48 iustiout
UNE 15 2007
'{•¡•I
eatingout
eatingout
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I Bring <n
ad
a FREE DESSERT w/ENTREE PURCHASE' •
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-»•BBQ on Broadway-«-
¡Odessa’s Cafe
Authentic Southern BBQ
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Slow Cooked Homemade Sauce
Now Serving Beer «& Wine
3445 NE Broadway
503-2SS-3369
Sun-Thur« 1 lam-8pm • Fri & Sat 1 lam-lOpm
Dine In or Take Out
Restaurant & Bar
Where Triends meet Tor good rood
and wine in a relaxed atmosphere.
Life is Good
Sunday - Thursday 1-10 pm, Friday - Saturday i-11 pm
2051 SE
Rve. at Spokane tn Sellwood
503-233-4613
MINGO
serving dinner nightly @ 5pm
in northwest Portland, we don’t do resenations
simple Italian cooking
simple Italian food
MiNGO
serving lunch mon-fri, dinner 7 nights
happy hour in between
f
in Hc.ivcihin a
. f, .< i >
,"11 *'•" Bir IxHlIc "I « me
.in find it
si * t Mr> mm
Junket Junkie
I could learn to love this
ichael Cunningham walked in and
took my breath away. The silver
hair, the inviting smile, the dimples
you could swim laps in. 1 almost
swooned. But let me back up and
I explain how I ended up alone in a hotel room with
a Pulitzer-winning novelist.
Last month I received a “golden opportunity”
from Just Out Arts and Culture Editor Jim Radosta.
Did I want to go to New York City for two days to
attend a press junket for Evening, a new film with
an all-star cast that’s written by Cunningham?
New York City? All expenses paid? Score! The
only hitch was that I couldn’t bring a guest, which
meant my partner had to stay home. “Marc who?"
I replied.
So, Saturday morning at 5 a.m., a car service
whisked me off to PDX. (Car service—the two
most beautiful words in the English language.)
From there I traveled (car service!) to the Loew’s
Regency Hotel, the poshest place I’ve ever stayed,
with its plush robes, plasma TV and walk-in show
er (which seemed really cool until I flooded the
bathroom by accidentally pointing the shower
head toward the entrance). Now I know why
Heloise stayed so long at the Plaza. The Regency is
also where Michael Feinstein performs, but I had
a movie to see.
I also had a $125 per diem to spend. So,
I immediately got on the phone to Marc’s cousin,
composer/lyricist Tim Acito (off-Broadway’s
Zanna Don't), and told him to get his ass to the
Regency because there was no way I could use up
this per diem unless he helped me drink it.
But first was the screening, where I met writer
Jason Rowan, who was covering the movie for
Esquire. Since he was cute, I invited him to the
hotel to help kill the per diem as well.
The film is a touching work by a masterful team.
It stars Vanessa Redgrave as a dying woman who,
drifting in and out of a morphine-induced haze,
recalls the true love of her life, played in flashback by
the thoroughly edible Patrick Wilson (Angels in
America, Little Children). Cunningham has revised
the story significantly, including beefing up a minor
character into a sexually ambiguous dreamboat
(Hugh Dancy) who kisses Wilson full on the lips.
But the real treats of the film are Redgrave and
Meryl Streep, who appear
briefly together, two pros
at the height of their
expressive powers reveling
in the delight of their
craft. The film also
features Redgrave’s real-
life daughter, Natasha
Richardson, as her reel-life
daughter, while Streep’s
daughter, Mamie Gummer,
plays Streep’s younger self.
Upping the diva index is
Glenn Close.
And did I mention
Hugh Dancy kisses Patrick
Wilson on the lips?
Back at the Regency,
Tim, Jason and 1 easily
coast through my per
diem—and then some.
But the conversation is so Hugh Dancy locks lips
■
■
Out!
BY FlOYt
lively, and the atmosphere so vibrant—sexy Peter
Gallagher (The OC, American Beauty) is at the
next table—that it’s worth it, and I fall into my
300-count cotton sheets drunk and very happy.
The next morning, 1 arrive at the hospitality
suite to request a one-on-one interview with
Cunningham. Jason, a junket regular, told me these
usually last 10 to 15 minutes. I locate the publicist
in charge and ask whether I can have 30. She’s
skeptical until 1 explain that I’m from a queer paper
in Oregon and want to devote a whole column to
Cunningham. She looks at her schedule, crosses
out The Newark Star-Ledger and writes me in for
two slots. Score.
My interview is scheduled for the afternoon,
and the morning is filled with roundtables where
10 to 15 journalists sit while publicists shuttle the
cast and crew between rooms for 20 minutes of
questions and answers. Dancy is first in our room.
He’s short, boyish and very intelligent. He’s also
terrific in the movie. I'm so taken with him, I even
forget to ask the one question I most want to know:
“What was it like to kiss Patrick Wilson F
Cunningham enters next and I sit back, con
tentedly knowing that he and I will soon be having
a private tête-à-tête. (Marc who?) But I’ll have to
save the tale of our brief affair for my next column.
Suffice it to say, rewards come to those who are
Out Going. ©
E vening opens June 29 at Fox Tower Cinemas.
FLOYD S klaver aunts to know about your event.
E-mail him at faydsklaver@comcast.net.
■
Tí
p;j
*
with Patrick Wilson in the touching film Evening.