Open Mic Night in Sherman Oaks

Four jobs keeps you busy, trust me, I know, so it's nice when I have some free time to go out and do something fun like checking out my friend, Mark Alan's Open Mic Night at The Cork Lounge in Sherman Oaks.  He does Music Showcases at The Parlor on Saturday's but since I'm always working I haven't been able to go, so this Thursday Open Mic gave me a chance to check out him along with some of his friends!

Kristina and I decided this was perfect for a little Girl's Night and made our way to Sherman Oaks after we both got done with work.  The Cork Lounge was inside a Diner, which scared me at first, but ended up being perfectly charming and awesome!  There were a few singer/songwriters and then comedians before the Main Acts took the stage.  Of course, LA is so small that one of the singers in the duo looked so familiar I couldn't figure it out until yesterday when I checked out their Facebook page to listen to more music and realized he belonged to a band and was the lead singer, and we had met at Saint's & Sinner's back in the day!  Another one of the singers had been on 'The Voice' and could have recorded her album right there on the Cork Lounge stage with how amazing her vocals were.  My friend, Mark, was incredible; great lyrics, connected with the songs and everyone in the room, and impressed Kristina and I to boot!

At The Cork Lounge in Sherman Oaks for Open Mic Night!

After the show there was a little sing-along before everyone made their way to Mad Bull to cap off the night.  Personally, I've liked Mad Bull every time I've gone in; the drinks and food are great but the service is pretty hit or miss.  As I walked into Mad Bull on a Thursday night I was transported to Brothers in Winona Minnesota circa 2004.  It's been a long time since I've felt like I was in a college environment and while it was slightly nostalgic, I'll take my dimly-lit dive bar any day of the week, unless my Winona Crew are the ones filling up the bar stools and dance floor!  Overall, Kristina and I had a blast and can't wait to check out Mark's Show again and see some new talent!

Since this is a Music Post, I'll catch up with the past 2 weeks of Karaoke!  Two weeks ago I opened with 'You Were Meant For Me' by Jewel and kept it slow with 'Listen To Your Heart' by Roxette.  Then, it was time for some classic songs including Bon Jovi's 'You Give Love A Bad Name' and 'I Just Called to Say I Love You.'  My new song of the night was Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' since it was my brother, Bobby's, Birthday, and Nirvana is one of his favorite bands.  The song actually went alright, surprisingly!  I closed out the night with Phil Collin's version of 'Against All Odds.'  Last weeks selections since it was a really quiet night and I was feeling some emotional music included 'The Shoop Shoop Song' by Cher, 'Think Twice' by Celine Dion, and 'Insensitive' by Jann Arden.  My new song of the night was 'I Will Love You' by Fisher which I've loved for years, and want to sing again soon.  I finished up the night with 'Here Without You' by 3 Doors Down and Jewel's 'Don't' which is also one of my favorites!  Even though Karaoke has been slow the past 2 weeks in a row, it was musical success :)

Hair Model for a Day!

Last week I had the pleasure of working with a friend of mine I haven't seen in years!  Randy works at Salon Sessions in Pasadena, and they were looking for Models for a Blow-Dry Campaign they were doing.  Lucky me, I was told to be at the Salon at 9 am on Tuesday morning!

Prepping for Look #2

Wind Set-Up

It took less than an hour to make it to Pasadena (YAY) and I arrived to the Salon make-up ready with Spring & Summer clothing options. They said my current hair for the 'Before' picture was healthy and cute so they decided for my 'After' they would cut my bangs and do a trim to really show off the Style they were going to give me.  

I've told stories before about getting picked on in School but when I was younger, one of the things that I was picked on for was my hair.  I was never quite sure why.  I had long dark brown hair that had a natural wave to it, which when I was little, I would make my Mom blow-dry straight so it would look like the other girls.  Even still, I was told I was ugly, my hair was terrible, and I would be better off if I was bald.  Perhaps being picked on and teased is one of the reasons I've continued to strive for success, pushed harder to achieve my goals, and won't take 'no' for an answer.  This felt like one of those great moments of accomplishment; I got booked on this job because of my hair!

The rest of the morning two Stylists worked on my hair and I had a Mini-Photo Shoot for both my After Looks while we listened to some fun dance music.  The first Look was an every day bouncy style and the second look was more dramatic, and the make-up artist changed my lip color and added lashes, which were insane!  Overall, it was such a great day, playing around on set, hanging out with some amazingly talented people, and feeling pampered with an awesome hair-cut and style!  Thanks for a sassy new look, Salon Sessions Pasadena!

You can see the Campaign here!

So thank you to the girls that tried to make me feel bad about myself, you may have gotten temporary joy out of hurting me and seeing my tears, but I'm stronger now because of you.  I won't give you credit for where I am today because I've done that on my own and with support of those who DO believe in me, but I am where I am because I won't give up, I won't give in, and that strength and courage I've learned is the only thing I will credit to you and for that I'm thankful.

For anyone who has been reading my blogs or is new to my page, thanks for stepping into my world and taking a look at who I am.  Stand tall, believe in yourself, and don't let anyone push you down; for anyone who is talking behind your back just means they are one step behind you, and you are moving forward to even bigger, better, and happier things :)

What's for Dinner? Part 13.

This is one of my favorite recipes that I got from my friend, Caleb, who had made me Dinner years ago and I had to get the recipe from him because it's the best Pesto I have ever tasted and I'm really excited to share it!

Caleb's Cilantro Pesto (My Way)

2 Bunches of Cilantro

3/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

My Pesto is the Besto :)

10 Dashes Tabasco (I didn't have Tobasco so I used 6 Dashes Cholula which comes out quicker than Tabasco)

3/4 Container Parmesan Cheese (I used 3/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese but you could certainly use more, although 3/4 of a Container sounded like a lot, even for the Cheese Lover in me!)

4 Cloves Garlic (I used 6 Cloves because I love Garlic)

1 Tsp Honey

*Add Water if Sauce gets too Thick

Cut off the ends of the stems on the Cilantro Bunches and then put those into a Blender or Food Processor and then add in all the other ingredients.  Once you've got everything in, blend until it's smooth and a beautiful bright green color.  After you've blended it you can store it until you use it because it does make quite a bit.  I used about half of it for my Dinner that night and was able to have seconds and even had leftovers just from using half and put the rest in the fridge to warm up next time.  When you're ready to use the Pesto heat it up on the stove top in a Frying Pan and once it starts to bubble add in your Pasta or pour over your Meal.

One of my favorite Dinner's!

This Pesto is such a great addition to a Pasta and it smells just heavenly!  In this case, I did Asiago & Garlic Tortellini, Shell Pasta, and Shrimp with Pesto and it made an awesome Dinner that was quick and easy!  

*Also pictured above was my Lemon Asparagus and a fun little Mango Cocktail I created with Blood Orange Vodka, Mango Green Tea, and Mango Juice.  YUM!  I also did an Arugula Salad with an Orange Citrus and Italian Dressing with Orange slices.  It was a Green & Orange Meal :)

What's for Lunch? Part 2.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am definitely a girl from Wisconsin and Cheese should have it's own Food Group.  I'm always searching for amazing Grilled Cheese and have grown up eating some of the best from the Sheboygan County Fair, to my Mom's, and the Grilled Cheese Truck in LA.  I decided to do a fun spin on a classic Grilled Cheese!

Avocado & Swiss Grilled Cheese

2 Pieces of Bread

1 Slice Swiss Cheese

1 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese

1 Tbsp Mozzarella Cheese

6 Thin Slices of Avocado

1/4 Cup Arugula

Butter or Margarine

LOVE!

Start off by heating your Frying Pan and put down one of the slices of bread, buttered side to the pan.  I only butter the grilling side (my Dad would load both ;)...DAD!) and then I put the Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese down so it starts to melt and makes the flip later, easier.  Next, lay your arugula and cover it with the Swiss Cheese and put the Avocado on next.  Then cover the sandwich with the second piece of bread, buttered side up.  Essentially, you only want to flip the Grilled Cheese once, so it's all about timing and that's different with every stove and every pan, so you'll have to figure out the perfect timing for you to get that beautiful golden color.  After the flip and once the other side is golden put that amazing Sandwich on a plate and enjoy! 
 

This was by far one of the best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches I've ever made.  All the different Cheeses worked well together, the Arugula brought a nice kick, and the Avocado was a healthy add-in that blended perfectly with the Cheese.  Overall, a fun little treat for myself, creating a gourmet Sandwich right at home!

April Birthday's!

Last weekend ended with my first roommate in LA's Birthday, and this week started with my new roommate's Birthday!  Ashley had her Sunday Funday Birthday at Cabo Cantina in Venice and Emily had her Birthday at our place of employment, The Garage!

I rarely go into Cabo anymore because my employment experience there was one of the worst I've ever had in my entire life, but that's a story for a different blog.  Also, I worked at a different location with different managers and staff and actually really like the people that work at the Venice location so I was happy to go and celebrate Ashley's Birthday with a tasty margarita and some yummy food!  We got there at 5 pm just in time for 2-4-1 Happy Hour and I ordered Ashley and I Margarita's and we finally got settled into a booth downstairs with some of her friends and Gretchen, Cabo's very own Mascot.  I seriously fell in love with this little pup, and was completely content with her snuggling in my lap for most of the evening.  I used to love going into Cabo for drinks and I was reminded how much fun it was being here for Ashley's Birthday so I know I will be back and perhaps even having a 'Buddy Day' and taking a cab home, waking up in Ashley's bed, and talking about finding a bar at 6 am so we can cure our 8 pm hangover from the previous night ;)

The Birthday Girl and I with Gretchen at Cabo Cantina

 On Tuesday, it was Emily's Birthday at The Garage, and she had a beautiful cake that I was handed a piece of upon arrival that was made by Shane and Patrick and was absolutely delicious!  Nice job, guys!  Birthday shots were in order to start the evening and then it was a night of catching up with friends and co-workers while enjoying a low-key evening at an awesome bar!  Lots of people showed up and celebrated and there was even a late night excursion that will be kept Top Secret and remembered for years :)  It was awesome to see everyone outside of their work clothes and enjoying themselves for a special occasion and we were all happy to celebrate with Emily on her 23rd Birthday!  

Birthday Girl Emily and I at The Garage

I've got more Birthday's to celebrate this month and I can't wait to catch up with good friends and create awesome memories!

*By the way, the March Madness Championship Game was on Monday and I watched the game while I was working at The Garage so happy because I knew Louisville was going to win, but unfortunately I lost my Bracket in the tie-breaker round, as the Winner had 113 points, and then there were 3 of us with 112, but I had guessed too low on the Final Score so I came in 4th.  I did my research on the scores and everything but was still really proud to do that well when this was the first time I've ever filled out the bracket and played for money.  There's always next year!

Love Potion #9

Last weekend my friend, Andrea, called me to ask if I would be available on Wednesday this week to shoot a short film with her friend, Blaze, in the style of "The Craft" and "Fatal Attraction."  I was intrigued and got a few details about the script from her and said I was in!

 

So on Wednesday afternoon, I grabbed the closest looking jewelry I had to an engagement ring and headed to her place in Hollywood where we would be filming just a few blocks away at Runyon Canyon.  I've hiked or ran the Canyon a couple times with some friends and aside from it being a good work-out it has an amazing view, not to mention, it made me realize everyone in LA has a dog and I want one!  AND I think every person that passed by was a model or actor...yes, we definitely live in LA.

I had just one scene between myself and Blaze; I play his wife and Andrea plays a crazy girl that falls in love with him and makes a potion to make him fall in love with her after she finds out that he's married.  It was a fun and flirty scene where we walked hand in hand and strolled through Runyon, joking and laughing.  Easy breezy and after a few takes the shoot was wrapped for the day.  I think everything will be finished in a few weeks so hopefully in May I'll have some new footage for my reel :)

Our Director & Lead Actor, Blaze, the Leading Lady and Crazy Girl, Andrea, and Wifey Lyndsey

A special shout-out and thank you to my Wolfie for having me come in and I'm so glad that we finally got to work on something together and will hopefully get to do it again soon!

PS. Check out that bling bling...woo!

*Filling in from last week at Karaoke I started the night with a few oldies, doing 'Be My Baby' by The Ronettes, and then 'Where Did Our Love Go' by The Supremes.  It's been forever since I sang Alanis Morissette's 'You Oughta Know' and next up it was Kelly Clarkson's 'Addicted' which is such a guilty pleasure song because it's so evil and edgy.  I ended up doing two new songs, the first being 'Try' by Pink, and then 'Belle' from "Beauty and The Beast" because a whole group of my friends were in and everyone decided to do a Disney song, it was a full on Disney Super-Set!  Khad, Carolyn, and I sang 'Baby One More Time' and then closed out with 'Candy' by Mandy Moore.  It was honestly great to see a bunch of my friends and have a really fun and upbeat evening at Karaoke!

What's for Dinner? Part 12.

It's been a while since I've been able to try some new recipes or experiment with cooking and since there's been a flu bug and cold going around LA I decided a hearty soup would keep me healthy and happy!

I did find this recipe off a website and just made some slight changes to it.

http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/vegetablesandvegetarian/r/asparagussoup.htm

Low Fat Asparagus Soup (Vegan)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 1/2 Lbs Asparagus OR a Bunch and a Half (Cut into 1-2 inch pieces)

1 Medium Onion (Chopped)

1 Leek (I used both white and light green parts)

1 Large Potato (Peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces)

3 1/4 Cups Vegetable Broth

Salt & Pepper

Optional: 1 Tbsp Low-Fat Sour Cream per bowl and a Sprinkle of Cheese (adding either of these will make the Soup NOT the Vegan version)

Vegetables!

It took me quite some time to chop all my vegetables (and I had to stop twice to wash my face from the tears running down my cheeks thanks to an extremely potent onion) but once everything was ready, I pulled out the biggest pot I had and heated my Olive Oil.  Once it was hot I added all my vegetables in and cooked for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then, I poured the Vegetable Broth in and let it simmer or gently boil for 20 minutes until all my vegetables were soft.  I seasoned with Salt & Pepper along the way and unfortunately was out of fresh Garlic or I would have chopped some and put about 4-6 cloves in as well to add some more flavor.  Once everything was softened I grabbed my blender and pureed the soup in 2 parts until everything was smooth and creamy.  I put everything back into the Pot and stirred to make sure it was all mixed properly.  Lastly, I got my bowl ready, added a dollop of sour cream on top and enjoyed my healthy and almost Fat Free Dinner!

Vegan Asparagus Soup

Next time I make the soup I'll make sure to add some Garlic and perhaps use Chicken Broth for a fuller flavor.  Other than that, it was delicious and had a really nice vegetable kick to it and since I love asparagus I found this a fun and different way to eat it :)

March Catch-Up

As I finished off a really busy month of work I couldn't believe how quickly the month of March went by!  Valentine's Day was over a month and a half ago, my parents were in town at the end of February into early March, and St. Patrick's Day was nearly 3 weeks ago!  Where is this time going?

I'm proud that I've been keeping true to my Resolutions that I'm still singing a new song at Karaoke every week, and last week's music began with 'Redneck Woman' and continued with one of my favorite Cher songs, 'If I Could Turn Back Time.'  I switched over to some alternative rock with Gabage's 'I'm Only Happy When it Rains' and 'Sober' by Pink.  My new song of the night was 'Disarm' by the Smashing Pumpkins and I was really happy with how well it went and can now play around with the key and improve upon it.  From then on it turned into a Musical night with a whole super-set from "Les Mis" and I did my best performance of 'On My Own.'  Closing out the night was a duet and also another new song for me, 'Dangerous Game' from "Jekyll & Hyde" which I've been dying to sing since seeing the show at The Pantages.

My other Resolution of doing something new once a month is also going strong since I saw Buckcherry at The Viper Room, went to watch my friend, Nick Amado, win Cabaret Idol, and traveled up the Coast to spend some time in Carmel with my family.  On top of all of that, I joined a March Madness League and am doing pretty well for not knowing anything about the College Basketball Teams.  The Final Four games are happening this weekend with the Championship Game on Monday, so fingers crossed that I'll win some prize money!

My Goal for April is to take some time to film something or shoot some new headshots.  I need to re-focus on my Acting and push myself to do something for me this month :)