With the Halloween season right around the corner, thoughts turn towards the spooky, eerie and just plain odd. Images of skulls, witches and ghosts loom about, as this time of year brings out the mischievous childlike fun of hiding behind a façade. What most people do not know is that there is an ever-growing group of individuals out there who dress in Halloween-like costumes day in and out, all year long. What kind of grown adults don leather and felt costumes like six-year-olds ready to run out and yell trick or treat? A very unique and special group of pirates who have used their renewed love of playing dress up combined with the Pirates of the Caribbean theme to bring about joy and childlike wonder to thousands throughout the country and even world. At first glance this past-time can be easily scorned or scoffed, but with a closer look the gold that hides inside the treasure chest is revealed.
About: Guest Writer
This Bendable Foldable/ Do-what-you're-toldable/ Easily moldable/ Buy-what you're-soldable/ Washable Mendable/ Highly Dependable/ Buyable Saleable/ Always available/ Bounceable Shakeable/ Almost unbreakable/ Twistable Turnable Man... Is one of our favorite writer's because it could me ANYONE... Guest Writer, is collection of different writer's who send us stories without becoming a full member of the team. Hope you enjoy!
Film: Pirates for Charities
September 5th, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · 40 Comments
→ 40 CommentsTags: Charity · Editorials
Theater Review: Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
September 2nd, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · No Comments
Maybe I should just die. Maybe I should stop seeing theatre. Maybe L.A. theatre should die.
It’s not that this production of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune is demonstrably bad, it’s that the production is just not good. What is it then? I don’t know. I am tired of seeing sucky theatre. Though I dare say there isn’t any other kind. At least I haven’t seen anything worth while. Except one piece about five years back. I don’t remember the name of the play but it was brilliant. That one was here and now gone, can’t get it on DVD. Aside from that I’ve only seen one other stand-out performance let alone an entirely notable production. That particular performance was by a talented young man who later popped up as a cast member on Judging Amy. I’m sure the lure of television and it’s big money was much more enticing than doing little Rilke plays in Venice. Even if Mr. Rahm liked doing little plays in little theatres he still wound up on Television.
→ No CommentsTags: Reviews · theatre
Plum dandy!
August 29th, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · No Comments
Have you noticed all the small, juicy, ripe little plums in the market these days? Everytime I go to Whole Food’s I buy at least 2 or 3 just-about-ready-to-eat deep dark black plums. In the morning I slice them lovingly in a little dreamy mist of dripping plum juice and scatter them across my yogurt. In the afternoon I might get enraged with lust and rip one open with my mouth in the most un-delicate of ways, my passion calmed by the very hue that ignited it. Ahh, sweet, fresh plums and subtly stained summer lips.
So in the spirit of a waning summer love along with a food-ready holiday coming up on Monday, I thought I’d share with you one of the hot-damn-near lustiest plum recipes I know. “Baking With Julia†is a gigantic, glossy cook book for baking and it was the best thing I got when I signed up for a 10-week “baking 101′ course at The New School of Cooking. Not only that, it holds one of the tastiest cobbler recipes I’ve ever had: Johnnycake Cobbler. PLUM cobbler. Now you gettin’ it? I was also lucky enough to find a fantastic version of this sinfully comforting cobbler on the Cafe johnsonia blog,equipped with mouth watering photos that break down the steps oh-so-simply, and, even more importantly, really get you in the mood to make some of your own magic. (Nudge nudge).
I think they’ll convince you to do just a wee bit of laboring in the kitchen this Monday.
Photo by multi_everything
→ No CommentsTags: Edibles · News
Film Review: Traitor
August 20th, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · No Comments
A super agent is in so deep that his real identity is called into question and his own government is hunting him. Now he races against time to unravel a global conspiracy and free himself from a cycle of violent intrigue.
Sound familiar? In plot and style, Traitor (opening August 27th) might as well be Bourne again, right down to the raw handheld shooting and the icy throb of electronica over soaring, cityscape transitions.
While Bourne wouldn’t have existed without Bond, it seems Ludlum’s freshly-minted movie icon has returned the favor, updating a stale and over-engineered genre with a new quantity of danger. First-time director Jeffrey Nachmanoff (writer of The Day After Tomorrow) can be forgiven for swiping a few trade secrets from Greengrass’s field manual, as whatever the film lacks in head-on collisions and dislocated shoulders is leveraged against a sharp and nuanced original screenplay.
→ No CommentsTags: Film · Reviews
Tropic Thunder: Taking Heat from Coalition Unfamiliar with Term: “Satire”
August 11th, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · 5 Comments
Set for release next week, Tropic Thunder, is already creating a buzz from coalitions who are protesting the movie for its insensitivity toward the mentally disabled.  Claiming that Ben Stiller’s character perpetuates negative stereotypes, some disability advocacy groups are now picketing the Hollywood premiere and suggesting the movie be boycotted; all of this before any of them have actually seen the entire movie.
And we wonder why the the rest of the world laughs at our hypocrisy. Using taboo words and sensitive subjects in comedic satire has been a common practice since long before the invention of cinema.  The key component (and what these special interest groups fail to grasp) is context.  In this case, fully understanding the context is virtually impossible to them as the movie has not been released yet. So instead of writing about the actual film I will base my comments off of the trailers and reviews, as the protesters have done.
→ 5 CommentsTags: Film · News
Tropic Thunder: Taking Heat from Coalition Unfamiliar with Term: “Satire”
August 11th, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · 5 Comments
Set for release next week, Tropic Thunder, is already creating a buzz from coalitions who are protesting the movie for its insensitivity toward the mentally disabled.  Claiming that Ben Stiller’s character perpetuates negative stereotypes, some disability advocacy groups are now picketing the Hollywood premiere and suggesting the movie be boycotted; all of this before any of them have actually seen the entire movie.
And we wonder why the the rest of the world laughs at our hypocrisy. Using taboo words and sensitive subjects in comedic satire has been a common practice since long before the invention of cinema.  The key component (and what these special interest groups fail to grasp) is context.  In this case, fully understanding the context is virtually impossible to them as the movie has not been released yet. So instead of writing about the actual film I will base my comments off of the trailers and reviews, as the protesters have done.
→ 5 CommentsTags: Film · News
Interview with Felicia Sullivan
August 8th, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · 1 Comment
A couple of months ago I had the distinct privilege of reading and reviewing Felicia Sullivan’s memoir A Sky Isn’t Visible From Here. Admittedly, it was a difficult read, the subject matter being her extremely hard life painted so vividly in detail, but one that I could not put down. I felt captured by her words and images and it gave me a really sick feeling. She leads you down the dark tunnel that was her life in which she battles her family, her environment and herself to get a glimmer of light for survival.
This woman whose understandable influences include Vladimir Nabokov, Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf, Joan Didion and Michael Cunningham to name of few, has created a work of art in attempt to find closure to her past.
→ 1 CommentTags: Interviews · Literature
CD Review: You Are Here by thenewno2
August 6th, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · 16 Comments
The long-awaited album by thenewno2 was just released, and it was well worth the wait. The album is extremely diverse, yet it all gels to make one incredibly strong album. With Dhani Harrison on lead guitar and vocals and Oli Hecks on drums, as well as appearances by Nick Fyffe, Josh Lopez, Paul Hicks, Marc Mann, and Tom Hammond, the musicianship is fantastic. There is so much to take in that the first few listens are almost overwhelming. Each song has so many layers of sound and meaning that it can sustain repeated listening without getting boring.
So Vain - This song has a really interesting, ambient kind of groove to it that had me hooked from the first moment. The beginning guitar sounds seem to be reminiscent of the song ‘Lord Lord’ from thenewno2’s Promotional EP 001, but then it soon becomes something totally different. It has a vibe-y atmospheric sound that is developing into a signature sound of thenewno2, and at the same time it is rocking and almost psychedelic in places. The electronic sounds in the background play off the lyrics in a cool way. The music seems to almost illustrate what the lyrics are saying. The song draws the listener into the tone of the album, and into another world for the next 50 minutes.
→ 16 CommentsTags: Reviews · bands
Interview: Jonathan Shaw
August 6th, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · 20 Comments
Jonathan Shaw. There are many words different people may use to describe him. What some may see as only a shallow, brash and impetuous incendiary; actually is a true philosophical, transcendent soul. With layers of insight waiting to be peeled away.
When I decided to approach Mr. Shaw for an interview, I was filled with apprehension. Once he agreed to the initial questions, I then developed a great anxiety over what to ask him just imagining the responses I would receive. Stepping out in faith, I sent him a basic group of inquiries with instructions to answer all, or only the ones that moved him to respond. What I expected to learn about this man from his answers was not at all what I brought away from the interview. I can truly say what had begun as intimidation, turned to pure wonder and enlightenment with this man who calls Johnny Depp his soul brother.
One thing, Jonathan shared with me is the fact that when he did tattoo art, he was heavily influenced by the interaction he would share with the subject. Everyone knows that Shaw has inked some of the biggest names in Hollywood so I asked him about one of Hollywoods biggest actors, Johnny Depp’s ink. So how many of Johnny’s tattoos has Jonathan done and were Johnny’s tattoos a collaboration of their great genius together? He shared with me that he has done most of Johnny’s work and that they were always Johnny’s idea.
→ 20 CommentsTags: Celebrity News · Interviews
Theatre Review: Lost in Yonkers
August 1st, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · No Comments
Theatre 40’s production of Lost in Yonkers is a heartwarming and thought provoking portrayal of Neil Simon’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play.
The theme of a family struggling and pulling together to survive during times of war, and the poverty and uncertainty that war brings with it, is just as relatable and timely as that of the family members’ personalities differences, motivations and histories creating a dysfunction that affects the family’s growth. The play is set in Yonkers, New York in 1942 during WWII, although Simon published it as America was entering into the Gulf War in Middle East in 1991. The story uncovers many tragic moments of this family’s past and the oppressive effects it has on each members’ present and future, expertly written under the guise of a comedy.
[Read more →]
→ No CommentsTags: Reviews · theatre
Reviewing the Rubicon: International Flare on the Coast in Ventura
July 31st, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · No Comments
The Rubicon Theater on Main Street in downtown Ventura has outdone itself for this season, promising to renew its fabulous International Theater Festival again next summer. If you missed it this time, start marking your summer calendar for 2009 now. The festival offered twenty-three striking events in sixteen days, most at moderate prices. The two that I attended were among four sessions offered absolutely free. Bi-lingual Spanish romantic comedy, Ivory Coast political intrigue, Israeli “Spanish Inquisition†drama, scholarly Beckett interpretation, soul-searching cabaret sing-out in the round, a former Cirque du Soleil French mime, and much more grace a variety of Ventura’s most delightful settings. This festival is for lovers of seaside towns, charming architecture, quality theater, and international flavor.
→ No CommentsTags: Reviews · theatre
Theater Review: Long Days Journey Into Night
July 30th, 2008 Written by: Guest Writer · No Comments
Somewhere inside of me I hear a voice warning “ Respect your elders!†I have to ignore that voice because all the actors playing in Long Day’s Journey into Night are elder than I. Maybe I can go about this in a respectful way
But I’ve heard that the truth shall set me free
Argh! What to do?
The set for this piece was astonishing. I was so overwhelmed by the stage and set design that I took several pictures on my phone. I wanted to revisit these later like a handful of shells collected during a day at the beach. These pictures of the beautiful set would be a nice reminder of a wonderful experience. I was so excited by the scenery and set that my expectations jumped even higher than they already were. I mean this is an American classic; a heartbreaking look into a family’s struggle to deal with substance addiction. I’ve been looking for someone to bring the pain. Here it was; the perfect play for some pain to be brought. Sadly the set was the most painful (astonishingly good) part of this production.
→ No CommentsTags: Reviews · theatre