A Weekend in LA [with an under-ager]

So, this past weekend (yes, I realize it's Friday already) I somehow rolled the lucky dice. An entire weekend off of work AND Denny was in town.

Friday: Errands, and lots of them. RKO let me have the afternoon off because they've been working me like a slave.

Then I went to the LACMA with Nora and Matty. Got to see some Warhol and Lichtenstein, so I was happy. The rest wasn't as good as I'd hoped- but it was nice.

Then, picked up Denny at union station. We got beer at Ralph's and chilled in (since under agers are NOT allowed to drink in fun public places, like bars.) Watched The Savages, which I recommend, if only to see Laura Linney say "Big. Red. Pillow." and see Philip Bosco smear shit on the wall.

Saturday: Met my parents for breakfast. They love Denny and would absolutely drive to LA to see him. Oh yeah, I'm here too. Where did we go? Where do you think... Griddle Cafe for giant ass pancakes. I'll never know another breakfast. Then we went to a Verizon store where my dad proceeded to yell at the employees for a good thirty minutes, but all ended well. I got my new baby. I'm like a grown up or something. Then we ventured over to Santa Monica. I hadn't been to the beach all summer. Changed that! It was fantastic. Santa Monica beach was followed by Santa Monica promenade. Good food. Spent too much money on clothes and food and movies. saw Away We Go again. Another recommendation, if only to see an uncomfortable oral sex scene and Allison Janney act crazy [crazier?] Night ends with a wandering up and down Hollywood Blvd. We got invited into a limo. We passed.

Sunday: Lacei joined us! We walked around the Farmer's Market and Hollywood Blvd. Ate amazing salads at Tender Greens, Stared at graffiti [art?] and went to the Grammy Museum.

It was a packed weekend, but definitely a break I needed.

Interning

Who ever developed the concept of the 'internship' was a genius. Think about it. Eager, young, fresh faced kids who want to make something of themselves. They'll (or really, I should say 'We'll') do anything you ask. Pot of coffee? Done. Bind a script? Done. Answer the phone? Paint the office? Drive to Glendale? Done. Done. Done.

Help you sell your apartment? Find you movers? Suck your *%$#. Done. Done. WAIT A MINUTE.

Interning is an interesting experience, to say the least. I've lucked out. RKO is one of the best places for me to end up. I haven't had to paint any offices, make any coffee or suck any *%$#. (I'll stop now, I promise)

Upon coming to RKO I was told that I shouldn't expect to do too much creatively, after all- there are people that are paid to do that. I was told that I shouldn't come in expecting to 'you know, produce a movie' or anything. Then why, please answer me, was I called Marcus the Producer the other day? It's a title I wouldn't mind.

In the short month I've been there (5 days a week, 9-6... or 6:30... or 7... or today, 8.) I've gotten to do more things for this company than most get to do in their first years working.

I am essentially an assistant to the business and legal affairs executive. I've created a locations menu, twitter account (1,000 followers today!) and DP, Actor, Line Producer and Production Designer lists for Lady Scarface and I've gotten the chance to voice my opinion about a countless number of projects.

Don't get me wrong. I still occasionally get coffee, make copies and the likes - but for the most part I'd like to consider myself a few steps ahead in this game.

My boss jokingly mentioned not going back to school and staying at RKO. How fitting, that my love of old Hollywood would find me potentially starting my career with the company that started film careers.

RKO pictures, please hire me.

Pancake Post

My life has been monopolized by the movie making industry lately, (a blog on RKO will come soon) but I was lucky enough to get today off... given the whole "nation's independence thing." At first thought I was going to sleep in and do nothing, but why waste the day?

I've started this day off right, with a trip to the BEST pancake (and waffle, and french toast) restaurant ever: The Griddle Cafe.

What makes this cafe so excellent, you ask? Two things.

Size. and Flavors.

Size doesn't matter, you say? Nonsense! When it comes to food, especially breakfast, I want as much as I can get my grubby little hands on. The size of these pancakes is amazing. They're bigger than the plate. They're bigger than my head. I dare you to finish them in one sitting. Hell, I dare you to finish HALF of them in one sitting.

More flavors of pancakes than you ever thought imaginable. Somewhere, a very brilliant young man (or woman) thought, "why limit ourselves to plain pancakes? or just chocolate chip, or just blueberry. "

And thus, this pancake menu was born.

Some favorites:

Banana Nana - Brown Sugar Baked Bananas in Buttermilk Batter (Delicious!)

Hear Me Roar - Frosted Flakes and Strawberry Hotcakes (Breakfast Cereal IN A PANCAKE!)

Teacher's Pet - is filled with Cinnamon and Baked Apples (Today's Treat)

Black Magic - Oreo pancakes

and the best

Eyes Wide Shut - Espresso AND Chocolate Chips AND Powdered Sugar. (TO DIE FOR)

You'll wait for at least 30 minutes no matter what time you get there on a weekend morning, parties of 5 or more - expect to be looking at an hour. And I'd wait everytime.

A quick shout out for Coffee! In addition to delicious griddle items, the coffee at The Griddle Cafe is amazing. I'd never order pancakes without it.

You get your own individual French Press and the coffee is strong, abundant and wonderful.

Griddle Cafe, I'll be back.

None of this 'toe in the water' bullshit.

In the past 5 days I've been drunk 3 of them. This is a tradition that cannot continue, but there was no "getting my feet wet" in terms of the Hollywood social scene. I'd like to think I jumped right in.

With a little help from my friends of course.

Friday: Fiesta Cantina
Drinks: Margaritas (2)
Company: Matty and Ryan



I've never been drunker, and honestly remember very little about the night. Here is what I do remember. It started with Matt and I. We parked where WeHo meets Beverly Hills and trekked our way to the bar (being cool..and broke, we would NEVER pay for parking). Started off the night with a marg. Ordered one, but got two - much to my surprise. Later learned that Margaritas are two for one. I must make a mental note of that. Matt and I chilled outside and at some point I remember telling him that I was in a bubble. A soapy, glossy bubble. Why? I don't know. I was already feeling my tequila.

Met up with Ryan was was celebrating his impending move to San Fransisco. It was good to see him before he left. This is where the night gets fuzzy. Somewhere in this mess I got hit on, and responded with something bitchy before fluttering away. We got pizza, and (after rereading horribly misspelled text messages) I got lost in the bathroom (spelt 'bathromenw'). Next thing I know, we ended up in a different bar and soon were making our way back to Matt's car. I'd like to take this moment to apologize to the house in Beverly Hills that I peed on.

Monday: The Standard on Sunset
Drinks: Birthday Cake Shot (1), Grapefruit Gimlet (1)
Company: Alex and Katy



If you ever want to feel like you're part of the Hollywood scene, I'd swing by the Standard. It's everything you'd imagine an LA club to be. The night began at midnight (Happy 21st Alex!), and after a quest to find quarters to pay for my parking meter in front of the strip club, we entered the lobby to the Standard Hotel. Behind the concierge is a glass tank featuring a living, breathing woman. Reading, sleeping, doing whatever her little heart desires. Can I have that job, please?

The bouncer (a trendy Asian girl) wished Dobbs a happy birthday and we went inside. It took me a minute to adjust my eyes to the lighting. It was darker than I was used to. And purple. So much purple. I definitely tripped over a swinging chair (suspended from the ceiling) on my way in. Way to start the night, right? We get to the bar and proceed to drink a large number of drinks (I think Dobbs had 5 or 6) in a short period of time. One of the most enjoyable parts of the night was fighting Dobbs at the bar. We wouldn't let him pay for any of his drinks. The bartenders were on my side.

There was a hipster hip hop artist and DJ performing and after we felt our buzz, the dance floor was the next logical step. Dobbs, I'm still pissed that you didn't dance with that blond girl. She clearly wanted it. I danced with the hip hop artist, in her stretchy crazy pants.

Lady Katy bought us shots, but the Grapefruit Gimlet was definitely the best drink of the night. Much better than Dobbs's LA Water.

Lady Katy drove us home, and I love her for it.

Note to self: Next time, lose the tie and dress a little more hipster.

Tuesday: The Woods
Drinks: Lemon Drop (1), Mojito (1)
Company: Alex, Nora, Alex R., Justin, Max, Cassie, Adam



The Woods is an incredible bar. 0.3 Miles from my apartment. A 5 minute walk. Happy Hour is from 8pm to 10pm. This spells disaster in my future. the Lemon Drop Shot was the shot of the day and only cost 3 dollars. One night, I'm going to have too many of those and find myself on top of the table singing "Gosh it disturbs me to see you Gaston, looking so down in the dumps" - which I fought the urge to do all night. I blame the antler chandeliers.

The atmosphere was great. There was a decent crowd and Dobbs managed to get moderately drunk (Happy 21st Part Deux). Nora and I even managed to slip him a liquid cocaine shot. He was done in.

I left the bar at about midnight-thirty. Something about having to be up for work the next morning...

I awoke at about 2 to the sound of banging in my apartment. Dobbs had gotten home and was a disasterpiece. He crashed into everything in my apartment, including several things in the bathroom. According to his facebook this morning... it took him 23 minutes to find his pants from last night.

The highlight, however, was a buxom blond that walked by. She was a flash of hair, boobs, ass, and legs. Max and I are convinced that she didn't have a face. Max drew a picture.



All in all, it's been a great couple of days. But now I need to give my liver a break.