ISS 13 (2006) NOV 1 - NOV 17
Who : Sugarblade
Where : The Picadilly Pub
When : Tuesday, October 31st
Nestled between the first band and the third opening act on a four band bill at The Pic on a week night, Sugarblade did what many bands would probably do in a similar situation: Play a conservatively-short length set and not act like they were the headliners. They managed to do both while at the same time demonstrating to costumed and plain-clothes patrons alike that they are competent on their instruments and cohesive as a unit.
Sugarblade are a shining example of their collective influences as listed on their myspace webpage. Rather than recount exactly how they hit this mark, it’s probably more helpful to talk about their seven-song set in terms of what else came to mind.
Song one was a trip to the disco but in a rock style. Long stylized streams of feedback came from Alec Brietzke’s guitar while the rest of the band pushed the song through its paces. Gregory M’s bass lines were intricate throughout, a method applied to most of the playing that followed. With his head cocked to the side, singer Miguel Staunton delivered vocals that sailed out over the music taking the audience for a Sunday drive through rolling countryside. During the second song Alec came off at times like Jack Black’s character in School of Rock while Miguel cemented himself as a singer and not a yeller. The third song was a grower; it rapidly grew on everyone and really sank in by the third verse having as an additional bonus the accompaniment of a very catchy chorus. Up fourth was a song that began decidedly mellow but progressed into something sounding much like some of Angus Young’s extended solo work on AC DC’s double live album from 1992. This isn’t a dig or a compliment; it’s just what the song sounded like. There are moments when listening to music that triggers are pulled linking one sound to another long since archived in the synapses of the listener. Song five was, like the first song, peppered with guitar effects at different points that sounded kind of cool. The sixth song saw Miguel really hammering down on the vocals, but still maintaining his very composed stage presence, and to symbolize that things were drawing to a close, he managed to pull his jacket back on before the seventh song was finished.
Kim Urhahn delivered a loud and solid set of percussion. Miguel and Kim communicated in eye contact and gestures during the breaks in most of the songs. While it was hard to see what was going on for Miguel, Kim came out of almost every exchange smiling or laughing. Gregory maintained a somewhat serious demeanor all set while Alec handled communication with the audience between songs.
It was hard to tell whether Sugarblade was having an ‘on’ night or not as their set came off as adequate but not extraordinary, satisfactory but not stellar. It certainly seems that their ability to be larger live is intact. Luckily for all of you, they are playing a whole host of Vancouver-area shows in the next three weeks. Who knows, as headliners there might be no doubt that playing second in a four band bill on a week night at a small club is not the ideal formula for Sugarblade’s ideal performance. *
Matt O
The Urbanflow Project
When : Tuesday, October 26 12pm
Where : The Dance Centre
I have to be honest, when I first heard about the urbanflow project I envisioned a small studio on Davie and with a bunch of hippies dancing around to the beat of a drum. Okay so that’s not exactly a fair judgment but all I had to go off of was the name. I arrived to the dance center, pleasantly surprised to find it was a stylish and large gallery/theater. I arrived ten minutes before curtain and already every seat except for the odd single had been taken, mostly by school students on some sort of field trip. I found a middle seat right in the front row, put on my glasses and in no time the light went down.
Yeti man choreographed by JoJo ZolinaThe first show consisted of two males, one dressed in all black and the other white dancing around with a flashlight, creating a large shadow effect in the background. Music with
something about a yeti played eerily throughout the theatre. I must it admit, it may have been something I was more into if it hadn’t been noon and just woken up less than an hour earlier. It was creative, I’ll give it that and if the lighting guy had kept the shadow effect up it may have impressed me more. Some parts just looked like a guy dancing with a flashlight.
Sketch choreographed by Amber Funk BartonThe second show caught my attention as soon as the beat to Arcade Fire’s powerful tune, “Rebellion” boomed loudly into my sleepy head. This is going to be good, I thought as a powerful looking woman named Amber commanded our sole attention. She began her dance banging her head up and down as if in a crowd of thousands at the hottest punk show in town. As the chorus picked up she blended these punk club moves with graceful ballet and modern dance transitions. Dancing to a style I could only describe as “Punkay”. The transitions and timing was so smooth and concise you wanted to tap your feet and dance with her. Amber’s energy was pumping and you could feel her presence and energy hitting like a pile of bricks. This was something real, an experience of a true woman.
Static choreographed and performed by Heather L. GrayHeather’s performance intrigued me in the beginning as one is always intrigued by a flat stomached, petit blonde, dancing solely onto the stage. Her performance was driven by passion, but the topic was less than intriguing. After seeing a hundred teenage films, stories, and songs about thoughts of suicide and death it’s just gotten old. Her dancing was good and she did a brief piece as a mime trying to escape through a brick wall, which at one point left me feeling I wasn’t even watching dance anymore.
Elements choreographed and performed by Over the influenceFour cute, mixed culture, breaking, street dancers from the West Coast, how could you go wrong? Dressed as the four elements: earth, air, water, and fire, these boys embodied the elements with unique styles of street/club/rave style dance. They were fierce, with only their eyes to form a distinction. The dancer playing the role of water was extremely liquid and fluid in his movements, leaving me amazed to hear he had been dancing for less than a year. Each dancer brought his own unique ability and strength to make a complete piece that could become epic for the team should they tighten up a bit more. In all, it was extremely entertaining, aesthetically pleasing and when the guys took of their masks it left me wondering. Why on earth cover up? *
Charity West
The Dance Centre has tons going on. Check it out! www.thedancecentre.ca
The Dance Centre
Level 6, 677 Davie Street
Vancouver BC V6B 2G6
Who : Incura
With : The GLIM Project
Where: The Media Club
When : Friday, October 20th
The power of Incura’s live performance revolves around the presence and abilities of the band’s frontman, Kyle Gruninger. To anyone who has seen Incura play this statement will come as no surprise, but for the uninitiated it’s worth unpacking this a little.
Kyle is polished in every respect. His ability to jackhammer his body and trash his head on stage with enough vigor to make you think Ritalin is needed is impressive. He sings with three-dimensional range, able to hit the highs with Raine Maida-like quality and sore through the lows in the same manner as Maynard James Keenan or the guy from System Of A Down, at the same time moving from 8 year old choir boy persona to screamo with ease. The second song of their set, “The Sweat Runs Cold,” was a great example of this.
His transitions through his range are spotless and he does it all with an enviable effortlessness. He moves on stage with an obvious comfort and exudes confidence in everything he does. His between-song banter with the audience was on. Despite the fact that most of it revolved around a distinct ‘in group’ of fans and every third word was a variation of “fuck”, he seemed to have everyone’s ear. He probably could’ve done a sales pitch on market-positive thinking and we would have listened. There is a quality of performance in Kyle Gruninger that cannot be taught or learned, and if all this wasn’t enough, he’s even got all that surface crap that shouldn’t matter in a rock band: The boyish good looks; the hair; the eye makeup.
With all this talent and flair rolled into one package, however, it was hard to pull one’s attention off of Kyle and on to the other four members of Incura. A rhythm section of Jono Olson and Kris Drepko on drums churned out a solid but disappointingly safe set of beats that stepped in time with Gatlin Fitzgerald’s guitar work. Jim McLaren’s keyboards moved in the background and at times oscillated between a sound similar to that 80’s song ‘The Final Countdown’ by Europe and something that drummed up thoughts of darkness and rain and marching. It all fit together well and the result was a good bunch of tunes that were rocked out to by many of those in attendance.
While by no means boring, the music of Incura feels somewhat unfinished. Whether intentional or not, Kyle and his singing were the only aspects of the band that were showcased. Almost all of the breaks and changes in Incura’s material revolved around his vocals. This may be hurting some of the band’s potential. Kris Drepko, for example, is a much better drummer than Incura’s songs would lead one to believe. His time was perfect and there was a precision to his playing indicative of someone who’s probably got a ton more untapped tricks and ideas at his disposal. The recent addition of Jim to Incura also adds huge potential to the band’s sound as his keyboard parts hinted at in their third song of the night, “Paperfaces”. Maybe it’s a process that’s already begun, but the musical pieces of Incura aren’t being pushed in the same way that Kyle pushes his vocals. Hopefully, further songwriting and playing will see Incura’s sound and presence diversify.
Incura enjoyed a devoted group of fans and overall the band certainly gave everyone who came to see them what they were looking for: A fun, high-energy set. Incura finished to much cheering and admiration from the crowd, clearing stage after a six-song set and making way for The GLIM Project.
It was indeed an auspicious evening for the GLIM as they officially unveiled their new self-titled album. Singer and guitar player Lucanus began the set by announcing that the GLIM would play the whole album and play all the songs in the order they appeared on the album.
With Marco working off of a compressed version of Kris Drepko’s drum kit, E wearing his nail infested bass strap, Geoff standing stage right on guitar, and Lucanus definitely not suffering from the flu, GLIM began their set. Hitting hard, and then still finding room to up things, the band really got going during the third song. Like Incura, The GLIM Project has a strong and loyal local fan base and like Incura, the GLIM has earned the support. The nearly lyric-free “Vague” incited much jumping around and trashing from the floor and after that the set took on a life of its own. It felt like a home coming. “Don’t Pretend” and “Apprentice” were great songs. The crowd favourite “Say Goodnight” was accompanied by an invite to join the band on stage. Fans quickly and enthusiastically obliged. Then it was over. The flurry of activity passed so quickly. Ten songs blew by in an instant. The GLIM have so much awesome rock ‘n’ roll energy that having a good time when they’re playing is almost automatic. They don’t posture or pretend or give any indications of insincerity in anything that they do musically. They don’t look sad or angry on stage, just intense and people who watch them really seem to respond to this energy. It keeps fans coming back for more, and members of The GLIM Project are good with this. *
Matt O
This week, we examine three recently released films. American icons, Clint Eastwood and Martin Scorsese, direct two. Sophia Coppola is the director of the third film. She is the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, whose portfolio includes such films as ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘The Godfather’ trilogy of films.
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006)
Clint Eastwood is a master craftsman whose films consistently feature fine writing, acting and cinematography.
As director, he has chosen stories about ordinary people coping with extraordinary circumstances. The tone he strives to create is one of realism, the blood and sweat of life. In ‘Mystic River,’ Sean Penn plays a man whose daughter is murdered and he deals with this life-shattering event by blindly seeking his own justice. The characters in the story have all known each other for a long time and you feel the pulse of the neighbourhood as the accusations lead to violence. In ‘Million Dollar Baby,’ Hilary Swank plays a woman whose last hope of success in life is to box, to fight her way out of the social economic place she resides. The film is resplendent in the smell and sweat of the gym and the intimacy of two fighters in the ring. ‘Flags of Our Fathers’ is a film that examines how ordinary young men are asked to perform unspeakably violent acts as soldiers in World War Two and how those experiences are packaged and marginalized by the public.
This film follows three story lines simultaneously. One track follows the present day search by the son of a WW II Navy man who fought with the Marines at Iwo Jima. He is trying to piece together the war experiences of his father, experiences his dad would not discuss with anyone. The second track follows his father and the 30,000 other vAmericans who stormed the island of Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945 in an attempt to dislodge 20,000 well-fortified Japanese soldiers who were defending an island they considered to be Japanese soil. This was the bloodiest single engagement the US fought in World War II.
When they eventually secure a strategic mountaintop, the men hoist an American flag. A politician following the troops asks for possession of that flag as a souvenir. Not willing to give in to the politician, the marines hoist a second, larger flag and this event was photographed. It became one of the most famous photos of the war. Of the six men in the photo, three survived and were shipped back to the US to lead the crusade of selling war bonds to the public. The three are the Navy man John "Doc" Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford) and Native American Ira Hayes (Adam Beach).
The third track follows their exploits as part of that tour and their exploitation at the hands of the government. Both Doc Bradley and Rene Gagnon coped with the demands of the extensive tour as best they could. Ira Hayes had a very different experience, as his label of ‘the hero of Iwo Jima’ did not diminish the more visible label of Indian. Not only was he constantly referred to as chief, he was subjected to racism by not being served in bars.Hayes chose to cope with this stress and the stress of the tour by resorting to alcohol which fueled the ‘drunken Indian’ stereotype. All three of the principal actors are exceptional, especially Canadian Adam Beach.
The scenes of battle on the shores of Iwo Jima are reminiscent of Steven Spielberg’s take on the storming of Normandy Beach in ‘Saving Private Ryan.’ Eastwood does not mask the horror of war and the horrid acts of survival the men had to perform as marines. He effectively juxtaposes the soldier’s experiences in battle with the theatre of the war
bonds drive.
On the tour, the men’s horrific experiences are diminished and trivialized by being treated like rock and roll stars. Even the mountain where the flag was raised became a model for an ice cream dessert. In Chicago, Bradley, Gagnon and Hayes run up a paper mache mountain and hoist the flag in a re-creation of their experience at Iwo Jima. Their memories of the actual horror of war come crashing into their imaginations and you understand why they are feeling like puppets to the war bond machine. Their spirit is with their buddies still fighting, and especially their friends who lost their lives. Clint Eastwood demonstrates in this film of grief, intimacy and explosive violence, that he is a one of America’s finest directors.
Running Time: 132 minutes
Four Stars our of Five
tableWorkaround2(945)
MARIE ANTOINETTE (2006)
In Sofia Coppola’s third film, Kirsten Dunst stars as Marie-Antoinette. Historically, she was a 14-year-old princess who was sent from Austria to France to marry the son of the King who eventually inherits the throne with Antoinette at his side. This arrangement solidified the bond between Austria and France and was specifically engineered to produce an heir to the throne of France. Her new husband, Louis (Jason Swartzman),is young and clueless to the responsibilities of a husband and a future king. It takes a visit by Marie’s brother (played by Danny Huston) to tone him up to facts of life. Rip Torn plays King Louis XV, a randy, jocular king who has a live-in mistress (Asia Argento). She is despised by the women of the court for her poor manners and lack of class. Judy Davis plays the Duchesse de Noailles who is the chief mistress to Marie-Antoinette. The film takes place almost entirely in the Versailles palace, a monumental building which symbolized the gross excess of the royal court. Near the end of the film, the palace is besieged by mobs of hungry peasants, a precursor to the French Revolution. Shortly thereafter, the revolutionaries beheaded Marie-Antoinette. Coppola spares us this detail in her film.
Much time and energy was well spent creating the authentic costumes, furnishings, and luscious, elaborate displays of food and drink. The actors, though playing members of the royal court of France, speak with accents including American, French and British. Coppola also interspersed period music with modern music from such artists as the Strokes and Adam and the Ants. I found the variety of accents and the musical choices to be incongruent with the historical period portrayed in the film, enough to be distracting at times.
Kirsten Dunst is marvelous as Marie-Antoinette though I never thought of her as a teenager. Her character is a woman trapped in her circumstances and Dunst portrays Marie’s swings from frustration, loneliness and high spirits with exceptional skill. Jason Swartzman, who was well cast in the existential comedy ‘I <3 Huckabees’, seemed flat as the clueless King. He never expressed any emotion save for his anticipation of meeting his arranged bride. Rip Torn, who is always entertaining to watch, seemed to be miscast as the ribald King, his Americanisms barely concealed by his powered wig.
This film portrays the insular, easy paced world of the royal family living at Versailles. The King hunts every day. The queen goes for walks, plays cards with her friends and reads. She even shops as the retail trade comes to her with every manner of fine fabric, shoe and accessory available. But this pace, carried over 2 hours, began to drag.
This is a film with high aspirations. Unfortunately it just misses being a great film on too many fronts.
Running time: 123 minutes
Two Stars out of Five.
THE DEPARTED (2006)
Martin Scorsese returns to his urban roots with one of his best films. And just as in such films as ‘Taxi Driver’ and 'Goodfellas’, Scorsese is in his element when dealing with the violent acts of both the gangsters in their pursuit of crime and the police in their efforts to shut them down.
The story, based on the 2002 Hong Kong film ‘Infernal Affairs’ is about how the mob, lead by the raucous and raunchy Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), has planted a mole deep within the police squad. At the same time, the police, lead by Sergeant Dingam (Mark \Whalberg), Captains Queenan (Martin Sheen) and Ellerby (Alec Baldwin) have a mole deep inside the mob. Neither spy knows the identity of the other and both groups are desperately trying to root out this cancer within their organization. The two undercover cops are Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon). The love interest, for both of these cops, is a psychiatrist named Madolyn (Vera Farmiga). Even though they may seem confident, no one character is safe and there is an underlying fear in every character, a kind of knowing that the rug may soon be pulled from under them.
The acting in this drama is uniformly excellent. Lead by Jack Nicholson whose character is both perversely playful and coldly murderous, he’s a delight to watch. Special mention should be made for the work of Vera Farmiga as she fights for some stability and truth both in herself and the men in her life. An important technological addition to the advancement of the story is the effective use of cell phones and text messaging. It’s never been used in quite this way before.
The film features a lively sound track that includes the music of the Stones, Van Morrison, Patsy Cline and the Beach Boys. Scorsese is a master at setting mood and the tension is relentless and enthralling from start to finish. This is a film with scenes of graphic violence so be forewarned. ‘The Departed’ is a demonstration of an American master at work.
Running Time: 152 Minutes
Four Stars out of Five
Allan Stanleigh
Let's Hear it for the Boys
Lets face it. When it comes to modern fashion men go largely unnoticed. While in nature it is the male with the colourful plumage, on the streets men are overshadowed by their female counterparts. Men tend to buy basics and wear the same thing repeatedly for years on end. Since men’s fashion doesn’t change quite as fast as women’s, men often get away with thispractice without looking hopelessly out of date (unless they are still wearing a piano key necktie). It is important to add newpieces into the mix in order to avoid blending into the masses and project an interesting, creative and professional appearance.
Here are a few stylish options for men this winter for both work and play.
1. V neck sweater. A classic basic that can be worn over a button up dress shirt for work or with jeans and loafers for theweekend. Escape monotony and buy a colour as opposed to black or a neutral.
2. Casual Hoodie. Use this piece for layering this winter. Wear it under a jacket or blazer.
3. A Casual Blazer- possibly in a tweed or corduroy to be worn outside of the office and make casual dressing more polished and put together.
4. A Military Inspired ¾ length coat or trench. The military look has been all over the runways lately but is understated enough to work from year to year. The cut of these coats are classic but have been updated and infused with interesting details suck as buttons, clasps and patches.
5. A Scarf. Not only is a scarf a practical option for keeping warm, it draws attention upwards and adds some much needed colour to ones sun-drained face. Try this season’s hottest trend and incorporate some plaid into your wardrobe. Many are a bit wary of the plaid trend, as we have only recently recovered from the plaid infused grunge era. A plaid scarf is a simple way to ease into the trend slowly.
6. A grey suit. Less traditional than a black suit and can be worn as separates to vary your look at work. Get it in lightweight wool and it will transition seamlessly from season to season.
7. A graphic print T-shirt. Notice how I did NOT say novelty T-shirt. Rather than wear a T-shirt proudly emblazoned with “One Tequila. Two Tequila. Three Tequila. Floor” try buying a T with an interesting print and colour to create visual interest.
8. Khaki or Green Cargo Pants. Works with almost any shirt creates an easy, low maintenance style that is slightly less predictable than jeans. Just make sure not to fill every pocket with all your cell phone, palm pilot, wallet, keys etc so you don’t look lumpy. If you have that much stuff get a man bag!
9. A Truly Great Fitting Pair of Jeans. Jeans are this generation's fashion staple. The number of new jeans labels, cuts and styles have grown exponentially so take the time to find the one that suits your style and lifestyle best.
10. Dress-Casual Shoes. Somewhere in between running shoes and dress shoes. These shoes should fill the gap between the gym and the office.
Accessories
- Sunglasses
- A military or newsboy hat
- A man bag or a leather laptop bag
- A leather belt
All these pieces can work together so just experiment and have fun with it. *
Jaime Shulman
The Draco Tavern by Larry Niven
Aliens have reached Earth, building a docking port with our planet located in the frozen tundra of Siberia. While most Earthlings worry over what this might mean for them, one human sees a golden business opportunity. Rick Schumann is no dummy. He realizes long before anyone else that the one thing that any species needs no matter what galaxy they may come from, is a place to go, unwind, and have a drink- especially after an impossibly long journey. The Draco Tavern is born and quickly becomes a popular interspecies gathering point for aliens and human. This book by Larry Niven gathers nearly 30 different short tales centering in and around the Draco Tavern and its regulars.
I loved the concept of the tavern itself. Like with many science fiction stories the idea of an establishment springing up where all creatures could gather as equals and refresh and meet was so simple and so sensible it makes you wonder why you never thought it up yourself. Setting the bar on Earth, even if it was the alien landscape of Siberia, instead of a place of imagination like the moon grounded the stories and gave them a touch of realism that sucked you right into the more fantastic events or characters.
The stories themselves are a mixed bag- some I now count in with my favorite short stories of all time, others seemed very amateurish. To be fair the stories themselves were written over a period of time longer then I’ve been alive, spanning the past 30 years or so, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they are a little uneven. But I did think that even so they were poorly placed and could have been edited to transition together better. Some stories spent a lot of time going over events that had already been talked about in previous stories in the collection, and it sometimes got a little tedious re-reading the same things over and over. But The Draco Tavern is definitely still worth a read, even if just for the great introduction by author Larry Niven where he expounds on the importance of an intergalactic watering hole. *
Renee Mallett
Ten Things to Do When it is Cold and Wet Out
So “winter” is here. Okay, so it is still technically fall. Personally, though, I think that if it isn’t t-shirt weather, it is winter. Plus, since Vancouver gets so little snow lately, anything cold and rain-oriented means winter to me. (I own windbreakers and umbrellas, not parkas and insulated boots). Finding things to do now that the beaches are desolate and the golf courses filled with puddles is a little more difficult at this time of year, so I have compiled a list of suggestions for those grey evenings and
weekends.
1) Be a “tourist” in Vancouver, and go see all those exhibits you haven’t seen since that field trip in grade 9.
- H.R. MacMillan Space Centre- http://www.hrmacmillanspacecentre.com/ Go see “Laser Floyd” or “Laser Doors, Hendrix and Zeppelin” (psychedelic drugs not included). Tickets are only $10.50, and it really is something to be remembered.
- Try Science World. Always fun, always interesting, and pretty reasonably priced at under $20 including the IMAX movie. See www.scienceworld.ca for the current exhibits.
- The Vancouver Aquarium is mostly indoors, so you can still see almost all of the animals, even if it is raining. It’s only $18.50, and a nice way to spend the afternoon. www.vanaqua.org
2) See a movie – but not just any movie. Visit the Imax theatre at Canada Place for a big show. “Mystic India,” “Haunted Castle 3D” and “Deep Sea 3D” are playing now, and “The Polar Express” is coming soon. Only $12.50 per ticket.
3) Watch Theatre Sports at the New Revue Stage on Granville Island. Wednesdays are two for one. Ticket prices vary according to the day and time you want to go, so check out www.vtsl.com for times, shows, prices, etc.
4) Go to the Vancouver Museum, located in Vanier Park. Right now, they have an exhibit of Native North American Jewellery on top of all the other exhibits to do with Vancouver’s history. Tickets are about $15 – see www.vanmuseum.bc.ca for more info.
5) For some more culture, wander around the Vancouver Art Gallery and check out the talents of artists from around the world, including Canada’s own Emily Carr. Tickets are $15. Every 4th Friday, you can experience FUSE, the bringing together of art and music. The next show is Friday, November 24th, beginning at 6:30pm and going until 11:30pm.
6) Go up to Grouse Mountain to see Santa and his reindeer. Beginning in late November, you can talk to Santa, go ice skating, take a sleigh ride, or just enjoy the views. www.grousemountain.com for details.
7) Go see a psychic, or have one come to your party. If you don’t believe in it, it is at least good for a laugh. I’ve heard good things about the Psychic Studio on Granville Island www.psychicstudio.ca
8) Visit the Bloedel Floral Conservatory in QE Park. It’s a nice way to be “outside” when it is pouring rain outside, since the entire attraction is under glass. www.city.vancouver.bc.ca gives you an idea of what you will see inside.
9) Two words: Giggle Dam. It is damn hilarious – and for $48, you get a 4 course dinner and an improvised show that involves music, acting and the audience! I’d book in advance if you are planning on going, especially with a large group. www.giggledam.com
10) Finally, if you just don’t feel like doing anything at all, go to the SPA! It’s not just for girls anymore, either. Most spas cater to women AND men, or even couples. Get a hot stone massage, a facial or a pedicure. Nothing beats those rainy, wet-coast blues better than a little pampering. Try Spa Utopia www.spautopia.ca or Absolute Spa at The Century
www.absolutespa.com for starters. *
Carolyn Sapach
When Does Cute Become Creepy?
You’ve been dating someone for a few weeks. It’s going very well. You can see a future with them and you even do the cutesy baby talk! And then out of nowhere, things get a little weird. Not the kind of weird like when both of you had all the same toys, and loved all the same movies, but the kind of weird that makes you say, “man, that was really creepy!” It seems that almost everyone has a story of a relationship that just got kinda weird because of the other person’s actions. Sometimes while trying to be cute and sweet, it actually becomes creepy. So where is that line, how do you cross it, and what should you do if you do cross it?
One of the major creepy crawlies comes from being over protective. Have you ever had someone pretty fresh in your life and all of a sudden, they are concerned about your safety day in and day out? A friend of mine told me a story about this guy who one night insisted on walking her home, and once they got there, wanted to sleep on her couch to make sure she’d be ok. Hmm, in some cultures that might be sweet, but at the time, she lived with her parents, and lived in a very safe neighborhood. After an hour she finally persuaded him to leave. Thanks, but no thanks buddy!
Another creepfest is when you decide you are no longer interested, and the other person just won’t take the hint. One of my girlfriends told me about a guy who wouldn’t leave her alone, she just wasn’t into him. She said she tried to be nice about it, but finally she had to tell him flat out not to call her anymore. A few months passed, and out of the blue, he stated text messaging her (to which she ignored) then the phone calls started. He would leave these long winded messages about how he couldn’t sleep at night and the thought of her was the only thing that would get him through the night. Ya, like she was gonna rush to call him back!
The hands down creepiest thing I have ever heard though was from a buddy of mine. He couldn’t understand why this girl he’d been dating for a few weeks wouldn’t call him back. After a bit of digging, it turns out that he had been professing his like to her, and said “I would drink your bathwater I am so attracted to you” Apparently Rico Suave didn’t realize that a couple weeks into dating someone wasn’t exactly enough time to unleash the sleazebag that resides in all of us!
To be fair to men, there are a lot of psycho chicks out there. I had a friend (read it, HAD a friend) who was so obsessed with a guy that she was dating that she constantly walked by his house to see if he was home. Most times he was, and one day, after the 5th or 6th walk-by with her peering in, the blinds slammed shut, and he was MIA last I heard.
Another acquaintance of mine was totally broken hearted that a guy she’d been dating a for a few weeks dumped her, that she made a voodoo doll, and convinced a few people to watch her burn it as she shouted at it. I’m not sure if she has yet been committed, but fellas, if you meet a lady called “Kari” beware!
The hardest thing about having feelings for someone is that they are tough to control. The even harder part is if they aren’t reciprocated, those feelings usually intensify; we always want what we can’t have. There is no line of demarcation between cute and creepy, but here are a few tips : If you do something to express your feelings, watch how the other person reacts. Don’t be blind, we all know what shocked looks like, and we all know that when someone recoils in disgust, it is NOT a good sign. I would highly recommend not doing anything uber elaborate to declare your new found feelings for someone (A la Tom Cruise on Oprah, damn well killed his career…good thing them scientologists don’t mind creepy or crazy for that matter!) for at least 4 months. In that time, it’s ok to tell them how much you enjoy spending time with them, or how you love the way they say certain words. Don’t tell them that the way their lips move makes your privates quiver (unless in the bedroom or course, that’s a whole different ball game!). Think before you speak. Every action has a reaction, and if you accidentally go a little nuts pull back for a couple days, let things cool down, then give an honest explanation of why you lost your head. If you did something stupid, and can’t seem to recover, don’t worry, your actions will make for a great story down the line! *
Lisa Powell
Art : Jason Willmann
Robot Chicken…Rude and Irreverent
Those in the know ; know Seth Green - former child actor turned thespian extraordinaire. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged me; Goldmember; Weird Science; Batman Beyond: The Movie; The Italian Job; are just a
few of his movie credits that begin when he was ten years old with a staring role as ‘Egg’ Berry in The Hotel New Hampshire. Jodie Foster’s Production Company Egg Pictures is named after his character.
Television has been the mainstay of a career that combines actor, writer, director and producer to his professional credits. Mad TV; Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Will & Grace; Sesame Street; That 70’s Show; The Drew Carey Show; are a few from an enormous list of roles that prove this guy is in demand. Always has been.
Green is the man responsible for one of the most overused catch phrases in the lexicon of 90’s slanguage.He appeared in a Rally’s Burger commercial as the objectionable drive-through cashier who’s repetitious line “Cha-Ching” became a part of pop culture.
He’s picked up a lot along the way in his many and varied roles and offers it up in his new creation, ‘Robot Chicken’, a twelve minute show that is cutting edge satire, skewering all things sacred in movies, television, music and, in particular, celebrities.
A host of celebrities themselves join the show and the fun - lending their voices to on-going characters who diss themselves in the spastic comedy vignettes that move along so fast you are laughing at the last one while the new one pops into view.
The stop-motion animation combined with the frenetic pacing of action figures - some of whom represent the best - loved icons of really bad television - blend together in a miasma of extreme satirical silliness that is at once hypnotic and hilarious. You can’t not watch it!
If there is anything to object about in this irreverent and impertinent comedy show, it could only be that 12 minutes is not enough for most of those who are addicted.
For sheer and simple entertainment - it doesn’t get much better. *
Devorah Macdonald
Catch it on the Cartoon Network. 10 pm PST- weeknights.What : Ugly Betty “ The Lyin’, the Witch and the Wardrobe”
When : Thursdays 8/7c
Where : ABC
ABC’s Ugly Betty had the sometimes-unwelcome distinction of being one of those shows that had an immense amount of hype preceding its premiere. More often than not that kind of hype is misleading, and no matter how well the critical praise may be, a lot of shows that fire out of the gate with the hype hitting the high notes either flounder because they inevitably fail to live up to said hype, or they just end up drifting into the background where all the good high-concept shows go (case in point: R.I.P. Arrested Development). Only a handful of notable shows in the past few years have come out under the scrutiny of tremendous hype and critical praise and yet still managed to not only succeed, but grow in popularity as the shows have aged (24 and Lost being two of the more obvious children of this).
Based on the wildly successful Columbian telenovela, “Yo Soy Betty La Fea,” Ugly Betty is the tale of Betty Suarez (America Ferrera), a sweet, intelligent and hardworking girl who lands her dream job working at Mode, a New York-based fashion bible. All this would make for a fairly typical story except that Betty is, well, made out to be as ugly as possible (quite a feat considering how gorgeous America Ferrera really is). And of course, seeing that a slightly-plump, braces-wearing girl from the low-rent suburbs is working for a world-class fashion mag, you can guess that they play up the contrast between Betty and her very-plastic looking coworkers for as much as they possibly can.
If there was anything that you could put against Ugly Betty, it is that it does play very heavily to the obvious stereotypes; there’s the overtly-effeminate-and-so-gay-it-makes-your-ears-bleed assistant to the ice-bitch fashionista who schemes of taking over the magazine, the young, rich boy who was born into a leading position of the magazine and sleeps with anything that walks, talks and has heels to click, the phoney models, their pet assistants and agents, and of course, our heroine, the always on the up-and-up girl who has all the disadvantages but still comes out on the moral and ethical top. It’s not a very creative mix on the surface.
Fortunately, Ugly Betty’s strength is in the material below the scratch marks. It not only knows that it’s somewhat on the stereotypical level of things, but it completely uses that to its advantages. It is so over- the-top that it borders between being a parody of itself and a parody of television in general. It takes the recently renewed popularity of scripted drama and crosses it with the deliberate cheese of a soap opera. What has come out on the other end in all of this is a remarkably funny program, if you’re willing to lose yourself in the cheese that is.
It’s certainly not perfect though. The Halloween episode that aired last week opened up a few too many tired chestnuts of the sitcom treasure trove, like the “ugly” girl having two men fight over her (granted both men were fairly deep in the geek pool themselves), but they still play enough with even the tired concepts that itstays enjoyable and often amusing.
In an era where too many sitcoms are failing - miserably - to hit any comedic notes, it’s refreshing to see some dramas playing to some of these aspects, especially since the best writers are definitely heading for the dramas and leaving the comedies behind. As it stands now, between Grey’s Anatomy and Ugly Betty, ABC has two of the funniest programs on TV. Give Betty a try - it’s more than worth the time.*
Andrew Wilmot
Migz BBQ on Broadway
2884 W Broadway
604.733.3002
M-F 5:00 - 2:00 am, Sat - 10:30-2:00am, Sun 10:30 - Midnight
www.migzbbq.com
I went in on a freezing Sunday night that was just perfect for BBQ! The décor of the 94 seated restaurant was nice and casual, but a dressed up casual with skylights, a covered patio, blue leather booths, barstools and dark walls giving it a cozy feel.
The menu has tons of variety including appies spanning from poutine to crispy prawn spring rolls all ranging in price from $5.25 to $8.95. You want something to really fill you up? Watch out because you’ll definitely get it here. Try a burger or sandwich. How about some pasta, steak or seafood?Chicken Scampi, Filet Mignon and Seafood Primavera are waiting for you.
Where it’s really at is the entrees. This is meat eater heaven! You have tons of choices like Beefy Veal Ribz, Game Hen and BBQ Smoked Duck. The great thing about this place is that you get a choice of 2 sides. And this isn’t your usual fries or salad either. You get to pick from creamy corn, coleslaw, backed potato, corn bread, rice, fries, baked beans, mixed veggies or hush puppies (cornmeal with onion battered and deep fried)!
I was actually treated to a sampler that included 3 different kinds of ribs (ask for the sauce on the side if you are sensitive to spicy!) , beans, smoked sausage and hush puppies and it was all yummy, although I have to say I loved those puppies! So delicious.
This is the perfect place to go if you want to be social as they offer platters that serve 3 to 6 people starting at $35.00 and drink specials every night. Whynot try a Migz Martini with Vodka, Triple Sec, Vermouth, OJ and Cranberry? Mmm! There are also 6 TVs that each have a different game on (optional) and they offer a special late night menu from 10pm on for when your tummy is growling and you don’t feel like fast food! Even if you’re looking for dessert, you’ve got it ; cheesecake, pecan pie, apple peach crumble with custard, yummy!
So what is the appeal of this friendly neighborhood eatery aside from the awesome food and cozy feel? Like the co-owner said to me, “ Where else can you get a fresh burger that tastes great and a pint for $2.75?” So true. *
Service : ****
atmosphere : ****
food : ***
final grade : B +
OVEN BAKED COOKIE
BEYONCE KNOWLES
Well first off, she is beautiful. And I don't care whether she weighs her usual 25 more lbs or not, it works for her regardless and Simon Cowell can fuck right off for saying she's fat! Where do we start?
She has got talent She has a beautiful voice, she can dance, she can write and from what I can tell she just seems cool and that is what makes our cookies so hot. She isn't all about divulging about her personal life, hasn't ditched on recording with her original group members even though she has made solo albums and hasn't forgotten where she came from.
Hmm, I never realized how much I dug her until now. She is going to go extremely far in life. She is 25 and the shit.*