alexandra w lee

a move?

2007-12-15T01:57:00.001-05:00

temporary or permanently - i don't know, but....

http://amorousmusings.tumblr.com/

lifetime love affair: the simon bolivar youth orchestra & gustavo dudamel

2007-11-15T10:44:00.000-05:00

i saw sbyo under the direction of gustavo dudamel at symphony hall and honestly, it was one of the most beautiful performances i've ever attended. to see a group of musicians led by one of their own - performing a program of bartok, beethoven, and bernstein - youth aside, but with the energy and technical ability that they displayed is a unique thing.

it is the passion, joy, and talent that gustavo brings along with an amazing group of musicians (between the ages of 12 and 25).... unbelievably beautiful.

a dream would be to bring a program like this to boston/ny/dc/la, etc etc etc.

it reminds me of seeing the documentary "rhythm is it!" (about a social inclusion program in berlin involving dance) - but it was better because i saw the live performance!!!!

why don't people understand the impact that music and music education can have on people's lives?!?

links:
sbyo
gustavo dudamel
rhythm is it! (documentary)

nytimes: the antisuburbanites

2007-11-14T09:15:00.000-05:00

HOME & GARDEN

The Antisuburbanites

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

Three stories explaining how dedicated urbanites carved out city homes for families of five or more that give them room to breathe while still promoting togetherness in London, New York City and Los Angeles.

a-mazing youtube find: aaron neville 1960s hit "tell it like it is"

2007-11-08T16:10:00.001-05:00

no video - but great audio track.

aaron neville's voice breaks my heart.

new print

2007-10-29T10:46:00.000-04:00

new print from gothenburg-based artist lulabeth of fine little day from her new etsy shop.

the apartment dinner

2007-10-27T12:09:00.002-04:00

at minute 17, sebastien agneessens brings up a point that i blogged about early on in my blogging days - when you listen to your ipod all the time you disengage from society and you stop observing. another dinner party guest notes that sometimes you need to disengage but i feel like with the ipod my disengagement hit a new level.

i wrote it back in 2004 and it is called "research topic?"

i am really enjoying the expanded dwell magazine website - and this feature pulled together with design firm the apartment is really great. check it out here.

from believekevin's flickr stream

2007-10-26T19:13:00.001-04:00

102607_19041.jpg
Originally uploaded by believekevin

DARE TO BE SQUARE

Thomas Friedman (10/17) NYT: The Green-Collar Solution

2007-10-17T15:43:00.000-04:00

The Green-Collar Solution

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

Published: October 17, 2007

Van Jones has been on a crusade to help disadvantaged communities understand why they would be the biggest beneficiaries of a greener America.

Mr. Jones then just shakes his head. You try that approach on people without jobs who live in neighborhoods where they’ve got a lot better chance of getting killed by a passing shooter than a melting glacier, you’re going to get nowhere — and without bringing America’s underclass into the green movement, it’s going to get nowhere, too.
“We need a different on-ramp” for people from disadvantaged communities, says Mr. Jones. “The leaders of the climate establishment came in through one door and now they want to squeeze everyone through that same door. It’s not going to work. If we want to have a broad-based environmental movement, we need more entry points.”

Really interesting proposed solution to both our nation's ramped up attention on climate change and the need to provide new jobs in disadvantaged communities.

For more information, see the Green Collar Jobs Campaign site from the Ella Baker Center in Oakland.

Frank Rich (10/15) NYT - The "Good Germans" Among Us

2007-10-16T14:36:00.000-04:00

The ‘Good Germans’ Among Us

By FRANK RICH

Published: October 14, 2007

Our humanity has been compromised by those who use Gestapo tactics in the Iraq war. The longer we stand idly by, the more we resemble the “good Germans.”

----

Are we being as oblivious and inactive as the Germans who claimed ignorance during WWII?

great interviews of the 20th century

2007-09-26T14:42:00.000-04:00

the guardian (leave it to a uk publication to do something this fabulous) has been collecting and distributing the greatest interviews of the 20th century with the paper every day (via kottke.org). we americans may not be so lucky to get them free with our subscription to the guardian - but you can purchase the series online here or read them online here.

new print

2007-09-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

i know, it's been a long time since my last post.
i'm not going to apologize - i'm just going to start posting again.

in the past year i've purchased a load of prints, framed almost all of them as well as some old stuff, and have slowly started to build a collection of art that i both love and can afford. i'd say at least twice a month i purchase something from etsy, little paper planes, or directly from an artist.

today i bought carrie marill's the Faceted Couroucou from the jen beckman gallery's 20X200 effort. i'm in love with it and already have big framing and location plans for it in my new apartment.

inman square for life.

daniashapes album

2007-06-04T12:29:00.000-04:00

my good friend dan lopatin aka dania shapes has released a super limited version (only 100 pressings) of "holograd" which is available for order via http://papercities.org/. in addition, the incredible artwork is by other good friend and incredible artist dan szymanowski. (i have the pleasure of looking at "pug energy" - a beautiful painting/drawing by dansz every night before i go to bed)

i'm lucky to be friends with both of these talented guys!!!

dislike

2007-05-27T22:12:00.000-04:00

i dislike having to buy a copy of a book that is now a movie that uses images from the movie as cover art. the book existed before the movie and it will continue to exist after the movie - why do you have to force me to buy an edition (as no others are available) with the actors on the cover art? this will only force me for an eternity to picture michelle pfieffer as ellen olenska, etc.

i love the simple graphic nature of the "great ideas" series by penguin.

ezra is in the nytimes!!!!!

2007-05-06T17:27:00.000-04:00

check it.

Civilian Casualties: NYTimes Report

2007-04-12T12:44:00.000-04:00

Civilian Claims on U.S. Suggest the Toll of War
NYTimes article, April 12, 2007
The military has paid $32 million to Iraqis and Afghans for noncombat-related killings, injuries and damage.

This is a chilling article to read especially when it comes to how little a human life is worth according the US military. I am not well versed in the exact procedure on the valuation ofthe loss of an individual and subsequent compensation the family receives, but somehow I feel that $2,500 is not enough for the lifetime of work and contributions that many of these people would have made to their families (not to mention their is no way to account for the emotional void that their loss brings to their loved ones).

The ACLU has a fascinating section of their site devoted to Civilian Casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. [Link]

Currently reading...

2007-04-12T11:40:00.000-04:00

Annie Proulx's Bad Dirt: Wyoming Stories 2 on recommendation from Beba.

Recently finished:
(1) The World According to Garp by John Irving (for book club)
(2) Until I Find You by John Irving

On Deck:
(1) The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
(2) A Heart So White by Javier Marias
(3) The Paris Review Book of Heartbreak, Madness, Sex, Love, Betrayal, Outsiders, Intoxication, War, Whimsy, Horrors, God, Death, Dinner, Baseball, Travel
(4) Worldchanging: A User's Guide to the 21st Century by Alex Steffen (among others)

Drink of Choice

2007-04-12T11:37:00.000-04:00

GT's Organic Raw Kombucha - Gingerade

Read more about the benefits of Kombucha here.

Also looking into the benefits of Mangosteen juice.

parkour

2007-04-10T15:38:00.000-04:00

great piece in this week's new yorker about parkour and its creator david belle.
check out the google video (11 min) for a visual aid or watch the opening of casino royale.

fall 2007: vacation

2007-04-10T10:44:00.000-04:00

this is a call for ideas.

i want to go on vacation for about a week and a half in october 2007. typically i take some time in august, and then again in october (i know, they are close together, but i LOVE traveling in the fall). i need some more ideas though....

here are some early thoughts:
(1) european tour pt 3. (still haven't made it to austria, germany, hungary, etc)
(2) sailing around thailand
(3) trip to malaysia/singapore to see the family
(4) morocco

help!

absolutely beautiful

2007-03-21T15:11:00.000-04:00

irregular flow on Vimeo

via Zach

new art

2007-03-16T18:45:00.000-04:00

despite the wretched weather now coming down on the northeast, i have something to smile about. just the other day i bought one of the 100 copies of swedish artist camilla engman's giovannina print.

it shipped today. can't wait.

how could i forget to mention this....

2007-03-09T15:56:00.000-05:00

obviously while i am in los angeles i will be heading down to the moca in downtown to see "wack!: art and the feminist revolution". it won't be on the east coast until late next year (heading to PS1 in new york) so this is the only opportunity i will have to take advantage of this exhibition back in la.

now if only i didn't hate driving to downtown la so much.....

2007-03-08T07:55:00.000-05:00

friend zach klein is featured in the nytimes style section today.
insane!

reasons i've been blogging less...

2007-03-05T13:19:00.000-05:00

metrorock
baptiste yoga
GOLDCHAIN presents "promise" photoset
scheming on some new print media for boston
momentary disillusionment with blogging culture

west coast lovin'

2007-03-05T13:12:00.000-05:00

i'm off to los angeles this weekend.

main purpose: catching my brother, kemp lee, in "breath lottie" @ stella. the only time i have ever seen my actor brother act was on the third episode of ER this season - and that just isn't sufficient.

other purposes:
- seeing the family
- catching the tim hawkinson exhibition @ the getty (pictured above)
- amoeba records
- thai town
- work

tattoo

2007-02-04T23:26:00.000-05:00

date: thursday, february 1
location: fat ram's in jamaica plain
artist: alex dawes
time: 40 minutes, beginning to end
location on body: left inner wrist
pain (0-10): 3

it reads "wye meng" which is my chinese name, and i couldn't be happier with the result.

Letter to the Editor

2007-01-31T12:42:00.000-05:00

To the Editor:
As one who has “sliced the bread” and “broken the matzo” many times, I applaud Calvin Trillin’s brilliant “Park, He Said” (Op-Ed, Jan. 26), about parallel parking.
I’ve been obsessed with the subject since I first learned to park behind the wheel of a 1979 manual-shift Dodge Aspen station wagon.
I’d like to share with Mr. Trillin another uniquely New York maneuver that I’ve termed — “rocking the baby to sleep.” In this case, once parked, the car’s bumpers are pressed directly against both the vehicle in front and behind, leaving not even enough space to slide a piece of paper between.
It requires a gentle push, and a back and forth rocking motion that when executed properly does not leave a scratch on either bumper.
It’s not, however, for the faint of heart and should be exercised only under extreme duress — say 45 minutes into looking for a free space.
Noah Samton
New York, Jan. 26, 2007

LOVE IT.

Pollock or not? The debate rages on ....

2007-01-30T08:54:00.000-05:00

Picture from today's NYTimes, one of the disputed paintings

HUAM has finally released the results of a study (PDF) on whether or not 32 paintings found in Long Island a few years back were in fact painted by the one and only Jackson Pollock. Long story short: maybe, maybe not.

It appears that some of the pigments found in the paintings were not available until long after Pollock's death, but other academics have weighed in on the matter and noted that this type of analysis may be flawed and that varnish applied after Pollock's death could alter the dating of the pigments.

The New York Times piece is a nice synopsis and also mentions the previous findings of a scientist who used fractals to identify the pattern of known Pollock work and then use them as a basis for comparison for the disputed works. When that story broke at some point during Spring 2006 (I remember b/c we debated it in an Art History class I was in at the time) - it caused a lot of controversy.

In other Pollock related news - the ICA is screening Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock? the next few Sundays, which tells the story of a former truck driver who paid $5 at a thrift store for what may or may not be a Pollock - and her battle over the years to prove its authenticity so she can reap the benefit of selling it.

2007-01-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

Last week I blogged about my admiration for Calvin Trillin's op ed in the New York Times - this week, after a weekend spent reading many of his archived columns, buying his books, and listening to him read his most recent gift to the world "About Alice" - I discovered that his wife, Alice Stewart Trillin, wrote as well (and that she is Wellesley, Class of 1960).

I strongly encourage you to read "Betting Your Life" from a New Yorker in 2001. It is an essay in which Alice talks through her struggle with making decisions about her health without any exact science to let her know what the true ramifications on her livelihood would be - and basically having to "bank" on certain doctors over others. It is absolutely beautiful.

typewriter revolution

2007-01-29T12:21:00.000-05:00

meet the olivetti lettera 22 (c.1950)-- a beautiful italian typewriter which i have decided will be my next major purchase after replacing my digital camera. look forward to typed letters from me in the near future.

oh the op-ed pages....

2007-01-26T11:33:00.000-05:00

a daily pleasure of mine is reading the op-ed pages (screens) of the nytimes - this covers everything from commentary on the president's state of the union address, to the recent discussion revolving some questionable surgical procedures on a mentally retarded girl in seattle, but today - i am actually highlighting an op-ed entitled "park, he said" by calvin trillin.

calvin beautifully discusses his test drive of the new lexus with self parking feature - and i have to say that i actually laughed out loud in my office with such lines as,

"If I were asked to name my talent — talent, that is, in the way the Miss America pageant uses the word talent, as in “Miss West Virginia will now do her talent” — I would say “parallel parking.” For the second issue of Beautiful Spot: A Magazine of Parking, I’ve been preparing an article on how I came up with the term “slicing the bread” to describe maneuvering into a spot that leaves only the width of a bread slice between your bumpers and the bumpers of the cars ahead of and behind you. In a later issue, I intend to discuss “breaking the matzo” — getting into a spot so small that a matzo would crack if you tried to place it between the relevant bumpers. Just for the record, the last time I broke a matzo was May 1994, on Riverside Drive, between 83rd and 84th; unfortunately, there were no witnesses."

granted, this is a long quote - but c'mon, you laughed right?

seriously, take a few minutes - read the article, watch the video - and prepare to dream of meeting a man like this.

the dream

2007-01-24T22:52:00.000-05:00

spotted outside bakery in wicker park.
welcome to the dream my friends.

support....

2007-01-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

phenom alex lukas brings a new 'zine to the world with the release of mêlée (may lay) #1 today. to get your copy jump on over to cantab publishing - and don't sleep b/c this is a limited run. from his fingertips to my inbox to your screen.... a description....

Mêlée (May Lay) #1
Featuring interviews with Greg Lamarche on New York City subway
tunnels, Margo Lawless on growing up in Brooklyn, Jeanette Mundt on
having tattoos and Chuck Close on being Chuck Close, this is the first
issue of an ongoing series of 'zines from Cantab Publishing. Mêlée #1
also includes a special insert 'zine of erasers from across the
country.
Approx. 8.5 x11, 36 pages plus cover, Xerox and silkscreen, edition of 100.

you know i already ordered my copy.

be there!

2007-01-21T19:31:00.000-05:00

donate here.

Royal Opera House Revisted

2007-01-17T13:04:00.000-05:00

A lovely piece in Monday's Independent (UK) on the history of the Royal Opera House @ Covent Garden. I find it a bit funny that Tony Hall (current Chief Exec) isn't mentioned by name when the writer talks of the resurgence, and improved accessibility to the House (among other things). Huge congratulations to the Development Office for their recognition for raising 2 for every government dollar they receive.

todo mundo

2007-01-15T11:02:00.000-05:00

dj lone wolf's inaugural episode of todo mundo is available for download. this week's episode features joe colbourne, septimus smith, and daniashapes. look out for dj bad credit appearances later in the season (that's me).

chi-town

2007-01-15T10:49:00.000-05:00

i did a quick 24 hour trip to chicago. a brief synopsis: lunch at feast, shopping at p45, shower and change, dinner at del toro, party at random manhattan-esqe apartment downtown (on a street that doesn't exist on google maps yet), schubas for tigercity set, drinks at delilah's, quick rest, dim sum at phoenix, to the airport.

somewhere in there i actually had time to talk to friends in the area, i ran into a mutual friend, i found my dream dog outside a bakery in wicker park (picture soon), my flights back to boston BOTH got delayed, and on the way to chicago i met two incredible southern men on their way to hunt for some elusive type of antelope in the cameroon for the 12th time (no joke).

upcoming weekend jaunts as money is available: dc & miami

amazing things

2007-01-15T10:39:00.000-05:00

i saw my first performance at the ica last friday. my girl dante and i saw the stephen petronio company do a triple bill (bud suite, bloom, & the rite part). rufus wainwright provided the soundtrack for the most part, with some beautiful composition using some classic latin intermingled with his own incredible work. "the rite part" was the company's own take on the classic stravinsky "rite of spring". the best costumes of the evening were for "bloom" done by the uber talented rachel roy.

our seats were double booked (which the ica told us was the first time had ever happened) - i had booked us perfect seats row G dead center - maximizing our ability to take in the shape of the performance, close enough to see the beautiful feet of all the dancers, etc - however, we ended up in the back right hand corner (still good views thanks to stadium seating) but not ideal. the ica comped us four tickets to any film screening though (so we are going to see matthew barney's cremaster 5 on the 21st).

i am not a huge matthew barney fan, but the pickings were slim (it was either cremaster 5, the matrix, or old school superman).

DaniaShapes

2007-01-02T13:49:00.000-05:00

Dania is in Performer mag this week.

A Year in Cities, 2006 Edition

2006-12-22T14:43:00.000-05:00

Reading Zach's blog today reminded me that I needed to post my annual "Year in cities" list. In no particular order...

Los Angeles, CA
Dallas, TX
Chicago, IL
New York, NY *
Bethel, ME
Charlottesville, VA
Albuquerque, NM
Sante Fe, NM
Flagstaff, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Tuscon, AZ
White Sands, NM
Carlsbad, NM
Taos, NM
Roswell, NM
(I am sure I am forgetting a few of the small towns I visited during my Southwest road trip)
Boston/Cambridge, MA
London, England

2005: A Year in Cities

* indicates multiple visits

philanthropy in 2006

2006-12-22T10:52:00.000-05:00

onphilanthropy has a great post today outlining what they think were the big stories in philanthropy in 2006. not surprisingly, warren buffet ranks number one with the clinton global initiative. they also look into the movement away from the non profit model by google.

this year i was excited not only about the increased visibility of philanthropic moves by power players in many industries, but also about the formation and first round of grants by the united states artists. i generally believe that there needs to be more grant work directly to the artist - in order to protect and foster increased innovation and creativity in the first instance. i am the first one to cheer for effective and thoughtful grants towards education programming, improved access to the arts (ALL MUSEUMS SHOULD BE FREE), general operating costs, collaborative and expansive works between countries, museums and other art generating institutions - BUT, money straight to the creators is critical.

look for big things in 2007 - a paradigm shift for philanthropy is under way ....

oh yeah - i am also excited about where GOOD magazine will take my generation.

Project Row Houses, Houston

2006-12-18T12:31:00.000-05:00

Image by Michael Stravato for The New York Times

Great article today on Project Row Houses in Houston - profiling founder Rick Lowe, and the many programs which run out of the Third Ward area of Houston based on the idea that our very existence and way we lead our life is art. The Project is working on urban renewal by the community - not by gentrification ...

supporting the friends

2006-12-17T20:28:00.000-05:00

supporting friend danny l. tonight @ pa's lounge - he goes on at 11.00. if nothing else, check out his myspace.

while i am on the supporting friends kick - check out alex's new website, dansz's recently updated one, and rebecca's "as artist" website. warning: intense visual stimulation!!!!

The drama unfolds at La Scala

2006-12-14T09:34:00.000-05:00

I have been following newspaper coverage of Alagna's famous walk off at La Scala for the past few days - although not tapped into the opera blog world, I hear there are some hysterical play by plays of Monday nights big event.

Great piece today here about Alagna and his very famous diva wife, Angela Gheorghiu - and their reputation of being some of the hardest people to work with (and least favorite) in the great opera houses of the world. I once stood within just a few feet of Gheorghiu during curtain calls of the Summer 2005 production of "La Boheme" at Covent Garden with Rolando Villazon singing opposite - she does have quite a presence.

I just wonder - did Alagna really believe that his life was in danger at La Scala, or did he just realize (a bit too late) that his voice was not ready or correct for "Celeste Aida"?

UPDATE: I should have checked YouTube first....

Harvard's Civil Rights Project moves to UCLA

2006-11-29T10:05:00.000-05:00

Reading the Globe today, I found out that Gary Orfield's Civil Rights Project, a program which I have kept up with for at least the past three years, is moving to UCLA. This is a real shame as not only will the Boston area be losing a center for civil rights research, but the GSE at Harvard will be losing Orfield.

pm dawn @ redline

2006-11-17T02:06:00.000-05:00

"set adrift on memory bliss" - 90s jam and to this day a song that signals wonderfulness in my day. pm dawn performed live @ redline tonight thanks to the lovely fellas over at ngparty!!!

the new asylums

2006-11-15T09:45:00.000-05:00

what seems like ages ago, but in reality is probably just last spring - i watched a frontline documentary entitled "the new asylums" which looked into the experience that many mentally ill inmates in prison face now that the asylum system doesn't exist. jails do not have the ability to properly treat mentally ill inmates, and often the situation worsens their illnesses as they cannot be treated as normal inmates - they have special needs including medication & therapy - something that our prison system is not set up to provide.

today the nytimes is running an article on the struggle to provide quality service to inmates in florida. it seems that there is gap between what is written in the books re: care of mentally ill inmates and what is in fact being executed in the prisons (not shocking). the courts are taking a strong stance - fining county's $1000/day for every inmate who isn't receiving adequate care, but is the fear of that fine going to create more money in the government to provide beds in hospitals for inmates and better treatment programs? i don't know.

nerd alert

2006-11-10T00:34:00.000-05:00

i am being featured as a flip (future leader in philanthropy) this week over @ the onphilanthropy/flip website.

check it.

september 2007

2006-11-03T09:21:00.000-05:00

i give art fairs a hard time (frieze run down in the not too distant future), but the reality is ... despite the over commercialization and inability to fully experience the art due to herds of people, it is a good opportunity to get exposure to a lot of different art and artists that i wouldn't normally have access to.

former art basel director lorenzo rudolf & pierre huber are launching a contemporary art fair in shanghai starting next fall. (don't forget that the pompidou has also decided to have a branch in shanghai too!!)

maybe next year's fall trip will be to shanghai.
spring 2007: berlin ?

no words.

2006-10-27T15:14:00.000-04:00

courtesy of cynthia.

saturday opening @ second gallery

2006-10-27T09:57:00.000-04:00

saturday, october 28, 8.00 - 10.00 at second gallery in south boston
PEACE KING MOTHER NATURE pt. 2 opens
press release

curated and run by the unbeatable and fantastic rebecca gordon

chicago!

2006-10-26T09:32:00.000-04:00

countdown to midwest extravaganza: 8 days!

what i'm reading today...

2006-10-26T09:21:00.000-04:00

every morning starts with a mass survey of loads of newspapers, magazines, etc (with loads of assistance from artsjournal.com to lead the way).

New York Times - ALL!
The Trap Of Education Reform So American higher education needs reform? "What have we learned from our experience in K-12 education reform that would help us in evaluating the Spellings Commission report? That history warns against putting too much emphasis on the economic context of higher education. It also shows that quick, 'top-down' fixes for reforming education at any level are unlikely to work." InsideHigherEd 10/24/06
The Dismantling Of Arts Council England "The mass exit from Arts Council England seems almost indecently hasty. Gone, in one lemming leap, are the heads of theatre, dance, literature and visual arts - four of the five art forms funded by the council - along with executive director Kim Evans, development director Pauline Tambling and the officials in charge of touring, combined arts and public affairs." La Scena Musicale 10/25/06
Putting A Human Face On Abuse Of Power "Centennial celebrations for the political theorist Hannah Arendt (1906–1975) are springing up from Lucerne to Lima and Sydney to Seoul. Forthcoming gatherings in Germany, Paris,and New York will successively retrace the geographical arc of this prodigious Jewish émigré scholar’s flight across Europe to America. Arendt probed the roots of totalitarianism, examined reasons for revolution, and showed how evil could wear an ordinary face." New York Sun 10/04/06

oh yeah... and i also check a few blogs, especially click opera and this week the one and only judd katz is bringing us views of a bunch of his friend's desktops. check it.

single sex education

2006-10-25T13:46:00.000-04:00

federal rules back single-sex education

although i spent the first 12 years of my academic life in a mixed sex environment, i think that my last four years at a single-sex school firmly shaped the person that i am today. i for one am glad that the federal government has made moves to allow school districts the ability to create single-sex schools as long as enrollment in voluntary.

i can't say for certain what the social ramifications of this will be - everyone will eventually be forced to interact with the other gender, and there is something to be said for a diversity of viewpoints that may arise from mixing genders in a classroom - but at the end of the day, if the student is receiving a higher quality education and higher level of attention to certain needs because of separation of gender - then i am for it.

*note: i am very happy that i went to co-ed school for 12 years and then chose to attend wellesley on my own.

met opera streams live tonight

2006-10-25T09:29:00.000-04:00

from "arts briefly" in the nyt

The Metropolitan Opera, seeking to enlarge its international audience, will offer free live Internet streaming of performances starting tonight at 8 with the season’s premiere of Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” In collaboration with RealNetworks, a creator of digital media services, the Met will present live streams from its Web site (metopera.org) once a week until the end of its 2006-07 season.

"rigoletto" was actually the first full length opera i saw live in spring 2005 at covent garden and i absolutely adore it. (the story summarized act by act). watching opera via my internet connection is not ideal, and it will certainly not come anywhere near achieving the experience of being in the house itself, but i really like the idea of giving so much access to the arts to anyone who cares to watch.

there is a huge wave of this happening - i think we all have tony hall, director of royal opera house, to thank for that. he began this trend with the big screen events in satelite sites around the uk that did live feeds of opera as it was happening inside the house. from there we have seen the met swing open its doors this season, performing opera in central park, and beginning to negotiate deals with cinemas around the nation to do live feeds that will provide some of the spectacle and envelopment of actually being in the house.

i hope that this starts a trend in the public - recognition of the importance of access to the arts, and that we see a resurgence in funding of the arts by the government as well as increased supports for maintaining the arts prominence in our daily lives.

darfur

2006-10-22T20:57:00.000-04:00

caught a special on 60 minutes tonight entitled "searching for jacob".

reporter scott pelley searched for the boy whose belongings are currently on display at the holocaust museum from a village about 50 miles from the chad border in the darfur region which was burned to the ground in the on going genocide.

the images that are pressed in my mind are that of a starving newborn baby child - he didn't even look alive, and the worn face of a grandmother surrounded by her grandchildren, all of their parents killed.

save darfur. if you are in cambridge, check the darfur lecture series @ the K school later next month and in early december.

ganz strikes again...

2006-10-21T16:16:00.000-04:00

ganz (who compiled graffiti world) along with nancy macdonald and swoon have released "graffiti women" and i just picked my copy up from harvard bookstore today. so excited to peruse the pages for some of my favorites (lady pink and chez) and to learn about some new ladies.

weekend update

2006-10-21T16:02:00.000-04:00

london was fantastic - in need of many posts and loads of links, but needless to say - i will be moving back one of these days.

tonight.... legends of style "future shock" @ boston center for the arts. crazy amounts of art, djs, and some quality boston people watching. going to support eli & the media pop contingent as well as alex lukas.

tomorrow will be dedicated to some office love and as much of head of the charles that i can attend. you can't break new england fall tradition and not watch a few of the top collegiate teams compete in crew. harvard square is a sea of college gear.

home sweet home

2006-10-10T23:36:00.000-04:00

i am off to my home away from home - london - for a glorious week long vacation of sorts. it is safe to say there will be no blogging, loads of picture taking, and a lot of crying when i board my return plane from heathrow next tuesday.

art art art

2006-09-24T03:39:00.000-04:00

bought the above image which in reality is an ink and acrylic painting by laura niemi tonight @ the performance of "the war on the war on the lonely" (a pop operetta) by taylor young and fumika yamazaki.

it was absolutely beautiful.

it was followed by much dancing in fort point. excellent saturday night.

reading

2006-09-22T01:06:00.000-04:00

finished never let me go
now onto the history of love
re-reading the groundbreaking and revolutionary essay, "visual pleasure and narrative cinema" (1973/1975) by laura mulvey

vacation

2006-09-22T00:55:00.000-04:00

although i have only been working for about four months now, i started work the morning after i graduated. as i pulled into my parking spot day one - i had about half of my life's possessions in the car with me. due to this, i have been allowed to take some vacation time a bit earlier than usual - where am i going? where else? LONDON!

so october 12 - 17 i will be back in the good ole W8, using my oyster card (which i still have), topping up my minutes on my uk phone, and pretending like i actually live there again - if only for a few days.

on the agenda: culture, culture, culture, friends, family, culture, culture, culture, food, and more culture.

ghent feature

2006-09-14T22:44:00.000-04:00

you may recall i spent some time in ghent during my study abroad thanks to a grant from the wellesley college club of the uk. today i was catching up @ wooster collective, and lovely, wonderful, exciting ghent was featured.

weekend plans

2006-09-14T22:41:00.000-04:00

friday
- certified bananas @ e-room

saturday
- checking out the reGeneration photography exhibition during the day
- second gallery opening (7.00 - 9.00) for PEACE KING MOTHER NATURE
- after party TBD

sunday
- birthday (hooray dantern!!) & post-opening brunch at mine

i am going to prepare some gorgeous quiches based on my mother's recipe and maybe a homemade apple pie. did i mention that i am obsessed with cooking again as well as blogging about my cooking efforts? it's a true story.

dinner

2006-09-14T22:38:00.000-04:00

tagliati with a classic carbonara sauce (minus a few of the 6 eggs the recipe classically calls for) - so i guess it wasn't really classic at all - spinach and proscuitto.

it was heavy - delicious but heavy.
too heavy, i am transitioning to eating lighter foods and i now feel exhausted from eating instead of envigorated.

to make myself feel better, i am going to try a spinning class @ boston sports club tomorrow night in central square after work. i am also going to bike to work tomorrow (as long as it isn't pouring donw rain).

ny fashion week

2006-09-13T21:20:00.000-04:00

Derek Lam is a fashion god.
I would love to own his entire collection.

Check out the pictures and video at New York Magazine's coverage.

There are so many other collections I would love to speak to more - but there aren't just enough words and links.

Here is a small list (there are more...)

Monique Lhuillier
Narciso Rodriguez
Carolina Herrera (my fashion icon as I grow up)
Zero Maria Cornejo

UNREAL!

food food food

2006-09-13T21:12:00.000-04:00

today was member appreciation day @ harvest (translation: 10% off all purchases). sadly i didn't plan ahead and i did a lot of my shopping for the week over the weekend - bummer.

tonight's feast was as follows:

grilled salmon (more on this later)
spinach (cooked with a bit of olive oil and garlic)
sugar snap peas
barley

the grilled salmon actually is an interesting story so bear with me. i intended on doing the salmon the way i always do, with some lemon, salt, pepper, and a coat of mayonaise (sounds weird, SOOO delicious) in a tin foil packet in the oven; however, i have no mayo.

in comes improvisation with chef lee. instead i cut the salmon into 2 inch sections, salt and peppered them and grilled them in a frying pan with some left over chicken stock (from my sunday night roast chicken dinner). it turned out absolutely delicious - and i have plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

i don't understand why people - even if they live alone - don't cook more.

in addition, i bought some of the most incredible frozen yogurt (not highly highly caloric, low fat) and its flavor.... "coffee cookies & cream".

sidenote: my next big venture into the world of cooking - rack of lamb.

classic sunday night dinner

2006-09-10T21:07:00.000-04:00

- roasted chicken with slow roasted onions
- broccoli
- spinach
- big vinaigrette salad

we like to keep things traditional on sundays. all throughout my childhood i ALWAYS looked forward to sunday night dinners - mom always made a beautiful roast chicken with a perfect gravy from the drippings/white wine base and fresh veggies, big salad (also usually great rice - wild or otherwise, but i dont eat too many starches/carbs so i cut it).

now i have loads of leftover chicken for great sandwhiches and soups this week (it is almost chicken noodle soup season).

social engagement

2006-09-10T19:00:00.000-04:00

judd's recent post on weiden& kennedy's spread for GOOD magazine reminded me that i hadn't posted about GOOD yet. i subscribed about a month ago - and should be receiving my first (and the first) magazine any day now.

basic concept behind GOOD: they talk about "what matters". the way that i see it is that ben goldhirsh (a young social entreprenuer with an inheritance to help do something) started up reason pictures, and GOOD acts as the next step; ensuring that our generation is engaged in the global conversation about what we should be thinking about in our spare time (and not just surfing thesuperficial or gawker for celebrity news).

i see it as a great way of engaging my generation in discussion through great content and a beautiful package to draw in people who may not see the content as their first reason for picking up an issue.

I REALLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BUY A SUBSCRIPTION - it is only $20 for a year and GOOD donates $20 to an organization of your choice (from their list) for every subscription received. My only complaint is that the list of organizations isn't larger - but i think that the message is there.

i got a bike

2006-09-09T21:35:00.000-04:00

after many many months and years of dreaming of getting a bike, i bought one today. let me introduce you to the redline 925 (read "nine to five") - a single-speed commuting bike (that i can switch to fixed gear later when i get up the nerve)

check out the specs here.

I AM SO EXCITED!!!

friday night

2006-09-09T09:32:00.000-04:00

old friend ben v came over (of static of the gods - check them out) to catch up and have dinner last night.

here is the menu:
- seared tuna
- grilled zucchini (you know i love)
- barley (which is now officially my favorite "starch")
- massive salad with feta cheese and peppers, balsamic vinagrette dressing

really nice pinot noir (i'll get the vineyard and year for you later)

thursday night dinner

2006-09-08T12:47:00.000-04:00

so i dropped by harvest last night after work because i knew i didn't have any meat/fish at the hosue, and i was getting low on vegetables. i ended up staring longingly as large shrimp (about $5 for 6/7 good sized precooked, deveined, deshelled) and a $3 cut of tilapia (which is talked about in today's new york times funnily enough).

i have had tilapia before - nice, light, white fish - but wasn't sure exactly how to cook it. quick call to the mom for some ideas and here is what i ended up eating last night....

- i had the tilapia which i did in the bread crumb "crust" (12 grain bread i pulsed in my food processor with some dry herbs - much better than store bought bread crumbs although not as "easy" to work with)
- heated up a pan up with a bit of olive oil, clove of garlic garlic
- added grape tomatos which i halved and let simmer to soften up
- added tilapia - with some flat parsley

i washed the tilapia and immediately dropped in the bowl of bread crumbs and then dropped into hot pan, searing the "crust" on each side for a few minutes. i doused with a bit of white wine (which my friend sam brought me back from south africa for my bday last month), added some cilantro, turned down the heat, and covered to cook.

it turned out perfectly.

accompanied with zucchini/corgette that i cooked in a bit of olive oil in a pan until translucent - salt, pepper. done.

and a nice romaine lettuce salad with a bit of olive oil and lemon juice

tall glass of milk - i need my calcium!!! (foodies, leave me alone - women stop taking in calcium at a certain point so i need to drink up while i can)

let's see what tonight brings ...

memo

2006-09-05T20:28:00.000-04:00

boston/cambridge already feels different:

the harvard freshman are moving in and taking over the square.
little children were walking to school with their parents all over cambridge this morning during my commute.
i send out e-mails re: evening plans and have realized that unless they end before 10.00 or so - most of my friends want to be sleeping now.
instead of going to hearthrob (like you should!) tonight i am doing some work at home and listening to opera.

goodbye summer 2006.

tuesday tuesday tuesday

2006-09-05T20:21:00.000-04:00

bought today from harvard bookstore:

wintry peacock by d.h. lawrence
never let me go by kazuo ishiguro
the history of love by nicole krauss
on political equality by robert dahl

currently listening to kiri te kanawa's rendition of "oh! mio babbino caro" from gianni schicchi, a puccini opera - peformed for the first time as part of il trittico @ the met at the beginning of the 20th century.

fall resolution

2006-09-04T21:18:00.000-04:00

spend less time in new york.

the lucky star bus and i have become all too well-aquainted and although i will be making one more trip before too long to catch the klimt at neue gallerie before it goes off display, i am winding down my every other weekend tradition; giving up my manhattan/brooklyn weekends for cambridge and boston wonderfulness.

big update

2006-09-04T21:00:00.000-04:00

apologies for the lack of posting - at least i am keeping up to date on my pictures (flickr).
here are some things i have been thinking about....

moving into my new place (porter square --> harvard square)
ordering a ficus tree for my new apartment (i should note i grew up with these and we had a pair, one was named samson, the other delilah - mom has always been good at naming things)
my favorite season is just around the corner
the tragic death of steve irwin aka "the crocodile hunter" (the really upsetting thing is that the nyt's article seems to dwell on the fact that death by stingray is hugely uncommon - which i am sure is the last thing is family wants to hear)
hi rise bakery/bread company in harvard square
american repertory theatre's new season - esp. bobrauschenbergamerica
graffiti women (link via wooster collective) - a follow up on ganz's graffiti world
question: why aren't there more female DJ's?
finding the perfect pair of boots and fall/winter fashion in general
question: if dave is the "man's man" - who is the woman's woman?

2006-09-04T19:39:00.000-04:00

i was always an nsync fan over the backstreet boys - and i always did have something for justin timberlake - even during those bleached out white boy fro days. all i can say is .... this is fantastic.

love during wartime!!

2006-09-02T19:15:00.000-04:00

the sunglasses movement

2006-08-18T16:35:00.000-04:00

the location: enormous room, cambridge, ma
the purpose: fun
the prop: rebecca's sunglasses
the result: best pictures EVER

soundtrack of the moment

2006-08-09T17:28:00.000-04:00

i am currently listening non stop to "smile" by lily allen, a young female artist out of islington, london. i must admit, she is the first musician that the new york times has ever directed me to that i really enjoy.

her sound is completely pop but her lyrics cut right to the core of relationships and modern young adult living (does that sound pretentious? a bit but work with me here...) "smile" is def. my song of the summer now - something i have been searching for. you can download a few tracks from itunes usa, the whole album isn't available yet - but i am sure it is only a matter of time.

you can also check out her myspace (which is partially the reason why the nytimes wrote about her) and her website too. she is performing @ nhac (an old favorite) during the notting hill carnival the same night that dj a-trak is spinning there too - have i mentioned that i miss london recently? it's the truth.

Boston wifi? Yes please.

2006-08-02T12:03:00.000-04:00

Boston is looking for a partner to make the city go wireless (Link) via Where Most Needed

It's only a $20 million project - which considering the wealth (both intellectual and monetary) that exists in the region, shouldn't be too difficult to raise over the next few years.

Thinking critically about prefab houses

2006-08-02T09:21:00.000-04:00

As an avid reader of Dwell, I am slowly becoming addicted to the idea of one day owning a prefab house that I then spec out the interior for. The whole concept of prefab housing dating (to some extent) to the Case Study houses in the 60s and 70s. Today's ArtsJournal turned my attention to an interesting article in the LA Times on some of the issues that need to be addressed before prefab housing becomes a truly fantastic way of re-thinking domestic architecture.

Sidenote: Dwell Magazine "sponsors" architecture firms to design prefab houses which you can build. Link.

A list

2006-08-01T00:03:00.000-04:00

Paul Devro's re-edit of "Everywhere"
I have seen a few mediocre movies recently - Strangers with Candy & A Scanner Darkly. I wanted to love both of them, particularly A Scanner Darkly, it just didn't happen for me.
Finally saw Walk the Line tonight. Really good.
Spent Saturday at a lake near Sherborn. Check the Flickr for pics.
Just finished reading The Blind Assassin and Cooking for Mr. Latte, now I am re-reading Edith Wharton's last novel The Buccaneers (which I read for the first time in 1997/1998).

It's Bayreuth time again!!!!!

Planning a trip to London in the late Fall (and then onward to Scotland to visit Tessa @ St. Andrew's)

Thanksgiving in Gainesville, FL. Why not? Nothing but love for my big sister.

The work of Nikki S. Lee

It's AUGUST - where did all the time go? I graduated from Wellesley two months ago, it seems like much much longer than that.

tonight | birthday celebration

2006-07-22T14:33:00.000-04:00

july 20

2006-07-22T14:24:00.000-04:00

caught the chicago dj duo flosstradamus @ the enormous room on thursday. they played a great set - one moment it was 11.00 and the next closing time - it was over too quickly. it is so funny whenever you go dancing at the e-room - it switches from after work lounge feel (complete with academics, men in suits, women in business wear, and the standard issue bostonian) to a dance party (loads of american apparel gear, all over print shirts & hats, sneaks, etc). boston: a plurality of tastes.

diplo

2006-07-19T01:35:00.000-04:00

went to great scott for diplo, css, & bonde do role concert. really enjoyed the bonde do role opener and then diplo's set - css didn't hit the musical spot for me. the crazy thing about the concert was the utterly random mix of people there - my friends and i were noticing the inordinate amount of bloggers though.

the bloggers stood out because
(a) they couldnt put their cameras down to actually enjoy the music & dance
(b) they were taking notes the ENTIRE time
(c) they shoved to the front of the crowd to only stand still and take really intense upclose shots
(d) most of them didn't look like they were having fun

i took a total of five pics last night. i was too busy dancing.

i should note - it was the sweatiest concert i have ever been to. ew.

this really bothers me.

2006-07-19T01:33:00.000-04:00

these are all over my neighborhood in cambridge. there is one on the underpass to my bus stop that reads "take back the hood. kill a yuppie!" i just don't understand where all the hate comes from and i think it is really ignorant of people to do this.

i've been on hiatus...

2006-07-19T01:23:00.000-04:00

but here are somethings i have been thinking about:

face recognition - i am really good at remembering faces regardless of environment, situation, and level of alertness. this is great for the real world and my job but it is awkward to some extent as well because i almost always remember meeting people but they rarely remember @ the same rate. i find myself pretending to meet people for the first time occasionally.
getting excited about boston again via concerts, exhibitions, discovering and learning neighborhoods, learning the bus routes better, lots and lots of music!!!! (and reading the globe occasionally - i feel like i am cheating on the new york times though)
continuing new york times series on loneliness and my generation
re-starting my book
THE WEATHER! (heat waves = not cool)
my adoration for artsjournal.com

"At Colleges, Women are Leaving Men in the Dust"

2006-07-10T09:41:00.000-04:00

Really interesting article, part of a series for the New York Times, on women's increasing presence in institutions of higher education as well as greater achievement once there.

WC 06

2006-07-10T08:13:00.000-04:00

It's over and now I am left with the overwhelming question, "What am I going to talk about with people?" For the past month if there were ever a lull in conversation I could turn to Renaldo's crying (sorry LC), my disappointment but love of the English team, America's showing (or lack thereof), the beauty and pure joy displayed in the Brazilian game, etc etc etc.

I was pulling for France yesterday, it was Zidane's last professional match EVER, and they played so well in previous matches....

Needless to say, another sad day for the teams I have been supporting.

What happened Zidane? What did he say? Why did you do it?

I just don't understand.

I guess I will start following the Tour now - but wait.... I don't know any of the cyclists anymore. They either retired or got disqualified for doping.

Sad times in the 02140.

remembering...

2006-07-07T09:28:00.000-04:00

a year ago today i was commuting to work in london and noticed that the underground wasn't running and people were flooding the streets trying to catch buses and cabs. when i got the office i found out there had been explosions all over the city, initially thought to be serious outages, and then later that they were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks.

i can't believe it has been a year.

independence day

2006-07-05T00:35:00.000-04:00

august 2007: machu picchu (hopefully)

2006-07-03T17:33:00.000-04:00

i stumbled across this incredible opportunity to not only hike the inca trail to machu picchu but then volunteer at an orphanage and assist in their efforts as well through the global volunteer network. the cost is a bit steep ($3850) - but $2000 goes directly to support the peruvian children's fund, fantastic!

i submitted an application today and will hear back from them in the next 48 hours.

loves of the moment...

2006-07-03T00:30:00.000-04:00

junebug (2005)
india arie's remake of don henley's "heart of the matter"
the new york times - this shouldn't be suprising in the least
the buffett family's generosity (soon to be legacy on philanthropy) and its impact on the way that americans are thinking about giving
the way that this article on loneliness in america made me consider the state/importance of my relationships with family and friends
sunday brunches with my younger sister in porter square

** in no particular order of importance

2006-07-01T13:51:00.000-04:00

(sobbing)

england is out of the world cup.

2006-06-27T23:00:00.000-04:00

Things I have been thinking about...

**Warren Buffett's pledge of nearly 80% of his stocks to a number of charities but most noteworthy the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation worth approximately $31 billion at current market value.
The new Parisian museum's integration with the surrounding environment on its facade.
The World Cup - in particular Jeff Klein's fantastic/hysterical/not completely soccer afficiando blogging which allows me to keep up with the matches despite the distinct lack of a television in my life.
My desire for a NuBlu to exist in Boston.
New ways to fill my free time.
A redesign of my blog .... again, but probably just a color scheme change.
The hystericalness that is 123 Party
My completely overwhelming desire to hike to Machu Picchu in the next year. Who's in?

A few things ...

2006-06-21T09:45:00.000-04:00

Just last week Reiss came to Boston (sigh of relief) and NOW it seems that TopShop is scouting out a New York location. London fashion is coming to America it seems.
Skateboarding is getting huge in France right now (I hear...) and now Katharina Grosse (great German artist) has customized 100 decks. They are beautiful swirls of color which when placed alongside eachother (as well as standing alone) look like colorful clouds. (Check the link for a shot of Grosse creating them)
The Facebook and a $2 billion deal? (I posted about BusinessWeek's coverage of this awhile ago - crazy!)

Dania makes music...

2006-06-20T23:04:00.000-04:00

Friend Dan (aka Dania Shapes) is releasing his first album, Soundsystem Pastoral, with Naivsuper this summer. You can start to preorder right now - and it is a limited edition pressing so do it sooner rather than later. This is really big time and I couldn't be happier for him.

You can listen to Dan's stuff on his MySpace page.

Listening to...

2006-06-20T20:22:00.000-04:00

The new Nelly Furtado album "Loose" - so good.

She collaborates with Timbaland, Juanes, and Attitude - resulting in some hot tracks. Early favorites include "Wait for You", "Do It", and "Say it Right".

I found a connection the other day - my music taste has grown with Nelly's musical stylings from pretty much straight up pop to some hip hop and rock influence and now including some international influence. Ok - so the relationship isn't THAT strong but... there is a general trend - sort of.

Anyway, check it out.

Some notes

2006-06-15T19:32:00.000-04:00

Dada exhibition opens tomorrow at MoMA.
Reiss opened a store on Newbury Street last week. I no longer have to go to their NY locations to buy beautiful clothing, I can just take the T. This could be trouble.
Really excited to check out the reGeneration exhibition @ the Aperture Foundation this weekend in NYC.
England beat Trinidad & Tobago 2 - 0 today! (Too bad I don't have a TV to watch the reruns after work).
Seu Jorge is coming to Boston for two shows this summer at the MFA. One is already sold out.
I love the Look Book every week.
It's Father's Day Sunday, don't forget!
Having your wallet and camera stolen is really really inconvenient.