Saturday, February 10

Your Tongue

Sometimes you just become aware of it, as in this photo from last year. Today we are bogged down in typical London weather: grey and wet. This does not stop football, and so we troop over to the the common to brave the elements with the other soccer loving kids on the block. Eitan's side wins 4-1, but the final goal against us is a laser-strike that has all the dads humming. Bertie scores an "own-goal" and is berated by his team. The afternoon takes Madeleine to Daniel's party on Plum Road while Eitan and I pick up school pal Harry to go to Hugo's - inside being the key element. Unfortunately it is closed so we walk the Thames path to burn off some energy then reward ourselves with an ice-cream. Post party, Eitan and Madeleine compare notes on who scored more sugar. Sonnet at work today preparing for NY Fashion plus seeing her hair stylist in Barnes.

This evening a "nasty old wasp" is discovered in Madeleine's bedroom. Madeleine is buzzy with fear: "Is the wasp angry with me mum? Are you going to suck the wasp down the hoover mum? Does this make the wasp mad mum?"

Friday, February 9

Sonnet Goes Live

17 April - 2 September 2007
"For over a century, New York has reigned as America's fashion capital. Today, its creative legacy, successful fashion empires, and important press and retail sectors ensure that the city's influence has become global.
'New York Fashion Now' will showcase clothes and accessories from a range of New York's emerging fashion talent. The display will feature twenty dynamic young design labels (most of them launched within the past three to seven years) such as Zac Posen, Maggie Norris, Thom Brown, Mary Ping and Derek Lam. It will chart the contributions each has made to the changing face of the fashion industry in one of the world's most powerful fashion capitals. Outfits will include elegant sportswear, new menswear, expressions of craft, avant-garde design and examples of the synergy between celebrity and fashion.

Though embracing different philosophies and methods, this group of designers is unified by the idea that New York City itself is central to their creative identity. Specially commissioned photographs of New York neighbourhoods will place the clothes within the context of the city's vibrant street-life.

'New York Fashion Now' captures a period of extraordinary outpouring of creative talent within New York's fashion culture, revealing how each designer has responded to the challenges and opportunities the city offers the aspiring designer."

Photo from V&A website: Crimson jersey evening dress, Mary Ping, Autumn/ Winter 2005-6, photographed in Lincoln Center, New York. Photographed by Isabel Asha Penlizien


Wednesday, February 7

Richards

Sonnet, surrounded by her family (photo taken at cousin Maire's wedding in La Veta, Colorado). From left to right: Brook (glam cousin, lives in Pacific Palisades), Marcus (loving bro), Missy (Aunt #1, famous for La Popeta and the oosik - don't ask); Bru (off-beat, lives in Rome), Robin (Aunt #2, artist extraordinaire who revels in the jewellery and textile art), Ray (uncle-in-law, married to Robin), Silver and Stan. Missing is Martine, Aunt #3 whose horse ranch enraptured Eitan and Madeleine last summer.

Monday, February 5

Russ

Russ Ellis is the father of longtime friend David, who I grew up with in Berkeley; David and I
met at King Jr. High School when he belted out Stevie Wonder
's "Happy Birthday" to an auditorium of jubulient seventh graders - genius shows its early face. Russ is Vice Chancellor Emeritus, UC Berkeley which comes in handy when David and I need tickets to the football games. Today, he is a sculpture and painter and his work may be seen at the International Sculpture Center in Hamilton, New Jersey. I also love this photograph of him.

Photograph by Judy Dater
.

Sunday, February 4

Bouncy

The kids yesterday before Madeleine's party. Madeleine receives 28 presents and Eitan does his best not to gripe about the unfairness of it all. He tells Gracie "I am a bit jealous" - but this can only be expected.

Sonnet tells Madeleine: "My favorite book as a child was "Bread and Jam for Francis."
Madeleine: Does she eat pizza?

Eitan learns about palindromes: Wow, dad, sis, Madam I am Adam...

... and symmetry, which he faithfully explains to his sister: "It is when everything is the same on the other half."

Saturday, February 3

Cake & Candles

Madeleine celebrates her FIFTH at the sports grounds with 28 screaming savages. "Uncle" Anthony bikes from Islington to join the fun (brave soul he) and receives a loving hug from the Birthday Girl. Sonnet's planning is rewarded by smiling parents who pick up their giddy, sugar soaked children who do not want to leave. A sure sign the thing a success. FYI the cake picked out by Madeleine from Waitross, and the jelly beans placed by Eitan and Madeleine.

West Side

Another week, another skyline. This a photo from the 35th floor of the hotel room on Central Park South facing west. The past two days have been spent with my French friends Astorg Partners, who raise a €800 million fund to invest in French leveraged buy-outs in the so-called "middle market" - enterprise values of €50 to €300 million. Astorg sold seven companies in 2006 returning a median 3.8X cash - above average. Along with the hotel, we enjoy restaurants including my favorite the Grand Central Station Oyster Bar, which is tres old school (the French do not appreciate the New England clam chowder). From New York, we head for Boston then home this morning in time for Madeleine's fifth birthday party. Our meetings go well.

Monday, January 29

Eitan turns a funny

Eitan asks Sonnet if people eat whales. Sonnet launches into a serious reply about how certain countries consume whale meat as part of their diet and culture. Eitan puts together the Big Joke: "No mom, Wales is a country - and you can't eat that!" Testing his formula, he comes up to me and asks if I drink out of glasses....

Gamble

The UK is gearing up for Super Casinos, including the conversion of disastrous Millennium Dome thanks to our Man In The Know: John Prescott, may he and his kick-backs RIP. There has been little discussion on the street about Vegas style mega complexes soon to 'enrich' London and the UK, while the government salivates over another revenue stream. Today, there are 140 casinos in Britain, up from 117 in 2001. What us Brits gamble on: 65% of Brits play the national lottery 22% play scratch cards 14% play fruit machines 13% gamble on horse racing 9% do the football pools 3% play in casinos Overall, over 60% of adults gamble, and bingo is the only gambling activity in which women out-play men. In 1999, .8% of the population was classified as problem-gamblers. (source: Sunday Times)

This photograph from the World Wide Web.

Saturday, January 27

Virgin


In a very unusual and honest expression (for the British), Virgin Media's head of internal communications admits in public that his cable company has a history of "crap service" and "very tired people," and has been stuck in "synergy hell." These comments made by James Weekley to fellow internal communications professionals at the Royal Society of Arts this month. Weekley noted further that Virgin's approach to life is typified by Sir Richard's catch-phrase: "Screw it, let's do it!" Mr Weekley was unavailable for comment yesterday, and it is unclear if he still works at Virgin.


Friday, January 26

Assembly

Eitan reads a short passage in front of his peers and their parents. I join the audience with Aggie and Madeleine, who picks up on the vibe and is excited for her brother. I ask Madeleine if she is nervous, and she replies: "yes daddy, but I am shy." We then have a general discussion about shyness and it turns out that kids are shy but adults not. As for Eitan, he's lined up on stage awaiting his turn for a go - the procession closes in, he flushes, Madeleine rubs her hands - then up he pops and belts out his words in the most perfect British accent. it's over, I'm relieved and Madeleine returns to her main interest: a treat. We mingle a bit with the parents and kids, then walk home together for an early afternoon (for me) and movie for them. Renata baby-sits while Sonnet and I have dinner with Mike and Gretchen Bransford at the Churcill Arms in Notting Hill.

This morning I ask Madeleine how we can make it easier for her to get going in the morning. Without missing a beat: "you can bring me breakfast in bed."

Punk

This is Sonnet at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, in 1982 and in the 8th grade. Mom Silver is teaching "Women Autobiography." On the back of the picture, Silver writes: "Sonnet en punk, with studded bracelet, German jacket, stalion pants and personal Pensées." She tells me her favorite band then was The Stray Cats.

Thursday, January 25

Chimes

I took the this photo Sunday evening at sunset from the Southbank, next to Westminster Bridge. As the kids say happily: "The tide is in!"

Big Ben is part of the Palace of Westminster, on grounds occupied since the Saxons ruled the area. The oldest buildings date back to 1097. The presence of royal grounds 1050 when Edward the Confessor built a royal palace here. For the next 500 years, Westminster was the residence of the royal monarchs. After a fire prompted Henry VIII to move out of the building to the Palace of Whitehall, the building remained in use as both a palace and the home of the English parliament. It has remained like this since January 20, 1265. A raging fire in 1834 destroyed many of the ancient buildings, but they were replaced in 1870 with a new set of constructed buildings that still stand today. It was during the rebuilding process that Big Ben came into existence in the massive clock tower which we love today.

Furthermore: The bell itself weights 13.8 tonnes, while the striking hammer weights 203.2 kilograms. It is tuned for the E note just above middle C. When operating, the hammer strikes the bell every 5 seconds. Big Ben is not the biggest or heaviest bell in England. That distinction goes to ’Great Paul’ in the nearby St. Paul’s Cathedral. Great Paul is a full 2 tonnes heavier than Big Ben.
A large crack developed in the bell due to a heavier hammer in use in the 1860s. That’s when the controversial move to rotate the bell and replace the hammer with a lighter one was made. While this saved on expensive re-casting costs, it also meant that the bell no longer struck a true E note.
Also housed in the tower are the four quarter bells used to play the Westminster Chimes every 15 minutes. Big Ben is prominently heard on many of BBC’s broadcasts on the hour, a tradition dating back to 1923.

Wednesday, January 24

Artist vs. Artist


One of these paintings is by Madeleine from the Art Yard. The other is a Jackson Pollack. Can you decide which goes to whom?

The top painting is by Pollack: Full Fathom Five,1947. Oil on canvas with nails, tacks, buttons, keys, coins, cigarettes, matches, etc. and is now on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Madeleine's art, which I name A Repertoire in Colour, 2007, can be found hanging in my office.

"Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back on himself." Charles De Gaulle

Slush

Snow falls on London last night, and we awake to two inches on the ground and everything white. Sonnet's first thought: miserable commute. She bolts from the house to catch an early bus, leaving me in bed and the kids in the backyard. We organise ourselves around various clothes - boots, shoes, jackets, scarves etc required for pre-school and during school. Arriving at the playground I am struck by the sheer energy of 200 kids going bonkers. It's like pressurised gas - molecules bouncing off each other. Even our normally staid Deputy Head Ian Hutchings is seen throwing snowballs. This photo taken on the school grounds, away from all the action.



Monday, January 22

Paris encore

I return to Paris to work with my friends at Astorg Partners. We plan a trip to the US of A to meet some investor colleagues who have expressed interest in what Astord does: mid-market French LBOs. More to the point, Astorg buys and sells companies and this last year saw seven "exits" returning a median of 3.4 times cost. Not too shabby when compared to the stock market or anything else.

Sunday, January 21

Spieker

Katie sends me this photo from her mobile of her and Moe at a Cal swimming meet at Spieker Aquatic Complex at UC Berkeley. Katie and I were swimmers of course, and some of our early heros were the Swedes Bangt Baron and Par Arvidsoon and local greats T.A. DeBiase, John Mykanen, and Matt Biondi, all recruited to Cal swimming by coach Nort Thornton during the 1980s when the Bears dominated the NCAAs. Katie is on the West Coast to address Stanford University on issues for her think-tank Woodhull, and spends the weekend at our parents hours in Berkeley.


Lie-in

Madeleine loves to sleep, and this morning is no exception. Week-days are a rush to get out of the house for the 0840 school-run. We make it, of course- but Sonnet or I often feel like a drill Sargent. Madeleine needs her 12 hours or more - and while mornings may be tough, she is wide awake at bed time and usually requires a strong re-minder: "lights out!" Sundays are for pajamas, waffles and cartoons. She asks me on Monday: "Is it Sunday, dad?"

Saturday, January 20

Urchin


I took this funky photo today at the Acquirium. The sea urchin occupies a special place in biology due to its long-time use as a standard subject for studies in embryology, and is the source of textbook descriptions of "the" egg, "the" embryo, and their early development. Humans consume sea urchin ("roe") either raw or briefly cooked. Sea urchin "roe" isn't actually roe, but rather the organs that produce the roe (the gonads). Five strips of roe reside within the structure of the urchin, a yellowish or orange substance resembling a rather firm custard. Yuck. Sea urchin roe is a popular food in Korean cuisine, and it is called "uni" in Japanese sushi. It is also a traditional food in Chile, where it is known as an "erizo", and highly appreciated in Spain. Apart from domestic consumption, Chile and a number of other countries export the sea urchin to Japan in order to meet its demand throughout the country. Traditionally considered an aphrodisiac, sea urchin "roe" has been found to contain the cannabinoid anandamide which is a mild narcotic.

Waterloo














Eitan
, Madeleine and I head to the Aquarium on London's south bank. To get there, we catch a train from Richmond to Waterloo where this photo of Eitan taken. The kids are wired by the Big Trip, and we have fun goofing around. Of annoyance, Madeleine cannot stop asking me for a treat: "Can I have a treat, dad? Can I have a treat dad? Can I have a treat dad?". We play twenty questions: it takes me only five to determine TREAT. I ask her if she lives her life for this - and she looks at me like I am crazy.

On the train, both kids look out the window muttering "teen-ager" over and over. I ask what they are doing. Eitan: "Teen-agers write all that graffiti on the walls."

At the Aquarium, we see the usuals: mullets, puffer, rainbow, sea horses, star-fish, rays (which they touch) and other species. I over-hear a Brit taunting a flat flounder six inches from his nose: "Chips. Chips. Chips." Eitan's favorite is the shark. Madeleine tells me "I like all of the fish except the scary shark." she pulls me to see a piranha "who can eat your hand in one bite."

Madeleine informs me she will be an artist when she grows up.