Now who’s paranoid?  The Swine Flu has struck at Devin’s school and class has been canceled for at least a week. Fear the swine.

Netflixed “The Happening” last night.  This movie has a good shot of gaining cult status for being so god awful it has to be seen over and over just to reaffirm that it was actually made.  The Crappening is proof that once you produce a hit you can work in Hollywood forever.  Ever since The Sixth Sense, M. Night Shamalamalawhateverhisnameis has been getting paid tens of millions of dollars a picture to write and direct the most absurd and unwatchable movies around.

APRIL RECAP.  If I had only waited for the Kentucky Derby to bet my long shot, the race in which long shot Mine that Bird (60-1) won, my $50 dollar bet would have netted me $50,000 dollars.  Damn.  Nevertheless, April was a good month.  I turned 36, our business grew up a bit, hung out with my sister Michelle briefly, haven’t contracted Swine Flu (yet), baseball is back, and my buddy Matt, a guy who couldn’t even arrange for a proper haircut (as evidenced in the above photograph) had a kid.

Over the last month Sonia and I knocked off another eight goals and continued to chip away at a number of others.  Let’s start with the ones we put to bed…

#15. We finally got ourselves insured.  Thankfully my Ambien fiasco didn’t result in a hospital visit.  Which reminds me of some great advice, never take Ambien and a laxative at the same time.

#60. Sonia bought me a watch for my birthday.

#50. We visited the largest buddhist temple in the country.

#17. Got our passports.  Trying to figure out where to use them.

#13. We became altruistically generous.

#23. Saw my tenth movie of the year in the theatre.  At least ten more to follow.

#39. Took a boat ride.  Regretted it.

#83. Put metal in my daughter’s mouth.  Good to see the immediate confidence boost.

As for the ones we’ve put a dent into…

#5. Hardly

#8. Revenues continue to grow.  Expenses too.

#19. Yep.

#22. Read Tropic of Cancer, my second of five.  Review to come.

#24. New restaurants tried are: XIV in Hollywood, Castaway in Burbank, The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, 8oz Burger Bar on Melrose, King Fish in Long Beach and Kiwami in Studio City.

#25. Going the wrong way.

#28. Saw my second of five. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

#57. Better every day.

That’s about it for April.  Off to May.

# 8 in progress. April was an interesting month for LA Fashion Insider.  We suffered a minor setback when a vendor launched an attack on us after learning one of his employees wanted to join us.  Nevertheless, the vendor was easily replaced and damage appears to be minimal.  As a company our April revenue was up 63% from April 2008 and up just over 5% from last month.  We also hired our first employee who starts later this month.

The Youmans brothers locked down the left side of the infield and Devin was a thief in the outfield as the Wilshire Bombers took control of first place with just one game to go.

Tickets have been bought.  We’re NYC bound July 9th thru the 12th.  Numbers 9, 35, 46, 78, 92 and 93 will fall. I can already taste that New Yawk Dawg.

#24 in progress.  Anyone who knows us knows our obsession with Katsu-ya sushi.  Well tonight that obsession grew with the discovery of Chef Katsu-ya’s new restaurant Kiwami (Japanese for The Ultimate). Kimawi is the seventh restaurant under the Katsu-ya umbrella, but unique in that Katsu-ya himself is actually behind the counter.  Sonia called tonight’s meal her best ever.  High praise.

#83 Done. Brittany completed the first step in what will ultimately “perfect” her smile and facial features.  I remember from the time I was about ten years old being told by every dentist I saw that braces were necessary.  My parents always seemed to disagree.  After being presented with Brittany’s bill I guess I understand why.

#44 in progress.  The next item to discuss in my bequeathment series is this framed Avalanche Super Bar photograph. Not only is this masterpiece the centerpiece of our home, it is also a daily reminder of some of my fondest memories at Marquette.  I may have spent more time in the Lanche than the classroom, but the friendships and alcohol tolerance gained made the loss of brain cells well worth it.  And I couldn’t have lost half of those brain cells if it weren’t for my buddy Matt who often paid the five quarters it took to buy a can of Pabst Red, White & Blue when I couldn’t afford it.  With that said, I bequeath my Lanche’ masterpiece to Matt Lucey and his new daughter Addie.

#24 in progress.  Tried 8oz burger bar on Melrose in West Hollywood.  Love my burger and this place had a good one.  Laurel Tavern is still in first place.

#22 Done. While I’ll probably see at least a dozen more, Earth was the tenth and final movie I needed to see in a theatre to complete this goal.   Like the Discovery Channel series, Earth is a fantastic documentary.

Movies seen at the theatre in 2009 are:

1. Gran Torino
2. Revolutionary Road
3. The Wrestler
4. Taken
5. Confessions of a Shopaholic
6. The International
7. I Love You, Man
8. Sunshine Cleaning
9. Observe and Report
10. Earth
11. Star Trek
12. The Brothers Bloom
13. Angels and Demons
14. The Hangover
15. Bruno
16. The Hurt Locker
17. 500 Days of Summer
18. District 9
19. Inglorious Basterds
20. Paranormal Activity
21. This Is It

Netflixed Body of Lies.  A good modern day spy flick.

LAFashionInsider is officially an employer.  Good-bye frequent Katsuya dinners, hello operating costs.

#13 Done.  While we’re not in the position to be sponsoring others, our list has pushed us both to do so.  Two players on Brit’s team are unable to come up with their dues, so Sonia and I have pledged a couple of bar nights a week to the cause.

90+ degrees today.  This is why we live here.

That’s more like it.

#18 Finito.  Finally have a passport.  Now I just need somewhere to go.

#24 in progress.  Enjoyed lunch at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel.  Sat in the courtyard with Victoria Beckham, Rob Reiner and a ton of big shots.  But I was the one eating lunch with the prettiest girl.

It’s April in L.A. for Godsakes. I wish global warming meant it was warm.

Netflixed this one.  Our friend had a small part in it, but overall this one was blah.  Looking forward to a comedy that makes me laugh out loud.  Perhaps “Bruno” this summer.

#23 in Progress.  Saw Observe and Report today. 90% crappy, 10% funny – 100% wait for cable.  Nine down, one to go.

#24 in progress.  Sonia took me to XIV by Michael Mina for my birthday dinner.  It’s high end Hollywood hip American tapas.  Basically you order eleven tastes off of the menu. We ordered tastes of six appetizers and five entrees. We were full after nine and gave the last two plates to the Columbian tourists next to us.  Feeling a little bloated, but good stuff.

#60 Done. Sonia’s Birthday present to me was this awesome Burberry watch.  She also surprised me with a trip to #50.  Yes, there may be something a bit ironic about buying a watch and visiting a buddhist temple on the same day, but balance is actually an important buddhist teaching.  Anyway, I’ll tell you more about the temple tomorrow as I am off to appease my gluttonous desires.

I haven’t been sick for years.  A week into getting health insurance and bam, just in time for the birthday.

Opening Day = Happiness

We’re back home after a windy weekend in Bakersfield and good food is on my mind.  As my body continues its attempt to process the McDonald’s we picked up for the drive home, I thought about my all time favorite meals.  Here is my updated food Hall of Fame in no particular order.

• Mom’s Yorkshire Pudding, Swedish Pancakes & Klatskies
• Sonia’s Tacos (pictured)
• Georgeanne’s Xmas Eve Dinner
• Katsuya’s Baked Crab Hand Roll
• Laurel Tavern Hickory Burger
• Pita Kitchen Shwarma
• Hot Dog from NYC Street Vendor
• Grimaldi’s Pizza in Brooklyn
• Burrito from Taco Burrito Palace in Chicago
• Farmer’s Market Breakfast Burrito

#28 in Progress. Marital bliss. Not.

#15 Finally.  We are officially insured.  Hopefully we won’t need it.

If only I were a musician…

Due in large part to Sonia’s efforts, March picked up where February left off.  Compared to March of ‘08 (our worst month, so grain of salt), LA Fashion Insider grew approximately 557%.  Better yet, we are up 18% from last month.  In exciting and scary news, we have also begun discussions to expand and hire our first employee within a month or two and hopefully a second buying agent within six months. We’ll see if we can actually pull the trigger.

#44. The first piece in my sentimental bequeathment series is this framed Wrigley Field novelty photograph that claims I have signed with the Cubs.  It was a high school graduation gift from my sister and has been hung prominently in every dorm room and apartment since.  I think I may have even told a few girls back in the day that I had indeed signed with the Cubs out of high school but opted for college instead.  Today it hangs to the right of my computer screen in my office and remains a treasured piece.  I will leave this one to my nephew, Dylan.

#51 Wish list.  The Canon rebel T1i should be available sometime this summer.  It’s the DLSR camera I hope to learn photography with.  Then there’s the point and shoot Casio Exilim EX-FC100.  With these tools I should be able to really irritate Sonia and document every moment of our life.

#18 in progress.  With passport regulations scheduled to change in June, we took the first step to completing the process before then.

#23 in progress.  Saw Sunshine Clearing.  A small, but good movie.  Eight down, two to go.