You're the One that I Want: Grease Sing-a-Long

My roommate and I planned to go to the Grease sing-a-long on Saturday night. Well- Friday early afternoon, we discovered the sing-a-long was actually Friday night! After a bit of rearranging plans, we were both able to meet up with her friends of the family at the Hollywood Bowl. I had never been to the Hollywood Bowl and was excited to check it out. It is an iconic venue for concerts and other productions. Set off Highland Avenue north of Hollywood Boulevard in the hills. The outside amphitheater is carved into the side a canyon, making for a stunning venue. 

We arrived early to watch the pre-show entertainment. A surprise to us, Frenchie from the original film was hosting. While she might have aged, her voice is absolutely identical. Upon enterting we were given a bag full of props to help us participate during the film. Frenchie instructed us when and how to use all the props, and then it was time for the “costume parade.” In reality, people got to show off their costumes on stage with Frenchie. Sandies, Dannys, Pink Ladies, T Birds flocked to the stage to show off their outfits. Some of the funniest/cutest were groups of kids. Two groups combined individual costumes to create a phrase associated with the movie. For example, “Rock n’ Roll” paired a rock, and symbol and roll of toilet paper. Another a tube of grease and a lightening bolt formed “Grease Lightening.” Ok, you get the idea, and yes I did dress up too. This went on for at least an hour before the sun started to set, and the screen lit up. From the events title, I knew there would be singing involved, but I figured the words would only scroll along the bottom of the screen. Instead the words provided an extra amount of entertainment with hilarious graphics and cartoons. Not far into the film, it was time to use our first prop during the bonfire rally. During the Rydell High fight song, everyone pulled out their red and white pom pom and chanted along. The best prop was definitely the bubbles for the beauty school dropout dream sequence. Seeing millions of bubbles float into the sky and across the screen was absolutely amazing. I was most excited about the tiny comb prop because mine actually had an unfortunate encounter with my flatiron and lost.

 

The night turned out to be a successful experience. We sang. We laughed. We enjoyed a classic in a breathtaking setting. I can’t wait to go to other productions at the Hollywood Bowl, but next time I am definitely bring my own wine!

Putting It All on the Line: Why public figures cheat.

Still married

Divorced

On way to divorce

Scandal in the public sector is nothing new. It seems we can’t go a week without another politician, celebrity or pro-athlete cheating or dancing dangerously close to the line. While I was in college, this topic arose more than once in my political science classes. The question everyone wants an answer to is always the same. Why do they cheat? It’s the same question everyday people ask if the same situation happens in their lives. Seriously though- what convinces these public figures to risk their careers, family and reputation? They put everything on the line for a little sex or exchanging racy photos and messages.

Every political analyst has a different view or explanation for this question. I’m going to give you my personal opinion as a political science degree holder. No, I’m not expert on cheating, but I am entitled to my two cents. Celebrities and athletes all have one thing in common. They are constantly surrounded by the public and often away from their families. We glorify them as above the average human, and they take this viewpoint and run with it. They have the power to actually make a difference, which makes them feel powerful in their personal lives too. This power makes them feel invincible, almost as if they are above the law and not just criminal laws but also ethical ones. Even for “normal” people, the whole idea of ‘till death do us part has become something as a joke in society. I feel cheating is wrong at every level of a relationship, but I can’t seem to grasp how public figures are willing to risk so much.

Another thing that baffles me is the fact many actually “cheat down.” They have gorgeous wives that most men would kill for, but they cheat with someone who is nowhere near as attractive as their spouse. Here again, it is a power thing. These women hold significantly less power than the men; therefore, when a public figure shows interest they shower the man with gratitude. The woman can be needy, which gives the public figure a savior complex. They are giving this woman a better life than she could have ever imagined, although in her dream the man probably wasn’t married!

You might have noticed I didn’t mention woman in the public figure cheating. Yes, women cheat too but in far fewer numbers. My only thought on this is that women consider the consequences more seriously. They have already had to fight tooth and nail for their success, especially female politicians; therefore, they aren’t willing to sacrifice all their hard work for a little sex.

There you go. You may not agree with my points, but I would love to hear others’ views on this topic.

Yelp: Making my way through LA's highest rating restaurants.

Los Angeles boasts literally thousands of restaurants. In Edmond and in Lawrence, I would find my favorite restaurants and rarely venture to new ones. When I first moved to Los Angeles, unfortunately this mentality stuck with me for a while. After about six months though, I realized I wasn’t taking full advantage of the city I live in. Now I can spend hours scouring Yelp reviews to find hidden gems around the city. My friend Jessica has been nice enough to accompany me on these adventures to see if Yelp got it right.

First on my list was Blu Jam Café on Melrose in West Hollywood. I am absolutely obsessed with brunch and couldn’t wait to try this place out. We met on a Sunday morning around 11:30. There was about a 30-minute wait, but it went relatively quick. The café is super quaint but doesn’t feel overly crowded because of the high ceilings. My normal brunch debate settled in as I scanned the menu- sweet or savory. If I could, I would order one of both, but I don’t have the stomach or wallet for that option! My sweet tooth won the battle, and I ended up selecting the weekend crunchy French toast. When it came out, the portion was huge! There was a least eight halves of toast. What set the restaurant’s weekend French toast apart is that it is encrusted with corn flakes. Yes- the cereal. While this may sound weird, it is what made this dish stand out for any ordinary French toast. When you bite in, you get the crunch from the corn flakes, but the inside of the toast is still moist and flavorful. The dish was topped with fresh strawberries, blackberries and bananas. I was a little nervous about the vanilla bean sauce that came with the toast, but after a taste I drizzled it all over. It wasn’t overly sweet, and the vanilla paired well with the hints of cinnamon in the toast! Jessica ordered the Salmon hash, which also looked delicious. We can’t wait to come back to try more dishes. Another big plus, unlimited coffee refills!

Our next experience took us from brunch in WeHo to dinner in Santa Monica. Just a couple blocks from the beach sits Fritto Misto. Upon entering this small restaurant, I never guessed I would be having some of the best Italian food I have ever tasted outside of Italy! From Yelp I knew the restaurant had an inexpensive corkage fee, so we brought our own bottle of wine. Our server quickly uncorked it for us and brought out complimentary bread. Everything on the menu looked delicious, and I was having more than a little trouble selecting my dish. Sometimes when this happens, I like to seek the help of the waitress. She suggested the jumbo ravioli and the artichoke shrimp gnocchi, and we ended up ordering both. When my ravioli arrived, the portion was huge. There had to be at least 10 jumbo raviolis stuffed with prosciutto, mortadella and chicken served on top of a garlic cream sauce with caramelized onions and sun-dried tomatoes. I only had a bite of Jessica’s gnocchi, but it was so decadent. The gnocchi was made with mascarpone cheese that gave it an extra fluffy consistency. This is the perfect spot for dinner and then a stroll on the beach to burn off some of the calories you just consumed.  

Our most recent adventure was for a late night happy hour and appetizers at Palomino in Westwood. I hate that most happy hours end at 7 pm, so I was more than excited to find out Palomino’s happy hour lasts all day! After a long day, there is nothing like a drink and some appetizers. We started with a round of drinks, while we perused the bar menu. Thanks again to Yelp, I ordered the cranberry mojito and was not disappointed. It reminded me of the cranberry limeade at Sonic but better because of the rum!  Jessica tried the lemonade but ended up swapping it out for a mojito. I tried a sip, and it wasn’t for me either. It tasted kind of like straight Bacardi lemón. For appetizers, we tried the Roma tomato and basil pizza and the potatoes gorgonzola. The pizza had a nice thin crust and was pretty good. If you don’t mind risking the health of your arteries, get the potatoes! Waffle cut French fries over a cream sauce base with Gorgonzola crumbles on top. Yum! After a second round of drinks, we wanted to try out the desserts. Ginger apple crumb cake was more like an apple tart, but I am not complaining. Hints of cinnamon and ginger made this dessert, along with the crème fraiche ice cream.

So far Yelp is three for three for delivering amazing restaurants as promised. I will keep you posted on more of Jessica and I’s dining experiences.

Another Weekend, Another Set of Adventures

After months of being somewhat of a homebody, I have broken out of my shell! Every weekend seems to somehow top the previous weekend. My schedule is filling up and so are my adventures. This past weekend I had no plans as of Thursday afternoon, but by Thursday evening my weekend was packed with activities. Since Jessica departed our internship for a real job, we have been trying to catch up at least once a week by trying out new restaurants I discover on Yelp. Friday we checked out Lares Restaurant in Santa Monica. All I can say is I want some of its chips and salsa right now!

Legends in Long Beach

As I anxiously awaited my evening plans Saturday, I spent the day reading my “fun” books that I have been falling behind on. I couldn’t wait to catch up with my friend Meghan, who has been in Boston for four months because of work. I headed down to Long Beach for a night of wine and movies. The night ended a little more interesting than planned. Instead of staying in, we went out on Second Street in Long Beach, which is actually an awesome area. It was so good to catch up with Meghan and discover new places. We wrapped up the night early in preparation for our Sunday adventure. 

Angels v. Royals: June 12

The KU Alumni Association was hosting a meet up at the Angels verses the Royals baseball game in Anaheim. Meghan and I set off for the game around 11 a.m. to ensure we were there in plenty of time for the 12:30 start. Once at the game, we indulged ourselves in some classic baseball food. This is practically the only setting where I will submit myself to eat hotdogs. I used to love hotdogs, but my love faded when I gave up red meat; however, I sometimes cheat and eat a tasty Hebrew National hotdog. Anyways, I loaded up my “Angels” dog with sweet relish, barbecue sauce and spicy mustard. Needless to say, it was completely worth breaking my red meat ban. It was a little chilly since the June Gloom hadn’t burned off for the day, so we were a little dismayed that our seats were in the shade. To hell with those seats! We were not in the mood to be cold. This started our adventure of seating swapping throughout the entirety of the game!

Third seats of the game

After the fourth inning, we wanted to track down where the other Jayhawks were sitting. We knew they were in the 200-level, but we weren’t sure which section. We started near the left outfield and made our way to the right outfield in search of our fellow alums. By the end of our walk, we had seen numerous Royals hats but no big group! We decided to stay in the outfield for a while to soak up some rays since our search seemed to be pointless. After baking for a couple innings, we wanted a closer look at the game. We found some amazing seats just right of home base! We planned to finish the remainder of the game here before a brilliant idea popped into my head. I had heard rumors that there was a Sonic Drive-in in Orange County and suggested we track it down. Turns out its in Anaheim! How lucky are we? Since the Royals were up 9-0 in the bottom of the 8^th, we left early to avoid the crowds. Getting to Sonic turned out to be something of a wild goose chase, but it was worth it once we arrived. Just in time for happy hour, we both ordered variations of limeades. I had been craving ice cream all day and decided to treat myself to a Reese Sonic Blast! From living in Oklahoma and Kansas, I have an unhealthy obsession with Sonic and hate that it is not in LA. Now that I know where one is, I will be back.

Karaoke and Dancing

I had planned to return to my apartment for a relaxing evening of reading scripts and writing coverage, but the LA Jayhawks had other plans. They were meeting up at a bar in Santa Monica to watch the Maverick’s game and wanted me to join. How could I say no when I live five minutes from Santa Monica. I rerouted my drive to The Shake, which I had actually wanted to try out. Since it was a group of KU alums, there wasn’t a clear cut team that we should be rooting for but as a consensus everyone wanted the Mavs to win but Mario Chalmers to have a good game. As it turns out, our wish was granted! Not wanting the party to end, a small group of us headed down Wilshire to an Irish pub. We didn’t stay long since the place obviously didn’t know what Sunday Funday meant. The next place was a success! Oh Gas Lite how you surprised me. This tiny bar featured not only karaoke but also a rocking dance floor. A good mix of hipsters and beach towners, I will be back to the Gas Lite soon! To make the night even more interesting, a random girl at the bar also actually went to KU and had a good friend in my sorority. What are the odds? I love the KU connection.

I fall more in love with Los Angeles the longer I am here. I can’t imagine living anywhere but here for a long time!

An Unforgettable Memorial Day Weekend

My Memorial Day Weekend went something like this… Santa Monica, Hollywood, Brentwood, Hermosa, Brentwood, Hermosa, Brentwood, Malibu, West Hollywood, Brentwood. Seriously. I don’t think I could have packed more into this weekend if I had tried! I kicked off the weekend with dinner and drinks with my friend Jessica, a former, fellow intern. We decided to check out a restaurant in Santa Monica and then head down to the beach to watch the sun set. I will tell you about the restaurant later but for now all I can say is $2 corkage fee! After watching yet another one of California’s beautiful sunsets, we headed back to Hollywood for some drinks at a British pub near her house. The Cat & Fiddle Pub set back behind an historic looking archway. The pub had a large outdoor patio, which was really more like a courtyard. We found some seats outside, and I was excited to see Strongbow on the menu! We sipped our drinks and enjoyed the atmosphere until we both realized we were incredibly tired and headed home.

I woke up bright and early the next morning to head down to Hermosa Beach to hang out with some OC Jayhawks. There was a festival going on in Hermosa called Fiesta Hermosa… sounds like my kind of party. It was pretty much an art and food festival with awesome cover bands and throngs of people. MY friends and I started the day off right with some wraps and some beer. Nothing says good morning like a pint of beer. After perusing the different vendors and eyeing puppies up for adoption, we eventually headed down to the beach. The beach was fairly full considering it was a holiday and a festival, but thankfully the summer crowds haven’t fully set it yet. After a couple of hours of baking under the sun, we headed to a bar classically entitled “Poopdeck.” Yes, I kid you not that was its real name. We made quick friends at the bar and started up an exciting game of flipcup! I haven’t played flipcup since my graduation party, but I found out my skills came right back. Needless to say, my team won more than our fare share considering we were KU trained. The festivities continued until approximately 11 p.m. when we all decided it was time for bed.

The next day I headed back to Brentwood just in time to turn around and go back to Hermosa! What can I say? I love the beach. Cassie and I checked out some more of the vendors but unfortunately the wind had picked up, and it was literally freezing outside. We decided to see what was going on in LA since it was too cold near the beach. We quickly found some plans and headed back to my apartment. Our friend instructed up to meet him at his house in Malibu at nine. Well, an hour and a half later he finally arrive, but it was all cool because Cassie and I had made ourselves right at home. Around 11, we set off for the Viper Room in West Hollywood. The Viper Room is a fairly iconic staple of West Hollywood if you want to check out bands. We were in for an amazing surprise. The Viper Room was hosting a private concert featuring Lupe Fiasco DJing. What? If you don’t know who Lupe Fiasco is, he sings “The Show Goes On.” The show was absolutely amazing and a great way to spend a Saturday night or really any night! Got to give a big shout out to our friend Ace, who gives us the most amazing hook ups in Hollywood!