This is perfect because I was totally craving a gyro. Actually, I always crave gyros with a side of Tom Hanks.

Run Forest Run to the Greek Festival!

If you are on the westside in LA, look up towards the Santa Monica Pier for fireworks around 8:50pm.

Important Traffic Report for Santa Monica, CA on 9/9/09

Southbound lanes on Ocean Ave to Colorado Ave and the left turn lanes on westbound Colorado will be closed to all traffic between 5pm- 7pm

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Image Courtesy of www.wilsonspyro.com

Come celebrate 100th year celebration of the Santa Monica Pier with fireworks and cheer!

6:00pm- 6:25pm Grand Re-Opening Ceremony

We re-dedicate the Santa Monica Pier for the next Century in this opening event at the Landmarked Iconic Pier.

6:45pm- 8:25pm Party On The Pier

Location- Pier Parking Deck

“100 Minute Birthday Party” with a concert featuring the award- winning A Capella Group “Vybration”, “The Big Bamboo Steel Ban” and the legendary “King of Surf Guitar” Dick Dale.

8:25pm- 8:50pm Centennial Sounds and Lights

Grab a seat by the pier and get ready for the upcoming fireworks show.

8:50pm- 9:15pm Grand Fireworks Finale

*** Important Parking Information***

Walk, ride your bike (free bike valet locations will be operating) or ride the Big Blue Bus!

Southbound lanes on Ocean Ave to Colorado Ave and the left turn lanes on westbound Colorado will be closed to all traffic between 5pm- 7pm

Info courtesy of CentennialDayProgram.pdf

NYC Traveler alert!

You can get tickets to Broadway shows at an amazing discount through this site Season of Savings.

Some of the tickets are up to 55% off! For example:

Phantom of the Opera on Broadway for only 46 bucks, plus change!

Chicago tickets are 50% off

Hair  tickets for $55 tickets

Mary Poppins for $40.

Looks like the recession is good for something.

Here’s a list of all the discounted shows you can see: The 39 Steps, Burn the Floor, Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, Fela!, Finian’s Rainbow, Hair, In the Heights, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Next to Normal, The Phantom of the Opera, Rock of Ages, Shrek the Musical, South Pacific, Superior Donuts, Wishful Drinking

There are even discounts to some hotels, parking garages, some famous NYC restaurants and select off-Broadway shows.

If you see me in NYC this fall, ya know why. Oh I heart Mamma Mia!

Check out: www.seasonofsavings.com for more info.

• Free Chocolate tasting at Surfas 8/29/09, 12pm- 2pm, 8777 W Washington Blvd
  Culver City, CA 90230 - (Republica del Cacao Chocolate Magic Demo). Join us in the Test Kitchen at Surfas as we welcome Master Pastry Chef and Chocolatier Jean-Marc Viallet. Using Republica del Cacao chocolate, Chef Viallet will reveal the magic of working with this often tricky substance. For many home bakers, chocolate can be as fickle as it is delicious. For Professional chefs, they can experience the challenges daily; “One drop of water and the chocolate is dead” says Viallet.
  On the menu:
  -Chocolate Cookies with single origin chocolate drops, from Ecuador
  -Cookie sandwich with 75% Los Rios
  -Truffle Lavender with 75% Los Rios
  -Financier
  -Gelato Chocolate
  Of course, you will get plenty to taste as well!
• Millionaire Matchmaker Open Call @ Lush Santa Monica. 8/31/09 from 8pm- 10pm. 1404 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA- Doron Ofir Casting and LUSH Cosmetics are proud to extend an invitation to apply and participate in BRAVO’s hit series “The Millionaire Matchmaker”. Patti Stanger’s millionaire clientele are ready to meet their perfect matches. Are you?

And Tada!

For all you penny pinchers, here are a few more discounts I have managed to gather up. Thank to the help of my twitter and blogger friends! Save some money so you can play the penny slots!

Yes, penny slots make me feel powerful. So sue me.

Las Vegas Dining Discounts

• MGM Taste of Summer Valid until 8/30/09 – Participating restaurants with summertime prices. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon 4 course $75/pp, CraftSteak 3 course $60/pp, Diego 2 course & drink $32/pp, Fiamma 3 course $45/pp, Nobhill 3 course $39/pp, Pearl 3 course $49/pp, Seablue 3 course $45/pp, Shibuya 4 course $59/pp , and Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill 3 course $45/pp. Via H.C.
• Palm Restaurant (Steaks) – Choice of soup or salad, entree and side dish. $39.99. Via CheapCheapCheap’s Twitter.
• Restaurant.com- I hope you people use Restaurant.com… You can pretty much buy gift certificates for restaurants at discounted prices and use them when you dine there (there are however, certain restrictions like the tab must be $X amt before the gift cert can be redeemed). Gift certificates for $50 for Mandalay Bay’s StripSteak — they do a early prix-fixe for $45/person via H.C. … Fleur De Lys $50 gift certificate for $20 use it for a $60 prix fixe, via Sinosoul.
• Las Vegas Restaurant Week – Begins 8/31/09- 9/6/09 via OishiiEats

Las Vegas Theatre Show Discounts

• Phantom of the Opera – 40% off Premium seats and select the show you want to attend, then click “Buy Tickets.” Enter the promotion code TZOO50 and click the “Submit Code” button. Select the number of seats you would like by using the drop-down menu marked “PP1TZOO50″ and make sure you change the number under “Internet” to zero. Select the seating level you prefer and click “Get Best Available” to see your seats. You can also call the Phantom Box Office at 866-641-7469. 
• Zumanity , Mystere , LOVE or KA – Buy 1 ticket and get 2nd for $25. Use code, SUMMER when calling 866.998.4833.
• Jersey Boys – Upgraded seats. Thanks to this offer from Best Of Vegas, receive a complimentary upgrade to Front Orchestra seats for $99 per ticket (reg. $147) for performances through Sept. 7. This deal is available for performances on the following days and times:
  • Saturdays and Tuesdays at 6:30PM and 9:30PM
  • Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7PM
  • For tickets an more information. Click the time next to the day you would like to see the show and use the pull-down menu next to “Complementary Upgrade to Front Orchestra Seating” to get your seats.