I’ve taken the Metro a few times since living in LA. I think its a hybrid of the MTA in NYC and Septa in Philly. The weirdest thing is that there’s no one there to check if you have a ticket, but apparently there are secret officers who can catch and fine you if you try to get on the Metro without paying. WEIRD!!!! Anyway… was quick, simple, and I felt like I was back in NY. HOLLA…

Oh and where I was going on this fabulous Metro? The Premiere of “Despicable Me,” at LA Live with RealTVAddict Editor, Germain Lussier. I think you’ll enjoy this film..cute stuff!

And of course, this is the love of my life. Meet the Minion. Only because I’m five years old, apparently.

Aren’t you so excited? I am. Why? Film screenings. Festival Conversations with Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Sylvestor Stallone, John Lithgow, and Roger Corman. Artists-in-Residence Screenings by legendary music artist Quincy Jones, LA Weekly’s Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic Jonathan Gold, and comedian/actor/writer Paul Reubens, where each will introduce a film that has inspired their work.

This year’s Los Angeles Film Festival, sponsored by Film Independent, a non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, will run from Thursday June 17-Sunday June 27 in downtown LA, with its central hub at L.A. LIVE. I’m also excited for these poolside chats at the JW Marriot Pool at L.A. LIVE!

• Waiting for Superman: A Conversation on Education – In his documentary Waiting for Superman, director Davis Guggenheim offers a provocative and cogent examination of the crisis of public education in the United States told through multiple interlocking stories from students, families, educators and reformers. Join Davis for this town hall meeting where he discusses with education reformer Geoffrey Canada (President & CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone) and award winning musician John Legend how educators, artists, and ordinary citizens can translate their passion for social change into actual education reform.

• The Power of the Tweet – In this age of Twitter, the line between private and public life is fast dissolving, bringing filmmakers closer to their fans as they tweet from the set and the road. Many use the platform to build a fan base, market their films in non-traditional ways, promote a cause or affect social change. We bring together some of Hollywood’s Twitter-savvy personalities to discuss life in one hundred and forty characters or less. Moderated by Ari Karpel (contributing writer, Los Angeles Times, New York Times).

• Capturing L.A. – In spite of its elusive personality, L.A. has ignited imagination of many artists who have chronicled it through various genres and across different media. Join us as we explore L.A.’s persona with visual artists, writers, and filmmakers who have captured it in their work. Moderated by Laurie Ochoa (co-founder, Slake Media; former editor-in-chief, LA Weekly).

You can get passes to the festival as well as attending the series of networking receptions and entry to the ZonePerfect live.create.lounge, where Festival pass holders can interact with Festival filmmakers and professionals in the film community. General admission tickets to individual films go on sale beginning June 1. You can call 866.FILM.FEST (866.345-6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com for more info.

We recently had a Twirlit Giveaway with Libertas Designs, a brand that was started by Savannah Auger after growing up amidst the design centers of Italy, England, and California. With her popular shoes and handbags, Auger manages to mix elegant style with a bit of feminine rock n’ roll. Her designs have been featured in Lucky Magazine, New York Magazine, Geniux, Allure Magazine, and several others.

For a fashion designer, Savannah Auger is refreshingly down-to-earth and humble. Not to mention that she also manages to be the lead singer of a band called the Oblivion Express. Recently she sat down with us to discuss following your goals and, yes, Savannah actually started off selling her designs from her car. No joke.

And check out Savannah and her band, Oblivion Express:

I was super excited to meet with Mark M and Alice Shin of LA’s Kogi BBQ and here’s the latest Twirlit video where we got to hang out with the team behind the latest Los Angeles food sensation.
Check it out:

A view from my boyfriend’s place atop of Sunset Blvd. Aren’t these pictures gorgeous? I love looking out at night and seeing the twinkling lights of the big city. LA. NY. Paris. Seoul. Rio. Ah!

I did a massive amount of singing this weekend, and it was ridiculously fun. I mean, being able to grab a mike and break it down to old skool hip hop or R&B song, or even some sort of 90′s rock ballad. That’s classic!

I also ended up going to karaoke at a friend’s party and we got a private room in K-town. There was a mixed crowd in the bunch, so I thought I’d re-post some of my mantras if you ever find yourself in a karaoke spot/room. Note: Try to bring someone Asian as they’ll be able to speak the language and make for a pleasant experience.

Here are some things to remember:

Don’t Let the Random Background Videos confuse you- In private Korean karaoke spots, your song will play and there will usually be Korean dramas playing on the TV. Don’t be confused, scared, or weirded out. This is just the way it is, so enjoy the random videos of Asian couples who walk in the countryside.

Beware of the Quiet, Shy One- Yeah, at karaoke, there’s always that one quiet, shy person who claims to never have done karaoke. Um, yeah, then an hour later, they’re totally hogging the machine. haha…

Service- In Korean spots, this means they’ll give you something for free. Again, if you bring an Asian person, they will work it out.

Be courteous- In these spots, if you’re not Asian/Asian-American, you will probably feel odd, but hey, just have fun, kick back, and sing. The point is to make a fool out of yourself and have fun. It’s okay, you can rap Biggie, sing like Bon Jovi, or pretend that you’re Britney Spears in her “Oops, I did it again, days.”

Now, the karaoke bars where you go up and perform in front of a bunch of strangers, that’s a whole other post which I’m diligently working on. This is karaoke, you know. Serious stuff. Don’t mess, yo.

Oh, and BTW, this is a GREAT song to dance/sing to. It also puts you in a good mood which ya know, is necessary in times like these. Here In Your Arms by Hello Goodbye