Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, hunched over my computer as I so often am. I get no support from the swivel chair I sit on, so I rather look like the hunchback of Sherman Oaks. Frankly, I’ve always had bad posture, but only once on film, thankfully – my first job. When I watched it I was mostly fine save for one entrance when my head entered the room before my body. That’s all it took and from then on I never slouched on screen again. I think I’m going to try and find a new computer chair. It has to be the same height as what I have, but it would be nice to have something that was a bit easier on my posture. I’m currently listening to Phil Woods on saxophone play Henry Mancini’s haunting and beautiful theme for Soldier in the Rain, and then the album Phil Woods did with Michel Legrand. Today I heard a most extraordinary story from an old friend. Apparently, I was at some event at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and whilst there I apparently met Henry Mancini, who, I’m told came over, introduced himself to me (like I didn’t know who he was) and hugged me and thanked me for issuing The Molly Maguires on Bay Cities. I who have a pretty great memory for those kinds of things, was astounded by this story, as I have no memory of it at all and you’d sure think I would remember meeting one of my musical heroes. Go know, as we are wont to say. Trying to cool down the house again, but it’s blowing a bit tepid. I may have to turn it off and turn it on again, which usually fixes the problem. I did watch a motion picture last evening, Elaine May’s first movie, A New Leaf. Not a perfect film and her travails in the editing room for eight months are legendary, refusing to show the film to anyone and coming out with a three-hour cut. It was finally taken away from her and whittled down to 100 minutes, which is still a bit too long. But she’s brilliant in it, as is Walter Matthau and when it’s funny it’s REALLY funny – in both dialogue and comic action. The latter is especially well served in the Greek nightgown scene, which I defy anyone to watch without laughing hysterically. Anyway, I enjoyed it again – last time I watched it was four years ago, right before the pandemic. Prior to all that I got only about five hours of sleep, arising at six-thirty in the morning for reasons unknown. I planned to go back to bed but never did. I followed a couple of online auctions for fun – some of the prices for books I own and thought weren’t worth much, were sometimes really shocking. At noon, David Wechter and I had a conference call, which was informative, then the food I’d ordered the night before, using an Uber Eats 50% off coupon arrived.
Back in 1995, a new restaurant opened in Beverly Hills called Crustacean. It got rave reviews, was difficult to get reservations, but I know I ate there that year. And it was spectacular. Their mystery garlic noodles were incredible, their crab was amazing and messy as all get out and I think we all know how messy all get out is. But everything was amazing – and very, VERY expensive. After that, I had a few special dinners there and it was always great. Well, as I was looking on Uber Eats what should come up? Crustacean. I didn’t even know they were open for lunch. So, I ordered the garlic noodles with four large prawns for twenty-nine dollars, which is exactly what it ended up costing with the discount, which took care of the fees and tip. I was concerned about how well it would travel but it traveled pretty well. I did give it twenty seconds in the microwave, which is what they suggest on the package it comes in. Anyway, the garlic noodles were amazing and so were the four prawns. Wait – wasn’t the a movie with Rod Steiger? The Prawnbroker? We don’t allow groaning here at haineshisway.com but we do allow what is it, fish humor. It was one of the best meals I’ve had this year and it really wasn’t that much food. Only about four ounces of noodles and the prawns. I think I have one more 50% off coupon and I may just have to use it today for their crab fried rice, which I’ve never had. The prices for their full crabs for dinner are insane – like over $100.
After food, I dozed off for an hour, watched some irritating YouTube videos, then watched A New Leaf and a couple of Nichols and May bits. Fun stuff. And here we are.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, then I’ll mosey on over to the mail place because both soft and hardcover Benjamin Kritzer were delivered late yesterday afternoon. So, I’ll get those and my shampoo, then come home and eat whatever it is I decide on. Then I’ll do some writing, find out how ticket sales are for the Kritzerland show, then at some point, I’ll do some banking, then I can watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow can be a ME day, Sunday, I’m seeing a musical in the afternoon, then I may dine on that side of the hill – the musical taking place in Santa Monica. In fact, I think there’s one of the few remaining Foster Freeze close to where I’ll be – if so, I may just have a cheeseburger there, for old times’ sake. We shall see. Then next week is very busy.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, pick up the Benjamin Kritzer books and my shampoo, I’ll do some banking, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray/streaming player? I’ll start – CD, who knows? Streaming – whatever I’ve got saved and that sounds appealing. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, ready for a new chair that won’t continue to turn me into the hunchback of Sherman Oaks.