Querido Tony

Because of You

Where Do I Begin

Just In Time

The Lady is a Tramp with Lady Gaga

With Plenty of Money and You with Count Basie

The Very Thought of You

Night and Day with Lady Gaga

I Left My Heart in San Francisco

All My Tomorrows

Laura

Let's Face the Music and Dance with Lady Gaga

I'll Be Around

Samba De Orfeu

If I Ruled the World

Anything Goes with Lady Gaga

How Insensitive

Blue Velvet with k.d. lang

Who Can I Turn To

The Blvd of Broken Dreams

Are You Havin' Any Fun?

Body and Soul with Amy Winehouse

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

The Shadow of Your Smile

I Left My Heart in San Francisco with Judy Garland

Stella By Starlight

I've Got The World on a String with Diana Krall

When Joanna Loved Me

Love Is Here to Stay with Diana Krall

So In Love

Cold, Cold Heart

You're the Top with Lady Gaga

The Good Life

July 2023 Donations

The Tony Bennett Legacy Fund

The Tony Bennett Legacy Fund has been launched to continue the work of Exploring the Arts’ founder and legendary artist, Tony Bennett.

Twenty five years ago Tony and his wife Susan set out on a mission to bring the transformative power of art to public school children.

We are proud to honor Tony’s life and legacy by establishing this fund to ensure his and Susan’s vision endures.

Please join me in the Low Budget Philanthropy movement and help out your community and beyond in the simplest way - donating any amount to whatever charity or organisation that you care about!

The House on Elm Court

One of the sassiest places I stayed at through Airbnb was in December 2021 while visiting Chagrin Falls, Ohio. It was so nice to have a whole house all to myself and to relax on the comfy couch and watch The Gathering.

A Sorrowful Farewell...

...to a great man, an exceptional talent, and possessor of one of the world's most unique voices. I'm halfway through his first memoir, The Good Life, and Tony Bennett has been on my mind every day this month. When I awoke this morning and saw on Instagram the photo of Tony that actually starts off the chapter I'm on I felt a zing of connection. My smile instantly vanished when I read the post.

Anthony

This film, a fantasy of sorts about the life that Anthony Walker could have led had he not been brutally murdered, left me a fucking mess of a human being. Don't let the premise fool you, there is no happy ending. It's a beautiful film that leaves the viewer crushed, knowing that no matter how hard you wish for a fairytale ending and a world only of peace, that just is not to ever be. A gorgeous piece of filmmaking.

(photo kidnapped from hmv)

The Vinyl Detective

Cerpts mentioned The Vinyl Detective: Written In Dead Wax a while back on his blog and I added it to my long list of books-to-one-day-read. Then I saw that the audiobook was available on my Libby app. It's a long book, though. Fourteen hours. So I pulled the trigger and put it on my July to-read bullet journal page. It started out okay but I struggled to really get into it. The lead gal was a bit snootie in the beginning and kinda turned me off. Then I decided to do what I did with The Goliath Bone and pick the actors who would portray the main characters. Instantly I saw Sarah Lancashire as Nevada, Idris Elba as The Vinyl Detective (he has no name but I think he seems like a "Mark"), and then Andrew Scott as Tinkler. Later I envisioned Clean Head as Gina Yashere, Michael Sheen as Hughie - the Scottish Welshman (I know Sheen is really Welsh but whatever, he can throw on a Scottish accent), Kiersey Clemons as Ree, Nick Frost as Stinky, Minnie Riperton as Rita Mae Polini, and Chris Hemsworth as Hans. (I may have misspelt the characters names bc I only listened to it, never saw the written page.) Once I imagined the cast on a picture perfect ITV series I easily got sucked into the storyline while cruising around on errands and was actually annoyed when I would reach my destinations and have to put it on hold. Oh and the narrator, Ben Allen, was pure perfection.

The House on Parmenter

The place I Airbnb'd in Mass. was very nice (once the AC kicked in) and aside from steep steps and a mega squeaky, creaky bed, it was definitely one of the better stays.