Art with bicoastal connections

For all my yap-yap about exhibit-this and postmodern-that, I am totally, and completely, not part of any sort of "art scene" here in San Francisco (or anywhere, for that matter - haha). That said, I do have more than just a superficial interest in and appreciation for artistic endeavors of many stripes; in fact, I've written a few blog posts on the subject (labeled with "art").

But recently, it occurred to me that I've been focusing almost exclusively on big names showing at established museums or galleries, folks like Anselm Kiefer and Jeff Koons, and places like SFMOMA and the Met, respectively. And that's all well and good, for sure; I'll continue to indulge in those cultural touchstones of the craft because, well, number one: they are pleasing on a pure aesthetic level, and two: their wide recognition means they are part of a shared public consciousness that I'd like to be able to recall and submit at cocktail parties (and have someone else know what I'm talking about). haha.

Ok, ok..

Still, as I've implied, it's crossed my mind that I "need" to hit up smaller galleries, especially local ones.. to simply show up and take my chances on lesser-known artists, to meet some interesting folks with some of these similar interests (and, therefore, by necessity, to get over any hesitance about not fitting into a scene). On a side note, I find it funny that I'm much more comfortable showing up at, say, a NYC gallery opening than a San Francisco one (and I've been to many more in the former than in the latter) because, I think, that the NYC scene is so far from my normal reality that the whole endeavor becomes, almost, a slightly-abstracted performance, one where I've let go of any presumptions about who am I or who I need to be in that particular time and place; yeah, I think when I'm traveling, in general, I've got a "vacation mentality" going on. And que será será! haha.

But I digress..

This weekend, it seems, is a great time to get into "art" in San Francisco. You see, you'll have an opportunity on both Friday *and* Saturday to attend opening receptions for fresh new work at two different, and well-known, Mission district galleries, Ratio 3 and Jack Hanley. (Relating back to some of my comments above, both of these galleries have strong ties to NYC, so maybe such a bi-coastal relationship will put me at ease.. haha.)

First up, the Ratio 3 gallery is hosting Ryan McGinley's first "West Coast debut solo exhibition":

Ryan McGinley: Spring and By Summer Fall
May 9 - July 21, 2008
Opening: Friday May 9 (6–8pm)

From looking at some of his photography from the show online, they seem to be from the same stock as those featured in his last solo show, "I Know Where the Summer Goes", which just closed at Team Gallery in NYC. And I think this is a good thing.. Mr. McGinley's photography is well received (he's had many a'solo the world over, including being the youngest to show at The Whitney); there is a simple and nostalgic vibrancy to his work. I'm definitely going to this one.. although it should be noted that I can't imagine this being anything but a mobscene, given the artist involved and the fact that word is out. Part of the fun, I suppose. ;)

And if you haven't got your fill of the visual and the visceral yet, the Jack Hanley gallery is hosting an opening reception for New Zealand artist Saskia Leek on the very next night:

Saskia Leek: Thick Air Method
May 10 - 31, 2008
Opening: Saturday May 10 (6-9pm)

I, admittedly, know less about Ms. Leek and her pastel, angular paintings, but from what I've seen recently, I think it will be worth it to check out live. Regardless, Jack Hanley is known for its well-curated shows, so you can show up based on the gallery's reputation alone.. most people do just that. And if you're lucky, they'll have some free beer. ;)

In any case, I'll be out of town Saturday, so I'll miss this second bit of fun; but if any of you do check it out, let me know. (And if you'd like to see the McGinley show Friday night, let me know and we can coordinate.) Until then!

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Aah.. in the meantime, I can't resist saying one thing about a biggie: Mr. Koons currently has three of his bombastic sculptures up on the roof of the Met, showing through October 26, 2008. Whether you find his work charming or juvenile (or charmingly juvenile), the Met's rooftop garden should be a nice place to have a martini on a warm summer night in the city; the Met's martini bar is open 5:30–8:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Word.

Boonville Beer Festival delicious this Saturday

Wow.. I can't believe this fell off my radar, but I just read that the annual Boonville Beer Festival is THIS SATURDAY. Too bad on the timing - I have a few other commitments this weekend - because it was really fun to go last year (my first and only time so far).

It's a straight-up beautiful day of all-you-can-drink delicious local California brews in a boisterous outdoor festival atmosphere. I've been to other brewfests before (including the mothership GABF in Denver), and Boonville's just left me with such a great impression of the microbrew scene in general. Simply, a great time with good peeps. Hedonist Beer Jive agrees (and provides some great reasons why BBF is hard to top).

In any case, if you have a chance, I highly recommend making it out to Boonville this weekend, a scant 2.5 hours north of San Francisco, especially if we continue this nice weather trend. You'll find yourself in an atmosphere where it's easy to get a little boisterous, and maybe little sloppy (but in a very good way). haha. Yeah, so on that note, be sure to arrange for a designated driver, or just plan to stay the night; there are plenty of hotels and B&B's in the area.. you can even camp right at the festival grounds for the ultimate in convenience (though I'll say nothing on the comfort of that option).

And remember, there is only one rule: DON'T drop your glass!

Ready to superimpose your lips on mine?

Man, I love the syncro-vox interviews on Late Night with Conan O'Brien!

Over the weekend, I caught the latest one - with firebrand and, I use the term loosely, media darling (one we love to hate), Jeremiah Wright - on hulu.com; it was originally aired on April 30, 2008 (but now find it on-demand, natch). And as far as I'm concerned, Conan and his crew need to do more of these sketches, these fake celebrity interviews, of which I've apparently only seen just a handful, because wikipedia mentions no less than 12 different ones out there, from Tom Cruise and Donald Trump to Martha Stewart and Hillary Clinton.

Wait, hold up a sec..

For those of you not familiar with syncro-vox, it is filming method that superimposes real talking lips onto a static photograph or cartoon (positioning the lips so that it looks as if the person/animal/whatever is doing the talking). But nevermind the technicals; all we need to know is that its results are totally silly and totally hilarious, especially in the hands of madwitty comedians like Robert Smigel and Brian Stack, who handle the syncro-vox "impersonations" on Conan.

So, without further ado, check the Reverend Jeremiah Wright on Conan now (video).. as, um, interpreted by Mr. Smigel. Awesome.

I've tried looking up some other clips on hulu.com and youtube.com, but I could only find a couple featuring (our governor), Arnold Schwarzenegger. The first (video) is "Arnold" role playing every cast member from Friends (much to Conan's chagrin, but to the audience's delight), and the second (video) is Arnold meeting "Arnold", followed by Arnold syncro-vox'ing Conan live. Huh? Just watch, and you'll see what I mean; the tables will have turned!

In any case, I wish I could find more clips, so if you have any links/leads, let me know! In the meantime, good evening!.. and goddamn you (all to hell) (video)! And Fievel Goes West!

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By the way, in other contexts, syncro-vox can look pretty dark and creepy. For this, let me submit Captain Fathom (video), low budget cartoonage from the 60's, as my evidence. Makes me feel all swarthy just looking at it.. haha.

Rediscover the traditional foods of America

Have you ever tried making squirrel stew?

No?

Waiting for the right recipe?

Well, your wait is over, my friends; let me point you to Gary Paul Nabhan's new must-read, "Renewing America’s Food Traditions: Saving and Savoring the Continent’s Most Endangered Foods", which compiles and chronicles the long-and-getting-longer list of traditional foods (i.e. plants + animals) at risk of becoming extinct here in the US. In doing so, he follows the following philosophy:

"If we save a vegetable but we don’t save the recipes and the farmers don't benefit because no one eats it, then we haven’t done our work."

In other words, he knows we can't mandate that farmers grow certain crops or raise certain animals from the top-down, simply for the sake of them being museum pieces (even as it *would* good for overall genetic diversity); farmers still need to make a living, so how would we fund this work? As such, Mr. Nabhan takes the bottom-up approach, stirring demand for heirloom varieties of traditional American foods, such as Chickasaw plum and free-range American bison, by working with organizations like Slow Food and the Chefs Collaborative to educate, first, "foodies", and, now, slowly, a broader public audience (like myself).

In any case, I found this book through an article in The NYTimes (big surprise, huh?):

An Unlikely Way to Save a Species: Serve It for Dinner
By Kim Severson
Published: April 30, 2008

While the book focuses on the stories of 93 ingredients, Mr. Nabhan's full list is actually over a thousand, organized into 13 culinary regions; the NYTimes created a wonderful interactive map of the system here.

For sure, check it. The map makes me hungry in every sense of the word; it makes me want to travel 'cross the country, sampling a bit of food (eat!) and a bit of air (breathe!) from here and a bit from there. And if you have the chance, find your local farmer's market and buy what's fresh and interesting; or see what heirloom goodies are on the menus of your local restaurants.

Perhaps, here, you can follow the old advice (challenge?) to an almost-literal degree: put your money where you mouth is.. because your loudest vote - even in a big election year like this one - is always done with your dollars. And if you end up rustlin' up the ingredients for a big ol' pot of Kentucky burgoo, let me know; I'll swing on over, mind open, spoon in hand, and tastebuds ready for action.

Implications of my grammatical construction

As I alluded to in a previous post, my work was sending me to Beijing to present a few days of training to our colleagues in Asia; some of my US-based coworkers and I have been developing a ton of new material over the past couple of quarters. In fact, I was supposed to leave tomorrow!

And as the grammatical construction of the above sentences is implying - "was" this, and "was" that - my trip, as of this morning, is canceled. Really, what the f'?!

It's funny, I've been so blasé about the prospect of this Asian junket, even as I bought the plane tickets (about a month ago), been visiting the Chinese Consulate here in San Francisco, and doing final preparations with the training material. I think this odd attitude was a result of the combination of things being so well for me here at home - climbing and cycling, meeting new people and rockin' mad concerts, etc. - and the fact that China has never really been high on my travel radar for some reason. Well, at least, I haven't been interested in the major east coast cities of China, like Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou; however, I do have some passing interest in some of the "wild west", like hiking in the Tien Shan mountains or taking photographs of the oilfields around Korla. But those latter musings are not really here, nor there (for now).

In any case, the short version is that I've been, of course, ready to go from a personal and professional standpoint, but not really "excited" about going. But it still feels weird (i.e. not cool) to have the official word that I *can't* go. You see, after a month of efforts, I couldn't get a Chinese visa in time for the trip.

I'm not interested in laying out the entire timeline of snafus, but suffice to say that it's rooted in mad bureaucracy and unfortunate coincidences. In fact, as of yesterday, I finally have all the necessary paperwork (err, well, I think I do - they changed the rules on me for business visas mid-process the other week), but the Chinese visa office is closed until Monday for a Chinese holiday. Go figure.

Yeah, so, if everything went perfect at the Consulate, I *could* - theoretically, anyway - get 1-day turnaround on my visa application and be in Beijing 5:20AM Wednesday morning.. which *is* in time for 3 solid days of work (vs. the originally-planned 5), but my manager deemed this alternative too much of a risk, given my trackrecord with the Consulate thus far. Instead, my other coworker on the trip (there were two of us) is going to do all the training by herself.. yikes!, for her; it'll be pretty stressful.

It's fine that it worked out this way, of course, but too bad; it's been a (medium/minor) bummer on my morning. For now, maybe I can shake off the bad taste in my mouth from this experience, read up a little more about the country, and make my way over there one of these days, for work or otherwise. In the meantime, I'll have to find my Gold Tips closer to home.

In a capacity of praise, scorn, or, preferably, debate

One of my old roommates - Joe Felice - has been ramping up his own personal channel on YouTube the past couple of months, posting regular videos featuring his always-sharp political analysis; his delivery is full of wit and energy.. and even if you don't agree with him 100% - or don't even think you're into "politics" - he draws you in with on-point observations and enthusiasm.. and a flair for the, um, zany (in a good way!); you'll see what I mean:

Mostly Politics, by Joe Felice
http://youtube.com/JoeFelice

In a similar vein, Joe entered a contest a few weeks ago to be able to cover either the Republican or Democratic National Convention as part of the Broadcasting arm of Project Breakout. There, he posted a video explaining why he was interested in the opportunity, along with some clips from his YouTube channel.

I checked it out..

And you know what - and maybe this is because I know him personally and can't disambiguate those personal feelings; I am human after all (video) - I think Joe is the best of the bunch. I mean, there are a couple of other folks that are ok (although a little too "jokey" for my tastes; they be Daily Show wannabes), but I really, truly, believe Joe is the best political pundit in the contest.

No doubt.

So, without further ado, it's the final week of the Project Breakout competition and, in fact, Joe is one of the top contenders. As such, it's *now* that the votes really count.. so if you have a few minutes, check out his page below and make a few clicks to send Joe to either of the Conventions this summer. He really was born to do this, to be a fresh-faced and crazy-haired political pundit..

Here are some words from the man himself:

My final entry in the convention competition is up and I would deeply, madly, turgidly appreciate your vote in the final week of this endless frigging marathon to the prize (a paid trip to cover one of the political conventions and $2500).

I hope some folks will watch the new video too because it's a good summary of what I've been up to, including my appearance on Al Jazeera last week, and the recent video that got me a shout-out in the official YouTube blog, as well as the old tape of when NPR read my letter.

To watch and vote you just go to this link:
http://broadcasting.projectbreakout.com/media_page/entry_id/197

That's my page. Sign in at the very top (or register as a user if it's your first time). Click the big red vote button 15 times in a row, once a day if possible, until Sunday. Phew! And that will really be the end, win or lose.

I know it sounds like a (minor) hassle, but I've done the clickity-click-deed every day to help get Joe through this last push; once you've signed up, it literally takes less than a minute to vote for him. If you can, do it daily until the contest ends on Sunday (but even if you check it out just one day, the help is appreciated).

In short, Joe brings an erudite spice that would rock the the RNC or DNC. Let's send him there!

And let me know if you have any questions or comments on this whole thing. Or contact Joe directly through his YouTube channel; he would love to hear from you in any capacity of praise, scorn, or, preferably, debate. Word is up!

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ps. A little more about Mr. Felice: "I have political experience at Dean for America (Iowa Field Staff) and Music for America (San Francisco nonprofit). Now I work a desk job in the entertainment business in NYC (Eric's note: Joe does some pretty cool stuff - involving fresh and still-evolving copyright law - with some pretty big entities in the music industry). Politics aside, my other favorite things are Scrabble, road trips in the desert, and running the lights at local rock shows."

Sparks occasions, few and far between

Wow.

I had a few friends in town a few weekends ago and, among many other things (some mundane, some decadent), I remember a brief conversation about the "black" Sparks, specifically, and how it compared to the other two varieties - the original "orange" and the diet "blue". In short, my friends were of the opinion that the black Sparks tasted the best of the lot, a designation that, in this case, is not only relative, but, really, not saying much. haha. At the time, I had never tried anything but the OG (i.e. orange), so I didn't have much to add besides, um, sparking the topic to begin with and asking some clarifying follow-up (not to mention some reminiscing about other past Sparks experiences).

Wait.. have you ever tried Sparks? Do you know what I'm talking about?

If not, Sparks was one of the first self-contained caffeinated alcohol beverages that broke though to mass market.. or, at least, to cult status. Wikipedia says a bit more here.

On a pure taste level, I am totally *not* a fan. haha. That said, I *am* a fan of uppers when I'm wanting to maintain a full night of rockin' out, and enjoy the theoretical underpinnings of doing so.. further, I'm glad somebody went out and took the essence of "Red Bull and vodka" - that's really the OG of this whole (legal) scene - and put it in a gaudy, and convenient-for-on-the-go, aluminum package. I just wish they didn't make it taste like s***. haha.

In any case, such nights are few and far between, but I've certainly had a few fueled by Sparks (especially when the aforementioned friends are in town).. I remember one distinctly where I was up for two days straight because I couldn't fall asleep, given the levels of caffeine consumed.. all.. night.. long. Yeah, that sort of thing can be good or bad, depending on who else is along for the ride, and your capacity for latelatelate night silliness; you take your chances. ;)

My most recent experience with the stuff was fairly recent, this past Thursday, in fact, before the Ghostland Observatory concert at Mezzanine. You see, I was a little bit early for meeting a friend out in front of the venue - I was the man with the tickets-in-hand - and decided to step into one of them lovely all-night convenience stores on 6th St. for some liquid refreshment to help me pass the time. I surveyed the refrigerated scene and, ultimately, I couldn't say no to the black battery pack that is "Sparks Plus", at 7% alcohol and "more caffeine".

I could use a little more pep, I said to myself.

And you know what?; it *was* better than the orange Sparks.. and still, it sucked. haha. I mean, I'm sure I'll indulge again in the future - I never say never - but it just tastes so artificial and sickly-sweet. I'd rather make my own vodka/gin mix with Red Bull, Amp or Vitamin Energy filling out a glass over ice; I'm a much bigger fan of those flavors. And that's not even getting to the already-opened-and-done-been-indulged-in bottle of Kubler absinthe I've got sitting in my "special" liquor cabinet; that's a whole 'nother experience right there..

Or, I don't know.. maybe next time I'm looking for that certain sort of hyped-up buzz, I'll try some "Cocaine" instead. You guys have any experience in that?

Interested in personal musical selectionals

Just back from a weekend climbing trip to Pinnacles (maybe to be discussed in a future post), and my calendar says that - ooh yeah! - it's time for more live music this week.

First up, I *might* be recruited into going to back to Popscene this Thursday - so soon, I know - to see Scottsman wunderkinder Calvin Harris do his R&B-influenced dance electro act before he goes on to play Coachella Saturday. While his music doesn't blow me away - it's not quite "full" enough for me - I think it'd be fun to see live; in fact, I think it'd be more than acceptable (video).

On a more definite and must-see note, I've got tickets for the Cut Copy / Simian Mobile Disco (SMD) show this Saturday at Mezzanine; this thing is madsoldout.. and with good reason. Cut Copy is one of the most underrated groups putting out bright, guitar-driven new wave dance music (live and direct from Australia); their latest album "In Ghost Colours" has really grown on me; I play it all the time, sometimes in the background and sometimes when I'm getting psyched-up to go out (it's that versatile). Check out some of their new tracks on their myspace page.

And as for SMD, well, they've been crazyprolific this past year, releasing an awesome buzzing dance album called "Attack Decay Sustain Release", DJing 'round the clubs, and doing some great remixing/producing this way and that. Yeah, these guys have been on heavy rotation everywhere - mix CDs galore - especially via the singles (and various mixes of) "Hustler" (video) and "It's the Beat" (video). If you haven't heard the album in its entirety, get thee to Aquarius Records or Amoeba and give it a go!

This last opportunity just came across my desk late this past week. It seems The Bloody Beatroots are back in SF - remember I saw them at Popscene a few weeks ago? - and playing a DJ set with the LA Riots at Rickshaw Stop a week from Tuesday (i.e. the 29th). The show is FREE with rsvp (because it's part of a small, 4-city tour sponsored by Scion - the car folks). Yeah, so I've already mentioned that I loved seeing The Bloody Beatroots throw down their crazy Italian bangers, so I'll leave it at that..

But the LA Riots should also bring a great party; I've been looking out for these guys to come up to San Francisco ever since I started hearing about them (and checking out their work) on Discobelle and Disco Dust (and other in-the-know Internet peeps). These guys are best know for their remix work for such heavy-hitters like Justice and Kylie Minogue, but they throw down at the clubs pretty regularly (as far as I can tell). Check out one of their many mixtapes online to get a feel for their rockin' - rockin' in the freshdancebangers sense of the word, of course - aesthetic. I say yes! to their selection of Das Pop, MSTRKRFT and Count & Sinden; the LA Riots should be very proud. haha.

In any case, I haven't really put the word out on this one yet, but if anyone is interested, let me know; I can pretty easily be mobilized. Just note that this shizz is on a schoolnight, so be prepared to limp into work Wednesday morning. ;)