Guac, frying and Videotapes

Been working on something top secret and super exciting, so haven't been able to post about my work much for most of Feb... but will do soon. However, I can tell you what I've been up to otherwise!

I've heard it said that I "should be on the tourist board for LA" because I love living here, take advantage of every opportunity to do LA things and I have a loud voice about it. Let's stay on that topic for a minute. Since I last blogged we've had Shrove Tuesday (aka 'Pancake Day') which I gather isn't that well known or celebrated in the US, but back in Europe it is. We make pancakes and then give something up (like alcohol, sweets, cigarettes etc) for 40 days until Easter Day, and then we go back to gorging ourselves on our vices. In New Orleans they celebrate this day and use the French term 'Mardis Gras' which means 'Fat Tuesday'.

The Alcove, Los Feliz

I celebrated 'Mardis Gras' by making American style pancakes and going out in Los Feliz for the Mardis Gras celebrations. Also... and this is where it gets relevant....

* * ... I created a Tall Tales Productions YouTube channel! * * 

I fried up some real pancakes, used them as reference, and then made miniature pancakes for an editorial commission. Having discovered the 'timelapse setting' on my camera I decided to film the process and this is the video result! See it here or over at the channel.

In other fun LA lifestyle news, I was invited to a Guacamole party known as 'Guac Bowl' in which people bring the craziest and most imaginative guacamole offerings such as Oysters Guacafella, Wok-a-Guac, Devilled Gueggs, Guacamole cheesecake, Ice guax pies, Miso guacy sushi... you get the idea. I reiterate - "How much fun is living in LA?!" Not that quick off this mark I entered a fairly rudimentary little dollop of guacamole in a plain dish.

...However! I made the hosts a miniature guacamole gift and timelapsed that too! Watch it here or at the channel.

Photos from the Guac Bowl experience!

Aside from that, it's been fun and work, Angelyne sightings in my neighbourhood, work, meeting peacocks in a Wild West themed restaurant, work and work. Also, heads up - the next witch for 'Good Witches Bad Witches' is a Russian witch...

Will update more witch progress soon. Don't forget you may find more frequent work updates at my Instagram here.

Angelyne

Halloween LA Style!

You've heard me say it again and again, if you really LOVE Halloween, then you truly need to experience it LA style!

Halloween has been my favourite time of year since I can remember. My parents threw huge Halloween parties at our house in Oxfordshire which we'd decorate to high heaven and low hell and my dad would be Dracula. I absolutely loved it because for this short time life became a film set - all the props and decorations came out, everything was in disguise, everything was Gothic and exciting. I was mesmerized by it all.

For someone like me (someone that loves make-believe, horror, costume, props etc) then I really don't think there's a better place to be living than LA when Halloween descends. I don't have an update from my work world today, but I wanted to give a shout-out to LA and share some snaps from where I live (Los Feliz) in the week leading up to yesterday. The above photo is one I took 2 weeks ago on Hollywood Blvd of this group of gorgeous witches.

Earlier in October I went to the El Capitan theater on Hollywood Blvd to see 'Hocus Pocus' and afterwards browse their gallery of props and costumes from this movie.

I celebrated Halloween dressed (well kinda ish) as Queen Boadicea and went to a party where I met the best Sanderson Sisters short of the actresses (last photo), and also went to the Hollywood Bowl to see 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' with live orchestra and Danny Elfman singing along. He even got his guitar out at the end and did an Oingo Boingo number.

Finished the night at my local tiki bar - Tiki Ti where shrunken heads adorned the bar and just as at the bowl, everyone was in full costume.

My costume. This is taken from my Instagram account where I applied the 'rise' filter and it looks oh so much better!

These photos show my local diner where the Grim Reaper looms over the entrance in the fabulous October heat. Fred 62, Los Feliz. Next up, one of my favourite cafe's in my area. The counter was filled with their own candy, chocolate skull lollipops, Hallloween cookies... The Alcove, Los Feliz.

At the Hollywood Bowl! (First photo not mine)

Having a Zombie at the bar at Tiki Ti, Los Feliz.

The best Sanderson sisters ever! Photo taken at a party in Los Feliz!