More Care Packages!

Last week, my mom sent me a massive care packages that also included some goodies for my officemates. This week, Bridgette's mom sent her a care package that include treats for all of us, too! (Editors note: all the women picture above are in their 30s and still enjoy getting care packages that contain food, clothing, newspaper articles and assorted tolietries).

Thanksgiving Day – Trivial Pursuit Massacre

The evening of Thanksgiving I made everyone play Celebrity Charades again. I was relentless with the game-playing. Total taskmaster. As the elder in the group, I felt the need to wear an apron and boss everyone around the entire night. Then...we played Trivial Pursuit and it was a bloodbath. It was the "couples" versus the "singles" and they murdered us. Not to mention the fact that the combined ages of the marrieds is about 25. To be fair, Andrew has written a book, Wendy is a nurse, and Ry has his CPA. Even with Jess's KU handicap:), they were at an advantage. JD works for the Oprah network and the rest of us all work for Sundance. I guess this means I need to start studying up for next year. Or marry an author or a CPA. Whichever comes first.:)

Thanksgiving Day

Jessica and I made a pretty-much -from-scratch Thanksgiving Dinner. I was particularly proud of my homemade gravy (first time!) and Jess’s cheddar/jalepeno/cornbread biscuits. My friends Rosie, Lisa and Siohban came over and our cousin Wendy and her husband Andrew. It was so, so nice to have friends and family over. It was wonderful and homey even though I’m far from home. I was worried the day might feel lonely and homesick, but it actually felt very full. I know I’m being a bit sappy, but Thanksgiving is a time for those types of sentiments, right?

Wild Turkey Wednesday

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the McGee’s celebrate Wild Turkey Wednesday. Mainly that just means drinking Wild Turkey and playing games. Jessica (the newest McGee) made a pear punch with WT. Everyone came over to play charades (a version called Celebrity that I love where you write down the names of famous people and then act it out). It was way fun since I love playing games and didn’t play much over the last 5 years or so. I almost psychotically appreciate when people will play games with me now. Siohban was the funniest “Oh my god. So, I’m really depressed and dating Paul Thomas Anderson. Who am I?” Also, for some reason there were two Brad Pitts in the mix and everyone kept pointing to Ryan. We also played apples to apples (Angi lost! HAHAHA. Just kidding. I mean, she did lose, but the funniest part was how mad she got). Um, I also made everyone play Catchphrase. Man, I guess I do love games.

Dinner Party in Malibu

Siohban and I went to the most amazing dinner party in Malibu a few weeks ago. I didn’t take any pictures, so I put up an old one of S. It was one of those evenings that reminds you that it’s possible to live a really big, rich, full life. The house was amazing, natch, but the people were extremely cool (the wife started a surfing magazine, one was a filmmaker working on a project in Russia, a hairdresser, a guy who looked like a farmer and owned a cashmere company, a Brazilian husband and wife and a couple that owned an antiques shop). And Siohban and me. The food was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Lots of cheese and pate and tapenade for starters. Loads of wine that we drank under heat lamps outside by the pool by the outdoor fireplace. I know I sound like a TOTAL SAP, but it’s nice when the world stops spinning for a bit and you feel like you’re in the right place. I know, I know, I’ll stop. J But, crazy-interesting people, great food and a fantastic atmosphere. More of these nights, please.

Election, AFI and Yacht Rock

Election!
I voted in Santa Monica that day and it that it was an amazing night. I'm so glad that Barack Obama is our new president. This is going to be a time of new growth (in many ways) and I couldn't be happier. I'm disappointed that Prop 8 passed in California since I think discrimination in any form is wrong and I honestly don't care if people want to marry their dogs. Seems like a stupid waste of time to fight people loving each other.

AFI

Landon got us guest passes to AFI Film Festival. I only saw two films, but they were both great. Che - Steven Soderbergh's new 4 HOUR film about Che Guevara (staring Benicio del Toro) and Slumdog Millionaire - Danny Boyle's (Trainspotting) new film about an Indian boy playing Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Slumdog is FANTASTIC. It's the best movie I've seen all year.

Yacht Rock
My new obsession. 70s soft rock, but with a boating theme. Holy crap - it's the best thing ever. Hall & Oats, the Pina Colada song, Brandy...love, love, love. Levi, Tatiana and I met Jessie and her sister at King King in Hollywood. I can't wait to go again...Also, Bridgette, Jenny and I went to see Spring Awakening in LA - it was a Lab project and won a Tony for best musical last year. I had seen it on Broadway in NY, but it's really fantastic if you get a chance to see it.

Fake Halloween Fun

Ugh...I love Halloween and I hate it. I love dressing up, but I hate that women all dress like slutty nurses or slutty schoolgirls or french maids. Tatiana and I got stuck at a really boring party which we managed to salvage with Tat's "party photo" idea. The idea is that if you're at a lame party, you spend your time taking photos of yourself that look like you're having fun. Sort of like positive thinking. It totally works.

Sundance Gala

One of my favorite events of the year - the annual NYC fundraiser for Sundance Institute. People forget that Sundance is a nonprofit arts organization. They think we have tons of money because they see photos of celebrities carrying shopping bags of free stuff at the Festival. That is not the Festival - those are people that ambush the Festival and take away resources from the nonprofit. They make Park City super crowded and drive up the prices of hotel rooms and basically annoy all of us that work all year round to support independent film and theatre artists. The Gala is a fundraiser to help raise money for all of our amazing year round programs - the Summer Labs, Grants, Screenplay readings, etc. This year the Gala was amazing. Tom Colicchio from Top Chef designed the menu and we had a lot of actors/directors/writers/theatre artists come out to support the cause, including Alec Baldwin, Chevy Chase, Judah Friedlander, NPR's Ira Glass, Rosie Perez, Jane Fonda and Norman Lear.

Hometown Visitors

Got to hang out with Amanda and Jess last weekend. It was really, really fun - we hung out in Santa Monica, did some shopping on Melrose and had dinner and drinks at Chateau Marmont, went to the Farmers Market, etc. I absolutely love all my new LA friends, but it's really nice to spend time with people that have known you since 1st grade (Jess) or 9th grade (Amanda). As you can see, not a lot has changed...:) Our whole group of high school friend seem healthy and happy, so we've been really blessed. I honestly can't believe we're all grown up now - or that grown ups get to have as much fun as we're all having!:) I'm sitting with a lot of gratitude, as they say in my yoga class.

Soy Joy and My New Office

First pic is of Tatiana and Landon at a fashion show thing we went to last week. It was sponsored by Soy Joy and the only thing to eat was Soy Joy bars...look how yummy they were:) The other pictures are of my office. Jenny, Bridgette and I are modeling our gifts from the care package that Bridgette's mom sent us. Apparently, Bridge's mom found out about the care packages MY mom sends me and it incited quite the competitive spirit in her mom. Of course, it ended up being a win-win for all of us - more care packages! Last week I got a Halloween card that contained $20, a Starbucks gift card and an article about how to have a successful first date. Now not to be conceited here, but I'm not sure that's the area that I need the most help. Dates 2 - infinity? Sure, I could use some tips. But, I think as long as you look reasonably cute and try not to be a flaming weirdo that's really the best advice for a first date.

Claire's APLA Fundraiser

Last Tuesday, Claire had a fundraiser for AIDS Project of Los Angeles (APLA). I'm not sure what Dave and Mills are doing in that photo. And I was trying the Hollywood red carpet, over-the-shoulder pose with Tatiana. I'm not sure that I nailed it. The party was fun. I won a free subscription to Netflix (which I also donated). Sigh. But, I had a great tarot card reading. One of Hally's friends reads tarot cards and donated her services in exchange for donations to APLA. She seems to think that things will turn out pretty well for me.:)

Little Brother Ties the Knot

Ryan and Jess got married in Springfield on October 4. The reception was held at this beautiful old mansion/plantation compound. Most of the pics are family pics - not sure you can tell just how amazing the venue was from the pictures. The ceremony was outside in front of the mansion and reception was in the carriage house next door. It was great to see most of the family, drink bellini's (the signature cocktail - yay!), watch my little cousin Megan discover dancing for the first time (adorable) and get in some time with Jo Jo the monkey (don't ask). Ry and Jess were really cute and it really special to watch them get married. It's a little weird to watch your little brother get married (I mean, he used to hide beer in the backyard, for crying out loud). But, they are absolutely right for each other - and totally grown up right before my eyes.

Hi mom - I know I'm way behind with the updates. Between the Villa and now...I've seen 5 movies (wow - that seems like a lot) - Burn After Reading, Rachel Getting Married, A Girl Cut in Two, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and The Duchess. Two of them were preview screenings, so they were free through work. Otherwise, I clearly need to get some new hobbies beyond film. We had an alumni party for work (that's where the mustache photos come in) and I went to the Opera on Friday, which was fantastic. A woman from work got us amazing free tickets and I got to sit in the same section as Placido Domingo (who runs the LA Opera). Really fun. Sunday, Dave, Sil, Angi, Hollie and I went to the Abbott Kinney Street Festival in Venice. Also fun, but still a bit inferior to Chicago street festivals. Sorry, but it's true. I love Venice, though. Angi got a photo with Camryn Manheim and I bought two Obama buttons. That is it for now!

Getty Villa, etc...

Sorry for the crappy pictures...am having some camera issues. JD and I at the Getty Villa which is actually beautiful and a lot of fun. We took two tours (sorry, I'm a tour freak) and walked through the gardens drinking Peroni. It's a lovely place that overlooks the ocean. I'm not a huge antiquities person, but it is a very nice way to spend a Sunday morning. I finally got to see Angi on Friday night - lots of fun! Went to the Santa Monica BBQ Festival on Sunday, which was NOT WELL ORGANIZED. Long lines and no sweet tea or pulled pork. No pulled pork sandwiches at a BBQ Festival is unacceptable. Seriously. I can't wait to get home and go to Skinners.

Rob's Labor Day BBQ

Since my camera is broken, I had to choose from Dave's photos and this is what I've got. Day was fun - JD spent most of it trying to pole vault across the pool. He got pretty close, actually. It was nice to grill out, catch up with old friends and end the day with about 3 hours (literally - we were PRUNES) in the hot tub gossiping beneath the stars and planes that fly over Rob's apartment from LAX. Amanda (in the photo) is my friend that is training for the 100 mile bike race for Team in Training (Leukemia and Lymphoma). http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/honoride08/aprine.

A thought about the GOP Convention

I'm sorry, but she scares me. And I'm not even talking about politics...sigh...

Tiki Time

So…last Thursday night Siohban and I went to the W to see Samantha Ronson DJ. The party was fine. I wore this Mrs. Roper-type dress (sort of a Pucci-inspired print) and Siohban was not happy about my lack of sex appeal. So, she helped me refashion my muumuu into a mini-dress, which was slightly more successful. Overall, the music was pretty fun and I’d been dying to see Lindsay Lohan in person, which was cool enough, but the party was a little blah. That weekend, Tatiana and I got to hang out – Hally, Tat and I went to a BBQ and to a birthday party at Trader Vic’s – it’s a tiki bar by the pool at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. It was a lot of fun to see everyone. And I’m still slightly thrilled by the LA concept of having parties next to swimming pools. I’m a sucker for the chlorine smell and the blue glow and the palm trees – plus I always think of that scene in Melrose Place when one of the characters gets pushed into the swimming pool in her wedding dress. Maybe it’s that sense of danger that someone will get pushed in…the schadenfreude in me…:)

San Diego is Exciting

Went to visit Ry and Jess in San Diego last weekend. It was a pretty jam-packed few days with horseraces at Del Mar Racetrack on Friday (and I stayed at my high school friend Jessica's house that night). Then we went to the beach and a Padres game the next night. The races were fun, although all I had was a crappy sunhat and Jess had a cute Kentucky Derby-type hat. The baseball game was fun - the stadium there is great and walkable from Ry and Jess's apartment. Then I flew to Utah for work at 7 am that Monday morning. Is it only Thursday??

Goings-On and Goodbye Matt Anderson

A few recent outings. First, one of Hollie's friends hosted a "White Party" to help launch a new kind of rum. It was outside on the patio at Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, which is a beautiful hotel. The party was fine - no gift bags. Then, we had our office going-away party for Matt Anderson at Tom Bergins House of Irish Coffee. It was very sad b/c Matt is one of those people that EVERYONE loves. The highlight was seeing Luke Perry at the bar. He's cute! He was wearing a white ballcap and smoking outside with a friend.