Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

music

Can You Crocodile Rock With The Gnomes?

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by Kimberly A. Cook               (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

It’s been so great to have all the gnomes back on the patio this week I can’t help but go a little nuts. What better way to celebrate the coming weekend and beautiful weather than a Gnomeo and Juliet dance off! Since I know the gnomes run around and have great fun when I’m not looking, it’s nice to be able to catch their antics on film. Check out the moves by the pink flamingoes!

Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

https://youtu.be/uXyT9tlQ9Pc

Have You Seen Elvis In Maui?

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by Kimberly A. Cook              (Twitter@    WarriorTales)

Back from a Girls Road Trip to Maui with my Mom and Sister. We had a great time, beautiful weather and we got to see Elvis! Now before you think the humidity turned my brain to mush, we saw Darren Lee as Elvis in the Burn’ N Love Show in Lahaina.

Elvis or Darren Lee in Maui?
Elvis or Darren Lee in Maui?

I’m a HUGE Elvis fan, always have been. I try to have no regrets in life, but the one I do have is giving up my tickets to see Elvis in Portland on April 27, 1973 because I would have been booted out of our High School musical. His concert was the same date as dress rehearsal for “Hello Dolly.” The choir director, alias Attila the Hun, insisted that if I missed the rehearsal I was out of the show. (I was only a chorus crowd and marching band member, but in high school teachers word was law. Quit choir the next year anyway for journalism and the yearbook staff.)

Two high school friends went with my Mom and Dad and four years later Elvis was gone. Several years ago I went to the Elvis concert with his actual band playing to the films of Elvis performing and that was pretty great. But Darren Lee knows Elvis.

Lee has been performing Elvis since the young age of 15. After winning the 1997 World Elvis Competition in Memphis, Tennessee, he went on to perform as Elvis in Las Vegas for eleven years. A couple of years ago he and his wife visited Maui for the first time and fell in love with the island. He thought it would be great to bring an Elvis show to Maui. Luck, timing, support and perhaps a little help from Elvis himself and the show started in 2013 in Lahaina. A portion of all ticket sales benefit the Maui Food Bank – 100,000 meals so far!

Lee concentrates on Elvis from 1957 through his comeback tv special in 1968 – yes, the black leather – OMG – through 1973. He pays special attention to Elvis’s Hawaii concerts and films too. It’s 90-minutes of amazing fun, showmanship, dancers and true entertainment. We were  singing along and dancing and clapping to the beat.

If you get to Maui you’ve got to see Darren Lee as Elvis. I don’t know how he does half of the moves with the microphone, his hips, knees and ankles, but he must have a chiropractor and masseuse on call 24/7.  The show is rated the number one attraction in Maui and with very good reason.

The quotes which run before the show are wonderful from all the entertainers inspired by Elvis. I can’t make up for missing my one Elvis concert, but Darren Lee made me feel I’d seen a glimpse of the King.

https://youtu.be/YankZkK6u-4

Got Vinyl Records In Your Closet?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Spent a busy weekend having Spec Ops Cat’s teeth cleaned, shopping and watching a ton of football. I even managed to get some housework done during the commercial breaks for the NFL playoffs. Those ad breaks are quite long.

See, a vinyl display! In the store!
See, a vinyl display! In the store!

But one of my favorite things was cruising the aisles of Barnes and Noble bookstore on Saturday. Was on a mission to pick up a cookbook my Mom wanted and a book I needed. Plus I found other things too. Always happens. Some things were half price on holiday clearance. Score!

Came around one aisle and ran right into a display of vinyl records. Wait one. Talk about an unexpected meeting. I did a double take and eventually took a picture. No one would believe this. Vinyl is back. I’ve heard whispers of this and read articles, but when there is an actual display in a retail store, time to pay attention.

Now, I confess I still have all my 33 rpm records from the old days. Also have the 45 rpm records and some 78s from my folks. For the digital natives among you, vinyl records are the prequel to the music cd. They are black mostly, vinyl, subject to scratches and bigger than a Frisbee. But they sit inside fantastic album covers.

With the age of steampunk parties, manual typewriters in vogue again and now vinyl, what are the possibilities? Maybe boomers will be cool one day too. Miracles happen!

Got vinyl?