louise on the left (coast)

Today wasn't funny at all. We had a 5.4 earthquake today that made my teeth chatter it was so scary. (It was a 5.8, but it got down-graded. Somehow my nerves didn't get that memo.) In case you don't know this about me, yet, I hate earthquakes. Hate and loathe them. If a 5.4 makes my heart race any faster than it did this morning, I'll faint. I did ride out the Northridge quake when living in Los Angeles, but this was B.C. (Before Children.) I'm a mom now. Magnify my personal terror by three and you get: a woman who doesn't want to experience another earthquake as long as she lives. If it gets any worse than this, every friend of ours living east of the Pacific ocean can pretty much just expect us to drop by on our way out of Dodge. Was there an earthquake in California? (Yep.) Was it bad ? Start looking for my minivan. My husband knows this. He pretends he doesn't, but he knows. He can't even feign surprise if I bolt out of here -- I do NOT

Gnarls Barkley rocked the Hollywood Bowl last night. Great concert. Lot's of dancing. (Some of it gratuitous. I mean, to start one's ethnic dance routine before the show starts is kind of over-kill, but, that's MHO.) Loved the show. Great audience. I included some of my digital photos from the show last night. None are stellar, but it was a fantastic show. To read more about it, check out Pete's review here:

Photo 1: louise larsen and eric schaeffer, Photo 2: Louise Larsen and Betsy Hickok Man Who Came To Dinner. 1978 So, I was going through an old photo album this morning and came across this very, very old , kodak photo. * Yes, that's me up there (the blog author. ) Not entirely proud of all this. But, it did make my kids laugh. The photo, BTW is from a dress rehearsal of a High School production of The Man Who Came To Dinner . (Starring, yes, me and Eric Schaeffer as well as some other gawky, yet surprisingly ambitious kids that year.) To read more about blog author and Eric Schaeffer's early days in Vermont, 1978. Click here. *Note this play photo is circa 1978. I was given that red satin number by a girl from boarding school the previous year. She said me wore it to Studio 54, but I don't believe her. I think it was her mothers. It was very disco-glam and well-made. Sadly, I think this was the only time I ever wore the outfit. However, now, I wish I

Note: There used to be photo of my kid "Somber Girl" here, but I took it off line, due to the discovery that there are actually very creepy guys out there w/ fetishes re: kids in braces . Gross. Go away. Here it is smack dab the middle of summer. Some kids are off at camp. Some kids are lounging at a pool, some away on family vacations. But, it's okay. We're still on Staycation . It seemed like great destination, this Staycation of ours. After all, this was supposed to be a special day, July 25 th , 2008. The day Dr. Chang finally installed her new titanium set of orthodontia. It only took about two hours and only cost about $5,500. She was a great sport. But after we got home I noticed how uncharacteristically she quietly slumped down on the sofa. No rushing to the mirror to admire the changes. She just stared into space. She says she's tired, and I believe her, but I also remember how often life has a way of not living up to one's expectations. Straig

MYSTERIOUS LEPRECHAUN SIGHTING! Gotta to check out Dooce's Tuesday Night Videos. All I ever get are pesky garden gnomes. Click here for YouTube TV News segment on the mysterious green guy. BTW: I n Dooce's blog post she puts up a couple of hilarious clips, one of which isn't funny, it's just great: It's of MGMT, who, I think, is rumored to be opening for Beck at Hollywood Bowl.

When we first arrived at The Grove, all I saw was a growing sea of receding hairlines and beefy Brits lining up at the bar to order their Newcastles before their hero, Ray Davies, took the stage. And I thought, Okay, not quite as glamorous an audience as last week's Feist concert, but this is Ray Davies! This is the guy responsible for The Kinks. He wrote "Lola." He's a rock 'n roll legend. He's gonna kick ass. Then my husband told me, you know, "Oh, didn't I tell you? Of course, he's a legend, but this is an acoustic concert. It's just Ray and another guitar player." Oh, wait. Huh? No drums? No bass? Just Ray Davies and another guy unplugged? Oh, no. This will be a long night. Another man in a Union Jack shirt walked by. I sighed. But, I was wrong. Again. It was an amazing concert. What a delight to discover so much new music I never even heard before tonight. It was far too short an evening of music -- Ray Davies wa

Sharon Jones and Feist! Fiest Okay, I'm done bitching about the summer. It really has turned into one of the best "staycations" ever. (Thanks to a variety of unforeseen lucky breaks. Like husband getting to review fun things for The Orange County Register .) Last night we drove up to the Hollywood Bowl to the Feist Concert , which was so, so cool. More on that later. But, she was opened by an amazing musical group, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings . Wow. She totally knocked our socks off. She's this fabulous funky soul sister who can only be described as the long lost sister of James Brown and Tina Turner. She ROCKED the bowl. Opening act: Standing ovation. Almost felt sorry for poor Feist. Not sure I'd want to follow such an amazing opening group. Here she is below doing 100 Days, 100 Nights. Let me tell you, if you're ever lucky enough to see Sharon Jones live, don't walk: Run. (And get her to take off those sexy shoes so can show you how to da