dotinthesky: (Default)
Dot in the Sky ([personal profile] dotinthesky) wrote2009-07-13 10:59 am

This Boy Needs No Help


God Help The Girl!
Originally uploaded by AlmostPhony
I have a group of people on my friends' list which I like to think of as my San Diego posse. Years ago I got friended by [livejournal.com profile] jellyfish93 and through her I eventually met Californian people connected to her on LJ. A few have been through London over the years but we never got to meet in person for one reason or another. So it was a real pleasure to finally break this record on Friday, when I met [livejournal.com profile] aeonflux and her sister in Canary Wharf (near their hotel) for a quick dinner before they zoomed downtown for a spin on the London Eye. They were both lovely, filled with that excitement and energy that you only get from a two-week holiday that involves a thousand places to see and very little sleep. They are now in Paris, probably wandering through the Louvre or lining up to ascend the Eiffel Tower.

While I was waiting for them, I bought God Help The Girl's debut album. It's a side project by Belle & Sebastian, linked to a movie coming out sometime next year. It's lovely music - a mixture of Gainsbourg and Julie Andrews with the Smith's kitchen sink dramas, but with more humour and doses of 60s girl band pop. Some of the lyrics are as good as anything done by the Magnetic Fields: "And if the nighttime threatens me with pain / I will give in to lust / I will do what I must / I've got a number of a girl I know / Who gets hallucinogens from a pair of hooligans". I have a girl like that in my life! God Help The Girl is entirely nostalgic, but very soulful at times.

On Saturday, Kevin and I vegged around the house, watched Synecdoche, New York (I took a power nap through it which didn't affect my appreciation) then headed to Stoke Newington at night to see some indie bands at Ryan's Bar. I kept hoping to see [livejournal.com profile] millionreasons walk in. I also kept remembering what it was like to live there when we first moved to London 8 years ago, with no friends or jobs, wandering the streets in the hope of finding some work and thinking that a brasilian soundtrack inside a bookshop was a divine sign that I'd get hired (how my spiritual beliefs were crushed back then...)

Yesterday we hung out in Dalston's Cafe Oto with Vicky and her boyfriend, drinking coffee until we were sick and being bookish for hours. Cafe Oto is nearly as cool as the Victoria. At night, we watched a strange Iranian film called Close-up. Today, I'm plying [livejournal.com profile] sushidog and [livejournal.com profile] desayuno_ingles with drinks until they accidentally watch Brüno with me.

[identity profile] ridledidle.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 10:07 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks for sharing - I Love Belle & Sebastian.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 10:34 am (UTC)(link)
Hard not to, really! :-)

[identity profile] etre-moral.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 10:12 am (UTC)(link)
Today, I'm plying [info]sushidog and [info]desayuno_ingles with drinks until they accidentally watch Brüno with me.

That approach fits the very idea of Brüno very well :-)

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 10:34 am (UTC)(link)
I'm looking forward to it.

[identity profile] millionreasons.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 10:32 am (UTC)(link)
I spent Saturday nite watching crap telly with David's parents and trying not to fall asleep. I do like Cafe Oto though and would like to visit the Victoria some day (I would have liked to visit on Saturday when some indie-schmindie bands were playing).

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 10:33 am (UTC)(link)
Twee as Fuck day, wasn't it? I wish I had known about it before! But I'm sure it will return. Their weekend vintage sales are also good fun.

[identity profile] beeorkendurkey.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 11:03 am (UTC)(link)
this makes me incredibly sad and pleased at the same time. i wish i could be there. i'm glad you got to meet the beyond-fabulous aEonflux though. she's just marvelous. everyone that meets her can't help but fucking adore the hell out of her (which she undoubtedly deserves).
love all around. xoxoxo
Edited 2009-07-13 11:03 (UTC)

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 11:03 am (UTC)(link)
Me and her took a photo together for you. Will be up soon on Facebook. :-)
Edited 2009-07-13 11:04 (UTC)

[identity profile] beeorkendurkey.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 11:07 am (UTC)(link)
did she bring her whiteboard as planned? whatever the outcome, i'm delighted that you guys remembered me. (i'm all super-smiley.)

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 11:28 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, it was the whiteboard. I'm only sad that I spent such a short time with her!

[identity profile] beeorkendurkey.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 11:35 am (UTC)(link)
when i visit you (where-ever i end up visiting you), we are so having a sloshed slumber party. i must insist.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 11:41 am (UTC)(link)
And dancing to Tiffany's "I Think We Are Alone Now".

[identity profile] beeorkendurkey.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 11:44 am (UTC)(link)
and abba + dancing while cooking breakfast.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 11:55 am (UTC)(link)
And read Bertrice Small outloud to each other.

[identity profile] desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 04:17 pm (UTC)(link)
stop reading ollie's post and go our you'll be late to meet ollie to watch bruno!!

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2009-07-13 04:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope you got my e-mail! Would be great to have both of you there next week. xo

[identity profile] bandaloop.livejournal.com 2009-07-15 08:32 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm plying [info]sushidog and [info]desayuno_ingles with drinks until they accidentally watch Brüno with me." hahaha - what are you trying to do seduce these two? Did it work? =]

[identity profile] bandaloop.livejournal.com 2009-07-15 08:36 am (UTC)(link)
hahaha - I didn't read the other comments first - I see I guess Brüno got/will get it's viewing experience.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2009-07-15 11:49 am (UTC)(link)
It did! [livejournal.com profile] desayuno_ingles was happy to watch it but [livejournal.com profile] sushidog couldn't be convinced and chose Transformers instead... which she later regretted.