Laughs »Tim Heidecker Tumblr

tim heidecker tumblrTim Heidecker may be a bit thin on content on his tumblr page – but like usual it all makes me laugh. Listen as he strings along a speed diet pill pusher along a nearly endless conversation about his sad life as a school bus driver, his adventures in credit card theft and the one time his dad held a gun inside his mouth. Amazingly, through it all, the woman is still trying to get him to buy her product.

There's also a great AM gold song about a weatherman that includes the wonderful lyric “I said Barry when are you gonna grow up and finally put those brandies down?”

There's also a clip from the infamously short lived Chevy Chase show.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Spend a Couple Hours »Michael Jackson Birthday Bash

I actually missed the memo Spike Lee was hosting a Birthday Bash for Michael Jackson at Prospect Park. From the many flickr photos and the selection of images posted on gothamist, it looks like I missed an Off the Wall good time.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Drinks »Temple Bar

jalapeno mojito at temple barWhen my friend and co worker told me that Temple Bar got no sunlight, she wasn't joking. The place is as pitch dark as you can get with pops of light on each table. The result is a great place to drink cocktails and feel secluded at your table even with people surrounding you.

The cocktails are priced as expensively as anywhere else and I highly recommend the jalapeno mojito, which was refreshing and not overly sweet, even if it could have benefited from a bit more kick. The free snack of popcorn with dried beets and yams is almost worth the price of getting a cocktail alone. We plowed through several bowls over a couple drinks.

The front bar is surprisingly elegant in contrast to their noisy location and 1990s extreme Iced Tea style logo and would be an excellent place for romance.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Restaurants »t.b.d.

bahn mi tbd greenpoint brooklynAside from being the most Los Angeles like place in all of Brooklyn, t.b.d. distinguishes itself from other places to get boozy with it's huge picnic table dotted back yard and most importantly it's incredible grilled take on the increasingly common Bahn Mi. While it may take a while to get from the grill to your table, this hulking, slathered meal of pork, eggs, fresh veg and spicy sauces is worth the wait.

I pushed it into the restaurant category for it's stellar menu, even though the place advertises as primarily a beer garden. The food is taken pretty seriously though and its no surprise that the wonderful flavors come from a former chef at Brix Picks fave Fatty Crab.

Another welcome addition to the growing food and drink scene in Greenpoint.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Books »The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

the heart is a lonley hunterIt's hard to believe that Carson McCullers had so much understanding and empathy for the human condition at age 23 when she wrote The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Set in North Carolina in the 1930's the sweeping but quiet novel is told from the perspective of four local residents: a young imaginative girl, an agitated and educated drunk, a calm restaurant manager, and an angry and intelligent African American doctor.?All four are wandering souls who find solace in Mr Singer, a tall mute whom they can imagine to be anything and anybody they want.

The novel has had a lasting impact on readers for decades. It's so layered and needing of thoughtful attention, that I almost regret I never read this like many have, in a class. I don't feel I quite gave it the time it deserved in snippets between subway stops and late at night after working late.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

TV Shows »Power Privilege and Justice

dominick dunne trutvI was noticing that the dapper Dominick Dunne was looking a bit ill in the latest episodes of Power Privilege and Justice and I was terribly saddened to hear that he passed away last week. The channel played a thirteen hour marathon of his true crime show and if you missed it, I highly recommend recording repeat episodes.

The show focuses on high profile crimes committed by or against the rich and or famous. Many of the cases made headlines and many of those headlines were written by Dunne. He was an insightful and entertaining correspondent for Vanity Fair and essayist on celebrity crime. He brings his wit and expertise to the show as well as a meticulous fashion sense and a collection of smart and unconventional ties.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Style Icons: Male »Bill Gates

bill gates fashionNot only has Bill Gates genius made a new nerd world order, it would seem from these decades old photos (found on Gizmodo) that he's stood for a solid geek chic heavily reliant on good old sweaters.

While I am no fan nor even dabbler in the world of Microsoft, I can appreciate a man who spends his fortunes to help others, and knows how to layer for a mug shot.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Albums »Some Girls

I vividly recall being fascinated by this album cover while digging through dad's basement collection. What kid, or adult for that matter couldn't be impressed with this feat of design? But beyond the aesthetics, Some Girls is also possibly my most favorite Rolling Stones album.

Some purist fans may disagree, but I love the influence of disco on the boys and Shattered and Miss You are some of their best songs. But there's really nary a filler piece on the entire album – they cover one of my favorite Temptations songs, they channel the country music of Bakersfield (with the influence of Gram Parsons) in Far Away Eyes, and they slow things down with the fantastic Beast of Burden.

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Songs »What You Won’t Do For Love

what you won't do for love bobby caldwellOh, AM golden goodness roll over me! What You Won't Do For Love makes me feel like I'm being seduced by penthouse views while wearing Harem pants and accepting a glass of sparkling wine.

The song may sound familiar to you from the many, many songs that sample it. This jazzy number was surely the biggest of his career in the US, but I learned from wikipedia that he has a lasting and devoted fan base in Japan. ?br/>

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Posted on August 31, 2009

Movies »In the Loop

in the loopAmazingly crafted insults and innovative swearing may not be exactly what you seek out in a film, but the hilarious In the Loop might change that. Based on the superb series that I've raved about here, The Thick of It, this British comedy takes the faux cinema verite style and pokes it's cameras into the workings of the corrupt and idiotic governments that rule us.

If you've seen the series and are a fan, you'll be happy to hear that Malcolm is back and as vitriolic as ever. But really, the entire cast is golden, including Steve Coogan whose all too brief appearance as an irate constituent made me forget all his missteps (see Hamlet 2 and having gross sex with Courtney Love).

It will be difficult to find a comedy as intelligent and thought provoking as this one this year. And the best part is that you can watch it at home on IFC on demand while it's playing in theaters.

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Posted on August 31, 2009