Passing Fancies : Cherry Bomb

So, I went to see The Runaways with some friends. To start, I wasn’t very impressed by the movie overall. It was enjoyable, but a second rate biopic in my opinion. The part I did really enjoy was the music. I didn’t know too much about the band or their music going into it, but by the end of the movie I was downloading Runaways’ songs on my iPhone. The only Runaways’ song I knew was “Cherry Bomb” and I hadn’t heard it in a really long time. However, once I left the movie it was in my head for the next three weeks. So I am spreading the joy and the agony of this catchy song to a greater audience. Below is a video of the band playing “Cherry Bomb” in Japan!

‘Til we meet again,

Simmon

Passing Fancies : Mad Men

DISCLAIMER : This post is meant for persons of the legal drinking age (21 or older). Please drink responsibly. Collaborative Stages does not encourage the consumption of alcohol by persons under the age of 21.

If there is anything true in this world, it is that I LOVE Mad Men! Life is just the stuff that happens between Mad Men episodes. Haha. If you have been living under a rock for the past three years and don’t know what Mad Men is, it is a TV show on AMC about an advertising agency in the 1960′s. The is really wonderful and, in my opinion, deserving of the admiration it has received. On the website they have this really cool 1960′s Cocktail Guide that I have recently gotten into! Slowly but surely I am making my way through trying all the drinks on the list. Some of the drinks I have had before, but others I hadn’t tried. I have always been a Tom Collins’ girl. I order those a lot and that’s one of the drinks they have on the list. My new favorite is a Vodka Gimlet. Click the link to check it out! Season Four begins July 25th and I can’t wait!! To catch repeat episodes from Season Three go to AMC for more info about the programming schedule and the show.

‘Til we meet again,

Simmon

Passing Fancies : Walter Kirn interviews RDJ

In the latest issue of Rolling Stone there is a very interesting article about Robert Downey Jr. In this article, RDJ recounts some of his wild exploits of the past, as well as fills us all in on life as a recovery addict and in-demand actor. However, for me, the thing that makes this article such an interesting read is that it was written by the novelist and literary critic, Walter Kirn. Kirn is an author I have really become interested in the last two years. His novels include Up in the Air (which was recently made into a movie with George Clooney), Mission to America, and, Kirn’s memoir, Lost in the Meritocracy: The Under-education of an Overachiever. His novels are wonderful, but I wasn’t sure if I would like his writing in this form. But Kirn does not disappoint. As a journalist, he does exactly what he is supposed to do, which is find the story. But he doesn’t just find it, he sculpts and presents it with such availability and artistry that it takes the story to another level. His writing is so accessible without playing to the lowest common denominator and, yet, intellectually stimulating enough to be relevant. I think it is his ability as a writer that makes this article something worth reading. If you are interested take a look at part of the article on Rolling Stone’s website or (for the full article) pick a copy of the magazine for yourself!