Marvelous Malina and August:Osage County

The sun finally came out at 2PM today and so we headed off for our shoot of August:Osage County.  What can I say about a young student director who is intelligent, centered, creative, helpful beyond her years?  I have learned so much from Malina.  Her crew of Diego, Garrett, and Hugo were delightful and it was my pleasure to bring them all home baked cookies. Her dear friend Tony joined us and gave great feedback.  (Translation:  he told me he really enjoyed watching our work). 

We set up at one location which was too traffic noisy so we moved and then were in the midst of good work when a pick-up drove up and told us we had to leave. Very seriously...I looked for his shotgun.  Seems we were on land owned by a corporation worth billions (what else is new?) We finished the shoot and just as we were packing up  he returned.  Made Malina nervous.  Finally he went away.

A shout out today to my teachers at the State School.  Had you not taught me what I've learned (hopefully) about relaxation, focus, and personalization, I would have been at a loss to work with my partner.  I thank-you all.

Today I told Abe that Social Work really nailed it for me for 36 years.  In Austin it seems I've found my happiness through studying acting and helping a student.  Austin, you shine!

LET ME IN/LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

What's scarier?  Growing up or getting close to  a vampire?  We watched the American version of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN on DVD tonight.  The film really presents the horror of growing up bullied  in a chilling and scary scary light.  The young actors are incredibly realistic. You want to rip the bully's heart out!   But we both agreed the Swedish film was much more artistic, compelling and sunk deeper into our skins.

A postponed shoot of August:Osage County today due to grey weather.   A 5 minute scene takes so much work it makes one get a better understanding of the enormous collaborative effort of film making.

Buenas noches.

Gigglepants at UT

Tonight Abe and I opened a door to the CMA Auditorium (Communications Bldg) and were absolutely blasted by the energy of an auditorium filled with undergrads.  Bouncing in their seats, talking, singing along with piped in music and waiting for the Improv troupe Gigglepants to begin their work.  OMG we were not disappointed. What fun! Malina (UT directing student) is in this troupe and we are so happy she invited us!  What a find!

Today we shot on location 15 miles from Austin, recreating the Plains.  3 young men from Malina's directing class were the crew.  Motts,(I'm sure I spelled that wrong)  from Norway, chose UT Film school over  NYU and USC because of its fine reputation.  This crew worked collaboratively and cheerfully and were a pleasure to be with.  Once again I learned more from this rehearsal than in any Film class I have taken thus far. Everyone answered my questions patiently.

The morning as always began at Gold's Gym in good company with Abe and Judith on bicycles.  Before that I listened to FREEWHEELIN' Bob Dylan.    A fine day I must say!

ROOSTER COGBURN at the Paramount

Tonight we saw John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn in the sequel to True Grit.  What a duo! Both Abe and I liked this better than True Grit and maybe it's our age but we both preferred Eula to Mattie! Shot in Oregon this film is gorgeous! We saw it at the beautiful Paramount, a classical revival theater built in l9l5. It reminds me of the Loew's Paradise on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx.

Once again a rehearsal today for August:Osage County with the wonderful Malina directing.  Tomorrow we rehearse on location and Saturday we shoot with a crew of 5, all of her classmates.

After the rehearsal I picked up our film passes for SXSW at Waterloo where I also picked up two Bob Dylan CDs.  I can never leave Waterloo without some old time music.  I just love that place!

Hong Kong Fashion/UT OLLI

My day began with checking out the coolest and edgiest and most creative fashion coming out of the HK Design Institute on line.  Check out   Hong Kong Fashion Photo Blog  hkdifashion.blogspot.com    for this fun blog.  (Truth is I'm the proud mama of the photographer).

We then moved on to UT for classes.  Conversations in Contemporary Art brought us Rachel Adams from Art House on Congress Ave.  We love that institution of non-collectors current Art.  A great conversation with Laurence and classmates about the architect for the renovation coming out of NY rather than Austin.  I really enjoyed the controversy.  This afternoon was the lecture by Adm Bobby Inman on Challenges and Opportunities in a Turbulent World.  What can I say?  World events can leave you sad and scared!

We came home to major leaf gathering...when will it end?  Nevertheless, I love this town with its leaves and all!

AFS THE WHITE MEADOWS/Rehearsal at Burger Field

Tonight we saw an Iranian film, THE WHITE MEADOWS. Stunning cinematography to tell a story which symbolizes the complete repression of artistic expression in that country.  The director and film editor of this film have been under house arrest (threat of 6 year imprisonment) and have been silenced for 20 years following their show trials in 2010.  Once again Chale gave informative and entertaining intros and handed out two pages of background history.

The afternoon was spent in rehearsal of August:Osage County which reminded me  that learning by doing is invaluable.  Hats off to our 23y.o. director whose style, intelligence and humanity comes shining through each time we work together.

So A Man Walks Into the Library With A Gun

On Tuesdays Abe bicycles with Reed, a true friend we've made since moving here.  He was born and raised in Midland but we would have much preferred he was elected President!  Last Tuesday Abe waited for Reed in the lobby of the Twin Oaks library and noticed a man walk into the library with a gun under his arm.  Abe saw the man leave the library after using the restroom and followed him to see him deposit the gun in the garbage dumpster outside.  Abe watched the man walk away, kept his eye on him, retrieved the gun, and hastily bicycled toward Reed while he held the gun in one arm holding it against his chest.  I can hear everyone's questions as I write (believe me I had a bazillion!) Our cell phones have NYC #s so 911 would have connected him to NYPD. He motioned to Reed to keep going and they speedily biked to Reed's house where finally Abe called APD.    Reed described the look on  Abe's face as  pure glee.  Well now that Abe's fingerprints are all over the gun we hope APD finds the guy who tossed it.  A pretty cool story I think from a NY social worker who has  no experiences with guns but has watched a ton of Law and Orders!

UNKNOWN/Westgate Regal/Dinner

OOOOOOOHHHHHH!  What a great action film!  Suspense, great car chases, breathtaking opening scene, espionage and some good shots of Berlin.  We love the Westgate Regal and are members as well.  Membership offers good discounts and free films periodically.  It's like a coffee card back at Naidre's our favorite coffee house in PS.

Tonight Abe gets kashe varnishkes, potato kugel, salad and honey lemon chicken from la cucina de Addie.  When we had our Texan friends in for shabbat dinner (that's Friday night sabbath) everyone licked their plates clean and it was recommended I think of a trailer with Jewish ethnic food.  There are enough taco trailers in Austin and no Jewish food trailers.  A thought!

Translations:  kasha varnishkes:   buckwheat groats, mushrooms, onions, farfalle pasta 
                     potato kugel:    shredded potatoes and onions, oil, eggs, matzo meal and baked like a pudding.

Enjoy! La Chaim!                                         

Black Watch/Roaring Fork

Today we went to Bass Hall and saw the National Theater of Scotland present Black Watch.  These Scottish actors were  adorable (sorry) and the theme poignant and difficult.  This production is about the  fraternal relationships of the Scottish  soldiers in Iraq.  The staging was creative, acting very authentic and I loved it!  Pam liked it as well.  All 4 of us went to Roaring Fork where the guys had Bad Ass burgers...a favorite of both the guys it seems.  Our favorite and  beautiful waitress was around (Mattie) and hugs were shared.  Pam and Ira return tomorrow to the snow in Brooklyn.  And so life resumes for Abe and me.  Back to the internet for me and Pam.

Harry Ransom Ctr/Kerbey Lane/Austin Lounge Lizards

Pam and I hit the Bouldin Creek Coffee Shop and Lovely after Gold's Gym.  Even though we both miss that funky old coffee shop the new one is thriving and up beat and our brunch was good!  Coffee great!  Later in the day all 4 of us headed up to UT and  had a short visit at the Ransom Center.  Everyone was quite impressed and Abe and I will certainly go back to catch more of these archives.  We ate at Kerbey Lane, quintessential Austin cafe and everyone was happy.  Then we waited  on line for an hour at the Union with the friendliest Texans to get into the Austin Lounge Lizards concert.  Tom Pittman's final performance in Austin before retiring (lucky guy!) The concert was a great deal of fun.  Great talent, good bluegrass, upbeat players, and the audience obviously has followed the Lizards for 30 years!  Everyone was happy and Pam's comment when we arrived home was "such great culture in this city."  Austin you shine and my guests are happy and needless to say that makes me SO happy!

Red Hot Patriot/Zach Theater/Molly Ivins

One gets a little apprehensive when taking  Brooklyn buddies to the theater here in Austin. Tonight we nailed it and  I came away with a puffed up chest filled with pride about the theater in Austin.  Abe and I have never been disappointed by  theater here and tonight all 4 of us just loved Barbara Chisolm's performance as Molly Ivins.  We laughed our heads off at her depiction of working at the NY Times.  What a character, what a performance!  First we ate at Polvo's on S lst which has the best interior Mexican food we've tried in Austin.  When we arrived home we were greeted by our new neighbor's dog, Sam, who Abe rescued from running away the first night she moved in and was left alone.  It was a fine way to end our evening.

Of course Pam and I start each day at Gold's Gym where Pam is accepted each day as my guest and the guys hit the tennis courts right here on S. 5th.  Austin, you shine!

UT OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Center)

On Wednesdays we head up to campus where we attend continuing ed classes.  Today was our Contemporary Art seminar.  I am learning to look at contemporary art with an open mind and an open eye.  Instead of "WHAT is that"? (those of you who know me can hear my voice)...my emphasis has changed to "what IS that"?    This has been a REALLY informative seminar with gallery owners and artists as guests.  In the afternoon Thomas Staley from the Harry Ransom Ctr spoke to us on DEEP SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL ACQUISITIONS FOR IMPORTANT ARCHIVE COLLECTIONS.  Now this is a speaker!  He's the guy who has acquired all of the James Joyce, Robert De Niro, Tom Stoppard, Norman Mailer, Arthur Miller (and on and on) papers, letters, costumes.  35 million!  Sometimes I have to stop myself from knocking Texas oil (when it's used for this).   This guy runs an archive center like it's the football team. Afterwords  a stop at Central Market in preparation for  our dear PS friends Pam and Ira who make their way to Austin  manana.  Lots of fun in store and more to come.

Austin Film Society/BLISS

We became subscribers to AFS shortly after moving here and boy has this been a find!  For a $50 dual membership Abe and I see foreign, independent and obscure films every Tuesday night at the Alamo S. Lamar or Ritz for no charge.  These Alamos are a hoot.  Food and  drinks while you watch and the oldest and silliest pre-movie screen entertainment.  Chale Nafus, Program Director, greets us with his adorable interns and hands out 2-3 pages of background material.  He introduces each film with a brief history and has a wry sense of humor which always includes making light of himself.  His communication director, Agnes, is truly one of the most helpful Austinites I've met and responds to emails and messages immediately!  This year our Essential Cinema Series have included Japanese, Icelandic, Middle Eastern, French films.  We have also seen some amazing documentaries way before they open in NY.  Tonight we saw a Turkish film, BLISS, about honor killings.  The film was visually gorgeous, 3 main actors were extremely talented and everyone left praising Chale for the choice.  Boy, what a great job he has.  Making people happy!  I like that!

Mi Casa/Jim/Copper Instincts/Retail in Austin

I began visiting Mi Casa on S.Congress 6 years ago when I would come down to visit Liz at UT before she would take off on her globe trotting.  I fell in love with a recycled/hand-hammered copper and iron and reclaimed barn wood sideboard/console made by COPPER INSTINCTS.  I began to feel like I would one day live here so I told Jim, the proprietor I would be back.  And I would buy that piece...but only at 30% discount.  So he wrote on his card the deal.  And 2 years later it was the first thing we bought in April 2009 only days after moving here in the pouring rain.  And Jim delivered it physically and literally at 30% discount.  Today he delivered the cabinet that goes with the piece.  We've watched it for 22 months, couldn't afford it and told him so.  And today, Valentine's day, the sun is shining and Jim delivered it at a cost of 1/3 his original price.  Another reason why I love Austin.  And Abe of course!

Ballet Austin

Today we celebrated Valentine's Day early.  We saw Ballet Austin perform LA SYLPHIDE.  What fun!  Abe's favorite activity in Austin has been Ballet Austin and our film subscriptions.  While Austinites complain about the quality of the ballet we were tickled pink!  Great sets, good performances, great people watching (hootchie Texas mamas and adorable kids). We're happy.  Gardening came early with a gift card we used at Home Depot.  Whatever dies you can return for a year!  Not bad say I.

Acting Rehearsal and The Short Live Oscar Nominations

My day always starts at Gold's Gym on Ben White Blvd.  A great gym filled with diverse people.  I then rehearsed a scene from "August: Osage County" outside our home with a UT directing student and my acting partner for this scene, a quintessential Texan with a ponytail and handlebar mustache.  I study acting at The State School on Congress Ave and get my casting calls from AFC (Austin Film Casting) and Austin Actors.  While it's a great deal of fun I find acting not an easy pursuit.  Another way of learning about myself and the human condition. Afterwords Abe and I went to the Alamo Ritz to see the Oscar nominated shorts.  Abe liked them all.  I liked some.  I found the shorts at SxSW  and Austin Film Festival much more interesting and captivating.  The USA short smacked of Tisch and I guessed the star was the writer/director.  Who else would have cast him?  More to come. 

22 Months in Austin

So here we are in Austin where it's 55 degrees and Texans are complaining about a really cold winter. Abe and I nod and smile knowing our NYC friends have weathered multiple snowstorms and a bazillion inches of snow!  I have started this blog to let people know what a couple of retired Social Worker transplants from Park Slope, Brooklyn have learned about this amazing city.  The courtesy at HEB, The Great Outdoors, Gold's Gym, the Alamos, Telephone Directory Assistance and many many others blows us away!  The driving sucks and yes we've already been totaled and now I know what T-bone means!  Most importantly we've found a world of creative arts that is so affordable, accessible, unique, friendly, and inviting.  We are members of AFS, AFF, The Blanton, Paramount, Austin Playhouse.   I get daily posts on Facebook from numerous artisitic venues.  We attend classes on Weds through OLLI at UT and when we're really old (like 65) we'll take classes at UT sin gratis.  (Did I get that right)? My daughter suggested I start a blog about all of our gallivanting so here you have it.  This week was Agnes Varda's THE GLEANERS AND I  and the doc SONS OF PERDITION.  Both excellent!  On Wed a great lecture from the Director of the Visual Arts Center on campus and then a lecture from the Police Commissioner.  I shop at Lovely (great vintage clothes) and my blond curls are maintained by Georgia at Propaganda.  She's miraculous!  So I'll post my finds and hope they're informative. Tonight it's El Meson with our friend Reed.