Have you heard the one about the guy who goes to Hollywood to pitch a movie idea and ends up being held hostage for 3 days ending in a warehouse covered in goose bumps? Well, that guy was me. And I live to tell the tale.

Excuse me while I suck down a Fabulous Bastard from my barstool at Lemongrass Thai Bistro and gather my focus.

OK. My buddy Joseph Guay & I packed our scripts and flew out to the left coast for a planned 4-day “Razzle/Dazzle” pitch to a handful of movie industry folks. Our objective: taking this great idea from the paper to the big screen. We had some productive meetings at some cool eateries across L.A. (for those of you who follow me on Facebook & Twitter, it was like you were along for the ride.) Movie people opt to meet at restaurants & bars over boardrooms and I totally dig that! Long story short, we found an executive director for our film. Now the real work begins.

Coffee is a kind bean. I learned long ago that my creative juices flow from an espresso machine and come in the form of a Latte – the more venti the better. I FourSquared my way through the city, never gracing the door of the same Starbucks twice.

I ♥ L.A. !!! It’s my kind of city. “Liquid Gold” Lattes on every other corner.

Man can not survive on Lattes alone. The more memorable eats included a spicy dinner at the rock’n roll gritty TOI Thai with super hot Pleasant Gehman (Star of the Macon-filmed “Stuck!”) who regaled us with tales of being recently sawed in half on a Las Vegas stage and her latest film “The Casserole Club” about Swinging in the 60′s. (check out Maconite Maryann Bates’ exellent movie stills from the set.) We had some sumptuous sushi at a sidewalk table at Sushiya between the cold couple sitting next to us and the hot red Ferraris parked on Sunset Blvd. By far, the most unforgettable dish was “Mom’s French Toast” @ The Griddle Café on Sunset Blvd. Our server had the look of a serial killer with dead eyes and yet gave some “killer” food suggestions. “Tony” turned me on to the BEST French Toast I’ve ever had in my life! If you are in L.A., The Griddle Café is a MUST! Excellent food and fairly quick service…especially if you work the hair flip.

Footballer Steve Bartkowski’s wife, Sandee, invited us out to Malibu for dinner & drinks one night…all I can say is: WOW! “I … just adore a penthouse view…darling I love ya but give me my Malibu!” This was way better than my last trip to Malibu where I got in this weird other-wordly convo with a spaced-out Gary Busey.

Another friend invited us onto the set of NBC’s “Parks & Recreation” where we watched one scene being shot. Amy Poehler gets locked in a room at a cat-filled bed & breakfast.

Ok, back to the being held hostage part….we were invited out to Burbank for the final rehearsal of Elton John & Leon Russell’s tour of their new album “The Union.” The Friday rehearsal was rescheduled for Tuesday. We were scheduled to fly home on Sunday…they asked us to stay…so we did. Elton wanted Joseph to photograph the session. This was the opportunity of a lifetime! We get there…along with T.Bone Burnett, Bernie Taupin, Elton John, Leon Russell and Allman Brothers fan & Academy Award winning director Cameron Crowe. Now picture this…The full orchestra behind two pianos…in front of the pianos were two couches where I sat and enjoyed the most amazing private concert.

Elton started it off with “Levon” & “Tiny Dancer.” The audience: me, T Bone, Bernie, Cameron, the sound guys & Cameron’s film crew. Enter: The Goose Bumps! Joseph’s photos (including the following) have made world-wide media.

* Rolling Stone has given “The Union” 5 Stars. The CD will be in stores this week.

A shout out to my groovy brother-in-law, Tony Williams, for putting us up & putting up with us!

*** THRILL KILL CULT ***

Thriller Dance Practice. Every Thursday in October @ 7pm. Tattnall Square Park – directly across from Mercer University.

Netherworld Haunted House – Atlanta, Georgia. “Netherworld is a pinnacle haunted house attraction that truly transforms actors into horrific monsters of fright. This haunt is the industry leader in developing new scare techniques utilizing the perfect balance of live actor/animatronic scare zones. Outside the entrance, a dedicated army of monsters scare patrons before ever even entering the doorway. “America’s scariest haunted house.” –USA TODAY

If you’d prefer to get your fright on a little closer to home..check out The F.E.A.R. Institute. Third Street, Downtown Macon. October 22, 23, 27-31. 8p – Midnight.

Spirits in October. Oct 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30. $20 Adults, $10 Students.

“The Little Foxes” @ Theatre Macon. October 22 – 30. Call for tix: 746-9485.

Drag Queen Bingo @ The Hummingbird. Thursday, Oct. 28th. 7p -9p.

Big Screen Movie Night: “The Birds” @ Riverside Cemetery. Thursday, Oct. 28th. 8pm. FREE.

The 4th Annual Thriller Dance will be on October 30th @ 7pm.

Serial Killers are the new Black!
The Kill Room Halloween Party @ The SoChi Gallery. Oct. 30th @ 10p. Signature Cocktail: The Killer Cosmo. Attire: Fashion Victim. if you can’t figure that out: think “Serial Killer” or “Victim” attire. Music by DJ Dirty.

Brett Butler LIVE! @ Cox Capitol Theatre. Nov. 5th @ 8pm. Tix: $40 Floor/Reserved Seating, $25 Balcony/General Admission. 478-257-6391.

Fly South Fest. Nov. 6th. 2p ’til 10:30p. Amerson Water Works Park.

Made-in-Macon film “Stuck!” is now available for Pre-Order.

The Macon Film Festival is calling for sponsors for the 2011 film festival. Be Cool & Sponsor one of the hottest events in Macon! For more info, email me @ Terrell@TerrellSandefur.com

Calling all SoChilites! Show your SoChi pride by slapping a SoChi destination sticker on the back of your car. Buy yours @ The SoChi Gallery. 534 Second Street, Macon, GA 31201. 478-238-6630.

HALLOWEEN QUIP WORTH TWEETING ABOUT:
“I recognize your writing, Weezer. You have the penmanship of a serial killer…” – Claree, Steel Magnolias

COMMENTS ARE AMUSING & WELCOME!

“Well I just got into town about an hour ago.  Took a look around, see which way the wind blow.  Where the little girls in their Hollywood bungalows?”

And it seemed like an hour was all we were there.  A flock of Maconites flew out to L.A. for the Hollywood premiere of the film “STUCK!”

This was the shortest trip I’ve ever taken to California (like 29 hours)…but it was packed with good times.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Walking down the tourist trap that is Hollywood Blvd on the Hollywood Walk of Fame & finding the star of Melvyn Douglas.  Douglas is the only academy award winning actor to hale from Macon, GA.  He will be honored at the 2010 Macon Film Festival with the newly named Melyvn Douglas Best in Show Award.

We stayed at the historical Roosevelt Hotel, home of the 1st Academy Awards presentation in 1929 & lists Marilyn Monroe as one of it’s former residents.  It’s rumored that the ghosts Marilyn Monroe & Montgomery Clift STILL live there. Well, cocktails cancel out ghosts.  I enjoyed a little pre-premiere reunion with a few ghosts of my past- old friends Kathleen Morgan & Phillip Wilcox @ the Roosevelt’s  pool bar.  Let me say, Time Has Been Kind indeed.

Moving on to pre-premiere cocktails @ the Pig & Whistle with a group of friends from Macon & L.A. A little trivia: Pig & Whistle hosted the 1st Academy Awards after party!

Obviously seeing STUCK! on the big screen was amazing. It was filmed in Macon following the 2009 Macon Film Festival.  Catch its Georgia premiere @ the 2010 Macon Film Festival on Friday, Feb. 19th @ the Cox Capitol Theatre.

The film was fab – as was the after party at the old Hollywood haunt MUSSO & FRANK’s.  I can now say that I closed down the place…a few friends & I were the last to leave, but really, that should come as no surprise to anyone that knows me.

The brightest star on the Blvd is Library Bar’s King of the Cocktail: Matt Biancaniello.  Library Bar located in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel is the perfect Late Night nightcap. Matt’s gourmet cocktails are made with fresh ingredients from the LA Farmer’s Market. This is where the evening ended – with a few old friends and a few new ones we picked up at Musso & Frank’s.

On the 29th hour … I was on a plane: Macon-bound.

“Well, I just go into town about an hour ago. Took a look around, see which way the wind blow. Where the little girls in their Hollywood bungalows. Are you a lucky little lady in the City of Lights. Or just another lost angel … City of Night, City of Night, City of Night, City of Night”  – LA Woman, The Doors

Whiskey A Go-Go is a famous nightclub in Los Angeles, but this L.A. Story happened right here in Macon. The last few weeks our city has been an outpost for the Hollywood set.  Steve Balderson’s  women in prison film “STUCK!” wrapped production on Sunday.

The films lead actresses included Starina Johnson,  Karen Black, Cult Film Queen Mink Stole,  Bob Dylan’s daughter-in-law Susan Traylor, Lead Guitarist of The Go-Go’s Jane Weidlin, Stacy Cunningham (who’s parents now live in Macon) and L.A. Belly dancer Pleasant Gehman.

Kim & I hosted the cast & Crew party at my house on Friday night. Can I just say the house was crawling with some very cool cats. L.A. celebrity photographer Austin Young flew in to shoot portraits of the cast and luckily came to the dinner. I Had A GO-GO in my home!  Still wrapping my head around that while at the same time freaking out a little! A little advice on entertaining Non-Southerners…they love the BBQ from Pig in a Pit!  And just to satisfy the vegetarians, I picked up some Tomato Tarts from Fountain of Juice. All I have to say is there were no leftovers!

Saturday night was a Hollywood reprieve…The Jazz Association of Macon’s garden party was delicious. Hosts Ned & Priscilla Esser and of course Mother Nature created a perfectly perfect event…aside from the pavement diving granny.  But hey, it ain’t a party ‘til there’s some blood shed!

I hosted the film’s Wrap Party on Sunday @ The SoChi Gallery. Ok, the film IS about women in prison and they are all on death row.  The main character, Daisy, is sentenced to hang so of course I had to make a statement with my signature cocktail: The “Hangin’ Daisy.” It was lethally yum and soothing to the throat.  But I have to say the highlight of the event was having one of the film’s stars (and world-renowned belly dancer) Pleasant Gehman entertain us all with a eye-popping dance.

One more thing I must say is that all the cast & crew absolutely loved Macon!  Several did not want to leave.  So, we can all be proud of the fact that we live in a beautiful & welcoming city! We are hoping that “STUCK!” will premiere at MAGA 2010…if so it will definitely be the place to Go-Go!

See you @ the Cox Capitol Theatre on Friday. My kids are desperate to see TWILIGHT (again!)

Future Love Paradise
Mary Cassatt Traveling Exhibit @ The Georgia Children’s Museum Museum.  May 12 – 22, 10:30a-5:30p.  $3 Admission ages 2 an up.

“Twilight” @ the Cox Capitol Theatre Friday, May 15, 2009 Showings @ 7:00p & 9:45p.  Tickets are $5.00

Macon’s Midnight Rider “Trolley Bar Crawl. “Friday, May 15 begins @ 8p

College Hill Corridor’s Movie In The Park: “The Graduate” May 17th @ 8:30p. FREE Event.

Tina Turner Tribute Concert starring Las Vegas performer & Macon native Michelle Marshall.  May 23rd @ The Douglass Theatre. 7:30 pm. $20 Adults, $10 Children.  For Tickets call: 478-742-2000.

DISCO NEVER DIED. It was just Resting Up for US!  STUDIO 54 PARTY @ The SoChi Gallery is a ‘To Be Real’ deal! Friday, June 5th.  9pm until.

DISCO & DIVA’S STUDIO 54 PARTY with SHIRLEY Q LIQUOR @ Club Synergy.
Friday, June 12th. 70′s themed event so come dressed as your favorite 70′s Diva or Dude.  Cash prize for the best dressed. $10 advance tickets, $12 @ the Door.

Check out my new column in Macon Magazine called The SoChi Life premiering in the June/July issue.

DRIVE. DRINK. ZINGO. $20 plus $2 per mile.  Way cheaper than a DUI & no driving around looking for your car the next day.  They pick you up in your car and drive you home. 478-254-6555.