Beverly Hills Photo Shoot

So back when I was in LA last week for AnnieAli's 30th Surprise Bday, I managed to pick up a couple photo shoots to cover my travel/fun expenses and then some.

One of them was for another girl named Annie, who had found me via some random iPhone Actor's App called ActorGenie that listed me as one of the top guys in LA. I had no idea. Awwwwesome.

Usually I like to take people out to my random locations for my photoshoots for natural-lighting purposes, but Annie was adamant that I come pick her up so we could do some shots at her boyfriend's house. In my mind I pictured myself trying to make it work in some squalid studio apartment in Studio City or something, but I agreed because she sounded nice, and I just didn't feel like arguing.

"Oh, by the way, my boyfriend is BretRatner."

Yes. Hollywood director BretRatner...who directed the Rush Hour movies, X-Men The Last Stand, Tower Heist...

He's no B-Lister.

The house is pretty awesome. After clearing the security gate, you drive up a steep driveway, and the house is like built into a hill. Hence its name, Hillhaven.

Here are some pics from his feature in Elle Decor.

Yes those are authentic Warhol Mao screens in the bedroom.

There was one in the bathroom also.

And there were gorgeous portraits that I think Brett had taken of various Hollywood icons scattered throughout the living room.

It definitely made me feel like I was driving a Toyota into a Bentley dealership. I mean, here I was shooting stupid headshots in the home of a guy who makes films that are watched by BILLIONS of people!

A humbling experience for sure...

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This window facing the pool and yard gave us some GREAT light.

And Annie was just the sweetest.

After shooting at the house for a bit we left to drive around town and to shoot at my various outdoor locations.

When we came home, there were some extra cars in the driveway.

"Is that Brett?" I asked.

"No, that's Russell's car."

"Russell..."

"Simmons. He's staying with us while he's in town."

"Oh cool." I replied,  trying to play it cool like it's TOTALLY normal to have Russell frickin' Simmons as your houseguest.



So we hung out and had some drinks with Brett and his houseguests.

While Annie looked through my wedding pictures (so that I can hopefully shoot her eventual wedding), this other teenage girl who was there, Spencer (who I thought was Russell's daughter or something but apparently is not), was texting furiously and then said, "guys, Paris is coming over."

So I was like, "Paris Hilton?"

And she was like, "Haha, no! Jackson."

As in Michael Jackson's daughter.

It was all silly and surreal and yet normal at the same time.

We sat and chatted about...what else? Justin Bieber.

Turns out I have a lot in common with 14-year-olds!

I love LA!!!

Lunch at the Googleplex!

TREAT YO SELF 2013

My iPhone got stolen last night.

Pickpocketed right out of my jacket. (There's a sliiiight chance that I left it drunkenly in a cab. But I'm prettty sure I got pickpocketed.)

So I was feeling kind of bummed and hungover this morning. Dealing with AT&T, changing passwords, all that junk.

Then things started turning around.

I realized that because I bought my phone in November, my phone fell under Amex's Purchase Protection, so I filed a claim and hopefully will be reimbursed for the price of the phone!

Then, after a lovely afternoon drink with Caroline and friends (a month before we head to South Africa, woo!) I decided I wanted to go shopping.

I've been needing a "grown-up" winter coat for years now. Wearing a suit for an event and then throwing an Abercrombie ski jacket over it is just NOT CUTE on a 30 year old. But because I don't have a "real" job where I work in a business setting I've never felt super-compelled to shop for a new jacket.

But I've lusting after this trench coat for months now.

And in the spirit of full disclosure I will confess that I first saw this coat on Romeo Beckham and thought it just looked SO badass.

So yes. After drinks, I decided this wasn't going to be the day my iPhone got stolen and replaced. It was going to be the day I bought a beautiful new trenchcoat.

And as fate would have it...when I pulled up to Burberry, there was a parking spot waiting for me right in front of the store.

DESTINY.

And then of course they had it in my size and I tried it on and I loved it and bought it.

TREAT YO SELF!

Niki's Leukemia Battle

Many of you know our dear friend Brianne.



Brianne's sister Niki has been undergoing treatment for leukemia.

Anyone who knows Brianne knows what a fun, funny, vibrant, wonderful person she is, so even though I've never met her sister, I'm sure she's just as amazing a person.

I was reminded of their ordeal today while prowling around facebook and figured, as a blogger with at least 20 or so regular readers, the least I could do was share her story...

So here goes:

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In April 2012, Niki got married to the man of her dreams.



On November 30, 2012, Niki's life changed forever.

Niki had been sick on and off for months but doctors assured her that nothing was seriously wrong. "Stress," they suggested. "Nothing to worry about." But Niki was persistent. She knew in her heart something wasn't right and on the evening of November 30th her worst fears were confirmed. One by one, she called each of her family members across the country.

"I have leukemia."

There was no time to adjust to the news. The type of leukemia she has, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), is aggressive and spreads quickly. It was already in her lymph nodes, her liver, her spleen. Waiting on treatment could be fatal so she didn't hesitate. In the span of a day, Niki learned she would not be able to have children, that she would lose all of her hair, that she would need a bone marrow transplant or she would not survive.

On December 1st, Niki began intense chemotherapy treatment. She texted her family a picture of herself hooked up to half a dozen machines and IVs. She had two thumbs up and wore a big smile. "Chemo time!" she wrote. "I am ready to kick some butt! :)"

Niki's attitude and her strength have been amazing as she continues to bravely undergo chemotherapy treatment at UW Medicine and outpatient care at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She has been so brave, in fact, she sometimes has a hard time asking for help. That's where we come in, her friends, her family, friends of her family, and you...internet randoms...

Please consider donating what you can... $10, $25, $100 ... any amount is meaningful.

Send some good out into the universe. Help a fellow human being.



Niki can no longer work and needs around the clock care to survive. Your donation will help pay for the care she needs, for the hospital housing she must now live in, and for the expensive cancer treatment drugs she will likely be on for the rest of her life.

http://www.giveforward.com/niki

If the below picture of Niki's husband Zack surprising her with a shaved head doesn't move you to do something to help...you might not have a soul.



Stay strong Niki, Brianne and fam!!!

http://www.giveforward.com/niki

Annie's 30th Surprise Pajama Jam

The day Eric sent out the email about his idea for throwing a SURPRISE Pajama JammyJam 30th Birthday Party for Annie I booked my flight immediately.

I LOVE a surprise party. (Well really, I love any party.)

But a surprise THEME party...eeek...I think I squealed when I read the email.

Tatyana hosted the party at her lovely home...there was custom artwork and a DJ and jammies and MEATBALLS.

Annie was TOTALLY surprised. Three of her best friends had flown in from NYC to spend her birthday with her and after a fabulous dinner, she was under the impression that they were going to Tatyana's house for a special pole-dancing lesson/ladies night.

Keep in mind that in the following pictures, the house was totally dark. It's just my flash that is lighting up the room. So when Annie approached the front door she must have heard a little bit of breathing and giggling as we were all crouched in the darkness and ready to scream.

She slowwwwly opened the door, and really hesitantly said, "...hello?"

"SURPRISE!!!!!!!!"

She was STUNNED.

It was totally dark. So she literally just stood there for a minute trying to make out faces. And I had told everyone to take out their phones so we were blinding her with flashes paparazzi-style.

It was a REALLY well-orchestrated surprise.

LOL. Guess whose socks these are...

Haha...did you even have to guess?!? LOVES an Oprah Will!

Minutes later and the bday girl was still clearly in shock and absorbing it all...

Cannot WAIT for the wedding!

Meanwhile, in the living room, a danceparty was in full swing.

Oooh! There was another dude wearing a kigurumi!

Will was, of course, dancefloor MVP.

Wait a minute...is that a picture of Annie? Or is it...Jihan???

We LOOOOVES fancy blacks!

And we loves big bootys too!

Finally Annie found some cute-ass pajamas and joined the danceparty.

People just LOOOVED my Godzilla Kigurumi.

But not as much as they LOOOOOVED the gays in general!

I just LOVED Mrs. Ali's DIVA headband!!!

OK after this point my flash ran out of battery and I had to use my on-camera crappyflash.

Which I guess is fine...since things were starting to get kind of sloppy anyway...

At one point the music shut off so we could take a break to sing "Happy Birthday" to Annie. (We also sang the black version of Happy Birthday, which was SO FUN.)

Funny, when google-ing "Happy Birthday Black Version" this one of the things that popped up:


Today, January 24th, is actually Tatyana's birthday, so happy birthday also Tatyana!!!

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Oh yeah. So this whole time they'd been playing lots of hip-hop. Which is fun and all. But I mean...we gays really wanted to DANCE. So when the music went off, I immediately screamed, "PLAY MORE POP MUSIC!!!!!" in the general direction of the DJ booth.

And the first song after we were done singing Happy Birthday was, of course, "We Found Love"...

Everyone let out a big gay SQUEAL and ran to the dancefloor.

Eric's dad's shirt came off...it was just awesome gay danceparty for the rest of the night.

"Who run the world? GAYS!!!!"

Oh and at point the DJ played "Smooth Criminal" and the whole room danced around Annie shouting, "Annie are you OK? Are you OK Annie??!?!?"

AMAZING.

Gay dancing is quite a workout...and after a workout you gotta STRETCH!

LOL. This is what I stumbled upon walking out onto the balcony.

Jihan LOVES the gays!!!

And of course Jesse passed out...

...with party guests all still chatting and eating around him...

Yay!

HAPPIEST 30th BIRTHDAY ANNIE ALI!!!!