Sideways

We ran errands in New York City on the Monday after Christmas. One of our dear friends gave us a gift card for Bed Bath and Beyond and it was literally burning a hole in our figurative pocket. Getting around the city was relatively easy now that the holiday rush is over. We actually ran a couple of errrands. First we rode the trusty ole' W train down to 23rd for our trip to BB&B. Then we rode the F train uptown so we could go to the midtown COMPUSA to pick up my computer which they had repaired over the last few weeks. The F train at 23rd came rather quickly and quickly moved along the tracks to 34th street. But we got off at 42nd so that's neither here nor there. The tunnel through which we walked smelled like rotten corn, foot odor and stinky armpits. We walked through the tunnel to avoid the cold but it the chills would have been worth not smelling that earthy stench.

Last night Jon and I went to see the movie Sideways. Here is a picture of us on the train. You didn't honestly think that I would post something without including a picture, did you? Jon took this picture by holding our camera at arm's length. He also used the flash which turned out to be smart because we don't look yellow from the fluorescent subway lighting. I thought for sure we would end up looking washed out from the extra light but it worked out great. The flash on the digital camera is a perpetual mystery to me. It works when you don't expect to and doesn't work when you want it to. This train ride was perfect. We boarded shortly after we got to the platform and the train proceeded to Union Square with no delays. Perfect.

Sideways was very enjoyable. Alexander Payne, director of Election and About Schmidt, did a nice job telling the story of Miles, an English teacher at the end of his rope. Miles takes his friend Jack on a road trip to wine tasting country in California for a week of tasting wine and playing golf before Jack's wedding on the following Saturday. What follows is typical of most road trip movies. They meet women, get into trouble and our lead character learns something about himself by the end of the movie. What's not typical about Payne's version of a road trip movie is the quiet way in which he observes a man hiding from life behind his obsession for finding the perfect Pinot. Paul Giamatti plays Miles quietly and without big gestures, sucking the viewer in to look and listen closely as he describes himself as a delicate Pinot grape to the woman of his dreams; as he quietly suffers his ex-wife telling him about the baby she is expecting with her new husband; as he drinks a valuable bottle of wine while shoving burgers and fries into his gullet. I really liked this movie.

After words Jon and I went to Cosi. Here is a picture of Jon hypnotizing me into ordering something delicious. I have to admit that it didn't take that much convincing but isn't this a cool picture? Yes. I agree. Jon does look great in this picture.