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Santa Fe Film Festival 2012 DREAM AWAKE

12 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by Floreva in Creating, Entertainemt, Movies, Places, Writing

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Brightwood, Georgia O'Keeffe museum, Nothing without you, SANTA FE Film Festival, short film

Last Friday, I flew to New Mexico with a friend to the SANTA FE Film Festival (SFFF).

The theme was : Dream awake. What a good motto, what a wonderful idea.

Santa Fe and the SFFF : Such a marvelously energetic city, such a great event. Films, shorts, Q&A with directors, actors, producers, composers. Meeting passionate people, sharing their work and their art and their thoughts about it  with a genuine simplicity. It sounds obvious, of course. And yet, the authenticity feels so unspoilt in a festival like that one,  that you leave the event boosted, and fulfilled, especially if you are  an oddjobber like those who flocked in there.

SFFFpass

Being in Santa Fe again, in (almost) Winter time, with cold air filling the bright blue sky saturated with sun beams, it felt so good.

This city has really something about itself and in itself that you just can’t miss to experiment. The air seems to be rustling with extra positive vibrations.

The nearby mountains (visible from nearly every corner, unlike Houston, flat as my palm) anchor your looks into that beautiful Nature. You can’t escape beauty : architecture, settings, landscapes, buildings, the most creative human activity (painters, writers, potters, craftsmen, filmmakers, even  festivals to celebrate all that!!), a true osmosis between our natural environment and our humanity.

Georgia O’Keeffe sensed that earthy energy and savage beauty as she transcripted on the canvas or on the paper those vibes. Her paintings are as peaceful and quietness inducing as the vision of the surrounding scenery.

No wonder a film festival set in this city would attract talented and tactful professionals.

Our stay was blessed and punctuated with the most exquisite and nice encounters, some probable, others completely impromtu, absolutely unexpected. Saturday early morning, we came in the CCA to retrieve my friend’s ticket, and we ended up in the nearby venue, chatting with the person in charge that day, and visiting the Military Museum of the NM National Guard. very interesting.

 

DSC_0074

Then we went downtown Old Santa Fe, for a visit before the screening of the film that lay at the core of this trip. We visited the Georgia O’Keeffe museum.  We chatted with I can’t remember how many persons. (It is me or it this city is triggering people into conversations?).

And then, the FILM. “NOTHING WITHOUT YOU”. Just as it was about to begin, we met the director, Xackery Irving whom we greeted and he was so kind as to take some time to talk to us, and thanked us for coming from so far, Houston.

The film deserves the prize it won at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this year.

Emily Fradenburgh is a lovely actress, impossibly talented and natural in her way of playing,  and her character is so appealing. We adhere to her motivation without the slightest reluctance. And we are thrilled, of course, because her life is at stake.

The script is well balanced, with drama and humour, thrilling moments and suspense.

And it has what most of us revere  : a twist end. But not a sloppy one, a well constructed, well defined and precisely chiseled one.

All in all the film is extremely good, finely crafted and structured. And the music is a pure moment of happiness.

The Q&A was a great moment, with The score composer, the producer, the director, the actress and another actor. The Qs showed that the audience is mainly composed of professional (talking about angles in shooting and stuff of the kind). And it was pleasant to learn as much by listening carefully to the As as we did for the Qs.

We went to the party held for the fest. And it was a blast, again, because you meet there all the people who make the fest! I talked with some of the crew of NWY, and they were forgiving to the enthusiast that I am. It felt like I was a child with a sugar tooth locked in a candy store! I also talked with the producer and the scriptwriter of the short we would watch the next day, “Brightwood”, winner of several prizes too. Amazing short, gorgeous sets, lovely child actress, the director of photography did an amazing job and it deserves its awards.

I feel so blessed and lucky to have been able to go to Santa Fe. And I wish all those talented people success, luck, and more creativity and extremely good connections to craft other good works and masterpieces for their audience to enjoy.

Thanks Emily, Victoria, Dorie, Xackery, Gabriel, Rick, Jacob, Keith, Ruth, Nani, Scott, and all of you who make all that possible.

I came back in Texas full of energy, a will to quickly achieve my writing projects – and particularly this road movie script. I am boosted, energized, more balanced, and I know that even ZERO budget films get shot. So, all is possible, you see.

It took a decade for the director Xackery Irving to achieve his script (it went through many re-writings and editings, as he told the audience), but at last, he made it. It must have been though, and depressing maybe sometimes, but it has a shape, a name and a prize to acknowledge its quality. Think hard and confidently enough that you can do it, and you’ll do it, and even better that you originally thought.

SO….

more caffeine and ….

FADE IN….

Good night, fellow oddjobbers.

Floreva, still enjoying  the light of Santa Fe….

 

“Nothing without you”, written & directed  by Xackery Irving, 95 min, genre : Psychological Thriller, Narrative feature

nothingwithoutyoufilm.com

facebook.com/nothingwithoutyoufilm

“Brightwood”, written by LaDora Sella, directed by L.Gabriel Gonda, 18min.

Brightwoodmovie.com

 

 

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How the Santa Fe Film Festival can boost the writing of a road movie.

05 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by Floreva in Movies, Places, Writing

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Cinema, contest, road movie, Santa Fe, Script, WITHOUTABOX, writing.

Dear readers, fellow oddjobbers , sharers of a glimpse of your thoughts about this world, providers of happiness,

This week end  a major event takes place, the Santa Fe Film Festival.

Many events take place  in the cinema field each week. But this one has a particular taste for me. because it’s Santa Fe (3 times in my life I have felt that good in a city, like you belong, ya know? : in London, in Darjeeling and in Santa Fe, I have no explanation).

And parallel to that, I was writing a script for a submission to the London Film Festival. A road movie. the two ideas merged eventually: why not setting the road movie in TX and NM? I mean, the story was already set, constructed, the characters have their back stories,  I already had written a good deal, the city of departure and the city of arrival had just not been chosen. So, why not a trip from Houston to Santa Fe?

A crazy idea cropped up : why not going up there with my car? You know, driving all the way, enjoy the scenery and the fabulous  landscapes, music blasting, in good company, chatting and laughing, sharing anecdotes, enjoying a rapid meal, before entering this wonderfully energetic city for a big event? And getting free, instant, real-life, consistent impressions for the script? Material readily available!

I very much enjoy a good road movie. The unity of time and space, the journeys, both internal and physical, the grandiose scenery, the confinement leading to confrontation before the resolution and the pacification can occur, has always been profoundly appealing to me.

At a party with friends, the subject of Santa Fe and the Film Festival hosted there came up, as they said they’d drive around New Year’ Eve to White Sands. Conversation drifted then to New Mexico. I didn’t remember the date of the festival, since I only took my subscription to WITHOUTABOX last September,  I only knew there is major Festival taking place there, and for instance, that “Brokeback Mountain” was presented there, among others. We all reckoned that Santa Fe has special vibes. It’s a magical city, and some of us agreed that it  had a relevant impact on our mind, or souls.

Parties like that boost one’s (that’s me, yes) energy & will to work harder, and to write more!!!

Anyway.

In November I received an alert via WITHOUTABOX (the interface I use for script submission for various contests) about the SFFF. I twitted about it. Got a RT from a director (thanks). And I thought i’d love to  see that. And I’ll drive. Houston-Santa Fe. I only needed a friend to share the road, the wheel, the fantastic Week End lying ahead, and a pure cinephilic moment. Plus this director presents his movie there. In Santa Fe. And he wished me safe travels to SFFF. (twitter, you do a great job).

Was I looking for another sign  to go there, to stop telling myself it was crazy to even think of going there, 15s hours, etc? There was the sign, bold, unmistakable.

And another thing : the hero in my script (begun 5 weeks previously) bears the same name as this director, only the spelling is slightly different. 

The film festival takes place just before my birthday. Festival is Dec 6-9; my b-day is the 10th.

So, I told myself : “that would be the most perfect and accurate B’day present, to go there, see amazing movies and shorts, feel the powerful energy of creativity bursting everywhere, meet interesting people, in the field I want to work more and more with and for…Big Spirit of the World, clear the path and make it happen!”

Yeah, really. Sometimes you got to manifest what your want, loudly and you must be convinced that it will happen. I was confident. I trusted myself to make the right choices and to be strong-willed.

It boosted my writing, I can tell you! I locate their stops and their venues on the map and with Google satellite photos, I feel I travel along with them.

I checked the feasibility, and bingo! Greenlight at every level.

In the meantime, the friend’s availability had been invalidated. Car trip seriously unmanageable.  So I checked flights, found one, booked a room and a car in Albuquerque. Bought my tix.

And so be it!

While doing so, I wished I could decide someone to join in at the last minute. Like : you go to a party, and  you say  : “I’ll go to Santa Fe tomorrow. – How nice? how lucky you are, I wish I could …- Interested? Join me! -OK!!!!”

Driving up there will be for another time, because, come on, it’s 15 hours’ drive. I’ll do it next time, with a car packed with friends as crazy as me for cinema. As it was also a bit short to organise it “impromptu”, (although I just love last-minute crazy ideas for a weekend).

The room I booked, for the SAME price could be either : one-queen-size bed (with kitchenette, easier for meals, you know) OR TWO king-size beds (with kitchenette).

Guess what I chose?

I was very much in the mood of sharing that moment with a good friend.

And I made that wish again : to go there with someone.

And it was granted. Impromtu. Last minute. Last Sunday, at lunch with wonderful friends.

You know that wonderful and terrifying moment when you say : “I go there, it’s crazy stuff to do, but… I’m doing it…Would you like to join me?”. And there goes the answer : “I’d love too! Let’s grab a ticket and …just.do.it”

You think your dream can come true, so  you set your mind on a particular frequency, your energy vibrates and bam! it happens. I have a sense that I am on the threshold of a new episode in my life, and I dedicate all my forces, my energy, my focus, my resources, my thoughts, to this achievement, this goal, this new path of fulfillment and of a deeper sense of happiness…

Guess what is the theme of this year’s SANTA FE FILM FESTIVAL?

DREAM AWAKE.

It could never have  been more suited.

Discipline your will, harness your dream and live the life you’re meant to live.

Keep your dream alive, but don’t let it slip through your hands, dear reader/writer.

Floreva, sending you positive energy AMAP (as much as possible)

I’ll post on SFFF later .

http://www.santafefilmfestival.com/

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Color me London

24 Sunday Jun 2012

Posted by Floreva in Life in style, Places, Theater

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Tags

Chocolate, London, Theatre, Union Jack

It’s been a while.

Since I went to London and since I last posted. Flying from the USA takes some time, y’know.

But…Here I am, at last. L-O-N-D-O-N.

Union Jacks here, Union Jacks there, Union Jacks displayed everywhere…

And I mean…everywhere…

Even Jamie is harvesting on the big bargain of this overdose of Jacks.

Still, it is a joyful sight. Especially when it’s wrapped with humour and wit.

Jubilee souvenirs are available in every imaginable form, and souveni

r short-bread tins can make unforgettable keepsakes. That, if you live in England’s capital, you know already. If you are a tourist you know that also, and you may have also purchased some to bring home.


Every body knows that. That and the other  that.

 That  = the next Olympics taking place in LDN.

(That is, you know it, unless you live on a desert island and your wireless is broken down, or you are ans ostrich with the head buried down in the sand….Of course)



Anyway. Not only did I wondered about these R
oyal delights and Olympics pride, I also walked an awful lot, like maybe 5-6 hours a day, taking too many pictures, stopping too many times in a caff or a tea house, and once a day in a pub (after theater or before, for a London Pride)…

Musing in animated streets, having a coffee in nice caffs, stumbling upon beautiful shops, riding the Double deckers to here and there, spotting an indie movie scene being shot at Marble Arch (indian music blasting and wind blowing everyone’s hair in their face… quite a funny sight), chatting with fellow members of  Urban Walks over a beer in a pub after a 3 miles stroll in South Kensington, discussing soccer tactics (well,  listening mainly, as I prefer rugby), soaking into the exquisite models of theatrical decors in the section of the V&A dedicated to Theatre and Performance…these have been the highly pleasurable activities I became entitled to those past days.

 

 


I particularly appreciated a boutique of fine chocolates, in Kensington High Street, Hotel Chocolat, and the friendly staff provided me with a good deal of information about the ideas behind the concept,while sipping a great caramel hot chocolate and delicates truffles and chili chocolate bouchées. (They kindly allowed me to take pictures.) Service was excellent, and the chocolates were fantastic. Thanks.

 

 

 

Went to the theatre twice so far, saw The Woman in Black (great effects, great play) at the Fortune, a small delightful theatre, and Sweeney Todd, at the grand Adelphi , amzingly Art Deco, and extraordinary décor, which I had seen already as a miniature in the V&A. (Imelda Staunton is amazing…).

War horse is COMPLETELY sold out. Oh, Dear. I’ll have to wait until it tours the USA then…

I’d like to see the 39 steps too, and Henry V, if possible (and if playing now).

With all those UK flags printed or wrapped everywhere, I’m thinking about getting my own Jack and wrapping myself into it as a night gown, before going to sleep, each night…I could do so for the entire duration of my stay, just to infuse the very Britishness of it all deep down into my bones and reconnect with this British part added to my blood and DNA by a Great grand mother and other Norman ancestors.

 

It’s chocolate, tea and shortbread time at this hour for me, thanks to Mr Jetlag…

Color me London tonight…..

So long, dear readers.

FlorevaChocolat

Hotel Chocolat
163 Kensington High Street
London
W8 6SU

Tel:             020 7938 2144

http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk

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In memoriam Mallory and Irvine. A song for George and Sandy

08 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by Floreva in Mt Everest, People, Places

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Tags

Andrew Irvine, Climb, George Mallory, Mount Everest, Mountaineering

Mallory and Irvine. They lost their lives on the Great Mountain, exactly 88 years ago.

A song for George and Sandy. (©FlorevaF-2012)

No more waiting, let’s go! And before we die, let’s drink! For we shall celebrate, if we must sink, the entirety of our rustling days-madness! On the threshold of the black horizon -the night. The awaited departure is announced, and there, everything’s bending towards the urgent desire to climb, without our really choosing it.

To climb always, to climb again, towards the Gods who decide our life, towards the Heavens awaiting our death. Diving naked into agony, suffering deeply from the unknown, pierced by the atrocious but demanding spire of reaching -at last- this high and yet difficult silver fang which steals, while weakening them, the breath, the reason and the strengths worn on the soul like a coat of arms.

Another effort, tearing the entrails, the summit is just there! After this cruel battle at last, soon, it will touch our fingers. The skin of rock sparkles again under the scorching caress of the star. The sunbeams flash and shine behind the clouds embedding themselves into the proud and hard womb of the mountain. For his country, ready to break open all the bottles of champagne, and requiring from him sometimes to forget his purity, the climber accepts this new intention : to print on the snow and in the sky, for his homeland the glory, and for himself his destiny.

Courage again! As it is there, let’s climb! The alpinist slideslipped and fell short, his hobnail boots, meager crampons, humble and altogether solid allies, ensure his safety.

Exhausted and breathless, short-winded, deprived of good oxygen to restore his diminished stamina, close to asphyxiation, weak and in pain, anxious nonetheless to keep in himself and for his companion an intact joy, an altar onto which sacrificing his wounds and his euphoria, he leads and mercilessly draws from  his bruised muscles the inspiration and a sacred fire. The surpassing of himself  for the mission soon to be achieved still instills tenacity in the pain needed to be muzzled -and to avoid being destroyed- the tiredness, the exhaustion, the sudden repulsion, hideous temptation of withdrawing, and to crush the doubt that creeps into himself.

The brotherhood of the rope supports his determination, the day stoops to greet this trying ascent. His silent companion fights the crucifying suffering of the frost on his throat, his cheeks, his hands, without failing. Against the hourglass of Time, the days are short and run faster if one hasn’t discreetly, for oneself, found a reason to explain all this. The question remains, embracing us, powerful and vain in turn : why climbing, why leaving, why? It digs an endless furrow, a shadow terrible for its shapelessness, in the memory of the men who never can give an answer.

“Listen to me, humble travelling passer-by, accidental hero, deeply moving man. With me will you stay forever to engrave your name on my rock and prove your love? Is your soul honest as this snow piled into millenaries under the moraine and in my sides and that you tear carelessly? How will your courage be? Are you brave, are you sincere? Pure as the ephemeral snowflakes covering those crimes done by others, that long after you will be like stigmas on all my faces? I let the lunar disc bless those I chose. Your rope companion too, later, will give his life to me. It is you tonight that I shall take to be mine in the infinity and in the clear kiss given to me in the middle of the night, before exalting my immortal glow to the stars of the galaxy, the white star listens, relishing when of you I speak. By your actions and your choices, the icy wind flurries and takes your answer as a glittering frost up to me. Now it’s time : sing a last song and give yourself away.”

Inserted into the intimate dialogue of his secret soul, the climber of the impossible recovers the purity of his sight, cleared of the vacuity of the world and of the scoria saddling the soul. He approaches eternity, he knows he’s entangled in a fresh start.

“Mother-Goddess of the World I am yours eternally. I had a life, but I didn’t know that from the minute I set eyes on you, an immense and devouring fire would torment my soul and consume my blood. Without a break I have fought to escape your call, frivolously I have broken the news flow, as I am torn. Patiently and without a sound you have eaten my heart. This fact throws me into raptures as much as it terrifies me. I am not myself anymore and my life does not belong to me any longer. For in every aspect my existence has transfigured into yours. You occupy my spirit and you govern my body which trains to espouse you while climbing all your buttresses.  In spite of my will I am not strong enough to no longer desire you, even though I abhor you. I love you like and old wound not hurting anymore, because from you will come the relief for my distraught soul. Unique and mysterious your hymn has reached me, following me like a shadow. Look, I have come back.

I know what you want, you’re waiting for my life, and I , finally, find the path. Everything ends here. You disclose yourself, I become your beloved child again. With this cold crystal-clear clarity submerging me, I approach ataraxy. In the absolute light of your frightening beauty, this water at last quenches my thirst, a gentle peace embraces me, my creased young years finding now their place, in the shape of a stained-glass snowflake, and fall asleep over my limbs while everything fades away…”

George Leigh Mallory and Andrew “Sandy” Irvine lost their lives on Mount Everest June 8th, 1924. Exactely 88 years ago.  In Memoriam Mallory and Irvine.

(A song for George and Sandy. ©Floreva V.SturmFox 2011-2012)

(Special thanks to Mrs Scottish Smith for the proof-reading)Photo (taken with my cellphone) of the Book on the Expedition that discovered Mallory’s body in 1999, J. Hemmleb, L.A. Johnson, E.R. Simonson. The Mountaineers Books.

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Celebrating Hollywood Glamour

12 Saturday May 2012

Posted by Floreva in Cafés, Movies, Places

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Cinema, Elizabeth Taylor, Hall of Fame, Hepburn, Hollywood Blvd, Humphrey Bogart, Jack Lemmon, L.A.

Hepburn.

A name shared by two major actresses. One epitomizes dry wit in screw ball comedy. The other embodies charming ingenuity. Both are symbols of The Hollywood Glam. Today, Golden age movie lovers (as me and 5 other very good friends for instance) remember Katherine, born May 12th, 1907.

Portrait of Hepburn, 33 years old

She’s best remembered for her role alongside Legend Humphrey Bogart in “African Queen”, “Mary of Scotland”, “Bringing up Baby”, with Cary Grant playing a deliciously geeky paleontologist, “The Philadelphia Story”, “The Lion in the Winter”, “Woman of the Year”, “Guess who’s coming for diner”.

Miss Katherine was a theater wonder too. She even played the role of Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel, in the Musical “Coco”, in Broadway.  And of course, played most of Shakespeare’s immortal chef-d’oeuvres. Let me mention “Taming of the Shrew”, “The Merchant of Venice”, “Anthony and Cleopatra”, and “Much ado about nothing”.

66 year long career, 44 feature films, 33 plays. She liked her numbers to be even, one could say.

This reminds my of my trip last year, in L.A.

It was in February,  the blue sky was bursting with sun, the air was light and breezy, the palm trees were nicely trimmed.

My camera was showing impatience to encounter Hollywood Blvd, the Chinese Theater and Sunset Blvd.

I went also on top of Observatory Hill, to catch an amazing view of the city, the ocean sparkling away in the horizon, and all the memories of “Rebel without a cause” secluded in my mind, as I strolled around and inside the building.

Later, I drove on Sunset Blvd, photographing the houses of those who built my love for the cinema and my interest for the entertainment industry. Below is B.Karloff’s former house (dark pic, I’m afraid, for the impersonator of dark characters).

Lana Turner’s former house.

Mansion of a beautiful one (alive and above).

In the vicinity of the loop where Cary Grant used to live ( below)…


…one stumbles upon this…

…Undoubtedly handy for the Bentleys and RR owners in the neighbourhood.

While in L.A. I tried those super trendy flavoured coffees from various shops, in Malibu, on Hollywood Boulevard, on the beach, in Santa Monica district, and I wanted to taste different kind of brews. Conclusion : I’m not a fan of vanillastrawberry/cinnamon/citrusblueberry/whatever fancy/ aroma. I prefer my Italian to be strong, rich, well scented, and easy going.

No fuss coffee for me, please, even in super glam bold California’s City of Angels.


The organic deli just around the corner was so inviting, I sorted my pix in there, while resting my sore feet, and made myself a wish and a promise : to come here again with more time to be able to visit a studio (or two), and work harder, to get to live here.

I raise my ultra-caffeinated black coffee to thy, Hollywood.

A toast for the joy, the drama, the humor, the laugh, the thinking, the glamour, the cogitation instilled in our lives.

A toast also to The Frères Lumière and Georges Méliès who made it all possible,

Th. Edison,  Buster K., Abel Gance, DW Griffith, Renoir, John De Cuir, Edith Head, Givenchy, Chas Chaplin, Ealing Studios (UK), The Studios de Joinville (France), Cinecitta (Italy), Babelsberg Studios (Germany), Fritz Lang, Alec Guiness, Jimmy Stewart, Garbo, Marilyn, Jeanne Moreau, Godard, Wiene, Murnau, Jean Dujardin, Michel Gondry (“Science of dreams”, “Be Kind, rewind”), Mitchum and Lancaster, Ozu, Bruno Ganz, Nino Rota, Mancini, Agnès Varda, Imamura, Dame Judi Dench, Jack Lemmon, Damian Lewis, Brenda Blethyn, Hannah Schygulla, Romy Schneider, Bibiana, Begalu, Daniel Brühl (“Goodbye Lenin”, “Joyeux Noël”), Patricia Mazuy, Joséphine Siao, Maggie Cheung, Guillaume Canet, Eva Green, among many others.

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Route 66, with a drop of milk, please

09 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by Floreva in Cafés, Caffeine, Life in style, Movies, Places

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

50's, cadillac, Coffee, Creedence Clearwater, Diner, Dust Bowl, Elvis, Grand Canyon, Grapes of Wrath, Jack Kerouac, John Ford, John Steinbeck, Johnny Cash, Mother Road, On the Road, Route 66, Travelers

Fellow travelers, cofffee -on -the -go amateurs and connoisseurs, Easy Rider fans, wanderers of the world….

….YOU…who have a link, special,  accidental or else, with the Mythical Route 66, I’ll share this with you.

Before boarding that helicopter…..

….to tour the Grand Canyon…

…take time for a coffee in Williams, Arizona.

This train reminded me of how the Mother Road had so strongly embodied, in the 30’s, the search for a better living  during the Dust Bowl for thousands of farmers.

They were heading West  towards the sunset, (what a significant symbol, marching towards the last ray of light), just as the Pioneers had done before them.

I remembered the poignant dignity of a struggling Tom Joad ( young Henry Fonda) in the movie “The Grapes of Wrath” .

And then, the splash of colors of neon signs across the small town set my mind into another mood, more joyful and happy. Now it was rockn’roll allover, and Jack Kerouac was riding next to me, reciting immortal sentences.

On a portion of the Historic Route 66, diners proudly claims their attachment  to a long bygone era.

I decided to choose whichever was open that day.

Route 66 Diner was closed, although promising.

And Twisters Soda Fountain had no food to offer.

But they have Elvis.

And a Cadillac(  it’s not an unbalance in colors, it’s really pink). Really beautiful too.

So, the third won the deal.

Black & White checkered linoleum, red and  chrome chairs and booths. Huge Cola Soda ads. Neon, coffee, cream soda and burgers. Welcome back in the 50’s.

Coffee was overly nice, light and flavoured. Could have been a bit more muscled by using stronger beans, though.

All prices, on the souvenirs, postcards, magnets, even on the menu, bear the homage to the Mother Road. Look closer. All prices are $* and 66 cts.

This is the Route 66 Café, pal.

Other little time capsules such as that one can be found along the Main Road of America.

Follow the brown signs “Historic Route 66” and the white shields painted on the road, watch “Billy Connolly’ Route 66”, episodes of the late show Route 66, order an ice-cream soda at the soda fountain, have Creedence Clearwater’s Midnight Special or Johnny Cash blasting in the cd player and just… do… it.

Cruise.

Twisters and the Route 66 Café
417 East Route 66
Williams, Arizona 86046
(928) 635-0266

John Steinbeck Novel The grapes of Wrath, 1939, won the Pulitzer

John Ford Movie The Grapes of Wrath, 1940, 20th Century Fox, won the Academy Award for best director.

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Happy Birthday

09 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by Floreva in Life in style, Places

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blogosphere, Happy Birthday, Houston, Route 66

Some have a birthday to celebrate today.

A year of wisdom to add to their precious/amazing/wonderful/”Iamworkingonimprovingit”/happy/demanding/not always easy/creative/(whatever adjective suits you) life.

A year more for a dear one.

An additional year in the blogosphere, maybe.

A year to commemorate  a special event.

For others (could it be me?), it commemorates the decision  to move from Europe (France) to Hello Houston, USA.

Happy Birthday.

(A post on a very “fifties” style café on the Route 66 is ripening in the draft room, photos are long to upload)

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…with a coffee spoon… in the Library

08 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by Floreva in Caffeine, Life in style, Places

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Andrew Irvine, George Mallory, In memoriam, Library, Mount Everest, Starbucks, writing.

Image

Today, I need to extra-focus. I got to be making progress.

This work on Mallory MUST get significantly dealt with. I need to write more. Perhaps I have to climb Mount Everest myself too to find enlightenment….

As for now, I think, I’ll just need this helper…

… all day long, particularly in the library (where I will stay, glued on my computer, writing, writing, writing, correcting, again and again and again)…

I’ll take also my hot water in a thermos with me and get my caffeine as others just step outside to smoke their cig. With that other little helper.

To brew this.

Newbies (to me at least) from Starbs, found in the store yesterday night.

It’s  been 87 years and 11 months today that George Leigh Mallory and Andrew Irvine lost their lives high on the top of the world, about 500ft short of the summit.Next month, the 8th of june, it will be exactly  88 years that they have been resting on the mountain.

In memoriam.

 

 

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Margo Channing @ White House Black Market

07 Monday May 2012

Posted by Floreva in Caffeine, Life in style, Movies, Places, TV Series

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Banana Republic, Bette Davis, celebrities, Coffee, Don Draper, entertainment, Eve, Fashion, George Sanders, glamour, Gossip Girl, Grace Kelly, Mad Men, Mankiewicz, Marilyn Monroe, movie, Prada, style, Town & Country, Valentino

Last Thursday I had an appointment at 9am. As I was very early and there was no traffic jam (lucky me!) I had nearly 40 minutes before hand, so I went for window shopping in Town & Country. Weather was fine, parking lot still empty, the set of beautiful shops nestled between Memorial and Kimberley was just ready for a private visit.

Nobody around.

Too good to miss.

I grabbed a coffee – just a coffee *sigh*-at the Starbucks corner in the store, and off I went.

The first windows belonged to Banana Republic. Very “Mad Men on a Safari tour”.

Yeah, it’s a jungle out there.

The “Men collection” is just …just…perfect. Nothing to add here. Have a look.

I remembered these ads in magazines for the spring collection featuring designs seemingly taken just out of the series.This  kind of team up between BR and Madmen surely is bound to be a hit….and the male model has a strong resemblance to Don Draper…

Is it Don Draper already?

I left the Men Mad with their Jungle Out There and I shifted to the huge windows of White House & Black Market.

Such a lovely boutique, such pretty items.

Sophisticated yet cool. Classic with a twist, bold style and fashionista-pleasing collections, displayed in a glamorous, boudoir-style shop.


And they are not ashamed of their commitment to charities (which is always a good point).

Hum…how can I tell you… I can’t resist.

Certainly Margo Channing would have bought her day garments in there (or at least, sent Birdie to buy them), had she not been only real on the silver screen and had the brand existed back then. Grace Kelly seems more a J Crew-type girl, I should say. In the evening :  Balenciaga, Valentino, or Nina Ricci. For both Miss Davis and Miss Kelly.

Bette Davis portraited an immortal Margo in the Movie “All about Eve” (Mankiewicz, 1950,20th Century Fox). Should you wander why the movie is a MAJOR classic in the history of Cinema (apart from the numerous awards it received), just pick a copy or dive into Netflix, and (re)discover the imperial Bette Davis, the ruthless predatory nature of the bitchy Eve (incredibly talented Anne Baxter), the stylish and smoothly cynical Addison DeWitt (magnificent George Sanders), the lovely debutante Marilyn Monroe, the charming and reliable Gary Merrill, the confused Hugh Marlowe and the naive friend Karen Richards (Celeste Holm), encapsulated in a masterpiece so carefully crafted, that it looks like a  diamond necklace, sparkling with wit and brilliant dialogues, sumptuous costumes and decors, and such a mastery of photo and directing, you’ll be swept off you feet…

As for me, I love diamond necklaces…

PS : in Pop culture, references or homage to Miss Channing or to the movie are plethora, the following are the latest addenda to the entertainment industry (I thank Wikipedia-San for his help on the subject, seeing I am not a big fan of the Simpsons nor of Glee):

  • Blair (Gossip Girl, season 3, ep “Enough about Eve”) dreams that she is Margo Channing
  • P. Almodovar’s movie title “All about my mother” is a reference to Mankiewicz’s, and the first scene shows the protagonist watching the 1950 movie on TV, later a character is accused of  learning her lines “just like Eve Harrington”.
  • A 2008 Simpsons’s episode is called “All about Lisa”
  • In a Season 2 episode of Glee, a character is called a Latina Eve Harrington
*****
Later, during lunch time, I sneaked in the shop to try some garments on.
And then back to work…
So long, WHBM.

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Vienna, Klimt and Demel

06 Sunday May 2012

Posted by Floreva in Cafés, Life in style, Movies, Places

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Café Central, Demel, Hofburg, Hoffmann, John Malkovich, Klimt, Kolo Moser, Raul Ruiz, Secession movement, Sissi, Vienna, Winter wonderland

In a few weeks from now, I’ll be flying to Vienna.

I’ll have a lot to do but surely will find some moments to sneak into one of those mythic havens praised by travelers and writers : the deliciously old-fashioned café houses (e.g. the Café Central, as shown below ). After all, the art of consuming coffee was born in this city, after the Siege by the Turks, when bags of strangely perfumed beans were left by the attackers after they were defeated.And of course, I must pay a visit to the artifacts of Sissi’s glamourous passage on Earth, gracefully displayed at the Hofburg.

Last time I went it was in winter and it was wonderful.

A Winter wonderland.

Christmas Markets were heavenly lit.

Klimt and the Secession members will also have their fair share of my time.  The buoyant years of the Secession era are plastered all over the city, and they call for my respectful attention to their extraordinary applications to architecture, fine arts, design and furnishing. 

Klimt, Kolo Moser, Joseph Hoffmann, Joseph Olbrich and Otto Wagner, I’m glad I’ll see your works again.

BTW, 2012 is the 150th year of Klimt’s birthday, and Vienna is celebrating the eminent artist.

Which leads naturally to mention the movie “Klimt” by director Raul Ruiz (2006), with John Malkovich in the role of the painter. Whereas, as a fan of Klimt’s work, I had great expectations regarding an insight view of the artist’s challenging and daring ideas and aspirations to hustle a little the establishment and the Academy, I ended being disappointed by the… hum… liberties taken with the historical truth and the quasi-sole “libertine” aspect of Klimt’s life that Ruiz chose to expose.

Klimt may have been caught in the turmoils of both an artistic revolution and a sexual revolution – the latter being instigated by Freud- at the beginning of a new era, and he may have been the subject to scandals (particularly through his  paintings, uber-controversial for that time, have a close look at “Medicine”, “Jurisprudence ” or  “The gold fish” for instance), he will forever embody a new way of representing the world, as the impressionists will in their way too.

His influence was major in the history of art and his legacy is tremendous. It would probably have been much more consistent and satisfying to explore the reasons for his troubled relations with authority and women (and particularly Emilie Flöge). Probably deeply rooted in the attachment to his mother and loss of his father and his brother, which resulted in his assuming financial responsibility for both his father’s and brother’s families.

Klimt is particularly honored this year at the Belvedere, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Leopold Museum, Albertina, Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art, and Vienna Museum. If you may be near Vienna those coming months, indulge your artistic cravings for beautiful and powerful art, and go meet the genius.

Well, for me, I shall pack a soothing cream for my (future) aching muscles, as I’ll certainly will not only greet the master’s works, but also walk into every sightseeing-worthy corner.  It will be a delight, and Demel’s famous pastries and delicacies will be just a dream away.

I just discovered that Demel is present in NY as well as in Vienna, and has an online shop. I can’t wait to order…

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Here we go, coffee addicts…

06 Sunday May 2012

Posted by Floreva in Cafés, Caffeine, Movies, Places, TV Series

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Tags

Absolutely Fabulous, after McCallum, Bones, CIS Las Vegas, Coffee, Dexter..., Doc Martin, Downton Abbey, Dream On, Falty Towers, Homeland, Inspector Lewis, Jekyll, Law and Order, Lie to Me, Life, Mad Men, MI-5, Midsommer, Monarch of the Glen, n Magnum, Nurse Jackie, NYPD Blue, Tea, the Avengers, the Mentalist, The Prisoner, the Tudors, Twilight ZOne

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