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Woke up yesterday feeling like death warmed over and sad because I love Halloween and now I knew I wouldn't be having a great one. I still used part of my planned costume and headed over to take the little guy trick-or-treating. There was no way I was missing that much cuteness, and he did deliver. He was dressed as Bumblebee from Transformers, and his mom dressed as a witch. I was a fallen angel, and then his other parental unit and crushguy just came as themselves. He collected quite a haul in the two hours we were out and then graciously shared with us. I excused myself afterwards to come home and die, and while I was circling around hunting for parking (I live far too close to the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival (attended by 40,000+ every year), the guy proceeded to say some very sweet and kind things by text, that brightened my evening, even while feeling like death warmed over. So, who know what it is that he and I are doing, but it seems to be going along okay. Today I need to venture out for real food, but am not sure what I want to have. Tags: crushes, halloween, sick
Current Location: United States, California, Santa Ana
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This weekend, while hiding from reality and life, I caught a couple of cheesy movies: First was Love Happens, starring the always fascinating, Aaron Eckhart and the almost always forgettable Jennifer Aniston. It was about what I expected...Mr. Eckhart out acting and performing everyone off the screen and doing his best to overcome a cheesy script. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Dan Fogler, which makes this the second movie this summer he's surprised me in. The first was Taking Woodstock. The second was Fame, because I can't resist a cheesy dance movie, and this one (while not as good as the original), did have some fun dance sequences. It was a more sanitized version of the original movie. The original's a bit darker. The newcomers did a decent enough job. Afterwards, I had lunch out. Tags: life, movies
Current Location: United States, California, Los Angeles
Current Mood:  blank
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For the past several weeks, I've been very good about not eating out at lunch and instead having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a side dish, as well. Today, I shall break that plan, mostly because I'm out of peanut butter and didn't make it to the store. Yet while I am going to end up being indulgent in my lunch plans, I'm trying not to be overly crazy indulgent. Perhaps I'll go to Magianno's and just enjoy some decent Italian. I always like a good meal there. The office is driving me a little bonkers these days. Mostly because I feel like I do everyone else's work but mine so that my own work suffers and then I feel like punching everyone else in the face. Other than that, not much is new. I need to move though, so I'm contemplating signing up for Westside Rentals to just see what's out there. Tags: hunger, life, randomness
Current Location: United States, California, Pacific Palisades
Current Mood:  bouncy
Current Music: the clicking of keyboards
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Had the fun of attending BlizzCon for both pleasure and work this weekend. My client is the voice of Jim Raynor in Starcraft I and the upcoming II, so he was appearing on a panel where there was a surprise guest, who we found out was Ms. Tricia Helfer, of Number Six on Battlestar Galactica fame:  Wow, according to her current IMDB, she is working up a storm in addition to her voice-work as Kerrigan/Queen of Blades in the upcoming Starcraft II. She was very nice, and tall...very tall, but what I loved was that why she was tiny, she didn't look unhealthily thin, which is always great to see in an actress in LA. The voice cast on the game is actually going to be great. Robert and Tricia (Raynor and Kerrigan), are joined by the wonderful Dave Fennoy, James Harper, Neil Kaplan, and Fred Tatasciore. All of them were incredibly nice men and fun to interact with while escorting Robert on Saturday. WoW Cataclysm looks exciting, and the Worgen might be enough to make me actually want to play. Diablo 3 though just makes me want to play it more and more every time I learn more about it, too. And of course, I now am the proud owner of a Murky the Murloc plushie, because it was just too cute to resist. All in all a good, but not overly restful weekend, and of course, now I really have to do laundry. Tags: blizzcon, life
Current Location: United States, California, Pacific Palisades
Current Mood:  chipper
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Tonight I saw a preview of Farragut North, which is having it's West Coast premiere. Typically, it's not a play I would normally rush out to see because it's centered on politics and a political campaign. Here's the official blurb: Set against the backdrop of a close presidential race, Stephen ( Star Trek 's Chris Pine) is a young press secretary working for a fast-rising candidate. With confidence and power beyond his years, he’s convinced that he and seasoned campaign manager, Paul ( Sex & the City 's Chris Noth), can steer their team into the west wing without breaking a sweat. But before the polls close at the primaries, Stephen’s perceived invincibility is shattered as he falls prey to backroom politics, the manipulations of veteran operatives and the wiles of a seductive young intern ( Juno 's Olivia Thirlby). With quick-witted banter and an inside look into the world of politics, Farragut North is a timely tale of hubris, loyalty and the lust for power.The production was actually the same as premiered in NY, only with a few cast changes, Chris Pine in the lead and the female reporter. Aside from Chris Pine, who was the lead, My favorite performances were actually from Isiah Whitlock, Jr and Olivia Thirlby. They were both very compelling. As a whole, I didn't have any issues with anyone's acting performances. My only issues were with the play itself. If I can guess ahead and see what's coming, I don't love the play. Also, it was about politics. I also felt a bit like Chris Noth was phoning it in, which is interesting because Olivia and Isiah performed these roles in the NY production, as well, and they were compelling. The show is still finding its feet a bit, but it's early in previews. The costuming, staging and lighting design were all great. The set was very minimalist, but it kind of had to be due to all the locations. The entire technical crew did an excellent job. Check it out if you like if you're in LA. Tags: theater
Current Mood:  sleepy
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At E3 today, I was wandering through the Nintendo booth, which is always a treat. And when the booth girl asked me if I wanted to play Tiger Woods Golf 10, I said sure! She set it up for me handed me the new Wii Motion Plus controller and I shot an Eagle on the first hole. I decided that I'd used up all my luck right there and thanked her and was done. I also watched some people play Blur, enjoyed the demo of the new Super Mario Bros. for the Wii, and the new Wii Sports Resort. I like the sword slashing game in the Wii Sports Resort. Then I watched a bit of G4 taping their live coverage (it's live on the East Coast) and enjoyed the eye candy of Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn. Then the day took a turn for a bit worse. When I went to the mixer a colleague had invited me to, it seemed my RSVP didn't take, though I did in fact RSVP and the lady in charge of the event was pretty rude and said they were at capacity and that talent agencies weren't supposed to be there, anyway. I had been invited by one of the sponsors of the event and did in fact send in an RSVP e-mail, but it was very apparent that this woman was not going to let me in. So, I left and headed home early. What perplexed me a bit was that my initial reaction was hurt rather than mad that I was being treated this way. Tags: e3
Current Mood:  tired
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Your result for The Social Persona Test (What kind of man/woman are you?)...
The Librarian (QTBF)Quirky Traditional Beta Female 
You know the story--The quiet, smart girl who emerges from her shell to become the new queen bee. Nothing wrong with nerdy girls, in fact there aren't enough of you. Your best match is The Late Bloomer, as he once was the male version of you. You are more QUIRKY than NORMAL. You are more TRADITIONAL than LIBERAL. You are more PASSIVE than DOMINANT. When picking a date, consider: The Late Bloomer (QTAM), The Lord of the Misfits (QLAM), The Snowball's Chance in Hell (QTBM), The Suit (NTAM), or The Altar Boy (NTBM). Avoid: The Frat Boy (NLAM) (Image from theblackspiderman.com)
Take The Social Persona Test (What kind of man/woman are you?) at HelloQuizzy
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Today I ducked out of work a bit early to go get in line to have Russell Brand sign my copy of his memoir, "My Booky Wook." Russell is best known by American audiences from his role as Aldous Snow in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," but he was quite famous in Britain before that. The memoir is surprisingly well done, and nakedly honest about himself. So much that it's almost brave to put all that out there about oneself. I bought it and read it a few months back. He's a wildly free spirit, but quite brilliant in his own way. And after waiting about two hours or more he arrived and then spent 20 minutes wandering through the rest of the line and commiserating with them for not being able to hear the Q&A/Reading. Once he got back to the table where he was signing he climbed up and sat cross-legged on it and talked back and forth with the audience a bit before reading two sections of his book. Then he started signing books. As I watched both the crowd (and it is an eclectic mix) and him, I was struck by how open and genuine he is with his fan base. Not only is he truly enjoying the ride, he's very kind and giving of himself to his fans. Most people don't realize it, but it is actually quite hard to be actively present and in the moment for an extended period of time. Yet, I watched as person after person approached, and Russell would focus solely upon them, with direct contact, and give them a moment of genuine connection with him. He'd hug the men and hug and kiss the ladies, and autograph a book, but as I was watching it happen (and I watched a good hour or so as the line was winding along), I never saw him not sincere in his caring and connection with each individual. That's truly giving of himself to his fans and it was quite lovely. So, when it was my turn, after my kiss on the cheek and a hug (which by the way everyone was standing withing a 1 foot distance of him, as he was sitting on the table with his legs hanging off...he'd often trap someone with his legs on either side of their body as he talked), I mentioned to him how I thought he had such a beautiful spirit. He thanked me and looked directly at me (which does make me uncomfortable when anyone does it, not just Russell Brand), and sincerely thanked me. It was worth the 3+ hours of line waiting and Barnes & Nobles's abysmal crowd management skills. Enjoy two of my favorite men below: Tags: comedy, life, russell brand, stalking
Current Location: home
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Archbishop Desmond Tutu is on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Or rather he was last night, because I'm watching my recording of it, and the Archbishop is absolutely delightful. He has an infectious laugh! He's absolutely honest and sincere, but mostly human. I don't typically care for clergymen, but he is interesting. He just Shhh'd Craig Ferguson, and it was great. Today at work, I got to escape the office and take out a voice director for lunch before he let me watch the entire afternoon session. Three of my clients were scheduled for the afternoon, and it was a blast to watch them do their job so beautifully. It was also quite a learning experience for me, because the voice director was so kind about letting me stick my nose into his business and watch his notation, see how the scripts were prepared, etc. Tags: life, work
Current Mood: happy
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Why can I not just have a good time with a group of gaming friends and not develop a school girl fixation on one of them? There's a great group of folks that get together every so often to play games, and I always have a lovely time. Unfortunately, my mind seems to revert to twelve at times when I'm speaking with one of the guys. He's slightly quiet, yet an alpha male, good with guns, strong, a rock-n-roll type, and a bit kinky (from what I can tell), absolutely fascinating to me, and not anywhere close to in my league. So much that after heading towards my car and stowing my bags of games, I wandered back over to talk with him as he was standing outside smoking a cigarette. It was not exactly relaxed behavior, but maybe I'm assuming too much in thinking a guy would even pay attention to that. He's sweet, and polite and chatted with me for a bit, but he was probably just being nice. Eventually I wizened up to my behavior and said goodnight and came home to beat my head against the wall. I think most of the time, I don't display the behavior of the twelve year old inside my brain, but at times, I'm sure I do. I need to remember to not sit next to this guy while we're game playing anymore. I'm sure I'll be less obvious if there's greater physical distance. Tags: crushes, life
Current Location: home
Current Mood: sleepy
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I just had the best breakfast I've had since I left the South at The Griddle Cafe, which is on Sunset just West of Fairfax. It's hardly a secret that this place is delicious, but I had never partaken of their offerings. My choice was the waffle with a side of bacon, cooked well done. It arrived and was scrumptious. The waffle was just the right size, not too large, and dusted with powdered sugar, with a dollop of real butter in the middle. Once that was evenly spread across the waffle, I drizzled it in the 100% pure maple syrup that they serve at the establishment, and delicious-ness was achieved. The company at the counter was excellent and friendly, and the place was packed since it was a Sunday morning. I had the treat of sitting next to Mr. Leslie Jordan, best known as Beverly Leslie on <a href="http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0157246/>Will & Grace</a>, but in reality he's been working for years and years. After Leslie left, a nice fellow named John sat down and we had a casual chat.
It's hard to get across how non-LA talking with the people around you actually is...it's very rare for strangers to talk to each other in this city. I've often said that Los Angeles is one of the most isolating cities that I've ever been in. People just aren't overly friendly here, and that is especially true in my industry. I'm sure it doesn't help that we spend so much time in our cars.
So this was an unexpected treat this morning...good company, great food and I left with a smile on my face. Current Mood: happy
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There's something about Bradley Cooper that I find compelling. He's not the physical type of a man I'd customarily find attractive, so it's something about his personality or what he brings to his performances. I saw He's Just Not That Into You, and he was great in it. As was Justin Long, who I have always enjoyed...back to his geekier days. It was also nice to see Ben Affleck in such a likeable, warm role again. The movie itself was just kind of eh, okay, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Currently, I'm indulging my Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams fascination with a dose of The Notebook on cable. Tags: movies
Current Location: home
Current Mood: sleepy
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Neil Patrick Harris is a comedy god. I indulged in the first three seasons of How I Met Your Mother, which he is fantastic in. Part of what makes him great is that even with the outlandish nature of the role, no matter how over the top Barney is, there is a little kernel of honest heart at the core of the character. He's brilliant at what he does on the show. I can also say he's brilliant in dramatic roles as well, because I had the distinct pleasure of seeing him in the Geffen Playhouse's production of "All My Sons" by Arthur Miller.  It was an all-star cast, but he was incredible. And gorgeous....the man keeps in shape! Today I hit an after-Christmas sale and picked up seven tops for $75, which is a score. On the way home, I stopped at Claim Jumper, and had a surreal dining experience, but in a good way. I had ordered their Garlic Cheese Toast (the entire reason I go to Claim Jumper) and then spaghetti with meat balls. Well, unbeknownst to me, their spaghetti sauce is more like chunks of tomatoes and very dry, and in my opinion, not really a sauce. I ate a little of the pasta, but didn't eat much at all. Then the manager came by and asked me how everything was...and since I hesitated before saying it was fine, he delved deeper. I explained my tomato issues, and he was very apologetic, no matter how many times I said it was fine because it was just my personal taste that was wrong, the food was fine. I guess I wasn't clear when I told him that I wanted to take my garlic cheese toast home, because he threw both away, after taking them both off my bill. He asked if there was anything else he could get for me, and I said no, that I was going to have some dessert. When I asked about my garlic cheese toast (not realizing he'd thrown it away), he apologized and had them make another order of it for me to take to go. In the end my bill was $6.17, my cupcake and tea being the only thing on my check, no matter how much I protested. I tipped my server on what the bill would be, of course, and got the manager's name so I could compliment him to his boss. So, if you're in Monrovia, CA...go eat at Claim Jumper. They'll treat you well. Tags: life, restaurants, tv shows
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This morning I awoke and immediately grabbed a sweatshirt because it was chilly. I don't like heaters...my heater in this apartment specifically is loud, so I turn it off when I go to bed. This is rarely an issue in Los Angeles, since I have a warm, cozy down comforter to sleep under. One of my co-workers had baked me some banana nut bread, which I saved for breakfast this morning. I enjoyed that while opening presents from my family. My mother sent me a nice skirt and blouse, and my sister and her husband sent me Lost Season 4 on DVD and Gilmore Girls Season 7 on DVD along with two hand-crafted bowls from their honeymoon in Portugal. After an indulgent shower, I headed to the Century City mall to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I'm assuming the parking overseers didn't want to pay anyone holiday pay, because they had all the gates up and parking was free. The movie was beautifully made and I enjoyed seeing it. I'd have enjoyed there being less people in the theater, but we can't always get what we want. Afterwards, I had pancakes with bacon at IHOP, because they're open before heading back home and playing Mario Kart and Wii Sports (I'm trying to be competent at Tennis....and failing) and reading a book. Overall, it was a relaxing day and a peaceful Christmas Day. I'm trying to be better at updating. Eartha Kitt and Harold Pinter...who's the third? Tags: life
Current Mood:  calm
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Today I was sprung from work very early at the lovely hour of 11 AM. I headed to a friend's apartment and hung out there for a bit while they finished something up and then drove around town for a bit discovering that both of the restaurants that I wanted to have dinner at were closed. A quick call to the fabulous Jesse Mackey informed me that Amalfi was indeed opening for dinner later, so I dragged the aforementioned friend to see Doubt. I've never seen the play, but I loved the entire cast. I enjoyed the movie, but it is weighty subject matter for Christmas Eve. Afterwards, I proceeded to have one of the most fabulous meals I've had in a long time at Amalfi. My friend Jesse was my server and I felt like a spoiled princess, which is rare for me. He even had the bartender make me hot chocolate, which is definitely not on their menu. He's a gem, that one. Next I headed back to friend's apartment, hung out for a bit before heading home. And since it's almost Christmas Day here in my time zone, I'll take a moment to wish you all the merriest of holidays, whichever holiday you might be settling. Hopefully, if you're important in my life you already know how I feel, but if not...I truly, deeply care. Current Location: home
Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Adele "Make You Feel My Love"
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I just got back from a showing of The Reader, starring Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, and a fearless performance by young David Kross. The only qualm I had about the film was that I wasn't sure I enjoyed the story at the end of it. That's no fault of the filmmaker, but perhaps the source material. I had forgotten how beautiful Ralph Fiennes really is. He so often plays villains or complex, not so nice people, that I forget that he is a beautiful man. As a actor, he layers his performances so deeply, that I sit back in awe. Kate Winslet is very honest and raw, and so generous in her scenes with David Kross, who is fearless and lets emotions play across his face beautifully. I hope he has a long career ahead of him. Current Mood:  sore
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