Off to LA!

Stella and I are finally on our way back to LA! Yeah! Oh how I have missed this city and all it has to offer. Namely, delicious food! Plus this is an extra special trip. This is the trip where I bring stella home and leave her there for at least a month. I'm sad she won't come back with me in January, but if the show 'Designed To Sell Atlanta' gets renewed, then we will see! Hope you all have happy holidays!
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Amicalola Falls State Park part 3

At the point that I am taking this picture, Stella is taking a poop. Go nature!

Amicalola Falls State Park part 2

This is the view you get from the base of the falls. And it is all of 40 degrees out there. Oy! I must be losing my California mind, freezing my butt off there!

Amicalola Falls State Park

This is what 732 feet of waterfall looks like, and honestly, the picture cannot do it justice. Over an hour outside of Atlanta sits this amazing state park, home to the tallest waterfall I have ever seen. So even though Stella (all 6 lbs of her) and I undertook a 4 mile hike yesterday, we decided to get motivated and see the falls today.

Stella's job offer

Sure helping Santa Claus on the most important day of his year would be an honor for my little girl, but screw him. She my dog! Hands off old man. I'll let you hold her, but you best be on your sled as soon as I take her back! And don't let me see you anywhere near her again, gifts or not! All right, drop the gifts down the chimney but don't let me catch you trying to entice her to the North Pole with promises of grandeur again. You jerk.

Hiking

So stella and iv decided to hit Sweetwater state park to learn a bit about the civil war and walk our butts off. Doesn't she look stpendous out here? We're having a blast!

Stella is so pissed

It is cold out and since my sister's friend was nice enough to knit a wonderful sweater for her, I had to put it on her. And it is gorgeous, with a turtleneck...that is totally pissing Miss Stella off!

Let me just jump you back into my life.

all right, i have a lot to catch you up on, but i have to go on a rant for just one second. why is it that my DVR, the HD-DVR from Comcast, always cut out, especially when it rains in Atlanta? And for some reason, it only cuts out during the show i am watching, not during the f*cking commercials?! I know you feel my pain.

Stone Mountain

Finally, after about 7 weeks of being in Atlanta and freezing for most of it, I decided, 'hey, I am not going to let this cold weather stop me from being outdoors!' So I pack up my gorgeous dog Stella and we head to Stone Mountain, the largest piece of exposed granite in America. Now it doesn't look big while you're hiking up the mountain, some of it through a pitch of 30 degrees of hell, but thank goodness it was all of 45 degrees out there, because under my 4 layers and fleece, yeah I got some So Cali blood coursing through these veins, I started sweating! And sweating like I was taking a stroll through the gates of hell, hi-fiving the devil along the way. Anyhoo, this is the view from the top of the rock. It is beautiful and makes me realize, Georgia, your peach is flat!

Mushroom ragu

You know, even though I need to chop the parsley more finely, this dish is stupendous! I feel good tonight, mainly because I have a belly full of deliciousness!

And..

I just figured out his name is Ne-Yo.
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Neo, the singer, not Keanu Reeves

So it has been more thanm 3 weeks since my last post. Cut me some slack, I just moved to Atlanta 3 weeks ago to host 'Designed To Sell' on HGTV Twhich btw won't air til 2010, I don't even know what to say). But anyhow, I'm employed and living in the south, the dirty south, but luckily I got a filthy mouth so I fit in fine. So what have I been up to? Besides the frustration of traffic, it seems that every ATL person takes a left on every street during rush hour to piss the rest of us off, and the cops think it is fine, I haven't done much but try and create a little home. And go to a party, my first outing in the city, since I moved here and ended up seeing Neo! Not that I wouldn't watch Wayne Newton if he were singing for free at a party I just happened to turn up at, but still...this guy was pretty good! And yes, he is wearing a fedora. He sang his hits, 'lovesong' and some other one (yeah I'm a fan) and some songs where he only sang two verses. I felt cheated...the bastard.

Atlanta is a different town folks, smaller town feel and I feel like I can get away with more here, like never wearing anything but 2 shirts and jeans during an entire week. And I'm tempted to buy a fedora. Gawd this town is weird. :)
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King of Kong

I am currently at E FOR ALL, the video gaming mecca. And yes, that is Steve Wiebe, the champion from KING OF KONG. But here's the kicker, today he is the challenger! It seems as if his rival of many years, Billy Mitchell, has once again beaten his score in Donkey Kong by 1100 points. And Wiebe is here over the next 3 days to best it! It is getting hot up here fellas!

bullet on!

so I went shooting. That's right, with a gun and bullets. please allow me to explain.

I was on a date with my new beau and whole night is a surprise. We go to a really nice dinner at Terroni in LA, very solid Italian restaurant. Weird thing is, he says, don't get dressed up and defnitly no heels. Well, where the f*ck are we going?! Will i be dressed for dinner? Nope. I wasn't. But no worries, a lot of people at the place were pretty casual so i didn't feel bad. And after experiencing their delicately fried zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese and delectable burratta cheese, I was in heaven. Have i ever told you how much i love me some fromage? i do!

so after dinner, we get into the car and drive to downtown LA. What, you ask? dining in LA then driving into downtown? Were they just giving gas away? i was thinking the same thing friends. We drive into one the darkest, dankest places i have ever laid my eyes on. There are a couple long-beds parked up against a freight door and a few cars parked in front of two glass doors. i look at him and say, where are we? i assume he's taken me here to kill me, yeah, that's the kinda guy i date. :) As we park the car, I ask, 'should i have brought my gun?' and as we get out and i read the large unlit sign on the side of the building reading 'Los Angeles Indoor Shooting Range' I realize, 'yeah, i shoulda brought my gun!'

This was wild! i have only shot one other time in my life, when i was working for MTV Overdrive and doing a segment on BLACK, the FPS. I was in Vegas and remember picking up a Glock 9mm, not being able to load the magazine, nor undo the safety to shoot at the target. There were a bunch of other dude journalists who were all jonsing for their chance to pick up a pistol. yours truly was trying to figure out how to unlock it! And i wasn't able to....being the only girl covering this game, the Las Vegas shooting range had the foresight to stick one of their hired dudes with me at all times. They know i am a touch clumsy. So, he puts the magazine in the gun, unlocks it, and there i go, pulling on the trigger and launching a bullet into the target some 15 feet away. As soon as I kick a bullet out of the gun, the blood drains from my face and put the gun safely down on the table and i walk out. I took my earmuffs, my glasses and I walked the hell outta that noisy room! That bullet rocked my world. Then i started laughing hysterically at the fact that I just shot a gun, and how much power that thing had. So, being the dumb ass I am, I head back in, determined to conquer the fear of shooting weapons. Luckily the guy watching over me found this immensely entertaining and coaxed me back into the room to shoot the rest of the rounds. As I tried out that gun, moved up to a 22mm, then on to small rifle, then an AK-47 then a SAW, the guy realized that I was an all right shot, and i stopped being so freaked out by guns.

Then came the date. As we walk into the shooting area, i see at least 5 groups of people, from two to groups of 6. they are all at their 'booths' all aiming and shooting. the noise from each bullet leaving the chamber makes me jump as I enter our booth. What was that sound, i ask. my date says, that's the noise of the same pistol we have, the Beretta 9mm, that the guy next to us is shooting. Great! At the sound of each shot, I jump, because it is soooo loud! As you can see , I'm still a little freaked. Well no worries. He loads up the magazine full of bullets, teaches me all about gun safety, we put the target in, a outline of a guy with an orange center (I'm wearing orange on the date and want to coordinate). We send the target back a good 3/4 of the way and i take my first shot. Wow! The backlash from the pistol's power was CRAZY! and the force, speed and all that craziness of the gun made me go white in the face! But I turned back to that target and took another shot, and another shot.

I finally got comfortable with it and really started hitting the target. Then we reloaded the gun and i shot one bullet, aimed it for the center, and bull's eye! I hit it hard! that is the picture you see. After shooting a couple more times, many times putting a bullet into the same hole as the last, i decide to switch it up and shoot for the head area. Boom. And as i look over to the neighbors that scared me before, I say to my date, 'I think i am shooting better than they are.' and since we have protective sound gear over our ears, I'm screaming this at the top of my lungs and he just looks at me and laughs. it is a nervous laughter, one that shows he hopes they don't come over and whoop both our asses for my comment. but then again, I am a good shot, and they, as i can see from their target, aren't, so i am confident that I can take 'em. :)

Long story short, guns aren't toys. That i know. I learned to shoot one safely and know that if anything happened and needed to use it, I could, and would be all right. I also learned that if something intimidates me as much as guns did and do, it is good to face that fear head on to understand it and move forward. But the most important things I learned being the only girl at the gun range were that I am a better shot than the two guys to the right of me and my date's two friends that he's gone to the range with. And isn't that all we can ask for? that and world peace.

So many things have passed...

Hello all! So sorry I have been MIA for a few weeks. Here is the skinny.

2 weeks ago I left my lovely, warm home in LA to venture to Hershey, PA, one of the sweetest places on earth...that turned into one of the coolest places on earth...because it is home to the biggest RV show on the planet. Yes, that is what I said - on the TV special I filmed called, 'RV 2009' for HGTV. That's right. This is RV show #3 for the big Chi-Lan, and lemme tell you, Hershey was not nice this time around. Being on the east coast during the summer/almost fall puts you in the face of crazy weather. Not only that, with Hurricane Ike coming up, it inspired crazy weather swells all along the east coast. So in short, as much as I love RVs, and i really do as I love camping but having my own bathroom is a must, being in rainy weather that leaves me in wet shoes and socks for a 12 hour period is a toughie to swallow. But the show will be fun to watch i am sure. It airs sometime in March 2009.

Then I came home for all of a day before leaving for my grandmother's 91st birthday!!! It was awesome! She lives in Denver so it is only a short 2 hour flight from LA. The weather is beautiful, the food magnificent, and the company was a blast! Let this be known, I come from an incredibly chinese family who believe that the female's role is to serve her partner/husband. i rolled into my grandmother's house with one of my best friends, Matt. The entire family cooks us delicious noodles and some shell-on shrimp. As I chat with my grandmother at the dinner table, she asks 'you gonna peel that shrimp for Matt?' Wha, wha, whaaaa? Doesn't Matt have two paws of his own, able to de-shell a shrimp like the rest of us? My grandmother continues, 'well, your cousin peels all of her husband's shrimp.' You can take this two ways, 1. peel his shrimp and you may get married too! 2. my cousin's husband is lazy.

So all week long, the joke was...you peeling my shrimp WOMAN?! :) Seriously the party for grandma was one of the best, I laughed all night long and saw my grandmother so happy and healthy that it left me really missing the days where I spent three or four days a week hanging with my grandmother at my mom's house. But she is happy with her numerous great-grandkids. And that is important.

My sister...

This is my sister, Ying, wearing the green top and looking good as she kicks some ass on the new game show, TRIVIAL PURSUIT! It is VERY exciting!!! We are a silly game-loving family. :)

MOVIE REVIEW - TRAITOR

Let me just say that I am a fan of Don Cheadle. I like the roles he chooses to play, from the moving and emotionally driven ‘Hotel Rowanda’ to the smart-ass funny DJ in ‘Talk To Me.’ He is an actor that takes chances and they usually pay off. However, this turn as the lead in an action-thriller isn’t as successful.

The story is simple, if you read a lot of Robert Ludlum. Former US Special Operations Officer Samir Horn (Don Cheadle) has an incredible intelligence and even more incredible connections to the terrorist world. After a deal gets busted in Yemen, Horn, a devout Muslim-American caught selling goods to terrorists, is thrown in jail. It is here that he meets Roy Clayton (Guy Pearce) who is spearheading an investigation into an international conspiracy. Clayton attempts to get Horn back over to the American side, only to be refused time and time again. After time spent in the Yemen prison, Horn is befriended by Omar (Said Taghmaoui). Omar and Horn begin a friendship that leads Horn into the hands of a dangerous terrorist organization, and into a web of terrorist activities, with FBI and CIA in tow.

Sure the premise sounds promising and the trailer was cut well enough to peak interest, but honestly, the film falls a bit flat. I appreciate that they tried giving Horn a bit of a back-story that would speak to his willingness to ‘go terrorist’ while overseas, however was it enough of one? Not really. As the story progresses, the viewer is taken along this journey of terrorist acts, then given a couple twists. But one of the big twists comes a little too late, then another, a little too early-the film’s pacing lacks the breathless action and intrigue sustained by ‘Bourne Identity’, ‘The Departed’, among others. I do appreciate the care the filmmakers took in presenting Muslims and Muslim Americans. The religion is such an unknown to many Americans, the way the devout are portrayed in the film help shed light on a few of their beliefs. It is by no means a college level class on religion, but you paid $10 for a movie, did you expect a dissertation on the meaning of Allah?

So here it is. If you read a lot of these espionage books and stop crunching your popcorn during certain integral scenes, the film’s textbook moves are given away. The dialogue and action doesn’t foreshadow anything, it just tells you what’s to be expected in 1-5 minutes. Yeah. You can time a bathroom break in that time, people.

And as much as I love being exposed to actors of color I had not been aware of before, especially such lovelies as Archie Panjabi (plays Horn’s love interest Chandra), honestly just drop dead gorgeous!, I felt like almost all the actors were phoning in their roles. If I were as good looking as Archie, I wouldn't be blogging, I'd be dating! lol! Not even my love for Guy Pearce earned solely from ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ and ‘Memento’ could make me say he made some strong and different choices playing a cop this time. Sometimes I think Hollywood says, ‘We need a strong jawed dude to play a straight-laced cop. Call Guy Pearce.’ Oy.

Not enough action, pretty predictable story, and lukewarm acting make this a ‘rent it’ if you want to see a conspiracy-thriller movie.

Closing ceremonies of the Olympics

I have been obsessed with the Olympics from a young age. It could be the fact that my dad played professional basketball in Vietnam, and was a hardcore ping pong player. And did I mention my mom was a helluva hackeysack player as well? And what happens? The pair conceive 3 of the most unathletic children you could imagine. Obviously someone wronged the gods powerful hard! :) Anyhow, the Olympics is one of my all time favorite things to watch, because it is the finest example of athletes who are competing for the love of it. There is no purse, yet the entire world joins in with their finest. It is a true love of games and sportsmanship. (Never mind the millions of endorsement dollars on the line!) Ok so the reason why I posted this pic is because during the closing ceremonies, the large screen next to the screen showing the performers has chinese text, and being a karaoke lover, I assume they are the lyrics to what they are singing! Haha! Even at the olympics, they show their love of karaoke! I love my Chinese brothers and sisters.

MOVIE REVIEW - TROPIC THUNDER

A movie about a fake movie with a white guy playing a black guy in a fake war really doesn’t seem like it would have basis for anything but failure. Surprise. TROPIC THUNDER is a movie that delivers laughs and a good story in a spoof that speaks to a larger audience than I ever expected.

Starting with its guns a blazin’, TROPIC THUNDER introduces its three main characters via their vehicle of fame. Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) promotes his "Booty Sweat" energy drink and "Bust-A-Nut" candy bar, while performing his hit song, "I Love Tha' Pussy". Then we meet action star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) starring in his latest film failure, 'Scorcher VI: Global Meltdown'. The next trailer features comedian Jeff "Fatty" Portnoy (Jack Black), playing the entirety of "America's favorite obese family" in the highly flatulent 'The Fatties: Fart 2'. The final trailer, and my absolute favorite, 'Satan's Alley', features Australian superhunk Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) and Tobey Maguire (as himself) as two monks who begin a passionate affair. This story has got to be optioned by now.

Now that you have an idea of how ‘large’ each of these stars is, it comes as no surprise that while filming their current big-blockbuster disaster war movie, the egos begin to clash, and people lose control. To rectify the situation, the director tries a ‘guerilla style shooting’ tactic to get real emotions out of these solipsistic Hollywood A-listers. As soon as they embark on their new ‘sets’, things begin spiraling out of control and the actors playing military-trained human war weapons get thrown into a battle against a 12-year old drug lord in Cambodia. And no, it isn’t Maddox Jolie Pitt.

With a movie that has Downey playing a white dude who undergoes an experimental operation to darken his skin to play a black war hero, you know controversy will befall this film. But that isn’t where the cries for foul play arise. It actually stems from the loose usage of ‘retard’ in the film to describe a character Stiller’s character played in the film, ‘Simple Jack’. After hearing all the hubbub and reading that there was a call for an apology and removal of the word from the film, I expected the offensiveness to fly before I even got into my movie seat. But I watched, I was awake, and I laughed. To this movie lover, the word ‘retard’ was used in context and more exemplified the idiocy and stupidity of the two characters than it did reflect negatively upon the mentally challenged. I honestly don’t understand why this happened.

Anyhow, let’s get back to Downey’s character Lazarus. With a lesser actor, I think this couldn’t have been pulled off, but every single time I see Downey hit the screen, I realize how talented and fluid this actor is. From this summer’s IRON MAN to Lazarus, he tackles such a silly character with depth and humor. Stiller plays the same neurotic head case he usually does and it really works in this situation. Black plays a heroin addict pretty well. And the three leading men who usually headline movies work well as an ensemble.

The cameos are never ending in this film, and a great game can be just watching and seeing how many stars you can name when they appear onscreen. I absolutely loved the supporting role Tom Cruise has as Les Grossman, the media mogul behind all this craziness. Many publications have said this role is resurrecting his career, and it totally has. He is once again likeable to me.

In short this movie is full of laughs, silly giggles, full out knee slappers, and guffaws in disbelief. This is one of those films so rooted in intelligent stupidity you can’t help but enjoy yourself. In the beginnings you think, a movie really can’t sustain this level of dumbassness in its characters and still have them remain likeable. But the truth is, it does. With smart dialogue, a great characters, and talented actors, the story never falls flat as the insanity ensues.

I was lucky enough to attend a talk with the producer where he imparted some interesting tidbits to us about the film. One of the coolest things? 12-year old drug lord Tran, (Brandon Soo Hoo) was the second actor the producers saw and totally fell in love. Not only that, something I didn’t understand…Tran was originally supposed to speak Cantonese (in Cambodia?!) and then the part was changed to Mandarin because one of the screenwriters was fluent in Mandarin. Cool. Also, Tom Cruise, as big of a star as he was, actually talked for a long while with Stiller while the script was still being written and helped create the Grossman character he later ended up bringing to the screen. Cruise also asked for a make-up test to make sure everything looked good, something actors of his fame level usually never even agree to! And suggested he have really large hands. Plus my favorite thing? Cruise said ‘Grossman should dance’. No rhyme or reason. The character should just dance…and that dance was funny! So go, get out of the summer heat and laugh just enough to pee pee just a bit in your pants. That’s the true test of comedy.

Hermes space craft

You are looking at the next gen in affordable space travel. I know, you didn't even know there was a 'now gen' in affordable space travel! Anyhow, the reason why the Hermes is so impressive is because the tech inside is all off the shelf!!! Can you believe that? So anyone can walk into a store and actually buy the tech found in this shuttle. Enjoy...

CB2

The first CB2 furniture store (one of my favs) opens on the west coast in SF and I have been dying to get here. I'm starving with a headache so the obvious solution is to hit this furniture store. Priorities lovely, know your priorities.

My hotel room for the week

My hotel room...this is not the CB 2 store, my crackberry got a fugged-up. No, friends, this is my actual hotel room. And yes, that is a sink in the corner. Now i am currently in San Francisco, my old stomping grounds, attending the Intel Developers Forum. Fun Fun, and decided to stay close. Good idea. However, this simple room, as cute and stylish as it may be, is less than 10 x 10 without a closet and I ain't in NYC! This is crazy! plus, before you get to the room, you cross over the 'hall bath' and 'hall WC'. That means toilet. yes, there are hall baths and toilets in this hotel. I am staying in a hostel. But my room has a private bath...that means a tub and toilet, but again the sink is in my room. This tells me the bathroom doorknob is the most disgusting thing i have ever touched. Luckily i have the olympics to watch to take my mind off my own silliness. :)

MOVIE REVIEW - DEATH RACE

Men being men; driving fast cars. Gorgeous women riding in fast cars. Weapons being used on fast cars. Oh, and did I mention fast cars?

DEATH RACE is the remake of the cult film, DEATH RACE 2000. And much like its original, DEATH RACE takes a lot of liberties when it comes to cheesy dialogue, excessive gore, and a winking eye at the state of our world. You wouldn’t think a movie starring Jason Statham driving hard and fast would do that, but hey, it was a slow day at the Multiplex for me.

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, the movie revolves around an ex-con, Jensen Ames, played by an incredibly rock-hard and ripped Statham (even my ego got a pounding after seeing him do the iron cross in the film), who is forced by the warden of an infamous prison, played by Joan Allen, to compete in a race where the driver can win his freedom, or meet his death. *ooooohhhhhh* Sounds so serious.

Anderson, who some of my friends in the ‘industry’ like to call ‘Milla baby daddy’ goes all out when it comes to directing this crazy post-industrial view of our world. Allow me to be frank; Anderson directs some of the bloodiest, most violent stuff I’ve recently seen, like half-dead people getting up just to have their heads whacked off by another weapon. Is this necessary? When you’re dealing with a bleak world where unemployment has reached an all time high, economy sucks and these men are just ‘being men in prison,’ I don’t really expect them to be weaving baskets and growing flowers on a mountainside. But wow, the amount of violence seemed like overkill, and honestly the direction was heavy-handed. Just to be fair, I have to admit I don’t play ‘Grand Theft Auto’ on a daily basis, I don’t own THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS DVDs, and I don’t race cars on the streets of LA. Although I did have an incident where I did rev up to a Mini-van. All’s I’m gonna say is I smoked that b*tch!

Now let’s talk about casting. This is one motley crew of actors! Sure, I can understand Statham in the lead, but how did they convince Joan Allen to play the warden?! I can understand wanting to play against type and all, but this just seemed like an odd choice. She plays this manipulative, powerful, money hungry warden with as much skill as she can, but considering some of the fromage-heavy lines she had to deliver, I am not sure how she said, ‘yes! I’ve got to do this film!’. So I stepped up and asked her point blank at the press junket of DEATH RACE. I sat with Allen and asked, ‘what drew you to a movie like this? You’re usually the moral pillar in a film.’ Her answer? She really wanted to play a villain. Too bad she chose this movie to exercise that wish.

Tyrese Gibson adds an air of hardness as ‘Machine Gun Joe,’ however with few lines, and many hardcore fistfights, you don’t really get to know Joe, or care about his and Statham’s character’s rivalry.

Ian McShane plays Coach, but lacks a mean edge that would send a man away to the worst jail in America. Oh and then there’s the oddest member of the crew, Ulrich, a corpulent, nerdy, glasses wearing number cruncher with a stutter played by Jason Clarke. Now if I’m complaining about how Coach got sent to this jail, I have no words to describe why Bill Gates Jr. would end up here as well, unless he channeled Lizzy Borden, then kicked a litter of kittens in the face, the judge’s kittens, while she was nursing them herself, from milk she collected from their ailing cat mom.

To sum it up, I found the movie loud, gory, violent for the sake of violence, and the dialogue laughable. But honestly I went to this movie with my sister, the loveliest and smartest human being I know, and she thought this movie was a really fun ride. And yes, she used those exact words. Ok, maybe she didn’t but the gist was clearly there. There you have it - An audacious race car movie where lives are as important as toe nail clippings finds a home on the silver screen. Silver’s gonna cry tonight. Unless you play lots of FPS or GTA, you can probably skip this one.

And notice, not one car pun...I'm a classy lady.

MOVIE REVIEW - THE DARK KNIGHT

This summer has been full of comic book heroes and not so comic book, but heroes, hitting the big screen. And when I say ‘hitting the big screen’, I mean bringing it so hard to the silver screen your popcorn jumps out of your hand.

Case in point, THE DARK KNIGHT. Yes, everyone and their mother have heard that this sequel to BATMAN is something to behold. And the reasons are simple. First off, let’s talk about the late Heath Ledger’s phenomenal turn as a psychotic Joker. I know I am not making any huge leaps by saying that Ledger made some really interesting and strong choices as an actor in this role, playing the Joker as a man whose brain is as chillingly screwed up as Alex in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. I feel like Alex and Cruella Deville got together for one night of lust and all of a sudden The Joker pops out, full grown and ready for mayhem. There has been much talk about a posthumous Oscar nod to Ledger, and in my opinion, he totally deserves it.

Now with so many acting props being given to Ledger for playing The Joker so perfectly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the rest of the cast were lackluster, but to my surprise, Christian Bale played a good mature, confidant, and almost cocky Bruce Wayne. His Batman, however, I have an issue with. Now when I first saw BATMAN RETURNS, I thought this is a definite upgrade from George Clooney. And then I heard him talk. Allow me to lay this out for you. I understand that Batman is a mysterious man who has to have a raspy voice, but this time around, the raspy is walking a fine line between acceptable and ridiculous. And honestly, with his mouth breathing and open bite talking, I could barely keep my palm from constantly smacking myself in the forehead and eye long enough to hear Bale speak in his rubber suit. And Maggie Gyllenhaal, although a GREAT improvement as Rachel Dawes when compared to Katie Holmes, really needs to stand up straight. And saying lines with a little more emotion to make me care about her would have helped, but hey, this movie is more about the man in the rubber suit, right? Yes, I am that judgmental.

I have to admit one of my favorite things about this film is that it tells an incredibly fun story with great stunts, practical stunts! I am a fan of action and love great stunt choreography, and was smiling from ear to ear during the Bat Pod sequence. Why this particular scene, you ask? Honestly, this is one of the most magnificent scenes because it isn’t CG, it’s a stunt guy, riding a motorcycle through a building, all shot extremely well. Real stunts like that inspire a certain adrenaline rush in me…when I first started watching movies, most action scenes were done for real, with stunt men. Seeing this being done in THE DARK KNIGHT was like remembering a first kiss was, or holding the hand of that guy in 7^th grade I had a huge crush on. It was that good.

And the goods don’t stop there; Christopher Nolan did great jobs with the Director and Screenwriter hat. The story keeps you interested with its twists and turns, and Nolan isn’t shy about exacting the right emotion in the right location for a certain scene. Two of my favorite movies in recent years have been MEMENTO and THE PRESTIGE, so with those movies under his belt, you know to expect more than just a comic book movie for the sake of satisfying a comic book fan, you know you’re in for a full story, and no doubt this movie delivers it.

And although it has taken me a few weeks to post this review (do I really need to with everyone saying how good it is?) I did see it at the midnight showing, the night it opened. Yes I am one of those. I hope you don’t mind.

MOVIE REVIEW - Wanted

I know, I haven't stopped talking about this movie, but I really liked it.

And...Let's just get this out of the way. A fraternity of assassins who take a 'nobody', open up his pandora's box of killing, turning him into a 'somebody' with gore all over the place doesn't exactly send a great message to the audience, but we go to the movies to lose ourselves, not judge our psyches. Otherwise, I'd probably be institutionalized by now, and only allowed to read Judy Blume books.

'Wanted' is a movie that is bloody, action-packed and chock full of great performances by both James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie. Russian director, Timur Bekmambetov, of both 'Day Watch' and 'Night Watch' fame, makes his first big budget American blockbuster exactly that, a blockbuster movie brimming with amazing special effects, seamless action sequences, a pretty solid story, and big name actors.

James McAvoy stars as your run of the mill office drone who becomes “wanted” when he hooks up with Angelina Jolie’s character, Fox - and in six weeks flat, he’s transformed from a pencil pusher into a deadly assassin - this is every guy's fantasy right? And while it might seem odd that the producers didn’t cast a 6-foot tall, barrel-chested Adonis in the lead role, the movie stays true to the original graphic novel and McAvoy does a bang up job. Watching McAvoy morph physically and mentally on-screen is fascinating. This is also the sexiest and deadliest role I’ve ever seen Angelina Jolie play. Though I could watch her read the yellow pages and be enthralled. And while the film’s plot has a number of twists and turns that make the story compelling, the real stars of the film are its special effects. With bullets bending, rippling through the air, heart-thumping choreographed car chases and fight scenes, this movie surpasses all my expectations.

MOVIE REVIEW - Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D!

Any movie that requires its viewers to wear unflattering eyewear makes me a little suspicious. Which is why I wasn’t expecting to like 'Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D' but I did. ‘Journey’ is a loose adaptation of the Jules Verne novel of the same name.

The story centers around a geologist, played by Brendan Fraser, his nephew and their mountain guide – and they all go off in search of Fraser’s missing brother. After a rockslide, they are thrust into a heart-stopping underground adventure where treacherous falls and prehistoric monsters lurk around every corner. Their only hope for escape is to use Jules Verne’s novel as their roadmap to ascend from the world of mayhem they’ve just plunged into.

No, this isn’t the most inventive storyline and a number of scenes lean towards children’s movie, but if you give it a chance it will surprise you. The acting, led by a boyishly charming Frazer, is solid. Director Eric Brevig, who served as visual effects supervisor on many action films, is a good fit for an effects heavy movie. Plus the plot twists come partnered with 3-D technology, giving this movie it's POP.

As much as I hate the cliché of saying that a movie is a thrill ride, I have to say, this movie is a thrill ride. I was on the edge of my seat and even got a little queasy during the much promoted cart sequence. And just a warning, if you’re afraid of heights, you may want to stick with the 2-D version of this flick. I speak from experience.

Now I'm not saying this film isn't cheesy, but it happily embraces it and has a lot of fun doing so. This movie is surprisingly funny, family friendly, and is an exciting ride into a dark and dangerous fantasy world for adults and kids. Bottom line: I walked out thinking it’s as good or better than any theme park ride. I say see it, especially if you can find it in 3-D. And yes, the 3-D glasses will make you look like a giant dork, but everyone else will too.

My girls

What do my girlfriends look lik? Well from this pic, if they look like ladies shotgunning a beer so we can head out to dinner, then you'd be right! This weekend has been funfilled days of girl talk, bonding, food and drink. Now we're all headed to palm springs where we will be sunning ourselves and I will blog from there!

American Alligator

He's totally thinking 'b!tch, you're lucky there's 4 inches of glass between us.'
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Beluga

Sure they're fat, with almost half their 1000 lb body weight being pure fat, but they are incredible to behold. Nico. The guy pictured, came from Mexico City. He's a total ham with the people and pictures. And those ripples of muscles below his skin aren't muscles at all, just fat keeping them warm. They are magnificantly white and remind me of Moose, small head, solid body. Damn, I gotta switch his food to low-fat!

Pacific Sea Nettle

This is one of my favorite things to see in an aquarium. They epitomize grace, beauty, and remind me of the speed in which we should all live-slow.
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Delicious in Hotlanta

After I finished up Comic-Con, I hopped on a train and headed back to LA where I got to spend 1.5 delightful days with my thug dogs. After much belly rubbing, I hopped on a plane for a screen test in Hotlanta. The first thing I said when I got off the plane at 7:30 pm, 'gawd it is humid!' The temp read 72, but with humidity hitting 3 digits, it felt more like hell. West coast people aren't used to this kind of weather, and although I've been privy to heat, I always try and block out why this place is called Hotlanta!

Now to explain the not so great food pic. You all know I am a lady of class and manners...haha! Sorry, I can't even finish that line. Anyhow, I would usually never put up a pic of food I have eaten as it looks gross, but this lunch consisting of a veggie melt and tater tots was BOMB!!!! I had to share! Now being a vegetarian for about 10 years, I've all walks of pitiful attempts at nmaking veggie food flavorful, but nothing I have had in recent memory has been this artery cloggingly delicious! This melt, which is served in a bar/restaurant called The Vortex in midtown, said came with fries or tater tots. Stop, u have me at tater tots. Who doesn't love food named after small, youthful human beings? So I decide on the melt thinking it'll come with a patty and grilled veggies. Oh how I was wrong, the magic is only beginning. With somemelted cheese, peppers, mushroom, onions and butter soaked then toasted rye bread, I felt like god had reached down and blessed tghe skillet with his spit, it was so good! I mean yes, m arteries aren't happy I took this tiny trip down kill myself with food lane, but I've gotta live, especially in a place known to make people want to punch their own faces in so they could stay in an air conditioned place like a hospital.

With my test done, which btw went swimmingly, I am now at the aquarium. I known I'm such a tourist! Anyhow, supposedly it is the largest aquarium in the US if not world. Well gargantuan is what I want, I'm american afterall. Bring on the fishes. I do wonder, being a west coaster and a feequent visitor to monterey bay aquairium, how will it compare? And why charge adults $27 per visit? It is as if I am empliyed or something, making dozens of dollars a year. Listen, can someone tell the aquarium that there is a recession, unemployment is high, and gas is record breaking? Can we negotiate a $20 fee? I should stop blogginh and go to the aquairium, as every minute counts when u have 2 hours and are paying $27. I wonder why people call me cheap. ;)

Davey Jones

He looked good at Comic-Con, and considering the heat and the weight of his 'calamari', he disnt smell that nice... :(

Reelz Channel

Hey everyone, it has been a busy couple weeks, with auditions, meetings, and not having my contract renewed by Reelz. :( that means I will no longer be hosting 'The Big Tease' so please do not tune in to me on that channel.

The run was fun but Reelz has some financial difficulty and did a large round of layoffs, and with my contract coming up for renewal, they decided not to have me come back.

Oh well, so is the business. But no worries, I already have many things brewing and will let you know of them as soon as I do!

This is a very exciting time in my life where I have time to persue other interests and can open myself up to other networks, and yes, I am already in talks!

I am now headed to Comic-Con in San Diego! I am extremely excited, and decided to take the surfliner train down. All would be fine, except the train ended up being 55 min late, and the conductors have just gotten on the PA system saying they're sorry but we're gonna have to unload and then reload before we can get to San Diego. This is so funny! If something can go wrong, you can bet your dollar it will! :)

Oh and I am currently obsessed with Mad Men on AMC. Right now it is holding me over until DEXTER season 2 arrives on DVD. Hurry up! It is embarrassing how much I love TV. :) more from Comic-Con if I get down there....

My weekend

Of pure debauchery...I have spent two nights in a row out in west hollywood. That's LA's gay and going out area. It is my good friend Manuel's birthday and we had to celebrate like gay men do, cause he's gay. And yes, on the weekends, the bridge and tunnel crowd descend like bees to a honey pot on weho. I went to the abbey, a very popular bar, twice and a gay dance club called Rage-it was asian boy night. I had to go! It has been a while since I saw young sweaty muscles gyrating to drum and bass. Not only do they gyrate, there was this one cheeky go-go dancer that pulled his only piece of 'dance wardrobe' down half past his butt crack, leaned on to a rail, looked back I guess he thought seductively, and started thrusting the ass up. Hmmm...guess this dancer took the 'face down, ass up' literally. Plus if you like his dancing, you give him a dollar. Yes, I patronize wonderful and reputable establishments. And since I did that, I am now good. Yes, they all stuff.

Moose

Is sooo happy sleeping right now. I can always tell when his tongue is slightly sticking out. He's a stud.

Dirty old man or taudry young woman?

I'd probably vote for the latter, as that is X-Files creator Chris Carter. That's right! Somehow Fox didn't listen to the rumors, took my number off the bathroom wall, and hired me to do some international generic press for the new X-Files: I Want To Believe.

And believe it folks, I was a huge fan, had framed memorabelia, autographed photos, and...wait for it... went to the X-Files convention.

Once you've stopped laughing your arse off, you have to admit that was a pretty great show, and gave me a reason to stay in on friday nights.

So Chris Carter, who you can't tell right away, but is wearing a long beaded 'surfer/hippie chain' under his shirt, is pretty badass. And yes, I found out about the chain's location the Hollywood way. Wha? Wha? What does that mean? Hmmm...looks like another case for the dynamic duo, Mulder and Scully, or as the tabloids would affectionately call them, Sculder or Muldly.
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Death Cab For Cutie

Ok so this post is a little late, but better now than never! My sister Ying and I went to see Death Cab For Cutie at the Nokia Theater Live LA last week. And lemme just say, they were EXCITING! I mean, they don't rock like Brett Michaels, nor are they looking for love on VH1. However, Death Cab's lead singer, Ben Gibbard, with his soft, approachable, guy next door voice, somehow reaches an ethereal realm that no neighbor could without having made a pact with the devil.

Sure their sounds are sometimes better being heard through my headphones while lying in my oh-so-comfortable bed and bamboo sheets (yes and they are soft!), the performance was quite enjoyable. And since the acoustics of Nokia Theater Live in LA have been said to be the best in teh city, i couldn't imagine a better venue to have Death Cab calmly quiet my bloodthurst to kill crazy LA drivers. this concert was obviously a service to the city of Los Angeles. And they probably didn't even know they were doing this, Death Cab probably just thought they were playing a show. Oh those modest boys!

More stuff to come when it's not 2:30 am.

much love and have a great 4th!

Guillermo Del Toro

Yes, today I worked the HELLBOY 2 premiere and that is Guillermo, the nicest, most talented director I have met in a long time. I have to say I was pretty impressed. I'm not saying I'd like to run around alone in his imagination or anything, ahem Pans lab and Hellboy creatures, but wow, he is soooo awesome! Usually I wouldn't think my life is much, but today, you all can be jealous!!!! Yeah! :)

Doggie Dental Day

It is saturday and this is our doggie dental technician. Yes she is a holistic and gentle so the dogs don't freak out. And that is Stella all wrapped up in a blanket to keep her comfortable. It is things like this that make me realizw, 'damn, I am really LA.'

Fox studios visit

Yesterday i headed to the Fox lot to see a short film a friend of mine had wrote, produced and directed. It was called Jarred and he was able to have a screening at the 'Little Theater' on the lot. Obviously this dude is a big wig over there at Fox. The silliest thing is that I live a good 45 minutes (about 14 miles) from the Fox lot. and the movie was 11 minutes long. Ummm.....I was so gonna not go, but when you have made a short film, you want support however you can get it. After the 11 minutes, i should have gone with my gut and not shown up.

anyhow, my wonderfully sweet neighbor and friend decided to throw caution to the wind and go with me. So after the 11 minutes, I had no other choice but to buy him dinner. the movie cost me money. Now the movie wasn't horrible, and for a directorial debut, it is amazing that it was shot on FILM, oh the glory days of filmmaking. But I have a film degree and made many a short in my day, so it is tough to watch things with my unflinching eye. i think my friend Izzy put it best when he said, 'even at 11 minutes, it seemed long.'

Fast forward to him and i trying to make our getaway and find our route out of the studio. Driving out, i screamed, STOP!!!!! i saw a donut and a Homer hand. I needed to take a picture and blog about it. And in front? a little Bart topiary. Behind all these Simpsons statues is the house Springfield built. It looks like that little house and the large two story apartment across the way are where all the Simpsons magic happens. I am not impressed by much, but this made me giddy.

WANTED

So I am currently at the Four Seasons spending Father's Day talking to the director and stars od the new movie, WANTED. This is a picture of Timur Bekmambetov, who also directed DAY WATCH and NIGHT WATCH. Timur (promounced Tee-More) is an amazing director who is so focused, intelligent, inventive and creative. But the funniest thing is trying to talk to the director about the movie and not give anything away. We were both laughing about trying to dance around the themes so we wouldn't do that.



Seriously folk, WANTED is one of the best movies I have seen all summer. The special effects, stunts, story and acting are all sooo impressive. I absolutely loved the gore, blood, beauties, and the themes of a nobody that gets transformed into an assasin of justice in 6 weeks flat. I may pay to see this movie when it comes out, it was that good. And the only other movie I have wanted to see again this summer is IRON MAN, so you know what company WANTED is in!!!!

Wha????

What is my innocent little Stella HUMPING?!???!!!!?! It is Moose's favorite toy, elephant. Booyah! Oh how they hate each other.

Portland

Is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been in. And they don't charge sales tax?!!!!!

Portland Thai food

And now I am sitting on the patio outside a delightful little thai restaurant in Portland. I'm having Tom Yum with tofu and it is surprisingly delicious! Tara-thai in Northwest Portland, I think....I'll reminisce about this city in another post. For now, I chow. :)

And yes...

I play the penny slots. And when I need it to 'hit big' I scream, unleash the mighty copper storm onto my wallet. I am a wordsmith, I know. As wisconsin and Montana natives look on 'at that crazy Chinese girl!'

Winnings!

This is what a winner looks like!

The start...

This is the start of my small winning streak at Planet Hollywood. If I may just admit, I was screaming 'unleash the copper furry into my wallet' as I spun the wheel of fortune 'spin' wheel. I LOVE that game!!!!! That and craps. I am asian through and through.
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Cabana neighbors

And these are the gentlemen who bought us a round of bahama mamas! I guess in bathing suits, we're all sexy enough to get free drinks!
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The built-in cabana

Crazy right?!
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Swimsuit mania

Hey high rollers! I am sittng in a cabana in vegas's luxurious Bellagio hotel. And if I mauy just say, this place is smoking. There is a kitchen, TV, misters, and even my sister, the poster child for responsible gambling, has been enticed enough by the amenities to forgo the casino. The world is turned upside down in vegas baby! I hear Paris Hilton is in town. Oh, that is a blog entry if I ever knew of one.
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So....

This is what tired, drunken debauchery looks like! Night 1 in vegas babies! Tomorrow, more pics of fun. But now I will sleep. I have a voice over in the am. But honestly, after yelling in a night club for a few hours, I dunno how solid my voice is. Only time will tell my brothers.
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HGTV @ 9 pm Sunday

Hello all, ok so I was wrong about the time. Set your DVRs for 9 pm sunday to catch the show. Heading to vegas now. I can wait to blog the bachelorette craziness that will be this weekend!!!!
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This Sunday

Hello all! This Sunday @ 8 pm tune in to HGTV to watch me in THE GREEN HOME GIVEAWAY! I will be a part of the ambush team! Watch me scare some lucky winner to death. Woot!
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Exhausting

Today was a busy day of meetings, an audition, where, BTW my peeps, there were two other girls and they weren't just different versions of a chinese girl. Mind boggling! So I went through beverly hills and picked up some mind numbingly expensive and senseless cupcakes from CRUMBS. Now do you that though my wallet peeled open to unleash the sad penny storm that is my paycheck to purchase these little dudes, I didn't eat one? Nope. They were a gift...for my agent...who btw I am told, works for me. But like my mom says, never drop by empty handed. Damn my amazing manners. So after spending a day being a dumbass driving around LA to run errands before I leave town for two weeks, I come home and lay down on my couch, only to have my dogs flank me on both sides. I swear my butt looks huge, but it is just juicy. And it turns out I forgot deoderant today. Glad my meetings were in the AM before the waft of CLL got the best of me. Even I can't handle that eau.
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Odd but true

I think it's weird when a guy walks and you can hear his heels click on the sidewalk. WURD.

My two hungry dogs

Thisis them waiting, hoping, willing that my hand give them a bit of quiche or angel food cake. Beggars!

IMG00148.jpg

Now not many of you know this, but I try and volunteer regularly. And my new thing is the Downtown Women's Center. This is a place where woman on the streets, people down and out on their luck can come and sleep, or if they need to live in a group environment, there are permanent rooms available for the women, to help them keep off the streets. It is actually an amazing place that affords many women who would otherwise be out on skid row, a place to sleep, a community, responsibilities, jobs, classes, seminars, and a chance at personal and professional growth. I began by saying, I love cooking, and they make some really delicious lunches for the ladies through a volunteer program called the 'Cooking Club.' Sounds right up my alley.

This is what happens. An email is sent out telling us what the ‘Cooking Club’ is making that week. We get assigned to bring certain groceries and we cook! It’s usually a good 2.5 hours of hard work and sweaty faces in the kitchen. I wear a hairnet. Last week we made Panchetta and Manchego Roulade with salad and dessert. This week we made asparagus and bacon quiche with salad and cookies. when i say ‘cook’, i mean work in a professional kitchen where 8 quiches are made with 42 eggs, 1/2 gallon of half and half, 5 lbs of mashed potatoes, you get the drift. And as i was cooking this crazy rich and absolutely delicious meal, like sticking an entire stick of butter, tub of sour cream and cups of milk and half and half in my mashed potatoes, all i could think of was, ‘man, these ladies are without a lot, but heart disease won’t be one of them once they finish this food!’

Now just having had a manicure the night before I cooked, I was pissed when i was washing those industrial pots and pans, but again, i was in a hairnet, so i gave up the ghost and got sudsy with it! Holler!

Since that evening of quiche making, I have been wanting to try the recipe for myself and my sister. It's perfect brunch food. But if you knew me, you know I'd look for cheating way I could to squeeze some of the salt, fat and badness out of the meal that gets it's pretty face from being so fattening. this is my thinking, if Felicia Rashad's character said to Bill Cosby's character in 'The Cosby Show', you shouldn't be eating that, I think, if it isn't good for Bill Cosby's health in the 90s, it ain't good for Chi-Lan's health in 2008. So at times you'll see me sneaking a huge piece out of a cake, replacing it with paper towels, and put icing over it. Yet, not sure why I do that since no one is really policing me.

Ok so i get it together enough to make 3 trips to the grocery store for all the ingredients needed for my most decadent meal. But something comes over me...Paula Dean whispers in my kitchen and says, just put all the goodness in, and i follow. Sure the picture above isn't super impressive, but lemme just say...wow, my broccoli, manchego and romano cheese quiche was gorgeous and decadent. My roasted garlic caprese salad kicked serious ass, and roasted garlic mashed potatoes, complete with about 1/2 cup of half and half and butter was delicious! I truly outdid myself. I am satisfied and desperately need to visit the devil at the gym, but for tonight, i revel in the fat farm that i created for myself. And there is nothing soy or low-fat about it.

My decadent dinner

It is now about 10:50 and after eating the most decadent dinner I have made myself in a long time, i am finally able to get back online and blog about it. Seriously, i really, truly outdid myself this night. Let's talk about it.

How do I respond?

Can you guys make out the paint job. On this family vehicle many americans refer to as a minivan? It reads 'Suburban Death Machine.' Wow. Did he/she paint that to symbolize death of the crazy single-life now that tots are in the mix? or are the wee ones the guerilla fighters that will emerge from the blue minivan mist? Or do you think they're just thinking it is so subversive, it is appropriate. Option number 3 winning them the 'Pete Wentz' dumbass award of the year IMHO. Sure I'm judgemental, but I know I am, and I embrace it whole heartedly. :)

Today I shot a rehersal at Reelz Channel. Did I tell you all that the format of THE BIG TEASE was changing? Well it won't just be a trailer show. It will now be two people, myself and Jeremy Parsons, responding to trailers. And by respond, I mean talk about, give opinions, but in Reelz fashion, so never too negative. That means everything is OK or great! Woot. But you all know I will twist the tongue on my blog, so don't sweat me losing any 'tude. I got that in spades. What makes me really excited for the show's debut is my new pooch, Stella, will make her cameo. BOMB! You better strap yourselves in now, cause this 6 lb wonder is gonna blow you away.