So Cal

You are currently browsing the archive for the So Cal category.

California Gurls…We’ll melt your popsicle.

August 15, 2011 in Adventures, Music, So Cal, Uncategorized | No comments

A post-teenage dream became a reality this weekend. I saw Katy Perry. In. The. Flesh. The best part? My DAD took me to her concert. AND it was his idea!

I’ve been obsessed with Katy Perry for about a year now. Every time the song “Teenage Dream” hums on the radio, I burst out in song and pump my arms. I roll down the windows. I feel the bass getting a little shaky in my back speakers. I don’t care. There’s something about that song that reminds me of every awesome girlfriend I’ve ever had. Almost every time in the past year that I’ve had a pack of girls in my car, that song comes on. It’s the sound of going to the beach in a cute bikini. It’s the sound of anticipation of a great night out. It’s the sound of drinking wine in your sweatpants and having an impromptu dance off in someone’s living room. It’s girl power.

I experienced this “girl power” first hand, in the form of a purple wig. I decided that if I’m going to go see Katy, I gotta look the part. I buy a white wig, chop it off to shoulder length and spray paint it purple. I tie cupcake and ice cream cone-shaped suckers down a green silky dress. I wear obnoxiously pink lipgloss. I put some high wedges on. I’m ready to go.

My dad, Michelle and I pull up to a parking lot near the Santa Barbara Bowl. As soon as I get out of the car, I feel a little self-conscious. EVERYONE is pointing, staring, whispering and giggling as I walk by. Is this a mistake? I had that feeling. Then I lifted my chin up and strutted toward the concert seating. A few 13-year-olds said I looked awesome. The compliments steadily flowed from there. People yelled out of cars at me. Men complimented my lilac locks. Women asked for candy off my frock. I felt like a star.

The real stardom came when I got to my seat. This one guy wanted to take a photo with me. It was like I was Katy! This drunk woman next to me was convinced we were new best friends. She picked candy off of me all night (borderline groping, but hey, best friends are allowed, right?)

Katy opened the show with none other than… TEENAGE DREAM! Yes!!! I of course fist pumped my arms and belted out. I didn’t have my best girlfriends with me, but the thousands of moms, daughters and friends buzzing throughout the crowd made me feel like I was in my car or my living room. Actually, better.

I was very impressed that my dad and Michelle got into the “Katy” spirit, too. I got them glow necklaces. Michelle got a ring pop. I got my dad a zebra print cowboy hat. Hahhahahaa! He rocked it though.

Katy Perry? She rocked it, too. Santa Barbara is her hometown, so she pulled out all the stops. She was flirty. She was sexy. She was cute. She costume-changed like it was nobody’s business. There were lights and smoke billowing across the stage. In the middle of the performance, she did acoustic versions – “Katy-oke” of “Whip My Hair,” “Big Pimpin’” and “Friday.” Yes!

Of course, she closed with California Gurls. And all us California girls were diggin’ it. Bouncy balls were flying. Katy sprayed the audience with a big peppermint striped water canon. Cotton candy floated into the moonlight. It was so much fun! I feel like I could be 12…ahem, 23…forever….

Grammar police

July 16, 2011 in So Cal, Strange Encounters, Uncategorized | 1 comment

I went into full grammar-police mode on this Pasadena City College fridge

This picture is kind of hilarious and kind of disappointing/sad/outrageous at the same time. It’s a fridge at Pasadena City College – a place of HIGHER EDUCATION. I discovered it with a  friend after our sports officiating class a few months back (don’t be hatin’ – it’s the only class that worked in my schedule!) and discovered this sign. I looked up and just stared for a minute. I got out my phone immediately to snap a photo to send to my grammar-nerd friends. My friend, we’ll call her Penny, asked me, “Why are you taking a picture? What’s wrong with it?” Ugh. I sought out the response I wanted from the copy editors in my life: “WTF? Is this real?” I answered back with pinkies up in my snobbiest voice, “Yes.”

I walked by this same fridge about a week ago. I was pleased to see the cafe folks got their act together and changed the spelling to “fresh sandwiches.” They just took out the “t.” So now there’s a big gap. I quietly smile to myself as I order an iced chai each time I see that white gap on the fridge. It’s always the little things that make life interesting. I thought this would make a great entry for FAILBLOG. Check it out, if you haven’t. It’s awesome!!!

Tips on getting on The Price is Right

July 9, 2011 in Adventures, So Cal, Uncategorized | No comments

Drew Carey and his "beauties" on the Price is Right

1. Know your show time

As of summer 2011, CBS was taping two episodes of The Price is Right each day. One is at 12:30 p.m. and the other is at 4 p.m. My friend, Joe, got us tickets for the afternoon taping and our tickets said to be there “no later than 12 p.m.” There’s a huge line. So if you want to guarantee to get in the audience, you must arrive hours early. Joe and I read a blog that recommended getting there at 5 a.m. So we did. We got there at 5:30 a.m. and waited a couple hours, only to be told that we would have to wait and come back at 11:15 a.m. to start the process for the afternoon show. Luckily, the CBS studio is next door to the Grove and the Los Angeles farmers market. There’s plenty of parking (pretty expensive, keep in mind) and there are open-air shops to browse while you wait to go back to the CBS Studio. Our payoff for getting up early is that we were #3 and #4 to get into the afternoon taping. We didn’t have to wait in the hot sun, we just scooted up to the front of the line with our ticket that had been marked off earlier in the morning. We started the next phase of our day being herded under an awning with cement benches.

2. Bring stuff to keep yourself entertained

We sat on cement benches FOR HOURS. The first phase, we were given audience numbers. They took a souveneir photo of Joe and I behind a green screen of “Plinko.” It was 20 bucks, but they give a print out to you right away in a frame. Better than most of the $30 shirts in the CBS gift shop. Anyway, then we were corralled to another waiting area. Some women behind us had the right idea. They brought UNO. We played a few rounds. They also had jerky, gummy worms and trail mix. Good idea for an all day outing.

3. Be prepared for a QUICK interview — shine!

The Price is Right Producers interview audience members in groups of ten. They ask you where you’re from and what you do and make a little small chat. I can honestly say that I already knew I wasn’t going to be picked to be a contestant before I even opened my mouth. I’m not really sure what they were looking for. I could tell by the contestants that they DID select that they were a diverse group of people – some men, some women, some white, some latino, some black, some asian. No older people. Weird. I think they account for like 70 percent of their fanbase. You can’t say it was easy. Everyone willing to spend 12 hours of their day to be on the Price is Right has to be some level of dedicated, crazy, dorky, fun-loving and patient. They’re the kind of people that SHOULD win a new car. So any time someone did win, it was like someone from our own tribe was up there and we hooted and hollered as loud as we could.

4. Hoot and holler as much as you can muster

The camera guys want to see (and hear) you scream. They want you to high five contestants as they run down the aisle. They want you to dance! It really IS as exciting as it looks on TV. Especially because it’s such a small studio. It’s a lot smaller than you would think and having 300 people crammed in there creates a lot of excitement.

5. Just be a fool – have fun!

When else are you going to be in a 70′s time warp with Drew Carey? He is one of the friendliest guys EVER and so personable. He chats the audience up during the breaks. Be prepared for the show to take at least an hour and a half to tape. They have to move everything around and that accounts for technical difficulties, too. When we were there, we got sat in the front row. Drew Carey came up to Joe and I. He put the microphone up to us and asked about where we were from. He shook our hands. It was awesome! We got at least a full-on four minutes with him. It would have been nice to win a car, but eh.

6. Can you afford a Viper?

Drew Carey was quick to remind everyone – that just because you win a prize doesn’t mean you can afford it. A 19-year-old won a Viper one time and Drew said “Yeah right. There’s NO WAY that kid is driving that car. The taxes on it were huge!” I’m kind of glad I didn’t go up. I know I would not be happy to spend part of my savings on for the dinette set or patio furniture I don’t need.

7. Wear a fun shirt! Come in a big group if you can.

EVERYONE does it. Be creative. Wear something you made, it’s a good conversation starter if anything. Also, if you can get at least 15 people, you are guaranteed reserved seats and will probably have someone from your group called down to be a contestant.
I hope this helps anyone trying to go to The Price is Right. There are a lot of rumors flying around out there and I wish I would have had something like this to read before I went. Good luck!

“The best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun.”

July 6, 2011 in Adventures, So Cal, Uncategorized | No comments

That board is heavy! Mondos Beach, Ventura, Calif.

Surfing is my newfound love – mostly because it’s a hip way to spend hours swimming in the ocean. It also sounds really athletic, too. I found it to not be as difficult as everyone makes it out to be. I mean, the standing up part is kind of a challenge, but it doesn’t hurt or anything. And paddling? I could do that all day. The water in Southern California is so warm!
 
I thought for sure that after a few spins on a foam long board that I would be instantly buff and tan. Not so much. My physique hasn’t changed much and my tan? More like a splotchy red sunburn down my back. Let’s not forget to acknowledge the long thick white line of skin down the center. I blame that on my 17-year-old cousin, Sam. He insisited that since we were in Santa Monica waters that “you don’t need a wetsuit.” Touche, good sir. Not only do wetsuits keep you dry (which actually, they don’t really), but they also keep the sun off of your skin and keep body parts from flying out. Yes, I had a few near misses showing my cheeks to the world (or at least the pier-goers).
 
While surfing along the pier, I saw two dolphins. I decided in my head that it would be cute to call them “Santa” and “Monica.” I had never seen dolphins up close before and I kept shrieking with delight, “Oh my god! Dolphins! Sam, do you see? They’re RIGHT THERE!” Fellow surfers dotted the coastline where the waves were breaking. A woman nearby me saddled her board waiting for a wave. She laughed with a light grin when she heard my enthusiasm about the dolphins.

A similar rendition to "Santa" and "Monica" - my new Dolphin friends

 I guess it’s not an uncommon sight to see if you surf in Santa Monica often. My friend, Naomi, told me about a documentary about dolphins “The Cove.” It talks about why humans interacting with dolphins in captivity is bad for their health. The documentary dudes interview the guy who trained dolphins for the classic TV show, “Flipper.” I informed her that they were happy and free in the ocean. Well, happy was debatable. They were probably pissed that everyone was hogging up their shoreline.
 
I dig the So Cal shoreline. I’ve been out surfing a magical three times now. I think I prefer Mondos Beach in Ventura. It’s more scenic and less crowded – good beginner spot. I’m thinking I’m ready to buy a board of my own. And a wetsuit. Surfing can be quite the financical investment, so it’s definitely something I had to toss around for a bit. Plus, transporting a board seems like it will be a dilemma. I drive a small Honda Accord. People tell me I can tie a board down through my windows. But after seeing a mattress fly off a car and nearly hit me on the freeway, I question the idea of transporting boards on top of my car.
 
Am I totally going to go to surfer hell for buying a cheap foam board from Costco?

Make Music Pasdena – my review

June 19, 2011 in Adventures, Music, So Cal, Uncategorized | No comments

A dude's lone leg flailed about as he crowd surfed during a performance by Best Coast.

The crowd was full of plaid-clad, pierced, urban outfitter-accessorized teens and 20-somethings. We were plopped together like sardines, elbow-to-elbow and hip-to-hip. We were waiting for a band to start. Make Music Pasadena is a big music fest (that’s FREE) that takes place on the streets of yuppie old Pasadena. It’s very cute and posh. The main stage was set up in the middle of a boulevard where a fire lane had to be kept open. Some people didn’t understand that, crowded into the lane and caused some shows to start late. I went to see Best Coast, a surf-rock garage like band originally from Glendale. It was so hot! The sun was beating down on me and we all had to wait like 40 minutes for the band to start. I had never really listened to them. I wasn’t that invested in waiting. My real goal was to wait it out so I could clobber my way to the front of the crowd for the next show: Ra Ra Riot. I was successful. :) There were two other bands I wanted to see, but these kids wore me out! Check out indie tropical band “Kisses.”  They kind of remind me of Kings of Convenience if they were more happy. They are so cute and fun to dance to! Also, Jenny O! She is cute and loves Arcata. She filmed her music video for “Well OK Honey,” there!

The music:

Best Coast. Their lead singer Bethany Cosentino sounds like Jenny Lewis. It’s sweet. Nothing that original though. Sounds like something from the 60′s. It’s something I would imagine playing in the background while doing something really “PG” – like baking cookies or riding a beach cruiser.

Song to listen to: “When I’m With You.” (The video is pretty cute/funny)

Ra Ra Riot: AH-MA-ZZZING! Emphasis on the zing! I think there is always a special connection when you recognize songs when you’re at a show. This happened for me. They had a cello, tambourines, a violinist. The lead singer, Wes Miles, seemed kind of emo, but by the end of the show I was in love with his hair-flipping ways. They all wore bright turquoise, yellows, reds. Very happy seeming indie band.

Song to listen to: “Can You Tell.”

Miracle fruit

June 11, 2011 in Adventures, So Cal, Uncategorized | 1 comment

Today I tried the “miracle fruit.” My friend, Roy, ordered these special West African berries from somewhere in Florida. Basically, you suck on the berry’s juice and the proteins bind to your tongue. They make something sour like a lemon taste sweet. Hot sauce loses its bite. Guinness tastes like a chocolate shake! The miracle fruit became recently famous after the New York Times wrote an article about it three years ago.

A bunch of us tried the berries at a picnic in Griffith Park in Los Angeles. I guess the magical taste reversal from the fruit can last anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours. Some people said they never could tell the difference. I could! When a girl can drink a spoonful of tabasco sauce and move on as if nothing happened…that must be a miracle.

 

 

 

Finding pieces to a typewriter = difficult

May 23, 2011 in Adventures, So Cal, Uncategorized, Writing | 3 comments

I had my typewriter looked over for the first time on Sunday since I bought it last summer. It was out a typewriter enthusiast gathering near Los Feliz in Los Angeles. Turns out,mine is from 1941, appraised at about a couple hundred bucks and in excellent condition. I greased her up and named her Ellie. I dubbed my black beauty “Ellie” after discovering a shimmery label on it’s back: “Underwood Elliot Fisher Co.” Since I’m a lady and am pumping all the girl power writing energy I have into her, I figured I should keep it female. So in lieu of Elliot came “Ellie.”

Only problem? Ellie needs work. She’s only got three or four “feet.” They are these plastic pieces that keep it level with a hard surface. I researched online and found nada. Maybe I’m typing the wrong lingo? I’m not sure what else you would call them. Knobs? Plastic things?? Typewriter shoes???

A typewriter repairman named Ruben also told me I shouldn’t leave it out – keep it covered, he says. Yeah, right. It’s beautiful! Why would I make Ellie hide away when I can show her off? Ruben suggested I buy a plastic cover. I started researching for that…nada. I’m thinking I might have to go flea marketing for that kind of thing. Since typewriters aren’t manufactured much anymore (just cheap models in China, I’m told by Ruben), it can be difficult to find the pieces needed to keep them in tip-top shape.

On the bright side, I met a documentary filmmaker named Gary. He’s answering the question — is the typewriter dead? No, Gary says. He told me he interviewed a guy who collects typewriters and has John Lennon’s old piece. He’s been interviewing a lot of typewriter enthusiasts apparently and hopes to make an Oscar-worthy feature. I can’t wait to hear about all the crazy people hiding out there with these ancient heavy-ass machines. : )

 

Breaking into the radio scene

May 21, 2011 in Jobs, Journalism, Radio, Reporter's Notebook, So Cal, Uncategorized | No comments

This week, I had my radio reporting debut in Los Angeles. I reported my first feature as an intern at Southern California Public Radio.

Listen here!

Godzilla tortoise mobbing it down my street

May 15, 2011 in So Cal, Strange Encounters, Uncategorized | No comments

Maybe I should learn Korean?

May 15, 2011 in Reflection, Reporter's Notebook, So Cal, Uncategorized | No comments

Last week, I attended my first bi-lingual news conference in Los Angeles’ Koreatown. It was in Korean half the time. See story here. I recorded audio that would later be aired on Southern California Public Radio. I knew I wouldn’t use the Korean part of it, but it was so interesting to me…so I kept the microphone on. My ears listened to a woman speak, as if she were singing a song. I looked around the room and many people were listening intently. There were even like two or three Korean news agencies at the conference, conducting all their interviews in their language.

I’ve always been impressed with people that can speak more than one language. I speak Spanish, kinda…not really. I took two years in high school, but have never practiced it enough to feel confident. I feel like a lazy American for not learning more. It’s definitely a goal of mine to learn more languages, but where to start?

I wonder if language unites or separates communities? I think a little of both. It unites small groups of people to forge bonds and have closer relationships, but at the same time, it seals outsiders out.

I’m happy to hear different languages and proud that people keep their traditions living on. But what about the rest of us? Should everyone learn several languages? How do you decide which ones to invest in? If you’re constantly exploring the world and its different regions, how can you be sure which one will be the most useful? I guess you don’t.  You just have to jump in and be open to making a few mistakes.

 

 

 

« Older entries § Newer entries »