Take a trip around Manhattan with Todd Heisler. It’ll make your day.

My father was a Sid Caesar man. Your Show of Shows and Caesar’s Hour trumped Benny, Berle, and Gleason.

So when My Favorite Year came out, Dad was eager to take his children to see it. I was eleven years old and we went one Saturday afternoon to the Paramount. I always loved that theater because it was underground. Dad fell asleep during the movie but my brother, sister and I enjoyed ourselves. It didn’t matter that Dad passed out (he was still boozin’ then). The subject meant something to him. The movie was funny and sentimental. And O’Toole was nominated for an  Oscar.

And Dad woke up for the finale:

[Photo Via: Cinema Treasures]

Baby, it’s cold out there…

“Winter Meeting”–Eddie Harris

[Picture Via This Isn’t Happiness]

I groaned when I first saw the trailer for American Hustle. David O. Russell using “Good Times, Bad Times” again–it’s like “Gimmie Shelter” with Scorsese–and all the bad haircuts. The movie didn’t look promising. A Good Fellas knockoff.

It opens today and after reading about it in the New Yorker and the Times I may have to reconsider.

“Retrato de Olga” by Pablo Picasso (1920)

Check out this Keith Richards goodness. 

Jose Romussi.

Yes, I would like to try this.

Coolin’:

[Picture Via: BullDays]

Picture by Pawel Jonca.

Hazelnut Cream Sandwich Cookies.  Please.

Dig Kottke’s holiday gift guide. 

Love this post-credits bit from Married to the Mob (ah, Michelle):

[Photo Via: This Isn’t Happiness]

For to keep warm on a chilly winter day.

Painting by Richard Diebenkorn.

Sichuan-Spiced Pumpkin Seeds.

Lubitsch’s classic comedy.

It snowed yesterday. There’s freezing rain this morning. This picture by Bags is a reminder of sunnier times.

Dive in…

Good ol’ Bags.

Cry Baby–Janis

[Photo Via: Lushlight]