GLAMOUR WOMEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS

"Glamour is profound. Glamour says I have enough responsibility to take responsibility for myself and the time and spaces that I occupy. That's Glamour. Saying I want to be as beautiful as I can be. To myself first, and then Anybody else who has enough sense to see me." -Maya Angelou

Carnegie Hall last night for the Glamour Women of the Year Awards. as I was sitting (for the first time) in Carnage hall where the Philharmonic played until the 60s (and was moved to its current home in the Lincoln Center). I was sitting in my third tier balcony seats (with all the working girls... we were a set... and about half of us were working on our phones during the event. (a woman in front of me had three phones in her lap). I was looking at the regal theater and watching these mothers and daughters and WOMEN file in. I thought about all the people who have sat here for decades. I watched and got ansy as people did not take their seats. I did not know it was going to be a very moving night.


Bill Clinton introuduced Maya Angelou* and the 81 year young (as bill said). She came to the podium escorted and hunched and sat on a stool. She personified the short film that preceeded her speech. You could literly see her gain stregnth from words as she spoke. She started facing the floor, the top of her head to the audience. As she spoke the words REALLY gave her power as she was up and then siting taller and speaking of rainbows and how she saw women as rainbows. She redefined Glamour (the quote above I am sure the magazine editors are going to be reusing in their magazine in the future). And in the Power of her words she was no longer an old woman but a vehichal, the poet, transmitting some greater truth.

Maya Angelou as a young woman

I have met both Maya Angelou and Bill Clinton before an.d Bill was also at the event where I first met Maya. It was a fundraiser for John Edwards who was then running for North Carolina Senator. I had braces and was very nervous and I went to the corner of the tent (after getting my picture taken with Clinton Edwards and mygrandfather- he always says that it looks like Bill is grabbing my ass in the picture). I sat with Maya Angelou. And I did not know she was famous but I knew she was special. She told me about energy and the power of excitement and in class, if I get excited.... about any little thing in the lesson. My classmates with start getting excited and spouting ideas and my teacher and magic happens. I remembered that. I know what summer I met her because I remember taking her advice in the classroom and at dinner parties and everything.

I met Bill in Charleston South Carolina when I was very young at a conference with my family. Bill was running for office and Dad was at the conference to speak about possibility of newspapers on the internet and his dedication to help make the internet useful and accessible for people other than scientists. And I found friends and ran off and was trying to figure out how to use a payphone for the first time to let my mom know I Was going up to Mrs Americas daughters hotel room to play nentiendo. I also had no money and I asked the first crotch that came out of the bathroom (I was so young I was about waist height to adults) to help me. And Bill did.

He spoke last night of Maya inducting him into office with her poem and that how she wrote it was by holing herself up in a hotel room for a month (prolly exaggeration of time) but with nothing but a bible a thesaurus and a lot of sherry and filled 5 legal pads with words.

Jane Aronson a pediatrician who is super involved in the Worldwise orphans Foundation was introduced by Katie Couric. Jane was so moved.... she made Kate come to the microphone and was silently crying that she did not know what to say... then they brought out all these orphans (all ages) who live in the city that she has helped and she immediately -- you could see it-- was so comfortable and it was a magnificent call to give her the award... what a woman who has effected so much change.

Euna Lee and Laura Ling

While it was Catherine Zeta Jones who rather mildly introduced Euna Lee and Laura Ling (the journalists for Current TV who were jailed for stepping into North Korea, trying to report on the problem of human trafficing and the problem refugees face. Bill Clinton also mentioned them when introducing Maya. (he was the one who personally negotiated their release.) They did videos of each of the honorees... background, clips, interviews with other people talking about them, whatever. And I loved the message they presented for these women.... which was really about a dedication to tell the story for those who cannot tell the story themselves. I love it

Marissa Mayer, google vice-president and the was introduced by Matt Lauer of the today show, I thought he did an ok job of introducing her but once again the video was great... playing on google and our familiarity with their products. She spoke about organizing the worlds information when she accepted her award and I really felt the presence of a strong business woman who was shaping and creating my world (as I type this on gmail and google everything as I write). She was super cute as well. and I thought her outfit was good... (orange top and Purple skirt, fabric that caught the light and looked really good with her blonde hair and christian loubitians and the bright red award she held while speaking)


Tyra walked up. Standing so tall and looking so good in a tan below the knee but not floor length kaki jersey dress. She killed it. opened with an analogy of the physical power and presence of sarenas body (at the wax museum) and used that analogy of power and presence to sarenas work. Sarena Williams came to take the award. and I really could feel that she is going to ROCK our world in the future (first on the video I was most impressed with her falling from #1 to #140 in rankings and then busting her ass to get back to the top). When she accepted her award she was touched etc but she said (and I could really feel it) that this was nothing, she feels like she hasnt doe anything. (and as she said that I watched heads in the ground floor (the special and honored people) all nodding... and that is what people who do so much thing... this is nothing compared to what I can and will do. Future. moving forward. LOVE IT!

Stella McCartney I have not always jumped to in the past. I do not know why. She was introduced by Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon; Olivia Harrison, widow of George; and Ringo Starr's wife, Barbara Starkey and I watched these women speak about watching Stella grow up from a little girl and talk about how they knew her as a little girl and contrast this to the video interviews where Kate Hudson is laughing about how Stella makes babies and the female strength that is passed down through generations. (I also thought of some small connections, my friend Augusta, daughter of the late Maureen Starkey , Ringo Starrs first wife and her struggle to really take hold of her life like the marvelous women we were honoring. I also wondered about the sister Mary McCartney whom I met at her photography exhibition at the Goss Gallery (GossMichaelFoundation in Dallas, which is owned by George Michael and his boyfriend, Dallas native, Kenny Goss). She seemed like a reserved woman, I loved her pictures and I was marveling at the creativity of that family.

Amy Poehler was introduced by her producer and when she accepted her award, I could feel her energy and life. She has a show called "Smart Girls at the Party" which is about "extraordinary individuals who are changing the world by being themselves." She had everyone in the audience think back to when they were 10 years old (she said the adult me is surprised that I have this award but the 10 year old in me always knew I would get this award.) She also talked about how important incredible friends are, and mentioned that her friends made her a CD of Shania Twains "I feel like a Woman" (36 tracks of I feel like a woman) and they listened to it the whole way to the ceremony.

Michael Douglas (goal of nuclear free world) introduced Susan Rice , our Ambassador to the United Nations. She had been our assistant Secretary for African affairs before this and during her video they focused on her work with Rwanda. The film showed sited I recognised. And I teared up for what seemed like at least the 10th time that evening- seeing coffins and remembering speaking with Virgin (at that site) who lived in hiding for 30 days after her family had been killed in front of her and seeing pictures of Murambi and the Church (I cant remember the name now) where people were slaughtered inside and around. Also showed pics of the Kigali Genocide Memorial. Susan spoke of being in Haiti and the Congo recently and the strength of her voice had so much conviction and power and I was so inspired by her as well.

Rihanna, so young at 21, took the stage after being introduced by model Iman. So young to be receiving the award and so cool, so cool, I am sure that her work with bone marrow transplants and becoming a symbol of domestic violence (after her interview with Barbra Walters the domestic abuse hotline callers JUMPED 59%) but what stood out to me from her video is a young girl who had such internal power and would not let an industry that manufactures people as product turn her into anything other than herself. inspiring.

Christine Amanpour introduced the Woman of Iran One Million Signatures campaign. (legally a woman is one half of a man there) and the video showed the terrible struggle and courage and dissonance they deal with. The arrests the killings and the struggle. What they did not mention (and what I know from studying Iran) is that this is something that these woman had imposed on them AFTER a very free life where women had rights such as we had here---- jobs, clothes, divorce, legal. Women HAD human rights. And those rights were taken away. A few of the women few over and the one who spoke was obviously nervous and shy in front of so many people but she had that fire. that conviction. working for something so RIGHT. I stood to applaud in my section where not really anyone was standing at first.

Maria Shriver was the last woman to accept her award. And let me preface this by saying that I am and have been for a long time, OBSESSED with Maria Shriver. Well obsessed is the wrong word. I greatly admire her. The work she does is tireless and I cannot believe that she has not been a woman of the year before now. "motherhood 24/7 on the front lines of humanity" is a phrase she coined that was not mentioned but I loved a few years ago... she was bringing attention to the work it takes to raise people. She was introduced by Diane Von Furstenburg, whom I also GREATLY admire. Her energy and personality transcends magazine pages and television and radiated up to the third tier balcony. She mentioned all her accomplishments and that motherhood is probably Marias most valued accomplishment. When I first was sitting in the audience watching everyone take their seats (I was early) I was looking through the booklet and texted lisel. talking about being with all these women who have affected so much change. and HELPING OTHERS.

Maria Shriver closed the evening with almost word for word the same things that I sent out to lisel/you at the start of night. She also redirected our thoughts. Many of the recipients had been talking about being your authentic self etc. etc. and Maria brought the focus back around to HELPING OTHERS. And what you can get from that.

Also she spoke and her video spoke about her mother who started the Special Olympics (Arnold and Maria actually stayed in my grandparents house when the Special Olympics was in North Carolina... and I always miss them in Sun Valley... I WILL meet Maria at some point in my life.) BUt there was a theme of women... generation to generation. and the creativity and strength that is passed between women (mother/ daughter but also through REAL friends).

I called Juju (my grandmother) immediately after. I am lucky that she was actually in town and we weren't going to see each other that evening (they had a dinner) but met for a drink right after the ceremony and I got to share my evening with her and we spoke about women. Together. and I was inspired.

*(all introductions not in the order they happened in real life)

Two recipes to cheer you up for Fall (steaks and baked apples)

I found two steaks on sale Sunday. Two bone in steaks. $5. Priceless. So I made a nice Fall Feast last night for my self.

I did not know exactly how I was going to cook them, but due to other factors (my brother drank my red wine). I boiled them for the first time.

bone in steak.
wash with cold water and put salt and pepper (lots of pepper) all over the steaks.
take garlic cloves and rub down. Make slits in steak and put garlic cloves in the steak.
place uncooked onion rings all around.
drizzle with olive oil and balsamic.

Broil uncovered for about 10 or 15 minutes on each side.
DELICIOUS.

APPLES.
I thought Halloween left me a little wanting for fall. (Even though the nyc combo of Halloween and the Marathon was very nice).
So I decided to taste fall.

I found some locally grown fresh apples.
I cut out the center (be careful this was not as easy as I thought)
Chop walnuts.
heat lots of butter, a fair amount of brown sugar and a bit of cinnamon in a pan and sautee the walnuts in there. (the mixture should make kind of a nutty syrup for the apples)
Fill apples with the mixture and bake (uncovered) in a glass dish at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve in a giant Margarita glass with a scoop of Ben and Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk.

I have to bring food to work and I was not quite done playing in the kitchen so I used the bones from the steak to make some stock, froze part of it and then made soup. That I am about to eat right now 8).

Charlie Bartlett and August Rush

I have posted one movie... Fierce People

August Rush is about music, how music is every where. The power of music. The power of love. It stars another very talented child actor, Freddie Highmore (also Keri Russel, Robin Williams, Terrence Howard and Jonathan Rhys Meyers).

Watch this movie when you want something deep and fabulous. You will cry in that fantastic life way.

Charlie Bartlett I watch twice every time I try to watch it once. (actually this is the same with all three of the movies I've recommended)

Charlie Bartlett, which has the same main character, Anton Yelchin. Anton is undeniably talented and chooses his roles very well. Charlie Bartlett fantastic see the trailer. AND WATCH IT. The movie is fun, a teenage romance of modern day. It deals with real issues and people. (also stars Robert Downey Jr., Hope Davis and Kat Dennings.)

Poughkeepskie

This past Sunday I went on a double date up to visit the Culinary Institute of America in Poughkeepski, New York. I didn't realise until we got there (after a 2 hour train ride from Grand Central) that the school is located in an old monastery.

The main cooking classes are in the monastery, the big building in the center of the school. The chapel center now serves as a dining hall, complete with the original stained glass. I find this former worship area an appropriate place for eating at a culinary institute.

J. King, a graduate of CIA took us around. He showed us the classrooms, professional kitchens throughout the monastery. And explained each room. We saw the asian room and the BIGGEST Woks I've ever seen. JKing told us about one professor who could de-junk a line of shrimp in second (whosh whosh- with two swipes of the knife) and the shrimp are sans-gunk.

There were pictures of the finished daily coursework and I was very impressed with the presentation. They really are being educated for 5 star restaurants. We walked past more and more rooms and James told us that each class cooks for all the other students, so you never eat your own food.

(p.s. I also noticed that there was hand sanitizer dispensers on the walls all over the school)

We walked around the campus enjoying the warm fall day. The combination of the trees' colors; the view of the Hudson River and the incredible buildings made me reminiscent of boarding school and gave me a sense of future possibilities.

The restaurants were closed but there are three 5 star restaurants that are student run. JKing's favorite is the American Bounty restaurant and there is an Italian one (complete with a back garden and a wine tasting room were you learn wine parings, a french one and an apple pie cafe where JKing claims the best Apple Cider.

Everyone who is there is taken over by food. Having a beer outside by the clay tennis court behind the student center, I read an article about food porn (link is to a similar article written by the same author) in the student newspaper, La Papillote. It compared people watching the foodnetwork and watching people do complicated dishes that takes a great amount of training (never to be tried in the viewers own kitchen) and was quite interesting.

I walked through the casual student grill (the menu was delicious featuring gourmet soups served in paper cups and turkey sand witches with cranberry mayonnaise. It was interesting to listen to the students talking. All about food. Talking about how some friend found goat cheese for his soup and laughing haughtily at some culinary fact that was above my head.

Before we left we sat over a high ledge on the Hudson watching the sun set (If I can, I will get a few of the pictures from Lisel and post one) It was beautiful, the train tracks down a steep rock ledge and the hues of the trees highlighted by the setting sun and a tugboat going by.

At a bar waiting for the train a man asked me if we'd come up to see the pedestrian bridge that had recently opened. I told him no, but while driving, that we had discussed the huge number of people walking on the bridge. Turns out it is the worlds longest pedestrian bridge and a new destination for walkers. It just opened earlier this month by this mans group, Walkway over the Hudson.

GOLDFISH!!!!

Check out Soundtracks and Comebacks... these pictures are from the fantastic animation in the video.

BEST MUSIC EVER!
I know that I say this all the time... but it is true. Lisel sent me this South African techno band. called Goldfish. Check them out, they are FANTASTIC!
More funky techno song called Fort Knox

This is the guy who rocks the Sax and spins and these boys are just fantastic!

Middle East International Film Festival

As you know I am fascinated with Oceans and while following around yet another movie that so magnificently showcases my favorite thing on the planet (Oceans preview from Disney to be released on Earth on day so I will write about that later) I found some thing more interesting.....The Middle East International Film Festival

I vote for Sons of Babylon, --preview--- it is about a boy & his grandmother (pictured above) as they travel around Iraq in post Saddam era. The preview ignites my curiosity and excitement so much. I am excited to have a human story to give face to Iraq. I have had an irrevocable affect on Iraq, the people and the future; all without personally lifting a finger. And I do not even know what that effect really means. I am so ready for this movie.




Bombay Summer. Part of why I am so excited about his movie is Joseph Mathew, who wrote, produced and directed this movie. I think he is a bad ass: leaving India in '94 to study finance in the USA, then realising that he was a creative and joined the Associated Press to work on photojournalism and film making, and making 2 awesome documentaries and now there is Bombay Summer, his first feature movie. It follows a career woman who falls in love with an artist, the story is about kindred spirits, self discovery, rural vs. city life and when life forces you to make decisions. And it is set in India.

and maybe Hipsters, set in 1950s Soviet Union, its a musical whose heroine lives in a "kaleidoscopic world of fashion, jazz, music and swing dancing."* I cannot help but be reminded of the book The Unbearable Lightness of Being (the best book ever and AdS' favorite- even though the book is from a different time (1970s) and takes place in the satellite states, not USSR like the movie. I think I will love the crazy female character and the excitement of loving life against such outright oppression. A review from the tronto film festival best describes the movie as "a vibrant musical (that) might not be what you'd expect from contemporary Russian cinema, but Valery Toforovsky's Hipsters is an Iron Curtain version of Swing Kids meets Hairspray, bursting with razzle, dazzle and of course, rhythm."

*quotes from Variety weekly edition meiff section

KD's October Stuffing

It occurred to me that I could essentially make a stuffing out of anything so I tried for one with Mushrooms, red peppers, shredded carrots, onions and hot sausage and peas. It was so good. I took the long route- I made this on day two of cooking and it was my weekend masterpiece.

S&P, thyme, parsley
red peppers 3 eggs
carrots wheat bread
milk & butter OR can cream of chicken
mushrooms Hot Italian Sausage
onions frozen peas

1. Either get break crumbs or Lightly Toast a little less than a loaf of wheat bread and cut into little squares; place in big mixing bowl

2. Make the Veggies

• cut an onion or two in supersuper small chunks (everything is really small)
• use a peeler to peel all of the carrot into super small flakes (note- this is easier with a large carrot- I only had the bags of little carrots so I used a cheese grater)
• cut up mushrooms (brown) also into super small chunks
• peas (frozen- already thawed) need the least amount of peas
• 2 or 3 red peppers, also diced

combine all in a sauteing pan with olive oil, butter, salt, pepper and thyme.
stir constantly- it should be basically filled to the top with veggies (also when combining the veggies in the pan go from hardest veggie to softest because they take longer)-- also this mixture smells SO delicious and it smelled like my dads cooking which I did not plan on and it was soooo yummy smelling and it took me back!

3. Take a whole package of hot Italian sausage and take it out of the casings and cook in a separate saucepan

4. (I didn't want to use cream of chicken- so I kind of made a cream of sausage- take fat from sausage pan and heat in small pan with a small amount of water, melt in a fair amount of butter piece by piece stirring w fork or whisking the whole time, adding salt at intervals to help it bond, then pour in milk or cream while still whisking. add your cream of sausage (or a can of cream of chicken, or I guess cream of mushroom or whatever, to the veggie mix and bring to a boil, cover and let simmer after boiling and stirring for awhile.

5. Beat 3 eggs with parsley and salt and pepper.

6. combine sausage pieces with the bread pieces and then pour egg mixture all over- try to get all the bread pieces completely coated with egg (Its fun to use your hands for this but watch out for the salmonella factor)

7. Take huge soup or big chilli pot and combine bread/sausage mixture in the pot (best to do a bit from each mixture and stir & repeat till all mixed in pot. Pour mixture into cast iron skillet. Garnish on the top with extra shaved carrot pieces.

8. Bake at 375 or 350ish for 30 minutes- covered with tin foil. Take tin foil off and bake for another 10 minutes


Umm this is so good. It is the best lazy food in the world. I think I am going to invent another one soon with all kinds of veggies.... also I cooked a casserole and beets and mashed potatoes and a cake and THE BEST Green Beans EVER this weekend

There was actually a point where Katie, MK and I were all sitting on stools in my TINY kitchen shelling green beans and henning away drinking sweet tea!
Take beans, shell and wash. Put in water with pieces of onion (a very few) and rip up a piece of bacon. Add Salt, Pepper, brown sugar, basil, and a dash of clove powder and a dash of Cinnamon. Boil ALL DAY (to quote Katie "You boil the shit outta 'em"), do not cover the pot and add water continuously as it evaporates (maybe some spice replenishing as well)

Coming soon- I have all these finely shopped beets and my friend Josh stopped by this weekend as well, and told me about his boyfriend's Costa Rican beet dish that is like egg salad with hard boiled eggs and beets and mayo and cooked carrots.... I am going to work on that one and figure it out and post lates. Lovelovelove to cook!

discoBISCUITS and a BANJO n BROOKLYN

Ahhh what a weekend. The discobiscuits KILLED it last night at The Brooklyn Bowl, my new favorite music venue.... I know I am in the right place when I keep running into random people that i know... and GOOD people that I like.

(The lane pitctured next to the wall is the actual lane I was playing from all night)

The stage (in front of just small enough of an area that there is room to dance and it is crowded and you can see from everywhere) is lined with a 16 lane bowling alley. The stage shares this huge space with dark bowling with cool lights. The effect makes for an uber open space that is more comfortable and less claustrophobic than some other intimate venues.


The high ceilings are essential to a good venue, that is part of what makes the Beacon Theater, the rock cathedral, so fantastic. (they just remodeled it... look at the pictures) It is amazing that I somehow associate the brooklyn bowl show last night with the Beacon- a beautiful work of art and a legend in rock and roll history.

(The Beacon Theater)

Before last nights show, I ran into a guy who actually worked at the Beacon when I was backstage earlier this year for the Allman Brothers wtih Warren Haynes. His name is Stan? I think and he is seriuously TCB* at the venues. He is a good man and we spoke about the Bob Wier show at the brooklyn bowl on Friday (I was offered tickets to that through another friend and made the bigkid responsible decision to turn him down... but it was painful; so it was nice to hear about it from this dude- he knows his concerts and he said Bob Wier had a fantastic show)

The disco Biscuits show last night was better than the Allman Brothers show at the Beacon. It was a combination of the people, the music and the fact that I was on and off BOWLING last night. Yeah bowling. and I took care of business as well- three strikes in a row.

DG is usually my concert buddy- no small feat, and although he was missed last night, I enjoyed running around. There was a great dance spot halfway back stage left... that got alittle wierd towards the end, but Jose, one of the several good guys who were TCB* saved my spot on the three steps by the velvet rope that divided the vip bowling alley disco dance party from the bumping crowd.

ALSO- the coolest thing- I met the guy who did all the video instillation's above the Bowling Lanes. He had the sickest moustache I have ever seen. It was somehow a cross between a Hitler square and a bushy handlebar. This was a serious stash, it was well trimmed and did not go down around the sides of his face.

His roommate was behind us spinning music and video while the crowd slowy gathered for the show. Each bowling lane has a HUGE screen over the top of the area where the pins are. We started talking about the mash up videos that were so fantastically mixed with the tunes. I loved that the DJ was actually SPINNING DVDS, so the Michael Jackson mix- it would be a dvd of the jackson five remixed above my lane (as I am throwing strikes DOWN) and that dvd remix would meld with the tunes and it was so good- I don't know if I am doing a good job of explaining this- but he had two turntables and one when he spun it is connected to the video... fantastic. oh and also this dude is my neighbor in manhatthan

The disco Biscuits (I feel like Ive spent so much time babbling about the venue that I didn't mention the fact that they are so good- and it was last night of a several day tour & a full day of traveling.... The business manager also took care of business (that's how I got to be with the cool kids- he is Hil-dogs friend- she met him in a bar) and he is so hospitable and really took care of me (thank you Joey) and the tunes were bumping... as usual it was after the halftime that it got really fantastic- I was musically moved and was rocking out (in all my little areas) and Id keep running into random really great, surprising people. Hagas- bookclub style (it was awesome- I go to what looks like a good spot- find Tyler there- always at the good spots-- then I find Haggas! and we are rocking out dancing Disco style and chatting about book club. Fabulous...

(the adventure continued)
oh- so I left right before the end. I think they might've already started the encore, and was headed back to the L(ove) Train to go to my island and saw these dudes across the street. One has a BANJO. A BANJO. In. BROOKLYN.

I had to stop for a Banjo in Brooklyn. He was about to walk back inside but stayed for a second. His friend came out with the fiddleviolin and they started playing for me. The bartender ran out because apparently jamsessions in the street are a nono when one has neighbors, so we went inside.

I got a tecate on ice with 3 lemons and the bartender and I played the spoons while the waiter stacked chairs and the fiddleviolin & BANJO in BROOKLYN played. (The bartender was way better at the spoons than I was and I kept telling them that they needed to check out the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band from North Carolina) I only stayed for one session (only half my beer). and then I headed home. Very Happy.
oh gave the bartender a copy of the biscuits EP- the show was actully an EP release party and they gave out lots of cds at the door. And that was cool.

*Taking Care of Business
My term for skilled veterans who can control a dancing, hyped up mob of crazy people, most of whom are not sober and many who are on psychedelics. Professionals at takin care of business and no bullshit/no meanness crowd control was highly appreciated last night.

Fierce People for Lisel and Caroline

This post is for Lisel and Caroline (who has somehow not seen this movie dispite the fact that,
Carter, Caroline's cousin turned me on to this movie right when it came out in 07. I immediately watched it again. Every time I watch this movie I watch it twice. That is how good it is. Fierce People 's trailer does an ok job explaining the movie... the movie has such depth of characters and incredibly compelling actors. I love it.
you can currently watch Fierce People at home, it is under the Free Movies on Demand on your tv (I will check this evening and give uber specific directions about how to get to it)

song that makes new york streets feel like a 70s cartoon

Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson have collaborated on an album (Ive only heard the one song on the website) And I LOVE It. Listening to the song makes me think of New York streets turning all cartoon and happy things happen (and I am completely sober Imagining this from my desk at work & I don't even have a working Ipod). Johanasson sounds a bit like Feona Apple circa 2006 on the Extraordinary Machine album but its a duet and it's BETTER. way better. and I like it. I like it a lot. I can't wait to hear the whole album!
YALL LISTEN!! sooo good!

Juju's Breakfast Special

My grandmother, a Southern Lady, whom I call Juju but used to call Pearl every now and then when I was younger. She had an honorary Doctorate from the North Carolina School of The Arts and had a liscense plate that said Dr. Pearl.

She is not a cooking kind of grandmother. She is my best friend and a creative hostess and scene setter and effects change everywhere she goes and has the best conversations. Breakfast is usually my grandfather, Ojie (Japanese for grandfather)'s deal, but Juju has a specialty- which I would love to share with you... it has been a big hit for my house parties as well. ENJOY

EGGY MUFFIN

1 DZ hard boiled eggs, chopped
4 oz. cooked crispy bacon, chopped
4 oz shredded sharp cheddar
2 oz shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 finely chopped onion
blend dry ingredients with mayo

season with S&P,
(some like Dijon mustard, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce--- not me)

• Top English Muffins with the mixture,
• Sprinkle some PARMESAN CHEESE on top of that
• BAKE UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN (sometimes you need to boil them for the brown toasty finish) toaster oven style
  

**ALSO GOOD WITH A SLICE OF TOMATO between eggie mix and parm

Intransigent Demagogues

When I was 14, my teacher Mr. Braun required us to read Us and Them: A History of Intolerance in America. This book and its title made me acutely aware of the dangers of an us vs. them mentality. It made me pay attention to those pronouns and how people use them in conversation.

I once saw Thomas Friedman speak at SMU and chatted with him. I think I irritated him with questions, but I was young, naïve, and fascinated with him, his writing, activism, travels and view of the world.

“Where did the ‘we’ go?” is the title of his op-ed piece in today’s New York Times. He compares our divided political times to the “ugly mood in Israel” in 1995, when he was there to interview Minister Yitzhak Rabin, shortly before he was assassinated.

I like that Friedman pays attention to these pronouns as well. The disappearance of ‘we’ in our politics is deeply scary.

Friedman talks about “our poisonous political environment” where “something very dangerous is happening. Criticism from the far right has begun tipping over into deliegitimation and creating the same kind of climate here that existed in Israel on the eve of the Rabin assignation.”

In the Us and Them book mentioned above, walks the reader through American history where environments of unchecked hate made unspeakable atrocities possible.

Today I also came across this video from yesterday when Bette Midler speaks of Glenn Beck.

"I've never had a laugh from Glenn Beck," she says. "I find him terrifying... he's like an old school demagogue and it's really frightening. If you look around the world and what this kind of behavior has done, like in Rwanda, where the demagogues got on the radio and fermented all that hate...."

demagogy: "a strategy for gaining political power by appealing to the prejudices, emotions, fears and expectations of the public- typically via impassioned rhetoric and propaganda, and often using nationalist, populist or religious themes."

Now I have actually been to Rwanda and around the time Friedman was in Israel, Midler is right, the hate spued on the Rwandan radio was relentless. It was an environment of accepted hate and 'jokes' about killing, like the American comments in the links lised below, were common. That environment exploded. A political assassination spurned people to atrocities against neighbors, families, children. Slaughters occurred in Christian Churches, Schools, homes. Because people were SO blinded by hate.

In the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, they played radio exerts of these demagogues. When intransigent people have microphones. It makes their position seem legitimate.

intransigent: (uncompromising) characterized by a refusal to compromise or to abandon an extreme position or attitude

Friedman concludes his article by wondering if "we can seriously discuss serious issues any longer and make decisions on the basis of the national interest."

"We can't change this overnight," he writes, "but what we can change, and must change, is people crossing the line between criticizing the president and tacitly encouraging the unthinkable and the unforgivable."

To leave you with:

a Daily Beast article and video from April '09 that talks about the militia movement against Obama in America.

(added)

Rolling Stone article from October issue- The Lie Machine, by Tim Dickinson.

-- very good and well researched article. also the graphic which I will scan later if i can; mentions 'Missouri high school bans marching band t-shirt for promoting evolution (the graphic of the shirt shows an ape to a human evolution chart with each monkey/caveman playing an instrument.

--- also mentions that "the GOP candidate for governor of Idaho (Rex Rammell) jokes about a hunting permit to shoot Obama" and even worse is his apology which I found when checking the veracity of that threat

neW yOrK

“iT wOuLdn’t Be nEw yOrk WiThOut UpTowN,

where CHIC ways and cool

sOphIsTicAtIon

rEside wIth the uRbaNitY &
ThoRoUghBred VaNiTy,
the cOUtUre
aNd tHe deMUre
aNd THe
delighTfully cOlOrful
inSaniTy
that RuNs
in The fAmiLy TrEes.

We’Re ToO RicH
and
TOo tHin,
aNd
wE liKe OuR GiN.
We’Re Old SchOOl, BLue BlOOd,
cluBBy
anD CRuSty
anD HoiTy-ToiTy
Too.

iT wOuLdN’t Be nEW YoRK wIThOuT DoWnToWn,

WhErE all the FreAks And GeeKs and MaDcaPs sWaRM,
where BoHeMians buZZ
and
BeaTs flee The fuZZ
and PunKIes and DrunKIes
StILl
Rub ElbOwS WiTh JunKieS,
all for
the sake of ART.

wE’rE thE nEw SchoOl, And We PlaY the fOOl
anD we’lL gO To
tHe OPenInG Of a dOoR.

wE’rE AvAnT aNd pROuD,
maYBe a LiTtle biT LoUd,
buT It WouLdN’t Be OuR pArTy unlEsS iT waS
CHIchi & aRtY,

a GaThErIng oF aLl thE TriBEs in tHis TowN.

SoCiaLiteS & TrOgloDyTes,
MohAwKs & drEAdLocKs,
sTone FoX & bOtOx.

wE gO UpToWn jUsT 2 GeT dOwn…..

& TodAy Its HarD To TelL whOs frOm wHeRe, ANd, rEalLy,
wHo cAres?

ThE tRuTh Is tHat
NeW YoRK Is An ALl-ArOund toWn.”

Lucy Madison March interview

Spin Junkies (Jay-Z + Greatful Dead = true LOVE)

(CLICK TO LISTEN TO WHAT IM TALKIN ABOUT) It seems like Jay- Z has been everywhere with his new album release.... I hear people blasting it out of cars on the street (BLASTING) I overhear it in people's ipods and all over the streets. Last night I was walking to go chat with Katie and MK and listening to some old school JZ on Anna's Ipod. I realised that although Jay-Z has just surpassed ELVIS, the KING, with number one albums that my favorite work of his is actually his stuff that is remixed by the SPIN JUNKIES.

The spin junkies are (i guess) girltalk style if I am trying to associate it with anything.. but SOOOO much better. Their Jay- Z mashup (linked below) is a combo of his Dark Album and Greatful dead tunes. How AWESOME is that. I really enjoy it better than Jay-Z. They call it "The White Album."

Its these Colorado crazies who did the mash up, and Ive heard that when JAy-Z heard the music he loved it and thought it was so great (hey- yall will too when you listen to it... you can't deny greatness and these songs are fantastic), but despite the fact that jay-z liked it the lawyers got involved... but we can still listen to it.

I would like to recommend 99 Problems and Change clothes on the playlist on the link. its soooo good.

African Manuscripts and Music Festivals (with a dash of Jimmy Buffet)

image from

So I am reading that Time article about these old Manuscripts in Africa and getting so excited because manuscripts are so historically important to have (especially since we colonists basically rewrote the history and these manuscripts are located in a place called Timbuktu... and that is pretty cool.

Well they mention this Music Festival that is near there called Festival of the Desert. And I realise I TOTALLY know this spot... it jogged my memory of one of my fav Vanity Fair articles I read years back. About Jimmy Buffet, dude who founded Island Records (Bob Marley's label) and the guy who used to run MTV and then runs every thing (read= Viacom) and then I think he got fired.

This article is WORTH READING i talks about Mali and Music and tells about Jimmy Buffet (love) and a music festival in the desert that uses generators for amps and a fire pit for light at night.

Note that this is on my FESTIVALS to ATTEND list
others are
Sun Jam: this is technoey, but Liz's cousin (by marriage) is a DJ and he and his friend started this a few years back on this deserted island off of Honduras. Now its the real deal and awesome and (although we had to postpone this summer because Liz got preggers--- HAVING BABY TOMORROW!!!! I'm totally going next year)
Zozobra: DG discovered this festival... and attended last year....they build "old man gloom" who symbolizes all the hardships and despair of the past year. and then you burn him. and all your hardships and despair Its very cool. Very Pagan see documentary in two parts 1 / 2

Nod to The 90s:Lisa Loeb

Sooo I am just thinking that I am getting over the fact that everyone is getting married when everyone starts having kids (shout out LIZ & MANDY & SONS!!!). And I read today that dear Lisa Loeb is also due this winter.... Lisa Loeb who I listened to all through 8th grade spring break when I had gotten my cornea scratched and had to wear gauze taped to my face in Miami and the Bahamas and I got a sunburn that included the tape going down my cheek and my face was kind of off color all summer). So Ive been listening to her all day....

The one that was popular
My Dreamer Song
THE BEST ONE
Only listen to after you get dumped- ONLY not appropriate or enjoyed at any other time.
The one that talks about a moron talking.

my coworker walked by and I told her I was bringing back Lisa Loeb today. She hates lisa loeb. I love her in my girl rock lady jam section.

A different Conversation about Religion & Jeremy Hilary Boob

I found Lisa Miller's Newsweek article, "Out, Out Damn Atheists" that reviews Karen Armstrong's new book "The Case for God."

Karen, a former Roman Catholic Nun who rejected her faith talks in her book about what it all really is by talking about the part of religion that I like, recognising that there is an unknown. (And acknowledging that. And circling and circling closer and closer to a truth that you WILL never get no matter what you do because you can't. Because we are human.)

Summary of Karen Armstrong's Argument by Lisa Miller: To oversimplify: "faith" and "reason" are not like political parties. You don't join one after having been convinced via argument of its validity. What the Greeks called logos and what they called mythos define two different aspects of the world and our experience in it: the knowable and the unknowable. You can believe in both. The bridge between them, Armstrong submits, is not the snarky badinage or righteous browbeating that has so defined faith-versus-reason debates of late, but practice.

She writes, "Jews, Christians, and Muslims all knew that revealed truth was symbolic, that scripture could not be interpreted literally, and that sacred texts had multiple meanings, and could lead to entirely fresh insights. Revelation was not an event that happened once in the distant past, but an ongoing, creative process. (from "The Case for God" Karen Armstrong)

"This critique has not been articulated often or clearly enough: the new atheists are, in effect, buying into one particular modern, Western fundamentalist notion of God in order to make God look ridiculous and knock it down... She has a special affinity for the mystics...all these, she argues, access transcendence through disciplined work, through failure, anxiety, and the redoubling of effort. By submitting to the unknown, mystics are supposed to become more wise and more loving. At its best then, mythos has a positive, pragmatic effect on logos." (from Lisa Miller)

(Jeremy Hilary Boob from the Yellow Submarine)

I love that this conversation has been started. It takes me back to the most Ive learned about the unknown, a graduate class my professor Jeremy deQ. Adams allowed me to take at SMU. (let me note that professor Adams is a New Orleans born medievalist who used to teach at Oxford in London and party with the Beatles. FACT: he is the inspiration for the Professor in the Yellow Submarine- the Beatles actually called him Jeremy Hilary Boob, yeah, you know the song "the Nowhere Man" YEP. Professor Adams is the NOWHERE man.... and the song totally makes sense when you listen to him string together millions of ideas and listen/ watch his brain dance over centuries in class (and over tea at his awesome house that looks like a museum)

The class was on St. Augustine of Hippo (a partyboy who wasn't religous and then was so moved while volunterring in Northern Africa by the women who were victems of rape-as-a-tool-of-war and became religous... but not before he first figured out the unknown for himself and kind of REASONED the explinations that he found in religous texts- today he is known as one of the 4 Drs of the church, the intellectual Dr) and the City of God and the transition from Rome (and the state as the governor of ideas to the Christian Church and its subsequent organization of people after the sack of the Vandals) I was going to babble on about all this but link to the sparknotes is good- I might return to this topic later.

The last thing to mention is Hudson Smiths Book, The World Religions, which is a book that I carry around all the time, for years, and it explains very well, the world's religions. Not the fanatical or political or misconstrued elements of the religions. But the mystical, truth seeking and ways this way of seeing has tried to unravel that that is unknown. (Although I don't like the picture on the cover I linked too... mine is pretty and white and looks like a real book).






.... calls attention to the differences in reason and faith.

These days are so fanatical and I feel like I am confronted with straight up morons. I do not think Karen Armstrong is a moron and I am

Photographs of Women

I love this image of Anna Wintour. Since the release of The September Issue people seem to have come around to like the editor of Vogue. I have always thought that people who enjoy shouting opinions of a businesswoman in the gossipy character are ridiculous, and seem soooo small when juxtaposed with her hard earned power and accomplishments.

I just can't help but respect a woman who is at the head of her business who gets shit done. And I enjoy it when I find a businesswoman that I can check in on every now and then to inspire me with encouragement, confidence in my own decisions, and a reminder that you should not fear extending your own power or trying to be the best at what you do.

I love this picture, emailed to me on the Guest of a Guest newsletter, because this is the editor I respect. Photographed working.

I love this picture for the aesthetics, the symbolism in the shadow she casts. I love this picture for the combination of the vertical woman towering over the horizontal rows of fashion week. I love that she is there, in the lights, before all the goodies and bottles of water have been touched by anyone else. I love how she crosses her legs (mostly because I do that too).

Diane Birch

This morning I was sitting at my desk journaling (the hand written kind). My office mate loves teenyboppers and MTV and this morning our office TV was turned to music videos. (WHAT A GREAT DAY! because Imagine my pleasure and rip roaring feeling of CONGRATS and happiness of success to a deserving talented girl when I saw that Diane Birch, Nothing but a Miracle has made it to #18 on MTV video countdown.

It was a while back, either a few months or several weeks ago, that I came across the music of Diane Birch. I sent the information to Lisel and Caroline (part of the millions of emails I sent them that have resulted in this space for my pearls).

I was so impressed with both her voice and raw woman sound (in my category of girl rock badass calm music). I did research and saw that she was just a talented girl with something to sing at a piano. She had lots of travel (see AFriCa) under her belt, and rebelled against her Christian parents. All inspiring things.

I ran into her at Norwood two weeks ago and told her how much I loved her music. I am so excited (both for her and for the fact that tiny boppers have embraced such real raw talent)


GO DIANE!!!!!


This is a Picture from that night of my Friend Lucy Inman and Diane Birch.

The Red Book

Sunday New York Times Magazine... always has good stuff.... secret red book coming to light after laying dusty for years, but a know genius exploring between reality and not... with drawings... notes... and thoughts about the unconscious and conscious. I love it.

Devin and the Dude

I saw Caroline this weekend- she is such a good hostess and took great care of me. (Thanks) Most important to the two or three people I share this blog with is Devin and the Dude, a Houston Rapper- good ole slow jams that make me happy.
Devin and the Dude: What a Job (feat. Snoop Dogg and Andre 3000)
(this one is my favorite and I had to keep playing it on replay)

She also recommends of Devin and the Dude
almighty dollar
broccoli and cheese
what a job
she want that money
No longer needed here

Roald Dahl- the sexist man alive

I love Rhald Dahl. I always have loved his imagination and honour. As a child I appreciated his ability to expose his readers and characters to truly scary things. The reality of deceit (The Witches). The fact that people who are supposed to love you do not always love you (Matilda).

I have been reading his adult novels in the last few years. Dahl's Tales of Uncle Oswald are rip roaring and give me a masculine character of Wimsey that is usually regulated (in literature) to characters lie Aunt Mame or Aunt Augusta (from Graham Greene's Travels with My Aunt). It is the most surprisingly sexiest thing I've ever read.

I was at a Steeplechase in the beautiful country of Tennessee. It was my kind of Steeplechase as these people were in the book world and gave all of the guests books. I found Roald Dahl's book of short stories- Skin and other stories and in reading these I really realised the complicated yet simple, funny and truthful (revealing?) tales that Dahl told. I read Skin aloud to my family in the car. The plot is here- read it. I was struck by the truthful moral in the story about knowing your audience and recognising how valuable information in and that you are to be aware and responsible and use discretion with how much information (about yourself) you give away- and to whom. Not everyone cares for you.



All these wonderful things made me really appreciate what I found yesterday in the Houston airport. Jennet Conant has written a book that adds to the Myth of Roald Dahl, a myth that I like and will carry with me. The book is The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the Brittish Spy Ring in Wartime Washington. I only just started it yesterday (and tried to not be too zealous so I can work on finishing my other book for book club; and finish a fantastic book Ive been working on, T.J. Stiles, The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt.

The curator of the CIA's historical Intelligence Collection, Hayden B. Peake, reviewed the book and found it to have little intelligence value. But the point, the fantastic point, is that "For those interested in WW II Washington society and politics, however, The Irregulars has much of significance and Dahl is the centerpiece of attention." It all sounds delightful to me!

A little bit of a big pie

I used to be way more involved in international affairs than I am today. I still, however, love to understand larger more complex conflicts through very real issues. It makes it personal and it makes me understand what the people who make up a conflict are going though (which is what makes up the conflict itself.)

Case in point: the Middle East issues with territories and states and political lines appears in Facebook as people write their nationalities in their profiles. Interesting article.

Taro Gomi/ Coloring Books

I am a big fan of coloring. When I lived in Dallas I would throw soup parties. Cook soup all day and send a giant text for all my friends to stop by anytime all night for some soup. People would end up popping in, some staying all night, some coming by after dinner, some before. We would usually sit around the table coloring for hours.

While hosting a house party I found the coolest coloring book in the world I set up the bathroom like an art studio and all night everyone colored to their little hearts content. This coloring book was the most adult friendly and funny book ever, not surprising since it is written by Taro Gomi, the Japanese artist responsible for the most popular bathroom book in the world, Everybody poops.

Check out these drawings (photographed in b&w- a little against the fabulous bright colors that this book encourages) by my friends from Summer 2009

I drafted this post long ago- back when I was a bit scared about posting and before I realised that this is my own little journal spot..... I am posting it now because of my second great coloring book find. I also found this in the Houston Airport (between this and The Irregulars and these golf balls that look like 8 balls- I had quite a successful layover).

Nellie Ryan, an artist from over the pond (in the UK) does adorable girly work and her coloring book Fabulous Doodles, is super cute (it is highly evocative of Taro Gomi's book). I would recommend Nelly Ryan's Fabulous Doodles for a girl (of any age but for sure a girl) and Taro Gomi's book for your future dinner parties.

I think that Taro Gomi's doodle book is better than Nellie Ryan's. Each book has little instructions at the top and gives creative encouragement, but I think that Gomi's prompts stretch the mind and set up the possibilities of a more unique and random drawing.

See below some copyrighted images from Amazon's preview of Taro Gomi's Book