Can't wait for Saturday!!!!

Golden Gate Park is completely being taken over with Outside Lands show...

For the love of .... vampires

Geesh! So I'm not a pop-culture hermit by any means, but I'm too old to be digging the Twilight Fads that are seeping into everything these days.

My opinion of the first Twilight movie was that it just didn't have enough sex or violence in it (being that I'm an adult and not a teenage girl that's weepy and full of longing that makes sense doesn't it? Actually, I don't recall ever being that girl when I was in my teens).

A recent trip to Boarders opened my eyes to the marketing world that is Twilight. I'm not just talking about the books and the movies, I'm talking about all the crap for sale!

While just browsing the store I happened upon a Twilight themed table that had book bags, picture frames, little jewelery boxes with Edwards picture on it. A lot of the stuff was made of plastic and was priced upwards of $9.99. OMGWTF?!

In my teens I remember purchasing lots of magazines. I would trade magazine pictures with my BFF ~ she wanted all the Duran Duran and I wanted her Adam Ant and Billy Idol....

Kiefer was the Lost Boys 'Billy Idol'

Sure I collected pins (actually I still have my pin collection - a few choice items get to go onto my ComicCon badge each year): Berlin, Madness, Depeche Mode, Adam Ant, heck even Boy George... if it was New Wave Music related, most likely I had it!

I expect and understand Twilight calendars and a few t-shirts even but a whole line at Nordstroms?

Am I just too old to understand and appreciate this phenomenon?

Back in the day I obtained my pop-culture-vulture goodies at the record store. Don't know what records are - google it. Warehouse and Tower Records were the stores you could regularly find me buying cassettes (again, google it), posters and pins after school. An occasional trip to SF or Berkeley would direct me to Amoeba Records or Rasputin or Telegraph Ave in Berkeley where there were soooo many stores to pick from back then.

Does one really have to choose a team? Edward Bella or Jacob....whatever

I will choose Griffindor if I have my choice -& wait didn't Edward/Robert Patterson technically start at Ravenclaw or was it Hufflepuff?

My Vampire team is Spike. Don't get me wrong, I liked Angel, and I liked good-Angel with Buffy, but really it was the bad boy (as always) that won me over! His British accent, amazing bone structure and hot bod (you know which season really had Spike practically bearing all....) yum. Nothing more to say really....

Neil Patrick Harris is my Hero

I actually enjoyed the Doogie Houser character and show back in the day, but never gave Neil Patrick Harris much of a second thought until he showed up in Harold & Kumar go to White Castle

NPH plays "himself" - but as a psycho drugie, womanizer self.... it was very funny! He was the sleeper hit in that film.

There was a sequel but I haven't watched it.

Not too long after that the TV show How I Met Your Mother showed up. As a Whedon-Fan I tuned in to see Allison Hannagan but I really fell for NPH’s character Barney

NPH as Barneyjust makes me laugh!


So many Barney related quotes have shown up thanks the show

& Barney's Bro Code is without a doubt legen.... wait for it.... dary!!!!

NPH showed up to ComicCon for Dr Horrible – I HIGHLY recommend you watch Dr Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog if you haven’t already watched it like 50 times (oh, maybe that’s just me….)

I have to say it was pretty cool to be escorting NPH AND Nathan (the hammer is my penis) Fillion when they came to ComicCon. Ah, to be in the presence of NPH.... who could ask for more.




He recently hosted the Tony Awards… & though I didn't watch the full show his ending song /performance was just fantastic!!!


Really NPH is hot-hot-hot right now and he was even a guest judge on the recent Top Chef promoting not only his love of food but also his love of Magic (which I won't hold against him, though it's not my 'thing')




I had, as usual, no intention of watching American Idol this fall. And now that crazy Paula is gone it gave me even less reason to tune in till the end and there is so much news on the finalists (yep that’s my American Idol MO: ignore, ignore and then tune in at the end via my DVR so I can totally fastfoward)

Here is NPH with Ted Dannon - I think this was at last seasons show, which makes sense... 'cause I'm guessing NPH was rooting for Adam Lambert

BUT, I’ll definitely be watching the Dallas Auditions of American Idol because NPH is going to be a host judge.

BTW, I like NPH tons, but I’m not crazy…. I did, however find this on the web:

for more pics of NPH and who knows who else go to www.fanpop.com

Don't call it the Antique Roadshow.... there is an s!

Months back my mom had my father and I apply up for the Antiques Roadshow tour. In the end my mom was picked from the lottery and I was the lucky one to go with her!

Saturday, August 15th - One day only the Antiques Roadshow took over the San Jose Convention Center. I was anticipating long lines outside of the building but the convention center is huge so the lines were inside and the lobby was practically empty.


The rules for Antiques Roadshow are: One person per ticket, and only two items for appraisal per person.

Here are our tickets:
and here are some of the goodies we were taking in to have appraised

So the rules are 2 items per person and yes you see more than 2 things here... more about that later.

My mom was taking this bowl with matching plates along with another dish set.


Here are some of the long, long lines I foolishly thought would be outside of the building.

I enjoyed looking at what other people were bringing









As we got closer to the actual check in there was this sign letting everyone know that no photography was allowed....


I was still near the above sign when I took the below picture.

Below these people are getting their '2 tickets' so they can get in line

This couple had an old metal kids bike - I have no idea what else they brought with them

Breakin' the Law... (the Antiques Roadshow law that is)

So here is where I was sneaking out the camera when no one was looking..


This was the line we waited in outside of the 'appraisal area'.

As we got closer you can see the walls that surround the Antiques Roadshow 'corral' . They only let us in, small groups at a time, so it always looks busy behind the two filming areas.



I realized once inside you could get into another line before you leave the area - so with my little box of goodies in hand after having the jewelery appraised I casually got into the Silver line and had my Victorian mesh purse appraised (more breaking the AR law I know).

And here is my best 'breakin the law photo'.

I think, but am not certain, that this is J. Michael Flanigan. I thought the "mullet" outfit he was wearring was just too over the top not to sneak a picture. (mullet outfit: business on top, and party on the bottom!)

While taking this photo I was caught! Really! I wasn't kicked out or anything but I was noticed and was approached with a motion to put the camera away.... which I did.


Let's take a closer look - notice the man on the Right, he definitely saw me with my camera


At the end after all the sneaky pictures and getting in an extra line I was not a millionaire but I got some neat news about my Victorian purse - it's value is WAY more than I spent on it.

There was just one last stop before leaving - the Feedback Area. This is where it's you in front of a camera and you get to say whatever you like about your experience in less than 2 minutes. So I went in and talked about the purse and maybe, just maybe, I'll end up as a quick clip on the show broadcast in 2010. You know I'll be recording the San Jose tour dates - it's my understanding that there will be three 1 hour shows from the one day.... so I'll let you know if I end up on TV (I really hope my hair looked good!)

Just for YOU!

After getting a bunch of feedback from you, and you know who YOU are, I'm taking the time to provide more of a wrap up on Comic Con a couple weeks back. (PS sorry you weren't satisfied with the Tea with Lemon blog)

Right, so starting with the beginning ~ this year my CCI job changed a bit, rather than traipsing around with the groups this time my job was to manage the room so to speak.... The upshot of not running around was that I got to see everyone that came into the room. I have to admit though, that this was a real job and there were times that in the process of doing my *job* I missed someone that was there. And like my previous post I didn't see Johnny Depp, I just saw his very nervous (freaked out) behavior on YouTube like everyone else did.

Day One was the day that *supposedly* ruined so many con attendees con.....

Yep, Twilight was there on Thursday. On Wednesday people were lined up overnight to get into Hall H for the Twilight panel scheduled. Robert Patterson was looking sloppy but cute

and the other two main stars were there. Kristen Stewart is currently filming The Runaways - and she's playing Joan Jett, hence the hair cut and tomboy look...

I told someone at my work that Kristen Stewart walked up to the desk where I was working and asked me something or another (I really don't remember what she asked ~ it may have been asking where the bathroom was…. Can’t recall) but she was so excited that she had her own 6 degree-type-experience through me, so I thought I’d tell you as well. I have to say that Kristen Stewart is teeny tiny!!!! She’s size uber-small and petite.

That day I also saw Andy Sanberg, Zoe Salanda (she’s SO beautiful!!!)

I also unexpectedly bonded with Vern Troyer –he was at Comic Con for the The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus film - he / his people needed a favor so I did ‘what I could’. Before he left he actually drove up (on his little cart thing) near me to thank me ~ we’re now BFF’s clearly! ;) I really wanted to see Terry Gilliam but didn’t see him anywhere….

Day Two – Warner Bros. day

Okay so Warner Bros. day had loads of stars attending their 2 ½ hour panel. Where the Wild Things Are, Book of Eli, the newest Nightmare on Elm St film, The Box, Jonah Hex, Sherlock Holmes and Robert Rodriguez’ Shorts. What a morning!!!! Seriously.

Entertainment Weekly was meeting with anyone who’s anyone and going to Comic Con over at the Hard Rock hotel before they came over to the convention center. You can view the EW photos here. So after posing for the camera they made their way to the con.

Robert Downey Jr came with Rachel McAdams for Sherlock Holmes (can’t wait for that movie!). Notice RDJ’s outfit – he’s very dressed to the nines and ended up being very coordinated the whole weekend.

Book of Eli cast was full of heavy HEAVY hitters – Gary Oldman, & Denzel Washington. It was just awesome to be in the same room!

Cameron Diaz, James Marsters and Josh Brolen were there too….

Megan Fox was at the Con for Johna Hex, and while I know from two WonderCon’s ago she is amazingly beautiful – but she should fire her current stylist! She looked like a bad goth girl and was not stunning or pretty…

Paul Bettany and Tyrese were there and both were SMOKIN’ Hot!

An unexpected treat for me, I was needed to help out with talent escorting in the afternoon. So while my post was covered I went down to the secret drop off area and had the pleasure of greeting Emily Deschanel of TV Show Bones (which I watch and love). Emily was polite and beautiful said hi and shook my hand. She is truly a ‘natural’ beauty.

I missed the panel itself so I’ll have to wait for the fall season but it was a joy to have had the "meet & greet" experience!

Day Three – Lost & Stark

Lost, the cast, made an appearance at Comic Con (as they have been doing for years now). I must say Nestor Carbonell was pretty amazing to see in person cause he’s hot on TV and it just gets better in real life. The panel was pretty funny and if you look for it on YouTube I’m sure you’ll find video of Jorge Garcia asking a question of the creators in the audience question line…. Pretty funny!

Zombieland was premiered and Woody Harrelson was there along with other cast members.

My unusual Woody moment was when I looked over and from somewhere Woody was all of a sudden holding a corn on the cob and was chowing down. I couldn’t tell if it was cooked or not but there’s no way it was warm and it definitely didn’t come from the convention center catering! LOL

Robert Downey Jr was back on Saturday for Iron Man with cast members. Again looking dapper he arrived on scene with Don Cheadle (SO love him!), Sam Rockwell, and drum roll please…… Scarlett Johansson! Yes the bombshell was there to rock the socks off of the fan boys camped out in Hall H. And rock them she did. She rocked me that’s for sure!!! She is Stunning!!!

Seriously, she’s feminine, curvy and beautiful….

And check out those shoes! I almost gave myself whiplash trying to get a good look at those shoes! Whew!

Day Four – winding down….

Sunday is the beginning of the end when you are at Comic Con. Hall H is closed and we all start to feel a bit more relaxed.

While working with the Paper Heart group I had an unexpected run in with David Tennant, from Doctor Who. He was waiting to do press but Paper Heart wasn’t done yet.

As you can see from the below pic he’s wearing this great stormtrooper shirt

When he showed up I just blurted out “I love your shirt!” He had the biggest smile and the cutest accent when he thanked me and told me that ‘it seemed the best choice for the day’.

So nice that in the end of it all I had a nice unexpected run in with someone that I’m a fan of….

Right, so there you go that’s my wrap up. Thanks for your time!

Noooooooooooo!

Sadly No concert for me tonight.