What's Up With Me?... What's Up With You?

I've recently found myself to be in one of those retreating stages. It's that kind of stage where you would rather sit in bed without any makeup on and read a sarcastic and witty memoir like Bitter Is The New Black (I've laughed out loud several times already, and I'm not even halfway through. Just hilarious. Thank you, God!) or watch reruns of your favorite 90s television show. (Boy Meets World, oh how I long for you.) What can I say. It's the grandma in me.Or maybe it's the girl in me? Or my childlike qualities coming out from the woodworks? Who knows. I don't but then again do I really even care why? Nope.

February was rough but somehow I managed to squeeze in some fun time while stuck at my friends place during that artic blizzard the entire nation seemed to be dealing with and spent time with a few I haven't seen in awhile (I had the pleasure of tasting the most delicious Quiche made by a truly delightful companion of mine. Mmmm...cheese, mushrooms, and a thick, delicious crust)

But it's a new month, and the next couple are going to be swamped with things to do. So here are a few things I'm looking forward to. Catch you on the flip side. (What does that even mean?)

1. Le Peep...is Le Wonderful
I had never been to Le Peep until last week. The most vivacious woman with a teeny, tiny waist greeted us with the widest smile I'd ever seen. The Zues Salad...well, to play off the pun, is a salad of the gods. I was starving and not to be too dramatic, but it felt like an orgasm in my mouth. All that feta cheese and tender chicken breast...mmm. You might think about going on Tuesdays in the afternoon. They'll knock a few dollars off your ticket.
http://lepeeptexas.com/cgi-bin/p/awtp-menu.cgi?d=lepeep-restaurants-of-texas&id=1073


2. Luri and Wilma Magazine
You're gonna wanna take notes on this one, ladies. We're getting ready to launch this hip new up-and-coming eco-friendly, green fashionista magazine for all your feel good needs.
Porsha is genius and also kind enough to let me be a part of her creative endeavors by granting me permission to do the editing for the mag. You might also find me heading up some of L and W's restaurant reviews. Projected launch of the first issue is set for some time this summer so stay tuned. Until then, check out the beginnings of the website. http://www.lwmagonline.com/

3. Dallas Theater Center's 2011 and 2012 Season

In case you didn't know before, I'm a theater geek, and when I read the new season for Dallas Theater Center I seriously wanted to click my sparkly heels together three times and say "There's no place like home". Yup, there's no place like the Dallas Theater either. Check it out. From classic novels, to historic Hollywood icons, to even William Shakespeare, DTC has it all.
.http://www.dallastheatercenter.org/next_season.php



That's all for now, Folks. Happy Monday!
 (photo from DTC)

Will You Be My....Blue Valentine?

Everyone has their guilty pleasures, and if one's enjoying life, you love to feel, taste, touch, smell, and see such things. They're guilty because you lust after them even when maybe you shouldn't. You desire them. They make you feel better. They inspire you. They might even bring you a sense of spirituality and love for yourself.

And as of lately, I've thrown myself into my own guilty ways. I've consumed myself with music and film and craft. Without these things I'm not sure I would have an outlet, a way of releasing all my stress and energy. These pleasures that I speak of, you know, the art, the film, and the crafts, they are my best friend. They're there for me everyday. They flow through my ear and in front of my eyes. I can run my hands over my handwritten notes and my photos and fall in love with them all over again. They can never hurt me nor do they ever leave. They are there to stay, and I have the power to share them with the world. Sounds like some weird love affair, doesn't it? I guess it is and one of the most passionate nonetheless.

So what, you may ask, am I metaphorically sleeping with? Here's a list just to name a few:

1. Florence and the Machine: Lungs
This album could become dangerously addicting to any woman. It's very difficult to find a true singer who can really make lyrics punch. What I like about songs like "Kiss With a Fist" and "I'm Not Calling You A Liar" is they're just like poetry. They flow and sound beautiful together but if you listen more closely, you find the harsh realities beneath those pretty sounds. The words make you think and exercise your thoughts. Her website is also crazy creepy artsy: http://www.florenceandthemachine.net (Check out the creepy moving eyes on the doll head and the teddy bear. Whoa!)

2. Blue Valentine
I just saw this film a few days ago. I'll admit that one of my guilty pleasures as a teenager was watching Dawson's Creek so I've always enjoyed watching Michelle Williams act. However, I don't recommend watching this indie film over and over again. While the performances from both Williams and Ryan Gosling are well done and the old age makeup, which includes a stellar receding hair line, is fascinating, at times the closeups and camera angles made me a bit nauseous. It's also the story of a dying marriage, which is never something that ends well or makes you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Realistic, unfortunately but not very entertaining. I beg you not to see it on your Valentine's date this weekend. It'll kill your romantic buzz. Well, maybe not the intense sex scenes.

3. Candle Holders
This past week I made one of my most sophisticated crafts yet: Candle Holders. Let's just say jars, scrapbook paper, and candles are the new red.

 Since I'm in such a hot and heavy affair with the arts, they might just be considered the ultimate Valentine's gift to myself. But they definitely won't be the blue kind. Red is a better color anyway. 

The Long Drive Home

I'm old school when it comes to the small things, the pleasures in life that make us giggle or guffaw out loud. I like writing down notes on a clean sheet of notebook paper. I'd send you a love letter in the mail with a stamp if I thought you'd appreciate it.

I hate technology and nothing anyone can do or say would make me want to trade in sunshine, shade, and a paperback book for the dark depths of an ugly room with no sunlight and an expensive computer screen. I hate it when people pay more attention to their Blackberry than the person that's sitting right in front of them. It's all so impersonable and cold. It leaves me with a sense of emptiness and longing all that technology bullshit.

 I stick to my own old ways and ignore the contemporary when I can. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't use technology. I have a Facebook, I text message other people, and obviously I have my own blog, but it's because I have to in order to keep up with the times. I have to be a well-rounded person with well-rounded skills. I'd never be able to write again if I totally tried to deny the larger than life evolution that is technology and internet. But I still prefer staring into the face of another person when I'm talking to them to see their reactions to certain words. I'd rather kiss you than text you, and nothing makes me feel more warm and fuzzy inside than that blank sheet of notebook paper and a pretty pen. Again, I'm old school, which brings me back to my original thought about the simple pleasures in life.

 I took the long way home today. I drove for no reason at all. I had my window down with the heat on. The strange combination of the cold wind blowing in from outside and the warm air from my car's interior made me feel safe. There's just something about being in my car that creates this pensive mood. Songs on the radio evoke all sorts of feelings and thoughts. I start thinking about my past, the one that got away, the one that should've never let me go, my favorite quotes, my future, my goals. My car is the epitome of a thinking tank. It's a safe haven.

And today my safe haven gave me a much needed moment to myself. We're all always running around without ever really taking a moment to enjoy the simple things in life. We get to a point where we have to tell ourselves to slow down and just take a breath. So here's my breath and my reminder. Here is everyone's reminder to remember what makes you happy and soak it in as much as you can. Find your simple, old school pleasure and embrace it.

Maybe I'll take the long way home more often.

Pear Pie and Whipped Cream With a Side of Auditions

Today's Word of Mouth: CKB Arts and Communications brings you local audition notices for:
1.Teatro Dallas's American premiere of Arístides Vargas's "The Maiden of the Used Books"
http://www.teatrodallas.org/Home/Auditions.html
2.UNT's advanced film class.
 (look underneath the heading that reads: Short Film Open Casting Calls)
http://www.theaterjones.com/auditions/

You could smell the pie I made from miles away. The juicy filling. The cinnamon. The rugged crust. The carefully placed whipped cream from a can on top. It was utterly sinful.

Pies are an intimidating culinary task to tackle and getting just the right consistency between the filling and the crust is an art form in itself.

My own personal latest tweet tooth venture was an absolutely delectable dish from a little magazine company called Edible Dallas/Ft. Worth. A branch of the nationally known Edible magazine, this publication knows how to get your mouth watering with its appealing pictures and sophisticated layout. It covers everything from seasonal recipes to farming to people making a difference in the culinary art world.

 Delicious and environmentally self-conscious. We like that.

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=23920543#!/group.php?gid=124682125563

Belly Dancing and Other Art Forms

Today's Word of Mouth: Teatro Dallas presents its February showcase: Domingos Fantásticos. All through the month of February enjoy international dance, music, and theater that transcends all culture and language barriers. Dance and music acts will take place on Saturdays and a production of Leona Vicario will run on Sundays. Opening night is February 6th. Tickets are $8-20. You can purchase tickets at http://www.teatrodallas.org/Home/New.html. (Photo is courtesy of Teatro Dallas)

Here is the listing of the official lineup: 
Sundays:
February 5, 13, 20, and 27 at 3pm 
Leona Vicario by Tomás Urtusástegui
An independent woman struggles for love and freedom during the fight for Mexican independence
(the play is presented in Spanish with English synopsis)
Saturdays:
February 12 and 19 at 8:15 p.m.
The Danielle Georgiou Dance Group presents: Love and Vices
A mixed media of dance, video, and theater about love, sex, and women in World War II.
Saturday:
February 26 at 8:15 p.m.
Jamal, Alia Mohamed and Jonathan Jones present: The Dark Magnolia of Your Womb
An Arabic-Spanish show of music, belly dancing, and Garcia Lorca poetry.

Don't Go the Distance...Unless You're Driving to the Art and Music Show

Today's Word of Mouth: Art is pleasurable. Music is pleasurable. And of course, we all know drinks help stimulate our feel good senses. So where can you go to combine all three? To the Art and Music show, duh! Check out all the local artwork, listen to some groovy beats, and enjoy drink specials all night long at Estoerica Studios, 941 Foch St. in Fort Worth on January 16. Doors open at 9 p.m. and tickets are $5.

 It's about time you get off your bum and start celebrating the new year and a new cause.

On a less positive note, I warn all you Drew Barrymore fans to steer clear of Going the Distance. To spare you some time and a few boring grunts I'll just break it down plain and simple: the long distance relationship movie is way over played and even the stupidest of romantic saps won't find it cute or entertaining.There's no plot.You'll feel like you're sitting in front of the television watching your everyday life play out in front of you over and over again with no off switch to speak of. Not exciting. If you need a Drew fix I suggest watching some of her older films like Ever After and 50 First Dates just to name a few.

White Russians and Monogrammed Mugs

All I can really think of to say to reunite myself with my blog is well, it's been a while....remember that song all you Nickelback fans? Ok, bad joke I know, but you're smiling on the inside. Don't you deny it.

Happy New Year, Everyone. While you all were getting jiggy and roasting and toasting I too was wishing for a better and stronger year to come with 12 celebratory grapes, 3 monogrammed mugs (See photo. Aren't they cute?) and a few White Russians (Got Milk? Or better yet, got Kahlua?).

2010 was often at times one giant headache. I graduated from college and without fail hurled myself into the deep, dark depths of the unknown adult world. I worked two jobs, struggled to pay bills, searched high and low for a chance to share my writing, and eventually started working a full-time night shift job. Let's not forget moving into an apartment in 105 degree heat and the overflowing bathtub and broken toilet that came with it. Oh, did I also mention pay cuts and a car accident? I went through interview after interview and faced rejection after rejection, and in the words of a friend of mine, I just kept on truckin'.

But with the bad comes good too, and I certainly cannot forget the more positive opportunities I was given this year. From Avenue Q to the celebration of the first Dallas Observer Artopia party to the discovery of the delicious and ever classy Bronx Cafe to The Breath of Death, I've certainly been blessed with the opportunity to continuously culture and educate myself.

So here's to a new year, a new outlook, and new opportunities. It's going to be a doozy.