sha in LA

drink coffee, learn spanish

Yesterday was the final show of Los Muertos, ending a 12 week run in The Elephant Theatre. There was a party after the show but alas I didn't take any pictures. Oops. I guess that means I was having fun.

At the beginning of the run I knew very minimal Spanish. Hola, adios and gracias were about it. And even with that I would never use those words around anyone of Spanish origin for fear that they would chastise me or something. Unfounded fear, I know, but that's how my mind works sometimes. So with this show I made a concerted effort to learn Spanish. I attempted to take a class last year at PCC which proved that I can't learn the traditional way so this was the next best alternative....ask my cast consistently, "How do you say_________?"

Within a day I was giving my calls in Spanish. "Cinco minutos para sus puestos." Along with this came the fact that my absolute favorite coffee shop in all of Los Angeles is Sabor y Cultura, I usually stop by there on my way to the theatre and after my 9-6 workday. Are you starting to see a connection here? I always get the same coffee drink so naturally I asked how to order it. "Lo mismo de siempre por favor." After a few weeks of stagnation and not learning any new words and/or phrases I went in this week and had a lovely conversation about cumpleanos, among other things. The entire staff at Sabor y Cultura is fabuloso, including the owner Ramon. If you ever get a chance it's a great place to get a cup of java.

With this newfound comfort of my attempted bilingual-ness I have begun to use Spanish more in everyday life whenever I get the chance - and you know what I've noticed?? No one makes fun of me - they smile!!! I don't know if I'll ever make through an official class so for the time being I will continue to drink coffee and learn Spanish.

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get learned about USC

Here is ample (yet not too far in advance) warning that I am scheduled to lead a USC Walking Tour on Saturday February 11th at 10am.

This tour is my 2nd favorite of all the ones I give with Historic Core beating it out ever so slightly.

For the next few months my tour schedule will be reduced as Saturday's will be spent serving as a mentor for new docents going through Docent Training class. I absolutely love this part of the year as I get to meet new people excited about learning about Downtown history and architecture. In the process I also learn new things about the tours too, other perspectives on something you see so often can be beneficial in the long run.

For more info or to sign up click here or call (213) 623-CITY....and be sure to let me know you're comin'!

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Fight On.

x-sta-cee

I thought that would get your attention. I'm not talking about the drug, I'm talking about the exhibit ECSTACY: In and About Altered States, now on display at MOCA's The Geffen Contemporary. I'm planning a little field trip there on Sunday with my fellow Browns loving friend, P-Dawg. Since football season is over and we can't go to the Rustic and drown our sorrows while watching the Browns we've decided to go get cultured. I've heard numerous good things about the exhibit so I hope to report back on Monday with my findings in full detail.

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bitters on the rocks

I'm becoming really bitter in my old age. Or maybe this is just a temporary non-social phase I'm going through.

Saturday night Fofi, Lindz and I all decided to head over to La Poubelle for an acquaintance's barfday birthday party. Lindz wasn't feeling well but thought if she had some food and a drink she'd perk up a bit. We called the main number for the restaurant to make sure food would be served late and the recorded greeting said "enjoy dinner nightly until 1am." Great. 11pm. Food. Drinks. Problem solved.

After fighting through the masses that seem to assemble in and around Franklin and Bronson Avenues on any given weekend night we were greeted at La Poubelle by nary a crumb of food and far too much plasticity. Fofi, being the hunter and gatherer that he is, found a quiet little Italian restaurant, Prizzi's, a few doors down that had planned accordingly and still had food to serve it's hungry customers. After a fantabulous meal of mussels, salad, pasta and chicken we went back to La Poubelle for a nightcap. Thankfully by this time the place had cooled off a bit. It was as I was making my way back from the restroom that I spotted a familiar face. A friend that I haven't seen since the glory days of the Derby when swing dancing was all the rage due a little independent movie called Swingers and a commercial by the Gap. Yes kids, do the math, roundabout 7 years. We shared conversation on how small LA really is once you get down to it and the oddity of both of us ending up at an establishment that we never go to and running into each other.

What I originally thought would be a non-eventful, trying evening on my patience ended up being a blessing in disguise. Maybe I should go to places I dislike more often. I wonder who else from my past will show up.

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By the way, this is not what we do on the social dance floor.

eighty what?

My favorite quote of the day. From Phil Jackson on Kobe's game last night:

"I wasn't keeping track on what he had, and when I turned to [assistant Frank Hamblen] and said, 'I think I better take him out now,' … he said, 'I don't think you can. He has 77 points,' " Jackson said. "So we stayed with it until he hit 80."

My cousin called me up and left a message sounding very serious and saying "I don't know if you've heard this yet but..." it was at this point I'm thinking to myself - OK who died? - thankfully he ended the sentence with "...Kobe scored 81 points tonight."

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hey diddle, diddle...

Try as I might I simply have not come to hold a soft spot in my heart for the Cat & Fiddle. First off I think birthday celebrations are a horrid event to hold. This is in no way to make judgment on those who have birthday celebrations, I just will never publicly organize such an event for myself. Nor will I allow anyone else do the same.

That being said, last night I attended such a celebration for a good friend at the Cat & Fiddle. Our waitress, Emily, was a goddess. She deftly handled the throngs of people in our party, half of which ate, drank and were merry. The other half just merry. The only place they could seat us was in the cold, dark, Tundra-like corner of the patio where the restaurant heater wasn't working. Luckily most people came prepared with winter coats, gloves and hand-knitted scarves so in reality it wasn't all that bad. It's just the vibe or atmosphere or something that rubs me wrong about that place. Maybe because it always seems to be filled with pretty people who are far too concerned with themselves to even interact with anyone not in their little cool circle of friends or maybe I simply don't like outside patios. Maybe I prefer to belly-up to the bar and engage energetic bartenders in polite conversation or just make eyes with attractive boys across the way. Whatever the reason may ultimately be, you'd be hard pressed to find me eager to return.

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p.s. they do have yummy mac-n-cheese though...just so you know...

wake me up when you go-go

UPDATE: The actual date of the wake will be changed to the following week. Turns out The Los Angeles Conservancy will be holding a similar event and the two will be combined. Details to follw as they become available.

Mike over at Franklin Avenue has just announced that next Tuesday there willl be a wake for the recently departed Ambassador Hotel at the HMS Bounty.

Festivities begin at 7pm.

*photo from you-are-here.com

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the train goes choo choo

On Saturday morning 9 docents gave tours to 250+ people as part of the new member "thank you tour" for joining the Los Angeles Conservancy. I was one of the 9. Jim was one of the 250+ but unfortunately he didn't get there early enough to get on board with the most fabulous tour guide of all time. That's OK though, all he did was click away at the gorgeous surroundings. Me thinks he could have a career as a fledgling photographer of all things Los Angeles. I smell coffee table book. I'm just sayin'.

Afterwards we walked over to Philippe's for some good old French Dip. Or in my case Turkey Dip. As I was sitting there enjoying the surroundings I remembered back to a few months ago when I had last given a Union Station Tour, afterwards I walked down to Philippe's for a bite and ended up running into an old friend. This time similar circumstances occurred whereby someone I indirectly work with was there with his son. Crazy. Philippe's, bringing Los Angeles together.

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horray for holly trolley

I first read about the proposed Holly Trolley a few months back in a Hollywood Independent newspaper that randomly arrives at my apartment building. I searched the Internet high and low for more information but came up empty handed until this week when all the kids are talking about it.

Being the curious girl that I am, I decided to give the website a quick glance to see exactly where this super shuttle to the clubs actually goes. Answer me this, why would they post a map with North facing East???

Whatever. For all intents and purposes it runs from Hi/Ho on the West to Sunset/Hollywood & Vine on the East.

I do hope it turns out to be a success regardless of their point of view on mapage.

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Capt. Redbird & BTx2 wax poetic...

• finding a smart girl is really tough

• Gigantor & the Midget

• one is bigger than the other...

• sounds like the tuberculosis is going around

• ...and now i have Fu*k!!!

• well...happy new year

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p.s. I trust this will get to all involved parties.