The Skunkeye Consumer Guide

Netflix Queue

I finally saw Netflix Plata Quemada last night. It dragged a bit but left an impression. I liked the scene where they were trapped in the flat and shooting the police. Saw American Splendor on Friday - brilliant, heartfelt storytelling. Saturday saw the Magdalene Sisters . It dragged a bit but left an impression. I liked the escape scene where they beat up the evil nuns. Funny all these movies were based on true stories.

I've been seeing the previews for Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation. It looks sublime, brilliant... I've appreciated Scarlett Johansson since the Horse Whisperer- looks like she is going to have a big year what with this and the Girl With Pearl Earring.

I have been very lucky

I have been very lucky at the CD exchange on 18th Street by my house. The following purchases were only a dollar and they are selections I have been looking for:

Warren Zanes Memory Girls
Elysian Fields first EP
Badd Inc. Compilation
"Rushmore" OST

With the exeption of the Electroclash comp, all are essential.

damn birthday

Today is my damn birthday. Carrie made a nice dinner at Smithers and also we had key lime pie and cheesecake. My sister was very thoughtful. She gave a nice spice rack with funky tin-cannisters, a wooden recipe box with dried spices under glass on top, and a photo she took while she was in India with Mom of spices at a vendor. My parents gave me a pink Hermes tie with poodles and a tailored blue shirt with white French cuffs and collar. I think I can pull it off. Also a blender that crushes ice so I can make smoothies. I think Smither had a very good time. I am sad she will be not going to the beach but I am happy she is back on her feet after this horrible spring.

Libertines

Libertines' Doherty Admits To Drug ProblemJust in case the drama around the Libertines didn’t already seem like a soap opera, it’s now seemingly coming at us on a regular weekly basis. Following the news that Pete Doherty — the core member of the band who has been missing their live shows “out of concern for his health,” according to a band statement — had made the most of his time back in London by breaking into and burgling bandmate Carl Barat’s apartment, the singer/guitarist has now admitted to the drug use that many have been not-so-quietly attributing his problems to. Doherty confessed to U.K. newspaper the Evening Standard that he is addicted to both heroin and crack cocaine, and that evidence of both was discovered in his blood following his arrest. He went on to say that he was aware of how bad his problem was and that he desperately wanted to clean up his act and get back with the band, but was unsure how to move forward. Apparently, the band’s label, Rough Trade, sponsored a trip to rehab for Doherty a few months back, but he ran out on the program shortly after being admitted. (8/26/03)
AWOL Libertine Arrested For Burgling
Things aren’t getting a whole lot better for the Libertines. While the band remains out on tour without guitarist/co-frontman Pete Doherty, the absent musician has now been arrested in London for burglary. While details remain scarce at press time, Doherty was apprehended after reportedly entering an apartment in the city, after which he appeared in court and posted bail. The Libertine-in-limbo is due to return for a hearing on Aug. 11. All of this, of course, further squashes fan hopes that Doherty would be back with the group when it returns to the U.S. for a brief string of headlining dates beginning in early August. Meanwhile, one of the last tracks that Doherty recorded with the band, "Don’t Look Back Into The Sun," will be released as a U.K. single on Aug. 18.

Download free Libertines unreleased material here.

Vie De France

Well Essie showed up in her newly fixed car (it has been in the shop for a year) at 6:30 and I met her with the parking pass and we headed over to Vie de france for Wednesday Karaoke Night.
During the day it is lunch/faux patisserie/sandwich shop nestled in the promenade of an 80s-style office building housing the USDA school, a flower/card shop with no flowers, Korean dry-cleaner, lotto corner-type store.
At night the bar opens up and it is a happy hour joint. I always pass it to and from Italian class and after work and it always looks pretty tired and the last thing I want to do in my off hours is spend more time in L'Enfant Plaza.
For lack of better inspiration and out of convenience we decided to have Biddy's farewell thing there. They also have a cheap bu t disgusting make-your-own taco buffet so you can eat.
At first the crowd was very white-collar government worker type. Biddy was going to sing after a couple of drinks but I don't think they would let her because they seem to have "regulars," some with fan-bases. One women went up twice but she didn't sing she just danced. I also think they only let black people sing although there was one Jewish guy who rapped. Everyone was pretty good. Germaine, a nice woman named Mary, Thomas, and two of Biddy's friends came. And later some of the Indonesians came with a man who works in our building and we have never seen spent the whole time talking about the birthday party he will be throwing for his dog. Later the crowd shifted and doo-rags started coming in and there was a cat-fight so it was time to go.

We are waiting for Essie

We are waiting for Essie to start Biddy's goodbye Karoake party. They say I am the one that plans elaborate parties with guest lists then backs out...

Pile

Recent Additions to Pile by Bed
Picasso's Weeping Woman: The Life and Art of Dora Maar
Truffaut: A Biography
The Adventures of Roberto Rossellini
Tropical Interiors: Contemporary Style in the Philippines

Tunes

Heavy Rotation
The Libertines
Junior Senior
Hidden Cameras
Elefant
Benjamin Biolay "Negatif"
Italian Award Winning Titles Series
Pedro Almodovar's Viva La Tristeza!

Wednesday 15 Min.

MY WEDNESDAY 15 MINUTES

My tip made it to Gawker.com!!!

Metrosexual Outing

To quote Choire quoting the Post quoting Dan Peres"The Washinton Post hosted a live chat this afternoon with Details Editor in Chief Dan Peres on the philosophical subject of metrosexuality. Sample question:

Arlington, Va.: Sounds like many American males have transformed themseleves into women. Who are these people? None of my friends would dream of getting a facial or 'pampering' ourselves.
Dan Peres: [...] [Metrosexuality's] about men developing their own sense of style and not being scared that their buddy is gonna look at him and call him a fairy.every month."
What is a "Metrosexual"? [Wash. Post]

A little late for that, evidently. Here's Mr. Peres' musings on the topics of temporality, linguistics, and authorial presence: "I will say that words come and go. Think of yuppie. Think of grunge. Metrosexual may or may not be the type of word that is out of the lexicon in a couple of months. If you want to better understand who this man is, what his interests are, then I hate to say it, but buy Details. My voice is in it from the first page to the last "

Washington Post Dan Peres Chat
I feel very hip and it is going to my head... the brilliant Choire Sicha (President of New York Fucking City and subbing chairman of Gawker.com) emailed me... "Genius! Thank you."

FEATURED GUEST

Yesterday by my arrangement Ambassador Paul Cleveland was the guest on the Policy Office's On the Line. It was good to see him and he is doing well and will be married in September. He aslo kindly agreed to be interviewed by the Indonesian Service.

In other news, while I was taking him around the building/studios, the Biddy, the Ladies, and The Man decided to put the new refrigertor in my office area/cubicle. Now I can no longer host my many exciting visitors and guests since there is no room. But I can conveniently serve them cold refreshments.