How is it that you firsted respond to Herman Hesse’s book, Siddhartha? For me, I was in about my sophomore or junior year of college when I read the thing, and I found it absolutely riveting. And so I took my color-coded highlighters to it as a Pentecostal would her bible. In particular, I remember … Read more
A bee got into my bonnet the other day, and I started thinking about my favorite songs about the movie industry. Not songs from movies–those are a different beast altogether. And then there’s the songs that were used in movies that are now joined at the hip: “In Dreams” by Roy Orbison will forever be … Read more
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention today’s five-year anniversary of the September 11 catastrophe. There are, of course, all kinds of memorial concerts going on this evening–at Landmark Center and at the Harriet Bandshell, to name just a couple. But Emigrant Theater is commemorating the event in an interesting way; they’re doing a series … Read more
This is pretty. I didn’t bake this, no sir. This weekend, the weather was perfect for eating. It was chilly enough to inspire a stoking of the stove and grey enough to keep me happily inside without guilt. Seriously, I cooked all weekend. Saturday the kids and I spent most of the day conspiring how … Read more
–Image copyright Karel Cudlin What am I? What shall I do? What can I believe and hope for? Everything in philosophy can be reduced to this. –Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, Aphorisms As long and as far as they can stare into their magic spyglasses they strive to glimpse ever deeper into the star clutter, those little … Read more
Two Things I Love 1. The nasty, grungy, dank, gossipy side of the restaurant industry. (Remember, while the rest of the world plays, we work. Then, while the rest of the world sleeps, we drink a lot and smoke a lot and dish.) 2. A crack in the facade of a food icon.
It’s all laughs all the time this weekend, or at least it should be that way until Sunday. And I’ll need it after last night’s trip to The Guthrie, where I saw The Real Thing. Now, don’t get me wrong; it’s a good play and all… and a very talky play with a certain amount … Read more
Hollywoodland, 2006. Directed by Allen Coulter, written by Paul Bernbaum. Starring Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Ben Affleck, Bob Hoskins, Robin Tunney, Jeffrey DeMunn, Joe Spano, Molly Parker, Dash Mihok (what a name!), and Lois Smith. Now showing in select theaters around town. There is a point in the near-great Hollywoodland where Ben Affleck, playing the … Read more
Briefly: tonight marks the inauguration of Take-Up Productions and The Soap Factory’s “You Were Never Here” film series. How cool is this: grab a lawn chair, some grub and gulp, and sit outside by the Stone Arch bridge and watch movies. You can even buy popcorn and beer from the concession stand (although it’s sponsored … Read more