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Updated Vitta Vera this weekend :) Some of the new pretties:
In other news, things are mainly looking back down -_- went to a couple more open houses, scanned many listings and so far more failure. Up in Benicia again we ventured down to the actual docks, where I thought the downtown extended to another line of places to explore but turns out there was nothing there and my eyes had been playing tricks on me :P so I got a bit disenchanted, but it's still a nice town...makes me wish I was more into antiques and oil painting because that appears to be the hallmark of their economy ^^;; Saw another place there that was the same price as my much-lamented oceanview except with no view, no pool, no gym, no outside appeal, smaller, darker and being subletted probably for profit :P so the comparison factor kind of killed it. Got wind of a standalone home in Martinez that seemed perfect but that was a no-answer :( and visited a beautiful-from-the-outside looking place in Orinda that's a highly-in-demand illegal in-law, low-ceilinged to the point of feeling subterranean, that they specifically said we'd hear talking in a portion of (good on them for being honest)!. Feeling glum about it all. In our actual home I think the bedroom talkers either went on vacation or decided to be nice because they haven't bothered in a while! Unfortunately the living room talkers have really amped it up, almost in response, and are joined by floor-above talkers in the bedroom now, so the net frustration with our current place hasn't changed. We're considering upping what we're willing to pay to find something suitable - but then it gets into 'is it even worth it' territory. I think we are again giving real thought to possibly leaving the state, but I'm informed we'd have to wait at least a year for that. Feeling pretty trapped in here, I am.
There've been distracrions, though! Superficial ones but helpful ones nonetheless.
The opera at the park was lovely - we got there too late for the lawn (note for next year, 2 hours early is too late) but it was still great from the bleachers and The Marriage of Figaro was so excellently cast and sung. I finally know what the two ladies were singing about in that scene from the Shawshank Redemption XD
We went down last weekend to San Mateo to get R his lego Ant-man set (seriously that set is adorable, with the giant lego. Still debating whether to see the movie) and ended up at Gyu-kaku for their yakiniku fest, which was delicious (galahalag the toro beef tare), portioned not to excess, clean, fast and fun as far as grill-yourself places go ^^ And right afterwards we were summoned to a party for aforementioned work-friend (who lost his brother)'s son - it was so nice to see him with family around him and trying to stay active/positive after the tragedy, and they stuffed us with more BBQ and cake while we watched the McGregor/Mendez UFC fight (I never watched one outside of my friend's beau's fights. Ach, viseral D: you don't hear any punching noises like in the movies but suddenly someone's face opens up and there's blood everywhere >< and it was surreal to randomly see Sinead O'Connor sing :P incidentally I supported her actions on SNL, though not so much some more recent actions. All in all, pretty interesting, though I don't see myself following closely.)
My late-to-the-party discovery for this entry is Kendrick Lamar :P It's just hard to follow music of his genre through all the overproduced BS, but I finally heard some stuff and yeah, talent, personality and some nice use of jazz inspired beats there. I don't like everything of his but he's got some good flow ^^ Kind of reminds me of DJ Quik with a more back-to-the-neighborhood slant.
Also, man this is a great summer for television. Humans has me hooked, as it continues on the Black Mirror track but keeps on fleshing things out. The Synths (especially Gemma Chan) draw sympathy with excellent performances (save Niska whose storyline has gotten melodramatic but that's more the script's fault, and it's still not too bad), and the humans, who all started out annoying, grow on the viewer as their personalities start to develop more over time. I find myself looking forward to it so eagerly, which makes Sunday less of a disappointment (I'm honestly finding the terrible-but-I-keep-watching-it Ballers more alluring than True Detective Season 2. I know they had some huge shoes to fill and I don't think they're filling 'em >< I'll see the rest of the season through though).
Also started watching Mr. Robot, which is cool :) It's like Fight-Club-Matrix-Dexter-Vendetta (it works despite the over the top combo) with a sly dose of realism+weirdness a la True Detective Season 1 squirted in here and there that brings my mind back to my own related experiences, only to mess with my head more later. The show goes unabashedly at its own pace, keeps up to date with the details (ach Cosby), and I thought at first it might be laying the hacker stuff on thick but things seem to be getting more and more nuanced. I'm the least interested in the childhood friend and Mr. Robot storylines, which I guess are supposed to be the main draws :P but Rami Malek's performance is pretty captivating and a lot of the side draws are done quite well. I like the random interjects of Martin Wallstrom being weird, and Frankie Shaw's character started out potentially annoying but is turning my head back around, which is generally a feat! I also love the opening logo placement, so "The corporation always wins style 70's movie" XD
I look forward to those two shows unfolding immensely, and I'm not sure about Fear the Walking Dead but I'm just so tickled that Jeanette Desautel from Treme is in it that I'm gonna watch the crap out of it and hope it doesn't let me down :D It's the franchise's chance to bring me back from my kissing off of the original show due to its terrible, terrible writing! Any yay new Key and Peele, and Hannibal Buress's show is a faltery like a colt trying its legs but shows good promise :) Oh! And I can't recall why I decided to try it, but I'm happy I did - UnREAL is actually quite a good show. Definitely sets itself apart from Lifetime's usual schlock with an approach to more realistic emoting and writing (albeit in nutty somewhat unrealistic situations - with episode 7 it is starting to turn really dramatic, but it's honestly been great up to now). Though I hate it conceptually I have been rather fascinated how they achieve the level of manipulation they do on reality shows, and this show explores that in a compelling way.
Movies - saw Trainwreck this weekend after taking R's sis to Renegade Craft Fair (hipsterier than ever, but saved by these guys who traveled up from LA. Their stuff is awesome and their backgrounds are cool and they were both really nice ^^ R got a bronzed mink skull and I got a lovely dainty tarantula fang necklace, but I wanted almost everything of theirs) and Chino/C.R.E.A.M. (the seared wagyu steak was fucking awesome. The charred corn with its sweet citrusy cilantro butter is my favorite corn ever in life. But, the turkey meatball soup turned yucky. Whyyyy). I really like the Amy Schumer show (the 12 Angry Men episode was amazing, and the cultist/creeper glasses store sketch had me rolling) and I'm happy to say I laughed a lot :) It was overhyped (not her fault, really; who the hell can live up to a sudden "biggest woman in comedy" out of nowhere?) and I thought the movie premise was a bit weak overall and went too far with the rom-com tropes when I wish it would have grasped on to the Apatow-style realness-humor more, but it was saved in the smaller jokes, with a lot of great comedians popping in and doing their thing (and random Tilda Swinton making us go "wait...is that...?") and LeBron and John Cena were suprisingly hilarious :)
Also am recommending Tig, the new Netflix doc on Tig Notaro. Super funny (if you like deadpan and black humor, which I do) and pretty sad and very personable. I'd never heard of her and I guess I missed all the hoopla over the Largo show (my fault for not getting into podcasts, which I still have yet to do and I'm sure I'm missing out), but I love her style and forthrightness and am now a fan. Only wish I could see the Town Hall show!
Also oh shit there was a CatCon? I MUST go to the next. I'm not huge on youtube stars but I must view and consume cat material.