Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Chinese Theater - Hollywood Boulevard


. Here are a few photos of Hollywood Blvd. The Kodak Theater and the Chinese Theater were closed for some Steven Spielberg red carpet release and perhaps for the Oscars. Back in Minnesota, on the Sunday night of the Oscars, I was happy that my friend Dave Murphy another MKP guy suggested we see Hurt Locker as he heard the buzz that it might do well. Indeed watching from my sister Jane's place with Don in Inver Grove Heights, I watched a fellow MKP brother and son of my 2009 UK WEG roommate Bill Boal, Mark Boal, pick up the Oscar for Best Screen Play. Wow, interesting to actually know the family of a winner.

View of LA plains from Palo Rancho Verdes Area


This is an early morning view from the home of Dick and Ginny Granoff on the hill of Palo Rancho Verdes not far from Long Beach. Dick and I staffed the Los Angeles New Warrior Training Adventure in late February and he and Ginny were kind enough to house me for a couple of nights when I went into LA from Long Beach on the Blue Line to the Red line in Hollywood. I met Tom Bussler in Hollywood, West Hollywood in a building he mentioned folks like Lily Tomlin used to live in after having lunch at a local Hollywood Venue, The Griddle.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Feb 18th - 3 Birthdays Cooper's Irish Pub in St Louis Park West End


Here we are celebrating Feb 18 with three birthday folks. Zach Engler, me, Kathy and Gary Engler (the three of us share Feb 18th as our birthday, and Molly Engler. Thanks to Zach Engler for suggesting this venue who is a resident of St Louis Park as well. He and his sister Molly now have a growing business, Metro Pets and More, Molly started out walking dogs.
See www.metropetsandmore.com. Grateful for my growing family of choice and new beginnings here in St Louis Park. In the same complex is a big new theater where I saw Avitar in 3D on New Years Day, and Hurt Locker, the night before the Oscars. I was quite surprised when Mark Boal, son of Bill Boal with whom I attended the Mankind Project World Elder Gathering in London and roomed with at the Columbia, won the Oscar for his writing of the screen play for Hurt Locker. Quite moving for me, as the film names WAR as the ultimate addiction here on this planet. WAR "we are right" and the killing that the two leggeds keep on doing in the name of the right God and all of that. People who fly airplanes into buildings and all. Anyway, I am grateful for the beauty of today and each day. Peace, love, joy with the spring.