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MoMA, Rodin's Balzac, Color Chart Exhibit, Yesterday 5 p.m., 24 Degrees Outside

Friday Music Cue: Honey

Badu is back. Her new video for "Honey" has its embedding "disabled by request" for some dumb-ass reason, but you can see it here. In it you see Badu inserted onto some really legendary album covers from-among others-Eric B. & Rakim, Funkadelic, LaBelle, Minnie Riperton, The Beatles, Grace Jones and Olivia Newton-John. Yup, ONJ. There's a wacky "Hey Yeah!" tribute midway, but no Ryan Phillipe intro, sadly.

I e-mailed good buddy Darryl Stephens to ask his thoughts on the new album, and I liked what he said so much I asked if I could post his comments, and he kindly agreed:

"the album is interesting.  been meaning to ask you about it.  it feels like someone very talented started smoking too much pot.  "telephone" which has a cool hook about "save me a place in heaven" is otherwise rambling and incoherent.  it feels like jam sessions--not unlike WORLDWIDE UNDERGROUND--but without the obvious gem of "I Want You."  i think it's gonna be a grower... and i'll find myself wrapped up in some song unexpectedly a few months down the line.  there are some that stand out now.  "The Healer" is good.  and "Master Teachers" has a cool hook.  i'm not sure, though, that she's focused enough to have a real hit here.  i like it, don't get me wrong.  it just feels more ambient that soulful."

AFTERTHOUGHTS FROM DARRYL IN THE SECOND HALF

300th Post: Scooped Again..

The New York Times Travel Section picked up on a story I've been hawking around town for a couple of years: The Rock Pools Of Sydney. I felt some decidedly mixed emotions upon opening the link when a friend sent it--editor after editor had passed on the idea, and here it was on arguably the biggest travel page. I don't mind losing the story so much, because I want to write a book about the rock pools. Does this help or hurt that? I'm not quite sure, but I'm certainly going to be a lot cagier as I shop ideas around. At least I know my ideas are good....

John Jay's Real Time BlackBerry Trailer Reviews: AVPR

I slacked and didn't post this in real time, or indeed in any timely manner. Is it funny to read trailer reviews after the movies they are advertising are out? Maybe. Perhaps it's appropriate to be finally posting these on Oscar Day, the last big stop in Hollywood's marketing cycle. I've come to find the whole breathless glorification of movies on this day a little insipid--aren't they constantly celebrated in the deluge of marketing that accompanies their releases (see below) and by everyone yammering incessantly about them in lieu of talking about anything substantial, like books, or pressing global crises? Does the film business really need to throw itself a party, given how completely it dominates our culture?

This is over two months old. Mea Culpa, John Jay, Mea Maxima Culpa. A couple excerpts from Jay's complete real time trailer review(and now he does the features  after the jump.

2:48: "I like how they add the Requiem to give Alien v. Predator some class..."

3:09 "God help me this dialogue is bad....

...Killing better start soon"

Friday Music Cue: I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

A Camera For Every Occasion

My big camera piece is up at Esquire.com; this one took months of research (read: I got to play with a lot of amazing cameras). Here's Carolina on the beach in Key West (all roads lead South today) shot with the Leica C-LUX 2, my top choice for travel photography.

Cuba

Great slideshow of photos of a Cuba that's processing Castro's retirement at nytimes.com.

Missing Key West 2

On the way home last night I passed a Korean deli where the guys were hurriedly bringing in all the produce and flowers from outside-an urban sign of plunging mercury. Woke up to a frigid, blustery city, wishing I were back in Key West.

Friday Music Cue: Henry Lee

This note about the song from roommate Kyle Hausmann:  

Murder Ballads, the Nick Cave's collaborative album which includes "Henry Lee" done with PJ Harvey, was released in 1996, around the same time that the two artists - so says the vague Internet - had a brief but intense relationship. Some accounts claim this was an affair while Cave was with another woman; others do not reflect any infidelity. (It was perhaps Harvey's only relationship known to the public, and may not have been very secretive very long). By all accounts, Harvey ends the relationship, and Cave is devastated.

The the story the lyrics tell, the history of the two singers (whatever that history actually is), and the way the two touch and look at each other...

"

Overheard In New York

I often think Overheard In New York's quotes seem made-up, but this one is so specific and improbable I think it must be true.

Hot straight guy #1: Geez, what size shoes do you wear, dude?
Hot straight guy #2: They're size fourteen.
Hot straight guy #1: And how tall are you?
Hot straight guy #2: Oh, I'm 6'1".
Hot straight guy #1: Damn, dude -- you must have a huge cock!
Queer: Dude...
Hot straight guy #2: Man, I thought you were gonna say what I always hear -- 'Dude, big feet -- you know what that means? Big shoes!' I hear that all the time.
Hot straight guy #1: I know, right?
Hot straight guy #2: I like to say, 'Yeah, it means a big cock, right?' but that always leads to an awkward silence. I applaud you for coming right out with that.
Queer: Um...
Hot straight guy #1: Yeah, I left my shoes at my girlfriend's the other day, and her mom made a comment on them -- 'Big shoes...'  I mean, her mom!
Hot straight guy #2: That's crazy.
Queer: Guys, look -- unless you're gonna whip 'em out, can we stop talking about your gigantic cocks, please?

--1166 6th Ave

Overheard by: Duncan Pflaster