Thursday, July 31, 2008

david and bill

"I am getting so far out one day I won't come back at all." William Burroughs

buenos aires

My papa and Lidia are in B.A. I could be drinking coffee with them, and Perli and Chino, right now. Nate Williams has spent a bunch of time in Argentina, and from the looks of it, his family is as goofy as mine.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

pattern which was weaving

Humanoid via grijs. My imaginary self is sitting on that couch right now.

the writers' model

I'm old now, but when I was young you could talk me into anything. I had an open mind. So when I saw the ad saying some "professional writers" needed an "adventurous girl" to "interview for fictional purposes," I was intrigued, especially when the ad went on to say that by simply answering questions, I could "make an important contribution to American Literature." I had always wanted to make an important contribution to something, so I threw on my coat, grabbed my purse, and went straight to the address listed in the paper.

From the story, "The Writers' Model" by Molly Giles
Albino sword swallower at a carnival, Md. 1970.
Copyright © 1972 The Estate of Diane Arbus

Friday, July 25, 2008

the bear and the bomb

My friend Ally is reading Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Here are Eugenides and Jonathan Safran Foer in BOMB Magazine,

JSF: As long as we’re talking about contemporary writing… Who’s your favorite contemporary writer?

JE : Right now my favorite writer is A. A. Milne. Let me give you a sample of why:

Rabbit leant over further than ever, looking for his [stick], and Roo wriggled up and down, calling out, “Come on, stick! Stick, stick stick!” and Piglet got very excited because his was the only one which had been seen, and that meant that he was winning.

“It’s coming!” said Pooh.

“Are you sure it’s mine?” squeaked Piglet excitedly.

“Yes, because it’s grey. A big grey one. Here it comes! A very . . . big . . . grey . . . Oh, no, it isn’t. It’s Eeyore.”

And out Eeyore floated.

“Eeyore!” cried everybody.

Looking very calm, very dignified, with his legs in the air, came Eeyore from beneath the bridge.

“It’s Eeyore!” cried Roo, terribly excited.

“Is that so?” said Eeyore, getting caught up by a little eddy, and turning slowly round three times. “I wondered.”

The Bride and the Bear by Two Sarahs.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

they are the dreamers

"We all need somebody to look at us.

We can be divided into four categories according to the kind of look we wish to live under. The first category longs for the look of an infinite number of anonymous eyes, in other words, for the look of the public...The second category is made up of people who have a vital need to be looked at by many known eyes. They are the tireless hosts of cocktail parties and dinners...Then there is the third category, people who need to be constantly before the eyes of the person they love. Their situation is as dangerous as the situation of people in the first category. One day the eyes of their beloved will close, and the room will go dark...

And finally there is the fourth category, the rarest, the category of people who live in the imaginary eyes of those who are not present. They are the dreamers."

The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera.
Photo by Heji Jin in Kid's Wear via A Kid Blog.

Monday, July 21, 2008

writing YA

"I thought I’d been condescended to as an Indian — that was nothing compared to the condescension for writing Y.A.” Sherman Alexie.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

good morning

For Me, For You just posted a place I'm going to go instead of where I need to be this morning, The Selby. And this girl, Georgie Greville, is so ridiculously cool that words escape me.
Photo by photographer and The Selby proprietor, Todd Selby.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

don't you know who I am

Next to the jumpsuits, the best thing about 1980 was Fame.

half-life of a dream

Half-Life of a Dream: Contemporary Chinese Art from the Logan Collection at SFMOMA through October 5. Lots of reasons to go to SFMOMA right now.
Painting, "Music-Fan Fan" by Yu Hong

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

working class hero

In 1990, Marianne Faithful taught a workshop at Naropa with Hal Willner. She was just about to perform in The Seven Deadly Sins in London, and she sang for us: Working Class Hero, Strange Weather, and Ballad of the Soldier's Wife (link is Lennon). Thanks to UE for reminding me.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

quite a few things

"There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them." Sylvia Plath.
Photo: Mathew Milman for NYT.

but then again

Sometimes you tire of wearing grey (in Brazil, in the 80s, we called these our pants of the cobra). Photo from Face Hunter.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

allure

I just downloaded "Volver," sung by Estrella Morente, after hearing it on Allure's site. I can't wait to see the film again (although all I really want to do is walk around with a copy of The Gleaners and I and ask people if they've seen it).

Monday, July 7, 2008

louise du toit

I am not alone in my affection for the style of Acne brand manager, Louise du Toit. Here she is featured on La Garconne; here, by the lovely Dreamecho; and in this incredible dress, by Un Fille Comme Moi.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

needle & use

My friend Holly says, "All the beautiful things, we don't need to own them all." Needle jeans and Use top from Acne.

head-to-toe acne

"American housewives can be given the sense of identity, purpose, creativity, the self-realization, even the sexual joy they lack—by the buying of things." Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique, 1963.

Regardless, I'm going to dedicated the next few posts to Acne. Photo from ACNE Paper 5.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

morning muxtape: americana

Click here, it goes great with coffee. Americana Muxtape from the divine Hollister Hovey. Photo from the first ever Hovey Vintage sidewalk sale.

the desire to see

"In my films I always want to make people see deeply. I don't want to show things but to give people the desire to see." Agnès Varda. Watching a few of her films at my house this weekend, beginning with The Gleaners and I.

Friday, July 4, 2008

if you want to wear the future

My goddaughter has begun to design and made a beautiful dress this summer. This shirt was made by a 16 year old in Sweden. Sunshine not included.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

lee miller

The Art of Lee Miller at SFMOMA, through September 14. Photo, "Lee Miller Wearing Yraide Sailcloth Overalls" by George Hoyningen Huene.

blue shoes

"These were pretty long and silly looking, but then I cut and hemmed them! Hooray! Now they are sexy and cool." From Flight of the Radish. Also, check out these.

gilberto gil

A national treasure.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

good country people

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." Flannery O'Connor. Maude Newton found a 10 minute film version of "Good Country People" (9:17 is the ticket). Photo of O'Connor's desk from NYT.