if only I could affect the future

Last year I tried out a few New Year’s Superstitions (NOT all 20). If nothing else, I had a good laugh.  I opened all of the windows — let the old year escape, danced around a tree, and let my dirty locks flow through the air (oh yeah, I was a sight to behold!)

The Jury’s Still Out –

I have no idea if they worked or not, but things could be a lot worse! I’ve just researched 20 more and figure they’re worth trying. You never know…

WEAR NEW CLOTHES on New Years Day and you’ll get more during the year –
(isabel marant? vanessa bruno? barneys? hope-hope!)

NOISE MAKERS:. Blast the Fireworks, Ring Church Bells — scare away the meanies –
(time to blast Briana!)

MIDNIGHT KISS that person you’ll want to rekiss all year –
(guess I’ll be working the ER night shift…hmmm…)

DRAIN THE BOTTLE and good fortune will come your way –
(a little suggestive, isn’t it?)

JUMP SEVEN WAVES and THROW FLOWERS INTO THE SEA for good luck –
(if you’re not near the ocean, you might have a problem)

SCATTER COINS around the house so money will come your way all year round –
(this seems pretty obvious — just look for it in your house)

HIDE KNIVES in the house for 24 hours so no one will be hurt and the fortune will remain undisturbed –
(sounds like the beginning of a horror flick)

LIGHT UP the house so the coming year will be bright –
(this sounds like something my mom would’ve made up)

WEAR POLKA DOTS – anything round signifies prosperity –
(this might be tough to pull off, unless you’re a clown)

JUMP 12 TIMES at midnight to increase your height –
(maybe do this before you drain the bottle, otherwise things could get messy) 

EAT STICKY RICE, to make good fortune stick in the New Year –
(I love Asian food anyway)

WORK IT OUT: Do a sample of the work you’d like to have loads of in the year –
(I’ll be making a tape to send Jason Reitman!)

FIRST FOOTING: The first person to enter your home after the stroke of midnight will influence the year you’re about to have –
(i’ve got an emergency —  a certain doctor needs to stop by!)

FILL YOUR POCKETS on New Years Eve you will never have an empty pocket in the New Year –
(i need a pocket full of miracles)

WALK YOUR LUGGAGE out of your house and around the block encourages travel in your New Year.
(or travel to the nearest mental facility if anyone notices you doing this)

EAT GREENS and you’ll have lots of green money in the coming year.
(La Scala chopped salad?)

THROW RICE GRAINS at midnight and you’ll have an abundance –
(of what? Rice? Weddings? A mess to clean up?)

Put a GOLD RING in your champagne glass and you’ll have prosperity –
(unless you swallow it — then life will be a lot shorter)

CLIMB A CHAIR 12 times will make you find a boyfriend or girlfriend next year –
(wait.. how do you climb up a chair?)

BE UNDER THE TABLE and WEAR RED UNDERWEAR at midnight and you’ll get married next year –
(I’m not telling you what color underwear I’ll be wearing, but if you’re under the table with me, you might find out! ahaha!)

(What superstitions do you follow on New Year’s Eve?)

Liked that? Check out:

• Resolutions Revisited
• Programming My LIfe
• FEELING CONFLICTED: ER Volunteer

cute card from zazzle.com

OMG! We’re here already! HO HO HO and Hanukkah are happening simultaneously – Ready or NOT!

Merriment and Melancholia

I love the holidays. I hate the holidays. We drive ourselves crazy; go into debt; reminisce about how things used to be; miss our loved ones who aren’t here…  Still, we CELEBRATE Holidays year after year!

LOVE

• Discovering thoughtful and unexpected gifts
• DIY Creations
• Sparkle-y lights everywhere!
• Wrapping Presents
• Baking Cookies and Cupcakes
• Decorating  (I’m one of the Light Bulb Store’s best customers)
• Cold weather (even in Los Angeles it’s BRRRR… this year)
• Great movies
• Dressing up
• Christmas Parties
• Connecting with people I love
• Internet shopping (sooo much easier!)
• Having an excuse to do something for a certain doctor

HATE

• Aggressive drivers (hey Man, we’re all in a hurry – chill!)
• Running out of time
• Crowded stores
• Picked-over merchandise
• Stressed-out people who snap at me.
• Disappointing anyone.

I wish no one had to be sick or in the Hospital. I wish disadvantaged people in bad situations could go POOF! and make it better. The Holidays can’t be happy for everyone at the same time. But…. even with the Love/Hate situation, the thing we all LOVE MOST about HOLIDAY GIVING is that it brings the people we love together. And that’s really the BEST PRESENT OF ALL, right?

Merry Merry/xo!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVaFoAIVzok

(what do you love and hate about the holidays?)

Liked that? Check out:

• Actors Keep Track: Pilot Season 2012
• Resolutions Revisited
• 20 More NEW YEAR’S EVE SUPERSTITIONS

Let 'em roll!

The best part of Holiday Shopping is in the DISCOVERY. When you happen upon a SPECIAL FIND you know it.

I love gifts that make people smile or Oooooo and Ahhhhh or go –

“Wow, how do you find this stuff?”

Gifts don’t have to be expensive. They just need to be THOUGHTFUL– and CAREFULLY SELECTED, so the recipients know you “get” them. (When someone “gets” me, I feel all glittery inside — ‘specially a certain someone!)

12 FUN FINDS (most of which I wouldn’t mind getting btw, ahaha!)

• BANTER BANNERS  @$10 (“Good Times” ,“Celebrate” , “No Place Like” –  everyone LOVES them!)
• QUOTABLE MATCHBOX PACKS @$11.95  (“Shine Eternally”, “A Great Flame Follows a Little Spark”)
• JONATHAN ADLER SUGAR POP CANDLES  @$38 (a yummy companion to the quotable matchboxes)
• JAMES PERSE T-SHIRTS for Guys @$45+ (soft and comfy like the faves he can’t give away)
• SPLENDID TANKS FOR WOMEN  @$38+ (great colors and styles for every shape)
• MEN’S SOCKS FROM BARNEYS @$19+ (solids, stripes, designer-y to classic, from England and Italy for every closet and budget)
• ANTIPAST SOCKS FOR WOMEN @$30+ (the ultimate in cool Japanese style — I love the lacey-netty-sparkly ones)
  
• SUE DEVITT LASH INTENSIFIER TREATMENT AND LENGTHENING MASCARA @$49 (for fabulous flirtatious lashes – promise!)
• Macally Mini 7-Port USB Hub @$19.99 (seriously, I don’t know how I lived with out this before – it gets all of those ugly computer wires off your desk)
• MAGIC TRACKPAD @$69 (when I upgraded my Mac to Lion I got this and it’s just like using an iPad, or iPhone — so much easier)
• TRUZZLES $69.99 + (French, fabulous and the perfect table accessory for anyone who lives in style or wants to)
• Dexter Ice Truck Killer Thumb Drive @ $39.95 (you MUST know someone you’d like to give the finger to, ahaha!)

Thumbs up!

(Please share your SPECIAL FINDS in the comments — I’d love to know about more!)

Liked that? Check out:

• Actors Keep Track: Pilot Season 2012
• HALLOWEEN & the Scary Job Market!
• INFOLIST: Oh, the possibilities…

Feelin' it

Life is not exactly according to plan…still…there are so many reasons to say “Thanks!

Hug everything and everyone you have!

I’m THANKFUL that –

Liked that? Check out:

• FEELING CONFLICTED: ER Volunteer
• Hearing Voices or Am I Just Getting a Headache?
• Back to the Grind: VOLUNTEERING IN THE ER

Halloween Holly

October 31^st feels frightening, even if you’ve got a job. BUT… if your next gig is as invisible as a ghost, get CREATIVE!  When the door creeps open, step into the unknown.

Last Thursday I go to a BIRTHDAY DINNER for my firecracker-sports-agent-cousin-Jaimie at that new SBE (Katsuya group) restaurant next to Dan Tana’s: Mercato di Vitro.  As I pull up, I’m relieved to see that Kirsten Dunst’s Prius is even dirtier than mine. I head over to a table covered with family style platters of Artichoke Chips, Hen of the Woods Whatever, Buffalo Mozzarella, Osso Bucco, Primi Pastas…FUN, FATTENING and DELICIOSO!

Unexpected Opportunities for the Unemployed!

During dinner Jaimie starts stressing about not having enough time to get her “Holly Go Lightly” ensemble together before the Soho House Saturday Night Halloween Party. She asks what I’m gonna be –

Your Halloween Stylist!

GETTING THE JOB DONE –

Friday I’m up early and online – printing Audrey pics, searching for her LBD. Luckily The BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S dress is “THE dress” right now, so I find versions at every price from Theory to Bottega Veneta. Thankfully Jaimie is flexible about price ‘cuz she’ll wear this dress to her gazillion business events afterwards.

I start out on 3^rd Street Promenade. First stop: Forever 21 for jewels. The price is right, but the look’s not quite. So I move on to TIARAS at a kiosk, where I get recognized (embarrassing!) Next I go to the Tobacco Shop, but they’ve just sold out of their last cigarette holder (F___!)  I walk a few blocks and snap shots of LITTLE BLACK DRESSES, POINTY PUMPS and DARK SHADES at Fred Segal Santa Monica (knowing Jaimie has back-ups at home). I get into my car and head over to Ursula’s Costumes at Wilshire and 26^{th .} Never ever go to a costume store the day before Halloween weekend. I wait in line outside for twenty minutes, but when I get in I find a gold cigarette holder, yay!

Feeling jewelry-challenged, I go to Wertz Brothers Antique Mall and discover original multi-stranded pearls with rhinestones and the perfect earrings from the 50’s and 60’s. I email pics of the best to Jaimie and she makes her selection.

When I get home, on youtube I find a How-To Do Holly’s Do and send the link to my cousin. Jaimie Is THRILLED with my performance as a STYLIST (even though she doesn’t go for my Burberry Trench idea or borrow her friend Sarah’s cat).

I’m waiting for a debrief on the party (if she’s still sleeping in, it’s a GOOD SIGN.).

Even though I’ll be an ER Volunteer again for this Halloween, I feel less worried about the job situation.

If Acting doesn’t work out, I’ll just be something else next year. Ahaha!

Happy Halloween!

 (what are you gonna be?)

Liked that? Check out:

• Actors Keep Track: Pilot Season 2012
• Gifts To Put On Your Wish List! (under $100)
• FEELING CONFLICTED: ER Volunteer

rocking out at molto

My intro to Rome is via the driver from the airport to the hotel. He asks where my Dad and I are from and when we answer “L.A.”,  he says “Marlon Brando” and proceeds to whistle the theme from the Godfather. In-between whistling, he points out sites like the Mouth of Truth (um, maybe not), the Coliseum and some cool spot where they used to have chariot races. I’m thrilled that I can now say I’ve done the culture thing so I can proceed to sites like Prada, Bottega and Cucinelli. Um, fashion is culture too, right?

I feel a super strong bond with Rome since we both have a history associated with RUINS – ahaha!

ROME Musts:

• Maxxi
• Pasta
• Garden Tables at Molto
• Bocca della Verità
• Morning runs among the ruins
• Mini sample cones in the gelaterias
• Jerusalem artichokes from Piperno
• Awesome everything at Gente (for women)
• Limone Granita
• Jogging through the Borghese Gardens
• Brandy Melville
• Burrata
• Real Italian pizza
• The purple piano at Hotel de Russie
• Gorgeous flowers everywhere
• Tiramesu
• Prada
• Bottega Veneta
• Massage at Wonderfool
• Dries Van Noten sunglasses at Nia
• Italian flirts

Brandy Melville = affordable style

Liked that? Check out:

• FEELING CONFLICTED: ER Volunteer
• Hearing Voices or Am I Just Getting a Headache?
• Has Texting Replaced Talking?

My Dad is–

• my Rock
• my Mr. Mom
• my up when I’m down

When I was little and we’d go on vacations, he’d call my room pretending to be “Throckmorton” my secret admirer (and I totally bought it!)  When I was at camp, he’d send me letters cut up like puzzles or written backwards (when everyone else just got boring normal mail.)  In middle school we’d brainstorm into the night, creating award-winning projects in his workshop.  And he was always super cool — taking me to concerts like STING, MICHAEL JACKSON and JACKSON BROWNE.

My friends are all jealous, but they love him to pieces and many have actually asked to be adopted! Seriously! I mean it. He’s really that awesome!

When I get hurt, he’d makes it all better. When I book a job, he’s be my biggest FAN.

My Dad taught me –

• How to balance my checkbook (still kind’a working on it)
• How a man is supposed to treat a woman
• How to barbeque a perfect steak
• That problems are often small pebbles of sand
• How to turn the lights off when I’m not in the room
• How to use a labeler to organize life
• How to swim
• How to make the world’s best pancakes
• How to be thoughtful
• How to fix a broken toilet
• How to be generous
• “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right”
• It’s okay to look goofy when you dance
• “Problems are never as big as they seem”

He’s a hard act to follow –
Smart and Handsome (with a touch of “dork”) –
he makes me laugh when I’m sad…
and cry when I’m happy.

I’m about to go bake him his favorite: – PECAN PIE –
And tomorrow I’ll go remind him how lucky I am.  ♥

Liked that? Check out:

• Hearing Voices or Am I Just Getting a Headache?
• Back to the Grind: VOLUNTEERING IN THE ER
• Has Texting Replaced Talking?

learning from the best

My Mom always loved HATS –

• Comfy Knit Hats
• English Straw Hats
• Romantic 1920′s cloches

When I was little, my Dad taught me the expression — “Keep it under your hat!”

He (secretly) suggested that I make my Mom a HAT for Mother’s Day, which I thought was an AWESOME idea!

“DIY” kinda…

He showed me where “he’d” hidden flowers, ribbons and plastic cherries to decorate a plain straw hat, which was also in the same “hiding place.” I realize now – that no way could my Dad’ve come up with that idea. It’s so NOT a “guy’s idea” right?  What I didn’t know then was that my Mom set it all up, so my Dad could help me “surprise” her. Soooo sweet!

Together my Dad and I made a ribbon band (clearly it was “the blind leading the blind”) and then we twisted wire on an assortment of flower and cherry stems in order to hide the un-pretty parts under the band (at least we tried.) And VOILA! I (we) created a CHAPEAU.

We wrapped it all up in a fabric covered hat box (also in the closet, which somehow I didn’t question) and tied it with a ribbon and a rose from the garden.  Then I woke Mom up and she was completely SURPRISED, as you can imagine. Actually, she’s the one who should’ve become an Actress, since I completely bought her performance (too bad she can’t go to my auditions for me.)

Of course she wore the Hat, every chance she got —  and she told everyone everyone EVERYONE that I was the Hat Designer.

Hats off to you, Mom –

for providing the SUNSHINE in my heart <3

(How are you celebrating Mother’s Day?)

Liked that? Check out:

• Hearing Voices or Am I Just Getting a Headache?
• BEST ACCEPTANCE SPEECH: Working on it
• Back to the Grind: VOLUNTEERING IN THE ER

Searching for "the one"

LOVE --

It’s a word people use very loosely. (I say it all the time.) It’s a feeling that’s actually impossible to describe. It’s something we think we understand until we meet someone we feel even more powerful about.

It may mean something different to each and every person – we have no way of knowing.

There’s no way to measure it or see it. We just FEEL it. And we all WANT it. 

Speaking of LOVE:

“Love stretches your heart and makes you big inside.” – Margaret Walker

“Love is like war: Easy to begin but hard to end.” – Anonymous

“Loves makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” – Zora Neale Hurston

“Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.” – Mark Twain

“Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.” – Peter Ustinov

“Love doesn’t make the world go round, love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” – Elizabeth Browning

“Young love is from the earth, and late love is from heaven.” - Turkish Proverb

“First love is dangerous only when it is also the last.” – Branislav Nusic

“You know it’s love when you want to keep holding hands even after you’re sweaty.” – Anonymous

“Maybe love is like luck. You have to go all the way to find it.” – Robert Mitchum

“Till I loved I never lived—enough.” – Emily Dickenson

“There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.” – Nietzsche

“There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.” -George Sands

I was nauseous and tingly all over. I was either in love or I had smallpox.” – Woody Allen

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”- Dr. Seuss

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” – John Lennon and Paul McCartney

www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4p8qxGbpOk

(What does “LOVE” mean to you?)

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Liked that? Check out:

• Hearing Voices or Am I Just Getting a Headache?
• Has Texting Replaced Talking?
• Actors Keep Track: Pilot Season 2012

love notes

If you’re running out of ideas for February 14th, you can always pull together a Valentine’s Day CD, right? Music is always romantic; it connects us; and it takes us to indescribable places. Oh yeah!

So, even if you don’t have a Valentine to give it to, make it for yourself – -

35 Songs to put you in the mood…

• Howlin’ For You- The Black Keys
• You’re Breakin’ My Heart- Harry Nilsson
• All I Want- Joni Mitchell
• Take Me Over- Cut Copy
• Kissing You- Des’re
• Stuck Like Glue- Sugarland
• Fall For You- Jamie Foxx (feat. Drake)
• Rolling In The Deep- Adele
• Coming Home- Diddy (feat. Skylar Grey)
• This Is Love- PJ Harvey
• Who’s That Chick- David Guetta (feat. Rihanna)
• Save Me- Nina Simone
• Love Hits the Fan- Phonat
• Heartbeats- Grum
• Take Me Home tonight (Henry Blank Remix)- Topmodelz
• Don’t Go Away- the Zombies
• How Can U Luv Me- Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• Stranded in the Jungle- Cadets
• Hey Little Girl- Professor Longhair
• Love Lost (keljet remix)- Temper Trap
• Take it Off- Genteels
• Que Veux-Tu- Yelle
• When You’re Young and in Love- The Flying Pickets
• Dedicated to the One I love- The 5 Royales
• Mio Amore (till the end of time)- The Flamingos
• I don’t Want to Get Over You- The Magnetic Fields
• You and Me- Penny and the Quarters
• Whole, Wide, World- Bahamas
• Funnel of Love- Wanda Jackson
• Tracks of my Tears- Aretha Franklin
• Whispering Bells- The Del Vikings
• Good Lovin’ – Betty Wright
• There is a Light that Never Goes Out- the Smiths
• Idolize You- Ike and Tina Turner
• You’ve Got the Love (hahaha remix)- Florence And The Machine

smooch!

Liked that? Check out:

• Hearing Voices or Am I Just Getting a Headache?
• BEST ACCEPTANCE SPEECH: Working on it
• Back to the Grind: VOLUNTEERING IN THE ER