A few things I'd like to put out there this morning. First, when I go to the gym and there are 16 open machines, why is it that someone always comes and uses the one right next to me? Does this happen to other people or just me? Maybe the guy thought if he stood next to me he could pretend he was racing me.
The second thing is that I feel bad about something that happened this morning on the PATH. What would you do in this situation. I got myself a great seat and was reading when a woman comes on and stands to the side of me. I quickly glanced up and thought she looked pregnant but was not at all sure. I thought about just offering my seat but what if she wasn't pregnant? Then it would have been an awkward 15 minute ride unless she just thought I was being polite and offering my seat to a lady. I probably should have gotten up but I didn't, I continued reading. So pregnant woman on the PATH, if you are reading this I'm sorry.
Aflack...
You know what? I'll wear tight fitting shirts, put on an accent, and judge the singers for $100 mil.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are looking forward to July 4th, a day that I love because it brings back memories of our annual tailgating picnic in Vermont and watching the fireworks set against shadowed mountains. I won't be in Vermont this year however, so I better pick up some sparklers to celebrate something else that happened July 4th weekend last year. Something that when I look back now, was a blessing. It taught me a lot about life, love and lead to my meeting new and amazing people and working on some very exciting projects.
But why wait until next weekend for fireworks?
As a tribute to Billy Mays, I'd like to post this again. This guy was an incredible salesman. He could really sell anything.
It's true, Boaz Frankel is back in Portland and the Un-Road Trip has come to an end. Congrats Boaz! When do you start your trip around the world in a house fitted with thousands of balloons?
I heard from some friends that they went to church yesterday and saw none other than Jim McGreevy. Other notables around town are Danny Aiello, Jon Corzine and Eli Manning.
I re-watched the Where The Wild Things Are trailer the other day. I cannot wait for this film.
I was watching the 6:00 news last night right when they announced that it was confirmed that Michael Jackson died. I never watch CBS news but I had it on and the anchor was so emotional at one point she was supposed to read this story on Subway Schmutz and she got all flustered and said, "I'm not going to say that." I have it recorded and hope to get it posted. The anchors then apologized saying that the Michael Jackson news was throwing them off. Then the female anchor started to get really emotional and she was basically crying. I'm all for showing emotion but I thought anchors for the most part were to leave their emotions at home? It was really interesting to see an anchor get this upset on television.
Well, I know one guy who is going to be bringing in some big money today:
Okay texters, listen up. Texting and driving is worse than drinking and driving.
Is that a lighthouse on the beach or are you just hap...oh nevermind.
Bruno was on Conan last night and hilarity ensued. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie but Borat is still my favorite character.
Last night we screened a movie called Afghan Star and I had the pleasure of meeting the director, Havana Marking and the executive producers, Mike Lerner and Martin Herring. They were just wonderful and the movie is a must see.
After 30 years of war and Taliban-rule, pop culture has returned to Afghanistan. Afghan Star - a Pop Idol-style TV series – is searching the country for the next generation of music stars. Over 2000 people are auditioning and even three women have come forward to try their luck. The organizers, Tolo TV, believe with this programme they can ‘move people from guns to music’.
Afghan Star was a huge hit at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and walked away with both the World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary and the World Cinema Directing Award: Documentary.
If you are in NYC, the film opens this Friday at the Cinema Village and Havana will be there for a Q&A on Friday June 26 and Sat June 27.
Enjoy the trailer and tell all of your friends about this gem of a film.
I had the chance to finally see UP in 3D last night and thinking it was just going to be another Danny Deckchair, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I really enjoyed it. There were moments in the film that I feel were too drawn out and could have been edited down more, but to me, this Pixar film evokes strong emotions. It deals with death and everlasting love, youth, achieving your dreams, among others. It's also the first time a hero (with a walker) and a villain are over the age of 65. I highly recommend it.
I thought it would only be appropriate for me to look up some balloon related videos on YouTube to see what was out there and if indeed, people have tried lifting heavy objects with helium balloons.
If you have or had kids, would you leave them at the Ikea Day Care? Well according to this article, mothers and fathers go to Ikea for some alone time. They drop their kids off at "Smaland" and then relax on a couch and enjoy savory Swedish meatballs and Lingonberry juice.
Do you want to have a tea party or drinks with Anne Hathaway? If so, you can! Ebay currently is auctioning Anne off so be sure to get your bids in. I met Anne a few times back in High School when she came to see our productions because she was dating a friend of mine at the time. She was very pleasant and nice. Happy Bidding!
A walking star tour of Central Park? Who wants to do it with me? Oh, come on. It might be fun.
It's only appropriate that I title this blog "Heeeeeeere's Johnny" because beloved latenight sidekick, Ed McMahon, has passed away. Whether he was performing silly stunts on Carson or getting you to fill out those pesky Publishers Clearing House mail entries, he had a warm and glowing television presence.
And now Evan's tasteless joke of the day: Bill Clinton agreed to speak at an 8th grade graduation at a Harlem Middle School to graduates clad in blue graduation robes, when he was finished he looked over at the graduates, squinted and said "Monica?" *rimshot*
A group of wealthy Village residents are going to hire a security force to keep riff-raff out of the newly refurbished Washington Square Park.
Pop open the Champagne because this is post #767. A great number.
The weekend was one filled with rain and relaxation. I was feeling under the weather (pun intended) by the end of last week and took the weekend to catch up on sleep and just relaxing. I was able to get some editing done, watched a few movies one of which, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, made me tear up, and was able to do some reading. All in all an excellent weekend.
Mondays can be hectic, the start of a new week. So while I'm on the topic of relaxation, why not take a moment to do some deep breathing. Hit play and then breathe away. Get your entire office to do it. Why not.
Ok, feeling relaxed and calm? Good, I'll move on.
My friend Amanda who is an extremely talented animator, works at JibJab and always lets us know when the new hot JibJab masterpiece is online. You may have already seen it but here it is for those of you who haven't:
Only in Miami does an 83 year-old-man land a plane on the expressway.
The Mermaid Parade took place in Coney Island on Saturday with Harvey Keitel presiding as King Neptune. I'm honored that they have asked me to be King next year and haven't given them an answer yet as I'm not sure whether it's something I want to add to my resume.
Stories like this one really get my morning off to a great start. Okay, sit down, close your eyes and pretend you are skiing.
By now you have heard of all the Robert Pattinson sightings in New York City, I could care less but I am intrigued by fame. Are women really in love with this guy or are they in love with his character from the vampire series? I believe it's the latter. So yesterday, they were filming in front of The Strand and fans started running towards him. He tried to get away but a cab grazed his side.
As you can imagine, Bruno is going to be a huge Summer hit and I'm certainly looking forward to it. You can't go wrong with Sacha Baren Cohen.
Olive Garden pulled their ads from The Late Show? Or did they...I know America has been just dying to know.
Attention citizens, you must now wear underwear to work.
And now, your random clip of the week:
Shoutout to Lauren for finding this site, it definitely is clever and fun!
I had to take the subway this morning and was surrounded by a strange few. I'd like to briefly tell you about one guy who I have named Geppetto. Why? Because he had a mustache and he was studying this wooden carved figure of a man, but studying it very intensely. He turned the faceless sculpture in his hands looking at it from different angles. I really wished I had taken a photo. Then I got off and the man stood up and screamed "Pinocchio!" Okay, that's a lie. And while I'm on the topic of wooden boys, I used to love love love the Fairy Tale theater version of Pinocchio starring, Paul Rubens (aka Pee-Wee).
I finally got around to watching some of the Letterman protest footage and it just made me laugh.
Did you guys just chant, "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Letterman has got to go?" I'd like to protest against you calling Sarah Palin's daughter the "H" word. How dare you. I cannot believe some of the things said in this video.
Okay, get ready for this one, we all love the Snuggie, the Sham Wow, the braun hand blender, but brace yourself...introducing the Comfort Wipe:
This is an interesting approach to advertising a product. Way to go Dunkin Donuts for thinking, well, out of the box.
Have you heard of Crystal Deodorant? Well, Boaz Frankel is unofficially the Crystal spokesman. That's right, check it out.
Last night I had the pleasure of meeting and listening to Neil Grabler. One of the books he wrote was a biography on Walt Disney which took him 7 years to write and he was even given access to Walt's personal library. He had some amazing stories to tell and I'm tempted now to read the 900 page biography.
Thanks to my parents, who drove out to Hoboken last night, I have a new rug. A new rug can really change a room. This rug is pretty crazy but fun and the colors are with the color scheme of the room so it works. Although, with the fish pattern and my algae on the wall, I'm a little concerned my living room is turning into an aquarium.
I guess a photo would be appropriate right now, but I don't have one so you'll have to use your imagination.
In case you missed your chance to see Robert Pattinson yesterday, he's still around. They were smart and moved his trailer closer to where they were shooting and put up barricades. Ladies were still lined up this morning to catch a glimpse of this guy. And yes, he is just a kid like you and me.
While we're on the topic of Robert Pattinson, I'd like to start a discussion about "backup husbands". This all started at a gallery event we had and a few of my colleagues were talking about the fact that they have a few backup husbands. These are good friends who I guess you have decided that if you are both single when you reach the age of 30, you'll tie the knot. I remember kids talking about this in middle school but I hadn't heard it mentioned until recently. Sooo...I guess this means that I need to come up with a list of backup wives? I hope not. I hope it won't come to that. BACKUP FAILED>>OUT OF DISC SPACE.
On the PATH this morning a guy's alarm clock was going off and he couldn't hear it because he was listening to music. I can still hear the tune in my head.
Last night, David Letterman issued an apology to Sarah Palin and her daughters. If you missed it, here it is:
I think some people are really taking this too far. Trying to get Dave fired? Come on. Quite honestly, I feel like this is being done for show. Palin wants to remain in the media and Dave wants get the ratings.
According to the NY Times:
Some media commentators said that Mr. Letterman was keeping the controversy alive for the sake of ratings, but he seemed to make a special effort Monday to get the apology right. He even taped it a second time after he mistakenly referred to Bristol Palin once as “Brooke” in the first effort.
Let's focus on something more important, like global warming, eh? Or Bruce Willis.
Weird, did anyone witness the freak hail storm in NJ yesterday? Speaking of global warming..
Here's another bizarre story. A Man walks into a bar with a carpet...
Yes, it's true. I am back after a week of fun in Vermont and Canada! What did I learn? Canadians are very nice, I can stand an 8 hour train ride, Mennonite carriage rides in the rain can be fun, and Brent Curry has the coolest collection of bikes I have ever seen.
So without further ado, I present the trip, Flikr Style
They are always filming movies around NYU...two weeks ago it was Step Up 3 and today, Remember Me, starring Robert Pattinson and Pierce Brosnan. Oh boy.
After we woke up this morning, Pam made breakfast for us at Le Petit Prince which consisted of petite chocolate croissants, fresh squeezed orange juice, spinach and cheese omelet and deliciously herbed potatoes. There was also fresh fruit lining the plate which perfectly cleansed the palate. Then we were off. We couldn't leave Montreal without trying their new bike share stations. Find a station, put in your credit card and take a bike to use for however long you need to. I hope they'll bring this system to Hoboken...
We biked around for a short while and even went down a cobblestone street at which point Boaz yelled back, "it's like getting a massage". Then it was time to return the bikes to a station and head to the train to Toronto and then to Kitchener. The trains here are so much nicer than the Amtrak in the US. Everyone is punctual, the service is excellent, and the ride was a pleasure. Even the bathrooms are nicer, none of this horrible blue chemical when you flush like the US Amtrak trains. Plus, the french makes it seem much classier.
We finally arrived in Kitchener, Ontario where we were greeted by Brent and Morgan who brought along a truck bike and a tandem bike for us to ride to Brent's home where we are currently spending the night. Brent and Natalie made an excellent dinner and we even got to see some of the TV clips which have featured Brent's treadmill bike. I will hopefully get photos up tomorrow. While you wait for me to post photos be sure to head over to >Brent's website. There are some pretty cool bikes. Like the treadmill bike, the couch bike, the family truckster and many more.
Just woke up in Montreal where we were put up last night at Le Petit Prince. Montreal seems like a wonderful city but unfortunately well be leaving soon to head to Kitchenor. I will post more when I get a chance but here are two videos..one from the Plattsburgh train station and the other, our room at le petit prince.
It's pouring rain in Plattsburgh this morning and I'm hoping it's going to stop before we make our way to the train station. We're headed to Canada today where we will travel aboot and cycle for 100 kilometers (62 miles) around until eventually we end up in Ontario where my journey ends. Here are some photos:
Well, I'm not sure I'm quite up for typing a complete rundown of today but last night Boaz and I met up on the Amtrak train and got off at Essex Junction, Vt to the most beautiful sunset and orange-colored sky. It was chilly and a few minutes later we were met by Steve and his friend, Jeannie who were kind enough to give us rides through town and then back to Steve's house where he kindly hosted us for the night. We had warm split pea soup and homemade bread when we arrived and woke up to a french toast breakfast before it was time to hit the bikes and ride to Airport Park. Steve invented a really cool bike which you can read all about on his website and was extremely gracious. Once we arrived to Airport Park we met up with Brooke who came up with a way for you to bike down a snowy mountain in the winter. The news van then pulled up and briefly interviewed Boaz as did Matt, a photographer for the local paper. Then Jason pulled up with a car loaded with paddle surfboards for the next leg of the journey. Worried that all of our stuff would get ruined in the lake, I hopped in a car with Matt who was kind enough to drive me to the other end of the cut where Boaz and Jason paddle surfed to. We arrived a little late due to some wrong turns. Boaz was standing on a ferry with a bunch of great guys who were a great help to us today. We were then in the hands of Phelps who had bikes for us and led us along the lake to the ferry. We boarded the ferry along with many cars and then we were dropped off in Plattsburgh, NY where I sit right now, in a Best Western. We missed the train to Canada because Boaz couldn't get a ride to the train station in time. I hopped in a taxi and had the most interesting and hysterically funny driver. I'm tired. I want to say a lot more. Good night.
Last night I attended a shindig thrown by WEtv (television for women) at the 23rd street Clearview Cinemas. The event was to promote the new season of We shows specifically Bridezillas, Amazing Wedding Cakes and My Fair Wedding. It was also to promote the new Sandra Bullock-Ryan Reynolds flick, The Proposal.
As we ascended the movie theater staircase, we came to a level where there was a flurry of activity. Free stuff? You betcha. Immediately, we were handed veils, and a piece of white chocolate molded into the We logo and placed in one of those wedding pouches reserved for Jordan Almonds. Next, we were offered mini cupcakes that promoted master cake designer Lauri Ditunno's shop, Cake Alchemy. At the next table were plastic We champagne glasses filled with sparkling cider and Pelligrino. They also had a photographer taking photos of people wearing their veils in front of a green screen to which they could add different backgrounds of your choice.
So back to the sparkling cider station. My retelling isn't going to do this justice and you'll probably just think I'm nuts but... a guy picks up a bottle of the Martinelli's Sparkling Cider and looks at the bottle like he is trying to find a year.
Man to server
Man: Is this Martinelli's? Server: Yes Man: And this (he points to the other glass) Server: Pelligrino, yes.
Hmm..this isn't going to be funny to anyone else is it. Sorry. You had to have been there.
Once we were seated we heard two of the stars from We shows speak, David Tutera and Lauri Ditunno. They answered questions and plugged their shows until the socket was overloaded. Then came the Bridezillas promo.
I have never seen Bridezillas. We watched some scenes from the new season in complete horror. How can people watch this? It was the most disturbing and upsetting look at marriage and love. Not to mention some of the people had kids and I felt for those kids. I don't know how much of this show is staged and I'm sure the editing makes people look even worse. It actually reminded me a lot of Jerry Springer. Why do we like watching this? Does it make us feel better about our lives? Is it just entertaining? To be honest, I thought the funniest line was that this one couple met at the show, "Lucky Stiff".
Once Bridezillas ended, it was time for The Proposal. I went into this film not expecting much and it's by no means a great film. Is it fun? Yeah, and Sandra Bullock doesn't look half bad in a towel. Not to mention a lot of the film takes place in Alaska so for those not interested in the movie you can enjoy the scenery. I've seen far worse movies but if you're looking to see a movie this weekend, I recommend waiting for this one on DVD and seeing either The Hangover or Away We Go.
Those who know me well enough know that I love going to these types of events. I love seeing what ideas these networks come up with to promote their products. It was a great night and now I have to find a missing passport so I can get into Canada. Eh.
No, this is not a review of the Pixar film, Up. Away We Go is the new film directed by the talented Sam Mendes and written by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida which opens in select theaters this Friday.
At least once in our lives we have taken to the road for a roadtrip, whether across the country or to a neighboring state. It can feel good to stop your everyday life and go out exploring. On Sunday, I will be joining the Un-Road Trip and will end up in Ontario, Canada. You can follow the journey at www.unroadtrip.com. Away We Go is in essence a roadtrip film, one that you aren't going to want to miss.
Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) and Verona De Tessant (Maya Rudolph)are expecting their first child. They suddenly find themselves with no close family and decide to hit the road in search of a "home" and along the way encounter some of their over-the-top relatives. In the end, Burt and Verona find a place to call home and learn more about parenting than they would have just by reading What To Expect When You're Expecting.
I'd like to alert you to the first scene in this movie, my "Awkward Parent Moment". If you go see this movie with your parents just a warning that some of you may be embarrassed or feel awkward. This might help however. Last night at the screening, a gentleman with glasses remarked, "I don't understand why Burt's character is always wearing glasses. In the first scene, I don't know anyone who would wear glasses when they are doing that."
John Krasinski is the actor who really carries this film along with the amazing, amazing, amazing talent who have small but really meaty and interesting roles. The performances given by Catherine O'Hara, Jeff Danniels, Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan and Maggie Gyllenhaal are just superb. I hope we start seeing more of Catherine O'Hara. I've missed seeing her on the big screen lately. These actors were handed some really great material and they ran with it.
I'm not surprised how well written the script was for this film, because anything Dave Eggers touches turns to gold. He also co-wrote Where The Wild Things Are, which is the one film I am most looking forward to. Songs for this film were written and performed by Alexi Murdoch. This movie has a lot of feeling and the music complements this perfectly adding to the already existent moodiness.
I found myself laughing out loud during many scenes in this film and I have some favorite moments which I don't want to spoil for you. Let's just say I will never be able to look at a stroller again without thinking about this film.
If you like smart, well written and really funny films, you will enjoy Away We Go. Tell your friends.
If you haven't already heard the buzz about The Hangover, you soon will. This is going to be the comedy of the summer even though it's technically not summer quite yet.
The Hangover is Todd Phillips' look at a bachelor party gone bad, really bad. But like all bachelor parties, these guys all learn a lesson. Or do they? And in the end, everyone lives happily ever after.
NYU alumnus Todd Phillips directed this flick and Jon Lucas and Scott Moore wrote the script. Todd Phillips brought us such memorable comedies as Road Trip, Old School, Starsky and Hutch, Borat, among others. He also has many others in the pipeline such as Old School Dos...but back to The Hangover.
The big wedding day approaches and Doug (Justin Bartha), along with two friends, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and his soon-to-be brother-in-law (Zach Galifianakis) take his father-in-law's Benz to Vegas for an unforgettable (well, really forgettable) Bachelor party. When they wake up after a night of craziness, they can't remember a thing and must piece together what happened the night before in order to find precious cargo that is now lost. Along the way, the guys meet some interesting characters and in many scenes are beaten or witness some sort of nudity, which brings me to my "genital theory".
Evan's genital theory states that when a comedy writer is looking for laughs, he or she will throw in a naked guy running around to get people rolling on the floor and covering their eyes. As was the case in Observe and Report for those of you who saw it. The genital theory can be applied to The Hangover but because the movie is funny and well written, the nudity works. Come to think of it, Todd Phillips must have a thing for nudity (mainly buttocks). Most of his films incorporate it somewhere, somehow. You may see more skin that you'd like, but it'll make you laugh and cough twice.
I must say I thought about all you ladies out there. I'm wondering if you are going to like this film. It does not portray women in the most positive light but, there is a cute baby and Zach Galafianakis is worth the price of admission alone. He really shines in this film and I think it's going to make his name known to anyone who isn't familiar with him.
While I laughed out loud during many parts of this film, I did feel that some moments fell flat. Believe it or not, these were the moments that we have all seen from the trailers. Mike Tyson for example. You know he's in the film and it turns out that there's a reason for this. Because like these guys, he did some crazy sh*t when he was messed up.
Looking for a comedy that will have you laughing down the aisle and leave you craving an ice cold glass of water? Then check out The Hangover, in theaters Friday, June 5, 2009.
I received some sad news yesterday that my advisor is withdrawing from NYU due to severe health problems so please send love and prayers to her and her family.
Going to a screening of The Hangover tonight so expect a full review tomorrow.
I made a whirlwind trip to Washington this past weekend and although it was very brief, I had such a wonderful time. I boarded a late Bolt Bus on Friday night and our driver Kevin (who I just happened to have on the way back) was excellent. We pulled into DC around 11:30pm Friday night and I hailed a cab to my hotel, The Renaissance Mayflower. I had an amazing room on the 9th floor and it was so nice to collapse into a freshly made bed. But before I was able to do that, I needed something to eat. Problem was, everything was closed. So when I asked a man downstairs what was open, he unlocked a door and came back with some secret menu from a pizza place that delivered. I ordered a salad and although it was too late to be eating, I enjoyed the salad in my room. The next day was beautiful and I was up and out early. I met up with Justine for lunch and we went to Vapiano because it was close to the hotel. We had no idea what this place was and basically, it's an upscale cafeteria. You get a card which you touch at each station when you order. You take a tray, napkin and utensils and you enjoy your meal. Then you head to the checkout where they swipe your card and tell you how much you owe. It's an interesting concept and the places are really nicely designed. I didn't get a chance to eat at any the staples in DC but I plan on going back when I can spend some more time there.
After lunch, I toured the city by foot walking by some of the monuments, The White House, and even stopped off at the Museum of American History where I saw Julia Child's kitchen, Kermit, Oscar, and numerous other cool objects. I continued my journey around the city and ended up back at my hotel a few hours before I had to be at Union Station for a Monuments By Night Tour I had signed up for. A 2.5 hour trolley tour that makes a few stops my favorite of which was the Lincoln Memorial. Luckily we had 40 minutes to enjoy it. Our tour guide on the trolley was Da Vinci, and she was extremely knowledgeable and had some really interesting stories to tell. I was definitely one of the younger people on the tour but I enjoyed taking photos and enjoying the night air. It was a really nice night to be out. Sunday morning I had breakfast and made my way to the Bolt Bus. It was a great weekend trip and I'm already looking forward to going back.
It's June! Hard to believe it's here already! Do you have fun summer plans? Do they include a trip to Coney Island?
While I was in DC, The Obamas were in NYC, dining at Blue Hill and going to see Joe Turner's Come and Gone. I enjoyed the video that David Wain posted..
