Posted May 25, 2013

PROJECT TITLE: [REC.ster]
CLASSIFICATION: Independent
STATUS: Non-Union
CATEGORY: Feature Film
FORMAT: HD
DISTRIBUTION: Festival circuit
PRODUCERS: Crystal Tyler, Tim Herron
WRITER: Yoshi Torres
DIRECTOR: Yoshi Torres
PRODUCTION COMPANY: rethink films
SHOOTING SCHEDULE: Aug 6-16
SHOOTING LOCATION: Greenville, SC

SYNOPSIS:

This film is about about a record store in a small town and the six unique people who work there. A camera crew follows them around a captures all the crazy shenanigans they get into.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS:

AMIEE: Early to mid 20′s, pretty and energetic. Amiee is free spirited and trying to figure out life on her own time. Her flirtiness is what get’s her into sticky situations.

ZOEY: Mid to late 20′s, Smart, pretty, and strong willed. Extremely sarcastic, dry sense of humor, quick on her feet with comebacks. She’s a tough girl that can take care of herself but inside that shell she has a soft spot for the people she likes.

DOUG: Early to mid 40′s, Overweight, balding, and rude. Doug is the sleazeball of the group. He uses innuendo all the time. He’s always taking about his many dates and the time he met so and so. Behind all that front he truly cares for everyone at [REC.ster]

BEN: Early to mid 40′s, medium built and height. Easy going and friendly. He is super passionate about music and [REC.ster]. He tries to stay hip and cool but it comes off as annoying and sad.

ROGER: Mid to late 60′s. He’s the old creepy guy no one likes. Roger doesn’t speak much but he he does is to insult his fellow employees and customers.

CELIA: Mid 50′s. A southern baptist, and a mean hateful woman. She will stop at nothing to get rid of the [REC.ster] crew.

LAURA: Early 40′s. Pretty and petite. Uptight most of the time. Ben’s wife. She is determined to convince Ben to sell [REC.ster] she wants him to find a “real’ job.

THE COLONEL: Late 60′s. He’s a regular customer who dresses up like a colonel from the civil war era. He tells stories of the days he fought in the war.

RON: Mid 20′s. Handsome and rude. Amiee ex-boyfriend who comes to the store everyday trying to win her heart back.

ROXIE: Mid 30′s. Beautiful and fun. She’s Doug main stripper. (no nudity will be shown)

PAUL: Early 50′s. Handsome, witty, easy going.

MAGGIE: Early 50′s. Pretty, smart, funny.

COMPENSATION: Deferred
OTHER COMPENSATION: Film credit, DVD copy, Meals, Snacks/beverages
SUBMISSIONS DUE BY: June 15th
EMAIL SUBMISSIONS TO: rec.stercasting@gmail.com
SUBMISSIONS MUST INCLUDE: Headshot, Resume

SPECIAL NOTES FOR AUDITION:

We will be taking video submission or Skype auditions as well.

There was nothing much of interest. It was the store. The Greenville Newspaper on Saturdays was a pale ghost of the more gloriously packaged Sunday newspaper, and the headline was clearly so forgettable that I’m unable to recall it here. I sat on a waiting bench next to a Coinstar machine, and looked for any visual entity sufficient to keep hold of my hyper-active and steadily derailing imagination.

That’s when I saw the camera screen hanging above us.

Older Brother (I’ll call him Music Brother, because he loves music) was just standing there like some hip eleven year-old with his hands in his pockets. He had a kind of pose with one leg locked and the other bent slightly at the knee that said, “I’m single, ladies. I’m also the oldest kid here.”

Naturally, there were no girls our age in the store for him to impress, so I didn’t feel so self-conscious about slouching back and relaxing on that metal bench. Staring at the camera screen, I started looking for the camera itself. It was located just to the right of the monitor. Music Brother was fully visible from the front in the screen, and I could make out the bench and I behind him on the screen as well.

Scientists can forever study how and why the brain suddenly shifts gears and goes from thinking about ice cream to ice cream trucks to dinosaur-killing asteroids, but in that moment, I started thinking about how they staged fight scenes in movies. I have no earthly idea why I started thinking about it, but I just did.

Music Brother and I had recently discovered that the wrestling in WWF (now apparently renamed WWE) was fake and staged. I was never a WrestleMania fan, but Music Brother was. We had been told the fights, the victories, the defeats . . . all of it was staged. We had only half-believed this until we saw a video tape of a Hulk Hogan match.

The match had the usual wrestling match get-up: lots of people screaming excessively, two men in frighteningly skintight clothes hurling insults at each other and their mothers, an arena-staged ring that looked like it was made out of the same plastic used to create Stretch Armstrong, and an overzealous referee who waved his arms and shouted so frantically, you’d have thought someone had threatened to end his life if he didn’t do the job perfectly.

There was always one scene in the videotape that had stood out. In it, Hulk Hogan took his tights-wearing opponent and slammed his head into a pole in the corner of the ring.

Or, wait. Did he? We had to rewind it and watch again. This time we played it in slow motion.

Ah, VCR’s. You could press pause on our particular model VCR and watch the tape frame-by-frame. We kept skipping frames until we found the incriminating evidence: Hulk’s opponent never actually hit the pole! It merely happened so fast that it only looked like he did! His falling backwards in pain was all an act.

We couldn’t believe how fake and cheesy it looked when slowed down for the human eye.

That was probably what was going through my head when I stared at that camera screen. I began wondering, “Well, how real can I make an attack on someone look without actually hurting them?” I went and stood behind Music Brother. Since he had the “I’m single, ladies” pose, I must’ve looked like his underpaid sidekick who had finally had enough. Positioning myself about three feet behind him, I looked at the camera screen to make sure it looked like I could hit him.

I took a fake swing. I didn’t actually hit him, but I made it look like I had on the camera. Smiling at my success, I swung again. And again. I had achieved a fake-punch shot, and it had been caught on the store’s security camera. I felt like a movie star already.

Wanting to perfect the shot, though, I repositioned myself slightly closer to him, and this time, I looked at the screen when I threw my punch. This time, I accidentally landed a hard punch into the back of his head that resounded with a THWOCK.

He ducked and turned around with venomous eyes. He threw his arms into the air and glared, as if to say, “What the hell!?”

At that moment, his dad came around with the groceries. “You boys ready to go?”

“Steven just punched me in the back of the head!” Music Brother said.

“It was an accident!” I said. It was.

“Well,” his dad said, “when we get home, you can punch him back.”

My mouth opened. My eyes widened in fright. Music Brother had a look of triumphant glee in his face. Already he was cracking his knuckles, as if that somehow proved how strong he was.

I wanted to complain. I was sure that if I had been in his shoes, I wouldn’t have gotten to take a swing in retaliation. But no. Music Brother had been slighted, and he would have his revenge.

We rode home in our big white Dodge Van. The van was large enough to walk around in, but smelled of cinnamon bread mixed with cheese. The seats were made of some highly itchy material. It was a dreadfully uncomfortable thing. The ride was all the more uncomfortable as I sat next to Music Brother, who was now openly gloating about his parental-approved slugging. He was still cracking his knuckles, and now he was stretching his neck until it too popped. I had the sneaking suspicion he was planning to pummel me to the ground.

When we got home, I slowly crawled out of the van, dreading what was next. His dad took the groceries inside.

“Not so fast, fat boy,” Music Brother said, as if I’d been trying to escape. I hadn’t. I was merely standing there. I knew I deserved one good punch, and it was only fair. I couldn’t land one on him without an equal repayment.

I turned around, and braced myself. Music Brother reared up and brought the full-force of his fist down on the back of my head. He must have extended his middle-finger’s joint because the pain was somewhat sharper than a punch normally is. As I rubbed my head, he walked away his arms dangling like he was Hulk Hogan himself.

We went through the garage. Going up the brick stairs back into our house, he turned to me and said, “Maybe next time you’ll think before hitting me.” He went inside the house.

Over the next few years, we punched each other many times without parental involvement.

——

PS: Thanks for reading! This post concludes my second year (or season) of “Steven’s Just Ducky.” I hope you have a splendiferous summer. I will be taking a summer break from blogging, but be sure to check back in August when I return for Season 3 with even more stories from growing up in the 90′s and 2000′s. I’m also launching a new quick access page to the blog posts by season with brief synopses for each. Much love,

Steven

GREENVILLE, Calif. (AP) — Residents in rural northeastern California assessed damage to their homes and businesses Friday from a magnitude-5.7 earthquake, one of the strongest temblors to hit the densely forested region in decades.

The quake centered near Greenville downed chimneys and sent items tumbling from grocery store shelves when it hit shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday. It also ruptured a tank that supplies residential drinking water, leaving 300 people under a boil advisory until further notice.

“Without question, it’s the strongest quake I’ve ever felt here,” Plumas County Sheriff Greg Hagwood said. “It was very unsettling, and it lasted long enough to create a measure of anxiety.”

Despite the damage, no injuries have been reported.

The earthquake was felt in Reno, Nev., about 100 miles south; as far away as San Francisco, 230 miles southwest; and in Oregon. About four dozen aftershocks have been reported, including a magnitude-4.9 temblor that struck early Friday.

Pacific Gas & Electric said about 660 customers lost power on the southwestern edge of Lake Almanor at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday. Electricity has since been restored.

At least three houses had moderate damage including collapsed chimneys and cracked plaster. County officials said the total damage isn’t yet known because many homes in the area are seasonal and unoccupied.

Hagwood added supermarkets and other stores “had a lot of things come off the shelves.”

Susan Shephard and her husband, Alan Shephard, who run the Quail Lodge at Lake Almanor near the epicenter, said they were watching “The Hunger Games” on TV when the whole building started shaking.

“All of a sudden things started falling off the shelves, mirrors fell off the wall, vases fell down to the floor, everything started crashing,” Susan Shephard told the Redding Record-Searchlight. “It felt like the end of our world.”

The epicenter was not far from High Desert State Prison in Susanville, but wardens reported no power outages or damages to the facility or its operations, said Jonathan Parsley, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The quake was the most powerful to hit the mostly wilderness region since 1934, said Keith Knudsen, deputy director of the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park.

It appeared to have occurred along a strike-slip fault line similar to the San Andreas. More than 9,000 people including from neighboring states logged onto the USGS website to report feeling the jolt.

“It was a pretty good size quake,” Knudsen said.

The quake hit a rugged region where the Sierra and Cascade mountains meet. More than 100 lakes and 1,000 miles of rivers and streams flow through more than a million acres of national forest. About 22,000 people live in Plumas County.

The region’s seismicity is not well-studied because the terrain is rugged and dollars have been spent on analyzing faults in more populated corridors like the San Francisco Bay area where the earthquake risk is higher. Since Thursday’s quake, scientists are mulling putting more portable monitors near the epicenter.

Layout by Chris Staudinger

Saturday Night, May 25, 2013 at Plank Road Steakhouse in Farmville, NC

Don Cox Music live on the patio around 8 pm!  Best steak and salad bar…good friends and good music!

There’s always a crowd when Don comes to town!

Here is the seismograph display from around 155 miles away on top of Sonoma Mountain (the location the USGS expects the next 6.9-7.2 along the Rodgers Creek fault):

The temblor struck at 8:47 p.m. and was centered near Greenville, about 25 miles southwest of Susanville in far northeastern California, said Rafael Abreu, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Center in Golden, Colo.

UPDATE: 22 Aftershocks, Damage Reports Follow 5.7 Quake

Slight damage has been reported including objects falling from shelves and dishes rattled or broken, according to a report from the National Weather Service.

[worldnow id=8916159 width=480 height=360 type=video]

Susan Shephard and her husband Alan Shephard, who run the Quail Lodge at Lake Almanor near Greenville very close to the epicenter, said they were watching “The Hunger Games” on TV when the whole building started shaking.

“All of a sudden things started falling off the shelves, mirrors fell off the wall, vases fell down to the floor, everything started crashing,” Shephard told the Redding Record-Searchlight. “It felt like the end of our world.”

The Susanville Fire Department said it had received no reports of damage, and a Plumas County Sheriff’s Office dispatcher said calls were flooding into its office but no reports of damage.

Thousands reported feeling the quake, as far away as the Bay Area and across the Oregon border, according to the USGS website.

Some residents of Sonoma and Solano counties took to social media to say they had felt the quake, despite being nearly 200 miles away.

The Plumas County temblor was felt in downtown Sacramento, about 145 miles south of the epicenter.

People in Yuba and Sutter Counties, south of Plumas, said they felt a rolling quake, according to the Marysville Appeal-Democrat.

There have been eight aftershocks ranging from 2.6-to-3.5-magnitude. The most recent was at 9:09 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

“People in the area felt a strong jolt, but it was not enough to generate serious damage, based on early field reports,” Abreu said.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco, The Associated Press and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Breaking News!!: Greenville, CA: A magnitude 5.7 earthquake hits near Greenville, California.

According to the United States Geological Survey, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake has hit near Greenville, California at around 8:47pm PT Thursday night.

At this moment, there has been no reports of damages or injuries.

The earthquake was felt in Downtown Sacramento, California which is about 145 miles south of the epicenter.

There have been over 8 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 2.6 to a magnitude 3.5.

More information is still coming into ZachNews.

]]> http://juliaesmith.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/communicating-through-art/ Fri, 24 May 2013 02:28:20 +0000 Julie http://juliaesmith.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/communicating-through-art/ Recently, I was in Greenville and walked through the Artsphere Art Festival. It was an absolute joy seeing other photographer’s work, aerial artists and other craftsmen. 

Something about that warm, sunny day really resonated with me and I think I figured it out. As a dancer for 16 years, I grew up loving the performing arts. Going to the ballet and seeing musicals, always made me smile. I could sing every lyric to Wicked before I ever had the chance to see the show. 

So…I think the arts festival in Greenville reminded me just how much I love the arts. After graduating from Elon, I have realized how special that community was. Being able to see Broadway-quality performances for free was truly a gift. Now, as a young professional, I have not been able to afford to go to many performances. This art festival in Greenville, reminded me how much can be communicated through art. 

That night, my family and I attended the Blue Man Group performance. I would highly recommend it to anyone – filled with lights, music and humor, it was memorable! It amazed me how humorous the whole thing was, even though the guys never spoke a word. You can communicate so many emotions through simple facial expressions and body language. 

After 20 minutes of a “getting ready” frenzy, we were off to the duck pond. Chris is an upcoming photographer himself so the entire shoot we spent passing off the camera and bouncing creative ideas off each other. I must admit, I’ve never done a shoot quite like that. But it sure does take the pressure off!

Needless to say, I have the goofiest but coolest friends around.

Thank you to everyone for the continued support!

Congratulations Jordyn.

To be honest, I was slightly underwhelmed with The South on my initial visit back in January. Now, now, give me a chance to explain myself here. Driving into Greenville from the airport was one long, empty, winding road closed in with the bushiest trees I had ever seen. On arrival, Greenville was not nearly as striking as my home town Seattle, whose skyscrapers are built on the cold waters of the Puget Sound, whose seven hills are covered in hospitals, colleges, museums, apartment buildings, 100 year old Queen Anne homes and are crisscrossed with bus routes. Whose views, on a clear day, include the stately snow-peaked Olympic Mountains, Mt. Rainer and Mt Baker.  Whose every close knit street hides a one of a kind coffee shop or restaurant.

Greenville is much more spread out than that, yet somehow, everything is less than 20 minutes away, lending to its slower pace of life. There is infinitely less traffic and less noise. It is more like a park than the country or the city. Everything is green and leafy and the weather is almost always perfect. Regardless, its locals complain like its tax season the one day of the month it does rain.

At one tenth of the size of Seattle, boredom was a fear for me. I imagined myself eating at every restaurant, shopping at every store and knowing exactly what was on every street. This thought is probably comforting to most but it pricked me with the tiniest fear of claustrophobia. What if I did all there was to do and I was left repeating the same pattern?

On top of that, the locals wore an absurd amount of polo shirts, all neatly tucked into their belted khakis. Here sunglasses come attached to sweat resistant neck straps and Chaco’s are acceptable town wear. A t-shirt from last summers community event and some running shorts seems to be the uniform of the church youth group, much different than the dark skinnies and flannel button up I’m used to.

Is it fair for me to assume the nature of The Entire South from my initial observations of one town’s locals and size? Of course not. But that didn’t stop me.

Today, my feelings for the South are feelings of love. How did I change my mind? Well, this blog contains the stories of how I quickly fell in love with Southern life and land so, as my dad would say, “That’s for me to know, and you to find out.”

Tomorrow begins another homestand for the RiverDogs, the fourth of eleven this season. This will be one of the shortest of the season, just four games long.

The homestand features a four game series against the Greenville Drive, an affiliate of the Red Sox.

The Drive have had a rough year so far. They currently sit at 13-32, 10 games behind the next worst team in the Southern Division. Meanwhile, the RiverDogs have continued their hot play and are currently 25-17 and first in the South. The RiverDogs are also 14-5 at home, the best home winning percentage in the league. The Drive have a 4-19 road record and are 1-9 in their last 10 games. Both of those numbers are worst in the league. All of that adds up to a lot stacked against the Drive in this series.

The Drive do have some familiar names for baseball fans on their coaching staff, led by manager Carlos Febles. Febles spent time in the late nineties and early 2000s with the Royals before injuries slowed him down. The drive also feature batting coach U.L. Washington, who played in more than 900 MLB games over 11 years in the seventies and eighties, and pitching coach Paul Abbott, who pitched in 11 big league seasons.

Starting with the pitching staff, the Drive feature Boston’s 15th best prospect entering the season according to Baseball America, Brian Johnson. Johns0n is a lefthanded pitcher who I expect to see start on Saturday. Entering the series he has a 4.34 ERA in seven appearances this season. He has struck out 28 in 29 innings, which is pretty solid. Johnson is a Florida alum who threw hard last year in his pro debut (he was the Sox’ first round pick in 2012) until his season was ended by a line drive that hit him in the face. BA projects him as a middle of the rotation guy.

Greenville’s rotation also features left handed prospect Cody Kukuk, the Red Sox’ 27th best prospect. Kukuk was a seventh round draft pick in 2011 out of a Kansas high school. Legal issues kept him out of games for most of 2012 and prior to this season he had just ten pro innings. Despite his promise, Kukuk has struggled thus far in 2013. He has a 5.10 ERA and lasted less than an inning in his last start (against the RiverDogs in Greenville), allowing four runs. That said, his ERA against lefthanded hitters has been significantly better (3.18). He is still young and has time to refine his pitching to right handed hitters, but if his splits continue in that direction he may find himself pitching as a lefthanded relief specialist as he moves forward in his career. Kukuk may be the starting pitcher tomorrow.

The next pitching prospect on the Drive is 6’5 righthander Pat Light. Like Kukuk, the 2013 season has been a struggle for Light, the 21st best prospect in the Boston system. His ERA currently sits at 8.28 and the 2012 supplemental first round draft pick has had an ERA over 10.00 in his last 2 starts. BA sees Light as a mid rotation guy or a bullpen option. I expect the RiverDogs to miss seeing Light in this series.

The next pitching prospect is Francellis Montas, a right hander. Montas has been starting, but is more likely to fill a relief role as he advances through the system. Montas had a really rough start to the season, but his last couple of starts have been much better. Another note to make is that Montas has really struggled with runners on base this season. This could mean that he is having some type of issue pitching from the stretch, possibly tipping pitches to batters or something. I would guess that Montas will pitch on Sunday.

As far as batters are concerned, the Drive feature second baseman Mookie Betts, who BA ranks as the 31st best prospect in the system. Betts has a .408 on base percentage and has shown great plate discipline so far this year, walking 35 times while striking out only 16. Betts has also displayed nice speed and pop, stealing  10 of 11 attempted stolen bases and homering 7 times so far this year. Betts is undersized for a professional athlete, so he may have some obstacles to overcome, but he really seems to be a bright spot on a team that has struggled so far in 2013.

The 17th best Red Sox prospect, Jose Vinicio, has been playing shortstop for the Drive this season. Vinicio has struggled this year, with an OBP of just .228 and, in stark contrast to Betts, 34 strikeouts to 6 walks. It is possible that this is just a prolonged slump for Vinicio, who led the rookie Gulf Coast League in a number of categories last season. Still, he has really struggled in 2013 and needs to turn it around.

In addition, the Drive feature one of my favorite names in minor league baseball, Boss Moanaroa, an Australian first baseman freshly off the disabled list.

All in all, it has been a rough start for Greenville in 2013. They do not have the most talent in the league, but have enough that they probably shouldn’t be buried this badly so early in the season.

Another quick note. The RiverDogs have a yearly charity auction to benefit the Storm Eye Institute’s research of Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that ultimately results in blindness. RP is a very important cause to the team because Rebecca Veeck, the daughter of Mike, one of our owners suffers from the disease. If you or someone you know would be interested in donating anything to our auction, the team would greatly appreciate it. The Veecks have had a tremendous impact on baseball and more importantly are a great family. If you are interested e-mail me or leave a comment below. The auction will be held June 29th and all items will need to be in by that date.

By J Motes

Fishing in the rain is something that most people do not look forward to doing. Hank Williams Jr. summed it up pretty well when he sang, “…and I’m against fishing in the rain.” Fishing in the rain can be a miserable experience for the fisherman or fisherwoman, but unless it is a complete downpour or there is flooding, fishing in the rain usually beats most other times to fish.

One reason that fishing in the rain is so productive is that the rain drops break up the smooth surface of the water and thus reduces the penetration of light into the water. Fish that shy away from bright light will come out to feed. Also rain will wash insects and other food sources into the water. While small tributaries are always great places to fish, these areas are often more productive with the rain bringing even more food into the water.

To be out fishing in the rain for long and to not be comfortable, the fisherman needs to dress for the weather. In many places a fisherman can find a location to fish under a roof, a canopy of trees, or other shelter. If this is not possible a wide brimmed waterproof hat will suffice. Comfortable fishing also requires a dry seat. Those fishing from boats should bring along a piece of plastic or something similar to cover up your seat and a towel to dry it off. Those fishing from shore need to bring a hunter’s seat strapped to their belt to keep their hind end dry both while walking and sitting. A folding stool may work as well. If you are going to be sitting in the open while fishing in the rain, a large golf umbrella might be a big help. Waterproof shoes or boots are a must also to keep your feet dry. However, if it is quite warm, shoes that drain well will work well also. If you are going to wade in the rain I suggest wet wading (without waders). If you must wear the waders in the rain, a light jacket will help to keep rain from running into the waders, which can be quite annoying.

As far as the actually fishing, little changes in the rain. While a steady rain might make it difficult for fish to see top water flies and other lures, nothing else will change significantly from my experience. Do keep an eye out on changes in the water as rain will often cloudy the water and necessitate lure color changes.

Safety is another concern. Be aware of flash flooding when fishing in the rain. While the rain may be relatively gentle where you are, areas upstream may be getting a severe down pour. Lightning is another concern. No fish is worth getting struck by lightning, so stay off and away from the water when there is lightning. Footing will of course be more slippery in the rain, so watch your step.

While fishing in the rain can be frustrating and uncomfortable physically, the fishing itself is often quite good. One more reason to fish in the rain? You are often the only one there!

But as you prepare for those lazy, hazy summer days, don’t forget one very important thing… SENIOR PORTRAITS! What better way to kick off your summer and celebrate the start of your senior year than to have a full photo shoot just for you! Being a senior in high school is an incredibly fun and exciting time in life It’s your chance to celebrate all that you’ve accomplished over the last four years and the great transition you’re about to experience. In the same way, your senior portraits should be a celebration of you and everything you represent! So enjoy every minute of it! Don’t delay. Start your summer off the right way by setting up an appointment with us for your senior portraits!

But what do I wear? What should I do with my hair? Do I need to bring anything with me? Not to worry. We’ve got the perfect tips to help you prepare for your fabulous photos!

1) First and foremost, put yourself in the right frame of mind. Getting senior portraits done should be all about creativity and having fun! A positive mindset will always shine through in your photos and give you the best possible experience. Make sure you’re relaxed. Be open-minded. Don’t worry about the little details. We’re here to help you with everything. All you have to do is show up, look good, and smile big!

2) Be prepared. Just like with anything else, proper planning will make your session run smoothly and give you the opportunity to get all the shots you want in a short amount of time. Start brainstorming what sort of poses you’d like to do, what sort of props you want to bring, and what you’re going to wear. Get a good night sleep and drink lots of water the night before to keep your skin bright, hydrated, and free of exhaustion.

3) Dress appropriately. One of the most popular questions we get concerning senior portraits is “What should I wear?”. Most importantly, you want to dress in a way that reflects your personality and shows who you really are. Be comfortable. Don’t bring over the top outfits that you could never actually see yourself wearing. But at the same time, allow yourself to be stylish and play with your favorite outfits. Accessorize with sunglasses, earrings, or a nice necklace – but remember not to wear anything too crazy. Avoid patterned or brightly colored shirts that will distract from your face. Dark color and long or three-quarter length sleeves will slim you and allow the focus to remain on your smile. If you narrow it down to a few outfits but just can’t decide, bring them with you! We’ll help you decide what looks best and what will help your photo turn out well.

4) Don’t go over-the-top with hair and make-up. Wear your hair just as you normally would. Trying out a new hairstyle right before your portraits is never a good idea since it’s unfamiliar and hard to work with. Bring hairpins, clips, a brush, or a mirror to help you fix and fly-aways  and make any necessary touch ups. In the same way, don’t do anything too crazy with your make up. Be as natural as possible and avoid anything with glitter that will stick out in the photos or reflect light in a weird way. Nice make up will only help even your skin tones so you can really shine!

5) Don’t be afraid to play with props! This is your session and your chance to show everyone what you’re all about. Bring props that are meaningful to you or show what you’re involved in at school or in your community. Show off your musical instruments, sports equipment, or stuffed animals. Even feel free to bring your pets so you can have a little company in front of the camera!

Today at the Nearly New Shop in Greenville, SC, I found a great bleeding India Madras, patchwork plaid, short-sleeve button down shirt for $8.00.  It was made for Rush Wilson Limited, an exclusive men’s store that has been in business in town since 1959.

The label inside the shirt indicates that the Madras was “hand loomed” and features irregularities in the weave that are actually a sign of authenticity.   The dyes used in hand loomed shirts are natural and not synthetic and bleed when washed.  Over time, the bleeding produces a wonderful faded look.  I’d guess this particular shirt might be 20 years old, judging from the fade of  the colors and the softness of the cotton.  Madras is a key summer fabric for preppies and is essential in the hot and humid climate of the South.

The Nearly New Shop is run by the Junior League of Greenville.  Store details:

118 Greenacre Road
Greenville, South Carolina 29607
(864) 232-1051
Nearly New Shop Collection Hotline: (864) 232-1091

Monday through Saturday
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Karen Howard, Manager 
Shannon Simpson – Assistant Manager

Come June 3rd, I take my first flight alone.
Come June 3rd, I take my first step truly alone.
Come June 3rd, I do something 100% for myself.

I have never been so excited in my life.

I remember deciding in early January after much guidance from many of the professional staff at USC to apply for ACUHO-I, and just see what happens. I decided to roll the dice, and now here I am, 4 months later, with an internship in a brand new place.

So that’s when I decided to make this blog. Mostly for family and friends who I won’t be able to keep up with on a daily basis to see how things are going. The goal is to not only inform everyone that I’m still kicking. But to also be able to reflect on this experience.

So thanks for reading, I am going to update this as often as I can. And for now, it’s only 13 days until Dennis Takes Providence. It’s Less than 2 weeks! I have far too much planning and packing to do!

T-Minus 13 Days

Dennis

Gw beberapa kali denger tentang Tsurukamedou ini. Beritanya udah berseliweran di mana2. Sempet mo makan ke sana minggu lalu, tp berhubung agak sibuk, jadi gak mampir deh. Pucuk dicinta ulam tiba, kalo rejeki gak ke mana2. Ownernya mendadak kontek gw atas rekomendasi salah satu foodblogger.. *thanks dear, you know who you are* Setelah janjian via email, bisa juga deh gw ke sana Berlokasi di Taman Ratu, Greenville, terus terang, seinget gw, gw kaga pernah ke area sana. Jadi, bermodalkan GPS di SG Note gw, meluncur deh dengan tekad berani nyasar.

Sampe sana udah gelap, parkir di deket2 situ, krn posisinya udah tau, sebrangan sama Papa Mama Pastries, jadi jangan sampe kelewatan, rugi hehehehe.. Jalan kaki dr parkiran, nengok ke atas,  yup bener ini Tsurukamedou.. Horeeeeeeeeeeeeee, gw gak nyasar!!!

Pas masuk, langsung ketemu dengan salah satu ownernya. Gw en hubby disambut dengan ramah luar biasa. Mereka emang merancang foodblogger utk datang, tidak rombongan, tapi satu persatu, supaya lebih mudah bincang2 dan lebih akrab. Gw sendiri ngerasa, ternyata emang enakan foodtasting itu gak terlalu rame. Pengalaman dr acara2 sebelumnya, mo foto makanan aja rebutan, sampe bahkan saking banyaknya orang, ada menu2 yg gak sempet foto, atau malah udah rusak pas mo difoto krn udah keburu lumer, misalnya. Jadi, gw appreciate banget krn ownernya menyediakan waktu khusus buat ketemu dengan para foodblogger satu persatu. Salut.

Suasana minimalis terasa banget waktu masuk ke dalam. Gak ada bendera2 yg biasa terpampang di bbrp resto jepang di jakarta. Gak ada keramaian2 semrawut. Pokoknya kita duduk dan makan dengan tenang dan nyaman banget deh.

Uniknya, menu mereka ternyata ada gambar bangau dan kura2 loh. Kalo gak diperhatikan, mungkin gak ngeh. Ternyata itu merupakan arti yg unik dr Tsurukamedou. The hall of Crane (tsuru) dan Tortoise (kame). Tsurukamedou sendiri langsung franchise dari Jepang, dan outlet di Greenville ini adalah outlet pertama mereka di luar Jepang. Bahan2 yg dipake pun langsung datang dari Jepang. Chef-nya pun asli Jepang loh. Gak tanggung2 deh mereka

Tonkotsu Ramen 45k

Ini dia ramen signature mereka. Ramen ini berisi bbrp lembar chasiu yg juicy banget, ada tamago dan nori juga. Ramennya tipis, kaldunya keliatannya kental banget ya, tp pas dimakan gak sampe spt keliatannya. Masi agak light utk dihirup sampe abis Ini enak banget. Chasiu-nya empuk minta ampun. Meleleh deh makannya.

Liat aja penampakan ramennya dan tamagonya yg nikmat abis

Tonkotsu Shisen Ramen 45k

Sebenernya ini sama dengan tonkotsu ramen, tp versi yg pedesnya. Tau sendiri org indonesia itu doyan banget sama pedes. Tapi waktu kemaren pesen, gw minta pedesnya dikurangin, berhubung gw sama hubby bukan penggemar spicy food hehehehe.. Bedanya dengan tonkotsu ramen, ini pake toge. Jadi inget makan toge goreng depan rumah dulu waktu masi kecil. Rasa2nya pedes2 juga. Kebayang deh kalo pake tonkotsu ramen, makin nikmatttttt.. Hubby aja doyan loh, padahal dia lbh gak suka pedes dibanding gw.

Buta Chahan 32k

Penampilannya biasa. Sama spt chahan2 di resto2 lain. Tp begitu dimakan, alamak, enak banget. Harumnya masuk berbarengan dengan kenikmatan pas sampe di lidah. Gw en hubby sama2 melongo, en berebut ngabisin itu chahan. Beneran. Enak banget. Lumer di mulut deh. Padahal isinya cuma potongan daging pork dan telur loh. Tapi rasanya spt makan chahan dengan segala kenikmatan deh.

Regular Tori Karaage 32k

Tori Karaage merupakan menu favorit hubby. Setelah kita coba, rasanya ok kok. Terus terang, buat gw sama hubby, tori karaage rasanya ya emang begini aja. Tapi yg bikin gw surprise, coleslaw yg ada di tengah2 karaage-nya itu, yg gak brenti gw comot. Baru pernah gw makan coleslaw enak begini. Garing dan gurih. Kalo bisa nambah, laen kali pasti gw minta nambah lagi yg banyak

Deep Fried Ebi Gyoza 32k

Berhubung chahan udah pake buta (pork), dan karaage-nya pake tori (chicken), skr utk gyoza kita gak makan yg buta dan tori, tp yg ebi (prawn). Kulitnya enak. Ebi-nya juga beda ya, cincangannya halus. Hubby doyan tuh, padahal dia kan gak suka ebi hahahahaha. Makan gyoza-nya dicocol ke kecap khusus, lebih gurih. Tapi tanpa kecap pun, udah enak.

Terakhir kita dikasi free dessert khas resto ramen, semacam jelly. Sayangnya lupa difoto saking enaknya. Jelly-nya juga enak, empuk, manis. Gak asal2an layaknya jelly tempat laen yg sekedar ada, tp gak dibikin sepenuh hati.

Kesimpulannya, gw puas banget makan di Tsurukamedou. Gw juga bakal ngajak nyokap yg notabene penggemar pork ramen hehehehe.. Gw sendiri pingin balik lagi hahaha.. Thanks buat ownernya yg udah nyediain hampir 2 jam, nemenin kita makan, ketawa ketiwi ngobrol ngalor ngidul. Next time, kita pasti balik lagi deh. Ini aja udah gak sabar ngatur skejul buat ke sana. Ditunggu pembukaan outlet2 berikutnya hahahaha

Tsurukamedou
JL. Ratu Kemuning Raya blok A2 No. 8A
Taman Ratu- Greenville
West Jakarta
Ph: +6221 5694 0712
FB Fan Page: Tsurukamedou
twitter: @TsurukamedouJak

How to Clean

Traffic Jam: A traffic jam you’ll want to get stuck in! Come get gridlocked with us in an evening full of live music, craft beer & spirits, and an array of delicious food truck cuisine from Greenville and Atlanta. Don’t miss the chance to jam out at our first annual Traffic Jam!

Wine Auction/Reserve Tasting at Soby’s: euphoria for sale! Reserve tastings from Schug Winery with host Axel Schug, as well as Justin Vineyards, and an array of large format bottles and one-of-a-kind experiences that a true wine lover won’t want to miss. Enjoy tasty bites from Soby’s Chef, Shaun Garcia, and commemorative Riedel glassware to the first 100 guests.

A Night in Paris at Passerelle Bistro: Say “bonjour” to a progressive dinner with action stations, butler passed food and an evening that is tres magnificent! Featuring Chef Teryi Youngblood and Guest Chef Jose Gutierrez from River Oaks Restaurant in Memphis, TN with perfectly paired wines from Joseph Drouhin.
Musical Talent features:
Kim Carnes
Josh Leo
Adam Craig Band
Mark Rapp
Bob DiPiero
Tim Nichols
You can see the full event schedule at http://www.euphoriagreenville.com

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Taryn Scher
The Sparkle Boss
TK PR

Setelah 8 outlet di Jepang, akhirnya Tsurukamedou membuka cabang di Indonesia, tentu saja dengan citarasa dan standar pengolahan yang sama persis. Ramen yang tentu saja merupakan menu andalan disini berupa ramen Hakata Style dengan kuah ramen Tonkotsu yang strong cooked from scratch with high temperature  over 16 hours non stop. Pilihan ramen yang tersedia terdapat 2 tipe yakni Tonkotsu Ramen menggunakan base pork untuk pembuatan kuahnya dan Tori Ramen yang menggunakan base chicken untuk kuahnya.

Tonkotsu Ramen IDR 45k
Seporsi Tonkotsu Ramen terdiri dari 3pcs charsiu, half tamago, nori, chives, kikurage dan mie lurus kecil-kecil nan kenyal. Ketika menyeruput kuah ramen ini, AnakJajan cukup kaget, kuahnya sangat wangi, flavorful dan gurih. Tidak seperti kuah ramen disalah satu outlet ramen yg kuahnya overly thick n oily, kuah Tonkotsu Ramen di Tsurukamedou strong namun tidak sampai terlalu kental dan tidak terlalu berminyak that we can easily finish whole ramen with the soup.

Tonkotsu Ramen IDR 45k

Tonkotsu Shisen Ramen IDR 45k
Bedanya dengan ramen yang diatas, ramen yang ini menggunakan bumbu cabai dan menambahkan topping toge. This one is Mr Jajan’s favorite as he loves the spicier broth. Topping Charsiu bisa request charsiu pork maupun chicken dengan potongan yang cukup tebal, pengolahannya yang telah melalui marinasi semalaman menghasilkan daging charsiu yang meresap bumbu dan lembut literally melts in your mouth. Ohya you can also order extra topping such as rice, noodle, tamago, charsiu, nori, negi, kikurage for IDR 5-12.5k.

Tonkotsu Shisen Ramen IDR 45k (look at the thick charsiu)

Tori Katsu IDR 32k
Selama ini AnakJajan terutama Mrs Jajan yang anak gorengan selalu berasumsi bahwa chicken katsu rasanya ya gitu-gitu aja, but I was wrong, Chicken Katsu will never be the same anymore after tasting Tori Katsu (chicken) at Tsurukamedou, daging ayam didalamnya super juicy dan crispy in the outside dicocol saus homemade yang asam manis segar.

Tori Katsu IDR 32k

Fried Tori Gyoza IDR 32k
Gyoza tersedia 3 jenis isi yakni pork, chicken, and prawn, kemudian pengolahannya pun bisa request grilled or deep fried version. Isian didalam gyoza cukup banyak dan juicy ketika dimakan.

Fried Tori Gyoza IDR 32k

Buta Chahan IDR 32k
Don’t judge the book by its cover, seporsi nasi goreng dengan warna kepucatan dan simple ini tidak pernah AnakJajan sangka rasanya bisa sangat istimewa, nasi yang pulen digoreng dengan potongan daging charsiu, telur, daun bawang, dan secret sauce imported from japan menghasilkan nasi goreng yang sangat gurih dan wangi. Selain pork juga tersedia chicken and ebi (prawn) version.

Buta Chahan IDR 32k

Overall AnakJajan had really nice meal here, satu hal yang AnakJajan sukai adalah citarasa makanannya yang flavorful dan gurih tanpa menggunakan MSG, totally will be back for their Ramen, Chahan and Katsu. Let’s Jajan!!

Address:
Tsurukamedou Jakarta
Jl. Ratu Kemuning Raya Blok.A2 No.8A
Taman Ratu – Greenville
Jakarta Barat
Phone: (021) 56940711 / 12
Twitter: @tsurukamedou_jakarta