I Couldn't Sleep...

I Couldn't Sleep...
Originally uploaded by DrSilver

Of all the photos I took the last time I was in St. Louis, this is the one I really like. The funny thing - this was a random shot I took from inside my hotel room. I was having a hard time falling asleep so I started to chat with a friend on the phone. While sitting on the hotel room floor, leaning against the bed, I was inspired to take a picture of the view from my window.

This photo is actually unedited; the reflection is straight from camera. I needed a steady surface to get the long exposure so I used the glass tabletop sitting right there by the window and Voila!

So what's the deal? Well, I've been thinking about how my October has come and gone. It's been a fairly hellacious 30 days for me with leardership change and a big project launch happening all at the same time at work. I haven't really had a chance to stop and catch my breath.

Tonight, I just want to slow down and turn down the volume. This picture sums up what I want to see and feel. I'm sad that I didn't get to enjoy my favorite month because of all the distractions. But now, maybe I'll be able to give November a chance to vie for my affection.

I started my first blog on October 31, 2006 and I guess I'm still a bit sentimental about my blogging anniversary date. In any case, I wish all my friends a very Happy Halloween and my fiends a smashing time (you know who you are).

What’s been on My Mind?

I know I’ve been terrible with keeping up my blog. Unfortunately, things have been quite hectic the last few weeks. I did, however, manage to finish a short story (a very short one) couple of weeks ago and was a bit surprised with the responses I’ve received.

Without having to explain myself (and please don’t ask me), I posted this short story under a pseudonym that is special to me. The story is written with a male bend on the point of view, although it was never really clarified in the story. But I digress…

I was completely surprised to find 8 direct messages from women responding to my short story quite enthusiastically. Some of them contained very graphically persuasive words, while others had personal information that is deemed “unsafe” to share with a stranger. I did not know how to respond to them since they were clearly responding to who they think is a man.

So this got me thinking about a whole lot of things but three things prevail over all the others:

1. Women on the internet are very aggressive, desperate or both
2. I make a better guy than I do a girl (since I’ve never elicited such zestful responses as myself)
3. These people could possibly be men pretending to be girls responding to a girl pretending to be a guy

Needless to say, all these things depress the heck out of me. I guess that serves me right for not being truthful with my readers about my identity, but what’s the fun in that.

To see a copy of the short story, click here.

My Gourmet Grilled Cheese

I'm sorry I forgot to post a Get Ready for the Weekend Wednesday item yesterday. The holiday threw me off schedule and I completely forgot it was Wednesday yesterday. In any case, I thought it would be good to shake things up a little bit so I'm trying something different this time.
I am a very fortunate person because we have a GREAT dining center at work. Last week, I ordered a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich with tomato basil bisque soup and was completely blown away by the meal's quality. It was one of the best lunches I've had EVER.

Since I have a bit of an obsessive-compulsive thing when it comes to food, I searched high and low for a recipe that will help me duplicate my grilled cheese dining experience. Unable to find one, I went ahead and created my own.

I'm sharing my recipe below (thanks, Jen for suggesting) just so I can get some variety in my posting. If you're going to try the recipe, let me know how you like it. If you're going to make a variation, let me know of that too so we can all improve.

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Two slices of Yellow Texas Toast bread (very thick slices)
2 slices of Medium Cheddar cheese
2 slices of Medium Colby cheese
2 slices of Applewood Smoked Bacon or Center Cut Bacon
4 thin slices of Granny Smith apple
½ teaspoon (or less) of orange marmalade
Soft Butter or Whipped Butter

Cook the bacon in the microwave to your liking. For this sandwich, I prefer to have my bacon just done and not crispy.

I butter the outside of my bread first and lay the bread slices, butter side down, on wax paper.

The sandwich assembly is the key part of this. Layer cheddar slice on top of each bread piece then top with slice of colby. Put the bacon pieces in a criss-cross pattern on top of one side; arrange the apple slices on the other side. Spread a little bit of orange marmalade on top of the apple slices, then put the sandwich together.

Cook your sandwich in your preferred method (I personally use a sandwich/panini press). Eat the sandwich while it's still hot with tomato soup or a glass of milk. Enjoy!

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Let's Dance Edition

I'm looking forward to the fall season of So You Think You Can Dance starting next week, so my head is full of leaps, twirls, jazz hands, high kicks and booty shaking. In honor of my love for dance and all sorts of body movements, let's see what's going on in the world of dance this weekend.

iConnect at the Ford Ampitheatre

You know, hip hop dancing is not really what you think it is. It truly is a very challenging and legitimate art form. The Culture Shock LA Dance Troupe has put together a very today look at communication via digital touchpoints with a very "young" dance genre. Don't take my word for it - here's what they say about the show:

Dance for the digital age. Hip hop artists from Culture Shock L.A. stake out the frontier where technology and human interaction collide. Download an evening of brave new dance!

When: Friday, September 4 at 8:30 PM
Where: Ford Amphitheatre on Cahuenga Blvd.
Click here for more details


A Hopeless Chance to See a Legend Up Close

Mikhail Baryshnikov! He's starting his tour of Three Solos and a Duet with Ana Laguna right in our backyard. Unfortunately, the show has been sold out for a while and it's a bit steep for my meager budget. However, if you're fortunate enough to have connections, I highly recommend you see the show.

When: Saturday, September 5 at 7:30 PM
Where: Broad Theatre at Santa Monica College
Click here for more details


Let's Put Some Spice to Your Weekend

From a very young genre with young, upcoming dancers to classic ballet with a legend. Dance is very diverse and we will need a full month to explore every aspect of it. I just want you to get a taste of the different flavors of dance so I highly recommend this next pick.

If you've never gone to see flamenco dancing, I highly encourage you go to Forever Flamenco! This show has been going on a while at the Fountain Theatre. This venue is perfect for this type of dance - it's small (about 75 seats), intimate and the acoustics are great. You get the full effect of flamenco's passion, sensuality and intimacy the way it was meant to be experienced. It's not like watching it while you're waiting for your tapas to be served, amid a lot of noise, commotion and other distractions.

When: Every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month (This Sunday, 9/6 is the first Sunday of September)
Where: Fountain Theatre on Fountain Ave. & Normandie
Click here for more details

I know this is a long holiday weekend for a lot of people. Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend, stay safe and keep on dancing. Just to get you pumped out, play the music below and get moving! See you next week.

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Let’s Go to Japan Edition

I’m on a Los Angeles walking tour fever this month. I won’t bore you to death with the details of the Little Tokyo Walking Tour here but I will mention a couple of other LA spots where you can enhance your Japanese experience.

UCLA Hannah Carter Japanese Garden

This estate donated to the University of California in 1965 is located about one mile north of the UCLA campus. It occupies one acre of the Belair community and is a true Los Angeles gem. The garden is only open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10AM to 3PM. Admission is free but a reservation is required. I highly recommend this Japanese garden. For more information, please go to http://www.japanesegarden.ucla.edu/.

Let’s Eat

If you want to experience affordable great Japanese dining, go to Yamato. This restaurant has several locations in the LA and OC area. They have a location right on Westwood, so it’s very convenient for you to make a stop after your visit to the Japanese Garden. I’m not a sushi eater but my friends say sushi here is good (we’ll have to take their word for it). I can personally recommend almost everything on their regular and teppanyaki dinner menus. Very delicious!

A Japanese Version of Little Mermaid

Catch an early evening showing of Ponyo at the Landmark Regent theatre (located a block away from the Yamato Westwood restaurant). This updated version of “The Little Mermaid” is written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who also directed other Japanese animated classics Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. According to Lisa Schwarzbaum (Entertainment Weekly), Miyazaki’s retelling of this classic story transforms it to a “parable about keeping a planet in balance, and a vision of multigenerational love.” How can you not want to see that?

Little Tokyo Walking Adventure

I still want to encourage you to go on a docent-led or self-guided walking tour of historic Little Tokyo. You start the tour at the Japanese American National Museum on East First Street and you’ll see the “Go for Broke” monument, a replica of an old fire lookout tower, several Buddhist temples, and so much more. Click here for more information.

Sorry No Weekend Wednesday Post Today

I've had a tremendously challenging week (even though it's just Wednesday). Lots of changes ahead, work is piling up, hitting deadlines, school's starting, and a whole lot of other excuses. When you're stressed and emotions are high, that's when you should take time out. Unfortunately, getting ready for the weekend requires a lot of work, which requires a lot of time that I don't really have. This weekend's focus will be quiet, intimacy, peace and relaxation. I
encourage you to do the same - read a book, work on a hobby, take a walk or hang with your family. Take a break even from your weekend and just breath. See you next Wednesday and enjoy.

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Update on 8/21/09

If you're in L.A., the Hollywood Outdoor Cinema is showing Fight Club tonight. Fun events start at 7:30 PM and the movie screening starts at 9PM. Click here for more info.

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A Walking Tour of Historic Downtown LA – Photographic Focus

(500) Days of Summer Edition

Since I've been dribbling about (500) Days of Summer continuously over the past few days, I'm going to continue with that theme and get it out of my system. The movie is set and shot in downtown Los Angeles, and it highlights great historic architecture around town. I narrowed down the stops are within the inner 10-blocks of the Old Commercial District. This route is only 3.5 miles all the way around and it has about 10 stops. I even created a supplemental map you can use.

I recommend doing this on late Sunday morning for great daytime photo lighting and I even provide a stop for lunch. This walking trip is dedicated to my friend Angie who is a great photographer and who just celebrated a birthday earlier this week.

OLD BANK DISTRICT

Make this your first stop. There are several public parking lots in the area so it will make it easier for you to get back to your car. The Old Bank DVD is the setting for the record and video store scenes in the movie. It's located on the corner of 4^th Street and Main and this area is called the Old Bank District. On the northwest corner is the old Farmers & Merchant Bank which is a great building to photograph.

Head south on Main Street and continue for about four blocks.

TOM SHOWS SUMMER DOWNTOWN ARCHITECTURE GEMS

The next two stops are two buildings that were specifically called out in the movie as examples of great Los Angeles architecture. Tom took Summer on an architectural field trip and these were featured in that scene.

From Main Street, turn right on w. 8^th Street then left on Broadway.

The Eastern Columbia Building located at 849 S. Broadway is near the Orpheum Theatre in what Angelenos refer to as the Broadway Theater and Commercial District. This 13-storey high building, constructed in 1930, is now a structure of 140 luxury condominiums.

From Broadway, turn right on W. 9^th Street, right on S. Hill Street, then left at W. 7^th Street.

Right next to the 7^th Street Metro Center (corner of 7^th and Flower), you will find the Fine Arts Building. This 12-storey structure is so beautiful I wouldn't do it justice with my descriptions. Admire the outside of the building and go inside to visit Gallery 1927. This gallery utilizes the ground floor of this building how the space was originally intended to be used. This at least gives you an idea of what the building designers wanted to do back in 1927.

Head southeast on W 7^th St toward S Flower St, then turn left on S. Hope Street, then right on W. 6^th Street.

ANGELS KNOLL – A LOOK AT L.A.

From W. 6^th Street, turn left on S. Olive Street.

On your right, you will see the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. Even though this is not an official stop on this walking tour, I would hate for you to miss out on this photo opp. Go ahead and sneak a click.

Continue up Olive Street. Once you pass 4^th Street, Angels Knoll will be on your right side. Climb to the top of the park and look towards the city. The view from here gives you a different perspective of downtown L.A. You may just end up wasting a lot of your time here taking photographs. That's completely okay but don't forget we still have one more stop before lunch.

Head northeast on S. Olive Street, traveling up about 3 blocks and turning right on W. 1^st Street.

JOE DANCING AT THE MALL

We're finally getting to where my favorite scene in the movie takes place. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays Tom in 500 Days expresses his joy in finally “getting the girl” with a big dance number. I won't spoil the movie for you if you still need to see it. Just know that you won't look at this next spot the same way again afterwards.

From W. 1^st Street, turn left on N. Hill Street. Turn left between the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration and the Los Angeles County Court House. This is the Civic Center Mall and at the end of the mall, on your right is the Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain. Can you see the dance sequence in your head?

LET'S GO TO LUNCH!

By this point, you would have walked about 2½ miles. You need some refreshments and sustenance. So head back down south on N. Hill Street, then turn left on W. 2^nd Street.

The Redwood Bar & Grill is where they shot all the karaoke bar scenes for the movie. This pub, located at 316 W. 2^nd Street, has a ahoy-matey ambiance. The gastro-pub fare is a well-deserved treat after all the walking you've just done. I suggest the Grilled Cheese with The Works. This means with fresh tomatoes, caramelized onions, and avocado slices – so worth the exercise.

Head southeast on W. 2^nd Street, then turn right on Broadway.

WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE INSIDE

Located at the corner of 3^rd and Broadway, you will find the Bradbury Building. This five-storey building has an exterior facade in the Italian Renaissance style. That's not what's impressive about this building though.

In the movie, Tom goes for a job interview and this setting gives that sense of “moving up” and a quiet elegance. This place, I think, captures the romantic side of Los Angeles a lot of people really miss out on.

The building is open for visitors everyday but you will be limited up to the first landing only. The 5-storey atrium will feel familiar to you, as it has been used for a lot of movies and TV shows. The lace-work balconies and old-fashioned elevators create such a stunning visual display you will not be able to resist the urge to photograph as many angles as you possibly can.

As a bonus, across the street from the Bradbury Building is the Million Dollar Theatre. This movie house was also used in the film as Tom and Summer's movies destination. This is the first Grauman theater (as is Grauman's Chinese Theater, another famous Hollywood landmark) built in 1918.

Head down southwest on S. Broadway, then turn left on W. 4^th Street.

WE END WHERE TOM STARTED

In the movie while sitting on Angels Knoll, Tom points out a building he calls the first high-rise of Los Angeles. This is the first time Tom shares his passion for architecture with Summer in the movie. I think it's fitting that we end our walking photography tour with an up-close look at the Continental Building.

This 13-storey building is located on the corner of 4^th Street and Spring Street, just one block west of where we started at the Old Bank District. It now houses condominiums with a pub at the street level, perfect for a last refreshment stop before you head home.

I want to credit the following shared Google Maps for providing a lot of the movie-related information and some historical data:

Los Angeles in (500) Days of Summer by the Los Angeles Times

Historic Downtown Los Angeles by twosevens

Share your photos with us if you decide to embark on this little adventure.

Falling in Love with Breaking Your Heart

(500) Days of Summer [Theatrical Release]

I saw (500) Days of Summer last night and it was way better than I expected (and I was expecting a lot). This movie made me fall in love all over again—in love with Los Angeles, in love with architecture, photography, the Smiths, movie musical dance numbers, and just falling in love and breaking your heart. And, if you’re not already in awe of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this movie will definitely make you fall in love with him. We need more films like this. http://tiny.cc/8TNKB

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HUNTINGTON BEACH!!!

Kayaking the Huntington Harbour

Start your day right with a little bit of exercise and sight-seeing. Huntington Harbour has very mild waters so it’s really easy to paddle even for a beginner. If you’ve never kayaked before, this is a great place to start. HB has five man-made islands and you can see local homes (opulent homes with large boats parked on their private docks). You can rent from Sunset Kayak Rentals on PCH. They have the best staff and the prices are more than reasonable. You can get a three-man kayak for about $30.

16910 Pacific Coast Hwy
Sunset Beach, CA 90742

http://www.yelp.com/biz/sunset-kayak-rentals-sunset-beach-2


TK Burgers

Want to experience an old-fashioned California burger right across from the beach, near the pier? Visit TK Burger and experience what In-N-Out burger should be (soft bread, sauce and meat grilled to perfection). This is not a place for those who want a fancy. TK is a burger joint for those looking for a SoCal beach experience. Great place for lunch...

110 Pacific Coast Highway
Huntington Beach, CA 92648

http://www.tkburgers.com/home.html


PLAY IN THE OCEAN, TAN AND STAKE A FIRE PIT (see below)!


Farmer’s Market and Art-A-Fair Fridays

If you’re visiting HB on Friday, August 7, they have the Farmer’s Market and Art-A-Fair happening that day from noon to 5pm. You can pick up some California-grown fresh fruits, breads, meats and other food items for your evening picnic. You can also see some kitschy, beach items for your home or as gifts.

If you’re visiting on a different day, you can also get some bonfire picnic items from various stores at the Downtown HB Main Street. Or, just go to Coach’s Gourmet Deli on Main Street and Olive off the pier.


Nighttime Bonfires at the Beach

If you’ve never done this, then you have to do it just so you can say that you’ve partaken in one of SoCal’s beach tradition. NOTE: Stake your fire pit early in the day. This is such a popular activity during the summer – the fire pit competition get’s more heated than the beach volleyball games. Go here for more details.

So Let Me Explain

I'm not really willfully neglectful. I swear! There's so much I want to write here and talk about. But, as my blog title infers, I over-think things and I end up not writing anything. When I don't think I have a coherent train of thought or I haven't resolved an internal conflict, I can't get myself to just put it out here.

So what gives on the Wednesday Weekend's then? That one, I can honestly say, is because I don't feel like I have weekends. I've spread myself too thin and my days have been flowing in to one another. Sorry for that and I'll catch up this week.

So here's currently what's on my mind. Would I be any different from who am I today if I didn't move to California? What would my life be like? Would I be more content with that non-existent life than the one I have now?

OR Would I be the same skeptical, cynical, hard person with the nice smile? Do we really become a different person depending on the circumstances we live through? Or, are we pre-destined to have a certain kind of life?

See what I mean? You tell me how I can blog about things that wouldn't make sense to any one. If I try to distill my thoughts on this subject, I would be posting a totally rambling piece that will completely turn everyone off from reading. And, to make things worse, this is just one idea stream. I have more of these kind of nonsense running around in my head right now and I'm not sure which one to pay attention to.

While I'm trying to sort things out and come up with the next topic to write about, why don't you weigh in on these questions. Let me know what you think by posting your comments and keep your fingers crossed for Weekend Wednesday.

Recyling the PopSci Way

As most of you know, I'm a closet geek. I'm very busy with work (and other work) right now but I needed some downtime so I indulged in much geekery this morning. Here's two interesting articles that you should peek.

Growing tissues with your TV? It's a bit SkyNet to me but a great way to recyle. Click here to read the article.

Talking about recyling - here's taking it to the extreme. Interested in knowing how your pee can be used in the future? See here how.

Enjoy your week and stay cool!

Airport Codes Quiz

I'm not quite sure that getting a high score on this quiz is a good thing. The average score is 46% and I'm about twice that percentage. If you're going to take the quiz, let me know how you do.

Airport Codes Score: 86% (12 out of 14)

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Music Edition 1

I love listening to live music so I’m sure this is going to be a focus for a lot of my Wednesday Weekends. The best part - there’s a ton of summer music events going on so I’m just in time to get you started. Let’s call this edition #1 and go from there, okay.

Local Bands at scissors.paper.rock salon

Get your weekend jump-started on Thursday nights this summer with free music in an eclectic location. Yolande Carson, the proprietor for scissors.paper.rock salon holds a summer concert series every year. On Thursday nights starting tomorrow at 8:00 PM, local bands will play in the salon, located at the corner of Allen & New York in Pasadena. There is also an open mic starting at 7:00 PM and it’s quite fun. Come join the festivities.

Friday Night Jazz at LACMA

Did you know that you can hear great jazz every Friday at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art? This usually goes on from April through November so you can visit any Friday practically all throughout the year. Music starts at 6PM through 8PM. Check out their schedule here.

The Funk Rumble Block Party

Inaugural event
LA’s Chinatown
Live music
Art
SUMMER BLOCK PARTY

What’s not to like? This is the ultimate block party, LA underground style. It’s all happening on Saturday, July 11th starting at 12PM through 10PM. Tickets are only $5 before 4PM and $8 after that. Check out the event’s blog for more information.


And if you’re still not tired by Sunday, here are movies you should check out (if you haven’t seen them already)

Public Enemies – Johnny Depp, Christian Bale (R)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox (PG-13)
The Hangover – Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis (R)

I'm Still Here

I've been a bad blogger. I've neglected posting here and I haven't even done a Weekend Wednesday for several weeks now. Well, I promise to post one tomorrow and, since I've been a bad girl, I have a lot of crazy thoughts running around in my head that I can post here (after I scrub 'em squeaky clean). Stay tuned and I'll let you know when Weekend Wednesday for this week is up.

Mexico Vacation - Photos and Narratives

Sorry, I was too lazy to post photos and really blog about my vacation in Playa del Carmen last week. I've finally posted the photos at Flickr and if you're interested in seeing the daily narrative for what I did, check out my Twitter feed (read from the bottom up for the correct sequence). I'll post more details about the vacation later this week.

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Mexican Experience in L.A. Edition

Since I’m on vacation, I’m a bit lazy with my post today. There is one good thing with my laziness though – all the references below come from Trazzler which is a great social networking tool. Check it out and see how you can use it.

“Nursing Your Hangover w/ Chilaquiles from Tacos Delta in Los Angeles” – by Tracie Boom

“Revering Hot Sauce at Holy Guacamole in Santa Monica, California” – by Lindsey Laughlin

“Strolling Through Old Mexico in the Heart of Downtown Los Angeles” – by emmaef


I’m back on Friday night so I’ll see you around!!!

Vacation Bliss ROI

It's Sunday afternoon. I'm enjoying the 2pm lull at the beach, sitting under the shade of coconut trees with a beautiful, refreshing breeze blowing. My kids are swimming and I've just finished taking some photos. Just how I want my vacation to be.

I'm listening to some slow Ray Charles right now and I'm preoccupied with sharpening my spiritual saw. I am so thankful for all the graces I have in my life and I feel ready to refocus. Everything has been moving in a crazy pace I haven't taken the time to examine my
behaviors and attitude.

This vacation is the necessary time-out I was really missing. The people here at the Roo are an inspiration. They remind me what service, hospitality, grace, warmth and ethics mean. They've renewed my love for real people.

I was also lucky enough to talk to some people about team building - why it's important and how it's can be applied to building alliances between countries, to government reform, to increasing awareness for locals artists & eco-conservations projects, to providing service at a resort. It reminded me I do great things at work and I really do love my job.

I've been on vacation for three days and I'm already seeing the benefits. I can't wait to see what else will happen in the next three days. I should have done this years ago. I will be planning my next vacation as soon as I get home.

Calistoga Trip Summer of 2008

I've finally decided to upload my photos to Flickr from last year's trip to Calistoga. Here are some of the pix but head on over to my Flickr "Calistoga '08" to see all of them. Be kind - these are completely unedited shots, straight out of the camera.

I probably won't be able to post any new entries for a couple of days. We're leaving for Playa del Carmen tomorrow (woohoo!!) so I'll be a bit preoccupied with getting there. I will try to post photos of our trip as soon as possible, depending on connectivity from where we are and how enticing the beach will be. See you all soon!

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Since I’m going on vacation this Friday to Mexico, my Weekend Wednesday post is a bit boring but useful today. Here are a few museums you can visit for free.

FINE ARTS

Huntington Library, Art Galleries and Botanical Gardens
Get lost in the gardens for free on the first Thursday of every month. However, there are no more tickets available for tomorrow, June 4. Make sure to request for your free ticket for July 2 now.
1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA
(626) 405-2141

Getty Villa Malibu
These Roman, Greek and Etruscan antiquities are free everyday. This is different from the Getty Center and is often an overlooked facility.
17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA
(310) 440-7300

SCIENCE AND BEYOND

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Enjoy a complimentary roam with the dinosaurs on the first Tuesday of every month.
In Exposition Park
900 Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
(213) 763-3466

California Science Center
Everyday is free for all at this boisterous museum.
In Exposition Park
700 State Dr, Los Angeles, CA
(323) 724-3623

Summer Reading List 2009

First part of summer anyway. Would need more books to fill up the rest of July and August. Here's the list (from the bottom):

How to Be an Explorer of the World (Keri Smith)
Other People's Love Letters (edited by Bill Shapiro)
Drood (Dan Simmons)
Heart-Shaped Box (Joe Hill)
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith)
20th Century Ghosts (Joe Hill)
Disquiet (Julia Leigh)

Dance with Me

Back from oblivion - after a few weeks of intense work, I'm finally getting some good news. I'm going on vacation next weekend so I'm totally excited. Don't worry, I promise to keep up with my posts. Also, I got really, really good news on Thursday about future opportunities (can't talk about it here though). So in honor of these two great "things to look forward to", come dance with me.

Here's how: turn up the volume on your speakers and clear a good space around you. Then, imagine me doing the following - dancing around in my pajamas, eyes closed, flailing my arms, biting my lower lip, bobbing my head and twirling around like a warped 33 record. Got that in your mind? Then you're ready - play this video and dance to Pet Shop Boys' new single "Did You See Me Coming?". I looooove this song!

Don't let me down - I need someone to dance with.

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Echo Park Neighborhood Edition

Visit an Actual Vinyl Store

Go to Origami Vinyl where they have racks and racks of vinyl’s and other kitschy stuff, like old-school, high-end record players and home-made shirts & tote bags. Origami is also a local record label so they get in-store performances in the store and they’re very aware of the local music scene around Echo Park and Silver Lake.

Located at 1816 West Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, CA 90026
They’re open 7 days a week, from noon until late at night

Listen to This While You’re Stuck in Weekend Traffic

Local radio station and NPR-affiliate KCRW is celebrating the one-year anniversary of their Guest DJ Project. The idea behind the project is that celebrities share their five-song playlist and talk about their music favorites or whatever else comes to mind. The series is available on KCRW’s web site and is available for download. Some of my favorites from the series are John Cusack, Danny Boyle, and Kevin Rose among others.

Go to http://www.kcrw.com/music/kcrw-guest-dj-project

Go Home While You're on the Road

What can I say about Home? They serve breakfast all day (yay!), everything on the menu is great, and the service feels like, well, home. The atmosphere is also great. They have another location in Los Feliz (that's actually the original one) but I feel this is a better locale. You have to try their French Toast and keep an eye on live entertainment that does happen there once in a while.

Located at 2500 Riverside Drive, Silver Lake, CA 90039
They're open 7 days a week starting at 9AM. Closing hours vary so call ahead.

I Swear It's Not All About Food

Although it is about "lunch", it's not really about food. The Lunchfilms screening and picnic is happening at the Machine Project on Saturday, May 16. Starting at 2PM through all afternoon (til about 7PM), they will have selected Lunchfilms on a loop so you can drop by anytime. Then the party moves over to the Echo Park Film Center at 8PM for a screening of all the Lunchfilms but it all ends with a post-screening reception back at the Machine Project. What is a Lunchfilm, you ask? Click here to find out.

Machine Project is located at 1200 D North Alvarado, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Don't forget! It all starts at 2PM.

Suggested Movies for the Weekend

• Star Trek (if you haven't seen it yet)
• Angels and Demons, starring Tom Hanks
• Management, starring Jennifer Aniston and Steve Hahn (limited release)

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Mothers' Day Edition

Lebowski Fest LA 2009
May 7-8, 2009

Festival starts with the movie part on May 7 at the Wiltern Theatre. On May 8, the festival continues at Cal Bowl in Lakewood with games, costumes and, of course, bowling.


Afternoon Tea at Gordon Ramsay at the London
Everyday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
The London West Hollywood Hotel

Splurge on your mom by inviting her to a proper British afternoon tea. $28 gets you a selection of teas, tea sandwiches, scones with Chantilly cream and strawberry jam, and pastries. Reservations highly recommended.


A Day at Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa
Corona, CA
Hours: 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM

Going to the resort completely beats the day spa locations. The Corona location gives you access to over ten acres of property, which includes a soak in natural mineral springs, get a red-clay mud bath, a moisturizing Grotto treatment, or a massage treatment. Day use admission for the weekend is $49 and the use of the Grotto and other services require an additional fee. However, just the day use is enough of a pampering for any mom.


Movies Opening This Weekend

Star Trek - May 7
Starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto

Little Ashes – May 8 (Limited)
Starring Javier Beltran and Robert Pattinson

Summer Hours – May 8 (Limited)
Starring Juliette Binoche

No "Weekend Wednesday" Post This Week

I didn't post a "Get Ready for the Weekend Wednesday" this week. My weekend is already completely booked for my daughter's birthday so I don't really know what's going outside of that. We always do a month-long celebration for her (which started on April 24 this year) but we are completely at her beck-and-call during her actual birthday weekend. She also shares a birthday with my dad but the poor man doesn't get any attention at all.

So for this weekend, here are some of the things that are on the deck:

• X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• Disneyland
• Shopping (yuck!)
• and more shopping!!!
• Plus a gastronomic extravaganza that includes a big, big chow down at Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que.

I promise to post a Weekend Wednesday list on May 6, which will start out with the big Star Trek movie release on May 7.

Productivity Tip – Doing Your Monthly Planning

Schedule some time this week to do your May monthly planning. Here are some of the things you should be looking at to block off time on your calendar:

Personal

• Upcoming birthdays and anniversary for upcoming month and the month after that
• Events you need to attend or trips to take
• Friends & family members you want to see or talk with in May
• Personal goals
• School homework and projects
• Home projects and maintenance
• Shopping
• Fun stuff you need to include for this month

Work

• Organization’s mission statement & execution priorities for the year
• Your departmental goals for this year
• Project deadlines & meetings
• Performance Objectives
• Developmental Goals
• Events you need to attend or trips to take
• Presentations or engagements you need to prepare for
• Recognition and rewards for team

Since this is really what I do for a living, it’s important that I actually share some of these tips with you. Next week, we’ll tackle strategies for weekly planning. Questions, comments or concerns – let me know.

Get Ready for the Weekend Wednesday - 042209

Every week, I will post suggestions to get you out of the house and exploring the SoCal area. If you have suggestions for a particular week, let me know and I will include it.

Events

2009 Newport Beach Film Festival
Thursday, April 23 through April 30, 2009

“Set in beautiful Newport Beach, a few blocks away from spectacular coastline and less than an hour from Hollywood, the Festival will host several premieres, galas and yacht parties for a singular festival experience. Films will be shown throughout the city that boasts one of the largest movie consumer groups in the world, a rich filmmaking history as well as fine dining, shopping, and exceptional recreational activities.”

Here’s a link to their Spotlight Films, which will give you an idea of what to expect. I’m personally thinking of going to the Closing Night Film and Party on 4/30. They’re showing 500 Days of Summer starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.


The First Solo Show from Chaka
Opening Night on 4/25 7-9pm
Exhibit open from April 25 through June 1
Mid-City Arts on West Pico, L.A.

Recommended New Movies

The Soloist
Il Divo

Let me know if you're thinking of doing any of these this weekend. Maybe I'll join you.

I've Officially Moved Here

So I'm officially using this as my new blog site. The old site is still up and will still probably post there once in a while, but I will be posting all my mindless blah's here on a more regular basis. Hope you follow along and participate in any discussions by posting your comments. Ask questions, request for topics or just laugh along.

If You're on the Interwebs, Then You Better Know This

I don't think you should be allowed to use the internet if you don't have at least an elementary idea of how it was developed. Lucky for those who lack the curiousity, an animated film has been created just for your information. Please watch this short but very informative clip from picol.

Been Neglecting My Musical Interests

I haven't been listening to good music for a while (long story and very boring). My kids have been exposing me to really interesting things in the last couple of years and, yeah, they're good - some are even great (particularly Rilo Kiley and Whispertown 2000). But, as we all know, music gets embedded in your soul only if you discover it on your own.

I'm still very grateful that I have people that constantly put me in touch with all the great things out there. It makes getting the exploration started a lot easier. Now that I've reawakened my interest in music, I'm totally amazed at the sounds I'm hearing.

Here are three old albums I've recently resurrected out of my collection. Man, oh man - why did I stop listening to these in the first place:

Black Celebration - Depeche Mode
Two Ring Circus - Erasure
The Whole Story - Kate Bush

And, here are the bands I'm discovering right now. I know some of them might be old news to others but they're new to me and so worth it:

Phoenix (I love, I love, I love this one)
Glas Vegas
The Sounds
Rock Kills Kid

Any music you want to recommend, let me know. I'm totally open to suggestions right now.

Dancing Honey Bees

I promised Sara this would be my first post in my new blog. That was almost 6 months ago so this is a bit outdated. In any case, I still love it because it has to do with things I like - dancing, ice cream, science and, of course, crumping boys in honey bee costumes. Who can resist that? Enjoy.