Here’s a question for you: Why do men enjoy oral sex with their wives? In a large-scale survey on that very subject, 15 percent of the men polled responded that they enjoy the sensation; 85 percent of the men said they enjoy the quiet.
Where’s the service?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think it was a good idea to sit at the back table.”
“What’s in this drink : beer? Tequila?”
Ever catch your kid rocking out to the latest radio hit, strumming a tennis racquet, and pretending to be playing for legions of loyal fans? Now, thanks to Jensen Guitar and Music Co., they can drop that sports equipment and learn to play an actual musical instrument.
Viewers beware: Artist Kara Maria’s work is not for the faint of heart. In her show Paradise Lost, currently on exhibit at the Nathan Larramendy gallery, popular culture allusions merge with war iconography in an explosion of explicit display.
Even if you’re not a nonstop reader, chances are you’ll set aside a few quiet hours to dip into a book this summer, and our Summer Reading Issue is designed to get you in the mood. Start off with excerpts from Tom Kendrick’s captivating memoir Bluewater Gold Rush, which chronicles the action-packed rise and fall of the Santa Barbara sea urchin industry. Turn to page 29 for an introduction to Holocaust survivor Nina Morecki and the UCSB grad who wrote a book about her. We’ve also included an interview with area poet and Guggenheim Fellowship recipient Christopher Buckley, a tribute to the city’s outgoing Poet Laureate, Barry Spacks, and a survey of new nonfiction just hitting the shelves. We have also got summer reading lists from some celebrated authors who call Santa Barbara home, including T.C. Boyle, Pico Iyer, and our very own Nick Welsh.
Author Eric Lichtenfeld is coming to Borders Books on State Street next Thursday, July 12, at 7:30 p.m., to talk about and sign his book Action Speaks Louder: Violence, Spectacle, and the American Action Movie. Going from vigilante films of the ’60s to the CGI-enhanced blockbusters, Lichtenfeld reveals how the action film fits into American culture.
Frank Black’s 93-03: A best-of double-disc album for The Pixies’ frontman, this chronological look at Black’s nine solo albums is a brilliant display of his gritty beauty, from radio hits like “Headache” to the more obscure “(I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain,” not to mention one track called “Threshold Apprehension” from his forthcoming Black Francis release Bluefinger.
The Culver City Dub Collective, led by Jack Johnson’s drummer Adam Topol and guitarist/producer Franchot Tone, come to SOhO on Thursday, July 12, to celebrate the release of their debut album Dos.
While adults hit the books for a summer of beachside reading (see the Summer Reading Guide on page 24), the Santa Barbara Public Library presents a reading program for kids. The program provides reading incentives, volunteers to discuss book choices with children, and a list of book suggestions. For toddlers, A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom, about a goose and bear becoming friends, is recommended. Book! Book! Book!,
At the risk of getting booed out of Santa Barbara, I have to admit I find it slightly irritating how “going green” is suddenly all the rage. Sure, I’m glad Coca-Cola is spending $20 million on water conservation and Leonardo DiCaprio has gone from starring in movies that destroy idyllic places to being one of Hollywood’s top environmental activists, but I can’t turn a blind eye to the obviously self-serving motivations behind these acts.
