A "Quickie" Photoshoot

It's so gloomy and wet outside! What happened to all that perfectly pretty sunny & 70 weather we were having? I don't mind the break from the warm so much as I mind the way Seattlites always seem to forget how to drive in the rain. You'd think with it being drizzly 6-9 months out of the year, we'd have the wet commute down pat!

Lucky for me, there are backroads I can sneak onto to miss the 80+ minute gridlock on the freeway. Blech! So today, I'm keeping my post light and simple (how my commute should be!) by offering up a some pics, links and a game! Check out my new furry vest for fall! I really feel like a little gray fox, now!

Oh and I had to share this thrift store find from yesterday. Seriously creepy alien cat basket. I don't know what's most creepy about it -- the fact that it has no ears, it's glass marble eyes, or those giant, realistic whiskers. Grrrrrroooossss! I also finished editing all the pics from the WhatDoBaconDo shoot from Friday. Here's another favorite. They used some of my clay mini foods in the shot, my pie magnet and a Hostess cake! So fun! They'll be having a huge announcement next week, so stay tuned!Are any of you on "Words With Friends" on Iphone? If you are, I'd love to play! My user name is TsukiF! I have about 6 different games going now..I'm pretty obsessed with it :)

Okay and now for the game YOU can play. It's from the New York Times. It's a distracted driving simulator. See how well you do with texting and changing lanes! Play it HERE!

Ooh and lastly, I've been added to a few treasuries lately. If you're bored and feel like clicking, they're pretty cute! Here's the latest:

Sandra Bullock's Love Affair with NOLA

Cheerleader-turned-Oscar winning movie star SANDRA BULLOCK seems to have a love affair with the city of New Orleans.

Following the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, Bullock became a major supporter of Warren Easton Charter High School.

The school, known for being the first public high school for boys in Louisiana, sustained $4 million in damages and Ms. bullock told PEOPLE magazine that she "felt such a profound need to do something for them".

She donated hundreds of thousands of dollars for renovations, new band uniforms, a new health clinic and established a $10,000 college scholarship, earning her an induction into the school's Hall Of Fame.

The 45 year-old star of "Speed" and "The Proposal" also purchased a mansion in the garden district and recently adopted an African American baby boy, from New Orleans naming him Louis (after "Satchmo"?).

Opposing eyebrows were immediately raised over the adoption, questioning Ms. Bullock's sincerity, due to her Academy Award-winning performance in "The Blind Side" as Leigh Anne Tuohy, a white woman who adopts a black child.

Additional scepticism surfaced surrounded the controversial marriage to accused "racisct" TV star JESSE JAMES, the "fashionable" factor of movie stars adopting black children and her ability to maintain a bi-racial household as a Caucasian female.

But regardless of the "Art Imitates life" similarities and ensuing controversial views, it seems clear that the accomplished actress (her films have grossed over $3.1 worldwide!) has a streak of benevolence deep within her soul and an undying affection for New Orleans.

One only hopes that she will continue this passionate "Big Easy" love affair by shooting more films here.

Her underrated talent and sense of charity is illuminated by her recent notoriety as one of TIME Magazine's 2010 "100 most influential people".

Drenched Crowd on Last Day of Jazz Fest Feast on Seafood Amidst Oil Spill Concerns

MATTHEW HINTON / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE Loren Eckstein, left, and Parker Schonekas, of New Orleans dance to the music of Van Morrison by the Acura Stage during the New Orleans Jazz Fest and Heritage Festival at the Fair Grounds May 2, 2010

Worried about the effect of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill on the seafood industry, Devi Miron knew exactly how she was going to spend the last day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell.

Sure, she was there for the music. She and her friend were especially looking forward to Trombone Shorty and Van Morrison.

But first she had to eat. She started with a bowl of crawfish etouffee and said she would later try the crawfish bread and shrimp taco.

"I'm worried, " she said, referring to the oil spill. "So I'm going to try to eat as much seafood as I can."

Fortunately for Miron and other seafood lovers, the lines for such popular dishes as softshell crab po-boys and boiled crawfish were relatively short, thanks to an overcast, windy day that saw drizzles turn to downpours and back to drizzles.

Although last-day attendance figures won't be available until later this week, the nasty weather made for much lighter crowds than what is typical for the final day of Jazz Fest.

For those who braved the weather, they couldn't have asked for a more satisfying experience. At the Economy Hall Tent, they second-lined to the music of Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders. At the Blues Tent, they danced to the sounds of Margie Perez, who ended her show with a tribute to the late Marva Wright. And at the Acura Stage, they moved to the music of Van Morrison.

Jayashree Rao of New Orleans said she actually prefers the Jazz Fest atmosphere on rainy, even stormy days. She attended the festival on the first Friday -- an especially inclement day -- and said she had the time of her life.

"I had more fun, " said Rao, accompanied by her daughter, Aparna Rao, a New Orleans native who now lives in Washington, D.C. "The crowd chemistry is different. People don't care if they get wet or dirty. They have fun regardless."

With open seating and standing room available at almost every stage and tent and no jams of people clogging the walkways, getting from venue to venue was relatively easy, even with the slushiness that the rain produced.

At the Blues Tent, Chris Beattie of Blacksburg, Va., and Sissy Wiggin of New Orleans neither stood nor sat. They danced to the music of Margie Perez and planned to do the same at the Los Po-Boy-Citos and Davell Crawford Singers shows.

"One of the things that I love about this place is that we can just go from place to place and dance, " said Beattie, who invested in a $425 Brass Pass and attended the festival six out of seven days.

He said the only thing that would have kept him away from the festival Sunday would have been "six feet of snow."

During some of the heaviest downpours, many fest-goers took refuge in the covered areas of the Lagniappe Stage. Among them were Chandler and Leslie Green and their 14-month-old daughter, Haroly, of Baton Rouge.

"We used to come here to cool off; now we come to dodge the rain, " Chandler Green said as he danced with his daughter to the music of Jonno and Bayou DeVille.

While he was not discouraged by the weather, Green, an avid birdwatcher, said he has been especially upset about the oil spill and its impact on wildlife and seafood.

"I've been really down about the oil spill, " he said. "But I said, 'We have to go to Jazz Fest. We have to support this thing.' This is still 100 percent New Orleans."

Wayne Baquet of Li'l Dizzy's Cafe said that while lines for his crawfish bisque, creole file gumbo and trout Baquet may have been shorter than usual, he was more than happy with sales.

In fact, he said, he heard several people say they wanted to eat as much seafood as they could because of the unknown future of the seafood industry.

"They say, 'Let me get my seafood now because we don't know what's going to happen, '" Baquet said. "We tell them, 'Get it now. Get it while it's here.' "

2nd Season of HBO's "TREME" Gets The Greenlight

HBO will produce a second season of "Treme," the musical drama set in post-Katrina New Orleans that debuted Sunday, April 11. Co-created by David Simon ("The Wire," "Generation Kill") and Eric Overmyer ("St. Elsewhere," "The Wire"), the series won mostly glowing reviews and launched to 1.1 million viewers, a respectable but not spectacular audience for HBO. By comparison, the 2008 HBO premiere of "True Blood" drew 1.44 million viewers.

"True Blood" eventually grew into a substantial draw for the network, averaging about 5 million viewers per episode by the end of its second season.

"I can't think of another show that is more emblematic of what we aspire to be as a network than 'Treme,'" said Michael Lombardo, president of HBO programming, in a statement released by the network. "In the tradition of 'The Wire,' David Simon and Eric Overmyer have embarked on an exploration of the soul of one of the world's most unique cities through the lives of an exquisitely crafted cast of characters. We are thrilled that the press has recognized the profound artistry and intelligence of this show and are eager to see where David and Eric take us in a second season. "Simon announced the renewal to the "Treme" cast and crew Tuesday afternoon at the Uptown home serving as the residence of the show's Creighton and Toni Bernette characters, played by John Goodman and Melissa Leo. Production activity at that location has irked some in the neighborhood, but the "Treme" renewal is good news for the city's burgeoning TV-and-film industry overall.

"We want to thank everybody who made this show a success, especially the community, which has supported the production," said Jennifer Day, director of the New Orleans Office of Film & Video. "This is going to be a very important project for New Orleans."

Day said her office has not yet compiled economic-impact data for "Treme's" first season, production on which will continue in New Orleans through April. But according to Joseph Incaprera, the show's line producer, "Treme" is expected to spend $30 million in New Orleans during the production of its first season.

Filming for season two will begin after hurricane season. Those episodes likely will air in spring 2011 and rejoin the show's story timeline -- which started three months after Katrina in Sunday's premiere episode and will run into late spring 2006 through the first season's 10 episodes -- some time in fall 2006. An episode order for season two wasn't included in HBO's renewal announcement.

HBO executives tried to reach Simon on Monday -- before the Tuesday release of the premiere ratings -- to inform him about the renewal, but he was attending the Washington, D.C.,-area funeral of David Mills, the "Treme" co-executive producer who died March 30.

"This is one of my favorite moments working for HBO," Simon said Tuesday. "They tried to get in touch with us last night to tell us, even before the (ratings) number was released, which is pretty cool."

Hailed by critics and ignored by Emmy Award voters, "The Wire" barely built a viable audience on HBO. It became a cult hit only during its DVD afterlife.

A former Baltimore newspaper crime reporter, Simon launched his TV career on "Homicide: Life on the Street," an NBC drama adapted from a Simon book. It, too, struggled for ratings sustainability.

Bride-to-be CHELSEA CLINTON on Crutches

Chelsea Clinton is walking on crutches and wearing a medical boot after breaking her heel, but a source tells PEOPLE she's expected to recover in time for her summer wedding to investment banker Marc Mezvinsky.

It's not known exactly how and when the former First Daughter hurt herself, but New Yorkers first spotted her using crutches on April 3, posting comments about it on Facebook and Twitter.

– Sharon Cotliar

"TREME" Writer/Producer DAVID MILLS died on 3/30/10

We've lost one of the greats.

Noted journalist/producer/screenwriter DAVID MILLS passed away suddenly yesterday in New Orleans at the age of 48, of a brain aneurysm.

Mills is perhaps known best for his work on the Baltimore-set HBO miniseries “The Corner,” which he co-wrote and co-executive produced with David Simon. The six-episode mini earned Mills 2 prime time Emmy awards: Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special and Outstanding Mini-Series.

Prior to “The Corner,” Mills had previously worked with Simon once before as a writer on an episode of “Homicide: Life on the Street.” He went on to write a season four episode of “The Wire” (”Soft Eyes”) and later returned to that team as a staff writer for the HBO series’ fifth and final season, a gig that earned him a Writer’s Guild of America nomination for Best Dramatic Series in 2009. He also has series writer and co-executive producer credits on “Treme,” HBO’s David Simon/Eric Overmyer series, which premieres on April 11.

A statement issued by the cable network reads: “HBO is deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend and colleague David Mills. He was a gracious and humble man, and will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him, as well as those who were aware of his immense talent. David has left us too soon but his brilliant work will live on.”

Mills did some work for noted TV series’ “ER” and “Conviction,” and he developed the NBC miniseries “Kingpin.” He also wrote nine episodes for “NYPD Blue” between 1995 and 1997, a job he landed after writing a letter to The Washington Post in response to comments made by series creator David Milch about the challenges black American writers face in writing for mass audiences. Milch saw the letter and hired Mills.

Prior to his work on the small screen, Mills made a name for himself as a noted journalist. He was a features writer for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times and The Washington Post, and he conducted memorable interviews with Sister Souljah and Public Enemy emcee Professor Griff. He was also known for his love of George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic; Mills’ TV work made frequent references to the classic funk outfit and he later went on to collaborate on the book, “George Clinton and P-Funk: An Oral History.”

Mills had been living in New Orleans at the time of his death as part of his work on “Treme.” The 10 episodes set to air for the first season all feature him as a co-executive producer and series writer. The little I’ve seen of the series so far is flawless, a musically-driven companion piece to “The Wire,” only with the focus on post-Katrina New Orleans and the music scene there. Make sure you tune in on April 11 to see for yourself.


We here at The French Quarter Wedding Chapel send our condolences to the Mills’ friends and family during what must be a terribly difficult time.

Carrie Underwood will serve CUPCAKES at her wedding. Yum.

Although Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher are planning a traditional wedding this summer, they won’t be feeding each other wedding cake when they tie the knot.

“We’re kind of doing cupcakes,” Underwood tells CMT Radio Live’s Cody Alan. “I consider myself a very traditional person. More than anything, we’re going to get married, that’s the important part. And we want everyone to have a good time, so we’re doing some things like that, that are a little bit different.”

The cupcakes will be from Ivey Cake in Franklin, Tenn., which is run by Ivey Childers, wife of Underwood’s bass player, Mark Childers. She “makes the most amazing cupcakes in the universe,” Underwood says.

The couple, who got engaged in December, have not announced a wedding date.

Next Stop, Marriage: L.I. Man Proposes on NJ Transit Bus

TEANECK, N.J. (AP/ 1010 WINS) -- NJ Transit might want to call Bus 7174 "The Love Bus."

That's because a Long Island man decided to propose to his girlfriend on the bus at the Port Authority Bus Terminal on Thursday.

Leora Feigenbaum, 20, was on her way home from midtown Manhattan when a Port Authority employee escorted her from the back of the line for the 167T line.

On board the bus she found flowers, decorations and boyfriend Adam Frohlinger holding an engagement ring.

Frohlinger, 21, says he picked the bus because he knew it was the last place his girlfriend would expect a proposal.

Port Authority and New Jersey Transit officials were in on the fix, helping Frohlinger and some co-conspiring friends get to the bus without being spotted.

"This might be the first time this has ever happened at the bus terminal," Jennifer Friedberg, a Port Authority employee, told the Bergen Record.

The juniors at Yeshiva University met while working at a summer camp in upstate New York two summers ago.

Bhutan Wedding

Bhutan's King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck has married with his childhood sweetheart and India-educated commoner Jetsun Pema on 13 October 2011. The Royal Wedding of His Majesty the King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Her Majesty the Queen Jetsun Pema is one of Bhutan's most anticipated event. Thousands of people have gathered in Bhutan's capital Thimphu to catch a glimpse of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his new queen after an elaborate wedding ceremony earlier this week. On Sunday, I check if the Bhutan Royal Wedding Coin still available, look like the" Bhutan Royal Wedding 1oz 999 Fine Silver Proof Colour Coin" has been sold out.

The Singapore Mint is the official Mint for the Bhutan Royal Wedding Commemorative Coins. The exclusive coins bear the portrait of the esteemed Royal Couple on the obverse and the logo of the Royal Wedding is featured on the reverse. The Royal Wedding Logo embodies the symbolic Khorlo (Wheel), signifying the Royalty; Two Circles with the Dhar (Ceremonial Scarf) signifying the Eternal Union of Thap (Method) and Sherab (Wisdom) and the Dham Tshig Tsangma and Lotus, symbolising the Purity of the Union. The Singapore Mint also produce two specially minted one-kilogramme coins as a Royal Wedding Coin Gift.

"Our Family Wedding"-Film review

Actor Michael Vartan excited about wedding plans

Actor Michael Vartan (Monster-In-Law) has thrown himself into planning his upcoming wedding- he's determined to have a say in every detail from picking the bridesmaid dresses to choosing the food.

Actor Michael Vartan has thrown himself into planning his upcoming wedding - he's determined to have a say in every detail from picking the bridesmaid dresses to choosing the food. He proposed to Lauren Skaar earlier this month (Mar 10) and they are preparing to exchange vows next year.

And Vartan, who previously dated his Alias co-star Jennifer Garner, admits he's heavily involved in making sure the big day runs smoothly.

He tells America's OK! magazine, "I feel wonderful! I feel very blessed. I feel like it’s about God damned time I met someone special. I’m excited about throwing an engagement party, I’m excited about choosing the bridesmaid dresses, and what kind of knives and food. "The hardest thing about planning a wedding is where you’re going to seat the people! Who’s going to be seated with who. It’s like playing chess. You can put your family with whoever and they’ll be fine, but then those people in the middle. Are they going to get along?”