True American Idol

I pity anyone in my town who stayed home to watch a silly singing contest on television tonight, while Tony Bennett was downtown blowing the roof off the Meyerson. One of the best, most memorable musical performances I've ever seen, or ever will.

UPDATE: My super-brief "review" on FrontBurner.

Currently Intruiged By:

The work of Emma Kidd, on her site benconservato ("well preserved").

GE One Second Theater

Not sure how long this has been going on, but I noticed an episode flash by for the first time tonight. I can imagine this barely-liminal conduit being exploited in many ways.

The Future of Books

Great piece from Kevin Kelly in yesterday's NYT Magazine.

I note that the article illustration (above, Abelardo Morell / Bonni Benrubi Gallery for the NY Times), previously appeared on the 1997 paperback cover of Nicholson Baker's excellent essay collection, The Size of Thoughts. Are there really so few good pictures of books available?

Conan Versus Bear

Gloriously self-explanatory.

Final Episode Cameo

Pretty sure that was Sorkin at the inauguration.

Cafe Istanbul

If you haven't tried it, try it. Excellent food, excellent atmosphere. I remain consistently fond of the Doner Durum (No. 11 on the menu). Super babaganush. Dine outside on the quietly breezy, awninged sidewalk patio, or watch the bellydancer inside (Friday and Saturday nights) for a more lively time. Right around the corner from the Inwood Theater. Great strolling destination after a film.

Amanita Design

If you've ever wandered around the Polyphonic Spree site, you may have already seen a cousin of the Samorost flash games. Interactive art that promotes context-awareness and intuition-driven problem solving. Beautifully satisfying and soothing. Play them.

Check out the Amanita animation clips, too. (Sorry, no direct URLs.)

Worthy of Guarded Optimism?

Sports Night, West Wing, Studio 60.

Visit to Another Planet

Had occasion to visit a $28M home tonight. No, I wasn’t bartending. Less than 2 miles from my front door, but it might as well have been Versailles—or Venus. Truly staggering opulence.

The annual property taxes for the place are comparable to the market value of my house.

It was easily the most expensive current, full-time residence I’ve ever been inside—the only two exceptions I can think of being the White House and Blenheim Palace.

The pool house alone was a Fitzgerald or Cheever story brought to life.

Earlier in the day, I’d been haggling over a $100 line item with my contractor. Imagine how silly I felt about it, strolling around that jaw-dropping castle. A C-note probably wouldn’t get me a switchplate in that joint.

Murder Richard Benjamin?

Never even knew she had a sister.