Dopo il quadranga, ci voleva la raccolta differenziata obbligatoria a Paestum per farmi saltare i nervi di prima mattina in vacanza. Umido, secco indifferenziato e multimateriale. Poi, a parte, c'è naturalmente la raccolta del vetro, sprovvista di istruzioni specifiche. Busta avorio, busta grigia, busta azzurra: si possono depositare dopo il tramonto e a giorni alterni. Nel dubbio, abbiamo accumulato un grosso quantitativo di mozziconi di sigaretta, e in giardino invece dei nani abbiamo una bella schiera ordinata di fiale di Heineken e bottiglie di vino bianco a fare la guardia di notte. E' nevrosi.

(Riceviamo e pubblichiamo) [audio http://www.francesconardi.it/astridnausicaa/medio.mp3] L'Italiano medio - Articolo31 (Italiano medio, 2003)

After a delightful afternoon in Westwood at an art exhibition, I slipped into the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery to take a gander at the crypt of screen siren, Marilyn Monroe.

Just as I expected, fresh cut flowers adorned her resting place.

Although the Westwood Cemetery stands in the shadow of the Oppenheimer Building on Wilshire - and is postage-sized - there are a number of heavyweights interned there.

Just a few steps away from Marilyn, for instance, tourists can take a peak at Producer Ross Hunter's plaque.

And, some of the headstones are etched with hilarious epitaphs.

For instance, on Merv Griffin's understated stone the script reads,

"I will not be right back after this message."

What would you expect from the loud-mouthed comedian, Rodney Dangerfield?

"There goes the neighborhood," he chuckles from the great beyond.

Dean Martin's last words are taken from one of his hit tunes.

"Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime."

I found it ironic that a couple of plots over from Jack Lemmon, Billy Wilder hails. If you recall, the dynamic duo teamed up on the hit comedy, "Some Like it Hot".

Other luminaries such as - Walter Matthau, Louise Jordan, and Mel Torme - attract a host of fans from all parts of the country each year - pining to pay their respects.

Across town, at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, fans of the great and not-so-great can whisper in awe at the tombs of - heart-throb Rudolph Valentino (we share the same birthday, May 6th), screen idol Tyrone Power, actress Fay Wray, dashing Douglas Fairbanks Jr., sex goddess Jayne Mansfield, screen tough guy Edward G. Robinson - and a multitude of others.

In fact - the grave sites have become such a ghoulish attraction in this regard - that it was only inevitable that sight-seers would be hungry to hover over the fated spot where they met their final demise, too.

So, enter - "Graveline Tours" - a company that takes you on a tour of the locations where celebrities gasped their last breath.

Along the way, you may stop outside of - "The Viper Room - to take a respectful glance at the spot where River Phoenix collapsed, for instance. Or, check out the mysterious garage on Holloway Drive, actor Sal Mineo stepped out of to meet his appointment with death.

For the longest time, I thought pilgrimages to grave sites were foolish, a waste of time. After all, weren't the precious memorials just a way to "mark" a sentient being's "time" on this mortal coil?

But, a couple of years ago, I was inclined to reconsider that notion when an eerie experience jolted me into reality.

One day, I embarked on a trip to Forest Lawn in Toronto, to pay respects at my own father's tomb.

Because "Victor's" stone had been a bit neglected over the years - what with my mother gone and myself residing in the U.S. - it had unfortunately slipped into the ground a bit out of plain view.

So, after the grounds-keeper assisted me in locating the plot, I proceeded to tidy up the vicinity of his marker and planted a flowering bush to brighten up the site a bit.

As I turned to stride off, I couldn't help but notice the stone adjacent to my Dad's was a bit neglected, too.

I felt a little pang in the deep recesses of my heart; it was as if someone was crying out to me, but who?

"Aw, what the heck," I said to myself. "Why not tidy up that stone, too?"

Shortly after I began to sweep dust and debris off the stone, I was suddenly taken aback when I spied the name etched on the marble placer for the first time.

Oh my God! It was my Aunt Louise's burial site!

A chill ran up and down my spine. Gosh, was she the one urging me from the eternal ether to take some compassion on her neglected stone, too?

Although the grave site may not be a soul's final resting place - undoubtedly - a grave site on this earthly plane is a place where a loved one may connect to a spirit that has passed.

Like humans, souls get nostalgic, too.

Walter Scott once said,

Death, the last sleep? No, the final awakening.

Wait for it... Tom Waits gets the key to a Texas city. Now I've never heard more than one Tom Waits song in my life, but he does strike me as the sort of bad ass dude who deserves the key to a city.

The Viper Room is going to get a face lift. Apparently being stuck in a building that smells really bad while you see a concert isn't a lot of fun. Hopefully the new, cleaned up one won't get the other Phoenix, too.

Then again, I'd hate for this new Viper Room to discourage bands like the Brian Jonestown Massacre from performing:

Phish may make us suffer a reunion sometime in the very near future.

On the plus side, the All-You-Can-Rape Buffet would return!

The Juno soundtrack at one point in time had the potential to be good. And I would have so looked forward to hearing Autumn Sweater in a movie!

That mean ol' RIAA is going to have to pay the legal fees of a defendant who defeated a recent RIAA lawsuit.

You too can enjoy the power of negative thinking with the new Jesus & Mary Chain box set!

Whip that lawsuit. Whip it good! Jihad Jerry is planning on suing Hamas in the near-future.

Nardi (sbagliando vergognosamente numero e scambiandolo con quello di casa di una mia amica): «Pronto, Radioradicale?»

La mia amica (memore di uno scherzo cattivissimo risalente ad un paio di mesi fa): «No, guardi, ha sbagliato numero. Mmm... Francè, sei tu?»

[audio http://www.francesconardi.it/astridnausicaa/disorder.mp3] Disorder - Joy Division (Unknown Pleasures, 1979)

Come one, come all! It promises to be a great time! Their music rocks shit out!

For those of you coming, be sure to bring your entourages, small or big. 

The entertainment presses will be in attendance so it'll be great to see a full house at both places!

Thanks, Possums!

There SOLD OUT Viper Room show is tonight, but fear not Chester French is giving LA a second chance to catch them. The duo who cut an album in the dorms' basement at Harvard and was subsequently signed by Pharrell Williams, are playing a free acoustic set tonight at your favorite shoe store, Undefeated.

Undefeated, 3827 W. Sunset Blvd (between Hyperion
and Lucile), Silver Lake, 323-668-1315

--Mikey

Fare rifornimento all'entrata del cinema di una manciata di girelle di liquirizia, gelatine e mandorle pralinate da ingurgitare compulsivamente durante le presunte due ore di durata della proiezione, è indice univoco dell'entusiasmo dell'attesa. E' indice di fiducia per il regista, Sorrentino, e per il migliore attore che l'Italia possa vantare al momento, Toni Servillo. Ci avevano sorpresi in una sera d'estate, l'anno scorso, mentre sulle pareti della camera da letto scorrevano le immagini proiettate (lo so, siamo una vergogna) de "Le Conseguenze dell'amore". E invece ieri sera verso la fine eravamo visibilmente imbarazzati e perplessi, io quasi addormentata. Bella la colonna sonora, e sentire "Da da da" mentre scorrevano i titoli di coda, un sollievo. Gran delusione, il Divo Giulio. Avrei preferito il Bagaglino, o il Museo delle Cere. E anche Sex & The City, ora che ci penso.
[audio http://www.francesconardi.it/astridnausicaa/dadada.mp3]Da da da - Trio (Bye Bye, 1982)

Ieri sera io e Francesco - onde evitare di disturbare i nostri ginecologi di fiducia (ne sono 3) nella serata di venerdì - cercavamo di reperire informazioni circa le possibili interazioni, con l'efficacia della mia pillola anticoncezionale, di alcuni tipi di antibiotici a largo spettro che sono costretta a prendere a causa di una febbretta che persiste da diversi giorni. Ebbene, ci è capitato di incappare, tra le altre cose, nella sezione Frequently (!!!) Asked Questions di "Vita di donna" il portale della Casa Internazionale delle Donne, dove un ragazzo, preoccupato, dopo aver premesso di avere da ormai tre anni consueti rapporti completi con la sua ragazza, si domandava: "Ingoiare lo sperma ogni volta che si ha un rapporto orale con un orgasmo conseguente, può avere controindicazioni che possono inibire l'effetto della pillola"? Il medico di turno risponde, sintetico e impassibile: "Non vi è nessuna controindicazione a ingerire liquido seminale". Ennò ragazzi, non ci sono controindicazioni di sorta, e con il sesso orale noi fanciulline non possiamo in alcun modo rimanere incinte. Però, mi raccomando, ricordatevi sempre che è contrario al Catechismo. Ah, i maschietti...

Dal genio di Ciro Monacella

[audio http://www.francesconardi.it/astridnausicaa/uptown.mp3] Uptown girl (versione punk)

Ronaldo cerca di salvarsi in corner dichiarando in un'intervista al quotidiano brasiliano O Globo: «Ho fatto una stupidata. E' stato un momento drammatico, in cui ho preso la decisione peggiore della mia vita e so che me ne pentirò per il resto dei miei giorni. Non ho mai pensato che potessero essere dei trans. Io sono assolutamente eterosessuale, sopra ogni dubbio». E' mortificato, il povero Ronaldo. La scappatella scandalosa con tre transessuali può infatti costargli cara: rischia di perdere, stando alle notizie trapelate negli ultimi giorni, il contratto da 4,8 milioni di dollari annui con il Tim Brasile e un contratto di ben 100 milioni di dollari con la Nike, per aver dato "un'immagine negativa di sè". A rischio di sembrare impopolare, io continuo a pensare che vergognoso sia che in Brasile, come nel resto del mondo, un calciatore guadagni tutti questi milioni di dollari, e non che nella sua vita privata partecipi ai festini con i trans. Ma si sa, è il gioco del mercato.
[audio http://www.francesconardi.it/astridnausicaa/lagrimas.mp3]Lagrimas de oro - Manu Chao

THE VIPER ROOM show –

Many of you kind folks have asked how the viper went. We plugged in and the curtain opened and on the very first chord of the song “DUMMY”- the power blew up. It was just jesse playing a fabulous acoustic drum solo and me telling jokes on the mic for what seemed like an eternity (most likely 3 or 4 mins). I told the crowd if anyone had an acoustic guitar to pass it up and we would turn it into a campfire show….They eventually closed the curtain- everyone smiling and playing air guitars with jesse, and reopened it a few moments later after some hardworking sound guys chased down the problem. Some momentum was curbed but everyone had a blast and the show went on. Here’s a little guy from the asian bistro…..

CASXIO is back with a spanking new 4 track EP.

Having caused mayhem at SXSW and messed with the world famous viper room not too long ago, they are slowly but surely gonna annihilate the U.S. one music club at a time.

we heard their incredible single seventeen previously.

SO...if you are up for it. their 4 track EP is up for a download at their site.

grab it. now. now.

and if you aren't convinced, listen to boiling point.

mp3|CASXIO - boiling point

mp3|CASXIO - seventeen

CASXIO website

CASXIO myspace

Update delle 16.30: oggi su Libmagazine "Le relazioni pericolose. Quando la cronaca rosa si tinge di nero". Jennifer Zacconi come Nola Rice. (di Astrid e Marzia)

CASXIO popped a single in my ears recently and boy did it rumble.

They are a coke-funk quartet from LA and if you wanted something fresh
and better than your average band to jump onto the dance wagon, here it is.

They are gonna be so damn hot if their album
turns and churns out tracks like seventeen.
Pretty damn insanely catchy!

They played at the viper room on monday
and if you missed it you should be catching them at SXSW.

you have to grab seventeen........

mp3|CASXIO- seventeen

CASXIO website
CASXIO myspace

 And it was definitely nice having people come out and enjoy the show - I did like the Eskimohunter, the headliners of the night, they pulled off a very nice Ride reminiscent set, with a bit more spaced-out vibes going. If they were in Seattle they'd be playing with Voyager One all the time. I don't mean that in a bad way, i just mean they have their sound, and they roll it out well. Us? Well, we're still fresh and young (as a band, not necessarily as individuals... I mean - a couple of years ago I would not be feeling this bad after a night of playing and drinking... and I didn't even drink that much... stupid time. Making me get all older and stuff.) and we are still working out our sound. We get the whole shoegaze thing, but we aren't quite that - we get the Sundays meets Velvet Underground thing, but I don't know - I think it's too soon to just throw a label on us, 'cause the sound is still a little kid, and will be growing out of it's current notes as the months trip by.

In other news, we're thinking about a video, thinking about an album, and thinking about playing more shows - more news as it moves.

 On the outside of band life, Shelley and I just passed our 3 year mark - and that makes me smile... i wouldn't be here and doing all the things i do if it wasn't for her. and it's good. we sorta split our celebration a bit - just the two of us going out for a great dinner at daichan, and then a few days later, we went out with tina and nathan for nathan's birthday dinner at Campanile. not a cheap place to go, but the food definitely was worth it. i have never in my entire life had mashed potatoes taste so good - and i have had some damn fine taters in my time.

so, evidently, the building that this restaurant is now in was built by Charlie Chaplin in 1929, supposedly for his personal offices, but lost the building before it was completed to his ex-wife in a divorce settlement. This explains why the room we were in was called "The Charlie Chaplin Room". So - the  food was great - the bread was amazing (thanks to the connected La Brea Bakery) - and while not a place we will be eating at often, it is a place we will eat at again.

 Shelley hit the jury duty a couple of days last week, and i just remained at work, and canadian.  we have our office party coming up at the end of the week, and we just put up our little 4 1/2 foot Target Christmas tree, and decorated it last night. We got some cards done, and some presents ready - so it's beginning to feel a lot like christmas...

now if i could just shake this hangover, that feeling would be a whole lot better.