Until now that is. Had seen Pyaasa when I was a child with Dad and it didn't stay on after that. Saw it again recently and along with it Kaagaz Ke Phool and Mr and Mrs. 55.
And right now am in the phase of realizing what a genius the man was and how late I woke up to the party.
Like they said, better now than late!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Philippine Fashion Week: Spring/Summer 2009 Updates
The following are the photos taken during the Philippine Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2008.
Opening Gala Show
Frederick Peralta Wedding Collection
Design Fusion Collection
Photo Source
Opening Gala Show
Frederick Peralta Wedding Collection
Design Fusion Collection
Photo Source
Vanilla Caramels
You can try this recipe, but don't say I didn't warn you.
Oh, it might be okay for you people with lots of patience, but if you're the restless sort who doesn't like to wait (who, me?), or one who requires immediate gratification (who, me?), do yourself a favor and go buy a pint of Ben & Jerry's and sit in front of the TV for an hour instead. Your restless soul will thank you.
Things started out just peachy. Put 2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 cup condensed milk in Pan #1 and warm it up.
Put some corn syrup, water, and granulated sugar in Pan #2 and heat until the sugar dissolves. The recipe says to use a wet pastry brush to wash down the sides of the pan. This prevents sugar crystals from forming, which will make the candy grainy.
Using a tiny brush to "wash down" the sides of the pan wasn't fun.
The recipe says to reduce the heat now. (Whaaa? Isn't that just going to take longer?) Oh yeah, reduce the heat and cook until the temperature (on the candy thermometer) reads 250 degrees. The recipe doesn't tell you how long this is going to take.
Cut one stick of butter into little cubes. This was fun. I like butter and it didn't take very long.
When the candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees, add the butter and the milk mixture to Pan #2.
This made the temperature go from 250 degrees waaaay down to 225 degrees.
Which wouldn't be bad, except now you have to cook it, stirring constantly, until it climbs back up to 244 degrees.
Chained to the stove, stirring constantly. I whistled to pass the time, dozed for a minute, and wondered why I didn't pour myself a glass of ice water for this candy-making marathon before I was chained...
...because that boiling mass of sugar lets off a lot of heat! Ahhh, the thermometer finally registered 244.
I poured the candy into Pan #3, which was lined with parchment and sprayed with cooking oil.
Allow the candy to sit overnight. Whaaa? Overnight? You mean I have to wait an entire day to sample this goodness?
Okay, I waited overnight.
I marked the candy in 1" squares and sprayed the knife with cooking spray. The caramels were kind of hard to cut. Maybe if I let the knife sit in hot water it'll cut through this brick. Well, that's a little better. I must have cooked them a little too long (dang thermometer!).
Okay, done.
I cut little squares of waxed paper, wrapped the little caramels, and twisted the little ends.
Then I took this lovely picture of very tasty caramels that I can't eat because I don't want a $43,000 dentist bill. Ben & Jerry's, on the other hand, won't stick to my teeth and pull my caps off.
I'll take a pint of Cherry Garcia (R), please.
Oh, it might be okay for you people with lots of patience, but if you're the restless sort who doesn't like to wait (who, me?), or one who requires immediate gratification (who, me?), do yourself a favor and go buy a pint of Ben & Jerry's and sit in front of the TV for an hour instead. Your restless soul will thank you.
Things started out just peachy. Put 2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 cup condensed milk in Pan #1 and warm it up.Put some corn syrup, water, and granulated sugar in Pan #2 and heat until the sugar dissolves. The recipe says to use a wet pastry brush to wash down the sides of the pan. This prevents sugar crystals from forming, which will make the candy grainy.Using a tiny brush to "wash down" the sides of the pan wasn't fun.
The recipe says to reduce the heat now. (Whaaa? Isn't that just going to take longer?) Oh yeah, reduce the heat and cook until the temperature (on the candy thermometer) reads 250 degrees. The recipe doesn't tell you how long this is going to take.
Cut one stick of butter into little cubes. This was fun. I like butter and it didn't take very long.
When the candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees, add the butter and the milk mixture to Pan #2.This made the temperature go from 250 degrees waaaay down to 225 degrees.
Which wouldn't be bad, except now you have to cook it, stirring constantly, until it climbs back up to 244 degrees.
Chained to the stove, stirring constantly. I whistled to pass the time, dozed for a minute, and wondered why I didn't pour myself a glass of ice water for this candy-making marathon before I was chained...
...because that boiling mass of sugar lets off a lot of heat! Ahhh, the thermometer finally registered 244.
I poured the candy into Pan #3, which was lined with parchment and sprayed with cooking oil.Allow the candy to sit overnight. Whaaa? Overnight? You mean I have to wait an entire day to sample this goodness?
Okay, I waited overnight.
I marked the candy in 1" squares and sprayed the knife with cooking spray. The caramels were kind of hard to cut. Maybe if I let the knife sit in hot water it'll cut through this brick. Well, that's a little better. I must have cooked them a little too long (dang thermometer!).
Okay, done.
I cut little squares of waxed paper, wrapped the little caramels, and twisted the little ends.
Then I took this lovely picture of very tasty caramels that I can't eat because I don't want a $43,000 dentist bill. Ben & Jerry's, on the other hand, won't stick to my teeth and pull my caps off.I'll take a pint of Cherry Garcia (R), please.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Animals are fine, but their acceptability is limited. A little child is even better, but not NEARLY as effective as the right kind of adult.
No 485 - The Wicker Man (1973)
Director - Robin Hardy
As we creep ever closer to Halloween I feel like I should watch some films which are the famous 'horrors'. The list has a few classics on it but I have decided to begin with The Wicker Man. Mainly because we're all going to Shunt for Halloween, and the theme is Wicker Man themed.
Now, I have only watched this film the once during my first year of uni and as is becoming distressingly common with films in this blog my previous experience involved being drunk and passing out about half way through.
I had vague memories of strangeness and nudity - and decided that I should watch the film to refresh my memory on the kind of clothing that would be suitable for the night.
It is certainly a strange strange film - and a film that has a lot of subtext.... As Toby and I watched it we were having discussions about whether the film was hinting t the fear that came with the demise of the hippy generation or whether it is talking about religion (the heathen pagans fare very well as they prepare for the May Day festivities whilst the staunchly Catholic Sergeant Howie ends up almost literally in Hell).
I certainly found the religious aspect of the film interesting, especially looking at how the majority of the problems come from Howie's inability (or refusal) to accept other faiths. As he becomes more disgusted with his surroundings, so the villagers feed his fear by become more and more sinister and acting in a manner which gets increasingly detached from the Christian 'norm'.
This is what I want to talk about. The amazing slow build of tension. The structure and pacing of the film is much more akin to an Eastern horror creating a slow sense of unease rather than resorting to the shock tactics which are such a staple of Western Horrors, especially these days. The villagers connive and lie as they gentle manipulate the policeman in their plans, they effortlessly change their story as the policeman sees through their tall tales, no one on the island panics or contradicts what the others say. It is almost as if the island has a hive mentality, as soon as the story needs to be changed, the whole island is there to back up the the changes.
It is not just the sense of conspiracy and plotting which gives the film its uncomfortable feel, it is also the footage Pagan rituals and spells which occur.
One scene of note is where Britt Ekland's character Willow tempts and seduces Howie through a wall. She writhes naked in her room as Edward Woodward suffers in his own room trying to resist the allure of the song and thumping he can hear through the wall.
The initial allure of the scene is, of course, Britt Ekland. She is a very beautiful lady - which makes the scenes of her dancing around naked a naturally pleasing sequence. But there is more to it than that. She frequently sings and looks directly into the camera, destroying the security of the fourth wall and targeting the viewer directly. This is combined with the strange rhythmic thumping she performs against the wall and against her own body.
It is a scene which is both immensely sexual but with strong sinister undercurrents. A theme which runs throughout the whole film.
It is very late - and I have work in the morning and I'm very tired and some crappy horror film has started on channel 4. So I'm going to cut to the end - but will probably return to this blog entry tomorrow. However I can not end my typing without speaking about Christopher Lee. His Lord governs all aspects of the island and runs the ceremonies which take place upon it. He is however an educated man who discusses his views on religion and understands his family history very well. This is the key aspect of what makes the film so frightening. Nothing is outwardly sinister (until the final few scenes) it is just portraying a world so alien and different to what we are used to in our sheltered British homes, that it disquiets us and puts us to edge.
I will continue talking about this tomorrow, but for now I must sleep.....
OK, I have been to sleep - all feels much better... So let us talk again about the sense of unease and the clever use of religion and intolerance/refusal to understand.
We have to begin by looking at this film as a story of an island where a child is missing. This is an island which believes in a very old Pagan faith and which has very old rituals and traditions. Along comes inspector Howie who is a very strict Catholic. It is true that the island is not helpful to him once he arrives, often being deliberate hindrances who won't do a thing until they have been authorised by Lord Summerisle, however you can empathise with the islanders. It is fair to assume that they have had previous encounters with people from the mainland and they may now be naturally on edge about these visits. And their unease is not entirely unfounded. Although Howie is primarily there to find the missing child, he does frequently attack the island's faith and traditions, this is made worse as the time gets closer and closer to May Day, which appears to be the most important day in the Island's calender.
However.... although you can explain the island's distrust of Howie, and explain why the entire island appears to be against him as he tries to solve his case, this is slightly weakened by the final few scenes.... The film is slowly building up a level of unease, accompanied by a very light and accessible 70's folk score which sounds instantly recognisable, causing an interesting contrast to the not at all recognisable events unfolding on screen and culminates with the marvellous scenes of the May Day festival including the iconic shot of Christopher Lee dressed as a Lady. There are also so many lines and shots from this section that had been copied by the League of Gentleman... it is interesting to see their influences.
Lets talk about the May Day festival, it is introduced by silent animal masked villagers following Howie around the village before reaching the titular Wicker Man. For whilst you can explain naked frolicking and orgies in graveyard as part of a different faith it is hard to condone human sacrifice. And again the question of religion comes into play. The island sings their joyous Pagan songs (accompanied with a jaunty dance) as the wicker man is lit. The singing, and the crackles of flame, drown out Howie's desperate cries and prayers to a Catholic deity.
This film is a very interesting exploration of tolerance and religion, which probably has far more to say on the matter than I have discovered. It is also a masterclass at the slow burn build up of subtlety, unease and tension, something that western horror films are distinctly lacking these days.
It is worth watching just to see the excellent Christopher Lee and just in case you're feeling shallow, it is worth watching just for all the nudity!
Director - Robin Hardy
As we creep ever closer to Halloween I feel like I should watch some films which are the famous 'horrors'. The list has a few classics on it but I have decided to begin with The Wicker Man. Mainly because we're all going to Shunt for Halloween, and the theme is Wicker Man themed.
Now, I have only watched this film the once during my first year of uni and as is becoming distressingly common with films in this blog my previous experience involved being drunk and passing out about half way through.
I had vague memories of strangeness and nudity - and decided that I should watch the film to refresh my memory on the kind of clothing that would be suitable for the night.
It is certainly a strange strange film - and a film that has a lot of subtext.... As Toby and I watched it we were having discussions about whether the film was hinting t the fear that came with the demise of the hippy generation or whether it is talking about religion (the heathen pagans fare very well as they prepare for the May Day festivities whilst the staunchly Catholic Sergeant Howie ends up almost literally in Hell).
I certainly found the religious aspect of the film interesting, especially looking at how the majority of the problems come from Howie's inability (or refusal) to accept other faiths. As he becomes more disgusted with his surroundings, so the villagers feed his fear by become more and more sinister and acting in a manner which gets increasingly detached from the Christian 'norm'.
This is what I want to talk about. The amazing slow build of tension. The structure and pacing of the film is much more akin to an Eastern horror creating a slow sense of unease rather than resorting to the shock tactics which are such a staple of Western Horrors, especially these days. The villagers connive and lie as they gentle manipulate the policeman in their plans, they effortlessly change their story as the policeman sees through their tall tales, no one on the island panics or contradicts what the others say. It is almost as if the island has a hive mentality, as soon as the story needs to be changed, the whole island is there to back up the the changes.
It is not just the sense of conspiracy and plotting which gives the film its uncomfortable feel, it is also the footage Pagan rituals and spells which occur.
One scene of note is where Britt Ekland's character Willow tempts and seduces Howie through a wall. She writhes naked in her room as Edward Woodward suffers in his own room trying to resist the allure of the song and thumping he can hear through the wall.
The initial allure of the scene is, of course, Britt Ekland. She is a very beautiful lady - which makes the scenes of her dancing around naked a naturally pleasing sequence. But there is more to it than that. She frequently sings and looks directly into the camera, destroying the security of the fourth wall and targeting the viewer directly. This is combined with the strange rhythmic thumping she performs against the wall and against her own body.
It is a scene which is both immensely sexual but with strong sinister undercurrents. A theme which runs throughout the whole film.
It is very late - and I have work in the morning and I'm very tired and some crappy horror film has started on channel 4. So I'm going to cut to the end - but will probably return to this blog entry tomorrow. However I can not end my typing without speaking about Christopher Lee. His Lord governs all aspects of the island and runs the ceremonies which take place upon it. He is however an educated man who discusses his views on religion and understands his family history very well. This is the key aspect of what makes the film so frightening. Nothing is outwardly sinister (until the final few scenes) it is just portraying a world so alien and different to what we are used to in our sheltered British homes, that it disquiets us and puts us to edge.
I will continue talking about this tomorrow, but for now I must sleep.....
OK, I have been to sleep - all feels much better... So let us talk again about the sense of unease and the clever use of religion and intolerance/refusal to understand.
We have to begin by looking at this film as a story of an island where a child is missing. This is an island which believes in a very old Pagan faith and which has very old rituals and traditions. Along comes inspector Howie who is a very strict Catholic. It is true that the island is not helpful to him once he arrives, often being deliberate hindrances who won't do a thing until they have been authorised by Lord Summerisle, however you can empathise with the islanders. It is fair to assume that they have had previous encounters with people from the mainland and they may now be naturally on edge about these visits. And their unease is not entirely unfounded. Although Howie is primarily there to find the missing child, he does frequently attack the island's faith and traditions, this is made worse as the time gets closer and closer to May Day, which appears to be the most important day in the Island's calender.
However.... although you can explain the island's distrust of Howie, and explain why the entire island appears to be against him as he tries to solve his case, this is slightly weakened by the final few scenes.... The film is slowly building up a level of unease, accompanied by a very light and accessible 70's folk score which sounds instantly recognisable, causing an interesting contrast to the not at all recognisable events unfolding on screen and culminates with the marvellous scenes of the May Day festival including the iconic shot of Christopher Lee dressed as a Lady. There are also so many lines and shots from this section that had been copied by the League of Gentleman... it is interesting to see their influences.
Lets talk about the May Day festival, it is introduced by silent animal masked villagers following Howie around the village before reaching the titular Wicker Man. For whilst you can explain naked frolicking and orgies in graveyard as part of a different faith it is hard to condone human sacrifice. And again the question of religion comes into play. The island sings their joyous Pagan songs (accompanied with a jaunty dance) as the wicker man is lit. The singing, and the crackles of flame, drown out Howie's desperate cries and prayers to a Catholic deity.
This film is a very interesting exploration of tolerance and religion, which probably has far more to say on the matter than I have discovered. It is also a masterclass at the slow burn build up of subtlety, unease and tension, something that western horror films are distinctly lacking these days.
It is worth watching just to see the excellent Christopher Lee and just in case you're feeling shallow, it is worth watching just for all the nudity!
Watching Dexter Season Two
Watching Dexter Season Two (Showtime). With (perfect) Michael C. Hall. Excellent. Really original (yes, it's still possible to innovate in serial-killer territory).
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Gisele Bundchen: Modern Artemis In Ipanema's Latest Ad
Gisele Bundchen must be the modern Artemis, goddess of the forest. The Brazilian supermodel definitely loves Mother Nature, last year she had a campaign where in she wore a water dress that encourages everyone to conserve water.
Now she's back with another nature-loving campaign ad for her Ipanema flip flop line. She was in a forest outfit where leaves and vines hung all over her body. The new ad aims to raise awareness on atlantic deforestation and supporting the SOS Mata Atlantica.
By a special request of the Gisele and Grendene (owner of the Ipanema brand and also producer of Melissa shoes), SOS Mata Atlantica is planting 25,500 saplings of 100 different species to recover 15 hectares of Atlantic Forest in the Brazilian regions of Campinas and Bahia. The forest will be kept for five years by the mentioned organization with support from the sandals company until the plants are grown.
Source
Saying Goodbye To the October Sky
Gabcast! Dancing With Daisy #39 - Saying Goodbye To the October Sky
Click the play button above to hear me read this poem.
Saying Goodbye to the October Sky
It's almost time
to say goodbye
to the clouds
of the October skies.
Baskets of apples
piled high
Pumpkins carved
with triangle eyes
Witches and monsters
and ghosts saying boo
Leaves and rakes,
bats and spiders too
Sacks full of acorns
Shadows crossing the floor
trick or treat candy corns
a purple bowl by the door
Cornucopia of colors,
so much to see
from the fruits of the harvest
to the leaves in a tree
It's almost time
to say goodbye
to the clouds
of the October sky.
Click the play button above to hear me read this poem.
Saying Goodbye to the October SkyIt's almost time
to say goodbye
to the clouds
of the October skies.
Baskets of apples
piled high
Pumpkins carved
with triangle eyes
Witches and monsters
and ghosts saying boo
Leaves and rakes,
bats and spiders too
Sacks full of acorns
Shadows crossing the floor
trick or treat candy corns
a purple bowl by the door
Cornucopia of colors,
so much to see
from the fruits of the harvest
to the leaves in a tree
It's almost time
to say goodbye
to the clouds
of the October sky.
