Monthly Archives: April 2006

Playlist Thunderdome, Week 47 (of 52)

Interesting results last week, with Aimee Mann and Joni Mitchell tying for a quarter of the votes each, and Tracy Chapman winning with 50%.

This week: Definitive punk, post-punk, and new wave bands

Remember: T-dome ends in 5 weeks.

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Moviedrome #6: Fear Factor

[poll=22]

Psycho vs. The Sixth Sense Read the rest of this entry

Definitive bands

My husband is a big fan of thrash and power metal. You know, the fast stuff. With the high-pitched vocals and the speedy guitar work. He calls it “The Metal.” Like it’s a living, breathing thing. I’m also a big fan of metal, but the metal I prefer is the opposite. It’s slow, dark, low…HEAVY. Doom metal. I call it Pure Audio Sunshine.

We debate sometimes over the definition of heavy. To me, the slow, down-tuned stuff is heavy. To him, the speedy, screamy stuff is heavy.

But there was one band early on for me who defined what heavy music was: Soundgarden.

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TV: The Reason for the Season

Via Pop Candy I learned that today is the first day of TV Turnoff Week. In commemoration, I’d like to share my list of shows that I always, without fail, make a point of setting my DVR to record on a weekly basis. Here’s my Must-Record List:

  • 24 – Fox, Tuesday, 9/8 Eastern/Central
  • House – Fox, Tuesday, 9/8 Eastern/Central
  • Lost – ABC, Wednesday, 9/8 Eastern/Central
  • The Office – NBC, Thursday 9:30/8:30 Eastern/Central
  • Veronica Mars – UPN, Tuesday 9/8 Eastern/Central (recorded during the Saturday re-broadcast—check your local listings—as it always conflicts with either Lost or House)
  • Avatar: The Last Airbender – Nickelodeon, Friday 8/7 Eastern/Central

That’s it—five hours of can’t-miss weekly programming, including commercials (which I flip past). I’ll catch other shows now and then, but these are the shows I queue up on my DVR for regular viewing.

What shows are you going to make a point of watching in an act of quiet rebellion against the officious sanctimony of others?

Pies: Part II

New York is the greatest city in the world for pizza. Even the worst street pizza is better than Pizza Hut. There is something so delicious and wonderful about getting a slice of cheese, folding it (because we like our crusts thin here), and feeling the grease drip down our throats. MMMmmmmmm…

Grimaldi’s and Lombardi’s always get the most ink, for good reason (delicious pizza and quaint location), but there are better. My personal favorite is the focaccia de nona from La Villa (right down the street here in Brooklyn). Amazing. We also like grandma’s pizza for its crushed tomatoes and garlic/oil/basil combo from Pizza By The Park a couple blocks further away.

I’ve never been to Chicago and had the deep dish there so I can’t really compare it, but I’m having a difficult time imagining it better than my de nona. And Supergenius, please don’t try to tell me that the super ultimate stuffed-crust cheese explosion from Dominoes is a contender.

Moviedrome #5: Back to School

Vote!
[poll=19]

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Calculating the Value of Pie

Last week I returned home from the grocery store with some rhubarb that I had purchased as an impulse buy. I saw those dark red stalks clustered there in a display near the front of the produce section and decided that I had to have it. I figured I could decide what to make out of my rhubarb once I got it home. Today I washed it and put it together with some recently purchased strawberries and made pie.

Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie Read the rest of this entry

Playlist Thunderdome, Week 46 (of 52)

Tepid voting last week leaves Sufjan Stevens’ “To Be Alone With You” at the top. You guys just don’t like Jesus.

This week: acoustic female performers

Remember: T-dome ends in 6 weeks. Read the rest of this entry

Veronica Mars Predictions

Three episodes left this season, and we still don’t know who caused the bus crash. This comes as no surprise to VM viewers, who didn’t know who killed Lilly Kane until the season finale (but as this week’s ep taught us — do we really know who killed Lilly?). So, let’s share speculation and and rumor about this season, with a little poll on who’s to blame.

For those who haven’t seen this season yet, (minor) spoilers ho! Read the rest of this entry

Neil Gaiman Update

If you haven’t read any Neil Gaiman, you should. If you have, but wonder what all he’s up to, this post is for you. Read the rest of this entry

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