"The course of true love...

Magnet #1249 - Course of true love

...never did run smooth."

- Lysander, A Midsummer Night's Dream

I'd been holding this magnet that I think I picked up at BEA for ages, figuring I'd use it for the Much Ado magnet post...but then they had that gorgeous David Tennant/Catherine Tate magnet.

So instead, I'll use it for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of The Winter's Tale that I saw over the weekend. The RSC is visiting this summer, and have taken over the Park Avenue Armory - and when I mean, taken over, I mean, they up and built a whole darn theatre inside the giant hall.

Built to mirror their home theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the Armory theatre is seriously three to four stories, with a stalls level, mezzanine and balcony. It's amazing. Mind you, it's hard for the oldies to get up and down off the barstool like seating in the mezz, but it's really very clever. And I've never seen such a nicer crew of ushers, even as some of the oldies were crotchety to them.

The Winter's Tale production itself was both simple and complicated, with moments of craziness that freaked me out a bit, intertwined with some chuckleworthy moments.

But as with most productions, I like to go into the theatre knowing as little about the production, the story or anything. That includes the reviews. In fact, after I finish writing this magnetpost, I'll go check out the NYTimes review.

This ignorance can sometimes be a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because I go in with a clean slate, not knowing if I'll like it, not predisposed to someone else's opinion running around in my head. A curse, because if I've never read the play or seen the movie, then I have absolutely no idea what the story is about.

I won't lie - I've never read the play, all I know is that it's the title for one of my fave Dawson's Creek eps ever. (Points if you know what episode that is.) But, as I watched this story of one man's jealousy destroying his family and kingdom, I realized it was not for me.

No matter how well acted or produced, or how terrific the production is...or even if they had a bear (yes, a bear), I just did not like the story at all. No surprise there, I think I may just be destined to not like Shakespearean tragedies. Maybe wanting happy endings makes me a simpleton, but I can live with that.

Nonetheless, if you get a chance to see the RSC this summer at the Armory - do it. So. Very. Cool.

eta:
Yep. Simpleton, it is.

Lobby got back...to Capeside

Magnet #1068a & b - Boston Lobster

This two-sided magnet that I picked up at Quincy Market in Boston last year is freakin' awesome.

The lobster's grinning face reminds me of my messageboard friends whom I miss.

But how cute does Lobby look - so happy! You'd think he doesn't realize he's about to get eaten by people of Boston. Poor thing.

Using this magnet today because I finally - finally - finished my Dawson's Creek marathon. Seven seasons over the past three weeks or so, with a DC (Washington) break in between. I mentioned what started my Creekathon a few weeks ago, and it's been so much fun revisiting Capeside and Boston. Fun, and funny, watching a whole series back to back, and from so long ago.

It's slightly dated, with it's constant pop culture references and fashion sense. But mostly the fashion sense. I mean, the shoes alone made me giggle. Still, that cast had some of the most adorable outfits. Even "wrong side of the creek" Joey had some adorable stuff. Though, in later years, that Dawson Leery Scholarship must have paid off buckets, for she was actually wearing a DKNY Jeans winter coat, according to the tag on her sleeve. And good grief, she had a different coat for every occasion! And the scarves! They had the cutest, most adorable scarves!

The music made me crazy. They basically re-scored the show, to save on music rights - which I totally get. But some of the replacement songs were just not right for the seminal moments of the show, and made all the more upsetting when you've got a scene burned in your brain and it's totally not the same song they used in the original.

On top of that, in some of the scenes, some of the music levels overpowered the actual show dialogue. I shouldn't be hearing more of the lyrics than the dialogue, sound dude! And don't even get me started with the use of the international opening for seasons three-six, rather than the Paula Cole track. (Though I was happy they kept it intact for the series finale.)

The show really should have ended at season four - it was a perfect ending to the show. But no, we had to be subjected to the last two seasons...which were made bearable only by adding Busy Phillips. As my sister says, she was like a breath of fresh air to those seasons. It's true.

It was funny because I can recite dialogue from almost every episode from the first four seasons, but I had a hard time remembering some of the episodes from the last two seasons. Like, how in the world did I forget that Joey was Pacey's temp admin assistant for an episode?

It was probably because those last two seasons were very much uneven, and almost a totally different show, riddled with a lot of trial and error in terms of relationships and characters. They did a pretty good job of showing how each of them were leading separate lives, but in doing that, it lost a lot of what the show was about, I thought. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if they had done the One Tree Hill route and skipped college, and jumped right into "real life."

But I suppose the best part of revising Capeside and Boston were the guest stars and cameos. Eddie Cahill, Oliver Hudson, Andy Griffith, Pauley Perrette, Dr. Drew & Adam Corolla, Brenda Strong, Mimi Rogers, Jack Osbourne, Melissa Clare Egan (twice in 2 different roles), Greg Rikaart, and Jensen Ackles. And it just really cracks me up that Seth Rogen, of all people, will forever have Dawson's Creek on his resume.

Overall I have to say, the show held up for me. The same squees at Dawson & Joey and Pacey & Joey and Dawson & Jen 2.0, the same tears at the killer ice cream, all the proms and Jen's good-bye, and of course, the same sighs over Pacey Goo and "I remember everything."

I won't lie. Watching the final montage, there was a big part of me that wanted to run back and grab disc one all over again.

Of course, I'll wait.

But I don't wanna.

Cutesy Carolina

Magnet #1067 - Cutesy Carolina

How much do I love this magnet? No really. Adorable. Carolina and navy blue is one of my all-time fave color combinations, and all done up with little sweet polka dots and cutesy stripes? Love.

It's the kind of magnet you'd expect to find in a cute local drugstore on Main Street, the kind with an old soda fountain counter manned by local high schoolers aiming for the nearest highway out of town. Which is of course, where I found it.

Using it for today, because to this day, it still kills me that they picked Duke to be Joey Potter's Worthington campus. I'm sure it was easier to work with the private Duke folks, versus the bureaucratic state-run UNC, but still!

And, yes, I will grant you that Duke has a beautiful campus, but I really, really, really hate that all the college years promo shots on my Dawson's Creek DVDs have Duke in it, rather than Carolina.

What? I've been finishing up their college years, and all I keep seeing is Duke, Duke, Duke! Grrr. Argh!

Oops. Wrong show.

Taking chances

Magnet #1052 - Michelle Williams, Dawson's Creek

I've been holding on to this magnet for a while, because along with me, a certain demographic will always remember Michelle Williams as the bad girl next door, Jen Lindley.

So of course, I had to use it for today's Blue Valentine Q&A session with Michelle and @ditzkoff for the NYTs Arts & Leisure Weekend.

Funny how my first impression of her was that she was so tall! Then I saw her four-inch Louboutins. But, goodness, I've always thought they looked alike, but she and Carey Mulligan really must do a movie as sisters, because they're practically twins with the same pixie cut that I heart so very much.

But what followed was a good conversation between the two of them, about

• Blue Valentine (and how she and Ryan Gosling lived together for a month to have that couply background together- "except for the nighttime stuff")
• about her latest project (just got finished shooting the Marilyn Monroe bio...let's take a moment to smile about how Jen Lindley ended up playing Marilyn Monroe, while Joey Potter ended up playing Jackie O.)
• about her career (how she doesn't really map it according to what people expect her to do), and
• about her choices (that she's learned that whenever she's been torn about doing something - making lists and asking people for advice on what to do, deliberating hard, that it usually wasn't the right decision for her).

Itzkoff even asked her about her Creek days (bless), and she was totally open to talking about it. Apparently, James Van Der Beek once told her she was lucky, because she wasn't part of "such a strong triangle" that of all of the Creekers, she'd get away from Dawson's scott-free.

And, she has, for the most part. George Clooney once said that once you've been nominated for an Academy Award, whether you win it, or not, you'll always have Academy Award-Nominee in front of your name. And that's what comes before Michelle Williams' name now.

I've never understood why anyone was surprised when she was nominated - it was always obvious from any one of Jen's downward spirals that Michelle Williams was the actor who wasn't afraid to take chances in her work. She was just good. Like others have said, their time on the show was like six and a half years of acting class, a place to get rid of bad habits, and try out new things, and figure out what works for her and what doesn't.

Dudes, she even mentioned the funny walk Jen started doing! So funny, because just last night I was like, what is up with Jen and this funny walk? (No, seriously. To the point where I was totes surprised when Michelle walked so gracefully across the stage in her four-inch killer heels.)

And, yeah. You read right. Just last night. I'm totally in the midst of a Creekathon. For a couple of reasons, really. First, because I have the complete series box set that I never really cracked open. Second, because almost every day, @Creek_Quotes Tweets a DC quote, and I can pretty much pinpoint every episode it comes from. Third, because I was looking forward to seeing today's session with Michelle, and wanted to see her very early work.

But, the real impetus for my Creekathon is because of James Van Der Beek's Jamesvandermemes Funny or Die site, part of Van Der Week, where there's four videos to watch. And, if you haven't seen the Vandermemes vid:

Vandermemes from James Van Der Beek

Capeside and Tree Hill

Magnet #1011 - Wilmington, NC

If there's anything you should know, it's that I love cheesy television, and frankly, I don't care who judges me for it. Whether it was Dawson's Creek in the early 2000s or One Tree Hill now, they're some of my guiltiest pleasures and I make no excuses for it.

So yeah, I admit to being a little giddy as my dad pulled into historic Downtown Wilmington, and there was perhaps a little inside squee. Or, it could have been aloud, and under my breath, acutely aware that there were others around me. But, I couldn't help it - these familiar streets, storefronts, and the Riverwalk (on this magnet) have been such a big part of my WB/CW television-viewing history - from the Capeside regatta that Pacey totally won, or to Nathan and Haley and their little friendship bracelet, studying by the water.

Doesn't matter that I've been down there several times before, that I've touched Pacey's locker, been to the Potter B&B, drove down the bend where Pacey first kissed Joey, on both friend tours and the EUE Screen Gems tour several years ago.

I was still silly, walking around town, with various scenes playing in my head this afternoon. Truly, the town's basically become a backlot for both shows.

It was fun, hanging out with my dad, roaming around town. He'd never been to Riverwalk, and was truly surprised to see the USS North Carolina moored on the opposite bank. As for me, I was surprised the ship was blue...but I was even more surprised to find out that the River Court actually exists! For years, I've thought that One Tree Hill was green-screening the court with the riverfront background! Weird.

I'll tell you what, after walking the three square blocks of Capeside and Tree Hill, just looking for someone who would have fried fish for my dad, I was desperate for Leery's Fresh Fish, right around the corner on the water. Instead, we ended up at a restaurant endorsed by both Food Network magazine & OTH cast as one of the best places to eat in town. My dad would have been happier at Captain D's.

I'd have been happier at Pacey's locker.

What?

Something in the water

Magnet #948 - Perdido Key, FL

My sister brought this magnet back from her trip to her hub's family reunion in Florida, mostly because I misunderstood and thought she saw James Van Der Beek at the beach. I couldn't figure out why Dawson Leery would be near BIL's family reunion.

Turns out they saw dolphins at the beach.

Yeah. Well, the audiologist did mention that if I think I'm missing too much, it's time to get hearing aids.

I picked it for today because I made my train ride today, so I'm training my way back up north, and whiling away the hours by watching the rest of Invasion, that short-lived alien sci-fi show produced by Shaun Cassidy, starring cuteboy Eddie Cibrian.

It's set in Homestead, FL, after a big hurricane where strange lights in the water began to take over the townspeople, and how two families try to get through the aftermath. There's almost no reason to finish watching the series, since clearly, I'll never get an ending from it. But, cute is, as cute does, and who can resist a little Eddie?

He's actually the only reason I own the DVD set. Although, Invasion came out on ABC, when CBS put out Threshold, the other "aliens taking over the world" show...which I also own, because of cuteboys on it.

Nah, you can't tell me you're surprised that my TV DVD collection includes a sad little section of short-lived series that no one ever watched but me and the grannies. Or that the majority of them only live on my DVD shelves because of one or more cuteboys on those shows.

Crossing universes

Magnet #944 - Fringe

I picked up this one at Comic-Con a couple of months ago, and have been saving it for tonight's season three premiere of Fringe.

By all accounts, it should be a pretty good one, now that the two universes are a little flip-floppy with folks having switched sides, with no real foreseeable way yet to right the two universes.

My raison d'etre for watching this show has always been Joshua Jackson. I won't lie, if he weren't on this show, and such an integral part of the show, and come to think about it, really good in the Peter Bishop role, I'd totally have dropped Fringe from my TV dance card two years ago.

But he is, so I'm still watching...and sometimes for more than just him. Actually, I found myself growing to like the alternative universe mythology of the show, and if we didn't have to deal with all the other X-Filesy stuff, I probably would like it more.

I kinda wished I'd already picked up the S2 DVDs, just to do a quick refresher course before the premiere tonight, but I'm sure the extra long previouslys will get me through.

Just the blurby-blurb reminded me of alterna-Olivia, and the Gaudi dotting the alterna-NYC skyline.

So, yes. Let's see that again. Oh, and lots more Peter Bishop, too, please.

(Especially since, like an idiot, I missed Pacey-Con in San Diego. Gosh, it still makes me crazy seeing that video.)

S*#lmates, not so much

Magnet #824 - Dawson Leery

Would you believe that it was either this magnet, or using my last SoapNet swag magnet with the word HUNK on it?

Hunk. Just the very word makes me think Hunk Golden, or Sixteen Candles bohunk, or even that Preppy guidebook they pubbed in the 80s. Does anyone remember that pink plaid book?

Anyway, I know I'm being silly. But I needed something to giggle myself out of my moody broodiness and woefulness.

So I settle for Dawson Leery, because first, NCISGretchen has a new job on Rizzoli & Isles, and because Mercy was canceled, and because, well, just because.

It's here where I'll confess something surprising.

I totally rooted for Dawson and Joey.

No. I did. I can admit it.

I was Dawson/Joey all the way. All the way, up until Dawson read her journal. When he did that, I knew they'd never, ever be happy. No matter how cute they were.

After that? Hellooooo, Team Pacey.

eta:
And now I'm sad, because I just found out that Anne Sweeney's shutting down SoapNet. But after that HUNK magnet, I'll have no more SoapNet swag magnets!

Won't someone please think of the magnets!!!!

Won't you come blog, joy magnetism?

Magnet #750 - Mile 0, Key West

WHEW. This is what I feel like I've hit. Mile ZERO.

I know, I know, the last time I blogged was March 13, the day before we went into overdrive for Transitions Championship week. I mean, I was able to blog from a hotel lobby in the middle of Florence, Italy, more easily than I could have done from Tampa in the last couple of weeks!

No worries, I'll quickly catch up (to the real magnet tally), I just needed to catch my breath.

The funny part is how everyone left behind thinks that Tampa was some sort of a picnic, that we weren't really doing anything but watching some golf, and throwing up a couple of Transitions swirls here and there.

Actually, it's not really all that funny. Even with a dozen people on site (a dozen, FFS), we still had one chick log in about 97 hours on one week's timesheet. And she's one we took it easy on.

So yeah, I get pretty het up when I hear folks wondering out loud just what we were doing down there, when I know for a fact that Tampa was not just a walk in the sun.

Anyway, moving on...I think my sister brought back this magnet for me, because no, I haven't been to Key West. In fact, all I know about it, is that there are lots of cats at Hemingway's house there, and that Joey Potter stole a brick from the house for Dawson. As a symbol of their friendship. Or some such. (Honestly, I dunno why she even bothered to get him a darn thing, when she should have just sailed away on the True Love with Pacey, and never came home or given Dawson a second thought.)

What? I've just been away, is all. joy magnetism hasn't magically turned into a different blog in my absence. Of course, I'm yammering away about work. And Dawson's Creek.

You're just lucky I didn't mention anything about David Tennant and Doctor Who.

Yet.

Capeside, seaside

Magnet #676 - Monet's Regatta at Sainte-Adresse

This is part of the Monet magnet set I picked up from the Met - it's an inset of this painting from the Met's site.

Monet spent a lot of time at Sainte-Adresse on the coast of France, where his Parisian parents moved. He painted Regatta at Sainte-Adresse (at the Met) supposedly as a companion piece to the Beach at Sainte-Adresse (at the Art Institute of Chicago), both in 1867.

There's some speculation that he painted it to show the class differences - the posh bathers versus the local fishermen.

I just like it because regattas always remind me of when stupid Dawson Leery entered Capeside's Annual Spring Regatta to win the heart of Joey Potter, even though everyone knows that the Joey belonged with Pacey J Witter.

What? I have a million Monet magnets...plus, my sister totally got me the complete series boxset of Dawson's Creek.

Now, if only I had time to do a proper marathon!

You don't bring me flowers

Magnet #328 - Flowers for a friend

In general, I can't stand celebrity gossip. Hate it, in fact.

It goes hand in hand with breaking down the fourth wall - you people stay in my little magic box of a TV, or on my movie screens. Thank you for your terrific work, but I don't need to know what you're up to in your private lives. Emphasis on the word private.

Obvious exceptions to this rule are the dating habits of George Clooney, Joshua Jackson and David Tennant.* And even then, it's just because I want to make sure you boys are well taken care of. (And, no, it totally doesn't have to be me, just has to be someone worthy of well, you.)

But, I digress. To recap:

Celebrity gossip = bad.
George Clooney, Joshua Jackson, David Tennant* = good. (Except when they're dating cocktail waitresses...George.)

So in this (made up of George, Joshua and David*) world where we rarely receive good news, I had read a while ago that Joshua had actually gone backstage to see his old friend Katie Holmes (purportedly his first love and dammit yes, I was a Pacey/Joey fan) at her Broadway show, to say hello, wish her a broken leg, and gasp! to give her flowers.

And in my little heart of hearts (sorry, Tom and Diane), I was hoping Joshua was gonna whisk Katie away and they could go live happily in love ever after (possibly in Wilmington, or at the very least, Capeside).

But nooooo.

My sister passed along this Popsugar story about Joshua Jackson...where he debunked the whole story!

*falls over*


*John Taylor should technically be included here, but in my head he's still that superhot 26-year-old bassist, and I refuse to entertain any thought of him dating, married, having kids, getting old, whatever. So, he's excluded.

"If you ask me, the thing looks like a big artichoke."*

Magnet #264 - Guggenheim, Bilbao

A couple of months ago, I mentioned that my sister got me the 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die book, and I was slowly making my way through it to count up how many buildings I've seen.

Suffice to say that sadly, I have at least 900 more to go. Mind you, I haven't been trying before. Hello. Mission!

I spent most of last night looking through the photos posted on the Modern Architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright Appreciation Society Facebook groups, ooohing and ahhhing at gorgeous buildings, and posting a couple of images here and there.

One building that I'd love to see is the one on this magnet - the Guggenheim Bilbao. A friend of mine went to Spain earlier this year, and brought this back for me. Love. It.

After having seen the documentary, Sketches of Frank Gehry, I was completely psyched to hear her firsthand details of the buildings and the grounds, and seeing her pictures (and of course, my magnet). But seriously. How supercool is this building?

I'm always torn between Gehry's buildings - some people think his work is genius, while others think it's too weird and offputting.

Whatever you think - he usually manages to deliver something to talk about, and something interesting to see. Which is why I love trying to visit whatever Gehry work I can.

To wit, I begged my boss to get me a private tour of Gehry's IAC building on the West Side Highway. He totally got me in, cuz he's cool like that.

And, I said yes to one of my coworker's cocktail events, because it was being held in the Condé Nast building, in a Gehry-designed conference room.

I loved my IAC tour, but was a little underwhelmed by the Condé Nast room...until I just now realized that once again, I missed the main event. The truly outrageous Gehry work at Condé Nast is the damn cafeteria. Sigh. Time to ask someone for a favor. Heh.

Anyway, watch out world, I'm on a life-long mission. Might be a dorky one, but how fun will it be to keep checking things off in that book!


*Joshua Jackson's Pacey Witter, Dawson's Creek, the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang episode where Joey brings Pacey to her Worthington incoming frosh dinner and Pacey wows the table with his conversational abilities, thus forcing Joey to wahhhh all the way home.

Cheating on George Clooney...with Joshua Jackson

Magnet #151 - Dawson's Creek, but really, Pacey's Pond

I swear, this is the last of the Cheating on George Clooney series, but really only because I haven't any magnets for Clive Owen or Jason Statham or Gerard Butler or...well, you get the picture.

Really, one could argue that my fling isn't really with Joshua Jackson, but really with Pacey J. Witter (except for the tragic Promicide episode, which we won't discuss here).

Joshua's probably the longest fling, since he's from like, OMG, the 1990s, which is odd, since he's actually the youngest. He's also the most like George, too. I'm convinced young Joshua's gonna be a George when he hits his mid-30s and 40s.

Really. He had a taste of success when he was really young - obvi, those Duck movies (/Pacey, Breakfast Club-esque Detention eppy). Then the Creekers were the hottest thing off The WB for a couple of years. And during and since, he's done a couple of rather ok movies, mixed in with some critical work that no one really saw. Having watched almost anything he's put out - I think he's damn sight better than most people give him credit for.

I'm hoping that Fringe, his new show this fall, will do for him what ER did for George. That might be shooting a bit high, and I might be here next year at this time wondering why it didn't take off. Granted, I've seen only the same "leaked" pilot version online that everyone else has seen.

It has a few things going for it. Joshua Jackson. The other JJ - J.J. Abrams. A fairly interesting concept. Damned awesome titles and supers (what? yes, I'm reaching, but they really are freakin' awesome). A fabulous good teaser campaign that I hope they decide to nix the real launch ad campaign for.

It does have a few things against it. It's on FOX, which means (unless J.J. has them over a barrel somehow) it has only a couple of shots to make it, before Fox programming decides that they don't care how much they've spent on advertising and ruthlessly pulls it. Also, Mark Valley's in it, and though I love him and he's adorable, too, he can be somewhat of a show killer. And, the verdict's out on the lead chick - though she's like a young Cate Blanchett, she's a little too bland. (They should have cast his real-life gal pal, Diane Kruger, but no doubt, there's another National Treasure to produce. Heh.)

But, for now, who cares? My Pacey's gonna be back on my tv every week!

Dear FOX,

Don't screw it up.

Love and kisses,
joy

I don't wanna wait

Magnet #83 - Dawson's Creek Cast

Yes. I have Dawson's Creek magnets. If you know me at all, you know that this show, along with half of the original WB lineup, was one of my favorites. Sue me.

And yes, I have four more of these babies, and will eventually blog on all of our little Creekers individually.

And, no, you don't have to guess if I was a Pacey/Joey girl, or a Dawson/Joey girl. I mean seriously, were there any Dawson/Joey girls?

Anyway, I had hoped that my looooong-awaited (ok, since they shipped last Tuesday from Forbidden Planet UK) Doctor Who magnets would arrive today.

Why? Because I was just freakin' blown away by Patrick Stewart's Macbeth last night. I was soooo going to take today to use the David Tennant magnet to comment about how it's nearly unheard of that David Tennant's Hamlet is sold out for the entire freakin' run, and to bitch about how I don't have tickets! Sigh.

So, this will have to do for today. Maybe we'll see a Dalek or TARDIS or two, in June.

Why June, you ask? Because from tomorrow through June 2, would have been the Great American Roadtrip (GAR), the trip we were planning on taking across, well, America. We nixed the trip for various reasons, and what's done is done. But I'm planning on having joy magnetism take the trip for us.

Lay on, Macjoy.