Stalking U2
Posted on June 7, 2009
Filed Under On the Road | 3 Comments
price diflucan before. Somehow these four Irishmen seemed to understand my perceived alienation and insecurities and for a hormonal teenager that was like word from God that I was not in this all alone.
From that first beat on, it was all about U2. I saved up my allowance to get a subscription to their fanclub magazine (it was called “Propaganda”, which is how I first learned what that word meant) and I conversed with other fans across the globe through fanzines and letters; I was an early believer in the power of globalization. Alternative music was not cool in the mid-1980s (at least not in the Midwestern high schools of America) and I remember having a huge argument with a girl in my French class when, in early 1987 before “The Joshua Tree” came out, she told me U2 were, “weird and boring.” Three months later she was on the bandwagon, strutting around school in one of their Joshua concert t-shirts. All of a sudden my band, my boys from Dublin who had connected with me on this primal level, were everyone’s favorite band. They were on the cover of Time, Rolling Stone—my secret was out and everyone wanted to be a fan. If U2 were a stock I could have made a fortune as an early investor on the American market.
My heart broke when my parents forbade me from going to see them in Detroit during the Joshua Tree tour. Comprar levitra contra reembolso But since then I have seen them from Philadelphia to Paris and places in between. I dressed up as Bono to compete for my sorority in “Mock Rock”, in 1992 I made the must-do pilgrimage to Dublin during my junior year abroad to visit their recording studio and later that year stood in the front row at their concert in Detroit screaming “I love you Adam” for pretty much the whole show. (I still fancy him!) My senior year in college I wrote a paper for my philosophy of art class comparing Anton Corbijn’s video for “One” and Pablo Buy Plavix Online Picasso’s “Three Dancers”—it must have been persuasive because I got an A.
U2’s line has continually been about people becoming informed and involved through their music—something that I took to Buy Prednisone Online Pharmacy heart and probably is a reason why I tend to be drawn to stories focused around humanitarian issues. I founded a chapter of Amnesty International in my high school because U2 supported the charity. I became interested in “The Troubles” (and later even started a Masters’ in Irish history that I never completed) in part because of the lyrics to “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” My deep interest in the Balkans started after reading that each night during their Zooropa tour they had a satellite link to Sarajevo where citizens living under siege would tell the audience about daily life in a war zone.
So after all this, why have I yet to not interview U2 ? Good question. When I worked on staff at Newsweek I periodically put in requests for interviews with Bono—to talk about his music, his work on debt relief—but the line was either that he felt overexposed Buy cozaar in the media or that the band were taking a break from interviews. Weirdly I have had several six degrees of U2 moments: I spoke with Paul McGuinness (their manager) for a cover story about Bono in 1999, I interviewed Bono’s wife, Ali Hewson, for a feature about the couple’s eco-clothing line Edun (she invited me to travel with her to Lesotho to visit their factory but Newsweek said I couldn’t go—I was crushed.) My best friend’s ex-boyfriend used to handle Bono’s press for the One campaign, another friend’s dad has advised him on debt issues and my former flatmate interviewed him in Dublin for People and got me his autograph, which hangs in my utility closet.
But I am not giving up just yet. I have already put in for an interview with them this summer during the European leg of their concert tour—I have tickets to see them in Dublin, London and Poland—so I’m holding out hope that this time it will happen. And if it does the 37 year-old me will be professional, articulate and composed—but the 16 year-old who still lives inside me will be screaming and punching the air in unadulturated glee.
On the trail of Brad and Angelina in Cannes, I get a taste for truffles..
Posted on June 6, 2009
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When I tell my friends I’m off to the Cannes Film Festival to cover a week of celebrity parties and film premieres, the response is normally “Oh wow, your job is so glamorous” followed swiftly by a plea to pack them in my suitcase.
But after four years, I’ve learned that covering the festival is more a test of stamina and battling sleep deprivation than VIP treatment.. after all that’s for the film stars right?
Or maybe not. Levitra generico
I woke up on my first day to discover that not only had Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt arrived in Cannes but the hottest couple on the planet had enjoyed an intimate dinner (for 60!) with the whole of the Accutane Online Tarantino cast at a small Italian restaurant called Michelangelo in Antibes run by Mamo Mammoliti (see picture above). I hot-footed from my interview with Penelope Cruz (who was ridden with flu but still looking exquisite in polka dot Dior) to the quaint little restaurant. Venta de levitra
Not only did Mamo’s son Mikael come up trumps with tales of the couple known as ‘Brangelina’ feasting on truffle ravioli and focaccia with truffle shavings (Brad Pitt is a huge fan of truffles) giving me a tour of who sat where and what happened, he also insisted that the chefs prepare a mini feast Cialis levitra of some of the dishes enjoyed the night before including, of course, their truffle specialities.
The verdict was unanimous — it was quite possibly the best pasta I have ever eaten… thanks Brad!
With further tales of Robert Pattinson gatecrashing the dinner and Harvey Weinstein insisting the chefs rustle something up for the Twilight actor and his friend, I had to leave my half-eaten focaccia to race back to the hottest party of the week, the Inglourious Basterds premiere after party at Baoli on the beach. Comprar levitra contra reembolso
With the romantic backdrop of the ocean behind them, Brad and Angelina partied the night away with new BFF, Eli Roth (a co-Basterd) looking cozy and whispering sweet nothings into each others ears. They left at 1am in typical showbiz style, vanishing with a sweep of Jolie’s Versace dress, through a side exit and into the night air, back to their villa at the luxurious Hotel du Cap.
So simple yet so sophisticated, Buy Prednisone Online Pharmacy I muse, much like Brad’s favorite truffles…
The AACL has Paxman for lunch
Posted on April 20, 2009
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Jeremy Paxman, BBC presenter and one of Britain’s best known journalists, joined The Association of American Correspondents in London for a special lunch at the Foreign Press Association.
We talked a little about his best-selling book and BBC documentary series, The Victorians, and a lot about politics and our trade. Levitra generico
Paxman Buy bactrim online began by raising an eyebrow and asking: “Does anyone really Buy Flagyl ER Online Pharmacy want to hear about The Victorians?” We did — but we also covered a wide range of interesting topics, from Tony Blair’s Viagra Soft Tabs Online good memory to covering the Troubles. Venta de levitra
I’ m delighted to report that so Cialis levitra meone asked him the same question, over and over Comprar levitra contra reembolso and over again.
Previous Events and Guest Speakers
Posted on August 3, 2008
Filed Under Events and Guest Speakers | Leave a Comment
The AACL has hosted the great and the good over recent years, including Prince Charles, Tony Blair, Dalai Lama, Gerry Adams, Jamie Oliver and John le Carre. Levitra generico Comprar levitra contra reembolso Venta de levitra Cialis levitra
Below is the list of previous esteemed AACL events/guests from the previous decade, and beyond …
2011
Tracey Emin
V&A Cult of Beauty Preview
Hugh Robertson
2010
Enchanted Palace at Kensington Palace
William Hague
2009
Jeremy Paxman
Boris Johnson
Ambassador Louis Susman
Kevin Spacey and David Troughton at the Old Vic
Obi Abili, Lesley Manville and Anthony Head at the Old Vic
2008
July 28 David Miliband
January 22 Ken Wharfe
2007
June 11 HRH Duke of York
July 11 General Sir Mike Jackson
October 9 Alistair Campbell
2006
January 25 Benjamin Franklin House
February 9 Good Night and Good Luck
February 27 Sir Ian Blair
September 19 Dress For The Occasion at BP
2005
March 4 Alexander McCall Smith
June 1 Sebastian Coe
June 8 Kevin Spacey
June 20 Jamie Oliver
October 26 HRH Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall
November 9 Col. Tim Collins
2004
March 10 James Rubin
June 2 Chris Meyer
July 28 Jana Bennett
September 15 Paddy Harveson
October 19 Michael Howard
December 7 David T Johnson
December 15 Sir Jeremy Greenstock
2003
January Buy Brand Levitra Online Pharmacy 14 Geoff Hoon
January 20 Chris Patten
September 2 John Simpson
November 18 Bill Bryson
December 9 The Hon. David T Johnson, Minister
2002
February 26 Peter Mandelson
March 19 Ambassador William Farish
March 20 Alastair Campbell
June 25 David Blunkett
July 8 Sir John Major
2001
February 6 Ambassador Philip Lader
July 4 Gen John De Chastelaine
July 26 Bob Worcester & David Butler
2000
January 11 Susan Greenfield
March 3 Alastair Campbell
March 27 Tony Hall
May 4 George Soros
June 21 Helen Fielding
November 20 Sir Peter Hall
December 5 Prince Philip
1999
January 21 F.W. De Klerk
February 4 Sir Paul Condon
May 6 Cardinal Basil Hume
May 12 His Holiness The Dalai Lama
June 23 Rt. Hon Buy Viagra Professional Online Pharmacy No Prescription Needed Earl Spencer
August 12 Marjorie Mowlam
October 25 Major Gen. Geoffrey Fields
December 8 Ambassador Philip Lader
1998
January 27 Gerry Adams
March 10 Jeffrey Archer
April 21 David Frost
May 26 Peter Sutherland
June 3 David Trimble
December 16 Ambassador Buy lamprene online Philip Lader
1997
January 29 John Humphrys
March 4 Max Clifford
April 8 Robert Worcester
June 19 Mo Mowlam
October 17 Chris Smith
December 8 Ambassador Philip Lader
1996
January 16 Diana, Princess Of Wales
February 13 Kenneth Clarke
March 19 Michael Heseltine
April 23 Peter Mandelson
June 3 Germaine Greer
September 9 Anita Roddick
October 15 Salman Rushdie
November 13John Prescott
December 10 Ambassador William Crowe
1995
January 30 Admiral Leighton Smith
February 8 Richard Branson
March 1 Gerry Adams
April 18 Conrad Black
May 23 Gordon Brown
June 12 Lord Gowrie
September 18 Alan Clark
October 18 David Trimble
November 6 Dick Spring
December 12 Ambassador William Crowe
1994
January 12 John Smith
February 10 Sir Patrick Mayhew
March 9 Virginia Bottomley
April 6 Ambassador Ray Seitz
April 27 Michael Portillo
June 8 Commissioner Paul Condon
September Tony Blair
October 26 John Birt
November 23 Admiral Crowe
December 8 HRH The Prince Of Wales
1993
March Viagra Online 2 John Le Carré
March 30 Baron Von Richthofen
April 15 Michael Palin
June 30 PM John Major
October 12 Rupert Pennant-Rea
November 24 Gus O’Donnell
David Miliband on the Foreign Office
Posted on August 3, 2008
Filed Under AACL News | Leave a Comment
Well weren’t we lucky Venta de levitra ? Just 48 hours before David Miliband’s controversial piece came Buy Cialis Online Pharmacy out in The Cytotec Online Guardian, which was seen as a thinly veiled attack on Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s leadership, the British Foreign Secretary was dining with us! Cialis levitra
Though the lunch was off the record (so sadly can’t share snippets about where he is going on vacation nor the hotspots he’ll be watching over the summer break), he did give intriguing insights into where the Foreign Office is heading, his impressions of how things are going in places like the Balkans and Afghanistan Comprar levitra contra reembolso and even some thoughts about the US presidential election campaign.
And of course, he did dish a bit mevacor about Labour party politics — what foreshadowing! Levitra generico
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