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Thursday, October 2, 2008

TV Times: Top Ten Shows on TV (US Edition)

Oh. My. Effing. God. Gossip Girl was bound to end up on the front of my fave mag Entertainment Weekly (they were the cover stars of the Fall TV Preview issue) but the guys on the front of my second favourite magazine Details? Too much! Well it's not really too much, but a conker (horse chesnut) fell on my bonce today still encased in it's spikiness, so I think I am feeling a bit stabbed to be honest with you. Anyway, I've been waiting for the effortlessly giddy Pushing Daisies to return before I evaluated what's good on the box stateside, so here goes...

10: Prison Break, Season Four ~ Oh it's gone beyond ridiculousness now with beheaded people being re-headed (so there is hope for Anne Boleyn then in season 3 of The Tudors) but ignore the gaping plot holes and it's actually quite a lot of fun...
09: Heroes, Season Three ~ Hmmm, Heroes is on probation with me. That Japanese in the past storyline from year two was uber boring. Still, I am quite loving the unemployed (Eli Navarro) and overemployed (Veronica herself) VM cast; and that punky little blonde speedster is ace of base...
08: Brothers & Sisters, Season Three ~ First off, I seriously love it when children blackmail adults. Secondly the actor that plays Justin got a lot hotter over the summer. Thirdly, it is back to bickering and backstabbing wrapped up in love. Perfect. And Sally Fields rocks...
07: Ugly Betty, Season Three ~ Thank God the sandwich maker and the nerd have gone. Betty is still veering on being annoyingly righteous all the time, but an appearance from part time lesbian Lindsey Lohan and a hot new neighbour the show still has it's footing...
06: Greek, Season Two ~ Well didn't this show just sneak up on me and get all engrossing and fun? It's far superior to the dull pregnant show and that weird Middleman nonsense ABC Family foisted on us over the summer. And it has gays kissing. Marv.
05: Entourage, Season Five ~ It's nice to see Vince be persona non gratis in LA while little Eric and Johnny Drama become the successful ones. Best bit of the show is Ari Gold and Lloyd ~ when Ari convincingly bitchslaps a colleague, Lloyd squeals "ooo Ari you've got fists of fury!!" Brilliant!
04: Desperate Housewives, Season Five ~ It's five years in the future. How One Tree Hill/Veronica Mars (had it not been axed) of it. Edie is back with a secretive hubby. Gaby's daughter is brilliant. The gays are still underutilised. Carlos is still blind. Susan is still annoying. Bree is still amazing. Ergo, Desperate Housewives still rules.
03: Grey's Anatomy, Season Five ~ Considering my undying love for this show and McDreamy, I don't get why I am so ambivilent about Private Practice. Anyway, GA is back, DerMer are finally together, there is the best use of an icicle since it was used as a murder weapon in Bad Girls and finally the constant shagging around catches up with the quality of the hospital much to whatsisname's chagrin... Love love loved the 3 wives in a car accident storyline. Quite touching. I sniffled.
02: Gossip Girl, Season Two ~ Frankly this would be number two on quotability alone. This week's gem included the amazing Veronica Mars voiceover opining "What's fashion week without a fashion victim? Better watch out little J - there is a bullseye on your back" and Dan responding to Chuck asking if he was gay - "that's WAY outside my comfort zone". I really don't need to say anymore, except shame on them for using the Nelly Furtado Maneater clone Poker Face song in the opening scene. Whatever next? The Saturdays promoting Ugly Betty? Oh....
01: Pushing Daisies, Season Two ~ Chuck and Ned return! And thank god the producers realise that they are better taking on the world together rather than taking on each other. And thank god for inventive solutions to not touching each other. And thank god for it being as whimsical and magical as ever. And thank god for Chi McBride adding some much needed salty sass to the proceedings. It's the most fairytale show on tv and that suits me just fine. PS Lee Pace I love you ever such a little bit...

Still worth a peek: Smallville (despite the fact that the storyline is now so convoluted you need a degree to access it, it's the final season and seeing Clark push up his glasses in the credits is kind of a thrill); Supernatural (now with added Jesus!); Dirty Sexy Money (it's firmly on it's way to becoming Dynasty of the millenium) and Friday Night Lights (tv's best least watched drama!)

Ones I've yet to watch: Dexter Season Three; True Blood Season One; Fringe Season One;

Back tomorrow with a massive pop wrap up....

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

The Nice Diaries: Day 2 - Tuesday 16 September 2008

0 comments Posted by ai at 3:59 PM

Following an authentic French buffet breakfast of deliciously decadent croissant, pain au chocolat and unlimited supplies of orange juice and strong coffee, sunshine and shopping were on the menu today.

Before that though, some reassuring stuff still around: There’s lots of French radio stations to listen to, all of whom still operating that wonderful quota system where they have to play so much French music in addition to the usual Rihanna/Pink/Pussycat Dolls/Katy Perry/Kid Rock etc etc. So it took me no time to compile my holiday hit list (see a previous post).

Another reassuring thing is that Starsix Music is still on M6 after our return from breakfast, still with that ‘guess the mystery face’ contest. It hadn’t been won by the end of our holiday, and as far as I know the big money prize still hasn’t been won: no one it seems can guess the identity of the mystery blonde with Paul Belmondo (pictured above). Oh, and although it’s called Starsix Music there’s not too much music, just the odd video or two. They seemed to particularly like Mathieu Edward’s new video. Oh, and the girl co-presenting the show is Karine Ferri, who was the girlfriend of the late Gregory Lemarchal.

Today: the pilgrimage to the Megastore and FNAC in search of some French music. I’d made up my mind that I was definitely buying Mylene Farmer’s "Point de Suture" and the soundtrack album to the new "Cleopatre" musical but eventually decided against getting Quentin Mosimann’s "Duel" as I wasn’t particularly keen on one of the albums being swing/big band style. Maybe he should have made just the one album, in electro/dance style. I did pick up a bargain though, Popstars winner Sheryfa Luna’s debut CD (pictured above) is now down to 9.99 euros, her music is a nice mix of r'n'b-pop and the new version includes "Comme Avant" which is rather lovely.

Nice Etoile is a better-than-average shopping mall on Avenue Jean Medecin with some quality restaurants rather than the usual standard food court. After a lunch stop there for a Nice speciality, gnocchi quatre fromages (pictured above) : it may not look too appealing but it's very tasty, so don't 'gnocc' it till you've tried it. (groan) it was then time for the Nice Tram Experience.

I had become a bit obsessed with the Nice Tramway over the past three years: from its construction to the end result, the introduction of an extensive tram route crucially stopping at all the places you need to be: from the railway station to Place Massena to Gare Routiere and Place Garibaldi and beyond. I watched all the YouTube video footage and had got rather desperate to finally take the tram journey. For only 1 euro you can travel as long or short a distance as you like, as long as it’s one journey. There are ticket machines at each tram stop and you must validate your ticket on entering the tram.

The reality is, prepare to be packed tightly and squashed like sardines. Just like the Paris Metro, the term ‘standing room only’ is, well, having a laugh, and you will get very up close and personal indeed with the Nicoise tram-travellers. We did get a seat on one very rare occasion during the evening later in the holiday. Surely some mistake :)))

A brief jaunt to the ever-fascinating Old Town which we’d explore in more detail on Wednesday.

Nice can be punishingly hot, which isn’t always an agreeable environment for your fair-skinned milk-bottle-white Factor 40-wearing blogger and her equally fair skinned boyfriend. It was hot today, but a few degrees less than what we’d experienced on previous trips to Nice. We're not sun-worshippers or beach fans, and Nice beach is pretty challenging as there's no sand, just pebbles. However I love being at the sea, it's just so special. Today the sky was a beautiful blue, the sea was sparkling like silver and it was just the best place on earth to be. If you are seeking some welcome shade in Nice then check out one of our favourite spots, the Albert I gardens just off the Promenade des Anglais, which has a lovely old carousel and some very exotic large palm trees.

After a packed day exploring it was back to the hotel and on with the telly. "Dance Floor" on TF1 was basically a "So You Think You Can Dance"-type show with members of the public in dancing duels, the winner proceeding to the grand final. This was followed by "Wheel of Fortune" which was always good fun, even if my French wasn’t up to the standard of forming catchphrases.
Tonight’s meal involved the biggest portion of onion soup ever, followed by the biggest pizza ever. Oh yes, and some red wine. Quelle surprise.

The seafront wasn’t too busy tonight, but is very striking on a dark September night, as the lights twinkle all the way from one end of the Baie des Anges to the other. One of Nice’s most famous landmarks, the Hotel Negresco, is also distinctively lit up at night. Ended the night at one of our favourite people-watching bars. A great day with no real departures from the holiday norm, but just doing things that make us happy.

There will be more photos to follow, had a few problems with uploading these so will do later. :)