Daily Diary

Today I'm going to share with my blog readers a blog that I read. It's called Dorothys' Daily Diary & I love it! The site is a teenagers' diary from the forties with all her thoughts on life, friends & dating, lovingly transcribed by her son. It has information added by Dorothys' sister on the people & places mentioned & also includes headlines from the day. The diary is updated daily with Dorothys' entry from the same date in 1945. It's such a personal site and really offers a fascinating glimpse at a different time.

http://www.dhdd.net/dorothy/1945/today.html

Useless Information?

A longtime friend of my husbands' (I won't give his name because he works in finance & this is kind of a silly post) has taught me an easier way to open a banana. I must preface this post by saying, I never really thought that opening a banana was difficult to begin with. It seems that while observing monkeys for an extended period of time, our friend realized that they don't peel their bananas the way we do. Instead of peeling the banana from the stem (which I believe is the "traditional" human way), a monkey will use the stem as a handle & lightly pinch the bottom of the banana & peel from there. It really is easier. I told you this was a silly post!

Chocolate Altoids!

I think no matter how good something is, there's always room for improvement. I love cinnamon Altoids. The entire "curiously strong" part of them totally appeals to me. So how in the world could they make them better? They've dipped them in chocolate!! The folks at Altoids have been giving them out at various awards shows & events to get the buzz out there. They're hard to find right now, but soon they'll be everywhere. Really good!
I've been hoarding these new delicious treats (much like Elaine on that episode of Seinfeld, when she has to decide if her dates are "sponge worthy"). However, I've just learned from Mindy Ephron (who costars on the great show The Office) that the chocolate Altoids are available online: Order them at www.candywarehouse.com.

American Idol

We're two episodes into season 6 of American Idol & I think I'm the only person in America who prefers watching the really talented people audition. There's something a little sad about knowing that the really bad /odd singers had to audition before several panels of producers before they're finally able to perform for Randy, Simon & Paula. Each step along the way, as they see their numbers whittled down from the 10,000 people who show up, to the 100 that get before the judges, they probably get a little boost in confidence & think "Hey, I AM a good singer". Then at the end of a very long day, they find out that they've really only been strung along for comic relief. Don't get me wrong, I really like American Idol & America still LOVES American Idol. The 2-hour season premiere had 37.3 million viewers & 36.9 million people watched the Wednesday night episode. These were the two biggest nights of prime-time entertainment on Fox since it came onto the air nearly two decades ago. To put the numbers into perspective, the most popular show on TV so far this season, ABC's "Desperate Housewives," averages 20.7 million viewers a week - or a little more than half of what "Idol" delivered upon its return. My favorite Simon comment so far was directed at the girl who blamed her dry throat on her bad performance: "You could lie in a bath with your mouth open and you still couldn't sing."

Best Dressed

The Best Dressed lists for the Golden Globes are coming out & I'd like to add Rebecca Gayheart. I loved her ice blue gown & she had the perfect accessory...handsome hubby Eric Dane!

Lilo and Her Stitches

I have a confession to make (please don't throw anything): I like Lindsay Lohan. I'm not the type of person to base my opinion of someone on what's written about them in the press. Besides, there are always so many conflicting stories that I wouldn't even know what to believe. I like her as an actress (What's not to like?). Freaky Friday: Her remake was better than the Jodie Foster original. Parent Trap: Even folks who aren't LiLo fans, begrudgingly agree that she was great in this. Mean Girls...I liked it enough that some of my middle aged friends & I greeted eachother with "Hey Mean Girl" for a couple weeks. I prefer her as a redhead (as opposed to Prairie Home Companion blonde or Bobby brown). I don't know why anyone with real red hair would ever consider coloring it. Another plus is that Lindsay truly loves fashion & usually (not always) makes pretty good (or at least interesting) style choices. One more confession: I didn't even recognize her in her new Miu Miu campaign!

25 to 24!

When I met my husband, he had a teeny tiny television and didn't have cable. Needless to say after marrying me, he now has an enormous television & likes to DVR. But, there are still only two television programs that my darling hubby has to watch live: one is USC football & the other is 24. I have to agree with him on both counts! 24 is one of the best shows on the air. The acting and plot lines are amazing. You really don't want each episode to end. Kiefer Sutherland was always on my list of great underrated actors who deserved to be more famous than they were (James Spader was on that list too, before he landed Boston Legal). If you haven't succumbed to the lure of 24, tomorrow is your chance. Each season of 24 is "self contained" and the new season starts Sunday night at 8:00 on Fox. Trust me, after watching the 2 hour premiere episode on Sunday & another 2 hour episode on Monday, you'll be hooked too.

Flushed Away?

I know most of you are going to think this is another crazy invention, but I think it's kind of cool. Someone has invented a toilet /aquarium! As a mom to boys, I am convinced they would love this. It can also be adapted to house lizards & other reptiles. I'm sure many of you have had bad luck with gold fish (Who hasn't?). I've had over 100 goldfish in my life (usually won at one of those carnival ping pong ball toss booths) & they almost always die within a week. Let me recommend a fresh water fish that lives for years & thrives on neglect: Japanese Fighting Fish (or Bettas). If you feed them once a week, and change their water every few months they'll live for years!

Room For Improvement?

I'm all for any product that will make your life easier, more organized or more attractive. I was looking online for closet organization supplies to help me contain my massive shoe & handbag collection, when I stumbled across the contraption pictured at left. My first thought was "Now THAT'S something new!". Designers take inspiration from any number of sources. Obviously this designer was inspired by...the hamster wheel. I don't know if it really "revolutionizes the fine art of shoe storage", but it is unique. It doesn't appear to take up less space & would benefit from little plastic doors to keep the shoes from getting dusty. I don't think I'd use it for my designer pumps, but it might work for sandals & sneakers. The kids would probably like it, but most likely use it for action figures & their pet tortoise. Oh well, I admire anyone who tries to create something new. According to their site, the item is sold out until the end of February.

Flight Styles of The Semi-Famous

I've mentioned before about bumping into celebrities on flights & it's happened again! This week I had to travel for work, so I was sitting in first class (hooray!). I'm a big people watcher & I love airports. I like to pass time by trying to figure out everyones' "back story" as they get on the plane (businessman flying to a convention, former athlete flying to a speaking engagement, young author flying to meet her publisher, etc.). A man with black tinted glasses entered the plane & I thought: former actor...Mickey Rourke? It took just a second for me to realize it was Anson Williams! If you don't know who Anson Williams is, shame on you. He was Potsie on Happy Days for 10 years. Amazingly, I was the only person on the plane who seemed to recognize him. I was chatting with the flight attendants & they (what a coincidence) brought up flying with famous people. They had just flown with Nick Lachey (in their words "so polite & totally hot"). I asked if they recognized the guy in 3 C. Hey, Potsie was the "hot guy" on Happy Days (remember the episode where Joanie calls him "Dren" because it's the opposite of nerd?) & these flight attendants were my age. Neither one recognized him, even after looking at his name on the passenger list. After we landed, our eyes met & we both smiled. I don't know how others react when faced with the famous. Do you say you're a fan? Do you acknowledge their fame? I asked him to retrieve my bag from the overhead compartment.
I IMDBd him on my laptop in the hotel (looked him up on the Internet Movie Database, which isn't really very accurate). I learned that his real name is Anson William Heimlich & his uncle, Dr. Henry Heimlich, created the "Heimlich maneuver". I also found out that he now has a great career as a director. I'm glad.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! It's time to reflect on 2006, figure out what worked for you & what you could maybe do a little better this year. If you need ideas for your New Years' Resolutions here are some of my favorites:
1. Drink more water (you'll look better & feel better).
2. Learn how to do something new or make time for an activity you love (horseback riding, sailing, dancing, cooking, etc.).
3. Cultivate your friendships (be a good friend).
4. Give the gift of time (volunteer somewhere, play with your kids, talk to your partner).
5. Choose to be happy (You can't always change how others act, but you have total control over how you react).
I hope this year brings you all health, happiness & success. Have a positive attitude & 2007 will be the best year ever!

Holiday Sales!

I'm a girl & I LOVE a good sale! I find it very hard to pay full price for anything. If you shop online (which I love to do), I'm sure you've seen the "code" boxes at checkout. That means that somewhere out there is a secret code that will either give you an extra discount, or free shipping, or...something. There are lots of online sites that will show you current coupons & codes. I like http://reesycakes.com/ or you can google the name of the store you're shopping at & include the word "code" in the search. One of my favorite jewelry designers (Future Fashionista) is having a great holiday sale and her prices are reasonable to start with. Elana handstrung my favorite "kite pearl" necklace. I wore it to the TVLand Awards this year & wear it all the time. It's a classic & seems so much "younger" than my Grandmas' pearls. Future Fashionista is offering 35% off everything on their site until 12/31, with the code "ThankYou". I'm not getting a kick back, just letting you in on a good deal. http://www.futurefashionista.com/

Elf Yourself!

I'm going to let you in on a little secret: I've been an elf for Santa on more than one occasion. It involved volunteering to help out with kids visiting Santa at our local community center & it was tons of fun! One of my blog readers requested that I put a photo of me in a Santa hat on my blog for the holidays.
This is the best I can do & it probably won't be up for long (so enjoy & don't laugh too much).
http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=efe8bab259932988dd881a9G06122408
Everyone have a wonderful holiday. I hope you're all surrounded by loved ones.

Almost Family

I think lots of people have dear friends that they consider family. One of those people in my life is Bill Asher, my "Uncle Bill". I've known him my entire life & he's one of the most charming, charismatic men I've ever met. He's treated me with love & respect since before I was two. He can tell a story better than anyone! He's had the most remarkable career in entertainment. Uncle Bill was the director of I Love Lucy (arguably the best sitcom ever!) & he even came up with the idea of Samantha twitching her nose on Bewitched! His life is so steeped in history that not only was he friends with the Kennedys (including Jackie), he actually spent the last day of her life with Marilyn Monroe. He was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. Darren & I were happy to be there to help him celebrate.

Longtime Friends & a Very Patient Teenager !

Old Friends & The Lakers

I thought about calling this post "Longtime Friends" & The Lakers, but I'm the first to admit, we're kind of OLD! I'm sure some bloggers have lists of things to write about or some general focus to their blog, but since I'm sort of a "baby blogger" (despite my rather advanced age), I just write about things as they happen. So when my dear friend Toni called & invited me to join her & her adorable nephew Tyler at a Lakers game, I thought "I am going to blog about the Lakers game". Well as we drove from the OC to the beautiful Staples Center, I found a new topic for today's entry: "Things You Don't Know About Your Longtime Friends". I've known Toni for 25 years, but I just found out that she is a HORRIBLE driver! I don't know why I've never driven with Toni before, but let me describe some fun facts about our wild ride. I would consider myself a fairly relaxed person & I've taught 3 teenagers to drive, with no incidents or even close calls; but our short drive to LA was like a Disneyland E Ticket (once again showing my age!). I was alerted to Toni's "little problem" when she came within inches of the car in front of us before lurching to a stop. She casually said " I'm not a very good driver, I accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes." She then started telling a story, that involved a lot of hand gestures, with no hands on the wheel. Toni also decided to point out all the drivers on the highway who she deemed to be worse drivers than she was. This involved her actually pointing at the offending vehicles and her car heading straight at them! After about an hour, she mentioned that she was having a hard time reading the signs. She asked me to get her purse & the new glasses that she'd just gotten!! She casually added that her doctor had said something about her eyes being equivalent to someone 10 years older. People can handle stress in many ways. It turns out that Tyler & I are the type to laugh uncontrollably. Well the Lakers/ Houston game was amazing. They were 21 points behind, but won in double overtime. I'd like to offer a special thank you to Toni's nephew Tyler. He put up with two middle aged women who still occasionally act like silly teenaged cheerleaders. If you happen to meet Toni (she's a smart, funny, beautiful girl) please offer her a ride.
http://web.mac.com/tonimarano/iWeb/ToniMaranoPilates/About%20The%20Program.html

Marc Jacobs

Fashion designers love celebrities. They get tons of free press by giving them clothes. Nothing is better for a designer than having someone famous wear one of their outfits on the red carpet. Designers also love to feature celebs in their ads. Sometimes the celebs & the fashion lines are a prefect fit: Chanel uses Nicole Kidman & Scarlett Johansson is the new face of Louis Vuitton. Sometimes the celebs connection to the designer is humorous: Marc Jacobs featured Winona Ryder after she was arrested for shoplifting his clothes from Saks. The new face of Marc Jacobs is a little puzzling: Dakota Fanning. For some unexplained reason, folks seem to have very strong opinions about Dakota. They either love her or HATE her. I really don't get it. I think Dakota is an extremely talented child actress (much like Jodie Foster) & I think she's very pretty. She also comes across as poised & intelligent. But as far as being a fashion model, she's only 12! Marc Jacobs had to make custom pieces for her to model since none of his designs fit her (no surprise, since she's only 12!). I couldn't figure out what was weird about the photo on the left, then it hit me! The flower in Dakota's hair looks just like a white mouse jumping off her head! Oh well, who am I to question fashion?

Zillow!

I love to find cool websites. I also love to tell my friends about them. One of my favorites is: http://www.zillow.com. You can enter any address, plus the city, state & it will show you aerial photos from four angles. The photos are so high quality, you can clearly see your car in the driveway or your dog in the backyard. You can also scroll around the photos to get information on the neighbors. The site is a fantastic tool for home buyers & sellers because they give you a "zestimate" or accurate current value of the home. For my really nosy readers, you can even find out what your neighbors paid for their home.

Worst Nightmare?

If you ask a child about their worst nightmare, they'll probably tell you a tale about monsters. If you ask a student, they'll surely have a story about walking into class & having an unexpected test. But the worst real-life nightmare for most women involves swimsuit shopping. I think it has something to do with the fluorescent lighting and the three way mirrors. Let me tell you what just happened to me, exactly one week after Thanksgiving. My wonderful agent called to tell me that he had a job offer for me to host a fitness show...but there was one small catch. The producer needed to see a photo of my butt & thighs. Surely, this was an attempt at agent humor. We're in the midst of that fitness vacation that everyone is entitled to (between Thanksgiving & New Years). I'd just gotten back from a feast-filled vacation, it was winter. It turns out my agent was serious, so the morning after I went to a Christmas party (that had a chocolate fountain!), I found myself donning a bikini in my sisters' back yard as she snapped a photo of my butt & thighs. Luckily the product I'm endorsing is working & my rear end proved to be sufficiently photogenic & I got the job!

Almost Famous

Have you ever been on a flight with someone famous? Have you ever noticed how the buzz fills the plane, until everyone knows there's a celeb on board?
I remember taking a cross country flight years ago & Joan Van Ark (from Knot's Landing) was in front of me. I watched her put on makeup for at least an hour. Friday I took a quick trip to Vegas aboard Southwest Airlines. If you haven't flown Southwest, they're an airline that doesn't assign seats & doesn't have first class (you're put into groups A, B, or C depending on when you check-in. I check-in online 24 hours in advance, so I'm always in group A). On my first flight, I learned that Sinbad was aboard the plane. During the entire 50 minute flight, one flight attendant was trying to explain to the other flight attendant who Sindbad was. Sample conversation: "He's a comic, he had his own show." "You mean Martin?" "No, that's Martin Lawrence." "Is he the guy with all the jewelry?" "No, That's Mr. T.". I was so tempted to say "He was in Jingle All the Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger". But, I didn't think naming a 10 year old, slightly obscure film would have helped. Speaking of guys "with all the jewelry", on my return flight Flavor Flav was aboard. He was traveling alone & very friendly. In case anyone might not recognize him, he was actually wearing one of those giant clock necklaces. His other long gold chain got tangled in his carry on bag as he stowed it overhead. It was like watching an I Love Lucy skit. Even an older couple across from me knew who he was. A word of advice for Sinbad: Get on a reality show or hire Flavor Flav's publicist.