First, let me get a shameless plug out of the way and talk about Venfield NYC, a high end designer boutique in New York. My brother is one of the owners (he's the "field" in Venfield). He and his business partner have been selling to, and designing for, some well known celebs around the globe for over twenty years now. They cater to everyone and the showroom is open all the time, but some of their most notable clients have included the likes of Lucy Liu and Danielle Steel. The first location they had in NY was on Bleecker Street in The Village, which is where I found a good deal of the information for my book, "Pretty Man."
From the info page at the Venfield NYC web site:
The Venfield Collection offers mid-century pieces combined with 18th and 19th century antiques and custom home furnishings. There is a unique balance of old world sophistication combined with a sexy modern point of view. Venfield was derived from the names of its two founders, Greg Ventra and Mark Field.
Greg and Mark began their careers early on in the fashion industry. Both had a passion for antiques and interior design and so partnered to begin Venfield. Today, Venfield is one of Manhattan’s must-see shops for the discerning shopper or interior designer seeking the avant-guard and the unique. Venfield is located at 227 E 60th St in Manhattan.
So if you are in NY and you decide to stop by, I'm sure you'll be fascinated by their merchandise. It's a bit pricey...way too pricey for me...but a good deal of what they have is unique and can't be found in other venues. There's also a strong focus on post modern and murano glass. I have a set of faux zebra pillows I found there once I'd never part with. Here's a piece from NY Mag with a nice article that goes into more detail. And, those into m/m romance will find the photos fascinating.
List of 30 Most Anticipated Books of 2013:
When I found this link yesterday, I figured I'd post about it. Who knows if any of this will actually come true? I've been reading these lists all my life and they rarely do. But I still love them and I love to go back and re-read things like this five years from now. I'm thinking of doing a series of blog posts on things I read online five years ago on publishing blogs to show you what I mean. This is why I never actually come out and predict anything about the future, especially with publishing. You just never know.
This book is number 3 on the list, and if you follow this link you can see all 30.
Kincaid’s first novel in a decade is a deeply felt story of the breakdown of a marriage and the complex interior life of a woman and a mother living in Bennington, VT. The fact that Kincaid lives in Bennington herself, and the parallels between the protagonist’s ex-husband and her own have not escaped us.
Valerie Harper's New Book:
I was flipping through channels last night and stopped at The Jeff Probst Show when I saw Valerie Harper was one of his guests. For those who don't know, Harper is an icon in some circles and grew in popularity in the 1970's by playing "Rhoda" on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. And then in her own TV show, Rhoda. In gay culture as well as pop culture there is a generation of people who have been fans of hers since they were little kids. The Mary Tyler Moore Show is still in syndication and it's still garnering new fans as well. She actually looks almost as she did in 1970, which is amazing.
She has a new book out titled, "I, Rhoda." You can purchase it here on Amazon. I'll probably read it myself and post a review in the coming months.
The Jeff Probst Show
I figured that as long as I'm posting about Harper because I found out about her book through The Jeff Probst Show, I might as well mention that show as well. I have to be honest about this. I have been so off on all talk shows in the past few years I would rather read a romance with a woman in a long flowing gown on the cover. I find talk shows like Dr. Oz patronizing and dumb. I lost patience with Dr. Phil's annoying voice the first time I saw him and I never watched him again. Katie Couric should have stuck to the news where she belongs, because her talk show is the best source for a nap I've found since chilled vodka. The View makes me cringe and I wish someone would shove a sock in Joy Behar's big mouth just once.
However, Jeff Probst, of Survivor fame, has one of the most well-orchestrated talk shows that's ever been on TV. And he hasn't received half the publicity or recognition those of the newsy old boy Katie Couric crowd have received, which isn't fair to him or to potential viewers. I'm really not exaggerating this. If you'd asked me if I would have watched a talk show with Probst two years ago I would have rolled my eyes and quoted Survivor: "I'll go tally the votes." But I would have been wrong. Just the energy alone, and Probst's own personality, makes watching talk shows again on TV worthwhile. He owns every guest that sits next to him for the hour he interviews them and I don't even think they realize it. You should have seen how he worked Valerie Harper.
I think what I enjoy most about it is that Jeff takes control of his show and doesn't seem to care about the formula...or anything Oprah-esque....no fake tears. He does everything from a male POV, in a natural unplanned way, which makes it even more interesting when the topics include dating and relationships. It helps that he's also easy on the eyes and when he smiles women and gay men swoon a little. But it's more than that, and it shows that talent does win out sometimes. So if you have been put off by most talk shows in the past few years, check Jeff Probst out. I even enjoy his show when the guests are not people I care all that much about. Sometimes I don't even know who the guests are. And yet the shows are always interesting and I can't turn away. It airs at different time in different parts of the country, so check out the link to the web site I provided above. It's great DVR viewing, too.
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