It's Still Cold in Austin

Most of my garden made it.  Whattyado?  You go to HEB, the gym for bicycling with Judith and Body Pump, you begin to bake for Latkes, Latkes, Latkes.  You put together a playlist for the party and realize you like Curtiss Mayfield, Edith Piaf, Motown music, Otis Redding, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Ella Fitzgerald, The Gypsy Kings and Rudy Vallee and more.  Oy Vey.  Eclectic out of control.  Will ask Liz for help.

PHFFFT!/Austin Film Society

Moving along in this series of remarriages was tonight's film PHFFFT!  The house was packed, lots of couples I observed.  And what could be better than Jack Lemmon, Judy Holiday, Kim Novak and Jack Carson portraying a post divorce couple and the lamentations and silly hook ups that occur once they obtain their freedom?  Abe just loved the make-up, wardrobes and sets of this 1954 film.  And I loved the schmaltz.  That when all is said and done the partner you've been through life's mundane exercises and crises and tribulations with may just well be the person you actually love.  What a great message to be reminded of.

Cold Day in Austin

So whattayado?  Talk to Pam at CCNY; go to the gym for bicycle and Body Pump;  drop off and pick up Abe at his SW consultation job at Skyline/Foundations Community; go to Academy for warmer gym clothes (brrrr it's cold) and Party City in prep for Latkes, Latkes, Latkes.  And come home to a fireplace and wine and cooking for Abe.  Once again...this is a good life and I am grateful for every healthy good day.

GOD OF CARNAGE/Zach Theater

On this rainy cold afternoon we saw a fabulous company of 4 performers in GOD OF CARNAGE.  So spoke to us both.  A  scene between two sets of educated posturing parents in one of the gentrified hoods of Brooklyn discussing an altercation that occurred between their 11 y.o. sons.  One of the boys lost two teeth.  And let the rumpus begin.  We laughed our heads off. The pretentious  posturing of the "victim's" mother all comes undone when a mother vomits, a father's cellphone rings uncontrollably, a father admits to not being a liberal, a mother confronts a father for his murder of the family's hamster, people get drunk on rum, women smash their husband's over the head, alliances shift.  You get the picture.  It's called LIFE.  Hats off to the company and a shot out to Angela Rawna.  You rocked it!

Liz is Eastward Settled

Just returned from moving Liz to her new home on the East Side.  Her style of a house shared with 3 women, chickens, 2 dogs, a big water collector and garden for vegetables.  Reminded me of when Abe and I moved into our loft on 12th street.  Pioneers moving south of 9th Street and not caring that it wasn't manicured and polished.  She will do well there.  She's equipped with an open intelligent mind and a kind heart.  And when I left her all I could think of was "whither thou goest."  And now I'm home to exorcise her room.  Have a nice week-end.

MELANCHOLY RAMBLERS at New World Deli

Tonight we headed up to Hyde Park to hear Marco Parella, acting coach, play his hummel with his Melancholy Ramblers.  Fun old time folk, country, authentic American music.  An up beat group, an appreciative crowd all at a deli owned by a man whose Dad had a deli counter back in New Jersey.  Much like my Dad who had an appetizing/deli counter in all the rich suburbs of NY.  He raised us in the Bronx and he would leave each morning at 6a.m. and get home each week night way past 7 and then 11 on week-ends.  He loved that job.  And loved his retirement job at the Bronx Zoo even more.  He raised me on country western music and would have loved MELANCHOLY RAMBLERS.  He'd be so happy to know I found my way to Austin.

THE FALLS At the Aviary

Tonight Chale and AFS brought us Peter Greenway's THE FALLS a most unusual film about an apocalyptic event that has devastated Great Britain.  The title stands for the last names of 92 victims whose names begin with F-A-L-L.  The writing is clever, the facts about the victims are bizarre, they speak unknown made up languages, they have physical conditions that can make you laugh and cry and after 46 names and vignettes we were bleary eyed.  Abe found it boring and I found it clever.  We left but enjoyed this really cool home decor place that serves wine, beer and snacks.  And the owner is a transplanted Brooklynite who managed Sweet Melissa, a cafe across the street from the Cobble Hill theater in Brooklyn.  I love those connections between Austin and Brooklyn.

This afternoon Judith and I ate at Madeleine's and shopped and most importantly shared intelligent conversation about our lives freely and comfortably.  It was a post bd celebration from Judith.  What a fine day!