Its Hot Out, Time for Gazpacho

Depending on where you live summer has arrived and the weather is getting hotter. It is getting to be time for summer foods and one of the best is Gazpacho! Nothing can be more refreshing on a hot day than a bowl of cold spicy vegetable soup.
Gazpacho is mainly just fresh vegetables and a little stale bread if you are a traditionalist. The cold and delicious soup is a mainstay in Spain and Portugal. It origin is ancient. It is thought to have Arabic roots and was bought to Spain by the Moors where it was adopted as part of Spanish cuisine.
The basic ingredients are simple and the dish easy to make. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice and wine vinegar all chopped up and then refrigerated.  The modern way it to throw them into a food processor or you can go old school and use a mortar and pestle. The thing about gazpacho is it takes time to really ferment. It is best left over night so the acids in the tomatoes have some time to "cook".
All of this typing and thinking of gazpacho is making me hungry! Time to hit the process button and wait!

Tabatha Coffey Doesn't Lie

Do you know a hair salon that is a wreck? They might just need Tabatha Coffey to take it over. Tabatha Coffey is a hard ass hairdresser/business woman who pulls no punches. She is to hair what Simon Cowell is voice and Gordon Ramsey is to food.
Born and raised in Australia Tabatha came from a family of hair stylists. Tabatha started her career at the age of 14 in her hometown of Surfers Paradise as an assistant and then moved onto to London where she continued her training. She has been a professional hair stylist and salon owner for 30 years.
Tabatha attained national prominence with her appearance on the Bravo reality/game show "Shear Genius". She did not win the competition but did become the fan's favorite. It was due to this Bravo gave Tabatha her own show "Tabatha Takes Over".
"Tabatha Takes Over" (originally titled Tabatha's Salon Takeover) follows Tabatha into a struggling hair salon where she then takes over the salon and whips them into shape. She is tough and takes no crap from anyone. Tabatha is an task master. Dressed in black with a short blonde hair cut she is an evil pixie! Tabatha's show is now in its fourth season. Tabatha an out lesbian has branched out from just salons and has started taking over gay bars. She has taken over the bars with the same élan as she has with hair salons.

Dusting has its Merits

Today I decided it was time to dust. I got to the bookcase where I pile all my CDs. I guess I was a bit too rough with the ole duster and it seems I knocked over a couple of hundred CDs. Well that meant I had to clean them up. That meant I had to look at them all. That meant I had to listen to them too! It was really a real fun way to spend the day listening to music and still looking like I was doing something productive.
My favorite bunch, that I have separated into their own section are the CDs I have because I like one song on them. Most of these are pretty embarrassing. Cher! Her version of "A Man's World" was well worth every penny from the used section at Amoeba Records; believe me. The same can almost be said for Madonna's "Fever". I did re-love Simply Red's "Heaven" though. I decided that I like a couple other tracks, so they were removed from the one off section. Oh I found some truly embarrassing ones too! Um; Crash Test Dummies "Mmm Mmm Mmm" is a fine example. Yet oddly, I could not pass it on. What does that say about me? Am I a hoarder or do I just have bad taste.
I highly recommend you go and dust all your old CDs and see what you come up with and remember that you love!

The Torture of Ramon Novarro

Ramon Novarro was a heart throb in the 1920's and 1930's. He became a star after the release of the film "Scaramouche" in 1923. He was Valentino's biggest competitor. Through out the silent and early sound period he was a major Hollywood star. Novarro had one problem in the eyes of the moguls though, he was gay. MGM's Louis B. Mayer went as far as suggesting a "lavender" marriage to keep his secret a secret. Novarro turned him down! During Hollywood's hey day there were many gay stars who bowed to the pressure to marry for their careers but Novarro was not one of them. He lived his life as openly as he could but was still internally tortured; he was a devote Catholic and  homosexual. This  problem along with the intense pressure of his career along with the aging process turned him to alcohol. By the end of the 1940's his drinking had taken a toll on his professional and personal lives. His roles were smaller and further in between. Novarro tried his hand at television and had moderate success but still didn't give him the success he once had. Novarro in the height of his career owned a grand home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright but in the 1960's it was sold and Novarro moved to a smaller home on Lauren Canyon Blvd. Here he tried to keep his career together as well as his life. He spent much of his time drinking and ordering liquor delivered to his home. He also had the number of a pimp who would send young men to his home. One of the young men he had delivered was a man named Paul Ferguson. He had been a semi-regular visitor to Novarro's home.  
On October 30, 1968 Novarro's assistant entered the home to find there was a mess and empty liquor bottles and full ash trays. Novarro didn't smoke. He looked around and wasn't able to locate Novarro until he entered a second floor bedroom. There he discovered Novarro's body.
Ramon Novarro was not only dead but the evidence showed that he had also been tortured. It was a brutal torture. Because of the police investigation Paul Ferguson (age 22) and his younger brother Tom Ferguson (age19) were arrested for the torture and murder of Ramon Novarro. They went there for a sexual tryst and believed that Novarro had a large amount of cash in his home. He did not. Ramon Novarro was nearly broke. Both brothers were eventually found guilty of their crimes and sentenced to long prison terms.

Ramon Novarro's long kept secret was out.

Carole Anne Kaufman The Whistling Diva

Do you whistle in the car or around the house? Whistling is an art form that anyone can partake in but few can make it artistic. There is one woman who can her name is Carole Anne Kaufman aka The Whistling Diva. Carole is a two-time International Whistling Grande Champion.  She is also a very busy woman.  Whistling is hard work is you do it right and she is doing it right as she was named 2012/13 Women’s International Whistling Entertainer of the Year award winner by the International Whistlers Convention.  That’s the big time in the whistling world.

I first heard of Carole when I saw an episode of “California’s Gold” in which she was featured. The always amazed Huell Hauser was flabbergasted by her musical ability; quite frankly I was too. I did a bit a snooping and found her website (www.whistlingdiva.com) and contacted her.  At first she was a little surprised that a punk rock magazine would be interested in her as she doesn’t really perform punk rock songs but I explained the DYI aspect of punk rock and what is more DYI than whistling?

Many people don’t know about whistling and its place in the music world. As a whistler how do you explain the art of whistling?

Whistling is the world’s most popular melodic instrument. Almost everyone has tried to do and many have succeeded.  It is also the most portable instrument in the world. I tried another portable instrument in  high school, harmonica, but you need  a different one for each key and I can whistle a whole song in the time it takes to take a harmonica out of its case.  I played violin as a kid, and gave up because there was too much practice involved for this kid. The only reason I became proficient in whistling was because I was always practicing, but I thought I was just having fun and expressing myself. The art of whistling, in essence, is the art of music.  When executed on a world class level you get you see it at full potential. Just as there are many interpretations when you sing a song, so too for whistling.  Not only is the musical expression as unique as the instrumentalist, there are a variety of ways to execute your music.  I am a “pucker whistler”. What you see is what you get - “just put  your lips together and blow”.  A palatal whistler involves the roof of his mouth; a throat whistler does it the same way Mariah Carey’s gets her highest notes.There are other world champions out there, Geert Chatrou, from the Netherlands, has gone pro since winning. He plays oboe, sax and more – you can really tell he knows his music. You cannot believe your ears with the excellence of some of the stuff these artists put out.  You should definitely check out Mitsuhiro Mori, the baddest hand whistler ever. I saw him perform when the International Whistlers Convention and Competition was in Japan.   That was also the year I first won the title of International Whistling Grande Champion. 

How did you become aware that you were a whistler?

 I guess I first learned I was a whistler the same day I thought I could never be a champion. When I was ten, a champion whistler was featured on TV. I was so excited until I saw him perform a very unique style and  I remember thinking I could never win if I didn’t whistle like he did. Luckily I was wrong.

The biggest indicator was when I went to my first International Whistlers Convention in North Carolina and came home with a trophy for first runner up.  From there, of course, it was all about becoming champion.  I had to win 2^nd place three times and then third place, until I finally decided to prepare properly. Whistling has gone from something I do, to part of who I am and how I express myself as a passionate artist and person. After years of acting, improve and comedy performing, who would have thought the whistling would be the thing that appeals the most to my audiences.

How often do you compete in whistling competitions?

Every year there is one worldwide competition at the International Whistlers Convention.  It was in Japan in 2008 and China in 2010. Its home base is in NC, where it usually is held.  This April is the 40^th annual convention.

Puckerama is a whistling performance event that has been around for years, and is currently in Japan.

What are the competitions like?

In the first round you perform a popular and a classical tune. If you make it to the final round you perform another pop and another classical. Most of us bring a “backtrack” to compliment the performance.   It is a very friendly competition but here is definitely stress when getting dressed and listening to your music one last time. My heart always starts racing before I even get up on stage. Luckily I learned how to fake confidence many years ago. Keeping the audience comfortable is rule #1, never let ‘em see you sweat.

What is your favorite song to perform?

I love to perform standards, and old favorites.  Haunting songs in minor keys are my favorite and lively songs with a lot of pep keep the audience engaged. I am constantly trying to modernize my act to appeal to a broader range of people and expose the art of whistling to as many as possible.

How much time in your day do you devote to whistling?

Whenever I drive I am practicing my music.  I live in L.A. so we all know that is a fair amount of time. As I near competition time I try to take as many road trips as possible. Right now I am whistling constantly, to keep my lips and lungs limber.

What would be your dream whistling performance?

 I guess the Hollywood Bowl would be a good start. Ultimately to be invited to perform with great musicians is the dream. I also love  produce shows where I can whistle, sing, tell funny stories and promote other’s artistry. My real dream is that people start to see whistling as a world class instrument. Back in the day, the Big Bands would feature whistlers, and recordings. It would be great to hear whistling in more than just commercials and a few pop songs.

I also want to get more women to whistle. Somewhere along the line women were taught to stop whistling. If you look around you will find there are less women whistlers, today I love the fact that we have a men’s division and a women’s division for the International Grande Championships.  With an art form that is under-represented, the more qualified ambassadors there are the better.

I think a win for whistling is a win for any artist that brings something unique to the table. As we open ourselves to uniqe artistry, it makes room for more art.

Do you have any advice to someone who would like to be a whistler?

The more musical experience you can muster the better. Practice as much as possible in private, pick a favorite song and whistle it when you hear it instead of singing it.  Record yourself and listen to it. Work with a musical mentor so you can find out if you are as in tune as you think. Breathe from your diaphragm if you want to really get those long notes. Tune and tone are key.  Keep practicing. You will surprise yourself at the things your mouth can do!  I have been amazed to see my technique change and become more controlled in the last decade. 

Join Orawhistle on Yahoo Groups if you want to email whistlers around the world. We are a passionate group of music lovers.

Can Justin Beiber get Geekier?

Just when it seems Justine Bieber couldn't any geekier he out geeks himself! His neighbors are now complaining that he is making their lives miserable and not only with his Ferrari driving and loud parties but now he is driving his Segway around the neighborhood while smoking pot.
Beiber's neighbors have had enough! Their gated community is opening their gates to the cops. They want it to stop!

Can you Spell Vocabulary?

The Scripps National Spelling Bee has just gotten a bit harder, the spellers now need to know the meaning of the words they are spelling. This is a new wrinkle in bee starting this year. The spellers have to take a vocabulary test before they spell now. Before the preliminary round of spelling the 281 contestants took a multiple choice vocabulary test on computers. Most of the spellers liked the idea but wish they had known about it a little earlier.Organizers of the the contest announced the vocabulary component 7 weeks ago say that they have added vocabulary to reinforce the bee's mission to broaden students knowledge of the English language.
This new segment has made the scoring a little more complicated. Spellers now must spell and define 24 words and 12 of those are counted. There are also extra vocabulary words that count as extra points. The contestants still have the nerve wracking round of spelling where they are eliminated one by one until the winner is declared.
Organizers say there may be some tinkering with the new rules in upcoming bees but they feel that the vocabulary component is here for good.

Hayden Rorke

In September of 1965 America was introduced to one of the most confused characters in network television history, Dr. Alfred Bellows played by veteran character actor Hayden Rorke. Hayden Rorke played the role of Dr. Bellows the NASA psychiatrist a man obsessed with Tony Nelson and the strange goings on in his life on "I Dream of Jeannie". Hayden Rorke played the character with just enough pathos that you felt bad for Dr. Bellows when he was always tricked by Jeanine and made to look the fool. Even Dr. Bellow's wife sometimes had her doubts in her husband's sanity.
Hayden Rorke was born, William Henry Rorke in New York in 1910 to stage and screen actress Margaret Rorke. He took his stage name Hayden from his mother's maiden name. Rorke studied at the American Academy of Dramatic arts in the 1920's and began a stage career in the 1930's. He enlisted in the army during World War II and it was then he made his first film appearance in the movie musical "This is the Army" starring Ronald Reagan.
After the war Rorke returned to Broadway and eventually made his move to Hollywood in the late 1940's playing small parts that were usually uncredited. Mr. Rorke appeared in these roles though out the 40's and 50's. In 1957 he was cast in a television show "Mr. Adams and Eve" starring real life married couple Howard Duff and Ida Lupino playing married Beverly Hills actors. Hayden Rorke played the part of Steve their agent. The show ran for two years. Rorke then went on to play guest appearances in sitcoms and dramas like "I Love Lucy" and "Perry Mason". His big shot was playing the always exasperated Dr. Bellows on "I Dream of Jeannie" for the entire 5 year run. He also reprised the role in the made for TV movie "I Dream of Jeannie...15 Years Later". This would be his last acting role.
Hayden Rorke died shortly after that from Multiple Myeloma in the Studio City home he shared with his long time partner film and television director Justus Addiss. He was 76 years old.

Zsa Zsa Doesn't Have to Move

Zsa Zsa Gabor and her ersatz Prince husband have reached a sale agreement for their Bel Air home. The agreement sells the house for eleven million dollars and allows Gabor and her paramour to live in the house to the end of Zsa Zsa's life or three years which ever is longer. This would keep Zsa Zsa in her home until she is 102 years old. Zsa Zsa who his been in ill health and on death's door for the past several years will live out her remaining days in the glamour that she has always been accustomed to. The house itself has been getting a lot of work lately, it was used in the film Argo and in the HBO movie "Behind the Candelabra" about Liberace.
This of course isn't the end to all of the Gabor's legal problems. Francesca Hilton, Zsa Zsa's daughter, and Frederic Prinz Van Anhalt the ersatz prince of a husband are still at war over Zsa Zsa health care and cash.

Spelling Errors are so fun!

He's No Disney but he is Goofy

He is not a real Disney although he claimed he was. Stephen David Urquidez age 51 from Canyon Country, CA was arrested after he claimed to be Stephen Disney heir to the Disney fortune. Claiming to be a Disney isn't a real crime but giving stolen Disney passes to s non-profit charity for a auction is and that is what Urquidez is charged with doing. When police nailed him they discovered a fake driver's license and a W-2 claiming income from the Walt Disney Corporation.
The winner of the Disney passes went to use them and it was then discovered that they were hadn't been activated and had been stolen. The Walt Disney Corporation has confirmed that Stephen Disney has no connection with the Disney Family. Urquidez claims it wasn't him and he has been confused with someone else who once lived in his home named Disney.
Urquidez/Disney has been released on $20,000 bail. LA County sheriffs are looking into him to see if he has duped others. What a goofy thing to do!

You Broke My Penis!

MMA fighter Waylon Lowe says his penis is broken and it is the fault of a wonder product called "Kama Sutra Pleasure Balm Prolonging Gel". He claims he and his wife slathered on the "prolonging Gel" on Waylon junior and slipped on a magnum (natch) and he and his wive started being married. Well a product of their love started crying in the other room and boom buda band Waylon's member started "swelling" Mr. Lowe is now claiming "catastrophic and permanent damage" to his penis. Apparently he's kaput!
His Penis is valued at $50,000. A Bargain!

Amanda Bynes Didn't Anyone Ever Tell You not to Throw a Bong?

Uber idiot stoner Amanda Bynes was nicked by NYPD for being a bad stoner. She was reported to the cops for behaving badly by someone in her building. NYPD showed up and found her smoking a joint in her lobby. Does she not know where the garbage room is? When the filth went to her apartment the found a bong and bad stoner Bynes threw it to the floor. Amanda you aren't getting that security deposit back. Bong water! Hard wood, carpet whatever you have, it will always smell like a bad stoner was there! At least this time you weren't behind the wheel hit a cop! Amanda Bynes you are a bad stoner!

Do you Want to Live Like a Partridge?

If you want to live the glamorous and chic life like a celebrity like say Danny Bonaduce this is your chance! Danny is renting out his home in the Los Feliz Hills section of Los Angeles. The Spanish style house is now available for a mere $18,000 a month! Yes you too could live like Danny Partridge. The house built on a half an acre promontory over looks downtown LA and Hollywood. Built in the style of a Spanish hacienda Danny's house has over 7,000 square feet of living space. There is a screen room and a small pool. But beware you can be spied upon by the nosy neighbors!!!

Joe Francis People who use the Word "Classy" Aren't

"Girls Gone Wild" producer Joe Francis might just be the craziest person around right now. He was recently convicted of false imprisonment of three women he picked up at Hollywood's Supper Club. Francis recently gave what has to be the craziest interview with the Hollywood Reporter in years.
"I want that jury to know that each and every one of you are mentally f--ing retarded and you should be euthanized because, as Darwin said, you have naturally selected yourself. You are the weakest members of the herd. Goodbye! And if that jury wants to convict me because I didn't show up, which is the only reason why they did, then, you know, they should all be lined up and shot!"
He didn't stop there! He just got crazier and crazier:
"I have private jets, I have a great life, I'm a good-looking guy. I'm not conceited, but like -- look, I have girls around me all the time, whatever I want. I make a lot of money. It's a great life. If I wasn't me, I'd f--ing hate me."
Francis claims he didn't do any of the things he is convicted of he claims it was all a set up because he is rich and handsome. "Rich guys don't do that. I'm a sophisticated, classy guy."
Oh yes he is a real "classy" guy he gets college girls drunk and has them flash for a camera. This is how he makes is millions. Granted he is smart enough to realize he could make a living doing this but using the word sophisticated is really pushing the definition of the word.
In the sage words of my mother "People who use the word classy, aren't."

She's Got a Friend!

Pop phenom Carole King is going to the east room of the White House to receive the Gershwin Award from President Obama. Carole King is the first woman to win this award. King aged 71 has been racking up the honors recently having been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as receiving a honorary doctorate from Berklee School of Music in Boston. She can feel the earth moving under her feet tumbling down, tumbling down!
Ms King has hinted she would like to retire but has just been in the studio recording and has been touring. Carol King has lots of friends!

The Jetsons 2062

 

The wonderful mechanized world of George Jestson is only 49 years away. The cartoon mainstay was set in the year 2062. Moving walk ways already exist. We can talk to our computers and carry them in our pockets. All that is missing are the jet cars and apartment buildings on poles. So if their world is in 49 years that means Mr. Spacely has already been born!

We will soon have wall sized video monitors where we can see the people we are talking to. Oh wait that's Skype.  So remember:
"Eep Op Ork Ah Ah, means I love you!"

Zach Galifianakis is Cool!

If anyone ever asks you if Zach Galifianakis is coo say yes. His date for the red carpet premier of his movie "Hangover 3" is the 87 year old Elizabeth "Mimi" Haist. Mimi is well known in Sata Monica where she would hang out at a local Laudermat called Fox's folding clothes for tips. Zach got to know her doing his laundry and when he found out she had become homeless got her an apartment. Now she is of course Zach's kept fancy lady. Mimi will be Zach's date for the opening of his new movie. This isn't Mimi's first opening night Zach has taken her to others. There is a documentary about Mimi in the works.

Poor Mary J. Blige

Poor Mary J. Blige may really end up poor! The Grammy winning artist could go down for taxes with both the State of New Jersey and the Feds. Mary J. owes about $4 million. Girl needs some new management asap. Mary J. could end up in prison. If anyone can handle prison its Mary J. Blige she's tough. She's from the Bronx. Apparently she didn't pay taxes for several years and the interest is going to jail her. What kind of people does she have working for her? Are they idiots or sycophants or both? Did no one say "Hey Mary J. you gotta pay your taxes?"
What's the 411 Mary J.? You can't be that stoned. You know you have to pay those taxes. What are you going to do? Think Eryka Badu!

Walter!

Walter is an 11 year old deaf Yorkshire Terrier who lives in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles with actress Tricia O'Kelly. Walter was also dognapped. He was held for 5 days and a ransom demand had been made. He was being held for $1,000. The dognapper also demanded the actress make fake reward signs. Police traced the call form a pay phone in North Hollywood.  A meet up was set up at a Hollywood Chevron station with a plainclothes police officer. Then a call came saying the dognapper suspected cops. The dognapper then claim he was keeping the dog.
Well Walter has returned home. A white car with tinted windows stopped on Los Feliz Blvd near Griffith Park and dropped Walter off. He was found by a dog walker and returned home. He's fine by the way.
Dognapping? Deaf dog? $1,000? Plainclothes? Pay Phones? Wasn't this once a Disney movie starring Keenan Wynne? No this is local news.

I am Obsessed with Amy's Baking Company

I love a freak show. Who doesn't, right? Well they best freak show around right now is Amy's Baking Company in Scottsdale, Arizona. The moment they appeared on Kitchen Nightmares the owners have became super star freaks. Such freaks they may just be criminally insane. Tip stealing and screaming at their staff and customers. They also seemed to have made every mistake a crazy person make on Facebook and Yelp.
If you don't know the story of Amy's Baking Company I will try to distill it into a few sentences if I can. Samy and Amy Bouzaglo own a restaurant in Scattsdale where she is the "chef' and he is the "Maitre d" here's the rub She can't cook and he is a vulgar bully. They abuse their staff and customers and happily did it on Gorden Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares. They were so horrid Gordon Ramsey, a foul mouthed punk at best, thought they were insane and left the restaurant. Shutting the whole show down. Gordon Ramsey did air the episode and it make for some amazing TV. No editor could make these people look worse than they really are. Samy and Amy have also taken to berating people on Yelp for any negative reviews. Then Mr. &Mrs Crazy then took to Facebook using the dreaded "fuck" in the same sentences where they claim themselves as Christians. When confronted by local media they claim that their Facebook page was hacked as was Yelp and several other websites. They also say they have the FBI investigating the whole thing.
If you get a chance to watch the Kitchen Nightmare episode do it. It is amazingly funny in a crazy people doing crazy people things way. Samy threatens to beat up a customer and Amy screams obscenities at everyone she encounters.

What Not To Do On Your Honeymoon

So you and your new wive are on your honeymoon and she isn't putting out. What do you do? Uhm you go and hire a hooker. That seemed like the right thing to do to Mr. Mohammed Ahmed age 21 (duh) while he and his new wifey-poo were in Champions Gate, Florida. The Illinois newlyweds were on their honeymoon staying at a nice enough hotel having a nice enough time when a horny Mohammed decided to step out for a bit and for some. Well he wnet on-line and contacted a "hooker" who turned out to be a cop. Oops! Well Mohammed's penis led him to another nearby address and he was nabbed along with 92 other horndogs. Wifey-poo was naturally concerned and called the sheriff's office to report her new husband missing. Well needless to say she was dismayed to find out that her newly betrothed was also a newly incarcerated.
Moral of the story on your honeymoon sleeop with your spouse or else!

The Museum of Bad Art

If you are an art lover there is a museum that you may or may not want to visit. The Museum of Bad Art is as the name implies a museum dedicated to "bad" art. The museum which now has three permanent galleries. The original gallery is located in the basement outside of the men's room of The Dedham Community Theater in Dedham, Massachusetts.
The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) is aim is "to celebrate the labor of artists whose work would be displayed and appreciated in no other forum". Started in 1994 by Scott Wilson and Jerry Reilly after Wilson found a painting in the trash waiting to be collected.

The painting "Lucy in the Field with Flowers" was originally saved for it's frame. It wasn't long before the collection started growing and Reilly and his wife had an exhibition of the art in the basement of their home. The exhibition proved to be very popular so popular in fact that it was determined that a permanent spot was needed to house the works. In 1995 the space in outside of the basement men's room was opened. The museum is free of charge and open only when the theater itself is open.

The Dedham Community Theater is a somewhat run down building and the space is dingy but the collection is amazing. The popularity of the museum lead to the opening of a second gallery in the basement of the Sommerville Theater in Davis Square a trendy neighborhood in Sommerville, Massachusetts. The second gallery is only accessable to ticket holders to events at the theater.

Like all museums security is a major consideration. MOBA not unlike the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has a theft from their collection. In 1996 "Eileen" a portrait was stolen from the Dedham gallery. The museum offered a reward of $6.50 for the return of the painting eventually increasing the reward amount to $36.73. In 2006 the museum was contacted and a ransom demand of $5,000 for the return of the painting was received. When the demand was not paid the painting was returned. It was because of this theft the museum installed a fake video camera with the sign "Warning. This gallery is protected by a fake security camera." This was apparently not enough of a deterent because in 2004 the painting "Self Portrait as a Drainpipe" by Rebecca Harris was stolen and a ransom demand of $10 was issued. This too was ignored and the painting along with a $10 donation was returned.
The museum focuses on bad art not crafts or kitsch. Their motto is "Art to bad to be ignored" and submission standards are very high. Nine out of ten submitted pieces are rejected for not being bad enough. Children's art is not included in the collection. They also do not collect "lesser" art like black velevet paintings or paint by numbers. What pieces make the cut have to have the "Oh my God" quality according to curator Ollie Hollowell. The museum has an on-line collection and sells books with some of it's masterpieces. This can be see at their wesite: http://www.museumofbadart.org/

A Headline You Can't Make Up

"Woman Singing Whitney Houston Songs Forces Emergency Landing of American Airlines Flight". That is a headline no one could make up! The scary part is it is true. And come on there is really nothing that can take a plane down faster than a loud bad rendition of "I will Always Love You". Let's face it even if Whitney herself was singing it after a bit you would be yelling "Shut Up" too.
The poor passengers on the American Airlines flight from LAX to JFK were more than happy to stop in Kansas City to shut that chick up!

"Give me an orange, Julius!"

It is a hot day and you want something refreshing how about an Orange Julius? Ah yes an Orange Julius remember them from your local mall? They are still around now available at your local Dairy Queen.
The Orange Julius was first created in Los Angeles at an orange juice stand owned by Julius Freed. Freed's friend and real estate broker Bill Hamlin found the pure orange juice was to acidic for his stomach and they came up with a mixture that cut down the acid and made it frothy. An Orange Julius is a mixture of orange juice, milk, sugar, and a little vanilla flavoring all thrown into a blender. The mixture became a hit and people were lining up for the new concoction. "Hey give me an orange, Julius" became a popular phrase at the juice stand and that eventually just became Orange Julius.
The drink really caught on and in the 1950's there were many stand alone Orange Julius stands around the country. The drink became the official drink of the 1964 Worlds Fair. It was after that Orange Julius shops stated opening up in malls everywhere. It was part of mall shopping through out the 1970's. It was then they started using the slogan a "devilishly good drink" and had little devils with pitchforks of the cups and signs. That slogan stopped as Arizona State University Alum sued saying the logo was too close to their mascot. Orange Julius just went back to being good ole Orange Julius.
In the 1980's the company was purchased by Berkshire Hathaway the company that owns Dairy Queen. Now you can go to any Dairy Queen and get yourself a refreshing Orange Julius. Wouldn't you like one now?

RIP Lumpy Rutherford

The actor Frank Bank died last month in Los Angeles at the age of 71. Who the hell is Frank Bank you are probably asking yourself. Frank Bank played the character of Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford on "Leave it to Beaver". Bank played the character of Lumpy who along with Eddie Haskell were Wally Cleaver's best friends. Lumpy's father was played by Richard Deacon (Mel Cooley). After "Leave it to Beaver" went off the air Bank tried to get more work but the Lumpy character kept getting in his way. He was supposed to play Archie in a live action version of the comic book but the sponsor said he was too "Lumpy".
What did Frank Bank do? He became a stock broker and a damned good one. He was The Beaver and June Cleaver's stock broker. He also lead a rather wild life for a time in the 70's claiming in his autobiography that he had slept with over a 1,000 women.
In the 1980's he took up playing the character of Lumpy again when "The New Leave it to Beaver" had its cable television run.

Idiot of the Week

Etta Lopez wins the award for idot of the week! Ms Lopez 31, is the winner because of her method of quitting smoking. She decided that she should be put in jail without access to cigarettes. So she slapped a cop in the face.
Lopez was arrested outside of the Sacramento County Sheriff's office after she waited for a uniformed officer to exit and when one did she walked up and slapped him in the face. Her victim was Deputy Matt Campoy. It was just after 4:20 pm when Lopez approached the officer who tried to step away to avoid her but she step back into his path and slapped him in the face.
Long stupid story short Etta Lopez is behind bars and it looks like she isn't smoking so it worked.

Chris Brown vs. Neighbors

In the tony Hollywood Dell neighborhood in the hills above Hollywood a small war has broken out. This war is between rapper Chris Brown and his neighbors. They claim he and his "homeies" drive their flashy high performance cars recklessly through the quiet neighborhood and behave in a threatening manner. Then he decided to cover the outside of his house with graffiti art. The neighbors aren't too happy about this either and they contacted the city. Los Angeles is a city that prides itself on it's murals but there are rules governing murals and it seems Chris Brown's don't follow the rules. The neighbors consider them scary as they are of monster like devil faces and very large.
Chris Brown through his lawyer Mark Geragos says it a first amendment issue. He also claims it is the neighbors who are harassing Chris Brown. Geragos cites calls to parking enforcement, animal control and now to city council member Tom LeBonge. Brown has been cited with a fine for excess signage and levied a fine of $300 described by neighbors as pocket money.
It looks like this will end up in court like almost everything in Chris Brown's life.

Cieszyn, Poland a City Divided

On the border of Poland and the Czech Republic is the city Cieszyn. It is techinically in both countries. It is Cieszyn on the Polish side and Cesky Tesin on the Czech side. The frontiers of the countries as some of the easiest to cross in Europe. Walk to the corner and show the nice boy in the uniform your passport and he will smile and wave you on. After entering the European Union it is now even easier to cross the border.The city itself is a very charming and smaller version of Vienna in design. Cieszyn is a small city but bustling none the less. The heart of the city is on the Polish side of the border the Czech side is mainly residential. The main industy of the city is sweets. Cookies and candies are made in Cieszyn. There is also dark Polish beer brewed as well. Cieszyn is really a tourist town as it is not far out of the Tatras and their ski resorts. During the communist era this is where the Polish Ski teams would train.
Due to many fires many of the earliest wooden buildings have burned and were replaced by stone building in the 18th century during a Hapsburg rule. The central sqaure is a large and grand area filled during the day with shoppers and stalls.
Cieszyn is also the home of one of Poland's premier film festivals. Surrounded by mountains and on the Otzer River Cieszyn is worth the trip. The etomology of the name Cieszyn is the Polish expression "I'm Happy".

Amy Winehouse Sculpture in Camden

Singer Amy Winehouse will be honored with a life sized bronze statue in Camden the section of London that was her stomping ground. The statue by artist Scott Eaton will be a life sized version of Winehouse in a short dress standing on s second floor balcony of the Round House a local music venue. The statue will be pointing out at Camden.

Rats!

The actor who voiced the iconic character of Charlie Brown has been sentenced to a year in prison for stalking his ex-girlfriend and her plastic surgeon. Peter Robbins 56, the actor in some of the most famous animated Peanuts television specials (A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown) pleaded guilty to the charges. He was accused of calling his ex-girlfriend over 30 times in 24 hours and stalking her plastic surgeon leaving threatening notes at her office and calling her home.
The Superior Court Judge Dwayne Moring told Robbins "Don't be a blockhead". Quoting Charlie Brown's nemesis Lucille Van Pelt.

Da Drugs Da Drugs

You have Paid your $50,000 to a Mr. Rourke and are greeted by strange little man shouting as yous plane landed. You are on Fantasy Island. You are probably Max Baer Jr or Lucie Arnez or maybe Kay Ballard. You have flown in this island on a small sea plane and landed in a lovely lagoon. Well that plane is a bit notorious itself. After the show was cancelled in 1984 the plane became a drug mule. Not only did it stoop to being a mule but it was a mule in Oklahoma. "Da Plane" was used to fly drugs around in Oklahoma and has finally been seized and been sold by the Feds. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics seized the plane in a drug bust and then decided to sell it off. It took some research but the found out that yes they did indeed have Mr. Rourke's plane!That poor plane another Hollywood tragedy another Dana Plato!

Prince Charles another Failure!

Poor Prince Charles, nothing seems to work out right for him. A failed marriage, over 60 and still not king and now his organic produce shop has closed. The Prince ran an usuccessful organic vegetable shop called The Veg Shed near his Gloucestershire estate Highgrove. The Veg Shed opened 8 years ago but has failed to make any profit. It seems that the Prince's prices were too high and didn't attract customers. His vegetables although organic were oddly shaped and deemed unattractive to shoppers.

Dorothy Arzner Film Pioneer

It is not at all unusual to day to see a movie directed by a woman but there was a time when there was only one woman directing feature films. That woman was Dorothy Arzner.
Born in San Francisco in 1897 Dorothy Arzner was raised in Los Angels where her father owned a restaurant frequented by the early Hollywood pioneer silent film makers. Ms Arzner started out planning on being a doctor but after a stint as an ambulance attendant in World War I she returned to Los Angeles and visited a movie studio and that visit changed her life.
Through a connection with film director William DeMille she was able to get a job at Paramount as a stenographer. She eventually became a script supervisor and then as an editor. Her first assignment as an editor was on the Valentino classic "Blood and Sand". Arzner then started working as and editor and writer developing an reputation for excellence. She became very much in demand and this gave her enough clout to demand a position as a director at Paramount or she would leave to work at Columbia Pictures. She was given the position and assigned to the film "Fashions for Women" which became a success. Paramount then gave her the assignment of directing Clara Bow in her first talkie "The Wild Party". Arzner in an effort to give Clara Bow freedom to move about on the set attached a microphone to fishing pool creating the first boom microphone.
Dorothy Arzner went onto become an in demand director and the only woman director during what is now called Hollywood's Golden Age. She worked on some of the most successful "pre-code" films that Paramount released. In 1932 she left Paramount and became an independent director working for several studios. She was also the first woman to join the Directors Guild of America. Her films were instrumental in starting the careers of actresses like Rosalind Russell, Katherine Hepburn and Lucille Ball.
In 1943 Dorothy Arzner stepped away from making feature films focusing on teaching at UCLA and making television commercials. She made commercials for Pepsi-Cola when her friend Joan Crawford was married to the head of Pepsi.
Dorothy Arzer was rumored to have had many affiars with the actresses in her films but lived openly with her partner of many years choreographer Marion Morgan. Dorothy Arzner died in 1979 at the age of 82.

The Museum in the Cemetery

Los Angeles has a lot of museums and many of them are quite small and obscure. One of the oddest is The Forest Lawn Museum. This is a museum in a cemetery.  It is not a museum about cemeteries it is an art museum. Forest Lawn is on a hill in Glendale and was the first of its kind. There are almost no grave stones but flat markers. The founder Hubert Eaton thought traditional grave yards with memorial sculpture to be depressing and wanted a cemetery that looked like a park. On top of one of the many hills that make up the property is a large chapel and attached to it is Forest Lawn Museum.

The permanent collections include the largest stained glass collection in the US and a huge western bronze collection. In the permanent collection are also art representing the peoples around the world and includes a maoi from Easter Island. There is a rather large room that serves as an exhibition space for varying shows. Past shows have included solo exhibitons of Matisse, Goya and Rembrandt.
The museum is well worth the trip as Forest Lawn itself is beautiful and its museum is a hidden gem.

Cheap Threads in LA

LA is a city about looking good and looking good can cost a mint! If you don't want to spend a small fortune to look good and have the time there is a new store in West Hollywood for you. The store is the $2 Clothing Store on Santa Monica Blvd in the Russian part of West Hollywood. This isn't Boystown this is the working class enclave.
The shop is small but the vibe is big. The clothing is on a pallet in the corner of the store and customers are encouraged to remove their shoes and jump in. If digging for treasures isn't your thing I would suggest avoiding this place but if this sounds fun you will love it! The staff is so friendly and full of fun you have to laugh. Everyone is having fun digging and laughing and just finding a bargain. This is like a lot of the icky Goodwill and Salvation Army places with bins but this place is cool. Fun music is playing and people are laughing and giving advice. "No that isn't your color!" or "Oh you should try this!" There is a mirror in another corner but no dressing room so get over it and try stuff on!
The staff is a lot of fun and when you look like you might be getting overheated will give you a cup of water and words of encouragement. The garments are all clean too. The stuff comes from film and TV sets so some of it is kind of boring but there are treasures to be found! Be it Gucci be it Gap its just $2!

Oh That Lindsay!

There is nothing trickier than a junkie or a drunk and Lindsay Lohan is the new poster girl for trickiness! As anyone with a computer or TV knows Ms Lohan has been in and out of jail and rehabs for more years than anyone can remember and she has been given one more "last" chance. Well it seems she has a new junkie trick up her sleeve. An agreement was arrived at in one of her many court cases that she would check into a rehab center in New York but Lindsay has pulled a fast one and has checked into a rehab spa in Huntington Beach, California instead. She wasn't going to be allowed to smoke or bring all her outfits to the New York center and that made her nix the agreement!

Needless to say the prosecutors in Los Angeles are happy with her new trick. The judge in the case wasn't all too pleased but agreed to let the state investigate Morningside Recovery, the center Lindsay opted for.
Who can blame Lindsay? Trips to Disneyland, kayaking and sunsets at the beach that is what detox and rehab is all about right?

Chateau Noisy the Abandoned Castle

In the Belgian countryside not far from the Verdun there is a fairy tale castle nestled in a green valley called Chateau Miranda or Chateau de Noisy (Noisy Castle). The castle which looks like something from a Brothers Grimm story but it is abandoned! Yes it is empty and slowly rotting away.

Chateau Miranda was built by  Liedekerke-Beaufort family in 1866 after they had fled their previous castle during the French Revolution. Designed by English architect Edward Milner in the Gothic style popular in the 19th century the Chateau Miranda is a rambling building with a huge clock tower that tops off at 183 feet tall. Built has a summer home and occupied by the family until World War II when it was occupied by the Nazis. After the war the chateau was taken over by the National Railway Company of Belgium as a home for children until 1980. Now abandoned and fallen into disrepair the castle sits empty and beckoning adventurous tourists. The city of Celles has offered to take over the property but the family who still owns the Chateau has refused. There is no reason given by the family for retaining the decomposing castle which is located near their current castle.
What could be better than traipsing through a rotting eerie castle? There is rumour that the clock in the clock tower still works. Want to go to Belgium anyone?

Its WNGD! World Naked Gardening Day

Do you want to bend over and pull weeds naked? Do you want to see someone weed naked? If you answered yes to either of these questions Saturday is the day for you! This Saturday is the 10th annual World Naked Gardening Day. So break out your hoe or break down and mow in the all together this weekend. This is a day for enjoying the great outdoors and your garden buck naked!
When asked why garden naked the organizers say "First of all, it's fun! Second only to swimming, gardening is at the top of the list of family-friendly activities people are most ready to consider doing nude. Moreover, our culture needs to move toward a healthy sense of both body acceptance and our relation to the natural environment. Gardening naked is not only a simple joy, it reminds us--even if only for those few sun kissed minutes--that we can be honest with who we are as humans and as part of this planet."
So you say to yourself Hmm I might like to do this how does one go about getting started. The WNGD people on their website (www.wngd.org) say all you have to do is: "First of all, on May 4, 2013 find an opportunity to get naked and do some gardening. Do so alone, with friends, with family, with your gardening club, or with any other group collected for that purpose. Do it inside your house, in your back yard, on a hiking trail, at a city park, or on the streets. Stay private or go public. Make it a quiet time or make it a public splash. Just get naked and make your part of the botanical world a healthier and more attractive place.
Secondly, tell someone about your experience. No one owns this event, so it does not really matter whom you tell, but tell someone ."
So what do you think will you be out snipping your hedges and mucking your mulch this Saturday?

Bob Hope Rummage Sale

On Sunday May 5th at North Hollywood Catholic church there is a rummage sale of some of Bob and Dolores Hope's paraphernalia. Linda Hope their daughter was given the massive task of going through her parents belongings to empty and sell their long time Tolucca Lake home. The Hopes were collectors and the recipients of loads of gifts! This is Linda Hope's second big clear out. She had one near Christmas that focus on holiday decorations and there is a big one at Julien's in Beverly Hills coming up.
The upcoming sale's profits will be donated to St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church where Dolores Hope was a long time member. Linda Hope has a huge job on her hands. Items at the sale include memorabilia from her father's career and just stuff from their house. If you are in LA this weekend head to St. Charles Borromeo's on Moorpark in North Hollywood and pick up a Bob Hope bargain and help poor Linda Hope out!