The Ugly Truth - My Extra Debut

So I'm sure anyone in America who has basic television has seen the endless previews and media attention surrounding the new romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth" starring Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl, and I suppose if you've been following my blog enough you'll know that I got to be in this film May 2008 when it filmed in Los Angeles and near San Diego. Now it was nothin' special, I was just an extra for 2 days, but it was a fun experience to hang with the stars up close and personal, watch a movie being made and be part of it, so I just wanted to reminisce a little.

Day 1: I was scheduled to be a night club go-er and patron at for a Salsa club scene to be filmed downtown at the train station (odd location I know, but they made a pretty impressive make-shift salsa club inside). As always with movie making there is usually a very early call, and then a lot of sitting around and waiting for hours. Luckily wardrobe approved me quickly in a red chiffon and beaded halter top, black ruffled skirt and black heels I'd all brought from home, and I was sent to wait in line outside the hair and makeup trailer for approval. About an hour and half later I was sent inside the trailer, with a little surprise as I came up the steps to see Gerard and Katherine inside by the entrance. I don't remember much but I do recall that it was very stuffy, and small in that little trailer and that Gerard Butler has a loud, infectious laugh that seemed to filled the tiny space with a sense of fun and humor.

The set for the salsa club was very large, with balconies overlooking a long oval bar I believe, and a dance floor, with rows of tables and booths on each side. Because of space, and filming tricks, they mainly kept people on one side of the dance floor tables. During filming my first assignment was to walk to a booth by the dance floor, and sit down and join my "date" (a guy whose name I can't really recall, other than he made me laugh and we enjoyed playing with the accoutrements on our prop drinks). Ours was a great spot to be because it was close to all the action, where the actors hung between takes, and apparently the camera was right on us, (my friend actually found a movie still shot with my head in it, total crack up, haha!) I know its me because of where I was positioned, and because there were no extras on the booth tables on the opposite side of the floor. Here's the pic.

LOL, I'm such a nerd! I feel like a party crasher with my head tilted like that (I promise I wasn't looking at the camera, lol!) Let's hope someday my personal and career accolades extend past something more monumental and slightly embarrassing like this, hehe, but if not, it was fun and that's all that really matters.

Overall, film day one was a great day, a long day, a little over 12 hours, but full of laughter and good people. What I enjoyed most was how friendly the other extras were, (extras usually are though) and how casual and laidback Gerard Butler was. Even though some people still didn't know who he was then, (the guys especially until they realized he was King Leonidas in"300"); he didn't act like a star. Gerard didn't sit in his actor's stool really, and instead preferred standing talking with extras and crew, or sitting in a booth next to ours squished next to some camera men. In fact, it struck me that he much preferred this casual atmosphere verses hanging out in a lonely trailer between takes, because he mainly hung out on set with all of us during that time from us extras to the salsa dancers to the crew, regardless of our importance on the film and Hollywood politics. I thought that was really cool.

Being on set was one of those observational experiences where you see this strange dichotomy firsthand with the Hollywood hype, filmmaking, and movie "stars". Its an exciting feeling to be there and yet everyone is normal, they all sweat, they all get tired, they all get hungry, restless, stressed, happy or forgetful. The only difference with famous actors is they have a job where they can have creative release, share a bit of their charisma and hopefully get a handsome paycheck for it, and depending on the press and public's mood they receive adulation and acceptance or criticism and indifference. Makes you realize how fleeting and complicated it all is.

I have to say that living in Hollywood for 5 years now you see it all when you go to parties, meet celebrities, hang with them, even date them, and your perception changes. Hollywood isn't really isn't as glamorous as people think, its mainly an endless rat race of the egos. I love the entertainment industry, don't get me wrong, and its fun to participate, but my belief is that unless you're in it for the right reasons you will get chewed up and spit out. You've got to just love your art, be passionate about it, be pure about it, and hopefully you'll get a break, AND if you do NEVER EVER take yourself too seriously to forget the people who got you there in the first place. It seems like Gerard Butler and even Heigl maintain that humbleness and I really respect that.

Anyway, not to take a completely serious and philosophical approach to this blog, I just wanted to share that portion of the experience in lieu of the new movie coming out. My other day on the Ugly Truth set wasn't as exciting I'm afraid, (though it was more drama, haha). I was cast as a wine festival go-er (they always add go-er to extra casting assignments, haha) at a Lake near San Diego. Beautiful location, but the day was rather like an endurance contest, and showed the not so glamorous side of filmmaking which includes knats attacking everyone in the bitter cold foggy morning, following by a HOT HOT heatwave in the afternoon causing sun burns, heat stroke, and exhaustion. Can we say glamorous?! But hey, at least they got some Hollywood movie magic out of it and maybe The Ugly Truth will be a blockbuster, haha!

"The Ugly Truth" opens in theaters today. I may catch a matinee this afternoon, and maybe I'll see my silly face in it, lol. Good memories :)

Eatin’ Without Wheat – Domestic Goddess Attempt Part 1

For a long while now I have wondered if I am allergic to wheat flour. I’ve suffered from dizziness, lightheaded-ness, amongst some other maladies for awhile, and wonder if it could also be in something I eat on regular basis especially since the feeling seems to be increased after I eat flour. It wouldn’t be uncommon since the allergy exists in my family. And so I am on a quest, a test if you will, to see if I can stay away from wheat flour for a couple weeks, and see any changes in my health and state of mind.

Embarking on my quest I had no idea how difficult it could be at first. I’m sort of a wheat-addict if you will, plus it’s in everything, especially food on a budget. It’s in the macaroni, ramen noodle soup, cereal, bread, burritos, candy bars, dressings, and even soy sauce (gimme a break!!) Now I never really noticed how much wheat is on the shelf in every grocery store aisle product until I started really reading labels, and I found myself wondering what kind of alternatives I would have to use to substitute my craving. And it is a craving, dear readers. If there was a social profile for a Wheat-a-holic, I would fit it to a T. So what’s a lassie to do? I thought awhile and came to these conclusions:

One must get back to basics. Back when food wasn’t complicated and filled with all these sneaky chemicals and preservatives. I’m going back to the olden days and olden ways (save for grinding my own flour between two stones and cooking with a wood burning stove for hours, lol). I’ve got modern tools, a treasure trove of alternative recipes online, and a community of Celiacs to turn to, so I can do it right? This is what I’ve come up with…

My no wheat project officially started last Sunday. Thus far I have not ingested this grain in any form. A couple nights ago I decided that I would use white rice flour as a possible alternative. I found a good recipe for rice muffins on the internet and set about making my own rice flour. Lucky me I had a little mini grinder I’d never used (the kind that blends coffee, salsas, etc…), and it worked like a gem. A bag of rice came to about 2 and ½ cups of flour and was done in about 10 minutes. Here’s the recipe I used, changed up a little for more flavor, and might continue to change as a work in taste bud progress.

CINAMMON APPLE RICE MUFFINS

1 egg

1 tbsp oil

½ cup of milk

½ cup of applesauce

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups of rice flour

2 tbsp of baking powder

2 tbsp regular white sugar

2 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp of salt

DIRECTIONS. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (May be higher for higher elevations, but I’m in California and my oven makes me do things at a lower temperature or else they will burn). Mix liquid ingredients together first (including apple sauce). Then add the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. This recipe makes a little over a dozen cupcake sized muffins. If you want bigger muffins you can put more into the pans and you’ll get just a dozen. Bake for approximately 12 minutes. I like to check the progress with a toothpick. You will know they are done when it comes out pretty clean. You can’t completely tell by the color of the muffins as the tops don’t brown much, though the bottoms will. After that you can take them out and add butter, honey, or jam. YUM! Here are the end results:

Psychedelic rice muffins (courtesy of my crappy camera). Unfortunately I had already partaken of one of the muffins to create unity in the picture. Oh well! (Actual color of muffin slightly less YELLOW!) LOL!

My rice muffin hand- slightly out of focus, could be a lump of anything really, but luckily its a delicious and healthy rice muffin! Gobble up!

Unfortunately I don’t know the calories of these babies (though I gather it is better than regular flour). I imagine they’re not the lowest of calories due to sugar/carbohydrate content, but you can substitute the flour for brown rice flour, and the sugar for splenda, which I intend on trying in the future. They’re not as fluffy as wheat or white flour, similar consistency to corn bread, but they are a good enough alternative if you are trying to stay away from regular wheat flour and don’t want to feel totally deprived of bread-like things. Anyhoo, I think they're delish.

I am looking forward to diving into more rice recipes. May even get a little rice crazy! I could make rice milk, horchata, rice cookies, rice candy, (LOL, okay maybe that is going a little too far!), rice ice-cream (oh wait, should that be called rice-cream?) I shall let you know of my progress!

This is rice-cream, what I would like to eventually attempt to make (once I buy an ice cream maker, and also start churning my own rice butter, haha). Anyone note the irony of this photo? (The cow God looks down with envy at the bowl of rice-cream tastiness. After all, if we don't need her for milk, what will we use her for instead?!)

Which brings me to my next topic. Next thing to kick from regular diet: Dairy (this one is going to be even harder!) It’s really supposed to be a no-no for us singers, plus I’ve had sinus issues at moments when I need to sing. I will have to learn to overcome this addiction formed since childhood. I just love cheese, butter, and ice-cream! Help me Lord! Who’d have thought that the lactic secretion of Bovine in its various forms could be so addictive and alluring? I am searching for appropriate alternatives to this one as we speak. Have faith in me!

And so the journey continues!

My Lil Red Rosies....

Just wanted to reminisce in the memory of these lovely agents of love my boyfriend sent me for my birthday. They are pretty much dead now and I have to throw them away(except for a few I'm drying as a keepsake), but I wanted to remember and bask in the glory of them when they were in their prime, lol :) Cue the violin music....