Destination: Moet & Chandon Tom Munro Book Launch

8445 Melrose Place

Los Angeles, CA

Inspiration: CAA Agent Michael Kives “The number 10 tennis player in the world, Fernando Verdasco, is in LA this weekend, what event should we send him to?”

Actualization: Of course I always try to help Kives, but wasn’t overextending for their tennis player….until I clicked on his wiki page and saw that not only he was the number 10 tennis player, he was adorable and worth some time spent.

After passing along the event invites, I forgot about that heartthrob athlete….until I walked into Tom Munro’s event and he caught my eye.  I couldn’t focus on the walls covered by giant photos of celebrities (some of my faves being Leo, Jude Law and Ashton) and went over to ask if he was Fernando Verdasco.

Fernando is officially now my favorite tennis player and he gave me a new appreciation for his sport.  I mean tennis players get to travel EVERYWHERE! Spain to Venice to Australia to Vegas to Palm Springs to Miami….

Quote of the Night: Across the art show we watched another CAA agent flirting and after I told Fernando their love story, with raised eyebrows at the agent and said “Ooooh he wants to KEESS her!”

Do you want to see Fernando? This might be better than tennis - Calvin Klein ad

Realization: I need to watch more tennis.  30 Love Michael Kives. thanks for getting me back in the game.

Kives remember this halloween? ha

Your Moment:

Tom Munro

Guest of a Guest

Radar Online

X17

Socialite Life

Destination: Hot Tub Time Machine

Arclight Cinema

6360 W. Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 464-4226

Inspiration: E!’s Film Critic Ben Lyons

“The movie is hilarious, and the screening will be a lot of fun (i.e, boozing encouraged) so I hope you can make it.”

Actualization:

Kick Some Past:

Hot Tub Time Machine follows a group of best friends who’ve become bored with their adult lives: Adam (John Cusack) has been dumped by his girlfriend; Lou (Ron Corddry) is a party guy who can’t find the party; Nick’s (Craig Robinson) wife controls his every move; and a video game-obsessed Jacob (Clark Duke) won’t leave his basement.  After a crazy night of drinking in a ski resort hot tub, the men wake up, heads’ pounding, in the year 1986.  This is their chance to kick some past and change their futures- one will find a new love life, one will learn to stand up for himself with the ladies, one will find his mojo, and one will make sure he still exists!

If you had a Hot Tub Time Machine what year would you go back to revisit?  Would you change the course of your life or find something out?

I can think of a few hot tubs I might revisit….hmmm….I think I prefer to focus on the ones I’ll be stepping into in the future.

Watching John Cusak and friends go back to the 80s via hot tub was a trip.  Hot Tub Time Machine was hilarious and reminiscent with songs like Salt N Pepa’s Push It and Motley Crue’s Home Sweet Home.

Craig Robinson was my favorite hot tub-er, partially because of the red onesy he wore out of the tub AND partially because he plays Nick Weber, a name shared by my college crush.  Nick Weber goes back to play out his dream as a musician. Craig Robinson/Nick Weber can we please karaoke Jessie’s Girl together?

Clearly I don’t review movies. Do a shot, hold your breath and dive into Hot Tub Time Machine.

Realization: “Embrace the chaos.  Life just might astonish you.” – Hot Tub Time Machine

Your Moment:

Release Date: March 26, 2010

Kick Some Past

Destination: The Female of the Species

Geffen Playhouse

10886 Le Conte Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90024-3021

(310) 208-5454

Inspiration: The ever-inspirational David Arquette and his charity of choice Feeding America.  David is Chairman of Feeding America’s Entertainment Council.

David and Joel

Actualization: I went to go see David in his play with my friends from Feeding America, including Joel Goldman, my favorite boss.  The Female of the Species

Here’s a quick recap of what this female has to say about The Female of the Species:

1. David Arquette plays a dufus hedge-fund investor with a fun twist of physical comedy.

Side note: I googled “physical comedy” and the first video that came up was:

Zach Galifianakis on physical comedy

PS You’ll see the irony in our friend Zach later.

2. One of my favorite lines in the play and just one example of David’s character’s comedic misquotes: Bryan (David Arquette) “I love you Tess. You know I’ve always mounted you on a pedestal.”

3. Each character shows us a darker hidden side at one point in the play. Quiet cabbie Frank (Josh Stamberg) goes into hot tyrade when he starts describing how men should treat women. He “exuded the man” as Janae would say. “Women want a man who knows how to handle two things for them really, really well: Foreplay. And taxes.”

4. Joanna Murray Smith, the playwright is an Aussie. She based the story on an experience of her Australian friend.  I heart that.

Today I have writer’s block in the worst way.  Worse than Margot Mason (Annette Bening) did in the play. Margot was a famous author of feminist self-help books like The Cerebral Vagina.

I thought I was genius last night after 3 or maybe 4 “4 Aces” at the Roger Room when I labeled my three new friends who had just arrived to LA from a trip that started in Vegas.

Bradley Cooper-the hot one (Nick, Don’t ask how I got your picture…)

Zach Galifinekous

and the one who lost a tooth (he had all his teeth and wasn’t so amused)

And now today my “genius” is gone  - as I described that species and what now encompasses me – The Hangover.

All I want to do is go for a run and prepare for another night of Oscar fun.

Realization: This morning as I wrote this James Cameron said on Inside the Actor’s Studio, “I’m not a good writer.  I don’t really like to do it. For me it’s a task.”  Everyone gets writer’s block.  Sometimes you need a good Hangover to stop the block.

Your Moment:

Donate to Feeding America

The Female of the Species

Written by Joanna Murray-Smith

Directed by Randall Arney

February 2 – March 14, 2010

Academy Award nominee Annette Bening returns to the Geffen Playhouse in this wildly wicked farce. Watch and laugh as a famed feminist author’s retreat is rudely and hilariously interrupted by a host of unexpected guests: a disgruntled student, an impatient cabbie, her longtime publisher, her overlooked daughter and simplistic son-in-law. Writer’s block has never been so funny!

Call 310.208.5454 or select a performance date below for tickets!

Featuring: David Arquette, Annette Bening, Mireille Enos, Julian Sands, Josh Stamberg and Merritt Wever

Performance Notes: The Female of the Species is a 95 minute comedy with no intermission and contains mature language.

Press:

LA Times

LA Weekly

Destination: La Descarga

La Descarga
1159 Western Avenue
Hollywood, California 90029
Reservations recommended, call (323) 466-1324 or do it on the site.

Inspiration: Jason Dundas, Aussie actor and travel guru, “I’m here in LA! Where should I go Angie?”  

Actualization:
La Descarga is slang for “go crazy” or “after party”. La Descarga made me La Descarga last night. Who knew Rum could be so fun?

Pete and Maggie. Rum on the tongue

Rumors about the revival of this Rum bar rang true.

1 – Reservation recommended: Make a reservation. I say they are required. Hot spot in LA so right now – required. Sometimes you get a password too! It’s all part of the game. The password for our night was Angie Banicki.

Janae and Aussie Jason Dundas!

2 – Right off the Road: The entrance isn’t easy to spot. It’s next to a random late-night Mexican stand. Thank you Gods of Rum for not letting me partake in the tacos at the end of this night. I guarantee it’ll happen one of the nights…probably if I’d had La Descarga’s Rum concoction “tapping the admiral”.

3 – Random Route: It’s a maze to actually get to the rum. We walked down a long dark hall and arrived to a reception area where we were met by our Cuban hostess who was sitting at a desk. In front of her sat a turntable playing Latin music. She welcomed us, walked around and opened up a wardrobe/time machine.  We peered through to a dark abyss as she pushed aside the hanging Havana shirts and walked us into 1930s Havana.

We loved our booth, right ladies?

Beau and Zalis

4- Rhythmic music from the Mambo band: On the hour (I think hourly is right…cant confirm post Jessica Paster’s Rum Bowl!) the 5 piece mambo band above us performed Congo beats rousing us to order more rum.

5 – Racks of cigars: To escape the hot sticky havana bar, the cigar bar provided us an outdoor haven for tobacco, chat, rambunctiousness and more rum. This is where my romantic affair with Cruzan Blackstrap Rum began. I drank it straight and tried to share it with everyone who came within 5 feet of me…including my favorite comedian who ceases to acknowledge my existence. Aziz.

Aziz! Come Back!

I didn’t try it but apparently they have a specialty with my lover -
Bad Spaniard, a guilty pleasure made with Cruzan Blackstrap Rum, Amaro Averna, sweetened condensed milk, one whole egg yolk and cinnamon

6 – Rows and Rows of Rum: Over 70 different kind of Rum lined the walls behind the bar. We sampled quite a few of the exotic concoctions the mixologists prepared for us. Friends loved the Honey Swizzle but I thought it tasted like Jagermeister. Ladies – fyi I found out the Honey Swizzle has anise it it…so I wasn’t going crazy…or going descarga when I said that.

7 – Red Rum Regret: La Descarga renewed my love of Rum but took me for ransom the next morning. Of course, not without having a “La Descarga” afterparty of our own first.

Angie and Erica...and budlight?

the bud light demons after hours

Realization: I reckon I need to remember to research more of Los Anegles, La Descarga night reminded me there’s really so much more to ravage with my friends. More risks and a little less reality.

YOUR MOMENT:
Some fun rum quotes to inspire you -

“I pity them greatly, but I must be mum, for how could we do without sugar and rum?”
William Cowper (English Poet)

“Rum, n. Generically, fiery liquors that produce madness in total abstainers. “
Ambrose Bierce

“If you keep on drinking rum, the world will soon be quit of a very dirty scoundrel”
Robert Louis Stevenson

“There’s naught, no doubt, so much the spirit calms as rum and true religion. “
Lord Byron

Destination: Dear John Premiere at Graumann’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, CA

Inspiration: Brooke Blumberg “Do you want a ticket to the Premiere of ‘Dear John’? No reviews Angie.”   

Actualization: Hollywood premieres are always fun. Munching on free popcorn, cheering when the actor’s names flash on the screen, getting all dressed up, and watching little teen girls take pictures with their idols.

Best part is being with the people who poured their blood, sweat and tears into a project and feeling just an ounce of how that accomplishment touches them.
Reminds me of going to my brother Adam’s basketball games and  brother JJ’s plays growing up.
Dear John, If you ever have the chance to experience someone else’s moments with them, don’t pass it up.

I got to experience that moment with some of my favorite people who I felt lucky to have had moments with in the past. Below is a review of my travel memories with them, along with a little Liz(one of my movie dates) commentary!

Channing Tatum:

Liz quote: Dear John“He once inadvertantly brushed against my upper thigh and it was one of the most erotic moments of my life”

Travel trip: To the screaming tweens at Graumans and Liz, Channing is the new boy crush, but to me, he is the dude I had the time of my life with in the Bahamas for the opening of Cain at the Cove, Atlantis.
Watching his larger than life persona on massive movie screen as he romanced Amanda Seyfriend reminded me of the love affair between him and Jenna on the Bahama beaches.

Scott Porter:

Liz quote: Dear Johnnnnnn “I remember he had the dance moves from that one trip!”

Travel trip: I brought Scott backstage to see N.E.R.D. Perform at Austin City Limits a few years ago. That was a moment where I had to explain to backstage security that he and friends were all cast members from Friday Night Lights. It wasn’t long before everyone realized and Scott was surrounded by Texans. I felt like I accomplished my “in” when I got them past! Best part was that at that music festival we had the best time laughing and dancing outside VIP. Austin TX is a dream to visit especially for a music festival!

DJ Cotrona:

Liz (and well most of my friends who’ve met him) quote: Dear Dear John ”Very cute!”

Travel trip: DJ is very quiet and unassuming. On screen you’d never know it but even in crazy Vegas for the Killers concert at the Hard Rock he was pretty low key…yet always with a certain shy charm.

Keith Robinson:

Liz quote (when we said hi to him post movie): D-D-De-Dear John! “Lets get this party started?” Liz was ready for wine at the afterparty.

Travel trip: Commander Keith in the movie reminded me of Kentucky Derby Keith. Keith led his troop of reps to the afterparty.

Richard Jenkins:

Liz quote: Dear Daddy John “Angie he reminds me so much of your dad!” I don’t really know Richard but I do know he seems to be similar to Dad Banicki. Bald with a welcoming, calm demeanor. Richard also grew up in the same town where Guy Banicki went to college. Dekalb Illinois…maybe that’s also why I was so emotional in the father/son scenes.

There's Dad....you see it, right?

Travel Trip: Premiere afterparty, H-Wood. Alana, Liz and I spent most of our time at the afterparty searching for…yup Daddy Jenkins. We didn’t find him but after his meatloaf and lasagna scenes in the movie, we decided to leave the after party when Alana said, “It looks like the Dad cooked the food here. Let’s go meet the girls elsewhere.”

As we exited for home we passed one more character from the movie-Henry Thomas (the little boy from ET!)

Our quote: ET PHONE HOME!

Alana’s premiere disney moment: Since Alana was placed across the aisle from us it became our mission to figure out who the blond in the purple dress sitting next to her and signing autographs could possibly be. Every little girl in the theater had come over to meet Blondie.  I ran to try and take a sly photo but of course the sweet girl looked at Alana questionably.  The rest is history as Alana and Tiffany Thornton bonded over popcorn and we watched her and kermit this morning online.

Tiffany Thornton

Actualization: Never pass on an invite to a big hollywood premiere… (do pass on movie inspired cuisine at the buffet) and remember usually how you experience real life moments, even when not glamourous, is what can make them seem larger than life.

Destination: First Annual Data Awards, Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles CA

Inspiration: BlackBerry Paul invites me to attend the pre-grammy event hosted by Will I. am and BlackBerry.

Actualization:

9:00pm – Palladium parking lot is packed out front with celebrities walking the red carpet, fans trying to sneak in, and security/party throwers lining the premise.

9:10pm – Paul sends staff to grab me. A tall man yells “Angie Banicki where are you?” I make it to the front and he says “wait are you Adam Banicki’s sister?” That was a first (Adam’s the baby bro!) Ends up Adam’s old boss Kevin Frazier does daily dips for DipDive(Will’s site) www.dipdive.com  He was interviewing the talent. Those in attendance ranged from P Diddy and John Legend to Oscar de la Huerta to Ryan Kwanten.

9:45pm – DJ Vice is spinning. Paul, VP of Brand Creative at RIM(Research in Motion), entertains in the VIP section.  I know I’m not alone when I say my BlackBerry is probably one of my most treasured items and when I get to go behind the scenes with BlackBerry it’s even more of a treasure. I found out there’s some pretty cool music stuff in store for our future blackberry devices!

10:00pm - Kelis takes over the spin tables. Will. I. Am, in his flashy gray suit and vest hits the suite to come show off the BBs he’s been designing. Meanwhile the DJ is blasting and the music vibrates through to the tips of our toes.

11:00pm - David Guetta DJs(you’re a sexy b+*ch that’s how I know him!)  The palladium packs in and we enjoy our private viewing from the suite. Our entertainment continues as Will’s BEP counterparts pop by revved up for their performance.

12:00am – 1:00am – The Black Eyed Peas go on. Celebrities and guests rocked out.
Realization: Technology will always be advancing and creating the next best thing but music no matter what shape or form will always make me happy. Who can even imagine what BlackBerry is creating…it’s already music to my ears!

Destination: XIV, Los Angeles CA

Inspiration: Rachel Krupa’s Birthday

Actualization: Here is my top XIV from the night -

1- Rachel Krupa turns 30 and the dinner table was long to fit her many friends.  We were surrounded by bookcases.  I prefer to describe the top dinner moments with a few references to CLUE. Without a murderer but perhaps a boozer?  Rachel was the sexy flirtatious Miss Scarlett in her tiara with a lemon martini to start.

Miss Scarlett

2- Who was Professor Plum? “A simple, intelligent man and good-natured at heart, but he likes to steal his own things?” I think this may have to go to Michael Kives who sat next to Rachel but would not be the culprit because he was watching his booze consumption and seemed to be watching Miss Scarlett herself. Is he trying to make her the booziest?

Professor Plum

3- The mini dishes they kept bringing were just additional clues.  Who would eat to control the booze OR to allow them to booze more?

4- Luke was Mr. Green, the Trickster who has known Rachel since her youthful days in Michigan. I saw him eyeing those Patron shots Miss Brooke was tossing back.

Mr. Green

5- I sat next to Chris Huvane, Colonel Mustard, with his entertaining adventuresome stories; every story topping the next and usually a juxtaposition. From the upscale Jewish Wedding he attended in NYC to the fight with the Russians on Fairfax Ave. Colonel Mustard Chris, just keep speaking your mind and drink up.

Colonel Mustard

6- Naan bread with the yogurt sauce that had a hint of mint julep to which Chris said, “Get in there Angie. Smother that yogurt. More. More.” Colonel Mustard Chris, did you just order another bottle of Ojai Pinot Noir?

7- Nicole Perna (seated on other side of me): “Listen if your friend wants to diarrhea all over you in an email then you need to diarrhea right back at her!” Would Miss Peacock be the newly single minx boozing her way to find a bad romance?

Miss Peacock

8- The Vegetarian Falafel Burger that Nicole/Miss Peacock made them bring for me, Mrs. White.  Was that because she thought I had drank too much?  I was just the housekeeper.

Miss White

9- Rachel, Miss Scarlet, likes the fries.  She may win.

10- Was that a wrench Miss Peacock just stuck in my side to stop drinking?  She must have stolen it from the kitchen. I am losing steam but that flirtatious Scarlet is not!

11-12-13-3 bottles of Ojai Pinot Noir.  A game of Clue isn’t the same without them, and then of course the candlestick of a birthday cake they brought out from the kitchen.  Miss Scarlett said it was flavored white chocolate.

14- A night out with Rachel and her cast of character friends is always fun and I am accusing her to be the birthday boozer in the XIV dining room.

Realization: Whether its a candlestick in the dining room or a birthday dinner at XIV, take a clue and make friends who will play games with you…even when you are 30! Happy Birthday Rachel Krupa!

Destination: Temblor Ranch, California

Inspiration: “Come to the Twisselman Ranch and live a day in the life of Papa Ken and Grandma Rose Twisselman.  You’ll love my Dad- he’s the ultimate cowboy!”

Actualization: While we bonded in Australia, Janae’s family anecdotes and the conversations I overheard made me insist I meet her relative cast of characters immediately upon our return to the states. I brought JJ Banicki along for the adventure.  Old people and families always immediately fall in love with my brother and it makes me more at ease when he’s around.

Janae, JJ and I got to the ranch and crashed after our 3 hour drive straight from LAX.

In the morning, we woke up to fog and a little rain but nothing to deter us from chores. Cowboy Steve, Janae’s Dad, was quiet yet diligent in his pancake-making the morning our adventure began. It wasn’t until we rolled up our sleeves, hit the dirt road and started daily farm chores that Steve then opened up. I think it was the eyepatch he put on. He was definitely less shy although still a Cowboy afterall.

We went straight into ranch action.  We fed the cattle, checked the grounds, drove through the vast oil fields and headed over to his parent’s house.

Papa Ken and Grandma Rose surpassed any and every expectation I ever had.  They welcomed us into their home filled with family photos and memories.  There was even a room stocked with photo albums that Papa added to every week.  He documented everything which was a lot since he and Grandma were quite the social duo. They visited friends in the area, attended political events, and traveled with other older ranchers on a regular basis. Papa opened the album just before we were about to leave and he could have relived moments all afternoon.  Papa made me laugh and he was still quick despite his old age.

We sat in their kitchen at the table covered with a giant blown up map tablecloth which Grandma told us was actually a shower curtain.  She and Papa used the map to help them geographically place all the countries they’d read about every day.  As one who had aced every Geography quiz but now couldn’t name half the countries, I was taking mental notes on how I could incorporate such a map at my house.

Grandma shared family stories. She was engaged at age 15 and a mom of 4 before the age of 21. She still had young eyes and her husband still had eyes for her.  She read us the script from this Christmas’s family talent show, a talent show I’d like to replicate into Banicki tradition.  It was inspiring to hear the creativity that each grandchild added to the Twisselman holidays.   This was just one of many traditions including their seasonal sporting events, the bandwagon breakfasts, and the camping out under the stars. It became apparent fast that the Twisselmans are nothing like what one might assume a cowboy ranch family might be like.

We left Papa Ken and Grandma Rose to go see the rocks, caves and Indian hideouts over yonder.  We headed past the home of Uncle Tom who had moved his bed onto the porch. I guess when you become a bachelor again you make change.  This cowboy bachelor decided he’d sleep under the stars but still in his bed. We kept driving and came upon an area where the caves and rocks and cherry trees surrounded a wooden shack and small stage and theater type area.

I felt like I was Angie in Wonderland – beds out of place, animals appearing out of nowhere, and in the middle of a vast open area surrounded by mountains.  It was Tim Burtonesque with the stage area gray and dark with it’s prickley old cherry trees.

The finale to our day on the ranch was my favorite part.  THE PENNY BAR.  Not because it was a bar but because it was a bar with a story.  Over one million pennies covered everything in the bar from the walls to the pool table to the jukebox to the bathroom.  JJ Banicki bonded with Steve and the cowboys over a pool match.  JJ of course doesn’t play but as I said he works magic on families and old people, so somehow he shot a perfect pool match and then went on to sing Neil Young at karaoke and got the whole clan up and singing including Steve who was belting away! I spent time chatting with the rest of the crew and meeting the owners and staff of the Penny Bar.

Realization: 1 – LOL Take more time to meet and listen to grandparents – you’re guaranteed a Lesson Or Laughs..usually both. 2 – You don’t need a plane, a hotel or time off for a travel adventure!  The ranch was my 36 hours of fun without even a shower….but it did have a shower curtain that inspired my next trip.

Temblor Ranch Fun Facts –

Over 100,000 Acres!

The movie There Will Be Blood is based on the story of Temblor.

Jesse James signature can be found in one of the caves where he slept on one of his missions.

Former Jet Jim Hudson

Destination: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego California

Inspiration: Cade Hudson “Wanna go watch football? My Dad got me tickets to see the New York Jets vs San Diego Chargers Playoff game!”

Actualization: Who needs the Golden Globes when you can sit with 70,000 die-hard football fans…and probably 75 percent of them competitive dudes? The 2.5 hour drive went by in a flash with Cade entertaining.  We ordered from a local drive-up, ate churros and sang Britney Spears…I also learned Cade did a sick Selena impression.

Katharine McPhee killed it singing the Star Spangled banner.  I got the chills.  Made me want to throw on the mascot suit and charge the field like I was back at Northwestern with all the drunk fans.

Willie the Wildcat

Cade and I were pleasantly surprised when they sent us to the “special circumstances elevator” to head to our seats.  We found our seats in the pressbox. Thanks Dad! Former Jet Jim Hudson apparently scored us the seats through his friend at the Chargers so we were green in a sea of blue!  We drank beer and cheered on.  The Charger fans around us didn’t find any humor in our green outfits…except for the two dudes to my right who were told to hide their true (green colors) under the blue!

So Cade and I did what we do best…we socialized.  We visited Katharine McPhee in her suite and then Matt Nordgren who was watching with a group of older men who seemed to LIVE for SUNDAY FOOTBALL.

Realization: I was reminded of a good lesson for 2010 – Not drinking is kind of amazing when everyone else around you is getting drunk.  I loved bonding time on the drive with Cade and Sunday Football is still a Sunday Funday with or without the booze.

Katharine NcPhee, Jim Hudson, Willie the Willdcat, Matt Nortdgren