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Sirenspotting
All day I hear the noise of sirens making moan. And out of this clutter, you instinctively learn what to ignore and when to prick up your ears. There was a morning about five years ago when the sirens started and just would not stop. I already knew, in the shower, that something was up…
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About the new tunes
From the “g-l-o-r-i-a-,-or-a-trip-to-Virgin-on-the-way-home-from-Union-Square-my-God-I-love-New-York” department. Dexter Gordon’s Our Man in Paris, and Sonny Rollins’
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In a station of the metro
About three weeks ago, heading downtown on the 4, I saw a kid who looked to be about 15, wearing a t-shirt that said the following: Things to do today: 1 Your Mother 2 Your Sister
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A la recherche du vinyle perdu
My passage into adulthood was marked in a manner appropriate for suburban youth in a consumerist culture: my first solo flight to the mall. Or, at least, the first one that was fully sanctioned by the authorities. And I had a mission, to buy a record album–another first. For the sake of posterity, I’m glad…
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One-upping the Dionnes
A teenaged girl, with the improbable name of Kockenloker, who has a thing for soldiers goes out on the town determined to give the boys shipping out a send-off to remember. She gets loaded, and then gets in trouble (remembering nothing of the fateful night) and spends the rest of the movie trying to get…
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Borat
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan isn’t coming out until November, but the buzz is building. Borat, the fictional TV reporter from Kazakhstan, is one of the triumvirate of characters portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen, the master practitioner of the phony interview. Baron Cohen’s genius lies in his ability…
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John Scofield Trio at the Blue Note
From the “rock-sandwich” department: “You know, the house is kind of small.” So said the nine-year-old boy sitting two tables away, helping his dad polish off a plate of calamari. The house? How many jazz clubs has this kid been to? The Blue Note seats about 250, in a layout very similar to Dangerfield’s. What…
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2005 Movie Capsule Reviews
Brick **** Brilliant. The idea of a classic film noir set in a San Clemente high school is both interesting and dangerous. First-time writer/director Rian Johnson masterfully manoeuvres around the landmines, or at least trips over them so lightly that they don’t blow up. Yes, we have the Vice Principal as D.A., yes we have…
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Keep on Rockin’ in the AARP World
James Gang Rides Again! So said the poster out in front of the Beacon Theatre. It was a Friday night and S.Fo and I were romping about the UWS. I’ve often noticed how once a thing enters your consciousness, you begin to see it expressed everywhere. A year ago, I would have passed the poster…
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The Second Great Quintet
It’s nice to be blown away. The cynical, jaded layer that forms like a crust over gets its fuel from the despair that it’s all been seen, no more epiphanies to be had. But sometimes, by stripping away expectations and allowing yourself to open up like a neophyte, something gets through to you and humbles…
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New York: HSH
Many years since I was here, on the street I was passin’ my time away to the left and to the right, buildings towering to the sky it’s outta sight in the dead of night Here I am, and in this city, with a fistful of dollars And baby, you’d better believe it I’m back,…
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Paris blogging: victoire a vendredi
We won! And thank goodness, because the only thing that could salvage the horrendous faux pas of scheduling a dinner during a France World Cup game would be the guys pulling out the requisite win. And not just winning the game, but scoring the two points needed to advance to the next round. Jubilation! R…
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Roma blogging: mercoledi — cena, or “Trampin-in-Trastavere”
We begin the evening with more superlatives. By all accounts, the best gelato in Rome is to be found at il Gelato di San Crispino. We almost miss the little hole-in-the-wall joint. Expecting to encounter a huge line, having arrived at 18:00, we find the place empty. Told by a sign to take a number,…
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Roma blogging: martedi — cena
After the requisite siesta, sorry, don’t know if that’s Italian or not and too tired right now to look it up, we went directly across the street to Harry’s Bar. What a fantastic bar and what a shame it attracts such a lame clientelle these days. If tonight was representative at all, that is. The…
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Roma blogging: mercoledi — pranzo
(Backwards blogging until I get caught up.) When Elizabeth and Richard were in town in 1963 filming Cleopatra, they used to eat often at Taverna Flavia. Good enough reason to try it out? Not really, but we wanted something in the hood that wasn’t lousy with Americans. This place fit the bill perfectly. Not a…
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Paris Blogging: Samedi — Marchons!
Breakfast included the normal stuff, but also a couple of fougasses, something I’d never tried before. Fougasse is like a French version of focaccia, these two were folded over and stuffed, one with chevre and one with tuna and tomato sauce. R&K get theirs from their favourite boulangerie, which makes baguettes (see below, not the…
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Paris Blogging: Bagatelle
Baguette traditionelle, Montparnasse: Baguette magique, le Marais:
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Paris Blogging: Vendredi
The sun is back and the heat, too. Late morning, we headed over to rue Mouffetard, where NAM bought these beautiful raspberries, which we then enjoyed in the Jardin des Plantes. We headed back to Montmartre to take care of unfinished business at Les Deux Moulins. Actually had a decent lunch there, but also had…
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Paris Blogging: Jeudi Part Deux
I have a confession to make. After a few days of eating French dinners, I need to do something else. Once, during a working trip, I had to fast completely by Wednesday. It hadn’t quite gotten to that point yet, but we clearly needed a change of pace. So after more tramping about the 1st…
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Paris Blogging: Mercredi
Drizzly day tramping around Montmartre, and the drizzle only adds to the effect. Were headed towards Les Deux Moulins for a Celluloid Pantry photo shoot (you’ll just have to wait until next Tuesday to see what the movie is), but, as we still needed some lunch, postponed that. I might as well just come out…
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Paris Blogging: Jeudi
When art stinks: Morning in the Pompidou. Where they hiding the good stuff at? Instead of Kandinsky, saw things ranging from the irritating to the smelly: “Ketchup Sandwich” which was a stack of sheets of glass with ketchup in between, and “100 boots in their crash pad” which was 100 pairs of rubber boots stashed…
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Paris Blogging: Mardi
Been on a fine dining jag for the past few weeks that has taken me to such New York gems as The Firebird, Gotham Bar & Grill, and most notably, Aureole (not to mention Shun Lee Palace, Josephina and ‘Cesca — overrated and overshadowed by our fine company that night, Mr & Ms S.Fo). Aureole…
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New York: Double Happiness
Sometimes, you get lucky and just stumble into a place at 11:00 o’clock on a Saturday night and get the best seat in the house (scroll down to “where to sit”). BA knows what I’m talkin’ about. Yes, DH’s peak has come and gone, but hey, “…cast the first stone.” and all that.
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Mallecontent
And here you have post 100: Back in the late 1980s, Louis Malle was the first French film director I got to know over a span of films and a span of time. He inspired me to get into French film generally, and a few of his pics hold special places in my heart. Now…
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iGarbage
No posting lately, due to extreme business, which is always a good thing. What drew me out of seclusion? After having fooled around with iTunes for a while, I’m worried that some might construe this as a tacit endorsement. Hardly! I’ll tell you why. For some reason, I was just now struck with the need…
