Get on the Bullet & Get Your Energy Back!!

There’s a great Energy Supplement out there that I’ve been taking that has really helped me in a lot of ways. When I’m up against one of my writing deadlines, I need an immediate boost of energy, something that stimulates my metabolism, increasing my concentration. It also prevents feeling of fatigue and doesn’t contain any empty calories like many of these new energy drinks out there on the market today. It’s called Bullet Speed Energizer – and it works!

Theater Review: BATS Improv in San Francisco

Last night we went to BATS Improv in San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center. BATS Improv is a non-profit education and performance theatre company that has been entertaining Bay Area audiences since 1986. Their unique style of acting-based improvisational theatre has made BATS Northern California’s largest improv theatre company and school and is a benchmark for improv all over the world. BATS performs year-round at the 200-seat Bayfront Theater, which is the ideal size venue for this type of thing – intimate and personal. You feel like the improvisational actors are performing just for you in your living room. Some comedy clubs are so big and spread out that you end up sitting too far away from the action on stage. The Bayfront is perfect – comfortable with great sound and lights. BATS takes its inspiration from the work of Theatresports creator Keith Johnstone. Everything that takes place at BATS is 100% improvised – from the dialogue, to the movement, music, songs, lighting and more. I’ve been to some improv shows where a lot of what they do isn’t really truly improvisational. The actors have done it enough that they know what will get laughs and it’s canned stuff. Not with BATS – they’re the real thing, pure and unadulterated. It’s experimental improv with an emphasis on stories. It blows away some of the so-called improv that I’ve seen at other places. These people are professional actors who get paid and have been doing improv for many years. They explore both short and long-form improv, which isn’t easy. Anyone can do a funny 2-minute sketch, but to perform a 40-minute play with fully developed characters and a structured storyline with a plot is difficult, especially when the actors are creating everything on the fly. The typical show at BATS is broken up into two parts. The first half of the show consists of short bits based on audience suggestions. The second half is a full-length improvisational drama with only the title having been suggested by the audience. The performers we saw the other night were wonderful and had varied styles. There was Rafe Chase – a multi-dimensional performer with a dry, quick wit. Dave Dennison – an actor with great facial expressions who reminded me a lot of local comedian Larry “Bubbles” Brown. Zoe Galvez – a cute, fun actress who played a wide range of characters. John Kovacevich – the emcee and leader, who reminded me a lot of Steve Carell from “The Office.” And Gerri Lawlor – probably the best actor in the bunch; very physical with fully formed characters. Lawlor was by far the standout of the evening. She possesses a certain flair and energy that I can’t do justice describing here. She reminded me of a cross between Carol Burnett and Phyllis Diller. Another bright spot is Music Director Joshua Raoul Brody, who plays keyboards along with the show, complete with great sound effects and timely tunes. I was amazed at how he could play songs on the spot that were directly related to the action on stage. A good improv show needs a guy like Brody to keep it moving along and Joshua was magnificent. BATS is at B350 Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. There’s plenty of paid parking, but if you don’t mind walking a little, you can usually park free along the Marina. Their phone number is: (415) 474-6776.

NY Giants Clean House

I cannot believe how rapidly LaVar Arrington has fallen from grace. A couple of seasons ago, he was one of the hottest young players in the league. Now, he's looking for a job. Couldn't they have traded him for some draft picks or something? They must really be upset with the guy. By releasing him the way they did, the Giants are going to cost Arrington a ton of money on the free agent market. Other teams will be suspicious and reluctant to bid on a guy who was let go so abruptly. The Giants are in a major rebuilding phase whether they like it or not. And the bottom line is that they're in trouble, because Eli Manning is no Peyton. Or even an Archie, for that matter.

This was on www.cbssportsline.com yesterday:

The New York Giants released linebacker LaVar Arrington and two other starters Monday in the first major shake-up under new general manager Jerry Reese.New York also cut linebacker Carlos Emmons and offensive tackle Luke Petitgout, both of whom were slowed by injuries over the last two seasons.The release of Arrington ended a brief and unsatisfying tenure with the Giants for the former Pro Bowler, who was signed last year for $49 million over seven years but suffered an Achilles injury against Dallas on Oct. 23 and played in only six games."LaVar's situation is unfortunate because he was just starting to really become a factor in our defense at the time of his injury," Reese said.Reese, who last month replaced the retired Ernie Accorsi, served notice that he will not stand pat with a team that won the NFC East in 2005 but was humiliated in a first-round playoff loss to Carolina, then squeaked into the playoffs last season with an 8-8 record and again lost in the first round."These are difficult decisions," Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said. "But as Jerry and I looked at the roster, they are decisions we felt we had to make as we start to compose our team for the upcoming season."Combined with the retirement of running back Tiki Barber, the Giants now have additional salary-cap space to pursue free agents this offseason. Emmons had two years remaining on a five-year contract worth $16.5 million and was to make $2 million this year, and Petitgout had two years left on his contract and was due $5 million for 2007.Arrington, whose contract was filled with incentives, was scheduled to make $900,000 next season.Petitgout started 106 games at tackle and guard over eight seasons for the Giants, but broke his leg against Chicago on Nov. 12 and missed the Giants' final seven games. He became expendable when guard David Diehl switched to left tackle and played well in his absence.Dumping Petitgout's contract could give the Giants a better shot at re-signing free-agent center Shaun O'Hara.Emmons, acquired from Philadelphia in 2004, played in 36 games in three seasons but missed a total of 11 games in the last two seasons with a pectoral injury.Calls to the agents for all three players were not immediately returned Monday evening.

This Week's Restaurant Review: The Slanted Door in SF

Anybody who is even half a foodie in San Francisco knows about The Slanted Door. Located in the northeast corner of the restored Ferry Building, The Slanted Door is small – it only seats 150 for lunch and dinner with a 34-seat cocktail lounge/bar -- which is not enormous when it comes to a restaurant. But, the place’s reputation for incredibly inventive food in an awe-inspiring setting is huge. The Slanted Door is a modern Vietnamese restaurant that features local produce and ecologically farmed meat, game and poultry that’s raised at farms throughout the Bay Area. The Phan family opened the original Slanted Door in 1995 on Valencia Street. They have taken their vision a step further with the Ferry Building location, in a stunning environment designed by the renowned Olle Lundberg. The place overlooks the SF Bay, but the view actually ends up playing second fiddle to the amazing interiors of The Slanted Door. The food is the star of this gig, but the Riesling-driven wine list, the full bar with its unique selection of specialty drinks and fresh squeezed juices, and the hard-to-find Chinese teas, make this gem a destination for food lovers from all over the world. When we were there, we met people from China, Sweden, Korea, Africa, and Spain. I felt like I was at Disneyland, on the “It’s A Small World” ride. With a reputation like The Slanted Door’s, it’s no wonder that folks all over the planet cash in their frequent flyer miles to eat there. One of the cool innovations this place offers is called their Out the Door store, where people can purchase prepared dishes to go, or easy-to-use kits that they can use to make Slanted Door dishes at home. Dinner entrees at The Slanted Door range from $14.50 to $26.50, while lunch entrees will run you somewhere between $8.50 and $16.50 each. The specialties of the house include the Slanted Door Spring Rolls with peanut sauce -- the freshest, most delicate spring rolls I’ve ever tasted; Green Papaya Salad with rau ram and roasted peanuts – my favorite dish on the menu. We’ve tried to make it at home, but it’s not the same. Shaking Beef stir-fired with garlic and organic onions – the only thing shaking here was me in anticipation of this incredible dish. Then there’s the Wood-oven roasted whole fish with spicy ginger fish sauce and the Sugar snap peas with maitake mushrooms and garlic, two entrees I haven’t had the pleasure of sampling yet. They’re on my list for next time, however. Executive Chef Charles Phan, Pastry Chef Mutsumi Takehara and Wine Director Mark Ellenbogen are food celebrities. They have groupies and have to avoid paparazzi just like Brad, Angie, Clooney, Cruise and Katie. The Slanted Door also has a great Prix Fixe menu, consisting of 3 appetizers, 3 meat or seafood dishes, 1 vegetable dish and a dessert. The very reasonable cost is $38 per person for lunch and $45 per person for dinner. Unless you’re Willie Brown, you might have problems making reservations at The Slanted Door. But, try anyway. It’s worth it. Every food experience should be just like this – unforgettable and wondrous. The Slanted Door is located at 1 Ferry Building in SF. Call them at (415) 861-8032. Their web site is: http://www.slanteddoor.com/.

I Can Hear the Politicians Waffling Already!

It's getting interesting really fast, as politicians jockey for a position that may eventually lead to the presidency. Obama, Sarah Silverman, Hillary, Paul Reubens, Guiliani, George Clooney, McCain, Howard K. Stern, Edwards, Hulk Hogan, Al Gore, the Geico lizard...who will be there at the end? It's more exciting that American Idol. I can't wait!!

Is There Anything More Fun?

You'd think by the age of 48 I'd be mature enough to see that things like this are juvenile, childish and not appropriate. Well, guess what? I haven't! I still think whoopee cushions are one of the funniest things on the planet, right up there with wet willies, melvins and stink bombs. And I will until I'm 100 -- if I ever make it that far!

Two Teens Kill and Torture Puppy and Get a Long Timeout!

When I read this headline on AOL, it really caught my eye. The teaser read, “Should Teens Have Received 10 Years for Torturing and Killing Puppy?” It got me to read the article, but when I saw the piece, (which I have re-printed below) I read where these delinquents did a lot more than just torture and kill a puppy. They cooked the poor thing in an oven while it was still alive, for one thing! Not to mention one of them is legally an adult! I hate this kind of semi-yellow journalism. You snag me in by misleading me and telling me only part of the story. It’s cheap. Anyway, to answer AOL’s question – yes, I think these kids deserved every bit of the ten years! Studies have proven that serial killers, in many cases, started out by hurting and killing animals just like these two did, before they moved on to snuffing out human beings. These two need counseling and a long timeout. Maybe they'll meet a nice big guy named Bubba when they're in prison and he can teach them the true meaning of "Puppy Love."

ATLANTA (Feb. 10) - Two teenage brothers were each sentenced to 10 years in prison for torturing a puppy by cooking it in an oven.
Joshua Moulder, 17, and Justin, 19, pleaded guilty in January to charges including burglary, criminal damage to property, terrorist threats and cruelty to children.
The brothers brought neighborhood children to see the dead puppy, and then threatened to kill them if they reported it, prosecutors said.
Police said they found the dead mixed-breed puppy inside an oven at an apartment community center Aug. 21. Scratch marks were found inside the oven, indicating the puppy had been alive when it was placed inside, prosecutors said.
A necropsy on the 3-month-old dog found its paws and snout had been duct taped and it had been doused with paint before being placed in the oven, prosecutors said.
Authorities also found damaged computers, broken glass and splattered paint on the walls of the newly refurbished community center.
The brothers' first trial ended in a mistrial in December. Their attorney, Timothy Owens, said he had hoped his clients' sentencing would have focused more on rehabilitation than incarceration.

Las Vega$ Real E$tate!! There'$ $$ in That There De$ert!

If you’re thinking about moving to the Las Vegas area, join the crowd. Las Vegas ranks as the number one “Most Livable City” due to its pro-business attitude, low tax burden, employment opportunities and product growth. The hottest thing in this country right now is Las Vegas Real Estate. If we wanted to buy a home in the Bay Area, we’d have to come up with a huge chunk for a down payment and then our monthly mortgage payments would be enormous. In Las Vegas, you can buy real estate very reasonably.

A $25,000 Meal? A $3,750 Tip?

Anyone who would pay this kind of money for a meal should be ashamed, especially when people throughout the world are starving to death. Excess like this is deplorable and disgusts me. $25,000 can feed a lot of people for a long, long time. If I had $25,000 to spare, I'd give it to someone who really needs it, not for some overpriced, pretentious food. I hope they all get really bad indigestion!

BANGKOK, Thailand (Feb. 10) - It's been billed as the "meal of a lifetime," a 10-course dinner concocted by world-renowned chefs for the most discriminating palates and - at $25,000 a head - the fattest wallets.
Chefs gather to prepare a meal in Bangkok, ordering in $200,000 in wine alone.Few expenses were spared in putting together Saturday night's culinary extravaganza in Bangkok.But at this price, even the most talented chefs can find it challenging to give diners their money's worth.Antoine Westermann of Le Buerhiesel, the famous restaurant in Strasbourg, France, says he plans to shave 3 1/2 ounces of Perigord truffles - worth about $350 - onto each plate."For $25,000, what do you expect?" he said.
Westermann is one of six three-star Michelin chefs - four from France and one each from Italy and Germany - commissioned to fix dinner at the Lebua luxury hotel for 40 "Epicurean Masters of the World." That's the title for the event, organized by the hotel to promote Thai tourism.The menu features complicated creations like "tartare of Kobe beef with Imperial Beluga caviar and Belon oysters" and "mousseline of 'pattes rouges' crayfish with morel mushroom infusion."Guests jetted in from the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Deepak Ohri, the Lebua's managing director, declined to reveal their identities but said they include Fortune 500 executives, a casino owner from Macau and a Taiwanese hotel owner."It's surreal! The whole thing is surreal," said Alain Soliveres, the celebrated chef of the Taillevent restaurant in Paris.Soliveres was preparing two of his signature dishes, including the first course: a "'creme brulee' of foie gras" to be washed down with a 1990 Cristal champagne - a bubbly that sells for more than $500 a bottle, but still stands out as one of the cheapest wines on the menu."To have brought together all of these three-star Michelin chefs, and to serve these wines for so many people is just an incredible feat," Soliveres said ahead of the dinner. "It's fabulous!"Chefs submitted their grocery lists to organizers and the ingredients were flown in fresh: black truffles, foie gras, oysters and live Brittany lobsters from France; caviar from Switzerland; Jerusalem artichokes and white truffles from Rome.
Diners will sip their way through legendary vintages, like a 1985 Romanee Conti, a 1959 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, a 1967 Chateau d'Yquem and a 1961 Chateau Palmer, considered "one of the greatest single wines of the 20th century," said Alun Griffiths of Berry Bros. & Rudd, the British wine merchants that procured and shipped about six bottles of each wine for the dinner.The wine alone cost more than $200,000, Griffiths said."Just to have one of these would be a great treat," he said. "To have 10 of them in one evening is the sort of thing that people would kill for."Wine lovers regularly organize exorbitantly expensive tastings in New York, London and Japan but such events are not as common in Thailand, where it would take the average schoolteacher five years to earn $25,000."That is a waste of money," said Rungrat Ketpinyo, 44, who sells Phad Thai noodles for 75 cents a plate from a street cart outside the hotel. "I don't care how luxurious this meal is. It's ridiculous."Organizers said most of the profits will go to two charities - Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Chaipattana Foundation - a rural development charity set up by the king of Thailand.
What & What Not to Order
"Expensive is very relative," said Ohri, the Lebua director. "Some of the world's best chefs will be cooking their best dishes with the finest vintage wines.""It is an experience of a lifetime."Organizers scrambled to fill seats at the last minute after 10 Japanese people canceled their reservation, citing safety concerns after the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok that killed 3 people.To ensure discretion, diners will be escorted to a restaurant on the hotel's 65th floor in a private elevator, and all staff in possession of cell phones with cameras will have to check the devices at the door.The chefs confessed they were astonished by the $25,000 price tag. A meal at the own restaurants costs about $260."It's crazy," Westermann said. "The fact that one meal could be this expensive," he shrugged. "After this, nothing can shock me."

It's a Real Estate Paradise in Vegas, Baby! Yeah! It's All Good!

Everyone is saying that Las Vegas is THE place right now to buy real estate. It’s the fastest growing city in the country and people are investing in land, houses, commercial buildings and condos there like crazy. Las Vegas Luxury Condos are the really hot item, because it’s a situation where there are still great values out in the desert and deals are just waiting to be found. It’s a Boom Town baby – and it’s happening in Vegas!!