Johnny Jet

Happy Fourth! I hope that all of you (who reside in the U.S.) had a great holiday weekend. I did! It was such a great week to be in L.A. The sun was out every day, and we couldn't have asked for better beach weather: 84 degrees with a light wind, and the water temp a refreshing 69 degrees. Ahhh! More stories and pics from the beach later. First, let me tell you about my week.

The night after we returned from our three-week trip, Amber Airplane and I headed out to Hollywood to attend MTV's Bash at the Palladium. It was MTV's first-ever Bash – actually, it was a roast -- and this year's honoree was Carson Daly. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical about attending. I couldn't understand why anyone chose Carson as the roastee, but Amber talked me into going. And now I'm glad she did.

There were about a hundred 8 “tops” (100 tables with eight place settings at each) set up. The food was okay: It was one plate with a mixture of beef, sushi and some vegetables. But the service was fantastic. There was one waiter or waitress per table, and before you could take a second sip there was a replacement drink on the table. Almost everyone (but Amber Airplane and I) got smashed.

I don't know how they can air the show on TV, because every other word on stage was a swear. The comedians were hilarious, and completely politically incorrect. Every guest, from Britney Spears to Kid Rock, tore Carson to shreds. I gotta give him credit: He was a great sport.

Our table was to the far left near the entrance of the stage, which is the only reason so many of celebs hung out with us before going on. It was weird: They kept walking up to our table and making small talk. If they don’t edit it, the show will be great to watch. If you do watch, you might see my mug at the very end up on stage. The show airs July 13 on MTV.

The only negative thing all night was they wouldn't let me (or anyone else) bring a camera in. That’s why this was the only picture I took. It's too bad, because I could have had some gems. It would've been great to get another pic with Pamela Lee .

After the show Amber Airplane and I went to our favorite late night restaurant for chicken and waffles. Roscoe’s – mmmm, it's so good, so cheap, and only a couple blocks away the Palladium. Roscoe's House Of Chicken: 1518 N Gower St., Los Angeles, tel.: 323-466-7453.

The following morning we had waffles again, but this time at Uncle Bill's Pancake House in Manhattan Beach. We turned breakfast into a mini-family affair, because my cousin AJ and (soon-to-be-wife) Jamie came out from New York for the day. They’re not here very often, so I called up our other cousins and we all met for a tasty breakfast. Uncle Bill's: 1305 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach, tel.: 310-545-5177.

BTW: Those two tie the knot this Friday. Guess who's gotta give the toast in front of 320 guests? Wish me luck.

The other day Amber Airplane talked me into going to see the first showing of “Legally Blonde 2.” It was embarrassing buying tickets, because every guy in line was there for “Terminator 3.” The only people plopping down $7.50 for “Legally Blonde” were little 12-year-old girls dressed just like Elle (the movies’ main character) and Amber Airplane. I didn't want to look like a wuss, so when I got to the window I yelled, “Two tickets to T3!” (Of course, Amber yelled, “Oh no, he means ‘Legally Blonde 2’”). That just caused more attention. All the guys around me just shook their heads and sent me the ol' "sucker" vibes! I deserved it, and ended up being the only guy in the entire theater.

The first half of the movie was complete torture for me, but they tied it all together in the last half and it got better. I still don't recommend it to any guys out there, but Amber Airplane gave the movie an unbelievably high 8. I give it a 4.

It wasn't only movies Amber talked me into this week. Would you believe if I told you she had me wait in line 58 minutes for a hot dog? Yes, a HOT DOG! When I drove by the most famous hot dog stand in America (Pink's), I said, “There is no way I’m going there.” She said, “But we’re in Hollywood, and all your readers would like to know about it. Do it for Johnny Jet!”

Pink's has been around since 1939, and practically every celebrity in the world has eaten there. They have all kinds of hot dogs, from a Three-Peat Laker Dog (three hot dogs wrapped in a giant tortilla, three slices of bacon, three slices of cheese, plus chili and onions) to an Ozzy Osbourne Dog (spicy Polish dog, nacho cheese, American cheese, grilled onions, guacamole and chopped tomatoes). I had the Lord of the Rings Dog (10-inch stretch dog, barbecue sauce, topped with onion rings). For other dogs check out Pink's menu online (you can also read their storied history ). Amber Airplane was happy for 30 minutes. Then the Three-Peat Laker Dog kicked in, and she said, “Why did you take me there?” I said, “I did it for Johnny Jet!” Pink's Hot Dogs : 709 N. La Brea Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038.

I guess most people took a four-day weekend, because on Thursday I received hardly any emails. So I turned my computer off around noon and headed to the beach. People were definitely in “vacation and party” mode down there, and so were we. Later that evening we rode our bikes to our friend Todd's house for a party in Hermosa. Nothing out of the ordinary, but we discovered it's so much more fun to ride your bike than drive to a party.

Speaking of parties, the past who-knows-how-many-years 4th of Julys in Hermosa and Manhattan Beach have been out of control. It was so crazy you couldn’t even walk down the Strand (The Strand is a bike and walking path that is between the beach and the street) because of the sea of people. But for some reason this year was a lot tamer . It was so tame you could even ride your bike on the Strand.

We were back in Hermosa for the annual volleyball party. It was right next to the annual Hermosa Beach Iron Man contest. This three-stage race is not your typical Iron Man contest. To become a Hermosa Iron Man you have to run a mile, paddle your surfboard ) a mile, then (here comes the hard part) chug a six-pack of Coors Light.

If you throw up before finishing your last beer you are disqualified, unless of course you have the best… That's right – there is a prize for the "Best Puke Award ". The winner gets just what he needs: a keg of beer. Until this year the finish line used to be at some guy’s house a block from the beach. But somehow this year the police allowed the finish line party to take place on the beach. It was crazy !

After watching the Iron Man we played volleyball. Because the sand was so hot we played only a few games. Then Amber , my cousin Arty and his girlfriend, Kim) headed to some other parties off the Strand. The best one took place at the Beverly Hill's 90210 house on the Hermosa/Manhattan border.

Just a typical 4th of July in sunny Southern California!

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