The Most Teed Tee

Perhaps I've been spending too much time at the 19th hole, but recently I learned about the 16th hole at the FBR Golf Tournament aka "the loudest hole in golf" at the TPC in Scottsdale AZ this weekend.  The tourney is being covered on The Golf Channel.  For those who don't know, it's basically a stadium surrounding the 166 yrd par 3 16th hole where fans cheer and yell and chant as if they were at a Football Game, a very rowdy football game.  PGA pros get booed by fans if the don't make the green too.

Are they trying to change up the sport a bit from the stuffy elitist image it sometimes has? Making it a bit more Happy Gilmore if you will?  I like the idea of untucking and loosening up the collared shirt a bit, but I feel we should still keep the focus on golf.

What ARE You Going to do with All That Junk?

Recently, while gazing upon all of the booty stowed inside the trunk of my car, I realized that I regularly travel with a literal cornucopia of leisure. I'm rolling with bongos, a tambourine, a tennis bag, a golf bag, some random bottle of water and an earthquake kit. (I was a Boy Scout if you can't tell already.) But seriously, what can't you do out of this boot? Drum circle or band jam? Yes. 36 holes at Pebble? Heck, yeah! Mixed doubles anyone? Wait, where are my bocce balls?

Australian Open: Tennis back on a Hot Streak

Tennis is back in popularity and so is the international past time known as "streaking". Check out this article on yahoo about a streaker at the Australian Open. Was it a harmless prank or an act of nudist terrorism? You be the judge. Female streaker at Wimbledon circa 1985.

GRILL IT! Casting Call. Calling all BBQ Dudes!

You could be on Bobby Flay's Grill It (Season 2)! Here's how...

Casting Call: Food Network is looking for men and women with big personalities to grill alongside Bobby Flay in Season 2 of GRILL IT! If you love to experiment with burgers, seafood, ribs, fish, pork or poultry, and have skills to prove it, we want to hear from you! The show is non-competitive and features grillers from across the country creating unique recipes on the grill!

Interested applicants (who look between 21 and 45) must be outgoing, fun and able to reproduce their own unique recipe on camera. Maybe it’s a new take on pork or seafood or perhaps a recipe passed down from your grandmother? Whatever the dish, it needs to be original and not found in a cookbook!

How to apply:
-Fill out the application (email us for this) and email it along with a current photo to grillitwithbobbyflay@gmail.com
- Make a 3-minute video (DVD or MiniDV) showcasing your personality (anything longer than 3-minutes will not be considered)
- On the casting tape, cook your favorite dish, tell us about the ingredients, how you created the recipe, and why it is special.
- Tell us a little about yourself and what makes you interesting.
- Tell us why you think it would be great to GRILL IT! with Bobby Flay

Please upload your 3-minute video the Food Network “Be On TV” site, then mail us your original DVD or MiniDV along with your written recipe to:
Rock Shrimp
Att: Grill It!
110 Leroy Street
7th Floor
New York, NY 10014

Questions? Email us at mailto:grillitwithbobbyflay@gmail.com

All entries need to be submitted by March 2nd, 2009. You must be available for one day of filming in Los Angeles, CA. March 16-22.

Mr. Flay grillin' it!

Holy $%^&!!!

My favorite part is the lady with the giant beer and cig in the crowd at the end. Ah, the early 80's, so politically incorrect and unhealthy.

They Must Be Stopped

Recently, whilst playing golf at Rancho Park Golf Course in West LA, an unidentified squirrel chewed through my mesh pocket of my golf bag and proceeded to eat a frozen Snickers bar that I had in there.  Please beware: These are not your father's squirrels.   The squirrels these days are more aggressive and braver than any other rodent I have encountered during my tenure as an avid golfer.   Where's Carl (Bill Murray's character) from Caddy Shack when you need him?

CA Golfers Unite Against Golf Tax

Thank you to American Golf and the SCGA for bringing this to my attention. Golf is expensive already. Golf is not tobacco. Golf is not alcohol. Specifically on the public course level, it is a sport not a luxury. It is no longer the elitist game it once was. Is the state trying to make it that again? Or do they not understand what golf is, by thinking its a game for only the rich with plenty of time on their hands and extra income to spend. Taxation of golf would be unfair, unconstitutional, and is unacceptable.

Go to www.forecalifornia.com for more info on how you can help defeat the Golf Tax!

EP Stands for Echo Park and El Prado

Thanks to Ed for the recommendation of El Prado for some fine micro brews, snacks and records (as they boast on their website). You'll find this relatively new beer only bar in the heart of Historic Echo Park, Los Angeles, California on the safer, cleaner than ever Sunset Boulevard. A hip joint that seems more at home in SoHo than East LA. The menu is written on the mirrored wall. Beer: I tried the Coronado Orange Ave Ale (Was it orange tasting or was that the cough drop I had before? Who cares! It was good.) Snacks: walnuts, still in the shell (You gotta really want to eat them, hipsters.), goat cheese and whatnot. Vinyl: Elvis, makes me wonder what "Jail House Rock" is really all about. All in all, cool spot!

Art See

Ryan Callis's show "Are You Ready to Testify" opened with great success at the Taylor De Cordoba Gallery on Saturday night. We enjoyed meeting the artist and viewing his exciting work, while sipping on a cold MGD. Thanks Alex and Heather!

Oh Burger Where Art Thou?

Grubbed on a tasty turkey burger from O! Burger in West Hollywood today (formerly the location of Tops). O! Burger boasts healthy burgers, fries, salads and shakes. They do veggie burgers too and vegan shakes as well. The burger, salad and iced tea combo, while pricey at $11 was very good. I stole some fries from a friend and they were pretaay good. Is there such thing as a healthy burger?

Taxi's

I just caught a cab home in Hollywood. Don't get me wrong. I'm happy to be safe and sound, but sometimes taxi rides can be weird. For example, the car I just got in was driven by a man I'm not sure had a permit to drive a hired vehicle (I saw none such license). On top of this, the seat belt light/bell kept going off every minute or so (which caused me to look for the hack license, maybe the two are related). Oh, and don't get me started when they don't have change! I mean you're a cab driver! You're pretty mucah a late night professional change maker! Anyone else have any weird cab stories?

www.myopenbar.com

Mad props go out to the peeps over at www.myopenbar.com. 'Tis a great stand by plan if you and your posse are up for doing something spur of the moment in and around your city on any given night. They have daily postings for LA, SF, Miami, Honolulu and Chi-town,. Let's say you are in the mood for an art opening with an open bar or a happy hour at a pub you might have never heard of before, myopenbar.com can provide.

A Restaurant - Redefining Newport Cool

To quote Tom Petty, "Honey put on that party dress!" and head down to A Restaurant in Newport Beach. Guys, you'll want to blaze-up for the occasion, because A is way cool and old school, so the dressier the better. Formerly The Arches, A Restaurant keeps it real with mahogany booths and A dark candle lit dining room. Talk about old school, there's even liquor lockers you can have your name put on to store your finest booze and A great bar scene where you might spot Mark McGrath and Mc G, investors in the joint.

Chef Tim Goodell and his wife Liza, creators of other great SoCal restaurants, such as Dakota, 25 Degrees and Red Pearl Kitchen know their cuts of meat, dishing out superb steaks and burgers with A-mazing sauces to compliment them. A Restaurant also boasts swingin' cocktails, like Harvey Wallbangers and Old Fashioned's. GO there for brunch and get the Short Rib Hash. You won't be disappointed.

The service is great too with some of the waiters working at that location for 20+ years. Ask for Salvatore. Tell him The Leisure Man sent you!

Football Finale

Well, my friends, now is that glorious moment in time we like to call the playoffs or the post season and/or the Bowl Championship Series, if you are more of a college football fan. My Miami Dolphins did much better this year than the previous year at least making it to the playoffs. FSU needs to step it up to get back to the ACC powerhouse it once was. But seriously, how can you couch potatoes sit around and watch 12 hours of Sports on TV??!? Answer: Easy! Ha!

Here's a question: Basketball? I'm more of a latter in the season basketball fan. California has like seven basketball teams, so there's always some one in the playoffs to root for. Maybe one could spend more time outdoors this winter/spring if possible or hit the gym to get in shape.

I'm going to enjoy these last few glorious weeks of the gridiron, but daggummit, going to miss you, man.

Joy's Life Diet

I caught the super skinny Joy Bauer on the Today Show this am and if you're like me you're trying to shed some pounds this new year (Happy New Year by the way). I'm not endorsing Joy's LIFE Diet (her new book), but it is a plan. You've got to have a plan, whether it's eating more fruits and veg, drinking less or working out more. I bet, if you stick with some sort of plan (Weight Watchers, etc), you will achieve your goals. So check it out and see what's best for you. Good luck in the '09.

What up G?!?

Some of you may have seen the commercial for "G" with Tiger Woods and other famous athletes, during this season BCS and been like "What the??!" LM is here to tell you that it's for Gatorade's new beverage G2, which has 1/2 the calories of regular Gatorade (25 per serving). Now go get your electrolytes on!

Pelican Hill Golf Club South Course

Leisure woman and I had an unbelievable weekend at the luxurious The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast recently. On our stay, I got to play some golf at The Pelican Hill Golf Club on the resort property. One word: fore caddie (or is that two?) Dave, my fore caddie, was a great fore caddie and a nice man to boot. I had never played with a fore caddie until now. They spot your ball, fix divots, hold clubs and are great motivators with enthusiastic comments, like "great shot" or "shot of the day". We played the South Course. Most holes have a view of the Pacific. There are 2 back to back par 3's right on the ocean. All in all it was a challenging course in pristine condition with great facilities and staff, which comes with a hefty green fee. It can play 6500 yards from the back black tees, so it's lengthy and tight. Stay out of the rough too. It's a ball eater. Good thing Dave gave me a bunch of extra balls he found.