Archive | June, 2009
Father’s Day
23 Jun
This weekend was devoted to the Dad, and as such, I was unable to find Banksy. Although I know he will be waiting when I’m on the street again. Sunday was about a SpongeBob card, old photos, coffee, cigars and a movie at CityWalk. I bought some comics, ate a cinnabon (which makes me sound both nerdy and possibly overweight, neither of which I am (ok, maybe nerdy)) and enjoyed the Pixar film ‘Up’ in a movie theatre so cold it made a kid cry.
13 Beauties
22 Jun
I’m about to watch a movie. Not just any movie, it’s a collection of Andy Warhol’s screen tests. Thirteen of which have been chosen to create tonight’s ‘performance’; a projection onto a large screen with a live soundtrack provided by Dean & Britta. I’m at the Ford Amphitheatre, at an event produced by the L.A. Film Festival titled ’13 Most Beautiful’. Paul America, Susan Bottomly, Ann Buchanan, Freddy Herko, Jane Holzer, Dennis Hopper, Billy Name, Nico, Richard Rheem, Lou Reed, Ingrid Superstar, Edie Sedgwick and Mary Woronov are tonights featured artists. Mary is actually at the theatre, and before the show starts she is up on stage telling us stories about The Factory and Andy’s famous residents and friends. Dean Wareham of Dean & Britta provides grovelly voiced commentary throughout the night, spilling anecdotes about each person as they arrive on screen. Music is played to match the length of the each piece. With songs by Bob Dillon and Lou Reed, nostalgia easily sets in.
Chief among them:
Richard Rheem: Andy’s boyfriend for a time.
Paul America: Andy encouraged his actors to take different names, and for Paul, the name he took was America. Later on, he regretted this name change because he didn’t like what America represented and he said, it was difficult to check into hotels.
Susan Bottomly: 17 years of age, who cried during the screen test.
Nico: Whose real name was Christa Pakin and inspired a song written by Bob Dillon, who took a painting of Elvis Presley and later traded it for a used couch.
Freddy Harlo: He was a dancer and wore a black cape around town. While taking a bath in Andy’s apartment, someone put Mozart on and Freddy jumped out of the bath, danced around the room and then jumped out the window of the four story building. We are told that he was fond of taking speed.
Ingrid Von Schhelfflen (Ingrid Superstar): In 1986 she was living with her Mother. One day, she left her false teeth in a chair, walked out the front door and never came back. Throughout her test, she constantly hides her teeth and nose behind two delicate fingers. I can almost see the old woman she will become. With her wide chin and small lips, she reminds me of Drew Barrymore.
Lou Reed: Drinking a bottle of Coke. With graceful swigs from the bottle, he keeps his glasses on and (I assume) stares back at the camera. His fingers are long, with nails filed to a soft point.
Billy Name: Was lit on most of his films and in 1963 lived off East 7th Street in New York. Also a fan of speed, he decided to paint his apartment silver, which prompted Andy to ask him to do the same to his apartment. He lived with Andy for four years afterward.
Baby Jane Holzer: 1964 girl of the year who’s staring at the camera while brushing her teeth. It’s very sensual.
A picnic before, available at any open table you can find.
Mary Woronov
Susan Bottomly
Edie Sedgwick
Mary Woronov
Nico
The crowd. Feeling nostalgic?
Baby Jane: Jane Holzer
Another look at the show:
Trailer Plot: 13 Most Beautiful
Book Review: Hyper-Chondriac
22 Jun
Brian Frazer is clearly in the wrong place. I can think of little else that would spur someone to a homicidal incident than Los Angeles traffic, but for Frazer, road-rage is only one side of his anger management problem. Brian comes to realize that he needs to address his anger, and do it now, before he ends up exiled from yet another store or chasing down another dog owner. Lucky for him, L.A. has lots of options. From tales of frost-bite to Ayurvedic massage, the stories are laugh-out-loud funny and painfully honest. An entertaining and thoughtful memoir on sickness and what it takes to get well.
Water World
18 Jun
I’m not sure if it was the tap water I was drinking that reminded me of chlorinated water, but the only thing I wanted to do yesterday was visit my childhood water park, known as Water World, in Colorado.
I’ve got beaches, year-round sunny weather, real palm trees and what do I think of? A midwest water playground where I often got burnt, sideswiped by blue rubber tubes and dragged under water by the current in the wave pool. Then ate funnel cake.
NO SAINTS IN L.A. 