I'm off to see Steven Tyrell at Yoshi's tonight!
Update: The show was spectacular. The singing fabulous, the band terriffic, the stories funny.
Recording standards, Steve's met the families of a number of America's greatest artists. Jimmy McHugh's grandsons told Steve about how their grandad had to sell his piano during the darkest days of the depression. A few days later Jimmy McHugh ran into George Gershwin on the street. George asked him how it was going, Jimmy said, "Not good, it's so bad I had to sell my piano". Two days later, George has a piano delivered to Jimmy's place with a note, wishing him a change in fortune. The first song Jimmy wrote on that piano kept his family fed for a really long time...I'm in the Mood For Love.
We asked the waiter if we could stay for the second show and sit up front. We had a very hard time not swooning, sitting in the front row, and being serenaded with with I've Got the World on a String (my favorite song)
After the show, they all signed my birthday card and Steve sang Happy Birthday to me. The very best birthday I've ever had ;^D
10/20/2003
Help Me Help You
for a lark, I'm going to apply for the California Tourism Commission. I'm an expert on the fun things to do and see in California, so I'm sure they will consider me well qualified. On my application, I'm going to list the 50 (or 100) things I'd recommend to any tourist visiting our state. But I'm having a bit of a brain freeze, and so far, I've just to #25. Can you help me out. Please submit some recommendations.
1. Sing at the Piano Bar at the Mission Ranch Inn, Carmel
2. White Water Rafting on the Kern River, followed by
3. Prime Rib at Ewing's On the Kern, Kernville
4. Kayaking on San Luis Obispo Bay
5. Take a night hike in Topanga State Park, Pacific Palisades
6. See a show at Yoshi's Jazz Supper Club, Oakland
7. Make a wish in the Snow White Fountain at Disneyland
8. Have a drink at Yamashiro's watching the blinking light at the top of the Capitol Records Building spell out "Hollywood" in Morse Code.
9. Shop on Haight Street, San Francisco
10. Wine Tasting at Villa Toscano Winery, Amador
11. Drive a Convertible on the 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach
12. Hear a Jazz Singer at the park in Marina Del Rey
13. See the Giants beat the Doggies in (newly named) SBC Park, San Francisco
14. Go-Kart Racing at the Speedring, San Jose
15. Tour the State Capitol (will be way cooler when Arnold arrives)
16. Rent a beach cruiser in Santa Barbara
17. Jay Leno Show, Burbank
18. Take a hiking break at the Tourist Club Chalet, Mill Valley
19. Ride the Big Dipper in Santa Cruz
20. Go to Corky Carroll's Surf School, Huntington Beach
21. Rent a Houseboat on Lake Shasta
22. Take the Ferry to Coronado, San Diego
23. Enjoy Opera at the Bear Valley Music Festival
24. Hike the Tahoe Rim Trail
25. Fireworks on the Beach in Santa Barbara
26. Visit the oldest McDonald's in Downey
27. Make out in the garden @ the Norton Simon in Pasadena
28. Have a Bolivar at the Grand Havana in Beverly Hills
29. Make a silver clay pendant at Precious Metal Arts in Santa Monica
30. Have Sunday brunch at Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga Canyon
31. Practice Zen archery at Woodley Park in Van Nuys
32. Squish some clay at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach
33. Sing Summer Nights behind the stands at Marshall High
34. Row through the canals of Venice
35. Get certified to officiate at a California wedding at the Norwalk City Hall
36. Let Steven Spielberg's mom cook a kosher meal for you in West LA
37. Sleep on the beach at Pt. Mugu
38. Watch Irma the Ghost play the piano at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.
39. Watch the polo matches in Griffith Park
40. Have a beer at Brennan's and watch the turtles race in Marina del Rey
41. Stare at the silver painted mime at the 3rd Street Promenade
42. Watch the planes take off and land while you get drunk at the Encounter in that building at LAX
43. Lose your shirt at the Bicycle Club in Bll Gardens
44. Count Coy at the pond at the Sportsman's Lodge
45. Lose yourself in books in Brentwood
46. Tour the Bud factory in the Valley
47. Place some flowers on John Ritter's star on the "Walk of Fame" in Hollywood
48. Crash a party in Holmby Hills
49. Nurse your hangover with some Joni's coffee
50. Blog from the patio in Marina del Rey
I've added some updated suggestions from the patio pundit. More to follow from the Boy from Troy, Spooky and Miller's Time
.
Blogging soundtrack
Ain't Misbehavin' sung by Steven Tyrell
No one to talk with,
All by myself,
No one to walk with,
But I'm happy on the shelf
Ain't misbehavin',
I'm savin' my love for you
I know for certain,
The one I love,
I through with flirtin',
It's just you I'm thinkin' of.
Ain't misbehavin',
I'm savin' my love for you
Like Jack Horner in the corner
Don't go no where,
What do I care,
Your kisses are worth waitin' for
Be-lieve me
I don't stay out late,
Don't care to go,
I'm home about eight,
Just me and my radio
Ain't misbehavin',
I'm savin' my love for you.
10/18/2003
Operation Gratitude
Re-posted from the Alpha Patriot (also on Little Green Footballs)
Carolyn Blashek got married in June last year, and by September her husband had been called up and sent overseas. She volunteered to work at the USO and one day an Army officer walked in looking for a chaplain. One wasn't around, so he asked if he could talk to Carolyn. He'd come home on emergency leave for his mother's funeral and was on his way back to his post in Korea.
Things were heating up in North Korea with the nuclear threat, he said, and he didn't know if he'd make it back this way again. It wouldn't matter anyway, though, he said.
"His mother had just died, and his wife had left him years ago," Carolyn said. "He said he didn't have any other relatives. Then he just broke down and started crying for a few minutes. It was so sad.
"After he left, I thought how many other servicemen and women have nobody."
And so Operation Gratitude was born. Carolyn runs this out of her house, sending care packages with toiletries, snacks, games, movies and personal letters of support to men and women stationed overseas that have been identified by their officers or chaplains as those who don't get much in the way of mail from back home.
Two things makes this program different from the others. First, it targets those who most need the moral boost - those that may not have anyone back home providing emotional support. Second, the personal touch that Carolyn gives by including a letter to the recipient.
Oh, and third - Carolyn runs the whole outfit - assembling, packaging, mailing - out of her home.
She has sent over 650 packages to date, and is ramping up for a special holiday mailing of some 2,000 packages that is going to require tens of thousands of dollars just to cover postage (each Holiday Care Package will require $15 in postage).
The is a worthwhile project. For those who cannot afford to give money (although it is tax-deductible), you can still help by writing a letter or two to be included in the packages.
If you don't think that this is worth doing, here is a letter from a grateful package recipient:
Dear Carolyn Blashek,
I received your care package today and it caught me by surprise because I was not expecting it. As I opened it tears almost came to my eyes because we are here in a strange country with a need of alot of morale support and here you are sending me this package full of good things. I can't thank you enough. It meant alot to me and you can bet that I will spread the word throughout the soldiers in Kuwait and Iraq. It makes me proud to be a soldier and fight for the freedom of people like you. May God Bless you always.
I'm here with my unit of transportation from Puerto Rico. "Muchas Gracias";
SGT P. R., USA, Personnel Sergeant
I'm posting a graphic link to Operation Gratitude. Please encourage your friends and family to participate. And for the Angelenos, they're having an event in Van Nuys the first weekend in November.
Re-posted from the Alpha Patriot (also on Little Green Footballs)
Carolyn Blashek got married in June last year, and by September her husband had been called up and sent overseas. She volunteered to work at the USO and one day an Army officer walked in looking for a chaplain. One wasn't around, so he asked if he could talk to Carolyn. He'd come home on emergency leave for his mother's funeral and was on his way back to his post in Korea.
Things were heating up in North Korea with the nuclear threat, he said, and he didn't know if he'd make it back this way again. It wouldn't matter anyway, though, he said.
"His mother had just died, and his wife had left him years ago," Carolyn said. "He said he didn't have any other relatives. Then he just broke down and started crying for a few minutes. It was so sad.
"After he left, I thought how many other servicemen and women have nobody."
And so Operation Gratitude was born. Carolyn runs this out of her house, sending care packages with toiletries, snacks, games, movies and personal letters of support to men and women stationed overseas that have been identified by their officers or chaplains as those who don't get much in the way of mail from back home.
Two things makes this program different from the others. First, it targets those who most need the moral boost - those that may not have anyone back home providing emotional support. Second, the personal touch that Carolyn gives by including a letter to the recipient.
Oh, and third - Carolyn runs the whole outfit - assembling, packaging, mailing - out of her home.
She has sent over 650 packages to date, and is ramping up for a special holiday mailing of some 2,000 packages that is going to require tens of thousands of dollars just to cover postage (each Holiday Care Package will require $15 in postage).
The is a worthwhile project. For those who cannot afford to give money (although it is tax-deductible), you can still help by writing a letter or two to be included in the packages.
If you don't think that this is worth doing, here is a letter from a grateful package recipient:
Dear Carolyn Blashek,
I received your care package today and it caught me by surprise because I was not expecting it. As I opened it tears almost came to my eyes because we are here in a strange country with a need of alot of morale support and here you are sending me this package full of good things. I can't thank you enough. It meant alot to me and you can bet that I will spread the word throughout the soldiers in Kuwait and Iraq. It makes me proud to be a soldier and fight for the freedom of people like you. May God Bless you always.
I'm here with my unit of transportation from Puerto Rico. "Muchas Gracias";
SGT P. R., USA, Personnel Sergeant
I'm posting a graphic link to Operation Gratitude. Please encourage your friends and family to participate. And for the Angelenos, they're having an event in Van Nuys the first weekend in November.
Un-Doing the Jerrymander
No whining should be allowed in California about the Reappo proposal from Ted Costa, Kevin McCarthy and Devin Nunes. They aren't suggesting a system where one side cheats the rules in order to give their team the advantage, they're suggesting a game with a neutral playing field.
The reapportionment and redistricting initiative, planned for the November 2004 ballot, is drawing lots of fire from the left. here and here and here. When is it going to catch on with the right (and the middle who are the biggest beneficiaries of all)?
10/16/2003
10/15/2003
Wictory Wednesday
And today, do it for the Dinubians
Backcountry Conservative
Boots and Sabers
Bowling for Howard Dean
BushBlog.us (unofficial)
Bush-Cheney 2004 (unofficial)
ExPostFacto
Freedom of Thought
The Hedgehog Report
The Irish Lass
Jarhead
Jeremy Kissel
Left Coast Conservative
Matt Margolis
The Ole Miss Conservative
PoliPundit
Political Annotation
A Rice Grad
Ryne McClaren
Slublog
Southern Conservatives
Stephen Blythe
Viking Pundit
The Wise Man Says
It's Wictory Wednesday. Bloggers accross America are supporting the re-election of President George W. Bush by donating and volunteering to be a Bush Team Leader. Would you please join us?
And today, do it for the Dinubians
Here are some other blogs who are helping to reelect Bush:
Backcountry Conservative
Boots and Sabers
Bowling for Howard Dean
BushBlog.us (unofficial)
Bush-Cheney 2004 (unofficial)
ExPostFacto
Freedom of Thought
The Hedgehog Report
The Irish Lass
Jarhead
Jeremy Kissel
Left Coast Conservative
Matt Margolis
The Ole Miss Conservative
PoliPundit
Political Annotation
A Rice Grad
Ryne McClaren
Slublog
Southern Conservatives
Stephen Blythe
Viking Pundit
The Wise Man Says
If you would like to be added to this list, please email Poli Pundit.
10/14/2003
Inaugural Blogger's Dinner
If they ever pick a date for the governor's inauguration, I'm planning a blogger's feast. I'll serve Rossi pasta (because they advertise on Rich Galen's Mullings.com)
and make something special from one of my many Nigela cookbooks (Nigella's father was a political ally of Margaret Thatcher). For dessert some GOP Ice Cream.
If they ever pick a date for the governor's inauguration, I'm planning a blogger's feast. I'll serve Rossi pasta (because they advertise on Rich Galen's Mullings.com)
and make something special from one of my many Nigela cookbooks (Nigella's father was a political ally of Margaret Thatcher). For dessert some GOP Ice Cream.
Extremely Cool Cassandra
The Insider says one name floated in the Arnold chief of staff derby is:
"a number of members of the transition committee are pushing for the selection of Cassandra Pye, vice president for corporate affairs at the California Chamber of Commerce, where she has been the political eyes and ears for the chamber for several years."
and USA Today joins him:
"After weathering late-breaking accusations of groping 16 women in the past, Schwarzenegger needs to appoint women, political analysts say. One female prospect: Cassandra Pye, an African-American and a top official of the California Chamber of Commerce."
Cassandra would be Fab! She's smart and snappy, hard-working, fearless and fun. She'd bring a whole different dynamic to the capitol 'cuz she's loaded with personality.
The Insider says one name floated in the Arnold chief of staff derby is:
"a number of members of the transition committee are pushing for the selection of Cassandra Pye, vice president for corporate affairs at the California Chamber of Commerce, where she has been the political eyes and ears for the chamber for several years."
and USA Today joins him:
"After weathering late-breaking accusations of groping 16 women in the past, Schwarzenegger needs to appoint women, political analysts say. One female prospect: Cassandra Pye, an African-American and a top official of the California Chamber of Commerce."
Cassandra would be Fab! She's smart and snappy, hard-working, fearless and fun. She'd bring a whole different dynamic to the capitol 'cuz she's loaded with personality.
10/13/2003
Dreier Dreams
Last week my friend the Potato suggested David Dreier as a likely candidate for Senate against Boxer. I demurred, figuring that a sure thing Senior Leadership position in the House was too good to gamble for a maybe in the Senate, but the American Prowler must be listening to Spooky. David is a very popular Republican, and would instantly be at the top of many primary polls, but I still think the House is too good to give up.
Last week my friend the Potato suggested David Dreier as a likely candidate for Senate against Boxer. I demurred, figuring that a sure thing Senior Leadership position in the House was too good to gamble for a maybe in the Senate, but the American Prowler must be listening to Spooky. David is a very popular Republican, and would instantly be at the top of many primary polls, but I still think the House is too good to give up.
10/12/2003
McClintock vs. Rogers
Ben at Infinite Monkeys suggests payback for McClintock in the appointment of Beth Rogers to the Schwartzenegger transition team ... I see it differently. As a member of the transition, Beth will be prevented from talking bad about McClintock and from organizing a campaign against him. Not that she won't run against him for State Senate, she still might, but if she started her campaign against him today, she'd have a couple hundred thousand in her campaign account by the end of the year.
Arnold is doing McC a big, giant favor by holding Beth back.
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