We Are Family

I love my family a lot, perhaps more than the average person.  Given Thanksgiving's proximity to Christmas, and the high price of holiday air fare, I will not be eating turkey and giving thanks with my beloved family this week.  Fortunately, however, I recently got to spend time with some of my favorite family members. 
I knew I would regret it if I didn't fly home and go to one last OU football game with Daniel while he was a student (geez, it's weird that he's a SENIOR... ), so that is just what I did. Our amazingly brilliant and hilarious cousin Jake drove from Louisiana to join in this mini Terracina reunion.  We had a fantastic time.  Being on the beautiful OU campus and just being in clean, simple, friendly Norman truly made me nostalgic... but enough sentimental talk.  Here are some photos of the wonderful weekend.  

"...Campus beautiful by day and night..."

Boomer Sooner!

I love this kid. Big time. 

A few days after my whirlwind Oklahoma weekend, my dear mother came to visit me in LA!  I love having her in town.  She got to see my new apartment and workplace, meet my new boss, and meet some of my new friends.  We were in the audience of Ellen (I have a connection there and it's a fun thing to do with out of town guests, okay?), and narrowly missed winning an X-box Kinect (boooo). She guided me in the purchase of my new car (whooo!), and being the saint that she is, volunteered to drive my old car back to Texas.  We hosted a "Meryl marathon" of movies starring the world's favorite actress, Meryl Streep, with some of my close girlfriends. It was a great visit.  :-)

At Gladstone's in Malibu. The golden seahorse is my take-out container. Ha. 

Even though I won't be with my incredible family on Thanksgiving, I am beyond thankful for them and for the wonderful visits we recently got to enjoy.  Christmas will be here before we know it...  :-)

Currently listening to: Something Corporate (specifically Konstantine).

Why: On November 18 I had the EXTREME pleasure of attending the First Annual Dear Jack Benefit Concert at the El Rey which gave proceeds to the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. Andrew McMahon founded  The Dear Jack Foundation after surviving leukemia.  As if the worthy charitable cause weren't reason enough to get excited about this concert, it featured both of Andrew's bands for the first time ever in one show... yes that's right... there was a complete Jack's Mannequin set and a complete Something Corporate set. OH.MY.GOODNESS. Can you see musical HEAVEN?! Seriously. The only thing that would have made it better is if Mary would have been here to enjoy this musical bliss with me. (and if he would have played 'Annie Use Your Telescope').  I've seen Andrew perform more times than I can count, and every single time, it's like I fall in love all over again. Sigh. :-)

xoxo, 

at

Five Little Happies

Here are five little "happies" that are making me smile these days...
1.) My new position at Warner Bros.  
Due to some unexpected restructuring in my department, I suddenly found myself in an entirely new and exciting role two weeks ago.  I am now the assistant to the Vice President of Direct-to-Consumer Strategic Business Operations and the Vice President of Marketing (whooo!)!  While my previous boss was great, the new bosses are both nice and delightful to work with as well, and in my new position I will have more opportunity to dive into marketing projects and learn a ton. Holla! :-)

2.) Photobooths.
I have a deep affinity for photobooths, but sadly do not get to experience them nearly enough.  Kayla and I were thrilled to find a particularly fun photobooth at The Ellen Show.  A copy of this lovely photo strip is now proudly displayed at both my new desk at work and on my refrigerator.  :-)

3.) Being on the "Top Ten Young Alums To Watch" list. 
I got a fun surprise this week when my brother texted me and said "Your name is on some top ten list hanging all around Gaylord..." (which is school of journalism at OU). Turns out that list was the "Top Ten Young Alums To Watch" list which you can check out here. Thanks Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. :-)


4.) Darker hair.
It's no secret that Mary and I adore the band Something Corporate.  A line from one of their most famous songs (Punk Rock Princess) says, "Maybe when your hair gets darker, maybe when your eyes get wide..." As someone who has dark hair, I have always been particularly fond of these lyrics.  I had been enjoying some great blonde-y highlights for the past several months, but as November rolled in, I decided it was time for my darker winter look. I'd like to think that Andrew McMahon would approve. :-)


And last but CERTAINLY not least....


5.) My new car. 
After my driving my good ol' 1998 Honda Civic since age 16, I decided many months ago that I was ready to bid the old silver beaut farewell.  In fact, I even boldly listed buying a new car as one of my goals for while I'm 25.  I took the plunge last weekend, and now I am the beyond proud owner of this gorgeous 2008 Honda Civic! Hooray!  :-) 

Currently listening to: One Eskimo
Why: This talented quartet from the UK performed on Ellen the day that Kayla and I were in the audience, and what a glorious surprise they were.  Very fortunately for us, we all got a copy of their debut album.  They are Coldplay-esque (in that its soothing, easy-listening, good music that has the added bonus of acting as a headache remedy), but their mix of horns, experimental drumming, and the lead singer's unique voice really set them apart.  Listen to (the very aptly titled) "Amazing." 


Happily yours, 


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The First Annual Reunion of "The Greatest Quartet in the World"

Oh how lovely and true that quote is.  Three of my best friends from college and I (or "The Greatest Quartet in the World" as my sweet brother deemed us) recently reunited in LA.  We hadn’t all been together since May 2008 (with the exception of one large group dinner in December 2008 which hardly counted, it was so quick).  We’ve all grown and changed dramatically in the past two years: Kayla just got her Masters in Spain and is now preparing to move to South America for a bit; Anne is one of the best neo-natal intensive care nurses in Washington DC; Vanessa is a married home-owner quickly advancing in her career at Conoco Phillips; I am trying to navigate the exciting craziness that is the entertainment industry in LA.  Still, as we sat in our PJs in my living room and caught up over Oreos and wine, it was like we were all still living in the Tri Delt house and nothing had changed at all. J Here are some highlights from their visit:

Kayla got to LA a few days earlier than the other girls, so I got us tickets to a taping of The Ellen Show.  We were on the front row on the aisle, so we definitely got lots of camera time enthusiastically clapping and laughing and dancing (oh my!), as seen below.

Kayla and I went to the Griffith Observatory at night to enjoy the expansive views of the pretty city lights…sort of like looking at the stars like I used to do in Oklahoma, only totally different.

We returned to Griffith Park that weekend with the other two girls in our quartet, only this time in daylight.  Oh heyyy Hollywood sign!

I obviously had to take Kayla to my favorite comedy show that I rave about all the time.  As we were waiting in line outside the theater, I spotted Andrew Garfield  After being in LA for more than two years now, I generally never get star-struck, but I was definitely excited about this one. “There’s Andrew Garfield…!!” I whispered to Kayla through clenched teeth. “Who??” she asked. “Eduardo from ‘The Social Network….!!” She still looked confused.  “Eduardo from ‘The Social Network!’ I urgently whispered again. About this time, the short little hottie girl with him saw me looking at him and protectively pushed him along. Ha. He was gorgeous.  My favorite celeb sighting in quite some time. J

Saturday morning, we made a delectable brunch together: homemade waffles, turkey bacon, scrambled eggs, and mimosas. Yummm. It was cozy and fun to cook together and enjoy brunch in our pajamas. 

Even though our team very sadly lost horribly on this particular Saturday, it was nice to watch the game with my darlings from OU. It was also nice that we could commiserate the depressing loss with each other afterwards... blurrrgh. :-/ 

We saw an exceptionally excellent sunset at the beach on Saturday evening. Man, I love those things. :-) 

We had a glorious Sunday brunch at Luna Park; I think this may be my favorite event of our weekend.  Bottomless sangria/mimosas+amazing food/atmosphere+catching up for hours with my best friends=heavenly. (The only thing that would have made it even BETTER is if I hadn't had to be the D.D.  Those mimosas and sangria are gooooood!)

We literally decided Sunday morning to attempt to get last minute tickets to Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages for Sunday evening... and it worked!  Not only did we get day-of tickets to this amazing show, they just so happened to be on the 5th row, center!  Count our lucky stars... :-)  

I must say, I think our first annual reunion weekend was a great success! The perfect mix of fun outings and really just enjoying being together. I'm already looking forward to our next reunion (tentatively scheduled for Washington DC, 2011).  Can't wait. :-) 

Currently listening to: Taylor Swift

Why: I never thought I’d be a girl to buy the new Taylor Swift album the day it came out, but when some stressful news at work led me to some retail therapy on October 25^th, I did just that.  I reluctantly got into T Swift last year when my former roommate more or less insisted that I burn her cd from her.  Try as I did to resist, I quickly became a legit fan.  This girl is good!  No matter what stage of a relationship (or non-relationship) you are currently experiencing, there is probably a T Swift song that relates perfectly and can be used for great therapy and/or celebratory sing-alongs.  ;-)  I wish I could enjoy the catharsis of being able to come home from an exhilarating and/or disappointing date and just write an awesome song about it like she apparently can.  Also, despite her huge fame, she really just seems like a normal FUN person.  I totally have a friend crush on her.  My current favorites on her new album: “Enchanted,” “Sparks Fly,” and the title track "Speak Now.” I just read an article today that my girl is joining the extremely exclusive club of artists who have sold a MILLION albums in one week.  Don't pretend you're too cool... just go ahead and buy it too. You'll be singing along and wanting to be T Swift's friend like me before you know it. :-) 

Until our next reunion, 

at

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.” –Elisabeth Foley.

Weekend Review and Other News

The past weekend was fun-filled and eventful, as anticipated. 

Phantom of the Opera was chilling and glorious, as per usual.  Our seats were amazing: 3^rd row center! The costumes and set were exceptionally spectacular; honestly probably the best production I’ve seen at the Pantages.  The show is in LA until October 31, 2010.  If you like live theater, you should absolutely go. Buy tickets here You’re in for a treat.

Our housewarming party was a great success! Many of our dear friends came and our all of our delish food/drinks and apartment as a whole were a huge hit.  I am really so in love with the new place.  My lovely roommate McKenzie and I have decorated it and made it very ‘homey’.  It really feels like my first ‘grown up’ apartment and that is a very wonderful feeling. Come over and hang out. 

Ready for our wonderful friends to arrive and help us properly warm our new home. :-)

 Band of Horses at the Greek was just cool. No better way to put it, I think.  This was my first time at the Greek, and I’m already looking forward to going back. First of all, it’s walking distance from my new apartment (holla!).  Second of all, it’s an amazing outdoor amphitheater in the middle of Griffith Park, so you’re essentially watching amazing live music under the stars (and in the instance of Saturday, a gorgeous full moon) in the middle of a forest. Yes please.  Here is a video of this incredibly talented band performing ‘The Funeral’ at the show on Saturday (taken by someone who was apparently on the very first row! Holy closeness, Batman! My seats were most certainly were not this close… but enjoyable nonetheless). 

As you may have heard (because I feel like every one of the millions of people who live in the greater Los Angeles area are complaining about it), we’ve had quite a little late-summer heat wave the past few days. (Literally, Monday broke the record for the HOTTEST day in LA…ever). I took full advantage of this and enjoyed a couple blissful hours at the beach Sunday afternoon.  Several factors have prevented me from soaking up the sun with my toes in the sand much at all this summer, which made this long overdue beach day extra enjoyable. One of my earliest life goals was to live “driving distance from the beach”… and I must admit, sometimes I take for granted that I actually do now. Tsk tsk for me…but holla for the realization of childhood life dreams.

Heavenly. 

Taken from my phone on Sunday 9/26/10. 

 In other news, my dear friend Matt Godfrey needs your help.  He is in my beloved community group.  He and his lovely wife Ellen moved from Alabama to LA because he was cast in the highly anticipated ‘Blue Like Jazz’ movie (and for him to pursue other acting endeavors).  Very unfortunately, however, it was announced last week that the filming for this would be postponed indefinitely due to lack of funding (despite “a strong screenplay, a stellar cast, and rave reviews”).  But, ALAS, there is a chance it can be saved! If $125,000 (which is practically nothing in the world of film) can be raised by October 25, 2010, the film can enter production as planned.  In all honesty, I have never read this book, but more than 1.5 million people have.  It is supposed to have a really great message that could positively affect millions more people if it does indeed make it to the big screen, so if you feel so inclined, click HERE to donate to the cause.

It’s the biggest week in college football if you’re a Sooner fan… OU/Texas is this Saturday!  I plan on watching this intense rivalry game at a sports bar with other rowdy OU fans, drinking beer (which I am surprisingly becoming a big fan of as of late!), and yelling BOOMER SOONER like we were actually at the game.  It’s absolutely not the same, but hey, we misplaced Oklahoman Angelenos have to make the best with what we have.  

I’m seeing EASY A and THE SOCIAL NETWORK this weekend… I’ve heard amazing things about both, so I’m very much looking forward to it.  Reviews to follow!  What is the best movie you’ve seen recently (or that you're looking forward to seeing)?

Currently listening to: Alex Rhodes

Why: The reason for my current music pick can be explained in detail in this previous post. She is a dear friend of mine and incredibly talented musician AND her debut EP just came out!!  She had album release show at the Hotel Cafe last weekend and it was wonderful. You can check out (and now buy!) Alex's amazing tunes here.  My favorites are "No Trouble" and "Honestly." Enjoy!

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A Tale of Two Cities in the Press!

 Some of you may recall that my beloved alma mater, OU, ran an article about my job at the Academy on the http://www.ou.edu/ homepage a few months ago. 


Well, now a new version of that article has made it in the summer edition of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication alumni magazine, The Pulse, and our blog gets a shout out!  The caption on our photo reads: Annie (right) and her best friend Mary both graduated from OU in 2008 with degrees in public relations and went to work on opposite coasts but kept up the friendship via a blog at http://annieandmary.blogspot.com and got together in person at the 2010 Oscars.


(Author's note: Mary graduated with a double major of letters and art history, NOT public relations).


Isn't that cool?  Ha!  I was aware that they were planning to run a little article, but the big picture and mention of our blog was a total fun surprise.  :-)  You can read the full article here (page 41, in case it doesn't automatically direct you there).  Enjoy (and Boomer Sooner).

Currently listening to: Ingrid Michaelson

Why: This talented folksy singer-songwriter is absolutely one of my new favorites.  Her endearing, cheeky, intelligent and relatable lyrics are amazing and her pretty voice is effortlessly smooth. It’s hard to pick favorite songs because they are all so good, but for the sake of an introductory download, allow me to suggest: “The Way I Am, “ “The Chain”, and/or “Be OK.” (But really you should just download her entire discography… you can thank me later). ;-)

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Hail to Thee My Alma Mater.... and All That Jazz.

This week I had the lovely surprise of being featured the University of Oklahoma's homepage (number 3 on the scrolling headlines).  

From OU to the Oscars – 2008 public relations graduate Annie Terracina shares how she came to work the Red Carpet

This link led to a feature story on my job at the Academy.  I had originally been approached and interviewed for this story over a year ago, but it was never published.  I thought it might have just been lost forever, but I was re-contacted for an update interview a few months ago.  Still, I had no idea when or if the story would ever see the light of day, so it was a very fun surprise indeed when it surfaced this week!  There are a few fact errors (For the College Watch Party Contest, actual Oscar Watch Parties from college students were judged and awarded prizes, not simply a "party plan".  Also, I interned at The Regan Group, not "The Reading Group").  But oh well, other than those minor deets, a very well-written article!  

It really means a lot for my beloved OU to acknowledge my post-graduation achievements.  In a student population of more than 30,000 students, I know that I was viewed and cared for as an individual...not simply a lost face in the crowd.  I think this just further solidifies that I am "Sooner born and Sooner bred, and when I die I'll be Sooner dead."  ;-)  Boomer Sooner indeeeeed.  

In other news, I saw Chicago at the Pantages this week!  We had great seats and Michelle Williams (formerly of "Destiny's Child...ha) played Roxie.  It was a jazzy sassy good time.  Those who know me will not be surprised in the least that I have been listening to the soundtrack non-stop since the viewing. My favorite song is "All That Jazz" (such a CLASSIC!), but I am  also very much enjoying "When You're Good to Mama" and "We Both Reached for the Gun."  

I think the 2010-2011 season at the Pantages was tailor-made for me. HAIR, Spring Awakening, Rock of Ages, Phantom of the Opera, AND West Side Story?!?!  I am so excited, I can barely contain myself.  Who wants to go with me?

And finally, how funny is this street sign?  I saw it on Fuller and Franklin I believe (at Runyon Canyon) and it made me laugh a lot.  Whoever did this, I want to be your friend.