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Posted on 04.01.08 by Emily
Filed under: creativity and culture and funny and music Comments: 1 Comment
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Posted on 02.15.08 by Emily
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Sounds Like An Earth Rat: listening notes from the 2008 Tibet House Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall
Posted on 02.14.08 by Emily
Losar Tashi Delek (Happy Tibetan New Year) and welcome to Year of the Earth Rat. Tibet House celebrated in its inimitable style with a wonderful evening directed by Philip Glass. (Happy Valentine’s Day, Philip!) The concert kicked off with a spirited introduction by Robert Thurman, followed by an invocation from the Drepung Gomang monks in front of a backdrop of the Potala Palace, the residence of the Dalai Lama in Lhasa, Tibet. Many of the artists were new to me this year, but my two highlights were sweet surprises from artists I already loved. First, Sufjan Stevens sent chills up my spine with his reworking of the “Star Spangled Banner.” Here’s an audio version from Lee’s Place in Toronto, 2004, and a video recorded at the Sasquatch Music Festival at the Gorge 5/27/06. Check out his lyrics (and compare to the original). The second was provided by the indefatigable Ray Davies, who performed the most luscious version of his song, “Days.” I was familiar with Elvis Costello’s cover from the “Until the End of the World” soundtrack, but while Elvis really packs in the loss, Ray conveys all of the love. Just splendid. Here’s a video from BBC Electric Proms (2007?) and with The Kinks in ‘69. Apparently Wim Wenders has been using this song in his films since 1970. It was wonderful to see Nawang Khechog back, recovered from a near-fatal car accident he experienced almost one year ago. Most of his songs are so peaceful, heart-opening and mind-quieting. Highlight was the lively “Last Stand of the Wild Yak,” which utilized an amazing array of Tibetan horns, including one with a dragon head at the end. Happy introductions: Phamie Gow, a Barcelona based Scot reinventing the harp. I couldn’t help but think of Joanna Newsom as my reference points for rockin’ harps are few, but Phamie has her own distinctive style, spirit and punk. Loved “Dancing Hands,” and her duet with Canadian fiddler Ashley MacIsaac. Last but not least, I enjoyed the mini-vacation to Rio I took during Marisa Monte’s set, the southern charm of Band of Horses, and Tom Verlaine’s interpretation of reincarnation as “going to Wal-mart when he dies”. Wherever I go, I’ll thank you for the days… and the music.
Filed under: better world and creativity and culture and emily approved and music Comments: 2 Comments
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Posted on 02.04.08 by Emily
Filed under: activism and art and better world and consumerism and creativity and culture and design and environment and happiness and health and interconnected and links and marketing and movies and music and sustainability and technology Comments: None yet... Add one here.
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Posted on 10.26.07 by Emily
![]() Mocha cream cake from Maira Kalman’s mother’s bakery on Johnson Avenue in Riverdale, NY (see p.246-247), served at a celebration for the release of The Principles of Uncertainty at the NYPL. Do you engage with pleasure, curiosity, fun and celebration (with time for naps) in the face of the tragedy of the day? Do you want to? This is the book for you. Maira Kalman’s delightful new release, The Principles of Uncertainty, turns out to be a heavy book. Mostly physically. Kalman says it’s because the book is extensively inked: “all the colors are in there.” Even if you’ve been following this year-long illustrated journal at the New York Times, the high-resolution images of her gouache paintings are undeniably gorgeous in print. (Even more so in person at the Julie Saul Gallery through November 24, 2007.) Aside from the inherent pleasures of the portable printed format, the book offers a few bonuses to those already familiar with the images:
Kalman celebrated the release of the book at the New York Public Library with a 37.5 minute conversation with Paul Holdengräber, followed with 3 songs composed by Nico Muhly, and cake instead of questions. Instead of questions from the audience, that is. All Maira’s works wrestle with the eternal existential dilemma: “We are here now, and we are not going to be here at a certain point, so what is that about?” and the natural corollary, “What would we do all day long, forever?” I don’t know what we’ll do forever, but I highly recommend checking out how Kalman observes the world, “making sense and then nonsense” out of it with grace, gratitude and joie de vivre, today.
Filed under: art and books and creativity and culture and design and emily approved and food and funny and happiness and love and music and nyc and people and product review and typography and women Comments: 1 Comment
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Posted on 06.10.07 by Emily
This article in Wired, A Shocking Idea: Nerves Might Run on Sound, Not Electricity, might explain why music’s such a healing tonic. Lately I’ve been self-medicating with a daily regimen of tracks from:
I’m also loving Andrew Kuo’s Earl Boykins site, expressing musical data and opinion in bright infographics. Here’s his graphical analysis of the new Voxtrot self-titled album:
Filed under: art and creativity and culture and design and emily approved and happiness and health and love and music Comments: None yet... Add one here.
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Posted on 05.25.07 by Emily
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Posted on 04.02.07 by Emily
Filed under: art and books and branding and consumerism and creativity and culture and design and emily approved and environment and happiness and interconnected and links and love and marketing and music and nyc and passions and people and photography and retail and science and senses and shopping and sustainability and technology and travel and video and webstuff Comments: 1 Comment
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Posted on 11.22.06 by Emily
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Posted on 09.17.06 by Emily
A whole constellation of interestingness has formed around NYC’s South Street Seaport area: 1. Fantastic photography exhibition and benefit for Tibet Fund September 16-24, 2006 (print sales online through October 16th). Photographers Steve McCurry, Teru Kuwayama, Sonam Zoksang (those vivid high-altitude hues!), Jesse Pesta (such beautifully evocative b/w prints!) and Jennifer Macfarlane are exhibiting images from Tibet, Nepal and India reflecting the cultural, religious and national identity of the Tibetan people. At The Photographic Gallery, 252 Front Street between Peck Slip and Dover Street. Update: Opening Night Party writeup by Abigail Pesta with photos by Simon Koo and Kate Attardo. 2. A fascinating look inside our selves at the Bodies exhibition. Expect to spend at least an hour… amazed. 3. Enjoyable views (and brews, the apricot ale’s quite lovely) from the sofas in the beergarden overlooking the river around Spiegeltent, a unique space to hear live music at Pier 17, South Street Seaport.
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fairfax avenue: a jon brion resource.

