“Mommie Dearest” was a story about classic movie queen Joan Crawford, who turned out to be the mother-from-hell, according to her daughter Christina. Although we’ve seen some recently examples of how motherhood doesn’t mix well with wild celebrity antics, let’s put the focus on the great moms we’ve seen in Hollywood.

When you travel, you get more than just a vacation. You want great destinations that offer excitement and bargains. Plus great stories to tell about your trip. Big cities offer the best bargains, because there are more options available for budget-saving hotels and restaurants. And you can check with the local tourist information offices about tours around town that are offering discounts.

After spending a non-stop few days performing opposite Karen Kondazian in A Witch and a Bitch at the annual Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival last month, where we reprised our roles as Flora Goforth and the Witch of Capri from last fall’s Fountain Theatre production of Tennessee’s The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore

For the second year, the intrepid promoters of Coachella have leveraged their existing infrastructure for a follow-up weekend of country, western and Americana music.  What was last year a two day event blossomed into a three day gathering when The Eagles signed on.

In Burbank, the Hollywood Collectors and Celebrities Show drew thousands of folks young and old to see an impressive gathering of their favorite classic movie and television stars. Mature fans enjoyed reminiscing with their favorite stars from yesteryear. And youngsters loved seeing the actors from the popular TV Land and Nick at Nite shows.

I am sitting two feet away from Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris. He is screaming at me. And I couldn’t be more pleased. Morris’s latest documentary feature, Standard Operating Procedure (released by Sony Pictures Classics and Participant Media in Los Angeles on May 2) is not just about Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad and its administration by the U.S. military. With the same trademark élan evident in The Fog of War, his Academy Award- winning doc on former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara

Another hot, dusty and wonderful three days in the desert. Your intrepid reporter compiled some notes along the way, which I have assembled in the cooler climes closer to the Ocean.  But first, some random observations:

Last week I began the saga of my third journey to perform at the annual Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival, where Karen Kondazian and I had the honor of presenting our original A Witch and a Bitch, reprising our roles as dueling divas in scenes from last fall’s award-winning Fountain Theatre production of Tennessee’s The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore at Jackson Square’s historic Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre.

Visting the country’s biggest book fair, the L.A. Times Festival of Books at UCLA, is like one’s attitude about reading books: You’ll never get to everything. Nevertheless, circumnavigating the booths, readings, panels and 140,000 or so bibliophiles who crowd the Westwood campus is both a challenge and an opportunity like no other in the US.

A small Chinese family-style restaurant recently opened in West LA, and it had a big "A" in the window, so I went in for lunch. It was intimate, and charming without clutter, in addition, it had unbeatable prices. The tables are glass topped over beige linens, with dark wooden padded chairs, ceiling décor, and a huge entire wall to wall mirror

It’s what Hollywood does best-- rises to the occasion, and uses star power to help people in need. Last year, Fox TV’s phenomenal talent show American Idol had the stars come out to benefit worthwhile charities to make the world a better place. And the recent Idol Gives Back did it again. The final figures have just come in, and $65 million have been raised to help children across the globe.

There is something in the air and it’s more than Spring pollen. The film programming that has currently reared its head in the Los Angeles area seems more than usually compelling. One can begin with the always inventive and cutting edge American Cinematheque, programming at both the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard and the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica.