Pasadena Gold
Last Sunday, Mike and I braved the crowds to get a free ride on the Metro Gold Line from the Lake Street stop to Chinatown. The Gold Line goes from Sierra Madre to Union Station but we decided to check out the new Mountain Bar between Hill and Broadway in Chinatown and forego the inevitable crowd in Union Station.

Mountain Bar, owned by local group of architects and artists, was empty at around 5 pm on a Sunday afternoon. The place had red walls with dripped paint textures and cool triangular tiled floors. I liked my mojito and Mike's plum martini was a bit strong. Sitting in the bar was both relaxing and surreal as we checked out the scene outside through the huge windows: Kids flicking those popping firecrackers to the ground, couples dropping coins on the wishing well outside, and families in their Sunday best walking around. When we were done with our drinks, we reluctantly walked back to the Metro.

Here are some observations I had on the Metro Gold Line:
• If it's free, tons of people will come.
• Not a lot of hand rails available for the vertically-challenged.
• Strollers are too big and cumbersome to carry one teeny-tiny little baby.
• The term "squishy toes" can only be uttered by a new and eager mom.
• Huge crowds = too much germs = laryngitis and flu-like symptoms the next day.
• There wasn't much barrier between the homes in the Highland Park area and the railway. It's an accident waiting to happen, as we saw a lot of young children playing around the area.
• Pasadena Dads* are not above getting a free ride on the subway.

*Pasadena Dads, as opposed to Silverlake Dads, are those guys who must have belonged to a fraternity in college and at present are successful businessmen who enjoy the good life: Golf on the weekends, dinner at fine restaurants, etc. Can usually be seen wearing white or beige pleated shorts, leather belt, logo-bearing sport shirts and boat shoes up and down Colorado Street in Old Town Pasadena.

Mars Sighting
In the beginning of August, the planet Mars will be easier to see from this little home we call Earth. The Red Planet will be at its brightest on August 27th, where it will reach the closest it can to Earth. This phenomenon won't happen again until the year 2287 -- so don't forget to check out the skies a little longer in August.

If you want to know more, a friend e-mailed me this:

Hot off the press:
Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular. This month and next Earth is catching up with Mars, an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.

Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the last 5,000 years -- but it may be as long as 60,000 years. The encounter will culminate on August 27th, when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.

Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August, Mars will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. But by the end of August, when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m. That's pretty convenient when it comes to seeing something that no human has seen in recorded history.
Mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month. Share this! No one alive today will ever see this again.

Stay for the Bowling, Not the Food
The L.A. Times foodie S. Irene Virbila checks out the new Lucky Strike Lanes at Hollywood and Highland, and suggests avoiding the food, which she calls messy and barely above fast-food level.

Site of a recent CBS press tour party, Lucky Strike was much smaller than I expected, but the bowling was good. Latest computer graphic scoring system, cool neon-colored balls and a hipster vibe... but odd that the entrance is a small door out on the street, away from the center court of the Hollywood and Highland center. And Virbila notes a lane costs $55 an hour to rent-- I suppose OK if you have at least five or six people, but it sure makes me miss the old 24-hour Hollywood Star Lanes. That bowling alley-- famous for its scenes in "The Big Lebowski"-- was torn down last fall by the LAUSD to build a school.

As a nod to the old bowling alley, Lucky Strike has hung the "Hollywood" part of the Hollywood Star Lanes sign on its wall. And lane 16 of the old alley has been turned into Lucky Strike's bar.

An Apology
Don't you hate those assholes who loudly gab into their cellphones while shopping in public, as if their conversations are so important that the world needs to eavesdrop?

There was this guy at the Whole Foods Market in West Hollywood last night who just kept talking while picking out his dinner for what seemed like an eternity. It wasn't even important -- or remotely interesting stuff. Most of the time he was loudly going on about how much he loved Whole Foods. What was this, a bad commerical?

Oh yeah, that was me. Jerk. To anyone shopping at the Whole Foods between 8:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., I apologize.

A Question of Architecture
The latest preservation battle is being waged in the Miracle Mile, just down the street from Variety, where a developer wants to tear down a 54-year-old, two story building that now houses an Office Depot and Sav-On.

But back in the day, it was a department store and remains one of the last examples of L.A. architect Stiles Clements' California design.

Or is it? An Art Deco architecture expert hired by Legacy Partners (which wants to build an apartment complex there) claims the structure -- once known as the Mullen & Bluett building -- is a fraud.

Mitzi March Mogul, stressing she isn't a sell-out, claims the building wasn't built by Clements, and that it isn't even a representative design of the Miracle Mile neighborhood.

Everyone agrees, by the way, that the LAUSD was out of line recently when it tore down a verified example of Clements' work, the 1936 former KFI studio on Vermont Avenue. His other work includes the Wiltern Theater.

Hustlin' for Media Attention
No lie, check out this press release making the rounds today from Hustler Magazine. (I blocked out his number. Sorry. I'm sure you're all fine people, but I don't need any nutjobs calling this guy and saying he got the number from this here blog.) Funniest thing I've seen in a while:

MEDIA ALERT
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
CONTACT: SEAN CARNEY
(323) 651-XXXX

Who: HUSTLER MAGAZINE is asking Americans of all denominations and faiths to join our own religious leaders.

What: To gather together to pray to God for Fox News Channel blowhard Bill O'Reilly's death

Where: Cornerstone Plaza -- 1990 S. Bundy Drive. On the corner of Bundy and LaGrange Avenue

When: Tuesday, August 5th at 12:45 PM. (National Prayer Day)

DISCLAIMER: This serious gathering will truly take place, however if O'Reilly dies, it must be God's will.

Kathy Griffin is a Genius
The comic, "Celebrity Mole" champion and self-proclaimed B-list celeb told KROQ's Kevin & Bean this morning how she landed $30,000 worth of dental work (teeth whitening, etc.) for free.

Apparently, once Griffin realized how much it would cost to get all that work done, she called up "Entertainment Tonight" and asked them if they'd be willing to follow her around as she got it all done. She then found a number of dentists who were willing to do it for free in exchange for all the publicity. Pathetic, but brilliant.

Splitsville!
This is when the L.A. Times needs a gossip column the most. Apparently Mayor Jim Hahn has been reading Rudy Giuliani's playbook a little too seriously, and has announced that he's splitting up with his wife.

First, he takes Rudy's old police chief, William Bratton, and now this. What's next? An aborted Senate run?

Hold Off On the Rioting
The jury listening to the case against a Inglewood police officer who slammed 16-year-old Donovan Jackson on his police car (you saw the video) has declared itself deadlocked.

Superior Court Judge William R. Hollingsworth declared a hung jury and ordered a mistrial. I don't pretend to know the specifics of the case, but that video looked pretty specific to me. As did the dude's bruises.

Joking Becomes Ecelectic
Our very own 89.9 KCRW gets a gentle tweak from this week's edition of The Onion.

It's a classic Onion riff on how ordinary people can get excited by rather mundane things -- in this case, an NPR "Morning Edition" tote bag.

Timing of the Onion gag is prescient, however-- the station's next beg-a-thon happens in a few weeks. Here's hoping I have better luck with my KCRW premium this year. (As I previously wrote, Caffe Luna on Melrose permanently shut down last August because of health code violations, just days after I received a gift certificate for my annual pledge.)

Redefining "Best"
This is why publications should never rely on readers for their "Best of L.A." issues.

The Downtown News came out with its annual "Best of Downtown" issue this week, and while some choices are fine, if not a little too obvious (Best Deli: Langer's), some of the other best restaurant choices are downright embarrasing.

Particularly this one: Downtown News' readers picked Panda Express as downtown's Best Chinese.

Wait. Chinatown is right there. Empress Pavilion. Sam Woo's. And the Downtown News readers picked frickin' Panda Express, now available in virtually every shopping mall in America?! What's next, best taco: Taco Bell?! (Now, in Los Angeles, that would be even more sacreligious.)

Dead Men Can Write
How long have we been waiting for Bob Hope to eat his last meal at the Toluca Lake Bob's Big Boy? So long that today's New York Times obit was written by reporter Vincent Canby -- who died in 2000.

I myself dodged a bullet thanks to Bob's longevity. At my old job at another TV trade (Electronic Media, now known as Television Week), I was assigned back in 1997 to write an advance obit about Bob Hope. My editor was worried that he might die at anytime, and wanted to be ready.

I started work on it, but hit a brick wall: No one at NBC wanted to talk. They thought it was too goulish. So I set it aside and vowed to resume working on it later. But I was always too busy to get back to it. And it became a long-running joke with my co-worker: "You better write that obit, Bob Hope's gonna die any day now," he'd remind me.

But Bob didn't. Our editor eventually left, and then I switched jobs, without ever having written that obit. My ex-co-worker says he still thinks of me whenever Bob Hope makes news.

Sometimes it pays to procrastinate.

The New Car... Revealed!
Wait no more (I know you've all been on the edge of your seats for weeks)... here are shots of the new Honda CRV EX.

Here's a shot of the car from the passenger's side.

And here's the new car from the front.

It rides beautifully so far... more details to come!

You Deserve A Cheesy Pop Star Today
Out of AdAge comes news that pop goofball Justin Timberlake has signed on as McDonald's new pitchman.
That's a career move? Mr. "Justified" hawking McNuggets and McGriddle sandwiches? I suppose Justin and his fellow *NSyncers were singing the praises of Chili's not too long ago, so I should have known that they have no shame.

Meanwhile, the burger pusher has also unveiled its new slogan: "I'm Lovin' It."
Gotta admit, the slogan works much better than previous feel-good, Wal-Mart-inspired "Smile."

Look at the potential uses:
Heart Attacks -- I'm Lovin' It!
Artery-Cloggin' Fried Goodies -- I'm Lovin' It!
Waistline-Expandin' America -- I'm Lovin' It!

We Have a Winner!
Yes, a car was purchased this weekend, and 3SKE's successor has hit the roads.

Not to keep you in suspense any longer...

It's the Honda CRV 4-wheel-drive EX. Silver, with blank interior. It's pretty.

From Honda's site: The pinnacle of luxury and convenience for the CR-V line, the EX adds to the 4WD LX with front side airbags, an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), remote entry system, power moonroof with tilt feature, AM/FM/cassette/CD audio system with 6-disc in-dash changer and 6 speakers, 15"alloy wheels, body-colored mirrors and rear privacy glass.

In the end, as much as I liked the idea of getting a pre-owned BMW and cruising around L.A. looking like I actually have some money (I'm a journalist, so ha!), the maintenance costs of a BMW and the extra insurance just turned me off.
Meanwhile, I liked the size of the CRV -- not too big, but big enough -- and Honda's treated me well through the years.

So I spent a good five hours at Gardena Honda on Saturday negotiating the car. Including an hour twiddling my thumbs in the waiting room, watching an (admittedly) semi-interesting documentary about Antarctica on CNN. Salesperson Belle was feisty, but then again, so were Maria and me. We got a good deal, or at least I think we did.

More to come-- check back tonight for photos!

The Best Of What's Around
No matter how big a fan you think you are of the Dave Matthews Band, there's always someone who's gone to more shows and know more about the band than you. Some people have even met the band or shared a cocktail with them like Mike's sister Melanie. At the DMB show last Saturday night, fans are striking up conversations left and right comparing how many shows they've been to so far etc. Suddenly, you're eavesdropping on a debate on which is a better venue to see Dave – the Gorge or Red Rocks.

All I know is this, no matter how many people are sometimes incredulous (even outraged?) that I'm a big DMB fan, I stand by them. Music has put me through some tough and lonely times and Dave has been a big part of that.

Here's what is special about any DMB show:
* They change the set list on every performance
* Dave always introduces the opening act (he's so cool like that)
* The opening acts are phenomenal artists in their own right (The Roots opened this year, but previous opening performers have been Maceo Parker, Angelique Kidjo, and Macy Gray to name a few)
* The fans, it's like going to a screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show, the fans know what chorus to sing or what to yell out as the band goes on to a favorite tune.

The show last Saturday night was another stellar one, what you'd expect from a Dave show. The band is still fired up and fierce and it was great seeing my sister Kat enjoy her first-ever Dave show so much. As Dave walked off the stage, I sensed a little weariness and a lot of fatigue but all Kat and I were thinking was how great the night was and that we hope they never stop touring.

Hope Doesn't Spring Eternal
Time to dust off those Bob Hope (who died today at age 100) restrospectives you guys ran a few weeks ago for his 100th birthday.
Meanwhile, here's a Drinking Game Alert: Take a sip everytime an anchor or reporter, in the midst of a Bob Hope package, says, "Thanks for the memories, Bob." Chug if they say it while audio of Bob singing the song plays in the background.

Rate-A-Restaurant, #22 in a series

Restaurant: Tantra

Location: 3705 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake

Type of restaurant: Indian

They stipulated: That you wait in the bar for a table. We had finally found a table at the bar, had decided on a drink and had opted to just eat in the bar when a table suddenly opened up in the main dining room. So we moved over there and started over.

What we ordered: Samosas with spinach and tofu; Bheghan Bertha (eggplant); chicken bherg

High point: The presentation of the food was much more elaborate than what you would find at most Indian restaurants. Also, Tantra competes with Electric Lotus for the hip factor--there's a thriving bar scene, video screens silently show clips of Bollywood flicks, and KCRW-like music plays over the speakers.
As for the food, the chicken in particular was delicious: Moist, tender meat with a green sauce. And the eggplant was much spicier than expected -- a bonus in our book. It was probably the best eggplant dish we'd had in a long time. Oh-- and naan bread comes automatically with the meal (although we had to order rice.)

Low point: On the other hand, we weren't sure what to make of the samosas. They were made with filo dough, as opposed to the usual fried dough of most samosas we've had. They were also much smaller-- perhaps not worth the price.

Overall impression: Nice environment-- it's cool to see this portion of Sunset Blvd. and Silver Lake boasting some sort of life on a Friday night. The staff were all very friendly-- particularly the host, who went table to table thanking people for coming. He was also at the door when we arrived and when we left, so I believe I shook his hand at least three times.

Chance we will go back: Possibility... mainly to have more of the spicy eggplant dish. Otherwise, we have Electric Lotus much closer to us, so it's a tossup.

The Mattress King
Turns out I was ahead of my time the other day, when I suggested that Sit n' Sleep president/pitchman Larry Miller run for governor (that "Sit n' Sleep will match any advertised price or your mattress is FREE" promise is more believable than anything coming out of Bob Simon's or Darrell Issa's mouths).

Little did I know that the Sunday L.A. Times would do a whole story on annoying local TV and radio pitchmen such as Larry and another fave, Cal Worthington.

Of course, the story also burst one bubble in the Sit n' Sleep radio ads: Larry's accountant Irwin, the one who screams at the boss, "You're killing me, Larry!" doesn't exist. He's the creation of ad exec Cary Sacks.

It's like first learning Santa isn't real. Or that the "Hey Vern" guy was just a character too. Listening to those ads will never be the same.

Buried History
As we're celebrating the opening of the Pasadena Gold Line this weekend, there's bad news on another front for Los Angeles' urban explorers, or wannabe ones like myself (although, admittedly, I'm mostly all talk at this point): Someone has gone and sealed off the Red Car Subway tunnel at the corner of Glendale and 2nd, near downtown.

A leftover remnant from the days when Pacific Electric red cars headed toward Hollywood sped under portions of downtown, half of the tunnel was filled in when the Bonaventure Hotel was built in the 1970s. But you could still enter it from the other side-- and still see rail spikes, electrical wiring and other things that were reminders of what was once the largest public transit system in the nation.

You might recognize the tunnel from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' video to "Under the Bridge." The tunnel and the Toluca Substation, which provided and managed electrical power to the rail line, are totally covered by graffiti.

Until it was sealed over (which I believe must have only happened in the last few months), the tunnel was used most often by homeless people, who would camp inside, and by the ocassional explorer.

For a tour of the tunnel -- and some great pictures from its past and present-- click [here].

Say It Ain't So!
David Gest and Liza Minnelli have filed for divorce.
I know, I know. We thought this one would really work. The pills, the booze, the androgyny... they had it all.
But good news, for those playing at home: Minnelli hasn't hit the sauce to drown her sorrows... yet. At least, according to this too-great quote from Newsday:

Despite the breakup, Minnelli was said to be holding up Friday night.

"She's sober, she's OK," the friend said.

Drafting a Candidate
Unfortunately, my first two potential gubernatorial candidates were a bust.

NBC Entertainment president Jeff Zucker (just think of the campaign slogan-- he's the "Law & Order" candidate! The man with a few "Friends"! The governor who puts the "fear" into "Fear Factor"!) is registered to vote in New York, making him ineligible for the race.

I was hoping to see him go up against CBS CEO Leslie Moonves (A "Survivor" who might run an "Amazing Race"-- this stuff writes itself!). But I figure Moonves would run into trouble from opponents who whine that the candidate had an unfair platform because he has oversight of TV stations in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Instead, I'm now switching gears. I want to draft annoying commercial pitchmen. First up: Engagement ring hawkers the Robbins Bros. and perhaps Sit 'n' Sleep owner Larry Miller. Anyone who promises that they'll "beat anyone's price or your mattress is FREE!" has my vote. Seriously.

Even Better, 'Cuz Now We're Gonna Make Some Money Off Yer Sorry Ass!
The L.A. Times' Calendar Live site will start charging users next month for most of its services. You'd never know it, though, by reading this peppy notice to readers on the site:

On August 4, calendarlive.com gets even better! In addition to the great content that you've come to love, you'll see a brand new look that will make it easier to find listings, reviews and stories. Faster search tools of thousands of local listings will put the best of what-to-do at your fingertips.
We'll be adding new features too, including: lists of the hottest restaurants, clubs and events in L.A., an extensive database of Times CD reviews complete with audio clips, massive club & bar listings and tons more.
And the best part, you'll be able to go to the hotspots you love for less. With exclusive members-only discounts on movie tickets, dining, hotels and your favorite activities, you'll start saving cash on your first visit. On August 4, we'll show you how. Stay tuned. . . .

Examining L.A. Examiner
The L.A. Examiner site hasn't posted anything new in over a week... without any official word on the site if this is just a long summer sabbatical or not. This is just a disappointing time not to hear from the guys, be it for cheap Kobe gossip or musings on this wacky recall election.

Site founders Matt Welch and Ken Layne are still periodically updating their own sites, and I understand they're busy doing summer stuff... but I'm sure there are more than a few of us that would be more than willing to syndicate stuff to L.A. Examiner while the big guys are away.

Meanwhile, absence apparently does make the heart grow fonder: No new posts hasn't hurt L.A. Examiner's traffic, according to its Site Meter stats.

RECALL-MANIA!
It's official: The California governor recall election will take place Oct. 7.

That means candidates must declare by August 9-- just 17 days from now.

I say that's still time to flood the ballot. Let's go crazy! Time to put the "party" back into state politics. Like I said below, I wanna see Hollywood executives, B-list celebs (Billboard goddess Angelyne has already declared), columnists, homeless people, everybody on the ballot!

And then, when the election's over and we're saluting Governor Schwarzenegger, I say, let's do it all over again! Recall election in April! Who's to stop California from going recall-happy over the next few years?

Recall elections: It's the new trend.

Rate-A-Restaurant, #21 in a series

Restaurant: Zeke's Smokehouse

Location: 2209 Honolulu Avenue, Montrose

Type of restaurant: BBQ Joint

They stipulated: That you order at the counter and the waiter will bring you the food. An aside, we had a big group and made a reservation in advance so we did get table service.

What we ordered: A bunch of my co-workers ordered the Carolina Pulled Pork sandwiches, and I split the Memphis Baby Back Ribs and the Kansas City Spare Ribs with another co-worker. We all shared the french fried Sweet Potatoes and the freshly made Kettle Chips.

High point: The homemade lemonade was tasty and my glass even had lemon seeds in it, it was so fresh. I had a taste of the Pulled Pork and it was succulent, tender and downright good; I liked the Kansas Ribs better than the Baby Backs, surprisingly enough. Make sure you try the mustard sauce. Montrose, once we found it, was a nice surprise: it had an old-town feel but seems to be thriving with a lot of cool new businesses opening up. I'm told that there was a really great toy store down the street from Zeke's.

Low point: Although the place has a lot of cool photos of anything BBQ related, the slaughter-house photos may make a sometime-vegetarian queasy. A little pricey than the normal place but I suspect they use the best stuff here.

Overall impression: The experience reminded me of eating at one of those great little cafes or restaurants in New York, like City Bakery – modern, casual and crowded serving great food.

Chance we will go back: I plan to take Mike and our meat-loving friends there.

Bikers Invade Los Feliz
What's up with all the bikers at the corner of Hollywood and Vermont tonight? The Fatburger/Rite Aid mini mall was filled with motorcycles and their owners at 11 pm when I passed by. No film crews were in the vicinity, this being L.A. after all. A helicopter was circling overhead and a couple of cop cars were making their rounds.

Report from a Comic-Con Widow
Jessica hit the Comic-Con with significant other Jeff this weekend, and files this report:

"I went to Comic-Con in San Diego over the weekend. This is without a doubt the biggest comic book/sci-fi/fantasy/horror convention in the world. This was my third year going; the first couple of years I attended a lot of panels and spent a lot of time on the vendor floor.

"But this year, I mostly went shopping and hung by the pool with the other "con widows." Still, I did manage to watch the crowning event of the weekend: the Masquerade.

"In theory, the Masquerade is supposed to be a costume contest where contestants walk on the stage and model homemade costumes of their favorite comic/sci-fi/fantasy/horror characters. In practice, it's where a lot of people who really shouldn't be wearing skin-tight black vinyl catsuits prance on stage and act out scenes involving their characters that the audience can barely hear and really wouldn't want to listen to even if they could hear.

"Granted, the craftsmanship of some of the costumes is incredible, but most of the costumes are just unbelievable. What are some of these people thinking?"

Kobe vs. Koby
Talk about bad timing: A new parttime DJ at KIIS-FM (102.7) just started a few weeks ago. His on-air name? "Koby."
Perhaps KIIS was looking for a subliminal draw for its young listeners, most of whom I assume are big Lakers fans.

Now, of course, with Mr. Bryant's problems consuming the news, it's a little jarring to hear someone on KIIS refer to himself as Koby... (Imagine this: "Hey, it's Koby on KIIS-FM, here's the latest from R. Kelly!" If you didn't know any better, you'd think the radio station was broadcasting an alleged sex offender introducing a song by an alleged sex offender.)

There's obviously some confusion with listeners. We here at Franklin Avenue got a hit yesterday from someone who had typed "Kobe Bryant" and "KIIS" into Google.

Free Ride
Ironically, I'll be (hopefully) buying a new car this weekend -- Honda CRV is still in the lead, for those playing at home -- just as the MTA's new Pasadena Gold Line opens. Not that I mean to slap public transporation in the face, but I gotta get a new car!

MTA will be offering free rides on the Gold Line this Saturday. It is kind of exciting-- we'll now be able to ride the train from Los Feliz to old town Pasadena if we want to. Now if they would only stretch the Wilshire Blvd. red line a little further west, to Fairfax or La Cienega...

Aspiring Governors, Start Your Engines
I'm still bowled over by the simplicity of running for governor in this likely recall election: 65 signatures and $3500.
Granted, I don't have the money to do that... but I know plenty of people who do. I'd love to see a ballot just brimming with names, just to make this whole goofy exercise even goofier.

Wannbe guvs better act fast, though: Once a recall election is announced, the L.A. Times reports that prospective candidates will have as little as one day to file.

Just for fun, I'd love to see a few Hollywood executives put their names on the ballot (Leslie Moonves, we're drafting you!). Workplaces should pool their money together, hold a lotto to see who their candidate will be, and get them on the ballot! Reality show producers should scramble to put their own candidates on the ballot-- and then film their campaign, of course.

And speaking of reality, this is a perfect spot for former reality contestants to regain a few more minutes of fame (Richard Hatch, declare your candidacy now). I'm not sure of the age requirements, but this is the place to stage a Clay Aiken vs. Ruben Studdard rematch!

We could have some real fun with this governor's race! Arnold Schwarzenegger, get in line.

Meanwhile, the L.A. Examiner guys have been really quiet as of late. Hopefully they haven't abandoned their campaign to recruit Hank Denny-- the town drunk in Modesto-- for the office.

Bed, Bath, Beyond and Bobby
Birthday girl Jess encountered a wonderfully cheesy celebrity sighting the other week: "Anna Nicole Show's" Bobby Trendy.

Jess outs Bobby, the annoying interior designer from the show, after spotting him carrying two large bags into Bed, Bath and Beyond on La Cienega.

Notes Jess: "Huh. Guess Bobby isn't so trendy after all."

Summertime... and the Driving's Not So Easy
My commute doesn't involve the freeways, and thank God for that. There just isn't a good time to hit the freeway between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. There is no break-- rush hour continues all day long.

When my sister recently visited, I had to take the freeway during rush hour to get her to Marina del Rey-- and even though I know the traffic's infuriating, I had forgotten that it was this bad during rush hour. A victim of urban sprawl indeed.

At the same time, it just seemed worse than unsual. The Daily News confirms it: July and August are the cruelest traffic months. More people on vacation, taking half days or just altering their schedule means there are more people on the road-- 25 percent more, and then even more than that on the weekends.

January, by the way, is the calmest month.

Car Talk
Shopping for a car on a hot summer day in Glendale was enough to give me a headache. First stop was at the Honda dealer to check out the Civic Hybrid, the CRV and the Element. Surprisingly, I ended up really liking our Honda guy's low key approach. He offered us drinks and cookies (see where I'm going?) and was not pushy at all, answering all our questions politely.

I was really impressed with the Hybrid, the idea of re-generating energy is a cool thing. The car was very quiet, Mike wasn't sure if the car started at all when he turned on the ignition. Another fun fact, 650 miles for a full tank of gas. Plus, you can write off $2000 if you buy this car. The CRV is nice, bigger and comfortable without being an insane menace to the other cars on the road. Mike liked that it had both a casette and a CD player. The Element is a total bare bones utility car – no carpeting, plasticy seat covers... in fact, it just felt really plasticy inside and out. It has the same engine as the CRV but we didn't even bother test-driving it when our guy said that even though it is marketed for young kids, it's really popular with the old folks.

Next, was at the BMW dealer where another low key guy (low key is the new hard sell) helped us out. Checked out the 2000 323ci and it was nice, although I felt a little cramped inside because it was a 2-door. Mike liked the drive and the classy feel.

Last stop was at the VW dealer where our guy was so low key, he couldn't even be bothered with a potential sale. I hated the fact that he only kept talking to Mike, assuming that I didn't know anything about cars. Listen buddy, I drive a 6 cyl, 5 speed Jetta GLX and could sometimes be both fast and furious on the road. Mike test-drove the Golf and when we asked the guy about test-driving the Jetta, his answer was it has the same engine as the Golf so we shouldn't bother. Ugh, can we at least see the interior? I had the older model and we wanted to compare. I think the VW is out of the running anyway since my brother Jim kept telling Mike that VWs are a girl's car. Whatever.

Would You Like Vermin Infestation With That?
The L.A. Times prints its monthly check of restaurant closures in today's paper.

Highlights for June include the DuPar's at the Farmer's Market, which was closed on June 6 and reopened on June 12. The cause? "Vermin infestation" and "Failure to prevent entrance and harboring of vermin."

Also, the Cadillac Cafe (on La Cienega) was closed on June 12 and apparently remains closed, for having "no public health permit." C'mon guys, it's not that hard.

Santa Monica: I Can't Drive 55
Blogger Tony Pierce says what we've all been thinking: It's ridiculous that the Santa Monica cops released the geriatric driver who killed 10 people Wednesday at Santa Monica's Farmers Market. Pierce writes in his busblog:

I'm going to retire in santa monica. know why? because if i decided to drive two and a half blocks through people at the farmer's market killing men women and children at 2pm, i will be able to get released by the cops and go home in time for dinner.

oh wait, im not white.

and i dont belong to the brentwood presbyterian church.

and im not kindly.

thats the only reason me and my buddy os can figure out why George Russell Weller, 86, isnt in lockdown after killing nine people, leaving 15 with critical injuries and injuring more than 50.

Say it ain't so, Kobe!
A Colorado DA charges Kobe Bryant with one count of sexual assault. The Laker star now admits adultery--but says he's innocent of the assault.

Hot for Teacher
Wannabe Felicitys, be warned: The UC system's colleges have banned dating between faculty and students.

According to the L.A. Times, "The new policy says it is unacceptable for professors to enter into a romantic or sexual relationship with a student for whom they have 'or should reasonably expect to have in the future' any teaching, evaluative or supervisory responsibility."

I know what you're thinking... thanks to the ban, dating between profs and students at UC will soon rise, now that it's more exciting and dangerous. Doesn't UC Regent (and Paramount exec) Sherry Lansing know a good plot twist when she sees one?

Radio, radio
The spring Los Angeles Arbitrons are in, and KPWR-FM ("Power 106") dominates for the fifth straight ratings period. It's not even a contest anymore. Power 106--pardon the cliche--has truly become the soundtrack of Los Angeles. Even if you don't like the music, the station sounds tight. You can't help but feel like you're at a really wild party whenever you listen to the station.

In case you're still in the dark, here's an update: Hip-hop is mainstream. There's a reason why Power 106 dominates among all listeners 12-plus.

KROQ, meanwhile, continues to do solid, led by morning guys Kevin and Bean, although the team slips to No. 2 in the morning (behind KFI's Bill Handel).

KIIS-FM, meanwhile, is looking dreadful. The station posted some of its worst numbers in recent memory. One listen to the station, and you'll see why. It's all over the map right now. Is the station hip-hop? Adult contemporary? It doesn't know. And its DJs sound tired. That includes you, Rick Dees.

KABC-AM posts some of its best numbers in a while, perhaps setting the folks at ABC a little bit at ease, finally. Other winners include Spanish-lingo KLAX-FM, which reclaims the top spot among Spanish stations.

Meanwhile, you've got to expect changes at some point on KHHT-FM ("Hot 92 Jamz")-- its urban AC sound just isn't working. And if Infinity ever gets off its chair and makes a decision, you'll finally see a change on low-rated KCBS-FM ("Arrow 93").

Trying to predict the future format on Arrow has become a favorite pasttime in radio circles. Either Infinity will go top 40 and challenge the weakened KIIS-FM, or they'll play it safe and go with an adult alternative sound, something missing in the market since Clear Channel sold the 103.1 frequency.

Hotlanta Synergy
I flew to Atlanta on Delta Airlines this week for a quick business trip, and realized just what a hotbed of synergy Hotlanta had become. The companies based in that city are all over each other's business. The beverage served on Delta were Coke-related products (nothin' wrong with that, of course) and CNN was shown both onboard and in the airport terminal. A photographer I worked with said that every photographer in Atlanta has worked for Coke at one point or another, and that the soda giant has a lot of photography needs and uses Atlanta talent whenever possible. So it goes in a city the size of Atlanta.

Downtown Hooray!
You gotta love the shameless boosterism of the Downtown News. The paper can find a silver lining in every tiny step accomplished downtown.
To read the News, one would think that downtown L.A. is already thriving.
Until you actually go downtown, and realize it's still nothing more than a few pockets of activity, here and there.

Still, if you're looking for some encouragement that downtown is turning around, the Downtown News is your lifeline. This week's issue has an optimistic column by Sam Hall Kaplan focusing on local developer Alan Casdan's dream of demolishing Dodger Stadium and building a new park in downtown. Chavez Ravine could then go back to its original use as a housing district.
Kaplan even dreams of a downtown baseball field reminiscent of Brooklyn's old Ebbets Field.

Like I said, it's nice to dream. Reading the Downtown News is like buying a lotto ticket. You know those dreams aren't likely to come true, but what the hell.

Covering the Carnage
Dateline: Santa Monica, where eight people have died -- and countless more are injured-- after an elderly man drove his car through a crowded Farmer's Market next to the 3rd Street Promenade.

Scanning the TV news, Viacom's co-owned KCBS-2 and KCAL-9 were simulcasting their coverage throughout the afternoon, as the stations have recently during a number of major news events (including the recent small plane crash in the Fairfax district). What's odd is how Viacom is willing to blow out programming on both channels with the same newsfeed, even though it means the company is losing advertising revenue on both stations. Perhaps there's something to be gained by creating somewhat of a "roadblock"-- giving viewers twice the opportunity to sample their coverage-- but it still seems so redundant.

(News Corp.'s co-owned KTTV-11 and KCOP-13 took the opposite tact-- KTTV went all-news, while KCOP stuck with regular programming. KCOP, by the way, remains the only major local station with no news coverage on its website.)

Elsewhere, the L.A. Times quotes a KCAL-9 news reporter -- rather than someone from its own Tribune sibling KTLA-5 -- in its early website coverage. So much for synergy.

Rate-A-Restaurant, #20 in a series

Restaurant: Ciudad

Location: 445 South 5th Figueroa, Downtown Los Angeles

Type of restaurant: Latin cuisine

We stipulate: That you have a mojito--preferrably with light rum (the mojito with dark rum is tasty at first, but gets too sweet after awhile). Ciudad was the first place Maria and I ever sucked down one of these Cuban-inspired drinks, which has long since become one of our standard beverages. The mint is finely chopped in the Ciudad mojito, much more than in most other restaurants' versions. That makes the Ciudad mojito go down smooth--and fast. (Chances are you'll slurp more than one.)

What we ordered:Appetizer: Butternut Squash Empanadas with chipotle crema and a watercress salad; Maria: Brazilian Moqueca fish, shrimp, mussels & cockles in lime-scented coconut broth with coconut rice; Ann: Posole Rojo Mexican vegetable and hominy stew with a tomato and chile broth, traditional garnishes; Mike: Seabass

High point: Thanks to its downtown location, there's never a wait to eat at Ciudad -- particularly on the weekend. Service is excellent, we enjoy the festive decor (designed by architect Josh Schweitzer and mural artists Su Huntley and Donna Muir). Oh, and the food's good too.

Low point: Portion sizes, particularly the appetizer, can be just too downright small (or maybe we're just pigs.) The excellent empenada appetizer in particular, comes with only two-- not enough for the three of us to devour.

Overall impression: When chefs like Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger -- the Border Grill founders also known through their books and TV shows as the "Too Hot Tamales" -- get too famous, there's a natural inclination to get cynical about the food or the restaurant. But Ciudad makes you believe the hype is true-- it's such a welcoming place, it's become one of the standard restaurants to visit when you can't think of anywhere else to go-- or when you have a guest from out of town visiting. It's an adventurous menu, but still accessible to people who aren't so adventurous in what they like to eat.

Chance we will go back: We have, and we will.

Speak Softly and Carry a Beagle
Hard-hitting stuff from the Daily News: The woman who once voiced Lucy in some old "Peanuts" TV specials is now facing jail time... for carrying a stick at an animal rights protest in the Valley.

Apparently, attending the rally at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, she carried a bull hook to protest the use of the long wooden pole with a metal hook on the end by circus elephant trainers.

The paper says she'll be sentenced to 30 days in jail under "an obscure Los Angeles ordinance intended to keep pickets from turning their signs into weapons that might endanger police officers."

Good grief!

Retro Flashback
This fascination with the 1970s is just getting out of hand. Forget bell bottoms, disco and Donald Rumsfeld. Apparently now, smog is back.

That's right. It's ain't "haze" you've been seeing lately. It's the real stuff, unhealthful, lung-searing ozone. Mmmmm, nice.

After years of declining ozone levels, which have dropped dramatically since the late 1970s, things are now reversing for the worse. L.A., for example, had its first Stage 1 smog alert late last week, the first one since 1998.

According to the L.A. Times, a number of factors are contributing to the premiere of Smog 2: Full Throttle. Blame it on the typical suspects: Continual suburban sprawl. Those big-ass SUVs on the roads. The roll-back of emissions standards, and decision by the Bush administration not to press for new, more stringent standards (thanks guys! Here's a gas mask for your next visit). Gray Davis' hair products.

Makes me thing harder about getting a Honda Civic Hybrid.

Scene of the Crime
Thanks to blogmeister Marc Brown and company's new Buzznet site, you can see pics of my poor car 3SKE's fatal injury, and also take a look at photos of what happened to the evil car that hit my poor Honda Civic.

Meanwhile, I'm still pondering how to replace 3SKE. My mood seems to change depending on the time of day--and the last person I got advice from. I'm not as psyched on the pre-owned BMW idea; I just am not attracted to their looks (shallow, I know). A CRV seems too dull, although it speaks to the inner soccer mom (wait, who?) inside me (huh?). And the Golf just seems almost too easy, like I should get something more elaborate.
In other words, it's still completely up in the air.
But I gotta act soon. Insurance ran out of the rental car, which is now coming out of my own pocket. Ouch.

Trendspotting
I grow cynical fast. At first I thought the trend toward spelling out your email address (as in, "mikemaria at sbcglobal dot net") was cute.
But that time is up. Now that everybody's doing it, it's just kind of annoying. Stop it.

Let the River Flow
It always astounds me that decades after L.A. realized its river was nothing more than an eyesore-- particularly thanks to the concrete lining that makes it one big ditch-- nothing has been done to change it.
Sure, there are a few beautification projects underway, but nothing significant has changed yet.

The most hopeful change, suggested by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, calls for widening the river from Glendale to the 10, and incorporating a so-called "greenbelt" along with the planned Taylor Yard and Cornfield state parks. But as the Conservancy exec director tells the L.A. Times, it's going to take at least 20 years.

Sunday in L.A.
Random bits from the local papers:

:: Before you take a ride on Pasadena's new Gold Line, opening July 26, print and take with you L.A. Times scribe Cecilia Rasmussen's "L.A. Then and Now" take on the history of the route. Sites you'll see as you cruise to Pasadena from Union Station include the city's birthplace (and site of Mike & Maria's Wedding) to the historic abandoned Lincoln Heights Jail, closed since 1965. Rasmussen notes, "the 'Gray Bar Motel' that once housed some of Los Angeles' most unscrupulous characters. It was also the scene of the unprovoked beating of seven prisoners on what came to be called "Bloody Christmas" in 1951." Films like "L.A. Confidential" have used the empty jail as a movie lot in the years since.

:: So where did the idea for this whole wacky Davis recall election come from, anyway? The L.A. Times' Matea Gold takes us back to L.A. in 1898, when a local physician named John Randolph Haynes proposed a "recall measure as part of a trio of city reforms designed to rid the political process of corruption and restore power to the citizens."

:: Get ready for a new round of shopping malls, this time based on The Grove and Paseo Colorado. First up: "Victoria Gardens" in Rancho Cucamongo.

Pasadena has a new Apple store, but the cool apple find-of-the-day was the iPod listening stations at the Penny Lane used CD store. All three were the old-school iPods but they were fun to fiddle around with while listening to the latest groove.

In the Checkout Line
The setting: Ralph's, mid-Wilshire location. 1:42 p.m.
The culprit: A man in the Express/10-items-or-less line
The purchase: A six-pack of TaB and a copy of "Soap Opera Digest"

I've now seen enough people buying TaB that I'm thinking of investigating this underground cult. Who knew? TaB! Coca-Cola probably hasn't spent a dime on marketing the drink since 1984, yet it's still on shelves!

Let's Play "Choose Mike's Car"
As you may know, having read my tearful farewell to my trusty first car "3Ske" below, I need a new car. Fast. Now that the insurance company has settled with me, they're no longer covering my rental car.

This is where you, trusted readers, come in.

I've been looking at four different possibilities. But I'm open to other ideas too. Vote on which one makes the most sense-- or come up with your own suggestion (just click "Shout Out" below):

Honda CRV

"pre-owned" BMW 3-class

VW Golf

or... sticking with a trusty Honda Civic or Accord

Vote now! Hopefully I'll be driving something new in the next few weeks...

Partying with the Nortorious Kid
I've now seen Hollywood.

In the course of a month, I've spent time at the Playboy Mansion, and now, I've hung out at Robert Evans' Woodland estate.

The scene: Comedy Central's party to celebrate the upcoming animated series "Kid Nortorious," starring the voice of Robert Evans, as himself (sort of).

Evans' house is a trip. It bleeds Hollywood. You could feel the ghosts of women, booze and cocaine past. The photos on the wall show Bob with a who's who of 1970s Hollywood: Michael Eisner with shaggy hair. A younger Jack Nicholson. You get the picture.

The party itself surrounded his pool (complete with a fountain of water) and took over his tennis court. The theme from "The Godfather"--a picture Evans greenlit as head of Paramount-- played on the loud speakers. Evans himself held court, regaling TV reporters with stories of his past and present. It's amazing in itself that he's still alive, given the stroke he suffered six years ago. But there he was, in trademark shades and bright green shirt.

Celebs also at the party: Craig Kilborn (who introduced Evans), Colin Quinn, and... Guns N Roses' Slash ?! (Apparently he's a neighbor.) Speaking of Quinn, fellow ex-"Remote Control" personality Ken Ober was spotted. Don't know if a reunion was had. Quinn, of course, went on to a healthy career--movies, "Saturday Night Live," his own TV shows. Ober hosted "Smush" for three weeks on USA Network.

Stupid 411 Questions
Trying to find the number for the mid-Wilshire Wahoo's Fish Tacos, I gave directory assistance a try.
The operator at the other end, after giving me the number, couldn't resist: "Sir? Can I ask you a question? Do they really put fish in the tacos?"

Obviously, not an operator hailing from Southern California.

Five Reasons to Get Your Ass Over to San Francisco
The other part of July 4th weekend was spent up in San Francisco. Here’s five reasons why it was worth the trip:

1. Tonga Room
A tiki bar at the basement of the legendary Fairmont hotel where cheeziness is at its best. "There's karaoke," we both exclaimed as we waited for the host to seat us. Mike had an extra gleam in his eye while some people where doing a rendition of "Suddenly." Turns out, no karaoke but an actual band is set up on a floating barge in the middle of what used to be the hotel's indoor pool. The band was phenomenal performing the classic "She Works Hard For The Money" with an unusual "Billie Jean" rift. Surprisingly, this attracted a lot of people to the dance floor. Quite entertaining. Think Marty & Elaine from the Dresden but with older people dancing. Don't leave until you experience the thunder, lightning and rain as the barge docks signalling a short break for the band.

2. Lucky Creation
A vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. A San Francisco trip is never complete without a visit to this tiny restaurant. Everything is good but our favorite dish is the braised eggplant.

3. Columbus Avenue
After eating at Lucky Creation, we usually take a stroll down Columbus checking out the eclectic shops of Chinatown and North Beach and end up at Fisherman's Wharf. You can either bump elbows with the tourists at the Wharf or treat yourself to a sundae at Ghirardelli's. Take the "F" light rail or the cable car back to Union Square.

4. Hotel Triton
A boutique hotel in Union Square where they have fresh-baked cookies in the morning and evening. The draw here is the free wine & beer everyday at 5 p.m. along with tarot card readings. Even if you're not a hotel guest, it's easy to work your way to the bar line as long as you're discreet. A relaxing way to unwind before the SF nightlife beckons you.

5. Asia SF
Our friends Karen and Joe took us here for dinner and it was a pretty cool experience. This place attracts a lot of bachelorette parties because the wait staff are gender illusionists who performs every hour or so on the long catwalk that is the focal point of this restaurant. The prix fixe menu was full of surprisingly good food – not at all what you'd expect from a place like this.

Lawsuit-arella
What is it about the folks at TNN/Spike TV that the channel keeps attracting some really nutty lawsuits?
Again, the cynic in me things this is just a publicity ploy to get some headlines for the new animated Stan Lee/Pam Anderson series "Stripperella." But you be the judge:

Apparently an "ex-stripper" (Is that possible? Once a stripper, always a stripper, yes?) is suing Viacom, TNN, Stan Lee and Pam Anderson, claiming that the idea for "Stripperella" was hers.
According to former stripper Janet Clover, she whispered the idea of an animated show about strippers to Lee while giving the old man a lap dance in Florida a few years ago.
But the show on the air is a bastardized version of her idea, Clover says, so she wants it off the air.
We'll keep you informed.

Famous Amos
Friend and L.A.-based singer/songwriter Shawn Amos has just relaunched his website.
It's a really sharp-looking site, and boasts three new songs: "Bad Timing," "I Don’t Believe You" and "She Knows Everything."
Not sure if the last one is about Shawn and Marta's daughter. But trust us-- their cute-beyond-belief 2-year-old does seem to know everything.
Shawn's been performing frequently at the Hotel Cafe in recent months-- go check him out!

Perks of the Job
Hmm... I could buy a new car... or I could just run for L.A. City Council.

According to the L.A. Times, council members can choose any car or SUV they want (as long as it's made in the USA) to drive around town, and can trade it in every three years.
Apparently the Council voted in May to cap the car price at $25,000 -- but changed their minds just two months later, and again voted this week to allow vehicles at any price.

Rate-A-Restaurant, #19 in a series

Restaurant: Zuzu

Location: 829 Main Street, Napa Valley

Type of restaurant: Tapas and wine bar

They stipulated: No reservations, just come in and put your name on the list.

What we ordered:Shrimp with Aioli Sauce; Ahi Tuna with Jicama, Grapefruit, Avocado and Papaya; Spanish Omelet; Bacalao (Salt Cod with Truffle Oil and Garlic Croutons); Hangar Steak with Chimichuri

High point: The ahi tuna was delicious and nicely presented, piled in a small tower with the other flavors blending nicely together with the fresh fish. Ah, the bacalao... my tounge still curl when I think about it. It almost tastes like crabmeat and is it the truffle oil that gives it that melt-in-your-mouth taste? Mmmmm......

Low point: The kitchen closes at 10:30 and we couldn't order another Ahi Tuna. It's all Mike's fault for being so indecisive.

Overall impression: Friendly atmosphere and priced right for such good food. The Maitre d' was very nice and I noticed he wrote down good-looking couple next to the couple's name who came before us. The couple before them was guy wearing shorts at the bar, I never did find out what he wrote down as a description next to Mike's name. It kept me thinking all night.

Chance we will go back: Yes. I want to go back to Napa soon but unfortunately, it'll probably be awhile.

Five Reasons to Get Your Ass Over to Napa Valley
Part of July 4th weekend was spent up in wine country, where we visited some familiar places, but mostly sampled new (to us, at least) restaurants and wineries. Here’s five reasons why it was worth the trip:

1. Taylor’s Automatic Refresher
Possibly the highlight of the whole Napa experience. This place is truly one of the reasons to spend some time up north. Located in St. Helena, it’s a traditional hamburger stand from the 1940s—order at the window, eat outside at a grouping of tree-covered picnic tables—but the food itself is like no other burger joint. The place was totally overhauled in 1999 and given a gourmet taste to it—such as the ahi burger, which is served rare with ginger wasabi mayo and Asian slaw, on a butter-toasted egg bun. Maria got the blue cheese burger.
Apparently local chefs frequent the place, which also sells a wide variety of wine (this is Napa, after all). We had to come back the next day for one of the milkshakes. I went with espresso bean, while Maria tried the mint chip. Lyle Lovett likes the vanilla. Not that he told us. We just heard.

2. V. Sattui Winery
One of the old stand-bys, for good reason: The wine tastings are free. (Compared to $5 just about everywhere else). Just south of St. Helena, this is the perfect starter winery: The grounds are beautiful (although packed with people on July 4), the wines are on the sweet side (the Riesling, Muscat--dessert wine-- and Madeira, in particular) and the winery even has a gourmet food/cheese shop so you can snack and sip. True vinophiles probably hate the mass appeal of this place, but we think it’s still a lot of fun. And again, free.

3. Downtown Napa
We’ve never bothered checking out downtown Napa until this time, when we checked out an excellent tapas restaurant, Zuzu, close to the river. The downtown is quite beautiful, with several preserved pre-1906 buildings. The L.A. Times reported last month on a restaurant awakening in the valley, and several of them (including Zuzu) are right there downtown.

4. St. Supery Winery
One of the locations suggested to us by Louie and Tom, St. Supery is actually a good place to learn about winemaking—something we knew nothing about. Upstairs from the wine tasting, St. Supery has a self-guided tour that takes you throughout the building to explain the process. Kind of interesting. Maria also really liked the design on the St. Supery bottles. Didn’t buy any, though. (We stuck with wines from Grgich Hills Winery, Cakebread Cellars and Luna Vineyards, as well as picking up some yummy Muscat at V. Sattui.

5. Gordon’s Café & Wine Bar
Located in Yountville, this is the breakfast place. It’s a very European-style café located in a late 1800s market building. The coffee flows, Maria’s omelet with tomatoes, basil and Chevre cheese was tasty, and I could eat two more slices of Gordon’s coffee cake.

Recall Mania!
Now that this goofy Gray Davis recall election has become a reality, the L.A. Examiner guys have come up with a candidate that I think we can all get behind: His name is Hank Denny. And he's Modesto's town drunk.

The Modesto Bee (why, oh why, is every paper in Central California named "The Bee"?!) profiled Denny, who fancies 40-ounce bottles of King Cobra malt liquor while drinking with pals at Tuolumne River Regional Park. Denny and friends are upset that Modesto's city council has banned the consumption of alcohol in city parks.

According to the L.A. Examiner, all it takes to get on the recall election ballot is 65 signatures and $3,500. The site will be taking donations later this week. I say we all support Denny's candidacy, and his fight to bring back alcohol to Modesto's city parks!

Road Trippin'
It took us 8 hours to come home from San Francisco yesterday due to a brush fire at the 5 Freeway Grapevine. Helicopters were helping douse the flames by scooping water out of the California Aqueduct and dumping it on the hillside. It was a surprise to hear that fellow blogger Jefferson suffered the same fate as he was coming home from his trip. I think we are somehow living parallel lives, since he also lives on Franklin Avenue.

We counted two brand-spankin' new Starbucks from the Grapevine to Bakersfield along the 5. Coffee Bean is our java purveyor of choice, but when you're on the 5 amidst all the McDonalds and Denny's, you gotta have a frappuccino.

Flash!
Bloomberg is reporting that a New York judge has lifted its order preventing Viacom from changing the name of TNN to Spike TV. Apparently the judge "acted at the request of both sides," meaning either Viacom settled out with Spike Lee to convince him to drop the lawsuit, or Lee read enough stories about what an ass he is that he finally saw the light.
Either way, expect TNN to evolve into Spike TV soon.

Not-So-Finger Lickin'
I somehow missed this, but KFC terminated Jason Alexander's pitchman contract last month.
I would have assumed that Alexander finally walked out of the deal after being forced to peddle drumsticks with Evan "Joe Millionaire" Marriott.
But PETA claims that Alexander kicked the Bucket after it showed the actor how KFC chickens are raised and slaughtered. Yum.

Farewell, Old Friend
I saw my car for the last time yesterday.

There he was, covered in dust, sitting next to all the other injured cars waiting for service at Honda of Hollywood's body shop.
But my car--affectionately known as "3Ske" (those were the first few digits of its license plate)--wouldn't be getting repaired. And he wouldn't be coming home.

The driver who smashed into 3Ske (see post further below) really did a number on him. Mercury Insurance has decided to total the car and settle out rather than have 3Ske fixed.
I didn't know this when I sent 3Ske off in a tow truck, bound for the Honda of Hollywood body shop soon after the accident.

3Ske wasn't the jazziest Honda Civic DX on the block. He was my first car, after all. Didn't want to spring for fancy extras like "power windows" back then. No, I cranked my window and manually locked the door. (It was old fashioned, but it was also more organic.) No souped-up spoilers. He didn't even have cruise control.

But 3Ske was reliable. He traveled with me to Las Vegas. To San Francisco. To Portland. To Chatsworth. (A lot, actually, to Chatsworth.) He was there when I first met Maria. When I switched jobs. And at countless other life moments.

3Ske was a part of my life. So when the tow truck took him away, it didn't dawn on me that I might never see him again. It wasn't his time, after all. 3Ske had just 65,000 miles on him -- even though I bought him in June 1996. He was still so young. There were plenty more memories we needed to share together, like buying a home. 3Ske would have liked being parked in a two-car garage.

It was all so sudden.

That's why I stopped by Honda of Hollywood yesterday. I needed closure.

Eileen from the body shop gave me the key, and left me alone. I walked up to 3Ske. Sure didn't look like himself. Like I said, a coat of thick dust coated his body. The damage to the back of the car was extensive-- I'd forgotten just how bad it really was. This sure wasn't the 3Ske I wanted to remember.

I opened the door, and sat in the driver's seat. Just like old times. But this would be the last time. I sat there, just like I had a million times before. I put my hand on the passenger seat, just as I would on occasion when I was driving by myself. I fiddled with the radio knobs. Played with the air conditioning control. Open and closed the glove compartment.

Then it was time to go. I took the last few belongings I had in there-- my Northwestern license plate holder. A pair of sunglasses I found stuck between the seat and the parking break.

I said goodbye.

3Ske wasn't the coolest car, wasn't the most comfortable car. But he was my first car. And you never forget your first.

Summer soundtrack
Putting together a mixtape for that July 4 road trip? Make sure you include these two:

"Hangin' Around," by Gemma Hayes: The best-crafted pop song of summer 2003. I'd argue that radio stations need to start playing this tune, but they'd manage to burn it into the ground, so nevermind. (Audio and video clips here.)

"Just the Way You Are," by Milky: Pleasant, catchy dance ditty. I dare you not to sing along to the "doo-doo-doo-doo" chorus.

Where Have all the TV Studios Gone?
The L.A. Business Journal files a piece this week on KCOP-Channel 13, which abandoned its La Brea studio earlier this year to shack up with News Corp. sibling KTTV-Channel 11 in West L.A.
The story just gives a passing mention, however, to the other TV stations that have disappeared from Hollywood and the east side in the past few years. It’s truly been a mass exodus.

Besides the KCOP move, Spanish-lingo KWHY-Channel 22 recently moved in with Spanish sib KVEA-Channel 52 in Glendale. KWHY’s and KVEA’s news operations, however, are now housed with big English language sister KNBC-Channel 4 at the NBC lot in Burbank.

KWHY spent decades on Sunset Blvd., across the street from the no-longer-open-24-hours Home Depot. The KWHY building, which was a auto garage in the 1920s before being converted into a TV studio, has been completely razed in just the past few weeks. A retail center is planned for the KWHY site, at Sunset and St. Andrews.
Besides broadcasting Spanish programs, for decades KWHY ran local business news during the day from studios at that site. Competition from cable nets like CNBC finally convinced KWHY to dump the stock market coverage in 2000.

KABC-Channel 7, meanwhile, moved to Glendale about a year ago after 50 years at ABC Television Center at Talmadge and Prospect in Los Feliz (the onetime Vitagraph Studios lot). The lot, now renamed “The Prospect Studios,” is still home to productions such as “The Shield.” (That’s right, we live virtually across the street from Michael Chiklis’ Det. Vic Mackey and company.) ABC soaps like “General Hospital” are also filmed there. But Dallas Raines, Johnny Mountain and company are now fiddling with their “Doppler 7000” next to that massive “ABC7” sign you’ve seen while driving north on the 5.

KTTV-Channel 11, of course, left Metromedia Square/Fox Television Center at Sunset and Wilton in the late 90s; I’ve watched every day on my commute in recent months as LAUSD rent-a-demolition teams tore down the lot. A new high school will be built there, so countless teens can now taunt Sam Rubin as he drives to and from work next door at KTLA.

KCBS-Channel 2 is still at Columbia Square on Sunset, although plans to move in the coming years to a new building on the CBS Radford lot in Studio City. KCAL-Channel 9, which spent decades on Paramount’s Melrose Blvd. lot in this building, moved in with KCBS earlier this year; with quarters way too cramped at Columbia Square, KCAL will join KCBS in Studio City whenever that studio is built. (Channels 2 and 9, by the way, once resided in separate studios at 1313 N. Vine, the one-time Don Lee-Mutual Broadcasting headquarters, where the Motion Picture Academy now houses its archives.)

KNBC-Channel 4 moved to Burbank in the early 1960s. NBC once upon a time operated here from the corner of Sunset and Vine, where the Washington Mutual Bank now stands.

Once KCBS and KCAL leave next year, KTLA and KCET will be the last remaining local TV stations in Hollywood. That’s quite a change from just seven years ago, when seven local outlets called the area home.

Rate-A-Restaurant, #18 in a series

Restaurant: Fred 62

Location: 1850 N Vermont Ave. (corner of Russell)

Type of restaurant: Diner

They stipulated: Seat yourself, this is a casual place.

What we ordered: Sin Delicious (vermicelli noodle soup cooked Vietnamese style) for Maria and the Bang Bang (flat noodle soup with tofu cooked Thai style) for Mike.

High point: The menu. When you look around at what other people are having, you suddenly get food envy and wonder why you didn't order what they are eating. You scan the rest of the menu and every category has one or two things that sound delicious.

Low point: The menu. The food names are too gimicky and soon, you'll be reduced to ordering a sin delicious or a bang bang late one saturday night. But, you really do need to try the mac daddy and cheese.

Overall impression: This is an old stand-by for us. When we're trying to figure out where to eat and have nothing in particular in mind, Fred 62 can always be counted on for a good meal that'll satisfy everyone's taste buds. The menu is so diverse, you can order breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast. I love sitting at the comfortable booths of this diner and look up at the wall decor, ranging from a mirrored silhouette of Tony the Tiger to black & white head shot drawings of old, famous people.

Chance we will go back: Yes. We have got to go there for breakfast...