David on May 31st, 2009
Today’s video is Grammy-nominated artist Amy Hanaiali`i’s tender performance of Aloha `Oe (”Farewell to Thee”), the beloved Hawaiian standard, written by Queen Liliuokalani (1838-1917), from the album Nostalgia, produced by Jon de Mello for the Mountain Apple Company.
Aloha Oe is ranked #3 on my list of Top 10 Favorite Songs. To see the full list in a previous post, click here.
In Memory of Robert G. Perreira, 10/25/20- 5/24/09.
David on May 30th, 2009
Today’s website is FatherDamien.com, which was launched this week by the Diocese of Honolulu as the official website for the Canonization of Blessed Damien. Blessed Damien (Damien de Veuster, 1840-1889) is the venerated and beloved Roman Catholic priest who won worldwide praise and admiration for his ministry to the native Hawaiians that were resettled in Kalawao on the remote Kalaupapa Peninsula on the Island of Molokai, Hawaii, after contracting Hansen’s Disease (aka “leprosy”). He served the residents in the Kalaupapa settlement between May 1873 and April 1889, before contracting the disease which claimed his life on April 15, 1889. He was 49.
Father Damien was beatified in June 1995 by Pope John Paul II and was given the official spiritual titled of “Blessed.” On October 11, 2009, Blessed Damien will be elevated to sainthood, completing the canonization process, and the culmination of a campaign that has been underway in Hawaii and Damien’s own native Belgium for decades. For many Catholic and non-Catholic residents of Hawaii, this is an important event in Hawaiian history and the realization of many efforts to recognize the extraordinary humanitarian works of Father Damien de Veuster.
For more information on Blessed Damien, go to a previous post on Jankenpon.com by clicking here. If you want to learn more about the upcoming canonization, visit the official website for Blessed Damien from the Diocese of Honolulu by clicking here.
David on May 29th, 2009
Today’s cocktail is the “Old Fashioned,” which is often considered one of the “first” cocktails and was reportedly the name given to a Bourbon whiskey cocktail served in the 1880’s at the Pendennis Club, a gentleman’s club in Louisville, KY. Regardless of its origins, the Old Fashioned is a true cocktail “classic” that is easy to make and delicious, too.
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz. blended Whiskey
1 sugar cube
2 dashes Bitters (such as Angostura)
1 cherry
1 slice orange
Splash of Club Soda (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place sugar cube in a cocktail glass.
2. Add bitters and use a muddler to dissolve sugar.
3. Add ice.
4. Add Whiskey and stir to combine ingredients.
5. Top with a splash of Club Soda (optional, and not recommended)
6. Garnish with cherry and orange slice.
7. Serve, enjoy and repeat.
To view previous posts in the ”Cocktail” category, click here.
The Old Fashioned is #5 on my list of Top 10 Favorite Cocktails. To go to a previous post with a full list of my Top 10 Favorite Cocktails, click here.
To go to other cocktail recipes from previous posts, click here.
David on May 28th, 2009
“Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe.”
— Anatole France, 1844-1924
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 27th, 2009
Today’s website is WhiteKnot.org, the official website for White Knot for Equality, a non-profit organization founded by Frank Voci in November 2008, in response to the passing of California’s Proposition 8 which modified the California Constitution by defining marriage as between a man and woman only and the other bans on same-sex marriage and denial of equal rights across the country.
According to their website, White Knot for Equality’s mission is to achieve equal rights by:
* educating people on the importance of Marriage Equality;
* engaging people in conversations needed to change hearts and minds;
* and showing the widespread support Marriage Equality truly has.
You can request a FREE white knot by mail from the WhiteKnot.org website by clicking here.
Above: Oscar-winning Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (left) and Cleve Jones, pictured at the 2009 Academy Awards Show, wearing white knots. Black won the Oscar for his original screenplay for the film, Milk, starring Sean Penn and directed by Gus Van Sant.
David on May 26th, 2009
“Dr. Beach,” also known as Stephen Leatherman, Director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research, recently released his annual list of Top 10 Beaches for 2009. He uses 50 criteria in selecting the best beaches– including water and sand quality, facilities and environmental management. This is the 19th year he has published his list.
This year’s winner? It’s Hanalei Bay on the Island of Kauai, Hawaii.
Here’s the complete list of Top 10 Beaches for 2009.
Dr. Beach calls Hanalei Bay “a spectacular white crescent-shaped sand beach that is considered by many residents and visitors alike to be the most beautiful beach setting in Hawaii.” It has moved steadily up Dr. Beach’s list, taking the No. 4 spot in 2007 and the No. 2 spot in 2008.
Dr. Beach says Siesta Beach “has clear, warm waters that serve for ideal swimming.” The beach came in No. 3 in 2008.
4. Coronado Beach, San Diego
Dr. Beach calls Coronado Beach “the toast of Southern California; it is a veritable oasis by the sea, measuring hundreds of yards wide.” Coronado was ranked No. 5 last year.
Coopers Beach was ranked No. 4 in 2008, climbing a notch this year.
Hamoa Beach moved up two spots this year, coming in No. 7 in 2008.
According to Dr. Beach, Main Beach “provides the perfect blend of nature and built environment.” Apparently, this blend hasn’t changed much since last year, as the beach ranked No. 6 in 2008 as well.
A national seashore, Cape Hatteras provides a haven for marine life and water sports enthusiasts alike. Climb atop the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse for views of the pristine beach.
Described as “great for swimming” by Dr. Beach, Cape Florida State Park also features a historic lighthouse built in 1825.
A part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, Coast Guard Beach is a “prime swimming beach during the summer season,” according to the National Park Service. The beach is home to seals, terns and various shorebirds.
10. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.
Dr. Beach says the water at Beachwalker Park is “clean and provides for fantastic seafood for low-country cooking.” In 2008, Beachwalker ranked No. 10 as well.
To go to a previous post in the “Where are the Feet” category, featuring Hanalei Bay, click here.
David on May 25th, 2009
Susan Boyle, the worldwide singing phenomenon and YouTube superstar, returned to the stage yesterday with her version of “Memory,” from the musical Cats, in the British talent competition, “Britain’s Got Talent.” After a somewhat nervous start, Susan Boyle delivered a rousing rendition of the classic Broadway song, and will advance to the final round of the show.
Meanwhile, the YouTube videos of Susan Boyle’s first appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, where she stunned the judges and audience with her soaring performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, have been viewed an astonishing 220 million times.
Go, Susan!
David on May 25th, 2009
“ The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.”
– Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 25th, 2009
Today is Memorial Day– a day to remember those who sacrificed everything.
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”
— President John F. Kennedy, Jr.
David on May 24th, 2009
Where is that drink?
This cocktail was poured in the spacious lounge at RN74, designer-Chef Michael Mina’s newest outpost in his burgeoning restaurant empire (17 restaurants in seven states, and counting), located in the new Millennium Tower, a 60-story residential condominium complex at Mission Street and First Street in San Francisco, CA. The cocktail– a classic Manhattan– was served in a retro-style cocktail glasss with real cherries. Perfection!
RN74, a wine bar and restaurant, is named after Route National 74, the major thoroughfare of France’s Burgundy region.
Above and Below: Views of the large main dining area at RN74, which features railway-station like signs that announce wine specials.
Above and Below: Two views of the attractive bar/lounge area.
To go to the official RN74 website and to view their menu, click here. To make a reservation at RN74 through Opentable.com, click here.
Above: A view of Millennium Tower, the new 60-story condominium complex which serves as home to RN74. Millennium Tower was built at a reported cost of $350 million and is the 4th tallest building in San Francisco, with 419 residential units.
To go to previous posts in the “Where is That Drink” series, click here.
David on May 24th, 2009
One hundred twenty-six years ago today, the iconic Brooklyn Bridge over New York’s East River was opened, connecting the great cities of New York and Brooklyn for the first time in history. Thousands of residents of Brooklyn and Manhattan Island turned out to witness the dedication ceremony, which was presided over by President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland. Designed by John A. Roebling, the Brooklyn Bridge was the largest suspension bridge ever built to that date.
The Brooklyn Bridge, with its unprecedented length and two stately towers, was dubbed the “eighth wonder of the world.” The connection it provided between the massive population centers of Brooklyn and Manhattan changed the course of New York City forever. In 1898, the city of Brooklyn formally merged with New York City, Staten Island, and a few farm towns, forming Greater New York.
Source: History.com
David on May 23rd, 2009
Today’s iPhone application is iDrink, a convenient service that provides recipes for hundreds of popular cocktails. In addition to showing the recipe for the cocktail, iDrink allows you to add notes, tag favorite recipes, and email the recipes directly from your iPhone. The application is available to download for $1.99.
Here’s a short video that explains how iDrinks works on your iPhone.
To go to a previous post containing my list of Top 10 Favorite iPhone Apps, click here.
David on May 23rd, 2009
Today’s cocktail is the legendary Sidecar, which according to some reports was invented in the early 1930’s at Harry’s Bar in Paris for a patron who often rode in the sidecar of a motorcycle. Like the martini, the Sidecar has experienced a renaissance. The Sidecar offers a very appealing sweet-sour combination, along with a nice kick. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 oz. Brandy
1/2 oz. Cointreau (or Triple Sec, as a substitute)
1/2 oz. Lemon or Lime Juice
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake vigorously.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with orange slice or lemon twist.
5. Serve and repeat, as needed.
To go to other cocktail recipes from previous posts, click here.
David on May 21st, 2009
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”
— Maya Angelou
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 20th, 2009
Where is that drink?
This perfect martini was served at the legendary and beloved Redwood Room, located in the historic Clift Hotel, on Geary Street, in San Francisco, CA. Commissioned in 1913 by Frederick C. Clift, an attorney, the hotel was designed by well-known San Francisco architect George Applegarth on the downtown lot owned by the Clift family. In 1924, with the addition of three floors, the Clift became the largest hotel in California.
The Redwood Room was built in 1933, and according to legend, the wall paneling that fully covers the interior of the room was crafted from a single Redwood tree, which also provided the inspiration for the room’s name. In 1996, the hotel underwent a complete renovation when it was acquired by Morgan Hotels Group. Thankfully, the Redwood Room was spared some of the eccentric and overly-theatrical design touches that have become the trademark of Morgan properties and was left largely intact, although there are still some awkward flourishes, including small chairs and exceptionally low tables.
Still, the Redwood Room remains one of my favorite bars in the world and offers one of the best martinis.
To learn more about The Clift Hotel or to reserve a room, visit their official website by clicking here.
David on May 19th, 2009
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.”
— Robert Louis Stevenson
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 18th, 2009
It’s been 34 years since A Chorus Line took Broadway by storm and transformed the way we think about the American musical. Conceived and directed by Michael Bennett, with book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics by Edward Klebanm and music by Marvin Hamlisch, A Chorus Line was an unprecendented critical and commercial hit, winning nine Tony Awards in 1976, including Best Musical, and the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The show ran for 6,137 performances, making it the longest-running production in Broadway history at the time. A revival of the show opened on Broadway in 2006, following an initial run in San Francisco.
Every Little Step, a new docu-drama, produced and directed by James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo, opened in the Bay Area this week. The film includes original footage of Michael Bennett, together with interviews with Marvin Hamlisch, Bob Avian, former New York Times theater critic Frank Rich, and original Broadway cast members Donna McKechnie and Baayork Lee. It also includes some of the audiotapes made at the early workshop sessions as well as behind-the-scenes footage of the audition, rehearsals and performances of both the 1975 production and the 2006 revival.
I saw the original national touring version of A Chorus Line and the 2006 pre-Broadway revival in San Francisco. Remarkably, the show successfully retains all its original energy, dazzle and relevance after 34 years. Every Little Step offers a fascinating glimpse into the development of the early concepts for the 1975 Broadway show and the subsequent impact of the show on American musical theatre. If you’re a fan of A Chorus Line, you’ll surely enjoy Every Little Step.
You can view the official trailer of Every Little Step, a 2009 Sony Motion Pictures Classic release, below.
”Every Little Step is a large triumph.”
– Joel Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal
“Tracing A Chorus Line from its creation in 1974 by Michael Bennett and his dancers to its 2006 Broadway revival, Every Little Step is a thrilling combination of documentary and musical dazzler. “
– Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Vist the official website of “Every Little Step” from Sony Motion Picture Classics, by clicking here.
A Chorus Line is #5 on my list of Top 10 Favorite Shows. To go to a previous post with a complete list of my Top 10 Favorite Shows, click here.
David on May 17th, 2009
Where is that drink?
This perfect martini was mixed at the beautiful bar at Spruce, a large, stylish restaurant serving New American cuisine, located at 3640 Sacramento Street, in the Laurel Heights District of San Francisco, CA. The cocktail was nicely shaken and chilled and garnished with an incredibly long twist.
Above: The highly-efficient bartenders at Spruce keep the drinks flowing nicely. Below: The spacious interior of Spruce is designed with a neutral color palette of tan, black and white, with large bold contemporary art and comfortable leather seating.
Below: Appetizers at the bar included a large and delicious serving of steamed mussels and excellent, crispy fries.
Spruce was named on the Best New Restaurants of 2008 by Esquire Magazine.
To read more about Spruce, visit their official website by clicking here. To read what other diners are saying about Spruce, check out the reviews at Yelp by clicking here.
To go to previous posts in the “Where is That Drink” series, click here.
David on May 16th, 2009
A year has passed since the 8.0 magnitude earthquake, known as the Great Sichuan Earthquake, struck the Sichuan Province of China on May 12, 2008, killing an estimated 70,000 people, injuring an additional 375,000, and leaving over 4.8 million people homeless. Approximately 7,000 school buildings in Sichuan Province collapsed as a result of the quake, due to sub-standard construction stemming from government corruption and graft. Official government figures estimate the number of school-related deaths at 5,300, although parents strongly dispute that number and claim that the death toll among children is much higher.
Photo Credits: MSNBC
David on May 16th, 2009
This week, San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) opened a powerful and deeply moving new play, Boleros for the Disenchanted, written by Jose Rivera, two-time OBIE Award winner and Academy Award-nominee (Best Adapted Screenplay for The Motorcycle Diaries), and directed by Carey Perloff. Rivera returns to his native Puerto Rico to explore themes of love, memories, death and hope in a vibrant, fresh story that span 40 years. Acclaimed actors Rachel Ticotin (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Total Recall, and Broadway’s Macbeth) and Robert Beltran (Star Trek: Voyager, Big Love) star alongside the fresh new talents of Drew Cortese, Lela Loren, Dion Mucciacito, and Michele Vazquez in their A.C.T. debut.
This is one of ACT’s finest new productions. The play runs on ACT’s main stage at the historic and beautiful Geary Theatre, San Francisco’s oldest theatre, through 5/31/09. To learn more about Boleros for the Disenchanted, visit the official ACT website by clicking here. To purchase tickets, click here.
“The most theatrically satisfying production of the Bay Area season and what could well be remembered as one of A.C.T.’s all-time watershed productions . . . stunning performances . . . a profoundly moving love story” —Contra Costa Times
“Pure delight . . . a funny, romantic, winning story!” —San Francisco Examiner
“Deeply affecting! Beautiful! A play that celebrates love” —The Boston Globe
“Magical! An enchanting production that sizzles with passion. José Rivera has penned a heartfelt ode to true love.” —Metro (Boston)
David on May 14th, 2009
“I will not retire while I’ve still got my legs and my make-up box.”
— Bette Davis
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 13th, 2009
“If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure for it is not to dream less but to dream more, to dream all the time.”
– Marcel Proust, 1871-1922
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 12th, 2009
Where s that drink?
This serving of champagne was poured in a practical and rather unappealing plastic flute at the War Memorial Opera House, on Van Ness Avenue, in San Francisco, CA. Built in 1932, the War Memorial Opera House was designed by architects Arthur Brown, Jr. and G. Albert Lansburgh in the Beaux Arts style, and has been home to the San Francisco Opera since opening night in 1932. It is also the current home of the San Francisco Ballet, which is widely considered one of the world’s leading dance companies, along with The American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet.
The champagne was enjoyed during one of two intemissios at the San Francisco Ballet’s May 9 performance of Jewels, a dance triptych choreographed by George Ballanchine with music by Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky, and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It was originally staged for the New York City Ballet in 1967 and was premiered by the San Francisco Ballet in 2002.
To read more about the San Francisco Ballet and to purchase tickets to an upcoming performance, visit their official website by clicking here.
To go to previous posts in the “Where is That Drink” series, click here.
Photo Credit: San Francisco Ballet
David on May 11th, 2009
“I love a dog. He does nothing for political reasons.”
— Will Rogers, 1879-1935
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 10th, 2009
Where is that drink?
This impeccable martini was served in a well-balanced, nicely-sized cocktail glass, and expertly garnished with a freshly-sliced twist, at Dosa on Fillmore, the stylish and new(ish) restaurant serving modern South Indian cuisine at 1700 Fillmore Street (at Post Street) in the emerging Fillmore District of San Francisco.
You can learn more about Dosa on Fillmore and restaurant owners Anjan and Emily Mitra’s philosophy around South Indian cuisine by watching this short video, which also includes “before” and “after” images showing the amazing transformation of the large, bi-level space that now houses Dosa on Fillmore.
To read more about Dosa on Fillmore and to view samples of their menus, go to their official website by clicking here. To make an online reservation for lunch or dinner, click here.
To go to previous posts in the “Where is That Drink” series, click here.
David on May 10th, 2009
This month the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival, in Memory of Adam Baran, celebrates its 20th anniversary with the screening of 33 feature- and short-length films at the Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii’s premier art museum. The festival runs from May 21-24 in Honolulu and from May 29-30 in Hilo and Kona, respectively, on the Island of Hawaii.
Academy-award winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (pictured above) will be the keynote speaker during Closing Night of the 20th-anniversary film festival on May 24. Black, 34, won the 2009 award for Best Original Screenplay for “Milk,” the bio-pic based on the life of San Francisco activist and politician Harvey Milk, from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Screen Writers Guild of America. The festival will feature a special screening of Milk, which was nominted for eight Academy Awards and won for Best Actor (Sean Penn) and Best Original Screenplay (Dustin Lance Black).
To purchase passes to the film festival, click here. If you want to learn more about the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival or to make a tax-deductible donation, go to their official website by clicking here.
Congratulations to Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival Executive Director (and dear friend of Jankenpon) Jeffrey Davis and Founder Jack Law, as well as the HGLCF, on the 20th anniversary of the film festival.
To go to a previous post featuring Dustin Lance Black’s speech as he accepted the Oscar Award for his original screenplay of Milk at the 2009 Oscar Awards ceremony, click here.
Photo Credit: Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival
David on May 9th, 2009
Where is that drink?
This well-chilled martini was served in one of those annoying “crooked stem” cocktail glass at the Mountain Falls Golf Club Restaurant, located in Pahrump, NV. The casual all-day dining restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to golfers and residents/visitors at the Mountain Falls master-planned residential community, situated on the outskirts of Pahrump, NV (population 38,000), roughly 1-1/2 hours by car from The Strip in famous Las Vegas, NV.
Above: Entrance to Mountain Falls Golf Club. Below: The Clubhouse and Restaurant at Mountain Falls in Pahrump, NV.
Above: View of the comfortable dining room and bar at the Mountain Falls Golf Club. Below: A view of the nicely-manicured gof course and man-made pond at Mountain Falls Golf Club, with snow-capped Mt. Charleston (Height 11,916 ft), Nevada’s eighth tallest peak, in the background.
And, in case you’re wondering “where is Pahrump, NV?”, here’s a location snapshot from Google Maps.
To go to previous posts in the “Where is That Drink” series, click here.
Photos taken: 4/20/09
David on May 9th, 2009
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
— Marcel Proust, 1871-1922
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 9th, 2009
“One martini is all right, two is too many, three is not enough.”
— James Thurber, 1894-1961
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 6th, 2009
“There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.”
— George Sand (Amandine Aurore Lucile Dupin), 1804-1876
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 5th, 2009
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
— Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 4th, 2009
A year has passed since Cyclone Nargis made landfall in Myanmar on 5/2/08, causing catastrophic destruction and nearly 150,000 fatalities, with thousands missing, and over 800,00 people displaced. Damage was estimated at over US$10 billion, which made it the most damaging cyclone ever recorded in the North Indian Ocean Basin.
Today, tens of thousands of people across the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar are still homeless and struggling. Forty-percent of the homeless are children.
To make a contribution to UNICEF and to support their efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the victims of Cyclone Nargis, visit their official website by clicking here.
To go to a previous post on Cyclone Nargis (from 5/13/08), click here.
David on May 4th, 2009
Last week I was finally able to see ”Sin Nombre (Without Name),” the stunning feature film debut of Director-Writer Cary Fukunaga, a native of Oakland, CA, which won Best Cinematography and Best Director awards at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Using a cast of largely unknown actors, Fukunaga weaves a gripping tale of two stories and lives that collide in an attempt to cross the USA-Mexico border. In the first, more traditional story, Sayra (played by lovely Paulina Gaitan) is a young Honduran woman who joins her father and uncle on a long, dangerous odyssey across Latin America in order to cross the USA border and rejoin other members of her family in New Jersey. In the second story, Willy/Casper (played by Edgar Flores with quiet subtlety), a member of a brutal street gang, is seeking a way out of his violent past and attempting to elude his fellow gang members whom he has betrayed. Their lives and destinies become linked while traveling as stowaways atop a train making its way across Mexico toward the USA border.
Cinematographer Adriano Goldman bathes the film in beautiful colors, with many scenes shot in the golden moments before dusk, and Fukunaga allows the camera, and his story, to linger on small, tender moments, many of which are shot with little or no dialog. The dreamlike-scenes where the Sayra and Willy/Casper ride atop a train across the Mexican countryside were reminiscent of some of the great visuals from “Bound for Glory” and “Days of Heaven.”
Sin Nombre was filmed in Spanish, and is shown with English sub-titles.
Here’s the official trailer for Sin Nombre, a 2009 release from Focus Features.
Above: Lead actors Paulina Gaitan (Sayra) and Edgar Flores (Willy/Casper) in a scene from Sin Nombre. Below: Cary Fukunaga, the 32-year old Writer-Director, who made his feature film debut with Sin Nombre.
“The scope is epic and the achievement, though solidly grounded in conventional storytelling, is a revelation. “
– Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal
“A big new talent arrives on the scene with Sin Nombre. Writer-director Cary Joji Fukunaga’s enthralling feature debut takes viewers into a shadow world inhabited by many but noticed by very few. “
— Todd McCarthy, Variety
“The caressing, honeyed light in Sin Nombre beautifies and softens every ugly moment in this equivocating story about geographic and moral border crossings. “
— Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
“Sin Nombre is my favorite film of 2009 (to date). To learn more about Sin Nombre, visit the official website from Focus Films by clicking here.
David on May 3rd, 2009
The Rainy Day
“The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.
My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.
Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.”
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Poem” category, click here.
David on May 2nd, 2009
Today’s video is a special performance of “Sun and Moon,” from the hit stage musical “Miss Saigon,” which appeared on British TV. The song is performed by Lea Salonga and Simon Bowman, who originated the roles of Kim and Chris, respectively, in the 1989 West End production of the show by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr. The show played in London for 4,264 performances and on Broadway for 4,092 performances, where it became the 10th longest-running musical in Broadway history.
Miss Saigon is a modern adaptation of Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly and was inspired by a photograph discovered by Schonberg in a magazine showing a distraught Vietnamese mother saying farewell to her child at a military air base in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam as her child prepares to board a flight headed to the USA where her father, an American G.I., would be able to provide a better life for her. This concept of “ultimate sacrifice” is a central theme to Miss Saigon.
In reports about his inspiration for the the show and his reaction to the photo, Claude-Michel Schonberg said, “ The silence of this woman stunned by her grief was a shout of pain louder than any of the earth’s laments. The child’s tears were the final condemnation of all wars which shatter people who love each other. Behind this particular picture lay a background of years of enquiries and bureaucratic formalities, in order to find the ex-solider from the other side of the world, with whom the woman had shared a brief moment of her life. She knew, as only a mother could, that beyond this departure gate there was both a new life for her daughter and no life at all for her, and that she had willed it. This photograph was for Alain and I, was the start of everything… ”
And, here’s a remarkable video showing Lea Salonga’s audition to the creative team who were casting the central role of Kim for the West End premiere. The team includes Schonberg, on the piano, together with Nicholas Hytner, Cameron Mackintosh and Alain Boublil. Of course, Salonga, then 17 years old, went on to win the role of Kim and the U.K.’s Olivier Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical for the 1989-1990 season, as well as the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards for her performance in the same role on Broadway.
Miss Saigon is No. 2 on my list of Top 10 Shows. To go to the complete list, click here.
David on May 2nd, 2009
In honor of the 135th Kentucky Derby, which is being held today at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky, here’s a recipe (one of many variations) of the classic Mint Julep, the unofficial cocktail of the Kentucky Derby.
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
1. Chill a silver tumbler, julep mug or cocktail glass;
2. Add mint leaves, sugar and water;
3. Using a muddler or spoon, gently crush the mint leaves and dissolve the sugar;
4. Fill glass with crushed ice;
5. Add bourbon;
6. Garnish with mint sprig and add small cocktail straws;
7. Serve and repeat.
To read more about the Kentucky Derby or to see the final results, visit the official Kentucky Derby website by clicking here.
To go to other cocktail recipes from previous posts, click here.
David on May 2nd, 2009
“The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through.”
— Jackson Pollock, 1912-1956
To go to previous entries in the “Today’s Quote” series, click here.
David on May 1st, 2009
This month Jankenpon celebrates its one-year anniversary. Thank you to the friends and supporters of Jankenpon. Please come back and visit often, and I encourage you to submit your comments, questions and observations by clicking on the Comments link shown at the bottom of each post. I want to hear from you.
David on May 1st, 2009
On this day in 1931, President Herbert Hoover officially dedicates New York City’s Empire State Building, pressing a button from the White House that turns on the building’s lights. Hoover’s gesture, of course, was symbolic; while the president remained in Washington, D.C., someone else flicked the switches in New York.
The idea for the Empire State Building is said to have been born of a competition between Walter Chrysler of the Chrysler Corporation and John Jakob Raskob of General Motors, to see who could erect the taller building. Chrysler had already begun work on the famous Chrysler Building, the gleaming 1,046-foot skyscraper in midtown Manhattan. Not to be bested, Raskob assembled a group of well-known investors, including former New York Governor Alfred E. Smith. The group chose the architecture firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon Associates to design the building. The Art-Deco plans, said to have been based in large part on the look of a pencil, were also builder-friendly: The entire building went up in just over a year, under budget (at $40 million) and well ahead of schedule. During certain periods of building, the frame grew an astonishing four-and-a-half stories a week.
At the time of its completion, the Empire State Building, at 102 stories and 1,250 feet high (1,454 feet to the top of the lightning rod), was the world’s tallest skyscraper. The Depression-era construction employed as many as 3,400 workers on any single day, most of whom received an excellent pay rate, especially given the economic conditions of the time. The new building imbued New York City with a deep sense of pride, desperately needed in the depths of the Great Depression, when many city residents were unemployed and prospects looked bleak. The grip of the Depression on New York’s economy was still evident a year later, however, when only 25 percent of the Empire State’s offices had been rented.
In 1972, the Empire State Building lost its title as world’s tallest building to New York’s World Trade Center.
Source: History.com
David on May 1st, 2009
Today is May 1st and it’s Lei Day in Hawaii.
As a tribute to this wonderful Hawaiian tradition, here’s a video of the Cazimero Brothers performing “My Sweet Pikake Lei,” a Hawaiian standard, at the 25th Annual May Day Concert, held on May 1, 2002, at the Waikiki Shell, in Honolulu, HI.
I still recall performing in many, elaborate May Day pageants while a youngster attending Lanikai Elementary School in Kailua, Oahu, HI and the weeks of rehearsals that preceded the annual pageant. On May Day, we would rise early in the morning to pick fresh blossoms from the plumeria trees in our yard and string them to wear and to share with classmates and teachers.
To read more about the Cazimero Brothers, visit their home page at Mountain Apple Records by clicking here. To order or download one of their albums, visit Amazon.com by clicking here.
Happy May Day to all!
