day 139: Karaoke

I will post another picture from Carla's party, technically these were taken on Sunday. We continued the party into the wee hours of the morning with Karaoke. Of course, I sang a rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart. Look how into it I am. (?) hahaha

And the high score of the night? was it Eric's: Stairway to Heaven? Angie's: Angie? Bernadette's: Blue Bayou? no, the high score went to... wait for it.... Doug! he sang Groovy Kinda Love.

day 138: we're gonna party like it's your birthday

carla & mike
jamie & ritch
nick
jamie & angie

After Friday's trip to Solvang and sitting in the sun all day, I came home and crashed at 5pm. Today, I woke up at 6am, went for a swim and a hike. After my hike I went to help Carla prepare for her BarBQ. I was asked to be in charge of entertainment, so I had a photo booth and asked Angela to bring her Karaoke mic. These are some of the images from the photo booth. There are over 200 images and I still need to proof them before I publish them. It will take me a couple of days, but here's a sample. Thanks to everyone who participated, and a special thanks to Carla for hosting such a wonderful party. Happy Birthday!

More photos are available here.

day 137: ALC 8

Bianca and I went to Ventura, well actually Solvang (not planned), to cheer on the cyclists of the AIDS Life Cycle ride. They were scheduled to ride from Solvang to Ventura (84 miles), but an accident on HWY 101 and inclement weather canceled the ride. We planned to station ourselves closer to Ventura, but when we got the call from Brendan, a member of the Sweep crew, informing us of the canceled ride, we drove up to Solvang to pick up some stranded riders. About 1700 cyclists were stranded in Solvang awaiting a bus ride down to Ventura. With a few 50-seat buses circulating the route, transporting cyclists, you could tell that the exhaustion was setting in. ALC had no contingency plan for a canceled ride, but I think the "roadies" handled the situation calmly and efficiently. Although my photos don't include anyone riding a bike, it was amazing day to see the dedicated roadies at work.

As I mentioned Brendan is part of the sweep crew along with his partner, Bud. They pick up riders who need assistance. Their theme was LOST: they rented a VW bus and had Darma Initiative outfits. Apparently they were a famous crew. Congratulations to everyone who participated in ALC 8. Closing ceremonies are on Saturday, June 6, 2009.

day 136: game 1

We went to Busby's for game 1 of the NBA Championship series between Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers dominated this game...let's hope that this continues. GO LAKERS!!
I wanted to save this somewhere, so I decided to upload it to this page.

day 135: tea tasting

I was invited to a Tea Tasting in my neighborhood. It was a chilly night, but we sat under some umbrellas on the patio and enjoyed warm tea. If you're into flavored teas, this group is perfect. Perhaps I'll host my own tea tasting with some Oolongs, Pu-ehrs, or Green teas... hmmm? I don't have the quaint courtyard, though.

day 134: E3 @ LA Live

Fish and I went to the Digital LA party at the Conga Room in LA Live for the E3 conference. LA Live fits McLuhan's media is the message or media as a distraction. Wholey, flashing screens, colored lights, and digital stimulation at every turn, Batman.

We sipped on "Mario" margaritas and enjoyed the nice view of the courtyard at LA Live. After leaving the Conga Room, we strolled over to the Yard House where Henry joined us to discover that they have an a-mazing late night Happy Hour from 10-midnight. I definitely recommend the Yard House. The Conga Room was interesting: great views and a cool ceiling, but unless someone throws a party, I don't think I would go back. It was a fun night topped off with dancing on these sensored lights. It was, oh SO very reminiscent of Tom Hanks' Big and Michael Jackson's Billy Jean. Although we couldn't play chopsticks or heart and soul on it, next time we'll try Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I'm a nerd.

day 133: westwood

I went to Westwood today. This is an open space that could use some Tenant Improvement. I sometimes prefer the raw space to finished space. There was some great light coming into this space.