blood drive wrap-up

Thank you to everybody who helped make the blood drive so well-attended, thank you to all the donors, friends of Laura, volunteers from Kaiser, people who helped spread the word, and kind strangers. Thank you Ali and Adam for organizing the event, I'm so glad Laura has such great friends. Thank you to my friends, old and new, who have been so supportive and helpful to me and my family during these trying times. I can't imagine how much more of a mess I would be if I didn't have you guys to shore me up.

If you were unable to donate because you arrived after the cut-off time, or you were just unable to donate blood this past Friday, you can still call Kaiser to schedule an appointment. Please mention Ali Mazarei and Laura so that Laura gets credit for your donation:

Mariliz B. Triggs
Blood and Platelet Program Coordinator
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
Blood Donor Center
Tie Line 363-7069 or (323) 783-7069
Cell (323) 868-1870
Pager (323) 341-1799
Email: Mariliz.E.Triggs(at)kp.org

The view from Adam's penthouse was spectacular and, as always, Adam was a great host. He served chinese chicken salad and a pasta salad for lunch and barbecued tri-tip for dinner. It had cooled down a bit, so it was nice to have dessert and watch the sunset from the patio.

The after-party at Cole's was also well-attended. Thank you Ali, you're the best. As promised, I See Hawks In LA played the back room, and it was beautiful. These guys can harmonize and boy oh boy can they play. Try not to miss their show at CalPlaza Watercourt in September. I don't think I could ever thank them enough for playing and for making it one of those perfect hot summer nights, that hang-out-at-a-dive-bar-with-my friends-listening-to-great-live-music-that-helps-to-not-make-my-heart-hurt-so-much kind of night. I need more nights like that, but I think we could all use more nights like that.

i've been away

It feels so good to spend time in my neighborhood again. I've been crazy busy lately, but it slowed down a little this week. I was working on two commercials back to back and the producer overlapped shooting and wrapping the last commercial with prepping for the film I just wrapped. We shot all over Los Angeles, but also shot at several downtown locations. Several times during the last month I would come home from a long day of shooting to find another film crew shooting a commercial, music video, or film. I wish I could get work on a project that filmed in my building, I hate commuting.

I was determined to not let a 14-hour shoot day interfere with my life but it did. When I wasn't at the production office or on the set I could be found with my sister, being there for two friends experiencing dire marital woes, attending an awkward command performance lunch with my parents, celebrating my brother landing a college professor gig, trying out new restaurants, and showing a small group of friends my new favorite super-secret late-night hangout. No wonder I'm still exhausted.

I was able to spend more time with Laura this past week, which was nice. She was having some good days where she was very lucid and not in too much pain. But this past Thursday she was admitted to the hospital. She was coughing up blood, but the doctors say it's just an infection but they're keeping her there until Monday, just to be safe. BTW, if you haven't already, please make an appointment to donate blood for Laura, she really needs our help.

I had a very good meeting with a prodco on the WB lot earlier this week re a writer/producer gig. They called Friday afternoon and requested another meeting this Tuesday. Of course I said I was available. Then as he ran down the list of executives I'd be meeting on Tuesday, I had what felt like a mild stroke. It was actually an anxiety attack, but I have a low threshold for pain, so the confusion is understandable. I hope my synapses don't misfire during the meeting. That would be bad.

Speaking of pain and misfiring synapses, I have a first date set for this Thursday with one of the producers of this last film I worked on. So Friday's post could be a hilarious recounting of the debacle that was my date. I have such a schoolgirl crush on this guy. Whenever he tried to flirt with me on the set, I froze up. No witty repartee, no fun and flirty exchanges - not from me. I was stunned into a stony silence, like one of those statues on Easter Island. He called me on Thursday while I was at the hospital and I just stared at his name on my caller ID, paralyzed with disbelief that he was calling me and unable to press the "accept" button. My mom was in the hospital room sitting next to my sister. She asked why I was just staring at the phone instead of answering it. I didn't want to take the call in front of her, show her just how socially retarded I've become and dash any lingering hopes she may have for grandchildren. Not that there's any hope, but I saw no point in rubbing it in. So our date is set for Thursday and I have nothing to wear, I hate my hair, and I'm fairly sure you can see my pores from outer space. Maybe I should reschedule.

event listing

I've been asked by many people to put together an events calendar or events list, some of the happening events going on downtown that I plan on hitting or recommend. What do you think, anybody else interested in seeing something like that from me?

help laura, get free beer

On Friday, August 26th, we are holding a blood drive for my sister Laura. Cut to the chase, donate a pint of blood and you get a free pint of beer at Cole's. If you're not a regular reader, let me bring you up to speed. My sister Laura has cancer, here's her blog. She's undergoing chemotherapy, has anemia, and can use our extra pints.

Volunteers from Kaiser will be drawing your blood at the downtown penthouse of my friend, Adam, from 11:00AM to 7:00PM (address below). Appointments can be made for the top of each hour to avoid long waits. Adam was the amazing wedding coordinator who planned and hosted my sister's wedding. Did you see the pictures from her wedding? So if you didn't get an invite and want to see those amazing views for yourself, make an appointment and donate blood.

All donors will receive a gift bag which includes a Mega Millions Lotto Ticket, and a gift certificate for a free pint of Spaten from Cole’s during the after-party. Yes, that's right, there's an after-party, a gift bag and free beer. Later that night, Laura's maid of honor, Ali, is hosting a party for all of our friends and donors at Cole's. You don't have to donate blood to come to the party, we're hoping you will anyway.

As if that weren't enough, one of the best local bands in Los Angeles - I See Hawks in LA - will be playing in the back room. So if you're a Hawks fan, or if you're eager to hear what the LA Weekly calls "The finest cosmic cowboy music since the Burrito Brothers.", then make an appointment to donate blood and come to the party.

To set up an appointment, call or email Ali:

Via email: amazarei@travelzonellc.com OR amazarei@colespebuffet.com
Via phone: 714-715-1685

Blood Drive Location
Adam’s Penthouse
533 South Los Angeles Street
Between 5th Street & 6th Street
7th floor

AFTER PARTY 8:00 pm
Cole's P.E. Buffet
118 East 6th Street
Between Main Street & Los Angeles
213-622-4090
www.colesla.com

Laura's Blog Address
http://kevinsdeadcat.blogspot.com/

If you would like to donate items for the gift bag, food and/or drinks for the donors, or have any other questions, please don't hesitate to email me.

Thanks in advance to everybody for all your kind words, help, and support.

hard lesson for monday morning

I'm getting too old to do that projectile vomiting caused by too much alcohol thing. But here I am again - dehydrated, splitting headache, extremely sensitive to light, unable to keep even coffee down and my face turning a grayish-green color not normally found in nature. Not a good thing on most mornings and a very bad idea on a day where I have a 6am call time. The rest of the production staff think I have food poisoning. If they knew how many empty bottles contributed to my condition I think the craft services lady might not be so willing to bring me ice-cold bottles of smart water and cups of green tea. It's only Monday. I'll never learn.