Funk Soul Bro. West Coast Style.

NFL Wildcard Saturday. The Seahawks (7-9) upset the reigning SB Champ Saints and the Jets upset Indy. We we rooting for the underdogs (since the Vikings and Broncos aren't in the playoffs) and things got a little crazy at the McCann-Glover home in Tujunga. I just let the camera record the spontaneity. That's Jay & Susie and their two boys in the fray.

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Dave & Buster's birthday celebration in Arcadia!

Above: Donovan, Monica, Jay and Susie. Foreground: Maria.

We celebrated my b-day Saturday evening at Dave & Buster's - the adult version of Chucky Cheese's. It's adjacent to Santa Anita track (horses) in Arcadia - where Seabiscuit set all the racing records. Donovan & Maria are my best friends in Cali. Jay & Susie are Grace's god parents (D&M's oldest) and Monica and I are Gwyneth's god parents.

Never been to a restaurant with a security check-point like they have in airports. Apparently there had been a shooting there. Nice.

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"Kismet" is the damndest thing!

So I call my best friends in California - Donovan and Maria - and tell them I'm not coming over tonite 'cause I'd just have to leave Saturday (for a theater event with my buddy, Michael Carrera) and then return to D&M's Sunday morning for a birthday party at Jay & Susie's in Pasadena. Follow me? Why not move my visit with D&M Sunday through whenever? Makes sense to me.

Then I get a FB email from my new FB friend, Julie, who works with Eric Lowen (of Lowen & Navarro fame...Pat Benatar's song, "We Belong" - L&N wrote it and I've seen them perform a number of times). Turns out Julie has tickets to see a duo at the world-famous McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica Friday (tomorrow) night. Alas...my schedule is now open.

The duo is none other than Van Dyke Parks and Inara George. Who are they? Parks is the co-writer of most of the songs on The Beach Boys' infamous album, Smile, Brian Wilson's 1966 follow-up masterpiece to Pet Sounds that was to be his "teenage symphony to God" but never saw the light of day (until a 2004). And I've never seen Parks perform. Inara George is a singer-songwriter who's the daughter of Lowell George, the late founder of the rock and roll group, Little Feat.

Ha...Inara's husband is director Jake Kasden, son of writer/director Lawrence Kasden, and director of the flick Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, starring actor John C. Reilly.

And today, I just emailed my friend from Cedar Rapids, Mark, my favorite clip from Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, featuring Reilly as Dewey Cox and Elvis Presley, whom I adore.

Ain't that "kismet"? Whatever it is, it's pretty fucking cool. Hey...it's a great introduction to that funny clip from Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

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TGIF! Friday presents...Berlin's "Metro" (2002)!

OMG! To see Wang Chang, Cutting Crew, and ABC LIVE! is wayyyy different then hearing their hits on the radio. Fucking awesome concert at Universal Ampitheater...with the cherry on the cake = Berlin. Teri Nunn is in better voice than she was in 1983. The 3rd time I've seen her in a year! 'Effing awesome. By far her stage presence and voice are in the tops of ANY female artist I've seen.

Special thanks to Jay & Susie for treating me to this most excellent concert. Damn! I wish you all could've been there, particularly if you grew up on 80's music.

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In Retro: Grace's 2nd birthday party in the park.

"I’m hiding!
I’m hiding!
I’m hiding away from youuuuuu.
Can you see me? Can you find me?
You’ll be happy when you do! Boo!"

- a story Donovan tells Grace

Where's Grace hiding? Where's the birthday girl??? We all had a wonderful time in the park Saturday for Grace's 2nd birthday. The party then moved over to Donovan & Maria's home, where we imbibed on beer and laughter and love. It ain't gonna be easy to leave these people when I move back to Wisconsin in late July. Click on READ MORE! to see more pix - and some very special people in my life who I will miss terribly.

Maria's family - left to right: Michael (my age), Mom, Dad, Bill and Maria. Great people. I'm truly gonna miss them.

Maria making balloon animals for the kiddies.

Jake, Madison and Taylor - brother Michael's children.

Even Grace's sister, my goddaughter, Gwyneth, had fun...though all eyes were on her older sister. Well...not all eyes.

Grace trying to make sense out of all the hoopla. "2" can be very confusing sometimes.

Donovan's magic case.

Yes, "D" knows magic. He used to perform at children's parties. He was very good. He made a yellow handkerchief disappear right in front of my eyes and I was standing a foot away.

Grace, Grandma McCann and Gwyneth.

Uh-oh...time to sing "Happy Birthday" to Gracie.

It WAS a wonderful cake.

Cleaning up at the McCann-Glover home! Owen, Grace and Wyatt getting a much need scrub down after playing in the park for Grace's b-day. Owen and Wyatt belong to Susie and Jay - Grace's godparents (Nino and Nina) and close friends Donovan & Maria's. Good people. More people to miss when I move away. :(

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Baby Gwyneth's baptism pictures just in!

Pictures! Just what you wanted to hear (and see). And a slew of them. So if you're interested in seeing me during a very proud moment - being official recognized as Gwyneth McCann Glover's godfather (or "Nino"), click on READ MORE! If not, then I will pray for your wretched soul. Ha. Really, it'll be fun - see if you can find the peacock!

I know. You're sick of hearing me go on and on about how I'm a godfather now and how in the Mexican culture my title is "Nino Jeff". What can I say? For those of you who unexplicably missed my earlier posts regarding this blessed event: the offer is made, the pre-baptism announcement and the official hand-in-hand picture of goddaughter and godfather.

Me, Nina Monica (the godmother) and Gwyneth. Gwyneth is wearing her traditional baptismal dress that Donovan's (the father) stepmother made.

The actual baptism with Maria and Donovan (parents).

And the parents, Gwyneth and Grace, who'll be 2 in two weeks.

Maria's parents. For those of you who've missed previous posts on me being given the title, "Nino" (godfather), Maria's mother is Mexican and her father is Irish. That enough for you?

Parents and godparents at Maria's parent's home in Arcadia for the post-baptism shindig.

That's Susie (far left) and Jay (far right), Grace's godparents. Good people. Theoretically, the title of "Nino" and "Nina" (godfather and godmother) extend to both children.

There's the peacock! Interesting story. Wayyyy back in the late 1800's, one of the early settlers of Arcadia (near Pasadena) had peacocks running around his property (which was most of Arcadia). The ancestors of the original peacocks are free to roam around the town, the streets, people's backyards and trees, protected by the city. This proud bird ran from Maria's parent's yard across the street. Loud motherfuckers.

And last but not least, one more picture of the party girl herself, my goddaughter...Gwyneth. I'm gonna be a great "Nino", no?

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