Pornology New York

In the span of a few months, I have been bombarded by sex in New York. On the cover of New York magazine, in plays including My First Time and my most recent installment CineKink's Pornology New York.

Everything I see as a writer hopefully contributes to a better understanding and sensibility to me with writing about sex. There was a scene in the CineKink feature that I cannot even describe because I am not sure what the man was doing to his girlfriend, except to say that it really looked painful.

And she loved it even though she cried and was visibly in pain. Pain for her experiencing it and me watching it! But when it was over, he said to her who loves you? She fell into his arms with ease and cried, at which point he was so tender and loving to her. You really have to trust someone in a situation like that. I guess you really need to love them and know that they love you because could it be any less?

How lucky am I to live in a city that is so sexually saturated media wise as an erotic (and romantic!) writer?

Post Rainy Sunday Brunch

Look at me--first I was not posting, now I have two posts in one day!

I had brunch at the Mercer Kitchen, a lovely lamb sandwich and a molten Valrhona chocolate cake that was so delicious that I almost was ashamed to eat it in public. I covered my face with my hand, and could not stop moving my feet out of my flip flops with each forkful.

But I digress--

I was sitting in the dry Mercer Kitchen (wet like crazy outside in New York City even though it was not supposed to be that bad with the threat of thunder storms) next to a man who travels between Miami and New York, and is such a regular there that he kept beckoning the hostess over to talk. Now the interesting part is I saw out of the corner of my eye that he had raised his glass of Fiji water to a woman who was sitting in the adjoining hotel lobby. My mind went crazy, as much of a Francophile as I am I ignored the French woman on my other side who was saying that she had been in New York so long that when she went to France they told her she could not speak French anymore--even as I am planning on going to Paris and am working on my French...I wondered if the man on my other side had had a long standing flirtation with the woman in the lobby? When he raised his glass, she looked at him bewildered. I was not sure if she was nervous or what. I kept an eye on their progress--he seemed to have stopped worrying about her and was talking to the hostess who he asked could he bring dessert and coffee into the lobby? The hostess said that he could only bring coffee. So with a grimace he took coffee solo into the lobby and sat across from the woman there with his cell phone. I actually scooted over in my seat to see what happened. But it was not until I was leaving that I saw the woman sitting lotus posed on the couch laughing with him.

That was a classic scene for an hopeless romantic, wasn't it? Kicked my inner Anais Nin into effect too because Anais was a brilliant diarist and people watcher. I think I have done a pretty good job in this post--oui?

The Frenzy

I went to a screening for my friend's film short. Why did I feel like a nerd? I was the only person looking at the screen. I am not sure why the other people were there. I wanted to see the film which I discovered was in a foreign language. I needed the director (my friend) to translate to me from the French above the music and liquor rising like heavy steam.

Images from the film are still with me. I feel brazen to want to create one for myself, but then I never said I was not brazen. Since I have to develop the script the day that I begin writing, I just have been collecting ideas. I asked a friend to write down a phrase that she said in the midst of conversation. She understood. Why I love my artist friends. They understand the madness. The frenzy.

Anais Anais

I saw this Irving Penn photograph of Anais Nin. I was talking with a woman who was remarked about Nin being a polygamist--one husband on each coast of the continental United States. I think it was kind of cool! I mean I am not the sort of person who would want to marry two men, but I can have nothing against a woman who was her age and able to pull it off. It is inspirational.

I told a guy I know so many times that he should read Little Birds that he finally bought it. I am waiting to see if he likes it, I have never tired of turning people onto her.

This image courtesy of http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/1aa/1aa393.htm

Sunday Afternoon with Rosemary

I was watching public television--I am not sure if I mention what channel that everyone will know what I am talking about--but the show was called "Rosemary Clooney--Girl Singer." I adore Rosemary Clooney. I am not much of a Christmas addict, but one of the great things about the holiday is to see White Christmas--which I did not see this year and I am not sure I was the same...

The thing that got me the most about the show was that almost in the beginning, we are told that Rosemary had five children in five years for her once husband Jose Ferrer. The marriage did not last, and it is heavily implied that it eventually led to her nervous breakdown from which she recovered brilliantly, and had a renewed career.

But the emphasis was references to the marriage, and how deeply in love she was with him (five kids in five years? I think there is not a question!). Her children said that the way that they could tell their parents really loved each other was because of the way they watched each other tell stories when they were in company. Rosemary was practically at Jose's feet, said one of her children. One of her sons said that when his father came over even after their divorce, Rosemary would ask him repeatedly if he wanted anything--which was shocking to her son because he said that his mother never waited on anyone, but she waited on his father.

I am a hopeless romantic, and I was struck by this. Rosemary was described as a wickedly funny and smart woman who sang songs for the words, not just the melody. I cannot stop singing to myself the song that goes "Come a to my house I am going to give you candy...I am going to give you everything..." I heard the double entendre! I saw it in her eyes too even though she was in black and white.

Her brother Nick said that she sang songs that reminded people of an America that was not any more or less cynical pre war--she sang an America that people dream of. The idealism of "simpler times."

I fell so much more madly in love with her than I was before after watching Girl Singer. Is there anything better than public television on a Sunday afternoon in New York City?

The picture of Rosemary Clooney from http://www.skylighters.org

Les Anges Exterminateurs

I went to see THE EXTERMINATING ANGELS (the image above is courtesy of indieWIRE. I am not interested in doing a blow by blow review. The main part of the movie was that a director wanted to expore women's private sexual lives and responses. It was hard for him in the movie (and I guess in reality?) to find women who wanted to explore that, no holds barred in front of a crew--to be displayed for the public. The movie was a sensation at Cannes, and caused a scandal in France.

France. Sexuality. Scandal. Need I say more?

The man next to me said that the movie was over the top. I personally have never seen a woman-women--masturbate in front of the camera for a non porn movie. Note, none of this was simulated. Every major sex scene was real. I had a bit of trouble with it, but the main trouble I had was why isn't there a movie like this with men? Shouldn't it be made? We don't know all of the aspects of male sexuaity do we? I would like to write, produce, direct and maybe even act in a movie where men are placed in the same way as women in this movie. If in enough of a state of arousal, would a man kiss another man even if he was not homosexual? Would he masturbate that man and perform oral sex on that man if they were both in enough of a state of arousal? I'm curious, I really want to explore this on film. I wonder if I am willing to explore it on paper or a computer screen first?

My guess? The story will come from my hands before you see it at any major theater--even as porn. Because as much phallic symbols as there are in the world, men still want to keep theirs hidden. I think they should come out of hiding...

Total Eclipse

Tonight there is a lunar eclipse, and I cannot help but be excited. Lunar eclipses are rare and mean that can be huge changes astrologically speaking. I am in love with this year--first it is the year of the pig, and a lunar eclipse to follow! I got information from everywhere about the supposed effects of the lunar eclipse. I am not sure I even subscribe to it at all, but it inspires me. I know a man who has adverse reactions to the full moon, but the only thing I know is I love to look at a full moon. It soothes me like nothing else. I love standing in the light of the moon in a dark room and letting it color me.

This amazing image from NASA. I am not even sure I am going to get to see the moon tonight, but I will feel it.

Hot Water

Valentine's Day was Wednesday, not Friday. If he is going home to bring that to someone, he is in for an ass kicking. I would have been boiling the water from Wednesday...overheard by me on the 2 train, two days after Valentine's Day.

But what if what the woman who said that's companion was right? What if there was some reason why that man was bringing those flowers, balloons and candy so late? There is a story there. I am working on it...

I Overheard...

at a book release party at the R Bar...

...I am asked to set up so many people I forget if I am introducing people to book agents, real estate agents, men or shrinks...this was overheard so I forgot some of it, but for the sake of random inspiration I got the gist...

Watching

New York is one of the best places in the world to watch couples. Couples of all ages inspire me. Last week I was on the bus, sitting in front of an older couple who were tourists (from further along the east coast!) She says to him, "Look at the building with the bow on top!" I cannot help but subtly turn my head to see which one has the bow on top! This becomes a conversation between them about when they lived in New York, and where they are living now.

On the train today, I saw a young couple sitting together, he had one hand on her thigh, the other behind her knee. She throws her head back, looks like she is crying her eyes closed tight. I realize after awhile she must have told him she was not ticklish and he is trying to prove her wrong!

I can imagine a better story from the second couple...

The image above was found on Getty Images