LIVE FROM NEW YORK

So here we are in the Big Apple...our old hood ParkSlope. It's cold and drizzly and the cab driver took us to Brooklyn through Queens and convinced Abe that he was ripping us off.  So instead of coming to Park Slope we visited Abe's mom at her nursing home in Jackson Heights, Queens.  After the visit we took the F train to Pam and Ira's in Park Slope where we have the good fortune of staying whenever we visit. So since 5:30a.m. we've traveled by car, plane, subway and taxi. Our visits to NY always involve being subjected to NY.

This evening Pam and Ira got us tkts to EAT, DRINK, and be LITERARY at BAM.  It was terrific.  Good food, wine and intelligent reading and discussion and Q&A with Jennifer Egan.

Tomorrow Pam and I do gym, the Angelika and Dos Caminos.  My favorite part of visiting is my time spent with Pam, doing our old girly stuff.

More to come from the Big Apple.

Austin Jewish Film Festival and Why I Love Austin

Today I received an email from Cindy Pinto the co-director of the AJFF.  She met us last night at the Israeli AFS film and asked Chale for our email.  And today she invites Abe and I to the AJFF as her guests.  Can you imagine?  As my kids would say Sweeeeeeeeet!

Tonight was an Auditions! class about TV commercials.  And what I've learned is with my NY accent and my lack of interest in selling products I'm not made for commercials.   But I did learn and kept an open mind...not easy for me.

I've been cast in THE FUNERAL by Canyon Darcy.  An independent short to shoot 4/30 and 5/1.  I am happy.

Austin Film Society/BLOOD RELATION

Tonight we saw an Israeli film that will be shown at the  Austin Jewish Film Festival  next month.  The JFF program directors introduced the film, explained how they select the films for the festival (it takes a year!) and then gave a shout out to Chale Nafus, AFS Program director calling him "a gem."  Chale's response was  "I'll miss this when I'm dead."  No matter how difficult the subject of the film to be seen is Chale humanizes the experience with his humor.

The documentary tells us the family story of the filmmaker, Noa Ben Hagai.  She discovers that a great aunt converted to Islam, lived in the occupied territories with her Arab husband and 8 children and had no contact with her family for 26 years.  The film is about  Ben Hagai's attempt at uncovering the truth about her great aunt and her attempt at reconciliation with her Arabic relatives.  All does not end well, although many attempts are made to help, socialize, and help some more.  The problems encountered are too much for individuals to overcome.  There was no comfortable solution.  It left me feeling as uncertain as ever about the possibility of a peaceful resolution between Israel and the Palestinians.

I have always loved my visits to Israel and seeing the filmmakers family's  homes and gardens  reminded me of why I love Austin.  It's edgy, the people are fiercely independent and creative, they smoke too much, the women are outspoken, alas there wasn't a tattoo in the bunch (an old religious taboo that many of us hold on to).  Once again AFS selected well!

DOWN LOW

We saw DOWN LOW last evening at home. A gorgeous film with beautiful performances by Duval, Spacek and Murray.  The cinematography was beautiful.


Today we checked out an organic nursery on S lst.  PlantEscapes.  We met the owner and his assistant at the Zilker Garden Sale and decided to check out his shop (with an art gallery no less).  It's got very funky succulents, cacti and palms.  Of course a spiky tall hairy succulent has been added to the terrace.

Abe worked and I had yet another audition downtown in an old funky recording studio off 6th Street.  Strange!

Sunday in Austin

The gym, NYT, and the Zilker Park Garden Sale where we added a fan palm (Mediterranean) to our terrace.

Later in the afternoon an audition out doors on the upper level of Whole Foods where I learned there is a lovely terrace for eating, with covered wooden canopy, or open air as well and no grackles!  Those are the nasty black noisy birds that are all over Austin.  Like NY pigeons, only very noisy!


So today I auditioned for Canyon Darcy and his partner Taylor for THE FUNERAL, a short screenplay Canyon wrote.  Once again the role of a nut job mother.  These young men are shooting this independently.  Hats off to them.

Cooking for Abe: farfalle and shrimp and peas.    He deserves it...he carried the palm up to the terrace.  I could not have done it solo!

Master Pancake

The day began up at UT where I had an audition for a student film  HORSES HOOVES.  Went to Einstein Bros for a bagel and coffee and was surrounded by students in shorts and flip-flops...it was 90 degrees today.

This evening we went to the Alamo Ritz to be entertained by a very funny comedy troupe who spoof bad movies (Master Pancake).  Tonight John Erle (who went to H.S. in the Bronx) led his trio in a hysterical spoof of TWILIGHT.  The audience participant did a great job playing Kristin Stewart (Bela).

Once again an audition tomorrow for an independent film.  The night ends with my studying lines.  I am grateful for the experience.

Lindsey and Stav

Since August when our girl left for Hong Kong  her 2 friends Lindsey and Stav have come for dinner (always on Friday night, like shabbat) every couple of months.  What can I say?  A Jewish mother whose children are far away.  I get to cook, see photos of Lindsey and Liz when Lindsey visited HK in January, and most importantly we spend time with young women who are so close to our daughter. Their closeness to her comes shining through.   Their conversation is always thoughtful, intelligent, emotionally sophisticated, and filled with humor.  I love these girls and am so happy they are in our Austin lives.  One's a social work grad student, the other is a teacher.  Like Liz the world is so enhanced by their presence.

They leave with care packages for tomorrow's meal and I end the evening happy to have fed them.

And now it's time to rehearse  lines for tomorrow's UT audition.

INSIDE JOB

We just watched INSIDE JOB on DVD.  We were prepared to witness the corruption and greed  of the great economic crisis of 2008 but who knew just how deceitful these economic "wizards" were and are?  They continue to infiltrate our government, the White House and worst of all our academic institutions...and churn out more of the same.  SHAME ON YOU Geithner, Paulson, Bernake, Summers,Mishkin, on and on.  And though I admire our President a great deal...shame on you President Obama for keeping Wall Street in the WH.

And no one served a moment in jail or were criminally charged.   SHAME,SHAME,SHAME!

State Theater School

Last night was an Auditions! class where MJ Vandiver taught us auditions for TV commercials.  While I am thoroughly not interested in commercials I must say I learned a lot about the auditions process.  I have definitely put to practical use what I have learned in these classes in my recent auditions for UT filmmakers.

Began the day by looking at some wonderful photos.  SUNDAYS II in Hong Kong.  Check them out.
Liz Moskowitz Photography  

AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY/THE CLOSED DOORS

We're back to our AFS Middle Eastern films at the Alamo S. Lamar.  Tonight was a film about a young boy's tragic journey into fundamental Islam.  His adolescent sexual desires, his relationship to his mother and the neighbor prostitute are riddled with conflict which plays right into the hands of his Imams.  The acting is superb, the editing could have been better.  A tragic depressing ending and as the film was made in 1999 it was prescient in it's depiction of this young man from Egypt who wanted to be a pilot.

Of course Chale Nafus handed out 4 single spaced pages of  background info.  AFS is definitely a favorite of ours!

SUNDAY/FIRST DAY OF SPRING

Gym, tennis for Abe, gardening and the NY Times.  Peace.

THE DINNER

No more SXSW films.  We opted to pass up today's last selection as I think we were filmed out.  It's 80 degrees and gardening is back on my radar.  A trip to Home Depot and then The Great Outdoors and let the rumpus begin!  To be continued tomorrow.

Tonight I was in a shoot at a beautiful Hill Country home where the director and crew were all Film students at UT.  Skylar, the director has been making films for fun since Middle School.  She had enormous poise for a Freshman.  The actors were Srs and another civilian like me.  This film, THE DINNER, will be shown at the Jumpcut Film Festival on April 10 at the Alamo Ritz where it will be reviewed by an actor and producer.  Nice event from University Film Alliance.

The weather is gorgeous and Austin has been invaded by 10,000 folks to hear music!  They should all live and be well!

SXSW VIII

First film of the day was  BETTER THIS WORLD, a doc about two young men from Midland Texas who become politicized and involved with a group who plan to disrupt the Republican National Convention.  An FBI informant meets with them for 6 months, fuels their dissatisfaction with government and entraps them in a molotov cocktail set-up.  Two 22 y.o.s who refuse to testify against each other and end up doing time.  One young man has been released and met with us for a Q&A.  Very articulate, intelligent and passionate about changing the way gov't does business. We really liked this movie and I found it gut-wrenching.

This evening  was ANOTHER HAPPY DAY a movie produced by Ellen Barkin who also had the leading role. A story of SERIOUS family dysfunction in an upper class family of blended parents and children.  She doesn't let you come up for air and each scene was a major dramatic symptom of family blight (drugs, rehab, mutilation, Apsberger's syndrome, domestic violence).   Her characters were stereotyped silly.  The adolescent druggie son was a great actor and while Ellen Burstyn is a favorite of mine she didn't come close to affecting me.  In addition Abe thought that Ellen Barkin looked like a veteran prize fighter.  I guess you can tell we didn't like the film.

I auditioned last evening and was cast in a student short film that will be shown at the Jumpcut Festival at the Alamo Ritz on April 10.  A really nice way to end this day.

SXSW VII

Can you imagine seeing films for seven days?  And still looking forward to seeing more?  Now that music is here we're able to get into venues we couldn't get near initially.  So today we got to go to one of our favorite theaters..Alamo S. Lamar.  We saw UNDEFEATED.  A terrific doc about a football team in Memphis that has lost every football game since it began playing football.  A voluntary coach (short chubby red haired guy) coaches these kids for 6 years and brings them real close and so much more than a win.  He brings them to those traits they own that are so important in life.  This is no Rocky, believe me when I say that.  Abe can't stand those inspirational movies.  This is the real thing.  He says the coach is like the Jets coach.  (I have no idea what he's talking about but you may).

No more films today.  I have an audition for a student film.  Abe is smiling.  And yes, there is more to come.

SXSW VI

FAMBUL TOK means "family talk."  This extraordinary film made by two women is a film about forgiveness.  Forgiveness ceremonies between the perpetrators and victims of the brutal violence that occurred in Sierra Leone during their 10 year civil war.  We were spellbound and captivated.  The movie was exquisitely shot and edited.  The Q&A with director, cinematographer and a Chief from S.L. was animated, informative and left us thinking about this extraordinary culture that possesses such helpful healing rituals.   Abe and I loved this film.

While I  like Jodie Foster's work  (a lot) her World Premier of THE BEAVER just did not work for us.  Casting Mel Gibson in the lead role was problematic for me.  Just too hard to connect to and believe  this actor whose character  suffers from serious depression .  Could be my own bias but Abe did not like it either.  This was a Hollywood film and felt frivolous.  Alas, this and APART are our only two thumb downs since the festival began.

Music's in town and the beat and laid back flavor of Austin has thoroughly changed.  It's all good for the economy so no big complaints here.

More to come.

SXSW V

Shorts!  Today was all about Shorts!  First Documentary Shorts covering subjects  as diverse as the cremated ashes of Oregon State mental pts; a guy who heard 100 bands in 100 days while keeping a day job; the tugboats of NY harbor; a very talented street musician; and the last days of a Czech dance hall in Texas (oooh so depressing.)  Then Texas Shorts made by Texas filmmakers covering subjects like Asian kids who are left to raise themselves while parents return to their homeland for business (talk about depressing), a beer brewer, a metal fabricator and our favorite was GREY, about a guy who witnesses a shooting and is conflicted about how to respond. There were others too not mentioned here. Some Shorts were great, some were good, some funny and some just plain silly!

Tonight we saw a Danish film ARMADILLO about a group of Danish soldiers on a 2009 tour of Afghanistan.  Each film I see about this conflict  leaves me so bewildered and upset about our involvement there.  And that is not a happy way to end this post so I'll go on to say  the movie was very well made and we both liked it.

Good night and more to come.

SXSW IV

It's hard to imagine seeing four films in one day that could each be so captivating.  Three of them were so powerful that when I left the theater I felt as though my view of the world had changed.

This morning I saw INSIDE AMERICA.  A film about a HS in Brownsville Texas and the lives of six teens .from the school  The filmmaker is an Austrian woman who came to Brownsville at age 17 as an exchange student and was thrown out by her host family.  The Q&A with crew, cast and filmmaker was so informative, warm and inspiring.

The next film I saw, also made by a woman was WHERE SOLDIERS COME FROM. A doc about 8 friends from Upper Peninsula Michigan who enlist together and are deployed to Afghanistan.  These are not your edgy, hardened  tattooed killers.  Just a bunch of sweet kids whose families love them.  A great Q&A with director, crew and the soldiers and some of their mothers.

Abe joined me this evening for WIN WIN with Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan and Jeffrey Tambor.  While this film is more mainstream it is delicious in its view of relationships between men, husbands and wives, and finally an adolescent who's a delight to watch.  This kid was so refreshing in the way he dealt with adults and his screwed up life.  We did not stay for the Q&A with the actors and director (Tom McCarthy) because we had to run next door to see INCENDIES.

There is no Eng translation for INCENDIES (aflame comes close).  This is an extraordinary Canadian film (in French) about twins whose mother's history in Lebanon is absolutely unknown to them until her death.  She sends them on a search for a brother and father which is extraordinary in it's expanse of what might occur to one woman in her life.  It was a favorite of mine and Abe's.  The story took our breath away.  It is unimaginable and we are grateful the filmmaker imagined it. It is based on a play by Wajdi Mouawad.  The Q&A with the screenwriter was wonderful. 


Once again I end the day feeling so fortunate to be involved in this extraordinary festival of creative minds.  More to come.

SXSW III

Two films in the early part of the day were just magnificent. NATURAL SELECTION is a gorgeous film about a barren woman who searches for her husband's son when he is critically ill.  Hard to believe this was written and directed by a guy.  A guy who had his mother come up to the stage for the Q&A!  All she said was "hi" and they were both adorable.

The next film was a documentary IT'S ABOUT YOU.  Father and son first time filmmakers followed John Mellencamp on tour in 2009 and recording his last album. One stop on tour was  the First African Baptist church in Savannah,Ga and the footage was excellent. Visited this church last summer with Pam so it brought back good memories. Q&A with this humble photographer turned filmmaker out of Montana was enlightening.  Abe and I agreed this film was beautiful in it's imperfect way.  And the music!!!!!!

This evening we saw WUSS.  What a film.  A movie about an English teacher who is beaten up not once, twice, but three times by students and then a student's brother.  His relationships with his friends, other teachers, his mother and sister  are vividly portrayed and so real it's painful to watch.  Q&A of actors, producers, filmmaker and crew makes Abe and I so admiring of the collaborative effort, talent and creativity.

While watching 3-4 films a day might seem draining and sounds tiring we come away pumped up for more.  It's the diversity of the subject matter and the authenticity of the acting that keeps our attention I'm sure. In addition these Independent films speak to my curiosity about people and how they live their lives.

And so more to come.

SXSW II

The first film of the day HAPPY NEW YEAR was flawless and I cannot recommend it highly enough.  The story is of a soldier who returns home wounded and lost and finds some meaning in a rehab unit for pts suffering from PTSD.  Meeting the director and actors (with hugs no less) was so exciting.  And some of it was shot at Bronx General Hospital.

The next movie of the day was FIGHTVILLE, a documentary about Mixed Martial Arts.  A selection for Abe.  While some of it is brutal it was well made, informative and I loved meeting the filmmakers and subjects for a Q&A.  Abe especially liked this film.


The last movie APART was awful.  The acting was good. The editing, screenplay, background music were terrible.  Story is of two teens who shared a delusional psychosis.  Abe and I were confused throughout.

More to come.

SXSW Opening Night

We leave the car on our side of the river, cross the bridge on foot and are met with tons of young people walking around downtown with badges and canvas bags.  A great way to begin SXSW and waiting on lines to get into films with our Film Passes.  For the first time ever we didn't get into the Opening night film at the Paramount (1200 seats).  SOURCE CODE, the world premier. 

We did get into "blacktino" a funny quirky Austin made teen angst movie.  Audience just loved the Austin actors and familiar background.  The air is abuzz with excited visitors and as always we met the most interesting people while we wait on line.  More to come.

Butler School of Music/IMAX

Today my friend Judith (hook up at Gold's Gym) joined me for a beautiful performance by students and faculty at Butler School of Music.  What a delight!  Beautiful performances!  The Butlers, who have endowed $55 million dollars to the school were in the audience.  What a great way to spread your wealth.

Abe was busy on a field trip with 60 residents from Foundation Communities at an IMAX performance of I AM FOUR.  Abe suggested this outing that included transportation and box lunches...all donated.  Austin, you and I are  fortunate to have Abe in our midst.

The Soup Peddler/VAC

So my day started off with a warm email from the Soup Peddler.  He has a soup delivery business on S.1st and shares a business with the Juice Box on S. Lamar.  We first heard David Amsel speak months ago at UT.  I asked him about his t-shirt which said SOUP PEDDLER in Hebrew.  Wanted to get one for my kids.  I never followed up.   Yesterday I sent him an email telling him about my successful "Jew Food" meals here and asking if he considered that fare for his menu.  Not only did he answer the next morning he remembered me from his UT talk! What a mensch!

Then to the gym with Abe and following that we made it up to the Visual Arts Center on campus.  The VAC "is a vibrant collaboration and exhibition space" in the Art Bldg.  It's filled with contemporary art and installations from visiting artists, faculty and students.  My favorite was The Working Homeless: videos documenting conversations with panhandlers.  Once again that Contemporary Art class paid off.

At night was Auditions! class at the State School with Gabe False.

A good day!

Merce Cunningham

Alas we had to skip AFS tonight because we had tickets to Merce Cunningham at Bass Concert Hall.  We subscribed to the Texas Performing Arts 2010-2011 season and this was the last of our selections (8 in all). Tonight like the other performance events absolutely did not disappoint.  This performance was part of The Legacy Tour.   All of the dancers have been trained by MC and the two year tour  gave audiences the opportunity to see them perform before the company disbands in Dec 2011 when they perform in NYC.      Merce Cunningham requested that the tkts be priced at $10 for the final performance.  Music by John Cage, costumes by Jasper Johns, and Decor by Robert Rauschenberg.  How NY can you get?  The audience loved, loved, loved it.  The end of an era it seems.

Marvelous Malina and August:Osage County II

So last night Malina calls and tells us her film will be shown in her Directing Class and invites Abe and me.  The last time I was in the classroom was for a reading and took quite seriously the teacher's directions.  Well we got to see the film.  I must say I didn't realize how wrinkly I've become. Once I got over that I was pleased with our performance. What was so evident was the results of hard serious work from cast and crew.  The comments from TA, teacher and classmates were very positive about the believability of the characters.  Malina did a very good job of editing.  Her serious and hard working nature was very evident in the final product.  I am so happy  to have worked with her!  An AFS film tonight so more to come.

Hong Kong Design Institute

Please check out the latest posts from this fashion blog.  The photographer is a UT grad and a former photographer for The DAILY TEXAN.     They'll brighten your  day!

http://www.google.com/search?q=hkdifashionblog&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

The Tire Iron and the Tamale

Sometimes the Sunday New York Times gets read on Monday morning .  Today a personal piece written in the LIVES column really spoke to me about my experience with immigrants I've met in Austin.  Reading this is a great way to start a day.                                                                                                                                       http://www.google.com/search?q=The+Tire+Iron+and+the+Tamale&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Bagels and Lox/THE HANGOVER

Today Reed joined us for brunch, Jewish style. Bagels and lox and a Greek salad made with herring.  To my delight he liked it all.  Jokes made again about a trailer in Austin specializing in Jew food...not a bad idea.  Weather is gorgeous so we ate on the terrace under the trees.


The NY Times and  laying mulch consumed the rest of the day.  And tonight we finally saw THE HANGOVER.  I was surprised to have liked it so much.  It's very funny and Zach Galifianakis is a real talent.  The Asian gangster is a hoot!  Good to end the day laughing!

The ADJUSTMENT BUREAU and our boy Josh

This evening we saw this movie with Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, both fine actors and performances.  We loved this movie for many reasons.  It's a beautiful love story and the message is clear: to opt for personal happiness over personal success ( a message we hope we gave to our kids).  The movie spoke to me with it's shots of Brooklyn (the Bridge, Red Hook), shots of Greenwich Village and Midtown. And a story about a boy growing up in rough tough Red Hook who becomes a politician who is loved by his constituency.

Most importantly our son Josh is a Matt Damon look alike (I do not speak as a silly  mother here , check out his photos on my Facebook Family photos.)  And even more importantly Josh works in Washington D.C. for the city..making life and transportation better for the people (like bicyclists) who live there.  A shout out to our son who is very modest like his Dad.

DEFIANT/Debutantes and Vagabonds

Tonight we saw DEFIANT written by George Brant and directed by Amanda Garfield, a recent UT grad.  Her theater company, Debutantes and Vagabonds is contemporary, unconventional and composed of some extremely talented young people.  The play is about a woman who refuses to grieve for her abusive husband following a national tragedy.  We were extremely impressed!  The performance was at the  Austin Playhouse at the Pennfield complex.  We subscribe to the Playhouse and have enjoyed all of the performances there  only minutes from our home.  Sadly they will no longer be so close to us as  they'll be moving to the Mueller Airport area to their own space.  They're happy...we're not.

More gardening and laying down mulch today.  Abe helped with some of the back breaking stuff....good guy!

KUT/Foundation Communities

We start our day listening to NPR.  One of my favorite perks since retiring to Austin.  While John Aielli is a controversial DJ who engenders such passion in listeners (pro and con) I just love him.  His opinionated old fashioned views about technology, young people, cell phones are a hoot!  But he loves Austin like I do and he goes to every cultural event and has the same enthusiasm I feel for this town.  I love when he describes his first drive here to UT...the landscape, the buildings.  And on Saturdays Abe won't miss the two brothers who discuss cars.  He laughs up a storm.  They drive me crazy.

 Abe has opted to continue working as a Social Work consultant in Austin.  Truth be told his transition to this great city was much...no, MUCH slower than mine.  Probably a year slower.  He is a die hard New Yorker who loves New York while acknowledging it's hardships. He works 3 afternoons a week at Foundation Communities residences with staff and residents who are at risk of homelessness.  He loves this work.  He has always felt at his best when he is listening to and caring about people with challenges of mental illness, substance abuse and poverty.  Austin, the world, and I are lucky to have this man in our midst.  (He won't be happy about this shout out, but I assure you it's deserved.)

UT OLLI /State School

Today was brain enhancing.  This morning was Conversations on Contemporary Art with a collector (out of my league) and then Emerging Infections with Microbiology Prof. Dr. Shelley Payne (I relate better to human calamities).

This evening began Auditions! at the State School with Gabe Folse.  Class was small and as always I came away learning more.

The State has been gussied up with a renovated  lobby, repaired theater and the lights all lit on the marquis...all in time for SXSW.  Exciting and enhancing to Congress Avenue.

Austin Film Society/What a Wonderful World

Thank-you to Chale Nafus for his 3 pages of notes and Abe's explanation on the way home of this very quirky yet appealing Moroccan film.  We were forewarned by Chale's intro to not ask him what the film means...he doesn't know.  Without these two interpreters I would have remained clueless but pleasantly entertained.  Abe nailed it for me when he said the film was  about a passionate love affair of the heart and imagination without being sexualized.   I guess those Contemporary Art classes are helping me to watch with an open mind and eye. 

The day was spent gardening in the glorious sunshine.  For those of you who know our 12th Street loft in Park Slope (half underground with 2 windows 20 feet above our heads we opened with chains) you can appreciate my love of gardening.  And windows.   Once again my day in Austin was a happy one!

FRAILTY/The Great Outdoors

Late show of FRAILTY at the Alamo with a Q&A with Bill Paxton, the director/star.  Good psychological thriller , lots of energetic questions from a sophisticated audience.  I'm always amazed by the knowledge base of film audiences in Austin.

Serious gardening today with stops at the Great Outdoors and Home Depot.  When we first moved to Austin The Great Outdoors was a real friendly place to begin gardening.  I had a million questions and the staff were really helpful.  Staff were  interested in my Yiddishisms as well (which I used so freely in NY).  They began to ask for a new word each week and I would quiz them each time I paid a visit.    It was a really nice transition for me. 

Another reason why I love this town.  Gorgeous weather today is factored in as well!