Fanizani Akuda (1932-2011)

on sat we went to Zuva Gallery. there Regina & I were admiring a piece by Fanizani. we both own works of his. the gallery director informd us he died 3 months ago.



of all the Shona sculptors he had the wiliest sense of humor.

Binkley's

here we are at this amazing restaurant with the hot appetizer course:



I'm having figs with port-glazd pork belly & mulberries. Regina has a goose egg with osso bucco ragout.

& here is Regina's dessert -- fruit with sweet garnishes & an atmospheric fog.



mine was probably the richest mousse I've ever had.

amuse-bouche

one of the delights of fine dining is this little gift from the chef.

Regina drove me to Cave Creek for a tasting dinner at Binkley's. between the courses were several of these wondrous wee gifts. & since this chef has such a sense of humor this particular amuse-bouche was quite the stitch.



this has got to be the tiniest sloppy joe ever made. & the fact that it's a sloppy joe between such elegant courses as roastd figs & ivory salmon en papillote is a salute to the whimsy of chef Kevin Binkley.

playing a theremin

at Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix:



& with my big sis Regina at Arizona Biltmore:

begging for a caption

active ayem

fertilizing pines
&
digging up gopher holes

Rapture

the wonderful thing abt today's ascent of the evangelicals is that will sweep out a large percentage of whackadoddles from Congress.

the death

of tenor Bob Flanigan of the Four Freshmen sent me to my scrapbooks. here's a photo I took of the group at the Lorain County Fair in summer of 1956:

politics

provides endless comedy. but the last week has been especially fun as the GOP continues to eat its own. just yesterday we heard Republicans call Gingrich nasty & Santorum dumb.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Arnold Schwarzenegger singing their new duet from "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Forum"...

"Everybody ought to have a maid! Everybody ought to have a working girl!"

Charles Michel on Facebook

no more

Robin Hood in Kent

art talk

Nancy Holt at Santa Fe Art Institute this afternoon

the other Keaton

Michael is being honord this weekend with a retrospective

the Blogger meltdown

validates my fears that what the internet gives it can take away. it appears that all this blog lost was its last posting but it doesn't make me feel confident. not sure what pangs I'd suffer if this longtime project simply disappeard.

my poetics

it's 1934 & Helen Morgan faces the cameras at Paramount. it's a small part in a small film. she sings "When He Comes Home to Me." wearing her signature black gown she holds a sort of kerchief in her right hand. as she sings the fingers of her left hand poke & prod the material.

that's what happens in a poem.

happy hundred Eric

diehard Broadway fans will remember Eric Brotherson for creating the role of Henry Spofford in the musical "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."

I first saw him on stage as Horace to the Dolly of Dorothy Lamour when that bus & truck company came to Akron. & afterward my partner & I hung out with him & the boys of the chorus at the local gay bar.

Brotherson's film credits were few & minor. but I do think of him from time to time & was surprisd to learn that today wd be his 100th birthday.

"Without Further Ado Annie"

      can't say

but trying
rends mouth
mends rip
ends gall

      no

via Facebook

I learnd of today's memorial service for Oakley Hall III. somehow I'd missd notice of his death 3 months ago.

several years ago I postd my photo of him when he came to town for a film festival.

Dana Wynter (1931-2011)

Martin Heinrich campaigns for Senate

celebrating his fourth

the neighbors gather again
to fete Cinco

Marian Mercer (1935-2011)

TCM festival

at Vanity Fair opening nite party with Margaret O'Brien & Randal Malone


Barbara Rush / Dickie Moore / Jane Powell / George Chakiris


Eva Marie Saint / Alexis Gershwin / Leslie Caron


Roger Corman

Peter O'Toole at Grauman's

Joe Mantegna receives his star on Walk of Fame

story & video

Gregory Peck stamp

spent a long weekend in LA. began with a too quick visit with old friend Bill Berger.

before he droppd me off in Hollywood we stoppd at the Academy of Arts & Sciences for the unveiling of the newest postage stamp. the actor's family & some friends & former co-stars were there. Sharon Stone was the inept emcee of the formal program. Billy took this picture of one of the speakers -- Laura Dern.

"flying home"

the woman beside me
brought her grandfather on board
& slid him under
the seat in front of her

she was afraid to leave
his ashes in the overhead