HOT LIPS ...

Move over Hot Lips Houlihan.  Today I was finally introduced to that mysterious Lady-of-the-Lips who sometimes makes the scene at 7th and Montana.  It turns out we have a mutual friend.  I just keep asking myself, what would they call the corrective surgery to remove all the material they injected into her lips, lip-o-suction?!?

WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR ...?

I found myself reflecting on the immortal words of Mr. Rogers -- "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood ... won't you be my neighbor?" -- as a colleague from Amsterdam came to L.A. to meet me today.  As she put it, she was in the neighborhood, anyway, so she might as well pay me a visit.  In fact, she was in Canada.  Strange how definitions of "neighborhoods" have changed lately, isn't it?  What would Fred Rogers say?!?

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY ...

It was baubles, bangles and bright, shiny new business deals at 7th and Montana today as our Favorite Building Manager branched out into the world of jewelry.  His new venture, Rafaelo Carra, officially launched this morning with the sale of an assortment of necklaces and bracelets.  I bought one (pictured here) for my colleague Lisa.  Not to worry, Lisa, there's more where that came from!

HOW STARBUCKS SAVED TOM HANKS LIFE ...

Hollywood was buzzing this morning on news that Tom Hanks will star in the upcoming Universal Pictures release "How Starbucks Saved my Life".  Hanks will play a down-on-his luck advertising executive who is forced to work as a Barista to make ends meet.  While it remains to be seen whether Starbucks will save Hanks' life, we certainly could have used a few lifesavers at 7th and Montana today, where flash flood warnings kept the usual crowd away. 

A SAD, SAD SCITUATION ...

It's official.  The quaint seaside village where I grew up has "gone condo."  Scituate Harbor, untouched for decades, has suddenly been "developed" with condos replacing neighborhood shops everywhere you look.  And don't ask me where all the newcomers are getting their home mortgages.  The local bank in nearby Cohasset has become a Starbucks!

BEANTOWN REVISITED ...

It was back to the Back Bay yesterday as I revisited my old digs at Newbury and Gloucester.  Imagine my surprise to find a nail and skin salon where my friends Guy and Joy used to live.  Nancy and Larry's apartment is now a Vera Wang shop.  Boston has changed a lot over the years, but for every new skyscraper there's an old landmark.  For every new Starbucks, there's still an old Dunkin Donuts!

A ROLLING STONE ON MEETING HOUSE LANE ...

After making it home sweet home in one piece yesterday, I decided to follow the advice of one Mr. Stone and seek out the world famous Meeting House Lane, a mere few blocks from where I grew up.  There I found a stone of another kind marking the spot in question.  Is this the McKay residence?  Judging from the characters that crawled out from under this rock -- pictured in Photo #2 -- I sure hope not!