It turns out the Fiery Furnaces are playing two shows in San Francisco this weekend. I just bought tickets to the Friday show. Now I need to buy a date.    I mean, find a date.

This is going to be fun.

I saw Sideways last night. It lived up to my expectations, but didn’t surpass them.   I was irked right off the bat when the first win they mentioned, Sanford’s Pinot Noir, happened to be exactly what I was drinking at that moment, and my favorite wine to buy give as a gift.  I had just brought another bottle to the Andy’s as a housewarming gift.

Gorgeous Matt in Milwaukee had recommended it to me three years ago, but now that it’s in the movie, and everyone’s heard of it, I’m going to have to find something else.

The movie was excellent though. I don’t think Church (The Wings guy) was amazing, but he did a good job.  Giamatti was incredible, but I kept getting distracted by the fact that he is a perfect blend of Ricky Jay and Chris Elliott.  Every possible characteristic, from their age, to their looks, their hair, their personality, he falls right in-between. It’s uncanny.   Ricky needs to do more movies.

The money scene, him eating a burger after running into his wife, was perfect. I love the misdirection—the  foreshadowing earlier in the movie. The scene is so understated that it’s more awesome in retrospect, which might be a failing of the movie as a whole. I suspect people aren’t on the tip of their seats, enjoying every moment; they are instead looking back at each scene in admiration.  Of course the patio exchange, about his love of Pinot, and her love of wine, was pitch perfect. Right through his clumsy, Graduate-like advances (Hoffman gropes Breast, The Graduate).  The dialog was lucid and real, but yet was some pretty heavy prose.

I had a conversation like that once with a girl. What were we drinking....?  We had Imperial Porter at "Walk The Dog", and listened to Gish on the way home. Those whole days were just like this movie.   Dave, you were there,  what were we all drinking?

I bet we drank Pinot. 

She got hit by a bus.  Dumb luck, that.