This Golden Dream

The Other Side of the Pond

A great scene from an under-appreciated action film, "The Limey," - which I just purchased for $6 - starring the always cool Terence Stamp:

And one of the better parodies of our time, Limmy's video for "This World," by Slam:

Wow

These are epic photographs of arguably the coolest driving range in the world.

Inbetween Days

Every time I meet a girl I really like I jinx myself by talking about it incessantly. I tell everyone because I can't control my enthusiasm, and I get all giddy, like a little kid at Christmas, and then immediately discover that the relationship is doomed. Never talk about a good thing, that's my rule, because as soon as you start patting yourself on the back it's gone, before you know what happened.

I'm not going to do it this time. I'm not going tell you that I've been chasing this girl for two months, that every time I see her smile the compliments come gushing out of me because she is that gorgeous (not to mention unobtainable), and thus any flirtation is harmless (and neurosis free) because it's not going to work anyway.

I'm not going to tell you that she gave me her number last Friday, and tonight we had our first "date," just talking at a cafe over lattes and pastry. I'm not going to tell you that afterwards we sat in Union Square on the most beautiful night, both of us in t-shirts, discussing where we saw ourselves in five years, while we shared an earphone and listened to her favorite Cure song on her IPOD.

I'm not going to tell you how sweet it was.

I'm not.

Random Outtake II: Gato

Tip My Cup To the Sky

It's always bizarre to look through old folders and see shots that initially didn't catch my eye, and then think, wow, this is kinda cool, why didn't I use it? Anyway, here's one of those outtakes. It seems so haunting and vulnerable, just those eyes, which is what I really dig about it. Hope you do too.

Have a great weekend.

Bowie on Extras

With my buddy Nick in town last weekend I ordered the second season of "Extras" on DVD, assuming there would be an ideal moment where we'd start giggling and would want something epic to watch. I hadn't seen it in a few months, either, and had already started to forget some of the funnier scenes, and to this degree, I wasn't disappointed.

Since I went ahead and watched each episode 3-4 times subsequently, all week I've been referencing key lines from the show, only none of my friends here in the city knew what I was talking about. I tried to explain the premise and people just weren't interested. So, despite my desire not to turn this page into a series of youtube videos, I knew the only way to really convey the humor was to show a clip, and when deciding what to pick, the Bowie song seemed the obvious choice. So, here you go. Enjoy.

Influences

All week with my boss away I've had Charlie Rose on in the background (while working, of course), and it's been amazing. Yesterday I listened to two interviews with Ian McEwan (see below) and one with Christopher Hitchens (McEwan's best friend, interestingly enough), and today I'm combing through the Hunter S. Thompson archive (2nd clip below). Just hearing Thompson interviewed by someone so intellectual - and insightful - allows him to get beyond his Gonzo shtick and really articulate his passion for writing.

Also, I've included interviews with Wes Anderson (my favorite all-time director, next to Stanley Kubrick) and Fiona Apple (my future ex-wife).

Can't tell you how inspired I am right now, wanting to absorb and devour as many books as I can get my hands on. This morning I started "Motherless Brooklyn" by Jonathon Lethem (it's a great read) - and then just discovered a moment ago that it's being turned into a movie directed by Edward Norton!

More to come soon.

New Films I'm Looking Forward To

MARGOT AT THE WEDDING - DIRECTED BY NOAH BAUMBACH

THE DARJEELING LIMITED - DIRECTED BY WES ANDERSON

I'M NOT THERE - DIRECTED BY TODD HAYNES (WITH 6 ACTORS - INCLUDING CATE BLANCHETT - PORTRAYING DYLAN)

The Thing Quarterly

THE THING is an object based quarterly publication. Each issue of THE THING is conceived of by an individual artist, wrapped by the editors (Jonn Hershend and Will Rogan) and sent to the subscribers. The first four artists creating objects for THE THING are:

* Miranda July
* Anne Walsh
* Kota Ezawa
* Trisha Donnelly

Wolf Parade - I'll Believe in Anything

This song is so beautiful. Gonna try and see them Wednesday night at the Great American Music Hall.

Taking Off

Been reading The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel each morning before work. Her narratives are so simple (often no more than 3 pages each) yet abstract, and you'll read this seemingly spare piece and wonder what you missed, but just the ambiguity of her conclusions - and the way the most complex of human behaviors get revealed with such minimal brush strokes - leaves you feeling like you just experienced something profound, something that takes you a little closer to the infinite mysteries of the world.

"Each story is so tight, so boiled to bare facts, that all you can do is lie on the floor, face down, and praise it." Chuck Palahniuk.