M.I.A & Die Antwoord gig on Govenors Island
It's been too long since my last post which makes it very hard to fill in the gaps, but to update I've compiled a top 10 which can act as missing link:
1. M.I.A. & Die Antwoord on Governors Island
I haven't seen Die Antwoord live, probably because I wasn't interested in what they're all about. But when Helette sent me the link for this gig a few weeks ago, I decided to consider going because I've always been a big M.I.A. fan and they're kind off the soundtrack of my second year at University. So, that Monday I bought my ticket and off we went to the island. People from all over came and the festival attire included everything from young free spirits (which BTW is the term for hippy), Kate Moss- lookalikes in tiny denim shorts and bikinis, glitter girls aka Kimora Lee Simmons, copies from the pages of Vogue and me and my friends. Everyone was out for fun, relaxed and happy. There were two stages separating the smaller bands from the big names. So yes, I mean the night had a great vibe like any other concert but I was pleasantly surprised with Die Antwoord who played second last before M.I.A. as final act, and they totally kicked ass, M.I.A. sounded like amateurs after Die Antwoord. Thanks Die Antwoord, I'm impressed, at last.
(Other acts I really liked was Rye Rye, Sleigh Bells and Ninjasonik.)
Afterward we took the ferry back and it started raining and everyone was soaked, which was such a great ending to a hot, fantastic festival.
Today I went sailing! All the way up in City Island, I met Tom and Yuka for a day sailing on one of Tom's catamarans floating in the harbor. Such a beautiful little town, with that typical fishing town vibe where everyone knows everything and everyone. But, before I go on, I have to mention that I, at last, found my perfect bicycle! In the middle of a little scrappy yard, I saw a collection of bicycles which happened to belong to Tom's dad. Kind as they are here, he made my day and said I can choose any bicycle I wish to take back to Manhattan with me. I felt like a little kid in a toyshop, and there, between all the other stuff, my old bicycle called out! Ah! Isn't he lovely!
Ok, so anyway, while we packed out pick nick basket, and went on the water, old scrappie went to bicycle hospital for a few repairs.
It was such a lovely day on the water, and I immediately decided to take up rowing again, I miss these long days on the water. And off course, we had no television to watch the world cup final, but no stopping us, we got batteries for a little portable radio that came in very handy for afternoon entertainment! We set up sail, and there, off we went- around hart island, high island...
Back on the island, we went for margaritas and shrimp coctails and picked up my new bicycle which was now ready for the streets of NYC!
After dinner with Tom and New York Noodle Town (wow, best Chinese), I walked over to Living Room, where my friend Charlene had a gig. Living Room is a bar similar to Pianos, where for little to no money you get to see all the latest bands on their way to success. Anyway, her performance was great, however, the final band stole the show- The Renaldo the Ensemble. Have to check them out, they were like a mini theater production, super good!
Wow! Can't believe I haven't been blogging for so long, things sometimes are just a little crazy. Lets begin with day 26, which is also known as the 6th of July, which is also known as my brother's birthday (!!!). Happy Birthday, again!! The day consisted of work and then the afternoon to myself, during which I had a few meetings set up for freelance writing work. In the area I met up with Jason for sushi and DVDs.
Day 27-28 I went to set looking like a mini monster (allergies)- however forgot all about it when I met fashion photographer, Walid Ghanem, also the editor of Quadrafoil magazine. Very cool guy. We're working on some stills for him and the launch of his new website. Day 28, I was put on as stylist, which is really good for me, phew! It's been film production boot camp the last few weeks- so getting to style a fashion shoot was very refreshing, and I get to write the fashion editorials as well, which is even better. After a successful day, we all went for dinner at Bistro les Amis in Soho and then to a little club close by- never caught the name.
Day 29, was a bit of an admin day, sorting out my phone contract again (it's a monthly) and deciding whether to stay on for longer, laundry! (that's so much fun, it's this gigantic laundromat with a million people, washing machines and tumble dryers) It's like one big laundry party- I love it! Walid also phoned and hooked me up with a very well known stylist, Giovanna, who asked to meet with me next week. Super exited about this, she's amazing, and there's a lot of respect for her in the industry. Yay!
Later the afternoon, I went to the Museum of Modern Art (for Target Free Friday nights, which obviously the entrance is free then on Friday nights) and fell in love with Piet Mondrian all over again. I also took pictures of two chairs which Michael will have to make me (you have to) and a Picasso that I'm totally going to steal one day to hang next to my mirror. Oh, this museum is SUPER. Later that night, I met up with my three musketeers (Josh, Harrison and Raffi) for bowling night at the bowling bar in Williamsburg. Ok, so bowling, not my best sport, but with my girly beer (which I mix with orange juice, yummy!) and my boys, it's top of the list entertainment for an All-American Friday night!
Ah, started getting sick on Friday, which really isn't ever a good thing, but lived. Met up for dinner with my filmie buddy Jason and went all Mexican for dinner, where I had the hottest and most tequila ever- Jalapino flavor eek! Then we went Irish, to New York's oldest pub called McSorley's, where I drank beer (for like the second time in my life) which they make on the premises. -They still have saw dust on the floor and women were only really allowed inside a few years ago... After this we went Bohemian, in style while performers were walking singing and dancing all around us. This followed with a bit of American bar hopping until the sun came up, which we ended up enjoying from a rooftop in Soho sipping bloody Marys wearing over-sized sunglasses. Later the afternoon, after a screening of Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief and a musical On the Town I headed to Brooklyn for pre-drinks with Matthew and everyone for his birthday and then off to Barcade in Williamsburg for the actual celebration. Barcade- so very hipster, ghees, it's this old game arcade that transformed into a bar, with arcade games around the sides and the coolest of cool hanging around. Boys also love it, because they have very cheap beer and a drafts of almost everything's available...apparently this counts...
The next morning I was sickness herself and only got out of bed because it was the 4th OF JULY!!! Wow, how much fun! We kicked off with a pick nick in the park and our own frozen maragaritas! (I will post a picture later because I didn't take it with my camera, but I was wearing a blue red and white striped skirt, a blue and white striped top and Lady Liberty hat- one guess who's the South African...) Anyway, this was great. Then we moved to a roof top for fireworks, the rest can only be summed up as, wow!
Ah! But nothing that black & white film noirs can't fix. Too Late For Tears... [Woman kills husband after finding money. Meets another man who wants the money and kills him too. Meets the man whose money it is- tries to kill him, however...falls off the balcony! Eeeee!
Big dramatic endings!
Today sucked. Worked all day long. I'm really tired. Dinner in Brooklyn and then straight to bed.
Work is really too much at this point... just saying. So for night time relaxing, I went to my favorite- Film Forum for the Anthony Mann Festival that's on at the moment. Tonight's double show included Devil's Doorway and Border Incident, both my first Western and best film noir. Afterward I had wine with a certain filmo which involved nothing else than film-talk and the like. This moved to Zinc Bar, (GREAT!!) a little jazz club in the West side. Fascinating. (Arrived home at 3AM, the trains are a complete disaster, schedules change everyday, as they're fixing the rails. For the last year. It's not just the roads in South Africa, it's everywhere.)
