Throwing the Rule Book Out the Window in LA
One of my favorite quotes regarding lifestyle philosophies comes from Fahrenheit 451: “Stuff your eyes with wonder,” he said. “live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask no guarantees, ask for no security, there never was such an animal. And if there were, it would be related to the great sloth which hangs upside down in a tree all day every day, sleeping its life away. To hell with that,” he said. “shake the tree and knock the great sloth down on his ass.” I’ve said a thousand times how I’ve wanted to get a last-minute gig somewhere unplanned and just make it work. Fly by the seat of my pants for awhile, live in the moment, for the adventure. About a month ago, when I got offered a job on a Thursday night that required me to be in LA on Monday morning, it was tough to finally say Yes. Three months based out West, but with a crazy, travel-intensive schedule. It left no opportunity to sneak away to see Gunner, and that was almost the reason I turned the job down entirely. We’ve done the long distance thing for awhile now, but we’re almost at our wits’ end. The thought of three months apart and two thousand miles between us was about to push me over the emotional brink. I had to focus to keep from falling apart. I found an apartment. I booked a cheap flight. I packed two suitcases, paid all the bills, and cleaned my room better than I’d ever done in my entire life (by the way, if you need a place to stay in Nashville, let me know!). I took one of the latest flights to LA on Sunday night. I ran on pure adrenaline for that first week, barely sleeping or eating, working 24/7, and finally crashing a solid week later. I’ve gotten into a routine here. I like my one bedroom apartment in North Hollywood; I make my coffee exactly the way I did in Nashville. I love the morning breeze and the faint smell of lilac when I walk outside my door. In ways, I’ve grown a little attached to my life in Southern California. I miss Gunner, but it isn’t a focal point. It’s only three months, embrace the adventure, I tell myself every morning in an attempt to ward off any feelings of loneliness or homesickness. And somehow, we are being given the next week off from work. I was planning on going down to San Diego, or exploring some other part of this...
Revisiting Places You Once Adored
When you’re a teenager, you have preconceived notions of what you want out of adulthood. You want to drive a Ford Explorer and live in Southern California. That’s not what you wanted? Maybe it was just me. (And let’s be honest, that’s a pretty ridiculous combination: a gas guzzling automobile in the land of the environmentally conscious? That never would have worked.) I’ve been to Southern California a fair amount for someone who has no family here or real reason to come here. Each time I’ve ventured West, it excited me to come out here, and I mourned the day when I’d have to head back East. It was thrilling to see stores and restaurants we didn’t have back home. People here spoke Spanish, ate sushi, and were crazy about avocados. There were palm trees and more than three lanes of traffic. Visiting Los Angeles was as big of an adventure as you could have when you’re from a small town in Virginia. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to LA. In that time, I’ve fallen pretty hard for New Orleans, a boy from New Orleans, and the swamp. I love southern hospitality, warm summer nights, soul food, an affordable cost of living, and saying “y’all”. It took me awhile to accept that I’m from the South, but now I’m proud of it. It’s a lifestyle that I’m fond of, and I never want to leave. Working in tv/film, I’ve definitely embraced the change of pace and opportunity to get out of Nashville for a bit and learn from some great Los Angeles producers. But, it’s the first time I’ve been to California and been completely indifferent about it. It’s the first time I’ve been able to look at it from an unbiased perspective. I see the beauty here, but I also see the flaws. It’s the first time I’ve been here where I realized this isn’t the life I want. I’ve grown up. Have you recently visited a place you once had blind adoration for? How have you changed?...
Exploring Manly by Bicycle
It was the second day of my excursion Down Under, and I was ready to delve into on-the-ground exploration: going on a self-guided tour of Manly by bicycle. I’d gotten my obligatory photos with the Sydney Opera House the day before; I’d traipsed around downtown with my 5lb Lonely Planet Guide in tow. It was time for something a bit more challenging. Pamphlets had been floating around the hostel for Manly Bike Hire, which offered self-guided bike tours. Immediately, I had visions of riding around the rugged terrain, discovering hidden coves with the warm spring breeze blowing in my hair. I was sold. Getting to Manly One of the perks in going to Manly is taking the ferry, which gives you the opportunity to take even more photos of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and the Sydney skyline — without spending a fortune on a “harbour tour”. Getting to Manly, Renting the Bike and Choosing the Self-Guided Tour Located just a few blocks from where we disembarked is Manly Bike Tours & Bike Hire. Since I was on an adventure (and adventurous people are naturally in good shape), I opted for their “intermediate” route that had the most impressive pictures in the pamphlet: The Sydney Harbour National Park Explorer. I paid the $28 for the hybrid bike, signed a scary waiver that said something about potentially owing hundreds of dollars if I broke or stole the bike, and I was on my way. Dodging Traffic and Getting Lost I don’t know the traffic patterns of Manly, but I can’t imagine it gets a lot busier than on a beautiful, sunny and warm Good Friday afternoon. Between an endless line of parked cars on my left and bustling Easter weekend traffic on my right was a generous twelve inches of open pavement for my wobbly bike tires to straddle. As I desperately tried to keep my bike tires within the twelve inch gap, I remembered I hadn’t ridden a bike in over 10 years, and I’d never ridden in traffic of any kind, much less traffic flowing in the complete wrong direction. I teetered along uneasily for a couple of blocks, dodging mirrors on parked cars while trying not to swerve into traffic. This wasn’t an adventure. This was suicide. With my pride slightly bruised, I hopped off the bike and tried to look as cool as possible as I pushed it along through crowded intersections, until I found a quieter street in a residential area. I consulted the map, and realized that in my quest for survival I’d gone in the wrong direction. I tried to make sense of the roads within that orange square,...
Help Hattiesburg Rebuild: Ways to Donate
To help residents affected by the January 21st, 2017 tornado, here is Petal’s Facebook page. On February 10th, 2013, Hattiesburg was hit by a massive EF-4 tornado. There were no deaths, thankfully — but it devastated several neighborhoods and businesses. Being here for the cleanup has been amazing; several local businesses have organized volunteer efforts, social media has helped coordinate donation centers. The community has really come together and massive progress has been made in just over a week. However, there is still so much work to do. Several neighborhoods around town were hit; numerous homes were completely destroyed. Hattiesburg needs your help as they continue to clean up and start rebuilding. If you can’t make it down here, here’s a list of charitable organizations and relief funds that will utilize your donations to the max and help those who need it most. Charitable Organizations Here’s a list of places, some of which are based in Hattiesburg, that are rebuilding the community and accepting online donations. ExtraTable.org – Based in Hattiesburg, Extra Table was started last year to help combat hunger. 100% of donations go towards purchasing food bought in bulk, all administrative costs are paid separately. They’re helping keep shelves stocked for the displaced residents of Hattiesburg in need of a meal. You can donate online or mail a check. Christian Services – Christian Services has been at the forefront of assisting tornado victims, organizing volunteer efforts and distributing donated goods. Visit their website to learn more about the organization along with information regarding how to submit a donation via check or PayPal. Also, check out their Facebook page to track all of the ways they’re helping the community. Salvation Army – The Salvation Army has also been heavily involved in assisting Hattiesburg residents. While they accept online donations, to be certain your money is going towards Hattiesburg’s tornado relief, you can write them a check and designate “Hattiesburg Tornado” on the memo line. According to their Facebook page, checks can be mailed directly to their Hattiesburg office: 5670 U.S. 49 Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Red Cross – The Red Cross’s local office in Hattiesburg was destroyed by the tornado, but they’ve still been able to help take care of the community. You can’t specifically donate towards Tornado Relief in Hattiesburg, but you can give a broad donation towards Disaster Relief. Specific Relief Funds A few local churches have organized relief funds to assist specific families in need. St. Thomas Disaster Fund: St. Thomas Acquinas Catholic Church of Hattiesburg knows of at least 9 families in the Hattiesburg community that lost everything, and set up a fund to help them rebuild. Read more on their Facebook page. Donations can be sent to: St. Thomas Disaster...
South American Diaries, Part I: The Headache of Border Crossings
I typed this up while on my South American trip last year, and forgot about it completely until I discovered it on my netbook a few weeks ago. It was fairly verbose, so I broke it up into two sections. Here’s Part I! ——— January 5, 2012 It’s been awhile since I’ve traveled solo, and my boots are dusty. When I returned from last jaunt overseas, my mind was sharp and I was up for the next challenge, whether it be logistical, mental, or physical. Tonight, I find myself in Puerto Iguazu, still recovering after a busy 5 days in Rio do Janeiro spent visiting with some great friends whom I haven’t seen in over a year. I’m staying in a hostel called Timbdo Posada, a quiet place around the corner from the bus station. The vibe is good – a comfortable place with an open-air kitchen; it’s a warm summer’s night with a cerveja (in January! I still get giddy about this. Such a Northern Hemisphere-ian). My mind is winding down and I’m trying to regain my composure after a day of adventure of the silly, stupid, and breathtaking varieties. Both Jim (my Australian friend) and I were pressed for time on our respective trips, but decided to make a quick jaunt to Iguazu Falls. After a nearly 2 hour delayed departure from Rio de Janeiro, we arrived in Foz do Iguacu around 5:30p — too late to really do anything at the Falls. So, we sauntered around town, did some research, and came to a consensus that the Argentine side of the Falls the following morning would be the way to go. What’s so silly about that, you may ask? Border crossings. The process seemed simple enough: ask the bus driver to stop at the border to get an exit stamp, get back on the bus, and continue on your merry way to the Falls. What we ended up having to do was more like this: – Wait 10 minutes to catch bus headed to Argentina. ($4 Reals) -Get off bus at Brazil side of border crossing. Wait 20 minutes to get through the line for exit stamp. -Catch another bus, 10 minutes later, heading to Argentina. ($2AR) -Get off the bus, wait 15 minutes for entry stamp in Argentina. (Entry stamp at border crossing = Free! As opposed to flying into Buenos Aires, which will incur a $135 visa fee for Americans). -Ride bus to Puerto Iguazu for 15-20 minutes. -Arrive at bus depot in Puerto Iguazu. Buy another bus ticket headed to Iguazu Falls, almost get scammed by the guy selling the tickets and almost get...
Mardi Gras 2013: Let’s Get This Party Started
HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!! Okay… technically, it is the Friday before Mardi Gras, but the party is alive and well in New Orleans! It’s my favorite holiday. It’s superior to Halloween, and it’s a shame the rest of the country is in the dark about what a festive time they’re missing. Free stuff, parades, costumes, masks, music, having a drink at 9am… what’s not to love?! If the rest of the country knew what a wonderful week of celebration this was, they’d be planning their parade routes for next Carnival season. I’m heading back to New Orleans today with good friends to enjoy the festivities over the next four days, and I can’t wait! I didn’t get to go last year, and there’s nothing like the thrill of the first parade and that first catch of beads. To celebrate, here are photos from previous Mardi Gras celebrations in 2009 and 2011. 2009: Laryssa’s First Mardi Gras 2011: Bringing the Friends In putting this post together, I realize these photos are on the tame side – something I vow to fix on my trip to Mardi Gras this year. Laissez les bon temps rouler!...
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I'm Laryssa, and when I'm not working in film or television, I'm attempting to travel -- or I'm here, providing resources for working in film or travel. Read more Elsewhere on the internets
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