Music: Paris Cafe Vibes

 

Without fail, my friends spend (at least) 30 minutes every day to work on writing their novels. They use the same routine every time to minimize distraction - crack out the laptops, sit at a table facing one another, and turn on "Paris Cafe Vibes," a Lofi Girl-esque playlist of downtempo beats. I've heard the same songs dozens of times while waiting for them to finish, and I have to admit, it's good music for chilling...

Artists and Songs:

0:00 Perro Funky - Close your eyes

2:34 Cafune - Dreamin

4:35 Jazzinuf - Bitter Sweet

6:12 Halberd - Coffee On the Beach

9:12 Domo - cafe

11:30 Iwamizu - zokesu

14:04 Iwamizu - tonjaku

16:41 VINDELIC - wish upon the stars

21:35 Mama Aiuto - The great outdoors 

23:26 Too ugly - Cafe nervosa

25:56 The Deli 5:32 pm

28:14 with u - distance [note - this is usually the last track for a half hour writing session]

30:35 Lemause - Truth

34:27 Jazzinuf - Dreaming about you

37:42 Too ugly - Imported Beverages

Links: Blogroll Update-o-rama

It's that time...let's update the Shangrila Towers blogroll with some fresh meat:

jimbentonshots - The first of today's featured cartoonists is Jim Benton, whose irreverent-but-cheerful panels immediately call to mind Gary Larson's The Far Side.

reparrishcomics - The second cartoonist today is R.E. Parrish, who brings his own brand of off-kilter humor to the Internet. If you like giant burgers mixed with jokes about David Foster Wallace and Jean-Paul Sartre, you'll like this.

Balkinization - Headed by Jack Balkin, this blog features posts from dozens of law professors across the country on a variety of topics, including the politics of the day.

The Popehat Report - L.A. attorney Ken White writes this famous blog, focused on First Amendment rights and criminal justice.

On Her Own - A self-defense/shooting website from competition shooter Annette Evans.

Movies: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

I've never read any Judy Blume books, but my understanding is that they were formative for girls growing up in the '70s and '80s. That's why one of Blume's most beloved titles, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, has been granted a rare boon for a mid-budget non-genre flick in 2023 - a theatrical release:

Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, the film is a classic coming-of-age story about a tween dealing with a host of taxing but ultimately mundane issues: moving from New York City to the New Jersey suburbs, wrestling with religion amidst family strife, and trying to get her first period. The titular character is played by Abby Ryder Fortson (Ant-Man), who does a great job garnering audience sympathy, and she's joined by Rachel MacAdams and Kathy Bates, who play Margaret's mother and grandmother, respectively.

I thought the movie was good, but that the stakes were a little low. The best coming-of-age movies have some sort of extraordinary challenge facing the main character (your Stand By Mes or Sandlots), but in Are You There, God?, Margaret's never in any danger of "losing" even so much as her pride. It's a perfectly fine, well-made movie with some genuine laughs and heart, but this may have been better suited to streaming - sorry, Mr. Scorsese.

Rating: 7/10

Food: Taste of Chengdu (West Colonial Drive, Orlando)

 

Taste of Chengdu is one of my friend's favorite Sichuan restaurants, mostly because of its convenient West Colonial Drive location - perfect for a quick dinner before hitting the Turnpike. It's not the best Sichuan food I've ever tasted, but it'll satisfy your craving for mouth-numbing hot peppers (just don't confuse it with Chengdu Taste, a California-based chain). Standouts on the menu include mung bean jelly in spicy sauce, chili fish, and the decadent pork belly with cucumber.

Miscellany: Brooks Glycerin GTS 19 review

Running shoe reviews are weird, in that it's hard to evaluate shoes until you've basically worn them out (I had a pair of On Cloudswifts that, while fast and comfortable, did not hold up to long-term use). One pair of shoes that I had good luck with last year was the Brooks Glycerin GTS 19 (the current model is the GTS 20, which is very similar).

It's a heavily padded, supportive shoe, so minimalist/barefoot runners and speed demons should look elsewhere. For a duffer like me, pounding the pavement to train for half-marathons and trail runs, it's perfect. It kept me injury free over hundreds of miles, netting me a decent 1:50 half marathon time, which is all I can ask for in a running shoe.

Music: Taylor Swift "The Eras Tour" concert review

I've been to several Taylor Swift concerts in the past, and she always puts on a great show. But even I was unprepared for the spectacle generated by "The Eras Tour" on a sold-out night in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, the only Florida stop. "Swifties" from far and wide flooded the city, shutting down streets, "Taylor-gating," and showing off a dizzying variety of costumes and outfits based on Swift's songs.

My sister somehow got us floor-level tickets just 50 feet from the stage, an incredible feat given demand so heavy it crashed Ticketmaster and prompted Congressional antitrust hearings. The tickets could have been sold for many thousands of dollars on the street, but incredibly, I think they were worth it. This is probably the best show on Earth right now.

Perhaps sensing that they were going to have to give fans their money's worth, the "Eras" show is both exhaustive and exhausting, with elaborate set pieces, pyro, fireworks, props, and dancers - part Broadway and part Las Vegas.  This is by far the longest setlist Swift has ever toured with, too: 42 set songs and 2 surprise songs from across her career, which are all presented uncut or nearly uncut. Not counting the opening acts, it takes over three and a half hours to get through.

I'm a Taylor Swift fan, but it was almost too much of a good thing. While it was awesome grooving to dozens of hits, I did find myself checking my watch around the 120-minute mark. Dozens of tracks from the same artist eventually start to run together, no matter how talented the performer. So, when the confetti started pouring, I put this unforgettable experience in the memory banks and shuffled to the exit, along with thousands of other tired, satisfied fans.

Miscellany: Korchmar Monroe briefcase review

We're starting to have more in-person trials now, and it's giving me the opportunity to deploy my trusty Korchmar Monroe briefcase (officially an "attaché case") in tan leather:

Briefcases in general, and this Korchmar in particular, are relics from a bygone era. Most lawyers nowadays use nylon or leather shoulder bags to carry their hearing binders and laptops, not a heavy 5" thick wooden box that needs a big flat surface to open.

On the other hand, I do like the way a classic briefcase organizes and displays its contents, and it certainly looks a lot cooler than a boring old laptop case. There's also a small bit of added security from the dual combination locks - they won't deter a real thief, but should dissuade a passerby from looking through your papers:

According to Korchmar's website, these briefcases are no longer made in America (instead being produced in Korchmar's factory in the Dominican Republic), but they still use full grain American leather, brass hardware, and white pine. From my experience, they are built to last - the leather is in good shape even after schlepping from courthouse to courthouse for the past few years:

The downside to Korchmar's old-school construction is the price - usually around $600-$700. That's pretty expensive, but perhaps worth it if you use a briefcase for work and need something tough as nails - I think it is.