Friday, March 17, 2006
Sitting by the dock of the bay
That's right friends! I'm in San Francisco.
And you'd think a big ole 'mo like me would be in his glory. But, I hate gay bars... So given the choice of a hundred or so gay bars in this city, I still chooose to vegetate in my hotel room. Ah it's a glamorous life I lead...
So I'm up here training to be the stage manager for Menopause the Musical. Here for two more nights, then back to L.A. to begin rehearsals. Should be miserable. But, at the tail end is a decent paying job for not a lot of work...
Not much else is going on other than that. I will do my best to wake up at a resonable hour tomorrow and take the ferry over to Sausilito (sp?). It's a beautiful ride right past Alkatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. There's a little cafe over there that I'm particularly fond of. From there, back to the city. It'll probably be the only touristy thing I get to do, but I'm not complaining.
So vices... Pot: I've failed. I've smoked. At first it was OPP (other people's pot), but now... Sex: Still none (though still none being offered). I haven't had a drink (but didn't really drink before Lent began so that really doesn't count), and I still haven't gambled. Good for me...
And you'd think a big ole 'mo like me would be in his glory. But, I hate gay bars... So given the choice of a hundred or so gay bars in this city, I still chooose to vegetate in my hotel room. Ah it's a glamorous life I lead...
So I'm up here training to be the stage manager for Menopause the Musical. Here for two more nights, then back to L.A. to begin rehearsals. Should be miserable. But, at the tail end is a decent paying job for not a lot of work...
Not much else is going on other than that. I will do my best to wake up at a resonable hour tomorrow and take the ferry over to Sausilito (sp?). It's a beautiful ride right past Alkatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. There's a little cafe over there that I'm particularly fond of. From there, back to the city. It'll probably be the only touristy thing I get to do, but I'm not complaining.
So vices... Pot: I've failed. I've smoked. At first it was OPP (other people's pot), but now... Sex: Still none (though still none being offered). I haven't had a drink (but didn't really drink before Lent began so that really doesn't count), and I still haven't gambled. Good for me...
Thursday, March 09, 2006
We've missed you Daniel!
Never fear blog-o-maniacs! I'm back.
Much has happened since last I blogged. The Oscars came and went, Project Runway crowned a winner, the Gay Porn Awards were handed out, and... and... I haven't smoked pot since Saturday!
Okay, so I missed Lent by a few days with the whole giving up the green, but better late than never. As always, absolutely no guarantees that this time will last forever, but a good detox every now and then certainly has done me well in the past... We'll see how this one goes.
On the Lenten scorecard, the pot's been kicked (late), gambling's been shelved (thanks to a Fat Tuesday visit to Las Vegas), and no sex for me (not that I was getting any before Lent, but whatever). As for food, well, I'm hoping the lack of midnight munchies will help with that...
So the Oscars. Some thoughts. As I blogged last week, I thought "Crash" was the better film. That said, it was still pretty shocking that "Brokeback Mountain" lost. Also, as predicted, there was plenty of articles on-line about why "Brokeback" lost, including lots of speculation that it was a backlash against the gays. Who knows if it's true or not that Academy voters didn't watch the movie and that's why they didn't vote for it. I guess only the members themselves know one way or the other, but I can't help but doubt it a little as it still took down Best Screenplay and Best Director.
As for the rest of the Oscars: I thought the telecast itself was a total mess. Cameras visible in a couple of shots, bad transitions into and out of commercials, the music playing underneath entire speeches was a total disaster, and "Crash" pulls off one of the biggest Oscar upsets in recent memory and they don't even let both producers give speeches. Tacky. Reece's speech was lovely; P.S. Hoffman was great; George Clooney was fantastic (though slightly undeserved); Matt Dillon was beyond hot; Naomi Watts' dress was a mess; Jennifer Garner looks beautiful; Nicole Kidman is tall; Kathleen "Bird" York's song from "Crash" was mesmerizing; the interpretive dance behind her song and the "Pimp" song was absurd and whoever came up with that idea should be shot; Dolly Parton and Joan Rivers were a hoot when they talked before the show (Dolly: "You knew me when I was a B cup." Joan: "Actually I wasn't allowed in the delivery room."); and Jon Stewart was good but not great, too safe for my money.
Okay, enough about the Oscars.
Project Runway ended wonderfully. I was rooting for Daniel V. to pull it out, and was nervous that he would crash and burn after Part 1 last week. But, happily, his collection came out beautifully. But, it was Chloe's night, and her collection was an absolute stunner. The judges kept saying that it was a tough choice... Hopefully that was grandstanding for the cameras.
And tonight was the Gay Porn Awards. For those of you that don't know this little tidbit about me... I'm a judge. I only stayed for the first two hours or so (open bar and buffet time), then bailed. It's a strange affair the whole awards thing. Think of porn stars like actors in a McDonalds commercial. Actors with small hands make the burgers look bigger. Likewise, porn stars who are 5'6" and under make the... well, you get the idea. On the one hand, it makes me feel tall being surrounded by all these petite men, but on the other hand it sort of spoils all the fantasies... Ah well. One thing's for sure: this is one giftbag my mom won't be nagging me to send her...
So that's about it. Oh, this is the final weekend of Menopause the Musical at the Coronet in Los Angeles. The show has been very good to me this past year. I don't think I would have survived in L.A. without ushering and running the follow-spot there. It's going to be very odd to not be going there after Sunday.
Much has happened since last I blogged. The Oscars came and went, Project Runway crowned a winner, the Gay Porn Awards were handed out, and... and... I haven't smoked pot since Saturday!
Okay, so I missed Lent by a few days with the whole giving up the green, but better late than never. As always, absolutely no guarantees that this time will last forever, but a good detox every now and then certainly has done me well in the past... We'll see how this one goes.
On the Lenten scorecard, the pot's been kicked (late), gambling's been shelved (thanks to a Fat Tuesday visit to Las Vegas), and no sex for me (not that I was getting any before Lent, but whatever). As for food, well, I'm hoping the lack of midnight munchies will help with that...
So the Oscars. Some thoughts. As I blogged last week, I thought "Crash" was the better film. That said, it was still pretty shocking that "Brokeback Mountain" lost. Also, as predicted, there was plenty of articles on-line about why "Brokeback" lost, including lots of speculation that it was a backlash against the gays. Who knows if it's true or not that Academy voters didn't watch the movie and that's why they didn't vote for it. I guess only the members themselves know one way or the other, but I can't help but doubt it a little as it still took down Best Screenplay and Best Director.
As for the rest of the Oscars: I thought the telecast itself was a total mess. Cameras visible in a couple of shots, bad transitions into and out of commercials, the music playing underneath entire speeches was a total disaster, and "Crash" pulls off one of the biggest Oscar upsets in recent memory and they don't even let both producers give speeches. Tacky. Reece's speech was lovely; P.S. Hoffman was great; George Clooney was fantastic (though slightly undeserved); Matt Dillon was beyond hot; Naomi Watts' dress was a mess; Jennifer Garner looks beautiful; Nicole Kidman is tall; Kathleen "Bird" York's song from "Crash" was mesmerizing; the interpretive dance behind her song and the "Pimp" song was absurd and whoever came up with that idea should be shot; Dolly Parton and Joan Rivers were a hoot when they talked before the show (Dolly: "You knew me when I was a B cup." Joan: "Actually I wasn't allowed in the delivery room."); and Jon Stewart was good but not great, too safe for my money.
Okay, enough about the Oscars.
Project Runway ended wonderfully. I was rooting for Daniel V. to pull it out, and was nervous that he would crash and burn after Part 1 last week. But, happily, his collection came out beautifully. But, it was Chloe's night, and her collection was an absolute stunner. The judges kept saying that it was a tough choice... Hopefully that was grandstanding for the cameras.
And tonight was the Gay Porn Awards. For those of you that don't know this little tidbit about me... I'm a judge. I only stayed for the first two hours or so (open bar and buffet time), then bailed. It's a strange affair the whole awards thing. Think of porn stars like actors in a McDonalds commercial. Actors with small hands make the burgers look bigger. Likewise, porn stars who are 5'6" and under make the... well, you get the idea. On the one hand, it makes me feel tall being surrounded by all these petite men, but on the other hand it sort of spoils all the fantasies... Ah well. One thing's for sure: this is one giftbag my mom won't be nagging me to send her...
So that's about it. Oh, this is the final weekend of Menopause the Musical at the Coronet in Los Angeles. The show has been very good to me this past year. I don't think I would have survived in L.A. without ushering and running the follow-spot there. It's going to be very odd to not be going there after Sunday.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Oscar eve
I heard an interview with this man's mother on NPR this morning. It brought me to tears.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11331922/
She talked about supporting her son through the triumph of eighteen nominations, and eighteen losses. She said that whenever somebody else's name is read instead of her son's, that that is another mother's day to see her son or daughter honored. She, though, doesn't need any Oscar to affirm what she already knows about her son. That, and she met George Clooney at the Nominee's Luncheon, so who really cares what happens anymore? Very sweet and funny.
I looked at a few studios this morning. One was nice, with a huge deck and a killer view. Another had the same view, a slightly smaller deck, but the actual studio space was way small. The third was quirky and old, and had a nice patio and private garden. I wasn't really sold on any of them. Oh, and none of them included parking, which isn't necessarily a huge problem for the neighborhood where they were located, but the whole point of moving is parking, so I think I'm going to pass on them.
I will meet with my landlord on Tuesday to see what other apartments he has in the area. He seems willing to give me a deal on rent, so I'm hopeful we'll find something.
Okay, here are my Oscar predictions (and who I'd rather see win in parenthesis):
Best Picture: Brokeback Mountain (Crash)
Best Director: Ang Lee (Ang Lee)
Best Actress: Reece Whitherspoon (Reece Whitherspoon)
Best Actor: P.S. Hoffman (Joicaim Phoenix)
Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Weitz (Frances McDormand)
Best Supporting Actor: George Clooney (Matt Dillon)
More later!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11331922/
She talked about supporting her son through the triumph of eighteen nominations, and eighteen losses. She said that whenever somebody else's name is read instead of her son's, that that is another mother's day to see her son or daughter honored. She, though, doesn't need any Oscar to affirm what she already knows about her son. That, and she met George Clooney at the Nominee's Luncheon, so who really cares what happens anymore? Very sweet and funny.
I looked at a few studios this morning. One was nice, with a huge deck and a killer view. Another had the same view, a slightly smaller deck, but the actual studio space was way small. The third was quirky and old, and had a nice patio and private garden. I wasn't really sold on any of them. Oh, and none of them included parking, which isn't necessarily a huge problem for the neighborhood where they were located, but the whole point of moving is parking, so I think I'm going to pass on them.
I will meet with my landlord on Tuesday to see what other apartments he has in the area. He seems willing to give me a deal on rent, so I'm hopeful we'll find something.
Okay, here are my Oscar predictions (and who I'd rather see win in parenthesis):
Best Picture: Brokeback Mountain (Crash)
Best Director: Ang Lee (Ang Lee)
Best Actress: Reece Whitherspoon (Reece Whitherspoon)
Best Actor: P.S. Hoffman (Joicaim Phoenix)
Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Weitz (Frances McDormand)
Best Supporting Actor: George Clooney (Matt Dillon)
More later!
Friday, March 03, 2006
Oscar is coming...
So this is it: two days until the Oscars and you can feel the excitement in the air.
Well, actually, no. I can't really feel anything in the air. But you can feel something on the roads, as Hollywood Blvd. is closed, making my entire neighborhood a godawful mess to drive around... Luckily, I barely leave my house so I don't have to worry about it too much.
I did go to Vegas this week, but left on Monday rather than Sunday as originally planned. No shows for me, but did have a fabulous dinner at Elise, at the top of the Palms Hotel.
The view: Breathtaking.
The service: Pretty good, though when you're paying those types of prices you expect things to lower from the left and raise from the right... This they did not do.
The madras: Too much vodka. Almost every bartender makes this mistake. Even though you're charging me $16 for this cocktail (okay, you're charging my stepfather's company $16), don't think I will only appreciate the drink if there's a whole bunch of liquor it in.
The sparkling water: Perrier. Couldn't they find another brand that seems less "three bottles for $1.99" at the local Ralph's Supermarket?
The appetizers in general: A very long list of lots of things that I love, but it seemed that every dish had at least one thing I don't like... Sort of frustrating.
My appetizer: Prawns in some sort of sauce with mini sausage and mushrooms and some other vegetable. The prawns were fabulous and the sauce to die for (all happily soaked up onto wedges of bread from the breadbasket), but the veges were odd.
The dinners in general: Only about 1/3 the number of choices of appetizers. Two steaks, two seafood dishes, the requisite chicken dish, a duck dish, and a vegetarian dish (for the hippies).
My dinner: I had the filet mignon crusted in pepper with asparagus and a potato thing. Steak was great (though not as fabulous as Boston's Grill 23 peppercrusted steak), the veges okay, and the potato thing to die for.
The desserts in general: Myehh... Nothing jumped out at me, so I snacked on some butter cookies that were put on the table to accompany my mother's souffle (which, for the record, was also myehhh...).
Anyway, not much else to report at this moment. I've got to get back to work (I'm at C. Jay's, typing away while eating my lunch). I'm ushering tonight at Menopause, then running follow-spot tomorrow night. Sunday ushering both shows then watching the Oscars over at Alex's (don't be jealous Courtney!).
Oh, and in the good news department: Looks like I'm officially the stage manager for Menopause when it moves to Upland. Hooray!
Well, actually, no. I can't really feel anything in the air. But you can feel something on the roads, as Hollywood Blvd. is closed, making my entire neighborhood a godawful mess to drive around... Luckily, I barely leave my house so I don't have to worry about it too much.
I did go to Vegas this week, but left on Monday rather than Sunday as originally planned. No shows for me, but did have a fabulous dinner at Elise, at the top of the Palms Hotel.
The view: Breathtaking.
The service: Pretty good, though when you're paying those types of prices you expect things to lower from the left and raise from the right... This they did not do.
The madras: Too much vodka. Almost every bartender makes this mistake. Even though you're charging me $16 for this cocktail (okay, you're charging my stepfather's company $16), don't think I will only appreciate the drink if there's a whole bunch of liquor it in.
The sparkling water: Perrier. Couldn't they find another brand that seems less "three bottles for $1.99" at the local Ralph's Supermarket?
The appetizers in general: A very long list of lots of things that I love, but it seemed that every dish had at least one thing I don't like... Sort of frustrating.
My appetizer: Prawns in some sort of sauce with mini sausage and mushrooms and some other vegetable. The prawns were fabulous and the sauce to die for (all happily soaked up onto wedges of bread from the breadbasket), but the veges were odd.
The dinners in general: Only about 1/3 the number of choices of appetizers. Two steaks, two seafood dishes, the requisite chicken dish, a duck dish, and a vegetarian dish (for the hippies).
My dinner: I had the filet mignon crusted in pepper with asparagus and a potato thing. Steak was great (though not as fabulous as Boston's Grill 23 peppercrusted steak), the veges okay, and the potato thing to die for.
The desserts in general: Myehh... Nothing jumped out at me, so I snacked on some butter cookies that were put on the table to accompany my mother's souffle (which, for the record, was also myehhh...).
Anyway, not much else to report at this moment. I've got to get back to work (I'm at C. Jay's, typing away while eating my lunch). I'm ushering tonight at Menopause, then running follow-spot tomorrow night. Sunday ushering both shows then watching the Oscars over at Alex's (don't be jealous Courtney!).
Oh, and in the good news department: Looks like I'm officially the stage manager for Menopause when it moves to Upland. Hooray!
