Made It To LA

Sorry for the disappearing act, but I have been *crazy busy* ever since I set foot in Cailfornia. The dust is just now starting to settle. Sort of. Now I'm pounding the pavement looking for work. Can you believe most offices, other than Hollywood related, require corporate business attire? Sorry, but I left those clothes back home, LOL! I thought everything would be super-casual. I had to go buy a tie the night before an interview that requested business attire. Blech!

Anyway, things are going well. It's been a trip and a half, that's for darn sure! The first night I arrived in LA I was whisked off to a charity event at Paramount Studios on the NY back lot (it looked just like NY, too, except for the palm trees in the surrounding area) and we met the actress Jeri Ryan, who starred in one of the Star Trek series and Boston Public (not to mention, her former husband -- a Senator from Illinois -- was involved in a scandal that allowed Obama to win in IL). Well, she invited us back to her restaurant for drinks. So here I am the first night in LA attending a party at Paramount and hanging out with a TV star! Not a bad start to my adventure, eh? :)

A night later, my new roommate's Jeep was stolen off the street in West Hollywood. He lost everything -- his wallet, credit cards, cell phone ... and the keys to our apartment. Luckily, he had an Oregon driver's license at the time with a different address. But wait, it gets better, or I should say worse. After filing a police report, he was walking down Sunset toward a friend's place ... when he was mugged ... at gun point! Yep, all in one night his car was stolen and he was mugged!! Can you believe it?! I think NY is safer than LA!!

Then, a day later, my first night in the apartment, there's a domestic disturbance like I've never heard before. So I opened my front door to see all the neighbors in shock watching this man hit this woman outside his front door. Of course, immediately, I called 911 for the first time in my life ... and was put on hold for five minutes before an operator answered! They sent the police and -- get this -- a police helicopter! The chopper hovered over our open-air courtyard with the spotlight sweeping over the building!!! It was right out of a movie I tell you!! And no, I don't live in South Central, LOL!! Justin Guarini from "American Idol" lives in our building, so it can't be that bad. Then again, I guess that doesn't say too much about his career. :)

So that was my welcome to LA!!! :D

Other than that drama, I've been busy buying furniture, unpacking and settling in. Also, I've been meeting new people and networking. I attended the LA premiere of EMPIRE FALLS at the Director's Guild, as well. We went to Palm Springs over Memorial Day weekend and that was absolutely beautiful. 90+ degree weather and snow still on the mountains! Actually, the weather has been perfect ever since I arrived (sunny and warm, high 70's and 80's, low 60's), except for the past two days it's been cloudy.

Only a few celebrity sightings to report: Kitty Carlisle Hart at the airport when I arrived (she looks great!), Jeri Ryan and Doris Roberts from "Everyone Loves Raymond" at Baja Fresh, one of my new favorite Mexican fast food joints. Oh, and that guy who made the first infomercial -- "it slices, it dices!" -- at lunch in Beverly Hills.