Audiochic

Paleyfest- The New Girl or as I call it--It's Jess!

2012-03-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

Creator Liz Meriwether

It's Jess!

Last night was an unusual night as a panel. The sneak preview of the next episode gave us a little more insight into Cece's life, we saw a lot of Nick, and Winston said goodbye to his car.

Before the screening, Liz Meriwether came out and introduced the episode. The writer and creator sang a little song like Jess and joked with the audience. I head one person in the audience ask if she was eighteen. As the panel continued, it was apparent that there is a wonderful collaboration between the writers, cast and crew to create a fan favorite.

To me the show resonates what it's like to be single and in your twenties. Everyone has an opinion about Schmidt but I feel like I know that guy, just like I know all the characters on the show. At one point, actor Max Greenfield was joking about his character's relationship with Cece and someone in the balcony yelled JAR! and he through some money in the douchebag jar. Another fun moment was the fellas talking and laughing about filming the interactive music video and how they had never worked with a choreographer. Jake M. Johnson showed us his pitiful moves and Max laughed that that was probably the best Jake had performed it! Jake said he thought he could hide in the back but on the day of the shoot he realized he was wrong when he saw the cameras clearing a path to him.
Lots of fun and sweet times for the fans as the cast signed lots of autographs after the talk.

Paleyfest-Community

2012-03-04T07:58:00.002-08:00

Last night I volunteered for Paleyfest at the Saban Theatre. The show Community was being featured and it's a Paleyfest first that this show has been in the festival for three years. This is my second viewing of Community and the cast is a blast to see interview. Yvette Nicole Brown amazes me in that she is a very smart performer and yet unlike a lot of the cast, she doesn't try to be silly or "on" during the panel discussion. When questions from the audience I was most interested in the unusual question of who was a great mentor or inspiration to the cast. Yvette answered Bea Arthur. I first thought of The Golden Girls but then I also thought of Arthur being one to push boundaries with her show being the first to talk about abortion. Yvette Nicole Brown said Arthur was the first sassy woman--that a lot of people talk about the black sassy woman but Bea Arthur was the first sassy woman-a trailblazer.
Lots of gals love Joel McHale and the fellas love The Soup but I have to say I have been crushing on Jim Rash. Last year I was hoping to meet him, but when I saw him winning his Oscar, I knew my chances to meet at Paleyfest were now even slimmer. He brought the statue with him and joked about it as well as the screen feed director played with the running joke of going back to the Oscar on the large screen behind the cast. Rash and the cast joked that he wrote the funny lines that Clooney's comatose wife was supposed to deliver.Audience questions also came from two young ones, making me realize the fan base for this show is bigger than the 20plus somethings. The kids love Abed. The greatest thing that always amazes me is having a large group for a screening. The communal experience is amazing and it's a greater experience watching a tv episode with a couple hundred others. The Community Panel also gave insight into what fans of television they are with references to show finales from years past-Eight is Enough, Quantum Leap, Seinfeld, and Newhart were mentioned. Although I think Community is ahead of its time and I often don't make time for viewing, every time I see the show I enjoy is as entertainment and also for what they are doing for future television.

Future of Radio-Community and Microjournalism--KHTS

2012-01-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

I wrote this for a publication that folded before the series was published. Still think this information is of interest. KHTS is a great station that works hard to serve the Santa Clarita Valley. Enjoy!

Since the invention of radio, many have said it is a dying medium. Depending on what or who you read, radio still is dying, or maybe not- in a current environment where Pandora usage grew and every type of i device helped create a time bend in created content, people are still in their cars and are still listening to radio.

Over the last 30 years, many things in communications have changed. There was deregulation under the Reagan Administration and the Communications Act of 1996 that in many ways meant the death of small, locally owned radio stations. Big corporations came in and gobbled up all they could own in a particular market.

Currently, media looks to be consolidating differently. The internet reshapes and is combines what was traditionally print, radio, and television into one. A person has many ways through internet and traditional media to acquire information that matters to them.

Storytelling remains key and a new concentration in journalism has surged in covering local news. Micro journalism harkens back to the turn of the last century when many neighborhoods had papers often in the language of the neighborhood printed on a daily or weekly basis. Today with blogging, internet, and smart phones the focus is the same, but the delivery method has changed.

Locally owned KHTS is an example media working toward what news and journalism will possibly look like in the future. Carl and Jeri Goldman have owned the station twice- first from 1990-98 and from 2003 to present. Radio is something they both know well, being second generation in the business. This knowledge and experience makes the station something unique, something that industry people from all over the nation are taking notice of and are visiting to try and learn what the answer is in making a local station successful.

“Our vision is that as owners we can do what we want.” says Jeri Goldman. “Coming from a corporate America radio world, everything was live and die by ratings.” Now the duo looks to break the mold and work to find ways to serve the community. Examples of the station’s programming include a Non Profit Spotlight, highlighting local charities (the show has a year out wait list), Families in Action with local teens in studio and giving voice to their stories as well as coverage of sports-locally with high school games and Los Angeles professional teams.

KHTS is aware that they are the only station in town and they see it as a way to serve the community and do what they want in response to feedback from the community. Many people in the Santa Clarita Valley are tuning in because they like the local news, ads, and traffic with the community/hometown feel. The station continues this message and content through text alerts and email updates as well as the station’s website.

KHTS is a place to serve the community in a way that no one can compete against them. The station is aware of its strength to cover local news and when looking at the website, no national news is on it- they know a reader will go elsewhere, but if it’s SCV news, they work to do a better job than anyone else, making it the target and the focus.

In reflecting the community, that is how the station is able to compete with larger Los Angeles stations. “If there is an accident or closure (in the SCV Valley) KNX isn’t going to report it or even if they do a listener would have to sift through traffic from Orange County to Palm Springs.” says Carl Goldman. “So that’s the beauty. We compete against the big boys in that they can’t cover it all. They are more handicapped -they can’t cover it all or it’d be all traffic.”

This is a strength in an emergency situation too. The Goldmans and KHTS were there for the 94 Earthquake, the Tunnel Disaster, three floods and six fires. When fires happen, the bigger stations don’t know the streets and have reported roads open when they weren’t. Being local also means relationships. KHTS has the trust of the sheriffs and a back and forth communication that a larger LA station doesn’t have in a time of reporting a local emergency.

KHTS also faces different challenges in serving the community versus a public radio stations in that it can’t always live stream content due to licensing. When asked what’s a concern for radio what to look for in legislation, Carl Goldman first shared his experience with the Fairness Doctrine in that his first full time job in radio was 95 percent Fairness Doctrine in preparing documentation to send to the channels that be and he was not the only one on staff with that duty. He argues that currently there are so many avenues to express different points of view and that most broadcasters look to both sides because the bottom line is it is a bad business decision to not voice both sides. By not bringing in an opposing view it wouldn’t serve the station or the community. It is a free market, not a monopoly on getting those opinions out and if not on the airwaves, the opposing view has many other ways to be heard-so it makes sense and good radio to have it happen.

The Goldmans and KHTS recognize that it is challenging times for small business in the community. The station is projecting by quarter versus a year out due to these economic challenges. They boast that through it all, they have been able to keep everyone on staff. In these times they are motivated by the John F Kennedy quote, “When written in Chinese, the word ’crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity. It looks as if KHTS is looking forward to the future and are poised to take off, focusing on serving the community with local content on many different media platforms.

Relationships and Social Media

2012-01-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night, I headed over to KPCC’s Crawford Family Forum for a talk titled Relationships in the Age of Social Media. I’ve debated whether to write about this evening or not but since this has been on my mind the last few days, I guess it’s of interest. The night was recorded and should be posted on KPCC’s site if you’re so inclined.

The night was not what I expected. I’ve been to a few other evenings at the Crawford Family Forum and they have been informative and thought provoking. Tuesday’s talk took way too long to become anything close to other visits. Blog Editor Tony Pierce moderated guest panelists Alie Ward and Amanda Lewis. He opened with a sophomoric question of relationships and making them “Facebook official”--when does one change their status from single to in a relationship? Alie Ward responded that we all have now elevated ourselves to public figures and joked that “it’s complicated”. It became apparent that Alie Ward had bought into the whole Los Angeles/ Hollywood thing and talked more about herself, joking that she should be on the couch rather than creating an interesting dialog on what social networking means to relationships.

All three on the panel talked of personal experiences of editing photos, untagging and Ms. Lewis confessed to making a list of people who could view relationship status so her man in the relationship would feel ok with it and the rest of her friends wouldn’t see her change in status.

I know of one fellow blogger who wrote and posted of her changing her profile and announcing that she and her were “separated”. I haven’t had to cross that bridge but for a person of my generation that embraces social media, I still feel that I have a lot a privacy-that no one can really “cyber stalk” me and get a background check of me before we go out. I look at social media as my dinner party of 400 (on FB) and that I really don’t say or post anything that I wouldn’t say at the dinner table. (shocking to some of what I will say!) As far as relationship status on FB the panel felt it was shady and “keeping your options open” by keeping your status as single, but I feel the status is similar to the boxes on a written form and I have never seen “in a relationship” box so I will stay single on FB until I get married.

Unlike myself, one member of the audience likened Facebook to a class reunion where he wanted to share a lot on the newsfeed to create “fb envy or fb revenge”. Later in the discussion, the talk went to a place where I expected it to start, in talking about how teens use Facebook and will not start fights at school but head home and get on the computer to start maliciousness--often trying to soften the blows with an “lol” or a “jk” at the end of a terrible statement. That then segued into Tony Pierce asking about text fights. fighting over texts, and mentioned a friend of his liked to argue over g-chat, thinking that both parties would have a moment to think before they wrote or sent anything which IS interesting since she then has it “off the record” so it’s expunged after the argument is over.

After it came up that twitter was just about PR and that it could be a labyrinth of feeds, I argued that I have met more interesting people through twitter and that most on twitter are very active about meeting in reality with tweetups. They agreed that yes there are as well as tumblr meet-ups (which I have yet to experience). It does come down to device assisted communication versus interpersonal communication and how the lines have blurred, just like time bending in that if we are running late we will text and reset the clock so to speak. All this does in it’s own way, celebrate the written word and it points out that that writing is still important, although I would argue that most of these devices are more of a conversation than writing. Another friend who teaches high school told me that auto correct is killing us though and that many teens don’t bother with punctuation or capitalization. That is where we still need to recognize what is informal communication and what is formal.

My favorite idea to come out of the night was a moment talking about how texts can be a form of courting, but I do think that often women view texting different than men. Alie Ward brought up the idea of what would F Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda’s texts look like as well as the idea that Emily Dickinson would probably be on Tumblr and she’d be soooo Emo, which does bring interesting ideas and a smile to my face.

Overall, I was shocked that I was one of the few in the audience on many social networking sites. It tells me it has become an interest of mine in how we communicate and how technology is changing things yet solid writing and writing well still is important. In a time where we are inundated with more information more than ever, what we choose as our media diet and our news feed is important- be it our friends or our current event content.

Hear me on Hear in the City

2012-01-10T14:39:00.001-08:00

Excited about my opportunity to share the Nethercutt Collection with my friend, Sara Harris's show, Hear in the City.
Check out my talk with Sara on today's show, 3:30 pm Pacific on KPFK

http://www.kpfk.org/listen-live.html

Covers: Baby It's Cold Outside

2011-12-31T05:36:00.000-08:00

Someone was singing this in the breakroom at work and I began to wonder how many covers of this song are out there and here's a few...
My first memory of hearing this song was actually from the show Boston Common where Anthony Clark's character sang with with Shelly Long, but the webs didn't come through with that tv classic.

Here's one of my favs:

And then there is this one:

What are you doing New Year's Eve-Can't stop the feet!

2011-12-30T07:04:00.000-08:00

Don't know if I will be dancing on New Year's but I would love to-love to celebrate life, moving, and being with friends as well a new starts!

TEDxWomen

2011-12-02T21:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a great day filled with many women and many things to embrace. A friend joked that my blog post was shorter than any of my tweets for the day. I was busy as a volunteer and was challenged while working to make
those TED connections but the overall message was about partnerships, mentorships and communication. TEDxWomen was also about interesting women doing interesting things and being influenced by their mothers and grandmothers to do and take risks no matter what-even if it's the hard way.

I participated in a talkback or break out session and learned more about Domestic Violence that I ever had in the past as this is a subject that, like many others, don’t want to hear about or put on the table. Chrysalis CEO Patricia Klahr was amazing. In a time of trouble for non profits, I can see why Chrystalis is doing so well and it has a lot to do with the dynamic speaking of it’s CEO. She was the first to talk about the importance of mentorship and volunteerism. Verizon is a big supporter as this is one of the causes the corporation supports. Facts that came to light was that one in three women are touched by domestic abuse and that Arizona is number 2 of the fifty states of deaths due to domestic violence and that Scottsdale is the highest in the nation. In recognizing that domestic abuse is more than physical, the Chrystalis shelter is also progressive in that the new facility is now taking in male victims, where Patricia says that both sexes find strength through each other in the program. Many questions focused on symptoms or signs and it was more about the idea that we need to reach out to those we think may be in trouble and say something.

I felt so lucky yesterday to be where I am in time and space (2011 America). After hearing female journalists Shahira Amin and Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. THey talked and featured stories of lady entrepreneurs and those stepping out into polictics-odd that women are half the population yet the numbers in business and government do not reflect this. The talks also reminded me of a conversation ten years ago where earlier female artists couldn’t understand why my generation in not wanting to be identified as feminist -that I was seeing myself not as a woman but as an artist, but to me that is progress.

Another message that ran through was the idea of girls and women learning how to advocate for themselves and to teach girls how to recognize healthy relationships. This idea which seems to be something that can happen at any point in our lives. Jane Fonda also moderated a panel titled ReBirth and it was educational and inspirational to think about what the third act in life means-to keep moving, learning and staying active. One fact thrown out is that we are living almost 30 years longer than her great-great-grandparents and we should take that information and start asking what does that mean.

The last panel theme of ReImagine was the reason why I volunteered in the first place. I heard from two ladies from HomeGirl Cafe who demonstrated that with resilience anyone can change their life around. I saw the three winners of the google science fair that all happened to be female. I heard from Shamila Kohestani, a woman who craved education and a chance to move and in so doing became the captain of the first women’s Afgahn National Soccer Team.
If today is any indication of what's to come the future looks very promising I'm very optimistic.

TEDx Women

2011-12-01T11:48:00.001-08:00

All day its been very interesting. Checkout the tweets

#30 Day PhotoChallenge--Remember November last of the trilogy

2011-11-29T22:55:00.000-08:00

I have fallen in love with my new camera-the IPhone4S. It’s taken me into the 21st century and the pictures I am able to document are unbelievable.
So here goes the rundown:
Had a night in the PJs again with my homemade stew and a little bourbon and coke
Went to trivia and hit up the taco truck before Thanksgiving but the truck ran outta food
Thanksgiving at Scott’s aka @InkGigolo with @LadyDucayne mole new fav for T-dinner
Sat with my fav coworker at the end of Black Friday on the patios in Awesometown
started the day with brunch that made me homesick for Savannah
I got a tree
Had a dark day and so featured Bo not Beau-short for Boeing
Came home to a wonderful sunset and a beautiful winter night

Homesick Breakfast

2011-11-28T21:37:00.000-08:00

I always hated it when a certain someone would say home is where you hang your hat but

sometimes I CAN relate. --this weekend I headed out to do my usual "row the boat" and we had the typical fallout of someone flaking and outta town and another who forgot since their phone was outta order. Fellow rowing club member thought we should just blame it on her baby-"doing baby things".
Since we were shy the number we needed to row, good friend and myself sent the rest of the group out on the water and we went to breakfast.
Joni's in Marina del Rey is right down from the boat launch/Mother’s Beach and it always reminds me of Savannah and Clary’s. Both places have a bunch of locals and eclectics as well as tourists and it seems that I always know or run into someone there. The coffee is great and the food is good-my favorite plate at Joni’s is the egg sandwich or the berries and waffles where as at Clary’s, I seem to go for the stuffed french toast or eggs toast and bacon. That being said it’s about the people and the magic that is there that brings it all together to become a vortex for a salon type gathering of creatives. It never fails that when I go to Joni’s it makes me want to be back in Savannah and have an ice tea to go in a styrofoam cup that lasts all afternoon!

Thanksgiving Traditions

2011-11-27T07:15:00.000-08:00

Soooo here is MY tradition. I created it myself a few years ago. I recall once that my cousin told me her first Thanksgiving from home was awful. She told me you really miss your family and it's rough. But, after a couple of memorable Thanksgivings where I busted a hump to get home, not sleep in my bed and see my parents stress and get into an argument one year over potatoes, I decided it really wasn't worth it for one meal together. Now I cherish the time I'm with people all year long and often I spend most of Thanksgiving alone.

I get many invitations to people's dinners since they are aware that I don't have family here and they want to share the holiday. Great! but give me the morning-where I now I have tea with milk and scones with clotted cream and jam. I sit in my pj's and enjoy the tea and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I've watched the parade since I was a kid. Mom didn't realize til last night I always loved it since it gave me a pulse and preview of what was on Broadway. Between that and the Radio City Rockettes it really sums up what and where I wanted to be when I grew up. Although I haven't made it New York- to live and work that is- I still love to bring the childhood and adult tradition together.

Covers: The Kills- Crazy

2011-11-23T06:37:00.000-08:00

When I think of Patsy Cline, I think mostly of my cross country trip from Chicago to Los Angeles in my Chevy S10 and my brother buying cassettes of Patsy at gas stations and us listening to them over and over on that trip. That and the jerky move he made of seeing if I could drive through all of Utah with something in my teeth and not telling me.
Patsy can be a little sad and overwhelming- she never seemed to be lucky in love on her albums but I can relate. I started out as a big fan for Hart of Dixie and I still watch it but as I watched the pilot last night, I realized it was the music in that first episode that hooked me more than anything and this cover was used in the show--enjoy this cover from The Kills:

#30 Day PhotoChallenge--Remember November part deux

2011-11-22T22:14:00.000-08:00

Interesting days of up and down--very very lows and very very good in the moments-
so here goes the next batch and a run down of them:

Day off-oil change that took forever and so got lunch and saw this sad reminder of how fast technology and times change--an empty phone booth--friend suggested an art installation out of it and I may just doit
Next day was a night of eats and it was all about the soda machine at WingStop
From that high I hit a major low and had a dark day-undocumented which followed up with
Mom and Dad sent me flowers to lift up my spirits and I then went on to work
Superhero third thursday, working for the city and seeing WonderWoman's invisible jet
Next day was a day of prepping for Thanksgiving and planning how to use the coupons
I then put away the dark day clothes- flannel from my teens and twenties as well as a sweater
I always know when I'm getting down because the clothes come out
Sunday resulted in a store meeting and many people texting each other in that meeting
Late night meeting going to early morning work and rough day resulting in HAPPY HOUR Monday
and couple of sailor jerry rum and cokes....

Can't wait to look back on the rest of November to Remember!

Covers: The Lennings- You're The One That I Want

2011-11-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

Love watching water boil!
Who knew this could be sexy and relevant slow and acoustic...

New Black Keys- Lonely Boy

2011-11-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

Who knew that these guys would find such a large audience.
I was home yesterday and caught an interview with the fella in this viral video on Ellen. He's living the dream out here in California- so I guess ya never know when a dream may come true or in what form it will come....

#30 Day PhotoChallenge--Remember November

2011-11-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

It’s now looking like creating a habit for me takes longer than thirty days. The last challenge was great because it excited my friend and he was taking lots of photos. I was taking only a few a day. It did however inspire lots of others to document their lives as well-very interesting to see the butterfly’s wings in action....

Another friend challenged me again this November and since I was getting my first smart phone I was excited to document the month and take on another 30 day challenge-for me I need an exercise buddy so to speak or more importantly, I need the competition.

And so here it is so far:
My mini business cards arrived.
I went to Creative Mornings LA at Night.
I stayed in and enjoyed having the remote all to myself.
My fortune helped support and back the 3 hour conversation I had with a friend right
before this challenge, where he told me to stop trying.
I worked the Santa Clarita Marathon for the 2nd year and the start was amazing even in the rain.
I had fun with my food.
I saw some sticker punk had posted this in the parking lot-good ending to the day.
Start of my day the next day was summed up with trash on a welcome mat.
I had a fabulous night of food and friends for ArtWalk Downtown LA.
I stayed in and had an early night in my pjs.
I slept most of the day and then went to an old coworkers wedding reception that night-at the Dalmatian American Club- hallway had a grandfather clock.
And I found out the lead genius at my store is a prop comic, giving me this candy in the breakroom and trying to joke around.

An there is the recap of the month of November so far--I’ve been tired but it’s been good over all and I’m trying to stop trying.

My year of statuses on the tweeps

2011-11-06T18:11:00.000-08:00

Trip to Milwaukee Art Museum 2

2011-10-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

The weekend was good! -I came home for a wedding and a visit with the family. The wedding reception was at the Milwaukee Zoo and it was beautiful. The hall was big and the weather was gorgeous.
Saturday we went to the gift opening but then had an early dinner as we were 5 plus a baby-a very tired baby from the night before- she wouldn't give up, trying to keep pace with her Croatian cousins.
Dinner was a birthday celebration since myself, my brother and my sister in law all have birthdays in the first two weeks of October. We were all full and instead of having full plates, we hit the small plates menu and were not disappointed. We went to my restaurant request, CrazyWater, since when I was visiting on my birhtday 3 years ago we went there.
We ate well! --Hoppin John Shrmimp and Grits, Ginger Chicken Wantons, grilled artichokes,
the day's special Tacos, and a Cheese Tart plus the waitress brought us a molten chocolate cake!

The next day I met up with the neice and sister in-law at a place called HoneyPie. The family loves this place but has never taken me there before. Who knew you could get some great Southern tastes in Milwaukee. I had the ham biscuit with egges and potatoes and the biscuit was amazing. Dad had the biscuits and gravy and the ladies had breakfast burritos.

Last request on this weekend was to go the the Milwaukee Art Museum. It's a favorite haunt of mine with great American painters as well as an interesting collection of German especially Fauvist painting. I was interested in the photography exhibit-Taryn Simon: Photographs and Texts and all we could wonder is how does this artist get access to the places she photographs?
They were beautiful but in an ironic twist- the information next to the photos was so small and placed on uneven walls that it was hard to read. It has become obvious that the trend is for curators that hate info cards to get rid of them or place them where the observer can't get the desired info quickly but to make it so small one almost needed a magnifying glass is a little ridiculous when the background of the artist talks of how much research she does.
Then I had to ask where this was since the hallway it was placed in is an area we don't normally walk through anymore. The Chinese statues were fun and a way to interact with art and statement of the artist in an interesting way.
Once again, the Milwaukee Art Museum didn't disappoint since I also checked out the kids room and went to the Kohl's Art Studio. There was art-both seeing and making (printmaking that is)-A true original by Erin Scott

My Birthday

2011-10-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Here's how my Saturday went! The picture on the left pretty much sums up how the day went. It's been a bad technology day, turning into a week and now possibly the month!

Working in sound means that you are at the mercy of technology and so here's what I experienced:

- tested burned dvd and back up on computer
won't play in both dvd players I have in my possession

- projector you've borrowed and replaced the bulb
on, won't power on due to having to reset the
lamp count with a remote that was never with
the device

OK-MOVE TO PLAN B: just audio-sync the audio off the project and put it on the ipod, pack everything up and head south about an hour. Then come to find out, the site is isolated and won't really work for what is needed. Then I call the event coordinators, trying to say I'm out, I'm done, forget it, I give up BUT
they find me another site and so I start to set up, pulling power from the second socket of a lightpost, WHERE there is already a guy successfully pulling power-SOOOOO
I go to set up and come to find out, there is no power coming from the other outlet and this is all for naught! BAD TECHNOLOGY! most entertaining was the texts my girls sent me including WTF! AW!
and my fave-is the projector working!--LOL!
Mom told me to smile and document it and so here it is documented! She didn't want to soak the stress that I was dealing with but was REALLY impressed that I don't give up and keep fighting til the very end. Currently though, I'm wondering when to fight and when to call it stupidity when not cutting your losses earlier!

Row!~time to row the boat!

2011-10-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

People joke with me and ask when "I'm on a boat". Many do not understand why so late in life, I started rowing with Los Angeles Rowing Club. I was surprised myself even though I knew I needed something that would be individual in ability and team-like in accountability. When you have 7 people waiting on you on the beach, you have to get yourself out of bed! The surprise has come from the friendships formed on a different level. We don't see each other in everyday clothes and we usually don't talk about work or everyday things but we socialize and live big when we are inside the boat and outside together. Someone from the club sent this to us this morning and it made me giggle!

To the person who made it possible.

2011-10-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

here we are outside Black's BBQ

Here’s to the lady that made it all possible. Mom. I never seem to muster up the right words or timing for writing about Mom on Mother’s Day so why not write about it on the day that she became Mom and I became, well, ME!

She is probably my biggest fan and supporter. It meant a lot to me and I was quite a surprised when she told me that I inspired her in all the things I tried and risked. This while she joined me on my quest to try new things and that was the year we went to Cowgirl Camp. We weren’t the fastest or the best in riding, but we learned to do girl rodeo and barrel racing and I will always remember the nights closing the ranch bar and then putting our feet into the pool and chatting til we were sleepy.

My guess is that what motherhood is- a reciprocity. She did such a great job that I have always known I want to be a mother. Even though it can be exhausting and the hardest job, the payoff is you inspire them and they inspire you. I hope I get the opportunity some day soon. She raised me with a lot of intuition and practical sense and her own style and personality and I know that is why I am who I am today.

Thanks Anne Scott- Love, Erin Scott

Soundwalk Today in Long Beach

2011-10-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the big night for Soundwalk-fingers crossed it will be as fun as the last couple of years...

Last year's Soundwalk in Long Beach was probably my greatest success for an installation so far. It was also as close to performance as I was comfortable with. The work involved sounds of me eating breakfast the week before--a variety of sounds of bowl themed food-oatmeal, cold cereal, and berries with yogurt. Although I impressed or at least pleased myself with great recording while performing, I was also a little disturbed that it only took me 3-4 minutes to eat and that my stomach and mouth played as much a part as the bowl and the spoon! The green and blue cup also made sounds of me preparing tea and slurping it up and also preparing a refreshing glass of ginger ale!

The one thing I missed which would have been a secondary element would have been to video tape the people interacting with the work. Many folks thought they had to trigger something, some people sat at the table and others didn't think it was working and then would light up in recognition when they could hear the spoon scraping the bowl!

SoundWalk 2010-Hot and Cold by Erin Scott

Guest Post: my doppelgänger Erin Scott~WHAT MOVES ME TO BE ME

2011-09-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

tomorrow is my birthday and I have asked someone I follow on twitter to write what it means to be Erin Scott and she should have a good idea since her name is also Erin Scott. This post reminds me that yes, since I was three, I wanted to dance, be a dancer, and that sound has inspired me since I could walk. Thank you Erinberry Scott for the birthday gift of a guest blog post.

WHAT MOVES ME TO BE ME

I keep searching my backside for the switch. Or, perhaps between my shoulder blades? Do you see it? It must be there. I have to have some sort of mechanical switch.

I have this overwhelming habit of making movements to music—almost uncontrollably so.

I am immediately reminded of this toy from my childhood—Little Boppers. The commercial kills me, because I feel like that is completely ME! When the switch is on, the toy moves to whatever sounds are produced. The toy-makers intention was for the sound to be music, but, if I recall, the toy basically sensed any sound and would gyrate, as promised.

And when no noise was detected…the toy would be still. THAT IS TOALLY ME!

Now, in some ways, this is great, right? I can sit without fidgeting in that three-hour long project meeting—provided no one in the room breaks out into song. I can enjoy a nice meal out with my husband and not have to be concerned that I’ll break out into dance at the table. That is, of course, unless there is detectible move-inducing music playing. Then we’re both in trouble. Even tense action-scenes in movies: if the music or sound-effects are wicked intense, I can’t stay in my seat! I remember growing-up, I was much like my mother, in that I could not fall asleep without the TV being on. Now, I can’t sleep without being void of all stimuli. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long night.

Naturally, of course, I think we can all agree that we have our particular tastes in music. I believe I am driven to move, dance, or even adjust my posture to some kinds of music more than others. And I am not saying any one type of music is superior—but we all have that short-list of songs that move us.

Whether it be movement in our spirit, movement in our facial expression, and often for me a physical action: a dance step or two, a hug, a little game of tug-of-war with my dog, whatever….

I’ve come to the conclusion that music moves me to be me.

What song or words or vibration (yes, sound can be literally felt) or sound (I’m a fan of ocean waves crashing on the beach) will move you to be you today?

Erin Scott
Boston, MA
www.facebook.com/erinberryscott1
ebdahlia@yahoo.com

Hart of Dixie

2011-09-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

September 26 is the day to be in front of the tv with the channel on CW. My friend was lamenting this week, the end of True Blood as the season finale has come and gone and while there will be less skin on commercial tv, I have been trying to convince her to get hooked on Hart of Dixie.

I was lucky enough to see the pilot screenings and panel discussion at the Paley Center for Media for the CW. Most exciting which the tv guide moderator also pointed out was that the panel had two Friday Night Lights actors-both of which are in Hart of Dixie. Leila Gerstein was charming and she made the point that when she wrote the pilot, the CW was really the only network that still will air hour long comedies or more like a dramedy. She says she really can’t write serious and it’s a treat to see this story of a fish out of water unfold. Scott Porter also pointed out the beauty of this show in taking it’s time to tell the story-that it won’t all be packed into one hour long episode.

It takes a lot for me to commit to to follow a new hour long show, and I just hope that it finds an audience and shows that lovely slice of life in the south. Hopefully it will have a longer run than Lonestar. For some reason it’s hit or miss when it comes to shows about places other than New York or Los Angeles.

Pilots are an interesting thing-one has to establish characters, a backstory and the promise of a series for a network. It amazes me how anything in this town gets a green light but I’m so glad that this story gets a chance. You should give it one too.

30 Day Photochallenge Revisited

2011-09-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know there are only 28 but I live for symmetry

I just wanted to take a look back at my 30 day photo challenge.

I had been toying with the idea since my week of misery at corporate headquarters for training. I was looking for something to grab onto, something to be creative with and something to use as a touch point or at least something to ground me. It was a few weeks later that one of my students from my first years of teaching was chatting with me over IM and was down and out as I was with not making work and a little lost. We shook hands on it virtually and said we would start the next day.

We both failed the first day and tired a re-do and on that day it stuck, we both missed a day or two or possibly fudged a few snaps. My point and shoot camera went out on me and I decided to blog as well, which added another element. It was hard and it didn’t create a habit like I had hoped, but it did make me live in the moment and celebrate everyday for what it was, even the mundane.

Others started their own 30 day photo challenge and posted to social networks. I was inspiring friends and old students a like and that was interesting as well. I didn’t look at my work as compositionally beautiful but more documentary. Sometimes I cared, other times I didn’t but like the fact that it made me pause a moment every day.

My challenger got excited and engaged in art-making again. That was exciting. One night he wrote: “look at the lives we are touching, all of our friends are doing their own photo thing. We are HEALERS Miss Scott!”

I don’t know if I’d go that far but it was great to see the butterfly effect happen in front of my eyes.

Then another ex student wrote “I want to travel the world” ~this status is actually inspired by looking at your pictures. I love the 30 day photo challenge and everything else you’ve done. You’re a trend setter.” After thanking him for the pick me up for the day, I was then pinged back with “Thank you for the inspiration.”

And later, my challenger communicated again:

“Have you noticed that more people are posting photos everyday? --At least on my end they are. There was a lot of talk about the 30 day photo challenge this week at work. I was surprised people even noticed. I have noticed more of my friends putting up pics “just for pretty pics sake”--friends that never do that stuff.

We are changing the world Miss Scott, Me and you in our own little way!-Love it.” and his company started their own 30 day photo challenge.

My mother finally read my blog and felt like they were daily affirmations, which surprised me since many days, I felt that my blue mood. Although I am not taking photos every day any more-IT WAS EXHAUSTING! but it has changed how I look at the world and it I still keep a busy and jam packed social life but am able to take time and appreciate all things in it and how funny and ironic reality can be at times.

True Sacrifice

2011-09-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

For the last week, I have been on a media diet. I do not need to relive what happened 10 years ago. When I think about it, I don’t wish to share much since it sounds selfish. I had graduated from graduate school, I was looking for work after an actor’s strike/pending writers strike in Los Angeles. The job hunt wasn’t going well and I had flown home to see my family in Chicago. My parents were returning from a trip as well and we met in a very open Chicago Midway Airport. The eating area had just been remodeled and had samplings from some of the best places in Chicago. I remember Mom’s statement of how great it was going to be and exciting it was since the renovation was complete. Days later that would mean that no outside travelers would ever use that area again.

It was a Tuesday morning. I know because mom had bowling and so I was to drop her off, take the car back home, clean up and then return for lunch and ladies afternoon out. It was when was turning onto the street I grew up on that I heard that a plane had crashed through one of the towers of the World Trade Center. I pulled into the house and snapped on the tv, since it felt very War of the Worlds hoax-like. I quickly showered and drove back over to be with my mother, where a screen had been flipped to CNN and the goings on. I can’t remember much more than that like where I was when I saw the towers fall but I do recall the thought that I would never find the job I was seeking. Perhaps that statement rings true today-we’ll never know.

People talk of sacrifice and how over the last decade we’ve been at war, and I wonder how many people really know someone who has served or defended our country. I have only had one person I’ve lost, a classmate from college. It was 2008 and my birthday. I was grousing about how I didn’t have a family of my own and I was getting so old at 34. I then got a text from a friend saying Gary had died from an IED in Afghanistan and all of a sudden, it hit me how young 34 could be at the same time.

My sister in law will probably never write of this and I can’t do this story justice but the idea of sacrifice comes to mind that a four year old can often be an example more that any adult. The question of how do we teach September 11 in schools has been one of the repeating themes in what little tv I have allowed myself to see this last week. My sister in law teaches in an urban choice school where she teaches K4-four year olds in kindergarden. The school she teaches in, takes a trip every year to the firehouse to teach about 9/11 and show appreciation for firefighters. Each student is encouraged to give cards or take small gifts to leave when they go to visit. My sister in law said one of her students a few years back, rushed back to the cupboards before leaving for the field trip and grabbed her baby doll. She told my sister in law, her teacher, she just wanted to hold it a little while longer because when the time came to give gifts of thanks to the firefighters, this four year old gave up what was probably one of her few dolls. My sister in law said she and the other adults could barely hold back tears on that one. And on a day of reflection and remembrance, I always think of a little girl giving up a baby doll to thank a firefighter for putting their life on the line.

LACMA last Friday

2011-09-10T17:16:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I hit the art museum for a little inspiration. LACMA-LA County Museum of Art just keeps getting better and better. I feel that since moving here in 1998, I have seen Los Angeles awake and grow up in art and theatre since it always was a film town-not only have I discovered more but I think LA has discovered some things too.

After finding a great discount deal in a tweet, I am now a member of LACMA and it feels as valuable as my library card. Just like my visits to the Art Institute in Chicago, I have my favorite rooms and I stop by for a visit to my favorite art and painting and say “hi!”. I noticed that the Jasper Johns studies I like to see were off the wall for now, but there was plenty to take a look at I wanted to peek into the new exhibits that were in ‘member preview’ only.

I was more interested in how my eye kept looking at shadow and play with shadow. This was more interesting to me--that my brain and eye were focused on that than the new work. It was a different way of triggering ideas and I was blown away by it! It started with Richard Stankiewicz's work which took me back to the artist's loft I stayed in last November for my sound seminar put on the Association of Independents in Radio. I found the place cheap at the site roomorama and I saw how the woman I rented from put things in a place of honor as well as reminding herself of how to make art through art. She told me that people look at artists in a different light and she called herself a creative. Since I was just starting to embrace after all these years that I have to make art, I felt like this was a great time to hear this from this creative.
This discovery of shadow kept popping up in my walks through the gallery and I was enjoying these surprises saying hello back to me, it was my own treasure hunt!
This was a good thing since I was somewhat disappointed in the new exhibits that were in 'member preview'. Edward Kienholz, Five Car Stud 1969–1972 but the work didn’t really grab me. The gallery is dark and quiet with a bed of sand covering the floor. I didn’t expect to wear my sandals to the art museum and get sand in them! The viewer is only allowed to enter one way and leave through another exit. Part theatre, mostly social commentary and part sculpture the work depicts a group of home grown terrorists that are castrating a black man after coming upon a scene of an inter racial couple “parking” in a truck. The literature to explain and comment on the work reminds us that scenes like this happened throughout the southern United States. That type of writing always turns me off in others trying to say this never happened in our backyard but those in the northern states were segregated in other ways, not to mention the fact that Indiana in the early 20th century had the most KKK members per capita of any state or the area in LA County I live in had cross burnings and problems up into the 1980s. Since the work hasn’t been seen in many years, it seems as if LAMA is as proud of the fact that this work is out of storage and is on display again as the content and discussion itself.

I then went out into the Rodin sculpture garden since the writing of how sensual it was to work in clay, always made me a fan of the works and yet again, I saw more shadow on the staircase up above and in the garden itself. Yes this was probably nearing movie "magic hour" as far as light was concerned but I still saw so much as far as play with shadow and how it will probably find its way into my work in the near future. I even found it among the Giacometti collection. I have never been a fan of the work (it's no Rodin) but even with my eye and brain playing this game, I found something to love/like about the work on this visit!
It's my hope that the idea of Pacific Standard Time (Five Car Stud and the curation of Asco: Elite of the Obscure, A Retrospective, 1972–1987 are a part of this) has work that grabs me more at other participating institutions. And so onto look at other works in other museums- this included a visit to Downtown Artwalk Thursday as well as MOCA, where there wasn't enough Warhol and Cy Twombly but company and dinner after kept me happy.

Sound Walk's Featured Artist

2011-09-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm the featured artist for the Soundwalk website. Most of it you know but some of it is new.
Go check it out and come see the show October 1 in Long Beach. What I did last year is here.

LACMA on Friday

2011-09-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

I worked the holiday weekend but I now look forward to the time away at the end of the week. LACMA was an amazing inspiration but I was surprised what I noticed on this trip to the museum. Outside of the museum, this delighted me most of all!

Downtown Los Angeles- Clifton's Signage

2011-08-26T22:27:00.000-07:00

Still on my list of LA landmarks to experience. I spoke with someone today who said he wasn't a fan of downtown Los Angeles and I told him even though I live in the suburbs, there is a special place in my heart for downtown LA which is interesting since in the beginning, I was like others, I was afraid. I now think of it as a cherished secret-my little secret that only certain people understand. I feel the same way about Savannah! (If you saw me speaking these words, there would be a glint in my eye and a flash of the dimple!)

Day 30- Little White Chapel and the Elvis Impersonator PT2

2011-08-23T00:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Santa Clarita Valley Photographers Association post, here are a few of the things that went down at the little white chapel!

Day 30- Little White Chapel and the Elvis Impersonator

2011-08-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

So the day started with waking up to a nightmare at 4:30 in the morning then working retail 8-5, where we had some difficult people that want to know why something doesn't work they way they want it to...my answer, write your own program or pony up more money to make the website work they way you want-oh that's right, you don't know how....then jetted off to Senses in Newhall for the third Thursday street fair. I worked the chapel- dressed people up, gave out rings and fake wedding certificates and oh-that's right I wore a white boa and a veil part of the night. Although sober (did I mention I was working) I did try the Don Draper from Lake Street Creamery truck Vanilla, bourbon ( maker's mark-my favorite!), smoke and a swirl of caramel--it was soooooooo goood.
Somehow from lack of sleep, 2 work shifts and such, I feel as if I had the full Vegas night since this sweet innocent feather somehow appeared from lord knows where on my couch and I lost my phone and it slipped in a crack of the sofa where my fat hand wouldn't go. I had to cut a hole in the netting in the bottom of the couch to retrieve it while all the while it beeped telling me I had texts and calls --just mocking me! I can't wait for the next gen iphone to replace this dinosaur sliver from 2007!

And here is me filling out fake certificates and the boa!

Day 29- Friendly Valley Trivia

2011-08-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

Lovely hot day and hot night. I met LD and Shawna for Jesus Chicken Birthday Party and it was mad house. It's been a year since ChicFilA moved Awesometown and of course the cow was out in full force, dancing with many grandmothers out to see the kiddos demonstrate martial arts as well as bounce around in an airhouse and sign a waiver to get in a human hamster ball. It was then off to trivia night to meet the visitors from Oz and hear Nate attempt what sounded more North London as an accent. I was tired but it was fun listening, laughing, and joking about how to piss off an Australian! I love how the clouds look as if they are playing and taunting the neon of the building.

Sun Sisters Review for LA Theatre Review

2011-08-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

Here's my Sun Sister's Review for LA Theatre Review. That was a strange night since the subject matter is lesbian in subject and then I felt like I was in a vortex of women since the theatre company's bathroom location meant we had to go through the mezz bar where it seemed to be girl night by the clientele coming up the stairs!

Thank you letter to a mentor, Frank Underbrink

2011-08-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

This summer I had to do an activity where we had to write a thank you to a mentor. I felt a little guilty since the people that shared in the group, thanked relatives. One was for a father and another guy thanked the kids he was mentoring. I thought of all the teachers that made a big difference or were an influence in my life. I was so lucky to have so many men and women from junior high and beyond. I wrote to Frank Underbrink since he’s been on my mind for quite a while-

Dear Mr. Underbrink,

I wanted to take the time to let you know how great it was to have you teaching at Libertyville High School. It was especially great knowing that you had been a graduate of the school and gone on to do so many things. The fact that you were the only guy in your French class and you went off to use it with your archeology studies was fantastic.

The time I saw you at the Goodman gave me an even greater love of Anton Chekhov. I now think of you every time I read or see Chekhov. Mom said she’d never seen me light up so much with excitement. You were sitting in the lobby during intermission, grading a stack of papers on a bench, I didn't even notice as I went to the ladies and it was mom who told me to take a closer look. I was studying theatre by then and you shared how much you loved Chekhov and had gone and purchased a ticket that night for The Cherry Orchard.

The way you managed a class like a college classroom and the fact that many known discipline problems were never a problem for you influenced me and how I deal with students today. Your sense of humor and your attitude toward boys growing up influenced me when I hit the classroom and taught all the young men I had in my audio courses at the numerous places I’ve been. I still see your face with a grin ear to ear when you would say “It must be spring, the freshman boys are fighting in the halls again!” I also think of the times you said the teacher’s lounge talk of was discipline problems and you would be surprised as these kids wouldn’t act up with you and as a teen ager I knew it was because you treated them like adults. I also can only imagine the sight when you would tell the story of the kid who was late for school and saw the dean waiting for him in the hall so he went outside and started crawling in through an open window in you classroom!

I miss you and I take away a sense of humor and a sense of adventure from you. We always joked you were the real Indiana Jones! Thanks again.

Day 25-Dark day Wed but Downtown Urban Cave on Thursday

2011-08-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

I happened to have Thursday off and as luck would have it, my dentist called to remind me I was due for a check up. I now sparkle and it also meant an afternoon in downtown LA. Traffic was insane-I couldn't believe how crazy afternoon traffic could be, but I finally got out of it, got parked and was able to relax. I then went on a quick walk and a meetup at the Redwood with the engineers of Marketplace. I miss it but I don't miss the day to day stuff that still goes on. It's a great team of guys and it's probably a job with one of the best supervisors I will ever have. I stopped and took a snap of what looked like an urban cave to me. It's such a contrast to the old buildings I navigated through with the dentist, bars, and galleries of artwalk so I really like the modern lines and feeling of a secret place-almost cathedral like. I was very much in a 500 Days of Summer location and it was a very good day.

Day 24- Getting Busy

2011-08-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, this week has been insane and it's apparent that the habit of a photo a day isn't taking. It doesn't help that my point and shoot is questionable, I don't have a smart phone for snaps and I now have to carry around my DSLR. The first few days of August have flown by and it's obvious by not taking the time to add stuff to the chalkboard in my house. Even though I'm a technology kid in many ways, I love this board because my neighbor (3rd grandfather to me) gave this to me as a child. I played "school" at the board for hours, and I knew I would grow up to be a teacher one day. This is one of the most important pieces of furniture to me, even if this month it's not getting used to the ultimate.

Day 23- Summer days and nights

2011-08-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

I stayed in Savannah for part of the summer last summer and spent many a day and night under a ceiling fan. Here in California, I have been under a few fans and they seem to transport me to other times and good memories- even if they seem to dry out my eyes! A fella once told me he loved lounging under a ceiling fan, that it's relaxing and I'm starting to see where he's coming from on that statement.

Day 22- First and Hope and to cutting the tags

2011-08-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

I took this last night (Sunday), and woke up to the dress hanging this morning. I bought this dress in April and wore it for the first time last night- a night we did up right at First and Hope Downtown Supper Club. It was cocktails and starters, then mains, then dessert, and then it was back to reality with a free chicken and biscuit Monday morning at the drive-thru. Blood and Sand cocktails were to die for, the crab hush puppies to start then on to the steak, finishing off with chocolate for desert-to lovely.
Back to the dress, this dress was purchased, like the groupon like deal/coupon I had for dinner last night, many months ago. I always walk the fine line of holding on to nice things instead of enjoying them in a timely manner. I don't want to be that woman/mother that people talk about when they pass away-that these women never enjoyed the nice things or gifts- be it soaps, lotions, jewelry-you name it.

And so on the very last day, as the coupon expired, I spent a wonderful night with my friend Frank. It was during this that I realized yes, saving is good but sometimes what are we saving for? I live within my means but to deny myself if I have it is just silly and I'm missing out. As Frank's cologne lingered on me from his hug, I thought about lots of things on my drive home-how sad it was to not have a fella to enjoy moments like that but what a great luxury to have a friend to enjoy it with! I have had many people leave my life this year and I have seen that you better enjoy it now and go and do while you still have the ability-things can change in an instant.

Day 21- My Desk

2011-08-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

Hard day at work, then went out for drinks and blew off some steam. I came home to a little bit of sober up rituals-social networking at an unfortunate time.
I haven't had a desk in 2 years now and so I guess I am truly a laptop girl now. The computer sits here 79% of the time and often I am in bed, on my stomach perusing the nets and wasting time like many these days!

Day 20- Street Art Exhibit and Pizza on the BBQ

2011-08-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

I spend my day off wisely and headed to the museum.
Although you could take pictures, I took very little and just a few notes in my gallery guide, hoping to jog memory and create other things from it. The show was almost too much yet it really recharged me in art making and the likes. The place closed at 5 and yet I was lining up at half past 4 or so, trying to get a ticket. I took this outside the Geffen MOCA with my back to the street art displays outside and thought it was funny to still document the anonymous art in the parking lot. I then went on to spend a wonderful night grilling pizza, visiting with friends and meeting new ones-killer margaritas helped as well!!!

Day 19- Self portrait part 2 and dark days setting in

2011-08-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

It's already posted that another piece of my soul died today and my fridge reflects how my soul probably looks. I once saw in a gallery in Dallas, a whole grouping of a photographer where they took pics of people's fridges. My fridge is always a place of good intentions but where food often goes to die. Hopefully a trip to Trader Joe's and the sun coming up on another day will help--but it looks as if a bad moon may be rising.

Day 18 Friendly Valley Trivia part 2

2011-08-03T23:06:00.000-07:00

Another night of trivia, at least this one is close and it's great to see the peeps in Awesometown aka Santa Clarita. Susan is away at BlogHer conference and she was missed. Although I get at least one beer at trivia nights, the team, Friendly Valley Social Club sits outside, snacks, drinks, and jokes and talks of all sorts of things from politics to sports to actually playing the game of trivia. I always enjoy it and even though I was tired and felt like the empty cups and discarded chips here, it was good to be out and with the crew. The team roster is put together for Saturday when they play the ultimate trivia tournament against others in LA County!

Day 17 Rogue Photo

2011-08-03T22:54:00.000-07:00

So the point and shoot camera I've been limping along as I hold out for the new iPhone is not kind. I've been aware it was erasing photos if I used the playback mode, but last night it took photos and then ate them all without my help in viewing them through the camera. I don't get that sad as in film days, one used to lose whole roles but it's still a little aggravating. I went to see Harry Potter with Maria and Chris and then we went on to trivia. This pic was taken at the BBQ and the other won out. I'm glad I kept it as this is how I feel with camera complications-mopey- and I was with the girls when this was taken too!

Day 16 My personal library

2011-08-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

I am a collector and on a bad day a hoarder. My friends deny it but I have a problem and the addiction is books. When I had to put things in storage, I had to get rid of over 200 books and when I unpacked after my things being in storage for over a year and a half, my collection still doesn't fit the house. I need to get on it and read 'em and donate them and share with others. I love to look through the pics, and if you look at the titles they tell a story of my aspirations to learn languages-both romantic and technical. I also have always had to hope to being a great designer and those books still linger as well as the love a good story-both fictional and true which shows in the history texts. Maybe someday, I will be the person I want and hope to be.

Day 15 Shitkickers and the fierce walk that goes with 'em

2011-07-31T22:32:00.000-07:00

It's always worked this way-I don't like how the people around me are interacting and the boots come on. Being a Texas girl at heart, I love how boots look with skirts and dresses. The places I've lived, it's been an individual look, for sure. The look works for me and I love how boots make me walk. It's a fierce walk, a don't mess with me walk. In the 4 pairs of boots I have, I'll kick ya in the shins and let the butt kicking begin. I tell people, I don't like to fight but if need be, it'll be over fast and it'll be dirty-just saying.
After an insane day yesterday, today was definitely a boot wearing day!

Day 14 Will's Birthday-aGoGo-Mom's Bar

2011-07-31T20:16:00.000-07:00

Out with the SCV girls and it was an event without too many events in the night. After an insanely difficult day, it was nice to kick back, be myself and hang. We took some funny photos in the photobooth and then had fun people watching in the corner. I don't know what all the fuss was about in this bar but still a great night!

Day 13 Rower's Barbeque

2011-07-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

As I said in a previous post, rowing has been amazing for me. It's been a great workout and changed how I exercise but the big surprise was the social aspect.
A few of us got together at Robert's house where most of the club cookouts are generously hosted and last night was a very familiar scene. People cooking and preparing a meal, lots of good wine and beer, and lots of people sitting and standing around talking-talking a little rowing, a little business, a little sport. Today was hard to choose which picture would make the cut-a first- but this one displayed how great our meal looked.

Day 12 Mother's Beach Boathouse and Sunset row

2011-07-28T23:47:00.000-07:00

Another awesome summer night. I've been rowing for almost 2 years now and tonight was summer's initiative of sunset row. LA Rowing Club has created a great gathering of a few boats and a few "races" on the marina. After a workout, many in the group then head out and enjoy a beer and good company.
This was the view of where we wait and gather to get organized. I have waited many a morning in the cold, asking myself why am I doing this and why do I love this sport?
For starters, it's a non impact overall workout that lets me move and be in the moment and forces me to think of nothing else-similar to my experiences as a child with dance. I chose this sport, wanting to have something that held me accountable like a team sport but was still very individualistic. All this came about, but the great surprise was the support and the friendships and the great social things that resulted. I am also amazed that I am friends with people on a level where we share much but may know very little about what the career is or how they dress on a day to day basis- it's very stripped down. I had just come to this realization when I say an interview with Judy Starkman on her public art installation the secret life of swimmers. Maybe it's the water that is a true equalizer, not the sport.

Day 11 Friendly Valley Trivia and Kogi Truck-Awesome Summer Nights!

2011-07-28T00:31:00.000-07:00

This isn't the first time I've met the SCV Tweeps for trivia and then on to a late night snack with the Kogi food truck, but I think this will be the signature thing for the summer. It doesn't matter what you're doing, it just matters that you're out with friends enjoying those wonderful summer nights and it feels like the one you're in is the most perfect one ever until the next one with similar ingredients comes along.
I love summer and I love feeling like a teenager, where you have little worries-now for just a moment- and the company of great friends.
This was taken after I had finished my sliders and LD and I were joined by some of the trivia crew. The line that was at least 40 orders deep was winding down and sounds of laughter and happy groups of friends filled pockets of the street and parking lot. Not a bad night out at all.

Day 10 Irish Times Trivia

2011-07-27T00:27:00.000-07:00

I love playing Trivia here because I meet up with my friends from rowing and get to see them in civilian clothes. I also love the fact that over the months that we have been playing, we have only gotten a sports question right once and it was last week when I was gone. The drinks are pricey and the service is terrible but it's fun to see the variety of folks that come in on a Tuesday night to play and converse. Our team has only won a bar tab once and that has kept us coming back for more.
We came in fifth tonight and it was fun laughing and complaining and sharing the hate for our nemesis teams, Ship It and Delivery's in the Rear, since Fat Kids are Harder to Kidnap has been missing in action.
It shows how much I love this since I drive down from Awesometown to Culver City Irish Times to play and the drive home has been a challenge with highway construction.

Day 9 Hard Shadows, Cool Breezeway

2011-07-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

I noticed these shadows from the stair railing and wanted to capture it. I was coming home from work and saw the hard shadows.
I've always liked patterns that shadows make and hope that this snap reads as how hot it really feels today. It's so hot and I'm not even where the heat wave is hitting--so hot, I just want to be inside with the blinds closed, sitting under the ceiling fan and enjoying the respite.

Day 8 Self Portrait

2011-07-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

Like my views, I have a collection of self portraits like this one- me, behind a camera, guessing where the framing will be in a reflective surface, usually a mirror. I've been doing this for 20 years and suppose it will continue for another 20 or more.
I have been dealing with a lot of internal stuff and I like the idea of wearing my glasses in this besides the fact that I think aviators make me look tough. I honestly like the lens flare and the fact that this was taken in the window of the second car I have ever had. My truck and I had many great adventures and memories and this new car has not had the same attention since I feel like I'm cheating on the truck with the new car. I hope to soon take this car 'cross country and have adventures like the Bullet and I had!

Day 7 Cooper Black is for Lovers

2011-07-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about my brother a lot lately. I miss him and his family and wish I could see them this summer but it'll have to wait til Fall.
My brother always has the best intentions when it comes to gifts but he can never deliver them on time. I've gotten birthday presents (October 1) when I came home for Christmas. His birthday is days after mine so you'd think it's not a surprise on the deadline, but anyway....
These Hatch Show Print postcards were no exception but they mean a lot to me since Matt was traveling in a bus and he brought these with me. I stayed to see him perform for the church service and it was so nice to have him sit with me during the sermon. Since he's married now, I don't get many chances to be with him by myself so I really liked being able to sit with my brother that day last year.

Day 6 Baseball

2011-07-23T00:24:00.000-07:00

When I think of the love of the game, I first think of my cousin Chris, who would come over to watch my brother and me and we would always play baseball. He kept every uniform from the YMCA teams he was on and played in through high school. It was this passion that drove him into journalism, since in the beginning he hoped to be a sports writer.
My second thoughts of baseball are how my last summer in Savannah, I was able to go to the games often 2 or 3 times a week. This is what I refer to as feeding the beast. I LOVE BASEBALL. I even convinced the Scottish boyfriend it was the cheapest bar in town and he learned to love it!
My third thought of baseball is family, my family would go to Ranger games every summer and enjoy sitting in the cheap seats and watching the games. Even though Dad loves baseball as much as Mom, I have many a memory of hitting a few parks, just the two of us, especially on our Route 66 trip--Arlington, St. Louis, as well as Anaheim and Los Angeles.
I had fun tonight with Mike and it was a night where added memories will come into play since we had plenty of entertainment around us in the stands!

Day 5-Street Festival:Senses

2011-07-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight was pretty amazing for a city event. The theme was a beach party and the venue was complete with all things beach related. There was a mechanical surf simulator -like a mechanical bull, a pool to dip in and sand to play in, not to mention lifeguards perched in the middle of the street. What beach scene isn't complete with out some beach balls and these rogue ones were hiding/resting behind one of the food trucks at the festival. Even though I have left theatre work, I still feel more comfortable back stage than in front. It still feels weird to walk into a theatre through the front of the house versus the backstage door. That statement probably explains how I ended up taking this picture, in the quiet of the festival, behind all that was going on "in front of house". It was a great summer night to have fun and I can't wait to see what next month's street festival with a vegas theme will look like!

Day 4 Steel Magnolias

2011-07-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a long one so here is the post that didn't get made last night. People who know me know of the ennui and melancholy setting in through the books I'm reading, what I'm eating, etc. I miss the South and no longer wish to be in SoCal and it shows. Yesterday morning I took a pic of the Magnolias in my apartment complex. The smell takes me back to living in my house on Warren Circle. It later takes me to Savannah and a night a spend with Matt where his broke a little piece of my heart but hey that's par for the course. I've always taken pics of Magnolias, hoping that one day I'd have the perfect pic to frame and put in my formal dining room--still working on both those items.

Against All Odds- The Postal Service

2011-07-19T23:03:00.000-07:00

I have ennui for some strange but telling reason. Feeling homesick or at least displaced, got ready for bed and then by chance, finished This American Life's Podcast on Breakups and this was what closed out the show. I was still in Texas when Phil Collins came out with this, and I think we had a couple of his albums from the album of the month club. Interesting sound and update:

Pic 3 of 30 day challenge, My View

2011-07-19T20:20:00.000-07:00

I just moved house last month and am back to living alone. I enjoy having pets and a room mate but I like the quiet and choices I have when I live alone. I used to move every 6 months or so with working summer stock theatre and going to school, so I have a collection of pictures that need to be organized that are all my views from where I was living and working at any point in my adult life. This may not be the best view or picture, but it's something familiar to add to the category MY VIEW. I still think back to one of my favs at work- the top view of the old masonic temple in Minneapolis. It had a corner where an old overstuffed chair sat and my boss would smoke and I'd sit and watch the sunset. I still think about those times when I watch sunrises and sunsets and cherish my friendships from that internship and my travels all over the country.

Day 2 or 3-Monday Night

2011-07-18T23:18:00.000-07:00

30 day challenge is not going well. I am a terrible one to start a new habit-good or bad. They say it takes 30 to 40 days to create everlasting change and my friend has already stopped or given up on his 30 days of photo. I find that I am exhausted most days and although there is not the need to set up shots or plan, as an amateur photog, I AM PICKY! I laugh at myself since I tend to tell people when they look at my work-"these are just snapshots"-wanting to differentiate my art from my everyday life, but the two seem to intertwine more and in mysterious ways.

Tonight, I crashed when I got home from work, and took a long nap. I woke up and forced myself to head over to Proxart Mag's new edition launch party. It was a beautiful night and I enjoyed the company and the wine, which then led me to a hankering for late night Taco Bell. This snap was taken while waiting to order. The wait was long and I loved the fact that when the cashier took my money and dropped the change, I stated he was high and there was no denial. Gotta love what some people do to get through the day or the shift. Fast food indulgence was great but it makes me think that along with the 30 day photo challenge, I need to get back on the little red wagon so to speak- thanks Luke Burbank and TBTL! and do the workout and good food thing for the rest of July and into August. I'm currently jealous of a friend who has done a 90 day dvd challenge and looks great! Inspiration and challenge, all in a beautiful summer night!

Heaven by Brandi Carlile

2011-07-17T00:25:00.000-07:00

Just watched the series finale of Friday Night Lights and really loved hearing this during the Seven/Julie proposal at the Alamo Freeze.

Opening Day

2011-07-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

Friend of mine challenged me to take pictures for thirty days straight. A picture a day. Well- we really came up with it together- he's up to it too but I already failed since I had to post pone the starting day!
I wanted to document what today felt like and I'm really tired and glad to be somewhere quiet, away from the noise and chaos-even though I be back in it soon enough.
I was told that Apple loves the little details and the box that this opening day t shirt displays that.

Reviews for Hollywood Fringe Festival via LA Theatre Review

2011-06-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

Been seeing some great shows and writing about them-
Here are a few that have been published so far:

Endgame

Spring Awakening

FreakShow Deluxe and The Normal Child

The next generation

2011-06-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

I worried ten years ago when I graded my first set of papers for an intro to video class and noticed that my students were too lazy to use spell check on word before printing and turning them in--so as I get older, I worry about doctors that will be younger than me and how they studied in school--just sayin'.

BUT THIS WEEK I WITNESSED SOMETHING TRULY DISTURBING.
-Over the last few years, I have heard and read articles on how parents will negotiate their kid's salary or show up for an interview of their child's. I never believed it, but I started a new job this week and saw with my very own eyes. A father walked in with his college age son- I'm guessing that since the kid was already sporting a comb over that he was a few years out of high school.-Anyway, Dad walks in and asks for a manager, stands there as the kid pulls out a resume and speaks with said manager. I later asked the manager how often that happens and the reply was it does but they also get calls from parents asking why little Johnny didn't get hired. My jaw dropped! Manager then followed up with the comment that this generation is weak--so parents- think about how you mold your young adults and young ones-grow a pair, grow up and face reality-the sooner the better.

ANGRY BIRDS theme!!! covered by Pomplamoose

2011-06-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

Odd cover but I thought it was fun! Thanks Aron for the heads up. It's on ITunes as well.

Thinking about NewsRadio and what reunion show would you want to see?

2011-06-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

I often think about my friend Andrew-my assistant and one of my partners in crime while studying audio at CalArts. Andrew always did things for comedy sake and I continue the tradition to this day. We worked on Reprise's Bells are Ringing and he got the announcer to give the number 8675309 to the extra ending the producer's felt they needed. We were both fans of NewsRadio and would pitch quotes back and forth.
Andrew also added Feliz Navidad with eastern instruments to a Chinese restaurant scene in a show we worked on and I will never forget the day he made the computer talk dirty in the lab too-Oh Pierre, I love it when you touch my hard drive- boy humor never gets old!
Every spring I think of this scene in NewsRadio and today I thought how curious it would be to see a reunion show of this show-taking a poll for the next few days to see what other reunion shows would be worth a gander since networks seem to think Dallas is worth a reunion.

That's what I go to School for....Jonas Brothers cover Busted

2011-05-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

This was the song of the summer for me my last summer in Savannah 2004. I knew I was moving back to Los Angeles. I always thought I'd like the city of Savannah if I wasn't in the job I was in-and I discovered the truth in that. That summer I also met my Scotsman-Craig. He was lovely and quite a few years younger. He started chatting me up at the real O'Connell's- the location before Paula Deen kicked 'em out. I remember flirting back and had my hand on his knee when I he told me he was 7 years younger and I pulled that hand away pretty quick! He was the same age as many of the students I had just been teaching. Craig kept up with the wooing for weeks and he won. I justified it as he had been earning a wage as long as I had so he was mature-and not being American made him more mature! Yeah!
What I learned that summer was to laugh and enjoy the moment. I also learned to be open to many more things and quit writing people off from initial impressions. Craig would play this song and tease that I was a cradle robber. This song was in my head and it makes me laugh when the one time at work I looked it up and listened to the Jonas Brother's rendition it had been squeaked up clean by the mouse at Disney.
Here are the two renditions of my favorite pop song of 2004.

How Alice In Wonderland!

2011-05-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

Forget about the KoolAid! Found this in the stairwell at the community college and felt it had sooooo many story possibilities behind it.

Day of Rapture

2011-05-25T22:41:00.000-07:00

photo by Mike Guerena

So, I am still here and all my friends are here after Saturday's misinterpretation of end of the world. For my possible last day on earth or last day in Los Angeles, I decided to make plans all about me. There were many loose ends and plans in the air, but I knew I had ingredients for a good day and hoped it would all come together. In the end it was a perfect day-one I will remember for many months to come. When sharing this over lunch with a friend on Monday, I shared a perfect day story and he suggested I write the preacher predicting the end of the world. I decided blogging was enough.
The day started as most of my Saturdays start-at Mother's Beach in Marina del Rey on the water. I've been rowing for about a year and enjoy the people I've met through the club and the sport. Saturdays are a regular thing where I am on a late boat with mostly a ladies eight crew but often we have a mixed with a few fellas joining in. I was the coxain-the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering-according to wikipedia-(yes yes-lovely source). That definition is just what I do-not a lot of coaching or drills but the main goal is not to hit anything and keep composure in the boat. The boat was my first time in the "new" boat and as my friend says is steers like the Titanic and I found the statement to be true.

Since we hit nothing, I chalked it up to a good day on the water. I had coffee and a bagel with a boat mate and then headed downtown. The variable was to meet up with the SCV twitta crew or a few friends that live downtown. I missed the twitta crew but did find my downtown peeps and was able to look at the pitcrews, the soapbox cars, costumes, and the crowds. Pershing Square worked the best for dealing with crowds but the heat and sun was too much.

I said good bye to Ava as she'd had enough fun after watching a few runs and Frank and I watched a few more then headed to the bar of the Boneventure Hotel and had drinks and snacks. It was there where we met Mike and Maiya taking a set of Rapture photos that I ended up posing for as well. Boneventure bar food was good. We had lobster rolls and fried chicken sliders (waffle bun) as well as chicken sausage. I'd skip the lobster rolls but the fancy take on fried chicken and waffles was so good! I said good bye to Frank and had an hour or 2 to kill before meeting Jeremy for dinner.

I ate too much in the snacking department that I killed an hour walking around downtown LA so I'd be ready to eat again and just to see what activity was still happening with the Soapbox Derby. The Derby was over but there were lots of happy people on the street and lots of hills and stairs to take so I got a mini workout and as my grandmother would say, "went 'kodaking'" (taking many pictures) downtown.

Jeremy works the graveyard shift so his day was just beginning. As I drove toward Eagle Rock, I started to wonder if he really wanted to see me since he told me to meet him at 6pm-time of Judgement or whatever with Rapture. That just brought a smirk to my face and it widened into a smile since I have been wanting to eat at CaCao in Eagle Rock ever since I heard of it a few years back. They have a sampler plate of duck and boar that I've been dying to give a go but even some of my food blogger friends weren't having it. If this was going to be my last meal, CaCao Mexicatessen was the place. Not only did we get the Maya Sampler, the chips and salsa were out of this world and I had Camorones and Jeremy saw the Don Marcos-very hot- taco and seemed pleased.
Nothing much to do after an early dinner and an early day out plus sitting in the sun- so I headed home. I was gone a good 14 hours and really had a wonderful day of rapture!

Science Fair

2011-05-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

I have had way too many things happening this year to make it clear that I've gone over a precipice-yes age is just a number but that number sometimes means something. Although I still feel 16 inside, I am not and sooo I was asked to be a non biased judge in the elementary school science fair.
As a college professor, I now know where the bad education starts. Yes, as a college professor, I get the young adult but at 5th and 6th grade, apparently using youtube, the internet in general, and wikipedia as sources is acceptable.
Bad habits begin early and it looks like I found out Pico Canyon is an enabler when it comes to that. My first assignment in my Media and Society class was a current events assignment. Basically read an article and tell me who, what, when, where, why, and how. Many of the 18-20 year olds taking the class couldn't do this and all I ever wanted to yell out in the class was that this was an assignment I was doing in 6th grade!
I also recall learning in 7th grade how to do a research paper. We had notecards and developed an outline. This is something that many California Community College students can't do. We also learned that year what was acceptable and credible sources to use in a research paper and how to document them as well as how to create a bibliography.
8th grade at Hawthorn Junior High had us spending a 5 week module on scientific method and how to run an experiment. Although I saw many creative and inventive things at the science fair, I saw many kids projects that could barely follow directions and barely earn a passing grade.
This just brings me back to when I would grade papers in my classes and weep for the future. I always had exciting and well written papers but I expected it to be the majority and not the few notable exceptions. Many students didn't even bother to spell check before turning in the schlock to me. Often I would return it to students and refuse to grade it until they gave better work.
All I am saying, is when doctors start to practice that are younger than me, I might one day ask someone with me to just smother me with a pillow, knowing what I know and what I've seen.

Civil Wars cover BIllie Jean

2011-05-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

Been hearing buzz about this duo and I think they are growing on me.-Doesn't hurt that they have a touch of the Southern in 'em and it's amazing that their second performance ever resulted in the digital album that catapulted them to where they are now. Once again, here are darlings from South by Southwest-the festival that matters.

No Diggity Cover by Canasta

2011-05-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

I was in Chicago last week and saw a live show/recording of the podcast, Too Beautiful to Live at Schubas.
Funny situation was the show wanted to do call makers and answer a question from the "make believe radio" audience. I had plenty of material and felt I could contribute to good make believe radio by posing the question if hipsters are this decade's yuppie. I would talk about my colleague Mike showing up for a meeting in a button down shirt, tshirt over it, 2 different color socks and a trucker hat. Now I know Mike has probably never driven a truck let alone a tractor and why the mismatch socks-does he have a matching pair sitting in his bureau as we speak? This material as well as my friend saying there was a new site about how most hipsters are just dressing like their dads-big glasses, facial hair, funny sweaters, etc. I was optimistic this material could carry on a good debate/conversation.
The show began and I started looking at who was sitting around me. A girl to my right was a roller derby jammer and the guy to my left was a NPR listener who in my experience was one of those that probably knows more than you about the show YOU WORK ON! So I turned to my friend a little nervous and stated I had not thought about my audience before posing that question.
The segment came up and it looked as if, as I hoped there was a little preproduction and they had filtered my question out. No luck there as Luke Burbank read out all the questions-there were only 5 or so. When Luke read mine, about 5 people right around me screamed CALL HER!
I had my phone on so it would have been impossible to chicken out. Thankfully or not, producer Jen commented that question could get mean-although I had no malintent- and instead went with a girl they knew and a question of selling off an expensive bottle of gifted wine. Not good radio as the gal never spoke into the phone or the microphone once but such is live radio!

The group Canasta played to songs for the show and closed the show with No Diggity-lots of fun to hear this rendition and it now will be a good memory ever time I hear any rendition!

Mainstreet Libertyville Eats

2011-05-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

I took a long weekend visit home to see the family this weekend. I spent my tween and teen years in the Midwest-North Suburbs of Chicago. On my flight into Milwaukee, a couple asked me if it was my home and I responded the only way I knew how-I grew up there but can’t stand the cold and really consider myself a southern girl at heart. The kicker or rub of that story was that when I moved in 1985 I vowed to myself I would get out of here as soon as I graduated high school and head back down to where I felt I belonged, but the universe likes to have a laugh with me now and again and I not only did I start college at Illinois State, but finished undergrad FARTHER NORTH in Minneapolis at the University of Minnesota!
Right now, things in life have to be taken a day at a time and the last few trips home are difficult thinking of how I wanted to get out and light up the world. I can drive by my old high school- the old historic building, Brainerd, lying in wait-hoping to be restored and the upperclassman building that has now had many a renovation as well as a split to two schools in the district. I drive past my favorite teacher’s house- the one that his parents-both teachers at the high school built and now sold after his death but well taken care of and preserved. I see the old dance studio and the first boyfriend’s house property as well-the house is gone, but the memory of the first kiss and first heartbreak in the back of my head. Many things have changed, many are guideposts to the grey matter of my mind.
The one thing that has changed for the better and makes the visits enjoyable are the passion of my parents in supporting local business and volunteering with the organization MainStreet Libvertyville. Dad runs the local farmers market in the summer, mom has volunteered to work the Christmas Tea and both have done many more for the organization to keep our historic downtown Libertyville thriving. Always on a brink of needing new business in its storefronts, the organization and volunteers work to keep events going, and supporting the businesses.

My first day in town, the request was for lunch at Mainstreet Smokehouse. I’ve had many a great taste in barbeque from many regions and Mainstreet Smokehouse seems to do many types VERY WELL. As stated from the beginning, I moved into Libertyville from Texas and barbeque to me is beef brisket and this spot in Libertyville is a reason to visit-It’s the best beef brisket outside of Texas. Mom testified to two guys waiting in line to pick up some food and the owner said she was the best advertising the joint had. As a family, we have a get together of neighbors at Christmas and the menu of barbeque stays the same. The last two years, we have had Smokehouse do the meat and we fix the rest of the fixin's. Although our family makes our own soppin' sauce, I am partial to MainStreet's Maple Chipotle sauce even though there are three others to try as well. I was in at Christmas time and saw a businessman eating the tacos and had to give it a go. Pork tacos DID NOT DISAPPOINT!

The next day, the parents and I did our best by heading out to Libertyville’s local microbrew, Mickey Finns. One boyfriend over 10 years ago showed his love for the shop by getting very happy drunk on hefeweizen, saying it was the best hef he had had outside of Germany. I can’t argue with that and in the summer Mickey Finn’s Heif is a no brainer for me. I tried the British Invasion India Pale Ale and was not disappointed. I had never had nitrogen drafted beer and was lead to believe it helped with the smoothness of the drink. The IPA was great although I usually love to have one with a more of a bite and bitterness than this batch had. Being Friday, Dad and I also flexed a little Midwest Catholic muscle and ordered the fish fry. Cole slaw was great, beer battered cod fried to perfection and the chips with vinegar were just like I like them.

As we finished lunch, Mom and I noticed that due to other plans, we would be missing the blessing of the miebach that afternoon at 5, keeping with German tradition. Mom’s new tradition was waving through the window to the beer master as we left and we received a big wave goodbye.

We hopped in the car to head home and at the traffic light, I asked what the corner shop kitty corner to Mickey Finns was and Mom said ohhh Lovin’ Oven! I’ll show you-we’ll stop in. It’s beautiful and it’s a lot like the movie Chocolat. Lovin’ Oven is Libertyville’s Cakery and it did not disappoint. There were many glass cases with many lovely sweets and the question was just what did I really want? Cakes were in the front as you stepped in the door. There were cupcakes and small cakes and big cakes. As we worked our way around, I saw that there was also fresh bread to buy and moving along from the cakes there was an equally large selection and great variety of cookies to choose from as well. We settled on cupcakes after debating on a small heath bar cake. The cupcakes we chose to go were a mocha buttercream and a red velvet.

Last stop on the Mainstreet Libertyville Buy Local Foodfest was for Mother's Day where we went to Trattoria Pomigliano. Mom's were getting a free rose for the special day and my parents told me that any military personnel that show up in uniform get their meal on the house. We had to wait as the place was jumping with activity and we sat at the newly installed bar that is gorgeous and looks like it's always been there. Cocktails and wine were ordered, we ended up chatting with a man who was a retired plumber and talked about all things Libertyville. We then sat down at a table and Mom ordered the Chicken Marsala-great tasting, I had the lasagna that was really good and although I didn't try it, Dad seemed to be pretty pleased with his sausage and pepper dish. Our waiter Anthony was really funny and a character who kept trying to push drinks on us and did have Mom and I try a Mainstreet. The cocktail was one I had never tasted, served in a Martini glass. I'm told it's a twist on a Cosmo. I had already had an amaretto sour so the sweetness of the Mainstreet was almost too much for me, but it was a lot of fun to be out and see families together and people celebrating mom.

So if you think there's really nothing in Libertyville, think again-at least foodwise. Summer is coming soon and with it also brings Out to Lunch, otherwise known as Lunch in the Park where on Fridays people come out to the square and enjoy music and eats. There you can get lots of tastes from more local vendors in Libertyville. Enjoy!

Husband Daycare

2011-05-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

As seen in Mundelein/Ivanhoe at Crossroads. Never been to Weich's but great signage.

Adele sings Lovesong

2011-05-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

Adele has been hitting 'em out of the park over here in the states and beyond. Rollingstone Magazine credits Adele with leading the Record Industry Out of Sales Slump http://t.co/NXO59XT and she has made many people active with digital downloads and physical disc sales. I was driving down the freeway from Awesometown and into "the city", when I head this cover and knew it had to be Adele. I've been somewhat of a Cure fan but love this jazzed up version.

Missteps of a Pop/Disney Princess: Miley covers Smells Like Teen Spirit

2011-05-04T05:24:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought the missteps one could make as a musical artist in a cover song. I guess though the variables of all sorts of wrong come up in talent reality singing shows and karaoke everyday. And the there is the Cyrus family that continues to make many an interesting misstep. Clips posted show bad choice in rock attire, bad choice in performance moves and a very misguided choice of a cover song!

Short version:

Longer version-titled with good sound?:

Wonderwall Cover-Ryan Adams

2011-05-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

I've never seen American Idol, but was interested when I heard on the podcast, Too Beautiful to Live about a month or so ago, that one of the contestants chose to sing Ryan Adams. The guy already doesn't get a fair shake since becoming Mr. Mandy Moore, but then when Jennifer Lopez confessed she didn't know the song or Ryan Adams and just hoped America "get it" saying she still knows a lot of music--c'mon!
Anyway, Ryan Adams's cover of Wonderwall really features how beautiful a song it really is and maybe if you get over the Gallagher Brothers' antics Oasis may be worth a listen as well.

My week

2011-04-29T21:16:00.000-07:00

This week has felt like the universe was sending me lots of chaos. I questioned if it was a matter of like attracting like. I questioned where I was in my own head space and then a random friend who I consider crazy contacted me-I made the mistake once of calling them that to their face(never call crazy 'crazy"!)--I realized that the universe was just having a laugh-at my expense. Found this mark on the sidewalk by the toy factory in the Arts District.-Sums things up pretty well this week!

Questions on Motion Graphics

2011-04-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

Taking a motion graphics class. I'm a little lost and discouraged
with what I know versus where I'd like to be, but here is my
latest work in progress. I think of this dialogue often. Who are
we, are we prepared to play and what really is the game.
Despite illness and life really giving me a run for my money,
I'm still making it and doing it.
Guess it's a good fight and maybe my head IS above water!

Questions from Erin Scott on Vimeo.

Good Day for Radio

2011-04-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

Don't know if I was in my car more yesterday or listening to news more or if it was just a day of REALLY GOOD RADIO! I thought I'd share a few of the gems I heard yesterday-throughout the day in my car.

KCRW's The Treatment replayed an interview with Russell Brand from 2010 where he was promoting his second memoir. In the past I thought the guy could be funny, but this guy shared how optimistic he currently is and how life has changed for him. If he keeps up with interviews like this, I see myself becoming a fan! Now the question is, do I see Hop! or Arthur first.

BBC and WGBH's The World ended the show yesterday with a piece about Clay Ross and Brazilian Bluegrass. Fun to hear the reporter pronounce bluegrass and from there hear the southern dialect of Ross talk of South Carolina, Brazil and New York.

And while listening to All Things Considered last night, Wade Goodman did a piece on highway driving and driving fast as Texas votes to raise the speed limit to 85! Fun, since I was there last week and have driven out to El Paso on Interstate 10-it is desolate! I was only going 75mph as I listened to the report!

Hope you enjoy the links!

Crazy....

2011-04-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

This song reminds me of summer and world cup and my visit to London. Other songs bring me back to that summer but I remember hearing it as I landed and seeing England flags (and learning about St. George's cross) flying everywhere on the bus from the airport to another destination. Although I love the Gnarls Barkley rendition, it seems that a few other artists thought this was fun to cover! I have to admit that the Ray Lamontagne version is currently on my ipod rotation.

Austin Eats-barbeques galore

2011-04-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

So barbeque really is king down here. I know I did spend part of my childhood down here and I keep telling people that I'm American by birth and Texan by the grace of God-always said with a twinkle in my eye and I flash that dimple I seem to be famous for...BUT I had forgotten how important beef and barbeque are...

My father suggested we take a trip from Austin and head over to Lockhart, the Barbeque Capital of Texas. Lockhart is the county seat of Caldwell County and houses many the good barbeque joint. The city website has the hook up and boasts that over 250,000 tourists visit and eat in Lockhart. We drove by Kreuz Market (pronounced 'Krites') but focused our efforts on Black's Barbeque, a family owned establishment and one of the oldest in town. The tour books also comment on the fact that while president, LBJ asked to have Black's cater a White House Function.
A visit to Black's means you're greeted with a sign that
says it's open 8 days a week-how can ya question the
goodness of a place open that much?

Upon entering, the customer is greeted with all the great sides that accompany good barbeque. Lots of vegetables, mac and cheese and such-we skipped it all due to the constant fullness and eat-a-thon the family was participating in. We DID add on a cobbler to our brisket sandwich orders-mom went for the peach, Dad and I hit the cherry. We made it a combo so Dr. Peppers in styrofoam cups with the good crushed ice and frito chips completed the order.

There was great things to look at in the dining area. Not only were there buck heads mounted on the walls, but 2 jackelopes! No stuffed animals posed playing cards but still....Black's also had a great choice of vending machines the kids can ding dong quarters out of ya for fun toys-mom's and my favorite was a buy a disguise kit showing kid with a Freddie Mercury mustache.

Two days later on the trip to Georgetown to visit my cousin Joe, Mom spotted the Salt Lick. The sign outside says "you can smell our pits for miles. Since I was driving I missed seeing it but not the giggle outburst from my mom in the back seat. Upon the list of eats my cousin went over, was The Salt Lick! He said he knew a retired city worker that had no sense of humor and when they drove passed it, his colleague stated he "didn't get it" where my cousin thought-yeah no shit! We were so BBQ'd out that we missed our chance at The Salt Lick and even had a chance at the airport but missed it--good excuse to come back and believe me, it's on the list.

Our family trip of years past had taken us to the famous Stubbs. I recall it being good, but what I remember more is mistakenly ordering the beef ribs when given the choice and then getting a Fred Flintstone plate of ribs and not knowing how to tackle them once they came out. So I took a picture of it, making it superimpose my mouth, like a smiley face-Of Course! Instead of hitting the tourist place, I decided to take the podcast, Too Beautiful to Live's Jen Andrew's account of her trip to Austin and headed to Ruby's instead. It was great-parents went for a brisket sandwich, I went for the brisket barbeque and bean taco on a whole wheat tortilla. It was just enough, although Mom shared part of her sandwich too. Ruby's sauce had a hit to it that sneaks up on ya. I first took a taste with the dip of the pinky and it waited a minute before kicking hard! We showed up right before the lunch crowd hit and I was glad, the line seemed to go on and on.

Hate to admit that I didn't have the stamina to eat all the BBQ beef I used to be able to in the past. My flexitarian lifestyle had me reaching for antacids mid week but I'm not sure if it's the beef that's talking back or the smoke that permeates the barbeque. Either way, it's still a taste of my childhood and I love how the meat is always so tender. That being said, I had great BBQ and can't wait to head up to Libertyville, Illinois next month and have Main Street Smokehouse which is probably my favorite place outside of the South for all kinds of BBQ, beef, pork, Carolina and Texas-YUM!

Austin Eats-Trailer Park Eatery

2011-04-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

Since my trip to Austin has been one of meeting new people and gathering information, I met someone new, had a wonderful chat about everything under the sun, and the subject came round to food. I told the man I was interested in the gourmet trailers and wanted some of the "good stuff". This led to me finding Torchy's Tacos. They just opened a new location during my visit-missed the free beer and eats- but I went to the Trailer Park and Eatery and had some wonderful tastes. I tried the Fried Avacado and The Brushfire-a jamaican jerk chicken taco. The diablo sauce and mango were a fabulous balance and a tasting of the pork had me coming back at another time.

Beyond ordering the official drink of Texas- Dr. Pepper (elixir of the gods), Dad saw a sign for the best hot chocolate in the United States. Although it was a hot day, the hot chocolate wasn't very hot but it was really good. Don't know about being the best in U.S., but as you can see from the picture collage at the top, the homemade marshmallow was fantastic and a great addition to a really authentic cup of cocoa. Mom and I saw the nookie and were keen on trying it.

It was a bit of a disappointment as we had hoped upon skimming the description that it was a cookie that was deepfried.It was close, but not cooked- it was chocolate chip cookie dough that had crumbs on it and then was deep fried- like a sweet desert hush puppy. The park was interesting and along with it had a the trailer Man Bites Dog. We were so full after being told we needed to order 2 tacos to be satisfied that there wasn't any room for a dog.--We saved the dog for the day at the ballpark.

This place can be rented out to private parties-although parking could be limited or a possible problem. There is a game room with ping pong and foosball, plenty of bar space and places to sit and visit as well as a great view of nature on the back of the lot. Mom noticed that they had outdoor lights strung like a pulled back curtain-pretty and magical and possibly something we will be doing for the summer at the Scott house.

How Deep is Your Love?

2011-04-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am embarrassed to admit that this is a rockin' album. Partly due to the end of disco and partly because I feel it dates me, but I had a happy drunk ask me what year I was born last night so all bets are off! On my ipod shuffle mix of 3 hour full airplane mode-the only time one truly gets intimate with their music (in my opinion)- I came across my download of The Bird and The Bee's Version and felt the need to share, since I'm on a cover roll! I feel like a closet Bee Gees fan, apologizing to admit that I like their sound and that How Deep is your Love? is a great song.

Greetings from Austin

2011-04-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

I'm here is the Live Music Capital of the World - Austin. I grew up in big D(Dallas) and the family never headed down to Austin. Although everyone says it's just a car trip away, the capital seems so FAR from Dallas. The little kid in me just can't wrap my brain around it any other way!

This will be my third visit to Austin, the first being an extended stay due to not visiting the grandmother because of an ice storm that knocked out power north of Dallas and beyond for 2 weeks.
One of the best memories of that trip was when my brother and I took my mom out and took her into her first head shop. We also had a day where my parents handed my brother a travel book and told him to pick a few things-he did-stating that they were all over the place and he didn't know if we'd hit 'em all. That day was magic, we not only hit all the resale shops, music shops and eateries, it was a very pleasant day for the four of us.

The trip should be interesting, I'm investigating starting a new life here.
That being said, it is quite apparent that Los Angeles IS a movie town. Great places to see the industry but harder to find the live venue stuff (music and theatre). They are there it's just a challenge.
Today was an eye opener of how much music matters here in Austin. Radio is amazing. Not only does KUT program great music, but it has shows like Texas Music Matters. The city also hosts a little festival called South by Southwest that has hordes of hipsters and public radio programs from all over the country camp out for the festival and report back on what are the up and coming music makers.

As I started my rental car, Radiohead's latest blasted through the speakers and it was when I last visited in November that Mumford and Sons and the like were on the airwaves, months before Los Angeles radio acknowledged them-just one example-my decade in Los Angeles and drive time radio has killed me. I never get new bands from the airwaves anymore and that was always exciting when I was growing up!
That being said, I hope to find Charlie Terrel and the Murdered Johns this week or a surprise live performance of something extraordinary, eat well, have some migas and drink plenty.

James Blake Covers Feist

2011-04-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

James Blake Covers Feist"s Limit to Your Love. Quite right. Lovely renditions on both.

Jolene Covers

2011-03-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

This was the beginning of my cover obsession/fascination as of this year
Love the original written and performed by Dolly Parton but I have loved the Sherrie Austin version for years and it was one of the reason I purchased her album.

Jack White never ceases to amaze and surprise! So what a great live version from The White Stripes.

And then there's my gal, Norah Jones. I keep waiting for a country release from her. Hope to catch her performing and jamming country at some point in my lifetime! Here's a sample of her performing with Keith Urban and John Mayer (as a Johnny Depp)

And I do not understand the getup/dress up as a tribute to the Momma of it all, Dolly Parton, but here is Grace Potter and the Nocturnals with a rendition!

Creep covered by Eliza Doolittle

2011-03-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

I've come across a few interesting covers recently and thought I'd share this today!

Death of a Salesman, Death of a Dream.... observations from first year, Theatre Lit Class

2011-03-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

I'm tagged on a posted picture on facebook from my freshman year of college. I often look at that girl and wonder what she was thinking, she looks happy. I know she had no idea that life many years later would look like what I have now. She wouldn’t have believed it. Two things freshman Erin remembers vividly are from her Theatre Literature Class and have crossed my mind lately.

Who’d have thought one class could have such an impact, but this is one of the classes that stays with me to this day, often for reasons other than the course subject matter. Since I was 19 and a somewhat sheltered suburban kid, I remember thinking that this was the beginning of adulthood and that those a few years ahead in college were really sophisticated and mature. I also believed my instructors had the answers and were solid “adults”-it wasn’t until many years later one learns that we’re all just scraping by, doing our best and that often being an adult means you pay your bills on time and that may be it!

I loved writing papers for my instructor, Kathleen. I put a lot of hours into the assignments and hoped for great input, the output clacking away on my brother word processor. Usually at the bottom of the last paragraph was her written comment-usually a phrase- and the letter grade (something I now do myself as an instructor). Our two sections and the upperclassmen in her theatre history class always wondered why so little feedback, not realizing how much work it is to grade papers, as well as how depressing it can be. It’s only something one realizes once they crossover to the other side of teaching. It was not until mid-semester when some upperclassmen headed to the Bombay Bicycle Club for Happy Hour that we as students found our answer as to why the comments were so short.

Three students walk into the bar and see Kathleen with a stack of papers, grading in a booth, as well as a few libations. All Kathleen had to say to the boys was “Oh! You caught me!”

I imagine the scene with a few empties, possibly martini glasses shoved away from the papers she was grading as well as the stacks of papers strewn all over the table. Somewhat folklore and my wild imagination, it wasn’t until I was teaching my first semester, freshman and sophomores in three sections of Intro to Video that I found out why this grading method has some merit.

I sat down eagerly and like a kid at Christmas, couldn’t wait to open up the “gifts”. I wanted to see how this assignment opened eyes of discovery and how eager and excited they were to learn-like I was my first year in college. Instead I was given papers where had not even used spellcheck. I was appalled. SInce I was home, I now had the AHA! moment thinking back to the Bombay Bicycle Club Incident and understood why Kathleen graded the way she did. I uncorked a bottle of red wine and just made sure not to stain any of birdcage lining papers that many students had made the choice to turn in.

Last week as I was leaving the community college class I am taking, I saw a poster for Death of a Salesman and once again I was taken back to a morning in my Theatre Lit class. We had just been assigned to read and were present for the discussion of the play, Death of a Salesman. Mind you, it has been the only time I’ve read it and to have a nineteen year old read it and comprehend the themes seems like a huge leap. What happened next in that class was the reason I do not need to read or see the play again in my lifetime. My professor, Kathleen, let us ramble on and turned the discussion from talking point to talking point and we were near the end of the discussion or at least class time when my fearless leader let out a cry, saying, “Doesn’t anyone know what the loss of a dream is like? How sad it is? To have a dream that never comes true? To see a dream die in front of you?”

The class of young adults were quiet and still, looking at each other-no, we hadn’t seen it or lived it. We were too young.

Then Kathleen began to weep, talking about how broken Willy Loman is and how sad it is to see a dream die in front of you. I was stunned to see an instructor cry in front of a class-something as an instructor, I now have done- and I always think of Kathleen. Looking back things in academia weren’t going to well for her, she eventually left the university and went on to do great things at another school. And now, my life seems to parallel what was going on with my professor. The other eye opener into adulthood and navigating university life was that our Theatre Lit class was dismissed and immediately headed across campus to hang at the theatre building and so word spread like wildfire of what had happened in class. An upperclassman having a cigarette in front of the entrance to the building stopped Kathleen as she was returning to her office and he gave her a hard time about it, laughing manically and telling her to get a grip and of course Kathleen telling him politely to shove it and she didn’t want to hear it.

You never know what’s going on, on the inside of someone else. As a kid, you think “When I grow up, I’m going to do whatever I want!” and what you find is that as a grownup, even a free day is filled with life’s have to dos and there really is hardly ever a day where you get to do exactly what you want to do.

Even on this side of the podium, I dare not to see a dream die, so it’s possible that I need to take the seeds elsewhere and find fertile ground for them to go and prosper.

I'm on Montreal Radio Tonight 11-12 midnight EDT!

2011-03-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Yes that's right! A remembrance/interview from my time in New York in the fall.
Easy Sonic Living will be playing our group's work and reflections from an Association of Independents in Radio seminar. Read Easy Sonic Living's blog or tune in tonight online from eleven to midnight(EDT). This was a surprise in my inbox this afternoon and it was just this morning I was wondering why I woke up, dreaming of New York!

Update: Here's the archive of the show that aired on March 16 on Easy Sonic Listening. My interview is about 32 mins in.

Living in Awesometown

2011-03-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right...I live in Awesometown (aka Valencia, CA).

And, as one can see from the picture, I was embarrassed to take a full frontal picture of this advertisement/billboard upon my return from the frozen tundra to the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank.

I have lived in Valencia and the valley it sits in since the start of grad school at CalArts in 1998. In being in and out of this valley for give or take 10 out of the 13 years, I would never have thought to give it the moniker that now is bestowed upon it. I had hoped, in my initial search for housing close to school, to find cute California bungalows from the 1920s or so---not so- this place, in 1998 and beyond, was one of suburban development. It was new,new, new; bulldozers; progress; strip shopping; and women in velour sweatsuits pushing strollers--(someone should pitch a Real Housewives for this area, it's its own surreal not unlike others in the franchise!)

That being said, I have chosen to live here and to be close to work and two colleges-three really. I always love living in a community with that age group and their energy. An added bonus as of late has been that I found a great group of writers and bloggers that have been like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. As my one community of Friday night gatherings (writers as well) was pulled out from under me, this group came into my life and pulled me into safe waters and some sanity. From one person/hostess who I thought was my friend to strangers that are becoming friends. These people are ones that I believe to become true friends unlike the falsehood of the other.
It is also a wonderful conversation piece-being from Awesometown. I get the same look from people when I tell them I live in Valencia/Santa Clarita Valley and they know that it has now been christened Awesometown. There is a look in their eyes that they can hardly wait to tell me they have heard the buzz and are able to ask, "How is Awesometown? What's it like to live up there?"
It sounds silly to anyone outside out Los Angeles, but Angeleños hate to drive. There's a common response of "that's so far!" and many that live in an area will not venture out, let alone date or visit people outside of a 20 minute drive time radius. This means that many that live on the Westside never leave the Westside since that whole area is often one big parking lot on roads and highways.
Soooo, this is my current living situation. I live in Awesometown and it isn't so shabby. Trust me, the drive to other sites of SoCal isn't that far of a drive!

KCRW and Jason Bentley's Workspace and the LA sound

2011-03-08T05:33:00.000-08:00

I'll leave the story of why I feel the way I do about Lynda.com for another day, but I broke down and complied with my current class and ponied up some money to view videos at the instruction site. While flipping through and looking for a video byte to cleanse the palette and refresh the brain so to speak, (so I could keep viewing instruction videos,) I came across interviews with different artists and KCRW's Jason Bentley was one of the packages.
He seemed to sum up why it's probably taken me so long to fall in love with the city of Los Angeles. Among other things, Los Angeles and Hollywood come with preconceived notions. Even if one hasn't been here they know it through our greatest commodity of media-namely TV and film. I also came to Los Angeles thinking it's urban sprawl and strip shopping upon strip shopping, not to mention freeways and traffic!
My last 10 years being in and around Los Angeles has shown that arts and culture are important and the theatre scene is strong and as legit as other towns. Jason Bentley talks of Los Angeles and the sound and the pulse comes through in the clubs--interesting that since we're in our cars so much, it's the cultivation of the clubs and the sharing of it on the radio that makes KCRW unique. Commercial radio will not take the risk but I think KCRW does in it's own public radio way work to create the unique sound and station that is Los Angeles. There is so much that the food bloggers can write of this town, I'd say the same could be said of music and the airwaves. There is so much culture and fusion of music and it could be such a wonderful thing to hear our unique sound on the radio!

Workspace

Jason Bentley, Radio DJ and Musician | by Jason Bentley

View this entire Torq course and more in the lynda.com Online Training Library®.

My Savannah

2011-03-03T13:43:00.000-08:00

My Savannah from Erin Scott on Vimeo.

AAA Motorclub's magazine, Westways gave a page in the March/April edition for visiting Savannah. They title is Big City on a Budget. So much has been written on the squares, stellar example of city planning and how it's a great place for pedestrians, that it's no surprise that the article talks no money fun by taking a "stroll through any of the city's 22 enchanting squares". The article then goes on to reference "the book" Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (something I would advise against with locals). It's a great pre-destination read and a preparatory for the feel and pace of Savannah, but most of those characters/people have move on and there is always a whole set of new, just as quirky ones to meet on your strolls or crawl home from bar close.

Since this is a tourist article, there are references to the numerous walks and tours, recommending a ghost walk. I have over heard many and been on one that one of my students led. They are lots of fun and something you should do when visiting one of the most haunted cities in America! Also recommended is the Ogelthorpe Trolly Tour but if you're there to walk, I just don't see the fun of sucking in gasoline fumes on a fancified bus. I have however, when playing tourist in my town, taken a group horse drawn carriage ride, which was very enjoyable and interesting and somehow felt less touristy. Word to the wise-look out for girl scouts that invade the area as it's the birthplace of Juliet Gordon Low, the organization's founder.

I am in complete agreement that a visit to the Telfair Museum is not to be missed and the $20 admission price is fair in that it gets you into all three properties and use within a week of purchase. Besides the galleries all over downtown, the newer edition of the Jepson has contemporary works, while you get a taste of the old with the other two properties.

If following the article on where to stay and eat, one would think the writer didn't leave Bay Street (Inn at Ellis Square and Mulberry Inn and B.Matthew's Eatery). I look forward to trying B.Matthew's on my next return to the fair city, but also now know the chef and have a need to taste, 17 Hundred 90 Inn and Restaurant. My last visit had me at my old haunts for drinking and some eating- The Rail, Bar Bar, Sixpence, and Churchill's, Pinky Master's and the American Legion Hall. New to me but old and spruced up was the Olde Pink House- where I shared an surprisingly filling cheese platter and appetizer. For pizza, there seems to be two camps, but I always hit up both-The Mellow Mushroom and Vinnie Van Gogo's. For burger's my date preferred to eat at Five Guys, but I still like B&D Burger for the choices and sweet potato tater tots!

Savannah also has issues with the eateries coming and going and evolving into something else--one bar is still referred to as the Velvet Elvis even though it's had a different name since around 2002! One of those great places that closed was Carlito's Cuban Cabana on Whitaker, tried a great tasting platter and never got back to sample their interpretation of paella. Beyond that, date wasn't trying it- so I had to put it off--there are a number of Thai Restaurants on Broughton that I hope will be there on a return visit.

AAA also says there are free maps from your auto club branch but all the information as well as parking passes for downtown on street parking is at the Visitor Information Center on MLK.

Somethin's Missn'

2011-02-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

Friend asked for Mellencamp suggestions this weekend and a blog post soon to come will reveal how these 2 things melded.
This video was shot in my "lane" (Savannah's courteous name for an alley), right by my carriage house. These are the steps I've taken many times in my continuous love affair with this mysterious and crazy welcoming town! I feel the opposite of Scarlet O'Hara who loved Atlanta because of it's newness and did not want to be sent to Charleston or Savannah to visit relatives (too old and established). For me, there is something in the air, that hint of jasmine and magnolia, mixed in with the sticky air and smell of decay and the paper mill, add in that touch dark magic/voodoo/ghosts and you have the right amount of trouble and excitement for a city girl like me in a small town.

Panda Earphones. WANT!

2011-02-18T12:31:00.000-08:00

Amazmi.com is running a great deal on these too cute ear buds, known as the Pineapple Panda Earphone. The website boasts that these ear phones have an audio isolating design, crystal clear sound, and mega Bass sound.
For $9.99, I'm all for the cute and fun factor and bonus if they deliver what they say they will. Want!

Signage gone awry

2011-02-17T10:17:00.000-08:00

Viel Spaß!!!! I was in New York at a Hampton Inn (it said it was a Times Square location, but it was more like Hell's Kitchen) when I snapped this picture-yes a little fuzzy, but you get the point.
Isn't this a little over kill in having a Hearing Impaired sign written in braille?
It reminds me of my first night in Flat Rock, NC when we visited the Food Lion and my boss caught me staring at the mangled handicapped parking sign that had obviously been hit and backed over and hit multiple times. There was even concrete rubble remnants.
My boss then commented, "That person wasn't only handicapped, they were blind!"
Beyond taking keys away from grandma, maybe we do need signage like this, plus the braille on the highway with speed bumps and cat's eyes that make noise!

Insure or Ensure?

2011-02-10T18:58:00.000-08:00

in this case, my gut says ensure but oh what a wonderful play of words!

From Peggy Gillespie Hazelwood's ehow.com article, How to Use Ensure vs Insure:

1.Look at the sentence you are writing. Know what it is you are trying to communicate. Read the sentence out loud.
2.Know the meaning of ensure. Ensure means to guarantee or to make sure, safe, or certain.
3.Know the meaning of insure. Insure means to provide insurance coverage on something or someone. Insure can also mean to make certain by taking action and precautions.
Decide which meaning you need to use to communicate.

Generally, in nearly all cases, if you are talking about insurance, that is, an insurance policy, the word choice is insure.

If you are talking generally about taking care of something or someone, the word is ensure.

Day at the dentist and another view of how I see the world.

2011-02-09T10:53:00.000-08:00

Slight fail or Epic #Fail?

Type Downtown Los Angeles

2011-02-08T11:52:00.000-08:00

After living in Los Angeles, over the last decade, the past three years have created my so called crush of downtown.
While headed to the last bookstore on Main, I saw these two old storefronts a block or so away.
As a prop and scene painter in the past, I really appreciate the sign painting and difference in type.