Tokyojupiter - Side B

The last four novels that I've read all had the keyword "steampunk" displayed somewhere prominently in their marketing material. They were varying degrees of good to okay to great, but I think I need a change of pace.

So, channeling the hivemind, read anything interesting lately? Just make sure it doesn't involve fancy flying machines, fashions of Victorian England, or outlandish contraptions, please. Novels would be great suggestions, or even a really well-written nonfiction one would be more than welcome.

I'm sure this has already made the rounds, but I've had such a bleecchhh day today that this made me laugh so much when I saw it.

I know that I said that I'm tired of steampunk (books, anyway), but Soulless is finally getting to the good parts.

And by good parts, I mean the making out parts.

It's not totally inappropriate to think about making "Team Lord Maccon" t-shirts right? (C'MON!! It was an easy joke!)

Between him, Prof. Lyall, and George (of "Being Human"), I'm really thinking that UK werewolves are the hottest things ever.

Found out about this book c/o Scott Westerfeld's twitter, and I'm definitely checking it out, if only for the premise of killer unicorns:

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns . . .

Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately, they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.

Or not.

Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student . . . an attraction that could jeopardize everything.

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And it's always exciting when manga gets mentioned in the 'real' news, and it's not (too) snarky. Truthfully, I am super curious about the Gossip Girl manga, especially since I also liked the artist's previous work. Cannot wait to see it.

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On the other hand, for a laugh this morning, read this reporter's account of BishieCon, a small yaoi con in St. Louis. Maybe some people would be angry/aghast at the whole journalism fail, but I just think it's one of the most hilarious write-ups I've read in a while.

175 square foot studio for $150K?!?

They don't have a stove, but they have a liquor cabinet and numerous bottles of wine -- hey, they got their priorities straight.

Oh, forgot that sarcasm doesn't transmit easily on the internets.

I also feel bad for their 2 cats. My studio's probably 400 square feet and I still think it's too small to get another cat beyond Renji.

On the walk home yesterday, I spied a little orange guy walk out of one of the bodegas on 18th. He was just a little smaller than when I first got Renji. Of course, me being utterly predictable, I mewed at him and waited till he came over to nuzzle my hands.

I really should stop petting cats that aren't my own. I was so so tempted to bring him home, but I didn't. I did look back at him a couple of times and he was still looking back.

Sad.

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So if understand correctly, Renji and Mikhail are the same age? WHA. http://cats.about.com/cs/healthissues/a/agechart.htm

Having visited that part of the world a few months ago, I really kind of hate myself when I can easily identify the set/locations as -Vancouver- which was the case last night. For me, certain scenes felt less "Wonderland" and more "Forks, Washington," especially when they were running around in the forest. I halfheartedly expected GIANT werewolves to come out. (Or half-naked boys, which would've made it hilarious.)

I did like the actress that they picked for the title role (and her blue dress and maroon tights combination was a great riff on the classic Alice outfit). I felt like the rest of the cast was so indifferent to the whole project, even Tim Curry, who's usually more engaging.

Had I been watching it by myself, I probably wouldn't have stayed beyond the first scene at the casino, but since M was there to snark along, it wasn't so bad.

(Should I be at least glad that it's not a steampunk!Alice? Wait! I almost forgot about the mechanical flying beetle. So maybe it was steampunk after all.)

Dined out at Graffiti last night, and was pleasantly surprised that the chef/owner himself was up and about, serving and taking orders. Granted, the space is the size of two NYC closets, but that didn't stop Tania and I from enjoying really delicious food.

The savory dishes were good (Tania choose the skate and the braised pork buns, both were totally ace) but the dessert was seriously delicious: we shared the Hazelnut Chocolate Caviar cupcake. HONESTLY how could that combination of words go wrong.

It's also always awesome to go out with T. We lingered in the area so long that we even managed to see M on his way home from Montien as well.

Note to self: Nigella reading tomorrow @ 7p

I'm kinda in love with this lady so I'm hoping that the store won't be crazy crowded.