold.
05 August 2009
Watch Wednesday
After talking about watches again recently, it occurred to me that featuring some of the watches in my collection might make a neat semi-regular feature. (This requires that I expend the energy to take an acceptable photo of each one, which is why it may end up being semi-regular, but I'll try.)
I thought it made sense to start with the first vintage watch I bought on eBay. (I had another, older watch that I had bought from another web site prior to buying this one, but I sold it some years back when money was tight, and I don't really miss it. Also, wristwatches tended to be smaller 50 or 60 years ago, and looking at similar watches now, it was really too small for me.)My interest in watches is partly rooted in nostalgia, but I also value them for their aesthetics and as functional objects. I appreciate how a small steel container that attaches to your wrist on a piece of leather can encompass all these qualities, and so many more, and you can carry all that around with you every day.
This watch is from 1967. I know this because one of the cool things about Bulova watches is that they are stamped on the back with a date code: a letter for the decade and a numeral for the year. It is not particularly valuable, and there is nothing special about it; it's a manual wind, and the hands are missing their original glow-in-the-dark material (it probably disintegrated over the years), but the simplicity of its appearance is what I like about it so much, and for its age it is in excellent condition.
03 August 2009
Finned Glory
I've always been interested in the design of objects, which dovetails nicely with my lifelong interest in cars. The 1950s produced the most flamboyant car designs ever; some were beautiful, others were bizarre, and some could have been loved only by their creators.
The New York Times recently posted a neat piece about 1950s cars and their tailfins, which reached their exaggerated peak in 1959. If this piques your interest, you can check out one of my favorite sites, the Old Car Manual Project archive of car brochures.
The New York Times recently posted a neat piece about 1950s cars and their tailfins, which reached their exaggerated peak in 1959. If this piques your interest, you can check out one of my favorite sites, the Old Car Manual Project archive of car brochures.
02 August 2009
This Week in Awesome (8/1/09)
I know it's no longer Saturday, but I like to think of the weekend, and this feature, as a state of mind. I'm a bit underwhelmed by this week's selection, but you know, it's August, and I'm afraid my brain took a quick vacation. Hey, not every week can be stellar.
Continuing with the meme of crazy ads for crazy stuff you can buy from TV or the web, we have two entries this week. This first one I would describe as slightly odd. (Consumerist)
The second one is in a whole other class of bizarre. (TV Squad)
Excerpts from Sarah Palin's farewell remarks, "interpreted" by a master thespian, followed by similar treatment of some of her Twitterings. (Tonight Show via Hulu)
Continuing with the meme of crazy ads for crazy stuff you can buy from TV or the web, we have two entries this week. This first one I would describe as slightly odd. (Consumerist)
The second one is in a whole other class of bizarre. (TV Squad)
Excerpts from Sarah Palin's farewell remarks, "interpreted" by a master thespian, followed by similar treatment of some of her Twitterings. (Tonight Show via Hulu)
30 July 2009
More Chicken, Anyone?
A while back I mentioned our visit to the Revere Chelsea branch of the chicken chain El Pollo Loco. We've been back a couple of times since, and it's definitely some of the best-tasting fast food you can get.
We tried to go on Sunday, but they had closed early for a staff outing. We were trying to figure out where to eat, then the Mrs. remembered that we hadn't yet tried the Guatemala-based chain Pollo Campero that opened in Chelsea a few months back. I'd read a Globe article that claimed their chicken was causing something of a sensation, so we headed over.
The line wasn't too bad, only about eight people ahead of us, and it moved pretty quickly. I ordered three pieces, two legs and a thigh, with a side of cole slaw. (There are also beans, rice, fried plantains, and for you true gringos, fries.) The Mrs. got two pieces and rice. The chicken is delicious, living up to the hype. They also offer grilled chicken, if you're feeling guilty.
Is it the best around? Who knows. That's a mighty big gastronomic project, but I welcome suggestions for other places in the area we should try. By the way, there's also a drive-through, which can be handy for those late-night cravings.
Pollo Campero is at 115 Park Street in Chelsea (if you've been around here a while, it's where Riley's Roast Beef used to be). El Pollo Loco is at 1014 Revere Beach Parkway, also in Chelsea.
We tried to go on Sunday, but they had closed early for a staff outing. We were trying to figure out where to eat, then the Mrs. remembered that we hadn't yet tried the Guatemala-based chain Pollo Campero that opened in Chelsea a few months back. I'd read a Globe article that claimed their chicken was causing something of a sensation, so we headed over.
The line wasn't too bad, only about eight people ahead of us, and it moved pretty quickly. I ordered three pieces, two legs and a thigh, with a side of cole slaw. (There are also beans, rice, fried plantains, and for you true gringos, fries.) The Mrs. got two pieces and rice. The chicken is delicious, living up to the hype. They also offer grilled chicken, if you're feeling guilty.
Is it the best around? Who knows. That's a mighty big gastronomic project, but I welcome suggestions for other places in the area we should try. By the way, there's also a drive-through, which can be handy for those late-night cravings.
Pollo Campero is at 115 Park Street in Chelsea (if you've been around here a while, it's where Riley's Roast Beef used to be). El Pollo Loco is at 1014 Revere Beach Parkway, also in Chelsea.
29 July 2009
Emmys 2009, Part 2: Make Me Laugh
This part is going to be a little easier. Best comedy: 30 Rock. Best actress in a comedy: Tina Fey in 30 Rock. Best actor in a comedy: Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock. Best supporting actress in a comedy: Jane Krakowski in 30 Rock. Best supporting actor in a comedy: well, Tracy Morgan and Jack McBrayer are going to have to slug it out. Yes, both of them are on 30 Rock.
Okay, I'm kidding. Sort of. Fey, Baldwin, and the show all won last year, and expectations are going to be high for all of them to repeat. Looking at the competition, I'd say it's possible, though not a foregone conclusion. Let's look at the other nominees.
Comedy series: The Office had what I thought was an uneven season. The writing is still good, but some of the situations are wearing thin, and it won three years ago, when it definitely deserved it. Weeds: I have to be honest, I've never seen the show, but it looks like I'd enjoy it. Gonna beat 30 Rock? Not this year. Entourage: zzzzzzzz, enough already. Flight of the Conchords: I love this show, and I love that it got nominated, but it's even more loopy and out there than 30 Rock. How I Met Your Mother: four seasons in, the show is starting to get some deserved recognition. but in this race I'd call it a long, long shot. Family Guy: huh? Who does Seth MacFarlane have dirt on? It isn't even that funny anymore.
Comedy actors: heaven help us if Tony Shalhoub wins again. Charlie Sheen, Jim Parsons, Jermaine Clement: all of you play your characters well, but that doesn't mean that any of you should be nominated. The one factor that may keep Alec Baldwin from repeating is that Steve Carell has yet to win an Emmy after five seasons of playing Michael Scott and four consecutive nominations. I thought he really delivered some great performances this season, especially in the stories involving Holly and in Michael's attempt to start his own paper company. Let's give this one to Steve.
Comedy actresses: looking at the five women besides Tina Fey who are nominated--Sarah Silverman, Mary-Louise Parker, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Toni Collette, Christina Applegate--there was excellent work by all of them (some of whom I admit I've only read about). I feel about Sarah and her show the way I feel about Larry David and Curb Your Enthusiasm: it's a kind of humor I just don't get. Mary-Louise: see Weeds above. Julia won three years ago, and I enjoy her show, but she wasn't up against Tina at the time. Toni: I have no idea. Christina: ABC treated her show horribly, yanking it for several weeks in succession in January, in favor of extending Dancing with the Stars to two hours, but each time they did so it was so last-minute that my TiVo still thought it was recording Samantha Who? There's a slight chance she could get this award as a sort of consolation prize.
Comedy supporting actors: almost the same as last year's group, except 30 Rock's pair knocked Jeremy Piven off the list. Once again, most of them don't make sense: guy from Entourage, again; Jon Cryer's one-note whiner, again; Rainn Wilson over Jon Krasinski, again. As much as I'd like to see a 30 Rock sweep (I'd give the edge to Tracy Morgan), I really think this one should go to Neil Patrick Harris for Barney on How I Met Your Mother.
Comedy supporting actresses: Vanessa Williams, Amy Poehler, and Kristin Chenoweth all repeat as nominees. Elizabeth Perkins is nominated for Weeds; maybe she'll be the one to snag a win for the show. I think most people are familiar with at least one of Kristin Wiig's Saturday Night Live characters; the problem is that if you've seen one, you've pretty much seen them all. I think she can be genuinely funny, but isn't given enough of a chance to do so; the show's quest for laughs causes them to keep going back to the same shallow wells over and over. If this one is not going to Jane Krakowski, it should go to an SNL actress, and if that's the case it should be Amy Poehler. Still, Wiig winning here might be preferable to William Shatner winning in his category.
Okay, I'm kidding. Sort of. Fey, Baldwin, and the show all won last year, and expectations are going to be high for all of them to repeat. Looking at the competition, I'd say it's possible, though not a foregone conclusion. Let's look at the other nominees.
Comedy series: The Office had what I thought was an uneven season. The writing is still good, but some of the situations are wearing thin, and it won three years ago, when it definitely deserved it. Weeds: I have to be honest, I've never seen the show, but it looks like I'd enjoy it. Gonna beat 30 Rock? Not this year. Entourage: zzzzzzzz, enough already. Flight of the Conchords: I love this show, and I love that it got nominated, but it's even more loopy and out there than 30 Rock. How I Met Your Mother: four seasons in, the show is starting to get some deserved recognition. but in this race I'd call it a long, long shot. Family Guy: huh? Who does Seth MacFarlane have dirt on? It isn't even that funny anymore.
Comedy actors: heaven help us if Tony Shalhoub wins again. Charlie Sheen, Jim Parsons, Jermaine Clement: all of you play your characters well, but that doesn't mean that any of you should be nominated. The one factor that may keep Alec Baldwin from repeating is that Steve Carell has yet to win an Emmy after five seasons of playing Michael Scott and four consecutive nominations. I thought he really delivered some great performances this season, especially in the stories involving Holly and in Michael's attempt to start his own paper company. Let's give this one to Steve.
Comedy actresses: looking at the five women besides Tina Fey who are nominated--Sarah Silverman, Mary-Louise Parker, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Toni Collette, Christina Applegate--there was excellent work by all of them (some of whom I admit I've only read about). I feel about Sarah and her show the way I feel about Larry David and Curb Your Enthusiasm: it's a kind of humor I just don't get. Mary-Louise: see Weeds above. Julia won three years ago, and I enjoy her show, but she wasn't up against Tina at the time. Toni: I have no idea. Christina: ABC treated her show horribly, yanking it for several weeks in succession in January, in favor of extending Dancing with the Stars to two hours, but each time they did so it was so last-minute that my TiVo still thought it was recording Samantha Who? There's a slight chance she could get this award as a sort of consolation prize.
Comedy supporting actors: almost the same as last year's group, except 30 Rock's pair knocked Jeremy Piven off the list. Once again, most of them don't make sense: guy from Entourage, again; Jon Cryer's one-note whiner, again; Rainn Wilson over Jon Krasinski, again. As much as I'd like to see a 30 Rock sweep (I'd give the edge to Tracy Morgan), I really think this one should go to Neil Patrick Harris for Barney on How I Met Your Mother.
Comedy supporting actresses: Vanessa Williams, Amy Poehler, and Kristin Chenoweth all repeat as nominees. Elizabeth Perkins is nominated for Weeds; maybe she'll be the one to snag a win for the show. I think most people are familiar with at least one of Kristin Wiig's Saturday Night Live characters; the problem is that if you've seen one, you've pretty much seen them all. I think she can be genuinely funny, but isn't given enough of a chance to do so; the show's quest for laughs causes them to keep going back to the same shallow wells over and over. If this one is not going to Jane Krakowski, it should go to an SNL actress, and if that's the case it should be Amy Poehler. Still, Wiig winning here might be preferable to William Shatner winning in his category.
28 July 2009
Retroize Yourself
Time for a little Tuesday morning fun: the countdown has begun to the third-season premiere of Mad Men on August 16 (10 PM Eastern time on AMC), and over on the show's official site, you can "Mad Men yourself." This is sort of like that "Simpsonize yourself" thing from a couple of years ago when the Simpsons movie came out, but in this case you don't have to upload a picture of yourself first, because the configurator supplies a number of body types, head shapes, noses, and such.
After you've finished the physical characteristics, you can dress yourself in one of several period outfits and add show-appropriate accessories like cigarettes and drinks, or more traditional accoutrements like a cup of coffee and a newspaper. When you're finished you can paste your groovy MM avatar into a scene with other cartoonized characters from the show, then download it as desktop wallpaper, or grab a cropped head shot for a chat icon. (You'll notice that I've updated my profile picture over on the right, at the risk of revealing the closely-guarded secret of my identity...)
After you've finished the physical characteristics, you can dress yourself in one of several period outfits and add show-appropriate accessories like cigarettes and drinks, or more traditional accoutrements like a cup of coffee and a newspaper. When you're finished you can paste your groovy MM avatar into a scene with other cartoonized characters from the show, then download it as desktop wallpaper, or grab a cropped head shot for a chat icon. (You'll notice that I've updated my profile picture over on the right, at the risk of revealing the closely-guarded secret of my identity...)
27 July 2009
Emmys 2009: More Nominees, More Griping
The 2009 Emmy nominations were announced recently. Maybe two or three of you were wondering why I didn't do a big critique like last year. I admit that I spend far too much time watching and thinking about TV for someone who doesn't get paid to do so, but the fact is, life intruded: I was a little too wrapped up with my monthly deadline stuff at work to comment at the time, but I'm not going to do another elaborate four-part assessment. While it was a good exercise for me, it was also really time-consuming, and I don't think I want to get that deep into it anyway. But I will run through the highs and lows of this year's choices.
First, the television academy did a very smart thing by selecting Neil Patrick Harris to host this year's ceremony, especially after last year's disastrous tag-team reality-show-host clusterfuck. (Hopefully, the loud and clear message from that was "NEVER AGAIN.") NPH has been on a bit of a roll the past few years, with his hilarious appearances as a funhouse-mirror caricature of himself in the Harold and Kumar movies, his role as Barney on the genuinely funny CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, a respectable turn as guest host of Saturday Night Live during this past season, and his recent gig hosting the Tony Awards, which I didn't see (I'm sure you're shocked) but was well received. He is the perfect choice to host the Emmys this year.
Now, the nominees: it seems like the majority of the academy has finally gotten access to a full package of basic and premium cable TV service, or maybe its membership is just getting a little younger, but the nominees are skewed even more toward non-broadcast channels than previously. I don't necessarily consider this a bad thing, because it reminds the broadcast networks that they aren't getting the job done well enough, which will hopefully spur some of the genuine creativity and risk-taking network TV so desperately needs. (Oh, who am I kidding, they'd just end up canceling it.)
The categories have been expanded to allow for six nominees instead of the previous five, and in the best drama and best comedy series categories, there were ties so there ended up being seven nominees each. This resulted in oddities like Lost getting a drama nom. As much as I love Lost, I don't think this season was quite as worthy; the time-travel business that dominated the season's storytelling was confusing and ultimately became tedious, and I think it detracted from the show's impact. Maybe the academy was trying to make up for last season, which I thought was superior to this one, but that sort of strategy usually doesn't work. If the academy really wants to show Lost the love it deserves, they need to start nominating the actors, like I said last year. (At least Michael Emerson got another nod for Ben, but that isn't really enough.)
Same goes for House. This season's "Wilson de-friends House, then they kiss and make up" and "Cuddy realizes her dream of being a mom by adopting a baby, then stresses out from trying to balance work and motherhood" storylines just didn't equal last season's "House gets a new team" (I think I'm in the minority on this one, but I thought those were great episodes) and "Wilson's true love dies a horrible and tragic death" arcs. The academy was probably responding to this season's Kutner suicide story and its aftermath; after all, shows don't get nominated based on an entire season's body of work, but rather on a kind of highlight reel.
House will likely keep getting nominated as long as it's on the air, unless the quality really tanks, but it's a different playing field. Ten years ago it would have cleaned up, but I think it's always going to be a bridesmaid in the best drama category as long as it's up against top-quality cable shows like the rest of this year's nominees: Big Love, Breaking Bad, Damages, Dexter, and Mad Men. (Damages wasn't as compelling this year, might have been nice to see The Wire get some respect on its last time around instead.)
In drama acting, no offense to Simon Baker (nominated for CBS's cutesy crime procedural The Mentalist), but you don't deserve to be in the company of your fellow nominees. I watched your show a few times, and it's popcorn, pure and simple. My mom likes it. I call this Patricia Arquette Syndrome, after her puzzling nomination (and win) for Medium in 2005. It's an okay show, but I actually find Ms. Arquette to be a rather poor actress, so I wondered what the academy was seeing that I wasn't. Same goes for Baker, who is certainly TV-pretty and has clearly found the right vehicle, but his performance on the show is style over substance. Will Bryan Cranston win again after his surprise upset last year? Will Jon Hamm get the nod instead? Will both of them be overshadowed by Gabriel Byrne? I think it's got to be one of those three.
Turning to the ladies, this year's group of nominees is exactly the same as last year's, with one notable difference: the expansion to six nominees allows the addition of Elisabeth Moss, who plays up-and-coming copywriter Peggy Olson on Mad Men. Peggy is the dark-mirror doppelganger to Don Draper. She's every bit as ambitious, and in the structure and context of Mad Men's changing workplace milieu, it's clear she represents the future. As the show progresses, I'm finding her the most interesting character, and she was truly amazing in a couple of scenes last season. But I consider Peggy a supporting character, and I don't understand why January Jones, who plays Don's increasingly aggrieved and unhinged wife Betty, wasn't given this spot. (Again, I said this last year, and if anything Jones was even better this year.) I think Ms. Moss would have been a front-runner in the supporting actress category, but up against an entrenched crop of leads, her chances are slim.
Supporting actors: good to see John Slattery get noticed for Mad Men; although Roger doesn't seem to do much besides drink and philander, Slattery embodies him in a thoroughly entertaining way, plus he's been around and paying his dues as an actor for a long time. William Hurt on Damages: sort of obligatory, had a couple of nice moments. Aaron Paul on Breaking Bad: nice job. Wait, two nominations from Boston Legal? TWO? Jesus Mary and Joseph on a sesame seed bun, what is wrong with these academy voters? Michael Emerson, it's on you to put a stop to it.
Supporting actresses: what's interesting here are the nominations of Rose Byrne, who plays Patty Hewes's young protege on Damages, and Cherry Jones as President Taylor on 24. Interesting because I didn't think either of them did an especially good job, but sometimes that doesn't matter. The competition is from Grey's Anatomy (Chandra Wilson and Sandra Oh, just like last year) and In Treatment (Dianne Wiest, nominated again, Hope Davis for the first time). Wiest won last year, and is probably the front-runner to repeat.
Okay, I guess comedy is going to have to get its own post. But just two parts this year, I swear...
First, the television academy did a very smart thing by selecting Neil Patrick Harris to host this year's ceremony, especially after last year's disastrous tag-team reality-show-host clusterfuck. (Hopefully, the loud and clear message from that was "NEVER AGAIN.") NPH has been on a bit of a roll the past few years, with his hilarious appearances as a funhouse-mirror caricature of himself in the Harold and Kumar movies, his role as Barney on the genuinely funny CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, a respectable turn as guest host of Saturday Night Live during this past season, and his recent gig hosting the Tony Awards, which I didn't see (I'm sure you're shocked) but was well received. He is the perfect choice to host the Emmys this year.
Now, the nominees: it seems like the majority of the academy has finally gotten access to a full package of basic and premium cable TV service, or maybe its membership is just getting a little younger, but the nominees are skewed even more toward non-broadcast channels than previously. I don't necessarily consider this a bad thing, because it reminds the broadcast networks that they aren't getting the job done well enough, which will hopefully spur some of the genuine creativity and risk-taking network TV so desperately needs. (Oh, who am I kidding, they'd just end up canceling it.)
The categories have been expanded to allow for six nominees instead of the previous five, and in the best drama and best comedy series categories, there were ties so there ended up being seven nominees each. This resulted in oddities like Lost getting a drama nom. As much as I love Lost, I don't think this season was quite as worthy; the time-travel business that dominated the season's storytelling was confusing and ultimately became tedious, and I think it detracted from the show's impact. Maybe the academy was trying to make up for last season, which I thought was superior to this one, but that sort of strategy usually doesn't work. If the academy really wants to show Lost the love it deserves, they need to start nominating the actors, like I said last year. (At least Michael Emerson got another nod for Ben, but that isn't really enough.)
Same goes for House. This season's "Wilson de-friends House, then they kiss and make up" and "Cuddy realizes her dream of being a mom by adopting a baby, then stresses out from trying to balance work and motherhood" storylines just didn't equal last season's "House gets a new team" (I think I'm in the minority on this one, but I thought those were great episodes) and "Wilson's true love dies a horrible and tragic death" arcs. The academy was probably responding to this season's Kutner suicide story and its aftermath; after all, shows don't get nominated based on an entire season's body of work, but rather on a kind of highlight reel.
House will likely keep getting nominated as long as it's on the air, unless the quality really tanks, but it's a different playing field. Ten years ago it would have cleaned up, but I think it's always going to be a bridesmaid in the best drama category as long as it's up against top-quality cable shows like the rest of this year's nominees: Big Love, Breaking Bad, Damages, Dexter, and Mad Men. (Damages wasn't as compelling this year, might have been nice to see The Wire get some respect on its last time around instead.)
In drama acting, no offense to Simon Baker (nominated for CBS's cutesy crime procedural The Mentalist), but you don't deserve to be in the company of your fellow nominees. I watched your show a few times, and it's popcorn, pure and simple. My mom likes it. I call this Patricia Arquette Syndrome, after her puzzling nomination (and win) for Medium in 2005. It's an okay show, but I actually find Ms. Arquette to be a rather poor actress, so I wondered what the academy was seeing that I wasn't. Same goes for Baker, who is certainly TV-pretty and has clearly found the right vehicle, but his performance on the show is style over substance. Will Bryan Cranston win again after his surprise upset last year? Will Jon Hamm get the nod instead? Will both of them be overshadowed by Gabriel Byrne? I think it's got to be one of those three.
Turning to the ladies, this year's group of nominees is exactly the same as last year's, with one notable difference: the expansion to six nominees allows the addition of Elisabeth Moss, who plays up-and-coming copywriter Peggy Olson on Mad Men. Peggy is the dark-mirror doppelganger to Don Draper. She's every bit as ambitious, and in the structure and context of Mad Men's changing workplace milieu, it's clear she represents the future. As the show progresses, I'm finding her the most interesting character, and she was truly amazing in a couple of scenes last season. But I consider Peggy a supporting character, and I don't understand why January Jones, who plays Don's increasingly aggrieved and unhinged wife Betty, wasn't given this spot. (Again, I said this last year, and if anything Jones was even better this year.) I think Ms. Moss would have been a front-runner in the supporting actress category, but up against an entrenched crop of leads, her chances are slim.
Supporting actors: good to see John Slattery get noticed for Mad Men; although Roger doesn't seem to do much besides drink and philander, Slattery embodies him in a thoroughly entertaining way, plus he's been around and paying his dues as an actor for a long time. William Hurt on Damages: sort of obligatory, had a couple of nice moments. Aaron Paul on Breaking Bad: nice job. Wait, two nominations from Boston Legal? TWO? Jesus Mary and Joseph on a sesame seed bun, what is wrong with these academy voters? Michael Emerson, it's on you to put a stop to it.
Supporting actresses: what's interesting here are the nominations of Rose Byrne, who plays Patty Hewes's young protege on Damages, and Cherry Jones as President Taylor on 24. Interesting because I didn't think either of them did an especially good job, but sometimes that doesn't matter. The competition is from Grey's Anatomy (Chandra Wilson and Sandra Oh, just like last year) and In Treatment (Dianne Wiest, nominated again, Hope Davis for the first time). Wiest won last year, and is probably the front-runner to repeat.
Okay, I guess comedy is going to have to get its own post. But just two parts this year, I swear...
25 July 2009
This Week in Awesome (7/25/09)
Hello, and happy Saturday. I should probably be out doing something fun, but instead I'm home posting this, because I care.
Here's a retro-future rendering of what Apple's home page might have looked like circa 1983. Take a moment to absorb and process the implications of that statement... (Flickr, via Cult of Mac)
If you don't think Alec Baldwin is funny, or Tracy Morgan is funny, or if you don't watch 30 Rock, you may not care about this one. If you do, then click away. (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, via Hulu)
This one is old by now, but if (like me) you didn't watch the MTV Movie Awards, then you didn't see it. And no, it's not the Bruno thing. It's Andy Samberg, with Will Ferrell as Neil Diamond--really, that's all you need to know, right? Trust me, it's good. (Lonely Island)
And finally, this is one of those instances where reality is just so much better than anything you or I could come up with ourselves. (Photobucket, via Jalopnik)
Here's a retro-future rendering of what Apple's home page might have looked like circa 1983. Take a moment to absorb and process the implications of that statement... (Flickr, via Cult of Mac)
If you don't think Alec Baldwin is funny, or Tracy Morgan is funny, or if you don't watch 30 Rock, you may not care about this one. If you do, then click away. (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, via Hulu)
This one is old by now, but if (like me) you didn't watch the MTV Movie Awards, then you didn't see it. And no, it's not the Bruno thing. It's Andy Samberg, with Will Ferrell as Neil Diamond--really, that's all you need to know, right? Trust me, it's good. (Lonely Island)
And finally, this is one of those instances where reality is just so much better than anything you or I could come up with ourselves. (Photobucket, via Jalopnik)
23 July 2009
Wretched Excess Unit
Sometimes I see things that are just so completely insane, I have to make note of them. This is a perfect example.
I collect watches. I've talked about this before; I have a particular fondness for mechanical (winding) watches from the 1960s. At the beginning of that decade, that most likely meant a watch you wound by hand every day, but within a few years automatic models, which are wound by the motion of your arm, became popular. Unfortunately, within a few more years they would be rendered technologically, if not functionally, obsolete by quartz watches, which are far more accurate than mechanical watches.
If you're the sort of person who cares about this type of thing, chances are you have more than one automatic watch (I have a few myself), but I mean more along the lines of Rolex, TAG Heuer, Omega, Breitling, etc. Fancy stuff. Spendy. You get a few of those, you'll want to keep them wound, because if left unworn (and thus unwound) for long periods of time, the precision of the moving parts can suffer.
It's also a huge drag to contemplate your vast collection of luxury timepieces, trying to decide which one you feel like wearing on a given day, only to realize that the one you're in the mood for hasn't been worn recently and therefore has to be wound and set to the correct time and date. Sigh...
To alleviate such stress, someone invented this thing called a watch winder. It's typically a box made of wood or leather, with a little stand where you park your watch that's attached to a motor that simulates arm movement. These things typically run at least a hundred bucks apiece, but can cost a lot more. Of course, if you can afford a $4000 watch, you can afford the gizmo to keep it wound. (It's analagous to the idea that people who can afford $100,000 cars can also afford to insure and run them.)
Eventually the watch winder people figured out that people with collections of fancy watches might be interested in winders that could hold multiple watches, which led to things like this, and this, and ultimately this: a free-standing floor cabinet for winding up to 56 automatic watches.
And it's only $166,000.
I guess there really are some people who have so much money they don't know what to do with it. If you are in fact the sort of person who has a genuine need for an item such as this, you could pay someone $40K a year, not even one-fourth of what this costs, to keep your watches wound for you. I suspect that person would feel fortunate to have a job, and you'd be doing your bit to boost the economy.
By the way, I don't own any watch winders. Maybe I should, if only to take better care of my vintage pieces, but seeing things like this makes me kind of disgusted by the whole idea.
I collect watches. I've talked about this before; I have a particular fondness for mechanical (winding) watches from the 1960s. At the beginning of that decade, that most likely meant a watch you wound by hand every day, but within a few years automatic models, which are wound by the motion of your arm, became popular. Unfortunately, within a few more years they would be rendered technologically, if not functionally, obsolete by quartz watches, which are far more accurate than mechanical watches.
If you're the sort of person who cares about this type of thing, chances are you have more than one automatic watch (I have a few myself), but I mean more along the lines of Rolex, TAG Heuer, Omega, Breitling, etc. Fancy stuff. Spendy. You get a few of those, you'll want to keep them wound, because if left unworn (and thus unwound) for long periods of time, the precision of the moving parts can suffer.
It's also a huge drag to contemplate your vast collection of luxury timepieces, trying to decide which one you feel like wearing on a given day, only to realize that the one you're in the mood for hasn't been worn recently and therefore has to be wound and set to the correct time and date. Sigh...
To alleviate such stress, someone invented this thing called a watch winder. It's typically a box made of wood or leather, with a little stand where you park your watch that's attached to a motor that simulates arm movement. These things typically run at least a hundred bucks apiece, but can cost a lot more. Of course, if you can afford a $4000 watch, you can afford the gizmo to keep it wound. (It's analagous to the idea that people who can afford $100,000 cars can also afford to insure and run them.)
Eventually the watch winder people figured out that people with collections of fancy watches might be interested in winders that could hold multiple watches, which led to things like this, and this, and ultimately this: a free-standing floor cabinet for winding up to 56 automatic watches.
And it's only $166,000.
I guess there really are some people who have so much money they don't know what to do with it. If you are in fact the sort of person who has a genuine need for an item such as this, you could pay someone $40K a year, not even one-fourth of what this costs, to keep your watches wound for you. I suspect that person would feel fortunate to have a job, and you'd be doing your bit to boost the economy.
By the way, I don't own any watch winders. Maybe I should, if only to take better care of my vintage pieces, but seeing things like this makes me kind of disgusted by the whole idea.
22 July 2009
Fashion Violation
On my way home tonight, I got on the bus and noticed that T-Mobile guy I talked about yesterday, only it must have been his day off, because he wasn't in his fuchsia shirt, so it took me a moment to realize it was him.
Then I got a look at what he was wearing: a long-sleeve knit top (kinda warm out for that, maybe?) that had a pattern that reminded me of a sponge-painted wall, very light-blue jeans with rather wide legs (possibly a thrift-shop find?), and shiny silver sneakers. If this is what he chooses to wear on his day off, maybe he should just stick to the uniform.
Then I got a look at what he was wearing: a long-sleeve knit top (kinda warm out for that, maybe?) that had a pattern that reminded me of a sponge-painted wall, very light-blue jeans with rather wide legs (possibly a thrift-shop find?), and shiny silver sneakers. If this is what he chooses to wear on his day off, maybe he should just stick to the uniform.
21 July 2009
Color Keyed
About a month ago I noticed a guy on my morning bus wearing a fuchsia shirt. I'd read a lot of stuff recently about how bright pink was going to be a hot color for guys this year, so I thought he was just being fashionable. He had a shaved head, funky rectangular glasses, and just had a general look of being trendy.
On a different day I noticed he was again wearing the fuchsia shirt, with a black jacket (it was one of those damp days before it got hot) that set it off nicely. I thought, good for you, not afraid to dress sharp. I imagined that he worked at an ad agency or was some sort of web developer.
Yesterday I saw a coworker on my way into the T station, and we started talking. When we got down to the platform, I noticed the guy was standing next to us. Then I noticed that his fuchsia shirt had a big "T-Mobile" above the pocket. Suddenly it all made sense, just not in the way I'd thought.
I think what threw me off was that it was a button-front shirt, because when I think of a typical cell-phone store guy, or even a typical electronics-store guy, I always think of someone wearing a polo shirt. It is kind of the default uniform; for a while I even worked at a such a job and had them. But we also had long-sleeve, button-front shirts with the brand logo embroidered above the pocket, and I'd simply forgotten about that. (Well, let's face it, I've tried to block as much of it as I can.)
On a different day I noticed he was again wearing the fuchsia shirt, with a black jacket (it was one of those damp days before it got hot) that set it off nicely. I thought, good for you, not afraid to dress sharp. I imagined that he worked at an ad agency or was some sort of web developer.
Yesterday I saw a coworker on my way into the T station, and we started talking. When we got down to the platform, I noticed the guy was standing next to us. Then I noticed that his fuchsia shirt had a big "T-Mobile" above the pocket. Suddenly it all made sense, just not in the way I'd thought.
I think what threw me off was that it was a button-front shirt, because when I think of a typical cell-phone store guy, or even a typical electronics-store guy, I always think of someone wearing a polo shirt. It is kind of the default uniform; for a while I even worked at a such a job and had them. But we also had long-sleeve, button-front shirts with the brand logo embroidered above the pocket, and I'd simply forgotten about that. (Well, let's face it, I've tried to block as much of it as I can.)
18 July 2009
This Week in Awesome (7/18/09)
I had a very hectic week at work, more so than usual, but never fear, I still have the goods...
I'm tempted to just post this clip without saying anything else about it. Near the end there's a shot of what looks a lot like the Zakim Bridge, which doesn't make any sense. (Very Short List)
This one is slightly more self-explanatory... eventually. (EA Games via YouTube via Jalopnik)
What is it about road signs that attracts those with mischievous intent? Oh, Canada! (Jalopnik again)
And finally, I'd like to introduce you to my new favorite snark site, The Hater, brought to us by the folks at The Onion's AV Club. It is to pop culture what Go Fug Yourself is to celebrity fashion commentary. Be sure to read the story about how Jon Gosselin is pimping out his kids to Ed Hardy...
I'm tempted to just post this clip without saying anything else about it. Near the end there's a shot of what looks a lot like the Zakim Bridge, which doesn't make any sense. (Very Short List)
This one is slightly more self-explanatory... eventually. (EA Games via YouTube via Jalopnik)
What is it about road signs that attracts those with mischievous intent? Oh, Canada! (Jalopnik again)
And finally, I'd like to introduce you to my new favorite snark site, The Hater, brought to us by the folks at The Onion's AV Club. It is to pop culture what Go Fug Yourself is to celebrity fashion commentary. Be sure to read the story about how Jon Gosselin is pimping out his kids to Ed Hardy...
17 July 2009
Steamed
I hope all of you people who were bitching about the weather are happy with today, because I'm miserable, and so is the dog.
16 July 2009
A Piece of the Rock
I'm stuck in deadline week, but I do want to throw my $0.02 on the WBCN story, even though it's now a couple of days old. For those of you who are not in the immediate Boston area or who may not have heard for some other reason, CBS Radio has decided to pull the plug on "The Rock of Boston" after 41 years, replacing it with a sports-talk station as of August 13th.
(The situation is actually slightly more complex than that: the new station will take over the 98.5 FM frequency, and the CBS-owned "Mix" station currently at that spot on the dial, the one that plays music for people who don't really care that much about music, will assume WBCN's 104.1 frequency. Why they couldn't just put the new station at 104.1 is best left unasked, I guess.)
I first became aware of WBCN around 1979, and it was responsible for a significant degree of my adolescent musical awakening. As a bored teenager growing up in suburban Rhode Island, after seeing artists like Elvis Costello and Talking Heads on Saturday Night Live, and then discovering a syndicated show called Rock World, a late-1970s precursor to MTV that showed the early video work of groups like Devo and The Vapors, I was eager for an outlet that would expose me to this sort of new music for more than an hour or so per week (and, since Rock World aired after SNL at 1 AM Sundays, one that would allow me a little more sleep).
One afternoon after school, I was idly fiddling with the radio in my room, searching for something interesting. I have to be honest: given that it was 30 years ago, I can't remember what song was playing when I first stumbled across WBCN on the dial, but I am fairly certain it had to be something adventurous that other radio stations would not have been playing at the time. At first, I was actually a little more impressed with the fact that I was pulling in a Boston radio station from 50-some miles away.
I quickly realized that WBCN was just the sort of station I'd been looking for. There was a Providence station, WBRU, that played much of the same music, but what they were missing and 'BCN had in abundance was attitude: young, brash, rebellious, alluringly cool. Not only did I feel like it was my station, that it belonged to me, but I felt like I belonged to it, that I was part of a club, and cooler for being part of that club. When I decided soon after to go to college in Boston, I felt that listening to 'BCN gave me an advantage over the other incoming freshmen, because I was already tapped into the cultural landscape of the city that I was about to become a part of.
Back then WBCN was considered cutting-edge, and other stations around the country followed their lead. They were early supporters of acts that went on to become worldwide stars, including The Cars and U2. In the spring of 1981 I was one of three people in my high school senior class of about 260 who had heard of U2; I'd heard them played on 'BCN and rushed out to buy Boy.
I stuck with the station through college and the rest of the '80s. I remember they used to sponsor free lunchtime concerts. I went to quite a few of these, back when it was still legal, normal, and cool to do stuff like give away free drinks. You'd get free music, free hot dogs, and one free beer. I recall going to one such concert--the Del Fuegos, I think--before an afternoon final exam in December of 1984, and I went into that exam feeling like the beer had put me in a suitably relaxed frame of mind to properly focus on the test. It did.
Later on, under corporate ownership, WBCN tried being less alternative and more like a competitor to WAAF, the hard-rock station. That's about the time I moved on to WFNX. These days I hardly listen to radio at all. Perhaps if I commuted by car I might behave differently, but at work I'm more likely to open iTunes and fire up an internet streaming radio station. WBCN will continue to exist online in this form, so I'll give them another listen, but it will be more for the sake of nostalgia than anything else.
Radio has become much more of a business than it was 20 or 30 years ago. Everything is so packaged and focus-grouped, which may increase profits but also has the unfortunate effect of making it less interesting and appealing to listen to. I understand the business side of the decision, but emotionally it doesn't make the loss any easier to take. The WBCN I loved ceased to exist a long time ago, which is why I haven't listened in a long time.
Life is about change, and as we get older, the people, places, and things that mattered to us tend to go away, and usually they don't come back. But I'll always have great memories of the years when The Rock of Boston ruled the local airwaves.
(The situation is actually slightly more complex than that: the new station will take over the 98.5 FM frequency, and the CBS-owned "Mix" station currently at that spot on the dial, the one that plays music for people who don't really care that much about music, will assume WBCN's 104.1 frequency. Why they couldn't just put the new station at 104.1 is best left unasked, I guess.)
I first became aware of WBCN around 1979, and it was responsible for a significant degree of my adolescent musical awakening. As a bored teenager growing up in suburban Rhode Island, after seeing artists like Elvis Costello and Talking Heads on Saturday Night Live, and then discovering a syndicated show called Rock World, a late-1970s precursor to MTV that showed the early video work of groups like Devo and The Vapors, I was eager for an outlet that would expose me to this sort of new music for more than an hour or so per week (and, since Rock World aired after SNL at 1 AM Sundays, one that would allow me a little more sleep).
One afternoon after school, I was idly fiddling with the radio in my room, searching for something interesting. I have to be honest: given that it was 30 years ago, I can't remember what song was playing when I first stumbled across WBCN on the dial, but I am fairly certain it had to be something adventurous that other radio stations would not have been playing at the time. At first, I was actually a little more impressed with the fact that I was pulling in a Boston radio station from 50-some miles away.
I quickly realized that WBCN was just the sort of station I'd been looking for. There was a Providence station, WBRU, that played much of the same music, but what they were missing and 'BCN had in abundance was attitude: young, brash, rebellious, alluringly cool. Not only did I feel like it was my station, that it belonged to me, but I felt like I belonged to it, that I was part of a club, and cooler for being part of that club. When I decided soon after to go to college in Boston, I felt that listening to 'BCN gave me an advantage over the other incoming freshmen, because I was already tapped into the cultural landscape of the city that I was about to become a part of.
Back then WBCN was considered cutting-edge, and other stations around the country followed their lead. They were early supporters of acts that went on to become worldwide stars, including The Cars and U2. In the spring of 1981 I was one of three people in my high school senior class of about 260 who had heard of U2; I'd heard them played on 'BCN and rushed out to buy Boy.
I stuck with the station through college and the rest of the '80s. I remember they used to sponsor free lunchtime concerts. I went to quite a few of these, back when it was still legal, normal, and cool to do stuff like give away free drinks. You'd get free music, free hot dogs, and one free beer. I recall going to one such concert--the Del Fuegos, I think--before an afternoon final exam in December of 1984, and I went into that exam feeling like the beer had put me in a suitably relaxed frame of mind to properly focus on the test. It did.
Later on, under corporate ownership, WBCN tried being less alternative and more like a competitor to WAAF, the hard-rock station. That's about the time I moved on to WFNX. These days I hardly listen to radio at all. Perhaps if I commuted by car I might behave differently, but at work I'm more likely to open iTunes and fire up an internet streaming radio station. WBCN will continue to exist online in this form, so I'll give them another listen, but it will be more for the sake of nostalgia than anything else.
Radio has become much more of a business than it was 20 or 30 years ago. Everything is so packaged and focus-grouped, which may increase profits but also has the unfortunate effect of making it less interesting and appealing to listen to. I understand the business side of the decision, but emotionally it doesn't make the loss any easier to take. The WBCN I loved ceased to exist a long time ago, which is why I haven't listened in a long time.
Life is about change, and as we get older, the people, places, and things that mattered to us tend to go away, and usually they don't come back. But I'll always have great memories of the years when The Rock of Boston ruled the local airwaves.
14 July 2009
Annals of Flawed Logic
While reading the paper on my way to work this morning, I was a little confused to see this headline in the section of little one-paragraph stories: "Arizona: Gun Rules Eased for Bars."
Then I read the story, and went from confused to, well, kind of appalled and scared shitless at the same time, if that's possible: "Arizonans with concealed weapons permits will be allowed to take a handgun into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, under a bill signed by Gov. Jan Brewer. The measure, backed by the National Rifle Association, will require bar and restaurant owners who want to ban weapons to post a no-guns sign next to the business’ liquor license."
Drinking and guns--what a superb idea, because clearly the bar fights out there weren't violent enough already. This is why I prefer to stay in our little ivory-tower corner of the country.
Then I read the story, and went from confused to, well, kind of appalled and scared shitless at the same time, if that's possible: "Arizonans with concealed weapons permits will be allowed to take a handgun into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, under a bill signed by Gov. Jan Brewer. The measure, backed by the National Rifle Association, will require bar and restaurant owners who want to ban weapons to post a no-guns sign next to the business’ liquor license."
Drinking and guns--what a superb idea, because clearly the bar fights out there weren't violent enough already. This is why I prefer to stay in our little ivory-tower corner of the country.
13 July 2009
Crumbling Façade
I managed to miss the excitement on Huntington Avenue this morning. I used to catch the 39 bus at Back Bay Station to get to my office near Brigham Circle, but now that I walk the dog in the morning, I leave the house a bit later and catch a later bus, and from past experience with the 39 it gets increasingly unreliable after 8:30 AM, due to increased traffic on Back Bay streets. So now I stay on the Orange Line and go to Ruggles, where any of five or six bus routes will get me close enough to the office.
A coworker came in around 9:15, having been stuck in the traffic backup caused by the debris, and explained what was happening. Strangely, there was nothing on boston.com at that point, and it took them a long time to post any information about the incident, compared to other local media outlets' web sites. I'm glad I didn't get stuck, and I'm also amazed and happy to hear that no one was injured by falling building chunks.
A coworker came in around 9:15, having been stuck in the traffic backup caused by the debris, and explained what was happening. Strangely, there was nothing on boston.com at that point, and it took them a long time to post any information about the incident, compared to other local media outlets' web sites. I'm glad I didn't get stuck, and I'm also amazed and happy to hear that no one was injured by falling building chunks.
11 July 2009
This Week in Awesome (7/11/09)
Jalopnik gave us plenty of good material this week. First, there are these two videos of police chases (Dallas, then Houston, hmmm....) from Fox News Channel. The only reason they were posted to Jalopnik in the first place, and the only reason I'm posting them here, is because of the insanely surreal commentary by one of the anchor dudes. (Apparently this is his specialty over at the creepy channel.)
Moving on, we have this series of photos from an, um, unusual accident scene in Virginia, but what really makes this one special is the accompanying analysis from one of that state's transportation engineers.
Changing gears, so to speak, there's the story of a guy named Dave whose guitar was rather badly broken by United Airlines baggage handlers, in full view of him and many other passengers on his flight. His attempts to get United to own up to the situation and provide some recompense were unsuccessful, so being a musician, he wrote a song about it--a pretty decent song, in fact--and put it on YouTube. Of course, this got United's attention, but it's been more than a year, Dave doesn't even care about the money anymore. (Consumerist)
That's all for now. Enjoy the weekend.
Moving on, we have this series of photos from an, um, unusual accident scene in Virginia, but what really makes this one special is the accompanying analysis from one of that state's transportation engineers.
Changing gears, so to speak, there's the story of a guy named Dave whose guitar was rather badly broken by United Airlines baggage handlers, in full view of him and many other passengers on his flight. His attempts to get United to own up to the situation and provide some recompense were unsuccessful, so being a musician, he wrote a song about it--a pretty decent song, in fact--and put it on YouTube. Of course, this got United's attention, but it's been more than a year, Dave doesn't even care about the money anymore. (Consumerist)
That's all for now. Enjoy the weekend.
09 July 2009
Act Now, Yesterday Only
You know how you sometimes make a purchase at a web site and then get emails from that site forever? That's how it is with me and Live Nation, the concert promoter/ticket seller.
I do tend to look at these emails, to see if there are any shows coming that I might want to see. This morning I found a message titled "Wed Only: $29.99 All-In Concert Experience." I had heard that Live Nation was doing a series of promotions this summer to try to make attending concerts less financially painful.
Out of curiosity I clicked on the message. "No Service Fee Wednesday. Lawn Ticket - Hot Dog - Soda All-In $29.99. July 8th 24 Hours Only." The time stamp on the message was 2:26 AM, today, July 9th., Oops.
Now, I don't care about seeing Toby Keith or Creed or, god help us, 311. And on the rare occasions that I've gone to the arena formerly known as Great Woods, I didn't sit on the lawn because, well, it rains sometimes, and who wants to sit with all the unfortunate plebes who couldn't afford better seats? I really prefer to sit on an actual chair, and I wouldn't be able to see anything from way back there anyway.
But it just looks bad, you know? It gives the impression that your big PR campaign for more affordable entertainment is just a load of crap. Maybe it's time to unsubscribe from those emails.
I do tend to look at these emails, to see if there are any shows coming that I might want to see. This morning I found a message titled "Wed Only: $29.99 All-In Concert Experience." I had heard that Live Nation was doing a series of promotions this summer to try to make attending concerts less financially painful.
Out of curiosity I clicked on the message. "No Service Fee Wednesday. Lawn Ticket - Hot Dog - Soda All-In $29.99. July 8th 24 Hours Only." The time stamp on the message was 2:26 AM, today, July 9th., Oops.
Now, I don't care about seeing Toby Keith or Creed or, god help us, 311. And on the rare occasions that I've gone to the arena formerly known as Great Woods, I didn't sit on the lawn because, well, it rains sometimes, and who wants to sit with all the unfortunate plebes who couldn't afford better seats? I really prefer to sit on an actual chair, and I wouldn't be able to see anything from way back there anyway.
But it just looks bad, you know? It gives the impression that your big PR campaign for more affordable entertainment is just a load of crap. Maybe it's time to unsubscribe from those emails.
07 July 2009
This Week in Awesome: Bonus Bit
I don't know how I forgot about this. It was on The Soup last Friday, and I should have checked immediately to see if it was on their blog site so I could have included it over the weekend.
Anyway, it's way too awesome to wait until next week. This clip is from the MTV show 16 and Pregnant, which I've heard has been given a second season. Lucky us...
Anyway, it's way too awesome to wait until next week. This clip is from the MTV show 16 and Pregnant, which I've heard has been given a second season. Lucky us...
06 July 2009
Minty Fresh
I'm the sort of person who tries to have mints on me at all times. I hate the idea that I might be inflicting bad breath on someone, but I was never really much for chewing gum.
Over the years I have carried many different mints in various flavors. The main requirements are that they be easily portable, taste good, and not make noise when I walk. This means Altoids are out, and that's fine because I don't really care for them. They are certainly strong enough to eliminate odors, but their flavors are just so overpowering they are not enjoyable.
For a long, long time I bought multi-packs of Breath Savers wintergreen flavor mints. (The warehouse clubs carry these in packages of 24 rolls, which kept me minted for a couple of months.) Over a year ago, I found myself mintless in Santa Cruz while we were there visiting the Mrs.' sister. We stopped at a local market to get some lunch, and while wandering around the store I discovered cinnamon-flavored mints made by Newman's Own Organics.
I love anything cinnamon (especially cinnamon rolls), but the cinnamon Altoids had been as much of a disappointment as their other flavors. Still, I thought I should give these upstart mints a try, and I loved them. They are not particularly strong, but they do freshen the mouth. The only drawback was that, like Altoids, they came in a metal box (which, strangely, describes them as "hot" but they are the farthest thing from it) with an illustration of a ferocious tiger on it.
When we got home I found that the mints were available locally at Whole Foods stores. I also found that they sold a different variety of the mints in rolls; they are larger than the tinned mints and have a slightly different taste (also not hot). I've taken to buying both kinds; I keep the tin on my desk at work, and carry a roll in my pocket for mobile breath cleansing.
Over the years I have carried many different mints in various flavors. The main requirements are that they be easily portable, taste good, and not make noise when I walk. This means Altoids are out, and that's fine because I don't really care for them. They are certainly strong enough to eliminate odors, but their flavors are just so overpowering they are not enjoyable.
For a long, long time I bought multi-packs of Breath Savers wintergreen flavor mints. (The warehouse clubs carry these in packages of 24 rolls, which kept me minted for a couple of months.) Over a year ago, I found myself mintless in Santa Cruz while we were there visiting the Mrs.' sister. We stopped at a local market to get some lunch, and while wandering around the store I discovered cinnamon-flavored mints made by Newman's Own Organics.
I love anything cinnamon (especially cinnamon rolls), but the cinnamon Altoids had been as much of a disappointment as their other flavors. Still, I thought I should give these upstart mints a try, and I loved them. They are not particularly strong, but they do freshen the mouth. The only drawback was that, like Altoids, they came in a metal box (which, strangely, describes them as "hot" but they are the farthest thing from it) with an illustration of a ferocious tiger on it.
When we got home I found that the mints were available locally at Whole Foods stores. I also found that they sold a different variety of the mints in rolls; they are larger than the tinned mints and have a slightly different taste (also not hot). I've taken to buying both kinds; I keep the tin on my desk at work, and carry a roll in my pocket for mobile breath cleansing.
04 July 2009
This Week in Awesome (7/4/09)
In honor of our nation's birthday, I thought I'd post a sort of public-service TWIA today.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission wants you to use fireworks cautiously, and to that end they have produced some videos showing the potential dangers of being careless. (There were two more of these, but they aren't working now, bummer.) (Gizmodo)
And for all you dog owners, here's another in our ongoing series of bizarre commercials for bizarre products. Note: if you watch this video and might actually be considering buying this product, you should know that there have been numerous complaints against the company selling it; apparently they thought it was a good idea to take orders for the product before they had product to ship, and they are just now getting around to filling orders from six months ago. Way to go, Potty Patch. (Consumerist)
Have a fun and safe holiday, everybody.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission wants you to use fireworks cautiously, and to that end they have produced some videos showing the potential dangers of being careless. (There were two more of these, but they aren't working now, bummer.) (Gizmodo)
And for all you dog owners, here's another in our ongoing series of bizarre commercials for bizarre products. Note: if you watch this video and might actually be considering buying this product, you should know that there have been numerous complaints against the company selling it; apparently they thought it was a good idea to take orders for the product before they had product to ship, and they are just now getting around to filling orders from six months ago. Way to go, Potty Patch. (Consumerist)
Have a fun and safe holiday, everybody.
03 July 2009
Dance Party in Aisle 5
A few days ago I was in the Whole Foods in Woburn, picking up coffee (you really should try the organic Mexican beans) and a few other things. The store's sound system was playing a fun mix of classic disco songs, like "Get Up and Boogie" (Silver Convention), "I Want Your Love" (Chic), "Boogie Nights" (Heatwave), "Let It Whip" (Dazz Band), even the instrumental "Love's Theme" by the Love Unlimited Orchestra, and others I can't recall now. (I had to look up some of those artists, but being of a certain age, I remembered some of them.)
I grew up listening to these songs, because they were all over Top 40 radio in the 70s. The Mrs. is a bit too young to remember most of them. I don't know if this music comes from a compilation, a satellite music service, or if the store actually employs a DJ (not too likely), but I'd like to tip my digital hat to Whole Foods for not subjecting us to the "light rock" or "adult contemporary" that you're more likely to hear in a store. Someone is thinking about the shopping experience. (On a previous visit to the Medford store, they were rocking the 80's alternative: The Cure, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Thompson Twins.)
While we're on the subject, let's take a moment to acknowledge the place of disco in music history. Disco was certainly derided and even reviled back in the day, and I'm not sure it's really ever gotten its due, but I'm not embarrassed to say that as a teenager I was a big fan (at least until I saw Elvis Costello on Saturday Night Live and realized there was a whole other universe of music awaiting my discovery). In addition to Top 40 radio, I grew up listening to a lot of my dad's Motown, Sly & the Family Stone, Wilson Pickett, and other soul and R&B acts, so it isn't that surprising that I gravitated toward disco.
I'll be the first to admit that a lot of disco music was lyrically slight (as was, to be fair, plenty of other 70s music), but what I think people tend to forget is that many of the groups were formed around studio musicians and backup bands for solo singers. people who had years of solid playing and performing experience. Chic is an excellent example, as is KC and the Sunshine Band. "Get Down Tonight" is kind of silly, but if you listen to the instruments--the bass, the horns, the electric piano--it kicks ass.
The disco performers just wanted to make music that would make people dance and have fun. I'm going to head to iTunes to look over some disco compilations.
I grew up listening to these songs, because they were all over Top 40 radio in the 70s. The Mrs. is a bit too young to remember most of them. I don't know if this music comes from a compilation, a satellite music service, or if the store actually employs a DJ (not too likely), but I'd like to tip my digital hat to Whole Foods for not subjecting us to the "light rock" or "adult contemporary" that you're more likely to hear in a store. Someone is thinking about the shopping experience. (On a previous visit to the Medford store, they were rocking the 80's alternative: The Cure, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Thompson Twins.)
While we're on the subject, let's take a moment to acknowledge the place of disco in music history. Disco was certainly derided and even reviled back in the day, and I'm not sure it's really ever gotten its due, but I'm not embarrassed to say that as a teenager I was a big fan (at least until I saw Elvis Costello on Saturday Night Live and realized there was a whole other universe of music awaiting my discovery). In addition to Top 40 radio, I grew up listening to a lot of my dad's Motown, Sly & the Family Stone, Wilson Pickett, and other soul and R&B acts, so it isn't that surprising that I gravitated toward disco.
I'll be the first to admit that a lot of disco music was lyrically slight (as was, to be fair, plenty of other 70s music), but what I think people tend to forget is that many of the groups were formed around studio musicians and backup bands for solo singers. people who had years of solid playing and performing experience. Chic is an excellent example, as is KC and the Sunshine Band. "Get Down Tonight" is kind of silly, but if you listen to the instruments--the bass, the horns, the electric piano--it kicks ass.
The disco performers just wanted to make music that would make people dance and have fun. I'm going to head to iTunes to look over some disco compilations.
01 July 2009
How to Say It
Re: the previous post, be careful not to mispronounce "Oregon" in the presence of an Oregonian. You will be corrected, and quite possibly berated. It does not rhyme with "autobahn," but is almost exactly like saying the word "organ" except with an extra "uh" in the middle.
Similarly, a coworker who lived in Reno for 20 years informed me that the correct pronunciation of "Nevada" should rhyme with "claddagh" and not "armada."
Similarly, a coworker who lived in Reno for 20 years informed me that the correct pronunciation of "Nevada" should rhyme with "claddagh" and not "armada."
Of Course It Comes with Fries
Kind of a quiet week, leading into the holiday weekend. Work has been slow, which gives me time to troll around the web and find little gems like this.
A diner in Portland, Oregon is serving a cheeseburger on a doughnut. I suppose I could be talked into trying that. Once. Reminds me of those mega-meals I linked to the other day.
And in the same vein, just in case you haven't seen it already, there's this frightening site.
A diner in Portland, Oregon is serving a cheeseburger on a doughnut. I suppose I could be talked into trying that. Once. Reminds me of those mega-meals I linked to the other day.
And in the same vein, just in case you haven't seen it already, there's this frightening site.
28 June 2009
This Week in Awesome (6/28/09)
Damn, I almost forgot again. It's not like I've been so incredibly busy; we went grocery shopping, and when we came back I put out the trash and recycling, then I had dinner and watched some TV... and here we are.
Regardless, let's go. We're all over the place this week. First, an artsy-craftsy person got hold of a stash of unused auto upholstery from the 1970s and is using it to make some pretty bitchin' handbags.
I guess the folks at Consumerist were getting a little hungry, because they started talking about ways to get your entire day's worth of calories in one meal. But I don't think they mean for you to really do it.
Weird products: at first it seems that this video couldn't possibly be real, but it's just too bizarre to be fake. The web site it's from contains a second video for a slightly more specific part of the target audience. But really, who thinks of this stuff? Somehow I suspect it wasn't a woman.
And finally, our old friend Fake Steve Jobs resurfaced this week, first to talk about his new liver, then to post this curiously touching tribute to the celebrities who passed this week.
Regardless, let's go. We're all over the place this week. First, an artsy-craftsy person got hold of a stash of unused auto upholstery from the 1970s and is using it to make some pretty bitchin' handbags.
I guess the folks at Consumerist were getting a little hungry, because they started talking about ways to get your entire day's worth of calories in one meal. But I don't think they mean for you to really do it.
Weird products: at first it seems that this video couldn't possibly be real, but it's just too bizarre to be fake. The web site it's from contains a second video for a slightly more specific part of the target audience. But really, who thinks of this stuff? Somehow I suspect it wasn't a woman.
And finally, our old friend Fake Steve Jobs resurfaced this week, first to talk about his new liver, then to post this curiously touching tribute to the celebrities who passed this week.
25 June 2009
Driving While Stupid
Every single one of you should go have a look at this article over at Car and Driver magazine's site. (Well, maybe not you, PB, because like me, you don't drive.) They devised a test to compare driving while drunk to driving while reading and sending text messages. Interesting results, to say the least.
Since our society is apparently too self-absorbed and stupid to realize just how dangerous this is (and people who do it will likely end up hurting or killing an innocent person while emerging unscathed but just as self-absorbed and stupid), I really wish some state government had the balls to pass a law making this behavior punishable by something like 90 days in jail and a $5000 fine. (While we're at it, I'm sure drunk driving laws could stand to be strengthened in most places.)
Since our society is apparently too self-absorbed and stupid to realize just how dangerous this is (and people who do it will likely end up hurting or killing an innocent person while emerging unscathed but just as self-absorbed and stupid), I really wish some state government had the balls to pass a law making this behavior punishable by something like 90 days in jail and a $5000 fine. (While we're at it, I'm sure drunk driving laws could stand to be strengthened in most places.)
23 June 2009
Beer Me, Marge
Over the weekend I attended the American Craft Beer Festival. I was fortunate enough to go as the guest of my friend Sandi, who covers food and drink as Boston Restaurant Examiner. Along with a couple thousand other beer enthusiasts, we filed into the World Trade Center on Saturday afternoon and received our two-ounce plastic tasting vessels.
Actually, they held about four ounces, but there was a two-ounce line marked on them where the breweries were supposed to stop pouring. With unlimited tastings available over the course of three and a half hours (depending on how many times you were willing to stand in line), watching one's overall consumption was a good idea. I also ate a big sandwich beforehand, which helped to absorb some of the beer's effect.
Nearly 80 breweries were in attendance, and nearly 30% of those were Massachusetts companies, which isn't terribly surprising. Other states with strong representation were California, New York, Maine, and Colorado. Given the size of the crowd and its inevitable intoxication, everyone was relaxed and genial; there was no jostling while waiting in line, and periodically someone would initiate a mass toast, resulting in raised arms and a whoop that passed through the crowd like the wave at a ballgame.
Due to the size of the crowd (to say nothing of the body's alcohol tolerance), it was impossible to visit every booth, and equally impossible to try every beer offered at a given booth. Inevitably I missed a few beers I'd wanted to try, but I still found a few choice ones. Bear Republic from Sonoma County, CA makes a mean IPA called Racer 5, as well as other interesting brews. Ommegang, from near Cooperstown, NY, works in Belgian styles, normally not my favorite, but their Witte was subtle and citrusy, and almost didn't taste like beer. Rogue of Oregon is known for its Dead Guy Ale, but its Shakespeare Stout was wonderfully rich and complex.
Probably my favorite of the beers I tried was Sword Swallower Steel Hop Lager from a line called Coney Island Craft Lagers, which is brewed by the people who make He'Brew, The Chosen Beer. The beers are really interesting, and the labels are colorful and evocative of Coney Island's storied history. I'll be picking up some 22-ounce bottles of this one at my local "packie," and from looking at the brewery's events calendar, it looks like they make fairly regular tasting appearances at Boston-area bars and liquor stores, so you too may have a chance to try it soon.
America may no longer be the industrial behemoth it once was, but craft brewing is thriving, and it's obvious from meeting various brewery representatives that they put a great deal of passion and desire for excellence into their work.
Actually, they held about four ounces, but there was a two-ounce line marked on them where the breweries were supposed to stop pouring. With unlimited tastings available over the course of three and a half hours (depending on how many times you were willing to stand in line), watching one's overall consumption was a good idea. I also ate a big sandwich beforehand, which helped to absorb some of the beer's effect.
Nearly 80 breweries were in attendance, and nearly 30% of those were Massachusetts companies, which isn't terribly surprising. Other states with strong representation were California, New York, Maine, and Colorado. Given the size of the crowd and its inevitable intoxication, everyone was relaxed and genial; there was no jostling while waiting in line, and periodically someone would initiate a mass toast, resulting in raised arms and a whoop that passed through the crowd like the wave at a ballgame.
Due to the size of the crowd (to say nothing of the body's alcohol tolerance), it was impossible to visit every booth, and equally impossible to try every beer offered at a given booth. Inevitably I missed a few beers I'd wanted to try, but I still found a few choice ones. Bear Republic from Sonoma County, CA makes a mean IPA called Racer 5, as well as other interesting brews. Ommegang, from near Cooperstown, NY, works in Belgian styles, normally not my favorite, but their Witte was subtle and citrusy, and almost didn't taste like beer. Rogue of Oregon is known for its Dead Guy Ale, but its Shakespeare Stout was wonderfully rich and complex.
Probably my favorite of the beers I tried was Sword Swallower Steel Hop Lager from a line called Coney Island Craft Lagers, which is brewed by the people who make He'Brew, The Chosen Beer. The beers are really interesting, and the labels are colorful and evocative of Coney Island's storied history. I'll be picking up some 22-ounce bottles of this one at my local "packie," and from looking at the brewery's events calendar, it looks like they make fairly regular tasting appearances at Boston-area bars and liquor stores, so you too may have a chance to try it soon.
America may no longer be the industrial behemoth it once was, but craft brewing is thriving, and it's obvious from meeting various brewery representatives that they put a great deal of passion and desire for excellence into their work.
22 June 2009
This Week in Awesome (6/21/09)
A belated Happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there. And it's a belated TWIA as well, because (a) I was visiting my own dad yesterday, and simply forgot about it when I got home, and (b) I was a little light on content this week. But never fear, the awesome is here...
Supposedly the creator of this colorful bit of roadside art was arrested for his creation. You'd think the highway department would have hired the guy to be its PR liaison, or something. (Jalopnik)
Way, way back in the paleolithic era of television (otherwise known as the 1950s), Jim Henson's Muppets were eking out a showbiz living as advertising spokespuppets (one of them looks a lot like a proto-Kermit). These ads are seriously strange, in a wonderfully twisted way. Just try to imagine a company wanting to run ads like these today. (TV Squad)
The new season of Top Gear premiered last night in the UK. For those of you who don't know, Top Gear is a BBC show about cars that's really more about being ridiculously entertaining than anything else. The Mrs., whose interest in cars covers only that her own car is safe and has gas in the tank, thinks it's terrific. I guarantee you you'll find it far more satisfying than any ludicrous "reality" trash. If your cable or satellite company has the BBC America channel, you can find Top Gear on almost as often as Law & Order reruns are on TNT, USA, Bravo, etc. Anyway, BBC did a couple of cute promo spots for the new season, with boys representing younger versions of the three hosts. (The one in the helmet is their test driver.) (BBC via YouTube)
Supposedly the creator of this colorful bit of roadside art was arrested for his creation. You'd think the highway department would have hired the guy to be its PR liaison, or something. (Jalopnik)
Way, way back in the paleolithic era of television (otherwise known as the 1950s), Jim Henson's Muppets were eking out a showbiz living as advertising spokespuppets (one of them looks a lot like a proto-Kermit). These ads are seriously strange, in a wonderfully twisted way. Just try to imagine a company wanting to run ads like these today. (TV Squad)
The new season of Top Gear premiered last night in the UK. For those of you who don't know, Top Gear is a BBC show about cars that's really more about being ridiculously entertaining than anything else. The Mrs., whose interest in cars covers only that her own car is safe and has gas in the tank, thinks it's terrific. I guarantee you you'll find it far more satisfying than any ludicrous "reality" trash. If your cable or satellite company has the BBC America channel, you can find Top Gear on almost as often as Law & Order reruns are on TNT, USA, Bravo, etc. Anyway, BBC did a couple of cute promo spots for the new season, with boys representing younger versions of the three hosts. (The one in the helmet is their test driver.) (BBC via YouTube)
19 June 2009
Another Close Shave
Recently I started noticing that drug stores were no longer carrying my trusted Schick razor, and some of them stopped carrying replacement blade cartridges. I was in need of a new razor handle anyway, so I thought it might be time to revisit the razor question.
I still don't want to use Gillette products, because in my past experience they have gotten dull much too quickly, and I just can't get past the notion that they might be doing that on purpose. (I even keep my razor in a solution called RazorGuard that purports to prolong the life of blades, but with Gillette blades it makes no difference.)
I came across a reference to a Waltham, MA-based company called Preserve that is manufacturing razor handles and toothbrushes out of materials like recycled yogurt containers. I decided to try out the razor, and picked one up at Whole Foods. I wanted to like it, but I could barely get two mediocre shaves out of one blade cartridge. I'm hoping they'll keep trying and will find a way to improve their blades.
My next thought was to go back to Schick and try the Quattro, the four-blade razor that is gradually edging my three-blade out of existence. It was better than the Preserve, but I still wasn't wild about it. I found the solution at BJ's. They're still carrying my preferred razor; in fact, they had so many that I wondered if maybe that's why I can't find it anywhere else. Each package contains a handle and twelve cartridges. Since I only shave a couple of times a week, that will last me a year or so, for $13. Maybe I should buy two, just in case...
I still don't want to use Gillette products, because in my past experience they have gotten dull much too quickly, and I just can't get past the notion that they might be doing that on purpose. (I even keep my razor in a solution called RazorGuard that purports to prolong the life of blades, but with Gillette blades it makes no difference.)
I came across a reference to a Waltham, MA-based company called Preserve that is manufacturing razor handles and toothbrushes out of materials like recycled yogurt containers. I decided to try out the razor, and picked one up at Whole Foods. I wanted to like it, but I could barely get two mediocre shaves out of one blade cartridge. I'm hoping they'll keep trying and will find a way to improve their blades.
My next thought was to go back to Schick and try the Quattro, the four-blade razor that is gradually edging my three-blade out of existence. It was better than the Preserve, but I still wasn't wild about it. I found the solution at BJ's. They're still carrying my preferred razor; in fact, they had so many that I wondered if maybe that's why I can't find it anywhere else. Each package contains a handle and twelve cartridges. Since I only shave a couple of times a week, that will last me a year or so, for $13. Maybe I should buy two, just in case...
16 June 2009
El Pollo Local
Last night while watching a Family Guy rerun on TBS, we saw a commercial for the fast-food chicken place El Pollo Loco. I've never had it, but The Mrs. grew up in southern California and has fond memories of it.
Commercials for stuff we don't have around here are nothing new (Sonic comes to mind, though they are scheduled to open on route 1 in Saugus in a couple of months), but neither of us remembered seeing commercials for El Pollo Loco before, and this commercial said "come visit us on Revere Beach Parkway in Chelsea." It seems it was a locally produced ad, and for now there's only the one location, though apparently Tewksbury is getting one soon. Let's hear it for franchsing. Anyway, the Mrs. immediately said that we needed to go eat there tonight, and who am I to argue with such things?
The restaurant is in a newly built plaza adjacent to route 16 just before the Revere line, so unfortunately it's not exactly T accessible. They have quite a large and varied menu (though if you're not into chicken I suppose you're out of luck), with sandwiches, salads, and burritos in addition to the "flame-grilled" chicken, and even the decor is much nicer than a typical chain fast-food place. And if you order your food to eat there, someone brings it to you at your table.
The Mrs. opted for a traditional two-piece chicken meal with sides of refried beans and rice. I went for the chicken tostada bowl, which had pinto beans, rice, cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and sour cream, and came with a side of creamy cilantro dressing. Yuh-hun. All their chicken is marinated in a blend of spices and citrus, making it moist and very tasty. Everything is really fresh, nothing tastes artificial or processed. And yes, I ate the tostada bowl. In fact, I broke it up into pieces and dipped them in the dressing.
I would definitely rank El Pollo Loco miles above the swill served at Taco Bell, and I would also choose them over Qdoba (where I've always been made to feel like they're doing me a favor by serving me). I'm already looking forward to our next visit.
Commercials for stuff we don't have around here are nothing new (Sonic comes to mind, though they are scheduled to open on route 1 in Saugus in a couple of months), but neither of us remembered seeing commercials for El Pollo Loco before, and this commercial said "come visit us on Revere Beach Parkway in Chelsea." It seems it was a locally produced ad, and for now there's only the one location, though apparently Tewksbury is getting one soon. Let's hear it for franchsing. Anyway, the Mrs. immediately said that we needed to go eat there tonight, and who am I to argue with such things?
The restaurant is in a newly built plaza adjacent to route 16 just before the Revere line, so unfortunately it's not exactly T accessible. They have quite a large and varied menu (though if you're not into chicken I suppose you're out of luck), with sandwiches, salads, and burritos in addition to the "flame-grilled" chicken, and even the decor is much nicer than a typical chain fast-food place. And if you order your food to eat there, someone brings it to you at your table.
The Mrs. opted for a traditional two-piece chicken meal with sides of refried beans and rice. I went for the chicken tostada bowl, which had pinto beans, rice, cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and sour cream, and came with a side of creamy cilantro dressing. Yuh-hun. All their chicken is marinated in a blend of spices and citrus, making it moist and very tasty. Everything is really fresh, nothing tastes artificial or processed. And yes, I ate the tostada bowl. In fact, I broke it up into pieces and dipped them in the dressing.
I would definitely rank El Pollo Loco miles above the swill served at Taco Bell, and I would also choose them over Qdoba (where I've always been made to feel like they're doing me a favor by serving me). I'm already looking forward to our next visit.
14 June 2009
This Week in Awesome (6/14/09)
I didn't forget, but I am thinking of posting these on Saturdays instead of Sundays, so visitors might have more time to check them out during the weekend.
What was the best-selling car in the United States in 2008? The answer may surprise you. (Autoblog)
Here's a cool little video making clever use of sticky notes, that was done as an art school project. (Dvice)
Another product of dubious usefulness, but with an awesomely bad commercial. (Consumerist)
What was the best-selling car in the United States in 2008? The answer may surprise you. (Autoblog)
Here's a cool little video making clever use of sticky notes, that was done as an art school project. (Dvice)
Another product of dubious usefulness, but with an awesomely bad commercial. (Consumerist)
Shopping Tips
In my ongoing mission to help you spend your money wisely, I feel compelled to pass along info about noteworthy sales and discounts. If you or a male person you know is in need of anything along the lines of inexpensive basic clothing, you might want to head to the nearest Old Navy store between now and Father's Day (which is next Sunday, in case you needed reminding) because all men's clothing is 50% off. Yeah, all of it. I picked up some more T-shirts (for $4 each), but there are also khakis for $15, polo shirts for $7.50, and so on.
I probably should have mentioned this one earlier, but Lord & Taylor is having a "friends and family" sale (which means you have to sign up to receive their emails) through Sunday June 14th. Bring the coupon in the email you'll receive and get 25% off all regular and sale prices. Their typical bonus coupon discount is 15%, so this is a decent deal and they only offer it a couple of times a year. What makes this offer better is that they are also taking 10% off cosmetics and fragrances, which is almost unheard of. Better move fast, though.
Now, an unrelated story: today, in the course of our typical weekend errands, we went to a Target in Woburn, where I've been a few times but where we don't go regularly. As soon as I walked in I knew something was up, because there were lamp shades directly ahead of me, where the men's department usually is. After walking around for a couple of minutes it became obvious that the store is in the midst of a rather extensive remodel. Nonetheless, I overheard a fairly exasperated woman berating a staff person: "I can't find anything! Nothing is where it's supposed to be."
And of course, being me, I immediately thought, is it not obvious to you this is because they're in the process of redoing the whole goddamn store while keeping it open for ungrateful pinhead wretches like you? I think it's highly possible that woman is also one of the thousands of people who woke up today and couldn't figure out why all her TV channels had turned to static.
I probably should have mentioned this one earlier, but Lord & Taylor is having a "friends and family" sale (which means you have to sign up to receive their emails) through Sunday June 14th. Bring the coupon in the email you'll receive and get 25% off all regular and sale prices. Their typical bonus coupon discount is 15%, so this is a decent deal and they only offer it a couple of times a year. What makes this offer better is that they are also taking 10% off cosmetics and fragrances, which is almost unheard of. Better move fast, though.
Now, an unrelated story: today, in the course of our typical weekend errands, we went to a Target in Woburn, where I've been a few times but where we don't go regularly. As soon as I walked in I knew something was up, because there were lamp shades directly ahead of me, where the men's department usually is. After walking around for a couple of minutes it became obvious that the store is in the midst of a rather extensive remodel. Nonetheless, I overheard a fairly exasperated woman berating a staff person: "I can't find anything! Nothing is where it's supposed to be."
And of course, being me, I immediately thought, is it not obvious to you this is because they're in the process of redoing the whole goddamn store while keeping it open for ungrateful pinhead wretches like you? I think it's highly possible that woman is also one of the thousands of people who woke up today and couldn't figure out why all her TV channels had turned to static.
11 June 2009
The High-Low, Part 2
A lot of the clothing I've bought in the past few months has come from eBay, which is kind of like a giant online thrift store or rummage sale. There are thousands of bargains just waiting to be discovered, and some of them are fixed-price listings, so you don't even have to wait around for an auction to end and worry about bidding. Some auctions also have a "make an offer" option that effectively allows you to haggle with the seller, and can lead to some unexpected deals.
This method of shopping can be time-consuming (I tend to browse during my lunch hour), but eBay gives you the tools to save specific searches, which makes it easier to keep track of new listings in categories you're interested in (for example, you can set up a search for V-neck cashmere sweaters in only certain colors or from specific brands). And many people are offering free shipping these days, or building it into their selling prices, making some items an ever better deal.
Obviously, with any online clothing purchase, sizing is crucial. Brands you already own or are familiar with are safer, certain items tend to have more consistent sizing than others, and sellers should provide thorough size info and measurements. However, lot of people just toss auction listings on eBay without putting a lot of thought or effort into them. Sometimes that's okay, but with clothing, photos and descriptions are very important, and should match. Make sure if a seller says an item is NWT (new with tags), the photos do in fact show the tags.
Look over everything carefully, and figure out what information the seller might have neglected to include. If you need to know something that's not in the description, send a polite email, ask your question as clearly as possible, and try to be considerate: don't ask a question 45 minutes before an auction ends and be upset if the seller doesn't respond to you in time. Believe it or not, not everyone has round-the-clock access to their email.
Also, in my own experience, even if the seller claims the item comes from a smoke-free, pet-free home, there's a decent chance it will arrive smelling of something, so be prepared to launder it or hang it outside for a few hours, or both. I have one shirt I bought on eBay that still smells faintly of an extremely strong laundry detergent, even after several months and numerous washes using our own fragrance-free detergent.
A few months ago I saw a red and white striped Tommy Hilfiger shirt in a store, but when I went back to look at it again it was already gone. I decided to take a quick look on eBay and found it NWT for $10. (For those of you who might not have noticed, Tommy has toned down the branding quite a bit recently, and this shirt has only a tiny embroidered flag logo on the left sleeve placket, which is unobtrusive enough for me.)
Sometimes I search for specific items, but I've also stumbled across things while not actively looking for them. Cargo shorts are kind of necessary in summer, when you don't have coat pockets but you need to carry your phone, sunglass case, and assorted other stuff (I usually carry that stuff to work with me in a messenger-style bag, but I like to give myself weekends off from carrying it). Eight or nine years back, Ralph Lauren made some really nice cargo shorts (before cargos got all crazy-looking and huge, with all the drawstrings and zippers and crap). They had plain, flat side pockets with no pleats or gussets, set-in back pockets with no flaps, and a very small, subtle label above the back pocket.
I had a pair of these that I got at the late, lamented Filene's Basement downtown store, and I loved them dearly, because they fit well and were appropriately mature-looking. But my waistline expanded and I could no longer fit into them. Last week I came across a pair of these shorts in my current size. There were four bids, but mine was the highest; I got them for $13.50, certainly less than I'd pay for a decent pair of shorts elsewhere.
Other good recent finds: cashmere sweaters for $20, two corduroy sportcoats (one was $16, the other was $10), a bright pink Ralph Lauren shirt with a pocket (always harder to find than the ones with horses) for $9, Banana Republic khakis for $8, and my favorite deal of the past six months or so, a J. Crew suede sportcoat for $22. A great deal of this stuff was worn by someone a couple of times at most, then hung in a closet for a couple of years before being put up for auction or sale.
Of course, not every purchase is a success. A few weeks ago I thought I'd lucked out when I found a listing for off-white L.L. Bean jeans in my size. Bean stopped making these a few years back, right before I started looking for them. The starting bid was only 99 cents, so I added the auction to my watch list and waited. Several days later there were still no bids. I ended up being the only bidder, so I got them for a buck plus shipping. When they arrived, they fit great but were about an inch too short, and it was my own fault because I never asked for actual measurements. Just because the seller says "the tag reads 36 x 32" doesn't mean those are the actual measurements, especially on items that are a few years old and have been through the wash a number of times.
One other thing you notice shopping on eBay is that a lot of sellers have a seriously overinflated idea of what their items are worth. This can sometimes be amusing, but more often it's annoying, especially when it's something you've been searching for that happens to be scarce. Just because an item sold for $150 new doesn't mean it's worth $150, or even half that much, three or four seasons later. And if it's a current-season item, then a seller probably ought to know what it's currently selling for elsewhere; those $80 pants someone is trying to sell for $60 may have already been marked down by 50 percent or more out in the stores. As a consumer, you need to do a bit of homework so that you know the cost of an item, the current value of that item (not necessarily the same thing), and what it's worth to you.
This method of shopping can be time-consuming (I tend to browse during my lunch hour), but eBay gives you the tools to save specific searches, which makes it easier to keep track of new listings in categories you're interested in (for example, you can set up a search for V-neck cashmere sweaters in only certain colors or from specific brands). And many people are offering free shipping these days, or building it into their selling prices, making some items an ever better deal.
Obviously, with any online clothing purchase, sizing is crucial. Brands you already own or are familiar with are safer, certain items tend to have more consistent sizing than others, and sellers should provide thorough size info and measurements. However, lot of people just toss auction listings on eBay without putting a lot of thought or effort into them. Sometimes that's okay, but with clothing, photos and descriptions are very important, and should match. Make sure if a seller says an item is NWT (new with tags), the photos do in fact show the tags.
Look over everything carefully, and figure out what information the seller might have neglected to include. If you need to know something that's not in the description, send a polite email, ask your question as clearly as possible, and try to be considerate: don't ask a question 45 minutes before an auction ends and be upset if the seller doesn't respond to you in time. Believe it or not, not everyone has round-the-clock access to their email.
Also, in my own experience, even if the seller claims the item comes from a smoke-free, pet-free home, there's a decent chance it will arrive smelling of something, so be prepared to launder it or hang it outside for a few hours, or both. I have one shirt I bought on eBay that still smells faintly of an extremely strong laundry detergent, even after several months and numerous washes using our own fragrance-free detergent.
A few months ago I saw a red and white striped Tommy Hilfiger shirt in a store, but when I went back to look at it again it was already gone. I decided to take a quick look on eBay and found it NWT for $10. (For those of you who might not have noticed, Tommy has toned down the branding quite a bit recently, and this shirt has only a tiny embroidered flag logo on the left sleeve placket, which is unobtrusive enough for me.)
Sometimes I search for specific items, but I've also stumbled across things while not actively looking for them. Cargo shorts are kind of necessary in summer, when you don't have coat pockets but you need to carry your phone, sunglass case, and assorted other stuff (I usually carry that stuff to work with me in a messenger-style bag, but I like to give myself weekends off from carrying it). Eight or nine years back, Ralph Lauren made some really nice cargo shorts (before cargos got all crazy-looking and huge, with all the drawstrings and zippers and crap). They had plain, flat side pockets with no pleats or gussets, set-in back pockets with no flaps, and a very small, subtle label above the back pocket.
I had a pair of these that I got at the late, lamented Filene's Basement downtown store, and I loved them dearly, because they fit well and were appropriately mature-looking. But my waistline expanded and I could no longer fit into them. Last week I came across a pair of these shorts in my current size. There were four bids, but mine was the highest; I got them for $13.50, certainly less than I'd pay for a decent pair of shorts elsewhere.
Other good recent finds: cashmere sweaters for $20, two corduroy sportcoats (one was $16, the other was $10), a bright pink Ralph Lauren shirt with a pocket (always harder to find than the ones with horses) for $9, Banana Republic khakis for $8, and my favorite deal of the past six months or so, a J. Crew suede sportcoat for $22. A great deal of this stuff was worn by someone a couple of times at most, then hung in a closet for a couple of years before being put up for auction or sale.
Of course, not every purchase is a success. A few weeks ago I thought I'd lucked out when I found a listing for off-white L.L. Bean jeans in my size. Bean stopped making these a few years back, right before I started looking for them. The starting bid was only 99 cents, so I added the auction to my watch list and waited. Several days later there were still no bids. I ended up being the only bidder, so I got them for a buck plus shipping. When they arrived, they fit great but were about an inch too short, and it was my own fault because I never asked for actual measurements. Just because the seller says "the tag reads 36 x 32" doesn't mean those are the actual measurements, especially on items that are a few years old and have been through the wash a number of times.
One other thing you notice shopping on eBay is that a lot of sellers have a seriously overinflated idea of what their items are worth. This can sometimes be amusing, but more often it's annoying, especially when it's something you've been searching for that happens to be scarce. Just because an item sold for $150 new doesn't mean it's worth $150, or even half that much, three or four seasons later. And if it's a current-season item, then a seller probably ought to know what it's currently selling for elsewhere; those $80 pants someone is trying to sell for $60 may have already been marked down by 50 percent or more out in the stores. As a consumer, you need to do a bit of homework so that you know the cost of an item, the current value of that item (not necessarily the same thing), and what it's worth to you.
10 June 2009
The High-Low
I've been on one of my periodic clothing acquisition sprees, though not really so much specifically for summer items, since I have more than enough polo shirts and shorts to cover work and weekends. I did pick up a very nice pair of white jeans at Target, of all places. I've been looking for a pair of off-white jeans for several years, and while these were described as "ecru" on the tag, they're closer to white, which I guess will have to suffice.
The fabric is of an appropriate summer weight, the cut is relaxed (I had a bad experience two years ago with some off-white jeans from Uniqlo that unfortunately were way too snug and low-waisted), and they are better made than you might expect (in Egypt, interestingly), all for only $25. If they had a Gap label they'd be at least twice that, and I've seen similar stuff going for as much as $100 (I don't know anyone who pays a Franklin for jeans, but I guess some people do).
I also ordered a pair of Born fisherman sandals from the REI outlet site, which has some decent deals. If you are not in a big hurry and there's an REI store close to you, you can have your order shipped to the store for free and pick it up; mine took just over a week. The sandals are too big (this often happens when footwear comes only in whole sizes) but I went back on the site and the sandals are still available, plus they are now offering an extra 20% off one outlet item, so I just ordered another pair in the smaller size, and I'll return the first pair and end up saving more.
Beyond that, I've been experimenting with shopping some new sources. A couple of months ago I saw something online about web sites that offer an online equivalent of the sample sales that take place all the time in New York. Coincidentally, that same day the Boston Globe ran a piece about the same sites. I decided this was a sign that I needed to check them out. The two biggest are Gilt and RueLaLa (the latter is part of the locally-based SmartBargains group, where I briefly worked a few years back).
Each day I receive emails telling me what is going on sale that day, and each sale lasts a couple of days. The discounts off original retail prices are significant, but prices can still be pretty steep, depending on how ridiculous the starting prices were. One thing to consider about pricey designer clothing is that regardless of where you buy it or how much you end up paying, you should expect high quality of materials and construction; if you buy something and are not satisfied with it, these sample sites do allow returns, but only for site credit.
Of the two sites, Gilt has more men's merchandise, but in both cases much of it is more trendy or fashion-forward than my tastes. I have yet to buy anything from either site; however, these sites do offer an opportunity to get a look at clothing from labels I'm not familiar with or might not otherwise be exposed to, and some of it is worthwhile.
For example, Rag & Bone is sold at stores like Barneys, where I rarely venture, but the clothes are tasteful and low-key, and the whole line appears to be made in the United States. If I find the right item at the right price, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. And I've learned about a guy named Billy Reid. The only thing that kept me from buying one of his shirts off Gilt was some funky contrast stitching that was a little too noticeable, but I liked his clothes in general, and most of them seem to be made in Italy. He has a store in New York, and last week they threw a party to celebrate the opening of another store in his hometown in Alabama: any place that gives out free fried chicken, bourbon, and beer is worth considering as a place to shop.
The fabric is of an appropriate summer weight, the cut is relaxed (I had a bad experience two years ago with some off-white jeans from Uniqlo that unfortunately were way too snug and low-waisted), and they are better made than you might expect (in Egypt, interestingly), all for only $25. If they had a Gap label they'd be at least twice that, and I've seen similar stuff going for as much as $100 (I don't know anyone who pays a Franklin for jeans, but I guess some people do).
I also ordered a pair of Born fisherman sandals from the REI outlet site, which has some decent deals. If you are not in a big hurry and there's an REI store close to you, you can have your order shipped to the store for free and pick it up; mine took just over a week. The sandals are too big (this often happens when footwear comes only in whole sizes) but I went back on the site and the sandals are still available, plus they are now offering an extra 20% off one outlet item, so I just ordered another pair in the smaller size, and I'll return the first pair and end up saving more.
Beyond that, I've been experimenting with shopping some new sources. A couple of months ago I saw something online about web sites that offer an online equivalent of the sample sales that take place all the time in New York. Coincidentally, that same day the Boston Globe ran a piece about the same sites. I decided this was a sign that I needed to check them out. The two biggest are Gilt and RueLaLa (the latter is part of the locally-based SmartBargains group, where I briefly worked a few years back).
Each day I receive emails telling me what is going on sale that day, and each sale lasts a couple of days. The discounts off original retail prices are significant, but prices can still be pretty steep, depending on how ridiculous the starting prices were. One thing to consider about pricey designer clothing is that regardless of where you buy it or how much you end up paying, you should expect high quality of materials and construction; if you buy something and are not satisfied with it, these sample sites do allow returns, but only for site credit.
Of the two sites, Gilt has more men's merchandise, but in both cases much of it is more trendy or fashion-forward than my tastes. I have yet to buy anything from either site; however, these sites do offer an opportunity to get a look at clothing from labels I'm not familiar with or might not otherwise be exposed to, and some of it is worthwhile.
For example, Rag & Bone is sold at stores like Barneys, where I rarely venture, but the clothes are tasteful and low-key, and the whole line appears to be made in the United States. If I find the right item at the right price, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. And I've learned about a guy named Billy Reid. The only thing that kept me from buying one of his shirts off Gilt was some funky contrast stitching that was a little too noticeable, but I liked his clothes in general, and most of them seem to be made in Italy. He has a store in New York, and last week they threw a party to celebrate the opening of another store in his hometown in Alabama: any place that gives out free fried chicken, bourbon, and beer is worth considering as a place to shop.
07 June 2009
This Week in Awesome (6/7/09)
Let's see, what sort of awesome did the internet fairies bring us this week?
You may have heard about the band Weezer endorsing its own version of the Snuggie. I tried to think of it as analagous to when high-end designers do collaborations with mass-market stores like Target or H&M. Then I remembered that I don't really care about Weezer either way. (Consumerist)
Now that summer is more or less upon us, sometimes you come across a person who chooses to disregard the typical way of dressing for the season. This site has lots of them. (Racked)
80s TV, as those of us who were around to watch it can tell you, is an endless source of amusement. This is another of those videos that someone really put a lot of work into. For extra fun, the second clip shows a side-by-side comparison with its original source. One caveat though: if you watch with the sound on, you run the risk of having a theme song embedded in your brain all day. (TV Squad)
And if you really have some time on your hands, there's this advice column on boston.com. I don't make a habit of reading it, and it's a bit out of the range of my usual stuff here, but the other day Universal Hub linked to someone who linked to a discussion that was going on about whether or not a partner's distaste for a certain intimate act was reason enough not to marry that person.
Because it's a family newspaper/web site, the moderator substituted an amusing euphemism for the act in question, making for a particularly surreal round of commentary as this euphemism grew and took on a life of its own. Let's just say you may not look at a certain food item the same way after reading it. Also, there are a couple hundred comments by now, so if you don't want to get wrapped up in this all day, I suggest skimming them.
You may have heard about the band Weezer endorsing its own version of the Snuggie. I tried to think of it as analagous to when high-end designers do collaborations with mass-market stores like Target or H&M. Then I remembered that I don't really care about Weezer either way. (Consumerist)
Now that summer is more or less upon us, sometimes you come across a person who chooses to disregard the typical way of dressing for the season. This site has lots of them. (Racked)
80s TV, as those of us who were around to watch it can tell you, is an endless source of amusement. This is another of those videos that someone really put a lot of work into. For extra fun, the second clip shows a side-by-side comparison with its original source. One caveat though: if you watch with the sound on, you run the risk of having a theme song embedded in your brain all day. (TV Squad)
And if you really have some time on your hands, there's this advice column on boston.com. I don't make a habit of reading it, and it's a bit out of the range of my usual stuff here, but the other day Universal Hub linked to someone who linked to a discussion that was going on about whether or not a partner's distaste for a certain intimate act was reason enough not to marry that person.
Because it's a family newspaper/web site, the moderator substituted an amusing euphemism for the act in question, making for a particularly surreal round of commentary as this euphemism grew and took on a life of its own. Let's just say you may not look at a certain food item the same way after reading it. Also, there are a couple hundred comments by now, so if you don't want to get wrapped up in this all day, I suggest skimming them.
06 June 2009
How's Your Weekend Going?
Hey, you know what's really fun? When your hot water heater decides to take a leak all over your basement floor, and you haven't even gotten to take a shower yet. Yeah, lotta fun.
Being renters, a call to the landlord was the first order of business. He's already been through this once, since the water heater for the upstairs unit gave out a couple of years ago. He's hoping he can get the same guy to come back and take care of ours, but it's probably not going to happen until Monday morning, because plumbers tend to charge extra when they are called to work on a weekend. That's understandable, but it does make things a bit more inconvenient for us.
The hygiene issues were addressed with the equivalent of a sponge bath, using water heated on the stove. Wow, it's like living in the old West, or something. Hopefully this will be resolved soon.
Being renters, a call to the landlord was the first order of business. He's already been through this once, since the water heater for the upstairs unit gave out a couple of years ago. He's hoping he can get the same guy to come back and take care of ours, but it's probably not going to happen until Monday morning, because plumbers tend to charge extra when they are called to work on a weekend. That's understandable, but it does make things a bit more inconvenient for us.
The hygiene issues were addressed with the equivalent of a sponge bath, using water heated on the stove. Wow, it's like living in the old West, or something. Hopefully this will be resolved soon.
04 June 2009
Get Burned
Tonight is the welcome return of one of television's most enjoyable hours of pure escapism: Burn Notice revs up its third season on USA (at 9 PM Eastern time). If you are not familiar with the show, it's a perfect summer blend of Alias (spies, personas, disguises), MacGyver (improvised gadgetry), and The Equalizer (helping people in need who can't always go through normal channels), stirred with a dash of romantic tension, lightened with a touch of humor, and aided and abetted by a series of gorgeous, authentic Miami locales (you do realize that CSI: Miami is not actually filmed in Miami, right?).
Former spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) has been cut off by his shadowy employers (the title refers to the spy world's equivalent of a pink slip) and left in his former home town without ID or means of support. Gradually Michael has found his way by acting as a sort of unlicensed private eye, bodyguard, occasional mercenary, or whatever gig will get him paid without crossing the lines of his moral code. The mystery of who had Michael burned, and why, was a thread running through the first two seasons, but took a background role to his weekly adventures.
Ladies like the show because Michael is easy on the eyes, he's a snappy dresser, is loyal to his friends, and looks out for his mother Madeline ('80s TV icon Sharon Gless). Guys like the show because Michael's primary partner in crime, ex-IRA operative Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Anwar), is equally easy on the eyes, because Michael has a cool vintage Dodge Charger, there's lots of action and, on average, something gets blown up (usually by Fiona) about every other episode. Michael also has the assistance of Sam Axe (the great Bruce Campbell), a former military man whom he worked with many times in his former life.
Really, what more could you ask for from summer TV? It's all here. If you're looking to sit down at the end of your day and be entertained, this is a show to check out.
Former spy Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) has been cut off by his shadowy employers (the title refers to the spy world's equivalent of a pink slip) and left in his former home town without ID or means of support. Gradually Michael has found his way by acting as a sort of unlicensed private eye, bodyguard, occasional mercenary, or whatever gig will get him paid without crossing the lines of his moral code. The mystery of who had Michael burned, and why, was a thread running through the first two seasons, but took a background role to his weekly adventures.
Ladies like the show because Michael is easy on the eyes, he's a snappy dresser, is loyal to his friends, and looks out for his mother Madeline ('80s TV icon Sharon Gless). Guys like the show because Michael's primary partner in crime, ex-IRA operative Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Anwar), is equally easy on the eyes, because Michael has a cool vintage Dodge Charger, there's lots of action and, on average, something gets blown up (usually by Fiona) about every other episode. Michael also has the assistance of Sam Axe (the great Bruce Campbell), a former military man whom he worked with many times in his former life.
Really, what more could you ask for from summer TV? It's all here. If you're looking to sit down at the end of your day and be entertained, this is a show to check out.
01 June 2009
False Alarm
Around 11:30 last night, as I was loading the dishwasher and getting ready to go to bed, the smoke alarms went off. I say "alarms" because the house has a hard-wired system (as opposed to ones that run on batteries) with detectors on each floor, including the basement and the attic. If one goes off, they all go off.
These alarms are frighteningly, ear-piercingly loud. I sleep quite soundly knowing that if there is ever an actual fire, we will all get out safely. But when they do go off, as they did one other time, it's so loud it's literally painful. The dog came into the kitchen, whining because of the noise. The Mrs. had been asleep, but she scurried out of bed, grabbed the dog's leash and the dog, and headed outside. Not for a moment did I think there was a fire; I was more concerned about what did set off the alarms.
I quickly checked the stairs heading down to the basement: no smoke, but I caught a whiff of what I thought was a toaster oven type of smell from the upstairs apartment. I was on my way outside when the alarm stopped. A moment later it started again, then stopped after a few seconds. We went back in the house, and a minute later there was a knock at the back kitchen door. One of the upstairs neighbors wanted to know if everything was okay. I mentioned the smell, and he said, "Oh yeah, I had the oven on its cleaning cycle. Do you think that could have set off the alarm?"
I suppressed the urge to say something mean, and suggested that in the future he might want to make sure he opened a window before running that cycle. The dog settled back down, the Mrs. went back to bed, and I followed soon after.
These alarms are frighteningly, ear-piercingly loud. I sleep quite soundly knowing that if there is ever an actual fire, we will all get out safely. But when they do go off, as they did one other time, it's so loud it's literally painful. The dog came into the kitchen, whining because of the noise. The Mrs. had been asleep, but she scurried out of bed, grabbed the dog's leash and the dog, and headed outside. Not for a moment did I think there was a fire; I was more concerned about what did set off the alarms.
I quickly checked the stairs heading down to the basement: no smoke, but I caught a whiff of what I thought was a toaster oven type of smell from the upstairs apartment. I was on my way outside when the alarm stopped. A moment later it started again, then stopped after a few seconds. We went back in the house, and a minute later there was a knock at the back kitchen door. One of the upstairs neighbors wanted to know if everything was okay. I mentioned the smell, and he said, "Oh yeah, I had the oven on its cleaning cycle. Do you think that could have set off the alarm?"
I suppressed the urge to say something mean, and suggested that in the future he might want to make sure he opened a window before running that cycle. The dog settled back down, the Mrs. went back to bed, and I followed soon after.
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