They're BACK.

Remember those friendship pins that we all put on our tennis shoes in the 80's? Well, I have decided to bring them back...that's right, a major comeback is about to happen right before your eyes. I think that they would look great on all the Converse sneakers that I see everywhere now-a-days. So, I'm starting a side business. Yes, I realize that this side business will likely only earn me enough to buy a small meal, but I don't care. If you would like your own friendship pin (or set!), please send $1 for each pin along with a self-addressed stamped envelope to me. I will in turn make you a lovely friendship pin that contains all sorts of different colored beads that depict how I feel about you. Speaking of which, does anyone remember what the colors mean? Because I was in a heated discussion over the weekend about it, and I can't seem to find any information about this online. Please help give feedback if you can-- the project is about to go underway shortly and I am going to have to make up meanings for each color otherwise! (Although I'm sure that the meanings that I choose will be much funnier...)

100th Post!!!!!!!

Today is a celebration like no other. This is Adventures in LaLaLand's 100TH POST! Can you believe it? The fact that I've actually written 100 of these things? I was shocked beyond belief!

Since it's a milestone, I guess I should use it as a time to reflect...(since you all are always asking me serious questions about LA as well). So here goes...I have come to the conclusion that moving to LA is the best decision that I've ever made. I've made a lot of big decisions in my past, so this was a tough choice. And it's not necessarily because of what Los Angeles has to offer, but because of the person that it's made me become. I think that having a large group of friends and loving family on the East Coast is a huge blessing, and it was really hard to leave everyone. But at the same time, I think that it's very important to step out of your element at some point in your life to re-evaluate what it's like to be on your own and find out again who you really are as an individual. Sometimes you can get caught up in some of the societal nonsense and lose sight of that if you aren't careful. LA has given me that opportunity. Stripped of my close friends and family, struggling to keep things positive at my job, and forced into very new situations on a constant basis -- it's not always easy. But I think that everyone should do something like this once in their life. I've learned more about myself as an individual in the past 8 months than I have in a long time. I think that I've grown up a lot too. So I recommend taking a break from whatever you do on a daily basis, and even if it's just for a couple of weeks, get out there on your own for a little while to figure out YOU. Take a trip to Europe or Asia, or even the beach for the weekend if that's all that you can manage -- just make sure to take that time. Because it's important, and helps you to realize what is truly meaningful in your life. Some things might even surprise you. (Trust me on this).

So that being said, LaLa has been a good thing. And it still is a good thing. And I can't believe that I've posted 100 blogs. Seriously?!?! And of course I will continue to bring you all the updates as things further unravel in the upcoming months.

Stay tuned...

The Secret

The Secret is all the rage. Have you heard about it yet? It's legacy is spreading faster than the Whole Foods chains. First it was a movie... and now a book... and then Oprah made it outrageously popular on 2 of her recent shows. It's all centered around the idea that like attracts like and about the Law of Attraction. I have yet to see the film or read the book (I don't even think it's possible to get a copy of it at this point they are flying off the shelves so fast!), but I may try to see the DVD portion this upcoming weekend. For those of you that aren't familiar, you can click on the below link to help better understand it:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/152581/oprah_knows_the_secret_do_you_know.html

Has anyone seen the DVD or read the book? Will you please let me know if so?

By the way -- I changed the settings on the blog so that now it should be much easier to leave comments. I am always asking you people for feedback, and no one ever does anymore! Does anyone even still read this thing??? Or am I just writing for shits-and-giggles?

TransPerfect/Translations.com and Ground Zero - An Awesome Project

"Cmorg, I don't understand what you do for a living." I hear this a lot. And it can be a little bit complicated, so I thought that I would post a link about my company's latest philanthropic contribution in order to give you a better idea of projects that we work on regularly. The world is getting smaller, whether you would like to admit it or not -- and language projects like these will be poping up everywhere. Trust me on this one!!

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070221/20070221005730.html?.v=1

I feel really great that we chose this as one of our freebie projects to complete this year. AWESOME, I can't wait to check it out when I'm in NYC this upcoming May.

The Oscars

Well, everyone has been asking me about Oscar season in LA. And it's certainly exciting. Everyone is partying like crazy. I only left my house once yesterday because so many of the major roads were shut down, leaving traffic to be a complete nightmare. I also couldn't get to sleep last night due to the number of helicopters over Hollywood. Out and about this weekend though, I didn't see a single celeb. I know, I'm very disappointing! I think that most of the actors and actresses were out last night, but earlier in the weekend they must have been getting their beauty sleep. I mean, I was even at the Chateau Marmont on Saturday night, and no one was in sight...and you know that the entire hotel was booked with attendees, as it's the hottest hotel around.

Overall, I thought that Ellen did a superb job hosting. Reese looked fantastic, but I'm beginning to wonder if she's lost too much weight. Her chin is so skinny all of a sudden. I also thought that Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz looked great. Jessica Biel's dress was horrid in my opinion - save the hot pink for your next Teen Vogue party, not the Oscars. And of course Kirsten Dunst looked like she just walked off of the farm. As for the guys, they always tend to look the same to me. But Mark Walberg raised the standards last night, I mean - he's so hot, it's just too much to handle sometimes. And Jack Nicholson always seems to steal the show somehow, even when he's not nominated. Overall, the show was pretty good, but way too long!

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Well, we didn't even realize that he was a psuedo-celeb...but when Niels from Beauty and the Geek came up to myself and 2 girlfriends at Skybar on Saturday night and said "Hey you girls look like a lot of fun, can I sit down and hang out for a while?" -- well, we pretty much rejected him on the spot. I knew that he looked familiar, and about 20 minutes later I remembered him from TV. Poor guy, he's trying to build his self esteem and confidence with women, and we just shot him down cold-heartedly.

I just read online that this guy is now becoming a dating coach after what he learned on Beauty and the Geek. Really? I mean, I'm sure that the experience was life changing, but does he really have enough dating experience to become a coach? Because at this point, I'm pretty sure that I might qualify as a dating coach if you need a certain amount of experience to get certified. I could easily write a book detailing different types of men and what I've learned to pass onto others. Well, good luck to this guy. He seemed like he was on the right track, so good on ya mate. I'm sure that you'll find a great girl soon!

POOP STATION

West Hollywood has decided to implement a new strategy for dog owners throughout the WeHo neighborhoods. They are called POOP STATIONS. If I didn't lose my digital camera, I would take a picture for you. (I'll try to get someone else to in the upcoming weeks, because I know that you probably do not believe me that these things exist). Basically, these are just large, green boxes to throw your dog's crap in when you are out taking them for a walk. And at the very top of the green box is a GIANT sign that says POOP STATION. And we are soooo super lucky because they just put one right across the street from our apartment building.

Okay, now I see the point in not wanting the dogs to do a #2 all over the yard, next to the MINI, or even on the sidewalk, but doesn't having a huge sign that reads POOP STATION defeat the entire purpose of not drawing attention to the shit?

The Freezer Technique

My mom told me last year about a tactic that her friend uses whenever someone gets on her bad side. I was very surprised, I did not know that my mother had this in her! And for whatever reason, I was thinking about it last night. I thought that I would share this little voodoo, creepy-yet-ithinkmightactuallywork method of placing a small 'spell' on people. The next time that someone burns you, or you decide that it's time that karma should bite them in the behind in a BIG way, write down their name on a piece of paper and throw it in the freezer. Yep, just throw it in there, under the frozen chicken or whatever. I don't know if it's just self therapy, or if it really works, but it's supposed to bring that person the karma that you think they deserve. (I'm not talking anything terrible, just bad luck. No one gets into any car crashes or anything like Scarlett does in the new JT video-- which is a bit extreme, no?)

Right now, I have 2 names in my freezer, and I'm debating on adding a 3rd. You'll never find out who they are unless you actually visit my freezer and take a look though!

Disclaimer: Please do not throw the name of the individual that tells you about this karma technique into any sort of freezer. They were really just passing the word along, and are exempt from such extreme actions. Thank you.

Vote for Alaina!!!

It's almost time to vote for your next American Idol - the public gets to text and call in starting this week. And this year, being in LA, we actually KNOW someone that is in the running - Alaina Alexander. She is my neighbor & good friends with SS. So make sure to VOTE FOR ALAINA in the upcoming weeks when watching the show. Spread the word!!

Check out the link below for more information about Alaina, our very own WeHo gal in the running to be our next American Idol:

http://www.americanidol.com/contestants/season6/alaina_alexander/

President's Day a Huge Success (for most!)

I have decided that I will absolutely not comment on Britney this week. Honestly, I think it's at the point where depression has gotten the best of her, and I don't think that depression is funny. So for those of you that asked, my apologies for not wanting to gossip about this one. I'm just at the point where I truly feel bad for her. I will post some pictures from the weekend though -- 1.) of our view from our temporary weekend residence, while one of our friends (along with the rest of us) "dog sat" for his wonderful boss. The house was right off of Mulholland Drive. We learned what it felt like to live like the other half. And man, was it good. AND of course 2.) a pic of the weekend crew from the wine tour in Santa Barbara.

I had to change it...

I opened this up today, and could not even look at that picture of Hasselhoff with the puppies - I had to change it. It's SO DISTURBING.

Wine Tasting

One of California's greatest assets lies about 1.5 hours North of Los Angeles, in Santa Barbara. This weekend, 9 of us, will be taking a wine tour in the region to celebrate this great holiday weekend that honors our Presidents, the leaders of our great country. Since I've already seen Mt. Rushmore this year, I must ask - what better way is there to celebrate Washington, Lincoln, FDR & Teddy better than drinking wine? I really can't think of any other option. So as we venture into wine country, and perfect our tasting skills, I will be thanking (aka drinking to...) our nation's great leaders for providing such wonderful and vast opportunities for us all. Thank goodness we have a hired driver for this!

Sighting and Celeb Scoop

Man, am I spoiled. Basketball is my favorite sport to watch live, and I love going to games. So far in LA, I've been to 1 Lakers Game (last year when visiting) and 1 Clippers Game. Both times, I've seats on the floor. This week, we scored court side seats to see the Clippers on Valentine's Day.

Not only did we have the best seats in the house, but we also made it on the Jumbo Tron - Yes!! We also saw Michael Clarke Duncan in the front row cheering on the team, who was definitely bigger than most of the players. I wanted to stand next to him, just to see the difference, but he was too far away. That guy is massive.

Crazy Bride Hair Wig Out SPOOF

If you haven't seen it already, you need to check this out. My good friend JL and her HOT BOX entourage have put together a hysterical spoof of the Crazy Bride Hair Wig Out Video that was recently posted on YouTube. They are trying to get a million hits on the site, so check it out!!

Here is the link to the "original" Crazy Bride Hair Wig Out video....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-p2abU02Ak

And here is the spoof, which is hilarious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3xi8eXapgI

A True Broadway Legend

I'm can't decide which is more strange - that it recently snowed in LA, or that David Hasselhoff is now starring in 'The Producers' in Las Vegas. Are they serious? It is an early April fools joke?? I can't stop laughing about it, I may have to buy tickets immediately...

By the way, why in the world is David Hasselhoff always posing with puppies? Why?

CNN Breaking News

Just posted today on CNN.com. I think that I will agree with many of our friends that this is a fabulous idea after a recent incident in Manhattan where a certain "CEO" was hit by a car.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/02/07/nyc.ipod.reut/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

I'm now going to try my best to turn my iPod down when running too - so try to do the same. We don't need any more close calls.

Viva Las Vegas

What is so fantastic about living in LA? Well, for one thing, it's only a 45 minute flight to Vegas. And although I've been there twice before, I'm heading out again tomorrow - this time for work, not pleasure. But I'll take a free flight and room at the Hard Rock any day. Hopefully we'll get some time to have fun too after all of the meetings!

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

I was completely smitten over this sighting. Adam Brody, walking his dog Penny Lane at Runyon Canyon yesterday during a hike. He was listening to his headphones, so unfortunately we couldn't say hi.

Now, Adam bought the pit bull (Penny Lane) earlier in the year for his 'then' girlfriend Rachel Bilson. It appears that since the couple has broken up, that he in fact kept the dog. I will say, that Adam looked incredibly skinny and like a bit of a mess - you have to wonder what he's been doing with himself since the break-up and since they cancelled The OC....? But we all go through rough times, so I say who cares! I love Seth Cohen just the same.

Love the SuperBowl Ads?

Then you should check out this site: http://www.superadfreak.com/

Sponsored by AdFreak (of the advertising industry), this blog will bring top executives from the advertising and creative industries onto the site as the commercials air the day of the game. You can see first hand feedback from the genius minds that create these types of ads that cost about a billion to air. Check it out, it's pretty fun!

CAA has Arrived

Construction workers have tirelessly been putting up a new building across from us at work, and it's finally finished - and it's gorgeous. It homes CAA, among other reputable companies. What is CAA? Creative Artists Agency (http://www.caa.com/), one of the most respected talent agencies in the world. And what does that mean for us? Celeb sightings galore - as well as having to deal with all of the agents, who like Ari Gold, are amusing just to watch. Our first celeb sighting happened yesterday, when Kevin Federline was hanging out in the lobby of our building. Funny, last time I saw him, his life was still in one piece. Poor guy. But, I'm telling you, he looked really good. He must have a new personal stylist because he was in a really nice blazer and didn't look so white trash. He certainly looked a lot better than Britney has in the tabloids lately.

I'm sure that we're now bound to see a lot more people with the opening of the new building, so as always, I'll keep ya posted!

What Will Jack Do Next?

The new season of 24 has started, which means for many (like myself), Monday nights have been taken over by FOX. I think that this is the last season of 24, right? So that being said, I have to ask - what is Jack Bauer capable of this season? I mean, in the 2 hour season opener, he BIT out some dude's jugular vein in order to kill him. I didn't think that they would go that far. And are they going to kill Jack off this season? I say yes. "He just can't take it anymore." Uhhhhh. what a wuss. Maybe Jack should have an affair with Chloe. Or maybe Chloe should have an affair with that guy that somehow made the transition from The OC to 24... hmmm. What do ya'll think? I think that we should generate a list of TOP TEN THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN ON 24 THIS YEAR. But I'm not going to do it alone, so add some things and we'll put a list together! It's already episode 4, so we have to hurry!

Set Yo TiVo

Tomorrow is the BIG day. TPIR - Adam is going to be famous. Set Your TiVo for 11am. Bob Barker will not be disappointed!

Oh, a Sailor's Life for Me!

Sailing, sailing...fa la la la la la. How does that song go? Well anyway, I also love to get out on the water. Ever since our 3 day sailing tour around the Whitsunday Islands (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitsunday_Islands - the most gorgeous beaches you'll ever see, I swear), I jump on any opportunity that I get to get out there on a sailboat. One key thing to enjoying LA - find someone with a boat...as fast as you can. And I am proud to report that I have successfully accomplished this task. One of my dad's best friends from growing up has a 30 foot Catalina, and we took it out from Marina Del Ray yesterday afternoon. A bit chilly, but I got that thing up to 6.8-knots!

So here is a great story about sailing. Yesterday, getting off the boat, I totally dropped my keys in the Marina. I'm talking the keys to my apartment, car, office, house in Florida - the whole nine yards. So we created this long expandable pole to try to fish them out of the water (I'm not going to lie, it kinda looked like my 7th grade invention convention project, that won 3rd place - the golf ball retriever turned into a window washer). We tried and tried to get the keys with our duct-taped pole, but no dice. So, instead, we had to have a dive team come out to fish up the keys. Who drops their keys in the Marina off of a sailboat? And who has to get a dive team to come to the rescue? The funny thing is that I could not stop laughing, because this would only happen to me. Especially after last week, when I found out that my apartment had bed bugs. Nope, not joking, wish that I was...but don't worry, they are hopefully gone now. Only me, I swear. What's next?

Karaoke, LaLa Style

Whenever looking for something new to do on a Friday night, what better option is there other than... you guessed it...Karaoke. I am a horrific singer, but I love Karaoke. Especially after 4 beers. And I had my first Karaoke experience this past weekend on the West Coast. Let me tell you something - Karaoke in LA is an absolute life-changing experience. I mean, these people are all aspiring singers, I swear. They were GOOD. As much as I wanted to get up there and sing 'Sexbomb' by Tom Jones, I could not bring myself to do it. This was no Last Cowboy scene in State College. There was a young Asian couple that did a ridiculously awesome version of 'Baby Got Back,' so I just have to muster up enough balls to get up there next time and completely make an ass out of myself. Wish me luck, I'll keep you posted.

Sudoku

I love Sudoku puzzles. They are such a great way to kill time, and keep the brain cells (that haven't been impacted by toxic substances) alive and kicking! So if you like them too, or haven't tried them yet, check out this interactive website that you can work on throughout the day in free time. There is even an "Evil" option if you dare!

http://www.suntimes.com/sudokuPuzzle/

Don't worry, it's not alive!

By the way, San Francisco was fun. You can tell from the above picture, which was taken during our work scavenger hunt throughout the city. Ahhh, team building!! And I am in the beginning stages of planning a Route 1 trip for March with 2 friends, so if anyone has done it and has any great ideas, please let me know. We welcome suggestions!!

Bizarro World

I wanted a white Christmas - and I didn't get it. I was disappointed, devastated even that I wouldn't see snow this year. And then something really bizarre happened...

You know, I moved here to be warm. To enjoy the sunshine, to love the beaches. But it's snowing in LA - even in Malibu. Orange trees are frozen over. The PCH was closed yesterday, people are FREAKING out, big time. It's hilarious. (It's the complete opposite of Salt Lake City, where in the winter, it snows 5 feet, and everyone still goes to work). I'm convinced that when it's warmer in Pittsburgh than it is in LA, that the world is going to end soon. So enjoy it while you can.

And did you know that you can see ridiculous snow-capped mountains from most places in LA? I didn't... I had no idea. It's pretty cool. You can be standing next to a palm tree, and look out into the distance to see snow on mountains that are just screaming for you to plan that ski trip you keep talking about. I guess LA in the winter time is full of surprises - at least for me anyway. Oh, LALA, what's in store next???

NoCal Round 2

Well, it's back to San Francisco for the weekend - TPT style. I'm heading North for the second time since my move out West, and can't wait to have a fun-filled weekend at the expense of my company. It's getting pretty cold up there right now, so I'm hoping that it might snow since I didn't see any at home. Highly unlikely though. These "sales meeting" weekends, sponsored by work end up being the most lethal combination of events ever imaginable. Meetings, drinking, meetings, drinking, meetings, drinking, meetings, drinking - it's been reported that some people never even sleep. So wish me luck - I'm likely to be an exhausted girl come Monday morning!

Uhhhh.....Whoops

The Irresistible entry was officially deleted because I was told that it was controversial and offensive. Yikes. I hope that people know that I'm a super sarcastic writer and never to take me seriously. Taking things too seriously can age years of your life, so I highly advise against it.

A la izquierda a la izquierda, todo que posees en la caja a la izquierda!

Some Dirt

The thing that happens when you start to live in a city, is that you notice and pay more attention to the television shows that focus on them. This year, 2 new shows came out about LA - MTV's twentyfourseven and FX's Dirt. I watched twentyfourseven for about ten minutes one day, and it was possibly the worst ten minutes of my life. Horrible, and that's probably giving it justice. Thank goodness that The Hills will be back on soon, and we'll get to see how LC spent her summer. I had pretty high expectations for Dirt, and so far, I'm having a hard time deciding if I like it or not. Like any other FX drama, it holds your attention, so I guess they are doing something right. But I'm just curious - has anyone else seen the first 2 episodes? What do you think?

For Your Consideration

Well, the holidays are officially over. I managed to go out every night for the past week just to pretend that they weren't. But it's back to reality - back to sunshine, sunglasses and 80 degree weather. Since my return, I've noticed something funny about the town of Los Angeles. Billboards have gone up all over town reading "For Your Consideration" above a movie poster of various films that have been released throughout the past year. Coincidentally, I just learned that there is actually a movie out right now with the same title. I haven't seen it yet, but am now really intrigued, because the entire notion of these advertisements completely baffle me. My entire life, I figured that winners at the Golden Globes and the Oscars were chosen internally by a selective and qualified committee of individuals. I guess they still are, but are the motion picture studios REALLY advertising and trying to sell these people on their films? I mean, is direct advertising on the Sunset Strip impacting these decisions? And are there that many people voting that it requires getting a $50,000 billboard? Apparently, there is and if anyone knows anything about how this all works, I'd love to know.

Merry Chrismukkah!

The best thing about living in LA is getting ready for trips home to the East Coast. When I go to the airport tomorrow, and the airport attendant asks me my destination, I can't wait to reply with "home." I'm sure that in LAX (which equates to hell on earth), they will not appreciate this answer, making it even more fun to say. I will enjoy every second of it.

There is no way that I'll be blogging at home - there's no need. These posts are all about the adventures in LaLaLand, baby. So sit tight, and I'll be back eventually. I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday! I've left you with something to relish during the next ten days - it's one of the greatest holiday websites ever: http://www.elfyourself.com/ Crop a picture of yourself, your beau, your dad - it doesn't matter, it's hilarious.

By the way, my friend Danielle and I totally gave the clean up guy at work cookies. I also took the liberty of taking bins of my company's promotional stress relief soccer balls that we hand out at trade shows and dumped them all in the toys for tots bin. Let's hope that upper management doesn't find out about that one! ;) Safe travels, and enjoy the break!

Holiday Gifts

Is there a rule that exists that states who we should give holiday gifts to? Like the mailman or the babysitter... but what about that guy that comes into your office every night at 6pm to clean up your garbage and vacuum the floor? Should he get a present? I'm starting to think YES. I mean, he works hard. So I am taking a poll to see what the best idea to get the clean-up man at my office would be for this holiday season. Hurry, act quickly, only 3 more days until I fly home.

...who cares if he does not speak English - he still has a heart.

Do The Right Thing!

I just emailed like 100 of my friends to tell them to do this, and now I'm telling you too. Yes, it might be the second time this week, stop whining. I'm sorry. I'm a do-gooder. Instead of using Google.com try Goodsearch.com, it is powered by Yahoo and 50% of its ad revenue goes to the charity of your choice.

Here is a really cool article that proves that it's not fake - and it even mentions THON at Penn State: ttp://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/strauss/2006-11-19-giving_x.htm

So this holiday season, do the right thing. And remember, if you aren't an organ donor, it's pretty cool to sign up to do that too.

A Holiday Laugh

A colleague at work showed me this - it needs to be shared. Enjoy.

http://glumbert.com/media/tonguetwister

Christmas, California Style

I love Christmas. SO much. I don't know if it's because it my mom's favorite holiday, and I was always forced to help decorate the entire house, or if it's just the warm fuzzy feeling that I get listening to Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole. I have been trying my best to get in the Christmas spirit - but I'm finding it really hard being out in California. When it's so warm out, Rudolph and Frosty just don't look the same. I keep asking myself, is it really December??? It sure doesn't seem like it. So I've been trying to investigate new and creative ways to celebrate Christmas, California style.


Most people, like the Griswald's, decorate their homes with spectacular lights. But did you know in California that they have Harbor Parades? Instead of decorating their homes, people decorate their boats and yachts and peruse around local harbors. And in most places, Santa shows up on a sleigh - but in Santa Cruz, he arrives on a surf board instead - red (with white trim) wetsuit and all! And don't forget about Disneyland, where Mickey decks himself out everyday in December for the Disney Christmas Parade.





Oh and I've learned to love another thing - outdoor malls. I never knew how much I could fall in love with an outdoor mall. Fresh air in between stores, outside kiosks to catch your attention, and either sunshine or the glow of the stars to keep you going during that last hour when you think you've just about had it with the holiday crowds. I recommend this experience to everyone.


But it's just not the same. No matter where you end up, I think that Christmas is definitely the one time of year that your roots stick with you. I cannot wait to get back to Pennsylvania to (hopefully) see some snow and cuddle up by my fireplace there. Mom's cookie tray is waiting, and there is nothing in Cali that can compare to that. December 22nd could not come soon enough!

TPIR - I took the Golden Road from...Pittsburgh, PA

Quoting one of the members of Team TPIR, "Getting to see the Price is Right is like being on drugs. You make a complete ass out of yourself, and although you can't really remember what happened, you know that you had one of the best times of your life."

TPIR is insane. The people that you meet in line camping out at 4am, the MC's, the madness that ensues when Bob Barker steps on stage. I recommend that everyone do this once in your life.

All I will say is this - of the 7 of us, 1 person did get called to "come on down" AND they made it all the way to the showcase showdown. AND all of us got ample TV time from screaming and yelling so loudly when it happened. So if you don't set your Tivo when it airs on January 23rd, well then, we just aren't friends anymore. Understand?

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Autumn Reeser, aka Taylor Townsend, sitting next to us at The Ivy with two young men, in what we believe was some sort of business dinner. We also actually saw her again the following day at The Grove shopping with a friend. Another 2 day in a row sighting. I love this girl - I think that she is hands down one of the best characters on television right now. Bye bye Mischa Barton! We don't miss you at all. That brings me to another bold statement that I'm about to make. I very much think that this year's season of The OC kicks Grey's Anatomy's ass. I was extremely stressed out when they were slated to air at the same time on Thursday night (especially since I still have yet to get Tivo), but after spending a few weeks changing the channel back and forth between commercials, I can say that The OC has held my attention so much more than Grey's. In fact, I think that Grey's has gone really downhill. Whoever writes for The OC is so witty and the one-liners used throughout it are unmatched in my book. So if you haven't caught an episode yet this year, make sure to check it out. (Oh, and they also repeat Grey's on Friday nights so you can just watch the repeat as you get ready to go out).

The Superficial - Because You're Ugly

I have officially been scolded for not writing on the blog for a couple of weeks. I'm really sorry guys. I tried last week, and blogger was just showing a bunch of error messages. I'll blame it on them (and all of the fun that I've been having).

I came up with an idea for all of you for the times when I don't post anything on my blog. Check out this site on a daily basis, and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

http://thesuperficial.com/

Seriously, read it. It's the best.

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Gary Shandling TWO days in a row - how random is that? Once, outside of the Beverly Hills Hilton and then again on Elevado Road in Beverly Hills when running. I never thought that I would run into Gary Shandling, let alone twice in one week!

Lindsay Lohan on Sunset Blvd. driving a convertible Beige VW Bug (I believe that this may have been the freebie from Herbie since her recent car accident damaged her other car). She literally cut me off at the intersection of Doheny Road, and I followed her for about a mile. She was wearing huge black sunglasses and a Chanel hair wrap - I knew that it was her though because the wrap blew off every 2 minutes and she would check herself out at every red light in her rear view mirror.


Jon Cryer hiking with his family and 3 very strange mutt looking dogs in Ruynon Canyon the day after Thanksgiving. ahhh, Duckie!


Leonardo DiCaprio at Dough Boys in West Hollywood. NOTE: this was not my sighting, but my guest for the weekend who ran smack into him on the way to the bathroom. Nice work ABKane - not a bad sighting for a weekend visit.

Gobble Gobble

As of tomorrow, I'm going to be having way too much fun to blog (as was the case last week, sorry for no posts).... so I just wanted to tell everyone HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Ode to Visitors - Just a Small Tribute

Visitors how I love thee.... You make the homesickness go away, especially since it is 87 degrees outside, and people are singing Carols. 3 sets of visitors in 3 weeks - how lucky I am. Hooray for visitors! You make the fact that there are Christmas lights on palm trees 'OK' at the end of the day. What would I do without you?

The Price is Right

Yes, it is true! On December 4th, I will be going on the Price is Right. It was decided among a small group of friends that we must see Bob Barker in person before he retires. As some of you know, 3 years ago in Avalon, I created the greatest drinking game ever - DRINKO. Similar to Plinko, I have a feeling that my practice that summer will make me an inevitable pick for contestant's row.

I am currently taking suggestions for t-shirt ideas. So far, ideas that have been brought to the table are "Pick Matt Davis," "Show Your Hot Face Bob," and "Long Live Bob." I'm not quite sure if I'm sold on any of them, so please feel free to email or comment with any other ideas. I believe that the show is going to air on December 5th, but I'll be sure to keep you posted. Set your TIVO!!!

9th Floor Please

As I have mentioned before, I work in the twin towers of Century City - two buildings that serve as a hub for many of the countries great corporations. Included in this list is Lifetime television network. Now we are lucky enough to work on the same floor as Lifetime television. What does this mean? Well, casting calls for one thing. My favorite days are those in which I go outside into the hallway to use the restroom and realize that a casting call for Lifetime is going on. People are out in the hallway fake crying, throwing fits, yelling loudly - it's awesome. I guess apparently too famous people come up to visit - and by famous people, I really mean once A list actors that are now looking to work for Lifetime. One day in the bathroom, a girl from the accounting department of Lifetime came in hyperventilating because apparently Jason Priestly was on the premises. My favorite thing about working on the same floor as Lifetime though, is the fact that Spike TV is also in the building. Every night, there is a Spike TV banner somewhere in the hallway when we leave for the night. My colleagues tell me that the janitors use it to take out the trash, but I secretly hope that there is some sort of rivalry going on between the two networks. How great would that be?

Comments

Everyone keeps asking me how to place comments on my blog. It's easy. Just create a user name and password - then click on the lower right corner of each post where it says 0 comments (or whatever number is there). Each time you read the blog, you can sign in, and post as many comments as you want. And now it's linked to google! I swear that it's not hard. And if you forget your password, just make up a new one. Or make it something easy, like cmorg or lalaland. If you are totally hip and blog savvy, you can even put your picture up there along with your profile! If you want to stay anonymous, just get a picture of someone that's really hot and put it there in your place :)

Remember, You Heard It Here First

Well you heard about the turmoil between Kevin and Britney here first. The news that they are getting divorced is out, and I am not surprised after last week's 'show' at the launch party. There are stories all over the internet, but this one is my favorite because it actually references the party I was at... Thanks for this G! I can only now hope that the sequel to Toxic will be out right after the holiday season! Fingers crossed.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23373669-details/Oops%2C+I+did+it+again%3A+but+this+time+via+text+message/article.do

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Danny Bonaduce eating lunch at The Palomino restaurant in Westwood. And he was with some really hot girls. How does that guy, or any dead beat celebrity for that matter, pull it off? I bet they were hookers.

Orange County

1 hour South of Los Angeles, sits one of the wealthiest areas of the country - Orange County. Celebrating the much anticipated season premiere of The OC, I decided to head down to Orange County myself this weekend to check it out. (By the way, I was pleasantly surprised at how good episode 1 was...I questioned whether or not they could do it without Mischa, but it was pretty good). There is a reason why so many filthy rich people live in Newport and Laguna Beach - because it's absolutely breathtaking. A much slower pace than LA, Orange County offers a small town feel with views and charm that are unmatched.

I mean, really... who could turn down an offer to live in Southern California with views like this?

Name that Celeb

Oh wait, that's right - you knew that I was going to his party! I cropped it to try to trick you. Didn't work, huh?

Well, today I am running on 2 hours of sleep (we did not get home until 5am) and I must say that an official Hollywood Halloween party is completely worth the agony that you feel the following day. In this town, it's the one night that people can leave their homes incognito, and blend in with the crowd. The launch party was incredible - it topped any Upfront party that I'd ever been to in New York. It was in one of the Gower Studios, and included buffets of food and drink, a hookah bar, dancers hanging from the ceiling, and many A list celebrities. My favorite thing though about the party is the fact that they made the entire studio smell like a burning pumpkin. I have no idea how they pinned it down, but I love that smell, and found it fascinating that someone actually invented a way to do it. Paris & Nicki were there, along with Mary Kate & Ashley - and of course Britney, dressed in a pink wig and giant sunglasses. Kevin rolled around the entire night with his posse and actually hung out with guests as you can see from the pic above. And I will say this - he is really good looking in person, I do not think that Britney is crazy. He's got a certain something about him. Although people.com gave the following report http://people.aol.com/people/article/0,26334,1553615,00.html, I'll tell you some behind the scenes info that I got from the party. Britney and Kevin were supposed to perform together - and I'm not quite sure what happened, but neither ended up getting on stage. For a launch party, that's extremely disappointing. I mean Kev, at least give us a little rap to make it worthwhile! The couple was fighting all night, and whatever they were arguing about kept them from getting up on stage. I would say that they probably aren't on the greatest of terms right now, but then again, I know nothing about the context of what was going on. Regardless, it was pretty cool of Britney to dress in disguise in order to give Kevin the spotlight.

And let's not forget about the parade in West Hollywood near my house beforehand. My roommate Kris and I had a party after work, and then walked down to Santa Monica Blvd. to take part in the festivities. I have never in my life witnessed so many people dressed up in costumes, having so much fun. It is known as the best Halloween party in the world, and now I know why. I'll have to post some pics later in the week, but for now - it's bedtime. Finally.

Say It Ain't So

They are saying that Reese and Ryan have officially split. I pray that this isn't true. If my favorite celeb couple can't make it, there is likely no hope for anyone.

I also just received insider reports that Ryan has been seen out at clubs dancing with other women - and yes, I was told that he is even hotter in person. Poor Hollywood - marriage just does not seem to be working for anyone. Today is a sad day indeed.

Do Blondes Have More Fun?

I love change - I pretty much thrive for it. So I decided this past weekend to go brunette. It was a very spontaneous decision, but I think that this will be a good experiment if anything to see who really has more fun....blondes or brunettes?

Don't worry, it's only semi-permanent, so it should rinse out in about six weeks.

Trick or Treat Federline Style

So what is everyone planning to do for Halloween?
What are you going to be?

I am going to be "Devil in a Blue Dress" this year - you know, like the song. I've got the dress, red high heels, red fishnet stockings, and all the devil props (including a pitchfork to poke any good looking young prospects with!) I can't wait. West Hollywood is throwing the 19th annual Halloween Carnavale right on Santa Monica near my house. It's supposed to be one of the biggest Halloween parties in the world. And I've also been invited to K-Fed's album release party...I'm on "the list." The catch is that it doesn't start until 2am. So I am really going to have to catch some zzzz's on Monday night in order to rest up for the event. Will Britney be there? I hope that her mom stays home with the boys so that she can attend. Anything you are dying to ask her? Let me know, because you just never know what might happen at an exclusive party like that!

I am just dying to see K-Fed perform. I mean, did anyone see his appearance on RAW? He is really something, that Kevin. So talented. I might just have to throw my bra on stage!

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Ms. Jay (apparently from America's Next Top Model) at Ralph's grocery store on the corner of Beverly and Doheny. As we were picking out fresh cookies, he came up, grabbed a box from under us, and declared "I'm just going to have to smell the box" (then took an enormous sniff) and looked at us and said".... honestly if not, I could eat all of them in one sitting." He then threw the box back on the pile, turned his head and scurried off to the soup isle. I honestly had no idea who this person was, or the fact that I should have even cared what he was saying, but I was told that other people would appreciate the sighting!

That Song

Here is the YouTube link for that Scissor Sisters song that I was talking about, for those who told me that they have no idea what I'm talking about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuDi9XkbXzg

Did Everyone See Grey's Last Week?

One of the story lines on last week's episode of Grey's Anatomy told the story of how Meredith had to have her appendix removed. The entire comedy behind the situation was that she was drugged up and saying ridiculous things to other people on the show. I had a serious flashback from my own appendectomy last year. When I was waiting for an operating room (and was all morphined up), I proceeded to tell my good friend Paige how pretty she looked...at least 387 times. I also decided in my head that I had to the HOTTEST 3 doctors (2 surgeons, 1 anesthesiologist) at HUP that night. Typically at HUP this doesn't mean much - trust me, I've checked out the goods. But that night, they definitely were hot, and they loved me as a patient. Paiger, were you watching? Because I couldn't help think of you.

The Hollywood Gym Experience

So I've been having a VERY hard time finding a gym to join in LA. First, the prices are outrageous. Everyone in this town is so freaking superficial, that they are able to monopolize the fact that the only thing that most people care about is your looks. Take Equinox for example... it's the 2nd best gym in LA (LA sports club, which I did work out at once thanks to my friend Danielle that used to work there, has a wait list of unseemly proportions). As for Equinox, well I had a free pass to go there for a week. My experience there was unlike anything I've ever witnessed in my life. One day, there was a girl who was actually running on the treadmill in her underwear. Yes, they were spandex, but they were still underwear. Then, a girl got up next to me the following day on a stairmaster in a bikini top and a pair of UGG boots. She was also holding ten pound weights in her hands and looked like she was going to fall over because they were heavier than her. The icing on the cake though was when I saw a guy (who was definitely not straight) in skin tight WHITE gymnast pants that said "JAMA" on the back. This sight was so frightening that I decided that skipping a meal the following day would leave me better off than returning to this horrible place. I turned in my week pass after only 3 days.

By the way, I googled "JAMA" and I think it stands for The Journal of the American Medical Association... or maybe Jamaica...or Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. Needless to say, I'm still gym hunting.

Are They Playing this Everywhere?

Are they? I'm very curious - it's the new song by Scissor Sisters called "I don't feel like dancin'" I can't figure out if it's just happening here in LA or if it's become a national phenomenon. Apparently people in the UK go crazy for this song, and as much as you at first think it's going to annoy you, you cannot stop yourself from dancing in your car uncontrollably. It reminds me of that Jumba Wumba song that came out our freshman year in college. Everyone goes nuts. If you haven't heard it yet, download it, and provide your feedback - I'm just really wondering what everyone else thinks. I feel that any song that uses the line "Your two step makes my heart pound" is priceless.

Oktoberfest!

Well, I'm heading up to San Francisco this weekend, and I cannot even begin to express how excited I am. San Francisco is one of my absolute favorite cities. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. In fact, my job application to move to SF is actually what landed me in LaLa. And you know what, fate works in weird ways. My friend Nora and I (who were roommates in Munich 2 years ago) have planned a fabulous weekend to attend Oktoberfest there to celebrate a reunion weekend together. Beer steins, men in suspenders, what could be better? Nothing, I tell ya - absolutely nothing.

Sexyback Sucks

And I'm still sticking to it. JT's new album REALLY is not what it's cracked up to be people. I've said it before, and I'm sticking to my guns. Justified is ten times better than FutureSex (is that even what it's called?). I proved my theory last weekend at the Cabana Club. The incredibly awesome DJ there played Sexyback, but then immediately played Like I Love You following it. The crowd went crazy when Like I Love You came on - the dance floor escalated from a 5 to a 10 in seconds. I'm just saying that sometimes the old is better than the new.

So let's just talk for a minute...

...about the Sunset Strip. Which is my hood. Which is probably the most famous 10 miles in all of California. I could throw a stone at a number of extremely historical musical venues including The Roxy, The Key Club, The Viper Room, and Whiskey A Go Go. Which is pretty cool. History has been forged in this area, and I'm happy to experience it.

To learn more about my neighborhood, and the history behind it, I found 2 good websites. To put it into perspective, I live right near "D" on the map of the first link:

http://www.seeing-stars.com/Streets/SunsetStripMap.shtml

http://www.pubclub.com/losangeles/sunsetstrip.htm

Miller vs. Morgan - Place Your Bets

Has anyone read Sienna Miller's comments in the latest issue of Rolling Stone? It's a whole lotta nonsense. It's obvious that Jude Law is brainwashing her, because she states that monogamy is overrated. Yes, Sienna, at 24, it should be. [Well, that's my opinion anyway]. But in the long run, that theory isn't going to get you much but an ugly STD.

She also calls Pittsburgh "Shitsburgh" - and obviously being from Pittsburgh, I'm offended. At first, I wanted to put on my boxing gloves and throw her into the ring, but after thinking it though, I can see why such a trendy, hot, label whore of an actress would say that about a city that doesn't even know who Marc Jacobs is... Oh Sienna, if you just weren't so perfect and beautiful and always looking so fashionable and of course having lots of sex with Jude Law, I might just get mad at you. But somehow I can't - there's a reason why I haven't lived in Pittsburgh since I turned 18, so I'd probably lose if we fought.

WCD

West Coast Depression, or WCD as I like to call it, gets the best of us. It's something that I always "heard" about. It usually hits after a long weekend with East Coast friends, when sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on the 405, or when someone throws up on your leg at a bar where you are paying $10 for a drink. It is UGLY, and best to avoid at all costs.

This past week, WCD hit an all time high for cmorg. Leaving the Atlanta airport last week, I got a little bit teary (side note: these tears only slightly resembled those shed on the 2000 flight from Sydney to LA, when the entire US Water Polo team tried to comfort me and cheer me up. Poor guys - if only they had one a medal, maybe I would have paid more attention...). Planes and airports have always had the ability to make me sad - it makes me think about what I'm leaving behind. The GOOD news though, is that WCD usually disappears when you are least expecting it. Sometimes it fades into the sunshine, or maybe it jumps off of one of those lookouts on Mulholland Drive, I honestly don't know. But for those of you that caused this recent case, I just wanted to thank you. The pain can sometimes teach us lessons and shed light on what is important in their lives.

ps - this picture was posted for those that would enjoy the following comment:
oooooohhhh, so you a baby?

Smile Honey, All of America is Watching You!

Smile Honey, All of America is Watching You!