Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Trends, July 31, 2000

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, July 31, 2000 | 8:01 a.m.

Lisa Ferguson is the Sun assistant features editor. Her Trends column appears Mondays. Reach her at lisa@lasvegassun.com or 259-4060.

Wish you weren't here

Now that summertime has reached its halfway point, the video rental empire known as Blockbuster has released its list of "most-rented movies featuring vacations gone bad." You may want to check out a few of these disaster flicks before packing your bags this season:

"Brokedown Palace," the 1999 flick staring Claire Danes, made the list, as did two offerings featuring the late John Candy -- "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" and "The Great Outdoors."

Disaster movie or just a disaster -- we're not sure. But somehow "The Blue Lagoon" made the cut, along with Sylvester Stallone's "Cliffhanger," the Chevy Chase classic "National Lampoon's Vacation," teen-scream favorite "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" and, rounding out the list, "Titanic."

On the road again

If you'd rather not end up like the characters in any of those movies -- stranded when you're supposed to be having a good time -- it would be wise to follow advice being offered to summer travelers by the Auto Zone retail chain, for protecting your vehicle from summer-heat damage.

Start by using a sunshade in the windshield. Be it the old-fashioned folding cardboard type or one of those newfangled solar shades, it can help lower the temperature by 50 degrees inside a vehicle. It will also save the dashboard, which is prone to cracking and fading, resulting in a lower resale value.

Speaking of the dashboard, spray it with a protectant to prevent such damage. If nothing else, drape a light-colored towel over the dash and steering wheel to help with the job.

Don't forget to wash and wax, especially if you tend to park under shade trees that leave sap, and are a favorite hangout of birds (their little, um, gifts can damage paint). But wash only when the vehicle's exterior is cool and out of direct sunlight, and never use dishwashing liquid because its grease-removing properties will strip wax from the car's finish.

Finally, replace the windshield wipers because the heat will dry and crack them.

All fired up

Now this really is a surprise: People would rather host a backyard barbecue than attend one. This is according to the results of a poll recently released by Tupperware.

Thirty-seven percent of Americans polled said they'd rather host the gathering at their home as opposed to the 18 percent who preferred to attend such an event at a friend or relative's house.

And they take their hosting duties seriously. Seventy-two percent said they buy and prepare all of the food for their outdoor events. Potlucks are apparently not all that popular -- only 17 percent of those polled ask their guests to bring a dish.

So, what are they throwing on the grill? Fifty-nine percent said steaks, hamburgers or hot dogs. Twenty-three percent chose chicken. And for dessert, 57 percent of women reached for the fruit salad or watermelon while 39 percent of men opted for ice cream.