18 years ago, on a Monday night, I was out at a club in Champaign, Illinois, nearby where I went to college. At one point during the evening, I bumped into someone who for a minute looked like my roommate at the time, but it wasn’t. At any rate, I said, “Hello, how are you?” His response, in a thick Portuguese accent was, “I went to McDonald’s.” I said, “Excuse me??” He repeated, “I waynt to make doane ahlds”. After some initial language barriers, Claudio and I became fast friends. He eventually (with my help, LOL) learned English and even got his PhD. He loved Oreo (that’s them on the left in 1990), and even taught him how to speak Portuguese. The first time I ever went to Brazil, it was to see Claudio and meet his family, and I’ve loved the country ever since. Claudio and I even lived together in Washington DC for a while. We’ve been through a lot over the years and I was thrilled recently to learn that he’s moving to California with his partner Ryan! He took a job teaching at a university about 45 minutes north of here. This morning he flew in from South America and drove up to check out his new house. Tonight we had a great dinner and caught up on old times. By the way, he will deny the McDonald’s story, and swear he spoke perfect English when he moved to the States from Brazil in 1990, but I know better. GLY Claudio!
After seeing the car he rented, I almost made him park on the next block over!
He liked this car better (parked in front of Dom DeLuise’s son’s house)
The celebrity studded Grammy weekend started with breakfast at Hugo’s where we dined next to Talyor Kitsch, the former Abercrombie model who now stars on Friday Night Lights, and Chase Crawford who’s dating Carrie Underwood and stars on Gossip Girl. (They both starred in “The Covenent” together). As Christine and I cooed like school girls, Drew began to realize it was going to be a long weekend.
Taylor on the left & Chase on the right
That afternoon, a friend of mine got us reservations at the famous
Chateau Marmont for lunch. It was ridiculously overpriced and the food was not that good. THIS was my $20 Caeser Salad, LOL. I kid you not:
After that we headed to Disneyland where
Darlene got us into bothparks for free (with a FastPass! Thanks
Dar!). It was a perfect day for Disneyland, great weather, and not too
crowded.
The next morning we had breakfast at Grub, which is the restaurant opened by Betty Fraser from Top Chef. She came to our table and fell in love with the dogs. She was so nice, and her cinnamon vanilla French Toast is to die for!
Next up was Beverly Hills and Sprinkles for dessert and window shopping on Rodeo Drive so Drew could figure out what to get his wife for Valentine’s Day!
I forgot my keys
After that we went to Hollywood & Highland and took a look at the preparations for the upcoming Oscars. Christine took those pictures with her camera, and they should be on her blog shortly. We decided to skip rooftop drinks at the downtown Standard, opting instead to pick up Claudio (so he could visit the Hotel Careyfornia) and meet the boys for a sunset hike up Runyon Canyon.
It’s amazing what 20 years can do!
Garbo was exhausted! Claudio & I under the flagship sign
On the way home Christine spotted Ian Ziering (from Beverly Hills 90210) driving his ’67 Corvette into Bristol Farms, so I pulled in and we took a picture of his car. LOL
We ended the day with a spectacular dinner at Koi. Expensive, but worth every bite.
This morning we headed to Santa Monica for dim sum and spent the rest of the day at the beach soaking up the 82 degree sunshine. As I dropped Christine & Drew back at the Burbank Airport for the short trip to snowy Salt Lake City, we reflected on another too short but wonderful weekend at the Hotel Careyfornia.
Happy New Year!
Tried to stop by the Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on the way home to get a few pics, but the traffic was terrible, so I snapped this shot of the Disney Concert Hall out of the car roof and headed back to West Hollywood.
Here are the best of the rest. Have a nice week everyone! –Carey
I worked down in Irvine today and met Dar at The Spectrum for dinner. After that, I drove up to Burbank to meet Drew & Christine who flew in from Salt Lake City for a weekend of R&R at the Hotel Careyfornia. When we got home we were met by Garbo & Ruby, who were dropped off earlier by their parents for a weekend at the Kennel Careyfornia!
Tomorrow, afternoon we’re heading down to Disneyland. My cousin can get us into both parks for free because she works there, so that’s a nice treat. Saturday, Claudio is coming from Washington DC and Mike is coming from San Diego. We’ll do Hollywood and Weho and the rooftop bar at The Standard, and then we have dinner reservations at Koi. Sunday will be dim sum (can anyone recommend and new, good places?) and the beach. And of course we’ll hit all of the other hot spots in between. Should be a busy but fun weekend! It’s supposed to be in the mid to high 70′s. Happy New Year!!
The dinky Burbank Airport has ridiculous amounts of security. I got mouthy with these cops when they told be not to take pictures, and they almost arrested me. Ugh.
Christine + California = Craziness
Getting to know Garbo & Ruby
Poor Drew was so tired. Since I never sleep, he’s in for a long weekend!
Speaking of Tibet…I saw a very inspirational speech today by Jamie Clarke. He’s a Canadian who climbed Mt. Everest; failing two times, and reaching the summit on the the third try. He spoke of how one must achieve failure before attaining success. We must learn from our failures. Whether it’s bringing 300 rolls of toilet paper instead of 200 on his 2nd expedition, or bringing Pringles instead of bagged chips (which crumble when the bags explode from the pressure. Pringles, as he explains are the perfect food for mountain climbing!)
“… I have chosen adventure as my vehicle for inward and outward exploration. It is my guide to freedom. Freedom beyond fear and weaknesses – beyond all that holds me back.” Jamie Clarke
After pursuing his goal for 18 years, and climbing on the mountain 2 times before he was successful, Jamie Clarke stood on the summit of Mount Everest . Jamie’s “Above All Else” presentation shares that journey of tenacity and triumph with breathtaking images and live recordings. This presentation is a perfect match with the following themes:
Leadership
Coping with Change
Risk Taking
Project Management
Team Building
Through client interviews, Jamie learns about an organization’s challenges and goals. He then weaves that learning throughout his presentation, masterfully personalizing the experience for each audience member.
While sharing from his heart with humor and passion, Jamie challenges his audience to think differently – to view failure as a worthy experience – to learn the art of grunt work – to conquer fear through focus – to live life with passion on their own terms.
Jamie Clarke is an incredibly dynamic speaker. If you ever get a chance to see him, don’t miss it. He charges $20,000 to $30,000 per appearance, and he’s worth every penny. Here’s a video of part of his presentation. It might take a little while to load, but if you have time, take a look. It’s really quite impressive. He talks about the Pringles about 5 minutes in. LOL
Please be patient while your video loads
It was another gorgeous day here in San Diego:
Sunrise
Sunset
Sailing the Bay with Scott…last time
Half moon
Dinner with Mike
Hamming for the camera
Here we go…
No paparazzi!
Well, maybe one
America’s Next Top Wannabe – Why does he always do this?? (LOL)
Mike and I have known each other for over ten years now. Why is it that he looks the same as he did 10 years ago, and is now a multimillionaire, while I’m living hand to mouth?? LOL We were talking tonight about those rare moments in life where one tiny action can change the course of your entire life. Kind of like the movie Sliding Doors.
Had I not bumped into Claudio in 1989 in Champaign and said hello, Claudio would never have met Mike. Mike would never have moved to Washington DC and then Long Beach. I probably wouldn’t have moved to California and Mike would still be a waiter in Iron Mountain, Michigan. LOL. So, by my reasoning, he’s owes at least half of his millions to me. Pay up bitch.
Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, April 8, 2007
Joshua Bell is one of the world’s greatest violinists. His instrument of choice is a multimillion-dollar Stradivarius. If he played it for spare change, incognito, outside a bustling Metro stop in Washington, would anyone notice? Read on….
This is a long read, but trust me, it’s well worth your time! Thanks Joelle!!
From: Carey Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2007 4:59 PM To: Claudio Subject: InspiRED
Oi Claudio,
OK, I have to hand it to you, that’s the funniest shirt I’ve ever seen. Anyway, I did a little photoshopping to the picture Joelle sent me and the “Red” website, and well, here are the results. I hope Bono doesn’t sue your Brazilian ass! Beijos,
Carey
xo
Roscoe & Arielle!!
I went to Ann & Jorge’s house for dinner last night and to see little Arielle, who’s not quite 2 yet. She’s so pretty as you can see, and such a happy baby! Roscoe is their new dog that they got after we lost “Beast“. Roscoe is a Rottweiler puppy and has no idea of his own strength or size! He thinks he’s a lapdog, LOL. But he’s SO good with the baby, even though he takes a lot of abuse from her. He’s about half the size now that he will be in six months. I can hardly wait to walk him around West Hollywood! Thanks Ann & Jorge for a great dinner and a great time!
Nobody Walks in LA??
As the popular song goes, “Nobody walks in LA”. The nice thing about where I live (West Hollywood), is that I walk everywhere, In fact, if I can’t walk there I usually don’t go, as I can’t stand to drive in this city (and I can’t afford to get any more speeding tickets!). So here are some shots I snapped as I was walking home from my dentist’s office this glorious California afternoon. Oh, and don’t forget, Entourage and the final season of The Sopranos start Sunday; set your DVR’s!! I saw Entourage being filmed by my dentist’s office…Ari and Lloyd were there.
If you’ve never seen Ari Gold, click here and scroll down
A show about ruthless Hollywood, is huge in Ruthless Hollywood!
Raymond/Jigg, I originally wrote a much longer reply to your tattoo post, then accidentally hit my back space key and lost everything. I learned my lesson that whenever I write more than a paragraph, I’m going to copy and paste it from my email! Having said that, I will try to compose my same thoughts. The question though, is whether this new post will be better or worse than the one I lost? There are valid reasons for each response, just like there are valid reasons to get a tattoo or not get a tattoo, or whether something you do now, will be thought of as better or worse later in life. The reason this is a fairly controversial topic, is because it is such an individual decision. There is no one I know that could talk me into, or out of getting a tattoo if I really did or did not want one. (Let’s assume there is no alcohol in this equation). Now, I’m a very strong willed person, and I realize not everyone is. However, it is an important decision because theoretically you will have to live with that decision the rest of your life.
You make a very eloquent case (both in this post and the ones you link to), why this decision is an important one for you. What you need to decide for yourself (as I think you’re really asking here), is whether or not you can have a relationship with someone who is so diametrically opposed to your views on this subject? Keep in mind that we are all products of our environment. The way we were raised, our religious beliefs or lack thereof and our personal experiences. A girl who was mugged or sexually molested by someone who had a tattoo, might not be able to get over that correlation. Conversely, if a tattoo reminds you of a wonderful person or experience in your life, you might be more apt to have a tattoo or at least like them on others. If you’ve had a friend who has gotten hepatitis or worse from a dirty needle, it might factor into your decision as well. You could argue that there are completely safe methods, but again, it’s all about perceptions. It’s kind of like visiting a city you’ve never been to, and how your opinion of that city is formed because of the fact that you were alone or with a friend or local. Your perspectives are different.
Now, let me play devil’s advocate for a minute. You again speak quite learnedly about why you feel tattoos are art forms and essentially life’s storyboard. You later edit yourself however, to tell us, your faithful readers, that you would always keep your tattoos hidden from the outside world. This line of reasoning is completely logical as (American) society has not yet come to terms with the appropriateness of such “art”. Therefore you (intelligently I think), have concluded that you cannot let your beliefs keep you from attaining the goals and status that you want for yourself (and your future family). Having said that, would Leonardo cover the Mona Lisa? Would Michelangelo shroud The David? Admittedly then, you must ask yourself the same question. How much are you willing to compromise? How much should you be willing to compromise for a potential mate? How much should they be willing to compromise? I, like you, find tattoos sexy. But unlike you (I think), I do not find this at all sexy or attractive. Now, just to clarify, I think Angelina Jolie is attractive to nearly everyone; gay, straight or otherwise. I find her tattoo however, somewhat tacky with such an otherwise beautiful ensemble. (Of course maybe I’m just sickened by the fact that the tattoo was for Billy Bob Thornton, LOL).
The last and final thing I will dare to bring up, is the future. No one knows what will happen in their future. Happiness, heartbreak, pleasure, pain. One thing for certain however, is that unless you are Dorian Gray, you, like all of us, (God willing) will get old. Now, I don’t know you, but you appear to be an attractive and relatively fit young man (from the photos you’ve posted through the years). Now you are Asian, so you’ll probably look like that when you’re 70 (see, some stereotypes can be good j/k). But to me personally, tattoos are usually not that attractive when they’re all shriveled up and wrinkly. I suppose it depends on where they are, but the point I’m trying to make again, is that it’s a permanent, personal decision that may not be right for everyone.
I appreciate the comments you made on my blog. Though you say that your etiquette post was not your best work, it doesn’t matter. It was better than 90% of the drivel you read on the Internet, and it introduces you as someone with good manners, strong views and a good moral compass. You are likely more conservative than I am (though one could argue that tattoos are hardly conservative; your mother for one), but that’s what makes these debates so lively. Keep up the good work. Your blog is a breath of fresh air, and a credit to your readers. Having gone back to the beginning and just skimming a few posts, I’m sure it will be a testament to a well lived life as you continue to grow older and wiser. I hope you had a “happy” birthday. Peace. –Carey
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE “The president of Iran announced that he’s going to free the British hostages as an early Easter gift. As an extra bonus, the Iranian president said he’s going to throw in a case of marshmallow Peeps.” — Conan O’Brien
What do you get when you cross a robot with a pirate??
Aaaaaaaargh 2D2
Crazy Cousins
I was in Laguna today, so I met Dar & Dave, and Lisa & Joel, and of course my sweet little cousins Tommy and Andy. Andy kept trying to jump into the fountain and Tommy couldn’t stop playing his Gameboy. I snapped these photos with my cell phone. We ate at BJ’s Brewhouse which has the best desserts in the world. They’re called “Pizookies” and they are out of this world!
And Joel tried the mini beer samplers….cute!
Is Iraq REALLY that bad? YES!
This roundup of YouTube clipsis meant to give a small sense of what it’s like for the people who are killing and getting killed in Iraq — a view that, limited as it is, onecan’tpossibly get from the mainstream newsmedia. Terribly sad.
Oh Oh!!
And Then There Were 8
American Idol – Sanjaya the One to Beat? Sanjaya avoided the Bottom 3 again. Is he the favorite to win it all? Over the past week, even more conspiracies and controversy have arose over America’s most watched show, so see our take and the take from all our users who have commented:
An unusual visitor that startled customers at a Quizno’s sandwich shop in downtown Chicago, is now tasting freedom after being released in the suburbs…read more
Just heard this today, thought it was pretty good. A little like Vienna Teng.
Dogs, Cats & Kids
From: Kelsey – Stage Manager Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 11:09 AM To: Diane Subject: Children’s Bios
Parents of young (Lost) boys,
We would like to put bios in the Peter Pan theater program for each child. The maximum word count is 45. Here is my sample bio for all of you that have not done one before:
Kelsey (Stage Manager) is a junior. Some previous credits include Night Mother(SM), Our Town (SM), …Forum(SM), Oklahoma and Assassins. Previous Village Theater credits include A Perfect Fall (ASM), Jungle Book (ASM), Seussical, Pippin, Les Miserables (Revolve Operator) and Mainstage’s TOMMY (SM intern). She would like to thank friends and family.
Thanks, and “Break a Leg”
Chelsea
Junior Class Stage Manager
—–Original Message—– From: Diane Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 8:17 AM To: Carey Subject: Jasen’s School Play Today
Carey, I need your help!! Today is Jasen’s BIG DEBUT as one of the “Lost Boys” in the high school production of Peter Pan and I need a bio for the program! This is what I have so far. I’m devastated that it can only be 45 words!
“Jasen (Nibs) is a 5th grader at Eisenhower. This is Jasen’s first big production! Jasen keeps busy with sports and lives with his Mom, Dad and 4 brothers. He would like to thank his Grandma & Pop Pop for being his biggest fans!”
Thanks for your help Carey
Love, Diane
—–Original Message—– From: Carey Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 8:27 AM To: Diane Subject: RE: Jasen’s School Play Today
LOL, I love Kelsey’s bio. Broadway here she comes!
This might be a tad much for Jasen’s bio (imagine that) but I CANNOT be restricted to 45 words. That control freak “Kelsey” is just going to have to deal with it. He’s MY Godson!! If she has a problem with that have her call me directly and I will set her “straight”. (BTW, who the hell is Nibs???? Shouldn’t my favorite Godson be playing Peter???? I may just have to fly up there and teach Chelsea or Kelsey or whatever her damn name is, how we Italians do things!) At any rate, here’s my first draft
Jasen (Nibs the Lost Boy) is making his major theatrical debut in Eisenhower High School’s production of Peter Pan, and is thrilled to be reviving the pivotal role of Nibs. Jasen’s previous credits include swing roles in Teletubbies - the Musical, Harry Potter Goes to Kindergarten, and the “Rent - the Pre-Teen Years (Understudy – Bum near Benny’s Range Rover). Jasen’s well rounded activities keep him busy with sports, academics and recreational time with his family. Jasen credits his mother, who still has time to shuttle him to play practice despite raising 5 boys, his Uncle Carey for his interest in musical theater, his two sets of identical twin baby brothers for making him want to stay late after school for rehearsal (and not have to baby-sit and God (not particularly in that order). He promises to thank them all on national television when he wins his first Tony. In the meantime he hopes to bring vim and vigor into each role he is blessed enough to win. Jasen’s name originates from Jase, the Greek God of Theater. His passion for the arts extends to his musical prowess, as well as his love for pottery spinning. His film credits include Family Video #611 - Jasen’s first communion, and #101 – Jasen poops on the potty. He would like to dedicate this performance to his Grandma and Pop Pop for being his biggest fans and always making him believe.
Best viewed with Firefox. Press F5 if video doesn’t load.
The Hip-pest Cat in NYC? A Tale of two Oreos
This is Oreo, (which was the name of my dog, that’s why this article caught my eye) Oreo was the first cat in the New York region to ever to undergo surgical hip replacement, which was just several thousand dollars more than the traditional method; total cat replacement. Terrible I know…especially since I’ve been reading about all the wonderful veterinary work that Nate Lam does with animals. Sorry Nate, I’m definitely more of a dog person as evidenced by my Oreo who ended up on the front page of the Chicago Tribune 20 years ago (gasp) for walking 45 miles trying to get home!
RIP Or
Most shameless cat joke I know:
Me: “Oh, you’re a cat lover?”
Cat Lover “Yes, I love cats”
Me: “Oh! We should trade recipes!!” One more tasteless joke:
A hooker asked her surgeon to make another hole in her ass. The surgeon asked, “Why”? She said, “Business is good, so I’m opening another location.”
Thanks to Eric, for finding these 2 videos. The new Maroon 5 and a different type of Beyonce song.
18 years ago, on a Monday night, I was out at a club in Champaign, Illinois, nearby where I went to college. At one point during the evening, I bumped into someone who for a minute looked like my roommate at the time, but it wasn’t. At any rate, I said, “Hello, how are you?” His response, in a thick Portuguese accent was, “I went to McDonald’s.” I said, “Excuse me??” He repeated, “I waynt to make doane ahlds”. After some initial language barriers, Claudio and I became fast friends. He eventually (with my help, LOL) learned English and even got his PhD. He loved Oreo (that’s them on the left in 1990), and even taught him how to speak Portuguese. The first time I ever went to Brazil, it was to see Claudio and meet his family, and I’ve loved the country ever since. Claudio and I even lived together in Washington DC for a while. We’ve been through a lot over the years and I was thrilled recently to learn that he’s moving to California with his partner Ryan! He took a job teaching at a university about 45 minutes north of here. This morning he flew in from South America and drove up to check out his new house. Tonight we had a great dinner and caught up on old times. By the way, he will deny the McDonald’s story, and swear he spoke perfect English when he moved to the States from Brazil in 1990, but I know better. GLY Claudio! 
While sharing from his heart with humor and passion, Jamie challenges his audience to think differently – to view failure as a worthy experience – to learn the art of grunt work – to conquer fear through focus – to live life with passion on their own terms.
LOL We were talking tonight about those rare moments in life where one tiny action can change the course of your entire life. Kind of like the movie 
He’s about half the size now that he will be in six months. I can hardly wait to walk him around West Hollywood! Thanks Ann & Jorge for a great dinner and a great time!
I find her tattoo however, somewhat tacky with such an otherwise beautiful ensemble. (Of course maybe I’m just sickened by the fact that the tattoo was for Billy Bob Thornton, LOL).
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