I flew out of New Haven last night and I am flying into Atlanta Saturday morning. If anyone wants to hang out with me for the 48 hours I am in Los Angeles, hollatchagurl (and please take a number, apparently my family really likes me). Bye-bye summer - and thanks for the memories - PEACE!

Pretty & Powerful

Everytime I watch this commercial it brings a pretty smile to my face... and I feel so pretty and witty and bright... Nike should seriously give their advertising agents a pay raise. Enjoy!

Dirt Nasty (aka Simon Rex): Dropping Names. This video couldn’t be more LA. Listener discretion advised.

And another LaLaLand-inspired song by Mickey Avalon: So Rich So Pretty. A theme song for all the Newport-turned-Hollywood girls.

As much as it may be politically incorrect to say it, Africa – with all the genocide, poverty, war, illness, disease, and close-ups of grief-stricken children – for lack of a better word, is hot. Angelina Jolie had her baby in Namibia. Gwyneth Paltrow is the face of a new Africa ad campaign. Lindsay Lohan apparently wants to go to Kenya. And Rauz, Samar, and I recently traveled to South Africa (hardly surprising, since, after all, I have always known how to spot a trend). Let’s take other places and compare them. Europe: too developed. Middle East: too much politics. South America: not enough suffering. South-East Asia: so very last year (re: tsunami). Africa is not politically or morally polarizing. There is scandal (civil war, genocide, disease), celebrities motivated by different atrocities (see: Bono, Bill Gates and President Clinton, Don Cheadle), the college masses taking action, various organizations furthering awareness and support, and a clarity over what people should do (help the poor, alleviate the torment). As opposed to other places (i.e. Iraq), it is too easy to take differing sides, whereas for Africa, the only side anyone should embrace is to be a do-gooder and fix the problems that were started in the first place by non-Africans (and I don’t mean to be the self-interested American, but it doesn’t hurt that Africa is overflowing with certain natural resources). Africa needs us and we need Africa. But, hopefully, this trend, as opposed to the latest LA club or NYC restaurant, will last.

Joe Francis: scum of the earth and creator of the Girls Gone Wild Franchise. Be careful, this profile is not for the faint of heart. The article shows a nasty, callous, despicable, loathsome, and vile man, and also speaks about our appalling generation and the distressing state of our culture. I was honestly both sickened and saddened. Crude, very crude. But kudos to the LA Times reporter, Claire Hoffman, for her excellent journalism skills. Does anyone else think it is interesting that the Mantra Entertainment office is in such close proximity to both MTV and MySpace? Apparently, Santa Monica is a haven for debauchery.

The season finale of The Hills is tonight, with an apparent cliffhanger: will LC stay with J-Wahl in Malibu or go to Paris for Fashion week. Duh – she is obviously going to stay – don’t we all know that they are still together and have been photographed together at a million events in LA? Way to go, MTV, and make it so predictable. Yet, I have to admit that The Hills has been a decent summer show, with the real breakout stars being 1) the headband; 2) the Chanel purse; 3) Bolthouse Productions; and 4) Hisham Abed.

Of course, all the cool kids, aka moi, already knew about Brent B. and Sam N., and their respective companies, Bolthouse and SBE Entertainment. This summer I saw Mr. Nazarian himself at his own club, Privilege (randomly hanging out with Eve and her posse). I also saw Jen R., Bolthouse’s notoriously ugly, tough-as-nails doorgirl in front of Hyde. But, now Brent’s name has exceeded the Hollywood set and moved beyond to the Midwestern masses. And, due to Lauren’s favorite choice of hairstyle – the headband – and her Christmas present from Jason – the Chanel purse – all the suburbanite teenyboppers have been clamoring at their neighborhood mall for multi-colored plastic bands or knock-off designer purses.

My favorite star, however, is the cinematographer, Hisham Abed, whose luxurious and sparkling palette of beautiful views and iridescent landscapes has done more for Los Angeles’ aesthetic appeal than the entire tourist industry. With shimmering shades and overwhelming colors, it is simply the best looking show on tv, and makes me feel proud to be an Angeleno.