Random Ranting On This And That...

As I sit here listening to the fancy new Ranting Details iMix, I thought I would spend this Sunday afternoon ranting poetic (coining a new phrase) about a few things.

1) A Few Random Movie Thoughts….
Discoveries of the Week: “Little Manhattan” and “Singles”

These two movies, which at first are seemingly as different as can be, are actually strikingly similar and disgustingly sweet romantic comedies (a genre that was perhaps created to make any single person weep for themselves.) I stumbled upon these two gems when I was bumming around on my couch. One is about first love between 11 year olds in Manhattan the other is about jaded love between 20-somethings in Seattle. Even though they are years and miles apart, watching these two movies makes you realize that in a sense love is love regardless of age or people involved. The initial fears are the same (first kiss, etc.) and both make you long for that idealized childhood where things seemed complex yet were so simple. If you are in the mood to curl up with (insert favorite comfort food here) and feel a bit sorry for yourself, while enjoying it, rent these two movies.

Movie Discovery #2: Ariel Is PSYCHO

(Warning: Side Effects of Love may include thrashing yourself against a rock in the middle of the ocean. Please consult your doctor before falling in it.)

People may be aware that the movie “The Little Mermaid,” was recently released on special edition DVD. Like any self-respecting gay child of the 90’s, I was eagerly anticipating a slice of my childhood that I could watch over and over again. Somehow I have ended up viewing this twice in the past few weeks and I, along with my other friends, are wondering if this is perhaps to blame for all of the fucked up visions of love that we have. As a child I thought it was so romantic, now I realize that Ariel’s love for Prince Eric is not just accelerated but insane. After one sight of him, she is drooling (is it possible for mermaids to drool under water?) and willing to mutilate her body to be with him. PSYCHO. Then she stands up to her father shouting such romantic (when I was 5) phrases as “Daddy I love him!” at the top of her lungs. PSYCHO. Can someone get this Mermaid a straight-jacket? Who doesn’t love a little “Part Of Your World” though?!

2) A Warning About Food…

Never eat at Europa Café on 57th and 7th. It took me two excursions to learn this this week but I feel the need to warn all blog- readers. The first time I went with David and Blaine (not to be confused with the magician) and we had the special sandy salad pictured above. Maybe this was some fancy salad that Ariel would enjoy, but I don’t like to eat sand and promptly sent it back. Beware. My second trip was for coffee with my friend Arch and all the sugar in the world could not save this. Unless you have good company, as I did, avoid Europa at all costs! Even then it’s a little risky.

3) The Season Has Come To An End
The curtain has come down on the final day of City Center 2006. With that end comes the beginning of a whole new batch of activities, first and foremost the creation of Snow Pas for my friend Jackie and I. Any time a season ends there is a mixture of relief and confusion; part of you still wants to be performing while the other half welcomes the break. With barely a moment to breathe before things start full force again, I am on my way out the door to celebrate the end of my third City Center tonight. Blog superstar Adrienne just has one more thing to ask….

“Can you hear the noisy Nutz coming our way?”

She is speaking of The Nutcracker gigs that await us, of course.