Monday, February 27, 2006
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Tom Ford's Hollywood
My co-worker and I looked at it yesterday. For all the controversy, the sad thing is, his issue truly reflects how most people in power feel about women in this industry.
I'm too busy to go off on this piece of boring bullshit. I think I can sum it up by saying, good for Rachel McAdams. I find it very interesting that when Eric Bana (who is not that well known to the general public) was uncomfortable with Ford's concept, it was changed. When Rachel who stared in 4 hits (in different genres), was uncomfortable she was no longer on the cover and not even in the magazine. She is one of the few up and coming actresses who is acknowleged as not just pretty but also very talented. I guess that means nothing because she wouldn't take her clothes off.
Nudity in art can be really beautiful, powerful or provocative, sometimes all at the same time. It's as if VF only went for provocative so there is nothing artistic about the overall theme of this issue. I actually like Sienna's picture but what is up with the theme of naked female body parts juxtaposed to clothed men. Please stop with the "oh but he's gay". Just because a man is gay doesn't mean he is automatically more "female friendly" then a straight man. That is a stereotype. Some of the most sexist men I have met in my life were gay.
If Tom wanted to put peole in the issue that were fresh, why is Jennifer Aniston in it? She is constantly on the newstand covers. He says that Hollywood is made of artists and craftmen, where are they?
Mr. Carter in his editor's letters has been bashing Bush for years, mainly for being shallow. Hello, does Carter read his magazine? Oh right, that great philosopher of our times (THAT'S HOT!!) Ms. Hilton, was on the cover a couple issues ago. Having an article on the Sudan and other important topics once in a while doesn't take away VF's sad attempt to compete with Life and Style. It's not working, circulation is still down. I stopped my subscription a couple years ago and don't buy it the newstand. I actually miss Tina Brown.
I'm too busy to go off on this piece of boring bullshit. I think I can sum it up by saying, good for Rachel McAdams. I find it very interesting that when Eric Bana (who is not that well known to the general public) was uncomfortable with Ford's concept, it was changed. When Rachel who stared in 4 hits (in different genres), was uncomfortable she was no longer on the cover and not even in the magazine. She is one of the few up and coming actresses who is acknowleged as not just pretty but also very talented. I guess that means nothing because she wouldn't take her clothes off.
Nudity in art can be really beautiful, powerful or provocative, sometimes all at the same time. It's as if VF only went for provocative so there is nothing artistic about the overall theme of this issue. I actually like Sienna's picture but what is up with the theme of naked female body parts juxtaposed to clothed men. Please stop with the "oh but he's gay". Just because a man is gay doesn't mean he is automatically more "female friendly" then a straight man. That is a stereotype. Some of the most sexist men I have met in my life were gay.
If Tom wanted to put peole in the issue that were fresh, why is Jennifer Aniston in it? She is constantly on the newstand covers. He says that Hollywood is made of artists and craftmen, where are they?
Mr. Carter in his editor's letters has been bashing Bush for years, mainly for being shallow. Hello, does Carter read his magazine? Oh right, that great philosopher of our times (THAT'S HOT!!) Ms. Hilton, was on the cover a couple issues ago. Having an article on the Sudan and other important topics once in a while doesn't take away VF's sad attempt to compete with Life and Style. It's not working, circulation is still down. I stopped my subscription a couple years ago and don't buy it the newstand. I actually miss Tina Brown.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Is this week over yet?
Things just keep getting better. I had the worst fight with my landlord. She called me yesterday afternoon saying I had three days to pay her almost $800. She bought the building recently and try to illegally raise my rent...twice. When she sent the rent increase letter (without 30 days notice) it was little less then what I was paying so that is what I paid.
I called the LA office of rent stablization to find out what my rights were.
After a very heated "discussion" this morning, she is not going to raise my rent until the fall but I still have to pay over $600 in back rent. Thank god I keep good records. I sent her copies of canceled checks to prove that her attempt to increase my rent again in May (after raising it in the fall) was illegal. Needless to say the last 24 hours were not fun.
They were serving some Prosecco (italian sparkling wine) at a reception in the courtyard, before class last night. I had just been on my cellphone with my sister talking about the crazy landlord. I walked into the courtyard a little wound up. However, after seeing my friends and a class of wine I calmed the hell down.
I had to tell the class what I did on Valentine's Day (see previous post). Our professor was in rare form last night. He thought my proclamation was funny. He told the other single person in the class, it's a good thing she doesn't own any cats. Il cane? Buono. Il gatto? Non.
Okay I was being a little melodramtic in my earlier post. I have this bad habit of when something goes wrong/upsets me, I do a greatest hits rundown of all the things that are wrong. This of course gets me more upset. It all started with reading in the trades about yet another boy-wonder writer/director under 30 who signed a multi-million dollar deal. Then dealing with flaky people who say they are going to do something but don't. Ugh, one of my biggest pet peeves. Why do they offer? I found out I have to pay a business tax since I'm an independent contractor. Plus I was PMSing. My landlord was just the icing on the cake.
My friend thinks I am very stressed out and suggested I go to a Buddhist meeting with her tonight. I had introduced her to another friend of mine and that friend is also coming. I have never been to a Buddhist meeting. Now normally on Friday nights I do something very exciting, sit on my couch and read scripts. I'm trying to break the cycle.
Back to romance, so I really don't believe it's dead. I know too many amazing couples (of course most of my friends here are single, east coast different story). Romance is out there, just not in my little universe. This is one of many reasons why I need to move.
I called the LA office of rent stablization to find out what my rights were.
After a very heated "discussion" this morning, she is not going to raise my rent until the fall but I still have to pay over $600 in back rent. Thank god I keep good records. I sent her copies of canceled checks to prove that her attempt to increase my rent again in May (after raising it in the fall) was illegal. Needless to say the last 24 hours were not fun.
They were serving some Prosecco (italian sparkling wine) at a reception in the courtyard, before class last night. I had just been on my cellphone with my sister talking about the crazy landlord. I walked into the courtyard a little wound up. However, after seeing my friends and a class of wine I calmed the hell down.
I had to tell the class what I did on Valentine's Day (see previous post). Our professor was in rare form last night. He thought my proclamation was funny. He told the other single person in the class, it's a good thing she doesn't own any cats. Il cane? Buono. Il gatto? Non.
Okay I was being a little melodramtic in my earlier post. I have this bad habit of when something goes wrong/upsets me, I do a greatest hits rundown of all the things that are wrong. This of course gets me more upset. It all started with reading in the trades about yet another boy-wonder writer/director under 30 who signed a multi-million dollar deal. Then dealing with flaky people who say they are going to do something but don't. Ugh, one of my biggest pet peeves. Why do they offer? I found out I have to pay a business tax since I'm an independent contractor. Plus I was PMSing. My landlord was just the icing on the cake.
My friend thinks I am very stressed out and suggested I go to a Buddhist meeting with her tonight. I had introduced her to another friend of mine and that friend is also coming. I have never been to a Buddhist meeting. Now normally on Friday nights I do something very exciting, sit on my couch and read scripts. I'm trying to break the cycle.
Back to romance, so I really don't believe it's dead. I know too many amazing couples (of course most of my friends here are single, east coast different story). Romance is out there, just not in my little universe. This is one of many reasons why I need to move.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
It's Valentines Day!
Whatever. I fear in my world romance as we know it is dead. I have never received flowers or anything since college. This DJ I used to go out with at Syracuse used to make tapes for me. After all my moves (DC, NYC, LA) I still have them.
Come to think of it I can count on one hand how many real dates I've been on. What the heck is going on, was I too busy working or something? Oh yeah, most of my 20's were spent in the "Cholocate City", Washington DC, where the women out number men by some ridulous number. My brother, a Howard grad, basically had women throwing themselves at him. Plus I was working in politics so my hours were crazy and I moved around alot working on campaigns.
NYC was great then I moved to LA where I am just invisible. Nothing going on but the rent. The worst dates, if you can call them that, were in this city. I do know some colleagues who have met guys online. I've tried it, not for me.
Where did the romance go? When I was younger I saw these postcards my dad sent to my mom when they were dating long distance. She was in NYC and he was in Curacao. Even to my cynical American mind they were sweet. He moved to America, a place he had never even visited to marry the women he loved. Today you are lucky if the guy you're dating on the westside will drive east of the 405 to see you.
Romance is dead. E' morto, finito, niente.
Okay off to work.
Come to think of it I can count on one hand how many real dates I've been on. What the heck is going on, was I too busy working or something? Oh yeah, most of my 20's were spent in the "Cholocate City", Washington DC, where the women out number men by some ridulous number. My brother, a Howard grad, basically had women throwing themselves at him. Plus I was working in politics so my hours were crazy and I moved around alot working on campaigns.
NYC was great then I moved to LA where I am just invisible. Nothing going on but the rent. The worst dates, if you can call them that, were in this city. I do know some colleagues who have met guys online. I've tried it, not for me.
Where did the romance go? When I was younger I saw these postcards my dad sent to my mom when they were dating long distance. She was in NYC and he was in Curacao. Even to my cynical American mind they were sweet. He moved to America, a place he had never even visited to marry the women he loved. Today you are lucky if the guy you're dating on the westside will drive east of the 405 to see you.
Romance is dead. E' morto, finito, niente.
Okay off to work.
Monday, February 13, 2006
La Meglio Gioventu (the best of youth)
Just finished watching part 2. Amazing, powerful film. 6 incredible hours.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
It's an Italia kind of week.
I stopped watching the Today Show a couple years ago. All that joking around is fake, they can't stand each other. The newscast was becoming too tabloid driven. Usually the first half hour is hard news, then you start to ease into the entertainment/lifestyle stuff. For me the last straw was on the Monday after 4 journalists were killed in Afganistan, CBS and ABC led off with that story. The Today show led off with some Happy Potter story. Since then I'm a GMA person. I did read the new producers at the Today want to do more hard news. Given everything that is going on in world we can do with less stories about Britney not having her kid in a car seat.
However, this week I did watch because they were broadcasting live from Rome, Florence, and Milan. Not sure why Katie let some pigeons sit on her head but otherwise there were some really great segments on art, culture, food and fashion. In Rome, Giada De laurentiis did a segment on market shopping then she cooked a meal for Katie at a relative's house. The palazzo was stunning, the views! I think it was her uncle's place.
Class on Thursday was fun. I had to tell the class about the movie "Cristo si e Fermata a Eboli" (Chirst stopped at Eboli). One of my classmates lent it to me. It was about a Northern writer under house arrest for his political views. Mussolini had sent him to Eboli, a small, remote and poor village in Southern Italy.
Thursday after class the four of us went to dinner. We "spoke" Italian for about half the night. My friend is still dating her Florentine boyfriend. She might rent an apartment there this fall. She was thinking about taking a leave from work before she even met him. She is so happy....awww amore.
Friday morning I decided to got to the Barneys Warehouse sale at 8:00 a.m. at the Santa Monica airport instead of the gym. Bought a pair of Co-op pants for practically nothing. Saw a pair of Prada pumps for under $250 but they did not have my size.
Since I was on the westside I went to the VW body shop to get an estimate. It will cost almost $700 to replace the decorative moldings on the doors. I guess I will keep driving without them. If I get a production bonus or something I'll take care of it. For now I would rather use that money to put toward my Christmas trip to St. Martin so I can see my family.
Went to Bay Cities deli and bumped into a producer who produced a film my boss started in last year. Very random. He told me he and his girlfriend go to Italy a couple times a year. He has a bunch of friends there. One of them is the director Gariele Muccino ("L'Utimo Bacio", aka "The Last Kiss") who's in town working on a project. He said next time "The Italians" come over for dinner he'll let me know. I looooove that deli. I bought salami, cheese, bread and Larzaroni milk chocolate with Amaretti di Saronno crumbles. It's all one of my classmate's fault. I went to her house on Sunday to do homework and she went to Bay Cites and came back with quite the spread. It was the first time I had that chocolate and now I'm hooked. Damn her, I better get it together before I regain the weight I lost. :)
Was invited at the last minute to some industry mixer but stayed in and watched the opening ceremony for the games. Very interesting. Disco, Fellinish acrobatics, Opera and fireworks. It was great to see the diverse group of women chosen to walk the Olympic flag in.
Went to the gym, read a bunch of scripts yesterday, made a really good soup (chicken with pasta and mushrooms) then watch part one of "La Meglio di Giovane" aka "The Best of Youth". It was a 6 hour miniseries that Miramax released theatrically last year for about a week. I will watch part two today.
Off to the Farmer's market to buy some flowers. It's held every Sunday on Melrose Place which is maybe 3 blocks from my apartment. For dinner I think I will have the rest of that soup. I don't know why I never made soups before. I made my first one a couple weeks ago. It was really good and filling. I guess if you make a cream based one it can be fattening but otherwise I assume they are pretty healthy.
Next weekend is a holiday but I think we still have class that Monday. I wasn't going out of town anyway. My sister-in-law is going to Turks and Caicos. I know she will be happy to get out of the cold weather. They just got hit with a Nor'easter. Yesterday it was in the low 80's here. Very dry and windy so there was a fire alert for most of this area.
However, this week I did watch because they were broadcasting live from Rome, Florence, and Milan. Not sure why Katie let some pigeons sit on her head but otherwise there were some really great segments on art, culture, food and fashion. In Rome, Giada De laurentiis did a segment on market shopping then she cooked a meal for Katie at a relative's house. The palazzo was stunning, the views! I think it was her uncle's place.
Class on Thursday was fun. I had to tell the class about the movie "Cristo si e Fermata a Eboli" (Chirst stopped at Eboli). One of my classmates lent it to me. It was about a Northern writer under house arrest for his political views. Mussolini had sent him to Eboli, a small, remote and poor village in Southern Italy.
Thursday after class the four of us went to dinner. We "spoke" Italian for about half the night. My friend is still dating her Florentine boyfriend. She might rent an apartment there this fall. She was thinking about taking a leave from work before she even met him. She is so happy....awww amore.
Friday morning I decided to got to the Barneys Warehouse sale at 8:00 a.m. at the Santa Monica airport instead of the gym. Bought a pair of Co-op pants for practically nothing. Saw a pair of Prada pumps for under $250 but they did not have my size.
Since I was on the westside I went to the VW body shop to get an estimate. It will cost almost $700 to replace the decorative moldings on the doors. I guess I will keep driving without them. If I get a production bonus or something I'll take care of it. For now I would rather use that money to put toward my Christmas trip to St. Martin so I can see my family.
Went to Bay Cities deli and bumped into a producer who produced a film my boss started in last year. Very random. He told me he and his girlfriend go to Italy a couple times a year. He has a bunch of friends there. One of them is the director Gariele Muccino ("L'Utimo Bacio", aka "The Last Kiss") who's in town working on a project. He said next time "The Italians" come over for dinner he'll let me know. I looooove that deli. I bought salami, cheese, bread and Larzaroni milk chocolate with Amaretti di Saronno crumbles. It's all one of my classmate's fault. I went to her house on Sunday to do homework and she went to Bay Cites and came back with quite the spread. It was the first time I had that chocolate and now I'm hooked. Damn her, I better get it together before I regain the weight I lost. :)
Was invited at the last minute to some industry mixer but stayed in and watched the opening ceremony for the games. Very interesting. Disco, Fellinish acrobatics, Opera and fireworks. It was great to see the diverse group of women chosen to walk the Olympic flag in.
Went to the gym, read a bunch of scripts yesterday, made a really good soup (chicken with pasta and mushrooms) then watch part one of "La Meglio di Giovane" aka "The Best of Youth". It was a 6 hour miniseries that Miramax released theatrically last year for about a week. I will watch part two today.
Off to the Farmer's market to buy some flowers. It's held every Sunday on Melrose Place which is maybe 3 blocks from my apartment. For dinner I think I will have the rest of that soup. I don't know why I never made soups before. I made my first one a couple weeks ago. It was really good and filling. I guess if you make a cream based one it can be fattening but otherwise I assume they are pretty healthy.
Next weekend is a holiday but I think we still have class that Monday. I wasn't going out of town anyway. My sister-in-law is going to Turks and Caicos. I know she will be happy to get out of the cold weather. They just got hit with a Nor'easter. Yesterday it was in the low 80's here. Very dry and windy so there was a fire alert for most of this area.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Tom Ford, Kanye, and Santino, please sit your ass down!
"What is Kanye wearing?"
A message my sister sent from her Blackberry.
I missed most of the Grammys because last night was the first night of our Spring session for the Girls Empowerment Workshop at the Hollywood Boys and Girls club. I volunteer there on Wednesdays and I was the co-chair of the first workshop. We covered manners/etiquette. Very fun, the girls are great. Some of their questions/answers were a trip. For example, it's good to have manners but you can't be overly friendly because then people will think you're a punk. Uhmmm okay.
We haven't received the new, controversial issue of Vanity Fair at the office yet. Apparently there was all kinds of drama regarding Rachel McAdams not wanting to pose nude. I did see the cover on the newsstand. What is Tom Ford doing on the cover? He's not an actress. As much as I hate the waxed chest look "a.k.a Smoothies" are the early 70's back? What's with the shirt opened to almost the waist? Tom is in a very porn mood now (his eyewear ad campaign). The fashionistas think he is close to jumping the shark.
Clearly Kanye got his fashion cues from Tom. What's up with the gloves and the sunglasses? My man you are not Prince, stop tripping. Mr. West is talented but seems to have no sense of humor and a very thin skin. He talks smack but takes himself way too seriously. I haven't heard one positive thing about him from my friends or colleagues who deal with him.
Santino, I'm perplexed as to why he is still there. The man does not listen. His jumpsuit was awful. It did not fit and was falling apart. He is very critical of everyone's work but thinks he's perfect.
I know these are very tough fields to suceed in and it's important to be confident. However, there's no need to treat people around you like crap. The same people you step on to reach the top will be cheering your demise on your way down. Ask Mike Ovitz.
A message my sister sent from her Blackberry.
I missed most of the Grammys because last night was the first night of our Spring session for the Girls Empowerment Workshop at the Hollywood Boys and Girls club. I volunteer there on Wednesdays and I was the co-chair of the first workshop. We covered manners/etiquette. Very fun, the girls are great. Some of their questions/answers were a trip. For example, it's good to have manners but you can't be overly friendly because then people will think you're a punk. Uhmmm okay.
We haven't received the new, controversial issue of Vanity Fair at the office yet. Apparently there was all kinds of drama regarding Rachel McAdams not wanting to pose nude. I did see the cover on the newsstand. What is Tom Ford doing on the cover? He's not an actress. As much as I hate the waxed chest look "a.k.a Smoothies" are the early 70's back? What's with the shirt opened to almost the waist? Tom is in a very porn mood now (his eyewear ad campaign). The fashionistas think he is close to jumping the shark.
Clearly Kanye got his fashion cues from Tom. What's up with the gloves and the sunglasses? My man you are not Prince, stop tripping. Mr. West is talented but seems to have no sense of humor and a very thin skin. He talks smack but takes himself way too seriously. I haven't heard one positive thing about him from my friends or colleagues who deal with him.
Santino, I'm perplexed as to why he is still there. The man does not listen. His jumpsuit was awful. It did not fit and was falling apart. He is very critical of everyone's work but thinks he's perfect.
I know these are very tough fields to suceed in and it's important to be confident. However, there's no need to treat people around you like crap. The same people you step on to reach the top will be cheering your demise on your way down. Ask Mike Ovitz.
Friday, February 03, 2006
A case of the blahs
I was watching the news and they were talking about the problems older moms face. I realized, seeing how I am single and broke, I may never be a mom and became very upset. I think sometimes I forget how old I am and still believe I'm going to get married and have a family. I haven't had a date in maybe 2-3 years, so that is unlikely. I think the last one was with that freaky "architect/perfomance artist" guy from Columbia who had serious father and anger issues. One of the worst dates ever.
My backup plan of adopting might be a non starter as well. I need to make some money in order to adopt and where would I raise a child by myself? Out here far from my siblings and thousand of miles away from my parents? The public schools are terrible and real estate is out of control. A two bedroom room condo around the corner from me sold for 1.3 million. No doorman, or pool and this being LA you need a car. I get paying those prices in NYC, San Fran or Boston not so much on Croft street.
Stuff like this makes me want to eat some Doritos. It will take much discipline not to stop by Gelsons after class. Tomorrow a group of us are going to see the movie Something New. It's really a damn documentary (except for the part about the cute guy with the jeep and the nice dog).
File under something to look forward to: While typing this I just got off the phone with an exec at HBO. He told me to call him before my trip. The miniseries "Rome" might be in production and he will try to get me a set visit. It's shooting at Cinecitta. Maybe I will get to go on one of the days James Purefoy and Ray Stevenson are working.
See, now I can stop before a rant kicks in. In a couple of months I will be outta here!!
My backup plan of adopting might be a non starter as well. I need to make some money in order to adopt and where would I raise a child by myself? Out here far from my siblings and thousand of miles away from my parents? The public schools are terrible and real estate is out of control. A two bedroom room condo around the corner from me sold for 1.3 million. No doorman, or pool and this being LA you need a car. I get paying those prices in NYC, San Fran or Boston not so much on Croft street.
Stuff like this makes me want to eat some Doritos. It will take much discipline not to stop by Gelsons after class. Tomorrow a group of us are going to see the movie Something New. It's really a damn documentary (except for the part about the cute guy with the jeep and the nice dog).
File under something to look forward to: While typing this I just got off the phone with an exec at HBO. He told me to call him before my trip. The miniseries "Rome" might be in production and he will try to get me a set visit. It's shooting at Cinecitta. Maybe I will get to go on one of the days James Purefoy and Ray Stevenson are working.
See, now I can stop before a rant kicks in. In a couple of months I will be outta here!!
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