It is a lovely lazy quiet day by the golf course on the top of our golden Walnut Creek hill. I am not like the Wire song, I do not feel mysterious today. I am drowsy and enchanted, instead.
And Molly has finally found a sunbeam to luxuriate in, nearly stretched to her maximum length.
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I am ever so tempted to go see Moonrise Kingdom again today. But I am not. I am going to be an obscene man of leisure, and do nothing. Probably watch the entire first season of Veep and ... well, I do not know, ...
Speaking of Veep, they closed out with their best episode, an absolute tornado of cynicism and unbelievable swear-y greatness. Congressman No-Jaw, indeed. The Thick of It, In the Loop, and Veep are so salty and pleasurable and satisfying and addicting. They are a true guilty pleasure. Not guilty pleasure meaning appreciating bad art in a campy sort of way, but guilty pleasure in the way you find yourself perhaps indulging yourself too heartily in all the non-stop schadenfreude. You become alarmed at your own "schadenboner" (to quote directly from S1-EP7.)
Thank you so much HBO for bringing Armando Iannucci and his crack team of writers Stateside. I can not wait for season two.
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Nick C and I went and saw Citizen Kane last night. There was nobody there, about two dozen folks, an absolute flop. Whereas, last month, when we got a bunch people to go see Casablanca, it was a packed house.
I do not care, really. It was a fantastic experience, and the digital version of Kane looked and sounded way better than the digital version of Casablanca. I forgot how funny Citizen Kane is. It practically is a comedy, with Welles and his entire team constantly winking at us the entire time.
The film still completely blows me away; an astonishing work of American art, the richest and most perfect satire of Twentieth Century American Pop Culture ever produced.
Last night my favorite part was the parrot, leading to the walk out, leading to Kane's devastating meltdown. Welles was heard to say after finishing his meltdown take, "My God, I really felt it."
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St Helena is so calling us right now. We will be getting away for two days and one night very soon, staying at the Hotel St Helena, or, as Renee and I like to call it, The Big Valley Hotel. The cable box is awful, the shower is full of character, every room has a crazy Western folk art theme, on some floors the rooms all share a community bathroom, the hotel is v old, and at one time was a bordello. It is right on Main Street in St Helena, next to one of my all-time fave restaurants, Market. I love the place. Renee does, too, but prob, not as much as me. (That shower thing. And she has v curly hair.) The main reason I love it is because when you look down on Main Street from your window, you really do half expect to see Missy and the rest of the Barkley clan on the street. (They are probably checking up on their Napa vineyards, I suppose, ... ) The Barkleys own all of Northern California, dontcha know?
We'll hit Frog's Leap, hopefully Radio-Coteau, and Ridge. I want to go to Market and Bouchon. The Wife wants to try Ad Hoc, and, of course, we will hit every single foodie shop in the vicinity. Maybe I will buy another bottle of Lail Georgia? Yum.
We need it. And Renee has earned it, besides; getting promoted, and all.
Last Sunday, on our way to the Mount Madonna School play, I said to the Wife, "Let's just turn around right now and go to St Helena."
She said, "No, we'll go when we are supposed to. That way I have something to look forward to."
h/t to my facebook friend-y, Freda M, who said, "Five years ago today -- I got lucky."
So true, me too. I got very lucky, indeed.
Mwah, ...
PS: I just read that they have just made a film version of The Big Valley, coming to a theater near you, soon. Ugh. Just watch the old teevee program, that is all you need.
mds
UPDATE, 6/15/12: I did not stay home and watch Veep. I went and saw Moonrise Kingdom again.
mds
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