Annie's Oscar Notes 2012

"It's a wonderful night for the Oscars..."

That's how host Billy Crystal opened his musical monologue on Sunday night, and oh yes it was. :-)

 

It's hard to believe this was my 4th time to work at Hollywood's biggest night.  It still feels a bit surreal. The thing that never ceases to amaze me is how many moving parts there are to this show.  It literally takes hundreds of people and thousands of hours of work to put it all together.

As I mentioned in my last post, I was on the Host Committee for the first time this year. There were many moving parts and assignments within this committee alone.  My assignments included walking talent down the press line on the red carpet and then acting as a floater between the press and photo rooms during the show.  After the show I headed to glamorous and beautiful Governor's Ball.  (Holla!)

Here are my favorite moments that happened on one of my favorite nights of the year....

Getting red carpet ready...

The past 3 years, my talented friend Skyler worked on my red carpet bleacher crew and did my hair/makeup.  We weren't working together this year, so I began to explore other options. And what a wonderful option I found! One of the host committee leaders arranges for hair/makeup artists to come in on show day and essentially turns her hotel room at the Renaissance into a salon. Security is insane that day, so this seemed like the most convenient plan.  After I made my appointment I found out that the woman doing my makeup is an extremely accomplished makeup artist for film/television (including being a key makeup artist on Best Picture winner The Artist!). Her name is Zoe Hay and she was so great. I showed her a photo of what I wanted and in 30 minutes she had given me just that (and it somehow still looked good 15 hours later at the Governors Ball). Next up, hair. My hair stylist didn't work on an Oscar-nominated film, but she was pretty badass too.  She used to be the hair stylist on 90210 and is currently working The Middle. She worked her magic and 30 minutes later, I was ready to go!

The Oscars red carpet is larger than any carpet I've worked on before, so I wasn't quite sure what the press line would be like. Since it's a constant stream of cameras, I knew I had a high probability of being in the background of some photos, so I made a mental note to look happy.  Not that I wasn't THRILLED to be there... I was... but my neutral face tends to look pissed, and I definitely didn't want that.  ;-) 

Red carpet excursion #1: Fun Brazilian nominees.

Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown at the 84th Academy Awards - Click here for this week’s top video clips

(You can see me at the beginning of this video). 

My first walk down the carpet was with Carlinhos Brown.  He is a very outgoing Brazilian (complete with dreads and a formal turban to accessorize his tuxedo) who was nominated for Best Original Song for Rio.  (He didn't win :-/). As you might imagine with smaller categories, there is less of a demand for interviews than with big names like Clooney and Brangelina. Fortunately, we met up with one of his co-writers/nominees on the song, Sergio Mendes. They made quite a dynamic duo and started giving impromptu lively performances of their nominated song, which definitely led them to getting more interviews. You can see a little performance in the above video. They were so sweet and fun! Definitely livened up the red carpet. :-) 

Red carpet excursion #2: Sassy Sherri Shepherd.

(You can see me in the first part of this video too.)

My second (and final) walk down the carpet was with Sherri Shepherd. (Walking down takes a surprisingly long time!)  She's on The View (and as announced Tuesday, on the new cast of Dancing With the Stars, even though she coyly tried to deny that rumor in the above video).  She was hosting one of the Oscar.com stages, but since she wasn't a nominee, she wasn't doing much press. She was having a great time heading down the carpet: interacting with fans, talking to friends, tweeting, making jokes... the usual. On several occasions, reporters thought she was Best Supporting Actress nominee (and now winner), Octavia Spencer.  She funnily corrected them. (Ha... looks like Octavia tried to set the record straight on her Twitter yesterday: "@octaviaspencer Dear Hollywood: Sherri Shepherd And Octavia Spencer Are Not The Same Person but we are dear friends, LOL.").

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The crazy Ryan Seacrest/Sacha Baron Cohen red carpet stunt...

This was probably the craziest thing that happened in the past 4 years I've worked the show.  If you haven't seen it yet, here it is (you can see me starting at the 2:00 minute mark): 

Hahaha... yowza.  Okay, here's how this experience went down. Sherri had stopped for a quick interview by the E! cameras and someone in her group said "oooh...let's see if we can get Ryan Seacrest!" As crazy fate would have it, this occurred approximately 30 seconds after "The Dictator" poured the urn of ashes all over Ryan.  We had literally just missed seeing this insane thing happen, though, so when I saw the inexplicable huge MESS all over him and the surrounding area (we're talking like a huge MOUND of ashes/pancake mix... everywhere.), I had NO idea what had happened.  The only thing I could possibly think of was that maybe one of the light fixtures above him had somehow combusted. I think you can even see me looking up at the lights at one point. Ha. (Not the most the logical hypothesis, I know, but this definitely was not a situation that made sense without any context... ha).  Ryan was desperately trying to clean himself off and not interviewing anyone, so I didn't think they were filming.  So many things were running through my head: "What the hell is this mess?" "How is he going to get that off his tux?? What is he going to do??" "They specifically asked for Ryan... should I tap him on the shoulder to see if he wants an interview?" "If we don't do Ryan, who should the next interview be??" So, yeah... all that and many more things were racing through my mind in the above video. Thank GOODNESS I didn't tap Mr. Seacrest on the shoulder to ask if he wanted an interview while he was (unbeknownst to me) on LIVE TV. Since this was a real possibility that legitimately almost happened, the thought of that scenario alone sends mortifying, embarrassed feelings to the pit of my stomach. Ha. Luckily, I decided that he obviously had his hands full with the mystery mess and we should keep walking.  A few minutes later, my phone starts blowing up.  I got Mary's text first: "We just saw you on E!!!" and that is when I knew... "Oh my goodness... they WERE filming!" And lo and behold, that crazy, super confusing moment, is now a viral sensation that has 8 million views on YouTube.  Definitely a memorable (hilarious) Oscar moment.

The greatest accidental photo bomb of my life. 

Oh. My. Goodness. I love Meryl Streep. So needless to say, I was quite excited when she rounded the corner of the red carpet to the area where Sherri was giving an interview. The gorgeous Best Actress winner gracefully and graciously posed for photos as I looked on admiringly and Sherri wrapped it up.  (When she finished the interview she said, "Okay, let's go. You know you're done when Meryl Streep comes over." which I found to be hilarious... and true).  

The next day, I got a Facebook notification on my phone as I was drifting off into a much-needed nap.  I thought my sweet old college friend, Heather, might just be tagging me in the Ryan Seacrest thing again, but much to my pleasant surprise, it was THIS photo (that I didn't even know existed)! She said she saw it on the Yahoo homepage and spotted me.  (I've since seen it on the US Weekly site as well). Annnnnd... now it's my Facebook profile pic. ;-) 

Bret McKenzie is a character.
 

Although I was sad for my new Brazilian buddies when they didn't win Best Original Song, I must say that Bret McKenzie was a great winner for his song on The Muppets. 1/2 of the hilarious duo from New Zealand, Flight of the Conchords, he is definitely comfortable (and very charismatic) in front of cameras. I personally witnessed him both jumping on the red carpet and tossing his Oscar up for photo ops. In the interview room, a reporter asked "How was it writing songs without your Flight of the Conchords bandmate, Jermaine?" Bret held up the Oscar and said, "Pretty good actually." Hahah.

George came over to the bleacher fans again. 

He's such a great guy!

Backstage with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis

Presenters are invited to come back with the winners for photos. I would say probably a little less than half of the presenters chose to do this, and the others opted to go back to their seats.  Luckily, the extremely hilarious duo of Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis chose to come back. They are seriously so funny.  As they waited to go into the photo room, they sipped white wine and champagne with Bret McKenzie and discussed what he should do with his new shiny statuette. 

"What are you going to do with it? Do you have a car? It would make a really nice hood ornament," Will suggested. 

"Or a trailer hitch!" Zach added. 

"Or maybe I could put it on my dashboard like one of those hula dancer things so it sways while I drive!" 

Tina Fey is hilarious too.

 I was excited that hilarious Tina Fey and gorgeous Bradley Cooper (though I'm not a fan of his 'stache) joined their winners in the photo room as well.  The first photo op for the Academy's archive was set up with a white background and a white chair for the winners to sit in.  Tina got in place behind the chair and said "Welcome to Sears!" with her perfectly hilarious delivery. She's so great. 

 Brief interaction with my ultimate friend crush.

 I had the same fun job I've had the past 3 years at the Governors Ball (the official Academy Awards after-party, hosted by the Academy's Board of Governors).  I stood by the second staircase and asked the nominees/winners/presenters if they wanted to do the press line.  I'm not sure if the set up was different on the bottom floor this year, but for some reason, not nearly as many people came up my staircase as in years past.  That's okay, though, because my ultimate friend crush, Emma Stone (who I thought was definitely the best presenter on the show), did! She walked up with Kristen Wiig (how fun would it be to hang out with those two??).  Our interaction was very brief, essentially just me asking if she wanted to do the press line and her saying no thank you, but it still was my favorite part of the ball. :-) 

Speaking of the ball, it was stunning and beautiful (as always) and the legendary Tony Bennett performed. 

For a 360 degree look of the Govornors Ball, click here.

And those, my darlings, are my favorite moments of the 84th Annual Academy Awards. Such a fun night and so great to be with my beloved old co-workers again.  As always, I'd like to thank the Academy... :-)  

xoxo, 

Annie.

The Oscars: Photo Collage

As promised in my Oscar recap post, here are some of my photos from the glorious event.  Reminiscent of the collages I used to (nerdily) make (fairly often) as a pre-teen, it's quite a random smattering of photos that my friend Skyler and I took from our vantage point in the red carpet bleachers and also of the beautiful Governor's Ball after-party. (I included a photo of Skyler and me in the red carpet collage; taken right after she finished my hair and make up for the Gov Ball.. she works magic, for real). If I ever get around to it, I might post more photos on Facebook one day. (Who has the time??) But without further adieu, here's my Oscar experience through photos... :-)

 

Such a fun night. (I love getting all done up... I mean, who doesn't?) Hooray for the Oscars. :-)

In other fun news, you still have a few days to enter our 100th post coffee giveaway!  It's super easy... just leave a comment on the previous post about why you love coffee (or why you like our blog!), and a we'll choose a random commenter on Monday 3/21 to win two bags of amazing Ummata Coffee beans.  Go ahead... leave a comment and enter. It'll be fun. :-) 

Currently listening to: Matt Wertz, "Weights & Wings"

Why: I've mentioned my love for Matt Wertz in previous posts, so it's no surprise that I purchased his new album, Weights & Wings, the day it came out (3/15). My darling Wertzy does not disappoint on this newest addition to his discography. His light summery sound is accompanied by thoughtful lyrics full of emotion and perspective. I'll definitely have this one on heavy rotation for a whiiiile. :-) 

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Annie's Oscar Notes (2011 edition)

A week has passed since the Oscars, a.k.a. the longest, craziest, most surreal day of my year.  (I apologize for the delay in my recap... an overbooked post-Oscar week left me no time for blogging. Boo). While not enough time has passed for me to catch up on much needed sleep (I am still so very exhausted), enough time has passed for some of my initial amazement and awe at February 27th's dreamlike event to start to wane.  Parts of it are such a blur!  I figured I should record and relive my favorite Oscar moments here before any more magical details escape me.

That was an updated version of the opening to my Oscar recap post from last year, but I feel it completely rings true for this year as well. Working the beloved Academy Awards was excellent, exhilarating, and exhausting, and I am so thankful and happy I got to be a part of it again.  Here are some memorable observations and anecdotes from the exciting night... 

It's nice to NOT be in charge of 800 people. 

As a member of the Academy marketing team the past two years, I was in charge of a 30 person bleacher crew and 750 fans from around the world who won coveted seats in the bleachers lining the red carpet.  Coordinating and overseeng this is no easy undertaking, to say the least.  This year, I was simply a member of the bleacher crew, and I must say it was so nice to not have the pressure of being in charge! I simply showed up (at the very early call time of 6:30 AM) and did what the new people in my old position told me to do. Easy breezy.

Sorry guy-who-amputated-your-own-arm, Timberlake's in the house. 

The real mountain climber who inspired the six-time nominee "127 Hours", Aron Ralston, was in attendance, which I thought was very cool. (Too bad the real Mark Zuckerberg didn't come to join the Social Network party... boo). As I mentioned in my last post, that was the one Best Picture nominee that I didn't have a chance to see before the show, but I know the gist: it's a true story about a guy who gets trapped under a boulder while mountain climbing and is forced to amputate his own arm (eek!). Well, as this truly brave and inspiring man was having his few minutes in the spotlight to be interviewed on the main stage of the red carpet, he was suddenly completely overshadowed and cut off by an onslaught of abnormally LOUD screams from all the bleacher fans. The cause of this rude interruption of screams? Justin Timberlake. Of all the people for JT to outshine, why did it have to be the guy with one arm? 

The Governors Ball never ceases to amaze me. 

This gorgeous champagne lounge was a popular spot for guest throughout the night (Russel Brand seemed to be particularly fond of it). Later in the evening, it transformed into a revolving stage for an extremely talented and entertaining Mambo band. 

Russell Brand hanging out on the champagne lounge, as mentioned above. ;-) 

Here's my description of the ball from last year (which, again, echoes my thoughts exactly from this year's experience): It's honestly a bit unbelievable to be in such a beautiful setting for the official Oscar after-party.  The decorations, the lighting, the set up...everything was simply breathtaking.  To make it all the better, I was joined at this gorgeous party by all the Oscar winners, nominees, and other VIPs. My "job" was to stand at the top of one of the staircases and ask these beautiful people if they wanted to do the press line. Umm..okay. Don't mind if I do. 

Armie Hammer is funny and nice.

As "The Social Network" was hands down my favorite film of the year, I was very excited to see the entire cast walking up my designated staircase.  :-)  There was an ever-so-slight incline at the top of the stairs and there was another girl stationed there to warn people to "watch their step" and direct them to their dinner tables.  The elderly guests appreciated the cautionary warning.  The group of young able-bodied Social Networkers, however, thought it was funny.  When Armie made it to the top of the stairs,  he over-animatedly pretended that he was about to completely fall down the stairs because of the small incline. I said, "Good thing she warned you...!" To which he laughed and said, "I know! That could have been terrible!"  It was cute and funny.  Unrelated sidenote: his wife is gorgeous (as is he). 

Moms make good Oscar dates.

Whether it's due to the mothers' requests because they're bursting with pride that their talented sons are going to the Oscars or whether it's because the hot girlfriends are out of town on Oscar Sunday, many guys bring their moms as their date to the show.  A few people I saw with their sweet mamas this year: Russell Brand, Justin Timberlake, Jesse Eisenberg, and Jeremy Renner (who so cutely made sure his mother was very careful to watch her step on the treacherous slight incline mentioned above). Everyone together now... awwww. :-)

Russell Brand is ridiculous.  And hilarious. 

My funniest interaction of the night goes to this unpredictable, Katy Perry-loving Brit. He and his "mum" came up my staircase. Usually, just a few brief words are exchanged. "Hi! Enjoy the party!" or "Hi! Would you like to do the press line?" (to nominees mainly). Brand, however, was a bit different.  He came up and put both hands on my shoulders and said in his thick British accent, 

"I've got a very important question for you..." 

Me: "Okay, what's that?"

Brand: "Where can we get a double espresso?"

(I wasn't 100% sure of this answer to this, so I guessed and hoped that I was right...)

Me: "There's a bar right over there and there's a dessert and champagne bar in the back. They'd probably be able to get you an espresso there..."

Brand: "Wait a second, where are you from?"

Me: "Oklahoma."

Brand: "Oh, then you don't really know what you're talking about..."

In written form, that probably looks like a completely rude jab at my homeland, but it was delivered totally jokingly. He, his mum and I all laughed.  Then a slew of photographers came to snap pictures of them and I silently prayed that I told him the right place to get a double-espresso. (I still don't know if I led him astray or not... but I'm from Oklahoma, so I guess that's to be expected). ;-)

Eli Wallach (the sweet old man from "The Holiday") is the most adorable person in the world.

It's a commonly known fact that I really love old people. I adore the friendship between Kate Winslet's character and Eli Wallach's character in "The Holiday" (it is the inspiration behind my 85-year-old friend crush, but that's a whole other story).  I was so happy that darling Eli would be in attendance at the Governors Ball as he was a recipient of one of the honorary Oscars at the Governors Awards in November. He was so spunky and adorable on the Red Carpet, waving his walking cane at the bleacher fans. Much to my delight, he said, "hi dear," as he walked past me at the ball, and my heart absolutely melted. I love him!  I want to be his friend like Kate Winslet in the movie. Mr. Wallach... want to hang out??  

Jeff Bridges is quite possibly one of the coolest people ever.

This incumbent Best Actor winner and current Best Actor nominee is seriously a badass.  He did the press line with his gorgeous wife (of 34 years!) and three daughters (who look just like their mom).  I found this to be extremely endearing because a.) nominees who don't win usually do NOT want to do the press line and b.) people usually do not bring their families along with them for these mini interviews.  At the end of the press line the Bridges fam congregated right by me and caught up with some friends (including Rick Baker who had his Oscar for Best Achievement in Make Up in tow) for a bit before heading to their table. One of Jeff's beautiful daughters is pregnant and he was especially excited to show that off.  I saw him several other times throughout the night talking to many different people who came to his table to chat.  He's one of those people you can just tell that everyone really likes and he seems to like everyone as well. I definitely wouldn't mind being friends with him either. ;-)

There you have it! Some of my favorite Oscar moments from this year.  I should have photos from the professional photographers at the ball sometime soon, so I'll post those as well.  It was an absolutely lovely magical night... and as per usual...

I'd like to thank the Academy. 

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Happy Oscar Week!

It's that time again...

The Oscars are this Sunday, February 27th.

I don't work at the Academy anymore (like I did the past 2 years), but fortunately I am still working this Sunday at the Superbowl of the entertainment world, if you will.  I'll be working the bleacher seats on the Red Carpet during the day and the official after-party hosted by the Academy's Board of Governors, aptly called The Governors Ball (aka the best part of the night). ;-) 

In addition to finding a dress, hitting the gym regularly, and using Crest white strips, watching all 10 Best Picture nominees is always on my pre-Oscar to do list.  Unfortunately, this year I'm only going to reach 90% of that goal.  Despite my best efforts, I'm not going to get to watch 127 Hours before the show.  (But if I happen to run into Oscar host and Best Actor nominee for that movie, James Franco, you better believe I'm going to tell him that I saw it and I loved it). ;-)  Out of the other 9 Best Picture nominees, I REALLY liked some and I didn't particularly like some.  Here's the list of nominees in the order that I enjoyed them, from most to least: 

I honestly think The Social Network was the best movie I've seen in several years.  I was so engulfed both times I've watched it that I was legitimately sad it was over.  I also truly loved The King's Speech and would not be disappointed if it won (and definitely want Colin Firth to win Best Actor). What are your thoughts... agree/disagree?  Leave your choice for Best Picture (and/or any other category!) in the comments section...I'd love to see different people's choices.  Go ahead... in the spirit of Oscar week. ;-) 


As you can tell, I'm very excited. If only my bestie could be there with me again this year, it would be perfect.... 

2010 Oscars

I hope everyone has a gloriously fun time at your Oscar watch parties (click HERE for the official Oscar party kit, if you feel so inclined).  Stay tuned for my recap from the red carpet and Governor's Ball sometime next week.

  May the best movies win...!  

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Oscar Season

It's that time again...awards season in Hollywood!  Studio execs often choose release dates in the late fall/early winter for their Oscar-hopefuls in an attempt to garner buzz and be fresh on Academy members' minds as the nomination ballots come out in January.  Having worked FOR the Academy the past two Oscar seasons, I've grown especially fond of the excitement, anticipation and (usually) really legit movies that come with this time of year.  While I'm not working for the Academy this year, the feeling is admittedly a bit subdued, but I'm ready to see some good movies, nonetheless! 

Here are my personal ratings/reviews of some new releases I've seen recently.  Some of which may indeed receive a coveted golden statuette (or several, for that matter)... and some of which most likely will not.  ;-)

EASY A

• One sentence synopsis from IMDB: A clean-cut high school student relies on the school's rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing. 
• Annie's Amazing Approval Rating: A (and not just because that's the letter in the title).   
• The Review: This movie is just FUN to watch.  Its hilariously witty screenplay is well-written and superbly acted by its star, Emma Stone.  Another major highlight of the movie: Penn Badgley's extreme hottness. YOWZA! I laughed out loud many times, including my favorite scene featured in the video below (which I'm willing to venture is a scenario ALL-too-familiar to the majority of us...) 
• Do I want to see it again? Yes.

 

NEVER LET ME GO

• Two sentence synopsis from IMDB: As children, Ruth, Kathy and Tommy, spend their childhood at a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. As they grow into young adults, they find that they have to come to terms with the strength of the love they feel for each other, while preparing themselves for the haunting reality that awaits them. 
• Annie's Amazing Approval Rating: B-
• The Review: Starring the very talented Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley, and based on what has been considered one of the best novels of the decade, this film has some major Oscar buzz.  Ergo, I went in with high expectations, and sadly, those were not met.  I recognize some very redeeming features about it, but overall, the slow-moving story did not grab me and I was bored.  I think Stephen Farber's review in the Hollywood Reporter puts it perfectly: "Expertly acted, impeccably photographed, intelligently written, even intermittently touching, the film is also too parched and ponderous to connect with a large audience."  
• Do I want to see it again? No.   

THE SOCIAL NETWORK 

• One sentence synopsis from IMDB: A story about the founders of the social-networking website, Facebook. 
• Annie's Amazing Approval Rating: A+++++
• The Review: This is by far the best movie I've seen in 2010.  Incredible writing, acting, music, directing, ETC.  Jesse Eisenberg, Armie Hammer, and Andrew Garfield, (who I really did not enjoy in 'Never Let Me Go' but who I looooved in this), were all exceptional.  I was honestly so engrossed in the story that I was legitimately disappointed when 2 hours had passed and it was over. It was such a unique experience to watch the fascinating back story of a phenomenon to which our generation has witnessed the birth and  explosive growth. I also had the unique experience of watching this HUGE Oscar buzz movie AT the Academy member screening which Nikki Finke wrote about here. The theater was full of excited chatter and applause as the film ended, and I definitely predict numerous nominations for this incredible film. If you only see one movie this season, make it this one. Fo'real. 
• Do I want to see it again? I think the answer to that is fairly obvious, given my rave review... yes, yes, yes. ASAP, please. 

LET ME IN

• One sentence synopsis from IMDB: A bullied young boy befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian. 
• Annie's Amazing Approval Rating: A-
• The Review: I should preface this by saying that I am an abnormally large 'scaredy cat' (for lack of a better term) who very much dislikes scary/suspenseful/thriller type movies, which caused me to cover my eyes through approximately 30-40%  of this film.  However, even with that handicap in my viewing experience, I can fully realize that this movie is very well-done and I do indeed recommend it.  The young leads Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz give stunning performances.  As far as the vampire fad goes, the overall quality of this film puts the Twilight franchise to absolute shame (sorry Mar), so if you're into the vamp thing, it's a must-see. 
• Do I want to see it again: No (because I am scared little baby).

There you have it. Some great new movies worth seeing (and one worth skipping).  Happy Oscar season! 

Currently listening to:  Mumford and Sons

Why: The top two reasons I am listening to this amazing band today: 1.) McKenzie and I are going to their concert in Hollywood in a couple weeks and  2.) they are awesome. A friend of mine recently described them with this analogy: "Mumford and Sons are to feeling like fall like The Beach Boys are to feeling like summer."  It's true... this English quartet's banjo-driven tunes just make me want to curl up in a big comfy sweater beside a blazing fireplace with friends on a crisp autumn evening and drink spiked apple cider. :-)  Cheers. 

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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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Happy Two Year Anniversary, Los Angeles.

This is the gorgeous dessert I enjoyed tonight as I toasted to my 2nd anniversary in LA.  

(Just kidding... I found it on google images...) 

But, truly, July 28th marks the anniversary of me first setting my timid feet into the beautiful Los Angeles sand after making the daunting drive from Oklahoma all by myself two years ago.  While I'm not celebrating this momentous occasion with corny (albeit impressive) food art, I thought an appropriate way to pay homage would be a nice little walk down memory lane.  So, without further adieu....

Two Years in LA by the Numbers

•     Number of apartments lived in: 2 (1 month in Hermosa Beach, 23 months in Miracle Mile, and currently    in the process of moving to #3 in Los Feliz!)
• Number of plays/musicals seen: 8

• Number of Oscar ceremonies attended: 2
• Number of jobs I held simultaneously for a brief period of time: 3 
• Number of days before I realized I wasn't a super-human and quit one of the aforementioned jobs: 2
• Number of movie premieres attended: 3

• Number of boys I've dated (and by dated I mean to have gone on more than 2 dates with…haha): 3
• Number of trips to NYC to visit Mary: 3

• Number of trips home to OK to visit the fam: 5
• Number of professional LA sporting events attended: 2 (1 Lakers game, 1 Dodgers game)

• Number of freaking earthquakes (that I've actually felt): 3
• Number of times wine tasting: 1 

• Number of times I've been in the audience of television show tapings: 5 (Jimmy Kimmel Live (twice), Ellen, SYTYCD, and Dancing with the Stars... all of which have been when mother is here visiting...haha)
• Number of New Year's Eves spent in Hollywood: 1

• Number of times I've seen my 2nd favorite band, The Sounds: 2

• Number of times I've seen my all-time favorite band, Jacks Mannequin: 4
• Number of dinner parties hosted: 3

• Number of hours spent in my car: too many to count :-( 
• Number of hours spent on the beach: too many to count  :-) 

Five Most Memorable LA Moments

5.) Getting a Christmas present from Victoria Beckham, my gym buddy. ;-) (A bottle of perfume that had "To Annie, Best Wishes from The Beckhams" written on the box). 

4.) Being front row center to Jack's Mannequin "Secret Show" at the Viper Room. 

3.) Going to two charity events/parties at the Playboy Mansion (which I know sounds crazy and scandalous... they were actually very classy and amazing parties, if I do say so myself...!) 

2.) Talking to Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins) at the gym. This happened in February of 2009 and my heart STILL beats fast when I think about it!

1.) Going to the Oscars the past two years! And to pinpoint the most memorable moment of my most memorable moment, if you will, talking to Meryl Streep at the Governor's Ball this year! (For more deets on this and the rest of my Oscar experience this year, click here). 

What a lovely (slash random) walk down memory lane that was! Cheers to you, LA... thanks for an awesome two years. Excited to see what fun memories the next two will bring. 

Currently listening: Angel Taylor

Why: I've been really into female singer/songwriters lately, so when I stumbled upon Angel's debut album (Love Travels) on sale for $6.99 on itunes a few days ago, I didn't stand a chance.  ;-)  While she still has some maturing to do in order to reach the levels of Norah Jones or Ingrid Michaelson (whom I looove and whom Angel toured with this spring), her music is definitely enjoyable and relatable. (A few tracks even have Christian undertones, which I found to be a pleasant surprise). I especially like the track entitled "Chai Tea Latte"... I'm not sure if it's the former barista in me digging the title or the all-too-familiar theme of wanting a guy to man up and ask you out.  Either way, I give it two thumbs up. 

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