At the Movies

It's hard to type when you're this riveted. We've been watching the melodrama that is the Giro d'Italia live streamed from Italy and many "great" movie selections from that wonderful purveyor of joy Netflix.

Although the 3 week 100 yr. old pro cycling event the Giro d'Italia is somewhat of a disappointing predictable event this year, with Spaniard Alberto Contador seemingly motoring easily away from anyone that gets near, it is still undeniably exciting to watch cycling on this level live streamed every morning from the incredible, beautiful countryside of Italy.

The 3rd stage of this years race was horribly tragic in that one of the peloton's most likable and talented young riders, Belgian Wouter Weylandt, was killed while descending a mountain near the end of the stage. He briefly looked over his shoulder and touched an adjacent wall with his pedal, throwing him across the road into the other wall- terribly upsetting, how fragile we all are!

Portrait of Wouter by Tom

As the race now enters the Dolomites and Italian tyrol the real battle begins as day after day of climbing, sometimes goat path narrow mountain passes, will eventually bring forth a winner! Which we already know is Contador, baring the miraculous or a mechanical malfunction or tainted beef or bad seafood.. all of which has happened before, you never know, read Herbie Sykes Maglia Rosa of which Tom is currently savouring! Contador's narcisisstic persona already has the Italian tifosi booing him as he nears the finish lines, rotten tomatoes to follow!

Maglia Rosa, author Herbie Sykes

The Tour of California just finished it's week long run today, the most exciting day was the first day which was canceled due to snow in the Sierras, other than that it seems as if it was put together by another famous Californian, Walt Disney- blech! Insert barfing emoticon here. Sorry guys where's the passion?! Too snowy and cold? Remember Monte Bondone 1956??? (The Giro stage where the cyclists all froze to death and had to get carried out!)

The Angel of the Mountains

The Angel of buttered popcorn

We've also been viewing much film, some good some bad, just like the cycling. Recently watched The Illusionist- a French animation, would definitely recommend! Almost non-existent dialogue and yet can at times move you to both tears and laughter, pretty powerful. Great attention to detail, character studies, light and Edinborough as illustrated and imagined- a visual and emotional treat.

Also would recommend Get Low, starring Robert Duval who eats up his role like stewed up road kill, loving every bite mmmm! Also a joy to watch, attention to story and a sense of place- the Tennessee mountains as they most certainly must have been circa 1920s. Bill Murray as a seedy funeral director is perfect, even if he plays the same depressive manipulator he does in every movie- Royal Tenenbaumin it up!

Skip The Mechanic unless you like gratuitous sex, explosions and creepy little dudes with twitchy eyes and prepubescent red goatees.

Want to see in theatres aka ahem Recommended Viewing- Werner Herzogs new film Cave of Forgotten Dreams- 3D cave painting in France if you're lucky, won't get it in 3D unless you're in DC or NYC- go see and tell us what's its like. We tried IFC on a sold out night.
And Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, Carla Bruni, Owen Wilson, time travel, Paris and Woody Allen done.

Maglia Rosa

Riding in the rain print, originally uploaded by jamieshelman.

image source: by holapablo67

image source: by iSergio87

Both the Tour of California and Giro d'Italia are in full swing! The overall race leader in the Giro wears the Maglia Rosa, or pink jersey, which reflects the paper colour of the sports newspaper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, originally sponsoring the race. I'm in love with this bubble gum pink color, especially the pink socks! To celebrate all the cycling frenzy I've taken $10 off my Riding in the Rain Cat print who also happens to be sporting a Maglia Rosa, (he found it folded behind the podium and took it!) until the end of the Giro. If you're in the states I hope you're catching coverage of The Tour of California on Versus (even if they did cut off the crucial final kilometers of yesterday's race for NHL hockey pre-game commentary- Lance wasn't the only one mad- grrrr!) In the meantime we keep catching snippets of rapid fire Italian and glimpses of a rain-spattered Giro on the web- Viva Italia!

Dear DirectTV

The peloton races through the Austrian Tyrol on stage six of the 2009 Giro d'Italia
image source: Garmin


image source: Lanci Daniele

Dear Direct TV,

We enjoyed your coverage of the Vuelta a Espana last year on Universal Sports. We are among a large group of cycling enthusiasts in the USA that would love to see you add Universal to your line up for coverage of the 2010 Giro d'Italia starting on May 8th. Also please advise us as to what channel it will be shown on.

Sincerely,

Jamie and Tom

(DirectTV will only broadcast this years Giro if they get enough requests by e-mail- let them know you are a tifosi! send them an e-mail here: universalsports@directv.com)

Giro d'Italia

2009 Giro d'Italia:  The peloton on a winding road along beautiful Lake Como early in Stage 8.
photo Copyright © 2009 Fotoreporter Sirotti for cyclingfans.com

I love this photo, had to share! To see the full size image click here

Cinque Pomodori

Tomatoes- Original Painting
ok I had to sneak one more painting in here! The Giro d'Italia cycling race is going on now through the end of the month and travels all over Italy from Venice to Rome, fantastico! I'd love to be there to follow the race! For now I can only catch clips online and paint giant red tomatoes in sympathy of all things Italian! Que Sera Sera