South Beach: City of Sol

I’ve lived among Latinos in Los Angeles for six years now. They are laid-back and contented. But on a recent trip to South Beach, I was struck by how vastly different the Latinos there are. They are entitled and fashion-centric. They’ve created a mini-Euro paradise of sun, society and sex appeal. South Beachers want you to know how much they paid for the latest designer's swimsuit, or how hard they've hunted for the perfect accessory (which sometimes comes in “human”).

I love South Beach, I really do. But it always seems a lot like Vegas after the first couple of days. In the beginning you’re overwhelmed with all the shiny glitz and glamour…but then by the third day you see beyond the pretty paint and it all just seems tacky and overboard. And you get tired of all of the pretentiousness. I mean, I was in a city built for the beach, but was turned away at every door of every lounge for wearing flip-flops!

So that’s when I decided to leave the endless parade of tourists in their fabulous boutique hotels along the coastline in search for the locals. I wanted the South Beach in the raw.

I walked a couple of streets inland from Ocean Avenue and found a gem. A diamond in the rough, so to speak. Automatic Slims Rock ‘n Roll bar, complete with stripper pole and endless 80s anthems. A place you’d expect to find in Hollywood maybe, but not South Beach. I looked around and the room was filled with Latinos! They came in punked-out hair and gothic goatees, Madonna lace bras and Guns ‘n Roses leather pants!

Like so many things, it is not what's on the coastline, but what is inland that counts. We stereotype entire races without recognizing their beautifully complex intricacies. And that’s precisely why I love my job. Because I get to bring them out of the dark and into the sol.

Butt Pirates...heheheh

Johnny Johnny Johnny. I could write about his integrity: how each role he chooses is artistically interesting and counter-"Hollywood". I could write about his earthy sexiness: raw, aloof, unquestionable. But it's his playfulness that I'm really in love with. Each character he has played is a child at heart. I encourage you to see for yourself. Have a Johnny night. Rent a few of his movies, get your favorite childhood candy (mine is Fun Dip) and see if you aren't overcome with silliness. And if you let yourself, I bet you let out a few girlish giggles when no one's watching.

I mean, the man (who is 43, mind you) still goes by the kid version of his name - Johnny. It's like he said right from the beginning: my name is Johnny and I refuse to ever grow up.

Bravo.

In Finding Neverland (one of my favorite movies ever), his character, JM Barrie, writer of Peter Pan, says: "Young boys should never be sent to bed...they always wake up a day older."

So, that's why I'll forgive Johnny for that second Pirates movie and blow a big raspberry to the critics. *PPPPHHHHBBBBBBTTTTT!!!!" After all, he didn't really sell out to the big blockbusters...he's still being a big kid just the same as always. And of course it doesn't hurt to be able to continue my fantasy of Jack & Will falling in love and sailing the seas together...

Along Came Darius

Okay, fine. So probably one of the worst parts of my personality is my fear of commitment. I just hate being tied down. I don't like making plans because I never know what mood I'm gonna be in. I mean, what if I make plans two weeks in advance and then miss out on some grand adventure? I might have locked myself into drinks at some fabulous Hollywood bar only to find that when the day comes, a friend has miraculously produced tickets to Cher's Farewell Tour. And everyone knows that's a one-time thing. *hair toss, tongue roll* "Hooooooooooo....."

However. As I've grown up (stop your snickering), I've come to realize that by committing to something, you may be embarking on a different kind of adventure. Such is what I found when Darius came along.

He is everything I am not. I love spontaneity. He loves planning. I'm moody and irrational. He's even-tempered and wise. He likes movies where teens fall in love. I like movies where teens get homicidally hunted in the dark.

But the beauty of us is in the experiences we share with each other. Recently, I got him out on his own into the Pacific Ocean on a boogie board - and had the pleasure of seeing him, wide-eyed and laughing, as he caught his first wave. And in return he's found a way to get me onto a Google Calendar, which we share so that we always know what the other is doing. Outwardly, I despise this. Secretly, I adore it.

I recently watched the movie, "Along Came Polly." It's cute, but one quote stood out above all: "It's not about what happened in the past or what you think might happen in the future - it's about the ride for Christ's sake. There'’s no point going through all this crap if you're not gonna enjoy the ride. And you know what? When you least expect it, something great might come along. Something better than you even planned for."

So we find ourselves on the "unplan plan" - together. And now I see that this might just be the greatest ride of all.