Los Angeles, I'm yours... take two? Or, Things I Need to Do When I Get Back

On September 12, 2007, I blogged about living in L.A. for a few years and what I'd managed to do and see in those years and what I still wanted to get to.  Now that it's 5+ years later, I thought it would be fun to re-visit.  Original post in black; updates in red!

So, I haven't lived in Los Angeles for even three years yet (now it's been EIGHT!), but I think I've done pretty well at getting around and doing all the famous L.A. *stuff*. Let's take an accounting, because Lord knows how much I love lists:

As of last week (thanks, Scot!), I've been to the Hollywood Bowl four times, and I even performed there once (in SummerSounds!). I have not yet been to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. I have now!  In fact, I performed there as well.  Amazing theater!

I've seen one concert at the Kodak Theatre (Shlomo Artzi and Shalom Chanoch) and I'VE PERFORMED THERE YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (with Keshet Chaim, opening the show for the Idan Raichel Project concert.) And now I've seen other shows there including the  Cirque show that currently occupies the theater full-time, but before that opened I performed there again in an incredible Israel 60 show that included Idan Raichel, Rami Kleinstein, and some of my own choreography!!

I've been to movies at the ArcLight (and Universal CityWalk), but not yet at the Chinese or the El Capitan or the Egyptian or the Silent Movie Theatre...  Been to the Chinese... but not the others :(

I've seen three shows at UCLA's Royce Hall, none of which I had to pay for. Twice I won tickets to dance performances (one FANTASTIC flamenco show and one pretty lame fusiony modern thing) from KPCC, and the third time my date had won the tickets on K-Mozart.  I've seen a few more shows there now, including Batsheva Dance Company, David Sedaris, and Barak Marshall.  Still haven't performed on that stage.

I saw Wicked at the Pantages, but so far I haven't been to the Ahmanson, the Ford, the Greek, the Mark Taper Forum or the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. I *clearly* need to go to more shows. I have been to see the Groundlings.  I've performed at the Ford more than once now (I'm pretty sure a picture of my company rehearsing still hangs in their green room... even though I might have hung it myself as a prank!) and I've seen some great stuff at Dorothy Chandler. Gotta get to those others.

I've been to Universal Studios, Disneyland, and twice to Magic Mountain. I feel comfortable not even bothering to put California Adventure on my list, from what I've heard. I have fantastic memories of Knott's Berry Farm from when I was a kid, but I haven't been there in over a decade. I've been to the Magic Castle! Now twice! And more times to Six Flags, but still not CA Adventure or back to Knott's. Haven't been to Legoland either.

I saw Michael Penn and Patton Oswalt at the Largo.

Hell, I was here for hardly a year before I ended up dancing on TV: WEEDS season two, episode six. The creator of the show wrote Israeli dancing into the episode because of me. If that's not a good I-moved-to-LA story, I don't know what is.

I've been to a (two) Dodgers game(s) and a Kings game. I went to a UCLA game at the Rose Bowl (but haven't been to the Tournament of Roses yet). Still to see: Clippers, Angels, Lakers... Galaxy? Sparks? Yup.

I've been to the Getty (actually, I did that once before moving here, but also once since. Dying to go to the Getty Villa in Malibu (Did it, enjoyed it). I've been to the Craft and Folk Art Museum, and I saw the Magritte exhibit at LACMA. Nearly went in to the La Brea Tar Pits, but then didn't. Haven't been to the Autry yet.

I've hiked in Griffith Park and Topanga Canyon, but not nearly enough. I haven't been to the Observatory yet, but I really want to go  (Did it, enjoyed it). Also have not been to the Watts Towers yet.

*I've* spent a day on Catalina; have you? I'VE RIDDEN THE SUBWAY! (Turns out it's not just an urban legend that we have one. Who knew?)

The most true proof that I live here now? I've been a member of Bodies in Motion, World Gym, Barry's Bootcamp, and now, 24 Hour Fitness. Sigh. Latest and greatest?  Cardiobarre!  Oy.

I love it here; I'm lonely here.
(And I clearly need to spend more time near CalTech, because MY INNER GEEK IS STARVING FOR COMPANY.)

I don't think I've done many more Angeliney or Californiay things in these past five years than are listed here, but maybe it's just that I've stopped compiling the mental list.  I went skydiving at Perris Valley, I BOUGHT A CONDO IN THE VALLEY, I... well, I leave tomorrow morning for three months.  Strange time to be thinking about the fun-at-home, but you know:  I'll do anything, anything, before packing.