The Niece Visit Days 3 & 4: I Think We're Drunks
Okay, I don't care who dies anymore-- I need to finish up on my niece's trip before the story gets too old.
Last Sunday we took Brianne to brunch where she met our posse of friends. We wanted her to experience one of our normal weekends out, but without all the usual insanity, so we took her to The Abbey in West Hollywood. To you out-of-towners that's funny because They Abbey can get insane, but we went early so as to avoid her seeing any unnecessary drunkenness and nudity.
On the way we explained what Stonewall was and why we have gay pride months-- because Steve and I are all about educating people. Then we got to the Abbey and a different education started.
During the meal we were all talking about the previous gay pride and how drunk we got, how hung over we got, how sloppy we were on other nights, etc. Then I mentioned letting her try her first margarita the night before, and all the other drinking that had been going on since she'd arrived.
Steve and I looked at one another, slightly horrified, and said, "Oh my God, we look like a bunch of alcoholics!"
"Cheers!" everyone else at the table shouted (except for our one friend who's in AA) and we continued with our conversation. This was not the impression we'd hoped to make. Fortunately, Brianne hates alcohol and I don't think we corrupted her.
Monday was the big day for Brianne's visit. As you recall, she is going to school to be an animator. She also has some interest in voice acting. So we called some friends and took her around town. The first stop was to the Disney Studios where she got to meet our friend Aliki Theofilopoulos Grafft who works on Phineas and Ferb. This is super cool because A) the show is awesome and Steve and I watch regularly; B) Aliki is a story artisit and writer on the show; and C) Aliki is also a voice actor.
Aliki took us around, explaining the different areas animators work on a show like this-- from character designers to background and props artists. She then showed Brianne how they get a script, beat it out, and actually put the whole thing together. Finally, she played her demo reel for Brianne and gave some advice on taking classes and getting her own demo put together. It was pretty amazing.
During the visit she also got to meet the wonderful Dan Povenmire, who is one of the show's creators and also does the voice of evil Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz. All in all, that visit blew her mind and gave her a better idea of what she should be thinking about once she's in her animation program.
After that visit we met up with Steve, had lunch, and then took her on a tour of The Disney Store offices. The idea was that she could see how people who went to school for art and animation have translated their education into other related skills.
While there she got to see some of snowglobes Steve created, like this Snow White snowglobe.
And this really cool Princess snowglobe.
Steve also showed us the really amazing Princess and the Frog bookends, snowglobe and Christmas ornament that he designed. Can't wait to show those off in the blog (as well as all the Christmas ornaments we'll be stocking up on this year).
Brianne left the next day and we were exhausted; how you parents manage that kind of thing all the time is beyond me. But it was fun and gets us prepped for next year when my nephew graduates high school. Hopefully we'll be recovered by then.
Maybe if we cut out the drinking...
Last Sunday we took Brianne to brunch where she met our posse of friends. We wanted her to experience one of our normal weekends out, but without all the usual insanity, so we took her to The Abbey in West Hollywood. To you out-of-towners that's funny because They Abbey can get insane, but we went early so as to avoid her seeing any unnecessary drunkenness and nudity.
On the way we explained what Stonewall was and why we have gay pride months-- because Steve and I are all about educating people. Then we got to the Abbey and a different education started.
During the meal we were all talking about the previous gay pride and how drunk we got, how hung over we got, how sloppy we were on other nights, etc. Then I mentioned letting her try her first margarita the night before, and all the other drinking that had been going on since she'd arrived.
Steve and I looked at one another, slightly horrified, and said, "Oh my God, we look like a bunch of alcoholics!"
"Cheers!" everyone else at the table shouted (except for our one friend who's in AA) and we continued with our conversation. This was not the impression we'd hoped to make. Fortunately, Brianne hates alcohol and I don't think we corrupted her.
Monday was the big day for Brianne's visit. As you recall, she is going to school to be an animator. She also has some interest in voice acting. So we called some friends and took her around town. The first stop was to the Disney Studios where she got to meet our friend Aliki Theofilopoulos Grafft who works on Phineas and Ferb. This is super cool because A) the show is awesome and Steve and I watch regularly; B) Aliki is a story artisit and writer on the show; and C) Aliki is also a voice actor.
Aliki took us around, explaining the different areas animators work on a show like this-- from character designers to background and props artists. She then showed Brianne how they get a script, beat it out, and actually put the whole thing together. Finally, she played her demo reel for Brianne and gave some advice on taking classes and getting her own demo put together. It was pretty amazing.
During the visit she also got to meet the wonderful Dan Povenmire, who is one of the show's creators and also does the voice of evil Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz. All in all, that visit blew her mind and gave her a better idea of what she should be thinking about once she's in her animation program.
After that visit we met up with Steve, had lunch, and then took her on a tour of The Disney Store offices. The idea was that she could see how people who went to school for art and animation have translated their education into other related skills.
While there she got to see some of snowglobes Steve created, like this Snow White snowglobe.
And this really cool Princess snowglobe.
Steve also showed us the really amazing Princess and the Frog bookends, snowglobe and Christmas ornament that he designed. Can't wait to show those off in the blog (as well as all the Christmas ornaments we'll be stocking up on this year).
Brianne left the next day and we were exhausted; how you parents manage that kind of thing all the time is beyond me. But it was fun and gets us prepped for next year when my nephew graduates high school. Hopefully we'll be recovered by then.
Maybe if we cut out the drinking...