Skippy: The Blog

The Ballerina Who Fell in Love with a B-Boy

2010-01-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

One of the highlights of our week in Seoul was seeing "The Ballerina Who Falls in Love with a B-Boy." The play is similar to "Step Up" and "Save the Last Dance," and once Michelle found out that there was ballet AND breakdancing, there was no talking her out of going. It was so good!
The high-energy, well-choreographed dances kept our eyes glued to the stage and the language was universal with pantomime and a dialogue of dance.

Basically: A beautiful ballerina poo-poos breakdancing as a lesser art form until she falls in love with a ripped B-boy who persuades her to reconcile the dance forms in a fusion of style.

Gyeonbokgung Palatial Life

2010-01-15T18:18:00.000-08:00

Our trip to Gyeonbokgung Palace was accented with a huge water-operated clock exhibit and palanquins (after which, Gail added palanquin riding to the list of things she wants to do before she dies). But even more impressive than the museum about the Joseon Dynasty-era palace was the palace itself. It was a litany of colorful, repetitious buildings that offered endless places to explore and some striking photo opportunities.

One of the coolest parts was watching grown men in satiny robes carrying axes and performing the traditional changing of the guard ceremony. We tried getting to the Bluie House (Korea's version of the White House) which was unfortunately guarded by numerous Korean guards in long, puffy jackets and black face masks (prompting Gail to compare them to Communists). Our new dare is to get a picture with a Korean governmental guard. We're certain those stoic bastions of national security have some weaknesses.

The Year of the Tiger

2010-01-15T06:18:00.000-08:00

After a demonstrative conversation about how satisfactory it is to growl like that girl in "Avatar," we started out 2010, "The Year of the Tiger" with a visit to the traditional figurines outside of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

We also paid homage to our birth years. Gail was delighted to find out that she was born in the year of the tiger. "Sweeeet!" Too bad it's not Tiger Woods' year.

While Michelle admitted that her year of the rabbit isn't as cool as a big cat, we countered that it's definitely a step up from, say, the rat.

Here's to 2010 being a year of "passion and integrity."

Jimjilbangs and Naked People

2010-01-15T04:50:00.000-08:00

Gail basically thinks travel is all about being slapped across the face with the new and strange. With this perspective in mind, she again failed to fully prep Michelle on what was coming, specifically what a "jimjilbang," was. The first word that comes to Michelle's mind in retrospect is "naked" and if you know Michelle at all, you know she really doesn't like that word. A jimjilbang is basically a huge bathhouse reminiscent of Roman days where everyone lounges in saunas and hot tubs of different temperatures, or takes advantage of the showers. All of this, of course, is done without clothes. We're talking 50 naked women milling around everywhere. One look at Michelle's face told Gail she had achieved "traveling" in Korea -- the getting slapped with the new part. As Skippy is not that kind of blog, we can't post photos to prove that Michelle dove right in, so you'll have to take our word for it.

It was after 2 a.m. by the time we arrived back from the club and wrestled our backpacks out of the lockers to, yes, add to them. A heroic surge of courage (and the fact that it was so late almost no one was around) strengthened Michelle to strip down and march past the nearby "ajumas," older Korean women into the bathhouse. She didn't stop there, either. Foregoing paying for a personal scrub down from a nearby attendant at a washing station, we indulged in the showers, sauna and jetted hot tub before we turned in for the night at 3:00.

This was easier said that done, however, as we had to scavenge around for floor space in the co-ed sleeping room. Dressed in our complementary pink jimjilbang uniforms, we rented towel-like blankets and settled on either side of a couple that unfortunately decided to stay up a little later. There, amidst about 200 other sleeping post-party young people, we managed about 4.3 hours of sleep before setting out for the palaces in the morning.

Las Biblias

2010-01-14T06:53:00.000-08:00

Confession: We committed several cultural sins while traveling around Seoul. Michelle didn't eat kimchi (a Korean staple food) OR street food, and Gail wore sneakers (no sexy heels?!) for the entire week. Besides that, the fact that we lived in the same pair of tights is just kinda gross. That and we don't want to know what happened before us in our room at the love motel.

Despite all our trespasses, however, we faithfully used our graduation gifts from the Biola journalism department -- perfect travel-sized Bibles. As we read in Proverbs and Psalms, a wise person listens to correction.

Traditional Korean Tea House

2010-01-09T21:21:00.000-08:00

We escaped the snow and ditched our boots to sit on the floor and enjoy hot tea at this cozy spot. For the record, the papaya tea meant to cure a hoarse throat didn't work.

Octopus Soup

2010-01-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

I didn't think I would mind eating octopus in a soup. So I accepted when Gail proposed such a dinner. Little did I know I would watch the innocent creature's cruel death. Then I'd eat it.

Cheonggycheong Stream

2010-01-08T11:04:00.000-08:00

I'd love to see Cheonggycheong in the summer, at night, when it transforms into a Korean version of Fantasmic. Light shows, live music and crowds in metropolitan Seoul! But we chose to beat the crowds crossing the stream in the dead of winter. Sunset was still striking under the bridge.

Everyday Korean Food

2010-01-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

From my first morning in Korea, I had my doubts about the food. Fish for breakfast? Seaweed?!

My provincial palate was about to get a rude awakening. Food was fishy. And spicy. But in a different way than the jalapeños and habañeros I'm used to.

But this appetizer -- taken in Gail's cozy studio apartment (literally cozy: the floors were heated) --was just the beginning.

Justin: Our First Goodbye

2009-12-20T00:36:00.000-08:00

It is with deep sorrow that Michelle and I say "until we meet again" to our Seattle friend, Justin Key, after he passed away from a sudden pulmonary embolism, December 14, 2009.

This week has been hard for both of us, however, through tearful Skype sessions, swapping memories, pictures and videos, we've come to celebrate Justin's full and vibrant life, resolving to follow his example this next year. As one person put it, "We live with the hope and confidence that it is not final and also the realization that his was not just a promising life but a life that already lived according to the Promise."

To our fun-loving friend:

--You're with Jesus now!
--We wish we could have accepted your Mexico invitation last summer.

--Thank you for sharing your gorgeous city with us last March.

--You're still on our "List of Extraordinary Gentlemen."

--We already miss you, your laugh, hugs, brilliant mind and devastating smile.

Until we all meet again in eternity,

Michelle and Gail

Made for Two

2009-12-13T15:47:00.000-08:00

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Michelle and I are both hopeless romantics.

That’s why it’s no surprise that we were enchanted with the hottest new couples item on the market: Smittens! As you can see, they are perfect for holding hands with a significant other on bitterly cold days like the ones I’m experiencing in Seoul. We hope you like red as much as we do, because that’s the only choice, although hearts are optional. The only drawback we can see with this holiday must is that we’re having trouble thinking of guys who would actually use them. We did, however, come up with a few winners, and curiously enough, most of them are TORREY guys, confirming what we’ve suspected all along: They’re saps. The following individuals were carefully selected from a lengthy list of candidates:
-Dustin McCurry (Our first “Definitely!” candidate, just because.)
-Scott Munekawa (One condition: Only when no one is looking.)
-Michelle’s dad (Because the hilarity of her parents’ over-the-top affection is not lost on anyone.)
-Bradley Clarke (Because anyone who proposes in the Hagia Sophia’s got mega class.)
-Dr. John Mark Reynolds (Because his FB profile pic of him grabbing his wife’s butt gives us license to assume he’s OK with PDA.)

Note: This item is untested, as neither Michelle nor I have boyfriends and we don’t plan on using Smittens together.

Michelle and Gail dominate Asia!

2009-12-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

After numerous video Skype sessions and spontaneous Oh-my-gosh,-guess-what-happened chats, Michelle decided she couldn’t stay away any longer. She’s coming to visit me in South Korea! And I couldn’t be happier!! I’m so, so, so blessed! One thing’s for sure: We’re going to have a blast. Here’s a sampling of what we’ll do in the five days she’s here:

-Indulge in CRAZY food!
-Visit hostels, temples and palaces, oh my.
-Go salsa dancing, now a tradition.
-Take a tour of the Blue House — South Korea’s version of the White House
-Attend the largest church in the WORLD, Yeouido Full Gospel
-Night cruise on the Hangang River, which runs through Seoul
-Teach at my school

Pretty sure the post-visit list of what we did will be much more entertaining, but there it is.

New on Skippy: The World Clock

2009-10-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

When's the best time to Skype Gail? Or Michelle? With Skippy's newest feature, you can calculate the girls' time instantly, or your money back! Look to your left.

Skype Dates, Smoky Eyes and Hello Kitty Yoga Mats

2009-10-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

Fortunately for ardent fans of Gail&Michelle, the adventures haven't stopped since Michelle moved away from L.A. and Gail moved to the Orient. The fun just takes a cyber twist.

Gail recently purchased a netbook with a webcam. Although the idea of a webcam can be creepy, especially in the hands of a Match.com or eHarmony client, it's made it possible not only to hear Gail's cheerful voice, but to see her myriad expressions. Today, she demonstrated her new "smoky eye" look, and showed the Hello Kitty mat that will be my bed when I visit her in Seoul.

Conveniently, Skype has a "video snapshot" button I can use to take incognito pictures during our conversation. Hence, the two photos you see here.

Fortunately for me, my laptop doesn't have a webcam. This means I can wear insulting shirts in Spanish (the one I'm wearing right now says "Nunca olvido una cara, pero contigo haré una excepción") and not comb my bed-head before our morning Skype dates. I tell Gail I will get a webcam soon, but "soon" could mean years from now.

Ball Game Bent

2009-08-15T04:41:00.000-07:00

Not to sound like a married couple or anything, but with both of us having demanding work schedules, it's hard to find time to chill together. One occasion was going to an Angels baseball game. We both drove from our internships and met up in Anaheim to watch -- or not watch-- the game.

Michelle:
I'm embarrassed to say this, but Gail and I left the game at the sixth inning because I had to wake up early for work the next morning.We were later to find out the Angels had an epic rally in the sixth, and Vladimir Guerrero hit his 400th home run -- a distinction only held by five other players in the history of Major League Baseball.
Gail didn't grow up around baseball, so I explained the basic rules and terminology -- RBI, ERA, etc.
Gail: To be honest, I think watching a baseball game is as fun as the person you're with. In this case, the game was great, and so was my lemon slushie, even though it was kinda cold outside. No really, it was fun dressing in the team colors and I learned a lot of lingo from Michelle. After flagging down the Angels fan site guy to take our picture numerous times, chances are we'll show up on some marketing material sooner or later.

OC Fair 2009

2009-08-14T04:17:00.000-07:00

It's our first post-graduate summer and we HAD to finish it off with a bang. So we did, along with few other things like rollercoasters, pig races (where Gail led our cheering section in the wave), and a staggering sports performance by Nellie the pig (see Michelle congratulating her below), and don't forget the acrobats and Al's Brain 3-D show.

Gail pulled a few strings at the OC Fair and got Michelle and a few other friends in for free. The theme was "Think Big" and the mascot animal was, of course, the pig.

Perhaps the theme animal was what induced us to buy this massive Mexican funnel cake. At 5 lbs., 2,000 calories, the stack of churro-like coils was more for the wow effect-- eight of us couldn't finish it. Here's to free ride tickets and the end of an incredible summer together.

This Trip in Photos

2009-03-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Famous Pike's Place Fish Market

2009-03-25T00:07:00.000-07:00

I can't say fish is my favorite food of all time. But when a 10-pound mackerel flies above your head and into the able hands of an employee in waders, it's at least got to make the top 5.

Seattle is home to Pike's Place Market, a fun fishery where the employees perform a skillful game of catch every time someone buys seafood. It is a must-see in the city, and Gail and I got a chance to see the action firsthand (see video).

Let the Rhythm Take You Over, Bailamos

2009-03-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

There's an old, standard Enrique Iglesias song I love that goes something like this: "Bailamos, let the rhythm take you over bailamos, te quiero, hasta morir." Essentially: "Let's dance, let the rhythm take you over, let's dance, I want you until I die."

Certain parts of that song don't directly reflect Gail and my feelings toward The Dance or the gentlemen who dance with us. The first part, however, does.

Seizing at the opportunity to hang out with Justin, who usually knows what he's doing when it comes to salsa, we spent our Thursday in Seattle dancing until our feet ached. The event wasn't without its snags -- one of Gail's partners smelled so bad she had to excuse herself from the floor. One of my partners was a bit borracho and had the embarassing habit of whistling really loud whenever I did a turn.

Overall, though, it was muy divertido and we're getting a little better each time we go out. The video of Gail in action is proof.

The Space Needle and other Seattle Sites

2009-03-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

Our Missions Conference adventure commenced with a way-too-early flight from LAX and the shuttle services of Claire and Cheryl. When we finally got to Seattle, we realized -- WOW. It's COLD up here!

The cold, however, hasn't kept us from heating things up in the city of Microsoft, the Space Needle, and grunge music. With our amicable tour guide Justin (Gail's friend since freshman year and a Biola alum), we've checked out some fabulous lookout spots -- such as this spot in Queen Anne's next to the Space Needle, where there were some very excitable tourists (pictured below) attempting to pull a Mary-Poppinsesque stunt in the windy conditions.

The city is full of quaint Victorian neighborhoods and lots of money, so there are some beautiful houses out here. Justin took us on a roundabout drive circling Lake Washington, showed us more of downtown than we can keep track of, and related innumerable facts about the city's infrastructure. We're nominating him for city council in 2010, or at least the convention and visitor's bureau.

The picture below is us enjoying brunch at a cheery breakfast place that served delicious omelets with enough peppers and onions to make us wish -- for the rest of the day -- that we had some gum. It was fabulous.

More pictures and video of our day is to come as Gail and I explore the town

Better Together

2009-03-16T23:50:00.000-07:00

Five reasons we're better together:
1. I need Gail to remind me when the light's turned from red to green.
2. Gail needs me to help locate misplaced cell phones.
3. It takes two to mess with the radio dial in my car enough that the volume actually goes down.
4. Work is not work when Gail's with me -- whether that be Chimes or an urban planning conference.
5. No social situation is ever awkward when we're both there.

Pictured: Gail and I at Chimes hangout night, Gondola Pizza, La Mirada, Calif.

Signature Wednesdays

2009-02-12T20:58:00.000-08:00

Wednesday nights in The Chimes' office exemplify the nature of our friendship and may be proof that we were both made to be journalists.

Michelle and I have a lot in common. We both love reading news, signing off on finished Chimes pages and copy editing with red pens. After four years of journalism classes and multiple internships, we have something to prove. Every good journalist is an opportunist at heart and takes advantage of opportunities that may have slipped through the cracks otherwise. An example of this is our shared initiative in recruiting (luring) athletes into the office for a (very vague) picture for The Chimes. Yes, a picture with us. Let me assure you that it was not a coincidence that they were all the top male athletes in the school. Another quality a future editor should have is that of delegation, something we've perfected in letting the sports editor figure out how to tell the guys why they had to come into the office at 11:00 Wednesday night, why they took such cas pics with two girls and why the picture wasn't on the front page of the section.

Anything to lighten up the long Wednesday nights that quickly fade to early Thursday mornings. When I didn't have a car fall semester, Wednesday nights would end with a lazily triumphant drive back to our Decadox house. This semester, we've kept up the tradition, this time in different cars: Michelle in the maroon Taurus (soon to be Audi A6) and me in the Party Bus (woot!). Before that, however, I have been known to be intimately acquainted with The Chimes' couch while I'm waiting for the last pages of the paper to be put to bed. Pictured here is Michelle hard at work, while I snooze on the brown couch someone stole from the SUB.

As many similarities that we share, there are a few things that distinctly set us apart.

Michelle's insistence in walking out of the upper SUB door and and walking around the building in the bitter morning cold instead of going out of the lower SUB door hints at her one-of-a-kind directional helplessness.

Couches and drool-marked pillows, on the other hand, are my signature, defiant declaration that I'm cool enough to sleep anywhere.

There is no doubt that Wednesday nights are a highlight for us and will always be savored as some of the best times we've had yet.

Beauty Queen, Check

2009-02-12T20:26:00.000-08:00

Michelle now has one more thing to check off her list of accomplishments -- being in a beauty pageant.

Michelle was one of the three girls in our house to compete in Miss Fullerton 2009. They even got the rules changed so they could get in.

Amanda, Michelle and Jessica were all so, so so, beautiful and knocked the competition out of the water with their superior piano performances and eloquent interviews.

I'm so proud of Michelle! It was so fun to see her pick out her outfits, do her morning sit-ups and practice the probing interview questions -- nearly all 1,000 of them. Michelle's eveningwear was of particular note, as everyone agreed with our friend Dirk that she looked like a Disney princess.

There's just no way I'd ever be in a pageant, so props to Rindels here for having the guts to stick it out with all the pressure. Enjoy the scholarship money, beautiful. You earned it.

Love always, Gail.

Feliz Navidad

2008-12-20T09:26:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from Gail and Michelle!

Walk this way, baby.

2008-12-15T18:12:00.000-08:00

You'd never guess it by our shoes, but Michelle and I both love to hike. Saturday afternoon, Michelle's brother, Matt, and our friend, Chris Shawl, took us on a hike through a beautiful Northern California riverbed. It was fittingly chilly, but we got rowdy to keep warm.

After about 3 minutes of trying different positions to navigate the passageway, Michelle wasn't taking any chances with the glass-like water and Chris came to her rescue. He was really quite compassionate, while I just stood there and laughed at her.

Dogs vs. Cats

2008-12-14T15:57:00.000-08:00

Apart from seeing her family for Thanksgiving, Michelle was probably most elated to be reunited with her cats.

It has been a running joke since junior year that I'm the cat hater and Michelle, of course, is the lover.

Pavlov would be proud of me. Everytime I want to put Michelle in a good mood, I show her the most ridiculously sappy picture of a cat I can find and wait to hear her effusive coos and praises of the feline specie. Good grief and Lord have mercy. The problem is that Michelle's obsession is getting worse. She was in heaven when Michael Farr got her a notebook with cats on the front AND a cat plaque for Christmas. She and Jessica, our housemate, will get together and swap cat pictures and stories, as well as fill each other in on who else is a fellow cat enthusiast. Michelle even convinced the features editor for our campus newspaper to do an entire page about the cats on campus.

I on the other hand, am more inclined toward the consistently happy, loyal dogs--usually the bigger ones because the little ones are too much like cats. They're smart, they protect you and they can play fetch! I got to romp with a neighbor dog at Michelle's grandparents' place, so I guess we were both happy. Me with my dog and Michelle with her cat. To each her own. But the debate continues.

Carry On My Wayward Daughters

2008-12-14T15:45:00.000-08:00

Michelle and I chatted it up in the front seat while these three sleeping beauties graced the back of Michelle's good ol' maroon Taurus. The evening before, as the sisters were taking their Volvo back up I-5 in the fracas of rush hour traffic, the car started inexplicably slowing down. Sure enough, the station wagon died in the midst of smog and taillights – and right in the middle lane.

Fortunately, we had just the antidote – three seats in a northbound Taurus. The girls had to wake up every hour to call the tow truck until it finally dropped the vehicle back at campus the next morning, so by the time they hopped in our car they were beat. They fell asleep before we even reached the Grapevine. But in all, it was a great chance to meet new people and split the gas bill.

Those who live in northern California know how monotonous the drive up the 5 or the 99 can be – it’s broken by little more than sprawling cattle farms and cities like Wasco and Coalinga. The selection of radio stations – which has a decidedly mariachi bent through a large part of the drive – also leaves something to be desired. By the time we pulled up to the house, it was 6 p.m. – 13 hours, a shopping trip and an In-n-Out stop after we got started. It was certainly more exhausting than taking what would be a two-hour plane ride, and it was made worse by some worn-out wiper blades that made it difficult to see in the rainy and foggy conditions.

Although there was no shortage of traffic, taking a road trip always will have its adventurous mystique. You can’t beat the bathroom break detours that accidentally lead you to a restaurant in the middle of nowhere where you can strike up a conversation with the owner. You can’t beat 20-plus hours of undivided attention from your friend. And these days, you can’t beat getting it all for about $50 in gas.

Driving at the Break of Dawn

2008-12-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

1. Gas was cheap - it had just ducked to about $1.92 a gallon when we got on the road. That didn't, however, make it any easier to actually pump the gas (a skill I notoriously lack). After a few tries, a few mishaps with that Arco ATM, and a near-death encounter between myself and a taco truck, we were on the road.

This is what Stewart looks like at roughly 5 in the morning, when we drove over to pick up our three extra passengers

And finally, Gail is always prepared for the road with a nutritious snack. This time around, the dairy food group was represented with this family-sized bag of Cheetos.

Oh Roadtrip

2008-12-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

Roadtrip music

Gail and I were ready for at least 9 hours of road monotony after a brief stop at the audio books section in the Biola library. C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce (2.5 hours), Willa Cather's My Antonia (9 hours) and Charles Dickens' Tale of Two Cities (13 hours) all made the final cut. (Fall 2008 chapel makeups, 20 hours, didn't make the cut, though they probably should have.)

But an audio book is a tricky little devil. Problem #1: They're on MP3 formatted CDs, which don't play in normal CD players. Problem #2: They're on CDs, not tapes, which makes it impossible to play on Michelle's antiquated tape deck. Problem #3: Michelle has an iPod adapter, which means we could load them on an iPod and listen via the adapter, but unfortunately, there never was and probably never will be an iPod to go with it.

Unable to listen to our library on the way up, we settled for the trusty fallback known as FM stereo. In order of appearance on the presets: KIIS FM, Latino 96.7, KOGO country 105.1 and the FISH.

Once we got to the FISH, Michelle pulled over to the side of the road and threw herself in a ditch.

By the time we reached the outskirts of LA, we were already out of radio range and then forced to re-hunt for passable tunes amid a sea of Central Valley mariachi signals. Nevertheless, we encountered some good theme music in "I'm a country boy (I got a 4-wheel drive)" and "Country Fried (Cold beer on a Friday night)" and Taylor Swift's "Love Story" (Michelle's facorite). Those would be our anthems for the rest of the trip.

Pre-roadtrip: Starting off on the right foot

2008-12-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

We figured we would be smart about our 9-hour Thanksgiving road trip to Michelle's house by getting lots of sleep the night before. This plan was thwarted, however, with what we thought would be a short trip to CVS for foundation, eyeliner and (Gail's family size bag of) Cheetos. The majority of our time was spent in the men's deodorant section where we agonized over the best masculine scent, soon awarding it to Old Spice's Aqua Reef, followed closely by Arctic Force. Our search for the most manly musk was interrupted by a cellular phone call from our good friend Bethany, who begged us to stow her stranded friends in our backseat and hand them off Pony Express-style to their parents in NorCal. We agreed to the good deed and returned home where our housemates, Claire and Jessica, challenged us with "Miss Fullerton" pageant questions. We dazzled them with brilliant, spontaneous answers to deep questions like, "What would you do if your best friend was flirting with your boyfriend?" and "How do you feel about smokers' rights?"

We retired to bed at the bewitching hour with the prospect of only 4 hours of sleep. OK, not smart, but we had fun, ya know?

The Decadox

2008-11-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

Michelle and I get to live together again! This time, we are joined by eight other girls in a beautiful big house two miles from campus. Meet the Decadox.

Even though we aren't in the same room, we are looking forward to hanging out and getting to know the rest of the amazing girls, too.

Michelle and I will also be working on The Chimes campus newspaper together, Michelle as editor-in-chief and me as a copy editor.

Our house by the numbers: 10 women. 1 house. 6 can openers. 0 functioning irons. 8 vehicles. 3 bikes. 5-headed lamp. 2 house plants. 3 bathrooms. 3 tvs. 0 cable subscriptions. 4 fridges.

A Night at the Ford

2008-11-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

I'm writing this in retrospect and trying hard to remember just how weird the dance troupe at the Ford Amphitheatre actually was. Enjoying art and music is one of our favorite things to do --especially when we're joined by great friends like Christie and Amanda, pictured here.

Investing in cool experiences is always a great idea and our college-sized pocketbooks have taught us well to take advantage of our status as students.

Target graciously sponsors a dance series at the beautiful Ford Amphitheatre, built into the Hollywood hills. Perfect. Michelle did ballet for seven years (I think) and was effusively excited to see a modern interpretation of it. They did pretty well, but at times it was on the weird side. We were thankful for the program, which listed the themes they were trying to get across to the audience.

This wasn't our first time at the Ford Amphitheatre and it won't be our last. One of the nice things about the stately theatre is that it is right by Mulholland Drive, which weaves through the Hollywood hills and gives teasing glimpses of the L.A. skyline and beautiful multimillion-dollar homes. After the concert, we drove around for a bit, trespassed for kicks and tried to avoid couples making out.

We're Back -- Closer than Ever

2008-09-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

After a brief (cringe) hiatus, Michelle and I are returning to our dear Skippy readers with as much enthusiasm as ever. A lot has happened since we last posted, so we will be publishing a series of posts to catch you up on our lives. Here are some brief highlights to watch for:

--The first semester apart, Michelle studied abroad in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama while Gail interned at BNC, an entertainment PR firm.

--Very different summers: Michelle at a South Dakota newspaper, Gail at home in Amish country Pennsylvania.

--We are living in a house with ten (count 'em), yes TEN girls.

--They are both working on The Chimes newspaper staff.

--Thanksgiving was again a tranquil retreat to NorCal (or, as Gail says, "upstate") with Michelle's family.

--A series of typical college moments has made the beginning of our senior year a good one. Join us as we remember.

We both hate lame "sorry we haven't posted" blog posts, but life happens, ya know? Life is what we want to document. So welcome back, friends --both new and old. We welcome your prayers and encouragement as we finish off our senior years and launch careers.

Recession or Depression?

2008-02-10T13:38:00.000-08:00

As I listen to KNX 1070 news radio in the morning (now without Michelle), I hear about the country's gloomy economic outlook and the mounting recession. Though I wouldn't use "gloomy" to describe my state of mind without Michelle, I definitely feel her absence sorely.

This Week's Sign of the Apocalypse

2007-12-19T15:01:00.000-08:00

Sports Illustrated had a column about ironic signs of the times. Why can't Skippy?

"President Emeritus Clyde Cook Receieves Honorary Doctorate from APU"

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

2007-12-14T22:25:00.000-08:00

We wanted to end our semester together with a bang -- perhaps a trip to the Disney Concert Hall or some other downtown L.A. venue. Unfortunately, life got in the way -- in the form of a 5-page paper for my Marine Mammals class and some extensive packing.

So we went on a whirlwind trip of La Mirada instead, finding as many inflatable Santas and/or polar bear wannabe Santas) as possible. And good news -- we successfully completed the mission without provoking any responses from local chapters of the Neighborhood Watch.

Meet the 2008 Audi A5

2007-12-11T19:31:00.000-08:00

Thank you, readers, for helping us make the difficult decision of choosing a future replacement for my 2000 Ford Taurus. You have chosen wisely -- Audis have always topped Gail and my wish list.

Below are some triumphant shots of the glorious Audi A5. Keep in mind that the pictures will probably not be an accurate representation of our prospective vehicle. According to our calculations, it's going to take us approximately 16 years to write enough Chimes articles to buy this thing. By then, we'll probably opt for the model with wings.

Our LUCKY DAY!!!!!!!!

2007-12-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

Gail and I had pretty much the luckiest day of our young lives.

The day started out with Gail keeled over, blow-drying her hair upside down and me stressing out about a Spanish assignment. Suddenly, my pink Chocolate phone joined the cacaphony with its grating ring.

Definitely an inconvenience. Especially when the screen read "Restricted Number."

But alas, I answered it. It turned out to be Pam from the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund. I had applied for an internship last month, and Pam was calling to see if I would accept it!!!

I couldn't believe it. I started waving frantically at Gail as she furiously typed away at her computer. She knew the drill. Only an internship could make a resident of room 212 so ecstatic.

Sure enough, I committed right then and there -- to an 11-week paid summer internship sponsored by the Dow Jones Fund and Yahoo News. I will be editing online content at, of all places, South Dakota's premiere newspaper -- the Argus Leader -- in Sioux Falls.

Random location, but I am so thrilled about it that throughout the day, I have spontaneously burst into joyful hysterics.

As if the day couldn't get any better, I received a phone call from Gail during my Torrey session. Unfortunately, one is not advised to answer calls during a session, so Gail persisted with three more calls.

When I finally walked back into room 212, I was met with none other than Gail -- in her own set of hysterics.

It turns out that she received a friendly little note in her email inbox this afternoon -- from one of the WORLD'S BEST PR FIRMS!!!! It was one of her dream internships ... and now they're knocking on her door inviting her for an interview. If accepted, she would work with clients like Universal Studios Home Entertainment / HD-DVD.

Needless to say, today was our lucky day. Gail has yet to confirm her interview and dream internship with Weber Shandwick, but the possibility is "thrilling," she says.

And we ended our day off with a Ho-ho-Horton all hall event, in which we got to sing Christmas carols. One particular verse stood out:

"We come to make His blessings known, far as the curse is found, far as the
curse is found, far as the curse is found."

I think that will be our theme phrase for these internships...

Choose a replacement for Michelle's 2000 Ford Taurus

2007-12-04T01:02:00.000-08:00

Mazda 6Audi A5
Lexus SC 430
Mercedes E-Class

Santa Baby

2007-12-04T00:36:00.000-08:00

Thank you, dear readers, for your voting diligence.

The results are in on this week's poll, which addressed what Gail and Michelle ought to expect under the Christmas tree this year. In descending order, readers thought we need:

1. Matching penguin pajamas (or at least something better than Abercrombie & Fitch boxers)
2. Airfare to Seattle
3. A new digital camera (one that won't delete photos of Jenna, Rebecca and I with the biggest journalistic celebrity we've ever encountered)
4. One pair of socks to share
5. Lump of coal (one spiteful reader thought so)

The Health and Fitness Column

2007-12-04T00:04:00.000-08:00

It's been a great semester with the Chimes -- especially the chance to write my very own health and fitness column, since I'm such an expert in the field anyway.

Gail, who typically assists me in choosing a subject for health and fitness, was throwing around some ideas for my final column EVER (since I'll be going to Costa Rica next semester). Here were our top 8 ideas.

1. Ingrown toenails: how to cure the problem with just a switchblade and scalpel

2. Warts: treatments involving duct tape (Gail has firsthand experience here)

3. Halitosis: alternative breathing techniques to use after garlic fries

4. Mono: how to save your relationship when you've got the kissing disease

5. Athlete's foot: how to put the fun back in fungus

6. Psoriasis: learn to embrace your chronic skin disorder by going sleeveless

7. "Bacne" (back+acne): hints for bacne-friendly swimwear

8. Lice: advanced dorm fumigation techniques

Club Intrepid

2007-11-26T00:50:00.000-08:00

When you're squashed like sardines in the back of your brother's Dodge Intrepid and Fall Out Boy is on max volume, you have but one option -- DANCE.

This is how me, David (my bro Ryan's friend) and Gail pass the time during a 7 hour drive back to So Cal.

Homemade Slingshot

2007-11-24T15:07:00.000-08:00

Michelle shot her first gun (see earlier post) and this is me shooting my first rock over the Sierras with a homemade nylon string.

Kaplan Word Power

2007-11-24T14:34:00.001-08:00

On the way up to Michelle's grandparents' house we decided to kill time by learning vocabulary words from the R (for Rindels) section of the Kaplan Word Power book left over from Michelle's SAT studying days. We practiced by making up sentences about our surroundings.

The repartee in the minivan was spirited though slightly recondite. The recalcitrant boys in the back seat were reticent to participate, but rather exposed themselves as raffish reprobates. In this area, the boys are likely to be ribald recidivists. We got through one section of the redoubtable book before the hunger for Thanksgiving meal routed our concentration and we fell into a state of quiescence.

Michelle and the .22

2007-11-24T14:14:00.000-08:00

The SoCal college kids piled into Ryan's white car (along with their dirty laundry) and headed upstate to the Rindel abode and cold weather to do as many NorCal things as possible. One of these things was shooting a gun at a rusty can. This is Michelle's first time shooting a .22 and I must say she did very well. Sit down? Heck no. She snuggled up to the hilt like a true hillbilly. She didn't hit the can--but out of 25 shots, no one else got anything either, so no shame there.

Battle of the Push-ups

2007-11-24T14:01:00.000-08:00

Ryan (my brother) challenged Gail to a push-up competition. Now, as I've previously mentioned, Gail has been training for moments like these all semester. So when the heat was on before Thanksgiving dinner, she was successfully able to give Ryan a run for his money. Was it because Ryan did five separate workouts the day before. Psh. That's what he thinks....

Lizards, Gel and Sexy

2007-11-11T22:40:00.000-08:00

After a painfully hilarious conversation, Michelle and I have compiled a short list of our favorite fashion pet peeves. Girls, if you can't bring yourself to confront your brother or boyfriend on their fashion crimes, just send them this way.

1.) Lizard Hunting Sandals
You've probably heard that sandals and socks are uncool. Michelle and I are going to take it a step further and make things bit more specific and simple: just don't wear these kind of sandals, period. We don't know what they're called, so we've dubbed them the "lizard hunting sandals" because they're definitely for nature nerds. Common offenders for this one tend to be very stubborn and/or hopeless.

2.) More hair gel=more sexy

At least that's what this guy seems to think.

Considering the fact that the Mexican population is still increasing in the States, I am seriously considering investing in hair gel as it appears it is (still) quite popular in the Hispanic male population. While I'm looking forward to my guaranteed fortune, there are some drawbacks that only a full force grassroots campaign can correct.

Drawbacks:
1.) It looks greasy and dirty while at the same time making your head look disproportionately large (see left photo). I suppose this could be similar to when male birds fluff out their feathers to appear larger in their mating dances.
2.) The "I heart hair gel" look definitely diminishes chances of someone (anyone) running their fingers through your hair.
3.) You could lose your job. A dude named John Graham got suspended from his job at the London airport for using too much hair gel.

Michelle's interjection: a bit of gel is a very good thing. As seen below, a dab can significantly improve a gentleman's prospects with a lady and simultaneously contribute to his marksmanship.

3.) A beard is worth a thousand words

Beards are basically billboards that can communicate one of two things: a) Yes, I still spend less money on cosmetics than my girlfriend or b) Maybe if I just grow a distinguished beard, nobody will notice that I haven't applied deodorant in 3 days.

A beard done right is a rare thing indeed, although the New York Times seems to think it's the latest and greatest way to assert masculinity against a wave of metro fashions.

Keep in mind, however, that the beard may not be the best policy among the ladies. I'll let this Psychology Today article excerpt speak to that:

Our results reflected the current cultural preference for clean-shaven
faces. Sixty percent of male respondents were cleanshaven, 21 percent had a
mustache only, 19 percent had a beard and mustache. Less than 1 percent had a
beard without a mustache.
Men guessed correctly that women would prefer clean-shaven men. Yet while only 14 percent of women overall named "beard with
mustache" as their first choice, 55 percent of women whose partner had a beard
ranked it first. Once again, women may have brought their judgment in line with
their partner.
Most of the comments about facial hair were about beards, and
the positive ones were about neatly trimmed beards. Women tended to associate poorly groomed or neglected beards with generalized slovenliness. The goatee was singled out for derision.

Surf Report: Pandora

2007-11-09T22:42:00.000-08:00

Pandora: A box worth opening
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. On the Web, Pandora is, in my opinion, the first worthwhile music source to go to for easy listening. It's basically a radio station without all the commercials--and you get to choose what you want to listen to.

How it works: Just type in your favorite music artist and Pandora will match it with similar artists according to style and sound. You can personalize your "stations" by giving specific songs a thumbs up or down. I love that it introduces me to artists that are similar to the stuff I already know I like. Pandora is my favorite discovery this semester (closely followed by the alt + tab function epiphany).

And now a quote from our most valued critic. Michelle says, " It's the Merlin of music sites. It knows exactly what I want before I know I want it."

Mr. Biola 2007

2007-11-03T14:42:00.001-07:00

As democratic citizens, Gail and I are firm believers in the visibility of the government. That is precisely why Skippy is sponsoring the first annual Mr. Biola pageant. We encourage our readers to vote in our poll to indicate their favorite senator. If you are not acquainted with the senators, please do not hesitate to vote for superficial reasons.
The candidates, in order of appearance, are:
Senator Haws
Senator Martina
Senator Chacon
Senator Towson (on the right)
Senator Strawsburg
Senator Mitchell
Senator Salcedo

Wipe Out

2007-11-03T14:18:00.001-07:00

Apologies for our extended absence on Skippy. This could be attributed to 1) the fact that Gail and I have been on the East Coast as of late, conferencing it up; 2) the fact that my camera direly needs to be replaced and 3) the fact that we've been swamped with work recently and have had few opportunities for blog/video-worthy excursions.

Nevertheless, the polls are open and we thank you, reader, for voting. After jumping off the blocks for an early lead, Gail pulled ahead in the rankings. Apparently, readers believe that Gail has 350% greater chance of owning me in a fight. We're still not exactly sure why readers were so adamant about this, despite the fact that Gail is most assuredly a carnivore and thus has a significant muscle-mass advantage over Michelle. Oh, and the fact that she's in a weight-training class.

Still, Gail turned down my challenge for a real matchup. Sorry guys, maybe next time.

All for the sake of the Fund

2007-10-21T01:13:00.000-07:00

Gail and I are considering starting up a scholarship fund with the intention of promoting Biola's journalism department. A $3,000 per year renewable scholarship, we hope the "McCurry Prize for Excellence in Journalism" will attract top notch recruits into the department.

Though our current funds consist of a paltry $66 (which we actually wanted to spend on a trip to Seattle), our dear friend Dustin, namesake of the scholarship, has graciously obliged to help fund the Fund, since he is anticipating a massive cash windfall once he graduates with a biochem degree.

I've drafted a logo for the fund. Comments and/or suggestions are welcomed.

Ready for takeoff

2007-10-18T01:01:00.000-07:00

Gail has officially departed from Room 212 for a national PR conference in which she will be networking like a maniac... which means, for the next few days, I'll be tending to Skippy without her. Just thought I'd update. And be sure to vote Michelle in this week's poll. That is all.

The readers have spoken

2007-10-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

Thank you, readers, for weighing in with your predictions as to our future wedding dates. Your opinions matter greatly to us (you've pretty much already told us we're going to Chicago over Christmas break and that we can't be pastors unless we're over women and children).

Here is the breakdown:

Michelle: Readers strongly agreed that Michelle would tie the knot at the age of 26, after spending time in the career world but before e-Harmony starts lookin' good.

Gail: Readers overwhelmingly concurred that Gail will wed at the age of 28, after a venture as a PR professional, before she starts asking "what's wrong?" but considerably after a posited elopement next month.

That said, we're currently looking into furniture that will work for the house we will likely share until the year 2014. Gail also volunteered to bust open her hope chest so we can use the nice china ... it's going to be awhile.

Meanwhile, we've got some big plans for our future together. Details forthcoming.

Mishaps in Room 212

2007-10-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

Mishap #1: After Gail noticed an odiferous scent wafting from my beloved fountain, she took matters quickly into her own hands. What better way to deodorize a faux fountain than to pour in a cupful of laundry detergent?

Once the abundant foam had bubbled over its bowl and successfully damaged Gail's copy of the AP Stylebook, we realized that the idea wasn't as brilliant as we once thought.

And I quote: "Oops." -- Gail Patches.

Mishap #2: After the Horton Slip 'n' Slide (see post below), there were a few leftovers -- namely a giant case of Lay's original potato chips. Gail decided to bring it back to the room, presumably to sell it, but we were stopped by the words along the side of the packaging that read "Not for Resale." Dangit. So the chips have been guilty pleasures over the past few days as we try to cope with this week's very difficult commitment: giving up sugar for a week.

Mishap #3: We do laundry together, but it takes awhile before I actually get around to hanging up all clean clothes.

While rummaging through the laundry basket the other day, I noticed a cute pair of shorts that presumably beloned to Gail. Soon after I put them on her bed, we realized that this little cotton-spandex number was not ours, but in fact, a pair of guy's Abercrombie & Fitch boxers.

They are slightly anatomically incorrect, but nonetheless, one of us is thoroughly enjoying these as pajama shorts. To protect the innocent (or rather, guilty) party from online humiliation, we'll leave that to speculation.

La Reverenda?

2007-10-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

Though public opinion has no authority on whether or not women should be pastors, Michelle and I asked our readers’ opinion and came up with the answer that women can be pastors, though only over women and children.

Thank you to all who voted! Gender philosophy is something Michelle and I have been discussing and it was great to hear feedback.

This week--something a little more lighthearted: How old y’all think Michelle and I will be when we get married.

Blah-Malah Pipeline

2007-10-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

Blah-Malah (noun): A girl who has taken a surf board to the face and can't talk.
While the girls in Blue Crush are certainly not blah-malahs, Michelle and I are sure that both of us would be if we tried to surf. We opted to watch the movie instead.

Michelle: Often I scoff at staged movie lines that are way too perfect to be actual dialogue. But Blue Crush confirmed why screenwriters do that -- because actual spoken English, such as that in this movie -- sounds completely inane.

Nondescript dialogue aside, Blue Crush did amazing things with underwater camera work. I even watched the special features to find how they got those breathtaking shots from inside the tube.

But overall, this surfer-chick flick -- and the heroine's improbable rendezvous-turned-relationship with a chiseled NFL quarterback -- is about as shallow as a tidepool.

Gail : Oh that I could have arms like Kate Bosworth. Blue Crush tries to provide enough glamor footage of four bodacious surfer girls to make up for lack of a substantial story line. The beautiful surf, cool camera angles and suspenseful surfing sequences almost pulled it off, but sorry guys, it was just too predictable.
Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth) surfs Hawaii's coast at dawn, works as a housekeeping maid by day and....eventually sells her soul to a rich NFL dude at night. Trouble arises when her sister, Penny, skips school and hangs out with the wrong crowd. Anne Marie tries to correct her sister's life while she herself tries to decide what to do with hers. If hot girls in bikinis and oh-so-clique “do what you were born to do” dialogue does it for you, then go rent this 2002 movie. (Grimace alert: Beware of obese, speedo-clad men)

Hellacious

2007-09-29T23:58:00.000-07:00

Gail: Oh that Michelle could drive like Jason Bourne--then she'd be perfect. The Bourne Ultimatum, the last in the Bourne trilogy, was a thrilling ride that kept Michelle and me on the edge of our dollar theatre seats for the entire two hours.

Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is James Bond (notice the initials) sans the sex, language and tacky special effects. Grossing 220 million, the movie commanded an intelligent mix of CIA operative chases, politics and ethical decisions.

Michelle:This flick’s got the three components of a bona fide crowd pleaser – a doomsday CIA scheme, a few over-the-top car stunts and Matt Damon.

I hadn’t seen parts one and two of the Bourne series. But there’s so much karate, gun battling and shaky camera movement in this latest installment that I’m convinced I could speak a Slavic language and still comprehend the entirety of the plot.

Bourne Ultimatum is dazzling, mesmerizing, and graciously free of arbitrary sexual tension. For $2, you don’t get much better than this.

NoHo: Fun in Rain or Shine (or Soap)

2007-09-29T00:30:00.001-07:00

I thought I was content watching everyone else have fun.

However, once I realized I had the serene, laid back face of a mom watching her kids play in the pool, I knew I had to go in. I'm not grown up, yet.
Heck no.

North Horton had a slip'n slide on the front lawn that was graciously organized by Nate Mitchell, our AS senator.

It was awesome!

You can't beat music, burgers, soap, water and tarp combined. All that plus awesome Horton people? I'm there.

Michelle unfortunately had a Chimes meeting, but she showed up later for food and conversation.

This is the simple college fun people talk about.

The People Have, Once Again, Spoken

2007-09-24T00:59:00.000-07:00

This week's poll was a nail-biter. It came down to the wire, but fortunately our loyal readers were quick to offer their submissions on one of life's pressing little questions:

Do Gail and Michelle look like sisters?

The people have spoken, and we are proud to offer the democratically-decided results.

YES.

(as in, yes, Gail and I do look like sisters. According to 66% of readers.)

Thank you, and please vote again. It is your patriotic duty.

A Weekend with Base (Our Dorm Floor)

2007-09-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

Santa Barbara floor retreat. That's where Gail and I were this past weekend. Although it would take a lot of time to describe the entire event, we hope to provide you soon, dear reader, with a rundown of some of the highlights of our expedition. They include, but are not limited to:

- Encounters (through the glass) with a transient who made his bed outside the church in which we were sleeping.

- The tale of the Burning Bug (along the same vein as the burning bush, although it occurred significantly later and was somewhat less supernatural)

- The Life and Times of Dennis, the mystery maverick we met when Gail lost her ID card, a guy tracked us down, and we had to retrieve it from a Camarillo Taco Bell.

Sinners Sit in the Front

2007-09-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

It's easy come, easy go, right? The "sinners" usually sit in the back of the church, but at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral, it was just the opposite. Arriving about 5 minutes after the service had started, our tardy crew was marched up to the front pews as Cardinal Mahony looked on from his stained wood throne.

Michelle and I--both fairly new to Catholic services--looked on intently while at the same time trying to take in the design of the new cathedral. I stumbled through what little of the Apostle's Creed I remembered from my Foundations of Christian Thought class and tried to guess the next words of the liturgy. The real hard part, however, was when we went to take communion. Following the middle aisle queue to the front, we went to the nearest sacrament giver and stared blankly. I'm sure I saw an amused smirk on the eyes of my priest as he gave me a blessing and put the wafer in my mouth.

After we got our bread, neither Michelle nor I knew where to go next and we accidentally converged on the wine lady at the same time. I walked up to the small grandma (I'm sure she was) as she was wiping the spit off the rim goblet from the person before. Great. "Dude, I'm actually supposed to drink from this?" Michelle and I both peered into the cup until Grandma put our hands on the cup and started tilting. Bradley, who was looking on from the front row, was highly amused.

Though the communion was slightly unnerving, I really enjoyed the service a lot more than I expected to. Cardinal Mahony, recently known for allegedly neglecting the punishment of sex-offenders in the Catholic priesthood, was very down to earth in his message on forgiveness. The scripture passages were beautiful, the choir was stunning, and the sermon challenge hit home.

I found myself being happy in the fact that my God is one of....JOY! I'm so glad I can come into his presence without ceremony and praise Him.

Michelle in the Cardinal's chair.

Muy Sabrosa: Dia de Independencia Mexicana

2007-09-16T22:29:00.000-07:00

The multicultural escapade continued this week as we ventured to Olvera St., one of the oldest neighborhoods in L.A. (est. 1825). It was Mexican Independence Day today, and we thought it only fitting to celebrate with a mariachi band and enchiladas.

We decided that this afternoon, we would speak solamente espanol. Claire, who just studied abroad in Costa Rica, is pretty much our resident Spanish expert and latinophile. She took care of prayer time and helped us order at El Paseo when we were having trouble conjugating on the fly.

Other highlights included shopping, checking out the latest fashions and looking like bona fide tourists.

The Readers Have Spoken

2007-09-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

In a scientific, democratic poll, we asked you readers this week where Gail and I should travel next. Chicago took an early lead, but it wasn't long before underdogs like Mexico and Charleston S.C. threatened to win over.

But alas, time expired, and the winner of this week's poll -- edging out Seattle, WA by a single vote, is The Windy City.

Thank you for your votes, and please take this opportunity to weigh in on whether or not Gail and I look like sisters.

Boba with Mood Lighting, Please.

2007-09-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

In any other city, "multicultural rampage" would do fairly well in describing our weekend, but in L.A, the center of multicultural-ness, our rampage wasn't as crazy as we'd like to think it is.

So we tried the Greek gyros and baklava, but I've never heard of famous Greek tea--we left that to another ethnicity--Asian! I know this involves quite a few countries, but I'm pretty sure they all make good tea, so excuse me for lumping them all together.

Twenty minutes down Beach Blvd., past the Buddhist temple, there is an artsy tea and boba cafe where James Browning, Marcelo Crivella and Michelle and I retreated to study.

I refer to this cafe with a vauge name like, "Asian Tea Bar" because I'm not sure what kind of Asian it is and I can't read the language of the sign. I just know that everyone in there is Asian and they serve really, really good tea. Hence--Asian Tea Bar.

Marcelo and I whipped out our psychology books while Michelle started plowing through editing and design reading. I'm not sure what James was doing, but he probably didn't get as much of it done once they started projecting the movie "300" on the wall above our table.
Ironically, it seemed like the longer we stayed, the more romantic the lighting got. Every half hour, the lights would go down a little more, making the table candles more obvious. Correct me if I'm wrong, but "300" isn't very romantic.

Still, I sipped my strawberry-pineapple boba and got through a good 25 pages of psych with my little votive candle before we headed back home.

If you're looking for a place to get reading done, I recommend the Asian Tea Bar. The hours are long, the menus are in English, and you can pretty much mix whatever drink you want. I've never had a bad drink from this place, but I'll let you know if I do because I'm going back soon.

Opa!

The Cathedral

2007-09-11T23:09:00.000-07:00

Rule #1: A Greek Fest must never be irreverant.

So here is the breathtaking, ornate Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral -- complete with a larger-than-life Mary presiding from the dome. We stopped by during the festival. With gold filigree and mosaics all around, it's a must-see.

Latin Lovers and Other Things You Might Not Expect to Find at Greek Fest 2007

2007-09-08T23:34:00.000-07:00

When you go to an event dubbed Greek Fest 07, you expect gyros, blue-and-white, a fair share of Catsopouloses and Stephanopoulouses.

What we didn't really expect was salsa dancing. But considering this is smack-dab in the middle of an area of LA known as the Byzantine-Latino Quarter, I guess it wasn't too much of a stretch.

Anyway, it is a commonly known fact that Gail loves to dance. Combine that with her dashing good looks and some spirited Latin men, and you're in for quite the evening...

Gail and I staked a claim on the very edge of the dance floor, the only nook from which we could get a good view of the band. We settled down in the corner of the linoleum, ready to hear some good music.

But no sooner had the band played a few bars than I turn around to find that Gail is GONE!! I scan the dance floor anxiously until I see her curly hair bouncing up and down. There she is, in the arms of slight, middle aged man with faint body odor who is wearing -- suspiciously -- all black.

He's intent on her. She's intent on the moves. The whole scene is just downright intense.

I quickly grab the camera to get some shots, but it's difficult. There's a whole lot of twirling, pretzel-twisting and hip-swinging. The "AUTO" mode on my camera is having serious issues trying to catch the dancing without major blurring. I'm clicking away like the paparazzi, when all of a sudden, I see a flash of movement --

Gail is on the floor!

Apparently her partner got a little too into the dance and attempted a dip. But he didn't really know what he was doing. He dropped her. Yikes.

Fortunately, a guy from the crowd noticed Gail's skillful moves and swooped in to the rescue for the second dance. He was portly, in his 20s, and indubitably the best dancer in the house. He even had white patent-leather loafers. He didn't mess around.

The result was some definite heat on the dance floor. The clip above is a sampling of that. Warning -- definitely some PG dance moves going on, so exercise discretion when viewing with small children and/or the elderly.

So, it was a spectacular evening -- at least for Gail. The belle of the ball, I think she danced every song. In fact, I practically had to pull her away from one partner, who, after the last dance, was desperately trying to convince her to participate in the Greek dancing competition that was about to take place.

As for me -- for all my trying, it was a tough evening. Here I am, obviously befuddled at what my partner is doing. I think I'll keep these moves in storage a little longer and focus on videography for the time being...

Wow-level Architecture

2007-09-08T23:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend Gail and I helped out with the AV crew at an evangelistic crusade in LA. We were designated to do on-camera interviews with the bands performing: Group 1 Crew, Vicky Beeching and The Katinas. The crusade was held in the gorgeous Orpheum Theater in downtown L.A... see the wonder...

Clifton's

2007-09-08T23:23:00.000-07:00

Broadway St. in downtown LA had a surprisingly perky ambience yesterday.

Maybe that's because Michelle and I were feeling perky, or maybe it was the gentleman who stopped to politely compliment our smiles. Other than that, I'm sure the sunshine, palm trees and crocodile cowboy boot-filled shops had absolutely nothing to do with the sheer alegria-ness of the afternoon.

We were in the part of town that has a predominantly Hispanic population. You know, the area where walking past all the garage-shaped vender stalls is an education in Spanish music: one blares Spanish hip-hop, another salsa, and, of course, the ubiquitous reggaeton. Good news for all you students trying to learn Spanish! You don't have to go abroad after all!

Michelle and I were walking back from the historic Biltmore Hotel (where we stalked in authoritatively to use the pretty bathrooms) and we were hungry. Muy, muy hambre.

So like I said before, Broadway St. was feeling perky, especially after we found Cliftons. We stepped seamlessly from our bright skylined world to a haven with a Disneyland themed twist(edness). The indoor landscaping was what got us.

Yes, sir.

I almost expected John Henry to walk out of the dense plastic trees and ivy with his big axe. He didn't, but Michelle and I took precautionary measures and retreated to the upstairs loft. This restaurant was many things, but there are also some things it most definitely was not.

It was: a cafeteria, a place to practice Spanish, floral decorator hell, team man heaven, freakin' hilarious.

It was not: a place to feed the bears (per the sign), and, most importantly, not a place to get enchiladas.

While I proudly label myself as a "Beef, it's what's for Dinner" kind-of-girl, I couldn't appreciate....whatever was in those enchiladas. For all you Pennsylvanians out there, it tasted like someone took scrapple (leftover pieces of animal con hair), put it in a blender and added corn and tortillas.

However, Michelle and I did not let the food dampen our perky mood and enjoyment of Ella Fitzgerald's soft crooning in the great mood lighting. If you're looking for a historic (circa 1930's), woodsy place to test out some award winning cheesecake near the Fashion District, then Clifton's is your place.

Meet gailandmichelle

2007-09-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

Here we are, Gail and Michelle, two friends-turned-roommates who occupy a palatial dwelling known as Horton 212. This blog is where we're sharing our thoughts and documenting our adventures, talking about the news and musing about life.

Check back, and check back often. Though we only have a semester together as roommates, we promise, there will never be a dull moment if we have anything to do with it.