To My One & Only on Father's Day

Click here to see the photo montage I put together for Uwe this Father's Day.

Belated Wine Tasting Post (Red Carpet)

Last week Uwe and I went to a wine tasting at Red Carpet (in Glendale). I just got around to writing about it.

Click here to read about our Friday night wine tasting.

Minx (2nd Visit) & one day only beef

After our wine tasting at Colorado Wine Company, we decided to go to Minx for dinner.

2nd Visit & Ahi Poke is Disappointing
This being our second visit - and I had to have the delicious Ahi Poki with smelt egg fritter starter that I had so enjoyed on our first visit. But this time it wasn't the same! Instead of a smelt egg fitter at the bottom, there was rice. What a disappointment! The dish that I loved the most was different -and not as good.

Starters
Uwe had his oysters again for an appetizer. And I lifted our beef ban (which has been going strong for a number of years now) so Uwe could try the Kobe beef with lobster roll. It was just a thin slice (think sashimi style) of beef on top of the roll. Nothing spectacular, and not worth the one day repeal of my years of giving up beef (since mad cow was detected in the US).

Entrees
Uwe had the tomato & mozzarella salad. (Pretty good.)

I had the vegetable risotto. There were a couple things wrong with this dish. First off the cabbage on top drenched in an overpowering balsamic vinaigrette did not complement the dish, and was too salty. I had to push it to the side and try to keep it from contaminating my risotto. Second - they had cooked artichokes in it. Artichokes I like, but not the entire part, when it's not cooked properly. After chewing it, you were left with a mouth full of chewed up leaves, like straw - which I had to spit out. I kept trying, thinking it was just one - but every artichoke in it wasn't cooked properly. Who do they have cooking this stuff back there? Don't they taste what they're cooking?

Dessert
We opted not to have dessert this time. But I did see that they still had the same gawd awful peaches with blueberry ice cream cobbler on there. Ick. Made me think of how Chef Ramsey would critique it - What on Gawd's earth were you thinking?!

Overall Review
I was so disappointed that my favorite dish was changed. The one dish that was "inspiring" isn't there anymore. How is that possible? But the worst dessert I've ever had is still on the menu. Doesn't make much sense. With the $$$ prices, I don't know if I'll be back for a 3rd time. They do have exceptional service, and you can't find another restaurant like it locally, but the food just seems to miss more often than it hits. After dinner, Uwe and I watched in slow motion as we saw our car being driven by the valet at 10:30 at night (when it's pretty dark) without turning the headlights on. Luckily there was no accident.

Friday Night Wine Tasting @ Colorado Wine Company (& Date Night)

"So what's the plan for tonight?" asked Uwe.

Date Night
See it's Friday night - our date night. After 5 years of marriage, 7 years of being together, and 2 years of being parents - we decided that we needed to have a weekly date night. (Believe it or not - We really do enjoy each other's company.) Our weekly date night started out originally with a babysitter (Jill a college student who's getting her PhD in psychology) coming over every Friday night to babysit. Recently we added Wednesday nights as well. Wednesdays we usually go to a movie, or to some event. Lately Fridays have been reserved for wine tasting and dinner afterwards.

TGIF
My first impression was that Uwe was upping the ante to make it more bearable for me to stay at home with the baby. Ya know - getting me out of the house so I keep my sanity and all that good stuff. I thought "how sweet." But it's become evident that Uwe looks forward to our date nights even more than I do - and there's real meaning in that old adage - "Thank gawd it's Friday!" He likes being able to watch movies, but the main attraction is our Friday night wine tastings.

The Perks

• Get to spend time quality one on one time with the spouse - Check!
• Get to chat without having to entertain our toddler (and feel like we're DINKS again - dual income with no kids)- Check!
• Get to drink wine and lots of it - Check!
• Get to bring home numerous bottles of wine - Check! (this one is for Uwe)

Yeah it's pretty much pure bliss for us old timers.

Decisions....Decisions
Tonight being our Friday wine tasting night - We could have gone to a champagne tasting at Red Carpet Liquor, (taste all 6 for $37), or head back to what has become our local hangout - Colorado Wine Company for their Friday night wine tasting (taste all 5 for $15) - featuring 4 wines and a Bellini (made with Prosecco & white peaches). Doesn't that sound refreshing?! We opted for Colorado Wine Company (better ambiance and crowd).

Prior posts about both wine tasting establishments
You can read my prior posts by clicking on the links below:

I Heart Colorado Wine Company
I was happy to see that after my last post where I listed some recommendations on how to make the place nicer - the owners actually made those changes. (Added more tables and seating, and redid the ceiling to give the place more ambiance.)

Wine Tasting @ Red Carpet

Good Decision
I'm glad we chose Colorado Wine Company because we discovered a new wine that we really enjoyed. It was the first wine of tonight's tasting.

Martin Alfaro Santa Cruz Chardonnay - Golden straw color, citrus and tropical fruits, vanilla, and a hint of butterscotch. Refreshing acidity on the finish.

The owner Jen said it was a bit hit tonight (aka lots of people were buying bottles to take home).

It's a refreshing white wine that's perfect for a warm summer night (like tonight!), and you can really taste the trace of butterscotch. (Different and yummy.) Uwe and I were both surprised we liked it so much because we're both red wine lovers.

Inside Joke
After I mentioned to Uwe that I liked the wine he agreed and immediately said:
"Okay - let's buy a case."
"No, better yet - let's buy every bottle they've got in this store."
"Even better, let's buy the whole friggin store. "

These remarks had me in stitches.

It goes back to when I was pregnant and I abstained from all alcohol. Now I'm not preacher's wife, and I see no harm in having a glass of wine when you're preggers - so I didn't stop drinking because of the principle itself. But the idea of drinking made me nauseous, as did the smell. I literally couldn't stomach it. Must have been the hormones. Even after I gave birth, I couldn't drink for a long time because the hormones must have messed with my palate and wine tasted gawd awful no matter what kind. Uwe kept bringing home bottles of wine for me to taste, hoping (praying) that we'd find one that I liked so we could enjoy wine together again (after over a year of waiting). I really wanted to like it - but everything tasted so horrible, that rather than having to hold my nose to drink an expensive bottle - I just said "forget it - don't bother - it's not the wine - it's just me."

Slowly but surely I started to get my palate back (although seafood is still an issue), and I can now enjoy wine (Cheers!). So the inside joke is - anytime I say that I like a particular wine - Uwe wants to run out and buy a case for me. Tonight I said just to get one bottle - but he got 3 instead.

Recommendations Needed
With that said, in part due to the delay in my wine drinking, we still haven't purchased a wine to commemorate my daughter's birth. Something that we really need to do. Does anyone have any recommendations for a spectacular 2005 red wine (like a Syrah) that will age well? Uwe and I would like to purchase a case, so we can open the wine to celebrate on her 21st birthday (and for her to have a bottle as a keepsake).

We're also looking for a great 2001 red wine (to commemorate our wedding anniversary). Again, same thing, it needs to be able to age well.

Wolftrap - South African Wine
I also spotted a South African wine - Wolftrap, which intrigued me. It's the only bottle of wine from South Africa in the entire store. The owner, Jen said this wine is amazing.
Region: Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
Winery: Boekenhoutskloof (founded in 1776)
Type: Red wine
Grape: Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Viognier
Vintage: 2005

Origin of the Wolftrap Label Name
It's name comes from the fact that when the Dutch moved into the area back during their colonial phase, they brought a fair amount of wolf traps in order to protect themselves. There was only one problem with this: There are no wolves in South Africa. So you have a wine so named because it pokes fun at the Dutch.

Tasting Notes
Dark red-black color with spice, bacon and wood on the nose. Smooth, smokey bacon and spice flavors overshadow subdued, mellow cherry and blackberry fruit. Dry, light mouthfeel with good structure and a black currant finish.

I Can't Wait to Open the Bottle
Of the reviews I've read online, people either love it or hate it. So it'll be interesting to see to which camp Uwe and I belong to - the lovers or haters.

Back At Home
So when we got home, I confirmed with our babysitter Jill that we'll see her again next Wed. I told her it's really nice to have date night twice a week. Jill replied that it's also nice for her and gave me a big smile. I guess she can use the extra money being a student. A win win situation. =)

Cat Stevens - Where Do The Children Play?

Before there was Yusuf Islam, there was Cat Stevens. This is a great song.

Elvis & Priscilla - I'll Remember You

The Roost

We decided to check out another bar near Atwater Village, in Los Feliz. Uwe said I "owed him a dive" since he agreed to check out Club Tee Gee with me.

The Roost

3100 Los Feliz Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA

We were expecting a dive but were pleasantly surprised. It's got a hypnotic red glow inside, with a popcorn machine, and decorative roosters thrown in for good measure. There were lots of hipsters & regulars here. One girl told the bartender, "I missed you! I just finished my final exams, so you'll see me here a lot more often now."

On a funny note, a couple patrons from Club Tee Gee followed us to The Roost. Uwe was pretty freaked out by that. Being as it wasn't close enough to walk and you had to drive from one location to the other. What are the odds in LA?

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The bar was funky and had lots of seating. Only negative was that the bartender would stir instead of shake our cocktails, including Uwe's dirty martini. I've never seen a bartender do that before at a real bar. Also, the bartender served my cosmo in a wine glass (vs. a martini glass). Strange.

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It had a funky ambiance and it's local - so we may go back if we're in the area.

Club Tee Gee

Photo by robjtak

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The sign looks like "Club Tee Yee", but it shows up as "Club Tee Gee".

Club Tee Gee

3208 Glendale Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90039

After the movie tonight, it was still early, so we decided to get some cocktails in nearby Atwater Village (before returning home to relieve the babysitter).

Photo by pony ride

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I drive by this place all the time during the day, (since we go to the local video store next door), and I was always curious as to what it looks like inside. The bar has been around since 1946. So I suggested we go there just to check it out. We were prepared for a dive and that's just what we got. The review says it's a hipster hangout, but we didn't see any hipsters there tonight. The place is a lot darker than in the photo above. We sat in the 2nd booth, as there weren't two open seats together at the bar (on the opposite side of the booths).

Now I can at least check it off my list, that I went there and had a drink.

Away From Her

Tonight I saw the movie, Away From Her, a love story starring Gordon Pinsent and Julie Christie.

Summary
After over 40 years of marriage, Julie Christie's character begins to suffer from Alzheimer's disease and moves into a nursing home, where she loses virtually all memory of her husband and begins to develop a romance with another nursing home resident.

Trailer
Click here to watch the movie trailer.
Writer/Director
Sarah Polley, makes her directorial debut and also wrote the screenplay. (The film is adapted from the short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain".) Sarah Polly is the actress from the 1999 movie - Go. She put her acting career on hold for 2 years to make this movie. It's impressive that a 28 year old can make such a mature, intimate movie.Julie Christie - Then
(Doctor Zhivago)Julie Christie - Now
(Away From Her)

At 65, Julie Christie is still very beautiful. There's a scene in the movie where she's lying in bed with her husband and you see her hair beautifully arranged on the pillow, with white streaks through it. She's one of the few mature actresses who is aging gracefully, and the white streaks in her hair are gorgeous.

I hope she gets an Oscar nod for her role.

Rolling Stone magazine
"And Christie, a Sixties screen goddess in Darling and Doctor Zhivago, shows that her spirit and grace are eternal. She's a beauty. So is the movie."

Olympia Dukakis also has a small role in the movie. She gives the movie a little comic relief.

Review
Two thumbs up.

It's not a young Romeo & Juliet love where the ultimate sacrifice is committing suicide to be with one another. Rather it's a mature love story about a couple who has a shared history that spans over 4 decades with one another. The couple struggles with "forgetting to know you" as the wife's Alzheimer's gets progressively worse. The ultimate sacrifice here is shown when the husband puts his wife's happiness before his own. Heartbreaking and touching.

It's not a movie that you need to bring tissues to, and don't expect to have the wind knocked out of you. It's not that kinda film. It is however a sweet little film about a demoralizing disease and the distance it creates between one couple who have a deep, mature love for one another.

"Sopranos" ends in crescendo of ... nothing

By Mark Egan

MONTCLAIR, New Jersey (Reuters) - Whaddya gonna do? After building tension for six seasons over 8-1/2 years, "The Sopranos," one of America's most critically acclaimed television shows, ended on Sunday with nothing more than a black screen.

And there was no clear answer to the big question -- would mob boss Tony Soprano sleep with the fishes?

Instead the mobster, who suffers the same worries as the rest of us, even if he gets relief from the occasional murder, finished the show munching onion rings in a New Jersey diner surrounded by a smiling wife and two content kids.

Sure a guy looking like a hit man had entered the restroom behind Tony and might be expected to come back out and kill the entire family, but then the screen went black for about five seconds and that was that. Some fans were disappointed.

"David Chase (the show's creator and writer ) should have put some bite into it. He left us hanging," said Johnny Salami, 43, of Rutherford, New Jersey.

"Maybe if you're from Oklahoma or California you don't care, but if you're from New Jersey, you want some closure."

Salami was in Lodi, New Jersey, at the Satin Dolls go-go lounge -- which since 1999 has doubled as the show's notorious, mob-run strip joint, the Bada Bing. About 200 fans gathered there to watch the final episode.

The strippers wore G-strings with the legend "Bada Bing." And out of respect, they stopped dancing for the show.

"This show is just short of being a caricature of Northern New Jersey, but we all love it," said patron Eileen Schley, 36. "I don't know now what I'm going to do on Sunday nights."

The series from Time Warner cable channel HBO has been around since 1999 -- longer than the Bush administration -- and broke new ground for television: portraying a thoroughly evil hero who corrupts everyone he comes into contact with while appearing perfectly ordinary to his neighbors.

STOPPING DEAD
James Gandolfini's performance as Tony Soprano has been hailed as a tour de force, as has the acting of other cast members. Despite the evil, brutality and violence that have become hallmarks of the weekly show, much of the channel's audience has formed a bond of affection for the Sopranos.

The penultimate show had left Tony's pompadoured henchman, Silvio Dante, barely breathing and full of holes; his brother-in-law Bobby dead and Soprano huddled in a darkened bedroom, clutching a machine-gun -- like a frightened child holding a teddy bear.

Even his long-conflicted therapist has dumped him and he is in all-out war with his New York gang rival Phil Leotardo.

But in the end, it was Leotardo who got snuffed out -- shot while waving farewell to his baby grandchildren, and then his head run over by an SUV for emphasis.

But for many fans, it wasn't enough and they just couldn't get past that black screen ending.

"Of all the things that could have happened, the worst thing that could have happened is it just end it like that; just stopping dead," said Tripp Reynolds, who watched at his home in Montclair. "But maybe it was inevitable given all the plot lines that were going."

The show won almost uniform critical praise. The New Yorker likened Chase's writing and character development to Charles Dickens, John Updike and Philip Roth and has called the show "the richest achievement in the history of television."

The final episode was peppered with classic one-liners from Tony. When Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri turns down an offer from Soprano to run a crew, Tony says, "I'm a little miffled." He tells a shrink, "My mother was a borderline personality." And when he hears his own son is learning Arabic, he says, "Come on, shish kebab! What else do you need to know?"

And the comedy which has come hand in hand with the violence since the beginning was in evidence too.

"One time, at the Bing ... I saw the Virgin Mary," Gualtieri confides in Tony.

"Why didn't you say anything," Tony replies. "F--- strippers, we coulda had a shrine, sold holy water in gallon jugs, coulda made millions."

What happened to Donna Pescow?

Donna Pescow - Then (1977)
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Back then she was described as an affable, petite actress (she's 5'1") who got her big break with a role as the rejected partner of dancer Tony Manero (John Travolta) in "Saturday Night Fever". Donna gained 40 pounds for her role as Annette in the movie.

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Donna Pescow - Now

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I was watching the last episode of The Sopranos last night, and I couldn't stop thinking about the actress who plays the role of Donna Parisi (wife of Patsy Parisi). I knew I had seen her before. I never forget a face. I recognized the familiar facial expressions and the way she raised her eyebrows when speaking. Other than that, she's almost unrecognizable. She used to be this tiny, cute girl. Now she's playing the role of a mobster's wife on the Sopranos and she's much heavier. On The Sopranos they had her hair done in a big black hairdo, which made it even more difficult to place where I had seen her before. Wow...what a drastic change.

Bob Barker's 50 Years in Television - Part 5

0 to 0:35
Filler

0:35 to 1:35
Clips of strange ways contestants have shown their gratitude.

1:35 to 7:03
Live Price Is Right Show

7:02 to end
Signature sign off -
"Bob Barker reminding you - help control the pet population - have your pets spade or neutered. Good night everybody!"

Bob Barker's 50 Years in Television - Part 4

0 to 1:05
Contestants dancing on the Price Is Right. The lame, lamer, and lamest.

1:05 to 5:10
Live Price Is Right show.

5:10 to 6:35
Clip of Bob Barker's cameo on the movie "Happy Gilmore" with Adam Sandler.

6:35 to the end
Adam Sandler makes a guest appearance on The Price Is Right show. He reads a silly poem "Ode to Bob Barker" that he wrote for Bob.

Bob Barker's 50 Years in Television - Part 3

Click here to watch Part 3 on youtube.

0 to 2:58
Les Moonves (President & CEO of CBS) pays tribute to Bob Barker with a speech. (Boring).

2:58 to end
Interview with Bob Barker. He talks about his life (marriage to his high school sweetheart, how he got into showbiz, The Price Is Right, his love of animals, and his upcoming retirement). During the interview they show some cool vintage film footage and photos.

Bob Barker's 50 Years in Television - Part 2

Click here to watch Part 2 on youtube. (For some reason I'm not able to post the youtube video directly.)

0 to 1:40
A clip showing how the contestants have shown their love for Bob Barker over the years on The Price Is right.

1:40 to 3:05
Clips from the TV show “Truth or Consequences.” (Not worth watching.)

3:05 to 3:40
Clip of Bob Barker on an episode of Bonanza.

3:40 to 8:05
Live Price Is Right show.

8:05 to 8:30
Supposedly the most memorable moment on The Price Is Right show. A female contestant “comes on down” and her boobs pop out of her tube top.

8:30 to end
Falls, spills & mishaps.

Bob Barker's 50 Years in Television - Part 1

The first 30 seconds of this video shows photos of Bob Barker from a baby through his 50 year career in television.

The rest of the video is a live "Price Is Right" show.

Sopranos ends without a bang

Uwe and I hunkered down and watched the last episode of "The Sopranos" tonight. Would Tony Soprano get whacked? Commit suicide? Take out Phil Leotardo? Would there be an all out mob war?

Since it was on at 6 PM, we were entertaining our 2 year old daughter all the while, so we could watch the last episode live. There was a lot of youtube muted cat video playing, the baby crawling all over Uwe, and we had the TV closed captioned so we wouldn't miss anything.

With just 15 minutes left we were left scratching our heads going, "There's only 15 minutes left." and wondering "How the heck are they going to end the show?"

Anticipation was building as we watched Tony seated in the diner waiting for his family, and then each family member arriving. First Carmela, then AJ, and then Meadow. As Meadow walks through the door, the bell jingles and Tony looks up - then the screen goes black. At first we thought our cable went out. Uwe was shouting, "Wtf!" And then after awhile (which felt like an eternity) the credits started to roll. Nice to know our TV and cable are fine.

Uwe thought the ending was way lame and I was just plain disappointed. We never find out what happens to Tony and his family. But then it's sad all around when a show like this ends. After a hit show like this airs for 8 years, it's hard to see it end. No matter what, we would have been disappointed with the ending. It's always a let down, and there's no great way to end a series like this. You want the show to stay true to itself without a tidy ending, but you still long for more episodes to see how the characters are doing.

The ending felt like just another episode, building up to a crescendo, with more questions. Was Tony's favorite FBI agent sleeping with a fellow FBI agent from New York? And is that how he got his information about Phil Leotardo? Why did the FBI agent shout, "Yes, we're going to win!"? (This was the first time we got a peek into the life of the FBI agent.) Were we all just being paranoid about Paulie turning on Tony? Where have I seen the actress who plays Donna Parisi (Anna Mancini?), Patsy Parisi's wife before? I'm thinking of an old TV sitcom, but if I recall correctly she's gained a lot of weight and is almost unrecognizable. Imdb and the Internet are no help here!

So the ending just leaves it up to the viewer's own interpretation of what happens next. Some people are calling it brilliant, while others are calling it a cop out. I say, no matter what - it was a let down. Phil Leotardo's ending was the highlight, and at least Tony didn't pinch Sal's nose in the hospital like a de ja vu of Christopher's demise. (Christopher's murder still haunts me.) So I walk away saying, "Thank you for all the great episodes and memories. The Sopranos will be missed." If there's ever a movie, I will be there.

Dutch smoking ban to cover coffee shops

Photo by felipelmatadoreffe

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch smoking ban will come into force in July next year for all restaurants and cafes -- including coffee shops where cannabis is the top attraction, the government decided on Friday.

"Coffee shops will be treated in the same manner as other catering businesses. They will be smoke-free," Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende told NOS television.

"It would have been wrong to move towards a smoke-free catering industry and then make an exception for coffee shops. People would not have understood that."

Establishments will not in fact have to be completely smoke-free. Proprietors will be allowed to set up a separate room or glass partition behind which people can smoke, but customers will not be served there to protect staff.

"Employees should not have to work in an environment were they are constantly exposed to the harmful effects of smoking," Balkenende said after the cabinet's decision on Friday.

Amsterdam's renowned coffee shops, where marijuana can be smoked openly in a relaxed atmosphere, are one of the city's big draws for tourists.

Coffee shop owners argue that the ban only applies to tobacco and was unlikely to hit them hard.
Whilst commonly mixed with tobacco, marijuana can also be smoked on its own, especially in pipes, vaporisers and other contraptions.

Soft drugs are officially banned in the Netherlands but under a policy of tolerance, buyers are allowed to have less than 5 grams of cannabis in their possession.

Endangered Egyptian Tortoise

REUTERS/Tony Gentile (ITALY)

A worker from Rome's Biopark zoo holds a Testudo Kleinmanni hatchling, an endangered species also known as an Egyptian tortoise, in Rome May 22, 2007. The offspring is the hatchling of several Egyptian tortoises that were rescued from a smuggler's suitcase in 2005 at Naples airport, southern Italy, by Italy's forestry police and were entrusted to Rome's main zoo.

Bob Barker volunteers to stay until CBS finds a replacement

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES - After 35 years as the host of "The Price Is Right," Bob Barker hung up his microphone for good on Wednesday. Or did he?

After taping his last show, the 83-year-old icon said he would happily return to the "Price" stage if a replacement host isn't found by the time the new season starts in the fall.

"They're having trouble finding someone to do the show," Barker told reporters during a post-show press conference. "And I've told members of the staff here that ... if they wanted me to do it for a few more months, I would do it.

"I don't want to walk out on CBS or the company if they're in that position because they've been too good to me."

The production company left the door open Thursday on the possibility of such a return. "I am glad to know that Bob is thinking about coming back!" said Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia North America. "We haven't made our final decision yet because, as you can imagine, we want to make sure that we leave no stones unturned."

Barker taped his last episode — his 6,586th — of the popular CBS game show Wednesday, retiring after five decades on national television. The episode is scheduled to air twice June 15: once at its usual time and again that evening.

The silver-haired host ended his record tenure by blowing kisses and working in the same low-key, genial fashion that made him one of daytime TV's biggest stars. He closed the show with his usual, "Help control the pet population, have your pets spayed or neutered. Goodbye everybody."

Once the cameras stopped rolling, he told the studio audience: "I thank you, thank you, thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years. I'm truly grateful, and I hope that all of you have enjoyed your visit to `The Price Is Right.'"

Reruns of Barker-hosted shows will play throughout the summer.

A new host has yet to be named. Among those reportedly in the running are Todd Newton of the E! network, Mark Steines of "Entertainment Tonight," George Hamilton and John O'Hurley.

Wine Tasting @ Red Carpet

Red Carpet Wine (the sign out in front of the store says "Red Carpet Liquor), is a wine store in Glendale where in addition to wine, you can also buy champagne, beer, and cigars (they have a walk-in humidor). The staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. You tell them what you're cooking for dinner and they'll pick out a wine that goes with it, or make a suggestion. They'll also point out some great deals on lesser known new labels with great wine. Although we don't go there as often as we used to, we still go there to buy wine, champagne, and occasionally my favorite Belgian, raspberry Lambic beer (mmmm).

Red Carpet Wine
400 East Glenoaks Boulevard
Glendale, California 91207

Wine Tasting
Tonight Uwe and I decided to go to Red Carpet Wine for their Friday night wine tasting. We love Colorado Wine Company, but Red Carpet showcases higher end wines in their tasting and we wanted to see what they had to offer. (The price is also double what we pay at cowineco - and they have 7 wines in their tasting, vs. 5 at cowineco).

I had been to a Red Carpet for their "Silver Oak" wine tasting. (I organized an after work excursion to go there to check it out.) Sampling $100+ bottles of wine was lovely - and it attracted quite a different crowd.

Uwe described tonight's crowd as "the Whole Foods crowd" as the people looked like they walked into the wine tasting right after a workout and shopping for groceries. Quite different from the crowd at Colorado Wine Company.

I was hesitant to do the full wine tasting because of the 7 glasses of wine, but after seeing the small tasting pours - I was in - and had no problem completing the course.

There was a 2002 Syrah that we very much enjoyed, but they didn't have it for sale. That's one thing that irks me about their wine tasting. Why have it on the tasting menu if you can't buy it afterwards? The bartender said that the owner will have a few bottles in his personal cellar that he will bring in just for the tasting, so there aren't additional bottles for sale. Last time I was there, the same thing happened. I had an exquisite 1999 Silver Oak and wanted to buy a bottle to bring home to Uwe so we could enjoy it together - but again they didn't have that year for sale - so I had to settle for a 2002 (which was good, but not the same).

Overall Review

The wine tasting is pricey for the lack of ambiance (again - think of Whole Foods) and they need to bring in some hors d'oeuvres in addition to the chinsy but pricey cheese plate. However they do feature high end wine tastings, and they have seating around the bar. (Which can fill up if they're featuring a high end label.) For our Friday night - date night - we will stick to Colorado Wine Company which has a nicer crowd and better ambiance. But there's a good chance we will go back if they feature Silver Oak again, or another high end wine that we'd enjoy.

Silent Greta Garbo Movie @ the Orpheum Theatre

Tonight Uwe and I saw a silent Greta Garbo movie at the Orpheum Theatre on Broadway, in downtown LA. It's part of the annual "Last Remaining Seats" film screenings presented by the Los Angeles Conservancy. This year being their 21st annual production.

LA Conservancy

The LA Conservancy shows classic movies in historical theaters in and around Los Angeles. The tickets are general admission (no reserved seats) and are $18 for advance tickets, or $20 at the door (if not sold out), available through LA Conservancy. The show begins At 8 P.M. and doors open At 7 P.M. For more info call (213) 430-4219 or visit laconservancy.org

The Movie

This 1926 silent, black and white movie called Flesh and the Devil (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 113 minutes) starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert, ignited the silent screen in this melodrama about a deadly love triangle involving boyhood friends who are turned against each other when they both fall for seductress Garbo. Gilbert’s off-screen romance with Garbo helped create some of the steamiest love scenes Jazz Age audiences had ever witnessed. Directed by Clarence Brown; co-starring Lars Hansen.

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The Real Story is even Better than the Movie

So the story goes, Greta Garbo and John Gilbert met, fell in love and had a passionate affair during the production of the movie. Before the movie was released, the couple had moved in together, and were engaged to be married. Rumor has it that Greta Garbo left John Gilbert standing at the altar. She never married and it's been said that she was a lesbian who never got over a female drama school student she had an affair with. As for John Gilbert, his career ended with the invention of the talkies. (Although Greta Garbo remained loyal to him and had him hired for parts in movies she starred in.) Greta Garbo became a recluse in New York City, and when she died, she left everything to her niece.

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A Live Orchestra

Since the movie had no sound, it was accompanied by the Robert Israel Orchestra.

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A Short Film before the Movie

The movie was also preceded by a screening of a 1920s short (but felt extremely long) film "Moonland" with live organ accompaniment.

The History of the Los Angeles Orpheum Theatre

The Los Angeles Orpheum Theatre- is the last of the four Orpheum theatres built in LA. Situated at 842 South Broadway, downtown Los Angeles, it is near the southern end of Los Angeles' Historic Core theatre district. Built in 1926 for Vaudeville, at a then staggering cost of $2 million dollars, it was the most elaborate vaudeville house ever constructed in southern California. The interior style is French Renaissance.

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The Orpheum stage was built to accommodate the largest vaudeville acts, with the most modern lighting and stage riggings of its era. There are six floors of dressing rooms serviced by the backstage elevator. Facilities were included to house circus animals which over the years included elephants, tigers, and lions. It was designed by G. Albert Lansburgh of San Francisco.

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The Orpheum has played host to some of the most venerable names in show business – from burlesque queen Sally Rand, a young Judy Garland (as Francis Gumm) and comedian Jack Benny, to jazz greats like Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. The 1960s brought a completely new dimension to the theater – "rock and roll" – with performers such as Little Richard, Aretha Franklin and Little Stevie Wonder. It closed briefly during the Great Depression.

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In 2001 the Orpheum underwent a multi-million dollar rehabilitation under the supervision of owner Steve Needleman. The venue currently is a rental facility for special events and location filming. It's also the location for the filming of the TV show "American Idol".

The LA Orpheum Theatre - Then

The LA Orpheum Theatre - Now

Auditorium
The Orpheum’s spacious orchestra, loge, balcony, and side boxes offer newly-installed upholstered seats and comfortable accommodation for over 2,000 people.The first five rows of seats can be removed to create extra space for camera crews, a dance floor and a variety of other needs.The main floor and balcony are wheelchair accessible.

Stage

The stage, which measures 30’ (D) x 50’ (W), is completely upgraded with all new rigging and electrical, making the facility more user-friendly to promoters, film companies and event producers. An eight-foot stage extension is available.

Orchestra Pit & Organ

The orchestra pit accommodates up to 16 musicians.

The Orpheum is home to the Mighty Wurlitzer, the last of the great theater organs remaining on Broadway. It is one of only three original theater organs still existing in Southern California theaters. This beautiful instrument is moveable to either side of the orchestra pit, or can be stored backstage.

It was installed at the Orpheum in 1928. This 13-rank, three-manual Wurlitzer organ has metal and wood pipes than can simulate more than 1,400 orchestral sounds. Now restored to working order, it is lovingly cared for by the Los Angeles Theater Organ Society.

Mezzanine
The mezzanine, which overlooks the theater’s lobby, is a wonderful, out-of-the-way space that lends itself well to silent auctions, event overflows, exhibition space and other uses. This area accommodates up to 125 people.Lobby

The lobby’s white marble walls are beautifully restored and new plush carpeting replicating the lavish pattern of the original has been installed. This lovely space accommodates up to 300 people for cocktail parties, hors d’oeuvres, bar setups, coffee & dessert bars and much more.

Lounge

The Orpheum’s handsome wood-paneled lounge can handle up to 175 people. The room’s decorative fireplace adds an inviting touch. A separate private cocktail lounge and food preparation room are conveniently located for parties and other events.

This would be a cool place for a bar. There was even a sign which said "Tavern" but it wasn't open tonight. It's located on the floor beneath the lobby.

The evening's sponsor was Hugh Hefner And yes, we saw Hugh Hefner walk in with his 3 girlfriends and entourage. (This is a photo of them from another night.)

He looked good from the front, wearing a black suit, but later when we saw him walking around with his two bodyguards, from the back we saw the old man shuffle. He's getting up there in age.

Uwe didn't know who the women were with him, and I had to explain that they are his 3 girlfriends. Sad that I know, but yes, while channel surfing I came across their reality TV show "The Girl's Next Door."

After the movie we went next door to the Broadway Bar for a drink.

We also have tickets to see the original 1932 Scarface gangster movie produced by Howard Hughes (set in 1920's Chicago) showing at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on June 27, 2007. They'll also have have a swing band that night performing 1930's music. Looking forward to it.

I Can't Believe "The Sopranos" Is Coming To An End

I have fond memories of "The Sopranos". Uwe and I started watching the series one summer after Uwe had shoulder surgery, about 7 years ago. We holed up inside and watched the first two seasons on tape. I remember our viewing saga even inspired us to make a trip out to the West Side that summer, to an Italian bakery, where we had Italian ice cream and cannoli (tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling). After watching the characters on the show eating cannoli all the time, we suddenly developed a craving for it, even though we had never tried it before. That was a beautiful, memorable summer for us, and in the years following we always looked forward to getting together on Sunday to watch the show together, as a way to end the weekend and gear up for the week.

The cast and writing have been superb and it feels unreal that the show is ending. This Sunday will be the season finale and final episode.

So while I'm sad to see the series end, reading about other Sopranos fans and their love for the show made me smile. Enjoy!

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"Sopranos" filming locations draw mobs of fans

By Christian Wiessner

LODI, New Jersey (Reuters) - Every Saturday afternoon, the staff at the Satin Dolls go-go lounge clears the bar of matchbooks, coasters, napkins and anything else not nailed down because a sold-out tour bus is on the way from New York.

But the luxury coach heading for the nondescript, windowless building on a busy stretch of New Jersey highway isn't carrying rowdy bachelors with Bacchanalia in mind.

Soon, about four dozens fans of the hit television series "The Sopranos" file into the club, which since 1999 has doubled as the show's notorious, mob-run strip joint, the Bada Bing.

"Everything gets stolen off the bar, even if it doesn't say 'Satin Dolls' or 'Bada Bing' on it," said club manager Rouz, who, like the scantily-clad young women working the brass poles behind the bar, prefers to be known by just his first name.

HBO broadcasts the series finale of "The Sopranos" on June 10, and locations made famous by the saga of a northern New Jersey mob boss struggling to keep both his "families" in line attract flocks of fans.

"The 'Bada Bing' brings extra attention from people who wouldn't normally go to a go-go bar," Rouz said. "Most of them come in and have a look, then buy some merchandise and leave. And they don't know about the state laws."

Rouz was referring to the poetic license taken by the show's producers regarding New Jersey's policy on topless dancing and establishments that serve alcohol: you can have one or the other, but not both.

So while Tony Soprano and his crew sit in "the Bing" and plot their latest crimes amid a gaggle of topless dancers, Satin Dolls patrons are entertained by girls wearing bikinis and lingerie, albeit of the skimpiest variety.

One of the tour bus visitors is Paul Rickard of Inverness, Scotland, who says his rabid devotion to the show has little to do with the mob-related plot lines.

"It's about family, food and togetherness," he said between sips from a beer. "The mob is just a job, a distraction. Despite scenes of extreme violence, the show is about love."

Swiss tourist Antony Simone, sitting just down the bar from Rickard, says he's dreading a world in which he won't have fresh episodes to look forward to.

"I would like no end, because the Mafia has no end," he says.

PIZZA WITH MOB TIES

While "the Bing" has played a central role throughout the show's run and understandably attracts a fan following, any association with "The Sopranos" can prove a boon for business.
Pizzaland, a few miles south of Satin Dolls in North Arlington, appears for about one second during the show's opening credits. Despite never actually being in an episode, the already-thriving neighborhood favorite saw pizza sales spike once the show gained popularity.
The surprise to owner Paul Pawlowicz was how big a slice of his revenues now comes from shipping pizzas nationwide.

"They get shrink-wrapped, put on dry ice, and shipped overnight," Pawlowicz said as he pulled a steaming pie from the oven. "This week alone I've shipped pizzas to Texas, Louisiana and California, and I've sent 58 pies to a guy in Safety Harbor (Florida) this season alone."

"Hey, it's good pizza," he says, then adds a line that would be right at home in an episode of the show: "Once I get a customer, I got 'em for good."

THE HOUSE ON THE HILL Interior scenes of the Soprano family home are actually shot on a soundstage in the New York City borough of Queens. But exterior shots, often showing Tony in an open bathrobe shuffling down his steep driveway to pick up the newspaper, are set at a "real home" in the affluent town of North Caldwell.

No federal agents taking pictures or waiting to have a "talk" with Tony were seen parked in front of the house on a recent drive-by. But the code of omerta was in effect for two carloads of fans circling the cul-de-sac to have a look at the house: both sped off quickly when approached for a comment.

PORK STORE? WHAT PORK STORE? While most of the well-known locations on the show are actual commercial establishments, Satriale's pork store in Kearny has never existed.

Signage and the large pig that sits atop the brick-faced building were put up only for filming, and the site that saw its share of sit-downs and dismemberments will soon be whacked itself: Kearny officials say the town's planning board has approved an application from the owner to turn the property into condominiums.

Whether sight-seeing fans will continue to seek out "Sopranos" locations after the show's finale remains to be seen. But tour bus guide Marc Baron of On Location Tours (http://www.screentours.com), who has been an extra in several episodes, is optimistic.

"There is such an interest from overseas fans and the popularity of the show has only grown since it began showing on A&E," Baron said, noting the cleaned-up reruns now showing on another cable station. "I think we've got a good five years left."

PBS Haight/Ashbury Documentary

I just finished watching the PBS documentary about Haight/Ashbury and the Summer of Love.
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It was a so-so documentary. Good video footage from that time period and interviews. However I would have liked to have learned more about the people who were interviewed and their personal experiences. (Who were they? What was it really like? What are they doing today?). On the website under "Special Features and "Looking back" there is a brief write up about some of the people, but even that is lacking (like the documentary).
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After having watched this documentary I'm left feeling like I only tasted the appetizer and missed the main entree. Unsatisfied is how I would describe my experience. It's disappointing because the documentary had the potential to be really great.

The Year of the Hippie
In the mid-1960s, young people who embraced a non-traditional lifestyle began moving into the Haight neighborhood of San Francisco. As had earlier groups like Beatniks and Hipsters, they rejected mainstream society, but their taste for rock music and wild colors was new. Some tagged this group as junior-grade Hipsters -- "hippies" for short. An underground newspaper, The San Francisco Oracle, chronicled the movement, often with psychedelic flair.

In October 1966, a group of San Francisco hippies staged a Love Pageant. As stories and images of hippies spread, thousands of young Americans flooded the city, wanting to witness or be part of the action. A year later -- after the 1967 "summer of love" -- San Francisco hippies performed a rite they called "The Death of the Hippie."