C'est Trivial Is on Patrol

Topic one of the new feature, C'est Trivial Tackles! will be on the subject of the Glass Harmonica.

Now, don't read ahead and google it before its ready. Give me some time to compile come facts into an easily digestible and fun discussion of the Glass Harmonica.

Thanks to Exiled Midwesterner for making the very first C'est Trivial Tackles! request!

(Isn't this so great? Now we all get to learn about the Glass Harmonica, whatever that is.)

why

I don't know

I'm Sure You Had Loads of Suggestions

and were too shy to let me know. This new offer might be of less use to you then, you bashful little hamsters:

Want to write for C'est Trivial?

Publish your first feature?

Be my guest.

Its not that I'm bored writing this thing--not at all--but the pressure man, to have an entry every day is really, well, you're reading this thing...I'm grasping here. What do you say? Other brilliant ideas to get you involved with this site (that I control) are:

Want me to tackle a subject? I can try!

Advice column! I can answer burning questions relating to cooking, science, astronomy, the arts: all subjects I excel at.

Ask away!

Let's talk. Even though my neck still hurts.

Suggestions Needed for a Remedy

Today I woke up unable to look to the left. STIFF NECK! So, intelligent, worldly, creative readers, tell me what are my options? I've had about 4 Advils to no avail.

I'm interested in what you'd suggest, really. I want to get you involved. You know?

Tell me.

February is Too Early, I Know

But soon it will be April, then May then June. We should get ready.

Wedging in on the Issue

A plucky reader has alerted C'est Trivial to a threat that seems to be making a comeback from whatever depths its been residing in. I give you a certain "dish" called The Wedge. See for yourselves if there's a salad worse than this one out there.


Readers, when would this item be appropriate?

What I Really Love is Food

Naturally. Sushi, in particular. Last night I had the pleasure of accompanying H.A.M.Lice to a lovely little restaurant called Ototo Sushi. Once we arrived and opened our pretty lengthy menus that revealed all the finery that sushi can offer, we were greeted by a very friendly waiterperson and so, we ordered.

We'd like to recommend the Alaskan King Crab Tempura appetizer. It blew me away with its freshness and not-too-greasy-tempura-stuff. Sometimes tempura can be a mistake, but at Ototo it was light and had an excellent flavor. The crab was outrageously fresh and simply delicious. Besides that we got a huge plate of sashimi, because that is what we do and HMS Hamlice is no fan of rolls. Satisfied were we--and not for too much money too boot.

If you're in the 98105, check it out. Its a welcome respite (aren't I always saying this) from your usual spot in that its a got a modern/minimalist design going on and like I said, the food is too fresh.

Only Important People Read C'est Trivial

I forgot I went to Chicago back in December. It was for Christmas and it was surely the coldest I've ever been in memory. It made the records.

Do you see my teeth gnashing just to stay warm?

I had never been to Chicago before I landed there and I found the place to be a nice reminiscent combination of the town I grew up in, Alexandria VA with the town I live in now. There is a lot of red brick in all three places and come to think of it, it gets pretty cold in all three as well. Colder than San Francisco, the town I've spent a lot of time in.

I had some moments. Ghostbuster moments. Remember that big marshmellow meltdown? It all happened outside the Chicago Museum of Art or something like that. We were in there seeing all kinds of once-in-a-lifetime (unless you live in Chicago) art by Picasso, VanGogh, Renoir. Pretty mind blowing. My favorite though was coming face to face with the Rothko they have there. How did he do it?





Meanwhile it was negative 100 degrees outside and so we traipsed over to the outdoor (why?) iceskating rink to watch the iceskating and listen to the scraping of metal on ice--my favorite sound. The iceskating happens right in the heart of the 2 billion dollar Millennium Park, a place that cost the citizens of Chicago more money than the amount of aid the United States gave for Tsunami Relief. But not to diminish the triumph of this park. It is modern and civic and probably best experienced in warmer weather. I managed to take some fun shots of the faces. Large buildings of faces. Winking, smiling, staring.



Unbeknownst to me was the ordinance against taking pictures of the "bean" as the locals call it. The bean is really called Cloud Gate and it is apparently illegal to take pictures of the thing because it is a copywritten piece of public art. What does that mean? The wonderful BoingBoing weighs in on the issue.

As usual my photographs are shit. However, I am able to at least dip a toe into the vast pool that is artistic creativity and acumen. See?



We also took in the Shedd Aquarium while we were there. Fun and informative though I never got to see the big show where the duck jumps over the bucket, I mean, when the dolphins do flips and whaterverelsehaveyounots.

And in case you were wondering, I did not see Oprah, did not get tickets to her show. I saw the floors that she owns inside the Water Tower but that was about it. Did I feel slighted? Yes bitches.

Hi!

New Feature to C'est Trivial!

Buy me a gift. Up at the top. On the right.

What do you want? We both know I have a hard time shopping for you.

Do you know this band

Lansing Dreiden? They have two drummers and two singers. They're moody. I predict they will be big in San Francisco. I saw their rumored first show ever in the country at El Corazon on Saturday night. Not such a big deal, but this band has been autohyped (that is, hyped by themselves) more than any other band I've heard of. They don't do interviews, they're reportedly difficult, "shy," and they are part of a self-proclaimed art collective type thing encompassing all mediums: video, music, visual arts, etc.

The show was a well-earned departure from the usual and I liked that they tried to illicit a mood from the start: the two female singers stood dead still and stared straight ahead seemingly unaware that they were on stage or even on Earth. Trouble was the singers were a bit out of tune with each other, maybe they couldn't hear themselves over the cacophony behind them ranging from My Bloody Valentine licks to weird !!!-like departures. Michael said they reminded him of the great Family Fodder without the humor--which is dead on. The music was impressive at times--slow and emotive like some parts of Stereolab, vocally reminiscent of Cocteau Twins (except its not nearly as hard to understand the lyrics), and then at times kind of mathy too. A little shoe-gaze here, hip shake there. If they could lose the self-conscious art/legalistic/corporation idea that's governing their group, it would work out better.

From their website I learned that their effort is to fuse commerce with art since they see no distinction between those two (poles for me at least). Anyway, instead of me pontificating about their approach and their connection with the hated Vice Magazine, I'll let you decide for yourselves.

(That was a joke.)

A question for the ages

Say you moved from a fairly metropolitan city (though on the small side) where owning a car was not necessary to another less metropolitan city where owning a car is a given. What would you make of this?



Too flashy? On the treacherous slope of being mistaken for a minivan/SUV hybrid? Some things to consider: it will house the dog efficiently in the 'way back' area (AKA the hutchy trunk), gets good gas mileage, has keyless entry. BEEP.

Please. I need answers.

Why?

is this

so much better than
this?