stuff.

what kind of stuff, you ask?

happy stuff:

homemade chicken picatta with lemon juice, lemon zest, shallots, butter, white wine, parsley, and basil served with toasted garlic bruschetta and honey balsamic roasted brussel sprouts.

i had a friend over, hence the ridiculous amount of chicken.

see the completed dish in the fanfare section!

shades.

on a necklace.

a saturday that consists of betting at the horse races with your friends and then watching UNC dominate duke in a carolina-friendly bar.

awkward stuff:

a plastic coors light bottle with a screw off cap.

awkward for three reasons:

1. it was $6.50 which is more than a six pack at the gas station.

2. coors light should only be transported to my mouth via glass bottle, can, pint glass, beer helmet, or keg stand.

3. it's not a diet sunkist, so i don't need to carry it around in my purse for later.

a mime outside of the scientology celebrity centre.

...at 9:30 AM on a saturday morning.

this one speaks for itself.

but just for fun, let's play a little game called "which item doesn't belong here?"

exciting stuff:

my family is known for slicing half a banana, and then throwing the other half back in the bowl only to watch it get brown and smushy the rest of the week.

well now, we can finally save our bananas.

mom and dad...i give you the newest addition to our family:

the new flavor at yogurtland.

also known as, what dreams are made of.

shades that match my new shades necklace.

for those of you who i'm friends with on facebook, you'll know that this picture was also recently used with the caption:

"who just got a job at the raddest thrift shop on la brea? THIS girl."

for those of you who are just now hearing the news...it's true! just yesterday i was hired at buffalo exchange in west hollywood--which in my opinion, is the best thrift shop in los angeles. not only do they buy and sell women and men's clothes, but everything from the jewelry to the accesories is AWESOME stuff at a great price. it's exciting to be hired for anything at all after this almost six month long journey of job searching, but it's super exciting to be hired at a place you actually shop. i'm not one for "fashion"--those of you who know me know that most of the time, i just throw on whatever looks clean and comfortable--however, i'm trying to expand my closet and express my personality a little bit more.

one of the very important things i've recently come to realize about los angeles is that it's not just a city, it's an attitude.

people here dress in all kinds of wild and outlandish ways simply to express their personality. now, i realize that people do that all over the country--but what i've learned from my time here is that the los angeles attitude is just about being comfortable enough with yourself to wear something a little crazy. i will always be a jeans and white t-shirt kind of girl, but i've discovered that there are sides of my personality that i can express through the way i dress. i was always a little more shy about branching out because of this main concern: does this go together? my best friend sara has been telling me for years that it's not about what matches, it's about what you like and what you think looks good together. who knew that the los angeles attitude could live and breathe inside of a born and bred south carolina country girl?

 

i've always admired sara for her bold fashion choices, so after all of her encouragement and six months of adapting to the hollywood lifestyle, i'm finally starting to discover a whole other side of me.

a side that throws on a scarf for no reason, that carries around a different pair of shades for whatever mood i'm in, and that has no problem leaving the house in an outfit that is NOT jeans and a t-shirt.

oh, and by the way,

i got another job today.

no really.

tonight, my friend loryn took me over to her old restaurant where they were in need of a friday lunch server. seeing as the job at buffalo exchange is only part time, i could use a few extra shifts somewhere else. talk about following through--loryn introduced me to the manager and he basically hired me on the spot simply off of her advice (and of course my charm and million dollar smile). not only does the menu of this place look fantastic, but it's a brewhouse that carries 24 different california-crafted beers on tap. also known to me as: heaven.

the manager's first question to me was, "do you like beer?"

yeah.

i'm going to like it here.

don't forget to check out olive's new section of the blog!

fannyslater25

rise and shine.

it's not that i'm not a morning person.

things are just so bright when you first wake up.

but sometimes, you need to grab the butt crack of dawn by the...crack...and seize the day!

yep.

that's AM. not PM.

a few weeks ago, my dad connected me to a woman who is a very successful casting director out here--but is originally from raleigh. knowing that she would be a great contact for me to have, i sent her an email. she's welcomed me with open arms and has been nice enough to let me intern in her office occasionally for the free experience. knowing that i'm jobless and slightly strapped for cash, she also gave me a pass to join her and her friends for a exercise boot camp that takes place in griffith park five days a week. because this pass only gets me into three free classes--and each class starts at 8 AM--i knew i would be choosing my mornings very carefully. each day of the camp is different, but when i heard cardio-kickboxing--something in me got a little excited. it wasn't until the music turned on and we did our first hop-skippity-jab step that i decided:

i am far more uncoordinated than i realized.

although it took me a little while to get adjusted to the vigorous workout that required me to use about eight body parts at once AND remember choreography, i knew i had burned off my cliff bar in the first ten minutes. about an hour ago, i got up to clean the dishes after sitting on the couch for a while. the second i put my foot on the floor, i could feel the burn shoot from the bottom of my legs, up through my ass, and out my fingertips. nobody likes to be sore, but it's an awesome feeling to know that you did something great for your body.

this morning as i hobbled back into my 4runner after an hour and a half of intense air punches, i immediately dialed my best friend to share my karate kid experience.

reason #49,023 why sara mclamb is my best friend:

"um. i'm the most uncoordinated person to have ever walked the earth."

"well i could have told you that."

take a hike!

today's edition of take a hike will be brought to you by runyon canyon in hollywood.

this is probably the most well-known hike in the area. some people actually don't like it because they think it's too crowded with dogs and people trying to socialize. after doing the hike, i'll say this: it's a good workout because you can spend about an hour wandering around (mostly uphill). it's different from my go-to hike--griffith park--in that at griffith, your goal is to get to the observatory and that only takes about 25-35 minutes. also, griffith is a shorter hike, bit it's a bit more rustic than runyon as well as a bit more steep overall. runyon seems a little more like a tourist attraction, but it was still great exercise with great views and i will DEFINITELY be going back.

i'd like to make a joke, but if both of us happened to get lost in the woods--i guarantee they would find her first.

snow covered mountains AND the hollywood sign.

not too shabby.

there's only one thing you can do in a situation like this.

close your eyes.

and pray for the best.

and if you're lucky, your wish just might come true.

you're telling me i have to fight a rattlesnake AND i can't ride my bicycle along the top of this gate?

what kind of a park is this?!

well...if you do a google image search for runyon canyon, one of the first pictures to come up is matthew mcconaughey. so basically--to answer my own question--this is a celebrity park.

britney and the kardashians out for a stroll?

probably not.

but i didn't ask.

come on. you guys didn't think i would really leave you without ONE celebrity sighting on this hike?

ladies and gentleman,

i give you...

mr. ed.

you're welcome.

hey you.
yeah you.
hungry?

click here.

(new food updates!)

"whatever you do,

don't act."

these were the words spoken to me by the producer of my very first television show thirty seconds before i walked onto the set in front of five cameras and an audience full of fifty people.

yesterday was one of the coolest days of my life, and it all began...

with scrambled eggs.

normally if i have to be somewhere early in the morning, i try to plan a to-go breakfast--an english muffin sandwich, a cliff bar, a bowl of oatmeal (surprisingly easy to eat in the car)--but yesterday morning was different. this would be my very first time ever on a hollywood set...where i was actually considered "one of the actors." granted, my role on the court show was more of an improv performance, but it was based one a page-long list of facts that i had to stick by. having just recently had an experience where showing up on time was considered "late", i knew that i wanted to give myself plenty of time in the morning. although thirty minutes was more than enough time to be out of the door, i woke up at 8 to make sure i wasn't rushed.

my call time was 11 AM.

these are all of the reasons why i knew i wouldn't be late: i practically live walking distance from the studio, my name was on the security guard's list at the gate (HOW COOL?!) so i wouldn't need to find street parking, and i was given a map so i would know exactly which building to enter.

after my dad reminded me of all of the reasons to leave yourself extra time--unexpected traffic, no parking, construction, a metor hitting the earth--i knew i wanted to be there twenty minutes early. 

i'm known for being religiously late...but today was a special day.

i felt extremely important as the guard scanned the list and checked off my name. just when i thought things couldn't get any more exciting, he handed me this:

in the past, the only time a wristband like this was slapped across my arm was at the entrance of a bar. in those scenarios, the itchy souvenir was simply an invitation to drink draft beer and remind me of the fact that i would probably wake up with the imprint of this bracelet on my forehead.

yesterday, this purple band was my hallpass to walk by myself into the giant studio lot. i may have looked about six inches tall as i walked past all of these large buildings marked with different set names and numbers, but i felt like i was on top of the world. it's not like this was paramount pictures or the warner brothers lot, but it was a real hollywood set--and i was allowed to be there.

i spotted a long line of people dressed in courtroom-looking attire and as i walked up to the first person i saw with a headset, a girl behind me tapped me on the shoulder.

"are you asking to go to the bathroom?"

i smiled at her and shook my head. i'm sure many other actors out there would have acted cocky, rolled their eyes, and told her that they weren't an extra--but this was in fact my first rodeo, so i'm in no position to be a diva. i also don't like being rude to people. i told the production assistant (on set known as a PA) that my call time was for 11 and she directed me towards the right door. i quietly stepped inside the big dark set, looked around, and realized that i was still lost. next thing i know, another headset-wearing person came my way and asked if i was in the right place. he was probably expecting me to ask where i could find the bathroom or a vending machine, but as soon as i told him my name and that i was supposed to be on set at 11, he handed me off to yet another headset-adorned person.

i followed her down a long hallway of doors marked with numbers. we stopped at #6 and she told me to wait in there. i looked around the room at the couches, the high definition television, and the private restroom. just as i got out my cell phone to snap a picture of this random fancy room, the door swung open.

"makeup is ready for you. you can leave your stuff in your dressing room, nobody will bother it."

just as i almost blurted out--"i'm sorry...i didn't understand either of the two things you just said"--she turned around and headed back down the hall. i immediately hurled my bags on the couch and took off running behind her.

don't worry, of course i got a picture of the dressing room later on:

i only got it from one angle so it's hard to see how spectacular it was. it's not like it had a chocolate fountain or a life size poster of brad pitt, but it was my first hollywood dressing room--and i loved it. i don't want to bore you with the insignificant details of the next few hours, but my day consisted of the following things:

-having some glam artist all jacked up on coffee sing along to 50 cent and do my hair and makeup

-practicing and preparing my scene with my co-star (the "defendent" in my case)

-watching bad soap operas on my own personal HDTV

-enjoying free granola bars and cheetos

-getting "mike-ed up" (with a microphone pack)

-presenting a fake "prenatal promise" case to the well-known judge gloria allred with only the information in my head and the words that came out of my ass

-WINNING said case (which was completely unplanned)

-signing appearance release forms and getting $60 for a day that was spent mostly hanging out and watching general hospital

-watching my co-star make a ridiculous scene as he claimed that we were owed $80 and then threatened to tear up his signed documents

wait.

let's rewind that last part.

in my head, the day has gone completely smooth despite the fact that production is running hours behind. this was the first day of shooting, so problems like that are completely expected. although i was enjoying hanging out in my dressing room, my co-star (we'll call him drama queen) was complaining about how long the day was taking. as he went on and on about how this gig was nothing compared to what he normally does and how $10 an hour almost made this a waste of time--i wanted to remind him that he wasn't ben affleck and that it's not like anybody was pricking us with steak knives...

we were sitting on a comfortable couch with a pile of free snacks, bottled water, and a kickass flatscreen TV.

seeing as this was my very first time doing anything like this, i was thrilled to just be there. because this show is only a pilot and not exactly a big-time production, i had no idea how i was going to be treated. not only did someone do my hair and makeup for me (i do it for myself the other 364 days of the year), but production assistants left and right were asking if i needed anything. at one point when i asked for a bottle of water, i almost wanted to tell the sweet girl with the glasses that i could get it myself.

drama queen continued to make snide remarks throughout the day, but it wasn't until we finished filming our scene that his true diva colors came out in full force. as the PA handed us our $60, his face immediately filled with anger. he screamed that LA casting's description of this shoot informed us that we would work THREE hours for $50 and then $10 an hour after that, not FIVE hours for $50 and $10 an hour after that. i could have sworn that i saw the same thing on actor's access, but i decided that i must have misread it. drama queen, on the other hand, stood up in a fit of rage claiming that if this wasn't taken care of he would make a scene, go talk to the producer, and then rip up his appearance release form. the PA and i exchanged eyes--almost as if to say "back up before his head starts spinning around like in the exorcist."

telling him to "calm down" (the PA) or "let it go" (that was me) didn't work, so PA #2 was brought into the room. as drama queen argued that he could pull up the information on his phone to prove that they were incorrect, we all waited in silent awkward suspense.

"see! it says right here! $50 for THREE to fi....oh shit. it does say three to five hours. what a waste of time. i never would have done this if i had known this. great, now i look like the asshole."

yes. yes you do.

flashback to my day: i'm polite and respectful to every person i see. i'm introducing myself, saying thank you at every opportunity i get, and making sure that everybody enjoys any time they spend around me. as drama queen sits there--red as a beet and angry as an iguana whose just lost his tail--the PA smiles and says to me, "fanny, you're good to go." i grab my sixty dollars, shake PA #2's hand, tell him i had a great day and really enjoyed myself, and walk out with a smile on my face.

moral of the story:

people may not remember your name, they may not remember when you're from, but they will certainly remember a positive attitude and someone who was pleasant to work with. drama queen will most likely never get asked to be on that set again. as for me, we'll just have to wait and see what luck brings me.

my first ticket into fame. and i loved every second of it.

well...that's all folks!

olive, hit the curtains.

YUM.

in an attempt to save some pennies, i've been rachael ray-ing it up in the kitchen a LOT recently. don't worry, i've been taking plenty of pictures :)

see them here!

breakfast.

street parking.

action.

my entire life i've dreamed of what it would be like to go on a real hollywood audition.

today, that dream came true.

before we start picking out my oscar dress, i just want to make sure that everyone is clear about what this means. of course i would love to be going on the type of auditions where i'm reading opposite mark wahlberg or playing the high school flashback of jennifer aniston; however, when you're some goofy-named girl from across the country who is brand new to the bright lights and big sets of hollywood, you don't really get to be picky. a lot of friends and family have asked me if i'm getting any auditions. the reason i had an agent in north carolina is because she happened to be the woman who managed the all girl's singing and dancing group i was in at the age of fourteen.

i can't believe i just admitted to that in public.

out here, it's a little more difficult to get an agent--and having an agent is the key to getting auditions. besides, it's better to enroll in acting classes, improv lessons, workshops, showcases, etc. to get some west coast experience before asking someone to let you audition for one of the lead roles in the new jim carrey movie.

everybody knows that in any industry, you start from the bottom.

it's most likely that the inventor of cheetos worked in a few cheese factories before slapping CEO on his business card.

well it's no different here. as much as i would love to be signing up for all of these classes and putting myself out there, i've come to realize that the most important part of being out here is actually being able to be out here. as in--have a steady job to pay the rent. and if i need to do that for a while to save up money for the things i really want to do, then i'm game. i sure do hate a 9-5 and some closed toed shoes, but i would love a DVR and a few acting workshops. even if i end up back in the restaurant world, i'll do whatever it takes to bring in some income.

i've learned that pursuing acting out here is a process that takes time, a lot of hard work, and a little bit of money. you don't step off of the plane at LAX and become famous. you have to start from the bottom--even if that means just having a regular job to make some money--and work your way up. if i get an agent and more auditions along the way...AWESOME. if i have to be my own agent for a while...i'm down.

the hardest part was moving across the country,

now i just have to stay afloat.

i'm fortunate enough to have incredible parents who lend unconditional amounts of emotional and financial support because they believe in me. but at the end of the day, every college graduate in their twenties wants to attempt to stand on their own two feet eventually.

today i did just that...

in a very long line of other people standing on their two feet.

i know you must be wondering how this audition even came about without an agent. there are a few west coast websites--actors out here call them the "legit ones"--for finding yourself auditions. you can do it with or without an agent, which makes it very appealing to those of us who are only represented by our cat olive. on this website (actor's access) you can submit yourself for as many things as you'd like--as long as you pay the $60 yearly fee. at first it sounded like a lot, but then i realized that without paying the $60, every submission is $2, and the whole point of the website is to submit yourself for EVERYTHING that fits you every single day. the auditions range from unpaid student films, to national commercials paying thousands of dollars, to CSI backgroud characters, to non-union feature films. it sounds pretty easy right?

you think, "i'll just submit myself ten times a day. there's no way i won't get ANYTHING."

false.

the hard truth is that there are hundreds of thousands of other actors in this city submitting themselves for the same part that you are. and when the casting director sees rows and rows of tiny pictures, your chances can be pretty slim.

after getting home from breakfast yesterday, i checked my gmail and saw something i had never seen before.

"you have one new cmail message."

"cmail," i said to olive, "what the hell is that?"

i then realized that right there in front of me...

was my very first audition.

jump ahead to 10:30 AM this morning.

i'm inside sunset gower studios with a huge room full of actors and we're being told that they're auditioning us for a court show. *think judge judy* we would be lined up--girls on one side, guys on the other--given a court scenario, and asked to improv back and forth with each other. at first i was worried that i had gotten myself into some extra work, but when she told us they were casting all lead roles, the smile that spread across my face probably knocked out the blonde sitting next to me.

but it's not like anyone had time to ramble on. as soon as the producer's finger shot your way, you had about six seconds to say something brilliant before she lost interest and pointed to somebody else.

well.

i'm happy to say that not only did i get booked for one of the court scenarios, but i was DOUBLE booked and chosen to participate in something else filming tomorrow! the work tomorrow is essentially an extra/background/audience job, but it pays about fifty bucks and the woman's advice to me was:

"upscale business. eye candy."

although i was slightly befuddled as to what i would be doing, what the show was, and why i would wear a business suit when i was part of a group of girls known as "eye candy"--i was thrilled to be chosen for not one, but TWO things out of so many people! even if it is just "background work", i suppose it's nice to get validation for being good looking?

i so badly want to keep reminding all of you that while this is an accomplishment, it's so far down on the acting totem pole that's it's nothing to get too excited over. but you know what...

f*ck that.

like my dad told me earlier, "everybody has to start somewhere." this may not be anything to beam about in the acting world, but when you enter into an industry full of nothing but rejection--it's pretty amazing to get a yes on your very first try. i traveled all around north carolina going on auditions years ago, but this is the big leagues out here and i've waited my entire life to actually go on an audition in hollywood.

i still can't believe i live here, so you can only imagine how it felt to be escorted through a real set. the show shoots this week--i play a young mom who is suing her boyfriend for a few thousand dollars worth of child support that he never paid (not a hilarious situation, but hilarious that this is my role)--and the fun part is that the entire thing will be improv! fun part number two is the fact that they'll be doing hair and makeup.

again, while this may not be something to brag about in the acting world, it's my very first step.

and you better believe that my next step will be through the doors of yogurtland to celebrate.

below is something special for all of you :)

*olive would like to apologize for playing with my necklace in the first ten seconds of this video*