Celebration at the Alibi Restaurant and Lounge!!

Teri, Mark and Harry flew in from Brooklyn a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my birthday. Mark wanted to plan a big surprise birthday party for me! I would have died on the spot if I had known, but Teri convinced him that was not my thing. I don't even like to know that I'm having another birthday. Doesn't that mean you are older? Come on . . . think about it. Who likes that? Mark had done if for his mother and she liked it. Not me! So Teri mentioned that I had told her about the Alibi one time as a great Tiki bar that I had frequented occasionally . . . just occasionally, years ago when I worked in that neighborhood. I said they had karaoke which Teri and her girlfriends love! So we all decided to go out to dinner and then the Alibi.

The Alibi was started in the 1800s as the Chat-n-Nibble, a horse and buggy stop on a dirt road - Interstate Avenue. In 1947 it was converted into a Tiki themed restaurant/bar. The new owner had traveled to Hawaii and the new decor reflected his own Polynesian tastes. It has remained the same ever since. It is so lit up with neon signs outside that you can't miss it as you travel on Interstate Avenue. There's also the Palms Motel right across the street, also lit up with sparkling signs, which, as they say, is within "stumbling" distance of the Alibi. 

But before we went there, we had dinner at the Argentine-inspired restaurant Ox which was named as one of the top new restaurants in the country. I had a skirt steak and it was the best meat I've ever tasted - rare, barely cooked and delicious! We were with Rita and Steve, Teri's friend from high school and my friend just because I like her and Steve. The kids went along to the dinner - Reggie, Hayden and Harry - but then went home before the Alibi.

When we got to the Alibi and saw all the lights, they thought it was quite a sight! We walked in and I heard the music I had heard back when I went there - 80s music - and I knew nothing had changed! We had a great time and Teri and I had leis put around our necks.That music brought back so many memories and I loved it. Teri and Rita checked out the karaoke accommodations as they might want to go there next year when all their friends get together and spend the night doing karaoke.

So I want to thank Teri and Mark for putting that all together. I love you both so much and really appreciated it . . . and I had a great time! Best birthday ever!

WINNING!!!

In my previous blog, I wrote about my birthday celebration at the Alibi. I didn't mention the picture we had taken outside with the stranger. When we left, there was a guy sitting on the ground, smoking a cigarette. So Teri says "How would you like to be in a picture?" He jumped up and said "Winning!" So he stood by me and the manager from inside took a picture of all of us. The stranger even kissed me on top of my head! What a way to end a celebration! 

The worst book I never finished!

The other day I decided to get "Fifty Shades of Grey" since I had heard so much about it, and the media was already guessing who would be playing the lead, Christian Grey, in the movie which undoubtedly will be made. From what I'd heard, I didn't really expect much, and that's exactly what I got. I managed to get through about one third of it, but since it was the same thing over and over again, I lost interest quickly. I simply can't understand how the author could whip out three books of pornographic crap and have them all become best sellers. My thoughts as to whom these books would appeal are the following types of women:

Virginal

Ingenuous

Sexually inexperienced

Easily manipulated

Since I don't fall into any of those categories, it's no wonder I lost interest quickly. I like a book with a plot. I like sex and violence, but I like there to be a story that has a beginning and an end - not just scenes of sex and violence over and over again. This is the kind of book I can imagine some sleazy looking guy in a dirty raincoat would sneak into a porno bookstore to buy. I'm sure there will be a movie - possibly three. I pity the actors!

  

Three women in Moscow convicted of HOOLIGANISM!!

I blogged about this on July 25  and now, according to "The New York Times," these women have been convicted of hooliganism. I've never heard of anything like that - maybe that's just in Moscow where those things happen. They have been sentenced to two years in a penal colony . . . something to look forward to.

These women are members of a punk band called Pussy Riot. This whole mess began when the women came into the Christ the Savior church wearing colorful balaclavas - the band's trademark headgear whatever that is. They then pranced around in front of the golden Holy Doors which lead to the altar. They were dancing, chanting and lip-syncing for what would become a music video of a profane song in which they beseeched the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin. Security guards grabbed their guitars, but the song was finished at another church. Pussy Riot has never commercially released a song or an album, and seems to be more political than musical. They have many followers all over the world because of the circumstances. Madonna just recently had a concert in Moscow in which she urged the release of the women. Madonna was wearing a black bra with "Pussy Riot" stenciled in bold letters on her back. Needless to say, that didn't go over too well with the authorities. A deputy prime minister posted a Twitter message calling Madonna a "whore." I'm surprised he stooped to using twitter. Sting is also a follower of the group and supports them. I don't know if he has sung about them or possibly given speeches about tantric sex in their support. What people do in their support is very welcome.

When the judge delivered her decision, she said the political comments were spliced into the video later which made the whole action motivated by religious hatred. She also said there was evidence the women had psychological disorders. If they don't have them now, they probably will after being in the penal colony for a couple of years. Judge Marina Syrova said the women posed a danger to society and that they had committed "grave crimes" which included "the insult and humiliation of the Christian faith and inciting religious hatred."

I doubt this is the last we'll hear of the Pussy Riot group. It seems the whole world is up in arms over it and I think that is a good thing. Maybe enough pressure can be brought and Putin will become a nice guy. Not in my dreams, I'm afraid!

Don't mess with Arijit!

I read a recent article in the Huffington Post about an Arizona State University  graduate student, Arijit Guha, who has colon cancer and was dropped from his medical coverage by Aetna Insurance Company because of the limit they had on his premium . . . as in not going over a certain amount. He was taking chemotherapy and had reached the policy's $300,000 lifetime limit for coverage. Having no place to turn, Guha started "Poop Strong.org'" where he sold bracelets, t-shirts and all sorts of clever items. He raised $20,000 in three days, but he knew it would never be sufficient to cover all his bills. So he turned to something else.

He began a Twitter conversation with the CEO of Aetna, Mark Bertolini. This went back and forth, becoming very public and probably totally pissing off everyone at Aetna. Finally, Bertolini gave in and agreed to cover all of Guha's medical costs through the end of the plan year. I'm not sure if that means he will cover him forever or until the end of the year. There will be no problem as this will all be taken care of under President Obama's Affordable Care Act which takes effect in 2014. That is, of course, unless the republicans muster up enough support against it which we all know they are trying like hell to do! Republicans are against anything that helps people, especially women and men . . . but I guess that's just about everyone.

I'm wondering if Bertolini has anything to do with olive oil. I buy Bertolli olive oil sometimes. If he is connected, that could make him slippery and hard to deal with. Guha should watch out.

I liked the Poop Strong web site and the whole idea. I'm wondering if I could do something like that. I don't have the resources to stockpile t-shirts and I can't make bracelets or anything, for that matter, but possibly I could offer my services and my home as a shelter for box turtles while they are waiting for adoption. I raised two box turtles and they even produced an egg while in my care. So I have good credentials except for the fact that one was run over and the other hibernated in the winter and, I think, dug his way to China. But it's a thought.

I really admire Guha for what he accomplished. It must have been extraordinarily hard for him to do what he has done on top of having cancer. I wish the best for him and hope things go well in the future.