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October 28, 2005

Radio, redeemed

It gives me great pleasure to report that Kyle and I have found a radio station that, at least for now, is making us very happy. It's 99.3 "The Vine," straight outta Napa. The DJs and commercials are about as bad as everywhere else, but the playlist is delightfully random. We can only figure that this station is somehow not owned by a Clear Channel-type conglomerate, and the DJs really just play what they feel like. Our favorite "Vine" moment this week was hearing the "Welcome Back Kotter" theme song right into "Oh L'Amour." Masterful.

Posted by emily at 3:07 PM | Comments (4)

October 25, 2005

Something to sing about

Seeing a local arts group perform a live production of the Buffy musical episode "Once More, With Feeling" seemed to good to be true, and indeed it was. Last week we were informed that the sold-out shows were cancelled because FOX threatened legal action. Christopher, Harold, Jenny, Kyle, Naomi, Nicole, Robyn, Ted and I consoled ourselves on Sunday night by eating our Scooby snacks at the Check's house and singing along to the DVD. We also watched bonus episodes and part of the musical dubbed into French. It was all tres bien and hard to imagine that the original plan would have been any more fun.

Posted by emily at 10:08 AM

October 24, 2005

Harvest Festival

When I found out that Noe Valley was having its first street fair in recent memory on Saturday, I knew there were only two things to do: arrange to borrow Isabel for an afternoon and make plans to meet up with N.V. residents extraordinaire Klaus and Katie. The four of us spent a couple of hours on 24th Street drawing at kiddie-sized tables, eating free orange slices at the farmer's market and cheering on the costume contests (kid and dog divisions). I don't have anything particularly clever to say about it, but Izzle was looking so cute I had to make a post.

Posted by emily at 12:52 PM | Comments (1)

October 21, 2005

On punishment

After "Fresh Air" and "10 at 10" every weekday, Kyle and I try to keep the radio on as long as possible, since we're both sick of all of the CDs in the office. We tolerate the commercials and inane DJs (barely), but sometimes there is a song that just so painfully unlistenable that we can't endure it, and have to put that radio station "on punishment" and change to another station. We've gone whole days without having to do that, but today for some reason we've already been subjected to "Jammin'" by Bob Marley, "Baby I Love Your Way" (the UB40 version), "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins and "Cum on Feel the Noize" by Quiet Riot.

Luckily we haven't heard either today (yet?) but Kyle's least favorite song is "Dance with My Father" by Luther Vandross and mine is "Big Yellow Taxi" as covered by Counting Crows and Vanessa Carlton. When either of those come on we make the Rebecca bear face and the entire radio goes on punishment.

Posted by emily at 12:29 PM | Comments (1)

October 17, 2005

Last call

It's been way too long since I've been out late enough to hear a bartender say "last call," so it sounded especially sweet on Saturday night in the backyard at Zeitgeist. From there, a bunch of us biked out to the de Young art museum in Golden Gate Park. To celebrate the grand re-opening, there was an all-night party(w/DJs) throughout the museum.

The hero of our group was Teri's boyfriend Frank, who not only got us to the front of a 3+ hour line in less than ten minutes, but led the way past the "do not enter" signs up to the Observation Tower, which was closed to the public. It was fun while it lasted, but eventually a security guard came up to escort us off the premises. And when I got to bed it was . Not that I have any plans to do it again, but it's nice to know I could if I really really wanted to.

Posted by emily at 3:28 PM | Comments (1)

October 13, 2005

Hopelessly devoted to karaoke

For two or three years after "Grease" came out in 1978, I'm pretty sure I spent half my free time singing along to the movie soundtrack and the other half imagining what fabulous things would happen to me when the rest of America discovered that I could sing EXACTLY like Olivia Newton-John. Fame, fortune, travel, etc. Well, I debuted "Hopelessly Devoted to You" at The Mint last night and was rewarded with... polite applause. Hmmmm. After all these years, it was a little underwhelming.

Still, it was a wonderfully fun night and the bar was un-crowded enough that we all got to sing many times. The best songs were "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" (Jenny), "Our Love is Here to Stay" (Kyle), "Short People" (Harold), "Why" (Tim) and "The Greatest Love of All" (Tim's hilarious friends). The super-drunk girls sitting next to us loved every note.

Posted by emily at 12:29 PM | Comments (3)

October 12, 2005

The Rebecca Face

One of my favorite things about Rebecca is that you never have to wonder whether she is angry, annoyed or frustrated. If she is any of the above, she will inevitably be making "The Rebecca Face" and will likely be adding a bear claw and a "Grrrrrr" at the same time. I'm happy to report that she didn't do any of these things when I gave her a print of this collage at lunch today. Happy Birthday Rebecca-san!

Thanks to all pictured for their participation in this dumb, but amusing, project.

Posted by emily at 3:21 AM | Comments (1)

October 10, 2005

Cultured out

Mostly by coincidence, over the last nine days I seem to have gone to three operas, two ballets, one program at the Bicycle Film Festival and "Capote." And really, that's enough for now. This week is going to be all about dinner parties, karaoke and catching up with the kids on "The O.C."

Unrelated:

1) It's hard to imagine a movie less appealing to me than the new Keira Knightley "Pride and Prejudice" adaptation. I am a "P and P" purist. The only true "P and P" is the BBC six hours mini-series. Anything else is an abomination.

2) Fleet Week really rubbed me the wrong the way this year. Too loud, too macho. Not fleet enough!

and since Noah said the reason he liked my blog is because I'm not complaining about everything all the time

3) Beth Lisick's "Everybody Into the Pool" is really quite delightful. Sharp, subtle, funny. Check it out (from the library, of course).

Posted by emily at 12:01 PM | Comments (1)

October 4, 2005

Four words I love to hear

Isabel can now say "I love you, Auntie." She also loves Mommy, Daddy, Mim, Pa, baths, olives, ducks, books, wearing eyeglasses, being thrown in the air, and all of her friends from daycare, especially Noah.

Posted by emily at 3:37 PM | Comments (3)

October 3, 2005

World premiere

Saturday night David and I went to the world premiere of John Adams' new opera, "Doctor Atomic." It was way too contemporary for my taste, but I don't feel qualified to give it a full review since we spent the second act in the bar at Absinthe. I will, however, give an unqualified rave to the dress and wrap that Jenny so kindly lent me for the occasion:

My faith in opera was restored on Sunday afternoon when I saw Handel's "Rodelinda." It was absolutely incredible -- the best time I've had at an opera since... well, Handel's "Semele" in 2000. The more baroque the better, I always say. I mean, starting now.

Posted by emily at 2:30 PM | Comments (2)