This is what is inspiring me right now.....

The Bling Ring. I can't remember when I saw this movie for the first time... not that long ago, it was only released last year. I remember being in my Toronto apartment, so it was sometime last year. I liked it immediately. At the risk of sounding really pretentious (but when have I really avoided that?), I really enjoy Sofia Coppola films. I like the pace, the music, the common thread... but this has got to be my favourite.

The music is super solid. Favourites: "Crown on the Ground" by Sleigh Bells, "Sunshine feat. M.I.A." by Rye Rye, "212 feat. Lazy Jay" by Azealia Banks, "Bad Girls" by M.I.A., "Freeze" by Klaus Schulze, and "FML" by deadmau5.

~~

In other news, I'm wrapping up a stellar day. Hugely productive at work, enlightening lunch with my office bestie, belated birthday mani/pedi for my BFF after work, errands at the bank, grocery shop, delicious falafel dinner with my GF, tidied the kitchen and did the dishes, and now I'm dancing in my chair to The Bling Ring soundtrack ("Bad Girls") while I drink a beer. Living the dream.

Legit Jams 6.0

I've taken a break from my non-stop loop of Beyonce's self-titled album, Drake's "Nothing Was the Same", and Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience" parts 1 & 2 for some new legit jams.  Here they be.

Weekend Round-Up

Hey y'all.  You all know how I love a Saturday at home with nothing to do but laze about, watch stuff, putter around, and drink coffee.  Fortunately for me, I've had that opportunity today.  I've been spending most weekends in Toronto since I moved to Waterloo and so there's something really relaxing and therapeutic about having the freedom to be in my own space on a weekend.  I miss my GF, but this is a happy alternative.  I mean, at this moment I'm blogging and listening to Beyonce in my underwear.  Heaven.

I don't have anything specific to discuss, so here's another round-up of what's tantalizing my five senses.

Beyonce
Obviously.  She really deserves her own post, and very likely will get one, but right now I just want to acknowledge how fully and completely I love her self-titled album.  Yes, I was a little tardy to the party by my bestie W's standards, but I got there and I'm partying hard with our girl B.  My singular favourite song changes by the day to some degree, but the top 5 (out of 14) audio tracks are: ***Flawless, Drunk In Love, Jealous, Partition, and XO.  It's just so damn good.  Beyonce consistently raises the bar.  She's in a category all her own.  I love her, she's so talented, she's so beautiful, she inspires me..... I... there are no more words.

Adore Delano

You may or may not know that the 6th season of "RuPaul's Drag Race" is currently on and I've really been enjoying it.  I joined in on watching RPDR during 4th season and having now seen all seasons, 4th is probably my favourite.  I liked some of the 5th season queens, but it wasn't as good a season overall.  6th on the other hand has really been delivering.  Queens are one minute your favourite and the next minute not serving it.  For example, I found Adore Delano really obnoxious and weird the first couple of episodes and then just as suddenly she's my favourite and I want her to win.  Don't get me wrong, she's not as polished a queen as others, but she is so entertaining and charming and funny and has charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.  I can't wait to see what she does tomorrow night.

"Not A Bad Thing"
I always love what Justin Timberlake puts out and the two parts of "The 20/20 Experience" have been no exception.  However, I haven't listened to them the way I listened to "Justified" or certainly not "Beyonce".  That said, I love love LOVE the song "Not A Bad Thing" from Part 2.  I posted the video in my last blog post and I have been listening to the song on loop for a couple of weeks now.  I'm obsessed.  So good.

What else...

Let's leave it at that.

Legit Jams 5.0

Sometimes I wake up and music is like oxygen.  Here's what's making me bum dance in my chair at work.



Pay attention to around the 1:30 mark when the melody is re-alligned with the beat. Brilliant.



This song is so great! The video cuts through some of the song, but the video is great, too. I prefer the video in some ways because it only plays the first half of the song... the second half is long and boring on the album, I think. And I love JT.



I was tardy to the party (relatively) for Beyonce's self-titled album. My bestie W. chastised me mercilessly and I'm glad I didn't wait any longer than I did. The album is... ***flawless.

My Favourite Albums of All Time

A friend of mine nominated me to share my top 12 favourite (music) albums on Facebook.  I did, but there were many more I wish I could've included.  Then I remembered I have a blog, otherwise known as the perfect place for superfluous items.

Without further ado, in no particular order...

1. "Under Construction" - Missy Elliott
2. "Justified" - Justin Timberlake
3. "Icona Pop" - Icona Pop
4. "4" - Beyonce
5. "Beyonce" - Beyonce
6. "21" - Adele
7. "19" - Adele
8. "Begin to Hope" - Regina Spektor
9. "Eye to the Telescope" - KT Tunstall
10. "The College Dropout" - Kanye West
11. "Revolver" - The Beatles
12. "Parachutes" - Coldplay
13. "Survivor" - Destiny's Child
14. "So Far Gone" - Drake
15. "Fever Ray" - Fever Ray
16. "XX" - The XX
17. "The Black Album" - Jay-Z
18. "Blue" - Joni Mitchell
19. "Acoustic Soul" - India.Arie
20. "Youth Novel" - Lykke Li
21. "Oracular Spectacular" - MGMT
22. "Thriller" - Michael Jackson
23. "Return of Saturn" - No Doubt
24. "Writer's Block" - Peter Bjorn & John
25. "Neon Bible" - Arcade Fire
26. "Eyes Open" - Snow Patrol
27. "So Jealous" - Tegan & Sara
28. "Garden State" Soundtrack

Media + In Between

My life is a little upside-down at the moment - all in good ways - but I'm trying to keep up-to-date on my media.  I don't really follow any shows these days, and those I do, I haven't been keeping up with.  I was also chastized by one of my best friends - as only a best friend can chastize you - for not really knowing Beyonce's new album by now.  So, I'm listening to it in my office as we speak - my third time - and obviously loving it, but I'm still planning on an in-depth listen and viewing as I get more settled in Waterloo.

I have a particularly hard time being in between things.  Right now I'm living temporarily at a best friend's place in Waterloo until I get possession of my new apartment on Saturday.  At that point I'll be living without all my stuff and furniture for about three weeks, allowing for lots of time with my iPad watching Beyonce videos, and doing very little of anything else aside from working + working out.  So, it's decidedly an "interim" time, and it's tough on me, but I'm trying to enjoy the process instead of spending energy waiting for the next thing.  If you embrace them, the in between times can be really wonderful, too.

Hobbies

A thought occurred to me tonight as I sat in the Four Seasons Centre watching the working rehearsal of Cosi fan tutte: I need a hobby. I'm a busy person, but at this point it's usually work + gym + hanging out + watching TV. If someone asked, "What are you interested in?" I'm not sure what I'd say. I might say "music", but aside from listening to it, how do I take an interest in it? I like "opera", but that interest doesn't go far beyond seeing the occasional performance or listening to my girlfriend K. sing or talk about it. And when I watch TV and movies, it's often just re-watching shows and movies I've already seen before.

So here's one of my resolutions for 2014: actively cultivate interests and hobbies. If I like reading, I ought to read. If I'm so interested in opera, I'm going to listen to it regularly and read about if and form opinions on it. This may sound forced, but maybe I need to put some effort into cultivating interests to begin with. It's easy to marathon "The O.C." on DVD, but it's more difficult to decide to watch a new documentary every week.

Whatever I want to dive into, I'd like to do it wholeheartedly.

Watch out, world!

Discovering T.O. #11: TSO, Roncy & Free Times Cafe

Is it still "Discovering T.O." now that I've been back here for a year?!  I argue that it is, because my mom has lived in Toronto for 30+ years now and is still discovering the city.  That's the fun thing about living in a big city: there's always something new to see, a new neighbourhood to explore, a new restaurant to try out, etc.  I've had a lot of those experiences since my last "Discovering T.O." post, but I'd like to share a few I had this weekend to begin with...

It's been a busy weekend!  One of those weekends where you don't have too much downtime, but that can be a good thing now and again.  Friday night I went and saw the Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform at Roy Thomson Hall.  I went with my girlfriend K. and two friends from high school.  Kate's an opera singer, Rachel's a cellist, and Justine and I are former musicians (clarinet and cello, respectively), so all of us have an appreciation for classical music and symphonies.  The main event at the TSO that night was Carmina Burana.  You might ask yourself, "What's Carmina Burana?"  You might be surprised to know that you know it!  Or at least, I think you do...  Check it out:



In a word, it was fantastic!!!  The TSO and accompanying Toronto Mendelssohn Choir were stunning, the music was engaging, and the company was wonderful.  I cherish the opportunities I have to experience arts and culture in the city.  Nights like Friday always make me want to get out more!

Saturday (yesterday) was a bit of a crazy day.  It was rainy, K. and I were in funky moods, and the energy of the day was just generally not great.  Then we went to a Body Combat class at the gym and the endorphins rushing through us gave us a second wind.  We had a delicious lunch at Fresh (there's now one in our neighbourhood!!!  And right next to the gym!) and felt happier, so we went shopping for Halloween costumes (we were going to a party that night).  Then we weren't having a lot of success at that, so our moods went sour again.  Ugh!  We got home, relaxed, I had a nap, and then we were feeling pretty good again, so we tried at successful Halloween costumes once again and... SUCCESS!!!  I was a lumberjack (easy enough!) and Kate was our cat Spoon!!!  Haha!

So off we went to the beautiful Roncesvalles neighbourhood in Toronto, where our friend Larissa now lives (and a lot of other friends, for that matter).  Larissa & Co. ran quite the party!!!  Orange-y lighting, cobwebs everywhere, jars filled with brains (cauliflowers), a candy bar, and more!!!  It was a blast; great music, lots of friends, and great costumes!  My favourite was a guy who dressed as Zack Galifianakis with two ferns on his shoulders, as in "Between Two Ferns with Zack Galifianakis".  BRILLIANT.  It was a great night!

And then today - Sunday - we woke up, relaxed a wee bit, and then headed to College & Spadina area for a brunch with friends, including our friend Josh who hosted us in St. John's, Newfoundland, where he lives, but he was home for a visit.  Josh made us a reservation somewhere I'd never been, called Free Times Cafe.  He said he was tempted by the Jewish brunch buffet, and I thought, that sounds amazing!  It was!  The place was busy, yet comfortable, and had excellent service.  We got a table in the backroom where the stage was, and the band today played Klezmer music, which was excellent and put everyone in such a great mood.  And then there was the food..... YUM!  Lox, potato latkes, challah french toast, salmon patties, gelfilte fish, salads galore... mmmm.  The company was excellent, the food was delicious, the vibe was great... another great Toronto experience.

And now I'm home doing laundry, enjoying some downtime and the sounds of K. practicing in the background... no complaints!

I am no longer a music God.

I had a friend named Jess who - under "favourite music" on Facebook (back when people would actually list their favourite artists and it didn't mean they had to "Like" that artist on Facebook) - used to write "Anything Maeve recommends - she is a music God".  Maeve is my name, by the way.

Anything Maeve recommends - she is a music God.

I was obsessed with that.  I took that declaration so seriously that I used to check every once in a while to make sure it was still there, and then post recommendations for great songs/artists on her wall to ensure I would always be her music God.

Facebook doesn't work quite the same way as it used to, so the declaration is no longer there.  I know it's not because I failed as a music God, but the truth is, years later, that I'm not a music God anymore.

Back in high school, I used to buy every issue of Rolling Stone magazine and look at the top 40 albums on the back page, and highlight all the ones I wanted to own.  I used to go home and spend hours downloading music by "The Artists to Watch" (that's how I discovered Regina Spektor back in 2003/2004 ish), and it would take forever because Kazaa or Limewire or whatever I used back then used to take forever.  I would watch every music channel, download every song played on "The O.C.", "Dawson's Creek", and of course the entire soundtrack from "Garden State", and then I'd listen to it all while I did homework, hung out in my room, or walked anywhere.  I was obsessed with music.  I wanted to know every song and artist worth knowing, and most of the time I did.

University was no different, for the most part.  My music tastes changed somewhat, but my passion for curating an excellent collection of music stayed the same.  As time passed there were faster ways to get music, easier ways to download full albums, and more legit ways to find music worth listening to.  I was older, but no less a music God.

And then I started working full-time - not that I blame work at all - and focusing on other things in my life.  I don't know what... I guess, cooking... reading, maybe?  Or maybe I just had less free time in the day to focus on hunting for and listening to music.  But that can't really be it... that seems like a cop-out.  I guess the truth is that although my love for music has not died out, my desire to have my finger on the pulse of music worth listening to has.  My interest in spending hours searching for new music is no more.  My time available to dedicate to a lot of music listening is less than it's been, and I just don't have the interest in making extra time for it.

This is not to say that I don't listen to or love music anymore.  Nor does it mean that I don't occasionally find some new music and love it and spread the word about it.  It just doesn't happen that often, and not with the strength that it used to.  It's more of an accident now, less of a vocation.

And it's hard to accept this, being that it seemed to be a real part of me at one point, but now that I've put it out into the universe, I'm going to accept it.  There's nothing wrong with it, but the fact remains that I am no longer a music God.

Legit Jams (2013 Edition)

I did a series of "Legit Jams" back in July 2011 and to keep this blog light I decided to bring them back.

Starting with this obvious choice.  I know it's all over the airwaves, but it still makes me chair dance.




And then this: a total throwback to - I think - my summer of '09.




And then one of Icona Pop's amazing jams.  "I Love It" is absolutely unreal, but their whole album (self-titled) is amazing.  So here's "Top Rated".



BAM.

Do you beliebe?

I'm going to be frank with y'all: I'm a belieber... or at least, I have been.  Now?  I don't know what to beliebe.

We all knew about Justin Bieber when he came onto the scene.  An overnight sensation like no one before him, you couldn't help but know his name and at least be able to hum one of his songs.  Whether you liked him or not, you'd heard of him.

Brilliantly managed and marketed, he experienced a frighteningly fast climb to success.  In the face of it all, he seemed to manage it well himself.  You might not want to call him an artist, but he sure could perform.  Beyond that, he has a certain charm, too... charisma, even, and not just in the "tween" sense.  Have you ever seen him on "Chelsea Lately"?  Check out the video below.  He's not very articulate, per se, but he holds his own, and is funny (and even, dare I say it, smart!) in his own way.



So what did I think of him when he was first thrust upon us?  Not much, really... I was indifferent... I mean, although there is something unique about his rise to success (YouTube discovery, overnight sensation, etc.), it's just the same old story in a new context, isn't it?  I wasn't a hater, I wasn't a fan, I was just aware... and maybe curious... and maybe a teeny bit proud that for once an enormous star was Canadian?  Or maybe more angry at the fact that Justin was calling himself the first interesting thing to come out of Stratford.

I became a belieber though when I watched "Never Say Never", the documentary film movie about Justin's rise to fame and his "Never Say Never" tour in which he first performs in the legendary Madison Square Garden.  There's something almost hypnotizing about that movie.  I can't even remember what it was that made me watch it in the first place.  Again, I wasn't a huge fan, and none of my friends had seen it.  Regardless, I watched it one night and was totally mesmerized.  There is something so captivating about him and his story, and in the movie he is portrayed as very serious, sincere, caring, and hard-working.  He definitely is talented, too, but he's also so... earnest.  Yes, that is the word!  He seems to be so earnest, and there is something so endearing about him.

That brings me to now.

I'm not sure if you keep up with the Justin Bieber news, but he's been acting a fool lately.  There's been issues with his friend caught speeding in his car, photos surfacing of him smoking marijuana, getting kicked out of a London bar on his birthday, passing out on stage at his own concert, starting a concert two hours late, walking around shirtless, swearing at paparazzi..... Bieber is not 13 anymore.

So he's 19, and the old smile for the camera paired with a flick of the hair doesn't really work for him now.  That's fine.  Performers have to evolve with their age and with time.  Look at Justin Timberlake (I certainly enjoy looking at him); he started as a curly-haired, frosted-tipped boy bander, and now he's all dapper in a suit and tie singing us brilliant R&B.

But this isn't about a performer evolving, it's about an individual experiencing some growing pains, and the thing that I struggle with is: can we just chalk this up to a 19 year-old acting his age?  Does he have to be held to different standards because he's a massive celebrity?  Does any of it matter?  19 year-olds all over the world are doing this and much worse (minus what the money and fame afford him), but his discretions are displayed for all the world to see.  What does it all mean?

The funny thing is, I don't really care about his music.  Some of it is pretty catchy, but just because I call myself a belieber, you won't be finding me buying his albums and certainly not attending his concerts.  What I liked about him, as I said, was his earnestness... his charisma and hard-working nature.  I'm just not seeing that anymore.

However, as a belieber, I will hold out some hope.  I'd like to see Justin Bieber elevate to the levels of Justin Timberlake one day... maybe it'll never happen, but...

NEVER SAY NEVER.

I Don't Care / I Love It

I have an upcoming post on my cat (!!!), but in the meantime, here's a track that I've been playing on repeat today. It was featured in the latest episode of "Girls" (have I written about "Girls"?) and my sister sent me the link to the video last night and I can't stop pumping the jam.



Bringing media content back to S & G.  What is this, a blog of essays?!

Upcoming posts... Spoon, Girls, RuPaul

Fully there in that place

Wow... never underestimate the power of music. 

I'm working alongside my GF today so I have my earphones in while listening to music. I unsuccessfully downloaded Feist's album, "Metals", and so when that failed I started listening to Fever Ray (working my way through my music library alphabetically, apparently). For the record I'm listening to Fever Ray's self-titled album... I don't know if that's their only one. 

The moment I pressed play (the first song that played was "Dry and Dusty"), I was taken back to where I most obsessively listened to that album; where I first listened to it and where I enjoyed it most. I swear I could smell the cold air. It was winter of 09/10. I used to smoke back then, I'm afraid (I quit though!), and I can smell the mix of the cold air and my cigarettes. I remember the coat I would wear. I remember where I was at in my life. I remember the apartment I would return to after a smoking session. I remember what it felt like in that apartment... what my life was like.  I remember the books I would read, the layout of my apartment, the movies I was obsessed with... where I spent most of my time... 

I know it wasn't that long ago, but what I'm trying to say is that the moment the first few notes of this song started to play: I WAS THERE. Fully there, in those moments, in that life, in that place. 

I also remember the other album I listened to, basically in tandem with "Fever Ray": "XX" by The XX. I just started listening to that right now, too, and it's the same feeling. They're similar albums, really, and that's where I was at: calm, introspective, quiet, cold, relaxed, focused... It was a good time. And it's good music. 

Currently reading... Lennon Revealed by Larry Kane 
On deck... High Fidelity by Nicholas Hornby, Quiet by Susan Cain

How I moved from 99.9 to 94.1

My girlfriend and I were in Hubble (my car) driving somewhere recently, listening to 99.9 Virgin radio.  Not since I had a blank tape in my "ghetto blaster", listening to 92.5 KISS FM, waiting for a song to come on that was cool enough to anxiously run over and press "record" have I really listening to the radio.  I got my first iPod in 2004 or thereabouts and suddenly the radio seemed irrelevant.

[SIDENOTE: I saved up for my iPod mini for months!  $400 for a 4gb iPod... hilarious!]

But it's really not irrelevant, or at least it's still entertaining.  Now that I commute around 400 km a week I quite enjoy the radio.  I was inspired by my sister who regularly listens to Top 40 radio and therefore can sing to every song that comes on.  So, I began to tune in to 99.9 mostly, with a side of 103.5 and 93.5.

So my GF and I were in the car and she says something along the lines of: "Do you think we could take a break from this?  It's too much!"  With that she switched over to CBC Radio 2.  Immediately I felt a tension released; the calm voices of the DJs, the generally mild music selections, the absence of advertisements and the two-song stretch before you hear any human voices.

I haven't switched my car radio from CBC Radio 2 in weeks.

How Oprah helped me "get" Lady Gaga

I can't believe how rarely I've been posting on Sugar & Gravy.  I don't have an excuse or explanation.  I try to pause at moments like this and think, "Has S & G run its course?"  The answer for now is, "Not yet".  So here is a long overdue entry.  I'll try to update more frequently moving forward.


~~~


I have tried to write this post in particular a number of times but keep getting distracted, writer's block, or just forget.  No more.  I will write this post... today.

As I've said before, I wasn't a big fan of Lady Gaga.  I probably said on occasion, "I hate Lady Gaga".  I realize now that "hate" was too strong a word, and furthermore, I didn't hate Lady Gaga, I hated the hype.  I hated hearing about her latest dramatic, artsy, controversial, or one-of-a-kind performance.  I hated hearing people talk about how unique she is, how crazy her style is, and how great her music is.  What's so special about Lady Gaga?  I mean, I find her songs pretty catchy and her style can be pretty fierce, but... why the hype?  I guess more than hating Gaga or hating the hype or hating the fans, I just didn't get Lady Gaga.


When I saw that Oprah was doing an episode of her show "Oprah's Next Chapter" with Lady Gaga, I realized this is it.  If I'm ever going to *get*, appreciate, and/or like Lady Gaga, this is how it's going to happen.  Oprah has an uncanny ability to open my eyes and heart to someone/something, and so if she can't do it for Lady Gaga and I then no one can.


Turns out - unsurprisingly - she could.


If I remember correctly, the episode started with footage of the launch of Gaga's Born This Way Foundation, which was held at Harvard University with Oprah co-hosting.  I'm often skeptical of celebrities and their causes; I can't always tell what's genuine and what's just for publicity.  However, with Oprah on board, I knew it was legit.  Also, hearing Lady Gaga speak about her cause, her mission, and how strongly she cared about it... well let's just say my heart was opening up to her.


After that, Oprah visited Gaga and her mother at their NYC apartment, where Gaga still lives. Lady Gaga seemed herself - no crazy outfit, no crazy make-up, no crazy wig.  She looked beautiful: clean, simple, and comfortable.  As always, Oprah and her interviewee spoke candidly; you got a real sense of who Lady Gaga is.  I was reminded that she's close to my age - just a year and two months (exactly) older.  She was very smart and confident, thoughtful and well-spoken.  It was a great interview, about the fame and how her life has changed, how she grew up and who she is now.  Oprah also spoke at length with her mother, and they both just seemed so down-to-earth, and... real.  Authentic.  Genuine.


The biggest moment came when Oprah made a comment along the lines of her passing the torch to Lady Gaga.  This is extremely significant, I thought, because Oprah is saying that Lady Gaga is more than a singer/songwriter/performer.  She's a world figure, a leader, capable of real change and impact.  That's what really opened my eyes.


Finally, when Oprah asked Lady Gaga's mother what she wanted the world to take out of this interview, Mrs. Germanotta said: "I want people to get my daughter."  When I heard her say it, I knew I did in fact now get Lady Gaga.

"Uh, no, don't worry about it, no thanks."

Once again, I'm putting off my "Discovering TO" post by posting a video of Sharlene Chiu of MTV News (Canada) interviewing Die Antwoord.  I already liked Die Antwoord because of this video, but this interview sends the love to a whole new level. 


See the interview here (I tried to embed it to no avail).


Favourite moments: telling Lady Gaga "no, don't worry about it" when she asks them to open for her on tour, referring to pop music as incestuous, finding out that Die Antwoord loves Celine Dion.

Soul Nourishment

I'm at work right now, but had to take a blog break because of what's nourishing my soul at this moment.

My friend R. burned me a mix CD for Christmas (a long-time tradition) with this track on it and I've been playing it non-stop in the car.  Seriously.  Like, it ends, and then I start it again. So I finally brought the CD into my office to upload it to iTunes so I can listen to it all-day any day.  Watching these gentlemen live(ish) in the video above is even better.  Oh, to have a talent like that (as my boss said after I emailed her the vid).  She's so right! 

This isn't like listening to your average song though. No. For me at least, there's something about the music that just fills me up. Throw in some hot coffee and a quiet day in the office and it's straight-up soul nourishment. 

Other things have been nourishing my soul lately... Baths. Reading before bed (What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell). Cocoa butter. Eating meals at the kitchen table (instead of in front of the TV). Hearing the words "I love you".

I'm a lady!

It's Friday and even though I cursed when I saw frost on my car this morning, there's still a beautiful blue sky to be pumped about. Plus, it's FRIDAY!!!  TGI to the friggin' F, y'all, and how better to celebrate that than with a hot jam?!?

What would you do?

I don't hunt for new music like I used to, but every once in a while the mood strikes and I hit up the Hype Machine's popular list for some new jams. 

And every once in a while (read: pretty much always), hypem delivers. 

Case in point:
Note - I can't vouch for the video that accompanies the song; the important thing is the audio.

S&G's Top 3

My favourite magazine is Toronto Life.  It's my favourite because I'm from Toronto so it seems that much more relevant than other mags, and it's my favourite because it's written in a style that I can easily digest, and it's my favourite because it's one of the only magazines that I can easily read cover to cover.  I just gobble it up.

Toronto Life has a feature that they use in every issue (I think...) where they have 3 different individuals speak about their favourite book, movie, or music; each one will discuss a different medium.  It might be an indie bookstore owner speaking of a book, or an indie record shop owner speaking about his new favourite album... you get the idea.  (They once had the owner of Videoflicks speaking about his latest fave movie... I friggin' love Videoflicks).

So - what is the point of all this?  Well, I'm going to do my own version of that feature... except I'm going to give my opinion on all 3 of those things.

Sugar & Gravy's Top 3  

1. MOVIE: I saw "50/50" this weekend.  All I can say is... "wow!"  It was one of the best movies I've seen in a while, and I've seen some good movies over the past few months ("Bridesmaids"... "Moneyball"...).  "50/50" was just totally different.  It was one of the most creative story lines I've ever seen, and the acting and writing were spot on.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt was totally charming as his character, and honest and raw, and he delivered every aspect of his character perfectly.  I laughed so many times throughout and I cried... oh how I cried!  I thought my t-shirt would be soaked in my tears at one point.  I just loved it!  Highly recommend.
   
2. BOOK: I haven't written about books in a while, have I?  Well, there's a good reason for that... I haven't been reading much.  Ugh, I'm so ashamed to say it, but it's true.  I don't know if it's being busy at work or lazy at home, or both!  Whatever it is, I want to break the habit and get back into reading, so I made some progress this weekend when I finished Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point.  This is the 3rd book I've read by Gladwell and, like the others, I loved it.  This particular book is about how an idea, once formed, gets to a point where it "tips" and then spreads like wildfire.  Why does that happen?  How can we take an idea and make it tip?  Gladwell suggests 3 factors that contribute to an idea's likeliness to tip: (1) The Law of the Few; (2) The Stickiness Factor; (3) The Power of Context.  You can say that Gladwell takes others ideas and makes them his own, but I don't see it that way.  I think he's just good at researching intensely on a topic and compiling that research and delivering it to the reader in a way that's easy to read and process and understand.  That on its own is a skill, and he does it again with this book.  I look forward to reading the last of his books that I haven't read: What the Dog Saw.  Have you read it?  What did you think?
   
3. MUSIC: For the past 2-3 weeks I have been listening to almost nothing but Beyonce's "4".  I honestly cannot stop listening to it.  I went from liking a few songs to loving a few songs and tolerating the rest of the album to loving all of it and then being OBSESSED (pun intended?) with a few songs.  My faves are "Love on Top", "I Care", and "Countdown", but "I Was Here" has grown on me a lot, and as I said, I really do love all of it at this point.  Beyonce delivered big time with a diverse album that shows her growth and creativity, showcases her talent, and reminds us again why she is one of the biggest players in the game.  Along with "21" and "The Suburbs", this is one of my fave albums of the past 2 years.

Thanks for stopping by, San Diego!