YO GABBA GABBA or "don't bite your friends..."

a quick run with a cool bunch...an outstanding crew...

I ran the meet n' greets, in some of our nations' most beautiful venues, old gilt-edged theaters, also in Canada.



Flew into Minneapolis, was very strange not to being met by The Fabulous Lorraine!
She was very busy doing her week ' gigs, for St, Patrick's Day.
so, I was on my own.

this was my flash card:



the attending children needed no such help...

MUNO!!!!







everyone on the cast/crew worked so hard, but I may say that DJ Lance gave his very heart to these kids...
look at this cape!!




everywhere we went, everyone knew ALL the words!!



there was a balloon drop, this doesn't show the effect, but here is the set-up:






my self-portrait in a hotel:



i heart AL GORE:
(as seen in Milwaukee)



these heartthrobs are responsible for this wonderful madness:



this eggroll I found in Fort Wayne, Indiana-- it reminded of my first job in high school, at New China carry-out, they had these same amazing eggrolls...



the crazy "dill pickle chip" trend continues in Canada, I did Not try them:



Teeter, my old friend from Jonas Brothers tour, is a mean merch queen:



and Sanni & Jonathan! I worked with Sanni on Britney Spears 2002:




i love the midwest and my bus:




Our hotel in St. Louis was in an old train station, I loved it here, so so historic, I could have stayed here for a month...



I took this photo off an ad, because the fountains out front were shut down for the winter, but here is what they can look like...
my Dad visited St. Louis often for his work, and he told me this was called Aloe Plaza,
and that these were the first nude sculptures west of the Mississippi...he has a small sculpture by this same artist...




in my on-going quest for airport art, I added this big score to my collection, from Memphis Airport:



Drew is prepping to go out on the COnan O'Brien tour, and I will report from the road as I visit him.
All in all a terrific mini-tour.
but...i miss MUNO.

Playboy Mansion, ya'all!

For Valentine's Day, my beloved boss let me re-gift his tour of the Playboy Mansion to Drew.
We trundled over to Beverly Hills early Sunday morning, the tour had to be conducted before his HRH mister Hefner awoke from his playboy bed.

We entered a hidden driveway and actually spoke into a rock. Had I had my wits about me, I would have done a better film,
but i couldn't re-create once we cleared the gates. It was very 007! and there was an actual yield sign that said "warning: Bunnies at play" that i also missed documenting, but oh well, this Jimmy Olson was still a bit sleepy.

here is the little early morning video clip i did manage to shoot:



the grounds are beautiful, details everywhere.
here is a recreated walk of fame Hollywood star:



the grounds were lush and magical paths everywhere:



look at how cute Ghosty looks in front of the Mansion:



Drew posing by the GIGANTIC satellite dishes, that at one time were surely state-of-the art:



our guide is one of the butlers there in the Mansion, and he had all kinds of stories, none of which I will detail here.
I have a great love for HH, a childhood fascination, stemming from my Dad's keyring, he had one of the keys to the clubs (as shown here on the side of a pinball machine in the Game Room):






batphones everywhere!





we walked through the wildlife section, which exotic birds, monkeys and more...
it made me a little sad, as always, when I see caged creatures, but I could see that they were well-cared-for.
I especially loved the carrying case that was sitting in wait:



we went out to see everyone's main idea of the PM, the Grotto!
it really was a beautiful spot.





we threaded our way out of the darkened cavey sections and out into the light of the February morning...
to the poolside paradise:



birds on the lawn everywhere:








and one big bird:



i actually got attacked by an irritated possessive African crane, i was too surprised to take the photo, but I got one of him later on, he was as tall as me! and bit me hard on the foot and back of the leg, yes, i bruised up nicely-- our guide said flap your wings at him, but I am a cat! meow! the animal handler came running over, with her gloved hands, grabbed the poor duder and dragged him off me. oy! he went squa-wek-wek-ing away, and she said, meh. The butler was worried i was hurt, i was just surprised more than anything, wish I had gotten a movie of it though.



Our guide told us that Hef is a dedicated film buff, (this is true, he is quite the preservationist as well)
and he holds film screenings at the Mansion, here is the sign for Valentine's night showing...



i could hang out here, it really is a slice of Hollywood history:





this was a detail from the control panel on the grotto wall, i think it sums it up:




look at what Drew got me, a sleek new black Melita filter (see my red one being held together only by gaffe tape & hope)