It’s been a productive few days. Following a couple of days of rain - a rare sight in LA, and much celebrated - we've been plunged back into 80 degree weather (high-20s to low 30s celsius) which I've welcomed since I'm not quite ready for another winter. Got my hair cut on Wednesday, long overdue but nothing drastic. Please note photo on the left is not intended to showcase the haircut, it's just for those of you who have been hassling me to put some pics up to prove I really am alive and this blog is not being ghostwritten. Happy now? Sheesh!On Thursday I completed part one of the requirements for my Californian driving license; a written test. Easy peasy, all multiple choice questions and I had conscientiously studied the DMV manual. Having passed that with flying colours, I’m now permitted to undertake the second, vital, requirement; the driving test. Not particularly looking forward to that. There’s something about being scrutinised that makes one nervous and more likely to make silly errors than under normal circumstances. Also, I’ve been driving for nearly twenty years so it will be humbling to be treated like a teenager, and more humbling still if I screw up and fail! On the upside, I’ve got a few weeks to gear up for it as the soonest appointment available is November 10th. After that I went to lunch with Regi, who took me to a very nice restaurant on Beverly Blvd where I consumed a perfectly delicious lentil and arugula (aka rocket) salad, topped with a lightly fried egg. We eschewed the 101 freeway for the scenic route through the Hollywood Hills. The roads that wind through the hills are in places so narrow, and overhung with trees, that I’m often reminded of driving through little villages in France. Who’da thunk it? There are also quite a lot of eucalyptus trees thriving in the hills, which give me pangs of homesickness.
On Friday I stopped in at TVI to check in with Corey, my consultant, and get my hands on a mailing list of agents and the ones he recommends approaching first. Then I test drove another car (which I’m going to buy – pictures to be posted when the transaction is completed on Wednesday - stay tuned), and went to a pretty intense Hatha Flow yoga class. On Saturday I auditioned, in my best British accent (what they were asking for), for the role of narrator in a short student film. From what I saw of the script, it’s very good and will be delightful, so fingers crossed. Sunday I had two theatre auditions; one for another narrator role in a stage adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and the other for a whimsical American play called Almost, Maine. I trotted out both my American and British accents for the Carol, and my American accent for the other. There is a lot of theatre in LA, but it’s interesting the way shows run. They don’t do many performances per week. In fact, in some cases, they just do one night a week, but they run it for a couple of months or longer if tickets are selling. This seems representative of LA commitment phobia. Nobody wants to fully commit to anything in case a better offer comes along; be that another gig, another party or another date. Perhaps it’s also indicative of LA’s TV and film mentality, as opposed to traditional theatre; TV shows are only on once a week (re-runs aside), so why would you perform a play more often than that? Weird. I bet they don’t do it that way in New York.
On Sunday I also took in the Sherman Oaks street festival. This takes places along Ventura Boulevard between Van Nuys Blvd and Kester Ave (go on and Google map it), which means it was practically at my doorstep (Willis Ave). There was everything from slippery slides and rock climbing, to pony rides, muscle cars and choral singing. Stalls were set up along the centre of the road, spruiking local business, politicians, churches, crafts, music (Beatles songs played on the pipes of pan – shudder!) and food of course. I bought a beautiful necklace made from an orchid. They dry the flower and then preserve it in resin. It’s very delicate. Foodwise, I partook of some Argentinian empanadas and an all-American cookie ice-cream sandwich. It was delicious but I regretted it somewhat. The cookie especially. But I didn’t regret taking the opportunity for a happy snap with members of the LA fire department. Well, what was I supposed to do? They and their big red trucks were parked right at the end of my street!
On Friday I stopped in at TVI to check in with Corey, my consultant, and get my hands on a mailing list of agents and the ones he recommends approaching first. Then I test drove another car (which I’m going to buy – pictures to be posted when the transaction is completed on Wednesday - stay tuned), and went to a pretty intense Hatha Flow yoga class. On Saturday I auditioned, in my best British accent (what they were asking for), for the role of narrator in a short student film. From what I saw of the script, it’s very good and will be delightful, so fingers crossed. Sunday I had two theatre auditions; one for another narrator role in a stage adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and the other for a whimsical American play called Almost, Maine. I trotted out both my American and British accents for the Carol, and my American accent for the other. There is a lot of theatre in LA, but it’s interesting the way shows run. They don’t do many performances per week. In fact, in some cases, they just do one night a week, but they run it for a couple of months or longer if tickets are selling. This seems representative of LA commitment phobia. Nobody wants to fully commit to anything in case a better offer comes along; be that another gig, another party or another date. Perhaps it’s also indicative of LA’s TV and film mentality, as opposed to traditional theatre; TV shows are only on once a week (re-runs aside), so why would you perform a play more often than that? Weird. I bet they don’t do it that way in New York.
On Sunday I also took in the Sherman Oaks street festival. This takes places along Ventura Boulevard between Van Nuys Blvd and Kester Ave (go on and Google map it), which means it was practically at my doorstep (Willis Ave). There was everything from slippery slides and rock climbing, to pony rides, muscle cars and choral singing. Stalls were set up along the centre of the road, spruiking local business, politicians, churches, crafts, music (Beatles songs played on the pipes of pan – shudder!) and food of course. I bought a beautiful necklace made from an orchid. They dry the flower and then preserve it in resin. It’s very delicate. Foodwise, I partook of some Argentinian empanadas and an all-American cookie ice-cream sandwich. It was delicious but I regretted it somewhat. The cookie especially. But I didn’t regret taking the opportunity for a happy snap with members of the LA fire department. Well, what was I supposed to do? They and their big red trucks were parked right at the end of my street!
Tina
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog. And I love all the opportunities that are being presented to you in LA. You are living your dream. Love the orchid necklace. The Craft Shop in the Botanic Gardens love my sewing and have agreed to stock my cicada purses! I sent a couple of my faves to Marit. Baby stuff would have been more appropriate but maybe she can hang them up for mobiles.