This perfect definition of spring fever comes from our OBSERVER office dictionary that was created at or sometime shortly after the beginning of time (1965, to be exact): the feeling of laziness and listlessness or restlessness that many people have during the first warm, sunny days of spring.
I made the grave mistake of taking a break before returning to OBSERVER headquarters to finish some work and it is now taking all of the self-restraint I possess to keep me from breaking out of this office and rolling around in the grass or dusting the cobwebs off my bicycle and peddling down my neighborhood streets. If you have the wherewithal to do these things, do yourself a favor and take advantage! It could be slushy out there again before you know it.
DELISH DRINK OF THE WEEK
I wanted a springy drink in honor of the season's onset on Saturday - coming up with one was a challenge. Summer drinks are easy - there's the pina colada, mojito, various daiquiris. Is there really a trademark drink of spring? The best I can come up with is a grasshopper - it's green, it's minty-fresh, ice-creamy and delicious. My sister, Hilary Diodato, miniature Martha Stewart that she is, makes a mean grasshopper shake. She kindly provided me the recipe for what she dubs the "Giggling Grasshopper Shake" -
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups chocolate chip ice cream, 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup creme de menthe.
Combine ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth. To cut the mint taste (if it is too much for you), add 1 tsp. cocoa powder to the mix. NEVER use mint ice cream - the drink will end up tasting like mouthwash.
MOVIE REVIEW: "Alice In Wonderland"
When I first saw Disney's animated version of "Alice In Wonderland" as a youngster, I thought it was incredibly stupid. The Cheshire Cat grated on my nerves, the Mad Hatter was just as obnoxious and the whole idea of taking a magical journey into dreamland and getting nonsensical advice from an opium-smoking caterpillar struck me as supercilious.
I went to see Tim Burton's new adaptation strictly for the 3D. I hoped for wondrous three-dimensional magic and expected little else. Not only was my mind blown by the spectacular graphics but I was pleasantly surprised to find some semblance of an actual point to Alice's strange trip. In this version, the titular character is pushing 20 and, since the story is set in the Victorian era, this means that she practically has one foot in the grave. While trying to decide between marrying an insufferable snob or facing the possibility of becoming an old maid, Alice takes a moment to clear her mind mid-proposal and falls down the rabbit hole. In 'Wonderland,' we find a surprise more delightful than a slice of cake that instantly adds height Alice is a feminist! Who knew?
There was some debate over the director's choice of Mia Wasikowska, a relative unknown, as Alice but she really nails it. This girl has big things in store for her if she doesn't Lohan it up. Johnny Depp is fantastic as usual, managing to find some depth in the Mad Hatter; Anne Hathaway's White Queen is simultaneously deranged and delicate; and as sick as I am of Helena Bonham Carter starring in every single Tim Burton movie, her digitally-altered turn as the Red Queen is perfection.
As wonderful as it was, this review might be under the influence of 3D. The movie might be markedly less marvelous without every colorful creature flying off the screen and into your lap. I'm an addict and have seen everything I can through the lenses of 3D glasses, and "Alice In Wonderland" takes advantage of the technology in ways that exceed anything I've experienced so far. I can't say whether it would be just as good without it but it still would have one heck of an inspirational message, in dazzling technicolor.
GET OUT OF TOWN
True punk fans, get thyself to Buffalo Friday night. Elmer Ploetz, SUNY Fredonia journalism professor to myself and Silver Creek reporter John Mackowiak, has been working on a documentary about the Buffalo punk scene since 2002. Finally, a preview of the film will be shown Friday night at Mohawk Place as part of the "This Is It!" Reunion series. He describes it as "an oral and aural account, a living history, of the punk rock era - equal parts homage and collage to the Buffalo scene, circa 1977-85." A series of interviews, archival footage, photos, posters and recent reunion footage are woven together, and includes rare footage of the Jumpers and the Enemies, as well as Mark Freeland, Lip Service, Vores, the Good, Pauline & the Perils, Davy & the Crocketts, the George, Paper Faces, and others.
An interactive component to the Bflo Pnk Project is planned as well - footage that doesn't make it into the film will be included on buffalowave.com (in development), where the viewer will be able to fashion clips into their own videos, and may contribute their own resources as well.
Doors open at 8 p.m. The screening will take place at about quarter to 9, followed by Pauline & the Perils. Find more info on Facebook or e-mail efploetz@gmail.com.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
The Groove, featuring Keith Medley, Jack Pasquale, Steve Strickland and Dave Swart, will play the Dunkirk Moose Saturday at 8:30 p.m. for Monte Carlo Nite. This is open to the public.
Big Tone will play 41 West Friday at 9 p.m. On Saturday, 41 West goes country with w/ DJ Paul Jackino taking requests from patrons in their Daisy Duke and cowboy hats, starting at 9 p.m.
It's Folk Night at Wishberry in Fredonia on Friday, starting at 8 p.m., featuring Caitlin O'Reilley, Noah Gokey, Under New Management and Raggedy.
Got Pink? Held from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, this fundraiser at Shawbucks in Jamestown will benefit WCA Hospital breast cancer awareness, research and treatment programs. The day will include live music, beauty salon treatment by Salon One, auctions and much more.
A sure sign of spring - Zoar Valley Rafting begins its 28th season on Saturday! Enjoy that fresh air.
April Diodato is the OBSERVER Lifestyles editor. Give her the dish on what's happening at aprildiodato@gmail.com
