Italy Pics

Here is a link to the Highlighted Italy pictures we took on our trip.

Italy 2006 Highlights

Holiday Party??

I know timing is very late to consider, but any thoughts on doing a holiday party? Good or no? I have no idea what others' schedules are like. Please advise.

Happy Thanksgiving, Y'All!

Finally, a moment's rest. Well, sort of. Helping cook a few items for my mom-in-law's spread. (Lauren, you will be happy to know I referred to the cranberry-raspberry sauce recipe on Domestic Goddesses today), making my first attempt here.

It has been an insane past few weeks of highs and lows. Ian is looking for new work; we went on an amazing trip to Italy (we took something like a 1,000 pictures-literally), and immediately when we came home, I had to close three newspapers in a week's time. No problem!

I'm seeing if Ian can rig a slideshow on here, if not, I'll post a url for pix. They came out friggin amazing. The trip was incredible. Ian, Chris Cocking, Amanda and I flew out Nov. 3, joining up with Rossana, Alessandro and Julian, and stayed with her parents in Grossetto in Tuscany, Carla and Loriano (dad in Tuscan is Babo) for a week, and probably picked up a good 40 words or so of Italian. They were the most wonderful hosts, we felt like part of the family, visited with lots of family, too. Lots of cheese, wine, and espresso! We rented a giant Peugot van and drove all over-two trips to Florence, Etruscan castles in Livorno (Populonia) and other tucked away villages (Chris and I both loved the town Massa Marittima-when I imagined what Italy would be like, this was it for me), and drove to a northern beachside town, Follonica, where some of Rossana's family lives. (Roe, you would die in Florence, it is an orgy of leather market shopping everywhere-unfortunately, we couldn't go nutso on that department this trip, but one day, next time!, not to mention there's the Uffizi, where there was a cool DaVinci exhibit.) We took the train to Rome and went to the Vatican (I can't even begin to describe how overwhelmed we were there, the size, the artwork, the history.) We also went by the Trevvi Fountain, the Forum, the Pantheon, and the Colosseum (Amanda's personal fave)...all in one day!

So it is nice to have a real day of rest, back home with the family. Will write more soon.

Cure Sing for Cartoons

I haven't watched Saturday morning cartoons in my living room in a while, as Amanda has a tv in her room. So I'm sitting here this morning, then suddenly I hear Robert Smith singing, and I think the cat must've stepped on the remote. Nope, apparently the Cure performs the theme song for a morning cartoon on Cartoon Network called, "The Dragon Hunters"! That's kinda wild, kinda cool.

I watched "The Lake House" last night. While a bit slow and illogical at times, I still liked it because I love Keanu and Sandra, they have great chemistry. And poor Keanu has had such a rough romantic life (his baby died, and later his (then ex) girlfriend was killed in a car crash) , I wish the guy some kind of happiness. I'm now curious to read Jane Austen's "Persuasion."

Dexter, GG and ITALY

I am the TV whore this week.

Dexter-loved the humor mixed with the dark side to this character. It seems that all the other characters on the show pale in comparison though-hopefully time will balance this out. I can't wait til next week's episode! And did anyone see the trailer about the new series on Henry VIII, "The Tudors," with Jonathan Rhys Myers? Christ he is beautiful, lookin good with facial hair, too.

GG-Off to a good start. Painful, but in a good way-Amanda and I cringed at Lorelai's admission of sleeping with Christopher, but at least all the cards are on the table. Amanda wants her with Luke in the worst way...I'm not quite sure what my stance is...the trailer with Luke saying "Hey, I'm over it, after all, you're the one who asked me to marry you" was a bit of a "Yeouch!" Unfortunately, I don't think Jess will be getting back into Rory's life-first of all, they broke up in real life, and secondly, "Jess"
is now earning his wings on the new show, "Heroes," about ordinary people learning that they have special powers.

My random guilty pleasure of late is VH1's The Alternative show from 11-2 am on channel 136. All vintage videos! Good stuff.

Friday we purchased tickets for the three of us to go to Italy for one week in early November, where we will be staying with the Cockings at Rossana's parents' home in Follonica, which is on the northwest coast. We are so stoked, but I am anxious to do a rush job to renew Ian and Amanda's passports. Plus Ian lost his old one, which had expired, so he ordered online his birth certificate through the Dep't of Health, should be here any day now. FYI, the Times had an article today stating that come January, you will need a passport to go to the Caribbean, and by next January, to go to Canada as well.

Showtime is Killing Me

Ian and I are dying to see the new show Dexter with Michael C. Hall from Six Feet Under about the forensics guy by day/vigilante/killer at night. For weeks now, they've been taunting, teasing us with trailers and ads in subway cars. One week to go!!!

The Ultimate Media Whorish Act

I have sinned, stooped low, I purchased the new Vanity Fair to see TomKat's Suri. Gotta say that the baby is a cutie, and Katie is clearly glowing around that kid. What a head of hair already!

Speak Your Mind

I don't know what the hell happened, but somewhere along the way, I was no longer seeing comments on my blog, and honestly thought I was being boycotted, until Chris told me the other day that he'd been trying to comment but it wasn't showing. ( I looked a while back, happened to Lauren, too.) Maybe Blogger altered something. I finally let Ian peek at the admin area (because I'm functioning on four hours sleep today), and now all the comments are back up. Yeah! So bring em back on, guys, it's good to hear your voices.

Glutton for Punishment

I've begun a new book, "A Mighty Heart," written by Mariane Pearl about her husband, Wall Street Journal's Danny Pearl, who was beheaded by Al Qaeda. I'm certain to be in for heartbreak, as she speaks so glowingly of the time just before his capture, she newly pregnant and they are in the throes of their passion and work. He sounds like a very bright, funny, sexy guy.

Culture Club is a Blast

For once, our daughter slept over at someone else's house instead of always having the sleepovers at our place, so Ian and I went out for dinner in Union Square and then boogied at Culture Club, which was everything I hoped. Admittedly I was little skeptical when we first arrived early (10:30 or so) and the place didn't have many people, but within the hour it was packed and every tune was perfect! We never left the dance floor, except when nature called. They played many 12" versions of songs I hadn't heard in a while, while videos of Blondie, Bananarama and more played on the video screens. Everywhere there were murals of Madonna, Billy Idol, the "Rio" cover, Joan Jett, John Hughes flicks. Everyone was happy as can be, and Ian loved the 'smoke' filled room. He even dared to put on a touch of eyeliner! Definitely one of the best nights out in a while.
ONe thing though-if you go, make sure you grab an ad in Time Out, as I did, or else they'll try to hit you up for a $20 cover fee! I whipped out my magazine and in the end we went in for free.

Blah-ging

Oy, the summer has come and gone. I would've blogged sooner, but I forgot my Blogger password!

I flew my mom up for a visit, and that was nice, I miss her. I wish I had a zillion dollars to fix her and us all up right. Amanda's doing great in her summer basketball league/still keen on the doctor/WNBA bball dream. Last weekend she got me in a weak moment and we painted her room. Finally done! Blue w/dark blue trim, and Ian did an amazing freehand pattern around the room. It is an oasis. She is slowly beginning to appreciate eyeliner and loves "Donnie Darko" (and its cool 80s soundtrack), "Saved!" and "Uncle Buck" (a movie I loathed when it came out, but now I love it.) Oh yeah, Amanda and her cousins, who recently moved from California, took her to the Warped Tour, where she got to see a band she likes, Gym Class Heroes. Apparently she got a little tired there and had to sit down at one point, but had fun. (Too bad she missed Joan Jett, who I would've loved to see-she was on another stage). Jett looks fantastic at 50!

Went to a wedding in the Hamptons at a winery with guests that looked like something out of an American Eagle ad. The vibe was kind of hippy (the maid of honor was a dog) and the reception was in a big airy barn-lots of sunflowers.

I've mostly been frying my eyes late at night on the computer for my newspaper gig, going to get my eyes checked tomorrow. I will probably need to get glasses. No vanity issues here. I love wearing sunglasses now!

Sept. 11 is approaching, and my old college buddy Christina's family has gotten a bunch of recent press. The parents wrote an editorial in last Sunday's Daily News-they only found out in the recent release of 911 tapes that her brother Christian Regenhard's company was dispatched to the South Tower. A single fact uttered five years later! I remember that memorial like yesterday, Amanda came with us. I saw his sister earlier this summer, it is hard for her to accept the idea that Christian isn't around anymore, I can't imagine what that must be like. They're even naming a class after him at John Jay College, Regenhard Center for Emergency Response Studies. Hillary Clinton is helping to get funds together for it. My father in law has been asking about going to see the new Oliver Stone flick, but I don't know.

Check out Superman Returns

On a movie kick this weekend, we also got tickets for a Saturday show of Superman Returns, and it was great. Beautiful to watch, romantic, action packed, a few tears shed. The new actor, Brandon Routh had big shoes to fill, and did so gracefully. Also a hottie!

Devil Wears Prada is Great

I was so excited to go see the movie today I could hardly contain myself to take Amanda and her buddy to the first show. Both Meryl Streep and Hathaway are wonderful-some of the clothes are to die for, they go to Paris, the place I love...and there's one scene where I gasped, and I'm curious to hear from others if they reacted the same way too, (but not for the obvious reason.) Let me know!

My Heroine is going to St. John's!

I've been less media whorish lately, writing about family instead, because at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. Amanda's other basketball team, The Heroes League, has made the playoffs and is going to play a tournament at St. John's! I'm so happy and proud for her! And one of her teammates Nora, a fun, Amazon girl (she's Amanda's age and about 5'10") from Kew Gardens, is coming to our school next year, I can't wait for CYO! I have to get their pic up here soon.

My summer movie to-see list

The Science of Sleep
Paris, je t'aime
The Devil Wears Prada
Nacho Libre
The Lake House
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Two words...maybe a couple more

"Savage Animal" !

Supergroup is hilarious. I don't know whether Sebastian Bach is hamming it up for the show or whether he's just a complete screwball, but it makes for fun tv. Watching him watch himself on Gilmore Girls and shushing others and then laughing insanely by himself is amusing. Or I might just be sleep deprived.

We won!

Amanda's AAU basketball team, the Notre Dames, beat the New Jersey Panthers 24-10 this weekend in New Jersey at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Here's a couple of pics of the guys, the sweetest bunch of kids around. We spent the night at a hotel in Jersey and got to bond by the pool, while Ian fired up a great bbq for the parents.

Your Eyes Aren't Playing Tricks on You

If you look to the right, you will see a link to ROSE ROSEN's blog! Yessirree, it's called "here I am." A great big welcome from our blogging community, Rose, I am so happy.

Growing Pains

I've been quiet on speaking about Lost, but I gotta tell you, as a parent, when I saw how different Walt looked on last night's episode, a few tears were shed. If I hadn't seen my kid for a period of time and she grew that much and was in trouble, I don't know what I'd be capable of.

Malls are like...

roach motels. You can get in, but you can't get out.

Life Imitating Art?

OK, I'm surprised no one has said this yet, but this shooting in the butt the other day of a rapper named Gravy outside Hot 97's studio seems very similar to an episode of The Sopranos from just a few weeks ago, where Bobby Bacala was speaking with a rapper whose work he admired. When the rapper said that he could never have the popularity that some others have gained because they were shot and survived, Bacala quietly went and shot the guy in the butt.

Porn Pubs on the Quad

I was reading this Sunday's New York Times specifically, the (ahem) Education section, and there was an article about how many colleges (Ivy League ones, too) now have their own school-endorsed cheesecake (read: porn) magazines...I am becoming such the prude with age, but man, this is a bit hard to digest.

Laurence Fishburne on Parenting

This quote of actor Laurence Fishburne was taken from Sunday's New York Daily News (4/23/06).
"What I continue to learn as a parent is to be mindful of the fact that I am responsible for being the parent my children need me to be, and not necessarily the parent I want to be."

I'm going to sleep on it tonight, will comment tomorrow (hopefully along with you all.)

Forever 21 is Crack for Young Girls

That store is pure evil, where was it when I was a teenager? Every friggin tshirt, blouse, jacket, dress in that store is adorable, and at great prices, even the fitting rooms are cool with their long, flowy white curtains.I can't buy a damn thing in there for myself really, but I love the clothes for Amanda. I found her a Rory type dress for Easter, that is so cute!

My TV Mom Alter Ego...Never Watched This One, Either!

Based on the www.Tickle.com survey, I am Lois from Malcom in the Middle, a show I've never watched, but maybe should take a crack at it.
Speaking of GG, I am very upset that for some reason my telly didn't tape GG when we were at basketball practice last night...now I will have to wait for reruns!




Your TV Mom is Lois


Which TV Mom Are You?

Brought to you by Tickle

Something (Else) to be Appalled About

Following the heels of the controversial sculpture hommage to B.S., I stopped in a McDs after school with Amanda the other day, and I noticed a manager sitting down with a girl applying for a job, who had iPod buds hanging from her ears! During the interview!!! As Roe would say, WTF? Didn't someone clue her into interview etiquette?

Quick Hit

I'm reading Johnny Cash's autobiography. Did you know he is a descendant of the first king of Scotland? Pretty good read so far.

Saw "V for Vendetta," didn't like it. I have a feeling it's a case of the comic being WAY better than the film-this just didn't translate well. Hugo Weaving was great, but Natalie Portman just doesn't make a convincing transition from a gal who wishes to remain below the radar to a vigilante. Hair shaving scene didn't help, although I like the way it looks.

Also saw "She's the Man," with Amanda Bynes, who for the tween set, is a class act. While I got tired of her slapstick show on Nick as my Amanda got older, she has aged gracefully and her character's perceptions of how a guy is supposed to act (and her execution of these) are hilarious, even though she in no way shape or form is convincing as a guy.

I want to go see "The Libertine" with Johnny Depp next.

BTW, if you have time, you can watch the 'Scientology' episode of South Park on The Superficial web site (I've got the link to the right.)

Living in NY Is highway robbery

I had to go to work in the city this morning at an ungodly hour and bought some toast in a coffeeshop to go-$1.20 for 2 pieces of bread! Jeez. That's insane.

I'm so ready to move out of the city. I read in Allure today that the French government flips the bill for older women (didn't specify age, but still) to go to a spa once a year...now doesn't that sound more like it to you?

Ashley Parker Angel's Earning His Wings

I know it's MTV land, but I like the premise of the show about O-Town's Ashley Parker Angel trying to raise a family and make a record on, "There and Back." The guy's been living with his girlfriend in her mom's home, while caring for their infant, Lyric. It's nice to see someone who hasn't had it easy and finally get their break. When he finally heard his song on the radio, he got out of his car on the boulevard and was screaming at the top of his lungs. I like the song, "Let U Go," which I believe he wrote; the video debuted today on MTV-you can see it at www.MTV.com/music.

That's a Mighty Long Title!

I'm perversely curious to read it, but I don't know. In today's Post, Bonnie Fuller said to Cindy Adams over dinner,

"I have four kids; two had life-threatening illnesses. I have a husband, a home, another place in Utah, a huge job. I have no time to clean closets regularly or rotate wardrobe on a sensible seasonal basis. My sock drawer is not perfection, and I don't give a damn."

Later, she says, "Every woman can enjoy her inevitably hectic life and stop feeling overwhelmed. The key to happiness is not balance but, instead, a chaotic, maxed-out life that sees every dream realized."

I'm with Cindy on this one, I'm exhausted just reading this; just because you may have it all doesn't mean you're truly savoring and appreciating it all.

Blogspot formatting

I see on other people's blogs different fonts/layouts that are not in the Blogspot templates. How can I go about doing this?

Proliferation of blogs for stay-at-home dads

I was reading an article on Salon and came upon this web site, www.rebeldad.com. I couldn't get over the number of stay-at-home dad blog links there were! I personally like blog of the blue sloth, who had a neat quote from sci-fi writer Robert Heinlein (who was related to my high school teacher!)

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

It's Me on Holiday!

Definitely a lot of fun, great idea, Lauren!

EWW! Kimmel Slips RIpa ABC Gum

I was watching "Live With Regis and Kelly" this morning and they had Jimmy Kimmel on as a guest, when he puts in his mouth two pieces of gum, chews them and then puts them both into Kelly's mouth! Then she sort of does an Ashlee Simpson/SNL-type dance to distract you from the skeeviness factor. Yick, you heard it here first!

Sebastian Bach Gets the Best GG Line of the Night

Sebastian Bach had the best retort of the evening to Zach. "You're way deep in my bogus bag and it's ziplocked shut." Brilliant!

Good show tonight, although I'm sorry to say, the Zach/Lane proposal thing doesn't feel right at all. I was so hurt at how the whole gig for the record label combusted, it was Lane's dream for years shattered in a second. Lane looks so miserable, like she's settling. The poor girl needs....Joel? The guy worked so painfully hard to work his way not only into Lane's heart, but her mother's, too.

Loved the chemistry/frankness between Lorelai and Chris on his inability to say no to Gigi. It was really an uncomfortable, necessary moment that Chris even admitted, made him finally realize how it feels to be holding the bag when the other parent fails and bails. And I must say Lorelai and Chris are looking even more simpatico these days.

Man, watching Rory, I'm not even her mom and I feel wow, she's grown up a lot since the beginning of the show, she's so sophisticated and confident. I can only imagine her disgust at finding out about Logan's indiscretions with his sister's friends. And I was briefly frightened by that oh-so-predictable come on by Doyle. Thank God that ended there!

Watching the Tube Doesn't Make Me a Complete Boob

I'm going to go out on a limb and sound very 1950s, but I have to say that, despite the amalgam of bad television shows on the air, (of which I have often given my two-cent critique), some televised programming has brought our family joy. Like tonight, my daughter and I were laughing hysterically while watching "Whose Line Is It, Anyway?" that just felt soo good. I also think about our mother-daughter time watching "Gilmore Girls," or lying in bed crying over a wedding/heart attack double episode of "Roseanne," snuggling with Ian on the couch to watch "Six Feet Under," watching doctors work miracles on the Discovery channel, or checking out late night videos. They are small, fleeting moments, yes, but I cherish them just the same.

Morrissey Serenades the FBI

Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking when I said that I thought Bush was a terrorist... (FYI folks, I'm making this lyric up, as a take off on Smiths' "Big Mouth Strikes Again.")

Whether you agree with his politics or not, Morrissey's a bloody musician who simply made an offhand comment, that's all...no need to get the FBI on his case.

Measure for Pleasure

Last night Ian and I went to see a preview of the new Off-Broadway show, "Measure for Pleasure," a sex farce/romantic comedy of mistaken identities set in the 1700s, that's playing at the Public Theater. It stars Scotsman Euan Morton ("Taboo") as transvestite hooker Molly Tawdry. One of her johns, Will Blunt, gets her off the streets by getting her a job as a chambermaid. Morton is equally charismatic as a girl as well as a guy, and Michael Stuhlbarg's portrayal of Will Blunt, is wickedly funny and fragile. The dialogue flies fast and furious, and sometimes it's raunchy, but it's a sweet story in the end.

Introducing Dave Paul, aka Ru Chappelle

Now that you're back from Africa Dave, you'd better WORK!

Check out Thesuperficial.com

This blog is bloody hilarious, and the comments are just as entertaining.

Beck Breaks Away

I just watched Breaking Away, and I'm convinced Beck got an early start in showbiz starring in that film, as the main character Dave (I'm a Cutter, baby...). We are also treated to a very young, cute Dennis Quaid in shorts as a bonus!

Parental Control

Have you seen this show? I just saw it for the first time today on MTV. The parents don't like their daughter's boyfriend, so they set her up on two blind dates and the bf has to sit and watch the dates with the parents! Hoo hoo, time to get in the hot seat! It's kind of fun to watch the guys squirm.

Time for toast

This looks funny, Jack Black's new flick, Nacho Libre.

http://www.nacholibre.com/site/index.html

How's the Media Holding Up?

Ok, what's up with everyone wearing corsets at the Grammys?

Millions of Mindless Morons

Ok, first, I've changed my blog name. After deciding that I had to blog tonight and why, I felt it was appropriate. I realize my old blog name has nothing to do with the other (I eat one while I watch the other.) I'll probably get a completely new blog, but I don't want to have to go through the gruntwork right now of transferring everything, so I'll keep it this way for now.


And now for my rant. I'm frightened frankly, at the heavy-handed attention given to Oprah (and others, but Oprah comes first, because she's so special!)for being "lied-to," let down, disappointed, however you want to put it, about James Frey's book, "A Million Little Pieces." I will state right here that I have not read the book. However, I don't have to have read the book to know that this man does not owe me or anyone else, a damn thing. He wrote a bestseller to make money, for himself. He was his own subject matter, he wasn't covering someone else's story. Maybe he lied. But he owes NO ONE anything, except maybe his landlord and his own conscience if hasn't told the truth.

This is an age-old peeve of mine that grows stronger with each case, each year. There have been so many times where a person blames the media for impacting their life in some way (a negative way), and then trouble really starts brewing. A kid kills himself supposedly for listening to a Judas Priest song, so it's the band's fault. A woman spills hot coffee on herself, she sues. When Kurt Cobain killed himself, MTV thought others might do the same, so they created a support hotline. When Britney Spears tarts herself up in a video, parents bitch that she owes her audience. When kids watch certain video games, they're liable to re-enact those behaviors in their own lives, so the games must be pulled.

How fucking weak are you? You owe it to yourself to breathe, to have a brain and a heart.

You know who owes who something?
Spouses owe each other love and to play on the same team.
A parent owes a child to be there for him or her, always, to give them unconditional love, to have a clue of what's going on in their kid's lives.
Friends, like spouses owe their friends to be there for each other.
An employer owes an employee their paycheck.
We all owe each other common courtesy, the right to speak our mind.

I'm trying to think of situations other than those with monetary exchanges where someone can owe another something, and I'm falling short.

This n' That

I'm finding that half of what I write on this site revolves around television, movies, celebrities or the internet, so I think I'm going to change my blog to be called media whore. Catchy, eh?

*Saw 40 Year Old Virgin, sweet and hilarious, if a little painful at times.
*Saw Must Love Dogs, disappointing, although great chemistry between Lane and Cusack, and Stockard Channing is cool.
*Gilmore Girls-This week's was pretty funny (Paris is back in fine form as being the snotty Yale newspaper editor), but if Lorelai even dares to look at Luke the wrong way next week because he has a kid, I will fly out to LA to beat her up on set! I think it's cool that Luke is a father. I loved how proud he looked when he went online to see her web site.
*Chad Lowe/Hilary Swank breakup...can't say I'm surprised by that one. The guy seemed sooo insecure!
*My prediction for Brangelina's baby's name:Diablo Peach Pitt

In other this n that...
*I'm turning 36 next week! Life can always be better, but it's pretty darn great right now. I love my family, my friends, and I have accomplished alot professionally, just need to do more. Before my life is over, I want to write a book.
*I bawled like a baby when I realized that the cyclops kitten died. It lived for one day.

Dead Ringer

Someone should write a screenplay about Jeff Buckley's life and tap James Franco to play him, they look sooo much alike.