Stacyverb

Random stuff from my brain (#1)*

I was a little under the weather last weekend (literally--I got caught in the rain at Piedmont Park).  As I settled my feverish, snot-filled head onto my pillow to get some sleep, I had a sudden, vivid memory of this:

Anybody else know what I'm talking about?  This was a science film my classmates and I were shown pretty much every year in elementary school.  I hadn't thought of it in a long time, but it decided to bubble up to the surface of my consciousness for some reason.

Doing some quick internet research, I've learned that this movie was made by Bell Telephone as "one of a series of programs on science to understand nature's laws" (direct, poorly worded quote from the film's dramatic intro).  It was produced in 1956, which begs the question, why were they still showing it to us in the late 70s?  Was our school system just that out of date?  Or was it because this movie was so timeless and awesome?

Our Mr. Sun was directed by none other than Frank Capra.  It starred Eddie Albert, and featured the cartoon voice of Lionel Barrymore.  This was no small-budget school science flick!  It's pretty impressive, actually, and I remember loving it the first few times I saw it (by sixth grade we were all like, "Our Mr. Sun AGAIN? {groan}").  I also recall another Bell Systems movie called Hemo the Magnificent, which was all about the circulatory system.  I don't remember that one as clearly, although I know I saw it mutliple times also.

In case you had a deprived elementary education and never had the chance to see Our Mr. Sun yourself (over and over again), I have good news: you can watch the whole thing on YouTube!

 

 

* I've titled this post "RSFMB (#1)" because this seems like a good idea for a series.  Arbitrary mental detritus pops into my head out of nowhere all the time, so look for more of this kind of crap in the future.  When?  How often?  I don't know.  It's random, folks.

"Old Man Cabbage" screening party

A few months ago, I mentioned that my husband had shaved off his goatee for his role as an extra in a music video.  It wasn't just any music video, but a 15-minute "long form narrative music video" produced by Ninja Puppet Productions and featuring the music of Atlanta's fantastic Blair Crimmins & The Hookers. 

This week we were invited to a screening party of the almost-finished video at The Goat Farm (an amazing venue that might need its own post sometime).  Director Raymond Carr introduced the film, and the band performed the soundtrack live.  It was a great evening of music, wine, and creative folks.  At the bottom of this post, watch the trailer for the video!

 

Anthony appears very briefly at 1:02, but is much more visible in the full video. :)

Getting locally delicious

One of the most frustrating things about being on such an extra-tight budget in the past 10 months has been not having the disposable income to support our favorite local businesses.  All of our money seems to go to giant banks, utility companies, etc., to cover our basic living expenses.  I work at a small business, so I'm always aware of how important it is for the community to support these establishments, yet have been unable lately to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak.

The least I can do is promote some of these treasures by word of mouth.  A few days ago, we went to a free screening of Get Delicious Again at the Plaza.  Get Delicious is a program produced by Public Broadcasting Atlanta and hosted by local Renaissance man, Jim Stacy.  Jim goes around to various local eateries to shine a light on some of the mom-and-pop businesses that serve fantastic food but don't necessarily get a lot of media attention because they aren't trendy or operated by a famous chef.  Jim is an entertaining host who knows a lot about Atlanta history and a lot about food. 

I want to support this program so they can make more episodes of it.  I want to support PBA in general.  I want to support the restaurants Jim highlights on the show.  I want to support the Plaza (although this screening was free, Jim asked that people make a small donation to the theatre, which I did).  Right now I really can't do any of this with my wallet, but I can use this blog to spread the word.

You can watch the first episode of Get Delicious online here.

Find links to all the local restaurants featured in episodes 1 and 2 here and here.

Learn about the Plaza Theatre's history, programming, and lots of other good stuff here.  Did you know the Plaza is Atlanta's oldest operating movie theater?  And that this historic landmark has non-profit status, which means you can become a member or make a donation that is tax-deductible?

Please support the creative, hard-working folks who keep these unique businesses going!

Me-Made-June, Days 12 & 13

Day 12 was a work day at the yarn shop and then the start of my "weekend!"

Earrings: Me-beaded

"Rock'n'Roll Knitter" tee shirt: Gift from a friend

Skirt: Simplicity 5914; red linen blend

Bag: Thrifted

Shoes: Payless

I made this skirt last year and haven't worn it much because I recalled it being uncomfortably tight in the hips. Put it on today just to try it, and it seems a bit snug, but basically fine.  So it's going back into my regular rotation.  It's almost like having a new skirt. :)  Might need to make more of these!  The pattern suggests a wide variety of fabrics, including wool and corduroy, so this design could be a good possiblity for fall and winter.

Day 13: My day off.  Woo-hoo!  Escaping the heat at a matinee of Super 8.

Cardigan: Hand-knit Marigold from Interweave Knits using Cascade Ultra Pima cotton yarn

Skirt: McCall's 4783 in black linen/poly blend

Earrings: Me-beaded

Shoes: Cinderella of Boston, my go-to source for tiny, stylish shoes

The rounded corners of this photo are my homage to the 1970s after getting caught up in the period in Super 8. :)  The colors of my outfit also look shifted a la the 70s, which was not on purpose.  I tried to fix them but I kept making my skin look blue.  You'll just have to trust me when I say my cardigan and shoes are red, and my skirt is black.

Super 8 was really good!  Classic summer-style movie.  Now I'm in the mood to curl up on the couch tonight with some popcorn and old-school Spielberg.  I'm thinking Jaws or Close Encounters.

Starlight Sunday night

Here in the ATL we are lucky enough to have a great old drive-in still within the city.  A night at the Starlight Six is a fun time and a great bargain--$7.00 per person for a double feature?  Yes, please!  Plus, they encourage you to bring your own food and beverages for picnicking or tailgating before the show.

Our first stop was Delia's Chicken Sausage Stand.  Oh, Delia's!  That place warrants a post of its own.  But for now let's just say that it's the perfect place to stop for your drive-in picnic food.

Mural on one of the projection booths.

Part of the mural beneath Screen 6.

Feet on dashboard, waiting for movie to start.  What's that?  You're insanely jealous because my socks have flames on them and yours don't?  Totally understandable.

It was an unusually chilly night for May in Atlanta, but we came prepared with a quilt to snuggle our goofy selves under.

Thanks for a fun night as always, Starlight Six!  We hope to spend many summer evenings with you in the months to come.

That's (not necessarily) entertainment

Judging from the comments people have left here and/or have made to me in person about Tuesday's post, I'm not the only one who sometimes reaches that point where the things we do for fun end up feeling like chores.  And apparently quite a few of us are delusional optimistic about how much time actually exists, especially hobby/recreation/fun time.

Let's talk about this!

There are lots of ways I like to relax, but when I try to cram all of them into a weekend, I can't manage it (duh! see above point re: actual available time) and then feel stressed out.  Which basically sabotages the whole relaxing angle, obviously.  My current goals are about having more calmness in my life, remember?  Freaking out about getting "behind" on pastimes is ABSOLUTELY DUMB.

Knowing all this, recently I have:

• vowed not to start any major new sewing or knitting projects like tailored dresses or intricately cabled socks.  I'll start only simple, quick-gratification projects, and work on finishing the complicated long-term projects already in progress.
• declined several offers from friends who wanted to loan me books they thought I'd like, because I know I won't get to them right away.  (On a similar note, I'm checking out one library book at a time instead of a whole stack.)
• realized I only want to keep up with maybe two TV shows at a time.  Following anything more than that means either planning my downtime around TV (no thanks) or getting behind on episodes and trying to squeeze in time to catch up, which ends up feeling like a chore.
• cut back the Netflix plan to one DVD at a time.  When we had the two-at-a-time, we'd end up with a backlog and those little red envelopes would start taunting us (again, the pressure/ chore/obligation feeling).  Bonus: we save five bucks a month.

How about you?  How could you better manage your downtime?  Could doing fewer "relaxing" things actually help you feel more relaxed?

Handmade Nation at Whipstitch

Atlanta area sewists, have you heard about Whipstitch?  Billing themselves as a "fabric shop and sewing lounge," they just opened their fabulous new space in the Brickworks development on Marietta Street in West Midtown.  This weekend they've been celebrating with some Grand Opening events, so I headed over there on Friday night to investigate.

Mmmm...fabric goodness.  Even the solids looked delicious to me, and you know I usually go for prints.

Did someone say prints?  Yes, please!  The space is big, airy, and full of wonderful color. 

There are some days when I sure could use a sign like this above my sewing machine! 

It's so great to see an independent fabric store making a splash in town.  Everyone there was super-friendly, and several were wearing self-made garments.  I felt I was among my people. :)  For those of you not lucky enough to be able to visit Whipstitch in person, please check out their Etsy shop.

Friday night's Whipstitch event was a screening (complete with free popcorn!) of Faythe Levine's documentary film, Handmade Nation.  Levine traveled all over the U.S. interviewing artists, crafters and designers to document the ways in which people are bringing the concept of "handmade" into the modern world.  It was so inspiring to see so many fun, independent people carving out a lifestyle that so many of us strive for--working hard at being creative every day and inventing their own jobs. 

If your creativity could use a kick in the pants, or if you just like peeking behind the scenes at the artistic process, I urge you to watch this film.  You can buy the DVD here, or check here for a list of upcoming screenings.  Then brew a nice strong pot of coffee, crank the music up, and MAKE STUFF!

Saturday night at the Silver Scream Spook Show

For a fun date on a Saturday night, it's hard to go wrong with the Silver Scream Spook Show at the Plaza.

At 10 pm, Professor Morte and his gang of ghoulish sidekicks take the stage and perform a 30-minute variety show of creepy costumes, jokes, magic tricks, dancing girls, and whatever else they can come up with.  A classic horror movie follows the stage show.

Last night's feature was First Men In The Moon--a childhood favorite of Adverb's--presented in Dynamation ("the Miracle of the Screen!" according the opening credits).

The Spook Show is held at the Plaza on the last Saturday of each month.  Besides the more adult 10 pm show, they also have a 1 pm matinee for kids.

Till next time, grab some popcorn and watch this video about the Spook Show, as featured on PBA 30 a while back.  It's fiendishly fun!

Things I've been meaning to blog about

I swear, I have the attention span of a flea lately.  It's not that I haven't had any ideas for blog entries, or that I haven't been taking photos for the blog, but by the time I have a chance to sit down and do an update, I've lost interest.  Here now, a quick summary of things that were each (theoretically) supposed to have their own entries in the past few weeks.

Smoke That City at Kavarna in Oakhurst, Saturday, March 6.

Some friends turned me on to Smitten Kitchen.  I've never been into food blogs, but this one is beautifully photographed and not snooty at all...just a normal person with a tiny kitchen, who loves food.  What you see here is my pot of the ridiculously easy and delicious Tomato Sauce With Onion And Butter, which SK posted here.

I watched the Oscars and was glad The Hurt Locker won, but for sheer entertainment, the best movie I've seen lately is Black Dynamite.  Adverb and I laughed until we were in pain.  It's genius.  Click that link and watch the trailer if you haven't seen it.

Speaking of laughing our heads off, those of you in Atlanta need to check out Clash Titan Clash at Dad's Garage.  During the course of the evening, I got sprayed with puppet pee and was physically attacked by a giant sea monster, and I woke up the next morning with sparkly confetti in my hair.  Now that's what I call a show!  This craziness runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through April 3.  

Spring is here!  It's been slower coming than usual, but considering that I know many of you are still buried under snow, I'm not complaining.  This is my little still life celebrating the change of seasons.  The days are bright and warm enough for things to be in bloom, while the evenings are still chilly enough that a velvety red wine is perfect with dinner. Conquista Malbec has recently become the house wine of our house.  Adverb discovered it at YDFM for six bucks a bottle.  Score!

So there you go.  I'm sorta caught up now, and will try to be better about staying on top of the blog.

Happy birthday to me!

So!  I turned 40 years old today.  It was not traumatic.  Mostly I think birthdays that end with zero are just fantastic excuses for bigger celebrations.

A while back, I told Adverb that all I wanted for my Milestone Birthday was for us to take a great trip somewhere.  So when some friends of ours who live in San Francisco announced that they were getting married on Labor Day weekend, I was like, score.  A fabulous trip, right after my birthday, to a place I've always wanted to visit?  Perfecto.

We leave in the morning.  (To any bad guys who may be reading this: there will be people staying at my house, so don't make the mistake of thinking there's no one around.)  Bags are packed.

My real present is the trip, of course, but this evening my hubby also treated me to a pre-vacation date: Julie and Julia (which we both thought was great fun) at the Movie Tavern.  We sat in the back and giggled like fools, ate pizza and drank beer, and partway into the movie, a guy quietly and magically appeared with refills.  Gotta love the Movie Tavern.

Oh, and also?

 

I wore sparkly devil horns all day.  Just because I could.  Let's hear it for celebrating every day like it's a birthday that ends in zero!