taste the nation

 

i'd been a fan of taste the nation from the first season, so pleasantly surprised a second season dropped as season 20 of top chef concluded AND padma announced it'd be her last season as host. i love that the bay is featured again in episode 5 for daly city's filipino community. i can't help but feel that padma has filled an empty space that anthony bourdain left that tugs at the deep humanity of the people and places behind food traditions. the lens of immigrants in our complex nation is personal to padma.  it comes through.  she's deeply empathic with the folks she meets. she's mentioned that she'd like to go outside of the states to explore other communities internationally, but i'm hoping it stays stateside for a while. 

hbo max

 

i haven't written words in a while, but wanted to pay homage to hbo max for entertaining me for the past few months.  i've heard folks mention not watching original content on hbo max, but friends there are gems.  i started off with the anna kendrick-led series, love life. it was cute.  then, i watched season two of search party. i was late to the party and feel like i didn't miss much.

but this month has been stellar with two standouts, stylish with jenna lyons and house of ho.

as a fan of j crew in the aughts to the introduction of madewell, lyons was at the helm. this sorta competition show to become an associate for jenna's new venture only further my love for lyons.  also, made me rethink tulle.  she is such an empathetic boss that i would drop everything to work with her IF i had any style.  jenna help me.  noted: reinvent classics, denim on denim, monochromes!

house of ho is a revelation in a sea of silly family-based reality shows.  first off, yes crazy rich asians meets that other rich family show that's finally off the air.  it's more than that as it tackles multi-generational and cultural norms that have rarely been tackled on television. there's also lesley, who isthe wife of the eldest ho son.  she wasn't born into money and provides a nice dichotomy, though she can be a bit of a control freak. 

lastly of note is the bee gees documentary, how can you mend a broken heart. it's a great profile of the gibb brothers from decades of reinvention to formidable songwriters. 

late to the party - the oa

photo: netflix

you know when that friend recommends a tv series and you just think you just don't have time. this is what happened to me with the oa. i'd been recommended the first season a few years back with the "if you liked lost, you might like..." 

it came back up on my radar when a coworker mentioned he easily binged the second season. i dove into the wonderfully mind-boggling series on a rainy day late in march. it's cray and so wacky, but it's carefully crafted relationships are the heart of the series. i've always admired the talent of show runner, lead brit marling. i'd seen another earth, the east and arbitrage. gurl sure knows how to spin a tale and act in it. 

after seeing sharon van etten in concert, that was my catalyst to finally dig into the second season. so many things that tugged on my love for my hometown of san francisco. oakland native zendaya! 16th avenue tiled steps. treasure island! sure, there's some over the top stuff, but it's still the characters stories that drive my love. oh, also to top off more reasons to love this series - andrew haigh directs two episodes albeit not in sf. (haigh directed another home town show, looking, which i loved).  so now we await a season three hopefully.

photo: nicola goode, netflix

praise be

handmaid's tale is back and as harrowing as ever. two episodes dropped letting us know where june and emily are. i use real names and not gilead-given ones. and we finally get more backstory on emily, played amazingly by alexis bledel. so happy this is back. 

maidez

Embed from Getty Images

so like a good portion of folks, i've been obsessed with the handmaid's tale series on hulu. i had never read the book in school, but picked it up in preparation of the series. even though the book was published over 30 years ago the themes seem eerily relevant in today's dysfunctional government. elizabeth moss is no doubt the acting anchor in this show, but i also have to give props to alexis bledel who has finally broken away from her rory gilmore typecast. with only 3 episodes left, i'm already seeing a show hole in my future. thank goodness a second season has already been greenlit. this past episode has explored material beyond the book and makes the next season only more deliciously curious. needless to say i'm salivating. 

a return to stars hollow

okay the wait was finally over. granted i didn't stay up at 3 am to watch it hit netflix, it was the first thing i did when i woke up. unlike other revivals i knew this would not disappoint as amy sherman-palladino and dan palladino were on board to bring us the final chapter of the gilmore girls.

these are my initial thoughts upon completing each seasonal episode. warning spoilers abound.

winter

omar little reference for rory's burners

roy choi in sookie's kitchen?!?!?

grant lee-phillips still sounds great as the town troubadour. who knew he had a sister?

kirk's ooober service is so on point. 

not surprised rory's fallen back into logan, but paul seems like someone rory would never date. also wish if logan was back tristan could be too.

spring

lots of time spent on paris which was surprising

rachel ray somehow weaseled her way into stars hollow. why? i wish bourdain would have nice but know he would never step foot into sookie's kitchen

the therapy sessions were meh

mae whitman (other tv daughter of lauren graham) getting dibs on fancy dough nut.

wookie one night stand is karma for taking up mitchum huntzberger's offer to call conde nast. 

summer

wow it's just getting grim

the star's hollow musical with the lovely sutton foster was a slight reprieve

khalesi rory

ugh 22 year old april

wanted more jess

shhhhh, stars hollow's secret bar where lane and zach play jazz

fall
yes, more jess...and that last look

parenthood redux with park rangers in both jason ritter and peter krause

lorelai's story about her dad at 13 was achingly perfect

wedding scene scored to sam phillip's "reflecting light" was pitch perfect harking back to luke and lorelai's dance during his sister's wedding

still wrestling with the abrupt ending

overall liked the amy directed eps (winter and fall) more than dan's (spring and summer)

luke's fail

twas not a happy 16th anniversary of gilmore girls for me. i arrived at luke's (palio cafe) to a modest line, but by 10am the free coffee was gone and only 2 luke's doughnuts left. i was underwhelmed by the decor. for some reason i thought it'd be more than signs, luke's aprons and a few backwards hats. ah well there's still new episodes on black friday!

thanks leah for meeting me in line in between dreamforce sessions

texting outside in disappointment. also as
gilmore fans know, no cell phones in luke's

rita

belated tv revelation: rita. this danish dramedy has been my latest obsession. the sound of danish brings back memories of living in copenhagen and hits me to the core. the character of rita madsen, who is an amazing teacher to her students and less than amiable with her adult peers, is a compelling, strong female character. netflix was hip to ms. madsen and helped to fund the third season, which already aired in denmark. mille dinesen plays rita with sharp wit that masks an emotionally bottled up woman. funnily, i recently saw dinesen in the movie copenhagen, where she played the lead's mother. i've been travelling down a trip down memory lane since getting access to netflix again. so friends, selv tak!

bittersweet farewell

late on the "looking" cancellation news, but still hurts. it was my little gem with vignettes of my home town not shoot in cheesy tourist sf ways. the characters on the show were authentic although patrick could be sooooooo annoying, but we all know these people. truth folks. the only silver lining is that hbo will be bring us a looking film to tie up the series and our trio of buds. a tear! until then, ritchie and paddy forever.

a long time ago...

we used to be friends. ahhh marshmellows, i've finally watched the veronica mars movie, and it delivered the goods. see that pic to the left? i took that in my peak of veronica mars fandom. does anyone remember the upn? exactly. the final episode of the series left fans unsatisfied and wanting more. the mars clan were in the dumps, and we all know that's not where they should be. veronica was with piz and still is in the movie. spoiler: not for too long as the "epic" love story of veronica and logan will not burn out ever. it was great to see virtually the entire cast back for this blast back to neptune. for a show that's been off the air over 6 years, the cast is looking mighty fine. i'm one happy marshmellow and my fellow mellows, jenni and anesia agree. 

march 14 can't come any sooner

ladies...

dick casablancas! most amazing video with sytycd alum cyrus and marco with mike chung from glee. can't wait for the veronica mars movie.  

i spy a russophile

i've been engrossed in the new fx series, the americans. maybe it's due to my secret childhood dream of become a spy or maybe i just love seeing keri russell kicking butt. remember mi3? anyhoot, kids you should tune in. on top of my love for russians on tv, i've been reading lyudmila petrushevskaya's there once lived a girl who seduced her sister’s husband, and he hanged himself. nice little morsels for my 30-minute commute. 

to russia with love, shar

all i want for xmas redux

seriously what is not to love about this vid. mariah. the roots. jimmy fallon. really cute kids. dare i say cuter than that little gal that sang the tune in love actually.  needless to say you're welcome.

must old fav rehash: kristen bell. i loved veronica mars and loved kristen's cameos in party down but this is her best work yet.

return to downton

best season two opener: downton abbey.  a long awaited return, but well worth the wait.  (warning: some spoliers if you haven't been keeping up) it's two years since we've left the granthams and their dedicated staff. last time world war one just broke and mary had refused matthew.  it's two years later and many of the men are overseas.  the women are finding new roles to fill.  my favorite part was the first meeting and the look from mary to matthew.  ahh the anticipation.  lavinia seems sweet enough, but really?  i love how edith and sybil have come into their own. o'brien and thomas are as devilish and conniving as ever. shar can't wait for the how season two develops (nudge, nudge yoon).  

p.s. that's my actual character rankings above.

sve on late night

sharon rocking her new tune "serpents" from her forthcoming album, tramp (if you couldn't read the cue cards).

fnl

best late to the game recovery: friday night lights series completed.  okay everyone and their mother has been lauding this series.  my brother for years had been telling me best show ever. coworkers were on me.  my best friend was the one who eventually got me to start.  after kyle chandler and jason katims won the emmy this year, my butt got into gear.  i barreled through three seasons like nobody's business.  only took me less than 2 weeks.  season four in three days.  THREE DAYS!!!  it was my tv crack.  last night, friday night, i concluded the series with another late adopter, liz.  one of the few series that's ending is pitch perfect.  closing out story arches nicely and nothing too over the top.  it vies with my fav tv series of all time, the wire.  funny, a certain someone is featured in both series. coincidence? luckily it isn't exactly the end of fnl.  there are already confirmations of a movie in the future and not like that one with billy bob.  clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.  can't believe i'm typing this, but texas forever.

portlandia

will someone with ifc please invite shar over for some portlandia goodness this evening? i've had a girl crush on carrie brownstein from the first time i heard her chime in with the dudes of all songs considered (bob boilen, robin hilton and stephen thompson). when i heard she was doing a sketch show with snl's fred armisen, i was intrigued. from the clips, carrie is fab despite her little experience in acting. here is a good npr spotlight on portland in the midst of the tv premiere.



anyone whose been to my apartment knows i "put a bird on it". yes, we do it too in brooklyn.

graham norton show

final check off the london to do list: graham norton show taping. when t emailed me with subject "what's one thing you wanted to do before leaving london?" shar was intrigued. opened up the email and BAM!

Not sure what your answer is, but what about this...
The Graham Norton Show - Your TicketInboxXReplySRO Audiences to me show details Oct 25 E-TICKET
'THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW'
With host the hilarious Graham Norton, and oodles of celebrity guests, 'The Graham Norton Show' is a fabulous chat show for the BBC! Join us for a night of hilarity!
This ticket is for 2 people in your name on Thursday 11th November 2010.
Thank you for your recent application for tickets for 'The Graham Norton Show'. This is your ticket. Please read it carefully. Simply print a copy of this email and bring it along with you. If you can’t print it, don’t worry. Your name will be on our list at the door, and you will need to tell us the name in which you booked the ticket. You may be asked for ID.
Please be aware that security at the event will be tight and you should be prepared to undergo a brief security check to ensure that we all have a safe and enjoyable night. Audience members must be 18 or over. Anyone appearing to be under this age will be asked for photo ID.
The audience is a very important part of our show. We would like you to come ready to enjoy your night but help us to facilitate this by following the directions and instructions that our staff may give you from time to time during the evening.
PLEASE NOTE: If you find that you will not be able to use all of your tickets, or need to get in touch for any reason, please do so as soon as possible by calling 020 8684 3333, or emailing us at bookedtickets@sroaudiences.com, so that we are able to reallocate any spare tickets.
Mobile phones must be switched off before entry into the studio.
We look forward to seeing you and your group and hope you all have a great night with us.

VENUE: The London Studios, Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT.
TIME: The studio doors open at 6.15pm. No admittance after 6.30pm. We estimate the recording to be finished by 8.45pm.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: BY TRAIN and TUBE: The nearest station is Waterloo. Exit the station, and follow the signs for the National Theatre and the IMAX. If you use the underpass, pass the IMAX and walk up towards the National Theatre. Use the tunnel with the blue walls. Turn right on Upper Ground (this is the name of the road). Pass the IBM building. The London Studios are the next building after that. The audience entrance is clearly marked by a sign on the pavement, via the black gate at the side of the building. The studio is about 10 minutes walk from the station.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: The London Studios is located on Upper Ground near Waterloo Station. There is an NCP car park, in Cornwall Road, which is almost opposite. Please note that some SatNav devices and internet sites are currently giving incorrect driving directions to the studio's postcode. We suggest you use the road name (Upper Ground) rather than the postcode.
DRESS CODE: As you, our audience, will be featured on screen, do feel free to dress to impress! Smart, dressy, glamorous...it's up to you! Do feel free to get some colour in your outfits so that you can spot yourselves on the telly! Clothes prominently displaying brand names will not be permitted, and black clothing should be avoided.
ADMISSION: Entry is subject to studio capacity. We do over-issue tickets by a percentage to compensate for inevitable no-shows. While we hope to accommodate everyone, we suggest that you aim to arrive early to avoid disappointment. Seating for ticket-holders is allocated on a first-come first-served basis. We shall be there to meet you from 5.15pm onwards. When you arrive, join the main queue so that you can be checked in and issued numbered wristbands to gain access to the studio. Occasionally there is more than one show taping, so please ensure that you join the correct line. We shall work our way along the line and issue each audience member with their wristband so that, if you would like to and there is sufficient time, you may leave the site. From time to time, there are production & priority guests who enter the studio first, but we then admit people to the studio according to the wristband numbers, so, if you do nip off for a drink, make sure you are back in your place in the line for the doors opening time! You may not collect wristbands for others. If members of your party arrive at different times, they will not be allowed to join each other further in the queue. To be as fair as we can to everyone, we ask everyone to join the end of the line at the time that they arrive.
ACCESS: If any of your party have mobility problems, it would help us to have advance notification to ensure that their visit is as comfortable as possible. Please call 020 8684 3333 or email bookedtickets@sroaudiences.com.
OTHER SHOWS: If you are interested in booking tickets to come along and see other tv shows being recorded, you will find details and online application forms on our site at http://www.sroaudiences.com/.

YOUR ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS. PLEASE MAKE YOUR PARTY AWARE OF THESE. BY THE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS TICKET YOU AND YOUR PARTY AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS :1. This ticket is complimentary, not for sale, non-transferable and is issued by The London Studios ('The Studio') and So Television ("The Company").
2. The Company and The Studio reserve the right to refuse entry to any person or to cancel or alter the times of commencement of the performance or the programme without notice to the ticket-holder and without liability to the ticket-holder in any respect whatsoever.
3. Entry is subject to studio capacity and also by The Company and The Studio's discretion. This ticket does not guarantee entry.
4. Neither The Company or their servants, agents or associates shall be liable for any loss or damage to property or personal injury of the ticket holder or to any other person associated with the ticket holder unless caused by the wilful or negligent act or omission by The Company, The Studio or their servants, agents and associates.
5. The taking of photographs and the making of any other form of visual or sound recording by the ticket holder is strictly forbidden.
6. Ticket-holders shall comply with all directions given to them from time to time by The Company, The Studio, or their servants, agents or associates.
7. Children under eighteen years of age will not be admitted.
8. Attendance at the recording shall constitute irrevocable permission by the ticket-holder to participate in and / or to be filmed / recorded and for The Company and The Studio to exploit any and all recordings of the programme or parts thereof (including any parts in which the ticket holder has been filmed/recorded) by all means and in all media without limitation as The Company shall deem appropriate.
9. WARNING: Please note (i) ASTHMATICS - due to special effects used in some programmes, it may be necessary for us to use synthetic smoke. (ii) Strobe lighting may be used during the recording/ transmission.
-- MartinSRO Audiences
Tel: 0208 684 3333http://www.sroaudiences.com/

thanks t!!!! p.s. guests were colin farrel, rhianna, daniel radcliff straight from the harry potter premiere.