Watch This — Aww Shucks!

This morning, I crafted and watched "The Courtship of Eddie's Father."

Little Ron Howard's "Eddie" made my face go into one of those crumpled little grins in every scene he graced. This one, in particular, made my eyes hurt for all the stinging.

Get a single tissue and skip to 6:40...

I've Forgotten How to Write a Music Review*

*...though, some past colleagues/editors might argue I never knew how to in the first place!

I went to a show! What's up?!

Saturday night, I went to Costa Mesa's Detroit Bar to check out The Morning Benders (who I've mentioned before).

I'd seen them before, in an opening act role, and was impressed. Add to that, there was a lot of SXSW-generated buzz about them, making this a moderately hot ticket. I just can not express how suddenly age 32 has swooped in and left me grasping at every last thread of coolness. Finding out about and seeing a band before their single becomes a car commercial? Seemingly major.

Saying I was going felt great (I rather relished the faint hint of jealousy in the eyes of the other park moms when they heard of my plans). Being there, on the other hand, was a pain...literally. I needed epsom salts and two next-day naps after that show.

The sets (including the first one, by likable unknowns The Miniature Tigers) were as short and tidy as one would expect from bands with not a lot in the way of a discography. But, for some reason, they didn't start until 10:30, or so. "This is inching up on your bedtime!" my knees seemed to scream out at me. (Though I tried to appease them by wearing sensible-ish shoes, the knees were not happy and they would not be ignored as the night wore on.)

The Morning Benders is a seriously cute band. Their songs are melodic and catchy without being cloying. They're definitely keeping that whole "modern barbershop quartet harmonizing pop song" momentum going and I don't mind it a bit. The audience was a mix of the curious and the ground-floor fans who sang and hugged their significant others through all the songs. I was in the former camp, but I watched them thinking: They are so adorable, I want to put them in my pocket...or, at least, in my earbuds as I'm grocery shopping. One smile- and sway-inducing song led to another. Then they finished up with the pay-off everybody in the crowd had been waiting for — their single, "Excuses," a song so all-encompassingly catchy that any band with aspirations of longevity would put a moratorium on, if they knew what was good for them.

Before the last guitar strap was removed, I made a move for the door. I know now that I am too old to wait for an encore (not that there was one). I had gotten my $10 worth and it was finally time to appease the knees. Will I go to another show anytime soon? No doubt. Will there be a mandate that it be a seated show? No doubt.

Watch This — A Movie Worth Getting a Baby-Sitter For...

First thing this morning, I learned about a new Jean-Pierre Jeunet film releasing stateside. Unlike my usual stance of "initial excitement followed by gradual ambivalence, ending in complete obliviousness" (e.g., "The Informant!," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "The September Issue," etc.) here's an upcoming film that I will actually go to the theaters to see.

In general, movies are a waste of a date night. The effort of setting up a sitter, putting on grown-up clothes and stopping for that last minute vivifying cup of pre-screening coffee seldom pays off a suitable reward.

But this is a whole 'nother story. "Delicatessen" is one of my all-time favorites and it kinda goes without saying that my husband (then, boyfriend) and I had a magical date seeing "Amelie," back when it came out. Now, Jeunet is back, with "Micmacs," and I'm already wondering what going-outfit I will don.

Edit: Mon ami, Daniel, informed me that the last video I posted was cut off on the right. So here, I posted a different version (with cheesy French narration) and it's happening again. Anybody know why?

Of course, the film — which has only played at festivals thus far in the U.S. — will have limited screening when it comes out May 28. And, given that I'm currently in the sticks, it may take a bit more doing to find a theater. Worth it, though!

It's On!

Who needs to wait around for this, when I just learned about this, from Mondette.

photo, Mondette

New Zara Kids at The Grove = mini-roadtrip.

Me + Mondette

Yay! L.A.-based style wire, Mondette, included my humble little line in one of their to-the-minute fashion write-ups today. I feel so honored!

Sales – Swirl Sydicate Cuties, Alternative Apparel Online, Meet Mykita at Gogosha, and more

Art I Heart — APAK

I did a barely-audible squeal when I found this little tidbit of tandem twee this morning. T-shirt/cute stuff depot, Poketo, posted an interview with Portland-based artistic duo, APAK, to plug their newest tee.

The most exciting info from the Q&A? They're working on a kids' book. (Slightly more audible squeal!)

Here's a taste of their Etsy store...

Sloth Tree

Rainbow Worms

Family Hike

Shop 'Til Your Screen Freezes

Let's say you find yourself in one of the following situations...

a.) you're sitting underneath an unbudging sleeping baby

b.) you're waiting in a VW dealership for a recall inspection

c.) you're frittering away your life when you should be looking for a job

d.) you're frittering away your day when you should be doing your job

I have just the thing for you...Polyvore. Yes, after avoiding its addictiveness for months, I finally jumped on the bandwagon.

The main draw of this online shopping site is their "Create a Look" page, where Polyvore's simple directive is "mix & match products from your favorite online stores to create outfits or any kind of collage!" It's the grown-up version of Tada! Shop, which I mentioned before. You can even add music to accompany the sartorial mood you've created. A finger-cramping amount of clicks later and you have looks like these:

Errand-Running by L-ACoolJ featuring Marc Jacobs tops

Dream Date by L-ACoolJ featuring Stella McCartney dresses

Um, nevermind my corny username!

You will diligently sift through the gaudy to get to the gold. You will click, drag, gag and covet. Then, you will look at the clock and you will feel so, so guilty.

Wantables — Laguna Beach Window Shopping Edition

These are far more fabulous in person, trust me.

After sharing a tasty bite at Downtown Laguna's Zinc Cafe and stocking up on kids' paperbacks at Latitude 33, my friend Audra and I hit up the over-priced but noteworthy Laguna Supply. There, she and I fell in love with many things (this is an uncommonly chic OC spot), but none more than the incredibly soft and lovely cotton scarves by LemLem.

I first heard of the brand when they collaborated with J. Crew's Crew Cuts, a couple of years ago. The buzz was that it was the pet project of model Liya Kebede and that she was making floaty, beachy sun dresses for little girls (her own daughter was a poster child for the line). I was excited for the launch because — as silly as it is to admit that one has a favorite — she's my all-time favorite model, for not just her beauty, but also for her international philanthropy on behalf of mothers and children. (BTW, LemLem goods are hand-woven and embroidered by Ethiopian women, who benefit from the proceeds.)

Alas, when I finally came face to face with the Crew Cuts smocks and tunics, I had to leave them on the shelves; there is no way my little cookie monster is ready for white gauzy material, no matter how chic it is. I, on the other hand, could rock it non-stop. So, I was really excited to see Kebede's line offering grown-up goods, even if it was just scarves and sarongs. Alas, I had to pass on them, as well, because I'm saving up for my Euro excursion and $130+ for a scarf doesn't fit into my budget. (Net-a-Porter has them for somewhat cheaper...not that $78-$120 is cheap). I will, however, be stalking these bad boys once sale time rolls around.

P.S. — I wanted to include images of the other things that caught my eye, the store's selection of tunics and bags by Laura Urbanati. While the line's bright yellows, oranges and pinks show zero subtlety, its super-duper uninformative website is the hallmark of restraint.

Caught That Pigeon

Yesterday, we got gussied up for a day at the theatre. The family took in "Pigeon Party," a kid-centric hour of well-meaning inanity at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. My daughter giggled, she cheered, she ultimately curled up in daddy's lap and looked kinda' worn out.

The "play" was a montage of three of Mo Willems' children's books starring a lovable crotchety pigeon and was the last U.S. 2010 tour stop for UK's Big Wooden Horse production company. (The center has hosted other book-to-stage performances in its '09/'10 season, including "Stellaluna" and "Strega Nona.")

Tony-worthy, it was not. Two Brits mincing about with threadbare, minimalist props, reciting the books' words and adding none-too-clever original songs. The gist of the popular books is that the pigeon wants to do stuff he's not allowed to do. This meant that, for the whoa!-whoa! price of $18 a ticket, you bought your pre-schooler the privilege of being able to shout "NOOO!" at the top of their lungs, over and over and over again...for an hour. What was I thinking? Once again, Willems is all up in my pockets and, this time, I paid for something I can get (in bulk) for free!

Hello Hangover

I mean, I knew about this and this, so why was I so surprised to see this?

These aren't new — wine buffs started buzzing about them last summer — but they're new to the sleepy burg in which I reside. Ye olde strip mall liquor store around the corner just picked up on the HK hooch phenomenon and may soon start selling the rosé and sparkling wine (pending a perfunctory trial tasting) for upwards of $40(!). I do believe I may actually buy one, just for the insanity of it all.

Wheeling and Dealing — The Swirl Syndicate Sale Begins

This is the first of (hopefully) many packages I'll be sending out in the mail in the coming days...

A fan of my Swirl Syndicate T-shirt line was quick to take advantage of the big clearance sale that started today.

From now until April 9, all shirts — featuring my designs celebrating kids with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds — are only $10. Yes, that includes the limited run of adult sizes, too!

When the sale is over, my webstore will be closed for a few months while I travel the world and find myself and whatnot. I'll be back in the summer with new Swirl stuff, though, so don't fret. In the meantime...get to scoopin'!

Hackman and Hair Baubles

This morning was all about 1972's "The Poseidon Adventure" and my hot glue gun. One natural disaster, several harrowing feats and one minor finger burn later, I have this clutch of hair goodies (plus, an as-yet unfinished cut-paper project) to show.

I guess I had some pent-up craftiness inside me after last night. I drove 25 minutes to Costa Mesa's Seed for their monthly OC Craft Club meet-ups, only to find it had been cancelled. Aargh! This was my weak attempt at channeling the little bit of creatrix energy that remained after that let-down.

Eraser Crumbs — Snack Attack

My original "vision" for this here drawing was to use it as the visual centerpiece of a corkboard calendar. Alas, my glue gun and the corkboard proved to be mortal enemies (among other flaws in the plan).

Now, what should I do with it? Any suggestions?

The Sun Was Shining, I Went to the Mall

I dipped into the The Shops at Mission Viejo today and came across this, where Crate + Barrel was until a few months ago.

Euro fast-fashion chain, Zara, will soon open across from Caché and between Chico's and Bebe — three stores that are pretty emblematic of this cultural terrain (and I want to stress the extreme looseness with which I apply the term "culture" to southern Orange County). It's an interesting development in a mall where stores have been closing left and right (Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, Mercer and Forever 21's Heritage 1981, to name a few), or have played musical chairs from floor to floor.

The majority of the mall shoppers around me today were stroller-pushing moms in capris and Gap knits, so maybe knocked-off goodies like this, and this will be ripe for my own picking. Who knows? If it's as picked-over as the outposts in South Coast Plaza and The Grove, I'll continue to ignore it the way I do the rest of the mall. But if it has a kids' section...bye-bye, money.

Think Globally, Shop Indie...ly (That didn't really work, huh?)

If news of Wyclef Jean's Haiti shadiness hasn't made you cynical about the cause celebre phenomenon, you may want to consider the latest Haiti-related fundraiser, started by Little Joy's Binki Shapiro. The Crafts for A Cause online auction features the likes of Spike Jonez, Cat Power, Aziz Ansari, Feist and Grizzly Bear's Ed Droste, all of whom have decorated everything from sneakers to skateboards to totes and tees to be bid on by super fans. (You can see behind-the-scenes shots of your favorite indie folk gettin' crafty on the CFC Tumblr.)

According to the auction site, 100% of sales go to earthquake-relief efforts in Haiti. Though the auction started yesterday morning, the site has reportedly raised more than $6,000.

Some of the cooler collectibles...

Natalie Portman's ballet slippers from an upcoming film.

Tom Haverford's (ill-begotten) entry into the Pawnee mural contest (from "Parks and Rec").

For me, though, the most exciting item up for bid is Mark Ronson. To be clear, he'll produce a song for you. What?! I mean, I don't sing, or anything, but I am totally willing to fill the void that Amy Winehouse left in his life. And if dinner and a long-term text-swapping relationship followed, I'm sure my husband wouldn't mind. Maybe, if I got him those ballet slippers as appeasement...

Wantables — Pump It Up (or, not)

Not only do I want these Jeffrey Campbell pumps, I also want to be the type of person who could rock them without feeling self-conscious about their anachronicity (late 80s hip-hop video, anyone?). And, I want to be able to actually walk around in them without a constant grimace of pain and the constant danger of falling.

But, if I see these in Loehmann's a few months from now, it's on.

Watch This — Food Party

Oh, the things I'll watch when my husband is out of town. Pleasures may not get more guilty than "RuPaul's Drag Race," or "Clean House," but they do get more inane. To wit..."Food Party." I heard a little about it when it debuted last June and mistakenly expected more of a cooky, kid-friendly Yummy Clare phenomenon. No, dude...

The creator/host of the IFC show, Thu Tran, is out there in a way that I haven't seen since Pee-Wee Herman — just imagine if his Playhouse was in '00s Brooklyn, instead of '80s L.A., he had a can of Deez Nuts-brand nuts in his freezer and a banana stripper in his living room. Her world is filled with wacked-out handmade puppets, intentionally cheezy props and plot-free plots.

Not only is "Food Party" not particularly family-friendly, it's not even really about food. That is, unless, you have a hankering for green screen cookies and blue cheese-frosted wedding cake dressed with buffalo wings and crudité. (If you're interested, there are a few "real" recipes scattered about her blog.)

Tran is awkward and goofy, yet, more than a little bit intoxicating, á la Charlyne Yi (and, no, I'm not just comparing them because they're both Asian-American). Watching Tran's parade of randomness transports me back to my post-collegiate Adult Swim viewing sessions, when my homies and I would drink beer and cherry limeades while reveling in our arrested development.

Nothing about "Food Party" makes sense. But once you go down the rabbit hole, you become okay with that fact. I'm only salty because I could never be uninhibited, or enterprising enough to try bringing something this ridiculous to national television...and have it get renewed for more than one season, no less (new episodes start April 27).

BTW, that "What Not to Wear" contestant at the Austin American-Statesman reports that Tran is in the ATX during SXSW, should you want to meet her in person.

If It Ain't Broke...

I don't ask for much, really. I mean, I do, but I never really expect to get it. I just want my Thursday night sitcom roster to help me through the week. And lately, that boat's been rocking. It's bad enough that the Winter Olympics put my laugh track on pause last month. And then, there's the sad reality that "The Office" and "30 Rock" have been flat-lining this season, leaving "Community" and "Parks & Recreation" to pick up the slack. But now...

I just read that Paul Schneider (aka, Mark Brendanawicz) is leaving "Parks & Recreation." Yes, every week, Andy and Tom steal the show. But, who's Andy going to continue his hilariously quixotic feud with? Who's Tom going to obvliviously compare peacocking notes with? Who's going to give Ann any reason whatsoever to remain on the show?

The executive producer gives an explanation for his leaving at the end of the season (apparently, it's all part of a story arc they'd planned all along) and I guess it makes sense and all. And then, there's this announcement that Adam Scott from "Party Down" will join the cast. Both actors have subtlety and charm to spare. But Schneider's snark-free, humble straight man vibe will be sorely missed (by me, anyway).

I've been a fan ever since I first saw him in "All the Real Girls," which he co-wrote with David Gordon Green (sooooo good!). And I told him as such when I found myself sitting across from him at Kaldi Coffee Shop in Atwater Village a couple of years ago. He was so self-effacing and sweet, claiming to be shocked that I'd actually even seen it.

And now that soft-spoken affability is being subtracted from my winning equation. What next? Are they going to add an unnecessary new teacher to "Community" — Martin Short, Rob Schneider, or someone of comparable awfulness? Multiply the muting-worthy Jim and Pam baby filler? Sigh. It's (almost) enough to make me take up books again.

Watch This — (With Your Science-Loving Kid)

Okay. I know that hearing this They Might Be Giants song may flood your brain with unpleasant memories of the Cat in the Hat hat-wearing college nerds in the dorm room down the hall. (Um, I may, or may not have associated with some of them once or twice...but if I did, it was purely for research!)

But try to hear it afresh with this video — from the perspective of a curious kid eager to learn more about that mass of incandescent gas, or as a pop art-lover who's curious about the video's creator, Hine Mizushima. (And how about the promise of a cute felted kitty playing a theremin as further enticement?)

via Drawn!

For the Love of Lists — Dance to the Music

This time, I'm taking it easy on myself and letting someone else do all the work. Flavorwire has posted their list of "The 35 Best Dance Sequences in Film." It hits all the right notes for me because I've been absolutely obsessed with hack-y old musicals on TCM lately. In fact, I'm watching a cheese-tastic oldie starring Bob Fosse as I type. In general, I'm not a fan of schmaltz, but it's an odd phase I can't seem to shake (plus, impersonating Ginger Rogers does make doing the dishes seem like less of a chore).

The list spans seven decades and includes personal favorites such as Footloose, West Side Story and Gene Kelly tap dancing on roller skates in (the otherwise whatever-ish, as I learned just yesterday) "It's Always Fair Weather."

The list and its accompanying clips is a fun way to pass the time and you get the same light-hearted feeling of watching the movies without having to actually sit through the talking bits. It does, however, have a few hiccups. For instance, where the hell is Cyd Charisse? Oh, and I winced through Freida Pinto's lousy dancing throughout the otherwise exhilarating "Slumdog Millionaire" finale (their #35). And let's not forget the omission of the following greatness:

Maybe they dissed "The Wiz" because YouTube won't seem to let you to embed decent clips of "Ease On Down the Road."

Here's the most recently released cuteness...

"Twist and Shout" from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"

The hilarious inappropriateness of a little girl dancing to Rick James

You can't front on Rosie! She worked it so hard!

And how could you ever forget Corky's dance from "Waiting for Guffman"?

What did I miss?

Art I Heart — Chiratorn

Yesterday, I popped into wallet-emptying Silver Lake gift shop, Clover. I had a very specific purchase in mind and less than 10 minutes in which to buy it. I narrowly accomplished my task and it so pained me to leave behind their super wantable spring stock — from hand-painted kokeshi dolls, to great cotton separates from LA Made, to melamine kids' dining sets worthy of only the most gourmet of finger foods.

But the items I wanted to spend the most time getting to know were the porcelain vessels (jars, I guess they were?) by Chiratorn Chirapravati.

From the sparse English-language info I've managed to gather on him, he's Bangkok's version of Japan's Yoshitomo Nara. His signature style is watercolor "portraits" of candy-colored, surly-faced girls. They seem like the dream doodles of a particularly imaginative (and very chic) kid. His CV is crazy prolific, with professor, fashion designer and cookbook author as just a few highlights.

I vow to re-visit Clover soon and purchase one of his pieces. If any one has seen his work elsewhere in SoCal, or online (ideally, for less than $70!), do please let me know.

Watch This

The "Basquiat" biopic came out in 1996, a perfect release time for me. That year, I was knee-deep in my pretentious college student phase — the indie-er the film, the better. The cast was chock full of some of my favorites (Benicio, Parker Posey, Gary Oldman), rounded out by the fantabulous Jeffrey Wright playing Jean-Michel and David Bowie as Warhol ("I can't even see what's good anymore" made that movie). These days, I probably wouldn't have the attention span to sit through it again.

But watching this trailer for Tamra Davis' newly released "Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child," has me thinking the words and deeds of the man himself may captivate me in ways a hipster-fied interpretation can't. Sure, Davis directed "Crossroads," but still...

via Black Nerds Network

(Oh, and '96 me would be stoked by the Mike D and Ad Rock being on the soundtrack.)

Allons-y!

The family just booked three tickets to France (60/40 in Nice and Paris) for next month. I'm beyond excited for our first international trip together. But more important than expediting "baby's first passport" and booking a short-term apartment in just the right arrondissment is figuring out the perfect travel wardrobe. It's a daunting task. After all, the above is how the nation's children dress. Crazy right? They're all from the new Spring collection of French children's label, Bonpoint.

There'll be more details about the trip to come. For now, I've got some bags to pack and some petites jeune filles to impress!

Art I Heart — Scott C

"Building with the Bowies" (I need this in my life.)

The kooky, twee-ness of Scott Campbell's work gives the dimples a workout. I love how he uses muted tones for his pop culture-influenced pieces, instead of the typical bolder, brighter hues. There's a handful of his prints over on Poster Cabaret and if you're really into "Lost" (which I am not), he's got you covered. He's doing a show in London tonight, but with any luck, the SF artist will be making the rounds on the West Coast sometime soon.

"Search for the Perfect Spot" (this one's a tribute to Bjork)

"Sky Gossip"

"The Cone Dog"

Update (3.24.10): Check out his new Tumblr page, "Great Showdowns".