Famous Neighbors

I was at an event recently & someone approached me to tell me that they'd read online that Micky Dolenz, from The Monkees http://www.mickydolenz.com/, (who was also attending the event) was my neighbor. I chatted with Micky & his wife & it turns out that we live a block away from each other & I walk the dogs past their house everyday. I live in LA, where it's pretty common to see celebs at your local Starbucks. Depending on a person's age, I either tell them that Alyssa Milano (http://www.alyssa.com) or Jamie Farr (http://www.jamiefarr.com) is my neighbor. The Kardashian girls & Lisa Rinna both have clothing stores at the local shopping center & Nikki Sixx's daughter is in my sons' class at school. When I see him daily, it's hard not to mention that I saw him in concert in 1983! Despite all this it not only surprises me that there's a list online of my famous neighbors, but also that I'M on the list!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Canyon,_California

Personal Appearance

I love to attend personal appearances. They're fun for me for many reasons. I get to catch up with old friends, I get to meet celebrities I've always admired & I get to chat with people who know more about my life & career than I do! Several things about these events are consistent. At least 100 people will ask me which Darren was my favorite (I'm going to start saying my husband). A couple famous actors will hit on me shamelessly (which while very flattering, would be much more enjoyable if we were both single). I also get to hear some great stories that I've never heard before. This past weekend I sat next to my friend Lou Ferrigno. He's an amazing guy who's been married for 29 years (& didn't even flirt a little). He told me that in May of 1995 he was in the hospital with pneumonia, that he contracted by drinking milk in another country. Same thing happened to me by the way (one time in my teens & another time with ice cream in my twenties. So be careful in countries that don't pasteurize). Well it turns out that Lou was in the room right next to Elizabeth Montgomery, when she passed away. Lou Ferrigno was the very last person to get Liz' autograph.

Whooping Cough?

Consider this blog a public service announcement. Remember all the immunizations you got when you were a little kid? Many of them can "wear off" when you're a grownup. How do I know? Because I caught Whooping Cough! It's also called pertussis & is the "P" in the DPT immunization. How do you know if you have Whooping Cough? First of all you cough uncontrollably & at the end of the coughing fit you inhale a large gulp of air that makes a "whooping" sound. Also, unlike a regular cold, your cough doesn't go away. For many people, including me, it can last for over three months! Before the vaccine became available, 5,000-10,000 people a year would DIE from whooping cough. There's a sudden rise in cases of whooping cough because many parents are choosing not to immunize their children & as a result those kids are infecting the adults (whose immunizations have worn off). Unfortunately once you have it, there's really no effective treatment.

Two Things You Don't Know About Me...

Here are two facts about me that I'm pretty sure you don't know.
1. My Uncle Leo created the sport of Roller Derby.
2. My mother, sister & ex-husband have all been bitten by rattlesnakes!

HGTV & Me!

Have you ever watched a home improvement show & thought "I can do that"? I'm the type of person who thinks I can tackle anything. But my recent attempt at building flagstone steps left me a little "Over My Head". How could I build steps when I couldn't even lift the rocks? So, I contacted my good friends at HGTV & they came to the rescue! I've got blisters & bruises everywhere, but the finished product is totally worth it. The crew was so much fun & totally kid friendly. Plus I have a new love of power tools. I'm sure the execs at the network are hard at work & I'll have my own HGTV series soon called the Helpless Housewife!

Something Funny...A Blonde Joke.

My sister e-mailed me a joke this morning. She is so NOT the type of person to send e-mail jokes (because she knows I hate them), but this one is actually funny.
I've changed the wording a little, since the writer/perfectionist side of me always tries to improve everything:

A blonde calls her boyfriend & says 'Honey, please come over. I have a really tough jigsaw puzzle & I can't figure out how to get started.' Her boyfriend asks 'What's it supposed to be when it's finished?'

The blonde says, 'According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster'. Her boyfriend decides to drive over & help with the puzzle.

He looks at the pieces spread out on the table, looks at the box, then turns to her & says, 'First of all, I love you very much, but no matter what we do we're not going to be able to assemble those pieces into anything resembling a rooster.' He takes her hand & says, 'Second, I want you to sit down & relax. Let's have a nice glass of wine & then...he says with a deep sigh...





'Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box'.

Groomer Has It!

Yesterday my enormous Leonberger puppy Zuma & I spent a fun day taping an episode for a new show on Animal Planet (think Project Runway for dog groomers). Being the reality TV fan that I am, I immediately recognized the loft as the same one used for America's Next Top Model Los Angeles. The host is Jai Rodriguez, the "Culture Vulture" from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. I can't give out too many details, (since I signed a $1,000,000 non-disclosure form!). I'll let you know when to watch so you can see Zuma looking beautiful & me with absolutely no makeup on! Only on Animal Planet will they spend hours grooming the dogs & not even put powder on the humans.

RIP: Johnny Grant

It is with great sadness that I discuss the death of the Honorary Mayor of Hollywood, Johnny Grant. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Mr. Grant many times over the years & I'm delighted that I was able to have a long conversation with him last Friday as he unveiled his last star on Hollywood Blvd: Elizabeth Montgomery's. I'd like to share a story he told me about his first trip to Hollywood. Johnny came to California from North Carolina in the 1940's to serve in the Army in World War II. He was in Santa Monica & asked one of the guys how he could get to Hollywood. They told him to walk outside & stick out his thumb. The first car that drove by picked him up & the driver asked "Where you going Sarge?". He said "Take me to Hollywood!". The car dropped him off at Schwab's Drugstore, where he was greeted by Charlie Chaplin. He told me that the number one thing that got him through the war, was the thought of getting back to the place where he wanted to spend the rest of his life: Hollywood. He was a class act, who was sharp as a tack to the very end. He will be fondly remembered & greatly missed.

Sisters At Heart

Bewitched - Minisode - Sisters At Heart

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In honor of Elizabeth Montgomery receiving her star on the Walk of fame, I'm posting the minisode of her favorite episode of Bewitched: Sisters at Heart. It's one of my favorites as well! I love the story behind the story: the episode was written by an English class at Thomas Jefferson High School. Their teacher asked the class one morning, about the reading assignment from the night before. No one had done their homework, but they'd all watched Bewitched. The teacher came up with the idea for the class to write an episode of the show as a class project. They presented the completed episode to Liz & Bill Asher (who loved it & decided to flm it!). The entire class came to the set & even as a child, I knew how special it was.
For those interested in the star ceremony, there are some great photos & videos on the Harpies Bizarre site:
http://www.harpiesbizarre.com/star.htm

A Star is Born!

I thought I'd share the press release for Elizabeth Montgomery's Star Ceremony tomorrow. If you're in Southern California, please stop by & say "Hi".
Thanks to "SamSarah" & Melanie at http://www.harpiesbizarre.com/ for the photo.

OH MY STARS!

ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY TO BE HONORED WITH POSTHUMOUS STAR ON THE

HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME


WHO: The late Elizabeth Montgomery

Honorary Mayor of Hollywood Johnny Grant

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler

Guest speakers: Actors Robert Foxworth and Elizabeth Sheridan

Accepting the star will be Montgomery’s children, Rebecca Asher and Bill Asher.


WHAT: 2,353rd Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

WHERE: 6533 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Hillview Apartments

WHEN: Friday, January 4, 2008 at 11:30 a.m.

COMMENTS:

The late Elizabeth Montgomery will be awarded the first star of the year when she will be honored posthumously on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, January 4, at 11:30 a.m.. Her star will be unveiled at 6533 Hollywood Boulevard.

Montgomery was born on April 15, 1933 in Los Angeles, the daughter of screen actor and TV star Robert Montgomery and former stage actress Elizabeth Allen. She and her younger brother Skip were raised in Hollywood, but were kept from the glare of the spotlight.

After her parents divorced in 1950, Elizabeth lived in New York. Her father had begun his successful television series Robert Montgomery Presents and it was here that Elizabeth made her television debut playing opposite her father in an episode entitled “Top Secret.”

Montgomery quickly became a prolific and hard-working television actress, making appearances on dozens of dramatic anthology shows of the 1950’s. She made her big screen debut in 1955 in The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell and although she would make more feature films, it would be television that would make her a star. In 1960 she earned her first Emmy nominations for her performance as prostitute Rusty Heller in an episode of ABC’s landmark drama The Untouchables. She also guest starred on a classic episode of the Twilight Zone.

In November 1963, Elizabeth starred in the pilot episode of Bewitched as the beautiful, good-hearted witch Samantha. The first episode aired in 1964 and the show was an immediate success. By the end of the season, Bewitched was ABC’s biggest hit ever and made ABC the #1 television network in the top 50 urban markets worldwide. Produced by her husband William Asher, Bewitched featured sophisticated writing and one of the best casts in television history. The show immediately became a part of the national popular culture. Catch phrases such as “Oh my stars!,” “you son-of-a gun”, and “what’s his name?” are specific to Bewitched, as well as hundreds of mesmerizing incantations, side-splitting humor, and of course, that famous “twitch”. Above all, Bewitched became a classic because Elizabeth’s character, Samantha, was so believable.

Bewitched was still ABC’s top show at the end of the decade. Unfortunately, ABC’s success demanded the show create nearly 40 episodes a year, placing a tremendous work load on the cast, writers and crew. Near the show’s end, Bewitched was rewriting earlier episodes to keep up. By the final season, the show was burning out. Mid-way through the final year, ABC moved the show to Saturday night opposite All in the Family, a stop-gag measure to block CBS’s gaining momentum. Bewitched held steady and the network requested two more years, but Elizabeth decided it was time to move on to other projects.

Montgomery continued to work in television, becoming the first and foremost “TV Movie Queen”. She created a string of classic TV films, including Mrs. Sundance, Belle Starr, The Legend of Lizzie Borden, The Awakening Land and A Case of Rape. Her final film Deadline for Murder was one of the highest rated movies of 1995. During the filming of that movie, Elizabeth fell ill, and after a short bout with cancer, she passed away in her home on May 18, 1995.

Happy New Year!

January first is the one day of the year where everyone gets a fresh start. It's time to reflect on last year, admit any bad mistakes or decisions you made & move on. It's time to choose a resolution that will somehow change your life, make you a better person & positively affect those around you. I usually pick something relatively simple (like drink more water) that I can stick to long after the Rose Bowl is over (Fight On SC!!). This year my goal is to learn to play the piano. I've wanted to take lessons since I was a kid.
For those who sent e-mails asking about my "wild" New Years Eve plans: I fell asleep watching Spiderman 3, had my hubby wake me up at 11:55, so I could watch the ball drop & kiss everyone. My life's not as glamorous as you may think (but it is happy).

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

It never (or at least VERY rarely) snows where we live in Southern California. This year for Christmas, we gave the boys the gift of snow! We found this stuff at Harrod's in London & it's really, really cool (literally). The kids love it, but perhaps not quite as much as I do!

Happy Holidays!

I love Christmas! Wrapping presents, singing Christmas songs, decorating the tree, baking cookies & watching the kids open presents. I hope you get everything you wished for. Here's a little gift from me to you, my favorite Christmas song EVER: Step Into Christmas by Elton John:

Wild Encounters

I'm a huge animal lover, have been all my life. When I was really young I wanted to be a veterinarian & one of my young sons wants to be a zookeeper. Over the Thanksgiving holiday our family took a trip to Michigan where we were greeted not only by snow (!) but also hunting season. My thoughts on hunting are a little complicated. When I see deer walking in the woods, I slow down to look at them or let the kids take a photo. I certainly don't feel like shooting them. That being said, I understand that deer can be pests & I'm definitely a meat eater. During our vacation I saw something that I've never seen before. After eating lunch at McDonald's (thank goodness we'd already eaten!) I saw an SUV at the drive-thru with a dead deer strapped to the roof (not something you're likely to see in Southern California). Try explaining that to your kids!
When we arrived home, we found that a coyote had moved into our yard. We have a large yard that's totally fenced & somehow he's gotten in & can't get back out. I've called animal control, department of fish & game, etc & no one can seem to tell us how to get rid of him (although their voicemail system did tell me how to get a hunting license). The coyote doesn't seem too afraid of me & comes right up to our backdoor & looks in. Of course, I'm nervous about our dogs & kids (although he's probably more interested in all the ground squirrels & bunnies). If any of you have coyote advice, I'd love to hear it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

There's something kind of great about a holiday that seems to be almost totally based on food. Remember to take a minute before you slip into a tryptophan induced coma to think about all you have to be thankful for. Have a wonderful holiday surrounded by family & friends!

Edamame Update

Who would have thought that my post on chocolate covered edamame would cause me to receive over 100 e-mails? Many people agreed with me that it didn't sound good. Cooks & chefs said the combination would be fine (perhaps even delicious). I also heard from several Trader Joe's employees (& friends of Trader Joe's employees). I learned from them that TJ workers sample all the products that they carry (what a great idea!). The consensus was that since the edamame are dry roasted the taste is similar to a chocolate covered nut. Alright, I like chocolate covered nuts, so I decided to drive over & pick up a container so I could give a fair review. When I arrived, I headed straight to the edamame display & ...it was gone! The edamame had been replaced with caramel covered popcorn. Oh well, I guess I wouldn't be able to do my little taste test after all. But then, I was approached by "Brad" one of my super helpful TJ "crew members". He told me that it had simply been moved to the "chocolate covered" section of the store. So. here I sit with an open container of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Edamame. What does it taste like? Let's see: dark chocolate, slightly salty & crunchy like a nut. It reminds me of the Trader Joe's milk chocolate covered soy nuts (& that makes perfect sense since edamame are soybeans, after all). Will I get them again? Probably not, but at least I can honestly say that they aren"t as horrible as they sound.

Delicious?

I'm a fan of Trader Joes. I'm sure I've mentioned it before. They offer good food, typically healthier stuff than at the grocery stores, that's easy to prepare & at reasonable prices. But today when I was on my weekly visit to TJ's to stock up on supplies for school lunches, I saw an item that made me say "Ewww" out loud! I'm a firm believer that almost anything tastes better with chocolate on it. But Trader Joe's may have gone too far with their latest creation: chocolate covered edamame! Don't get me wrong, I like edamame. I eat a little bowl every time I have sushi, but the thought of it covered with chocolate just seems wrong. I may take the plunge & try it. I hate to condemn a food I haven't tasted. If anyone has tried it & thinks it's delicious, let me know.

Forces of Nature

With wildfires raging in Southern California, I wanted to let you know that our home, family & pets are safe. Thank you for the e-mails expressing concern. We've got fires burning all around us (Malibu, Santa Clarita, etc.) We had a scare the other day when winds shifted, the sky suddenly turned black & orange, the power & phones went out. But just as quickly, the skies cleared & utilities came back on. We're not being evacuated, the kids' schools are open. The winds are stronger than I've ever felt. Huge branches keep dropping from our trees blocking the driveway, but we quickly pull them out of the way. Several hundred thousand people have been evacuated & the current numbers say at least 1,000 homes have been lost. Please keep those who are in danger in your thoughts & prayers.

Bonaduce -vs- FairPlay

So Many Choices!

Have you ever noticed that you can go weeks without any special plans & then suddenly you'll be invited to three events that are all on the same day & time? It seems to happen to me all the time, but this month more than ever. My sister scheduled a wine tasting party the same night my good friends planned our annual trek to Knott's Scary Farm (hard decision, but family wins). I'm invited to London for work, my husband's 20 year high school reunion & Mario Lopez' birthday party all fall on the same weekend (hubby wins, but really only because of last minute travel problems with London). Just this week I was asked to be a presenter at the Annual ERA (Electronic Retail Awards) in Las Vegas the same night as the Fox Reality Really Awards. I tried my hardest to attend both. I'm really fascinated by the whole Direct Response Industry & I was looking forward to all the educational seminars at the convention. Plus, I was flattered that they asked me (a fledgling host) to present. But the Fox Reality Awards is a REALLY fun event, I have tons of friends who work there, I have a great time doing the Reality Remix Roundtable & I am truly a fan of reality television. I was also one of the judges for the awards this year. At the event virtually every reality star from every reality show hangs out in a fun, casual, booze filled venue. Last year I saw "parts" of Chynna Doll that I'm still trying to erase from my brain! My initial plan was to attend the ERA show & all the events, present the award & fly straight to LA for the Fox party. Hey, I would already be in a cute dress, it could have worked! But, I decided it was a crazy idea & I was having so much fun in Vegas that I decided to stay. Check out the clip of all the excitement that I missed at The Really Awards! Reality Stars mixed with alcohol always makes must see TV!
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid353549946/bctid1213872318