Acting with Marco Parella

Just got home from an acting class with Marco.  He's a tough taskmaster and it all pays off. 

It's late.  Night y'all.

Liz and the Hong Kong Boys

Liz stopped by with some friends from her Chattaris Program in Hong Kong.  A Brit and a Texan.  Smart, sweet and personable.  It's good to have her back in the USA sharing her world.

The day was filled with gym, biking, gardening and the good life.

EVEN THE RAIN/Austin Film Society

A powerful, complex, film in a film which we both loved.  Shot in Bolivia, directed by a woman, indigenous extras treated with dignity and paid for with materials they need (thank-you Chale for your 4 page print-out). This is the story of indigenous people being exploited by the privatization of utilities when Bolivia's economy was about to tank.  Women defying soldiers and refusing to allow them to take the water from the well they dug with their own hands for their children. A fabulous indigenous actor (non-professional) boldly speaking out when the cattle call is dismissed abruptly and all of the extras are told to leave.  Not only does he turn this around he and his daughter get starring roles!  Tormenting scenes of indigenous people being treated brutally (think Nazis) by the Spaniards in the film being made.  I've missed seeing  Gael Garcia Bernal  (AMORES  PERROS, MOTORCYCLE DIARIES) and was delighted to watch him in a film once again.  This is a moving and important film.  It speaks to our current times of corporate greed and a global call for change.

SUPER 8 at Westgate

Think GOONIES, ET, and everything you loved about Spielberg films circa 1979.  The best part of this JJ Abrams film is the kids!  And no less the kids shooting a film!  Bring them to Austin.  They're refreshingly sincere and real in their interactions with each other.  The monster and the editing about the monster is eh (a Jewish term for not so good).  But who cares?  The best part of the film is the kids.  Liz joined us and all three of us loved the kids!  The theater was packed!  Austinites doing what's right on Independence Day when it's 100 degrees.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!  

Brunch New York Style

Bagels and lox, tomatoes and onions, greek salad made with herring, mimosas and friends from Texas who love this stuff!  Reed, Ria, Amandine, Judith and eventually Liz for good talk,  laughs.  A good day in Austin with new found friends.

BEGINNERS at the Alamo

Ah, a beautiful film about relationships.  A 75 y.o. father comes out after his wife of 45 years dies.  He finds love and a community of supportive men and appears to be happy and fulfilling his dream life.  His grown son accepts his father's journey and seems happy by their new found closeness.  Then the diagnosis comes delivered by a cold matter-of-fact doctor...she's not evil..just business as usual when delivering the final pronouncement of "go home, get hospice, we're not helping you." Christopher Plummer is brilliant as a man who is happy and then finds his life will soon come to an end.  Ewan Mc Gregor and Melanie Laurent play the baffled, struggling lovers, beautifully and romantically.  Abe sighed a great deal of relief at their outcome.  And it was fun seeing Goran Visnjic from my ER days play a very human man who falls in love with this much older man.  And the dog!!!  He speaks in subtitles.  The audience loved it.  It's a lovely film.

Plain Ol' Day in Austin

HEB, Gym, gardening and 10 minutes of RAIN!!!!!  Oh yes rain..of course after  I watered.  Talk with Abe, talk with Elizabeth about transition from HK to Austin.  Grown-up talk..not adolescent to Mom talk.  And a pedicure with my kid!  Now that's a first.  She does not engage in froufrou girly stuff so this was a first.  At a Vietnamese shop where I just love my young Vietnamese friend Tree.  A delight to hear about Viet Nam, it's food, it's weather from Liz and Tree. I came to Texas to hear first hand about Hanoi and Saigon.  A lovely day!