From the Trader’s Desk: “Risk Management”, Episode 1 Season 2 of Billions

Welcome to “From the Trader’s Desk” for the 2nd Season of Billions! The original concept of these posts was to recap of 2-3 episodes from my point of view as a trader, and to help with any confusion with “fin speak”. However, “Risk Management” was so meaty; I had to dive right in. So now, without further ado….

”Trading is gambling, legalized gambling.”

source: Showtime

Those are words I spoke to Damianista on our first meeting. I think she asked me how I got into the financial industry, and I told her I loved to gamble, and found a way to do it legally.

How fitting then is it that we open Season 2 with Axe sitting at a racetrack! Now, I’ll admit, I didn’t know it was Yonkers Raceway. I thought it was Belmont Park, a place my grandfather would take me to as a kid. Axe tells Bach “this place made me”, and I totally understand. Continue reading “From the Trader’s Desk: “Risk Management”, Episode 1 Season 2 of Billions”

Damian Lewis on Stage: Broadway Debut in Hamlet

We continue our walk through “Damian Lewis on Stage” memory lane today with Damian’s Broadway debut in Hamlet, an experience our favorite guy calls a “growing up, coming of age experience” in his career.

source: tumblr.com
source: tumblr.com

Damian does his Broadway debut as Laertes to Ralph Fiennes’ Hamlet in 1995. The Almeida Theatre production is staged first at Hackney Empire in March 1995, and after its successful run in London, it comes to Broadway in the summer of 1995 — OMG, yes, almost twenty two years ago! Continue reading “Damian Lewis on Stage: Broadway Debut in Hamlet”

Well, How Did I Get Here? Lady Trader’s Fan Story

And you may ask yourself, well
How did I get here? – Talking Heads

Damianista often visits New York, and when she does, we try and get together to chat and catch up. On one of her Spring visits, on a subway ride home, she asked me how I became a fan of Damian Lewis. I told her the story and her reaction was: “You should post that on the blog!” When I finally wrote up my story, Damianista came up with the brilliant idea of getting stories of how others became fans of Damian Lewis and posting them on the blog. How interesting it would be to read everyone’s stories and to see just how we all became a happy, FUN community! Damianista sent the word out, and the response was amazing!

We will be publishing fan stories right here every Tuesday. Damianista was gracious enough to let my story be the first one to get us rolling, so here it is! Continue reading “Well, How Did I Get Here? Lady Trader’s Fan Story”

Take the M Train to Billions: A Visit to Bobby Axelrod’s Favorite Pizzeria

bobbypizza7

We already published a Billions Season 1 Dining Guide but Capparello’s Pizzeria or real life Rosa’s Pizza has become such a staple in the show that, as we countdown to Season 2, it absolutely deserves a tribute! Bobby Axelrod, as much as he is a man of confidence, seems to feel most comfortable in his skin at Capparello’s echoing that Yonkers boy who wants to “get rich and get even” when he grows up. Every scene at this corner pizza joint reveals a thing or two about Bobby and THIS alone makes a trip to Rosa’s a MUST for me and my partner-in-crime Lewisto. And a comment on the blog from a reader, Alaston, saying “If you DO go to Rosa’s, get the Grandma slice” triggers it that we find ourselves on the M train heading to Rosa’s.

So who folds it better? Bobby or Me?

foldingpizza

I propose we start with a virtual trip revisiting the four scenes at Capparello’s highlighting what we learn about Bobby in each one followed by our real trip to Rosa’s Pizza? Continue reading “Take the M Train to Billions: A Visit to Bobby Axelrod’s Favorite Pizzeria”

TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2016:
Damian Storms Times Talks in NY!

source: Times Talks Program

I cannot agree more with Times Talks tag line: The brightest stars. The smartest conversations. And the very smart conversation that a very bright star, Damian Lewis, has with NY Times Culture reporter and new Carpetbagger Cara Buckley at Directors Guild Theater in New York marks yet another TOP Damian Lewis moment of the year!

source: Getty Images

Well, on the day the UK votes to stay in or leave the European Union, a conversation with a British actor calls for a question about Brexit. And that was Buckley’s opening question. And, somehow, the conversation turned more political than I thought it would and I enjoyed it immensely. We all know celebrities tend to avoid from getting involved in political conversation probably because they do not want to lose fans. And I understand that. On the other hand, one may be an actor, a doctor, a teacher, or anything else, but first and foremost we are all citizens and we have responsibility to speak our minds about issues that we care about. And just THIS, I believe, makes an individual, regardless of who she or he is, and regardless you agree with her or him, a good citizen of the world. Thus, I applaud Cara Buckley for her hard-hitting questions and Damian Lewis for speaking his mind thoughtfully, knowledgeably and graciously. He was certainly in TOP form providing compelling arguments along with brilliant humor that cracked up the room one too many times!

You know it is quite a task to turn a one hour and fifteen minute conversation into about 2500 words. But I have such delicious quotes from Damian that I would love to build the review around them.

Continue reading “TOP Damian Lewis Moments 2016:
Damian Storms Times Talks in NY!”