It all happened one year ago.
I was sitting in an ice rink in Blaine, watching my sister's hockey game when I received a phone call from Stephanie telling me that she had been invited out to California for an interview at the UCLA hospital.
Days later, we were on a plane.
She had two interviews in two departments and walked away with two job offers before dinner.
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Steph snags the job in her "Power Suit" |
We were moving to California.
We flew back to the Midwest, loaded up a car and drove back across the country, arriving in LA on February 14th, 2011, Valentines Day.
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Hitting the Road |
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Stopping to view one of Western Kansas' prized attractions |
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| Home Sweet Home |
This year has been the most difficult, long, stressful, exciting, rewarding, and reflective year of my life.
*Unlike 2010 which was a rush to finish college followed by the horrible realization that I had no idea what I was doing with my life.
**I still have no idea what I'm doing with my life but few people do in LA, it's a city of black sheep.
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Well I certainly have been lazy in writing my blog, I know it, you know it, get over it.
I said that one of my New Year's resolutions would be blogging more, so naturally I abandoned that goal shortly after its conception, as is customary with resolutions.
Now sit back, relax, and let me tell you about this Bar Mitzvah.
I'm gonna vague-up the details but I got a call to help out with a photo shoot for this kid's Bar Mitzvah.
"sure thing"
So I show up downtown to this big 'ol church that they "Turned into a Synagogue" - they threw a big black sack over the cross at the top of the church - a tad sacrilegious but hey.
So everyone takes their seats and quiets down and I'm snapping away at the back of this courtyard when I notice a group of girls point to someone behind me, giggling wildly.
I turn around and who is standing there all alone? Modern Family's own Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell).
He comes skulking in, trying not to upset the service, and takes a seat in an empty row at the back of the courtyard, sitting all by himself until someone he recognizes flags him over and he sprints to a new seat.
Hilarious.
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Christopher Lloyd (Exec. Producer) and Ty Burrell (Phil) |
But you can't just invite Phil to these types of things. Claire was there too.
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Julie Bowen |
Of course I took an opportunity for a photo-bomb...
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*I did not intend to look this frightening, however it was an open bar and this was captured later in the evening. |
That right there was an awesome night, but then someone particularly incredible surfaced, however I had no idea who this was until I saw the pictures later.
Yep, I partied with LUKE SKYWALKER and didn't even know it!
Although I must say though, I'm fairly certain Luke is flirting with the Dark Side.
I'm calling it a slow takeover, as the prophecy has foretold
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...and a bit more? |
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Looking a little less... |
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I'm continually amazed with the plant life in LA, it's like living on Kong Island or whatever.
A few weeks ago, after visiting our local US Bank, our little Russian Banker "Fay" asked Steph and I if we had ever walked around in the cemetary behind the bank.
"There's a cemetery back there?"
"You'll love it!
In true LA fashion, there was this small cemetery surrounded on all sides by buildings, with some notable "entries"...
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The vacant mausoleum crypt to the left of Marilyn's is reserved for Hugh Hefner Other residents include Natalie Wood, Frank Zappa, Truman Capote, and Dean Martin. |
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As we spend more and more time in the city, Steph and I have continued in our attempts to experience all we can.
So naturally when my Swedish Barista/Professional Dancer buddy Robin asked if we wanted to go clubbing at on of LA's most "raging" clubs, CLUB COLONY, we didn't hesitate.
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| THE place 2 B! |
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| Soooooo many great vibes.... |
Because what is better than free entry into a ridiculously packed room of deafening bass filled with oversexed teenagers and "Yeah-Yeah" from the Sandlot, oh and the beer's are only $14 so don't fret.
Wait...Yeah-Yeah?
Yeah
*I met Yeah-Yeah near the men's bathroom surrounded by a gaggle of young Asian girls who he was desperately trying to convince of his authenticity by showing them his IMDB credits on his phone.
Yeah-Yeah: You've seen the Sandlot right?!?!
Girl 3: Umm yeah?
Yeah-Yeah: I'm Yeah-Yeah!
Girl 1: Oh I loved that kid! 'Yeah-Yeah Benny Man' right!?
Yeah-Yeah: Yes! that's me!
Girl 2: What?? Oh My Gosh! You look so...different!
I would now like to point out that "Yeah-Yeah" had a better chance of convincing these girls that he was Pauly D from Jersey Shore with his fade-cut, fake tan, and gold chain, it's also clear that he is a class-A D-bag.
And still, despite irrefutable evidence that the man before them was in fact the once child-star known as "Yeah-Yeah", the girls made their departure as the rest of the gaggle emerged from the ladies room.
Yeah-Yeah: God! What's with these girls?! I'm F*****g YEAH-YEAH!
Me: So do you know how I could get in touch with Wendy Peffercorn?
The evening ended around 2am and was capped off with a fabulous drunken brawl in the parking lot between two UFC enthusiasts:
Team Affliction Tee-Shirt Guy Vs. Team Ed Hardy Bedazzled Hat Guy
It was a great night, until Stephanie sustained a finger-in-the-car-door injury that could only be ameliorated with a Chocolate Malt from Mel's Diner
* +5 pts. for using ameliorate in a sentence
** I just downloaded the Vocabology App which teaches me new words everyday, absolutely pulchritudinous!
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| Stephanie, lacerated and crestfallen |
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Lemme throw some pictures at you so we can get through this thing.
I write this blog by dumping all my iphone pictures onto the computer and then going from there, but some of these I have no memory of, I digress.
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| Nice little picture of Stephanie on North Rodeo Drive? I dunno, nice Palm Trees though. |
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| This one's of Santa Monica I believe. |
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| Santa Monica Pier, notice the tent in the distance, I will come back to that. |
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| Stephanie finally got a bed after living on a futon for the past year... |
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| ...she and landlord Melanie select a winner while mattress shopping |
It's Awesome, we even recently celebrated my roomate's 26th birthday there so...
Yeah good time....
K moving on.
Can't get enough of The Gay 90's or The Eagle in Minneapolis?
Then you'll feel right at home in West Hollywood. I crack up every time I drive down Santa Monica Boulevard, the marketing is genius...
I'm There!
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| Not sure what's going on, we are on a hike and Steph is promoting her phone or something. |
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| A particularly long day at work called for an emergency Ralph's run. This is what we ended up with warranting a fist-bump from the stoner cashier. "Thats a nice pie right there man" |
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| Yes, that is a shopping cart on an elevator Welcome to Los Angeles and our double decker Targets. |
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| This is where Steph lives. ____________________________________________ |
So I've been working at the LA Country Club these past few months, mixing drinks with a smile in my attempt to make some connections with some of Hollywood's finest.
But then I discovered that "Hollywood Types" (Actors, Directors, Writers, Producers) are FORBIDDEN at the club, no joke.
So when I heard that there was a job fair over at Riviera CC to work the Northern Trust Open, I signed up.
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| The Riviera Clubhouse, big and marble. |
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| I worked in a private tent at the tournament, right above the 18th green. |
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| Bubba Watson in the Gray Shirt on his practice round |
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| Things got exciting when Mickelson, Haas, and Bradley tied things up at the 18th. |
I say exciting but it's golf so I guess I'll say, things were somewhat preoccupying.
Lot's of classy White People throwin' out high-fives and fist-bumps though, which was nice to see.
Oh Bill Haas won By the way... Yeah I have no idea...
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Valentines day??
NOPE!
More like a 4-Year-Anniversary Dinner at Pizzicotto
(Super cool Italian Place)
This was Valentines day, home cooked by Steph, flowers provided by yours truly.
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Remember that tent picture in Santa Monica?
I told you to remember it...
It's actually Cirque du Soleil's "OVO" show.
This Cirque Show was "Bug" themed, and featured everything from trapeze artists to yo-yo acrobats to girls who flipped other girls with their feet. It's awkward to explain but look it up, it's awesome.
This was the second Cirque show I have been to.
The first one was the "O" show in Vegas, it was water themed and also very cool.
I'm hoping to catch the "IRIS" show going on at the Kodak Theater.
*Anyone who watched the Oscars would have caught a glimpse of this show.
I think everyone walks away from those shows having the same conversations.
"If only I was as good at __some activity __ as they are at __their job__."
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We also took a trip back to Universal Studios and went on the backlot tour.
It was cool to see how this studio compared to Paramount.
Universal is huge, and the tour was great, a lot of great sets from so many amazing films.
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| The ride included a pass through Kong Island, in 3D!, impressive |
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| This was a 747 that was ripped in half and scattered all over for Spielberg's War of The Worlds |
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| We got some lunch in the Paris district |
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| Cafe Cabana: Steph's house |
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So that's it for now but... What's that?
How's my car?
It's fine other than I walked outside and found this the other day.
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| whoops! |
Some wonderful citizen sideswiped Judas, marring any amount of respect a white Honda Civic can muster.
The result is a vehicle that I wouldn't feel comfortable delivering pizza's in.
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| I thought Yellow tape would really sell the "I am a dangerous individual without insurance" look. |
Am I surprised? HA! Have you met my car? That POS will mock me to my grave...
And just when we were getting on good terms after it broke-down and got me a job.
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| Nice little view from the Country Club |
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| I think I took this from my bathroom window, hmm, it IS a nice view though. |
Honestly I can't think of too much more, tonight was the Oscar's and that was fun, I've got some good pictures.
Oh and I've started taking these acting classes from this lady who is supposed to be the "real deal".
The first class was awesome, I'll keep you informed.
