Sunday, May 31, 2009

Thursday, May 28, 2009

A novel.

My L.A. adventure.

On Friday I boarded a plane for L.A. at 9:00pm. I arrived at LAX at 11:45pm, grabbed my bag and jumped into the mini-van with Justin, who picked me up. Zoomed to the apartments the guys are staying at, while listening to the three new MCS tracks that are pretty much finished (so good and catchy and genuine). It was such a long day, and both of us were tired, so we went to sleep right away.

Saturday was a lazy day. In truest fashion, Justin and I watched a few movies in his apartment during the day, attempted to play a zombie video game (failed), and ate some foods (healthy this time instead of pizza).

Later in the afternoon, the guys had their daily workout with their trainer at the apartment gyms. This provided me and Jessica (Jesse's fiancee) the chance to finally meet in person, after being blog buddies for a while now. We chatted poolside, and in her apartment for an hour. She is shorter than I thought, and I am apparently taller than she imagined. Funny how we picture people a certain way. She is lovely. Was so good getting to know her in real life!

Then I got a call from my sister who told me she had just hung out with my ex, Erik, at a mutual friend's house. I have not seen or spoken to Erik in years, but have no ill feelings toward him. That was a totally different time in my life. Apparently he had nothing but wonderful things to say about me and my family. That was very nice of him, and I feel the same way. I am glad that, with all of my ex's, we maintain a sense of respect even after everything ends. Hopefully that says something positive about about me and the way I treat people in life.

That night was date night! Justin, me, Josh, and Jill (his wife) rode together to our separate locations. Justin and I went to a really nice Italian restaurant, and I indulged! Halfway through our dinner, Marisa Tomei sat down to eat very close to us. She is very tiny in person, as are most celebrities you see in real life. My first celeb sighting! After dinner, we went to ArcLight to see Terminator: Salvation via MY recommendation, yes. It was enjoyable. Cool robot sounds. We finished, met up with Josh and Jill who had just gotten out of their movie, and made our way back. Date night: accomplished--and how!

Sunday! This way probably my favorite day of my L.A. trip.

In the morning we all piled into the van to head to the beach where all of the dudes had their workout. I met Jenna, their trainer, and Jessica and I sat on the sidelines "cheering" them on (haha). I was seriously impressed at how tough the workout was, and how great the guys and Jill (who joined them in it that day) did. Holy crap! Let me take the time now to say how AMAZING all of the guys look since their workouts in L.A. They have all lost SO much weight and look so great. I am seriously "wow"ed. She is doing such positive things for them, teaching them how to workout and eat healthily.

After the workout, we went back to get ready for the pool party. We made our way to Dan and Kristy's house. I was pre-warned that they were the nicest human beings to walk the face of the earth, and everyone was right. What lovely hosts. We got there and there were tons of people. All of the OkGo guys were there (it was the drummer's house), all of their close friends, all of the MCS guys and their girlfriends/wives/financees, many musicians, actors, and different artistic types. What a mingling! I had forgotten that interesting strangers existed. I am so used to the same old, same old with the parties I go to. This was new and exciting. I met so many fascinating humans and was solidly entertained the entire day and night. I loved getting to know the other guys' significant others. It was really good to be able to relate on a level with them that not many other people can relate to. All of them have different personalities, with bright things to say (refreshing). Was also fun talking to Jenna and her friend about being more positive and healthy in my life. They both are such positive people, with inspiring stories and ideas. Loved them both! Later that night, Nick (The Spill Canvas) showed up. RANDOM L.A.! I had not seen him in a year, at least, although we somewhat keep in touch. He was in town writing for his new record. L.A. is such a strange, small world.

We left eventually, although I never wanted to!
(Me and Jessica - "Jazz hands, big arms, and no pants.")
(Me and Justin)
(General pool area. I spy me in my swimsuit chatting with Jenna and JP).(Jenna's friend and Jenna)

Monday I woke up and went to the studio with the guys, Jill, and Jessica. Mark Hoppus shares his studio with Travis Barker and the other side of the studio is Travis' clothing company "Famous Stars and Straps." I saw Travis walking around with his posse, but never met him. The studio, though, was frickin unreal. So beautiful, so rad. I met Mark, who is a really witty, TALL dude. But I had to leave for a lunch date with my mother's best friend Kris Edstrom.
(The enclosed studio patio.)

Kris took me to a cool lunch spot called "Portrait of a Bookstore." We ate, chatted, and she told me stories of her and my mother. She was a very wonderful, funny, inspiring person. I was so glad I got to meet one of my mother's huge influences. It opened my eyes a lot. We went shopping and I found a PERFECT bracelet for me. It was quite expensive, but I got it any way. Pictures of it one day.
(Me and Kris)

Kris dropped me off, and Jen and her boyfriend, Jason, picked me up! Jared (Augustana) invited her to a private pool party at the Standard in Hollywood. We went to meet him, and ran into Jen's friend BJ (Barcelona's TM) and his friend. We all sat around a table people watching (crazies), jammed to some Dj'ing, and caught up. It was so very good talking to Jen. She is very happy in her new life in L.A., and I am so happy for her! One day I must go out there so that she can show me the nightlife! I hope to see her one day again soon.
(Jason, Jen, me)

Justin and Kitty picked me up and dropped me and JP off at the ArcLight again for Angels and Demons. I wish I could have hung out with Kitty more, but oh well, next time! The movie was bleh. I just was not invested in any of the characters. It was also very predictable. Kind of lame. Justin and I then went and met up with Justin's friend April, and her brother, for dinner at a place called Magnolia. BLT with avocado. Yums! Was lovely seeing April again, she is so sweet and beautiful.

On Tuesday it was Justin's 33rd birthday!!! We woke up, and he opened his presents. I got him a ton of classic literature books, and two shirts. My mother got him two dress up shirts. He seemed pleased. Yay!!! We then spent the day at the studio with the guys. I saw a song come together, and it is still stuck in my head. It was so interesting seeing the process of it all. I really enjoyed myself.

Then was JP's birthday dinner at Matsuhisa! It is an extremely expensive sushi joint, that the MCS dudes were generously taking everyone to celebrate his birthday and his two-year sober anniversary! So proud of him. All the guys came. Tony's girlfriend, Christina, came. Chris Holmes (the engineer) and his wife came. Jordan (the additional engineer) came. Mark Hoppus and his wife came and also brought Pete Wentz with them.

Justin and I split the "Chef's Choice." YUM!!! Best sushi I have EVER had. We ate little squids, clams, sushi, lobster, etc... So, so, so, so good!!!

On the way back we stopped by ICE PAN, which is an "ice cream" shop, but the "ice cream" is made out of frozen milk chopped up in front of you. SO DELICIOUS!

Oh, the car ride there and back with the guys was hilarious. We took Mulholland Drive to the restaurant. It is super windy and overlooks the whole city. Matt and I almost got sick, it was sooo awful! But it was also fun because the guys were trying to make light of it all. It was so much fun seeing the dynamic of the band, and how everyone gets a long with one another. I loved getting to know the guys a bit better throughout the week, and understanding how tight they all are. Great, great guys. All of them. They made me feel so welcome, and I am very grateful for that.
(Justin and Me, pre-birthday dinner!)

Wednesday I had to leave in the afternoon. Justin drove me, and he showed me the wonders of the bands Superchunk and The Flaming Lips. He has the best music taste!!!

The weekend was the best vacation I have ever had. I was completely content the entire time. I loved being able to hang out with my guy and see what he does, meet his friends, and get to spend a lot of quality time with him. I dig him quite a lot. I am so lucky, it is stupid.

I cannot tell you how wonderful it all was, and he is. Perfection...

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

awful at this.

still in l.a. right now. leaving tomorrow afternoon. will post after that with all of the amazing hangs, get-togethers, and experiences had thus far out here. currently listening the the mcs dudes create a song in mark hoppus' studio (which is prettyyy, prettyyy, prettyyy rad). the new record is going to blow yer minds! i promise. get ready for it.

talk soon, lovers!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

mike minehart photoshoot - a few from set #1












sister stuff.

who was at the beach all week? eeny, meny, miny, mo...

sister portrait.

typical.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

i am officially a "mac person."

oh, yes. it's true. i finally went out and bought myself a macbook. i am absolutely in love! this computer is my new baby. so pretty. so sleek. so shiny. so easy. i am so excited. i feel like a new person (?). true story. expect very obnoxious photobooth pictures more often. yup.

this last weekend i went to uptown to escape the garage sale madness in my neighborhood, and found some fantastic gifts for justin's birthday and for mother's day. i think i did pretty well!

for mother's day, heather brought over little whitney for a bit. i love that baby! i actually held him, and i think i didn't do an awful job! he is the sweetest thing in the entire world.

i am steadily counting down the days until L.A. i am just plain excited to be going. thus far i have a few people i plan on visiting with while i am out there. obviously i will get to hang out with justin and jessica. i also hope to go out to a few lunch/coffee dates with jen, blake, and my mother's best friend kris edstrom. funny story--my mother has been friends with kris since she was a teenager. kris got my mother into music, etc... they still keep in touch, but my family has not met her. i figured, since she played/plays a pivitol role in my mother's life, that it would be interesting to meet this woman. my mother happened to look at her address and it is in the same apartment complex as justin and the guys are staying. what!? talk about meant to be, huh? so i must see her. she is into healthy living, meditation, and overcoming bad habits or obstacles. apparently she is also very quirky--a quality i love in people. i think justin may be interested in going to see her too!

jp and i started writing letters to each other again. once day we will be famous published authors and our letters will be known worldwide just like scott and zelda's letters, maybe?

okay. so. the star trek movie.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

i have mixed feelings about it. i was absolutely blown away by how amazing it looked. it was true to the star trek world. the characters were cast pitch-perfect. i caught so very many little nerdy things that only obsessed fans could catch and understand. i was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and the movie seemed far shorter than what it was. i was never bored. i loved it!

i am sad, however. the movie was billed as a prequel. it was not this at all. they destroyed vulcan. kirk never knew his father. spock lost his mother early on. none of these things happened in the original, or any series. the whole reality of the timeline has changed. this isn't a huge problem. timelines and alternate realities often happen in star trek, and they are easily explained. i am sad because now things are completely separate from the old series. paramount, i heard, told all of the other casts that they were done. the old star trek is over. true, this new movie has opened possibilities for an otherwise dead idea. but paramount cut out the rest of the family of star trek, and they sold all of the old props and sets. sad. it is a new era. there will be a new bandwagon of "fans" who know nothing of gene roddenberry and his dream. 

i am excited for future movies, but man. i am also bummed.

Friday, May 8, 2009

spiders under my skin when you're not around.

some quick updates for you all:
  • went to the so it goes ep release (white light riot played), and it took me a few days to recover. overhung. below is how much i dressed up for that show. i never wear dresses.
  • officially booked my ticket to la for memorial day weekend and jp's birthday!!! i will be gone from the 22nd to the 27th. i. cannot. wait! it will be epic times, really. and add on top of seeing jp, i get to see and hang out with miss jessica. hoorah! it will be grand! hopefully i will be able to see a bit of the recording process as well. i think it would be really interesting to watch and learn about, especially since i may work in music one day. i also just can't wait to hug on justin. i am lame. ha.
  • got my hair done. back to a bright white blonde. will post pictures soon. love it.
  • lightened my eyebrows myself (eep!) to match my hair better. it sounds weird, but they turned out SO good. i am so much more confident now. if you ever need tips on doing it, i am here for you!
  • went to trivia night with miss kari gray last thursday. she told an amazing story concerning an insect that is STILL haunting me. good times with her, per usual.
  • plan to go shopping for mother's day presents and justin's birthday presents tomorrow. i am actually kind of excited to go shopping for once in my life.
  • also hope to see baby whitney and miss dagger tomorrow!
  • bought and finished the last olympian (final book in the percy jackson and the olympians series). couldn't put it down for two days. please read this series. so delicious! also excited for how it ended.
  • plan to see the star trek movie this weekend. i am a gigantic trekker, and i am a little afraid as to if i will approve. i have heard overall good things though. justin went to the la premiere of the movie (he isn't a star trek fan) and even he loved it. so it cannot be all bad. i am just concerned that there will be a new wave of bandwagon star trek fans. ugh.
  • once my sister gets back from her roadtrip to virginia, we will probably be making some incredibly stupid webisodes. they will probably be nonsense, and you will probably not laugh as much as we will, but i will probably post them anyway.
  • excited for photoshoot with mike minehart next saturday!!! we will be doing a music theme, i believe. i need to find some awesome headphones pronto pup!