Thanks David for this recipe. I love David Lebovitz blog Living The Sweet Life In Paris. We were in Paris and southern France back in 2012. Paris was kind of a blur with two bad knees that didn’t know then that in 3 months they would be replaced. So many restaurants, good food, stops in the afternoon for frites and wine or macarons that it’s hard to remember that trip unless I go back and read my journal about all the great food we had and all the interesting things we saw. Through David’s blog I can see Paris [...]
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As a parent, I want little more than to keep my children safe and healthy. The list of precautions and preventative measures I take is extensive. I baby-proof my home, diligently research safety ratings on car seats, faithfully take my little ones to their well-checks at the pediatrician, and on and on. But despite my best […] The post In a Medical Emergency, Here’s Why You Should Choose a Pediatric ER for your Child appeared first on Houston Moms Blog. from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HoustonMomsBlog/~3/-DbeGe5YAeo/ We’re {mostly} moms here … moms that make umpteen decisions a day ranging from what to make for dinner to how best to approach potty training. We’re moms that figure out how to shuffle kids to baseball games and dance recitals, and moms that every now and then can use a date night to break […] The post 10 Fresh Houston Date Night Spots appeared first on Houston Moms Blog. from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HoustonMomsBlog/~3/QaWKY7f8n4c/ Chelsea Clinton. Photo: Lorie Shaull
There was a piece that came out in Vanity Fair just recently, written by T. A. Frank and titled, “Please, God, Stop Chelsea Clinton From Whatever She Is Doing.” You can go read it if you like, but it sums up well. Clinton is endangering the future of Democratic politics by being a rich white lady on the cover of Elle magazine. The fact that someone at Vanity Fair actually pitched an article about too much exposure of rich white celebrities and no one collapsed their own lung in a fit of laughter is in and of itself hilarious, but let’s move on.
I can’t tell how old Frank is from his hand-drawn byline pic, but here’s the perspective of someone who is old enough to remember when conservative relatives passed around VHS tapes of The Clinton Chronicles faux-documentary of the family’s imaginary legacy of murder as stocking stuffers. Clinton is exactly one year older than me, and as a teenage boy growing up I heard only one thing; she was hideous. People talked about Clinton like she was Belial from Basket Case. If the State Home for the Ugly had been real, popular media assured me Chelsea Clinton would be their star attraction.
But, she, and I, grew up. She survived being an awkward teenager in the White House, and I survived being an awkward teenager in the barrios of East Houston. She went on to be something of a fashion template, a semi-politician, a socialist, and activist, a mother, and one of the faces of Hillary Clinton’s failed 2016 presidential bid. Her life is remarkable and unique, but conventional of you start from the variables of her birth.
I understand that there is some profound bitterness from the Bernie Sanders “wing” of the Democratic Party, but none of this is some weird offense worthy of burning Clinton from our sight as some unclean spirit of failed policy. Chelsea Clinton is a person famous in a very unique way. There are not a lot of presidential daughters in the world, and almost none as famous as her. She is, ironically, a White Lodge version of her friend, Ivanka Trump. Being mad at her, as Frank apparently is, for her fame and use to deference in her life, is like being mad that a cat can’t breathe underwater. It’s more of a judgment on the compliant than the object of their complaint.
Look, Chelsea Clinton is not the face of progressive politics going forward, and literally no one aside from a few meme-makers working through their grief over the 2016 election believes she is. She’s a typical privileged rich white lady with typical privileged rich white lady thoughts. She’s better than most, but not the future.
You have to understand, or not if you’re Frank, that she has no good answer to the question of whether she will run for office in the future. Say no, and she’s a liar if she eventually does. Say yes, and she’s hounded day and night until she files the paperwork. As a young mother of two that just spent a year and a half helping her mom through a grueling election, it’s not unreasonable that she might just want to not be bothered for a bit rather than commit to future political action. Maybe she just wants to be the pretty lady on the cover of the magazine for a bit. That’s not a crime, and she owes nothing more to anyone. Contrary to popular belief, she is not actually a public servant. She’s a private citizen beholden to no one.
Which is, I suspect, the problem. After the 2016 election there seems to be this public ownership idea of Clinton that is simply not based in fact. As the heir-apparent of the name she’s expected to live up to perceptions, regardless if she as an actual woman who feels like doing that.
First of all… the Clinton “dynasty” idea was always stupid. Hillary is a Rodham, not a Clinton, and whether her daughter’s entirely speculative political career constitutes a continuation of either her father or her mother’s legacy is so situational a question it does not deserve the vapors it apparently gives Frank in his piece. Second of all, Frank’s admiration of George W. Bush’s daughter Barbara’s post philanthropic career because she does it “quietly” is a sexist assumption I would hope needs no explanation. I don’t take kindly to the idea women are better off when they’re not as loud.
If Hillary Clinton’s defeat in the general election Electoral College was some sort of mandate on the end of her family’s involvement, then Bernie Sanders’ much more definitive defeat in the Democratic primary should be a mandate that his particular brand has no more worth than Chelsea Clinton’s. I’ve personally been annoyed at the DNC’s desire to fellate Sanders day and night on fundraising tours, but I can certainly deal with that. On that note, perhaps we could stop pretending the existence of the Clintons is some sort of un-erasable spot on Democratic politics. Chelsea’s mum won the popular vote by a huge margin. Like it or not, the family is still in the game, and no one does the left any favors by pretending otherwise. from http://www.freepresshouston.com/being-mean-to-chelsea-clinton-is-stupid/ A Guide To Owning an Asiatic LilyWhen you want to learn as much as you can about flowers, it is important to do your research and make sure that you figure out the details on their history and how to care for them. In this regard, you should take a look at the Asiatic Lily, as this is a popular flower for people who love these plants. To get started learning a little bit more about these flowers, take the time to do everything you can to enjoy this flower, starting with these tips and points below. #1: Consider some specifications and footnotes about the flowerWhen you need to give yourself the opportunity to care for your flowers, you should understand a little bit more about these lilies. For example, these lilies are found in USDA zones 4-9. These flowers are able to survive by getting some sunshine and a little bit of shade. The flowers grow upwards of 6 feet and will typically bloom in the early summers. #2: Learn the best ways to plant and cut these flowersYou need to always give yourself the opportunity to care for these flowers by learning how to plant and cut them. Make sure that you put these bolts into the ground early in the spring or fall s easons. You need to make sure that these flowers are allowed to blossom in soil that is fertile and well-drained. They need to be planted between 1 foot and one and a half ½ feet apart and between 4 inches and 6 inches deep. You will be able to do so either in the full sun or partial sun. In terms of cutting these flowers, make sure that you break the stem instead of using a sharp cutting tool. #3: Keep your flowers away from pestsFinally, you need to do everything that you can keep these lilies away from pests that can eat them up and create damage. There are a number of pests that can be problematic for these lilies, in addition to fungal infections and even your own pet cats. Set up fencing and consider using soap, baking soda and oils in order to deter pests from giving you issues with your flowers. This way, they will be able to grow and thrive for years. So what are you waiting for? With this in mind, give yourself the chance to find out more about these flowers by continually doing your research. You will also be able to care for the flower to the best of your ability. By factoring in these tips, follow the points in this article in order to buy and take care of an Asiatic Lily. If you are wanting to gaze at the asiatic lily, but have less work, you can always have a fresh cut arrangement that includes some asiatic lilies in it. They brighten any bouquet and come in a wide variety of colors. To place an order, give us a call or place your order online. Enchanted Florist 4416 Fairmont #104 Pasadena, TX 77504 (832)850-7677 Find us on: We are located at: florist in pasadena txfrom https://enchantedfloristpasadena.tumblr.com/post/160091659847 TEE VEE. Photo: Courtesy of Artist
The synth pop world is full of acts that grab your attention from first listen while becoming guilty pleasures for the listeners. For a long time, it felt like a large part of the acts in the genre didn’t really grow, while still grasping plenty of attention in the process of repetitiveness. For Houston’s TEE VEE that’s never been the case. If you’ve followed her career, then you’ve witnessed a true growth, as the music has gone from bedroom pop to fully fledged electro pop almost like she’s hell bent to keep things interesting for herself as well as for the listener. On her debut EP Soft Spot, TEE VEE takes her bedroom based sounds to a heavier place without feeling overbearing, creating a sound that’s closer to dark electronica with a heavy pop influence than the typical synth pop release. With plenty of synths and catchy beats, the entire EP is a refreshing take on a genre that’s usually so saccharine based that it’s often hard for some to digest.
Opening with the lead single “Angel Eyes,” a mix of synths and a hook heavy beat are met with the singer’s angelic vocals. The sincerity in her voice alone should be enough to draw any listener in, though the pop aesthetics in the song keep your attention while your you can’t help but want to stop what you’re doing and break out into dance. There’s a magical embrace between technology and sincerity that comes through and through with each note, offering a sound that seems familiar but not copied either. This gets followed up by the darker side of the songs on “Another Way.” While the song isn’t dark electronica, it’s almost like if two different groups collaborated on the track to come up with a soft pop gem. These sweet little beat infused synths hop on and off while the vocals pull you in and these synths that are closest to early Depeche Mode find their way into the mix.
The third track, “Crystalline” returns to the synth pop world, reminding you of a mix like if early Erasure and The Human League made a track together. The vocals again are the hook here, where TEE VEE bring an almost childlike enthusiasm to the song like a teen singing to a boyfriend that doesn’t exist yet. The pop elements here are pretty immense, grabbing you almost immediately with the opening sequence before the song gets in your head to a point where you can’t shake it. However, on “Echoes,” TEE VEE takes us to a slower paced and deeper place than the previous songs would suggest. While the track is essentially pop based, the notes are darker and thicker than the happier ones in songs that came before it. The eighties synth influence here is strong, though it doesn’t overshadow the overall sound. Full of soft elements, a vocal that seems to be fit snugly in-between the beat and the keys, TEE VEE is stretching her musical legs here in a way that’s hard to ignore, and certainly offered up in a fashion that you can’t let go from. There’s a moment where the vocals are at the forefront of the track, and they grip you like a vice while echoing in the wake of the song even after it’s finished.
Things are closed off with the darker elements of “Star*,” where acts like Xymox and China Crisis called home, without sounding like they were ever lifted. There’s a lot more depth than the average electro pop release, and this song is a great example of that. There are moments where it sounds like she’s singing to the skies, making this is one of the several standouts of the release, and place TEE VEE in a different place than most of the artists in the genre. The beat and the synth cluster offer a deeper reference point, while the airy vocals make you long for the track to go longer than the three minutes it plays for.
Overall, TEE VEE proves that electro pop can have more elements without feeling heavy handed. By adding darker components and eighties synths, the compositions land with more intent to a place where you don’t know what’s more ever present, the pop or the depth, but you really don’t care because the tracks are so catchy that you’ll forget about both with the first listen. You can catch TEE VEE at her EP release party on Saturday April 29 at Civic TV Collective. The BYOB and all ages show has doors at 8 pm and performances from MIEARS and Andrew Lee with a $5 cover with Andy V and Rye Francisco dropping DJ sets as well. from http://www.freepresshouston.com/tee-vee-gives-you-a-soft-spot-on-debut-ep/ Enrique Derbez may not be a household name domestically, but he’s literally one of the biggest stars in Latin America. Over the last three decades Derbez has made his mark as an actor, director and producer. Derbez’s popular Mexican television series La familia P. Luche ran for a solid ten years, and the 2013 release Instructions Not Included, which Derbez co-wrote, produced, directed and starred in, has grossed $100 million worldwide. He has a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. The uninitiated may recognize Derbez from his cameo role in Adam Sandler’s Jack and Jill (a comedy masterpiece). His new film How to Be a Latin Lover takes a cue from Sandler films in the sense that it uses stereotypes to poke comic sense of an otherwise unfair world. Free Press Houston sat down with Derbez a few weeks ago during his visit to Space City to promote his latest film, which promotes the axiom “you don’t get what you wish for, you get what you work for.” “That’s the story of my life,” Derbez says. “When I was a kid I dreamed of Hollywood. I told my mom when I was eight that I wanted to tell stories, that I wanted to go to Hollywood. I got into other lines of work but when my mom died I remember what I told her about my dream of going to Hollywood. When I was 40 I decided to start all over again and to come to the US and start a new career.” Derbez was born in Mexico City in 1962 and has acting credits beginning in the 1980s. “Here I am, maybe a little bit out of shape. I would’ve loved to of come here when I was 25, but it’s never too late to fulfill your dreams, especially when you work for them. Latin Lover was produced in my office. When you wish for things they never happen, when you work for things they happen.” How to Be a Latin Lover includes Rob Lowe, Kristen Bell, Salma Hayek, Michael Cera, Rob Corddry, Raquel Welch, Mckenna Grace and Rob Riggle among its large cast. Derbez plays a gigolo who seduces wealthy women. When his aging wife dumps him for a younger model, he moves in with his sister (Hayek). Ken Marino directs. “Ken has the ability to help the cast improvise. He was always bringing new jokes to the set. He’s an actor/director same as I. He was the perfect director because he was funny but grounded. Mexican humor is broader. I needed someone to teach me to be funny in a different way,” says Derbez. As an aside, those familiar with Instructions Not Included will notice that the young girl who plays Derbez’s daughter in that film looks like a pre-teen Kristen Bell. “Exactly. It’s just a coincidence. Loreto Peralta, the little girl in Instructions is Mexican, but she doesn’t look like a Mexican at all.” How to Be a Latin Lover includes some great soundtrack pop songs performed in Spanish including Guatemalan singer Gaby Moreno’s cover of Blondie’s “Call Me,” and Mexico’s Carla Morrison’s version of “Pale Blue Eyes.” “The music on the soundtrack is a perfect mix between the Latino world and the American world,” says Derbez. Derbez made his American debut in the Sandler film because “Sandler had heard a lot about me. When I met him he told me, ‘My nanny is Mexican and my gardeners are Mexican. I asked them who was their favorite comedian and they said your name,’” recalls Derbez. Upcoming films that Derbez will appear in include the disaster flick Geostorm, set for release in October. “It’s from Warner Brothers, with Gerald Butler, Ed Harris and Andy Garcia. It’s the end of the world, it’s huge, it’s beautiful. I play an astronaut. They called me two-and-a-half years ago. Usually I only got offered roles like the drug dealer or the gardener. So when they told me I was going to be in outer space, I was like what am I going to be? The space gardener?” Derbez is also cast in the 2018 Disney film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms with an all-star cast that includes Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley and Morgan Freeman. “I’m the lord of the realm of flowers.” Derbez has gotten what he worked for. Other American films include a remake of the Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn vehicle Overboard. Except in this version, which Derbez will produce and star with Anna Faris, the roles are reversed. He plays the wealthy boat owner and she’s the mistreated employee. “Comedy is different. It depends on where you were born or your age and cultural upbringing, social and economic status. “We’re also bought the rights and are developing a script for Speedy Gonzales,” Derbez says. “We have a line in Overboard where we talk about Speedy. Someone asks me, ‘Isn’t Speedy Gonzales kind of racist?’ What are you talking about. We love Speedy Gonzales in Mexico. He’s Mexican, he’s fast, he outsmarts the gringo cat to bring the delicious cheese to his people.” It seems like Derbez has done the work to make his dreams reality. How to Be a Latin Lover opens in area theaters this weekend. from http://www.freepresshouston.com/how-to-be-a-latin-lover-an-interview-with-eugenio-derbez/ We are honored to be partnering with Reliant to bring you this sponsored post. We love the work they are doing with the March of Dimes, and we are thankful for the opportunity to raise awareness and provide ways for our community to help support their endeavors too!Last September, my son was born at 33 […] The post 3 Ways You Can Support the March of Dimes This Year appeared first on Houston Moms Blog. from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HoustonMomsBlog/~3/Dvc_AdGSsGo/ The days are getting hotter, the nights are full of terrors, stay inside with me and watch all the glory of music and movies combined. These are the best music videos of the week.
5. Gravel Kings — “American Skies” I try not to include basic performance videos in this column as they tend to be cinematically uninteresting and don’t push the medium. “American Skies” isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it is heartfelt and uplifting in the way it creates lights and smiles in a soft darkness. Plus, sales of the single go to benefit the ACLU Nationwide, and God knows I’m happy to signal boost that.
4. Chimney — “Walk Don’t Run” This is an amazingly fun fairytale music video directed by Christopher Good that had me smiling the whole way through its surrealist journey. A young woman (Andreina Byrne) wakes up in a car next to a skeleton and finds herself starving. She has an increasingly bizarre set of adventures through a set of strange woods in a desperate attempt to find food, encountering weird people with incomprehensible motives along the way. Gun to my head, it’s a dissection of body culture, but more importantly it’s a collection of delirious anecdotes that manages to delight and slightly disturb at the same time.
3. Lauren Hoffman & The Secret Storm — “A Friend for the Apocalypse” Lauren Hoffman is one of the preeminent music video talents on 2017, and I can sum up “A Friend for the Apocalypse” in one sentence; this is “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for the Age of Trump. I’d program my alarm clock to play it every morning if I could figure out how.
2. Vita and the Woolf — “Feline” Okay, you’re going to have to commit to this one because for half of its runtime it’s just Jennifer Pague in a car wash. A well shot, vaguely ominous carwash, but a carwash nonetheless. After that though, things get extremely colorful and weird as a psychedelic cornucopia of hues and paints fly through the scenes like someone had murdered Rainbow Brite in the middle of a hurricane. My favorite shot by far is Pague in the car after someone has thrown various paints on it. Outside it’s bright and beautiful, but inside, it merely blocks out the light and leaves her in darkness. That was beautiful.
1. Danny Dymond — “Disco Mannequin” Not since Goldfrapp’s “Alive” has anyone crafted so perfectly ridiculous a gothic dance video. I honestly wonder if Numbers remodeling their bathroom someone opened a gothic space-time vortex and dumped an alternate universe version of Provision out into an alley somewhere to dance with drag queens. I’m not knocking this video. I swear I’m not. It makes me remember being an interpretive goth gogo dancer in my twenties, and I can’t help but love it for all its completely cheesy glory. from http://www.freepresshouston.com/top-5-music-videos-of-the-week-danny-dymond-more/ Pixies. Photo: Travis Shinn
In a time when bands seem to pass their prime almost as quickly as the band formed, it’s mind-boggling to really grasp the idea that there are certain groups that can tour for as long as they want and a consistent fan base will always be there to greet them with open arms. Thirty-one years ago, four kids from Boston started a band, probably unaware that they would go on to be one of the most influential bands around, obsessing the minds of bands like Nirvana up to on-tour band the Orwells. Prior to their show at White Oak Music Hall on Sunday, FPH spoke to Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago about the band’s latest release, their reunion, and crossword puzzles.
Free Press Houston: The band is set for a global tour, and it’s quite massive. Are those still as fun for you personally, or has it started to evolve into a bit more of a task? Joey Santiago: It’s a little bit of both. It depends what’s going on. I mean, it depends on my mood, you know? Sometimes it’s a vacation, sometimes it’s work.
FPH: It’s been a little over a month on this tour and you’ve already played Japan, Australia, and even a stop in Africa. Where is it that the Pixies get the most love from fans? As in, are you guys Cheap Trick to anywhere? Santiago: Well, basically Europe is a lot more acceptable to us. And obviously places that we haven’t been to. For example, South Africa was wonderful. We have never been there before that latest show. We got to play in front of 18,000 people. And, you know, obviously England — we call it our second home, especially London. They embrace us well there, the English. But everywhere is starting to catch on! Everyone is getting it. We’re part of this history, you know?
FPH: I’ve read that you have brought along a new stage setup with the help of production manager Simon Foster and lighting designer Myles Mangino. Why did the band feel it was necessary to change something like that up and what are the biggest differences between the old and new layout? Santiago: God, I guess we just delegate that shit to people, you know? We trust them. As long as it’s moody and all of that stuff it’s fine, you know? We’ll only make a comment when there is something obviously wrong and we haven’t done it yet. As far as changing it, it has to change. Things need to revolve all the time, we feel that. It makes the lighting director’s job more enjoyable.
FPH: I also understand that the band isn’t using a setlist right now. When doing that, or perhaps not doing it, rather, does it honestly change the vibe of the show? Santiago: Nah, but at the same time, you have a bunch of people in the same room. There’s one common thing shared: the vibe the crowd provides. It will go according to the size of the room — if it’s big, we’ll start off with something more eerie, that way the soundman can pile in the room. Some rooms really don’t work out, because the sound doesn’t absorb fast enough. It just depends on mind-reading what people want. And it also keeps us on our toes and entertains us. It’s a win-win situation. We, the audience and band, both get entertained by the change every night.
FPH: How important is this particular record to you? What was your personal goal for the release? Santiago: It was to be raw and embrace it, not running away from what I really am. There’s a fine line between growing and having that sound. The sound is really simple. To me, it’s innate. I just have to tap into that rather than just do something that I’m not ready for.
FPH: Did you feel as if the latest album, Head Carrier, had to prove something with the departure of a founding member and the arrival of a new one? Santiago: The only goal in the studio is to entertain ourselves and make good music. Everything else is really secondary.
FPH: Let’s talk about Paz. How did you guys meet her? Was it a matter of seeing her at an A Perfect Circle gig and deciding she’d make a great fit? Santiago: No, it was just a recommendation from an agency I used to be signed to. I called them up and they were like, “Oh, there’s this new sheriff in town, and her name is Paz.” I was like, “Oh, who is this person? Let’s give her a shot.” So we gave her a shot. I have not actually seen A Perfect Circle live. When the Martini’s were together I don’t think A Perfect Circle was even around. So I’ve never really seen her live, but her reputation preceded her.
FPH: Being that there was quite a hiatus for the band, you came back strong, while most reunions are usually flops. Did it go as smooth as you thought? Were the fans just as excited to see the Pixies this time around? Santiago: We went in a room, the three of us, Kim, David, and I, and we had an agreement that, if we sounded like shit, we would just shake hands and go on our merry way. But, you know, we were shocked that we have the same feedback. We were still the Pixies, we still had the sound. I mean, we have the same guitars and amps. It was pretty funny, actually. We really can’t help sounding like this, can we?
FPH: I recently interviewed a band and your band was brought up; they even have a video inspired by Black Francis. Being that you guys are a big inspiration to so many, who are some bands, perhaps even recently formed, that keeps the Pixies motivated about the future of the music you enjoy? Santiago: Well, there’s so much music out there — I was never the guy to listen to current music. I pride myself to having this filter of old music, listening to old stuff and making it modern. The new music out there, I just don’t — it’s not a purpose. Also, we’re lucky enough that the Pixies has its own language, and we like it. We like the new stuff we’ve made it. It’s fun, it’s a puzzle we’re playing around with. We’re lucky with all of that. But as far as listening to music for enjoyment, it depends on my mood. Sometimes it’s silly, sometimes it’s serious. I go from jazz to Billy Preston, you know?
FPH: What is it that gives you entertainment on the road then? Is there a podcast we should know about? A book? Even a show on Netflix? Santiago: Oh, crossword puzzles! That’s about it. I love puzzles. I try to keep up – geez, I don’t know! I wake up and I don’t know what I’ll be like. I think that’s enough of a challenge.
Pixies perform at White Oak Music Hall (2915 N. Main) with Public Access TV on April 30 at 6 pm. from http://www.freepresshouston.com/everyone-is-getting-it-an-interview-with-pixies/ |
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