March 09, 2007
Hello, hello... Is there anybody out there?
OK, OK, I know! The care and feeding of this blog has definitely fallen way down on my list of priorities. So if there is anyone who still peeps this thing - sorry it’s so dead. (Funny thing, it’s so quiet here, I don't even get spam anymore. But I guess I shouldn't complain about that...). What can I say? Life just gets in the way sometimes and the daily grind just saps my energy. Lately, I've been using my laptop mostly as a radio and a mailbox, but not much else.
So in an effort to get the post- juices flowing, here's an easy one (I stole it from someone's VOX):
Kitty asks you to name a book you started reading but never finished.
Here’s mine:
Let’s get into the wayback machine, shall we?
About three and a half years ago I was living in NYC, working a crazy museum job, dealing with an even crazier commute, and hanging out with my friend "A". She recommends the book Interpreter of Maladies. Knowing how much I loved reading short stories (usually the perfect length and intensity for my subway commute) and also knowing my interest in immigrant experiences, women writers, New England, and Indian food, among many other things, she tells me I'll just love this writer. She also tells me that Lahiri was a classmate of hers at college. Though they never spoke, "A" had always heard how brilliant this woman was, and here she was winning the Pulitzer at the ripe old age of ... 33. Right. So I quickly try to suppress my growing envy and I check the book out from the library. I read the stories and am instantly IN LOVE WITH THIS WRITER. These were sad and thoughtful stories, written in beautiful, beautiful prose, simple sentences that somehow conveyed so much. Well, clearly I'm not that kind of writer but I keep trying...
Skip to Christmas '05, I have recently moved my kit-and-caboodle all the way back across the country. I'm in LA. AGAIN. I am broke. AGAIN. And it's Christmas, UGH! But surprisingly, I make it through the holiday with my sanity and a few nice gifts, one of which is Lahiri's first novel The Namesake. So I settle down to read it, but somehow it just doesn't take. Without the rumble of the subway or the knowledge that the story will end in 20 pages, I just can't get into it. A few months later I try again but the thought of an arranged marriage and this poor woman pregnant and isolated in the middle of Cambridge, Mass. makes me sad (and COLD). I put the book down and it stays down until…
Cut to spring 2007, (or now, for those of you still paying attention) and I read that Mira Nair's big screen adaptation of The Namesake is opening March 9th (that's today, folks!) Now, I feel ridiculous. This book has literally been sitting on my shelf, unread for YEARS, and the thing that has finally shamed me into finishing it is that I want to see the movie! But I have a rule about reading the book first. So now I am reminded of “T”, another NY friend who has since fallen off my radar. “T” was my movie buddy and the person from whom I adopted the "read the book first, see the original before the remake, eat your dinner before your dessert" rule. I can't stop laughing as I recall walking up to meet him one night long ago, on the ticket holders line to see "Bram Stoker's Dracula" at the now defuncked Paramount theater. Seeing him desperately trying to skim the last few chapters of the signet classic edition before being let into the theater, is among the most hilarious memories I have of T. Maybe you had to be there, but seriously, he looked pretty ridiculous.
So I will try to finish The Namesake this weekend before I let myself spend $ on the movie. I mean, how can I pass up the chance to see Kumar as Gogol!?
OK, so if there is anyone out there still reading: Tell me what you're currently NOT reading :)
Posted by lk at 08:44 AM | Comments (2)
February 14, 2007
Happy Valentine's Day, from Kitty and ... The Hoff
Posted by lk at 09:16 AM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2007
It's an i,i,i,i world!
Everyone I know wants this:
But I really want this:
Here's some more istuff that made me smile. And here are a few funny iskits. My cuz and I laughed at these for, like, a half hour.
Posted by lk at 05:40 PM | Comments (1)
January 12, 2007
Wikipedia Meme
Q: When would these two luminaries ever be mentioned in the same breadth?
A: When discussing the day of my birth, of course!
Got this from Hot Links & Gumbo ( via Cruft)
1. Go to Wikipedia (not to be confused with Wikia, although that's fun, too).
2. In the Search box, type your birth month and day (but not year).
3. List three events that happened on your birthday.
4. List two important birthdays and one interesting death.
5. List any holidays
6. Post it.
According to the Wiki, April 21 is notable for being the day …
Romulus and Remus founded Rome (753 BC), women in France received the right to vote (1944) and about 100,000 students gathered in Tiananmen Square to commemorate the late Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang (1989).
2 interesting Births
Two notable Italians: Ludovico Carracci and Tony Danza
1 Death
Nina Simone, American singer and pianist (d. 2003)
If Wiki says these are holidays I guess I believe it... but none of them ever got me out of school.
* Bahá'í Faith - First day of the festival of Ridván.
* Roman Empire - the Parilia was held in honor of Pales.
* Rome - city birthday.
* Sunni Islam - Mawlid, Prophet Muhammad's birthday (2005).
* Tiradentes - Brazil.
* Grounation Day in Rastafari movement.
* Texas - San Jacinto Day
Posted by lk at 11:53 AM | Comments (0)
January 06, 2007
And on the 12th day of Christmas...
I took down the tree.
While I was putting all or decorations away my cousin and I were trying to remember all the words to that crazy song. We spent 20 minutes arguing over if it was 11 or 12 freakin' lords a leapin'. Finally we called on wikipedia to settle it and discovered that we had both totally forgotten the pipers piping! After that I thought I'd put together a Post-Christmas post. I found this while searching for images. We have the same exact tree but my cousin's cat is far too nervous to help with the decorating :)
Well, it's Jan 6th. Christmas is now officially over, at least as far as my family is concerned. Today is Three Kings Day and when I was a kid this used to mean that today my cousin and I would get letters from our moms along with one final gift. The gift was usually something small, like a Whitman's sampler or a glass animal. I used to collect cows for some reason and well into her senior year of high school my cousin had a thing for unicorns so we got a lot of those (yeh, I know, we were dorky kids). In recent years my aunt pretty much only sends gift cards or a little spending money inscribed with "get yourself something silly" or "buy some ice cream". After we receive this final item the Christmas season, with all the stress, strain, arguments, over spending and sugarplum ferries, officially comes to a close. This year there was too much going on for my aunt to even send out Christmas cards, so I doubt we will get a Three Kings card but that's OK. I'm just happy we're all still here.
Hope everyone survived and even managed to have a good time with fam and friends this Christmas! I am trying to be good, to stay on my budget and remember all the things I already have in my life to be grateful for. Here's to a happy, healthy '07!
Posted by lk at 10:33 AM | Comments (1)
January 04, 2007
Ruth Bernhard
Draped Torso, 1962
Ruth Bernhard, a legendary San Francisco photographer who captured sculptural images of the female form and inspired generations of artists, died Dec on 18th at her Pacific Heights apartment. She was 101.
Posted by lk at 06:56 PM | Comments (0)
January 01, 2007
Happy New Year!
OK, I know it's been a while but I PROMISE I'll post more regularly in '07. Hope everyone had a great holiday season!
Posted by lk at 05:44 PM | Comments (0)
November 19, 2006
All of the opening gun barrel sequences to the James Bond films, here!
Well, actually, no. Not here, per se, since I’m still not quite sure how to post a YouTube clip on my blog. I know, it's probably super easy but you can see them all on Cinematical, so why should I redo it!
Right. So I’m pretty much dying to see the new James Bond flick, but I just can’t square the current tk prices with my budget (it’s the beginning of a very leeeeeeeeean season for Kitty). So, I’ve been consoling myself by reading all the (mostly favorable) reviews and ogling photos of Mr. Bond, er, I mean Mr. Caig, on the internet. Came across afore mentioned “gun barrel” post the other day and totally spent a needless hour trying to rate all the 007 opening bits. It’s quite fun. If you’ve got some time to kill, check it out.
He may not be able to drive a stick shift, but I still think he'll be as good if not better than the last 5 Bonds.
Posted by lk at 11:13 AM | Comments (3)
November 13, 2006
A day for Whoopi
OK, OK I know! I need to start producing more creative posts! If anyone is still out there reading: I'm really sorry about all the "dead air". Believe me, I never meant for this blog to devolve into a birthday/obit column, however, I really couldn't let the day pass without wishing my girl a happy birthday! She may have questionable taste in movies but I like her and I think she's funny. Some folks even say I kind of look like her, too. It's a nice complement cuz she has a terrific smile!
Hope you had a great day, Whoopi
Posted by lk at 10:25 PM | Comments (0)
November 09, 2006
You will be missed ...
Ed Bradley (June 22, 1941 – November 9, 2006)
From the CBS News website:
CBS) The 2005-06 season marks Correspondent Ed Bradley's 25th on 60 MINUTES. He joined the broadcast during the 1981-82 season. He also anchors and reports hour-long specials.
Bradley's consummate skills as a broadcast journalist and his distinctive body of work have been recognized with numerous awards, including 19 Emmys, the latest for a segment that reported the reopening of the 50-year-old racial murder case of Emmett Till. He received three Emmys at the 2003 awards: a Lifetime Achievement Emmy; one for a 60 MINUTES report on brain cancer patients, "A New Lease on Life" (April 2002); and another for his hour on 60 MINUTES II about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, "The Catholic Church on Trial" (June 2002).
Bradley's 60 MINUTES interview with condemned Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh (March 2000) was the only television interview ever given by the man guilty of one of the worst terrorist acts on American soil; it also earned Bradley an Emmy. His reporting on the worst school shooting in American history, "Columbine" (April 2001), revealed on 60 MINUTES II that authorities ignored telling evidence with which they might have prevented the massacre.
Other hourlong reports by Bradley have prompted praise and action: "Death by Denial" (June 2000) won a Peabody Award for focusing on the plight of Africans dying of AIDS and helped convince drug companies to donate and discount AIDS drugs; "Unsafe Haven" (April 1999) spurred federal investigations into the nation's largest chain of psychiatric hospitals; and "Town Under Siege" (December 1997), about a small town battling toxic waste, was named one of the Ten Best Television Programs of 1997 by Time magazine.
Posted by lk at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)
November 01, 2006
Ghost Post
Guess I missed the boat for posting a happy Halloween message but there is still time to wish you a Happy Dia De Los Muertos.
Enjoy!
I stole this pic from La Crafty Chica. Check out her site, it’s really fun!
Posted by lk at 11:31 AM | Comments (0)
October 12, 2006
Kitty in The City!
I came to town to see this but it was awfully strange to be flying into the city just after this...
Posted by lk at 05:50 AM | Comments (0)
August 31, 2006
Yea, pretty much...
Posted by lk at 02:52 PM | Comments (0)
August 19, 2006
Why did the computer nerd wear glasses?
To improve her website :)
I saw that joke in the West LA adult education catalog and I just had to include it – it’s soooooo corny! The truth is that I too need to improve my website. Well, actually I need to get off my ass and CREATE it first - then I can get the glasses and improve it, or whatever. I’m embossed to say that a whole year has gone by since I first thought about designing my own site, but my days of procrastination are over! I finally have the software, I have the manuals and now I also have the time. Kitty may have a new home this fall. I’ll keep you posted…
Posted by lk at 05:07 PM | Comments (1)
August 17, 2006
Happy Birthday Bobby!
Some interesting trivia on his imdb page:
*Finley Quaye mentions him in the song "Sunday Shining", in the line "I'm a hero like Robert De Niro".
*Limo drivers in Los Angeles joke about his less than generous tips by referring to him as "No Dinero".
*Was offered but turned down the role of Sal the pizza shop owner in Do the Right Thing (1989).
*He is the second actor to win an Oscar for portraying Vito Corleone. He and Marlon Brando are the only two actors to win an Oscar for playing the same character.
*Shares a birthday with friend and sometime-co-star Sean Penn.
*Early on, before Tim Burton was commissioned as director, was considered for the role of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).
*He made $20,000,000 for Meet the Fockers (2004) and $35,000
for Taxi Driver (1976)
Not on his imdb page:
*Any indication that I am his biggest fan
Posted by lk at 11:49 PM | Comments (0)
August 01, 2006
MTV is 25 years old...
... shoot me now.
*Bonus: This image is from which music video by The Cars, which also won "Best Music Video of the Year" in MTV's first ever music awards?
Drive
Shake it Up
Magic
You Might Think
Posted by lk at 10:07 PM | Comments (3)
July 03, 2006
Happy 4th of July!!!
May your day include good friends, lots of tasty BBQ and time for a nap…
Posted by lk at 04:04 PM | Comments (1)
July 01, 2006
One door closes and another opens…
Lloyd Richards passes and Suzan-Lori Parks bursts forth with 365 plays.
Posted by lk at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)
June 20, 2006
Donald Reilly, a Cartoonist for New Yorker, Dies at 72
From the NYT
Posted by lk at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)
June 18, 2006
Birthdays
Happy Birthday Isabella!
…And many happy returns to:
Sir Paul McCartney (insert lame “When I’m 64” joke here)
Roger Ebert (insert insensitive “I Am the Walrus” joke here)
Carol Kane (No joke, just a lament - I love her! Don’t ya’ just love her?! She’s so funny but sometimes she picks crappy movies and that's too bad.)
Posted by lk at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)
June 17, 2006
Remembering …
Posted by lk at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)
June 14, 2006
Welcome back, Charlie!
Charlie on The Simpsons
Charlie Rose is finally back on the block, or more appropriately, back at the table and hosting his long running nighttime talk show. Now, I’m a big fan and have been since the very beginning (does anyone remember a little show on CBS called Nightwatch?). He is to me what Carson and Dick Cavett were to my mom. I fully admit he couldn’t touch those guys from a comedic angle but the variety of his guests and the quality of the conversation has always been top notch - heads of state, starlets, judges, and museum directors, even Carrie Fisher. Everyone wants to sit at the table with Charlie and chew the fat and I want to watch em! But this last month was rough. While Mr. Rose was sidelined and recovering from heart surgery I almost lost hope for the show. You’d think it would be simple - no-tech set, big oak table and two people talking for an hour. HA! Watching the cavalcade of guest hosts this last month while Rose was recuperating (or heaven help us, considering retirement…) was quite painful at times. Not everyone has the gift. So Charlie thanks for coming back!
Posted by lk at 08:25 AM | Comments (0)
June 12, 2006
Another reason for me to go to Austin
A hack license used in preparation for Taxi Driver (1976) form
The Robert De Niro Collection, Harry Ransom Center, AUSTIN, TX.
AUSTIN, June 7, 2006—Robert De Niro made an offer the University of Texas could not refuse.
The Academy Award-winning actor is donating his collection of film-related materials—scripts, costumes and correspondence—to the cultural archive at the university's Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center.
The collection will give students, film buffs and scholars a behind-the-scenes look at the career of one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation.
... They've got the "first photograph" too!
''This is what the Ransom Center is all about, the creative process,'' said Steve Wilson, associate curator of the center's film collection. ''I know of no other actor's archive that is as large and comprehensive as this one.''
There are more than 3,000 costume items and props from De Niro's films, including some from his Oscar winning roles in The Godfather: Part II and Raging Bull. It even includes a full body cast used in the 1994 production of Frankenstein when De Niro played the monster.
Several items will be on display in the lobby until June 18: De Niro's military dog tags and a script with his notes from The Deer Hunter, his real New York City taxi license from his days driving the streets to research Taxi Driver, and photographs as makeup artists tested different broken noses for his role as boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull.
After that the collection will be housed for research, although a few costumes may be rotated into the Ransom Center gallery.
''One of the most important things about the Harry Ransom Center is that the material will be accessible to students and the public,'' De Niro said in a statement released by the center. ''Ultimately, that's what it's all about.''
by Jim Vertuno, Copyright 2006 Associated Press
Posted by lk at 08:26 AM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2006
Summer movies anyone?
Cars, Supermen, Lake Houses, Break Ups, A Prairie Home Sleeping Pill and the long, long wait for August and the M. Night Shamalama plot-twist? Oh, and something about a plane full of, um, have I got this right, A Plane Full of SNAKES!!! What?!! Is this all we’re getting this summer? I hate to admit it, but I’ll probably end up seeing these movies (or worse ones) at some point this summer, if only to get a break from the heat. Like last year, when I vowed to keep my $ in my pocket in protest of all the poor remakes and silly action films and then SOMEHOW I found myself hanging with Mr. and Mrs. Smith and, uh… Stealth. Ahhhh, Summer...
But there is one thing to look forward to. FINALLY, the other Mr. Smith will give us...
…Clerks II: The Passion of The ClerksII!!! Actually, I'm not even sure it's still called that, but whatever. It's here!
OK, y’all know that I am totally ready for Kevin's return to chinema after the disaster that was Jersey Girl. This looks to be a lot of fun (Rosario Dawson notwithstanding). But while I’m a huge fan, I still found it kind of hard to believe this. Check Kevin’s O face here.
Posted by lk at 08:41 AM | Comments (2)
May 17, 2006
Every now and then (even if gas prices are astronomically high) it's good to turn off the phone, turn up the radio and just… DRIVE!
Posted by lk at 10:50 AM | Comments (0)
May 15, 2006
Posted by lk at 07:54 AM | Comments (3)
May 10, 2006
Happy Birthday Bono!
Beautiful and righteous, our Bono is 46 years young today!
While searching the web for a cute picture of our rock and roll savior I found this. Bono wearing the exquisite vestments followed by Poprah... funny stuff.
Posted by lk at 08:46 AM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2006
How long has it been since my last post????
Right. So my birthday weekend turned into my birthday fortnight! Now, after two weeks of playing, partying, driving, shopping (and, oh yes, working a little to pay the bills) I’ve kind of lost the thread of this blog. Instead of recapping I'm just going to start fresh. But before that I want to give a little shout out to my cuz!
Yay Cuz!!!
She gives the best gifts. As soon as I get a photo wearing the beautiful dress she gave me, I’ll post it. Promise.
Posted by lk at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
April 21, 2006
Happy Birthday to ME!
Posted by lk at 09:25 AM | Comments (3)
April 16, 2006
Happy Easter!
Posted by lk at 04:18 PM | Comments (1)
April 06, 2006
From Showers to Flowers
My flowerpot garden…
Posted by lk at 09:58 AM | Comments (2)
March 23, 2006
Name That Car
My first car was a 1995 white Jetta and my friend Wayne came up with her name: “Shuga” (a.k.a. sugar), which I thought was perfect. She was a very sweet car. Now I have another white car that needs a name. Wayne is not around so much these days, so I guess I have to come up with something on my own… Here’s what I have so far:
1.Cupcake (this was the first thing my cousin said upon seeing the car)
2.Chuck (This from her boyfriend… he had a complicated explanation about how the Charlie Brown/Peppermint Patty dynamic symbolizes my relationship to this car, but I don’t now if I can really endorse that.)
3.Boxcar Betty (I thought about Boxcar Bertha, in honor of Marty, but I just don’t like the sound of Bertha…)
Any suggestions?
Posted by lk at 11:26 AM | Comments (1)
March 20, 2006
Monday Morning TCT Report
Three Cool Things to report this Monday:
Cool blog: she real cool
Stumbled onto this one while I was looking for … I can’t even remember the original search, but this chick is pretty funny so I’m adding her to the blogroll)
Cool tunes: Cassandra Wilson’s Thunderbird
(The album won’t be released till April, but you can hear the whole thing here)
Cool Car: MY ’93 Volvo! Whoo Hoo! That’s right, the Toastkitten finally has her own wheels. Expect details, photos, a name that car contest and various car related posts to flood this blog all week!
Posted by lk at 08:25 AM | Comments (2)
March 17, 2006
Art vs. Comedy?
vs. 
OK, so there are tons of art things I can do on Saturday. Literally TONS! but I'm contemplating throwing it all aside to attend ... WIZARD WORLD! My inner geek is calling. So the question is, should I go to :
1. Hammer Symposium
2. Noguchi
3. LACMA
4. Tony Hernandez
5. Courbet and the Modern Landscape at the Getty
OR...
Drive downtown (in my friend's borrowed Thunderbird) and see Kevin Smith and a clip from Clerks 2?!!
Anyone? Anyone?... Bueller?
But I'm definitely going to attend my friend's opening at 6pm!
Posted by lk at 12:40 PM | Comments (4)
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Not enough frequent flyer miles to make it to Ireland this weekend? Me neither, but thanks to the magic of the internet we can learn to say anything in Gaelic!
Posted by lk at 08:00 AM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2006
Happy Birthday Q!
73 and amazing!
…Happy B-Day to you too, Jamie Bell (20). You still got quite a ways to go, but you're cute as a button.
Posted by lk at 09:22 AM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2006
Happy Birthday Kitty!
Somewhere last week Toastkitten had her first birthday!
I can’t remember exactly what day I launched into the bloggosphere but I’m happy to still be around! Big ups to Rebecca, Elizabeth and LA Artgirls for the encouragement, and even bigger ups to those of you who stop by on a regular basis! Even if you don’t ever comment, I am totally grateful to have any kind of readership at all. I mean, a year ago I didn’t even know what a blog was. And now, well, I don’t really know much more then that but it’s still cool.
Here are some other celebrity birthdays for the week that was March 5-12:
March 5: Actor James B. Sikking ("Hill Street Blues," "Doogie Howser, M.D.") is 72. Actor Dean Stockwell is 70. Actor Fred Williamson is 68. Actor Michael Warren ("Soul Food," "Hill Street Blues") is 60. Comedian-magician Penn Jillette (He’s the tall guy, I think) is 51
March 7: TV personality Willard Scott is 72. Actor Daniel J. Travanti (another “Hill Street Blues” guy) is 66. Guitarist Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers is 54. Comedian Wanda Sykes is 42. Actress Rachel Weisz ("Constantine," "About A Boy") is 35.
March 8: Actress Lynn Redgrave is 63. Musician-actor Micky Dolenz of the Monkees is 61. Actor Aidan Quinn is 47.. Actor James Van Der Beek ( big-head boy of "Dawson's Creek") is 29.
March 9: Actress Juliette Binoche is 42. Actor Emmanuel Lewis ("Webster") is 35. (Now, there’s an interesting couple…)
March 10:Magician Lance Burton is 46. Actress Jasmine Guy ("A Different World") is 44. Singer Edie Brickell is 40 (Remember her?!). Rapper-producer Timbaland is 34.
March 11: Singer Bobby McFerrin is 56. Actor Terrence Howard ("Crash," "Hustle and Flow") is 37. Actor David Anders (ooooohh, Sark! From "Alias") is 25. Actress Thora Birch ("Ghost World”) is 24.
March 12: Darryl Strawberry is 44. Singer/songwriter, James Taylor is 58. Liza Minelli (queen of the false eyelashes, oh and she also sings) is 60. Barbara Feldon (“Get Smart”) is 65 and singer Al Jarreau is 66. Finally, if Jack Kerouac was still with us he would be 84!
Posted by lk at 08:30 AM | Comments (3)
March 12, 2006
What are you doing tonight?
If you are home tonight, you need to be watching The Sopranos. And if you don’t have HBO - well, then you need to be reassessing your priorities.
Truth be told, I have given up on this show more than a few times since it premiered way back in 1999. Oh, come on! You did too! I mean, a year and a half between seasons is just a little bit much, don’t you think? I actually thought I was done last season (with what they did to poor Adriana, Lordy!) But if Tony’s back, I’m there!
At this point I’ve invested too much in this show not to see it through to the final bada-bing, and what’s sure to be a bitter, blood soaked finale.
Posted by lk at 06:23 PM | Comments (2)
March 10, 2006
A cool drink for the ears
Kelly has tagged me so I guess I’m obliged to post myTunes. The last time I was tagged I totally blew it, but I'll play along this time.
Here are her instructions:
List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre,
whether they have words, or even if they're any good, but they
must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions
in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to. (Note to Kelly: I don't have that many online friends so I have to leave it at 5)
From my "Sunday" playlist:
1. Shoot the Moon – Norah Jones. Yeah, I know most people consider her too “liteFM” but I think her voice is beautiful and I love these lyrics.
2. Times Like These - Jack Johnson (Someone told me he's a blander '90s version of James Taylor. Whatever. I like it.)
3. Very Nice – My friend Chrystal made me this amazing mix 2 years ago when I was freezing my ass off in NYC. It’s all samba, French and Brazilian music. I would listen to it in my cold, tiny, cold apt an imagine I was on the beach (with a hot guy in one hand and a cool Caipirinha in the other…) This is one of my faves from that cd. Sorry but I don’t know the artist.
4. I Shall Believe – Sheryl Crow. It’s a hold over from my Alias/Felicity days (what TWoP calls “Ovary Electric Music”).
5. Scar Tissue – Red Hot Chili Peppers. Put simply: They Rule. I can't wait for Stadium Arcadium!
6. Feel Good Inc. – Gorillaz. This is just a cool song. I think I had it on endless loop for a whole day last week.
7. Ready Steady Go – Paul Oakenfold. I have a bunch of Ok on this playlist but this one's the best. I hear this and suddenly, I. Am. ON!
Bonus: Miles Davis soundtrack to Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud. I taped it from my friend Amy about 9 years ago but never labeled it, so for the longest time I didn’t even know the name of the record or even the tracks. I listen to this soundtrack all the time. Literally. One day I’ll see the film but for now I prefer the movie that plays in my mind. This is some great, moody music. It's Miles, man. What more can I say?
1. Rebecca
2. Elizabeth
3. La Dauphine (where are you?)
4. Hunter Woo
5. Wysegal
Posted by lk at 09:09 AM | Comments (2)
February 14, 2006
Happy ValenTimes Day!
I started a new temp job this week. It's not at all related to what I want to be doing but the lady I work for has tons of energy and she's really nice. Also, she laughs a lot. And when I say a lot, what I really mean is A LOT! Somehow she manages to laugh even when shit is going wrong. At first I thought she was a little, uh, nuts. Now I think she's just... happy. Go figure! It's nice and makes working with her really kind of fun.
All afternoon she kept wishing people a happy Valentimes Day. This kind of bugged me at first, but then the more she laughed the more I laughed. By 5pm I was in a startlingly good mood! So I hope everyone out there had a very happy Valentimes Day! Keep smiling. It really does make everything a little bit better!
…and don’t forget to have some chocolate!
Posted by lk at 08:42 PM | Comments (0)
February 07, 2006
LA - Hartford - LA - Hartford - Vegas and .... Sacramento! OK, so it's not quite the international itinerary I always dreamed of, but at least I'm gettin' out of the house. Seriously though, it's been a very busy month. Double X is getting good local press and the freelance projects are steady. Now if I could only keep up with this blog ...
Posted by lk at 08:40 AM | Comments (4)
January 23, 2006
Aaron nails it again
Posted by lk at 11:17 AM | Comments (1)
January 14, 2006
Things to do in Hartford when you're ...
dead(tired):
Walk back to the hotel and fall face first onto your bed.
or on a Friday afternoon after work:
Walk down main street and celebrate the end of installation week w/the exhibit team.
or when it's raining:
uh, yea, the pillow again.
Of course, if I were really interested in the sites and sounds of Hartford I would have gone to the Mark Twain museum, checked out Real Art Ways or gone to hear Aaron Neville last night. But after 5 straight days of installation (w/ plenty of museum drama) I'm just too damn tired. Plus, it's cold and now it's raining. So, bleh. I am reveling in the comforts of my FREE hotel room.
Posted by lk at 05:21 PM | Comments (1)
January 09, 2006
Maybe
Or maybe it’s because you never post!
I have been totally remiss in my kittening lately but I’m getting back on track this week while I’m in … wait for it…. Hartford, Connecticut!
That’s right kids, all week kitty will be kickin’ it on the right coast. I’ll be spending my days installing an exhibition at the Wadsworth Atheneum (in beautiful downtown Hartford) and will most likely spend my nights sitting in my convention center adjacent hotel room, watching pay-per-view. So if I can’t manage at least one post a day, there is no hope for me in this blogosphere.
And on a completely UN-related note, go check out
Wyse Gal’s blog. I haven’t watched SNL in about 100 years but this clip had me laughing my ass off. “Chronic-les of Narnia” is the mad note, dog!
Posted by lk at 04:22 PM | Comments (4)
January 03, 2006
What I got
These are some totally warm and fluffy socks that my cuz got me for Christmas. They Rock!
Sorry for the slim-to-no posting of late. I'll be back in force later this week.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!
Posted by lk at 09:35 AM | Comments (0)
December 25, 2005
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Festive Festivus ...
Wishing everyone peace, warmth, friendship, and plenty of long winter naps!
Posted by lk at 08:49 AM | Comments (3)
December 20, 2005
KMCC (Kitty’s Modern Christmas Classics)
Top ten holiday movies:
1 Scrooged
2 Trading Places
3 Die Hard
4 The Ref
5 The Nightmare Before Christmas
6 Metropolitan
7 Hannah and Her Sisters
8 Crimes and Misdemeanors
9 Bridget Jones’ Diary
10 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Plus an old favorite: Pocket Full of Miracles – watch for a terrific (and totally cross-eyed) performance by Peter Falk
OK, OK, so most of these are not traditional Christmas movies and I’m probably the only person on the planet who considers Hannah and Her Sisters a holiday classic. What can I say? Major scenes in all these movies take place at holiday time! And what could be funnier than seeing Dan Ackroyd in a dirty Santa suit, stealing a smoked salmon from the Duke's Christmas party, or (normally) suave Colin Firth wearing that ridiculous reindeer sweater, or that moment in Die Hard when Argyle turns on the car radio and we hear Run DMC's "Christmas in Hollis"? These movies make me laugh. A lot. And as far as Woody is concerned, the themes of reassessing your life, and realizing the importance of family and friends that runs through Hannah and Crimes make this one of my favorite holiday double features. Call me crazy, but I think Woody makes excellent holiday movies.
Posted by lk at 05:14 PM | Comments (1)
December 11, 2005
Quote of the day
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
– Sir Winston Churchill
Posted by lk at 07:01 PM | Comments (3)
December 06, 2005
Happy Birthday Nick Park!
I love, love, love Curse of the Were-Rabbit Chicken Run and Creature Comforts (which btw, was on BBC America just last week and had me laughing my head off. My fave? The Brazilian lion, of course. “I need E-SPACE!” Yea, me too!). These movies are great. Are you listening, Santa? Dvds priced to own from Amazon or in store pick up at Tower. Christmas is just around the … Oops sorry. Topic? Right. Nick Park. He’s amazing and today was his BDay. So if it’s still playing and you still haven’t seen it- go, go, go, see Were-Rabbit! Right Now. Go. That first scene where we see how the lads have their breakfast it a riot. I’m totally down for buying some “middle aged spread” for my morning toast. Just as soon as they start carrying it at Trader Joe’s I’m all over it.
Posted by lk at 05:47 PM | Comments (1)
November 30, 2005
Today's Forecast
Brought to you by the excellent cartoonists at The New Yorker
Posted by lk at 10:28 AM | Comments (3)
November 24, 2005
Happy Thanksgiving!
Have a great day everyone! Give thanks, hang out with friends & fam, and eat!
I am now going go downstairs and make an apple cranberry pie. I need the kitchen to myself for at least 1 1/2 hours and this is the only time I'll be able to get in there before the house becomes chaos. Wish me luck...
Posted by lk at 06:57 AM | Comments (5)
November 17, 2005
Happy Birthday Marty!
I’m off to watch Goodfellas and maybe the first 45 minutes of Casino. I’m not quite up to Taxi Driver (though that movie deserves to be watched at least every year, if your stomach can take it. Brutal but brilliant.) Seriously though, Marty, I forgive you for Gangs of New York and Age Of Innocence and let's face it, the Aviator was interesting technically but emotionally kind of a mixed bag... Listen, forget all that. You probably don’t even need to make another film for the rest of your life – I mean if I take Taxi Driver, Alice Doesn’t Live Here, Raging Bull, After Hours (which has an uncanny resemblance to a date I had the summer after my sophomore year in college), Goodfellas and Casino (baroque, I know, but still very good), and lets not forget your mini masterpiece, “Life Lessons” – you have given me more than enough to think about and to admire. Add to that, all the oddball choices, noble miss fires and stuff that was just over my head (like Kundun) and I can see that you are, well, a genius. You are a genius who is also human, and quite manic, but (thankfully) still passionate about your art. Love you Marty! Happy B Day!
Posted by lk at 06:55 PM | Comments (3)
November 13, 2005
Stormtrooper Kitty
She's cute but deadly. Here are some variations. I wouldn't say that this is "the subversive underbelly of Hello Kitty" but it is funny.
Posted by lk at 04:22 PM | Comments (2)
November 08, 2005
I wish I had a super cool thing to post about this eve, but frankly I got nothin’. I just figure I need to write some damn thing fast, before the few people that are kind enough to stop by – get fed up with my old, old, old Halloween posts! Life has just gotten the best of me these last few weeks. My mind is basically mush. Serious mid-life crisis stuff, plus a few work deadlines thrown in for good measure.
Above you will see one of my fave pieces from the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. I love looking at this installation but I always found the idea behind it kind of crazy. I mean HOW could you have a totally open window in the gallery of a museum? OK so this whole thing is kind of a non sequitur but at least I posted something….
From the MCASD website:
ROBERT IRWIN: 1°2°3°4°
MCASD LA JOLLA
ONGOING
Originally commissioned in 1997, MCASD has reinstalled Robert Irwin's seminal piece 1°2°3°4°. Irwin's art investigates perception and experiential effects. His early pieces helped to define the aesthetic and issues of the West Coast light and space movement in the late 1960s by exploring how phenomena are perceived and altered by consciousness. This process is clearly demonstrated in 1°2°3°4°, which directly connects interior and exterior spaces through the literal removal of sections of gallery window overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Elements of the outside environment—sounds, smells, and other physical sensations—co-mingle with the clean, controlled space of the museum. Pronounced "first dimension, second dimension, third dimension, fourth dimension," the title of the work acknowledges the importance for Irwin of the fourth dimension of time in an art experience. Time becomes an integral element of the piece, determining climate, light, movement, sound, and even color as the sun moves across the perimeter of the gallery and sets beyond the ocean.
Posted by lk at 11:20 PM | Comments (0)
October 31, 2005
Happy Halloween!
and...
Now pass me that jack-o-lantern full of REESE'S (Original only, please)!
Posted by lk at 04:50 PM | Comments (2)
I got an email about this last week:
The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Research Center presents:
The 1980s: An Internet Conference
October 31 - November 13, 2005
I remember the online symposium they did back in 2001 (less than a month after 9/11). A diverse group of “culture workers” weighed in on the topic at hand and even when people went off on long tangents, mostly about terrorism, I found the whole project pretty interesting.
It’s kind of funny to think how much things have changed since ‘01. I didn’t have internet service at home and my big desk top was an e machine (a.k.a playschool’s “my first computer”). I had ordered a few books on amazon but I was still very hesitant about doing stuff online - but the idea of a virtual symposium seemed so COOOOOOOL. In fall 2001 I had just started an internship at a swank museum – I had my own computer and cubicle and I basically spent that second week looking at the conference online. I got pretty good at “looking like I was working” while I was really just reading though all the symposium commentary. Actually, maybe things haven’t changed so much – I still just look like I’m working when I'm sitting at the computer …
Posted by lk at 09:02 AM | Comments (0)
October 27, 2005
They might be on to something
Posted by lk at 09:10 AM | Comments (4)
October 25, 2005
I left my calves in San Francisco!
Actually, it would be more accurate to say that I tried to leave my shins, hamstrings and calves in San Francisco because they were too pained to bring back with me. Those hills, man, they are murder! But somehow, even with all the walking, I still managed to bring it all back plus an additional pound or two (jeans are fitting kind of tight today). Good food, good friends and a look at the new de Young = great weekend.
On a totally unrelated topic – Blam (blog-spam) has got me down. Now I get why some folks don’t allow comments on their blogs. Jeeze Louise, I am so sick of “free ringtones”, Viagra and all the rest of it!
Posted by lk at 08:43 AM | Comments (0)
October 13, 2005
Nice drinks
Had some really great tea last week. Should have brought some back ...
On the mend now. Proper posts are on the way.
Posted by lk at 09:22 PM | Comments (0)
October 11, 2005
New York, New York. So nice they named it twice ...
Here's a bunch of stuff I saw, ate or otherwise enjoyed
Posted by lk at 06:38 PM | Comments (5)
back and sick!
I'm just back from NYC where I checked in with all members of the wasabi dumpling gang, ate tons of fattening food and saw more photography than I could actually absorb. I also spent way too much time in the rain Friday and Saturday and so now I am with cold. Posting will have to happen between doses of Thera-Flu and episodes of the Rockford Files and Law & Order as I lay in bed. I know, life is rough :)
More later...
and btw, Astoria still rocks!
Posted by lk at 09:06 AM | Comments (1)
October 03, 2005
In memoriam
August Wilson, playwright
1945-2005
Posted by lk at 07:45 PM | Comments (2)
September 28, 2005
Blogedy, blogedy, blog
I just added a few new folks to my blog-o-rama. La Dauphine and Musing the Mystery are great (sorry it has taken me so long to link to you guys, you rule). And for those of you who have a taste for the eccentric (or if robots just happen to be a normal part of your day-to-day), check out Woospace! These blogs are thoughtful, funny and engaging. Plus, they all post way more often than I do! I admire the commitment and the creativity - so go and see for yourself.
Thanks to Musing, Dauphine and Woo, I am simultaneously trying to figure out what I think about the new gay cable network, I have a renewed interest in Art:21 AND I'm thinking about purchasing this:
Obviously, the robots WILL attack (they need the medicine of our senior citizens for fuel) the real question is, do we have a plan for survival?!!!
Posted by lk at 12:39 PM | Comments (1)
September 17, 2005
Spectacular, Spectacular!
Happy Bday, Baz!
Posted by lk at 09:14 AM | Comments (0)
September 14, 2005
From the New Yorker
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up...
Posted by lk at 08:44 AM | Comments (2)
September 03, 2005
Carlagirl has posted info on smaller and local groups in New Orleans that people should know about. Here's a list of some grassroots resources, organizations and institutions that will need your support in the coming months.
Social Justice:
www.jjpl.org
www.iftheycanlearn.org
www.nolaps.org
www.thepeoplesinstitute.org/
www.criticalresistance.org/index.php?name=crno_home
Cultural Resources:
www.backstreetculturalmuseum.com
www.ashecac.org/
http://198.66.50.128/gallery/
www.nolahumanrights.org
http://www.freewebs.com/ironrail/
http://www.girlgangproductions.com/
and here is a thoughtful post from musingthemystery. She says it so much better than I ever could.
...no time this morning to make these all links, but I trust folks can just cut n' paste and check these groups out!
Posted by lk at 10:17 AM | Comments (0)
September 02, 2005
Toastkitten Movie Awards: Keanu Reeves Edition
Keanu is 41 today!
Here’s what IMDB has to say about old “Cool Breeze”:
One of the most inscrutable actors to ever hit it big, Keanu Reeves has been by turns adored, reviled, and grudgingly respected by the movie-going public. As the controversy over his talent rages on, his career choices and paychecks show him inching toward A-list status.
Inscrutable…good word.
And so I give you the Toastkitten Movie Awards: Keanu Reeves Edition!
As futuristic savior in the Matrix and playing second banana to Jack Nicholson in Somthing's gotta Give - Keanu, what a peach!
Best Drama (in which K actually does a good job in the acting dept):
River’s Edge
Best Keanu Comedy: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Second place: Point Break
(I know it’s not really a comedy but all that stuff where he and Swazy talk about the ZEN of surfing cracks me up)
Best (underrated) Rom-Com where our boy stands around looking earnest and very cute: Something’s Gotta Give
Best movie where K is cast as our savior:
The Matrix (The first one plus about 25 min of the second one, please)
Best Bard (or film in which K is the only dull note in an otherwise great reinterpretation of Shakespeare):
Much Ado About Nothing
(and didn’t Denzel look hot in those leather pants?!!)
Second Place: My Own Private Idaho
(and didn’t River look hot but sad as the narcoleptic hustler?!!!)
… and finally, the Toastkitten Keanu Guilty Pleasure Award goes to:
The Devil’s Advocate
Co-staring everyone’s fave scenery chewer – Michael Corleone, uh, I mean Al Pacino. (God IS an absentee landlord! DUDE!)
Posted by lk at 11:19 AM | Comments (1)
September 01, 2005
It’s pretty impossible to come up with a silly/funny/arty blog post with all that’s happening in Louisiana right now... Such a terrible tragedy, so many people and families just trying to hang on in the midst of so much death and devastation. I have been glued to the radio and CNN for the last two days but I can’t do it anymore. I am overwhelmed.
I sometimes feel helpless in the face of such a tragedy but two emails I received this morning reminded me that there are concrete ways to help:
The Red Cross can use donations
Go to The American Red Cross online or call 1-800 HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669.)
Feed The Children
1-800-525-7575
and here is a culture-specific Katrina fund from American Association of Museums
Posted by lk at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)
August 09, 2005
Headline News... Tyler Green mentions Alias
OK, so I'm probably the only person in the world that thinks this is headline news, but it made me laugh. I look at Tyler's blog everyday and I also check in with Alias on TWoP, but I NEVER expect these two worlds to collide. Anyway, for those of you who read NEITHER site: TWoP is all about TV shows and it’s really funny, while Tyler Green only writes about art and the various art worlds on his blog, Modern Art Notes. It's a great blog - lots newsy bits about curators, museum directors, and IMO really good exhibition reviews. Today he skewers Charlie Finch for reviewing an exhibition he did not actually SEE. In the process he mentions a certain little TV show.
Karin Davie's "Pushed, Pulled, Depleted & Duplicated # 7"
is on view (for anyone who wants to go see it) at the Albright-Knox.
I probably won't be "shuffling off to Buffalo" to see this exhibition, either. And I probably will look at the catalog because the work seems interesting and I liked what Grachos was doing when he was Director at Site Santa Fe - but I will not be offering a review of said exhibition. That's just my own personal rule. Don't judge stuff until you've seen it, whether it's the Passion of The Christ or Nanny 911! (Which, I actually tried to watch once while I was waiting for 24 to start and I almost threw the TV out the window). I will, however, be offering a big fat Alias post soon, since (everyone knows) it's a show that I've actually seen.
This has nothing to do with anything. I just thought it was funny. Good charity, weird idea.
Posted by lk at 09:56 AM | Comments (2)
August 08, 2005
miss you, sophie kitty
Sophie (the original Toastkitten), Hard pettin' on a blanket
Posted by lk at 08:03 PM | Comments (1)
August 02, 2005
Time marches on ...
I really intended to post something last week but between work and a weekend trip up north, time just got away from me. Now all of a sudden IT’S AUGUST!!! I hope everyone has been having a fun and/or productive summer because, well, it's almost OVER! Not to be a pessimist but Jeeeeeeze. Did I even accomplish half of what I set out to do this summer? NO!
New late-summer resolution: Don't dwell on the past. Or better yet: Dwell on the past, but ONLY if you can focus on the parts that involved good food!
Some good eats were definitely had in SF this weekend. I will think about those as I microwave my "budget gourmet" for lunch today.
Ti-Couz
THE PORK STORE (Oh, Yea!)
Posted by lk at 09:39 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 18, 2005
Summer Movies
It feels like summer is racing by. Deadlines are looming and I need to scare up gainful employment for the fall yet what am I thinking about? Going to the movies, of course! I can't believe it's the middle (almost end) of July and I have only seen one official big budget popcorn movie so far. Charlie, Wonka and Veruka, et al were fun - cute musical numbers and quite a piece of work as far as art direction but let's face it, the orig movie didn't need to be remade. I love Jonny Depp AND Tim Burton but really... remakes are just not something these guys should be spending/wasting their talents on.
So if anyone out there has a suggestion, review or warning, please chime in! Where should a kitty spend her hard earned $10.50 this week?
I want popcorn!!!
Posted by lk at 08:41 AM | Comments (4)
July 15, 2005
No Con Do
I have been toying with the idea of going down to ComiCon this weekend but now it doesn't look like it's going to happen. I've got to work today and, sadly, I've been roped into a social engagement on Sunday - UGH. I'd much rather mix and mingle with the sci-fi nerds and the animae fans and indulge in quite possibly the best sandwich this side of Wolf's Deli, but I should be good. Work first, spending money on more KiKi merch, later.
I'm a big fan of the con. This is a source of continual discussion among my NY friends. They just don't get it but I love it. I’ve gone 4yrs in a row and every time was better then the last. This love however, should not to be confused with a love of “KHAAAAAAAAN!” or even with a true love of comics. I'm not against comics and I'm not making fun of them. I just don't really read them. But I do like people who like comics and I like people who create comics and those people and their fans go to the San Diego Con. I also enjoy the movie stuff that spills over into the con and of course, the pop culture funkiness of it all. You know, the families of four dressed as Klingons and that terrific guy who dresses up as Lando EVERY YEAR (including the relaxed hair wig!) Now that's the type of commitment I really admire. Sometimes I wish I could let myself go totally over the edge and dress up. Maybe Aeon Flux or Evil Francie, you know, just for fun.
I'm really sorry to miss the festivities this year -screenings, panels and the opportunity to see, like Jay and Silent Bob coffee makers, Spirited Away bubble bath and some really talented and funny kids sketching madly in their books and all excited to be doing thier first portfolio reviews. The whole scene has a youthful energy that is never quite squelched by the immense corporate greed on display.
Oh well, maybe next year...
Posted by lk at 09:15 AM | Comments (3)
July 13, 2005
Happy Humpday Beefcake (old school edition)
Happy Birthday Harrison!
Even though I can't quite get behind your recent choices (Hollywood Homicide!!!), I still love ya.
But please, do us all a favor and get rid of the stick!
Posted by lk at 11:34 AM | Comments (3)
July 10, 2005
Buddha vs Asian Pear...the ultimate zen smackdown
Who will win? Who will lose? Who has the rounder belly? ...
Posted by lk at 09:48 AM | Comments (2)
July 04, 2005
Happy 4th!
Today is really perfect. It's like 79 in Astoria and not humid at all. It's also nice and quiet in the city, as everyone (with the exception of the wasabi sisterhood), seems to have left town. If NYC could always be like this I would never have to leave!
Happy 4th of July
Posted by lk at 10:26 AM | Comments (2)
June 29, 2005
Seine, Spies and Stout!
That's right; Hartford, CT has it all!
While in town doing research for a project I was surprised to find:
Some Seine-scapes:
Theodore Robinson, Valley of the Seine , 1892.
Some real female spies at The Amistad Foundation:
Lindsley's Photo Studio, Harriet Tubman, c. 1870
She was a nurse, a spy and a scout.
And some fine beer at:
The Alias fan in me just couldn't pass this up.
Posted by lk at 01:13 PM | Comments (2)
June 24, 2005
Back in the Big Apple for Kitty
Three days in New York and I’m already exhausted! There’s still lots more I need to do and see but the key is PACING - and also eating. Yesterday I ran around so much that I didn’t eat till 4:30 and almost passed out in the subway.
Quick review of trip so far:
Lee Friedlander at MoMA: Great show and surprisingly easy to take. Peter Galassi has thrown up about a gagillion photos and all of Friedlander’s books into the special exhibition space on the top floor of the Museum - You would think the result would be six different kinds of overkill, but it all works. The images are grouped by theme and there's not a tremendous amount of text to wade through (which is a relief). It's just some really great pictures and a few tables in the middle of the show where you can read all about the photographer if you so choose. Of course, it helps if you love Friedlander (as I do). So if you are in NYC and you need a break from big color photography, check it out.
Grand Central Station: This is one of my favorite buildings in the city and I always end up there at least once each visit, either to meet someone for a drink or to grab a snack after doing the Whitney's mid- town branch. GCS is truly a grand space - a vast interior and a heraldic exterior. In a city that always feels like it's going to crush me, Grand Central makes me feel good. I love looking up at the clock and statues from the south side of 42nd and Park. Unfortunately yesterday all I could see was a black shroud because it’s being cleaned. Apparently they won’t be done till 2007! Cleaning is good but right now old GCS looks a bit depressing.
Patsy’s Pizza: Met some friends for dinner at the one on 23rd. Great pizza, nice buffalo mozzarella, and totally chill service. The girlfriends and I had a blast. Most patrons wanted to wait for the few outside or window spots – so we got a booth inside and had the place all to ourselves. Good Times!
Tonight, more art in Chelsea and probably dinner downtown but I’m laying low till the sun goes down. It’s already 85 and sticky!
Posted by lk at 07:41 AM | Comments (3)
June 21, 2005
Sometimes a good movie helps ...
Posted by lk at 06:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 17, 2005
Thinking about...
Posted by lk at 09:34 AM | Comments (2)
June 14, 2005
Brangelina? Well, it's better than Bennifer.
I guess Brad and Angelina are one everyone's mind today. Tyler Green has a brief post with the nifty title: "W + Crewdson = Bradgelina". I actually think Brangelina sounds a little bit smoother, but no matter. The point is that he's right. This spread in W is a combo of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", Greg Crewdson, the Orbit and the art director from "Far from Heaven" - glossy, sexy and kind of sad. I think you're supposed to look at it and say "That's so Cool". Still, I prefer the beefcake.
Posted by lk at 06:12 PM | Comments (0)
Mr. ...Henry? (if only)
OK, so Buttergun used to do this thing called “Happy Hump Day Beefcake” which I loved, but now she is painting up as storm and doesn’t have time for such diversions. I thought I’d step in and lend a hand this week but I’m way too impatient to wait till Wednesday.
I know what you’re thinking and you are absolutely right – “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” is a silly-ass movie. The plot is completely ridiculous (implausible even by summer action movie standards) it’s also probably about 30 minutes too long. And yes, I should have had way better things to do with my Sunday afternoon, but DAYUM! The boy is hot. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for Madison Avenue, and Hollywood, and marketing, and and abs and those arms and strong calves and … hmmmmmm. I think I need another shower.
Enjoy your Tuesday, everyone!
Posted by lk at 09:44 AM | Comments (3)
June 07, 2005
Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate
God, I wish I had one of these right now.
What a fucked up week it's been … and it's only Tuesday.
Posted by lk at 09:51 PM | Comments (4)
June 05, 2005
From the Dept of Adolescent Longing…
Just saw this on cinematical
I don't have any comment on new lines of film distribution or anything industry related but I am happy to see that the old Waverly Theater won't completely disappear. The Waverly was a great theater and I saw many, many movies there when I was growing up. It was located right upstairs from the W4th Street subway station and about 3 blocks away from my school. I can't even remember how many times I met friends right outside on a Saturday or how many angsty summer afternoons I spent inside that theater. It seemed like I was there ALL the time. Also, the Waverly was perfectly located for a quick grub before or after a flick (a block from a McDonald's, about 4 pizza places, and two great coffee shops!). So you can begin to see exactly HOW I misspent my youth. Lots of movies, lots of coffee served up in heavy ceramic cups, and about as many cheeseburgers. Not as poignant as a Janis Ian tune but you know, something like that…
Waverly/Toastkitten facts:
First movie seen there: The Muppet Movie
Last movie: Six Degrees of Separation
Posted by lk at 11:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 29, 2005
In which Kitty has a rant, talks to a friend, comes clean and tries to get Zen…
OK. So, last week – a.k.a. Season Finale Week (in the tv world) or the week that Star Wars Ep III opened and made a gazillion dollars (in the movie world), was ALSO the week that Kitty got a freakin’ ulcer and almost lost her mind over her co-curating gig (in the real world).
I had such a great time in SF two weeks ago but honestly, it’s like a dim memory….
I have been struggling a little with this blog for a couple of months now. I have fun posting about movies, tv and funny stuff I see on the Internet but I’ve been grappling with the concept of anonymity. Does it even matter who I am, what I say or if anyone can connect the dots? For a while I couldn’t decide if I should write about my sorry-ass career in the “art world” and the politics of my current gig or if I should be discreet - be the lady that my mom taught me to be and keep my mouth shut (lest I piss someone off and have it cost me a job down the line…)
Carlagirl and I were talking about all this yesterday. After we discussed the state of the economy, shared our worst professional rejections and vented about how fucked up it is that Thelma Golden is living this fantasy life of designer clothes and huge apartments, when neither of us can afford health insurance, I decided that it doesn’t matter that much if I come out of the anonymity closet on the blog. Probably only 4 people in the world read this thing anyway.
I have to say, every time I think about what Carla has contributed and risked and accomplished in this field, I feel really silly talking about my sorry little internal dilemmas. It’s always good to talk to friends. It gives you perspective and hopefully it also gives you strength. So, yes, this was the week where America saw (hopefully) the LAST Star Wars movie, when the viewing public was left to ponder what exactly IS in that stupid hatch on LOST, and were shocked to witness the crazy Vaughn cliffhanger on Alias. This is also the week that anyone who actually reads this thing will find out that Toastkitten is actually Lisa Henry, a struggling curator living in LA (who also likes to watch tv go to the movies).
There. Done. Not such a big deal after all. Now Kitty will take a deep cleansing breadth. HAAAAAAAA.
Life, of course, goes on …
Posted by lk at 10:24 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
May 20, 2005
So much to post, so little time...
Posted by lk at 07:51 AM | Comments (4)
May 15, 2005
So great to get out of town ...
A few days in No Cal is good for the soul. Today my friend Julia and I took off early from SF and spent the afternoon in Tennessee Valley. We had lunch here :
And then later we drove through Tiburon. So beautiful and relaxing...
What am I even doing on the computer? I'm going back to my vacation! Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend as much as Kitty has!
Posted by lk at 11:17 PM | Comments (0)
May 07, 2005
The week races by...
What a week! Work, work, work. Busing it downtown every morning. And I swear I meant to post something everyday but by the time I got home my mind was just mush. Add to all that, the fact that I have a friend in from out of town (anyone remember the debate between 24 and Air Force One? Well, he's been on American soil since Monday!). I have been quite remiss on the blog but I will try to make up for it this weekend...
Posted by lk at 08:29 AM | Comments (2)
April 25, 2005
Some of My Birthday Gifts
The Cat Returns DVD
Cool Phone
Pucca Change Purse
Posted by lk at 11:54 PM | Comments (4)
April 23, 2005
Essence and TimeWarner, perfect together?
Beatific in Braids, Susan Taylor
I read about the Essence/Time deal earlier this year but it came to mind again as I flipped through the April issue yesterday on the bus. I can understand the concerns of those who fear that the magazine's identity and commitment will be compromised. Essence isn't a perfect magazine but I certainly don't want to see it become the chocolate version of InStyle! Then again, as long and Susan Taylor (and her eternal braids) are involved, I think the publication can still remain true to its "roots" (I know, bad pun). However, I was really sorry to see that Diane Weathers, editor-in-chief of Essence since 2001, recently announced her resignation. Guess I'll have to wait and see what happens in the coming months...
Posted by lk at 11:14 AM | Comments (1)
April 21, 2005
Happy Birthday to Kitty!
I usually don't advocate dressing a cat up in hats or clothes - but this photo is
just too cute!
Happy Birthday to me!
Posted by lk at 09:22 AM | Comments (5)
April 17, 2005
poesía
I just found out that it's national poetry month. I'm not big into poetry, most of it is too deep for me- but here are two poems by Sandra that I have always loved.
Peaches - Six in a Tin Bowl, Sarajevo
If peaches had arms
surely they would hold one another
in their peach sleep.
And if peaches had feet
it is sure they would
nudge one another
with their soft peachy feet.
And if peaches could
they would sleep
with their dimpled head
on the other's
each to each.
Like you and me.
And sleep and sleep.
Tantas Cosas Asustan, Tantas
Tantas cosas asustan. Tantas.
Los muertos y los vivos.
Lo que la oscuridad no nos permite ver
y lo que nos permite.
Pasos sobre un patio
tanto como el silencio.
Y cosas simples.
Aritmética. La renta.
El infinito también asusta.
Números. El cielo.
Dioses que siempre fueron y serán.
La inmortalidad.
¿Cuál es peor?
Estar siempre sola,
o estar con alguien para siempre.
Y el finito aterroriza.
Nuestras vidas por ejemplo.
El amor asusta.
Igual la luna y los generales.
Y pesan mucho.
No ono por uno.
Pero todos juntos.
Como una lata de canicas.
La felicidad, al contrario,
es otro asunto.
Tiene que ver con papalotes.
- Sandra Cisneros from My Wicked Wicked Ways
Posted by lk at 12:08 PM | Comments (0)
April 15, 2005
Friday
Pretty silk flowers from Z Gallerie
I was supposed to go to an opening tonight but I was just too tired. It’s been another busy week and so catching two buses at 5pm just to get to a gallery, do my fake smile and explain (yet again) why I moved back to LA, just wasn’t in the cards. I opted for staying home and doing a little home décor project with my cousin, kind of a “girl’s night in”. Afterwards we watched some Deadwood. It was kind of a rough ep but it was really fun t