A few nights ago, I had the absolute pleasure of seeing a documentary at the Irish Arts Center called Dambé: The Mail Project. If the venue and the film seem a strange combo, here’s the connection. It’s a musical journey through modern day Africa with an acclaimed Irish duo of traveling players, Liam O’Maonlai and [...]

Recently on WNYC, the Leonard Lopate Show ran a contest called the Six-Words Memoir, based on the “Six Words” series created by the editors of Smith Magazine, Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith. Smith Magazine celebrates the joy of storytelling in all forms, with a
focus on the personal narrative.
It was a tough challenge and I had [...]

The Wall Street Journal’s wine critics Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher invite you to seize the day — and that bottle of wine you’ve been saving. On 28 february, the husband-and-wife wine team hosts the annual Open That Bottle Night. It’s the 10th anniversary event.
Gaiter and Brecher respond to the most common question: “When is [...]

I was looking around for a particular song and I wound up finding Songza. It’s probably been around for a while, but it’s new to me. It’s a music search engine and internet jukebox. You can make your own playlists and listen to them streaming. Every song I searched for was found. Sweet.

Another good find [...]

Has Shepard Fairey moved into fashion design?
Not really, but in honor of Fashion Week, this Catherine Malandrino flag dress could be the brand extension.

Photo borrowed from www.shopsheboutique.com

If you didn’t catch FRONTLINE on tuesday night and you are curious about the sequence of events that led us to Meltdown Monday, you can watch “Inside Meltdown Monday” online at pbs. It’s great viewing.
Here’s my takeaway. And yours?

What’s up with the current trend of doll-bashing? First, Mexico is encouraged to practice voodoo on US soccer team lookalikes. Now at Toy Fair 2009, you can smash the likeness of your investor.
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NYC toy fair vendor offers Madoff doll – to smash
16 february 2009
NEW YORK (AP) — Mad at disgraced investor Bernard Madoff? There’s a [...]

Quick follow up to “My books … shall be my company” entry. This graphic email just arrived from ABE.com about book design and buying habits. ABE picks 30 favorite fiction covers.
Anyone have a favorite book cover?

I’m seeing a production of The Merchant of Venice in the spring, so it is time for a reread. My copy is from the New Penguin Shakespeare series. I bought the plays a few at a time, as I worked my way through the canon. Soon, I was going from store to store trying to [...]

Mexico paper launches voodoo promo against US team
By PETER ORSI – Feb 6, 2009
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Mexican newspaper began encouraging soccer fans to cast a voodoo hex on the United States ahead of Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio.
Readers of the Record could trade in coupons for voodoo-doll likenesses of U.S. players [...]