A day out in Fremont: Princess Bride @ the outdoor cinema (and maybe an apartment)
Wow. You really haven't seen a film until you've watched it with 150 other people. I liked the movie before, but I absolutely love it now. Every triumph of Westley, Inigo, Fezzik, and Buttercup was met by applause, cheers, shouts, and whistles from the crowd. The dialogue is fantastic, and the love scenes, celebrated with catcalls, were dead on.
Take this scene for example: (right here)
Westley: "Why didn't you wait for me?"
Buttercup: "Well, you were dead."
Westley: "Death cannot stop true love; it can only delay it for a while."
Buttercup: "I will never doubt again."
Westley: "There will never be a need."
Now, come on. This movie was awesome without even trying. Compare this with wretched dialogue in the latest installment of Star Wars.
And the cast is incredible: Cary Elwes, Andre the Giant, Robin Wright Penn, Billy Crystal, Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Christopher Guest.
There was never a dull moment.
Anyway, Fremont is awesome.
I stopped in the music shop (Dusty Strings) to check out the wares, and I could not have been prepared for the wonders therein - guitars, mandolins, ukes, banjos, harps, accordions, dulcimers (both hammer and lap ones), djembes, marimbas, dhols, bongos all lined the space which was decorated with arrangements of very old and hand-painted instruments. I will have no trouble figuring out what to do with my paycheck. When I started to leave (some time later), I noticed that there was a lap dulcimer suspended above the entrace. Further inspection revealed a pick attached to the top of the door. When the door was opened or closed, the pick would strum the strings of the dulcimer - much more appropriate than the usual chime. The way out was lined with profiles of the employees - the people who cut the wood, the ones who make it look nice, and the technicians that make them sound just right, all obviously extremely passionate about their work.
The live music scene is awesome. There was music everywhere. After skipping around a few bars (The Dubliner, where I watched a pool tourney, and The Red Door, where I quickly about-faced as soon as I walked in), I stopped in TOST (pronounced 'toast') to hear a local five piece - drums, guitar, female vocals, turntables and laptop. They put on a damn good show.
Finally, I may have found myself a place - pretty much every thing I was looking for except with no in-unit washer and dryer and a bit more expensive (totally worth it for the area). I saw an ad listed on Craiglist, but couldn't get in touch with the management, so I decided just to walk by anyway. I ended up running into the owner and he showed me around. I may be ahead of the game, but I still need to get to the office and fill out all of the paperwork so I can be first in line for the place. It's mad looking for a place around here right now; there are just so many other desperate people looking for accomodation. I hope I find an apartment soon, so I can stop worrying about that and get other things done.
That's all. Peace out.