One reason my neighborhood is cool.

Van Nuys and the San Fernando Valley in general gets flak about being lame to live in. It's cool to live here. I love the Valley or "the 818" and my neighborhood in particular. I'll post many reasons in time but here's one for today.

Remember the '80s classic FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH?



OK, remember the characters Rat and Stacy (Brian Backer and Jennifer Jason Leigh)?

Images from here.

Remember the scene when Rat and Stacy had their big date at the Swiss restaurant? You know ...with the scary looking waitress and when Rat forgot his wallet. That scene was filmed at the Matterhorn Chef. It's just around the corner from me. It was a well known Valley landmark. It's now the new home for another well known Valley restaurant, Barone's (which used to be on Ventura Blvd.)

Images from here and here.

Watch the movie again and go there. The interior decor is less Alpine now but you'll still recognize it. I love useless trivia like this, especially when I live near it and from a movie that I love.

P.S.
The Billy Bob Thorton version of BAD NEWS BEARS had many scenes in there.

Home Decor Tips for the Hoarder #2

Want to get rid of the excess craft paint and cheap brushes you've been hoarding? Want to get some Easter lawn decorations as well?



Hire a 6 year old! They work fast and cheap (usually just for a pizza or turkey sandwich).



First draw a bunny on 1/4 thick plywood panel as an example and then let the child draw their own on another.



Who cares what it looks like, this is your chance to help clean out the garage of junk.




Then cut it out with a jigsaw. Make sure the kid is standing far away for safety.



Next, save yourself some sweat and teach the kid good work ethics. Show them the magical sanding block that makes rough edges on wood disappear!




Patronize the kid if they get detail orientated and want to add more. Besides, helps use up old markers.



Let the painting begin! Throw an old grimey work shirt on the kid as a smock (I found this one under a moldy box in the garage).



Encourage going outside the lines, it uses up more old paint!



Keep the kid busy for hours by making them paint large areas with a tiny brush.




When working outdoors watch out for falling leaves landing in the wet paint.



Once painted and dry, get rid of old garden stakes and hot glue them to the back of the cut outs.



Now the cute bunny, I mean old material user upper, can be stuck in the garden or lawn for all to enjoy...



Not only is your home a little more hoard free, but you gave a little kid creative fun and her parents a couple of hours off.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

"May the road rise to meet you!"

Sunday Sketchbook: Kid Quint

Pablo The Shade Giver.

We have an old tree on our front lawn.


He has a great face.


He looks like a Picasso portrait and hence the name Pablo.

One reason...

I really should learn to make things with yarn, besides the fact that I worked on two TV shows all about knitting and crocheting, would be to make this scarf from MONSTER CROCHET.

Her Memoir.

Oh, how I love good prop gags that you just happen upon in life. Camera phones were made for these moments.

At the bookstore. Her memoir...

Believe in the Para Abnormal.

I'm happy to say week 4 of my online cartoon, PARA ABNORMAL begins today. If you haven't visited yet, I hope you do. Tell a friend, leave a comment or two, check in daily! Heck, be crazy and become a believer in the PARA ABNORMAL...link to it from your corner of the web and I'll link you ( just good ol' fashioned blog manners as a thank you).

WWW.PARAABNORMALTHECOMIC.COM

He's not hairy, he's my brother.

My brother Ted came over today and helped me get the great garage clean up of 2008 started. More on that later. What do two men do after a long afternoon of hard work?

Style each other's hair of course.


We were both looking pretty shaggy and decided to pull a "Britney" and buzz our heads. The results weren't half bad... we looked faaaaaaaabulous! Plus we had a chance to catch up on all the gossip.


It's been a unexpected year of new resume skills so far. First, kid's party face painter now hair stylist AHEM! I mean barber.

My Hoard Tour: Five Buttons

Clockwise from top.

Blues Brothers button: This came from the book, Blues Brothers:Private, I bought in the '80s which tied into the movie.

Born to Run button: Back in high school, it was hip to have "flair" on your jacket then. This was one I wore being a Springsteen fan.

Lalapalooza '92 button: I didn't go to the festival, it was a gift from a friend who did. People seeing my button collection will assume I did and I look cooler and hipper than I am (until they ask about it or read this post, that is).

RIP Superman button: DC comics killed off (sort of) Superman in the mid '90s. It was a big deal. One issue in the series came in a sealed bag including this button, black arm band and a copy of the Daily Planet's obit of Superman.

INDY III button: Not my proudest career moment but I worked at the Cineplex Odeon near Universal Studios for a month or so. Getting this button to promote Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was the only good thing to come out of the experience.

Flashback Friday: 3 bellies and an Unborn baby.

My Dad, my sister Megan and me. Taken a few weeks before my niece Devin was born.

Home Decor Tips for the Hoarder: #1

WARNING: This idea could make you look even dorkier than usual in some circles. Use with discretion!

Tired of people making fun of your action figures? Well then, make them art! Create an air of pop cultured sophistication by putting on the wall in shadow boxes.

You'll never be the sad toy hoarder among your friends again. You're now a fine connoisseur of late American, plastic molded children's amusement objects!

For an added touch... use a complimentary background image. Scan a suitable picture from books, DVD covers or find one "online". Crop or size it to the shadow box dimensions. Print it out and trim to fit!

Could a, would a, should a...

I had a fun furniture design idea once, a long time ago. I should of made it, but never did... it's one of the most wanted custom creations in fanboy world now. Click HERE

I better get busy on that severed WAMPA arm TV stand idea of mine...yup...that'll be my ticket to fortune!

What if Saul Bass designed the Star Wars titles...

Gaff tape at OSH!

At least here in L.A., gaffer's tape is now available at OSH. Usually, you can only find it at specialty expendable supply places in town. Gaff tape is a universal tool used by every person and dept. in TV, film or photo. It's held many of my low budget foam core sets together. If you've never used it, go get a roll. It's expensive but will become a "must have" in your creative arsenal.