Flatch is a Catch According to June

Fabulous Felt Mad Scientist Barrette

It's true.  I can't take the credit for this snappy slogan.  That honor goes to June -- also sometimes known as June Bug (Karen Huie) -- a denizen of Flatch, Ohio, population 1526.

If you've seen the commercials, then you know that I'm talking about FOX's new Thursday night sitcom, Welcome to Flatch.  Told in mockumentary style, it's a cross between Parks and Recreation and Beavis and Butt-Head, exploring day-to-day life in rural Ohio through the eyes of a delinquent duo.  

Flatch is the picture of pastoral charm.  And cousins and best friends Shrub (yes, like the tree) (Sam Straley) and Kelly (Holmes) hatch one harebrained scheme after another in an attempt to get rich quick.  Everything they touch takes a cringeworthy turn, whether it be a fall festival, an adult continuing education class, or a church dance-off.  They're as opportunistic as they are clueless, the very antithesis of the wholesome Midwestern values that the mockumentary purports to uphold.  Not even well-meaning Father Joe (Seann William Scott) (who's, by the way, not a priest, but a pastor) can get through to them.  And therein, of course, lies the humor.  The harder Father Joe tries, the funnier it is, making for a satisfying homespun satire.  Having the guy best known as American Pie's Stiffler play a man of God trying to reform a pair of ne'er-do-wells is a brainstorm of a bonus.  As is casting You're the Worst's usually caustic Aya Cash as Cheryl, Father Joe's earnest, journalist-for-all-the-right-reasons ex.  Despite being dumped after her move from the city, she sticks around to run the newspaper.  

But Welcome to Flatch  is about Shrub and Kelly.  And they aren't all bad.  As is the case with most misunderstoods, their antics are a cry for help.  Shrub yearns to win the affections of phlegmatic, plain Jane beauty school student Beth.  And Kelly just wants her jerk of an absentee father to notice her.  So maybe they're more Parks and Recreation than Beavis and Butt-Head after all.  But not Leslie Knope or Ron Swanson.  More like part of the angry mob at a town hall meeting -- or fry cooks at Paunch Burger.    

That said, Kelly's entry in the town motto contest is "Bask in our Flatulence."  "Flatch is a Catch" it isn't, but it tells us everything we need to know about this stupid smart show.

Just like this sold-but-not-forgotten-not-Flatch-but-flask-emblazoned Fabulous Felt Mad Scientist Barrette tells you everything you need to know about The Tote Trove.

Swan Con: Romance on the Pun

Dress: Modcloth; Top: Candie's, Kohl's

Red Hot Candy Necklace

White Swan Barrette Brooch

Top: Bisou Bisou, JCPenney

Top: Candie's, Kohl's

Candy Chrysalis Necklace

Black Swan Barrette Brooch

It's finally February, and you know what that means.  No, I'm not talking about that perennially pessimistic, Pennsylvanian, shadow-spying rodent.  I'm talking about Valentine's Day, that magical time when love isn't only in the air, but the hair.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I heart the hearts and flowers aesthetic.  That's why I ripped into the proverbial box of chocolates early to make a couple of candy necklaces and a pair of barrette brooches featuring those most OG of lovebirds: swans 

Swans are so beautiful, it's no wonder they drop their feathers everywhere.  There are swan boats, swan songs, and swan-like necks.  There's Black Swan and Swan Lake and Bella Swan.  There are Swanson frozen dinners (cue Jimmy Fallon's "Idiot Boyfriend": "I've got a Swanson's dinner in the freezer, with your name on it."), Ron Swanson, and even the swan on the Schwan frozen food truck.  There are graceful swans and swans that'll peck your eyes out.  And, then of course, there's the romantic ideal that swans  -- and only swans -- mate for life.  

What other avian could a Hallmark junkie want?

Don't say doves.  I don't care how many weddings you've been to where they've been released.  Doves are for peace treaties.  And Prince.  And anyway, they lack swans' drama.  

Because if you're not in danger of losing an eye, then you might as well stay in Punxsutawney.  

Saab Story Dory: Still Waters Pun Deep

We all know a grumpy old man.  Or at the very least have seen one on TV, whether he be an old-in-spirit-only curmudgeon like Ron Swanson, or one of the classic geriatrics from (what else?) Grumpy Old Men.  People say that oldsters get so crotchety because they've endured so much and have had enough already.  Which I thought I understood.  But then I read Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove and realized I didn't understand anything. 

Not too long ago, I read -- and very much enjoyed -- Backman's Anxious People.  But A Man Called Ove was Backman's first novel.  I'd always wanted to read it, and when Ellie of Ivy's Closet and Caitlin & Megan said I'd like it, I made an Amazon order.  As a librarian, Ellie knows books.

So, Ove.  When we meet him in suburban Sweden, he's the epitome of the irate, set-in-his-ways, hates-everyone senior citizen.  He loathes technology, people who aren't punctual, and cats.  He's always driven a Saab and distrusts anyone who drives anything else.  Never mind that he's only fifty-nine.  Ove is the kind that's been old all his life.  But the death of his adored wife, Sonja, as well as the loss of his job have exacerbated his already cantankerous ways.  Every morning, he patrols his neighborhood in search of burglars and other miscreants.  He oils his kitchen counters whether they need it or not.  He fixes things in his toolshed.  And he does it all not to pass the time, but because he needs to be useful.  As Ove's own Sonja said, ' "All people want to live dignified lives; dignity just means something different to different people." ' (274)

Backman does this clever thing where he alternates between Ove's past and present, making everything seem at the same time old-fashioned and timeless.  It turns out that Ove's life has been exceptionally sad, and Backman fleshes out each flashback with details so heartbreaking -- and, yes, sometimes funny -- that I couldn't help but be endeared to this angry old man who has very good reasons for being angry after all.  In this way, A Man Called Ove reminds me of another beloved book, Gabrielle Zevin's The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.  Both are about seemingly misanthropic men who've been burned but turn things around just in time to trust again and appreciate life.  And that's my favorite kind of story.  

If Ove knew that he was the subject of this post -- well, if Ove were a real person and knew that he was the subject of this post -- then he would hate it, right down from the publicity (if you could call it that) to the hot pink background.  And that amuses me. 

Because documenting stuff with humor and heart is where I find my dignity.

And I like to think that Ove would respect that -- if only because I made a pun about Saab.

Christmas Wrap-up Runway: The Excellence of Being Extra

Tights: Isadora, Zulily

Bag: Macy's; Necklace: Carole, JCPenney; Black and white bracelet: Mixit, JCPenney; Lime bracelet: Cloud Nine, Ocean City; Hot pink bangle: Target; Yellow bangle: Silver Linings, Ocean City; Black bangle: Mixit, JCPenney; Pink bangle: Don't Ask, Zulily

Dress: Planet Gold, Macy's

Ring: PinkBopp, Etsy

Fascinator: Modcloth

Skirt: White House Black Market, Zulily

Bag: Macy's; Belt: Belt is Cool, Amazon

Coat: Nine West, Kohl's

Top: ELLE, Kohl's

Sweater: Kohl's

Bag: Macy's; Socks: Hallmark

Christmas is all about decadence.  And, yes, togetherness and family and all that warm and fuzzy stuff.  But as most light displays and holiday spreads reveal, it's also about can't-get-enough indulgence.  And why not?  Winter is cold and dark and, this year, all clogged with corona.  We need a distraction.  And there's none better than overdoing it on something we love.  For me -- and so many others -- that something is festive fashion.  Whether you light it up like Vegas, trim yourself high tea style (fascinators aren't just for Easter!), or cuddle up to an ugly sweater, seasonal ensembles make everything merry.  Because sometimes there's no greater gift than the one you give yourself, namely the gift of self care (or should I say elf care?  No, I shouldn't.  It makes me think of that wannabe dentist from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and route canals are most definitely not the way to a joyous Noel.).  So now that it's December 26, deck it out Parks and Rec style and finally treat yo'self to that extended peppermint bath bomb soak, extra large box of chocolate truffles, and/or after-Christmas bargain shopping spree.    

Because someone has to support the musical necktie industry.

Treat Feat

Flip flops: Katy Perry Collections; Mules: Mix No. 6, DSW

You know how these days every day is its own mini holiday?  Like National Ice Cream Day or Free National Parks Day or Hug a Sloth Day?  (I made that last one up.  Although there is an International Sloth Day; its motto is "slow down to celebrate.")  Well, today is Treat Yourself Day.  And I only know that because my sister, who goes over these celebrations with her three-year-old daily, told me.  She also texted me that it's (Amazon) Prime Day.  To which I replied, "I know, how apropos!"  And we both LOL'd because, Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) and Donna Meagle (Retta), hashtag Treat Yo' Self, Parks and Recreation.   

Gift from my sister last Christmas.

Another thing that's apropos today is that my $3.50 flip flops arrived from, not Amazon, but Katy Perry Collections.  They were so cheap because I used my loyalty points from my previous plunders to buy them.  I was doubly excited because just last week I got a free pair of Mix No. 6 mules from DSW, an acquisition made possible by stacked rewards certificates.  And so I thought, what better time than Treat Yourself Day to post them?!  So here they are, my comfy fab finds, a treat for the eyes and arches.    

If only I could say the same about Jerry (Jim O'Heir) -- er, Larry -- on Parks and Recreation.

One Last Walk in the Park

Erin Earns an Emerald Necklace

Tank: Bisou Bisou, JCPenney

Blouse: Decree, JCPenney

Jeans: City Streets, JCPenney

Shoes: Charles Albert, Alloy

Bag: Candie's, Kohl's

Sunglasses: Cloud Nine, Ocean City

The series finale of NBC's "Parks and Recreation" aired three weeks ago, so I've been sitting on this post for awhile.  Yet no time seemed more opportune to unleash it than St. Patrick's Day.  Parks are green, shamrocks are green, and both set the stage for this Erin Earns an Emerald Necklace.  I never used to like the name Erin, probably because it sounds too much like "errand."  But I was willing to put that aside for the sake of catchiness -- and, in the process, perhaps redeem myself to the legions of perfectly nice Erins who are doubtless reading this.  None of them, incidentally, work for everyone's favorite fictional parks department.  That distinction goes to Parks' precursor, "The Office," which introduced Erin (Kelly Erin, really, but who's counting?) Hannon as the replacement receptionist when Pam moved on to the high stakes but ultimately soul-crushing world of sales.  Indeed, Parks began as a sleeper of a sitcom that sneaked its way into NBC's Thursday night lineup (and our hearts!) seven seasons ago as local government's answer to "The Office."  Told documentary-style like its corporate counterpart, "Parks and Recreation" explores the minutiae of small town politics as seen through the rose-colored yet razor-sharp eyes of exuberant deputy parks director Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler).  Leslie is every bit as wacky as Dunder Mifflin's Michael Scott (Steve Carell) but about a million times better at her job.  Although both are all heart, often crossing professional boundaries to make their employees' lives better, it's Knope who gets the gold star for do-gooding, managing to craft elaborate scrapbooks and produce tailor-made gifts for every obscure occasion on top of beautifying bus stops and fighting the good fight on town council.  She does it all in the name of devotion to her fictional hometown of Pawnee, Indiana, a place that is both a satire of and a love letter to Middle America, so populated by fast food-scarfing locals raising heck Greek chorus style at town council meetings one night and taking selfies with adorable town mascot Lil' Sebastian the next.

The rest of the parks department is fueled by similarly boundless energy, from the shenanigans of former pit-dwelling, shoe shiner-turned-children's-singing-star Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) to the endlessly optimistic business ventures of the ever-hip, always suited up Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) to the incurably can-do attitude of health nut, literally-can't-stop-smiling Chris Traegar (Rob Lowe) to the wise cracks of fashionista and Treat Yourself! devotee Donna Meagle (Retta) to the roller coaster love life of "most beautiful nurse in the world" Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) to the sweet, simple-minded but (for some reason) much-maligned candor of Jerry-slash-Terry-slash-Larry-slash-Garry Gergich (Jim O'Heir).  (Whew -- are you as out of breath as I am?)  Still, every party has a pooper, that's why we invited you . . . Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) and April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) and (sometimes) Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott).  Reluctant Parks Director Ron is a man of the land whose hatred of government is surpassed by only his love of red meat.  Preferring his own company to water cooler chitchat, he raises aloofness to an art form.  Yet still waters run deep -- as deep as the lake where Ron ultimately paddles his handmade canoe -- and in the end, his ties to the Parks posse prove to be among the strongest.  Nevertheless, April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) gives him a run for his (carefully hidden) money.  The dark ying to husband Andy's blinding white yang, this jaded, eye-rolling hipster (but don't call her that!) comes off like she couldn't care less.  But underneath it all, she cares too much, eventually embarking on a "what do I want to do with my life?" mission, revealing that sometimes slackers are just people with standards.  Then there's Ben, the veritable voice of reason in a sea of sitcom insanity (hey, he's not an accountant for nothing) as well as one-time Ice Town mayor and Leslie's one true love.  This wry, nerdy nice guy is the ideal man behind the woman, gallantly stepping aside to let Leslie fulfill her childhood dream of becoming governor of Indiana.  And good thing too, as this gives him plenty of time to mass produce his totally awesome Cones of Dunshire game!

No doubt about it, this is one workplace ensemble in which every character is wonderfully weird and witty.  The finale does not disappoint, flashing forward to reveal what happens to each one of them.  It's a surprisingly satisfying send-off for a show whose last hurrah was burned off in post-holiday, back-to-back episodes in the programming no-man's land of Tuesday night.  Striking the hard-won balance between smart and sweet, Parks captures the absurdities of small town life while offering up a hopeful view of American politics.  It's a testament to the triumph of kindness over ambition, a hilarious heartland with heart.  And I will miss it.

Forget shamrocks.  With vibes this good, I'm holding out for a four-leaf clover.  (Yep, it's still St. Paddy's Day.  I was bound to tie it back in somehow.)

Movie Moment: The Five-Year Engagement

If NBC made a feature-length romantic comedy, then it would be a lot like The Five-Year Engagement.  Which makes sense because the movie costars a host of NBC actors, including "Community's" Alison Brie, "Parks and Recreations' " Chris Pratt, "The Office's" Mindy Kaling, and "Saturday Night Live" alum  Chris Parnell.  That having been said, it should come as no surprise that The Five-Year Engagement is a thinking person's romantic comedy that peeks under the rocks that line the babbling brook of happily ever after.  Which, to be honest, I didn't like so much at first.  But somewhere along the line I decided that I was (ahem) in it for the long haul.

The Five-Year Engagement is the story of Tom (Jason Segal), a laidback chef, and Violet (Emily Blunt), a sophisticated academic, who meet at a New Year's Eve costume party and get engaged just one year later.  Their journey begins with the usual challenges of wedding planning and meddling family members only to tumble into a move from San Francisco to Ann Arbor when Violet is offered a job at the University of Michigan.  Tom is reduced to making sandwiches for minimum wage and takes on most of the wedding planning duties while Violet becomes increasingly engrossed in her psychology research.  As a result, they dance around their real issues, instead overthinking the logistics of their more-than-once postponed wedding.  Meanwhile, Violet's sister (Alison Brie) and Tom's best friend (Chris Pratt) have a one-night stand that results in a baby, a shotgun wedding, and (despite some garden variety bickering), what appears to be a happy marriage. 

The Five-Year Engagement is funny.  But its real strength comes from recognizing that life doesn't get figured out in one heart-stopping epiphany on the way to the airport, but in mistakes born from the denial that we use to get us through the day.  In tackling this traditionally unromantic angle that good relationships require work, not soulmates, The Five-Year Engagement becomes romantic in a whole new - and more believable -way.             

TV Tuesday: Casting My Vote for Parks and Recreation

As I've mentioned in many a TV-related post, it takes me awhile to warm up to new TV shows.  So, when "Parks snd Recreation" joined NBC's Thursday night lineup four seasons ago, I initially wrote it off as an "Office" knock-off.  Yet sometime between then and last season, something shifted, causing me to think, "Hey, what have I been missing?  This is a hoot!"  The "Parks" players are as eccentric as any you'd expect to find in the fictional small town of Pawnee, Indiana.  At the forefront is Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), perky Deputy Parks Director extraordinaire.  Her boundless enthusiasm and can-do attitude lights a fire beneath even the most lackadaisical of her staff, namely her bureaucracy-hating, tells-it-like-it-is boss Ron (Nick Offerman) and chronically eye-rolling, deadpan intern April (Aubrey Plaza).  Luxury-loving and perennially besuited Tom (Aziz Ansari), "most beautiful nurse in the world" Ann (Rashida Jones), childlike amateur rocker Andy (Chris Pratt), overzealous health nut and optimist Chris (Rob Lowe), divaesque Donna (Retta), clueless but well-meaning Jerry (Jim O' Heir), and Leslie's level-headed beau Ben (Adam Scott) round out the rest of the public service circle.

This season we're treated to democracy in action as Leslie faces off with none other than Paul Rudd for a seat on city council.  Rudd is brilliant as pretty boy puppet Bobby Newport, spoiled son of Pawnee's premier candy company owner.  In the most recent episode Knope and Newport engage in that time-honored pre-election nail-biter, the debate.  Bobby vacantly delivers answers spoonfed to him by his shark of a campaign manager (Kathryn Hahn) while Leslie stands classily by, hiding her light under a bushel until the very end when she launches into an impassioned speech about her love for Pawnee and her duty to protect it.  The crowd goes wild; really, it's quite moving and inspirational.  Then, with perfect comic timing, Bobby saunters over to Leslie with all the bonhomie of a high school quarterback and tells her that he's so glad that that's all over with and why doesn't she come on over to the after-party at his dad's lake house?  Even when playing a jerk Mr. Rudd can't help but turn out to be nice :)        

New TV (Otherwise Known as Fall's Consolation Prize)

Last week marked the beginning of the 2011-2012 TV season, and with it my deliverance from the surfeit of sitcom reruns and played-out movies that buzzed on my TV like so much white noise this summer.  As always, my menu of mainstays, including The Middle, Modern Family, Community, and The Office, was sprinkled with fresh new selections.  Just as when I'm presented with an updated restaurant menu, I couldn't help but wonder which newbies would become the new mac and cheese, i.e., flavorful, fulfilling, and always a treat, and which would suffer the fate of concoctions made unpalatable by too many or too few ingredients.  Here's my take on three of the series debuts I sampled (in reverse chronological order):

Show: Pan Am
Network: ABC
Time: Sunday, 10:00 pm EST

Despite the scuttlebutt that it was just a Mad Men knock-off, I had high hopes for Pan Am (pun intended).  Like lots of people, I like a good period piece.  Stories set in iconic eras can't help but be shrouded in romance, and the admittedly fluffy ABC capitalizes on this phenomenon in its drama showcasing stewardesses of the early 1960s.  To be honest, it was slow going at first.  The plot centers around four women -- each a trailblazer of sorts -- which means that there was a bit of back-story to relay.  Even so, Pan Am has all the hallmarks of a best-selling saga and will probably become more engrossing as the season unfolds.

Show: Whitney
Network: NBC
Time: Thursday, 9:30 pm EST

NBC is known for sitcoms that probe beneath life's underbelly.  Whitney, starring comedian Whitney Cummings, fits right in as the story of a cohabiting, thirty-something couple contemplating marriage.  Albeit gentler than the other social commentary-spouting shows in NBC's Thursday night lineup (Community, Parks and Recreation, and The Office), Whitney delivers some trenchant one-liners about love and relationships.  Unfortunately, most of them were in the commercials, which somewhat diluted their appeal.  Nevertheless, pilots are often iffy, so I remain optimistic.

Show: New Girl

Network: FOX

Time: Tuesday, 9:00 pm EST

New Girl is just the sort of off-beat show you'd expect to see on the network that brought us The Simpsons.  Starring queen of quirk Zooey Deschanel, it centers around Jess, a newly single teacher who finds herself living with three guys she met on Craigslist.  Fashion-challenged and in the habit of bursting into song, Jess catapults over Deschanel's resident territory of the unusual headlong into the land of just plain odd.  Indeed, her actions are often cringeworthy, particularly when she's hurling herself at prospective suitors.  Still, her eccentricities are born of a genuineness that render her as endearing and vulnerable.

* * * *

Criticisms aside, I'll continue watching all of these shows.  Sweet, salty, or tangy, stories are my favorite snack.