The Shadow of the Wind

Wow, I have to tell everyone that I've finished this novel and it was quite the adventure. This book The Shadow of the Wind, written by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, was absolutely captivating. I was recommended to read this book by my friend Christine (who is probably having a baby right now).It was about mystery, war, murder, love & family. I really, really enjoyed it. Now before you all run out and get this I want to forewarn all of you that this is a novel. It's not a quick read on an airplane and such, but the commitment is totally worth it.

The story (originally written in Spanish) is about a boy, Daniel, who gets a hold of a book called The Shadow of the Wind. This book opens up the Daniel's life. Not only did he love the book itself, but there was a long mystery involving the author, Julián Carax and his whereabouts, life and loves. The story takes place in Franco, Spain and spans approximately a decade of Daniel's life.

I have to admit, this book wasn't a light read, it used many Spanish street names as well as character names. This book contained mystery, horror, joy & adventure. A happy ending? Well, yes & no. But then again, isn't that what life is about? A good read.

Fight With A Priest

A Fight with a PRIEST!? - video powered by Metacafe

She's Madonna - Robbie Williams & The Pet Shop Boys

DREAMGIRLS - the movie

Well, I'm no longer a disgrace to my gay brethren. Mr. Adam took me to see Dreamgirls at the Ziegfeld Theater here in NYC last Saturday. First off, I'll make this short as everyone in the land of gaydom has reviewed this and there really isn't much more to say. I LOVED it. It really was great. My friend Kenn has a blog dedicated to this movie. It's called: Reflections or Deja Vu?

I want everyone to sit down now, because I have something to say and it's not going to be pretty. Beyonce. Yes, you read right ... Beyonce. She was for all intensive purposes ....beautiful but only eh. Her song "LISTEN" - absolutely the worst song in the movie. This song was obviously added to make sure Beyonce got the "star treatment" her agent demanded. It was bad, it was crappy and if it weren't for the fact that she was so beautiful I would have vomited at the sacrilege it made of this part of the story. It didn't belong. I no more believed that Dina was victim of circumstance and her own good looks than I believe in the Easter Bunny. Dina, was committing adultery with Curtis, let us not forget that to begin with. Adultery with the boyfriend of a member of her own singing group. That doesn't sound innocent to me. Makes me wonder about "Ms. Ross' " virtue as well. The song that deserves the Oscar nod is "Patience" sung by the soon to be Academy Award Winner - Eddie Murphy. It was a great song, with a great message and wonderful throwback to the Marvin Gaye style. Beyonce - puhleasssse - go back to Jay-Z and stick to being a hoochi momma. It's what your good at.

Now I know the truth about the Supremes and Diana and I'm not forgiving.

It's O.K. 2 B gay

The Vertical Hour

OK, my petite wallflowers, last night my friend Michael invited Mr. Adam & myself to join him to see The Vertical Hour at the Music Box Theater here on Broadway. First off I must say that the script written by David Hare. What a great script, expertly written. I really found it thought provoking. The subject matter had to do with the war in Iraq, standing on the sidelines & giving up both personally and as a nation. A very wordy show, but very well written.

The show stared Julianne Moore as the main character Nadia. Also staring as her fiance's father was Bill Nighy. Now, first I want to tell all of you, my friends, that I adore Julianne Moore on film. I think she's great. But sadly, she is awful on stage. She is a classic example of a screen actor not being able to do stage. Two totally different types of acting. She had no ability to lift this fine script off of the page. Her stage presence was at best ...OK. Sad. Bill Nighy, on the other had was brilliant. His physicality and demeanor was flawless. A true seasoned actor. Now Nadia's fiance was a handsome man named Andrew Scott. He was so talented, I wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home. He was great. Overall, don't see this, it's a long wordy show and without a tour-de-force main character - it just drags. Read the script.

Ryan Charisma the M&M

The Ol' Gang

Above are some of my dearest friends from undergraduate school. To be more specific, the theater club we all belonged to. Sadly, it makes me feel older. We were all so young when we met. Just kids. Now we just act like them. Look at them - aren't they cute?

Grey Gardens

Oh my God! I'm still having post-show excitement. Mr. Adam took me to see Grey Gardens last night (Tuesday, January 9, 2007). It was (in a word) amazing. I've seen alot of theater and alot of films but I have to say. OUTSTANDING. This show, based on Jackie Kennedy's aunt Edith Bouvier Beale and her adult daughter "Little Edie" lives. First off, I have to express how phinominal Christine Ebersole is in this production. Her performance will go down in history with Michael Crawford's Phantom, Betty Buckly's Grizabella & Glenn Close's Norma Desmond. She's that amazing! If you have tickets, I envy you; if you don't have tickets, I pity you.

Act 1 opens on the eve of Edith's daughter's engagement party to handsome, young Joe Kennedy. We learn through innuendo, spoken and unspoken coversation about the relationships, expectaions & disappointments that form the wealthy household we're viewing. I don't want to give away too much of the story but through a series of events the engagement doesn't happen. Then Act 2 is 30 years later and the mother and daughter are living in the same 28 room home (Grey Gardens) only in dissaray with a herd of cats. Little "Edie" as gone off the deep end and mother Edith is holding her daughter an emotional hostage.

A brilliant, (did I say brilliant?) performance by Ms. Ebersol. A must see for anyone who can appreciate fine stagework. Oh, and Jerry likes my corn!

YOU on a Diet (day 1)

Today is the day my friends. I've started it. I'm on a new diet. For those of you that know me well; you know that in a few days or weeks I will be slenderizing myself as I do on an annual basis. The diet I'm doing this time is the new one that Dr. Oz of Oprah fame has been discussing. I like to call it the YOU diet. So goodbye South Beach Diet & Atkins' Diet. There's a new diet in town, and he's letting me eat oatmeal and pasta. But somehow I'm promised to lose 2 inches off my waist in 2 weeks. We will see. If you know me at all, you know that I work out fanatically 5-6 days a week. And I really don't need to lose but 10-15 lbs. And half of that is because I let myself go nuts these past holidays. I must be honest though, I'm so looking forward to controlling what I eat. No more full, sick stomach aches. Clean up whatever is going on internally. Apparently this diet changes you not only with fixing your waist (btw, this diet doesn't measure in lbs.), but it cleans you up inside. Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, etc. Which really aren't my problems but hey, I still want it cleaned up. I'm nuts like that. So today I started and my roommate Sam has too. If you see him give him a pat on the back. The first week of ANY diet is hard. But we have each other to lean on. Luckily, I'll be smaller soon, so my leaning won't hurt.

The Little Dog Laughed

OK, my wonderful puddles of love. Here's a gem for all of yous! I took Mr. Adam to see this play on New Year's Eve matinee for our Anniversary (which is really on Christmas Day). What a hysterical comedy. Now this non-musical has a four person cast (2 men / 2 women) and takes place in present time. The story is about a Hollywood star (Tom Everett Scott) and his agent (Julie White) trying to become bigger, richer and more famous. While these Hollywood(ers) are in NYC trying to buy the rights to a very successful Broadway play, the Hollywood star hires himself a male prostitute (Johnny Galecki) who happens to have a girlfriend (Ari Graynor). Aside from the obvious gay characters not admitting they're gay and the prostitute's sham of a relationship with the girl. The story is hysterically funny with the agent at the helm of this play. Julie White is brilliant. She gives a powerhouse performance with no boundaries. I can NOT express how great this woman is in this show. I'm glad I got my hands on tickets because rumour has it this show won't play until the Tony Awards (and I fully expect this to win some). The whole cast was excellent, the show was excellent and the murmer in the audience upon leaving was "is this show about Tom Cruise?" - God I hope not - we gays don't want him. You keep him!

Notes On A Scandal

Mr. Adam took me to see this movie last Saturday night. Was it good? Yes. Would I recommend it? No. I found the story written VERY well. I found the directing and the acting superb - but sadly, the ending was as predictable as K-Fed & Britney's divorce. I felt with all this talent zooming around on screen the least they could have done was write a proper ending. Ultimately, the underlying, rarely spoken lesbian theme was unnerving. Why do gays always have to be portrayed as manipulative psychos? Now I know lesbians are a little freaky, but I don't make them out to be psychotic just because of a little patchouli and comfortable shoes. This movie pulls you in (although we broke my NO MOVIES AFTER 10PM RULE) and you really go along for the ride until the very end where I sat astounded that the bile that was regurgitated up at me and labeled the ending. I'd hate to say this especially since I adore the two leads, but wait for this on DVD - it will be just as good. And you won't feel ripped off by Hollywood making the gays crazy or feeding you an ending you've seen 1,000 times already.