REVIEW on WEEK 5: Creating a Silly Sock Creature

People came with food and materials ready to start the night’s event. I liked that all who attended were willing and ready to make a baby and nothing was going to stop them. This eagerness allows me to continue to plan events. I don’t do it for selfish reasons (well, to a certain extent maybe I do) but I do it because I love my friends and I love getting us together to experience something new and unusual.

Potluck items:
- Hummus
- Pot roast
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Carrot Cake/Cheesecake

The food was good, especially the pot roast and the teriyaki chicken. Decent turnout - 7 people. Some had sketched out ideas of what they wanted their creatures to look like, while others cut, stuffed, and sewed without any inspiration. Each was a unique creation, all different from the others. Even the guys impressed me by making a sock creature. Theirs looked the most anime-ish of the bunch.

Creating the sock creatures was a bit more challenging not following the instructions of a book. I’m still getting used to needle and thread. Patience is something I need to work on. Everyone did pretty well and for the most part I think everyone was pleased with their newborns.

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 7
Time allocated: 4 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Potluck: 3.5 (the food was good, but needed more variety)
Making [sock] babies: 4 (new experiences equal new frustrations, but it was fun nonetheless and something we’d all like to try again.)
Overall Experience: 4.5 (Gave it a higher rating than the other scores, because it’s definitely something to do again, whether solo or with a group. Once you pop you can’t stop!)

WEEK 5: Mardi Gras Weekend!

Wow, I can't believe Mardi Gras is coming up so soon! I've been wanting to do this for years, so I figure, why not do it as one of my blog events?

What: Mardi Gras Celebration
Where: Farmers Market
When: Saturday, February 2nd - meeting there around 3ish.

I've been wanting to go to the heart of Mardi Gras mayhem - New Orleans - for years. I love me some creole food... you know me and the spicy!!! But I can settle for local action. We'll be festivating with the other Fat Tuesday party goers before the actual Fat Tuesday, so hopefully you'll indulge in the same mindset as me: being a gluttonous fool and eating and drinking to my leisure. I know I could use me some of that.....

If you can't make it at this time, the show is running all weekend and on Fat Tuesday. The reason I'm not doing a Tuesday event is... well, you know how Hollywood gets on party nights and you know how late I get out of work. No good. So let's be smart this time and learn from our mistakes, shall we?

For more info: http://www.farmersmarketla.com/newsandevents/index.asp

Taken from Calendarlive.com:
"This three-day fat Tuesday celebration will feature Grammy nominee Lisa Haley & the Zydecats (7 p.m. Saturday) and other musical acts, plus beads, beer and other attractions.

Hours:
Saturday, February 2: noon - 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 3: noon - 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 5: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Price: Free.
Box office: 323-933-9211"

WEEK 5: Making Babies - Creating A Silly Sock Creature

My roomie and I made one a couple weeks ago, to experiment on the difficulty level and the amount of time it would take to make one. His name is Pierre. We had been planning him for several months, and of course they're never how you expect them to turn out. Like all proud parents, we welcomed him into the world with open arms and loving smiles. Weighing in at several ounces, and only seven inches long, Pierre has a smile that can melt your heart. And the best part is, the labor was mostly painless, lasting only 2 hours.

What: Making a Silly Sock Creature
Where: My apt.
When: Wednesday, January 30th, 2008

So now it's your turn. Over the next couple days, sketch out what you want your creature baby to look like. Come over to my place, I'll discuss the process and what to expect if any complications should arise. But it should be quick and painless and you'll emerge as a proud parent of a surprisingly silly creature!

What You'll Need:
- 2 pairs of colored socks (in case you need to mismatch)
- Scraps of white sock (in case you want yours to be born with teeth)
- Needle and thread (for sewing)
- Poly-fil (for stuffing)
- 2 Buttons (or any number of your choice for eyes)
- Any other accessories or fabrics you want to use to decorate your creature!

FYI: This is a potluck, so bring some food for yourself and to share. I'll not be slaving away in the kitchen this week... instead I'll be pushing out another silly baby... a creepy one this time.

Any questions, let me know! See you there! Please RSVP!

1/25/08: Flavor of the Day

The sun sets and darkness rises.
It's a cold and lonely night.
I shiver in my solitude
And wait for signs of light.

The sun will go on sleeping
Giving wake to shameless creatures
Savoring the moment
Of forgotten frazzled features.

My mind is almost made.
My body's frozen to a corpse
Death is all around me
To tighten up my curse.

But suddenly...

A familiar whisper in my ear
And I blink at the sight of you.
It's warm and full of comfort
Like clear skies enlightened blue.

You've saved me from my nightmares.

I see a light in your eyes.
You've shown me the light at the end of the tunnel.
God's shown me the light of the world.
He's given me you.

_______________________________________

Thanks for stepping back into my life...
Thanks for clearing my head of deceit...
Thanks for letting me dream again...
...of crystal mornings and bright medallions that radiate around the world.

Good morning, sunshine.

REVIEW on WEEK 4: German Dinner and Settlers of Catan

It's hard to get out of work at a decent hour, so usually any weeknight event is a long one. I had hoped to save some time by shopping for groceries the night before, but of course I had to stop by market the night of the event to get some more food. I had never cooked German food before. Not knowing what to expect, I researched some 5 star German recipes on foodnetwork.com. The ones I chose were nothing fancy... just something quick to fix our bellies so we could focus more time on the game. My roommates did most of the cooking while I oversaw everything. Thank God for such helpful roomies. Friends... fortunately everyone was early or punctual. My friends surprise me sometimes. I felt bad, however, that the food was not all ready by the time they arrived. But many of them helped out, and I always love watching people come together to reach a specific goal. That's one reason I love food. Not only is it a good motivator, but it brings people together. If you ever say you're cooking, many who hear you automatically want to join you whether they know what you're cooking or not. And I'm not even a great cook, let alone a mediocre cook, and people come to eat at my table and I love it. Lovely guinea pigs. Mwahahaha... master plan to experiment on them and make something uber yummy! But I digress into flavor of the day mode... By 9:30 the food was finally done.

On the menu:
- Bratwurst with onions and sauerkraut
- Potato Balls
- Green Beans (canned)
- Cheese Blintzes
- Beer - Hefeweizen, of course!

The food was good, the company starving for food and starving to play the game. Good turnout - 10 people - especially for a rainy night. Food and company always make the house warmer.

As for Settlers... fun game. Lots of rules, lots of strategy. It reminded me of Monopoly in a few ways. Instead of houses and hotels, you have settlements and cities. Instead of money in and out of the bank, you trade wood, brick, sheep, wheat, and ore. You build roads and can call on soldiers to help you... Took me a while to understand how to play. I'm a slow learner at everything, what can I say? But after a while, I was starting to get it, and the other virgin settlers put up a good fight against the veterans as well, and now I want a rematch!

Night didn't end for many of us till 2am... so hard to wake up this morning.

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 10
Time allocated: 5 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
German Food: 4 (5 for the Brats, 4 for potato balls, 3 for blintzes, but overall 4 rating because everyone came together to help.)
Settlers of Catan: 4 (Fun! I can see why it got Game of the Year Award. And now that I'm equipped with the knowledge of how to play, I will probably have a 5 experience next time... only because I'll be able to win!)
Overall Experience: 4.5 (I deducted .5 points because it was my fault things started so late. But a really fun night in!!!!)

REVIEW on WEEK 3: Theatre of Note Marathon

Well, I know this isn't like me, but I've make myself sick because I've been so stressed. I fell victim to my mind's mood and my head's ache.... found out I have a disease known as TMJ. (Supposedly I grind my teeth together when I sleep, so I developed a sore in my jaw.) Disease sounds so scary, doesn't it? At least it's not contagious; at least it goes away, I think..... I was given some pain relief from my new doctor, who's very nice, BTW. I had all these plans for the weekend... all of them fell through because I felt poopy and didn't want to stink up others' lives by being around me. Foul mood = foul smell. From what I did hear about the event, though, "it was a lot of fun." It went for more than 12 hours! I'm so bummed I missed it, but I think sometimes you just gotta put your health before your fun. Good lesson learned because it's probably all those times I ignored it that made me feel worse this time.

What I did do this weekend, however: I made something cool with my roomie. We experimented to see how long it would take to build, and we will be having a night of building our own sometime. (I'll not tell you yet; it's a surprise!!!!)

REMINDER ABOUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!!!!

1/18/08: Flavor of the Day

Why do we divulge the most intimate parts of ourselves to strangers?

What exactly is a stranger? Is a stranger stranger than you or me? Does one know one's a stranger when one speaks to another? You may think I am a stranger, but I may think I am not a stranger to you. Where do you draw the line?

I draw many lines... I drew the line when I took a step closer to you and got to know you personally and started loving you. I draw lines at work, vector lines on some computer program that people refer to as "Illustrator." It just so happened I drew the line when I drew the line. I'm told I'm not supposed to draw lines since I'm not considered an "artist."

But what exactly is an artist? Is it as Wikipedia states?
["Wiktionary defines the noun 'artist' (Singular: artist; Plural: artists) as follows:
1. A person who creates art.
2. A person who creates art as an occupation.
3. A person who is skilled at some activity."]

From these "definitions" we are all artists, just as we are all human beings, are we not? For me, it's hard to describe, but I believe artists strive to define the world in terms of expressing their beliefs through visual stimulation, thus stimulating the viewer's mind to experience some sort of emotion. Art is a means of understanding the world and the universe... how things are interconnected, interwoven... emotions we all experience... the essence of being human and what it means to truly be human, to be alive. It's our realization of ourselves.

So.. once I "realize" myself then will I truly be a great artist! I mean, the best artists weather the harshest storms and overcome life's boundless obstacles. They experience the vast array of emotions so that they can better connect with the people and the world. Life is about connections. Art is about themes. Every culture, no matter how different, has similar themes in their stories. Life is about learning, growing, experiencing... Art is the means of providing a vessel to these abstractions.

I like art. Do you like art?

Please leave your opinions with me, not at the door. I want to hear your thoughts. Writing gives your thoughts a voice. Please comment. I like when people are on my side, but I also like to argue. Won't you please argue with me? Won't you please be my neighbor?

ADDED - Flavor of the Day to the Menu

I have added something new to the menu. Hmmm... which item on the menu to choose??? Well, "Flavor of the Day: Cohesive Yet Random Thoughts" is bound to get that brain storming with ideas. I will try to post as often as I can. It's good to vent, and it's good to see where the mind will take you. Try it sometime. Think. Spew whatever comes out of that little head of yours. Vent. It's interesting to venture new paths you never thought you'd venture. And it's also intriguing to see how all ideas are somehow related to the other. Such is the existence with human life. "We are all connected." I know, cheesy. But, as you all know, I love cheese.

Stinky cheese, soft cheeses, hard cheeses, blue cheeses, goat cheeses. Anyone up for a cheese party???

As I wrote long ago, on my myspace page:
People say I get attached to a lot of different things, most of which don't relate to each other. I have an obsessive-compulsive nature. I am fascinated by the simple things in life, by different cultures, language, fashion, food, and architecture, by how things function, and the inner workings of the human mind. Inspiration works best when the mind wanders and follows unwanted tangents. Thoughts are adventures in and of themselves.

Good lord, someone stop me. I don't know what my mind will fart out next.

But please, fart along with me...

WEEK 4: Dinner and Game Night

What: Dinner (German) followed by a Game (Settlers of Catan)

Where: My apt.

When: Wednesday, January 23rd at 8:00pm

I wanted to do something simple and local for a change, so I thought this would be something relaxing to do after a long day's work. I've been pretty stressed lately and need to unwind a bit. My roommates and I are going to cook some German food and we'll play this new game I just bought - Settlers of Catan. The game has gotten rave reviews. It's actually a game that originated in Germany (hence the reason we're making German food!) and has become so popular that it has been translated in over 25 languages. To read more about the details of this game, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settlers_of_Catan.

NOTE: For this Event, you MUST RSVP so we have enough food for everyone. Thanks!

WEEK 3: Theatre of Note Marathon

What: Theatre of Note Marathon

Where: Theatre of Note - 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd. in Hollywood

When: Saturday, January 19th from 2pm till dawn

For just $18 you can be entertained from 2 till dawn, leaving and returning as often as you'd like. There's more than just plays. You'll see fire eating, sketch comedy, bongo boarding, hula dancing, improv, cheerleaders, music, performanace art, and many more surprises! Come support the local entertainers! A friend of mine is in one of the plays, and he's awesome! Break a leg, guys!

Call 323.856.8611 for a line-up of the day's events, and visit www.theatreofnote.com or www.myspace.com/notemarathon

Remember to let me know if you're coming or need a carpool. Leave your RSVPS in the comments section or call/email me.

I'm New to Blogspot

I've been thinking how I could make my page more user-friendly and to allow guests (like you) an easier way to navigate the page. I'm at my mom's trying to figure this out, the background noise of football on the TV and the struggling efforts of the washing machine attempting to alter my focus. My dogs are getting hair all over me, but I love the furballs. The constant interruptions don't bother me much; it's the computer that frustrates me most. Technology and I have always had a love-hate relationship. As some of you know, I have this odd ability to commune with different types of energy, especially lights and electricity. But I also did my research and through much trial and error, I have figured out how to improve this site - to make you happy and to appease my OCD of perfection.

So here is a list of things I've updated (in case some of you didn't bother to read the above paragraph):

-------- MENU -------- (left sidebar)
I have added a menu for better navigation so you can jump to what you want to read in a more organized fashion. (I still have the posts archived by month as well, but this serves as a more efficient means of filing.) I wanted a bar across the top, but I haven't figured that out yet. This will suffice for the time being, though.

The posts have been divided into categories:
A. About This Site - includes my first blog entry and will keep you updated on things other than the other two categories: "Events" and "Reviews."
B. Events - self explanatory - lists the events planned each week so you can mark it in your calendar.
C. Reviews - also self explanatory - lists the reviews of events for each week so that you can decide (if you weren't there) whether you want to attend the event or not on your own.

I still need to add:
- A calendar for each month so that events will be more straightforward when viewing.

-------- POLL -------- (left sidebar)
Please select your top three choices for your favorite events and activities. If you want me to plan something specific, let me know. And if you want me to help with party planning, I can help you with that as well, though I do charge an appropriate, yet reasonable, fee. A "Party Planner" option is in the works right now.

-------- NEWSREEL --------- (bottom of page)
I have added related news articles to my page, so if you're looking for something else to do in the area, just select on one of those links. They have a variety of sources for you to browse through.


That's all for now. I'll keep you updated as more changes are made! Just select on "About This Site" in the MENU to learn more about the updates and what's going on.

-RP

REVIEW on WEEK 2: Murakami/Baleté

BACK STORY THURSDAY:
Anytime you try something new, you will encounter things you never anticipated. And although I anticipated heavy traffic and endless crowds of downtown LA, I didn't expect it to be THIS bad. Let me begin with Thursday's event. I wanted to leave work by 6pm, no later, but we didn't leave until roughly 6:30pm, got stuck in the mobile rush, and on top of that had to backtrack several times. We finally found parking, though we were told MOCA was several blocks uphill. I thought, "This doesn't really look like Little Tokyo," but I didn't want to think about it anymore. Sure enough, at 7:30 when we got to the ticket booth, we realized it was the wrong MOCA. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!" I was so disappointed. I could have had a night in; traffic and crowds exhaust me. But we decided to make the most of it and enjoy each other's company, so we converted the trip to a dining experience. We drove to Little Tokyo. I needed something in my belly because I was quickly morphing into Cranky Ro. We ate at a place called "Kouraku," where a few more friends met up with us. Nika and I shared the gyoza appetizer and the wonton ramen entree (which I doused with chili pepper and hot chili paste, of course!) The food was reasonable for the price. They had a nice selection of Japanese foods, from curry to sukiyaki to ramen to this omelette on rice thing... After the meal I was exhausted, though I don't know if it was due to food coma or from the rush of trying to reach my destination.

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 8
Time alloted: 3.5 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Dining Experience: 4
Overall Experience: 3 (only because traffic was so horrible and we didn't get to our event... but the people I was with were GREAT!!!)

BACK STORY SATURDAY:
Since we couldn't make it to Murakami that night, I rescheduled and improvised it into my Saturday. Balete was already in the schedule, so I wasn't going to back out of it. Tony and I were the only ones who could make it to that. All I can say about the drive there is to never trust google maps or mapquest (it directed us the long way) and if you're trying to get anywhere in LA on a Saturday, it's like driving in weekday rush hour traffic because instead of everywhere being 20 minutes away, everything was an hour away.



BALETE REVIEW:
I thought the idea of combining a graceful dance (ballet) and an aggressive yet peaceful martial art (karate) was a fun concept. Being a Heinz 57 myself, I am always intrigued at combining two different things into one. I had practiced both disciplines at one point in my life. Ballet as a child, taekwondo as a teen. So when I found this on Daily Candy, I knew I was there!

This was the first class that Soma Studios had opened to the public. The warm-up resembled those you'd do in an aerobics class, or even a warm-up in karate. The next part of the class was a choreographed fight between a person A and a person B. We grabbed a partner and acted out the role. It was fun, though not much of a workout at this point, nor did it combine the ballet aspect for which I had hoped. (The only "dance-related" part of this was the 8-number count.) Plus, the studio space was limited, and I think it went well above maximum capacity.

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 2
Time allocated: 2 hours (only 1 hour for the workout)

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Exercise Experience: 3 (because it was fun and I felt its affects on my poor muscles the next day)
Overall Experience: 3.5 (only because I think $15 is too much to be spending on techniques and exercises I already know)

This did, however, prompt the idea that I should train at the local park with anyone who'd like to attend. All are welcome to share their disciplines and combine them into a really great workout. As a teen I taught martial arts to children and adults, so I want to get back into it. It's a great full-body workout, and it's 100 times more fun to interact with and motivate each other than going to the gym.



MURAKAMI REVIEW:
Again, I don't know what was going on on Saturday, but there was no escaping traffic. It knew we were going to LA and it wanted to keep us back. But we made it... after an hour. The line to get tickets alone was a half hour to one hour wait. But I guess it was worth it when we saw the masterful pieces of Murakami's artwork. I want to get into his head, see the madness, the chaos, the horniness that encompasses this man, this genius, this master! My roomies and I have been talking about how much we want to paint, but I hadn't a clue what to paint. Now I've been inspired to paint several pieces. The gallery introduces you to a taste of what to expect. As many know, the Japanese are very open when it comes to the human body and sex. Yes, I said it. And there's much of it, whether it's subtle or in your face. I looked at many of the pieces not understanding what was going on, but I liked it. There's this quality of his work that just captures the eye and you can't help but stare in awe and wonder "hmm..." Many of the flowers and characters he painted remind me of the preschool show I'm working on: "Ni Hao Kai-lan." His statues too... The attention to detail, the craft, the content... even the quantity is impressive for a man his age. I never knew he designed for Louis Vuitton, but it's no wonder why the brand is so sought-after. The animation was gorgeous, the humor cute yet gross at the same time (my favorite!) I want to see more!



But I also wanted to make it next door to the Japanese American Museum's Exhibit of Giant Robot. This exhibit showcases local artists, many of Asian descent. Some interesting pieces here as well, each very different from the others. A lot of mixed media like paper cutouts and fabrics mixed with paint, and unconventional means of finishing touches, like ninja stars jutting out of a flat painting. A nice follow-up to the Murakami Exhibit.


A few more friends met up with us for dinner on Olvera Street. That's one thing I love about LA. One minute you can be in Japan, the next you're in Mexico. I love the diversity! I had never been to Olvera Street, but as soon as I stepped foot on its premises I immediately felt Mexico, breathed in the Mexican air, heard the muffled Spanish-speakers and the sounds of Mariachi in the distance. We checked out some of the wares, ate a small dulce called "Burnt Milk" (which literally melts in your mouth it's so good!), surveyed the famous church, then obeyed the rhythms of our stomachs. Bryan recommended a place, so we headed in and ate chips and salsa to our heart's content. We each ordered different foods and I mooched off everyone's plates. Like the Japanese restaurant earlier, this place had a wide range of Mexican food - from sope to carne asada to flautas and mole. Yum! I love Mexican food, often craving it above all other food when I have cheese cravings and feel the need to appease my masochistic habits of burning everything from my lips to my intestines with hot sauce.

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 4-7
Time allocated: 5.5 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Murakami Gallery: 5 (Awesome, beautiful, inspiring, colorful, whimsical, fun, sexy)
Giant Robot Exhibit: 4 (Loved it, but expected more pieces)
Dining Experience: 4.5 (only because I never give any restaurant a 5. I feel like you can always improve.)
Overall Experience: 4.5

WEEK 2: Baleté Workout

What: Baleté Workout - combines ballet and karate
Where: Soma Studios, 624-630 North La Cienega Boulevard, between Melrose Place and Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood
When: Saturday, January 12th at 12 noon

Check their website for more info: http://www.thelab-rx.com/ (310-435-3611 or thelab-rx.com)
BALETE'™ is the unique blend of martial arts and Classical ballet brought to you by the Lab-Rx™ co-founders: current world martial arts champion, Mindy Kelly, and professional choreographer, Whitney Shannon. Both masters in their crafts and successful in the entertainment industry, they have come together to create the "whole body" philosophy and the technique that are the fundamental principals that are BALETE'.

If you can't make it this weekend, they have classes on Tuesdays at 10am and Saturdays at 12pm.

Lessons are $15 until February!

WEEK 2: Murakami Exhibit @ MOCA

What: Murakami
Where: The Geffen Contemporary MOCA
When: Thursday, January 10th, 2008

I chose a Thursday because it's free on Thursdays from 5-8pm. If time allows, we will have dinner at a restaurant in Little Tokyo.

Check out the website: http://www.moca.org/murakami/

Please leave your RSVP on the "comments" button.

:)

Ringing in the New Year!

Every year I have a list of new year's resolutions to complete by the end of the year. This year I have a whole bunch of things I want to complete before 2008 bows out and welcomes 2009 to stage. To help me better manage my "list of things to do" I decided to kill two birds with one stone: accomplish things I've always wanted to do, and do them with the people I love. Yes, that includes you. You know who you are... wink wink! I plan to mark things off my list AND become even more of a social butterfly. Yes, if you know me you remember how much I love planning events, thus I will be expanding my network through blogspot and have planned a list of activities. Hopefully I will be able to plan one event per week, such as food excursions in the local LA area, camping/road trips and weekend getaways, crazy thrills (like skydiving), art galleries, theatre, games, parties, etc.

You can choose any and all of the events you like. I know you all love me and will try your hardest to make it to all of them. This blog works like an evite thing, except I don't send out invitations. All you do is visit my page as often as you like (or if you're bored and have nothing to do tonight or this weekend.) Decide whether you want to come with me because I'm going to be doing these things solo or with 100 people! If you ARE interested in any event, give me a call or email me your RSVP. Please DO NOT give my cell phone number or email out to anyone! I don't want someone I dislike coming with me and ruining my whole trip. Trust me; been there, done that. I'm tired of that. Please read qualifications below.

Qualifications:
1. Must be Rochelle's friend, or a friend of Rochelle's friend.
2. Must follow RSVP dates. No late RSVPs will be accepted.
3. Must be able to have fun. No whiners, no complainers, no PMSing allowed! Negativity can be contagious, and I will have none of it. It will be discarded quickly to assure that the entire group has a good time and a positive experience.
4. Only 2 flakes per person. If you RSVP yes, but then cancel at the last minute, you are a flake and will have what I call a "flake" (point against you.) I only allow this two times because I know things come up last minute. 3 flakes and you're out!
5. Open, honest communication. Let me know if you enjoyed this experience, if you would never do it again, or if you'd recommend it to a friend. My feelings won't be hurt... I hope.

In expanding on the last qualification: After the event, anyone who has attended is welcome to provide feedback and photos of the excursion. (See how I combined my love of adventure with writing a review... always wanted to be a food critic. Now we can all be adventure critics!)

Anyway, this is a way to have fun and experience what life is all about. Hope you all can make it.

Please feel free to contact me with questions, comments, and suggestions!

Spread the love!