Me and Sarah Jane and our Hats

 Awhile back, I got a hat from my friend Tiffaney that was included inside a box of clothes she sent me. I'm not necessarily partial to hats, but I knew this particular hat was a keeper because not only is purple my favorite color, but it was not a baseball hat (I hate baseball hats) AND it matched the purple and green decor of my bedroom, which is why it looks so awesome perched on the headboard of my bed...

But then I began wearing the hat - around the house - every now and then, because I discovered that Elisabeth Sladen wore the same type of hat as her character, journalist Sarah Jane Smith, in Planet of the Spiders, one of my favorite episodes of classic Doctor Who.

So now this little purple knit hat is my Sarah Jane hat. I posted a photo to Facebook and Instagram of myself wearing the hat, which drew a fair amount of giggles from my friends (both Whovian and non-, who thankfully humor my obsessions).

Yes, I'm wearing my long, green-and-white knit scarf, also known as my Tom Baker/Doctor Who Scarf, for extra effect and silliness LOL.

But then I got a little bit silly. After taking the photo of myself, I began scouring my insanely huge collection of Doctor Who screen caps of Lis to see if she'd worn a hat like that in any other episodes, and discovered that yes, she wore a blue one in The Sontaran Experiment and an orange one in Seeds of Doom. That discovery led me to put this little gem together...

There are no other episodes of Doctor Who where Lis wears a hat like that, so (fortunately) this will be the extent of my silliness in that respect. But I've amassed a very large collection of photos of Lis from Doctor Who and her other various television, movie and theatre roles, so who knows what other interesting observations I will make? Another collage is certainly only a click away, I'm sure...

BOOK REVIEW: "84 Charing Cross Road" by Helene Hanff

In this day and age, the concept of sending handwritten letters back and forth with anyone probably seems as prehistoric as black and white television. But of course, this type of thing was indeed a way of life once upon a time, before there were such conveniences like text messaging, Facebook, or e-mail. For me, a writer and blogger who has friends from all over the world, hand-writing letters is in my blood – so it’s no wonder I was intrigued by the book 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. 

First Edition cover of 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff, published 1970.

An incredibly quick read at only 97 pages in hardcover, 84 Charing Cross Road is a memoir of sorts, a collection of letters shared between Hanff, a New York City writer, and Frank Doel (and other assorted employees) of Marks & Co., a used book shop in London, over a 20-year period from 1949 to 1969. It’s simple yet complex, as it’s so much more than just letters – it’s also a testament to the unbreakable bond of friendship.

If I’m honest, I really had nothing on the books Helene Hanff was requesting of Marks & Co. – I’m not into that type of literature, so, with the exception of Jane Austen, I was pretty much clueless. But I still adored this book because I was able to watch the friendship between two people from opposite ends of the world flourish and grow despite the distance – and circumstances – between them.  For even when her employment was uncertain, Hanff made sure to send her London friends parcels of food and other items that were difficult to obtain due to rationing leftover from World War II. And they accepted her gifts with minimal protest, promising Hanff that whenever she was able to travel to London, a bed would be ready and waiting for her at more than one of their homes in return for her generosity.

84 Charing Cross Road is not your typical non-fiction; again, it goes beyond simply being a collection of letters between two people over the years. It is a story of books, yes, but ultimately about the unbreakable bond of friendship that can form, even from two opposite sides of the world. 

 

84 Charing Cross Road is available on Amazon.

Note: After writing this review, I discovered that there was a film adaptation of 84 Charing Cross Road starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins which was released in 1987. I was curious how a book such as this could be adapted into a film, and found it to be beyond my expectations in a good way. So if you choose to read the book, I heartily recommend watching the film afterwards!

A Conversation with Comedian Caroline Picard

Who doesn't love or need a good laugh? Meet Caroline Picard, the Cajun Queen. She tours the country and she has no problem telling the world who she is and what she does and if she has to curse along the way - so be it.

She stopped by Runnin' Down a Dream to talk about her new DVD "I am NOT that Woman" and to talk with us about stand up comedy in general.

Runnin' Down a Dream with Musician Vito Gregoli

As is noted, we love music here and we love sharing some of the cool musicians we have talked to with the world.

Case in point, Vito Gregoli.

This talented award winning singer/songwriter/musician has been making a name for himself in and out of California, not just as a performer, but as a producer. He produced the acclaimed album Grace Notes for actress Daphne Ashbrook (Sure, Ashbrook is his girlfriend, but she is multi-talented and people love her and her album!).

In a Word: ELECTRIFYING!

This past Wednesday, April 24th, Linda and I headed to the Prudential Center in Newark to see Fleetwood Mac! It had been a long time coming for the both of us, and we REALLY enjoyed ourselves!

In a word, the concert was...ELECTRIFYING.

 Stevie. Was. AMAZING.

John was awesome on bass.

Lindsey ROCKED, as always!

Mick was a maniac on those drums!

And last but never least, Sharon Celani and Lori Nicks did a great job on backup vocals!
(I will always LOVE my girls!)

Neither of us had ever been to the Prudential Center in Newark before - for a concert or otherwise, so we weren't sure what to expect. But our directions were pitch perfect, and Linda paid for parking ahead of time; we ended up in the lot right behind the arena. Combine that with our seats - 19th row, floor level - and we agreed that we'd made out pretty well; even though we ended up dropping a lot of money for everything, it was truly, truly worth every penny. After all, not only had neither of us seen FM live in a long time (Linda longer than me, but we won't even go there LOL), but we both figured that it was worth it to splurge because this could always be the last time. As we were walking to the car afterwards, I said to Linda, "If Fleetwood Mac decided to disband tomorrow I'd be fine with that." And I would be.

 Our destination. Can you believe I took this with my cell phone? It's so clear! I love my Droid... ;)

Not only were the band members awesome, but the set list was really something else. I was already happy to hear that Stevie was going to resurrect Sisters of the Moon and Sara for this tour (two songs off of their 1979 Tusk album, which came out the year I was born), but they also included a couple of brand-new songs that are going to be released as part of an EP on iTunes tomorrow, April 30th. I was especially surprised by one of the new songs, Sad Angel, which despite its title was a very upbeat song! Linda and I were up and dancing practically the entire time, as was the rest of the audience - a sure sign to me that Fleetwood Mac still knows what they're doing when it comes to crowd-pleasing ability!

The Set List...

1. Second Hand News
2. The Chain
3. Dreams
4. Sad Angel (new song)
5. Rhiannon
6. Not That Funny
7. Tusk
8. Sisters of the Moon
9. Sara
10. Big Love
11. Landslide
12. Never Going Back Again
13. Without You (new song)
14. Gypsy
15. Eyes of the World
16. Gold Dust Woman
17. I'm So Afraid
18. Stand Back
19. Go Your Own Way
20. World Turning (encore)
21. Don't Stop (encore)
22. Say Goodbye (encore, Stevie and Lindsey only)

A few more photos...

 I was in love with the animated background on the screen during Rhiannon...

 ...and during Eyes of the World.

This awesome shot is now the new header photo on my photo blog

because this is the very song I named it for!

Stevie in her top hat :)

What caught me and Linda off guard was that, at the end of the show, Stevie and Lindsey came back onstage to sing Say Goodbye after the band had sung their second encore, Don't Stop. Linda and I decided to start working our way out to the main level of the arena because we'd had to walk down several flights of stairs coming in and thought it would be better to get a head start up them, and also to avoid the mass exodus that always occurs at the end of concerts like this so we could get a jump on the traffic as well. I didn't mind much, since I've never cared much for Say Goodbye - from the band's 2003 album Say You Will. We did stop for a minute right after Stevie and Lindsey came back out onstage before singing the song, and they discussed their 1973 effort, Buckingham Nicks. I was subsequently floored - and kinda jealous, I'll admit! - when they proceeded to sign a copy of the vinyl album right there onstage and then handed it to someone right in the front row!!! I so wanted to be that person...

At any rate, my only complaints about the concert would be the overpriced merchandise (although I did cave and buy myself a Rumours 35th Anniversary pin for $5.00, because I simply couldn't walk away empty handed, LOL), and the handful of people in the row in front of us were being a PAIN. IN. THE. ARSE (I won't even take the time to discuss it here, because I was not about to let them spoil my fun and didn't pay their shenanigans too much mind).

Oh, and the fact that Christine McVie was the only band member absent from the fun. I'm still dreaming of the day I can actually get the chance to see the incarnation of the band that I have grown to love since I was eleven years old. But she has her reasons...*Sigh*

Other than that, though...

It.

Was.

WONDERFUL!

I will never EVER forget that night!!!

Spring Flowers...

Click to enlarge

DVD REVIEW: "The Sarah Jane Adventures, Season 2"

If you thought that Season 1 of the Doctor Who spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures was interesting, be prepared to enjoy Season 2 even more! Fans of investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith and her teenage sidekicks find themselves dealing with even more remarkable aliens in this next installment of stories, which also see Sarah Jane Smith crossing paths with some familiar foes from her younger days traveling with the Doctor. Fans also bid farewell to Maria Jackson and her dad, Alan, as they leave Bannerman Road for a new start in America after Alan accepts a new job, but when aspiring young journalist Rani Chandra and her parents move into the Jacksons’ old house, Sarah Jane quickly finds herself welcoming a new face to the team.

The boxed DVD set of The Sarah Jane Adventures Season 2 features the series’ original six two-part episodes and includes a bunch of fun special features, including interviews with cast and crew members; a quiz that unlocks bonus footage; a photo gallery; audio clips; UK television spots; character and alien profiles; a gadget glossary; and video trailers.

One thing I really appreciated with this particular season was how the writers addressed Maria’s departure. Maria herself knows she will miss everyone – and everything – she’ll be leaving behind, but yet she’s open to moving to America for the sake of her father. And while Clyde, Luke, and Sarah Jane each openly address how much they will miss Maria throughout the progression of this season, they manage to reconcile those feelings and still be able to welcome Rani into the fold when she moves in during the second episode, Day of the Clown. (Spoiler! Alan and Maria do make a few guest appearances in future seasons, but you didn’t hear that from me!).

Favorite Episode: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith. I really loved this episode because not only do viewers gain insight into Sarah Jane’s past, but the storyline is fraught with drama when Sarah Jane is duped by one of the most evil beings of all into making the toughest decision of her life – one that will not only make a huge impact her own life but affect the fate of planet Earth itself.

My favorite scene: Toward the end of The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith, when her parents realize who she really is – and that although they don’t fully understand how the adult self of their baby daughter came to be with them at that moment, they are thrilled that she “came all that way to see” them in the past.

My Favorite quote: I adore the banter between Luke and Sarah Jane during the scene in The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith where Luke discovers Sarah Jane trying to sneak out of the house dressed in a pink ‘50’s style dress:

Luke: “Where’d you get the clothes?”

Sarah Jane: “Back of my wardrobe. Simple, classic – they’ll do the job.”

Luke: “You used to wear that? Seriously?!”

Sarah Jane: “The ‘50s came back in the ‘70s! I remember when this was quite the thing!”

My rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

The Sarah Jane Adventures: Season 2 is available on Amazon as a boxed DVD set and also through Amazon Instant Video.