I Flew To SF For One Night To Party Like A Rock Star

That's right, suckas. We flew in Saturday afternoon with just our sunglasses and our toothbrushes to bring a little LA sass and attitude to the lovely Ilya's housewarming party. It had to be done - tix were cheeep, and Ilya had laid in a lot of liquor.

Between that and the smoke machine and the DJ and the quick run to the hospital and the sausage sandwiches and the Dyke March and the Zeitgeist and the scary post-party club and the subsequent much better club and the queries about whether or not there were any normal people anywhere in LA (answer: hells no) and the dancin' dancin' dancin', I would say we did our job. And the next morning there were scones and toddlers and tea and a live cello performance accompanying a deep house track as we lolled around on the couch, pasty and exhausted from our efforts.

In fact, we were such good rock stars we missed our flight home.

But, as it must happen for those who are wild and free and show up at a moment's notice to support their friends in a new city and have learned along the way to be kind to airline employees, we got a seat on the next bird out of town and were back in golden LA before the sunset.

That's right people, spontaneous rockstar travel. We all have it in us. And kudos to Z-Trip for gettin' the party started.

Must. Sleep.Now.

$39 Plane Tix

Seven Dancing Bridesmaids

So I went to Adam and Stacey's rock 'n roll engagement party the other night at Tangier, and I still can't get the sight of Stacey's bridesmaids performing a synchronized dance out of my head. It was fantastic, as was the surprise appearance of Adam's mom and sis. There was so much love in the room that it almost didn't feel like Hollywood. But it was Hollywood - lots of the guests had worked on Top Model, and the bands were actually great, especially the one comprised of cute look-alike brothers.

And that's the genius of Adam - he gets Hollywood folks to let down their hair and act like the normal Midwest/Southern geeks we all are when we return to our ancestral homes. And when I say Adam, I of course mean Adam and Stacey.

SO CONGRATULATIONS ADAM AND STACEY! I say - more synchronized dancing at parties! It's so fun, and it's fo' free. And you must check out the web site below.

UglyDress.com

Why We Live in the Big City

You know those times when you force yourself to attend a little event cause your friend is throwing it, and it turns out to be way cooler than you thought? Well, I went to an opening party at the Echoplex for the Creativity Explored seminar, mostly because my friend Jesse was throwing it and he had asked me to, but once I got there, I was so glad I didn't miss it.

First of all, the Dewars was free, and second of all, the art was really really interesting. So interesting that I actually want to go back to a lecture they're having on Sunday. I feel like they've found the cutting edge of digital art - not boring stuff on screens, but the cool interactive beautiful digital stuff. And they also have some wacko weird-as-shit artists, the kind who makes you feel like you've discovered someone whom other people are going to know about in a year or two.

So go. It's free. It's off Sunset in Echo Park. And it's the kind of thing you moved to the big city for. And say hi to Jesse - he's easy to spot. Just look for the smartest person in the room who's wearing the best shoes.


Creativity Explored Art Seminar

Guest Dirt: Bring Your Balls

Alex just emailed me and said it was ON. And by on, I mean pickup basketball this Sunday. She writes:

"I was wondering if you'd advertise for us on the DA - a great, free activity. posse pick up basketball.  Co-ed. Bring your skills,
your sneaks, your balls, and your health insurance) down to the Marshall High courts in Los Feliz. 4pm on Sunday."

This goes for everyone, even if they're not in LA. When was the last time you played a pick-up game in a school yard with your friends? Remember how fun it was? Remember that torn ACL you got? Basketball, softball, kickball, soccer, whatevah - just go it!

Marshall High in the Movies

A Year of Dirt

That's right, kittens. It's been one year since I lay poolside at the Mondrian (bad service, no wastebaskets, curdled milk for the coffee) and watch a topless porn star smear white goo all over her FFF breasts and dare you to call her a hooker. And such a lot of dirt has come to pass since then.

Here's why I'm thankful for The Dirt Alert:

- It's Fo' Free.
- It's made me realize how lucky, indeed, I am.
- It made some of my peeps see the Dirt in their days as well.
- It has turned into a diary of my life for a year.
- Unexpected added bonus: It's made me a better writer.

It's so hard to pick a favorite Alert. I liked the one about the soccer game I played in Oz, where that chick with the broken shoe scored a goal with a header. Lots of people liked the one about me cracking my skull at work, because it told them about cheeep health insurance. Bruce liked Miss American Pi. I really liked all the Guest Dirt. What can I say? There's a lot to love.

So I was gonna shut it down today, after A Year of Dirt, but the Mayor convinced me to keep it going. That means: If it gets repetitive or boring, it's his fault. Also, I've decided that this year, the theme is not gonna be I'm Broke And I Have the Best Life. It's gonna be I'm Loaded And I Have The Best Life (And Still I Get Stuff Fo' Free).

Represent, mothafuckers!

Now I'm gonna go eat cake.

The Best Web Site Ever

The Only Two Reasons To Leave Surf City

Answer: Heather and Tim's party, and Eileen's party.

Yes, I dragged my sunburned self back over to the East Side just for them, and I can tell you it was worth it. It always is - they're a couple of the best parties of the summer. I ran around in a cute dress with a jar of homemade pineapple vodka hooch and we made fizzy drinks with mint in them and it was warm out and I swear that every single person in Los Angeles was going to a party that night. How do I know? Cause when I stopped at a store for tonic water, everyone in line was in cool outfits and clutching bottles of something.

After all the fiesta-ing, I drove myself back to the West Side so I could wake up and ride a beach cruiser to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, meet friends for breakfast outside, buy fresh lavender, ride the bike back along the boardwalk, sunbathe on the beach with a book, go for a swim, and chill with the cat. West Side livin'. As P. Diddy says,, we could do this every weekend.

Props again to da Mayor for flying in for the fiesta, cause that's what a mayor does. And here's a vodka pineapple recipe, but I want you to know that I made up the drinks I brought myself.

Pineapple Vodka Mmm!

My Weekend Beach Pad, Fo' Free

Big props to Johnny P. and Sooo for going out of town this weekend (Happy Bday Sooo!) and leaving me their cute little Venice Beach pad. Dudes, I am two blocks from the beach. That means, two blocks from the surf. Which is what I did this AM, with Miss Eileen, who came over early and rocked the surf with me for a couple hours. And I didn't even have to drive - just had to tumble out of bed. THAT is what I am talking about. Plus, my beach pad comes with a cat, Izzi, who just lays in the sun all day, stretching.

Now Izzi and I are lounging around a bit before I go off to meet my West Side Girls, Teresa, Miss Matilda and Josephine (we're the Terribly Old-Fashioned Names Posse, apparently) at Moonshadows, this outdoor Malibu beach bar, for burgers and perhaps a beer in the middle of the day. This is the good life, and special shouts out to my Aussie Posse, who especially know what I'm talking about.

Bare feet, sand in your hair, saltwater in your ears... it's summer in LA, people. Get ye to the beach. Or make friends with West Siders who go out of town. Cause it's - what? that's right - fo' free. Now if I could just convince all my friends to move to the West Side.


Surfrider Surf Report

Beer in the Middle of the Day

That's what it's really all about, right? Sitting outside with your friends on a lovely afternoon (perhaps right after you've finished a script you've been working on for 8 months). Drinking a beer, taking in the Los Feliz Street Fair, realizing that you live in the best hood ever (and that you never have to have another midnight script meeting at House of Pies again). Yelling out to more friends who just happen to be passing by (and not having your phone ring about just one more teeny change). Just kickin' it, fo' cheep. (Which is good until the script sells and pays us all big - in'shalla).

I love summer.

Los Feliz Street Fair

Miss American Pi

So now I know why Pi always gave us so much shit during our American Idol viewing parties. She had her CD release fiesta last night, so the Posse posse'd up and went to Tangier to hear her sing, and it was fantastic. (Even before my two beers and one gin and tonic.) We all felt so proud, cause the girl's got pipes, and how fun is it when your friends are so talented?

YAY PI! You're my American Idol.

Pi's Trax on iTunes