For Immediate Release:

You are invited to the first art night by galleryjoao on Thursday October 4th 2007 at the Beaumont Studios in Vancouver, BC. 316 West 5th Avenue @ Alberta. 7pm

galleryjoao is profiling Marc Tyson Ewert.

Marc Tyson Ewert, Artist

Ewert uses a modern sense of design influenced by his Heltsuk First Nations heritage. He draws from elements of traditional First Nations art and culture as well as his Bulgarian heritage, combining these with pop culture references and social, historical, and political themes. Ewert's cross-cultural approach and melding of the customary and the contemporary, the old and the new, including the use of symbols in propaganda, result in works which often challenge pre-conceived societal notions. Among Ewert's future work, he will explore functional furniture art.

Ewert attended the Arts and Merchandising and Fine Arts programs at Langara College in the '90's to develop the creative skills that he began in high school. He has previously shown his work locally at the Yaletown Brewing Pub, 2006; Studio 88 Gallery, 2005; the Stanley Theatre Gallery Auction and the Andre Emile Gallery, 2002; as well as the Millennium Art Gallery, Fraser River Art Gallery, and Marion Scott Gallery. He has also shown his work internationally at the South Hampton Gallery in New York City.

galleryjoão

galleryjoão’s mission is to promote and facilitate the careers of multi-disciplined emerging and mid-career artists whose work is somehow rooted in the figurative while exploring cultures – whether they be ethnic, gendered, political; the culture of language or the culture of landscapes. Above all else, galleryjoão will be a dynamic space. A space to promote dialogue – between artist and audience, artist and society, me and you. www.galleryjoao.com info@galleryjoao.com

Camping - the good, bad and the ugly

Here's some photos of Beautiful BC on the August long weekend (top-beachfire, middle-the lake off Kilby beach campsite, bottom-Chehalis River: all in and around Harrison) when me and 2 of my galpals went camping. There was languishing in the sun, eggs made in pots, coffee brewed on propane (thank god for my Italian stove-top espresso maker), loads of laughter, sexual secrets revealed, friendly individuals who gave us directions, campsites, and firewood...and even a singalong!

There was also a crapload of mosquitos, girl-on-girl bickering over lost sleep and little patience, and the fact that we all feared for our lives on the Friday night when we were treated to a full-on onslaught of adolecent testosterone. They were really more like chained primates who for the first time were being let out of their cage - yelping and screaming until 3am - chainsaws giving way to illegal and dangerously large fires...sounds of retching vomit and loud indiscernable thumping bass coming out of their honky-tonk vehicles. I kept having visions of our ax being used against us to chop us up into little pieces and I'm sure everyone else in the campsite felt much the same - as no one, not one grown man or worried mother said anything to any of these kids - except my brave friend who went to try to reason with those on our side of the river to get them to quiet down and not egg on the more crazy ones across the river at the illegal site with the illegal fire. They were reasonable but continued to play their music for what seemed like an eternity - thank god I was a bit sedated with the bottle of wine that I had consumed.

This of course incited a mantra of hatred towards said individuals (needless to say we promptly left the campsite the next morning) and we had many messages we would have loved to give them and to whoever raised these children (actually in their early 20s I'm sure, but who clearly should not be allowed to actually go out and co-habitate in public, so therefore, children) ...something like:

'We're sorry your son did not make it home from his camping trip this weekend - we murdered him...rest assured that it was totally justifiable and we would recommend that if you have any other children exhibiting the same behaviour, that you cut their life short by doing the same'. That's not very Buddhist of me, is it? Well...it's probably best that karma get them in the end - karma is a bitch.

Rouge - really?

SOOOOO....apparently I was at Vancouver's premier event of the year (last years invite is the image as I could find no suitable pics available on the net and as we know, no pics of myself at the event will be posted) - the place to see and be seen....be treated like a VIP and experience a very unique event experience - "better than in years before" - the 6th annual Rouge party at Robson Square- an event that gets out the film industry glitterati and wanna-be's strutting their stuff for the Malcolm Perry's of this world.

The Straight published this blurb about the event on Thursday:

Industry types paint the town rouge
Movie Notes By Craig Takeuchi
Publish Date: July 19, 2007
A who's who of the local film industry will transform the Robson Square skating rink into a major networking event. The fifth annual installment of Rouge will feature a bevy of hosts, including actors Babz Chula, Jay Brazeau, Joely Collins, Suleka Mathew, and Gabrielle Miller; creative director Helen duToit and Canadian Images programmer Terry McEvoy from the Vancouver International Film Festival; Whistler Film Festival director Shauna Hardy Mishaw; Brightlight Pictures producers Stephen Hegyes and Shawn Williamson; BC Film Commissioner Susan Croome; Insight Film Studios CEO Kirk Shaw; Leo Awards president Walter Daroshin; media personality Terry David Mulligan; Urban Rush hosts Michael Eckford and Fiona Forbes; and numerous other producers, directors, writers, and industry figures.

I wonder where the press get their attendee lists? Not that I was really looking, but I did not see over half of the people mentioned above....I know for a fact Babz was at her soon to be daughter-in-laws/my good friends engagement party in Montreal...although Gabrielle did look fetching in her gold mini dress and Joely looked equally fab in her new bob and engagement ring...my "date" who was there to network, see and be seen, introduced us.

Now don't get me wrong, I was a teeny bit excited to see Will from Will and Grace, but really - does a Eric McCormack sighting make up for the fact that the dj was worse than a MuchMusic highschool dance party circa 1988, (Please lord, tell me there was some mix up or last minute replacement because no self-respecting Celebrities dj -as advertised-would have spun out the schlock we had to hear before the final hour when a tired but danceable top 40 line-up finally hit the airwaves) the balloon arches reminded my friend of a 1980s wedding he attended and the canapes looked as tired as the bar staff? They were generally overwhelmed and unable to deal with the meandering undulating line-up of desperate party-goers hungry for something to make their surroundings look better - myself included. And those teeny-tiny plastic wine cups? Seriously???? come on...this is the creme de la creme of the Vancouver film scene right? and we can't rent glassware??? or at least have nice throw-away cups? There may be people here from elsewhere - LA....or gasp! - Toronto! and this is what we got to give? That....and a really lame slide show of Rouge years past flashing before us on giant screens in the corners...the couches looked old...and the bathrooms - I suppose those could not be helped due to venue...but more could have been done...Although I love, love, loved the hoola-hoop girl - she was working it - shout out!!!!

Gotta say for $10 less, the All-White Party I attended in June had better food, better music, a better venue and better glassware!!! http://www.jetsetcrew.com/ and they didn't start out as real career-minded party planners...some of those organizers were there - wonder what they thought?

Thing is, I have heard nothing but great things about the event planners Richards and Chan - http://www.richardsandchan.com/ who certainly look they they put on good parties, are respected in their field and I am all about the fellow sistahs as entrepreneurs....so I blame the rain....something must have short circuited the party...lines were crossed, colour combos were replaced...dj's were temporarily 'auditorally' challenged....and noone was told that they should not show up to the party as they would otherwise show up to set --- i.e. in runners, dirty t-shirt and jeans - really - would it kill you to dress up once - it is night time-huh?

Thank god for being there with a group of people I enjoy most heartilly as that can make any situation fun...even the one that begins with "So?....what are you doing now?"...at times a painful and soul-searching question for the used to be full-time, now very part-time actor....but I had an A-list comeback...."Actually, soon I'm opening my own gallery - hope to see you there!" (insert giant Hollywood smile here ;-)

"Right now, you like me!"

OK - it's just a little post - the Sally Field reference is a bit over the top...but it's cool to be acknowledged by someone you don't know. Just goes to show you what your Mom taught you was right - be nice to others and they will be nice to you! Thanx Erin @ bridalwave!

So this is a little shout out from a shout out to http://www.thebridalwave.blogspot.com/ - who posted a bit of my rant on weddings - "The News" (posted July 3rd, below) on their own blog about everything 'weddings' and how to survive them - July 13th.

Once I digest the masses of food consumed at the Croatian Catholic wedding and bridal shower brunch events I went to this weekend, I will perhaps post about those...

Tattoos on the right guy...

Tattoos on the right guy are hot...even if it's not what you're into...even if you would never get one yourself (I have 2, thinking of a third)...tattoos on the right guy may inspire lust where there was none. Chances are they already have the right slate to begin with - cause tattoos on a less than inspiring body may inspire ickiness or just out right grossness - making your mind automatically race to the image of a jailed-lifer-up-for-parole.

If you want to show off the skin upon which you have said tatoo - it should be taut or sinewy or muscular on a guy - depending on your tastes...but it should make the mouth water ever so slightly...and the bigger the better...if you can rock the giant tatoo and still look like you haven't become one of those crazed tatoo freaks who are profiled on the Showcase Network- then I salute you...and I may even ask for your number.

Beckham is one of those, so is the tatooed man I've been spending some time with lately...I'm not posting his pic, but go ahead and lick your lips at these above...and don't tell me you wouldn't. Courtesy of W Magazine via http://www.laineygossip.com/.

The "News".

You know what it's about - you can hear it in their feigned nonchalant yet at the same time exuberant voice:

---" I have nnnnnuuueeewwwzzzz - call me!"

I am getting more and more of these calls - girlfriends with "news"...ahhhhaaa....Well, let's see -

Did you buy a fabulous new pair of shoes?

Get that job/part/position you've always wanted?

Are you travelling some place exotic or cutting your hair really short?

Getting a boob job/starting a fitness regime/getting that tatoo?

Redecorating your apartment/buying a house/moving to another city?

No. No, you are not. What you are doing - is getting married. Your news is that you are GETTING MARRIED. That is the News ...and it is good news - don't get me wrong...love weddings...luv them. In fact, been married - probably in the neighbourhood of ....oh let's say 400 or so times to about 8 or 9 different grooms ...Yep - been there....ooohhh ya. Done that -

IN PRETEND TONY'N'TINA'S LAND!!! www.hoarseraven.com/tony_n_tinas circa '96/'97. When we could all laugh along to the bridezilla and familial stereotypes that we all played out together ...but now those stereotypes are being lived out - albeit downplayed a wee bit and I gotta say that black for bridesmaids is pretty A-list....And I loooove my friends - especially this one. And really, was not ever one of those girls who HAD TO or PLANNED TO be married -with children (not sure I even want to have those) by a certain age...or ever! nop, not me...NE-VER! But you can't help but feel a teensy bit inferior - yes, inferior and shitty. Shitty that you are once again the guest and not the guest of honour. Shitty that another someone you know and love has found the 'one' and you barely know what the 'one' should look like...inferior in that everyone, everywhere has somehow found their way to this archaic and yet still very much sought after 'right of passage'...and you - you have not.

And you cajole yourself with platitudes that when they come along, it will be all that much sweeter, that at least you are persuing other avenues in life that are much more interesting and passion-driven than planning a wedding could ever be....and that you are way better off single - (insert diva air snap here) but what pisses me off the most is that I actually do believe that...I've always believed that. But when confronted with a marriage to witness (or many marriages this year) and applaud - it's hard to - say, perhaps plan an equally socially validating party for all your other life's pursuits - and no, birthdays don't count, everyone has those.

You can't register for the next stage of your life if it doesn't involve a piece of paper legally binding you to someone else - can you? Can you? Can I throw a party for embarking on a new adventure - my own business? Can I have flowers and music and gifts for that?...I'm sure that unless "the one" comes with a title like Baron or Duke or has scads of family money that I won't be doing anything even vaguely wedding-esque - even if we do decide to make it legal. In fact, yesterday I decided there will be no bridesmaids at all! Nop girls - sorry. If someone needs to sign something - that'll be my mom. We'll just show up one day and have done it ...and there'll be some sort of party with mixed CD's by D+G...K+A may sing a song, P may do a reading -perhaps of this post --- and we'll laugh and laugh and sigh - and then we'll all dance and eat - lots of food, seafood and an open bar

- Sidebar: what's with the no open bar at weddings people?!! I came, I got dressed up, I bought a gift, maybe 2...you provide me with booze - got it?

Ok, enough, I'm a little bitter and a little sweet today ...still sweet?...maybe tomorrow I will be more of my matter-of-fact self ;-)

Congratulations! A+D, E+M, J+P!!!

The Astounding Logic of the Male

All manner of talk to your girlfriends about a certain situation will never match the astounding logic of telling the same story to a male friend and getting their feedback...sometimes it's so out there in its simple, logical reasoning that it throws you for a loop! You think, it can't possibly be THAT simple - can it? But the truth is that it can be and when you go ahead and test this logic, you find out that it actually IS that simple. You were overthinking, overcomplicating, overcompensating and had overwhelmed your brain with all sorts of societal and personal precepts - that all you could see was the impending storm and not the fabulous summer that is predicted.

With that thought, I wish all a simply fabulous weekend -even though 'real-weather-wise' we are plauged with yet another rainy-mixed weekend not at all living up to the June of last year...when I alreay had a summery glow by this point...oh well will just have to purchase any one of those fake bronzers/moisterizers on the market these days to look great in my white dress tomorrow!

Killing it!

The Summer Party

What smells of summer more than tennis and polo?

Granted I am not enamoured of either pastime, but I'm willing to see who is and pay $50 to do so...especailly if there's a free drink and plenty of food included, not to mention entertainment - and I'm not talking about the music roster...but the parade of skin and bronzer that will no doubt accompany this event. Not as cool as spying Hollywood stars at the Vanity Fair party as I did earlier this year...but just as cheesy.

If there's something I admire its original party planning in the City of Vancouver - http://www.blogger.com/www.jetsetcrew.com where you usually have to be in the know or be part of some niche group in order to experience any real cool event in the City. While Toronto basks in the glory of hosting the largest arts festival in North America this summer, www.luminato.com/ and already boasts a litany of multi-day festivals that block major streets and bring out the mulit-cultural masses, Vancouver tries to decide whether or not it should hold the Fireworks Festival again. All the while making sure noone should dare compliment the experience with a bottle of white - things might get out of hand. I remember marvelling at the mixture of precision and laissez-faire attitude that Toronto's summer festivals were run by - major streets for blocks on end closed to traffic for days...with nary a complaint - enjoyment for the whole family! And here we're applauding the addition of one more day to the Car-Free Festival on Commercial Drive! :-O Wooohooo! http://www.blogger.com/www.thedrive.ca/eventdrivefest.shtm

How the hell are we going to hold the Olympics? While New Yokers encourage the picnic-going public to bring their best bottle of pinot to the park http://www.blogger.com/www.bryantpark.org - Vancouverites are strip searched at the skytrain station before heading down to our internationally-enviable beachfront. In case you have not noticed - I like a nice beverage - and yes, my event doesn't really compare to a festival in a park...but it all relates back to summer...the freedom to enjoy your socializing outdoors - and what accompanies that better than a festive spritzer?

So, yes it is technically behind a gated archway on a manicured lawn at Gabriola Mansion on Davie Street but I am excited for my private party being held on public - or in this case a semi-public venue where you can sip cocktails to your hearts content...no one is going to 'throw one down' and if they do I'd love to see the tennis rackets swinging out against the cricket mallets!

Celebrating Lusitania cont....and then there's football

Stop!

Don't even talk to me - just enjoy!

Celebrating Lusitania!

SOOooo it is Portuguese Heritage Month with a slew of events happening all over the city if you are in the know...and I am...being a member of the Portuguese Benevolent Society and their 'youth' group. Finally wanting to give back to my culture literally: http://portugueseheritagemonth.com. I recommend the music nights at the Cellar Jazz Bar - http://www.cellarjazz.com/.
Music, readings, film, and other festivities - something for everyone.

Here are some fast facts and tidbits on the generally lesser know Iberian nation:

-Portuguese is the 6th most spoken language in the world behind Mandarin, Hindi, English, Spanish and Bengali...the teeny-tiny Iberian country may be small but its reach was once world-wide with colonies and settlements all over the world - most notably in Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Macao, East Timor, Sao Tome and Principe and Goa.

-The Portuguese gave Japan tempura and thank-you: Obrigado = Arigato

-We gave the English their tea-time courtesy of marriage into Portuguese royalty. Of course 3 meals a day are not enough!!!

-We actually 'discovered' India, albeit a little later than Columbus ;-) in 1524 by Vasco da Gama

-I once heard a non-Lusitanian at a dinner party answer the question - 'What exactly is portuguese cuisine?' -- 'Give a portuguese woman a cut of meat to marinate and cook, and it's like an orgasm in your mouth!'

-But if you're not satisfied with that explanation some signature dishes are chicken piri-piri, (made popular in Canada by the Nando's Chicken chains) barbequed sardines, (believe me you have to try them at least once) all manner of cod dishes, and of course many egg and almond based sweets that melt in your mouth...showing influences from our arabic neighbours.

the art of seeming busy OR "Excuse me, I believe you have my stapler?"

Gotta say...it's not as easy as it looks. To seem to be working on your work-work (that for which you get a monthly paycheque) and actually be surfing the various sites supporting your newest personal project or all those detailing a blow-by-blow description of Paris Hilton's ins-and-outs from prison. I've also been idly surfing my text messages and getting rid of old ones...checking my hotmail inbox incessently, listening to my old voicemails and finally posting to my blog again! All the aforementioned activities are especially hard to do when you share a small, often humid office with 2 other people. Cause you cannot (or at least I feel I cannot) work fully on your personal administration just in case someone quickly comes over to look at what you are doing (especially if that someone is the boss) or scans your screen as they get up to go to the bathroom...it's ok to idly be looking at gossip websites (or in the case of my office mates the cbc news or the latest conspiracy run amock in Germany) every once in a while to take a break from work-work, but to actually be working on something else seems wrong - would be perceived as wrong.

So the day invariably ends up being wasteful - for you and the company you work for...you get lazy - cause you're bored and end up neither creating more work-work projects or doing the many on your own personal to-do list when you get home, as you are literally exhausted from all the time wasting you did that day.

This week I have been doing a boatload of wasting time. Really, I have done all the work-work I can, even extra stuff. Is it my fault that there is no work for me to do at the moment? I think not. Shouldn't that be a manager's problem? I am really a responsible person and very conscientious - but I actually don't feel all that bad about all the time wasting I have accomplished. There! That's it! It IS an accomplishment - phew! I have not been wasting my time...I have simply been propogating the office environment - to break the continuum with the admission of time wasting would help no one. THANK GOD! 2.5 hours and counting to the weekend...

Dear Diary...It's been six weeks since my last post

Since I know there are only a handfull of you that may or may not check my bloggings goings-ons...I do not feel so bad...I have been busy....sort of ...and lazy...a wee bit. But let's see... I have been up to a lot!

I have had a career epiphany - going into business for myself - eventually...another 30th birthday...almost went to Turkey...recommitted to continue to explore the lotus sutra...and basically been very busy being A-list and killing it!

So really, a lot to report on but where to begin...maybe just with some fresh flowers.

What I want for my birthday...gift certificate please!

Here it is ladies....make it happen - the Miraj Hammam Spa...Victoria day weekend, preferably the Friday. Take me back to La Mosque in Paris and that hole in the wall in Rabat...not to mention the Russain Banyas in North York, Ontario...nothing like a good scrub down in nothing but your birthday suit.

Spring Cleaning

So, it’s about that time where I totally reconfigure the entire apartment, thereby welcoming new energy into my life – right? I do this about 2 or 3 times a year. For me, looking at things from a fresh perspective includes cleaning out the dust bunnies literally and figuratively. Currently, I am stuck mid-clean. Could be psycho-somatic…I am currently stuck in life; therefore being stuck with my home decorating makes sense.

I am looking for something new, not sure what that is quite yet…so I am getting my feet wet in various arenas (speaking of arenas – saw 5 episodes of Season 1 of HBO’s Rome this weekend – highly recommend)….auditioning again…researching some different avenues, questioning friends and colleagues and generally trying to be open to change and pick up on signals. You just have to get out of your own way and then the world is your oyster right? Right.

The All-American evening out

Dinner and a movie.
Dinner at a restaurant that looks like a club frequented by teenagers who are not able to get into clubs...
Large megaplexes with no character and overpriced beyond oblivion (does that make sense?...i.e. really overpriced!!) popcorn and other snacks... Both will be packed, both are doing extremely well...mmmm...go figure. I like hole in the wall kind of places, the latest foodie joints and eclectic entertainment...but if you're gonna cheese it up - you may as well go the whole way!

Both will likely host me+friends this evening in full prowl mode - teenagers need not apply.

I know! Channel the Cruz...the other Cruz!

Ahhhh....Penelope. Look at her wave just like Eva Peron..."do not cry for me - I am just happy to have worked with my mentor once again - Pedro makes me so happy...so happy that I will sign autographs for you - the people, my fans...feast your eyes on my beautiful awe-inspiring Sophia Lorenesque decollete...yes, they are marvellous, non?"

"They are what kept me going when I was with Tom and they are what keep me going now with the rumours that I am with Orlando, please - I will not speak of it...he is like a child to me, a child...I rock him to sleep in my bosom each night. At least he does bathe...unlike Matthew...he was much too comfortable with odour - any kind of odour...ohhhh, those were heady times. But I must go, now...I hope I have made you feel better as you - the people have helped me in my work...channelling the ordinary life - I thank you. Gracias. Gracias."

Ah, yes my non-latino latina...my fellow Iberian - we are so similar. And yet not...but you have cheered me and I will channel you as an inspiration tomorrow...perhaps because we are the same age...perhaps because we are both inspired by Pedro - Talk to Her is one of my all-time favourite movies...and who doesn't love watching Antonio Banderas in a little man-on-man action from time to time...when his butt-cheeks rivaled her bosom?

Gracias, PENELOPE, gracias.

the doldrums of constant wetness

So I know we live in the only temperate rain forest in the entire world, but seriously! Seriously! This is getting to be a bit much...I am really surprised that west coast dwellers have not grown gills as of yet. Personally, I always wear a scarf in such weather thereby keeping my neck several degrees warmer than the rest of my body and much drier just in case.

It's making me bitchy...I know as I am saying - 'What do you want me to do about that?' to a co-worker, that I am being bitchy...but it's like the words are escaping from my mouth before I can stop them. I blame the rain, the incessant, constant pounding, forming ponds and rivers on our ashphalt landscape and creating bogs and lakes in our parks and forests.

Yes, I realize that is why it remains so green and verdant even in the increasingly dry-due-to-global-warming summer months, but just how much is one supposed to endure!!! And sorry, but the Wednesday/Thursday half-day respite this week just didn't do it for me...I stopped me from killing myself, yes, but it did not permanently lift the spirits...how is one supposed to work under these conditions..sitting at my desk sifting through academia? How am I supposed to invite in creative inspiration for my audition tomorrow with this soggy blanket hanging over my head???

An Ode to Dri

There are those people that always stay with you ...that are so obscenely talented and wise beyond their years...that are so generous of spirit that you cannot help but be a better person through knowing them. When these same people are also self-effacing, intelligent, funny, spiritual, able to kill it on a dance floor and pick you up from one when you fall down...these are great friends.

So Dri, can't wait until tonight - it's been too long.

xo

mo.

LA #3...and scene.

Sooo nothing makes you forget a great getaway like this giant sheet of grey we've got covering us and smothering us right here in good ol' VAN. LA now seems like a distant dream...and yet I feel obliged to finish off my travelogue..so let me use bullet points:

• Sunday was hard...A hangover and the start of my transformation into Will Smith from Hitch - but we made it to the Alley -teeming with populace and kinda scary if you're not used to crowds...I was not going away empty handed and 2 pairs of Dior knock-offs made it into my possession for $10!
  
  
• A cruise in our ride for the weekend (our Chevy Malibu in grandfather tan...provided by I's sister as a birthday gift to I-- and me here thinking I could do LA without a car...well, I could have but it would have been a very different trip where no heels would have been permitted and I never travel without heels) through the Hollywood hills, along Mulholland Drive and out past the Beverly Hills Hotel and then over to Whole Foods to stock up on our Oscar meal and snacks...do not get the crab dip there!
  
  
• Watched the pre-show and show at home...and frankly not only do I blame my cold and the unwashed masses of the Alley for my eye infection but the longest Oscar telecast in the history of my watching the Oscars...no wonder puss started ooozzzing out of my eye!
  
  
• Nothing could stop me from trying to spy the stars though so we zipped up and headed to the Vanity Fair party with cameras in hand - at the right is my best handywork although my friend did get a great one of Penelope Cruz and her cleavage! SEND ME THE PIC!!!! Others who came over to sign and shake hands were random B-C list film and TV stars and- JLo and Marc - I guess the latino contingent wants to keep it real, heh? or at least act like they are...and I know, I know, Penelope is not latino, or from Mexico for that matter...neither am I...but it helps to racial profile sometimes;-)
  
  
• Monday was LA highway day - avoiding a five-car pile-up in the merging lane thanx to I having 'both hands on the wheel' ...we arrived at the Getty to find it closed!!!!! Yes, closed. Ok, it does say that they are closed on Mondays on their website, but it is not by any means obvious! so.....they have the Getty Villa in Malibu for the losers like us who do not pay attention to the fine print - which is like a roman villa with outdoor greek and roman sculpture and some travelling exhibits. OK, my museum fix was somewhat satisfied...and they had an exhibit on Tunisian Mosaics. I happen to like the medium given my people also make a mean mosaic.



• Santa Monica for window shopping, lunch, Fred Segals, and a walk along the beachfront including Venice Beach where I managed to get a last minute pair of white pumps the likes of which I have been looking for and coveting for a while now...with the peekaboo crochet on the side....will obviously have to wait a while before I trott them out in Vancouver.



• Anyhow....we returned the Malibu and gas ended up being $8 US each WTF??? Crazy, I know, I swear if it wasn't for the plane ticket this trip was almost free!



• Thanx to my friends for hosting, I for the itinerary and Holloywood for being so Hoff!!! ooooo - I took a picture on top of David HasselHoff...in a drunken orgasmic daze...lying down on Hollywood Boulevard....I know, kinda gross...not gonna post it, wouldn't be prudent...Johnny Depp was close by though for good measure.



• AND SCENE.

LA -part deux...and there's still more!?!

Soooo Koi was foodie heaven!!! deep fried soft-shell crab, tuna sashimi to die for, sauteed eggplant extraordinaire!! It was all good and so was my wine - no idea what kind..(we all took turns buying rounds) but let me tell you it was waaaayyy over the usual piddly 6-8oz pour you get here. My friends martini was overflowing, but that's OK, 'cause at Koi an unobtrusive staff member wisks in and wipes up the mess at your feet and you don't even notice - like a stagehand changing a set (both dressed in barely visible all-black uniform). Great food, great conversation and some of my favourite people in the world to share it with - definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

Off to the Marmont, where due to I cancelling our reso and the fact that they were still seating dinner at 12:30am - we were denied!! Fine, was not to be....next time maybe...we also had invites to a birthday gathering that provided the desert for the evening - these cupcakes were so good G had to take the address label off the cupcake box for future reference...large ceilings - looked like a brewery - dark leather...packed...my memories are getting fuzzy at this stage but I do know we did not stay long...and off to our random club it was...hopped in another taxi and we thought he was taking us for a ride but it was probably that the streets were all closed around the Kodak...upon arrival, we were greeted as the 'Canadians', got VIP wristbands slapped on us and were shuttled up some stairs inside - here's the DL on the club:

Montmartre Lounge/Day After

Since opening in November 2004 with a secret show by The Killers, this sleek, modern boite has become a playground for young Hollywood pros and the celebrities they worship.Established in 1922, Montmartre Café is supposedly where the term "see and be seen" was coined. That motto still holds true for today's Montmartre Lounge, home to Leonardo DiCaprio's Aviator premiere party, Alicia Keys' Grammy after-party and more. Though the multi-roomed playpen is located on the opposite corner of the Hollywood & Highland complex, the Montmartre Lounge is hard to find: The front entrance is completely blacked out and the sign is an "ML" painted on the small, white awning. (Enter around the corner on Highland Avenue and climb the spectacular staircase to get inside.) Even on the colorful, candlelit balcony, which serves as an outdoor lounge and the path inside, the hustle and bustle of Hollywood Boulevard already feels miles away. Two lounges are decorated with brown velour couches, a VIP section is outfitted with white vinyl seats. On the large dance floor we once spied Efren Ramirez, who played Pedro in Napoleon Dynamite, showing off his theatrical dance moves to 50 Cent. —Alexandra Le Tellier

SO, basically we killed it!!! Again, planning in advance pays...a little e-mail to the promoters list to say we were down for the Oscars, and voila! No stars to spy...and the crowd was quite young but the music was A-list and we shook until the lights came up! ....and then...more food of course - to soak up the alcohol at the jewish deli - Canter's on Fairfax around the corner from our friends place in west Hollywood where I gave a resounding performance of a dolphin or was it a seal on crack...caught for posterity on I's video feature on the digital camera...it cracks me up every time I see it - you had to be there, I guess.

It's a Wrap!!

I and I slaughtered LA!!! Our itinerary was jamm-packed and damned if we didn't do almost all of it - and me with a puss-filled eye (Yes, by Sunday my cold had mutated into my eye with an infection - that or I caught some bacteria amongst all the humanity shopping at the Alley - more on that later)...still recovering from the cold but boy was Saturday night worth the Sunday hang-over.

I arrived in LA with a bang-literally! We got rear-ended on the highway on the way back to my friends place - small tap, all things considered but I was not thrilled as I was squished into the back seat - HELLO! and welcome to LA. The Standard Hotel in Hollywood, after some introductory champagne to calm the gitters (this was to become a theme) and a quick change was our one-stop for Friday night at midnight...shared their world-famous burger and a bottle of Veuve - way cheaper in LA and boy do American's do a stiff pour - as we would find out the next night. The waiter was super-cute and super vacant just as I imagined LA would be ;-)

Saturday morning started with my stocking up on my Victoria Secret lipglosses and a stroll around the Grove Mall with a Starbucks...gotta say disappointed in Anthropologie - the only other store there I wanted to check out -- guess it's been copied and done to death. Back to home base and I arrived --- out for the Oscar red carpet walk-about...many pictures were taken...and I spotted Lainey and the CTV crew on a break!!! My friends said we had to say hi - Hello, it being my idea to stalk her at the Roosevelt Hotel (we left our cards and a copy of our itinerary with all my notes on the outfits I planned to wear) where she and the rest of the crew were staying -and all of a sudden I get all nervous - like what a silly idea actually saying hello and thank you for saving me from hours of drudgery and toil with my daily gossip fix pick-me-up...WTF??? Me, nervous?? But I decided - we did have to say hello and we doubled back for some pics, intros to the crew and Tanya Kim...and a bit of gossip - of course I did most of the talking...as only she can, managing to get in that she just flew in from set on Friday - killing it! and Lainey promised to give us a call after she was wrapped.

Fully satisfied I had accomplished my only stalking goal -- (see my last post, below) we wandered over to Rodeo Drive and marvelled at all the money and cheese on display - Gucci, Prada, and Coach to name a few stores we visited and drooled over. I was confused as to why a potato-sack-like dress one could get at Old Navy was over $1900.00 - I explained "It's Prada" with the appropriate disdain one has for the fashion-ignorant suffusing my tone. Our friend was running low on blood-sugar even after our A-list lattes from Urth Cafe...good thing we had a 5pm reso at the Peninsula Hotel for high tea. Not that we saw any stars...although I kept insisting that some loser with bad hair and his collar up was Patrick Dempsey. I am sure he wished he was due to the amount of times he passed back and forth between the bathrooms and the bar. Gotta say pretty sweet deal for the high tea experience - $24 gets you all the finger sandwiches and pastries you would ever want along with fantastically aromatic tea (see pic above) I got the Russian Caravan although the majority of our party opted for the Belvedere house blend.

Off for a rest and shower and pre-drinks before deciding to forego the reso at Chateau Marmont for the reso at Koi, seeing as In Style Magazine said it was the place to go pre-Oscar-Saturday...and I had some random vip-list after party lined up that I thought was at the Marmont but ended up being the Monte Martre (heehee)....Boy was Koi the right decision as there is nothing like by-passing a huge and envious line-up and sidling your way past the huge and menacing bouncer at the door to make your way into gastronomic heaven!!! There is something to be said for making reservations a month in advance.

-more post-LA tomorrow.

LA Itinerary:

Highlights will include: Burgers at the Standard on the Strip upon arrival; High-tea at the Peninsula Hotel; praying on the red carpet the day before and stalking Lainey at the Roosevelt Hotel across the street to see if we can get our photos onto her site; Chateau Marmont on the Saturday and invited to a birthday party; cruising Rodeo, the Grove, Santa Monica and Gallery Row; a hop to the Getty for my art fix and lunch at their resto and of course lunch at the Ivy - which will be a ghost town on the Monday when we plan to go as all the A-listers will have an Oscar hangover so chances are we will be the only A-list ladies there! ;-)

The moment we've all been waiting for...the Oscar goes to....and the actual Oscars pausing only during commercials for discussion of dresses and bad speeches...and stalking the Vanity Fair party apres.

Generally being fabulous and feisty!!! 29.5 hours to go!!!!

resto review

In case anyone is actually following my sometimes topical, sometimes stream of consciousness banter...I thought I would follow-up on a few promises:

First - a review of Crave Restaurant - Well we were there on Valentines night, and while the teeny tiny bar was packed on arrival, it was by no means couple-full - more groups like us.

(I was there first, after 20 minutes of trying to find parking - fyi - east side of Main Street there is under construction so no parking there...although my friends seem to have found parking very near no problem) I engaged in chit-chat with a lady who was taking herself out for a VD drink...and we were seated 20 minutes or so after our scheduled time - no problem as by that time the bar had cleared and we were content to catch up with our own chit-chat.

Shared appetizers of nachos and a tempura tuna roll - if I could have all my sushi deep-fried from now on - please and thank-you. The nachos were good, but not mouth-wateringly great. Then, still not content to limit myself to one entree - I shared the buttermilk chicken cobb salad and the ribs and fries with the birthday girl. Gotta say -both were great - especially the meat portions - and because I am definitely a 'salty' over 'sweet' anyday kind of girl - these were particularly satisfying. This was all accompanied by 2 bottles of Dragonfly? Dragonbull??? a very reasonably priced Australian Zin - which I will definitley look out for on our liquor store shelves in the future. Great pairing with our entree choices - full-bodied but not overwhelming...very heavy yet silky on the tongue with absolutely no aftertaste!

And the fact that I mention our waitress at the end is due to the fact that she was everything a waitress should be - attentive without being obtrusive; knowledgeable without being know-it-all and efficient without being crass - no one likes their plate cleared before they're done;-)

This was finished by some cupcakes we smuggled in - a Beaver Birthday tradition...and we waved goodbye with a rousing chorus of thank you's to the chef, Wayne Martin. Ushered out into the cold rainy night - full and sated - Happy Valentines Day indeed.

the 3-month or year cycle

I used to think my life ran in 3 year cycles of renewal - i.e. every 3 years new and marvelous things would happen to me - in my career mostly. IN '96 I got my first professional theatre gig...By 1999, I had booked several film gigs including a recurring role on a series...which was promptly cancelled after NBC f^$cked up their airing schedule putting the World Series between episodes 2 and 3, killing the chances of anyone remembering to actually watch the show even if they liked it. The writing was pretty good, and I am not just saying that - better than a lot of schlock on TV right now...but I do have fond memories of the current husband on Gilmore Girls tucking me into bed. I digress...

SOoooo, this only lasted 2 cycles, because in 2002 nothing extraordinary happened - I had moved to Toronto in 2001 hoping to continue my successful climb, but it got stunted instead as I exchanged my fabulous one-bedroom in Van and pretty secure day job for a walk-up with 2 roomates and a serving job....and the occastional gig at Second City did not seem to compensate.

Accordingly, this theory fell by the wayside, when I went back to school in 2003 and finally changed careers in 2004. (Those of you in the know, are aware that I am slowly but surely trying to work my way back into the "BIZ" with an audition here or there...as you can never kill the beast)

BUT, as I reflect on it now - one can say that 2005 saw me back on the cycle- as I got my first and pretty spot-on industry-wise job in my new industry (that of managing culture and heritage) and moved back to Vancouver. At first, the first 5 months especially, I thought this perhaps a very bad move - missing the hustle and bustle and friends of back east, but in hindsight I believe the move back has allowed me to grow and reevaluate life goals in ways that being busy keeping the wolves at the door would not.

I had that kind of weekend - reflective, reevaluative, renewing...so I signed up for eharmony - yes I am paying the psychological internet gurus to help me find a mate...I have paid more for worse things - they are hanging in the back of my closet, unworn.

This came about by accident really. Not having any plans on a Saturday night, seeing an advertisement on the side of a vehicle while shopping for groceries lead me to the website - knowing 2 other sane individuals who had tried it with moderate to very good success...so why not? 2 hours, 200 questions and my friend on the phone to help me fill out the 'how do your friends see you' questions...I'm in...when does the offer I sign up for end? Curiously 3 months from now on the very day of my birthday...also the deadline I have given myself for creating professional karma...Suddenly, I have a very good feeling about 3 again.

NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO

I just received some news that alters some plans, no big deal really, but it instantly changed my OK mood today into one of sullen darkness. When I have an idea in my mind of how things are going to go – they should go that way! I hate alterations in plans – especially when the other person was the one who insisted on painstakingly planning every moment of our trip. Now I am arriving alone – again no big deal. I have taken a ferry from Africa to Europe alone; slept in Italian overnight trains alone; strolled the streets of Paris alone and yet I was not supposed to arrive in LA alone! AAhhhrrggghhhh!

That is okay, said person may still make it and will meet me there. I will kill it with my friends with whom we are staying and have a fabulous time. But probably end up paying an arm and a leg for a taxi – alone. Petty thoughts really…in the grand scheme of things I am still going on a mini-break as Bridget would say…and that is all good.

It is time to go home and practice my chanting – NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO. Yes, the Buddhist phrase that is the answer to all things. Better get back to reading about Nichiren Daishonin and his practice. That will calm my irrational thoughts…yes, I am a sometimes practicing Buddhist – and lately I have gone back to chanting. Chanting is good. Must chant now…

Happy Valentines Day!

Here they are - my Valentines crushes - boys and a girl...ah Diego has always had a certain something for me too...but I would take either one, or both - together...ahhhemmm...apparently Valentines day is making me randy...and I just re-saw Dirty Dancing Havana Nights on the W network the other day (the first time was in a department store in Lisbon, yes a department store with a multi-plex). Actually - go out and see a dance movie today --- isn't that the ultimate way to celebrate Valentines? I love dance movies - Dirty Dancing (all time fav), Strictly Ballroom - played that soundtrack over and over! The recent Step Up was priceless - even that recent one with Antonio Banderas was good - why? Cause they make you feel good...and it always ends in a dance off for love! Except for maybe Saturday Night Fever - don't go see that one today...

And Eva Green - the dress, the body, the wild hair...and the talent...what I envy most is the talent...and the sex scenes with Daniel Craig...

Not buying anything for anyone - except my girlfriend - but it's her birthday - we're all going to Crave on Main Street - first time, I will report back..http://www.craveonmain.ca. I did just get some 'Dora the explorer' stickers from a co-worker...will decorate my agenda with them as I did in high school - or maybe I will hand one out to each of the ladies this evening.

A very close and long-term friend has lost her father recently 'You always think you have enough time' we don't - go out and tell those you love that you love them...

xoxo

thanx again to lainey's site for the photo sources

I was wondering what to go on about today as I have no big plans on the weekend, and I am looking forward to that, do not get me wrong - I am also looking forward to the digital cable at my parents house this weekend - a trip out to the ever diminishing Surrey estate is in order...

SO god bless www.laineygossip.com for showing me the way - Daniel Craig. Casino Royale should be nominated for Best Picture, I would say in place of The Departed - action flick for action flick it is the better picture. The Departed did star my other new found love - Leonardo DiCaprio, fully sealed when I saw Blood Diamond - a disturbingly graphic film...but damn he is hot in it!

and so is Craig...in a suit, in swim trunks, in casual khaki's -- ever since I saw him in Layer Cake, I have had an adult crush (defined here as girl crush in that teenage way that you know you will never have them - except now you add -- "in bed"@ the end just like Chinese fortune cookies) Never say Never (Again, another Bond film) because Daniel and I are going to be in the same city on the same day - doing the same thing - watching the Oscar's in LA!

Going to the VAG tonight www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

Pay by donation evening is now Tuesdays and not Thursdays. Not pleased to see that their Fuse events have gone up from $10 to $15 dollars. Hasn't Kathleen secured enough funding?

Going to see 2 photography exhibits that I have been waiting to check out - Fred Herzog - the prolific Vancouver photographer who saw the 'colour' of the everyday and everyman (personal interest and project research) and...Acting the Part: Photography as Theatre., 'one of the first exhibitions to explore the transformation and wide variety of staged photographs from the 19th century to the present. It includes nearly seventy photographic treasures.'

...should be good, couple those with a good ol' B.C. Binning retrospective (one of the first BC artists I ever researched at my stint at the VAG in '97) and it should be an evening of inspriration...also can't wait to the the Kyohei Sakaguchi photos that available for sale:

The work of Kyohei Sakaguchi, recently featured in NEXT: Kyohei Sakaguchi, examines the significance of non-traditional and informal architecture. In the past few years, he has documented an elaborate sub-culture of architecture that includes diverse types of temporary and semi-permanent houses built in public spaces by homeless persons utilizing scavenged materials.His photo-based book titled Zero Yen Houses, published in 2004 by Little More, Tokyo, is the first in Sakaguchi’s planned series of books documenting informal architecture. Describing the house featured in this Artist Edition, Sakaguchi wrote, “Although this one [house] resembles a Japanese restaurant, it is not open for business. A man lives alone in this house. The green plant and discarded public telephone help to further the atmosphere.”

I have been thinking of starting my art collection...

Mmmmm....art, an RRSP or another vacation this year?

Hurray for Hollywood!

20 days to the Oscars and I am going to be there!!!!!







Well in LA anyway...I will be star stalking at the Ivy, eating at the Standard, trolling West Hollywood with my latte in my lulu's...and throwing back martinits at the Chateau Marmont.
CAN NOT WAIT!!

Although I am told the place is a ghost town on that day cause everyone is busy primping and getting sewn into their dresses for the main event...that's ok, will go down to the red carpet the day before. My itineray will be announced soon...can't wait to go to the Getty...Melrose, Beverly Hills, and troll all the A-list vintage stores...suggestions are most welcome.