RIPIf you’ve listened to This American Life, you’re likely familiar with David Rakoff. Gentle but biting, funny yet poignant, his poems, essays, and stories we’re some of the program’s most memorable.
He passed away earlier this week after a tough battle with cancer which he spoke of frankly. It’s such a terrible loss.
I’ve been relistening to his TAL contributions all week and highly recommend them to those unfamiliar with his work.
by PSY (2012)Ok, some of you are going to find this Korean club hit annoying. I’m not even sure why I’m liking it so much. It’s undeniably catchy (just try walking away from it with Heeey sexy lady not playing in your head). Plus the over the top video, complete with awesome silly dance is quite compelling.
It’s apparently becoming a viral sensation (so, you’ve likely already heard about it from your mom or co-worker) and artist PSY says he’d love to take his horse dance to the states. We should be so lucky!
Refinery 29 is to thank/blame for introducing me. Oh, And Van loves it. Like really really loves it.
Fashion IconThis is such sad news. One of high fashions most unique and distinct icons has passed.
Anna Piaggi, who Lagerfeld called muse, was vibrant, eccentric, and theatrical and dressed accordingly.
A fashion journalist and true lover of clothes, she inspired the industry with her work as creative consultant at the excellent Italian Vogue.
Yay!When the last space shuttle launch was announced, a spark of wonder and excitement died in the world. Space travel used to be the stuff of little kid dreams and now I’d never see one launch again.
But wait! Before we sadly mope away from NASA, there’s something new to get thrilled about: The Curiosity, the most advanced rover yet, landed on Mars!
The spacecraft touched down successfully last night and a room full of scientists that had been working on the risky project for a long time, cheered, hugged and even cried.
I missed it live – well most of us probably did since no major network found it worth interrupting their scheduled reruns for but you can see video and photos online.
Plus there’s a Mohawked young scientist who’s become an overnight internet heart throb. Yay!
Dancer Turned ModelAt 82 years old Jacquie Tajah Murdock is making headlines as the new face of Lanvin. The gorgeous woman, who always harbored dreams of high fashion, grew up at a time when African American woman faced many obstacles – but with perseverance, she advanced herself academically and professionally as a dancer at the Apollo and expresses her personal, fantastic style daily.
First featured on the great site, Advanced Style (where the photos below came from), she’s been quoted as saying, of her style “I like to be different. I have the eye, and I don’t care if it’s cheap or expensive.”
She’s a true style icon and I’m elated for her new found and well deserved stardom.
by Richard Scarry (1968)I have fond but vague memories of Richard Scarry books, but revisiting What Do People Do All Day? with Van has shown his work to be even better than I recalled. There’s nothing better than cut away illustrations of how things work. Personally, I’m fond of the cityscapes of Busytown that show all the people in their offices and homes. Meanwhile Van, a gadget man, is enthralled with the bisections of boats and houses.
We forget sometimes, that little ones are just starting to figure out how the world works (why else is a remote control infinitely more interesting than a plastic light up toy?) and this book is absolutely perfect for curious minds.
My only complaint is that only an abridged version is readily available (unless you can find it used) and it ends rather abruptly making us wish for more.
The drawings are quite charming too – that little worm in the Peter Pan hat particularly tugs at my sentimental-about-childhood heart strings.
from Serious EatsWith deli meats off the table for now, I’m always eager to find a good meatless sandwich recipe.
Serious Eats was a great spot to find one that promised to be unique. This Avocado Panini with Brie, Mozzarella, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Basil boasts gooey cheese – both mozzarella and Brie (!) hugging avocados and sun dried tomatoes.
Make sure to use a good baguette that can handle all the messy goodness.
RIPNo film student can truly claim a love for the medium if they haven’t at one point been in awe of and inspired by Chris Marker.
Of course, one wishes more film makers took away the proof that less can be more.
Marker made his two most influential films, La Jetee and San Soleil with limited budgets and technology, creating something unique and exciting through inventiveness and vision.
But vision can’t be taught and Marker was a rare gift to film.
RIPI didn’t grow up with The Jeffersons, I discovered it later in life during Nick at Night marathons (and wrote about it here). I was sad to hear of Sherman Hemsley‘s passing. He was a cultural icon and quite funny, though extremely private in his personal life. He was 74.
178 N.10th Street, BrooklynSips and Bites may be a wee sliver of a shop (I’d passed by it a few times without noticing) but it’s big on charm and boasts a great menu of sandwiches. While I look forward to trying most once I am no longer pregnant (darn that no deli meat rule!), the tuna sandwich I’ve had is excellent. It doesn’t try too hard, but the flavors and mix of ingredients (black olive tapanade, anchovies and haricot vert to name a few) is far from boring.
The baked goods are rotating and always great (we all enjoyed the homemade lemon curd pop tarts) and the tea and lemonades have been ideal thirst quenchers more than once during all this crazy heat.
The staff is exceptionally nice – which is always a welcome and happy thing and there’s a great deal of charm and style to the interior.