Unfortunately, I will be by myself but that is okay. Our agent is up from L.A. He had to come to the festival and visit his client on the set of THE INCREDIBLE HULK. He and my co-worker asked me to go to dinner tonight. I am no longer in my 20s. I still haven't recovered from Friday night.
I had dinner Saturday night with my boss, all day yesterday was festival related work, followed by a long dinner hosted by the studio then I had to be on set by 6:15 this morning. As much as I love to eat I cannot hang with the folks tonight and def. will pass on the parties.
Our first day of shooting went really well. We made our day and even finished a little earlier so we started to shoot a scene scheduled for tomorrow. Very, very happy about that.
I didn't see the VMAs so I can't comment on the train wreck that everyone is talking about.
After a muggy, rainy day yesterday, this morning was glorious. I tried to sleep but still woke up at 6:30 a.m. after only 3 hours sleep. (more on that later)
I went for a walk in the Beaches area. Very pretty neighborhood with a park and a boardwalk on Lake Ontario. The main street, Queen Street East is full of funky stores and cool restaurants.
I think this sign sums it up.
Yesterday at the production office they ordered roti for lunch. I can't rememer the last time I had it, back in NYC over nine years ago? It was delicious. This bread/dish is popular in India, Afganistan, and the Caribbean esp. in Trinidad and Tobago.
I had no idea Montreal-style bagels had such a big reputation. I stopped by a place at the St. Lawrence market that is known for the bagels. I have no words. I will have to explore this market more. It was listed by Food and Wine as one of the top farmer's market in North America. This place is amazing. My apartment is only a few blocks away. Check out the purple peppers.
Last night we went to dinner with the studio suits to some super fancy place call SuSur. It was a tasting menu and while I thought some of the courses, the size of dice were very good, for a party that size maybe it was too formal. At one point one of the actors was saying how great the movie RATATOUILLE is. When the waitress told us the chef wanted to give us a tour of the kitchen, someone said "only if there are rats cooking!" She looked at us like "WTF is wrong with you?"
The unit publicist arranged for a car to take us to some Festival party at Much Music. The street was shut down and the party was crowded. I saw our director's assistant and told him to hang with us. Two of the people in our party were supposed to meet up with Clooney. We went to one bar in Windsor Arms and as we left we saw three young women who said not to go to the other party down the street, it was over. She said "We're going to George Clooney's Michael Clayton post screening party downtown." One of the guys said "that is the party we are looking for". She said "No, you won't be able to get in." One of the actors they said this to (true he is from overseas but come on) was in a movie with George and knows him. ha
I thought it was bold that they basically hopped into our limo (I rode in another car with my boss). We get to the party and the same girls who said "you won't be able to get into the party" were able to get into the VIP section because they were with us. I waved at Clive (damn, he is so handsome) and saw two of my friends from L.A. who are in town for the festival. All the big Warner Bros execs were there. There was a service elevator with all this security and my boss and I went downstairs. He saw George and I hid behind the SUV so I didn't look like I was gawking (damn, he is so handsome). Hello, I must be professional. I spoke to my counterpart at his company.
We left the TIME/Michael Clayton party after 2:00 a.m. and I had to get home. I really enjoyed spending time with some of our cast members. One of the actors speaks, Arabic, French, Italian, Spanish, and English so he was throwing Italian words at me all night. He also thought it was bizarre that I hold a French passport, have multi-lingual parents but speak no French. I am American, why on earth would I need to know another language? (kidding!)
My boss's assistant has proclaimed Toronto to be one of his favorite cities. He was born and raised in Venice, California and his hometown, Amsterdam, and now Toronto are the cities he enjoys the most.
One thing he brought to my attention last night was people here do not all look or dress the same. Not all the men are wearing faux hawks, in fact I haven't seen any yet.
Unless your name is Maddox Jolie-Pitt or you are this guy,
please, I beg all wanna be actors, reality stars and 85 percent of the male population of Los Angeles, to try something new.
J and I went to meet our boss at his place then we walked over to Yorkville. This area reminded me Montana Avenue in L.A., cool shops and restaurants but pricey. The Four Seasons is in this neighborhood and it's where most of the film industry people are staying during the Toronto Film Festival.
All of us went to Cafe Nervosa. Our food was very good but spicy (I am a wimp when it comes to spicy food so it could be just me.) Our waiter was Italian and complimented me as we were leaving on my "excellent" italian. Let's see, I only said vongole (clams), buona sera, grazie, and prego but I appreciated the props. LOL
Speaking of Italian, I caught Codice Rosso (Code Red) the Italian version of Emergency! (does anyone remember this show from the late 70s with Randolph Mantooth...I just liked saying his name) the other night. There was a lot of yelling, fighting, and reflection going on during the finale. I understood maybe 1/4 of the words. The next morning when I clicked on the TV that channel was on and I starting to get aggravated that my Italian had declined so much already from not being in classes or speaking it regularly during the last 6 months. That it was a kid's show with some kind of muppets made me more irritated.
Hello, the show was in Spanish. Doh! The channel I was watching, TLN, has half of its progamming in Spanish and half in Italian. The Sopranos, uncut, also comes on at 10. It's in English. This is not a premium cable channel and yet every F-bomb and Bada Bing breast was shown. They do say a very clear and specific parental advisory though before the show starts and at the end of every commerical break. I remember when I was in London, my friend said Sex and The City came on regular TV at 10. Again uncut. That would never fly in the States, we clearly can't figure out by ourselves what our kids should or shouldn't be watching.
Today is the last day of pre-production. We start shooting on Monday. The suits (the studio execs, including the head of the studio) are coming in for the Festival but will also be stopping by the set. No pressure. Ha.
"Penso che una vita per la musica sia una vita spesa bene ed รจ a questo che mi sono dedicato."
"I think a life in music is a life beautifully spent and this is what I have devoted my life to." - Luciano Pavarotti
I didn't know he worked as school teacher then as an insurance salesman after graduating from school for six years before he decided to pursue music full time. He came from a musical family but loved soccer and wanted to play pro.
He is one of the greatest singers ever. During his last concert in New York City he received a 12 minute standing ovation. He will be missed.
I didn't bring my camera but Monday night I went to the Distillery District. It used to be a former beer factory but now it's full of interesting bars and restaurants. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the place we went to probably because I split a bottle of wine and had seafood, which is not the most filling thing to eat. I do remember that I talked a lot. I should mention that my dinner was with THE producer of our film. There are several producers (at different levels) on the movie including me, but he is the big cheese.
I told him yesterday morning, I was going to take a break from the vino. Then I walked into the office yesterday afternoon and someone from the art department was opening a bottle of wine. What kind of place is this? haha. I didn't have any but I was reminded how producion is so different from development.
On a set you have teamsters, carpenters, painters, electricians, people from all different socio-economic backgrounds. Working in development back in Hollywood is a very, very, narrow view of the world.
I just met our lead hairdresser. She has lived in Canada for 25 years, her parents are from the Caribbean and she has locks to her waist. She has to do everyone's hair, regardless of race and she knows how. I haven't met our head of wardrobe yet but she is half-West indian, half-African with a big afro, our director's assitant who flew up from L.A., is Iranian, one of our actors lives in France, another lives in Australia. The vibe here is great.
So there has been much debate in the Blogsphere and salons about this. I first heard about the controversy over at Afrobella's blog.
Guess what - relaxed hair can also be unprofessional. Why is keeping my hair the same texture that it grows out of my head political?! If you keep your hair clean and tidy what is the problem?
I was watching the news up here in Toronto and I saw a black female reporter with shoulder length twists in her hair. I was shocked!! Meanwhile, American black women are being told if you want to be "professional" you must burn your hair to fit it. I say no! If someone wants to spend the time, money and use those chemicals/heat, cool but to be told you have to is ridiculous.
Why should I be ashamed of my hair's real texture? If my hair was supposed to be bone straight it would be. It is 2007. Why is Glamour magazine doing articles like this?
I used to love Glamour. Then after Bonnie Fuller took over (I think she did or do I just like to blame her for the tabloidzation of America on principle?) the mag went down hill. I know they have had new editors but after this article I won't be buying their magazine. In my eyes Glamour has become a magazine don't.
People are very friendly. The lady at Customs talked my ear off. She wanted to know who was starring in our movie, what was it about etc. Same thing with the woman at Immigration. Everyone in my buidling has said hello/good morning and held doors open.
Toronto is clean.
It is also very diverse. Just on the flight up here I felt like I was at the U.N. There are a few French channels TV channels and an Italian (!!) one. I saw a commercial for Wal-Mart which looked just like the U.S. version but it was in Italian. Within a few blocks from my apartment I noticed Thai, Indian, Italian, Mexican and French restaurants and a Irish Pub.
I can walk to things! There are two big supermarkets near me and a drug store, dry cleaners, basically all the services you find a major city and don't need a car to get to. (Toronto is the 5th largest city in the Americas). I get my car tomorrow but will be using it mostly to drive to set. I like that the streets are full with people even during a holiday weekend. It feels like a city here.
My building has a gym and a roof deck.
This photo is misleading. The land you see on the other side of the lake is a little island. Lake Ontario goes on for miles. I will try to get a better shot, when the sun glare isn't so strong.
I thought this sailboat looked very majestic.
The internet in my apartment is not working. Hopefully it will be fixed soon. The living room furniture is unfortunate but the apartment gets a ton of light and I have a balcony. I won't be spending a lot of time on it (I am really high up... and it doesn't look that strong.)
Our UPM (unit production manager) gave me a ride to the prodution office today. I had to check my emails. Our director didn't recognize me at first. Last week I spend 6 hours and $$$ to have my hair done. I had twists put in. I am not used to having this much hair on my head. I was dying in L.A. with the heat wave and just wore it up. I am very happy to have such low maintenance hair for the next couple of months.
I think I will only do this a couple times a year. As I paid my hairdresser I thought, I could have bought a sick pair of shoes. Haha. Good thing I called two different friends. One friend has her hair done at the same salon but her stylist starts at $300! add the cost of hair $140, plus tip, you are looking at $500. Plus she is hard to get an appointment with because she works with a bunch of celebs. My stylist starts at $150, she is a recent college and is opening her own salon already. She is going to focus on natural hair care. She night be a little ahead of the curve. I have seen more naturals in Toronto within the last 24-hours than I have during the last 3 years in Los Angeles. LOL.
Tomorrow I will be on a location scout, then watching some of the actors rehearse. The gym opens at 5:30 a.m. (yes) so I will be able to get a work out in before my pick up. I have got to lose some weight. The last three weeks I went to town on the junk food. I don't have any in my apartment now...and it's going to stay that way. Now if I can only stay away from the crafts services table that would be great.
Finally things have slowed down in Hollywood as people leave town for the Labor Day weekend. I have a ton of things to do today and tomorrow before I leave for Toronto.
Topic A yesterday was Mr. Wilson. It takes a lot to shock people in this town. When the rumors first started circulating, I thought it was a sick joke. Owen Wilson? Really? Why? Working in the business you hear stories about stars and see certain things that never become public knowledge (although thanks to TMZ and Perezhilton those days are numbered). I never heard anything about Owen.
Owen is probably better known for his acting, I think of him as a really talented writer. I can't believe how hateful some people are being on the web, saying someone with fame, money, and hot girlfriends is an idiot for trying to kill themselves.
Uhm, hello we don't know him. We have no idea what is going on with him. I hope he gets help dealing with whatever it was that drove him to do this. He's lucky he has a close relationship with his brothers and is not out here all alone with only yes people sucking him dry.
Incorrect! It's the second anniversary of the Katrina disaster. New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf is slowing rebuilding but there is so much more to be done.
I hope the local, state and federal goverments have learned from the completely inexcusable breakdown that occurred. Yes natural disasters do happen but how you react to them shows your true character. That the authorities spent more time pointing fingers while the Superdome erupted into chaos and dead people floated in the streets, is not acceptable in the world's richest country.
There have been many incredible stories however, of ordinary citizens helping along with various corporations that donated material and their employees who came to down to the Gulf to help. I was volunteering with the Hollywood Boys and Girls club and the girls made care packages to send to one of the Boys and Girls clubs that had lost everything. I do remember one of the 11- year-old girls saying my decorated tote was boring. I told Miss Thing I was going for a modern look not Rococo.
One of my closest friends is living in New Orleans full time. She recently opended the Louisiana office of Share of Strength, an anti-hunger non-profit based in Washington D.C. Her emails are hopefully and at times heart breaking as she talks about what is going on.
I know I have posted in the past about the man I was supposed to marry (I felt this way about MJ until Thriller. Great album, was not feeling the nose job, wet curl or his obsession with Webster.)
I watch this video and I just feel sad. I can't imagine being a kid who is working all the time, not going to school and dealing with that kind of fame. When an interviewer asked Joe Jackson about Michael's claims of abuse and getting so sick before shows and he would throw up, his father said "He (Michael) regurgitated all the way to the bank." How caring.
His birthday is only a few days after mine, so growing up I always asked my parents what MJ was doing for his birthday. I have to say my parents really humored me and my Jackson 5 love. Buying me records, Right On! magazine whenever they were on the cover. I wasn't allowed to watch too much TV but they would let me watch Soul Train, American Bandstand and even Sonny and Cher (that was a show for grown-ups they said) if the Jackson 5 were on.
Here is one of the best pop songs ever! When I worked at Sony music one of my co-workers gave me the ABC CD. It was released in 1970 and still holds up.
I walked into work today and my bosses gave me a birthday gift from one of my favorite places in Los Angeles, The Cook's Library. It is a bookstore of cookbooks and books about food. Next door is a store for travellers. I try to avoid that part of Third Street.
The cover of ALONE IN THE KITCHEN WITH AN EGGPLANT: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone, is beautiful. They were nervous about getting it for me and worried I would be offended for some reason. I am excited to read it. I do live alone and that is okay. I do know next year however, I am not going to bed at 8:45 p.m. on my birthday like I did this year. Hello, that is just pathetic.
This is probably the weirdest birthday ever. I just want to be alone and eat some cupcakes.
My sister and brother-in-law sent me some very beautiful flowers and one of my friends gave me the Burton Holmes "Travelogues" book. Holmes traveled all over the world from 1892-1952...this book is incredible.
I never really believed in Astrology when I was younger but after the 100th person said to me "You must be a Virgo" I thought there might be something to it. The good traits are organized, loyal, eye for detail, neat and conscientious. The negative onces are hyper-critical (self/others), repressed, and over-analytical. Virgos tend to turn molehills into mountains and get stressed out often because they are so in their heads worrying about everything. This does not sound like me at all! haha
That said, while we can seem a little cold we are in fact full of passion (we just hide it most of the time) which is why many of us gravitate to the arts. Apparently teaching, medicine, and law are also great fields for Virgos.
I found a little blurb on my ideal partner according my sign and it cracked me up, esp. the part of my soul mate being well-dressed.
Virgo in Relationships
Virgo's easygoing nature and Earth sign quality makes for a reliable and steady sort who relishes the opportunity to be helpful to their partner. The Virgin's devotedness also signals that a great deal of energy will go into making the relationship work. Those born under this sign tend to strive for the perfect relationship. The best reward for the oft-repressed Virgo is a lover who is willing to bring them into full flower, releasing a passionate and sensual soul. A relationship with a strong yet sensitive partner is one which is almost guaranteed success. The independent and never clingy Virgin may seem ultra-cool on the outside, but inside smolders a red-hot ravisher waiting to release potent charms on a deserving partner. The ideal Virgo soul mate is well-dressed, empathetic and dying to show their Virgo a good time.
Hmm, where can I find such a man?
I drove out to Santa Monica to walk on the bike/joggers path on the beach. That early in the morning the traffic on the 10 isn't bad. It's going to be a nice day today.
Each cross is for an American soldier who has died in Iraq.
Since Becks joined the L.A. Galaxy, the games have sold out. It's still going to take a long time (if ever) for soccer to become a 1st tier sport in the States. First of all, since there aren't commerical breaks every two minutes, the big stations are not interested in showing the games. They want more advertising money. The low scoring goes completely against the typical American mind-set. One of my friends said to me, "What is the point of playing to a tie?" Most people I know here think soccer is really boring. How can they say that about the beautiful game?
Wordtyrst tagged me for the following Meme. Here we go.
Four jobs I've had or currently have in my life:
1. Film executive
2. Congressional aide
3. Saleswoman at a clothing store
4. Buyer's assistant at Bloomingdale's 59th and Lex. NYC
Four countries I've been to:
1. St. Martin
2. Anguilla
3. Italy
4. England
Four places I'd rather be right now:
1. My parent's balcony in St. Martin
2. Piazza Navona, Rome
3. Positano, Italy
4. Martha's Vineyard, MA
Four foods I like to eat: (too short a list!)
1. Pasta
2. Cheese (swiss, brie, cheddar, pecorino romano, gruyere etc.)
3. Snapper
4. Fresh bread
Four personal heroes, past or present:
1. Mom
2. Dad
3. Sister
4. Brother
Four books you've just read or are currently reading:
1. The Kite Runner
2. Man Gone Down
3. The City of Falling Angels
4. The Corrections
Four words or phrases you would like to see used more often:
1. We will no longer publish any "news" regarding Britney and her poor parenting skills
2. Vacation
3. Joyful
4. Humanity
I am not tagging anyone since everyone I know is either on blogation or no longer doing Memes. :)
Hurricane season started out strong. Given the strength of this hurricane we are very fortunate there weren't more deaths in the Caribbean.
My parents (who are visiting in the States) said there was only some heavy rain. They were lucky. Other islands were slammed and now Dean is creating havoc in the gulf of Mexico.
During non-hurricane season this is something you might find. My sister took this photo in July. This is on the Atlantic Ocean side of St. Martin and the water is a little rougher.
My migraine is finally gone. I felt so bad Thursday night I couldn't go out to dinner. One friend is in from NYC for meetings and she told me Bruce and Demi were at the next table celebrating Rumor's birthday. She also said the food was very good. The chef at the Tower Bar used to work at Ammo and I always loved his food there.
It is blazing hot this weekend but I have fall on the brain. I haven't received my big fat September issue (over 800 pages!) of Vogue. I cannot wear super skinny jeans. I'm only 5'2 and have muscular legs. How excited am I that full trousers are hot for this fall/winter? The colors gray and purple are the big colors for the season. I went to J. Crew today and found a pair of jeans that actually fit. With my shape, shopping for jeans is a pain in the butt (no pun intended). I'm not very hippy but I do have a butt. Jeans that fit my thighs and butt are too big in the waist and vice-versa. I will pick up the pants next week once they are altered (I had to have the hem shortened).
I happend to catch the last fifteen minutes of "What Not to Wear" on BBC America. This time Trinny and Susannah worked with two women over 70. Both women had given up on life, basically just waiting for the casket to close. What a difference an updated haircut and a good bra makes. These women after their makeovers looked decades younger. One woman, who's ex-husband's current wife described her as non-descript, went to meet them for tea. They were speechless. The other woman was a widow who stopped caring about everything after losing the love of her life. Her own son didn't recognize her. I got a little choked up when the women were talking about how now see themselves.
Speaking of "What Not to Wear", the co-host of the American (and more PC version. Trinny and Susannah are very blunt) Stacy London, had a special on shoes and bags. What made it an extra special hour was the travel. Stacy went to Paris to meet with Christian Louboutin, Florence to meet with James Ferragamo, New York City to visit the Manolo Blahnik store, among others.
In Florence she went to the Ferragamo factor and one of the workers showed how a sketch became a shoe. I had no idea it took that many people or hours to make shoes by hand. Stacy spoke only a little Italian and her tour guide spoke two words in English but it all worked out. I thought it was interesting to hear why high end shoes cost what they do (labor and material, especially with the dollar so weak and the shoes are not made in China). There are some labels where you are clearly paying for the name (I won't mention names but I noticed Ms. London did not talk about them either), the quality is not that great, so even if I had a bigger clothes budget, I would pass on those shoes.
The last few years I have used my birthday money to get a very nice pair of shoes or a bag. I don't think I am going to do that this year. I have to see what is going on with work. I know what shoes I want but seeing how I could be unemployed in a few months I will need that money to put toward my rent.
I cannot wait for fall. This year I will be in Toronto so I will really feel it. One of my Canadian friends here told me to pack some sweaters.
I did no work yesterday and turned off my phones. I wrote in the morning then went on a hike.
This is a little scary. I haven't seen snakes up there but one time two coyotes walked past me. That was not a fun experience.
So is this. It can't be good for us to be breathing this air.
I like how the San Gabriel Mountains look at this time in morning. You can kind of see the Hollywood sign in the middle.
Okay my break from work is over. I must get off the internet.
I was saying to my sister I might have to cut back on reading the expat blogs during the summer holiday season. LOL
It just makes me realize how bizarre our working 24/7 culture is. I know it's annoying not to have things done quickly or to deal with repairmen who go away for a month (something that happened to my parents) but this no vacation lifestyle is bullshit.
If you do go away it's assumed you will be reachable on your BlackBerry and cellphone. That is not a real vacatioin. You do not return to work re-charged, just overwhelmed by all the work that has piled up on your desk.
Sometimes I feel guilty because I no longer wish to be a workaholic. I'm still ambitious of course but I feel like my life is passing me by. I don't want to wake up at 50 and wondered what the hell happened.
I was talking to a writer director friend of my yesterday and we started cracking up about this skit from the HBO show. I recently canceled all my premiere cable channels since I will be gone for so long. I will miss this show. I love the line about how recycling is not part of foreplay but it's still very important. LOL.
This is the closest canyon to my apartment. On a clear day you can see the Hollywood sign, downtown, and the Pacific Ocean. I go there to hike often. Along with many celebrities, you see views like this:
Here is the infamous LETHAL WEAPON house.
No sign of the Hollywood sign.
One friend is going to Florence for three weeks, another is going to Milan and Rome and the third has a birthday coming up. I also have a b-day coming up in a couple of weeks but I'm not celebrating. Several friends are insisting I do something but I've asked them to respect my wishes dammit. :) I'm feeling very off about this birthday, not depressed or anything. I think I'm just overwhelmed by how busy it is and trying to finish the book.
We met at the West bar to say "arrivederci" and it turned into a birthday celebration. I have a new pair of pretty earrings and three new books to read, including a coffee table book called THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO ROME. The bar is on the top floor of what used to be the Holiday Inn near the Getty Center. It was so smoggy you can't see downtown. I find it scary that the smog here is actually better than it used to be.
This view should be of downtown. You can see some of Century City.
I have just finished this book. The first novel by Hosseini, an Afghan-American doctor, had me in tears at times.
It's the story of two young boys, the son of a wealthy man and the son of the servant, growing up in Afghanistan before the revolution and the invasion by the Russians.
A tragic event rips their friendship apart. Our protangonist, Amir, is a complex person and cowardly at times. We follow him as he adjusts to life in America. Despite being thousands of miles away from "home", he can never forget what happened to his friend and his guilt continued to eat away at him.
It was interesting to read about Afghanistan during this time period (late 1960s to 2002). The politics in this part of the world are very complicated and reading about the invasion, the Taliban and the neighboring countries in this context offered some insight into a world most have never visited.
As a first generation American I was also moved by his POV of what it was like to be a person of color moving to this country.
Hearing these words brings me no comfort whatsoever. Last night at a quarter to one, a 4.5 quake hit Los Angeles. My entire apartment shook and some books fell off a bookshelf in my living room. It felt like a massive jolt. I was scared to death. I have been here a few years now and I still cannot get used to these tremors.
Grazie mille to Cherrye for picking my blog for this award. I am honored.
I am giving a shout out to Nichelle's blog as a Rockin' Girl Blogger. She doesn't get to post as much these days because she is writing for a TV show. She is very smart, funny, crazy talented and I have no idea how she finds the time to read so many books.
Several other girl bloggers I enjoy have been nominated already. Rock on ladies.
I am still going to Toronto, leaving early September and returning late October. I would rather be on set during the beginning of production (in case there are any problems) than at the end.
This works out for the better. There is so much going on here to be gone for almost five months might have been too stressful.
Instead of take a trip post-production, I might go away the week of Thanksgiving. A vacation will do me some good.
I was very happy to see the following cover at the newstand today.
I'm glad it's August. It means one of the crappiest summers of my life is almost over.
I had a conference call at 8:00 this morning with my editor. She really liked the changes I made. I will be getting back my ms later next week with her line edits. My next draft will focus on cleaning up typos, grammar and tweaking some dialogue. I'm very excited to be close to the finish line. Next step....looking for an agent.
I have been on the phone all morning with my office/producers/agents regarding a project. Usually this is the time of year Hollywood starts to slow down (on the film side). However, with all this strike talk everyone is trying to set up more pre-strike movies. It would be great if we could get another going before June '08.
Is it wrong to have a mojito at 4:30 in the afternoon? I feel like making one. I'll go easy on the rum, since I still have a ton of work to do. I think it's okay. Plus, I can't let these limes spoil.
I finally had a chance to read Mr. "I don't need a stickin' Oprah book club sticker" Franzen's novel. I meant to read it back when first came out but the job I had then was 24/7 and reading for pleasure was on the very, very, back burner. Once the film rights were sold there was no "need" for me to read it for work.
There was so much buzz about this novel. Some said it was the first great American novel of the 21st century. The reviews were overall outstanding and the book was selling very well esp. for a "literary" fiction book. Oprah picked his book for her book club and Franzen "was conflicted". He felt his book would be misunderstood and maybe men wouldn't read it. He considered himself in the high art literary tradition. Mind you the book was already getting killer reviews. Nobody would have confused it for some silly "chick lit" book just because Oprah picked him for the club. Then he said as an artist he didn't want that "corporate logo" on his book. Interesting, he didn't seem to have an issue with the FSG logo on it. I guess when a publisher has paid you an one million dollar advance for your book you sucked it up. Also, he agreed to have the actors faces on the paperback re-release when a movie hits the theaters. When all this hoopla was going on I thought, damn, Franzen sounds like an elitist ass.
I can't remember which big chick lit writer said if THE CORRECTIONS was written by a woman it would have been dismissed as chick lit. I disagree. Nobody calls Zadie Smith or Jhumpa Lahiri chick lit writers.
Anyway onto the book. I have a ton of scripts to read for work and three books I still need to finish yet I could not stop reading about the Lambert family. At first I was not interested in another book about a dysfunctional American family but I got sucked in. I can't say this is a book I love because these folks put the "d" in dysfunction. That said, I laughed out loud several times. The characters lept off the page. There was one minor character I wanted to do some bodily harm to. The wife of the oldest son was such a passive-aggressive person I couldn't stand her. Chip Lambert irritated me for almost 2/3 of the book. He was so self-absorbed and was so mean to his parents and siblings. I had to remind myself these were fictional people and I needed to get a grip. To me the hero of the story was the mom, Enid. In the beginning she seemed like the typical controlling, nagging mother you want to get away from but there was much more to her.
Yes the book does get bogged down at times but overall the writing blew me away.
I opened my mailbox last night to find Khaled Hosseini's novel waiting for me. It came all the way from Geneva, Switzerland. Thanks Marcy.
I was so tempted to open the cover but I am going to wait until I finish the books I started. I cannot wait to read this book
Today is my parents 44th wedding anniversary. They dated a while before getting married so they have known each other a loooong time. Why then do they always act like they are surprised by each other's quirks? They are too funny.
Said Vincent D'Onofrio's screenwriter character to Tim Robbin's studio exec character in the movie THE PLAYER. I saw the movie for the first time when it came out and thought no way Hollywood could be that hard core. Then I started working here. ha.
Yesterday I had a Coke, a cupcake, and maybe a pound of candy. I didn't feel so hot last night. No sweets for me today.
Producer is such a vague job title and creative pay off is more elusive I think. Your goal is to get a movie made, distributed, and hopefully be successful. So many things can stop that process and they are all out of your control. Financing falls through, an actor passes, the studio doesn't market your movie well, or the movie does get great reviews but for whatever reason just don't make a dent in the box office.
In writing your creative pay off is the minute you feel good about how the pen is hitting the paper (or fingers on the keyboard). Yes, once you turn in your work who knows what will happen but when you are sitting there using your imagination and creating a world, it's a great feeling.
Instead of getting worked into frenzy about what went down during the last 48 hours and the looming strike, I am going to look at the positive things. We are getting at least one movie made pre-strike. This is the most senior producer credit I've received (Executive Producer), the movie is about something, and the creative team involved is fantastic.
Not to get all "The Secret" or super crunchy So. Californian on folks but maybe all these bumps in the road are leading me to the thing I am supposed to do. I talked about writing for a long time. I wrote some scripts years ago and my boss at the time read them and ripped them to shreds. Instead of going back and trying again, I got discouraged and gave up.
Now for some reason at this late age (for a writer), here I am on draft #14 of my novel still plugging away, trying to make every draft better and enjoying (almost) every minute of it.
Here is the tralior from THE PLAYER. The is based on the book by Michael Tolkin who is also a screenwriter. I haven't read Tolkin's new book which is the sequel. I love the last line. LOL
The movie is still going forward but there is a major hiccup with our deal with the studio. I am still going on location, it's now a question of how long. Of course I don't mind making cuts to help the bring the budget down, everyone should do their part. However, the way the decision was handled was bullshit.
Feature film producing is very male dominated and most of them are very Type A. The longer I stay in this business the more I understand why many successful producers are crazy and have anger management issues.
There are a couple female producers of note but their numbers are declining. For my generation it's pretty bad. Lydna Obst wrote a great article about it for New York Magazine. Her generation cracked the cement ceiling. She came up during the era of larger-than-life women, like the late Dawn Steel and Julia Phillips.
For Black women there are exactly two female producers making Hollywood movies (one is def. more indie but she does have a studio deal). Both of them have been in the business for years and were mentored by women like Dawn Steel and former Disney Production head, Nina Jacobson.
I was speaking with one of my bosses yesterday. She has been in the biz over 25 years, both her parents were in it and she said things are getting worse. Getting movies made has never been easy but this is bananas. Today is going to be very interesting. Good thing I don't do drugs. I would need to be coked up half the day to deal with this town.
Two giants in the arts died on the same day. Both of these directors, the Italian Antonioni and the Swedish Bergman are considered two of the most influential artists of the 20th Century.
I was reading Hollywood-elsewhere.com and several of the comments said their co-workers said "I thought she was dead already".
I don't know why I'm surprised a Hollywood executive wouldn't know or care who Bergman is. After all it's not like he could blow stuff up like Michael Bay.
I haven't done most of the things on my to-do-list because work has been insane.
Several friends and colleagues have asked "are you excited to go?" Once I'm on the plane it will seem real to me. There were no major hiccups during the last week. I am feeling good about the movie as of 3:01 p.m. today.
The production coordinator has been sending me photos of possible apartments. I bought some guide books on Toronto so I can get a sense of where things are. One building had a gym which is great. I am determined not to gain 10-15 "production pounds".
She has nominated me for a schmooze award. No, this has nothing to do with Hollywood. So what is the schmooze award?
It goes to bloggers "who effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don’t limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship."
I am touched to receive such an honor and appreciate all the people who stop by. Now I get to pick five fellow bloggers. I assume I can't pick the Blogger who nomimated me...but check out Avery's La Dolce Vita blog.
Yes, there is a theme. In no particular order:
1) Shelley in Rome gives interesting insight into my favorite city, complete with photos. She also has a great way of communicating. You feel like you are sitting outside in Piazza Navona sharing a gelato and catching up.
2) Sara's blog was one of the first I started reading. Amazing photography and a fun blog esp. if you love food and to travel. I love seeing Milan and other places through her eyes.
3) Michelle's Bleeding Espresso, is probably one of the more interactive blogs. She, like Sara, also posts recipes. Her POV of living in a small villiage is very interesting and entertaining.
4) Giulia's From Head to Boot is a newer blog for me. This fellow Jersey Girl is hilarious and look forward to seeing what she and her family are up to.
5) Okay, technically they are not expats yet, but Chris and Erin,The Olive Notes, will be in Florence shortly. They also take great photos and their positivity is infectous. I can't wait to hear about their adventures in Italy.
I was also going to give a shout out to Jess in St. Maarten but she already had "blog homework" to do. ha.
Here are the directions to participate:
1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that have schmoozed you into submission.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the award.
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Power of Schmooze Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.
I put my gym membership on hold for a couple months. Using that money along with some from my parents (aka, the liquidated wedding fund) I bought a digital camera.
My old Pentax 35m took some great photos. I am still learning about the features of my new camera.
I made the lime granita again. It was very, very hot today and this was perfect for a blazing day. I wanted to put a sprig of mint on top but I only had cilantro. This is not as photogenic as I would like but I'm happy I was able download photos no problem.
Lime Granita adapted from Bon Appetit
6 servings
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Cool the syrup. Stir in the lime juice.
Transfer to a 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Cover and place in freezer. Use a fork and scrape every 45 minutes until frozen, about 3 hours. I used a Tupperware dish and that worked as well. You can make it 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen.
5 people who will be annoyed you tagged them.
Okay, I am only picking one person because all the other bloggers I know have done this one or stopped doing memes.
*Jess, an American in St. Maarten.
4 things that should go into room 101 and be removed from the face of the earth.
*hunger
*racism
*intolerance
*britney spears
3 things people do that make you want to shake them violently.
*when they are passive-aggressive
*say "like" every other word
*make promises they can't/or have no intention of keeping (wait, that might fall under passive-aggressive)
2 things you find yourself moaning about.
*Los Angeles
*Not having a single date in '06 and so far not in '07
1 thing the above answers tell you about yourself.
*I need to move.
RULES
Link to the original meme at freelancecynic.com so people know what it's all about!
Be as honest as possible. This is about letting people get to know the real you!
Try not to insult anyone - unless they really deserve it or are very, very ugly!
Post these rules at the end of every meme!
Was not the possibility of a strike for a change but Ms. Lohan's latest DUI arrest. This is not funny. The woman just got out of rehab 11 days ago. She could have killed herself and/or someone else.
It's sad to see someone fall apart. Her acting career for the time being is over because no company will insure her.
I hope she can get it together like Drew Barrymore or Robert Downey Jr. Maybe she should go to a non-Hollywood type rehab place, take a few years off and go to school, travel or something. This atmosphere is toxic even for those with strong family ties and confidence. For those who don't have a foundation it can be deadly.
Today my sister is leaving for St. Martin to meet up with my brother, my sister-in-law and my two little nephews. My parents will be meeting their latest grandchild for the first time.
My dad has no idea my sister is coming. I wish I could be there to see the look on his face.
There is a bar on the Dutch side we like to go to and watch the planes fly over the beach. When you see one of the big American Airlines, KLM or Air France planes fly over you have to wonder why anyone would "relax" on that beach.
It was very difficult to not read scripts this weekend. I kept looking at the pile and feeling guilty. On the other hand I'm almost done with one of the four books I'm reading. When I was at my friend's house on Thursday, she lent me two books I have to read. I had a great time on Thursday sitting out in their backyard, talking and drinking wine until almost midnight.
I am on pins and needles waiting to hear back from my editor. Trying to be patient, which is not one of my strong suits. In the meantime I am going to start going throught the ms again, to look for the dreaded typos.
Last night my former Italian professor had us over for dinner. The invitation was for 8:00 p.m. we left at almost 1:00 a.m. I go to bed at 10:00 maybe 11:00 p.m. if I'm living on the edge. Dinner was amazing! Anti-pasti, salad, pasta (rigatoni with eggplant and tomatoes), wine, bread, etc.
The night started out a little rusty for me since one of my classmates just spent two weeks in Italy and was speaking so fast. The other two are at a level higher but I was able to at least understand the conversation. I would freeze when it was mine time to speak. I just need to practice more. I read Italian much better since I'm constantly getting emails from one of my friends (we met in another class two years ago) who refuses to send me emails in English, I read Italian newspapers and magazines when I can, and I'm reviewing my text book.
Our professor's husband came home from work and joined us. He's an American, a musician and very, very funny. We could have stayed and talked for another hour or so.
Now it's back to work. As of 8:00 a.m. today, the movie is still on track. Hopefully there will be no major hiccups this week.
Leaving the office to meet friends at their new house for some vino and food. They are actors I met in my first Italian class, very sweet and not crazy. I do have a business lunch with a studio executive tomorrow. She is fantastic so it's something I'm looking forward to.
A couple of friends have suggested that my stank attitude might have something to do with working seven days a week. I have decided I'm not reading any scripts this weekend. I am giving myself a break from work for 48 hours.
I heard this song the first night I was in Rome last year. My former spinning teacher, the incredible David, used to play this song in class. Through him I met one of my closest friends in Rome. Thanks to Sara in Milan (Ms. Adventures) I finally tracked down the name and artist. Let the weekend begin.
I was walking past the newstand with my boss and we started cracking up over this cover. Please. Like I'm supposed to shed a tear. My ass has never been married to anyone much less Brad Pitt or Nick Lachey. I told my boss if I were on the cover it would say something different. For example, out of shape, broke, and alone.
That said, I am glad this national magazine is bringing attention to the drama that is dating in Hollywood.
This is what a friend said to me earlier tonight. I just got in from drinks at the wonderful Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. My friend who has known me for almost 20 years, is in L.A. for business. She was staying at the hotel and it was easier to meet there.
I haven't been there since my dinner with Clive. I forget how trippy it can be. I saw Al Sharpton. WTF? My friend is married with kids and lives in the NYC suburbs. She finds Los Angeles very interesting, like a science experiment.
She works on the corporate side of a big entertainment company but wants to move over to the creative side. After listening to me rant about the business, she said I needed to see a professional.
Okay stress about the movie aside, I am thankful I work with some very talented (and stable people). I have to keep reminding myself why I came out here in the first place. I need to keep believing.
Which brings me to today's musical selection. Not only was it the song Tony picked during the Sopranos finale, but it was on Scrubs, Family Guy, one of those MTV reality shows, the movie Monster, etc. This video cracks me up. Steve Perry's pants are so tight. One thing that is serious though, is his voice. This is live, no backing vocals or lip synching, like some so-called singers.
I don't know if I really need therapy. I might be one of only four people in Hollywood not seeing a therapist. I do know songs like this lift my spirits. This song is so Jersey. I love it.
I always thought she was cool as hell. Great video. The black and white photography is stunning. It's sad to see the towers
I am in the middle of downloading my CDs to my iPod. I can only download 2000 songs so I won't be able to download everything. I am almost done with "S". Jill Scott, Sting, The Stones, Shalamar (!), along with some others and of course Sade.
I am having a tough week/month/year maybe decade really (okay, perhaps I'm being melodramatic) and listening to these songs made me a little sad. I should've stopped listening but sometimes, in a warped way, listening to love songs while single can be a good thing.
I was talking to a very good friend over the weekend and her dating stories were just horrific. I can't understand all the baggage and game playing. My friend is a beautiful, talented, divorced woman in her early 30s. She isn't trying to snag a man or looking for one to "complete" her. She, like many of us, would just like to meet a nice, smart, non-crazy, not trying to break into the entertainment business, man in his 30s/40s who doesn't hate his mom/ex-wife/, isn't looking for a model/actress, not addicted to drugs/sex/alcohol and doesn't have anger management issues. Is this too freaking much to ask for?
I was down on love then listened to "Nothing Could Come Between Us." Sade is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. Her band was excellent. I'm sure if she was starting her career now, the record labels would say she was too boring and classy.
I listen to these songs and I think it would be nice to feel this way about someone. :(
I've always loved the base line in this song.
Words: sade adu
Music: sade adu, andrew hale, and stuart matthewman
I always hope that you remember
We'll never really learn the meaning of it all
What we have is strong and tender
So hold on
In the middle of the madness
When the time is running out and you're left alone
All I want is you to know that
It's strong still
Cant pull us apart
Nothing can come
Between us
Nothing can pull us apart
Can come
Between us
I always hope that you remember
What we have is strong and tender
In the middle of the madness
Hold on
So it truly is a good thing
And I always wanted you to know
There is always this
And this is everlasting
Hold on
It's about faith
It's about trust, yeah yeah
It's about faith
It's about trust
Nothing can come
Nothing can come
Nothing can come between us
Nothing can come
Nothing can come
Nothing can come between us
Back in the day, WABC the local NYC station used to show movies before the local news. This was pre-Oprah, Sally, and other syndicated shows. My younger brother and I loved "Godzilla Week". My favorite battles were with Mothra and anything featuring the son of Godzilla, Godzuki. Ask any person of a certain age from the Tri-State (New York, New Jersey, Conn.) about little Godzilla and they will do the impression including upper body movements.
Given this "history" with Godzilla I don't find him scary (the same cannot be said for that horrible remake a few years ago). Imagine my surprise when I had a crazy nightmare last night. I dreamt I was running from him and found shelter in a basement. My mom was there talking on a cellphone. I was worried because the monster could detect the signal and find us. She turned it off. I don't remember who the other person there was. The three of us heard the monster stomp past us. After a while thinking the coast was clear, we stepped outside to investigate. Another monster was coming right at us. He had a head shaped like a rack of lamb. I was freaked the $%*@ out and we started running.
That is all I remember and I had a hard time getting back to sleep.
I was trying to have a restful weekend, when I had a conversation yesterday with one of the other producers regarding some recent movie drama. Ugh!!! Tomorrow is not going to be a fun day.
I drove out to Malibu this morning. If I was going to read scripts all day might as well do it some place nice. I went to Zuma beach. It's the first time I've been to the beach in L.A. this year. The sand was kind of dirty, which reminded me why I usually drove a few more miles north. The drive on PCH was very pretty.
I have some Chianti wine left over from last night's dinner. I am going to try a new grilled chicken recipe later and I bought some apple pie for dessert. Hopefully a good meal will help me sleep better tonight.
Our casting session for today was held on Wednesday instead so I have this afternoon free to get some work done. I have so many scripts to catch up on. Last week was so hectic I fell behind. Agents know I'm in pre-production so I am cutting way back on reading sample scripts from this point on.
I ususally like to read one book at a time. I am reading four now. I have a sickness. I cannot walk past a magazine stand without stopping and now that habit is slipping into my book world. I ordered a bunch of books from Amazon. I would just quickly look at the first paragraph and next I knew, I was a couple chapters in. I am going to try and finish the following this week.
MARGHERITA DOLCE VITA by Stefano Benni. I am reading the english translation because I have a tough enough time trying to read CAPPUCETTO ROSSO (Litte Red Riding Hood) in Italian. Book was a hit in Italy and has received great reviews stateside. It's told from the POV of a young girl as mysterious new neighbors move into a McMansion next door, disrupting their little town. Very funny so far.
DRINKING COFFEE ELSEWHERE by ZZ Packer. This short story collection was a PEN/Faulkner finalist. Many of the stories first appeared in the New Yorker and Harpers. Brillant writer, great storyteller, with stories that touch on race, family, friendship and life in the U.S. of A. There were some passages that were so funny and/or insightful, I had to read them again and again.
GOODBYE, COLUMBUS by Philip Roth. I have read some of his later works and there is a reason he is considered one of the most gifted writers of our time. This short story collection debuted in 1959. His first book put him on the map. The story "Goodbye, Columbus", (adapted into a movie starting Ali McGraw and Richard Benjamin) is about a poor kid from Newark, NJ in love with a rich girl from Short Hills, NJ. Although they share the same ethnicity and culture (Jewish) they pretty much have nothing in common. Many of Roth's novels are set in Essex County, New Jersey (as was that other great work...The Sopranos) and I like reading about this area where I went to jr high and high school.
FALLING PALACE: A ROMANCE OF NAPLES by Dan Hofstadter. He was a contributor to the New Yorker and has written books on art. This is a more literary verson of a travel memoir. He is in love with Naples and a beautiful women but finds both very confusing. I was only able to spend one day in Naples. I would like to go back and see more of it. It was truly one of the most incredible, crazy, beautiful, messy cities I have ever been to.
When I first heard about this show I was horrified. What kind of sexist nonsense was this? Now I feel sorry for the 20 somethings (the kittens). Where did casting find these women? When they are not saying the 40 somethings (the cougars) are old, have sagging breasts, wrinkles etc. they are crying.
The man in the middle, 30 year old, Austrailian tennis pro Mark Phippoussis, was at first freaked out when he met the older women. In the past he has only dated women younger than him. After he went out on his group date with the 20 somethings, who had nothing to say to him or each other, he said "I have to be honest I miss the older women." haha.
My last two assistants were both hired right out of college. Smart, hard working and 22/23. I don't know if the producers of the show picked only wanna be actresses for the younger group. These women are clueless and they look so much older. There was one girl Tessa who was wore so much make-up she could have used a spatula. At 23 that is not necessary.
The 40 somethings all have jobs, are more with it, can hold a conversation and have confidence. Unless Mark wants to have kids right away, I have no idea why he would pick one of the women from the 20 something group.
Mr. Lebovitz is the author of my favorite new cookbook "The Perfect Scoop." He is an American pastry chef living in Paris. His blog is hilarious and the observations on this list made me laugh.
My friend Sfashionista and I were just talking about some of these things the other day. I'll admit it, I don't think twice about going to the supermarket after the gym. Yes, I'm sweaty, bandana on my head but at least I'm not rolling up to Pavilions in my pajama bottoms. I have seen people at brunch wearing PJ bottoms as well.
L.A. is more casual than New York. I do remember making an effort on the East Coast. I'm not saying men need to start wearing fedoras again but this sloppy dressing has gone too far. What the hell is up with wearing flip-flops everywhere? There were some members of a women's NCAA championship team who went to their White House ceremony in flip-flops. I don't care what your politics are, you do not wear freaking beach shoes to the White House.
My sister and I talked about the "skintern" thing happening in DC. These are interns who dress like they are going to strip at Crazy Girls. I worked on Capitol Hill after college and our interns wore suits most of the time. I am positive the Congressman's Chief of Staff would have sent any intern home who walked in dressed to party.
When I went to the Ocean's 13 premiere there was a producer in dockers-ish pants and converse sneakers. He is in his late 30s. My co-worker said "he doesn't look cool, just tacky". This was a big old school Hollywood, we are shutting down Hollywood blvd. type premiere.
I crack up reading travel boards where many of my fellow Americans whine about not being allowed to dress how they want at the Vatican (no shorts, shoulders covered). Uhm, hello it's a church and you are visiting another country, respect their rules. You are not at Walmart.
I'm curious how the expats view their countrymen as tourists and what do they notice when they come back to the States?
Living in Los Angeles really warps your sense of time passing. The difference in seasons here is very subtle. It's easy to wake up and ask "what month is this?"
I can't believe we are past the half way mark for '07. It doesn't feel like summer at all to me. Yes, it's hot but I'm not feeling the summer vibe. Part of it is because work is crazy hectic instead of slowing down. If everything works out with the movie it will be worth it.
I won't be able to meet my siblings and nephews (one is almost three and the another is 5 months old) in St. Martin. They are leaving in a couple of weeks.
The movie is scheduled to wrap in early December. After production you are wiped out. A nice litte trip to the Amalfi coast might be good way to decompress after a long and tough shoot. It will be off season and nice and quiet. Something to look forward to.
I sent my ms to my editor over the weekend. I have my mornings back for the next few weeks. Time to get back on track with my workouts and Italian.
I couldn't sign up for Italian this summer because of the movie schedule. I was supposed to be in Advanced Italian, (hahaha), instead I started to review from the very beginning. I'm in the middle of Pimsleur Level One. So far no c'รจ male (not too bad). I started Chapter One of my Prego textbook. My goal is to finish a chapter a week (well until I get to the dreaded Passato Remoto and the other more difficult verb tenses).
On Saturday I met a friend from class to practice. I stopped by Bay Cities Italian deli in Santa Monica which was packed at 4:00 in the afternoon. I couldn't believe how much traffic there was at the beach. Crazy. The bread there is so good I was tempted to start eating it while I sat in traffic on Lincoln Blvd. I had a good time on Saturday, a nice bottle of wine, salad from her garden and great if (somewhat butchered) converstion. I bought two books to help me get up to speed: "Better Reading Italian" and "Mastering Italian Vocabulary".
I made a fantastic and super easy Lime Granita...perfect for another hot weekend. I have been looking throught "The Perfect Scoop" cookbook and there are so many recipes I want to try.
The Flavor of Love, Charm School Reunion. Larissa might want to sign up for anger management. One day she is going to say something to the wrong person and get a serious beat down.
Venus Williams entered Wimbledon ranked number 31. She won helped by a serve clocking in at 124 miles per hour! Jesus. How does someone even return a serve like that? I miss playing tennis.
While at my friend's house she was playing Eros's CD "Eros". I know, I know. One of my friends cannot stand his voice...too nasally and yes some of the songs are cheesy. Well, since I usually have no idea what he is saying, the lyrics don't bother me.
There is one song on this CD I love "Memorie". It has a great melody. The last verse is:
e riscoprire come un dolore
senza capire perchรฉ
ricostruire un’emozione
fino a morire per te...
fino a morire per te...
Sounds molto bello in Italian. I looked up the translation on the web. I think the person did a literal one. Hmm seems a little intense in English.
and I rediscover
an unexplainable pain
I reconstruct an emotion
until I die for you...
Zigzig ha indeed. I remember the first time I saw the video for the song "Wannabe", I was like "WTF?". Against my better judgement I couldn't get the damn catchy song out of my head. I'm not going to lie. I like the first two Spice Girls CDs. It's good fun pop. I will say I was annoyed Mel. B the Black Spice Girl had to be Scary Spice. I'm glad she got that situation with Eddie Murphy worked out.
With the latest draft of zee book. I am going to use the next few days to clean up typos and then send it off to my editor.
Yesterday was a great writing day. The gym didn't open until 7:00 a.m. (holiday hours) so I went on a walk instead. I wrote from 7:30-12:30 broke for lunch, then 1:30 to 4:30. It was fantastic to have a full day to do my thing.
I am feeling a little sluggish, one it's crazy hot and two I didn't go to the gym a couple of days last week. I felt like I was in a writing groove so I would get up at 4:30 a.m., skip the gym and get 4 hours of writing done before going to the office.
It will take a few weeks to receive notes on this draft so I will have time to work out again.
Had the weirdest dream last night. I was waiting in line at the post office...in Rome. I don't remember if I was speaking Italian in the dream. Not sure what I was doing there.
I know I said I was going to stop buying them but I swear this is it (for the next few months anyway). I came into the office today and waiting for me was THE PERFECT SCOOP and CHOCOLATE AND ZUCCHINI. I cannot wait to read them cover to cover and make something delicious this weekend.
Speaking of food, 85% of my clothes don't fit. I can't stop eating. Okay I'm going to get some candy then back to work.
Hope everyone has a safe 4th. I'll be writing all day.
So these things might not seem to have anything in common. Well, they were the highlights of my very non-social weekend.
I had a very productive and fun time writing Friday, yesterday, and this morning. I took a break early afternoon yesterday to make the recipe, Sara posted here. It was delicious, perfect for a hot weekend.
Rose mentioned Giada De Laurentiis did a special on Capri. I saw her Santorini one and just happened to catch the Capri one. Sigh. I hear it's better to go during off season. I have to get there some day. The food, the views, the ruins, wow.
I can't believe today is July 1. My siblings are going to visit our parents in St. Martin later this month. I can't go because everything is on hold until I find out what is going on with the movie.
