My Mom Masha

My Mom Masha left us peacefully Thursday December 15th 2022 at 9:48PM. I was there with her holding her hand until her last breath just as she had asked me to. Mom had suffered from dementia and Alzheimers that began years ago and gradually got worse and worse, especially this past year, culminating in her passing from Alzheimers related complications. 

Masha lived her life in a joyful, brave and beautiful way. She loved me with all her heart and gave me everything, for which I am forever grateful. She also loved her family and friends and was a wonderful partner and and devoted wife to my Dad Dan. She dedicated her life to knowledge, education, music, books, art, travel, physical and mental health and a philosophical way of seeing the world. She believed in peace, justice, equality, kindness, compassion and bringing joy to those around her. She loved to feed people and give gifts as everyone who knew her knows, and was as kind to strangers as she was to her loved ones. She loved parties and dancing and getting dressed up, seeing friends and family, and spending as much time together as possible. She was always active: for decades she and Dan took nightly walks after dinner, they went ballroom dancing every weekend and she got her yoga teacher’s certification in her 60s (!!!) She was passionate about life in every way and always the last one to leave a party. 

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Fall 2022 Reading List

I’ve been on a reading binge the past few months, working my way through that never ending stack of books by my bedside that never seems to shrink because I keep ordering and finding new ones faster than I can get through them. On a recent location scout trip through Mississippi (that’s another post entirely which I cannot wait to share…), I stumbled on a truly special indie bookstore in Pass Christian, a small town on the gulf coast. The book store, which bears the town’s name, was filled with all kinds of gems including Casey Parks’ Diary of a Misfit, A Memoir and a Mystery, which I am in the middle of now and loving. Keep reading for more book magic from all corners.

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Aggressive Femininity

Recently an artist I admire and respect described my photography and film work as “aggressive femininity,” which she meant as a compliment and I took it as such immediately. 

Not in any particular order, I’ve been called a bitch, a badass, a femme, a refugee, a gypsy, a filmmaker, an artist, a warrior, an immigrant, a producer, a photographer, a fashion director, a magazine editor, a bartender, a daughter, a cousin, a sister, a friend, an activist, a stylist, a celebrity stylist, a force, an icon, a girlfriend, a partner, a lover, a survivor, a rebel, a punk, a fighter, a whore, a wife, arrogant, humble, difficult, ambitious, brave, angry, strong, kind, fearless, a Jew, a leader, a student, a writer, a bookworm, a drinker, …and a good cook. 

As girls, as women, we are/were taught not to be proud; to sit still, be quiet, say less, do more, don’t take credit. Say, “we.”  I, without apology, wholeheartedly disagree. 

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Jim Ruland Comes to the Mountain

Legendary punk writer Jim Ruland is coming to the mountains! Saturday May 14th at 5pm he will be at The Faktory, 2551 Hunsaker Drive in Running Springs California, signing copies and reading from his recently released book, Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise & Fall of SST Records. Jim sent me his last book, Do What You Want, all about punk icons Bad Religion, which I loved, so when I saw he had a new book coming out I reached out to him to see if he would want to come up here for a reading and he said YES! Thank you Jim! xx

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Director Reel, 2022

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New Music, Molchat Doma

I’m a little late to Molchat Doma but am obsessed regardless. They formed and released their first album in 2017 and their latest Monument came out November 2020. The band is Egor Shkutko, Roman Komogortsev, and Pavel Kozlov, from Minsk and their sound is a perfect marriage of Joy Division meets The Damned meets every New Wave, early punk band you ever loved. It’s addictive and relentlessly good. Listen to the track” Sudno,” which I fell in love with here.

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New Music, Petite Amie

I love the new tracks off the upcoming album from Mexico City’s Petite Amie. Their self-titled debut comes out October 1, 2021. Video for “Elektro,” is above. I’m already addicted to “Interludio,” and the track “Vraiment,” has a slight Portishead meets Sixties Psychedelic rock meets late night dance club vibe, but all in French (except for the track “Adios”, equally lovely in Spanish), which is all pretty hot and definitely requires a solid repeat button. The whole album is very chill, folksy dance energy, easy in it’s melancholy, and very addictive. Beautifully layered, echoing disco meets… a few seconds of Butthole Surfers in “El Delirio,” another one of my favorites. Overall a perfect album with one killer track after another. I’m in love.

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Things I love, August 2021

Portland Leather Tote Bag in Grizzly

Just a few of the things I have been swooning over the past few months. This Portland Leather tote is my new go to for my laptop, books and notebooks for meetings and travel. I love the company ethos, their affordability, style and ease. I brought it with me a while back on a road trip I took to San Francisco to see my old Bard friend, the very talented painter and artist, Michelle Morby (*who was also a producer on my film!) She introduced me to the most amazing chocolate company in the world, Vosges Chocolate, where they infuse their chocolates with 528 hz healing sound frequency to “raise your vibe.” It kind of works. Don’t at me but this company is onto something, especially with their Chocolate Meditation gift set. Just trust me, it’s magical. I have also been working my way through my latest stack of books, and one of my absolute favorites is the new one from Lisa Taddeo, Animal, published in June 2021. I also just finished watching

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Abby And Emily Go To Chicago!

Abby And Emily Go To Palm Springs, 2020, 14 , mins

So excited to announce that Abby And Emily Go To Palm Springs, the film I wrote, produced and directed in 2019, which we finished in 2020, is being screened in person at the Reeling 39th International LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Chicago! Starring Jessie Cohen, Vico Ortiz, Jessalyn Wanlim and Bob Clendenin, it is a painfully funny and realistic glimpse into new love, bad communication and the roller coaster of relationships. Come see us at the Landmark Theatre Saturday September 23rd at 9Pm and watch the trailer here! xox

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Magic On The Mountain, Crestline California

There is a magical little place in the San Bernardino forest where lots of cool things are happening. Crestline California is a small town (population roughly 10,000) that sits just below Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear on the same mountain. Over the past few years a crop of incredible shops, restaurants and breweries have popped up to make Crestline not only a fun place to live but also the perfect day trip from LA just 75 miles away. The small town’s proximity is also the reason I like to call Crestline, “Upstate LA,” as it reminds me of my favorite places just North of my old city where we spent a lot of great weekends: Tivoli, Rhinebeck, Hudson, Bovina. Every weekend there is a market or local event that brings out some of the best food, threads and drinks this side of the freeway and on any given day there is plenty to eat, drink and see. One of my favorite places if you are looking for some fantastic vinyl, is Mystic Mountain Music where my old DC friend Cynthia Connolly will be giving a talk and slide show on September 2nd with her book, Banned in DC, about the legendary punk scene, which she was imperative in creating alongside bands like Minor Threat, Government Issue, Ignition and Positive Force. Drive up early in the morning and start your day at Lulubelle’s Bakery in Running Springs, where husband and wife Michael and Michelle DiGiovanni, and their fabulous team of bakers and cappuccino makers, create fresh homemade bagels (*the best I have ever had and this is coming from a very picky New Yorker), cinnamon buns and other baked goods along with fresh vegan and meaty breakfast and lunch options, and the BEST coffee on the mountain. They also make the most beautiful Continue reading

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