When we are not running

{movie review} The Class

February 20, 2009

The Class-winner of the Palm d’Or at Cannes, up for best foreign film at the Oscars. François Bégaudeau wrote a novel about his experiences as a junior high school teacher in the working class, multicultural 20th arrondissement in Paris. The Class is based on the novel. All of the characters are played by students, administrators [...]

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{dvd review} The Edge of Heaven — Faith Akin

February 17, 2009

Getting your movies in the mail is fabulous. But every once in a while, I am forced to step into the video store when the movie sent just stinks. So it’s such a beautiful thing to go in after 9pm (when all the newly released have been stripped from the shelves) and find a gem. [...]

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The Philadelphia Stories — Ira Glass, Malcolm Gladwell, Mark Bittman

February 11, 2009

I recently spent very little money to listen to several smart and charming people confidently discuss some of their ideas and observations. 1/24: Ira Glass (NPR’s This American Life, Showtime) began his discussion in the dark at the Kimmel Center (2,500 capacity– not an empty seat!) He spoke passionately about the (almost lost) art of [...]

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{movie pre-view} 500 days of summer — greeting card writer

February 7, 2009

There is a new Sundance movie getting a lot of buzz that features a guy who writes greeting cards! Not since Mr. Deeds has the stationery world (which in itself I think resembles a Christopher Guest movie) been represented. Check out the trailer for 500 days of summer. Can’t wait till it comes our way.

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{book review} The Outliers — thoughts on the running and writing connection

February 7, 2009

I just learned that Malcom Gladwell is a distance runner. I saw him speak at the Philadelphia Library this week about his new book– The Outliers. He started one of his comments by saying that he was a runner and had always wondered about the reason so many great runners come from Kenya. He was [...]

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1/20/09–It’s been a long time coming…

January 23, 2009

Jean and I log endless miles obsessing over the ins and outs of the campaign. We promise ourselves that if Obama wins, we will trek to the inauguration, our teenagers in tow. Jean magically scores Silver Tickets for all. 6:30 am: 30th Street station, Philadelphia: Bleary-eyed people of all ages begin to document this day [...]

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{book review} Annie at work (and in the flesh)

December 4, 2008

I recently saw Annie Lebovitz at the Free Library of Philadelphia speak about her newest book Annie at Work. She sat calmly reading, going through a few of her photographs, telling stories, and relaying thought processes. It was such a gift to hear an artist explain first hand their work- a tiny peek into not only how she got [...]

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{movie review} Slumdog Millionaire

November 24, 2008

Slumdog Millionaire was a reminder that a stirring romantic love story does not always come gift wrapped. There are raw and violent scences (although beautifully shot) that will regretfully deter me from recommending this to my daughter, but give strength to this emotionally heartbreaking tale. Jamal (played by Dev Patel) recounts a compelling story of how the pieces of [...]

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{travel-Paris} Isn’t she lovely

November 17, 2008

I saw this lovely lady in an exhibit in Paris last week at the Mystery and Glitter. Pastels in the Musée d’Orsay. It was the glitter title that caught me eye but this was more about color that glitz. The colors on this piece are all my favorites…black, light pink, red, cream, mushroom. The entire [...]

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{movie review} I’ve Loved You So Long

November 16, 2008

Kristen Scott Thomas was brilliant in the film I’ve Loved You So Long. I loved this movie…especially the French location and the warmth and acceptance of the sister and her eclectic family and friends. And even though I was close to figuring out the end, I didn’t mind…I loved the moments in the film that brought [...]

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