Be sure to mark your calendars for THIS SATURDAY’s  Beverly Hills Lighting Ceremony!

Ring in the Holidays on Rodeo Drive!

November 21, 2009 (7:00 pm)

(from LoveBeverlyHills.org)
This not-to-be-missed annual extravaganza is chock full of surprises and amazing entertainment. The fun gets underway mid-afternoon on Saturday, November 21 with tons of family activities and entertainment including balloon and caricature artists, jugglers, musicians and carolers. Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be milling about later in the afternoon, ready to review and discuss any and all wish lists. At 7:00 pm, prepare to be mesmerized when the Mayor and special celebrity guest and UNICEF supporter, Rebecca Mader, flip the switch on the stunning 12,000-crystal UNICEF snowflake floating over the Beverly Wilshire hotel and the thousands of twinkle lights along Rodeo Drive. The grand finale? An awe-inspiring fireworks display overhead, synchronized to the music of the season. The UNICEF crystal snowflake will remain illuminated until January 1, 2010.

HW Design Inc. attended this event last year, with Nicole Richie, Joel Madden and the Mayor.  It was an amazing time, so, don’t miss this event!

I had the amazing opportunity to go to Los Angeles last weekend for the UW football game against UCLA.  It was a great weekend despite the Husky loss, but my friends and I managed to have a little bit of fun anyway.  Plus, how could I not enjoy myself in the sunny, smog-filled skies of LA?

LA is a fashion capital, and it was evident wherever I went.  Everywhere you go, you are either going to see or be seen.  People in LA  understand that, because no matter where I went people were, excuse the cliche, dressed to impress.

At times I wondered if it was just the climate.  True, I saw much more skin than I would on the first weekend of November in Seattle, and the warm weather would account for that.  But even at night when it got cold, people went out in short skirts, tight shirts and not a jacket in sight.  I’ve always thought that people are more beautiful in the summer.  It explains why in a place like LA where it always feels like summer, the people are all beautiful.  The fashion seasons don’t seem to change in LA, it just evolves as the years go on.

It’s easy to see why LA is a fashion capital.  Aside from the obvious Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive, it is a great place for up-and-coming designers to start out because of the amount of people that live there.  There is a great balance of style; LA is trendy yet relaxed, chic yet comfortable.

But let’s face it; I personally will always appreciate a place where you can wear dresses all year long without needing tights or a jacket.

I figured, what a better Top 5 than to pick shopping malls, one of my favorite activities!

5. Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, Nevada

4. Macy’s in New York City, New York

3. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California

2. Arizona Mills in Tempe, Arizona

1. Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota

Mall of America the biggest and greatest shopping center in the U.S. filled with stores upon stores, but it also has one of the biggest indoor amusement parks, as seen below.

Nickelodeon Universe

-click here to check out some of the stores at the MOA and events happening each weekend!

(List found at hotelsbycity.net and picture found at labelscar.com)

It was nice to be back in a nice place.  This place is money.  Located minutes from Beverly Hills this hotel is filled with famous faces and fine dining.  There a sushi chef in the lobby which I heard was amazing but unfortunately didn’t get a chance to try.  The rooms are large with Good size flatscreen TVs and a great view of the Hollywood Hills and the beach in the distance.  The wake up calls are on time and called by name.  (Always makes you feel important).  The ballrooms had high ceilings but werent very large from what I saw.  Service was awesome and it had a private Mercedes S-class shuttle service within 3 miles!  Gotta love it.  Great restaurants within walking distance to the hotel.  Rock Sugar was a good meal.  Family style Pan-Asian food.  It was great.

Rock Sugar

Tuscano’s Italian just next door was also a good catch but the Rock Sugar wins it this trip.  Rodeo Drive is also a short walk from the Hotel where you have all the expensive cars and shops to stare at.  2000 Avenue of the Stars is right next to the hotel, which is the huge Casting Agent company which holds big names, Tom Cruise being one.  Just off the balcony behind the parking garage is all the Fox 50 studios, MGM, and Sony Pictures.  Its a field of long warehouses producing some the best TV out there.  Free coffee from the Barista in the lobby and newspaper deliveries to your room.  Overall a good place to stay.

The past few weeks have been crazy busy! I have thought about writing several times, but I have just been too busy, or by the time I sit down too tired to think straight!

I recently got a job at the Beverly Center (a huge really expensive mall here in LA) working at Kipling- a high-end luggage/purse/bag store. My friend Seth just left for Spain, so I sort of took his job- he tipped me off to it before he left. What a nice guy…I kept telling him I was glad he was leaving because otherwise I wouldn’t have a job. lol That’s not totally true. But, anyhow, I have been busy doing that on top of my 4 days of interning, plus church, and my online class.

When it comes to friends, I feel so blessed for all the new ones I have met since I have been out here. However, what is that saying? “Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other’s gold.” Well, I definitely know who my “gold” is. My friend Aubrey came to visit two weekends ago from home, and that was SO much fun. It really meant a lot to me that she took the time and money to commit to coming out here to see me.

We crammed a lot into the three days she was here. We layed out by the pool, went shopping, ate at Baja Fresh, saw Tim Allen perform at the Laugh Factory, ate at In-N-Out Burger, went to Universal Studios, ate at the Cheesecake Factory in Old Pasadena, found The Playboy Mansion, took a cruise down Rodeo Drive, went to Huntington Beach, ate some REAL good Pizza and had a HILARIOUS waiter, ate Fish Tacos at Jame’s Beach(where the movie “I Love You Man” was partially filmed), and went to Santa Monica Pier.

As you grow up and mature, and life takes you through ups and downs, you begin to realize who your true friends are. I feel lucky to call Aubrey one of mine. Despite the distance, she is always there for me to talk to and is always so loving and supportive…I couldn’t ask for a better friend.

So, as for my other important long-distance relationship; I cannot wait to see Drew a week from Friday! He made the decision to come visit me on a 4-day weekend he has off of school, and I am so excited! I know it’s costing him time, and money,but I hope by the time he leaves he will feel like it was worth it. =) I am sure we will have a great time.

It has been really difficult to be apart this past month and a half or so. Everyone says that long-distance is so much easier these days because of texting and phones and internet…but I don’t know. It really has been difficult in little ways. We haven’t had any BIG problems really, but we tend to fight and bicker over the stupidest things on the phone…it must be because we just miss each other…because we never really do that at home.

Two days ago I had a great day…I got to meet my “idol” who I have admired since I decided I wanted to go the direction of Music Supervision. Her name is Lindsay Wolfington and she is the Music Supervisor for the show One Tree Hill. When I was contemplating an internship out in LA, I tried to contact her, send my resume, look up her contact info, email her…anything to get a hold of her. Just ask Dan & Lori, my advisors up at school…I was on a HUNT for this woman. Unfortunately, I came up with zeros and sort-of lost hope of finding her right then. However (just like John Mayer…!) I knew that someday we were bound to cross paths….

Well, “someday”  came a lot sooner than I had expected! Through my internship(s), I have gotten to go to 2 of these “lunch showcases”. Basically, there is really good free food, and a performance from one or two artists and all the Music Supervisors and big-name industry people get invited for free. It’s kind of just a “suck up” lunch to get the artists on a good page with these industry people.

Anyhow, I got to go see “The Swell Season” last time…they are Irish Musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. They are most known for their 2007 film, “Once”. As it turns out, Lindsay Wolfington WAS at this showcase, but I didn’t know this until after. My internship people I was with told me they didn’t want to introduce me because they thought I would freak out, since they know how much I idolize her…I must admit, I was a little mad about that. lol

So, we go to another lunch showcase, and believe it or not, I totally forgot about the possible-Lindsay-Wolfington-encounter and was just excited for the music and free lunch. We got to see Ingrid Michaelson perform, and she was awesome…there was also some delicious pizza and ice cream. lol So, I was officially distracted, but then all of a sudden I somehow remembered that I had heard Lindsay was at the last showcase. I asked one of the Music Supervisors if he could introduce me if she was there…he said she was…and he did!

I got to talk to her for about ten minutes, I told her what I was doing there, where I was from etc. We talked a little bit about One Tree Hill this season, and what we both thought about the new plot and about the addition and subtraction of certain characters. We also talked about a few other shows like Top Chef, America’s Next Top Model, and Flashforward. It wasn’t a really deep conversation, but it definitely made my day that I got the chance to talk to her after all! Maybe I will run into her again before I go back home =)

Once we got back from the showcase I was already happy, and my day got even better when my Dad told me there was a letter at home reporting that I had made the Dean’s list at school last semester! I honestly didn’t expect that…so, all in all it was a great day!

Hmmm..what else to report? Oh- I am TOTALLY hooked on thew new ABC show Flashforward. I don’t know how that happened, but I am seriously hooked. Tune in if you haven’t been watching. It’s easy to catch-up online…tonight is only Episode 3.

I feel like I had so much more I wanted to write about when I first logged on here, but apparently not. I can’t remember now. So, I guess that is the update from Hollywood…for now anyways! Hasta la vista.

My day in Los Angeles…

…began very early this morning when I awoke to find both my daughter and my dog missing. It was about 5:30 and I had no clue where those two yahoos had gone. Within about 20 minutes, they came back bearing coffee. That was cool because both my daughter and I have both…consistently…forgotten to buy coffee at every single coffee buying opportunity that has presented itself for days. It’s really getting quite ridiculous.

Anyway, Annie walked in with my dog and a large coffee for us to share and at that moment I only wanted 3 things out of life…I wanted my dog and my kid to come back…and I wanted a cup of coffee. So, I smiled pleasantly and sipped my coffee as Annie and I planned our day.

We had some errands to run and one of them found us near the La Brea Tar Pits. My daughter lives less than a quarter mile from La Brea Avenue and one of our errands took us south on La Brea until we reached the tar pits. Since we were there, I decided to pull over and check those suckers out.

It was pretty cool…there was one main “lake”. It wasn’t very big but it was much larger than the numerous small pits that peppered the land around the Page Museum which sits in the midst of Hancock Park. G. Allan Hancock inherited the land around the tar pits from his father who had drilled for oil on his property. The lake had obvious oil slicks and occasional methane “burps” from below the water. There was an active excavation going on in “Pit 91″ which was pretty cool to watch. I saw fossils from saber toothed tigers amongst others.

I was chatting with one of the excavating dudes and he gave me instructions as to how to volunteer. It sounds really cool, you go to a few classes to learn about the pits and the various fossil types that they’re searching for and then you get to go through the tar that’s been dredged from Pit 91 looking for micro fossils. I could handle that. I dig tar.

After we left the tar pits, we went to Trader Joe’s and picked up a few tasty items for our culinary enjoyment. On our way back, we stopped to get gas and ran into Christina Ricci at the gas station. My daughter is familiar enough to exchange a few words with her but I didn’t even know who she was so I hung back and picked my lottery numbers.

So, my first “celebrity sighting” of this tour of California is a chick I don’t even know. I have high hopes that it will get better soon but I also have a nagging fear that the next sighting could be of some annoying quasi-celebrity like Perez Hilton. Oh well, we’ll see!

Before the day was over, we had been to the Target store on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd. and La Brea Avenue, the dog park on Poinsettia and the 99 Cent store on Wilshire Blvd., just a hop, skip and a jump past Rodeo Drive. I was a bit taken aback by the fact that a dollar store could exist so close to Cartier’s, Christian Dior’s and Armani’s.

There were so many pretty things that I wanted to take pictures of for you only I didn’t have a camera. But…very soon I’ll get one and I’ll have some really cool pics up here for you guys!

We also passed the surprisingly small diner where they filmed the diner scene in Pulp Fiction.

Well, it’s 2:30 am and I’m quite sure that there’s something I’m forgetting to tell you but I’m falling asleep at the computer so I think I’ll just turn in for the night and hope that my mind is rested enough to remember when I wake up. Oh…and if you remember what it was that I had forgotten, leave a message in the comments.

:):)

In the meantime, all I have the strength to worry about is this…what the heck is the hard button over the B on a lap top for? Any answers will that you may want to offer will be greatly appreciated.

Rodeo drive is natuurlijk een geweldige plek om een boutique te openen, maar dan moet je wel

bekendheid krijgen en die krijg je het beste als er een paar celebs bij je opening

langs komen. Niet de meest bekende cuties, maar ik vind ze in ieder geval wel erg leuk en ik ken

de naam “Judith Leiber” nu ook, dus wat dat betreft is het een goede zet. Ik vind Jenna Dewan, step-up hottie,

er geweldig mooi uitzien. De kleur van het jurkje past perfect bij haar teint en de simpele heels

laten haar benen heel mooi uitkomen. Gabrielle Union, op de eerste foto, vind ik er altijd mooi uitzien.

Ze heeft een simpele classy stijl die het altijd doet en ze is gewoon prachtig om naar te kijken.

Katie Cassidy, laatste foto, is volgens mij wel een mooie meid, maar ze doet me niks. Ik heb haar nog nooit

zien lachen op een foto, wat ik erg jammer vind, dan zal er volgens mij veel meer spontaniteit van

afstralen!

So I’m finally done with the GREs….and with a pretty decent composite score. :] *does celebratory happy dance*

Though my verbal score was higher than I expected, I just wished that my math score was 20 points higher; otherwise, I would have attained my target scores, but I think what I got is enough to get into the graduate schools I want. For now, I’ll have four days of fun before school starts–I went on a date today with my mom to Rodeo Drive/Westwood, and had some quality time with Nancy, the sister, and my mom during the limited time offer of free Welcome Week dinner in the UCLA dining halls! It’s quite pathetic to admit that I haven’t had this much fun since my Yellowstone trip with the family at the end of this past June. Alina put it best when I talked to her over the phone about our intensely busy summer: “It feels like summer just started!” I couldn’t say it any better myself. In an effort to make up for the lack of “fun” for the past few months, I’m trying to jam pack things that I’ve wanted to do on my Summer To Do List. Here’s a look at my list so far:

[ ] karaoke [IDK when this is going to happen....]
[ ] museum visits [I plan on visiting the Getty Villa.]
[x] attend festivals [I'm most likely going to Lunar Harvest Festival.]
[x] write my personal statements [I have already brainstormed and outlined, and I'll most likely write more after GREs are over...]
[x ] shadow different labs [I've bugged Rob in Rubin's O-Chem lab in Mol. Sci. last week; now onto Tolbert's Mat. Sci. lab on Friday]
[x] shopping with friends [Ahem...more like window shopping on Rodeo Drive...$3500 designer bags are blasphemous, I tell you!]
[x] having potluck/dinners [a total of four Asian-/Mexican-themed cuisines!]
[x] movie nights [watched Don with the roommates]
[ ] learning how to longboard [Fail! I still need to get a freakin' longboard!]
[ ] learn at least two new songs on the piano [No time to practice...]
[ ] learning basics of guitar [Ditto!]
[x] study for GRE’s [like crazy...it's not even funny anymore.]
[x] devote a large amount of time into research [emphasis on the 'large']
[ ] get my name on a paper [I hope we can hammer one out by the end of next month this year; my data looks promising on one of my shuttlecock experiments. ]
[x] learn database/LabView/GAWK programming
[x]  plan my birthday party [actually, my roomies planned this, but it still counts. Check!]
[x]  paint my fingernails bright green [...and black...and lavendar! Woot!]
[x] attend at least one musical with friends [Grease was all right; I unfortunately opted for GRE studying rather than see Legally Blonde!]
[x] hang out with family in Yellowstone [Epic journey!]
[x] get ready for study abroad next year after graduation [looking into Europe/China for one summer]
[x] learn self-defense [aka learn to kick arse, fend off creepers, and be more disciplined]
[x] learned tennis [...enough to not look like a retarded fool while playing. Woohoo!]
[x] read Guns, Germs, & Steel [actually listened to audiobook, but it still counts...sort of]

Next on the list for tomorrow afternoon is the Getty Villa! Plans to be announced for Monday through Wednesday, though I know for sure that I will be going in and out of lab to execute my next shuttlecock experiments, finish up my two summer research reports, and own my AAP tutoring interview on Tuesday…hopefully. We’ll see about this. In the meantime, I need to wait for my writing scores to be processed and mailed and….after taking a break, get on with studying for Chem GREs, applying for USJ, and writing my personal statements. The fun never ends!

*END*

Rachel lets Chloe say "Good-bye" to Aunt Viv.

This is a rather failed effort at producing a canine comedy of manners blended with an adventure/kidnap/chase flick. Naturally, the “thinking” and personalties of the dog characters are indistinguishable from that of humans. The entirety of the scenes at the outset of the movie represented a characature of the New Money crowd, which is rendered by the humans and echoed by their pooches. Every element of the film is stale. Nevertheless, one may find something humorous along the way. It is directed by Raja Gosnell.

STORYLINE:   While rich patron schmoozed in Europe, her pampered Chihuahua pet went on a “south of the border” trip with her “Mom pro tempore.” The “fun-run” became a nightmare when pooch Chloe was kidnapped by shady hombres operating a dogfight business. A “down-on-his-luck” Rin Tin Tin lookalike proved to be Chloe’s wonder dog. He was not the only one, as the Chuhuahua, Papi, a not-so-secret admirer of Chloe, had joined his master, the young landscaper, Pedro, in a separate rescue effort. Pedro and Rachel joined forces in the chase. Love, danger, and a menagerie mixed it up, as they all converged on Chloe. Guess what? Mom returned from Europe, embraced her “baby” and suddenly discovered a new perfume line for her business. It’s sort of earthy, doncha know?

COMMENTARY:     As her wealthy owner-”Mom” prepared for a business trip in Europe to promote her company’s new cosmetic line, she consigned her “little treasure” to the care of her niece, Rachel (Perabo), who wasn’t overjoyed at the burden but who knew who controlled the big bucks. The little treasure has the name Chloe, and she was a Chihuahua diva of Rodeo Drive. The pampered pooch has a set of canine “beautiful people” pals, affording all who noticed them the opportunity to consider the vacuity of folks unable to, or unwilling to, utilize excess wealth for the general good. Tellingly, Aunt Viv (Curtis) has made her big bucks in cosmetics, where she assisted “stinking people” to hide their “crimes” from the nose of the World Community.

Yet, the little Eden of Aunt Viv and Chloe is not entirely posh. There are hired people there to play the valet, landscaper, and the like. The landscaper, Pedro, is young, assured, and confident in his professional abilities. However, he is usually referenced as “gardener.” As an attraction can be detected between Pedro and Rachel, Aunt Viv’s niece, as the film progressed, there is an element of Lady Chatterly’s Lover hinted at but not developed.

This film is like that. Thematic snippets from other films were introduced suddenly then allowed to quickly fade away, as the body of the action plowed through it, episode after episode plodding toward the film’s appointed climax. Can you say, “Walkies!”

All of this is preparation for a “consciousness-raising” experience by Chloe. The little white canine Chihuahua experienced an abrupt alteration of her surroundings, forcing her to rely on the kindnesses of stray dogs ( rat & iguana, too). Further, though  these were mostly “right on” dogs, not every dog wagged an honest tail.

How did this come about? Rachel took her “ward for the week” on a fun weekend in Mexico, and Chloe got nabbed by shady hombres in the dog-fighting racket. Now Chloe, still mostly dressed like “Bride of Chuckie in Vegas,” found herself in a dirty underground chamber filled with big, rough-looking dogs. Naturally, she got teased a bit. In a cage nearby lurked a big German Shepherd with an ominously deep, yet world-weary voice. It’s Delgado (Garcia). He put her down, too, but you correctly got the feeling he’s going to be her guardian bowzer. The king of the fighting dogs was El Diablo, a mean-looking Doberman. Every experienced moviegoer expected that Delgado and El Diablo must have a tousle at or near the climax of the film. As the story progressed, Delgado was revealed to be a former canine cop, who had had issues with El Diablo from the old days.

Promptly, Chloe was released into the pit that was walled and overlooked by a crowd of dog-fight enthusiasts. She was hooted at, as she was dressed like a slightly soiled, Vegas showgirl. Across from her was the dark, menacing El Diablo. By now, Delgado, emoting like a reluctant William Holden-character, has, with a “I-could-kick-myself” attitude, set forth to rescue the “fair damsel.” He did, in fact, save Chloe from El Diablo by briefly opening the escape gate, allowing her slip out, and then closing it on El Diablo before he could enter.

There followed a Spartacus homage, as the canine exodus by all the “gladiator” dogs penned in the chamber beneath the fight facility occurred pell-mell, compliments of Delgado. Into the streets the revolting gladiator-dogs charged, and then the romance of it all was dashed by Delgado telling Chloe that she was on her own. “It’s a dog-eat-dog world,” he advised her. She pled with him not to leave her all alone, and with loathing and dread, the German Shepherd stopped, turned to take a last look at the “little white missy,” and, grumbling to himself, returned to help her. He mentioned a hotel that Chloe remembered having stayed at with her biped “Mom.” It was settled; Delgado would escort her there.

It was a good thing, as the shady operator of the dogfighting facility had commanded El Diablo to get the little white Chihuahua. From this point a secondary chase plot is inaugerated, more or less counterpointing and paralleling the chase effort of Rachel, Pedro, Papi, and the police. Count the weak and brief chase effort of Manuel, the rat, and his iguana pal, pursuing the diamond-necklace/dog-collar once occupying the neck of Chloe, and you can say three.

This episodic film allowed the Disney people to render life in Mexico in a way that is comprehensible to American tourists. However, there is an entirely curious and quazi-”racist” episode with Montezuma, the leader of a tribe of Chihuahuas that called an Aztec ruin, including sacrificial, step-pyramid temple, their “home.” Why the Disney people went this route is not easily understood. Since all the dogs were, for the most part, disguised humans, the Montezuma-led clan’s assertion of a special Chihuahua “soul” which the Chihuahuas of the world must perceive and embrace, saying “No mas” to any forms that profaned this ideal, seemed consistent with some of the blowsy postulations of the Nazis. Or La Raza, for that matter. It jarred with the social “education” afforded Chloe by the stray dogs she had encountered during her adventure in Mexico.

All in all, this is an uneven adventure. If you choose to go, dress accordingly. Cologne/perfume anyone?

Cast Voices: Chloe-Drew Barrymore, Papi-George Lopez, Delgado-Andy Garcia, Manuel-Cheech Marin, Montezuma-Placido Domingo, El Diablo-Edward James Olmos

Cast: Aunt Viv-Jamie Lee Curtis, Rachel-Piper Perabo, Pedro-Axel Alba

All rights reserved. Gobigfoot, 2009

I have been waiting for the right time to do this post, so here we go!

Our visit to CUT in Beverly Hills was by far our biggest celebrity sighting adventure to date (not to mention the best steaks EVER!).  CUT is a Wolfgang Puck Steakhouse located inside the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.  First of all, I must mention the fact that the Beverly Wilshire is ‘the Pretty Woman hotel’.  You know the one.  Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, hooker, rich guy… yeah, that hotel.  That in itself is a great reason to check it out.  Plus, it sits on Wilshire Blvd at the end of Rodeo Drive, which is a very exciting location.  Here’s a photo of the hotel at night.

So anyway, I had heard and read a bunch about CUT.  It was even used as a filming location for The Hills on MTV showing Heidi and Spencer having lunch there.  They also ended up having their rehearsal dinner at CUT.
Click here to see their photos on the walls of the restaurant http://www.theinsider.com/photos/1206578_Heidi_and_Spencer_out_at_Cut_restaurant.
My husband and I always try to visit a nice steakhouse during our travels, so I thought this place would be perfect.   We would see ‘the Pretty Woman hotel’, hang out in Beverly Hills for an evening (which is always a fun thought) and have some good food.  I knew there was a chance of a celebrity sighting at CUT, but certainly didn’t expect what I got!

So it was my birthday and we were getting ready to go out in L.A. to a Wolfgang Puck restaurant.  Needless to say, I was already a very happy birthday girl.  We cruised on over in our Toyota Prius rental, which my husband initially feared would look cheesy and out of place… wrong!  The Toyota Prius must be THE most popular car in L.A.  Crazy.  Anyway, I had made a reservation, so we didn’t have to wait long to be seated.  In a matter of just a few minutes the hostess was showing us the way to our table.   It seemed a bit crowded simply because of the fact that the place was packed.  It was a Thursday night at about 8:30 or 9 pm.  As we weaved our way through I looked up for a brief moment and saw her.  There she was, with a light literally shining on her face (I thought it was the heavens but actually they just have great lighting in there)… it was the one and only Cindy Crawford.  I can’t imagine what my facial expression looked like at that moment.  Luckily, no audible excitement came out of my body.  I simply turned to my husband and said, “It’s f*cking Cindy Crawford!” in a low, quiet, yet forceful voice.  He could barely hear me, but at that moment he noticed a man sitting there with a hat on.  This struck him as odd because it wasn’t the type of hat you would expect to see in such a fancy place.  He immediately suspected it was some sort of singer or celebrity.  Well, he was right.  The hostess sat us at a table for two right next to the table with Cindy Crawford, her husband Randy Gerber, mega producer Jerry Weintraub, Kid Rock, Mary J. Blige and the man in the hat… Rev Run.  Yes, they were all at the same table, and their table was right next to ours.  Wow.  We were both shocked as we sat there trying to focus on the menus.  Here’s the thing, we have encountered celebrities before and are fully capable of staying calm and not acting like crazy people.  But this was a shock.  Might we had some warning things would’ve been different.  But we would have NEVER guessed that we would be seated next to this table with these people at it.  I idolized Cindy Crawford as a young girl that wanted to be a model.  My husband is a huge fan of Kid Rock and Rev Run.  And Mary J. Blige?!  Really?!  Holy crap!  Do you KNOW how many records that woman has sold?!  I mean, damn.  And Jerry Weintraub… well, his work is ridiculously impressive as well.

I must also mention the other celebrity sightings there (yes, there’s more).  Angelica Huston was sitting at a booth there in the restaurant.  When I went outside for a smoke (and to text my brother to tell him I was sitting next to freaking Cindy Crawford!) I saw Vivica A. Fox exit the restaurant.  Oh and we even saw Star Jones eating there with another familiar face that I can’t name.  Later in the evening Star approached the celebrity-filled table beside us to say hello.   And finally, Mr. Wolfgang Puck himself appeared from the kitchen.  I mean, really?!  The guy has tons of restaurants and he happens to be at this particular one on this particular night?  He approached the celebrity-filled table as well to say hello.  As he turned from their table he saw us, made eye contact with me, and asked how we were doing.  My husband told him that it was my birthday and I got a very friendly “Happy Birthday” from Mr. Puck himself.  :)  Happy Birthday to me!  Here’s a photo of the main dining room at CUT.  The pink arrow points to the celebrity-filled table.  The green arrow points to our table.  The blue arrow on the booth was where Angelica Huston sat.  And the other blue arrow is where Star Jones sat.

The celebrity sightings that night were wonderful.  My husband even shook Kid Rock’s hand outside after dinner, which was fun for him being such an admirer of his music.  We also met some really cool non-celebrity folks there at the restaurant that bought us a drink.  But I absolutely must not forget the delicious food!  These are by far the best steaks we have ever had!  The food at CUT is just perfection in my opinion.  And after our meal we went over to Sidebar and had a drink.  It’s located just across the lobby from the restaurant.  Parking is valet through a back entrance that takes you directly to the restaurant lobby.  The entrance is not on a public street which probably makes it very appealing to celebrities (no papparazzi).  And speaking of, we did not approach these celebrities during dinner.  CUT is a place where these folks can go without dealing with papparazzi or crazed fans.  We actually witnessed one guy being escorted out for attempting to approach their table with a camera.  So we definitely kept our cool.

That’s a birthday to go down in history.  :)

For more info visit the website at http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3789.

Here is the latest from California and the Canyons!

DearCalifornia and the Canyons Parents,

As the song “We always get what you give” played on our bus, we arrived at Universal Studios full of excitement. Walking past the Universal globe, the theme park unfolded before our eyes: crowds of people snapping shots of the gates, characters waving, and a glowing billboard of shows and rides beckoning us. We started our day with a super studio tour, where our guide detailed the behind the scenes TV shows (like Desperate Housewives) and movies being produced as we passed through. After the studio tour, we all went on the rides and rode the afternoon away.  Phillip recalls, “I like the twisty-turny, on the mummy ride, I didn’t think about it, I just screamed.”

The next day we experienced the UCLA campus; some went swimming in the enormous pool while others hit the basketball courts and gym. Four of our guys and I defeated another squad in basketball 13-10.

After lunch, we drove to the famous Rodeo Drive, split into our groups and took over the street seeing our favorite styles. As Lauren came back with her group she said, “The scenery was amazing, it kinda looked like its own town.”

That night comedy filled our ears at the Improv Comedy Club. It was a trip highlight!

We started our next morning with an interactive and inspiring guided tour of the Museum of Tolerance. For lunch, we ventured onto Venice Beach, where we saw performers and artists on the boardwalk.

That night, we became stars standing in front of Manns Chinese Theater, where we saw the hands and footprints of celebrities. Rachel E. commented, “I walked down the street and I had to take a picture… it was Tom Cruise’s star.”

The LA food bank embraced our group as we pitched in, sorting through drinks and snacks preparing them for departure to those in need. After leaving the food bank, we embarked for the happiest place on Earth: Disneyland. We ran off towards the various lands, our excitement outpouring onto the streets.  Josh added, “The way everything was made and how everything is set up, is really cool!” The sun set and the Disney sky lit up; at first we stared in awe at Fantasmic, the light show portrayed on shooting steam on the river, characters dancing on floats and Mickey Mouse defeating Ursula and the Wicked Witch. Our night ended with fireworks above the castle.

We are now on our way to San Diego. As we left Los Angeles, Alli expressed, “LA was so pretty, you see it in the movies… But we were actually there!”

We will keep you posted!

A final farewell from Trip 09 in ‘09. Just think, what will they call it next year?

The Westcoast Blogger

Dear Parents of Trip #9 in ’09,

Only 3 days left before we make our way home and it feels like just yesterday that we all met for the first time in New York. Since our arrival in LA we’ve seen plenty more amazing sites and have had many opportunities to try new things. We got to experience a little bit of Venice Beach before making our way down to Disneyland for a fun filled day of rides and Disney characters and an evening filled with beautiful fireworks. And you have obviously heard about Swami’s proposal that the whole group was part of! The LA Food Bank was our next stop on our way to Universal Studios and everyone participated in separating food items for those in need. Jack and Andrew did an incredible job, as did everyone else and we were told that our Westcoast group was the best group they’ve ever seen!

Universal Studios was next up where we took part in an incredible tour and got to see all kinds of sets, as well as props used in different movies and television shows. Everyone had a chance to try out some great rides like Jurassic Park, the Simpsons, and the Mummy. After a great dinner at the Hard Rock Café Hollywood, we had some free time to tour the City Walk before heading back to the UCLA dorms. Our last day in LA was spent at the UCLA Bookstore where everyone got some great UCLA apparel, and then it was off to the Farmer’s Market for lunch before spending some of the afternoon experiencing Rodeo Drive. Our evening was spent laughing away at the Improv Comedy Club where we got to see a couple of really great comedians show off their talents. Kyle seemed to really enjoy being part of the acts.

Our next stop was Ventura, CA where we had two days of fun and relaxation. We headed over to the beach for some fun in the sun and then back to the campsite before movie night! We had the choice between 3 movies- The Proposal, G-Force, and Harry Potter and we all enjoyed our choices very much! The next day we set off for Lake Tahoe where we were camping for put last two nights. Lake Tahoe was amazing and we all had a great day hanging out on the beach, swimming and tanning and going out on the water for some tubing, waterskiing, and wakeboarding. Our later part of the afternoon was spent on a beautiful boat sailing over the lake and everyone got to enjoy some real relaxation time looking over Lake Tahoe.

We can’t even explain how much fun we’ve been having over the last 37 days, and we can’t even believe that in just 3 days time we’ll all be home, getting back to real life. Our last few days are going to be spent in San Francisco and we will be sure to take it all in and enjoy our last little bit before it’s time to go home.

Until next time,

The Explorer Staff

Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, California – August 2008

The U.S. Explorer hits day 29!

The Westcoast Blogger

Dear Parents of Trip #9 in ’09,

Day 29 out of 40- who can believe that the end of our trip is already ten days away! We’ve seen so much so far, and still have lots more to experience and we can’t even imagine what it’s going to feel like to say goodbye to each other. The last 9 days have been incredible as we made out way from Wyoming to Utah, and then to Vegas and now we’ve finally arrived in sunny California to enjoy the last leg of out 40 day exploration. Park City, Utah was fantastic and we all got to enjoy an adventure down the alpine coaster and a full day of fun at the Lagoon-a-Beach Waterpark and Amusement park. Lacy, Sarah, Stephanie, and Ally were enjoying the wave pool and the many other activities at the park.

The next day we made our way over to Glendale, Utah and enjoyed a hike through Bryce Canyon. The view was spectacular and everyone not only participated in the hike, but also made it right through to the end. Aron, Jake, and Ben were leading the pack as the hike was completed while Amanda , Becky T., and Becki R. rounded up the end. The next day was a beautiful day to hike the Grand Canyon and everyone enjoyed both the view as well as the great photo opportunities.

Saying goodbye to Utah, we headed to LAS VEGAS, Nevada for two amazing days of sunny weather and fabulous sights to see. After a delicious dinner at Buca di Beppo, we headed over to the Stratosphere to enjoy a view of Vegas from the top on Big Shot. Mitchell, Andrew , and Jack were able to get one the first rides of the night. The next day we paid a visit to the Forum Shops, located in the Caesar’s Palace hotel for a bit of free time, and then made our way to the Venetian before dinner. After a great dinner at New York, New York, we played some games at Gameworks. Evan Swas the champion on the virtual car games. We also enjoyed the seeing the M&M Store, Coca-Cola Store, as well as the Oxygen Bar and Aqua Massage Station.

After saying our farewell to Sin City, we began our drive to California- our first stop being in San Diego. We all enjoyed a great dinner at the Souplantation before heading over to Ultrazone for a friendly, but competitive game of LASER TAG! With 27, 004 points, Evan R. came first of the group while Ben G. and Zach A. came in second and third respectively. Our second day in San Diego was absolutely amazing. We spent the whole day hanging out on the beach with surf lessons in the morning and a full afternoon of surfing ahead of us. Everyone had an incredible time in the water, both swimming and surfing the waves. Austin Z., Jillian G., Jordan S., Rhianne V., Suzannah D. were hanging 10 in no time! Our fun filled beach day ended with dinner at Islands restaurant and an early night so that we could all be up and ready for a great day at the San Diego Zoo. The Zoo was great and we were able to take part in a guided tour and tram ride, and see a lot of the animals up close and personal. Lions and tigers and bears- oh my! We also got to see elephants, giraffes, monkeys and flamingoes. If you were lucky, you might have been able to catch the pandas at mealtime too! Ilana was like the panda paparazzi with the number of pictures she took. Nicole and Madison were amazed by the polar bears.

Now, it’s time to say goodbye to San Diego and make our way towards Los Angeles where we’ll get to do tons of amazing activities like visiting the Mann’s Theatre, Venice Beach, Disneyland, and Rodeo Drive!

Until next time,

Your Trip #9 in ’09 Staff

Harvard Professor Henry Gates’ arrest by the Cambridge Police Department reminds Rocky of the best technique for buying a new mattress.

In an interview with Bloomberg News regarding the Gates situation, Duke University Professor Kerry Haynie, who is black, said he consciously changes out of old clothes before shopping to minimize suspicion that he may be shoplifting.

When Rocky shops on Rodeo Drive (remember Miss Vivian in Pretty Woman), he doesn’t care whether store detectives falsely accuse him of shoplifting. (“Officer, that’s not a laptop under my sweater, I just need to lose a few pounds.”)

In fact, when shopping at a store where prices are negotiable (such as auto dealers and matress retailers), he consciously puts on OLD clothes to look less wealthy. He’s discovered firsthand that wearing a Casio watch, jeans and worn-out sneakers often results in a better price than when he dons a Rolex watch and Gucci loafers. He understands that the salesman may treat him with less respect, but Rocky is more interested in paying less than getting respect.

People (and the police) certainly respond to verbal and non-verbal cues. A challenge for the intelligent consumer is to use these sterotypes to one’s advantage. (By the way, Rocky loves his new car, which he bought well below dealer invoice.)

Danny M has done it again and it’s time to celebrate…
 
This Sunday night from 7pm till midnight, Brighton Way in Beverly Hills will be lit up with excitement as celebs and VIP’s attend the Grand Opening of Spray Beverly Hills.  Come on down and be seen at Spray and The Lab Salon, right across the street.  Danny M has truly created an oasis of pleasure in the heart of Beverly Hills, with his expansion into spray tanning services, manicure/pedicures, facials and other skin amenities. 
 
HW Design Inc. has had the pleasure of designing the website for The Lab Salon: www.thelabsalon.com  We will also soon be launching the website for Spray Beverly Hills and have been eagerly following it’s progression for months.  You can read an article we wrote on Spray here.
 
Do not miss an opportunity to be one of the first to experience Spray Beverly Hills.
 
DETAILS:  Sunday Night July 12th:  7pm – Midnight   Spray Beverly Hills/The Lab Salon   Brighton Way, Between Canon Drive and Rodeo Drive in the heart of Beverly Hills.

“LA is great big freeway…” so the song goes. And big freeways, indeed, fill the Los Angeles landscape. Next to rows of palm trees, of course.

My good friend Cathy was kind enough to host me all throughout my LA trip right after the conference which I attended in San Francisco and take me to famous travel spots. She and her friend Elmer fetched me at LAX Wednesday night, when the conference closed. On my first day in LA, since Cathy has work, I braved the streets of its downtown to familiarize myself with the area and check nearby attractions. Like downtown San Francisco, there are beggars and homeless in downtown LA but it’s wider sidewalks and warmer climate make it less crowded compared to that of San Francisco. Apart from that, LA is not a walking city; meaning, people use cars more frequently than the sidewalks or the subway, unlike in NY or even San Francisco. So, there I was walking in almost deserted streets where I could only count the number of people I meet along the way.

Downtown LA is the also the city’s financial district. There are a number of highrise buildings but if you would look at the entire LA cityline, downtown looks like a small lump in the wide LA metropolis. Remember that California lies on a fault line and its vulnerability to earthquakes limits the city to build only a few number of skyscrapers. From W 5th St. at Pershing Square, which is across the historic Biltmore Hotel, I walked uphill to Temple St. passing by LA Times and the Civic Center. At Temple St., I went to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for the free tour at 1:00pm. While the downtown is just a small spot in the county of Los Angeles, there is so much to see outside of it. From the valley to the hills to the beach, LA has a lot to offer for sightseeing.

My friend, Cathy, rented a car so she can take me around LA. Although it was very convenient and time-saving, parking can be a major consideration. Not to mention of course the traffic and its enforcers. Watch out for photo-enforced stop lights. The camera flash might catch you off guard whenever you break a traffic rule like beating the red light. Note as well designated pedestrian crossing (Ped Xing) areas and road signs. Cathy and I learned these the hard way. I told her maybe it was time for her to get a car and get herself fully oriented and familiarized with LA streets. Thanks to Kit, her GPS, we were able to direct through all the major thoroughfares without the fuss.

Griffith Park

Griffith Park is situated on a hill. The Griffith Observatory is a good place to take the kids for educational, yet fun, purposes. When we parked the rented car at the parking lot, I immediately remembered where I have seen the three-domed building. Although it has been a setting for a number of movies, I vividly recalled Demi Moore standing at its rooftop in the Charlie’s Angels 2 movie. Griffith Observatory is also a venue for certain shows and events. Each wing of the observatory has various displays and interactive exhibits. From the lawn, the Hollywood sign could be seen from the distance. The LA cityline may be discerned amidst the smog. Walking trails were also visible from the observatory. But the sun was up, although it wasn’t humid, and definitely was not a mood for me for any walking tour. The neighborhood around Griffith Park was very high-end. There were people sunbathing in some parts of the park as they rolled on the green grass, enjoying the California sun and hoping for a tan.

Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive

This is definitely the posh community of LA. Rows of branded stores are found left and right. Right at Via Rodeo, you’ll find brands like Tiffany & Co., Porshe Design, and a whole lot more! And overlooking Rodeo Drive is the Regent Beverly Wilshire, where Pretty Woman was shot. The hotel is really a mark of opulence. It seems Rodeo Drive is a good place to walk and window shop as well as to get the feel of how the rich and famous live up to their lifestyle. All those store signs remind me of the opening billboard of the original Beverly Hills 90210 TV series. But having the dollars to spend for a shopping spree is absolutely out of the question.

Sta. Monica Beach

Within driving distance from Beverly Hills is another outstanding and equally posh neighborhood, Sta. Monica. It’s where people flock during summer, especially if they want to enjoy the waves and the beach. The Sta. Monica pier can be seen from Ocean Ave. with its ferris wheel discernible at a distance. Apart from the beach, there is so much to see in Sta. Monica. Coffee shops and al fresco eateries are popular among tourists and locals.

But the gathering point for people is the 3rd St. Promenade. The street is closed for vehicles and is only used by pedestrians. Shops and restaurants also line up the four-block lane. Different kinds of entertainment is available at 3rd St. You can find singers, musicians, clowns, acrobats, and dancers. Of course, they ask for money. It’s their way to earn a living, but, at the same time, bring amusement to people.

Glendale

We allotted almost half a day in Glendale during my last day in LA. It was shopping time! Glendale Galleria is the Valley’s biggest mall which has four major department stores. Discount stores are also aplenty in this suburb. One of the newest shopping attraction is The Americana. A large Barnes & Noble store is found within the compound. The Americana has a rotunda where at the middle stands a large fountain and a golden statue. There are also al fresco coffee shops and restuarants around the rotunda. Another attraction is the small tram which circles the mall and its surrounding area.

A wide range of shops are found in Glendale. There’s Ralphs for groceries as well as TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, and other stores where you can buy discounted goods.

Walk of Fame

Stars, which you normally find in the night sky, have started appearing beneath one’s feet and they have been scattered along Hollywood Blvd., an attraction for Hollywood fans. Tourists come and have their picture taken in their idol’s star. I never had a name in mind before I went there but thought of Johnny Depp as I got onsite. But I didn’t go around looking for his name, especially with the crowd and the long rows of stars. Instead, I looked at names that seemed familiar and took photos of those.

And what timing it was! I was in LA when famous stars Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson passed away. Of course, Michael Jackson’s star wasn’t to be missed. Situated in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater, his star was covered with flowers, candles, and memorabilia while fans were lined up to offer their own gifts to the deceased pop star. OB vans and cameras also crowd the Walk of Fame as TV coverage of his death and his fans’ mourning were constantly shown in local and international news. But apart from the MJ spotlight, the Walk of Fame also features different characters in costume–from Star Wars Jedi knights to Transformers to cartoon characters to Captain Jack of the Pirates of the Caribbean. There were also several Michael Jackson characters spotted at the Walk of Fame. Have some caution though because they usually ask for money whenever you pose with them. In that same block is the Kodak Theater which is the venue of the Academy Awards. Across it is the El Capitan Theater and a block away is Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Not far from that block, the Hollywood signage was visible.

Universal Studios

The Universal City has become a major attraction because of its theme park and its famed backlot tour that provide a behind-the-scene thrills in sets created for select movies and TV shows. I started my Universal walk at the red carpet with the palm trees at the background. I posed with Shrek, Zorro, the Simpsons, and other known characters. Cars used for the movie, the Fast and the Furious, were on display. I saw Marilyn Monroe riding a pink cadillac. The highlight of it all was the studio tour.

We were taken around the Universal compound visiting sets of Desperate Housewives and other movies like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Jaws, and The Mummy, among others. The tour was supplemented by videos of movies which featured such sets. We experienced firsthand how it was to cross a bridge that exploded, to be in a San Francisco subway during an earthquake, to witness cars flying, and to be in the middle of a flashflood. Additional excitement were the Psycho who chased our bus, going through the Mummy tunnel, and dinosaurs from Jurassic Park spit water at us. Back at the theme park, attractions like the Jurassic Park, the Mummy, and Terminator were all-time favorites. But for this author who is not fond of heights, I tried the Special Effects show which was absolutely a winner. It was interesting how camera tricks are done while being entertained by hilarious hosts. The theme park closed at 7:00pm, which was still bright and sunny. Cathy and I roamed the City Walk right outside the theme park, which was filled with boutiques, restaurants, shops, and cinemas. There were also various entertainment that were happening simulataneously at various points of the City Walk.

What’s going on in and around LA from California and the Canyons!

The Westcoast Blogger

Our stay at UCLA has been so much fun!!!! LA has sure been exciting–from walking around town to amusement parks. The city has been an overall favorite for Kendra.

We arrived in Los Angeles in the morning to kick off a day at Universal Studios. We all took the world famous studio tour together, and saw the set of films such as Psycho and the real houses from the TV show Desperate Housewives. Alberto, Rosita, and Emily found the tour to be the highlight of LA. We walked around the amusement park and went on rides like The Mummy and The Simpsons, which Eliza really loved.

Our second day in LA, we got to use the UCLA facilities including the gym, the pool, and the basketball court. After a quick lunch in Westwood Village, we headed out to Rodeo Drive. Our night was a perfect ending when we went to the famous Hollywood Improv for a night of laughs. Our front row seats made us a good target for the comedians and Sy said that it was his favorite part of the trip so far.

The next day we headed off to the Museum of Tolerance. It was a really enlightening trip for everyone. We were lucky enough to hear an inspirational story from Matthew Boger, who was a victim of a hate crime. His story truly impacted Lisa and other campers to always remember to be tolerant towards all kinds of people. After the museum we headed to Venice Beach for lunch and some exploring, which Ben enjoyed because it reminded him of the Jersey Shore. We went over to Manns Chinese theatre for dinner and pictures with movie stars’ hand prints and the Hollywood sign. Fiamma really liked seeing the names of the famous celebrities on the walk of fame.

Our last day in the City of Angels was magical, to say the least. We started off by giving back to the community at the Los Angeles Food Bank, which is the second largest food bank in the nation. We really enjoyed it and were happy to help those in need. We sorted peaches, itemized food and helped out with labels. The peaches crew enjoyed themselves with a friendly competition, which Allie really enjoyed.

After helping out we went to the happiest place on Earth–Disneyland, which Jessica loved! We all walked around and went on It’s A Small World, took character pictures, and raced down Splash Mountain.  We ended our night at Disney with fireworks, but when we headed back to UCLA our night wasn’t over yet. We celebrated Samantha’s birthday with all 55 of us with singing and birthday cake.

It’s incredible to believe our trip is halfway over and tomorrow begins our last stop in California!! We know the best is still to come and can’t wait to continue our adventure!

Tracy, Ricky, Ronit, David, Lisa, and Matt

Cali and the Canyons from beautiful Lake Tahoe!

The Westcoast Blogger

We left San Francisco Thursday morning to travel to Tahoe.  Before we got to the campsite we had lunch and went white water rafting on the Truckee River in Nevada: kinda cool to have seen two states in the same day! The rafting was really fun and not too scary.

We arrived at our campsite that night to beautiful weather.  We had dinner and had some time to explore the campsite. While some of us prepared dinner, others had the chance to play some basketball and some campsite games. The night finished off with s’mores and singing by the campfire. 

Saturday kicked off with a beautiful breakfast spread including eggs and bagels. After breakfast we headed to the beach, where we took advantage of the incredible weather. Some of us went waterskiing, tubing or wakeboarding, and while others waited their turn, they had some time to chill out in the sun. There were also some card games and volleyball going on, with a BBQ lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers. The beach was super crowded and filled with people celebrating July 4th Weekend. Towards the end of the day, we went on  agreat cruise of Lake Tahoe, then had dinner and finished off with some “fundue” — we devoured strawberries, pineapples, and marshmallows at another great campfire. There was also a great Woodstock cover band playing a concert at the campsite that some us of enjoyed listening to. 

The next day, we headed to Ventura and arrived to a beautiful sunset. We spent the night around the campsite and made some great July 4th cookies.

Sunday we headed to the beach, which was followed by adventures at the Laundromat. We all managed to keep our clothes intact. Nothing shrunk and nothing turned pink! After laundry we spent some time around the campsite and some of us went to the pool. We spent the night at the movie theater; some of us saw Transformers, others saw Up.

Yesterday, we packed up and headed to LA. We went straight to Universal Studios and went on the Studio Tour as a group. Then we had the chance to ride great attractions
such as Jurassic Park, The Simpsons Ride and The Mummy Coaster. From there we went to Hard Rock Café for dinner and then had the chance to check out the shops on City
Walk.

Today, we are using the UCLA facilities, followed by a trip  Bear’s bookstore at UCLA and then off to Rodeo Drive! We plan on finishing the day at the Improv comedy club to have dinner and watch the show. Looking forward to updating you more soon.

Trip 11!