Old Scatman Crothers made quite an impression on me from his role in The Shining, surely one of my favorite and one of the world's most perfect movies. I always recall his discussion about the lingering scent of burnt toast and the way he came to their rescue.

He's normally seen as a father figure, a kindly older gentleman, but I will also never forget the manliness of his character's Florida bedroom – complete with afro chick nude art.

Nerds may recall his voice as “Jazz” in the original transformers and he also once played this week's song pick “All of Me” on Sanford and Son.

See more: Hunks Actors

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Posted on July 20, 2009

Autobiographies can be difficult – certainly, I imagine, to write – but no matter how interesting or profound the life of the author, reading one can quickly become a bore (or worse) if the tone is off or if the voice is unlikable. Mary Karr, a poet as well as a charming spit-fire of a lady, possesses a most inviting but sharp voice and has transformed her fairly gritty childhood into an intriguing yarn with colorful language and a powerful attitude.

In the company of her dramatic and profoundly unstable mother and whiskey-toting father, Karr traveled from the bleakest corners of Texas to the mountains of Colorado – from the joys of her father's storytelling to looking down a barrel of her mother's gun. It's a roller-coaster ride of an adolescence that makes you wonder how children can endure so much sometimes.

Karr endured (thankfully) and she went on to create this engrossing account of it all.

See more: Books 1990s Memoirs

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Posted on July 20, 2009

Judging from the three pronged striped beanie can Kate Beckinsale is wearing and the beaded braids of Patricia Arquette, I can only imagine this was originally made in the nineties, but according to Amazon, it was released to DVD in 2004.

I think we can all understand why this was not in theaters. But it is in fact, actual and real and not a joke. And yes, that is Gary Oldman walking on his knees to play a dwarf.

See more: Laughs Bad Movies

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Posted on July 13, 2009

There are lots of things you might expect to see while strolling around Block Island: weather beaten wooden beach houses, fields of grass, even an Indian burial ground seems somewhat appropriate?but I truly thought that the three and a half hour walk I'd just taken was making me see things when I caught a glimpse of a huge camel nestled in-between vacation homes.

The Manisses Hotel, one of the best elegant dining options on the island, is also home to an impressive wild animal farm. While some might consider it family only fun for the kids, I spent a long time watching the emus, camel, zorse, geese and goslings, ducks, lemurs, donkeys, llamas, lambs (one provided lots of entertainment when a tree branch stuck to his butt made him freak out), and my most favorite and fascinating, a giant, majestic yak.

The site will make you wonder who was behind it and why, but no worries, there's a plaque to explain:

“As a hobby, I have assembled an unusual collection of animals from many parts of the world. You will notice most of the animals live in complete harmony with each other (this is true). The farm also provides education and enjoyment to all visitors?Justin Abrams”

See more: Places to Visit Animals Rhode Island Zoos

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Posted on July 13, 2009

Going to the Russian and Turkish Baths that have stood on 10th street since 1892 is nothing if not a unique experience, especially for anyone shy and WASP with a limited comfort zones. You step into the building and offer up your valuables to a private lock box, in return you're handed a key that opens a locker and can be used like a room number for any special treatments you decide to charge. It's best to bring a bathing suit to change into because you'll be getting wet, wet, wet and next time I'd bring along my own flip flops because the ones offered up are monstrously big.

Starting in the main room, just below the locker area, you'll step into the semi public showers in a room that also houses a freezing cold dunking pool. Several sauna rooms lie off this main room. In the Russian Sauna room, you'll get hotter than you've ever been in your entire life. Huge white buckets of ice cold water are available to throw over your head to keep yourself from overheating. It's an extreme experience but even with the water poured regularly over my head, I couldn't stand the heat for longer than a couple minutes. Slightly more bearable is the heat from the Turkish Room that smells of eucalyptus and has a refreshing cool shower to step under by the door. The aroma therapy room was the most popular the day we visited and filled with a warm steam that is quite invigorating once you get used to breathing it in.

But the experience of the baths cannot simply stop with the saunas. If you're going to go you may as well go for it all the way and try the singular experience of one or two of their treatments. You'll be pressured to book a massage, oak leaf beating, or scrub even as you are getting changed in the locker room. While it's tempting to give in immediately, take your time to get relaxed and situated in the non-fancy, un-self conscious environment before you commit. Waiting will make you feel more in control of your destiny because once inside the little steel rooms, you belong to your masseuse.

Experiences vary greatly from person to person. My lady Rose must have sensed that I was a sensitive one, because in my dead sea salt scrub and subsequent massage she treated me like a new born babe. She even went so far as to offer small tokens of propriety by covering my crotch with towels. The treatments are not terribly cheap, so if you had to choose only one, I'd go for the spectacular scrub that features lots of water rinsing and left me smelling like baking muffins and returned my skin to baby softness. My massage was gentle and lots of slimy (in a good way) lotion further softened my skin.

Jim and Adam however, had quite a different experience, one that I'm proud of Jim for being so open about – though he really didn't have a choice. Their dude offered no towel, you're going to be swinging and swaying with your legs spread, your body twisted (at one point to Jim's horror his neck was cracked like an apparent attempted Mortal Kombat finishing move) and your breath nearly knocked out as a burly man crawls across your back. Jim will admit that any hang ups were his own, his dude couldn't have been less concerned with our uptight American bodies than a Pet Co employee is concerned with cleaning puppies. In the end it was fun, it was different, but it's best to be prepared for something wilder than you may be used to. Go with knowledge — or even better: with someone who's gone before.

Lastly, to complete the whole experience, you must take advantage of the sun roof deck. I laid down watching the clouds go by (an activity not always easy to do while living in the city) for about an hour. The total cost will be higher than you might expect (taxes and gratuity must be added) but for such an extraordinary experience, it's worth it. Still, an open mind and a willingness to go with the flow no matter where it takes you are absolutely necessary to appreciate it. The squeamish need not apply.

See more: Spend a Couple Hours East Village Health/Beauty

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Posted on July 13, 2009