Small world

Went to see Prince in Fresno. Got spotted by a chica named Suzan from Delano. She said she loved my columns, guessed that I was WOTS (the world's worst kept secret.) And I told her I'd give her a shout-out in the column.

So I get sick and I'm at the urgent care center at San Dimas, twitching and having the world's worst reaction to some meds and lo and behold there's Suzan! She says hi, then fetches me a pillow.

Then today while I was picking out clothes for the photo shoot tomorrow at this new downtown shop called Lotus it the clerk said I interviewed her boyfriend awhile back. (He gave me the big thumbs up.) He's in the band Mission:Tonight! (Which I actually like ... I mean, I burned the song "Francis Ford Coppola" and "Piano Bar Fails" from their "Zimovia" CD and gave them a good review in The Californian. Nice fellas.

But small world. Small, small world.

Question of the day

If I refuse to shop at Wal-Mart except to get my oil changed does that make me a snob?

Random crap

So I purchased a cell phone. I'm already starting to feel like a yuppie. Setting up lunches and zipping between my work phone, cell phone and home phone. Plus now my mommy has 24-hour access to me at ALL TIMES. That keeps her nice and happy.

On top of that I'm organizing this fashion shoot and the cell phone has been la bomba! I mean, I can get everyone and everything coordinated with the flick of the wrist. Before I know it I'll be one of those freaks with a palm pilot and a laptop, trolling around in my gigantic SUV, running some homeless guy in a crosswalk because I was trying to talk on the phone, switch to NPR and sip my soy vanilla latte all at the same time.

Well ... I don't EXACTLY forsee that. But stranger things have happened ...

About the models for the shoot — all smokin' hot. Two of them are my homies. The gorgeous Jadis Johnson and the equally fetching Aliina Johnson, along with local McCright model, Kasie Cameron (who has a pair of the iciest blue eyes I've seen in a long time. They're cat-like and mezmerozing. She could hypnotize someone with those things.) Anyway, the outfits we picked out for them are gorgeous. I can't wait to see them in them. It'll be my last big fancy pants fashion hurrah before I start dressing my models at Gottschalks. Not to knock Gottschalks. But ... eh.

Wanted: CD Reviewer

So I'm looking for a junior level CD reviewer to help me review music for the newspaper. Although my tastes are diverse (Oooh! Jon Brion AND Britney Spears, all co-existing in my radio!) There are just some things I shouldn't be reviewing. Like "Incubus." I mean, seriously. That just sounds like noise to me. And Wu-Tang? I realize that they're supposed to be one of the greatest hip hop acts of all time, but take away RZA, Meth and OLB and you've got a big bag of crap. I mean, their music sounds like someone beating a cat profusely over and over again next to loop sayings from obscure Kung Fu movies. I mean, I love overdubed Hong Kong grindhouse flics as much as the next Quentin Tarantino, but C'MON!

So like Caty Z in "Chicago" ... "I can't do it alone."

So I need some junior level reviewers to spew out blurbs to go with my music column. Like for instance, Epitaph label act From First to Last's "Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount." Now I may like this, I may ask why did they have to beat that cat so badly? I mean, what did that cat do to them to deserve such a beating? Did it steal their amps? Did it piss on the lead guitarist Stratocaster? Did the kitty go kamakazie on the leather sofa? What? What? Why such animal abuse in the name of bad music.

But then, like I said, I might like it. But this is why I need a junior reviewer. I grew up listening to hip hop, blues and R&B (hence why I can say that Wu-Tang sounds like cat abuse — except for OLB. That crazy drug addict is GENUIS!)

So if you like rock, thrash rap, latin, punk, emo, country or heavy metal, give me a shout-out and some writing samples. We might be able to get you a gig at The Californian.

Bakersfield locals preferred!

Fashion

Word on the street is, I think I know a thing or two about clothes. That's the only reason why I jumped at the chance to do fashion reporting. Alas, my editors are working to get be down to earth. (I like to float my head in the expensive boutiques that I can't afford) and into Mervyn's and Macy's. You know, where everyone else shops.

I have quite a disdain for the mall (part of my conditioning as a child which involved going to the mall with my mother and sisters every freakin' Saturday of our FREAKIN' lives.) I hate the mall. I hate going there. I hate shopping there. I wish I was rich and could just go to the boutiques all day. But alas, I see my editors' points. It's not about me and my mall hating (or the fact that you have to go through 12 degrees of seperation just to get an OK from the national chains to take a picture of a pretty girl in a sweater.)

So I'm going to lighten up. I'm going to get my little junior fashionista nose out of the air and warm up to the discount, khaki seperates and Talbot's of the world. It might not be that bad. I hear the people are really nice.

But fashion people can afford? Pashaw! Fashion for me is fantasy and art. It's stuff I wish I could afford. C'est la vie. Oh, well. My next fashion feature (for fall, and it's going to be be a biggie!) is going down later in October (the shoot is Thursday). It will be my last all designer boutique, ridiculously expensive shoot. From now on it will be a mix of the chic and the chic for cheap.

I still try to keep it fashion forward, but ... well, we'll see. I can learn to love Mervyn's. I mean, I'm trying to warm up to country music. Why not learn to love the softer side of Sears? As Wyclef Jean would say, "say what, say what, anything could happen."

The New Newsroom

So they've finally moved us back downtown after being exhiled to Pegasus (the airport and the printing plant) for more than 10 months. The place still isn't quite finished but it's gorgeous. It's so bright and well-lit. Plus we're all back together again in one big room. All the reporters and editors. It's like a love in! (Considering we were all two steps from murdering each other in the old place that would be freezing one minute and hot the next.)

I love my desk and chair (I feel like Capt. Picard -- for all my Trekkies out there: "Engage!")

Moving

So I'm moving downtown (I despise anything bourgeois, as I was raised in the grassy, dull enclaves of surburbia.) I'm excited about the new place. It was built at the turn of the century. It's gorgeous. Once I get it all set up I'm throwing such a great party.

Back @ Work

Much like that great sage Kool Moe Dee: I go to work and I get the job done. After nearly three weeks of sick leave I have returned to work somewhat better. I'm not 100 percent. Maybe a good 70 percent. Still a little light headed and tempermental. Had an interesting weekend that involved French toast and backstabbing, but that's not really blogging material.

I mean ... well, it IS, but I'm not blogging about it.

Anyway, all your Danielle Belton favorites will be returning to The Californian soon. WOTS will be back. My music and theater reviews will be back. I'll be writing the centerpieces and writing about fashion. And I'll continue to give you the behind the scenes scoop on my stories at The Californian.

For those who are fans of my once-a-month column it is still on hiatus until they finish the redesign for Eye Street. They're thinking of moving it to Tuesdays and maybe (just maybe) I'll go back to writing every other week. I know at least a few people who would be happy about that. (One is my sister Denise, but c'mon, she's allowed to be a fan!)

Where I've Been

Sorry I've been absent folks. Seems I was almost thwarted by some mad medicine. I started a new medication for a pre-exisiting health condition. I didn't work out too well and I had to be hospitalized for several days. But I'm slowly recovering and should be back to blogging and writing for The Californian in no time.

By the way the newsroom has moved back to the downtown area into its new, remodeled offices. (We're still missing some parts of the new ceiling) But the place does looks SNAZZY.

So no worries. I should be back at work (and blogging regularly again) in about a week.

Danielle

Working, working, working day and night!

So if you saw my big club preview last Friday you know that obviously I've been hither and tither, to and fro, near and far, all around B-town. Welp, the higher ups liked the review so much they want me to review clubs regularly. I'm giddy with joy. So many clubs. So many blown out amps, places with bras on the ceiling. So many chances to dance to bad disco. The prospects are just delicious.

In other news, my confidant Donovan was back in town Monday and Tuesday filming a video for Calico Sunset, a local electro pop band (I'm reviewing their album "Deep Deep Paranoia" in Friday's entertianment section.)

It was good seeing my old buddy. Talking about all the stuff I was doing now and how I'm recruiting for a substitute. I've actually got a few prospects. A few applicants. We'll see what progresses. I think I'm going to make it one of my next columns.