Urban Spring (more from the mind of Cafe Drake)

Yet another tour-de-force of stylistic invention and deep, lush morbidity, Joyce Carol Oates's Wild Nights, her 30th collection of short stories is so intelligent, so psychologically astute, it would seem to take nearly a lifetime, not 3 months, to create. Five stories, all based on the final days of famous authors such as Poe, Hemingway and Dickinson, are written in a manner unique to the various figures: a radical conceptual experiment gone very RIGHT in Oates's preternaturally capable hands. Cafe Drake raced through the collection, only to then pour over the also recently released The Journal of Joyce Carol Oates: 1973-1982. How the woman has time to daily record eloquent musings on her work, the works of many others and the vagaries of Life seen through a philosopher's eyes is beyond our conception, but the valuable volume offers surgical insight into Oates's mystifying creative process.

Cafe Drake will certainly be at Scandinavia House's current exhibition of contemporary Icelandic artists, for many reasons but not the least of which include pieces by your very own Thordis Adalsteinsdottir. We'll also be certain to stop by the divine cafeteria for a bargain-priced piece of Seafood Lasagna. Grab a bite and brain refresher at the same time and suck up some Nordic grub before perusing the sure-to-be scintillating Scandinavian art.

Things We're Still Not Tired Of: Dennis Quaid, redeemed a few years ago by his thespian star-turn in Todd Haynes' brill Sirkian melodrama Far From Heaven, and now even more genius as a tatty old professor in Smart People. Jog, don't walk, to the nearest theatre to catch an academic debacle painted in celluloid fantasy, directed by Noam Murro . . .peeps saying “mmm-kay” and “for realsy”. That would be Cafe Drake, for realsy. Mmm-kay, what else, oh yes, those pricey ($30) B-12 patches, so much more soul satisfying than the Nicorette variety. . .Gossip Girl, especially now the series has returned after a 4-month hiatus with amphetamine-amped episodes, moving the TV drama into the realm of surreal parody a la Melrose Place and nip/tuck. . .