A Multimedia Post: Because People Like Looking At Pictures More Than They Like Reading

Here's a video I took today of a helicopter doing something I didn't find annoying in any way, not even as it kept doing this for hours upon countless hours:



Does anybody have the Cloverfield monster's phone number? I urgently desire to speak with him. Or her.



Last night I went to a place called the Coffee Table. Here's a picture of the front of the menu.

Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about making this blog post while I was there, so I don't have any other pictures to give you. I did see a possum there though. It was hanging out in the bushes on the back porch. The place was unbelievably hipster, but so cute and so quiet (except for a couple helicopters that kept flying over, this city has an infestation that is out of control) and while it was pretty far away from where I am currently holed up, I will most definitely be going back.

Finally, something I don't have any pictures of that I can show you yet, sorry for making you read: on Monday night, I went to a taping of the new Nerdist show. If you don't know, this guy Chris Hardwick has had a podcast called the Nerdist Podcast for a while now, and BBC America is thinking about picking it up as a TV show. This is exciting because they usually have great guests - my favorites from podcasts past have been Jon Hamm, Donald Glover, Felicia Day, Jim Gaffigan and Simon Pegg, but I don't think I've ever disliked any of them. Matt Smith was even on there one time, it was awesome!

Anyway, the guest for the pilot was Craig Ferguson, who, as everybody knows, is the greatest Scottish late night show host currently on television. There was also a surprise guest that I can't tell you about even though I really, really, really, reeeeeeeeeeally want to. I did take pictures, and don't get too excited because they're just crappy iPhone pictures taken from the back of the audience, but I'm not going to post any of them because they all feature the surprise guest. Sorry, I mean "super secret surprise guest," as they kept saying. Look, I just don't want to get in trouble, okay? And it's more fun when you don't know. As River Song says... spoilers.

Here is the link to the write-up about it on the Nerdist site featuring lots of non-spoilery pictures for you to enjoy.

I know for sure that this episode will be airing sometime in the fall on BBC America whether the show gets picked up or not, but it'd be cool if it did. There aren't enough awkward nerds on TV.

A Food Post: Because Everybody Likes to Eat I Guess

You know how bloggers do food posts? Probably just so they can have things to post about on a regular basis, because everybody eats. Well, most people.

I was going to do one yesterday, because it was Wednesday and I went to IHOP and had a waffle and Elizabeth was like, "you should make it a new thing! Waffle Wednesdays!" She was being sarcastic, but whatever.

I did take a picture of my waffle, though. See, here it is:

I ate half of it first. This is why I will never be a food blogger. (Also featured, kind of: hash browns.)

Anyway, the waffle was not the most interesting food I ate yesterday. You might disagree once you read the rest of this post, but I don’t really care what YOU think. This is MY blog!!!!! (…I’m not sure why I keep finding opportunities to get so hostile and angry at my theoretical readers in every blog post. Look, I’m sorry. Don’t be mad.)

I have friends here now (I know, right, I can’t believe it either) and for lunch we went to a food truck fair thing. Well, “fair” may not be the right word, because I’m not sure five food trucks really constitutes a “fair.” But it was a street with five food trucks on it. There was a french fry one called Fresh Fries that I didn’t try but really wanted to. There was also one called Tropical Shaved Ice - one of my new friends got something from them that she shared with us, and that was really delicious. (Try the guava flavored one. SO GOOD.)

But the biggest draw for me about this food truck situation was that the Grilled Cheese Truck was there.

This was a very big deal for me. Momentous. I will remember it forever. (Mostly because I’m writing a blog post about it and the internet saves everything for forever.)

First of all, I have loved grilled cheese sandwiches since before my sister was born. I know this because there is a home video of me when I’m like a year and a half old, and my mom is pregnant with my sister, and my dad’s like, “Sarah, what did you have for lunch today?” and I’m like “TOASTED CHEESE.” Which was the wrong answer, by the way - my dad told me no, I had McDonald’s for lunch. But see, the point is, I have loved grilled cheese sandwiches my entire life.

Which is why when I discovered that there was a grilled cheese food truck in LA I knew I had to move there as soon as possible.

Okay, that’s not true. I moved here because I didn’t like all the free stuff I was getting at home/to follow my dreams/or something. But I have been following the Grilled Cheese Truck on Twitter since I was still living in Denver, and finally, yesterday I had what was the first of many sandwiches I will surely purchase from them.

I’m happy to report that it is without a doubt my favorite grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever had. I’m not sure if that’s just because it was delicious (which it very much was), or if the added bonus of it being the first food truck I’ve ever gone to, having drooled over the prospect of finally getting to visit this food truck in person for the first time, or eating it outside with new friends made it taste better. I don’t really care either way.

Here’s the wrapper it came in.

And here is the sandwich.

You might not think it looks like anything special, but trust me. Three dollars well spent. It’s just the plain and simple melt on french bread with American cheese, but that’s how I like it. If you like your grilled cheese sandwich more complicated(/contaminated), there are a myriad of other options for you to indulge in.

Trust me, as a grilled cheese connoisseur, this one outranks the rest.

Here are some fun facts:
1. I forgot to take a picture of the actual truck but I’m sure that if you Google Image search it, you’ll be able to find out what it looks like. Fun little homework assignment for you.
2. I forgot to take a picture of the sandwich before I took a bite out of it.
3. When I got up to the window the lady asked me for my name, and when I told her she was like “Oh, we just had a Sarah. Can you give me another name?” Sure. Whatever. Elizabeth.
4. Every time I have to write the word “connoisseur,” I have to look it up.

(You know what, that was fun! Maybe I’ll make taking pictures of half-eaten food my New Thing.)

If You Squint, This Post Looks Interesting

So, you know how I made that post about people filming a new TV show by Tim Kring on the next street over? Remember how I was all, “I might have an interesting post next week?” Remember how I was also like, “no promises”?

Well, here’s a picture:

There they are! The film people! What a cool white truck! And check out that security guy!

This picture represents the extent of my investigation. The security guard scared me off. I totally could have gone closer, but I didn’t.

I’m sorry. I failed my many theoretical readers in this regard.

But I’m sure if you look really really hard, you can imagine Kiefer Sutherland or Danny Glover down there. Here, I’ll help you.

Doesn’t this show look cooler now? I mean, IMDB says the show is about “a father who discovers his autistic, mute son can actually predict events before they happen,” but that doesn’t mean the father isn’t Jack Bauer, or that Danny Glover isn’t a cowboy. In fact, if the show does not have either of those two things in it, I will consider myself cheated. Let’s start sending Fox some letters to make sure they don’t screw this up for themselves.

Standing in the Wilderness Downtown

New song of the week.

This one is always beautiful, but I think this version that I discovered tonight is my new favorite.

We Used to Wait by Arcade Fire (Acoustic Version)

For Any and All Doubters

In case you thought I was making everything about my move to Los Angeles up, and I’m not sure why you would think that, but there are crazy people on the internet, so who knows: here’s the sign I discovered on my gate when I came home today from Malibu.

If you can’t read it, it’s a notice informing us that next week, they’re going to be filming some scenes for a TV show called Touch around the corner. I had to dig to find out what this show is, because IMDB has about fifty things called “Touch” or “Touch Something” or “Touched By Something” on there. Eventually I deduced that this is almost certainly the new TV show by Tim Kring, who made Heroes. You know, the one with Kiefer Sutherland, Danny Glover, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (who you haven’t heard of unless you watched Undercovers and/or the third season of Doctor Who).

In case you’re not catching on, I may or may not have an interesting post for next week. No promises, but investigation will most assuredly commence. Hopefully that follow-up post will consist of more than just "wow, these film people are causing so many traffic problems." And if you're a California person looking at this post and going "it's pathetic that you're excited about this," well, you can just go read someone else's blog and stop poo pooing my party over here.

And don’t try to find my house based on the address on there, because you WON’T be able to, and anyway I’m moving at the end of July, so just back off, stalkers!

My phone number no longer starts with 303!

I am currently in Malibu. Yes, that's right, the place where all the rich and famous people live and surf. It is gorgeous, not that I'm surprised.

Here's a sample of the view.

It’s okay I guess.

(When I was wandering around and saw this out the window, I thought it was fog. Because I'm stupid, first of all, but mainly because I'm not used to the ocean.)

Other California observations... well, there's a lot more air here. Also, apparently there's a thing here called the "June Gloom" that the ENTIRE WORLD failed to mention to me, and I have been dressing for much warmer weather day after day and subsequently turning into a popsicle as soon as I go outside. I like cold weather, but I like being informed that it is happening.

When I’m home next perhaps I will write a post about the AMAZING and totally not disgusting or requiring-of-flip-flops-at-all-times-especially-in-the-bathroom apartment that I’m living in right now. (No, seriously, wait until you see my medieval microwave. You will all be so jealous.) (It’s only for two months, it’s only for two months, it’s only for two months…)

In the meantime… here’s a good song.

Last Post From the 303

That's right, my phone number starts with 303, just like that band you hate. I'm very happy that the biggest douchebags from this area code are also the most famous people from this area code.

I'm leaving on Saturday. I am feeling emotional. I don't want to talk about it! STOP ASKING!

Allow me to express myself through a playlist - the communication refuge for emotionally stunted hipsters like me. This is the CD I'm burning to listen to on the road.

1. "I've Got a Dream" from the Tangled soundtrack
2. "Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)" by Lady Gaga
3. "Get Out of This Town" by Carrie Underwood
4. "She's Long Gone" by The Black Keys
5. "Sunshine Coolin'" by The Asteroid Galaxy Tour
6. "NYC Moves to the Sound of LA" by Funeral Party
7. "Crown on the Ground" by Sleigh Bells
8. "Summer Mood" by Best Coast
9. "Moment 4 Life" by Nicki Minaj and Drake
10. "Come Alive (The War of the Roses" by Janelle Monae
11. "Shadow's Keeper" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
12. "Ends in the Ocean" by Avalanche City
13. "Go Do" by Jonsi
14. "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen
15. "Who's Laughing Now" by Jessie J
16. "Bright Lights Bigger City" by Cee Lo Green
17. "California" by Phantom Planet
18. "If You Wanna" by The Vaccines
19. "Hello" by Martin Solveig and Dragonette

The actual purpose of this post is just to inform the four people who read this that I am leaving this weekend, and that I have NOT forgotten about this blog, and also that soon, I will have REAL CALIFORNIA THINGS to talk about, because finally - finally - I will be there.

So stay tuned for that.