Hollywood Blvd. the unhoused, the street cleaners, the workers, the stars! Norton Simon Museum/Ozu at Academy/pic of architect & interior designer in my house and Nancy & her quilt!
I can't describe how much I look forward to your Saturday Substack Summary! And, indeed...at every museum I visit, I am also asking 'Where are the women?' It's a question I wish historians and museum curators would answer...better late than never! Also, wondering when you'll release 'Older and Wider'...waiting as patiently as is possible (read: not very :).
HA. Well, unless you are a Virgin about to be impregnated by god or the mother of the Virgin about to be impregnated by god, or like... Venus. But yeah, it's male heavy.
So funny, when you said "people with mental health" I was like "Is that a new thing the people are saying now??"
Oh, my gosh, I love the Norton Simon Museum. I adore museums. I loved it that you showed us some of the pieces of art! Thank you.
I grew up in Spain so 100% of people were catholic. But my family was not religious at all. We never went to mass. But I went to catholicl school and some of the nuns were super cool and open-minded and others were just so rigid. It was all about personalities, really.
I'm going to look for the Little Richard documentary and for the book Counterlife. They sound really interesting! Thank you!
Yes, that's what I found too - the best and... ahem, the worst were drawn to the life of a nun. The Little Richard Doc is worth it. I don't know if I would have stuck with Philip Roth if I hadn't taken a class, reading Mickey's Sabbath, a while ago. It's not for everyone, but I think he's incredible, and brilliant - even though he is a raging narcissist and misogynist. Some of the women I know can't take it and I understand. But I get a lot out of the books of his that I've read.
I still have VERY fond memories of you doing an early version of Letting Go of God at TAM and it was so so good, and at the end the audience erupted in cheers and applause, leaped to their feet, and you were too busy shuffling your paper notes and didn't notice for a solid five seconds, long enough for me to think, "Oh my, when she looks up..." and when you looked up the shock and surprise and delight on your face was amazing.
I love Saturday Substack time with you! Can subtitled art be a recurring feature? 😂 I just made a note to incorporate “Art Escapes” into my week starting NOW. And then I listened again and you said “Artist Dates” (I am also the age of Barbie, the hearing is going...) Either way, I love it and I’m all in. Thank you for these weekly updates of joy!
We're in agreement on the wonderful Yasujiro Ozu. I wonder what sort of presence he has in Japan today. Does the average Japanese young person even know who he is? Maybe that's like asking if the average American young person knows who Orson Welles or Ernst Lubitsch were.
I think they do know - but I am basing that on what my sister tells me. She lives in Japan, and has for 35 years. But she is also my age, so knows what the young people know! I just had someone forward me some info about an Ozu retrospective in Tokyo. Ozu probably is like Lubitsch here in the USA, in that unless you are a film lover you don't know him.
The next time you are walking in that area, say hello to Virginia Cherrill’s star (distant relative). She was the “blind girl” in Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights and first wife of Cary Grant (short marriage!)
Very enjoyable spending time with you, Julia. It was 7:00 PM my time, however. Love the sculpture garden commentary. I've decided that I need to visit with Zenos Frudakis to get his take on things. If you are in Philadelphia, I will take you to the Rodin Museum. You will love it! Then we will see Zenos' Freedom Sculpture on 17th and Vine! Not Hollywood, but Philadelphia.
Isn't it a heartbreak? Someone like him, so talented, so unique, so much to give the world, so much he GAVE to the world - and yet his personal life full of torture, mostly because of shame and religiously fueled indoctrination.
Julia, it seems like solitude is very much on your mind: a need to carve out time to do things like see museums by yourself, and a demand to find some time to write. Me, too.
And: what a cool sculpture garden! Rodin flew right past the traditions of his predecessors, and boy howdy did he do anguish well.
I feel like you might have a bright future writing in hollywood if you hang in there! Really though, you'll certainly have an audience here of folks who would be happy to read through your stuff, even if it's just for fun... maybe especially if it's just for fun?
I do! She advises, in the book, that after a month, you should go through and sit for an hour and read them through - as if you are trying to understand how a brain works. What are you obsessed with? What comes up over and over again, etc. I have learned a lot about my own wounds, what I can't seem to let go of, what I compulsively think about, what is so obviously out of my control, just reading what I wrote. It's super embarrassing sometimes. But always useful. Anyway I do keep them, but now they take up a lot of room and I'm wondering if it's worth it to scan them. Probably not. But I can't seem to let go of them, like I'm going to read them all one day.
I vote to keep them. They're irreplaceable. I've got every diary/journal I've written since 6th grade and if our house caught fire they'd be the first things I'd grab. I did scan one journal, a daily meditation book my mom kept with her underlines and notes in the margins of family milestones as the original is with another family member. I share the growing-up-Catholic angst, including crushing on St. Francis.
How lucky are you, that you happened upon that guy with the lights? that’s brilliant. Thank you, Rueben…
My Graumann’s Theatre story, I put my hands into Marilyn Monroe’s handprints and they fit like a glove. I have the same hands as Marilyn! 😁 My feet were boats compared to hers though 🤣 She had tiny feet!
I’d love more SNL stories… they’re always so great.
It’s funny, it doesn’t matter what continent you live on, comedy writers/comedians/writers rooms etc are exactly the same the world over. It’s more satisfying to make a fellow writer laugh…
Where can I find the Little Richard documentary?
Please can we have more random thoughts internal monologue museum visits, that made me snort, you know one of those embarrassing snorts!
Aw Amanda! Thank you. Wow, Marilyn's hands! Sweet. She was probably wearing very high heels, those make your feet look very small. And yes, the comedy writers are all the same, everywhere. I think it's partly true for scientists as well, from what I know from my husband - they are trying to show the other scientists they respect what they can achieve. At least that is the benevolent way of saying it! I do want to do more museum visits!
I can't describe how much I look forward to your Saturday Substack Summary! And, indeed...at every museum I visit, I am also asking 'Where are the women?' It's a question I wish historians and museum curators would answer...better late than never! Also, wondering when you'll release 'Older and Wider'...waiting as patiently as is possible (read: not very :).
I am going to release it, January 1. I will explain why in a written post I'm going to put out this week. I'm glad you want to see it. Thank you!
What are you talking about? Women didn’t exist back then… 😉
😁
HA. Well, unless you are a Virgin about to be impregnated by god or the mother of the Virgin about to be impregnated by god, or like... Venus. But yeah, it's male heavy.
Omg! I love you!!!! The commentary on the art has me laughing hard!!!!!
Xo thankyou
So funny, when you said "people with mental health" I was like "Is that a new thing the people are saying now??"
Oh, my gosh, I love the Norton Simon Museum. I adore museums. I loved it that you showed us some of the pieces of art! Thank you.
I grew up in Spain so 100% of people were catholic. But my family was not religious at all. We never went to mass. But I went to catholicl school and some of the nuns were super cool and open-minded and others were just so rigid. It was all about personalities, really.
I'm going to look for the Little Richard documentary and for the book Counterlife. They sound really interesting! Thank you!
Yes, that's what I found too - the best and... ahem, the worst were drawn to the life of a nun. The Little Richard Doc is worth it. I don't know if I would have stuck with Philip Roth if I hadn't taken a class, reading Mickey's Sabbath, a while ago. It's not for everyone, but I think he's incredible, and brilliant - even though he is a raging narcissist and misogynist. Some of the women I know can't take it and I understand. But I get a lot out of the books of his that I've read.
I still have VERY fond memories of you doing an early version of Letting Go of God at TAM and it was so so good, and at the end the audience erupted in cheers and applause, leaped to their feet, and you were too busy shuffling your paper notes and didn't notice for a solid five seconds, long enough for me to think, "Oh my, when she looks up..." and when you looked up the shock and surprise and delight on your face was amazing.
So *I'm* glad you made it.
Phil!!!! You are so lovely to remember that and to tell me about it. Of course it means a lot, and especially coming from you.
🥰
My “Confirmation” name is Bernadette because of Jennifer Jones.
After 16 years of Catholic education, I’m an atheist with excellent handwriting
HAHAHA! I love that. I have pretty good handwriting myself! HMMMM...
I love Saturday Substack time with you! Can subtitled art be a recurring feature? 😂 I just made a note to incorporate “Art Escapes” into my week starting NOW. And then I listened again and you said “Artist Dates” (I am also the age of Barbie, the hearing is going...) Either way, I love it and I’m all in. Thank you for these weekly updates of joy!
I like "Art Escape" better than "Art Date." "Art Date" seems like I have to make a pass at myself at some point.
Another great video, Julia.
We're in agreement on the wonderful Yasujiro Ozu. I wonder what sort of presence he has in Japan today. Does the average Japanese young person even know who he is? Maybe that's like asking if the average American young person knows who Orson Welles or Ernst Lubitsch were.
I think they do know - but I am basing that on what my sister tells me. She lives in Japan, and has for 35 years. But she is also my age, so knows what the young people know! I just had someone forward me some info about an Ozu retrospective in Tokyo. Ozu probably is like Lubitsch here in the USA, in that unless you are a film lover you don't know him.
The next time you are walking in that area, say hello to Virginia Cherrill’s star (distant relative). She was the “blind girl” in Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights and first wife of Cary Grant (short marriage!)
I got a biography of Cary Grant recently, I bet I'll learn about Virginia Cherrill in that. xoxo
Very enjoyable spending time with you, Julia. It was 7:00 PM my time, however. Love the sculpture garden commentary. I've decided that I need to visit with Zenos Frudakis to get his take on things. If you are in Philadelphia, I will take you to the Rodin Museum. You will love it! Then we will see Zenos' Freedom Sculpture on 17th and Vine! Not Hollywood, but Philadelphia.
Margaret! I would love to go to the Rodin Museum someday. xoxo
Hi Julia, I’m loving your walks through Los Angeles places. I lived there for many years between growing up and moving back to Chicago.
Hollywood/Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce needs to buy these SSS from you and put them on TV.
Thank you! What an idea!
This was delightful. Thanks. I saw the Little Richard documentary. It is sad what religion did to him.
Isn't it a heartbreak? Someone like him, so talented, so unique, so much to give the world, so much he GAVE to the world - and yet his personal life full of torture, mostly because of shame and religiously fueled indoctrination.
He wasn’t hurting anyone.
Julia, it seems like solitude is very much on your mind: a need to carve out time to do things like see museums by yourself, and a demand to find some time to write. Me, too.
And: what a cool sculpture garden! Rodin flew right past the traditions of his predecessors, and boy howdy did he do anguish well.
He did do anguish well! And yes, I have to get disciplined and get quiet and calm. Otherwise I'm going to have to give up this dream of writing.
I feel like you might have a bright future writing in hollywood if you hang in there! Really though, you'll certainly have an audience here of folks who would be happy to read through your stuff, even if it's just for fun... maybe especially if it's just for fun?
Curious if you keep your Morning Pages.
I do! She advises, in the book, that after a month, you should go through and sit for an hour and read them through - as if you are trying to understand how a brain works. What are you obsessed with? What comes up over and over again, etc. I have learned a lot about my own wounds, what I can't seem to let go of, what I compulsively think about, what is so obviously out of my control, just reading what I wrote. It's super embarrassing sometimes. But always useful. Anyway I do keep them, but now they take up a lot of room and I'm wondering if it's worth it to scan them. Probably not. But I can't seem to let go of them, like I'm going to read them all one day.
I vote to keep them. They're irreplaceable. I've got every diary/journal I've written since 6th grade and if our house caught fire they'd be the first things I'd grab. I did scan one journal, a daily meditation book my mom kept with her underlines and notes in the margins of family milestones as the original is with another family member. I share the growing-up-Catholic angst, including crushing on St. Francis.
Firstly, those glasses are amazing. Love them 😍😍
How lucky are you, that you happened upon that guy with the lights? that’s brilliant. Thank you, Rueben…
My Graumann’s Theatre story, I put my hands into Marilyn Monroe’s handprints and they fit like a glove. I have the same hands as Marilyn! 😁 My feet were boats compared to hers though 🤣 She had tiny feet!
I’d love more SNL stories… they’re always so great.
It’s funny, it doesn’t matter what continent you live on, comedy writers/comedians/writers rooms etc are exactly the same the world over. It’s more satisfying to make a fellow writer laugh…
Where can I find the Little Richard documentary?
Please can we have more random thoughts internal monologue museum visits, that made me snort, you know one of those embarrassing snorts!
Got to make a lemon bar later… 🤣
Great summary 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Oh St Francis!
Aw Amanda! Thank you. Wow, Marilyn's hands! Sweet. She was probably wearing very high heels, those make your feet look very small. And yes, the comedy writers are all the same, everywhere. I think it's partly true for scientists as well, from what I know from my husband - they are trying to show the other scientists they respect what they can achieve. At least that is the benevolent way of saying it! I do want to do more museum visits!
Nice to see you hooked up with Christine again, and glad she's doing better. Those are hilarious captions.
Thank you Jason!!!!