Just in time for Summer

No more hiding the booze bottles from the cops patrolling the sand... No more awkward bottles to carry along with your beach volleyball gear... No more getting so lit you can't remember where you left the liquor!


A flip-flop that doubles as as flask!!! Now, the only thing I want to know is why they only come as menswear?

http://www.reef.com/productdetail/guys/footwear/sandals/2597

Chips N Sips

Poker at ours last Tuesday... maybe the guys thought that the suits and ties were going to be intimidating??? I don't think so, boys! Look at where the chips are stacked... Not even this pair of pocket rockets could help Good Ol' Randy...

Why?

Sunday morning with the sun playing hide-n-seek behind the clouds... and I'm listening to my neighbor's music... usually loud and hammering... this morning it seems they too enjoy a slightly slower Sunday... I catch myself humming along to the lyrics - lyrics that I don't know the words to, but I do know... somehow... the chorus... "tell me why"... Annie Lennox. Annie Lennox. That is the EXACT same song that I had cranked up last night at midnight while I taking a much needed relaxing bath (yes, they can be essential at midnight!)... there was something soothing about going to sleep and waking up to the same song... like the world was in tune with me or I had passed the song on to someone else... or maybe they heard it in their sleep and they, too fell asleep and woke up to the same song... without knowing "why"...

If not here, then there...

If you can't see the video below, go here and watch it full screen on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkm1HLOfEdo

The Making of New York Blind

Chronicaling the calamitous creation of the 3-minute film "New York Blind"... to its curious conclusion!

What was the first poem that ever struck you?

I used to read a lot of poetry... the simplicity, precision, and imagery of poetry was always much more my style than long prose using 20 pages describing 30 seconds of action (Hemingway, anyone?). Recently, a friend has been going through tough times here in New York, and the first poem that ever struck me and stuck to me came back in a brilliant rush... potent, emmersive, emotional, beautiful... I remember the person who gave it to me, the reason why, and where I kept it for the longest time. Now it's something that I pass on... will they remember who gave it to them and why?

After a while you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t always mean security
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts
and presents aren’t promises
And you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child
And you learn to build all of your roads on today
because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns
if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
that you really are strong
and you really do have worth
And you learn and you learn
with every goodbye you learn.

VERONICA A. SHOFFSTALL
1971

Ways to fight the -19 windchill...

You know that when nothing's going up on the blog, that something's going on in life... Very busy lately with shooting a new short film called "new york blind" and a follow-up short that shows the "Making of New York Blind", but those are nearly complete now and several new projects are coming up...

I'm helping to put together a large party at The Pierre Hotel on Thursday where they're unveiling a re-furbished venue for social events and meetings. The Hotel has been around since pre-Depression and managed through several turns of hand to maintain an air of elegance and old-world charm. I believe it used to be owned by the Four Seasons, but has recently been bought by Taj Hotels. Small-scale event management has always intrigued me as something that would be fun, yet not time-consuming to do... so far, my instincts are proving to be correct.

I am also currently laying the foundation to direct Arthur Jolly's short play "Curfew" as part of the American Globe Theatre festival. It's a stunningly well-written play with beautiful parts for the two characters... both gripping and revealing. The festival has been running off-Broadway for 13 years and is well-established and able to attract name actors. Definitely worth making my off-Broadway directorial debut a success!

As always, the Arizona documentary continues... we've located many of the subjects we're looking to interview and a week in Arizona is now scheduled for late March, pending schedule confirmation with the interviewees.

James and I are looking at a trip to visit his family over Easter weekend. All in all, many wonderful things happening and lots of things to look forward to... For today, however, it's Sunday, so a nice, calm breakfast and an afternoon cycle in Central Park with friends is all that needs to be planned.