Parkour
L'art du déplacement - être et durer
The art of movement - to be and to last - 14 Jun 10

Definition: Parkour is the physical discipline of training to overcome any obstacle within one's path by adapting one's movements to the environment.

  Values: community, humility, positive collaboration, sharing of  
  knowledge, and the importance of play in human life, while
  demonstrating respect for all people, places, and spaces

  History: Impressed with the skill of African indigenous tribes and
  inspired by the escape of 700 Martinique citizens from a volcanic
  eruption in 1902, former French naval office Georges Hébert embraced the ethos of être fort pour être utile (be strong to be useful).  This philosophy of fitness eventually became the standard for French military training using obstacle courses - in French - parcours.

Eventually the art vaulted the ocean and is only now taking off in the US with American Parkour.

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5 Documentaries to Change... 04 Apr 10

What you wear: The September Issue
What you eat: Food Inc.
What you read: Helvetica
What you play: Second Skin
What you see: Blindsight


These 5 recent documentaries break down stereotypes, sometimes reinforce them, and afford an hour and a half journey into worlds and communities far removed from what is familiar.  All excellent... after watching each, I powered off more informed and aware of the crazy world around me. 
Click each name for the trailer, pick one, and shake up your stats quo. 
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Foreign Films
Boring? Depressing?... Real - 04 Mar 10

There are plenty of excuses for disliking foreign films.  "The subtitles are distracting."  or  "It's too much like real life."   Really?  In the age of ADHD entertainment and Jersey Shore, I doubt it.  But I'm not going to criticize preferences and tastes - people like what they like - but I will insist that until you've watched a few good ones, how do you know?  Of Time Magazine's Top 100 Films - 42 of them are foreign - that's a lot of really good movies.  So when $is tight for traveling, they afford us a window into other worlds and experiences every bit as inspiring and didactic. 

So I offer a few recommendations:

Waltz with Bashir - Israel (2008)
In the Mood for Love - Hong Kong (2000)
Cinema Paradiso - Italy (1988)
City of God - Brazil (2002)
8 1/2 - Italy (1963)
Goodbye, Lenin - Germany (2003) ...

And the list goes on... expect updates.
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DC's Street Art Scene
Guerrilla art, graffiti... whatever you call it - 25 Feb 10

After being introduced to the works of internationally renowned street artists such as Banksy, Invader, and JR, I'm pleasantly surprised to see this art emerging in DC.

"The Writing on the Wall: Graffiti Artists Add Color to D.C. Streets" is the best write-up I've seen, including where to find it in DC and "who done it." The closing sentence says it best: "In power centers such as D.C., these marks serve several roles. They shake us out of a drowsy Metro commute, cause us to stop and pause while walking down the street, and give us reason to remember that there is more than one side to every story."

For more:

~ Another excellent review of DC's Graffiti Scene...
~ Watch out for Cool Disco Dan...     
~ And the captivating work of DC-based artist Kelly Towles...
~ Another interesting blog about DC Statehood graffiti in Columbia Heights              

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Latin Funk
Los Amigos Invisibles - 21 Feb 10

I stumbled on this Venezuelan band recently and was immediately taken with their unique, funky latin rhythms.  By the end of their set, I was a dedicated fan.  In doing a bit more research on their background - I was not surprised that they've been making music for years and have been twice nominated for - and recently won - a Latin Grammy. 
Their discography: 

• The New Sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera (1998)
• Arepa 3000: A Venezuelan Journey into Space (2000)
• The Venezuelan Zinga Son, Vol. 1 (2003)
• Super Pop Venezuela (2005 in Venezuela, 2006 in the US)
• Super Pop Venezuela, Remixes (2008)
• En una noche tan linda como ésta(2008)
• Comercial (2009)
  

Highly recommended - check out their Official Website. 

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Spring Travel Recommendation
Antigua, Guatemala - 20 Feb 10

One of the largest festivals in Central America, the week of Semana Santa (late March to early April '10) in the charming colonial town of Antiqua is a fascinating look at Spanish Catholic culture complete with parades and processions, elaborate mosaic carpets of flowers, and a festive restaurant and bar scene.  While in the region, you can't miss spending a few nights in one of several lakeside towns on nearby Lake Atitlan. Surrounded by three volcanoes, it's for lack of a less-cheesy word, magical.  Just don't eat the chicken - the Mexicans warned me, and I didn't listen. 

For more information and recommendations on places to see/eat and things to do: Lonely Planet
              

Pecha Kucha Nights
Fall in Love with PowerPoint Again - 18 Feb 10

"Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds."  Learn more about the art of Pecha Kucha

And you'll be glad to know DC is a PechaKucha city! Check out their site for upcoming events.
                                        

Short Films & The DC Shorts Film Festival
Shorter is Better - 16 Feb 10

Recently introduced to short films, I'll never look at mainstream the same way again.  I've realized that oftentimes so much of a canned 1.5 - 2 hour film isn't relevant to developing the characters or story.  The added scenes are filler or fluff.  But for those who watch films for something beyond the I-need-to-fill-2-hours-of-my-life-with-cheap-entertainment value, don't underestimate the powerful punch of a well-done short.  Don't believe it can be done in 15 minutes? Try watching Oscar-nominated “Manon Sur le Bitumen (Manon on the Asphalt)” by Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont of France.  Not a dry eye in the theater.  Purchase for $1.99 through iTunes from the International Short Film Database.


For short action in DC, the DC Shorts Film Festival is it - voted as the area’s best festival (over more than 50 film festivals a year) by the readers of Washington City Paper.  Submit your own short films, scripts or just be a spectator - it'll forever change the way you feel about film.  This year's festival will run from 9 - 16 September.

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Happy Birthday Mr. Buckles
The Last Man Standing of WWI - 15 Feb 10

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica nearly 65,038,810 troops served in WWI. Now only three verified veterans remain, and Mr. Frank Woodruff Buckles - born on 1 Feb 01 - is the last living American veteran of WWI.  He joined the service in 1917 and eager for action, served as an ambulance driver on the Western front.  He has been approved for burial in Arlington National Cemetery upon his eventual death - but who's to say that'll be anytime soon.  Mr. Buckles is the Honorary Chairman of the the WWI Memorial Foundation that is fighting to renovate the aging DC War Memorial and expand it into a National WWI Memorial.  Mr. Buckles appeared before Congress this last December advocating on behalf of this legislation.

The Great War Society highlights other notable WWI vets to include Hemingway, Hitler, Truman and Churchill.

Donate or sign the petition to re-dedicate the WWI Memorial.     

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Notable Bada** Artists:
A Tie Between Czechs Jan Svankmajer & David Cerný - 15 Feb 10

I was introduced - and immediately intrigued - by the work of Czech filmaker Jan Svankmajer at a surrealist film festival years ago.  Because of the controversial nature of his films, the communist government banned his work in the 1970s, and he was relatively unknown until the early 80s when he gained recognition for his masterpiece, animated short film, The Dimensions of Dialogue (1982). His work has continued to inspire a generation of surrealist artists, to include Tim Burton and the Brothers Quay.  YouTube his films and learn more about his work at Jan's Homepage.

Fellow countryman, artist David Cerny, is also a good friend of controversy.  He earned his bada** reputation in the early 90s when he painted pink a Soviet tank that was part of a monument in Prague.  But he outdid himself last year when he tricked the EU to win an art commission marking the Czech Presidency of the EU in 2009.  His work, Entropa (pictured right), was unveiled to the dismay of several countries who took offense to his purposeful stereotypes of member nations: depicting France on strike, Italy as a team of masturbating soccer players, and Sweden as an IKEA box.  He said he simply wanted to know if Europe could laugh at itself.  The answer: not really - Bulgaria summoned the Czech ambassador to explain their depiction as a series of Turkish toilets (pictured above). 

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Leave the Expensive Camera at Home...
... and Revolutionize Your Vacation - 13 Feb 10

Welcome to the art of Lomography.
 
This counter-photography philosophy encourages the photographer to live in the moment instead of constantly "setting it up" for the perfect shot.  The camera should  complement your life, not be a burdensome add-on.  Much of the recommended equipment is lightweight, cheap and easy to use.  Perfect for parties, beaches and all those other places where the best memories are made and nice cameras destroyed.   

So "shoot from the hip!" and learn more about this philosophy and community of awesome people and camera equipment.