Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
The Presidio is about two law enforcement officers who don’t get along but learn to respect each other as they solve a crime. Sound familiar? Lethal Weapon has made a franchise out of this hackneyed formula. But unless the chemistry between the two stars works, the viewer doesn’t care what happens to either of the characters.
In just 128 pages, this juicy paperback springs so much Friends trivia on you you’ll be lousy with the stuff. The factoids come atcha in the form of quizzes, early-years episode recaps and even photo captions. Author Jae-Ha Kim exposes her obsession with NBC’s last true “must-see” TV hit, at the same time drawing out our own obsessions.
Tackling William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, director Xiaogang Feng presents a unique take on the bard’s famous play with the action drama “Legend of the Black Scorpion,” which is beautifully filmed and well acted.
“I had a stunning visit to Essaouira, Morocco,” actress Wendy Hoopes recalls. “The ocean crashes onto gorgeous beaches and rocks and it is truly awe-inspiring. Jimmy Hendrix and the Rolling Stones used to visit this spot back in the day and you can see why. It was Ramadan when I was there and there was a full moon. I swear it filled the entire sky and it had this enormous ring around it. I never would have believed such a sight could exist if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. (It) took my breath away. Despite the amoebas I carried home with me from that trip, it was something special.”
For his latest book, “Planet Barbecue” (Workman Publishing, $35), master griller Steven Raichlen traveled to 60 countries to see for himself how grilling is done in places such as South Korea, Uruguay and South Africa. With his first-hand knowledge, he put together more than 300 barbecue recipes that are eclectic yet basic enough for the average home griller to follow. The 57-year-old chef describes his life as spending “half the year in Miami, half the year in Martha’s Vineyard and half the year on airplanes. No wonder I’m so tired.”
The fourth season of “Friday Night Lights” begins with Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) in what appears to be a lose-lose situation. Fired from Dillon High School as the Panthers’ football coach, Taylor is offered a position coaching the East Dillon Lions. No matter how the school board tries to spin it with platitudes about both schools being equal, East Dillon is rundown, has no funds, and has a football squad that’s a team in name only.
The Wonder Girls’ single “Nobody” became the first song by a Korean group to ever hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The quintet, which splits its time between Seoul, South Korea, and New York City, performs its radio-friendly songs in Korean, English and Chinese. After touring with the Jonas Brothers, the Girls hit a string of smaller clubs earlier this year. Known simply by their first names, Yenny and Sun (both 21 years old) and 17-year-old Lim chatted about their favorite vacation spots. Like a true teenager, Lim admits she’s always on the lookout for “famous restaurants and landmarks.”
“One time when we were planning a trip to Cambodia, my husband emailed an old friend who lived in Vietnam for advice on planning our trip,” Eberjey co-founder Ali Mejia recalls. “(His friend) was so excited to share all his knowledge with us that he decided to be our tour guide! It was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken, because we visited places we would have never known about and got to really immerse ourselves in the local culture.”
Daryn Kagan, 47, has traveled extensively to cover the war in Iraq and shine a light on hunger and AIDs in Africa. A resident of Atlanta, Kagan says that if you were to come to her home you’d be served a cup of tea from one of the mugs she picked up on her travels. “Everywhere I go, I buy a coffee mug,” she says. “It’s really fun to pull one out and see the ones I brought back from Nairobi, Venice, Kansas City or wherever. I get to live my travel adventure every morning when I get a cup of tea.”
