Just another pretty face to leave L.A.

Unfortunately the gold-kissed 1907 portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer by Gustav Klimt was bought by the cosmetics magnate Ronald S. Lauder for $135 million, the highest sum ever paid for a painting, and will be moved to the Neue Galerie in Manhattan.

Fortunately the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will continue to show the masterpiece, along with four other works that were recently returned by the Austrian government to the family of Maria Altmann of Los Angeles, through June 30, 2006.

Ode to Ford's Filling Station

A sickening tribute to Ford's Filling Station makes the cover of CityBeat, written by the person the owner's roomate. He and/or owner Ben Ford describe the bartender as a "total rock star, aloof, detached, and a little bent." Buffy is his feminine counterpart. etc. etc. "A line is forming on the sidwalk, but no one's complaining about the wait," the author believes. Ben is anti-celeb, he contintues, but still the article mentions Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Uma Thurman and Kill Bill.

It's always the Drama with you

Kevin Dillon, a.k.a. Matt's brother, a.k.a. Johnny Drama, was shopping Tuesday at the Von's on Fairfax and Pico. The store was packed because it was the last hours of TRIPLE coupon day. Dillon, in a ratty black T-shirt and jeans with a cell phone to his ear the entire trip, bought just an item or two. Couldn't tell if his calves were buff or not, but he has other issues: he's slight and short. No sign of Turtle, E or Vincent, but according to the L.A. Times: "The cast members, now friends, are often seen together around town."

Mountain High

"What time is it back in California?" That's just how far away the top of Big Bear feels from home, even though it's a mere two-hour ride. After stopping at Blondie's we drove straight to the bike rental shop ($36 for three hours), caught the chairlift ($10) and started at the summit. We took a nine-mile trek and wound our way down the mountain, riding through streams, sand and rock. Starving at journey's end, we made it to the Sonora Cafe, bought a pitcher of margaritas and four dinnners ($59). Miss Big Bear was there. We skipped the Big Juan, a burrito the size of the Los Angeles phone book that comes with four meats - chicken, beef, pork and ? ($15). If you eat it in 45 minutes you get a shirt.

Hot Doughnuts NOW!

This doesn't seem to have been widely reported, but Krispy Kreme's tradition of giving away one free glazed doughnut hot off the conveyer belt, signaled by the neon sign screaming "Hot doughnuts now," has ended.
As of January - I try to stay away from donuts - they no longer give free samples reads the sign on the counter. And I can't believe there's been no outcry. Or is it just at the one on MLK and Crenshaw? I guess I'll have to be visiting a few more KK's in the near future.

A hard coconut to break

Just bought Beggars Banquet at Amoeba Records last week and was surprised to find this is the best Stones album yet. Saw them in March at the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood. Yes they were old and they were inspired. A friend told me he almost turned down tickets to see them at the Forum in 1981. Why? Because they seemed so old then.

But you can't be too old when you are nearly killed falling out of a tree you were climbing for coconuts:

ROLLING STONES guitarist KEITH RICHARDS has returned to his Weston, Connecticut, estate to rest, following three weeks of treatment in New Zealand for the head injury he sustained after a fall from a palm tree in Fiji.
"He is feeling great, happy to be home and looking forward to getting back on the road with the Rolling Stones next month," the veteran rock band's Web site reported. While a revised itinerary will be announced shortly for the summer European leg of their A Bigger Bang tour -- originally scheduled to kick off May 27th in Spain -- French promoters already announced that two shows slated for June 3rd and July 2nd at the Stade de France in Paris have been postponed, while an August 8th date in Nice was still on. - Rolling Stone, May 23

The band's website didn't have much to say about the incident:

06.02.06 Keith Richards Is Given The All Clear To Get Back To Work As Stones Announce New Itinerary For European Shows

With the news that Keith Richards has made a complete recovery from his accident and is ready to return to the concert stage, The Rolling Stones have unveiled today their re-vamped European Tour Schedule.

05.24.06 THE ROLLING STONES FORCED TO POSTPONE SHOWS AS KEITH RICHARDS CONTINUES TO MAKE FULL RECOVERY
The first 15 shows on The Rolling Stones 'A Bigger Bang' European Tour from Barcelona, Spain on May 27 through to Zagreb, Croatia on July 5 have now been postponed.

05.01.06 Keith Richards Making A Speedy Recovery
Keith Richards was hospitalized for a mild concussion he suffered while vacationing in Fiji. Keith was injured earlier this week and flown to a hospital in Auckland, New Zealand for treatment. "Following treatment locally and as a precautionary measure, he flew to a hospital accompanied by his wife, Patti, for observation," said Stones' publicist Fran Curtis. Doctors say Keith is making a speedy recovery.


While at the Forum's b-list backstage area, a group of retirees who use their 401-Ks to follow the Stones around the world said this is the band's last tour. You heard it here first.