Smile for the Burd-ie

Had a lot of fun last night at the Junior Statesmen Gene A. Burd Institute on Media and Politics at UCLA.

I ran a campaign simulation with the students on their second night of a week-long look at media and politics in Southern California.

As always, I was impressed with this year's group. Of course, they continue to seem younger and younger each year.

And telling folks you want to post their picture on the internet is a sure fire way to get a lot of smiles.

With just 30 minutes to prepare, each campaign team had to deliver their campaign's key messages, strategy, tactics, identify spokespeople and funding and perform a 30-second TV ad, 60-second radio ad and present their campaign poster.

I'm always impressed that they can actually do it.

We've All Had Days Like This

Time for Exercise

Does this News Story Pass the Smell Test?

A Night at the Dollywood Bowl

Had a blast last night seeing Dolly Parton at the Hollywood Bowl.

She puts on quite the show: singing, playing instruments and telling stories about the family and childhood.

When she first started talking about her childhood home in Eastern Tennessee and her Mother a falling star fell over the Hollywood Bowl. I kid you not.

Singing Bluegrass in front of an old fashioned microphone "just like the Grand Ole Opry."

Sitting down to play a string instrument in her lap.

Playing the saxophone.

Rocking out in shorts and spangles.

Can you guess which song this was?

Our view of the Bowl before the sun went down and the show began.

A heartfelt Grand Finale.

Mister Rogers Gets Some Street Cred

Watch This Chihuahua Go!

Planking Can Be Fun

Happy Monday!

Everything is Better with an Australian Accent

Get Your Mind Out of the Gutter -- This is Science

I Want to Go on This Ride

Using the Internet to Laugh at Pets

This Trailer Gives Me Chills -- I Can't Wait!

Why Didn't I Get a Video Like This?

It's Actually a Funny Joke

Time for Dinner

Saturday Afternoon in West Hollywood

A Motivational Coach is Born

No Quizzes During the Family Vacation, Please

Do You Think This is Real?

How to Handle a Heckler

Something New to Add to the Advance Check List

Blasts from the Past

I've been running around California recently but I haven't been very good about blogging.  So let me catch up...

Sunday night I was in Fresno and I stopped by the Silver Dollar Hofbrau for dinner.  Sadly, I thought the food was pretty mediocre and wouldn't find much to remember about the place.

But then as I was leaving I stumbled across a large display case with photos of the owner and prominent Republican politicians -- Reagan, Bush, Deukmejian and even a few celebrities, like Bob Hope.

Looking at the photos I occurred to me I recognized the owner.  It was Truman Campbell.  Knock me over with a feather.  Campbell was chairman of the California Republican Party in the mid-80s.  I had no idea he had a restaurant.

Also in Fresno I had breakfast at Batter Up Pancakes. Loved this casual place where you order at the counter, grab your silverware and drink and they bring you your food. They have a huge menu but since the place is called "Batter Up Pancakes" I figured I should have the pancakes. Great choice! Some of the best pancakes I've ever had.

When it was time for lunch in Garden Grove I headed to Azteca Mexican Restaurant, known for the finest collection of Elvis memorabilia west of Graceland. Every inch of the place (including the ceiling) is covered with Elvis. And the food? I thought it was excellent.

Time in Anaheim brought me to the Original Pancake House for breakfast. This is what Orange County must have been like in the 50s, pre-Disneyland. What a tremendous breakfast!

I feel like I know downtown Sacramento well, but the rest of the town is pretty much a mystery to me. So I was pleased to find an excellent ice cream shop, Gunther's.

In Sacramento I had lunch at the Market Club, a lunch counter and dining room located in Sacramento's fresh fruit and vegetables wholesale market. I enjoyed the working-man feel of this place and the food was pretty good too. And it was really inexpensive.

In Bakersfield I had a wonderful Mexican lunch at the Arizona Cafe in the old part of downtown Bakersfield. I loved this place from the moment I walked in the front door. It felt like I had stepped back in time to the 1940s.

One Way to Avoid Interviews

Radio Alert

I'm a guest on KFI's John and Ken Show this afternoon at 5:30 p.m. If you're outside their 640 AM listening area you can listen in on-line here: http://www.kfiam640.com/mediaplayer/

This is the Number One rated afternoon drive-time show in the nation's Number One radio market. I'm pumped.

Where is the Adult Intervention? Time to Call County Services!

Wait...Babies Use Computers?

Staying with Joyce

I'm really digging the Parker Hotel in Palm Springs. Very comfortable surroundings and lush gardens on what used to be the Gene Autry Estate.

But it's the decor of the place that took my breath away. Very 70s chic. I swear, if my late Mother had designed hotel interiors this is what it would have looked like. Except she wouldn't have been going for ironic. Probably a good thing we couldn't afford a fire pit when I was growing up -- I'm sure we would have had one in the living room.

My groovy room at the Parker Hotel.

I had dinner tonight at the tiny original Las Casuelas restaurant on Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs. I'm a big fan of the Las Casuelas in Rancho Mirage -- this was my first visit to where it all began.

Unfortunately, the food seemed pretty mediocre to me. But I'm still glad I stopped by.

Cats on the Internets

Give Me: Dives

On Friday in Stockton I had the chance to check-out a couple of restaurants I learned about on-line.

First up was Chuck's Hamburgers for breakfast. Despite the name, this restaurant is known for its hearty and tasty breakfasts. Huge portions of good food at reasonable prices appears to pack them into this restaurant in a shopping mall.

I'll certainly be back.

Chuck's Hamburgers pumps a huge amount of food out of a tiny kitchen with a single grill.

I had lunch at the Ranch Coffee Shop -- a real blast from the past. Located on the north side of town on what I think is the old Highway 99, this classic roadside diner looked like it could have been from a movie studio backlot. And the waitresses were right out of Central Casting.

I had a nice chat with the owner of the Ranch Coffee Shop who is quite proud of her collection of telephone line insulators (top of photo). They're all decades old and lend some character to the place.

I'll Have One of Those

I did my internet research beforehand and came to Stockton prepared with what I hope will be some great restaurant ideas.

I had an outstanding dinner tonight at the El Rancho Inn, which claims to have the best steak in the Central Valley. That's a tall claim, but if it's not the best it has to be as good as any other.

In a fun twist, you stop by the kitchen on the way to your table and place your order. From that point on the service is very attentive.

Based on the surrounding architecture, I'm thinking the El Rancho Inn is located on the old Highway 99, before it was turned into a freeway. I can imagine folks making it a regular stop when passing through Stockton. And now I know it's worth pulling off the freeway.

Just About the Sweetest Thing Ever