Off-Ramp

In his 62 years as a ballroom dance instructor, Lou Schreiber estimated that he'd taught 50,000 Southern Californians to fox trot, rhumba, salsa and swing.

Whether it's a cranky dominatrix, a lovelorn hit man, a gay pilot passing for straight or a criminal financial mastermind in the grip of scandal, Almodovar believes passionately in every person's right to screw up.

This Saturday, June 15, Angelenos celebrate the return of lotus flowers, joggers, and picnickers to Echo Park Lake--but one famous, feathered resident won't be back.

Who is that guy sitting courtside? NBA super fan James Goldstein talks about his love of fashion, architecture and basketball.

"I'm happy. I've not been this happy. I've had a great life. Bob Tur needs to die now. And he'll be dead within three to four months." —Bob Tur, soon to be Zoey Tur

Off-Ramp goes to El Segundo's Old Town Music Hall to talk with Bill Field. He bought a Wurlitzer in the 60s and has been playing it ever since.

"Trutanich versus Feuer, Zine versus Galperin, Cedillo versus Gardea … they were 12,000 miles away as I walked, trekked, and drove my way around Oman."

I talked to a young woman about the possibility of peace. She said, “Peace? It’s hard to get your mind around. I mean . . . is that even a thing?”

As he told Off-Ramp, "It would be perfectly normal dinner party conversation to talk about your colonoscopy, but you talk about mental illness and people get freaked out."

She seemed to show up at just about every play in which I ever performed in LA. I most fondly remember her approaching me after one play, and said, "Barry, you know I love you as an actor and I appreciate your invitations. But please don't invite me to anymore plays as bad as this one."