power to the paella

this p.m. i went to big ten market a.k.a. morgan and york and watched three men cook paella over weber grills. one told stories and explained spanish customs as the others ladled chicken stock into the pans. it was fun and really really yummy.

it is beautiful and sunny and wonderful here. i like ann arbor in the summer especially like now as it is mild and calm and chill.

i started looking up some sources today on neighborhood planning, the subject of one of the classes i will teach this fall. i am excited to get going on that subject with a new batch of students. i have begun contemplating some ground rules for the class: about how and when it is appropriate to email your professor and other, general etiquette guidelines; a library session [to disabuse them of their narrowly focused google searching]; the importance of reading local newspapers; a prohibition on the phrase "walkable urbanity" and on.

here's a question for all you wired readers:
know of any good, brief digital movies that show neighborhoods -- if even in an oblique way?

as i watched "lazy sunday" for the umpteenth time on sinead's ipod over the weekend, i began musing about having the students write brief--500 word essays on neighborhoods featured in brief films or shorts. are there clips of sesame street available on line -- like "who are the people in your neighborhood?" maybe this would also include some advertisements on-line?
i have two goals with the task: one is to get them drafting and revising a brief bit of writing. and the other is to get them recognizing neighborhood features as represented in popular culture. my faculty colleagues in URP are fixed on having the students work on writing. this is meant to be one of the assignments i will offer in the the fall to help the students hone their ideas better. suggestions?