Restaurant scene gossip…The SF Chronicle reports that Laura Cunningham is leaving the French Laundry and all its siblings. She was responsible for the service aspects of the restaurants . Cunningham is also Thomas Keller’s romantic partner and the Chronicle respectfully offers no speculation on that front.
Eloise is now animated. Well, she’s always had an animated personality, but now there’s a series of animated half hour shows and hour-long specials that will be shown on premium cable channel Starz Kids & Family. DVDs will also be released (of course). And there’s another book coming, appropriately titled “Eloise in Hollywood
Q&A; with the Doodlebops, pop stars of the preschool set. Tickets for their Madison Square Garden show are going for outrageous amounts on eBay.
If we had not relocated to upper left corner of the lower 48, we would have spent many hours entertaining our toddler at Cuesta Park in Mountain View, CA. A 4-year-old received too much entertainment there last week when a squirrel wrestled him for the muffin he was holding. Scratched and bitten, the boy is now undergoing a series of precautionary rabies shots. The aggressive squirrel behavior is linked to new trash receptacles with latches and a campaign cautioning park goers from feeding the animals. Six people have been attacked by squirrels this summer in the park. Ouch.
I thought the MacArthur recipients seemed clumped in the northeast. Someone created a map tagging their locations.
Corporate cafeteria lunch conversation:
Q: “What’s in the veggie lasagna?”
A: “Eggplant, zucchini, and … … arugula.”
Q: “Arugula? Instead of spinach.”
A: “Yup.”
This Saturday is Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day when museums across the U.S. will offer free admission. You can print a card from the Museum Day website good for two admissions to any participating museum (search by state on the website). Museum Day was previously only for magazine subscribers, but this year it’s open to anyone. Of course admission to the Smithsonian museums are always free.
A woman whose Bellevue, WA coffee shop failed is suing Starbucks for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act. She claims that Starbucks’ practice of giving away free samples near her shop and paying above-market rent to keep out competition forced her out of business. She’s even seeking class action status. The publicity train is working as global news outlets are picking up the story, but most doubt that she will succeed in winning the lawsuit. She also managed some local news coverage back in February. Her stand shut down a year ago.
Apparent refugees from the Ballets des Trockadero’s, a bouquet of hoops, and a one point headstand were featured in the World Extreme Figure Skating Championships in Russia on Sunday.