New Music

Here's a list of artists who have C.D.s being released this fall:

Lil' Kim---It came out this week. This CD should be great but what I am really looking forward to is what she will "create while in jail."

Ladytron---Their first record since 2002. This record will be released on thier new American label Rykodisc.

Kate Bush---See previous post.

Franz Ferdinand---From Scottland, along with Kanye West, they were last year's most exciting new act.

Ryan Adams---Such a good songwriter. One of the cutest straight boys around.

Pharrel---The Neptune and producer extraordinaire has a new solo porject. Should be soulful and fun.

Madonna---This new record is expected to be more danceable and current (maybe she'll do the electro or reggaton thing). And hopefully she won't be playing the guitar.

Other releases also include stuff by: Outkast, Gang of Four, Sinead O'Connor, Mary J. Blige, and (brace yourselves) The Fugees.

I can't wait!!!

Loving Bush

I am so thrilled to have recently read that one of my favorite singers of all time will be releasing a new album for the first time in 12 years. Throughout the '80s and even '90s, I have always deeply admired Kate Bush's compositions. She has inspired many immitators (Tori Amos most notably). There are so many records by other artists released at the same time she was prolific, but much of that music does not seem as epic, exciting and timeless as a Kate Bush song.

Fall's Here

I have been bed-ridden for the last few days, as I caught a cold this week. The cold, I believe, is a result of over-exhaustion from a very busy weekend and catching it from my relatives at my mom's house. I started feeling ill and tired on Monday, but the illness didn't really hit me hard until Tuesday evening. I didn't go to work for a couple of days, which I absolutely hated doing, since the school year just started three weeks ago. But my body needed the rest. Colds and flus are the worst. I hate feeling powerless and lacking energy. I hate not being productive. I enjoy being lazy once in a while, but by choice, of course. I woke up today coughing and with a slight headache, but fell better as soon as I got out of bed. I went to the store. Made coffee (first time I drink it in four days). Read the newspaper. Talked on the phone. I cleaned house a bit. I am back to normal...Hooray!!!

I continue to read, but must say that I am thrilled that the fall t.v. season is back on. I have already watched the premieres of America's Next Top Model, Survivor, and Fox's new show Prison Break, which a friend and I decided to start watching because we find prison movies and shows hot, (the show by the way has been exciting but too implausible). Now I am looking forward to the premieres of that housewife show...and The Amazing Race.

Laughing Out Loud

I saw The Farrelly Bros.' Fever Pitch, starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon on d.v.d. the other day and absolutely loved this movie. The film had so much heart, the writing was sweet and the performances were wonderful. This is not a review of the film, but I am in awe at the moment because I do not remember the last time I enjoyed so many American romantic comedies in one year.
Along with The 40-Year Old Virgin and The Wedding Crashers, Fever Pitch is ranking as one of my favorite films released this year thus far. Normally, I take in too many documentaries, independent and foreign films. I find them to be more rewarding, compelling and thought-provoking than the vapid big budget fare put out by Hollywood studios. But this year has been an exception.
The 40-Year Old Virgin tops the list, however. I continue to laugh outloud when recalling certain scenes or lines from the film. ("You're gay because you like Coldplay...") And the film's music selection is absolutely perfect. I can't get that song from the '80s "Just Got Lucky" out of my head.

Lately...

I really love the new Kanye West c.d. My friend Dom gave it to me for my birthday and I have been playing it like crazy. On Sunday alone, I must have listened to it at least four times. Of course, I love "Gold Digger," which is played so much on the radio and is such an infectious, funny track. But other songs in the alum like 'We Major," "Celebration," and Chuy's favorite "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" are also brilliant tracks. I love West's themes of losers and drop-out and being poor and being carless or without gas. His debut album was called College Dropout. His current effort is called Late Registration. I guess, I can relate!

Last Friday I went to the Hollywood Bowl with friends from work. It was my first visit to the bowl all summer. I normally tend to go at least twice in the summer. We saw Bebel Gilberto giving a sweet, soothing, sensual performance. And we saw Pink Martini doing their usual set. They started with Ravel's Bolero and ended their show with samba dancers... I think I will wait at least a year until I see them again. Perhaps I have seen them perform too many times. Their shows seem too familiar and unoriginal lately.

Did you guys know that there is a cornfield right outside of Downtown L.A.? It is a few blocks east of Chinatown, just north of Olvera Street, off of Main Street, as if one were driving toward Lincoln Heights from Downtown. It was unbelieveable! It is some four blocks long. They were having a festival there on Sunday (many hippy-types were present). I had the most wonderful, calming time walking through it...

Happy Virgo

I was not planning on celebrating my birthday this year for several reasons, but especially since this year it landed in the middle of the week and on back-to-school day. But many of my wonderful friends who remembered that the day was coming insisted on me celebrating it. their questions where down the line of: What are we doing for your birthday this year?
I went to work real early. I left the house at around 6:30 in the morning to have coffee with a friend/co-worker and to get a head start on things at school and prepare for the day before the bell rang. For the 8 hours that I was at work I forgot all about myself and went on with my day. Working. It is always fun to return to work and see how much students grow after a long vacation. A few of the new 5th graders are almost as tall as me now. For lunch I ate a delicious sandwich that my friend Serene had prepared for me the previous night.
After school, I went to my mother's house. Latin mothers always insist on seeing their kids on their birthdays... My own mom always says to come over to her house for one or two hours. To eat. Pick up my gift. And then I can go and do whatever it is I do with friends. I did just that. I had a nice two hours with my mom , her best friend Tere, and my sister Karina. Monica and Victoria couldn't make it since Victoria was a little sick...
That evening, I chose to gather with a few friends (it was a party of 15) at Pizza Buona on the corner of Alvarado and Sunset, by my house. We had a nice gathering and overwhelmed the owners and servers, and maybe other customers. But we had a lot of fun. I didn't eat much pizza, but had a lot of antipasto salad and a couple of beers. Thank you Rob and Cass for the cake. Thank you Kathy for the cupcakes. Thank you Jack for sacrificing your seat... Thank you Natalie for the disposable camara. Thank you: Oskar, Jerry, Robin, Nikki, Adree, Anna, Francesca. Thank you Serene and Dom for being there and for drinks afterwards at the Gold Room.

Catching Up

I have been trying to finish a few last items before going back to work. The first day back for the kids is on September 6 (the day after Labor Day), but I went in to work this past Wednesday. It is always good to see certain people after a long absence or time apart. There were a few peers whom I had planned to see or get together with over the summer break but I never found a chance to meet with them. It is funny how time flies. It is such a cliche to talk about it, but I always do. I'm glad to be be working again...

The Sunset Junction Street Fair was last weekend, and for the first time in years I didn't really feel like going. I think my very first Junction festival was back in 1991. I have missed it only twice. One year, I think I was in Ecuador, the other year I was in Spain. I hate that there is a $10 cover now. It used to be free or 1 or 2 dollars for the longest time. I know it is only a donation and that the reason the fest costs so much now is because of all the big name bands and artists that they are bringing in, but I would normally attend regardless of who is performing. For me, in the past at least, the real draw was the crowds, the people-watching, carnival food, beer stands, carnival rides, and above all--celebrating the neighborhoods' funky diversity. Many don't know or are aware that The Sunset Junction Festival was born out of the community's effort to unite and engage all of the neighborhood's people. Particularly the Queer and the Latino communities. Kind of like a meet and embrace your neighbors party. And little by little I see this diversity less and less appreciated.
So I skipped the Junction that Saturday and instead hung out with family the eintire day. My mother's cousin who was visiting from NYC, made a pork roast, which she served with this yummy homminy and cilantro salad, rice and another cucumber-totomato-avocado salad. Yummy!!! Afterwards, Karina and I drove to Monica's house in Montrose. The three Velasquez-Villavicencio siblings went shopping and pampered little Victoria, who is today 22 months old. Karina by the way is 7 months pregnant now and due in late October. Victoria's favorite words now are: "no" and "Toto" which is her variation on Tio (uncle). She also knows the names of all the the Sesame Street characters, but is particularly fond of Elmo and Oscar.
I went to the Junction on Sunday evening. I hung out for about two hours before getting bored. I did manage to run into a few friends...which is always nice. Next year, I will try to schedule a trip around that time...

Shout out to all the Virgos in the house (none of whom probably don't read this): Micca, Dominique, Jill, Suzi, Sergio, Brendan, Henry, my neighbor...et moi. We a re a difficult, troubled breed. I realized recently I could never go out with another "virgin." We'd end up killing one another! I tried it once in the early '90s. It was bad.
Anyway, time to sign off. Ciao...