Hot and Covered...Marisa Tomei

Footloose and Sandal Free!

Apparently Marisa Tomei does not like to wear shoes. And to be honest, when it’s close to 100 degrees outside and I’m wearing a four-inch stiletto that feels two sizes too small, neither do I. But wear them I do. Especially if I’m having lunch on the shaded patio of a favorite restaurant in West Hollywood, as I was today with a totally hilarious New York Times best-selling author. I may not have noticed Ms. Tomei (who looked gorgeous from the ankle up) had it not been for her shoes—a fantastic pair of black leather woven sandals with leather ankle ribbons. So chic. Had they been on, that is. I’ve been looking for a good pair of black sandals, so these, sitting on the ground all alone to left of her chair, caught my attention—are they Marc by Marc, See By Chloe, maybe Sigerson Morrison? I wondered.

But then I got grossed out. Going barefoot in a restaurant has to be some kind of health code violation. Plus, I felt really bad for those abandoned sandals. So much so that I feel like I should adopt these, just to do my part:

View more Comments>...thefoodinista




So far So Good...

All About
Marisa Tomei

Born: 4 December 1964,
Where: Brooklyn, New York

Tomei's breakthrough performance was opposite Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny for which she received a best supporting actress Oscar.

She has since gone on to impress in movies ranging from the drama Welcome To Sarajevo to an Oscar-nominated turn as a stripper in The Wrestler.

The daughter of an English teacher and a lawyer, her mother frequently corrected her speech in a bid to eradicate her strong Brooklyn accent.
"I don't prefer much of film over stage... The only thing I prefer is the paycheque."

She appeared on screen for the first time aged 19 as Marcy Thompson on the daytime TV drama As the World Turns.

In 1987, Tomei landed the title role in Supermom's Daughter, a TV special and from 1987-1988 she played Lisa Bonet's flatmate during the first season of the classic TV sitcom A Different World.

Her most prominent role was in My Cousin Vinny, for which she received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Further successful movie appearances followed for Marisa, such as The Watcher - with Keanu Reeves and James Spader; What Women Want - with Mel Gibson; Someone Like You - opposite Ashley Judd, and the digitally-shot Chelsea Walls - directed by Ethan Hawke.

The tense drama In The Bedroom brought her to the forefront of her profession and eased her into an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2002, she starred in The Guru with Heather Graham and alongside Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson in Anger Management.

Subsequent roles have included on of Jude Law's female conquests in the remake of the Michael Caine classic Alfie and the Charles Bukowski biopic Factotum.

Inj 2007, she appeared in the disposable comedy Wild Hogs with John Travolta but impressed in the superlative Sidney Lumet thriller Before The Devil Knows Your Dead.


She received her third Oscar nomination for her role as a stripper in Mickey Rourke's comeback triumph The Wrestler in 2009.

" She always has a lovely Smiling face... "

Spoiled socialite Lexi (Marisa Tomei) is seeking the perfect guru in Universal's The Guru - 2003

- I Love This Look!

Porta's Look!...Max Wanger

MELISSA + MATT.
04.28.2009

beachwood canyon is one of those tucked away spots in los angeles where i’ve always wanted to do a little shoot. there’s a somewhat hidden trail that leads up to an area where you have a pretty incredible view of the hollywood sign. and, if you’re ok with narrow and windy roads through the canyon, you are 5 minutes away from a beautiful dog park that’s literally right underneath the sign. both places proved to be perfect spots to shoot melissa and matt. a relaxing, sun-filled sunday afternoon… new friends… a genuinely good time had by all. mw

I love this shoot by Max Wanger.

Manic Street Preachers - Journal for Plague Lovers (2009)

'Simply a phenomenal rock record'

- Q

As we previously advised, we have been making music - to be more specific, we have been in Rockfield studio in Wales with Mr Steve Albini recording a new album, Journal For Plague Lovers.

All 13 songs on the new record feature lyrics left to us by Richey. The brilliance and intelligence of the lyrics dictated that we had to finally use them. The use of language is stunning and topics include The Grande Odalisque by Ingres, Marlon Brando, Giant Haystacks, celebrity, consumerism and dysmorphia, all reiterating the genius and intellect of Richard James Edwards.

Richard James Edwards
(born 22 December 1967, presumed deceased on or after 1 February 1995)

The record is scheduled for release on 18th May and will be available on CD, deluxe 2 CD, download and LP.

WOW!!

JOURNAL FOR PLAGUE LOVERS
- REVIEW

"A brave compelling record stands shoulder to shoulder with The Manics best"

4 STARS
- Uncut magazine

Freed from the memory, escaped from their history - with a poignant send-off to the past, the Manics re-establish themselves as one of the most important bands of our generation.

more on>...manicstreetpreachers

Porta's Listen...The Monocle Weekly - Edition 18

EDITION 18
-26 April

We welcome two luminaries of the literary world to the studio for this week's edition of The Monocle Weekly to discuss the state of the publishing industry. James Daunt represents the best in bookselling through his eponymous London shops and Jim Gill gives a literary agent's perspective, having represented bestselling and breaking authors for over a decade. There is also a special report from The London Book Fair. Monocle's new Washington correspondent Sasha Issenberg is on the line to assess the first 100 days of Obama's presidency and we also call design editor Sarah Balmond in Italy, who gives us a rundown from Milan's furniture fair, Salone del Mobile. All this and the usual culture and comment from editor Andrew Tuck and culture editor Rob Bound, who join editor-in-chief Tyler Brûlé in the studio.

CONTRIBUTORS

THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO
-26 April

Tyler Brûlé
Editor in chief

James Daunt
Founder, Daunt Books

Robert Bound
Culture editor

Jim Gill
Literary agent, United Agents

Andrew Tuck

Editor

Credits
Producer: Alexander Mills
Sound Engineer: Chris Sharp
Researcher: Jonathan Openshaw
Photographer: Olivier Hess
Editor: Aleksander Solum

You can listen to the broadcasts at The Monocle Weekly website or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

pop*eye...God Help The Girl (2009)

Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch
Presents

"God Help The Girl"

God Help The Girl - God Help The Girl (2009)

After an internet-wide talent search, Belle and Sebastian leader Stuart Murdochs long-in-the-works latest project-- a twee musical called God Help the Girl-- is finally coming to fruition. The soundtrack, featuring new Murdoch songs and a couple reworked B&S favorites, is due June 23 on Matador in North America (June 22 on Rough Trade in Europe). First single Come Monday Night is out May 11, but you can hear it right now on the God Help the Girl MySpace.

Along with the work of a 45-piece orchestra conducted by Withnail & I composer Rick Wentworth, the upcoming album features vocals from Murdoch himself, his B&S cronies, Asya from Smoosh, online finds Brittany Stallings and Dina Bankole, and Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy.

But its Scottish newcomer Catherine Ireton who takes top billing-- she sings on 10 of the records 14 tracks. So who is this overnight twee idol? Well, if she looks like she belongs on the cover of a Belle and Sebastian record, its probably because she was already on the cover of a Belle and Sebastian record (2006 single White Collar Boy). Shes also one half of acoustic pop duo the Go Away Birds, who currently have 1,017 plays on their MySpace at press time. Expect that number to rise. Based on the Go Away Birds tracks and the Ireton showcase Come Monday Night, B&S stalwarts shouldnt have much trouble falling for her.

FINALLY!!

Last year, Stuart made an open call for female singers (submissions required self-portraits, of course) to work on a new album and movie based on a story he wrote about a "better summer" featuring two girls and a guy. Murdoch's Scottish Idol search bore fruit, helping him discover and record Brittany Stallings (Olympia, Washington) and Dina Bankole (Jackson, Michigan), and yielding a winning audition from Limerick-native Catherine Ireton, who takes most of the lead vocals on the forthcoming God Help The Girl LP. The project's official site describes the sound as redolent of early B&S recordings while drawing on "musicals, sixties' girl groups, eighties' indie and, most of all, classic pop records." And Stu's psyched about Catherine: "In [her], Stuart has found a rare talent - her clear, lilting vocals bringing to life the characters in Stuart's imagination and making for an ambitious and engrossing musical journey." To be fair, he's been psyched about her before; she previously contributed vocals to Belle & Sebastian's "The White Collar Boy." Something got him going this time. Maybe it was her self-portrait.

The record features nine different singers (including Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy and Asya from Smoosh), B&S members, and a 45-piece orchestra conducted by Withnail & I composer Rick Wentworth. You can hear the Catherine-fronted orchestral bubblegum of lead single "Come Monday Night" at MySpace.

God Help the Girl, is a musical film written by Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch. Murdoch has already been at work on demos for the soundtrack. God Help the Girl the soundtrack will be recorded in spring 2008, and the film is set to go into production in 2009.

God Help The Girl is out in North American on 6/23 via Matador, the previous day in Europe via Rough Trade.

(God Help The Girl official site)

(God Help The Girl at imeem, God The Help The Girl at MySpace)

Hot and Covered...VICTOR VICTORIOUS

VICTOR GLEMAUD

PHOTOGRAPHED BY BARNABY ROPER

He’s been in the fashion industry since his teens. So why did it take this prodigy so long to create his own menswear line? It’s not easy perfecting a look.

I’ve seen Victor Glemaud out for years at fashion functions, gay bars and late night hot spots, but I never knew exactly who he was or what he did. Always impeccably dressed, usually with a cigarette in one hand, cocktail in the other and scandal pouring out of his mouth in an international jet set accent.

I’ve heard whispers of work at KCD, Tommy Hilfiger and his own eponymous line of knitwear. But what was the real story?

Then one weekend I was invited out to the Chelsea, a new hotel in Atlantic City with a club created by the Beatrice Inn boys. We spent a wild night featuring dance party mayhem, naked English boys rummaging through room service platters and a sunrise on the beach in golf carts. The next afternoon I found myself laid out by the pool where Victor was holding court with Hanuk and other Beatrice buzzworthy boys. It was high time I got the bottom of the legend of Victor Glemaud.

Born in Haiti, he moved to New York City with his family when he was three. He kicked off his career as Patrick Robinson’s design assistant and later became a public relations guru at KCD handling clients like Versace, Alexander McQueen and Gucci. Today he burns the professional candle at both ends. He’s a menswear designer for Tommy Hilfiger as well designer of his own line. Launched in 2006, Victor, always fond of a smart cardigan, began cutting up his father’s old sweaters and created his now signature double cardigan. Victor is constantly inspired by the smoldering looks and chic swagger of French 60’s film icon Alain Delon. His line has steadily grown, garnering attention from stores such as Odin and Colette. Keep an eye out for Victor this fall; he’s working on a new collaboration with Earnest Sewn.

-CATOR SPARKS

Special Thanks for Posted by Contributor

Porta's Eyes...Earth Day!

" We have to stop making the me decision.
We have to make the we and us decision "


- Michelle Obama

I love this quote from Michelle Obama and I think about it each time I have to make a decision that might impact our earth. I have lots of improvement to make but today is a good reminder to keep up the good habits and break the bad ones.

Happy Earth Day!

Thanks for Words by Chelsea

Porta's Look!..."Eat This New York", 2004.

"It will be impossible for you
to walk past a shuttered
restaurant and not feel a chill
after seeing the documentary
"Eat This New York."


- The New York Times

EAT THIS NEW YORK is the story of two best friends' struggle to open a restaurant in the food capital of the world. As Billy Phelps and John McCormick suffer through financial crisis, the loss of their chef, and a crumbling relationship, the filmmakers turn the camera on New York City's legendary restaurateurs who prove that dreams can come true.

Billy and John's gamble to open a restaurant together takes shape on Division Street, a unique block in Brooklyn that separates the Satmar Jewish community of Williamsburg from the Latino neighborhood of the South Side. During the course of a year, they convert a former check-cashing shop located under the elevated train tracks of the J/M/Z subway lines into a retro speakeasy. But before the restaurant is fully built they come close to bankruptcy and almost call it quits on their friendship.

Throughout the movie, New York City's renowned restaurateurs and chefs reflect on the challenges of opening and running a restaurant. Like the chorus of a Greek play, Daniel Boulud, Sirio Maccioni, Keith McNally, Drew Nieporent, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Danny Meyer act as a foil to the idealistic entrepreneurs.

download production stills from the movie

news
Washingston Post. April 23, 2004
New York Times. January 30, 2004
New York Times. October 29, 2003
Connecticut Post. November 2, 2003
Film Threat. June 26th, 2003
Variety. June 16th, 2003
Variety. November 10th, 2002
The New York Post. October 16th, 2002
New York Magazine: Restaurants. From the week of October 7th, 2002
Films In Review
The New York Observer
New York 1 Interview

contact

Andrew Rossi
andrew@eatthisnewyork.com

more on...Eat This New York

pop*eye...God Help The Girl

‘God Help The Girl’
; A Story Set To Music By Stuart Murdoch Of Belle & Sebastian

‘God Help The Girl’ is a story set to music, which Stuart Murdoch has been working on intermittently for the last five years, its origin in some songs that were written while Belle and Sebastian were touring ‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress’ in 2004. Stuart explains:

Stuart Murdoch

"I was out for a run and I got this tune in my head and it occurred to me that it wasn't a Belle & Sebastian song. I could hear female voices and strings, I could hear the whole thing, but I just couldn’t envisage myself singing it with the group.”

As more songs emerged, a shape and theme began to develop, before the music was actually recorded, or the vocalists found to take on the parts.

“All the time I was touring with Belle and Sebastian, I was putting aside songs for certain characters,” he says, “and at one point I realised, that it would make sense to string them together to form the backbone of a musical narrative.”

Belle and Sebastian

The hunt was then on to find some great new voices to put to use during the recordings. A competition where singers could add their vocals to the demo recordings of ‘Funny Little Frog’ and ‘The Psychiatrist Is In’ was posted on the iMeem social networking site and attracted around 400 entries. From these, Brittany Stallings (Olympia, Washington) and Dina Bankole (Jackson, Michigan) came to Glasgow in February 2008 to rehearse and record some parts, Brittany making the lead vocal part on ‘Funny Little Frog’ her own.

God Help The Girl :: “Funny Little Frog”

Brittany Stallings

Dina Bankole

The main star of the show, though, is Limerick girl Catherine Ireton, who sings on 10 of the 14 tracks. Interestingly, she appeared on the sleeve of Belle & Sebastian’s last single, White Collar Boy (see below).

Catherine Ireton

Among those who auditioned early in the process was Catherine Ireton, who had moved from Limerick to Glasgow, a friend of a friend, who had previously appeared on the sleeve of Belle and Sebastian’s last single, ‘The White Collar Boy.’ She took on the lead vocals for the majority of the songs on the record.

The recording continued during 2008, with a total of nine different singers (including Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy and Asya from American teen trio, Smoosh) joining the members of Belle and Sebastian over the course of a few months. During this, Mick Cooke’s orchestral arrangements were recorded in London with the orchestra before the finishing touches were applied in Glasgow.

Celia Garcia
*Lovely...y

Several were discovered by Murdoch in an open call for singers back in 2007 such as American pair Dina Bankole and Brittany Stallings, while Scotland is represented by local lass Celia Garcia (see top picture).

The result is a breathtaking record from one of pop’s most singular voices, combining the strengths and feel of the early Belle and Sebastian records in a broader musical palette, which draws equally on musicals, sixties’ girl groups, eighties’ indie and, most of all, classic pop records. And, in Catherine, Stuart has found a rare talent - her clear, lilting vocals bringing to life the characters in Stuart’s imagination and making for an ambitious and engrossing musical journey

Alex Klobouk

As for the reason to bring in different vocalists, Murdoch goes into detail as to why he decided to go this route, “I was out for a run and I got this tune in my head and it occurred to me that it wasn’t a Belle & Sebastian song. I could hear female voices and strings, I could hear the whole thing, but I just couldn’t envisage myself singing it with the group.” He continues, “All the time I was touring with Belle and Sebastian, I was putting aside songs for certain characters,” he says, “and at one point I realized, that it would make sense to string them together to form the backbone of a musical narrative.”

Catherine and Laura

God Help The Girl

The album is set to be released on June 22nd (23rd in the US) with the single “Come Monday Night” due out on May 11th. You can hear that single below, which features the vocals of Catherine Ireton (the female on the cover of the “White Collar Boy” single), who also serves as one of the primary vocalists on the record. From what I’ve heard so far, this is essentially Belle & Sebastian at it’s purest. It’s heavenly indie pop, that would almost be impossible not to like. The different vocalists add an interesting dynamic to many of these familiar songs; along with them being completely reworked, which happens to still sound very fresh. I’m sure many will just groan and would rather have a new album, but I would suggest to give this one a listen.

God Help The Girl :: “Come Monday Night”

God Help The Girl
The full tracklisting is below, with guest vocalists noted:

Tracklisting / Vocalist

01. Act of the Apostle (Catherine Ireton)
02. God Help the Girl (Catherine Ireton)
03. Pretty Eve in the Tub (Stuart Murdoch and Catherine Ireton)
04. A Unified Theory (Instrumental)
05. Hiding Neath My Umbrella (Catherine Ireton and Stuart Murdoch)
06. Funny Little Frog (Brittany Stallings)
07. If You Could Speak (Catherine Ireton and Anna Miles)
08. Musician Please Take Heed (Catherine Ireton)
09. Perfection as a Hipster (Neil Hannon and Catherine Ireton)
10. Come Monday Night (Catherine Ireton)
11. Music Room Window (Instrumental)
12. I Just Want His Jeans (Asya)
13. I’ll Have to Dance With Cassie (Catherine Ireton)
14. A Down and Dusky Blonde (Dina Bankole, Catherine Ireton, Celia Garcia, Brittany Stallings, Asya)

“Come Monday Night” will be the lead single, backed by a curiously titled track called “Howard Jones Is My Mozart”. That’s one song I’m dying to here.

Stuart is Genius, this is going to be amazing! ...sounds wonderful, i am excited !!

(God Help The Girl official site)

(God Help The Girl at imeem, God The Help The Girl at MySpace)