Movies that effect you to the core

I watched the movie Towelhead tonight and had no idea what I was in for. I thought it was going to be about some unwanted racism in the South. Which, indeed, was included in the movie. But there were SO MANY other elements to this movie about a 13 year-old girl.

I actually almost turned it off a couple times. Not because of the quality of the film but because of the intensity.

About halfway through the movie, a new character is introduced played by Toni Collette. She was, in some way, the sunshine of this film for me. Even with all the uncomfortable events and ideas throughout the film, her character brings a little normalcy to a Texas suburb. And she's an example of the kind of person and neighbor I'd like to be.

Bag Lady

I got a sweet new bag over the weekend. For cheap....on Chainlove.com.

This bag knows how to ride my bike with me; to beer gardens, to my job, to the grocery, to The Promenade and to Life in general.

I started my morning filling my newly acquired bag with my laptop and my Lacie drive... and I must say... I left the house looking very professional.

I ended my day filling it with Coors Light, glow bracelets and a much needed camera to document an evening of kickball.

That's right people.
I work AND I have fun...most days in fact...and the sweet new bag is only going to accentuate both.

Mmm...Lemon Ice Box Pie

Needed to crush some graham crackers today and the best way to do so was with a ziploc bag and a rolling pin.

I am the proud owner of an old school rolling pin that I purchased from a flea market awhile ago. However, unlike the rest of the Smith family (my mom's side), mine has two handles. Which under normal circumstances, a rolling pin should. But when your grandmother cooked with a broken rolling pin and your mom purposefully broke her own because the second handle was simply in the way...you are sort of destined to ignore the second handle. And I do.

I haven't officially needed to break mine, but I do admit that I am much more comfortable crushing graham crackers using one handle. And every time I even SEE the rolling pin I think of Granny Smith and my mom and the many cooking traditions handed down through generations.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y

Saturday, you are my sunshine.

And Westside, you are the rays.

Riding bikes, having a beverage in a beer garden and having someone ask me if I was a pilot because I was wearing aviator sunglasses...might be the best Saturday ever. Living in Southern California feels like a dream sometimes.

I take that for granted entirely too often.

And ending my Saturday hanging with a two-year-old all night, might have been the best decision I've made in awhile.

007

I received a this message will destruct in 30 seconds text message today. It gave the secret details of the location I was to pick up a disc with important files.

You wouldn't think it would be that much fun, but looking for the pink flowers next to the fire hydrant in front of the 777 Hotel...I felt a little bit like James Bond. However, with the new haircut, I probably looked more like Nancy Drew.

Scavenger hunts will always be fun...no matter how big or small.

Hey, Mr. Bouncer Man...

Don't be a jerkface.

Usually in Hollywood, they are. And until lately, at Hotel Cafe, they had nice dudes at the door. No jerkface bouncers allowed.

But in the past two years or so...they haven't been that impressive.

Tonight, it could have been that I was on a high from meeting Dooce or maybe it was my Dirty Thirty confidence, but the bouncer was overly nice to us.

So nice in fact, that we got in even though it was sold out and he didn't even officially count the cash I handed to him for cover...he just trusted me.

Thank you Mr. Bouncer Man. You are my sunshine for today.

Elbows off the table

Met an old friend out tonight who was in town for a business training. He brought one of his colleagues along for the ride.

I don't pretend to be a Southern Belle or to have taken fancy etiquette classes, but when I meet someone with manners, I'm always so impressed. And more importantly, someone who has them ingrained...sort of second nature. It feels subtle and honest.

Mr. Colleague Man was the perfect example. And not because he wanted my phone number or was overly trying to impress. His actions were examples of how you treat PEOPLE in general.

I've been trying not to generalize and blame the city of Los Angeles for its shortcomings. And I realize meeting 25 year-old hipsters at Hollywood bars and late-night eating joints doesn't make my test group very fair...but in my experience, LA leaves a little to be desired in the courtesy department.

So tonight was refreshing.