Isabel Keating’s Blog

Locales to Visit

The Seaside in My Mom’s Hometown of Arcila, Morocco

Savannah, Georgia in the Spring

Foothills of the Berkshires, anyone?!

listening to

Mark Berman

Ken Ard

Jimmy Webb

Don Henley

Ray Charles

Ella Fitzgerald

Louis Armstrong

Ted Nash

Yola

Chet Baker

Mabel Mercer

Sarah Vaughan

Don Rosler

Richard Freitas

Tony Bennett

U2

Dolly Parton

Mark Hollman

Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em

Linda Ronstadt

The Mountain Goats

The National

The Red Clay Ramblers

Edith Piaf

Kurt Elling

Thelonious Monk

Tom Waits

Diana Krall

Charles Mingus

INTERESTING PEOPLE

Jim Keating

My father, so smart and so very kind and funny.

Mark Berman

Did I say gorgeous?.

And brilliant!

Tom Stoppard

Gorgeous and gifted.

Ted Nash and JJ McGeehan and Yola

Musos extraordinaires!

Stanley Tucci

Great actor, great director, and FUNNY!

Amy Arbus

Gifted photographer and great person.

Laurence Fishburne

Divinely talented, sexy as hell.

Marc Shaiman

Soulful, hilarious talent.

Rupert Holmes

If you like piña coladas, and excellent writing.

Jenny Lumet

Beautiful, talented writer and person.

Sam Mason

Exquisitely creative chef with a Midas touch!

Spider-Man

U2 charisma and Taymor magic make Peter Parker fly!

Richard Dawkins

Celebrated Oxford biologist.

Dick Cavett

Famed talk-show host and humorist turned blogger.

Isabel Talks! About: Books, People, Food, Life, Events, Films, Theatre, Flowers . . .

PICKS OF THE WEEK 10/26/09

Nightlife: Alan Cumming at the Highline Ballroom, Sunday, October 25 at 8 pm!

Restaurant: Tocqueville, One East 15th Street. It seems a little bit sadistic to talk about a meal at an event that has passed you by, but I maintain that though you have missed the titillating Eating Their Words (Marlo Hunter’s brainchild) you must go and taste Tocqueville. Marco Moreira and Jo-Ann Makovitzky (Chef and Owners). I should say EXPERIENCE. It is a feast for all the senses, though you will miss out on the plays by the extraordinary talents of Jonathan Marc Sherman, Theresa Rebeck and Sam Forman, not to mention the gifted actors Christopher Evan Welch, Austin Lysy and Aya Cash, along with me. Stay tuned for Marlo’s next event, it is an undeniably unique thing. And go to Tocqueville for the homemade gnocchi with wilted arugula, parmesan and brown butter, and the schmaltz roasted county chicken . . . . and so much more. Not enough space here to go into dessert, but suffice it to say that it will leave you weak-kneed. I am weak-kneed just thinking about this past Monday. Sigh. Go to, go to, as Pandarus would say. And of course, I still stand by Wild Hive Farm at 2411 Salt Point Turnpike in Clinton Corners, NY, up the Taconic in Dutchess County. An incredible place that continues to please, especially with the abundant fresh and local produce available from the farms in the region.

Books: Thelonious Monk: the Life and Times of an American Original, by Robin D.G. Kelley. Living with a piano prodigy and an acolyte of this master made me want to learn even more. So far, it proves to be passionate about its subject. I was led to it by having talked about a piece of music on Austin’s iPod that I thought was Monk-ish and turned out to be Ellington.. So go figure, Monk made an Ellington record early on in his career! See my SONG picks this week (or month more likely). And yes, once again, Kurt Vonnegut’s A Man Without A Country reaches the top of the pile, and once again, remains one of the few things that can make me laugh. He and these playwrights and actors and director I just worked with.

Songs: Add to my perpetual list of Mark (Berman) and me (“Si je t’aime” )and Don Rosler the amazing Monk. Everything from his catalog. And since I mentioned Ellington before, you have to hear Mingus, (his Ah Um was listed here recently) and Mingus with Ellington, which is what brought me back to Monk.

Podcast: Who doesn’t like to have a story read to them now and then?! The New Yorker Fiction Podcast

Website: wowOwow.com

Yes, it remains a top! And yes, still this exquisite etching spot, , A Doodle A Day which led me to Illustration Friday, and Paula Mills. Such a sensual tour of art, please stop at each one’s site and you will be tempted to never leave. Paula’s is a dream. Play: The Royal Family at MTC! Kaufman and Ferber and a great cast directed by Doug Hughes. Let Me Down Easy performed and written by Anna Deavere Smith at Second Stage. Charlayne Woodard’s one woman show The Night Watcher at Primary Stages. And though they don’t need any more seats filled, let’s put in a word for Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig in “A Steady Rain” by Keith Huff. Good luck getting a ticket!

Film: Bright Star

TV: Did I just say TV?! OMG. this is not believable! But it is true! YES! TV! If you absolutely must stay home and watch the tube, instead of getting thee OUT there to a THEATRE!!! Watch Nurse Jackie on SHOWTIME! ! Edie Falco! YES! (What wonderful music!!!!!) My sister Michelle is an E.R. nurse -- we will weigh in with her -- but I say, this is the REAL DEAL. Hilarious and NOT at the same time.