Cracks In Sidewalks

“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is Woody Allen’s new film starring Javier Bardem as Juan Antonio, Scarlett Johansson as Cristina, Penelope Cruz as Maria Elena, Rebecca Hall as Vicky, and again one of my favorite supporting actresses Patricia Clarkson as Judy Nash.

Taking place primarily in Barcelona but also Oviedo Spain the film focuses on two best friends who have the opportunity to spend the summer in Barcelona residing in the home of close friends to one of the girls, parents.   Although best of friends they are very different.  Vicky very pretty, dark haired practical and studious is engaged to an ambitious NY businessman.   She has made decisions about her life, created a sensible plan, a map of her life so to speak, that she believes she will follow step by step..  A student of Catalan culture working on her master’s degree, she fell in love with the architecture of Gaudi as a young girl and has come to Spain to see his work and to learn and practice her Spanish.  On the other hand her best friend Cristina, could not be more different.  She’s smart but insecure, blond, sexy and sensual, and only knows what she does not want.  She has not a clue what to do next, so she decides to accompany her best friend to Barcelona for the summer.  An artist at heart in need of exploration, she is constantly searching for love and her choices in men have always been decided and defined by the passion and emotional risk involved; the higher the risk the better.  Vicky and her boyfriend, both believe Cristina has a pattern of making bad unconventional choices when it comes to love.  They believe she could continue down this path never really settling with anyone, as eventually passion always clashes with reality, Cristina gets restless, and then it’s time for her to move on, which she does.

Thus begins the tale of a summer of redefining love, asking unthinkable questions of oneself, exploration both personal and sexual that defy the norm.  What is love and when does it become unhealthy?  At what point do you break away?  How do we define ourselves in love and do we need to?  In this case much of the movie is centered on Javier Bardem’s character Juan Antonio.  He is a somewhat celebrated modern artist, who is very sexy and charismatic and goes for what he wants in the moment, and in this moment it happens to be Vicky and Cristina.   Enter his ex-wife, Penelope Cruz, Maria Elena, who is also an artist and so crazy and passionate she once tried to kill him.  Then there is Judy, Patricia Clarkson’s character, who is married to Mark, played by Kevin Dunn.   By the looks of it a very long-term happy marriage, but underneath all that marital success there is a feeling of settling.  A what if?

In “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” Allen finds a way of telling the story of each of these characters and their own personal battle with love, lust and life, and he manages to do all this in a funny, touching way.  At some point in the film all four women are faced with the following questions.  What are my boundaries?  Who set them and why?  When are boundaries meant to be broken?  What is more important, passion or rules?   The movie is both tragic and comedic, but Mr. Allen weaves his dialogue in such a way where heavy becomes light; and the actors give such great “dramedy” performances, that what is left of all this longing, desire, and angst is a fun entertaining “feel good” summer movie.

In my opinion it’s the best film Allen has made in a long time.  If you want to see an excellent movie that will raise questions while making you laugh, give you a great tour of Barcelona and Oviedo, (the cities are almost characters themselves), and watch Woody Allen’s new tale unfold with four very sexy consummate funny and appealing actors; check your local listings and go.  I think you’ll enjoy it!

No YouTube video or Last FM for this one.  You’ll just have to trust me and go out and buy it if you want to hear it, but it’s a CD that has brought me many hours of pleasure over the last 15 to 16 years.  Chopin is probably my favorite classical composer and I have listened to his compositions being played by many of the masters for hours on end, but it is this simple recording, and I own many others, of his music that remains my favorite.

I listen to it on Sunday mornings while sipping coffee and reading the New York Times.   I listen to it before I go to bed at night or as I’m falling asleep.  I’ll put it on when flying cross-country or across an ocean as I gaze out at the clouds or look into the night sky.  It relaxes me, calms me, and helps me to rest.  And I’ll put it on when I’m trying to create a certain mood and use it as a side dish while serving a romantic candlelit dinner.  I just love Chopin and this recording in particular.  An old French boyfriend gave it to me and I’m certain that that has added to the romance of the disc as he was a very romantic, handsome, charming guy.  But Roy Eaton’s “The Meditative Chopin” remains one of my most regularly played CD’s.

Schooled pianists I have spoken to about Chopin over the years have all recommended other recordings so I don’t know if Roy Eaton’s playing is technically brilliant.   But it’s expressive and I guess that’s what I like about it.  I’m not a classically trained musician or pianist.  I mostly go on feeling, and this CD has worked its magic on me.

A little bit about Roy Eaton, he made his American debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing Chopin’s F minor Concerto under George Schick in 1951.  After a stint in the army and a much longer stint in advertising and music for commercials, he is currently on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music and is scheduled to play at the 50th Anniversary concert of the Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin awards that are scheduled to take place at The Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in the spring of 2009.

They recently opened the “Bethel Woods Center for the Arts” in Bethel, NY.  It is located on what some consider to be sacred ground; the ground where the legendary “Woodstock” music festival took place almost 40 years ago.  For this post I’m going to focus on “The Museum.”   There are also several pavilions for concerts, beautiful grounds, and other events taking place at the center throughout the year, but since we went up to visit the museum, The Museum is this week’s “Monday Crack.”

First of all I didn’t quite know what to expect.  A museum that’s job was to capture and encapsulate an experience such as Woodstock; I thought it would be close to impossible for it to really work.  To tell the story of an event that changed and defined a generation, what an awesome task.  I wouldn’t have wanted it on my own hands.  You had to know that every person who was going to walk through the door was going to come in having preconceived ideas, judgments, and opinions.  I knew I did.  I was ready to enjoy, but I was just as ready to be critical.

I have to say I was more then pleasantly surprised.  They did a really terrific job of explaining history and events, while making it informative and more importantly contextual.  That’s what I kept saying to my date.  “They really gave this a context.”  Through the use of text panels chronicling the times, artifacts from the period, interactive displays, and films, they brought that experience and time in history to life.  You didn’t have to be there and live through those years to “get” what took place, how it happened and why.

The story is told through personal stories and profiles, interspersed with the music of the festival, and the historical events that were happening in the world, not just the U.S.A. during those years leading up to the famed festival.  It highlights the political, social, and cultural transformations that were shaping our lives and the lives of our brothers, sisters, parents, and neighbors, and it tells the story from all sides, demonstrating the tension and conflicts that all families were facing.  The museum is not only a lot of fun but it is a very good educational tool.  And I believe part of the mission of its founders was to keep alive and pass along some of the ethos that represented that late 60’s era, with peace, respect, consideration, as well as a continued connection to our planet topping the list.

For myself the highlight of the museum were the films, and seeing so much young raw talent.  It was also the “hippy” bus as it was really true to life.  But what I loved most like I said earlier is that somehow the creators really created a platform with context from which we all could collectively jump into and view an historical event that took place during an historical troubling time in our countries history.

For information about the Bethel Woods Museum go to the link below by either clicking on it or cutting and pasting it into your browser.

http://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/museum.aspx

With Taj Mahal who helped Ben Harper get his start, on my mind, and having just finished writing a piece about Jack Johnson, whom Ben Harper helped get his start, it’s no wonder that today I find myself writing about Ben Harper.

Ben Harper seems to be a musician who is pretty much universally liked by both critics and fans alike.  At an early age he would visit his grandparent’s music store, “The Folk Music Center and Museum,” where a foundation of folk and blues was laid.  He also had the luck of being influenced by the stream of talented musicians who use to patronize his grandparent’s store including the likes of the legendary Leonard Cohen and Taj Mahal, along with the amazing string player David Lindley.  That’s some pretty heavy company for a young musician to keep.

He started performing as a teenager and trying to set himself apart, Harper took up slide guitar, and the Weissenborn (a hollow-necked lap-steel guitar) eventually became his signature instrument.  Besides his voice and playing which I find pleasing, distinctive, rhythmic and soulful, I think what I like best is the way he integrates all his different musical influences.  When he writes and performs, it’s kind of like being served a big salad in a bowl that is full of all the things you like, but it’s mixed together in a way you never thought of mixing it yourself.  It’s unique and individual.  Ben Harper combines blues and alternative folk while at other times 20’s jazz and urban music.  But folk to funk, it doesn’t matter where Harper is concerned, he puts it all together in a way that resonates with a broad fan base making him popular around the world. The man is talented and eclectic and seemingly a good soul!

Harper has had the same band, The Innocent Criminals, since about 1997 when he released his album, “The Will To Live.”  He’s toured as the opening act for The Dave Matthew’s Band, has collaborated with a number of artists such as Jack Johnson, and he even toured and recorded an album with the Blind Boys of Alabama winning a Grammy for “Best Traditional Soul Gospel.”  Now that’s diverse! He is politically active, married to Laura Dern, has four children, two from a previous marriage and two with Dern.

From his 2006 released album “Both Sides of a Gun,” comes the song “Better Way.”  It’s Monday and I want to start the week off on a positive note.  So if you want to hear Ben Harper play and sing, “Better Way,” just click on the link below or cut and paste it into your browser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TILzJ-_4urk

Here’s a cat picture for you.  I took it in Tuscany and named the cat Annelisa for the week that I was there. I fed the cat regularly from my hand.  It also lacerated me regularly on my hand because it was much faster than I was and It had never had its nails trimmed, in its life!

When people come to visit the San Francsico Bay Area they seem to always think of staying in San Francisco of course, crossing the infamous Golden Gate Bridge, which is a must, then wandering into the next little town after the bridge, that happens to be Sausalito because it is famous and they have heard of it.  But there is a great alternative to the latter part of this equation.

Sausalito is great.  It is on the water and very beautiful, but because of its proximity to San Francisco and because it is so well known, it is also very touristy and congested.  Let me make a suggestion to you for the next time you visit the Bay Area, drive past Sausalito and go about an additional 5 to 10 minutes north on Highway 101, past the signs to Mill Valley (west of Tiburon) and exit to the right shortly thereafter onto Highway 131 (Tiburon Boulevard.)  Tiburon Blvd. is a beautiful winding road with views of the bay.  You will continue on this road for about 10 minutes until you reach the town proper.  Then make it simple on yourself, and pull into one of the pay parking lots in town so you can wander around and enjoy.  They are fairly reasonable.

With absolutely stunning views of the Bay and San Francisso, lots of quaint shops, some great restaurants and bars on the water, and a little movie theater, you will have all that you could possibly want from a small California town and more.  It is really special!  Take a leisurely walk up and down Main St. and Ark Row and enjoy the shops and galleries as well as the historical architecture.  When you’re through sit outside overlooking the water, watch the sailboats go by from the Corinthian Yacht Club, and enjoy a drink and some casual dining outside at Sam’s Café, long a Tiburon tradition.  Or go close by to one of my all time favorite Mexican restaurants in the world and enjoy waterfront dining at Guayma’s.  Did you see the movie “Like Chocolate for Water?”  It’s a bit like that.  It’s not your typical Mexican burrito taqueria.  If you go, consider trying my favorite dish, their Chile Poblano En Nogada.  It’s made with two large poblano chiles stuffed with chicken and raisins, topped with a fresh walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds.  It’s to die for.  My mouth is watering just writing this!

If you’ve never been to Tiburon, try to go the next time you are in the SF Bay Area.  You can also get to Tiburon by taking the ferry from downtown San Francisco, make a day of it and never have to drive.  And there are ferries that connect Tiburon to Angel Island, (another days “Crack”), and Angel Island to San Francisco.  Just a thought!

For more information about the ferry boats and their schedules, check out the Blue & Gold Fleet’s website at: http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/

I got turned on to Jack Johnson several years ago by one of my best male friends who lives in LA.  His day job is as an editor for a major television network, but 4 days a week before going to work he heads out to Malibu to catch some waves and surf, and when he finishes his day and returns home at night, if his daughter isn’t with him, most likely you will find him keeping company with his acoustic guitar playing old rock or blues.  So it should come as no surprise given that combination, he is a Jack Johnson fan and probably kindred spirit.

For those of you who don’t know anything about Jack Johnson’s background, he was born in Hawaii and his father was a famous surfer.  Jack also surfed in some major competitions until an injury got in the way when he was 17.   While recovering from his injuries Jack spent his time writing songs, and music began to play a larger role in his life.  He went on to university and graduated with a degree in film from UC Santa Barbara and started making movies about surfing before his music career took off.

Finding his music and energy very infectious I first borrowed and started listening to “Brushfire Fairytales,” graduating over the next several weeks to “In Between Dreams,” the CD on which you’ll find the cut “Better Together.”  There I was in my rental car tooling LA, driving around Venice and through the canyons cranking Jack Johnson.  It was just happy music!  I hadn’t listened to someone new to whom I had such an immediate attraction and likeability in a long time.  Since that trip any time I want my spirit lifted or I need some inspiration to clean my house, or I want to listen to something I know will make me happy, I’ll turn Jack Johnson on and sing along bouncing to his beat.  His lyrics are great, but somehow his music remains uncomplicated and at times it is just what I need.   He also wrote music, sing-a-longs and lullabies for the film “Curious George,” and I find that my 5 year old niece is a Jack Johnson fan too.

To hear the cut “Better Together,” click on the link below or cut and paste it into your browser.  For more Jack Johnson info visit his website.  The link is also below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPXU33iquDE&feature=related

http://www.jackjohnsonmusic.com/home/