6.30.2009

I Heart Michigan & the 4th of July: Union Pier, MI









Love the 4th of July because that = 1 week in my great home state of Michigan.
And still love the lomography app for Iphone (my work, above).

6.25.2009

Date Night: Pilsen


We had a wonderful dinner at Night Wood and then drinks at Skylark.

6.17.2009

Ravinia Night #1 2009: Goran Bregovic




First Ravinia night of Summer 2009 was gorgeous and spirited.
Roots in the Balkans where he stems from, head in the 21st Century which he fully inhabits, Goran Bregovic's music marries sounds of a gypsy brass band with traditional Bulgarian polyphonies, those of an electric guitar and traditional percussion with a curious rock accent.. all against a background of a bedevilled string orchestra and deep sonorities of a male choir, creating music that our soul recognises instinctively and the body greets with an irresistible urge to dance.Born in Sarajevo of a Serbian mother and a Croatian father. After a few years of (very unenthusiastic) music studies at the conservatory (violin), Goran forms his first group "The White Button" at the age of sixteen. Composer and guitar player ("I chose the guitar because guitar players always have most success with girls"), he admits his immoderate love for rock n'roll. "In those times, Rock had a capital role in our lives. It was the only way we could make our voice heard, and publicly express our discontent without risking jail (or just about)..."Studies of philosophy and sociology would most certainly have landed him teacher of Marxist thought, had the gigantic success of his first record not decided otherwise. Follow fifteen years with his group "The White Button", marked by marathon-tours and endless sessions of autographing in which Goran plays youth idol in Eastern countries until he's sick and tired of it. At the end of the eighties BREGOVIC takes time away from this permanent hustle-bustle to compose music for Kusturica's "Times of the Gypsies", and to make his childhood dream come true: to live in a small house on the Adriatic coast. The War in Yugoslavia shatters this, and many other dreams, and Goran has to abandon everything to find exile in Paris.

6.12.2009

Cubs Lose - Weather Wins

Great day at Wrigley w/ David.

6.08.2009

I Heart Photoshop

Bogie's Mom, Demi

Bogie's mom, Demi - and one of those little guys is Bogie (not sure which one).
Demi looks annoyed...guess I would be too, given the circumstance.

Are You Kidding Me?: New Software, New iPhone, New Steve?

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/08/new-software-new-iphone-new-steve-liveblogging-the-apple-extravaganza/?hp

I will be returning my new out-dated iphone as soon as it arrives. Ironically, after waiting some time to finally purchase the iphone, they decided to introduce a new model less than 24hrs later. I (David) now have to go through all of the annoyance and hassle of returning and repurchasing. I guess if that's my biggest problem, I'm doing pretty okay.

6.06.2009

Favorite New Restaurant: Urbanbelly


http://urbanbellychicago.com/
David had the brilliant idea of Urbanbelly for lunch. After making the trek over to California & Belmont (don't be scared by the strip-mall local), we were treated to a truly amazing lunch. We started with the duck & cilantro dumplings. I had the Rice Cake and David had the Urbanbelly Ramen. There are only four large communal tables - given the buzz around this place, lunch/early dinner seems like a more viable option. Highly recommend.

6.03.2009

My Top 20 Movies from the 1960s

Midnight Cowboy ('69)
Rosemary's Baby ('68)
Lolita ('62)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? ('66)
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner ('67)
Bonnie & Clyde ('67)
West Side Story ('61)
The Sound of Music ('65)
The Graduate ('67)
The Apartment ('60)
My Fair Lady ('64)
Doctor Zhivago ('65)
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly ('66)
Oliver! ('68)
Psycho ('60)
Swiss Family Robinson ('60)
Breakfast at Tiffany's ('61)
The Dirty Dozen ('67)
The Birds ('63)
Ride The High Country ('62)

Yes, a lot of musicals in that list. Crazy, I know.
And, 2001 ('68) isn't included. I can't claim to have viewed the entire picture. Criminal, I know. The art direction and production in '2001' is enough to make it a visual victory for the ages.

6.02.2009

My Top 30 Favorite Films from the 1970s (not including 'The Godfather' or 'The Godfather part II')

The Deer Hunter ('78)
Chinatown ('74)
Network ('76)
Don't Look Now ('73)
The Conversation ('74)
All the Presidents Men ('76)
Interiors ('78)
The Last Picture Show ('71)
Badlands ('73)
Apocalypse Now ('79)
Manhattan ('79)
Paper Moon ('73)
Carnal Knowledge ('71)
Being There ('79)
Straw Dogs ('71)
Taxi Driver ('76)
Barry Lyndon ('75)
Harold & Maude
Annie Hall ('77)
Lenny ('74)
Bedknobs and Broomsticks ('71)
Coming Home ('78) (*Nice double feature w/ Deer Hunter)
Harold and Maude ('71)
Alien ('79)
Kramer vs. Kramer ('79)
The Exorcist ('73)
Sorcer ('77)
The Paper Chase ('73)
Halloween ('78)

Per my Dad's request, my top 30 movies from the 1970s (in some sort of order). Thank you to Movieline Magazine for publishing their "Second Golden Age of Film" article in the early 90s - it changed my life. (Dad, most of these are 'common' - but maybe your friend will find one or two new ones in the above list.)