To commemorate our last day of March and therefore our last day of Shoe (*tear) I thought I'd post a very useful project for revamping shoes. Shoes are a part of our identity, and you should make them your own. In the past few months I noticed that celebrities and people on Etsy started sporting 'spats', bits of ribbon and fabric that can be attached to a shoe to change the overall look and feel. I took a page out of their book and made some for my own pairs of shoes. I have a real problem with wearing pumps, my heels pop out. So I bought some snazzy sequined ribbon (available in lots of fun colors by the way) and Velcro from a local craft store and voila! instant straps that dress up the shoe and cost next to nothing.
If you want to be brave and dust off your sewing skills, then try these. I took some comfy fabric and found sew-on metallic details, but you can use buttons, beads, rhinestones...go crazy. Cut a rectangular strip, fold it in half, sew it up like a tube, then fold the ends and sew the seams and apply the details. You can attach them on the ends with snaps, Velcro or buttons. When finished use them as straps or ankle cuffs, I've worn them both ways.
Necessity really is the mother of invention, if you want new shoes but don't have the dough, shop your closet and see what you can make of it. Live long and be thrify!
From 2pm-10pm Bradley University's 24 Hours of Music presents a Fundraiser Event for MUSIC EDUCATION at One World Café on Main Street today. When you eat there and mention 24 Hours of Music, 10% of the total cost of your meal will go directly toward Music Education within the Peoria 150 School District! Please stop in today and show your support for this outstanding cause!
Some of the greatest films in the history of the industry have been made about war. Probably because conflict is the essence of drama and well... war is pretty much as conflict-y as it gets.
Since today marks the anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and I didn't see any new movies this weekend, I'm going to go ahead and recap a few old ones instead. These are, in my estimation, the 5 greatest war movies ever made.
5. We were Soldiers Mel Gibson is a crazy person. But the man can make a damn fine movie. This Vietnam flick tells the story of a regiment that gets trapped behind enemy lines and survives against all odds. The battle scenes are well-made and the dialogue is really good, especially for a war movie. It also shows the dark atmosphere of war in a way that isn't just pieces of people flying everywhere. It's violent, but not unnecessarily so.
4. Forrest Gump To be fair, Forrest Gump wasn't all about war. It really wasn't even that much about war. But it was an amazing movie, and the Vietnam War played a big part in it. It deserves mention. But I can't summarize it, that would take years. Tom Hanks is in it and it won Best Picture in '94, you do the math.
3. Tropic Thunder Tropic Thunder is amazing. It tells the story of the men who attempt to make a movie about a secret mission during the Vietnam War. Faced with overdramatic actors and shooting difficulties, director Damien Cockburn chooses to shoot the whole thing guerrilla style in the jungle and put real fear in his actors. But when a drug ring intercepts the heavily-armed actors and mistakes them for DEA, the five actors must come together just to survive. Ben Stiller starred and directed, which is always impressive; and Robert Downey, Jr. played a black man, which was also pretty impressive. It's funny, it's vulgar, it's actually kind of action-packed... just see it.
2. Inglourious Basterds This Quentin Tarantino WWII adaptation is exactly the kind of movie I wanted it to be. When I first heard that the man who brought us Kill Bill was doing a war film, I envisioned more or less a 2-hour fight scene with a lot of cheesy one-liners. Which wasn't a bad idea (see Hot Fuzz), but it wasn't what I wanted from Tarantino. But he delivered an intriguing, shocking, hilarious film that had little or nothing to do with the wider theater of WWII and more to do with a renegade troop of Nazi-hunters.
Let me start by saying that I enjoyed Darksiders. Really, I did. It was sort of a cross between Zelda and God of War, which sounds awesome. And it kind of was. But it was almost too awesome for its own good. Because it wasn't as good as either game it was imitating, but it was good enough that I wanted it to be. So basically, I'm going to tear it apart.
In Darksiders, you are the fallen Horseman of War. Yea, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. When you mistakenly react to a staged apocalypse, your masters get angry with you and send you down to Earth to fix your mistake and punish the ones responsible. Mark Hammil goes with you to make sure you obey orders, and then you gotta go around cutting up demons and finding legendary items and hearts and stuff.
The first problem I encountered was the combat system. As much as they tried to make it a God of War, Devil May Cry-esque high-octane fighter, it just didn't have the combos for it. There's one attack button and you pretty much just press it over and over again. You also get an air combo; but since there are like 4 aerial enemies in the game, it doesn't see a lot of practice.
The second problem with Darksiders was how much it was like Zelda. I mean, I appreciate that Zelda has pretty much cornered the franchise on dungeon-exploration platformers, but it was really really really similar. You get a Crossblade that can attack multiple targets that you throw and it comes back (a boomerang). You get a hook on a chain that you can use to pull yourself to higher areas (a hookshot). You explore the world on your horse and find quarter pieces of Lifestones that, when you get four, give you a new bar of life (Heart Pieces). Basically, it just made me want to play Ocarina of Time.
But the biggest problem with Darksiders, by far, was the voice acting on War. The story actually gets interesting, there's stirring music, angels are flying into vain battle against the Destroyer in slow motion, and then War speaks and I fall asleep. He betrays no emotion whatsoever. Even when you're super-angry and beating a monster's face in while you yell about it, War sounds like he's just having casual conversation in a monastery. When I think that Mark Hammil voiced the Watcher, and had to be in the same room as this guy... Well, as much as they imitated Zelda I wish they had just gone with a silent protagonist.
But it was a fun game and, by and large, that strikes me as the point. I enjoyed it and even though I traded it in as soon as I beat it, I'd still say play it if you have nothing else today. You're better off playing God of War III, but that's on PS3 and I'm poor, so that's just not happening. Overall I give it a B. Better than some, but not as good as it was trying to be.
Looking for a casual and relaxing way to spend an evening? Drop into French Toast/Wine Country in Peoria Heights for wine tasting from 5-7pm, explore the bouquet of seasonal wines and who knows you may want to take a bottle home. The cost is only $5 for tasting.
The Lucky Horseshoe Sandwich can be ordered with turkey, ham, beef or hamburger, served open-faced on Texas Toast and topped with cheddar cheese sauce and French fries. Jalapenos can also be added if desired. Feel free to indulge once in a while!
I didn't want to do back-to-back Tim Burton reviews, but since today was Stephen Sondheim's birthday I feel obliged to share the joy of his finest musical's film adaptation with you.
A stretch? Maybe, but nobody else ever wants to talk about Sweeney Todd.
Basically, Sweeney Todd is a stock revenge story that's also a musical and has Alan Rickman in it.
Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) is wrongfully imprisoned in order to make way for the evil Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) to steal his wife (somebody who isn't important).
After years of sweating in a horrible prison under a false charge, Barker escapes. He adopts the name Sweeney Todd and is saved by the young sailor Antony (Jamie Campbell Bower) while floating lost at sea.
They return to London, where Todd seeks out his former neighbor, Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter). She always loved him but he was married, yadda yadda, generic revenge story stuff. Anyway, turns out his wife poisoned herself and the judge has his daughter, so now he's pissed.
He starts his barber shop back up and starts killing people. Sacha Baron Cohen plays an Italian guy. I won't spoil the story for you.
The film is violent and horrifying in a number of ways. Like, Kill Bill levels of blood. But it's also a delightful story about the dysfunctional little "family" Todd makes while questing for his vengeance.
So if you think the plot sounds a little cookie-cutter, I won't call you out on it. It goes a lot more dark than most movies, but it still follows a pretty clear format. But the songs are so good! Some of my colleagues (ALLI) think it was stupid, but I really enjoy the soundtrack.
I like musicals, so I thought Sweeney Todd was one of the best movies ever made it. When it came out on DVD I watched it like 5 times a week at least for a month and a half. I still sing songs about murder and revenge in the shower (in a totally nonthreatening way). They're catchy and easy to follow, but they're also kind of creepy and disturbing in a fun way.
We here at Numéro love music videos (well, any videos on the internet, really) so today I'm posting the ever retro-cute She & Him's new video for the single "In the Sun" from their most recent album Volume II. Happy Friday, everyone!
Step inside the Luthy Botanical Garden Conservatory during our annual Lily Show and see a botanical wonderland of tropicals, spring plants and, of course, lilies!
See hundreds of beautiful white lilies displayed with the lush foliage of the Conservatory. Our Lily Show always makes a beautiful presentation for families and friends during the spring season. Join us on Sunday, March 28 (Palm Sunday) from 1-3 pm, as the Glen Oak Christian Church Handbell Choir fills the Conservatory with melodic, peaceful tones.
3/19 through 4/11 Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am-5 pm; Sundays, 12-5 pm; NOT OPEN on Mondays Luthy Botanical Garden Adults 13 & up: $2; kids 1-12 and Garden Members are free
Sade is back after a ten year hiatus with the same smoldering smoothness that has made her such a phenomenon in the quiet storm genre. The title track “Soldier of Love” is strong and soulful and speaks to the hardness that comes from battling through love and coming out alive on the other side. “Babyfather” is a sweet tribute to her young daughter who also contributes backing vocals to the track. Overall this album has everything one would want in a Sade album with even a few modern musical surprises. Tell us what you think of her new album and check out the video here, Sade is a force.
Let me give you the first reaction I had when I walked out of Alice in Wonderland: I never thought I'd see the Mad Hatter attack another man with a bastard sword.
That said, there were many things I found quite charming about this new take on the Disney interpretation of Lewis Carroll's classic. It had all the hallmarks of a Tim Burton film (desolate scenery, generally dim lighting, really weird monsters, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, etc.), but was generally cheerier than most of Burton's recent work (I'm looking at you, Sweeney Todd).
The film is sort of an alternate-universe sequel to the original Disney film, but is not a Through the Looking Glass interpretation. Rather, it is an entirely new story in which Alice returns to Wonderland through the rabbit hole but has no recollection of her previous visit.
Sadly, Wonderland is in trouble, and the rabbit in the waistcoat has gone to get her so that she can save them all from the Red Queen. Alice begins a quest for self-discovery and direction (and also to find out what the hell is going on in this unknown world full of monsters and Scottish-sounding animals).
The filmmaking is vintage Burton, but with an unusually panoramic twist. At many points, the frame is full of bright colors, pretty images, and charming little sequences that I really wasn't sure ol' Tim had in his blackened, shriveled heart.
The true strength of the movie is in the cast, though. Johnny Depp unsurprisingly steals the show, but isn't the only noteworthy actor in the film. Mia Wasikowska delivered a great performance as Alice, an eccentric and free-spirited girl just trying to keep up with the strange events fate has thrown her way.
And the voice acting... Oh, the heavenly voice acting. Timothy Spall as the bloodhound Bayard. Michael Sheen as the White Rabbit. Christopher Lee (Count Dooku of Serenno, Saruman the White, Darkness in Zero himself, Christopher Lee) as the voice of the fearsome Jabberwocky. And let us not forget the king of kings, the voice that once portrayed Marvin the Paranoid Android, Alan Rickman as the voice of Absolom the blue caterpillar.
Sorry, I really like Christopher Lee and Alan Rickman.
And if the cast is starting to look like a Sweeney Todd reunion to you, well... yea. It kind of is. And I loved Sweeney Todd.
The point is, this film was amazing. I really enjoyed the story, the characters were amusing and delightful, the visual imagery was great but didn't overpower the characters or the story *cough Avatar cough* and the actors all delivered excellent performances. I know it was overly hyped because it was Tim Burton's vision of a weird children's tale, but if you don't let that blind you to the movie itself, it's actually a truly enjoyable experience.
A fellow artist and I went on a spur-of-the-moment thrift and I happened upon these lovely little $3 flats that looked as though they had come from my great grandmother's closet. Vintage shoes are quirky, unique and oftentimes well broken in. Then there are the wonderful gems that were never worn and you get the honor of giving them new life. Why wear shoes that look like everyone else, retro shoes give you character and a sense of self when you walk in them. Thrift stores and second hand shops are great sources for men's and women's cast off footwear. That's right, you guys out there. The men's section often sports an eclectic array of vintage tennis shoes and roughed up leather, perfect for a vintage inspired ensemble for a fraction of the cost. So cast off inhibition and let your heart beat wildly as you slip on a pair of 70s Chuck Taylors for a whopping $5. And if you don't get into the whole thrift store thing, ask your grandparents if they have any cool old shoes that they don't wear anymore.
A few tips for shopping vintage shoes: try them on and walk around in them, you don't want to get them home and realize that one heel is lower than the other or the leather cracks open when you walk. Plus vintage shoes run a lot smaller than shoes nowadays, it may say 9 but feels like a 7. Make sure buckles, buttons, and zippers are in good working order, laces are easy to replace but buckles and zippers require a bit more finesse.
If you haven't read this book since high school it might be time to pick it up again. Fitzgerald's magnum opus still resonates today with important thematic issues such as love, loss and the consequences of excess. Heralded as the greatest American work of fiction from the 20th century, The Great Gatsby is a must read, must own masterpiece. It is also this year's book choice for The Big Read: Peoria Reads program, for more information check out www.bigreadpeoriareads.org.
Thursday - March 11, 201012:00 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch with Maureen Corrigan Childers Banquet Center, 3113 North Dries Lane, Peoria, IL 61604 Luncheon with keynote by Maureen Corrigan, book critic for “Fresh Air,” heard nationally on NPR, and advisor to the National Endowment of the Arts’ “Big Read” project. Tickets are $18 each. Call Common Place at 309-674-3315 for reservations and information.
The 82nd Academy Awards were held last night and for the first time since the 1940's there were ten films nominated for the top prize of Best Picture. The nominations were:
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air
The Hurt Locker took home the Oscar for Best Picture and for the first time in the history of the Oscar's a female director, Kathryn Bigelow, won the award for Best Director.
If you haven't had the opportunity to see The Hurt Locker yet I strongly recommend you do. The film is a very honest and personal portrayal of the war and the ups and downs of the soldiering life.
Much to my shame I've only seen 3 of the films that were nominated this year (The Hurt Locker, District 9 and Inglourious Basterds) and other than Inglourious Basterds I didn't particularly care to see these films. I was really hoping to see Precious and An Education first but alas, they remain on my to-do list. Instead, I saw The Hurt Locker and District 9 and I'm really glad I did. District 9 turns a sharp eye on humanity and how much our intolerance seems to come more from a place of fear rather than logic. The Hurt Locker I've already lauded above. They were both excellent films I highly recommend.
Inglorious Basterds was somehow everything and nothing I expected from a Tarantino movie. The dialogue was air-tight (expected) and the acting was very good (also, expected) but the improvised approach to history was both surprising and delightful (and certainly more satisfying).
I was honestly surprised to see The Blind Side receive so many nominations from so many awards organizations considering the previews made it look like a Lifetime movie. Lesson learned, never judge a book by its cover.
I might be the only person left on the planet who hasn't thrown my green into the Avatar money pool yet but James Cameron gives me a tiny case of the icks and I feel a wee bit principled about seeing his movies. But, since his ex smoked him (deservedly) in awards last night maybe I'll see his movie.
That leaves A Serious Man, Up and Up in the Air and despite the fact that I haven't seen any of them yet, I would still like to. I've heard some mixed reviews about Up in the Air (aka: my mother didn't like it. "I don't see what all the fuss is about.") but I generally like George Clooney in all his Clooney-ness and Anna Kendrick seems like a promising young actress.
I skipped Up initially because I couldn't imagine anything in CGI from Disney-Pixar not being a cheesy mess. Apparently it's good. A Serious Man looked awesome in the clips they showed last night but I kept confusing it with A Single Man which I also want to see. Tom Ford is the cat's meow.
That's about it for now, look out for our new pictorial movie reviews, hopefully coming your way next week.
1.5 oz Hanger 1 Mandarin Blossom Vodka 1 oz Cointreau 0.75 oz Licor 43 2 Dashes of orange bitters 2 oz fresh squeezed Cara Cara oranges
Combine all ingredients and pour over ice, top with champagne and an orange twist. This fabulous drink was created exclusively for Numéro's March issue by bartender Rafael Tenjo and you can get it exclusively at June Restaurant. As you unwind this weekend enjoy this great creation and tell them you saw it in Numéro!
This week check your local stands for the latest issue of Numéro Magazine. Step out in style this month as Numéro writers cover everything from heel to toe:
Walk in Another's Shoes: At Seven Circles Heritage Center
Soles in Motion
Shoestring Budget: A Thrifter's Guide to Life on the Cheap
Parking Boots
You can find Numéro Magazine at many fine local retailers. Click here to find the location nearest you.
Google is looking for a community test site for their new ultra-high speed broadband network and Peoria is putting in their bid to be the chosen city. This effort would mean eyebrow-singeingly fast internet (over 1 gigabit per second) which not only means faster downloads at home but monumental technological advancements for local businesses.
Bringing the Google fiber to Peoria would be huge coup for our city but in order to make it a reality, the community needs to rally together and show Google why we deserve to be chosen. Send in your nomination here and become a fan on facebook here.
For more information on how you can participate or for any questions, visit Google Plays in Peoria.
Brian Burton, or as he's more commonly known, Danger Mouse, and James Mercer of The Shins have teamed up for their first collaborative, self-titled album Broken Bells. Both artists have created their own unique niche in the current music scene and this album showcases each of their talents beautifully.
After ten years as the front man for The Shins, Mercer's voice is instantly recognizable which can make this album sound an awful lot like just another Shin's album, but that is not entirely a bad thing. Everything that's likable about The Shins seems to be present on this album with the added bonus that Danger Mouse is part of it, too.
And while no track in particular seems to sound quite as experimental as these collaborations are often wont to be, it's still a good, listenable album that doesn't betray any awkwardness. Danger Mouse is the ultimate collaborator who brings a fresh perspective to Mercer's earnest falsetto. These two seem to work together like an old married couple. And again, that's not entirely a bad thing.
To listen to the album before its release on March 9th, visit: NPR music or: Myspace
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