Favorite book—now and when you were a kid?
When I was a kid: Island Of The Blue Dolphins (Scott O’Dell)—it was assigned reading in 5th or 6th grade and the ending made me cry. It was the first experience I can recall about how moving a book can be.
Now: Several, but here’s one: To Dance on Sands: The Life and Art of Death Valley’s Marta Becket (Marta Becket).

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
When I was around 9 years old, I was brought on stage at the Grand Ole’ Opry by Roy Acuff and he introduced me to the audience.

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
I want to answer a different question since my earliest single and album purchases blend together in my memories: The earliest clear memories I have of hearing a song was hearing Johnny Cash’s “Boy Named Sue” (not sure my exact age) and Tanya Tucker’s “San Antonio Stroll” (possibly around age 9). In the case of “Boy Named Sue,” the funny story and Johnny’s great performance/delivery really grabbed me. With “San Antonio Stroll,” I loved the song’s melody including the mandolin (and fiddle) hook, and of course Tanya’s very unique voice. Years later, Johnny Cash would make a guest appearance on a CMH album and the fiddle player on “San Antonio Stroll,” Johnny Gimble, would become a CMH recording artist.

Favorite place in the world and why?
A tie between Griffith Park and Death Valley. Griffith Park because I grew up near it, spent time there as a young boy with my father and family, and it was my first experience out in nature. It also represents the natural Southern California landscape which I greatly love. I now live near its border, so I get to live near one of my favorite places in the world. Death Valley (National Park) is my other favorite place in the world. I have made many trips there during my lifetime with my loved ones.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Frank Zappa’s “Rat Tomago” (although I might have been just a little older when I first heard it).

Favorite book—now and when you were a kid?
One of my earliest memories involves Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat. I was three or four. I loved all of Dr. Seuss’s books as a kid, and love all of them now. When I was twelve, I discovered Philip Roth’s Portnoy’s Complaint in my parent’s library. The shared last name of the author caught my attention, and the content of the book kept it. And though it may not be my all-time favorite book, sneak-reading such illicit content made for a most memorable and educational reading experience. I reread it as an adult and loved the book for a hundred other reasons.

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I’m a six foot tall supermodel genius.

Favorite place in the world and why?
Around any table, anywhere in the world, enjoying a great meal and great conversation with a small group of great people. And then my second favorite place would be at home alone, recuperating from the above socializing… a typical introvert characteristic.

Who would you invite—dead or alive—to your fantasy dinner party?
Well, I’d need a very large dinner table and comfy chairs: Jimi Hendrix, Fran Lebowitz, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Gordon Parks, Howard and Beth Stern, Cornel West, Abraham Lincoln, Bill and Hillary, Coach John Wooden, Mark Twain, Chris Rock, Barack and Michelle, my dad.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
It’s a tie between 60s and 70s R&B/soul music, and peanut butter. Everyone who knows me, knows this to be true. I’ve always said that if I had to tattoo something permanently on my body, it would have to be a peanut butter jar, but play some great Motown or early 70s Philly Soul, and peanut butter becomes a memory.

What is your most unappealing habit?
The compulsion to get to the bottom-line truth of everything and everyone, and calling a spade a spade—a worthwhile habit (and skill) when the timing and intention are right, and everyone’s on board. Otherwise…

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I am, at my core, one of the least serious people you could ever meet.

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
U2’s Achtung Baby. Age 11. As a Catholic school kid hitting puberty, I was mesmerized by it. It felt so deeply spiritual and at the same time really, really naughty.

Favorite place in the world and why?
Any library. I get ecstatic in that deep quiet, surrounded by endless volumes of thought and creativity and binding glue.

Who would you invite—dead or alive—to your fantasy dinner party?
Thomas Jefferson sounds like a riot. He and I could compare notes on what are the best things to compulsively make lists out of.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Watching sketch comedy.

What would your superpower be?
With the wave of my hand, to bring gently to a stop and disable any car that is being driven in a way that I do not like.

Favorite book—now and when you were a kid?
That’s a tough one so many, loved The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, The Corrections, anything by Haruki Murakami, on and on. I loved a book called Tisi and the Yabby when I was a child—basically a photo book about a little girl who befriends a lobster. I think I related as I was always attached to rather odd, mostly inanimate objects that I felt needed taking care of.

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I can speak Japanese (ish now), I was ½ a belt away from getting my black belt in Karate, oh and my mum lives in a cave in France.

Favorite place in the world and why?
I have to say London, it will always be home and I get to eat all the things I miss when I go back with the people I love.

List five items currently in your refrigerator.
My fridge is definitely his N’ hers—his being pickles, A1 sauce, steak, something in the cake family and lemonade; mine are soaked almonds, bananas, peanut butter and marmalade.

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
Master shoemaker. I’m with Daniel Day Lewis– that would be a great skill to have.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less.
Intuitive, organized, dog-lover, toast aficionado—is that 6 words?

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I was, and still am in a way, a musical theater kid. My grandfather put me onto movie musicals and I started performing pretty early on.

Favorite place in the world and why?
Any movie theater, any time of day. It’s my school, my church, my pub, my home.

Your most treasured possession?
I like my body. It gets me where I need to be.

What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?
Look, I cry at the drop of hat. I think the first time I cried was when I saw E.T. at age 3 and I’ve been a bawler ever since. Books, movies, music, tv shows; keeping up with all the things I’ve cried over would be a monumental task. There is a really great podcast called Crybabies, where people discuss the ephemera that’s made them weepy. It’s my kind of show.

What would your superpower be?
The ability to turn my brain on and off at will. I really need that.

What is your most unappealing habit?
Worrying about being right all the time is an unhealthy one when it comes to relationships with others. The one that I tend to feel badly about, yet others are dismissive of lately, is road rage. I live in L.A., so of course I have road rage.

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I was a placard-bearer for Yugoslavia in the opening/closing ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics—once in a lifetime experience!

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
Cheap Trick at Budokan

Favorite place in the world and why?
Home with my husband, kiddos, and Old English Sheepers because that’s where the LOVE is!

Biggest guilty pleasure?
Movie theater popcorn with butter (yum).

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Quad roller skates.

What would your superpower be?
The ability to time travel.

Favorite book—now and when you were a kid?
My favorite book as a kid was Superfudge by Judy Blume. It was so funny to me, I think that was the book that showed me reading was actually fun. I’m currently reading it with my 9 year son. The last good book I’ve read recently is True Haunting by Edwin Becker. Super creepy… Couldn’t put it down.

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I have beaten everybody I know at Just Dance on the Wii.

Who would you invite—dead or alive—to your fantasy dinner party?
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. I’ve always had a crush on him and now he’s all about motivating people and helping them be a better them. <3

Biggest guilty pleasure?
Chocolate milk. Anytime, all the time.

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
I would learn to speak Portuguese! All the good novelas (soap operas) are in Portuguese!

What is your most unappealing habit?
Always late—even thought of changing my license plate to “ALWZL8.”

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I’m nearly fluent in Arabic (it is a bit rusty though). I’m also a pretty good salsa dancer.

First music memory (first song you remember hearing or learning)?
My Mom was always singing vintage music throughout the house when I was a baby and throughout my toddler years and teens – ‘That’s Amore’ is a first memory of music and my Mom – My Dad would play vintage Soul music loud in the car as he drove – I remember standing up in the back of his car at around 5 years of age, speeding across a beach , to Aretha Franklin – Say A Little Prayer – both my parents loved vintage music which was a great balance as my sister and brothers loved different styles of contemporary music.

Favorite book–now and when you were a kid?
As a kid: Any Picture Pop Up book – As an adult: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy – I made my own pop up books when younger – to varying degrees of successful popping!

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
My sister loved Kate Bush and when I was a kid she would like me to listen to Kate’s music, which I found revelatory in terms of lyrics & sounds – I loved her visuals and when I grew up and in my final year of Film / Art School I created a short film to her music, which was sent to her as a Thank You for inspiration – Kate sent a very gracious letter of reply and years later I worked on a beautiful video project in which she starred. The song “Moments of Pleasure” is a perfect piece of music, so evocative in its reflective mood…

Who would you invite dead or alive to your fantasy dinner party?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marian Keyes, Arundhati Roy, John Lewis, Kate Bush

List 5 items currently in your fridge?
Home made Spicy Tomato sauce with peppers and mushroom, Lentil Soup, Strawberries, Kerrygold Irish Salted Butter and a 1LB bar of Milk Chocolate – my fridge contents are usually a fine balance of very good and very bad..

First music memory (first song you remember hearing or learning)?
“Teaching Peace” by Red Grammer

Favorite book–now and when you were a kid?
Hard to say what my favorite is. I really enjoyed Minor Detail by Adania Shibli. As a kid I liked Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I was born in Alaska, but I don’t know how interesting that is.

Biggest guilty pleasure?
A cigarette after a cocktail. Evening espresso also.

Your most treasured possession?
My sweet kitty.

List 5 items currently in your fridge.
A grease stain, packets of sauces, a case of beer, various cheeses, takeaway leftovers.

What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
My twin sister and I were adopted

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
Abbey Road. I was way too young to buy it and own it but most of the albums in our house were communal. Some of my earliest memories are driving around downtown with my father singing Beatles songs together. Two of the big hits for me I would constantly request were “the octopus song” and “the hammer song.” Well played, father. I could think of much worse children’s songs/albums to have to endure. The Beatles are still constantly in my rotation and will forever remain my favorite.

Favorite place in the world and why?
Puerto Vallarta. Love.

Favorite book–now and when you were a kid?
When we were really young and our parents would read to us it was a Cajun Night Before Christmas. Once I started elementary I became immersed in the Redwall books by Brian Jacques.
Now it’s Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. For me it is, without a doubt, the most beautiful story told in the most beautiful way. A few other important ones would be Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, The Terror by Dan Simmons and House Of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski.

Who would you invite dead or alive to your fantasy dinner party?
Murder mystery dinner party with Nicholas Cage, Glenn Howerton, Gary Busey, and Rich Fulcher. Any one of them could easily be the culprit.

List five items currently in your refrigerator.
Seitan, champagne, almond milk, peanut butter, and spinach

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
Every language.

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I play drums.

Favorite place in the world and why?
The Chelsea Hotel—I love the history and stories behind it. Plus, it just feels strangely comfortable and warm, like home.

Biggest guilty pleasure?
Love Songs on the KOST.

What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?
The only movie I can think of that’s ever made me bawl my eyes out is Dancer in the Dark. I think I had a really good cry for at least half an hour after it was over.

What are your vices?
Carbs in any and every form (bread, dark beers, pasta, etc…).

Describe yourself in 5 words or less.
A Socially Awkward Penguin Meme

Favorite book—now and when you were a kid?
Now: I’d have to say House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. That book reminds me there ultimately are no rules to art.
As a kid: I had a version of “Puss in Boots” that came with an “at the tone, turn the page!” tape; I recall loving that chime sound and the artwork—I didn’t even know how to read yet.

Your most treasured possession?
If my house caught on fire, the only thing I would grab is my acoustic guitar.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
The band Thrice.

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
How to speak Spanish!!! 4 years in school did me no good.

What would your superpower be?
Psychic telepathy sounds about right. I’m already pretty good at reading people and having solid foresight, so….

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
A cassette copy of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik inherited from an older sibling.

Favorite place in the world and why?
The Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Who would you invite dead or alive to your fantasy dinner party?
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and George Fierro III.

List five items currently in your refrigerator.
Eggs, bags of salad, tortillas, leftover salmon, chicken.

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
Spanish and French.

Favorite book—now and when you were a kid?
When I was a kid I loved Hatchet by Gary Paulson—a story of a young man stranded in the middle of the wilderness with nothing but a hatchet and his wits. As an adult it has to be the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin—better known as Game of Thrones. Not only are they fantastic epic fantasy, but they also teach the reader patience. Come on, book six!!!

Biggest guilty pleasure?
One time I made tempura shrimp. We had leftover batter and cookie dough, so deep fried cookie dough just made sense at the time. Don’t judge me.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Playing the drums. “What do you mean I get to bash things with sticks and make a ruckus?”

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
The language of squirrels.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less.
Gregarious Giant Ginger Guy

What would your superpower be?
All my life I’ve always imagined what it would be like to go out into the sun.

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I can’t really pinpoint my first memory of listening to music. But I remember writing my first quartet arrangement, which was La La Land ‘s Epilogue for my quartet in High School. VSQ? Call me.

Favorite book–now and when you were a kid?
Favorite book right now, Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns.
When I was a kid, my favorite was the Percy Jackson series. Fact, I read them in Thai!

Favorite place in the world and why?
Boiling Point – Number 3, medium spicy, with white rice. Of course, during lunch time on a weekday because you can get a free drink duh?

Biggest guilty pleasure?
Kpop and reality TV shows.

What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?
I don’t cry. But Everything, Everywhere, All at Once made me shed a tear or two. When Waymond said “In another life, I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you,” I want that.

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
Any survival skills! In an apocalypse or when our ecosystem is destroyed, it would be really nice to not die.

First music memory (first song you remember hearing or learning)?
As a kid I remember a lot of oldies being played on the radio. My dad listened to The Doors and some classic rock too. The riff to “Come Out and Play” by the Offspring was the first guitar thing that I learned.

Favorite book–now and when you were a kid?
One of my favorite books is Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, a sci-fi novel full of crazy tech and some skating too. As a kid I loved an adventure book called The Kay, about a boy stranded on an island with a cat. Today I read a lot of info-tainment like fish keeping, ecology, drone piloting, or research on RCA’s failed CED analog video disk.

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
The first CD I bought the first System of a Down album. I was 13 and they were screaming sugar.

Favorite place in the world and why?
Nature. It just feels good.

List 5 items currently in your fridge?
Ginger beer, seeds, homemade fermented hot sauce, sake

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Skate or Die! I’m not very extreme these days, but I still like cruising downhill or on an electric skateboard.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less.
Romantic Futurist, Semper Abusrda

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson on cassette tape. I was a wee child… I saw the music video for the title track and that was it.

Favorite place in the world and why?
Home. My favorite human and animals reside there.

Your most treasured possession?
A photograph of my mother from her high school years.

Biggest guilty pleasure?
Watching pro wrestling.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Pro wrestling.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Dancing.

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
I’d learn every language in the world.

First music memory (first song you remember hearing or learning)?
Chopin’s Nocturn in C minor.

Who would you invite dead or alive to your fantasy dinner party?
The playwright Sam Shepard and his dear friend the goddess Patti Smith; Etgar Keret my favorite mischievous Israeli writer, the singer and wisdom maker Nick Cave, my Texas grandmother Mary Alice and my German Oma, Irmgard (who would both be winning at the poker game after), Hilma af Kilnt, who we now know pioneered abstract art, the designers Givenchy, Audrey Hepburn and Truman Capote, John Paul Gautier the designer; my Millner friend Erica Elizabeth; and Julia Child.

Favorite book–now and when you were a kid?
Richard Scarry’s Busytown picture books! I might like them even more now as an adult.

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
The first album I remember buying with my own money was Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise (RIP Coolio). I bought it as a birthday gift for my sister. Because it had a parental advisory sticker, I had to go buy it with my mom. I was pretty proud of my music selection/gift buying skills… now I want to dig through my parents’ garage to find that CD…

Favorite place in the world and why?
La Jolla Shores in San Diego. I went to school in San Diego and have a lot of fond memories from that time. Back then it was so easy to just stop by and hang out on the beach. One of the most memorable moments was when I saw my first bioluminescence during a red tide. It was like a scene out of Avatar. The waves and water would light up in this electric blue. It was out of this world.

List 5 items currently in your fridge?
2L Diet Coke
Horseradish
Trader Joe’s Kale Salad Mix
Large bottle of Sriracha
Jar of Kimchi

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
I used to be the mascot in high school (BullDog).

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
Like a Virgin – Madonna, I was a 13-year-old, sexually-liberated woman.

Your most treasured possession?
My memories.

Biggest guilty pleasure?
See’s marshallow and caramel candies, Stella Rosa, chicken mole.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
The 80s.

What is your most unappealing habit?
Selective hearing.

Who would you invite—dead or alive—to your fantasy dinner party?
Hector Berlioz.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Bluegrass.

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
Yiddish.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less.
INFP(or J) Myers-Briggs

What would your superpower be?
To speak every language in the world.

Favorite book– now and when you were a kid?
Early on, my brother got me into reading Japanese comics, or manga. There is or was a lengthy monthly magazine called CoroCoro that came out with a collection of serial mangas, new chapters of each manga being published each month. And I mean this magazine was huge – 700+ pages each month just packed with comics, sweepstakes and advertisements for the latest toys. My brother and I loved it, but I’m not really sure what our parents thought, us being bombarded with enticing ads and all.Not much has changed since. One of my favorite books to this day is The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff, which like manga uses fictional characters to tell a story. The book takes the characters from Winnie the Pooh and uses them to introduce to the reader the basic principles of Taoism. It’s funny and informative, which is right up my alley.

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
When I was around 5 years old, I was once on a daytime TV show in Japan. As a thank you for being a part of a segment, I think the network gave me a clock with the Fuji Television logo on it; which in hindsight seems like I could’ve asked for a little more in return.

Favorite place in the world and why?
There’s a small area of the Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan, around Bleecker Street, that feels like it isn’t present-day New York City– like it’s in some sort of time bubble and still has intact all of the charm that small narrow streets and old brownstones exude. There’s a record shop down there with a little bench outside, cramped onto the sidewalk– you sit there in the winter with the snow coming down and a hot cup of coffee in your hands; it’s pretty magical.

Who would you invite dead or alive to your fantasy dinner party?
Miles Davis. I’d want to hear all the crazy stories, both the wonderful and scary things he experienced as an artist, how working with some of the other jazz giants was, what it felt and meant to him that he received so much praise and attention both during and after his life. And I’d want to hear it all coming from his distinct raspy voice that I’ve heard so many others imitate.

What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?
I tear up a lot, so it really doesn’t take much emotionally to get me there. I want to say the last film I recently watched and nearly cried over was Dirty Dancing. I mean come on, Johnny learned what being respected and cared for feels like, and Baby had the summer of her life!

First album or single you ever owned, how old were you and what was the appeal?
Contrary to my current musical tastes… The Young and the Hopeless by Good Charlotte was the first album I bought. I was going through my skater phase.

Favorite place in the world and why?
I’d have to say West Bay in the Cayman Islands. Definitely one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to thus far.

Who would you invite dead or alive to your fantasy dinner party?
I would invite Sir Alex Ferguson and Jimmy Iovine. That would be fun.

What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?
When They See Us …that’s some heavy stuff.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Manchester United

If you could learn anything instantly by downloading it into your brain Matrix-style, what would it be?
Is the Internet a valid answer? I feel like I’d be pretty set with the Internet accessible in my mind. After that, I would say Portuguese, I visited Brasil when I was 14 and fell in love with the language.

What would your superpower be?
Teleportation. I’d teleport to England every weekend to watch my beloved, Manchester United.

Interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t expect?
“Stay” by Lisa Loeb is one of my go-to karaoke songs.

Your most treasured possession?
My sense of humor.

Who would you invite—dead or alive—to your fantasy dinner party?
I would not invite any dead people to my dinner party. That’s a little creepy. Plus dead people never bring anything.

What’s the one thing you love now as much as you did when you were 14?
Donuts.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less.
That’s unpossible.

What is your most unappealing habit?
Probably, my sarcasm.