It just so happened that in a bout of nostalgia I watched Jean Eustache's "The Mother and the Whore" one day, and discussed it over lunch at Tamarine the next. This place's signature dish of seared lemongrass bass with mango noodle salad, and a bowl of aromatic, flavorful rice evoked a quote from the film's protagonist about food and its taste. Alexandre--the French New Wave's typical character--jobless and poor, yet philosophising and striving for sophistication, said that hot and cold foods only make you feel the temperature, and hard and tough ones make you feel the texture, while you can only appreciate the real taste of food when it's warm and soft.
And that's what my favorite Empress rice was--warm, soft, perfectly sticky, infused with garlic, leeks, and ginger, gently mixed with freshly fried egg--I don't know which empress decided to give this dish her name, but she surely knew her food.
Everything in Tamarine, located in Palo Alto and owned by Anne Le, is enticing--its excellent Vietnamese cuisine, created by executive chef and co-owner Tammy Huynh, its art gallery, featuring contemporary Vietnamese artists in semi-annual exhibits, its full bar, its white-tablecloth ambiance, and its always friendly service. Clad in black, Tamarine servers deliver colorful dishes on rectangular ceramic glazed plates, emanating exotic aromas, to French bistro-style positioned tables, where it's easy to hold conversations, and to overhear your neighbors only if you are so inclined. Carlos Mancio, our lunch server--attentive, knowledgeable, and polite--was just one of the excellent staff, which always makes anyone coming through the door feel welcome. After my sixth or seventh visit to Tamarine, I inevitably return to it every time I visit Palo Alto, despite my natural curiosity toward new restaurants opened in the area. What could be the reason for that--warmth and softness? I was happy to learn that the proprietors opened a new venue, Bong Su in SF. Note to self: check it out. Soon.
Tamarine is located at 546 University Ave., Palo Alto, 650-325-8500, www.tamarinerestaurant.com
Bong Su is located at 311 Third St., San Francisco, 415-536-5800, www.bongsu.com
Monday, December 31, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Ask Emma
Q: For the last three years, I used to party on New Year's Eve at a friend's house. Every time, I meet this company of people there who I don't communicate with much otherwise. Recently, my relationship with one of those people has soured for some reason, and now we are barely speaking to each other. This person happens to be the best friend of our hostess. As New Year's Eve approaches, I still haven't gotten an invitation, which is pretty unusual unless it got lost in the mail. What should I do--wait a little more, make other plans, or call the hostess and look desperate?
A: If those people you used to party with are not your good friends and you have a problem with one of them, why would you be so desperate to get there in the first place? You would probably be better off making other plans right now. If for some reason, which I can't completely understand, you still want to be a part of their company, and desperately so, call the hostess at risk of being rejected and/or exposed to some lie. Is that what you want? It happens that invitations get lost in the mail, especially if they were never sent. Get a clue.
Send your questions to: editor.krasov@gmail.com
A: If those people you used to party with are not your good friends and you have a problem with one of them, why would you be so desperate to get there in the first place? You would probably be better off making other plans right now. If for some reason, which I can't completely understand, you still want to be a part of their company, and desperately so, call the hostess at risk of being rejected and/or exposed to some lie. Is that what you want? It happens that invitations get lost in the mail, especially if they were never sent. Get a clue.
Send your questions to: editor.krasov@gmail.com
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
The Monterey Jazz Fest Celebrates its 50th at Cal Performances
The Monterey Jazz Festival's 50th Anniversary Tour stops at Cal Performances on Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 8 p.m. in Zellerbach Hall on UC Berkeley campus.
The program for the world's longest-running jazz festival, featuring trumpeter Terence Blanchard, saxophonist James Moody, pianist Benny Green, bassist Derrick Hodge, drummer Kendrick Scott, and special guest vocalist Nnenna Freelon, will be announced from the stage.
Tickets $34, 40 and 52 available through the Cal Performances ticket office at 510-642-9988 or at http://www.calperformances.org/, and at the door.
The program for the world's longest-running jazz festival, featuring trumpeter Terence Blanchard, saxophonist James Moody, pianist Benny Green, bassist Derrick Hodge, drummer Kendrick Scott, and special guest vocalist Nnenna Freelon, will be announced from the stage.
Tickets $34, 40 and 52 available through the Cal Performances ticket office at 510-642-9988 or at http://www.calperformances.org/, and at the door.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Dead Sea Scrolls at the Legion of Honor
'Treasures from the Holy Land,' at the Legion of Honor from February 9 to August 10, 2008, will include rotating examples of Dead Sea Scroll fragments and other artifacts spanning over 5000 years, from the Chalcolithic Age (4,000 BC) to the Fatimid Period (11th century AD).
The Dead Sea Scrolls--one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history--were pieced together to form more than 800 documents, many of them Biblical and apocryphal manuscripts. All of the artifacts on view are on loan from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), and most have never been seen outside of Israel. “Treasures from the Holy Land and our partnership with the IAA call attention to Israel’s rich archaeological heritage and the importance of these splendid objects, many of which are national treasures, emanating from the Holy Land,” says curator of ancient art and interpretation Renée Dreyfus.
This small-scale exhibition is the first in a series, and provides an introduction to future joint exhibitions with the IAA. Highlights among the nearly 50 objects include funerary ossuaries, cult altars from the Canaanite period, Roman glass vessels, a mosaic from a Byzantine monastery in Jerusalem, and gold coins and jewelry from Tiberias dating to the Fatimid Period. On display for the first time anywhere is a newly excavated and restored glass table with gold foil from a Byzantine villa. The first Dead Sea Scroll on view is from the Book of Psalms, one of the best-preserved biblical examples which dates to the 1st century AD.
In conjunction with "Treasures from the Holy Land," the Helen Diller Family Foundation’s Annual Lecture Series focusing on recent archaeological discoveries in Israel continues with “City of David: Present Discoveries,” organized by IAA and scheduled for April 9, 2008, at 7 p.m. at the de Young Museum’s Koret Auditorium. Professor Ronny Reich, Senior Archaeologist of the City of David Excavations, will be the guest lecturer.
Legion of Honor is located at 34th Ave. and Clement Street, Lincoln Park in SF. For more info call 415-750-3600 or visit www.legionofhonor.org
The Dead Sea Scrolls--one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history--were pieced together to form more than 800 documents, many of them Biblical and apocryphal manuscripts. All of the artifacts on view are on loan from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), and most have never been seen outside of Israel. “Treasures from the Holy Land and our partnership with the IAA call attention to Israel’s rich archaeological heritage and the importance of these splendid objects, many of which are national treasures, emanating from the Holy Land,” says curator of ancient art and interpretation Renée Dreyfus.
This small-scale exhibition is the first in a series, and provides an introduction to future joint exhibitions with the IAA. Highlights among the nearly 50 objects include funerary ossuaries, cult altars from the Canaanite period, Roman glass vessels, a mosaic from a Byzantine monastery in Jerusalem, and gold coins and jewelry from Tiberias dating to the Fatimid Period. On display for the first time anywhere is a newly excavated and restored glass table with gold foil from a Byzantine villa. The first Dead Sea Scroll on view is from the Book of Psalms, one of the best-preserved biblical examples which dates to the 1st century AD.
In conjunction with "Treasures from the Holy Land," the Helen Diller Family Foundation’s Annual Lecture Series focusing on recent archaeological discoveries in Israel continues with “City of David: Present Discoveries,” organized by IAA and scheduled for April 9, 2008, at 7 p.m. at the de Young Museum’s Koret Auditorium. Professor Ronny Reich, Senior Archaeologist of the City of David Excavations, will be the guest lecturer.
Legion of Honor is located at 34th Ave. and Clement Street, Lincoln Park in SF. For more info call 415-750-3600 or visit www.legionofhonor.org
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Ask Emma
Q: When I complimented a woman I work with on her new jewelry, she told me she bought it on her Christmas bonus. It upset me, because I haven't received one, although we hold similar positions and work equally hard for this small company. I always thought our unmarried boss had feelings for her, but I wouldn't imagine he would go as far as being unfair to other employees. Should I confront him?
A: If Christmas bonus is not mentioned in your benefits package, it is up to your boss to issue one for any employee--or not. By being indiscreet, contrary to a usual requirement at any workplace when it comes to monetary issues, your co-worker puts everybody involved in an uncomfortable position. While romancing a subordinate is not a morally pure thing to do, it is not a crime, and apart from some corporate tax-related issues, your boss's decision to give her a "bonus" might be just that--a romantic present. Get over it.
Send your questions to: editor.krasov@gmail.com
A: If Christmas bonus is not mentioned in your benefits package, it is up to your boss to issue one for any employee--or not. By being indiscreet, contrary to a usual requirement at any workplace when it comes to monetary issues, your co-worker puts everybody involved in an uncomfortable position. While romancing a subordinate is not a morally pure thing to do, it is not a crime, and apart from some corporate tax-related issues, your boss's decision to give her a "bonus" might be just that--a romantic present. Get over it.
Send your questions to: editor.krasov@gmail.com
Cal Performances Awashed in Sounds of Music
An amazing array of star musicians is lining up for winter stints at Cal Performances, notorious for seeking and finding the ultimate best in the world of art and all over the world.
1. A modern virtuoso, Israeli-American violinist Gil Shaham brings his expressive style to Zellerbach Hall on Berkeley campus on January 20, 2008 at 3 p.m. Recognized worldwide as one of the most engaging and technically proficient classical artists, violinist Gil Shaham will be accompanied by Akira Eguchi (piano). Shaham will perform six pieces by William Walton, Johann Sebastian Bach, JoaquinRodrigo and Pablo de Sarasate. Shaham is "a sensitive, subtle musician, strongly inclined to rich, multi-shaded tonal nuances and romantic expressiveness of phrasing," with "one of the fastest and most accurate pairs of hands of any violinist now performing" (Washington Post).
Tickets $34.00, $48.00, and $62.00 are available through the Cal Performances Ticket Office at Zellerbach Hall; at (510)642-9988 to charge by phone; at http://www.calperformances.org/; and at the door. Half-price tickets are available for UC Berkeley students. UC Berkeley Campus Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave., Berkeley.
2. "One of the most impressive young pianists on the horizon today" (The Washington Post), Christopher Taylor returns to Cal Performances with his tour de force performance of Olivier Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus on Sunday, January 27 at 3 p.m. in Hertz Hall. Taylor is a pianist equally comfortable with both classical and contemporary material, bringing his intensity and artistry to the works of masters ranging from Bach and Beethoven to Boulez and Bolcom. Taylor will perform the 176-page piece entirely from memory.
Tickets $34.00, are available through the CalPerformances Ticket Office (see above).
3. The incomparable Richard Goode performs works by Beetchoven, Bach, Chopin, Debussy and Faures on Sunday, February 3 at 3 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall. Noted for his brilliantly intuitive and revelatory interpretations, Goode has set the music world abuzz over a span of decades. His Cal Performances program features an assortment of pieces rich in variety yet all bearing witness to the intensity with which Goode delves into the composer's inner thoughts.
Tickets at $34.00, $48.00 and $62.00 are available at Cal Performances web site http://www.calperformances.org/ (see above).
4. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis swings into Zellerbach Hall on Saturday, January 26 at 8 p.m. Multi-Grammy winner Marsalis showcases the music of Duke Ellington with the "greatest large jazz ensemble working today" (The Chicago Tribune). Under the artistic leadership of trumpeter Marsalis, the band of 15 finest jazz soloists and ensemble players will perform Love Songs, written and made famous by Ellington, one of the most significant musicians and composers in American history. The program will also draw on other repertoire from the jazz canon, including tunes by jazz luminaries and new and original music by members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Tickets at $34.00, $48.00 and $68.00 are available through the Cal Performances Ticket Office at Zellerbach Hall (see above). More info at http://www.calperformances.org/.
1. A modern virtuoso, Israeli-American violinist Gil Shaham brings his expressive style to Zellerbach Hall on Berkeley campus on January 20, 2008 at 3 p.m. Recognized worldwide as one of the most engaging and technically proficient classical artists, violinist Gil Shaham will be accompanied by Akira Eguchi (piano). Shaham will perform six pieces by William Walton, Johann Sebastian Bach, JoaquinRodrigo and Pablo de Sarasate. Shaham is "a sensitive, subtle musician, strongly inclined to rich, multi-shaded tonal nuances and romantic expressiveness of phrasing," with "one of the fastest and most accurate pairs of hands of any violinist now performing" (Washington Post).
Tickets $34.00, $48.00, and $62.00 are available through the Cal Performances Ticket Office at Zellerbach Hall; at (510)642-9988 to charge by phone; at http://www.calperformances.org/; and at the door. Half-price tickets are available for UC Berkeley students. UC Berkeley Campus Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave., Berkeley.
2. "One of the most impressive young pianists on the horizon today" (The Washington Post), Christopher Taylor returns to Cal Performances with his tour de force performance of Olivier Messiaen's Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus on Sunday, January 27 at 3 p.m. in Hertz Hall. Taylor is a pianist equally comfortable with both classical and contemporary material, bringing his intensity and artistry to the works of masters ranging from Bach and Beethoven to Boulez and Bolcom. Taylor will perform the 176-page piece entirely from memory.
Tickets $34.00, are available through the CalPerformances Ticket Office (see above).
3. The incomparable Richard Goode performs works by Beetchoven, Bach, Chopin, Debussy and Faures on Sunday, February 3 at 3 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall. Noted for his brilliantly intuitive and revelatory interpretations, Goode has set the music world abuzz over a span of decades. His Cal Performances program features an assortment of pieces rich in variety yet all bearing witness to the intensity with which Goode delves into the composer's inner thoughts.
Tickets at $34.00, $48.00 and $62.00 are available at Cal Performances web site http://www.calperformances.org/ (see above).
4. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis swings into Zellerbach Hall on Saturday, January 26 at 8 p.m. Multi-Grammy winner Marsalis showcases the music of Duke Ellington with the "greatest large jazz ensemble working today" (The Chicago Tribune). Under the artistic leadership of trumpeter Marsalis, the band of 15 finest jazz soloists and ensemble players will perform Love Songs, written and made famous by Ellington, one of the most significant musicians and composers in American history. The program will also draw on other repertoire from the jazz canon, including tunes by jazz luminaries and new and original music by members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Tickets at $34.00, $48.00 and $68.00 are available through the Cal Performances Ticket Office at Zellerbach Hall (see above). More info at http://www.calperformances.org/.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Gilbert & George Makes its American Debut at the de Young
The first major retrospective in more than twenty-five years of the art of Gilbert & George arrives at the de Young Museum February 16, 2008, after a European tour. With more than 50 pictures, from 1971 to the present, conceived and organized by Britain’s Tate Gallery with the full support and collaboration of the artists, this exhibition is mounted on a scale that is both unprecedented and never-to-be-repeated. Gilbert & George consider this the definitive presentation of their work to date.
Gilbert & George show builds on the tremendous interest generated by their mid-career retrospectives in the late 1980s and the 1990s in Europe, China, and the United States, and their art at the 2005 Venice Biennale, where they unveiled the Ginkgo Pictures, which will be represented in this exhibition.
The de Young is the first of only three North American venues for Gilbert & George. Prior to coming to the de Young, the exhibition was on view at the Tate Modern, London, Haus der Kunst, Munich, and Castello de Rivoli, Turin.
It will travel to the Milwaukee Art Museum June through September 2008, and will end its international tour at the Brooklyn Museum of Art October 2008 through January 2009.
Gilbert & George show builds on the tremendous interest generated by their mid-career retrospectives in the late 1980s and the 1990s in Europe, China, and the United States, and their art at the 2005 Venice Biennale, where they unveiled the Ginkgo Pictures, which will be represented in this exhibition.
The de Young is the first of only three North American venues for Gilbert & George. Prior to coming to the de Young, the exhibition was on view at the Tate Modern, London, Haus der Kunst, Munich, and Castello de Rivoli, Turin.
It will travel to the Milwaukee Art Museum June through September 2008, and will end its international tour at the Brooklyn Museum of Art October 2008 through January 2009.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Ask Emma
Q: This is that dreadful time of year when I have to go home for the holidays and face my family. I am in my mid-thirties, I have a great husband and two daughters, and I want them to see a good example of keeping family traditions alive. But every holiday when we meet with my parents and siblings, old conflicts and disagreements keep coming up, and we always end up hardly talking to each other. A whole year would go by with just an occasional phone call or a birthday card, and then Mom would call again and invite us for the holidays, and remind me that this is a family tradition and I shouldn't ruin it. I already have this nagging feeling in my stomach that I don't want to go, but what can I tell my daughters?
A: Why don't you ask your daughters what they would like to do for the holidays, and take them on a day trip, or invite their friends for a sleepover and have an enjoyable family celebration for a change? This way, you can actually enjoy your holiday and start a new family tradition of looking forward to spending time with those you really care for. Love is not an obligation, and if family gatherings bring nothing but pain, stop participating in them.
Send your questions to: editor.krasov@gmail.com
A: Why don't you ask your daughters what they would like to do for the holidays, and take them on a day trip, or invite their friends for a sleepover and have an enjoyable family celebration for a change? This way, you can actually enjoy your holiday and start a new family tradition of looking forward to spending time with those you really care for. Love is not an obligation, and if family gatherings bring nothing but pain, stop participating in them.
Send your questions to: editor.krasov@gmail.com
Monday, December 17, 2007
New West Coast Design at SF Museum of Craft+Design
'New West Coast Design: Contemporary Objects' is on view January 18-April 27, 2008 at the San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design, 550 Sutter St. in SF.
Over 50 California, Oregon and Washington designers and studious offer functional pieces for interiors, outdoor sports gear, and landscaping.
Come see new materials worked into traditional forms in the objects from SF design studious of Pablo, Council, and Meyerhoffer. Personal ideas of innovation are implemented in Wendy Maruyama's digitally enhanced vanity, Wendell Jones's retro-Pop coffee table, Kim Kelzers' turned-wood sculpture, Heath Matysek-Shyder's molded rubber table, Lee Miltier's hand-blown goblets and Alexis Moran's colored concrete bookends.
Bruce Gordon's elegantly styled bicycle is a winner of Best of Show 2007 North American Handmade Bicycle Show award. Thomas Meyerhoffer presents custom constructed surfboards, and Shinya Kimura--an exquisitely updated motorcycle.
In the sculpture garden, the Museum is presenting "Solar Terrain," a special installation by award-winning SF-based landscape architect Marcel Wilson.
For more info, call 415-773-0303.
Over 50 California, Oregon and Washington designers and studious offer functional pieces for interiors, outdoor sports gear, and landscaping.
Come see new materials worked into traditional forms in the objects from SF design studious of Pablo, Council, and Meyerhoffer. Personal ideas of innovation are implemented in Wendy Maruyama's digitally enhanced vanity, Wendell Jones's retro-Pop coffee table, Kim Kelzers' turned-wood sculpture, Heath Matysek-Shyder's molded rubber table, Lee Miltier's hand-blown goblets and Alexis Moran's colored concrete bookends.
Bruce Gordon's elegantly styled bicycle is a winner of Best of Show 2007 North American Handmade Bicycle Show award. Thomas Meyerhoffer presents custom constructed surfboards, and Shinya Kimura--an exquisitely updated motorcycle.
In the sculpture garden, the Museum is presenting "Solar Terrain," a special installation by award-winning SF-based landscape architect Marcel Wilson.
For more info, call 415-773-0303.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Yes, Virginia, There Is Free Lunch in America, Courtesy of Manischewitz
'Simply Manischewitz' live cook-off at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District (750 Kearny Street) on December 20 will feature the winning recipes of the 10 semi-finalists chosen from the SF Bay Area.
While Mayor Gavin Newsom is proclaiming Dec. 20 as "Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off Day," the event offers a free admission and a complimentary lunch for all who attend.
The cook-off competition will take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and will highlight the simplicity and uniqueness of Jewish holiday cooking. Free samples of Manischewitz products will be also passed around.
This national cook-off tour comes to SF after visiting Chicago and Philadelphia. Two semi-finalists from the SF competition will be chosen as finalists to compete in the final competition in New York on February 7, 2008 for the chance to win a $25,000 grand prize, including a GE Profile kitchen.
"San Francisco is a dynamic and captivating city, and home to some of the greatest restaurants in the country, making it the perfect place to host the second annual 2007 Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off," said David Rossi, VP of Marketing for the R.A.B. Food Group. Yeah, you can say that again, mister!
While Mayor Gavin Newsom is proclaiming Dec. 20 as "Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off Day," the event offers a free admission and a complimentary lunch for all who attend.
The cook-off competition will take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and will highlight the simplicity and uniqueness of Jewish holiday cooking. Free samples of Manischewitz products will be also passed around.
This national cook-off tour comes to SF after visiting Chicago and Philadelphia. Two semi-finalists from the SF competition will be chosen as finalists to compete in the final competition in New York on February 7, 2008 for the chance to win a $25,000 grand prize, including a GE Profile kitchen.
"San Francisco is a dynamic and captivating city, and home to some of the greatest restaurants in the country, making it the perfect place to host the second annual 2007 Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off," said David Rossi, VP of Marketing for the R.A.B. Food Group. Yeah, you can say that again, mister!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Mark Morris' The Hard Nut is Easy to Digest
As almost every year since its premiere in 1996, Mark Morris Dance Group's delightful "The Hard Nut"-- the "Nutcracker" with a Twist--returns to Cal Performances this Friday to brazenly charm and grotesquely enchant us. Perhaps, that's how the continuity of genius works--from hyper-romantic dark mystic Hoffmann, to tragically misunderstood dreamer Tchaikovsky, to classically unearthly perfectionist Petipa, to lovable fearless jester Morris--the Nutcracker story winds its way through cultures and generations.
As simple as a childhood dream, and as convoluted as a childhood nightmare, the fascinating fairy tale reincarnates once again as outrageous Americana, peppered with mind-blowing references, subtle jokes and bold antics.
With all the psychotic characters, crazy situations, and masterful performances they are being delivered by, one particular scene of haunting beauty stays forever in this grateful viewer's memory: that snow scene with gracious snowflakes, dancing with such abandon and complete disregard to gender roles, all dressed in two-piece skimpy outfits, all en pointe, all tossing their own handfuls of snow up in the air to the most brilliant composer's score of crystalline ice...
The Hard Nut runs through Dec. 23 at Zellerbach Hall on UC Berkeley campus. Order tickets by calling 642-9988 or by visiting www.calperformances.net
As simple as a childhood dream, and as convoluted as a childhood nightmare, the fascinating fairy tale reincarnates once again as outrageous Americana, peppered with mind-blowing references, subtle jokes and bold antics.
With all the psychotic characters, crazy situations, and masterful performances they are being delivered by, one particular scene of haunting beauty stays forever in this grateful viewer's memory: that snow scene with gracious snowflakes, dancing with such abandon and complete disregard to gender roles, all dressed in two-piece skimpy outfits, all en pointe, all tossing their own handfuls of snow up in the air to the most brilliant composer's score of crystalline ice...
The Hard Nut runs through Dec. 23 at Zellerbach Hall on UC Berkeley campus. Order tickets by calling 642-9988 or by visiting www.calperformances.net
'A Photographer's Life' Presented in Full at the Legion
Annie Leibovitz A Photographer's Life, 1990–2005 will be on exhibit at the Legion of Honor March 1–May 25, 2008. It's a retrospective of Leibovitz’s professional photographs and those she has taken of her family and close friends, representing a full "photographer's life."
For decades, Leibovitz has captured the icons of popular culture with her award-winning photography for Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and Vogue.
"I don't have two lives," she said. "This is one life, and the personal pictures and the assignment work are all part of it."
Among over 200 photographs are portraits of the pregnant Demi Moore, Nelson Mandela in Soweto, and George W. Bush in the White House; searing photojournalism from the siege of Sarajevo; and haunting landscapes from the American West and Jordan.
Leibovitz’s personal material reflects her talents in a way that differs from her public work, as demonstrated in the candid images of her parents and siblings, her three daughters, and her close friends. Leibovitz documents birth, death, family life, celebrations, and nature.
All of the images in the exhibition are included in the accompanying book of the same title published by Random House.
One of the most celebrated photographers of our time, Leibovitz has made witty, powerful images documenting American popular culture since the early 1970s.
In addition to her magazine work, Leibovitz has created influential advertising campaigns for American Express, the Gap, Givenchy, The Sopranos, and the Milk Board. A retrospective of her work from the years 1970 to 1990 was presented at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., and at the International Center of Photography in New York.
Leibovitz is the recipient of many honors, including the rank of Commandeur in the French government’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Barnard College Medal of Distinction. She was named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2000 and one of the 35 Innovators of Our Time by Smithsonian magazine in 2005.
The Legion of Honor is located at Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. Call for info: 415.750 or visit: legionofhonor.org
For decades, Leibovitz has captured the icons of popular culture with her award-winning photography for Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and Vogue.
"I don't have two lives," she said. "This is one life, and the personal pictures and the assignment work are all part of it."
Among over 200 photographs are portraits of the pregnant Demi Moore, Nelson Mandela in Soweto, and George W. Bush in the White House; searing photojournalism from the siege of Sarajevo; and haunting landscapes from the American West and Jordan.
Leibovitz’s personal material reflects her talents in a way that differs from her public work, as demonstrated in the candid images of her parents and siblings, her three daughters, and her close friends. Leibovitz documents birth, death, family life, celebrations, and nature.
All of the images in the exhibition are included in the accompanying book of the same title published by Random House.
One of the most celebrated photographers of our time, Leibovitz has made witty, powerful images documenting American popular culture since the early 1970s.
In addition to her magazine work, Leibovitz has created influential advertising campaigns for American Express, the Gap, Givenchy, The Sopranos, and the Milk Board. A retrospective of her work from the years 1970 to 1990 was presented at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., and at the International Center of Photography in New York.
Leibovitz is the recipient of many honors, including the rank of Commandeur in the French government’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Barnard College Medal of Distinction. She was named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2000 and one of the 35 Innovators of Our Time by Smithsonian magazine in 2005.
The Legion of Honor is located at Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco. Call for info: 415.750 or visit: legionofhonor.org
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Try Russian Recipes for a Change this Holiday Season
Russians are used to freezing temperatures, cold winds, and lots and lots of snow. All of a sudden, all those fatty holiday delights make much more sense. There are at least four winter holidays in Russia (more winter holidays--less winter depression), so there is always an occasion to slave in the kitchen for.
The following easy to prepare, filling and enjoyable appetizers won't break your budget, and will make a great accompaniment to some quality vodka (straight up, no mixers, please).
Salad Olivier:
2 baking potatoes, boiled and peeled
2 hard boiled eggs
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, boiled, fully cooked
1 small carrot, boiled (optional)
1 half of a small yellow or white onion, peeled
4 small kosher dill pickles
4 tablespoons of canned sweet green peas, drained
1 small fresh cucumber (optional)
2 chopped green onions, cleaned (optional)
3-4 tablespoons of mayonnaise
fresh dill and parsley
salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Finely dice boiled potatoes, meat, eggs, carrot, onion, pickles, cucumber and green onions.
2. Put all in a large mixing bowl, add chopped fresh dill and canned peas.
3. Mix well, add mayonnaise, salt and black pepper, and mix again.
4. Place in a deep salad dish, decorate with parsley leaves, cover and chill before serving.
Serves 8-10, holds in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Salad Red and White:
2 ripe tomatoes
1 half of a small yellow or white onion, peeled
2-3 tablespoons of sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Cut each tomato in half and slice.
2. Slice onion to create thin half-rings.
3. Put all in a mixing bowl, add salt and pepper, and mix with sour cream.
Chill before serving.
Serves 3-4.
Salad Vinaigrette
2 baking potatoes, boiled and peeled
2 medium red beets, boiled until soft, and peeled
2 medium carrots, boiled until soft
4 kosher dill pickles
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled
2-3 tablespoons of canned white beans (optional)
2-3 tablespoons of canned sauerkraut (optional)
1 green onion, cleaned
sunflower or mild olive oil to taste
salt and pepper to taste
white vinegar to sprinkle
Preparation:
1. Finely dice potatoes, beets, carrots, pickles and onion.
2. Mix in a bowl, add beans and sauerkraut if using.
3. Add oil by a teaspoon at a time not to overwhelm, and mix well.
Sprinkle with white vinegar.
4. Season to taste and sprinkle with finely chopped green onion.
Chill before serving.
Serves 5-6, holds in the fridge up to 3 days.
White Bean Pate
1 can of white beans
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled
2 tablespoons of room temperature butter (for a lighter variety, use olive oil mixed well with mustard and white vinegar) salt and black pepper to taste
fresh parsley leaves
Preparation:
1. Drain canned beans and place in a wide mixing bowl.
2. Mash well with a potato masher or a large fork.
3. Dice onion finely, add to the bean mash, and mix well.
4. Add butter or oil mixture, season, and mix again.
Smooth the surface with a spoon, and decorate with parsley.
Chill before serving.
Serves 6-8, holds in the fridge up to 2 days, can be used as a spread on toasts or crackers.
Spiced Carrots
2 medium carrots, washed
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
Preparation:
1. Finely grate carrots into a mixing bowl.
2. Finely chop or crush garlic.
3. Mix all with mayonnaise, place in a small salad bowl and chill before serving.
Serves 4-5.
All these cold appetizers make great party food on their own. For a traditional main course, serve beef stew, breaded and fried pork cutlets, or roasted chicken.
The following easy to prepare, filling and enjoyable appetizers won't break your budget, and will make a great accompaniment to some quality vodka (straight up, no mixers, please).
Salad Olivier:
2 baking potatoes, boiled and peeled
2 hard boiled eggs
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, boiled, fully cooked
1 small carrot, boiled (optional)
1 half of a small yellow or white onion, peeled
4 small kosher dill pickles
4 tablespoons of canned sweet green peas, drained
1 small fresh cucumber (optional)
2 chopped green onions, cleaned (optional)
3-4 tablespoons of mayonnaise
fresh dill and parsley
salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Finely dice boiled potatoes, meat, eggs, carrot, onion, pickles, cucumber and green onions.
2. Put all in a large mixing bowl, add chopped fresh dill and canned peas.
3. Mix well, add mayonnaise, salt and black pepper, and mix again.
4. Place in a deep salad dish, decorate with parsley leaves, cover and chill before serving.
Serves 8-10, holds in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Salad Red and White:
2 ripe tomatoes
1 half of a small yellow or white onion, peeled
2-3 tablespoons of sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Cut each tomato in half and slice.
2. Slice onion to create thin half-rings.
3. Put all in a mixing bowl, add salt and pepper, and mix with sour cream.
Chill before serving.
Serves 3-4.
Salad Vinaigrette
2 baking potatoes, boiled and peeled
2 medium red beets, boiled until soft, and peeled
2 medium carrots, boiled until soft
4 kosher dill pickles
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled
2-3 tablespoons of canned white beans (optional)
2-3 tablespoons of canned sauerkraut (optional)
1 green onion, cleaned
sunflower or mild olive oil to taste
salt and pepper to taste
white vinegar to sprinkle
Preparation:
1. Finely dice potatoes, beets, carrots, pickles and onion.
2. Mix in a bowl, add beans and sauerkraut if using.
3. Add oil by a teaspoon at a time not to overwhelm, and mix well.
Sprinkle with white vinegar.
4. Season to taste and sprinkle with finely chopped green onion.
Chill before serving.
Serves 5-6, holds in the fridge up to 3 days.
White Bean Pate
1 can of white beans
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled
2 tablespoons of room temperature butter (for a lighter variety, use olive oil mixed well with mustard and white vinegar) salt and black pepper to taste
fresh parsley leaves
Preparation:
1. Drain canned beans and place in a wide mixing bowl.
2. Mash well with a potato masher or a large fork.
3. Dice onion finely, add to the bean mash, and mix well.
4. Add butter or oil mixture, season, and mix again.
Smooth the surface with a spoon, and decorate with parsley.
Chill before serving.
Serves 6-8, holds in the fridge up to 2 days, can be used as a spread on toasts or crackers.
Spiced Carrots
2 medium carrots, washed
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
Preparation:
1. Finely grate carrots into a mixing bowl.
2. Finely chop or crush garlic.
3. Mix all with mayonnaise, place in a small salad bowl and chill before serving.
Serves 4-5.
All these cold appetizers make great party food on their own. For a traditional main course, serve beef stew, breaded and fried pork cutlets, or roasted chicken.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Countertenor David Daniels at Cal Performances
David Daniels, proclaimed one of the top ten trailblazers in classical music today, will sing a recital on January 13, 2008 at 3 p.m. in Hertz Hall on the UC Berkeley campus.
From 16th-century songs by Italian composers to 20th century English songs, Daniels has redefined the countertenor voice for the modern classical listener through his full, rich sound and daring repertoire choices.
Two Handel arias, originally written for castrati, or as breeches roles, are included in the program as well as songs by Johannes Brahms--a composer who likely never heard a countertenor sing.
Daniels will be accompanied by the pianist Martin Katz, "the dean of accompanists."
Daniels is an exclusive Virgin Classics recording artist. His latest album features songs by Berlioz, Ravel and Faure.
Hertz Hall is located at Bancroft Way at College Ave. in Berkeley.
Tickets are $48, through the Cal Performances Ticket Office at Zellerbach Hall, at 510-642-9988 or at http://www.calperformances.net/ and at the door.
From 16th-century songs by Italian composers to 20th century English songs, Daniels has redefined the countertenor voice for the modern classical listener through his full, rich sound and daring repertoire choices.
Two Handel arias, originally written for castrati, or as breeches roles, are included in the program as well as songs by Johannes Brahms--a composer who likely never heard a countertenor sing.
Daniels will be accompanied by the pianist Martin Katz, "the dean of accompanists."
Daniels is an exclusive Virgin Classics recording artist. His latest album features songs by Berlioz, Ravel and Faure.
Hertz Hall is located at Bancroft Way at College Ave. in Berkeley.
Tickets are $48, through the Cal Performances Ticket Office at Zellerbach Hall, at 510-642-9988 or at http://www.calperformances.net/ and at the door.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Satisfaction Guaranteed at Isa
When your dear friend, visiting from your sweet hometown, mutters self-consciously, "Yeah, it would be a crime to leave San Francisco and move back to Chicago again," and her chin is ever so slightly smeared with goat cheese and huckleberry sauce--courtesy of Maple Leaf grilled duck breast course--you know you happened to take her to a very good restaurant.
A dazzling array of fresh, local, morning-market produce, seafood and meat is assembled in creative French small plates by the executive chef Luke Sung, who co-owns the place with his wife, Kitty.
"Our chef is a purist," said our polite and efficient server, Dean Leng, explaining the clarity of garnet-colored au jus sauce, which tenderly enhanced the lamb tenderloin dish.
"I've only had marinated artichokes before," admitted the Chicagoan after asking what was that unknown piece of vegetable among the exquisitely grilled eggplants and peppers on her plate.
(Hey, locally grown artichokes--are we spoiled rotten here, or what?)
Dungeness crab salad (finally, local crab fishing ban is lifted after that oil spill), complemented by avocado, mango and grapefruit, and Loch Duart salmon crudo looked like small modern art presentations with their intriguing color scheme, and tasted like... heaven.
Isa is located at 3324 Steiner, SF. For reservations call 415-567-9588.
A dazzling array of fresh, local, morning-market produce, seafood and meat is assembled in creative French small plates by the executive chef Luke Sung, who co-owns the place with his wife, Kitty.
"Our chef is a purist," said our polite and efficient server, Dean Leng, explaining the clarity of garnet-colored au jus sauce, which tenderly enhanced the lamb tenderloin dish.
"I've only had marinated artichokes before," admitted the Chicagoan after asking what was that unknown piece of vegetable among the exquisitely grilled eggplants and peppers on her plate.
(Hey, locally grown artichokes--are we spoiled rotten here, or what?)
Dungeness crab salad (finally, local crab fishing ban is lifted after that oil spill), complemented by avocado, mango and grapefruit, and Loch Duart salmon crudo looked like small modern art presentations with their intriguing color scheme, and tasted like... heaven.
Isa is located at 3324 Steiner, SF. For reservations call 415-567-9588.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Cirque du Soleil Opens "Kooza"--A Little Box of Treasures--in SF
Take your spouse/partner, your kids, your cousins, and your house guests from colder states to AT&T Park in San Francisco, where Cirque du Soleil once again unfolded its blue and yellow grand chapiteau. The U.S. premiere of "Kooza," written and directed by Cirque's own clown, David Shiner, delivers the apex of holiday entertainment for Energizer-bunny children and seasonally tired adults alike.
"The clown takes our deepest human weaknesses and makes them funny," said Shiner about his day job. "The clown is also an anarchist. The clown gets to break the rules."
And many of the rules are being broken by the King of Fools and his two Court Clowns in their extravagant adventures in the realm of "Kooza," which means something like a "box" or a "treasure," and conveys the underlying idea of a "circus in a box."
There are many other characters in the show who follow the story line in-between heart-stopping acts of contortion, teeter board and high wire to name but a few.
"Kooza's" 1,600-pound Wheel of Death rotates, powered only by two artists who leap and counter-rotate in a death-defying display of fearless acrobatics.
A creative twist on the classic unicycle number introduces a passenger to the action. Two performers constantly move around the stage with choreographic grace in a spirit of partnership.
The equipment in the Chairs Balancing act is too simple: eight chairs and a pedestal, but the artist uses them to create a 23-foot tower on which he performs a balancing act at the very peak with muscular control.
As is always the case with the Cirque, there is not a dull moment in the show, and the characters keep audiences laughing after each breathtaking act.
"Kooza" runs through January 13. Tickets at cirquedusoleil.com or call: 800-678-5440.
"The clown takes our deepest human weaknesses and makes them funny," said Shiner about his day job. "The clown is also an anarchist. The clown gets to break the rules."
And many of the rules are being broken by the King of Fools and his two Court Clowns in their extravagant adventures in the realm of "Kooza," which means something like a "box" or a "treasure," and conveys the underlying idea of a "circus in a box."
There are many other characters in the show who follow the story line in-between heart-stopping acts of contortion, teeter board and high wire to name but a few.
"Kooza's" 1,600-pound Wheel of Death rotates, powered only by two artists who leap and counter-rotate in a death-defying display of fearless acrobatics.
A creative twist on the classic unicycle number introduces a passenger to the action. Two performers constantly move around the stage with choreographic grace in a spirit of partnership.
The equipment in the Chairs Balancing act is too simple: eight chairs and a pedestal, but the artist uses them to create a 23-foot tower on which he performs a balancing act at the very peak with muscular control.
As is always the case with the Cirque, there is not a dull moment in the show, and the characters keep audiences laughing after each breathtaking act.
"Kooza" runs through January 13. Tickets at cirquedusoleil.com or call: 800-678-5440.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Berkeley Rep to Broadway, Fast Lane Style
After it's world premiere at Berkeley Rep, an extended off-Broadway run at The Public Theatre, and winning four Audelco Awards, the rock musical Passing Strange will open at Broadway's Belasco Theatre on Feb. 28, 2008.
The outrageous, touching and humorous story about a young black bohemian who makes his pilgrimage to the Real through sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll, was written and performed by Stew (book and lyrics; music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald) and directed by Annie Dorsen.
"As we celebrate Berkeley Rep's 40th birthday, it's gratifying to know that a wider audience will get a taste of the daring work that's been seen on our stage for decades," said Artistic Director, Tony Taccone.
In the last two years, Berkeley Rep has helped send five shows to Manhattan, including Bridge and Tunnel, Brundibar, Eurydice and Till the Break of Dawn.
If you are in New York in February, check it out: the original Berkeley Rep cast will be performing. More info at: 800-432-7250. Tickets at: http://www.telecharge.com/
The outrageous, touching and humorous story about a young black bohemian who makes his pilgrimage to the Real through sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll, was written and performed by Stew (book and lyrics; music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald) and directed by Annie Dorsen.
"As we celebrate Berkeley Rep's 40th birthday, it's gratifying to know that a wider audience will get a taste of the daring work that's been seen on our stage for decades," said Artistic Director, Tony Taccone.
In the last two years, Berkeley Rep has helped send five shows to Manhattan, including Bridge and Tunnel, Brundibar, Eurydice and Till the Break of Dawn.
If you are in New York in February, check it out: the original Berkeley Rep cast will be performing. More info at: 800-432-7250. Tickets at: http://www.telecharge.com/
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Dark Boxes From Cornell, Light Boxes From Wall, and Smoke and Mirrors From Eliasson--All Seasonal Gifts at SFMOMA
Stepping into the SFMOMA atrium these days, tourist couples from Iowa and Wisconsin get this great idea about buying a fan in Wal-Mart and hanging it up high on a wire to fly and swish by, just like Olafur Eliasson's Ventilator [1997] does here.
But that's just the beginning. Brace yourself before coming out of the elevator on the fifth floor, where "Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson" show is currently on display through February 24, 2008. From Room for one colour [1997], which makes visitors look their zombie-like worst under harsh incessant yellow light seemingly oozing from the walls around, to the serene water world of Notion motion [2005], as if suspended in the moonlight, to rainbow droplets of the streaming from above Beauty [1993], and to the faint smell of death, emanated by the drying moss, Eliasson takes his viewers on an all-encompassing sensory journey, dipping them in mirrored wells and enchanting with colored tunnels along the way.
Another show by the same artist, titled "Your Tempo" is displayed in a giant freezer, and features a hydrogen-powered BMW stripped of its shell and enshrouded in ice instead.
"Jeff Wall" is another stunner of a show--a retrospective of Wall's amazing transparencies in light boxes--all looking like snapshots from a bizzaro world (in which we all reside sadly or happily), and all meticulously staged, dress-rehearsed and executed with precise cinematographic directorial vision by a Vancouver native who does not like to travel much for his subject matter.
The Destroyed Room, Mimic, A Sudden Gust of Wind (after Hokusai), The Flooded Grave, In front of a nightclub, and other iconic images by Wall were all created around his native town, or right in his studio.
"I have only made 140-150 pictures in the last 30 years," said Wall at the opening of his show, which is now on display through January 27. "I try not to repeat myself. A subject can be abandoned because it might resemble something I've already done."
With his imagery being extremely diverse by design, one work stands out even among the most unforgettable ones: Dead Troops Talk (a vision after an ambush of a Red Army Patrol, near Moqor, Afghanistan, winter 1986) [1992].
"I felt that as soon as Afgan war was over, it became a forgotten war, so I wanted to make a picture about this hallucinatory moment between life and death when these young soldiers imagine that they are still alive," said Wall. He staged his picture after a real war episode when a patrol of 12 soldiers, all 18 to 20 y.o., and their older commander were killed in a brief and severe attack, having very little time to realize what happened to them.
The third major show on display at SFMOMA through January 6 is "Joseph Cornell: Navigating the Imagination," which took up the whole third floor, usually reserved for Photography, the explanation being that those intimate, dark, and fragile boxes and collages he constructed required lower ceilings, smaller galleries and mellower lighting to be properly displayed.
Cornell's recurring themes, like stars and constellations, ships and navigation, hotels and exotic birds, ballerinas and fairies, and endless references to obscure literary sources from Romanticism, Sentimentalism and Symbolism are adequately represented in his chosen medium--3D box constructions, often interactive, filled with stuff childhood daydreams are made of, a.k.a. found materials. Navigating Cornell's show is like being gradually immersed in a twilight zone, eerily familiar, yet not welcome any more, something we try to forget in order to grow up, to become fully adult. As it seems obvious from Cornell's biography, he never became one.
SFMOMA is located at 151 Third Street, San Francisco. For information, visit www.sfmoma.org
But that's just the beginning. Brace yourself before coming out of the elevator on the fifth floor, where "Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson" show is currently on display through February 24, 2008. From Room for one colour [1997], which makes visitors look their zombie-like worst under harsh incessant yellow light seemingly oozing from the walls around, to the serene water world of Notion motion [2005], as if suspended in the moonlight, to rainbow droplets of the streaming from above Beauty [1993], and to the faint smell of death, emanated by the drying moss, Eliasson takes his viewers on an all-encompassing sensory journey, dipping them in mirrored wells and enchanting with colored tunnels along the way.
Another show by the same artist, titled "Your Tempo" is displayed in a giant freezer, and features a hydrogen-powered BMW stripped of its shell and enshrouded in ice instead.
"Jeff Wall" is another stunner of a show--a retrospective of Wall's amazing transparencies in light boxes--all looking like snapshots from a bizzaro world (in which we all reside sadly or happily), and all meticulously staged, dress-rehearsed and executed with precise cinematographic directorial vision by a Vancouver native who does not like to travel much for his subject matter.
The Destroyed Room, Mimic, A Sudden Gust of Wind (after Hokusai), The Flooded Grave, In front of a nightclub, and other iconic images by Wall were all created around his native town, or right in his studio.
"I have only made 140-150 pictures in the last 30 years," said Wall at the opening of his show, which is now on display through January 27. "I try not to repeat myself. A subject can be abandoned because it might resemble something I've already done."
With his imagery being extremely diverse by design, one work stands out even among the most unforgettable ones: Dead Troops Talk (a vision after an ambush of a Red Army Patrol, near Moqor, Afghanistan, winter 1986) [1992].
"I felt that as soon as Afgan war was over, it became a forgotten war, so I wanted to make a picture about this hallucinatory moment between life and death when these young soldiers imagine that they are still alive," said Wall. He staged his picture after a real war episode when a patrol of 12 soldiers, all 18 to 20 y.o., and their older commander were killed in a brief and severe attack, having very little time to realize what happened to them.
The third major show on display at SFMOMA through January 6 is "Joseph Cornell: Navigating the Imagination," which took up the whole third floor, usually reserved for Photography, the explanation being that those intimate, dark, and fragile boxes and collages he constructed required lower ceilings, smaller galleries and mellower lighting to be properly displayed.
Cornell's recurring themes, like stars and constellations, ships and navigation, hotels and exotic birds, ballerinas and fairies, and endless references to obscure literary sources from Romanticism, Sentimentalism and Symbolism are adequately represented in his chosen medium--3D box constructions, often interactive, filled with stuff childhood daydreams are made of, a.k.a. found materials. Navigating Cornell's show is like being gradually immersed in a twilight zone, eerily familiar, yet not welcome any more, something we try to forget in order to grow up, to become fully adult. As it seems obvious from Cornell's biography, he never became one.
SFMOMA is located at 151 Third Street, San Francisco. For information, visit www.sfmoma.org
Monday, December 3, 2007
Marie-Antoinette's Private Retreat at the Legion of Honor
In a world-exclusive exhibition "Marie-Antoinette and the Petit Trianon at Versailles," contents of the guillotined queen's private retreat are currently on display at the Legion of Honor through February 17, 2008.
"Since Petit Trianon closed for renovation, Legion of Honor seemed like an appropriate venue to host this one-in-a-lifetime exhibition," said Diane B. Wilsey, President of the Board of Trustees, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, during the press preview last month. She also reminded Marie-Antoinette's own words about her beloved dwelling: "Je suis moi" [That's me].
Director of Versailles, Pierre Arizzoli-Clementel, who attended the press preview, said that Marie-Antoinette "made all the other queens we had in the palace before her disappear."
That was the first time, he said, when a woman, however royal, "had the first role of her own," thus manifesting "the beginning of feminism." While decorating her palace to suit her taste, the queen hired the best cabinet and porcelain makers and oversaw the landscaping which included the largest in France English garden.
Maison Breguet made watches for the queen (finished long after her death due to an elaborate process of thorough watchmaking).
During the French Revolution, the queen's palace was utilized as a bistro, and "Englishmen paid to sleep in the queen's bed." All the contents of Petit Trianon were sold at auctions, and it took decades to recover only about 10 to 20% of the original estate.
"I am an Englishman," said Martin Chapman, Curator of European Decorative Arts at Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. "One of those who would like to stay at Petit Trianon..." and went on, describing in great detail the interior decor, floral and harvest patterns of the furniture upholstery and pearl-and-cornflower China patterns chosen by the queen according to her taste for natural simplicity.
He mentioned an episode of the palace life when Marie-Antoinette, being "a bit of a prude," ordered a fashionable French painting of water nymphs removed for containing too much nudity and replaced by an Austrian canvas from her childhood, depicting her siblings in an amateur theatre performance.
Both paintings are presented in the exhibition along with furniture, porcelain, jewelry, and portraits of the queen and her family members and contemporaries.
Legion of Honor is located at 34th Ave., San Francisco. For information, call 415-750-3600 or visit www.legionofhonor.org
"Since Petit Trianon closed for renovation, Legion of Honor seemed like an appropriate venue to host this one-in-a-lifetime exhibition," said Diane B. Wilsey, President of the Board of Trustees, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, during the press preview last month. She also reminded Marie-Antoinette's own words about her beloved dwelling: "Je suis moi" [That's me].
Director of Versailles, Pierre Arizzoli-Clementel, who attended the press preview, said that Marie-Antoinette "made all the other queens we had in the palace before her disappear."
That was the first time, he said, when a woman, however royal, "had the first role of her own," thus manifesting "the beginning of feminism." While decorating her palace to suit her taste, the queen hired the best cabinet and porcelain makers and oversaw the landscaping which included the largest in France English garden.
Maison Breguet made watches for the queen (finished long after her death due to an elaborate process of thorough watchmaking).
During the French Revolution, the queen's palace was utilized as a bistro, and "Englishmen paid to sleep in the queen's bed." All the contents of Petit Trianon were sold at auctions, and it took decades to recover only about 10 to 20% of the original estate.
"I am an Englishman," said Martin Chapman, Curator of European Decorative Arts at Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. "One of those who would like to stay at Petit Trianon..." and went on, describing in great detail the interior decor, floral and harvest patterns of the furniture upholstery and pearl-and-cornflower China patterns chosen by the queen according to her taste for natural simplicity.
He mentioned an episode of the palace life when Marie-Antoinette, being "a bit of a prude," ordered a fashionable French painting of water nymphs removed for containing too much nudity and replaced by an Austrian canvas from her childhood, depicting her siblings in an amateur theatre performance.
Both paintings are presented in the exhibition along with furniture, porcelain, jewelry, and portraits of the queen and her family members and contemporaries.
Legion of Honor is located at 34th Ave., San Francisco. For information, call 415-750-3600 or visit www.legionofhonor.org
Sunday, December 2, 2007
"Wishful Drinking" ticket information
The show begins previews in Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre on February 8, 2008, opens on February 13, and runs through March 30. Tickets to see Carrie Fisher start as low as $27 – and discounts are available for groups, seniors, students, and anyone under 30 years of age. Subscriptions are still on sale and start as low as $84, a savings of up to 33 percent on every ticket. Choose three or more plays and get the best seats at the lowest prices. In addition to this show, you can see these other hot new works: the West Coast premiere of Mary Zimmerman ’s Argonautika, the world premiere of Danny Hoch’s Taking Over, the American premiere of Will Eno’s TRAGEDY: a tragedy, and the West Coast premiere of Theatre de la Jeune Lune’s Figaro. With every package, subscribers receive valuable benefits such as the right to reschedule for free and the opportunity to secure seats before the general public for special events like this.
Princess Leah's Wishful Drinking at Berkeley Rep
"The hottest ticket in town just went on sale! This February, as part of its 40th birthday festivities, Berkeley Repertory Theatre welcomes Hollywood legend Carrie Fisher – and the general public can now purchase seats for her hilarious new solo show directed by Tony Taccone . Everyone can enjoy the party, because Berkeley Rep recently introduced a new ticketing system that features lower prices for every performance," says the press release.
"When I was an adolescent--which was not interesting, just intense--I was writing to manage the intensity," admitted Fisher during her summer visit to Berkeley Rep to meet the press. "There are things that are very painful, but if you can make them funny, it's the best thing in the world."
Sitting in an armchair in a girlish position, with one leg tucked under, the fifty-year-old actress, dressed in black and with simply styled hair, said that to this day "Princess Leah is following me around like a faint exotic smell..."
As a mature writer (she wrote "Postcards from the Edge") Fisher shared that she likes writing dialogs "after spending years as an actor trying to say unsayable words" written by others.
In "Wishful Drinking," directed by the Theatre's Artistic Director Tony Taccone, Fisher wrote her story herself, hardly holding back, boldly exposing herself, her exes, her childhood, her stepmother... "A man died in my bed--he was gay--that was unique," she noted dryly, talking about her play.
"I am brutally honest about my life" she said. "It's ugly, it's a bloodbath."
Fisher's brutal honesty was met with laughter of approval from the audience when she extended her sage advice to the likes of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan on how to avoid unwanted exposure: "stay home, get a driver, wear underwear."
Taccone, who obviously enjoyed interviewing Fisher for the press, concluded with a smile, "Carrie is a fantastic writer," and invited all to the Theatre's 40th anniversary season.
Berkeley Rep is located on Addison Street in downtown Berkeley , close to BART and AC Transit bus lines. For more information, call 510.647.2949 or 888-4-BRT-Tix (toll-free) – or just click on berkeleyrep.org
"When I was an adolescent--which was not interesting, just intense--I was writing to manage the intensity," admitted Fisher during her summer visit to Berkeley Rep to meet the press. "There are things that are very painful, but if you can make them funny, it's the best thing in the world."
Sitting in an armchair in a girlish position, with one leg tucked under, the fifty-year-old actress, dressed in black and with simply styled hair, said that to this day "Princess Leah is following me around like a faint exotic smell..."
As a mature writer (she wrote "Postcards from the Edge") Fisher shared that she likes writing dialogs "after spending years as an actor trying to say unsayable words" written by others.
In "Wishful Drinking," directed by the Theatre's Artistic Director Tony Taccone, Fisher wrote her story herself, hardly holding back, boldly exposing herself, her exes, her childhood, her stepmother... "A man died in my bed--he was gay--that was unique," she noted dryly, talking about her play.
"I am brutally honest about my life" she said. "It's ugly, it's a bloodbath."
Fisher's brutal honesty was met with laughter of approval from the audience when she extended her sage advice to the likes of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan on how to avoid unwanted exposure: "stay home, get a driver, wear underwear."
Taccone, who obviously enjoyed interviewing Fisher for the press, concluded with a smile, "Carrie is a fantastic writer," and invited all to the Theatre's 40th anniversary season.
Berkeley Rep is located on Addison Street in downtown Berkeley , close to BART and AC Transit bus lines. For more information, call 510.647.2949 or 888-4-BRT-Tix (toll-free) – or just click on berkeleyrep.org