Trivial Pursuit Giveaway

Mar Vista Mom and I threw a fun game night this past weekend. EA generously gave us and all our guests copies of their Trivial Pursuit video game(are they still called that?), And we had a great time. I really love the traditional board game of Trivial Pursuit, but this one has much more up to date questions than my version(from the 80's). There are lots of different ways to play the video game version that work for all group sizes. Also if you're super competitive there is a way to play where you bet on whether your opponent knows the answer.

I'm sorry I couldn't invite everyone to the party, but I do have 2 copies of the game to giveaway. One is for Wii and one is for XBox. So just leave a comment with your gaming system preference and I'll draw two winners on Thursday. Entrants should live in the contiguous US.

(I'm pretty sure Mar Vista Mom is running this contest too so check there, if you want to double your chances)
Good Luck!

WINNERS: Ian, Rachelle and Sheeva won. Rachelle and Sheeva Please contact me at elisesramblings@yahoo.com with your contact info. If I don't hear from either of them by tomorrow night I will draw a new winner.
Mar Vista Mom gave me her Wii copy to give away as she is busy running a give away for a wii fit board. Go try your luck!

OK we have two new winners Kymmi and Stimey. Congrats

In Defense Of LA Theatre

Great article by Charles McNulty, about theatre in LA, on the cover of the Calendar section of the LA Times today . His theatre schedule makes me salivate!!!

Check out his article here

That's all I got for now. I gotta get back to my left over stuffing and mashed potatoes.

Yahoo! Mother Board and You In

Just in case you didn't know, I'm a member of the Yahoo! Mother Board. Last week they offered to give 10 of us $100 to use to perform an act of kindness as part of their "You In?" Campaign.

In my usual money grubbing way I applied for it as quick as I could and was one of the lucky members selected. Yeah!

Now I need your help with ideas of how to use it. Anything from feeding meters to buying a family dinner or whatever we can come up with. You all can get involved too. Don't worry I'm not going to ask you to cough up $100. Just a dollar or less to help someone out, or you could simple donate toys or warm clothes to a local organization. Then spread the word by posting it to the "You In" site and inspire others, including Yahoo.

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

TCM Classic Film Festival

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!!!!!!
I am way too excited. I just found out that TCM(Turner Classic Movies)is putting on a film festival of classic films April 22-25, here in Los Angeles. That's right, I'm jumping up and down and going crazy. They haven't really even released many details, but just the idea of it is making me crazy with anticipation. See details Here
What I do know is that they will be showing dozens of films in various historic sites in Hollywood for four days. The films will include world premiere restorations and tributes to classic stars and filmmakers. Man I wish I could be in the meetings where they pick which films will be shown...

Here are the ticket details:
You can get various levels of tickets that get you into more or less of the events and if you get your tickets before Dec. 18 you get a discount of $100. So get your tickets today.

THE CLASSIC PASS-$399.00 if you order now (reg. $499)
DETAILS
•Access to all film programs at all festival venues including the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Egyptian Theatre, Thursday, April 22-Sunday, April 25 (does not include admittance to Opening Night Red Carpet Gala screening at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre)
•Access to all Club TCM events, including festival headquarters, lounge, panels, social events, boutique, and poolside screenings at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
•Opening Night welcome party on Thursday, April 22 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
•Friday and Saturday night passholder gatherings
•Closing Night event on Sunday, April 25
•Commemorative Festival Program distributed only to passholders at festival
NOTE: Seating at individual screenings and events is not guaranteed, and is based on a first come, first served basis

The Essential Pass-$499.00 if you order now (reg. $599)
DETAILS
•All of the above, plus:
•Entry to Opening Night Red Carpet Gala screening on Thursday, April 22, at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
•Official TCM Festival collectibles
NOTE: Seating is not guaranteed with this pass level, and is based on a first come, first served basis

The Spotlight Pass-$1099.00 if you order now (reg. $1199)
DETAILS
•All of the above, plus:
•Priority entry to all shows
•Entry to the Vanity Fair Opening Night party following the Red Carpet Gala screening
•Meet and greet breakfast with Robert Osborne on Saturday, April 24
•Official festival poster signed by Robert Osborne
NOTE: Priority entry permits the “Spotlight” passholder to enter first, to all screenings and events, as long as seating is available – however, seating is not guaranteed.

I'm seriously considering emptying out the kid's college account and getting a room somewhere near the events so I can go to every little thing. OK I don't recommend that, but you know you want to get to this. Do whatever you can, within reason, to come. I'm definitely putting this at the top of my christmas list.

Leave a comment if you decide to come and maybe we all can meet up at one of the events.

Disclaimer: TCM has in no way paid me for this post. I am actually this big of a fan. Though, I am trying desperately to snivel tickets to as much of this as I can. In the hopes that my child will have something left in her education account to attend city college.

See you there!!!

Equivocation at The Geffen Playhouse

Last night, I finally saw Equivocation(see this earlier post show synopsis). And it was definitely worth the wait. I had read a less than rave review in the LA Times yesterday morning and was a bit worried that this production would not live up to my mother's telling of the Oregon production she saw. But it was great.
I had not been getting much sleep last week, due to spider nightmares my 5 year old was having every night that required about an hour of talking down, and then sharing a bed the rest of the night. It's fair to say I was pretty tired going into the theatre. But almost from the moment it started I was enthralled.
It's brilliantly acted by a small cast that jumps between various roles, sometimes right in front of you. There are several scenes where characters jump back an forth between being two different characters simply by putting on and taking off a crown or scarf, and changing accent. It was amazing to watch, very impressive, and somehow not at all hard to follow.
I definitely think if you are in the LA area you should get to this show. It really is amazing. I don't have that great a grasp of Shakespeare, really just the main plays and even those only a passing understanding, and I loved it. If you are a real Shakespeare buff I bet you'll get all kinds of things I missed. Beside the whole Shakespeare thing there's a lot of interesting conversations about torture, propaganda, and other issues that are certainly of as much interest today as then.
I really can't say enough about it, it's definitely going in my favorites file(don't look for that, it's only in my head and it's a mess in there)
It runs through December 20 so hurry up and get your ticket. Here's the link to The Geffen Playhouse.

Planet 51 Giveaway

Planet 51 is being released nation wide this Friday, November 20th. It's great for the whole family. My 5 year old thought it was very funny, my husband enjoyed all the inside sci fi references, and I enjoyed interpreting it like an old 50's sci fi movie.

The movie itself takes place on an alien planet, where for some reason, they live like it's the 1950's. It might be because of information they got from a US and a USSR satellite we see briefly at the beginning of the film. They never say, so you have to decide for yourself. Anyway, when Chuck Baker (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), American astronaut lands on Planet 51, all hell breaks loose. Every one is terrified of the "alien", with the exception of Lem (voiced by Justin Long)a teenage Planet 51 resident, who tries to help Chuck get back to his ship before it takes off without him.
From this I extrapolated (I totally thought that had "strap" in it) that the film was really about how other countries like to "sample" American culture, but don't really like us all that much. I mean it's cute to Bar-B-Que and wear poodle skirts like the people on planet 51, but the real deal is so conceited, and boorish like the American astronaut. Yet, in the end aren't we all the same.
I know, I know I may be in need of a hobby. But I'm thinking how The Body Snatchers was really about communism, and Attack of the 50ft Women was about women's rights. I'm just keeping it really 50's sci fi style.
See for yourself on Friday and get back to me.

Now here are the giveaway details:


I have a Bar-B-Que set(given to me at the Junket, for which I had to get special permission to giveaway), a Playstation 3 Planet 51 game, and 5 write-on tshirts with markers(sorry I don't have a picture of those) to give away. One lucky winner will get all three and four runners up will get t-shirts. Just leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner on Friday. Entrants must be in the contiguous US.
Good Luck!

UPDATE: We have our winners David M. is our grand prize winner with Kim,(Kim Not Moldosky, please contact me with your street address, I couldn't find contact info for you) Kim, Raquel, and Mamma winning t-shirts and surprise buttons!!!
Congrats to all!!!

The Prisoner and Iron Maiden

Well, after two nights and four episode of The Prisoner and I have no idea what is going on. What is the deal with the two towers that look like the twin towers??? Also that big white bubble that just kind of swallows people up??? And all the things in the dessert, the anchor, the row boat, the train station. What is going on?
With all the cutting back and forth from New York to The Village, and what seems like to me a lack of showing us things in chronological order, I think we're in a dream, or a hallucination, or maybe they just want us to think that.
Whatever it is I'm glad it's going to wrap up tonight, cause I gotta know what is going on. Unlike a lot of the reviews I've read I actually do like it, though. I just need a few answers. It may be that they are trying to get too much into six episodes.
I haven't seen the original show, but my husband played me the Iron Maiden song last night. Which didn't help at all. My husband thinks number six is number two's son. I don't know...What do you think? Basically all I have for you here today are questions.
One more question what's up with number two's wife who just sleeps all the time?? Apparently by here choice. Is it that she rather be unconscious than live in the village? The whole surveillance on everyone thing is very, McCarthy era/1984.
I hope they explain it all tonight, or I am going to be very annoyed I put three nights into watching this show. Still I guess it has distracted me from the loss of my beloved Mad Men.

Here's the Iron Maiden Video, just because

Candy Cane Joe-Joe's

I just wanted to make sure everyone knows about these cookies. I feel it's important.
These are sold at Trader Joe's. If you don't have one in your area I suggest you find someone to get you some and mail them to you.I looked at the box for years in the stores and thought it was weird to put candy cane in Oreo's, but Boy was I wrong.

I know they just look like rip off Oreos, but they are so much more. It's like an Oreo and one of those Girl Scout Thin Mints got together and had a baby, the most delicious cookie baby ever.
Seriously, do whatever you have to, to get your hands on these. They are so good!
Ok, now you know.

Disclaimer: Trader Joe's is not sponsoring this post. I am just really crazy about these cookies. I have not received any type of compensation from Trader Joes of any kind, ever. What's up with that???

Thanksgiving Traditions

I have a post up on the national Savvy Source page today about Thanksgiving Traditions. Check it out here

Frosty the Snow Manilo

The Holidays are upon us and The Troubies (AKA The Troubadour Theatre Company) are ready with a brand new show. Frosty the Snow Manilo tickets are on sale now.

Playing at the Falcon Theatre
Wed. - Fri. 8pm, Sat. 4pm & 8pm; Sun. 4pm & 7pm

PREVIEWS: Begin Wednesday, December 2, 2009
OPENING NIGHT: Friday, December 11, 2009
CLOSING: Sunday, January 17, 2010
PRICES: Tickets range from $32.50-$40.00
(Previews $27.50-$30.00)
Please call the Falcon Theatre at (818) 955-8101 to secure your tickets and visit www.falcontheatre.com for more details and theatre address/directions.



Also, if you missed it last year they are doing, It's A Stevie Wonderful Life, for one night at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach on December 4, 2009.
Here is the link for tickets http://www.carpenterarts.org/0910troubadour.html

I highly recommend going to one or both shows. I saw their show, Oedipus The King, Mama, in August and thought it was the best time I had in a theatre in ages. See my review here. So as they say, run don't walk to get your tickets today!!!!

The Prisoner on AMC

AMC is premiering it's three night movie event The Prisoner Sunday night at 8. It's based on a English TV show from the 60's, that ran for only 17 episodes(check it out here). It stars Jim Caviezel(totally had to triple check my spelling on that one), whose adorable, and Ian McKellen, who is, of course brilliant. I actually, saw him be interviewed at the PBS press tour last winter and he (Sir Ian) is just lovely and funny and charming.
All I really know about the story is that Six (Jim Caviezel) is trapped in a place called The Village and Two (Ian McKellen) is in charge. I've attached the trailer, which looks very 60's bond film to me.
I'm definitely looking forward to this show it's intense and I'm sure will have all kinds of room for interpretation. I'll update Monday morning.

Sunday in New York

One of my favorite movies is on TCM tomorrow at 11:00am pt. It's Sunday in New York. It stars Jane Fonda, Rod Taylor, and Cliff Robertson. It's a hysterical screw ball sex comedy from 1964(which just happens to be the year Mad Men is going into). All set to the cool jazz of Peter Nero. I think everyone would love it. So if you don't happen to be home tomorrow in the middle of the day, make sure to Tivo it.


Here's a link to the trailer, sorry I couldn't find one to embed.

Night At The Museum Battle Of The Smithsonian

I had lots of fun yesterday at Fox Studio, for the release of the DVD Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian. As you can see I had my picture taken with the monkey from the movie. It comes out Dec. 1, 09. They really have added a lot of cool special features. The FoxPop thing is really cool, I'm not sure if I fully understand all the things you can do with it but it looked really cool. You can watch the movie and get info and post comment with a lap top or smart phone. the wave of the future. You heard it here first...OK maybe not first, but you did hear it here.
Here's my review of the movie from when it came out in theatre.

Mad Men Finale Wrap Up

Loved the show last night!!!

Who else thought it was hysterical that there was a calligraphed F in front of the word "Art Department" on the door of the art department. HAHAHHAHHAHA...I know I have the maturity of an eight year old. Sorry I just had to get that out of the way.
Now on to the seriousness that is Mad Men.
Matt Weiner said in his interview, I went to last week, that they usually follow the most logical outcome. I think last night was definitely that. I'm pretty sure every Mad Men forum out there had a pretty vocal majority saying Sterling and Cooper would buy back the agency with Don and Lane and hire back Joan and Sal. OK, that isn't exactly what happened, but more or less. Though I'm worried about Sal, with them holding on to the Lucky Strike account.
I didn't think we'd see Betty and Don break up last night. I really thought she'd be too proper to get a divorce. Still she isn't divorced yet. I can't believe she is just laying her life in Henry Francis' hands. She barely knows this guy. It's kind of sad Betty isn't becoming more assertive/independent. The way she looked at Henry when he told her he didn't want her to take any money from Don in the divorce, and he would take care of her. It was like she was thinking "oh goody, finally my prince in shining armor"
Still, I think Don and Betty might get back together based on the face she made when Don called to say he wouldn't fight her on the divorce. It was almost disappointment. Maybe she hoped he would fight for her, and finally show her he loved her. Or maybe it was just resignation that, he is what he is, and he is never going to show how he really feels about anything. Betty sure didn't look happy in the plane on the way to Reno. Hmmmm.. we'll have to wait till August.
I loved the final scene between Don and Peggy. Maybe those two will end up together. He so identifies with her. The whole speech about something awful happening and not being who you thought you were was fantastic! They both know so well what that is like.
It looks as though next season will be about them building the new company, and redefining all their relationships. Loved Peggy telling Sterling she wouldn't get his coffee, and Joan telling him her writing was perfectly clear when he said he couldn't read it. Don almost looked happy looking at his new little Sterling, Cooper, Draper, and Pryce family.
Oh my god, I could go on and on but I don't want this to get ridiculously long.
Is it August yet???

Equivocation at The Geffen Playhouse

Equivocation starts at The Geffen Playhouse tomorrow Nov. 10th and runs through Dec. 20th. I'm not seeing it till next week, but I wanted to tell you about it now, so you can get tickets. I have heard nothing but rave reviews for this play. I think it's a can't miss sell out. Seriously, my mother say it in Oregon about a month ago and is dying to see it again, and bought ticket for my aunt and sister( I already had a ticket, or that would have been harsh), because she wanted them to see it too. So call today for tickets.



Here's the synopsis from the Geffen Site
Join Shakespeare and his winsome troupe in this fantastic new tale that satiates Bard-loving purists and advocates of groundbreaking theater alike. The runaway hit of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and a sure-to-be classic, Equivocation pits the poetry of the world’s greatest playwright against the word of his King. Written in modern English with playful allusions to some of the Bard’s greatest works, Equivocation’s gripping narrative, keen humor and political intrigue culminate in what critics are calling “dazzling,” “a masterful work” and “the must-see play of the season.”

Performance Notes: Equivocation contains mature language, subject matter and brief nudity. Strobe effects and herbal cigarettes are also used. The estimated running time is 2:45 including one intermission.

UPDATE: Here's a much more detailed Synopsis they sent me today 11/17. Just thought you might like it.

Synopsis: During the reign of King James one of the most infamous plots against the establishment failed on November 5th, now known as Guy Fawkes Day. In an attempt to publicize the failure of the traitors and more importantly, to entrap them, King James' emissary, Cecil, is charged with hiring the greatest playwright of the day to tell the story and in doing so, solidify the guilt of those involved. Hesitant to participate in what is clearly propaganda for the crown, Shakespeare agrees to take on the challenge. His troupe of players, currently rehearsing King Lear, is desperate for a play that doesn't include nudity and lengthy passages of gibberish, so they happily agree. Once they are all engaged, it becomes clear that the story they have been commissioned to tell is far from the truth. The crown is in a full fledged witch hunt involving Jesuit priests and as the executions begin, Shakespeare and his players are trapped between what they have been asked to do and the truth.

Equivocation is a cautionary tale about the power of the few outweighing the good sense of the many. In a time when transparency has become a privilege as opposed to a right, Bill Cain's political drama explores the role of the individual on the world stage, and how art and politics intersect to tell an amalgamated version of what has transpired. Cain's choice to dramatize Shakespeare and his players further enriches this play by giving us glimpses of a theatrical world that enthralls us all, the time in which the greatest plays in the English language were created.

George Lopez Tonight

Here's a little email I got from George Lopez this morning, all right... it was more of a press release. But, I love me my George Lopez so watch his show!!!


Okay, listen... you have no choice -- I'm bringing the party to you! "Lopez Tonight" premieres Monday, Nov. 9th at 11:00 PM only on TBS! My first night's guests are Eva Longoria Parker, Kobe Bryant, Ellen DeGeneres and Carlos Santana. How's that for change you can believe in?!

Then, I'm having Jamie Foxx, Larry David, Charlie Sheen, Lisa Lampanelli, Oscar de la Hoya, Queen Latifah and Marc Anthony. Por que sabes que we're in it to win it!

Plus, the baddest band ever. Our musical director Michael Bearden has played with everyone from Madonna to Stevie Wonder and he was Michael Jackson's musical director for "This Is It." In the words of the late King of Pop: "This dude is Bad!"

Go to LopezTonight.com for funny videos, tickets and show news but no alcohol... yet!

I'll see you Monday! Follow me on Twitter, Facebook & Myspace because... I totally rock!!!

The Good Wife

Of all the new show I thought I would love before the television season started, I think I love The Good Wife most.
If you haven't seen it, Here's CBS' synopsis:

?THE GOOD WIFE is a drama starring Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies as a wife and mother who boldly assumes full responsibility for her family and re-enters the workforce after her husband's very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail. Pushing aside the betrayal and public humiliation caused by her husband, Peter, Alicia Florrick starts over by pursuing her original career as a defense attorney. As a junior associate at a prestigious Chicago law firm, she joins her longtime friend, former law school classmate and firm partner Will Gardner, who is interested to see how Alicia will perform after 13 years out of the courtroom. Alicia is grateful the firm's top litigator, Diane Lockhart, offers to mentor her but discovers the offer has conditions and realizes she's going to need to succeed on her own merit. Alicia's main competition among the firm's 20-something new recruits is Cary, a recent Harvard grad who is affable on the surface, but is competitive to the core. Fortunately, Alicia finds an ally in Kalinda, the firm's tough in-house investigator. Gaining confidence every day, Alicia transforms herself from embarrassed politician's scorned wife to resilient career woman, especially for the sake of providing a stable home for her children, 14-year-old Zach and 13-year-old Grace. For the first time in years, Alicia trades in her identity as the "good wife" and takes charge of her own destiny.

Now back to me:

Like many law shows The Good Wife centers on a different case every week, with a little personal drama thrown in here and there. But in this show the cases are almost metaphorical to Alicia's story. Cases turn on issues where witnesses have lied for a variety of reasons. Some lies start out innocently enough, a security guard who just copies the same video rather than go out and make his rounds. But when the tape becomes evidence in a murder, he has to admit (on the stand and proven by a plastic bag that blows through every nights video)his lie.
In another case a women is certain of her identification of a black man she witnessed robbing a store. But when pictures are switched on her she has to admit that any black man in the red sweat shirt the robber was wearing looks the same to her. Her perception of the truth is erroneous.
I could give you more examples but I think you get my drift. The show is looking at how bending the truth either consciously or unconsciously, to a large or small degree can spiral into so much more than we ever intended. And even though it may have terrible repercussions, the liar did not necessarily start out with malicious intent.
The Good Wife might be standing by her man because she knows how the lie started and how it turned into a criminal offense, or just a humiliating news story. I love it. The older I get the more I see how moral issues I once thought were black and white are much more complicated and this show is all about the complications.

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical Giveaway

Now that we have the winner for The Yo Gabba Gabba concert, I have another fun show to give tickets to, coincidentally on the same day Nov. 15th. These are 2 tickets for the 5pm show of Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical, at The Pantages here in Los Angeles.

Just like before all you have to do is leave a comment on this post, make sure you leave contact info. Anonymous comments can not win. One entry per household please.

I'll announce the winner on Tuesday November 24 at 1pm pt.

Good Luck.

WINNER
Los Angelista won!!! I will give the Pantages your name and you can pick up your tickets the day of the show.
Have fun!
Stay tuned, I'm hoping to get another great giveaway real soon.

Matt Weiner Interview Tonight

I'm so excited!! I just found out I'll be going to an interview with Matt Weiner tonight. I'm trying really hard not to turn this into an all Mad Men Blog, but I wanted to let people know. I think there will be a Q&A part and I need intelligent questions. So please leave any questions you have in the comments. I'll pick the one I can pronounce. I'll try to take some pictures and video if possible.
Thanks for your help!

UPDATE: INTERVIEW NOTES



Last nights interview was so great. Mary Melton of Los Angeles Magazine conducted the interview and asked all the right questions. I took as many notes as I could So here it all is.

Her first question was about how Mad Men came to him.
His answer was long but I'll give you what I got. His parents were The Drapers age, and came through the 60's slightly radicalized. They were pre-baby boomers. While his parents are not Don and Betty they are a bit like them. He also talked about how the popular show of his youth were Happy Days and MASH all of the late 50's early 60's period.

Which character came first?
He answered this by saying that the first line was "I'm not going to let a women talk to me like that."

From here we branched off on to how this world of sexism/racism lasted into the
80's. He said that the line "Adding money and education doesn't take the rude edge away from people" that Pete delivers referring to jews, was something he actually over heard while teaching in private school in LA.

This all came back around to the premise of the show. No matter how sucessful you are, what kind of family, or riches you acheive, there is still a feeling of, is this all there is. Dissatisfaction.

Conformity
How this country is based on conforming. Our grandparents wanted to learn english and loose their accents. It's still that way right or wrong.

Talking about Pete
He is the most truthful, unedited person and always on the edge of a tantrum.

Talking about Don
Don's talent is being open to others and being a conduit

Talking about Joan
Is sure of what she knows. Confident. Matt said that she went through with the marriage to the doctor even after he raped her. She thought she was getting one thing but it was all false advertising.

Talking about Betty
She stayed with Don to see if the baby would save their marriage. But it hasn't.

Talking about Suzanne
Matt was shocked that people thought she was going to tell Betty about the affair with Don.

Talking about Sally
The actress is 9 years old and amazing. Sally is an entry point for many viewers, as they were her age in the early 60's.

Talking about critisism of Betty's parenting
Matt kind of laughed and said that it is basically how his parents raised him and most people of that generation were raised that way too.

On Grandpa Gene
The entire death scene of grandpa Gene happened to Matt. His grandfather died in a Sees Candy shop while Matt was at Hebrew school. He waited for him to pick him up and then walked home. Even the police man coming to the door happened.

Peggy( Not Betty) and the priest
The priest was in love with Peggy (not Betty) but he choose to stay with the church. He was a priest and that is all there is. Thanks Cherie for pointing this out. As always I must stop drinking and blogging.

Finally, I asked when the next season would start and that there was a rumor it would come back in January. He said it takes a really long time and there is no way it will be back before August. I told him he was breaking my heart.

Christina Hendricks/Joan was there too, though she just sat in the audience, I talked to her after and she couldn't have been sweeter.

Yo Gabba Gabba concert Giveaway

WOOHOO!!! Your kids are going to freak out if you win this one.
I have 4 tickets to giveaway for the Yo Gabba Gabba concert on November 15th at 3pm at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

For all the show details check the Yo Gabba Gabba site

Just leave a comment and you are entered. I'll choose a winner with Random.org this Friday Nov. 6.
Good Luck!

Here's a little clip of Yo Gabba Gabba, just in case some of you have missed out on this crazy fun show.



We have a winner #2 Mommy toolbox

Mad Men Wrap Up

Wow!! It was tragic to watch the world come crashing down on our Mad Men. I loved the opening. The heat isn't working in the building, it's terribly cold. Pete is curled in the fetal position on the couch, and Hildy bring him a cup of cocoa. He complains that it's instant/fake. Could it be that it's a cold world and we only have our fake cocoa to keep us warm. The scene ends with Hildy telling Pete that the building will fix the temperature "they always do". I think they are about to find out that nobody is fixing anything anymore. Just to add insult to injury the building does fix the cold and replaces it with blazing hot. Out of the ice box and into the fire (foreshadowing).
Now on to the specifics. What is going on with Roger and Jane. What was with that comment "are you going to commit suicide?" Has she been holding that over him. Between that and him bringing her home from another society event 3 sheets to the wind, I don't see this marriage lasting. On the bright side Joan and Roger seem to be checking in with one another here and there. Maybe, if Joan's rapist husband is killed by his own troop in basic training, and Jane gets written off we can have Joan back as Rogers new wife...or whatever.
Pete and his wife looked primed to join the beat generation.Peggy and her roommate are the queens of passive aggressiveness. Peggy and Duck seem like they've settled into some kind relationship.
Finally, Don and Betty, will Betty really leave Don for Henry. She told Don she doesn't love him anymore, but she stopped short of saying she wanted a divorce. The episode closed with Don looking positively destroyed. Like the rest of the characters, he has done everything, and then some, to achieve the kind of life that everyone is suppose to want and it has not worked out. I think the Kennedy assassination was the vase over the head to the entire nation.

Things are not going to be fixed, or OK and no one can say or pretend "This Didn't Happen".

I can't wait to see how they wrap up the season next week. Is it Sunday yet?

Johnny Mercer on TCM

TCM is doing a tribute to Johnny Mercer to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth. It kicks off this Wednesday at 8pm et, with a documentary by Clint Eastwood(who made the film about Mercer, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil {I'm wrong, as usual, Midnight is about a murder that happened in Mercer's house after his death}). Then they will be showing films that feature Mercers music, check here for listings.
The people at TCM sent me the documentary and in watching it I saw an amazing dance number with Ruby Keeler, dancing to Mercers Just Too Marvelous, on a typewriter keyboard in a movie called Ready, Willing and Able. I definitely want to catch that one. It's on November 11 at 2:45am et. That will have to be tivo'd, but I gotta see it.
I love so many of Mercers songs if I had to pick one I think I would go with
Ac-cent-u-ate the Positive. I love that one it's so up beat. Although Mandy is Two sung by Billie Holiday reminds me of my father. One For My Baby is so mornful I kinda love that one too. So like I said I love a lot of Mercers songs. I bet you do too.
Don't miss all this good stuff, watch TCM Wed. in November!

Just in case you don't have a tivo here's that Typewriter number