Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Happy 2010!
For the holidays, I decided I wanted to take a break from everything: work, chores, diet, cycling, and any sense of responsibility. Complete nothingness. And when I set my brain on determination, I get results: a body that's shaped more like a burrito and a goal to looks less like a burrito for the new year.
My holiday with the family was nice as always. Lots of musicless dancing and loud laughter. We ate plenty of good food and made jokes that only we would understand.
For NYE, my friends and I met in Santa Barbara where we stayed a huge house in the Santa Barbara mountains. We had our very own living room American Idol, games, and plenty of pajama time.
New Years Day, we all took a jaunt to Solvang to enjoy wine tasting and sweets and clogs. The day after, Mike and I went with bike pals, Dedrick and Jocelyn, on a lycra-clad ride through Santa Ynez passed cows and mini horses. Satisfied, we ate at the Los Olivos Cafe (a new favorite!) and then just chatted over coffee at the Corner House coffeeshop.
And now, here I am in my living room, basking in the memory of my uselessness as I keep up with emails and attempt to have brilliant ideas. I'm looking forward to the new year not really to bring something spectacular in my life (like say a flying car! i'm dealing with this disappointment currently), but to really let me align all the unaccomplished goals (like drinking more water!) from last year into a more linear pattern and eat them like i would a burrito.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Conversations with my Mother
During her brief visit to Southern California, I was able to tour her around my beachside neighborhood inbetween her classes at CalTech.
Conversation topics included:
- The nature of conformity
- How science can, indeed, be a waste of time
- Her new adventure excursion idea: Hunting wild boar in Tanzania, then cooking it. "A safari cookout! It's doable!"
oh, mother...
Conversation topics included:
- The nature of conformity
- How science can, indeed, be a waste of time
- Her new adventure excursion idea: Hunting wild boar in Tanzania, then cooking it. "A safari cookout! It's doable!"
oh, mother...
Saturday, December 12, 2009
My dear Santa list of unrealistic proportions
1. A taxidermy albino pheasant
2. Goyard Jeanne gm in black or green or blue
3. A big toenail since ive lost because of my stupid sidi bike shoes.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Rasta good Samaritan
This morning in front of my local coffeeshop in Venice, a hippy rasta who smelled homeless, helped me flag a bus for an old lady who was late to the bus stop.
Good to start the day with some good Karma rasta man!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Good to start the day with some good Karma rasta man!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Finally - a post about Mikey's Surprise Race Finish (photos by Lorenzo De Guia)
For Mikey's 30th birthday, I decided I wanted to make it special. But how? With a few co-conspirators, I was able to surprise him with a grand bicycle tour finish on one of his routine training rides. Here is a rough timeline and pictorial in order to prove to you that I pulled this off.
It all began with some vegans...
After a bicycle ride to PV, my bike buddies, Meghan, Gary and Roxy were all at Real Food Daily talking about this great prank we saw online. The one with the fake Tour de France finish. Then Roxy had a brilliant revelation... Mikey's birthday was coming up.
So the weeks passed. I emailed all of Mike's closest friends scheming. With the support of my good buddies, professional fun makers of Group STD, we were able to fine tune details such as a banner and props. With the help of Mikey's teammate, Spase (who was more than eager to be the token naked guy), I was able to coordinate a ride to "lure" Mikey into the finish, complete with video footage.
The night before, Spase made me a map:
Podium girls?
Yes, there is a Kalamazoo! (Mike's hometown) and here is our dapper photographer, Lorenzo.
After a bicycle ride to PV, my bike buddies, Meghan, Gary and Roxy were all at Real Food Daily talking about this great prank we saw online. The one with the fake Tour de France finish. Then Roxy had a brilliant revelation... Mikey's birthday was coming up.
So the weeks passed. I emailed all of Mike's closest friends scheming. With the support of my good buddies, professional fun makers of Group STD, we were able to fine tune details such as a banner and props. With the help of Mikey's teammate, Spase (who was more than eager to be the token naked guy), I was able to coordinate a ride to "lure" Mikey into the finish, complete with video footage.
The night before, Spase made me a map:
Podium girls?
The Prize
Here are the Group STD boys windproofing the banner...
Yes, there is a Kalamazoo! (Mike's hometown) and here is our dapper photographer, Lorenzo.
Gumby made an appearance! (secret: it's Jason). We had some downtime before Mikey showed up. (Aram was text messaging me along the ride to let me know how far they were... 20 mins away...) So Gumby provided us (and others passing by) with some entertainment!
Do some cartwheels!
Climb the tree!
For added entertainment, take the bullhorn!
Text message from Aram: 2 minutes away!
Get into position!
Waiting patiently. Why are you guys holding hands?
He's coming! Naked Spase (with an appropriate 30 written on his butt) alerts the support truck and then us and Gumby!
The post race interview
The obligatory champagne & silly string celebration
Mikey admitted to not know a thing. Despite the fact that EVERYONE knew. Success.
CREDITS: Thanks to Group STD (Rudy, Bongo, Marcus, Dario, Elaine, Melly), The Cyclists (Aram, Joe, Dedrick, Skylar), The Naked Guy (Spase), The guy who had to write "30" on Naked Guy's Butt (Daniel), Gumby (Jason), Action Face Poster (Meespace), Pikachu (Nathan), Podium girls (Cher & Lauren), Banner Boys (Pat & Brian), Eastsiders who woke up early to drive (Alxis & Newton, Jodi), Amazing photography (Lorenzo), the residents of Ocean Ave & San Vicente in Santa Monica, and Mikey for being such a sucker.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
roller hobos
I'm happy to observe the growing amount of homeless people wearing rollerskates in the metropolitan los angeles area.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
to the people who have blown someone's cover
intentional or unintentional, you have made a contribution to the world's wealth of knowledge. to unravel is to teach and i am more all knowing than i was a moment ago. this had come to me upon my recent feedback on zo's script, my late night attendance of the Hello Kitty goth masquerade ball, and well my recent discovery of my friend's super sleuth alterego.
revelations are interesting because of their instamatic double edged nature. for example, take former president bill clinton and his now infamous "i did not have sexual relations" chant to his then public remorse for the affairs with miss intern-of-the-90's monica lewinsky. the literal reveal = yes he was having sexual relations. the actual reveal = you already knew that! but wow did that suck for billy c. but come on, billy (no pun intended or was it), you have to admit that it was a burden off your shoulders.
now lets discuss unraveling of information when someone else does it for you. i've been watching tons of reality tv and talk shows recently. boy are they all about the "big reveal" and we most certainly are too. and these truths really pack a punch of drama! i too was rooting for gretchen and hating tamra after their internet blog fueled catfight (real housewives of oc). or even in top chef when the judges finally say who lost despite the fact that we ALREADY knew who would get the boot.
or when your teacher taught you that the sun was hot in science class, or that 1+1 +2, or within the process of writing a script, you learn so much about yourself it almost hurts. it's like a self-mutilation of sorts. at the goth party, it was just good to learn that behind the masks are probably freakier people, or just sweet ones. and as for my friend the art thief, there's just so much pride. so thank you, revealers/teachers, for letting me know my instincts are intact and performing perfectly.
revelations are interesting because of their instamatic double edged nature. for example, take former president bill clinton and his now infamous "i did not have sexual relations" chant to his then public remorse for the affairs with miss intern-of-the-90's monica lewinsky. the literal reveal = yes he was having sexual relations. the actual reveal = you already knew that! but wow did that suck for billy c. but come on, billy (no pun intended or was it), you have to admit that it was a burden off your shoulders.
now lets discuss unraveling of information when someone else does it for you. i've been watching tons of reality tv and talk shows recently. boy are they all about the "big reveal" and we most certainly are too. and these truths really pack a punch of drama! i too was rooting for gretchen and hating tamra after their internet blog fueled catfight (real housewives of oc). or even in top chef when the judges finally say who lost despite the fact that we ALREADY knew who would get the boot.
or when your teacher taught you that the sun was hot in science class, or that 1+1 +2, or within the process of writing a script, you learn so much about yourself it almost hurts. it's like a self-mutilation of sorts. at the goth party, it was just good to learn that behind the masks are probably freakier people, or just sweet ones. and as for my friend the art thief, there's just so much pride. so thank you, revealers/teachers, for letting me know my instincts are intact and performing perfectly.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Halloween In Hollyweird
We actually got into the Halloween spirit this year. We kicked off the weekend with a pumpkin party. Pumpkin carving, pumpkn beer, and pumpkin pie.
Note: Our friend from Macedonia, was new to Halloween. He didn't know where to get a pumpkin, so he brought a watermelon to carve. The melon was then coined the "Macedonian Pumpkin". It's 3rd from the right.
Here are Mike and I getting ready for the 6th Annual Demonic Duplex Affair. He is a zombie and I am a creepy ghost girl. You know like the ones in all those horror movies.
Here I am with maximum creepiness.
I've included Lorenzo's Joaquin Phoenix costume because it was just that cool.
Note: Our friend from Macedonia, was new to Halloween. He didn't know where to get a pumpkin, so he brought a watermelon to carve. The melon was then coined the "Macedonian Pumpkin". It's 3rd from the right.
Here are Mike and I getting ready for the 6th Annual Demonic Duplex Affair. He is a zombie and I am a creepy ghost girl. You know like the ones in all those horror movies.
Here I am with maximum creepiness.
I've included Lorenzo's Joaquin Phoenix costume because it was just that cool.
With Lorenzo, his costumes are only part of a performance. Here he is in the height of his method performance as Phoenix at the DDA party. Passed out. Stanislavsky would have been proud. Other partygoers took photos with his unconscious, but well dressed, self.
Here are our gracious DDA hosts. This year's theme was Street Fighter. The entire duplex was turned into the video game.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Brain Barf Worthy of Twitter
Latest unexpected office: La Cita Bar at 4am on a Sunday (for Daughtry video)
Newest Halloween costume idea: "Where do I get a gun for a leg?"
Favorite Snack of the Moment: Dried cranberries
Actual Favorite Snack of the Moment: Vegan Chocolate Rugula and Taco Bell. Tied
Newest Halloween costume idea: (Related to previous statement) Santa
My 3rd Best Bike: My Old road bike better known as "El Dirto"
Most Recent Favorite New Rainy Day Activity: Running in place next to Mike on his bike trainer pretending to be a crazy fan in the Tour De France
Pep's Quote of the Day: "Thoughts Become Things!"
Movie I would Like to Watch: Where the Wild Things Are, but right now.
Somewhere out there I believe that there is a man named Barack on Facebook thinking the same thing I am: Which Friends character am I? What?! Ross?!
Newest Halloween costume idea: "Where do I get a gun for a leg?"
Favorite Snack of the Moment: Dried cranberries
Actual Favorite Snack of the Moment: Vegan Chocolate Rugula and Taco Bell. Tied
Newest Halloween costume idea: (Related to previous statement) Santa
My 3rd Best Bike: My Old road bike better known as "El Dirto"
Most Recent Favorite New Rainy Day Activity: Running in place next to Mike on his bike trainer pretending to be a crazy fan in the Tour De France
Pep's Quote of the Day: "Thoughts Become Things!"
Movie I would Like to Watch: Where the Wild Things Are, but right now.
Somewhere out there I believe that there is a man named Barack on Facebook thinking the same thing I am: Which Friends character am I? What?! Ross?!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
3rd ++ Bike Life
Living on the Westside (of LA) has a huge benefit to me and Mike. BIKING IS EVERYWHERE.
Southern California just happens to have the most competitive and best cycling racing resources in the nation. Most likely due to our endless perfect weather. Here on the westside we have the benefit of being able to ride along the beach uninterrupted and car free, so needless to say but I will say anyway, Mike and I ride all the time.
I've become more aggressive about my training. I hope to not only improve as a rider, but to also compete in the 2010 racing season as a Cat 4 racer. It's taken quite a bit of effort: getting up at 5:30am, sleeping early (it's harder than you think!), riding roughly 20 miles everyday (with some days off) and watching what I eat*
* I eat closely to the Paleo diet. Lots of natural foods with as little processing as possible. Lots of proteins and lots of vegetables. Avoid dairy and starches. Don't worry, I get carbs from vegetables. When I have a good long ride, I allow myself to enjoy some bread.
I've signed up for the velo club, La Grange. I am very excited to join their team and come close to keeling over during their group rides. Mike signed me up for their last team race of the season- Piuma. It is an 8 mile climb with 2250 of elevation gain. OUCH! We'll see how I do.
Mike's a cat 4 racer with a stringent routine. It worked, so now he's too fast to bring me along on his training rides. We ride together when he's recovering (aka forced to go slow). During these rides, he leads me out and lets me practice sprints and makes me chase him on attacks. It's another form of torture, but I enjoy the results. My sprints started at a humorous 20mph but are now improving to 27mph. We'll see how much I improve over time.
Tomorrow, I will be working while thousands from the southland go ride with Lance Armstrong. I will be jealous. But then, so will Lance because he will miss out on my new triangle skills (*see post on production)
Southern California just happens to have the most competitive and best cycling racing resources in the nation. Most likely due to our endless perfect weather. Here on the westside we have the benefit of being able to ride along the beach uninterrupted and car free, so needless to say but I will say anyway, Mike and I ride all the time.
I've become more aggressive about my training. I hope to not only improve as a rider, but to also compete in the 2010 racing season as a Cat 4 racer. It's taken quite a bit of effort: getting up at 5:30am, sleeping early (it's harder than you think!), riding roughly 20 miles everyday (with some days off) and watching what I eat*
* I eat closely to the Paleo diet. Lots of natural foods with as little processing as possible. Lots of proteins and lots of vegetables. Avoid dairy and starches. Don't worry, I get carbs from vegetables. When I have a good long ride, I allow myself to enjoy some bread.
I've signed up for the velo club, La Grange. I am very excited to join their team and come close to keeling over during their group rides. Mike signed me up for their last team race of the season- Piuma. It is an 8 mile climb with 2250 of elevation gain. OUCH! We'll see how I do.
Mike's a cat 4 racer with a stringent routine. It worked, so now he's too fast to bring me along on his training rides. We ride together when he's recovering (aka forced to go slow). During these rides, he leads me out and lets me practice sprints and makes me chase him on attacks. It's another form of torture, but I enjoy the results. My sprints started at a humorous 20mph but are now improving to 27mph. We'll see how much I improve over time.
Tomorrow, I will be working while thousands from the southland go ride with Lance Armstrong. I will be jealous. But then, so will Lance because he will miss out on my new triangle skills (*see post on production)
2nd -- A move to the beach
I've moved from the busy hills of Hollywood to Venice, CA and I can't complain.
I've got the Pacific Ocean as a neighbor and we're on very good terms.
The weirdos that reside here manage to make me feel more normal.
I've got the Pacific Ocean as a neighbor and we're on very good terms.
The weirdos that reside here manage to make me feel more normal.
First off -- my return to production
You know that feeling of coming home and plopping onto the couch to watch tv after a long day? That was what it felt like to jump back into commercial/music video production. So far so good, LA is picking up from a long and difficult slump and I'm enjoying every moment.
In the few weeks I've spent laughing and hustling at work, I've collected a few moments that I will probably never forget. So meaningful to me that I'll tell you twice, unknowingly. (I do that a lot)
1. Under only the 100+ degree heat of the sun, I manage to get lost in a Cadillac graveyard just outside Devils Punchbowl in the desert. I managed to follow the giant ants to their anthill that happened to be right next to my car. The size of the ant hill was near the size of my tire!
2. SNL alum, Jim Breuer, sang a bar of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" in my presence with accompanied double fist pumps. Highlight of the night, really! (note: he's extremely cool. i wish he came to my bbqs)
3. I learned how to play the triangle in a "cool Latin way" from DMB's Carter Beauford. (the happiest nicest man alive!) And offered my services if ever they needed another triangle player.
I can only hope that it keeps on going!
In the few weeks I've spent laughing and hustling at work, I've collected a few moments that I will probably never forget. So meaningful to me that I'll tell you twice, unknowingly. (I do that a lot)
1. Under only the 100+ degree heat of the sun, I manage to get lost in a Cadillac graveyard just outside Devils Punchbowl in the desert. I managed to follow the giant ants to their anthill that happened to be right next to my car. The size of the ant hill was near the size of my tire!
2. SNL alum, Jim Breuer, sang a bar of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" in my presence with accompanied double fist pumps. Highlight of the night, really! (note: he's extremely cool. i wish he came to my bbqs)
3. I learned how to play the triangle in a "cool Latin way" from DMB's Carter Beauford. (the happiest nicest man alive!) And offered my services if ever they needed another triangle player.
I can only hope that it keeps on going!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Solar Eclipse = Change
In this economic climate, I can't help but look to less scientific explanations for certain hardships. In this case, it's astrology. Susan Miller 's astrology.
During the solar eclipse, or eclipses in general, astrologers believe that huge changes are made in our lives.
Certain changes did occur. And now I just have to have faith that these changes have done for the better. After all, the moon was just passing through following its own path..just happened to get in the way for a little.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Introducing my new fixie, the Ultimately Girly Gidget Bike
It may be smaller than other bikes, but it's loved just as much!
Built by Mike, it's my new toy that been in the making for months (thanks to Orange 20 and LA Brakeless). Ready to roll!
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