Tag Archives: LA

Adventures In A Year Like No Other

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I wrapped up 15 years in New York and moved back to LA. We got engaged and bought our first home. And after decades of dreaming, I finally made it to the Amalfi Coast.

I wrote, directed, produced and released my first studio film, premiered new music videos, edited my first novel, wrote new scripts, created new pitches, worked with several new clients, and other awesome things to share in the new year.

There were milestones and monotony, victory and ennui. Weddings, divorces, funerals and births. Elation, frustration, challenges and growth.

I’m learning to listen more to my body, my gut and my mind. Learning to be gentler with myself, more patient with others. More intentional, more present, more vigilant, more still. Drawing greater boundaries, protecting my peace. Knowing when to give more fucks. Discerning when to give less. Not hiding or hardening from the injustices of the world, but doing my best to make a positive difference. Countering hate with focus, war with creation. Recognizing achievements beyond goal posts and check marks, but as facilitators of ongoing joy and giving. (Buying a home? Cool. Hosting dinner parties? THE BEST!)

Vocalizing my desires worked well for me this year. So here’s what I’m hoping for in the year ahead:

More collaborations: “Partner” was my verb for 2022. I want to continue partnering with people, companies and friends, so we can build greater things and make magic together.

More fieldwork: I want to be in writer’s rooms and on set, directing my own projects, and shadowing directors on episodic TV.

More community: Y’all know me as a connector and facilitator. But with the pandemic and our move, I haven’t felt a consistent sense of community this year. I want to cultivate and strengthen the communities around me, jump in the mud and try new things.

As always, I’m here to amplify, uplift and champion you. I’m here to listen to your wants and dreams and help you manifest them however I can.

That’s all for now. Wishing you and your loved ones joy, warmth and ease this holiday season. ✨💜✨

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Adventures In Making Montages

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I always did love a good montage. 

But to master the ancient art of monTAGing, a pupil must first gain practice with the montage’s half dumb little brother, the COLLAGE. 

Like any other suburban 12-year-old girl with a subscription to Teen Vogue, my collaging skills have evolved over the years. 

If you scroll down to Adventures In Making Sense Of Your Childhood, you’ll see some of my early work, a pop culture collage of everything 1998 that still hangs on the wall of my childhood bedroom. (I recently discovered 12 other collages hidden in the bowels of my closet – from history projects to 9-foot long homemade X-Men posters, the top THIRD of which is shown to the right.)

Over the years, I’ve taken to making collages more so for other people, whether it be taking photographs of my family and printing them on slabs of wood as a birthday gift, or photographing friends spelling out “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” word by word over many years of Hanukkah parties as an ongoing holiday card. We’ve got one more verse to go! (See below)

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(Even this past December, when a casting director suddenly asked me to put together an acting reel in less than 90 minutes for a part in a major studio film, I had no choice but to – you guessed it – make one giant montage of YouTube style silliness. It feels like I made a blooper reel for an idiot’s funeral. You can check out the Oscar worthyness HERE.) 

Our lives are already vivid tapestries, aren’t they? I just have a compulsion to translate and realize that notion in a visual, artistic way. I enjoy building things. I revel in the act of creation. I’m enthralled by the connection of color, tone, aesthetic, feel, mood, narrative, design, discord, direction, and placement.

I lived in Los Angeles from 2002 to 2007. I returned this month for a week and a half trip after a two-year absence. I was amazed to see how much the city has developed since I left, and in my humble opinion, how much more culturally expansive and compelling it has quickly become. On a more personal level, it was wonderful to reconnect with old friends as if little time had past. (Though it so clearly had when three friends revealed their pregnancies.)

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To adhere to the mission of this blog, and savor simply the extraordinariness of old friends, I chose not to embark on too many epic adventures. I almost went on two spontaneous trips – one to Mexico, the other to Joshua Tree – but I refrained. I know I can stay put for two minutes. I know it. So while I’m clearly working on my addiction to adventure, perhaps my addiction to MONTAGE is a healthy addiction. Like. My addiction to oxygen, you know? Especially when it produces this many smiles. So enjoy this love letter to the city of Angels from some of my SoCal pals, and Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours. 

Watch it HERE.