Coyote Ugly

Another LA first today. As I'm walking to the gym, I heard a car either slam its brakes or hit something, or both. I looked up and saw a COYOTE dart across Sunset .... and run right up the sidewalk toward me! I stood frozen. What do I do, I think? I'm standing next to a wall of hedges about fifteen tall, so I can't go that way, maybe I should run into the street. Instead, I just stood there. Luckily, the coyote dashed into the street to avoid me. He looked like he was just as scared of me as I was of him. A woman on the other side of Sunset said the coyotes come down from the hills when they can't find food. Poor things. Can't say I ever thought I'd come face-to-face with a coyote, though. Only in LA, kids. Only in LA.

Celebrity sighting: When I left the gym, I saw multiple daytime Emmy-winner, Susan Flannery, best known as Stephanie Forrester on "The Bold & the Beautiful." Though I remember her the most as the woman stuck in the office with Robert Wagner in THE TOWERING INFERNO.

Celebirty Baby Names

I just gotta comment. What is it with celebrities now-a-days naming their offspring with weird names? Just this weekend Shiloh (Jolie/Pitt) (not to mention Maddox [okay, kinda cool] and Zahara), Kingston (Gwen Stefani; okay, kinda cool again). And then we have Suri(!) (TomKat), Apple(!) & Moses(!!) (Paltrow), Prince Michael and Prince Michael II (Wacko Jacko). Whatever happened to traditional names, like Michael, Amanda, John & Jennifer? Too dull, I guess. I don't know, these kids are going to have a hard enough time growing up in the spotlight as celebrity children, why do they need an unusual name to make them stand out? Anyway, if I ever have a son, I plan on calling him Dylan, since I was almost named that. And if I have a girl, Skylar, Skye for short. Okay, a little off-beat, but still, not as odd as, say, Rumor Willis!

Madonna

Madonna rocked it out the other night at the Forum. I gotta say she puts on a great show. Not to mention, she looks absolutely incredible. I think she's probably in the best shape of her life. Amazing for 47 years old.

In other news, I received more notes on my script and will be busy writing this weekend. It's the first time, I think in my life, that I don't have plans for Memorial Day. I thought about jumping in the car and driving up the coast to San Luis Obisco for one night. Or rollerblading at the beach. But I should take advantage of the time to write.

Worked out today and who do I see, but Mr. Psycho Realtor. In fact, he used the cross-trainer right. next. to. mine. Bastard. I've also seen twice now at the gym my former classmate who directed those two schlock horror films .... and ignored my email. Why does it feel like I'm living high school all over again? This really is a small town.

Mystery

So I've been working out now regularly and eating well for several weeks now .... and I'm not losing weight. What the hell is that about? Well, okay, I did lose a few pounds. But I've seen the scale fluctuate back to where I started. The only thing I can think of is that I'm, perhaps, building muscle. Though I haven't really noticed a difference. It feels good to workout, but I have to see a difference eventually, right? Otherwise, what's the point? Anyway, I'm going to see if my gym has a nutrionist. Maybe I really need to start counting calories.

Celebrity sighting: my American Idol -- Chris Daughtry! Yes, I saw the man when I was crossing the street on my way to the gym. Chris was in the passenger seat of a car at the stop light. His wife was driving and he had a change of clothes hanging in the backseat. His car was going in the direction of the Kodak Theatre, so he was probably on his way to the show last night. Also, Jane Lynch at my gym who's been in THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and BEST IN SHOW.

Favorites

Since I’ve been in LA one year now, I thought I’d compile a list of my favorites:

Favorite Reason for Living in LA: the climate and physically being in the land of make believe, Hollywood

Favorite Area of Town: West Hollywood

Favorite Inexpensive Restaurant: Doughboy’s on Third Street, Neptune’s Net in Malibu

Favorite Brunch Spot: The Griddle, Grub and The Standard Hotel Diner

Favorite Bar(s): The Abbey, Beige at the Falcon (both for its open air areas), Akbar (for its dance floor and East Village vibe), Barney’s Beanery

Favorite Shopping Mall: The Grove (Disney World for the shopping set, complete with brick road, trolley, dancing fountain and snow in the winter)

Favorite Movie Theater: ArcLight (reserved seats), the Grove

Favorite Bookstore: Barnes & the Noble at the Grove

Favorite Beach: Just before Sunset Blvd. meets Pacific Coast Highway for its rocky backdrop

Favorite Spot To Rollerblade: Santa Monica beach path

Favorite Place to Walk: Runyon Canyon, Venice Canals

Favorite Starbucks: Beverly Glen in Beverly Hills (near Mulholland Dr.)

Favorite Coffee Chain: The Coffee Bean (for their numerous outdoor fire pits and a great ice-blended)

Favorite Drive: Sunset Blvd. (from the Strip through Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Pacific Palisades to the ocean)

Favorite View: Mulholland Drive (views of both LA and the Valley)

PS: I figured out who that actor was I recently saw at Baja Fresh – Dylan Walsh, star of “Nip/Tuck.”

One Year Anniversary

Today marks my one year anniversary since I relocated to Los Angeles. And what a strange trip it's been from earthquakes, wildfires and tsunami warnings to seeing old friends, making new ones and seeing & meeting famous faces -- my favorite being Sidney Poitier (the perfect gentelman), Shirley MacLaine, who gave me a Christmas present (!), and hanging out with Seven of Nine, er, Jeri Ryan, my very first night in LA! I'll comment more later, but right now I'm running out the door to see POSEIDON. I'm a sucker for disaster films! If I could ever remake THE TOWERING INFERNO, I would cream in my pants!

American Idol Redux

It's been a few days now and I'm still speechless. America -- you voted Chris Daughtry off "American Idol"?! Um, why?! He's clearly THE BEST. He was my pick to win this thing from the beginning and now you crushed not only my spirits, but think of how poor Chris feels. I mean, my God, did you see his face? He did not think he was going home, nor did anyone else for that matter. So why did he? I still don't get it. Actually, I could care less who wins now. In fact, I may boycott the rest of the season. So there.

Akeelah and the Bee

Everyone should run -- not walk -- RUN to go see this awesome movie! Trust me, it's a very special film. The young actress, Keke Palmer, who plays the lead is outstanding. It's such a great movie. I walked out of the theater feeling so good and inspired. Strange enough, there was a quick shot of Universal City where I saw the movie, and where, I will never see another movie again in my life. That place is so ghetto. I call it the poor man's Grove (those of you who live in LA will understand).

I went from a high after the movie to a low soon after when my friend and I went to grab a margarita at one of the restaurants there. It started out great. We sat outside next to a wall that is a waterfall. Then, just before we were going to leave, someone threw something at my back. Like an ice cube maybe? So I glanced over my shoulder at the one and only table behind me and there was a table of six middle-age, Midwestern-looking folks sitting there, one of which was laughing his ass off and did not acknowledge our looks.

When we got up to leave, my friend and I gave them dirty looks and we left. However, I forgot my hoodie at the table, so we had to return. As I'm approaching the stairs to go back down to our table, the Midwesterners are ascending the stairs and the jack-ass who was laughing before was clutching my hoodie. As soon as he saw me, he chucked it at me violently and started cussing at me! So I asked him why he was cussing me and he said because you and your friend were staring at me. And I said -- because you threw something at my back (moron)! And he said, what makes you think I threw it? Because you were the only table behind me -- who else could have done it? DUH! His wife had to come between us before a bar room brawl broke out. It wasn't pretty. So never again will I go to Universal City, which is sad because it could be a very cool place if it weren't for the hordes of trash that flock there.

Sunday I attended a networking event at Sony Studios with the production team behind my favorite soap opera, "General Hospital". I was fortunate enough to speak with the producer, who is going to forward my resume to the writing staff. I also met the actress who plays Big Alice, the Quartermaine's maid and one of my favorite actors from the show, Leslie Charleson, who plays Monica Quatermaine. She's a very cool, down-to-earth lady.

The Phoenix II

Duh. I forgot to mention the reason for my last post. The Phoenix? Rising from the ashes? It's me. I'm a new me. This past week (yeah, it's only been a week; let's see how long it lasts), I've been getting up early (if you know me, you know that's unheard of!), writing everyday (averaging about 5 pages a day; today 8!) and going to the gym. Every. Single. Fricken. Day. Except, yesterday. But I'm excused because I was writing all day. Today I wrote all day, as well, and just returned from the gym. I feel great. Now I have to jump in the shower. I'm late. I'm meeting a friend tonight at Universal City to see AKEELAH AND THE BEE. Oh yeah, and I've been eating healthy and drinking less alcohol, too, for several weeks now. It's a new me, I tell you! Hallejuhah! Okay, I'm really going now.

The Phoenix

I have risen from the ashes like Jean Gray in X-MEN and prevailed. Well, okay, that's a little dramatic. But, hey, I always was a drama queen. It's all those years of watching soaps. Their melodramatic behavior conditioned me the wrong way.

Anyway, so where was I? Oh right, rising out of the ashes. So I'm totally immersed in my rewrite and it feels so damn good. It's like a natural high when I'm writing. I sent the producers the first batch of pages the other day and we had a phone conference on Thursday to go over them. They thought it was a good start, they just wanted me to tighten it up a bit. It was a little chatty. I revised the pages and I'm good to go. I'm really pleased to be working with these guys. They seem to really be on the ball. It just feels right.

In other news ... well, there is no other news, other than: I'm speaking to the co-writer of our family comedy tomorrow as we continue the development of our rewrite and I'm meeting Tuesday with the director I'm developing a horror script with for a brainstorming session.

Celebrity sightings: Michael Rapaport at Target on Santa Monica & La Brea; and a well-known actor from film and TV that I can't place at the moment at Baja Fresh at the end of my street at Sunset and Hayworth.

Oh, and I forgot to mention a while ago -- because I'm so immersed, or rather consumed, with my lamo life -- a friend from Boston, who I think, reads this here little blog-a-thon, gave birth to a beautiful, bouncing baby girl. Congrats!!!