Julian Ayrs Celebrity News...Madonna anxious to dump estate! Lady Gaga album interactive! Beyonce to perform at White House!











Madonna…is anxious to sell her luxury estate in the Hollywood Hills. Over the past few months the rebuilt and re-landscaped property was only being shown to select bidders by private appointment only. But, according to local Realtors, Madonna just switched to a multiple-listing to further her chances of dumping the property at a whopping $22.5 million. The Manse – which boasts gabled rooftops – rests on 1.17 acres of prime real estate and is accessed by an impressive 500-foot tree-lined driveway. The ritzy digs include a nine-bedroom main house, resort-size lap pool, tennis court, theatre screening room, art studio (natch), a well-stocked bar, and 17,000 square feet of living space. Obviously, Madonna doesn’t play poker, or she wouldn’t tip her hand about how desperate she is to sell and move on. Too rich for my blood, that’s for sure.

Beyonce…the pretty chanteuse’s calendar is getting booked up real fast with prestigious gigs, signaling that the stage Diva’s popularity is not waning in the least. The chart-topper (and headline grabber) is slated to warble at President Obama’s upcoming Inaugural Celebrations at the White House later this month, for example. And, then she’ll no doubt dazzle Super Bowl fans (and music-lovers alike) when she sashays onto the stage on February 3rd at the biggest sports event of the year. A post-baby album is also in the works, folks! Stay posted for updates.

Lady Gaga…while we’re on the subject of recording, word out of the Pop Diva’s camp is that the star of the concert circuit (to her little monsters, at least) has whipped up about 50 tunes that will be considered for pressing on her much-anticipated upcoming release AIRTOP. Ga has promised that the album will be a novel one, in that it will be completely interactive! A ground-breaking move for the music biz, don't 'ya think? We’ll see!

Cyndi Lauper…took a career turn this past week when she entered the topsy-turvy realms of reality TV. The Show titled “Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual” (which broadcasts on Saturday evenings at 9 p.m. on Wetv) follows the Pop Icon through the course of her hectic daily schedule. At first, husband – actor David Thornton – was aghast at the thought of the family being scrutinized under the glare of the sizzling-hot spotlight (he being a trained professional thespian who studied at Yale, after all). “We originally wanted to do a scripted comedy, but I realized that my life is a comedy, so we might as well film it,” giggled Lauper in a frank interview recently with one of the show-biz tabloids. “I think the show is fun. It shows the struggle with the juggle. For most women, it's really hard to work and have a family, and we kind of want it all. I am lucky because my husband helps me so much, but I think that people can relate because it's about trying to do well and stay close as a family.” I’m in your corner, and pulling for ‘ya, Cindi!


       




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Golden Globe Awards...traffic snarls in Beverly Hills! Fey & Poehler do hosting honors!









Last evening the snarl of traffic started up early in Beverly Hills during rush-hour on the approach to Wilshire & Santa Monica Blvd where the Foreign Press Association is gearing up for their annual splashy soiree.

Delivery trucks, set dressers, and party organizers descended on the ritzy Beverly Hilton Hotel to do their magic for the Golden Globe red carpet ceremonies about to light up Tinseltown tomorrow night on Sunday, January 13th in Beverly Hills.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are slated to host the 70th Annual event - which should be a hoot - with the winsome twosome at the helm!

Coincidentally, both women of-the-hour are up for a coveted statuette this year (competing against each other, in fact, in the same category). Fey (30 Rock) and Poehler (Parks and Recreation) are both nominated for best actress in a television series (comedy or musical).

There may be some hair-pulling and eye-scratching backstage, don't 'ya think, in true Hollywood-style fashion? Oh, would I like to be a fly on the wall on that soundstage!

Other nominees this year include Steven Speilberg for Best Director (Lincoln) with acting nods going to Daniel Day-Lewis (Best Leading Actor), Tommy Lee Jones (Best Supporting Actor) and Sally Field (Best Supporting Actress) for work on the same celebrated film which nabbed 7 nominations in total.

"Lincoln" led Thursday's Academy Award nominations with 12 nominations, by the way.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association nominated a handful of dramatic films with widespread appeal across the board this year which included Tarentino’s “Django Unchained”; Ben Affleck’s “Argo”; Kathryn Bigelow’s controversial film about the capture and murder of Osama bin Laden “Zero Dark Thirty”; and Ang Lee’s shipwreck adventure “Life Of Pi”.

The best comedy or musical nominees in the film genre include “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, “Les Miserables”, “Moonrise Kingdom”, “Salmon Fishing in Yemen”, and “Silver Linings Playbook”.

Of course, the big spotlight will be on the red carpet and the talented, scandal-ridden stars, who trot down it.

A-list celebrities expected to turn out and offer up entertaining (or off-the-wall boring) speeches at the podium include George Clooney (a darling of the foreign press), Meryl Streep (always suffering from an embarrassment of riches), Jennifer Lopez (fat rump, and all), Adele (slated to perform, if I’m not mistaken), Jeremy Irons (a respected actor), Robert Pattinson (still top stud with the teens), Taylor Swift (dressed to-the-nines, I expect), Josh Brolin (in spite of a recent run-in with the law and a night in the slammer drunk as-a-skunk), Bradley Cooper (hunk of the year) to name a few.

In addition to awards being bestowed on Hollywood talent for acting, directing, costumes, set-dressing etc., there will be special presentations during the course of the evening.

For example, The Cecil B. DeMille Award (honoring the lifetime achievements of actors and filmmakers) will be presented to seasoned pro “Jodie Foster”.

Millions of TV viewers from around the globe  will be tuning in to catch all the hoopla, glittering outfits, and hear it live first on the old boob tube, when some performer blurts out an unexpected "F" bomb in an unanticpated moment of excitement, or suffers a mishap (wardrobe malfunction?) on stage as the world gazes on in amusement.

See ‘ya there, eh?






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A couple is in love when...Observations by Julian Ayrs!








You know a couple
is
in love

When they sit
side by side
in a booth

Instead of across
the table
from each other!


Julian Ayrs
Observations
A Collection of Poems
(and truisms)

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News...quote by Julian Ayrs!






No News
is
Good news

That’s why
We have so much news!


Julian Ayrs
The Daily Planet
A Collection of Poems
(and truisms)



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Restaurant picks (by Julian Ayrs)...poor service @ Bossa Nova! No tip!





Although I’ve strolled by the Bossa Nova restaurant on trendy Robertson Boulevard in WeHo many times, I never actually supped there until last week.

One chilly night, I popped in for a light dinner and realized why the patio is such a popular spot to chow down and sip on an exotic cocktail. A table on the edge of the sidewalk affords a perfect view of "The Abbey" across the street – and all the delicious eye-candy – trotting in and out the upbeat watering hole throughout the course of the evening.

Yummy!

The inside décor of the Bossa Nova is nothing to write home about, though. The interior is festive, but lacks any originality or warmth.

The entrees consist mainly of steak or chicken dishes served up with black beans and white rice or straightforward sandwiches like the Bauru (ham with egg) or Lambada (breaded chicken with mozzarella) which puts a spotlight on toasted Italian bread and green mayonnaise.

Try the Tuna Roll (which is essentially a sandwhich folded in with tuna salad and tomatoes).

The Bossa Salad with chicken (romaine, chopped almonds, Gorgonzola) is a lunch favorite, so I hear.

The menu boasts a wide selection of tasty offerings in the evenings. however, with the main thrust being on fish, meat, and pasta entrees reasonably-priced in the $9.50 to $21.95 range.

A glass of house wine (Brut Champagne, for example) will run you about $7.00 plus tax.

When the main course arrived – chicken lasagna – it was sizzling hot and mighty tasty.

Unfortunately, the service was not that good.

I was forced to beg for bread from the waiter, for instance, when dinner arrived. And, when the  server strode back with a basket containing two puny pieces of the "doughy stuff" inside a flimsy basket, I noticed right off-the-bat  that there wasn’t any butter on the serving plate.

Imagine that!

The bus boy actually returned - when asked - with two pats of the creamy topping in the palm of his hand wrapped in foil paper.

A classy restaurant would have served it up with a butter knife on a china plate, for starters.

At this  point, it was pretty obvious to me that the staff weren't very well trained or sophisticated when it comes to presentation or proper etiquette at the Bossa Nova.

During the course of the meal, the waiter never returned to the table once, in fact.

I guess he was off in the restroom polishing his tacky jewellery or rustling up a business-on-the-side.

After the last bite of my first course, I waited for the server to pluck up the empty plate and offer me a dessert list, an after-drink liqueur, or something.

Nada!

Finally, it was necessary to ask the bus boy to deliver up the bill.

A woman – who was out-of-sight throughout the course of the evening (the hostess?) - finally schlepped over and slipped the tab down in front of me (before trotting off without so much as a word of thanks).

For this reason, I did something I have never done in my entire life.

At the bottom of the bill I wrote in the following:

“Terrible service. No tip!”

I thought it was necessary in this instant case.

If I didn’t leave a tip – with the note – the staff would have assumed I was a lousy tipper.

Then, the waiters would be snickering all over town that I stiffed them for a tip, just betcha!

A gratuity should never be taken for granted by the wait staff.

It is based on a number of things - but quality and service – is first and foremost.

I would be doing a great disservice to other diners in Los Angeles if I just plunked down twenty percent because I felt pressured to do so (and not because it was well-deserved).

Yes, I know that “tipping” is not a place in China.

But, I also know that a tip has to be earned, folks!

Mr. Manners would agree wholeheartedly!




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Importance...quote by Julian Ayrs!



 




You know
you’re
important
when people
have to wait
for you
to
return
their telephone calls
or
reply
to
their e-mails!


Julian Ayrs
The Daily Planet
A Collection of Poems
(and truisms)

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Santa Monica Public Library...staff incompetence and lazy attitude trigger incident! Librarians not all sweetness & light!







Yesterday afternoon I popped in to the Santa Monica Library to hop on the Internet.

Since I intended to log onto my YouTube account to view a handful of videos, I used my Library card to secure the use of a pair of headphones for the duration of my stint on their house computer provided at the main facilities.

At 4 o’clock in the afternoon I logged off and proceeded to the librarian’s desk in the “computer commons” area to turn in my headset.

A young gentleman who was on duty was flitting around the room, assisting other patrons, when he spied me standing patiently at the desk.

At this point, he strolled up to me and asked if I needed assistance.

“I want to turn in my headphones,” I politely informed him with little ado.

Instead of scanning the headphones for me, the lazy son-of-a-gun waved me off.

“Just set it down, there,” he replied. “I’m busy right now.”

In the past, I have always been reticent about leaving headsets on the desk, under the hopeful assumption that the staff will duly scan the headphones in a timely manner - and thus - clear my library card account accordingly.

So, I paused a moment to rethink the situation.

Should I wait for him to return to the desk and visually watch him scan the headphones?

What if someone snatched up the headphones while his back was turned? What then?

Was I being paranoid, or what?

Trusting that he would take care of business, I plunked the headsets down on the desk as instructed, and strolled off towards the elevator.

Well, guess what?

My fears were well-founded!

They don't say I'm psychic for no good reason!

Today, when I attempted to borrow the headphones again, the librarian on duty informed me that the headsets I used the day before were not logged back into the computer.

Uh-huh!

The incompetent unreliable staffer at the Santa Monica Library neglected to follow through as promised - so, of course - the headset wasn't scanned back into the computer records!

In view of the fact the headphones could not be located today, it is obvious at this juncture, that some other patron walked off with the headphones when he wasn't paying attention.

When I explained the situation to the clerk on duty today, she shrugged, and showed no sympathy.

“You checked out the headphones, so you are responsible,” she snapped at me.

Say what?

Although the male worker was standing a few inches next to me, he refused to scan the property yesterday with the flimsy excuse that he was “busy”.

What was I supposed to do - grab him by the neck? - and force him to log the headset back in to the system???

Today, I was advised to go down and talk to a supervisor on duty by the name of Janet Arenberg.

While I waited for her to appear, I quizzed an elderly stone-faced security guard who was sitting at the desk nearby, twiddling his thumbs.

“Sir, is there a security camera recording that area of the Library,” I politely quizzed, after explaining the dilemma with the headset.

“Well, there may be a general scan on that area. But, that would be a low priority,” he snarled at me.

Huh?

A person is being accused of not returning a headset and that is a low priority?

For sure, the library staff – and that security guard (with all the intelligence of a worm) – don’t have their priorities straight at all!

This was even more obvious when Arenberg – an ancient supervisor in charge - waddled out and proceeded to give me an unpleasant once-over.

At first, she was quite adamant that it wasn’t the fault of the library, but – when I pointed out that the problem occurred because of the young worker’s reluctance to do his job – she appear to relent a little.

“Well, I’ll talk to him when he comes in,” she grumbled at me.

“I’ll be happy to meet with him to refresh his memory,” I added on the uptake.

Sheesh!

What a bunch of losers!

Remember the time when Librarians (in the Music Man, in particular) were all sweetness and light?

Everyone at this library appears to have crawled out from under a slimy rock.

If I were the manager here, I'll give all these lay-abouts their pink slips, alright!

Stay posted for updates!


  

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