Mystery crackers from Japan, Pocky and books

Hey, just noticed from traffic logs that Blatherings comes up as the #1 result if you type Lord of the Rings Musical review into Google.

Anyway, I promised Jeff I'd post this photo and question:



My Dad brought the above package of crackers home with him from Japan. They are very good: crispy, salty and sweet. Jeff is totally addicted to them. In fact, the last time my Dad brought them home, Jeff hid the last package at the bottom of a small box of other snacks in our one of kitchen shelves. Except I didn't know he was hiding them when I found them, so I ate them.



Hoo boy, did I regret it.

Our question: Has anyone in North America seen these crackers before? Please click on the photo above to see a bigger version.

One of my favourite decadent snacks (other than chocolate, of course) is Pocky. Anyone else out there a Pocky fan? I know Dave Weingart is. :-) Jeff and I recently discovered Black Sesame Pocky...yum.

Here's the Wikipedia entry on "pocky", if you're interested: it's basically a long, thin biscuit stick covered in chocolate. The next time we go to Japan, I'm determined to try all the Pocky flavours I've never had, like Pumpkin, Giane Mikan, Yubari Melon, Powdered Tea Azuki Bean and Kobe Wine.

And now, of course, I'm craving Pocky.



Recent read: Milkweed, by Jerry Spinelli. I enjoyed Spinelli's Maniac Magee, so picked this one up at the Flying Dragon bookshop the other day. Good book, but very sad. It's about a young boy living on the streets of the Nazi-occupied Warsaw during World War II. The main character reminded me a great deal of the little boy in the movie version of Empire of the Sun.


I've just started John Dunning's Booked To Die, recommended to me by Mark Berstein in LJ comments as well as Inside The Business of Illustration by Steven Heller and Marshall Arisman, which I found in a small design/advertising store in Toronto called Swipe. I bought the Dunning book in a mystery bookstore called The Sleuth of Baker Street.

There are so many good bookstores in our new neighbourhood! My main challenge is not to buy more books than I can read at a time. Since Jeff and I got rid of cable tv over a year ago, I've been reading a lot more than I used to. I also love the Northern District Public Library, which has a good young people's fiction section.

So many books, too little time. And to think that when I was very young, I used to honestly think I could one day have read ALL THE BOOKS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. At this rate, I'll be ecstatic if I manage to read all the books on my entire shelf!

:-)

Mar/2006 comments: Read Blatherchat | Post in Blatherchat | Livejournal comments

What kind of book person are YOU?

Today's poll: BOOK SPINE-BREAKING

Which type of book person are you...the type who will do anything to avoid breaking the spine of a book, or the type that doesn't care? I lean toward the former and secretly shudder whenever I see someone put a new book open and face-down on a table; I have to physically restrain myself from rescuing it. Ditto for when I see someone dog-earing pages on a book.

On the other hand, there are some books in my collection that I read so often that they reach the point where it doesn't really matter anymore, where their spines have been broken so many times out of sheer use. Those are usually my comfort books, the type I take into the tub with me and happily read while their pages wrinkle. So I suppose I'm both type of book people, depending on the book.

I think I could have been a bookbinder in another life; I've always been fascinated by the whole process, especially for older books. Which is one of the many reasons I enjoyed Cornelia Funke's Inkheart and Inkspell recently:




These books for young people are the first two in a series. One of the characters is a bookbinder while another is an avid collector of rare books, and there is an obvious reverence for books in the story. I liked the first book (Inkheart) so much that I went back to the store to buy it in hardcover. The hardcovers are especially nice because even under the dustjackets, the covers themselves have the same gorgeous coloured illustrations as the jacket. Didn't like the second quite as much as the first, but still looking forward to the next one.

Another recent read:



Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata was another book for young people. The narrator's voice threw me off a bit in the beginning...I found it a bit too "I'm so cute and clever" at first, but then got caught up in the relationship between the two sisters as well as the story, which focuses on a Japanese-American family that moves from Iowa to Georgia in the 1950s. I made the mistake of reading a particularly moving part of the book while on the subway and had to stop reading because I didn't want other subway patrons asking me why I was crying. :-)

I've been slacking off on my language studies lately, so have started listening to my Living Language All-Audio Italian course again in preparation for our trip later this year. As I mentioned before, Jeff and I have been looking forward to this trip for several years, and we'll be visiting Paris, Florence, Italy and Rome; I've never been to any of these places before. Many thanks to my mom-in-law, who made this trip possible for us!

I'm also thinking of finding a short "Travel French" audio course, one that focuses on the bare essentials. Any suggestions? I took French in high school up to Grade 12 but haven't used it in many years. We'll only be spending a few days in Paris (I'M GETTING EXCITED JUST WRITING 'SPENDING A FEW DAYS IN PARIS'!), so I don't want to invest a ton of time in this.

Mar/2006 comments: Read Blatherchat | Post in Blatherchat | Livejournal comments

Lord of the Rings musical: a review

Just came back from seeing the Lord of the Rings musical at the Princess of Wales theatre with Jeff and two of our nieces. There are some spoilers in LOTR musical review below, just to warn you.

The sets and lighting

The scenery and lighting of this $27-million stage production was AMAZING, and one of the highlights of the show for me. Each scene was a feast for the eyes, turning a single stage convincingly into different parts of Middle Earth over the course of the show, from the ethereal treetop dwellings of Lothlorien to the underground Mines of Moria. It was clear that a great deal of thought (and money) went into the design of each set. I won't go into details because much of the enjoyment is being surprised not only by the appearance of each set, but also by how one changes into the next.



The round stage could rotate and also had many moving pieces. Looks like they've managed to get the glitches out since it operated smoothly throughout the performance, an integral part of the action scenes as well as the different sets. Pretty impressive, really.

The music

I also loved the music. Those expecting catchy Broadway show tunes will be disappointed...instead, I was relieved and delighted; I'm not sure that sort of music would have worked for Lord of the Rings. For me, the music greatly enhanced the atmosphere of each scene. I will definitely get the CD when it comes out.

One of the show's co-composers was Värttinä, a group from Finland. Apparently musical supervisor and orchestrator Chris Nightingale, producer Kevin Wallace and director Matthew Warchus heard one of the group's recordings and thought their music had some of the sound they were looking for. You can hear see videos and hear sound samples on the band's Web site; click on Discography and then on any album for MP3 samples. I just bought their CD "Iki" on iTunes. Check out the sample soundclips on the first few tracks and you'll get an idea of the somewhat "ethnic" and dark atmosphere in much of the LOTR musical.



(Update: Richard Wheatley (aka "Hitch") in the UK has pointed out in LJ comments for this entry: "Much encouraged by your review of the LOTR musical, especially since I have listened to and bought the recordings of Värttinä for some years now. I believe it is a good connection to the created world of Tolkein, JRRT having studied old Finnish literature - and no doubt using it as a point of inspiration.")

Chris Nightingale also worked with A.R. Rahman, an Indian composer with whom he had already worked with for the London, UK production of "Bombay Dreams." It must have been quite the feat, combining input from two sets of composers.

Costumes and effects

Wonderful costumes...kudos to Rob Howell, who also designed the sets. Especially loved the Ents and Dark Riders, how the costumes were enhanced to change the way the actors moved, making their characters more believable.

Kudos also to Special Effects Designer Gregory Meeh and Illusions and Magic Effects Paul Kieve. Many of the effects were truly stunning. There were several points in the show where I found myself staring hard at the stage, wondering how on EARTH they managed to achieve a particular effect. The lighting was an integral part of creating this on-stage magic, thanks to Lighting Designer Paul Pyant.

Choreography

I had heard rumours that there were going to be some acrobatics in the show, but was still impressed by how well these were integrated into the rest of the choreography. I also loved the fun Prancing Pony dance scene, including the traditional-sounding music (reminded me a lot of tunes I hear at my Irish music sessions at the Tranzac!).

The battle at Helm's Deep was especially impressive because the actors were leaping about on a stage whose pieces were constantly moving. A ton of rehearsal must have gone into this scene, considering the risks of slipping on a moving platform in dim lighting. Fortunately the stage didn't encounter the technical problems I've heard about in previous shows.

Anyway, credit goes to Choreographer Peter Darling, Associate Choreographer Rob Tannion, Circus Skills Specialist Alex Frith, and Fight Director Terry King.

The actors/characters

I liked all the characters except for Gandalf, performed by Brent Carver. Carver won a Tony for his starring role in "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and has also won several Gemini Awards. Despite his considerable experience, however, I'm not sure if Gandalf was the right character role for him. It was odd to hear such a young-sounding voice coming from someone supposedly many years older. More importantly, Gandalf's character needs to be performed with more confidence and authority, to at least SOUND as if he's centuries old. Hopefully Carver will be able to settle into a more believable Gandalf, making the production that much stronger. Carver also appeared to forget his lines several times during this evening's performance...not sure what's up with that, since Allison also mentioned this problem in one of the shows last weekend.

Michael Therriault, who plays Gollum.

My favourite character in the musical was Gollum, played by Michael Therriault. Judging from the overwhelming applause at the end of the show when he stepped up to take his bows, I wasn't alone. His use of body language to help portray Gollum's character was amazing. Yes, Andy Serkis did this, too, but Therriault had to keep up an intense amount of physical energy for a sustained period.

Saruman (Richard McMillan) was deliciously evil. He also had far more onstage authority and presence than Gandalf, making me wonder what McMillan would have been like as Gandalf.

The hobbits were wonderful. In our show, understudy Peter van Gestel played Sam instead of Peter Howe. I thought van Gestel did a great job. There were only a few scenes that focused on the friendship between Frodo and Sam, but I thought they worked well.

Evan Buliung performed a very convincing Strider/Aragorn, with the authority and charisma that the role needed.

Ayrin Mackie, who plays Eowyn.

I also very much enjoyed seeing Eowyn's scenes, performed by Ayrin Mackie. Her character was exactly what I had hoped for (Eowyn's one of my favourite LOTR characters); there just wasn't enough of her! Especially in her climactic confrontation with the Witch-King, one of my favourite scenes in the movies. In the play, it was over so quickly I didn't realize what had happened until one of the characters took off her helmet and I saw the blonde hair. Loved Galadriel (performed by Alexandra Bonnet) and her musical soliloquy...for me, it was the most moving scene.

The show was broken into three acts, with short intermissions between (the first intermission was 15 minutes, second was 10 minutes). My favourite act was the second. For me, the third act felt somewhat rushed and unfinished. I wish they had cut the final Treebeard scene and the Scouring of the Shire scene, spent more time on the last battle and Mount Doom scenes as well as more satisfying final scene. I want a big musical finale, dangit! :-)

I'm SO tempted to go back in six months or so, when the show has had time to settle and work out the kinks. Though if someone gave me a ticket to see the show again next week, I'd go without hesitation. So yes, I enjoyed myself very much despite the glitches. :-)

Some other personal reviews I've found online, if you're curious:

Allison
Julie
Connie
WarOfTheRings.net
Sean

You can find more info about the show at LOTR.com.

Feb/2006 comments: Read Blatherchat | Post in Blatherchat | Livejournal comments

bookstores and chocolate and LOTR musical

It's a reading and drawing day. Jeff and I walked around our neighbourhood, visiting bookstores and buying chocolate. My favourite local bookstores: The Flying Dragon Bookshop on Bayview Avenue and Mabel's Fables on Mt. Pleasant Avenue...both are children's bookstores.

I have nothing against major bookstore chains, but I've found that the people working in the smaller, independent bookstores tend to be more knowledgeable and passionate about the books they're selling. I had a wonderful conversation with a woman in The Flying Dragon, for example, about various kids' books including Jules Pfeiffer's The Man In The Ceiling. (Thanks to my friend Rand for recommending I read this book.)

POLL QUESTION:
Do you have a favourite local bookstore (even if it's a mega chain bookstore)? If so, what is it?

I had lots of fun hanging out with Allison, Jodi, Julie and Connie last night. Julie and Connie are in town to see the Lord of the Rings musical with Allison. Julie and Connie were recently interviewed by CBC for this online article. The article, by the way, has a video clip of one of the rehearsals. I'm so excited; Jeff and I are seeing the musical with our nieces next weekend!



I have more pics from last night here, and so does Allison.

Feb/2006 comments: Read Blatherchat | Post in Blatherchat | Livejournal comments

Stripe the Star!

Above: My nieces' guinea pig, Stripe, proudly poses beside my sister's latest picture book; Stripe was the model for the guinea pigs in the story. Thanks to Ruth for the photo, which she is going to be using in her school presentations. Clara and the Bossy is scheduled to be released next month! I just finished updating my sister's Web site; feel free to check it out. Stripe also appeared in a recent episode of TVO's This Is Daniel Cook, along with my sister.

I never had a guinea pig when I was a child, though we did have hermit crabs, zebra finches, a dog and a gerbil. My favourite pet was the dog, a slightly neurotic Australian terrier we named Trudi. My parents said no when my brother, sister and I first asked for a dog. Dogs were too big, noisy, aggressive, they said. Unwilling to give up, the three of us went into intense research mode, combing library resources as well as dog magazines, looking for a breed that WASN'T big, noisy or aggressive.

After weeks of research, Jim, Ruth and I presented a binder of information and photocopied pictures that was basically focussed on "Why We Should Get A Dog And Here's The Dog We Should Get."

My parents said yes. :-)

Here's a painting of Trudi that Ruth did when she was in high school:



Finished Bloody Jack and loved it. I've definitely got to read the next two in the series. I was pleased to see the main character learn to play the penny whistle, especially when she started playing tunes that I know!

Now reading Eragon by Christopher Paolini and Chords & Harmony: Music Theory for Real-World Musicians by Jim Aikin.

Listening to Carbon Leaf: 5 Alive!, part of my Christmas gift from my sister and her family. Thanks to Erin for telling me about this CD. For those of you not familiar with this group, Carbon Leaf's music is a sort of Celtic-folk-rock hybrid. I love the high energy and "feel good" vibe of their music, especially great for when I'm feeling somewhat down. I hope to see them perform live someday!

Jan/2006 comments: Read Blatherchat | Post in Blatherchat | Livejournal comments