holiday cheer

me, at bryant park grill.

my friend, junius, was the unofficial photographer at our company holiday party. he must have snapped some real doozies, as he's keeping the lot of them private. he did send this one, where it seems i've got my hands full, holding my liquor and trying to showcase one (of five) fabulous little chocolate mousse dome(s) that i devoured (along with an untold number of chocolate-covered pretzels).

i actually wish i could remember more details about the food at bryant park grill. i'd been there only once before, and only for cocktails. this time, i managed to miss all the hors d'oeuvres (lots of mingling, long line at the bar), but (in between turns on the dance floor) enjoyed what i think was the wintergreen salad (pears, spiced pecans, maytag blue cheese), some really good ravioli...lots of sweet potato fries...hmm, what else? i know there was more...

it's all kind of a happy, yummy blur.

ah well, 'tis the season!

worth waiting for...and watching

in what i'd consider a rather ho-hum skating season (devoid of compelling storylines, save the resurgence of johnny weir, and full of sloppy, mediocre long programs, esp. in the singles and pairs), there is a bright spot. two, actually--the canadian ice dancers, tessa virtue and scott moir. this skate is too spectacular not to post.

though a very young team, they’re already earning whispered comparisons to torvill and dean. and it might be apt—the expressiveness and musicality, the speed and strength, the flow and simple, elegant lines that belie the intricacy of their choreography--reminiscent, yes, of torvill and dean. while most "modern" skating has taken a terrible turn toward high-speed contortionism and often graceless exhibitionism, virtue and moir remind us just how stunning figure skating can be, and what ice dancers should aspire to. their skating makes "sense" --no abstract melodrama here. no need to “sell” a routine with facial expressiveness. it's pure, skillful dance on ice.

the music--michel legrand’s “i will wait for you,” from the umbrellas of cherbourg soundtrack--is an impeccable choice for their style. they give that hauntingly lovely composition its due. the entry to and execution of their rotational lift (at around 4:13 on this video) is breathtaking, as is their soaring lift, perfectly timed to the score (here, at 4:31).

untitled (bike memory)

© 2007 matias aguilar. all rights reserved.

"untitled" from isle of man series, part 7.

matias has posted some great new photos from his isle of man series. i couldn't decide which one to "feature" here, but i particularly love the mood and light in this shot. and i have a thing for motorcycles.

not that i have ever driven one myself.

but a dear, former boyfriend of mine developed a singular passion for motorcycles shortly after we started dating. he purchased a used suzuki gs850, a modest, but very cool bike. i had never been near a bike, let alone on one, and it didn't hold much appeal ("scary!"). but when this particular opportunity came along--to be escorted around town by this sweet, sweet guy, at the point when he was falling in love with the idea of being on the road, on a bike--i started to imagine what that kind of freedom might mean. i couldn't resist. he was fearless, and my "fear" fell away pretty quickly. which is not to say I didn't hold on pretty damn tight...

there maybe no better way to see new york city. as the passenger, you can literally sit back and enjoy a wonderful, unobstructed view of the sky and the cityscape. and you hear nothing but the constant, gentle whir of the engine, the wind against your helmet.

more than a few times, late at night, we rode across the brooklyn bridge. manhattan shining bright behind us, brooklyn twinkling ahead, everything truly aglow under the full moon light. as if we were watching an amazing silent film. or, creating one.

unforgettable.