THE GREAT FALLS , PATERSON & WEIS ECOLOGY, RINGWOOD NJ

This weekend, despite a lot of errands, etc… because of the spring like weather in the northeast, I managed to get in some photo time.

Saturday, I went to the heart of Paterson to The Great Falls.  Paterson used to be a beautiful city, but has fallen into much decay over the decades.  The Great Falls provides a beautiful diversion and should not be missed!  I have lived most of my life within a half hour of this amazing place and until Saturday was never there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Falls_(Passaic_River)

MY SET ON FLICKR

After breakfast at a local diner on Sunday, camera in hand as usual, took a ride up local winding Snake Den Road and ran across signs for the Weiss Ecology Center. 

Along the route, passed the infamous “purple house” which must be seen to be believed.  It looks a bit like a small airplane hangar.  Out in front, a sign reads, “Please go slowly-Little Kitty & OLD WITCH CROSSING!”  The Driveway even houses a purple (of course!) Volvo!

http://www.unquiettomb.com/index/oddities/purple-quonset-hut/

Down the road a bit, The Weis Ecology Center.  This is one strange place!

Most of you all know how much I love abandoned places and in the off season, a bunch of ramshackled cabins were right up my alley!  I seriously hate to see who actually rents these out, but my guess is that most were extras from the cast of DELIVERANCE!

A SET ON FLICKR

http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionCenters/SectionWeis/Introduction.aspx 

Here are the Cabin Rules/Rates:

The availability of furniture is not guaranteed by Weis.

The cabins are not heated. They also do not contain kitchen or bathroom facilities. It is suggested that camp stoves (such as Coleman) and ice chests be used for cooking and cold storage. Ringwood and West Milford provide sufficient grocery stores, and restaurants in the area are adequate. Bathroom and shower facilities are located in the basement of the Reception Center.

The cabins may not be sublet under any circumstances.

Only one person should be responsible for paying the rent each month so that one check is submitted for payment (for bookkeeping purposes).

Cabin Fee Schedule:

Monthly Rates: April 1 through October 31 

• $225 per month for a one room cabin. Note: Two month minimum rental.
• $260 per month for a two room cabin. Note: Five month minimum rental.
• $300 per month for large 2-room cabin.  Note:  Five month minimum rental.
• $340 per month for a three-room cabin.  Note:  Five month minmum rental.

DINING ROOM RATES:

• $50.00 per room for a 1/2 day, from 9:00am to 12:30pm or 12:30pm to 4:00pm
• $100.00 per room for a full day, from 9:00am to 4:00pm

NOTE:  excludes use of Weis' kitchen and stove.  Groups are required to provide their own plates, napkins, silverware, garbage bags, and any other items needed by the group. 

HACHI: A DOGS TALE

Not that long ago, my friend Sylvia told me about a DVD she rented, at the recommendation of her brother.  Hachi: A Dogs Tale. 

I had never heard of it, probably because it went straight to DVD. 

Usually when this happens, there is good reason… the film is a bomb and shouldn’t have probably been made in the first place!

Not the case with this one.  I was warned that it was a tear-jerker, but I never (well rarely) cry during a film but this one got to me. 

In addition to being a fantastic story of love and loyalty, it is well directed, photographed and acted.

Go out and rent it or better yet pick up a copy to own.

 

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH RICHARD GERE

Here is a review from Christopher Lloyd at TheFilmYap.com.

Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” is unapologetically a tear-jerker. You might resent being emotionally manipulated by this film, but I challenge even the most hard-hearted moviegoer not to spill some saltwater while watching it.
“Hachi” is based on a true story that is very famous in Japan of an Akita dog that waited every day at the train station for its master — even years after the man had passed away.
There’s an iconic statue of Hachiko at the station, and a Japanese film version came out in 1987, but the story remains largely unknown in the States.
Director Lasse Hallström teams up again with Richard Gere to tell an affecting Americanized version that retains many of the Japanese notes about loyalty and love between man and canine.
Gere plays Parker Wilson, a music professor who stumbles upon the lost puppy while disembarking from a train at his quaint little town of Bedridge. Hachi was sent from a Japanese monastery, but his shipping tag was torn off. The befuddled station manager (Jason Alexander) refuses to accept the pup, saying he’d have to just take it to the pound.
So Parker takes the little guy home, despite the stern warning of his wife Cate (the always-wonderful Joan Allen) that they not keep him. They’ve apparently recently lost a dog she was close to, and as middle-aged empty nesters, Cate isn’t eager to see a four-legged interloper.
Soon enough, of course, Hachiko (the name comes from the number eight, which was written on his collar tag) becomes a full-fledged member of the family.
The primary relationships is between the dog and Parker, but Allen has a great scene with Hachi where you can see the reluctance just melt away from her face.
Hachi is a loving but willful companion — for instance, he refuses to play fetch, despite Parker’s many training attempts. He also ignores his master’s instruction not to follow him to the train station for work every day. He even shows up again promptly at 5 p.m. to wait for Parker to step off the train again.
I don’t think I’m giving anything away in saying that Parker dies about two-thirds of the way through the film — after all, it’s the dog’s behavior after his master’s death that made his story so unforgettable.
The film really amps up the pulling of heartstrings at this point, as the dog continues his increasingly grim journey to the train station every afternoon, eternally hopefully that his master — his friend — will greet him again.
Eventually, a reporter hears the remarkable dog’s tale, and the town rallies around its most famous denizen.
The breadth and depth of Hallström’s work (“Chocolat,” “My Life As a Dog,” “The Shipping News”) suggests he might represent Sweden’s finest cinematic export since the Bergmans — Ingrid and Ingmar. He and rookie screenwriter Stephen P. Lindsey manage to toe the correct side of the line between overt sentiment and mushy smarm.

“Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” is a great, big wet lick to the face, and a welcome one.

ANDY WARHOL: AT AUCTION...

What do you get when you combine soda pop with pop art?
An eye-popping auction for $35.36 million.

WARHOL SET ON FLICKR

Andy Warhol's "Coca-Cola (4) (Large Coca-Cola)" easily exceeded expectations at Sotheby's on Tuesday. BBC reports that the black-and-white canvas painting was expected to fetch a mere $25 million. That would buy plenty of sugar water, but no Warhol.
All together, sales of 54 contemporary and post-war paintings have pulled in $222.4 million in recent days. Tobias Meyer, Sotheby's worldwide head of contemporary art, told Reuters, "In this new market, it was a huge success." Meyer also served as auctioneer for the Warhol sale.
No word who popped for this painting, but it's sure to be a welcome addition to any collection. After all, things go better with Coke.

(from Huffington Post)

DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

OK, the original 1973 made for TV movie of the week, DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK with Kim Darby and Jim Hutton,  has to be one of my most favorite films of all time, so I was (and still am) skeptical about any sort of remake... Especially with Katie Holmes!

However the buzz and trailer have piqued my interest. 

It is set to open in theatres on 1.21.11.

OFFICIAL SITE

The original Classic:

ELTON JOHN: THE RED PIANO

Unfortunately, the Vegas run has ended.  I not only consider myself extremely lucky to have seen it back in 2006, but greatful to have gotten onstage during "Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting"...  I still cannot believe what a rush that was! 

 DVD AT AMAZON

FROM THE CAESARS WEBSITE:

He has survived the ups and downs of musical stardom for over 30 years. Commercially, creatively, on stage and on record, Elton John is a legendary artist — one who is still as relevant as ever.

Elton John's finely honed stage presence, a winning factor in targeting his tunes straight into the heart of America, is excess incarnate. In The Red Piano, the showy costumes are replaced by incredible video imagery and stage props, yet the end result is unmistakably classic Elton John.

Gregarious, show-stopping, outlandish and unforgettable. Words that could be Elton John as much as they are Vegas. Together with photographer David LaChapelle, Elton John has created The Red Piano — a career overview performance you won't soon forget.

The Red Piano takes the audience inside Elton John's world. LaChapelle creates a dreamscape dripping with rich imagery of Hollywood and Las Vegas icons — each moment created to give the viewer a new, three dimensional interpretation of Elton John and Bernie Taupin's most memorable recordings.

Don't miss your last chance to see this cultural and musical icon as he closes out his spectacular five-year run at Caesars Palace. One final engagement remains at The Colosseum in the show that USA TODAY called "the future of Las Vegas entertainment."

Please note that The Red Piano is designed with a Vegas theme and mature audiences in mind. The video imagery that accompanies the music may at times be considered risqué, and includes montage style scenes that include brief frontal nudity. The Video content is designed within the context of the songs and overall theme of the show.

SOMERSET COUNTY and NATIRAR

My photo outing to NATIRAR  www.natirar.com in Somerset County turned out to be a bit of a bust.  A lot of this beautiful place in unreachable and off limits to the public, including the mansion. 

I did have a great time though.  Stephanie (CIEL ROUGE from FLICKR) joined Kathleen, Fred and I and it was great to finally meet her. 

PHOTO SET ON FLICKR

Plus we ended the outing with a nice brunch at The Grain House.  YUM!

www.oldemillinn.com/grain_house_basking_ridge_nj.html

NEW YORK CITY IN BLACK AND WHITE