Alexandra477

Happy Smokeout.

On this 32nd anniversary of the Great American Smokeout, I decided to weigh the pros and cons of smoking. I tried my first cigarette at the age of 15 with a pal from Dublin. That same friend also taught me how to drink canned domestic beer exceptionally fast. If you're a parent, shelter your young from Dublin kids; they roll hardcore.

The pros of smoking are plentiful: look like James Dean, realistically reenact Mad Men episodes, meet interesting people outside of bars and restaurants, and elicit the Mack Truck Feeling. But there are cons. Waking up wondering how a squirrel pooped in your mouth, not being able to rid your fingers of that heinous smell (even after 45 scrubs), shivering outside of bars and restaurant in sub-zero temperatures, and succumbing to mooching because there’s no way in hell you’ll pay $10 for a pack. Oh, and dying.

Cigarettes and me ended our on-again/off-again affair two years ago. I decided to train for a half marathon and knew that if 13.1 miles were going to pass under my feet, the ciggies had to go. I also knew that I someday wanted to have my own 15-year-old, who someday would be propped next to a buddy’s bed listening to Stone Temple Pilots (or the equivalent) debating whether Sammy’s cousin really dates that guy whose sister knows the dude who makes fake ID’s in his uncle’s basement. And I’ll have to deal with that.

Tiny Canary Indie Design Market.

Eggnog bottles have been stocked on grocery store shelves and festive tunes are humming across radiowaves. The holidays really are just around the bend, but it’s sometimes hard to gear up for maneuvering overcrowded mall parking lots and sorting through gobs of mass-produced merchandise. It feels darn satisfying to buy one-of-a-kind handmade gifts for loved ones while supporting local craft artists, which makes Tiny Canary the perfect alternative holiday shopping experience. The third annual event takes place today and tomorrow at Junctionview Studios and showcases more than 50 independent vendors selling everything from soap and t-shirts to posters and stationary.

 

 

 

Pecha Kucha Columbus #11.

Last Thursday night at Wild Goose Creative reminded me why I love Columbus and why I’m so happy to be an organizer of Pecha Kucha. Our eleventh event united 200 locally minded and inspiring people to share one common love of creative community. Singer/songwriter Jason Quicksall kicked things off with his soulful folk, PBR Columbus dropped off several cases of free beer, and Sassafras Bakery brought a bevy of confections including bourbon pumpkin tarts, oatmeal raisin cream pies, and gingerbread cakes with lemon buttercream. 

Our eight presenters were savvy and spirited. From Megan Green of Stinkybomb we learned it’s possible for a husband-and-wife team to build a successful craft business stemming from hand-grenade and cassette-tape-shaped soap. Artist Stephanie Rond proved that the "F" word can be a very good thing, especially when it describes a super cool feminist who’s shattering masculine standards one painting at a time. Joseph Bilyk of Luna Studios taught us that stunning furniture and countertops can absolutely be constructed from found objects and recycled materials. Allison Chapman’s tales of growing up with her grandfather’s turn-of-the-century letterpress equipment inspired people to appreciate the handmade art of letterpress and bookbinding. SwingColumbus’ rousing intermission dance performance made people want to take swing lessons. And then there was veterinary technician Tammy Muse, who amused every person in the room with her hilarious stories about the various containers people have used for their pets’ pee and poo samples. Thanks to Susan Halpern, we learned that the Columbus International Film & Video Festival is the oldest film festival in the country and hosts world premiere films. We were grateful to Austin Kocher of Yay Bikes and Bike to Work Week for explaining how he’s helping to improve Columbus streets, bridges, and trails to make cycling safe and fun for everyone. Lastly was architect Aleksander Daskalov’s poetic recount of his experience living in Dubai, and how its extreme wealth and extreme poverty can be compared with moral issues presented in The Wizard of Oz. 

Our next PK takes place in February. 

 

Comfort Food with Attitude.

This afternoon I grabbed lunch at Skillet in Merion Village with one of my best friends, in the teeny space where Banana Bean Café used to be. Its creators believe in serving hyper-locally-grown produce — as in, within a 40-mile-radius — from independent farms. Which is pretty freaking cool. 

Skillet’s "rustic urban" menu features such sassy homefried creations as Truffled Griddled Cheese on Brioche, Braised Beef Short Rib & Organic Smoked Gouda, and Pan-Fried Potato and Cheese Pierogies. Their sides include Crispy Fingerling Potatoes & Burnt Ends, and Pan-Roasted Late Season Brussel Sprouts With Smoked Bacon and Sherry Vinegar. We tried to order the sprouts, but they were outs. I had the slow-fired Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup With Toasted Pepitas, which was piping hot and exceptionally savory. Unfortunately the Arugula Simple Salad was the saltiest group of greens I’ve ever tasted in my entire life. After my third and final bite I pictured little deep sea urchins munching away at a dining room table in their salty happy deep sea world, wondering what my problem was. 

Like most month-old eating establishments, Skillet has a few kinks. They ran out of menus before we arrived and could benefit from sun-shielding window treatments. But the concept is local and honest, and the staff is exceedingly warm. It won't be long before their skillet's seasoned (oh come on, it was RIGHT there).

The Black Swans at Rumba Cafe.

The Black Swans, Essie Jain, and Bird and Flower will perform at the Rumba Café this Friday at 10:00 p.m. Admission costs $7. If Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen speak to you in any way, you'll like The Black Swans. They have released three records since 2004 and have two new ones coming out in the next six months. One of those is Don’t Blame the Stars, a concept album “about being agnostic and placing your faith in music and friendship instead of a higher power, with nods to R&B, country, and rock and name-checking Joe Tex, Roy Orbison, Jimi Hendrix, Sam Cooke, and Iris Dement.” It was mostly recorded in a garage and mixed in a kitchen. Frontman Jerry DeCicca is one cool peach; you can check him out here. Essie Jain is a “very British” gal who now lives in New York. Her last Columbus gig was several years ago opening for Beirut. She describes her music as “gentle, warm, open, and intimate.” I’ve written about my girl Eve’s band Bird and Flower here and here.

    

 

 

Where the Mild Things Aren’t.

Sometimes a movie snatches your heart in its mammoth claw for 101 minutes and there’s nothing you can do but jostle through its forest of emotion. Such was the case with Where The Wild Things Are. I loved the book and was curious how it would translate to film, even though my friends warned me that its melancholy level rivaled Bambi’s. I was tempted, at the last minute, to avoid certain sadness and dart into the adjacent theater for The Gloved One’s final moonwalks, but I stayed the course. Spike Jonze deftly and fearlessly commandeered a journey through the volatile imagination of a troubled child. 

As a young girl trying to cope with my parents’ divorce I often drenched myself in solitude. I created my own impenetrable universe filled with daydreams and blankets and stuffed animals. In the first ten minutes, this film opened the secret door and beckoned me back into my fort. Those old stomach-pit feelings of sorrow and escapism came barreling back. Yes, the animatronics were breathtaking, the acting was outstanding, and Karen O’s soundtrack was gorgeously uninhibited. But the adaptation of a 1963 children’s story into a raw, poetic exploration of a child’s mind was a brave reminder to respect our youngsters.