For today is Leap Year Day aka Sadie Hawkins Day which was created by cartoonist Al Capp, who wrote the strip "Lil Abner." In the strip, Sadie was considered the ugliest woman in the hills. By the time she reached 35, her father was desperate to get her married. So he organized a race -- "when Ah fire this shotgun..." where eligible bachelors took off running with the women seeking a husband right behind them. If she caught one of them he HAD to marry her. Possible earliest reference to a "shotgun wedding"?
But: Capp put the day for women to literally chase men to catch a husband on November 15, 1937. Today a lot of people celebrate Sadie Hawkins Day on the first Saturday in November instead.
"St. Brigid's Complaint" is a variation. Supposedly St. Brigid complained to St. Patrick about the length of time it took for a man to propose and magnanimously, he said, "Okay - on the 29th of February, the ladies can propose to the men!" Alert Readers will note this means one time in four years...
But this theory has been proven to be dubious as the event occurred in the 5th century, but wasn't actually used until the 19th.
In Greece, one in five couples believe that marrying on that day - or even year - is bad luck and postpone the event.
In Denmark, if the gent declines the honor, he then must pay the poor woman 12 pairs of gloves. You know that's an old one! No one wears dress gloves today...
Today, it's all changed. Just think of "The Batchelor." It's on every WEEK!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Site UNseen
Once upon a time, Hermosa Beach had a nice enough sort of "healthy" diner. Rocky Cola Cafe's menu had the first egg white omelet I'd ever seen. It didn't appeal, so having dined there once, we never went back. We were content, just passing by it.
And then one day "For Sale" appeared in the window. "What do you think will replace it?" we asked each other.
Today is the grand opening of My Fit Foods. I can tell you about it because I picked up their menu /brochure from the counter of (you guessed it) our gym this morning. I wondered about the use of the word "fit" which is an English thing. A woman there might say of a man she fancies, "Oh, he's ever so fit!" But when I looked this place up, I found that the chain originates in Texas aka "The Land of the Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy"! when the hell did Texas decide to become fit? This investigation may involve a road trip ...
The back of the menu states that by eating there and working with their nutrition coaches -- a position being offered on their Website YESTERDAY along with "Cooks Wanted" - the averaqge woman loses 6 to 12 lbs. and the average man 10-18 lbs.
At the bottom of the page it suggests drinking 8 oz. water, 1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice, lemon juice and 1 T Bragg apple cider vinegar you can "cleanse" your liver. "It takes a while to get used to the taste" is wild understatement.
"But what about the food?" you ask hungrily. Here are some sample items
Breakfast - Mix 'n Mash consists of 5:1 eggs (whatever those are) chicken breast, converted rice, yellow and red bell peppers and "a touch of real cheese" (which appears in other dishes and sounds disheartening to me.)
Lunch - An Alaskan wild-caught fillet of salmon that is perfectly seasoned, then baked and served on a bed of quinoa alongside fresh broccoli. Smll $8.75, Medium $10.25 or Large $12.50
Dinner: "Funner"Fish Sticks - Enjoy a blast from your childhood with almond meal and flaxseed-coated tlipia with creamy dill dripping sauce with cinnamon carrots and green bean veggies. Small $7.25 Medium $8.75 Large $10.75
Snack: the Picnic Time of Fuji apple slices, almonds, dried cranberries, grapes, Nut Thins( rice and almond flour) and Monterey Jack cheese. One size $4.50
No wine nor beer list so proceed at your own discretion, but don't look for me because I won't be there! Try the Mickey D's next door...
MyFitFoods.com
Hermosa Beach - 1005 Pacific Coast Hwy
Torrance - 2543-G Pacific Coast Hwy at Crenshaw
And then one day "For Sale" appeared in the window. "What do you think will replace it?" we asked each other.
Today is the grand opening of My Fit Foods. I can tell you about it because I picked up their menu /brochure from the counter of (you guessed it) our gym this morning. I wondered about the use of the word "fit" which is an English thing. A woman there might say of a man she fancies, "Oh, he's ever so fit!" But when I looked this place up, I found that the chain originates in Texas aka "The Land of the Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy"! when the hell did Texas decide to become fit? This investigation may involve a road trip ...
The back of the menu states that by eating there and working with their nutrition coaches -- a position being offered on their Website YESTERDAY along with "Cooks Wanted" - the averaqge woman loses 6 to 12 lbs. and the average man 10-18 lbs.
At the bottom of the page it suggests drinking 8 oz. water, 1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice, lemon juice and 1 T Bragg apple cider vinegar you can "cleanse" your liver. "It takes a while to get used to the taste" is wild understatement.
"But what about the food?" you ask hungrily. Here are some sample items
Breakfast - Mix 'n Mash consists of 5:1 eggs (whatever those are) chicken breast, converted rice, yellow and red bell peppers and "a touch of real cheese" (which appears in other dishes and sounds disheartening to me.)
Lunch - An Alaskan wild-caught fillet of salmon that is perfectly seasoned, then baked and served on a bed of quinoa alongside fresh broccoli. Smll $8.75, Medium $10.25 or Large $12.50
Dinner: "Funner"Fish Sticks - Enjoy a blast from your childhood with almond meal and flaxseed-coated tlipia with creamy dill dripping sauce with cinnamon carrots and green bean veggies. Small $7.25 Medium $8.75 Large $10.75
Snack: the Picnic Time of Fuji apple slices, almonds, dried cranberries, grapes, Nut Thins( rice and almond flour) and Monterey Jack cheese. One size $4.50
No wine nor beer list so proceed at your own discretion, but don't look for me because I won't be there! Try the Mickey D's next door...
MyFitFoods.com
Hermosa Beach - 1005 Pacific Coast Hwy
Torrance - 2543-G Pacific Coast Hwy at Crenshaw
Monday, February 27, 2012
Oscar Opinions
Not that anyone actually asked me what I thought...
First the complimentary things -- another tour de force for Billy Crystal. I like his sly sense of humor.
Christopher Plummer gave a very graceful speech. Temperate, moderate, witty and sweet.
Category I - BAD HAIR -- either visible roots or needed to be washed:
Cameron Diaz
Gweneth Paltrow
Glenn Close and the wind-tunnel affect on her head
Brad Pitt always looks dirty - oily hair, facial stubble. Whether he is or not, he looks like a stoner.
Brian Glazer whose blow dryer did massive overtime to leave his hair standing straight up
The singer, Esther Somebody, who sang "Wonderful World" had the world's biggest afro - it looked like a tembleweed had somehow gotten on stage and onto her head.
DRUNK: I'm not saying she had been in the champagne, but Cameron Diaz was awfully bubbley.
DRUGGED: Meryl Streeps husband gave her a very dismissive look, as if he were bored tedious by her and there was also a hint of "I thought you weren't going to do that any more." She was rather going on...
Nick Nolte may have been straight, but let his face be a warning to the world - drinks/drugs will utterly ruin your looks.
And speaking of looks, Angelina Jolie looked absolutely bony. Very little muscle tone in her arms or the permanently-on-display right leg. And the camera ADDS 15 pounds.
HIDEOUS DRESS
Natalie Portman's lackluster prom gown...
Sandr Bullock's sloppy summer tee top...
Christian Bale - black suit, black shirt, black "regular" tie. We get it, Bale, you're annoyed at something.
Melissa Leo - K-Mart leopard top with sequins just in case you didn't notice the leopard thingy
Mila Ludovich - what was that clump of fabric, clinging so desperately to her right shoulder?
Meryl Street - a trooper to the end and beyond was apparently wearing an old gold lame theater curtain...
First the complimentary things -- another tour de force for Billy Crystal. I like his sly sense of humor.
Christopher Plummer gave a very graceful speech. Temperate, moderate, witty and sweet.
Category I - BAD HAIR -- either visible roots or needed to be washed:
Cameron Diaz
Gweneth Paltrow
Glenn Close and the wind-tunnel affect on her head
Brad Pitt always looks dirty - oily hair, facial stubble. Whether he is or not, he looks like a stoner.
Brian Glazer whose blow dryer did massive overtime to leave his hair standing straight up
The singer, Esther Somebody, who sang "Wonderful World" had the world's biggest afro - it looked like a tembleweed had somehow gotten on stage and onto her head.
DRUNK: I'm not saying she had been in the champagne, but Cameron Diaz was awfully bubbley.
DRUGGED: Meryl Streeps husband gave her a very dismissive look, as if he were bored tedious by her and there was also a hint of "I thought you weren't going to do that any more." She was rather going on...
Nick Nolte may have been straight, but let his face be a warning to the world - drinks/drugs will utterly ruin your looks.
And speaking of looks, Angelina Jolie looked absolutely bony. Very little muscle tone in her arms or the permanently-on-display right leg. And the camera ADDS 15 pounds.
HIDEOUS DRESS
Natalie Portman's lackluster prom gown...
Sandr Bullock's sloppy summer tee top...
Christian Bale - black suit, black shirt, black "regular" tie. We get it, Bale, you're annoyed at something.
Melissa Leo - K-Mart leopard top with sequins just in case you didn't notice the leopard thingy
Mila Ludovich - what was that clump of fabric, clinging so desperately to her right shoulder?
Meryl Street - a trooper to the end and beyond was apparently wearing an old gold lame theater curtain...
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Oscar Trivia
Or Someone With Too Much Time On Their Hands....
The Oscar statuette is made of Britannia metal (a mix of tin, with antimony and copper) that is then 24-karat gold plated. It stands 13.5 in. tall and weighs 8.5 pounds.
From the USA Weekend edition:
Walt Disney won the most Oscars (26.)
"Gone With the Wind" was (so far) the longest picture to win the Best Picture category.
The tallest Oscar winner was Tim Robbins, the shortest was Shirley Temple.
"Midnight Cowboy" won as Oscar despite have an X-rating. When I think of what I've seen on the French TV channel (naked men and women in bed -- at 5:30 p.m.!) I had to laugh.
The late Bob Hope hosted 19 award ceremonies; 16 all by himself and three with a co-host.
Why winning Best Actress may not be such a good thing after all... Halle Berry, Hilary Swank, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Winslet and Sandra Bullock all won one -- and all of them also got a divorce after winning.
And now for a trivia question for you, Gentle Reader: Who won Best Actress and Best Actor last year? I know... flickers right through and is gone by the day after the awards! Fame is indeed fleeting...
The Oscar statuette is made of Britannia metal (a mix of tin, with antimony and copper) that is then 24-karat gold plated. It stands 13.5 in. tall and weighs 8.5 pounds.
From the USA Weekend edition:
Walt Disney won the most Oscars (26.)
"Gone With the Wind" was (so far) the longest picture to win the Best Picture category.
The tallest Oscar winner was Tim Robbins, the shortest was Shirley Temple.
"Midnight Cowboy" won as Oscar despite have an X-rating. When I think of what I've seen on the French TV channel (naked men and women in bed -- at 5:30 p.m.!) I had to laugh.
The late Bob Hope hosted 19 award ceremonies; 16 all by himself and three with a co-host.
Why winning Best Actress may not be such a good thing after all... Halle Berry, Hilary Swank, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Winslet and Sandra Bullock all won one -- and all of them also got a divorce after winning.
And now for a trivia question for you, Gentle Reader: Who won Best Actress and Best Actor last year? I know... flickers right through and is gone by the day after the awards! Fame is indeed fleeting...
Saturday, February 25, 2012
The Silliness Approaches...en garde!
I'm referring to the Oscars late tomorrow afternoon. Or as I like to think of them:
O !
See
Celebs
Acting
Ridiculous
S(sigh)
I am not the most attentive when it comes to movies. "The Great Train Robbery" (circa 1908) may have been the last movie I sat through in a cinema. I am perfectly content to wait until a "hot" film comes to our main library. Then I can watch it in the comfort of my home, glass of wine at hand, feet on the coffee table.
Of this year's slate of nine up for Best Picture honors, I have seen exactly none of them.
I do recognize some well-established names.
Best Actor 2 names
Best Actress 2 "
Best Supporting Actors - 3
Best Supporting Actress - 0
Best Director - 2
"Then why on earth do you look forward to the Oscars?" you may be asking. The Oscar ceremonies are a rich chance to see what various actresses are (barely) wearing, the annual "Worst Hair" award, who's drunk, who's on drugs... the most over-the-top acceptance and how many times they have to play "The End" music when some actor rambles on and on.
And it's free! You don't often get entertainment like this for free! How can you NOT watch the Oscars?
O !
See
Celebs
Acting
Ridiculous
S(sigh)
I am not the most attentive when it comes to movies. "The Great Train Robbery" (circa 1908) may have been the last movie I sat through in a cinema. I am perfectly content to wait until a "hot" film comes to our main library. Then I can watch it in the comfort of my home, glass of wine at hand, feet on the coffee table.
Of this year's slate of nine up for Best Picture honors, I have seen exactly none of them.
I do recognize some well-established names.
Best Actor 2 names
Best Actress 2 "
Best Supporting Actors - 3
Best Supporting Actress - 0
Best Director - 2
"Then why on earth do you look forward to the Oscars?" you may be asking. The Oscar ceremonies are a rich chance to see what various actresses are (barely) wearing, the annual "Worst Hair" award, who's drunk, who's on drugs... the most over-the-top acceptance and how many times they have to play "The End" music when some actor rambles on and on.
And it's free! You don't often get entertainment like this for free! How can you NOT watch the Oscars?
Friday, February 24, 2012
Dribbles From a Sippy Cup
Yesterday we had the pleasure of a visit with one of my oldest friends -- Sue's and my friendship is carbon-dated to back when we were both in kindergarten. We subsequently graduated in the same class in high school. Despite distances (LA and Chicago) and her subsequent marriages and child raising, we have remained friends. Sue urged me to "get online! for Pete's sake," and now that I have, she never reads her mail!
Sue loves to take road trips. She travels fully equipped, too. I vividly remember the high school reunion held in Kansas City. She'd driven down to it from south Chicago and among her various bags was a fully equipped traveling bar! Martini shaker, room for a couple of bottles, corkscrew, glasses and all! For this trip, she'd taken the train to Winslow, Arizona? where her daughter Lynn met her with all of her gear.
Richie and I did our homework and read Sue's daughter Lynn's very interesting blog because we hadn't met her yet. Lynn has proved to be as intrepid as her mother in her travels. Sue has always loved what she calls "blue line roads" which are the one and two lane roads marked in blue on a map. Lynn has taken traveling even farther -- she drives a Winnebago View 24 while towing a Chevy Tracker ZR2. Her big yellow Lab Millie is often her sole companion across the country. She is a talented photographer and I urge you to look at yesterday's blog to see a stunning shot of a cactus outlined against a setting sun. winnieviews.blogspot.com
We had a grrrreat visit! I'd do it all again today if it were possible.
Sue loves to take road trips. She travels fully equipped, too. I vividly remember the high school reunion held in Kansas City. She'd driven down to it from south Chicago and among her various bags was a fully equipped traveling bar! Martini shaker, room for a couple of bottles, corkscrew, glasses and all! For this trip, she'd taken the train to Winslow, Arizona? where her daughter Lynn met her with all of her gear.
Richie and I did our homework and read Sue's daughter Lynn's very interesting blog because we hadn't met her yet. Lynn has proved to be as intrepid as her mother in her travels. Sue has always loved what she calls "blue line roads" which are the one and two lane roads marked in blue on a map. Lynn has taken traveling even farther -- she drives a Winnebago View 24 while towing a Chevy Tracker ZR2. Her big yellow Lab Millie is often her sole companion across the country. She is a talented photographer and I urge you to look at yesterday's blog to see a stunning shot of a cactus outlined against a setting sun. winnieviews.blogspot.com
We had a grrrreat visit! I'd do it all again today if it were possible.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
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