This was also my first time seeing a movie at Living Room. I toured the theatre when it first opened and have had many a happy hour there, so I was excited to get that experience. Even better, the movie was in 3D, which I was interested in seeing now that 3D TVs are in market (and my last encounter with it was less-than-amazing).

The movie was good. The 3D was definitely amazing this time (And the glasses weren’t half bad looking either). If you haven’t already seen Alice, I recommend you do so in 3D. It would be good without it, but there’s enough visual coolness and texture in this film that you get some great 3D experiences. If you have seen it, what did you think? I heard a few people say it was just OK but that they should have maybe seen it in 3D.

Speaking of 3D, what do you think of that technology? I’m excited to see more content becoming available. At first I wasn’t sold it would go mainstream very quickly. And it may not given the additional cost to produce (and the additional cost for us home viewers to buy the sets AND the glasses). I’d like to see more 3D movies before I feel really sold, but I imagine that when I purchase my next TV I’ll want and expect 3D to be a default feature.

Lastly, this experience made me want to catch movies in theater more often again, particularly at Living Room. It’s an ingenious concept – food and drink you can enjoy during the movie. Big, plush seats. An upscale bar/restaurant attached (with live music!). You get to feel like a grown up and catch some great films that might not otherwise get a lot of airtime (“Alice” is obviously an exception:)). The service here has improved over the months, and the menu is, I believe, completely redone (for the better).

Well, how about you? How often do you truly disconnect? Do you wish you could more or are you happy as-is? I ask because of the book I recently finished: “Better Off: Flipping The Switch on Technology.” The premise is simple – or not so simple: the author, Eric Brende, and his wife spent 18-months living in a remote countryside, having rid themselves of every piece of technology and convenience in their lives. What’s funny is the guy is an MIT graduate, not the first person you might expect to ditch the upper echelons of geekdom. Overall, the book took a slightly different path than I expected. It focused largely on the minutiae of the couple’s new life (think a documentary on the Amish), and I had hoped there would be more discourse on the impact of technology, good and bad, on our daily lives. You get a little of that upfront, but again, the story larger centers on the ups and downs the couple face. From a psychological perspective, it is interesting because you really do see the couple struggle and start a downward spiral (relationship tension included) the longer they go without their modern conveniences.

Have you read the book? What do you think? Think you would or could try something similar?

Nedra and I had a great discussion about the state of the media, the future of the communications industry, how we came to our respective professions and what’s keeping us up at night. It was fascinating to hear about the design side she handles, which is grappling with some of the same issues my industry, public relations, is encountering: will print media ceast to exist? How is the role of the messenger changing/evolving/staying the same? I think we netted out that print is NOT going away, either for the news media or design, but that it will exist side-by-side digital, both offering unique value to different (but sometimes the same) audiences. I’d recount more of the conversation here, although it mirrors what you’ll read in any other given blog, newspaper, Web site or Twitter.

Not on to something a little less “taxing.” Cupcakes! I finally stopped by to visit Cupcakes Jones and picked up four of its “jumbo” (aka filled) cupcakes. Such a great indulgence. Check them out if you’re local and haven’t already been…the company also does a great job on Twitter, telling followers about specials, new flavors and regular charitable donations it makes on select days (i.e. a portion of certain day’s proceeds go to a worthy cause).

Cupcakes from Cupcake Jones!

It was good to see former contestants Alison Iraheta and Kris Allen, both of whom I thought were great. Both performed tonight and were fantastic – excited to see where Alison goes in particular. There was the requisite “Idol Gives Back” clip with footage of Allen in Haiti. It was touching but also a tad indulgent as Idol tends to be.

Are you watching this season? What do you think? During auditions it seemed the talent would really be killer this time. But based on the live shows so far, that doesn’t seem to be happening (with a few exceptions).

The Tao of Inner Peace, by Diane Dreher, is a book I first encountered as part of my world literature class in college. It’s all about finding “inner peace” and balance in your life and, while it may sound a bit too self-help for some readers (I thought it might be too), I found its approach very relevant and applicable to today’s world, be it your personal or professional life. What’s interesting is that it’s centuries old and yet presents advice that is just as appropriate today as it might have been hundreds of years ago. Not that I’d know what one would need to know hundreds of years ago:) Some of the chapters focus on how we can better exist with nature (very Oregon!), while others focus on better managing the stress and tension in your life. If you’re on the cusp of a career change, going through health or other personal concerns, or just looking to center yourself (whatever that means), you might want to check this one out.

Next up is The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell is well-known for Blink, the first book of his I read and enjoyed. The Tipping Point focuses on the idea that little things and small groups of people can effect major change. Change in fashion, technology, the world. It’s an interesting concept and one that is central to the world of marketing. However, the book reads more like a corporate case study and I found myself flipping through pages to find bits that were more well, interesting. I’d recommend picking it up if you’re interested in social behavior and how it can be impacted by others, but I consider it more of a business “how to” than bedside reading.

Traffic: Why We Drive The Way We Do (and what it says about us), was an entertaining and informative read. We can all relate as author Tom Vanderbilt talks about drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, and effectively combines psychology with modern infrastructure. For example, he examines the difference between late and early mergers and then presents, in scientific terms, which is more efficient. I found myself nodding along as he talked about why certain people are more likely to honk than others, and why the other lane always seems to be moving faster than the one we’re in. It was also nice to see a former client, INRIX, called out in the portions detailing traffic congestion and how various cities work to better manage flow. I recommend picking it up if you’ve ever complained about traffic (who hasn’t?) and have an interest in why we do what we do.

Speaking of why we do what we do, the last book I read was Human: The Science Behind What Makes Us Unique. Yes, it starts from the clichéd “are we really that different from monkeys?” but goes in-depth into our DNA, our evolutionary past and neuroscience to present an interesting perspective on why humans think, create, destroy and more. My favorite section deal with the arts – why we engage in the arts and whether other animals, such as monkeys, can appreciate art the way we do, or if they look at it in the same they do with trees, food or other animals. It’s a bit long at over 400 pages and, while praised as easy-to-understand, can be a little technically verbose at times. I found it fun having to dig back and pull terminology from my college psychology days, but truth be told some sections I glossed over:) All-in-all, a good read if you’re interested in neuroscience and human behavior.

And there you have it! My goal is to post a review after each book, versus holding for when I have four. We’ll see how that goes;) Happy reading!

That said, I found much of the coverage of ice dancing to be well, comical. Nothing against the skaters. I mean, yes. Some of those costumes and facial expressions made me giggle, but I get it. I used to dance and we’d do the same things. But, NBC LOVED to show these folks as mean, scary competitors, ready to stomp their “rivals” at every chance. OK, yeah, it makes good tv, I know. But come on…anyway, this article in yesterday’s NY Times was fantastic. It profiles an “inside” radio station that spectators pay to get access to. What do they get? Well, they get a running commentary from folks who know ice skating. Everything from how many points a given trick gets, to who landed the first triple axel competition and even some humorous observations on the skaters’ outfits. It’s a must read if you watched any of the ice dancing this past week. Enjoy!

Side note, what do you think of the job NBC’s done in covering the games? Man, they are getting pummeled by complaints! From NPR to the New York Times and Twitter. I get they have to make good tv and work within time restrictions, but what’s with the tape delay??? And can they stop with the country-specific stereotypes? What is a “German mentality” anyway?

Since I’m talking about running, I should also mention RunKeeper, a great iPhone application that I’ve been using for several months. It’s available in both a free and premium version and is, I believe, highly comparable to more expensive running apps out there. The free version has everything and more than I could need or want. It captures my run time, speed, distance, and then saves all the data for me to access whenever. It’s cool seeing on a map where I’ve run and then even going down to specific legs to see my speed. This is great for me because I almost always mix up runs with walking. I might run hard for 10-20 minutes, then walk for 5, then back up again, etc. Obviously, slowing down affects my overall MPH rating, so being able to hone in on specific segments is a data junkie’s dream come true. One of the other selling points for me on the app was that I could run it in the background while listening to my iPhone’s iPod library (check out the pro version for some really cool iPod playlist integration). Check out a video overview here. It’s old but should give you a good understanding and visual.

I hear a lot that the app is perfect for folks needing inspiration for training purposes. Some people I know update their runs publicly so their friends and running mates can check it out, maybe as a way to get them to run more. I personally don’t publish my runs but I see how this app can become a lot more than a personal running mate. Speaking of, I understand the premium version actually speaks to you. So, if you mix your runs with running and walking like I do, it will actually tell you when to do what and give you stats in real time. How cool is that?

If you didn’t already via the link above, be sure to check RunKeeper out on Facebook and Twitter. It’s really cool to see all the fans that organize street teams, offer tips to each other, etc.

The magazine noted that a high cacao content in the chocolate is what makes this version so good. At Valrhona, the drink is prepared with their Alpaco chocolate (66 percent cacao), but any bittersweet chocolate would suffice, up to 70 percent cacao. Personally, I went with a bar at 62 percent which was fantastic both on its own and in this drink. As luck would have it, I came across a Valrhona bar at Sur La Table and, while pricey at $12, it was worth every penny. What’s funny is that I didn’t realize at the store that it was the same name as in the article!

Here’s the recipe!

*4.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (64-70 percent cacao), chopped. Edit – as noted, I used a 62 percent cacao bar.

*2 cups whole milk

*2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Bring two cups whole milk and two tablespoons sugar to simmer in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Gradually whisk hot milk into melted bittersweet chocolate. Divide hot chocolate among four cups and serve.

“Emeralds,” the classical mantlepiece by Balanchine, opened the show and rightly so. Namesake aside, this piece represents classical ballet in its purest form. Both the set pieces and music, while gorgeous, are understated and minimal, meaning that the dancers have their technique and performance – nothing to hide behind. For a ballet lover like myself, this is fantastic. And as an abstract piece (although I find that term way too general for most art), it’s really up to you the viewer to decide what it is. For some, it’s pure dance and an opportunity to appreciate the inherent beauty and physicality. For others, and this is where I tend to fall, it’s a chance to enjoy all of the former while taking on your own interpretation. With solos, duos, trios and ensemble moments, there’s a plethora of “options,” if you will, to take the story on. The amount of discussion this piece created among my friends and I goes to show that it absolutely did its job. Check out Barry Johnson’s review of “Emeralds.” He captures the piece’s essence perfectly and it’s really interesting to think about the ballet’s “simplicity” in the context of everything that was going on in the world when Balanchine created it. “Emeralds” is just one part of a trio called “Jewels.” Read more. Here’s a clip of Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet performing “Jewels:”

Following intermission, and the second video summarizing the company’s history and evolution (great to see some of those old shots and clips! Memories!), the show transitioned into a series of ten excerpts. It was very much like a flight of wine – a chance to sample and enjoy a variety of bits, some capturing your heart and mind more than the others. It’s too difficult to pick “a favorite,” because they each represented something I loved, but there were highlights for sure. “Rose City Waltz” featured a large group of students from the company’s school and I was blown away by the level of technique, the synchronicity and panache of these young performers. From the little ones up to what appeared to be some of the pre-professional dancers. The music and costumes were elegantly simple and beautiful and the piece ended too soon! I was impressed and really noticed for the first time, how impeccable Artistic Director Christopher Stowell choreographs for large ensembles. This is the future of ballet in Portland and it looks very bright!

“Gloria” was the next piece that really stood out to me. I had seen the full ballet during the Dennis Spaight retrospective and remembered how thrilling and emotional it was. Again, the sets and costumes were simple, but the technique, particularly among the male dancers, stood out here fantastically. “La Valse” was another favorite, with beautiful music and stunning dancing by Alison Roper and Ronnie Underwood. I think I had worked my way to the near edge of my seat by its conclusion, and the live music (piano) lended an ethereal and memorable touch. I almost get goosebumps just thinking about that piece!

Another favorite was the excerpt from Stowell’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Again showing his genius at ensemble choreography, I was blown away by the speed and precision of the company, not to mention the gorgeous costuming and set design. What’s funny is that I didn’t anticipate loving this piece. I had seen other versions of the ballet, including American Ballet Theatre and a bit of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s, but didn’t find near the level of suspense and emotion Stowell’s version brought. The piece sold me on getting tickets to the company’s 2010 show in which they’ll perform the complete version. Here’s a clip of American Ballet Theatre performing Frederick Ashton’s “The Dream,” which is, I believe, the same concept:

Did you see the show? What did you think? Will you be going to Nutcracker? Last but not least, I encourage you to check out what is becoming a favorite blog of mine: http://www.artscatter.com/. It’s a Portland-centric blog all about arts and culture, and you’ll find great information and pics!