Happy Birthday to me.
Just drove past the Vatican and through the ruins of the Ancient City of Rome. Awaiting a flight to Toronto to make a connection home. The Robin Hood Press blitz is over. The Film is out there, born onto the world.
It has been a wild ride since the Robin Hood Family and his Merry Men along with their Merry Ladies met in Cannes, France a week ago. I’m not sure I’m capable of capturing the essence of it all in descriptive prose, so please accept the following discoveries and observations to describe the past seven days.
Please forgive any name-dropping, but it is impossible to tell the story without some of the personalities.
Icelandic ash clouds will do their best to spoil any travel plans.
The Cannes Film Festival is a big deal.
The Sofia Loren Suite at the Carleton Hotel has two balconies overlooking the French Riviera, a lobby entrance, a living room, and a master bedroom with full master bathroom.
I was not sure which of the two toilets to use in the above-mentioned master bath.
The folks at Universal Pictures are very nice people.
The acoustics outside Italian Restaurants in Antibes, are perfect for late night busking.
It takes a lot of people to shoot the Today show on location.
It takes a while to put on a tux properly, and there always seems to be bits left over even thought you look and feel fully clothed.
Red Carpets are not for those who hate getting their picture taken.
Red Carpets are great for those who love getting their picture taken.
Watching Robin Hood with the Merry Men and Ladies was one of the most satisfying and rewarding 2 hours of my life.
Following the Premiere Screening of Robin Hood, Salma Hayek either looked at me and winked, or looked in my direction, as she had something in her eye.
Cuba Gooding Junior is very fit, Benecio Del Torro is very tall and Tim Burton’s hair is really like that.
The After Parties at Cannes are amazing.
The After Parties at Cannes are no place to stare at your iPhone to watch the Habs eliminate the Stanley Cup Champion Pens.
If you ever get the chance to watch the sun rise from one of the decks of the Sofia Loren Suite at the Carleton Hotel in Cannes, France, I highly recommend you go for it.
It is a short flight from Cannes to Milan on a private jet but again Icelandic ash clouds will do their best to spoil any travel plans.
Men are very well dressed and look like models in Milan.
Women are very well dressed and look like models in Milan.
Have you ever seen the SNL skit where the dude pretends to be an Italian talk show host? Italian talk shows are strangely similar to that sketch.
Sitting in the audience of an Italian talk show listening with an ear piece as a translator translates the hosts Italian questions in to English while an announcer on a loud speaker simultaneously translates your buddy’s English answers into Italian is truly a unique and bizarre experience.
Singing a song on an Italian talks show is actually a very cool experience.
Giorgio Armani is a very nice man with a lovely property.
It is a short flight from Milan to Rome on a private jet and still Icelandic ash clouds will do their best to spoil any travel plans.
Everyone on Earth should get to see Rome at least once.
The Trevi Fountain has to be the coolest Fountain in the world.
Singing in Italian Restaurant kitchens is a great way to say “Prego” to the staff.
I toured the Coliseum with the Gladiator.
Hannibal Lector knows the words to the Old Triangle.
The Spanish Steps might be the coolest staircase in the world.
The acoustics on the Spanish Steps are not so perfect for late morning busking, but singing there provides one of the coolest backdrops you’ll ever see.
The Pope has really nice digs.
The Popes had to get their genitals officially checked to ensure that they were male before being finally named the new Pope.
There is a chair with a slot and hole in the seat for this inspection.
I’m serious.
The Sistine Chapel has more beauty in its small space than entire cities elsewhere.
St Peter’s Cathedral can seat almost 60, 000 for mass.
St Peter’s Square holds over half a million.
Drivers in Rome are terrible, crazy or amazing, and I can’t tell which one.
With the exceptions of the group of restaurateurs who have already done so, every pizzeria on Earth should stop doing business immediately and send their chefs to Italy to learn to do it propoerly.
Same as above for pasta chefs.
Same as above for cheese makers.
Same as above for coffee shop owners.
Great grappa is amazing.
Anything less than great grappa is really some form of petrol in a nicer bottle.
I am in the #2 Movie in North America.
I am in the #1 Movie in the World.
Please check out the above mentioned Movie…and bring a friend.
It’s a long flight from Rome to St. John’s especially when you have to fly via Toronto, and of course, Icelandic ash clouds will do their best to spoil any travel plans.
Kevin Durand is a grand fella with a big laugh who exercises a lot.
Scott Grimes is a grand fella who sings very well, even in the morning.
Russell Crowe is a grand fella, and the hardest working man in show business.
I am a lucky bastard.
All the above-mentioned dudes have gals far better than they deserve.
I am 41 years old today.
I am going home to kiss the Prince and I don’t care how late it is when I get there.
Thanks to anyone and everyone who made all the above happen.
Cheers for now,
Alan