Lux Lotus

File Under: Vaguely Continental Flair

This weekend I watched Stanley Kubrick's Lolita, which was excellent. There are some incredible shots, and the storytelling benefits from both Kurbick's sharp eye and Nabokov's screenplay. It's portrayed as an extremely dark comedy with many acerbic asides from a strong cast, including James Mason as mysterious and erudite Humbert Humbert, 14-year old Iowa ingenue Sue Lyons as the devastating Lo', Shelley Winters as the ultimate desperate housewife, and of course, Peter Sellers in a variety of roles. Definitely check it out. Other classics on my shortlist: Aventurera and The Conformist.

I'm currently reading The Death and Life of Great American Cities, by Jane Jacobs, which I picked up last week at Bluestockings, my favorite bookstore in New York.

Also noted: The coffee, pastries, and ambiance at Mocca Espresso Lounge are exquisite, and the whole thing is just far enough over the top to win my love. Well, pique my interest!

Post-Persuasion @ The Pink Pony

Yesterday's news: the majority of our disappointment over Pretty Persuasion (an awkwardly clever mess) was assuaged ten minutes later by the fact that Adrian Grenier (not a mess at all) was seated at the next table over in the cafe.

Naughty or Crafty?

I love calls to action/collaboration and creative contests. Two good ones (both with late August deadlines):

NAUGHTY: "Return of the Reluctant hopes to shake up these pristine pages with the First Annual Naughty Reading Photo Contest. What we would like our readers to do is send us your visual approximation of what naughty reading is. Naughty readers do not have to be exclusively female. To keep this thing equal opportunity (and desirable for any and all sexual persuasions), we want naughty male readers too... So that there is some incentive for this thing, the winner will receive a Powell’s $20 Gift Card." [More: Return of the Reluctant]

CRAFTY: "Who: crafters/artists/makers who create with DIY ethics in mind, and either sell their wares or participate in political/ethical projects with them...

Why: because via the internet we have formed a giant web of DIY ethics and creativity that spans the globe. even though some of us have met face-to-face, many of us have not. i want to document who we are. because even though i may email you and support you, i may not recognize you if we passed on the street. it's time to show the strength of community, and the numbers of individuals who are creating things each and every day to fight mass production and to strengthen uniquity and creativity." [more: craftivism]

Dance, Dance With Your Boots On

Normally, darling, I would spare you the details but so many marvelous people came out this evening for Maxx Klaxon's listening party for his new EP, Paranoid Style.

I have had Die With Your Boots On in my head for three days! And of course, Italian Ice is the quintessential sexy summer song.

As it is New York, practically everyone I ran into this evening at Lolita has a cool project or blog or special something that you should know about, so do click through with your coffee...

 

Indie Rockers Need Gucci Helicopters

My fervent affection for independent films has now spread to independent music: albums purchased today from CDBaby -- the online clearinghouse for independent recording artists -- to listen to while I work (in no particular order):

Holly Palmer, I Confess
Martha Wainwright, Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole
Sophie Auster, Sophie Auster
The Eames Era, The Second EP
Indicia, Indicia

They were cheap and I'm excited. And, as long as we're on the subject of indie fabulousness, do come out to Lolita for Maxx Klaxon's Paranoid Style Listening Party if you're in New York tomorrow (Thursday) evening. It's gonna be a party.

For what's it worth, I wanted Maxx to put this PYT on the flyer:

She is totally in it to win it, mes amis.

Speaking of parties...even though it's only vaguely pertinent, I'm happy to have any excuse to drop my favorite quotation of all time, from Master P:

"We ... wilding out. That video, I got an elephant with a Gucci hat and some Gucci trinkets you put around an elephant. I got my Gucci helicopter in there. It's a party. You gonna see a lot of midgets in this video. It's gonna be a lot of club moving."

Always.

Hearting: Rockabilly Boys + Half-en-Halfs

I am nurturing a teensy obsession with Rockabilly Date.

Also, related in the sense that I adore it as well -- the half-en-half, a Brussels specialty and the perfect summer aperitif: half white wine, half sparkling wine in equal measure.

An Old-Fashioned Lovesong

I love this tribute to Monica Vitti. Here's another vintage bombshell.

The sort of beauty I admire?

Sculptor Louise Nevelson, of course.

Or Warhol Superstar International Velvet.

[Image sources: here and here]

Dirty Dozen with Stephen Lance

Filmmaker Stephen Lance and I enjoy a lovely email correspondence about art, life, etc., and it was nice to meet him in person when he came to the States from his native Australia a few weeks ago. I interviewed Stephen by email as he was traveling between New York for work, and DC and LA for premieres of a movie he worked on in 2003, called The Great Raid, as the assistant to the producer.

Lauren Cerand: One of the earlier things we discussed was the challenge of being a creative person versus simply a person working in a creative industry - what advice would you give to someone thinking of pursuing a more artistic path than the one they are perhaps currently on?

Stephen Lance: You absolutely need a delusional amount of courage, commitment and energy to pursue a creative path. My experience is that fall back positions are useless; you are either an artist or you're not. if you have the heart of an artist then take the risk and do it. and if you're rewarded with money then great, if not it doesn't matter. the process of being an artist is purely personal and subjective so don't weigh it down with objectivity. i once tried to deny the creative path and it really doesn't work. on the other hand, if you look deeply into your heart and see no artist, then avoid it all costs...as it's generally a kick in the pants most of the time.

The Last Thing You Want To Hear

Your movers are having a fistfight in front of the building.

Ah, what a day. Thursday.
Still getting over it. Making it all better: Red Bloom Tea.

The Smart Set: August 8-14

From this week's edition:

TUESDAY, 8.9.05: Air conditioning is so bourgeois, no? Reclaim your bohemian roots by braving the summer heat (and the risk that poets will seduce you with verse, awakening your artist’s heart and inspiring you to quit that quasi-corporate gig and run off to a cooler climate to join the caravan, commune, or polyamorous entanglement of your choice): Tina Chang, Major Jackson, and Tom Thompson read from their work as part of the Word for Word series at the Bryant Park Reading Room. 6:30pm, free.

The full agenda is here.