Skiing in May

Well sadly Kevin and I didn't take any pictures of our weekend Ski trip in Mammoth. I remain loyal to my theory that "the best times are often undocumented" but maybe that's just an excuse.

I'd just like to start off by saying, "Can you belive I went skiing in May?"

When I stuck my head into Jeff's office on Friday afternoon (He's the Exec. Prod at my company) he was having a meeting with Laura (my boss). She said, "Go, go home, go skiing," and to that Jeff questioned, "water skiing??"

No I replied, though the thought saddened me just a bit as we all know how addicted I am to water skiing. Snow skiing in May would have to do.

I'd loaded my car on my lunch break, so as soon as I finished at the office I was ready to go meet Kevin at his place. We'd spent the afternoon texting each other about our excitement for the weekend ahead. At one point I decided I'd find a funny little poem about skiing and send it to him, so I found this poem:



Skiing by Philip Mitchell


Skiing?

No I don't think so
I don't want to break a limb
I fancy my chances of staying intact are hopelessly, painfully slim.

My balance is all wrong you see
I can't even walk a straight line
No, a pair of skis are incompatible with these clumsy legs of mine.

I'll admit the scenery looks amazing, in the brochures that I've seen,
But there's a world of danger in the:
a) trees
b) cliffs
c) slopes
d) ravines

Call me a wimp,
I don't care
I'll admit I am a cynic.
But I don't want to spend my hard earned cash
On a holiday that ends in the clinic.

Copyright; Phillip Mitchell


I thought it was a funny little poem, but I decided to add my own poetic response before sending the email to Kevin, so I wrote this: (pardon the language)


Skiing?

Pass it up
You must be insane
Because many can't wait to get on the slopes, and often they welcome the pain.

Though your balance is off
and you do seem quite lazy
If you pass this chance up, I dare say you are most definitely crazy!

Oh Dear, dear Unfortunate Phillip, the things that you'd be missing
Freak accidents can occur at anytime
like when you're:
a) driving
b) cooking
c) working
d) even pissing

So get off your ass
Grab your ski boots
and stop being such a wussy
Cause one day in a clinic is clearly not as bad
As spending the rest of your life as a fuckin pussy!!

Copyright Heather Broeker


Kevin got a kick out of this and sent my "edited" version to his friend Dave who owns a ski shop. Kevin consults for the ski shop and apparently Kevin and Dave intend to post my poetic genius.


So Kevin and I left LA around 7pm, an inconvinient time for avoiding traffic, but none the less we managed to keep up a good driving pace. Mammoth is about 5-6 hours outside of LA, and Kevin intended to stop around Bishop to camp. Using one of his maps, he found a dusty dirt road that his truck handled just find. We headed towards some hot springs and found a deserted area set beautifully between the mountains and blanketed by a star-filled ski. We camped in the back of his truck- an experience that was surprisingly warm, comfortable, and serene. We awoke refreshed and ready to hit the slopes. After grabbing a bite to eat and getting our gear on, we rode the guandela up Mammoth mountian. The skiing was a bit slushy, but the lack of vast crowds and aloof snow bunnies made up for the slightly difficult snow. We got a few runs in - Kevin was happy to push me a bit as he encouraged some "through the tree" skiing and one slope in particular that I would have rathered not try. Sandwiched between large rocks on one side and patches of dirt from the melted snow on the other, I hesitantly skiied down a narrow incline. It wasn't as bad as it looked - it never is, but it surly wasn't something I would have done unguided.

We took a beer break around noon. Kevin managed to perform some extreme alcohol abuse as he spilled not one, but two of his beers. Four beers and 28 bucks later, we each had the equivilant of maybe one beer in our systems. We hit one more slope and then headed to the car to retrieve Marley (Kevin's dog) who eagerly awaited our arrival.

Then we attempted to hit up some Hot Springs. The first was a bit too toristy for our liking. As we peered over the edge of the cliff in the Hot Springs' parking lot, we noticed about 15 people hundled together in the middle of a river. It seemed that was the only area warm enough to welcome swimmers, and we prefered not to get so intimate with strangers. We headed further up the rocky dirt paths and found another hot spring - this time there were only a few people, so we settled for the location. As Marley played with the other dogs in the mud, we sat in a natural pool of hot water and listened to two Mexican men talking about their work and the 15 free packs of cigarettes their employer provided each day. God bless America.

Later we went to Convict lake to bathe the now dirty Marley. With the dog clean, and us in dry clothes, we headed to Convict Lakes 4-Star restaurant. We had Rack of Lamb and Sea Scallops followed by Banana's Foster for dessert. Kevin told stories of his childhood camping trips during which the families obviously took much pride in meal preparation. While it seems that normal family camping trips are filled with hot dogs, s'mores and beans from a can, Kevin's family was cooking up filet mignon, homemade pizzas, roasts, and yes, Banana's Foster. I'm sure the evening's dessert left him with fond memories and most definitely a full stomach.

We got back on the road to head south where we'd camp again for the night. We found another old dirt road that supposedly housed another hot spring - according to Kevin's book. It, however, took as a while to find this one. The eary road was seemingly a Vortex as the path to the camp site was no where to be found. I was thanking my lucky stars that I hadn't watched any horror movies lately as the vacant road creeped me out just a bit. Once we found the spot, we took a look at the large hot spring pool. It's amazing what a bit of darkness can do to a pool of water - neither of us wanted to go near the thing as it looked incredibly uninviting. We set up camp in the back of the truck, I took out my contacts, and just as we were both falling asleep I hear Kevin say, "you've got to be kiding me". "What?" I was thinking, but then I got my answer as I felt the rain coming down on my head. We both jumped up quickly and began to pack everything up as the wind started to pick up.

Something blew out of the truck and I, still lacking my site without contacts, ran off into the darkness to attempt to retreive it. I didn't get far though as I felt the earth below me soften and sink between my toes. I was up to my calfs in mud or muck of some sort and no matter what way I turned to step, it seemed as if I'd never get out of the watery sink hole. I emerged finally and scampered back to the car. By this time the rain had stopped. Ironically, though, the entire car was now packed up and I was drenched in water and mud. To make matters worse, I couldn't see anything. Kevin led me over to the scary hot spring where I attempted to clean myself off. I stripped down to my t-shirt and cleaned my feet and shoes. We through my pants in the back of the truck and attempted to sleep in the car of the truck. It wasn't too uncomfortable, so we decided to remain there for the evening.

In the morning, the camp site was surly a comedic site. The mud spot that had felt like the entire world sinking into a murky grave the night before, was merely a tiny mud puddle in the morning light. Kevin was still sleeping (now on the ground outside) as I laughed at the foot prints I had made in the mud. It appeared that I had litterally stepped EVERYWHERE in the mud except for in the direction that would have led me to dry land. Like some odd diagram of dance steps, I could see the path I had made through the mud puddle in front of me. I went back to sleep for a bit, but was awoken when Kevin opened my door. He too must have seen the mud puddle as he was cracking up. "Did you see where you stepped last night" At least my run in with the mud puddle had made for some early morning laughs.

We got back on the road and headed further south. We took the scenic route home and saw some pretty amazing parts of California. I'd say all in all it was a pretty eventful May ski trip.

Jenn's 23rd B-day party

My friend Jennifer turned 23 on the 27th. We went to Ca De Sole, the restaurant that I wrote a review on a few months ago. It's a really nice Italian restaurant and the perfect setting for a fun and fabulous time with friends. Besides the Unicorn Premiere, it was the first time I really got to introduce Kevin to some of my friends. We had a blast and the food, as it was before, was excellent.

Here is the review I wrote about the restaurant:

Ca Del Sole - A slice of Italy in the Valley

Depart from the bustling streets of North Hollywood and enter the house of the sun. Ca Del Sole will romance your taste buds with rich Italian cuisine and take you far from the valley into a world of Venetian delight.
Located at 4100 Cahuenga Boulevard just off of Lankershim, this Italian restaurant and bar is a refreshing break from the norm that surprises you from the moment you drive up to the entrance. As the restaurant is located on a street surrounded by car dealerships and hole-in-the-wall shops, one would not normally expect the treasure that awaits, but let it be assured that this is indeed a diamond in the rough.
Experience a taste of Venice in one of Ca Del Sole’s three uniquely designed dining rooms or consider their elegant banquet facilities for your next big event. Before dining, you might arrive early and enjoy cocktail hour in their cozy bar as their exquisite wine list is surly deserving of time and attention. Valet parking is available and reasonably priced.
Enter down the path of twinkling lights and creeping vines that cover the arched walkway into the dimly-lit entry hall where you will be graciously greeted. From George Gallo's landscapes that line the whitewashed brick walls to the warm glow of the double-faced fireplace, the dining experience is both cozy and classic. Guests can sit comfortably in decorative booths with large, linen-covered tables that leave ample room for the Italian fare awaiting them. As you take in the comforting smells of garlic and spices, you will immediately notice how at home you feel within Ca Del Sole’s walls. The restaurant has managed to perfectly blend hospitality with classic elegance in order to create an experience that is nothing short of divine.
Choose from an extensive selection of wine like the '03 Dolcetto D'Alba or the '04 Schulthauser Pinot Bianco as the aromas from the kitchen begin to tantalize your senses. The ristorante's staff is attentive and extremely professional, and Manager Angelo D. Calderan mingles throughout the dining room quietly conveying that he understands the importance of catering to the needs of each guest. Guests feel at home as the staff offers up friendly advice on how to choose from a menu of seemingly endless choices.
Fresh bread and olive spread are served immediately, but you may want to also start with an antipasto of fresh Quail ($10.25) delicately served on a plate of soft polenta, or perhaps you would be interested in trying the Carpaccio ($8.95) - thin slices of raw, naturally grown, beef filet served beautifully on a bed of shaved Parmesan, capers and extra virgin olive oil. Don't leave without trying the homemade Pâte di Anatra ($9.75) served with toasted bread, mache, and quince compote. You will be dreaming of the dish long after you’ve left.
For your main course, the Speciali come highly recommended. The Linguine Vongole ($12.95) is exquisite - Linguine tossed with Manila clams, garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes and olive oil, or for something a bit different try the Wild Boar ($17.75) cooked in red wine, fresh vegetables and herbs and served over soft polenta. Executive Chef Soerke Peters' dishes are savory, succulent and divinely plated with the utmost attention to detail. The herbs are freshly chosen and many of the dishes are made from scratch like the Agnolotti ($13.95) - handmade tortellini filled with braised pork, chicken, veal, and fresh herbs. For dessert, indulge in the Banana Mouse ($6.25) or the rich, warm Chocolate Almond Cake.
From the first slice of Bread and Olive spread or the first sip of sparkling water to the last taste of the Vanilla Crème Sauce that lines many of the dessert dishes, Ca Del Sole will leave you mesmerized by the Italian experience. The menu changes on a regular basis, but the surprises awaiting you on each unique menu are sure to please all of your senses. It will be no surprise if you don't want the evening in this fine Italian Ristorante to end, so sip contently on a warm cup of Cappuccino and let the memories linger as the sun sets on Ca Del Sole.


Ca Del Sole is located at 4100 Cahuenga Blvd in Toluca Lake. For more information visit their website at www.cadelsole.com or call 818 985 4669 to make a reservation.

Unicorn Premiere

A few days ago we had the premiere of my first short film "The Modern Unicorn's Guide to Love and Magic" I produced the film and it was directed and written by Ryan Moore. Dan, my roommate, edited the film. We premiered at "Cinespace" in Hollywood. It was a great venue where guests could drink and mingle before the show started. Then I introduced the film which, minus my minor intoxication, went well. Kevin (in the pictures) attended the premiere with me and a lot of my friends came to support me. I think it went over fairly well. I'm pretty critical, but we definitely had a great time.







I also had the privalage of meeting BJ, from this season's "Amazing Race". Later the next week, he invited me to a viewing party of the show and we had a blast. He's a really fun guy and I'm sure we'll stay friends. He and his teammate Tyler are doing really well on the show. If you haven't watched, last week was pretty intense as they almost lost the game coming in fourth place in a foot race. However, it ended up being a "non-elimination" round so the boys were saved. They took all their money and clothes (except the ones they were wearing), but at least they're still in the running.

1/2 Marathon Paso Robles Trip

On April 9th Belden, Seton and I ran a 1/2 Marathon in wine country. Running a full 13+ miles was clearly an excuse to spend the rest of the week vacationing, so the three of us told our bosses we'd be "outie" for the week and we packed our bags. This would be my first real vacation since I graduated college. Previous days off had been dedicated to weekend trips home to NC for weddings. While the weddings were of course memorable, they often felt like whirlwinds leaving me less relaxed then when I'd left LA LA land. It was time for a real vacation filled with relaxation, dining, and stressless travel.... boy was I mistaken - ha ha


Our first attempt at relaxation was the run. Yeah right! The race was wonderful. Centered in beautiful wine country, we ran through the vineyards and rolling farmlands. The sunrise over the hills was peaceful and the weather was perfectly cool and crisp for a morning run. . We'd stayed the night before at a motel near by. Rasila (the boy's sister) and Rodney (her husband) met us in Paso Robles to support us at the race.

Rasila and Rodney, being the avid wine lovers that they are had hit the wineries before the three of us even got are acts in gear Saturday morning. They called around 2pm when we were on the road. "Where exactly are you?" Rasila asked. The three of us laughed at each other as we explained how we'd passed our exit. It was no surprise that we'd missed our exit for the following reasons:

1) Seton was driving, but his mind was on an equation he was working on - trying to fit the line to the curve for one of his tests.

2) I was navigating, but clearly paying more attention to the IPOD songs that I just had to play for Belden

3) Belden was in the back seat. It wasn't his responsibility to watch the road and honestly can you blame a guy for missing a HUGE sign reading "Paso Robles this way" when some crappy country song is being blasted in his ear?


We finally got our directions strait and headed to meet the drunken Rodney and Rasila. This "lost trio" would be an ongoing theme during our trip. As prepared as we were with our Trip Notebook complete with itinerary and road maps, we managed to make a few wrong turns here and there throughout our vacation. Live and learn (and then re-live it as you turn around and backtrack).


The morning of the race was exciting. We arrived at the site with plenty of time to spare.
We took pictures and went to the bathroom a million and one times. Here's Seton making the long walk to the Portajohns.

Well you'd think that a group that had an hour and a half to spare would have no time making the start of the race. You'd be thinking wrong. This Chatting Threesome managed to completely miss the start. We had to run all the way back to the start line to begin the race. (Here's a picture of THE REST of the runners starting)



(And here's a picture of us to the right - the three small figures in the distance - 5 minutes behind the pack. By the way, we didn't dress alike on purpose. Promise!)


We ended up being a whole 5 minutes behind the group, but luckily it didn't take too long to catch up. Belden came in first place in his age group and Seton placed second. I came in 6th place in my age group and was thrilled that I'd shaved five minutes off my time.

"I wonder what place I would have come in if we started on time," Seton said.
"Um, you would have come in second. I'm the one who beat you ," Belden responded. Maybe Seton's brain was just dehydrated .


After the race we figured we'd take advantage of our bodies' tolerance levels. AKA - we drink one shot of wine and we're drunker than an alter boy after communion. So we headed to the local wineries. Everything was amazing. We learned about wines and the area's vineyards, we drank and we toured the area. We even went to an Olive Oil tasting. I thought of Ahmad and how he'd adore such a setting - pita bread in hand. Seton and I couldn't resist the olive oil soaps that smelled sooo amazing! Unfortunately we misread the sign. We thought they were $1 each, but were actually $7. Belden couldn't understand why we were loading our baskets. When we found out the real price, we reduced our numbers down to two each - plus some olive oil lip gloss.



This is a picture of Rasila (left) and me (right) It looks like Seton is hiding behind me. Sorry we're not paying attention to the camera. The view was just TOOO incredible! You could see vineyards for miles and miles on the rolling hills. By the way - aren't my pants totally hot!?!


The ride home that evening was a bit, well, drunken. Wait, wait, I'm not saying the driver was drunken. I believe it was Belden and he was sober, but I was not so well. Like my dear mother, one drink and I'm hung over. I had a headache from the 12-20 shots of wine I'd had, but it was well worth it. A trip to the Mexican restaurant in Morro Bay where we stayed that night made it all better. Of course Seton and I were now adjusting to the "Belden Diet" that is, we're learning quickly that we're not to eat Sugar or fats. We passed up the chips that night and spooned salsa into our mouths. YUM.