Archive for August de 2009
All Day I Dream About…
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on August 31, 2009
- Categories: wow!
- 2 Comments
The Nanny.
Yes, it’s true. I’m obsessed. It’s a little hard to come out about it, but I’ve been averaging at least two episodes a day for the past couple weeks. I can’t stop. I have to keep up with the TIVO-like thing that records it.
Fran Drescher is a fucking genius to keep that show running for six seasons. She’s the Lucille Ball of her time, only with better fashion and a Jewess. And the rest of the women — Sylvia, Bubbe Yetta, Tante Frieda! Out of this world. I could say something smart about their identity, about Jewish women in comedy, etc., but why? The truth is that it’s like a more entertaining version of being with my family in Long Island (which is not, for the record, where I grew up). It makes me teary eyed. It makes me afraid. It makes me feel like I have something to aspire to.
It all started when Rachel and Dia and I watched it at our sleepover in a king-size bed in Orinda, where Rachel was house-sitting. I mean, I’ve always liked it, but it had fallen off my radar. But that night, we watched two episodes, and in one episode Shari Lewis & Lamb Chop guest starred, and the other featured Rosie O’Donnell and Elizabeth Taylor in the same episode. I’m sorry, but what other show could pull that off? No, I’m not sorry. The answer is none and The Nanny is amazing.
That would be all I have to say except that when I was searching for a clip or photo to post, I discovered that The Nanny is also online. Possibly every episode. Holy fuck. But the most amazing part is that the pilot is online, which is the same as the theme song. She was indeeed working in a bridal shoppe in Flushing, Queens til her boyfriend kicked her out in one of those crushing scenes! Three summers ago when I “lived” in New York for 6 weeks, Bobby and I happened upon that on TV and were kind of floored. I wish that experience upon everyone – drop what you’re doing and just fucking enjoy.
I’ve got a brand new…
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on August 25, 2009
- Categories: wow!
- No Comments
I found these at Goodwill the other day — the best Goodwill in the bay area (I’m not going to say which one, because I don’t want to spoil it). They were $10 and are in amazing condition. Now I just have to start practicing. Believe it or not, though I know how to figure skate, I’m terrible on roller skates. Different balance. But get ready. You will see me in them soon.
Marc always sings “Brand New Key” to me and now I can’t get it out of my head!
don’t you wish yr girlfriend was vegan like me?
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on August 24, 2009
This is my babydyke from Northampton circa 1998 drag. In case that wasn't obvious!!!
This past weekend, I attended a queer brunch for which I was asked to bring something vegan and/or wheat free. Now, I’m a vegetarian (10 years!), so I’m down with the dietary restrictions, though I do like to make the following joke at Thanksgiving / dinner parties: “BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WHEAT-FREE VEGANS?” Not funny? There are moments when I realize how specific of a world I live in.
Anyways, I went vegan, with one of my favorite recipes of late, and for lack of anything better to write about in the past few days, I thought I’d share it here. Enjoy!
.
Lil Miss’s Vegan Banana Oatmeal Nut Bread
(based heavily on this recipe, but made vegan)
Ingredients:
5 bananas mashed
1 ¾ cups flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ cup applesauce
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups oats
2 cups walnuts (set about ¼ cup aside for topping)
1 tbsp. brown sugar (or to taste)
1 tbsp. margarine (optional)
2 tsp. honey (optional)
margarine or oil to grease the pan
Process (there’s always a process, no?):
- Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In another bowl, thoroughly mash bananas (sometimes I even use a hand blender). Beat in applesauce, honey and sugar until smooth.
- Combine banana and flour mixes — stir just enough so that they’re combined, but don’t overdo it.
- Add in the nuts and oatmeal. Again, don’t overdo it.
- Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Top with additional walnuts and brown sugar.
- Bake for one hour at 350 degrees.
- Loosen loaf and ease it out of the pan onto a cooling rack for a few minutes.
- Enjoy with margarine, butter, honey, or your other favorite spread!
Clearly I should've had the foresight to take a picture of the final product, but I didn't, so instead I treat you to pictures of my vegan babydyke accessories. The "Poetry" book is actually my recipe book.
Notes:
- You can use fewer nuts and/or oats if you want, but I like my fibrous and protein heavy.
- Pay attention to tsp vs. tbsp. Last time I made this I wasn’t paying attention and accidentally used tablespoons instead of teaspoons. My bad! Seriously, it wasn’t ruined, but it was a little salty.
- Did you know you could use bananas as a substitute for eggs?
OMG! Does this make me like Julie of Julie & Julia? I sure hope my boyfriend doesn’t walk out on me for having interests of my own!
They’re Just Not That Into Health Care Reform (and maybe I’m not either)
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on August 19, 2009
- Categories: politics
- No Comments
Oh dear. It’s like I’ve been having hot flashes since my last post about health care. Or hot-and-cold flashes.
After reading more, I don’t think I’m ready to concede on Single Payer. I take it back. Do I think it’s realistic in this political moment where Sebelius and Obama have allegedly decided that a national public plan isn’t particularly necessary? Probably not. Do I still think it’s our best bet for ensuring access to quality health care for all. Yes, ma’am.
I just watched this really great video from Rachel Maddow about the current situation we’re in:
Here are the three things I appreciate about this video:
- The fact that she’s talking about Single Payer at all.
- The way she shows the obnoxiousness of the Republicans’ double-speak, and also the Democrats’ lack of ability to organize (or lack of a desire to).
- Her use of the phrase “Dude may say he wants pizza, but he really obviously doesn’t.”
I feel like the only thing she’s really missing is an analysis of the insurance lobby (and other corporate interests) in this conversation.
For those who want a more thorough and articulate explanation of why Single Payer is by far the best way to go, I highly recommend these FAQs put out by Physicians for a National Health Program. Reading it is like reading about a dream world:
Who will run the health care system?
There is a myth that with national health insurance the government will make the medical decisions. But in a publicly financed, universal health care system, medical decisions are left to the patient and doctor, as they should be. This is true even in the countries like the U.K. and Spain (or in U.S. systems like the VA) that have socialized medicine.
In a public system, the public has a say in how it’s run. Cost containment measures are publicly managed at the state level by elected and appointed agencies that represent the public. This agency decides on the benefit package and negotiates doctor fees and hospital budgets. It also is responsible for health planning and the distribution of expensive technology. Thus, the total budget for health care is set through a public, democratic process. But clinical decisions remain a private matter between doctor and patient.
Also, I want to once again plug the organization that my friends are working on: The Young Invincibles. While I’d rather see a strong movement for Single Payer, I actually think we’re sort of in a “both/and” moment now. That is, we’ve really got to hold onto our vision while still pushing back on the attacks against a watered-down version of a national health plan. I think Young Invincibles will do great work of mobilizing people, and even if we aren’t likely to get Single Payer now, it’s still worth keeping the door open.
TOLD. YOU. SO.
Posted by Lil Miss Hot Mess on August 19, 2009
- Categories: events| performances
- 1 Comment
I asked you not to make me say it. But alas:
I told you so.
Homo A Go Go was great. For real. A little under-attended, but whose fault is that, missy?
thanks to Jerry Lee for taking this amazing Polaroid. you can see me working the Mission gay hipster look.
I had a great time emceeing, but more importantly, I had a great time being there. The performances were phenomenal, and between being a bit tired and not making it at all to any of the films, I didn’t even get to see the half of it! But here are some of my highlights:
TENDER FOREVER.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Girl played drums using a Wii, which I didn’t understand, but blew me away. Seriously. Sometimes shit like that feels gimmicky, but this felt purely beautiful. (Here is a video of her doing it at another show.) Also, her voice is gorgeous, and she was so full of energy, and gracious as fuck. When I walked into the dressing room she apologized and asked me if I needed her to clear out. As if! What an honor to be backstage with her. I cannot wait for a new album to come out, because I’ve just been listening to her on repeat.
MIRAH.
Call her folk or whatever but she took me back to my roots and I loved every minute of it. She played “Jerusalem,” which is one of my favorite songs of hers because it is about Jews and Zionism. (Here’s a video of her playing it at Bottom of the Hill a few years ago.) During her show, Jerry Lee let out these huge white balloons which were both beautiful and scary (constant fear that they’d pop on the lights).
DAVE END.
People have been telling me that we should be friends forever, but our paths had never crossed. I literally cried during this song he played about the passing of his dog and Bea Arthur. Literally. (I’d also had coffee for the first time in forever and it made me feel crazy and emotional, but still.) I told him about how we were supposed to be BFFs, but I think I scared him a little. But bygones.
NOMY LAMM.
Nomy almost made me cry, and probably fed the fire that resulted in my later tears. Her harmonies and layering were absolutely beautiful. There was something that reminded me of Sweet Honey in the Rock, which was absolutely perfect.
FASHION SHOW.
Chelsea Starr knows how to do a lot of things, including make clothes. Many of the other designers were ‘eh,’ but there were definitely some gems. Dia and I critiqued, which makes me want to go to Fashion Week some day.
VICKI MARLANE.
I’m ashamed to say it, but I’d never seen her live before. And holy shit. Legends are not made of nothing.
SHEBEAST.
I knew Nadia was going to be amazing. I’ve never been to Homo A Go Go or Olympia, but she is exactly what I fantasize it to be.
KIRK READ.
Always a gem. I had the honor of being mistaken for him. We share the same birthday, you know. I’m just saying.
No disrespect to other performers who I’m not mentioning. There are just too many! And I felt sort of blah about my own number, which went off with a few hitches that got me a little cranky. I was excited by the background video I made, though, with thanks to Maura. Sometimes you just have to scale back, AND THAT’S OKAY.
Anyway, re-live the fun you didn’t have by looking at LarryBob’s photos (many of which are linked to in this post).
And next time I tell you to be somewhere, I expect you to ask what time and for how long.
Honey, if you don't trust me,
then I don't trust your taste.
Be My Friend!
