Month: July 2021

Media Diary (July 2021)

Some stuff I’ve experienced lately (and not necessarily only new releases):

Schmigadoon! (TV): Generally delightful

Black Widow (Movie): Overall pretty solid, and you can’t go wrong with Rachel Weisz

The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine (Book): A comprehensive examination of a complicated country

One Year (Podcast): Really interesting stories, all from 1977

Summer of Soul (Movie): What a show!

Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom (Movie): A fascinating look at a crazy time

Casablanca (Movie): I’d watched this years ago, but really enjoyed this viewing

Ted Lasso (TV): Glad to have him back

No Sudden Move (Movie): Suddenly Matt Damon appeared

The Music Man (Movie): It had been a while, and it’s still probably my favorite musical

Oklahoma! (Movie): It had been even longer since I’d last seen this, and Jud was sweatier than ever in HD

Behind The Attraction (TV): Put it in my veins

Lovely Lviv

Last week, I was fortunate enough to visit Lviv, Ukraine on a work trip, and even more fortunate that I was able to bring my wife with me.

What an amazing city!

I’ll let the pictures and videos do most of the talking, but here’s a short list of things I learned from our time there:

  • Like elsewhere in Europe, their “acceptable amount of ice in drinks” game is suspect
  • Same goes for the coldness of their fridges (prepare to embrace that lukewarm lifestyle)
  • You’re not getting a Diet Coke, friend
  • You’re also not getting any black coffee (Americano it is!)
  • Pedestrians are absolutely fearless
  • Smiling and nodding as you pass someone is not a thing
  • Borscht is everywhere, and I actually enjoyed it!
  • The Ukrainians I chatted with weren’t as interested in Chernobyl as tourists are (given that it is a dark time in their history)
  • You can tap to pay everywhere, and it’s glorious
  • It’s generally difficult to be a non-drinker on work trips, but it’s really hard in Ukraine (though I’m now an expert on the Lviv seltzer scene)