Housekeeping

I'm back from Chicago - 'been back for a couple days, actually, though it already feels like a very long time ago. It was a great trip - things I loved:

• The scent of chocolate in the air in certain neighborhoods, which my friend Marsha tells me is thanks to a local chocolate factory. HOW AWESOME IS THAT?
  
  
• The fact that the local papers actually know how to review improv, rather than simply marvel at it (or ignore it).
  
  
• Lake Michigan. Gorgeous.
  
  
• The Art Institute, especially a contemporary photography exhibit titled On the Scene, featuring the work of Kota Ezawa, Sarah Hobbs and Angela Strassheim. I found all the photos incredibly compelling, but absolutely fell in love with Ezawa's stuff (though not enough to spring for the $50 book in the museum shop).

Now that I'm home, I'm digging in to a few projects that have been on the back burner for too long, including tending to my poor neglected front garden. I can't shake the feeling that a neglected garden symbolizes my own creative state. I'm also planning to repurpose a small bedroom as an artist's studio. My in-laws are donating a vintage yellow couch; I'm thinking of painting the walls bright French blue, with some decals of bold black and white graphic designs to decorate the walls...reminiscent of Matisse and his cut-outs...something very bold and playful. I imagine having materials like ribbons and buttons and markers spread out, so all I have to do is walk in there and start creating...

Do you have space set up in your home for art? And/or, have you found creative satisfaction from gardening? I'd love to hear your stories...

Chicago

'Heading to Chicago later today for a little anniversary getaway. I've been there a couple times before - back when I was looking at colleges, and once for a conference - but I've never really explored the city, and am really looking forward to it. It's essentially the improv capital of the world, and I'm looking forward to seeing what my friends swear is the best improv show ever, TJ and Dave. Also looking forward to hanging out by Lake Michigan, eating good food, exploring the neighborhoods, and just generally the experience of discovering a new place.

On a completely unrelated note, I wanted to tout a film called "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" airing on PBS next week as part of the Independent Lens series. I haven't seen it, so I can't promise it will be good, but the subject it explores, urban wildness, is fascinating to me. The (true) story is about a formerly homeless street musician who discovers a flock of wild parrots, and how they change his life. Something about that just speaks to me.

Ok, off to the windy city. I may decide to unplug for a few days, in which case, you won't hear from me again til Sunday when I'm back. (Shh, shhh...dry your tears. It'll be ok. :))

'Later...

"Best Of" Announced for 48 Hour Film Project

The results are in - the films listed below made it into the "Best of the 48 Hour Film Project" for Washington, DC. Congratulations, all!

Happily, the film I was in, Leon!, is on the list; if you haven't already seen it, you can watch it here.

Also happily, several of my friends' films made the cut, including Seasonal Disorder from WIT, While You Still Can, You Pay Your Dues, and Kumbio Takedown - the latter featuring my neighbor Joy, who I just met at my yard sale this weekend. Small world...

The "Best Of" Films
Screening at the AFI Silver in Silver Spring, MD
Thursday, May 24

Screening 1 - 7pm

Comedy: 3mm Films - Urine Cake
Comedy: Team Diamond - Cult of the Groove
Detective Cop: Integral Arts - Kumbio Takedown
Detective/Cop: Tohubohu - You Pay Your Dues
Fantasy: FAYM - When You Wish Upon a Fish
Fantasy: Roadside Productions – Inquisito Libellus
Fantasy: Team Jaberwocky - Deleon Crossing
Holiday Film: The Quest - Holy Saturday
Holiday Film: WIT - Seasonal Disorder
Musical/Western: Everyday Astronaut - Leon!
Romance: Burning Toast – While You Still Can
Sci Fi: 3027 - Oozing Sarcasm


Screening 2 - 9:30pm

Animal Film: The Beta-Macks - A.P.E.
Buddy Film: Cardiff Giant - Wing Woman
Buddy Film: ReelLight Production - Semi Sweet
Detective Cop: Integral Arts - Kumbio Takedown
Detective/Cop: Agile H Production - C.O.P. 2000
Drama: Ningen Manga – Posi+ive
Fantasy: Gaucho Pictures - Rooster.com
Fantasy: Roadside Productions – Inquisito Libellus
Ghost Movie: Unknown Penguin - Rochambeau kid
Holiday Film: WIT - Seasonal Disorder
Musical/Western: Two Jews, a Goy and an Asian - Helpful Cowboys
Romance: Kiss productions - A Bus Story
Sci-Fi: Elbow - E.T.R.I.P.

Yard Sale

Yesterday hubby and I participated in our neighborhood's annual yard sale. "Cool," we thought. "We'll just put some old stuff out in the yard and chill on the porch for the day."

Not.

Little did we know that yard-saling is serious business - especially when you're unloading your entire CD collection (we've gone completely digital). After a couple people happened upon the selection circa 10am, a veritable swarm of hipsters descended, having apparently heard about us via an impromptu cell phone tree. One woman bought 50 CDs from us after poring over the collection for at least an hour. Another guy showed up at the end of the day and announced he was ready to "buy in bulk" - he bought 105 CDS from us, which he planned to try to resell online. He also bought my husband's old leather jacket, which I have to say looked perfect over his Tom Waits tshirt.

Meanwhile we were also trying to unload everything from a cheese grater to a gharish pair of clip-on earrings I think I wore to the prom. Our neighbor Karla joined us at one point - I'd befriended her on the street the day before, and learned she's a painter and fellow devotee of The Artist's Way. She was trying to get rid of a bunch of clothes - "$4 for this dress! It's perfect for salsa dancing!" she called to people as they scuttled past - as well as a range of knick-knacks, including a jar shaped like a tomato and an Elvis portrait in a small gold frame.

We also met a fellow 48 Hour Film Project participant, who gave me her card: "Actress/Attorney," it read - plus a wedding planner, another painter, and a big muscley guy who double-parked his SUV to come buy a PBS messenger bag for $1. It was great - absolutely exhausting, but also a great reminder of the characters who live all around us. Something to remember.

Dogs + Yoga = Doga

The Onion Comes to DC

I was just at a very un-funny party welcoming The Onion to DC. Lots of people in suits at the Folger Shakespeare Library. Onion staff members attempted funny speeches about journalism and Shakespeare, and I was reminded of the difference between a comedy writer and an actor (zing). No rudeness intended, but really, it was a surprisingly dull affair. But we did get a free "I enjoy drinking beer" pint glass, and we got to say hello to the Post's Dan Froomkin, so that's something. Oh, and co-hosts Grover Norquist and Russ Feingold each speechified (yes, I'm serious) - GN was brief, RF told an amusing faux-story about hazing rituals on Cap Hill.

There were brownies.

[End of report.]

Do you know Edie Sedgwick?

"You know Edie Sedgwick?," my friend asks.

"Yeah, sure," I say, thinking of the 1960s waif/Andy Warhol sidekick.

"Not Andy Warhol's sidekick," she says.

Oh.

Instead, she was referring to Edie Sedgwick, "the transgendered reincarnation of a vacuous Warhol Superstar," who "travels the nightclubs of this land called America singing songs that honor the likes of Angelina Jolie, Robert Downey, Jr., and, of course, Martin Sheen."

(Of course.)

This Edie Sedgwick - an alterego of local musician Justin Moyer - will be at the Warehouse Nextdoor on Friday at 9:30. According to my friend, her shows are supposed to be a loud, extravagant blast, and this time she'll be backed by a band.

Learn more:
-Edie Sedgwick on MySpace
-Her official site, including audio and video samples
-Justin Moyer's blog

I have a prior engagment that evening, but if you end up going, let me know what you think! (Photos from the show are welcome, too...)

[Links and additional info added 5.17.07.]

Monster

Finding shapes in the shadows on the sidewalk...

Artomatic: It's Not Too Late!

I am woefully late on this one, but even if you're a slacker like me, you still have time to check out ARTOMATIC.

Where: 2121 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA (Crystal City metro) (see map)

When: Through May 20; Sunday/Tuesday/Wednesday: Noon-10pm; Thursday: Noon-11pm; Friday/Saturday: Noon-1am.

"What is this Artomatic?," you might ask. I shall answer by copying and pasting thusly:

"Artomatic is a month-long multimedia arts event that draws together visual artists, musicians and performers and brings their work to the community without charge. It was originally conceived as a way to break down the geographical and social segmentation of the Washington arts scene, to bring art directly to the public and to build cohesion among artists. The city's ongoing development in recent years has diffused the arts community by breaking up pockets of artist studios. In addition, local artists are sometimes overshadowed by national blockbuster shows and federal landmarks. Artomatic provides a forum for all of our area's artists to convene, perform and exhibit, strengthening the visibility, cohesion, and marketplace of Washington's arts community."

Check it out! Also, check out photos from Artomatic, and read recommendations from other visitors regarding must-see art and artists.

C'est tout.

More on the 48 Hour Film Fest

Washington Improv Theater's (WIT's) 48 Hour Film Fest entry, "Seasonal Disorder," screened at the AFI last night, and it was indisputably the best of the bunch. Ok, that's a dumb thing to say - I suppose anything's disputable - but the fact that it's all one shot, combined with the deliciously bizarre characters they came up with, makes it yet another example of the awesome film work WIT does. You can judge for yourself: watch the film here.

"You Pay Your Dues" is another entry that deserves a shout-out: my friend Stuart delivers a hilarious performance as a "down on his luck gumshoe." (And I love Patrick as the anal-retentive homeowner.)

I felt like a lot of the films must have been helmed by people more experienced with the technical side of filmmaking than they were with character and storytelling. Still, overall, the films I saw last night were of a higher caliber than films in past years - evidence of the growth of DC's filmmaking community?

It's not too late to attend a screening: you can see the film I'm involved with, Leon!, at the AFI tonight at 9:30, and the "Best of DC" screenings and award presentations are next week.

===
Updates

• I take back what I said about the films being better this year. Some of the films that screened Friday night were painful to sit through. And that was with two margaritas in me!
  
  
• Check out some cute photos from behind the scenes of the WIT film, like this one the director, Tyler Korba:

Coffee Klatsch: Save the Date!

Coffee Klatsch for People Who Work at Home

When: Thursday, May 17, 2-4pm
Where: Busboys and Poets
More Info: Contact Sarah Browning

"Come hang out with fellow writers, artists, freelancers, consultants, telecommuters and others who might otherwise go stir-crazy working at home."

Cool idea. I know they've done this before, but I haven't been able to make it - I'll try to make it this time. See any of you there?

[Note, the Busboys logo and site were designed by local designer Jesse Thomas, who's done a lot of very cool design work for local businesses, including Unsung Designers. I love his aesthetic, though it seems like a few of his sites have some usability issues....but I digress...]

Leon!

Here's the aforementioned film I was a part of for the 48 Hour Film Fest. That's hubby in the role of Leon (he's also the singing voice of the lost and found guy).

Note, we had to make a musical, and we had to include the following elements: a character named Roosevelt Adams who was the president of something; a bracelet; and the line of dialogue, "That's what I'm talkin' about."



Again, this and other entries are screening at the AFI Silver Theater in Silver Spring this week.

UPDATE 5/16/07: Check out some photos I took during the making of Leon!.

48 Hour Film Project + 24 Hours =

I finally - finally - got to participate in the 48 Hour Film Fest this weekend. Every year it's right around my birthday, and I always find out about it after I've already made plans, but this year my friend Jon booked me well in advance. I was kind of bummed, to tell the truth, 'cause I was expecting a big part, and instead I got...not a big part. Which sucks. But it was fun to just participate in the process (she said good naturedly...but seriously - it was).

It turns out I know people in a bunch of different films that were submitted, which feels good - reminds me that I'm part of an artistic community. But I still feel that gnawing feeling I described a few posts back, of wanting to do something more artistically meaningful. I was riding on the train back from New York earlier today (I made an overnight trip up there for work), and staring out the window at the train tracks, I found myself scoring the moment to the music I was listening to (as I'm sure so many of us do - I felt like a cliche even as it happened)(Regina Spektor, by the way), and I just felt this...stirring.

It's like agita - this burning driving agitation to create something. What, I'm not sure, but bits and pieces of ideas are generating, gestating, below the surface - I can feel it.

To be continued...

P.S. You can see the film I'm in ("Leon!"), the film my buddies at WIT made, and all the other entries at the AFI Silver Theater this week. (Leon! is Friday at 9:30, WIT is in the Thursday/9:30 block...)

P.P.S. Update: you can also check out another entry, called "While You Still Can," featuring most of the cast of the WIT troupe Caveat.

Life as Art

From Wish Jar, a wonderful blog by artist Keri Smith.

Mmm...

A picture of cherry blossoms my friend Kate took early one evening in April. I love how it (they) capture that time of day, and this time of year...a kind of wistful beauty...

Works in progress

My friend Chris has launched an area of his site showcasing works in progress. I love seeing how a sketch evolves into a final product. It reminds me that I've always loved seeing original manuscripts of poems I like - seeing which words the poet scratched out, what that original impulse was.