Living in the South...

I never thought I would be living in the southern United States. Having only lived two years outside of the state of Michigan, I was completely accustomed to four seasons, cool weather during football games, a summer weekend on Mackinac Island and eating at a Coney Island restaurant after a night at the bar.

I moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to begin a master's program in public health. South Florida is arguably not truly "The South", as its population is a composite of people from all around the US and the world. There is also a notable difference between "SoFlo" and the rest of Florida. Life seems to be at a faster pace than in other parts. Perhaps this is because of the transplantation of many former New Yorkers to the warmer shores of South Florida; maybe it's due to some hidden societal race that a Michigander like me, will never understand.

Between the cities of Fort Lauderdale and Miami, I would choose Fort Lauderdale nine times out of ten. Why? My gut instinct tells me that Fort Lauderdale is more about the South Florida experience: beaches, babes, warm nights and just letting your worries melt away. Miami, at times, feels as if it was trying its hardest to replicate New York City's fast paced, posh and individualistic fight for life. Instead of focusing and embracing the nexus of Cuban, South American, Haitian and US culture, Miami seems to be focusing on consumerism, materialism and superficiality. Maybe there is some hidden corner of Miami that embraces the opposite and truly incorporates culture and what I would imagine, the quintessential experience of South Florida. If it exists, I haven't found it yet.

I will concede that Miami's cuisine is superior to that of Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale's culinary offerings are nothing to scoff at, but the quantity and diversity of Miami cannot be denied and should be savored. Ignoring cuban sandwiches, West African influenced barbecue, Caribbean spices would be just that: Ignorant.

What would I consider a true southern experience? Only one city could come to mind: Savannah, Georgia.

I arrived there on hot and humid day. Perfect weather to experience a coastal southern city, the city that General Sherman burned his way to in his campaign to march to the sea during the American Civil War. Also, it used as the setting for the John Berendt non-fiction novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Life is a bit slower, as the humidity and heat are numbing. Despite that fact, I quite like Savannah, Georgia. The people, who have mostly moved on from their prejudices of a far by gone era, embrace their "Southern Heritage" and leave the impression of maintaining one of the few remaining bastions of politeness. And who could deny that ever-present southern accent; endearing, charming and soothing, especially coming from a beautiful southern belle.

I am not, however, in Savannah, Georgia. Fort Lauderdale has treated me very well thus far and I would not trade this experience. The people here know they are not living the true southern experience and are not attempting to replicate the experience that another city would offer. They have embraced the laid back, fun in the sun attitude that I expected. I look forward to discovering new places and hidden alcoves of existence in this captivating city.

But right now, I think I'm going to hit the beach...

The future is now....soon.

Hopefully someone picks up this concept and runs with it. I would love to see this become a reality (and I don't mean in terms of the iPad).

Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.

Live your life....

Got it from here.

All the things in the universe...

The Scale of the Universe

I love stuff like this. Reminds me of the IMAX movie narrated by Morgan Freeman.

One of the most annoying things. Ever.

Refined Rage: Aston Martin

Aston Martin is my favorite car company.

A piece of art. Sex on wheels.

Power, elegance, beauty, speed. All of these words describe an Aston Martin, but none are enough to fully grasp what Aston Martin is.

You may look at it and say, "Meh. Just another car."

I say, "You need to get your eyes and pulse checked, because you must be blind and dead.

Click here for pictures.

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams...

Once in a while, a film comes along that not only helps redefine cinema, but it also asks some very deep and interesting philosophical questions. Inception, a film by Christopher Nolan, may not necessarily redefine cinema in literal terms, but Mr. Nolan has ushered in an age where the imagination is the only obstacle standing in our way in terms of film making.

With a very tight script, deliberate directing, mature acting and a flair for challenging our perception, Inception has allowed us to question our interpretation of reality, the meaning of dreams and even suggest that we challenge the established order. What I really like about this film is that it does not allow the audience to become complacent; it forces them to think about the characters, the plot and all the plot devices.

This movie is an onion; there are many layers and each layer becomes more and more vivid. Each layer also contains a different setting and this is where Nolan really shines, even if it is inadvertent. The level of detail in lighting and set production really solidifies the film and I would venture to say, even makes you care about the characters and the goal they are trying to achieve. From a rain swept cityscape, to a retro-modern hotel, a frigid snow bunker and a urban prison, the settings are a refined detail that really captured me.

The soundtrack is truly a masterpiece. Composed by Hans Zimmer, it uses many different musicians as inspiration. The music is quintessential to the many moods of the film and give the scenes that extra spark of life. Watch the trailer to hear what I'm talking about. The score gives the sense meandering at a chaotic pace, but at the same time, it has purpose at a higher, big picture level. You could even say that the score is a character in of itself.

On a final note, essentially, this movie is a heist film. Yes, you read that correctly. But instead of stealing an object of great worth, this movie is about the most valuable thing we as people cherish: our minds and ideas. One concept I am really appreciating about Christopher Nolan, his brother (writer) and wife (a producer) is that they are able to take real life situations and events and incorporate them into a movie that may not be related to real life at first glance. The Dark Knight, released two years ago, showcased contemplations on terrorism, chaos, escalation of a situation and questions whether we have the right to do something illegal to serve the common good. Inception does much of the same by questioning the practices of corporations that strive to maintain an edge in their niche market. In this case, it is two energy moguls attempting to gain higher market shares. But all of that is in the background. Inception questions our perspective of reality and how our minds are really only limited by ourselves. To top it all off, the film further questions our impact on people and how we must take care of what kind of influence we have over others, especially if that influence come from a place of power.

I urge you to see this movie, in IMAX, if you can . It is very much worth your money. Leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it.