All for Love

So right after 99.9 started, I commented that I wanted to hear some Color Me Badd. Today, my wish has finally been granted, and I am currently grooving to "All for Love." I believe this song was on at least one, if not both of my first two CD's, MTV's Party to Go Volume 2 and Beverly Hills, 90210: The Soundtrack. Ok, I checked, and it's on the Party to Go but not on the 90210, which features Color Me Badd's "Got 2 Have U." I don't recall this song, I assume it wasn't a hit. Oh CMB.
Well I've finally finished my crazy school week, so I can update again. I have to finish my California stories, if only because I NEVER finish vacation stories. Joliet adventures as of late haven't been too wild, but Wendy and I did have an amusing encounter at Samy's the other night. We arrived and had been sitting for a little while when a waitress came over and told us that the guys 3 tables down were buying our next round of drinks. We waved and said thanks, and eventually one of them came over. We chatted for a few minutes and he commented how much he loved the music they were playing at the bar, and started VERY loudly singing Jet's "Cold Hard Bitch." (Note: later on in the evening I heard him singing the same song to another group of confused girls. Great moves!) He then informed me how much he loved "the Jets" (I sincerely think he wasn't professing his love for that Samoan pop band from the 80's that sang "I've Got a Crush On You" and "Rocket 2 U,") then informed us how he loved '80's music. I, of course, asked if he liked Journey. His response? "I don't really know many NEWER bands." Oh hell no.
Ok, goin' back to Cali (to Cali, to Cali). The Thursday of my trip was spent at Disneyland, where we met up with Regina's friend Kent. The rides were awesome ( I really enjoyed the Matterhorn and the Abominable Snowman with its pink eyes) and the people watching was also fabulous. Our personal favorite was a family in matching clothes, the females all in pink tee-shirts, the men in yellow. The father had a shirt that read "Yogurt on a Mission" (was this Mormon yogurt?) and the sons' shirts said "What Part of Gimme Don't You Understand?" Personally, I don't understand the "Gim," or maybe the "me." We spent a brief part of the day at California Adventure, the new addition to Disneyland, where we rode Tower of Terror and enjoyed their winetasting section. Yes, winetasting at Disneyland. It rocked. The highlight of the day, by far occurred on our second go-round on Splash Mountain. We decided this time that we needed to have a theme for the picture they take as you go down the mountain. We decided to all make faces like Patrick had farted, and the picture turned out fabulously. I'll post it up later. Patrick has acquired Justin Guarini-esque hair since last time I'd seen him (and was mistaken for Justin Guarini a couple times during my stay, despite the fact that Patrick is white), and it makes the picture that much more entertaining.
Friday morning Patrick dropped Regina and I off by Grauman's Chinese Theatre (the place with all the handprints) to pick up our bus for a tour of celebrity homes. We stopped by the Coffee Bean to get drinks beforehand, and I had Celebrity Sighting #3:

Shawn Hatosy. Ok, no one probably remembers this dude, but he was in The Faculty, that alien horror movie with Elijah Wood, and Outside Providence. Don't ask me how the hell I recognized him. He was ordering his drink after me, and at this place you have to give your name so they can yell it out when your drink is ready. I dawdled long enough for him to give his name, and it was indeed Shawn. He totally gave me "You know I'm famous" look, and I suspect he doesn't get that a whole lot so I was pleased to help out.
After that we went on our bus tour. Unfortunately, the tour bus was a little late getting there, and Regina and I were slightly worried we'd be late for our lunch reservations with Patrick. The tour was awesome, we saw Justin Timberlake and other random people's houses, and our Welsh (I think) bus driver was nice enough to drop us off at the restaurant we were going to for lunch. The restaurant in question was The Ivy, according to Us Weekly, a "hot spot" for seeing celebrities. The food was awesome, and we did have one celebrity sighting (Celebrity Sighting #4):

Peter Boyle, the dad from Everybody Loves Raymond. Patrick pointed him out to us, I don't know if I would have seen him otherwise. I have an irrational hatred for Everybody Loves Raymond, mostly based on my dislike of Ray's mom and my hatred for Patricia Heaton's need to be in Jewel commercials (what's next, David Schwimmer for Aldi?), but it was still amusing.

After lunch, we did some shopping in the area then headed to Melrose Avenue for more shopping. At Fred Segal on Melrose, Celebrity Sighting #5 occurred:

Soleil Moon Frye of Punky Brewster fame. Ms. Moon Frye is very tiny in person and was flitting about in hippie clothes, trying to pick out shirts for her husband. I had to say "Excuse me" to her at one point, and at another point, muttered under my breath, "I dressed up as you for Halloween," but I don't think she heard me. I was highly entertained. I should have asked her if Henry was still alive. The (smaller) highlight of the shopping trip was seeing a Joliet West gym uniform shirt in a vintage t-shirt store, yours for $44!!!!!! There are no words to describe my reaction. I wish I still had some of my old JCA shirts, I could make bank in Cali!

That night we went out for dinner and clubbing. We ate dinner at White Lotus, and got in to the club free since we ate dinner there. There were no celebrity sightings, as apparently they do their clubbing during the week, and the club, which apparently is pretty trendy, kind of had the atmosphere of a high school reunion. We were there for a little bit and decided to head on to greener pastures, ending up at another club called Bliss. They were guest-list only that night, but Patrick, sweet talked the owner and we got in. The clubs in LA were fun, but I could never make them a habit. Two rum and cokes were $20! I pined for $1.00 drafts. At Bliss we did not see any celebrities, but we did run into a guy we went to college with who starred on our student made soap opera, once was on an episode of reality show Change of Heart, and played a waiter on one of the last episodes of Sex and the City. He seemed kind of out of it so it was a fun conversation.

Saturday we met up with another friend from college, John, and his girlfriend to see a short film that one of the grad students from Northwestern had made and have brunch. After getting out of the film, I had the most exciting moment of my trip to Los Angeles. We walked out of the theater, went downstairs and were standing outside a coffee shop. I looked to my right and saw. . .Celebrity Sighting #6:

Adam Brody from The OC. Not the best picture of him, but it'll do. My current favorite show, the hottest guy on the show, if I was in third grade I would probably have a Adam Brody poster book. He's the successor to Kirk Cameron, Corey Haim, Jordan Knight, Joe McIntyre, Jason Priestley, Chris O'Donnell, and Vin Diesel on "Emily's Celebrity Crush list." Note: the majority of the prior crushes were in early grade school years, before I had taste. I debated whether I should go up to him, but my friends convinced me and I asked him to take a picture with me (as seen in my earlier entry). He was a very nice guy and very cute in person. Ah, the first time I met a celebrity I actually WANTED to see. Well, I wanted to see Jeff Probst and Sean Astin, but those were situations where they were guaranteed to be there rather than chance encounters.

Still dazed from my Adam Brody encounter, we walked down the street towards the Griddle Cafe for lunch. It's a popular place, and a lot of people were standing around outside. These people included. . .Celebrity Sighting #7:

Shane West, the guy from that Mandy Moore movie A Walk to Remember, among other stuff. Very hot in person, but he had the biggest sunglasses ever. We ended up eating outside, but I walked through the restaurant to go to the bathroom (until I heard the immortal line, "The floor's all wet. I hope it's not urine") and saw him again. Later Patrick took a great "paparazzi" picture of him from a distance. The rest of the day was spent checking out the Osbournes' house (we heard Sharon yelling for her dog), going to the beach in Malibu, eating dinner at an awesome Mexican restaurant, and taking Regina to the airport.
Sunday Patrick and I did some shopping at the Santa Monica promenade, walked around Venice Beach, then headed to his friend's beach party in Manhattan Beach. It was a great time, and we spent a lot of the night drinking and eating on a neighbor's deck near the top of the beach. We had a beautiful view of the beach, and a beautiful view of a guy getting arrested across the street. We watched the arrest process like it was Law and Order, and when it appeared that the arrestee's girlfriend was being left behind, the party hostess invited her up to tell us the story. The poor girl was 17, and apparently there was a warrant out for her boyfriend's arrest, and he was driving without a license. She hung out until her dad came to get her. Police blotter comes to life!
Monday, my last day in Los Angeles, was filled with more shopping, a trip to the Brady Bunch house, and going to see Collateral (three stars, kind of a downer but still very good). I slept the whole way home, and that was the end of my California trip. I'll put up pictures (and Joliet stories) later! Adios!