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Chelsea Art Exhibit Brings Realism to Mainstream

Lucas Blumenthal — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:32:35 +0000

NEW YORK—Garnering a lot of attention and museum-like foot traffic, an atypical art exhibit in Chelsea celebrates a side of contemporary art that is out of the limelight but is quietly but surely gaining strength.

Where a usual Chelsea art exhibit might feature pop art or some other form of contemporary art that is often difficult for the untrained observer to appreciate, many of the works in the Resolve exhibit can be instantly appreciated by anyone for their photograph-like realism.

“With this realism form, you can hit these universal chords—it will come across— even if you don’t know exactly what it is, but it is something very moving and spiritual. That hone

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Literary Happenings: Books by local writers range from history to mystery

Poppy Edge — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:31:49 +0000

Several local writers have published books recently.

“Making the Reata” (Silver Spur Publishing), a historical novel by Ojai author Terry Tallent, is set in Ventura County during the 1830s and features a Chumash elder, an orphan and a Franciscan. Order at Amazon.com or CreateSpace.com ($15).

“Aging Is a Journey of Changes” (Virtual Bookworm Publishers) by sociologist Marcia Casar Friedman is a guidebook that helps readers analyze life transitions involving aging, technology and personal feelings. Order at silversages.com ($15).

“The Butcher’s List” (Publishing with Passion) by Camarillo resident Roger S.

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NJ mayor recognized for ‘Jersey Shore’ rejection

Dakota Fetherstonhaugh — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:40:50 +0000

HOBOKEN, N.J. (AP) An Italian-American group is responding to Hoboken’s rejection of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” reality show by giving the city’s mayor an award. The Italian American One Voice Coalition is presenting Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer with its “Una Voce” award Wednesday for denying film permits to a show the group feels promotes negative stereotypes of Italian Americans.

Zimmer says the decision to deny permits was made based on safety and quality-of-life concerns for residents of Hoboken.

The show has been issued permits to film in Jersey City. The spinoff of the reality series will feature Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Jenni “JWoww” Farley renting an apartment in New Jersey’s second largest city.

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Madonna sets Oct. 6 San Jose show

Dakota Fetherstonhaugh — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:33:22 +0000

Madonna, still basking in the glory and controversy of her Super Bowl Halftime show, has decided to strike while the iron is still hot and announce her upcoming tour.

Yes, Bay Area Madonna fans, that announcement does include a local date: The Madonna 2012 World Tour is set to touch down on Oct. 6 at HP Pavilion in San Jose. Tickets, priced $56-$361, go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday through , , Ticketmaster by phone (800-745-3000) and at the venue box office.

The Material Girl’s massive tour kicks off May 29 in Tel Aviv, Israel and is currently set to stretch into mid-November. The North American portion includes 26 dates, beginning with an Aug.

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Movie Review – Star Wars 3D, The Phantom Menace

Lucas Blumenthal — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:55:23 +0000

I love Star Wars! Also despite what some of the hard core fans say, I still love the prequels despite their massive amount of flaws! So when I got my invite for the press screening for the 3D re-release of ‘The Phantom Menace’ I was quick to say yes! With mates in tow, I went along and looked forward to some Star Wars epicenes! Instead, I was fully underwhelmed by the 3D, that seemed almost pointless, and it somehow made me see the film as less than I remembered. So, not a good screening you could say!

B+ From Me!!!

“Your mind right now — reeling!” [Godland]

Poppy Edge — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:32:42 +0000

What I like most about Joe Casey & Tom Scioli’s Godland is just how unbelievably happy it is to be a comic book. I remember reading the first trade years ago and not really getting it. The Kirby influence put me off, I think, and I wasn’t quite a full-fledged member of the Joe Casey Fanclub yet. I read the series front to back recently, though, and greatly enjoyed it.

A big part of the reason why Godland is so delightful is stuff like this from issue 18:

Casey’s dialogue pretty much never stops being straight out of the modern comics industry. The i

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Beyonce: Etta James Inspired Me

Dakota Fetherstonhaugh — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:27:18 +0000

Singer Beyoncé, who famously played Etta James in the 2008 film Cadillac Records, is speaking out on the legendary singer’s passing and says she will be missed.

“This is a huge loss. Etta James was one of the greatest vocalists of our time,” she wrote on her website.

“I am so fortunate to have met such a queen,” she continued. “Her musical contributions will last a lifetime. Playing Etta James taught me so much about myself, and singing her music inspired me to be a stronger artist. When she effortlessly opened her mouth, you could hear her pain and triumph. Her de

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DGRadio: 01.13.2012

Lucas Blumenthal — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:09:50 +0000

SHOWNOTES

00:00-Show Intro 04:05-Drunk Dials 14:41-Mailbag 27:52-Discussion Segment: Kick it Root Down 1:10:53-Beer Talk: Odell-Friek 1:17:36-Lightning Round 1:41:23-The Last Shot 1:43:36-Show Close

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

DGR:

New biography of Ariel Sharon

Poppy Edge — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:15:02 +0000

A new book on Ariel Sharon, written by his son, Gilad, will appear in English and Hebrew tomorrow.

According to a story in Ha’Aretz, Gilad Sharon has been working on the book, titled Sharon: The Life of a Leader, for the past four and a half years.

Most incredibly, Gilad told The New York Times last week that his father, who suffered a debilitating stroke almost six years ago and has remained in a coma-like state ever since, responds to requests to move his fingers and has put on weight even though he is fed intravenously.

In the book, Sharon writes that Israeli doctors urged Gilad and his brother, Omri, to let their father die shortly after the stroke in January 2006 because the CT scan appeared to reveal lethal damage. G

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‘Eat Drink Man Woman’ And ‘Cold Turkey’ At New Britain Library

Dakota Fetherstonhaugh — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:50:37 +0000

New Britain Public Library this week will show two films, one to commemorate the Chinese New Year, and the other just for fun.

On Monday, Jan. 23, at 6:30 p.m., the film is “Eat Drink Man Woman,” directed by the great Ang Lee. The story tells of an aging master Chinese chef with three grown daughters, who all have agendas that worry him. It is considered one of the greatest movies ever made about food.

On Wednesday, Jan. 25, at noon, the movie is “Cold Turkey,” a 1971 comedy starring Dick Van Dyke about a contest for a whole town to quit smoking, and the cigarette company executive who tries to sabotage it.

Admission to both is free.

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Liuzza’s by the Track makes a roast beef po-boy that’s more like a sandwich

Lucas Blumenthal — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:01:18 +0000

Liuzzas by the Track has earned its place among New Orleans best neighborhood restaurants with a menu thats tighter than the more sprawling norm of the genre. Its a po-boy joint whose kitchen has a flair for pot-cooking and whose long, alluring bar is where many spouses would have to go looking for their missing partners if it were open later.

Talk to Liuzzas by the Tracks fans and chances are they will mention one of three very popular house specialites: its restoratively brothy, invigoratingly spicy gumbo; its cardiologist-flouting barbecue shrimp po-boy; and a po-boy the menu calls Breathtaking Beef.

The B.B.

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THE FIFTH WOMAN by Henning Mankell

Poppy Edge — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:11:32 +0000

When I was growing up, Sweden was still a country where people darned their socks.

I first read this 1997 novel (the sixth in Henning Mankells Inspector Wallander series) in 2004, and saw the television adaptation starring Kenneth Branagh last year. So the general outline was familiar; I even knew who the murderer was going to be. All the same, I read the book this time with just as much enjoyment as on the first occasion, and with even more appreciation of detail of its texture. Unlike most detective novels, this one is less about the eventual solution than the process of getting there.

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Coffee shop closed by the Department of Health

Lucas Blumenthal — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:58:20 +0000

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — West Brighton’s Coffee and Tea Market at 422 Forest Ave. fell victim to one of the City’s health inspectors in the last couple of days. Gates are down. Signs are up: “We are unable to serve beverages or food. Sorry for the inconvenience.” How could this place go from an “A” rating to getting shut down? They were just inspected on 12/14/11 and got only 8 points. We don’t know the whole story on this particular DOH visit as details aren’t yet posted on the Web. Interestingly, they had four other visits by the DOH this year, according to NYC.gov’s restaurant inspection pages. (1/13/11, 2/11/11, 4/07/11, 7/30/11 plus 12/14/11 and one within the week.) Granted they failed the first one in 2011. But Get more info…

Best Sellers: Jan. 8, 2012

Poppy Edge — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:46:34 +0000

HARDCOVER FICTION

1. “77 Shadow Street” by Dean Koontz (Bantam)

2. “Death Comes to Pemberley” by P.D. James (Knopf)

3. “11/22/63″ by Stephen King (Scribner)

4. “Locked On” by Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney (Putnam)

5. “Kill Alex Cross” by James Patterson (Little, Brown)

6. “The Litigators” by John Grisham (Doubleday)”Death Comes to Pemberley” by P.D. James (Knopf)

7. “The Best of Me” by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing)

8. “Red Mist” by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam Adult)

9. “Explosive Eighteen” by Janet Evanovich (Bantam)

10. “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” by Stieg Larsson (Knopf)

11.

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Jon Hamm: ‘Mad Men’ returning March 25

Dakota Fetherstonhaugh — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:11:36 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — “Mad Men” last aired a new episode in October 2010. But relief is in sight, according to its star, Jon Hamm.

Hamm revealed on a podcast last week that the premiere of the fifth season of the AMC network drama is March 25.

Hamm also says he will direct that episode. He appeared on Friday’s edition of the podcast “Doug Loves Movies,” hosted by comedian Doug Benson.

AMC declined to confirm the date. T

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