Helene's blog

I'm Still Here

2012-01-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

Sorry to those fan(s) who have missed my blog, but life has somehow intervened. I have found, don't know if this is the case with everyone, but the onslaught of other social media has mitigated the desire to blog. And the advent of my senior years/brain cell atrophying has mitigated whatever wit I may have once possessed! In any event, if I do anything fun, I will try and let you know. I did get to see the revival of Follies, Stephen Sondheim's great 1971 show about the demise of, I don't think it's burlesque exactly, but the old revue shows. Since I had a familiarity with the whole score, and had tickets in the fourth row, I was in pig heaven. The only thing getting in the way of my glow was the woman sitting directly behind me, who talked through the entirety of the first act. Luckily for me, she made cogent comments like, "she's so short," upon espying Bernadette Peters. I put on my best librarian persona, and told her to quit it during intermission, so at least the 2nd act was relatively drama-free (except for what was happening onstage). I will tell you that Bernadette Peters still does not have a big voice (I saw her in Sunday in the Park with George back in the day), or even a huge stage presence. She performed a serviceable version of "Losing My Mind." Jan Maxwell, who by the way was separated at birth from Felicity Huffman, played her romantic rival and pretty much stole the show with her big number, "Could I leave you?" And the always great Elaine Paige worked the bejesus out of one of Sondheim's most memorable lyrics, "I'm Still Here." At this point, who hasn't performed this song?

More Separated at Birth

2011-10-17T17:46:00.001-07:00

I was at the Hamptons Film Festival this past weekend and caught a documentary about Charlotte Rampling entitled The Look, and could not get over how much she resembled Lauren Bacall. According to someone else who was there, way back at the beginning of her career she was nicknamed "Baby Bacall." I was also struck by her complete lack of vanity - this is someone who has been known throughout her career for playing the gorgeous femme fatale, and it was quite clear that she has not had plastic surgery. The doc included film clips from some of her more notorious roles, like the holocaust survivor who has an affair with her Nazi torturer in The Night Porter. She talks about the role and how Pauline Kael castigated her not merely as an actress, but also as a human being for even accepting the part. But one gathers she would rather play parts like this than play Mary Poppins.

Separated at birth?

2011-10-02T16:17:00.000-07:00

And by a couple of years. Dont'cha think?

Round Up the Usual Suspects

2011-09-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

...and other great lines, from one of the greatest motion pictures of all time, Casablanca:

Of all the gin joints in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship
It doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world
We'll always have Paris
Here's looking at you, kid

My Favorite Stupid Movies

2011-09-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

After almost a week without electricty, thanks to Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene (and more about that later...perhaps), I was ready to bring on some silly, and so went to see Horrible Bosses, Bad Teacher, and Our Idiot Brother in quick succession. Fine movies all, but no match for the following, IMHO:

There's Something About Mary: In which Cameron D. refined her comedy chops by playing the only girl in the world who could possibly look good with sperm in her hair.
Anchorman: Includes one of the nicest renditions of Afternoon Delight that you're ever gonna hear.
Shanghai Noon: Like a Mad Magazine parody, chock-a-block with references to movie westerns of yore.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall: to paraphrase the IMDB Boards, "Jason Segel looks like he would be the coolest guy in the world to hang with." Agreed.
Wayne's World: "Party Time! Excellent!" Need I say more?

Movies I like

2011-08-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was dragged kicking and screaming to The Help. And even though I managed to sit through it, and may say I even sorta enjoyed it, it really was not at all my cuppa tea. Here's a list of things I generally look for:

Philadelphia Freedom

2011-06-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

Here's some of what I saw and did in my recent visit to the City of Brotherly Love:

A groundhog - yes, I actually saw a real live groundhog on the grounds of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where I visited their current exhibit, Paris through the Window: Marc Chagall and his Circle.
Marianne Moore's living room at the splendiforous Rosenbach Library. When I asked the tour guide if this was a replica of Marianne Moore's living room, he said, no, it was her actual living room, transposed from her apartment in Greenwich village. Apparently she donated her papers with the stipulation that they also take her living room, intact. Her typewriter, her furniture, her books, her small animal sculptures, it's all here. Oh, and the original manuscript of James Joyce's Ulysses is here too.
The Barnes Foundation - it's moving to Center City Philadelphia on July 3rd, not without some controversy. This was my last chance to see the Renoirs, the Cezannes, the Van Goghs in its original home in Merion, Pa. outside the city limits. There's not an obscure artist in the bunch.
A bountiful dinner at the classy Asian restaurant Vietnam.
An odd assortment of bones and cadavers at the Mutter Museum, at the College of Physicians, along with the chance to see librarians Shira Kavon of CNN and Kee Malesky of NPR win some awards at the Special Librarian's Association News Division Awards dinner.
A tour of The Philadelphia Inquirer's news library given by librarian extraordinaire Michael Panzer (Tastykakes provided by his wife, Robin).
My life, flashing before my eyes, after a 1 a.m. announcement that there was an emergency in the building at the hotel where I was staying (my life being what it is, it only took about 13 seconds). Turns out some drunk at a wedding thought it would be a riot to pull the fire alarm.

Britcoms and Britdrams

2011-05-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

To ease the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, I've been indulging in Quality British Television. And by that I do not mean Masterpiece Theatre (or simply Masterpiece, as it seems now to be called). No, that I just tape and never get around to watching. Instead I've been catching up with such small screen gems as The Vicar of Dibley (small-town village life with a lady vicar), Clatterford, aka Jam and Jerusalem (small-town village life with a widowed nurse), and Doc Martin (small-town village life with a curmudgeonly doctor). The scenery, the idle gossip, the pub crawls. It all makes me want to give up my small-town village (or in this case, suburb), and move to a thatched cottage in Cornwall.

The Last Movie Star

2011-03-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

A fond farewell to Dame Elizabeth Taylor - a fine actress, a good Jew, a great beauty, and a munificent humanitarian. She lived large and loved life. She will be missed.

Why I love the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

2011-03-02T06:47:00.000-08:00

Sizzling dialogue, like "My husband calls me a sex object. Every time he wants sex, I object," and "I'm gonna pull some Oklahoma on your ass"
Big, fancy words like "pernicious" and "Machiavellic"
Stressed-out housewives with four nannies (for two kids)
Crazy psychics always makes for good TV
Look kids! It's the "morally corrupt"* Faye Resnick!
Catfights look better after you've just shopped Rodeo Drive
The Gigster!
Sounds better than The Real Housewives of New Jersey

* someone else's opinion

Things I Always Say, 2011 EDITION

2011-01-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

Happiness is 3 kinds of ice cream
Just have 911 on speed dial
More administrative than thou
Don't ask
Let's not go there
Do you really want to know?
Happy New Year!*

*January 1, only

Why I STILL Read The New York Times

2010-11-20T18:35:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I question my sanity regarding hoarding when it comes to The New York Times. I've literally got piles and piles of papers all over the place, and this after I cut back delivery to Sundays only. Of course, I still buy Thursday's paper since it's got the Home and the Style section (I couldn't cut a deal to get Thursday's and Sunday's). I actually have a pet phrase, "you can live your life, or you can read The Times." Well, clearly I've chosen to throw my lot in with reading the Times, which when I get to it, is often eye-opening. Because just when I'm about to give up, pack it in, cancel my subscription and get on with my life, along comes an article about someone I went to high school with, Daisy Khan, the woman who is leading the movement to build a mosque near Ground Zero. Granted, I never knew this woman, as she graduated a year ahead of me (though her name rang a very vague bell), nor am I heavily invested in her somewhat controversial cause, but not only was there an article about her in which she discussed her high school experiences, but there was also a picture of her alongside my all-time favorite high school teacher and all-around cool cat, Ira Greene, who left teaching long ago to become a Brooklyn lawyer. Apparently he did some legal work, which helped her citizenship process, and also gave her a distinguished alumni award last year. Now I ask you, am I a better, more enlightened person for having read this article? Is my life one whit different for having read this article? Probably not. Nevertheless, isn't it nice sometimes to be reminded of someone from our past who is still alive and kicking ass? Mr. Greene, I salute you and The Times!

Project Runway Overload

2010-09-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

Occasionally I watch Project Runway. By occasionally I mean every week. I have also made it a life's occupation to follow the blogs that follow the show Project Runway. If you're an occasional (or frequent) watcher of the show, here are my recommends:
Tim Gunn's vlog on Facebook
Laura Bennett's blog on mylifetime.com
The Sassy Curmudgeon
and, last but not least,
Tom and Lorenzo, who not only do a beautiful job blogging Project Runway, but also blog about New York Fashion Week, various ad campaigns, Red Carpet looks and also my other favorite TV obsession, the plotlines, and hemlines, of Mad Men.
Bravo (or shall I say Lifetime?) to all!

Looking Homeward, Angel, Again

2010-08-31T07:09:00.000-07:00

My mother asked for a book by Thomas Wolfe. How hard could that be to find, right? Well, after going around and calling around to about a half dozen bookstores in the general vicinity of where I live, I could not find a one, nor could I find a bookstore person who seemed to know who he was, exactly. Everyone seemed to confuse him with Tom Wolfe, the esteemed author of Bonfire of the Vanities, among other fine works. Finally, I called Book Revue in Huntington, and got someone who seemed to know what I was asking for. "Yes, we have both Look Homeward, Angel and You Can't Go Home Again. I will hold them both aside for you." All was right with the world. There was at least one semi-literate person working the desk in a Long Island bookstore. Until I went to purchase the book(s). "And we also have I am Charlotte Simmons, and The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test."
Um, that's a different Wolfe. "Oh right, Tobias." Hmmmm.
At least my mother seemed to appreciate the gesture. When I handed her Look Homeward, Angel, she said, "I've already read it."

Open Sores and Other Words I Overheard at ALA 2010

2010-06-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

Words I understood at ALA 2010:

Mem'ries...I don't have 'em

2010-05-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

The other day I ran into someone who remembered me from kindergarten (perhaps because I look exactly the same??)... unfortunately his name didn't really register, and neither did his face. However, I do recall my kindergarten teacher. She had us learn the song Blowin' in the Wind, which I recall being convinced was a Civil War classic, before finding out it was a brand new song at the time!

Batting a Thousand, or Babs at BEA

2010-05-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

I was registered to attend Book Expo at the Javits Center on Tuesday, May 25th. When I arrived I found out that the exhibitors would not be there until today, the 26th. So I and two friends took a $15 cab ride uptown to visit MOMA. And of course when we got there we found out that it's closed on Tuesdays. Wonderful!! After that, however the day improved. After a terrific lunch at Murals (in the Warwick Hotel), shopping at MOMA's bookstore and the Folk Art Museum store, we cabbed back down to the Javits Center, and lined up to see Barbra Streisand (yes!) who was there as the opening night keynote speaker. From the second row, we watched as she was being interviewed by Gayle King about her forthcoming book "My Passion for Design." Apparently her passions include the colors burgundy and pink, couches, dolls, decorating in general, and her dog (who was there). Her lack of passion includes the colors orange and brown, and modern architecture (not for her). She was funny, regal and very, very blonde. But still the same superstar we know and er, love. Gayle King? Not so much.

What I'm reading now

2010-04-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

In case you were wondering why it has been so long since I last posted a blog entry, it's because I am inundated by a book. That's right, just the one. It's called Redeeming Features by Nicholas Haslam,and it's basically a memoir by an interior decorator. The book is filled with flowery prose in which every chair cushion is described, and once again I am left wondering why some people can remember every stick of furniture and what everyone is wearing, in addition to times, dates and places, and I can't remember what I had for lunch. In case you think I am exaggerating about the level of description, here are a few sample sentences:

"From the lapels, one set with a crimson carnation, down to the razor-edge creases so perfectly arranged, he seemed like an elf sculpted in mercury, his dark tie and glossily shod feet sudden shards of obsidian."
"Crumbling walls were fragrant with mimosa and jasmine, peppery with the scent of Malmaison carnations." (yes, the prose is literally flowery)
"Below, in an equally cramped pitch-pine kitchen, Chuck would cook ambitiously elaboate dinners for his musical friends, Samuel Barber, the gentle and modest composer of Vanessa, an opera that I had seen at the old Met; Leonard Bernsein, who, besides being clearly jealous of Chuck's relationship with me, I found unbearably false and conceited; and the wonderfully funny Earl McGrath, a skinny boy with glistening eyes and a drooping Proustian mustache, at the time Gian Carlo Menotti's secretary." (there's also a tad bit of name dropping)

Eventually I am sure, I will finish this book and make my way, ever so gently, back to what's left of this crumbling civilization.

Oscar, Cablevision and me

2010-03-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

For the millions of you (okay, one) breathlessly waiting for my thoughts, I must say dealing with post-surgical pain (had knee surgery last Wednesday) has kept my mind otherwise engaged. That and the zombie-like state I've been in most of the week from not sleeping, and living on painkillers may have impaired my thinking on this topic. But anyway, here goes:

Thank God for YouTube!! I missed the 1st 15 minutes of the broadcast as ABC in its infinite wisdom sought to tighten the screws in their ongoing battles with Cable by pulling their station for Cablevision subscribers. They only saw it wasn't working after the program was already under way. But I caught up with what I missed on YouTube (in grainy color)!
Best line of the night: "You loved her in The Blind Side, you adored her in The Proposal, you thought she was just ok in Miss Congeniality 2."
Looove Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, so any awards show they're hosting is a good time had by me.
For the 1st time in history I saw all seven of the nominated movies. Oh wait, there were 10? Never mind.
I don't know why anyone feels that Meryl Streep was overlooked. The movie was not called Julia, it was Julie and Julia. Besides, she's already won twice. And has a record number of nominations. Doesn't feel like a dis to me.
To me, The Hurt Locker was basically 2 hours of a guy sweating into his helmet, trying to disarm a bomb. All the tension came from not knowing if he was going to blow up or not. Still, I'm glad it won over Avatar. Personally, I was rooting for Inglourious Basterds.
The clips that were shown of the Governors Awards looked much more interesting than anything that was happening during this broadcast. I would much rather have heard Lauren Bacall's, Roger Corman's and Gordon Willis's speeches in their entirety than watch Miley Cyrus slouching, Taylor Lautner looking pretty, and Kristen Stewart coughing over her shoulder. These are not stars, people!!
Yay! A 1st time win for a woman director! A man's movie, but still.

Show Biz is my life!

2010-02-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

Every year when the Oscar nominations are announced, I tear up. So you can imagine the copious amount of tears I shed this morning when, for the first time in 66 years, there were 10 nominees for Best Picture, including 4 of my favorites, An Education, Inglourious Basterds, Up and Up in the Air. Newbridge Road is flooded.
On another, not wholly unrelated note, my old pen pal, Michael Musto, longtime gossip columnist extraordinaire at The Village Voice, was profiled in The New York Times this past Sunday. In the Styles section (the best section in the paper IMHO). His Blind Items are to die for!

rufus wainwright and dirk bogarde

2010-01-15T12:36:00.001-08:00

Don't you think they look a bit alike?

Indexes, Interesting

2009-12-20T08:58:00.000-08:00

Some samples from the index of the book I am currently reading, Hellraisers: The Life and Inebriated Times of Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole, and Oliver Reed by Robert Sellers:

Driving, reckless
Fights, drunken
Fires, accidental
Hangovers
Interviews, difficult
Penises: childhood games, comparing size, display of, used for smuggling(!)*, writing, tattooing on
Rows, marital
Rugby (very well represented)*
Wagon, falling off the

*parentheses, comments in parentheses and exclamation points are mine

Blogging with a cat in my lap

2009-11-21T20:21:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally got so sick and tired of my poor old virus-ridden Windows PC (at the end it was even coughing up phlegm) that I went and bought myself an APPLE Book, complete with wireless router. For the first time ever, I am able to watch TV while blogging AND sharing chair space with the cat! As I have only been a MAC owner for all of about 20 minutes, am almost completely clueless as to how it works, but so far it's a thing of beauty and a joy forever!

Just a quick hello

2009-11-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

Because I haven't blogged in a while, I felt it incumbent upon me to let you know that I am still alive and as well as could be expected!
In the past month I have:
Seen the Roundabout theatre's revival of Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway (with Gina Gershon channeling her inner Chita Rivera)
read the novel Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
seen the wonderful movie An Education (with a screenplay by Nick Hornby)!
gone to a work-related dinner and sat with the fabulous author (and Oprah Magazine books director), Sara Nelson
seen the amazing season finale of Mad Men (a show I'm just mad about)!
I hope to check in again sooner, rather than later!

Staycation!

2009-10-09T13:36:00.000-07:00

My vacations tend to be stressful, rather than restful, perhaps because instead of using the little time I have to relax a bit and unwind, I try to pack too much in to too little time. Now what for me is too much may be very little to somebody else, but we all have different capacities, wouldn't you say? I worked Monday, so it all began on Tuesday, when I was meeting a friend for dinner and theatre. Attempting to get anywhere early inevitably doesn't work out for me, and that once again proved to be the case as I waited in the train station parking lot 1/2 hour for a spot to open up, thinking "don't run for the train." Of course I ran for the train (and unluckily the escalator was out of service), missing it by literally seconds. Had a great time at the show though ("Wishful Drinking" w/Carrie Fisher - very funny!) and even got the star's autograph afterward (bizarrely enough we were virtually the only ones at the stage door). Yesterday I ran around further, having lunch with my attorney (whom I adore btw) and seeing a friend who has been living in California for the past 20 years and who I hadn't seen in at least 5. Tonight I am going to dinner at a Buddhist temple and tom'w I head out east to the Hamptons Film Festival. So I am doing fun things, and also things I wouldn't ordinarily have the time to do. So why do I feel guilty? Could it be because the piles of clutter on my desk are getting higher and deeper?

The Devil in Wintour

2009-09-09T06:03:00.000-07:00

That Prada-wearing Devil, Anna Wintour, High Priestess (or, as one acolyte calls her "Pope") of fashion Bible Vogue, is the subject of a new fashion doc (my favorite subgenre!), The September Issue. Unlike several other recent films of similar ilk (Valentino: The Last Emperor comes to mind), few, if any, tears will be shed. There may well be fire beneath that ice, but we the viewer can never tell, as Ms. Wintour maintains an inscrutable facade throughout, which may well contribute to why she is choosing to plug the film on the talk show and film festival circuit. In addition to bringing attention to the magazine in a down market, it does nothing to ruin her image of herself as the always-in-charge Supreme Leader. It's definitely a fun film anyway. Andre Leon Talley is always a hoot, and, as several critics have pointed out, legendary Creative Director Grace Coddington steals the film, as being the only person willing to disagree (at least on camera) with Wintour.

London. Paris. Rome. Rhinebeck.

2009-08-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Highlights of my trip this weekend to Rhinebeck:

Lunch at Escoffier at the Culinary Institute
Dinner at the Beekman Arms
Dinner at Arielle
Shopping at Oblong Books and Hammertown
Seeing (500) Days of Summer
Visiting Eleanor Roosevelt's home, Val-Kill
Visiting Samuel Morse's home, Locust Grove
Shopping at the Rhinebeck Farmer's Market
Visiting the Bard College campus
Seeing the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard (Frank Gehry designed it)
Traveling the highways and byways of the historic Hudson Valley with my buddy Patti P.

The List of Books

2009-07-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

In the Spring of 2003 I started a list of books I've either read or listened to, starting with Cad by Rick Marin, and most recently Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers. This in addition to the lists I keep on LibraryThing, Shelfari and GoodReads. Of course I have enjoyed them all, or if not all, then most. But some have stood out more than others, including the following:

and a special shout out to my neighbor's two books that I read and enjoyed so much:

Guilty Pleasure

2009-07-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

I was just now watching one of my secretly favorite TV shows - VH1 Classic Albums - and this episode put the spotlight on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon (shockingly I thought it would be in the top 10 of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, but I just checked and it came in way down at #43). Although I never really followed their career in its entirety this is one heck of an album - "Money," "Us and Them," "Breathe," and "Brain Damage" are all on it. What amazed me, and I'm always amazed that I continue to find it so, is how sedate some of these 60's icons now seem to be. David Gilmour, whose whole look screamed ROCK STAR back in 1972, when the album was initially released, now has short gray hair (shocking!), and looks just like a retired bank President. On the other hand, Roger Waters, who wrote the lyrics for the songs on that album, looked like just a nerdy kid back then, and looks very much the cool, ironic, aging rocker now.

RIP, with mixed emotions

2009-06-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

As a child he was made to be the performing monkey at the organ grinder's show. As an adult, to all outward appearances, at least, he appeared to be attempting to eradicate both his race and his gender. And, at the very least, he had a very unhealthy obsession with young boys. But...the legacy of the King of Pop will live on in his music.

Would you care for some coffee with your sugar?

2009-06-21T00:19:00.000-07:00

Some of the desserts that were served at a wedding I attended earlier this evening:

wedding cake
chocolate cake
mocha cake
chocolate chip cookies
jellied fruit slices
chocolate covered strawberries
halavah
deep fried oreos
coconut, chocolate and various fruit flavored sorbets
cheesecake pops
vanilla gelati cones

Plop! Plop! Fizz! Fizz! awaits....

More Things My Brother Always Says, Mostly About Cats (except where otherwise noted)

2009-06-12T07:11:00.000-07:00

"In Egypt, cats were worshipped as Gods. Cats have not forgotten this."
"Furry little psycho"
"With a brain the size of a walnut"*
"Why am I not surprised"**
"I was reading a science fiction story in which..."***

* formerly "with a brain the size of a marble," until further research proved otherwise
** sometimes about cats
*** only occasionally about cats

Top 10 Things Edie Always Says

2009-06-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

Can I leave at two today?
I'd like to leave at two, if that's possible
I need to leave at two
Is that gonna be a problem?
No, and here's why
Everything before the "but" is a lie
It's my five minute complaint time
Here's what you have to do
Why should today be any different?
Can I just say something?

You will be missed!

Top 10 Things My Brother Always Says

2009-06-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

1) Do I have to draw diagrams?
2) With a flourish of trumpets
3) By the undemanding standards of feline intelligence
4) I wasn't taking notes
5) It's no doubt hereditary

I'm sure there's at least 5 more, and when I think of what they are, they will be posted!

Fear of Facebook

2009-05-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I am thinking of quitting Facebook, because not only are my friends on Facebook friends with people who tortured me in Elementary school (and points beyond), but I am completely addicted to: those time-wasting quizzes (like "what kind of car are you?"), pick your five!, Pathwords, accepting invites to join groups I know nothing about, AND NOW to top it all off, yesterday my computer caught a virus. Yes, from Facebook, my friends. It's hopefully all cleared up, but still.
How very swine-like.

Veni, Vidi, Vento

2009-05-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

I attended a bridal shower at Vento, an Italian restaurant in the meatpacking district a few days ago. Over Bellinis and Mimosas we toasted the bride-to-be, and chowed down on Smoked Salmon Benedict and spinach & ricotta ravioli, among other delicacies. But the best part was seeing this beautiful, narrow, neo-Grecian style old factory building, originally built in 1849. There is nothing like Old New York!

Brangelina Fever

2009-05-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought I was all over celebrity worship, but yesterday I was at a meeting not far from where Brad, Angelina and the gang are renting a house (she's making a movie locally), and I was all "didja see 'em? wheredja see 'em?" Apparently they've been spotted at the local Dunkin' Donuts, Bagel Boss, and Stop and Shop.
My new hangouts.

What I'm Watching Now

2009-04-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

With all the tweeting and FaceBooking going on, one hardly has time to blog, let alone put in a partial day's work, but let me just tell you about these fab new shows I've been into lately. Head Case stars Alexandra Wentworth, apparently improvising up a storm (she started in Groundlings, who knew?) as a neurotic shrink to the stars who is absolutely having issues of her own to deal (or not) with. She also has a charming British receptionist who is tabloid crazy and a fellow shrink she shares office space with, who has no patients at all. Her patients appear as (purportedly) themselves. It's very funny and season 1 is now on DVD. Party Down involves a group of wannabe actors who work for a Los Angeles catering company, and every week revolves around a different party. The head guy is looking for a big payday so he can open up his own franchise of a local fast food chain called something like "Super Crackers." It's all very cute. They're both shown on the Starz channel Friday nights.

Name of the Day

2009-04-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

Poopa Dweck. Expert on Aleppian Jewish Cookery.

Irons in the Fire

2009-04-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

I haven't seen the new Broadway play Impressionism yet, but I did get to see one of it's stars yesterday evening, as Jeremy Irons sat in the hot seat, being grilled by The New York Times book critic (and former longtime movie critic) Janet Maslin as part of the Times Talks series at their building on West 41st street. Charmingly self-deprecating and as down to earth as one could be whose rich, plummy tones seem to indicate "born at the Old Vic," Irons shared many a lovely anecdote about costars, directors, and his inimitable take on life in general ("domesticity is the killer of..." well, you know). Unfortunately, in the hallway after the "show," I was loudly declaiming to my friend, "I HATED Dead Ringers."
"Um, he's right behind you."
Oh.

Later, More

2009-03-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

Perhaps my book reading would proceed more swiftly if I didn't spend two+ hours watching television last night. However, it was a good show, based on a good book - The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Am looking forward to episode two.

Pressure, Self-Induced

2009-03-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

I think I have FINALLY found a focus for this blog - my ongoing stress due to panic about my not being able to read all the books I own before I shuffle off this mortal coil. To that end, I am actually now trying to get rid of some of my books and brought about 5 of them to the library yesterday to donate (and was thrilled late in the day when I saw them being taken by a library page - yay! they've found a good home!) So why, then, did I need to stop at my local Borders on the way home (and WHY does the theft detector always ring when I walk in there - am I part metal?) and rebuy two of the books I just gave up (Tropic of Cancer and Candide)? To be honest, the books I gave away were in such poor condition, that if I tried to read them I would have just launched into an asthma attack...MORE ON THIS TOPIC LATER...

Afghanistan Bananastan

2009-03-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I listen to the President speak, he sounds an awful lot like this guy.

A Bad Day for Agoraphobes

2009-03-20T07:36:00.000-07:00

The wake for actress Natasha Richardson is being held today at the American Irish Historical Society.

LibraryThing, I think I love you

2009-03-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

I have recently discovered LibraryThing, a site which advertises itself as "a community of 600,000 book lovers" where you can post books belonging to your library, or books you've simply read and enjoyed, and talk to other users with similar libraries. It's great fun, and I am definitely skewing my list to the britlit side, so I can talk to the likeminded. LibraryThing is definitely the best of the many social networking sites for the bookish, IMHO.

Dawn? Go away?

2009-03-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

My dentist is a lovely and charming fellow who is quite capable of subbing for Jon Stewart anytime he is out. However, I cannot for the life of me remember the names of any of the gals on his staff. To be honest, I know their names, I just do not know to whom they belong. Perhaps it would help if they didn't all look pretty much exactly alike: young, tan, long-haired brunettes. The only one whose name I can get straight is the hygeniest, Sheila, as she's a bit older and blonde. I call her the Samantha Jones of the group. Mostly I just call them all Dawn (that's the one who calls to confirm my appointment).

Tchotchkes of the Rich and Famous

2009-02-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

My latest burgeoning collecting mania appears to be for auction catalogs of prominent people. Of their possessions, I mean. I could never afford to actually buy any of their stuff, but looking through these catalogs definitely appeals to the voyeur in me. It's like Architectural Digest on steroids. And this just in: Gandhi's (few) possessions go up for sale.

The Story of Whose Life?

2009-02-25T07:20:00.000-08:00

The Story of My Life, the first Broadway play to open this year, also became the first Broadway play to close this year, and I must say I heartily concur with this decision, being among the unlucky few who actually saw it. Although the actors were excellent, as the critics noted the show was sub-par Sondheim, the story being a ripoff of Merrily We Roll Along, and the music a blatant ripoff of Sunday in the Park with George. Sondheim should sue actually. Although I guess now that won't be necessary.

At night the stars put on a show for free

2009-02-23T07:15:00.000-08:00

Oscars '09 -
What worked:

Hugh Jackman, better than I expected him to be, as Host
Former winners coming out to celebrate this year's acting nominees - genius!
Best song salute - I loved it
Slumdog Millionaire winning - Yay!
The winners NOT getting played off - about time!
Man on Wire winning best documentary
In fact, all the winners were well-deserved, this year
Didn't go too late - Double Yay!

What didn't:

Big musical salute to musicals - Yech!
Talking about the different parts of a movie production did not flow
Interspersing this year's best picture clips with older movie winners also didn't make sense
The audience was so well lit, and also appeared to be so close to the stage (Meryl Streep looked like she was sitting in the Host's lap) as to make the effect seem garish
Worst presenter - Bill Maher (and I love his show, BTW)
The "In memoriam" tribute should have been all close-ups, instead of the camera panning in and out - I'm old, I need to see these people!

Best lines:
"Slumdog Millionaire was filmed entirely on cell phone" (Ben Stiller)
"If you win, we go to 20-minute delay" (Hugh Jackman to Mickey Rourke, in audience)

At the Beacon

2009-02-21T17:12:00.000-08:00

Cool: Seeing three of my favorites, Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin and Patty Griffin at the newly refurbished and totally glammed up Beacon Theatre last night. Buddy Miller was supposed to be appearing with them also, but he was out with a mystery illness. Not only did they play a ton of their own songs, but they also did amazing renditions of The Beatles "I'll Be Back," Lefty Frizzell's "That's the Way Love Goes," Bob Dylan's "Every Grain of Sand," Joni Mitchell's "The Magdalene Laundries," Tom Waits' "Hold On," and Tracy Chapman's "All that You Have is Your Soul." Patty Griffin did a number of new songs, including one that was absolutely hilarious, called something like "Our Love is a Dud." 2 hour show, no intermission. Not too shabby.
Not so cool: Grabbing a cab after the show that already had people in it.
Oh well, the night life ain't no good life, but it's my life!

Big Books: Why they are the scourge of my existence

2009-02-09T06:44:00.000-08:00

"No, I can't go to that Pulitzer-prize winning play with you. I have to finish that book. Yes, I do realize I'm not in school anymore."
"Woo-hooo, only 300 pages to go. I'm stoked, man."
"Who is this character again?" (After putting the book down for 3 days)
Taking out the calculator to figure out how many pages I have to read per day to finish the book within a month is something I have been known to do. Often.
Indexing fiction. Come on people, it's time.

The Reader (2008)

2009-02-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

What I liked:

A lot about books, and even more about reading, if that's even possible
Kate Winslet! (is that an Oscar in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?)
Ralph Fiennes! (in full-on brood mode) Heeeathcliff!
Lena Olin! (walking away with the whole picture in just under 5 minutes of screen time)
Bruno Ganz! (haven't seen him in a while)
Bob Dylan and Joan Baez! (in a picture on somebody's wall in one scene, but nevertheless)
Sexier than The English Patient, less boring than The Hours!

What I didn't:

German characters speaking in English with German accents (Ach, Hollywood)!
The main character's psyche and motivations (I hate it when a movie is left "open to interpretation" - I'm so confussed)!

What's it like to be a skateboard punk rocker?

2009-01-31T23:05:00.000-08:00

Tonight I had the distinct pleasure of seeing the crazily amazing Michelle Shocked perform at the Landmark on Main Street. The last time I saw her perform she was talking about our new President, Bill Clinton, and sounded really excited. Tonight she was talking again about a new President and was equally, if not more, enthused. While she performed an ample amount of her back catalog, including "Anchorage," and "Come a Long Way," her new tunes were just as engaging, including one song which she wrote about America, in which she exclaimed that "we should see other people." She also called her boyfriend back in California during the show (while on stage) and put him on speaker phone, so he could hear her perform the song she wrote about him.
Keep on rockin' girl!

Fave Five

2009-01-30T07:37:00.000-08:00

As of this date I have only seen approximately 10 of the movies released in 2008, I have therefore downgraded my Top Ten list for the year to a Top Five:

In Bruges

Rachel Getting Married

Slumdog Millionaire

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

WALL-E

Updike at Rest

2009-01-28T07:02:00.000-08:00

If your definition of "favorite author" is the one you would most like to have dinner with, then my favorite author just died. Although having read only three of his novels (Bech:A Book, Bech is Back, and The Witches of Eastwick), and a smattering of his essays, I found him to be so unutterably charming and charismatic a presence, that I even went out of my way to see him once or twice at the 92nd Street Y, something I am not generally wont to do. The world is missing one more distinguished man of letters.

Freedom's Just Another Word

2009-01-22T07:37:00.000-08:00

So they're closing Guantanamo Bay. Apparently. And on a wholly unrelated note, a friend of mine told me about a new show called something like Don't Forget the Lyrics. Well, just wrap up all the prizes and give them to me right now, as I never forget the lyrics. To anything. Ever. Except perhaps for Me and Bobby McGee, which I heard Kris Kristofferson sing last night on Elvis Costello's Spectacle, and when I tried to sing it myself later, couldn't remember the line after "Busted flat in Baton Rouge..."
Which would be the second line in.

Splenda in the Glass

2009-01-08T07:16:00.000-08:00

I must confess I am completely addicted to Jones Diet Cherry Soda, mainly because of that not-so-secret ingredient, Splenda, apparently made from the best stuff on earth (no not that stuff), sugar, mixed with what, chlorine???

So Many Songs, such little time; or, More About Bob

2009-01-07T07:02:00.000-08:00

For the past few days I've been binging on Dylan - I watched the DVDs of Todd Haynes' film I'm Not There, with 6 actors playing different aspects of Dylan (4 stars for the extras alone) and Pete Seeger: The Power of Song; am listening to Positively 4th Street (the book by David Hajdu, NOT the song), and ordered up some Dylanographies from Amazon. Here's a few more favorite songs, not previously mentioned:

Tombstone Blues - "..the reincarnation of Paul Revere's horse.." (Richie Havens does an amazing cover of this in Haynes' movie)
Things Have Changed - Great latterday Dylan
Tangled Up in Blue - my favorite bit of Dylan trivia, supposedly this was written after Bob immersed himself in the Joni Mitchell classic, Blue
Love Minus Zero/No Limit - ..."there's no success like failure.." Huh? Nevertheless, one of his best love songs, IMHO
Everything is Broken - like me, Bob loves his lists!
I'll Keep it With Mine
Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Yet another song by Bob that sounds like it was written during the Civil War
Man Gave Names to All the Animals - love the humor of this one
Subterranean Homesick Blues - a "verbal whirlwind" of urban paranoia
Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I'll Go Mine)

And some not so favorites:

Just like a woman - this song reminds me of a friend from High School, who absolutely loved this song, in fact I think she thought it was about her. It wasn't.
Lay, Lady, Lay - I guess I'm not a romantic, what can I say?

The Best Movie I've Seen This Year!

2009-01-05T06:27:00.001-08:00

Of course it is only January 5th, but I am confident that Slumdog Millionaire (2008), is deserving of any top prize at whatever festival is going. Part docudrama about living in the slums of India, part Bollywood girl-meets-boy fantasy, it works on both levels. It's an emotional rollercoaster and hugely entertaining to boot.

Sontagonism

2009-01-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

Susan Sontag was a writer of depth and intelligence who I admired, but failed to understand. Her early journals which have recently been published, edited by her son, David Rieff, are fascinating, if still a bit cryptic. Some of the easier-to-understand samples:
"There is often a contradiction between the meaning of our actions toward a person and what we say we feel toward that person in a journal. But this does not mean that what we do is shallow and only what we confess to ourselves is deep."
"I hardly think except when I'm talking. That's why I talk so much."
"Inspiration presents itself to me in the form of anxiety."
"Some years ago I realized that reading made me sick, that I was like an alcoholic who nevertheless experiences a bad hangover after each binge."
Above is an old picture of me with Sontag at a reading she gave in 1986. Inserting myself Zelig-like into every photo opportunity!

Forever Sung

2008-12-29T07:18:00.000-08:00

After watching Martin Scorsese's powerful documentary on Bob Dylan's life and career (up through the time he went electric), No Direction Home, I was going to list all my favorite Dylan songs. But they were too long to list. So instead, here are some of my favorite Dylan covers, as performed by other artists:

rev. 12/29/08

Goodbye to all that

2008-12-27T14:50:00.000-08:00

Two 20th century icons have passed on: that multitasking octogenarian sex kitten, Eartha Kitt, who had hits with Santa Baby, and I Want to Be Evil, among others.
And the influential British playwright Harold Pinter, of whom the word "Pinteresque" was coined, to indicate menacing pauses, and who wrote the screenplays for some of my favorite movies (The French Lieutenant's Woman, Betrayal).
They will be missed.

Desert Island DVDs - The "So Bad It's Good" Category

2008-12-22T07:52:00.000-08:00

Fathom (1967), stars Raquel Welch as a skydiving dental hygienist who is kidnapped on her vacation in the south of Spain to rescue some stolen H-Bomb codes. Or something like that. But really it's not about the codes at all, but some stolen jewelry from the Ming dynasty. I think. To paraphrase one of the actors, Richard Briers, one really can't "fathom the plot." In addition to skydiving, our heroine gets to run from a bull, pilot a plane and set fire to a yacht. All while changing into a different cleavage-baring ensemble every five minutes, despite limited access to luggage. Groovy, Baby!

The Al Franken Decade

2008-12-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

OK, so it's almost arrived!
In unrelated news, Caroline Kennedy for Time's Person of the Year!

Name of the Day

2008-12-15T06:32:00.000-08:00

Pim Techamuanvivit.
"Not an arbiter of taste."

Waiting for the man...

2008-12-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

Elvis Costello is not only a masterful musician in pretty much every genre, but he can now add to his resume....master interviewer. Yes, folks, he's got his own show on the Sundance channel. Each week he has on a different musician who talks about their musical influences. Week one was Elton John. Week two was Lou Reed. Week three is going to be Bill Clinton (doesn't he play the sax?). Elvis and his guests also perform together. It's quite a spectacle. In fact, that's the name of the show!

Name of the Day

2008-12-11T07:40:00.000-08:00

Rod Blagojevich.
It's a scandal!

Things I ALWAYS Say (Pop Vernacular Edition)

2008-12-03T07:02:00.000-08:00

"That Way, Oh Great Navigational Wizard" (from MAD Magazine)
"Hey there, you with the torn underwear" (sung to the tune of Hey There - from The Dean Martin Show)
"I wandered lonely as a cloud" (William Wordsworth)
"Hello Young Lovers, whoever you are" (from The King and I)
"Sleighbells ring, are you listening?" (from the song Winter Wonderland)
"What Fresh Hell is This?" (Dorothy Parker)

Name of the Day

2008-12-01T06:26:00.000-08:00

For the benefit of my reader(s), as well as myself, I am instituting a semi-regular new series I'll call "Name of the Day." I will highlight a semi-intriguing sounding name in the news, and provide a link. Today's name is Saxby Chambliss.

Why Laura (1944) may be the greatest movie ever

2008-11-30T11:04:00.000-08:00

It's in glorious black & white!
Because the game "Is Waldo Lydecker gay?" never gets stale
Because that glamourous mid-century movie star Gene Tierney kinda reminds me of dear old mom, back in the day
Quintessential Film Noir at it's noirest
Dig that crazy theme music!
Sample Dialogue: "I hope you'll never regret what promises to be a disgustingly earthy relationship."

Book Ninja

2008-11-22T23:18:00.000-08:00

Check out Book Ninja's website for clever parodies of book cover art, including Chekhov's The Kiss, which is remade into a search for Mr. Right and Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse is, naturally a Patrick O'Brian adventure yarn. Why couldn't I think of this?

What I'm eating, I mean reading, now

2008-11-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

Last Book: Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip--Confessions of a Cynical Waiter by Steve Dublanica aka The Waiter
Current Book: Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford
Next Book: Alice Waters and Chez Panisse: The Romantic, Impractical, Often Eccentric, Ultimately Brilliant Making of a Food Revolution by Thomas McNamee
Let's see if we can detect a theme here...

This is Dedicated to the One I Love

2008-11-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

Some post-election songs for the candidates:
For Barack Obama, click here.
For John McCain, click here.
For Sarah Palin, click here.
For Joe Biden, click here.

My Post-Palin Depression (Revised)!

2008-11-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

Now that the nation no longer has Sarah Palin to kick around any more, well, all except Alaskans (and some disgruntled former McCain campaign aides), I am frantically searching the skies and the internet for further news of her - yes, she's become the woman I love to hate! So here's something.
And is it just coincidence that my IPOD just kicked in with Emmylou Harris singing All My Tears ("it don't matter where you bury me/I'll be home and I'll be free")?

Finally...

2008-11-04T08:10:00.000-08:00

It's here! The big day has finally arrived!
Ain't it Funny How Time Slips Away?

Might as well face it, you're addicted to (Milk) Duds

2008-11-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

A Halloween Post-Mortem.
The good news is I didn't buy any candy that I liked.
The bad news is I'm eating it anyway.

My Favorite Things, or, Beyond the Pale

2008-10-31T07:28:00.000-07:00

The category is cosmetics.
Practically the only thing Governor Avon Lady, I mean, Governor Palin and I have in common is our mutual love of cosmetics (albeit she wears it so much better). Herewith, a few of my favorite products:
Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich Foundation in Porcelain. This goes on like silk, but is absolutely so sheer that I must use...
L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Powder in Porcelain. This really covers, and is available in every major drugstore. If the powers that be ever discontinue this product, I'm sunk.
Trish McEvoy Powder Blush in Natural. I've been using this for years, and it's the closest match to my color (pepto-bismol pink).
Nars Eyeliner Pencil in London. Bizarrely enough, I only found out just this minute from looking on the web that "London" is a color. Up till now I was under the impression it was a place name.
Laura Mercier Lip Colour in Fresh Brown,with Burt's Bees Super Shiny Lip Gloss in Zesty Red. This is an absolutely fantastic color combination. Unfortunately it only lasts till I have something to eat (usually about 5 minutes after applying).

Tried to make me go to rehab

2008-10-25T22:20:00.000-07:00

Love it or hate it, Rachel Getting Married (2008), is a fairly accurate depiction of the awful toll addiction takes on family and friends. The drama never seems to stop, here, although I have to say I always enjoy wedding movies, including this one, which comes complete with an a cappella version of Unknown Legend, and assorted other fine tunes. Look for Debra Winger in an extended cameo as a disengaged mom, and Anne Hathaway (who is not Rachel, BTW), taking yet another trajectory in what is turning out to be a more interesting career than one would have guessed based on Princess Diaries.

"What didn't you like?"

2008-10-15T07:26:00.000-07:00

"The peace? Or the prosperity?"
The above quote, regarding the Clinton presidency, is taken from the documentary, The Return of the War Room, D.A. Pennebaker's sequel to The War Room, an up close and personal look at Clinton's '92 campaign staffers.
Tonight, we have the top two contenders for the current top spot duking it out on home turf.

Maddening Men

2008-10-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

This week's episode of Mad Men (season 2, episode 11) was both bizarre and surreal, with a killer cliffhanger ending. If you're into the show (and if you're not, you should be) check out What's Alan Watching? and Thus Spake Drake, for cogent comments and poignant posts from the likes of moi.

THE segue of the week

2008-10-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

After a discussion of Sarah Palin on today's show on NPR, Steve Post went right into a recording of The Stylistics "Betcha By Golly, Wow."

"I Never Cared, But Now I'm Scared"*

2008-10-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

How 'bout that debate the other night? Yeah, you betcha, fer sure! With billion-dollar bailouts, bank foreclosures, record job losses, trillions spent on the war in Iraq, and Bin Laden still at large, tell me again how we're winning the war against the terrorists?
On the plus side, O.J. Simpson was found guilty today of I don't know what - kidnapping a stolen football, perhaps? - 13 years to the day that he was acquitted for the murder of his ex-wife.
The long arm of justice, indeed.

*with apologies to Harold Arlen

Newman's Own

2008-09-27T22:39:00.000-07:00

They don't make them like that anymore. A great actor. He will be missed.

Run through the jungle

2008-09-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

Events on the set of a war movie go slightly awry in Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder (2008), a movie that has as many misses as hits, but when it hits it does so brilliantly. Helped along by a stellar cast (standouts: Robert Downey Jr., as an actor who takes his job VERY seriously, and the much talked about stunt casting of Tom Cruise), Tropic parodies everything from Apocalypse Now to, well, Hearts of Darkness (a movie about the making of Apocalypse Now). Best line: "I don't break character until the DVD commentary."

Oh frabjous day! Calloo, Callay!

2008-09-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

Enjoy...

A few more pix from Museum Day!

Museum Day at the Library

2008-09-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Museum Day at the Library was fun, but I'm glad it's over! Among the museums represented: Old Westbury Gardens, Cradle of Aviation, the Gregory Museum, the Long Island Children's Museum, the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum, Nassau County Museum of Art, and Garvies Point. Representatives from each museum gave presentations, and the staff decorated their respective areas in homage to the museums they were representing. In the evening the sixties cover band "The Rockinghams" performed for the staff and patrons. Now of course I can't get "Hang On, Sloopy" out of my head. Wheee (or Wii)!!

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

2008-09-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

There's a lot to like about Vicky Cristina Barcelona, arguably Woody Allen's best film since Crimes and Misedemeanors, and certainly his prettiest. This Rohmeresque romantic comedy ostensibly stars newcomer Rebecca Hall, reigning sex kitten Scarlett Johansson (one reviewer described her as resembling a "police sketch of a blonde"), and Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, channeling Anthony Quinn and Sophia Loren, respectively. The real star of the movie, for me, at least is the city of Barcelona, showcased in all its architectural splendor. Unfortunately for me, however, probably the closest I'll get to Barcelona is seeing this movie!

Miscellaneous thoughts for the day

2008-09-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

Janeane Garofalo should play Juno's mom
My fictional romance with Don Draper makes my past fictional romance with Mr. Big look like it never even happened
The (potential) future leader of the free world should know what the Bush doctrine is, even if I don't
Tina Fey is on Saturday Night Live tonight!

Mrs. Smith Goes to Washington

2008-09-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

"I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion, but to serve this great country."
Oh, really?
And, in more important news, STELLA is finally auf'd from Project Runway.

My whirlwind holiday weekend

2008-09-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

While I did not get away this weekend (unless you count Home Depot as "away"), and though I did not get to see Vicky Cristina Barcelona, or Tropic Thunder, or even Pineapple Express, I did get to watch the Weather Channel, and read the Daily Kos for news on Hurricane Gustav, and Hurricane Whose Baby Is It Anyway, respectively. I also bought a book at Borders called 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die (or in my case, "1001 Buildings You Must Read About Before You Die"). Amazingly enough, I did get to a few of the buildings depicted, including Versailles, the Transamerica Pyramid, the Gamble House, the Louvre, the Tate Modern, and Fallingwater. Even more amazing are some the buildings left out, including Coit Tower, Centre Pompidou, and the Eiffel Tower (there are other towers listed, by the way). Time for a 2nd edition, guys!

Fuming About PUMA

2008-08-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

So does John McCain think he's going to get disenfranchised Hillary supporters by picking a woman veep? This, despite the fact that Sarah Palin stands for everything that Hillary's against? Does he really think we're that dumb? Wait, don't answer that! On the bright side, this totally takes off the table McCain's contention that Obama's not seasoned enough to be President. Or, to paraphrase Bill Maher, if she got a call at 3 a.m. it was that the moose was in the garbage again.

When Dinosaurs Roamed Madison Avenue

2008-08-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I think the main point of Mad Men isn't so much the hidden identities, the multiple cover-ups, the nefarious backstabbings, and the various skullduggery-like dealings of the characters. Of course it is that, but it also showcases a time when seemingly glamorous activities like smoking and drinking could be pursued with abandon and with little fear of consequence. But as we can see from tonight's episode that era is teetering on the brink of extinction, presumably to be replaced by the 60's drug culture... even the mention of Marilyn Monroe's supposedly enviable problems just a few months before her death seems ominous. Yea, baby?

(Very) Brief Encounters

2008-08-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

Synopses of Books I've Recently Read:

The Abstinence Teacher: The suburban dream is a nightmare.

Bringing Home the Birkin: You can sell stuff on E-Bay for a profit!

Callas Kissed Me...Lenny Too!: I have slept with many a celebrated person.

Dracula: The original Vampire - all others are just pale imitations.

Fearless Fourteen: Stephanie Plum, in trouble again.

Mansfield Park: Cinderella gets her Prince.

Secret Confessions of the Applewood P.T.A.: The suburban nightmare is a dream, and it stars George Clooney.

Notable Quote

2008-08-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

From the all-important book I am currently reading:
"Let's get back to me, my work as writer, critic, journalist, bon vivant, gadfly, busybody, father, husband, queer, neurotic workaholic. Let's just go back to my old self as handmaiden to the stars, reveler in reflected glory, and needy intimate of the super-famous."
Uh-huh.

Literary Influences

2008-07-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

After perusing For the Love of Books: 115 Celebrated Writers on the Books They Love Most, in which writers list their literary influences and favorite books, I've decided to list the literary influences on my, uh, blog. Seriously:

The Late Night with David Letterman Book of Top Ten Lists

Thank You for the Giant Sea Tortoise/Son of Giant Sea Tortoise/Maybe He's Dead

The Portable Dorothy Parker

Gertrude the Governess: or, Simple Seventeen

Christgau's Consumer Guides

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Reading Lyrics

The Tummy Trilogy

Three Men in a Boat

La Dolce Musto

Things I ALWAYS say

2008-07-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

I had this really weird dream last night
I couldn't sleep last night
I don't know why I can't wake up today
I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but...
Seriously, you're the only one who knows about this
You didn't say anything, did you?
"With a song in my heart..." (sung to the tune of "With a Song in My Heart")
The glass is half-full, dammit!
Back to you, Chet
Thank God it's Friday (usually said on Wednesday)

Living with the undead

2008-07-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

After finally finishing the novel Dracula, I realize that my cat may actually be a vampire. Here's why:

She sleeps all day, is up all night
Avoids mirrors AND garlic
Has fangs and likes to draw blood

....spooky...

Favorite Reference Sources

2008-07-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

OLD SCHOOL:
1) Consumer Reports
2) The Encyclopedia of Associations
3) Current Biography
4) Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
5) The New York Times Index
6) Physicians' Desk Reference
7) Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature
8) McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York, Annotated
9) Best's Insurance Reports
10) N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide

NEW SCHOOL:
1) Consumer Reports
2) Google
3) Google
4) Google
5) Google
6) Google
7) Google
8) Google
9) ReferenceUSA
10) Google

The magical, meta, musical tour

2008-07-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

I took a break from my latest crisis Saturday, and met a friend for lunch at Lidia Bastianich's midtown restaurant Becco, and then hit the Lyceum theatre to see the latest B'way extravaganza, [Title of Show]. Cleverly self-referential, the plot concerns two wanna-be Broadway hitmakers attempting to write and cast a Broadway show. Even the songs are very show-within-a-show, with titles like "Two Nobodies in New York," and "Secondary Characters." So go see it, you'll laugh, you'll cry, or, actually, you'll just laugh.

Unsurprising Headline of the Year

2008-07-10T08:37:00.001-07:00

"Memoir says Madonna's true love is herself."