AppapaLOOza

My sweet boyfriend got me the iPod touch for my birthday last week. It's pretty amazing. I have 32 apps so far. Most of them are food related. No surprise since I pretty much obsess about food all of the time. I COULD write a food blog, but this is much more fun. And I do plan to share some more recipes soon.

It's amazing to have that much information at your fingertips wherever you go. AMAZING. This is just a sampling of what's on there:

FACEBOOK - because it's not just enough to have it on my Blackberry or on my laptop.
URBANSPOON - because I need to know where food is and where I can get it wherever I am.
BUMP - which I haven't used yet, but can't wait to bump up against someone's iPhone.
SHAZAM - I also love music.
KINDLE - for books because I like to read.
EPICURIOUS - because that's my middle name.
YELP - because opinions are like...well, you know. And I happen to be a fan. Of YELP. And...
GAY CITIES - because it's the right thing to do.
FOOD NETWORK - porn
GYM FREE - because I might need a workout
NY TIMES - duh.
LA TIMES - duh.
TV.COM - quick reference and I'm obsessed with TV
MIXOLOGY - knowledge is power.
NPR - because I'm wicked smart. Or at least want people to think I am.
PAC MAN - hells, yeah.

And more. But that's a little sampling of the things I love and am interested in.

Then I have my Podcasts because I love:
THE TREATMENT w/ Elvis Mitchell
AMERICAN THEATRE WING'S podcasts
and foodie podcasts which I haven't yet listened to yet, but saw something interesting last night called
SPILLED MILK

BALLET FOR MEN - it's about what it means to be a male dancer. Love it. Haven't listened to it yet. But love it.

SAVOR PORTLAND - more food from Portland, OR
THE STORY SO FAR - the 24 episode series on Sondheim
TIMES TALKS - from the New York Times.

It's all so much information. SO I listen in the car, at the airport, on the flight, while I'm cooking in the kitchen...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE.

And that's what I'm obsessed with this week.

The "Race" is On!

So I'm just going to give my opinions thus far on who I think is going to take this thing. And I'm only going by memory because if the other ladies aren't sticking, then they aren't staying, and not worth mentioning.

"Can I get an Amen up in here?"

Funny. I was going to start writing about Ongina. I saw her at Micky's several months ago. I love her pocket, genderfuck, yellow madness. It's fantastic.

While I'm still stuck on Season One, can I just say that those Absolute ads that they show when you watch it online are freaky deaky? Nina's glass eyes, Chanel's Liz Taylor weight gain, Bebe's Ororo Munroe blue eyes (those X Men fans will know what I'm talking about)...it's kinda weird.

Okay, onto Season Two. Here's my rundown on the queens...

Tyra Sanchez - judging from Ep 2, she's a bitch. Judging from Ep. 3, she's a funny bitch. And maybe the most gorgeous of them all. And she might pull a knife on you, which is hot.

Jessica Wild - from Ep. 3, she was a little Phyllis Diller, a little Charo, and a lot to love.

Jujubee - I'm loving how real she is and how she's a cool boy and a sexy girl. Although I want to see her turn it out a bit more. But I love a slant-eyed sister.

Morgan McMichaels - he's a cute boy and as a drag queen, a real nod to female impersonators of the past. She doesn't look like a woman, she looks like a drag queen. Way over the top in a great way. And a bit scary.

Mystique Summers Madison - she's now gone, but I have to say that she's trashy and "raggedy" (according to Ru) in a good way. And I love her name.

Nicole Paige Brooks - Nicole. Paige. Brooooks. Name more interesting than the woman. A little janky. but I'm sure she's as sweet as anything.

Pandora Boxx - love her. She's Kathy Griffin meets Kathy Najimy meets Cloris Leachman meets whatever other judges are on the show this season. Here's to the lady who laughs!

Raven - I'm loving her. She's fierce and bitchy and real and cool. Sometimes can look a bit draggy and manlike. But last night she looked like a real lady, soft and demure. Gimme more, Raven! Although she needs to take some pills to up her energy level. As Ru would say, "You betta work!"

Sahara Davenport - trained dancer, but not my favorite drag queen. She's a beauty, though!

Shangela - tore up from the floor up.

Sonique - who knew such an ugly dude could be such a pretty lady. And I don't mean that mean...well, maybe I do. An example of a person who just transforms. Maybe that's it! Most transformed!

Tatianna - like Tyra Banks says, "Don't rest on pretty." And she IS a lady, not a tranny.

That's how I feel. I'm so addicted. I love my RuPaul's Drag Race. It's delish. And now that they have "Untucked", which actually surpasses the show it rips off, "Models of the Runway." Amazeballs!

Battle of the Charity Singles

I'm with Jay Z on this one.
You just don't mess with "We Are the World."
And "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)" is actually a better SONG. And it's fresh and current.

The video clips and the recreating of the chorus of pop music superstars in the new video was cheeseball.

And really? Janet and Michael side by side? Ugh.

Lazy, lazy, lazy.

And I can't get "Haiti Mon Amour" out of my mind, since I heard it. I LOVE that song. It's a bit melancholy and melodious all at once. Go Jay Z, Bono and Rihanna.

We have a new anthem for 2010. To go along with the one from 2009, "Empire State of Mind."

Thanks, Sean Carter.

V-Day iMix titles

for some reason it cut off the titles. If it wasn't clear, here they are:

Grey in L.A.
Darker Days
Sober
Let it Be
You've Really Got a Hold on Me
Crying
Hallelujah
Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)
I've Got Your Number
I Dream of Spring
Empire State of Mind

Love it.

V-Day iMix

- Grey in L.A. by Loudon Wainwright III - because that's my favorite time (other than sunny days when the shirts come off) - driving down SM Blvd between Doheny and Wilshire on a gloomy day. Nothing like it. Liked it at 17. Like it now.

- Darker Days by AM - he's a personal friend and so talented. Love this song. Great music and lyrics.

- Sober by P!nk - a serious pop song.

- Let It Be (featuring the Roots) by Jennifer Hudson - she took it to church, brought it back and offered it up to the Lord. So great.

- You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me by Laura Nyro with LaBelle - another cover. La Nyro and LaBelle. Mmmm...I know they like it and I do to.

- Crying (with Roy Orbison) by k.d. lang - I apparently love alternate versions of already recorded. This made me cry in the lobby of the Sofia Hotel in San Diego. On V Day. what people must have thought. Tears of joy. I swear.

- Hallelujah (featuring Charlie Sexton) by Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris: Go J.T. Do it. Make me love you more.

- Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour) by Jay-Z, Bono, and Rihanna: FUCK THE WE ARE THE WORLD REMAKE.

- I’ve Got Your Number by Jill Sobule: Because I do and he does mine. Cy Coleman.

- I Dream of Spring (from KCRW concert) by k.d. lang: We were at this concert in Malibu. Romantic to the nth degree.

- Empire state of Mind (featuring Alicia Keys) by Jay-Z: Because we are always, even on this coast. And it IS a state of mind, if not always a state of being.

Express your love. If you want it right now, make him show you how.

Season Two: Sneak Peek!

Okay, so instead of saying I took four months off writing this blog, I'm just going to say that it was a truncated Season One. And now I'm back with Season Two - better than ever. Like RuPaul's Drag Race, but less make up. More attitude, but less make up.

I've been busy writing plays and such, kids. So that's why I've been remiss in getting to my blog. But instead of renaming the old broad, I decided to come back to her and see whatelse is up her sleeve. Do I know what I'm talking about? Not a clue.

Here's what's in store for Loo's View - Season Two:

- More rhyming. A lot more.
- My very new recent obsession with my iPod Touch and all things apps. I am an app addict. And mainly my apps have to do with food: Epicurious, Food Network Nighttime, Urbanspoon...okay more more more on that soon.
- My campaign to get staffed on a show this season.
- Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour) vs. We Are the World II: Battle of the Charity Singles.
- My obsession with my iPod Touch...wait, did i mention that already? I'm obsessed.
- RuPaul's Drag Race Season Two: a blow by blow.
- More Hot Nude Yoga Stories...this time from my Tantric Yoga and Sexual Kung Fu workshop - that is a four part series.
- GLEEtasticness - I can't wait until April.

That's just a taste of the juiciness to come. Whet your appetite, let the juice run down your cheek and get ready for

LOO'S VIEW...SEASON TWO...COMING SOON.

I told you there'd be more rhyming.

Talk soon.

Portland Past vs. Portland Present

After my SCU whirlwind extravaganza and a delicious crab cake benedict (V had the Carnitas benedict) at Bill's Restaurant in Santa Clara, I was off to Portland, OR. I lived in Portland after college for two years. It was a very specific time in my life. We had so much fun drinking beer and listening to bands. My hair was long, I wore satin pants without undies sometimes and strutted my stuff.

My crush that first year was Jonathan Cook, who was a Jewish hippie who treated me badly, had a nice package and had dreadlocks. I was the envy of many girls I knew, who had no idea he liked men. My first clue was when he walked into my office with sweatpants and no undies. I made out with him at my birthday party that year. That's another story.

I started out living with five interesting characters. We were together in a year long volunteer service program called JVC, which stood for Jesuit Volunteer Corps. When I was home that summer after college graduation, I got a letter describing my housemates. While this is not accurate, this is how I now remember it:

Suzie Baldwin (Suzanne) - Suzie graduated from St. Michael's College in VT and will be doing a second year in Portland as a JV. She's a spitfire, a bit of a know-it-all, and ultimately won't find it funny when you hit on her future husband at Chris' wedding in three years.

Jennifer Kiely - from Newtown, CT and a graduate of Providence College in Rhode Island. She's an 80 year old woman in a 22 year old body. She uses phrases like "dog's age" and "darkie." You'll have one huge fight where you both blow up because you aren't putting up with the other person's shit. She'll ignore you on FB when you're in your thirties and she has children.

Erica French - from Texas. She'll be the person you connect with right away. She's got big hair, she's Latina and she'll be out of your life in three weeks when she realizes that she really likes her credit cards and hates the poor.

Sharon Goebel - Sharon's from Indianapolis and went to Marian College. She'll turn the other cheek when you make her take you to Burger King for a secret snack after you've told your entire house that you're now a vegetarian. Then she'll disappear for years, only to reappear on FB with a stepdaughter and six weeks from marriage.

Chris Flanagan - graduated from St. Michael's College. Chris is the guy in the house. The Irish Catholic guy who might be the template for the guys you have a crush on and eventually end up with years later. He will forever be recognized for his famous "I will not walk on eggshells" speech. You make an effort to see him at least once every two years when you're close by on business. He's the person you're most in touch with years later.

Eric Loo - loves to sing and dance. He's gay, but will tell you he's bi when he meets you. He'll probably piss most of you off because he thinks he knows it all and he's got a superiority thing. He will go from Catholic school boy to whore in a matter of weeks. He'll give up on the volunteer thing to go work in the cutthroat world of advertising where he'll have a new set of fancy friends, but will always have you in his heart. Even as he travels to New York and eventually makes it back to LA.

Now when I drive down the streets of Portland and see how much has changed - an American Apparel on Hawthorne Blvd, the emergence of a real food scene, the Pearl District - I remember the ghosts of Portland Past. And I head into my Portland present, which is basically my brother experiencing some of the same things I did. But he's older than I was when I lived there and he's got a lawyer wife and a three month old baby.

I remark at how easy it still is to get around. Only 10 minutes from his house in Brooklyn to the Pearl District. Even at 1 pm in the afternoon. I live in LA. That's remarkable. And I hear the names of neighborhoods which have hit their gentrified height and didn't even exist when I lived there: Alberta and Mississippi. But it still feels good to be surrounded by the wind and the chill as I walk with my little baby niece in a baby bjorn and get congratulated on my new little arrival.

So in Portland Present, I am a cute straight dude with a baby attached to my front. I laugh and thank the man.