2/17/2005 12:34:00 AM|||Jonthon|||

The next morning, I awoke to a sunny California day. It had been 78 degrees when we were driving in. We had heard tell of rain, but thus far the weather seemed great. We headed out to West LA to visit the Phelps Group.
TPG is an integrated marketing communications firm that serves Petco, Aramark, Tahitian travels, and others. They served us bagels, gave us a Powerpoint presentation, then took us on a tour. The had a "brainbanger's ball" a "gauntlet" office space, and a small audio/video production studio up on the third floor. It was kind of neat, but it didn't seem like a perfect fit for me...plus, I heard their creative sucks. (NEW - I suppose my blogging is not in vain after all. My friend now works at TPG, and they spoke to him after seeing my comments. he said they do not intend to give a Powerpoint presentation anymore, and in the future will show their Creative instead. I think this is a wise choice. Also, in case they check this again - I have only heard your creative sucks, I am not making that statement definitively! Your place and personnel seemed pretty cool, but like I said - probably not a good fit for me. Especially now that you've read me blog...=) )
After that, we headed two blocks over to park. We then walked to what was supposed to be lunch, but then at an intersection with a good breeze became a walk to the beach instead. We walked along the raised coast, in sight of the ocean, until we reached a pier that had a ferris wheel and many other carnival rides on it. I stepped into a small mexican restaurant and oredered a steak burrito, which was only decent. Out at the table, Shannon sat next to me along with a host of other girls (the trip was was 12f-3m). We were discussing the fact that one girl had been interviewed by the FBI because she was dating a CIA operative. Somehow, this provoked Shannon to say we needed to be cautious about Syria. I questioned the relation of the points, and also the impending threat that Syria was suggested to be. Shannon then became somewhat defensive, but the table seemed to be siding with me on the whole we don't need any more wars thing. Then I left for the bathroom. When I returned, Shannon made a dirisive comment. Later, he would try to be my friend again. As I had guessed yesterday, he was wearing a suit today. Actually, to be straightforwardly honest, I said he would probably wear a suit every day. And...he did. He also did plenty of bitching and moaning because, even though our next appointment was only 10 blocks away, he wasn't sure if 2 hours was going to be enough time to eat and make it there.
But we did. After parking on top of a bestbuy (interesting parking idea), we walked to Sagon Phior. There, we met with CEOGlenn Sagon. He told us about his business, which separated from the interpublic group of companies and was now running with 12 freelance employees, serving 150 clients. The work he showed us was very good. Then he amazed us by getting out bios that he had requested from us weeks earlier, and started using them to interview us. I was first. He asked my about my life plans, and was impressed with the Daily Show goal. He asked what otherwise, and I said they changed monthly. He said his change every 15 minutes. Then he asked me why a master's. I explained that I wanted to be able to teach and give what I have learned to the next generation. He then divulged that and his co-CEO Ria (sp?) were both also professors at UCLA. Coincidentally, he also mentioned that although he had tried hard, he has never succeeded in getting local colleges to send recruits out doing what we were, and thought it was really impressive. I would have guessed otherwise, and I really question the logic of these Californian college kids.
After a while, the graphics editor, ALan, pulled half of our group aside. He started showing us work he was doing on Mia, which is a 3D animation program. I started asking lots of questions, obviously and understandably intrigued. So he showed us some work - first, he showed us some stuff he was making for Robots, the new movie coming out from the creators of Ice Age. Upon my comment that Pixar was my favorite production studio, he showed us some promo work he was doing for their upcoming movie, Cars. It was amazing. Darren, an employee of 3 years that had started as an intern, was playing great music (2Pac, SOAD) in the background, and I had to comment. As our group of students left, I hung around to trade my resume for their business cards before I left. I expressed interest, then explained that I wouldn't be able to take an unpaid internship (all they offer), because of my financial situation and my brother's needs. Glenn then related that his relative had just been diagnosed with cancer, and he would be willing to work with me to help find housing, etc. So this may be an option. =)
By this time, it was raining. Actually, it had been back at the Best Buy part. We drove back to our place but avoided the 405, which we were told would be insane at 5pm on a Thursday when raining. I tried to read a little more of Eric Schlosser's Reefer Madness, which is great and was a good conversation piece for what was basically stop and go traffic all the way up to our hotel...Ugh.
That night, we headed out to Sunset strip. I was a little nervous as I usually am when I go out drink and barring. However, the first place we went, the Rainbow Room, was lit by dim red lighting, with Hendrix posters on the wall, log cabin feel, NO SMOKING, and great people watching opportunities. I sat with Lindsay, Laura, Katie, and Lauren Sherwood, eating pizza and drinking beer. Food isn't really prohibitively expensive, but you pay for atmosphere and living space in LA. A huge pizza was only $14, but Rite Aid had reasonable prices. I am strongly of the feeling that if I lived somewhere that didn't require driving, I could afford to live in LA. Anyway, our good times were ruined when the drunk sophomores showed up. They had decided to hit up the Rite Aid for some fiths, which they then consumed in entirety before departing. On their hunt for us (they were always looking to be led), they had made their way toward the Rainbow room. Outside, they encountered Courtney COx and David Arquette, and from the story I heard, basically badgered them. Then they came inside and badgered us. We gave them our leftover pizza, and they went away.
When we got outside, the rush was to get in next door at the Roxy. Apparently, Keanu Reeves had stepped into attendance. We paid our $11 to get in, and saw some girl from the Real World rocking out on stage. Actually, she had apparently been eating at the Rainbow Room with us, and had simply put in a hair extension before her show. They weren't bad. I grabbed a sex on the beach, and went to listen and watch. Little did I know, but moments later I was standing about two feet from keanu. Still didn't care, but the girls really thought it was special. I hope people don't treat me that way when I'm a celebrity.
After one more song, literally everyone left. The next band was so bad that we even decided to leave. After a little bra-shuffling and prettying, we headed back the other way on Sunset to the Key Club, an invitation only music bar. Somehow, Lindsay and Katie managed to get our ENTIRE group in. They shuffled us to the basement, though it seemed like the real party was on floor two. Ah well. We saw a band called VideoStar, an 80s tribute band that was supersweet. A band member from Anthrax was apparently in attendance, also. I sat right in front of the speaker with Katie, Laura, and Lindsay, so I didn't have to worry about hearing for the next day or so!
After this, we headed back to our hotel to slumber.

|||110946453672989276|||To Live and Die in LA 2