Hi, I'm Erica!
I live in New York by way of Ohio, Mississippi, Georgia, Illinois & Missouri and love good stories, music, cooking, dancing, road trips, the beach, going to the movies, radio, television, news and spending time with family & friends.
I often post about journalism, music and television. You can also follow me on twitter.
My friend (and co-worker) Melissa and I produced this segment for Mother’s Day and I have to say that it was one of the most touching segments I’ve had the chance to work on. The audio on the web version is a little wonky (something that had to do with encoding apparently) but you’ll get the idea- these families were really, really special.
We brought them to New York under the guise that a family member had won a contest — and then surprised the mothers on-air, telling them their families thought they deserved a day of pampering. We then spent all of Saturday with them, styling them up with Bobbie Thomas and getting their hair done at Louis Licari salon. We got to know them and they were all such sweet women. On Sunday we revealed their new looks — but the best part was seeing the smiles on everyones’ faces and tears in everyones’ eyes as they embraced their family on air.
I think we often dismiss things like “makeovers” — we think fashion and beauty are only skin deep. But there’s something to be said for helping someone you love feel as good about what’s on the outside as you feel about what they share from the inside. This weekend reminded me about how we should physically and emotionally take care of the people we love… and about how to appreciate the family that we’ve been blessed to have.
Came across this video tonight and, being a fan of miniatures, gorgeous images & views from above, had to share. Here’s the description from the photographer/editor’s Vimeo page:
“Norway has recently reached 5 million inhabitants and the capital is growing rapidly. The city scene in Oslo is steadily thickening with taller buildings, more people and the never-ending construction sites. Being by far the most populated city in Norway with 613 000 inhabitants, most Norwegians look to Oslo as a major capital. However, if one compares Oslo to other international capitals, Oslo only ranks as the 112th largest. Oslo is indeed a major capital, just a small one…
The production of this video was made out of 76 940 single photos, edited as a video after a lot of work. The video was filmed under the warmest march month ever in Oslo. I have never been on so many rooftops as I had the week I filmed this, a really fun experience. I used tilt-shift lenses to create the miniature effect.”
While in Austin this past weekend John, Joe Mande and I found almost all the locations from Friday Night Lights. John did his Buddy Garrity impression for most of the tour, which may account for why Joe only joined us on the first day of sight seeing. Yes, we did spend two days doing this.
When I saw the trailer for ‘Like Crazy’ months ago, I knew I’d probably like it. In reality the trailer’s a lot more saccharine than the movie, which was a good thing.
I finally had the chance to watch it and it was one of the most believable films I’ve seen in a long time — aside from a couple unnecessary time-lapses and effects that veered towards a-little-too-twee, it didn’t try too hard, and they casted perfectly. The foundation of their relationship is built in the first fifteen minutes: coffee over awkward conversation, the couple riding go-karts around a track, having dinner with her parents and a trip to the beach… and the rest of the film is about the back-and-forth long distance relationship that results from Anna, the main actress, being sent back to England due to an expired student visa. And that’s where it becomes so real.
There’s something very real and raw and young about the way their love is painted, and the emotions and experiences they feel afterward. And the visual details, some of which could have been mistakes — occasionally dirty hair, Jacob trying to grow a beard, everyone being dressed well but not too well — make it easy to fall into the movie and forget that it’s not real.
But perhaps one of the aspects that makes it feel true to life is that there’s nothing stretched too far or made too earnest; there are inequalities and they don’t always love each other the same amount. It’s clear that Anna, even when she’s dating someone else, honestly believes she needs Jacob in her life — but even in the end I’m not convinced he knows if he wants her or not.
They’re probably 19-22 as the film progresses, starting first jobs and renting new apartments, and there’s something very “coming of age” about it all in that it’s less about the relationship itself and moreso about finding yourself and deciding where you want to go and how the people you love and meet play into that process. Jacob’s other girlfriend in the film, who’s played by Jennifer Lawrence, is neither too jealous nor too forgiving — their relationship is happy, but not overwhelmingly so — and the action at times suggests she’s better for Jacob than Anna (and that the other man Anna dates is better and healthier for her). (It doesn’t hurt that Jennifer Lawrence is gorgeous, an amazing actress and walks, talks and laughs so naturally it doesn’t feel like she’s acting at all.)
There’s a struggle between holding onto the passion of love they felt at a time in live when emotional stakes are high and decisions feel monumental and patience is close to impossible, and “growing up” and apart. The visa issues complicate it all, and you wonder whether they’d have ended up together had there not been romanticizing obstacles.
It’s worth a watch. Also, Felicity Jones looks exactly like my best friend Kathleen.
Edit: I have to wonder if this movie wasn’t inspired in any way by “The Graduate.” There are a lot of parallels, but the uncertain ending and Paul Simon allusions and occasionally over-produced transitions are what first made me wonder.
It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been able to go on vacation with the family - living far away means that when I do take a trip it’s usually home to Chicago or Cleveland for a holiday, not to the beach. This year, though, I was able to meet up with my mom, dad and one of my little brothers (the other two are in college and have a different Spring Break, boo) in West Palm Beach, where we spent time with my grandma (who lives in Stuart) and some family friends who were also in the area for the week.
We spent most of our time on the beach and at our hotel pool — and due to accidentally using expired sunscreen, we all got burnt as lobsters (but it was worth it!). We also caught a spring training baseball game, spent lots of time walking around downtown Stuart and saw the Hunger Games. Plus, I was able to meet up with Robert, who works at a TV station in West Palm/Ft. Pierce. It was a great trip all around- relaxing, re-energizing, and a lot of great quality time with my family. Of course I’m read to go back already, but it was the perfect break and now I’m loving New York in spring and a lot of fun projects at work!
The segment I produced for this morning: “Office Fridge Etiquette,” aka “Our Coworkers Have Questionable Cleaning and Eating Habits (to put it politely).”
I bring my lunch about 75% of the time, and a coworker and I were bugging out about some of the things we find in our main fridge (raw steaks? Venison jerky? Cheetos (why would you refrigerate Cheetos??)? Half-eaten Ted Drewes (this isn’t even St. Louis, people)?) and figured plenty of people felt the same. I corralled Jenna into really checking out the territory — and this was the result.
“You think football builds character. It does not. Football reveals character.”
-From Undefeated, a documentary about the 2009 football season for the Manassas Tigers in Memphis, Tennessee.
Whether in documentary form or in fictional film, high school sports somehow manage to capture the relationships, experiences and daily lives that come along with them in a way few other subjects do. And or some reason, football seems to do it best. Undefeated is no different, and is a must-see.
(Speaking of which… I totally missed the Friday Night Lights boat, though I did see the 2004 film it was inspired on [and I have mixed feelings about it]… and as it turns out, all 5 seasons are available on Netflix, instant play. My free time is now officially spent. Also, fun fact- both the movie and the series are based on a book that’s essentially a work of journalism, called Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team and a Dream…. it’s now officially next on my “to-read” list.)
Everything from the dark, remote location of the station with the solitary light to the “two hours til DENNY’S OPENS!” to the newsbreak to the “I am so tired” during commercial… perfect.
It is 100% gorgeous — no, 100% perfect — outside here in New York. The perfect balance of beautiful sunshine with a chilly breeze. I’m stuck inside, but with Life in Film keeping me company, and keeping me dreaming of spring (it’s not so far away!), I think those (slight) winter weather blues have finally sailed away.
