Splash Zone

I guess summer has officially begun since I saw my first cheesy, summer epic tonight, "Poseidon."

As far as big screen, special effects movies go this one is pretty good. It doesn't aim for societal commentary or too much of a backstory. The gigantic wave come within the first 10 minutes of the movie and we're off to the races.

Who cares that Kurt Russell's character is the former Mayor of New York City? -- one line in the script is all it earns. And the little kid actor is really good at doing a "scared" face -- especially when he's trap under/over a piano bolted to the floor/ceiling at least five stories up/down.

There's lots of exploding, boiling, blasting water scenes -- and what more do we really need in a summertime movie?

Celebrity Sighting: Spotted Super Dave Osborne having dinner before the movie. No stunts in the Food Court, please! 

A 60s Masterpiece

Tonight I saw a gorgeous restoration of Jean-Pierre Melville's 1969 epic of French Resistance during WWII, starring Lino Ventura and Simone Signoret called "Army of Shadows." Based on the novel by Joseph Kessel, the film draws on the wartime experiences of Kessel and Melville himself, both active members of the Resistance and Free French Forces. This is the first time the film has been released in the U.S.

Speaking of The Resistance, today began with a Breakfast Speech by Representative Henry Waxman.

Even though he's held office in California since the 60s, it was my first time hearing him speak live.

I enjoyed hearing his description of life on Capitol Hill as a House member in the minority, outgunned and outspent by the GOP at every turn. I'm surprised he didn't whip out his cyanide tablet to show us he carries it "just in case." 

Happy Mother's Day

Had a lovely visit this evening with my friend, Sky Johnson, and his Mother -- visiting from Champaign, Illinois.

But I must be a little out of practice as 93-year-old Mrs. Johnson nearly drank me under the table.

I got to visit with another Mother -- Rochelle Lewis -- when I stopped by Max Fanali's Little League Baseball Game this afternoon. Unfortunately, it was a short visit because the "Mercy Rule" was invoked ending the game after four innings. (The Mercy Rule kicks in when one team is leading the other by more than 10 runs.) Don't ask which team needed the mercy today. They'll get 'em next time!

Elementary, My Dear Reader

"Sherlock Holmes The Final Adventure" is a fun who-dun-it currently running at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Set in Olde London, we find Holmes accompanied by his trusty aide de camp, Dr. Watson, ready to take on his final assignment: defeating uber-criminal Professor Moriarty and helping the King of Bohemia escape blackmail.

Mark Capri, a regular on Southland stages, is impressive as Holmes. And all the Sherlock Holmes trademarks you'd expect are in the show -- lecturing Watson on how obvious the clues are, the deerstalker cap, the curved meerschaum pipe and the parlor room of 221b Baker Street.

It's no mystery why the audience enjoys themselves at this show.

Even the Ushers at the Pasadena Playhouse were dressed for the theme of the show. 

Keeping My Powder Dry

Saw a fun show tonight called "Internet Dating -- The Musical" at the art/works theater on Theatre Row in Hollywood.

I'm going to write it up tomorrow for my "Dinner and A Show" column, so I'm not going to write much about it tonight. Let me leave it at it's fun, topical and worth seeing.

Everybody's Gotta Have a Look

Who says the Dodger wigs on sale at the souvenir stand are for kids? At least these two found a way to have some fun while the Dodgers lost to the Astros 4 to 2, breaking their 5 game winning streak.

You know it's a bad day on Wall Street when the Dodgers flash the numbers at the Closing Bell during a "Businessman's Special" afternoon game. I'm surprised the players didn't rush off the field to check their portfolios. 

I'm glad to see the Dodgers are cracking down on pre-game tailgating in the parking lot. When the O'Malley Family owned the Dodgers the parking lot was swept after every game. Now it's filled with broken glass and debris and I always drive through it hoping my tires don't get punctured. If they're not going to clean the parking lot at least they're cutting down on the broken bottles and trash. 

Good Luck with the Taxes

Every Wednesday night during home games at Dodger Stadium, General Motors is giving away a "free" car. Tonight the guy in the red shirt won a Yukon.

They usually show the winner jumping up and down for joy on the Jumbotron. (Tonight's winner was very sedate.)

What I want to see is their face when they realize they have to pay the taxes on their "free" car.

Tonight the Dodgers held on to beat the Astros 9 to 6 and currently have the longest winning streak (5 games) in baseball.

Ooohhh, Look At All Those Newspapers

Seems like everyone I bumped into today going up and back to Sacramento had a comment to make on the stack of newspapers I was lugging with me. And my stock response, "And they just print more every day" always gets a smile.

I was running late when I got to LAX this morning so I asked one of the jitney drivers to give me a ride to Terminal 8. She took me past their normal stopping point and right up to my gate -- which I thought was very nice.

When she noticed my stack of newspapers she asked, "Is there a picture of that boy who held his breath in that bubble of water?" Once I figured out she was talking about David Blaine I explained that I had so many newspapers to read I'd actually left today's three in my car. She said she expected a picture of Blaine to be on the front page. I said there might be a picture somewhere in the paper but I doubted it would be on the front page. "Well it ought to be," she said.

I guess I'll find out in two or three days when I get to today's papers. In the meantime, between both flights today I made it through Wednesday, Thursday and Friday's papers. So now I'm ready to tackle Saturday.

I know I'm tired because I walked off my plane home from Sacramento and left my blue blazer on board. I didn't even realize it until I got home. So tomorrow I get to go and find out what Lost and Found at LAX is like. I happened to notice my airplane was destined to fly from LAX to Philadelphia -- so I suppose my blazer could just as easily end up there in the morning.

Love This Movie or the Terrorists Win

Call me un-American, but I've never actually seen an episode of "American Idol" or any of its Reality TV knockoffs.

But I sure enjoyed the satirical movie, "American Dreamz" tonight. I thought it was a brilliant indictment of the current state of American culture, the politicizing of the fight against terrorism and our unrelenting desire for "fame." (Why else write a blog but to get famous?)

It's a great combination of witty writing, good acting (especially Hugh Grant as a burned-out show host and Seth Meyers as a cheesy agent for Reality TV Stars) and topical humor.

There's No Crying in Baseball

This poor woman was hit hard on the right side of her head by a screaming foul ball hit directly into the Luxury Box Seats. The paramedics carried her out of the stadium.

So if you ever pay the premium price for seats 3 rows from the field: PAY ATTENTION.

On the topic of "smacked upside the head," the Dodgers beat the Brewers 10 to 2 completing their first series sweep of the season. It's also the Dodgers' first three-game winning streak of the year.

12 year-old Max Fanali was my guest at today's game. He suggested we get some Dippin' Dots. Let's just say if these tiny balls of ice cream (think curdled cottage cheese) are the ice cream of the future I'm glad to be stuck in the past. 

Nomar Garciaparra came out today for his pre-game warm-up without a poncho. Since he batted in the winning run to end the last two games in the bottom of the ninth he probably should have come out wearing a Superhero's Cape.

Momma Used to Tell Me...Always Bring Your Camera

When will I learn to have my camera with me at all times?

I went out to lunch today (Langer's, natch) and then to run some errands -- and left my camera at home because it all seemed routine.

Around 2:45 p.m. I ended up at Barnes & Noble at The Grove to buy a gift certificate and found out Liza Minelli was signing the new DVD of her old TV special, "Liza with a Z" at 3.

The store was abuzz and a few hundred people were already lined up. I didn't stick around because I was bummed about not being able to take a picture.

Saw the Reprise! production of Kander and Ebb's "Zorba" tonight. (Ironically, Kander and Ebb wrote the music and lyrics for "Liza with a Z.")

"Zorba" has that famous line, "life is what you do while you're waiting to die." But the show is more "up" than that sounds.

Marc Kudisch sang beautifully as Zorba, but I have to agree with the L.A. Times that he is at least 10 years too young to play the role immortalized in the movie by Anthony Quinn.

Judy Kaye was excellent at Madame Hortense -- and now I'm rooting for her to win a Tony next month for her performance in "Souvenir: A Fantasia On The Life Of Florence Foster Jenkins."

A Chavez Ravine Cinco de Mayo

The Dodgers had fireworks after the game to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

And there were even some fireworks on the field when Nomar Garciaparra batted in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Brewers 4 to 3 -- breaking a five game losing streak for the Dodgers.

When Dodgers First Baseman Nomar Garciaparra came out for his pregame warm-up wearing a Dodgers Poncho I wasn't sure if it was because it was a little chilly out or if it was his way of marking Cinco de Mayo or if the Dodgers had gone so far as to require the players to wear souvenirs for sale in the gift shop. 

Wear a sombrero to the game? Just do it. 

Good to see Dancing Grandma back at Dodger Stadium. The "Tequilla" song always gets her on her feet. 

This baby was fascinated by the fireworks. 

The ushers are ready to keep the fans in the Outfield and out of the Infield.