Hot Fossils and Rebel Matters

Special K follows the fashion world, so it made sense that she didn't want to miss the late designer Alexander McQueen's retrospective Savage Beauty. It was showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art during our New York trip. I'm normally not so keen on fashion, so I didn't expect to be blown away by the exhibit. On Feb 11 2010, McQueen tragically killed himself in his London flat at the age of 40, just days after his mother's death. He was known for his runway spectacles, outrageous edgy performance art meant to compliment his fashion creations and make a statement. I didn't even know any of this about him when I followed Special K and Dragon into the first gallery. Despite the crushing crowd, straining to get a glimpse of his works adorning mannequins and on display platforms, I lingered over what I realized were oddly compelling works of art. I couldn't believe that anyone would collect razor clam shells, strip them, varnish them and then drape them over a woman's body or make a leather suit with bleached denim attached and taxidermy crocodile heads. I think the pieces that intrigued me the most were his monstrous lobster claw shoes and the endless variety of masks, some playful, some nightmarish, adorning the mannequins' heads. To me, it is brilliant, ironic, and a little mischievous that these pieces are even called fashion. Instead, each garment tells a story and makes a point, sometimes terrible as illustrated by his collection called Highland Rape. Besides seeing this exhibit, we also took Dragon and Fly through Central Park and through an photographic exhibit by the Korean artist Ahae. Walking through the Vanderbilt Hall in the Grand Central Terminal, we saw but a small sample of the many photographs he took over the course of two years from one window where he lives and works in Korea. And what trip to New York would be complete without a pianist in Washington Square Park playing Gershwin's iconic Gotham tune Rhapsody in Blue?

Gullfoss Waterfall (Photo by Special K) The second tour that Special K and I took in Iceland was the Iceland Circle Tour. It covers approximately 300 kilometers looping from Reykjavik into central Iceland and back. The tour started in Reykjavik where we travelled to the Thingvellir National Park, home of the Iceland’s ancient Viking Parliament. We walk across the fault line that separates the North American plate from the Euro Asian Plate. The tour continues up to the magnificent Gullfoss waterfall cascading down over lava rock. We then head to the great Geyser and the Strokkur geyser that erupts in 3 to 7 minute intervals spouting boiling water to a height of 30 meters.   Strokkur Geyser Iceland (Photo by Special K)

It’s ok. You don’t have to try to say to the name of the Volcano that crippled air travel in the spring: Eya fak ylla yo kuth. Even if you try it that way – it won’t work unless you are Icelandic – so there. But even so I’ve provided a lesson or two in this show. Then, join Special K and I at a lovely Reyjkavik cafe while we soak in what little sun comes out that day.

Hot Springs = Rough Hair Leaving Reykjavik Harbour to Whale Watch (Photo by Special K) Well, here it is : the first podcast of our June Holiday. Special K and I spent an amazing week in one of the most beautiful countries in the world – Iceland. On the first day we visited the hot spring known as the Blue Lagoon located between the cities of Keflavik and Reykjavik. The mineral salts in the spring gave us straw like hair and, being the vain Ninja that I am, I feared I’d be stuck with bad hair forever. On the second day, we went whale watching. Based on what we learned later – many Icelanders have more than one job. But we were still surprised to discover, a couple of days later, that our wonderful whale watching tour guide was none other than Tomas Lemarquis star of the brooding Icelandic film Noi the Albino. I should have guessed it, with his calm, melodic, meditative speaking tones leading us through our first Icelandic sea adventure. Listen to the audio of that experience: HotFRM 185 (24 Mb) Tour Guide and Movie Star (Photo by Ninja)

Scott. To be real. Ninja, Special K and Charlie discuss ring tones, batteries, and Toyota recalls. Special K reveals the truth about shaving accelerator pedals. Ninja interviews a salt merchant who offers up a scent test of truffle salt. It really does smell foul, but apparently tastes great. Ninja maintains that you can’t dance and stay uptight. Truffle salt smells like gym socks Links: Toyota Recall – The Truth, Got to be Real, Dancing in the Moonlight, Truffle Salt What they do to accelerator pedals

Special K's G20 report. She gives us a first hand description of what she sees on the way to work on the first day of the G20 Summit Week as Toronto gets ready for the city's security event of the century. She and I talk outside on the evening of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.

Commuters sit in rush hour traffic on the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto. (Kevin Frayer/Canadian Press) Ninja spends her evening commute (Torontonians have the longest commute in the world) discussing her plans to podfade. Not so gracefully.  She is inarticulate about being an INTJ and highway traffic patterns.  Talk turns to vampires and tips at Hooters. She shares the not seen Tim Burton exhibition at MOMA from their NYC trip and the fabulous and edgy work at the New Museum in the Bowery.  A tongue sticks itself out at me. Urs Fischer's Tongue in the Wall

One of the taglines of the Takarazuka Revue Company is: "Who knows what a woman wants more than another woman."   That and the company's motto: "modesty, fairness, and grace" characterize the high quality triple threat of the all female theatre company.  Ninja and Special K discover the Takarazuka during their stay in Japan and discuss the impact on them and the irresistable androgeny of the otokoyaku ("women who play male roles"). Links: Wikipedia Entry  , Revue Home Site , YouTube Videos , Takarazuka segment from a TV interview , Love Me Tender video

Special K and Ninja prepare the lawn for another season. Ninja invites you to join her on facebook. She has lunch with her brother Jason and they discuss the tragedy at Virgina Tech. Ninja's facebook entry Virginia Tech tragedy Wanda Wisdom's Podcast Yeast Radio - Richard Bluestein's Madge Weinstein

Rabbi Eli Kukla leads a gender diversity workshop as part of MCC's series on "Bridges of Faith: Bonds of Love" course held this year. This workshop featured a discussion of gender in ancient Jewish scriptures. Rabbi Kukla sees God as wanting diversity and asks what it means to be a fully self-expressed human being and how that might be related to our gender. Links: http://djctoronto.com/rabbisstudy/eli_bio.php http://www.mcctoronto.com/

Vietnam Days A friend of ours, who normally leans pretty far to the right, shares his views on George W, Clinton, Monica, the Iraq war and American foreign policy.

Ninja's Gender Show.   Michael  Dillon , Roberta Cowell, The First Man-Made Man, The Flatus Show No 74 - Plastic Surgery and Body Modification, Transister Radio , Girl Friday band

A Popular Band from Scarborough - The Barenaked Ladies Thursday night at the airport waiting for Charlie to arrive.   Ninja and Special K drive Charlie back to Scarborough in Metro Toronto, fondly known as Scarberia among the urban masses.  On the way Charlie fills the ride with stories of her Las Vegas adventures.  Famous motivational speakers mentioned: Tony Robbins.  Famous singers mentioned: Winona Judd, The Beatles, Celine Dion.  Famous circus troupes: Cirque Du Soleil. World class cities mentioned: New York, Paris. Overpriced coffee shops mentioned: Starbucks.   Blow Ninja A Kiss. Or Send The Show a Donation.