Laurie Sandell's Blog, page 363

A three-party night, and the National Book Awards

[image error]Last night was one of those breakout, insanely fun nights you never expect to happen–so much fun. Started with a party at my great friend Neal Decker's new store, Arthur & Co. Neal is a talented bag designer who has been featured in every top fashion magazine; he's finally selling his gorgeous bags on 63rd St. And he decided to sell my book at his store last night as well! Here are a few photos from that event. [image error]By 8:00 PM, I was on my way downtown to Housing Works Bookstore for their annual G...

The Accidental Buddhist

[image error]Meditation is something I've always flirted with, yet I've never been able to commit. Numerous teachers have recommended sitting for five minutes a day–that's it. It's the continuity of the practice that allows you to grow within it, and I know this is true, since I've seen it the kind of progress I've made with piano, yoga, knitting, and any number of pursuits I've committed myself to on a daily basis. Once a week I take a Buddhism and meditation class with Josh Korda, who has become an...

The charming and hilarious Norma M.

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This woman is not Norma

Back in August,  I read at Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side. Afterward, this elderly woman approached me, wearing enormous sunglasses that threatened to swallow her face:  "Laurie, you're darling," she said. "My name is Norma, and I run a reading series for seniors at The 92nd Street Y. I'd love to book you." After that, she started to call me on a regular basis. And I swear, this woman is so freakin' hilarious, I could turn my blog over to her and you'd be...

My darkest music obsessions

[image error]When I was in high school, I was a music fanatic. The first live concert I ever went to was Bryan Adams at Madison Square Garden, and it changed my life. I went with my best friend, Jen, and both of our mothers, and remember smelling "funny cigarettes" and feeling overwhelmed by the urge to run up on stage to embrace him. I would have done it, but my mom wouldn't let me. Years later I actually met Bryan Adams, at Renee Zellweger's birthday party, and talked to him for a long time, but I was t...

Had a blast at The Miami Book Fair

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Carol Tyler, Tim Hamilton, and Sid Jacobson

Here's what I love about book fairs: Turn to your right, meet a woman who worked for Jim Henson and wrote the definitive book on Sesame Street. (Big Bird wrote the intro. How awesome is that.) Turn to your left, meet the guy who adapted the 9/11 Commission Report into a graphic novel—he also created Richie Rich! There he is on the right, along with my co-panelist Carol Tyler, a hugely influential underground comics creator, and Tim Hamilton, who...

Good Morning, Miami

[image error]Woke up to sunshine–now that's what I'm talkin' about. I'm going to go to the gym to practice yoga, and then head over to the convention center to see as much of the book fair as I can. Last night I met up with a college friend, Raquel, for dinner. I forgot how much I liked her; we had a great time catching up. How weird is it that 15 years later, we're still dressing the same?

After dinner we headed to Ocean Drive, for a party with Miami Book Fair authors. There, I met my co-panelist, James S...

Confessional Comics by Jewish Women

[image error]This is so cool–I've been invited to participate in a traveling art show called Graphic Details: Jewish Womens' Autobiographical Comics, which will showcase "diaristic, confessional, and true-life comics by Jewish artists from around the world." Other participating artists include Vanessa Davis, Sarah Glidden, Miss Lasko-Gross–"Miss" is her first name–Miriam Katin, Miriam Libicki, Sarah Lightman, Corinne Perlman, Sharon Rudahl, Ariel Schrag, and Lauren Weinstein to name a few. So last night M...

Killer night at Happy Ending

[image error]My friend Amanda Stern runs the Happy Ending Music & Reading Series, which is, in my opinion, the best monthly cultural event in New York City, but I'm not alone in this assertion: The Village Voice called it "a perenially killer event," Time Out New York dubbed it "the city's most vital author series," and The New York Times said that Amanda is "helping to keep downtown New York alive." I've been keeping the perenially anxious Amanda alive, so I'm doing my part for downtown New York, too...

A movie premiere and a snazzy after-party

[image error]If it weren't for my friend Carole, who invites me to all kinds of fun parties, all I would do for fun is go to the movies. By myself. (I really do love going to the movies by myself.) Last night she invited me to the premiere of The Fantastic Mr. Fox, a stop-motion animated film directed by Wes Anderson, produced by her close friend Karen Duffy, and starring George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman. Not too shabby. The animation was astonishing–like nothing I've ever s...

My night at Glamour's Woman of the Year Awards

[image error]Last night I attended Glamour magazine's 19th annual Woman of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall. This was the view from my seat; there's my girl, Rihanna. Before the show I had a bite with my friend Sarah Jones, creator of the utterly brills one-woman show, Bridge & Tunnel, which was originally produced Off-Broadway by some lady named Meryl Streep, and later moved to Broadway, where it became a huge hit. Anyway, I knew Rihanna was being honored, because I interviewed her for the cover, but...