December 29, 2010

Alfie's favourite things: the best of 2010...



Screw Oprah and her favourite things! Alfie's favourite things are the best pop culture stuff and random observations about the year... except, uh, I am not taking you all to Australia like Oprah did with her favourite things.

What a year this has been -- I put all my stuff into storage never to be seen again, the furball and I moved into K's house, K and I got married, life changed and all for the better.

And now I am writing this late at night, on the sofa in the basement beside the fireplace, with Alfredo beside me, while a blizzard rages outside. And looking back at the best of this year...

Gadget...
One word: iPad. I got it just last month and am still in discovery mode. I know enough to say it's luuuv.

TV...
Smart, sexy, suspenseful, provocative, and morally complex. The Good Wife is the best hour on television. It shows how good network TV can be. And I would give runner-up status to Glee, which though inconsistent is fun and sweet and entertaining.

Movies...
There were many good ones this year. Of them, Toy Story 3 was my favourite - funny, suspenseful, and ultimately emotional. Runner-up was the sweet and funny The Kids Are All Right, and just give that damn Oscar to Annette Bening already.

Music...
Lots of great singles this year, and my favourites were Pink's Raise Your Glass, a fun party anthem for her beloved freaks and outcasts, and the Glee cover of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream, the best of the Glee reinventions of pop hits. In albums, my favourite was Sade's Soldier of Love. Quiet and lush don’t add up to easy or settled on her first album in a decade. There’s deep desolation in the songs, and an aching, bluesy edge in her voice. Beautiful.

Books...
Favourite fiction read was One Day by David Nicholls, a romantic, beautiful, funny, devastating tale of two soul mates who meet and re-meet over 20 years. Unforgettable. Honourable mention to Rosanne Cash's beautiful and elegant memoir Composed, and to Portia de Rossi's heartbreaking and breathtaking memoir Unbearable Lightness.

On Stage...
During our quick trip to New York we took in three shows, all really good, and the one that blew me away was Sean Hayes in Promises Promises.

Shopping...
Yes, Virginia, there is a Pop Tart World.

News, Activism and Serious Stuff...
The amazing It Gets Better campaign - kudos to Dan Savage and everyone else who has signed up and joined in! And also worth noting, the cool trend of celebs coming out, including Ricky Martin, Meredith Baxter, Chely Wright, and that gay dude in Archie comics. How cool is he?

Okay those are my faves from this year... what are yours?

16 comments:

pattypunker said...

you and i matched on two things: the kids are alright and the ipad. i should have given it up for the good wife, too, but i already had a tie between dexter and mad men.

love the new look over here!

Kimber Leszczuk. said...

I love Glee too. I am with Pattypunker though - Dexter rocks.

Steve Bossenberger said...

thanks for commenting on my blog. I had to stop by yours and check it out. WOW!! Well done. Love the setup! Keep up the good work! I am a follower

AbsolutelyPrimed said...

I've not yet experienced the ipad; tend to be a year or so behind.

With music I totally agree...
With TV I agree with Glee & Dexter (and I have a weak spot for Dr. Who)...
Books I've loved are the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy...
Movies I just have to mention Alice in Wonderland (Johnny of course) and Megamind...

Lovin' the new puppy pictures :o)

Brahm (alfred lives here) said...

@ Patty, @ Kimber, @ absolutely primed -- some good stuff on here. Have to admit have not watched Dexter, and havent yet started the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Is in the huge queue of books I have to read. And yes I like Alice, Dr Who, and Megamind a whole lot as well.

@ Steve --- welcome, and thanks for following!

Gigi said...

DAMN! Once again, you have proven to me that I live under a rock; which is buried deep under the earth.

Ok - I'm adding these things to my "to-do list" for 2011 - but, of course, that means I'll still be behind.

Maybe you should just email me all the trends of 2011 now.

Kevin said...

Best Gadget: BlackBerry Torch (and the BlackBerry PlayBook will be the best gadget for 2011). Both outperform Apple everyday ... in a FLASH (or is that because Apple does not support Flash?)!

Best TV: CBC Radio One. Followed by NCIS.

Best Movie: Probably SALT, with all of the twists and turns.

Best Music: Anything by Lady Gaga or Annie Lennox or Jann Arden.

Best Book: The Lost Symbol (I know it is not a 2010 book, but I read it in 2010).

Best On-stage Theatre: Promises, Promises ... definitely.

Best Shopping: Burberry in Boston.

Best Trip: Boston. This city is so cool.

Best Canine: Quinn, the beagle. We want more pictures of Quinn on 'Alfred Lives Here, Only With Quinn's Permission'.

Best Event: Wedding on 23 May 2010.

Why are you not taking me to Australia?

Elly Lou said...

I lurv Glee. But I also love Modern Family with the fire of a thousand suns.

Mike said...

OMG...i didn't even know that Sade had a new album. Thanks for the heads-up. I'm heading over to I-Tunes now...

Gotta agree with Elly Lou-- i think "modern family" is the best show on TV. That, and of course, anything on the FOOD NETWORK....

BeckEye said...

Yay, I just did my year in review today. We have the same #1 movie.

Big thumbs up to the It Gets Better project. My ex-roommate works with GetEQUAL and he got arrested during a protest this year. I always say that with such pride. I know a rabble rouser!! :)

Brahm (alfred lives here) said...

@ Gigi --- thanks for comment, and yes lots to catch up on!

@ Kevin who I just happened to be married to --- we saw SALT like three days ago, I liked it too, but the best flick of the year? It takes prize for most recently seen maybe. Agree with your music choices, not your radio choices, but we both knew that already! And yes luuuuv Boston.

Brahm (alfred lives here) said...

@ Elly Lou and Mike -- am just starting to watch Modern Family, like it a lot, not love yet! Also like the food network and HGTV.

@ Beck Eye --- just checked out your year-end review, lots of great stuff on there!

onemixedbag.com said...

Congrats on the marriage!! We just got married this past Oct. I would have to say that was the highlight of my year. Having it done!
I started a blog a couple months ago and you stopped by, that was a nice thing.
I must remember to pay better attention next year, so I can have a list of cool stuff in 2011.
Happy New Year.

Sandra said...

Three cheers for Glee! yes, I read the entire post, but I got fixated on the Glee part. I've just recently, as in a few weeks ago, discovered it! I'm in mad mad love with it now.

BosGuy said...

I think Savage's It Gets Better campaign is one of the best things that came out of this year - kudos for you to highlight it once again.

Happy New Years to you and your family.

Cheers,
BosGuy

Ginger said...

Great taste you have there Alfie. Most of your favourite things were already on my list of things to do/get before Dec 2011...lol - Read David Nicholls book, Watch all the seasons of Glee and the movies, Get an Ipad or whatever is coming after it.

Post a Comment

Comments are like chew toys and favourite treats. Alfie says thanks!