tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34584814418848617802009-11-27T17:41:04.506-08:00A slice of Life with Julian AyrsJulian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.comBlogger2129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-25897230822205002462009-11-27T12:47:00.000-08:002009-11-27T13:15:06.218-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SxA3gpwup8I/AAAAAAAAHWM/5SFeMFf2kWk/s1600/walmart-logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SxA3gpwup8I/AAAAAAAAHWM/5SFeMFf2kWk/s200/walmart-logo.gif" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow;">Perky Miley flogs Max Azria Dresses!</span><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SxA2_Y_JrlI/AAAAAAAAHWE/V_sEBy4qIUg/s1600/miley_cyrus3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SxA2_Y_JrlI/AAAAAAAAHWE/V_sEBy4qIUg/s320/miley_cyrus3.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />Walmart's is jumping on the Miley Cyrus bandwagon this holiday season!<br /><br />On Saturday November 28th (2 pm&nbsp;to 5 pm) &nbsp;during peak shopping hours, the popular retailer will screen performances of Miley's 2009 concert.<br /><br />In addition to the opportunity to catch the scintillating stage footage up-close-and-personal,&nbsp;die-hard fans will undoubtedly be thrilled to hear they'll also be able to take a gander at exclusive behind-the-scenes&nbsp;snippets of Miley impromptu&nbsp;relaxing backstage.<br /><br />Of course,&nbsp;there is a catch!<br /><br />Wal-Mart's treat is a bit of a ploy to lure Miley's fans into one of their many outlets around the country - with the ultimate aim -&nbsp;of rustling up sales&nbsp;for their lastest offering.<br /><br />Yes, Wal-Mart execus are praying&nbsp;that the Miley Cyrus&nbsp;&amp; Max Azria Dresses will start flying off-the-racks and onto the nubile young silhouettes of style-conscious females around the country.<br /><br />As I always say - if the cocktail dress fits - then wear it!<br /><br />Happy shopping, girls!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SxA6E9AumwI/AAAAAAAAHWU/hCWM7D8TViw/s1600/MileyCGrammy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SxA6E9AumwI/AAAAAAAAHWU/hCWM7D8TViw/s320/MileyCGrammy.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;">Miley may end up on my Best-Dressed list yet!</span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.julianayrs.com</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-2589723082220500246?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-55180483061406991032009-11-25T16:29:00.000-08:002009-11-25T16:41:29.753-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw3HsoFXJhI/AAAAAAAAHV0/Vfz9zVgGMFk/s1600/Andrea%2BBocelli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw3HsoFXJhI/AAAAAAAAHV0/Vfz9zVgGMFk/s320/Andrea%2BBocelli.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />One of my contacts at Universal Music Group graciously provided me with a coveted copy of Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli's new release.<br /><br />The Christmas album&nbsp;- carols are my favorite, by the way - is a beautiful collection of traditional yuletide songs with a handful of modern favorites (penned&nbsp;in recent&nbsp;years by contemporary composers) tossed in for good measure which not only underscore Mr. Bocelli's versality - but also - his keen ability to unravel&nbsp;the very heartbeat of a song.<br /><br />With a lot of verve and style, he nabs it musically with his renditions of "Santa Clause is coming to Town", "Blue Christmas" (accompanied by Reba McEntire), and "Jingle Bells" (Muppets back up).<br /><br />A few tunes&nbsp;were recorded in&nbsp;French, Italian, and German:<br /><br />"Oh Holy Night" is a haunting example which touches the heart.<br /><br />A duet with Natalie Cole (A Christmas Song) is as smooth as butter!<br /><br />Gosh, I'd love to share a few bars with you, but in receiving the exclsive watermarked copy e-mailed to me for purposes of getting the word out to my readers during the holiday season, I am bound by an agreement not to release any of the material to third parties.<br /><br />Darn it!<br /><br />Take my word for it, if you're an Andrea Bocelli fan (even if you're not) the enchanting recordings (enchanced by angelic choir-boy voices, heart-tugging strings, and whimsical musical interludes) are&nbsp;a must-have for the upcoming Christmas celebrations.<br /><br />And, even though it's not December 1st yet (when the FTC rules kick-in for mandatory blogger disclosure) I'll wholeheartedly note for the record that if&nbsp;the album&nbsp;wasn't gifted me for review purposes, I would have laid down cold-hard cash for the listening pleasure anyhoo!<br /><br />So, don't get your knickers in a twist - FTC officials - eh?<br /><br />Bocelli was born in Lajatico, Tuscany (Italy) to Alessandro and Edi Bocelli.<br /><br />In spite of his lofty world status today as a renowned crooner, Andrea grew up on&nbsp;a humble farm. <br /><br />&nbsp;As a young boy, Bocelli showed a great natural gift (and passion) for music. <br /><br />"Music was the only thing that would comfort him," his mother fondly recalled.<br /><br />At the age of six he first started-up with piano lessons, then went on to master&nbsp;the flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, harp, guitar and drums.<br /><br />Whew!<br /><br />What a musical whiz, eh?<br /><br />Unfortuately, Bocelli was diagnosed with glaucoma in his early youth. <br /><br />In 1970, at the age of 12, he completely lost his sight after an accident during a game of sports.<br /><br />After he finished high school (1980) he studied Law at the University of Pisa.<br /><br />He graduated as a Doctor of Laws and spent one year as an attorney (appointed by the court).<br /><br />In his lean days, Bocelli performed evenings in piano bars. <br /><br />It was there, in 1987, that he met his future wife, Enrica.<br /><br />Although Bocelli&nbsp;has&nbsp;a large following - and can do no wrong&nbsp;in their estimation (musically or otherwise) - the handsome&nbsp;pop/opera singer has&nbsp;been overly criticised by classical music critics in opera circles&nbsp;(Bernard Holland/New York Times &amp; Andrew Clement/The Guardian).<br /><br />Some&nbsp;say &nbsp;"poor phrasing, uneven tone and lack of technique", hinder Bocelli's chances of reaching greater heights in musical realms in a more serious vein.<br /><br />My best advice to Andrea is to continue with his own style - since it has served him well - and brings much joy to music-lovers around the globe.<br /><br />Who could ask for anything more?<br /><br />In closing, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that there are&nbsp;upcoming concert dates on the boards for fans who are chopping-at-the-bit to catch the charismatic performer live! on stage.<br /><br />The December engagement in Vegas may be sold out, but check it out, maybe you'll get lucky!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw3K5Md4qxI/AAAAAAAAHV8/AWzbXNsaXw4/s1600/513885_bocelli_200x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw3K5Md4qxI/AAAAAAAAHV8/AWzbXNsaXw4/s320/513885_bocelli_200x200.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-5518048306140699103?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-52878627488299239692009-11-25T13:59:00.000-08:002009-11-25T14:13:57.082-08:00<div align="center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2nsk7fBuI/AAAAAAAAHVs/Im-FOsTTOc4/s1600/white-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2nsk7fBuI/AAAAAAAAHVs/Im-FOsTTOc4/s200/white-house.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Michelle has a dream!</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;">(to end hunger)</span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2nEMFW5qI/AAAAAAAAHVk/K-_j841F3FI/s1600/michelle_obama1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2nEMFW5qI/AAAAAAAAHVk/K-_j841F3FI/s320/michelle_obama1.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />Shortly after I took a lunch break a few moments ago, I returned to the computer to double-check my e-mail before friends, family, and business associates begin to&nbsp;proceed with their&nbsp;plans for the Thanksgiving Holiday - which, for many&nbsp;- includes out-of-town travel to visit with loved ones.<br /><br />Imagine my surprise (and delight) to receive a heartfelt message from 1st Lady Michelle Obama!<br /><br />While other citizens around the country&nbsp;are selfishly thinking of themselves, Michelle&nbsp;has been busy&nbsp;getting out a somewhat persuasive message to Americans around the country, on the subject of giving in this great hour of need for so many across the heartland.<br /><br />Bless her heart!<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Here is what the gracious 1st Lady wrote verbatim:</strong></span><br /><br />On Wed, 11/25/09, First Lady Michelle Obama <info@messages.whitehouse.gov>wrote:<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">From: First Lady Michelle Obama</span> <info@messages.whitehouse.gov><br /><br />Subject: Giving Thanks<br /><br />To: julian@julianayrs.com<br /><br />Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2009, 1:09 PM<br /><br />Tomorrow, many of us will gather around the table with family and friends to give thanks over a feast of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy&nbsp;- and let’s not forget pumpkin pie! <br /><br />But for some in this country, the feast will not be as bountiful. <br /><br />In fact, it won’t be much of a feast at all. <br /><br />Hunger is on the rise in America - hitting its highest levels in nearly 15 years. <br /><br />A recent report released by the USDA reveals that in 2008 an estimated 1.1 million children were living in households that experienced hunger multiple times over the past year. <br /><br />To combat hunger this winter, we’re launching, in coordination with the Corporation for National and Community Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the United We Serve: Feed a Neighbor initiative - a program that empowers you with all the resources you need to mobilize against the hunger crisis in your community. Learn how you can get started today: <br /><br />Barack and I are committed to doing all we can to end hunger by making food programs more accessible to eligible families. <br /><br />But government can only do so much - it will take all of us working together to put an end to hunger in America. <br /><br />That’s why we’ve made it easy for you to get involved at Serve.gov. <br /><br />Find local volunteer opportunities like delivering meals to homebound seniors, offering your professional skills at a food pantry, or planting a community garden and sharing produce with your neighbors. <br /><br />You can also create your own volunteer opportunity using our anti-hunger toolkit. <br /><br />This holiday season let’s recommit to serving our communities and working together to feed American families. <br /><br />Get started giving back today. <br /><br />Thank you, <br /><br />Michelle <br />First Lady Michelle Obama <br /><br />The White House <br /><br />This email was sent to julian@julianayrs.com <br />The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111 <br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>A link for the White House Blog&nbsp; offered up the following ways in which you can help:</strong></span><br /><br />United We Serve: Feed a Neighbor<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">Posted by Nicola Goren on November 25, 2009 at 02:53 PM EST</span> <br /><br />As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, let us also pause and acknowledge that many of our neighbors are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table. <br /><br />The President and the First Lady are calling on all of us to come together to solve hunger in our communities.<br /><br />In this spirit, the Corporation for National and Community Service in coordination with the White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching the United We Serve: Feed a Neighbor initiative. The new initiative raises awareness of hunger issues and equips Americans with the resources to mobilize against the hunger crisis.<br /><br />Here’s what you can do to get started fighting hunger today:<br /><br />Find an opportunity to serve by using the keyword "hunger" in our "Find a Volunteer Opportunity" search engine on Serve.gov <br /><br />Create your own service project using our anti-hunger toolkit.<br /><br />Raise awareness&nbsp;&amp; learn more about ending hunger in America. <br /><br />Nicola Goren<br />Acting CEO<br />Corporation for National &amp; Community Service<br /><br />__________________________________________________<br /><span style="color: yellow;">Footnote Quote</span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>John Rockefeller said it best:</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #eeeeee;">"Think of giving not as a duty but a privilege"</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-5287862748829923969?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-80229199221443279522009-11-25T12:33:00.000-08:002009-11-25T12:49:00.233-08:00<div align="center"><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Nigerian scam artists impersonating FBI Director</span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2Rr65L_pI/AAAAAAAAHVE/FXtqW_2UTOs/s1600/Robert_Mueller_FBI-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2Rr65L_pI/AAAAAAAAHVE/FXtqW_2UTOs/s200/Robert_Mueller_FBI-1.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2Smwa9nqI/AAAAAAAAHVM/m5PvZZiOHVg/s1600/millionbucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2Smwa9nqI/AAAAAAAAHVM/m5PvZZiOHVg/s320/millionbucks.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />A few months ago, I reported that Nigerian scam artists were zipping off e-mails to web residents on the false premise that the communications were from FBI Director Robert Mueller in Washington, D.C.<br /><br />Bottom line, the highly fraudulent - and somewhat idiotic (!) scheme - was a not-so-clever ruse to extort monies from innocent American citizens around the country.<br /><br />Fortunately, few were taken by the ball*y bold-faced rip-off attempt, but it still staggers the sensibilities when one considers the lengths these scum-bags will go to&nbsp;launch a ploy that may eventually end up a big-bucks-bonanaza&nbsp;in a convoluted end-scenario.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Post: 11/03/08</strong></span><br /><br /><a href="http://julian1st.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/robert-muellerfbis-top-dog-being-impersonated-by-nigerian-scam-artists/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://julian1st.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/robert-muellerfbis-top-dog-being-impersonated-by-nigerian-scam-artists/</span></a><br /><br />Today, the Nigerians are at it once again, with another daring escapade designed to rob you of your hard-earned bucks, if you're foolish (or greedy enough) to fall for it.<br /><br />Under the alleged auspices of HSBC Bank, a gentleman who identified himself as Manager James Ballard (clever 'cause he's hiding behind an American-sounding name) at the Lagos-Nigeria branch of the giant financial institution, duly informed moi that I just inherited the princely sum of four million six hundred thousand pounds in the intent of the deceased.<br /><br />Ah, if you are too stupid to fathom out the obvious scam from the get-go, the improper English phrasing - "in the intent" of the deceased - should tip you off.<br /><br />Subtle misuses of the English language are generally a glaring indication that&nbsp;the&nbsp;scam being perpetuated&nbsp;is the handi-work of a Nigerian mispeller -&nbsp;um&nbsp;- scam artist.<br /><br />Although the notice has not asked for any money in the event I choose to collect on my unexpected windfall (golly, the Beverly Hillbillies have nothing on me, Dudes) I expect that if I am stupid enough to respond a carrot will be dangled in front of me to heighten the stakes.<br /><br />"Just pay the court costs, and a few miniscule bank fees (up front), Mr. Ayrs."<br /><br />Rrrrrright!<br /><br />And, how was <span style="color: yellow;"><strong>YOUR</strong></span> intriguing day?<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Nigerian Scam E-Mail (see below)</strong></span><br /><br />-------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />This is for your attention,<br /><br /><br />From: FROM HSBC BANK <hsbcbank@bank.com>Add to Contacts <br /><br />To: julbobash@lycos.com; juliabud@juno.com; julian@access4u.net; julianayrs@yahoo.com; julie.miller_6@charter.net; julie@juliejordan.com; juliec@csbusiness.com; juliekwebb@yahoo.com; julielonggarman@yahoo.com; juliet6924@boltagain.ning.com; julietra425@yahoo.com; julio25880@yahoo.com... more <br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />FROM HSBC BANK<br /><br />This is for your attention,<br /><br />We wish to notify you again that you were listed as a beneficiary to the total sum of 4,600,000.00 GBP (Four million Six hundred thousand british pounds) in the intent of the deceased .<br /><br />We contacted you because you bear the surname identity and therefore can present you as the beneficiary to the inheritance since there is no written will. Our legal services aim to provide our private clients with a complete service. We are happy to set-up all Modalities and administer Trusts,carry out the administration of estates.<br /><br />All the papers will be processed in your acceptance. In your acceptance of this deal,we request that you kindly forward to us your current telephone and fax numbers and a forwarding address to enable us file necessary documents at our high court probate division for the release of this sum of money.<br /><br />Claims Requirements:<br /><br />1.Full Name:<br /><br />2.Address:<br /><br />3.Marital Status:<br /><br />4.Occupation:<br /><br />5.Age:<br /><br />6.Sex:<br /><br />7.Nationality:<br /><br />8.Country Of Residence:<br /><br />9.Telephone Number:<br /><br />10.Fax Number:<br /><br />11.Email Address:<br /><br />Yours faithfully<br /><br />James Ballard.<br /><br />MANAGER HSBC BANK LAGOS-NIGERIA<br /><br />Preply to this address below<br /><br />Email:ballardjames@live.com<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2UJs_QrgI/AAAAAAAAHVU/U6ABMjYGKKU/s1600/nigeria.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2UJs_QrgI/AAAAAAAAHVU/U6ABMjYGKKU/s320/nigeria.gif" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2Uc_tS-vI/AAAAAAAAHVc/YGAhpAvBaNE/s1600/nigeria-flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2Uc_tS-vI/AAAAAAAAHVc/YGAhpAvBaNE/s200/nigeria-flag.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-8022919922144327952?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-11228896147772360362009-11-25T10:21:00.000-08:002009-11-25T11:32:57.206-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2GUn5xsJI/AAAAAAAAHU8/VrAGJDf9uks/s1600/american-music-awards-logo2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw2GUn5xsJI/AAAAAAAAHU8/VrAGJDf9uks/s200/american-music-awards-logo2009.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Double standards for femme fatales!</strong></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw1wmLPwKdI/AAAAAAAAHUU/ZLEQLW2TS5A/s1600/foryourentertainment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw1wmLPwKdI/AAAAAAAAHUU/ZLEQLW2TS5A/s200/foryourentertainment.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />One of the local dailies captioned&nbsp;the cheeky dalliance with potentially x-rated material &nbsp;"Risque Business"<br /><br />Meanwhile,&nbsp;the tongues of office workers wagged at water coolers around the country non-stop to a fever pitch.<br /><br />At issue was&nbsp;Adam Lambert's&nbsp;in-your-face (literally!) American Music Awards stage performance - in which Fox TV's darling Pop Idol - grabbed his crotch suggestively&nbsp;at one climatic moment (then, planted a juicy kiss&nbsp;on&nbsp;a surprised male musician the next).<br /><br />The impromptu spontaneous&nbsp;(there weren't any rehearsals?) stabs at notoriety - subsequently -&nbsp;triggered a shi*-load of negative e-mail and a barrage of irate phone calls to the network's switchboard&nbsp;from amrchair prudes in the heartland (and elsewhere, no doubt).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw10a2J9jAI/AAAAAAAAHUk/0Ywr_EFEV-I/s1600/parentstv.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw10a2J9jAI/AAAAAAAAHUk/0Ywr_EFEV-I/s320/parentstv.gif" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>Initially, the Parents Television Council (the strongest vocal opponent in the wake of the controversy) appeared to be attacking the out &amp; proud Diva, who some contend&nbsp;crossed the line (and bounds of decency).<br /><br />But, in a release issued to the press hours later, PTC was inclined to condemn the Network, the advertisers,&nbsp;and the scheming producers (Dick Clark Productions) &nbsp;for broadcasting a show in the family hour which they asserted was "tasteless" and "vulgar"&nbsp; in the final analysis.<br /><br />A director of communications for the watchdog group underscored that their criticisms were levelled at the performance (and the intrinsic nature of it) and not Lambert, or the song, per se.<br /><br />I agree wholeheartedly that Networks should be mindful in respect to content in the bill-of-fare that is broadcast over the airwaves when viewers are tuning in during the family hour.<br /><br />For good reason!<br /><br />Kids are mimickers.<br /><br />Once they catch sight of a pop icon thrusting their crotch into the face of another performer, they're likely to assume that the behaviour is "OK", and proceed to act out the scenario with fellow toddlers in the playground at the crack of dawn the following day.<br /><br />Ouch!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw1067LM5II/AAAAAAAAHUs/nQ3jDTdgj0k/s1600/Times_Square_Good_Morning_America_New_York_City_Flickr_Tjeerd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw1067LM5II/AAAAAAAAHUs/nQ3jDTdgj0k/s200/Times_Square_Good_Morning_America_New_York_City_Flickr_Tjeerd.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>ABC was quick on the uptake.<br /><br />In a terse press statement, they noted that they were canceling a previously-slated performance by Lambert which was to air on "GMA"&nbsp;in the near future.<br /><br />This response to viewer complaints dove-tailed nicely with prior assurances that they were not aware of the content that was initially planned by Lambert et al.<br /><br />"ABC had seen Lambert in rehearsals and knew some of what he had planned, but not the extent," according to an AP report.<br /><br />Notwithstanding, in any civilized society, care must be taken to ensure that debauchery is not allowed to creep in unchecked, take hold - and ultimately - corrupt our youth.<br /><br />I applaud the efforts of organizations such as the Parents TV Council for taking a stand on the issues.<br /><br />In other quarters, the controversial fiasco turned out to have a silver lining, though.<br /><br />When ABC dropped Lambert with a big thud on their back doorstep, CBS rushed in with welcoming arms, and signed the newly-minted Pop Star for a gig on their not-so-picky open-to-controversy network.<br /><br />Uh-huh!<br /><br />Scandal begets ratings, big time!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw11QI7pYHI/AAAAAAAAHU0/jKHi5jSiBEs/s1600/david-letterman-courtney-love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw11QI7pYHI/AAAAAAAAHU0/jKHi5jSiBEs/s200/david-letterman-courtney-love.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br />Just ask Dave Letterman.<br /><br />In response to all the media hoopla - and viewer outrage - Lambert was surprisingly apologetic.<br /><br />"They gotta do what they gotta do."<br /><br /><br />"It's too bad, I think that there were a lot of fans who were excited to come see me," he added somewhat poignantly.<br /><br />Just maybe, Lambert needs to don a bustier and net stockings to get some respect.<br /><br />After all, some critics have labelled ABC TV's actions as hypocritical.<br /><br />"The network applies different standards to sexual posturing depending on whether the performer is male or female," one commentator astutedy noted for the record.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw1z9XmNROI/AAAAAAAAHUc/ojtTCBpFrI4/s1600/what-lady-gaga-really-looks-like-20206-1232337767-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Sw1z9XmNROI/AAAAAAAAHUc/ojtTCBpFrI4/s200/what-lady-gaga-really-looks-like-20206-1232337767-4.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>Pop Icons like Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Lady Gaga get away with murder in prime time, one internet surfer lamented in a blog post last night, in so many words.<br /><br />For once, dudes have yet to break through the glass ceiling, in that topsy-turvy show-biz arena!<br /><br /><br />Scintillating Lambert splintered the heck out of it this week at the AMA's , that's for bloody - ooops! - bl**dy sure!<br /><br /><div align="center"><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-1122889614777236036?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-11542846587858853582009-11-24T20:57:00.000-08:002009-11-24T21:35:14.477-08:00<div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwyXzm6pAkI/AAAAAAAAHS8/vGKeagGx2H0/s1600/andy-warhol-paintings-stolen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwyXzm6pAkI/AAAAAAAAHS8/vGKeagGx2H0/s320/andy-warhol-paintings-stolen.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy_VWHmyHI/AAAAAAAAHT8/u50H8bTbNiY/s1600/gretzky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy_VWHmyHI/AAAAAAAAHT8/u50H8bTbNiY/s200/gretzky.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br />Andy Warhol was oft quoted for one astute&nbsp;observation.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">"Everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes," he smugly announced to a disbelieving posse of media hounds way back when in the heady days of his creative heyday.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Today, the thought resonates in every fibre of the being - in an era where global news networks and a glut of reality-TV shows - are now a testament to the man's insight, vision, and genius.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Golly, with one simple soupcan, Warhol -&nbsp;the manic&nbsp;multi-media artist with the shock of platinum hair - managed&nbsp;to utter up a mind-bending&nbsp;(enlightening) message about the vulgarity of consumerism in one fell swoop.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With&nbsp;his penetrating all-seeing lens, the die-hard New Yorker (zany founder of the infamous film Factory in mid-Manhattan) captured images on celluloid that would touch, disturb, and inspire generations to come.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, a series of polaroids Warhol was commissioned to photograph in the late seventies and early eighties&nbsp;for&nbsp;an avid collector Richard Weisman (a good friend) are on exhibit at the Danziger Projects in New York.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The stills of the well-known athletes&nbsp;at the top of their game became known as the "Sport Series".<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">During the course of the session, Warhol took three shots, as he was interacting with his subject.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All three captures&nbsp;have been artfully&nbsp;included in the&nbsp;exhibit with the ultimate aim of shedding some insightful light on the Pop Artist's thought-provoking creative process.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After-the-fact - each image was silkscreened to canvas - and&nbsp;subseqeuntly became the basis&nbsp;for a full-fledged painting.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The tiny images of the athletes - Wayne Gretzky, Mohammed Ali, O.J. Simpson, to name a few - are described as "pure" in nature by excited art-lovers who have caught the show in recent days.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">No mean feat, when you can consider that each subject was at the height of their powers, when they granted audience to the notorious madcap artist<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To accomplish that end, Warhol facilitated a Big Shot camera in a studio setting without alot of high tech equipment or gimmicky lighting (which would have been the kiss of death in my estimation).<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">According to the curator at the Danziger, in the final analysis, Warhol's polaroids are both a celebration of the greatness of the athletes and an intriguing look at the cleverness of the facade of Warhol so often used to disguise the&nbsp;intelligence and innovation of his work.<br /><br />Our paths crossed briefly out-of-the-blue one day, shortly after I alighted in New York,&nbsp;to pursue an acting career on stage.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One day I strolled into the 10th Circle (a local watering hole) in the West Village.<br /><br />On the heels of plunking&nbsp;myself down, and ordering up a brewskie, I swung around on my stool to&nbsp;get a gander at the patrons chug-a-lugging around me.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy2LIxik7I/AAAAAAAAHTc/tmGrowwkv3A/s1600/Berger03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy2LIxik7I/AAAAAAAAHTc/tmGrowwkv3A/s200/Berger03.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>Suddenly, I caught sight of Warhol&nbsp;chatting up&nbsp;European actor - Helmut Berger - who was working steadily in films at the time.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Behind dark glasses the fey Warhol peered my way - and I his. <br /><br />Then, we both&nbsp;sauntered on our merry way!<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">No chemistry, I guess.<br /><br />Well, I confess!<br /><br />Helmut was pretty masculine (I was just pretty).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy83lS_p9I/AAAAAAAAHTs/DOuGe84PSWA/s1600/cecilbartonandywarholandcandydarlingviaartnetcom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy83lS_p9I/AAAAAAAAHTs/DOuGe84PSWA/s200/cecilbartonandywarholandcandydarlingviaartnetcom.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>Curiously, I ended up being cast in an off-off-Broadway show titled "The Magic Hype", which was a spoof on the Warhol film characters (with a big focus on Holly Woodlawn and Candy Darling).<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />The wild musical comedy - performed by the "Hot Peaches" troupe - was primarily written and directed by founder "Jimmy Camicia".<br /><br />During the run of the show, Warhol star - Jackie Curtis - popped in to catch the zany fly-by-your-panties production.<br /><br />In contrast to Andy Darling, Jackie and I hit it off famously.&nbsp; <br /><br />In fact, at a New Year's Celebration later that year, we orchestrated a tea-for-two number that brought down the house.<br /><br />In a post last year, I penned my memoires of Ms. Curtis and the auspicious event.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Post:&nbsp; 11/28/07</strong></span><br /><br /><a href="http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2007/11/jackie-curtiswarhol-star-on-edge.html"><span style="color: yellow;">http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2007/11/jackie-curtiswarhol-star-on-edge.html</span></a><br /><br />Once I left the "Big Apple", I lost touch with Jimmy Camicia, though.<br /><br />But, want to hear something astounding?<br /><br />A few months ago Jimmy was cruising the Internet when he unexpectedly stumbled on my blog &amp; the post published on Jackie.<br /><br />Needless to say,&nbsp;Jimmy &nbsp;zipped off an e-mail to catch up, and we've been in touch since.<br /><br />In fact, the director with the wicked wit and deep creative well, just informed me that he's been tooling around with his "Hot Peaches" website.<br /><br />OMG!<br /><br />Jimmy actually dragged out an old publicity still I'm featured in which captured moi&nbsp;in a slinky silver sheath-of-a-dress (if you can actually call it that!), silk stockings, wild "do", and a smattering of make-up.<br /><br />Darn it!<br /><br />Just knew that the Hot Peaches stint in NYC would come back to haunt me!<br /><br />Oh well, I have a good sense of humor.<br /><br />Gobble it up, why don't you?<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Info:&nbsp; </strong></span><a href="http://www.hotpeachesnyc.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.hotpeachesnyc.com</strong></span></a><br /><br />By the way, Happy Turkey Day!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy0c9WWa4I/AAAAAAAAHTE/Cme4_tK2f7s/s1600/andy-warhol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy0c9WWa4I/AAAAAAAAHTE/Cme4_tK2f7s/s320/andy-warhol.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Warhol at the creative helm!</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy1u9_OFeI/AAAAAAAAHTU/j0En13CqR2E/s1600/jackiecurtis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swy1u9_OFeI/AAAAAAAAHTU/j0En13CqR2E/s320/jackiecurtis.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Jackie six feet under sans panties!</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianarys.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianarys.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-1154284658785885358?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-68748894811036317122009-11-23T19:00:00.000-08:002009-11-23T19:13:59.993-08:00<div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>In the mood for a 3-way, honey?</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwtJyb5_QgI/AAAAAAAAHSs/-cq7tcXUhUk/s1600/barack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwtJyb5_QgI/AAAAAAAAHSs/-cq7tcXUhUk/s320/barack.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Guest of Honor</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwtKf0KOgwI/AAAAAAAAHS0/eHbmbyJCh9U/s1600/manmohan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwtKf0KOgwI/AAAAAAAAHS0/eHbmbyJCh9U/s200/manmohan.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />In spite of the fact it'll be held in front of a stately picturesque old house on a soggy south lawn under a big floppy white top - and inclined to rustle up quite a flap in an unexpected breeze from the North - the guest list&nbsp;for the chic little soiree is&nbsp;top secret alright!<br /><br />Whiz kid Barack Obama is hosting his1st State Dinner since he tossed his feet up on the desk in the oval office - so, of course -&nbsp;it's all about details details details.<br /><br />The celebration is in honor of India's visiting Prime Minister.<br /><br />Right about now, a few folks will be double-checking with the U.S. Postal Service, to ensure their invite didn't go astray.<br /><br />Heck, my box was empty today, so I guess I'm SOL!<br /><br />Actually, I surmise that Barack Obama is a bit pi**ed off with moi!<br /><br />No wonder!<br /><br />A post I published on my blog - rife with reports on speculation that the Prez dallied a tad with partners of the male persuasion&nbsp;in a bohemian phase of his adventurous youth (just ask Mr. Ayres, no relation to me, and he'll fill 'ya in on all the sordid details) - is currently racking up quite a number of hits this week for some inexplicable reason.<br /><br />Perchance internet surfers cruising the world-wide-web in search of insider-info on the guest list, stumbled upon my tabloid-style expose, instead?<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Post: 03/08/09</span></strong><br /><br /><a href="http://julian1st.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/barack-obamagay-rumors-continue-to-plague-president"><span style="color: yellow;">http://julian1st.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/barack-obamagay-rumors-continue-to-plague-president</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Post: 06/01/09</strong></span><br /><br /><a href="http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/06/barack-obamagay-rumors-post-getting.html"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/06/barack-obamagay-rumors-post-getting.html</strong></span></a><br /><br />Ooops!<br /><br />Oh well, maybe when the scandal dies down a smidgen, the Obamas will invite me to tea one fine day; after all, last year I named both on my best-dressed lists.<br /><br />Actually, I shouldn't make light of the environs, since the late evening news just reported that the tent affords a bigger crowd than could normally fit in the State Dining room (140 capacity).<br /><br />Although the formal, stately aura is lost in a make-shift&nbsp;tent in the garden au naturel, harshest critics note there is an upside.&nbsp; <br /><br />"It isn't stuffy and the president has the freedom to create a unique opulent (potentially exotic) setting." <br /><br />Golly, in addition to the Prime Minister (&amp; family members), officials of both State Departments - and hangers-on like Oprah Winfrey, billionaire Penny Pritzker, Obama aide David Axelrod, and Dee Dee Myers - there must be a host of other noteworthy figures about to to break through the social stratosphere (glass ceiling) and trip-the-night-fantastic with the Prez and his better-half.<br /><br />Just betcha a bit of riff-raff will manage to maneuver crash through the heavily-guarded&nbsp;gates someway somehow.<br /><br />You know what they say!<br /><br />&nbsp;It's not who you know (it's who 'ya blow!).<br /><br />Puff on that Lewinski for a sec.<br /><br />Uh-huh!<br /><br />Undoubtedly, there will be a gay man or two (and their beards) in tow!<br /><br />With none of the well-heeled elite the wiser.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwtIwBNDt5I/AAAAAAAAHSk/pnV1GsM1ddQ/s1600/tent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwtIwBNDt5I/AAAAAAAAHSk/pnV1GsM1ddQ/s320/tent.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>New York elite turned noses up @ Kadafi tent party!</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.julianayrs.com</span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-6874889481103631712?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-63557367194998397172009-11-23T13:43:00.000-08:002009-11-23T13:57:40.427-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swr97YNJbeI/AAAAAAAAHR8/WCeSQ37VowI/s1600/american-music-awards-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swr97YNJbeI/AAAAAAAAHR8/WCeSQ37VowI/s200/american-music-awards-logo.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Lambert in surprisingly butch pose!</strong></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swr-cirXcjI/AAAAAAAAHSE/0oNLfAX5lOk/s1600/1109%2520DE%2520noupc-lowres_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swr-cirXcjI/AAAAAAAAHSE/0oNLfAX5lOk/s320/1109%2520DE%2520noupc-lowres_1.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />When a morning daily captioned&nbsp;the recent weekend broadcast&nbsp;of the American Music Awards - "Ladies Night Out" - they may not have been far off.<br /><br />Especially, in respect to American Idol contestant Adam Lambert, who closed out the show with a raucous performance of one of his latest musical offerings, "For your Entertainment".<br /><br />The over-the-top performance smacked a bit of a Michael Jackson set&nbsp;(or was the crotch-grabbing merely a&nbsp;sexy tribute to the late-great pop icon?).<br /><br />And, the unpredicable effervescent Diva appeared to be giving the nod to Fox Network's&nbsp;"think you can dance"&nbsp;contestants - obviously gazing on enviously from the sidelines.<br /><br />After all, Lambert&nbsp;has attained and surpassed the wildest expectations of&nbsp;any reality-TV-show wannabee, and&nbsp;is now&nbsp;surging upward to full-fledged supestar status.<br /><br />Once&nbsp;the quirky stage upstart&nbsp;gets his image, style, and musical phrasing totally in check, there'll be no stopping him!<br /><br />Maybe, that's what's on the horizon.<br /><br />If so, there may be a startling reveal for American Idol fans to digest.<br /><br />Indeed!<br /><br />In one of the publicity stills released recently, there appears to be a transformation underway, for our budding young chanteuse!<br /><br />Is Lambert getting ready to make a stunning announcement along the lines of the one made recently by Cher's daughter, Chastity (about a sex change in the offing)?<br /><br />In the subject photo&nbsp;- replete with mascara, ubiquitous eye-shadow, and elegant silk bow (?) artfully weaved into beautifully-coiffed tresses - Adam appears for all-the-world to be transgender-bound and on his way to a new incarnation as a vampy sensual babe<br /><br />Gosh, Alana doesn't sound half-bad, does it?<br /><br />Only his gynecologist knows for sure, I suspect!<br /><br />No matter.<br /><br />The quirky high-energy talent is riding a wave of success sure to sustain itself for quite a duration - unless his handlers have their druthers and derail his rise to pop icon&nbsp;status - before he has the opportunity to grab the silk purse strings.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>News at 11!</strong></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swr9WzKN4eI/AAAAAAAAHR0/Gp-JyjBtaQA/s1600/adam-lambert-puts-on-eye-contacts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swr9WzKN4eI/AAAAAAAAHR0/Gp-JyjBtaQA/s320/adam-lambert-puts-on-eye-contacts.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Eyeliner's a bitch, ain't it?</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianarys.com/"><strong><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.julianarys.com</span></strong></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-6355736719499839717?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-48405451095140036022009-11-23T11:10:00.000-08:002009-11-23T11:23:34.092-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swrf_bFdY8I/AAAAAAAAHRs/cmJTlKjywP4/s1600/robert_pattinson66.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swrf_bFdY8I/AAAAAAAAHRs/cmJTlKjywP4/s320/robert_pattinson66.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Over the weekend I decided to check out&nbsp;a recent phenomenon&nbsp;on the theatre circuit,&nbsp;when I slipped quietly into an AMC&nbsp;outlet on Wilshire to catch the latest chapter of the ongoing vampire saga titled,&nbsp;"New Moon".<br /><br />The 11 am screening cost me a paltry six bucks!<br /><br />Once I made the rite of passage, I was then given free reign to choose a plush seat at my own whim, on the heels of snatching up my buttered popcorn and thirst-quenching coke from the&nbsp;gushing attendant at the concession stand.<br /><br />By the time the lights were snuffed out, and the previews sprang to life on the wide silver screen, there were only about a half-a-dozen theatre-goers in the two-hundred-seat auditorium.<br /><br />Given the dismal turn out at the early morning show, one might conceivably assume that the main attraction was going to be&nbsp;a dismal bomb, sure to fizzle out at the box office in days to come.<br /><br />Wrong!<br /><br />"New Moon", the third in the Twilight vampire-film series, broke all box-office records on Friday in the wake of&nbsp;its wide release around the country&nbsp; -&nbsp;due in part, to the fact - there were dozens of midnight screenings kicking-off the premiere&nbsp;on Thursday night (November 20th) prior to actual V-Day (Friday November 21st).<br /><br />In fact, ticket-talliers ecstatically noted today amid screaming headlines, that Twilight's "New Moon" release&nbsp;attracted&nbsp;the third-highest opening in domestic box-office history.<br /><br />Through the course of the weekend, ticket sales&nbsp;jumped to a whopping $140.7 million, with no end in sight!<br /><br />Who are the leaders of the pack?<br /><br />Only "The Dark Knight" and "Spider-Man 3" have topped out bigger at the box office in recent years&nbsp;(no doubt buttressed up by an avid fan base comprised largely of young adult males and comic-book aficiandos).<br /><br />Whether I pen a positive or negative review will be neither here nor there, at this juncture!<br /><br />Like the energizer bunny, ticket sales will continue to rev up, long after potetial contenders to the throne have packed it in at competing movie-houses 'round town.<br /><br />Essentially, if you read between the plot lines,"New Moon" is basically the same old same old&nbsp;(a tale of teen angst set against a backdrop of &nbsp;breathtaking natural beauty in&nbsp;a revamped - no pun intended - scenario).<br /><br />Uh-huh!<br /><br />Not matter how you cut it - a dollop of passion, love, and emotion in the hearts of young pimply-faced adults - is sure to dredge up a lot of melodrama.<br /><br />So, fasten your seatbelts, folks - 'cause it's going to be a bumpy night!<br /><br />After all, the Twilight sequel has it all in spades.<br /><br />In "New Moon", however, Bella - the young heroine - is not just torn between star-crossed lovers.<br /><br />Gosh no!<br /><br />Our femme fatale here is forced to choose between a vampire stud and a buffed young dude inclined to transform into a nasty snarling he-wolf once his&nbsp;ire is triggered a tad.<br /><br />Say, aren't there any&nbsp; normal down-to-earth dudes to&nbsp;hook up with&nbsp;in the Pacific Northwest, these days?<br /><br />Heady stuff!<br /><br />When you get right down to it, the plotline is pretty thin, too.<br /><br />Much ado about nothing (really!)<br /><br />This time out, Summit Entertainment hedged its bets on a&nbsp;smattering of&nbsp;male ti*s &amp; a**, to push the <br />"New Moon" soap (let's face it, that's what it is, albeit&nbsp;in a darker vein) over the top.<br /><br />Judging from the ticket bonanza - and the buzz in social hubs on the internet&nbsp;- the gamble paid off.<br /><br />In sum, it appears that the American theatre-going public is not put off&nbsp;by half-naked men strutting their stuff, either.<br /><br />&nbsp;In fact - in this homoerotic action-adventure - the dudes strip buck naked more-often than their sexy (but chaste)&nbsp;"fully-clad"&nbsp; female counterparts.&nbsp; <br /><br />The big New Moon "focus" was set squarely&nbsp;on the studly&nbsp;persona&nbsp;of a character by the name of Jacob.<br /><br />For the greater part of the film, he strutted across the wild country terrain shirtless, looking for all-the-world like an au naturel&nbsp;soloflex advertisement.<br /><br />Bella, usually a competent actress, was powerless in this episode of the saga&nbsp;- though - when it came to rising above the mediocre brainless material&nbsp;which was so&nbsp;poorly scripted it was downright laughable.<br /><br />My favorite scene?<br /><br />When Pattinson's character alights from a pricey SUV and smugly strolls slo-mo (a-la Babe-watch) across the schoolyard tarmac with locks of beautifully-tressed hair rippling in a slight breeze!<br /><br />Unfortunately, Robert Pattinson's character - a big draw for the Twilight audience - was relegated to a camero role this time out.<br /><br />Big mistake!<br /><br />A few glimpses&nbsp;of his half-naked torso, ruby-red lipstick-swathered&nbsp;lips, and pancake-makeup smeared face, were not enough to satiate the longings of die-hard Twilight fans who had pined too long for this ceremonious screen event.<br /><br />Was there a rush at the box office for refunds?<br /><br />Doubters!<br /><br />Fans will just sulk and dawdle a while longer 'til the next serial springs to life on the silver screen somewhere down the road.<br /><br />After the success of this premiere, I'm betting the sequel (prequel?) will be sooner than later. <br /><br />Meanwhile, I'm framing my ticket stub for posterity.<br /><br />Who knows, maybe it will be worth a few greenbacks to a collector (aging housewife) in the future, eh?<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwrXd0ahoLI/AAAAAAAAHRk/eKxPk7bHBs0/s1600/twilight-twilight-movie-1310715-960-720cullens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwrXd0ahoLI/AAAAAAAAHRk/eKxPk7bHBs0/s320/twilight-twilight-movie-1310715-960-720cullens.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cullens bitten by Jacob plotline!<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-4840545109514003602?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-84002745346358970752009-11-22T14:59:00.000-08:002009-11-22T15:11:32.820-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwnAFOUQg1I/AAAAAAAAHRU/dwJtmYUrNhQ/s1600/famemonster8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwnAFOUQg1I/AAAAAAAAHRU/dwJtmYUrNhQ/s320/famemonster8.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />Lady Gaga, the pop flavor of the month, will be appearing at Best Buy tomorrow evening at 7 pm to sign her new album "The Fame Monster".<br /><br />The ubiquitious stage performer - with the penchant for wild do's and equally bizarre fashion get-ups - must have stellar management 'cause that ggggg-girl gets around!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwnASoA8e5I/AAAAAAAAHRc/XRW9w7vRTvI/s1600/Lady%2BGaGa%2BThe%2BFame%2BMonster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwnASoA8e5I/AAAAAAAAHRc/XRW9w7vRTvI/s200/Lady%2BGaGa%2BThe%2BFame%2BMonster.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br />Last week, the&nbsp;wild-eyed fashionista&nbsp;appeared on an episode of the Gossip Girl, much to the delight of fans!<br /><br /><br /><br />And, the local art gallery was graced with her presence this past week at a fundraiser, where she wowed art connoisseurs and regular joes off the street alike with a sort-of interactive conceptual piece.<br /><br />You may want to turn up tomrrow at the retailer - if only to to catch a sneak peak at her latest hat!<br /><br />A chapeau designed by archictect Frank Gehry caused a lot of heads to turn at the one celebrity turn-out.&nbsp; I expect that Hedda Hopper - gossip mavon of yesteyear known for her wild stand-out headresses - must be applauding from her grave!<br /><br />At $7.99, Monster is a bargain, dudes!<br /><br />The package includes "Bad Romance", "Telephone" feat. Beyonce &amp; "Speechless".<br /><br />See 'ya there!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swm_0PGLq8I/AAAAAAAAHRM/muvy6zR7RXA/s1600/lady+gaga11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swm_0PGLq8I/AAAAAAAAHRM/muvy6zR7RXA/s320/lady+gaga11.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-8400274534635897075?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-19550813586227141362009-11-20T13:58:00.000-08:002009-11-20T14:11:51.361-08:00<div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Hold on a sec, precious!</strong></span><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwcLJRddkrI/AAAAAAAAHP8/dyhK7UXVZH0/s1600/oprah-winfrey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwcLJRddkrI/AAAAAAAAHP8/dyhK7UXVZH0/s320/oprah-winfrey.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />Oprah Winfrey - the undisputed Queen of the talk-show fest - is going to pack it in after opening up her yap non-stop (without gargling or gagging&nbsp;once)&nbsp;for the past twenty-four years.<br /><br />The popular day-time hostess swears that her proposed exit from&nbsp;mainstream TV's evil&nbsp;clutches&nbsp;next year is a voluntary one - calculated to ensure that she&nbsp;alights gracefully&nbsp;from her powerful mid-day perch&nbsp;on&nbsp;network heaven - while she is at the top of her game.<br /><br />In my estimation, Oprah finally conceded in her heart of all hearts,&nbsp;that a decline in popularity lurks in&nbsp;the&nbsp;shadows ahead, in the event she lingers on.<br /><br />Events that unfolded this past year appear to signal that little inevitability.<br /><br />For the first time since the cattle-rancher fiasco reared its ugly head a scant few years ago, Oprah was the brunt of a lot of nasty jokes,&nbsp;bad press, and biting criticism from the media, the public-at-large, and a posse of once-devoted fans for a myriad of scandalous reasons.<br /><br />In respect to the Barack Obama endorsement for the presidency, for starters,.<br /><br />For example - when the feisty talk-show host (prone to give away luxury cars at the drop-of-a-hat to&nbsp;win over freeloaders and&nbsp;twist arms of&nbsp;the high-and-mighty) first stepped into the political arena to throw her weight (which was considerable) behind Barack Obama's bid for the White House&nbsp;- a bunch of loud-mouthed&nbsp;opponents&nbsp;cried out bloody-murder.<br /><br />The way the presidential candidate trotted around behind Oprah like a faithful little puppy dog&nbsp;was downright embarrassing - undignified - to say the least.<br /><br />Oprah sleeping in the Lincoln bedroom?<br /><br />No way, Jose.<br /><br />Others got on the - "down with the talk-show diva"&nbsp;bandwagon - when the ever-elastic Oprah began touting new-age heatlh remedies not formally recognized as legitimate&nbsp;medical&nbsp;treatments by reputable doctors or even the FDA.<br /><br />To some Americans, Oprah was starting to sound like&nbsp;a cheesey snake-oil salewoman, with a nasty overbite<br /><br />At Friday's taping - for good reason - Oprah&nbsp;elected to cite the reasons she was&nbsp;allegedly&nbsp;closing down shop to viewers directly&nbsp;(in a bold-faced effort to quell&nbsp;any rumors flying-round town)<br /><br />"After much prayer and months of careful thought, I have decided that next season, season 25, will be the last season of &nbsp;"The Oprah Winfrey Show," she stated matter-of-fact with nary a crocodile tear. <br /><br />"Over the next couple of days, you may hear a lot of speculation in the press about why I am making this decision now (well, yeah!)...and that will mostly be conjecture."<br /><br />Oprah, just invite me over to the manse for the weekend, and I'm sure I'll be able to fathom things out!<br /><br />Before there was an opportunity to respond to my offer, though, the portly matron was egged on by her handlers - no doubt - to toss in a few more newsbites for the incredulous to chew on for a nail-biting nano-second or two.<br /><br />"So why walk away and make next season the last? Here is the real reason: I love this show," she clucked wholeheartedly to the rapt live audience in tow.<br /><br />"This show has been my life. And I love it enough to know when it's time to say good-bye. Twenty-five years feels right in my bones, and it feels right in my spirit. It's the perfect number - &nbsp;the exact right time. So I hope that you will take this 18-month ride with me right through to the final show."<br /><br />Well, as long as you toss in a luxury automobile now and then, for old-times sake, girl!<br /><br />Is it all a ploy to&nbsp;coax bigger bucks from the brass in the executive suite next contract talks?<br /><br />According to Harpo Productions (the company that produces the Oprah Show currently) she "...plans to appear and participate in new programming for "OWN: The Opray Winfrey Network"...a 24-hour cable network that reflects her vision, values, and interests."<br /><br />The project has been set for production for January 2011, according to the terse release.<br /><br />Sounds like a losing proposition to me!<br /><br />Winfrey thanked her viewers for sticking with her for almost a quarter of a century at that juncture.<br /><br />"These years with you, our viewers, have enriched my life beyond all measure," she said. "And you all have graciously invited me into your living rooms, into your kitchens, and into your lives. And for some of you long time Oprah viewers, you have literally grown up with me - we've grown together."<br /><br />And apart, dahlink!<br /><br />You became too haughty and big for your britches&nbsp;for me to&nbsp;stay tuned in, Oprah&nbsp;- in my estimation - so there!<br /><br />"So I just wanted to say that whether you've been here with me from the beginning or you came on board last week, I want you all to know that my relationship with you is one that I hold very dear. And your trust in me, the sharing of your precious time every day with me has brought me the greatest joy I have ever known."<br /><br />And, blah blah blah, as we say in the blog industry!!!<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Actually, Shakespeare said it best:</strong></span><br /><br />"Parting is such sweet sorrow."<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwcQsVe2m-I/AAAAAAAAHQE/5neCo3xqLrE/s1600/oprah-and-obama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwcQsVe2m-I/AAAAAAAAHQE/5neCo3xqLrE/s320/oprah-and-obama.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Bad hair day for Barack's sugar momma!</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-1955081358622714136?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-31919110364885759452009-11-20T10:26:00.000-08:002009-11-20T11:02:18.996-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwbggNIqCKI/AAAAAAAAHPc/wiFK3uoxvKM/s1600/berlin+film+festival.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwbggNIqCKI/AAAAAAAAHPc/wiFK3uoxvKM/s320/berlin+film+festival.bmp" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swbgz414ouI/AAAAAAAAHPk/7JQyrqDXaQM/s1600/berlinfilmfestivallogo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swbgz414ouI/AAAAAAAAHPk/7JQyrqDXaQM/s200/berlinfilmfestivallogo.gif" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div>Just the other day, I posted a notice on Werner Herzog's new release - "The Bad Lieutenant" - which opened in wide release in the United States to rave reviews this past week.<br /><br />Within hours - there was surge of hits on my personal web site (<a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.julianayrs.com/</span></a>) - from far-flung locales overseas such as&nbsp;Germany, the Netherlands,&nbsp;and England&nbsp;as die-hard fans scoured the web site for delicious tidbits of news to gobble up!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwbhLBvPVCI/AAAAAAAAHPs/n4pJptEU1dE/s1600/large_herz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwbhLBvPVCI/AAAAAAAAHPs/n4pJptEU1dE/s200/large_herz.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>A few weeks ago, the same phenomenon occurred when I posted an announcement that Mr. Herzog (one of the key directorial figures behind the New German Cinema in the 1960's &amp; 1970's) would attend a book signing here in West Hollywood.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Post:&nbsp; 07/30/09</strong></span><br /><br /><a href="http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/07/werner-herzogto-sign-conquest-offering.html"><span style="color: yellow;">http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/07/werner-herzogto-sign-conquest-offering.html</span></a><br /><br />Now that it has been announced that Mr. Herzog will head up the Jury at the much-anticipated annual Berlin Film Festival,&nbsp;I expect there will be more frenzied searches to pin down the man-of-the-hour.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Berlin Film Festival: Feb. 11 thru Feb. 21</strong></span><br /><br />Herzog was born in Munich to Dietrich Herzog and Elizabeth Stipetic.<br /><br />When he just a boy, his parents elected to reside in a tiny Bavarian Village in the Chiemgau Alps (Sachrang) for a duration of a dozen years or so, until&nbsp;their eventual migration back to big city environs (Munich) where Hezog was undoubtedly impacted&nbsp;at a tender age.<br /><br />Although Herzog has tended to focus on feature film projects over his illustrious five-decade-long career, he is also known as a keen documentarian.<br /><br />The respected&nbsp;director&nbsp;is known for using people from the locality in which he is shooting - to&nbsp;ultimately - benefit&nbsp;from what he refers to an "ecstatic truth" (accomplished by having his subjects play themselves).<br /><br />Intriguing!<br /><br />Herzog's first major award was the "Silver Bear" for his first feature film "Signs of Life".<br /><br />Another Werner classic -&nbsp;Nosferatu the Vampyre - &nbsp;was nominated for a Golden Bear (1979). <br /><br />Prior to those honors, Herzog won a "Special Jury Prize" award for "The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser" (known as the prestigious Silver Palm) at the Cannes Film Festival&nbsp;in 1975.<br /><br />Other films directed by Herzog which were nominated for Golden Palm Awards include offerings such as "Woyzeck" and the much-loved "Where the Green Ants Dream". <br /><br />Other world-renowned film festivals gave Herzog the nod, too, over the years:&nbsp;the César Awards (Aguirre, The Wrath of God), the Emmy Awards (Little Dieter Needs to Fly), the European Film Awards (My Best Fiend) and the Venice Film Festival (Scream of Stone and The Wild Blue Yonder).<br /><br />To name a precious few!<br /><br />The down-to-earth gutsy director has quite a sense of humor, too.<br /><br />For example - he once vowed&nbsp;to eat his shoe if filmmaker Errol Morris completed the movie project on pet cemeteries that he had been working on - in order to motivate and inspire Morris who appeared to be dragging his feet un-necessarily on the project.<br /><br />In 1978 when the film "Gates of Heaven" premiered - true to his word - Werner Herzog cooked and publicly ate his shoe.<br /><br />Later, the highly-publicized shenanigans were incorporated into a short documentary:<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>&nbsp;Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (by Les Blank)</strong></span> <br /><br />With tongue firmly in cheek, Herzog expressed the hope that the symbolic act would serve to encourage anyone ever having difficulty completing a project, and then some.<br /><br />In recent months, his off-beat sensibilities reared their ugly head once again when he noted at one Q &amp; A session,&nbsp;that he was inclined to title his new feature "Bad Lieutenant" (starring Nicolas Cage) the "Bad Ass" Lieutenant instead (because it suited his wicked side to do so).<br /><br />No matter what career path Herzog heads&nbsp;down in the future, it sure will be a joy to go along for the ride!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swbj73dF4GI/AAAAAAAAHP0/d9Vus_tCtho/s1600/cannes2008posters1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/Swbj73dF4GI/AAAAAAAAHP0/d9Vus_tCtho/s320/cannes2008posters1.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-3191911036488575945?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-39527233304415525832009-11-19T22:06:00.000-08:002009-11-19T22:35:52.054-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwYjuVsmMKI/AAAAAAAAHO8/2Uzzba96ueM/s1600/the-hurt_locker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwYjuVsmMKI/AAAAAAAAHO8/2Uzzba96ueM/s320/the-hurt_locker.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />The "Hurt Locker" is an intense gritty drama that tosses the spotlight on elite bomb specialists and the dramatic conditions they toil through daily on the war-torn battlefields&nbsp;of Iraq.<br /><br />For me, the screening last night under the auspices of the Los Angeles Times "Envelope"&nbsp;series was a&nbsp;sort-of two-part&nbsp;adventure in respect to the well-crafted (but flawed) project that was&nbsp;handily-directed by capable Kathryn Bigelow (financed by foreign investors overseas).<br /><br />Several months ago, when "Hurt Locker" was first slated to screen at a Festival in Dallas, I interviewed Ms. Bigelow on the red carpet just prior to the unveiling of her rivetting foray into the inner sanctum of a handful of dedicated men who perform miracles daily in the line of duty for their country (USA).<br /><br />Due to a scheduling conflict, I was forced to pass on the screening that night, but thanks to "Envelope" and the Landmark Theatre, I was not only able to catch up, but also mull over Bigelow's responses to questions fielded to her by Film critic Kenneth Turan&nbsp;when the floodlights went up at the end of the gut-wrenching film.<br /><br />For the most part, "Hurt" is an ambitious project which keeps theatre-goers on the edge of their seats.<br /><br />However, the intense thriller is flawed, so it falls short.<br /><br />For starters, there were some technical issues - problems with continuity - that were somewhat glaring in the opening scenes.<br /><br />For example, in one dramatic segment an elite arms specialist is interrupted during the course of an attempt to diffuse a bomb, when a local (possibly an insurgent) drives into a cordoned off area in a threatening stance.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwYoKgKyIXI/AAAAAAAAHPU/4yW6vNFocSY/s1600/2003_swat_029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwYoKgKyIXI/AAAAAAAAHPU/4yW6vNFocSY/s200/2003_swat_029.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>In response, Staff Sergeant William James&nbsp;(Jeremy Renner) strides up to the vehicle, pulls out a handgun, and levels it at the driver from a vantage point at the front of the vehicle.<br /><br />In the next few minutes, the tension builds, in what amounts to a Mexican stand-off.<br /><br />What went down next was surprising.<br /><br />Jenner's character - in sum, a wild and cocky dude -&nbsp;proceeds to&nbsp;maneuver his way to the door on the driver's side where he barks out an order.<br /><br />After a cut-away shot or two - Jenner's character is suddenly caught on camera - once again.<br /><br />But, in the second pan - he is once again&nbsp; in front of the vehicle which would be physically impossible - given what just transpired a few seconds earlier on screen.<br /><br />Basically,&nbsp;the shot&nbsp;was&nbsp;a big fat blooper.<br /><br />For an established director of Bigelow's stature in the business to make such a grievous error in continuity, &nbsp;was truly unthinkable, but there it was staring the audience in the face.<br /><br />Is it possible that Ms. Bigelow&nbsp;caught it at another screening, but left it&nbsp;in, thinking no one would notice?<br /><br />Sloppy filmmaking, at best!<br /><br />During a revealing thought-provoking Q &amp; A, Ms. Bigelow noted for the record that due to unsurmountable complications the production company was unable to secure locations in Iraq, so they were forced to set up shop in a locale in Jordan about five miles from the border.<br /><br />Once the deal was pacted, Ms. Bigelow facilitated footage of Baghdad (captured on film by screenwriter Mark Boal) to&nbsp;construct large sets that reflected the unique architecture of the Iraquian region she was focusing her lens on.<br /><br />The sets were large, and allowed for "macro" and "micro" shots, as she succinctly put it.<br /><br />The filming schematic worked well in this instant case.<br /><br />Ms. Bigelow was able to&nbsp;shoot wide establishing shots one moment, and zoom in the next, without being&nbsp;obtrusive.<br /><br />Hence,&nbsp;that aspect of&nbsp;filmmaking technique,&nbsp;lent a realistic bent to "Hurt Locker".<br /><br />The Director articulated her reasoning for this approach.<br /><br />&nbsp;"Without an awareness of where the cameras were, the actors remained&nbsp;oblivious to the filming process - and so - were forced to focus on the action around them without being self-conscious or playing to the cameras," she added for clarification.<br /><br />Frankly, I was&nbsp;quite&nbsp;taken with a number of the innovative shots, from a filmmaker's point of view.<br /><br />Although Bigelow stayed within the formal approach to standard wide shots, two shots, and close-ups (being mindful of&nbsp;looking room, for example) she managed to implant a distinctive style that prevented well-measured "Hurt Locker" from becoming too stereotypical or pedestrian in nature.<br /><br />I felt like I was taking in a documentary in the opening scenes, for instance, because of that approach&nbsp;(so real was the drama unfolding before me).<br /><br />But - when a new character&nbsp;was introduced into the storyline due to an unexpected&nbsp;plot twist which arose during a bomb crisis&nbsp;- I&nbsp;spied the hand of the screenwriter manipulating the story and the terrain they breathed upon.<br /><br />After a ghastly bout of nasty hiccups and burps (which&nbsp;were difficult to ignore since they revolved around the main three characters and subsequent story development), "Hurt Locker"&nbsp;finally shifted&nbsp;gears into the right direction once again.<br /><br />Until a&nbsp;sub-plot - which focused on a Doctor who helps soldiers cope with stress - meandered into the picture out-of-the-blue.<br /><br />When that character met a tragic death due to his own stupidity, it was not a surprise, since I saw that end scenario coming a mile off.<br /><br />On the carpet in Dallas, I recall that Ms. Bigelow was a bit icy, and ever-the-director.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwYk7UhqhyI/AAAAAAAAHPE/EEc7BIpi70w/s1600/kathryn-bigelow-hurt-locker-528x352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwYk7UhqhyI/AAAAAAAAHPE/EEc7BIpi70w/s200/kathryn-bigelow-hurt-locker-528x352.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>For example, when a quip she made inspired me to jot&nbsp;it down for future reference to use as a potential quote, she hissed at me without hesitation.<br /><br />"You don't have to write that down," she commanded.<br /><br />"Oh, yes I do," I chuckled, much to her chagrin.<br /><br />On that occasion, it was quite evident to me that Ms. Bigelow&nbsp;was a control freak.<br /><br />And, her tendency to&nbsp;hit the media with calculated director's "bites", can be downright annoying.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Post:&nbsp; 09/03/09</strong></span><br /><br /><a href="http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/03/afi-dallasjeremy-renner-appears-for.html"><span style="color: yellow;">http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/03/afi-dallasjeremy-renner-appears-for.html</span></a><br /><br />In my estimation, it is doubtful any reporter will ever scratch the surface of Ms. Bigelow's tough outer skin, so guarded is she in respect to her true thoughts and creative thought processses (except for those she is willing to share ad nauseam to further a sugar-coated persona for promotional purposes).<br /><br />However,on any given occasion, it is tough&nbsp;for any sentient being not to react when an unexpected moment of candor rears its ugly head and triggers an emotional reaction.<br /><br />As Ms. Bigelow proved without a shadow of a doubt last evening.<br /><br />For instance, in response to a question fielded from affable film writer Kenneth Turan, Ms. Bigelow noted for the record that although the conditions overseas in the middle east were not luxurious by any means, the actors were forewarned about the lack of amenities beforehand.<br /><br />Just as the interviewer was about to move on, the screenwriter (Mark Boal) paused a second, then&nbsp;contradicted Bigelow's statement.<br /><br />"I don't think that's true," he quipped a bit self-consciously.<br /><br />Bigelow half-turned in her chair - taken aback for a second or two&nbsp;(in what amounted to a knee-jerk reaction)&nbsp;- before she managed to reel in her emotions and "let it go".<br /><br />As Ricky often lamented to Lucy time and time again:<br /><br />"You've&nbsp;got some 'splainin' to do!"<br /><br />No doubt&nbsp;Boal got a tongue lashing backstage or on his cell late last night.<br /><br />By the way, Mark Boal collaborated with Ms. Bigelow on a previous project, which is how they ended up putting their heads together on&nbsp;"Hurt Locker"<br /><br />On these shores, the outgoing down-to-earth reporter, was logging reports on the war in Iraq.<br /><br />But, one auspicous day, he got the bug.<br /><br />"I wanted to see the War from the perspective of the soldiers on the front," he explained.<br /><br />So, he nabbed an assignment on the front lines, and fully-documented the horrors unfolding around him.<br /><br />The Iraq experience inspired the journalist to develop a screenplay (there were at last count over 17 drafts in all) which he later turned over to Bigelow for development.<br /><br />Once the decision was made to go forward, the production company pursued - and landed - foreign investors (which was a plus to Bigelow).<br /><br />"We had full control of the project," she proudly noted.<br /><br />Ah, control, there is that word again.<br /><br />As I have always said - time &amp;&nbsp;time again - there is nothing worse than a woman who thinks she has a pair of ba**s.<br /><br />But, in the instant case, it may have been an advantage for the articulate Ms. Bigelow.<br /><br />She managed to take a gutsy lunge at a tough gritty script and turn it into a respectable thriller on screen.<br /><br />Impossible to achieve if you're a shrinking violet - or a&nbsp;"yes man" - in Tinsel Town.<br /><br />Unfortunately, because "Hurt Locker" is flawed and was Hollywoodized (bastardized, too) along the treacherous way -&nbsp;the project&nbsp;(though highly touted in some quarters) probably won't&nbsp;garner any Oscar nods from the Academy&nbsp;(except for soundtrack maybe,&nbsp;or special effects).<br /><br />In spite of that,&nbsp;a handful of&nbsp;theatre-goers may perceive layers, which just aren't there.<br /><br />A case in point<br /><br />When Turan asked Mark Boal about a scene at the end of the film (which&nbsp;focused on the Sergeant's difficulty in selecting cereal from dozens of boxes neatly displayed on a supermarket shelf)&nbsp;the writer&nbsp;agreed with the critic that it underscored that&nbsp;Sergeant James - though capable of diffusing a well-crafted bomb with complex trick triggers - found it difficult to perform simple tasks at home in the presence of his family.<br /><br />The message I got from that scene was so much more profound than that.<br /><br />The whole scenario&nbsp;drove home&nbsp;to me one niggling reminder.<br /><br />American consumers&nbsp;have so many choices - which is in large part due to young soldiers like those depicted in "Hurt Locker" - who fight the good fight for democracy on the war-torn soil of countries like Iraq daily.<br /><br />Notwithstanding, how would it be possible for any decent human being to ever be concerned about a particular brand of cereal,&nbsp;after they've witnessed young children starving on the streets of impoverished Nations?<br /><br />Nuff said!<br /><br />On&nbsp; a final note, and not to be remiss in my duties, it should be noted the music in Bigelow's project was quite remarkable (hauntingly beautiful, as a matter-of-fact).<br /><br />The composers' scores continually buttressed up (and heightened the intensity of the drama) without taking away or creating any frivolous distractions.<br /><br />Keep plugging away, Ms. Bigelow.<br /><br />You've got the raw talent and will undoubtedly turn out a winner one day.<br /><br />Until then, get real!<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-3952723330441552583?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-41099778884935741792009-11-19T17:45:00.000-08:002009-11-19T18:56:18.818-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRM8iA0I0I/AAAAAAAAHNM/LpXiio4qkHI/s1600/beverly_hills_sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRM8iA0I0I/AAAAAAAAHNM/LpXiio4qkHI/s320/beverly_hills_sign.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRNCLHPC8I/AAAAAAAAHNU/aLMnwwhiIw8/s1600/lights-topper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRNCLHPC8I/AAAAAAAAHNU/aLMnwwhiIw8/s320/lights-topper.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The festive tradition of&nbsp;the candle-lighting ceremony (a highlight of the year in tony Beverly Hills) - and a round of upbeat yuletide soirees to put holidays shoppers in a fanciful good-hearted yuletide mood -&nbsp;kick off&nbsp;this weekend in the upscale enclave amidst a lot of spirited local enthusiasm and media hoopla.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last year's blow-out opening ceremonies - hosted by Nicole Richie and toy-boy pal Joel Madden (Ambassador to UNICEF &amp;&nbsp; lead singer for the pop band Good Chalotte) - wowed the locals who packed the streets&nbsp;with barely standing-room-only to catch the festive holiday extravaganza.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;The 2009 festivities are going to be bigger and better!<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRNkfyj2cI/AAAAAAAAHNk/v6x4cJrMlIU/s1600/blog_bev1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRNkfyj2cI/AAAAAAAAHNk/v6x4cJrMlIU/s320/blog_bev1.jpg" yr="true" /></a><strong><span style="color: yellow;">The Holiday Lighting</span></strong><br /></div><br />The partying gets underway on Saturday November 21st!<br /><br />For starters, there will be&nbsp;a multitude of&nbsp;afternoon activities along Rodeo Drive just&nbsp;prior to the spectacular Holiday Lighting Ceremony at the 200 block of Rodeo later.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">3:00 - 7:00 PM</span></strong><br /><br />Visitors to&nbsp;tony&nbsp;Rodeo Drive&nbsp;will be treated to free entertainment by balloon sculptors, jugglers, caricature artists, and entertaining street&nbsp;musicians. <br /><br />Strollers will be knocked out by the striking outdoor lights and banners strung throughout the Golden Triangle this holiday season.<br /><br />There will also be plentiful opportunities to have photographs&nbsp;taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus, too.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;"></span></strong><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwROFcsuz9I/AAAAAAAAHNs/QgwcGGF8MRs/s1600/plants%26bulbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwROFcsuz9I/AAAAAAAAHNs/QgwcGGF8MRs/s200/plants%26bulbs.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><strong><span style="color: yellow;">7:00 PM</span></strong><br /><br />The lighting ceremony&nbsp;blasts off just after the dinner hour.<br /><br />&nbsp;Santa will be on hand along with carolers and special celebrity guest and UNICEF supporter, actress Rebecca Mader. <br /><br />Mader, was a regular on the immensely popular TV series "Lost" and recently co-starred in the box-office hit&nbsp;"Men Who Stare at Goats".<br /><br />Mader will not only flip the switch on thousands of twinkle lights on Rodeo Drive(with the help of the Mayor), but also - rev to life the pièce de résistance - the brilliant UNICEF crystal snowflake&nbsp;which will soar&nbsp;over the Beverly Wilshire hotel during the month of December. <br /><br />A grand fireworks finale caps off the evening with skyrockets arcing in the mid-heavens above the hotel.<br /><br />Spectacular, eh?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXaWlIsjHI/AAAAAAAAHOU/wahlXqdlwoo/s1600/RodeoDriveSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXaWlIsjHI/AAAAAAAAHOU/wahlXqdlwoo/s200/RodeoDriveSign.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Post Candlie-Lighting Ceremonies</span></strong><br /><br />The Two Rodeo Drive "after party" gets underway after the initial candle-lighting ceremoney has commenced with a lot of fanfare. <br /><br />Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand&nbsp;as snowflakes float effortlessly to the ground along the cobblestone Via Rodeo walkway. <br /><br />Many shoppers will take advtage of the celebrated occasion to indulge in holiday sips and bites at the chic boutiques and cozy restaurants lining the European-inspired shopping complex as holiday music from&nbsp;a live steel drum band&nbsp;entertains passers-by.<br /><br />Visitors who return to shop throughout the weeks leading up to gift-giving D-Day - will no doubt take advantage of the two hours of free parking&nbsp;provided at&nbsp;the Beverly Hills City parking garages - along Rodeo, Beverly and Canon Drives (look for the turquoise blue parking signs).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXms1KyQkI/AAAAAAAAHOc/D29EUuPxBrE/s1600/BeverlyWilshireNight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXms1KyQkI/AAAAAAAAHOc/D29EUuPxBrE/s200/BeverlyWilshireNight.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Deck the Hills</span></strong><br /><br />BH is known for its sparkle year-round, but particularly, throughout the high-spirited holiday (Holy) season.<br /><br /><br />The well-manicured streets will be shimmering with&nbsp;twinkle lights and a host of colorful banners adorning lamp posts.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRO0NFLPiI/AAAAAAAAHN8/4zH5rrljZaY/s1600/74697608_323d000748redflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRO0NFLPiI/AAAAAAAAHN8/4zH5rrljZaY/s200/74697608_323d000748redflowers.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA</strong></span><br /><br />Santa and Mrs. Claus will make several appearances around town again this year as usual.<br /><br />Join Mrs. Claus on the trolley the Sunday before Thanksgiving and every Saturday and Sunday thereafter between Thanksgiving and Christmas. <br /><br />The Beverly Hills trolley pick up is at the southeast corner of Rodeo Drive and Dayton Way. <br /><br />Mrs. Claus plans to enchant her captive charges with a few stories and songs first,&nbsp;then lead her guests over to hubbie (St. Nick) at The Paley Center for some one-on-one time with the jovial cookie-lover. <br /><br />Well-wishers cans can share their deepest secrets and fervent desires with Santa on that occasion.<br /><br />11:00 am to 2:00 pm (weekends) <br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>The pair appear live on stage the following dates:</strong></span><br /><br />November 22nd <br />November 28th &amp; 29th<br />December 5th &amp; 6th<br />December 12th &amp; 13th<br />December 19th &amp;&nbsp;20th<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Trolley tickets:</strong></span><br />&nbsp;$10 adults<br />&nbsp;$&nbsp; 5&nbsp;children (under 12)<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Regular trolley tours:</strong></span> <br />2:00 pm / 3:00 pm /&nbsp;4:00 pm<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Info: (310) 285-2442 for more information.</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">Holiday Happenings</span> <br /><br />Many of the local boutiques &amp; Hotels are hosting special events along the lines of those posted below that you may want to participate in.<br />&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRPS4fs8uI/AAAAAAAAHOM/L4FWxv_lyhk/s1600/Snowflake%2520dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwRPS4fs8uI/AAAAAAAAHOM/L4FWxv_lyhk/s200/Snowflake%2520dark.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills Holiday Tasting Event</span></strong><br /><br />November 10th, 11th and12th<br />(7:00 - 9:00 pm)<br /><br />Join proprietor, Norbert Wabnig, and manager/wine buyer, Tony Princiotta, at The Cheese Store’s annual Holiday Spectacular Tasting Event. <br />The event is known for its festive non-regional approach focusing on an excellent selection of champagnes, gourmet cheeses and all the extras you would want to serve at your own holiday celebrations. <br />Previous events included ports, caviar, foie gras and truffles along with guest appearances by artisanal producers. <br />The event will be held on Sharkey’s Patio (435 N. Beverly Drive) on three nights.<br />(November 10th, 11th&nbsp;&amp; 12th)<br />&nbsp;(7:00 - 9:00 pm). <br />The cost is $100 a person.<br />Reservations in advance at (310) 278-2855<br />Details: info@cheesestorebh.com.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Montblanc Pre-Lighting Ceremony Event</strong></span><br /><br />November 21st<br />(4:00 - 7:00 pm)<br /><br />Pop into Montblanc (323 N. Rodeo Drive) on Saturday, November 21st!<br />This is a pre-official Beverly Hills Lighting Ceremony event.<br />Refreshments served during the shop UNICEF "Signature for Good" event. <br />10% of sales from this event (excluding Limited Edition items) will benefit UNICEF programs. <br />RSVP: <a href="mailto:rsvp.rodeodrive@montblanc.com"><span style="color: yellow;">rsvp.rodeodrive@montblanc.com</span></a><span style="color: yellow;">.</span><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Give Thanks at Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive</span></strong><br /><br />November 26th<br />(12 noon - 9:00 pm)<br /><br />Café Rodeo Restaurant at Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive (360 N. Rodeo Drive) offers a traditional three-course Thanksgiving menu.<br />Choose from a Roasted Turkey and Spring Vegetable Soup or Tenderloin Steak Salad appetizer Grilled and Stuffed Turkey Breast, Pan-Seared Atlantic Sea Bass or Braised Rosemary Short Ribs entrée selection (Chocolate Lava Cake, Pumpkin Pie or Bread Pudding for dessert). <br />The Thanksgiving Day menu is offered at $45/adult and $20/child (10 and under). <br />Reservations are strongly recommended at (310) 691-7584 <br /><span style="color: yellow;">Info: Victoria.haylock@luxehotels.com.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Holiday Tea at Montage Beverly Hills</strong></span><br />(225 N. Canon Drive)<br />November and December<br /><br />Relax after the rush of holiday planning and shopping with a gracious afternoon tea in the Lobby Lounge of the exquisite Montage Beverly Hills hotel.<br />The cherished tradition is in full bloom from 2:30 - 5:00 p.m. daily throughout November and December. Expert tea specialists offer up a tea service which features exclusive artisan tea varieties in custom china inspired by the joyful wildflowers of California’s foothills. <br />A harpist adds to the soothing environment. <br />Reservations: &nbsp;(310) 860-7800.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>The Organic Pharmacy Holiday Celebration</strong></span><br /><br />November and December<br /><br />On Friday, November 27, The Organic Pharmacy will kick off the holidays and celebrate their one-year anniversary in Beverly Hills with an in-store party. <br />Enjoy cake and beverages, a free gift with purchase,&nbsp;and an opportunity to win a fabulous four-night stay at the fabulous Capella Pedregal in Cabo. <br />Also, in November and until December 14th, prepare to look your best at upcoming holiday parties when you indulge in a Rose Crystal Facial ($160 for 1½ hrs.), voted one of the top 50 facials by Harpers Bazaar, and receive a complimentary vitamin and mineral scan (worth $75). <br />Info: (310) 272-2725<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce On-Line Holiday Auction</strong></span><br /><br />November 23 – December 6th<br /><br />Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce offers up a number of wonderful luxury products and services from both in and around the Luxury Capital of the world as part of its annual on-line holiday auction. <br />From spa treatments and massages to shopping and dining certificates, there is truly something for everyone during the holiday season! <br />Beverly Hills Online Auction (Holiday Edition) is the perfect way to grab a slice of luxury for yourself, a loved one, business associate, or client. <br />Indulge in items like a men’s suit from Brooks Brothers Beverly Hills, a $500 Mastro’s Steakhouse gift card or a three-night stay at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach &amp; Golf Resort. <br />To bid, visit: <a href="http://www.beverlyhillschamber.com/auction"><span style="color: yellow;">www.beverlyhillschamber.com/auction</span></a> and select ‘Register’ to set up a new account and start bidding. <br />View all auction items or select a specific category on the right side toolbar. <br />Bidding starts at 8:00am (PST) on Monday, November 23rd and closes at 10:00 pm Dec. 6th. <br />The last and highest bid at closing wins the item.<br />The winning bidder will receive an email once the auction on the item is closed. <br />Winning items can be picked up at the Chamber offices (239 S. Beverly Drive) or mailed.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Two Rodeo Drive</strong></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">November 18th - December 18th<br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXtuE_SuII/AAAAAAAAHOs/1yd7MAmzeck/s1600/HalfSoldierL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXtuE_SuII/AAAAAAAAHOs/1yd7MAmzeck/s320/HalfSoldierL.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>Celebrate the holidays in style at Two Rodeo in the heart of Beverly Hills. <br />Two Rodeo&nbsp;will be decorated with a&nbsp;&nbsp;25-foot holiday tree and decorative penguins swimming in the Wilshire fountain. <br />Carolers and live musical entertainment will set the shopping mood on the Via Rodeo every Thursday - Saturday evening (4:00 – 7:00 pm)<br />&nbsp;(Nov. 27&nbsp;-- Dec. 24)<br />Info: <a href="http://www.tworodeo.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.tworodeo.com</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Soolip Gift Wrapping Services at The Peninsula Beverly Hills</strong></span><br />(9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd)<br /><br />December&nbsp;1st – 24th<br /><br />The package is as lovely as the gift itself when you take advantage of Soolip's signature gift wrapping services at The Peninsula Beverly Hills. <br />Visit Soolip in the lobby:<br />&nbsp;December 1 – 11 (11 am&nbsp;- 7 pm) &amp; December 12 – 24 (10 am – 8 pm) Drop off&nbsp; gifts and choose from&nbsp;an irresistible collection of Japanese silkscreened, tree-free and pattern-embossed papers along with a dizzying array of hand-dyed silk ribbons and nature-inspired gift toppers. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXuAWFnmxI/AAAAAAAAHO0/5SdydRQQkAc/s1600/untitledgoldpaperkewl!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXuAWFnmxI/AAAAAAAAHO0/5SdydRQQkAc/s200/untitledgoldpaperkewl!.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>There is a fee for the service (depending on selected paper, ribbon and gift toppers), but wrapping for holiday gifts purchased at The Spa at The Peninsula Beverly Hills will be complimentary. <br /><br />While you wait, treat yourself &nbsp;to The Peninsula's infamous tea service and return a couple hours later with all your gifts enhanced with the Soolip aesthetic.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Holiday Champagne and Dessert Tea at Greystone Mansion</strong></span><br />(905 Loma Vista Drive)<br /><br />December 6th<br />(2:00 – 3:30 pm)<br /><br />Celebrate the holiday season with an afternoon tea at historic Greystone Estate.<br /><br />This traditional tea will include finger sandwiches, scones, tea, champagne and dessert, served using fine china and fresh linens. <br />Weather permitting, the tea will occur on the terrace with a view of the city; in the case of inclement weather, the tea will take place inside the mansion. <br />Holiday related musical entertainment as well as a tour of the first floor of the mansion is included. <br />There is limited seating, so advanced reservations are recommended. <br />Tickets are $50/person<br />Info: (310) 285-6850.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>The Beverly Hills Hotel &amp; Bungalows</strong></span> <br />(9641 Sunset Blvd)<br /><br />Under the direction of Executive Chef Alex Chen, the hotel will feature gourmet prix fixe holiday dinner menus on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve in the world-famous Polo Lounge restaurant. <br />And whether it’s before, during or after the feast, imbibe in one of six holiday cocktail concoctions created especially for this time of year. <br />Try the Pilgrim Iced Tea or Pumpkin Pie Hot Cocoa on Thanksgiving, get a little naughty with Mrs. Claus’ Little Secret or Rudolph’s Red Light at Christmas,and break out the party hats on New Year’s Eve with a Twisted Sparkling Lemonade or Up All Night beverage. <br />Reservations: <a href="http://www.beverlyhillshotel.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">ww.beverlyhillshotel.com</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Dickens’ Dining at Lawry’s the Prime Rib</strong></span><br />(1100 N. La Cienega Blvd)<br /><br />Lawry’s the Prime Rib whisks you back in time to Yuletide in Victorian England with their Dickens’ A Christmas Carol lunch and dinner. <br />Festively costumed actors and carolers will perform scenes from the Charles Dickens’ classic as you feast on Lawry’s famous cuisine. <br />The Dickens’ dining experience is available either at lunch (12 noon) or dinner (7:00 pm) on Sunday, December 6. <br />Enjoy Lawry’s famous Spinning Bowl Salad, Roasted Prime Ribs of Beef served with Mashed Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding and Creamed Spinach OR Fresh Grilled Salmon served with Vegetables. <br />Top it off with Apple Pie drizzled in Caramel Sauce, a sweet ending to this truly special meal. <br />(A children’s menu is also available.) <br />Reservations: (310) 360-6281, Ext. 4<br />Monday through Friday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. <br />Lawry’s website at <a href="http://www.lawrysonline.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.lawrysonline.com</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive, 360 N. Rodeo Drive</strong></span><br /><br />Luxe Hotel’s Bar 360 has whipped up a rotating menu of chocolate-inspired cocktails, available during the bar’s famous $3.60 Martini Happy Hour from mid-November through the end of the year. <br />Can you resist the Chocolate Martini, Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cocktail or Minted Hot Chocolate accompanied by chocolate-covered strawberries and chocolate chip cookies? <br />Chocolate is the perfect pick-me-up during the often exhausting holidays!<br />&nbsp;Luxe website at <a href="http://www.luxehotelrodeodrive.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.luxehotelrodeodrive.com</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Montage Beverly Hills</strong></span><br />(25 N. Canon Drive)<br /><br />Montage Beverly Hills is presenting a culinary tour de force this season with a selection of festive holiday menu options at their Parq restaurant. Parq offers elegant family-style dining on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and multi-course prix fixe tasting menus on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. <br />Food connoisseurs looking for a private and exclusive dining event may reserve a Couples Culinary experience with Executive Chef John Cuevas. <br />You and your culinary companion will meet with the chef to select your perfect holiday menu and then join him in hands-on cooking classes and demonstrations to prepare the dinner together. <br />Return later that evening with your guests (8-12) to savor the feast. <br />Reservations: (310) 860-7891. <br />Info: <a href="http://www.montagebeverlyhills.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.montagebeverlyhills.com</span></a><br /><br />Sprinkles Cupcakes<br />(635 S. Santa Monica Blvd)<br /><br />Sprinkles Cupcakes, purveyor of the yummiest baked treats and a regional fan favorite, has something special up their sleeve for the holidays. <br />In addition to their regular mouth-watering cupcake flavors (peanut butter chip, lemon coconut and red velvet, for example), they’ll be seducing customers with unique seasonal flavors during November and December. <br />Look for pumpkin cupcakes during the entire month of November, ginger maple and orange cranberry temptations from November 20-29th, and eggnog spice, chocolate peppermint and vanilla peppermint selections in December (through the 24th). <br />Info: <a href="http://www.sprinklescupcakes.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.sprinklescupcakes.com</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>The Peninsula Beverly Hills</strong></span><br />(9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd)<br /><br />Positively sparkling with holiday decorations inside and out, The Peninsula Beverly Hills is the perfect spot to enjoy the season. <br />In the Living Room, a third Afternoon Tea seating has been added to accommodate shoppers looking for respite from the throes of consumerism. <br />And the Club Bar serves holiday inspired cocktails -&nbsp;the Candy Cane Martini or Hot Cocoa with Amaretto – sure to warm you from the inside out. <br />The Belvedere restaurant has planned gala dinners for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, and also serves a full-on holiday feast on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.<br />(11:00 am to 9:00 pm)<br />Reservations: <a href="http://www.beverlyhills.peninsula.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.beverlyhills.peninsula.com</span></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Shop Talk (tips from retailers)</span></strong><br /><br />1. Create a gift recipient list with possible gift ideas for each person before you head out on your shopping adventure.<br /><br />2. Don’t “panic” shop. A getaway at our hotels will give you plenty of time to shop casually – AND you’ll get an additional night free when you stay two nights. Now that’s a holiday special!<br /><br />3. Enjoy two hours of free parking at the public parking structures on Rodeo, Beverly and Canon Drives (look for the turquoise blue parking signs).<br /><br />4. Step inside the Christian Audigier boutique on Camden Drive, and you’re one step ahead of the pack. The tattoo-inspired artwear (T-shirts, hoodies and even sequined dresses) turns heads and makes a statement – one that doesn’t say you’re trying too hard.<br /><br />5. If it’s sweet things you’re after, make sure Asweet is on your list. This South Beverly sweet shop, decorated in pastel hues reminiscent of cotton candy, is an eclectic collection of chocolate and gourmet candy treats, baubles for your wrists and fingers and adorable tops, pants and separates to satisfy your cravings for “sugar and spice and everything nice.”<br /><br />6. While you’re on SoBev, break from the shopping madness and feed your body (and soul) with a bite of lunch. Try the Roasted Baby Beets salad or Grilled Cheese sandwich at Cabbage Patch or the Famous Roast Beef and Provolone sub sandwich at Jersey Mike’s Subs.<br />7. Select gift items you know your family will use – or shall we say “consume.” We suggest any of the gorgeous chocolate gift boxes from Madame Chocolat, your favorite California wine from the Wine Valet or a basket of domestic and international cheeses from The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills.<br /><br />8. Seems you’ve yet to fill your “shimmer and shine” quotient for the day. A stop at Judith Leiber at Two Rodeo will solve that problem. Enter the Crystal Room at this opulent accessories boutique and choose from several exclusive-to-Beverly Hills crystal minaudière clutches in that unmistakable Judith Leiber style.<br /><br />9. Christopher Guy recently opened his first and only U.S. furniture gallery in Beverly Hills. From seductive, yet gracious tables and chairs to sculptural candlesticks and other decorative accents, any selection from Christopher Guy will stand out in your home this holiday season. <br /><br />10. Men, wind down at the end of your shopping trip and head into Gornick and Drucker at the Montage Beverly Hills for a customized traditional shave at this old world barber shop. Ladies can indulge in the female version – the “Wrapped in Luxury” La Prairie Caviar Facial and Massage at The Beverly Hills Hotel.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Affordable Options</strong></span><br /><br />Consider these activities and gift suggestions as you navigate the season ahead:<br /><br />1. Two hours of free parking? Hard to come by these days, but not in Beverly Hills. Look for the City parking structures, marked by the turquoise parking signs on Rodeo, Beverly and Canon Drives.<br /><br />2. Pick out decorative papers to create your own festive stationery or select from a variety of sophisticated ready-made cards at Paper Source - $12.25-$22.50 per box. (9460 Brighton Way)<br /><br />3. Famous Cupcakes – not just famous, but delicious, too. Try the Hot Chocolate or Black Tie varieties, for example ($3.25 each) or take home a full Merry Christmas bouquet for $74.99. (168 S. Beverly Dr.)<br /><br />4. These “hills” are made for walking . . . clear your head as you enjoy the vast collection of public art and notable architecture on our Art &amp; Architecture Walking Tour, all compliments of Beverly Hills.<br /><br />5. Kisses to you from Beverly Hills. Our new limited edition sterling silver “kiss, kiss” necklace is available at Zina Beverly Hills for just $60 – perfect for you or your BFF. (470 S. Beverly Dr.) <br /><br />6. Let the creative juices flow when you “design” your own tee or tank at Fashionology – tops start at about $30. Your add-ons (sequins, charms, logos) make it one-of-a-kind, with each fashion accent offered at a nominal additional charge. (342 N. Canon Drive) <br /><br />7. Let L’Occitane en Provence transport you to that oh-so-charming region of France – the Shea Butter Lavender Cream ($39) or the Green Tea Eau de Toilette fragrance ($46) takes you there. (367 N. Beverly Drive)<br /><br />8. Pop into The Paley Center for Media and peruse the archives. Bet your favorite Beverly Hills 90210 episode is available for screening, and it’s free. (465 N. Beverly Dr.)<br /><br />9. Slip into Villa Blanca for a little Mediterranean-inspired cuisine – the Risotto with Wild Mushrooms ($16) or Fresh Lobster and Crab Salad ($18) fits the bill. (9601 Brighton Way)<br /><br />10. Spice up your daughter’s wardrobe (or yours) with a hobo dress ($59) or a long tab cardigan sweater ($99) from Flaunt Boutique (266 S. Beverly Drive)<br /><br />11. The children’s clothing options at Marie-Chantal Beverly Hills are too cute for words, and yet most are designed for rough-and-tumble kids’ activities. Take the boys’ long-sleeved T-shirt, for example ($48) – your little guy is ready for the playground now! (338 N. Beverly Drive) <br /><br />12. All aboard the Beverly Hills Trolley Tour – at $10 per adult and $5 per child, it’s a bargain for the whole family. (SE Corner – Rodeo Drive/Dayton Way)<br /><br />13. Green up your holidays with an all-natural/all-organic hand and foot refresher at Chi Nail Bar and Organic Spa. This classic manicure/pedicure combination ($60) features Green Tea Seed Oil for the softest hands and feet. (9390 S. Santa Monica Blvd.)<br /><br />14. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, don’t forget about your favorite four-legged friends, Buster and Belle. How about a sweater for Buster ($65) and a Mrs. Santa Paws Dress for Belle ($48) from Beverly Hills Mutt Club? ‘Tis the season! (9872 S. Santa Monica Blvd.)<br /><br />15. Take advantage of our year-round temperate climate and stroll through the many gardens here – Beverly Gardens Park along Santa Monica Blvd., for example, or Greystone Mansion at 905 Loma Vista Drive. Yep, it’s free!<br /><br />16. Fashionphile sells gently used designer handbags and accessories like the Chloe rhinestone key ring ($100) at gentle-to-your-pocketbook prices. (9551 Wilshire Blvd.)<br /><br />17. We know you’ve got holiday party plans! Glam it up with a pair of black suede peep-toe pumps with rhinestone accents – $90 at Aldo Shoes. (404 N. Beverly Dr.)<br /><br />18. For the “foodie” in your life, pick up a non-stick pizza crisper ($21), a garlic peeler ($9) or The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook ($34.95) at Williams-Sonoma. (339 N. Beverly Drive) <br /><br />19. Oliverio, the sleek, new restaurant and lounge at Avalon Hotel, serves up a variety of hearty grilled panini sandwiches ($14) for lunch and a selection of fresh, flavorful entrees (i.e. Scottish Salmon for $25 or Beef Short Ribs for $29) at dinnertime. (9400 W. Olympic Blvd.)<br /><br />20. A gift from Coach guarantees “glee” around the Christmas tree. A mahogany “skinny C” merino wool hat ($68) or a small red patent Gramercy wallet ($98) should do the trick. (327 N. Rodeo Dr.)<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">Info: </span><a href="http://www.beverlyhills.peninsula.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.beverlyhills.peninsula.com</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Happy Holidays!</strong></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXs-fi9N2I/AAAAAAAAHOk/auu0v7kT7ck/s1600/BeverlyHillsLightsCloseupchanelier.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwXs-fi9N2I/AAAAAAAAHOk/auu0v7kT7ck/s200/BeverlyHillsLightsCloseupchanelier.gif" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Baccarat Crystal Chandeliers dusted off for Christmas!</span></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><a href="http://www.julianarys.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.julianarys.com</span></a></strong><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-4109977888493574179?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-5964804345469705482009-11-18T10:24:00.000-08:002009-11-18T10:28:38.374-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwQ69LFom2I/AAAAAAAAHM0/EDaihdIg2e8/s1600/herzogs-bad-lieutenant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwQ69LFom2I/AAAAAAAAHM0/EDaihdIg2e8/s320/herzogs-bad-lieutenant.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />At a Q &amp; A session several months ago, director Werner Herzog - hyped-up over his last release (Encounters at the end of the World)&nbsp; - focused for a second or two on his "then" next project which was about to be wrapped that week (July 2009).<br /><br />"I call it the 'Bad-Ass' Lieutenant'," he chuckled to a rapt audience comprised mostly of twenty-something film buffs, there to take in two top-notch films lensed by Herzog, and to honor a man thick in every aspect of the fascinating (but draining) process of filmmaking.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;">Post:&nbsp; 07/30/09</span><br /><br /><a href="http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/07/werner-herzogto-sign-conquest-offering.html"><span style="color: yellow;">http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2008/09/werner-herzogattends-screening-of.html</span></a><br /><br />He was quick to tout the acting prowess of lead actor, Nicolas Cage, who&nbsp;slipped under the skin of the fascinating character and sported it like a comfortable old shoe.<br /><br />In the tragic dark comedy (a take-off on Abel Ferrar's classic cult offering in 1992)&nbsp;- Cage plays a cop sidelined by an addiction to prescription drugs - bent on maintaining sanity in spite of the odds against it.<br /><br />Due to a scheduling conflict, I was unable to catch the Herzog feature which screened&nbsp;last week(&nbsp;photographed in a keen naturalistic style),&nbsp;but intend to saunter into a theatre in the near future to get the low-down first-hand since I am a big fan of Mr. Herzog (a director's director, by the way).<br /><br />The buzz?<br /><br />Cage's performance is being hailed as a bravado break-through&nbsp;revelation&nbsp;in some circles.<br /><br />"Cage gives a hypnotic performance," gushed Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times), for instance.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwQ7nsq07fI/AAAAAAAAHNE/fqBFNFLH6to/s1600/valkilmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwQ7nsq07fI/AAAAAAAAHNE/fqBFNFLH6to/s200/valkilmer.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>It will be interesting to take a gander at Val Kilmer's contribution who - according to Herzog - was more-or-less a boy scout on d the set in Louisiana during the duration of the exhausting shoot.<br /><br />Allegedly there was a lot at stake for the surly actor known to be a trouble-maker in&nbsp;past incarnations.<br /><br />The response to "Bad Lieutenant" hasn't been half-bad from&nbsp;film critics.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>According to Manohla Dargis at the New York Times:</strong></span><br /><br />"One of the best movies of Mr. Herzog's career. Here Mr. Cage and Mr. Herzog take you into a hell that leads straight to movie heaven."<br /><br />Herzog must be floating on a cloud!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwQ7SiS85hI/AAAAAAAAHM8/sosKkJAW69s/s1600/Bad_Lieutenant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwQ7SiS85hI/AAAAAAAAHM8/sosKkJAW69s/s320/Bad_Lieutenant.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-596480434546970548?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-86393841448441676882009-11-17T20:54:00.000-08:002009-11-17T21:22:58.113-08:00<b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwN6j3aJ6yI/AAAAAAAAHMU/Dde5kLBs56I/s1600/0-leviplaygirl_display.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwN6j3aJ6yI/AAAAAAAAHMU/Dde5kLBs56I/s320/0-leviplaygirl_display.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Care for a sniff?</span></strong><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>(kinky)</strong></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: yellow;"></span></strong><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwN7HCWqp4I/AAAAAAAAHMc/jq7qHJBBej0/s1600/amd_levi-hockey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwN7HCWqp4I/AAAAAAAAHMc/jq7qHJBBej0/s320/amd_levi-hockey.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: yellow;">They don't call&nbsp;Levi the&nbsp;ice man for no good reason!</span></strong><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: yellow;">He shoots! He scores!</span></strong><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: yellow;"></span></strong><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwN8wBdgeaI/AAAAAAAAHMs/bVU0AdoUS-8/s1600/pop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwN8wBdgeaI/AAAAAAAAHMs/bVU0AdoUS-8/s200/pop.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-8639384144844167688?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-83253786739368440852009-11-17T20:10:00.000-08:002009-11-17T20:10:06.435-08:00<a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Whatever_happened_to_Sue_Helen_Petrie">Whatever happened to Sue Helen Petrie?</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-8325378673936844085?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-48349372844635112152009-11-17T18:39:00.000-08:002009-11-20T11:18:39.105-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwNbR-mio5I/AAAAAAAAHME/0BHismF-wY4/s1600/image005-200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwNbR-mio5I/AAAAAAAAHME/0BHismF-wY4/s320/image005-200x300.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwNdKdcJBYI/AAAAAAAAHMM/X6FzFjUFO7g/s1600/NeillBlomkampCCJuly09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwNdKdcJBYI/AAAAAAAAHMM/X6FzFjUFO7g/s200/NeillBlomkampCCJuly09.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />One of my Art Professors once cautioned that when viewing a work of art - whether it be a painting or a short film - the observer should take a step back and first fathom the emotions that washed over the senses.<br /><br />A clever artist, after all, is capable of manipulating the elements to seduce the individual.<br /><br />That's the case with Neill Blomkamp's Sci-Fi thriller - District 9 - released by Tri-Star pictures.<br /><br />Understandably.<br /><br />Blomkamp started out in the biz as a director of videos and TV commercials.<br /><br />A master of slick vacuous images, Blomkamp's film work has no soul or spirit to speak of.<br /><br />To an intelligent person with unfailing logic, the plot does hold much water, either.<br /><br />In the introductory scenes, it is duly noted that disease-ridden aliens crash-landed on&nbsp;Earth about two decades ago, and were&nbsp;summarily herded&nbsp;into a&nbsp;squalid cordoned-off neighborhood in South Africa (out of harm's way, presumably).<br /><br />Through the clever use of fictional news-reel footage, it&nbsp;was established further that the aliens&nbsp;were at the mercy of their captors (the human race!) and literally faced dire straits because of their primitive nature and inability to broach their base animal instincts and rise up against their foes.<br /><br />But, an intelligent filmgoer will undoubedly catch the irony of that unfolding scenario, on screen.<br /><br />Surely a race of aliens - capable of crafting a spaceship with the remarkable technology (and wizardry) alleged by the screenwriters here - would not have allowed themselves to be kept under the thumb of alien beings obviously inferior to their highly-advanced intergalactic race!<br /><br />Once the filmgoer has recongized the folly of it all, it is wholly possible to settle down and realx into the vastly entertaining (and engrossing) visual aspects of the&nbsp;film (go along for the joy ride after suspending belief).<br /><br />Lots of action, humor, and a posse of delightfully wicked villains,&nbsp;manage to hold the&nbsp;filmgoers in sway&nbsp;(and on the edge of their seats)&nbsp;as they furiously munch on high-calorie snacks washed down with frosty sodas and what-not.<br /><br />Yessir, dudes!<br /><br />District 9 - with all its sophistication and near grace - is just a plain old popcorn movie!<br /><br />Pass the butter, please.<br /><br />During a Q &amp; A session, the director humbly&nbsp;confided&nbsp;that he was not seasoned enough to direct a film of the calibre of Shinder's list (he'll leave that to professionals like Spielberg he gushed almost too quickly).<br /><br />But, you know what?<br /><br />Blomkamp is not talented or experienced enough to craft&nbsp;a Hollywood feature sure to stand the test of time, either. <br /><br />The direction was pedestrian, at best.<br /><br />And, there was too much stalled action, from the get-go.<br /><br />Dude - just pop the guy - and get it over with.<br /><br />The cloying way&nbsp;a handful of key&nbsp;scenes were executed was downright BORING.<br /><br />However, in spite of himself, there was a nifty notion or two lurking in the carnage that was District 9.<br /><br />The&nbsp;plot device&nbsp;that conjured up the idea about a piece of military equipment (and high-tech space craft) - that only functions when triggered by the user's DNA - was&nbsp;quite an&nbsp;imaginative dalliance&nbsp;with myriad possibililties.<br /><br />When one character&nbsp;was left in a lurch - half-human&nbsp;/ &nbsp;half-alien -&nbsp;he is assured that the leader of the Alien Nation will be back in three years to cure him of his hybrid genetics.<br /><br />Ah, the door is opened wide for a sequel.<br /><br />It strecthed one's credulity to imagine that Director Neill Blomkamp was clueless about&nbsp;the potential of a follow-up project to resolve that loose end as he would have us believe&nbsp;the other&nbsp;night at the Landmark.<br /><br />Wise old owls like me just chuckle at that kind of silly co**-tease.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>For a run-down on the highlights of the interview click on the link:</strong></span><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Post:&nbsp; 11/10/09</span></strong><br /><br /><a href="http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/11/los-angeles-timesenvelope-screening-of.html"><span style="color: yellow;">http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/11/los-angeles-timesenvelope-screening-of.html</span></a><br /><br />In the final analysis, District 9 is sure to fair well in video sales down the line, and at endless rounds of all-nighters at local revival houses, on an alien-invaders triple bill.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-4834937284463511215?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-13472371926208931042009-11-17T13:52:00.000-08:002009-11-17T14:27:43.293-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwMbIVgzjAI/AAAAAAAAHLU/l5wk8kLjOeM/s1600/l_d92b1af496ab4ac6a0d3de6b0f554b37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwMbIVgzjAI/AAAAAAAAHLU/l5wk8kLjOeM/s320/l_d92b1af496ab4ac6a0d3de6b0f554b37.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Cher (the unsinkable stage performer and show biz trooper) sashays into the Colosseum at the end of the week (Novemer 19th)&nbsp;to the delight of die-hard fans who&nbsp;- basked in the glow of her trail of successes&nbsp;when she rode high over the years&nbsp;- and buttressed&nbsp;her up when she went down in flames on occasion&nbsp;during the course of a remarkable career than has spanned a few dazzling decades.<br /><br />A few weeks ago - when Cher kicked off her first stint at Caesar's Palace - I was on hand&nbsp;to surreptiously capture&nbsp;up-close-and-personal all-the-goings-on at the celebrated event.<br /><br />As Cher's guests mingled about the tony foyer, they chatted each other up enthusiastically, &nbsp;'til the doors swung open wide to the thronging masses right on the button.<br /><br />For the most part, the ticketholders were well-heeled, stylish, and coiffed to the nines.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwMeUix8cWI/AAAAAAAAHL8/lgtpciZXQbs/s1600/cherhalfbreed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwMeUix8cWI/AAAAAAAAHL8/lgtpciZXQbs/s200/cherhalfbreed.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div>Not unlike the Queen of Clubs in their midst!<br /><br />The ambience?<br /><br />Electric!<br /><br />In a prior post, I focused on Cher's remarkable career, with a parcel of personal facts tossed in after delivering up all the pertinent info on her glorious return to Vegas.<br /><br />If you're inclined to take a trip down memory lane - just click on the link - to be transported back.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Post:&nbsp; 09/18/09</strong></span><br /><br /><a href="http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/09/cherdinner-show-caesars-palace-in-vegas.html"><span style="color: yellow;">http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/09/cherdinner-show-caesars-palace-in-vegas.html</span></a><br /><br />In recent days, Cher has busied herself with a handful of projects, according to press clippings.<br /><br />In particular, I understand that her penchant for aesthetics - especially as they apply to home decor - triggered an&nbsp;offshoot hobby into the interior design business.<br /><br />Family dramas also thrust her into the spotlight in recent weeks.<br /><br />Daughter Chastity, for instance, stunned Momma (and the whole free world) when she announced out-of-the-blue one fine day that she was pining for a sex operation to become a full-fledged man.<br /><br />In contrast to&nbsp;a gaggle of shocked parents before her - who have often shunned their children when confronted with a similar sexually-charged dilemma - Cher tackled the issue square on and stood by her lovely daughter.<br /><br />Coincidentally, as I was preparing this post today, I stumbled across an article in a National magazine, in which Chastity openly confided to an interviewer that she has been growing hair recently in previously un-thought-of places.<br /><br />Not a shrinking violet these days, is - um - he?<br /><br />For her birthday, thoughtful friends (Mother, too?) gifted her with a bevy of shaving products.<br /><br />And, there was a subtle name change, from Chastity to Chaz.<br /><br />Meanwhile, judging by the publicity stills for the Caesar spectlacular, Cher has either uncovered the fountain of youth, hired the best airbrush artist in the business, or is dallying with secret potions and magic botox concoctions to wash&nbsp;the&nbsp;grey - and tell-tale signs of middle-age - away.<br /><br />Some say, the normally-sensible Pop Diva, has become a plastic surgery junkie!<br /><br />Or, made a pact with the devil, along the lines of&nbsp; Dorian Gray?<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">News at 11!</span></strong><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwMc4zNKTpI/AAAAAAAAHLc/nqH7L6_uHeQ/s1600/sonny-and-cher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwMc4zNKTpI/AAAAAAAAHLc/nqH7L6_uHeQ/s320/sonny-and-cher.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-1347237192620893104?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-4575963131535190462009-11-16T20:10:00.000-08:002009-11-16T22:14:38.224-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIdqj0NznI/AAAAAAAAHJ8/kF--76zksPQ/s1600/muse_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIdqj0NznI/AAAAAAAAHJ8/kF--76zksPQ/s200/muse_2.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">The scintillating </span></em></strong><strong><em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">music </span></em></strong><strong><em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">behind </span></em></strong><strong><em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">the </span></em></strong><strong><em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Vampire Mask</span></em></strong><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">of</span></em></strong><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Twilight </span></em></strong><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">&amp; </span></em></strong><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">New Moon</span></em></strong><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIg1Sjn8GI/AAAAAAAAHKs/j6ATx4wvW9Y/s1600/twilight-new-moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIg1Sjn8GI/AAAAAAAAHKs/j6ATx4wvW9Y/s320/twilight-new-moon.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: cyan;"><strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </strong></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: cyan;"><strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </strong></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: cyan;"><strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; St. Vicent</strong></span><br /></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIfABDCZtI/AAAAAAAAHKc/SBbLx_yBbzk/s1600/WinterArts104_StVincent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIfABDCZtI/AAAAAAAAHKc/SBbLx_yBbzk/s200/WinterArts104_StVincent.jpg" yr="true" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIhMVvfQmI/AAAAAAAAHK0/ZHXFBQ_w6Hw/s1600/vampire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIhMVvfQmI/AAAAAAAAHK0/ZHXFBQ_w6Hw/s320/vampire.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: lime;">Thom Yorke</span></em></strong><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIejy5KA6I/AAAAAAAAHKU/qQneYL6LuVk/s320/Thom-Yorke-The-Eraser-365177.jpg" yr="true" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color: #ea9999;"><strong><em>Killers</em></strong></span><br /></div><div align="right" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwId3OCNOQI/AAAAAAAAHKE/3UiUbz4BFv8/s1600/the_killers-thumb-600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwId3OCNOQI/AAAAAAAAHKE/3UiUbz4BFv8/s200/the_killers-thumb-600x400.jpg" yr="true" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIeF9oNvaI/AAAAAAAAHKM/sWvgK5kxX9c/s1600/Transatlanticism-Death_Cab_for_Cutie_480.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIeF9oNvaI/AAAAAAAAHKM/sWvgK5kxX9c/s200/Transatlanticism-Death_Cab_for_Cutie_480.gif" yr="true" /></a><span style="color: #ffe599;"><strong><em>Death Cab for Cutie</em></strong></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIftyXQlVI/AAAAAAAAHKk/eKZ8AOvPdmE/s1600/bon-iver-for-emma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwIftyXQlVI/AAAAAAAAHKk/eKZ8AOvPdmE/s320/bon-iver-for-emma.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-457596313153519046?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-41214520728950217222009-11-16T15:03:00.000-08:002009-11-16T15:55:12.804-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: yellow;">Markie-Mark gets hits</span></em></strong><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: yellow;">Whew! </span></em></strong><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="color: yellow;">I can't imagine why</span></em></strong><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHXSiBbTmI/AAAAAAAAHH8/jBsEP2cVl_4/s1600/mark-wahlberg-calvin-klein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHXSiBbTmI/AAAAAAAAHH8/jBsEP2cVl_4/s320/mark-wahlberg-calvin-klein.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong><em>Lusty Lesbo</em></strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong><em>lures trollettes to site!</em></strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHX0os5ljI/AAAAAAAAHIE/IdI40ABrAIs/s1600/ellenportia2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHX0os5ljI/AAAAAAAAHIE/IdI40ABrAIs/s320/ellenportia2.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />Over the past few weeks, for some inexplicable reason, my blog - The Tattler - has catapulted me into the stratosphere with regard to fame!<br /><br />Everywhere I go these days -&nbsp;whether it's into&nbsp;a chic cafe for a cup of &nbsp;hot java,&nbsp;strolling down the street mindlessly window-shopping, tooling around town in my shiny black&nbsp;SUV - folks stop and stare when they spy me in their midst.<br /><br />So, of course, I have to be careful not to unwittingly pick my nose in public, make sure my attire for the day (or evening) is stylish (or at least sparkling clean or pressed to perfection), and endeavour to be all smiles so I don't get a reputation for being off-putting, stuck-up, whatever!<br /><br />Mere mortals&nbsp;appear to have more of&nbsp;a problem dealing with my fame than little old moi!<br /><br />Several months ago - folks whispered amongst themselves&nbsp;- is that him?<br /><br />In more recent days, astonished bystanders&nbsp;tend to stop in their tracks as their eyes go wide,&nbsp;then turn to their friends in disbelief.<br /><br />"Do you <strong><em>KNOW</em></strong> who that is?"<br /><br />Perchance, did they assume&nbsp;that I was a mere thumbnail sketch (not a real person) on the Internet - with&nbsp;blood,&nbsp;or &nbsp;flesh,&nbsp;or bone - to speak of?<br /><br />Just recently, my high-profile status switched into high gear through no conscious effort of my own!<br /><br />For example - &nbsp;if&nbsp;I am dawdling at&nbsp;a cashier's window for a nano-second or two (on the heels of collecting my change) - the quick-on-the-uptake star-struck clerk may&nbsp;be inclined to bid me adieu.<br /><br />Two simple words ("Thanks, Julian") are sweet nothings to the ears!<br /><br />I find this an intriguing turn of events -&nbsp;since I&nbsp;don't recall&nbsp;introducing myself to the ball** clerk, let alone patronizing the establishment.<br /><br />Must have been one of those dark nights of the soul, eh?<br /><br />On occasion, when I'm in an aisle perusing&nbsp;a delectable array of yummy-looking goodies on the shelves, an employee (or fellow shopper) will sidle up and slyly engage me in a bit of harmless casual conversation<br /><br />All the while, however, they continue to stare at me with a quizzical look on their stunned faces.<br /><br />"It's really him," they appear to be saying to themselves just before they pinch their arm for a reality check.<br /><br />Some gawkers engage in a bit of conduct which is quite disconcerting, though.<br /><br />Last night at a coffee shop, for instance, I looked up from my newspaper and&nbsp;caught a dazed (and confused) gentleman anchored to the floor staring at me intently!<br /><br />I expect that if I&nbsp; bellowed out "boo", he would have&nbsp;toppled over, too.<br /><br />According to recent stats at blogspot &amp; &nbsp;<a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/">http://www.julianayrs.com/</a>&nbsp; a large percentage of my readers are college-educated.<br /><br />Great, they "get" it.<br /><br />But, why the goofy unsophisticated reactions when I'm out painting&nbsp;up the&nbsp;town?<br /><br />My audience, by the way,&nbsp;is split just about evenly between males and females of&nbsp;the species (with the women edging out the dudes by a smidgen). <br /><br />The larger percentage have kids in tow, too.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHYQIVRS8I/AAAAAAAAHIM/CwtCXMkRvG4/s1600/Prince+William.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHYQIVRS8I/AAAAAAAAHIM/CwtCXMkRvG4/s200/Prince+William.jpg" yr="true" /></a>Must be all those sexy publicity stills of actors, athletes, and male models featured prominently on the site that drive the traffic my way.<br /></div><br />Speaking of traffic, high-ranking keywords for my sites are "Letterman" (at the height of the breaking news about the scandal with that bimbo babe what's-her-name) and "Mark Wahlberg (triggered by a shower scene post, I expect).<br /><br />After that, it's a toss up between Twittter (natch, cause I tweet alot), perky talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres (who I often report on and refer to as a lesbo in jest since she's an avid follower), the glitzy city of Las Vegas (due to the ongoing Hotel reviews and what-not I pen posts on ad nauseam), Liberace &amp; Scott Thorson (don't know why, but I'm laughing all the way to the bank), Prince William ( the post about the Prince's royal pee pee which caused such a ruckus in the pond across the sea), and the list goes on.<br /><br />In the photo (above) sure looks like something's going on down South in the Prince's shorts!<br /><br />At wordpress, the bulk of my readers hail from America.<br /><br />Meanwhile, blogspsot and my personal web site (which features naughty insightful racy posts) tend to attract a large number of hits overseas from countries like Greece, India, Brazil, England, etc.<br /><br />I wonder if anything is lost in the translation?<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>News at 11!</strong></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHZAMMcsqI/AAAAAAAAHIU/aHDdmsXVAFA/s1600/5474861c0e9c46e1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHZAMMcsqI/AAAAAAAAHIU/aHDdmsXVAFA/s320/5474861c0e9c46e1.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong><em>Once you've had black </em></strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong><em>'ya never go back!</em></strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHZxTjtUZI/AAAAAAAAHIk/ioEGP18mlS0/s1600/liberace-LotImg15176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwHZxTjtUZI/AAAAAAAAHIk/ioEGP18mlS0/s200/liberace-LotImg15176.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong><em>Won't 'ya be my Teddy Bear?</em></strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><em><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.julianayrs.com</span></a></em></strong><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-4121452072895021722?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-56256816286100038502009-11-16T10:26:00.000-08:002009-11-16T10:45:48.341-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwGY-6E2dlI/AAAAAAAAHH0/B1WARRkFeyQ/s1600/beprepared.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwGY-6E2dlI/AAAAAAAAHH0/B1WARRkFeyQ/s200/beprepared.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwGYO7OZVsI/AAAAAAAAHHk/3jXgF7ZueDs/s1600/teaparty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwGYO7OZVsI/AAAAAAAAHHk/3jXgF7ZueDs/s200/teaparty.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />In an e-mail bright and early this morning, it was brought to my attention that Tea Party Activists plan to burn effigies of individuals on the other side of the floor who have been in support of&nbsp; Obama's attempts to reform Healthcare on these shores.<br /><br />In addition, Jon Vogel (DCCC Executive Director) underscored in his to-the-point missive that because "worshipping" tea-party "extremists" (such as Glen Beck and others) have remained undeterred by their embarrassing loss in the NY-23 Special Election, the battle for supremacy surges forward.<br /><br />"First they announced that they are&nbsp;forming their own political action committee with the goal of raising millions to attack Democrats who voted for health insurance reform," he fumed.<br /><br />"Now they've taken their protests to shocking new lows. Next weekend, they are planning to burn Democratic Members of Congress in effigy and more of these sickening displays are planned for the week ahead," he groused&nbsp;in his rousing crack-of-dawn communication.<br /><br />Mr. Vogel is pitching a petition (posted below) which calls on Republican Members of Congress to denounce what he has alleged are despicable actions&nbsp;on&nbsp;the part of &nbsp;the "tea-party crowd".<br /><br />"Join the Democrats in a civil and constructive debate on bringing urgently-needed health insurance reform."<br /><br />As I noted in the "comment box" provided (which was summarily returned post haste) - &nbsp;individuals are entitled to voice their opinions and share their views freely and openly in a democratic society&nbsp;- without threat of ridicule, persecution, or an effigy-burning of their image at the stake.<br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>John Vogel urges Americans to not only sign the petition, but also: </strong></span><br /><br />Call On The GOP Leadership To Tell Tea Party Protesters To Stop These Despicable Acts<br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="color: yellow;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;">PETITION</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color: yellow;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br /></div><div align="left"><br /></div>This Saturday, Conservative Tea Party activists plan to hang in effigy Members of Congress including Rep. Tom Perriello and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.<br /><br />Tell the GOP leadership to immediately denounce these despicable actions by the 'tea party' crowd and instead join Democrats in a civil and constructive debate on bringing urgently-needed health insurance reform.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Sign the petition below:</span></strong><br /><span style="color: yellow;">(sample)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Email:</strong></span> <br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">First Name:</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Last Name:</strong></span><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Zip / Postal Code:</span></strong> <br /><br /><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>Share Your Thoughts (optional)</strong></span><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">Info: </span><a href="http://www.dccc.org/page/s/despicable"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.dccc.org/page/s/despicable</span></a></strong><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwGYWszXFlI/AAAAAAAAHHs/YTgqBlP95qo/s1600/healthcare-reform2009-06-18-1245364138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwGYWszXFlI/AAAAAAAAHHs/YTgqBlP95qo/s200/healthcare-reform2009-06-18-1245364138.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><strong><a href="http://www.ijulian.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">http://www.ijulian.blogspot.com</span></a></strong><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-5625681628610003850?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-36542153006393537912009-11-16T08:38:00.000-08:002009-11-16T08:58:45.735-08:00<div align="center"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwF7dYyzp3I/AAAAAAAAHHM/GIN0TxrXwxY/s1600/michelle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwF7dYyzp3I/AAAAAAAAHHM/GIN0TxrXwxY/s320/michelle.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />During the course of a stint of savvy window-shopping last evening, I stumbled across a gift-idea for fans of the President's better-half.<br /><br />Just in time for Christmas, a 16-month 2010 Calendar featuring&nbsp;appealing poses of Michelle Obama in style-setting fashion ensembles, has landed on shelves at Borders (for starters).<br /><br />Golly, when I was a kid, there were just twelve months in a year.<br /><br />How did the&nbsp;ever-graceful Michelle manage to finesse&nbsp;that little stunt?<br /><br />I guess Barack needs a few more calendar months to put the finishing touches on Healthcare reform, top-level orders pertaining to the shipment of&nbsp; back-up troops to Afghanistan, slap-on-the-wrist sanctions to be brought against Iran,&nbsp;and so forth and so on.<br /><br />I expect that when Barack Obama is strolling around the White House plucking up stray lint from the plush carpet, or stepping inside the tony environs of his state-of-the-art shower facility,&nbsp;a&nbsp;wide smile spreads over his lovable mug as he hums a bar or two of an old Neil Sedaka tune.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwF_ivKTykI/AAAAAAAAHHc/y7SKctg-nVE/s1600/Neil-Sedaka-Calendar-Girl-411106-991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwF_ivKTykI/AAAAAAAAHHc/y7SKctg-nVE/s200/Neil-Sedaka-Calendar-Girl-411106-991.jpg" yr="true" /></a><strong><span style="color: yellow;">I love I love I love </span></strong><br /></div><strong><span style="color: yellow;">My Calendar Girl!</span></strong><br /><br />Each day when the Prez jots down a flurry of appointments triggered (no doubt) by a handful of sticky dilemmas that won't go away,&nbsp;Michelle's beaming face will be staring back up&nbsp;at him.<br /><br />Provided he springs for an edition or two, eh?<br /><br />For those who want to feel stately and important, there's a Barack Obama appointment book in dark masculine hues on the market now, which should do the trick.<br /><br />What's next?<br /><br />A cycling cap&nbsp;with the President's ubiquitous John Henry on its&nbsp;peak - or, just maybe - a book of Michelle's down-home recipes perchance?<br /><br /><strong><span style="color: yellow;">News at 11!</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwF-OBNNleI/AAAAAAAAHHU/PmhrL7DIhgA/s1600/bho-book-1-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwF-OBNNleI/AAAAAAAAHHU/PmhrL7DIhgA/s320/bho-book-1-cover.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="color: yellow;">Barack Obama stocking-stuffer</span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianarys.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>www.julianarys.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-3654215300639353791?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-42162430675410294602009-11-15T16:41:00.000-08:002009-11-15T16:57:20.428-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwCdlmGiuaI/AAAAAAAAHG0/FQ2Cu-96eNE/s1600/ladygaga_pokerface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwCdlmGiuaI/AAAAAAAAHG0/FQ2Cu-96eNE/s320/ladygaga_pokerface.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwCeQRmg6QI/AAAAAAAAHG8/DepPHPa1hs0/s1600/Lady-Gaga-jet-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwCeQRmg6QI/AAAAAAAAHG8/DepPHPa1hs0/s200/Lady-Gaga-jet-1.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><br />The tour with Kanye West may have floundred and splintered away into mere stardust on&nbsp;the road to pop icon excess and scattered one show biz dream, but Lady Gaga continues to ride high on the omnipresent airwaves, at least.<br /><br />Tomorrow night (November 16th) - the wild-eyed pop chanteuse will perform her hit - Bad Romance - with the&nbsp;oh-so-catchy danceable beat.<br /><br />Judging from the look of her outrageously-wigged out stage persona (tops Phil Spector fer sure) she's pining for stage infamy, eh?<br /><br />The night-time drama - Gossip Girl - is signaling sure-fire bell weather trends.<br /><br />Teen angst is a driving force in the ratings game!<br /><br />Catch it, if you can.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwCfVM5dnWI/AAAAAAAAHHE/FsKD8IQbVz4/s1600/gossip-girl-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwCfVM5dnWI/AAAAAAAAHHE/FsKD8IQbVz4/s320/gossip-girl-image.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-4216243067541029460?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3458481441884861780.post-45152897715771611032009-11-15T14:47:00.000-08:002009-11-15T17:48:13.969-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwB-EjYtRWI/AAAAAAAAHGk/V4tqBaa-0Fo/s1600-h/twilight-tease-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwB-EjYtRWI/AAAAAAAAHGk/V4tqBaa-0Fo/s320/twilight-tease-poster.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />As I headed up Westwood Blvd today, I surmised - at first -&nbsp;that the tough economy was taking its toll.<br /><br />But, a&nbsp;smattering of bed rolls, blankets, and half-asleep bodies bundled up in layers of raggy clothes turned out to be the first signs of a long vigil by Twilight fans expected to explode into ecstasy come&nbsp;Friday (Nov. 20th) when the 3rd feature film in the Vampire series unfolds on the silver screen (at the stroke of midnight in&nbsp; a handful of theatres around the country).<br /><br />The world premiere kicks the saga off on tomorrow on Nov.16th at two Mann's Theatres in Westwood (The Village Theatre and the Bruin) were the hearty die-hard fans are pining for a glimpse at a star or two.<br /><br />Amused - I strolled by and tried to get a gander at the spoils&nbsp;of Pattinson's besotted&nbsp;admirers who waited patiently for the much-anticipated blood-sucking event - sure to make temperatures rise and pubescent young ladies&nbsp;swoon (and faint) when their young Lothario - Robert Pattinson - makes a devilish entrance at the theatre next week.<br /><br />Last year, when Pattison's character appeared from off-camera into the glare of the floodlights,&nbsp;excited teens&nbsp;let out a chorus of orgasmic screams the likes of which I'd not witnessed in many-a-day.<br /><br />None of their affections have waned; in fact, they appear to have been&nbsp;escalasting&nbsp;to a fever pitch in recent days&nbsp;as they wile away a few hours in the sizzling-hot mid-day sun - and in the interim - proudly share their coveted memorabilia with fellow&nbsp;Vampire&nbsp;aficionados&nbsp;in&nbsp;a line that snakes from Weyburn&nbsp;@ Westwood - up to Le Conte&nbsp;to the edge of the UCLA campus&nbsp;- and around the corner (and beyond to the Theatre)&nbsp;in a pilgrimage not terribly unlike the long and arduous one that Dorothy&nbsp;made to the "Emerald City" (Wizard of Oz).<br /><br />As I strode&nbsp;by somewhat amused,&nbsp;the occasional fan gave me a cold stare; after all, I was over thirty.<br /><br />How could I possibly feel their longing, understand their all-consuming passion?<br /><br />The&nbsp;adoring fans&nbsp;appeared to be mostly in the twenty-something demographic - with ubiquitious streaks of pink hair, black T's etched with haunting images of Pattison&nbsp;worn over torn jeans - the entire scintillating V-garb sparked up with a smattering of intriguing&nbsp;trinkets that have sprung up from a&nbsp;culture currently in Vampire Vogue.<br /><br />The Twi-hards (as they're known to exasperated parents&nbsp;&amp; greedy studio suits) are lovingly adorning their bodies with Volturi pendants, engraved rings worn on the fourth finger (!), and eye-catching jewelley crafted with black diamonds (Liz would be envious!)&nbsp;curdled with blood-red gems that underscore the awful truth.<br /><br />Vampires are stalking our children and luring them into the blood-sucking fold!<br /><br />Meanwhile, mainstream retailers are getting in on the action, too.<br /><br />At Nordstroms, for instance,&nbsp;they're flipping a bevy of t-shirts etched with quotes from the film, plaid jackets, and shirts that tease "Bet you can't read my mind."<br /><br />But, I can, darling!<br /><br />Love sick young fans are pining for a roll in the hay with their pin-up flavor of the month, the ever-sensual vamp-charistmatic, actor Robert Pattinson.<br /><br />In the alternative?<br /><br />A signed poster - with sexy stud's mug splashed all of it - would suffice.<br /><br />Thank you very much!<br /><br />The ultimate?<br /><br />Young Pattinson hopefuls are dashing off to beauty salons, plunking down hard-earned cash, and splurging&nbsp;on eye-catching "Twilights" in a witchy-effort to emulate Kristen Stewart's and her vampy femme fatale "do".<br /><br />If Pattison comes calling, it&nbsp;will bring a whole new meaning to the phrase - fashion victim - eh?<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwB-T5NRC1I/AAAAAAAAHGs/Ic_d2F46krk/s1600-h/twilight-tease-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2pvpfssa5w/SwB-T5NRC1I/AAAAAAAAHGs/Ic_d2F46krk/s320/twilight-tease-poster.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.julianayrs.com/"><span style="color: yellow;"><strong>http://www.julianayrs.com</strong></span></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3458481441884861780-4515289771577161103?l=ijulian.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Julian Ayrshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17464479175409829733julian@julianayrs.com0