DC in Photos

After several days of sunshine in Dallas, I moved on to the frigid east coast springtime, starting in Washington, DC. The last time I visited the capital was some time in elementary school, when our family tagged along with my mom, who was attending a conference. Mostly I remember being upset that my poor father (whom we dispatched at some ungodly hour) was unable to procure tickets to visit the White House. Also I made everyone trek to Arlington; I've harbored a fascination with death and cemeteries from a young age. 

Highlights from this recent jaunt include: winning science night at The Argonaut (the project not the trivia), visiting NPR HQ (seeing not one but two Tiny Desks and taking a nap on the couch behind my friend's desk), having delicious Spanish food at Jaleo with my mom (again in town for a conference), crashing my friend's family's elaborate Easter celebration, and buying some cool art from the Torpedo Factory Art Gallery in Old Town Alexandria. 

Pictures below. 

The Reading Room in the Library of Congress. 

Jessie Ware (far right) sound checking before her Tiny Desk concert at NPR. Her acoustic rendition of Champagne Kisses was lovely. 

Washington Monument. 

Inside the National Cathedral. 

Faux cherry blossom. 

See more of the capital and a few snaps of Old Town Alexandria here. 

Favorite Films of 2014

10. The Skeleton Twins

Courtesy of Roadside Attractions. 

Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig in a tragicomedy about family, identity, depression, infidelity and death. Sounds dark, but it's the sort of treatment that will give you the warm and fuzzies and make you want to hug your sibling(s). 

9. Gone Girl

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox.

As a fan of Gillian Flynn's Definitive Novel of 2012, my blood began to simmer at the news of a film adaptation, then quickly cooled when I learned that David Fincher was at the helm. Even after the news of Ben Affleck's casting as the lead (he does have the perfect creepy smile), I kept my trust in the Fincher, and boy did he deliver. Rosamund Pike is divine as psychopathic Amy, and that last scene with Neil Patrick Harris as Desi is nothing short of perfection. Please let this be a shining example of why more novelists should pen their own adapted screenplays.

8. The Trip to Italy

Courtesy of IFC Films.

I was first introduced to the delightful celebrity-impersonating comedians Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan when a screener of Michael Winterbottom's 2010 film The Trip landed in my PO Box when I was covering the San Francisco International Film Festival as an undergrad. Equally enchanted and bewildered by the kooky, epicurean road trip, I wasn't entirely sure when I began my review whether it was documentary or feature film. Four years later, as soon as I saw the sequel in the SFIFF program, I immediately added the screening to my calendar. A little more "serious" than the original, The Trip to Italy still has lots of heart beneath the humor. All those close-ups of handmade pasta and sunlight piercing the Mediterranean made me long for the Amalfi coast.

7. Obvious Child

Courtesy of A24.

The abortion comedy. Swallow the questions and preconceived notions that are undoubtedly reverse peristalsis-ing towards your oral cavity and run - don't walk - to the computer. Find this movie. Watch it. And let us all join hands and crown actress-comedian Jenny Slate the new Lena Dunham of girl crushes.

6. Chef

Courtesy of Open Road Films.

Maybe I'd gone soft from the nostalgia that Jon Favreau's film evoked of my time working on a food truck in Paris, but he seemed to really get food. He captured the lifestyle (the colorful Spanglish, the dick jokes, the camaraderie, the terrible hours, the near-nonexistent personal life) and spun it into a fun, vivid tale of how a passion project isn't necessarily a suicide mission, especially in an industry where the vast majority of new businesses fail. At a time when my professional life was less than ideal, Chef reminded me of why we do what we do.

5. Interstellar

Courtesy of Warner Brothers.

I bookmarked this Vulture article and read it after I'd seen the film, and all the little mental stirrings and reservations I had while watching suddenly dissipated. This is not to say that Ben Kenigsberg's interpretation is the only - or even the best - explanation, but for me it filled in the gaps, added another dimension to the story and, ultimately, elevated the film as a whole. Christopher Nolan, though talented, is far from a perfect filmmaker, yet Interstellar is as close to a perfect balance between form and content that he's hit since Memento. Sort of like last year's Her, if you saw Interstellar and didn't enjoy it at least a little, then there's a good chance that it went soaring over your head.

4. Life Itself

Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

In addition to the reviews by local critic Moira Macdonald, Roger Ebert's opinions were the ones I trusted most when deciding whether or not to see a film. Later on a touchstone for my own film writing when I felt out of touch with objectivity, Ebert's articles were always reliably straightforward and unpretentious. He didn't fool around with the flowery, erudite language of academia; rather, he was the people's critic. But more importantly than that, he never strayed from the Fundamental Role of a reviewer, as taught to me by my high school journalism teacher: to assess the degree to which the artist succeeded in achieving whatever it was that he/she set out to achieve. In other words, you can't judge a Michael Bay film using the same framework as you would a Darren Aronofsky film. (Unless, maybe, the film in question is Noah. Oof). But I digress. Life Itself was a poignant reminder of how much Ebert inspired me as a film watcher, writer and lover. 

3. Dear White People

Courtesy of Lionsgate.

This is the type of satire that will make you squirm in your seat and cringe as you laugh, because Justin Simien's script is just. That. On. Point. Set on a fictional Ivy League college campus, gleaming ivory tower of white privilege and self-delusional notions of post-racism, the multi-protagonist narrative follows several African American students as they try to reconcile their own emerging identities with the ones pop culture tries to force on them, as well as the everyday struggle of being, as per the tagline, "a black face in a white place." The climax of the film is a blackface party hosted by a white fraternity. Think that sounds too outlandish? Google it. Sadly, this is one of the instances when art imitates reality.

2. Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Courtesy of Fox Searchlight.

This was a close call but, alas, I had already pledged my allegiance to Boyhood as number one this year. Complex, philosophical and witty beyond measure, Alejandro González Iñárritu's film is a caustic assessment of the current state of cinema through the prism of theater. Michael Keaton stars as Riggan, a fading actor best known for his long-ago superhero character Birdman, whose last-ditch attempt to revamp his career by way of writing, starring in and directing a Broadway play may just completely derail him. Keaton himself is probably best remembered by most as a pre-Nolan Batman. Meta, much? Opposite him, Edward Norton as Mike, a pretentious theater actor, lobs the sharpest criticisms of commercial studio films while touting himself as a pure artist. Shot and edited to resemble a single take, Birdman is a tightly-wound, intimate portrait of a comically tortured soul.

1. Boyhood

Courtesy of IFC Films.

Groundbreaking. Brilliant. Breathtaking. These are the buzzwords that have been circling Richard Linklater's Boyhood since its first screening. And, frankly, how else can you possibly describe such a cinematic undertaking? For twelve years, Linklater filmed actor Ellar Coltrane in order to make an epic, accurate coming-of-age film. What you get out of the movie depends on which side of the age spectrum you fall on, and whether or not you're a parent. Being only slightly older than the protagonist is at the end, when he starts college, I found most of the film highly relatable to my own childhood experience. Like him, I also went to midnight Harry Potter book release parties, nearly pissed myself laughing the first time I watched Will Ferrell's viral video "The Landlord," felt confused and hurt after breaking up with my high school boyfriend, etc. But the nostalgia and sentimentality of hearing Coldplay's "Yellow" and Phoenix's "Lisztomania" are only part of what makes it so captivating. Without prosthetic aging makeup or changing actors, there's no need to suspend your disbelief; the narrative unfolds, seemingly in real-time, and pulls you in.  

Honorable mentions: Art and Craft, Big Hero 6, Frank, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Guardians of the Galaxy, Nightcrawler, Snowpiercer.

Apparently I was too lazy to compile a 2013 list. Here are my picks for 2012, with links to even older lists should you wish to travel further back in time.

Where to Eat (and Drink) in Barcelona

Apologies for the uninspired, SEO-optimized title. But since Barcelona is, gastronomically speaking, much more interesting than anywhere I visited in Portugal, I just had to keep track of all the places I went to and had yummy things. Because after all, what's a chef to do in a new city other than eat? 

The following was curated from personal recommendations from friends as well as a few websites that I follow and trust.  Got any to add? Let me know! 

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1. Romesco. Carrer de Sant Pau, 28. (It's actually around the corner from #28 on a tiny side street that's unnamed on Google Maps).

Hidden away from all the touristy tapas restaurants that line La Rambla, this is pretty much a tiny Spanish diner that serves hearty, simple meals for under 10€.

2. Hotel 1898. La Rambla, 109.

Rooftop bars are notoriously exclusive, but if you stride through the lobby with confidence and ride the elevator (hint: the lift on the far right is the only one that goes to the roof) up to the 7th floor, you will be rewarded with a lovely view and comfy couches and fleece blankets on the swanky terrace. 

3. LUKUMAS. Carrer del Torrent de l'Olla, 169. 

What's this? A donut shop? Try the dulce de leche and you'll understand why it made my list. Lukumas is relatively close to Parc Güell, which is to say a bit far from the city center, but if you're heading up north why not kill two birds with one stone... 

4. EspaiSucre. Carrer de la Princesa, 53. 

I could probably dedicate an entire post to this dessert-only restaurant that doubles as a culinary school but I'll try to keep it short. Food-wise you can select from a variety of tasting menus or be lame and just eat sweet tapas. I went for tasting menu 1. And it was easily one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. Reserve a table ahead online because the dining room isn't very large.

5. Bubó. Carrer Caputxes, 6. 

A pâtisserie to rival those in Paris. I went around breakfast time and had the gianduja croissant (filled with chocolate hazelnut and topped with caramelized nuts), but my chef friends tell me their chocolates and cakes are also good. 

6. Casa Delfin. Passeig del Born, 36. 

I couldn't leave Barcelona without trying some tapas, but since this is the only place I tried I don't have anything to compare it to. No complaints about the food though! 

7. La Taqueria. Passeig Font, 5.  (Not pictured, because it was rather dark inside).

I never found any decent Mexican food in Paris (I swear  it's impossible to get anything spicy in that city), so I was quite pleased when I found this little hole-in-the-wall. Portions are a bit small for the price, but the quality and flavor make up for it. Located just a stone's throw from the Sagrada Familia, you can do as I did and reward yourself with chicken tacos after braving the crowds at the church. 

Favorite Films of 2012

I seriously considered posting this at the end of the calendar year, the logical time to do so, but decided to wait in order to see the last wave of Oscar contenders that unfortunately did not hit French theaters until now. (Actually some of them still aren't out but I feel like I've seen all the films that would have made the cut). Otherwise, it would have completely thrown off my 2013 list that will be written, presumably, at such a time when I am no longer living abroad. And what a travesty that would have been.

But more importantly, the Oscars are this weekend so this is my last shot at cultural relevance.​

10. The Raid: Redemption

​Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Set in Jakarta, a group of twenty elite cops fight their way through a mob-infested thirty story building to get to a crime lord over the course of one violent night. This is usually the type of film I would avoid, and yet when my brother and I left the screening we both couldn't stop talking about it.

My general distaste for action movies is a byproduct of the fact that because visual technology and special effects are so advanced now, filmmakers think they can get away with creating explosive spectacles completely devoid of story, character and, well, frankly all the things that compel me to watch films in the first place. Sure, the plot of The Raid is contrived, but it serves the purpose of showcasing some truly amazing fight choreography. The tag line doesn't lie; it's pretty much 100 minutes of straight up action, but each fight exhibits such finesse there's almost a balletic quality to it. In fact if you watched it without sound it probably would look like dancing, albeit with lots of blood.

There is a sequel in the works and I'm pretty stoked to see how it turns out.

9. ​Argo

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

Oh yes, the grand redemption of Ben Affleck. Since it seems poised to take the Best Picture prize at the Academy Awards there isn't really much I can add to the discussion. ​However, I will say this: like his previous films The Town and Gone Baby Gone, I found Argo to be perfectly adequate in every way, and yet when the credits rolled I couldn't help but feel a little empty. Don't get me wrong - I think each of his three features delivers - but somehow I still wish they could have gone further.

8. Rust and Bone

The film I loved so much that I watched it twice at Cannes, forgoing other competition entries. My full review can be found here. The most important thing to keep in mind, if you haven't already seen it, is that even though it's technically a love story it's anti-romance. I'm disappointed that they didn't campaign harder for the actors this awards season, and that Marion Cotillard (great as she is) earned more recognition than co-star Matthias Schoenaerts who, in my opinion, was just as good and maybe even better.​

7. The Hunt

​Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Here is what I wrote for Metro in my Cannes coverage, because I'm having a hard time coming up with a better way to say it now:

"In The Hunt​, a child's false accusation of sexual abuse leads to a decay of social and moral integrity in a small Danish community. Disturbingly and frustratingly realistic, director Thomas Vinterberg forces us to watch as everyone does the wrong thing while firmly believing themselves to be in the right - from the parents who believe their imaginative daughter without proof to her accused teacher, who remains unwilling to demonize his former friends who allowed the rumor to spread like a virus."

It's thrilling and psychological, and Mads Mikkelsen won the well-deserved top acting prize at the festival for his performance.​

6. Chicken with Plums

​Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

My favorite director, Pedro Almodóvar, may not have released a film last year, but this one from graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi and her artistic collaborator Vincent Paronnaud ​struck a lot of the same chords in terms of theme, vision and aesthetic. (Which is to say a story of love, desire and death with a touch of magic realism that manages to be beautiful, tragic and comical).

Also I had the chance to speak with Satrapi one-on-one in San Francisco and she is basically one of the coolest people ever.​

5. Amour

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Since the wake of Emmanuelle Riva's ​Oscar nomination for Best Actress, some rare interviews are surfacing in which she ascribes her performance to Michael Haneke's explicit direction not to play it with sentimentality. When you consider the subject matter - an aging couple wherein Riva's character is slowly dying - ​it would have been all too easy to slip into sappy melodrama. But instead what you get with Amour ​is something more restrained and yet emotionally sharp. Full review here.

4. Moonrise Kingdom

​Courtesy of Kanye Wes Anderson (sorry, couldn't resist)

"I went to sleep afterwards dreaming about it," one journalist confessed to me in regard to why he liked Moonrise Kingdom so much.

Wes Anderson is undeniably good at constructing anachronistic parallel universes in which ​quirky people do kooky things, but this one just felt so right.

3. Life of Pi

​Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

I'm not much of a reader but I do get nervous when I hear about ​some of my most beloved books being adapted for the screen. Diehards will say that book is always better, but in truth it's hard to compare the outcome between the two mediums because there are so many things that you can accomplish in one and not the other, but Ang Lee did a commendable job with a story that many deemed un-adaptable thanks, in large part, to his cinematographer.

A boy and a tiger stuck adrift in the Pacific Ocean? Use 3D and put the audience in there with them. (Actually, for the film's Paris premiere they pretty much did just that).

Much of the novel consists of the protagonist's internal philosophical struggles, which I didn't fully understand when I first read it and probably still don't, but again...some things don't translate well from page to screen. Lee got the gist of it though in showing Pi's shifting religious views. ​

2. Chronicle​

​Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

This indie flick about three highschool friends who suddenly gain mysterious powers might seem like an odd choice, but to me it absolutely nailed two things that are often difficult to execute well: the found footage approach and the superhero story.

By found footage I mean that everything you see is, within the story, filmed by the characters. Most films that try to do this either lapse and have instances where what's being shown isn't diegetically motivated, or else they make it too realistic (i.e. handheld) and it gives you motion-sickness. Chronicle ​is pretty smooth in both regards.

As for the other thing, Hollywood's hatred of original material seeps into franchises by having on-screen superheros that rely more on the public's preconceived understanding from comics and television than anything that was written in the script. The exception - Christopher Nolan's reinvention of Batman/Bruce Wayne. Many of the superheros we see today can easily smash box office records but when it comes to depth and complexity of character they're seriously lacking. So without giving too much away, the best part about Chronicle ​is Dane DeHaan's sinister yet sympathetic performance.

Also it's set in Seattle so I guess I have a soft spot. 

1. Silver Linings Playbook

​Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Being a romantic comedy may have cheapened the film to some, but for me it was refreshing to see two characters who clearly do not have their shit together. Mental illness and disorders remain highly stigmatized in contemporary society, and plenty of people would rather pretend nothing is wrong than seek help. It was such an issue at my university that we had a special name for it - Duck Syndrome - wherein on the surface everything seems fine but secretly everyone is madly kicking to stay afloat.

It's not just the themes and the tone but the charismatic leads as well. I can't pretend not to be a huge fan of Jennifer Lawrence's candid, no-bullshit off-screen persona, but I recently read that David O. Russell originally intended the leads to go to Vince Vaughn and Zooey Deschanel. ​Vaughn maybe could have pulled his own weight as Pat, but I definitely can't imagine the reigning queen of twee berating Robert De Niro in that climactic monologue about football.

And for a story about mental illness it's very uplifting. While I appreciate films that are challenging and make audiences think, sometimes it's nice just to leave the theater feeling happy without the urge to look for plot holes and dissect particular scenes.​

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And, previously, movies I particularly liked in 2011 and 2010.

What are your favorites?​

Roman Holiday After Hours

Apart from the blazing heat during the day and being eaten alive by mosquitoes at night, I quite enjoyed Rome. And even though I managed to make my way to most of the big tourist attractions (e.g. the Colosseum, Forum, Spanish Steps, etc.), I found it most fulfilling just to walk around and people watch.  I spent most of my time in the historic Pantheon neighborhood. At night, when the temperature dipped to a pleasant balminess, the old town came alive with buzzing trattorias and osterias and people sitting in darkening piazzas, admiring the floodlit landmarks and absorbing the atmosphere.

​Movement on the Spanish Steps at night.

I was sad to leave and can't wait to return, in part because the food there was excellent. Some of my favorite places, by way of a friend who visited Rome last summer, are:

- Il Cartoccio for deep-fried fish, artichokes, cheeses, you name it.
- Sant'Eustachio for coffee/espresso.
- Old Bridge for gelato.
- Le Fate for their fixed price student menu. (10€ for appetizer, pasta, dessert and glass of wine).

Getting Schooled on History in Tallinn

A 90 minute ferry ride away from Helsinki sits the Estonian capital where even the Finns go to have fun. (Or so a tour guide told us, but judging from the list of things to do in Helsinki I don't think she was wrong). After disembarking at the pier, beaching Tallinn's rough, industrial exterior immediately gives way to the rustic and quaint Old Town, where one could easily spend several days getting lost in its winding cobblestone streets full of specialty shops, cafés and ancient churches. We only had the better part of an afternoon, so we tried to make the most of it.

For 2 euros, St. Olaf's Church provides a bird's eye view of Old Town from the top of its immense spire, which at one point was the tallest in the world. The view from up top is well worth the price of admission, but the climb up the uneven stone hewn steps is not to be underestimated; let's just say it reminded us of how out of shape we are after a month of making and tasting pastries.

Afterward we rewarded ourselves at the nearby Beer House's happy hour, where one can find 0.5 L portions of select drafts for 3 euros and generous plates of German delicacies for 8-12. Tasty, but it's a good thing I'm not vegetarian any more. Just a few steps down the road is the town square, whose market makes for good souvenir shopping.

Following some more aimless wandering we made our way over to the Hotel Viru, which houses the world's first and only KGB museum. I'm not usually much of a museum person (looking at old things tends to lose its novelty real fast), but this was easily the best guided tour I've ever been on. I mean, come on, it's the KGB! How often do you get a chance to look at some of the original equipment they used to spy on people?

On a more serious note, though, having been indoctrinated via an American public education that communism is bad, it was fascinating to get a more nuanced perspective on what life was like under Soviet rule. Our guide, an Estonian native, didn't leave us with any doubt that her country is quite happy being independent, but she did have some pretty incredible anecdotes about how things were before independence.

Bottom line: When in Scandinavia, go to Tallinn.

Seafood, Shopping & Sightseeing in Stockholm

Maybe it's just the order that we visited in, but I couldn't help but think of Stockholm like Oslo's younger and way more hip cousin. Most Swedes I saw on the street (even the children!) looked like they jumped out of a fashion spread, but the city itself just has a much more adventuresome and happening vibe. Coffee houses and internet cafés abound, which in addition to being quite affordable (especially in comparison to Paris) are also great for people watching and trendspotting.

The gastronomic scene is a lot more exciting as well. In addition to The Cube, one of my favorite meals was at Blasieholmens Akvarium och Restaurang (or B.A.R.), which features a wide array of fresh seafood cooked to order. I opted for a thick, steak-like tuna variety called bonito, lightly seared and served up with a sweet, tangy red pepper sauce. (It's basically the seafood equivalent to The Counter; after you choose a fish you pick out sides and sauces).

Stockholm has plenty of cool bars for weary travelers to take a break from pounding the streets. Some, like Flyt, take advantage of the city’s waterways by converting old boats to relaxing hangouts that gently bob in the wind. But I also enjoyed the sky bar at Och Himlen Dartill which, located on the 26th floor, was a nice vantage point from which to admire the city skyline at night.

Aside from the delicious food and drinks, my favorite visit was easily the Fotografiska – Stockholm’s venerable photography museum.  Exhibitions rotate frequently throughout the year, but in honor of London 2012 they had an awesome Olympics-themed sports photography collection. Too bad we were still full from dinner, because the café upstairs (whose riverfront view deserves mention) seemed quite popular.

The shopping is great too, as would be expected in such a fashion-forward city. Downtown contains name brand designers along with staples like H&M, Zara and the largest Urban Outfitters I’ve ever set foot in. But even so, I preferred the more eclectic boutiques and funky vintage shops in Södermalm (basically the Swedish equivalent to Williamsburg).

I'm a little sad to leave behind Swedish hospitality - pretty much everywhere you go you're greeted with a cheerful "Hey, hey!" Let's hope Helsinki can match it.