Dutch Coffee Shops Improvise on the tobacco ban

Look at this ...

Leave it to the Netherlands to come up with something new in lieu of the smoking ban: Condom Balloons

Click on the video link to actually see the balloons.


English Link

OSCARS n Stuff

I know it's been a LONG time since I've last scribed ... actually I've been scribing here and there, but have yet to post as I want to proof it 1st - me no puta (yes I went there) bada English/American on me blog - only the best for ya'll.

So ... OSCARS ... tomorrow ... here ... in my hood ... yesterday I was putzin' to work via the metro (I take the Hollywood/Highland stop to Pershing Square) and they've already blocked off the whole block round Kodak Theatre, added the red carpet, tarped the red carpet, etc). So ... my 1st OSCARS in the hood! 7 months ago I, as well as all my Euro-friends, were hoping I would be walking down the carpet as a nominee ... we joked that it would just be an honour to be nominated, how fabulous I would look in my Jimmy's (Choos), how much attention my infamous hairy cleavage (A cup, but very hairy -see pic) would receive; I will be the talk of the town in my bright orange/yellow navel, love handle revealing mini-skirt blouse one-piece. But, alas, this year I will be watching it from afar ... well about 4 blocks away ... I'm going to the director's OSCAR party (of the new show I'm in - more details in another blog) where there will be lots of minging ... um ... I mean mingling.

GIVE US A KISS!



Don't know whatcha'll have seen or not seen in this years oscar race, but most of the films I've seen have been pretty mediocre. One in particular I just wanted to slit my wrists and spray blood all over - There Will Be Blood - SUCKED!!!!!! I sooo wanted to get up and leave!!!!! Even my date felt the same!!! CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP and more CRAP ... let me explain ...

1. Acting Fab (Daniel Day - AMAZING)
2. Cinematography - AMAZING!
3. Score - SHITE (didn't belong in this movie - might work in another one, even from the 1st note w/in the 1st minute it sounded like 100 nuns scratching their nails on a chalkboard!
4. "Lengthage" - OMG cut a fucking hour off of the fucking movie!! Don't make us sit though 2hrs28min of hell!!!! (at least I was able to grab a few winks and I don't think anyone in the audience could hear my snores over the score)
5. Worst of all - I paid $15 fucking dollars - actually $32.something with tax for my date and I.

I'm sooo bad at picking winners in things, all but Eurovision! But in case curiosity's got your goat (me English good, 'eh?) here's my picks/hopes (underlined):

Performance by an actor in a leading role
George Clooney in "Michael Clayton" (good performance, but not a winner)
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood" (amazing)
Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (impresses me more with each movie)
Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah" (didn't see and not really a fan of his)
Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises" (FUCKING AMAZING)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (didn't see)
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men" (AMAZING!!!)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Charlie Wilson's War" (didn't see)
Hal Holbrook in "Into the Wild" (WINNER!)
Tom Wilkinson in "Michael Clayton" (good perfomance, but I really only think the movie's OK)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (didn't see)
Julie Christie in "Away from Her" (didn't see, but i hear it's all the buzz)
Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose" (didn't see)
Laura Linney in "The Savages" (didn't see, but LOVE HER)
Ellen Page in "Juno" (great, but not a winner)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There" (didn't see)
Ruby Dee in "American Gangster" (didn't see)
Saoirse Ronan in "Atonement" (pretty good)
Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone" (LOVE HER!)
Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton" (FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY she's recognized for the amazing talent she is)

Best animated feature film of the year
"Persepolis" (didn't see): Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
"Ratatouille" (didn't see): Brad Bird
"Surf's Up" (didn't see): Ash Brannon and Chris Buck

Achievement in directing
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (AMAZING), Julian Schnabel
"Juno" (Good, but don't think he'll win), Jason Reitman
"Michael Clayton" (NO), Tony Gilroy
"No Country for Old Men" (Maybe), Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
"There Will Be Blood" (PLEASE GOD NO), Paul Thomas Anderson

Best foreign language film of the year (OK - I have major problems with this list this year - where's 4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days? where's the Orphange? I mean really - WTF? Most of these I've never heard of and they weren't even nominated for a Golden Globe)
"Beaufort" Israel (didn't see)
"The Counterfeiters" Austria (didn't see)
"Katyn" Poland (didn't see)
"Mongol" Kazakhstan (didn't see)
"12" Russia (didn't see)

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score) - WHERE THE FUCK IS ONCE? WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?
"Atonement"
"The Kite Runner" (didn't see)
"Michael Clayton"
"Ratatouille" (didn't see)
"3:10 to Yuma" (didn't see)

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Falling Slowly" from "Once" (WINNER! IF NOT SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG!!) Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and: Marketa Irglova
"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted"
"Raise It Up" from "August Rush"
"So Close" from "Enchanted"
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted"

Best motion picture of the year
"Atonement"
"Juno"
"Michael Clayton"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

Adapted screenplay
"Atonement"
"Away from Her"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"

Original screenplay
"Juno" (AMAZING)
"Lars and the Real Girl" (AMAZING)
"Michael Clayton"
"Ratatouille"
"The Savages" (didn't see)

What are your choices?

OSCAR Speech Dos and Do Nots

The Most Fabulous (to many)/Horrendous (to some) Story Ever Told

Is it? Some, Many I'm sure would disagree. Some, Many would say it's blasphemy. Many, Some would say it's a riot. Many, Some would say it's entertaining. Some, Many would say this production I'm working on is good, great, even Fabulous ... that I will leave up to you to decide, if you get a chance to see it. We have only 2 shows left - today and tomorrow, so you have little time. I've blogged about this quite late; there are many reasons why, only some of them will I share ... I've been very busy with 3 jobs, rehearsals for a new (magic) play, the "fabulous" show, moving, exploring my like/hate relationship with LA and most importantly my hate/hate relationship with the US.

This show has been/is still a very interesting experience. I've learned some/many things about actors, directors, baby-sitting, lights, sound cues, baby-sitting, editing sounds, editing songs and did I mention baby-sitting ... oh yeah ... stage managing too, which is what I'm doing. This has been one of the youngest casts that I've ever worked with, which elicits some/many issues: working on a dated play - 1998 (some/many were but wee toddlers), committing to the character, breaking character, professionalism, etc. But I've worked on other productions with very mature 15 year olds (most of this cast are in their young 20s) and with very immature 30 somethings - proving age is just a number. I've ended up doing a lot of research for them, which I hope some, many have gandered at. Some have impressed me quite a lot - ones that I never thought would, actually up the ante while others actually unimpressed me in the end. Many, Some I thought would be profession - were not. Many, Some I thought were flaky - "unflaked" to a point. Many, Some I want to work with again - La La Land is a small metropolis, so I'm sure I'll cross paths with some, many.

If you don't get a chance to see the show give it a read (see link below) and for many/some of your own opinions.

Full Play On-line
H.F.C.'s Press Release for our show

I learned and grew - that's the most important thing.