My Year in Reading

Overall, this was not a particularly satisfying year for me in terms of reading. I read less than last year, thanks to acquisition of a computer, and what I chose to read didn't make me want to tell everyone about it. Before turning in for the evening, I found myself reading more about books (and music) on my computer than actually reading books. I still read every night before turning off my light, but was so tired that I was often only able to read a few pages before the head bobs began. Of course, last year was a particulary strong year and any other year would likely have been a let down. I had streaks of several books in a row last year that I just couldn't put down.

All that said, here is a list of the ten books I enjoyed the most in 2006, in order of when they were read. These were obviously not all published in 2006.

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen

Intuition by Allegra Goodman

The Velvet Underground and Nico (33 1/3 series) by Joe Harvard

The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo by Peter Orner

Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marissa Pessl
Random Family by Adrian LeBlanc
When Charlotte Comes Home by Maureen Millea Smith
Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi
The Yacobian Building by Alaa al Aswani

Christmas with the Devil's Music

I know it's a little late, but since I'm not posting the MP3s for these songs it doesn't really matter anyway! I present to you Christmas with the Devil's Music. My selection criteria, to throw in a little goofy library lingo, were: no crooners, no meaningful songs or renditions, and no overplayed versions(well...forgive me for throwing in Bruce, but it's so good!) The likelihood of inclusion increased significantly if the song was funny, up-tempo, or, better yet, both.

1. Jingle Bells (Greetings from Esquivel)—Esquivel
2. The Little Drummer Boy—The Dandy Warhols
3. Christmas in Hollis—Run D.M.C
4. Step Into Christmas—Elton John
5. Christmas with the Devil—Spinal Tap
6. Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)—The Ramones
7. Merry Xmas Everybody—Slade
8. Father Christmas—The Kinks
9. Christmas at the Zoo —The Flaming Lips
10. Christmas Smorgasbord—The Swedish Chef
11. The Christmas Song—The Raveonettes
12. Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town—Bruce
13. Christmas Reindeer—The Knife
14. Christmas Wrapping—The Waitresses

"You wouldn't believe what this guy..."

Everyday at the Information Desk, I am continually amazed at what people will ask of librarians. Does this shirt match these pants? I need the mailing address for the leader of Somalia so I can send him a Christmas card. And I am constantly appalled by the behavior of customers: they will answer their cell phone right as they are asking you a question or right as you are answering it; they will call and ask you to do the research for their son's final research paper and put everything on hold for them so they can pick it up in a few hours.

I complain vigorously about all of the above to my colleagues, making me wonder sometimes if I am in the right profession. But today I didn't have a shift out at the Information Desk, and I missed it. I do love learning something new every day and digging for information, but I've realized that I also truly enjoy complaining about demanding customers. I'm sure that the DSM-IV has a perfect way of describing this personality quirk, but there it is!

Strange Array

Here is the strange array of 2006 discs that captured the most of my attention this year (but there are so many I haven't heard yet!)

The Alarmists - A Detail of Soldiers
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country
The Cherry Tempo - The Cherry Tempo
The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America
Chris Koza - Patterns
Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
The Long Blondes - Someone to Drive You Home
Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
Spank Rock - Yo Yo Yo
Zero 7 - The Garden

Restaurant: Grand Cafe

A friend and I checked out the new Grand Café (formerly Bakery on Grand) for brunch Sunday, and mmm… I had stopped in the old Bakery on Grand a couple years ago for a tasty little pastry, and the feel of the place hasn't changed: a classy, slightly upscale café.

I had the heavenly Banana Bread French Toast with Home-Made Peach Syrup and Bavarian Cream. I was afraid it might be a little too weighty for french toast, especially after seeing how huge the regular toast coming out of the kitchen was, but I just couldn't resist the homemade peach syrup. What appeared before me was mouthwatering--one long, thick, piece of banana bread covered in fresh, chunky peach syrup, topped lengthwise with a full-size (what I'm guessing was baked) banana. The french toast was just the right density…heavier than regular french toast but not too much. The syrup was almost thick enough to be preserves but just liquid enough to qualify as syrup. The bavarian cream on the side was just the right flavor. Not super sweet, and nicely balancing the intense sweetness of the french toast.

My friend tried the Huevoes Rancheros (Quesadillas filled with Pork Confit, Oaxaca Cheese, Two Eggs, Roasted Corn Salsa, Black Beans, and Sour-Cream) and gave it a thumbs up as well.

I remember looking at the Bakery on Grand dinner menu when I stopped in that one day, and thinking it wasn't for me. I appreciate unique flavorful food, but my palette is not developed enough to appreciate brisket, pheasant, or fish soup. After checking out the lunch and dinner menu while waiting for the arrival of our food, I can confidently say it is a place I would now happily check out!

added bonus...here is Jeremy Iggers' review of the new place.

Gimme Some Stranger Than Fiction

I finally got to see Stranger Than Fiction this weekend. Yes, I know it didn't get stellar reviews, but between the literary theme and the Britt Daniel-driven soundtrack, there was no way I was going to miss it.

I really liked it. I had read reviews that said it was similar to Momento and Adaptation, but simpler and therefore less successful. So...I went into it not expecting to have to think alot. A person can definitely enjoy it without thinking too much, but there was plenty to think about and figure out. I think the best literature, music, and film should be able to be enjoyed on multiple levels. To compose 2 or 3 successful works takes talent, and to be able to weave 2 or 3 works into one coherent work takes extraordinary skill. Stranger Than Fiction did that.

Great or Grating?

My band-packed funfest continued Friday when we headed over to the Nomad to catch a little of Coach Said Not To's set. We were early, so we caught opener Sleeping in the Aviary. They started off too frenetic for my taste, but I warmed up some to their sound, which brought to mind Tapes 'n Tapes. Their cover of The Exciters' Tell Him was a clever match to the aggresive vox style. But wow did one of his former girlfriends do a number on the lead singer...every song screamed it. Hmm...I'm guessing he just might have been too intense for her!

I had high hopes for Coach Said Not To. I'd heard good things, and I'm always ready to get behind a band fronted by females. Of the 4 or 5 songs we caught, I really liked their sound. It had an ambient, sexy quality that reminded me of Zero 7, though faster and not nearly as electronic. Unfortunately, the lead vocal for all but one of those songs had a voice and a pretentious phrasing that I found grating. If I had known before the show that their latest release was entitled Words That I Employ, I wouldn't have been as surprised. But one of the songs was sung by the bassist, who had a gorgeous, full voice. Maybe she sings lead more than I heard, but if not she should!

Workin' Hard

Got to see another great show Black Friday. Mark Mallman and The Alarmists played a doubleheader at the 400. A friend and I were at the early show, and it felt like walking into a family reunion. I'm assuming it was the Alarmists' family, since the large gang of aunt- and uncle-looking adults left after their set. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. Their presence spiked the average age up from sixteen to right about my and my friend's age.

With all the great things I heard about the Alarmists, two things surprised me. One, they didn't look old enough to get into the second show! Two, for how young they appeared, they sounded incredibly tight. But watching them on stage made it apparent how that could be; they are serious and work hard. In tone and simplicity they remind me of Spoon, especially on New Romans and Some Things Never Stop, and the similarity of Eric Lovold's voice to Jeff Tweedy is pretty obvious, especially on Coming to Meet Me. I just read on their website that they are going to start recording their follow-up to A Detail of Soldiers on December 1. I can't wait to hear it.

Like the Alarmists, Mark Mallman sounds great and works hard. But where The Alarmists are economical, Mark Mallman is all about the drama. Through the course of the set, my friend and I compared him to Billy Joel on acid, Rush, Meatloaf, and Alice Cooper, and I'm sure if he'd played longer, we would have come up with a few more. He is undeniably clever and truly entertaining. I would be unlikely to listen to a CD of his at home, but Mark Mallman is not meant to be listened to in the solitude of your own home. You must have him in the room, and be surrounded by friends and booze. I was surprised to learn Mark Mallman is backed by half of The Melismatics, and that that half is married to each other!

(Photos courtesy of Tay-lo.)

Light It Up

I love Faux Jean! They rock, but they're not afraid of a disco, or even a hoedown.

Friday the 17th was their CD release show for Light It Up, Burn It Down. I was sure that it wouldn't measure up to Dead Lover (Drunk and Stoned being one of my favorite songs ever). But no! Though it's not quite as good as Dead Lover over all, there are some great songs that sounded great live, especially Dirty Dogs and Get With That. Like Dead Lover, Light It Up is highly danceable with lyrics that are clever and a little dark. Corinne Caouette really makes the live show. She loves the music and it shows. You wonder if she's forgotten about the crowd, in a good way. The extended-play, Dead-Lover-packed encore was like an extra bonus free show thrown in, and made more complete with a blazin' cover of Jive Talkin'!

The Owls and First Communion After Party opened. I enjoyed The Owls, and their ability to trade instruments nearly every song impressed me. Their sound reminded me of a slightly shinier (less drug-addled?) Velvet Underground. I think I would have been more into them if I hadn't been anticipating the dance beats of Faux Jean. First Communion After Party had an intriguing psychedelic sound also, come to think of it, reminding me of the Velvet Underground in a slightly different way (more drug-addled?), but they need to come up with a way to end their songs. ...and figure out what to do with the chick with no rhythm standing on the side of the stage!

Reading People

So, I admit it. I love looking at People Magazine. Something about looking at pretty people cheers me right up sometimes. Though I did choose the verb "looking" deliberately, I do read one section faithfully. The letters. It is some of the only writing that makes me laugh out loud. Yup. David Sedaris, Dara Moscowitz, and the dear, faithful readers of People. Here is one of this week's highlights, written by Julie C. Pannell of Grayson, GA:

"I do think that Keith [Urban] and Nicole [Kidman] have a solid marriage and truly hope they are for 'better or worse'".

Does she really think she knows anything about how "solid" this marriage of two celebrities is from reading celebrity gossip magazines?

Book: When Charlotte Comes Home

I was nervous about reading When Charlotte Comes Home by Maureen Millea Smith. Ms. Millea Smith is a colleague of mine who I think is just wonderful, and I was afraid I wouldn't like it. What would I say when she came to read at my library tonight? No worries. The story is mainly set in late 60s Omaha, and centers around a family dealing with the serious illness of the charasmatic youngest daughter. The scenes were written with just the right amount of detail; evocative with few wasted words. At first, I wondered at how different the 2 main families were from families that I knew. Yet they were so deftly written that I was quickly wrapped up in their lives and had trouble putting the book down. Going about my day, I would wonder what might happen to them and couldn't wait to get back into their lives at the end of the day.

Another thing I really appreciated about the novel was that there were gay characters and a character with Down syndrome, but that they were well rounded. The author did not let those specific aspects of their personalities define them. Interestingly at the reading, the author related that she only realized later in the process of writing the novel that the main character was gay.

And yay for Maureen! Her book was just featured in Minnesota Monthly as a good gift for book clubbers.

Restaurant: Broder's Pasta Bar

Yum! I'm one of the few people in the Twin Cities who had not been to Broder's Pasta Bar yet, but tonight that all changed. ...And my life is definitely better for it!

I had pretty much sworn off Italian restaurants because the good places were too expensive and the anything-less-than-the-good places? Their menu might as well just say: Giant heap of overcooked pasta with your choice of meat and red or white sauce. Blech...

The soft breads they started us off with were crusty and chewy and the flat bread was crispy. We tried a tasty little anitpasto to whet our appetites: salsicce con finocchio e cipolla, grilled mild Italian sausage links with caramelized fennel and sweet onions in a sambuca reduction.

As for the entrees, I can confidently say that I would not have been disappointed by any of them. I had the gnocchi verde con vitello e coriandolo, homemade gnocchi with veal, carrots, zucchini, coriander, dill, and marsala. It is very easy to get gnocchi wrong, but mine were of the perfect tenderness. My folks ordered the ravioli con zucca (squash-filled ravioli with sage, butter, and parmigiano) and the stringozzi con arragosta (homemade pasta with lobster, roasted squash, and truffle cream). The ravioli were flavorful and, most importantly, not drowning in a sea of butter. Though I wouldn't have been able to finish the stringozzi because it's superb richness, it was again flavorful without so much cream that you couldn't taste the lobster and squash. And all portion sizes were perfect. Not too much...just enough to leave you satisfied and planning your next visit!

They Can Make Me Like Them

I am now officially a Hold Steady fan. I saw them at Grand Old Day a couple years ago after Separation Sunday came out. Really liked the music, but Craig Finn's speak-singing drove me nuts.

But...after a couple Boys and Girls in America reviews that said Craig Finn actually sings, I decided to give the new one a listen. I love it! Well, except for Chillout Tent... But I can even handle the lapse back into speak-singing on Same Kooks.

Luckily, a friend of mine became a hard-core fan with Separation Sunday and was up for hearing them at First Ave last night. The show was great. They played all of the the ones I liked, and didn't play Chillout Tent (though it would have been cool to see Dave Pirner come out on stage...) I'm not an "I have to be in the front row" person, but this is one show that I really wished I had been. The first 3 rows had to feel like they were the only ones in the room many times, when Mr. Finn leaned in and sang lovingly into their eyes!

Random facts: the keyboard guy is a dead ringer for a young (everyone's favorite comedian)Gallagher and Mrs. Finn's (mom's) favorite song off the new disc is Southtown Girls.

Word of the Day: Busking

Something the Moral Majority should be pontificating about, perhaps? NO! Busking is just playing music or performing entertainment in a public place, usually while soliciting money. The Brits use it more commonly.

I came across the word in an article about those cuties Old Crow Medicine Show in the Sept/Oct 2006 No Depression. Marty Stuart is exclaiming " 'I missed them between the two Opry shows that night-- and then learned that they were out busking in front of the Ryman, after their encore!' "

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about busking.

Restaurant: Nala Pak (formerly Udupi)

My friend and I checked out the former Udupi Cafe on Central last night. It reopened this year under new ownership, after the former owner got in trouble for employing illegal immigrants.

After being relieved to learn that they served alcohol, we ordered the appetizer sampler. Though the vada, paneer pakora, samosa, etc. were tasty, all were deep-fried. A bit too heavy to eat more than one item. For my entree, I had the Special Rava Masala Dosai. Yum. The dosa was tender but crispy with a nice onion flavor. The filling consisted of mashed up potato and onion. Not sure if it was the filling or the dosa, but there was a nice level of heat to it. I forgot they are about the same diameter as the tire of an 18-wheeler and only got through half of it.

The atmosphere, unfortunately, is not even as good as the old Udupi, which wasn't exactly Chez Panisse itself. Cold tile floors, unpleasantly-shaded empty walls, and terrible lighting. And if that isn't enough, the very kind owner enthusiastically told us about the 3 big-screen televisions that will soon hang from the ceilings...

Word of the Day: Shibboleth

Shibboleth: a word, pronounciation, custom, practice, or behavior that is distinctinve to a particular group.

I came across this word in an interesting Rift Magazine article about what First Ave was like in 1987. "At the time, the club also employed several iffy skinhead types that made me seriously uncomfortable. These were the guys with neck tattoos before visible tats became a hipster shibboleth in the mid '90s."

Read more about this fascinating word courtesy of Answers.com, and don't forget to check out the website of the famous Dallas, TX instrumental rock trio Shibboleth...

Musical Enlightenment

Sunny and mid-60s in St. Paul. A perfect day to lay on the grass, drink beer, and listen to great some great music at Summit's Big Brew. I got there just in time to hear Tapes 'n Tapes. They sounded fine, but I was expecting them to sound somehow bigger. The last time I heard was them was last December at the 400 Bar, pre-Pitchfork hype. The 400 seemed way too small for them then, and I thought with all of the outdoor festivals they've played since then, they would sound huge.

Next up: The Suburbs. The only stuff I knew was what was played on Minneapolis radio in the 80s: "Life is Like" and "Love is the Law. " I didn't particularly like it. I was mystified as to why they were considered so important to 80s Minneapolis scene, since they sounded so pop-lite. They played some of their early punky stuff Saturday, and now I understand! Girl Ache was a highlight for me.

I have a terrible habit of not paying attention to musicians with boring names and do not have an big appreciation for singer/songwriters, so Richard Thompson's set seemed like the perfect time to stand in the ridiculously long beer line. I wish I had paid closer attention. It was amazing how much one man playing an acoustic guitar could fill the place. And his lyrics were clever, Hots for the Smarts being one example I remember.

Soul Asylum was up next. I was curious about them, but not particulary excited as I always associate them with Runaway Train, a song I really don't like. They were awesome live. Again, now I understand the hype. I never realized how many of their songs I loved but didn't know it was them. Exhibit A: Somebody to Shove.

Things turned strange when my favorite band in the lineup entered the stage. My coworker and fellow Cake fan had told me about how he couldn't decide if he loved or hated them like, saying that he had seen at least two shows where John McCrea was a total asshole. I had only seen them once live at First Ave and they were awesome. I didn't understand what he was talking about. Again, now I know. I'm not sure if McCrea was drunk or just liked to stir up the crowd, but he was undoubtedly an asshole. Accusing fans of stealing his music and not knowing Buck Owens' music, berating them for calling out song names, whining about why in America they can't get a disco ball to work. Their set was entertaining in a totally different way than I expected, though if they hadn't played "Going the Distance" and "Never There" I might have felt differently.

Perhaps now that you've read a Big Brew review in English, you'd like to read one in French!

Restaurant: Peninsula

I've been on a "I must try new restaurants" kick lately, so a friend and I sampled the new Malaysian place in town, Peninsula, last night. My only other experience with Malaysian food was very good: a place called Rasa Sayang in (of all places) Golden Valley, had a wonderful chef when they first opened. (Unfortunately but not surprisingly, the suburbanites never tried the place, or if they did, they did not take to it. Chef Chen left and the food just hasn't been the same since.) I've wanted to check out this new place ever since it opened in January.

Luckily, Peninsula opened in a part of town that gives it a good chance for survival. And after sampling the food and atmosphere, I'm confident in saying that its chances can be upgraded to excellent. We started off with Popiah, a Malaysian style steamed spring roll stuffed with jicama, egg & bean sprouts. The jicama and bean sprouts were tender and tasty.

For the main course, I tried Mango Chicken. Though not the most adventurous choice I could have made, it was wonderful to the sight and the taste. It was served in a hollowed-out mango shell and burst with fresh mango and sweet pepper. It was not designated as spicy, but I was pleasantly surprised that it had just the right amount of spice to give it a little heat. I also sampled my friend's Beef Redang, and it's wonderful combination of flavors made me want to return tonight! I don't expect much for atmosphere in ethnic restaurants, so the space was a surprising as well. The high ceiling and large room were balanced by warm, dark wood flooring and trim and just the right level of light. This combination made the space feel full of energy, yet intimate at the same time.

Restaurant: Morelos Mexican Grill

A friend and I sought refuge from the gray, rainy days that kept us from doing the Headwaters Ride this year, and found it in the margaritas and tasty food at Morelos Mexican Grill in Richfield. The restaurant is in a former Godfather's Pizza, but you can barely tell. I couldn't tell you whether the decor was authentic, but it was so bright I didn't care. Colorful blankets and other paraphenalia hung from the ceilings, and the bathrooms had rows of painted tiles and a what looked to be a hand-painted sink.

I only tried a combination tostada (w/carnitas), tamale (w/chicken), and enchilada (w/beef), but all were tasty. What impressed me most was how NOT greasy they were. I definitely want to go back and try some of the more adventurous items. The margarita was a little weak, but very flavorful.

Muzak!

I've been slowly and not very comprehensively working through the giant stack of un- or little-read New Yorkers in my apartment. I don't think The New Yorker has been as good as it was even a couple years ago, so I'm not feeling quite as guilty as I might have. At any rate, I just got done reading the April 10, 2006 article about Muzak. You may be surprised to know the company still exists and you probably heard Muzak today if you left the house.

For me, and most people I imagine, Muzak equals already overplayed pop songs, instrumentalized. The word automatically invokes an image of a 17-year old me at my part-time hardware store job, ringing up a toilet plunger and wasp spray as an instrumental "Papa Don't Preach" floats in the background.

Now Muzak "audio architects" create "audio brands" for many of the businesses you patronize. You may even hear it while you work if your employer is a corporate HQ. Anyone who's been to a mall knows at least some stores put thought into what music is playing. (Ambercrombie and Fitch's soundtrack is "Over 21? Keep out!") But way more do than you might have thought. Muzak even has a competitor, D.M.X.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Disgusting Cherry Flavor!

So I was just reading the latest CandyBlog post about Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses. Cybele May finds them "dreadful" and "disgusting", but admits "one of the reasons I probably don’t like cherry is this medication they used to give kids to sedate them before surgery (I’ve had it twice) - it was bright pink and they’d bring it in a little paper cup and it smelled kind of appealing at first (that’s how they suckered me in, that and I hadn’t eaten in 12 hours) but once in the mouth it washed down my throat with a fire that made me distrust those nurses for the rest of that stay in the hospital and the next."

When I was young, I used to have to choke down cherry-flavored liquid Dramamine before car trips and more than once was subjected to cherry-flavored flouride treatment at my evil dentist (Dr. Sween--could there be a worse name for a dentist? It sounds like his drills did). Not until I was older did I realize that none of the flavors made the medicine stomachable. When I started asking for unflavored stuff, I realized that flavor actually made them worse. Unfortunately, I didn't discover that fact until after cherry-flavored sweets were ruined for me forever…popsicles, candy. I'm glad to learn I am not alone!

Book: Hit By A Farm

As you'll come to learn, I'm a huge reader. I finished Hit By A Farm by Catherine Friend this morning, a memoir by a Twin Cities writer who moved to southern Minnesota to help her partner fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a farmer. The book read quickly: a warm, funny series of vignettes from their first year of farming. What stood out the most was the authors' honesty. It was the exact opposite of those idealized paeans to nature for which the author expresses skepticism in the beginning of the book. She details the nitty-gritty of taking care of animals and very candidly reveals the strains this undertaking put on the author and her relationship with her partner. All while being absolutely hilarious.

She spoke at my library tonight, and was even more charming than I'd imagined she might be. She was asked how the small town of Zumbrota felt about the book, with it's frequent references to women's underwear and animal testicles and openness about her sexual orientation. She said the town was very supportive of her success with the book and related a story about the local book party that many townsfolk attended. A farmer in the community walked up to her partner Melissa during the party and told her how brave she was for allowing Catherine to reveal so much about their life. Melissa, of course, started thinking about her underwear size and she and Catherine's therapy sessions. But the man continued, "I would never have let anyone publicize that I had let a tractor's oil go dry!"

The Midtown Greenway

The Midtown Greenway is now open all the way to West River Parkway!




I thought it would be at least another 2 years... My friend and I rode it on a beautiful sunny Thursday afternoon. It's not the most scenic, but my friend pointed out that the other stretches weren't very pretty for at least a year, until folks realized they had an audience in their backyard! Good point. At any rate, it's so nice to be able to bike from my house to the Mississippi River on one smooth, car-free path!

Making the Switch

I love the new stuff you can do with Beta Blogger, so I'm makin' the switch. Since I can't figure out how to move my regular Blogger blog, I'll just link to it here.