Relaxed Angry Easter Sunday

Danielle tells me I need to calm down, and shortly I'll be cut off from the computer because it's bugging me so much. So I'll have to be short and sweet. First off, I'm mad because I can't figure out how to get my comments to be shown on this bloody thing. Does anyone know? If so, please email me because numerous people have told me they've left comments, but they don't appear to show up. Supra annoying. Secondly, I spent a frustrating hour or two fixing the buttons on my new coat so it would fit me properly - yes, I had to buy a coat becuase Vancouver is FREEZING. Sweet Mother of God, it's cold. And wouldn't you know it? I left my coat in the cab in Sydney when I was all frazzled and it was 6am in the morning and I'd had 3 hours sleep. Obviouly I didn't miss it in LA, but once I got to Van I started freezing - my fleece just wasn't warm enough.

Yesterday we spent an absolutely dreadful day attempting to shop in downtown Van - totally soulless and commercial, which I'm usually fine with - but usually I know the names of the shops and where to find what I want/need. But this time, I NEEDED - not just wanted - a coat, and despite the fact that it's 5degrees here, there are NO WINTER COATS FOR SALE. It's all light capris pants and tiny pretend sweaters. I was SO DISCOURAGED. I couldn't even find a tracksuit for less than $80. I wanted to cry, but my tears were frozen I was so damn cold. I had no idea how protected I was last time I came to Canada - totally taken care of, coats heaped on me, I was never that cold, and I lived in minus 40degrees! Crazy. Independence can totally suck.

Anyways, today was a lot better because we went to breakfast on The Drive (Commercial Drive, where Danielle lives, is the totally funky and alternative part of town, and the breakfast was AMAZING - vegetarian, and way better than the greasy spoon I had on Thursday), and we just meandered into this thrift store, My Sister's Closet, that supports Battered Women's Support Services, and I found some amazing clothing! It was fantastic. I got this long gorgeous coat for $30, and an "Eighties Chic" (Danielle's description) sweater for $12 (both purple, which is new for me, but hey, I'm in a new place). It was hilarious because we went next door to an expensive store, where they only have one size of each item, and there were really similar sweaters in there for $50! I of course insist on calling them jumpers just to confuse everyone, and because sweater sounds so obnoxious, but I guess it's rubbing off on me. *sigh*, I'm so impressionable. Anyway, the coat was a bit big and I wanted a double breasted, so I came home and got all domestic, moving buttons and measuring and stuff - thank goodness Mum made me that sewing kit. Greatest present ever, Mum. Danielle thinks it's amazing, too. So I've done my first no-one helping me adjusting of a piece of clothing - I must be a grown up.

As for the Easter thing, I had the traditional Saturday night Easter drink with Catherine last night in a bar down town, which was really fun. And I've been eating chocolate constantly, though not necessarily the Easter kind. Apart from that, it's been relatively low-key and relaxed. We walked through this beautiful nature park on Friday -Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. The Canadian wilderness is just so beautiful - so green! I've joined Bookcrossing, too, and am officially releasing my first book tonight, the review is in the link.

Well, I promise I will get to updating you on the last bit of my LA travels when I get around to it. Hope you're all well. Love, TravellingLibrarian.

My "Friends" email to the world

Okay, so Trish sent me this and I've spent so much time emailing I haven't had time to write a proper post. I have heaps of stuff to report, but it will have to wait until it's not 3am in the morning. So, to keep my eager fans (I know who you are) enthralled, I'm answering the "Friends" email Trish sent me for all the world to see. Now stop bugging me for posts! I know you have no lives, but I have to live for you to do so vicariously, and that takes time, people, time!

1. What time did you get up this morning?
About midday, Vancouver time. I was exhausted after coming from LA yesterday, even though there's no time difference. Go figure.

2. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
The Inside Man with Paul in Sydney. Loved it. Even with a mask, that guy is damn sexy (yes, I have no idea what his name is right now).

3.What is your favourite TV show?
Tough one. Probably Veronica Mars. No, Gilmore Girls. Ooh, scrap that, it's Battlestar Gallactica. No, 24. Geez, I don't know. Paul, send me more TV so I can work it out :-)

4. What did you have for breakfast?
A genuine Canadian breakfast - not nearly as good as the one Espressohead serves, but it was $4 so who's complaining? Well, me actually, because it didn't even have hash browns, not like Marg used to make them. *sheesh*

5. Favourite cuisine?
Now that I'm back with Danielle I'm thinking chocolate... When I'm with Jess it'll probably be Chicken Tikka Masala. If someone else is buying, it's steak. I'm only slightly impressionable ;-)

6. What is your middle name?
Joan. Apparently "of Arc" fame. Dad never gave up on me becoming a Catholic Saint.

7. What food do you dislike?
Omelettes make me vomit.

8. What is your favourite CD at the moment?
You mean playlist on my Naom-iPod, right? That would be Kim's Favourites. Yeah, baby, you know you rock it.

9. What kind of car do you drive?
Unfortunately Charles has been retired and I am now car-free. *cry, cry*

10. Favourite sandwich?
Oooh, tricky one. Sometimes I really crave ham, cheese and sandwich pickles. But I can always go a BLT, especially if it also has an A in it. I hate to admit it, but I LOVE white bread, and will happily eat half a married high tin with no accompaniment. You know there are Starbucks on every corner here instead of bakeries? Now if only someone would combine bread and coffee, I'd have my perfect food store.

11. Favourite item(s) of clothing?
My pink JLo tracksuit is a must, especially seeing as it's one of the only warmish things I have with me and it's bloody cold here. *BRRR*

12. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation?
Well, on an exploring myself and visiting my friends vacation it's LA, Vancouver, NYC and London, obviously. But right now I would love to be lying on a beach in the middle of a tropical paradise. Did I mention I'm cold?

13. What colour is your bathroom?
Danielle's bathroom is a deep grey-blue, and beautifully decorated like everything else in her house. I don't *sniff* currently have a *sniff sniff* bathroom to call my own. Yeah, I know you feel for me.

14. Favourite brand of clothing?
Ummm... bought a lot of stuff from Express at the Beverly Centre, but mostly coz everything else there pretty much sucks - either way overpriced or just plain slutty (what is it with starf*ckers in LA? Must they ruin my shopping experience?) In Australia I LOVE Sportsgirl pants, and anything I buy from Witchery I wear forever, probably because it's so overpriced.

15. Where would you retire to?
I don't even know where my next job will be, let alone what I'll do when I finish my working journey. I guess it would depend on my interests, health and lifestyle, but right now I'm thinking somewhere warmish where people are somewhat odd. No, not impressionable AT ALL.

16. What was your most memorable birthday?
The anniversary of my 21st birthday rocked. German's broke things, I forced people to admit they wanted me. A good time was had by all.

17. Favourite sport(s) to watch?
I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I prefer to play than to watch. I got pretty into the ice dancing at the Winter Olympics though. The Italians were hilarious. Poor Maurizio!

18. Furthest place you are sending this?
The world is my destination, baby. Teeheehee.

19. Who do you least expect to send this back to you?
Obviously not written for a blog. If you wish to send this back to me, you may, as I am happy to know more about you, whoever you are ;-)

20. The person you expect to send it back first?
I'd just be happy for a comment at this stage.

21. Favourite saying:
Right now I'm trying to use Australian swear words to differentiate me, so "bloody..." is becoming a favourite. Also "no worries".

22. When is your birthday?
30th June. My father is an economist, he planned me as a deduction.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Okay, your really don't know me. I don't wake up until at least 2 cups of coffee and 2 hours after I arise.

24. What is your shoe size?
Manolo Blahnik.

25. Pets:
Mum has Monte, the adorably scruffy toy poodle named after the Italian composer Monteverdi, and Dad and Anne have a cute little Jack Russell, Polly. Right now I'm living with Freda, a beautiful cat. And seeing as most of them are pure evil, that's quite incredible. (Yes, I know I'll be evicted from the Librarian Posse for generally disliking cats, and I'm okay with that.)

26. What did you want to be when you were little?
Very little: Queen of the Dress Up Box, and Queen of the Monkey Bars. Having achieved that, when I was a bit older I aspired to be a singer-actress-model, just like I thought Kylie was.

27. How are you today?
I've had a good day. Went walking (hiking?) in a Forest in, or just outside of (no idea) Vancouver, which was really beautiful. The Canadian landscape is so familiar, yet so different. It's bloody green.

Stay tuned for my sum-up of the wackiness that is the City of Angels. Happy Easter/ Passover/ Spring / Autumn Festivals.

Not a tourist

You know, I didn't really know how I wanted to travel. It's been so long since I've done it, and I was so young then (when I was seventeen, it was a very good year), that I think I was taking on what I thought you should do as a tourist, and not thinking about what I actually want to do.
So I haven't done Universal Studios, Disneyland or gone on a tour of celebrities houses. Instead my last 24 hours have involved having an amazing dinner made by Todd's Dad, Larry, the finishing glory of which was this incredible thing called Bananas Foster. Not, as I expected, concocted of bananas and beer, but of bananas and sugar and rum, fried up and poured on ice cream. YUM-MY. So apparently when I decide I'm too skinny and need to eat my way through life, New Orleans is the place to go. Larry and his beautiful wife Cheri have also provided me with the Internet, through which I am able to tell you about my LA adventures. Yay for Larry and Cheri! The coolest thing was when Larry got out his guitar and started singing Brisbane Ladies, which actually has a line in it about "farewell to the maids of Toowong". He sung that he sold all his cattle and must be moving, which I'm pretty sure is a translation from droving for American audiences, but otherwise it was very good, if about as Australian as Ron Moss on a horse selling Aussie orange juice, which btw is one of my favourite ads.
Okay, what else in the 24 hours of which I speak? Well, this morning Todd and I got a late (for him) early (for me trying to adjust to LA time) start and went to this great cafe in West Hollywood, the Urth Caffe - it's all very good for you, and at first I couldn't figure out what to eat (no bacon and pancake breakfast, and omelettes make me wanna spew, even if they are made from "100% pure vegeterian grain fed free range happiest chickens in the world" eggs, and AS IF I'd pay $US10 to have oatmeal or granola cereal or whatever they call it, even if it is fasmagorical), but then I chose a Farmer's Salad, and it was great, and came with THE BEST BREAD EVER. It was nut bread, but had sultanas and stuff in it too, and it was SO INCREDIBLY GOOD. Maybe I don't need to go to New Orleans, I'll just eat that every day and lost the skinny instantly! But seriously. Yum.
So after the food we went to The Bodhi Tree bookshop, further down Melrose, and it was very cool. Browsed heaps, and bought Thick Nhat Hanh's The Energy of Prayer, which just seems perfectly right for where I am right now, in terms of starting my spiritual journey - at least consciously, I guess you could say all of life is a spiritual journey so I'm 27 years into it already, but hey, this is my blog so I'll say it how I want! The other book is by a Los Angelenos, All the Fishes Come Home to Roost: An American Misfit in India and it's about her upbringing on an ashram in India. Described as funny and inspiring, which is what I need right now. I just finished reading Marian Keyes' latest (OMG remind me to tell you about the guy at the airport in LA who I leant my book to so he could fill out his visa form - to die for British accent, I'm gonna love London!), which was amazing - soooo sad (in a good way of course), but I wanted something real, but funny too. So hopefully it will be good.
Then Todd and I went and did the Autry National Center: Museum of the American West, which had a great exhibition about Native American jewellery, called From Totems to Turquoise, it was well curated so I enjoyed it a lot. Also had some incredibly beautiful jewellery displayed - it's fascinating what a living art it is, and how traditionally male-dominated. Not something I expected, so it's great to learn. I also realised how inherent to C20th American culture the myth of "the west" was - as an Australian I don't really think about all that stuff much, it hasn't really been a part of my consciousness. So it was interesting, but didn't really resonate. Not like the National Treasures exhibition - which is coming to a state library near you in the next few years (as long as you live in Australia, that is).
Another great part of today was just cruising the LA streets. It takes ages to get anywhere here (I can see why TWoP wonders at which LA Kiefer is living in) so there's plenty of time for car dancing to the gazillions of radio stations on offer. Muchos fun. Luckily I didn't get sunburnt today (unlike the last two days, where my face has been like a beacon), coz I borrowed Todd's Red Sox hat. Which has made me want an LA Dodgers one.
Tomorrow I plan to go shopping at the local shops, where I'll buy that hat, and probably way more other stuff I don't need too. Should be fun.
Till then, love ya.

Cabana Sucks

So, I went to "the hottest club" in LA right now, Cabana. It totally sucks. I mean, it's aight (I so cannot say correctly, as much as I try), but the hottest club in LA? Looked just like any other club to me. I also went to a small private party in the Hollywood Hills, so that was cool, but I'm not really sure living up the la-la is the way for me to go in LA. I had more fun eating a pastrami on rye (oh my god the meals are so huge here) at Canter's and then people watching on the lawn at the Grove while an easy listening rock band played and kids danced around in a hilarious manner. So funny!
I've been having a good time, Todd and his friends have all been great. I was really sick when I arrived, I must have caught a 24 hour bug on the plane over, coz I spent the entire flight sick, and then was sick all of Wednesday. I was still really jet lagged on Thursday, and couldn't sleep at all, so Friday Todd's roomate Mandy took me with her to work. She works in an exclusive salon in Bel Air, and lots of celebrities shop in the centre. So I was helping out in the morning, and this crazy person came in and started touching all the products and everything, and asking me all these questions. I helped her as best I could, thinking all the while how she seemed like a crazy homeless person, just like the ones who used to come into the Body Shop in the Queen Street Mall when I worked there, but that she was probably someone rich and famous instead. Sure enough, it was Janice Dickinson, from America's Next Top Model. Bizarro. At lunch Mandy swore she saw Jack Nicolson, but all I sore was the back of an old bald guy, so probably was him :-)
The guys at the salon did my hair in the "sexy LA" style, basically just a blowdry, and it looked pretty good. Then Todd and I went out to dinner to this cute little Italian place, Micheli's, which had crap food but the most amazing atmosphere. There are Chianti bottles hanging all over the ceiling, and there is live music (the waiters even sing opera!) and it was just fabulous. After dinner we went to this old club, the Lava Lounge, which is from the 70's and done up all in a Hawaiian style, to see his friend Rose sing in her Rockabilly band. There was another performer there from Australia, apparently the Rockabilly scene in Australia is really in trouble - who knew?
On Saturday night Todd got a bunch of his friends together to meet me, and we went out to dinner after having drinks at his house. I got baby back ribs - I'd forgotten how good they are! Just a half rack though, coz I have to make sure I don't put on all the weight I lost in the stress of leaving and the throwing up when I arrived! We went on to Molly Molone's to see Todd's parents friends' band, then on to Three Deuces to dance to bad music, which was fun. It was a great night all round. When I got home Mandy was just about to go out again, which is when I went to Cabana, which, as I mentioned above, sucks.
Sunday saw Todd's friend Alpha talking me under her wing, or at least her afro, and showing me some LA essentials. We ate at the Jewish diner Canter's, the menus are insane there! Then we browsed at the Grove shopping centre, and shopped down Melrose. I'm surprised how similar the fashion is to Oz, except of course everyone owns a dozen pairs of jeans and hoodies are the standard, but it's all pretty generic.
Today Todd took me to do some touristy stuff, like putting my hands on Marilyn's at the Chinese Theatre, and getting a picture of the Hollywood sign. Once I figure out how to upload pictures I'll make a gallery of all the great people I'm meeting, and stuff I'm seeing. The last couple of days I've got really sunburnt, so I'll have to buy a hat tomorrow. I want an LA one, of course ;-)
Well that's about it for now, hope you guys are all surviving without me. Hugs!