BIGSHOE TUNES: MARZIPAN

Marzipan. . . Mars & Pan-- Gods after my own heart, and a particularly indulgent holiday treat, popular throughout my ancestral stomping grounds-- Switzerland (and a lot of other places besides).  To honor my ancestors and offer you my undying gratitude (for helping Bigshoe Diaries score a Wowie-- my first prize EVER!): I offer a humble present in return, yet another Bigshoe Tunes Mix, as well as a hearty Keller "danke schön" straight from the alpenhorn of my heart.  Nowhere near as fun as your own individual Niederegger Lübeck I realize, but one man can only import so much. 

20% honey, 60% bitter almonds, 100% love (which is all to say, "Marzipan" grabs the bag*).

Why?

Caus Kolby Klaus says put it in your stocking!  And stuff it in your ears!

Did I also tell you my Swiss grandfather was a very mean man?

Let X=X -- Laurie Anderson
Marzipan -- The Alps
Little Seed -- Elizabeth Mitchell
Haddu Zeit -- Jeans Team
Under The Gun -- Electric Guest
Toi quel bonheur -- Dick Rivers
Scapegoat -- Idiot Wind
Clouds For Brains -- Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
Jessica -- Major Lazer
Gardens in the City -- Melanie
Do You . . .  -- Miguel
Little Sally Tutorial -- The Blow
Le Goudron (YACHT Remix) -- YACHT
The Girls Scattered (82) -- Chris Mason & Mark Jickling
o noapte si o zi -- from "romania in epoca de aur"
Deep Sea Divers -- Darwin Deez
You're the Hangnail in My Life -- Snowblind Friend
Do You Remeber -- Ane Brun
Bats -- The Uncluded
die welt ist schlecht -- Die Doraus & Die Marinas
Skorokoro (Walking Away) (ft. Okmalumkoolkat) -- Spoek Mathambo
Eternal Tears -- Jib Kidder
Se Naxaniseka -- Tlyiselani Vomaseve
Skipping A Beat -- I'm From Barcelona
B Boy -- Macklemore
Dis Is How I Does Wine -- Byron Lee & The Dragonaires
I Call Your Name -- Johnny Clegg & Savuka
Zuata Zuata -- Puto Prata
Symphony 10: Could This Really Be The End? -- Emily Wells
stau pe cheiul din port -- from "romania in epoca de aur"
Tramp -- Otis Redding and Carla Thomas
Fred Von Jupiter -- Astrobuger, from "Quite Obscure and Practically Marzipan"
Baby I Don't Know Right Now -- Jason Grier

**I'll admit a little laziness with this one.  I re-purposed a much longer mix I made a year ago, also called "Marzipan", added a few songs, cut most, and then uploaded it.  I've been listening to the original mix in my studio all weekend.  I've been sooo busy in fact, I completely forgot to write anything the whole weekend, save this last minute addition.  "Marzipan" has no meaning per say, just let the mess mix together and glide down (if you ears can stomach it).  Goat food. 

Lazy, busy Pan. . .

I SEE PENIS: CHOCOLATE SANTA

Ho Ho. . . Ho?  I SEE PENIS Santa from BSD Reader Andy.  

BONERS FOR BOOKS: THE MODERN ART COOKBOOK

With everything from Frida Kahlo's "Red Snapper, Veracruz Style" (p. 76) and Mallarmé's "Chanterelles" (138) to Allen Ginsberg's "Borscht" (p. 54) and Renoir's "Potato Salad" (p. 152), The Modern Art Cookbook proves artists really do have taste, literally.

While fellow communist gourmand and famous Andalusian face-breaker Pablo Picasso (born Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Crispiniano de la Santísima Trinidad) has some of the tastiest, most exotic recipes listed, including "Scramble in Sea Urchin Shells" (p. 38), "Fruit Swimming in Ginger" (p. 180), "Charlotte au Chocolate" (p. 226) and "Sangria of Els Quatre Gats" (238), Alice B. Toklas by far takes the cake, with entries like "Omelette in an Overcoat" (p. 66), "Creamed Cucumbers" (p. 111), and "Browned Spinach Daisy" (p. 120).

Other favorites include: Roy Lichtenstein's "Roast Fillet of Beef" (p. 98), X.J. Kennedy's "Timeless Beef, Mushroom, Instand Coffee and Irish Whiskey Stew" (p. 100), and Robert Motherwell's "Whiskey Cake" (p. 218).  Don't forget nipple-and-lit-cigarette-pop-erotica pioneer Tom Wesslemann's "Lemon Sponge Pudding" (222)

The book includes beautiful illustrations (usually of food) and the occasional poem, like this entry on strawberries, from page 184:

"Strawberry Breasts"

A pink plate with two erect feminine breasts made of ricotta dyed pink with Campari with nipples of candied strawberry.  More fresh strawberries under the covering of ricotta making it possible to bite into an ideal multiplication of imaginary breasts.

(formula by the Futurist Poet of National Record Farfa)

A special thank you to ClaireBear for the tasty early Xmas present!

BONERS FOR BOOKS: ONE THOUSAND BEARDS

When it rains, it pours. . . and when you're shaved, the beard books come rolling in like rain.  A special thank you to BSD Reader ClaireBear for the incredibly informative history on facial hair, "One Thousand Beards", she sent me as an early Xmas present.  I'll be sure to stash it in the most important place I know.  ;-)

LUMINOUS FUCKS

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.

Artist Alina Szapocznikow is perhaps best know for transforming mundane body parts into sculpturally significant objects, subject to the contingent presence of luminous flux (i.e. lamps)-- most notably: cocks, butts and lips.

The origin-inal nightlight?

More, non-luminous work, from artist Alina Szapocznikow:

BEARDLIGERENT?

Don't worry beardy boys (and Bruno Gmünder), just 'cause I shaved doesn't mean I'm mad at you!

How could I bear anything but the most beardific appreciation after receiving a beardiful book on the history of gay facial hair-- so happy I made two GIFs.  I might not have much of a beard myself these days, but that didn't stop me from pretending:

"Beards" journeys thru time (with heavy emphasis on the 1970's) to tell the "unshaved history" of mankind's warmest facial fashion feature.  Find out more at Bruno Gmünder.  Oh yes!  And thank you to Bruno Gmünder for sending me a free copy of the book.  A sample from inside:

COLBY DOPPELGÄNGER: DISNEY PRINCE

Well, not a "prince" exactly, but a burly animated hunk.  Rarely do I have a clean-shaven doppelgänger, let alone a Disney character.  BSD reader Brian discovered this doppelgänger, "Kristoff" from the new Disney movie "Frozen", while scoping out diversions with his niece this past holiday weekend.  I'm told it's well worth a visit to the theaters.

Grab your carabiners and climbing harnesses boys and girls.  I see a big, steep mountain over yonder to . . . well. . . mount.  ;-)