"What About Dick?" at the Orpheum

Did you get to see Eric Idle's hysterical "What About Dick?" during its brief run at the Orpheum? If not, YOU MISSED OUT!!

Tim Curry and Eddie Izzard. Billy Connolly and my bagpipe teacher John Allan. Russell Brand and Tracy Ullman. Jane Leeves and Sophie Winkleman. Who wasn't there for Dick?!

Staged as a radio play - the actors were reading from scripts without scenery, and the sound effects guy was an awesome performer in his own right - the storyline was a little wonky. But, it didn't matter! Seeing Eric, Tim, Eddie and Billy cracking up with the rest of us was priceless! Tim's "Great Scott!" exclamation had me reflexively tossing a roll of toilet paper flashing back from his and my "Rocky Horror" days, and at one point Eddie was bounding back and forth between two microphones alternating a British and Indian accent. Wonderful! Russell spoke of an "action transvestite" with an obvious nod to Eddie. Speaking of Russell, he was a bit tweaky and rubber-bandish at the same time. My instructor got to pipe along with the crowd sing-along initiated by Billy (just try to get "oh packety whackety nickety nackety sings the lonely trout" out of your head!) and was a definite bonus for me. Not one for the kiddies or the easily offended, as bawdy, double entendres were flying from all sides. But, I know YOU would have loved it! See it - or see it again! - if it ever comes back.

Click here to go to "What About Dick?"'s Web site.

Pipes and Sticks on Route 66

My apologies for the quality of this photo of tonight's Pipes and Sticks on Route 66 performance, but the walls were shaking, the earth was quaking...oops, wrong song...because we did hear some AC/DC "Thunderstruck" pipe-style. This was the sharpest of my pix, as the others had blurred fingers and drum sticks - either they were moving too fast or I couldn't sit still to get the shot!

My goosebumps are still pumped from experiencing these best-of-the-best pipers and drummers. Stuart Liddell, Angus MacColl, and Willie McCallum on pipes, and Mike Cole and Jim Kilpatrick on drums are having a big adventure. The four Scots plus a Chicagoan are traveling Route 66 and playing shows along the way. Here on their final leg, they connected with the Pasadena Scots Pipe Band, who performed the welcoming tunes. The Pipes and Sticks dudes were phenomenal! Playing en masse, soloing, pairing up, harmonizing, piping tag-teaming (oh, yeah!), piper drumming, and light-up snare drums and sticks, for nearly three hours! Wow!! 

Click here to go to Pipes and Sticks' Facebook page.

Click here to go to the Pasadena Scots' Web site.

Feast from the East

I've been hearing about Feast from the East's Chinese Chicken Salad for months. Now that we're on the verge of the Project Mah Jongg exhibition at the Skirball, it seemed like a perfect excuse to finally check it out.

I went with a colleague who shared that the famous salad was used as a lure to get relators to see new listings back in her real estate days. Wow, what a story!

Now that I'm in the club, I totally get it. What makes this salad so delish is the magical sesame dressing and the shredded chicken. Otherwise, the ingredients are the standards. Feast from the East just mixes them a little differently. I'll definitely be back to continue feasting here!

Click here to go to Feast from the East's Web site.

Click here to go to the Skirball's Web site.

Pitfire Artisan Pizza

I'm meeting a friend after work to catch up on the latest. Her job is changing, and she'll be taking on a lot more responsibility. She recommended an awesome place in NoHo, Pitfire Artisan Pizza, to talk some smack about her shifting role.

The pitfire part combines fire and community-table seating options out on the patio. It was fun to chat with the others warming to the flames while checking out what they ordered. It all looked tasty!

My artisan pizza was potato, bacon and radicchio - yes, and it was as good as it sounds. I started with lemon garlic chicken soup with spinach, and the delicious watermelon lemonade. The only real smack was my lips smacking together totally enjoying this meal!

They have a few locations around town, so I'll have to make the rounds. Who wants to try some awesome pizza?

Click here to go to Pitfire Pizza's Web site.

Ventura Roadtrip

I know, another trip to Ventura County! Last month, I daytripped to Santa Paula for some yummy chow and museums. This time, I got a spontaneous invite from another friend to escape to the city of Ventura for a couple of relaxing beach days. As before, Ventura proved to be an interesting juxtaposition of Mayberry and modern.

After a morning run on the beach and some pipe playing, food and pedicures were on the agenda. Our first stop was Ventura Harbor Village to see the marina, some lunch at Milano's Italian Restaurant, and a visit to Ventura Swimwear for some needed flip flops pre-pedicure. (Short-sighted packing on my part!) Major shout out to Ventura Swimwear owner Gay - sadly, I don't even know her last name - who not only recommended nail salons, but actually CALLED a few to make our appointments. That would be the Mayberry moment! She got us to Elements Nail Spa for this wonderful result.

Now totally relaxed and feeling sassy with revived tootsies, we headed to Main Street, an Old Town district with lots of fun shops and restaurants. Here you see the fare from Trufflehound's, a chocolate shop extraordinaire. My take: Honeycomb; Raspberry Nayou (layers of raspberry with toasted almond pieces and chocolate fudge in both bittersweet and milk chocolate versions); and Sea Salt Caramel. Delish and almost worth the drive for the chocolate alone!

I also scored a flowy pink blouse from Buffalo Exchange before reigning in further unplanned spending.

My non-chocolate food highlight has to be Pete's Breakfast House. This is their Eggs Cabrillo, one of the day's specials, made of two poached eggs on an English muffin with avocado, jack cheese and seasoned ricotta. Wow!

What next, Ventura?! You have my attention.

Ventura Swimwear does not have a Web site. Address is 1559 Spinnaker Drive #102, Ventura. Phone is 805-642-6281.

Elements Nail Spa does not have a Web site. Address is 4255 E. Main Street, Ventura. Phone is 805-644-7446.

Click here to go to Trufflehound's Web site.

Click here to go to Pete's Web site.

Lemongrass Vietnamese Restaurant

Lovey needs more TLC, specifically a new radiator, so I'm back at my trusted Ray's Auto in Eagle Rock. After purchasing a Star Magazine and a Psychology Today, I planned to wait it out at the Starbucks. That novelty wore off as soon as I realized I had already read the Psych Today - although there was some important stuff in there that I was supposed to re-read - and I was off to find some lunch.

Lemongrass Vietnamese Restaurant was my score. Here you see their specialty lemongrass beef sandwich with shredded carrots, cucumbers and mint, plus the zingy Vietnamese lemonade with lime. Yum! Whatever that dipping' broth was, I'll probably never know. But the broth, combined with hoisin and the hot sauce made for some delicious flavor exploration. Who wants to try the other menu items?!

Click here to go to Lemongrass's Web site.