Monthly Archives: July 2009

Snack Time

Tacos of the future

Tacos of the future

I’ve been waiting all my life for you, Doritos, Late Night: Tacos at Midnight.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at my 12am taco and thought “why aren’t you more portable?”

I have a few questions. I’m 27, am I going to get carded if I try to buy these in a store?  Or can you only get them from a cart outside Washington Square Park?  Is there an even seedier way these can be packaged? What about a three pack in a fishnet stocking?  What about attaching a condom and cigarette to the back?  Give them away free to any motel guest using an hourly rate? I’m just spitballing here.

If Quentin Tarantino directed Doritos instead of movies then they’d all look like this bag (and they’d taste like uncooked meat).  My last statement was more than just not a compliment; it was also a thinly-veiled criticism of the aforementioned director, his aesthetic, and the snack-food packaging.  If I were to make a snack-food name out of my last sentence it would be “Tarantino, Sucks Hard: Slick Doritos with MSG”.¹  However, the double-subtitle shows me you care enough to write me a haiku on every package.  More than that, you’ve made it possible to experience a late-night taco run in the daytime.  I will need to find something else to dream about now.

1. He really only sucks mildly, except Death Proof, that sucked Cool Ranch.

Canadians Invade!

Horton hears a $?

Horton hears a $?

This Monday at sunrise New York City will face a new threat: breakfast.  Tim Horton’s, Canada’s version of Dunkin’ Donuts will be opening its doors for the first time in the Big Apple.  How will they do it? By secretly masquerading in no fewer than twelve old Dunkin Donuts locations: Douughnuts. Is Dunkin’ Donuts pissed?  You bet your munchkin: glazed backlash.

How to survive:  Thankfully, Canadian donuts are easy to spot. First, look for all flavours to have British spellings. Secondly, the donuts will be dry, especially in their wit.  Last, look for smaller, puck-like pastries frosted with superiority. Also, each donut will have Pierre Trudeau’s image stamped in the center.  (Unlike their political system, Canadian donuts have a center.)

P.S.  Instead of coffee they will serve caesars.

Turtles: friend or foe?

I want to draw your attention to the fact that turtles have been acting like total idiots lately. First, they join Improv Everywhere–annoying.¹ Then they totally ask for it.² Sure you can eat them,³  but then you’ll have to deal with this haunting your dreams:

1. 78 turtles delay JFK runway

2. Two Headed Turtle Stolen

3. creole turtle soup

July 4, 1978

It’s the eighth of July.  I had something to say on the fourth of July about the fourth of July but I was busying getting a sunburn.  Here it is now:

I have one very distinct memory of the 4th of July. I was twelve years old and living in Fort Lauderdale at the time.  It was early evening, the air was warm, and I was running over to get my brother from his friend’s house. We were going out on the boat to watch the fireworks, which I loved.

Unfortunately, my geek brother hid on me and scared me (what an a-hole). I fell into a ravine and woke up a few minutes later. I ran home to tattle but when I reached my door a young couple (not my parents) answered. They informed me it was 1986, not 1978 and I had been missing for eight years.

Then, NASA scientists swooped in and I met Sarah Jessica Parker. I escaped and rode around in a spaceship voiced by Pee Wee Herman. Eventually, I called my brother from a gas station and he set off my stashed bottle rockets to signal me home.  I decided I could not stay in 1986 (even though I felt strangely it already was 1986).  I instructed the spaceship to return me to 1978 and was reunited with the 1978 version of my family.  The fireworks that night were underwhelming.

I am not entirely sure how I came to understand the 1986 Disney movie Flight of the Navigator as actual events that occurred in my own life.  At this point, it has become an integral part of my childhood memory and there is no unweaving this technicolor dream coat of insanity. The best we can hope for is that I escape from Witch Mountain long enough to meet up with the Apple Dumpling gang, because at this point I am totally wanted: for chicanery, skulduggery, tomfoolery and habitual bungling! (And also several major copyright infringements.)

Because you were going to anyway:

Remake alert!  Rumors started in March that Brad Copeland is rewriting it. IMDB says “in development” for 2011.

Master Piece

The New York Times editors and their friends say a masters degree will make you poor. Thanks, but I’m not going to take financial advice from people who decided, in 1995, not to charge a subscription fee for online content.

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/what-is-a-masters-degree-worth/

Canada Day Fête du Canada

July 1, 1867 The Dominion of Canada was born. Canadians decided not to start celebrating this holiday until 1917–to give England time to get over the break up. Canadians are THAT nice. (If you are reading this and you are a seal, it could be unwise for you to generalize; there are at least 15,800 Canadians with whom you will never see eye to eye. That’s not entirely accurate–the two of you might lock eyes just before they blow your brains out. Stay sharp, seal¹², stay sharp.)

I recommend visiting Canada. Before you go, I recommend memorizing the names of all of the Canadian prime ministers. I did this before a trip to Toronto and this gesture of goodwill was repaid ten-fold (twenty-fold Canadian). I was presented with a maple leaf crown and an Arcade Fire CD.  Plus, everyone spoke to me in English–to make me feel more at home.

Whilst I was in Toronto, I visited the Distillery district where I sampled delicious beer and witnessed the segue gangs, which have quietly³ become a real problem for that neighborhood. I also saw many other beautiful, fun, and delicious parts of the city–but there was something I loved most, even more than Laura Secord (and that’s saying a lot).

This is the thing that will keep you coming back to Canada time and time again, it will hook your heart like heroin, and it will come into your bedroom late at night and wake you shouting in French. That thing is: Shreddies.
Thank you Canada Merci Canada.

(I prefer the new diamond ones, myself)

1. If you are a NAVY seal, your odds of surviving this showdown increase dramatically

2. If you are Heidi Klum’s husband: I can’t make any promises I am unaware of your marksmanship or hand-to-hand combat skills. But why are you in the Gulf of St. Lawrence?

3. Segues make no noise.