Exercise: More on my Blood Type Diet

I am not the athletic type.  Sure, I love to ride my skateboard, bike around town, and walk to Disneyland from the parking structure as opposed to take the tram, but that was about the extent of my physical activity.  Now, I have added Runyon Canyon into the mix.

Runyon at night

Last year, I had a stretch where I was going early in the mornings before work and it was really working.  I think I had lost about 15 lbs but I still wasn't eating right and after Suzi stopped working early-mornings, it was easy to stop justifying the trip up there.  Now, Suzi goes more that I do and I go to try to play catch-up.

This is still the extent of my entire exercise.  I go up the "hard side" and down the paved road about 50% of the time and that usually takes about 40 minutes.  But the other 50% of the time, I am doing what Suzi and I call the "figure-eight."  This is the full 75 minute routine and we rarely stop for more than 10 seconds to catch our breaths.  If it's cool enough, we will jog/run in the flat portions but for the most part, we casually walk it -- and believe me, for the full 75 minute tour, it's smarter to do it that way.

We try to bring plenty of water for the both of us as well as water for the dogs if they come along.  Parking is usually a task but we have our spots to check which 99.9% of the time work out in our favor.  We start from the Hollywood side and work our way up to Mulholland, back around the "Scream 3" house and down the paved road.  Then it's back up the "stairs" path to the bench up top and back down the paved road.

This taxing but beautiful walk is one of the key factors to my recent weight-loss plan and along with eating right, seems to be working out swimmingly.  As of today, I have reached my <220 goal landing softly at 217.6 this morning and still shrinking.  I cannot tell you how life-changing this diet has been.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, the fact that it's working is motivation-enough to keep going.

A view of Runyon during the day.

Give Runyon a try, if you haven't already.  There's parking up top for you valley-kids off of Mulholland (about 1 mile east of Laurel Canyon) or down below on Franklin in Hollywood.  And give the "hard side" a try.  It's really really rewarding when you reach the top!

Library Bar

The Library Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood is awesome. It's a tiny little hole in the wall place that takes pride in mixology and more-than-likely frowns upon it's myriad of 'jack-and-coke' orders from the hip Hollywood culture.
While that may be not entirely true, this is the type of place that will taste-test every drink before it's handed to you and will never hesitate to remake a drink if it's not up to the high standards. While it's pricey to say the least. I can guarantee that you will not have another drink like this in Los Angeles.
Pictured: Blackberry-Basil Mojito

Party Down and other things from this week.

I have been CRAZY suck over the past few weeks. But with sickness comes the watching of new shows. I had only heard of "Party Down" from a few co-workers and that was it. I have always loved nearly everyone involved with this project but had never even heard of this show.

Now, I have watched both seasons in full and am SUPER bummed out that it's gone. I do love that I can see Adam Scott in "Parks and Recreation" every week but his relationship as Henry with Casey and Roman and Kyle and the rest of the Party Down catering crew was so real and tangeable... it's just a shame it didn't last longer.

I highly recommend you go and cop that -ish on Netflix this week. Both seasons are streaming in their entirety and are waiting to be enjoyed. I have started many-a-show before -- "Arrested Development," "Mad Men," "Weeds," "Dexter," etc. but none had captured me like this show. It will truly be missed!

On another note, the wedding planning is going well! We are about to send out our Save-the-dates, our minister has been ordained, our guest-list is finalized, and we just have a few things to take care of with the venue (fire permits, etc.) In fact, to tie these two thoughts together, if you watch the season finale of "Party Down's" first season, the location their wedding is at is also Suzi and my wedding location! Not the same location on the property but just walking distance. Maybe we will have a "Party Down" themed wedding and both get married in long-sleeved collared shirts with pink bow-ties. Hey, it could happen!

I am also working on a few projects that will be added to my web reel soon as well as some projects that will take you to an entirely different site! If you have actor or director friends or you are in need of a reel, hit me up! All the recent reels I have done are up at www.dparke.com. I am also writing a script with a good buddy for a short film that we hope to shoot more than likely this winter (after the wedding.)

MobileMe: Recently I took to the twitters and the facebooks to ask what people thought of MobileMe vs. Gmail. I got my responses and have made my decision. I am now switching over to MobileMe full-time. I will still get the emails sent to my Gmail address but will no longer be using that address. If you'd like my new email address, just hit me up and ask!

I think that covers a plethora of things going on in my life right now. Let me know if I should do more update-y type stuff here or not. Maybe this will be like my "Doogie Howser, M.D." journal.

EightBit.me

Check it out!

"My Favorite Gift" From: Me, To: You

I love Christmas Music.  Every year, around the first week of November I start to mix it into my playlists and by Thanksgiving, Suzi has already been overwhelmed by the spirit of the holidays because of my incessant affinity for the holidays.

This year has been a little different.  For some reason or another, I just wasn't in the Christmas spirit.  I thought back on all my other Christmases and about all the great gifts I gave and received and I remember specifically about the Christmas of 2003.  It was the first year Suzi and I were together and our relationship was only a few weeks old.

I'll never forget that Christmas, especially, because being with her was something I had wanted for a long long time and I finally got what I really wanted at a time that I really needed it.  She'll never know how happy she made me that year and every year since.  So in trying to get myself into the Christmas spirit this year, I decided to write a Christmas song about that first year we were together.

I started writing the song about a month ago and with the help of my buddy Addison doing some producing, knob-turning, and additional instrumentation, we got this song done.  I am really proud of it and am happy that I can finally share this with you all.  I shared with with Suzi last night and she loved it so I hope you love it, too!

Enjoy and I would love to hear your feedback!  Merry Christmas everyone!

Click Here to Download "My Favorite Gift"

You can also stream the song here:

Starbucks is Awesome

I recently wrote a letter to Starbucks when I went in to get my Pumpkin Scone and Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino -- one of my favorite festive combos I treat myself to each year -- and was told, "...the Pumpkin Scone is a seasonal item and is no longer offered for this year."  I have since found out that that Starbucks was mis-informed or something but I was told with such assurance that I had no reason to question the barista.

Starbucks is awesome and sent this letter back to me:

Click to Enlarge

How awesome is that?!  AND I got quoted.  Well played, Starbucks.  Well played, indeed.

My Favorite Christmas Song (This Year)

This song has pretty much shaped up this Christmas season. Sure, my favorite Christmas song of all time and the song that is in my top-20 songs of any kind of all time is Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You," but this song has infected my Christmas season. I think my semi-annual 'funk' is upon us and this song makes it all better.



Enjoy!

i LOVE this POST SECRET!

To continue the trend:

Yes, my third blog of the day... get used to it. Plus, this kinda sums up stuff:

"Shut your FUCK HOLE!"

You. Are. Welcome.

One of my favorite blink videos

and they had nothing to do with it. This was a typography project this kid had to do for a college class. This was the FIRST TIME HE EVER USED AFTER EFFECTS! Blew my mind. This was the first one I saw and I went to watch others to see if they were as good and they all sucked hard. I was blown away by this kid's work and hope blink pick up on it. Also, i LOVE this song. SO underrated!

Enjoy!

SO GOOD!!!!!

TEENAGER FROM THE FUTURE!

McFLY!!!!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Blinkumentary

yes please:

8-bit 182

HAHAHAA

BTTF Stuff!

so I have been wanting to do this forever and someone beat me to it. I'm glad though. still looks awesome. Enjoy!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

The top scene is from part 1 and the bottom is from part 2. LOVE IT!

Holy Shit it's been a while!

damn... i havent uypdated in a while. I have been super busy with work, buying blink tickets, and Jamaica. I'll be leaving for Jamaica nexy friday and I am WAY stoked for that.

In any case... I was here last night and it was an AMAZING night. Here's Josie -- a song they haven't played in forever. In fact, I dont think I have ever seen them play it all the way through in-person before... and I have seen them a billion times. Anyway, PLEASE watch and enjoy

ive been waiting SO long for this doc.

This doc is ALL about the bands i grew up listening to and in this 6-minute teaser, i couldnt have said any of it better. These bands changed my entire life and for the better. I had never been more motivated by anything more than this music and these bands and "One Nine Nine Four" is a doc that has been in the works for YEARS and it looks like it's going to be coming out soon. Do yourself a favor and take a look at this and you'll soon realize why islands is my favorite restaurant and why my clothes never match -- because i am still living in 1994, and LOVING it.



Here's blink playing "Pathetic" FLAWLESSLY at the first warped tour. This sums up every summer for me from 1997 - now. i love it.

a wet-dream actualized

i couldnt be more proud and stoked to post this amazing performance from yesterday on Leno. I love this band, i love these guys, i love this song... it's going to be an amazing summer:



UPDATE:
This was at El Compadre last night -- The house-Mariachi band covered blink! Here's 2 of the tracks... All The Small Things and Josie

See you there!

Blink 182 tour dates:

Sept. 12: Sacramento, Calif. (Sleep Train Amphitheater)
Sept. 13: Mountain View, Calif. (Shoreline Amphitheater)
Sept. 14: Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara Bowl)
Sept. 16: San Diego (Cricket Wireless Amphitheater)
Sept. 17: Irvine, Calif. (Verizon Wireless Amphitheater)
Sept. 19: Phoenix (Tempe Beach Park)