February Worthwhile Stuff

📚 Books
Valley of the Dolls, Jacqueline Susann: It's hard to believe this book was written over 50 years ago because the female characters are so empowered and independent. Even though these women fall victim to the stifling constrictions of the 40s, 50s, and 60s, they are not afraid to ask for and go after what they want in every facet of their lives. Susann's depiction of the theatre and nightlife worlds of New York City exude aspirational and nostalgic glamour that's hard to resist. Despite the tragic arc of the story, I absolutely loved reading this book.

The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen, Jacques Pépin: This is such a well-written and uplifting book. I used to watch Jacques Pépin on PBS when I was a kid, but I knew virtually nothing about his life. It turns out that he has spent his whole life doing what he loves, and that he is a life-long learner who can find the positive side of any situation. The trajectory of his life is fascinating (he spent ten years working for Howard Johnson!), and along the way in the telling of his story, Pépin imparts knowledge about the history and impact of French chefs and French food on 20th Century America. As a bonus, the book also includes recipes at the end of each chapter.

The Rocks, Peter Nichols: This multi-generational drama is told in reverse chronological order, which also makes it a bit of a mystery. The reverse chronology – along with the exotic settings of Mallorca and Morocco, and a sub-plot involving retracing Odysseus's route from the Odyssey – make this book rather magical and hard to put down.


🎶 Music
"Meltdown", Jake Shears: This is basically a Scissors Sisters song, and I mean that in the best possible way. Serious "Filthy Gorgeous" vibes will definitely make you feel like dancing.


🎤 🎭 Performance
Mayer Hawthorne at Music Hall of Williamsburg: I hadn't seen an actual, straight-up Mayer Hawthorne show since 2016 (!!), so it was great to hear songs from A Strange Arrangement and How Do You Do performed live after such a lengthy hiatus. Indeed, Mayer played a great mix of songs from all his albums, plus most of his new singles, and a couple of Tuxedo songs. It was a highly satisfying set list, and the best way ever to spend a Friday night.

All The Devils Are Here – How Shakespeare Invented the Villain: This one-night-only one-man show by Patrick Page was, quite simply, flawless. It turned a random Monday night in February into a perfect NYC night during which I saw one of my favorite actors deliver a masterclass on Shakespeare’s villains, ran into a friend at the theater, and then got a slice of pizza at Joe’s on my way to the subway. Nights like this one are exactly why I live in New York. Patrick Page commanded a theater for over two hours. I have never been in a theatre that was as quite as this one when Patrick delivered scenes from a plethora of Shakespeare's works, with masterful performances featuring fully realized characters brought to life for mere minutes. In between scenes, he also provided elucidating commentary on the evolution of villains in Shakespeare's work from Henry VI to The Tempest. All the Devils are Here is a magic show of the most practical sort, and I would go see it again in a heartbeat if I could.


🎬 Film
Olympic Dreams: This fictional romantic drama was shot on location at the athletes' village of the 2018 Winter Olympics, which helps make Olympic Dreams a truly charming and unique film – and the insularity of the setting helps facilitate the story. Nick Kroll is wonderfully soulful and hilarious as a volunteer dentist, while Olympian Alexi Pappas is relatably neurotic as she struggles to make sense of her life after reaching the one goal she has devoted life to up until these games. I got lost in this film and found myself really caring for these two characters trying to work out their own problems while also trying to figure out how to care for each other. When I got out of the cinema, I realized that my own life had fallen away for the duration of this film, which is such a special and rare experience.

Emma.: This new version of Emma is one of the best Jane Austen adaptations I’ve seen: it's both fresh and timeless, with a wonderfully irreverent tone and many laugh-out-loud-funny moments. There is a ridiculousness to the whole thing that almost makes it feel like a satire of period pieces, but is also rather reminiscent of Clueless. Anya Taylor-Joy and Johnny Flynn are divinely matched as Emma and Knightley. The sets and costumes are pastel confections. Bill Nighy barely has any lines, but steals every single scene he's in with his wonderful, priceless facial expressions. However, despite all of these wonderfully delightful attributes, I left the theater wanting to go watch Clueless, because we all know Paul Rudd is the very best Knightley.