Greetings! Is anyone there? No….? Nothing.
Oh well. I enjoy writing to myself. So it was mind-boggling to read the last entry I posted right before I left for China. I am glad that I did that, to document the things I was doing in LA. Because you see, I’ve been back for 2 weeks and it’s as if I never left at all. I find I am doing the same things, leading the same lifestyle.
Anyway, why the silence while I was away in China? The Chinese goverment blocked me from my own blog! So I had to start a new one, JUST for CHINA. Read here, if you care. The latest post is very shitty, thrown together for the sake of the study abroad assignment required from Northeastern. But there are some good depictions in there.
I’d talk about China, but that was SO 5 months ago. INTROSPECTION SEGUE: Today, I am surprised to identify myself (as identified by others, although I shouldn’t rely on others’ opinions to identify myself) as a person who simply cannot sit still. A world traveler, jet-setter, nomad, transient, blah blah…I am waiting for something to STOP ME. Ok, moving on.
I’ve basically been living it up in LA, soaking in the wonderful AMERICANNESS & CALIFORNIANNESS before I have to move to Cleveland for 6 dreary months for my 3rd co-op job. Honestly, I am scared. Yes. I will hop on a sleeper train in China by myself, and couchsurf with people I don’t know in Inner Mongolia; I’m completely willing to go to Africa and run around the jungles, I’ll bungee jump off a helicopter in Germany…anything along those lines, because these things don’t scare me one bit. But the prospect of moving to the MIDWEST for a 9-5 cubicle job….that terrifies me. It does. Rattles me to the bones. Gives me nightmares. I already feel suffocated to the point of death.
Everything is going to change, has been changing, things will never be the same. Family is planning to sell the house, to move further inland, further east and further away from Los Angeles. Bu hao. And parents are expecting to move in with me by age 25. WHAT?!
Highlights of LA, to remember as I sulk away in Cleveland:
Tokyo Tables Tuesdays w/ Ronny, Derrick, & Co.; SD trip for graduation & clubbing at OnBroadway (hey hei-se-ren!); Gold Room Combo w/ Duo Jenny & Tommy and meeting Zack Morris; Talia’s visit to LA(!!!); 35cent cock-tails at The Edison in Downtown LA; Redondo Beach: getting pulled over (drinkin’) with 4 ppl in the back seat, after two pen tests and a breathalyzer I get off the hook with no ticket & no warning; falling asleep at the wheel hitting a curb – missing hubcap and ID credit cards which were later brought back to me; stepping in Gizmo’s dog poo; MJ’s death & FF’s anal cancer according to Tammy; Father’s day with the Chang family and using some Chinese; visiting United Auto 5 times in one week; spontaneous surfing adventure at Venice Beach; Yoga w/ live music and the couchsurfer; catching up with all sorts of people; and now I’m in my last week to look forward to here in LA!!!!
People often ask me where’s my next adventure? Where will I end up? Here’s my answer: I have seen many things, been to many places, but I will always come back to LA. LA is where my home is. It’s my town.
YO.
Currently listening to the soundtrack to Across the Universe. It’s like listening to the Beatles on broadway.
Tomorrow we greet the new year of the Ox. It has been a long weekend of reunion festivities! Friday night was spent in Manhattan beach with some co-opers and then in Silverlake with Tony, Ronny, & Matt at a hipster bar called Cha Cha Lounge! I must say it is one of my favorite places to drink in LA, you could tell just by looking at my face 
It was crazy because I ran into a Billionaires band member who I had met awhile back. Then I ran into two fellows that I used to go to University of Redlands with. Randomcity. We topped the night off with Alberto’s. Bleh in the morning!
Chinese new year festivities came shortly thereafter with Grandma’s famous pancakes and plenty of red envelopes. It had been rainy out so I wore my blue peacoat. We talked about how my uncle is livin’ rich in Hanzou (8 hrs from Shanghai) in his impoverished village, just chillin’ in his skyscraping 4-story complex. I don’t think I’ll be able to make the laborious trek out to his town. I hope I meet him and his family one day.
That night I snatched Jenny after beeranddumplings had contacted me & we ventured out to Pocoima for a random-ass party. We never made it because the cops had already broken the soiree up. Feeling slightly ashamed for almost being at “one of those parties” we sped on the highway to Koreatown to meet Peter at Izakaya! I had my first souju shots (yuck) and yummy pineapple souju. Ronny, Derrick & Company where there as well. Stegasaurus will never get old. Then Jenny & I went to pick up one of my college friends at USC and headed towards Peter’s studio, which is amazingly close to Jenny’s flat. I got home at 4am.
The next morning I took Mama Chang to Little Tokyo for some Sunday morning shopping and mother-daughter bonding. I bought a new pair of orangey-purplish adidas so that I could look like a fob in China and fit right in. Then we had Chinese New Year’s part II w/ the Chang Mafia. Let’s just say that we came shorthanded and I am exhausted from feasting at 888 restaurant for 4 hours. I gave my aunt plenty of Neutrogena product and lots of pictures were taken. A slideshow of my grandfather’s 100th birthday extravaganza played in the background. Satellite tables, distant families.
Now I am listening to ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Immunization shots tomorrow and last week of work. Shanghai in 9 days. Looking back on my LA experience, I must say it was a very good one.
Highlights to remember: Star parties, half-day fridays and quick trips to the beach, good ol’ traffic, free yoga, new house, big fat brown couch, Gizmo barking at every whisper of a sound, Jet-skiing, Jeeps, Chipotle, Blingin’ grill on the Camry, Photoshoot in Angeles Crest w/ Jesse, Nike Race & Kanye West, sailing around Marina del Rey, Genarts fashion show, Halloween in Weho, Neutrogena craziness, tandem biking, rollarblading w/ R&D, Sharkeez happy hour, Hotel Cafe, Hyperion Tavern & Rock Band night, and so many moreeeeeeeee adventures I can’t think of right now!! Good times but now it’s time to say good-bye.
Happiness is a warm gun.
UTTER DISAPPOINTMENT. I have no good words about the Killers’ new CD. ‘This Day and Age’ sounds like a combination of old polyphonic Nokia ringtones mixed with Keyboard presets. The saxophone is very questionable – doesn’t quite mesh with the techno beats. Seems like Brandon Flowers is a little too fond of his voice singing in an awkward key, as he carries the same tune throughout each song. Did the Killers just use the bait & switch method to tease us into buying a CD pumped out to stimulate the year-end economy? I like the radio hit ‘Human,’ despite sounding like he’s into dancers – but think twice before purchasing this new album. We are definitely denser, rather than human.
The reason why I became a huge music buff was because of the Killers’ first album. It was my stepping stone into the Indie world of musicana. It’s when I started liking movies like Garden State and listening to the Postal Service. It’s shaped me to be the person I am today. You can see why I am severely disappointed in the fact that the Killers got lazy and produced a CD just to make money. Lamesauce.
On a separate note, it’s raining in LA!! As I was walking back to my apartment, I noticed that it was seriously POURING and that there were bubbles floating in the water puddles. I understand why the rainfall would hit the water and create bubbles – but for some odd reason I found it fascinating that they would float around in the water like a stampede of bubbles in a bubble colony. The truth is…this fascination was probably sparked by the boredom I just experienced while listening to the Killers. I am glad that my bartender is a Killers fan and refuses to believe that their CD sucks. That means I get to give my CD to him for free & he will feel obligated to give me free drinks next time we hit up Brennan’s. I can’t believe Alison by Elvis Costello came on while we were sitting at the bar – that song was sent to me by the person who introduced me to the Killers. Strange life this is.
Filed under: California, Musik!, OH EM GEE. | Tags: Beverly Hills, Jazz, Parties
THE WEEKEND KICKED OFF with a lovely night out to the El Rey Theater to see one of my favorite JAZZ groups MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD!!! To get a taste of my eargasm, check them out—> MMW! The people. One of the most interesting crowds I’ve ever seen at a show. I saw an Iraqi soldier, he stood so solidified with his ice cold beer in the middle of the crowd…by himself might I add. Even MMW brings the people of the world together despite raging wars & death. A large group of crunchie hippies were there as well – you could find them wherever clouds of smoke shot up in the air. I befriended one. Men with beards was a common sight, as well as the usual scene kids dressed in ratty vintage wear. A slightly older crowd to say the least, but was surprised to see some people my age there. They knoodled quite a bit in the beginning, and we were unfortunate enough to be standing next to a spastic knoodle dancer – love the passion, but dude–they’re just warming up. 45 minutes & 1.5 Heffs later we were all doing a little jig. Chris Wood is my idol – he really knows how to stroke that bass, and he makes the BEST facial expressions. John Medeski is also a genius on the organ and really knows how to tickle that ivory. LOVED MMW!
After a night of binge eating in-n-out, I woke up the next morning feeling sick from the previous’ nights activities. BUT as a natural selfless humanitarian, I was able to pick up my good friend Jen Rubio & her visitor Billy from the bars in Hermosa Beach. There had been a Big 10 Bar Crawl and they went on a bar tour starting at 8AM and needed a DD to pick them up. I got to Sharkeez around 2PM and released myself to a Corona Light – the remedy to cure my MMW hangover. We hung out at Jen’s BEAUTIFUL apartment in Marina Del Rey and watched Juno in the movie theater that’s in her apartment complex (i know, wtf!). Juno is a great movie and makes me want to buy tic-tacs & boysenberry condoms.
OFF TO BEVERLY HILLS to the AMA pre-party at Aqua Lounge. It truly felt like Entourage. While waiting in line, a gang of black suits lined up at the VIP rope line and showed their stamp while simultaneously blinding me with their BLINGIN’ diamond watches the size of my face. I memorized their faces and made a mental note to introduce myself later in the night. We walked down the stairs and all I could see was bright, flashing lights. Photographers! Feeling like an ugly puppy I scurried away to avoid my picture being taken. Not like they were trying anyway. The AMA party was hosted by Penthouse and there was a table of Sexx University memorabilia near the bar area. There was a stage in the main area – hip-hop dancers were backing up a .5asian vocalist whose voice was sweet as honeymilk. It was like watching an ‘Nsync performance geared to please a snootier older crowd. The crowd. Was a sight to see – plenty of tall 6′2” blondes with questionable short dates. Lots of B&B – Booty & Boobage…I definitely felt OVER-dressed in a sense. There was quite a few gray foxes lingering about….not sure why they would be at an AMA party but okay. I stood around quite bored, observing the crowd and listening to the subsequent horrible performances. Someone famous just walked in because there were bright lights and cameras following this person around the lounge. A darkish man with bleach white pants & matching teeth was being interviewed on camera. After my drink I felt quite adept to dancing and had a glorious time romping about with a nice gay fellow. My feet began to grow tired in my R&R shoes and I sat down. Mr. bleach teeth came over to me and handed me a CD. Actually…….it was a DVD. Its title was: “The Porn Life.” – and Mr. Bleach had his shirt off with bulging pecks being groped by the manicured nails of naked women. Click* a light went off in my head……………AMA stands for Adult Movie Awards. I was at a porn party in Beverly Hills.
Other stuff this weekend
-OBGYN ultimate violation
-Haircut!
-IN LOVE WITH VAMPIRE WEEKEND
-My house is almost ready!
-Black Nike socks on my floor
