Ring Leader

We know Jake was seen out in LA again couple nights ago and something else was seen again. His ring. We'd all agree it's great seeing both. Now there are a couple things we'd like to see that are better ; )

Up close and inn more detail we see that there is a little something to it. Some letters ring the band.
We've seen this ring before. It's a ring that Jake has worn in the past that says Carpe Diem.

Seeing Jake and all the talk from Ted, do you think he's taking the opportunity now to "Sieze the Day" ? And what do you think that could mean?


What's one ring without another. Got a better look at Austin's new ring during Fashion week.


It looks like a signet. Wonder if there is a special insignia of inspiration for him too.



You can check out more pics here.
But this snap sums up the whole misadventure.

Full Stack

Jake gave Maggie some sound advice about the Oscar race:

"There isn't actually anything at the end of the rainbow," "It's a lot of fun and enjoy it in that spirit. If you make it mean too much more than that, you'll probably go astray."

And with today being Shrove Tuesday,(Pancake Day) feel like we must pass on some advice ourselves. The rainbow is your own journey. But pancakes we got to step in. Because when uncle cred can't save them, that's bad, really bad, you got things stack up against you.

So Jake, listen up? Here's some pancake advice.

Go Fresh - Use the freshest ingredients you can get your hands on. And maybe not go for the scratch, and just break down and use a mix like the rest of us.

Don't Batter the Batter - Don't over mix. Pancake batter should be mixed just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Don't worry about lumps. You want them. They'll cook out on the griddle.

Get a Griddle - Cast iron or electric griddles make great pancakes because they heat evenly and give you plenty of room to work.

Go Easy on the Greasy - A light coating of oil or non-stick spray at the start is all you need for most pancakes.

Ladle with Care - Using a quarter-cup ladle held very close to the griddle, pour the batter gently so that it spreads in even circles.

Keep it Neat - Don't let pancakes merge into each other, and avoid moving them while the first side is cooking - they'll brown more evenly if you leave them alone.

Flip with Finesse - Pancakes are ready to flip when their surface is covered with bubbles, their edges look dry and a peek at their undersides reveals a golden brown color. Turn them gently, barely lifting them off the griddle.

Finish with a Flourish - Presentation makes all the difference. Warm the plates. Serve pancakes with real maple syrup, warmed slightly, and softened or whipped butter. Garnish with fruit or nuts.

Know When to Hold 'Em - Keep pancakes warm by placing them on a cookie sheet between layers of cloth towels. They'll hold in the oven at 250°F for up to 10 minutes till you have the whole batch done.

Of course you could just go out for a Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity and be done with it.


Or maybe head over Ikea get you Swedish on.



Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the ritual of shriving, when the faithful confessed their sins to the local priest and recieved forgiveness before the Lenten season began.
Historically, Shrove Tuesday also marked the beginning of the 40-day Lenten fasting period when the faithful were forbidden by the church to consume meat, butter, eggs or milk. So if you had these things what do you do? Use up the milk, butter and eggs no later than Shrove Tuesday. So you add with the addition of a little flour, and do you get... pancakes..

"... as fit as a pancake for Shrove Tuesday." William Shakespeare (All's Well that Ends Well)

Who would have thought that The Bard was a pancake kind of guy.

And to all the pancake deprived. Happy Mardi Gras!

Honestly....

To those in the US, Happy Presidents' Day. Which we celebrate the birthday of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, two of our great presidents both born in February.

Now Austin's got the Lincoln part of the day covered. (Remember Lincoln Booth in Pedestrian?) And great news from SoGoPro, they're is moving ahead and recently had meeting with investors.

"Hilarie and I had a another pitch meeting last week with a local investor here in Wilmington… let me tell you something folks, I was nervous going in… it's kind of surreal in a way… here we are asking for mountains of money from complete strangers and for them to trust us that we won't squander their hard earned capitol. ...."
As a result of these meetings, we now have a couple of heavy hitters helping us out. These guys are huge additions to our team, not only very successful businessman in their own right but they also have great positive energy and more importantly they believe in us and our business model…We look forward to working with them for a long, long time. Over the next several weeks, we're going to have several more of these pitch meetings but I feel so much more confident of raising the funds needed for Pedestrian now that we have their support!" Onward, kt

Want to see Austin get his camera on and get in the spirit of photographer Lincoln. We haven't seen his creative side come out to play that much lately. Hope we do a little before OTH wraps in the next few weeks.Now for George? That's a toughie. the story most of us were taught was the fable about the young Washington and chopping down the cherry tree, with the famous line, "I can not tell a lie." Austin on the other hand, is a self professed liar. He's got some work there. But he does tell the truth that he's lying after the fact, complete with that you can't be mad at me grin.

Yes my pants are on fire.

Tonight on the Crazy Tree:
"At The Bottom Of Everything" (Maybe Everything should be the Barrel) Nathan tries to help The Real Housewife of Tree Hill Haley and Jamie deal with her mom/his grandma's seemingly hopeless situation,(Schwahn's song indeed) Brooke Davis(TM) and Julian navigate their volatile relationship in the midst of a hectic movie shoot. Which means again this week Brooke Davis(TM) whines cries and makes faces most of the show and tries to make Julian jealous while he tries to make a movie. But Julian make win this round of upping the stakes in "How do you 'them apples" poker, "running lines" with his leading lady. (How many people are hoping for this hook up) Meanwhile, Feats of Clay and Quinn spend some time apart, (YES!) Miranda tries to prove to the bartender that she’s the right person to produce his album. And on the everyone gets to direct on the scorecard, Bethany Joy Galeotti (Haley) is up to bat with this episode.
And just have to say, love Julian and dad.


And what's a day off without somebody PoP'in by.
Here's a snap of the PoP action figures at the Toy Show in New York this week.

Out Spotlight CVXXIV

Today's Out Spotlight is Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas.

Gertrude Stein was born February 3, 1874 in Allegheny, PA was an American writer who became a catalyst in the development of modern art and literature. Throughout her lifetime, Stein also cultivated significant relationships with well-known members of the avant garde artistic and literary world.

Gertrude Stein, the youngest of a family of five children, was born to well-educated German-Jewish immigrant parents. Her father, Daniel Stein, was an executive with a railroad, whose prudent investm family wealthy. When she was three , the Steins moved from the Pittsburgh are first to Vienna and then to Paris because of her father's business. Her family returned to America in 1878, settling in Oakland, California, where she attended First Hebrew Congregation of Oakland's Sabbath school

Alice Babette Toklas was born in San Francisco into a middle-class Jewish family. She was educated at public schools and at the University of Seattle and the University of Washington. After the death of her mother, she returned to San Francisco to take care of her father and brother.

She was an idiosyncratic writer and collector of artists from Allegheny, Penn. She was a 29-year-old "spinster" from San Francisco. But when, Gertrude Stein met Alice B. Toklas in Paris, it was love at first sight.

Matisse had brought them together. In 1906, Alice had been taking care of her father and his house since her mother died, when they were visited by Gertrude's brother, Michael, and his wife. The San Francisco earthquake had caused extensive damage to the city, and the couple were visiting their properties. They brought along with them three of Matisse's paintings, including one of his wife that had a green stripe running down her face.

Alice was intrigued by the painting, as well as the stories theents in streetcar lines and real estate had made the Steins told of Paris. When a friend suggested that they return the visit next year, Alice agreed. The next year, they crossed North America by train and the Atlantic by boat, and there, in the Stein's residence in Paris, Alice was introduced to "a golden brown presence, burned by the Tuscan sun and with a golden glint in her warm brown hair." It was Gertrude, back from Italy.

Alice was entranced, with Gertrude's tan, but also with her voice, deep and full, "like a great contralto's, like two voices." Before she left, Gertrude asked, "You doing anything tomorrow?"

But the next day, Alice was late. She sent a note, but Gertrude was upset and made sure she knew it. "She was now a vengeful goddess and I was afraid. I did not know what had happened or what was going to happen. Nor, is it possible for me to tell about it now."

Once said spoke her piece, Gertrude's anger faded. "She stood in front of me and said, Now you understand. It is over. It is not too late to go for a walk. You can look at the pictures while I change my clothes."

Stein's life was marked by two primary relationships, the first with her brother Leo Stein, from 1874-1914, and the second with her partner Alice B. Toklas, from 1907 until her death in 1946.

Alice began to spend more time with Gertrude. She learned to type and to read her handwriting. She moved into Stein's apartment, she previous shared with her brother Leo, on the rue de Fleurus. Stein was working on the manuscript for "The Makings of Americans," her first major work. She cooked her meals on Sundays, the cook's day off. She would make American meals, such as chicken fricassee, corn bread, apple and lemon pies, turkey for Thanksgiving.

One day, Gertrude asked Alice to stop cooking and listen to something she had written. Alice did. It was a description of several people, and one of them she recognized was herself. It was an accurate portrait, but sometimes the truth hurts, and Alice felt hurt.

At the end, the Alice character met a genderless story teller and writer, who fell in love with her, and who loved listened to the Alice character:

"That one who was loving was almost always listening. That one who was loving was telling about being one then listening. That one being loving was then telling stories having a beginning and a middle and an ending."

Toklas was called "Pussy" by Gertrude and Gertrude was "Lovey" to Alice. Stein, was the soothing and listening partner; Alice called her a "strong-strong husband".

However, in A Movable Feast (1964), Hemingways's memoir of his years in Paris after World War I, he gives the impression that Toklas commanded Stein outside the saloon.

Stein wrote an erotic poem 'Lifting Belly,' to Toklas between 1915 and 1917 but it was not published in Stein's lifetime. At that time it was accepted that women shared homes, but physical relationship was something else. Another poem to Toklas, inspired by Cubism, was built around four sentences:

"Do you really think I would yes I would and"
"Do you really think I could, yes I could",
"Do you really think I should yes I should",
and
"Do you really think I do love all you with all".
Other sides of the crystallike poem are left "unvisible" – perhaps including the verbs "must" and "ought".

During the their time together, they frequently exchanged love letters. Alice was an early riser, and Gertrude, who wrote late into the night, left her tender, passionate notes to cheer up her mornings.

"Baby precious Hubby worked and / loved his wifey, sweet sleepy wifey, / dear dainty wifey, baby precious sleep," Stein once rhymed.

Much of Gertrude Stein's fame was derived from a private modern art gallery she assembled, from 1904 to 1913, with her brother Leo. The collection quickly commanded a worldwide reputation; creating a salon, and a social circle of thinkers, writers and artists that developed around it, providing the inspiration for The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas
The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas (1933), is actually Gertrude Stein's memoirs. It records Toklas's first-person observations of Stein's life and her friends, among them Ernest Hemingway, Sherwood Anderson, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Georges Braque. The book appeared first in an abridged form in The Atlantic Monthly magazine. Stein's writing style is conversational and clear. Toklas notes how many wives of geniuses she had to sit with while Stein has been with their husbands. The book also tells of the trip Toklas and Stein made to philosopher Alfred North Whitehead's home in England and of their wartime involvement as ambulance drivers with the American Fund for the French Wounded. They also visited hospitals and were later decorated by the French government.

According to Estelle C. Jelinek, Toklas's presence as the narrator legitimized Stein's role as memoirist. Placing Toklas, the most important person in her intimate life, in the center of the autobiography, she could pay homage to their story. Toklas is the observing partner, not the directly observed, but at the same time Stein controls the picture she gives of herself: "There I went to see Mrs. Stein who had in the meantime returned to Paris, and there at her house I met Gertrude Stein. I was impressed by the coral brooch she wore.

The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook came out when Toklas was 77. It contained 300 recipes of such dishes Artichokes Stravinsky, Gigot de la Clinique and Breen Peas à la Goodwife. Many of the receipts are practical, if rather advanced. The book became famous because one recipe, Toklas's Haschich Fudge, originally given by a friend. It was not printed in the first American edition, but was included in the British edition. Toklas's close friends assured, that the writer herself had not tested the recipe, and she did not realize what the ingredients were.

Stein and Tolkas' last conversation in a Paris hospital has been much quoted:

"... What is the answer? I was silent. In that case, she said, what is the question"

After Stein died during surgery in 1946, Alice cherished Stein's reputation. In the end she found Catholicism, stating that she wanted a ticket into the afterlife, since she considered Gertude immortal – she would be reunited with her in Heaven. Toklas died in 1967. She was buried beside Stein in Le Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

Alice B. Toklas moved into Gertrude Stein's apartment on the rue de Fleurus, and for more than 30 years, they would live their beginning, middle and ending.

Starting to PoP

Jake and PoP'in crew lead the way in next month's
The first kernel has popped now get ready cause after the first few you know it just keeps coming and coming.

But this is a great look at PoP and we are finding out and clearing up a lot of speculations associated with it.

It wasn't Bruck who picked Jake for Dastan, but director Mike Newell who approached Bruckheimer with Jake in mind. And Bruck didn't blink.

With Newell having known Jake since he was little you can see how having someone who has known you most of your life directing you could be benefit when taking a leap into the biggest chance and biggest production of your career.

"But there no getting around it, dropping a $200 m franchise on the shoulders of a sleepy-eyed 27-year old who's barely thrown a punch in his career was another massive gamble. "Yeah it is," says Newell. "But I 've known Jake since he was little and I'd seen this quality on screen. He's not like John Wayne, who's this massive block of wood. Jake - you can always see into him. He has a very soft and gentle side to him. He's an action hero made in heaven."

Jake wants to be an action hero. "That what I would love to do. I have always wanted to do this - it's like a childhood dream. ...."

So is an action hero with a gentle side the action hero of the new millennium?

There's a lot more in the article, and just like there will be much much more PoPing up too.

Next week is the Toy Convention in New York, where toy manufacturers will be unveiling the toys for stores to buy for next Christmas. Betcha there's going to be a lot of PoP, and not just the kind you drink. But it does make you wonder if there is going to be a PoP pop. Hmmm Coke or Pepsi?


Your Hollywood Business Moment:
From Deadline Hollywood:

"I can't readily recall a direct link between a seasoned producer and a top-tier management firm like this, but Management 360 and The Mark Gordon Company have formed MG/360. It also cuts down on the likelihood of management company conflicts of interest and self-dealing. The venture is designed to develop projects using 360’s talent roster and Gordon’s producing expertise. The non-exclusive arrangement will initially focus on films — they’ve got a dozen projects in mind already — but will eventually encompass TV as well. Both sides will bring projects to the partnership, but neither will dismantle existing production operations."

"Gordon and 360 partner Guymon Casady told me the arrangement is an outgrowth of good experiences that Gordon Company’s Gordon and Bryan Zuriff had with 360 managers and clients on Source Code, The Details, and 2012."

Read the rest here.

Never realized that Kiki was in a part of 360 Management's client list.


A little early Valentine. (courtesy of Engreet)


It works. A future Jake movie, and things popping up. ; )

Hello Pinkie

It's not only Jake who puts a ring on it. Check out these pictures Austin did last year.
You know how he showed off big blue, it looks like he's doing the same with this one.

Here you can see a tiny peek too.
Hmmm looks familiar.
If you want to compare the two, check it out. (Hey have to make you work a little)

It seems that jewelry is something that has significant meaning for them. From big blue and Jake's black diamond, what they wear around their necks, golden rings and now these. Makes you wonder if these could be about an anniversary, or for something for the little finger for a little.

And for the "he wears it on his right hand" and "he wears it on his left hand" argument that is going to pop up.



If you have noticed over the years how they walk side by side, each have a natural side to walk on. Jake to Austin's right, his left hand nearest to Austin's right hand. Maybe the rings are little something special for a digital dance.




How's that for an Austin Friday?

Voices Carry

Many have heard of the expression six ways to Sunday

Six ways to Sunday 1. (colloquial) thoroughly, completely, in every way imaginable

But what the hell is Seven Dreams 'til Tuesday?

It might be Julian and Alex's indie film but what does it really mean?

The Top Seven Things Seven Dreams 'Til Tuesday could mean.

7. Misprint actually is Seven Screams 'til Tuesday which is what Brooke Davis(TM) does every Monday night.

6.It's the seven dreams Mark Schwahn had while listening to 'Til Tuesday.

5. That Season 7 is thoroughly, completely, in every way imaginable more delusional than the previous six seasons.

4. It's the number of times proposed storylines for OTH have been rejected by Tuesday for being too realistic.

3. The number of theories on OTH boards about how Austin and Sophia started dating like for real.

2.The number of times the fans have come up with something better for Julian than life with Brooke Davis(TM).

and the number one meaning of Seven Dreams 'til Tuesday could mean:

1. What the main cast does instead of watching the show


Does this looks like a man who's tasted some toasted homemade chocolate bread with a little mascarpone cheese for breakfast?