"Talk Radio" Disappoints-Schreiber Shines

I managed to get tickets through work to see Liev Schreiber in "Talk Radio" on Broadway tonight, an old Eric Bogosian film from the 80s that was directed by Oliver Stone. Now, I never saw the original, and loving Liev Schreiber, I was pretty confident that this was going to be fantastic. It's a story about a radio shock jock talk show personality that is on the verge of going into national syndication, and is told that on this night to spice his show up a bit to impress the big bosses.

Let me preface what I say next by saying that Schreiber is and continues to be one of the best actors of this generation. I saw him in a production of Harold Pinter's "Betrayal" with Juliette Binoche a couple of years ago, he's been in many films (I got a kick out of him in "Daytrippers"), and most recently he did a stint on CSI. The guy gives 110%, and so did the rest of the cast. He was living/breathing (and chainsmoking) this character. The set was perfect. And on this night, a special treat-standing by us on our way into the theater, together, were Stockard Channing and Dana Delaney (Rizzo and the China Beach chick). They're tiny! We had great orchestra seats, too.

Anyway, the show's true detriment lies in that this character is supposed to thrive on provoking others when discussing current events. But mentions of George Bush as president, nuclear war, "Big Brother" or even the "punk" teen listener character that is brought onto his show pulled Ian and I right out of it. I felt Schreiber's character's impact could have been tenfold if they rewrote it with current events-God-there's such a cornucopia to choose from-the war in Iraq, 9/11 and post 9/11 climate, the internet, Katrina; that to keep 'true' to the original timeline of when this story was written seems false. I guess it was intentional, but it didnt'help here.

There were timeless issues touched upon-racism, how some people are media-loving whores but have no sense or care of current events, love, but not nearly enough. And this is where the show lost its magic for me. I had been so psyched to see it and it was such a highbrow crowd that for a second I thought there was something wrong with me that I wasn't blown away when it ended. Then the whole train ride home Ian and I were in total agreement about it.

Alas, we still had a great night out, even found a great N'awlins cuisine place on Ninth that didn't break the bank called Delta Grill.

Like Fine Wine...

Christian Bale just keeps getting better with age. This is from the cover of the new GQ.

Snapshot

My daughter was playing with the camera when a friend was over and I just thought this was a really cool photo. Sigh. It all goes so fast.

Britney's Bald!

Alright, I was sure my daughter misheard or saw a doctored image when she called me en route to a birthday party to tell me that Britney Spears shaved her head, but apparently not. Check out AOL or The Superficial and you'll see the photo.

Feeling Nostalgic

Eighties have been back for some time now...clothes, music, and that suits me fine. Now there's talk of Van Halen coming back together and doing a 40-date tour! http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003537232

Anyway, been enjoying to listening to Old Duran Duran on the ipod, and I must say the quality of the music is so much better than yesteryear, I popped my Rio CD into the computer to convert to MP3 files, and there's just all these little subtle sounds in the music I didn't really hear before. It's really nice.

Having been shacked up at home most of a week with the cough/cold from hell, I forced myself out to go dancing (briefly )on Friday night with Ian-I didn't drink, I just wanted to shake this thing out of my system, and went to Culture Club again...as we got by the club I heard blasting U2's "I Will Follow." and then when we got inside it was Blondie. It was a fun night.

On one of my bored days, I was Googling for Duran images and came upon this site, www.duranduranunseen.com. Enjoy!

Tearfest

I've been home the past two nights with a heinous cold, so perhaps I'm a little vulnerable to winter/sunlight depravity, but I bawled like a baby watching Gilmore Girls when Luke spoke out at his trial about why he wants to be in April's life. Then I bawled again when I heard Lorelai's character reference letter. Then I bawled yet again watching an excellent episode of House, where House is kept 'in a room' with a rape victim, while Dr. Cameron stays with a terminally ill man. My daughter asks for how I'm doing. Oh boy, here we go again.

As I Get Older...

I find that there are certain things in life that you just can't scrimp on....


Good coffee...as the saying goes, life is too short for bad coffee..
Butter...good butter can either make or ruin whatever it is on...
A good bag...I found 'the bag' today...I looked so long and hard for the right size and color (blood red, not that pink red you see all over)...but it is beautiful!
Wine...it doesn't have to be expensive so much, but my days of coolers are over!

I know there's more to add to this list that I'm blanking on, feel free to add your comments.

A-E-AEIOU-U-AND SOMETIMES Y!

God, this is the best song! It took forever to find. I kept thinking it was by Ebn Ozn, but that is a different song. The classic version (well better version) that I love is by Freeze. Lovin' having my iPod back again.

The holidays are over (thank God!) and now it is time to seek out music.

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!