Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
November 5, 2010
To Claire, From Sonny (short film)
A short film by a 17 year-old Josh Beattie.
Something never changes, doesn't matter how old you are. Yeah I'm getting a bit soppy here.
August 15, 2010
Drink, Play F&#k
The New Yorker interviews Andrew Gottlieb about his new book “Drink, Play, F@#k”. I wrote “Drink, Play, F@#k” because I was mystified by the success of “Eat, Pray, Love,” and I felt that the book, and its Oprah-sanctioned ubiquity, needed to be made fun of. Initially my book was just going to be a broad parody of Elizabeth Gilbert’s story. But, as I began outlining and writing, I realized that a straight parody would bore me (and, presumably, the readers) pretty quickly. I also realized that, while my book is basically just a humorous goof, I also had something to say about the differences and the similarities between the way men and women approach problems. I would say that the “Drink, Play, F@#k” ratio is approximately 72% parody, 27% greater statement, and 1% half-assed get-rich-quick-scheme.via
The New Yorker: Is this a book that celebrates an alternative male escape, or that mocks the idea that such an escape is valuable or possible?
Andrew Gottlieb: I have been married for twenty-one years, and I have three children. I would never mock any kind of male escape alternative. However, I’m not above mocking self-obsession, dramatic hand-wringing, and whiny navel-gazing.
I'm sure you men don't have to buy this book to master such things. These places just naturally bring out "the best" in you ;)
May 28, 2010
April 11, 2010
April 7, 2010
January 21, 2010
January 9, 2010
December 22, 2009
October 31, 2009
October 23, 2009
10 Things Guys Don't Get about Women (Spot on! lol)
Maybe we're biased, but guys like to think of ourselves as pretty easy to understand (sex, food, sex, sports and, um, sex). Women, on the other hand, have a trailer-load of quirks that just don't translate in the male universe. Here are a few female obsessions that guys think are totally weird.
10. What does our zodiac sign have to do with anything?
If the sun, moon and stars have so much control over our compatibility, we wonder what a bowl of Lucky Charms can do. Got milk?
9. Why do you need so many pillows?
Unless there's a surprise orgy scheduled for later, we don't see the need for 20 "decorative" pillows on the bed. Wait, there aren't any secret orgy parties, right?
8. Why are greeting cards so important?
It may have taken you hours to select the perfect card with just the right message, but it'll take us five seconds to toss it in the recycling bin. Sorry, we don't do Hallmark moments. Lingerie makes for a much better memory and memento.
7. Who needs candles when we have electricity?
If you're looking for low lighting, the glare from the TV as we're playing Madden should suffice. If it's the pretty flame that fascinates you, feel free to utilize the one on the stove to make us a grill cheese sandwich.
6. Why do you need to post everything on Facebook?
We don't smile for pictures and we definitely don't spend hours in the mirror practicing our pose, but apparently you girls do and build digital shrines to yourselves. Unless there are a few naked shots in the bunch, we're not interested in seeing slideshows of your entire life -- or how cute your cat is.
5. Why do you like bubble baths so much?
When it comes to bathroom activities, we enjoy standing as much as possible, so give us a shower (and a urinal) any day. Besides, since when is lying in a tepid pool of your own filth sexy? The bubbles don't help either.
4. Is that a purse or a suitcase?
The good thing about a home is it provides a great place to store all your stuff. There's no need to lug a week's worth of items around in a bag that's bigger than most small dogs. When we go out, we only carry what we need in a lovely invention known as the pocket. We're sure you've heard of it.
3. Is crying the answer for every emotion?
You cry when you're sad. You cry when you're mad. You even cry when you're happy. We just don't. It's less confusing that way.
2. If you don't like her then why is she your "friend"?
We just don't get why y'all hang out with someone on a regular basis and then talk smack about her behind her back. We don't like catty, but be sure to call us if there's a catfight.
1. Four words: "Sex and the City"
We thought show's cancellation would help, but with a second film adaptation on the way we'll have to suffer through even more comparisons to guys who don't even exist. What grown man wants to be called "Burger"? Now if there was a character with a cool name like "Mr. Big" we might be more inclined to pay attention. Oh, there is a guy named Mr. Big? So, how much sex actually happens in this city again?
Via
10. What does our zodiac sign have to do with anything?
If the sun, moon and stars have so much control over our compatibility, we wonder what a bowl of Lucky Charms can do. Got milk?
9. Why do you need so many pillows?
Unless there's a surprise orgy scheduled for later, we don't see the need for 20 "decorative" pillows on the bed. Wait, there aren't any secret orgy parties, right?
8. Why are greeting cards so important?
It may have taken you hours to select the perfect card with just the right message, but it'll take us five seconds to toss it in the recycling bin. Sorry, we don't do Hallmark moments. Lingerie makes for a much better memory and memento.
7. Who needs candles when we have electricity?
If you're looking for low lighting, the glare from the TV as we're playing Madden should suffice. If it's the pretty flame that fascinates you, feel free to utilize the one on the stove to make us a grill cheese sandwich.
6. Why do you need to post everything on Facebook?
We don't smile for pictures and we definitely don't spend hours in the mirror practicing our pose, but apparently you girls do and build digital shrines to yourselves. Unless there are a few naked shots in the bunch, we're not interested in seeing slideshows of your entire life -- or how cute your cat is.
5. Why do you like bubble baths so much?
When it comes to bathroom activities, we enjoy standing as much as possible, so give us a shower (and a urinal) any day. Besides, since when is lying in a tepid pool of your own filth sexy? The bubbles don't help either.
4. Is that a purse or a suitcase?
The good thing about a home is it provides a great place to store all your stuff. There's no need to lug a week's worth of items around in a bag that's bigger than most small dogs. When we go out, we only carry what we need in a lovely invention known as the pocket. We're sure you've heard of it.
3. Is crying the answer for every emotion?
You cry when you're sad. You cry when you're mad. You even cry when you're happy. We just don't. It's less confusing that way.
2. If you don't like her then why is she your "friend"?
We just don't get why y'all hang out with someone on a regular basis and then talk smack about her behind her back. We don't like catty, but be sure to call us if there's a catfight.
1. Four words: "Sex and the City"
We thought show's cancellation would help, but with a second film adaptation on the way we'll have to suffer through even more comparisons to guys who don't even exist. What grown man wants to be called "Burger"? Now if there was a character with a cool name like "Mr. Big" we might be more inclined to pay attention. Oh, there is a guy named Mr. Big? So, how much sex actually happens in this city again?
Via
October 18, 2009
September 20, 2009
September 1, 2009
Economists don't believe in soulmates
"Economists see markets at play everywhere. Even in your romantic life. Indeed, I’m one of the worst guests that you can invite to your wedding. Why? Because while most of your guests are listening for your love story, I’m listening for your contract. While others see a romantic courtship leading to the altar, I see people who are satisfied enough to stop searching for someone else.
Searching for a spouse is very similar to searching for a job. There is not one perfect job for each of us, but there are clearly better and worse jobs. So we hunt, for a spouse and a job. When do we stop? When the offer in the hand is better than the likely offer in the bush.
At a wedding I see a relationship that is good enough to settle down and start investing in. If you get a reasonable rate of return, investment in your relationship will make it truly better than any other relationship you could have.
As an economist I think that a good marriage, like a good employment relationship, emphasizes shared vision, common interests, complementary abilities, and gains from specialization..."
Read the full article...
Searching for a spouse is very similar to searching for a job. There is not one perfect job for each of us, but there are clearly better and worse jobs. So we hunt, for a spouse and a job. When do we stop? When the offer in the hand is better than the likely offer in the bush.
At a wedding I see a relationship that is good enough to settle down and start investing in. If you get a reasonable rate of return, investment in your relationship will make it truly better than any other relationship you could have.
As an economist I think that a good marriage, like a good employment relationship, emphasizes shared vision, common interests, complementary abilities, and gains from specialization..."
Read the full article...
July 1, 2009
June 15, 2009
May 12, 2009
March 24, 2009
Love on Location
Budapest to ViennaIn Richard Linklater's 1995 talk-fest Before Sunrise, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) meet on a train from Budapest to Vienna and embark on a daylong love affair. They squeeze a lot of romance into just a few hours, and you can too.
The most romantic train ride between the two cities is aboard the Orient Express; unfortunately it doesn't allow much stop-over time in Vienna (where Jesse and Celine spent an alluring day) before continuing on to Paris. But there are several other trains that make the same three-and-a half-hour trip, and they're all romantic. The gentle rocking of the car, the landscape speeding by — it's hard to resist.
Once you're in Vienna, stroll over the Zollamtssteg bridge and through Franziskanerplatz, one of the most beautiful squares in the city, and wind up in the tiny Friedhof der Namenlosen ("Cemetery of the Nameless"), just like they did in the movie. The great part about your journey is that it doesn't have to end by morning — you can sleep (or, something) the day away in a sexy circular bed overlooking the Danube at the Arcotel Kaiserwasser.
Arcotel Kaiserwasser: Wagramer Strasse 8;+43-(0)1-224-24-0
Gruissan-Plage and Paris
Betty Blue opens in the small fishing town of Gruissan-Plage in the south of France, where the lonely Zorg (Jean-Hugues Anglade) spends his days painting bungalows — until the ravishing and wildly unpredictable Betty (Béatrice Dalle) arrives and turns his world upside down.
You can get to Gruissan-Plage, about an hour from Perpignan and not far from the Spanish border, by flying into the Montpellier airport. Rent a room or a private bungalow a stone's throw from the beach and play out one of the hottest sex scenes captured on film. The next morning, go look at the pink flamingos that populate the salt-water lakes in the area.
When you're done frolicking in the sun, rent a (yellow, if you want to reenact the movie literally) car and hightail it to Paris. There, check into what the Times of London has declared "one of the world's sexiest hotel rooms" at the Murano Urban Resort. No, Zorg and Betty couldn't afford it, but believe me, you want your journey to end differently than theirs did anyway.
Murano Urban Resort: 13 Boulevard du Temple; +33-(0)1-42-71-20-00
Morocco
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine," Bogie's Rick lamented in Casablanca, arguably the most romantic movie ever made. Unfortunately, the modern-day Moroccan city of Casablanca is littered with high-rises, hookers, and hardly anyplace that Rick could've set up shop.
Maryam Montague, an American writer and style maven who moved to Morocco seven years ago with her family, recommends basing your visit in Fez or Marrakech instead, which "still have much of the Casablanca flavor. Walking through the medina, you feel like you've stepped back in time. Men and women in long hooded robes, souk sellers hawking their wares, and the smells of cumin, saffron and thyme wafting about — it's magic!"
To up the romance quotient even higher, Montague recommends visiting Chefchaouen, a small town tucked away in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. "The entire town is painted in trance-inducing shades of lavender and pale blue," she says. "We love to explore the labyrinth-like streets hand-in-hand and then idle the afternoon away in the city square, sharing pots of hot mint tea. The light is dreamy."
If you start your journey in Marrakech, you can stay at the luxurious Riad Farnatchi hotel, or shack up with the Montague family at their recently opened boutique hotel, Peacock Pavillions. When you head up to Chefchaouen, you'll find a raft of pensions and small hotels, each more charming than the next.
Riad Farnatchi: Derb el Farnatchi, Rue Souk el Fassis, Qua'at Ben Ahid, Marrakech Medina; +212-(0)24-38-49-10 or +212-(0)24-38-49-12
Peacock Pavillions: Kilometer 13, Route de Ourzazate, Marrakech; info@peacockpavilions.com; no phone
Montmartre, Paris
Let's face it, Paris is the most romantic city on the Earth and Amelie is possibly the most charming movie ever committed to film, so planning a weekend around the two is a guaranteed lovefest.
Cafe des deux Moulins in the Montmartre section of Paris, where Amélie was a waitress, is an essential destination. Stop in and sip a glass of Côtes du Rhône paired with some pigs' brains or calves livers — or, maybe just the wine. Since the movie's success, Montmartre has become wildly popular with Amélie fetishists, and walking around here, it's easy to see why. Enchanting old architecture, cozy "zinc cafes" filled with locals, and pleasantly wending alleyways abound. On one corner you might see a windmill you recognize from a Renoir painting, on another, statues of obscure saints. Whatever your religious persuasion, be sure not to miss the astonishingly beautiful Sacre-Coeur Basilica.
Before you head back to your sumptuous room at the Hotel Particulier Montmartre, make a field trip to the Chantal Thomass boutique for some exquisite lingerie. Then pop over to the world-famous fashionista headquarters, Colette, for a "sex candle" to help set the mood.
Café des deux Moulins: 15 Rue Lepic, 18e; +33-(0)1-42-54-90-50
Sacré-Coeur Basilica: Place du Parvis-du-Sacré-Coeur, 18e; +33-(0)1-53-41-89-00
Hôtel Particulier Montmartre: 23 Avenue Junot, 18e; +33-(0)1-53-41-81-40
Chantal Thomass: 211 Rue Saint-Honoré, 1e; +33-(0)1-53-70-27-27
Colette: 213 Rue Saint-Honoré, 1e; +33-(0)1-55-35-33-90
Call me cheesy but I've done the Amelie one and I want to follow the rest!
March 2, 2009
He's Just Not That Into You
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It's quite interesting and a little funny to find an article talking about a chick flick on a Buddhist website. Here they bring up the relationship issues in the movie, and *eyes roll* in reality, then sum it up into 7 lessons for us to ponder on.1. Some express aversion to those they have attachment to – because they are intimidated by their own attachment, such that they try to reverse it, to reject their attachment. What they really have is aversion to themselves, not the other. Why not try to cultivate equanimity beyond the extremes of attachment and aversion instead?
2. Marriage is supposed to express commitment, but marriage does not guarantee commitment. Marriage is supposed to be for greater security, but if so, those who are too eager to marry might be too insecure! If a couple is already happy together, is marriage necessary? Only if one or both are unhappy with being together without marriage?
3. Should a couple stop being together or nice to each other if they are not going to marry, lest hearts are broken via failed expectations? If they agree so, they must love marriage more than each other! Why let marriage be the third party? Doesn’t this reduce the possibility of willing and happy marriage instead?
4. What if a better person comes along after marriage? But didn’t you marry the one you already saw to be the best? But what if a better person does come along after marriage? Why not just be good friends? If not, the next question to ask is this – Why don’t you yourself be a better person, instead of continually seeking to be with a better person? Because there would be a happy end to the first option (when Buddhahood is attained), while the latter is going to take ‘forever’.
5. There is a hard and fast rule that we can’t really tell if our relationship is exceptional or the rule. There is no hard and fast rule as to who should first express interest in another. There is no hard and fast rule as to why expressed interest has to be for love instead of friendship. There is a hard and fast rule that love should be built upon friendship. If not, it could be built upon lustful infatuation. If love and marriage must be consummated by sex, maybe it is sex that is really loved instead?
6. There is no need to speculate or rationalise the cause of any tension in a relationship or a potential relationship. Just communicate forthrightly to clarify – because relationships thrive on communication. When there is no proper and honest communication, it is not a proper or honest relationship and can never become one.
7. Friendship that is conditional might seek more than friendship itself - when it wants to become love. If so, such love is also conditional. As such, most worldly love is still conditional. Neither marriage nor singlehood guarantees lasting happiness. Maybe there is no happy ending with another for everyone. Maybe it is just you, moving on. Because True Happiness is unconditional, it is not conditioned by being married or single. This is really good news for all – whether single or not!
February 24, 2009
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