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Last week was very busy, with several friends from out of town and much socializing. Tuesday afternoon Jeremy, Amelia, and Joe Monti came over for vodka shots until we went to meet several other NY publishing folk at Hill Country barbecue. I tried desperately not to over-order, having been there once when they first opened. But despite sharing meats and sides with Stefan D, I ended up taking home some bourbon mashed sweet potatoes (too thin), baked beans with port butts (not sweet enough for my taste), and string bean casserole with mushroom soup and fried onions (still a favorite from my childhood). The corn pudding --which we gobbled up--was delicious. They sell the meats by the pound but you can ask for a slice of this or a couple of pork ribs, etc, which is the best way to order.
Thursday was Nora's launch party for her first novel, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. It was at a sexy bar/lounge called Madame X, on Houston Street and despite the snow, many celebrants made it to the party. I met my Australian friends Robert Hoge and Kate Eltham there and after partying, we, along with Rick Bowes went to my favorite local Japanese restaurant, Sakura. Kate and I shared a bottle of Nigori, the unfiltered, cold sake that we both love. And instead of my usual sushi, I ordered something hot. Fine eating by all.
Friday evening I watched Quills on DVD. It's (an inaccurate) account of the Marquis de Sade's life while he resided in Charenton insane asylum. It's an ugly yet fascinating movie about pornography and censorship, with Geoffrey Rush as de Sade, Kate Winslet as Madeleine, the laundress who smuggles his writings out into the world, Joaquin Phoenix as the Abbe' benevolent head of the asylum, and Michael Caine as the repressive, "traditionalist" doctor who is sent by Napoleon to oversee the asylum. Rush was over the top but believable as de Sade. Everyone else was very good. Melodrama abounds.
Then watched some Angel and the musical Dreamgirls,a schematic account of the rise of the Supremes and the erasure of Effie White, the most talented of the originals (whose voice and body were deemed too large to be the focus of the group). The script was eh but Jennifer Hudson earns her Oscar as Effie. Eddie Murphy is also fantastic as James (Thunder) Early, the R&B singer that the "Dreamettes" back up.
But last night I watched Near Dark. I saw it on a very bad video reproduction years ago and it was a joy to see it on a clean, well-produced DVD. Yikes! Fantastic movie-it deserves its classic status as one of the best vampire movies. And Kathryn Bigelow did a terrific job directing it. Brava!
Thursday was Nora's launch party for her first novel, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. It was at a sexy bar/lounge called Madame X, on Houston Street and despite the snow, many celebrants made it to the party. I met my Australian friends Robert Hoge and Kate Eltham there and after partying, we, along with Rick Bowes went to my favorite local Japanese restaurant, Sakura. Kate and I shared a bottle of Nigori, the unfiltered, cold sake that we both love. And instead of my usual sushi, I ordered something hot. Fine eating by all.
Friday evening I watched Quills on DVD. It's (an inaccurate) account of the Marquis de Sade's life while he resided in Charenton insane asylum. It's an ugly yet fascinating movie about pornography and censorship, with Geoffrey Rush as de Sade, Kate Winslet as Madeleine, the laundress who smuggles his writings out into the world, Joaquin Phoenix as the Abbe' benevolent head of the asylum, and Michael Caine as the repressive, "traditionalist" doctor who is sent by Napoleon to oversee the asylum. Rush was over the top but believable as de Sade. Everyone else was very good. Melodrama abounds.
Then watched some Angel and the musical Dreamgirls,a schematic account of the rise of the Supremes and the erasure of Effie White, the most talented of the originals (whose voice and body were deemed too large to be the focus of the group). The script was eh but Jennifer Hudson earns her Oscar as Effie. Eddie Murphy is also fantastic as James (Thunder) Early, the R&B singer that the "Dreamettes" back up.
But last night I watched Near Dark. I saw it on a very bad video reproduction years ago and it was a joy to see it on a clean, well-produced DVD. Yikes! Fantastic movie-it deserves its classic status as one of the best vampire movies. And Kathryn Bigelow did a terrific job directing it. Brava!
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