Check it out fully here.

First, iPads as menus at Izakaya restaurants… because people can’t turn pages any longer. I guess it helps with paper consumption… This has actually already been discussed with regular touch-screens on tables. I guess iPads are more affordable than big touch-screens.

and of course~~ the iPad Orchestra joins the Ocarina iPhone app. xD

What is Polvos Azules, you say? Meaning Blue Dusts (as in numbers of types of dust). I’ll let Edmundo explain his experience here in Lima. Also, pointing out… it’s not like I endorse paying for counterfeit merchandise. LOL Just saying, and covering my basis.

A Visit to Polvos Azules

When I told my friend in Bolivia that I’d be in Lima for the Book Fair, some of them recommended the usual stuff -restaurants, bookshops, museums–, and some others told me to go to Polvos Azules. They knew I liked to look for hard-to-find films and told me that everything was there. Intrigued, I decided to follow their advise.

Polvos Azules is a shopping center, but not like any other. Here, almost everything you find is a counterfeit. I walked around the stands of brand clothing -Lacoste, Hugo Boss–, I was surprised by the quality of the products – there’s counterfeit and counterfeit–, everything for cheap. I searched for an iPod case, and I was taken by the stands that sold electronics, where young people with fast hands unblocked cell phones right in front of the customers. There’s abundance of errors and creativity: I saw, among them, sport shoes Pmua (Puma?) and power drink Duff (The Simpson’s beer).

Street money exchangers wearing fosforescent shirts pointing out they exchanged dollars and euros called my attention. The people in charged of Polvos Azules know that the place has turned into a touristic spot, and are willing to do everything in their power to make it easier for foreigners. The counterfeit commerce has been institutionalized (something that is, in someway or the other, happening in other Latin American countries).

I spent most of my time in stand #17 and #18, dedicated to movies. There were sections especifically for commercial new releases, a section that offered hentai (anime porn, with a highlight of Naruto parodies), and one dedicated to classic films and indies. The stands had catalogs, which I checked out extensively, that left me impressed at how completed they were: in one of them, dedicated to Latin American cinema, I even found Bolivian films impossible to get in my country. The seller was dealing with five different customers at a time, he knew everything about independent film, and he never stopped offering his business card at the end of a transaction, asking us to return soon.

For many years, the sellers in Polvos Azules had to fight against the alcaldia’s (city hall?) desire to fight illegal commerce. Some time ago, their stands were located near the presitencial palace in Lima, but when UNESCO declared it world heritage, Polvos Azules had to find another place. That’s how they made it to where they are currently located, near Paseo de la Republica, first as street market, and then as shopping center. When they couldn’t beat them, city halld decided to join them, or at least leave them alone.

The day I was in Polvos Azules, I felt my eyes itching and my throat was raspy. A seller explained to me that it was due to tear gas that the police force had thrown the night before. I asked if policemen raided the place to confiscate products. I was told that yes, but not because of city hall nor legal sellers, but on the policemen’s own accord, when they needed some money. Truth be told, in general, policemen just tried to keep Polvos Azules in order.

I went home with thirty films in a black bag and tears in my eyes.

–

And how about it? They also have a website??

Let’s make it an update post. I just pre-ordered this book:

Yeah, by the same author of Let the Right One In. xD

Of course, I still haven’t finished reading the Millennium trilogy, even though my friend already read the first two books… but she’s been on holidays, so she really has the upper-hand, right?

If books are not your thing… how about some music?

Ahhh, what to do? I really want to get Glee and Modern Family on DVD — that’s too much money, right? — and I just bought Dead Like Me… I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to watch the show to check if it’s okay. LOL And in the meantime, I still haven’t watch True Blood, Big Love, or the last season of Mad Men.

Seriously, how do people manage?

And it’s the dude from Gnarls Barkley… from that song Crazy~ He’s going solo.

But still, the typographical non-official version is cooler.

Maybe that version could be Best Typographical MV of 2010 ;P

AfterElton has just begun their voting for their 2010 poll of 50 Greatest Gay Movies. Plus, in honor of the first week run of Contracorriente (Undertow) on Peruvian cinemas, I’ve made a list of 10 LGBT related films that not many people may have heard about or seen… so these films need your voting. *cough*

And since AfterEllen is dropping the ball on this one — I was pretty sure they were doing polls on Lesbian movies, but oh well~

I am mixing it all up. Because I’m like that.

Look, I love Brokeback Mountain, I love Milk, and I certainly LOVED A Single Man last year. Some of my favorites are Were the World Mine, Show Me Love, Imagine Me & You, and I liked Love Songs as much as — or maybe even more — than you did, but this is about not so popular LGBT flare. There’s also a lot of foreign films because they certainly don’t get major distribution – so thank you, Internet.

Also, don’t forget to vote for Undertow! xD

10. Sud Pralad (Tropical Malady)

I gotta be honest here, Tropical Malady was just a little too art house [hint: too much silence] for me, but that’s not to say that people haven’t enjoyed it. I was very recommended this Thai film, and even if I didn’t blow me away the way I was told… it’s definitely one you should take into consideration when making your list of Greatest Gay Films.

9. Huhwihaji Anha (No Regret)

Don’t let the poster fool you! This certainly isn’t your happy film, it’s got a grim story and crude reality, but this Korean film is still a good one. It’s definitely got great acting. Ahhh you American Marketing and your way to sell foreign dramas as light entertainment…

8. Naissance des Pieuvres (Water Lilies)

Hi, teen drama? You know, if you liked Show Me Love — you know, that awesome Swedish rom-com that had a totally cool title like Fucking Åmål but was changed because people can’t see the word fucking on their rental stores? — well, this is nothing like that. This is not sweet, this is not funny… this is teen angst. xD

7. Puccini for Beginners

Of course everyone loves Imagine Me & You, but this one is a little bit more messy. It has Elisabeth Reaser playing Allegra being too into Puccini opera, and to afraid to say the L-word to her then girlfriend. Said girl breaks it off, and Allegra starts dating another woman… and another man – who happen to be exes. Yup, that can’t get ugly, right?

Ah… Elizabeth Reaser, right? Such a player~ xD

6. Hudie (Butterfly)

Butterfly is all about the drama too. A 30-something woman stuck in a marriage, whose chance encounter with a lively [hint: seductive] singer will revive that spark inside… and remind her of her old adolescent lesbian flame. You know what that means, right? Waking up from the slumber always takes something down… ahhh, drama.

5. Breakfast on Pluto

Cillian Murphy is awesome, right? Neil Jordan as director, Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson, and Stephen Rhea… I remember this being on theaters… for a short while. Why won’t people love it? O.O

4. TOPPURESU (Topless)

Okay, this is a title difficult to find… because if you try to type Topless – well, let’s just say… it doesn’t work so well. You’re probably going to have to type TOPPURESU to find it. Topless… surprisingly, doesn’t have any topless scene. It barely has any sex in it, which in my book is alright. In here, Natsuko — which means daughter of summer — has ended a longterm relationship with a woman who is now planning to marry a man. Natsuko’s world is crumbling down, her male roommate is struggling with his feelings for her, and a mystery young lady arrives in the city looking for her mother.

3. Miao Miao

Okay, out of all the films I have listed, Miao Miao is probably the happiest of them all. However, the film still holds that tinge of drama — because I love drama. And I’m gonna cheat here because I’m lazy~ Plus, bonus! This is Gay and Lesbian xD

18-year-old Ai loves baking, even if she’s not that good at it. She dreams of some day baking the perfect pastry, until she meets Miao Miao, a shy exchange student from Japan, who happens to be sort of a pastry expert.

With pastry baking comes love, and soon Miao Miao discovers herself interested in a guy owner of a record store, which used to be a cake shop. Little by little, Miao Miao spends more time at the record store than baking with Ai, while Ai realizes her relationship with her might be more than friendship.

2. Chun Gwong Cha Sit (Happy Together)

Can I just say Wong Kar Wai, plus Leslie Cheung (RIP) and Tony Leung is a win-win? And once again… drama ensues! And if the drama is set in Argentina… the drama multiplies! Buahaha xD

1. Ba Wang Bie Ji (Farewell my Concubine)

Because Leslie Cheung in the greatest. And the film is as dramatic as a Chinese film could be. Has any of you noticed that? Chinese films are very Telenovela. I mean, have you seen Raise the Red Lantern? Farewell my Concubine also won the Palm d’Or in Cannes… and it sparked my acceptance of Chinese Opera, which I couldn’t stand before. Now? I’m so used to it, I listen to it whenever I catch some on CCTV.

Tada! What do you think? Any other films?

And of course I made a list on MUBI, you got an account? Be a fan of the list~

Of course you’ve got catchy favorites like Wo Bu Shi Rock n’ Roll (I’m not Rock n’ Roll), the wacky Curry Coffee, or Burn! Little Universe, and Yi Qi Lai (Together). However, there’s also songs like The Older the Lonelier – you gotta admit that’s a really REALLY sad title – or Accustomed to Loneliness. How about the most off-beat of their songs? The Zhongguo Feng-styled (traditional Chinese sounding) Die Lian Hua.

In this new single titled No Time — the album will be out by September… in a mayor label, so Milk@Coffee is no longer indie –, they seemed to have struck a balance with that maturity and the catchy. Yes, No Time sounds like a kid’s song, but it talks about a thing kids will never mind until they grow up a bit. How many of you keep telling the people you know that you don’t have enough time to do something. It’s a tale as old as… well, time.

The begins with a minute of various celebrities saying what they lack time for.  “I am __” they say, “I have no time for ____”.  These neglected activities include listening to music, dating, losing weight, studying abroad, visiting relatives,  having kids, and so many other commonplace ones that every listener should hear one they too pushed back at one point. The spoken introduction ends abruptly with Laure Shang saying: “My name is Shang Wenjie. I have no time to record whatever this is for you”.

via Cfensi.

We missed you. We missed this.

To quote myself;

Hana & Alice Soundtrack, it’s so quiet… yet wonderful. Wo Ai Ni breaks my heart. One of the best Yu Aoi film scenes you’ll EVER see~~~

Shunji Iwai is a SOB xD without knowing about music, he composes this score. How’s that for justice?? LOL Now, every time I hear or read Wo Ai Ni (I Love You in Mandarin), I’m reminded of the movie. The way she tells her dad “Papa, Wo Ai Ni” and her dad says “Zai Jian” – OMG, so so sad. Poor Alice. Don’t worry, let’s eat Tokoroten together xD I don’t think I’m into the taste of seaweed in my pudding, but I can eat something else… I’m sure. xD