It's time for action...

Well, I must admit, my blog is more like a slog.  It's time for action. Stay-tuned for the type of witty observations and social commentary that literally no one has been waiting for, or have you?  Only page views will tell.

Nice Job, Baby Goose!

So I found several things refreshing about my run-in with Hollywood actor Ryan Gosling last night. These in no particular order:

1. He was dressed as a man should be who is out to dinner.  Not as a rollerblader who just happened to roll into a restaurant or a teenager coming off a 12 hour session of playing Call of Duty Black Ops II. 

2. He sat rather reserved in a suit and tie in his admittedly handsome glow having a normal conversation without the need to scan the room every several seconds to see who was paying attention to  him.

3. This, perhaps the most telling, there were not 25 paparazzi lining up outside the restaurant to take his picture.  This tells me two things. Mozza is not in on the game, and he doesn't need to call his publicist to tell him where he is going to be so 25 paparazzi are waiting for him outside the restaurant.

Nice Job, Baby Goose.

Anything Is Possible, Even A Golden Globe?

While it is too early for me to make my predictions for The Golden Globes this Sunday, I will say there is a pretty solid performance given by Naomi Watts in the very tough to watch movie, The Impossible. 

Rarely do I find myself simply unable to watch a movie, except for perhaps Harry and The Hendersons. But the first 15 minutes of The Impossible had me second guessing my decision to settle in for two hours of tension.  That being said, Ms. Watts was very good, as were the children in the cast.  In the long run, I am very glad I stuck with it, and perhaps come Sunday, Naomi will be as well.

Here's What's Happening In My Neck Of The Woods

Really, Al? At The White House? It's certainly getting tougher by the day to hold on to my Today Show loyalty, and I guess for Al to hold on to his breakfast.

So This Is Heaven...It's Amazing!

It's a sad day around the Blowing Sunshine offices as we have learned of the passing of the great Huell Howser. Huell was a Southern California legend and the host of numerous public television programs including "California's Gold" and six other series about life in the Golden State, such as "Visiting with Huell Howser," "Road Trip with Huell Howser," "California's Golden Parks," "California's Green," "California's Water" and "Downtown." Huell was a big, strapping man with the innocent curiosity of a 5-year old. Well known around the oak at Musso & Frank Grill, he was always kind and friendly. I can only imagine him in Heaven, this a man who was fascinated with funnel cakes. Oh, look the pearly gates...that's amazing. RIP, Huell!

Well, I Was Wrong About This Too

I thought 2013 might bring about the end of what are we are lead to believe is an overwhelming desire to read about Kim Kardashian. But what does she do? Just when we were hoping there was little more that could be said for a person who does whatever it is that she does. She gets pregnant. Already, there is speculation on how much this may bring in for old Kim. No one dare mention how it probably isn't the best idea, but just how grossly profitable it may end up being for her and her as yet to be named and dressed in free designer clothes baby. So thanks for that Kanye!

Let’s Put A Tent On This Circus

I’m pretty sure they don’t print newspapers anymore, so I guess we will soon line our birdcages with old iPads. But there was a time not too long ago when every morning I would open the trusty printed pages with great anticipation and flip hurriedly to the comics to see what cartoonist Bill Keane had delivered for the day’s The Family Circus.

Over the years I had grown to despise The Family Circus so much that it became almost sadistic in nature, as I could not imagine that that morning’s cartoon could possibly be worse than the morning before. But Keane and his cartoon family never disappointed. You see, I derived a great sense of relief and pleasure in this, knowing Bill Keane had achieved creative success with what appeared to be such little ability; it gave me hope to face another day in the trenches.

Just when I thought The Family Circus had reached the absolute Pinnacle of Suckatude, Jeffy would make some comment about Barfy eating his Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, or that the clouds looked like circus animals or how the Baby Jesus was his lord and savior, and there you had it, a cartoon that sucked greater with each passing day.

Now don’t get me wrong, The Family Circus is hugely successful, in fact, it is the most widely syndicated cartoon panel in the world. But is its success due to millions and millions of readers actually loving the comedic exploits of Billy, Dolly, Jeffy, and P.J? Or are there millions and millions of people just like me, who so passionately hate the panel that we simply need to read it to feel better about ourselves?

I guess soon enough there will be a way to find out. It was announced late last year that Fox has acquired the rights to make a movie out of the long running comic strip. They paid seven figures for the family-friendly cartoon to make its way to the big screen. However, I am already anticipating great disappointment, for I know even after the movie has ended, inevitably there will be additional footage left out that would have made the film even more unbearable than it will surely be.

Crack Open Some Art

The Hammer Museum, a somewhat hidden gem in Westwood, has temporarily taken on not the feel of a bar exactly, but certainly the atmosphere of a friendly party as part of their series called the Hammer Project. For this project, Tom Marioni is presenting his on-going artwork Drinking Beer with Friends is the Highest Form of Art. Along with the bar-like installation, and a list of rotating bartenders/artists, the remaining empty Pacifico beer bottles from these private gatherings actually become part of the artwork.

Attending last evening's gathering, I was served an ice-cold cerveza from artist and guest bartender Chris Burden, the man responsible for, among other things, LACMA's hauntingly beautiful Urban Lights.

Marioni has been working on this project idea for many years now, and has written books on the subject. Not to mention downed his fair share of cold ones.

But who says art has to be so high brow? From the look on the faces of most of the attendees, I would say they don't mind their art occasionally being a little easy to swallow.