Every year, I post a summary of a lot of the things I saw, read, did, experienced in the last 12 months. I'll add a little commentary and links where I can if you want to see more or buy the book at my Amazon store or elsewhere. Share your favorite experiences from 2009 too please.BOOKS
Nonfiction:
- King of Madison Avenue, David Ogilvy biography, by Kenneth Roman -- poignant and detailed biography of the legend. I read this the month before I came back to Ogilvy and it was worth it.
- Five Men Who Broke My Heart, Susan Shapiro
- Only As Good As Your Word, Susan Shapiro -- good advice for writers from my writing teacher
- The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (memoir)
- You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas, Augusten Burroughs
- How We Decide, Jonah Lehrer
- The 4-Hour Workweek, Timothy Ferris -- shocking approach to life, including don't watch the news. If something's important, someone will tell you.
Fiction:
- Speed Shrinking, Susan Shapiro -- hilarious & my teacher's recent novel.
- Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout (Short stories) -- excellent collection. Won the Pulitzer.
- It's Beginning to Hurt, James Lasdun (Short Stories)
- East of Fifth Bliss, Doug Light (novel) - great East Village story, and by former colleague at Ogilvy
- The Vast Fields of Ordinary, Nick Burd - first novel from a great writer. Recommend buying it, reading it plus also good way to support emerging writers.
- How It Ended, Jay McIerney
FILM
- Objectified — a documentary about objects
- Julia & Julie — The better Meryl Streep vehicle in 2009
- Where the Wild Things Are — stunning
- A Serious Man - Quirky Cohen Brothers picture
- The September Issue, documentary — The real Devil Wears Prada
- A Single Man — Tom Ford's film. Beautiful and haunting.
- Up in the Air — killer opening credits and music
- The Hangover — finally saw this
- Avatar — didn't see it in 3D and it was still good.
- OSS 077: Cairo, Nest of Spies - French sendup of Bond and Austen Powers. Not great.
ART & ARCHITECTURE
- Musuem of Art & Design, New York
- Brooklyn Museum
- Rubel Collection, Miami (Feb)
- Shepard Fairey Exhibit, ICA Boston (April)
- Museum of Handbags & Purses, Amsterdam (March)
- Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (March)
- Anne Frank House, Amsterdam (March) - Book tickets in advance!
- Congress Hall, Philadelphia (April) - Went with Adam. Ran for president.
- Dwell House Tour, Brooklyn (May)
- Frank Lloyd Wright Exhibit, Guggenheim (June)
- Intrepid Museum (July) - not as good for kids as you'd think
- Sistine Chapel, Rome (Sept) - worth waiting on line in the rain for 2 hrs
- Roman and Imperial Forum, Rome (Sept) - worth doing a private tour
- Salk Institute, San Diego (Oct)
- ArtHome, Palais du Tokyo, Paris (Nov) - food meets design/art. Read the review.
- Louvre, Paris (Nov) - re-visited Venus de Milo, Winged Victory & La Jaconde
- Cite L'Architecture, Palais Chaillot, Paris (Nov)
THEATRE/MUSIC
- Met Opera Backstage Tour (March) - we took my parents on a saturday afternoon and it was a good way to see behind the scenes.
- Alan Cumming, Rose Hall (Feb) - if you can ever see him in person or perform, do it.
- Next to Normal (June) - thought it was going to be another coming out musical but it was not. recommend it if you love bold lyrics and heartbreaking story.
- U2, Giants Stadium (Sept) - amazing spectacle
- Aida, Met Opera HD - got to eat popcorn and watch live opera. (November)
- Brief Encounter, Noel Coward, St Anne's Warehouse Brooklyn (December)
WROTE/PUBLISHED:
- Minding the Snore, New York Press
- Talk to Me About My Pet, Our Town and West Side Spirit
- Clean Plates -- I only named it. Jared Koch wrote it. Fabulous guide to healthier eating too
- Real Simple Life Lessons Essay -- on my mugging when I first moved to NYC (waiting to hear)
- Advertising Age DigitalNext pieces (5)
- Lots more - will update
