2008 May | Tower Blog

A Memorial Weekend Post

May 18, 2008 by Romy

Hello! Hello!

Memorial Day Weekend is just a few hours away and I have already started celebrating early in the office. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve found the official Memorial Day Weekend song – check out Weezer’s new song “Pork and Beans” on YouTube. Check out how the best YouTube celebrities unite under one song.

This song is the first to be released from their new Red album out June 24^th. Almost one month away! But I can already predict that the whole album is going to be the soundtrack to this summer.

In other news, I’m planning on spending this weekend gardening. With all this talk of “going green” what better way than to plant my own vegetable garden? I checked out this book from last year, and The Encyclopaedia of Vegetable Gardening to read up on my planting skills. I think I’m going to buy baby plants instead of growing them from seeds. But I don’t have the world’s biggest space for a garden. Actually – let me rephrase: I have a terrace in a big city which means I’ve gotta make the most of my space. I am inspired by the children’s book The Gardener about a little girl who goes to visit her uncle in a big city and creates a magical rooftop garden. I wonder how I can hire that little girl to create a magical garden on my terrace?

These books: Small Spaces, Beautiful Gardens, Big Ideas, Small Gardens and The Ultimate Book of Small Gardens will be the inspiration for my garden this summer. Maybe I’ll invite you all over for a BBQ when I’m all done…

- Romy

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Cannes You Dig It?

May 15, 2008 by Romy

It’s official – Cannes 2008 has started and promises to showcase this year’s best up-and-coming films. This year started with Blindness, by Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles who directed the incredible City of God (2004) and Constant Gardner (2006). The film is an adaptation of the book of the same name, which is about a world where everyone loses their sight, and in this case actors Gael Garcia Bernal, Sandra Oh and Mark Ruffalo are forced to re-imagine a world without vision. This “white blindness” caused by an unknown virus creates a terrifying world, and makes us think of our own reliance on this sense.

Speaking of Gael Garcia Bernal…

How can we ever forget his role as Che in Motorcycle Diaries? Well, this year Steven Soderbergh tries this very feat with Che. This time, Benicio Del Toro plays the infamous Cuban Revolution hero – the film starts where Bernal left off. For more information on Che check out this book, this biography or this new book: My Life With Che.

Out of the ‘Cannes Competition’ are films like Barry Levinson’s What Just Happened? with Robert De Niro, Sean Penn and Bruce Willis about a faded movie producer trying to figure out his life amongst ex-wives, Los Angeles and a teenage daughter.

Also, there’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Woody Allen’s latest film with his muse Scarlett Johansson, and the beautiful Penelope Cruz about a painter who simultaneously starts relationships with two American tourists in Spain.

Eat a croissant today and a café au lait in honor of the 61^st Cannes Film Fest!

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Achin’ for Clay Aiken?

May 15, 2008 by Romy

It’s no secret that American Idol fever has hit! With the last two David’s left in the competition, maybe it’s reminding us of our favorite male American Idol singer, Clay Aiken whose 4^th studio album, On My Way Here is storming the charts.

Clay’s been busy this year in Monty Python’s Broadway musical, Spamalot which just ended in New York. Of course, this timing is perfect for Aiken to take his new album on the road to his beloved fans.

This new album does not disappoint – it works as a reminder for why we voted him as our American Idol in 2003. Songs like “On My Way Here” and “The Real Me” are sure to become songs for your summer soundtrack!

Check out On My Way Here today!

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On the Tube This Week! May 12-May 16, 2008

May 13, 2008 by Romy

Monday, May 12

David Letterman: Shia LaBeouf, N.E.R.D.

Jay Leno: Jack Black, Clay Aiken

Late Late Show: John Stamos

Conan O’Brien: Jimmy Fallon, William Shatner, Gary Vaynerchuk

Ellen DeGeneres: Hugh Laurie

Tavis Smiley: Kelsey Grammer

Tuesday, May 13

David Letterman: Regis Philbin, Death Cab for Cutie

Jay Leno: Evangeline Lilly, Switchfoot

Late Late Show: John Cusack

Conan O’Brien: Steve Carell, Alyson Hannigan, Duffy

Daily Show: Bill Moyers

Regis and Kelly: Mario Lopez, Jimmy Buffett, Duffy

Ellen DeGeneres: Hilary Duff, Kevin Nealon

Martha Stewart: Joan Rivers

Wednesday, May 14

David Letterman: Jack Hanna, Kid Rock

Jay Leno: Rainn Wilson, Howard Dean, Kate Nash

Late Late Show: Tony Danza

Conan O’Brien: Gene Hackman, the Black Keys

Colbert Report: Grover Norquist

Jimmy Kimmel: Evangeline Lilly, Ben Barnes, Joe Jackson

The View: Sara Ramirez, Tony and Marc Danza

Thursday, May 15

David Letterman: America Ferrera, Russell Brand, Terry Fator

Jay Leno: Dana Delany, Hulk Hogan, Dwight Yoakam

Late Late Show: David Boreanaz, Carrot Top

Conan O’Brien: Carlos Mencia, MGMT

Last Call: Christina Ricci, Steve Byrne, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Daily Show: Denis Leary

Colbert Report: Andrei Cherny

Jimmy Kimmel: Josh Holloway, Brad Williams, Dierks Bentley

The View: Patrick Stewart, Kristen Alderson, Brandon Buddy, Robyn

Ellen DeGeneres: John Stamos, Bobby Flay

Friday, May 16

David Letterman: Teri Hatcher, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Jay Leno: Matthew Fox, Kathleen Edwards

Late Late Show: Reba McEntire, Vinnie Jones

Conan O’Brien: John Cena, Everest

Jimmy Kimmel: Ryan Seacrest, Clay Aiken, Kate Nash

The View: Teri Hatcher, Bernadette Peters

Ellen DeGeneres: Justin Timberlake, Duffy

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Are You Breathing? If the Answer is Yes: Read these Books!

May 13, 2008 by Romy

Well, it’s official! Sex and the City month of madness has officially started! If you were lucky enough to catch the crew on Oprah talking about the much hyped movie coming out May 30^thyou know what I’m talking about! Obviously I’ll talk more about that as the time gets closer, but what I’m excited about is the super cute, super lovable Harry (Charlotte’s little lawyer hubby) who is played by actor Evan Handler has a brand new book out called It’s Only Temporary: The Good New and the Bad News About Being Alive where his true charisma shines through. In the book he talks about his incredibly miraculous fight with leukemia in his twenties. More than anyone, it would seem that Handler has a true and hilarious grasp on what it means to be alive. All too often, perhaps some of us take this whole life thing a little too seriously, or worse still we take it for granted. Through hilarious and charming stories, like when Handel talks about his various relationship experiences, this book is truly valuable to anyone who breathes. Seriously!

Coincidently, there’s another book hitting the charts by storm. The incredible story of a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, who after being diagnosed with terminal cancer decided that he would give his “Last Lecture.” Much to the surprise of everyone who showed up, and even the professor Randy Pausch, hundreds of people showed up for his talk. The talk was so well received and so incredible, that a book entitled, Last Lecture was released in April as a means of documenting this lecture and his work for Pausch’s most important audience – his young children. This book is a memoir for his family, and for others who are looking for inspiration and perspective on this little, and magical thing we call life.

Learn more about the books discussed in this post: