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All posts for the month October, 2012

Falls Colors, New England Style

Posted by golfkat on October 29, 2012
Posted in: Travel. Leave a comment

When I say fall colors, I am less concerned about the fashion business (sorry Wendy), and more concerned about the changing color of trees in New England.  Looking at this from a botannnical and environmental standpoint, the leaves do serve a very important purpose.  The leaves should be viewed as machines, in that they gather light, water and carbon dioxide then process it into food for the tree or plant.  Most importantly for us, the leaves give off oxygen for us to breathe.

Did you know that carbon dioxide levels on our planet go up in the winter, and down in the summer?  This pattern is directly attributable to the foliage coming out and dropping.  And of course, the food making process in the leaves was clearly defined by Professor Calvin at U.C. Berkeley, as he is otherwise known as the “Father of Photosynthesis.”  Deciduous plants stop making food as the days get shorter.

photosynthesis2.gif

As the leaves die, chlorophyll is no longer made.  Chlorophyll gives the leaves their vibrant green color, masking the red, yellow, and orange underneath.  It is the lack of chlorophyll that allows us to enjoy the true colors of Fall.  So, what exactly translates the Fall into the palate of colors that we enjoy?

A severe drought, like the Midwest experienced this year, will affect the Fall colors negatively.  The western part of New England also had a mild drought.  The summer across the country was fairly typical with adequate rainfall and breaks in the heat.  Experts say the general health of trees this year is good.  Spectacular colors result when we have a dry but not too dry late summer with cool nights, mild to warm days, and not too much wind. 

But peak does not necessarily mean the best time for viewing the colors.  Color is actually best when 50-60% of the leaves have color, with the rest green leaves.  And the leaves must be on the tree!  This becomes important when booking your car trip or tour through New England.  Since I am focusing this trip on the Salem witches and Halloween, I may miss most of the colors, in other words, too late!!!!

When I say fall colors, I am less concerned about the fashion business (sorry Wendy), and more concerned about the changing color of trees in New England.  Looking at this from a botannnical and environmental standpoint, the leaves do serve a very important purpose.  The leaves should be viewed as machines, in that they gather light, water and carbon dioxide then process it into food for the tree or plant.  Most importantly for us, the leaves give off oxygen for us to breathe. Did you know that carbon dioxide levels on our planet go up in the winter, and down in the summer?  This pattern is directly attributable to the foliage coming out and dropping.  And of course, the food making process in the leaves was clearly defined by Professor Calvin at U.C. Berkeley, as he is otherwise known as the “Father of Photosynthesis.”  Deciduous plants stop making food as the days get shorter. photosynthesis2.gif As the leaves die, chlorophyll is no longer made.  Chlorophyll gives the leaves their vibrant green color, masking the red, yellow, and orange underneath.  It is the lack of chlorophyll that allows us to enjoy the true colors of Fall.  So, what exactly translates the Fall into the palate of colors that we enjoy? A severe drought, like the Midwest experienced this year, will affect the Fall colors negatively.  The western part of New England also had a mild drought.  The summer across the country was fairly typical with adequate rainfall and breaks in the heat.  Experts say the general health of trees this year is good.  Spectacular colors result when we have a dry but not too dry late summer with cool nights, mild to warm days, and not too much wind.  But peak does not necessarily mean the best time for viewing the colors.  Color is actually best when 50-60% of the leaves have color, with the rest green leaves.  And the leaves must be on the tree!  This becomes important when booking your car trip or tour through New England.  Since I am focusing this trip on the Salem witches and Halloween, I may miss most of the colors, in other words, too late!!!!
Wow!!!
The best place for Fall color, according to the websites is Kent, Connecticutt.  Who do you believe?

Need Some Calcium?

Posted by golfkat on October 26, 2012
Posted in: Food, Health. Leave a comment
Our bodies need calcium, though not necessarily milk, as the TV commercial says.  Calcium is actually found in many foods besides milk and dairy.  We need calcium to maintain our bones and to carry out some body functions.  Almost all of your calcium is stored in your bones and teeth.
Our bodies need calcium for our muscles to move and for our nerves to carry messages between the brain and every body part.  We also need calcium to move blood throughout the body.  Calcium also releases hormones and enzymes that affect almost every bodily function.
The eternal question is how much calcium is needed.  It depends on age, sex, and physical condition.
Birth to 6 months                            200 mg
Infants 7-12 months                        260 mg
Children 1-3 years                           700 mg
Children 4-8 years                         1000 mg
Children 9-13 years                       1300 mg
Teens 14-18 years                        1300 mg
Adults 19-50 years                        1000 mg
Adult men 51-70 years                  1000 mg
Adult women 51-70 years              1200 mg
Adults 71 years +                         1200 mg
Pregnant and breastfeeding teens  1300 mg
Pregnant and breastfeeding adults 1000 mg
The best food sources for calcium are fortunately found in a wide variety of foods, including:      Milk, yogurt, and cheese      Kale, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage      Fish with soft bones (canned sardines and salmon)      Most grains (bread, pasta, unfortified cereal) only because people eat them in large amounts      Calcium fortified breakfast cereals, juices, soy, and rice beverages.

A super food?

Many of us take supplements, in case we cannot handle a big can of sardines.  Here is the skinny:
The two most commonly available calcium dietary supplements are the carbonate and citrate salts.  Calcium carbonate is less expensive, but absorbed best when taken with food.  Some OTC antacids, like Tums and Rolaids contain the carbonate salt, providing between 200 to 400 mg of calcium.
The citrate form is more expensive, and better absorbed squally well on an empty stomach or a full stomach.  But those fo you with low levels of stomach acid (usually those over 50) absorb the calcium citrate better than the carbonate form.  Other forms of calcium are the gluconate, lactate and phosphate salts.  Forget that crazy stuff about calcium from coral.
I did not know that absorption is better when not more than 500 mg is taken at one time.  If you are consuming 1000 mg a day, it should be split into two doses rather than taken all at once.  In addition, calcium supplements may cause gas, bloating and constipation.
The most likely people to get short-changed food-wise on their calcium intake are 1) girls aged 9 to 18 years, 2) women older than 50 years, and 3) men older than 70 years.  When total calcium intake from food and supplements are considered, only the adolescent girls fall short.  And some older women get too much!
What happens to those who do not take or eat enough calcium?  Well, the results are hardly noticeable in the short-term since our bodies maintain calcium levels by taking it from your bones.  However, longer term, the result can be osteopenia (low bones mass), with increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.

A severe calcium deficiency can result in numbness and tingling in the extremities, convulsions, abnormal EKGs, and even death when not corrected.  These symptoms rear their ugly head in people with serious health problems, or those who are undergoing medical treatments, like chemotherapy.

Bone Health

It is no secret that our bones need calcium and vitamin D, from childhood and adolescence to reach our peak strength at age 30.  After that magical time, our bones start to lose calcium, though we can reduce these losses by taking the recommended amounts of calcium through our adult years.  This includes an active lifestyle that includes weight-bearing exercises, such as walking and running.

Osteoporosis is primarily  a bone disease in older women, where the bones become porous, fragile, and prone to fracture.  It affects more than 10 million adults in the U.S.  Regular exercise, along with calcium and vitamin D will help keep bones healthy throughout life.

Other Issues

Kidney stones are rich in calcium.  Higher intake of calcium in some older adults are linked to kidney stones.  But calcium rich food does not appear to cause kidney stones.  Adequate fluids appear to have a larger effect on the risk of kidney stones than calcium intake.

Low fat dairy products are preferable to regular dairy products, and may reduce blood pressure.  There are no clear answers to date on whether calcium might lower the risk of developing cancer of the colon or rectum. There is also no link between calcium and heart disease or stroke.

Too much calcium can cause constipation.  It can also interfere with the body’s ability to absorb iron and zinc.  In adults, too much calcium may increase the risk of kidney stones.  Some older women get calcium above the safe upper limit.  Over the age of 51, the upper limit for adults is 2000 mg. 

Vitamin D

Over the past ten years, there has been increased interest in Vitamin D.  Quite simply, the body needs Vitamin D to absorb calcium.  D is needed to make the hormone calcitrol, allowing the body to absorb calcium from our diet.  D is obtained three ways:  through the skin (you sun worshipers like this), from your diet, or from dietary supplements.  The recommended daily dose for adults up to age 70 is 600 IU (international units).  At 70, the intake should go up to 800 IU.  (The upper limit is 4000 IU daily).

So, if you want to avoid sunbathing, where might you find some D?  Some D rich foods are egg yolks, saltwater fish, mushrooms, alfalfa, liver and milk (you have noticed that D is added to milk).

  Again?

The easy solution is to start eating sardines.  If you want to keep your friends, buy a good calcium with vitamin D supplement and get lots of exercise.

K & L Champagne Tent Party, San Francisco

Posted by golfkat on October 24, 2012
Posted in: Cultures, Food, Travel. Leave a comment

This will be my third champagne tent party, sponsored by the good bubbly folks at K & L Wine Merchants in the City.  They also have locations in Hollywood and Redwood City.  The Hollywood location is 1400 Vine Street, not far from where I was on Wednesday to see “Book of Mormon.”  The annual champagne tent event is special, since they really do erect a big white tent, and invite many of the best champagne and sparkling wine makers in the world.

They promise to have over 50 different bubbles for me to taste.  I hope that Mike is driving us home, or that I can manage to walk down to the BART station on Market Street after the party.  Some of the smaller, artisan champagne makers from France are actually flying in to present and pour their best stuff.  A few years ago, we were so impressed that the winemaker from Margeux (not Margaux) provided us with such great insight, that we bought a case.  By great insight, I mean we really got to taste his wares, and get a good explanation of exactly what he does to make such good champagne.

Some of the usual suspects will be there as well.  These include pouring by the prestigious grande marque Champagnes from Louis Roederer, Michel Loriot, Pommery, Billecart-Salmon, Fleury, Pierre Paillard, Laurent Perrier, Moët & Chandon, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Krug, Perrier-Jouët, Baron Fuente, Fluteau, Ariston, Lanson, Nicolas Feuillatte and Taittinger.

Small bites provided by CUBE and Tender Greens.  Of course, I must warn you.  Two things that go really fast, good food, and expensive champagne.  Most of the time, the big expensive houses do not pour for more than an hour or so before they “run out.”  Really absurd, when you think about how much money they make compared to the smaller houses that are willing to pour all afternoon!!!!

By the way, did you know that October 26 is International Champagne Day?  I may have to attend that event as well, and celebrate if my Giants are playing in the World Series.

In the immortal words of Champagne Jayne, champagne is a fantastic tasting natural anti-depressant, certainly better than Prozac.  She also calls it a “time machine in a glass,” and I like that terminology.  In other words, do not let it go flat, drink it at a good pace!

Did you know that there are over 21 million bubbles in glass of champagne?  Champagne should be served anywhere between 4.5 C and 7 C.  Served too cold, you will lose the aromatics in the glorious glass or bottle.  Did you ever wonder how they make the champagne explode and froth up all over the dressing room of the winning team?  They do this with bottles that are kept at room temperature.  They save the cold ones to drink!

The number one selling brand of champagne in the world is Moet et Chandon, producing 30 million bottles per year.  The modern-day champagne business started in 1729 when a wealthy cloth merchant named Nicolas Ruinart officially opened the doors to the first official Champagne House.

Enough information and history.  It is time to drink!

Weird Halloween!

Posted by golfkat on October 22, 2012
Posted in: Cultures, Entertainment. Leave a comment
I just thought of two most likely Halloween people.  One is Elvira, who looks much like a modern-day witch might look.  And the other is the flying (aren’t they all?) witch on the Geico (broom factory) TV ad.  How good would it be to have them both on the program at your Halloween party? 
Less likely, how about the “most interesting man in the world?”  Remember, his passport requires no photo!  If he were to mail a letter with no postage, it would still get there!  You get the idea, kind of male witchcraft, right?
22, of, the, best, dos, equis, the, most, interesting, man, in, the, world, quotes, video, Real name:  Jon Goldsmith…stay thirsty my friends.
Few people know that Elvira is really Cassandra Peterson, an American actress, known for her character, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.  She actually became famous on TV station KHJ in Los Angeles wearing a black, Gothic, cleavage-enhancing gown as hostess of Movie Macabre, a weekly movie horror presentation. 

Real life, I think   
Elvira, I think
Hard to believe she was actually born in Kansas, just like Dorothy.  Speaking of the Wizard, that would be another great invite to your party.  After high school, she became a showgirl at the Dunes in Las Vegas, and also met Elvis.  She had a small part in the James Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever in 1971.  She is a vegetarian and has been in numerous, funny PETA ads. She auditioned for the role of horror show hostess along with about 200 of her sisters in horror.  She was chosen.  The Elvira character gained notoriety for her tight, low-cut black gown showing ample cleavage. 
The Movie Macabre Show presented mostly B grade or lower films.  But the highlight was Elvira reclining on a red leather Victorian couch.  She made frequent jokes about her cleavage, and spoke many risqué double entendres as her late night popularity soared. I do not remember her appearing frequently on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, but she did. She also started doing commercials for Coors Light beer and Mug Root Beer.
She also got a gig at Knott’s Berry Farm as host of their annual Halloween-themed musical comedy revue. Obviously now, and especially in October, her fame as Elvira has taken on a life of their own.
What, or better yet, who could be happier than a witch in a broom factory?  Leave it to those creative advertising people hired by GEICO to come up with a great pre-Halloween TV commercial.  Anyone want to guess who plays the witch?  Answers.com says it is Erin Moran, who played Joanie on “Happy Days.”  I doubt it, since the witch is quite portly.
So, we did agree to dress up for a Halloween party in Fresno with my brother and sister-in-law.  I am going as Melky Cabrera, in a baseball uniform and cap, but mostly with syringes hanging from my arms.  If I use enough eye black and sunglasses, I will not need a mask!  Sheri will be dressed as a medical professional, white lab coat, stethoscope, gloves, but mostly the hardened look of a phlebotomist or mad scientist.  How about a breaker of lemonade?  I have not dressed for a Halloween party in over 30 or forty years!!!
Maybe I will run into an Elvira look-alike.  Or someone may show up on their jet broom.  Better yet, I may finally meet the most interesting man in the world.  I will take lots of photos.

Now, do my arms look like they have been enhanced?  But I do miss the Melk-Men and the Melk-Maidens.  The poor hitting Giants line-up could use an “injection” of life right now!!!

Travel Souvenirs

Posted by golfkat on October 17, 2012
Posted in: Entertainment, Travel. Leave a comment
Through the years, I have collected various travel souvenirs or memories.  Back in the 1970s, I collected “patches” from ski resorts.  I think the idea was to sew them onto your ski parka to look like you were cool enough to go to places like Vail, Aspen, Sun Valley, Taos, Snowbird, and Val d’Isere (France). 
Then in my middle years, I brought home useless things like jewelry and T-shirts.  I doubt if I own any of that crap right now.  I must have worn the T-shirts, but who knows if anyone actually enjoyed or wore the jewelry.  For a number of years, we collected a small piece of art, postcard, or painting typical of the area, had it framed, and hung it on our living room wall.  I also like match books and boxes, but with fewer smokers, these are dying a slow death!
Now, my travel souvenir is the lowly, often disdained magnet.  I have a “collection” of magnets on the back of my front door.  Yes, the door is made of some type of metal, duh!  This collection must number in the hundreds. 
A collector of magnets is called a memomagnetist.  Some Russian collector of magnets came up with this terminology.  Louise Greenfarb of Henderson, NV has the largest collection of magnets, over 19,300 according to the Guinness Book of Records as of 1997.  Some experts say the collection is now well over 30,000! 
I must have lost all the magnets I had at work when I retired, another hundred or so.  Maybe it was karma, Kramer?  Generally, it is just a fin or less for a decent magnet.  And now, the modern refrigerator does not have the traditional sheet metal exterior, so magnets don’t stick!!!  The real question is, which one is the best?  I have no clue.

Sidebar: 

Unlike most conventional magnets that have distinct north and south poles, flat refrigerator magnets made from composite materials are often constructed with alternating north and south poles on the same surface of the plane; this can be felt by taking two similar (or identical) refrigerator magnets and sliding them against each other with the “magnetic” sides facing each other: the magnets will alternately repel and attract as they are moved a few millimeters. This construction gives twice the magnetism on one side and is thus more effective at keeping the large planar magnet uniformly stuck onto the steel refrigerator than a uniformly-polarized magnet would be. It is also responsible for making the front of the magnet (the picture side) nearly non-magnetic. The arrangement is called a Halbach array.
Some people do through great trouble to bring a memorable souvenir home.  I admire them for their diligence and tenacity.  The most impressive are those who will soak the label off of a beer or wine bottle, meticulously dry it between the pages of a cheap novel, and bring it home, adding it to their collection.  I say, good job!  Way too much effort for something I will never look at again.
You have heard of the really cheap souvenir collectors.  They collect things like soap or shampoo bottles from the hotel.  Or perhaps a cardboard coaster at a local brew pub.  Worse yet, how about bottle caps or wine corks?  I knew of someone who actually collected pennies!  But souvenirs must be affordable. 

Back when my parents would travel, I remember them bringing home things like ash trays, towels embossed with the hotel’s name, and postcards.  About the only “free” items left in the hotel room now are the little soap and shampoo products with the hotel’s name splashed across the front.  The best item I ever stole from a hotel was a cloth laundry bag in Penang, Malaysia.  Pretty sad!

Of course, the Taj Mahal of collecting occurs when you take (steal) something that you know is highly illegal or prohibited.  These would be things like a piece of the Taj, Great Pyramid, or Angkor Wat, Westminster Abbey, the Vatican, or the Sydney Opera House.  Who would dare do this?
Then, some collectors like to defy the “traditions” of the country or locale.  It is said that you should never take a pebble or stone from a country.  You will never return, and something bad will happen to you.  This is true for Japan, Hawaii, Tahiti, Malta, Crete, the Galapagos, and other island vacation spots.
I have often thought of bringing home contraband, things like Cuban cigars, coca leaves (from Peru),  and rhinoceros horns from Africa (just kidding!). Recently, some friends have been caught with items like dried meat (jerky or bitong), illegal teas, endangered animals, and restricted artifacts.  You know who you are!!!
Souvenir hunting actually goes back to the 14th and 15th centuries.  Blame it on the pilgrims.  In fact, to this day, religious pilgrimages account for about $8 billion of the travel industry.  But it was the World’s Fair in London in 1851, where the location-stamped souvenir reared its ugly head.  Practical items, like playing cards, paperweights, women’s compacts, and cigarette lighters (just kidding), became must-have impulsive items of the day.
Today, along with my refrigerator magnets, the ubiquitous T-shirts and  baseball caps have taken over even the seediest of souvenir shops or convenience stores. Don’t forget shot glasses, ashtrays, and silver spoons.  Some authors even go so far as to say that we live in a souvenir society, where everything we do and see must be commemorated.

  Retailer

Souvenirs are status symbols, trophies of our trips.  We are at the point where the souvenir T-shirt might create as much interest as your red Ferrari!  How many times have you seen a bloke with a T-shirt of some remote place you have visited.  Have you been tempted to say, “I was there, too?”
I think the old-fashioned photo, even the digital version, is still one of the best ways to evoke fond memories and great times.  And they are easily shared, either with the physical photo itself or online through various photo services.  Remember when you had to endure a two-hour slide show of a relative who had been to Hawaii?
But should you strive for something different?  How about the guy who collects sim cards?  I can’t get too excited about that. One guy does the silly crushed penny souvenir from each place visited.  Another cheap skate collected the “Do Not Disturb” signs from hotels where they stayed.  Pretty sad!  Two rather weird souvenirs are the toenail clipper and the pencil sharpener.
Leftover coins are great for coin collectors.  I recently gave all of my African coins to a fellow that maintains our cars.  Never did he think he would be graced with coins from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Botswana, and South Africa.  He was over joyed, and I felt quite good being able to give him something he could enjoy and cherish. 
As we age, we become minimalists, at least I have.  I prefer to have the souvenir or memory between my ears, in my memory bank.  Do I really care if anyone else “sees” or “feels” it?  Not really.  If I happen to have an encounter with you, I can tell you about it.  And I have written extensively about my travels for all of you.  I think that is just about all!

Walk of Fame?

Posted by golfkat on October 15, 2012
Posted in: Entertainment, Travel. Leave a comment

Killing time in Hollywood does not require a great deal of imagination or money.  On my way to see a Broadway play, I decided to kill some time here in Hollywood.  I once had a SoCal office down here at or near the famous corner of Hollywood and Vine.  My very first visit there was rather interesting.  It turns out that Motown Records had an office in our building.

The rides up and down the elevator that day proved quite entertaining.  When we went to lunch, someone in ALL pink entered the elevator.  When I say all pink, I meant pink from head to toe, including his/her hair, along with some shiny pink boots.  I could not figure out if the pinkster was a he or a she.  Of course, imagine my surprise when they finally told me that everyone from Motown was in town for the Grammy Awards that evening!!!!

Anyway, the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame is worth a few minutes of my time.  There are only 2400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded on the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood.  Easily, over 10 million people visit the Walk each year. Here are the five

categories: Circular 4-inch brass plaque showing a side view of a classic movie camera Classic film camera representing motion picturesCircular 4-inch brass plaque with a tube-type television with twin aerials Television receiver representing broadcast televisionCircular 4-inch brass plaque with a top view of phonograph disc and pickup arm Phonograph record representing audio recording or musicCircular 4-inch brass plaque with an antique studio-style microphone Radio microphone representing broadcast radioCircular 4-inch brass plaque with the classic theatrical comedy/tragedy masks Comedy/tragedy masks representing theatre/live performance (added in 1984)


Of the categories, 47% are in the film or motion picture business, the largest group.  Only the emblem for the Apollo 11 astronauts differ from the traditional star.  The three astronauts circular “moons” to commemorate their landing on the moon, July 20, 1969.Moon Landing monument, with square pink terrazzo surround (not the usual charcoal color), with light gray terrazzo Moon disk showing TV emblem at top and the brass lettering "Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. Aldrin and Michael Collins, 7/20/69, Apollo XI"

Many people think Joanne Woodward, actress and wife of Paul Newman, was the first honoree on the Walk.  Woodward’s name was drawn randomly as one of eight from the original 1550.  It turns out that later, in 1960, director Stanley Kramer was honored with the first permanent star.  I will spare you further rather boring information about the Walk, for it is the people who make the Walk so interesting.

Stars can be honored several times, with only Gene Autry received a star in all five categories.  Those with four are Bob Hope, Mickey Rooney, Roy Rogers, and Tony Martin.  Thirty three people have three stars, including Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore, Gale Storm, Danny Kaye, and Jack Benny (my Mom’s favorite).  Even Muhammad Ali has a star, since boxing was considered a “live performance.” 

A star is honored with a star only if they attend the ceremony.  The only person who did not attend, and subsequently did not get her star, was Barbra Streisand.  Clayton Moore, who played “The Lone Ranger” on TV is only one of two honorees who have both their real and fictional name on the star.  Sidney Sheldon is one of only two novelists who have been honored for writing screenplays.  The other is Ray Bradbury.

Nine inventors have stars, including Thomas Edison, George Eastman, Lee De Forest (vacuum tube), Merian Cooper (inventor of the Cinerama process), Herbert Kalmus (for Technicolor), Auguste and Louis Lumiere (components of the motion picture camera), Mark Surrurier (for film editing technology), and actress Hedy Lamar (co-inventor of frequency hopping, a precursor to wi-fi systems and cellular phones).

My favorite, of course, is the fictional character, Mickey Mouse, who received his star in 1978.  Other animated recipients are:  Bugs, Donald, Woody, Snow White, Tinker, Winnie, Shrek, Rugrats, and the Simpsons, the Muppets, and the Munchkins. The three dogs have stars, Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, and Strongheart.  Of course, their creators are here too, including Walt Disney, Charles Schultz, Walter Lantz, Hanna-Barbera, and Dr. Seuss.  closeup of Mickey Mouse star, showing title and Motion Picture emblem

 

Show business royalty have their stars located in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater.  Perhaps the most whimsical placement is the star of Ed O’Neill, whose star is located in front of a shoe store since his TV character Al Bundy played a shoe salesman who despised his job. 

Four stars have been stolen.  The stars weigh about 300 pounds each.  These included the stars of Jimmy Stewart, Kirk Douglas, Gene Autry, and Gregory Peck.  There have been several misspellings, including Julia Luis-Dreyfus, and Dick Vandyke (both have been corrected). 

Probably the most popular is the star of deceased mega star Michael Jackson.  Not a day goes by without some flowers or other remembrance at his star.

Recording artist Michael Jackson's Star, surrounded by flowers, candles, and cards, about two weeks after his death in 2009

If you have never seen these, I strongly suggest that you go.  The only other place similar to this, is of course, Westminster Abbey in London.  The individual monuments are not gravestones, as only Kings and Queens were buried there.

Steaks, Since 1919

Posted by golfkat on October 14, 2012
Posted in: Food, Travel. 1 Comment

Any visit to Hollywood is usually associated with places like Pink’s Hot Dogs and the Brown Derby.  But for me, it is the Musso and Frank Grill.  An enterprising fellow by the name of Frank Toulet (not toilet), met up with a Oregonian by the name of Joseph Musso, and an erstwhile French chef (must have been lost) named Jean Rue.  They opened a restaurant that became famous for great food and even better service.

If you get to sit in a booth, you feel the original well-worn leather seats, 90 year old seats I might add.  It was back in 1919 that Frank and Musso got together to form this great partnership.  And get this!  The first pay phone in all of Hollywood was located here.  This is where the deals were made.  This is where Sinatra was chosen to be in “From Here to Eternity.”  The mahogany bar is still the original.  Pretend you are standing there with Cecil B. DeMille or Gene Autry, take your pick!

Just remember, these classic places do not last forever.  Remember the closure of the Pink Pony in Scottsdale?  Or how about a few closer to home, like Chez Marguerite, or Ernie’s?  Roast duck and lamb chops are still on the menu.  Order a big cab to go with it.

This place also became a literary hangout in the 1930s.  During this time, studio executives began to recruit the great American authors to “Hollywood.”  Who might they be?  How about F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, and Raymond Chandler, all considered Musso’s to be their second home.  Wild Willie Faulkner actually met his mistress of 20 years here.  Others in this group were William Saroyan of Fresno, T. S. Elliot, Aldous Huxley, Max Brand, John Steinbeck, and Dorothy Parker.  More contemporaries showed up too, like Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller, and Charles Bukowski.

Musso and Frank is located in Hollywood at 6667 Hollywood Boulevard.  I am certain you will feel the ghosts of famous patrons like Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Jimmy Stewart, Groucho Marx, and Gary Cooper.  Chaplin’s favorite dish was roasted lamb kidneys (yuck!).

 

Does it count that I know a distant relative?  Hello Don Musso of Alameda!

The Book of Mormon (musical)

Posted by golfkat on October 11, 2012
Posted in: Cultures, Entertainment, Music. Leave a comment

I doubt there are many of you out there who remember when former Napa golfing great Johnny Miller became an announcer on NBC many years back.  Johnny, in his typical style or lack thereof, was rather forthright about many of the golfers, using words like “choke” or “shank” which golfers NEVER use on the golf course.  Do not even mention that Johnny retired from competitive golf at an early age due to the “yips”.  For those of you uninitiated to this great game, the “yips” occur when a golfer in unable to putt in their usual style, an obvious oversimplification of the disease.  Well, Johnny had it, and had it really bad.   It was incurable for him.
So, when some of his former competitors were asked about Johnny’s now acid tongue, they were rather outspoken about him.  One golfer in particular, was the equally outspoken and charismatic Paul Azinger, who later beat back cancer during the prime of his playing career.  Well, he called Johnny the biggest MORON he ever met.  Later, when asked by the press, and well after Johnny blew a gasket or two, he said he was misquoted.  He said Johnny was the biggest Mormon (and he is a follower) he ever met.
Well, I realize now that this was probably a precursor to the hit Broadway play, “The Book of Mormon” sweeping the country.  So desperate am I to see it, I am flying down to Los Angeles for the day (Wednesday), just to see it at an affordable price.  I can actually fly down to LA for the day, rent a car, and buy a ticket for less than what it would cost me to see it in San Francisco in December.  I will “SWA” it to Burbank, rent a car, and hit the matinée at the famous Pantages Theater in downtown Hollywood/Los Angeles.  Then fly back home this evening to sleep in my own bed.  Quite a day, even to see a big Mormon.

Described as a “religious satire”, this play was created by the South Park folks, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez, along with Trey Parker.  This show lampoons the Mormon religion and traditional music theater, a veritable reflection of the author’s fascination with both the Mormon religion and musicals.  This is a story about two young missionaries sent to a very remote area of Uganda (of all places).
Actually, all of Uganda is remote in my estimation. They encounter, rather expectedly, a brutal warlord who is terrorizing the locals.  But first, they are robbed by the General’s soldiers after arriving in Uganda.  The two missionaries are both naive and overly optimistic.  They try to share their Mormonism through scripture, which only one of them knows very well.  The other is faking it for the most part.
Their efforts fall on deaf ears, since the local Ugandans are more focused on war, famine, AIDS, and poverty. Bottom line, this show has been critically acclaimed and received many awards, including NINE Tony Awards.  One Tony was for Best Musical, and a Grammy Award was received for Best Musical Theater Album.  The original Broadway cast recording became the highest charting Broadway cast album in four decades, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard charts.
The Book of Mormon poster.jpg
I will spare you a litany of the authors and their lives before Mormon hit the big time.  But I will say the most remarkable revelation is that the producers only heard the musical with the full orchestra just six days before the first paying audience!  The premier was March 24, 2011 at the Eugene O’Neill Theater in New York City.

The obvious question for me is how this play was received by the real Mormon Church.  The official response was, “The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people’s lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ.” 

I think the biggest issue is that people might leave thinking that Mormons really do live in a surreal world of self-deception and illusion.  My recent experience in Africa provides some insight, in that many of the missionary efforts have lost sight of what the local people really need.  The best comment I have seen is from a Professor of Mormon Studies, who said “Mormons experience the show like looking at themselves in a fun-house mirror.”

The combination of being in Los Angeles, and being entertained by Mormons, or perhaps “jack” and “jill” Mormons might be just too much for me to comprehend.  But I do love the Pantages Theater, a famous venue, located near the famous corner of Hollywood and Vine.  Just about every well-known Broadway play has been presented here, including:  West Side Story, Cats, Chicago, Grease, Mama Mia, Phantom, Peter Pan, Damn Yankees, LaMancha, Annie and Evita.

It seems that many of us take our own religion a little too seriously?  I do not envy the Catholics with the turmoil they are experiencing now.  If you look historically at religion, more wars have been fought in the name of religion, than over boundaries or natural resources.  What is it about religion that does this to people?  Can’t we just all get along?
I hope to tell you it was worth the effort to fly to Los Angeles to see it.

Local (Fall) Color

Posted by golfkat on October 7, 2012
Posted in: Travel. Leave a comment
I have been guilty of chasing the Fall colors of this great country of ours.  I have driven through New England, including New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts.  But I have also seen some fantastic Fall colors closer to home.  With Yosemite falling off the grid temporarily (due to the hantavirus), the drive to Lake Tahoe looks like the obvious choice for a colorful drive.  California is a very underrated place for viewing the Fall colors.  And I am not big on those gigantic bus tours though.
Can you believe there are people out there calling themselves leaf-peeping experts?  This guy actually has his own website, called californiafallcolor.com.  He has been doing this since the 1980s.  Much of the credit for our great colors comes from the great variety of geography, rather curiously, peaks and valleys.
The main (not that Maine) difference is that color descends by elevation  here in California.  New England colors descend by latitude. Sounds all rather too scientific to me.  So, if you are in the wrong place when the colors peak, you may miss it entirely.  Here in California, if you miss the colors at one elevation, just drive down to a slightly lower elevation.  Higher elevations mean earlier color.  The rule of thumb is that color descends  by 500 to 1000 feet every week. The weather here also creates a longer season of color than New England.
This is California, not Maine!!!!
My personal favorite has always been the aspen trees to and from the drive to Lake Tahoe.  And I generally try to visit Tahoe in the late Fall, just for the color, and to avoid the big summer crowds.  Another good way to find color is the see where your friends have gone, and check the color of the trees in their photos.
So, where might you go?  Most unspoiled are the Eastern Sierra lakes, located in places like Mono County.  The passes and valleys near Lake Tahoe are great for color, including the Hope Valley, Carson Pass, Donner Pass, and Plumas County.  A longer drive would get you to the Lake Shasta and Cascade regions.
Mix of dogwood and other fall shrubs Closer to home, the Gold Country offers great color, including Sonora, Calaveras, Jackson, Folsom, and even Auburn.  Better yet, look for the Fall colors in Napa and Sonoma, and combine it with wine tasting and a great meal!  But don’t look for the grapevines to provide great color.  The period of time between green to brown happens quickly once the colder weather hits the Valleys.  It does not last very long!

America’s Auto Museum

Posted by golfkat on October 5, 2012
Posted in: Cultures, Entertainment, Sports, Travel. Leave a comment
LeMay is called, most apropos, America’s Car Museum (ACM).  Its nine acres and four stories spotlights and celebrates America’s love affair with the automobile.  Just 30 minutes south of Sea Tac Airport in the city of Tacoma, I thought a bit of automotive culture would blend in well with the coffee and hipster vibe of Seattle.  According to most people, there really is no reason to ever visit Tacoma.
As of today, here are the top ten best auto museums in the world:  10)  Henry Ford Museum (Deerfield Village, MI), 9) International Motorsports Hall of Fame (Talladega, AL), 8) Studebaker National Museum (South Bend, IN), 7) National Automobile Museum (formerly Harrah’s), (Reno, NV), 6)  Mille Miglia Museum (Brescia, Italy), 5) Toyota Mega Web (Tokyo, Japan), 4)  National Corvette Museum (Bowling Green, KY),  3)  Mercedes-Benz Museum (Stuttgart, Germany,  2)  Petersen Automobile Museum (Los Angeles, CA),  1)  Volkswagen Autostadt (Wolfsburg, Germany).
So, believe it or not, I have not been to any of these, other than the Harrah’s Museum in Reno when I was a kid.  We did see the Toyota Factory Museum in Nagoya, Japan a few years ago.  The only museum on the list that holds any interest at all would be the Corvette museum in Kentucky, since they also have plenty of good bourbon.
Sidebar:  Why is Tacoma such an ugly duckling of a younger sister?  Toyota named their mid-size truck after this glorious place.  It is only 32 miles southwest of Seattle.  Tacoma has about 200,000 population.  It has a long history of blue-collar workers, perhaps due to the port and the many industries.  Tacoma was named one of the most livable cities in the U.S.  Could it be that Ted Bundy or Bing Crosby were their most famous residents? The building itself holds 350 automobiles, motorcycles, and trucks, part of the LeMay collection which made the Guinness Book of Records with 3500 vehicles.  Do you think they know that each of us have had a personal interest in or story about an automobile at some point in our lives? Here is the ACM vision:
  • Become the gathering place where automotive enthusiasts from around the globe celebrate America’s love affair with the automobile.
  • Create social networks for auto enthusiasts, serious collectors and educational entities.
  • Portray present achievements and future directions in the transportation industry, including design, technology and products.
  • Develop an education center/library to promote automotive history, restoration and preservation.

So, would I call it the Smithsonian of autos?  Much like the Smithsonians, the LeMay is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the history and technology of a subject, in this case, the automobile. The influence of the automobile on American culture has been like all love affairs.  It changes with time, and becomes a permanent part of our lives. These are the featured vehicles:

It was interesting to see how many cars that I actually recognized, or even drove.  Since my Dad had an auto parts and repair business, we probably got to see and drive more vehicles than most kids.  Little did we know that some of the vehicles would make their way here, or at least be represented here.

My favorites:  The Indy turbine engined car that almost won the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, as mere few laps from the end of the race.  My brother had a Chrysler 300C with ram induction.  My Dad had a 1951 Chevy pickup truck for his business.  Also, the 1956 Dodge, which reminded me of our family car.  There were a few Fifties era Corvettes.  A small collection of Ferraris were also great viewing.  Two suggestions:  open more of the hoods so we can see the engines, and post the retail price of the car when it was first available for sale.