“My meaning simply is, that whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do well; that whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself to completely; that in great aims and in small, I have always been thoroughly in earnest.” ? David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Fall is my favorite… Read more →
“That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history.” ? Aldous Huxley Just returned from an unreal trip to Hong Kong and Japan, I am right back into long days of writing and savoring the warm, sunny days and invigorating fall air of home. You need… Read more →
“ I dreamt of Japan long before I went there. Moss gardens, straw-mat rooms, wooden bridges arching in the moonlight, paper lanterns with the fire glowing inside.” ? Cathy N. Davidson, 36 Views of Mount Fuji As I write this, I am in Hong Kong and Japan, a lifelong dream finally happening… with articles on the many incredible finds coming… Read more →
“Faith comes and goes. It rises and falls like the tides of an invisible ocean. If it is presumptuous to think that faith will stay with you forever, it is just as presumptuous to think that unbelief will.” ? Flannery O’Connor, The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O’Connor In a matter of days, I leave for Hong Kong (thinking… Read more →
“There is a great deal that either has to be given up or be taken away from you if you are going to succeed in writing a body of work.” – Susan Sontag in her diary, 1979 Enter fall, my favorite season and an always a gorgeous time in San Francisco. As I explore a range of new spirits, restaurants,… Read more →
“If your project has real substance, ultimately the money will follow you… There is a German proverb: ‘Der Teufel scheisst immer auf den grössten Haufen’ [‘The Devil always sh–s on the biggest heap’]. So start heaping and have faith. Every time you make a film you should be prepared to descend into Hell and wrestle it from the claws of… Read more →
“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.” – Louisa May Alcott Another full round of recommends from the continual stream of new openings (I hit them all), forgotten (or never discovered) classics and… Read more →
“It’s not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out.” – Vaclav Havel, former Czech president Another late comer but packed full of recommends from the continual stream of new openings (I hit them all), forgotten (or never discovered) classics and notable drinks, from Napa to the… Read more →
“I am the rain coming from the dew that causes the grasses to laugh with the joy of life. I call forth tears, the aroma of holy work. I am the yearning for good.” – Hildegard of Bingen This newsletter is going out a bit late (I apologize), but I’m shooting for the next one to be on time. Just… Read more →
“There is a vitality, a life force that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost.” – Martha Graham Here’s hoping you’re experiencing rich summers thus far… as I work on… Read more →