Join me on Saturday evening, June 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hessian Global Goods Coffee & Tea in Hillcrest. I'll be signing copies of "The Romancer" and (at 7 p.m.) doing a brief reading from the novel.

So "Escape to Margaritaville," which features favorite songs (and a little new music) by Jimmy Buffett, opened last night at La Jolla Playhouse, much to the delight of all the Parrotheads in the audience. They weren't too difficult to spot: aloha shirts, sippy cups of booze in hand, and primed to sing along. You could also spot the non-aficionados, like myself: overdressed for the occasion, sans sippy cup, lost during the sing-alongs.

So what's the verdict on "Escape to Margaritaville?" Check out the review on San Diego CityBeat's website (www.sdcitybeat.com) or in the magazine itself when it hits news racks on Wednesday, May 31.

By the by, Jimmy Buffett himself WAS in the house on opening night. He came out on stage during the curtain calls and proceeded to lead the cast in "Margaritaville," which sent the Parrotheads into a frenzy. Good for JB: At 70 he still looks like he's having a helluva good time!

Alison Luff and Paul Alexander Nolan in "Escape to Margaritaville"                  Credit: Matthew Murphy