Acai wins, Lemon-Lime Lite loses -- in Joanna and I's Emergen-C taste test challenge!

I blame last week's illness on the fact that I'd run out of Emergen-C Super Energy Booster the week previous. Seriously, roommate Joanna and I swear by this stuff. Jess even graciously provided it between SXSW shows to keep us from dying. It's powerful.

I stocked up the other day on old favorites & new flavors -- and with that, Joanna and I have tried every variety carried at our local supermarket! We're experts now. And because there are just many delicious as disgusting flavors, we want to share our Emergen-C expertise with you! Read our taste-test verdicts below.



Acai Berry
JOANNA: My #1 favorite -- not just because this berry is so trendy, but because of the actual yummy flavor!  It is basically perfect in the world of vitamin/mineral drink powders.
SARAH: My #1 favorite also! Especially because we just learned how to pronounce acai!

Cranberry
JOANNA: I usually love cranberry-flavored drinks, but this is lacking. Good try though!
SARAH: Wrong. No. Not a good try. This is such a watered-down attempt at "cranberry" that I don't think I'd recognize the flavor in a blind taste test. Seriously, the only guy I know who likes this flavor is a total weirdo.

Lemon-Lime Lite
JOANNA: Regular Emergen-C has, what, like 10 calories per serving? While it's important to take calories into account, this does not taste like anything, and I predict people will use more than one packet, thus defeating the purpose of the "lite"-ness.  This is a pointless flavor.
SARAH: This tastes like flat tonic water with a hint of lawn fertilizer. When I got to the bottom of my glass, I gagged on the residue that'd sunk the bottom. Even the memory of it makes me nauseous.

Pink
JOANNA: This attempt at pink lemonade is adorable. Who doesn't love a breast cancer awareness cause as a drink?  Really a fine flavor.
SARAH: Tastes like Grandma went & fortified you some of her famous pink lemonade. And it's true -- 50% of Pink's profits are donated to the Keep-A-Breast Foundation. I'm heathy and helpful.

Raspberry
JOANNA: Definitely tastes like raspberry and is very flavorful.  Unless you don't like raspberry-flavored things, you'll think this is quite nice! Give it a try -- I am not a liar.
SARAH: It's true. Joanna's a touch insane, but certainly no liar.

Tangerine
JOANNA: Bland, though not as bad as Lemon-Lime Lite.  It's an OK flavor, but I find it pointless.
SARAH: Actually, I refuse to try this because it makes me think of Tang, and I frickin hate Tang.

Tropical
JOANNA: I love all things tropical, and this is near the top of my list (tied for 2nd with Raspberry).  Highly recommended!
SARAH: This flavor is like a sweet little pastel cloud of heavenly pleasant-ness. If Tropical were a person, it would be the adorable girl in class who always lets you borrow a pen and doesn't mind that you give it back all chewed up. Cute!


Click to www.emergenc.com for more info on their super energy boosters. The site currently includes a survey which'll earn you free samples of their products!

3 shows in 3 days: Does It Offend You Yeah?, Beirut, and British Sea Power

Spent Saturday, Sunday, and Monday seeing great shows. I'm exhausted but happy.

SATURDAY was Does It Offend You, Yeah? [web / myspace] at Southpaw, whose high-energy presence drove the crowd absolutely wild. I'd spent the last month blasting You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into on repeat, and was so happy they didn't disappoint. Check out this tour montage from their YouTube channel:

DIOYY is the kind of band you wanna really let loose for (i.e. next time I see them I will get drunker). Check them out when they open for Bloc Party this summer.

SUNDAY was the last-minute Beirut show [web / myspace] at Music Hall of Williamsburg. One Brooklyn Vegan reader called it "a borderline religious experience" -- a description that wasn't too far off. At one point I looked around & the entire crowd seemed to be swaying together in unison.

Check out Brooklyn Heathen's write-up for some great photos of the show. The following two are by baonguyen.




MONDAY was British Sea Power [web / myspace] at their sold-out Maxwell's show. Because my favorite show-buddy is BSP-obsessed, this was the 2nd time I'd seen them this month (last week was at Music Hall). Both shows were a big gorgeous mess that ended with some heavy jamming & people getting thrown around all over the place.

The following shots are from the 5/11 Music Hall show -- taken by pneyu.




And now, a few days of recovery before the weekend!

F'ing cartoon animal Hello Kitty named Japanese tourism ambassador

According to today's Huffington Post, fictional character Hello Kitty was just named Japan's Tourism Ambassador to China and Hong Kong. Wow. That's not crazy at all.

From the article:

Although this is the first time the tourism ministry has tapped a fictional character for the role, the foreign ministry in March inaugurated blue robo-cat Doraemon as Japan's "anime ambassador."

According to her official profile from Sanrio, Hello Kitty lives with her family in London. It does not mention how often she visits Japan.

I guess they'd better start checking up on this cat's global travel now that she's hit the big time. Especially when via that cracked out airport of hers.

Full article here

One-man conga line dances around my building with a boom box

I risked my life to capture this video -- leaning real far out my roommate's window when we saw that this old dude with a boom box had danced his way from one side of our apartment building to the other.

Dude had some pep in his step. This went on for about an hour. Then who knows where his one-man conga line took him.

Re-name Galapagos Art Space and win a $1000 bar tab

The new owners of Williamsburg's Galapagos Art Space are looking for suggestions to re-name the space at 70 N. 6th St., which will mostly remain the same except for the addition of some new audio equipment.

So far my friend Rob has come up with the following suggestions to win the $1000 bar tab:

-- Gentrification
-- Craphole with an indoor-pond
-- Gymnasium
-- Hot Shots Part Deux

Try to beat Rob's suggestions with your own via www.nameourspace.com.

Happy birthday to My Pal Ray!

My Pal Ray -- who I've known since the 3rd grade & still hasn't turned in his guest blog -- turns 27 today!

Ray is touring Europe through the next week, which means he's not around to demand I take down the following clip of him bustin' a move at a party last year -- pieced together by my friend Matt of Johnny Millers Productions and MattHuard.com.

Happy birthday, Ray! :)

P.S. In honor of Ray's birthday, Dunkin Donuts will be giving away free 16oz iced coffee from 10am-10pm. Click to www.myicedcoffee.com for more info.

Stand up for Union Hall against the unfair actions of CB6

Perhaps predictably, I'm one of the bajillion Brooklynites riled about the situation facing Union Hall. That being, its liquor license is in serious danger of being revoked, despite never receiving a written violation leading up to this. (Read "Why Union Hall's Liquor License Should Be Renewed" at UH's website for their side of the story, including a timeline of events leading up to this point.)

Union Hall is so tame compared to a lot of venues -- and if the community board gets away with this, who's to say the precedent won't affect other Brooklyn hot spots? As UH comedy favorite Eugene Mirman said last week, "Maybe Brooklyn isn’t the best place for someone who has a life-threatening allergy to bar noise?"

Dave at Bumpershine (who wrote a fantastically reasonable & moving post last week about the situation), fowarded over the following info on tonight's board meeting, for others who are upset and looking to show their support.

[Wednesday night] could change Brooklyn nightlife as we know it.

Community Board 6's advisory board lead by Lou Sones (the owner of Brazen Head) is taking action against Union Hall of Park Slope. They are recommending the removal of their liquor license based on a group of about 5 people from Union street, with no facts generated to prove any violations. I repeat... THEY ARE TRYING TO TAKE AWAY UNION HALL'S LIQUOR LICENSE WITHOUT A SINGLE VIOLATION!  If this is allowed it could set a chain-reaction through the night life scene. If they can deny the renewal of a liquor license for an establishment with no violations they will be able to close down anyone they like.

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN!

The General Board will be meeting on this and other matters at the address and time listed bellow. Show up in numbers with signs stating your support for Union Hall and Brooklyn Nightlife. The press will be there and we have to put the pressure on

Borough Hall
Court Room  /  6:30PM
209 Joralemon St
Brooklyn, NY

You can also contact Community Board 6 to voice your opinion via this form on their website, or by calling 718-643-3027.

Brooklyn Filmmakers premiere "15 Films in 30 Minutes" tonight

Tonight at 7:30, join the BFC Beta chapter of the Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective as they take over Williamsburg's Galapagos Art Space to premiere 15 two-minute films about "Brooklyn" and "change."

15 Films in 30 Minutes will show shorts ranging from documentary to narrative to experimental by 15 independent filmmakers. Admission is $7, to be used towards the BFC's ongoing work, and the after-party will feature a live DJ and giveaways from Celtx.

My friend Matt -- of Johnny Millers Productions and MattHuard.com -- is one member whose 2-minute film will be premiered tonight. See below for an example of his work (NOT the piece that will premiere tonight, but a remix of his family's old 8mm home movies set to "First Time" by the Junior Boys).

Click here for more info on tonight's event, and click to BFCBeta.com or brooklynfilmmakerscollective.com for more info on the filmmakers' collective.

Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion

According to this Screen Daily article, a sequel to 2001's Donnie Darko is set to start shooting next weekend. I personally am pretty grossed out by this news, and assume other fans must feel similarly?

From the article:

Daviegh Chase reprises her role as Donnie's younger sister. The cast for S. Darko also includes Ed Westwick (Son Of Rambow, Gossip Girl), Briana Evigan (Step Up 2) and Justin Chatwin (Dragon Ball) ... The story picks up seven years after the first film (and Donnie's death) when little sister Samantha Darko and her best friend Corey are now 18 and on a roadtrip to Los Angeles when they are plagued by bizarre visions.

Producers have spoken to [previous director] Richard Kelly about the project but he is not involved in any official capacity at this stage.

[Simon] Crowe [of the movie's sales company] quipped to ScreenDaily: "Donnie's not in [the new film] but there are meteorites and rabbits."

This movie is so near & dear to my heart that that last quote there downright offends me. Of course Richard Kelly's not involved.

RUDE, right?

100 People in Order, in honor of my 100th blog post

Hey, this is my 100th post since I started SARAHSPY in October! It might've been neat if I'd managed to time this with my birthday on Friday (wishlist here), but oh well.

Instead, to celebrate this geeky milesone, check out the video below. As part of a two-year old Portable Film Festival series, it lovingly assembles 100 British people in order of age. It's one of my favorite videos ever, and I'll bet you feel the same.

Check out Portable Film Festival's website to find out more about their international competition, for which they're now accepting entries.

And if you have a minute, please cast your votes for SARAHSPY in the 2008 Blogger's Choice Awards. I've made it to the top five in both the Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Entertainment Blog categories!

If you've got the flu, you need Big Blue

After a week of refusing to acknowledge I was getting sick, I came back from a business trip yesterday unable to ignore my obviously impending death. My head & throat & body are decaying from the inside-out, I think.

In an attempt to get better in time for tomorrow night's British Sea Power show at Music Hall, it's a movie/couch weekend for me. I watched The Assassination of Jesse James and Into the Wild and loved both. I'll also probably pull out my old VHS sick day standby What About Bob? when things get really dire (click here for my post on why that movie is so great).

My very best friend during these whiny times of need, however, is Tylenol's nighttime cough syrup. I don't mean to sound like some kind of tooly ad machine, but my roommate and I have sworn by this stuff for a couple years now. We call it "Big Blue." See?



Most other nighttime cough syrups make me tired, but this is different. This stuff knocks me out within a half-hour, max, and it feels like I'm floating off to a bright blue heaven of not-sickness. Plus it's this weird menthol-y "cool burst" flavor that's not disgusting like those other cherry syrups.

I bet a real crafty gang of teenagers could probably cook Big Blue into some kind of lucrative street drug -- but that's not something I know anything about or condone, obviously -- just saying it's that good. Use as directed, people. Big Blue will treat you right.

Totally gratuitous Peter Sarsgaard hot photo post, Part 3 of 3

Sad news, you guys. With this last installment of my Peter Sarsgaard hot photo post series, I am retiring him as my official celebrity crush. An unrequited love can only go on so long, after all. Plus, I've decided I am going to be in love with Paul Schneider now instead.

Such a long-standing object of my affections should go out on a high note. Hence, I saved these extra-good snapshots for last. Feel free, of course, to revisit Part One and Part Two in the series whenever you need a quick pick-me-up, as I often do.

Damn.