The Scoop

Musings from the Beginning of 2011

2011-03-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

2010 has come and gone (for my attempts at being a consistent blogger:). What have the beginning months of 2011 brought me?

- Another Sundance - 6 to be specific about it
- Another year of meeting amazing, cool, creative people that follow their dreams

- Lovely, lovely romantic fling with a longtime crush

- Getting to bring one of my best friends to experience the Festival with me. Angi's cheery outlook on life is wonderfully contagious. Last year I got to bring my mom and as a volunteer. I'm lucky.

- Hawaii! Probably another post on this so I can remember all the places I'd like to return to again.

- Grandpa McGee's sudden death at 93, and funeral in Missouri. Maybe another post when I'm ready to process it.

- SXSW - Love Austin, and that Festival, and the food.

- Oh, right, and I turned 34. Holy crap! Rang in year with good friends, good bubbly, and pretty happy about the whole thing.

Sundance Film Festival: Downtown and Dirty Shorts

2009-08-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited about our upcoming event - Sundance Film Festival Presents: Downtown and Dirty Shorts. It's a screening of short films from filmmakers including James Franco (with Michael Shannon), Jody Hill (Observe & Report), David Gordon Green, Todd Rohal, etc. It's a screening, then a party on the roof of the theater. Great films, a great space and the price is right (free!). We wanted to reach out to our LA audiences, and have a little fun before Festival season really hits. Come!

Sundance Film Festival Presents: Downtown and Dirty Shorts
Friday, August 21st
Downtown Independent
251 S. Main Street
8PM - Screenings
10 PM - After party (on the rooftop!)
Midnight - After, after party (at 5 Star next door)

Crawfish & Cinespia

2009-06-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

It is definitely summertime. Cullen threw a crawfish boil in his new house in Echo Park, which is beautiful. He flew in tons of crawfish from Louisiana and boiled them with corn, onions, artichokes and potatoes. It was amazing. I couldn’t stop eating the crawfish even after my lips started burning from all the Cajun seasoning…it was that good. I didn’t grow up eating crawfish - in my neck of the woods, we called them crawdads, and we would catch them in the creek for fun. Late May also marked the beginning of my absolute favorite summer activity - Cinespia (movies in Hollywood Forever Cemetery). The first film was Paul Newman’s Cool Hand Luke, which I’d never seen. The place was packed, and I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time at the cemetery this summer.:) BSE.

Beginning of BSE

2009-06-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

My friend Whitney started using the phrase BSE "Best Summer Ever" a few months ago. One thing that's great about LA is that it's basically summer all year round. So, our BSE started mid-March. BSE started with us (Jennifer, Siobhan, Hollie and me) making it to the bowling finals (see above). It was a great season and we met a bunch of cool people. Unfortunately, our team name was "Don't Look at Our Mole While We Bowl" which Siobhan submitted as a joke. Obviously, no one knew what this meant, and our team name was mis-entered into the system as "Don't Look at My Moke", which even less people understood. This confusion may have worked in our favor, distracting the other teams and helping the Mokes land in the finals. While ultimately we choked under the pressure and lost to Cobra Kai in the first round, we were the only all-girl team to make it to the finals. Go Team Moke!

Green Thumbs

2009-05-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

So, I have managed to keep my aloe vera and Christmas catcus plants alive, but they aren't exactly flourishing. The aloe vera plant on the bottom is Jessica's...because I am the meanest sister-in-law in the world! (hahaahahah -evil laughter). I'd love to figure out how to make my plants happy - maybe repotting them? Or separating them into two plants? Also, I've been dying for a salad garden, or even just tomatoes. I used to love grandma and grandpa's garden with all of the watermelons. Sigh. Is it fair to want to go off and do whatever crazy things you want, but for NOTHING at home to change at all? For it to always stay the exact same? Thank g-d my parents haven't turned my childhood bedroom into a homegym or something. And happy birthday this month to four of my dearest friends - Annie, Tate, Sherisse and Laura. Much love...I miss you...

More Easter Weekend

2009-04-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

Baby gorilla!
Smiling hippo

Flamingos

World-famous panda

We went to the San Diego Zoo on Saturday. The best was the baby gorilla - so cute - and the pandas. There's big line that wraps around so everyone can see the panda eating bamboo. Apparently, there's a baby panda that likes to eat watermelon, but I didn't see it. We also saw people waiting in a huge line to feed giraffes, koala bears sleeping in trees and an elephent that held a stick in its trunk, so that it could scratch its legs. The San Diego Zoo is much better than Springfield's Exotic Animal Paradise, which mainly has llamas. It's also better than the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, but only slightly. And that's mainly b/c of the gorillas and pandas. The Lincoln Park Zoo is great b/c it's free; the San Diego Zoo is pretty expensive. Pandas are not cheap.

After the zoo, we met Jessica Heinz and Cedar out for Mexican food and then went to a dive bar with a REALLY LOUND band. We played beer pong and some guy offered me a one-day marriage certificate. I did not accept it.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

Spent Easter Sunday in San Diego. We went hiking and Jessica made lamb, asparagus, scalloped potatoes. We drank mimosas and I made a fruit (peach, blackberry, blueberry) cobbler and Jess made homemade vanilla ice cream. Yum! I think my first attempt at a cobbler turned out pretty well. We also watched Clue and part of the U.S. Open. I like to think if you're going to skip church on Easter, Jesus would still approve of hiking with your family in Southern California. The coastline and the mountains are beautiful and it makes me more thankful than most sermans ever have in my lifetime.

Eco-Fashion in Venice

2009-04-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

We went to the Loomstate for Target launch party in Venice on Tuesday night (look at this funny picture of Siobhan in the background.). I bought the little plaid dress above. For some reason, it doesn't look as cute in this photo as it looks in person. Also that model must be a giant b/c the dress hits me right about the knee. (Note: there were a lot of models at the party, so Siobhan and I both felt like midgets). The line is eco-friendly - all organic cotton, so it's really soft and has a California-casual vibe. Fun event - lots of cool peeps there...the ground was all pebbles, so everyone was sliding around a bit.

BHH

2009-04-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

Went to an event at the Beverly Hills Hotel last night...it's so pink and lovely. And we saw Carrot Top in the lobby. He has huge biceps and his hair is even bigger and more red than you would think. Then, we went to bowling. I bowled a 106 the first game and a 66 the second. Good and NOT good. I lost my jojo - I hope our team doesn't drop from second place!

Hotel California

2009-03-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

The higlight of my weekend was going to a bbq in Venice with JD. His friend helped produce a documentary - http://playingforchange.com - about a bunch of street musicians from around the world playing the same song to promote world peace. A group of them were in town b/c they are promoting the project in a few cities (Austin, LA, San Fran, Seattle, NYC). So, we were in this great backyard with those white twinkly lights that I love and a giant lemon tree, a firepit, and 3 adorable dogs running around. There was an old man from New Orleans "grandpa" who played the harmonica, a couple of guys from Argentina who played bongos and guitar, a girl from Israel who sang, a guy from Congo and a guy from Jamaica who could sing and play guitar. They just jammed around the firepit and it was amazing. A couple of rounds of Hotel California were my favorite just becase it seemed very sweet and obvious in the best way. Also - they had catered in from Baby Blues, which has pickled okra (my absolute favorite) and that great cornbread with the visible yellow kernels.

Also, I chipped a tooth today biting down on my fork at lunch (ouch!). It didn't look bad, but I went into my dentist - Dr. Romano in Brentwood - to file it down so it wouldn't drive me crazy. AND they didn't charge me anything b/c I was so "entertaining." Isn't that great? I think it was a compliment since I mainly talk to them about my crazy dating life. Hey - one man's trash, right?

Also, I have worn my black Uggs probably 4 out of the last 7 days. I have a serious problem. I love them.

Foie Gras Wars

2009-03-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Monday night, went to a reading of Mark Caro's new book The Foie Gras Wars. Mark is primarily an entertainment reporter for the Chicago Tribune and I met him at Sundance in 2005. He wrote a book about when Chicago banned foie gras and is currently on his promotional book tour. He did a reading at Book Soup in West Hollywood so I went to go support it. It's really funny and has a lot of politics and history (but told in a fun way since his background is entertainment and pop culture reporting). I didn't buy it since it cost $25 dollars, but I promise I will buy it when it comes out in paperback!

A Side of Fava Beans

2009-03-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

Had a great weekend. Friday night I stayed at Angie and Matt's - she made the best sweet potato fries, and Matt grilled shrimp. Had a couple of drinks at Bird's. Sort of a disaster because a 26-year-0ld musician kept hitting on me. I told him it was one or the other - either he had to be at least 30 or not be a musician. Seriously. Then his friend told me that it was good I "took his ego down a notch." NOT what I was trying to do. I was trying to be honest. Oops. Saturday, Ang and I went to Jeffrey's workshop. It was great. www.jeffreytambor.net. Very inspirational and funny. Saturday night, we went to Nathan's dinner party. It was great. I made stuffed mushrooms and Sherisse's fig spread and parmesan crackers. Nathan made roast lamb and these great potatoes and french beans. His house is straight out of the Secret Garden. It's up in the Hollywood Hills with a pool that looks like a lagoon. It was really fun. It was Siohban, a screenwriter (Nathan), production company exec, a director, an actor, a model, and a publicist (me!). Felt a little cliche, but I loved it. Then, we went to a club in Hollywood and got to drink free champagne all night, which is just about my favorite thing ever. Siobhan and I stayed at Nathan's and we lounged around most of the next day and helped clean up.

3 Month Update

2009-03-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Oh, goodness. So it's been a while. I suppose we've all been busy. What have I been up to the past 90 days? I guess I will take the liberty of just diving right in:

- Going to San Diego for Christmas. Cold! Saw Marley and Me

- Getting to spend some time with my parents in LA. Took them to Chateau Marmont! And the Warner Brothers Studio tour - very cool. You see the set of Friends, ER, Gilmore Girls

- New Year's Eve with Tatiana and Christine - the BEST girl rolemodels. The theme of the night was basically just to be happy and awesome. Christine made amazing Mexican food and we stayed at her house for 3 days straight - drinking mimosas, eating mole and chorizo, and watching Sundance movies

- Getting my heart broken:(

- Sundance 2009!

- Sundance is really hard to encapsulate into a paragraph or a sentence or a blog. For me, it will always be the lightbulb that went off that I could actually do what I really wanted to do for a living.

- Sundance highlights this year: GREAT films, meeting Steven Soderbergh and seeing a sneak peek of his new movie The Girlfriend Experience, making lots of new friends and seeing a lot of cool people, taking Nathan to the red carpet of his screenplay Moon starring Sam Rockwell (pic of Siohban and Nathan above).

- Lots of hanging out in the Tatiana-Landon-Amy triangle

- Doing massive amounts of yoga

- Volunteering at the Spirit Awards and crashing the afterparty; drank massive bottles of champagne all night

- Auditioning for a reality dating show - I'm still in the running, I think

- Starting working on a freelance project for the amazing Jeffrey Tambor. He's very cool.

- Laura came to visit and we did everything fun that I wanted to do - Josh&Josh Show, Korean BBQ, hiking, brunch at Cora's, shopping on Montana, screening of Phoebe in Wonderland. She was a good sport. (pic above of me and Eric from Laura's weekend. For some reason, did NOT get any good pics of me AND Laura. It was either/or.)

- Went to Seattle for my birthday. Got to see some old friends and hang with Amanda and Sherisse. It was wonderful. Amanda should be a motivational speaker - she's sooo supportive.

- Seeing some great Sundance movies come out - Sunshine Cleaning, Sin Nombre, Adventureland

- Oh - also - I joined Twitter. :)

More Care Packages!

2008-12-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-09T18:32:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-09T18:27:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-09T18:15:00.001-08:00

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

2008-12-09T18:14:00.001-08:00

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

2008-11-20T16:26:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-20T16:22:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-20T16:17:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-09-29T15:12:00.001-07:00

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...

2008-09-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-04T21:48:00.001-07:00

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

2008-09-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

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

Tiki Time

2008-08-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

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.

More Friends!

2008-07-29T14:41:00.000-07:00

Tate finally came to visit last weekend and we had a blast. Thursday night we just had sushi dinner near the Grove. Friday we spent most of the day on the beach in Santa Monica, had fish tacos for lunch and then hit Chateau Marmont for dinner, which was very fun and sort of our "Hollywood" night out (we saw John Krasinski and Robbi Williams!) Saturday we rode bikes along the beach to Venice and then went to a couple of bars on the West side (including James Beach - the picture above). We only made it to my favorite LA stops - Pinkberry and In-n-Out Burger once this visit. In retrospect we did a horrible job of taking pictures even though I distinctly remember lugging my camera around everywhere.

Hanging with friends

2008-07-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

Some recent pictures (b-t):

1) My high school friends Annie, Mandy and Emily and their kids in Springfield. Very cute.

2) Hanging with Jenn, Bridgette and John Nein at the Santa Monica Farmers Market last weekend. Jenn's last weekend before she moves home to Texas!

3) Sherisse in town. We went to the Tom's Shoes sample sale. They are casual, canvas shoes and I was able to snag a silver sparkly pair b/c I have small feet and most of the samples were size 6 or 6 1/2. For every pair of shoes you buy, Tom's donates a pair of shoes to a child in a developing country. Sherisse had to leave early b/c she got a great new job in San Francisco, so she's very excited. While she was here, we spent a fair amount of time at Pinkberry, went to a horrible party in Hollywood, went to a couple of yoga classes at the studio I like, and saw the new Batman movie.

Springfield, Missouri

2008-07-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

Recently, I got to spend about a week at home in Springfield, Missouri. (In case of confusion, I moved to LA from Chicago after living there for about 8 years. I grew up in Springfield, Missouri). I am one of those people that absolutely loves going home. I got to spend a lot of time at my parents' lake house on Table Rock Lake. We played a bit of horseshoes and grilled out almost every night. I had Andy's Frozen Custard, Mexican Villa, Skinner's BBQ, mom made grilled catfish with ketchup, we celebrated Grandpa McGee's 90th Birthday, I caught up with my high school friends, mom and I went to Target and Walmart and the mall and went vintage shopping, etc. It's like a wonderfully restorative cocoon for me. I haven't been home in more than a year, so it was a bit of sensory overload...freshly mowed grass, lighting bugs, mosquito bites (tons!), hummingbirds and cardinals, walking the dog by the river with my dad, it all feels like a big, giant hug that reminds me of growing up. I know Missouri isn't without its flaws (independent film is major novelty and most people still aren't sure WHO TO VOTE FOR IN THE NEXT ELECTION), but for me it's really healthy to get back to my hometown roots once in a while. It's also very weird to be home in Middle America for almost 10 days straight and then the next week have a vegan picnic on the beach, get $20 Chinese foot massages with Hollie, and go to the premiere of the Step Brothers movie with Dave and see John C. Reilly, Jason Bateman, Jon Heder and Ron Jeremy walking down the red carpet. Life is so random. This week, Sherisse is in town, then Tate gets in town next week. Fun!

Grandpa McGee's 90th Birthday Party

2008-07-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

Sundance Labs 2008

2008-06-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

I got to spend a couple of days up at the Sundance Resort in Utah this week for work, which I always love. It was the end of the Screenwriters Lab and middle of the Documentary Edit and Storytelling Lab. Most of the pics are from the last night of the Screenwriters Lab at the "Script Burning Party." I don't want to give too much away b/c it's their story to tell, but it was really fun and held at this huge cabin on top of the mountain. After the script burning, I played a lot of pingpong and Erin sang a lot of show tunes around the piano. It was great to meet all the Fellows (the people selected to come to the Lab and work on their scripts) and get to see some of the ones I already knew. They are all so young (some are 25!), talented and smart. Just full of energy and life and ideas. Also - I finally got to ride the chairlift up in the summer since I've only ridden it in the winter to ski. I also saw a screening of the documentary film Attica about the prison uprisings in the early 1970s. Bit depressing. The screenings are always really special b/c they are films I would never have the chance to see otherwise. They take place in the Resort's Screening Room and are introduced by the director or someone from the film. The Sundance Summer Labs are in full-swing. This month was the Directors Lab, Screenwriters Lab, and DocEdit and Storytelling Lab. Next month is the Theatre Lab, Composers Lab and Producers Lab. I got back from the Resort on Friday. On Saturday, I went to a pool party in West Hollywood and then Amanda and I went to the closing night party of the LA Film Festival (screening of Hellboy 2). Happy, but I'm a little tired.

More LAFF

2008-06-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

Monday night, Jen, Bridgette, Siohban and I went to a party at the W in Westwood for the LA Film Festival. There are some atmosphere shots and one of Jenn and Bridge getting free hand massages from Bliss. Jada Pinkett Smith was supposed to host, but then Jeff Garlin replaced her at the last minute. I actually missed all of Jeff Garlin's speech b/c I was getting my free hand massage then. The gift bag weighed about 25 lbs b/c it had this huge coffeetable book about the beginning of color in movies. Also had blank DVDs, a pen, two mini wine bottles, a candle, dish soap and kitchen cleaner, a rubber hammer (no idea) and two chip clips. I threw away the 100 calorie packs of Ritz crackers and some weird puzzle. Also, it seemed like all of the free appetizers were fish products - tuna tartare, sushi, etc. However the cheesecake "popsicles" more than made up for it.

Sundays in the Park with Dave

2008-06-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

Well, actually Saturday. And we went to a gay wedding and then an outdoor screening of Mystery Science Theater 3000. First, a friend of Dave's from Malcom In the Middle had a small wedding ceremony and reception. It was really sweet and especially meaningful now that gay couples can legally marry in the state of California. Then we went to an outdoor screening of MST3K as part of the LA Film Festival. It was pretty nerdy, but the theater was gorgeous. Then we went to Diddy Riese and got these amazing ice cream sandwiches (huge, made with fresh-baked cookies for only $1.5o!). Obviously, the ice cream sandwich did not last long enough for me to take a photo. Silly.

McGee Care Packages - For Tate

2008-06-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

Ever since I moved away from home (starting when I left for college), my parents have sent me regular letters and care packages. My best friend (and dorm roommate) Tate used to get a huge kick of these. When I lived in Chicago, I continued to get them (even though my now ex-boyfriend used to think I was TOO OLD for care packages). Now that I live in LA, Tate is missing out on the McGee Family Care Packages, so I thought she'd enjoy. Here's the most recent package from earlier this month. For you, Tater:)

Opening Night LA Film Festival

2008-06-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

Thursday night Hollie, Angi and I went to the opening night of the LA Film Festival. The film was WANTED (although I'm still horribly depressed that we missed seeing James McAvoy on the red carpet AND at the party.) The flick was pretty good. It was action-filled and filmed in Chicago, so it was fun to see the El train and the part of lower Wacker Drive that's always in movie car chases (Blues Brothers, Batman). The food and DJ were great; and the atmosphere was really great b/c everything was outside and the trees were covered with those white, twinkly lights that I like. Weather was fantastic, as usual. We didn't see any celebrities (unless you count Ben Lyons and Jason Kennedy from E! although Ang and Hollie had no idea who they were, so I'm not sure it counts. Ben Lyons was actually v. cute and tall.) The Festival is headquartered in Westwood, which is one of my favorite areas in LA. It's pretty self-contained with restaurants and shopping, and the movie theatres are these great old movie palaces, so it's the perfect place to see a movie.

Another Saturday in Southern California, Another Bonfire on the Beach

2008-06-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday we celebrated Burke's (in photo roasting hotdogs) birthday with a bonfire bbq on Dockweiler beach. It's so so nice to sit out on the beach and watch the ocean and talk to friends. It was a bit cloudy, so we didn't get much sun, but it was another nice Saturday in Southern California.

Go Cubbies

2008-06-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

So, I think I'm allowed to have the Cubs and Cardinals as my favorite baseball teams. Others seem to disagree, but those are my favorite teams. I've now seen both of them beat the Dodgers. Big group of us went to the Cubs/Dodgers game. The picture above is Bridgette, Jen and me. I had another Dodger Dog and it was great. Also, Burke let me listen to AM radio after the game, which always reminds me of my dad.

Opening Night - Sundance at BAM

2008-06-05T10:51:00.001-07:00

Some fun pics from Opening Night at BAM, including the party, my boss and I, and the event chairs - Maggie Gylenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard. Brooks and I are standing outside for the Grafitti Research Lab demonstration (sort of like powerpoint grafitti on the sides of buildings). My job that night was to escort any press and photographers and make sure they got the interviews/photos that they needed. By this point, most of the really hard work had been done (pitching stories, setting up interviews, etc). It was a great party, if I don't say so myself.

Sundance at BAM!

2008-06-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

So I spent the last six days in Brooklyn and it was fantastic. (Sorry - took very few pictures!). We put on the Sundance at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) Festival. Opening night of the Festival was great - the documentary American Teen opened the Festival. It's a terrific film about a group of teens in their senior year of high school in Indiana (sort of a true to life Breakfast Club). I'll post some of the best pics from Opening Night next posting. The next day, spent some time in Soho for a Sundance short film event at the Apple Store. I browsed the street vendors and ate at the Mercer with Brooks before the event. Spent some time walking from Soho to the West Village - my absolute favorite (albeit obvious) places in the city. One of the pictures above is the line around the block for Magnolia Bakery cupcakes on Bleeker Street. Sex and the City made this place muy famosa and the line was enormous. That night, I went to see Gypsy on Broadway and then to this super cool burlesque show (the women were all super cool, smart chicks - like Cindy Sherman meets the Pussycat Dolls). Got doused in glitter from backstage and spent the rest of the night swing dancing, covered in glitter with a cute boy in the back of the bar. THEN I found out my boss was leaving Sundance. It was a little emotional since she's the one that hired me and moved me out to LA to begin this little adventure. The next day I went to the Brooklyn Flea Market with my dear friend Sherisse (who happened to be in Brooklyn for a few weeks). She has great taste and I ended up buying this vintage cotton dress with little sleeves and pockets. It spoke to me as a cross between bored 70s housewife and something that Chrissy from Three's Company would wear. Then, we went to see Sex and the City the Movie (I don't really care if it's silly - I wanted to see the movie in NYC). The Sundance theatre program put on a really nice event the next night with some Broadway singers from Sunday in the Park with George and Mary Poppins. Later, Sherisse and I spent some time exploring Williamsburg (the birthplace of hipsterville). Seriously - have NEVER seen so many skinny jeans. The whole week/weekend was the epitome of a work hard/play hard situation. I had to share a room at the Brooklyn Marriott with Cathy (nonprofit budget constraints) which ended up being totally fun. Every morning we could recap the festivities from the previous night - I felt like I was still living in the Tri-Delta house in college. I am pleasantly exhausting from working like crazy, running all over the city and drinking bottles of white wine at cute little outdoor cafes and beer gardens. There really is nothing like walking around New York City in the summertime. It's pretty wonderful.

Memorial Day Beach Volleyball

2008-06-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

Go Redbirds!

2008-06-03T18:58:00.001-07:00

So, I've been a bad blogger. I know it's been awhile, so I'm starting with some pics from a few weeks ago when I went to my first Dodger's game. It was fun, but the field doesn't even compare to Wrigley Field. It's more family friendly and located in the middle of nowhere along the highway. The Dodger dogs are delicious, though. They are about a foot long...wish I would have taken a picture!! And the Cardinals won, so the evening was a success.

Newest Obsession: Cloud Cult

2008-05-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

I have recently discovered that I love to go hear live music. I'm not sure why I never realized it before, but I have been having great luck lately. Last week, Ang and I saw this band Cloud Cult at the Knitting Factory (fun little club on Hollywood Boulevard). The band was fantastic. The music was fun and great and heartfelt and the show only cost $10. Also, I just realized that Angi is a nazi backseat driver. TWICE in the past week, she has yelled at me to pull kamikaze u-turns to garner parking spaces. And, twice, we ended up with rockstar parking. Seriously. We got a spot right in front of the Knitting Factory and one literally on the corner of Pacific and Washington. Both were FREE and on the street and 10 feet from where we wanted to go. If you lived in LA, you would understand the magnitude of these spaces. Honestly, my friend Jen was going to come and meet us on Washington and gave up and went home on a Saturday night b/c she couldn't find parking. It also helps explain my favorite recent pick-up line from a guy I met on Washington who wooed me with his "so, you know, I have two parking spaces." And to think I've dated guys with only one spot - or street parking! The horror.

Happy Birthday, Hollie

2008-05-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

Pics from Hollie's birthday last weekend. For some reason, I didn't take any pictures of either me or Hollie, but there's Hally, Matt and Angi, us doing a bellini birthday "cheers" for Hollie and one of the waitresses. The dresses at Chloe were designed by Rami - the hot Israeli designer of Project Runway fame. Also, I luuuurv them, but bellini's are expensive.

Missourians take on Hollywood

2008-05-13T17:50:00.001-07:00

Aunt Janice and Uncle Gary were in town last weekend, so Saturday morning my cousin Wendy picked us up, we bought a Star Map and toured through Bel Air, Beverly Hills and Hollywood. The superheroes and Michael Jackson impersonators are from Hollywood Boulevard. The driveway is Eddie Murphy's - we found it on the star map! The first photo is in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theater and the second photo is next to the Kodak Theater, where they hold the Oscars. Note the Hollywood Sign just above Wendy's head. It was a fun day!

Friday Night at the Races

2008-05-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

Friday a bunch of us went to the Hollywood Race Track. Sarah Grossmeyer (an old sorority sister at Mizzou) was in town, so we all headed to the races in Inglewood. Was actually lots of fun. We had a box and got to go down on the track during one of the races. Led Zeplin coverband Led Zepagain capped off the night (the rest of the schedule looks amazing, too. English Beat, Journey Coverband, Super Diamond, Smithereens). I'm pretty sure that whoever does the band scheduling for the Hollywood Racetrace is my soulmate.

Sundance at War: Fruit vs. Bagels

2008-05-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

Things have gotten really dicey with the Fruit vs. Bagels war here at the Sundance offices. Fridays used to be "bagel Fridays" until Jen, Bridgette (above) and I started a campaign for more healthy snack options. Unfortunately, I feel we're starting to lose the battle. Two weeks ago was half fruit/yogurt/granola and half bagels. Then, last week it was 25 % fruit (a tired bowl of cantelope at that) and 75% bagels! Do people not realize that bathing suit season started 6 weeks ago???

Last Show at Largo

2008-05-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

At the risk of looking like a stalker (another Jon Brion posting???), I did attend Jon Brion's last show at Largo on Fairfax. They are moving Largo to another venue - bigger, not a supper club, no more fake red leather banquets, no more crappy $16 Italian dinner minimum. Sigh. It was a great show (thanks for being out of town, Ang:). Flight of the Conchords did a surprise set, the Eels, Fiona Apple, Paul F. Thompkins all performed. And Jon Brion was really upbeat and totally rocking out. He and Flannagan (the owner) performed the final song...lots of tears...I feel really lucky I got to see it.

Fun at the LA Book Fair

2008-04-27T19:42:00.001-07:00

Dave and I went to the LA Book Fair for about 5 hours on Sunday. We caught a panel on music lyrics with Aimee Mann and Joe Henry (they played a few songs each and spoke about their musical processes). Then we scoured the booths in the 90 degree heat until Dave's celebrity crush (Winnie Cooper from the Wonder Years) gave a reading on her new book "Math Doesn't Suck". She was actually really smart and inspiring - especially in light of recent Hollywood actress's exploits around town. When all was said and done, Dave had bought three books and I only bought one. Book fair was fun, but TOO HOT. It was pretty on par with the Printers Row Book Fair in Chicago, although it was a little more spread out. Also, I noticed a lot more organic food at the LA Book Fair Food Court. Still didn't stop me from eating California Pizza Kitchen. Yum!

Out in Venice

2008-04-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, I met up with Jenn, Erin and Co. at this great dive bar in Venice. Then we played Nintendo Wii at Erin's new apartment - literally 100 feet from the beach. Awesome. You can hear the surf and smell the seawater from the living room. Love it. I rode my beach cruiser to the the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday and it was crazy-crowded, so I could only take it for about an hour. Friday, Silvana's friend Janet had a "divorce party" b/c her divorce went through. I admire that - you just have to own it and move on. The bar was a little cheesey, but they played great 80s dance music and it was fun to hang out with everyone. Oh, the cake photo above is from the bar in Venice. This woman, Buttercup, was having a birthday, so we become fast friends to get to that cake! Also - Jen saw Audrina and Justin Bobby from The Hills!! I was running late so I missed it, but apparently JB was really sweet to Audrina and holding the small of her back and guiding her through the bar. Hopefully, his bad-guy persona on The Hills is just an act.

I heart Jon Brion

2008-04-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

More Jon Brion! Yes - I have a problem. This time, I dragged Bridgette, Jen Gaw, Nate, John Nein and Hollie. Angie and Matt have been all three times with me, so I guess they have a problem, too:) What can I say? Man is a musical genius.

Saturday night was lots of fun, too. We went to the Village Idiot for a girls night dinner in West Hollywood and then ended up at Chloe in Santa Monica. Sunday, Angie and I went hiking at Will Rogers (and saw a GIANT rattlesnake) and then caught Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which was great. Especially great since he's one of the few celebrities I've actually met in person (at the HIMYM event at Palihouse). I also bought two identical sundresses at Anthropologie - one in black and one in white. Because I am crazy. And because they were so cute and perfect for the Santa Monica Farmer's Market.

Another night in Hollywood with the girls...

2008-04-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday night, Hollie, Whitney, Silvana and I drove to Hollywood for a fundraiser for the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance. (None of us had heard of the disease at the time, but soon learned all the really sad details about this childhood disease in which tumors attack vital organs like the heart, kidneys and brain). Terri Hatcher (looking great)and Patricia Heaton (in rubber leggings!) presented and the entertainment was The Band From TV with James Denton, Bob Guiney (from the Bachelor), an actress from Cashmere Mafia, and a couple of actors from House and Heroes. It was a totally random night (at the Avalon), but we made it fun. Especially when I spent half the night trying to meet the lead actor from the TV show Chuck - didn't quite work up the nerve...When we left, there were a few paparazzi and one of the "stars" that none of us recognized made a big deal that she wouldn't "sign blank pieces of paper." For some reason, the person that took this picture completely left out Whitney who was standing next to Hollie - maybe she thought Whitney was one of the real stars:) Oh, the gift bag was a magazine, some incense, a $5 gift certificate to the Love Factory and a Fiji Water. Yup.

Happy Birthday Dave!

2008-04-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

A bunch of pics from Dave and British Rob's birthday at Glow in Marina Del Rey. Luckily most of these seem to have been taken earlier in the night...Mom - that's what Dave, Silvana, JD, Eric Mills and Hollie look like...

Easter Sunset/John Nein's Birthday Picnic

2008-03-24T22:05:00.000-07:00

Some shots of Easter Supper with friends and John Nein's Birthday Picnic - featuring 100 cupcakes by Bridgette! Easter in LA for me started with a hike in Malibu and ended with a palm-tree lined vista. Welcome Spring!

Largo

2008-03-24T21:58:00.000-07:00

Friday night went to see Jon Brion at Largo with Matt, Angi and Angi's friend Brandi. I am so happy that Angi and Matt introduced me to these shows - it's one of my favorite things to do in LA. Largo is an old-fashioned supper club and Jon Brion is a musical genius/mad scientist that creates songs onstage playing about 12 different instruments at a time and looping them together into a song. He's also a film composer (I Heart Huckabees, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and music producer (Kanye West, Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann). His shows are like nothing I've ever seen and each one is different. Friday's highlight was a cover of a Cat Stevens song redone using 2 guitars, a piano and harmonica. Sounds weird, but was really cool.

No Green Beer for Me...

2008-03-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Don't be alarmed by the sign - they actually don't serve green beer in Los Angeles on St. Patrick's Day. Apparently, it's just an ad for Heineken , which comes in a green BOTTLE. We all made our own fun on a mini-pub crawl from Finn McCool's to O'Briens, but I've been told that in LA it's all about Cinco de Mayo!

At least it was a fun and packed week leading up to St. Patty's weekend:

- Happy birthday to Jenn Gaw (delicious green velvet cake on Monday)

- Happy birthday to Erin Frederick on Tuesday (fun little Cuban restaurant in Culver City)

- Trivia Night at King's Head on Wednesday- I think we came in 5th or so

- Jameson's How I Met Your Mother Party at Palihouse on Thursday - v. cool little hotel in W. Hollywood. Also known as the night that Britney Spears stole my fake celebrity boyfriend

- Soccer fundraiser at the CocknBull on Friday - little English dive bar in Santa Monica. I won tickets to the Groundlings comedy show in a raffle.

I'm just going to go ahead and count the week as a "win" even though the rivers just run regular blue in California. I miss you green, Chicago River. Oh, wait, look! It's 70 and sunny again today...I guess things even out, after all:)

Another Hollywood Night Out aka I Am Too Old For This

2008-03-07T16:23:00.001-08:00

So, Hollie and decided to "go Hollywood" two nights in a row. When we were at Les Deux on Tuesday we met a guy who promotes clubs, so he put us on the list for Area on Wednesday night. Actually, a very nice guy so we thought we would check it out.
-

Let me simplify the night for you:

1. Pic of Hollie and I

2. & 3. - Pics of what everyone else looked like.

First of all, someone asked us if we "worked in finance" or were "schoolteachers". I am guessing this is because we were not wearing bras and hotpants out as if they were actual clothing.

Secondly, these were the pick-up lines we encountered:

- Which one of you is the cheapest date?

- I like your stripes

- I like your hair
- I like your hair, too
- Are you on Spring Break, too?

All in all, it was fun to go out and try out a few new "LA experiences", and it's fun to go to places that you used to read about in People Magazine on the cold, windy bus ride down Michigan Aveneue in Chicago. Also, we got to meet the Wu Tang Clan and saw Mos Def at the bar. So it goes...:)

Happy Birthday, Angi a.k.a Hollywood Night Out

2008-03-07T16:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Ang! So we decided to have a Hollywood Night Out for Angi's birthday on Tuesday night. First, we had dinner and drinks at Chateau Marmont, which was glamorous and v. fun. The hotel lounge (where people hang out and have drinks) was very old Hollywood and pretty chill. We saw Chris Evans, one of the guys from Law and Order and stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe (by far my favorite sighting). She was wearing wide-legged jeans, an animal-print tunic and short white jacket. Then Angi managed to get us into Les Deaux using my college friend Jennifer Brown's no-fail line ("Um, excuse me. Do you have a separate girls line?") Lots of eyelash batting, a bit of (Angi's) cleavage and we were in! This club was actually lots of fun - the DJ played all 80s music, it was half outside with heaters and they were showing clips from Amelie and Pretty in Pink on a big screen in the middle of the dance floor - all things I liked.

I missed you girls...

2008-03-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

http://movies.yahoo.com/premieres/6693015/standardformat/

How excited am I for the Sex and the City movie to come out? This trailer is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Tacos Por Favor

2008-03-05T19:38:00.000-08:00

My favorite new taco place on the West side. The best aqua fresca I've ever had - it tastes like biting directly into a giant watermelon. Remind me to order a large next time...

Happy Birthday to Us

2008-03-05T19:28:00.001-08:00

So Hally and I had a great birthday at Chez Jay in Santa Monica. Luke Wilson didn't show up, but my friend Chris Nashan flew in from St. Louis, Ry and Jess drove up from San Diego and Hally's dad came in. It was a wonderful champagne-soaked, friend-filled evening.

Pics of:

- me and Hally (love her new dress, perfectly accesorized by Hollie)

-Evil Jessica:)

- the most wonderful birthday present in the world. An autograhed photo from the actor that plays Ted on How I Met Your Mother.

-Matt, Silvana, Dave and Me

- With JD and his chesthair

- With Ry

2008 Spirit Awards Gift Basket

2008-02-26T19:42:00.001-08:00

So, I know this is what everyone wanted to know - what about the swag? Attached are some pics of the gift bag from the Spirit Awards. There was a bag on every chair and they weighed about 100 lbs. My life is soooo glamorous. I can just hear Fergie now...

- sturdy canvas bag

- organic chocolate bar

- 3 cans of axe body spray

- organic peanut butter

- Altoids

- Love's Baby Soft lotion, body wash and body splash

- Laundry detergent tablets

- Glade candle (a new kind that runs on batteries)

- Biolage products

- Elle Magazine

- Mini battery-powered plastic chandelier from the Container Store

- Nalgene bottle

- Some type of tiny stuffed dog

- Gift certificate for acupuncture

- Bottle of Stoli (that I took from the lunch table. Not technically part of the gift bag)

2008 Independent Spirit Awards

2008-02-26T19:17:00.000-08:00

Finally I got to attend an actual "Hollywood" Awards show. Orignally, I was going to volunteer, which fell through, but I managed to finagle an extra ticket from Ted (who incidentally replaced me with Ricki Lake as his date. Long story, but she's skinny and pretty now in case you were wondering). Day started at Shutters at 10 am, then the red carpet is in front of the beach in Santa Monica. It's really cool. The great thing was that I had a VIP bracelet, so I got to hang in the back where they had all kinds of food and drinks (including microwave popcorn that you were supposed to eat with chopsticks. See above). The awards ceremony started at 2 and Rainn Wilson was a v. funny host. All in all it was a great show and I was really really happy that I got to go. I mean, last year I watched it on TV for heaven's sake.

Attached are some pics of Juno winning best picture. In-person star sightings: Cate Blanchett, Maria Bello, Martin Short, Molly Simms, Sienna Miller (in the bathroom), Ron Jeremy (at the afterparty). There were tons of people there, but I somehow missed seeing most of them in person, including Brangelina. Rats! Actual movie stars that spoke to me: 0. Although Ricki Lake did give us a ride to the after-party and Jeff Garlin agreed to do a performance for Laura at the Chicago History Museum this summer.
-

Then went to the afterparty at Shutters...really fun...Then met Hollie, Hally, JD and other friends at the Viceroy until about 2 am. Night ended with us running through a monsoon to the car and me dropping pizza all over the floor. And then spilling coffee all over Hally's car the next morning. Also - Hollie and Hally determined that I am bad at flirting with boys. Hally managed to meet 2 Chris's (one American and one British!)that night. I managed to accidentally give my phone number to a 40-year-old life coach with hoop earrings. They promise to teach me in time for our birthday party this Friday...

Passing Strange

2008-02-26T08:35:00.000-08:00

If you're in New York, I'd highly recommend the new musical Passing Strange. It's the latest Sundance Theatre project to show on Broadway and it's really original with a great story and music. Also, I saw Diana Ross at one of the press previews. Her hair is HUGE. (Spring Awakening is the other show that's still on Broadyway. It won the Tony for Best Musical last year and has been - as they say - a "smash")

Here's the Deal with the Bike

2008-02-26T08:22:00.001-08:00

Ok, so full disclosure on the new bike. My first attempt at buying a bike was a disaster (see the Street Machine in the bottom picture). I was trying to save money and buy a bike off Craig's List, so I found a purple cruiser online in Long Beach for $50. I was driving down to San Diego to see Ry and Jess anyway, so I figured it was on the way. Note: it was not really on the way. I had been emailing with a woman selling her bike, but when I arrived in her sketchy neighborhood, it was actually a man selling a child's dirtbike. At this point, a normal person would have said "Thanks, but this isn't what I was looking for. Thanks anyway." I am immediately afraid of getting murdered by this strange man, so I sit on the bike ("it fits you perfectly!" he says). I hear dogs barking (loudly) from inside his house and am sure I'll get mauled by pitbulls if I don't buy the bike. Then his neighbor drives up in a black El Camino (seriously) and I am now positive I'm going to get murdered. I decide the bike is probably fine and just throw $50 at him and speed away. I arrive in San Diego and Ryan is like "why did you buy a child's dirt bike?" Crap!! I am now puzzled as to why I can't just be a normal person and not buy a crazy street machine from a weird guy in Long Beach with two pit bulls and an El Camino next door. I digress...I actually try out the street machine along the beach in San Diego while Ry and Jess are surfing. It is a disaster. I definately bought a child's bike. Double crap!

My birthday rolls around the next week and I decide to just buy the bike I wanted in the first place and am now the proud owner of a pink beach cruiser with a pretty pink basket. Pink and red beach cruisers were on sale at Chubby's as part of a Valentine's Day Sale so the bike was only $115 (it was the cheapest one in the store and has the peddle brakes, but I loved it). It's cute, right? I've ridden it from Santa Monica Pier to Venice Beach a couple of times, which has been wonderful. Lesson learned.

Age of Aquarius

2008-02-17T19:28:00.000-08:00

Here is some photographic evidence of a very fun night out with some co-workers. Friday a bunch of us went out for Corey's birthday (the tall blond with glasses. Yay Aquarians!). There were a lot of things that I loved about that night. 1) Trying new restaurants. We went to this authentic Japenese Ramen place. The food was both weird and really good. Randomly, they were also filming a movie in front of the restaurant, so we had to act normal and "not look into the camera" and "not talk too loudly"while waiting for a table outside. 2) Trying out new parts of town. Corey's girlfriend, Joy, lives in a great loft downtown. It's a rehabbed old bank with great moldings, marble floors and woodwork. 3) Playing games! It was boys against girls and Jennifer, Lisa, Joy and I KILLED the boys in a game of Celebrity. It's sort of like charades, but about celebrities. Ended the evening with a game of Catchphrase where everyone came out a winner. 4) Hanging out with cool people. Got to hang out with some fun people from work that I usually only see inside the office.

On another note, watch for Joy on Grey's Anatomy. She plays one of the new interns along with Meredith's sister. Just another reason to be glad the writer's strike is over. Now Joy can go back to work and I can know someone on a hit TV show. Unfortunately, Dave's show "Notes from the Underbelly" was cancelled. Bummer. But he and the other David have been hard at work on some of their own stuff. Watch a YouTube video that they made about Valentine's Day (note the cameo of my first roomate Silvana as the object of Dave's affections) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFKnt60LttE

Happy Work Birthday Party

2008-02-17T19:22:00.000-08:00

Ooh - yay! It was finally my turn for the office birthday party. Very Seinfeld-esqe as you can tell from the enthusiastic co-workers (pictured above). However - I was extremly happy to be the first-ever person to get CUPCAKES for the office birthday party. Usually, it's an ice cream cake with the weird frosting. Victory! This was also the day that I took a two-hour lunch to go buy myself a beach cruiser for my birthday at Chubby's Beach Cruisers. It's fantastic (pink with a pink basket). I rode from Santa Monica Beach to Venice Beach on Saturday afternoon - it was wonderful, although suddenly my knees now feel 31. Yikes - when did that happen?

Super Bowl Sunday

2008-02-04T11:21:00.001-08:00

I stayed in San Diego for part of Jessica's Superbowl Party (see photos). She lives right off the beach in a cool Melrose Place-type apartment complex with a pool and hot tub. I brought a bunch of Alberton's cupcakes with Superbowl Ring adornments. The cupcakes were kind of gross (icing colors not found in nature) but the rings were a big hit! Go Giants! Not that I'm so into football, but I felt really bad for Bridget Moynahan when Tom Brady left her for a supermodel...so there you go...

Thar She Blows!

2008-02-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

Ry and I went whale watching in San Diego on Saturday, which was awesome. We saw probably six gray whales and lots of sea lions and white-sided Pacific dolphins. We saw a few flukes (I saw one; Ry saw three) and lots of spouts. Ry and Jess are going to go back in April when the mothers and calves start migrating up North. We also saw the Stars and Stripes World Cup Sailboat, some fighter jets, a submarine and some of the locations from the movie TOP GUN. I was hoping to see some Navy SEALS doing training, too, but no luck. Highly recommend the whale watching tours...

Sundance Office Space

2008-01-31T11:46:00.001-08:00

My two offices during the Festival. I walked the snowy path to Headquarters every morning and walked down Main Street almost every night for panels, screenings, Institute events and conferences.

Sundancing...

2008-01-31T11:29:00.001-08:00

Here are a bunch of pics from Sundance 2008. It was great to be back and see old friends and meet the new crop of up and coming filmmakers. Most of these are pics of me at work...on the press line or at one of million events. Highlights included: seeing Bono and the rest of U2 introduce their U23D film (I worked until about 2 am in the morning that night collecting people's 3D glasses); meeting Nash Edgerton, director of SPIDER. Seriously, find this short film on Youtube or iTunes and watch it. It was my favorite film at the Festival and I semi-stalked him to talk about it; William H. Macy's role as mc at the Awards Ceremony (He and Felicity Huffman are SO CUTE); Partying with the cast from CAPTAIN ABU RAEB, which won the audience award for Best World Dramatic Film. They rented a big house in Deer Valley and had "joke" mustaches and hats and played Lionel Richie all night. So fun.; Hearing the Slingshot Hip Hop Palestinian rappers at the World Party.; Going to the DONKEY PUNCH after-party. These kids flew over from London. They're all theatre actors and were SO CUTE and excited to be at their first Festival; Seeing Wes Bently on THE LAST WORD press line...dreamy; Seeing Alex Rivera (director of SLEEP DEALER) win the Alfred P. Sloan award - he was so surprised and sweet. I hope this film gets made. Ah...I miss it already...

Utah Screenwriters Lab

2008-01-31T11:15:00.000-08:00

So I was fortunate enough to spend the first few days of my Sundance trip at out Screenwriters Lab at the Resort. Attached are some pics of the Fellows (from everywhere -Brazil, China, Israel, etc.) There were some amazing people - One of the fellows, Alicia Erian, wrote the novel Towelhead, which was turned into a movie that played at the Festival this year and one of the fellows was blind and writing a script about losing his sight. I also got to see Thomas Vinterberg's THE CELEBRATION for the first time (with Q&A after the film by the hunky and talented Mr. Vinterberg himself.) Nights were spent at the cozy Owl Bar. Days were spent at the Resort interacting with Fellows and accompanying a journalist writing a piece on the Lab. One day I found myself next to Jason Reitman (director of JUNO) in the lunch line. What a nice and talented guy - he agreed to do a press conference for us at the Festival on the spot.

Attached are some pics of the Fellows, of Mike, Bird and Owl at the Owl Bar, with Erin outside our "office" at the Resort and general Resort atmosphere.

Did Orlando Bloom Come to Your Christmas Party?

2008-01-09T23:55:00.000-08:00

So we had the Sundance Christmas Party in January to stretch that ol' nonprofit dollar. But one of the benefits of living in LA is having Orlando Bloom show up at your Holiday Party. To quote Sundance staffer, Matt Anderson on the party -- "The party was held at Bar Lubitsch, which has taken the authentic dinginess of the former Parlour Club and transformed it into a more updated, trendy, Russia-via-Disney Epcot Center dinginess. The antique chandeliers were dim, the walls were red, the drinks were strong, and many agreed that the manager was bringin' sexy back. An A-list teen heartthrob from such cinematic masterpieces as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Elizabethtown and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise made a guest appearance at the end of the night. He was overheard saying, "Is it too late to get a pass or tickets? Could you help me find lodging?" Okay, not really, but Orlando Bloom really was there. He seemed strangely indifferent to the fact that he had stumbled in to the hottest party in town, but his English accent was as soft and lovely as a newborn’s cheek."

All I Want for Christmas is...Botox?

2008-01-09T23:49:00.000-08:00

A few tips for the boys:
Botox Gift Certificates for Christmas presents = Bad
Pretty much anything else = Good

A few tips for the girls:
Never joke about gifts that aren't pretty and shiny.

Welcome to LA, folks!

NYE 2008

2008-01-09T23:45:00.000-08:00

Happy NYE! Cheap, walkable, new friends, improv, alley behind the Promenade...goodness gracious, welcome to 2008...

The McGee's Stay Classy in San Diego

2007-12-31T15:41:00.001-08:00

Celebrating Christmas in San Diego! We hit the Wildlife Park (and saw two new baby elephants!), the Midway (see Ryan and me in the brig and mom and dad on the flightdeck), the view by the Coronado Hotel and the Padre's new stadium. Mom, Jess and I challenged Dad and Ry to a mean game of Catch-phrase. Fun was had by all...

Christmas 2007 in San Diego

2007-12-31T15:39:00.000-08:00

Sundance Staff Photo

2007-12-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

An exciting preview of the awesome Sundance Staff Photo that will be in the 2008 Film Guide. This is the roof of our building...

Sunday with Sherisse!

2007-12-17T18:03:00.000-08:00

Yay! Finally got to see Sherisse. After some technical difficulties (me getting seriously lost) met Sherisse and Paul at the Murakami exhibit downtown at Moca. Very cool and weird (check out the Kanye West video that he art directed). Then had Korean BBQ which was fantastic (see pic). Then watched Sherisse and Paul drive off in their rental PT Cruiser. :(

Merry Barcycle

2007-12-17T17:53:00.001-08:00

Pics from the Barcycle in Manhattan Beach. Jen and Matt let me crash Jen's annual USC pub crawl on bikes. Loved Manhattan Beach, loved riding bikes from Manhattan to Hermosa and Redondo and to the bars. Seriously, though, seven bars on bikes in one afternoon is quite the accomplishment. And then a great (but somewhat aggressive) game of flip cup. And then joke dancing at a cheesey bar near the pier. All in all another successful Saturday!

Laura at Pinkberry and Upright Citizens Brigade!

2007-12-13T22:07:00.001-08:00

Saturday we went down to Venice and had brunch at the Omelette Parlor, which incidentally is located two doors down from Finn McCools. I have now succesfully shown Laura two blocks in all of Los Angeles. We decided to scoot farther down Venice to Pinkberry. Finally. My fave! Then saw Juno (excellent!) and met Angi and Matt at La Poubelle in Hollywood. Then we saw Match Game at UCB which is always fun. The most famous person on the panel that night was...Samm Levine from Freaks and Geeks. Oh, well. A wonderful weekend, none-the-less! Sunday we hit the Grove for the final part of the tour. Lovely, weekend!

Laura's Visit Part 1

2007-12-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

My friend Laura came to visit me all the way from Chicago last weekend. Weekend started out strong. I accidentally took Laura to eat at a "C" restaurant. For my non-LA friends, all restaurants in LA have an A, B or C rating in the windows. Even the nice restaurants (I know, I know, but LA does have some nice restaurants, Michellin be damned!). I'm pretty sure I started out Laura's visit at a restaurant that serves horse meat, or at least hooves. Oops. But things started looking up on Friday. We met Dave at Father's Office (best burgers in LA) and then met Halle and girls at Finn McCools in Santa Monica.

Fa La La La La, La La La La

2007-12-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

Pics from our tree-trimming....!

Just like Michelle Kwan

2007-11-25T21:45:00.001-08:00

My roommate, Halle, had the great idea to go ice skating in Santa Monica tonight. After working all weekend, it was a great way to finally have some fun. Who knew the first time I would try ice skating would be in Santa Monica? Love it...

Nice way to end Thanksgiving...

2007-11-23T12:41:00.001-08:00

With a hike! (Also with frozen pizza and the Mandy Moore movie "License to Wed")

Thanksgiving 2008: Heat and Serve

2007-11-23T12:14:00.001-08:00

Here are some pics from Thanksgiving 2008. This is what a traditional Thanksgiving dinner looks like if straight from the can/box/store. It was pretty darn tasty if you ask me!

1. Turkey breast
2. Can of Ocean Spray cranberry sauce

3. Box of Stovetop stuffing

4. Bag of Salad

5. Can of corn

6. Mashed potatoes - sort of from scratch!

7. Can of Campbell's gravy

8. Can of sweet potatoes

9. Pumpkin pie from Whole Foods

Wild Turkey Wednesday

2007-11-23T12:08:00.000-08:00

A very "Wild" Turkey Wednesday. Ryan, Jess and I played a mean game of Trivial Pursuit fueled by Ry's Wild Turkey tradition. Unfortunately for him, possibly his tamest WTW, yet!

Angi Saw Nicole Richie on Melrose!

2007-11-12T16:41:00.000-08:00

Another fun weekend. Went out in Santa Monica on Friday night (the Viceroy hotel bar is great. I love hotel bars in California that are covered in twinkly white Christmas lights and centered around a pool). Saturday I went to Urth Cafe in Santa Monica for lunch for Nate's birthday (friend from work). Then I met Iris, her husband, her sister and her sister's boyfriend for dinner at Pace in Laurel Canyon. Very cool place. Food was great - and the company was wonderful. Sunday went hiking in Malibu, hit the Farmer's Market in Santa Monica and then went to the Dali exhibit at LACMA and another fun restaurant Lucques in Beverly Hills (Cote du Rhone + more white Christmas lights = another good night:)

The highlight of the weekend wasn't even my highlight - Angi saw Nicole Richie and Joel Madden shopping on Melrose! Exclusive picture attached. So lucky...

In second place is my roommate Halle who saw Jay Mohr and Nikki "all lips" Cox in Santa Monica. I haven't seen anyone since I saw Josh Lucas on Montana St. (in Santa Monica) almost two weeks ago...:(

Abu Dhabi

2007-11-12T16:05:00.001-08:00

Here are a bunch of pictures from Abu Dhabi (for the Middle East Film Festival). Ted was speaking on a panel so I got to go as his guest for free and stay at the Emirates Palace.

Highlights:

- Camels on the beach. The men that owned the camels played guitar and served us hot tea under a tent on the beach of the Persian Gulf

- Day trip to Dubai - insane. So much building going on - and it all looks like fake US buildings.

- Meeting a lot of really interesting/funny/smart Muslims

- Buckets of free champagne at all the events

- Meeting Harvey Weinstein (and his four assistants)

- Our hotel had a water slide and lazy river

- The breakfast buffet was insane - I ate mountains of hummus and nutella and rasberries with yogurt

- The Iranian Souk

- The ski slope inside the Emirates Mall in Dubai

We also went to the Woodstock Film Festival before the flight to Abu Dhabi, which was lots of fun. It was Ichibod Crane country - nice and crisp Fall weather and foliage, lots of pumpkins, although too much vegan food. Blech. Althoough, I accidentally erased my pictures from that part of the trip.

Cinespia - Movies in the Cemetery

2007-11-10T11:27:00.001-08:00

Last really old posting - I promise. Here's a favorite LA pic from Cinespia. Every Saturday night in the Summer they show outdoor movies at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. It's one of my favorite things to do in LA. You bring a picnic, blankets, lots of wine and watch the movie projected onto the mausoleum. Sounds creepy, but it's a fantastic time. It is a Hollywood Cemetery and LAist likes to point out that "you're often watching stars on screen who are also buried only a few hundred feet away." I saw HIS GIRL FRIDAY, NOTORIOUS and HANNAH AND HER SISTERS. And, no, you don't sit on the tombstones...

DOH!

2007-11-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

Another retroactive post - here I am at a screening of THE SIMPSONS Movie with Dave, his friend JD and his roommate, Mathew. This day was fun - we went to the movie, ate giant burritos for JD's birthday and then went to this crazy dive bar where an 80-year-old women was wearing a red bikini.

Meeting Al Gore

2007-11-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

I got to meet Al Gore at the Oceana Fundraiser that Ted took me to last month. It was at a house in the Pacific Palisades (which means the mountains behind/next to Malibu). Beautiful house, lots of champagne (my favorite!) and Al Gore's presentation and the Oceana presentation was actually reallly interesting. We were outside in this beautiful garden with lots of white chinese lanterns and white twinkly Christmas lights hanging in the trees (did I mention the free-flowing champagne), so I'm sure that was part of it.

Highlights were 1) meeting Al Gore (he told me Sundance was a "great organization" - I told him"nice to meet you" and "thanks") and 2) waiting in line for the bathroom behind Brook Shields (who is a giant).

Another good night.

People in LA Go to Movie Premieres for Fun!

2007-11-09T17:59:00.000-08:00

I know this blog is hopelessly out of order since I decided to blog this morning and retroactively account for my first four months in LA. So, one exciting thing about living in LA is going to movie premiers for fun.

So far I've seen two - both at the invitation of Ted who has many more invites to these events that I could ever hope for:

2 DAYS IN PARIS- funy, smart, wonderful, wonderful film. I highly suggest it - Adam Goldberg and Julie Delphy are great in it. Her (real) parents play a supporting role and are hilarious. I've attached a pic of the premiere, which was at this great old theater in Hollywood.

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL - the best movie that I've seen all year. I loved this movie. I always love Ryan Gosling, but he really knocked it out of the park here. To quote the Wall Street Journal ," An almost perfect movie with flawless perfomances." I've attached a pic of the after-party, held in the lobby after the film. Lots of hummus and deserts, although I hate when the only white wine available is chardonney. Look how Hollywood I've gotten - finding something to complain about at a movie premiere - I love it here:)

Sundance Celebration

2007-11-09T10:58:00.001-08:00

Just got back from NYC for the Sundance Institute Celebration - our annual fundraiser in New York.

It was fantastic - the event sold out, raised some money for the Institute and my responsibility at the gala (managing the press and celebs on the red carpet) went v. well. Here are some highlights:

- Press line arrivals - Stanely Tucci, Glenn Close, Parker Posey, Patricia Clarkson, Aidan Quinn, Oliver Platt and John Leguizamo were all game to arrive early and change into t-shirts and serve lemonade to guests.

- Decor by David Starck - beautiful, witty, smart and Starck took the job really seriously. I saw him running around in his suit and converse with a headset glued to his ear all night. It paid off - the design was flawless.

- Dinner played on the family celebration theme with pot pies and apple pies (or so I heard from my staff dinner in the basement:)

- Sally Field was the perfect emcee for the evening and Robert Redford's remarks were smart and inspiring, as always. Every time I hear him speak, I'm always really happy that I work for Sundance.

- The cast from Spring Awakening sang one of the hit songs from Duncan Sheik's score "Totally Fucked". I had just seen the show on Sunday night, so it was really fun to see the cast perform again. If you go to NYC, try to get the "stage tickets" - you have to sit on the stage but tix are only $30! The show was workshopped at the Sundance Theatre Lab in Utah a few years ago...

After the gala, I had a couple of days of meetings in NYC. Had almost a perfect Tuesday - ate breakfast at Dean and Deluca off Times Square near our hotel, went to rehearsals for a workshop the Sundance Theatre Department is doing at the Public Theater, then walked from East Village to West Village and to Magnolia Bakery (and found a Marc Jacobs sample sale on Mercer!), found a used bookstore (which I STILL haven't found in LA), then met the girls from work for dinner and a few glasses of wine at Joe Allen's off Broadway. A nice, crisp, Fall day in NYC. Sigh.

Back in LA - guess I should really complain about 70 degree weather in November - it's kind of lovely...

First Post

2007-11-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

Ready, set, blog...