What’s going on this week in Stacey Land? I was interviewed by The Film Talk two weeks ago, along with my counter part in Istanul but the interview was kind of cut out of the show and replaced with a really great promotion of Art By Chance. I guess we have to work on our audio interviewee presence…

Anyway, BIG THANKS to Jett Loe and Gareth Higgins for graciously giving our festival props on their show. If you are unfamiliar with The Film Talk and their podcasts head over to their website and hear intelligent conversations / arguments on the latest film releases.

Submissions for ART BY CHANCE are open till March 24th. Plenty of time to make a 30 second “TIME” themed film.

In other news, this Thursday at 8pm, I’ll be hosting a screening/fundraiser of  Poto Mitan, a documentary exploring the roles of Haitian women in the global economy. All proceeds go towards Partners in Health an organization that has been working on the ground in Haiti for 20 years.

How have I NOT HEARD of RunPee.com? Bladder issues, check. Hate going to the bathroom during a film, check. Hate missing out on that moment that reveals who did it or that moment when the protagonist comes of age, check.

Thanks to Dan Florio and his mom and pop shop, he tells you the best time to go to the bathroom. He’s also has a good heart and wants to help other developers with their projects. See for yourself at RunPee.com and of course you can access on your mobile device m.RunPee.com

P.S.  Thanks Mom for sharing this possible life alternating news!

So you are so over BAM’s Sounds Like Brooklyn festival, you’re in the mood for something more foreign, new or avant-garde, let me suggest the Unsound Festival that’s happening in venues throughout New York and Brooklyn starting tonight Feb 4th till 14th.

Opening night at Lincoln Center features Vladislav Delay, one of the most innovative musicians working in electronic music today, and Lillevan, the highly-regarded video artist who has worked with Fennesz and Morton Subotnik, continue an ongoing collaboration on a brand-new free-form audio and visual improvisation, creating their performance specifically for the David Rubenstein Atrium. There is also a special screening of Andy Warhol’s Kiss and Blow Job. You know if you want to star at one image on a screen for a very very long time. More information about Unsound Festival can be found at http://unsound.pl/en you can also find Unsound Festival 2010 lineup and music clips at though Last.fm page

When some people think of February they think of that “holiday” that start with a V and ends with cards, chocolate and overpriced dinners. February has a special place in my heart because it is PANKCAKE MONTH at CLINTON ST. BAKERY and HOT CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL time at City Bakery.

CLINTON ST. BAKERY

Chocolate & Blood Orange pancakes with candied orange glaze and warm apple butter Feb 1-3

Poached pears with vanilla bean whipped cream and warm apple butter Feb 4,5

Fresh coconute pancakes with passion fruit syrup and bananas Feb 8-9

Roasted apples with candied walnuts and warm maple carmel butter Feb 10-11

Classic Chocolate Chunk fresh raspberries and raspberry -carmel sauce Feb 12-

Brown sugar pecans, bananas and cinnamon maple butter Feb 16-17

Classic Chocolate Chunk Feb 18-22

Fresh blackberries, pecan streusel, warm maple butter Feb 23-24

Crunch Bananas with cinnamon-chili-chocolate sauce Feb 25-26

CITY BAKERY”S HOT CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL kicks of Feb 1st with Lemon Hot Chocolate

IN PRODUCTION:

We All Eat Webseries - Production start date: 1/24/2010

Art By Chance - Production started 12/1/2009

DEVELOPMENT & PRE-PRODUCTION

PapergirlNYC - August 2010 - (in collaboration with Rebels with a cause).

http://www.vimeo.com/4318007

ON-GOING

Available for work & consultation (Video Production, Event Production, Development, Social Media Marketing)

Stacey Eats: a neighborhood guide to cheap eats.

This year’s Sundance has done a lot to revamp their programming. Adding the new Next (low-budget) features and the traveling premiers of films in several different cities.

If you can’t make it to Utah, If you don’t leave in on of the choosen cities above then what do you do?

You can watch 5 Sundance Films 3 of which are 2010 premiers on YouTube (for a small price of course).

Three  American independent feature films from the 2010 Sundance Film Festival will debut on YouTube even before audiences get a chance to see the movies at the festival in Park City, UT. Launching this Friday for VOD rental online in the United States - from this year’s Sundance fest - are Michael Mohan’s “One Too Many Mornings,” Todd and Brad Barnes “Homewrecker,” and Linas Philips’ “Bass Ackwards.” Meanwhile, from last year’s Sundance, YouTube will also be renting Tze Chun’s “Children of Invention” and Louie Psihoyo’s “The Cove” online.

I LOVE food, which is evident if you’ve read my Stacey Eats: East Village or Stacey Eats: Williamsburg. Food is the one common denominator that I have with the people closest to me. Not a day goes by where someone I know isn’t sending me a picture of something they ate or commenting on a picture of something that I’ve eaten. This also explains my love and need for the gym. Without it I’d be like 400lbs.

I have been experimenting in the kitchen and reading My Life In France which lead me to do a search for cooking classes in NYC. I already tried to volunteer for Astor Food and Wine, if you volunteer your time, you can take a class for free. So far, I haven’t been selected as a volunteer. So, I started searching for alternative options and I found a few.

Brooklyn Kitchen, Offers an array of classes from pizza making to chocolate making to butchering a pig with the one you love see Date Night: Pig Butchering). Classes range from free to about $80.

I also found… Trinisoul Offers class for adults, kids and for parties. Learn to make Caribbean and Trinidadian food!

If money is no object then by all means check out Astor Food and Wine. It’s seems like a fancy smancy cooking experience ($125/class).  They theme classes (Tuscan, Wine, Green Market). You can always get on their volunteer list like me and wait and wait and wait your turn.

Awhile back I boasted about my love and admiration for Spike Jones as well as my trepidation about the adaption of my favorite childhood book, Where The Wild Things Are. Well now that the film is behind us, Spike is cooking up something new, something ”TOP SECRET”!

A Call for Filmmakers by Spike Jones & Co. via  We Love You So

“Do you live in the New York area? Are you over 25 years old? Are you an amazing filmer/editor/cinematographer/photographer? If you are any of those things, or all of those things you should let us know. We are looking for a few rad human beings to be part of a truly fantastic top secret upcoming project happening in NYC in and around Feb-April of 2010. Strengths include : desire to make beautiful work, ability to work on the fly, love of art, music, and culture, knowledge of the internet and an overall sense of the difference between what is good and what is bad.

If this sounds like you, or sounds like someone you know, or sounds like someone that someone you know might know please respond to contact@weloveyouso.com with the subject: TOP SECRET. Please include a link to your site/reel/blog/tumblr or whatever other means you think best communicates how great you are.”

p.s. If you haven’t checked out Spike’s blog We Love You So, please do as it’s filled with such great nuggets of inspiration!

Young Haitian filmmakers lose their film school but keep shooting – and they need our help!

As I type this, the people of Haiti are in crises and will be for sometime. My hearts and prayers are with the people and country as they begin to recover from the earthquake. I know people are donating from around the world to help send supplies and medical aid to them. At times like this I kind of wish that I had a medical or nursing background and that I could actually help in a crisis like this. Although I’m thinking of contacting organizations to find out about helping out in some way in the rebuilding effort. I’m sure Habitat for Humanity will have some trips scheduled latter in the year.

So, I found this story about film students in Haiti, that I thought I’d share with you.

The Ciné Institute, based in Jacmel on Haiti’s southern coast, was completely destroyed in Tuesday’s earthquake. The Ciné Institute provided Haitian youth with film education and edutainment, technical training, and media related micro enterprise opportunities.

It is now gone.

BUT…the students (all of whom survived) went back into the rubble of their building and found their cameras. And they are now shooting – making a visual record of Haitians (by Haitians) during this crisis.

What can we do?

The Institute relies on the support of individuals, organizations and film professionals from around the world to support a movement that harnesses the power of film to educate and create opportunity for Haiti’s youth.

Check out the website and donate anything you can to help rebuild the school – and give these passionate students hope for their future.http://www.cineinstitute.com

Tonight you and I can relive our teenage years, that is if you spent most of your time in Tower Records. I know I did.

No Longer Empty (NLE) is bringing Tower Records back to life with a multimedia installation. “Never Say Goodbye” will include pieces made from sound, light and all the technology that made Tower obsolete. Sounds depressing! The exhibit will be open to the public through February 13th. More details here.

Friday // 7 to 9 p.m. // Broadway and E 4th St // Free

I can’t exactly remember the name of the music teacher but I can almost hear her the story and the music for Peter and The Wolf as I type this. Saturday, January 16, Arts @ Brookflield will put on a performance with the Knickerboxer Chamber Orchestra performing Peter & The Wolf with narration by Neil Gailman. The concert will also feature Broadway tenor Jason Danieley.

Saturday // 7pm /// World Financial Center // FREE

If you can’t make it, may I suggest watching the animated short Peter and the Wolf, Oscar winner 2007 Best Animated Short.

Now all I need to do is find a Muppet movie on Sunday to fully go back in time.