My latest celebrity sighting

So it wasn't really a sighting because it was sort of intentional, and it wasn't really a celebrity but it was still cool.  I volunteer at Dress for Success, and I led their Donation Day last weekend.  It turns out that people from Style Network (who have *awesome* shows like Jerseylicious and How do I look?) were volunteering at Donation Day because Style Network does a ton of stuff with Dress for Success.  One woman showed up with her daughter and only stayed for 30 minutes.  I gave her a tour of the office and showed her how we sort and hang up donations.  And then after she left, I found out that she's the president of Style Network.  Pretty legit job :)  So she's famous-ish, and I'm sure she's been to all of the red carpet events, which makes her somewhat of a celebrity.  And she was responsible for my two favorite Style Network shows, so she's somewhat of a personal hero. 

What happened last weekend

• Harry Potter Friday night with some new friends (The pre-movie dinner had the most amazing chocolate baklava... too bad the husband ate most of it.) My favorite part of the movie was the Snape backstory -- it was done so well!!
  
  
• Coworkers' going away party -- yummy sangria and amazing chicken tandoori (I got the box that the spice mix came in so I can make a paneer version). We left before the drinking games got started so we could make our reservation for...
  
  
• Dinner in Hollywood (no famous people, sort of meh food) -- a few of my dishes in no particular order were grits with mushrooms, passion fruit tart (would have been great if not for the coconut that was infecting it) and potato soup (the most redeeming dish). I was really hoping for some macaroni and cheese, but no dice. The husband was much more impressed with his food at least.
  
  
• Getty Center (pictures coming) -- We came here to see an exhibition on the "Gods of Angkor Wat" (basically Cambodian versions of Hindu gods and Buddha), and we got to the Getty and realized that the whole exhibit took up a space the size of a dorm room. There was a total of 20 little statues. So disappointing. The rest of the Getty was nice, if a little crowded. I want to go back, but perhaps on a Saturday after 5 pm when parking is free and we can eat dinner at the cute restaurant there with a great view.
  
  
• Mad Men -- The husband and I realized that Mad Men was available from Season 1 on Netflix instant demand so we started watching it. It's a little slow, but it's fascinating. I also love the clothes, and really wish I could dress like that every day.

Carmageddon Update

So it turns out there were actually very few cars on the road over the weekend... no mass chaos, no miles-long traffic jams, just fairly empty roads.

Note: Image from www.hollywoodreporter.com

I'm debating venturing out during the Carmageddon v2.0 next year, since it would be a great time to drive places that usually take forever to get to. I just don't know if everyone else will have the same idea...

Carmageddon

So this is the weekend that the freeway near my house shuts down, leading to what is projected to be massive amounts of traffic. I've come up with a weekend plan of stuff to do that does not require driving. (Unfortunately Harry Potter is not on the list, but maybe we'll venture out if the traffic isn't that bad).

1. Haircut at a place within walking distance -- my bangs are way too long.

2. Mani/pedi at a place within walking distance (with a groupon, of course).

3. Make paneer tikka masala (contingent on walking to the grocery store or farmers market to get bell peppers).

4. Clean -- I still haven't unpacked from my trip to SF.

5. Watch XMen.

6. Read my magazines and throw away the old ones.

7. I think that's it... hopefully I don't get bored.

Hollywood

So as someone who's lived on the West Coast for the last 4 years, I don't find LA very exciting or awesome or unique. When we were in New York for a wedding two weeks ago though, all the guests were so in awe of the fact we were from LA. And these aren't backwoods New York people -- these are consultants and bankers and people who grew up in the fancy New England / New York area who've traveled around the world plenty.

I guess LA has this cache of being Hollywood (which is by the way the nickname my husband got at the Lansing wedding last weekend) and fun and fancy.

I don't know -- is LA that exotic? And what about Orange County or San Diego? Do they count too?

And would people from the West Coast or even New York think Atlanta was an exotic or unique place to be from? To my friend N who's coming next week, you can let me know if LA is really all that :)