Little Heathens

One thing that I have always admired about my grandmother's generation is how their values and practicality are so deeply embedded in who they are and how they approach everything they do. There is a right way to do things and a wrong way, with not much wiggle room in between. 

While I hope our generation is moving closer to a more open-minded perspective,  I do think we would all benefit from having such strong convictions and the common sense to not take the luxury this advanced era brings us for granted and when to realize it's limitations. After all, the jury is still out on whether my iPhone has made me happier and more productive...or is really just feeding my ADD. (Though that Google Maps widget, really has saved me on many an occasion)

I've always wished that I could read the story of my grandmother's life, so as to possibly glean a few drops of wisdom from her experiences. She is 89 years old, still gardens, drives a tractor, cooks all her own meals, and cleans her house. While she leads a very comfortable life and does these things because she wants to and not because she has to, I am constantly blown away by her ability to do more than I can in a day and usually do it better. 

While I really don't have any desire to carry water in from a well or make my own clothes, as many people of my grandmother's generation did, I was thrilled when I came across the book Little Heathens. It is the memoirs of writer Millie Kalish and what her life growing up on a farm in Iowa during the great depression was like. 

This book is a gem and a must read if you are interested in getting a better idea of what it was like for a rural family in America during that time or if you're at all interested in the 10,000 different ways you can use bacon fat. ;-)

In all seriousness though this is a great little book and I actually learned a lot about how hard work and strong values, whatever yours may be, can bring a family together.

I have included the book in the bookstore. To check it out CLICK HERE.  

*Here is the only interview I could find with the author, Millie Kalish. 

How lucky we all are that she had the foresight to write all of these stories down!

Monelle Totah of Williams-Sonoma Home

Just to change it up a bit I'm linking to this interview with the head designer of Williams-Sonoma Home, Monelle Totah. I found the interview on one of my favorite interior design blogs Habitually Chic. If you like design and don't know about it go check it out now. The writer, Heather Clawson, has amazing style and taste. I've learned so much about interior design for her blog and have gotten hours of amusement perusing the beautiful images of other peoples houses that she posts. I mean, who doesn't like to see how other people do it?? :-)

Here is the interview and link to Habitually Chic. 

Richard Avedon

My husband just turned me on to a fantastic series of interviews between Charlie Rose and Richard Avedon. Once again I find it fascinating to hear someone who has made a life-long career out of getting reactions or moments of "truth" out of other people talk about what that process is like for him. 

Photography, especially portraiture, has always been one of my great loves. Like a good interview those photographs have the potential to express and show rare moments of clarity with the subject. Richard Avedon was a true master of capturing these elusive moments. He had the gifts of not only knowing who was going to be an interesting subject, but also how to draw them out to snap that mili-second where their gaze or angle of their head expressed exactly who they were in that moment. An alchemy that few truly achieve.

This is another marathon interview, but if you are a photography fan these are must see moments with Avedon, who was notoriously shy and gave few interviews. 

Larry King on how to get what you want out of an interview and why he only wears button suspenders.

Here's an interview with Larry King from CNN/TIME. It's not often that he's in the guest chair, so I thought it was worth posting. 

I think what he says about the interview needing to be 90% guest and 10% interviewer is very important. While Larry King is already a TV icon, I think it's respectable that he knows who people are really tuning in to watch. 

As he says: "I never learn a thing while I was talking."

I wonder what the world of TV interviews will be like when people like Larry King, with old fashioned manners, are no longer around? 

* I've included Larry's memoir "My Remarkable Journey" in the bookstore if you're interested in reading more about him. 

Madoff's Whistle Blower Talks

 
Here is the first television interview on 60 Minutes with the man who figured out what Bernie Madoff was up to before anyone else, Harry Markopolos. 

The fact that he figured out in 2000 that Madoff was using a Ponzi scheme and tried to tell the SEC five times, with nothing done, is insane! How is that possible?? This guy says he figured it out in 5 minutes and was able to prove it in 4 hours through simple math...well, maybe not simple math. 

If he's right that the SEC doesn't investigate fraud until after a crime is over, then maybe Obama should keep a close eye on his newly appointed head of the SEC, Mary Schapiro. She apparently hired Madoff's son to serve on the National Adjudicatory Council at FINRA. The council was designed to review disciplinary decisions made by FINRA. Hhhmmm...I wonder how he would have voted when his father's company, a company he was also a chief executive at, was brought up for review???

After reading in the New York Times today about how he is trying to keep $62 Million in assets that are supposedly his wife's, I am even more disgusted with Madoff and his family.

The Crew of Flight 1549

We are only in the second month of 2009 and already so many amazing and unforgettable things have happened. One of the craziest was the crash-landing if American Airlines Flight 1549 in the Hudson river. 

Here are the first interviews with the pilot and crew of the plane on 60 Minutes. I will have to convince myself that all flight crews are so well trained and quick acting to be able to get on another commercial flight after this story, but in the end this is a story of triumph and hope, which is something we all need right now. 

Here is the interview with Katie Curic and Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberg.

This is the interview with the rest of the crew about what it was like in the main cabin during those harrowing 5 minutes between take-ff and landing in the river. 

This video clip shows the reunion between the crew and passengers a few weeks after the crash. This will make you cry and want to hug all the people you love!

Chiara Clemente's OUR CITY DREAMS

Go see Chiara Clemente's new documentary OUR CITY DREAMS at Film Forum!!! Right now!!

 The trailer for the film is on this link too.

The film looks at 5 female artists (Kiki Smith, Marina Abramovic, Nancy Spero, SWOON, and Ghada Amer) living in New York City. These women are some of the most important living artists we have right now, so if you want to see them in their element and talking about their work go see this film!!

Here is the interview with Chiara on the STYLE FILE BLOG.

It's only running until the 17th of February, so get over there!! 

*** Also, I just found out that Chiara will be doing Q&As after a few of the showings with some of the artists in the documentary. If I was in town I would go to both of these! I'm so jealous of anyone that makes it to either of these. I'm sure it will be very cool.

- Thursday February 12th: Chiara and Marina Abramovic will take questions following the 6pm showing.

- Tuesday February 17th: Chiara and Ghada Amer will take questions after the 6pm showing.

KIPP - Knowledge Is Power Program

This morning I was looking at the TED conference videos and watched a great lecture that Bill Gates gave about which world issues he thinks are the most important and what his charitable organization is doing about them.

The lecture is wonderful and the Q&A afterward is equally worth watching.

Here are the links for both:

THE BILL GATES TED LECTURE

THE Q&A

One of the main focusses of his lecture is education and the importance of cultivating excellent teachers in America. He talks about the incredible KIPP schools and what they are doing to revolutionize the way the public school system is teaching under-served children who usually fall through the cracks and don't make it to college, or even out of highschool. If you think you've heard it all before, think again and watch their VIDEO and read this INTERVIEW with one of the founders, Mike Feinberg. This school is actualizing the promises that America was founded on. If you haven't already heard about these schools, I promise you this will be one of the most inspiring things you read about this year.

Anyone who has children or who cares about education in America should read the interview. If you want to read more about Mike Feinberg and his KIPP Co-Founder Dave Levin, I have included a book about them and their experience starting the schools in the "What I'm Reading Now" section of my bookstore. The book is called Work Hard. Be Nice. How Two Inspired Teachers Created The Most Promising Schools in America.

This is a cause and organization that I will be keeping up with and supporting from now on and I really hope these videos and interviews will inspire you to do the same.

Woody Allen's honest life of crime

Woody Allen may have no desire to be a good man, but he is a funny man, and I find if you are funny most people will forgive you just about anything.  

Here is a clip from a 1970 interview he did where he jokes about early aspiration toward a life of crime. It's a very short clip, but you really should watch it. I guess he really wasn't kidding about keeping it in the family. I guess he's never really joking, which is hilarious and very very frightening! 

Here is another interview that Woody actually conducted with the Reverend Billy Graham, also in the 1970's I believe. If that's not a brilliant pairing I don't know what is. A nihilist/atheist and an evangelical minister. It goes without saying they are great together.

I also found a book of interviews with Woody Allen that came out in 2007 and included it in the book store. The interviews and conversations were conducted over a 36 year span with Allen's biographer Eric Lax, and are all centered around his thoughts on filmmaking. It might not be for everyone, but for all his sins and short comings Woody Allen is a fantastic filmmaker in my opinion, and I'm sure these conversations are fascinating. 

David Cross

David Cross makes me cry with laughter every time I see something he does. This man is hilarious! 

Here is a very funny video interview he did while shooting a PETA commercial.

Sorry Lenny Kravits...

And here is another interview that was posted on the Gothamist.com today.

I also added the DVD box sets of Arrested Development and Mr.Show to my book store. If you haven't watched these shows you are missing out.  

Christina Tosi's New York

T Magazine has a great section called The Insider, that profiles "emerging tastemakers it the fields of fashion, design, food, travel and the arts." 

Last week they asked pastry Chef Christina Tosi (of Momofuku fame) to list some of her favorite things about New York City. 

It would have been nice if they asked her more food questions as it's always fun to hear about what chefs are eating, but her yearly Neil Young ritual was quintessential New York. 

Every real New Yorker has had at least one moment like that, where you feel as if something is there or happening just so you can experience it, even if there are a million other people around. Makes me think of coming over the Brooklyn Bridge at night. Gets me every time. 

Check out Christina's profile here.

** Just found this other interview with Christina where she does talk about the food she makes! Here's the link to the New York magazine interview. 

* Photo credit: EunJean Song

Todd Selby of TheSelby.com

So I think Todd Selby might be my secret soul-mate...don't tell my husband. Just kidding honey! I am totally obsessed with his website TheSelby.com though. It combines so many of my favorite things: cool people, art, design, interiors, interviews...I could go on. And on top of all that the sight is just beautiful to look at. My little Blogger template can't quite keep up, but I'll get there one day. 

Here is an interview with Todd in New York Magazine. 

And check out his post and interview with one of my favorite artists and all-around cool dude, Dustin Yellin. 

* Photo: Melissa Hom/ New York Magazine

Vivienne Westwood's 10 Questions

TIME magazine just posted their interview with the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood.  To see it click here.

I'm going to keep posting these weekly 10 QUESTIONS articles, because I think they are an easy way to get into the mindset of cool people, but as they are a little light on content I will also attach other interviews with the subject. 

Here are two articles from The Gaurdian where Vivienne talks about her views on fashion and art. While I really don't agree with a lot of her statements on modern art and think she is more than a little hypocritical when it comes to her views on consumerism, she is a strong and opinionated woman and I am always drawn to that. I would rather someone have something interesting to say and a strong perspective than care what other people think and maintain the status quo. And there are already too many fashion designers out there who can only talk about fashion!

Here is the first interview from May 12th, 2007. It's great because her wacky manifesto AGAINST propaganda is attached. As the interviewers say, she's basically calling for people to watch less TV, read more and be more cultured. Um, yeah, that would be nice, but can't I have my Proust and watch Desperate Housewives too??

And here is the one from this year.  This one is great and a little less pedantic than the first. Even though she seems a bit pompous, she must be a really fun person to argue with...as most pompous people are. Haha!

* Photo Credit: Nancy Coste/Corbis

The Obamas 1996

* Photo by Mariana Cook, 1996

As anyone who is reading this blog at this point already knows, I recently got married. I think it's a very human thing to do when you're in a relationship, but I always find myself studying other couples. Trying to see what keeps them together, to see what kind of spark they have. 

I don't think I'm alone when I say that I am fascinated and completely inspired by the Obamas. I can't remember the last time, in my lifetime, that a family has embodied the best of American values and invited all of us to see how they keep their family healthy and connected. 

Jason Kottke at the Kottke.org blog posted a link to this amazing interview excerpt with the Obama's that The New Yorker was featuring. I will try and track down the full interview, but it may not be online. 

Even though it's short, this excerpt is so touching and shows how strong their partnership and marriage is. I really look forward to featuring more interviews with them in the future. I'm sure there are bound to be a lot of good ones coming up! 

Art:21 The Series

As a lover of art history one of my favorite things is to hear artists talk about their work and how they move from inspiration to the final product. As is the nature of creativity, it is always different and unique for each artist. While I don't think we should ever base our appreciation of art on how the artist describes it, I do think we are extraordinarily lucky when we have access to artists that are willing to talk about themselves and their work. 

PBS has produced one of my favorite series on contemporary artists in America called ART:21. The series is in it's fourth season and I highly recommend watching all four seasons. The show consists of interviews with the artists in their studios and taking you around their work. 

I have added the DVDs to my bookshop in the Best Interviews section, but you can also rent them on Netflix. I recomend starting with season four and working your way back. 

Here is a clip from the segment on one of my favorite artists Louise Bourgeois. She's a firecracker and you'll love her, if you don't already. (Her segment is from season one)

TIME Magazine's 10 Questions for Hugh Hefner

It's really fun to watch interviews and see what other people are asking and all, but have you ever wanted to ask your own? Well every week TIME magazine has an article called 10 QUESTIONS where readers can ask their famous and interesting subjects anything they want. 

This week it's Hugh Hefner, so if Hef's your hero then pop over to the site and find out why three playmates are better than one. 

Ask Hugh Hefner

Bon Iver

New Favorite Artist Alert!!!! 

Check out this interview with musician Justin Vernon of Bon Iver at The New Yorker online. He has a killer sound and seems like a pretty cool dude. Love the Northern Exposure reference. I freakin' loved that show.

His new Album can be previewed at the bands MySpace Page. 

George Soros

George Soros is without a doubt one of the most important and influential financial minds of our times. The Hungarian billionaire philanthropist is known for, among other things, using his vast fortune to promote Democracy and open societies around the world, and fighting against oppression and censorship. He is a fascinating man and an insightful capitalist. I think you'll really enjoy these interviews.

In 2004 Soros gave $27.5 million dollars of his own money to try and keep George Bush from being re-elected.  In an interview he said that he would gladly have given 100% of his money away if he could have gotten Bush out of office because he believed, "- it would have made a tremendous contribution to mankind". Isn't that the horribly sad truth! 

In a more recent interview with Charlie Rose in April of 2008 he talks about his latest book The New Paradigm for Financial Markets: The Credit Crisis of 2008 and What It Means . He talks about the cycle of financial bubbles and how he thinks that economists and the government need to bring back a healthy balance of free-market enterprise with prudent and responsible regulation, so that the naturally occurring bubbles will never get as big again or cause so much devastation. He gives a clear picture of the greater world financial situation that I found easy to grasp.

What I love about George Soros...besides the fact that he is brilliant, is that I can see that he genuinely cares about people and humanity and, luckily for us, America too for that matter. 'Cause lord knows we wouldn't want to be on the bad side of, 'the man that broke the Bank of England'!

I recommend watching both of these interviews. They give you a very accurate idea of how on the money (pun intended) Soros was in predicting this financial collapse and hopefully how right he is that we can come out of it stronger if we act with better judgement in the near future.

Here is the 2004 interview. As an added bonus there is a second interview with Arianna Huffington in the second half where she talks about the importance of being fearless in today's world. Her message, I think, relates to Soros' financial philosophy quite nicely. To watch both takes about an hour, but these two people are so facinating and wise that I highly recommend it. 

And here is the more recent, April 10th 2008, interview with Goerge Soros. This one is so intersting as well and really gives the full picture of the crisis we are in and what he thinks we need to be doing to get out of it. 

* If you are curious about the books of George Soros and Arianna Huffington check out my Amazon store here.  They are both fantastic writers and I highly recommend reading them.

Hear Wyclef Yele

Wyclef Jean is giving a great interview tonight at 7p.m. ET/PT on 60 Minutes about his amazing organization that supports children in Haiti called Yele Haiti. 

Check out the video here.

Alice Waters and Obama's Kitchen

Alice Waters is another cool cool woman that I've only just gotten familiar with over the past year, but she's been causing a ruckus in the kitchen for quite a while now. She was one of the first advocates for the Slow Food movement and is famous for her Organic, locally grown, seasonal only restaurant Chez Panisse, in Berkley CA. 

She and bunch of other farmer's market advocates recently sent a letter to President Elect Obama urging him to choose a Secretary of Agriculture who would work to promote healthier agricultural practices and try and bring healthy eating habits back into the American homes and schools. 

In this interview with Tara Parker-Pope at The New York Times Alice talks about why this appointment is so important to her and why it should be to all of us as well: 

Alice Waters and Obama's 'Kitchen' Cabinet

* Photo credit: Even Sung for NYT