Recently in Friends Category

Smart, hilarious, prickly, weird, articulate, silly, inappropriate, familiar, inspiring, singular, nutzo, and really freakin' wonderful. These are just a few of the words I can think of to describe Alex Ross Perry's The Color Wheel which I saw last night at BAMcinemaFest. Directed by Perry and co-written by Carlen Altman, the film is shot on 16mm in black and white (because it "was cheaper," Perry said) and follows a brother and sister on a weekend road trip gone awry. I don't want to give anything away, but last night's packed house of uproarious laughter later dissolved into one of the best cases of uncomfortable audience silence I've ever experienced in le cinema. My two word review? LOVED IT.

I've said this before, but Carlen is one of the funniest people I've met in NYC. Besides doing stand-up comedy and performing in other people's indie films, she also makes guinea pig fashion videos and sells her jewelry collection of Jewish rosaries and Moses rings to places like Colette in Paris. She's also a fearless performer who isn't afraid to throw her rollicking personality into her work. She and Alex co-wrote The Color Wheel together with Alex penning the script first and Carlen rewriting all of her character's dialogue. Together they have an infectious chemistry both on and off the page, all witty banter and infuriating eye rolls punctuating their characters emotional distance from one another.

The two first met at a stand-up night and recognized similar sensibilities in one another. It was a case of "oh, we should make a movie together" and then actually following through with it. As Carlen said last night, "It feels good to finally finish something," which I'm sure many of us can relate to. Alex mentioned that he'd seen 179 movies at BAM and that it was a dream fulfilled to finally have his own film screen there. I was totally inspired afterwards, especially after they both thanked the audience adding that everyone should go out there and make what they want to make. Here's hoping they make more.

If I had to choose one store in which to blow a ton of money I don't have, I would--without hesitation--throw it all away at LN-CC, aka Late Night Chameleon Cafe. Pretty much ground zero for the heppest of hep-cats in East London (and many a celebrity who book private appointments), LN-CC is a Kubrick-esque concept store, web shop, library, basement club, music hub, and mini style museum. I'm going to go ahead and declare it the coolest store in the world right now, because you know what? IT IS.

Launched in September 2010, LN-CC is the brainchild of seasoned buyers John Skelton and Dan Mitchell (formerly of Harrods and Oki-Ni). Boasting innovative and hard to find labels like Damir Doma, P.A.M, Saskia Diez, Folk, Tze Goh, and footwear brands like Silent and Yuketen, LN-CC takes their retail concept further by stocking art books, zines, and music. They also host DJ nights and art openings such as this month's Richie Culver exhibit and have recently introduced a sort of "thank you to our International customers" contest that will give away a free trip to London plus a £15,000 shopping spree at the store.

A place for inspiration as much as retail-ization, the LN-CC store itself is a dramatically minimal wonder. From a caged hallway tunnel to a series of individual rooms linked via untreated wood, soft lit concrete, and gravel pathways, it's a lifestyle store unlike any other. Here's a peek inside...

The Earth Room

The Light Room

The Library

The Warmth Room

Items from my wish list...

Let me just say this about the new Cartoon Network show, The Problem Solverz: There's a "half anteater, half man, and half dog" character named Alfe (pronounced al-FAY) who loves pizza. Also, there's a robot named Roba who isn't really a robot, just a neurotic boy who dresses like a robot to combat his fear of humanity. Then there's Horace who's totally normal except he pals around with these two crazies who, um, drive him crazy all while they're trying to--wait for it--solve problems.

Airing on Cartoon Network on Monday nights, The Problem Solverz is the brainchild of artist Ben Jones, he of the ultra-awesome art collective Paper Rad. Ben's work has been shown at PaceWildenstein, Deitch Projects, Tate Britain, and The New Museum of Contemporary Art among many others, and he has done animation for everyone from M.I.A. and Beck to the Nick Jr. show Yo Gabba Gabba. With The Problem Solverz, comes a whole new bag of neon magic. I think I've watched the "Pizza Time" clip a dozen times already. H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S. Don't miss this show.

I met Carlen Altman a few years ago during an improv class at Upright Citizens Brigade. We made each other laugh and may or may not have caused our teacher to quit halfway through our term (our teacher's hatred for both our constant snickering and a rather infamous--and well loved--Catholic School Girls sketch was no secret). Carlen always liked to call me a "beauty doll", which I thought was special until I realized she called everyone a beauty doll. Sometimes she would say it sweetly with a smile and other times like she was about to slice my throat open with a pencil. Either way, I found it endearing.

After several years in the big, bad city, Carlen has gone on to helm a variety of fantastic projects, one of which is her line of Jewish Rosaries. She was also featured in a bunch of cute outfits for a Lucky magazine spread awhile back. When I ran into her last night, she was wearing some of her newly designed pieces, and folks, they BLEW MY MIND. What you see above is a large, silver ring with a bearded man holding a tablet. What you don't see is that the beard can move up and down... like the man is ranting, chomping, or laughing at you from that middle finger. It's GENIUS.

Carlen also designed a zig-zag necklace (seen in the photo above) that transforms into a star, which you can see below.

She also has a chuckling pharaoh ring and a pyramid ring that opens up to reveal a mummy inside. Fantastic!!

All of these new pieces as well as a few more from her "Jew-elry" collection should be available soon. You should check out her blog for updates (and for a good laugh). This beauty doll is a serious riot.

Happy Post-Labor Day to you! This is my favorite time of year. Everything starts to take on a newer, cooler sheen as we glide out of summer and into fall. This back-to-school time of year is all about new beginnings. It's about sloughing off the mosquitos, preparing to layer back into the cozy, and really mapping out how you want to live out the latter part of the year. For me, the end of summer and beginning of autumn should always be celebrated with brunch.

I gathered with some of my friends in the backyard of a sleepy, homespun cafe nestled within Brooklyn's forgotten Navy Yards. We sipped Bloody Marys and thick coffee in the shade of a birdhouse tree while the sun made lazy patterns across the metal table. It was breezy and quiet, the air often punctuated by the sounds of our laughter or the constant clanking of forks on the one plate with the vanishing sourdough pancake. We strolled onto the cobblestoned street, said hello to bikers in their braids and Belstaff, and then made our way to the Admiral's Mansion.

Then, via bike, truck, and taxi, we journeyed to the more industrial part of Brooklyn to tap dance along the concrete, pastel popsicles in hand...

I'm not a massive sugar hound. If I had a choice between sweet and savory, the salty and crunchy would win every time. I can dig some dark chocolate and hang out with a lemon meringue pie now and then, but sugar's not my thing. "I'll take the cheese course," she says all European-like after her meal.

It took one trip to BabyCakes NYC--the delightful bakery owned by the lovely, talented, and always stylish Erin McKenna--to slay my sweet snobbery for good (and it had nothing to do with sugar). Erin's cupcakes, cookies, frosting shots, gingerbread, brownies, blueberry crumb cake (my faves), and ridiculously addictive Cinnamon Toasties are made without refined sugar, eggs, or dairy. We're talking all-natural, organic, and--dare I say it with the blood of 1,000 cows coursing through my Texas-bred veins--VEGAN. The sweets at BabyCakes NYC are so magically delicious that you find yourself exclaiming, "Nuh-uh-no-way!" when you find out they're actually good for you.

I have to pace myself when it comes to how often I rush to the Lower East Side for a Red Velvet fix. I wish I could go every day. I need to go every day. The BabyCakes Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf wants to live in my fridge permanently. Luckily, for all of us, Erin has decided to share her secrets with the new BabyCakes Cookbook, hittin' a bookshelf near you on May 5th. Chock-full of recipes for most of the items that have made her bakery famous, you can now bring BabyCakes into your home whenever you want. Find out what makes regulars like Mary-Louise Parker, Natalie Portman, Pamela Anderson, and Zooey Deschanel "fan club" members for life. Learn how to make Jason Schwartzman's favorite Triple-Chocolate Fat Pants Cake. It's all in there, and it's all good.

Plus, how can you resist this BabyCakes Cookbook video? Sweet Sensational!

BabyCakes, the Book of Recipes: It's Here (Almost)! from BabyCakes NYC on Vimeo.

Seriously, y'all, you need this cookbook.

Also: Prop 8 Protestors Take Manhattan.

Please excuse my absence. We've been working around the clock to open our first play, FOR REASONS UNKNOWN, at the New York International Fringe Fest, and as of last Tuesday night we're up and running! It's been a heckuva thrill ride and we're so thankful to all of our family and friends who've come out to support us (and laugh with us) through it all. There are four shows left, so please grab a pal and come see this behemoth of a play celebrating New York, pigeons, Annette Funicello and, of course, poo.

We're a NY Observer and Daily Candy pick!!!

Gingham Theatre Presents:

FOR REASONS UNKNOWN

Barrow Street Theatre
27 Barrow Street
Map HERE.

Schedule:
Thursday 8/14 @ 10:00 PM
Monday 8/18 @ 7:30 PM
Thursday (matinee) 8/21 @ 2:00 PM
Sunday (matinee) 8/24 @ 2:15 PM
*Please note that the NY Observer incorrectly listed our Monday show time. The correct time is 7:30pm.

Director: Nathan Halvorson Assistant Director: Osheen Jones Set Designer: Jeremy Chernick Choreographer: Brent Smith Stage Manager: Lee Micklin Company Representative: India Neilan
Cast: Jeff Long, Andi Teran, Matt Mullin, William Franke, Jessica Kaman, Travis York

Tickets:

Online: Visit Ticketweb.com
By Telephone: (convenience charge applies) 9am to 7pm every day.
Inside NY: 212.279.4488 (Credit Card Only)
Outside NY: 1-888-FringeNYC (Credit Card Only)
In Person: Visit FringeCENTRAL

ABOUT THE PLAY: FOR REASONS UNKNOWN is the story of Bradley, an office drone and city dweller who comes home to his New York apartment to find a present on his sofa. The gift? A big poo. With all windows and doors locked, and no sign of forced entry, Bradley enlists the help of his best friend and hip-hop dance partner, Julie, to discover who--or what--committed this dastardly deed. There's spirited dancing, a couple of cops, a mysterious neighbor, and one too many pigeons--there might even be a cameo by Annette Funicello--but, most importantly, there's poo. Paranoia and the randomness of urban life rule in this modern comedy that chronicles just what happens when sh*# happens.

My friend, Mark Blankenship, is an astute guy. He's funny, intelligent, a great conversationalist, and loves himself some pop music like this tender kitten right here. While we've yet to discuss the cultural merits of Stacey Q (a.k.a. Cinnamon), I know this boy's got great taste and knows his stuff. He writes all about it in his free time on I Totally Hear That, which I totally heart. Recently, while chatting about music, we had an interesting exchange...

Mark: You've heard The Smiths, right?
Andi: Um, yeah.
Mark: It's weird, but I've never really listened to them.
Andi: ...
Mark: I mean, I never got into them. I never really heard or listened to much of their music.
Andi: Remember how you and I were talking at that party last week? I was wearing a "Meat is Murder" t-shirt.
Mark: ...
Andi: We have so much to talk about.

And we did. Then Mark wrote this, which I encourage you to read (regardless of whether you're a Moz lover or hater). Mark is discovering the beloved Morrissey long after you're "supposed to". I love that he's getting into the music in a unironic way. It's refreshing. Mark's enthusiasm has inspired me to dig up my old Smiths CD's and get reaquainted, and I'm finding that I, too, am enjoying the music from a different perspective. I may not feel black on the inside anymore, but I know that I'm still begging for the powers that be to "please, please, please, let me, let me, let me, let me get what I want this time". That line still elevates my melancholic tendencies, but then I remember to "boot the grime of this world in the crotch, dear" and I smile. Sometimes The Smiths speak to me like an old friend, and other times they're just happy melodies in the background.

So, hey, Mark? I choose both, too.