5 Things I'm Really Into Right Now...

MALIN+GOETZ DETOX FACE MASK

If you can't afford the full spa treatment, this is about one step down in price but still worth every penny. Apply to whole face for five minutes or until the cream oxygenates, which feels really weird as it's happening but not a bad sensation. Wash away with warm washcloth and see your skin actually glow. I do it twice a week, usually at night before bed. Really curbs my combination skin problems from my oily nose to my flaky forehead. Uses mostly all-natural ingredients. Malin+Goetz apothecary and lab is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. Order stuff here!

SPIRULINA

The distinct genus name of a species of spiral-shaped blue-green algae that's been getting a lot of recognition these days as a tremendous health food supplement, and for the longest time I wasn't able to find any in town either at the Heritage or anywhere else except in tablet form. Now Heritage carries the power and the crunchies, which I just had on my salad for lunch (better than bacon bits!) and used the powder form to make a salad dressing with a little olive oil and lemon juice. Now I can't stop munching on the crunchies while sitting here typing and my fingers have gone all green. And so have my teeth. But being almost entirely protein, vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, D, and E, potassium, and a multitude of other things, hopefully something in this will help turn my crippling metabolic syndrome around. Info here.

MAN STROKE WOMAN

My friend Lloyd sent me this clip via email about a year or two ago, but I had no idea what it was from until I finally sat down and started watching the 2005 Brit sketch comedy series Man Stroke Woman which Joe bought me for my birthday based on the fact that Nick Frost was in it. Also featuring other British actor/comedians Nicholas Burns, Daisy Haggard, Ben Crompton, Amanda Abbington, and Canadian Meredith MacNeill, the show's a little inconsistent, but the winners are real rip-snorters.

THE ARTWORK OF JAMES JARVIS

Although the British vinyl toy designer's style has its obvious big-eyed cuteness factor that makes it instantly accessible, it's his more current foray into comics and animation that I find both touching and disturbing at the same time, a sweet 'n sour combination that always appeals to me in all aspects of creativity. His clothing design company Silas (managed by friends Russell Waterman and Sofia Prantera) as well as his own toy company Amos, facilitate his world of modern-day archetypes and pop culture tropes, all with that same scary fish-eyed stare. Beautiful stuff!

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Only because I have never been, and it's one of my life's top priorities to visit one of these days. There's supposedly an annual film noir festival taking place every February-ish, but I guess that ship has sailed for 2010. But hey, I ain't dead yet...