Free Holiday Cheer

If you're like me and you're going to stay in Los Angeles for the holidays because you don't want to give ALL of your money to the airlines, or simply because you're originally from here (you two know who you are), here is a short list of things to do and enjoy for a Merry L.A. Holiday!

1. Enjoy the lack of CARS on the highway!  The holidays are my favorite time of the year in L.A. because everyone goes away to see their family!  Nobody is actually from L.A. anymore, so the ten or so people that are left in L.A. can enjoy the use of the 405 freeway without having to worry about traffic!

2. Enjoy the lack of PEOPLE in L.A.!  If there was anything popular that you wanted to do, now is the time to do it.  There won't be a crowd so you can enjoy yourself, even if you go on a weekend.  I recommend going to the tourist traps, the museums or the fancy night clubs you could never get in to.  This is the one and only time where you can show up to a night club with 10 guys and you might actually get in!

Bull's Eyes

A little eye candy for your desktop wallpaper.

Lamborghini Aventador

Click image for 1920x1200 resolution.  Save and enjoy!

Screenshot captured from Top Gear's review of the Aventador.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Separation Anxiety

We spend our entire lives working hard to earn money, and the rest of the world works hard to separate us from our hard earned money.  As artists on the rise, you're most likely not pulling down a six figure salary, so why should you part so easily with your cash?

As the holidays are upon us, it's not just the retailers who are working extra hard to separate us from our money.  The "other half" of the art/entertainment industry is hard at work too; the half that thrives off of aspiring artists.

I'll speak from an actor's point of view since that's what I'm most familiar with.  The first things that are pushed on an actor are acting/improv/on-camera/audition classes and headshots; all with the promise of launching your lucrative acting career.  You can't be successful if you don't "invest" in yourself, they say.

Mixed Messages

A large part of our job as artists is to decipher, interpret and then deliver what the client wants.  A client could be a director, an art gallery owner, someone who commissioned you for creative work or even the audience that you love to perform for.  Figuring out what people want often isn't easy.  Many times, they don't even know what they are looking for, "but when they see it, they'll know".

I can't begin to tell you how many times I've heard that line before and how I think it's an excuse on their end so they don't have to effectively communicate to you what they're looking for.  You may get lucky sometimes and get an explanation of what they want, but it's often a contradictory mish-mash of adjectives that don't make any sense.

I've collected quite a few examples from audition notices that are quite humorous and down-right confusing.  Allow me to share some of my favorites with you, with my thoughts/comments in bold.

Why Is "Artist" Synonymous With "Waiter"?

The joke goes:
"What do you do for a living?"
"I'm an actor."
"Oh!  What restaurant do you work at?"

Before one becomes the world famous artist that one is destined to be, a steady paycheck must be earned so that the pursuit of the dream can continue.  Many choose to work at a restaurant or bar because of the somewhat flexible schedule and the evening hours, but is this really the best choice?  Are there more "non-traditional" jobs that also have the desired flexibility with less stress, higher pay and tasks of actual interest?  I believe there are.

I Love Stop-Motion Animation

I've always loved stop-motion animation.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe it's the attention to detail, knowing that someone moved everything just a little bit with every frame, or maybe because I secretly wanted to be an animator when I was little.

Here's a really well-made short film called "Address Is Approximate".



Address Is Approximate from The Theory on Vimeo.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Every Which Way But Straight

The arts and entertainment industry is one that no one really understands.  We just have really good guesses on how it works.  I think this lack of true understanding is what causes most people to give up and pursue something else.  I've known people who try everything, or what they think is everything, to become successful; constantly getting new headshots, continuously taking classes, jumping from representation to representation, all with the same lack of results.  It leaves them drained, without money and full of self-doubt.

I've stopped trying to "understand" the industry and just let myself go with the flow.  Let me share with you some personal examples of why trying to understand the industry is futile.

New California Cell Phone Laws While Driving

Over the years, California has passed a number of different laws specifically prohibiting cell phone usage while driving.  But from what I see on the roads, the number of people using cell phones while driving has stayed the same, if not increased.

I thought the new cell phone laws were put in place so that the roads would be safer, with less distracted drivers, but I see more distracted drivers than ever.  How are all of these people getting away with driving and using their cell phones?  I decided to do some research and get to the bottom of this.

Upon completion of my research, I discovered that there were some loop holes in California's cell phone laws. Allow me to illustrate my findings with some photos and descriptions.

Fig. 1

California law prohibits all drivers from using a handheld wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle, as depicted above.  If a police officer sees you doing this, he will issue you a ticket.

Art Is Made To Evoke Emotion

Ever since I began seriously pursuing a career in the art/entertainment industry, I've taken a different approach to consuming the art around me.  I no longer just enjoy it and smile; instead, I analyze it and study it.  The question that usually comes up first is: what makes this piece of art good?  It's not an easy question to answer, and it may differ from person to person, but I'm going to try and place an answer that I've arrived at in the paragraphs below.

We've all done it before: watched an actor's performance or viewed a piece of art and said "that's really good!"  But when our friends ask us to explain why it's good, we're at a loss for words.  "It's... umm... it's just... cool.  I like it."  My goal recently has been to narrow down the elements that make art "good", and make sure that those elements are incorporated in every project that I embark on, in hopes that the end result will be "good".

There are many elements that make a piece of art "good", but I've noticed that one element keeps showing up in every single piece: the ability to evoke emotion.  All good art evokes some sort of emotion in its viewer: happiness, awe, longing, nostalgia, excitement, fear, etc.  It makes sense that when someone sees something they don't like, a painting for example, they say: "this does nothing for me."  I believe what they are actually saying is that the painting didn't evoke any sort of emotion in them.  Does that make it a bad painting?  Not necessarily because the next person that comes up may feel something from the painting that the previous person didn't.  So the key is to create something that will evoke emotion in as many people as possible.  It's impossible to satisfy or evoke emotion in everyone, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be your goal.

Now take a look at what I consider to be "good" art.  Watch this short film from beginning to end:

The film was simple and short, but it had heart.  It had the right pieces to evoke some sort of emotion in its viewer, from the amazing cinematography to the universal theme of loneliness to Feist's hauntingly beautiful vocals.  If you removed any one of those pieces, the film may not have had the same effect.

This is just my theory of what makes art "good".  The next time you go out to consume art, try to see if you can pinpoint what makes art "good" to you.  Take a step back and see if those elements that make someone else's art "good" can also be found in your own art.

Share your thoughts and findings in the comments below!

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Make It Official With A Final Draft

For all of my aspiring screenwriters, from now until September 30, 2011, all Final Draft products are 20% off via their online store!  If you've been waiting for the right time to get the premier screenwriting program, this just might be it!

Be creative with the proper tools and share with us what you've made!

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Free Tickets To See Anna Faris and Chris Evans!

L.A Graffiti is giving away a pair of tickets to see Anna Faris and Chris Evans in a private, advanced screening of "What's Your Number" to TWO lucky readers!  (Anna Faris and Chris Evans won't actually be there in person, but you'll get to brag to your friends that you saw the movie before it opened to the public!)

Each of the two (2) winners receives a pair of screening passes to "What's Your Number", showing at the Pacific Theatres inside The Grove on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 7:00 pm!

To enter this give away, just "like" L.A. Graffiti's Facebook page by going here or clicking "like" in the box on the right-side column (you don't have to, but you better!) and then leave a comment below!


What kind of comment should you leave?  I dunno.  Be creative!

Two winners will be picked at random from the comments below on Friday, September 16, 2011!

You don't have to live in Los Angeles to enter, but you will have to fly yourself out here if you win!

Good luck!

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Acting Advice by Jenna Fischer from "The Office"

I stumbled upon a blog post by Jenna Fischer, the actress who plays Pam Beesley from "The Office", and I had to re-post it here for my L.A. Graffiti readers who are aspiring actors.

The information and advice given in her post is clear, truthful and priceless.

The original post can be found here.

The Acting Advice Blog - by: Jenna Fischer from The Office

I've received tons of letters from people asking advice about the entertainment industry and, in particular, pursing a life as an actor.  People have also asked how I got to be on The Office. This blog, I hope, will address some of those questions.

I grew up in St. Louis Missouri.  I always wanted to be an actor but when you grow up in a place like St. Louis that is sort of like saying, "I want to be a superhero when I grow up".  It hardly seems real.  The world of Hollywood is mysterious.  You hear stories of girls being discovered at ball games.  Success is about having "it" or being pretty or some other intangible magic.  You have no model for how to succeed.  Everyone's story is different.  One person does stand-up for 15 years and then gets a TV show, someone else finances their own movie and it takes off at a festival and suddenly they are the hottest thing.  But for each of those people there are thousands of stand-up comics and filmmakers who never got their break.  How do you know what to do?

Tokidoki Warehouse Sale!

One of the cool things about living in Los Angeles is that almost everything is manufactured, headquartered and/or distributed here.  Well, that may not be so cool in itself, but what really makes it cool is when these companies have overstock, they put on these awesome, open to the public, warehouse sales where items are sometimes discounted up to 90%!

The latest warehouse sale to pop up is Tokidoki!  On August 27th, you can take home some of the cute, cuddly and mildly angry world of Tokidoki at a deep discount!  The event is CASH ONLY and be sure to get there early!

The details:
August 27th, 2011 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
5655 W. Adams Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90016

View Larger Map

Yes, it's pretty expensive to live in Los Angeles, but with perks like warehouse sales, I think it evens itself out.  Stay tuned for future warehouse sale notifications from L.A. Graffiti!

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

I Am 8-Bit

If you grew up in the 80's and loved videogames, then you have to go see the latest art gallery from iam8bit.  Their latest 4,500 sq ft. exhibition, titled SUPER iam8bit, features a group art show co-curated by Jon Gibson, Amanda White, Taylor Harington and Nick Ahrens.  "Over 100 artists re-imagine their 80's gaming fantasies for the [fifth] return of L.A.'s most celebrated group art show".

I was kind of passing by the Echo Park area and decided to make a stop on the legendary Sunset Blvd. to see my favorite childhood videogame characters in art form.  I can assure you, I was not disappointed!  The artists that participated in this show are all extremely talented.  They didn't just do a simple homage to their favorite game characters, they rebooted them in some wildly imaginative ways!

I definitely recommend paying the SUPER iam8bit gallery a visit.  Make an evening out of it and enjoy some of the other cultural offerings of Echo Park.

Admission is free.  The gallery's address and hours:

2147 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Thurs: 1pm - 8pm
Fri: 1pm - 9pm
Sat: 12pm - 9pm
Sun: 12pm - 6pm

The Parking Genie recommends going on a Sunday as there is less traffic and the parking meters are free all day.

Here are some of my favorite pieces from the show:

Leisure Suit Larry in "Nighthawks"

The Legend of Zelda 

Goomba Roomba (it actually vacuums)

Epic Mario

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

How To Become SAG

One of the milestones of being an actor is that moment when you are finally eligible to join the Screen Actors Guild, lovingly referred to as SAG.  The next milestone is actually having the $2,335 in your bank account to actually join SAG, but that's a whole other story.

When I first began my acting pursuits, I really didn't know what SAG was, how to join, or the benefits of joining.  I had taken some classes on the "business of show business" but nobody ever went into detail about SAG.  For all I knew, getting your SAG card was just as easy and trivial as getting a Costco card.

I was fortunate enough, when I first moved to Los Angeles, to enroll in an acting class at the Baron Brown Studios.  It was there that I met many wonderful people and learned so much about being an actor.  I would ask my classmates about joining SAG, and everyone had an interesting story on how they achieved their SAG status.

But not everyone is as fortunate as I was to be surrounded by wonderful people who had been there, done that, and were willing to share their stories.  I have been around groups of actors where wild fairy tales about SAG and the different ways of joining spread around the room like a bad high school rumor.

I couldn't stand to watch misinformed people try to misinform others, which is why I created HowToBecomeSAG.com  I hope for it to be a reference guide for new actors on how to become eligible to join the Screen Actors Guild.  No more fairy tales, no more hear-say.  Only the facts.

There seems to be a lot of mystery surrounding SAG when there really shouldn't be.  As actors, we have to stay informed and stop listening to stories about a friend of a friend; this is true for all aspects of the industry, not just SAG.

Be informed.  Educate others.  Rinse.  Repeat.  Share HowToBecomeSAG.com with your friends so we can all keep our careers moving forward!

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Best Rap Video I've Ever Seen

I'm not sure what's happened to rap over the last ten years.  The lyrics make no sense.  Words are made up so that they can rhyme.  There are very few lyricists out there and most of the themes keep reinforcing negative stereotypes that send out the wrong idea to the youth of today.


I'm glad that Prince EA is out there making smart music.

Contrary to what the preview image shows, this music video is appropriate for all audiences.

Watch "BACKWARDS RAPPERS" from beginning to end:

Be informed.  Educate.  Rinse.  Repeat.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

How To Graffiti The Walls Of NYC Without Getting Caught

Have you ever wanted to put your personal touch on some of the bland walls of NYC?  Have you ever wanted to do that without the potential of being arrested or fined by NYC's finest?  Well, now you can!  And from the comfort of your own home!!

Introducing the "Walls Notebook"!

From the website:
"Walls Notebook is a notebook/sketchbook that features 80 pictures of "clean" NYC walls instead of blank pages.  Write, draw, paste, or doodle on these inspirational backdrops.  You'll be one step closer to being the street artist you've always wanted to be... minus the jail time."

This was too cool for me to not share.  Maybe they'll do a Los Angeles edition?  And package it with mini-spray paint cans?  One can only hope.

Check out some of the "clean" NYC walls, just calling your name.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Free Movie Tickets! Get Them While They Last!

For my South Bay-ers, the Manhattan Village Mall on Sepulveda and Rosecrans is giving away a Pacific Theatres movie ticket for every 5th check-in on the mobile app FourSquare!  (While supplies last)

You didn't read that wrong; it's EVERY 5th check-in, meaning you can get a free ticket at 5, 10, 15, etc, check-ins.  Between my girlfriend and I, we've already collected 4 tickets.

If your parents are mall-walkers (like mine), have them check-in for you as they do their exercise laps around the mall.  I spoke with the concierge and she said that one mall-walker already has enough free tickets to see a movie every weekend for the rest of the summer.

The "Darkside" tip:  Due to some glitch with FourSquare, once you've checked-in for the first time at the mall, your future check-ins can be made from home.  Rack up those check-ins at home, but don't check in for the 5th time until you're actually at the mall!  Once the "free movie ticket" coupon pops up, don't touch your phone!  If you navigate away from the "free ticket" coupon, it will lock, and you'll have to check-in another 5 times before it unlocks.  They will only give you a free ticket if you show them the unlocked coupon.  The mall concierge will write down your name and the date when you claim your free movie ticket, so please space out your free-ticket-grabbing trips accordingly.  Some kid showed up with 36 check-ins after only 2 days and is now banned from getting free tickets.  Don't be that kid.

Enjoy!

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Look familiar?

Spotted this on N. La Brea Ave. at Romaine St. in Los Angeles.

Favors Run This Town

Flower Favors via

I often hear people say "This town is all about who you know," but I don't think they really understand what it means.  "Who you know" is not about going out in Hollywood and meeting people at night clubs or mansion parties just so you can win the race to have the most friends on Facebook; it's about building and maintaining relationships.

"But it's hard enough to meet people in Los Angeles, let alone build a meaningful relationship!" you might exclaim.  You're absolutely right.  No one said it was going to be easy.  It takes a lot of effort.  One of the keys to relationship building is repetition; always running into the same person at the coffee shop, seeing each other in the same classes, etc.

Once you've established a level of comfort purely from repeatedly seeing one another, you'll have to escalate the relationship by initiating a meaningful conversation.  It could be as simple as inviting them to chat over a cup of coffee.  If you already run into each other at the coffee shop, sitting down for a conversation shouldn't be hard to do.

The next step to really move towards a meaningful relationship is to find out what their needs are and help them achieve their goals by doing them a favor.  Many people don't realize this, but this town is fueled by favors.  If you do a favor for someone, chances are, they'll do you a favor as well.  You're making an emotional investment in someone, but just like monetary investments, they don't always give you a positive return.  Sometimes people will just take from you and try to use you up.  Be wary of these people and protect yourself, regardless of how powerful they are or what they are promising you.

If you can surround yourself with enough good people, this exchanging of favors will quickly bring everyone closer to their goals.

When someone makes an emotional investment in you, please be courteous enough to at least thank them for their help.  So many people take those words for granted.  A simple "thank you" could be just as good as you returning a favor.  It seems like a lot of people's egos take a hit when they use the words "thank" and "you" together; almost as if they're admitting that they are a lesser being because they accepted help from another.  Please graduate into Kindergarten and realize that thanking someone is a sign of gratitude and appreciation.  The use, or lack there of, can really affect whether that person helps you out again.

I recently had an experience where an acquaintance was looking for a very specific and expensive item for a project with an impending deadline and sent an email blast to everyone.  I replied to the email because I knew exactly where they could go get this item for FREE.

End of story.

I never heard back from that person.  How hard is it to click "reply", type "thx" and click "send"?  Apparently, it's harder than I thought for some people.  It tells me that I'm not worth 5 seconds of their time.  Because this person isn't a close friend of mine, I can guarantee you that I'm going to think twice about helping them again in the future.

Don't build a bad reputation for yourself; this town is smaller than you think.

Of course, there isn't a hard, fast rule about building relationships, and it's always a case by case basis.  But if people are donating their time and effort to you, please let them know that they're being appreciated.

It takes a lot of effort to build a meaningful relationship.  Don't ruin it with laziness.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Set It & Forget It

A long time ago, I learned to just "set it and forget it" in regards to job interviews and auditions. If I didn't, I'd be playing the "what if" game until the cows came home; re-running every scenario in my head, acting out every single outcome, and at the end of the day, still not feeling any better about my performance.

What exactly is the "set it and forget it" method?  It's where you do your best to prepare for your interview/audition in the weeks/days/hours beforehand, give it your all in the interview/audition and then once you walk past the door frame on your way out, you stop thinking about anything related to your performance in the room.

There's really nothing you can do once you leave that room to better your chances of getting the job/role.  There are no re-dos.  There are no take-backs.  You have to be confident that you did your best and everything from that point forward is out of your control.  Just "set it and forget it".

People always say that the job is theirs to lose, but it's actually not.  It's only theirs to gain.  If you don't get the job, you're no worse off than when you went in, so there's no real reason to stress about it.

Here's an example of how setting it and forgetting it can help keep your life stress-free.

I recently went to an audition that was looking to cast an Asian male who was at least 5' 9", very muscular and looked like a martial artist.  The role would be for a comic book character at Comic-con.  I'm not extremely muscular, but at 6' 0", 180-ish lbs with an athletic build, I'm sure I could get pumped long enough to look "very muscular" for them.

So the night before and even the early morning hours before my audition, I focused on getting my arms pumped with push ups, dips on the edge of a chair and arm curls using an 8-pack of Gatorade (they asked me to wear a tank top, so I decided to just focus on my arms).  This audition was all about looks.  I really couldn't pack on 10 pounds of muscle in one night, but I gave it my best shot anyways.

I walked into the casting office, took a look at the character rendering that was posted on the wall and noticed that the character had the exact same hair that I did!  That's got to be a plus, right?  They were going to make us wear wigs, but maybe I wouldn't need to wear a wig.

I waited patiently as a couple of other guys auditioned before me and I even did some push ups in the hallway for a last second arm pump to get my blood flowing.  When my turn came, I went in the room and performed the standard audition procedure:  the name slate, the 360 spin and a quick two sentence interview.  I still wore the wig because that's what the clients asked for, but at least they got to see my real hair when I gave my name.

I was told that a decision for casting would be made by the same evening, but that bit of info went out the window as I stepped through the door into the hallway.  I wasn't going to wait by the phone for a call.

Comic-con came and went and needless to say, I never got a call from the casting director.  Just out of curiosity, I wanted to see who they cast for the character.  A little bit of searching quickly revealed that the comic book was titled "Blood Red Dragon" and was created by Stan Lee, Todd McFarlane and a Japanese rockstar named Yoshiki.

I found press photos of the three of them at Comic-con, but I never saw the martial arts character that I auditioned for.  Instead, I found photos of the female character:

For a comic book convention filled with guys, why in the world would they keep the almost naked female character and completely cut out the MAIN male character?  <-- I really need a sarcasm font.

If I had played the "what if" game with myself, wondering what if I was taller, stronger, slimmer, etc. it still wouldn't have mattered because NOBODY got the part.  Why did the part get cut out?  There could be a million reasons and none of them would help me for my next audition, so there's no reason to worry about it.

It's better to "set it and forget it" and be surprised that you got the job or booked the role instead of stressing yourself out after each interview.  Some things are just out of your control and you have to accept that.

While I didn't get booked for the role, I did meet a new casting director and I can begin building a new relationship, which is really what I'm focusing on right now anyways.  But what if I was just a little bit more muscular in the audition...

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

The Art of Communication

I'm sitting on a big, red plastic marshmallow looking thing (Target's version of a chair) with my shopping cart next to me, waiting for my girlfriend to finish trying on some bikinis.  Moments later, a pleasant voice asks me, "Sir, is this your cart?"

"Yes, it is."  I replied.  "Is it in the way?"

"No, you're fine.  Some people just dropped their clothes in your cart." smiled the fitting room attendant as she removed some rather large clothes that were rudely tossed in with my items.

I guess some people thought that my cart, filled with a pair of jeans, some candy and other knick knacks, was the "unwanted clothes" cart.  Whatever happened to handing your unwanted clothes to an attendant or asking where to place them?

Moments later, a chubby young boy, probably in early high school, walks up to the attendant near the fitting rooms.  He asks, "Do you know if my mom is in there?" (Because every Target fitting room attendant knows who your mom is and what she looks like.)

"No," she replied.  "But you can try calling her name."

"Mom?  Mom?" called the boy, timidly.

He waited shyly for a response, but none came.

"Maybe you should try calling her name."  suggested the attendant.

(In a boxing ring announcer's voice) "PAMELA... (awkward pause)  HINSLEY..."

Still no response.

The boy called for his mom with a volume no louder than what he was using to talk to the attendant, and he never actually walked into the fitting room area, so most likely only my girlfriend, who was in the first fitting room, heard him.

"My mom thinks I have my phone, but I don't." sighed the boy.

"If you'd like, I can page your mom and ask her to meet you here."  offered the attendant.

"Sure!  That'd be great."

"Attention Target guests," announced the PA system.  "Would a Pamela Hinsley please come to the fitting rooms.  Your party is waiting."

"Your party is waiting...  That doesn't sound so bad."  said the boy.

"Yeah, we always say that." smiled the attendant.

"It's better than 'your son is lost in Target'.  That would be embarassing."  said the boy.

"Oh, we would never say that."  chuckled the attendant.

Moments later, his family arrived, welcomed by a "where were you guys?!" from the boy.  He thanked the fitting room attendant and waddled off to join his family.

"Aww..." cooed the attendant.

She and I could do nothing but share a laugh together because the boy just looked so defeated the entire time that he was standing there.

The moral of the story?  Don't get lost in Target because you'll be sold to the circus.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

I Luv Hunny!

Pooh via Disney

Have you ever thought to yourself or out loud: "I wish they would bring back [insert favorite childhood show here]."?  If you inserted "Winnie the Pooh", then your wish has come true in the form of a new Winnie the Pooh movie, in theaters now!

This movie is not to be missed by any Disney or Pooh fan.  This may be the last time, or at least for a long time, that you will see a classically hand-drawn Winnie the Pooh movie in theaters.

All of the elements of a Winnie the Pooh experience have been included in this latest movie, from the classic storybook narration to the whimsical adventures of a group of accidental heroes.

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger are still voiced by Jim Cummings, but Piglet and Eeyore sound a bit different.  Did you know that Peter Cullen, the original voice for Eeyore, also voiced the heroic Optimus Prime from "The Transformers"?  Now that's what I call range!

If you watch this movie, make sure you stay through the end of the credits for a special treat.  My favorite part of the movie (don't worry, I won't spoil anything for you) were the still photos during the ending credits.  The photos showed the actual stuffed animals from the Hundred Acre Wood, captured beautifully as a frozen moment in time when Christopher Robin was playing with them in his room, acting out the scenes from the movie.  This was the first time when I consciously realized that the adventures of Winnie the Pooh all took place within Christopher Robin's imagination.

When was the last time you escaped into your imagination and created a vivid world to play in?  Our lives today don't let us be creative and imaginative anymore, as we hustle to keep up with the Joneses.  Do yourself a favor and take some time to just escape into your own imagination, if only for a minute.  You'll be surprised how fun it is and how refreshed you'll be afterwards.  That's why kids love toys so much.  It's not the toy itself that they love, it's the world that they are able to create using the toy as a muse.

Don't be afraid to imagine.  It's what dreams are made of.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

It'sa Me-ah! Maaario!

Well, CARmageddon was a complete bust, just like the Y2K bug, the rapture and 7-Eleven's free slurpee day (I couldn't find parking at 7-Eleven!).  Since nobody was driving on the freeways, I assume/hope all of you took the time to get to know your neighborhood a little better.

My latest gem of a discovery is a pizza bar in Santa Monica called Stella Rossa.  It's a wine bar (they also have some craft beers) that serves some fantastic artisan style pizzas, "highlighting a range of sustainable, locally grown ingredients found at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market and sourced by nearby purveyors."  If you like your pizza crusts crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside, you're going to be in heaven here!

I'm a night owl so I was really happy to learn that the kitchen stays open until midnight, Monday through Saturday, and 11 pm on Sunday.  They also have a late night happy hour boasting $4 beers and $5 glasses of wine!

This is a perfect place to take a date (you'll appear well-cultured with all the wines and artisan style pizzas around) before you go galavanting around town at one of the nightclubs on Main St.

What did you discover this weekend?  Share your neighborhood finds in the comments below!

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

CARmageddon Survival Kit

CARmageddon will descend upon Los Angeles this weekend, closing a considerable stretch of the 405 freeway, the busiest freeway in the nation, for TWO WHOLE DAYS!!  Hide your wife, hide your kids and hide your husbands too because closing down the 405 freeway is just short of making the earth explode.

If you thought L.A. drivers were bad with a little bit of rain, wait until they're all forced to use the side streets for two days.  This will leave many drivers stranded as they have never bothered to figure out how to get around town using the local roads.  It's "the highway or no way."

What will we do without the ability to travel to the other side of Los Angeles for two days?!  Have no fear.  I've put together a CARmageddon survival kit so that we can successfully overcome this crippling inconvenience.

Here is a list, in no particular order, of important items that you should have in your survival kit to prevent premature death from the inability to drive across town.

1.) A book.  For those born in the internet generation, a book is a collection of pages containing words, that are bound together.  People used to read books to gain knowledge or entertain themselves for hours on end.  This is how knowledge and entertainment was spread before the invention of radio, television and the internet.  You can find a book at many local establishments called bookstores or libraries.  There, you will find many books that you can read over the CARmageddon weekend.

2.) A pair of sneakers.  This leather and rubber contraption goes around your feet to protect them from the harsh environment while you step outside for an activity called "a walk".  There are many places that you can "walk" to.  One of my favorite examples is the local park, where you can gather with friends and "play".

3.) A ziplock bag.  This plastic bag can be used to carry many things, including chips, pretzels or a sandwich, to be used when you go on your "walk" to the local park.  Before the invention of the internet, people used to bring food to a park and have what is called a "picnic".  You can use your ziplock bag to try out the archaic practice of "picnicking in the park".

4.) A BBQ grill.  You can use a BBQ grill to make food in your backyard or at a block party.  It can be used in a similar fashion to when you stay home for a holiday weekend such as the 4th of July, Memorial Day or Labor Day, to name a few.

5.) A remote control.  A remote control can be used to manipulate the television so that you can watch something that you enjoy, just like you do for hours on end on any other weekend.

If you're not able to assemble the CARmageddon survival kit in time, you can always resort to doing what you do every day at work: troll Facebook for 8 hours, assuming that the closing of the 405 freeway didn't destroy the power grids too.

Please don't be like children this weekend and feel like you have to go across town just because you're told you can't.  Take the time to relax and spend quality time with your family or get to know your local neighborhood better.  I wish they would shut down the 405 freeway once a month.  I've never before seen more people want to get together for dinner parties or gatherings.  It takes the closing of a major freeway to shock people into interacting with their fellow human beings the old fashioned way: face to face.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

First Time's The Charm!

Congratulations to L.A. Graffiti reader Jennifer Lynn on her very first art show!  Jennifer exhibited five examples of her photography at "1st Thursdays", San Pedro's monthly art walk.  Her photographs were received with praise and one art enthusiast even said that it was the best piece of artwork he's ever seen in San Pedro!

I caught up with Jennifer at the art walk and asked how she was feeling about her first show.  She told me that she had no idea what she was doing and there were a few things she wished she had done in regards to the display, but overall, it turned out well.  In my opinion, I would consider that to be a huge success!

Very few people know what they are doing on their first time out; even fewer people pull it off perfectly the first time, so there's nothing to be ashamed of if you don't know what you're doing.  Jennifer learned a great deal from her first art show and now has "show experience" and can apply them to her second art show.  It only gets better from there.

Honestly, I thought her exhibit was perfect.  I really liked how the photos seemed to float effortlessly in the air.  I later found out that Jennifer was planning to hang them on the wall via nails, but the wall wouldn't accept nails so she had to improvise with some fishing wire.  Having the photos float wasn't the original plan at all, but that's the beauty of art!  You just go with the flow!  The only reason I knew it was her first show was because she told me.  I couldn't tell otherwise.

The artist, her work and a red cup.

I want to give kudos to Jennifer for just going out and doing it.  I asked her how she went about getting her art into the show/gallery.  She said that she just talked to someone on Facebook about wanting to show her art and was then directed to the appropriate person, which got things going and before she knew it, she was deciding on which wall  in the gallery to hang her art!  It's really that simple!

I hope Jennifer's story inspires you to create or display your art for fans to enjoy.  The hardest part is starting.  Success begets success, but you can't have success unless you start.

You can see more of Jennifer Lynn's photography on her Facebook page, DoubleVision.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Public Service Announcement #1

With summer in full swing, I wanted to make a quick Public Service Announcement (PSA) to help everyone have a safe and fun summer.

Knowledge is Power.

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

Bumblebee In (Stop-Motion) Action!

Image courtesy Transformersmovie.com

I got a new toy and his name is Skittles. We decided to do a stop-motion animation flick together. Don't mind the girlfriend repeatedly going to the microwave in the background. ;)

This was made with a digital camera and Windows Live Movie Maker, a free movie editing program.  It took all of about 1 hour to make.  Turn off the tv for a bit and do something creative!  It does a body good!

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!

All-American Addendum

My latest attempt at making art was inspired by my love for our great country, the United States of America.  I grew up always hearing the term "All-American" being said in reference to high school jocks, hot dogs and a good ol' barbeque.  But what exactly makes something "All-American"?  I wanted to explore some items that are definitely American in essence and creation, but not perceived to be American.  I wanted to add to the definition of "All-American".

I present to you four digital images in a series titled: "All-American Addendum"

"All-American Take-Out"

The Chinese take-out box is instantly recognizable by millions in America.  We've all seen it on TV and most of us default to ordering Chinese food in these unique containers on a rainy or lazy day.  But the Chinese take-out box is not Chinese at all.  It's an American invention that was originally known as the oyster pail.  It was an inexpensive and sanitary way to take home fresh oysters that were shucked by the seller.  After World War II, there was a large increase in the number of people who began purchasing foods from restaurants that could be finished or heated up at home.  Chinese food became a popular choice since it was tasty, inexpensive and traveled well.  The oyster pail was quickly adopted for Chinese take-out, and the rest is history.  Chinese take-out boxes are only found in America and are manufactured by Fold-Pak, a company based out of Georgia.

"All-American Cookie"

Ah... the Chinese fortune cookie.  The crunchy, semi-sweet, message toting cookie that is served at the end of every Chinese meal... in America!  Fortune cookies are nowhere to be found in Asia (much to my surprise on my first visit to Taiwan) because they are an American creation.  There are competing claims as to who created the fortune cookie, but all the claims come from California.  If fortune cookies are found in China, they are sold as "genuine American fortune cookies".  Fortune cookies used to be made by hand, but once a fortune cookie making machine was invented in Oakland, California, it dropped the price of the cookies dramatically, giving birth to the novelty and courtesy dessert that we are all familiar with today.

"All-American Goods"

Made in China, consumed in America.  Having products inexpensively produced in China to maximize profit margins has become an American way of life.  Almost everything is made in China these days.  It's often a treat to pick up a product, flip it over and find "Made in USA" stamped on the bottom.  Most of our household items, from your beloved iPhone to the shoes that you wear, are all made/assembled in China.  That "Made in China" stamp allows all of us to afford our "All-American", consumer driven lifestyle.

"All-American Me"

What do I see when I look in the mirror?  An "All-American" boy who grew up on McDonald's when they still had dark meat in their Chicken McNuggets and when you could "Humongo-size" your value meal; a red-blooded American who appreciates a nicely chromed Harley-Davidson and a perfectly cooked steak; a car enthusiast who would choose a 1969 Camaro SS over a Toyota Supra.

What do other people (some, not all) see when they look at me?  A foreigner.  I once had a lady tell me that she expected an accent from me, upon our first meeting.

An all too common piece of dialogue:
Man: "Where are you from?"
Me: "Texas."
Man: "No, I mean, where are you REALLY from?"
Me: "I'm REALLY from Texas.  I was born and raised there."
Man: "Oh."

One of my personal goals in life is to update the definition of "All-American" to include everything that makes this country so great.  Help me pass on this "All-American Addendum".

Subscribe to this blog on Kindle!