August 2007 Archives

You read about nine "American Idol" hopefuls from the York area who auditioned for the show's seventh season in Philadelphia Monday. Check out photos of other "Idol" wannabes in Philly at www.americanidol.com/photos.

Can you believe it's been 10 years since the death of Diana? There are a few TV shows on tonight that look at legacy of the Princess of Wales and the mystery surrounding her death. Catch "Princess Diana: The Martin Bashir Interview" at 8 p.m. and "The Murder of Princess Diana" at 9 p.m. on Lifetime or "Diana's Last Day" at 9 p.m. on E! TV listings are available at www.tvguide.com.

I really need to change my morning routine.

Generally, after showering and getting dressed I head downstairs for a bowl of cereal and some channel surfing.

Since I work for a newspaper I like to get a quick look at some of the major headlines of the day before leaving the house.

I always flip to CNN Headline News, which I admit never has actually given me much information beyond the latest Britney Spears debacle, and some wacky news tidbit about Atlanta (coincidentally, where CNN is based).

Most people poo-poo Dave Matthews Band as soon as they hear his first name. Maybe it's because tickets to his show can be expensive, maybe it's because he used to be so much more accessible when he played in bars or maybe it's because it's "too trendy."

Regardless, the album is pretty solid. Tim and Dave work like a well-oiled machine together, and the crowd definitely gets into the music. (But not in an annoying way where it overpowers the music.)

The seventh-annual Teen Choice awards aired last night on Fox. Stars strutted down the red carpet and some received the event's signature surfboard trophies. This year's big winners were Justin Timberlake and the casts of "High School Musical 2" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." My ears are still ringing from the high-pitched screams that lasted for 5 minutes every time Zac Efron was on stage. Check out www.fox.com/teenchoice for the complete list of winners.

Political campaigns are tapping into social networking sites to get America's youth to the polls. 2008 Presidential candidates will participate in one-hour chats with users on MTV.com and MySpaceTV.com. Former Sen. John Edwards will hold the first dialogue on Sept. 27 in New Hampshire. Ten other chats are scheduled through December. MySpace is even holding a presidential primary by taking user votes on Jan. 1 and 2. To check out all the candidates, head to impact.myspace.com.

It isn't often you will find me blogging about music, because, well, I don't have a music collection, a favorite album or a must-see group. However, I do appreciate it.

This weekend, I went to Baltimore's Inner Harbor and was entertained by Almost Recess, an a cappella group based in Washington, D.C.

Just when you thought there was nothing good on TV, a new reality series gives us hope that brotherly love still exists in America. Watch as a man from England tries to get across America with nothing more than $5 a day and the help of complete strangers. "The Amazing Adventures of a Nobody" airs Mondays on the Fox Reality Channel. Would you have helped out this guy?

In our youth, we had favorite celebrities who made us laugh, swoon or sing along to the radio with a hairbrush microphone.

I liked the Hollywood-polished, totally unrealistic perceptions of these folks I built up devouring month after month of Tiger Beat, Teen Beat and Bop magazines.

Deep down, I knew it was fluff. But I never thought I'd have to face the truth. Until now.

I finally found a food other than turkey subs that I can't live without and it's not something my mother made growing up. It's sushi.

I eat it at least two times a week. I beg my friends to meet me at the local sushi spots for lunch and dinner. It's hard, because not everyone is brave enough to try it. My sister and I went to a great sushi place in Lancaster over the weekend and she reminded me of my protests to trying it about 3 years ago when she took me.

Raw can be scary, but if you start out with a California roll or something of the sort, I promise you will be trying red snapper and tuna before you know it.

I know I did.

During the one-hour premiere of the third season of "The Hills" on MTV last night, there were all these commercials for the show "Newport Harbor." On a high from all the quasi-realistic drama, I decided to tune into the sneak peak. I was shocked to find out that "Newport Harbor" is actually the new "Laguna Beach." I guess the MTV producers were tired of L.B. and decided to move the series up the coast. The only difference I can detect so far is that the N.H. beach bunnies are bleach-happy. Stay tuned.

Theaters have been crowded with male-dominated action movies this summer i.e., "Transformers," "Live Free or Die Hard," "Rush Hour 3" and "The Bourne Ultimatum." I am in desperate need of a flowery, slightly sappy romantic film I can cry over. My mouth began to water when I saw previews for "Becoming Jane," an autobiographical love story about English author Jane Austen starring Anne Hathaway (the anti-Lindsay) and James McAvoy ("The Last King of Scotland"). Much to my dismay, the closest place to see "Becoming Jane" is in Camp HIll. I guess I have something to cry about anyway.

MTV's Video Music Award (VMA) nominations are out. Beyonce and Justin each scored seven nods. Find out who made the cut at www.mtv.com. I agree with MTV that Justin Timberlake rocked the small screen this year. Who do you think should walk away with awards?

I was in Austin, Texas this past weekend, where I had the pleasure of sampling a tiny bit of the 24/7 live music scene they're lucky to have there.

While sitting on a bench made of grass, watching singer-songwriter Kalu James perform at the small coffee shop I got to thinking about --- where else? --- York.

Love 'em or hate 'em, they're back again. The Backstreet Boys (sans original group member Kevin Richardson) recorded its sixth album which is scheduled to drop Oct. 30. The first single, "Inconsolable," from the still untitled album will hit radio waves sometime this month, but here's a sneak peek:

I am a sucker for romantic comedies where the unlikely couple ends up together.

But I've recently seen two movies that refreshingly had an unpredictable ending I wasn't expecting. "Prime" (Uma Thurman dates the 23-year-old son of her psychologist Meryl Streep) and "The Breakup" (Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn go through separating a household).

Do you know of any other movies that step out of the box to show a little more reality, rather than fairy tale?

Just when all the commotion over Paris died down, her "Simple Life" bud, Nicole Richie, breaks some news of her own. She's pregnant with boyfriend and Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden's baby. Her new must-see interview of the moment will air Thursday morning on "Good Morning America" and Friday night on "20/20." The mom-to-be is set to do some time in jail soon for being caught driving under the influence in December. With this news and the controversy swirling around Lindsay and Britney, it suddenly doesn't seem that great to be part of young Hollywood.

Right outside York County is an amazing place to eat called Gullifty's. Sweet potato fries with Cajun mayonnaise, chopped salad with candied walnuts and Swiss Angus Burger with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and aioli.

Hungry yet?

I met a friend there for dinner a few months back. A few days ago while I was on my way down Interstate 83, I stopped for lunch.

When I searched Gullifty's online it popped up as a Dante's Inc. property. Anyone who knows Penn State knows Dante's is State College's King of culinary. The geniuses own The Saloon, home of the half-priced monkey boy, and Mario and Luigi's, home of savory sauces like the famous vodka sauce.

If you can't make it back to State College, it's only a short trip to Cedar Cliff Mall off the New Cumberland exit for a plethora of tasty combinations. Visit http://www.dantesinc.com for a menu.