ROLLING IN DOUGH ... AT 7TH AND MONTANA!

Cheers erupted at 7th and Montana this morning as word spread that three new bakeries will be catering to the growing number of folks who have taken to smuggling pastry into Our Favorite Starbucks. Sweet Lady Jane, the popular Melrose bakery to the stars -- voted the "#1 patisserie in the world" by National Geographic -- is opening a branch at Montana and 17th; Valen Dolce, an all-new "French Patisserie," just opened at Montana and 15th; and Nothing Bundt Cakes, a high-end bakery specializing in bundt cakes -- whose motto is "so yummy you'll wish it didn't have a hole" -- is coming to 927 Montana. Can these entrepreneurs fight a battered economy with batter? Will Nothing Bundt Cakes be a home run or a bundt? Stay tuned ...!

WOLVERINE, AHOY ... AT 7TH AND MONTANA!

It was "X-Men: The Battle at 7th and Montana" this morning as a dead ringer for everyone's favorite mutant, Wolverine, made the scene at Our Favorite Starbucks. He was tall, covered in tattoos and sported a pair of mega mutton chops on each cheek. I couldn't help wondering whether, like Wolverine, his fingernails turned into menacing, indestructible claws at the drop of a hat. It was almost funny when he ordered a Grande Soy Latte. I guess I expected something more primeval ... like the hair of the dog that bit him!

KUDOS TO NEIGHBOR LESLIE ... !

Kudos to Neighbor Leslie, who's in the news today for completing her latest documentary, Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible, a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the special effects company established by George Lucas 35 years ago. Lucas gave Leslie and her team a rare glimpse into the magic behind such movies as Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Trek and Pirates of the Caribbean. Narrated by Tom Cruise, the documentary is chock full of rare footage and interviews with the likes of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ron Howard and J.J. Abrams. I attended a screening and panel discussion at the USC film school last week and it was standing room only. Leslie has shied away from my Spycam ever since the day last year when I took a candid, somewhat suggestive photo of her eating a banana, but you can catch a glimpse of her with George Lucas in this article from cnet. The documentary airs tonight at 9:00 on Encore and will be repeated throughout the weekend.

BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY ... AT 15TH AND MONTANA

The stars were out last night at the Whole Foods on Montana ... or at least one of them was. Sort of. There I was, minding my own business, when I ran into someone I thought I knew standing in front of me at the cash register. We said "Hello" to each other, but I kept thinking "How do I know her ...?" And then it dawned on me: I recognized her from Star Trek: The Next Generation. She played a smart and sophisticated Space Botanist. Later research revealed that her name is Rosalind Chao and she's been in a lot of TV shows and movies. As she left, she smiled and said to the cashier: "No one earns what they deserve except those who don't deserve it!" The cashier readily agreed, but I just stood there looking confused. I always thought Star Fleet took good care of its people ...!

HAREM SCARE-UM ... AT 7TH AND MONTANA!

Magic filled the air at 7th and Montana on Sunday as the proverbial "genie with the light brown hair" made the scene wearing baggy, blue harem pants, sandals and a sweater. It was hard to tell what she was going for: A taste of the bazaar or a taste of the bizarre. "Quick," I said, "Make three wishes!" But evidently no one was listening because she didn't turn into Barbara Eden ...!

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER ZOMBIE ... AT 7TH AND MONTANA!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have another Zombie in our midst. Don't get me wrong, I like Zombies as much as the next guy, but the appearance of yet another semi-comatose somnambulist in our midst can only mean one thing. They're breeding. Oh, well ... at least they're easy to photograph!

CHITTY CRITTER BANG BANG ... AT 7TH AND MONTANA!

Eyes were popping at 7th and Montana yesterday as an Anonymous Local made the scene driving what can only be described as a Modern Day Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was bright yellow with a red flame motif and no doors. The driver, a woman in her thirties, was accompanied by two Hounds from Hell who sat right behind her in a wooden crate. She even looked a bit like Sally Ann Howes, the actress who played Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, with a kerchief tied around her head. All I can say is, if she's not careful, her driver's license will end up like Howes' film career: on Permanent Ice. While other drivers might have been paying attention to the road, she was busy chug-a-lugging cappuccino with one hand and feeding her dogs bottled water with the other ...!