Kel. 28. Lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Graduated from UC Berkeley 2001. Has a small obsession with TV. Enjoys chick lit and teen movies. Major shopaholic. Blogging since January 17, 2002.

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Date/Time: Fri, Jan 04 @ 11:13pm
Reading: Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Listening: No One, Alicia Keys

 Alyson.  Barry.  Emma.  Kelly.  Kate.  Linda.  Marieke.  Marina.  Reen.  Robyn.

• premiere week, part 2
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September 30, 2007

Many thanks to Alyson for teaching me how to "add friends" on MySpace. :) I only created it because a friend of mine made hers private so I could no longer read it! (You know who you are, hehe). I probably won't use it very much but if any of you have one and want to be friends, let me know in the comments. Or you can find me here. No Facebook yet, Alie -- I don't need another site to become addicted to!

I am *so* dreading work tomorrow. :( I've been having a rough few weeks. My boss recently had surgery so she hasn't been in the office very much. Because of this, there are buying responsibilities for a major client that have filtered down to my desk that honestly, I'm not comfortable with handling. I'm only a junior Media Buyer -- I really shouldn't be making some of these decisions. And when I turn to upper management for help, I don't think they take my concerns seriously. It's unbelievably frustrating. To make things worse, the planners at the agency that we work with are some of the most uptight, unfriendly people I've ever had the (dis)pleasure of working with. It doesn't make for a fun work environment. I think I'm going to look for a new job after the wedding. I just have absolutely no idea what I want to do. I'm pretty sure I don't want to stay in media. I hate the long hours and the stress. But I've been in this industry for 5 years... I don't really know anything else. Maybe I can be an assistant again (this is how I got my start after college)... is that weird? You're supposed to move up the corporate ladder, not back. I just don't know. *sigh*

Anyway, new TV always cheers me up! (Comments on Dirty Sexy Money, Private Practice, Gossip Girl, Smallville, CSI).

Dirty Sexy Money
Greg Berlanti rocks! I'm such a huge fan of his shows (Dawson's Creek, Brothers and Sister, Everwood, Jack and Bobby) so I *knew* DSM would be great. And it was. It really, really was. The cast is huge but I felt like the pilot did a fantastic job at introducing all of them. The ringtones for all the characters were hilarious. So far, I really like the Darling daughters -- Karen and Juliet. Actually, I like them all -- they're all so ridiculously immature and over the top. And the murder mystery is a great layer to this show. Love it.

Gossip Girl
The second episode was even better than the first! The whole brunch was AWESOME. And Gossip Girl said "Fustercluck." HEE! KBell has such great delivery.

Private Practice
Disappointing. I didn't love the introductory episode on Grey's Anatomy last season but I liked it enough (with the exception of that silly talking elevator) to follow Addison to this show. I've really grown to love the character (and Kate Walsh) so I wanted this show to be good. (Plus, it has Taye Diggs, Christopher Lowell, Tim Daly, etc). But it just wasn't. It felt like it was trying a little *too* hard, what with the nude dancing, the "tension" created by Naomi not telling the other partners about hiring Addison, the annoying Chief at the hospital and Addison's "big" speech at the end. I really hope it gets better.

Smallville
Boring. *yawn* Nothing really happened that was surprising. Sure, Supergirl showed up but she was in ALL the promos for the premiere so that wasn't anything new. Chloe survived. With her newly revealed power, the writers haven't really used her enough yet so I didn't think she was going to end up dead. And OF COURSE, Lana planned her death. There is no way this show would kill her off. (Her wig looked ridiculous, by the way). Yet I still watch (let's hope this is the last season). :P

CSI
What can I say... solid episode. But a little slow. Loved the ending with Grissom holding Sara's hand in the helicopter. I wouldn't call myself a shipper but that was a really sweet moment between them. Not enough Warrick, though.

Posted by Kel at 11:36 PM | Comments (7)

September 27, 2007

I created a MySpace account. I think. But apparently I can't seem to figure out how to use the thing. Can someone tell how in the world I send out a friend request?! Thanks in advance.

:P

While I'm here I might as well do a fandom meme stolen from Nicola:

The one who seduced you and fucked you over and broke your heart in a million pieces and laughed about it:
Hmm. Alias (I hated the "twist" in the season 2 finale). Or even Grey's Anatomy (George/Izzie).

The old flame you don't see very often any more, but whom you still really enjoy getting together with for a few drinks and maybe a pleasant nostalgic romp in the sheets:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was watching season 4 recently and was amazed at how well the snappy dialogue still holds up.

The mysterious dark gothy one with whom you used to sit up talking until 3 a.m. at weird coffeehouses and with whom you were quite smitten, until you realized he really was fucking crazy:
Nip/Tuck. After 2 seasons, that show really kind of scared me. Desperate Housewives also applies.

The one you spent a whole weekend in bed with and who drank up all your liquor and whom you'd still really like to fuck again, although you're relieved they don't actually live in town:
America's Next Top Model. I skipped out after Caridee's cycle.

The Steady:
Dawson's Creek. Yes, STILL. I keep the DVDs close to my desk so I can pop in a disc if I really want to see one of my favorite Pacey/Joey scenes. I don't know if I'll ever love a TV couple the same way.

The alluring stranger with whom you've flirted at parties, but have never gotten really serious:
House.

The one you hang out with and have vague fantasies about maybe having a thing with, but ultimately you're just good buddies, 'cause the friendship is there, but the chemistry ain't:
Most sitcoms, like 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother.

The one your friends keep introducing you to and who seems like a hell of a cool guy, except it's never really gone anywhere:
The Office. I don't know why. It looks like a great show. I probably just need to rent the DVDs and have a marathon.

The one who's slept with all your friends, and you keep looking at him and thinking, "What? How the hell did that land all these cool babes?":
Most reality shows, like Survivor, Big Brother, and The Amazing Race.

The one your friend has fallen for like a ton of bricks and whom she keeps babbling to you about on the phone for hours, and you'd be happy for her, except you just know it's going to end badly:
Grey's Anatomy. Except this applies to me and I still can't give up the show.

Hee, that was fun!

Posted by Kel at 11:00 PM | Comments (3)

September 26, 2007

So let's talk Heroes and Reaper.

Heroes
Solid premiere. Loved that Molly has 2 daddies! Awww. And was I the only who squealed "SARK!" when David Anders appeared as Kensei? Just me? (Come on, Alias fans!) All of his scenes with Hiro were pretty darn hilarious. The best was when Hiro had to put his glasses on when he saw that Kensei is actually white. BWAH. And I have to admit that I like that DA is rocking the English accent again. Hehe. But of course, I have some nitpicks. Are we supposed to like Claire's new "friend?" Cause really, he creeped me out at the end with his flying and his STALKING. That is not romantic. I also didn't care for the twins. I found them to be very... meh. Can't wait to see what Niki and Micah are up to! YAY SHOW.

Reaper
Good cast, sharp writing, humor with a touch of the supernatural. So much LOVE. Is it weird to say that I love the Devil?! Ray Wise is phenomenal in this role -- charming and funny yet slick and evil. Bret Harrison is also a standout. He plays Sam, the lovable college drop-out, perfectly. They make a great "team." And cause I love quotes, I have to share some of the best from this episode:

-- Sam: Is this a carjacking?
-- The Devil: For this? If it was an Escalade, maybe.

-- The Devil: Oh, gag, look at that tool. (This made me laugh at loud, which I rarely ever do).

-- DMV Lady: Hmm. I've never seen one of these before. The Boss must think you're a moron.

Next up: Dirty Sexy Money.

Posted by Kel at 11:11 PM | Comments (3)

September 23, 2007

MTV has been airing a marathon of SO You Think You Can Dance season 3 this weekend. I LOVE dancing but I've never been able to regularly watch this show. Maybe because it's on during the summer, which I consider to be my "TV break." Anyway, it's amazing how much time I've spent on the couch watching this marathon. EEEK. TV marathons are such a huge time-suck.

I also watched the Prison Break and Gossip Girl premieres.

Prison Break
I'm not feeling it. The direction of this season doesn't really interest me. I don't like SONA (and all its internal politics) and I don't like Michael having to break out of prison AGAIN (although seeing Linc on the other side makes me appreciate his character much more -- I've never truly cared about him except when it comes to LJ). And where's Sarah Wayne Callies? I don't think I saw her name in the credits. *sniff* But ok, Wentworth Miller totally sold Michael's sad, sad plight to me (GAWD, WM is gorgeous even when he's scared and anxious). Also, T-Bag still creeps me out. Big time. I'll probably keep watching, though, because Rob still enjoys the show and I don't think there's anything else I want to watch in the same timeslot.

Gossip Girl
YOU KNOW I LOVED IT. Hehehe. Ok ok, the narration felt a little heavy-handed and there was too much of it, but wow, I think Kristen Bell is absolutely perfect. She has the kind of voice you just pay attention to. As for the characters, I think Dan is my favorite with Blair a close second (Leighton Meester is freaking gorgeous and she is fantastic in this role). I've never read the books but the show has me intrigued! I especially want to find out why Serena left for boarding school in the first place. GG *definitely* fulfills the necessary trashy teen quota in my TV schedule. I hope it sticks around.

Tomorrow: Heroes premieres!

Posted by Kel at 09:22 PM | Comments (2)

September 20, 2007

Wedding Update. :P

Remember how we went to Southern CA for Labor Day weekend to meet with vendors? Well, after much discussion and a few budget revisions (EEEK), we've finally signed contracts and sent deposits in for our major vendors. YAY! We're pretty broke at the moment but so excited to share our "team" with you all...

Coordinator/Consultant: Angel from Events of Love and Splendor
As soon as I met Angel, I think we just "clicked." We have a lot in common -- she graduated from CAL, grew up in Cerritos, and is a self-proclaimed geek. She's awesome. But seriously, she made me feel confident that she can take our plans and ideas and run with them. She's organized, detailed, and super stylish -- I'm really looking forward to working with her!

Photography: Ray and Erwin from Apertura Photo
Apertura's work speaks volumes. I found a link to their website from the best wedding blog ever, WeddingBee, and I was hooked. Before I ever contacted them, I was stalking their blog every day checking to see if they had posted anything new. Hehe. I knew they were going to be pricey but photography is a priority for us and we managed to make it work. I can't wait for our engagement session!

Florals: Allison from Flower Allie
I loved her right from the start. Our meeting was at 8am and she was upbeat, excited, and open to discussing all of my ideas. I envision the flowers to be a key part of the decor and I can't wait to see what she can do!

Officiant: Father Brian from Good Shepherd American Catholic Church
The last time I mentioned the ceremony, we were still looking for a church. That search ended after unsuccessful discussions with the pastors of 7 different parishes. I never thought priests (of all people) could make me feel so unwelcome. Luckily I found Fr. Brian and the Good Shepherd Church, which is an American Catholic Church. So while our marriage won't be recognized by the Roman Catholic Church (because the ACC is basically an offshoot of the RCC but with slightly different beliefs), this is the best compromise that I was able to find. My dad will get his Catholic wedding and we get to have the ceremony in the same place as the reception (which is what we wanted in the first place). Unfortunately, since we're not getting married in the Church, this means that my favorite childhood priest, Fr. Joe, won't be able to preside over the ceremony. As much as that would have meant to me, I'm optimistic that the ceremony is actually going to be more representative of "us," which is the most important thing anyway.

Next up: Do research on DJ/entertainment and Invitations!

Posted by Kel at 11:51 PM | Comments (2)

September 17, 2007

Had an incredibly tiring weekend... we drove down to LA Friday night to attend Rob's nephew's baptism and then turned right back around and drove back home on Saturday night -- phew! I was *so* not ready to go back to work today.

Yesterday was my rubber stamping class at Paper Source. It was so much fun! I learned about the variety of ink available, what works best on different types of paper, embossing, masking, etc. I think I'm going to attempt to make all my holiday cards this year. YAY! Let's hope I don't look back at this and curse myself, hehe. If you want a holiday card from me, leave me a comment and I'll email you for your info. :)

I also watched the Emmy's last night. I thought it was a disaster. (Not the winners or anything -- I'm pretty indifferent to the actual awards). I hated the round stage, didn't care for Ryan Seacrest, and the whole production just seemed so... amateur-ish. I DID enjoy the Family Guy intro (Stewie's awesome) as well as the moment when Steve Carell went up to the stage to claim the Lead Actor in a Comedy series award (BWAH! Hilarious). Otherwise, it was pretty awful.

In other TV-related news, the Television Without Pity redesign is weirding me out.

Hmm... I thought I had more to blog about. I guess not. :/ I'll be back once I've watched the Prison Break premiere!

Posted by Kel at 11:29 PM | Comments (3)

September 11, 2007

I finally received my Fall TV Preview issue of Entertainment Weekly. This is probably my most favorite issue of any magazine EVER. I always have to read through all the show summaries before making decisions on my TV schedule (hee, I take this *way* too seriously :P). Here it is with the respective season premiere dates:

Mondays:
Prison Break 9/17 @ 8pm (FOX)
I don't know if I'll keep watching PB. I wasn't overly thrilled with last season's finale and now if the cast rumors I'm reading are true, then I won't really enjoy the show the same way anymore.
Heroes 9/24 @ 9pm (NBC)

Tuesdays:
Reaper 9/25 @ 9pm (CW)
There's a lot of positive buzz surrounding this show so I'm going to give it a try. If I don't care for it, there's always House, which is on at the same time. I never used to watch the show but this summer Rob and I started watching the reruns on cable. All the episodes are shown out of order and I have no idea what's going on with the characters' personal lives, but whatever... the show is awesome. If all else fails, I have a free night!

Wednesdays:
Pushing Daisies 10/3 @ 8pm (ABC)
Gossip Girl 9/19 @ 9pm (CW) - I have to get my trashy teen fix from SOMEWHERE, right? :)
Private Practice 9/26 @ 9pm (ABC)
Dirty Sexy Money 9/26 @ 10pm (ABC)

Thursdays:
Ugly Betty 9/27 @ 8pm (ABC)
Smallville 9/27 @ 8pm (CW)
Grey's Anatomy 9/27 @ 9pm (ABC)
CSI 9/27 @ 9pm (CBS)
Supernatural 10/4 @ 9pm (CW)
UGH, Thursdays suck.

Fridays:
Friday Night Lights 10/5 @ 9pm (NBC)

Sundays:
Brothers and Sisters 9/30 @ 10pm (ABC)

I thought I was going to cut back this season but I guess not. :/ OOPS. I'm sure this schedule will change anyway. Some shows will get cancelled and others won't hold my interest. I'm so excited! New shows start next week!

Posted by Kel at 11:23 PM | Comments (3)

September 9, 2007

An entry in list form because I'm feeling random...

1. I've been thinking about getting a new laptop. And because Apple's advertising is so damn effective and their products are aesthetically pleasing, I want to try the MacBook. But I'm a little worried about the transition from a PC to a Mac. Anyone have any tips? I probably won't even be able to take the plunge until after the wedding (when I'll have money) but hey, it doesn't hurt to do some wishful thinking. :P

2. I recently found the Candy Blog. BEST. BLOG. EVER. Right now I'm actually going through the archives and *drooling* over all the yummy candy.

3. I've become addicted to paper crafts and rubber stamping. I have no clue how this came about. All I know is that I'm at Paper Source or Michaels about once a week to feed my obsession. I'm even taking a rubber stamping class next Sunday. I guess it's about time I took up a hobby other than watching TV all the time. Heh. :D

4. Now I'm watching the MTV Video Music Awards...

5. Just finished Britney's performance. Hmm. She seemed incredibly nervous and uncomfortable. :( Which makes me sad cause I'm really rooting for her. (What can I say -- I'm a huge fan and apologist). She looked great, though. I think I'm neutral on the song... didn't love it but didn't hate it, either.

6. I hate the style of this year's VMAs. What's with all the different "suites/parties?" They made the whole show so disjointed. Plus, I watch the VMAs for all the performances and I hated how they only showed pieces of them. Blah.

7. Sarah Silverman was awful. And I hated her jokes about Britney's kids. :(

8. Performances I enjoyed... Linkin Park, Alicia Keys, Timbaland/Justin/Nelly Furtado. But my favorite was Chris Brown! I know. He can't act (see: The OC) but he sure can dance.

9. Poor Vanessa Hudgens (of High School Musical fame) is having a horrible, horrible week. :( Her nude photos get leaked on the internet and now there's talk of her being replaced in the next HSM movie. I hope not -- I love her! I know Disney is known for their knee-jerk reactions but I hope they just chalk this up to her being young and stupid.

Hope everyone has a good week ahead!

Posted by Kel at 11:20 PM | Comments (4)

September 7, 2007

I got back into the routine of things here so quickly that I totally forgot to blog about my trip to LA last weekend. The first thing that comes to mind is that it was HOT. Unbelievably hot. But seriously, I had a fabulous weekend. Rob and I were running around LA & the OC for wedding meetings but we still had time to hang out... I got to catch up with my best friends (and bridesmaids!), we attended a friend's barbecue and sat around their pool, and we even took our parents' out to dinner so we could all finally sit down together. It was the kind of weekend that reminded me of how much I love Southern CA. I really do miss it.

OH! I also got to try Pinkberry, which is the frozen yogurt craze that's taken over LA (the chain has been seen on MTV's The Hills). I really, really liked it. I had an original yogurt with strawberry and mochi (rice cake) toppings. YUM. It's expensive, though.

Anyway, does anyone remember the last time Rob and I were in LA scouting out possible wedding venues? Well, now that we've picked a venue, I thought I'd go back and post pictures and thoughts from the others that we didn't choose. Mostly because I think it might be nice to have a journal, if you will, of the wedding planning process.

(I know it's starting to be ALL WEDDING, ALL THE TIME here but I can't help it! It's pretty much taken over my life... but I'm trying my best not to blog exclusively about wedding stuff. Really, I am!).

Here we go...

La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes

It's located high on a hill in the Palos Verdes Estates and it's a phenomenal venue. The ceremony site overlooks the Pacific Ocean...

I could totally see us getting married here if the set-up for the reception area was different. As it is, the dining tables are in a separate room than the dance floor so the whole flow didn't feel right. The dining area was also super tight, like there wasn't a lot of room to move around freely.

Seven Degrees in Laguna Beach

seven-degrees looks like a fun, fun place to have a wedding but pretty much as soon as Rob and I got there, we knew it wasn't for us. It has a totally hip and modern feel and we're not exactly a hip and modern couple, lol. It's a multi-purpose creative space that's used to showcase art, paintings, etc. I wish I had a photo of the ballroom to share because it's amazing... it has the latest in audiovisual technology and super cool lighting. (Carmen, if you're reading this, I can totally see you getting married at a place like this -- it's so trendy and chic).

Long Beach Museum of Art in Long Beach

This is the view of the museum from the outside.

I am in love with ocean backdrops for a ceremony. Sooo pretty.

Another beautiful venue but again, it was just a touch too modern for us. An outdoor wedding would have been nice but unfortunately the museum is located in a residential area, which means the reception could only run until 10pm (boo). It's also on a major thoroughfare so I was really concerned about the noise from the street and cars that would be driving by (you can see how close the traffic lights are in the picture below of the reception area).

Rancho Las Lomas in Silverado

RLL is an absolutely gorgeous private estate in central Orange County. The grounds are lush and colorful and it even houses a semi-private zoo!

The ceremony area. Please excuse the horrible lighting in the picture. It's really beautiful. Trust me.

The courtyard where the cocktail area is normally held. The building in the background is the Grand Salon, where the reception would take place...

The ballroom. Just imagine it with tables and a dance floor.

I *adore* this place. It was actually tied with the Grand Newport Plaza (our eventual venue) for our first choice... until I found out that there's no air conditioning in the ballroom. And I wanted a summer wedding. Yeah. No go. I couldn't put my family and friends through that excruciating heat. I even looked into possibly having an April or October wedding when the weather is cooler but RLL books fast. The majority of the dates I wanted were already gone. Plus, as I've mentioned before, my dad is paying for the reception and while he thought RLL itself was nice, he hated that it was so far and difficult to find (which yes, it is -- when Rob and I went to see it, we missed the turn into the estate too). I (begrudgingly) had to admit he was right but I was really bummed about it for awhile.

We really didn't visit a lot of venues (I know people who have visited 20+ and we only saw 5!) and we even contemplated taking a second trip down to visit more places and expand our search to include golf courses and/or hotels but honestly, my mind kept going back to the GNP. The Spanish-style architecture is lovely and the ceremony area is breathtaking. When we go back to visit it again, I'll have to take pictures to show you all. :)

Posted by Kel at 11:45 PM | Comments (2)

September 5, 2007

The new fall TV season is right around the corner and I am GOING TO FINISH LAST SEASON'S WRAP-UP if it kills me.

Beware spoilers...

Lost
I don't really remember much leading up to the season finale. OOPS. I do know that the second half of the season was *far* better than the first. As far as the finale, I vaguely remember the following:
-- I liked Jack again. Mostly because he was crazy and suicidal.
-- Hurley attacking the Others with the bus. That rocked.
-- Future Kate is *gorgeous.*
-- Jack and Juliet's kiss bugged the heck out of me. *twitches* DO. NOT. BELONG. TOGETHER.
-- It took Charlie's death to make me like him. For probably the first time ever. I'm (surprisingly) going to miss the guy.
I have no idea where all the storylines are going but I'm actually enjoying the show again. YAY.

Smallville
I used to be a huge Clark/Lana fan but at this point, their relationship is just silly. How many times are they going to be ripped apart and then thrown back together again?! UGH. The finale was pretty forgettable except for the fact that Lana's car was blown up (is she dead or not?!?) and Chloe's power was revealed (is she dead or not?!?). Oh, and I guess the Phantom Zoner took a piece of Clark's DNA and is now masquerading around with his likeness. Good times.

Supernatural
One word: Awesome. Dean sacrificing himself to bring Sam back. Ellen and Bobby kicking ass. Dean shooting the demon with some help from Dad... I thought the finale brought a satisfying end to the demon storyline. But I'm totally anxious about the set up of next season's arc. *bites fingernails* You know, I rarely blog about this show but GAWD, it's so good and I love the Winchesters to pieces.

HUH. I just realized that I never watched the season finales for Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, and One Tree Hill so I guess I'm actually done with my TV reviews for now. Maybe I'll get around to it in the future but knowing me, I won't. I'll probably just read the recaps on Television Without Pity and call it a day.

Next up: I'm going to plan my TV schedule for the season. I intend on scaling it WAY back. I tried to keep up with too many shows last season and as you can see, that totally flopped. :P

Posted by Kel at 11:35 PM | Comments (1)