Sunday, January 31, 2010

MONTHLY REVIEW: January

If the first month of 2010 at ZONINO! is any indication, we sure started out the new year right...

MUSIC

Bruce Springsteen reminded us what music is all about and that the great ones never die while being recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony.

Fergie and The Black Eyed Peas wowed with their new slow-jam "Meet Me Halfway".

Mark Medlock had or toes tapping along and "going crazy" to his catchy single "Mamacita".

New single and video for "Shady Esperanto and the Young Hearts" from Boston-borne band, Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers, was a welcome return for this underrated group.

San Francisco indie group, Girls, single "Hellhole Ratrace" extols the virtues of living life to the fullest!

Jazz chanteuse, Meldoy Gardot, dazzles in her video for "Baby, I'm A Fool".

The sad circumstances of the Hope For Haiti telethon had several musical silver linings including the performance of "Hallelujah" by Justin Timberlake and Mark Morris available on iTunes.

Folk/Americana newcomer Sarah Siskind has been getting all kinds of industry buzz.

BOOK

Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is a masters course in writing captivating dialogue. The story is phenomenal too!

RIP J.D. Salinger. We loved Franny and Zooey best!!!

RECIPE

Stay warm this winter by starting with a taste of Peru from some flavorful Quinoa Soup. Our recipe for White Chicken Chili will certainly keep away the chill. If you dare, try the bold experiment known to many a BBQer as The Bacon Explosion!

And for dessert there is nothing better than some hot Apricot Crisp!

MOVIE

Marvel at Tim Burton's latest masterpiece Alice In Wonderland.

Believe it or not, Avatar lives up to the hype!

On a more subtle but no less ingenious level, Ricky Gervais's The Invention of Lying will have you laughing at what it means to be human.

WEBSITE

New Year's resolution need a bit of inspiration? Check out The Heart of the Matter for a reboot!

SignUp Genius will help you with all the multitasking and delegating you might be doing this year!

Become inspired by the stories shared and passed on with the StoryCorps initiative. What do you have to say???

You life is anything but, however the postings on My Life Is Average might give you second thoughts as they can also entertain for hours on end!

YOUTUBE

Male a capella choir Chanticleer perform the haunting and beautiful Past Life Memories in Estonia with stunning results.

Think you're tech-savvy? Do you have a laptop that can do this?

The people at Key of Awesome have a knack for pop-culture musical parody!

Band Shallow Day's video for the topically appropriate "Twilight (What Have You Done To My Wife)" is definitely a crowd-pleaser.

WORD

In another lacuna typical in his judgment, and with an inveterate wave of his hand, the king dismissed the complaints regarding his newest precatory law requiring all citizen to wear red hats on Saturdays.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

BOOK: Franny and Zooey

With the recent passing of novelist J.D. Salinger, most obituaries and tributes dwell on his most famous work, The Catcher In The Rye. While I agree that this is an important book for many and definitely a piece of classic American literature, I thought I should pay tribute to Salinger with a ZONINO! of my favorite of his novels, Franny and Zooey.

The book, divided in two parts, one for each of the characters, tells the tale many of us can relate to - self-identity in our formational years as 20-somethings. Franny, who the first part is dedicated to, is in college and frustrated with the life around her. Her older brother, Zooey, namesake of the second part, tries to console and counsel his younger sister in his slightly more experienced worldview. The whole story takes place over the course of a couple days and, with a lot of wit, and an uncany ability to capture genuine sibling love, Salinger shows the concerns of the era - late 1950's - and the attitudes of it's young adults.

The book rang true for me on many levels when I first read it in college and I think it has a lot of themes that people can relate to today in our current social and politcal situation. This is not a slow read so I encourge you to take a chance on this (should be) classic by a fantastic author. R.I.P.

Buzzy

Friday, January 29, 2010

MUSICAL: American Idiot (reprise)

Back in October, punk band Green Day's rock musical "American Idiot" got a ZONINO! when it was just a start-up in Berkeley, California. Well, the production is headed to BROADWAY! (You heard about it here first, folks!)

The show opens at the St. James Theatre on April 20th with previews beginning March 24th. Check out the official website for show times and other details. As an added bonus, tune in to the Grammy Awards on Sunday to see the band appear alongside the entire production cast as they perform the Grammy-nominated song "21 Guns".

Sergio del Limonar

Thursday, January 28, 2010

MUSIC: Sarah Siskind


Please do yourself a favor and check out Sarah Siskind. Her debut album, Say It Louder, is getting all kinds of deservedly good reviews, including Bob Dylan collaborator, Al Kooper, who said it "might be 'Tapestry' for the new millennium."

Die a little when you listen to "Lovin's For Fools".

Mrs. Fitzsimmons 1

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

RECIPE: Bacon Explosion

This is incredible. Incredibly bad for your arteries. Incredibly delicious. An incredible amount of meat.

It should be stated that I have not attempted this BBQ monstrosity yet, but I do plan to. Some recipes are so obviously ZONINO! before you even taste them that its okay to post about it before testing it out.

This write-up from BBQ Addict provides a fantastic step by step instruction for creating this loaf of bacony goodness along with photographic proof that it can be done. Also check out this article from the New York Times regarding this grilling trend.

Now, go run a few dozen laps around the block!

Sergio del Limonar

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

RECIPE: White Chicken Chili

This twist on the classic chili recipe will definitely keep you toasty on a cold winter night.

Ingredients:
1 – 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken, diced in bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can chopped green chilies (Old El Paso brand works well)
14 ounces chicken broth
3 cups cooked white beans
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. red cayenne pepper
1 tsp. hot sauce

What To Do:

1) Sauté chicken on medium-high heat in a Dutch oven until outside is cooked.

2) Add onions and garlic and continue to sauté about 5 more minutes.

3) Lower the heat to medium and add the chilies, the seasonings, the broth, and then the beans. Stir well.

4) Bring to a boil, and then simmer at least 10 minutes—the longer the better.

5) Can be thickened by mixing 1/8 cup cornstarch to ¼ cup of cold water and then adding into soup.

6) Best served with tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and hot sauce.

Sergio del Limonar

Monday, January 25, 2010

WEBSITE: My Life Is Average

I heard an interview with a famous author the other day where he was asked how he comes up with some of his descriptions. His response was that he carries a small notepad around with him at all times at jots down the often inane thoughts that drift through his head as he experiences life. The color of some lady's dress, how the waiter said the word "water" in a slightly nasal way, the irony of the old man walking a puppy after dinner. Anything.

Now, imagine if you did this. Kind of like Twitter but less annoying and completely non-invasive in the self-centered attention-craved way. That is the idea of My Life Is Average. A blog that is anything but.

The tagline of the site is "Life is pretty normal today..." which is true but this "normal life" is intriguing. Reading the quick musings of its posts makes me think about what it would be like to travel around inside one of my funnier friends' minds for a couple days, eavesdropping on all their minute by minute internal dialogues.

As the entries are all super short it is great for just "popping in" from time to time as well as wasting away several hours laughing to one's self. So, in comparison, how "average" is your life???

Sergio del Limonar

Sunday, January 24, 2010

MUSIC: "Hallelujah" cover Hope For Haiti

If you missed the Hope For Haiti benefit concert on Friday night, it was quite the show. (The best part is you can definitely still donate!) The musical highlight for me was the Justin Timberlake / Mark Morris collaboration on Leonard Cohen's standard "Hallelujah".

Not only did the song seem unbelievably appropriate for the occasion, but these two gentlemens' voices were so perfectly blended it was as if they were one. This is what all duets should be. Purchase the song on iTunes for charity and enjoy the tune for years to come.

Sergio del Limonar

Saturday, January 23, 2010

YOUTUBE: Twilight (What Have You Done To My Wife?)

As Twilight-mania seems to be currently overcome by blue space aliens, real world shaping events like the Haitian earthquake, or just general boredom, I'm sure it will only be short-lived. Another book or subsequent movie is right around the corner and at the very least, someone else will attempt to knock-off the genre and get a few bucks out of it.

In the mean time, the band Shallow Day has made a video for a song capturing their frustrations. "Twilight (What Have You Done To My Wife)" begs the question of how a "pale skinned Cullin who's ass-shaped" can steal the hearts of some many normally-levelheaded women?

The video is low-budget but has evidence of a Dracula-sized castle full of creativity. I love the werewolf posse the band acquires as they walk down the street. Ironic, as the lyrics hint, that a book and movie franchise about vampires and werewolves can turn people to zombies!

Sergio del Limonar

Friday, January 22, 2010

WORD: lacuna

Like a void, a hollow, or vacuous space, a lucuna is a noun describing an empty space or a gap in some sequence.

As the detective looked over his notes once again, he realized the key to solving this mystery was in the vacuna of minutes preceding midnight.


It was either Bobby's wild imagination, a vacuna in his judgment, or both, that might have explained why jumped off the garage roof with a towel around his neck like a cape.

Sergio del Limónar

Thursday, January 21, 2010

WEBSITE: StoryCorps

Why did Grandma never throw out that old dusty-green hat in the back of her closet, but never wear it either? Is there a reason Aunt Rita and Uncle Stan live so far away from the rest of the immediate family? How did Great-Grandpa acquire that Ming vase? And what's with that rickety old shed in Old Man Nathanson's backyard that he cares for so intently?

Stories are important. They teach us lessons, entertain us, make us laugh, or cause tears to fall. Regardless of the length, purpose, or teller, my the end of a story, we have been arguably changed just a little bit.

StoryCorps is an organization that serves as a forum for people to share their stories with each other in a familial and historical setting. Often heard on NPR, recorded conversations, about anything the listening participant wants to know, can be found stored in the Library of Congress for all to discover.

I often think about how fortunate we are to have documentary interviews - and out takes, no doubt - from the last remembering survivors of such events as the Titanic or the landing on Omaha Beach D-Day morning in Normandy. But it's just as important to save the smaller-scale stories; the vignettes that might have changes the lives of only a few but were just as important to those few.

Go to the blog portion of this site and check out some of the videos and stories "from the road." Beware, though, for you might be here for several hours! The people, much like their stories, are captivating!

Sergio del Limónar

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

MOVIE: The Invention of Lying

If I told you there was an ensemble movie starring Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, and Jonah Hill, with bit parts from Tina Fey, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Guest, Jeffrey Tambor, Ed Norton, and Jason Bateman that only made slightly under $20 million at the box office, would you believe me? Well, if this world were anything like the one in The Invention of Lying, you would have to because it's criminally true.

Making his directoral debut, Gervais stars as a man, Mark, recently fired from a job he admittedly isn't very good at, who figures out how to not tell the truth, something no one else in the world has ever not been able to do before. Everyone in this bizarre world says what they think and accept what others say because, well, no one can say anything that isn't correct. If your baby is fat and someone tells you so, it must be true, and on some level you already knew it. Dates can end before they even begin with one party stating that the "relationship" will go nowhere because of the other party's inadequate finances or receding hairline genetics.

By telling a few small untruths solely to make those around him feel better, Mark ends up with the world in the palm of his hand as everyone - even those still calling him a loser - hold what he has said to be the truth. The only thing he can't get is, of course, the girl of his dreams. A blend of Gervais humor with a mashing of many great comedic styles, the film takes many twists and never pauses long enough to take things too seriously yet stays true to its deeper meaning throughout.

My only hope for this film is that it becomes what many movie house duds become: cult classics. Don't let this one end up in the Walmart bargin bin!

Sergio del Limónar

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

MUSIC: "Baby, I'm A Fool" video

Britney, Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, and all the other singing starlets who like to get a little naked in their videos should take one simple note from jazz chanteuse Melody Gardot: nothing is sexier than library glasses and an updo.

Gardot oozes passion with no trashin' in her video, "Baby I'm A Fool", a self-penned tune off her sophomore album My One And Only Thrill. Although Gardot's specs are vision and health related, she owns them in this video; even soaking in a bubble bath surrounded by dancing tuxedoed men seems acceptable in this classy take on what will be sure to become a new-generation jazz standard.

Sergio del Limónar

Monday, January 18, 2010

YOUTUBE: Key of Awesome

Clearly we here at ZONINO! have a sweet spot for good parody. It's been awhile but we've come across another mock-video set to entertain you with hilarious visuals and intensely clever lyrics.

The YouTube series Key of Awesome has music videos poking fun at all your favorite topical pop-culture fads in television and music right now. From "Jersey Shore" (with Garden State native "Bruce Springsteen") to teen-crooner Justin Bieber.

In the video parodying Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" video, "Gaga" sings, "I like to eat brillo pads that's how I got this voice, sometimes I like to cut myself but it's a fashion choice."

"Emo Vampire", appropriately enough poking fun at the "Twilight" saga, stars a old-timey vampire (a la Dracula) singing sadly about how he'll "never be an emo vampire...i've got nothing in common with the vampires of today, they gaze at girls and pout and brood, and then just run away." There is even a great jab in the song at author Stephanie Meyers.

These videos show how you don't have to be amazingly high-tech, just maybe tech-savvy, to create something that's technically humorous.

Sergio del Limónar

Sunday, January 17, 2010

WEBSITE: SignUpGenius

So, you know who's going to your party, thanks to some online invitation you sent out, but what if you need more information? What if this party is a potluck? Your party would be over before it began if too many people brought hamburger buns and there was not one dish of potato salad! What to do?!?!

Head on over to SignUpGenius, a site devoted to helping you organize your next function, when all of the organizing doesn't fall on the organizer! Coordinating rides for the kids' basketball team or desserts for the PTA fundraiser? Send out an easy to use form to all members and watch how a carpool or brownie catastrophe can be avoided!

The site also allows for automated email reminders to be sent to members, as well as a nifty “swapping” feature for schedule changes. The organizer can take a break and let the program work its own magic, holding everyone responsible and accountable for the activity's success!

Sergio del Limónar

Saturday, January 16, 2010

YOUTUBE: Future of Laptops

Remember watching The Jetson's cartoon growing up? I always loved the absurdness of George, not flying his car to work, but getting there and having the thing fold up into a briefcase.

Well, we're not to the era of the origami-car yet, but it does look like some other semi-bulky conveniences are become more compactable. The Rolltop computer, a laptop that folds and rolls up into a tube-like shape appears to be on the horizon.

The video is dated back in September so, by technological standards, this is probably old news, but until I actually start spotting them out on the street, my ignorant self is going to pretend its cutting edge! Come to think of it, maybe I have seen them...?

Sergio del Limonar

Friday, January 15, 2010

MUSIC: "Hellhole Ratrace"

"I don't wanna die without shaking up a leg or two...Yeah, I wanna do some dancin' too!"

Who doesn't feel that way from time to time. This song "Hellhole Ratrace", by San Francisco band Girls (made up of no girls, FYI), off their album titled Album, is about just getting through. A slow-burning rocker, the song is a self-motivating plea to to the best you can and enjoy yourself while you're doing it - to live happily with no regrets.

I wish I would have heard this one on New Years Eve! My resolution may have lasted a day longer...

Buzzy

Thursday, January 14, 2010

WEBSITE: The Heart of the Matter

I might be feeling sentimental today because its soooo cold outside and the whiner inside of me just wants to curl up under a big goose-down blanket and watch endless hours of "Sex In The City" and "Mad About You" DVD's with a bottomless cup of hot chocolate instead of braving the sub-arctic cold to even just start my car. Or maybe my daily double shot espresso low fat hazelnut mochaccino has been drugged...

Whatever the reason, I'm dripping sap today and feel the need to pass along one of my favorite websites. A blog called The Heart of the Matter, maintained by one Mitch Ditkoff, deals in all things meant to make you feel good about life. To quote Ditkoff's mission statement, its about "what's really important in this life: Love, longing, letting go, gratitude, happiness, truth, consciousness, presence, and the effort required to wake up and smell the roses." Awwwe...

Filled with anything from poems, photography, essays, charity updates, and Youtube videos, this sight will have something to convince you there is still hope in our world. It's not for everyone, and I am not looking to meet the person who likes everything on this list - sorry Mitch, but I guarantee you'll find something that'll brighten this frigid frigid day!

Buzzy


Wednesday, January 13, 2010

MUSIC: "Shady Esperanto and the Young Hearts" video

Massachusetts band Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers has been a favorite of mine for several years. If you've never heard of them then you are probably in the majority (and obviously don't go to UMass). This is definitely a band to keep an eye on, though, as they are poised to be the next big thing.

The video for their first single, "Shady Esperanto and the Young Hearts", off their fourth studio album, The Bear, is a giddy romp back to the days of our childhood backyard imaginations. Utilizing the UMass Minuteman Marching band (sans instrumnets for the most part) and seemingly impromptu choreography, the group embraces the lyrics "I never want to get old!"

Sergio del Limonar

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

WORD: Precatory

Try and use this one today! Precatory is an adjective referring to the request of something. It is derived from the Latin "precari" which means "to pray."

All of the laws Senator Cawshaus backs are precatory and have little mandate.

A precatory memo about skipping the usual lunch hour sent from the head of the company was met with mixed emotions by the employees.

Sergio del Limonar

Monday, January 11, 2010

MOVIE: Avatar

When I saw the first preview for Avatar, James Cameron's first movie since Titanic, I thought it looked terrible and was certain no amount of hype would entice people to go see some film about a bunch of giant blue aliens and their epic-looking battle against what looked like robots, dinosaurs, and humans. But then the reviews came in from usually reputable critics, and even some friends of mine were impressed.

I couldn't believe this was possible so I had to investigate. I was even a little less thrilled to see the film when I realized it was in 3D and the ticket was more because of the cost of the glasses. The stakes were getting higher for this movie exponentially by the emptying of my wallet.

Go and see Avatar. For real.

It is by no means an Oscar-dominating movie, but it will blow your mind. If you have the option of seeing the 3D version, do it. The magic of the animation and the mysticism of the story are enhanced tremendously by donning these glasses.

The story, while not over-complicated, is both timely and captivating. A scientist researching life on the planet of Pandora dies and his paraplegic twin brother, an injured marine name Jake Sully, is asked to take his place because of their identical DNA. Electronically linking to a biologically manufactured alien-body, resembling the native Na'vi. Over a course of three months Sully befriends and learns from the Na'vi and is then asked by the military to betray them for the sake of the humans' wish to mine for a particular mineral in the ground.

Taking on social commentary - the environment, eminent domain, racism, and power - without being preachy, the movie will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Or off it occasionally if you're wearing the 3D specs!

Sergio del Limonar

Sunday, January 10, 2010

YOUTUBE: Past Life Melodies

The human voice is an amazing thing. Check out this performance of "Past Life Memories", by Sarah Hopkins, by the group Chanticleer at the Estonia Concert Hall in Lithuania from 2006. Haunting, mesmerizing, and powerful.

Sergio del Limonar

Saturday, January 9, 2010

RECIPE: Apricot Crisp

Happy National Apricot Day! (No, really. January 9th is National Apricot Day. Seriously, look it up!)

Ingredients:

*8 apricots (halved)
*1 cup of flour
*1/2 cup of sugar
*1/3 cup of ground almonds
*1/2 cup of butter (cut into cubes)
*salt
*1 tablespoon of flour
*2 teaspoons of vanilla

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F

2. Combine the sugar and flour.

3. Add butter to sugar/flour mixture using a mixer.

4. Add the almonds and salt to butter/sugar/flour mixture and stir well.

5. In a separate bowl, combine the apricots with a tablespoon of flour and 2 tsp. of vanilla. Mix until the apricots are well coated.

6. Spoon the coated apricots into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish and pour crisp topping mixture on top. Pat down firmly.

7. Bake at 375°F for approximately 30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown.

Friday, January 8, 2010

MUSIC: "Mamacita"

Usually I don't partake in the entertainment offered on airplanes. I prefer to either read or sleep. Often it's the later that wins; for some reason take-of makes me sleepy. On a recent flight, however, I found myself listening to the music selection offered on continual rotation. One song in the "Pop Music" bandwidth caught my ear and I made sure I listened to it the three times it came around again.

German-born Mark Medlock's 2009 single, "Mamacita", off his Club Tropicana album is a catchy and sexy tune ripe for a day at the beach or dancing in your kitchen as you whip up some dinner. Those of you Spanish-phobes need not worry, as the only non-English word is in the repeated titular phrase.

In the song, Medlock is essentially asking the mother of the love of his life to give him her approval. He sings, "Oh, Mamacita give me your daughter, 'cause such a girl is hard to find!" The steady melody and slightly island-beats add to the happy groove of the song.

Download this now and be the first to introduce a great new song to your friends!

Sergio del Limonar

Thursday, January 7, 2010

MUSIC: "Meet Me Halfway"

While I still love me some "I Gotta Feeling" and don't think I've ever not dance when this Black Eyed Peas song comes on, even all alone in my apartment, I love Fergie's voice even more. The girl can blow and I love songs that feature her vocals, like "Shut Up" and "Don't Lie." It's about time for another...

The sultry and smooth "Meet Me Halfway", off their 2009 album The E.N.D. gives Fergie plenty of center-stage space. Plus, the video has will.i.am riding an elephant on the moon. I think that might be ZONINO! enough right there.

Buzzy

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

BOOK: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay


I've read Michael Chabon's work before in various short essay pieces in magazines and periodicals and, although they've been recommended to me before, I've never read one of his novels. I always found is expository writing witty and entertaining so I figured when a friend basically shoved one of his books in my face, I would like it.

If you read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, do it for no other reason than to see how a simple conversation between two characters can become a work of art. Chabon (pronounced "shay - bon") has the uncanny ability to capture tiny nuances and motivating details in a character's actions, looks, and past, and infuse them into the text during a dialog, with interrupting the flow.

The story centers around two cousins, Sammy and Joe, who join forces and talents - Sammy's in creating stories, Joe's with illustrating - to produce one of the 1940's greatest comic books. The Escapist, their bread-and-butter character is just the beginning. Before long the young men have a multitude of characters and titles at their disposal, not to mention a growing bank account.

Based in historical and chronological fact, this Pulitzer Prize-winning work of fiction is enjoyable for anyone who had a superhero fetish as a kid - Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Captain America, it doesn't matter! The history is interesting, the writing dynamic, and the plot changes are unpredictable. Much like I imagine the real Escapist's adventures would have been!

Sergio del Limonar

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

MUSIC: Bruce Springsteen

"I believe that Bob Dylan and James Brown had a baby...that child is Bruce Stringsteen."
- Jon Stewart at the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors


Truer words have never been spoken about "The Boss." This is so very ZONINO! for me as I grew up listening to the only man my father deemed as being worthy of being played in his garage. I think his voice is true, raw, and beautiful. "Thunder Road" may be one of the greatest lyrical songs of the century and "Born in the USA" is one of the most epic of albums in American music history.

ZONINO! and congratulations, Bruce!

Buzzy

Monday, January 4, 2010

RECIPE: Quinoa Soup

Winter weather is the perfect excuse to boil up a pot of delicious soup to warm up. This recipe, a known staple of many in the highlands of Peru, will do just the trick!

Ingredients:
* 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
* 2oz Quinoa (or couscous if your local grocer doesn't carry this rice-like grain)
* 1 Carrot, diced
* 1 Stick Celery, diced
* 2 tbsp finely chopped Onions
* 1/2 Green Capsicum (sweet pepper) diced
* 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
* 960ml Water
* 2 Large Tomatoes, finely chopped
* 2oz Green Cabbage, chopped
* Salt and Pepper
* Freshly chopped Parsley

What to do:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the quinoa, carrot, celery, onion, pepper and garlic and fry, stirring, until browned.

2. Add the water, cabbage and tomatoes, mix well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley. Serve hot.

Thanks to Peru Travel for the recipe!

Sergio del Limonar

Sunday, January 3, 2010

WORD: inveterate

According to the Random House Dictionary, the adjective inveterate is used to describe something or someone who is "settled or confirmed in a habit" or is "firmly established by long continuance."

At the loss of his poker hand and with a causual inveterate movement, the gambler reached for his inside coat pocket where his cigarettes used to be, despite the fact that the pocket was empty and he hadn't smoked in five years.

The elderly Japanese woman inveterately began removing her shoes upon entering the house even though no one else was doing so.

Sergio del Limónar

Saturday, January 2, 2010

MOVIE: Alice In Wonderland

A couple facts to kick this most obvious of ZONINO! posts off. First off, Tim Burton is a genius. His style of directing is unique and unreproducable without being called out on it. Secondly, Johnny Depp is one of the best and most iconic actors of this century. He completely becomes his characters to the point of so disappearing into them that the viewer begins to forget the celebrity status of the performer (as it should be). Lastly, any project the two of them have embarked on together has been one of kind, inventive, and one that makes you know they enjoyed every second of making it.

The newest remake of Lewis Carroll´s Alice In Wonderland again is a monumental success between these two visionaries. Also staring an ensemble cast of Anne Hathaway (the White Queen), Alan Rickman (the Caterpillar), Crispin Glover (the Knave of Hearts), and frequent Burton/Depp collaborator Helena Bonham Carter (the Red Queen). Of course Depp's Mad Hatter is a deserved scene-stealer, but the real gem in the film is Australian newcomer Mia Wasikowska who plays the titular Alice with grace and an endearing quality, especially with such grandiose co-stars.

I hoep this isn't the last we see of Wasikowska or Burton/Depp. There are plenty of other trippy worlds yet to be uncovered by these two!

Sergio del Limónar

Friday, January 1, 2010

ON HOLIDAY

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! ZONINO! is either sleeping off that amazing partay from last night or still out shakin' our thang...