Hooah?

The new David Mamet play China Doll with Al Pacino is in previews on Broadway.  (David Mamet is known for writing the plays Glengarry Glen Ross and Speed-the-Plow and the films The Verdict, The Untouchables, Wag the Dog and Ronin.)

The opening will be November 19.  

If you love watching Al Pacino, then you might want to see the play ASAP.  Why?  The play might close before the end of its scheduled 15 week run.  The only thing that might save the play is a major re-write, which would be unfair to the actors who apparently are already having to rely on hidden tele-prompters around the stage. (Of course, Al Pacino is a draw and if most tickets are getting sold, turning a profit will let the play complete its run.)  

At a recent performance, it was obvious that the two actors struggled with much of the script, especially the second act, which many people did not see.  Some just left the theater during intermission and some supposedly were demanding refunds.  It is probably best they left at intermission because the second act was far worse than the first.  No curtain calls and the actors obviously wanted the night to be done. 

Still, even in a bad play, watching Al Pacino perform is an amazing experience.  His talent, experience and unique style shine through brightly.  So, it was an enjoyable evening.  

As for the playwright?  He left town.  Not cool but perhaps understandable.  We suppose that even a great body of work might have a dud or two.

So, no hooah for the play, but 4 hooah's for Mr. Pacino. 

P.S.  One of the best film segments ever is still Al Pacino's speech at the end of Scent of a Woman.

Introducing Lars to the World

Lars, meet the world.  World, meet Lars.

We have known Lars for a very long time.  He has been a part of our family for more than 15 years.  It's hard to remember the date Lars fist appeared.  

So, who is this mystery person named Lars?  Well, he is our Swedish butler.  Everyone needs a Swedish butler.  Right?  Lars has wonderful butlering skills but he takes frequent vacations and is rarely around.  You know how the Europeans love to vacation.  So, we often have to get along without him.  He will sometimes pass through when we are out or in the middle of the night.  He leaves his mark one way or another.     

In case you want to learn more about Lars, here is an FAQ. 

FAQ about Lars:

What does Lars look like?  

Aside from being tall, trim and blue-eyed, he usually wears white clothing and his spiked hair is typically dyed some bright color.  Honestly, the wild hair looks good on him.  Unfortunately, we have no photos of Lars to share.  For some reason, he is never around when photos are taken.  He even eludes security cameras somehow.  

Lars

How old is Lars?  

Hard to say.  He is very evasive about his age.  Sometimes he looks quite young, 20-something.  At other times, especially after attending a multi-day rave, he looks much older.  

Does Lars speak English?

Yes.  Quite well.  It's hard to detect his Swedish accent.  He grew up in Sweden listening to ABBA songs and watching U.S. films like Scent of a Woman (American version) and television shows like Northern Exposure (for obvious reasons).  Lars enjoys karaoke.  His rendition of Dancing Queen sounds like how Al Pacino would sing it.  "See that girl / Watch that scene / Diggin' the dancing queen / Hoowah!"  

What is Lars' favorite food?  

That's easy.  Pickled herring.  Yum!

What is Lars' favorite film?  

"Lars and the Real Girl", not for the reason you might think.

Is Lars part of the 10 Year Plan?  

Yes, he is.  We are never sure when he will be with us, but that is part of what makes him Lars.  When we live in Stockholm, his native language skills will come in handy. 

Is Lars real?  Is he someone's alter ego?  

What kind of question is that!?  Of course, Lars is real.  And no, he is not anyone's alter ego.  None of us are so interesting that we deserve an alter ego.  Lars is his own person in every way.   

Does Lars have a last name?  

That's a good question.  No idea.  We never asked.  He is just Lars. 

Can we meet Lars?  

You bet.  Anytime. 

Is there more to tell about Lars?   

Yes.  Quite a lot.  Stay tuned. 

How come we never heard about Lars until now?  Despite the outlandish looks and behavior, Lars has always been shy.  However, he has learned it is better to be loud and proud than sit quietly in a corner reading a pickled herring cookbook.  So, he wants to meet the world.  

Lars, meet the world.  World, meet Lars.

P.S.  Lars has a good friend.  More on that later.  

Lars, if you want to add anything here, please do so. 

What do art and radiators have in common?

Art is not easily defined but we know it when we see it.  Right?

On a recent tour at the Metropolitan Museum, the docent told us that American artist Jasper Johns famously said: 

"A painting should be looked at the same way we look at a radiator."  

That statement is open to interpretation.  Whatever the artist meant, it has occurred to us that you might turn the statement on its head:

"A radiator should be looked at the same way we look at a painting."

Does that make sense?  A radiator is utilitarian and not pleasing to the eye.  Not something artistic.

Well, this past Summer, we learned something about radiators. While on vacation, we rented an airbnb apartment for a week.  The apartment was beautifully decorated.  We noticed one piece of art next to the entrance--an abstract metal sculpture.

After a couple of days, we looked more closely and realized the sculpture was a radiator.  Who knew a radiator could be so artistic?

A recent Google search revealed other works of art.  One radiator doubles as a chair or table.

Who knew?

Random Things, #1

Wherever we travel, we come across things we have never or rarely seen before.

In this repeating blog post, we will share some of those random things.

Mural commemorating the Pope's visit

Multicolored rose blooms at an East Side flower stand.

A carriage driver said the Central Park skating rink would be open before the end of October.  He was right.  Photo taken October 25, 2015.  Nearly 30 years ago, the person who was about to purchase the Plaza Hotel (the white building partially obscured by trees) looked out at the half-built skating rink that was stalled in the midst of a multi-year city-run renovation.  He put up his own money to complete the renovations and reopen the rink in exchange for managing and renaming the rink.  He thus improved the view from his hotel and gave New Yorkers and visitors alike a great enjoy way to enjoy Central Park.  Originally named Wollman Rink, the location is now called what?

Pollock at MoMA

Jackson Pollock's abstract paintings are some of Greg's favorites.  While hard to understand and explain, Pollock's drip and pour technique during the late 1940's into 1950 is unique and acclaimed by many.  For that reason, his paintings are splattered scattered around the world. 

Fortunately, next month, MoMA will be exhibiting a large collection of Pollock's work: Jackson Pollock: A Collection Survey, 1934–1954.  Susan and Greg will attend and report back.  Of course, if you would like to join us, we will make it a party.  Like Andy Warhol said, one's company, two's a crowd, and three's a party.

In the meantime, Greg has to be satisfied with two Pollock's on view at MoMA.

Shimmering Substance (1946)

One: Number 31, 1950 (1950)

One: Number 31, 1950 above is a very large canvas that Jackson Pollock painted on the floor.  Here are some odd observations and questions:

• If painted on the floor, is there a top and bottom?   
• How would you know for sure?
• Shouldn't Pollock drip paintings be displayed flat rather than hung on a wall?  Why disregard the artist's perspective?
• Why not let people stand atop a clear platform and, like the artist did, look down to view the painting.

Let's see how daring the MoMA curator will be next month.

For a sense of how Jackson Pollock painted, here are two links that give some idea.  Jackson Pollock channeling himself.  Actor Ed Harris channeling the artist in Pollock.

On a recent museum tour, the extremely knowledgeable guide explained that Jackson Pollock approached art as process not representation--in Pollock's own words, expression not illustration.  He let his mind and emotion guide his hand and brush spontaneously rather than consciously attempting to recreate a known image, even an abstract image.  A complete explanation is likely far more complex.  Let's pick up this topic next month.

Apologies for the trick above.  The photo above is upside down.  The painting is hung at MoMA as shown below.  I am sure the curator got it right.  Or did she?

One: Number 31, 1950 (1950)

Joaquín Torres-García: The Arcadian Modern (at MoMA)

Have you ever heard of Joaquín Torres-García?  Neither had we.  Until now.

MoMa has assembled a wonderful collection of Torres-García's works--paintings, murals, sculptures and writings--spanning his entire life.  Influenced by other artists he met in his travels to Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, Italy, Madrid and New York, Torres-García (1874-1949) found his own voice and proved that great art is everywhere.  You might recognize the influence of other artists in some of his paintings below (the artist and Picasso were good friends).  Of course, he likely influenced his peers as well.  Torres-García was involved in different avant-garde movements, finally settling on his own movement "constructive universalism". 

A representative painting that illustrates the artist's _____ style.  What is especially interesting is the 3D aspect of his work.  Each image has depth and mass.  The next photo shows that the painting is actually as flat as can be.  No actual depth, just great technique.

The earliest known image of the "golden arches" (bottom right)

Toulouse-Lautrec called and wants his painting back

"Time is nothing but a symbol"

Torres-García traveled extensively, living in Europe and New York for many years.  He had his own version of the 10 Year Plan, with his lasting more than 40 years.

New York Cares (Resume Writing)

Scenario:  What if you were just released from prison after serving your sentence for a crime and you needed a job?  You would need many things:  training, a resume, job search and interview skills, emotional support, and guidance on keeping a job.

You would need C.E.O. assistance.  C.E.O., the Center for Employment Opportunities, is a jail-to-job transition program that provides former inmates with short-term employment opportunities while also giving them training and support.

One small but important piece of the puzzle is a strong resume.  Since we (Greg and Susan) have resume writing skills, we volunteered to assist C.E.O. clients. What we saw up close were highly motivated, ready-to-work-hard clients on the right path.  There are many obstacles to their success, but C.E.O. provides a strong foundation by giving the clients the tools, support and motivation they need to succeed.  We were privileged to play a small role and plan on continuing to help with the program.

What impressed Greg most is CEO's focus on metrics.  Just like a well-run public company, C.E.O. holds itself and its clients accountable.  C.E.O. measures how well its clients perform during and following the training phase and C.E.O. tracks whether clients obtain, retain and sustain employment and avoid returning to prison.  C.E.O. must be doing something right.  A recent article points to C.E.O.'s unique focus on peer support and teamwork as the key success factor.  Client recidivism is lower than in similar programs. No surprise.  A team is greater than its members. 

A program that works.  Priceless.

What do Alexander Hamilton, the Canyon of Heroes and the New York Rangers have in common?

Ticker tape parades along lower Broadway are a great tradition in New York.  Since the first parade in 1886 when stock traders dumped ticker tape from windows (supposedly because everyone else had the day off to attend the parade), each parade has snaked north on Broadway and passed Trinity Church and its graveyard.  With the construction of skyscrapers along Broadway, the route became known as the Canyon of Heroes.  And rightly so.  Many great or famous people have been celebrated over the past 120+ years, including the likes of Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, David Ben-Gurion, Charles de Gaulle, many Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts, Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, plus athletic champions--professionals and Olympians alike (including, of course, the 1993-1994 Cup winners, the Rangers).

The Captain and the Broadway Blueshirts

The parades, the Canyon of Heroes and modern New York City might never have come to pass were it not for the contributions of three Americans in permanent residence in the Trinity Church graveyard.  Those Americans are General Horatio Gates, Alexander Hamilton and Colonel Marinus Willett.  Each played a critical role in a battle considered to be a turning point in the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Saratoga in upstate New York.  Many historians agree that victory there was not assured and, without a decisive victory, the French might never have entered the war on the American side.  With the victory at Saratoga in October 1777, the French (yes, the French) began providing much needed military support to the Americans.  Four years later, almost to the day, a siege of Yorktown and a French naval blockade left British General Cornwallis with no escape.  He surrendered to General Washington's Continental Army.  The rest is history.

So, Gates, Hamilton and Willett deserve praise for their role.  Of course, it is always easy to overstate the importance of one person's act among the actions and sacrifices of many people or the significance of one event among a long series of events and larger forces at work.  Still, Gates, Hamilton and Willett played important roles in the conduct of the war and the formation of an independent nation.  So, perhaps it is very fitting that each has a front row seat to see all of the past and future ticker tape parades through the Canyon of Heroes.  

Recently, Alexander Hamilton has been receiving renewed attention for his role in our nation's founding.  The renewed attention was sparked by two acclaimed biographies (Ron Chernow's biography Alexander Hamilton (2004) and Richard Brookhiser's biography Alexander Hamilton, American (1999)), the Broadway musical Hamilton (a Tony award contender?), and the efforts of the recently formed Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society. Mr. Hamilton's daring, intelligence, leadership and character have become a fresh source of pride and celebration.

Alexander Hamilton portrait by John Trumbull

 

Last week, the anniversaries of the Saratoga and Yorktown victories were commemorated at Trinity Church.  Some photos and the program follow.

Trinity Churchyard, Alexander Hamilton Monument

Alexander Hamilton Monument (detail)

Color Guard (October 17, 2015)

Don't Tread on Me

A retired French soldier representing the guest associations at the commemoration

Trinity Church

Piscasso Sculpture: "It's Not About The Nail"

Pablo Picasso is known for his painting.  The Museum of Modern Art is currently exhibiting a large collection of Picasso's sculpture for which he is less well known.  The collection spans 6 decades and is as varied as his paintings.

What Greg found most interesting was the resemblance of Picasso's paintings to his sculptures.  Many of the sculptures are three-dimensional versions of similar paintings.  That third dimension and the ability to walk around a sculpture make it much easier to comprehend the subject matter and understand what Picasso was trying to share with his audience.

A photo and video help make the point.  Picasso Sculpture:  Head of a Woman (1932).

What Susan found most interesting was the artist's whimsical treatment of his subjects.  In Picasso's paintings, his sense of playfulness does not necessarily come across, but the sculptures show that he really enjoyed injecting a bit of offhanded humor and whimsy into his figures. For example, he used one of his daughter's toy cars as the head of a baboon in a sculpture and was probably delighted that it really looked like a baboon's face.  He was also quite a "dumpster diver", making lots of his sculptures with discarded wood, pieces of metal and objects like a rusty watering can (photo below).

More photos.

Picasso Sculpture:  Femme Enceinte (1949)

Picasso Sculpture:  The Woman in the Garden (1929-1930)

Picasso Sculpture:  Any guesses what inspired this sculpture?

Photo of an actual glass of absinthe with straining spoon and sugar cube.  Above:  Glass of Absinthe (1914).

Picasso Sculpture:  Flowery Watering Can (1951-1952).  A close look reveals the use of nails.

P.S.  Pablo Picasso had many, many partners throughout his life.  I am guessing he learned early on that it's not about the nail.  (Click here.)

Burnt

Lights, camera, cook.

On Tuesday, Susan and Greg lucked into attending their first New York, red carpet film premiere with limos, big name stars and paparazzi galore.  The film was Burnt with Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Daniel Bruhl, Uma Thurman, Emma Thompson and other talented actors.  If you love to taste great cuisine, this film is for you.  If you like a good story well told, this film is also for you.  (By the way, Cooper's character in the film makes Gordon Ramsay look like Mother Theresa.) 

Uncle Harvey introduced the film and then director John Wells spoke and joked that the audience should have already made dinner reservations because restaurants will fill up after this film is screened.

Susan tried to casually bump into Bradley Cooper.  No luck.  He was mobbed constantly.  Greg tried to bump into Uma Thurman but she too was mobbed.  Of course, she towered over the mob and everyone could enjoy seeing her in person.

The film will be released tomorrow with wide release to follow on October 30.   

The director of Burnt plus most of the cast.  (Not a great photo, but you can easily spot Uma Thurman's bare arm -- on the left.  The guy on the far right is Bradley Cooper, and beside him in white is Sienna Miller.)

Attending the premiere was a treat.  We got to see one of Greg's favorite actors, Paul Sorvino, who was in the audience.  Now 76 years old, he looks great and is going strong, appearing in 10 films over the next year.

Paul Sorvino as Paul Cicero delivering a message.

P.S.  Susan enjoyed being mistaken by the paparazzi for Marlo Thomas, ha ha.  The resemblance is amazing.

Marlo

Susan