Fringe Binge! Show #3: Me Love Me

 

In the program for Me Love Me, playwright Brandon Baruch assures us "Don't worry...you can take a nice long shower tomorrow morning." He wasn't kidding. Me Love Me delves into the chaos of Hollywood life; and not the view from the top which we're accustomed to seeing on TV. We're exposed to the clawing and desperate underbelly of Hollywood. Actors with miserable day jobs in customer service, coke-fueled "networking" parties at night. The narcissism and backstabbing will ring familiar to most Fringe theatregoers, and it's a subject that may always have us in its thrall. 

There are two characters named Tuck. One is a spoiled man-child with a sense of entitlement, the other is his literal clone who is scientifically four years old. Both have the same level of maturity, only the original Tuck is a jaded actor with an uncanny ability to bullshit. Then there's Gemma, a performance artist who's as level-headed as someone can be with a Xanax addiction. After a night of binging on booze and drugs, both Tucks steer down a road that will change the course of their lives, and Gemma is left to pick up the pieces, sans Xanax.

This play is at both times funny and disturbing, as it steers us down paths that make the viewers shift in their seats. Actor Benjamin Durham was convincingly deplorable. In fact, I believe I was unconsciously sneering at him as he addressed the audience after the show. Which goes to show how talented he is and how ridiculous I am. Actress Lizzie Adelman was endearing, and had a chance to shine during her segment as performance artist. She cackled in an oh-my-God-I'm-going-to-have-a-nervous-breakdown kind of way, and we ate it up. But I certainly didn't wait until morning to take that nice, long shower.

Fringe Binge! Show #2: 25 Plays Per Hour

I'm still at the beginning of my Fringe Binge, and have taken in play #2 at the Hollywood Fringe Fest. It's called 25 Plays Per Hour, the Backstage Critic's Pick last year. It was fast-paced, switching directions every few minutes to cram 25 plays into 60 minutes. An actor would go from a creepy old lady to a neurotic twenty-something in minutes, keeping you on your toes like Saturday Night Live in fast forward. 

If one were to go out and see 25 different different plays, it would be statistically rare that a patron would love each and every one of them. The same goes for the plays within this show. But unlike other plays where you remain unimpressed for two hours, you know in this production it will be over in two minutes. This Theatre Unleashed production is also running [title of show], and do have an eye for humor. Of note was was the mini-play featuring presidential candidates. One contender believed that Jesus came from an ape via a turtle and the second candidate believed that the earth was approximately 43 years old. Actor Anthony Rutiwicz has a slew of believable acents in his back  pocket, and can go from a stoner genie to gangster to presidential candidate in minutes. What's a stoner genie? Well, you'll just have to see the play and find out.

Seriously?

Adult Swim abused us. In a darkened room, we were allowed in one by one for a silent ritual involving giant owl figures and the grim reaper. Trembling, we walked away with swag. As we scratched our heads wondering what just happened, our politically-minded conspiracy theorist friends clued us in. "They're doing a spin off of Bohemian Grove." "What's Bohemian Grove?" I asked. They simply laughed and walked away. 

So I Googled it, and it gets even weirder.

OK! magazine rings in the summer with a great party!

Some people know summer has arrived when they see their first lightning bug. Sadly, they don't exist in L.A., so we console ourselves with fancier cues. I know it's summer when OK! magazine takes over the uber-chic Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica for their annual OK! Body and Soul on the Beach event.

Outside by the crashing waves, we take cutting-edge workout classes with the pros. Inside the Casa Del Mar, we are seriously pampered. Why the royal treatment? OK! just wants to make sure we're, well, OK! Especially in time for summer, when sun and surf take their toll on your skin and hair.

Nail Garden manicurists gave us OPI manicures. We not only chose which color, but got to keep the bottle ourselves! VO5 was there to make our hair sleek and shiny. We walked away with coupons for free shampoo and conditioner. Always and Tampax gave away samples tucked into pretty, discreet clutches. Crocs gave away pairs of their eco-friendly Ocean-Minded flip flops. Two words: Arch. Support. In fact, they were given away to those who helped participate in the beach clean-up after the party. See? OK! even wants our beaches to be OK! And so does reality star Audrina Patridge, who was there to help.

Everlast was there to encourage us to slug it out on their stylish punching bags, and enter a sweepstakes to win one. 

Tikkun Holistic Spa gave away free samples of their collagen skin serum, a free day pass to their spa and had a raffle for a basket of luxurious beauty products. I won! I believe that I screeched.



Karen product gift basket, valued at $600!



Glittertainment adorned us with customized OK! tattoos.

Viva Pops served refreshing frozen treats in flavors such as Mango Chili and Lavender Lemonade. We washed it all down with Activate water, which comes with a lever that releases fresh vitamins right before you drink it!

I left feeling exhilarated, pampered and quite...OK! (Come on, I had to.)


THANK YOU, OK!



Fringe Binge! Show #1: [title of show] - No, that's what it's called.

Last year I was so impressed by the renegade indie productions at the Hollywood Fringe Fest, that I've embarked on a mission; to take in a slew of shows throughout June and report as I go. I will Binge. On. Fringe. I want to support the arts in L.A., and show people (yea you New Yawk!) that there's a performing arts world outside of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. No offense, Dorothy Chandler. Although she has a pavilion named after her, so she can handle my jealously over her fortune professional opinion.

My first play was like a shot of espresso. No, adrenaline. No! A bolt of lightning! Yes.

The play is called Title of Show and it's running at The Elephant Theatre throughout June. It's a musical within a musical - a cheery hit of Glee, if you take away the saccharine high school melodrama and throw in more of the biting wit of Sue Sylvester. After all, Title of Show doesn't focus on a bunch of high school kids. These are adults in New York City with all the complexities so familiar to struggling Angelenos. Cynical, yet hopeful. Ambitious, yet self-defeating. 

I dragged into the theatre on Friday night after a long week. When I was younger, Friday night meant tequila shots and riding the bull at Saddle Ranch (don't judge me. Actually, go ahead). These days, I feel lucky to not fall asleep before the credits roll on my Netflix movie. Imagine my surprise when I left the theatre feeling electrified.

Aside from the uptempo pace, great writing and the distractingly beautiful bone structure of the show's pianist Jim Blackett, there were little things that gave me joy. When actor Travis Dixon ranted about the barrage of musicals being created after Hollywood films, he didn't just rattle off a list. Oh no, he had physical movements for each offending production. For Legally Blonde, he flipped his hair. For Big, he shimmied from the ground up. But his movements kept up with the fast pace of his speech, like watching him in fast forward. The audience interrupted the scene just to applaud him. 

Director Corey Lynn Howe

Talented director Corey Lynn Howe was careful to keep each of the characters flawed but lovable. Especially actress Julia Plosnieks, who played Susan. She was raunchy, over-the-top and like all the characters, completely owned it. This small cast had chemistry, energy and weren't at all playing it safe on opening night. They were in it to win it, and the audience gave them a standing ovation. I was infused with so much energy,  I practically flew out of my seat with a "Bravo!"

Don't trust skinny cooks? You haven't met Hollis Wilder.

Hollis Wilder preps for a civilized food frenzy

Sometimes it feels as if reality TV is a barrage of nouveaux riche illiterates throwing drinks at one another. That's why we need Hollis Wilder. She's never thrown a drink in someone's face. She has yet to accept a rose from a stranger and suddenly find herself in love. She's done something that no Housewife-of-Insert-City-Here has ever done - she has glorified the value of hard work. A three-time winner of Cupcake Wars, she's not content to simply return to her successful business in Florida. Not without releasing books filled with secrets that I'm thankful (and a bit surprised) she's divulged!

what breakfast looks like in heaven

In particular is her newest book Savory Bites. This week, luminaries gathered at a chic Santa Monica home at sunset, excited to sample food from her book. Warm, engaging and so fit you can't believe she cooks, Hollis breezed around the party enjoying people enjoy her food. "We're here for a nanosecond," she said, regarding our short time on earth. That's why she feels we need to live life to the fullest and put only the most wonderful food into our bodies.

And her food was impeccable. Using the cupcake molds she's famous for, she's crafted savory treats that are perfect for portion control and gorgeous for entertaining. Her food was alive, and glistened with every color of the rainbow.

Some of my favorites:

Zesty roasted veggies, with a lemony tomato bite. 

Smoked salmon and dill over pumpernickel and eggs. So good I almost converted to Judaism. 

 

And of course, she wouldn't let us leave without something sweet.

I was thrilled to eat lavishly in the salt air, chatting with epicureans as the marine layer rolled in to wash Los Angeles. I had to remind myself that if it were not for reality TV, I may never have met this talented chef, or have been able to sample such wonderful food, much less learn how to make it.  Thank you Hollis Wilder; for the food, the book and for making a strong case for reality television.

Hollis Wilder and myself

Earthquake Weather

"It's my fault."

- San Andreas

To those outside of California, you may be surprised to know that people here have a term called "earthquake weather." Yes, earthquake weather, as in meteorological events in up the heavens somehow triggering seismic activity miles underground.

Although geologists denounce any connection between the two and earthquakes happen year-round in every season around the world, many Californians hold fast to this claim. Beck even has a song called Earthquake Weather. But he's a Scientologist, so whatever.

So what is earthquake weather supposed to feel like? "Hot and muggy, and the air must be very still," explains my friend Stephanie (who refuses to divulge her last name). A Los Angeles native, she swears up and down that earthquake weather became a popular term because the earth rattles like hell when the weather is hot and still. My friends and I made jokes about it all the time, until she made mention of it being "earthquake weather" on a Friday afternoon. We were rocked by a 4.2 that Sunday.

I think Beck and his crazy little church had something to do with it.