Video Music Awards

It was exactly one year ago that I was on a plane on my way to California to go to the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). It was the first time I had been back on the west coast since my college graduation and the whole way there I kept replaying in my head "I'm going going back back to Cali Cali" with a huge smile on my face.

How did I get to go to the VMAs? Simple. My parents are awesome. They were at a fundraising auction for the MS Society and one of the items up for grab was a two-ticket package to the VMAs in Los Angeles. Knowing me so well, my parents spent their money well and surprised me with this incredible gift. Not only was I going to watch a medley concert of the top artists of the day, but I was getting to reconnect with my California friends. As the VMAs tonight draw closer, I can't help but relive my own trip to the show.

I landed in Los Angeles last year with some extra time on my hands thanks to the time difference. It was 10am PST and I needed an outfit for the show that night. I couldn't help it, nothing I brought seemed chic enough for an awards show. I checked in at my hotel and weaved my way through the swarms of screaming teenage girls camping out all around. Did I forget to mention that One Direction was staying in the same hotel that I was? So yes, I forced my way out of the hotel past the girls just waiting for one of the One Direction boys to come over to them and say "you don't know you're beautiful," and made my way to the mall I used to waste time at while I was in college.

As I sang "Let's go the the Mall" on my way to the Westside Pavillion, it was like it was just waiting for my return. In just two hours, I found trendy black skinny jeans and a sparkling sequin top for some LA flair. I took a note from Elvis and picked up some black suede pumps to spice up the look (ok, not quite blue suede shoes, but these are the girl version) and got a pair of earrings that almost perfectly matched the shirt to finish it all off.

I had my LA look ready, now I just had to get myself up to par. I decided to treat myself and get "Fancy" so I splurged at a local hair salon to get a blowout for the event. Now that I had my nails done, hair done, everything did, I was ready to go.

One of my best friends Joey was my guest for the show and he came to pick me up. We were on our way to the Staples Center! Sort of. I had been gone from California only a short while and already I forgot what traffic on the 405 is like. The fine print on the tickets explicitly stated that if you showed up after a certain time you may not get in. The "Traffic Jam" was making me slightly panicky but sure enough, we made it there not only in time to get to our seats, but to also bump into old friends and grab a drink with them!

Me and Joey: VMAs 2012

I spent so much time anticipating and preparing for the show and it was over in the blink of an eye. It was a diva-filled show with Rihanna, Pink, Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift all performing and it was incredible to see the music royalty of Hollywood gathered in one place for the evening. There may not have been an infamous incident to occur last year as per what usually happens at the VMAs, but it was still a night to remember.

After the show, Joey and I hit the town getting dinner and bar-hopping in Hollywood, and I spent the following day catching up with other friends before I had to catch my flight back to DC. As I said goodbye to everyone, they asked me when I was coming back and while I miss my friends on the golden coast, I honestly said I'm "leaving on a jet plane," don't know when I'll be back again. Getting to visit LA and see the VMAs live was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I wish I could be in Brooklyn for the show tonight.

It's "no sleep 'till Brooklyn" as I wait today to watch the show, this year from my couch. Even though the performers won't be able to hear my "applause" through the TV, I'll be watching with the same vigor I always do, this year crossing my fingers that N*SYNC makes the reunion they are rumored to, and teach these new boy bands a thing or two about "Pop" music. 

Congratulations Alie and the Class of 2013!

Let the "Pomp and Circumstance" play, my sister's graduating college today!

I can't believe Alie's four years are over; it was just "yesterday" that I was going to DC on my own senior spring break to surprise her at her sorority initiation as a freshman. Where did the time go?

Over the past couple of weeks, Alie has been feeling "22" and getting ready to say goodbye to this chapter of her life. She's been checking things off her DC bucket list and cherishing only-seniors-can-get-away-with-this shenanigans with the people that will be her "friends forever."

Even with a plethora of "photograph[s]" it's hard to put college behind you. You get to dress up in "masquerade" for no other reason than to match the theme of a party, you get naps every day, some semesters you don't have to wake up before noon, you get to take the oddest array of classes that won't help you in life but are pretty fun nonetheless, and you still get to enjoy summer breaks. "I love[d] college," who didn't?

But before she has to fully break the ties of youth, Alie has graduation weekend to "go crazy until [she] sees the sun." Now, speaking from experience, our family is not the best at handling graduation. We tend to lose grandmas in the crowd, debate addresses of restaurants and take "shots" to lower the stress levels of everyone. This time around, though, we won't be as "uptight;" we know what to expect.

We have a smaller crowd to maneuver through so we #Don'tLoseNanny; we know where the restaurants are that we've made reservations at, so we can enjoy the "food glorious food" that DC has to offer; and we'll be toasting with Alie's favorite: champagne! It will be the "perfect day."

And that song hails from the soundtrack of Legally Blonde, a very appropriate movie for this occasion as Alie (a blonde) is headed to law school in the fall. That's right, she's "going to Miami" and the family and I couldn't be more proud of her.

Even though "school's out" and she's moving to the next stage in her life, Alie can happily say "I will remember you" to DC and her friends, and get ready to "take over" a new city. So Alie, you may have had "the time of [your] life" in college, but "the best is yet to come"... well, after law school. Congrats Grad!

A Little Rain Never Hurt Anyone

The saying goes, April Showers Bring May Flowers. If that stands true, then I should be seeing flowers blooming through the cracks in the sidewalks from the amount of rain I've been sloshing through over the past couple of weeks. "Rain rain go away" has been on repeat in my head lately, as this gloom and doom weather doesn't seem to let up.

There are two types of people when it comes to weather. Whether you "like watching the puddles gather rain" or whether you would prefer to "let the sunshine in." You can tell the difference between these people right from when they wake up. Do they see the dark clouds in the sky and instantaneously plop right back onto the pillow and wish for the day to be over already? Or do they smile a little, get ready like any other day and release the full smile when they get to put on their rain boots and go splashing around?

Me? I'm of the curl right back into bed category. There's something about the rain that makes me feel groggy, crave only soup for my meals and dread the inevitable and unbearable traffic (auto or pedestrian) since people can't seem to function properly in inclement weather. I just want to ask people "have you ever seen the rain?" because it sure doesn't seem like they have from the way they forget how to go about their daily routine.

A few weekends ago I got caught in a downpour on my way home. Fortunately I was only three blocks from my apartment, but that was three blocks of looming misery for the person who disdains the rain. Now, "if all the raindrops were lemondrops and gumdrops" or if it was "raining men" I wouldn't have minded so much. But of course, no such luck. So, I decided to make a break for it and "run between the raindrops" to try to get inside as quickly as possible. About a block into my run, I was soaking wet. I knew at that point, I was going to be drenched no matter what.

I couldn't remember the last time I got caught in the rain and I just had to laugh at the moment. I think the last time I spent time in a downpour was when I was a kid at camp. A few times when it rained really hard we would get in our bathing suits and play in the rain. We would "splish splash" and even bring shampoo outside to "shower." It was just pure fun.

Being reminded of those times when I actually wanted it to rain, I embraced my lack of "umbrella" and let myself enjoy the weather again. There was absolutely nothing I could do to keep dry, so as "raindrops [kept] falling on my head" I strolled for two blocks, "singing in the rain."

A Special Post for Some Special Fans

When I was home last month, some of my cousins, though not "identical cousins," who loyally and lovingly read all of my blog posts, asked for some shout-outs. So, today I'm going to "Scream and Shout" about the recent happenings of some of my crazy cousins and I.

I'll start with my cousin Samantha. She lives in my kind of town, "Chicago" is. Ok, so I've only been to Chicago once in high school, but she always talks about how great it is! Especially since she and her boyfriend Robbie got a little puppy, Albert. When I first heard that they named a dog Albert, I immediately thought, what the heck kind of a name for a dog is Albert? Then I found out that they named it after their alma mater's mascot, University of Florida's Albert the Alligator. Makes more sense. And then you see his sweet little face and you just think "how much is that doggie in the window" and you become gluttonous for the cuteness. Sami sends me pictures of Albert's versatility: Albert as Simba, with Robbie holding him up like at Pride Rock; Albert as a chameleon, blending into her North Face or the TV unit; Albert as a model, showing off his new bandana. His adorableness just makes you want to take him home with you. In fact, I wish I could take them both home with me since I rarely get to see Sami. The upside of that is it just makes the times that we do get to see each other much more special.

Next is Jessica. While I have resigned to the fact that unfortunately "Lecia" will never be in a song, her name really is in a song. You remember, "Mambo Number 5!" I loved it, she hated it. But for her birthday last week, Jess did something that she did love. Rather than read through the rudimentary, prosaic "happy birthday" or "happy bday" messages on Facebook that make people so jaded, Jess asked everyone to write "Memor[ies]," misty water-colored memories, of "The Way We Were" on her wall. Most were more fun than misty water-colored, but you get the idea. And I loved the idea; the request wasn't futile at all. Not only was it something unique, but it gave those of us who also experienced a memory that someone else posted a chance to reminisce with her. Sometimes you just need an excuse to look back on the good ol' days. Thanks, Jess; and happy birthday!

Last but not least is my cousin Kayla. She's the reason for my extravagant, and maybe exorbitant amount of vocabulary throughout this post. For the past month or so, I have been helping her prepare for her ACT. In addition to taking practice tests, we focused on expanding her vocabulary and because it's not her favorite thing to do, I made her a deal. I would use at least half of the words she practiced with me in this blog post. Guess what, Kayla? I did it! And so did you. You didn't give up until you got what's yours. Today was Kayla's ACT and she's done! I extoll her for her unyielding preparation, even when she didn't really want to work. You went the distance! Congrats!

Whether it's a new puppy, a birthday or a test, my cousins are always keeping me on my toes, and I love them for that. Miss you all; I hope you three enjoyed your post!

12 Strangers + 8 Claps = Final Four?

When I was in college, I once signed up to attend a dinner where I didn't know anyone. I did that on purpose. The dinner was hosted by the Student Alumni Association, which was in charge of organizing a plethora of events for students to attend, and was just a small gathering of 12 people. This again, was on purpose. Dinners for 12 Strangers is a UCLA staple and is in such high demand that there are waiting lists to attend a dinner. Who wouldn't want to go? Once you get over the initial awkwardness of a "stranger in [your] house," you enjoy getting to meet people that you wouldn't have otherwise met, dine on good food, and probably go to an area of town that you hadn't explored yet, because the alumni who volunteered to host the dinners lived all over Los Angeles. 

Now, as a child our parents teach us stranger danger, but then as soon as you hit 18 there's a shift in the universe where meeting strangers is not only the way of life, but encouraged. I once heard the saying that all friends begin as strangers, and as a young professional in a city that is constantly shifting, this couldn't be more true. I love my friends, but knowing only one other Bruin in DC had me yearning for a stronger connection to my alma matter, especially as we were approaching March Madness. So what did I do? I signed up for an alumni Dinner for 12 Strangers to meet some "strangers like me" in DC!

The evening began timidly, as is expected when you know you're going to be stuck hanging out with "strangers in the night" for a few hours. The first thing that everyone did upon arriving at the host's apartment was pour themselves a glass of wine, into the classiest yellow solo cups. Not only were the solo cups awesome because they complimented the blue plates that dinner would be served on, but they also had this chalkboard-like strip on them where you could scratch in your name. Since the dinner was an informal setting sans nametags, this was a brilliant way for everyone to avoid saying "that's not my name" all night.

Everyone was asked to pitch in by either bringing a bottle of wine or a side dish to accompany the meal, and our host started us off with a cheese plate set out for munching during our little cocktail hour. We schmoozed and warmed up to one another before our host suggested that we all grab a plate of food and "come together" around the couches.

Dinner consisted of homemade lasagna and garlic bread, a fresh salad, the extra sides that guests brought and a whole lot of reminiscing. From the way the campus and Westwood have changed since we all graduated to getting the scoop from a former Daily Bruin reporter on local scandals and campus history, I was in good "company" the whole time. 

Recalling some of the greatest UCLA student traditions we experienced like camping out for tickets to basketball games, attending Spring Sing and sneaking into the underground tunnels, "my generation" had some pretty awesome moments at school, probably just like the generations before us.

And just like that it was five hours after we all knocked on our host's door, no longer strangers. You know how the song goes, "make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold," though I guess stranger danger got thrown out the window when we were all taught that tune. This sing-song life lesson is the cornerstone of Dinner for 12 Strangers and I'm excited to see these new friends again, especially to (cross your fingers) root for our Mighty Bruins this tournament season. 

In the meantime, here's an eight-clap shout out to the new strangers in my life: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 - U...C...L...A... U-C-L-A FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!

MS: From Galas to Walks

As the 2013 MS Walk approaches, I think that while this disease has caused too much pain for my sister and anguish for my family, it has also given us the opportunity to gather all of our family and friends for a great way to give back.

This year we're lucky; the Walk will be the second MS gathering for us, as in January my family and I were honored by the National MS Society at their annual Gala Luncheon.

The day was beautiful: family and friends surrounding us, a few tears overshadowed by many more laughs, good food and great fashion. But it wouldn't be a Rothman outing if everything had gone swimmingly.

The morning started off with my sister sleeping right through her alarm. While the rest of us were waiting, practically reciting the White Rabbit's mantra "I'm Late" - from Alice in Wonderland, she was busy taking an exorbitant amount of time primping herself, setting us back about 40 minutes on our schedule for the day. When my dad FINALLY coerced her into believing that she was beautiful enough for public viewing, he had me "dun dun dun" the famous tune from "Rocky." Only this time instead of reaching the top of a set of stairs, we were celebrating my sister descending our staircase and gracing us with her presence.

If showing up fashionably late is the equivalent of a cocktail dress, we were full-fledged ball gowns by the time we arrived at the Gala. We were quickly ushered inside and placed in front of a backdrop to take pictures. Stand here. Shuffle to the left. Move your arm. Get closer. Step forward. More. More. Okay stop. Smile. I imagine this is how the stars feel when the "Paparazzi" are trying to get a good shot.

Once we had taken all of the necessary pictures, I was able to take in the venue the Gala was being held in. We weren't in your typical hotel ballroom, we were in a private airplane hangar at the Ft. Lauderdale airport! It was decorated for the Gala with splashes of orange and white everywhere (since orange is the color of the MS ribbon), and there were private jets surrounding us from the moment we drove in to the fashion show at the end. I felt very "Fly Like a G6." 

After schmoozing at the silent auction, all 1000+ guests sat down for lunch to begin. This was the part of the day where the "welcome's," the "thank you's," and the "congratulations'" took place. This was also the part where my family and I had to give speeches about our connection with MS. But not my Mom. My Mom is actually very articulate, but is so "emotions taking me over" like Destiny's Child that she can't ever get a word out past "Hello" before she starts blubbering. While we were being introduced she was even getting teary and behind the stage my sister and I embodied "make 'em laugh" to keep her focus on something other than the more serious part of the day.

She pushed through as one-by-one me, my Dad, and finally Alie gave our speeches and then we all came together to accept the award being presented to us. We didn't have to worry about Mom crying here, because Alie dropped it. Twice. I thought of the Aaliyah lyrics "If at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again." When that advice didn't work for her, they finally handed the award to me to hold for the picture.

It was a great way to break the ice though, and move right into the fashion show. We had front row seats from our table and all of the "supermodel[s]" sache shante'd right past us in gorgeous bathing suits, sundresses and ballgowns. Perfect for sunny SoFla.

And now I'm back in SoFla for the Walk tomorrow. While I can't wait to spend the day with family and friends and see what shenanigans are in store for us, I hope that one day all the Walks are cancelled because we helped raise enough money for research that erased MS.

If you would like to donate to my Walk efforts for Team Alie, please visit the link below: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/FLSWalkEvents?px=7791254&pg=personal&fr_id=19538

Live Every Day Like it's Grammy Day

The biggest night in music is upon us. That's right, it's the Grammy's! In preparation of this year's Grammy's I did something that people don't do anymore, that even I can't remember the last time I did it. I sat down and I listened to an album front to back; (almost) no interruptions; taking in the story, the feeling, the essence of the album as a whole.

Which album was this? Well actually, it was more than one. It was all five of the albums nominated for "Album of the Year" this year. Watching the Grammy's every year, it's easy to pick out which song, artist, lyricist, producer, even best album of "abc" genre, etc. will win their categories. But album of the year was stumping me because it compares one album in one genre not to its peers, but to every other great album that came out in the past year. Finding the nuances that can make one of these greater than the others is not something that can be guessed. So, I decided to see for myself and tried to listen to the albums with the critical ears of the Grammy gods. Here is where I stand:

The Black Keys: El Camino
There are some great songs on this album with catchy beats and repetitive choruses that make it easy to nod your head and sing along to. But on the whole, the album is just good. There are too many songs that sounds the same, that don't support each other; they stand alone. The uniqueness of the duo's synthesizing mixed with syncopation is fun, but it stops being unique when its used over and over again.
In addition to sounding the same, many songs are the same. The Black Keys fell into a formula that worked so they stuck with it - a few versus interspersed with the chorus followed by a guitar solo to bridge to the end of the song which repeats the chorus. Not to mention that every song was about heartbreak. I get it, you're sad/mad/lonely but you can tell us that in different ways.
Now, like I said, there were some great pieces and some songs that didn't fit this mold. One song, "Little Black Submarines," starts with just an acoustic guitar and the lead singer, slowly picking up the pace to include the drummer and the backup band. That was a nice shift after the beginning of the album. Some of the lyrics in the final song of the album, "Mind Eraser," say "don't let it be over," which was very cute and clever, and I was enjoying the album so much that I didn't necessarily want it to be over yet. But does that make it album of the year?
No. A few standout songs in a sea of the same can't win over the rest of the competition. The Black Keys put out some great songs, but as a whole album, not good enough to pull out a win this year.

Fun.: Some Nights
This album starts great right from the first note. The first track on this album is an introduction to the rest of what the listener is about to hear. It's theatrical and enticing. It hearkens "Bohemian Rhapsody" and reminds me of a Broadway overture. It even ends with applause after a belting of the last note on top of timpani drums. But this overture doesn't give tastes of the music to come, it gives hints of the story that is about to unfold.
The story is the journey of today's 20-something. Out of college, it's about partying and finding yourself. Some nights you feel one way and then you realize how much you still have to learn about the world and yourself and some nights you feel another. You'll get knocked down but it's all about getting up and pushing forward. The world and politics will break your heart. As will people you love. But again, it's not the end of the world and slowly but surely you will continue on your way. And even at the end of a journey, you realize you're still going to party and love and get knocked down and you'll just keep doing it until you get where you're going.
This album is truly a journey and each song tells the next step. The songs build on each other and you can hear them referencing each other while being wildly different. You are constantly kept on your toes unaware of what will hit your ears next. From drum beats that range from deep and tribal to higher pitched, marching-beat snares; to both acoustic and electric guitars; to brass and string sections; and extra sounds like an '80's arcade game, a children's choir and the chimes of a cheesy dream sequence, every song is exciting and makes you wonder how they made it all work together.
On top of the Queen and Broadway in the introduction, I also heard the influence of Michael Jackson, the sounds of banks like Blink 182 and the Postal Service, Phil Collins and other R&B and pop throughout the album. Its final song "Out on the Town" even ends with a sampling of Carl Carlton's "Everlasting Love," especially repeating the refrain "open up your heart" which is definitely appropriate. (You can really hear it about 2:58 in Fun.'s song) This album is a new everlasting love and in case you can't tell, I have opened my heart to it. I am crossing my fingers and toes for Fun. to win. If you have an extra hour one day, I highly recommend listening to this incredible album.

Mumford and Sons: Babel
Mumford and Sons is a special band because they commercialized the sit-on-your-porch-down-south-banjo playing. It's sweet and fun and a little sad but I'm not sure if it really has longevity. A few songs into the album I was already getting bored. I'm pretty sure the banjo only has one tempo: fast. It took about half way through the album for it to change its pace and get interesting. However, the exquisite harmonies and poetic lyrics of Mumford and Sons are hard to quickly overlook.
This is a very emotional album and the grittiness of Mumford's voice adds a layer of intrigue to the folksy music. The songs are very dark with death and bleeding often mentioned. But I don't think this is a malicious reference, rather self-deprecating. Frequently in the songs on the album, being on the road and sinning and lovers are sung about, in conjunction with mentioning Jesus and being the "chosen one." This album reads like a prayer of remorse and repentance. Let's not forget that the title of the album is "Babel."
Now I'm not sure what Mumford did to feel the need to apologize and express his guilt in such a way, but it does make for a powerful album. Plus, the Grammy's love Mumford and Sons. But I can't ignore that the first half of the album was just not as good as the second half. A great second half can't support a weak first half enough to win the category.

Frank Ocean: Channel Orange
I didn't get this album until I finished it. It is so strange and disjointed that listening to almost any song on its own, it wouldn't make sense. The word that came to my mind while listening to the album was "schizophrenic" because nothing flowed and there were references of jazz, R&B, the blues, hip hop, and some '70's and '80's. There was no cohesion to the album except for the fact that it's all about Los Angeles.
Which now makes sense.
You hear in the album more than just music. You hear car doors and the engine and the turning of a radio dial and an overheard conversation a woman is having. You have to close your eyes while listening to go on the tour of LA that Frank Ocean is giving you. The album is creatively brilliant. You are in the car with Frank Ocean and with the windows down, as you drive through the different parts of LA, he's singing to you about it. Most of the time his songs aren't even complete. It's as if you're stopped at a red light and he's singing about what's happening outside but then the light changes and so does he as you drive away. There's the rich kids in Beverly Hills and the people on drugs in the slums in downtown and the different scenery in each and the guy that he's in love with.
Oh yes, in case you missed that news this year, Frank Ocean has been highly praised for being gay and openly singing about it and being proud of who he is.
And who Frank Ocean is, is talented and courageous, and risk-taking with the layout of this album. As an album it works, it's interesting and new. But I don't think it's necessarily better than the others in the category. 

Jack White: Blunderbuss
I just don't get the Jack White hype. Sure, he's had great success with The White Stripes and The Racconteurs, but I don't understand the genius that he is considered.
His debut solo album is a hodge podge of the music. Getting away from constraints of the "sounds" of his previous bands, he was able to just put whatever he felt like out in the world, and that's exactly what he did. There were influences of country, folk, hip hop, classic '50's rock, heavy metal and more. Nothing meshed except for the fact that the lyrics of his songs were all dark and metaphorical, but that's nothing new.
I think this sampling of what other music Jack White has to offer is very interesting, but as an album, again, I just don't get it. Plus, I couldn't get past the fact that the guitar riff in "Freedom at 21" is just a take on the well-known guitar riff of The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army." Or the fact that one of the tracks on the album, "I'm Shakin'" is actually a cover of Little Willie John's "I'm Shakin'." I understand that artists reinterpret old music all the time, but to have yourself as an influence and to put a cover on a debut just adds to the confusion of this album.
But there has to be something that I am missing since it's nominated in the first plat. Maybe the Grammy's will see this as a breath of fresh air and praise Jack White for the variety that he collated into this album. In my opinion, this is great music that simply doesn't work as an album.

We will just have to wait and see if my conclusion that Fun. has the album of the year will align with the ruling of the Grammy's!