I found out from a Facebook posting that long time Jerry Graham has died from a heart attack at age 78 in his Santa Cruz home. Jerry was the host of the iconic Bay Are Backroads on local San Francisco television station KRON starting in 1983. Jerry would hop into the car with his camera man and head out onto the byways of the Bay Area interviewing people and finding oddities and treasures along the way. His show was not unlike Huell Howser's "California's Gold" but was more Bay Area-centric.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana with the name Gerald Granowsky he got a degree in Radio-TV Production and started his career in the mid-west. Jerry changed his name to Graham when he got his first job as his given named was deemed to difficult to pronounce. He was old school TV-radio you did everything. He hosted a kids show, call in shows and Weatherman he is most remembered for both his career at KSAN and KRON in the Bay Area.
Jerry Graham was a Bay Area gem!
The Iconic Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd. is closing tomorrow for an overhaul that will make it the largest I-Max theater today. The theater was built by showman Sid Gauman opened on May 18, 1927. The first movie was Cecil B. DeMille's "King of Kings". The art deco masterpiece has been the spot for Hollywood premieres for decades and was once the home of the Oscar's ceremony which now takes place at the theater next door. The theater's most famous feature is the forecourt when the stars have put the hand and foot prints in the cement. There is also a nice little collection of classic Hollywood costumes and props in the large Chinese inspired lobby.
For the first time in 123 years The Netherlands has a king. Queen Beatrix has abdicated her throne in favor of her son. Willem-Alexander age 46 is now the youngest monarch in Europe.
Williem-Alexander became king when his mother singed the letters of abdication in the Royal Palace on the Dam in central Amsterdam and was crowned in the 600 year old New Church. His wife the Argentine born Maxima is now Queen Maxima and their oldest child Catarina-Amalia is now Princess Orange the next in line to the Dutch throne.
Sofia Coppola is at it again and it looks like she may have another winner of a movie on her hands. I have seen the trailer and some "sneaked" footage of "The Bling Ring" her next movie set to premier at Cannes. "The Bling Ring" is based on the real life story of a bunch of unknown fame whores from LA who robbed the homes of famous fame whores.
I personally love Sofia's films and from what i have seen this looks like it is going to be great. One of the members of the real life Bling Ring isn't too happy about it though. Oh boo hoo you are a crook who cares what you think. Alexis Neiers was arrested and spent 30 days of her 180 day sentence in the slammer after pleading no contest. Ms Neiers went on to do a dreadful reality show making her seem even more regrettable of a human being.
"The Bling Ring" scheduled to be released in June follows the characters based on the real life crooks who broke into homes of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and others. The ring stole clothing, jewelry and (gasp) drugs! Emma Watson known for her role in the Harry Potter series plays the character of Nikki based on Neiers has described Nikki as superficial, materailistic, vain and immoral. Let's hope Sofia pulls another great film out of her hat!
It's a hot day in LA and you are on the east side and its 4pm what better place to swing by but the Tiki Ti? Opened 52 years ago in a box on Sunset Blvd. where Los Feliz, Hollywood and Silverlake all collide the Tiki Ti has been an owner operated (read smoking) bar since 1961.
Don't expect a martini or a beer at the Tiki Ti just order one of their over 80 Tiki drinks and you'll be alright. This is a Tiki Bar get into it or hit the bricks. This is also an old school bar so bring cash damnit. Well yeah if you do need more cash there is one of them new fangled ATM's by the toilets.
Oh yeah you can smoke there at the bar so if you are one of those "I hate smoking" people please refrain for popping in; no one wants to hear your bellyaching; so move on.
The locals and regulars are the real color of the bar they totally out shine the world class Tiki chatskas! One regular changed a hundred for a friend when I was recently there. The register had just opened so the bar couldn't but a patron could. That's a friendly crowd! The music alone is worth the trip for teetotalers. Obscure Tiki music is mixed with classics. A record was playing when I was last there., that's old school!
So if you are looking for the real thing head to the Tiki Ti.
Taylor Swift may have out waspy-ed the Kennedys buy buying a home in Westerly, Rhode Island for 17million bucks in cash. Seeing as she bought in Rhode Island in cash the seller must have requested un-marked non sequential bills. The house is in the Watch Hill neighborhood of Westerly, Rhode Island a working class/multi-millionaire enclave in southern RI.
Watch Hill was discovered by the super rich of the 19th century and the elite of the Victorian era built "summer cottages" on the bluffs. The cottages were in actuality summer mansions. Rhode Island in the 19th century was the Monaco of the US. Everyone who was anyone needed to have a summer home on the Rhode Island shore.
It had been rumored that Ms Swift wanted to buy a home near the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport on Cape Cod but if a Kennedy matriarch doesn't like you, you might as well forget it. Ask Darryl Hannah. By buying in Rhode Island Taylor Swift has upped the anti. She will find her money and fame won't help her in Westerly with either high society or the locals. Both groups will find her more annoying than as an asset. So Taylor buy an old Volvo station wagon and ride a bike and maybe you will fit in.
David (Dave) Gold the founder of "99 Cents Only" stores has died at the age of 80. Dave Gold had a heart attack at his Mid-Whilsire district home in Los Angeles. Gold got the idea for the 99 cent stores while running a liquor store. "When I put a .99 cent sign on anything, it was gone in no time. I realized it was a magic number. He opened his .99 Cents Only stores in 1982. The chain now has over 300 stores. A friend suggested that he open a store that all the merchandise was priced at .99cents. To create publicity for the store's opening he sold televisions for .99 cents and had members of his family call local television stations to ask what all the commotion was at the store. His publicity ploy was a coup! To this day the first 9 customers of the day get anything they buy for .99 cents as in 2008 prices did go up and are advertised as .99from to $99.99. Long known for Gold's sense of humor the business advertises it self as being opened 9 days a week. They celebrated 99th birthdays of celebrities and once congratulated Joan Rivers on her 99th face lift.
Dave Gold and his wife Shelly of 55 years still lived in their middle class home of 50 years. Along with Dave, Shelly and their three children have all worked at the stores. The company was sold and the Golds no longer have anything do to with the company as of January of 2013.
Dave Gold created a billion dollar empire .99 cents at a time.
