Wine Infused Popcorn

Populence a gourmet popcorn store in Manhattan joined forces with a New Zealand winery to make a new treat wine infused popcorn. There are two "flavors" there is a pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc. The popcorn is meant to be eaten with the wine it is infused with. One can't get drunk from eating the popcorn you have to drink the wine. Popcorn and wine? Ick.

Kay Beachy LA Treasure

Kay Beachy was a San Fernando Valley rancher's wife when the San Fernando Valley still had ranches. She was a bit more than that; she was an LA hero. It was because of Kay Beachy that Los Angeles has Cultural Heritage Sites. Kay Beachy's work saved the Leonis Adobe in Calabasas now also known as Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Site Number 1.
The Leonis Adobe dates back to 1844, California wasn't even a state then! Well 1962 a developer in Calabasas wanted to tear the building down to make a parking lot for a nearby restaurant. This didn't seem right to Kay and she set about saving the building and surrounding 5 acres of land. Kay was active in the community but this was not something she had ever done before.  Kay did succeed and not only did she save the Adobe she got the city to start the Cultural Heritage Commission.
The Adobe is now a n interactive museum and farm. The Leonis Adobe is now very popular with elementary schools.
Kay Beachy died in 1974 right after she was finally appointed to a seat on the board of the LA Cultural Heritage Commission.

Transformations with James St. James

The folks at World of Wonder Productions have struck gold once again with another web series. This series is called "Transformations" and it stars ex-club kid James St. James. "Transformations" is all about St. James' face and makeup artists transforming it into various fantasy creations. James St. James is a writer and art curator who made his name in the New York Club scene in the 1990's. He wrote a book called "Disco Bloodbath" which was made into the movie "Party Monster".
Transformations episodes start with St. James head shaved and no make up an blank canvas for the make up designer of the week. Then they go to work transforming St. James into their vision. Sometimes their vision is a drag queen sometimes day of the dead, sometimes it is a complete fantasy. St James is very funny during the transformations. While he is being made up he interviews the makeup artists questioning them about their work and what it is exactly they are doing.
Transformations is new each Tuesday so log on and check it out!

The Zip Code Turns 50

It was fifty years ago today that the US Postal Service introduced the mandatory Zip Code. The term Zip Code really in and acronym for Zone Improvement Plan. It was masterminded by Robert Moon who worked as a postal inspector in Philadelphia. Moon came up with the plan in the late 1940's and it was under study for many years until in 1963 it was made mandatory. The first number identifies an area of the county the next numbers are cities and the last numbers indicate an area within a city.
In the 1980's another four digits were added to the number but these honestly mean almost nothing to the average user.

Floyd The Barber

Howard McNear was a character actor born in Los Angeles in 1905. His life and his career was almost entirely spent in Los Angeles. McNear did for a time work in a San Diego theater but he was soon back to his hometown. He worked steadily after World War II on radio, in films and television. McNear was on the radio version of "Gunsmoke" he originated the character of Doc Adams playing it for 9 years. He is most know for the nervous and vague character Floyd the barber on the Andy Griffith Show. He played the character for many years stopping briefly after he had a stroke. He was off the show for almost a year recovering. When he returned to the series he was partially paralyzed and could not stand or walk well. He disability was hidden with camera tricks and props.
Howard McNear also appeared in dozens of movies. He was always cast as a goofy or nervous man often as a barber oddly enough. Some of the films he was in are classics like "Bell Book and Candle","Irma La Douce" and "Kiss Me, Stupid".
It was Floyd that made him a recognized face though. The cast of the Andy Griffith show claimed that he wasn't acting that he was just being himself.
Howard McNear died in 1969 from pneumonia after having another stroke. He was 63.

Now Howard the Duck and Mr Stress Both Stayed

Thirty-five years ago Chrissie Hynde, Pete Farndon, John Honeyman-Scott and Martin Chambers got together and formed The Pretenders. First playing together in 1978 The Pretenders got their name from The Platters song "The Great Pretender".
The Band has gone through many changes with the deaths of Farndon and Honeyman-Scott and Chambers leaving briefly but Chrissie Hynde has kept it together for thirty-five years releasing 10 full length albums and several EP's.
Their first three records were huge sellers but the band had a dry spell for about twenty years. Their last record Break "Up the Concrete" was their first record to break into the top forty since the 1984 record "Learning to Crawl".
The current line up does still tour often playing shows with bands of the eighties like Blondie and The B52's. The Pretenders now mainly play one off shows.

San Francisco The Snobbiest City?

Travel and Leisure Magazine has published a snobby city list and San Francisco was voted number one. I am not sure exactly what their criteria was but they claim that the always popular tourist destination to be the snobbiest in the nation. San Francisco was followed by New York as number two, Boston as number three and Minneapolis/St. Paul and Santa Fe as four and five.
Having lived in three of the top five cities I was rather surprised. I guess I must be a snob too! I just like to think I'm just better than everyone else!