Happy New Year!

My resolution? To drink more and work less!

See you in 2008!

Love, Sweepea

12 Days of Christmas

I know it's less than 12 days to Christmas, and this song is one of the most long, drawn-out carols of all time...but it's John Denver. And the Muppets. Need I say more?

Happy Holidays!

...and a very Merry Christmas!

Unfortunately it'll be a busy week...I'm trying to kick @ss with work so that I can take some much needed time off. If anything comes up, though, you'll -- of course -- be the first to know!

Love,
Sweepea

It's Been a Bad Week

Sorry about the lack of posts this week. I had to leave town for a death in the family. Hopefully things will be back to normal next week.

Love,
Sweepea

Talent and Looks are Inherited

Steven McQueen, the grandson of the late Steve McQueen, has been cast in the Disney Channel original movie "Minutemen," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The comedic science-fiction adventure centers on three teen outcasts who use a time machine to become popular and prevent other misfits from enduring humiliating situations, calling themselves the Minutemen.

This picture is of Steven when he was in the WB show "Everwood." Looks like his dad Chad.

Sweepea-TV: Better Than South Poles, I Guess

And the Award for Most Disgusting Holiday Candy Name goes to...
At least they're not cream-filled.
(Thanks to my co-worker M for the purchase.)

Happy Birthday, Walt Disney!

...and thanks for the magic.

"I am interested in entertaining people, in bringing pleasure, particularly laughter, to others, rather than being concerned with 'expressing' myself with obscure creative impressions."

"You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality."

"When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do. And one thing it takes to accomplish something is courage."

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

"Laughter is America's most important export."

"Why do we have to grow up? I know more adults who have the children's approach to life. They're people who don't give a hang what the Joneses do. You see them at Disneyland every time you go there. They are not afraid to be delighted with simple pleasures, and they have a degree of contentment with what life has brought - sometimes it isn't much, either."

Introducing...

If you're not familiar with June Christy, it's time to get going with this video. Her beauty is only matched by the strength of her voice as she sings "It's Been a Long Long Time."

The Holidays Strike Back!

Finally! We can watch the legendary Star Wars Holiday Special in five minutes! God bless The Late Night Explosion for providing us with this magical look back to 1978. And Happy Life Day!P.S. Is Luke wearing eye makeup??

Somedays I Wish I Was a Kitty...

[Thanks to Cute Overload]

Getcher Music!

Time to start playing that Christmas music! Get some for free at Falalalala.com. Yes, we pointed this out last year, but that was a while ago now, wasn't it? And it's new all the time!

For all you obsessed Disney fans (like moi), you might want to check out Covering the Mouse. It talks about all the different Disney tunes that have been covered by famous artists. I happen to find Marilyn Manson's rendition of "This is Halloween" sinfully good. You can't download the music from the site, but you can listen to a sample and then are informed of where you can purchase it.

Christmas is Coming!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

See you on Monday, November 26th!

Love,
Sweepea

Cat Translation

Classic Dick Van Dyke

Dick Van Dyke is the king of pratfalls and probably the only living vaudevillian style actor. Here he is from his 1960's show doing his "drunk" routine.

WTF is with the Media and Christmas?

You know the holidays are coming when the unsavory news articles start pouring in, jarring us out of the magic and wonderment of Christmas. In the past the news has told us about the global argument over saying "Merry Christmas" versus "Happy Holidays," drunken santas stormed the city protesting commercialism, flashers dressed as St. Nick ran around London, fire and gas leaks prevented church services, and gifts were stolen...

Well this season has started off with a bang as well. To make the point, Pixie showed me this article.

Santas in Sydney, Australia have been instructed to avoid the traditional greeting of "ho ho ho" because it may be offensive to women.

Why don't the news outlets perpetuate peace on earth and goodwill towards mankind? This is just ridiculous; the media is spreading stupidity, ignorance, and making people really despise the holidays. If anyone knows of any news articles promoting Christmas cheer, send them my way. I don't want to be depressed this holiday season.

Cocktail Recipe Du Jour

Okay, I know it's been forever since I shared a cocktail concoction, but I thought with the holidays coming, there's no time like the present to give you some great drink recipes that you can enjoy with family and friends! After all, isn't that what the holidays are all about? (Answer: Yes, Sweepea, it's all about the booze.) So here's an easy one to get us back in to the swing of things:

Telegraph
* 1 1/2 oz RedRum
* 3/4 oz Vodka (Stoli is good)
* Ginger ale

In a shaker with ice, combine the rum and vodka. Shake well and strain into a highball glass filled almost to the top with ice. Top off with ginger ale and stir gently.

Bottoms up!

I Want One!

But until I get one, there's this little guy!

At IDoDogTricks.com, you can ask this cute widdle pup to sit, roll over, down, stand, sing, dance, shake, fetch, play dead, and kiss. It's also very cute if you type in a command that he doesn't understand!

Thanks to Pixie for sending him to me!

Happy Birthday, Grace Kelly!

Read our previous Va-Va-Voom Star of the Day post on the beautiful princess.

"I've had happy moments in my life, but I don't think that happiness-- being happy-- is a perpetual state that anyone can be in. Life isn't that way."

"A person has to keep something to herself or your life is just a layout in a magazine."

"The freedom of the press works in such a way that there is not much freedom from it.”

"As an unmarried woman, I was thought to be a danger. Other women looked on me as a rival. And it pained me a great deal."

"Women's natural role is to be a pillar of the family."

"Emancipation of women has made them lose their mystery."

Get Your Audrey Bags!

At the fabulous company AudreyBag.com, you can purchase an assortment of adorable bags with Audrey Hepburn's likeness and/or autograph. Their motto "Finally something to go with that little black dress" is perfect, as each of these bags make a great accessory with your classic Audrey look.

Let's just say, I want one!

Halloween is Over

So another win at my company's Halloween costume party means I'm on a two-win streak. Last year I was Mia Wallace from "Pulp Fiction," and this year was Princess Leia. And yeah, guess what? I already know what I'm going to be next year. That's what keeps you ahead of the competition, my friends. Preparation!

Too bad these poor dogs won't be rid of this shame for a while.

Happy Halloween!

I know it's early, but a) I'm excited about it, and b) I'm going to be busy all day today and tomorrow. So make yours a safe and happy one!

I Want One: Ford Mustang like in "Bullitt"

Auto Express reports: This is the first picture of Ford's tribute to the classic Steve McQueen film 'Bullitt'. Check out this teaser image of the most muscular Ford Mustang yet. Bosses at the Blue Oval will unveil the special model at next month's Los Angeles show.

Taking its inspiration from the car used by Steve McQueen in the classic Sixties film 'Bulliit', it's sure to be one of the stars of the American expo. Like the 1968 original it will feature distinctive "Highland Green' metallic paintwork and gunmetal grey alloys.

Engineers at the carmaker are keeping tight lipped about the mechanical specification. However, expect to see a supercharged version of the 5.4-litre V8 motor that pushes out a tarmac churning 500bhp. The sprint from standstill to 60mph should take just 4.5 seconds.

The original version became famous after starring in a classic cinematic car chase through the streets of San Francisco. McQueen did most of the driving during the epic seven minute pursuit, for which producers got through two of the iconic Pony cars.

Product Contradiction o' the Day

I saw a commercial for this product last night. D-Con No View Rat Traps tout that they allow you not to have to look at a dead rat once it's in the trap. But then they put a picture of a dead rat on the trap itself.

Kinda defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

WTF is with Disney and Sequels??

I just finished a biography of Walt Disney entitled: Walt Disney: An American Original, by Bob Thomas. Probably what stood out to me the most was Walt's philosophy in making movies.

In 1933 Walt Disney produced the cartoon Three Little Pigs. It was a hit. Though cartoon shorts usually lasted only briefly in theaters, it was shown longer than most feature films. Millions bought records of the song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" feeling that it was a sort of anthem for optimism in the wake of the Depression. When theater owners clamored for more pigs, Walt resisted. He didn't want to duplicate; he was always looking towards the future, trying to push the boundaries of animation and art itself. He didn't want to do more of the same. And so he was quoted as saying, "You can't top pigs with pigs."

Disney did his best not to duplicate; he constantly attempted new animation techniques and styles, and tried not to belabor ideas. But after his death, it looks as if the Disney company has forgotten Walt's beliefs.

Not only have they made remakes of classic live-action movies ("The Shaggy Dog," "Freaky Friday," and "That Darn Cat" to name a few) but also sequels of classic animated features. Why make "Bambi II," "Lady & the Tramp II," "Fox and the Hound 2," "Cinderella II," & "Jungle Book 2"? And even their newer movies have been sequelized: "The Lion King 2," "The Little Mermaid II," and "Kronk's New Groove." It's as if any time there's a hit, Disney sees dollar signs and churns out another. None of the sequels or remakes have done nearly as well as the original; none have surpassed the quality of the classic. (The only exception seems to be Pixar movies, with their dual hits of "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" -- and now "Toy Story 3" is in the works.)

So please, for the love of God...for the love of Walt!...don't take a classic and make a sequel out of it -- even if it's just for video. No amount of money is worth butchering a classic. Just remember the wise words of Walt: "You can't top pigs with pigs."

Happy Birthday, Rita Hayworth!

"I haven't had everything from life. I've had too much."

"I never really thought of myself as a sex goddess; I felt I was more a comedian who could dance."

"All I wanted was just what everybody else wants, you know, to be loved."

"I think all women have a certain elegance about them which is destroyed when they take off their clothes."

"The fun of acting is to become someone else."

"Basically, I am a good, gentle person, but I'm attracted to mean personalities."

"We are all tied to our destiny and there is no way we can liberate ourselves."

"After all, a girl is... well, a girl. It's nice to be told you're successful at it."

Haunted Subway Car!

Halloween's coming and I couldn't be more excited! So to get us in the mood...here's a great experiment by Improv Everywhere. Thanks to them for making riding the subway even scarier!

Outta Town

We'll be closed for a week, as I'm going out of town again. Actually, out of the country to our dear neighbor to the north, Canada. See you next week!

In to the Jungle!

With the release of Disney's The Jungle Book to DVD for it's 40th anniversary, AdRants reports that there's a promotional banana circulating grocery stores."While [it] isn't altogether new, the tie in is brilliant. The ad is for Disney's The Jungle Book DVD. Complete with image of a monkey (chimpanzee?), the ad gets points for relevancy." I agree. Brilliant!

Also remember that The Jungle Book features one of our favorite swingin' kings Louis Prima in his best movie role ever!

Gangsta Bert and Ernie

'Scuse the language, it's from Casino.

Beat-boxing Baby

Nothing beats a cute beat-boxing baby!

Friday's This & That

Alrighty, let's see what going on in the world today...

Looks like GQ named their 50 Most Stylish Men in the Past 50 Years... among them is our beloved Steve McQueen...yummy. Also making the list are Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Paul Newman, Tom Brady, Johnny Depp, and Cary Grant. Some I strongly disagree with: Woody Allen, for one! I know style is different than attractive, but gimme a break.

Also...Halloween is coming, and I think Disney is always one of the first to jump on it. Today Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure kickoff the holidays with decorations, food, and events surrounding Halloween. I'm ready for Halloween: I've already got my costume -- then again, I bought it back in February.

I'll be out on Monday coming back from a long weekend in S.F. See you on Tuesday!

Mee-Yow Thursday

The ultimate in cattiness: Rosalind Russell shines as the gossipy Sylvia Prowler-- er, Fowler -- in 1939's "The Women." Now the best scenes have been set to Pink's song "Trouble."

Happy "Talk Like a Pirate" Day!

Ahoy, me hearties! Today be Talk Like a Pirate Day, an' here arrr a few sites t' help ye out:

Learn t' speak like a pirate with this Pirate Translator. Gar!

The Official Website will keep ye abreast o' the latest news an' reports from the brig.

Get yer own Pirate Name with this handy pirate name generator.

This Talk Like a Pirate Day website helps Childhood Cancer Support, Inc., supporting children and families with cancer and leukemia.

Also take time to enjoy the best pirate movies out there: Captain Blood, the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, and Muppet Treasure Island!

Yo-ho-ho!

97 Days 'til Christmas

*hint hint*

Scenes from a Balcony: Scene 5

So last night Dyno and I were taking a drive to the grocery store when we spotted three street-walkin' ladies milling around only a block away from my apartment. What's scary is that since the last time we saw a hooker in my neighborhood, we've been seeing more and more of them around.

It got me really fired up, too. Before I moved to this hot and sticky town in the valley, I used to live in such a nice neighborhood right by the beach. A town where I could walk around at night without running in to a single whore. What has this world come to, that in a semi-decent neighborhood such as mine there are prostitutes??

Well, Dyno saw how fired up I was so he decided to call the police and have those sluts rounded up and taken outta my hood. After searching through the yellow pages and calling 411, we discovered that the only phone number for the local police is the LAPD. Apparently my large city in the valley doesn't have a local police or sheriff's station.

And worse yet, the receptionist taking the call said that due to some heavy gang activity in other parts of L.A., all of the available police were on watch, and that our street-walker problem would be put on a low-priority list.

So what's another way to get rid of neighborhood hookers?

Can't Wait...

...for "How I Met Your Mother" to come back!

Lego Art

My favorite? Han Solo frozen in carbonite, of course.

Sweepea-TV: I Want One!

When I exited the grocery store yesterday, this cute little wagging bundle of fluff was greeting me in the car next to mine. (Don't worry, he was perfectly fine in there...it was rather cool out and there were windows down.) Love the little cute eyes.

Just Because...

80 years of Women in Film

A little MySpace movie showing the transformation of women throughout history. See if you can find our favorites: Norma Shearer, Rita Hayworth, Joan Crawford, Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Audrey Hepburn (they're all in the beginning).
Women In Film


[Thanks to SorryIGotDrunk]

Get Julie London!

Put the pitchforks and torches away, that's not what I meant! I meant, you can now download many of the wonderful Julie London's songs via the internet (all in .wav form, but iTunes will take 'em!). Check out the plentiful collection at JDHay's Crooners.

You can't beat anything that's free. And you certainly can't beat Julie London for free.

Hey, put the club away --- that's not what I meant by "beat'!

I Want One!

The dog, the pool, the waterslide, a house to hold the pool...

Star Sighting of the Day

Now with more Stalker-Zoom™!For that behind-the-bushes, extra fuzzy look, try Stalker-Zoom™!
And stalk a celeb today!

Joey Lawrence at Yen Sushi in Studio City.

WTF is with Disney and FastPass?

Disney is trying to patent a new innovation to their FastPass program. The technology would allow guests to buy FastPass tickets from outside the park through their PDA or text messaging. It also would give preferential treatment to people in higher-budget Disney resorts versus day visitors.

In addition, the patent application notes that, once someone uses their cell phone or PDA to contact the system, the system could recognize the device and track the person around the park. It sounds like a real-life 'Roller Coaster Tycoon.' Have they ever heard of 'invasion of privacy'?

The initial idea of FastPass was not to alleviate lines as much as to get consumers in to the stores and food lines, increasing profit. That's why there are no longer sit-down restaurants with wait-staff (except for one, The Blue Bayou). Instead of spending money to build more rides (which would also alleviate long ride lines) they converted every sit-down restaurant to a buffet. (Remember the chicken restaurant down Main Street near the entrance to Tomorrowland? And the Polynesian Terrace in Adventureland?) They want you in and out as fast as possible. And people waiting in long ride lines are not spending money.

I hate the FastPass idea anyway because every time I go to Disneyland, there's rude people flaunting the fact that they got a FastPass -- something that any average Joe can get for free. Oddly enough, I've had parents and children alike go "nyah nyah" when they pass me in line, even though I have a FastPass in my pocket to some other ride.

So this "new innovation" is a bad idea; it will just magnify this hierarchal feeling FastPass-users get. All in all, it seems to discriminate against people who are less financially successful. Can you imagine how bad this condescending attitude is going to get when people staying at the higher-budget hotels are getting preferential treatment?

Walt Disney wanted the park to be for everyone: it was the all-American, family experience. But that's not how it is anymore. Not it's all about the almighty buck. Even the price in tickets has increased to an astounding amount. (According to Wikipedia, in 1982 the admission price was $12.00. In September 2006 it became $63.00.)

Now we have to pay to get a good place in line? Just doesn't seem right.

Mmm...

It sounded good up to a point...

Take-out menu from Dr. Deli in Van Nuys.

Sweepea-TV: Weekend Re-cap

For Labor Day weekend, Dyno and I took the train from the sweltering heat of Los Angeles to the cool breezes of Santa Barbara. We did a lot of walking around town, and a lot of dining. For breakfast we went to Sambo's, a great breakfast joint that -- if I remember correctly -- promised the World's Largest Mimosa. Well, Dyno and I ordered 'em up, but were a bit disappointed by the size of the mimosa. Using the pepper shaker for perspective, you can see why our expectations fell a bit short.
We also did some wine tasting at some of the local wineries, the best being Kalyra.
Needless to say when it was time to head back to the train I was already tipsy. And because we sat in business class, we then got complimentary cocktails!

What's the train equivalent of "booze cruise"?

Friday's This & That: The X-Rays Show...

As I get over the chill of this exam table, here's what's going on in the world:

Jose Luis de Vilallonga, author, aristocrat and actor who starred as the dashing Brazilian multimillionaire in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” died Thursday at his home on the island of Mallorca at the age of 87. A colorful character in Spain’s high society, Vilallonga had worked as a journalist and wrote an official biography of Spain’s King Juan Carlos. A high point in Vilallonga’s acting career came when he was in Blake Edwards’ classic 1961 movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's," playing Jose da Silva Pereira, whom Hepburn’s Holly Golightly planned to marry.

Two new DVD sets are out that you should definitely buy! The Esther Williams Collection gives you five films: "Bathing Beauty," "Easy to Wed," "On An Island With You," "Neptune's Daughter" and "Dangerous When Wet" -- all of my favorites! Among the co-stars are Red Skelton, Peter Lawford, Lucille Ball, Van Johnson, Jimmy Durante, and Ricardo Montalban. These movies also contain some fantastic performances from Helen Forrest, Xavier Cugat, and others of the swinging era of the golden age. (We've discussed many of these movies in previous posts of Van Johnson, Peter Lawford, Helen Forrest, and the Mermaid herself.) Waves of extras include outtakes, cartoons and classic shorts. (Warner)

The Elvis Collection stars the King with a bevy of beauties in this four-disc set. Elvis portrays a boxer, riverboat entertainer, and good-ole-boy in "Follow That Dream," "Frankie and Johnny," "Clambake" and "Kid Galahad." (MGM)

Mee-Yow Thursday

Laurence Olivier on Marilyn Monroe:"I said to her on the set once, 'Why can't you get here on time, for f***'s sake?' And she replied, 'Oh! Do you have that word in England, too?'"

Sweepea-TV: Damon's in Glendale

There is no finer place in Glendale for steak and tiki faire than Damon's on Brand Blvd. Their two specialty drinks are the Mai Tai and the Chi Chi (pictured below).Their kitchy paper placemats match the rest of the tiki decor, and the aging waitresses are friendly as they serve fine food at a great price.
View from the floor after many Chi-Chi's...

Vintage Ad Makeovers

Yet another fabulous Photoshop contest from Worth 1000 brings vintage ads redone to show futuristic (and some quite racy) products.
Many of them are good...and a few you may have seen before on here in their original form. Enjoy! [Thanks to Lou for pointing me to it.]

15 Ways to Become Famous

No talent is necessary if you use these actors as your example.

1. Nick Nolte: chew the scenery
2. Harrison Ford: look clumsy
3. Priscilla Presley: marry an icon
4. Kenneth Branagh: shout a lot in iambic pentameter
5. Clint Eastwood: whisper
6. Elizabeth Hurley: wear revealing dresses
7. Hugh Grant: curb crawl
8. Nicolas Cage: ring Uncle Francis
9. Kim Basinger: pout
10. Alec Baldwin: marry Kim Basinger
11. Barbra Streisand: warble
12. Sharon Stone: flash
13. Goldie Hawn: giggle
14. Roger Moore: act with your eyebrows
15. James Dean: die

[by Aubrey Dillon Malone]

Mee-Yow Thursday

Poor Joan...constantly a subject of our "Mee-Yow's"...

Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge fought both on and off camera while filming Johnny Guitar (1954). One night, in a drunken rage, Crawford scattered the costumes worn by McCambridge along an Arizona highway. Cast and crew had to collect the outfits.

Classic Quote of the Day

John Barrymore, on acting:

"There are lots of methods. Mine involves a lot of talent, a glass, and some cracked ice."

Sweepea-TV: A Social Commentary Tagger

I'm finally back from vacation and took a few snapshots of my surroundings... This one shows the wonderful art of the local Dave Barry.

Vacation, all I ever wanted!

The Lounge will be closed for a week; I'll be out of town on vacation. We'll be open again August 20th.

In the meantime, check out some of our previous posts, and visit all our friends at the other sites we're linked to!

As Dyno says, "Miss me!"

-- Sweepea

Sweepea-TV: If These Walls Could Talk

One last thing before I go...I'm sure everyone's heard of Britney's little hit-and-run in Studio City. If not, here are the high low-lights:After scraping up against another car, she opens the door on it. She takes some time to check her own car, then proceeds in to the vitamin store and a Starbucks. When she returns, she has some mysterious stuff on her butt...and then she drives away, never looking back.The Starbucks is just down the street from me, so when I went in yesterday for my daily Iced Green Tea Lemonade, the barista told me that the police had just come in to file a report. The barista said that the car Britney hit belonged to the manager of the Starbucks, who was a little miffed that Brit left without leaving a note or anything.
I feel bad for the adorable Yorkie pup. Maybe I'll sue her for custody of it. She's obviously an unfit puppy mommy.

Anyways, after I left the Starbucks, I snapped this picture of the very same parking lot, a day later, with no sign of the previous drama.
Whoopity-doo, I know. I guess I just didn't want to be called a liar again.

[Britney pics provided by The Superficial and I Don't Like You in That Way.]

Must-See Movie: It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
I know...I'm all about what movies you should rent lately. But this movie is just pure classic comedy. The plot is simple (and you may have seen it duplicated since). A caravan of motorists who witness a car accident on a California desert highway find that the victim Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante) is still alive. His dying words that he has hidden a fortune of stolen cash under a large "double-yuh" send the drivers on a wild race to see who can claim the dough first!

To see what the great comedians of this era were like, you must watch this movie. The stellar ensemble cast includes Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Phil Silvers, Terry-Thomas, Jonathan Winters (in his first role), and Dorothy Provine. Each one of them grows increasingly maniacal as the race goes on, doing whatever they can to get the money.

But besides this highly-charged star power, cameos run rampant. Keep an eye out for The Three Stooges, Buster Keaton, Sterling Holloway, Don Knotts, Zasu Pitts, Carl Reiner, Jesse White, Peter Falk, Jim Backus, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis, and many many more.

And set your Moxies! TCM is showing the movie August 18th at 8 PM EST. (Check your local listings.) They've also provided us with this great desktop wallpaper of Spencer Tracy on the run! Enjoy!