Could it be - a Ghostbusters III?

Talk about one of the most highly anticipated movies - with the original dating back to 1984. Was it really 23 years ago when I sat in the movie theater and cheered to "I ain't fraid of no ghosts"?

Above is the original Ray Parker, Jr. Ghostbusters video from 1984.

Yeah I'm dating myself. But if you too grew up in the 80's and know the punch line to "Who ya gonna call?" (remember it was the running joke of the summer?) and understand the "He slimed me!" reference, and if it's been years since you heard the name "Gozer the Gozerian" (and it brings a smile to your face), then you too have been looking forward to the third installation of this franchise. It's been too long!

"We came, we saw, we kicked its ass!"

A few years ago Dan Aykroyd wrote a screenplay for Ghostbusters 3, and the message boards lit up. Harold Ramis was on board and when the screenplay was picked up by Sony Pictures, I kept expecting to see a "Coming To Save The World This Summer" trailer...but the project got nixed when Bill Murray wouldn't sign on.

Now the project seems to be back on track:

Dan Aykroyd did a radio interview on Feb. 2, 2007 where he confirmed that Ghostbusters 3 is in the works - however they're now planning on making the movie in CGI (animation - yes a cartoon - like Toy Story). With the CGI version, Bill Murray has agreed to do the voice.

To listen to the interview click here.

Also, the official Ghostbusters website has the following Q & A for Ivan Reitman, director of Ghostbusters I and II:

Q. Is there going to be a GHOSTBUSTERS 3? If so, what have you heard about it and what role shall you take on the project? Do you also know of a release date or shooting dates for the film?

A. We have talked about doing "Ghostbusters 3", but nothing is set. If we were to go ahead with the project, I would probably produce the film, not direct it.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Will he make U.S. Major League Soccer more popular?

A recent photo shoot of David and Posh Beckham (aka Posh & Becks) in W Magazine.

The Downtown Art Wark

Next Art Walk: Thursday, July 12, 2007
The Downtown Art Walk is a self-guided tour that showcases the many art exhibition venues in Downtown Los Angeles — commercial art galleries, museums, and non-profit arts venues.

When: The Second Thursday of Every Month

Where: Downtown Los Angeles

Time: 12 noon to 9 PM

Cost: Free Admission (Although some venues have limited hours for free admission - check the website for details.)

Who:

1. MOCA (Geffen Contemporary)


2. L.A. Artcore Center


3. M.J. Higgins


4. 2nd Street Cigars & Gallery


5. Art Slave


6. Morono Kiang Gallery


7. bank


8. Continental


9. Crewest


10. Regent Gallery


11. Pharmaka


12. L.A. Center for Digital Art


13. El Nopal Press


14. Bert Green Fine Art


15. INMO Gallery


16. Red Dot Gallery


17. Niche LA Video Art


18. Art Murmur Gallery


19. 626 Art Gallery


20. groundfloor@santeecourt


21. Infusion Gallery


22. G727


23. The Hive Gallery


24. City Center Gallery


25. Gary Leonard


26. Grey Goose


27. MOCA (Grand Avenue)


28. Downtown Art Gallery
    

For more information, go to http://downtownartwalk.com/.

Don't ever get old Rose

"Patient is experiencing deficiencies in cognitive abilities." That's the clinical terminology reported on the medical records.

Memory loss is another way of describing it. Although memories from the distant past are clearer than ever. It's just the new memories that have a way of slipping away. Like what you had for lunch today, if you took your medication today, or who you last spoke to on the phone.

In my dad's words, "I'm losing my mind. Don't ever get old Rose."

In an attempt to reconnect with my dad and spend quality time with him - as well as making sure my daughter has a relationship with her Grandpa - my daughter and I drive to my parents' place once a week and we spend the entire day with my dad.

Yesterday while driving home, my mind was wandering and thinking about the doctor's visit earlier that day that I had accompanied my dad to, and buying him a pill box and measuring out his daily medication for the week (into the 4 boxes for each day - morning, noon, evening, bedtime) so that he wouldn't forget and take too much or too little, and reassuring him that I would see him next Monday ("We visit you every Monday Dad, remember?") knowing that he'd surely forget and when we showed up next Monday it would be a surprise.

I got choked up. He's my dad. The man who taught me how to play ball. The man who ruled the house with an iron fist. The man who made an effort to tell me he loved me as a kid because he wanted to make sure I knew (his own father didn't tell him he loved him until he was successful and in his 40's). The man who always asked, "Do you feel better" after he had fed me (because being hungry was the worst feeling in the world). The man who was sure I would get accepted to Stanford. (I didn't, but my dad believed in me.) The man who I got my love of traveling from, being able to chat with anyone I come into contact with, and my ability to draw. Also the man who would have cut me off financially as soon as I graduated from High School if it weren't for my mom. But also the man who gave me $700 to get a set of couches for my first apartment (after my mom refused and told me I didn't need them; I could sit on the floor). This is my dad.

It feels like the clock is ticking.

My dad and I have heartfelt conversations when the baby is napping. He tells me about his wishes for after he's gone. He shares stories with me about his past and childhood. Things I never knew. Stories I've never heard before, that he's never talked about. The baby doesn't nap that often.

When the baby is awake we watch her play in the baby pool, play with the dog, go out to eat together, go to the hospital together. He enjoys the baby and I can't help but feel when I get my camera out, these will be the only memories of my father that my daughter will have. (She's only 2 years old.) My dad asks, "Did you get it?" - meaning a good photo of him with his granddaughter. I tell him, "Yes". He tell me that he hopes he lives long enough for her to remember him. I hope so too.

So as I'm driving home and my daughter is sleeping in her car seat - I have all these thoughts running through my head - I get choked up. I don't want to miss my father forever.

Happy 4th of July 2007!

The Moon Looked Huge Last Night

(Photo by Fotomom in Glendale)

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Last night, driving home from a party in Marina Del Rey, I had a great view of the moon from the freeway. The moon looked huge in the sky. Not just a plain ole full moon, but almost distorted in shape because it looked so big, and it was low on the horizon, glowing yellow/orange in color. "Whoa!" I said out loud. I remembered that on Friday I caught the headline "Saturday's Full Moon Offers Strange Illusion" on Yahoo's homepage, which I briefly scanned. Below is an excerpt from the article which explains why the moon looked so huge last night.

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Saturday's Full Moon Offers Strange Illusion

Robert Roy Britt

Senior Science Writer

SPACE.com

Fri Jun 29, 2:00 PM ET

This weekend's full moon hangs lower in the sky than any other full moon of 2007, according to NASA, and it's a good time to be fooled.

When low on the horizon, the Moon can appear to be larger than when it's higher in the sky. It's all an illusion, scientists say, and it does not involve any enlarging effects of the atmosphere. Rather, it's all in your mind.

Here's how it works:
Our brains think things on the horizon are farther away than stuff overhead, because we're used to seeing overhead clouds that are close compared to those on the horizon. In the mind's eye, the sky is a flattened dome.

With this dome as a reference, we expect something on the horizon (such as the moon) to be father, and because it is actually no farther than when overhead, our brains goof and imagine that it is larger.

Yelp Changed My Life

I'm serious. You can look up reviews for everything from cheap Korean massage with ambiance, to restaurants, bars, night clubs, arts & entertainment, and shopping - whatever you're looking for. Great thing about it is that the reviews are written by real people - Average Joe's who write about their experiences and tell it like it is- so you get the real scoop. Also unlike some user review websites like chowhound, which can be outdated, this one has recent reviews. Reviews from the current month & year - who woulda thought? Just about every hole in the wall is listed in their database.

Textbook Definition
Yelp is a web 2.0 company that operates a social networking and user review website.

Founding Fathers
Yelp's founders, Jeremy Stoppelman and Russel Simmons, were early employees at PayPal. They received $6 million in initial funding and then an additional $10 million in their second round funding.

Seeing LA In A Whole New Way
It's peaked my interest in a lot of cool bars in LA that are off the beaten path -(like "The Prince" in K-town - I am so there!), not to mention all of the old & new establishments in my neck of the woods. Tonight for instance I'm going to check out 2 new bars within walking distance of one another on York Avenue in Highland Park that I found through Yelp (prior to going to dinner at the new southern restaurant "Larkin's" in Eagle Rock). One is called "Johnny's Bar" and the other is "Marty's." (Marty's is by the same owner of "Mia's" the sushi restaurant in Eagle Rock. The restaurant is named after his daughter Mia, and the bar is named after his son Marty.)

Good Ole U S of A
Yelp accepts reviews of any business or service in the United States. The most active cities include:

• San Francisco, CA — offers neighborhood filtering


• Boston, MA — offers neighborhood filtering


• Chicago, IL — offers neighborhood filtering


• New York, NY — offers neighborhood filtering


• Philadelphia, PA


• Washington, D.C.


• Seattle, WA — offers neighborhood filtering


• Los Angeles, CA — offers neighborhood filtering


• San Jose, CA


• Austin, TX


• San Diego, CA — offers neighborhood filtering

Review
Yelp is a great site, and has a craigslist/San Fran/community feel about it. Very cool.

The Animals - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place

"We Gotta Get Out of This Place" was recorded in 1965. It was immensely popular among United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War.

Déjà vu anyone?

German Wordplay

The Goethe-Institut (the official German cultural institute) has e-cards promoting German. If you'd like to send one to someone you know, click here.

Madonna - Holiday (1983)

This 80's song reminds me of summer.

Sunshine + 80 degree weather + driving in the car + cooling air conditioning + beautiful summer day + Madonna on the radio + holiday = a smile on my face.

The Age Of Love

I just watched the first episode of the newest reality dating show called "The Age of Love." It's like "The Bachelor", with a funky twist. The creators claim that it's a social experiment based on the question: "When it comes to falling in love, does age really matter?"

Premise of the Show

A 30 year old single bachelor (Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis) is looking for love, but what he doesn't know is that the eligible bachelorettes are in their 40's. (One is 48 years old.) After he gets over his initial shock, (what's so great is that he doesn't hide the fact that he's shocked!) and after he gets to know the 7 women who make up the 40's group, he has to eliminate one woman. Next the show has another twist - they introduce the bachelor to 6 more eligible bachelorettes - this time they're all in their 20's. So it's 40 vs. 20 (aka "Cougars vs. Kittens".)

Showtime

The show airs on NBC, Monday nights (8 PM here in LA).

The 40's Then & Now
The most fascinating aspect of the show is the women who make up the 40's group. They all look amazing, and none look their age.

Maria (Age 42) - Now Maria (in her 20's) - Then

Lynn (Age 40) - Now Lynn (in her 20's) - Then

Kelli (Age 40) - Now Kelli (Age 26) - ThenJodi (Age 46) - Now

Jodi (Age 19) - ThenJen (Age 48) - Now Jen (in her 20's) - ThenJayanne (Age 39) - Now Jayanne (Age 24) - Then Angela (Age 40) - Now

Angela (Age 28) - Then

-------------------------------------------------------

40's vs. 20's

So the show pits the 40 year olds against the 20 year olds, as both groups of women vie for the bachelor's love and attention.

I had to laugh out loud when I saw the 2o somethings on the plane flying into LA - the music in the background was perfect - it felt like "Here comes the party!" And to hear the 20 somethings bashing the 40 somethings was classic reality TV. One girl said that the 40 year olds had no chance with their "stretch marks and sagging boobs."

But of course I'm rooting for the 40 somethings! I mean come on - they look fabulous! I don't belong to either camp as I'm in the my 30's but I always root for the underdog, and I can relate more to the 40's, as they are a bit more mature.

The 20 something girls talked a lot of trash, but then were shown being completely insecure with themselves, even crying all night long. Sheesh. I guess the perky boobs don't help there.

The bachelor thought he would have a great time with the hot 20 year olds - especially after someone suggested they hop in the jacuzzi - but then there was silence. No one said a word and it was really awkward. When interviewed, the bachelor said it was like "pulling teeth" and at that point he was wondering what the 40 year old women were doing. The 40's seemed to be the more fun group. Later the same day the bachelor went with the 40's to a roller skating disco and they dressed up in outrageous 70's outfits and had a blast.

Host

The host is Kelly Ripa's husband - Mark Consuelos

Standing next to the 6'5" bachelor, Mark looks very tiny.

Location
1100 Wilshire building in downtown Los Angeles.

Yes, the building that you can see off of the 110 fwy that has been abandoned for so many years.

The have the 40 year old women on the 40th floor, and the 20 year olds on the 20th floor.

In the show you see a lot of downtown LA.

Tuning in next week

I'll definitely be tuning in next week to see how the show develops.

The Police Reunion Concert @ Dodger Stadium

The Police reunited this year for a tour to mark their 30th anniversary, (over 20 years since their 'final' split in summer 1986). The concerts coincide with Universal Music (current owners of the A&M label) re-releasing some material from the band's back catalog.

I saw them perform at a sold out Dodger Stadium last night.

Then & Now

The Police in concert - Then

The Police in concert - Now

Andy Summers, Sting, Stewart Copeland - Then

Andy Summers (age 64), guitarist- Now

Andy was wearing a stripped shirt under a blazer type jacket. When he lifted up his leg to emphasize a certain note, I couldn't help thinking the whole time, "Please don't fall. Please don't fall." At times he looked plain ridiculous - picture Tony Blair playing the guitar - and it didn't help when the camera shot him from below, at the waist up since it focused right in on his rather large gut. But at 64 years old, he can still play the guitar.

Sting (age 55), singer/bassist - Now

Sting is still hot and vital. It's quite obvious that he's never stopped performing, as he's still polished and has a great voice and presence. He was the only one of the 3 band mates who was wearing a shirt with no sleeves (which showed off his well toned arms). He gives all of us 30 and 40 somethings hope that at 55 you can still look great and be vital, vs. looking like you belong to AARP.

Stewart Copeland (age 54), drummer - Now

Stewart is still full of energy but that white hair makes him look old. He should dye his hair blond. The white hair ages him quite a bit. Next to Sting, you would think he was 15 years older, rather than 1 year younger than Sting. He wore a long sleeved outfit that looked like an Adidas type workout wear with a matching headband. That outfit was way too young for him. It's like Grandpa trying to look cool. But like I said, he still has a lot of energy, and watching him go at those drums made me think of a young Stewart Copeland.

The Ageless Sting

Sting looked so young (and still cool), that I felt bad for his 2 band mates who looked their age.

As a friend of ours put it bluntly, "There's something to that Yoga sh*t."

He even makes a receding hairline look cool with his super short blond mohawk.

This was the first concert I've seen at Dodger Stadium. I always wondered what they did with the field. In the photo above you can see that they cordoned off the main diamond, and the outfield is covered.The Foo Fighters opened for The Police. I'm not a fan, but I did like it when Dave Grohl ran out into the audience, halfway down the field, and stood on the speakers next to a porto-potty and played his guitar solo for his fans. It just felt like he was giving back to his true fans (those that couldn't afford front row tickets). It took a lot of guts to run out into the crowd like that. He sprinted back just as fast, so as to avoid any incidents. This is what Dave Grohl looks like now. The entire time he sang with his bangs covering his face. I remember when he played the drums for Nivana, and originally when he formed the Foo Fighters lots of people thought it was a joke. There was one band member named Pat Smear. He's gone now, and I haven't kept up with them, but they must be pretty big (not to mention it's an honor) to open for The Police.Dodger Stadium was filled to capacity.

Only thing I wished they would have done was have better food when they have concerts there. Even the barely edible Subway was not there and we were only left with Dodger dog fare. I don't eat beef so the 100% beef Farmer John hot dogs were not doable. Since they allow you to bring in food, next time I'll bring a gourmet picnic basket.

On a side note, we used to have season tickets to the Dodger games, but since they raised the ticket prices and we boycotted, it's been awhile since we've been back. Since then, they've redone the entrance to the lodge section. It now has a circular bar with tables and chairs (and they planted trees!). Very nice addition. Beyond that is the gated smoking area (so it's no longer in the hallway). More pics.

Last year I asked my husband what band he most wanted to see in concert and he had only one band in mind - The Police. He saw them play once years ago when they were in their prime, in a smaller, more intimate venue. So it was nice to see his dream come true, and watch him sing along to some of their songs.

For me since I'm not a die hard fan, (but I like their music all the same), it was nice to hear them perform their old songs, and see them back together again after all these years. If it wasn't for this reunion concert, I would have never seen them live, so I have that to be grateful for. As for the excitement factor though, it was pretty nil, and Sting's penchant for having the audience echo back his lyrics (or sounds) over and over and over again got old real fast.

I wouldn't see them again in a huge venue like this again, but maybe if they play in a smaller club in a more intimate setting, I might go see them again.

Charo sings "Love Will Keep Us Together" (1976)

You can't talk about "The Love Boat" without mentioning Charo. In this video she sings "Love Will Keep Us Together", taken from her 1976 television special.

Click here to watch the one and only Charo sing and dance to "The Love Boat" theme. She's introduced on the show as "April Lopez."

The Love Boat

My 2 year old daughter had an unusual request today - "Boat". She wanted to see a boat, so I quickly searched for a boat on YouTube, and lo and behold the theme song to the TV sitcom "The Love Boat" pops up. Talk about a flash from the past.

The Real Dirt On Farmer John

This documentary looks really interesting. Watch the movie trailer. It looks like a beautiful documentary.

What it's about
"It's the story about farmer John Peterson's astonishing journey from farm boy to counter-culture rebel to the son who almost lost the family farm to a beacon of today’s booming organic farming movement. The result is a tale that ebbs and flows with the fortunes of the soil and revealingly mirrors the changing American times."

How it was made
"THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN is directed by Taggart Siegel, who made the film in a most unusual way – shooting farmer John Peterson over 25-years of their evolving friendship, and using multiple media, from Super8 home movies to modern video -- allowing him to capture his alternately humorous, heartbreaking and spirited life with raw drama and intimacy."

Kudos
Winner of over 30 film festivals.

"This lovingly handmade, grassroots epic has garnered fans even in the corridors of power, with former Vice President Al Gore calling it “unbelievably special,” celebrity chef Alice Waters declaring it “a charming, wonderful and important movie” and master documentarian Albert Maysles describing the film as “genuinely beautiful . . . a cause for hope.” "

Crazy Love

The relationship between Burt and Linda Pugach (now married 33 years) is the focus of this documentary film, aptly named "Crazy Love" produced by filmmaker Dan Klores (who also made the documentary "Boys of 2nd Street Park").

Burt & Linda's story goes like this:
In 1959 Burt was a married man with a child dating Linda Riss, a 21 year old woman. When Linda discovered Burt was married, she broke off their relationship. Burt started to stalk her and do some crazy things. Then when he found out Linda was engaged to be married to another man, Burt hired some men to attack her, throwing lye in her face, blinding and disfiguring her. Burt went to jail for 14 years, during which time he corresponded with Linda. While he was in jail, although he was disbarred he still helped some murderers find loop holes in their cases and got them released from jail. He started charging for his services and sent the proceeds to Linda. When he was released in 1974, Burt and Linda resumed their relationship and married soon thereafter. They co-wrote a book in the 1970's "A Very Different Love Story".

Review
"Crazy Love" is the craziest love story I've ever heard of. What a bunch of characters! Burt even cheated on Linda while they were married, and his mistress claimed Burt threatened to kill her. This made the headlines and there was a media frenzy surrounding it. All the while, Linda defended him and was Burt's biggest supporter. I'm not sure if this is love or insanity. Whatever the case, it's another example of how life sometimes is stranger than fiction.

Hell's Kitchen - Aaron can't stop crying

Aaron is a 48 year old Chinese retirement home chef who cracked under pressure, as a contestant on Hell's Kitchen (a reality cooking show with Chef Ramsey) and couldn't stop crying. I've never seen any grown man or woman cry like this.

He even fainted a couple of times, wanted to throw in the towel, but he stuck in there - at one point another team member saw Aaron standing around doing nothing and asked him, "Aaron what are you doing?" and Aaron's responded in all honesty with, "I'm not doing anything!"

After his last fainting spell, Aaron was rushed to the hospital and not allowed to return to the show. (I'm sure he was too much of a liability.) They claimed the doctors said he had a "dangerous medical condition" but didn't say what it was. Crazy. This is the stuff reality TV producers dream of.

Cat eats with fork, spoon & chopsticks

Thanks to Blog on a Toothpick.

This empty-nester wanted to have someone else to eat with when her kids left home - so she taught her cat how to eat with utensils at the dinner table. The cat eats her gourmet cat food with a fork, noodles with chopsticks, and ice cream with a spoon. She rates the cat's table manners as a 7 or 8 (out of 10).

I'm all for pet tricks, but this is a bit creepy.

Gui Boratto - Beautiful Life

I love this song.

This video is from the Chromophobia (album) release party. Too bad there's not a better video out there on YouTube - it's such a good dance mix (and Gui Boratto plays the guitar and keyboard on it). The intro is a tad long, but once the lyrics start it's happy happy joy joy.

Recently it was brought to my attention that I haven't been to a club in a long time. So long in fact that the question was posed, "Do you even remember what the inside of a club looks like anymore?" Hrmph! Well...not THAT long. I did go to Coachella earlier this year and I was at the Giant New Year's Eve party - doesn't that count? But yeah it's been too long.

But I would love to be on the dance floor with Gui Boratto spinning this song. Maybe there is hope for me after all.

The Arrow in FedEx

Did you ever notice there's an arrow in the FedEx logo? I never noticed until recently when it was pointed out to me. I saw that this was posted on blogs a year ago (by graphic artists and web designers), so I guess I'm a little late to the game - but it's new to me, so I thought I'd post it. I can't believe I overlooked it. It's so obvious now.In case you're having trouble seeing it, the arrow is the white space between the "E" and the "X".

Father's Day - Celebrity Children in 2032

I found this amusing video on Celebrity Smack. It's a futuristic look at celebrity children (Shiloh, Rocco, Sean & Suri) in the year 2032, created for Father's Day.

Over dinner last night Uwe and I were just discussing Tiger Woods, and how he and his wife are expecting their first child - and how we'll probably see that kid doing the whole messed up celebrity kid bit when he/she is older.

I Love My Baby & My Baby Loves Me

Happy Father's Day 2007!

Ah, Father’s Day is nearly here; now what?

BRIAN WALKER THE KENTUCKY STANDARD

When Father’s Day rolls around annually I try to think of a unique or special gift for Dad. He’s a great guy and doesn’t need anything, but it’s nice to give him something unique. Dad claims such holidays are meaningless to him and the money is better spent on the kids. I agree in theory, but you just about have to get dear old Dad a little something.

My two youngsters aren’t yet old enough to shop for a gift and the older one usually brings me a creation from art class at daycare. My wife, Donna, gets me a gift from her and the children and two cards as well.All of that is nice, but I honestly have decided, like my own Dad, it’s better to spend money on the kids than on me. I love the gifts but children are top priority.

For example, I recently spent many sweaty, splinter-filled hours hand constructing a swing set for my dynamic duo. It was a design of my own and with some assistance and tools from my omniscient neighbor, David, the swings are a delight to the kids.

“Thank you and Mr. David for making me and my sister a swing set,” my son, Keegan, said. “I can swing real high and it’s a lot of fun.”Yes it is little man and you’re worth every single scratch and bruise I endured and obscenity I uttered while building it. Your sister, Addison, will like it too, she’s only 9 months old though.

My honest wish for Father’s Day is to be able to crawl under my 1975 Chevrolet Nova and turn a few rusty old bolts. We stay so busy with work, kids and stuff on the side that I haven’t touched it in three years and that’s a shame. That car is therapeutic, although Donna disagrees. She said it’s impossible to love something that causes me so much grief and bloody knuckles. It’s not worth much, it smells bad, leaks and doesn’t run anymore.

I asked her if she loved me and Donna said that was a crazy question. “Of course I do,” she said. “Why would you even ask me that?”

“Well it’s simple,” I said. “I’m not worth much, cause you a lot of grief, smell bad, leak and don’t run anymore. There’s the time I accidentally smashed your fingers and gave you bloody knuckles moving the refrigerator, too.”

But in the end nothing beats being a father. I never knew that loving another human this much was possible. Keegan and Addison make me smile when I’m down. They give me a reason to get out of bed in the morning and taking care of them is one of my only pure joys in life.

I now finally understand phrases such as “I love you more than life itself” and “put that down before you set the house on fire.” Without my kids those words and many others would have been only a memory from childhood and had no real meaning.

Happy Father’s Day.