And then the room shook!!

July 30th...so what' happened in the last week?  To be honest, i'm not really in the mood for typing something long, so this'll be brief!

Well, the 'Industry Party' that Margie through for us, was great!  Alot of people turned up and alot of rink was drank.  Among the guests was Frank Stallone (Sly's brother!)...you'd defo know they were brothers!  He invited us out to see his band play on the Thursday, but alas, we were all too hung over!  Jerry Stiller was there...the old guy from King of Queens, was also in Zoolander...is Ben Stillers dad! He's a LEGEND!! Very nice guy!  Dr Evils German assistant in Austin Powers...of course i only found this out today!  JAYSUS!! So i didn't get to meet her.  And aload of other people from actors, to agents, to managers etc.  It was a great night!  Of course, by the end of the night, we started a sing song!  We were on the balcony of this Italian Restaurant and some of the punters from downstairs who were dining, actually came up and stood looking at us and clapping along!!  Hilarious!

From there we went to probably the coolest bar i've ever been in...so cool, that i can't get into the feckin place on weekends coz i don't have BOOBS!!!  It's called the SKY BAR and it's on Sunset.  Has pool outside and an open air bar that looks like it belongs on the set of Cocktail!  Beautiful spot!   So we partied there til it was 2am and the bar was closed...that's the shit thing about here.  You cannot, for love nor money, get a pint after 2am...ANYWHERE!!  Crazy!!

Last weekend, on the Friday, we all met up and went to go to a club called...i can't even remember!  Not because i was drunk, it's because we queued for 25 minutes and there was still no sign of us getting in, so i just left and got in a cab and went to the Viper Room.  It used to be owned by Johnny Depp until very recently.   There was live music.  Saw a band called Matthew Moon...not bad...but not great.  Then styaed up til 5 having one of my music aprreciation nights, where no one can talk coz "This is probaby one of the greatest songs ever written!!"

Saturday, myself and Gav went to the party Stacey and Peter invited us to.  It was a much more relaxed atmosphere.  They had caterers in and a bar out their back garden and people just stood around chatting.  Beautiful house and their dog, Finnegan! is a legend!!  Anyway, there were a few heads there - one of the guys that does alot of voices for the Simpsons, a top Directors agent, a stunt girl!!, producers, the wife of the guy who wrote the West Wing...he was supposed to come, but didn't make it!  It was good night and met some interesting people.

Classes are still going very well...and yesterday, we were taking Margies class and we're going through some things and then the room shook...actually, the whole building wobbled!!  5.3 it measured.  The first Quake since 94!  

After class, myself, Gav, Susan and Nicola went to see the LA Dodgers play the San Francisco Giants (that's baseball, in case you're wondering!!)  Feckin great craic!!  Bought a Dodgers top...i'm such a loser!!  Ended up going to a kareoke bar after and singing the highest version of More Then a Woman, you are EVER likely to hear!!!

So, there ya go!  Not too long left on the aul course.  Heading to The Grove this eve to watch an open air showing of E.T!  Greatest movie of all time! 

GO DODGERS!

Karlos, x

It started in Venice Beach...

July 23rd.  Just killing time before i head off to the 'Industry Party' that is been thrown for all the ISP students...that's International Studies Programme, students i.e me and the others!  It's a chance to get to meet some Agents, Casting Directors, Managers and all that.  I'm looking forward to it.  Everyday is a school day here and i'm learning alot!!

Last weekend was a bit of craic!  Friday night, myself, Gavin and Mark hit Universal City for the night.  It's where Universal Studios is, and within the complex there's a few bars, clubs and restaurants.  Our first port of call was The Rumba Rooms!  If you like Salsa, you'll love this place.  It took us about 5 minutes to cop on, though, that we were the only white people in the club!!  It was Literally that Carlsberg add!! We pissed ourselves...and then got pissed!!  

The next bar was where the real SHCOOPERY happened.  Howl at the Moon.  There was a band playing.  2 grand pianos, drums, bass and guitar.  Brilliant!!!  Our first round was Jager-Bombs (i'm pretty sure i've spelt that wrong!), Our second round was Jager-Bombs, our third round was Jager-Bombs and the fourth was an Irish Car Bomb...all within 10 minutes...Goodnight and Goodluck!!  Gonski!!  We made alot of friends in that bar...i think it was our singing!  At one stage, i went to the jax and when i came back, Gavin had another Jager-Bomb for me...SWEET!  Down the hatch!  Tasted rather strong, but i was fine...found out the next day that it wasn't just Jagermeister in the redbull, there was also Jack Daniels and Tequila!!! The fucker!! 

The next day was a struggle.  Headed to Santa Monica beach for the afternoon.  Lovely and relaxing.  Had a swim.  Found out that there was a festival on that night starting at 7pm and going all the way through to 7am!  There's my night sorted, so!  Got the bus home, changed, Gav called around and we headed back to Santa Monica.  Now, the week previous, we had been in a bar in Venice Beach.  A DJ invited us to a house party he was working at, so, not wanting to offend the guy, we hit the house party in Santa Monica first!  Met a good few people including an actress, Stacey, who was there with her hubby, who in turn introduced us to a Casting Director, with whom we pretty much partied with for the rest of the night!  That led us to being invited to another party this Saturday, where there is going to be, seemingly, alot of Agents, Managers, Casting Directors...it's a funny ol' world!  Look, something might happen, or nothing will happen at all, the point is, you never know who you are talking to in this town...and where it potentially will lead!  That's what's so feckin' great about out here!  After the party we hit the beach and talked and sang to, i don't know hw many people, but it was great!  Got home at 7am - texted Fionn and told him i wouldn't be up for footie @9am!!

Okay, that's enough for now...Classes are going brilliant!  We finished with Saxon yesterday and we have Tess now.  The whole thing, after just over a week, has and is, giving me a new perspective on approaching scenes for auditions...and in general!  It's just class!!

Til next time,

Karlos!

We'll stay out til 10pm!

So i've had my first full day of class at the Margie Haber studio!  And it was interesting...very interesting.  Alot to take in, to think about and to absorb, but all in a good way.  This week we're working with a woman called Saxon.  I'm not going to bore you with what i'm actually doing...i mean, i've paid alot of money to come out here and do this.  Dya think i'm going to just tell everyone exactly what it is i'm learning?!?! ;-) ...basically, it was how to use your imagination in piecing together where a character has come from and how it can help you in a piece.

Who's on the course - Gavin Byrne, Nicola Mogerley, Mark Hutchinson, Carla Mooney, Susan McNamara, Jennifer Hennessey (all Irish!) Bastian Korff (German) and Luca Carbone (Italian)

Yesterday (Monday) was actually our first day but it was more a meet and greet.  Margie got former students to come in and talk to us about "the business"...it was very interesting.  Some of them have got impressive CV's from CSI to 24 to...well, can't think of the others, but you get what i mean!

We finished about 5pm and so, with the majority of us being Irish, what else was there to do except go for a pint...a few pints!  So up to Sunset Blvrd and the beginning of a mini Pub Crawl, starting in the Standard - fancy place that has a pool that you can take a dip in while sipping on your cocktail...or if you're us, sit in the shade and order the closest thing to a pint on the menu!  One drink later we decide to head across the road to this Rodeo bar.  A little bit more our scene, so we had a few drinks, some food, Gavin and Mark 'rode the bull' as did Eaoifa!  

I was having a good time, but was conscious of the following morning been our first class, so myself and Carla gave the time of departure at 10pm!  This was thrown into turmoil when a round of shots arrived at 9:45 from Mr Newry, Gavin...Q, what is commonly known as 'the second wind!!'  SHIIIIIIIIITTTTT!!!  That was it!  SHCOOPED Karl took over and bet the crap out of sensible Karl...so onwards to our next venue "Happy Endings"...turns out on Mondays here, it's Kareoke night! Now Kareoke at home usually consists of 3 types of people 1) People who are off their face drunk, who can't sing but get up for the laugh! 2)  People who THINK they are amazing singers but are a f*ckin disgrace!! and 3)  the lesser known people who can hold a tune...In West Hollywood, when it's Kareoke night, EVERY person who gets up sounds like they've just made it to the final of American Idol!!!  It was like a show in itself!!  So after another few drinks, up i get and give, what can only be described as an Ian Tighe, emotionally charged rendition of Black by Pearl Jam!! OH YEAH, BABY!!!  I got home at...i dunno...2ish! 

There were 2 actors in the bar aswell.  One of them was in Blade Runner amongst other things, and the other i can't for the life of me think what i saw him in.  But anyway, they're famous and i saw them...WOW!!

So there you go...i'm knackered now, so i'm off to sleep.

Peace

Karlos

The City Of Angels

July 11 @ 7pm.  I'm in LA just over 1 day...and I'VE MAD IT!!! Not really...So what's happened?  Well, the flights over were fine...fuck, that's not interesting Karlos!  Write something witty and interesting!!!  Well, nothing has really happened yet!  Oh, i was in a gym today, on the 'cross-trainer' and Jeff Goldblum was 3 tredmills down from me!!!  Now THAT'S the type of shit people want to read about...OH YEAH! Jeff 'I always think alot before i say my line' Goldblum...Legend!

Okay, so back to how i got here...Dublin - Chicago (where i bought a plug adapter THAT DOESN'T FIT THE PLUGS IN THIS COUNTRY!!!) Chicago - LA (during this flight i got talkin to a cool guy who was on his way back from Kenya after doing some Irrigation work...selfish bastard!...and he gave me a lift from LAX right to the door of where i'm staying!  Good man Colin!  And he looks a bit like Dave Matthews...not that that has anything to do with anything, but just to give you a mental picture of this Modern Day Mother Theresa!)

The apartment i'm in is nice.  Very close to where i will be doing my course...oh yeah, i never mentioned WHY i'm actually here.  Acting course - there ya go!  Just incase your somebody who doesn't know who i am...i.e a nosey f*cker! ;-)  Anyway, my room is big.  Has an ensuite and a huge flat screen tv.  The girl i'm sharing with seems nice enough.  Not that i can say that about one of her cats - BABY!  The little shit hates me!  It actually attacked me yesterday...as in LEAPED at my ankles and tried to scrape me!!!  F*ckin' PSYCHO!!!  So anytime i'm here on my own 'BABY' goes into a room that i lock!!  Scrape me now ya...okay, that's enough swearing!  

So i'm just waiting on Gavin - another Irish guy on the course - never met him before, but he's here and i'm here, so we're going out for a few pints and check out the West Hollywood nightlife...i don't think we'll fit in though...2 guys, walkin around on their own, havin a few drinks!! (i'm being sarcastic by the way!)  It's a very 'colourful' area of LA...are ya with me or do i have to spell it out?!  Which reminds me, the gym today was feckin hilarious...here you have all these big, muscle bound, fit guys workin' out really hard, sweat pumping, veins popping and over the sound system we have Kylies Greatest f*ckin hits blaring out of it!!  I actually laughed outloud!

And on that note, i shall stop typing.  I am hungry.  More importantly, i am thirsty.  No doubt all i'll be able to get is some drink in a Martini glass with a sparkler and umberella in it...ah well, when in Rome and all that!

Slán

Karlos