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April 15th, 2008
03:24 pm - I'm Moving Out!
Of LiveJournal, that is. I must admit that I have fallen in love with another blog engine. Word Press has worked its wiles on me (better layouts, post categorization and reader tracking...all for FREE!) and so I've started the process of migrating my journal over there. I will definitely remain on LJ to read and comment on my friends' journals and I MAY still post friends only-posts over here, but all of my public posts will now be at the new Baxter location.
The migration is still in progress so you can't read my journal from jessicabaxter.com yet, but hopefully that will be completed by the end of this week/early next week. In the meantime, update your rss feeds with my new blog, already in progress. If you're a serious blogger, I recommend signing up for Word Press! You can also have a non-blogging account for commenting if you so chooseth. But you don't have to have an account to comment. One of many superior Word Press features. It's just so very dreamy.
Thanks for a wonderful couple of years, LJ. I hope we can still be friends.
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April 3rd, 2008
02:51 pm - Finish the Sentence Meme
By ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) marktapiokines.
1. In terms of historical events, I am old enough to remember...
the advent of MTV and the internet.
2. I admit to being prejudiced against people who...
love the TV show "Lost".
3. You might be surprised to hear that I really like...
camping. Apparently gothy dressers aren't known for their love of the outdoors. The musical "Oklahoma!". The film "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle".
4. You might also be surprised to hear that I DON'T really like...
guacamole and eggplant (yes, even parmesan). The films "Ferris Bueler's Day Off" and "Napoleon Dynamite".
5. If given the choice between having more closet space and having a larger garage, I would choose...
the garage. We're good on closet space.
6. If given the choice between having a washer/dryer in my home, or two separate bathrooms - whether or not I already have either or both - I would choose...
the washer/dryer. Laundry is already enough of a pain with one. I feel like we're doing it constantly.
7. One of the best years of my life was...
2007. So many amazing trips and an incredible summer, spent with wonderful friends and the man of my dreams. 2008 hasn't been too shabby either, career woes aside.
8. One of the worst years of my life was...
2002. I lived alone for the first time in a scary studio apartment with drug dealers for neighbors, had a tremendous lull in my dating life and was extremely depressed for a variety of reasons.
9. A song that reminds me of my current (or most recent) romantic partner is...
there are a lot to choose from but "The Air That I Breathe" will be our wedding song.
10. My biggest wish for my current (or most recent) romantic partner, other than the usual "to be happy," is...
Well, he seems to be doing fine career and health wise so I suppose I mostly hope that his tremendously good health holds up for a very long time.
11. One of the strangest things I own is...
a painting of Crispin Glover turning a cat into a jello mold.
12. One of the most flattering things you could ever say to me is...
"Your [piece of writing] was very funny."
13. Something that makes me not a typical liberal is...
that I find many self-proclaimed feminists annoying.
14. Back in high school, my worst grades were in...
Chemistry and math. To some extent P.E. (I had a dick of a P.E. teacher one year that, even with a doctor's note, wouldn't let me get out of running the mile. Since my knees prevent me from running, I couldn't possibly earn a "good grade" there.)
15. And my best grades were in...
English, Social Studies and Art.
16. Out of all the Best Picture Oscar Winners (click here for a reminder list) in history, the ones I've seen which I personally think are great films are...
No Country for Old Men, Return of the King (Though I personally thought either of the first 2 were better and I'm annoyed they "waited" to give it to him), The Deer Hunter, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Annie Hall, On The Waterfront.
17. While we're looking at that list, the most recent Best Picture Oscar Winner that I have not seen is...
The Departed. I also haven't seen Casablanca. I aim to correct both of these things.
18. I'm terrible at...
drawing, doing math in my head, public speaking, most physical activities on account of my knees.
19. I'm rather good at...
knowing actors' names, learning computer programs (relative to other folks my age or older), baking, recognizing untrustworthy people, Dance Dance Revolution.
20. The summer blockbuster I'm most excited about seeing is...
either The Dark Knight or The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull though I must admit extreme reservations about the latter.
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01:39 pm - Stabberella
The Slog, by way of the P.I. reported yet another stabbing on Capitol Hill on Saturday. What the hell, Seattle? This time, it's not just the stabbing itself that is weird, but the reaction of the witnesses and the reporting paper.
"I don't know what to make of that. I surely don't."
At least this time the victim is still alive to tell the tale.
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April 1st, 2008
10:28 am - NFT Radar: Wayward Cafe
X-Posted from Not For Tourists.
The Wayward Cafe is an odd name for a vegan cafe with clear procedures about operations. You walk in and claim one of the few available seats. You grab a menu and choose from a steady list of vegan staples like tempeh sandwiches and tofu scramble. You order at the counter and pay cash. Then you sit and wait for your food. And wait. And wait. Hey, competent vegan cooking takes time! While you wait, you read the vegan literature or take in the colorful outfits of the other patrons. When your food finally arrives, you are astonished at how large the portions are, considering what you paid. You are pleasantly surprised at just how delicious a plate of food containing no cheese, eggs or butter can be, even if you are staunch carnivore. If you aren't accustomed to the heaviness of the vegan diet, you MAY need a to-go box which you can purchase for $1 (which goes to help the little piggies you aren't eating). You will bus your own table and probably want to grab a Mighty-O-Donut from the case for later. This is how things always are at the Wayward Cafe: regimented and explicit, but never boring. Not the atmosphere, nor the food.
901 NE 55th St 98105
206-524-0204
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10:21 am - Time Sucker Re: Time Sucking
Pilfered from the great user
Empire Magazine's list of the "50 Greatest TV Shows" ever.
1. Bold the shows you've watched every episode of
2. Italic the shows you've seen at least one episode of
3. Post your answers
50. Quantum Leap
49. Prison Break
48. Veronica Mars
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. Sex & The City (This show offends me.)
45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek
42. Only Fools and Horses
41. Band of Brothers
40. Life on Mars
39. Monty Python's Flying Circus
38. Curb Your Enthusiasm (Need to see more of these.)
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation (I THINK.)
36. Father Ted (I've seen a lot of these.)
35. Alias
34. Frasier
33. CSI: Las Vegas (What's so special about the Vegas one?)
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood
30. Dexter (It's in my library queue.)
29. ER (I can't believe this show is still on.)
28. Fawlty Towers
27. Six Feet Under (Never could get into it.)
26. Red Dwarf
25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office UK
22. The Shield
21. Angel
20. Blackadder
19. Scrubs (Enough to know I loathe Zach Braff with every fiber of my being.)
18. Arrested Development
17. South Park
16. Doctor Who (2005+) (Or at least very nearly.)
15. Heroes (Definitely saw all of second season.)
14. Firefly
13. Battlestar Galactica (2003)
12. Family Guy
11. Seinfeld (Might have missed some episodes here and there.)
10. Spaced
09. The X-Files (Very nearly all though.)
08. The Wire
07. Friends
06. 24
05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
01. The Simpsons (I've seen a hell of a lot of these, but I've missed some new ones over the last couple of seasons.)
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March 28th, 2008
01:25 pm - He Has His Father's Eyes
I hadn't looked at the JLO twin baby pictures until today because I really don't care what JLO does...until now. As Gawker points out, one of her babies might end up playing a significant role in future events. I mean, just look at that thing! Color me profoundly disturbed.
I especially love the juxtaposition of the unsuspecting smile above the calculating baby head. It almost looks like a movie poster. This kid is one to watch!
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10:40 am - NFT Radar: Blue Onion Bistro
X-Posted from Not For Tourists.
Lovers of kitsch (myself included) can’t help but be drawn in by the fifties-style blue exterior of this converted gas station. Continue to delight in the knick-knack adorned walls and velvet paintings of the interior. If you’re like me, you may also recognize their Ikea chairs. But the sign outside Blue Onion Bistro isn’t boasting “Seattle’s Most Comfortable Dining Room.” No, no. It’s “Seattle’s Best Comfort Food.” That is, if “comfort” is code for “greasy.” Blue Onion’s menu of traditional down-home cooking is served for dinner (excluding Monday) and weekend brunch. Dishes like Chicken Fried Steak and Hotdog Mac and Cheese Bake are delicious for the first couple of bites, but soon become overwhelming if you aren’t used to that much oil. If you decide to clean your plate, know that the meatloaf you just inhaled is going to take up residence in your stomach for the next 12 hours. The vegetarian dishes aren’t exempt from the oil-sploitation either. If your mama raised you on heavy cooking, you’ll feel right at home at the Blue Onion. But I prefer to get my comfort from a bento box.
5801 Roosevelt Way NE 98105
206-729-0579
http://www.theblueonionbistro.com
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March 26th, 2008
02:55 pm - Today's Unsurprising Celeb Headlines
Richie Sambora Busted for DUI.
Gah!
Robin Williams' Wife Files for Divorce. In this case "Irreconcilable Differences" means "I woke up one morning and realised I was married to an annoying schmuck."
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March 24th, 2008
12:42 pm - Social Unrest Hits Home. Again.
Saturday, even after a very lovely day of BBQing and pokering and general merriment, our little love nest was once again invaded by some jerks. Beer had been flowing steadily since 4pm so we had some people crashing out in our guest room which is why, even though I currently sleep with a knife under my mattress ever since the robbery, I wasn't immediately startled when I was awoken by a noise at 3:30am. At first I thought perhaps it was one of our guests causing the banging noise. But the banging continued and I became increasingly concerned (and awake). I tried to wake Brugos who had only recently finished expelling the beer of the day. I asked if he heard the noise. "Uuuuuuuuh", he responded. So I said I was going to check it out myself. Again, I thought it was just a pre-ordained house guest, so I wasn't too worried about it. I was just going to see if they needed some help!
But as I left the bedroom, I saw both house guests slumbering soundly in the guest room. This gave me pause and I grabbed my knife. The sound had been coming from the basement and the light was on, but I think it had already been on from our rad band recital earlier. Anyway, as I walked down the basement stairs, I noticed a draft and then I saw that the basement window was utterly shattered. There was a broom handle sticking through the window, so I ran back upstairs and peeked into the back yard. I didn't see anyone there so I went back upstairs to the bedroom and woke Brugos up, all the way this time. I told him what I'd seen and this seemed to aid in his becoming more lucid. Unfortunately we were both still a little drunk. Nevertheless, he grabbed a bat and we both walked around the house looking out the windows. I saw that the gate was open and surmised that a person entered through there and used our broom to smash the basement window but, having seen me running down the stairs, possibly even seeing the knife, decided to take off.
In the morning, we learned that they had also stolen our solar lights that lined the front walkway and brutalized our mail box. I was pretty freaked out. Brugos only slightly less so.
After our guests departed, we decided to call the cops. I didn't think to call them when it happened because a) the person(s) were already gone and b) last time, the cop that was dispatched wasn't a very big help so I didn't feel like dealing with someone who wasn't going to be helpful at 4 in the morning.
When the cops arrived, we showed them what had happened and they came to much the same conclusion that we had. Someone tried to break in but, for whatever reason, changed their minds. One of the cops, who looked like this:
gave me a bit of a lecture about brandishing a knife. He said that in most cases, the weapon is taken away from the homeowner and used on them so it's better to be unarmed. He also gave us some advice on how to beef up security. We were already working on getting those curtains put in so we don't live in as much of a fishbowl. We are also going to get some motion sensor lights and a security system. His advice for next time (considering this is the second home invasion in 3 months!) is to stay upstairs and call 911 right away. I see his point. If the perp hadn't seen me, he might have stuck around and the cops could have come and nabbed him. On the other hand, I'm less than enthusiastic about lulling a perp into my home with a false sense of security, on the off chance that it takes the cops a while to get there. Either way: WFT?!
I'm just starting to realize how exposed we really are. In the event of a zombie epidemic or other apocalyptic scenarios, Bettie Page house must be evacuated for higher ground. We will immediately head to the homes of our friends in second floor or higher condos. Or maybe we should build a moat.
My co-worker mentioned that crime is up everywhere due to the recession. I can understand that. Seeing as how we didn't get our pay checks on Friday, I know that money is tight. And there's always desperate people in the world, but it's shitty that it was us again. And so soon.
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March 20th, 2008
04:38 pm - Funny Games: A Critical Essay on a 1/2 Dimentional Film
Austrian filmmaker, Michael Haneke, sure thinks a lot of his "ideas". He has come to the conclusion that people have not only become desensitized to violence, but that we crave it in our cinema. And that makes us jerks. Jerks who must be punished. By him.
The punishment comes in the form of Funny Games, a film deemed so important by the filmmaker, that he made it twice: First in 1997 in his native country and then again in 2008, shot for shot and in English, because he knows that many Americans would miss an Austrian film. Well, it turns out most Americans will miss the film in English. I am among the unhappy few.
( More. A lot more. )
X-Posted from The Reel
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March 19th, 2008
02:39 pm - Life Update in Pictures
Here are some things I've been up to:
January 08: Amazon Holiday Party with Sci-Fi theme.
February 08: Flew to Arizona, picked up a car and Brugos and drove back home.
March 08: Ides of March themed birthday party for Brick.
PS: Yes, I finally bought a flickr account. As an aspiring octogenarian, I am a late adopter.
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12:56 pm - I Love Everything About This
My God. It's a cake with a hedgehog on it, celebrating the first birthday of a real life hedgehog, also pictured, who is named Shakespeare.
From Cute Overload
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March 18th, 2008
10:55 am - NFT Radar: Dante's Inferno Bar
X-Posted from Not For Tourists.
If 5000 square feet of games and booze is hell, I’m happy to go there. OK, so I suppose that in the full swing of UW’s school year, the inferno does lap at your nerves a bit. But when school’s out, the adults can fully enjoy all that Dante’s has to offer. And it offers much. Every night of the week is dedicated to some sort of big-kid merriment: Karaoke Mondays, Beer pong Tuesdays, Trivia Wednesdays and Thirsty Thursdays with PBR specials. The weekend is reserved for DJs and live music. Most Saturdays, you can hear DJ Motor spin decent hip hop. On Sundays, cheer for the local sports teams while scarfing down the manna that is their Nacho Fiesta Bowl. And, like any bar between NE 42nd and Ravenna, Dante’s attracts the most colorful of drunk folk, so even without students, there’s nary a dull moment. Bonus: Apparently, Dante’s was a favorite hangout of lady-killer Ted Bundy. Discuss.
5300 Roosevelt Way NE 98105
206-525-1300
www.myspace.com/dantesseattle
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March 17th, 2008
01:48 pm - Punished
For some reason, even though I HATED the Punisher movie, I really like Tom Jane. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he's married to Patricia Arquette whom I love. In addition to being in some fantastic movies (True Romance, Human Nature, Lost Highway) she has awesome taste in men. After all, she was married to Nic Cage for many years (by Hollywood standards). That's why news of Tom Jane's DUI makes me a little sad, as does the accompanying photo.
He just looks so...bloated and sleep deprived. Take care of yourself, Tom! You have a hot wife and irreverently named daughter to look after.
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10:25 am - NFT Radar: Serious Pie
X-Posted from Not For Tourists.
Local food god Tom Douglas owns Belltown with his unique gourmet twists on everyday foodstuffs. The man is so beloved by his patrons that he could probably start a cult. I might even be among those who would happily slurp his Kool-Aid cocktail. Serious Pies, his take on the family pizza joint, is no deviation from his food mastery. The menu is small but won’t fail to please any palate. The brick oven pizza crust, made next door in the Dahlia Bakery, is crisped to perfection. The toppings, both in terms of flavor and quantity, are in perfect harmony. If you are a fan of truffles, you will absolutely devour the roasted chanterelles and truffle cheese pizza. More extensive is their beer and wine list which is set to compliment any order. The family-style seating is a little cozy but makes the upscale food seem a little more accessible. One pie, along with an appetizer, comfortably serves two, making this the perfect casual date spot. The two of you can discuss theories about their logo and what exactly the little guy has caught on fire.
316 Virginia St 98121
206-838-7388
http://tomdouglas.com/serious/index.html
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March 14th, 2008
11:16 am - A Most Unexpected Comedy
A friend of mine recently stated that he does not care for most comedies because he always sees the punchline coming. In order for him to enjoy a comedy, he must be surprised by the joke. In that case, I truly believe that he would LOVE The Brothers Solomon.
The titular brothers, John (Will Arnett, Arrested Development) and Dean (Will Forte, Saturday Night Live), were raised by their father (Lee Majors, The Six Million Dollar Man, of course) in the Arctic, having moved there on a whim after the death of their mother. As a result of their isolation, their social skills leave much to be desired. This proves to be a problem when it comes to dating. When their father falls into a coma, after expressing a desire for grandchildren, the brothers surmise that the only way to save him is to become fathers themselves. But how?! Cue the socially awkward hyjinks!
I admit, the premise sounds a bit iffy and sitcom-esque. In the wrong hands, it could have been catastrophic. But scribe, Will Forte, pulls it off and manages to create a comedy that is at once irreverent, uncomfortable and even somewhat heartwarming. Forte and Arnett deliver potentially disastrous jokes with perfect timing and even a little depth.
They want to put a baby in you.
The hilarity begins with the opening credits: A simple matter of the Wills popping their heads in and out of frame and making faces to the tune of the Flaming Lips "Yeah Yeah Yeah Song". Again, something that could have fallen flat, but the face-making mastery of the Wills had the tears of laughter streaming down my face before one word of dialog was spoken.
Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live, Knocked Up, Walk Hard) plays the straight role, against type, as the woman who dares to carry the Solomon seed for money. This may be one of the film's only disappointments, as her dry witty delivery is somewhat squandered in a role that could have gone to any un-funny actress.
This is the third feature film directed by ex-Mr. Show co-creator, Bob Odenkirk. While I practically worshiped the Mr. Show oeuvre, and loved Odenkirk's short films (The Pity Card series, The Frank International Film Festival), I was yet to be impressed by his feature work. Melvin Goes to Dinner was interesting, but the characterization felt forced. Drama is not Odenkirk’s forte. Let's Go to Prison was great in concept, and starred the usually flawless Will Arnett. However, its fatal shortcoming was that it also heavily featured comedic downer, Dax Shepherd. That guy is just not at all funny.
But with The Brothers Solomon, (due, in no small part, to the writing talent of Will Forte), Bob Odenkirk has finally returned to his Mr. Show-level perfection. And thank god. I was really starting to worry.
X-Posted from ReelTime.com.
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March 13th, 2008
12:20 pm - NFT Radar: The Canterbury Ales & Eats
X-Posted from Not For Tourists.
Few literary scholars know Chaucer’s twenty-fifth lost Canterbury Tale, about the wretched hive of scum and villainy known as the Canterbury Ales and Eats. Lack of notoriety didn’t stop some Seattle entrepreneur from opening a tribute business. Though located on the north end of Capitol Hill’s quaint, huppie-inhabited (hipster + yuppie, ya’ll) 15th Ave section, The Canterbury is a true dive bar. Its darkness shrouds ripped upholstery but can’t mask the faint smell of human excrement. Most of the staff are surly as hell (apart from the sunny Shauna… does she still work there?). Still, there are untold treasures in its expanse of four rooms! The front room, with its tall booths, is good for large parties, but be prepared to freeze your ass off every time the door opens. On the left, past the juke box, is a cozy sitting room complete with a fireplace. To the right, past the barfly corral, is the vast game room. Here you can challenge another chap to such olde-timey favorites as shuffleboard, pinball and pool. All this plus great fries and Strongbow on tap! When I lived three blocks away this place was my rec room.
534 15th Ave E 98112
206-322-3130
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11:45 am - Goodbye to Sunset
On Friday I went to the Sunset Bowl in Ballard for what I imagine will be the last time. I have fowl-weather patrons of the place to thank for an awkward and cold farewell to the place that we called home for so many weekends.
Where were all those crowds when Sunset seemed like it would be around forever? Granted, having droves of ex-greek types and general hard-partiers occupying the place on a regular basis would have kept us from feeling so at home there in the first place. But why do they feel the need to come to the Sunset now and prevent the die-hards from enjoying the last remaining days of a place that meant so much to them? I've been to the Sunset twice since they announced they were closing and both times people were forcibly removed from the premises. The first time, I don't doubt that the perpetrator was at fault. She was removed by two police officers and still hung around in the parking lot yelling at them and her companion for a long time after. We decided to leave before things possibly came to a head.
Last Saturday, it would appear that the ruckus was started by a Sunset employee, who became irrationally agitated when a patron, who was apparently there to promote the bar for a radio station, wouldn't stop loudly "wooing". But everybody was making a lot of noise. That is one of the things that was making it hard for me to enjoy myself. I couldn't hear anybody or anything. Maybe that volume is the norm in Belltown and Pioneer square, but not at the Sunset Bowl Lounge. From our point of view, it would appear that this girl wasn't being any louder or more obnoxious than anyone else, but the Sunset employee suddenly couldn't take it anymore and exploded at the girl, screaming at her to "get the fuck out". He also shook her table for emphasis. It was scary.
The air there has changed. It's no longer a comfortable place. It feels like people are ready to tear the place down with their bare hands, rather than a bulldozer.
The last song I sang at Sunset was "She's Like the Wind". I dedicated it to its scribe and original performer, Patrick Swayze, who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. Unless the grassroots effort to save it moves forward, Sunset also doesn't have long to live.
It's hard to say goodbye to something you love, but sometimes circumstances make it just a little bit easier.
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March 12th, 2008
02:02 pm - To Promotes Ma Blog
Technorati Profile
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10:23 am - NFT Radar: Rancho Bravo Tacos
X-Posted from Not For Tourists.
Tucked away in the corner of the Wallingford Winchell’s parking lot, one might not even notice Rancho Bravo Tacos. But of all the roadside taco trucks, this one is definitely worth checking out. Strategically situated one block down from Dick’s Drive-In and open till 2:30am on weekends, the grinning Rancho Bravo bull clearly has an agenda: lull the 2am snack scavengers away from boring burgers with the smell of fresh salsa and carne asada. So far, it appears to be working. No matter what you order, you’ll get your money’s worth. The burritos are a 5 napkin affair and their veggie quesadilla is packed to the gills with a pleasing array garden goodies. Those of you looking for the more unusual animal parts in your Mexican food might be a little disappointed, but the average taco consumer will be perfectly sated. Everything is made fresh and, while the service suggests they may be hot boxing the Bravo, they clearly know what they’re doing when it comes to taco truckin’. For a little dinner entertainment, “dine in” under their canopy and watch the eclectic Winchell’s regulars eye you suspiciously.
211 NE 45th St 98105
http://www.myspace.com/ranchobravotacos
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