I LOVE MY FRIENDS

Thank you for a ridiculously fun weekend. We are the best together, I wish weekends like this could happen all of the time!

Destination: Philadelphia

One of my biggest blog fans is getting married this upcoming Friday in the City of Brotherly Love. As I finishing packing, and prepare for my red eye, I just wanted to wish her lots of luck for the big day. I am so ready for a 4 day vacation, I can hardly stand it. East Coast, here I come!

The VMA's

What were we watching Sunday night?

OK, I know. Britney's performance was a disgrace. BUT, I will defend her because rumor has it that she heard Sarah Silverman rehearsing her set immediately before walking onto stage. I'd be pissed too if someone said that about my kids. But I'm not so much even concerned with the whole Britney performance, but more so with everything else associated with that show. The random shots of party suite #3,576? The white sunglasses? Everyone looking fat??

It was terrible. TERRIBLE. MTV, please fire the producers immediately and make sure that they never work again.

Ode to Barney

Apparently, there once was a guy named Barney. He opened a restaurant on Route 66, and it today serves as the mecca of all sports bars right in the heart of West Hollywood. Los Angeles dwellers flock there to support their teams, and we decided this past Sunday, that there really is no place like it.

My friend JL and I have been making a list of "things that only happen in LA." And eating omelettes while watching the NFL kickoff its season is one of them. Barney, whoever you are, we would like to thank you -- not only for providing such a fantastic watering hole, but for bringing all of the hot sports fans of Los Angeles together every weekend.

Here's the real scoop on Barney's: Barney's Beanery opened in 1920 and since then has expanded, yet maintained it's original appeal to the public. Janis Joplin was rumored to have her last drink here, and some say that Jim Morrison lived in the upstairs apartment while on a bender. Jimi Hendrix used to dine at Barney's. The original hood over the stove that was used at Barney's over 80 years ago can still be seen in the restaurant. Known as the third oldest restaurant in the city of Los Angeles, the name Barney's Beanery was derived from the era of the depression when the restaurant used to serve beans on route 66.

The Networking Debate

First there was Friendster. Then in grad school, Facebook blew up. But at that time, you could only be a member of Facebook if you had a college "edu" email address. So many educated twenty-somethings turned to MySpace.

Then something radical happened: Facebook opened up its membership to the public in September of this past year. And now, I think that many will agree with me when I say that Facebook is BACK, and better than ever.

A friend sent me this article below, and I find it very intriguing. It talks about the social classes of our country and how they are divided online. I believe what this student says is profoundly true. When I log into Facebook, I see my friends from UPenn, Harvard, and have access to the Ivy Alumni Network. When I log into MySpace, I see friends... but I also see pages filled with promotions and pages that can't load due to jumbled graphics, etc.

If you are interested in these networking sites, and the debate that compares them, check out this article at the following link:
http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ClassDivisions.html

I am a HUGE believer in online networking in this day and age, so regardless of your online preferences, I think that it's important to be associated with at least one of the networking sites. It's important to make sure that you don't fall off the radar for social and career purposes.

I'm going to keep all of my accounts for the time being. But I will declare that Facebook has me back in a BIG way.

Skiddily Winks

What exactly are skiddily winks? If you can answer this question, please contact me via comment immediately.

Skiddily. Skiddily. Skiddily.

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

I guess that I should have posted this a long time ago, but I didn't realize that it was such a big deal. Lemmy from Motorhead lives in my building. I thought, "OK cool - old rocker dude lives here, not a big deal considering that I live right near The Rainbow." But good god...when I told people at work about this, they FREAKED out. I actually also had one Axel Rose wannabe Italian student begging me on a daily basis for my address so that he could stalk him (and me for that matter, as I learned that he had a crush on me as well).

Well, the secret's out. I'm in #19, he's in #24. Come visit and make me pancakes if you would like to meet this rock legend for yourself.

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

This was a really shocking one to me. I was parking my car on my street and practically ran into Hilarie Burton from One Tree Hill. Now, I do live really close to Sunset Blvd. but it seemed weird to me that a star of this caliber would park on my street and not valet her car anywhere. I do know that there is an agency in the 9000 building, so maybe she was visiting her agent? OR maybe she was just visiting The Hustler Store. Yep, that must be it.

BREAKING NEWS: HILARIE BURTON VISITS HUSTLER AND PARKS ON RANDOM WEST HOLLYWOOD STREET TO AVOID SEX CRAZED REPUTATION.

Hil, you might have avoided US Weekly, but you can't hide from me. Have fun with your Rabbit.

Yosemite Article

As promised, here is my article on Yosemite. My editor really liked it, and I must say, that I think it's one of my best so far. Maybe I should focus on just being a travel writer??? I could only dream of a job like that!

Travel tips and advice can be found at:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3857

Chris and Thomas

This is a cool CD to check out if you like Indie Bands. I'll be curious to see how popular they get after the release of this album. Here is the link to my review:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3883

Let's Take a Moment for The Hills

OK, so the 3rd season of The Hills started up this week, and I have to ask - What does everyone think so far? The engagement? The sex tape rumors? Jason's return? And seriously, can Audrina's teeth get any whiter?? I can already tell that this season has me locked in for the long run. I love this show mostly because they tape everything in West Hollywood, and it's pretty cool to see my neighborhood on TV. It looks like Les Deux is going to be the new Area, huh?

On another note, did you know that Heidi and Spencer are releasing a new song together? I'm serious. Ryan Seacrest debuted it (via special permission) on his radio show this morning. I'm pretty sure that we are all going to WANT to hate it... but guess what? It's really good. I can picture myself dancing like crazy two months from now when this song comes on in a bar. They must have had really good producers. The song is Heidi's but at the end, Spencer comes in and does this little 'rap' thing. This was unnecessary in my opinion. But, they have figured out how to work the public, and are going to cross-sell like crazy - so, I say, good for them.

Alamo Race Track

This CD was tight. I would recommend it to those people interested in checking out a new sound - the songs all sound completely different though, so maybe it would be better to download the ones that you like from iTunes:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3823

Destination: Palm Springs

110 degree weather. Sand. Palm Trees. Pools. Margaritas. There is no better way to spend a birthday, that's for sure.

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Well, we hung out with Willie Garson (aka Stanford from Sex in the City) Saturday night at a Hollywood house party, and he was a complete asshole. Way too full of himself we all decided. When someone let him know that it was my birthday, he looked at me and tried to be as rude as possible when saying "Really? Well, you don't look a day over 27." He meant it as an insult because I think he thought I was 21... but little does he know I'm actually 28, so I could have cared less about the comment. But, moral of the story is- get over yourself dude, because you aren't that big and I realized that I'm so much luckier than Carrie...my gay guy friends are so much cooler than you.

The Doorway! The Doorway!

Well, I have officially survived my first major earthquake. There have been times before when I have felt my building shake a bit, but I always figured no big deal. They say that at least one small earthquake happens every single day in Southern California. Last night though was a different story! Just before 1am, I was woken up and felt like I was being shaken all around in my bed. I couldn't figure out if I was dreaming or what was going on because I was in such a deep slumber. But when I saw that a bottle of perfume had gone down on my dresser, I knew that it was for real. Just as I thought "get in the freaking doorway you idiot, this is actually happening" the shakes actually started to subside. I found the whole experience to be pretty exciting actually. I guess only because it was a 4.5, I can say this, but it's one more thing that I have survived!

Thank god it wasn't bigger, because I definitely don't have earthquake insurance! Here is a report of what happened, and a funny story about people who went to see a late night showing of Transformers:

http://laist.com/2007/08/09/now_that_was_a_1.php

Letter of Complaint

Dear Lindsay,

I'm writing this letter to ask that you please stay in Long Island with your mother for as long as possible. You see, I'm a resident of West Hollywood, and I'm sick of having to dodge paparazzi on my way to Trader Joe's and Rite Aid. It's pretty dangerous. Quite frankly, I wish that I didn't have to take Sunset past the Chateau Marmont to run errands, but it's my only choice. I know that as a hip, busy girl, that you know what a pain in the ass this can be...There are so few hours in the day and it's a breath of fresh air not having to worry about traffic being backed up by your presence in our 'hood.

Respectfully Yours,
Christina Morgan

PS - If you could spread the word to Brit too, that would be sweet.

El Cantante

The greatest thing about doing this movie review was my choice of a date to take to the screening. My good friend AP did not even mention to me until afterwards that her father was good friends with Hector Lavoe. She knew half of the people from the movie in real life from her childhood. I had no idea when I asked her to see the film with me. We called up her dad afterwards and she was like "Dad, seriously, I did not know that Eddie used drugs back in the day!!" This made the whole experience so much more fun, because she and her dad were able to tell me what the characters were like in real life, off-screen.

Check out my review: http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3755

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Ashley Simpson caught in traffic on Sunset Boulevard. She was with a friend in a run-down Honda. Note to celebs: if you want to stay on the DL, go out in a regular car as opposed to your usual digs. I hardly noticed her in the passenger seat, but she seemed to be having fun laughing and singing a lot.

I was hoping that she would be with that eyeliner-wearing freak show of a boyfriend though. I would just really like to see that in person!

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Natasha Richardson on the Pacific Beach Pier with two boys in San Diego this past weekend. She had a short, cute hair cut and looked like she was taking a well-deserved break from Hollywood. They were standing outside of one of those really quaint houses that you can actually rent for the night on the pier. Maybe a weekend family vacation? Seemed sort of strange though since Pacific Beach is one of the craziest (booze allowed on beach) surf scenes and was just below.

That Hollywood Sign

Did you know that it is possible to change the Hollywood sign? It was only done once, by FOX, when the studio first opened. They changed HOLLYWOOD to read FOX for two weeks. The amount has not been disclosed as to how much it costs to do this, but it must cost a fortune.

Also, individual members of Hollywood own the letters in the HOLLYWOOD sign. The letters were originally purchased for $27,000. Can you guess who owns the H? It's none other than Hugh Hefner.

They have arrived!

Well, it's the talk of the town. David, Victoria, and the rest of the Beckham's have finally arrived. Here is what we know far after their recent arrival to LA. The party to be at this past Sunday was held for the Beckham's by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. Invitations were sent out on red velvet invitations with gold lettering. If you were not invited, it means that you are falling quickly on the social ladder. Also, inside reports have revealed that Paris Hilton extended a warm invitation to Posh to start a friendship over lunch. Victoria declined.

Goya's Ghosts

OK, well Yosemite was a bit EXTREME to say the least. We hiked on Saturday for 7 hours, about the equivalent to 15 miles. 5 of those miles were completely vertical. This was the decision of the other people that I was with, and I was pretty much just along for the ride. I would say that at least 10 times during this particular hike, the words "hell.....HELL!!!" were running through my head. The weekend was worth it though, and I sent out pictures to most of you showing the spectacular views and sights.

On another note, below is a link to a film that I saw last month. My editor chopped this down from 400 words to 130 words, which I'm not happy about, but I guess they needed the space for advertising. Figures. This film was good, but I would wait until it comes out on DVD to see it:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3695

Destination: Yosemite

This weekend, I'll be taking a 3 day trip to Yosemite to camp out with friends and escape city life. This is something that I've been waiting for since day one in LA, so I'm really excited for this adventure. I'm actually on assignment too, as I'll be writing an article about visiting Yosemite and talking about all it has to offer for visitors: the best places to check out in the park, eat, drink, hike, etc.

That being said, there will be much more to come about this trip. But in the meantime, here is a lovely picture just to tease you with how I'll be spending my weekend.

Happy Anniversary!!

To Me! It's been exactly one whole year since I arrived in Los Angeles. And what a year it has been (please see prior months if you are just tuning in...)

365 of the best days of my life, wouldn't have wanted it any other way!

And see, it does snow in the mountains. Check it out in the picture above.

Pasadena, The Rose Bowl, and The World's Greatest Flea Market

This week, I made two trips out to Pasadena. Whoa, what took me so long?!? That place is fantastic. Old Town has a lot of character, and today I went to the huge Flea Market that is held once a month at the Rose Bowl. This is by far one of the country's hidden gems. This Flea Market was unreal. I love old, antique furniture and I was in heaven. I bought two great pieces, as well as some discounted clothing -- but I could have spent so much more money! If ever in LA on the second Sunday of the month, you must do this!!!

Hopefully, the next time I visit the Rose Bowl, Penn State will be there :)

Destination: San Diego

Well, it only took me a year, but I finally made it down to San Diego. It's my second visit now to the 'little' city in California, and I just can't say enough about it. It's such a low-key, down to earth city -- very much my style. Downtown is blowing up right now in the gas lamp district, and nothing beats bonfires on the beach in PB. I had so much fun, I might even go back this upcoming weekend!

SICKO and the US Healthcare System

Michael Moore's latest film SICKO will be released this upcoming weekend to nationwide audiences. I'm not a huge fan of Michael Moore and his antics, but I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this film. Today, I want to encourage everyone to see it because the issue of health care in this country is affecting millions of Americans on a daily basis. I take a lot of interest now in the subject because this topic has personally impacted my own family to a huge extent, costing us thousands upon thousands of dollars. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, this is a huge issue that will likely impact you at some point in your life. The costs of health care, and the unbelievable amounts of money that are needed to get prescription drugs in this country are absurd. Now, I don't want to rant too much about the drug aspect because I know that I will offend all of my friends back East that work for major pharmaceutical companies. But I will say that I think they are partly to blame as well (yes, I know that they are a great place to work, I know, I know. I'm not saying that). I just think that it's very wrong to push drugs on people the way that they do at times, because I know from personal experience that many times the drugs are not needed and cause more damage than good. Drugs can obviously be a good thing, but there is a fine line between what people really need and what sales reps are pushing and/or what doctors are prescribing on a daily basis.

I just hope that people will learn about the issues at hand for the upcoming 2008 election. For example, did you know that because I now have a pre-existing condition that most insurance companies will not even cover me? I have to pay almost $500/month for health insurance, only for myself. Think about that. That's $6,000/year. I've had to go through enough already, is this really what I should have to deal with now? This is only one example of how so many people are impacted by the corruption of our countries health care system. All I'm asking is that you take note, and learn about the issue. It may not affect you now, but it could in the future. I'm worried about our future. There are so many good people in this country that are unfortunate enough to deal with illness, they should not have to worry about astronomical medical payments on top of everything else.

And if the policy doesn't change in 2008? Well, maybe I'll just find a nice Swedish boy to marry.

Evening

I took a lot of interest in this film because it was written by one of the same writers that worked on The Hours. Since I worked on The Hours with Scott Rudin in 2000 during the filming, I knew that this would have a similar feel to it. And it did. A chick flick for sure -- well worth seeing.

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3626

The Naked News

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Music and More

This month, I'm focusing on music. For work and for play. I love the music scene in creative LA. It's the best in our great nation, with Nashville close behind. Los Angeles has the most ridiculous radio stations (no need for Satellite out here, there are too many to count) and the best part about it is that all the famous DJ's that you think only do weekend shows on the East Coast... well, they are all actually the morning talents out here. Ryan Seacrest, Rick Dees, Leeza Gibbons, etc. On-air interviews with celebs and rock stars happen at least 4-5 times a day, and celebrity news that you read in US Weekly breaks on-air (sometimes with celebs calling in) at least 2-3 days before it hits the national circuit. There's even an Indie station that lets celebs guest DJ. My favorite time to tune in is when John Cusack is spinning on Saturday afternoons on 103.1.

One of my favorite things to tune into are the album release shows that LA stations host on a frequent basis. The bands come in, and play their albums the week of their release. The bands typically explain what they were doing when writing each song, and you get to know them a little bit better. Today on the radio, for example, I got to hear Lifehouse's album release show, which I'll let you know was damn good. If you liked The Fray's last album (which I loved dearly before it went mainstream), I suggest you check out Who We Are later in the week.

I'll be posting a few music articles soon, but in the meantime, there are a few things about music that have crossed my mind in the past few weeks. First, has anyone heard the new Bone, Thugs and Harmony song? It's fantastic. My friends and I used to love them in high school, and they are back with vengence. Way to go guys. I guess I don't have to listen to First of the Month anymore to get my fill of you when in withdrawal. Second, I want Carrie Underwood to be my best friend. Seriously. That song where she keys the car because he cheats is unreal. She has come a long way from Idol, and I want to hang out with her on a daily basis. I must say that I appreciate girls who aren't afraid to be a bitch. Third, I freaking love country music now. I don't know if it's because I'm older and I long for a more simple lifestyle, but modern country is great. There, I said it.

And lastly, I just found out that we have a karaoke machine at school. It was like the day that I found out Santa wasn't real. Nothing will be the same ever again. I think that there is no better way to teach my students English than with a little Bone, Thugs and Harmony, no? Well, maybe not BT&H, but some Journey certainly can't hurt. You SO wish that you had me as a teacher. Trust me on this.

Happy Father's Day!

June is time for Dads and Grads... And I have officially found the best Father's Day gift! There are just a few small steps to follow in getting the perfect gift for Dad:

1. Become a writer of some sort.
2. Get a job with a ridiculously cool publication that will give you the liberty to write something for Father's Day.
3. Write a tribute to your Dad, and then have it published in real live ink for 90,000 people in Los Angeles to read.
4. Frame article.

Apparently, I made my editor cry with this piece (below). I had no intention to do so, but hope that you like it too. To all the Dad's of the world, Happy Father's Day.

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3545

GREEK

So ABC Family is coming out with a new show this upcoming summer called GREEK. I will admit, I actually really like ABC Family. They aren't as family oriented as you might imagine, the name is kind of deceiving. I wish that I had Tivo because I would definitely tape this show. I think it looks great, but maybe because I still have Peter Pan syndrome. Anyway, if you long for your college days, check it out.

MySpace en Español

I've decided to teach myself Spanish. Classes? No. Lessons on tape? No. I have decided instead to learn a new language by converting my MySpace page into Spanish. I figure that each day, when I log on, I'll learn at least one new vocabulary word... Like "Christina tienes 220 amigos." See, it's easy.

Yes, I realize that sooner or later I will run out of new vocabulary words, but that's when I will decide that it's time to learn German instead. So don't hate the plan stan.

God MySpace, you really are changing the world. What's next?

The Laundry Bandit

My apartment building is great. Similar to Melrose place, it's a LA community full of life and scandal. I've come to realize in the past few weeks, however, that there is one big deterrent from living in a communal space: sharing the laundry facility. Sure, it's problematic when everything is in use, but what I find to be most annoying is the guy that lives on the first floor who likes to move everyone else's clothes around. He's the guy that times everything, and if you aren't there to get your clothes when the buzzer goes off, he is. Before you know it, your wet underwear are thrown all over the laundry room so that he can be the next one to claim his stake on a washer. I find this to be one of the most unappealing habits of a neighbor. And I have decided to give him a name, The Laundry Bandit. The Laundry Bandit and I have had 2 run-ins this past week, and to sum it up, we don't like each other. Every time that I see him, I hear the old Western showdown music in my head and draw my fabric softener to get ready for the impending confrontation.

To all of the laundry bandits in the world, RELAX. And please stop touching my underwear.

Long Plane Rides = SICK.

I had strep throat a bunch of times when I was little...and I just got it again after coming back to LA. This time it has wiped me out BIG TIME though. I went back to the doctor today and he is making me take a second Z Pack. Is that even allowed? Yikes.
My apologies for not posting anything this week, but I will do so when I am back to my normal self. Promise.

This one is for My Meez.

I told RJK that he was my inspiration for this one - all those nights watching Entourage, and of course the summer with the viking helmet. One of the perks of living in LA: figuring out where the show is filmed, and then trying out the venues yourself (and writing about them). Life's tough, I know.

This new hot spot, Caffe Primo, is awesome. If ever in LA, please check it out. Here is the link to my review:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3506

LAX > NEW > NYC > PHL > PIT > CLE > LAX

Well, I'm back. My trip back to the East Coast was a successful 10 day vacation (which actually felt like a month because I did more in 10 days then most people do in a month, I'm pooped). I can confidently say that it was one of the best weeks of my life. I know, it's a bold statement, but it's true. I got to hang out with my roommates from Sydney again, take over a karaoke bar in New York with 8 of my closest friends, spend mucho quality time with my entire family, and catch up with all of my high school friends.

And let's not forget that my 10 year high school reunion was also this past weekend, which I was in charge of helping to plan. We had no idea how it would turn out, but we counted over 100 people that showed up! My cousin-in-law (is that a real relationship?) told me that I should pretend to have all of these crazy professions when talking to people that I haven't seen in a while. He told everyone at his reunion that he was a male stripper. So I did tell one person that I moved out to LA to work in the porn industry, but as soon as I said it, I realized that this joking comment would somehow come back to humiliate my mother in a grocery store shopping line. So I decided that I better just shut up. And the truth of the matter is, that now I have one of the coolest jobs on the planet, so why lie about it, right?

"Family, Faith and Friends" -- one time a priest at my cousin's confirmation said that these are the only 3 things that are important in life. And now it's my family's cheesy motto. But this week, I realized it more than ever. That priest sure did know what he was talking about...

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

So as I said in my last post, I had the chance to meet and talk with both Parker Posey and Hal Hartley. You know when you meet someone and think "wow, this person just has IT." You might not exactly know what IT is, but it's something. Parker Posey just has a certain aura around her that is magical. I found her to be a lot more laid back than I originally had thought she would be though...maybe because she's often played a neurotic character in some of my favorite films. She's super cool. After meeting her, I like her even more. And Hal Hartley, the writer and director of Fay Grim, was also a great guy. You can tell when speaking to him that he is a genius when it comes to making movies. He answered every question with intelligent remarks, and seemed truly interested in sharing his purpose behind the film. The entire day was such an awesome experience.

A Film Review and More

Congratulations Lisa and Aaron.
Girls night in the Big Apple.
Hooray for the grad! Shannon, I can't wait to welcome you to California, and I know that Stanford is pretty happy too.
Happy Birthday Dad.
And 10 years, really? The BHS Class of 97 reunion...Yikes.

There are so many reasons for my upcoming trip back to the East Coast. I leave tomorrow on a red eye, and can't wait. I feel it in my bones that this going to be one of the best weeks ever. Before I leave, I wanted to post two of my recent articles (published today) -- the first is my review of the film Fay Grim. Now, I not only got to go to a special press screening of the film last month at Raleigh Studios, but I also got to interview Parker Posey and Hal Hartley personally during a press junket. The private screenings are VIP, and the fact that I got up close and personal with one of my favorite actresses can't really be compared to anything else that I did at my last job. So read up, and if you can, check out this film. Parker Posey is great in it.

Here is the link to the review: http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3422

My second article this week is a synopsis of DVD releases that are scheduled to come out this summer. It's not too interesting, but will give you a quick review of what you have to look forward to on the days that it decides to rain. You can check it out here:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3441

I had a comment in there about Sexual Chocolate and the gang from Coming to America, but I can see that my editor took it out. Boo.

Mother's Day Ideas

i just realized that I totally forgot to post this article!! I guess it's too late, but here are some ideas for Mother's Day next year:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3418

Also, you can visit the website www.campuscircle.net and click "download current issue" to actually see what the publication is like if you live outside of LA!

Bobby: Rent It

One day, when I was home sick from grade school, I watched a special anniversary news report about the assassination of JFK. For whatever reason, from that point forward, I became obsessed (in a good way) with The Kennedy Family. I finally rented Bobby over the weekend, and if you have not yet seen this film, you should. It's an amazing tribute to American History, and to the man that had unmatched ambition to lead our country in a time of change. Watch this movie, LEARN, and love every second of it.

Some Random Sh*t

I feel like in the last couple of weeks, some really random things have popped into my mind -- so like that Ruminations guy, I didn't want to dedicate an entire posting to these thoughts, but just mention each one briefly. Here goes, some random stuff that I've been thinking about lately:

Why is it that when you get on an exercise bike, and bike an entire mile, you only burn 13 calories? Seriously, I watched it today. 1 mile at 95 RPM = 13 calories. And when you read Cosmo, it always says stupid stuff like "Kissing for 1 minute burns 25 calories. WOW." If this is true, then I would just be better off making out with people (snogging if you will, see July blog) instead of going to the gym? This sounds like a much better option to me.

When you live in LA, 3,500 miles away from home, it is NOT a good idea to ever leave that Nickelback song "Faraway" on the radio while in the car (particularly when stuck in traffic). Because before you realize it, all you can say to yourself is "Oh my god, I really am SO FAR AWAY." And then WCD hits hard, and you want to belt out the rock ballad in tears. Take note, nearby drivers do not want to see this! Just change the station immediately the next time you hear it.

I cannot just eat one of those Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. I always want another one - can anyone just eat one? And here is another diet thought that I discussed with a friend last week: Since Weight Watchers figures in how much fiber is in a food, can you make something worth ZERO points by adding a ton of Benefiber to it? And why is it impossible to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks? Because this is what I've been trying to do before my 10 year high school reunion, and it just hasn't worked. Sometimes, life just isn't fair.

Last time I was in Yoga class, the instructor kept saying "Just become one with your body. The process is about letting go of the thoughts in your mind, not thinking about the pain." But honestly, the thoughts running through my head at the time consisted of "Ouch....ouch....stupid instructor, way too hard...freaking downward dog, I hate you...that guy next to me is hot...not going to be able to walk tomorrow... wait, I think he's gay...OUCH." Does this sound familiar to anyone else? Anyone? Am I the only person that is incapable of focusing in Yoga class? Because sometimes, I think so.

Los Angeles is ON FIRE.

Today is a really sad day here in LA. A huge section (they are estimating 1,000 acres) is on fire in Griffith Park. Homes have been burned down, everyone is evacuating the area, and it's totally scary. Driving home from work today, it literally looked like WAR was going on in the distance. It's pretty unbelievable, I've never seen anything like it before...

Aboe is a picture from the news reports - in the forefront is Griffith Observatory, one of LA's finest cultural institutions.

Singing in the Car - Embrace it.

On the days that I teach, I end up spending about 40 minutes in the car to and from work. I actually don't mind it at all, because it gives me time to catch up on all of my phone calls and either wake up or unwind from the day. And I am well-known for my outrageously loud singing skills in the car anytime that a good song comes on the radio. On top of that, I have a horrible singing voice. Since starting my new commute, I've been caught so many times singing my head off in the car by total strangers next to me at a red light or on La Cienega. Obviously, the initial first reaction is to become embarrassed. But now, I've decided to embrace it and sing directly to the people watching. It makes for a really funny situation, trust me on this. I suggest this sociology lesson to everyone reading -- try it out and have fun with it.

To the black Acura at the corner of Washington, you weren't mistaken. I do wear my sunglasses at night.

YAY Pittsburgh.

Congratulations to Pittburgh. It was ranked #1 as the "most livable" city in the United States. Those of us that know it well aren't surprised at all. And, I love this quote -- it's so true:

"If Pittsburgh were situated somewhere in the heart of Europe, tourists would eagerly journey hundreds of miles out of their way to visit it." —Brendan Gill, The New Yorker

Pittsburgh rated “most livable” once again.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07116/781162-53.stm

Pittsburgh is back at No. 1 among Places Rated
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07115/781048-100.stm

Pittsburgh Ranked “Most Livable” City
http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_116072554.html

How now brown town?
http://www.economist.com/world/na/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=7914950

The City of Bridges
http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/bridges.aspx

Top 10 Unique Things to Pittsburgh
http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/30uniquepgh.aspx

Pittsburgh Rankings
http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=580

Pittsburgh Trivia
http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=587

Pittsburgh Outdoors
http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=588

What’s New in Pittsburgh
http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=71

Review - Tasca Wine Bar

Hot of the press...Here is the link:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3346

Unemployment in the City of Broken Dreams

So I was able to experience the glory of being unemployed for exactly one week out here in LA. And in thinking it over, I've decided that LA must have the highest percentage of people collecting unemployment in the nation. I have no idea if this is true, it's just my guess, but there are so many people out here doing absolutely NOTHING. Everyone of course is trying to do SOMETHING, but in their attempts, likely just go out every night and then spend all day at The Coffee Bean plugging away on their computers -- writing screenplays or just instead looking up people on myspace.

There is something about LA that sucks you into this mentality though. I was unemployed for a week, and honestly, if I could just find something to pay the rent, I realized that I would be completely happy doing nothing. By nothing of course I mean writing a little bit each morning, going to the gym, hanging out at Urth Cafe, taking a nap, and then going out later that night and/or watching movies on my couch. I think I'd really only feel that way in this town though (correction, I did feel that way in Avalon, NJ as well. To be expected, everyone that has been there completely understands).

But in every other major city in the country, you would be completely shunned for being this lazy. Can you imagine telling your banker friends in New York about your day? Here though, it's pretty much the norm. Is it a good mentality? Or completely irresponsible? Of course, I'm working again, so it doesn't matter anymore... but should I ever decide to jump ship, at least I know that I'm in the company of a lot of people that will understand, and will insist that living life this way is 100% OK.

Tanning in LA - where am I?

So I usually walk to my gym, which is right on Santa Monica Boulevard, in the heart of good old WeHo. Everyday (who am I kidding....maybe twice a week) when I go there, I pass by this super trendy tanning salon along the way. Over this past weekend, the tanning salon actually had a sign outside that read "Get your daily dose of Vitamin D today! Research proves that tanning provides Vitamin D, and getting your daily dose will help you to ward off skin cancer. New tanning packages available, discounts for all gym members. Come in today!"

Who is genius that came up with this ad campaign? I almost felt like I was being punked as a consumer. I mean, who would read this and actually buy a tanning package based on this sign created by a complete moron? The whole way it was marketed just really pissed me off, and I always think it's funny when little things like that bother me.

Sure Vitamin D does help, I'm not saying that it doesn't. But you need to be in the sunlight for about 5 minutes, wearing sunscreen. And isn't it sunny enough already, LA? The sun doesn't go away here, it actually becomes annoying after a while. Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine, BLAH.

Next time I see that sign, I'm kicking it over.

Everyone loves to spoon.

...even these guys.

Ta Da!

So here is the link to my first restaurant review!!! I don't think that it's my best work, but I didn't have a lot of time to write it. And I figure that it's probably a good thing that I will have room to improve as time goes on... Hard copies of Campus Circle are also available throughout SoCal -- 90,000 issues are distributed on college campuses, libraries, bookstores, music stores, etc. So grab one if you live here, and if not, just check out the links on the site:

http://www.campuscircle.net/review.cfm?r=3321

I'll be doing another restaurant review for next week, followed by a film review, and also will be working on a story about the comedy circuit here in LaLa over the next few weeks...

I must apologize now too for not writing as much on my blog. I'm sorry! Since I actually have real writing assignments now, they unfortunately take precedence. But I'll be sure to post something (including my articles) at least once or twice a week :)

Pictures from our Trip - as Promised!

Sorry that this took so long! Being unemployed this past week has made me completely lazy. (I can see how this would become addictive. Too bad I have to start a new job tomorrow). I didn't really feel like putting a caption in for each photo - so just know that our trip went from LA to Napa, Napa to San Francisco, San Francisco through Monterrey/Carmel to Big Sur, and Big Sur all the way down the PCH back to LA where we toured Paramount and got into some trouble.

Just copy and paste the link below into a new browser to see everything, I think that it should work:

http://www.photomax.com/web/mem_album_photo_slide_show.php?mal_id=943222

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

So this is the official posting about the changes going on in my life now -- some are familiar with them, others are not. Before I tell you, I must ask: Did anyone really EVER think that this blog would open up doors for me? Because I surely didn't, and still question why I even write on it at all. BUT I am proud to announce that Cmorg actually landed a freelance writing job from this stupid thing, by submitting it as a writing sample for an LA based publication. That's right, you are looking at one of California's newest film and restaurant critics!!! All freelance of course, which means that I've also picked up another job teaching EFL to international students at the largest language school in the entire world (because anything less would just be unimpressive). Lots of changes, and I could not be any more excited about them.

My first assignments will be crafted in the next two weeks, so I will be sure to either post some of them if I'm allowed.

HOLY CRAP, I'm actually going to be a published writer!!!!!

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Today at Century City Mall, we had a celeb sighting at lunchtime - it was Sanjaya Malakar, from American Idol. Sanjaya!!!!

He was spotted with a friend and a bodyguard, and was looking around to see how many people were looking at him. He is loving the spotlight right now. But a bodyguard...I mean, does Sanjaya really need a bodyguard? I guess all of the press is working for him. No crazy hair-do though - he had a hat on, so you could barely even see it! Good Luck Sanjaya, America LOVES you!

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

Driving through Sunset Plaza last week, we spotted Tara Reid outside of her new restaurant that just opened up, Ketchup. She was in a red dress, and honestly didn't look that bad from afar. I've seen the pictures of her on Perez though, so I know what lies underneath...! Her new restaurant sells $25 sloppy joe's and yahoo, it's apparently supposed to be a big hit. I think I'll take my chances at the 7-11 though!

Sightings and Celeb Scoop

I'm back from vacation, and it was wonderful! Such an amazing time, and I promise to post pictures from the entire trip down the coast as soon as I get my new computer later in the week. But in the meantime, let's talk about sightings and celeb scoop. On Tuesday of last week, I was lucky enough to get invited to the SCRUBS wrap party outside at The Roosevelt Hotel, and also had access into the exclusive late night party held in one of the cabanas. It was awesome, and here is some inside scoop from the party. 1. Zach Braff was completely wasted. I mean good on ya man, the season is over - live it up. But I found it hilarious how intoxicated he was... 2. Donald Faison is still dating Casey Cobb, Jessica Simpson's BFF/assistant. They are really cute together. She's super pretty in person, and refreshingly not that skinny. 3. Sarah Chalke is gorgeous in person, and likes to take her high heels off at parties like myself. I actually took mine off because I saw her do it. When in Rome, right? 4. Donald Faison also walked in on my going to the bathroom! Yep, forgot to lock the door, and he saw me half naked. AWESOME. 5. The really funny janitor on SCRUBS is a giant, and we actually saw him 2 nights in a row - he was seen the following night feasting on a large Mexican meal at El Compadre at a table nearby. 7. We got to watch the gag reel, which included a spoof on "dick in a box" that was one of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life.

Thanks to JS for hooking it up!! Such a great night!

Greetings from the Pacific Coast Highway

Even the best of bloggers need a vacation, and I plan to take one next week. I'll be heading out for another adventure along California's great roads - stops will include Napa, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Carmel, Monterrey, Big Sur, and Pismo Beach among others. Although I won't be writing on my blog all of next week, I do promise some great pictures and stories upon our return!!

HotEnough.org

Many nights, whether it be at the Jersey shore or out at a bar with friends, you find yourself so-called rating people. "9, that turns into a 3 when drunk" is a common label that I give to many of my guy friends.

We all know that there have been many debates about where you or I fall on the HOT scale, and someone is finally making bank by exploiting the idea. Why on earth did we not think of this sooner? (Members of The Barn '05, take note). Check out what is behind this new site, HotEnough.org.

http://www.hotenough.org/

This particular online dating site believes that not enough dating sites have actual good looking people on them. The creators believe that typically, they draw lonely and desperate people. For this site, you must submit 3 photos (one must be a full body shot) and then already existing members will rate you. You MUST be rated an 8 or higher in order to get membership, and then you can date freely for only $9.95/month. Shallow? Yes! Do we love it? Yes!!

You better believe that I am trying this out. I've heard all of my friends ratings (from looks to personality), but now let's ask the public who doesn't care about personality one bit! I will certainly keep you posted and let you know if I am HotEnough.

Some Sites to Check Out

There are so many websites out there, but I thought that I would talk today about a few of my favorites (other than celebrity blogs of course). So check these out if you are bored on the days that I don't blog:

http://la.eater.com/ (or http://www.eater.com/ if you are a Manhattanite) Best food/restaurant blog out there, a Zagat's online if you will, only a bit more critical.

http://www.sierraclub.org/ Check out your local chapter if you want to do something active and good for the planet!

http://www.realage.com/ Love it (thanks BB!) Take a look to see how your daily habits are really impacting your lifespan. Take the free test. Really, it's shocking!

http://www.zoominfo.com/ A site great for business networking.

http://www.raceplace.com/ If you are looking for a challenge...or just to finally put that New Year's Resolution into action (never too late!)

and last but not least, http://www.variety.com/ -- the Wall Street Journal of Hollywood.

The Crazy Naked Lady

On Friends, they had The Ugly Neighbor Guy. For us, we have The Crazy Naked Porn Lady. One of our neighbors (one floor up, directly caddy-corner from our apartment) in our West Hollywood/Sunset Strip neighborhood, lays out every Sunday morning completely naked on her nearby balcony. At first we though "well, maybe she doesn't realize that we can see her..." No, she KNOWS. I've come to the conclusion that she's a total exhibitionist. And she has the biggest fake boobs that I've ever seen. She seriously looks like she's going to tip over. The weirdest part about it though, is that sometimes, this little guy in a speedo comes out on the balcony as well, and starts taking pictures of her with the downtown LA landscape in the background. I think it's her boyfriend....? Maybe they are European? I dunno, but I can't decide if it's hilarious or completely offensive. Since sharing this story, I have obviously had multiple requests for early Sunday morning visits from all of my guy friends ;) And the answer is no, unless you want to make me breakfast in bed.

Sorry, no pictures for this post- Cmorg does not need to get sued.

The Secret (con't)

I just wanted to let everyone know that I actually did watch the DVD for The Secret. It was a bit different than what I expected, and very much along the lines of self-help. Seemed like a lot of Christian Science propaganda to me, but I guess I'll make the bold statement and say that I think that it's worthwhile to see. I will probably only take about 30% of what they were saying and apply it to my life. (I actually did like the idea of the gratitude rock a lot). I'm extremely cynical/critical of what people have to say, and this is certainly a good example. I think that The Secret is probably great for people that have never had any sort of belief system implemented in their life before. I, on the other hand, attended Catholic school until 7th grade and grew up in a family with a huge belief system. So I think at this point in my life, I'm pretty much grounded and have figured out what works for me and what doesn't. Some of the people though are completely nutty though on this video. So I say, watch it for that (to get a laugh here and there) and apply what works for you to your daily life.

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!