Of bagels and blogathons

One of the reasons why I’m taking a break this week from our regularly scheduled Serial Saturdays shenanigans was I had an insider’s tip that sister Kat, her partner Katie, and my nephew Davis would be in town for a quick visit before they have to head back to their new home in the wilds of the PNW.  We have been experiencing sheer delight spending time with the five-year-old bundle o’fun, who has apparently shelved his obsession with all things Thomas (the Tank Engine) and found a new interest in a Disney Channel cartoon series, Jake and the Never Land Pirates.  (Kat joked that all of his Thomas toys and forty miles of track will probably turn up soon on an eBay near you.)

Because I am the good uncle, I found a handful of episodes of the show via the On Demand option on the ol’ AT&T U-Verse and I put one of them on for him the other day in direct violation of his moms’ “Don’t-let-him-watch-a-lot-of-TV” edict.  (Sticking it to The Man!)  For those of you unfamiliar with the program, it’s basically an extension of Disney’s Peter Pan franchise (featuring a trio of “pirate” kids battling the forces of Captain Hook and his crew).  I don’t have a high opinion of the show (it’s repetitious in that “this-is-for-kids” fashion) but I get a chuckle out of hearing Corey Burton flawlessly imitate Hans Conried (as Hook) and Jeff Bennett channeling his inner Bill Thompson (as Mr. Smee).

Anyway, we watched another episode this morning while we breakfasted on some of the best bagels I have ever eaten—purchased from a jernt here in the Classic City what’s known as The Ideal Bagel Company.  It’s the “sister eatery” of a place called Ike and Jane’s, a famous Athens establishment once profiled on The Today Show (they have an “Elvis donut”—peanut butter, banana and bacon—that my brother-in-law proclaimed worthy of The King hisself), and I have to say…the bagels are worlds better than those at the overrated Panera Bread.  The ‘rents and I don’t get the opportunity to sample much Athens cuisine, sadly—we usually make do with leftover gruel.

Since Davis and Kat had an appointment for haircuts this morn I thought I would take advantage of this lull to mention a couple of blogathons that I got wind of thanks to Classic Movie Hub (the proprietress of that site mentioned it on Facebook).  It’s only fitting, therefore, that the CMH gets first mention with The Rita Hayworth Blogathon, an event coordinated with the ever-popular getTV—who’ll be saluting everyone’s favorite red-headed glamour queen on Thursdays in October with schedulings of her films.  As such, the Ritathon will be in effect in the entirety of October, and as an added inducement, participants have the opportunity to be entered into a giveaway for a DVD of Gilda (1946) (provided by the channel).  If you’re interested, click this linky for details.

The other ‘thon in October has been (fiendishly) devised by Aurora at Once Upon a Screen (still recovering from the Rooneython, mayhaps) and Kay at Movie Star Makeover: a tribute to Latinos in classic film entitled Hollywood’s Hispanic Heritage Blogathon.  This one looks as if it’s going to feature some great essays; I unfortunately am going to have to sit this one out (and the Ritathon as well) because I just have too much on my plate here in October (the Heritage ‘thon will run from October 11-12).  But that shouldn’t deter you from participating, so go around to the back door (the password is “swordfish”) and tell them I sent ya.