Island Hopper

6 Mar

I’m back in the States, so I thought I’d check in with a quick report about what I’ve been up to since I last posted something here. Wednesday night I flew down to Florida, and Thursday morning I flew to the Bahamas for four days on a (free) press trip. Not too shabby. The trip was to a hotel in the Abacos, and while it wasn’t the most luxurious hotel I’ve been to, I can say it was the nicest one I’ve ever stayed at in the Bahamas — since this was my first time to that part of the world. There were three other journalists on the trip, all around the same age as me and from varied other publications, so that made it fun.

Anyway, as opposed to, say, Nassau or Freeport, the Abacos are a quieter, more laid-back part of the Bahamas, and the trip’s low-key itinerary reflected that. Thursday night we had a nice dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. Friday we went to Hope Town and walked around there during the day; at night we went out to a couple bars near the hotel for drinks and dinner, and danced with the locals at one place where a great band was playing. Saturday the group of us went island hopping aboard a 20-foot motorboat (easily the best part of the trip), and then at night we had dinner al fresco by the pool. After breakfast on Sunday we headed back to the States, and that was that.

I took about 115 photos while I was there, some really great. I’d have taken more, but Saturday my camera got a bit too wet, and let’s just say it is now on the permanent disabled list. I’ll post a link to more of my pictures when I’m back in Boston, but you can get a sampling here. And yes, I came back with a little bit of a sunburn, like I usually do when I go somewhere warm, and actually, I also busted up one of my toes. But there were good things too, including the fact that I ate stuff like conch fritters, something I’d never had before (and probably never will again). And the times on the boats — Saturday, and the ride back from Hope Town to the hotel on Friday — really were a lot of fun.

I want to add that on Saturday I saw one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen, on Guana Cay (pronounced key). Of course, I saw it after the camera broke, so I have no photographic proof of its existence, but you have to believe me when I say that I’ve never seen sand that pristine or water that clear. There were even dolphins swimming just off-shore. And I came back with a really unusual, really cool shell, which is a great memento. We had a star sighting in the Fort Lauderdale airport on Thursday; David Caruso, from CSI: Miami, was also going to the Bahamas (I think to Nassau). And I loved that the airport in Marsh Harbour was literally two rooms: one for arrivals and one for departures. There was not even an X-ray or metal detector before you boarded the plane, nor was there an actual baggage claim area. (An interesting piece of trivia is that this is the same airport that Aaliyah left from when she died in 2001.)

So, overall, it was a good time. And now I can say I’ve been to the Bahamas. Tomorrow I’ll fill you in on what I’ve been up to since I got back to Florida.

Zzzzzzz …

28 Feb

Thanks to Sara for alerting me to the significance of February 28.

Apparently, it’s National Public Sleeping Day, a chance for people to fall asleep in public — on the T, in the office, at Starbucks, or wherever you may be — and have it be perfectly alright.

In keeping with the holiday, I’m going to take a public nap right here on the Internets.

So check back in a few days. There’ll be nothing new to read here until next week.

Department of Redundancy Department?

27 Feb

Stuff@Night is out with its “Clubs Issue.” I’m just wondering: Isn’t that a little like Playboy coming out with a “Naked Chicks Issue?” Or Newsweek coming out with a “News Issue?”

Movies I’ve Seen (2006 edition)

26 Feb

(click on the link for my review)

1. IMAGINE ME & YOU

2. GAME 6

3. SHE’S THE MAN

4. DAVE CHAPPELLE’S BLOCK PARTY

5. V FOR VENDETTA

6. FRIENDS WITH MONEY

7. UNITED 93

8. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 3

9. POSEIDON

10. X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

11. THE BREAK-UP

12. KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS

13. THE LAKE HOUSE

14. CARS

15. CLICK

16. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST

17. SUPERMAN RETURNS

18. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA

19. YOU, ME AND DUPREE

20. MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND

21. SCOOP

22. THE NIGHT LISTENER

23. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

24. WORLD TRADE CENTER

25. THE ILLUSIONIST

26. TRUST THE MAN

27. SNAKES ON A PLANE

28. THE LAST KISS

29. SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS

30. HALF NELSON

31. EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

32. THE DEPARTED

33. JACKASS: NUMBER TWO

34. BORAT …

35. FAST FOOD NATION

36. FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS

37. THE PRESTIGE

38. STRANGER THAN FICTION

39. CASINO ROYALE

40. SHUT UP & SING

41. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

42. BOBBY

43. HAPPY FEET

44. THE GOOD SHEPHERD

45. THE HOLIDAY

46. THE HISTORY BOYS

47. BLOOD DIAMOND

48. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS

49. DREAMGIRLS (2x)

50. ROCKY BALBOA

51. WE ARE MARSHALL

52. THE QUEEN

53. CHILDREN OF MEN

54. NOTES ON A SCANDAL

55. BABEL

Actually, I Need to Wake Up Too

26 Feb

I guess it was an enjoyable Oscars show. I’ll probably always enjoy it. Perhaps that’s the ultimate in denial, because this year’s show was really safe, slick, slow-moving, and not too exciting or surprising overall. And for a change, it felt long. That said, it had its moments:

I was shocked that Alan Arkin actually won Best Supporting Actor (though let it be said that I predicted that). Somewhere Jeffrey Wells is gloating, and elsewhere, Dreamworks/Paramount is regretting releasing Norbit before the Oscars … Celine Dion still sucks. I wish she’d stayed in Vegas, where we didn’t have to hear from her … J.Hud won and gave a nice, genuinely emotional speech — and gave me the chance to say for the last time (I promise) that I interviewed her months ago (I even scooped Barbara Walters) … I liked the opening Nominees film, by Errol Morris … I thought Ellen’s monologue was good, but I think she was probably a little too quirky for the Oscars … Good for An Inconvenient Truth, but I thought there was a little too much Al Gore, even if I do like him … A definite highlight was Apple’s commercial for the iPhone … Why was Jack Nicholson bald? … Does anyone else remember when Chris Connelly was cool? … The Dreamgirls musical number was good — if you don’t include “Patience” — but Eddie Murphy was missed … Jennifer Lopez: whoa! … So WTF were those shadow dancers?? … I still wish Judi Dench had won Best Actress … You know, say what you will, but I do sorta feel bad for Eddie Murphy. Were it not for Norbit, that award would have been his, and he seemed, in the end, to really want it (too little, too late, I guess) … Did Ellen really vaccuum?? That was ridiculous … Best acceptance speech: Forest Whitaker’s. Second best: the guy who won for West Bank Story, the Best Live Action Short Film … I’m happy Helen Mirren doesn’t have to feign surprise anymore … And while I thought Little Miss Sunshine would win Best Picture, I’m happy The Departed actually did. After all, it was my favorite movie of last year … Oh, and I can’t believe the three Dreamgirls songs actually cancelled themselves out and Melissa Etheridge won Best Song; that may be a bigger surprise/upset than Alan Arkin’s win because I thought “Listen” was a sure thing. (A complete list of winners is here.)

I guess that’s it. It’s past Abigail Breslin’s bed time. On to next year!

A Not-so-Wonderful Night for Oscar?

24 Feb

For all the unpredictability that accompanies this year’s Best Picture nominees, the rest of the major categories look to go according to plan. As a result, there’s not so much interesting about an Oscar predictions post this year. I’ll say I hope The Departed wins Best Picture, but I expect Little Miss Sunshine to actually win — which is fine, because Sunshine is a great movie. Otherwise, Scorsese, Hudson, Whitaker and Mirren will all win (though I’d rather Judi Dench take Best Actress). And The Departed and Sunshine will win the screenplay categories. Perhaps the only surprise might come in Best Supporting Actor, where Jeffrey Wells has convinced me that Alan Arkin might actually win, not Eddie Murphy. So I hope Ellen DeGeneres does a great hosting job, because the show is not shaping up to be a suspenseful one. (And by the way, if you need a ballot to keep track of the winners, here’s one.)

Either way, the show has to be better than the one in 1989, when Snow White and, yes, Rob Lowe opened the show by singing, among other things, “Proud Mary.” If you’ve never seen it, here’s your chance. The year after this debacle, Billy Crystal hosted and all was right with the world. But this is a great reminder of how bad the Oscars can be. So at 12:30, when the show is still going on, remember: it could always be worse. (And thanks to David Poland for the tip.)

Making Change

22 Feb

It seems my blogging power has untold reach. First, on the way home, I saw that the stretch of sidewalk I wrote about earlier today had been cleared. Now I know it wasn’t all my doing; Universal Hub linked to it and drove a lot of traffic to my post. And of course, I didn’t physically do the shoveling. But still, I’d like to think I had at least something to do with it finally being cleared.

And then my girl Haley Scarnato wasn’t voted off American Idol, which means you all must have read my post about her and called in to vote. Good for y’all. I mean, she wasn’t the best singer this week, and she certainly looks a little out of place next to some of the other women, and I actually felt bad for her during that Tears for Fears song they all sang, but hey … that’s not the point.

The point is that in my own warped little world, my demented sense of reality tells me that my two posts made change happen today. Behold! I am the change maker.

Ice, Ice, Go Away

22 Feb

Who is responsible for the ice and slush on the sidewalk of Babcock St. in Brookline not being cleared yet? The storm was more than a week ago, and yet, that long strip of sidewalk along the parking lot by Harvard Ave. is still covered by a mix of snow, ice, slush and just mess. It’s the only extended part of the street that has yet to be cleared, most likely because it’s not in front of an apartment building. And I know there are rules about this sort of thing if you own property. Well, if this is community property that doesn’t fall under the aegis of a landlord, then doesn’t this strip of sidewalk belong to the town of Brookline? And shouldn’t the town have done something about it by now? And if the weather’s been warm the past two days, wouldn’t it make sense to clear the sidewalk now? I’d love to see this get done soon, so I don’t have to walk in the street anymore to avoid slipping. Especially before the weather turns cold again and more snow comes. Thanks.

California … There They Go!

22 Feb

I really and truly wish I was upset about The O.C. ending its run tonight, but I just can’t get too wistful anymore. Actually, I’m happy it’s ending because the show got so bad halfway through season two and never quite recovered, and I feel like I started watching it again this season mostly because it was ending, and in doing so, I’ve missed out on watching supposedly better shows like 30 Rock. (Fortunately, I have a dual-tuner cable box, so I don’t have to miss Grey’s Anatomy.)

I mean, there was a time when I really really really liked this show. I was so excited to go to California just because I knew I’d be going on a tour of O.C. locations. The Chrismukkah episodes were a highlight of the holiday season. There was always great music. And of course, Summer Roberts. Mmmm…Summer Roberts.

But the bloom fell off the rose and I stopped watching for a while. And now that the show is ending, I’m actually happy about it. So, I’ll be watching tonight (after Grey’s, of course), but I won’t miss The O.C. when it’s gone.

Biting My Tongue

19 Feb

I was already sort of embarrassed to be buying the three magazines I did today at Barnes & Noble, but somehow, it made me feel better that I didn’t make a bad situation even worse. To wit:

Exhibit A:
The cashier rings up my copy of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and I notice the price. So I say to her, “Wow, six bucks for that thing?” And she says, “Well, it’s a special issue.” And I almost replied to her, “It’s not as special as it used to be,” and explained why I was saying that, but I figured it was better to just bite my tongue.

Exhibit B:
The cashier rings up my copy of Every Day with Rachael Ray and comments to me, “I didn’t know Rachael Ray had a magazine.” And while my actual response to her was an emasculating, “Yes, she’s had it for more than a year now,” I almost said, referring to the other magazine I was buying, “Yes, and so does that guy from M*A*S*H.”

So yeah, that situation could have been much worse.

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