Guster:

• My friend had her gum taken away from her during the purse search prior to entering the theater (Wiltern). She even had to spit out the piece she was chewing.
• Yet the people in front of us managed to bring pot in.
• And the Nada Surf guitarist with dreds was smoking a cigarette on stage. While playing guitar. And while singing. He just bugged.
• And everyone was allowed to bring in ping pong balls to throw on stage during The Airport Song.
• But gum? God forbid you bring gum.
• I didn’t get carded at the bar. My friend pointed out that was perhaps because most underage kids wouldn’t be ordering a vodka tonic. Whatever.
• Nada Surf was eh.
• Guster was off; something just wasn’t right.
• The audience was very low key, and there seemed to be a lot of new fans who didn’t know many of the songs.
• Adam rocked the trumpet during Ruby Falls.
• Barely anyone did the counting with their fingers during Barrel of a Gun.

Weekend:

• My drive down to San Diego was uneventful, as was my drive back.
• My parents’ house looks absolutely fabulous.
• It will look even better once the sinks are in. Yep, we had to wash our face/brush our teeth using the bathtub. This is the closest our family has ever come to camping.
• The day of erev Yom Kippur, I frosted the sugar cookies I made up in LA. We took them to the break-the-fast the following day.
• During erev Yom Kippur dinner I embarrassed my sister by offering her opinion on a dicussion neither of us were paying any attention to. Fortunately, I was forgiven for doing so the next day in shul.
• I took my medicine (that helps keep the tonsils/glands swelling down) on Yom Kippur on an empty stomach. Not the best move. About ten minutes before the shofar blowing, I started dry heaving and had leave services.
• As always, it was a fun weekend, even sans sinks. I’m going to visit again sometime next month before my surgery so I can hang out and see the finished house.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

Thursday Night
Drinks at The Well with Esther et al. Read about it here.

Friday Night
Date number four with CL guy.

Saturday
Was at the salon entirely too early for a Saturday morning and got another inch cut and the color darker (love it!), then came home and slept.

That night, I met up with the girls to see the ASSSSCAT show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. So. Much. Fun. I love long form improv when it’s done well. Following the show we had a late dinner and drinks at Cheebo. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend it–it’s consistently good.

Sunday
Had an outing with my Little–we went for lunch then walked around the flea market at Fairfax and Melrose. We had a lot of fun looking at all the jewelry (and junk) and I told her she could spend $5 on whatever she wanted. Of course, she bought a pair of hugely oversized sunglasses. Blech.

Now it’s laundry and clean the apartment time. I so need a maid.

What a fun weekend!

Friday night I hit the grocery store then went home to relax and install the Wordpress upgrade. The installation was pretty uneventful, save for the weird email notification thing that is driving me mad. (Any Wordpress gurus willing to help me?) I haven’t really noticed many differences with 2.0, although the post preview is way cool. Other than that, it looks pretty. I know, I’m a dork.

Saturday afternoon I did the eyebrow/mani/pedi thing then got back to the City in time to meet up with Annabel Lee, Eve (who needs to start a damn blog already), and Tamara for wine and a delicious dinner at Pomodoro (not the new chain of the same name), my all-time favorite tiny Italian place on the Westside.

Following dinner we caravanned over to Boardwalk 11 for Paul’s Karaoke-A-Go-Go night and had an absolute blast. Some of us, ahem, who shall rename nameless, had a lot of alcohol and performed a few songs that had the crowd really going. By the way Paul, I didn’t hear any Greatest American Hero songs. What gives?

While at the party, I also got a chance to catch up with David and Jamie, and I think David has given me the motivation I needed to really get cracking on my book proposal. As always, it was wonderful to see them and we really do need to hang out again sometime soon!

The entire set of pictures can be found here.

Today is a much needed lazy day. I’m going to sleep, clean, do laundry, read, write, and bake. Yep, a new recipe. Details to come.

Okay, not really, but I liked that title for the post. I just got back from the Barenaked Ladies concert at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Until this show, I’d never been to that venue, and I really liked it. The sound was great, the capacity is only 3000, and we had tenth row seats. How fucking awesome is that?

The Leevees opened for BNL, and they rocked. I was kind of bummed no one knew their tunes, but then again, they do have a potentially limited audience, considering their whole album is Hanukkah songs. It was really funny when they were introducing their song Goyim Friends and said “if you don’t know what Goyim means, you probably are one.” My friend and I were busting up.

Anyway, they only played for thirty minutes, and I was a little disappointed until….after their set they were signing autographs (I bought a Leevees t-shirt and got it signed, does that make me a dork?) and they announced they’re playing a full show at the Knitting Factory (a great venue, and where my cousin’s band played) this Thursday. It’s literally down the street from me and I am dying to go. Anyone want to go with? You can see five nice Jewish boys sing super funny Hanukkah songs. Any takers? Annabel Lee? It could be another adventure…

Back to the show. After The Leevees finished their Hanukkah set, a children’s choir from OC came on stage and sang both Christmas and Hanukkah songs. There was something a little weird about seeing a few dozen blond haired, blue eyed kids all dressed in red singing Hanukkah songs. Or maybe it’s just me.

Following the children’s choir, BNL began their two-hour-long set and it was awesome. They are definitely now one of my all-time favorite bands to see live. They just have this amazing stage presence and truly look like they’re having a great time playing. In addition to their regular album songs (and a song from their upcoming album), they did a bunch of Christmas and Hanukkah songs from their holiday album, which i really enjoyed, especially when Steve was singing the prayers over the Hanukkah candles. Is he Jewish? He did a great job. My favorite song of the night was If I Had $1000000 because it was obvious they were having fun with it and the audience was totally into it as well.

That’s as detailed as this recap is gonna get because I am beyond exhausted and I need to get some rest so I can make sure I have my voice back tomorrow in time for Speeddating. Yeah, Speeddating. Details to follow the event tomorrow night.

Also, I have some pics from the show on my new cellphone (shhh!), but I have no clue how to transfer them to the computer. I have a Razr phone (and a bluetooth, I heard that helps with the transfer)–anyone know how?

Movie screenings. Awesome friends with hookups. The Producers.

Great adaptation of the play. Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick , and Uma Thurman (who knew she could sing?!) were all great, but Will Ferrell stole the show. He was absolutely hysterical–everytime he spoke or sang, we were busting up. The film also included small parts by Jon Lovitz and Jai Rodriguez. More info to come later, when I’m not about to fall asleep at my computer.

On a side note, I almost wasn’t allowed in the theater because like the honest idiot I am, I said, yes, I do have a cell phone in my purse. I completely forgot my new phone has a camera and had to get out of line and put it in my car. When my car = Annabel Lee’s inside jacket pocket. Shhh. And no, I didn’t take any pictures. In fact, I miss my old-camera-and-speakerphone-less phone.

And in related news, since I was out earlier, I missed the season finale of The Biggest Loser so please don’t tell me who won.

And in unrelated news, does anyone have a hosting company that they like? Because mine (Total Choice Hosting) sucks. When I asked them for their mailing address, I was told they didn’t have one. Seriously. So I had to find it myself while filing a complaint on the Better Business Bureau website. Where I also found out their BBB membership was revoked last year due to “failure to respond to one or more consumer complaints filed with the BBB.” I’m just sayin’.

I was originally invited by JAB and her dad to join them for dinner while they were in town for business. Then, JAB and her dad were invited by some business acquaintances from a studio to join them for dinner. So, in the end, I was taken out, with JAB and her dad, by some very nice studio peeps. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, here are the details.

JAB mentioned we were going to dinner at a place called Firefly in (gasp) The Valley. [Ed. note: Meg, I think it's in your 'hood. Have you been? Delish!] I looked it up on Citysearch and informed JAB that a) They have fried olives; and b) The restrooms are unisex. Should be fun.

We arrived at the restaurant, sans visible sign (oh so LA) and there were about 30 (okay, 7) valets all dressed in grey waiting to take our ride. For some reason, they looked kinda funny standing there and that made us laugh, but whatever, sometimes when we’re together we revert back to being kids. Anyway, the inside of the bar area is super cool–the walls are lined with books (yes they’re real–JAB checked) and there are super comfy sofas and ottomans to relax on. As JAB’s dad pointed out, the decor looks a bit like the Magic Castle (where by the way, if you’ve never been, you must visit). We had drinks as we waited for the rest of our party (stuck in traffic), then when they joined us, we went into the dining area which is a bit trippy. It’s super dark, and sorta indoors but not really. I think there is one (?) wall that is open, and the ceiling has slats in it so air comes in (they let people smoke in the dining room, which was annoying). One of the walls had dozens of candles on it, and each table has a huge candle, which is much needed in order to read the menu.

On to the food–JAB and I started off with the fried olives (don’t knock it till you try it) and they were superb. They came with a garlic aioli dipping sauce, which was okay, but then again, I’m not a mayonnaise fan. For our main courses, I had the free range chicken–marinated in something delicious–with white corn. JAB had the filet mignon which she also thoroughly enjoyed. (I can’t remember what everyone else got, but I do know that all of five of us liked our meals.) We also had some fries that were floating around the table. Totally stuffed but still wanting dessert (Weight Watchers? Points? What’s that?), we ordered not one, but two desserts to share between the um, two of us–chocolate cake with chocolate gelato and vanilla gelato with a warm caramel sauce and espresso poured over it. Oh. My. God. JAB and I got creative and ate the rich chocolate cake with the vanilla gelato and just about died.

As a side note, the bathrooms are unisex (think Ally McBeal) and it was a bit annoying having to put the toilet seat down before I could pee. Other than that, the place rocked and I would love to go on a date there (um, any takers?). The only thing is, I think it would be kinda strange to be in the bathroom at the same time as my date, so timing is of the essence. And please don’t ask me why I’m concerned about the whole bathroom thing. I just am.

Major thanks to JAB and her dad, as well as the kind guys at WB, for dinner. I had a lovely time.

And in totally unrelated to delicious food news, no, I did not feel the earthquake. I did however, hear the window rattling and guessed it was an earthquake. My senses are totally working overtime.

Busy busy busy! I’m gonna break it down:

Thursday
I worked all day in an air conditioned office. Since Esther was in town and wanted to meet up with her LA peeps, a bunch of us–Annabel Lee, Pauly D., Tamara, Keith, Evan, David and his wife Jamie, Mark and his wife Mindy, CK and Laya, and Amandarin–met up at (where else?) The Cat & Fiddle for dinner and drinks. It was a super fun night and I do believe a good time was had by all.

Friday
I took the day off so Esther and I checked out Venice Beach and enjoyed the absolutely beautiful weather and walked around the (LA version of) a boardwalk. (See pics below.) [Ed. note: Apparently, on the east coast, their boardwalks are made of boards. Whatever. Picky picky.] That night, I dropped Esther off at Annabel Lee’s, where they headed to shul and I went home to work on a project for a client. After working for a bit, I made my way back to Annabel Lee’s for a delicious Shabbat dinner with Esther, Tamara, Joel, and Charlie. Lots of wine and fun conversation. Good times.

Saturday
Woke up entirely too early to go to the middle of Topanga Canyon to see a client at 9:30. Got home, ran some errands, then headed back out to hang with Esther while Annabel Lee was at the emergency room having her fractured toe looked at. Ouch! Read all about how her rocking chair attacked her.

On the way back to my apartment, a man old enough to be my father motioned for me to open my window and the following exchange took place:

Man: You know what it means when a woman plays with her hair?
Me: What? I can’t hear you.
Man: Do you know what it means when a woman plays with her hair?
Me: No, what?
Man: It means she’s looking for looooooove.

Note to self: Stop playing with hair while in car.

Saturday night found us intending to go for sushi, but due to time constraints and lack of parking, we ended up having dinner at the IMPROV prior to the show. [Ed. note: Should you find yourself dining at the IMPROV, the three of us highly recommend the nachos.] The line-up was great, and included Tammy Pescatelli from Last Comic Standing and headliner Joe Rogan, who is way shorter than I imagined him and has majorly buff arms. Who knew?

Sunday
Woke up at noon then attempted to do laundry but one of our washing machines decided to quit accepting quarters. Not willing to go to work naked tomorrow, my adventurous self decided to try out the laundromat around the corner. And what do you know?! There was a) easy parking; b)not a homeless person to be found; c) four TVs; d) a bunch of video games, including Ms. Pac-Man; e) Internet access; f) soda and coffee machines; g) cute men. And check this out–the wash cycle only takes 20 minutes.

Now it’s time to be a lazy bum.

Back in July I asked for some good book recommendations and well, it’s been a while so let’s do it again. I just recently finished Good Grief by Lolly Winston and I absolutely LOVED it. What have you read lately?

I just got back from a screening of Just Like Heaven courtesy of my awesome friend Julie. Not only did she take me to the screening, she gave me the Wedding Crashers soundtrack (complete with a track by Guster). How cool is she?! Anyway, I thought the movie was cute with a high cheese factor; Julie and her assistant both liked it a lot more. Doesn’t matter how good it was/wasn’t, because I can’t complain about looking at Mark Ruffalo for two hours.

Interesting Note #1: During the opening credits there is a cover of The Cure’s Just Like Heaven performed by a female artist. (Yes, the lyrics were changed around to accommodate the gender difference.) Anyone know who sings it? I couldn’t find the info anywhere. The closing credits had the original The Cure version of the song.

Interesting Note #2: I ran into my sister’s ex-boyfriend about three times before the movie started. And yes Bethany, he gained weight.

Thanks for the movie and the soundtrack Julie. You rock!

(9:10 p.m., phone rings)

My Dad: Hi Hil, it’s dad.
Me: Hi dad.
My Dad: We’re watching Hook Ups [ed. note: It's actually called Hooking Up. I think my dad's been watching too much Next.] and we wanted to make sure you were watching it. It’s really funny.
Me: Yeah, I’m TiVo’ing it. I’ll watch it in a few minutes.
My Dad: Okay, bye.

(10 minutes later, phone rings)

My Mom: Hi Hil, it’s mom.
Me: Hi mom.
My Mom: This show is your life! It’s so funny! We are laughing so hard.
Me: Laughing?
My Mom: Not at you of course. With you! It’s hysterical! Now I understand what you go through.

They’re right–It is so my life.

Did anyone else watch it? What did you think?

Elise: So glad to know you’re allright. Keep us posted, okay?

TV: Beauty and the Geek–I’m torn about Chuck and Caitilin (so glad we learned to spell her name last night) winning. Part of me didn’t want Richard and Mindi to win mainly because Richard was so damn annoying, but really–is Chuck much better? And also, has Mindi had that nose ring all season? Because I just noticed it. Anyway, I can’t wait for next week’s reunion show!

On a related note, my friend sent me this article about dating geeks.

On an unrelated to Beauty and the Geek yet still related to TV note, is anyone else watching 30 Days? Great episode tonight. What about Strip Search?

Dating: There’s a slight possibility I may have a Jdate with a seemingly normal guy in the next couple of weeks. Don’t worry, you’ll be the first to know.

Sites of the Week: Tom Cruise Is Nuts and Slave To Target

That’s all I got. Short Thursday Things for a short week. Or something like that.

TV: I had no idea Chris Hency was a producer on Entourage. I guess you really do learn something new every day.

And in other TV news, I am still loving Beauty and the Geek. Even though some of the girls don’t seem as dingy as they did in the first episode, it’s still fun to watch.

Dating: A few of you have emailed me asking what’s up with my dating life. Well, there is no dating life at the moment. I had a second date with Set-Up Guy last Sunday and he’s super nice, but I just don’t know.

Other than that, nada. My Jdate subscription expired, and I came to the conclusion that with all of the money I’ve spent on Jdate and new date outfits, I could go on a really nice vacation. Well not really, but you get the idea. However, should you wish to get me a subscription as a gift, who am I to decline the offer? [ed. note: Hint hint, mom and dad.]

And lastly, if you have a nice Jewish boy for me, I am taking referrals.

Lame: Guess who’s gonna be on a Wheaties box? None other than my least favorite baseball player ever, Kirk Gibson. Blah.

Ponder: Since when do Lifesavers candy wrappers not contain a string? How am I supposed to open the roll now?

Blog: I’ve decided to go with Wordpress. I somehow figured out how to transfer over my Blogger posts. Anyone know how to transfer my Haloscan comments? The scripts I tried didn’t work.

Recipe: My co-worker found a great homemade marshmallow recipe that I am dying to try. If they turn out well, I’ll dip them in caramel or chocolate.

Site of the Week: Just Jared

Uchenna and Joyce win (Rob and Ambah lose) The Amazing Race. Hah.

I’ve been tagged with a meme from Ari, even though she neglected to answer the one I tagged her with earlier this month. But whatever. Anyway, this meme states: Name five things that people with whom I generally associate think are really cool, but that leave me cold.

Okay, here we go:

1. KCRW


I’ve tried, I really have. But I just don’t see what everyone loves about KCRW. I don’t get it. I’m sorry. Start sending the hate mail.

2. Hugely Oversized Sunglasses


They’re silly. Just look at either of the Olsen twins. Why would anyone want to wear sunglasses the size of their head? Why? Why? Why?

3. Universal Citywalk


You drive over the hill, all the while sitting in traffic, then wait in line for 10 minutes to pay $10 for parking. Then you try to maneuver your way to your destination through Hell Citywalk, pushing through tourists and gang-bangers, and all night being bombarded with a recorded message being blasted through the loudspeakers about a curfew for those under 18 years of age. When you finally arrive at the restaurant/movies/bowling alley, you then must wait three days for a table/film/lane. Someone please tell me how this is fun.

4. Bikram Yoga


Yoga, I can understand. Hot and sweaty yoga, not so much.

5. Spending a Saturday Night on a First Date With an Internet Guy


Yes, I know you get taken out for a nice dinner [Ed. Note: Unless the guy is a creep and asks you for money to cover your half of the bill, not that I speak from experience or anything.] rather than just a beverage. However, what if the guy is a dud? Then you’ve wasted a few hours (not to mention a Saturday night) when you could have just met during the week one evening for a cocktail, and if things went well, move on to dinner or something else.

Like a good blogger, I will pass this meme to: Drew, Michael, Kristin, and Nanette.

Friday night, my sister, aunt, and I caught up with my cousin before his show at the Knitting Factory. We had a quick bite to eat at Baja Fresh then went over to the venue and caught part of the opening band. I’d only been to the Alterknit Theatre at the Knitting Factory, but the main stage is really cool. Crooked Fingers was awesome and you could tell the crowd was enjoying every minute of it. At one point, one of the amps was giving the band trouble, so they moved down to the floor for a few songs. The crowd loved it!

When the show ended, we hung out as my cousin signed autographs and chatted with fans. It was quite strange yet very exciting to watch people ask Jason for his autograph. We have a rock star in the family now!

We then left the venue, and headed over to Swingers (sans my sister) for some late night early morning food. After dinner/breakfast, my aunt headed back to her hotel and my cousin and I back to my place. We finally got to sleep around 4:00 a.m. then woke up a few hours later to meet my aunt for breakfast. This lack of sleep thing made me realize I am in no way cut out to be a rock star, nevermind the fact that I have no musical talent whatsoever.

Saturday morning after breakfast, I took my cousin to meet up with the rest of the band and said goodbye. I got a manicure then came home for a very short nap before heading over to my sister’s place to meet up with my parents who were in town for my mom’s birthday. My aunt then joined us and we stuffed ourselves beyond silly at C & O in Marina Del Rey. Dinner was a ton of fun and delicious and I even made $100 when my mom dared me to eat a tomato (I hate tomatoes). After dinner, my parents and I went back to my place and fell asleep. We were all beat.

Sunday morning we woke up again to do what our family does best–eat. We had birthday brunch at The Ivy (nope, no celeb spotting) then saw Bark, a musical about dogs from a dog’s point of view. It was cute. After the show we went shoe shopping (now you know where I get it) and had dinner at Toast where we even thought to call ahead to have some cupcakes saved.

My parents are on their way back down to San Diego and I am going to enjoy my cupcake, do some laundry, then settle in for a good night’s sleep.

My sister came over and we headed to the nearly empty Beverly Connection. Went to Sport Chalet where I got a cool little thingy to hold my keys that hooks onto my shoe lace for when I go walking/jogging. [On a side note, it was super easy to get in and out of the parking structure--either due to it being Easter or perhaps because practically everything in that complex has now closed.] We then went to Old Navy where I got some inexpensive yoga pants so I can jog in style.

After doing minimal damage at Old Navy, we went to Sunset and Vine where we hit Bed Bath & Beyond. My sister got the cutest duck bathtub mat–I wish I had gotten one too. Having shopped up an appetite, we then tried Kabuki Sushi for lunch. Super super super cheap sushi that was pretty good, although I still like Mika better. [Another interesting side note: Michael Jackson's star is right in front of Bed Bath & Beyond. Who knew?]

Finally, as we were driving up La Brea (after attempting to go to a closed Target) we passed Mashti Malone. I’ve lived right by it for the past ten years but have never been and am so glad we decided to give it a go. Yum! They have some interesting flavors, but being the unadventurous person I am, I stuck with the vanilla with little peanut butter cups. It was delish.

Now I’m going to relax; I love Sundays. And don’t forget–tonight is Suzanne’s Diary For Nicholas (I cried throughout the entire book) and the TLC show about the 7-year-old body builder. TiVo’s gonna be working hard tonight.

In no particular order:

• Law & Order is on during the day too.
• It’s quite common to not know who your baby’s daddy is.
• It is possible to lose 60 pounds in 10 weeks.
• Starting Over really is like the Real World, but with adults.
• There are a ton of makeover shows. And they all suck.
• Crashing your boyfriend’s car because you found out he got another girl pregnant is not only justified, but will elicit an empathetic response from a studio audience.
• A Dating Story is no longer on TLC.
• I must buy a piece of exercise equipment that conveniently folds up for under-the-bed storage. Now.

Discovered: Two new freckles after nearly scrubbing off an entire layer of skin in an attempt to remove what I thought was shmutz on my face. [ed. note: Probably not that exciting to anyone other than my mom, who, when I was a kid, would spend many a minute trying to remove shmutz freckles from my face.]

Read: Behind Everyman by David Israel. Loved it! If you’re looking for a snarky good chick-lit book that isn’t chick lit, this is it. It’s written in the second person from a male perspective, so you get a completely different view on the relationship than you’re used to. Go buy it!

Visited: My sister on location of a pilot she’s working on. It was fun, I had never been to a shoot before.

Met: The very cool Marissa of terra non firma for martinias at Lola’s last night. I’m excited to have a new friend who lives so close by.

Jdate: Tall Guy called. I let it go to voicemail. Then he IMd me on Jdate. Then he called. Again. Do I really have to call him back? Wasn’t my response, “No, I don’t date smokers” enough of a hint that I didn’t want to see him again?

Site of the Week: TVGasm

Talked to Tall Guy on the phone Friday night and made plans to meet up on Sunday evening.

Saturday I treated myself to a manicure and pedicure then got a whopping four inches cut off my hair. I had a minor freakout before the actual cutting, but I love it now. It’s still long, only now it looks even healthier and takes less time to straighten. Yay!

Saturday night I saw a show called Under the Door at Creative Grounds in Atwater Village. Great performances, and for once, not a happily-ever-after ending in the traditional sense. That made me happy. Is that twisted?

I just got back from watching my Little perform in a singing competition. She rocked. At least I think she did–the songs were all in Hebrew and since I can’t understand it, I have no idea if she got all the words right. But she sounded great and looked awesome.

And finally, later tonight I am meeting Tall Guy for drinks. Think good thoughts.

The other day, my Little and I received an invitation to a Dodgers spring training game. I looked the date up on the Dodgers’ website to see who we were playing and it read LAA. Who the hell is LAA? The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of course. Now, please correct me if I’m mistaken, but isn’t Anaheim in Orange County, not Los Angeles?

—And in other news, I forgot to put on earrings today and consequently feel totally naked and just off. I hate this feeling.—And in more unrelated news, I’m just not that into The Amazing Race this season. None of the teams are terribly interesting to me. Anyone else with me on this?

My cousin’s band, Crooked Fingers, is playing at South By Southwest so if you’re in the Austin area, go check them out.

—Via Jay at Much Throwing About Of Brains, a pretty amazing story to come out of the horrors of the Holocaust.—And finally, a big welcome to everyone who got here from the link on Jewlicious. Thanks for visiting!

I had a busy but fun weekend. Friday night my sister and I drove down to San Diego so she could move the rest of her stuff from my parents’ house up to her new apartment. I drove her car back to LA Saturday afternoon then met a friend for dinner and the Law & Order night at the Paley Festival. The discussion was interesting although the moderator wasn’t very good and the panel was kind of disappointing–only one of the three cast members scheduled to attend the event showed up so it was mainly a bunch of writers, one producer, and Dick Wolf. I guess I was just expecting something a little different.

In an attempt to steer clear of Sunday’s LA Marathon road closures and traffic, I ran errands and went shopping. I got a bunch of layering tees on sale at the Gap ($9.99 each!), a totally cute pair of wine colored Nine West heels from Off Broadway, a hoodie from American Eagle, and an awesome green shirt with flutter sleeves and ruching on the front from Banana Republic. (I’m not sure why, but I can’t find links to any of the things I bought.)

And in indirectly related to my weekend news, I recieved a normal email from a seemingly normal guy on Jdate. He’s only 27, but he’s 6′6″, so somehow his height makes his age okay. Who knew they even made Jewish guys that tall?

Tomorrow’s Monday. What a bummer. At least I have this time waster, thanks to Meg at Sick Candy. Help me figure it out. Please.

Last night I was flipping through the new issue of Marie Claire magazine (page 117) and much to my surprise, came across an article mentioning both Jdate and Friday Night Live (FNL).

Jdate, as most of you know, is the online dating site catered to Jewish singles. Friday Night Live is a guitar-filled (am I the only one that finds a guitar on the bimah weird?) Friday night Shabbat service at a local Los Angeles synagogue geared toward Jewish young adults. At FNL, you are pretty much guaranteed to run into at least one person you have dated and get hit on by a guy 20 years your senior.

But anyway. I thought it was cool that both Jdate and FNL got a mention. Here’s to meeting nice Jewish boys (or girls). p.s. Anyone going to the ATID Purim party at the Peterson?

Lameness: I was plagiarized.

Question: Any accountants out there? Am I allowed to deduct expenses for taking my Little on outings? I’m wondering if I should start saving receipts for next year’s taxes.

Favorite site of the week: TrueDater

Traffic: The LA Marathon is this Sunday which means traffic in my neighborhood will suck yet again.

Chocolate: Easter’s coming up which means Cadbury mini eggs (not the cream eggs; those are gross) are available at the stores yet again. Have I mentioned how much I love Cadbury chocolate?

The Amazing Race: Which is your favorite team? I’m leaning toward the brothers (Brian and Greg) and the boyfriends (Lynn and Alex). I already dislike Romber* and I didn’t even watch Survivor.

*Romber courtesy of Reality Blurred.

This is why I have to turn the volume way up to hear the Oscar pre-show–helicopters, blimps, airplanes, you name it.

Nooooooo. They weren’t supposed to win. Kris and Jon were supposed to win. Sigh.

Drew passed this meme* to me so here are my answers:

1. What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
Almost a gig. Sadly, that includes music that can be heard on Radio Disney thanks to my Little.

2. The CD you last bought is:
Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day.

3. What is the song you last listened to before reading this message?
I Wish I Could Go Back To College from the Avenue Q soundtrack.

4. Write down 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you:
American Pie by Don McLean
Barrel of a Gun by Guster
Fall At Your Feet by Crowded House
Next Big Thing by Material Issue
The Stranger by Billy Joel

5. Who are you going to pass this stick to? (3 persons) and why?
Jen at Her Own Invention because she’s always posting great lyrics.
Erin at Erin-go-blog because I know she’s huge into music.
Ellison at What Ellison Drinks because I enjoy his posts about things other than liquids.

*New vocab word for me. For a definition, check out Drew’s post.

Yum! La Fondue Bourguignonne was delicious! The place was packed, but we had a reservation so we were seated right away. We quickly ordered a bottle of Pinot Noir* and chose which main course (chicken, scallops, shrimp, or beef) we each wanted. The prix fix menu, which is the only menu available on Saturdays, consists of four courses. First course was bread dipped in cheese. Next a salad. For the main course, you get a plate of dipping sauces and raw meat and veggies which you cook in either a wine broth or oil. (We chose the wine broth.) Lastly, dessert was a big plate of fresh fruit, marshmallows, and cookies that we dipped in chocolate. It is a bit pricey, but well worth the money. I can’t wait to go back.

On a side note: I drove through Laurel Canyon last night on my way to the restaurant. The road is still wet and part of it is closed. I passed the house that collapsed, and it looked eerily like a home affected by the Northridge earthquake in ‘94. By the way, tomorrow’s the anniversary of the quake.

*No, I have not seen Sideways.

Just got back from Molly Malone’s where I saw my friend’s boyfriend’s band perform. Judging from all the head bopping in the room, I’d say they were a hit. The bar was cool too–I’d never been there before but had driven past it hundreds of times so it was nice to finally check it out. Great crowd and atmosphere. Good chance I’ll go back.

Now for the funny story. On the way to the show, I told my friend about the comic/chiropractor guy who was given my phone number by his parents via my coworker. Well…the minute I said, “He realized he couldn’t make a living as a comedian so he went to chiropractic school,” she said she knew him. Turns out she applied for and was offered a job as a masseuse at his chiropractic office. Small world, huh?

Time to try to fight off a cold and catch up on sleep.

It’s official. My friends and I are having a girls night out and going to see Puppetry of the Penis in November. Two of my coworkers saw it last time it was in town said it was hysterical. I can’t wait! JAB, want to go?

Josh Duhamel is back! Swoon. Can’t wait to watch Las Vegas tonight. Also, I must check out The Benefactor. And of course, my regularly Tivo’d program, Airline.

Now please excuse me as I get back to watching Maury. Today’s topic: Is my husband or my lover the father of my two kids?

Just got back from the Guster concert at the Greek complete with VIP parking and sixteenth row seats. The concert was great as expected. There were two opening artists–Matt Nathanson and Howie Day. Could have done without seeing Howie, but I enjoyed Matt and will probably get some of his stuff in the near future. There was another band, O.A.R., up after Guster but we didn’t stay for them.

But back to Guster. Particularly Brian, the drummer. How cute is he?! And a nice Jewish boy to boot. And, he drums without sticks much of the time. Yep, he uses his bare hands. Ouch.

—In other news, SpeedDating Guy called while I was drooling over Brian. He left a message saying his dad is coming into town this weekend and he’s not sure what his schedule looks like so he doesn’t want to commit to a day, etc. I called him after the concert and we talked briefly and decided he’ll just call me on Saturday. We’ll see if it happens. I’m not holding my breath–I’ve learned that if a guy is really, truly interested, he’ll make definitive plans to see you again. Or at least call when he says he will.

I am so excited to have learned that David Schickler, the author of one of my all time favorite books, Kissing in Manhattan, has a new book out! It’s called Sweet and Vicious and you better believe I will be pre-ordering it.

If you’re looking for a good read and want to take a break from chick lit, check out Kissing in Manhattan. It’s dark, sexy, quirky, and has an almost gothic-like vibe to it. Definitely different from any book out there, and the fascinating characters and overlapping stories will draw you in right from the beginning. I can’t wait to read Sweet and Vicious!

Side Note: The name David Schickler may sound familiar because The Smoker, one of the connected short stories in Kissing in Manhattan, was published in The New Yorker a few years ago.

It took long enough, but Mirna and Charla have finally been eliminated on The Amazing Race. All is good in the reality TV world.

—The dating world is a whole different story. No phone call from Shmo, the man formerly known as SpeedDatingGuy. Shmo and I had (have?) a date for tonight, but uh, I couldn’t tell you when or where or what. It appears Shmo has been hit by The Bus. Yes, I know I could call him. But why?—And the surgery world still sucks. But now, to make it even worse, I am missing the Guster concert my friend and I bought tickets for two months ago because it’s the day of my surgery.—In musically-related news, I really want to go to the KROQ Inland Invasion concert in September. Who’s game?

Just got back from a friend’s hysterical show at IO (Improv Olympic West). I think it was her best show ever and am quite impressed. I went to the theater alone, something I’m realizing isn’t so weird afterall, and within five minutes, had a major blast from the past. I saw three girls and a guy from high school, my friend’s mom, and a really cool guy I had a date with a while back. It was nice to chat with everyone for a bit.

Now please excuse me as I watch Gary Gulman (hopefully) win Last Comic Standing.

For Love or Money
Too many twists, turns
Rachel, they are on to you
I am so confused

Last Comic Standing
TV show or a
NetZero informercial
No, I did not vote

Amish in the City
It’s like the Real World
With some Amish kids thrown in
I will watch again

Have one of your own to contribute?

You guessed it! Amish in the City. Anyone else gonna watch it?

Just got back from a friend’s birthday celebration at Jillian’s at City Walk. I hate City Walk. Hate, hate, hate it. And now I hate Jillian’s. Why? Because I witnessed something really gross. We were upstairs bowling and a server brought us a few trays of appetizers we had ordered. As soon as the food was on the table, people started digging in. A few minutes later, the server came back and explained he had brought us food that belonged to another party. He then took away the food we had already begun to eat and served it to them. Is that disgusting or what?

I now have two episodes of Entourage Tivo’d. Are they worth watching or should I not waste my time? Discuss.

Saw Hairspray at the Pantages (sans air conditioning, ugh) last night. What a great show! The two leads (Bruce Vilanch and Marissa Jaret Winokur) were absolutely amazing. I was surprised to see that the theater was nowhere near sold out, especially during the first week of the run. I felt badly for the actors–not only did they have to perform without air conditioning, I’m sure they expected a full house and must have been disappointed to look out at the audience and see all these empty seats!

On a side note, to answer a question a few of you had–the tickets were given to me by a friend of a friend who works on the tour. Quite nice of her I might add!

Yep, it’s true. As part of a promotion for Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle (which I saw a screening of at the LA Film Festival last month–really funny movie), White Castle is opening a restaurant for 11 days on Sunset across the street from The Standard. What perfect timing too–my parents will be in town this weekend and I know my dad is going to want to check it out. Ahhh, Michigan memories.