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Thursday, July 24th, 2008
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12:41 pm - Anyone up for some labia limbo?!?
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| Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
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4:31 am - I could get kinda used to this ...
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Just wrapped up our extended California sojourn, where we had a wonderful time!
San Francisco was, as always, splendid. The CineKink run went exceptionally well, with a near sell-out crowd for most of the shows and some very enthusiastic audiences. Also, unlike the usual lacklustre press attention in New York, we managed to pick up some very nice blurbs:
Have Highbrow Porn, Will Travel
Violet Blue investigates CineKink, the X-rated Sundance - SF Chronicle/SF Gate
... they do make good porn; it's just not terribly easy to find amid all the noise and hype, online and off -- let alone the kind of erotic cinema that film fans would dig (or get off to). That's where Lisa Vandever comes in...
CineKink: The thinking person's traveling erotic film fest - Violet Blue, Open Source Sex
I’m so very excited that CineKink is this weekend here in San Francisco — and the refined, indy, edgy traveling eroto-porn film fest might be coming to a major city near you. If it does, don't miss it.
Rated X-static - Michael Fox, SF Weekly
An orgy of celebration more than titillation, the six programs shine a flattering light on real people and real sex, with an endearing splash of art and humor.
CineKink: More Flavor - Flavorpill
Whether you're crazy for leather, proudly polyamorous, or you just like to watch, CineKink's popular, perverse film series educates while it titillates.
It was also a lot of fun having ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) alanesq along this time. After years of imagining us screening in some dingy, grass-roots community hall, he got to experience the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts first-hand, in all of its glass and marble splendor. And this year the hotel, instead of somewhere vaguely Tenderloinish, was the Marriott directly across the street, putting us right in the middle of all kinds of glittery distractions, but with the respite of an inviting king-sized bed a mere 26 stories away. (We didn't have a bay-view room, but the clouds over Twin Peaks were also quite nice.) In addition to the now ritual post-screenings cocktail encampment in the St. Regis lounge across the street, aka CineKink Annex, we also hopped a ferry to Sausalito with Alan's sister and brother-in-law for stunning views and adequate seafood at Scoma's, basked in the sun and enjoyed take-out sushi on the lawn at Yerba Gardens, took in a lovely extended brunch at XYZ at the W, and finally got to meet the director of Triple X Selects: The Best of Lezsploitation over drinks at The View.
On that Sunday we flew south to Burbank, eventually landing in Universal City for the AVN Adult Novelty Expo, where our willingness to chill our heels a bit upon check-in paid off with the requested high-floor room and a floor-to-ceiling view of the NBC tower and the valley beyond. Since the convention wasn't starting until the next day, we were able to visit my uncle, Michael, and his wife, Janet, at their lovely Studio City home and over an amazing off-menu rib-eye at Ca del Sole. But from there, aside from a Yelp-inspired escape to Next Door Tapas, we were left for the next few days to the odd congruity of of an adult industry event taking place next door to a massive theme park. With expo space taking up the entirety of our Sheraton, plus the Hilton up the hill, it was an eventually numbing (hmm) booth after booth of cheap plastic objects, vibrating whatevers and "the number one in the industry" lubes. Fortunately, Jamye Waxman (see here for her account and photographic proof of Ron Jeremy falling asleep on the job) and the folks from Njoy were there to give us a bit of context and introduction to some of the "alternative" up-and-comers in the sex toy biz - exactly the people I was there hoping to meet.
We made our good-byes on Tuesday evening, stopped in at the "office" of brilliant director T. Arthur Cottam (Pornographic Apathetic, Filthy Food, Dirty Words) to take a sneak peek at this year's submissions(!) and provide some "special consultation" on his upcoming feature - and then, excepting a little location scouting for CineKink: Los Angeles, we were on to the "vacation" portion of our visit. We were fortunate enough to spend the rest of our trip in the comfortable and inviting Santa Monica abode - and the delightful company - of my old school chum and flat-mate, Johnners. (Who, though not possessing a known website or LJ handle, has just turned up in an impulsive Google search with a link to one of his grad school videos - Wives and Lovers - starring another roommate, Janice and shot in the apartment we shared circa 1986ish, aka LAVA Pad. How random is that?!?) (See below for how random!)
Anyway... among the highlights of our remaining pleasures:
* Drinks at the Biltmore and a sumptuous dinner at the Water Grill to celebrate my sister Jennifer's 40th birthday
* Cocktails on the patio at Edendale Grill with a few NY S/M Film Fest and CineKink alums
* An intended brunch on the beach at my favorite, Paradise Cove, that didn't really get going until 5ish and ended with the first hints of a sunset
* A pleasant patio (again!) conversation over latte with Freddy and Eddy, owners of the Venice-based adult outlet, freddyandeddy.com, where we stopped in for a visit
* A backyard extravaganza marking the mid-way point of "Thirty Days of Forty" - a month of multiple events celebrating the fourth decade markers of both Jennifer and her one-time prom date, multi-hyphenate Scot Zeller
* Pre-flight tacos and perfect margaritas ... on the patio .... at Malo
Last night was the red-eye back, so now seriously out of sync time-wise. And returning to NJ's sticky heat, I'm thinking fondly of soft Los Angeles breezes. Though I'd hoped to catch a few OutFest screenings in the duration, the weather was always just too pleasant to waste indoors at a movie. In fact, I sense that this may be a common LA sentiment... which may explain a lot about the current state of the movie business.
But, to end with a random cinematic classic ... I wonder if John even knows this is out there!
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| Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
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7:48 pm - California here we come!
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Currently ensconced at the EWR Continental President's Club, trying to eat as much free cheese as I can before we board our cross-country flight to SFO.
We'll be spending tomorrow out in the burbs with alanesq's sister, then move to downtown digs for the CineKink run at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, taking place Thursday-Saturday.
On Sunday, we skip south to the Los Angeles vicinity, where I'll be taking in the AVN Adult Novelty Expo through Tuesday. Then several days of the usual Hollywood schmoozing, plus preparing for the grand shindig planned for my baby sister's 40th birthday - and Scot Zeller's too! - on Saturday, 7/20.
Any left coast LJers, would love to see you during our visit. Check in here or via lisavnyc at aol dot com to coordinate logistics!
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| Monday, July 7th, 2008
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11:09 pm - Bruce Conner 1933-2008
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| Monday, June 23rd, 2008
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11:09 pm - Um, well, kinda?
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How well are you capitalizing on this year's unique opportunities, Pisces? Now that we're halfway through 2008, let's take an inventory. You're getting better connected to your community than you ever have before, right? You've become far more purposeful and crafty about forging the alliances you need to be effective, right? You're developing smart strategies for upgrading your unique gifts and givng them to the right people, right? You're working hard to create niches for yourself that suit your temperament and needs, and you're no longer leaving it to other people to shape those niches for you, right?
- Free Will
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11:53 am - Update on Mickey!
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As some of you are aware, our lovely friend mickeys0fine has been having various health issues over the past several months. She was finally able to get a somewhat nebulous diagnosis of a scary-sounding but treatable kidney malady a few weeks back, but that problem shifted to the background when she suffered a stroke early last week. Fortunately she was able to get help and to a hospital very quickly, but she's been having subsequent problems with the primary clot breaking off and causing blockages, even impacting vision in her right eye. They're currently administering blood thinners and will keep Mickey in ICU until her condition stabilizes; at that point, the hope is to move her to a Manhattan teaching hospital better equipped to make sense of her condition.
All that said... alanesq and I finally had the chance to visit with her yesterday ... and she looked really great. While her left side is still impacted by the stroke, that will improve greatly with therapy. Her speech is nearly at 100 percent and she's otherwise the same sweet and sexy Mickey we all know and love.
She's also a rather bored Mickey - and she and her boyfriend, Chris, would definitely welcome visitors. They're currently at Brooklyn Hospital Center. Visiting hours are 12-8 pm, though you might call Chris on his cell first to make sure they're still there and/or the time is okay. (The move to Manhattan isn't expected for a few days, but who knows...)
If you need any of their personal contact info to make that happen, let me know and I'll forward.
Since they don't have space at the hospital to keep them, they've requested no more flowers. Otherwise, I'm sure Mickey would love a message below or in her LJ. Or, if you'd like to send a card, I'll make sure it gets to her:
Mickey
c/o CineKink
1092 St. Georges Ave., #190
Rahway, NJ 07065
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| Tuesday, June 17th, 2008
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6:20 pm - California... mazel tov!
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| Sunday, June 15th, 2008
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11:46 am - "Larry, baby, why won't you play with me?"
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Checking in from the Jersey Shore, where I'd planned to track down some of my dad's favorite chocolates, the sort he enjoyed in his Pennsylvania youth but are apparently available nowhere on the west coast - and ship them back in time for Father's Day. Which I thought to be next weekend. Hmmm.
So I'll be sending the gift along late, but meantime, lots of love and my very best Father's Day wishes. And, made available for online distribution for the first time ever, the cult classic film Media Dreams, which he completed as his masters' thesis project at Annenberg in 1964.
Some of you may recall it from its screening at the 2002 New York S/M Film Festival - and its subsequent appearance at CineKink: PDX in 2006. Directed by W. Mathewson Vandever, the film features star turns from his Coatesville boyhood friend, Larry Israelson and his wife, Ying, along with an appearance by my mom, Ruth "Peter" Vandever, both as herself and a sexy body double. And, of course, a young me and my Barbie doll.
And people wonder how I ended up with an obsessive interest in kinky film...
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| Friday, June 13th, 2008
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5:20 pm - Already missing a Sunday morning tradition...
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Even though we've been on opposite sides of most issues, an early bonding element in our courtship - aside from that! - for alanesq and myself, was the Sunday morning ritual of Meet The Press. So much so, we felt compelled to invite Tim Russert to our wedding.
Tim never did RSVP for our nuptials*, but I'm nonetheless very sad at news of his passing.
* It should probably be noted that we did receive a note of well wishes from George and Laura Bush; absolutely nothing from the Clintons. Yes, we are hopeless wonks.
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| Sunday, June 8th, 2008
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1:19 am - Doh!
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I've been reading about a pending Michelle Obama "Whitey" bombshell for weeks now on HillBuzz and - granted, they're a little obsessive - have to agree it's a little fishy that the tape finally surfaces today:
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| Friday, June 6th, 2008
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1:10 pm - And now for something completely different.
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I've been meaning to check out Governors Island for years now and this might be a good event for that. Except for the fact it's supposed to be a gazillion degrees and I'm not sure that my usual black garb is appropriate for croquet. Might be fun to see alanesq in a skimmer hat, though.
I've also got some NewFest screenings to catch, but assuming I don't spend the weekend basking in the A/C and rereading The Great Gatsby instead, the more likely day for said lawn party outing would be Sunday. Would anyone else be so vaguely inclined as to maybe possibly join us if we maybe possibly go?
In other news, tried to pop into Marion's for a cocktail and steak frites last night and was devastated to find it locked, shuttered and apparently gone forever. Turns out they're merely closed for major remodeling and will be back in July. Phew! Don't know that I could have handled the loss on top of the sad and very imminent demise of Florent at the end of the month.
In still other news, I'm eagerly awaiting today's Hardball and laying odds that Chris Matthews' head will finally explode. "Private meeting!? What did they talk about!? Let's speculate wildly for the next 52 minutes!" Want in?
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| Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
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1:09 am - All hail the "presumptive" nominee?!?
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Hillary hasn't conceded yet, so I don't think I will either.
Since I recently expended whatever of the evening's remaining lucid thought replying to zucherart's earnest post about the campaign and sexism, perhaps it's just best if I take for the hills with The Female Bunch:
"We don't give a damn about society's rules. We have our own laws here!"
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12:52 am - All (mostly) good!
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Yesterday, my father left a voicemail on my cell phone(!), asking me to call as soon as I could because he was "concerned about a few things." Naturally, I called back immediately, calculating all the while how easily I'd be able to round up a ticket back to Portland and wondering how soon that would have to be. My mother picked up the line, called my dad to the other extension and I learned that they were worried about me and alanesq because... we hadn't posted to LJ in several weeks.
So, to reiterate for them - and anyone else who might be concerned - we're good! Alan's been perhaps a little more involved with Armor Games than one might wish, I've been spending retarded amounts of time setting up a CineKink page on Facebook, but otherwise we've been enjoying some nice, mellow times around the house. And even kicked off the BBQ season with a splendid gathering of friends this weekend. (An additional hello - and thanks - to those of you who were here for the festivities!)
Thanks for worrying!
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| Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
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6:46 pm - Still in play?!?
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I've just gone out and restocked our my Maker's Mark supply and am preparing to snuggle in for a long evening of election results... still! While I'm looking for a big Clinton upset tonight, I think it's exciting overall that the race is in play at this late date and, for the first time in 40 years, Oregon gets to have a voice in the selection of who's up for president.
I've seen several candidates make appearances in Portland, going all the way back to McGovern (possibly even McCarthy in 1968, if I squint real hard) and can imagine how exhilerating it would have been to be on the banks of the Willamette listening to Obama on Sunday. (Then again, I'm older and crankier and adverse to crowds now, so maybe not.)
As you'll no doubt hear many times tonight, "Oregon voters are independent." (Hey, there's a drinking game for us!) And I think so much attention is paid to the hip "urban" sectors, it's easy to forget that much of the state is rural and fairly conservative - so I'm expecting a tighter race than many of the polls have indicated. Which in Clinton-speak, naturally translates to a win :)
But whatever the outcome tonight, let's all remember... it's not a simple majority, but 2,026 needed to win.
And, yay, Kentucky ... the drinking starts now!
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| Monday, May 19th, 2008
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1:42 am - Mirror, mirror
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This weekend was spent primarily on family pursuits, most notably the combined birthday party for alanesq's nephew and niece, aged 6 and 4, respectively, which notably involved a last-minute, Sunday morning trip to our nearest Toys-R-Us. Further notably... before noon on a Sunday.
Armed with insider tips as to which gift might finally jettison me to cool aunt status, we first picked up "something 'Ben 10' for Joseph."
And then we found ourselves in the princess aisle.
While we eventually went with the pre-linguistic (or just non-verbal) Disney Princess Enchanted Horse and Carriage for Rebecca, once we got over the sheer amount of pink, we were morbidly fascinated by some of the offerings on the shelf and the vintage messaging most seem to convey.
One simple option, the Disney Princess Light-Up Talking Mirror became an instant favorite and we've spent much of the day rewriting its promised "20 magical phrases!"
A few...
"Daddy is very disappointed."
"Is that what you're wearing?"
And the top contender so far...
"Boys don't like the smart girls."
But do feel free to come up with your own disempowering possibilities!
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| Sunday, May 18th, 2008
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9:50 am - The word from home...
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My mother just sent along this editorial from The Oregonian:
Echoing the California Supreme Court's landmark decision 60 years ago striking down bans on interracial marriage, the court said its ruling this week wasn't about discovering a new right to same-sex marriage, but an old right to marriage -- period. The 1948 decision, the court noted, didn't determine whites could marry blacks, but that people could marry other people -- of their own choosing.
The court this week also came down firmly on a question that has sometimes been derided as superficial or "linguistic." Yes, the court said, absolutely, the word "marriage" itself matters. To call relationships by some other name, whether domestic partnerships or civil unions, is to diminish the relationship and potentially demote some American families to second-class citizenship.
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| Monday, May 12th, 2008
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4:05 pm - Comedy, pathos and lots of naked, dangly bits!
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I'm way behind on a Tribeca-SXSW-general movie log post, so recycling this CineKinkster item as a reminder/place-holder. But a great movie - highly recommend!
A stand-out at the recent Tribeca Film Festival, we've got our eyes on The Auteur, the sweet and raucous story of Arturo Domingo, the one-time leading director of art-porn cinema (Five Easy Nieces, Requiem for a Wet Dream, Full Metal Jack-Off), who finds himself at an all-time low in both career and romance.
The movie is a perfect fit for CineKink and we'll naturally be looking to include it in our next fest. But that's still a ways off - approximately 291 days as of right now, but who's counting? - and we'd love for it to find the audience it deserves in the meantime.
And you can help! Currently in the running for a slot in From Here to Awesome, a new festival that strives to cut through a lot of distribution mumbo-jumbo and make films more widely and directly available, you can take a gander at the submission trailer for The Auteur below and then make your desires known right here:
(It plays a much larger role in the actual movie, but watch for a few cameo appearances of the Clinton Street Theater, past and possibly future home to CineKink: PDX!)
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| Monday, May 5th, 2008
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2:49 pm - Just get a colonoscopy already, okay?
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With many thanks to a similar LJ nudge from lordlnyc, I'm delighted to announce that my colon has, for the time being, been certified to be cancer free!
It's incredibly easy to come up with reasons for why now is not a good time and I somehow managed to put off the test through several seasons of CineKink and various other distractions. I finally paid more serious heed to a few concerning but not alarming symptoms and, after Larry's post last fall, actually made a preliminary appointment. After that consultation, I then managed to delay the colonoscopy itself over several more months, finally squeezing one in right before my trip out to SF and Portland.
I'm very glad I did. They ended up removing several - sorry, there's really no sexy word for these - polyps. One of which I've since learned was pre-cancerous and would probably have evolved to full blown cancer had I waited for routine screenings to commence at the age of 50. (Which seems like eons away, but will be here in far too short a time doubtless.)
So, if you've been feeling any inkling that it's something you should be looking into... I can highly recommend Dr. Eng, located near the Flatiron Building.
Phew!
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| Thursday, May 1st, 2008
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1:26 pm - Pssst.... alanesq!
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| Thursday, April 24th, 2008
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9:58 am - Upgrade!
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Not sure that they serve them on a breakfast flight, but looks like I've got some warm nuts in my immediate future. Boarding begins now... see you on the other side!
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