Trendspotting

I recently did a new music roundup for Trendcentral.com. The new "wave" of surf-rock-inspired bands from Cali and beyond...This is a trend I'd never notice if I still lived in L.A., not beach-challenged New York City.

Check it out here: California Dreamin' on Trendcentral.com

Go See This Movie Immediately

I loved The Kids Are All Right. Not just because Mark Ruffalo gets down with lots of O.P.P. throughout the whole thing.

It reminded me of The Squid and the Whale; a family drama that's earnest without inducing bile, and the kind of awkward-funny that feels like a happy byproduct.

I almost forgot how Annette Bening can just crease her brow in disappointment and make you cry all over the purse on your lap. The only thing that could top the act-off between her and Julianne Moore is if Meryl Streep and Robert DeNiro showed up as the estranged grandparents or something.

Panda Baby

I wonder if this panda in China read the New York Mag article on why kids suck.

The Particular Brilliance of Amy Bender

I never write about books here because I have a GoodReads account, and a monthly book club with close friends and cocktails, where it's safe for me to sound like a tool.

But I can't-not write about Aimee Bender because she is the greatest. Here is why:

Aimee's characters are endearing and subtly psychotic. The strange things they do, even if it's eating soap, and the weird things that happen to them always seem reasonable.

Her style has been called magical realism, modern fairy tale, and surreal. She writes about a big man who buys from a pet store a tiny man in a cage. A family of pumpkin heads whose newest member, an anomaly, is a baby boy with an iron head. Mermaids. Boys with keys for fingers. A motherfucker (literally, a man who exclusively sleeps with mothers). There are potato babies, as well.

This would all be gimmicky and on the wrong side of absurd if Bender wasn't so capable with her spare, tastefully heartbreaking, and plain beautiful language. She makes words like "table" or "apple" sound peculiar and crafts sentences you'll linger on before moving to the next page.

I'm on a Bender-bender because last night she discussed her new book with Heidi Julavits at Symphony Space. Knowing their audience, the two authors also shared writing tips and advice, and talked process.

A few tips that stuck with me:

1. Write everyday, even if it's just a sentence. Pretty standard advice for anything you'd like to do well, but Julavits said Jonathan Lethem told her this and added, "Because the pain of reentry is excruciating."

2. Write what you're interested today, in the moment. There's no reason to kill yourself over Chapter 7 if Chapter 7 isn't happening. If you'd rather describe the bathrobe, do that instead.

3. Once you can read through a draft without wincing, you're ready to share it with friends for feedback. Any sooner than that, you're inviting people to intrude on your process.

4. Sometimes switching fonts on a new draft helps you look at it with fresh eyes. Julavits said she's currently obsessed with the Cochin font.

Read Amy Bender's books:

The Girl in the Flammable Skirt (Short stories)

An Invisible Sign of My Own (Novel)

Willful Creatures (Short stories)

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake (brand new novel, haven't read yet)

Pulino's vs. Motorino, Which is the Better Pizza?

It's Motorino. Just sayin'.

Cali Living, Euro Living

It's always nice to see from where your friends get their brilliance and excellent taste. This takes the cake. Ariel's parents' home in Tustin, featured in the L.A. Times.



In other friendly news, recent expat-Jess started a new blog about the little delights she discovers in Amsterdam and around Europe. Check it out here.



Leigh and Lindsay recently launched their own design firm and are already making wonderful things. Website for LMNOP Creative is here.




And finally, Katie and I are joining forces offline to create a print 'zine! It will be 90s in spirit but will hopefully look like the future. We had our first meeting the other night over burgers, spicy margaritas, and glasses of rosé at Barmarché. This will be interesting. I'm sure we'll set up a Tumblr about it once we have a name. Stay tooned.

Katie and Bailey when he was just a little guy.

Mallow Out

Marshmallow (the plant, not candy) has a sweet and clean, sadly underrated odor. Back when L'Occitane was just a fledgling little soap boutique, they sold an awesome marshmallow bath gel and lotion. Then they discontinued it and became Bath & Body Works for Francophiles.

Method has it right with these Rice Milk & Mallow dryer cloths. Pick up a pack if you're interested in smelling edible:



Other sweetness:

The Generationals - When They Fight, They Fight

Sleigh Bells - Ring, Ring

Gorillaz - Melancholy Hill