Quote of the day: WRITING

November 3, 2013

WRITING

I am an unashamed dinosaur; I still seek out a plot-driven narrative with a beginning, a middle and an end — the last reached after a steadily accelerating cadence. As to research, I eschew virtually all online fact searching because so much is either rubbish or inadequate. The old ways still work best. I seek out the expert steeped in knowledge of his subject and ask for an hour of his time. I usually secure everything I need and probably several extraordinary anecdotes that would never be on the Internet. The same applies to places — even hellholes like Mogadishu. It is a slog to haul the old bones across the world, but I could never have described Somalia from 6,000 miles away. The obsession with accuracy, deriving from my years in journalism, pays off. The readers seem to like it.

— Frederick Forsyth

forsyth


Photo diary: Peru part 5 (Cuzco)

November 3, 2013

(click on pictures to enlarge)

First, Javier and Katya took us to the Indian market to do some shopping (a fashion show was going on at the same time) and then to the gayest establishment in Peru, possibly in all of South America, the Fallen Angel restaurant and hotel.

10-3 headed to cuzco market10-3 produce10-3 beans10-3 possible purchase10-3 fashion runway10-3 fallen angel 210-3 katya and artwork10-3 sur la table


In this week’s New Yorker

November 3, 2013

It’s the Food Issue, with terrific  in-depth stories on Greek yoghurt by Rebecca Mead, Adam Gopnik baking bread with his mother, the question of animals we love to much to eat by Dana Goodyear, and Italian superstar chef Massimo Bottura by Jane Kramer. Plus a few short takes, including one by Zadie Smith that I liked very much. And a short story by Thomas McGuane full of surprising and emotionally charged sentences called “Weight Watchers.”

weight watchers


Photo diary: Peru part 4 (Pucallpa)

November 3, 2013

10-4 macaws10-4 llerena10-5 vincent don by the pool10-15 pucallpa traffic10-15 bank ad10-15 ten soles note front10-15 ten soles note back10-15 don with schipibo pillars


Playlist: iPod shuffle 11/3/13

November 3, 2013

“Soon Enough,” Aimee Mann
“Forecast Fascist Future,” Of Montreal
“Feeling of Beauty,” Tift Merritt
“Ya Hey,” Vampire Weekend
“Beautiful,” Adam Cohen
“Wolly Wolly Gang,” Tune-Yards
“Modern Aquatic Nightsongs,” Atlas Sound
“Moments Like This,” Alison Krauss & Union Station
“Acorn Factory,” the Dodos
“Sonnet 10,” Rufus Wainwright
“Another Thought (Me for Real),” Arthur Russell
“One Evening,” Feist
“Chances Are,” Sheryl Crow
“Friday Night,” Lily Allen
“The Other Side,” Scissor Sisters
“Chuch,” Shabazz Palaces
warm shadow“Warm Shadow,” Colin Stetson & Justin Vernon
“Jesus Didn’t Love Us Enough,” Dudley Saunders
“Zephyr & I,” Suzanne Vega
“Don’t Fucking Tell me What to Do,” Robyn
“Cupid,” Amy Winehouse
“Magnetic,” Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (The Social Network OST)
“Idioteque,” Radiohead
“Michelle Johnson,” Me’Shell Ndegeocello
“Please Be Kind,” Sarah Vaughan
“Lay Myself Down,” Mazzy Star

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“Soon Enough,” Aimee Mann

“Forecast Fascist Future,” Of Montreal

“Feeling of Beauty,” Tift Merritt

“Ya Hey,” Vampire Weekend

“Beautiful,” Adam Cohen

“Wolly Wolly Gang,” Tune-Yards

“Modern Aquatic Nightsongs,” Atlas Sound

“Moments Like This,” Alison Krauss & Union Station

“Acorn Factory,” the Dodos

“Sonnet 10,” Rufus Wainwright

“Another Thought (ME for Real),” Arthur Russell

“One Evening,” Feist

“Chances Are,” Sheryl Crow

“Friday night,” Lily Allen

“The Other Side,” Scissor Sisters

“Chuch,” Shabazz Palaces

“Warm Shadow,” Colin Stetson & Justin Vernon

“Jesus Didn’t Love Us Enough,” Dudley Saunders

“Zephyr & I,” Suzanne Vega

“Don’t Fucking Tell me What to Do,” Robyn

“Cupid,” Amy Winehouse

“Magnetic,” Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (The Social Network OST)

“Idioteque,” Radiohead

“Michelle Johnson,” Me’Shell Ndegeocello

“Please Be Kind,” Sarah Vaughan

“Lay Myself Down,” Mazzy Star

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