Happy Friday!

My crazy Lily after 3 years in July is still a very active cat. I am sure she has OCD and is bi-polar but I would never ever put her on meds for that. She is just a handful and I was thinking of getting a new kitty but I really think it would be too much for me and her to cope with. So maybe in a few years IF she calms down a little more I will. She loves using the inside of my doors as a scratching post and she loves jumping up high and sliding down the inside of the doors. Her favorite doors are the bathroom doors and my closet door. And of course she still likes to surf the top of the shower door and the stair banister. Billy Elliott just tolerates her. He is a good kitty.

Billy Elliott, cool, calm & collected!

We are expecting to heat up to the 100's this weekend! Yikes a little to hot for me. But since June has the famous "June Gloom" days I know we will cool down again. I am working tonight at the Hospital and all weekend but there are some changes coming up on the next schedule. New rule that the part time people can't work more than 22 hours per week so that means if I work Friday's that would put me over. So I will just be working Saturday's and Sunday's, which means when people call in sick or go out on medical leave there will be a problem. And you know what? This is not going to work as it didn't when they did this a few years ago. So I am going to enjoy the lighter work schedule while I can. I give it 2 months tops! Other than working I have no plans before or after work this weekend yet. Have a great weekend!

Feels Like a Monday!

I had a wonderful Holiday weekend. I got off early on Friday and Joe and I headed to Birds Café in Hollywood. I had their yummy rotisserie chicken and new on the menu baked potatoes.

After dinner was the Ronna & Beverly Show at the UCB theater and it was hysterical. We are going to go again in June. They are taking the show to London and will be back at UCB at the end of June.



Ronna & Beverly

Annie Potts and Beverly

Annie Potts and Ronna

Melanie Hutsell (SNL) Ronna & Beverly

After the show we met up with Lisa and Paul, Justin with 2 of his friends who joined us to see Hangover 3. By the way we loved it. Phooey on the critics! But the funny thing that happened was while Joe and I were in line for the Ronna & Beverly show earlier I recognized this girl and asked Joe was that the actress we were talking to at the last Ronna & Beverly show in line? He said it was not. 10 minutes into the movie Bradley Cooper's wife was in a scene and that was the girl I was asking Joe about. She has played his wife in all three movies. I looked her up and she has been on lots of TV shows and movies. She most recently played the wife of Jack in the Jack in the Box commercials. I am quite the savant when it comes to recognizing faces from TV and movies. While in line Patricia Arquette walked by and Cybil Shepherd was at the show along with another actor  John Harbour whose name might not be familiar but his face sure is.

I worked Saturday and Sunday. After work on Sunday I went with Lisa to Costco I so seldom get to go shopping there because I am just too busy so I had a lot of fun. I usually have her get me my AMC movie tickets they are $15.95 for 2 which is a great deal at $8 a piece. Paul BBQ's steaks for dinner after shopping and I spent the evening.  Monday I was off and Paul & Lisa had a Memorial Day BBQ they had hamburgers, hot dogs and all the fixings. There were about 25 people there. Our temps were in the low 80's it was perfect pool weather.

Happy Memorial Day!

I am off tonight from the Hospital and we are getting out of work early today after a catered lunch our bosses are having brought in for us. Tonight Joe and I are going to this great show called Ronna & Beverly Show which they have been performing in NY for years they have moved to So Cal. ‘Ronna & Beverly’ is a live chat show hosted by America’s favourite fifty-something Jewish mothers (played by thirty-somethings Jessica Chaffin and Jamie Denbo). They are so funny! I posted a short video below of them interviewing Jon Hamm and  Stephen Mangan. Their guests tonight are Annie Potts and Melanie Hutsell.

The plan is to have dinner at Birds Cafe then the show at 8:00 and to top this great evening off meeting the kids for a 11:20 showing of the Hangover 3. We are all big fans of these movies and this is going to be the final one. Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms have been frequent guests of our comedy shows these last 2 years.

I am working my regular Saturday and Sunday schedule. After work on Sunday I am going to go shopping with Lisa at this great Mexican market called Vallarta to get food for the BBQ they will be having on Monday Memorial Day! Yes I am off!! I get paid of course from my full time job but if I wanted to make double time and work at the Hospital I could of which I do so often but they seemed to have enough coverage so I opted out. My sister Jan is turning the big 60 on Wednesday also President John F Kennedy's Birthday, so I will have a Ice Cream cake for her to celebrate it. Have a happy safe Memorial weekend.

No Fan Fare!

Yesterday was Paul's 43rd Birthday. He never likes a big deal made out of his Birthday's so no fan fare at all. Lisa is much different than him in that way. It was just the 7 of us that went to our favorite Teppan Grill Mori's in Glendale. I always get their hibachi shrimp and chicken. Served with  miso onion soup, salad (crisp greens carrots and ripe tomatoes in tangy ginger dressing), shrimp appetizer, hibachi vegetables, homemade dipping sauces & fried and steamed rice. It was delicious!


 I had my friend make a really cool cake for Paul like she did for Lisa. Paul is into Jeeping up in the mountains so she made this great cake. It looked even better in person! He loved it! I am going to have her make me a cake for my Birthday in July, it is going to be a big tub of popcorn with movie tickets for my love of movies.

 

Bon Appetit!

I had a great working weekend and I ended it with a visit to a new restaurant that opened in Burbank last week. Claim Jumper. I have only been there once in Temecula when the kids lived nearby. So Lisa, Paul & Justin met us there Sunday at 6:30. I had there yummy Vegetarian Stuffed Baker, baked potato stuffed with roasted vegetables, melted jack and cheddar cheese and salsa. It was delicious!!! Joe and I headed to our comedy show at The Upright Citizens Brigade theater right after dinner. This is a fun monthly show that was gone for 2 months because the 2 hosts were expecting a baby. The show is Shut Up! I Hate You! Where four incredibly opinionated comedians join hosts Anthony King & Kate Spencer for a brutal and hilarious round table discussion about all the things they hate in politics and pop culture. It's like watching The McLaughlin Group, The View and a knife fight all at the same time. Now you know of course their opinions are the same as both of ours otherwise it would be quite uncomfortable I am sure. It is hosted by Anthony King (Gutenberg! The Musical!, Best Friends Forever) & Kate Spencer (VH1)  and their guests were some of our favorite TV actors, writers & comedians, Matt Walsh (Veep, UCB), Ben Schwartz (House of Lies, Parks & Recreation) Jon Gabrus (MTV's Guy Code) & Ali Waller (writer, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) It was a fun show.

Tonight will be the last night I work at the hospital during the week and since I am working tonight I am going to be off Friday night! We have special plans for Friday night!

Beat!

Happy Friday!!! I am beat. I have been working the evenings at the Hospital since Wednesday and this weekend I work of course and Monday night again. BUT these evenings hours during the week will be gone as of Thursday. A co-worker of mine will be taking the 3:30-12 shift full time. She was just a part timer like I am. The shift has been open since last year when a co-worker left unexpectedly! The HR dept dragged their feet on posting the position for some reason? So I will still be able to work Friday nights 6-12 and Saturday's 3:30-12 those are her days off.  She is really reliable so these hours will not be available like before. So I am enjoying the last of the extra money for now.

The kids and crew come back today from the Champs Convention in Atlantic City. Here is a picture of their both. The sent it ahead via DHL. Paul had made the crates it came in before the show and they were there waiting for him when they arrived from New York on Sunday.

My plan for this weekend is rest up tomorrow before work and on Sunday after work Dinner and a Comedy show at the UCB with Joe. Have a great weekend!

On The Boardwalk

Everyone is now in Atlantic City for the convention except Justin and I. They set up for it on Monday when they all were there, Chris and Britini were the last to arrive on Monday. The show is Tuesday-Thursday. They will all be coming back all together Friday afternoon. They always get a big bump in business when they do these conventions. Fingers crossed! Lisa texted me some pictures of Atlantic City and you could see some of the damage to their famous boardwalk from Hurricane Sandy still. I remember like it was yesterday walking that boardwalk with my 2nd cousin Stephen the Summer of 1963 we were both 13 years old. His parents had a Summer home there so we all went for the weekend while I was back east on a 3 week visit. Our Grandmother's were sisters. Aunt Tillie and my Granny Annie. They were real characters and very much alike even though they didn't think so.

Last night was our weekly Doug Loves Movies at the UCB. A fun show as usual. We opted to just go home afterwards instead of having dinner at Birds Cafe. Joe had laundry to do and I am going to be at the Hospital every evening for the rest of the week. I even picked up another night shift next Monday night. I am going to be off Friday 5/24 and I opted to not work the Holiday either. I will just work Saturday & Sunday and have Memorial day off. I am looking forward to another day off. My next one won't be until 6/17 and I am taking that off for my yearly Dr's visit but hey it is a day off both jobs!

I Knew It!!

Our weekend was in the high 90's but beautiful and clear. Saturday after work Joe and I saw The Great Gatsby and we loved it. It was long as most of Leo's movies are for some reason. What I didn't know was Jay-Z was the executive producer. I knew it was his music in the movie but was surprised to see he was the producer. A group of excited young girls sat down next to us all excited to see Leonardo and I whispered in Joe's ear there is no way they are going to like this movie and only 1/4 way thru they were sighing, groaning and moaning. I knew it!! We had dinner at Islands and I had their cheese quesadilla appetizer.

Sunday after work Chris, Justin and I went to dinner at this great BBQ place in Mission Hills called the Bear Pit. When I was a telephone operator and worked nearby in Granada Hills I use to go there a lot. When the kids first moved back and Paul was building their house they lived in one of Chris's rentals in Granada Hills so went to the Bear Pit a few times. It is still good and very reasonably priced. They have the best garlic bread! You can use them for the bread on your sandwiches and it is so good! I had the Kodiak a pork sandwich on their garlic bread with 2 sides, Cole slaw & BBQ beans and 2 spare ribs! I was in heaven and of course I  had a lot of food left over to take for lunch today at work.

 

 

Grandmother's Day!

Last night was a lot of fun at the special addition of Doug Loves Movies podcast at Flapper's Comedy Club in Burbank. Joe and I scooted over there 2 hours early got our tickets at will call and we got our pass for what group gets to go in first. You know we always have to have front row seats to get all those great photo shots on our iPhones :) After getting out tickets we went to dinner.


I am off work tonight at the Hospital because I worked Monday night and next week I am working a lot of evenings hours during the week. I have no plans tonight I will probably just relax at home. Tomorrow I traded my late shift with a co-worker that is moving so I will work her 10:30-7 instead of my 3:30-12. So I will also have a Saturday night off and I am not sure if I am going to do anything or not? I just might head over to Target and do a little shopping. I have not been to Target in over a year. I just never find the time.

Paul & Lisa headed to the "big apple" on Thursday morning, they were going to a Broadway show that Lisa booked tonight and she had a whole bunch of places on her list to see. They are staying at the Sheraton near Times Square. They have to be in Atlantic City Sunday evening for a convention for their eCig business. The show is Tuesday-Thursday but they have a crate with their display en route to be there on Sunday and Monday they will set up. Natasha and Melissa will head to Atlantic City on Sunday. And Chris and Britini head to Atlantic City on Monday. So on Sunday the two Grandma's will spend Mother's Day with Justin. We are going to get together for dinner after I get off work. So that is reason for the title for my blog you can call it "Grandmother's Day" instead of Mother's Day. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and Mother's Day!

Doug Comes to Burbank

Last night was our weekly Doug Loves Movies Podcast at the UCB Theater in Hollywood. His guests were Samm Levine, Simon Pegg & Paul F Tompkins. Tomorrow night Doug brings his show to Flapper's in Burbank for a 90 minute DLM podcast with surprise guests from a cable TV show. That was the only clue. This show costs money the Tuesday DLM's podcast are always free. I am excited it has been over a year since he played at Flapper's and it is down the street from my house.

Doug Benson, Samm Levine & Simon Pegg

Samm Levine, Simon Pegg & Paul F Tompkins

Tonight I am going to swing by the kids house since Paul & Lisa will be leaving for New York tomorrow morning. They are spending 4 days in NY then they head to Atlantic City for a convention. Justin will be the only one staying behind to run the business with help from Melissa's Mom who they have been training to help out while they are all gone. I think it is really nice Paul & Lisa will get a little time to themselves before the convention on Monday.

For this week's Wednesday Chatter, the topic is Mom. You can write about your mom or being a mom. Whatever you want :)




It was my Mom's Birthday on May 1st she would of been only 82 she passed away at my age 62, 20 years ago just a few months after Justin her Great Grandchild was born. I am very thankful she was alive to see him!



Here is a picture of her and I am on her lap. I have no idea who the little boy is next to me? My sister was born but was not in this picture.

 

Mom & Me

Here is a professional picture of my Mom when she had left being a showgirl and was singing at a club called The Latin Casino in PA. She met my Dad there.

 

eBay to the Rescue!

It was wonderful having Friday off!! I relaxed during the day and did some cleaning and watching TV then Joe and I went to an early show to see Iron Man 3 and it was excellent even better then the previous ones. This movie feels like a comedy with a superhero plot, but luckily, it functions admirably as a comedy. There are plenty of laughs and Robert Downey Jr  is so thoroughly Tony Stark at this point. I can't imagine anyone else that could of played this role but him. Another one of my favorite actors and a UCB Theater alum Don Cheadle was also in the movie. After the movie we met up with the kids and grand kids at Don Cuco's Mexican Restaurant for dinner. It was a perfect day and evening. Saturday and Sunday was just work and it finally cooled down. I was not ready for the temps in 90's like we had last week. It has dropped 20 degrees already.


A few years ago CVS stopped carrying L'Oréal  Lasting Curls Gel and L'Oréal Paris Studio Glass Shine Spray I was besides myself because I loved those products I went to several other stores and they did not carry them either. So I went on eBay and found both products I was able to buy a case of each which I am still using and every once in awhile I check online to make sure that they are still available for when I run out. The other day I noticed I was running low on my lip balm that I use called "Lip Smackers" they come in a 8 pack and they either come in soda flavors or candy flavors I have been getting them from CVS for years but no more, they no longer carry them I went to several stores and they did not have them. eBay to the rescue I was able to buy 3, 8 packs for less than they use to charge me at CVS. They should last me for at least a year. I ordered them on eBay Thursday and they were in the mail on Saturday.

Happy Friday!

First off "Happy Friday" and I am OFF! The hospital did not schedule me tonight since I worked extra hours in the evenings on this last 2 week schedule, so since I had the evening off I requested a vacation day at Miracle Sealants to make a whole day of it off. I do need a day off at least every 6-8 weeks! The plan today was to go to an early showing of Iron Man 3 but Joe for some reason was not given the day off like he had requested so we will go to a 5:20 show and then have dinner afterwards at Don Cuco's Mexican Restaurant which is nearby the AMC 16 theaters. I think during the day today I might go to lunch with Lisa if she can break away from their busy business. If not I have a few TV shows to catch upon and a Netflix DVD to watch.

Last night we went to a Movie Interruption at the Cinefamily Theater. The movie Doug Benson interrupted was "Safe Haven'. Most of you know the concept for this show but if not. When we think “Doug Benson,” what do we think of? Movies (Doug Benson Loves Movies, being his popular podcast); interruptions (The Benson Interruption being his Comedy Central show, based upon his live stand-up-us interruptus at the UCB); and, of course, weed (this is the man who brought us Super High Me, after all). Some or all of these elements are bound to combine at Doug Benson’s Movie Interruption, where Doug and his friends (who, in the past, have included incredibly funny folks like (Brian Posehn, Jon Hamm, Ben Schwartz ,Anthony Jeselnik, Tig Notaro, Ed Helms, Sarah Silverman and Zach Galifianakis) chill on the front row couches, mics in hand, and say whatever hilarious thing pops into their heads while a movie of their choosing unfolds on the screen.  Being a member of Cinefamily gives us the privilege to sit in the 3 rows of couches they have behind Doug and his guests. Joe always gets there early so we always get a couch for 2 and let me tell you it is much more fun and comfy to sit on a couch watching a movie!

Small World

Yesterday was Natasha my Granddaughter's birthday she is 25 years old. We went to Lucille's BBQ in Valencia. The first time I had ever been to a Lucille's was when the kids lived in Murrieta and they opened a new one there where the Temecula Mall was. Their food is really good. I had the Smoked BBQ Chicken, marinated in our lip smackin' BBQ sauce for 24 hours, slow smoked to perfection and finished on the grill with Homemade Biscuits, Fresh Corn on the Cob & Watermelon. It was so good and I had plenty left to bring home for lunch today.

Tonight I am getting my hair cut after work and I am not sure if I had posted that when I went to get my haircut before my cruise Mario told me Alice the owner of the salon was going on a cruise the same dates as I was. So I asked her and she said she was going on a 10 day cruise on Princess so we were going on the same cruise. I really didn't even think I would see her but sure enough the second night on board she came up to us with her family. And from then on we saw them everywhere at the beaches on the different islands and in shops and on the ship. I was in a store shopping in St Thomas and behind me I heard a mans voice say "I think the Burbank Mall is better" and turned around and it was her and her husband. We got a good laugh out of that! It really is a small world isn't it?