A documentary directed by Liz Mermin.
At first it sounded a lot like a joke: New York hairdressers opening a beauty school in Afghanistan. “It instantly jumped out as completely insane,” said filmmaker Liz Mermin, who read a newspaper story about the project – and then promptly decided to make a movie about it. “How could there not be a story here?”
Last year at the historic, ever-provocative Ojai Music Festival, the unexpected highlight of the festival came early, when the Bugallo-Williams piano duo performed dazzling live human transcriptions of the “Studies for Player Piano” by Conlon Nancarrow. The celebrated, late, great American innovator created remarkable and complex music from the 1940s through his death in 1997, painstakingly punching out rolls for his player pianos in his Mexico City home, where he expatriated after suffering political and musical oppression.
For most women I know, myself included, the idea of parading oneself down a catwalk, under a spotlight, music pumping, capacity crowd fixated upon thee, strutting thy stuff in high heels and a bikini, is about as appealing as – oh, I don’t know – gnawing off one’s own arm. Perhaps that’s overstating, but the very idea ranks right up there with that universal nightmare of arriving to work late – and buck naked. Luckily for the crew that gathered at El Paseo restaurant one recent Thursday night, not everyone shares my sentiment.
Lynn Scarlett – the acting secretary of the Interior – will be the commencement speaker at UCSB’s Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, a choice regarded by some as ironic given environmentalists’ outspoken criticism of the Bush administration. Active in Carpinteria’s Libertarian Party before going on to the presidency of the libertarian Reason Foundation and government posts, Scarlett earned her BA, MA, and doctorate in political science at UCSB. Scarlett’s official position is assistant secretary, though she has been acting as head of the Interior since former secretary Gail Norton resigned in March in the wake of the bribery scandals surrounding lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
At the Santa Barbara Bowl, Monday, June 5.
Lounging on a riser at the front edge of the stage in head-to-toe blonde rockstar white, Ashlee Simpson looked every bit the pop princess as she told the audience “I love you guys!” before launching into “Autobiography,” just one of the hits from the first of her two albums. The Santa Barbara Bowl made an ideal opening-night venue for the big national tour that Ashlee is on, and she has every reason to be happy. She’s as interesting musically as anyone in the pop mainstream right now, and she still sells like crazy.
SOLEDADEEZ LET LOOSE: The long-awaited debut album from the Soledadeez, Fattyboombaladee, drops tonight, Thursday, June 8, at SOhO, a benefit for the Surfrider Foundation. The groove-rock duo of guitarist-vocalists Corey Linberg (formerly of the Messengers) and Mike McHugh became a fixture on the bar scene when they first started performing late last summer.
Closing arguments in the rape trial of former Devereux School employee Darren Boyer Thomas (pictured) concluded this week, with a jury verdict expected as soon as this Friday. Thirty-nine-year-old Thomas – who is charged with raping and impregnating a developmentally disabled resident at the school in December 2003 – took the stand on Monday afternoon as the sole witness for the defense.
Aldo’s Restaurant on State Street is hosting a “Dine Out” for Summer Solstice on Tuesday, June 13, from 5-9:30 p.m., with proceeds going to everyone’s favorite summertime parade. That night will also feature celebrity waiters, so stop by and make sure to keep Solstice alive and colorful.
I’m a beach volleyball enthusiast. A volley-ho, if you will. I’ll play with just about anybody, nearly any time, any day of the week. You can call me a beach bum, if you like, but lying out in the sun isn’t the point. It’s about the game. The sport. The lifestyle.
County supervisor candidate and former Santa Barbara City Councilmember Dan Secord was appointed this week to serve as an alternate on the California Coastal Commission, to the tempered dismay of activists involved in preserving coastal lands and fighting ocean waters development.
