Single in L.A.

Rosario Dawson is such a natural beauty. I’ve felt for a long time that she hasn’t really reached her potential in this industry. Maybe that’ll change with some of her upcoming projects.

She ended her two year relationship with Sex and the City’s SUPER HOT Jason Lewis back in 2006, and was spied snuggling in the park with Matthew Schreyer this past March. A couple? Rosario won’t confirm that. So you know what I say. Ms. Dawson is very single. But not in L.A. Last fall Rosario decided to leave SoCal, soak up the culture across the pond and move to London.

She’s still really busy in Hollywood though, with quite a few projects in pre and post production. I’m most excited, however, for Seven Pounds also starring Will Smith and Michael Ealy, due to hit theaters in December.

Photos courtesy of HBO

Photo: Wikimedia

Over at The Urban Blogger, this week’s discussion hot topic: whether or not the lovely Lauren London is the Black Angelina Jolie. Super cute girl, but that comparison is…a stretch. Some speculate that she’s the “it” Black actress right now. Eh… Up and coming is more like it. Most known for her video girl roles, Lauren starred in ATL opposite rapper T.I. and was featured on the HBO series Entourage. But I’d say the buzz around her love life is much more interesting.

Lauren in KING magazine

Rumors that she’s dating Lil Wayne, T.I., NBA star Baron Davis and even her gal pal Cassie are what seem to be keeping her in the limelight. Luckily Lauren doesn’t (seem to) kiss and tell. So, for now, she can be single in L.A.

Lauren and Cassie promoting Sean John @ MTV

She can be seen in next year’s teen flick I Love You, Beth Cooper starring Hayden Panettiere.

A couple of weeks ago while at happy hour (where else would we be?) Giselle, Kendra, Sophia and I talked about how “over” Hollywood clubs we are. It’s way too much work. I don’t mind getting dressed up, but I’ll leave all the jockeying for position to the young girls that like to wear shirts as dresses. Seriously, we went to Falcon on Sunset and realized that we were the only fully dressed women in line – and decided to leave. Kendra even recounted how she and Giselle tried to get into Villa two nights in a row to no avail. Pffft!

But I guess it’s all relative and a matter of perception. Because last week three different people (outsiders looking in) referred to me, with slight disdain I might add, as “being all about the scene,” “Little Miss Hollywood,” and my favorite a “hip scenester.” Me?

I’m nothing if not introspective so I took a look within. I never want to come off as a hypocrite. Am I a hypocrite? Let’s see. I haven’t been to Hyde in a year, but when I did go I walked past a group of at least 100 people, velvet rope lifted, entry granted. But I know the guy at the door! I’ll even acknowledge that I would only go to Opera Les Deux and maybe even Area during the week because “every Joe Schmoe is trying to go on the weekend.” Okay fine.

But I won’t question myself due to the perception of others. I am who I am, label me if you must. I mean, ideas are pitched and deals are made over lunch at Kate Mantilini not IHOP, so what do you want me to do? I’m a victim of my industry, can’t you see that?

Maybe those judgmental labels are born of jealousy. Maybe?

Pondering this gives me a headache. And I need to call Katsuya to confirm my reservation and prime seating for next Tuesday. Happy Friday!

Jennifer Hudson is looking better all the time Swagger Style

Miu Miu’s back in on the red carpet? Lolo’s Cube

Don’t worry Barack, I’ve been accused too. What IS talking white?Yo Daily Dose

TAG Records Launch Party Street Anthem

Shaq’s always ripping on Kobe The Nu’s Report

Well, at least someone’s not single anymore! You Betta Recognize

Another Charming But Single girl’s pondering Charming But Single

Make some lemonade out of that breakup Single is the New Relationship

Photo courtesy of AskMen

Anne Hathaway’s recent break-up with Raffaello Follieri is bombarding me right now. I can’t seem to escape it and I’m not even remotely interested. Honestly, I’m not so into who’s dating whom. But apparently everyone else is.

I happened to read the script for the project she’s currently filming, Bride Wars, due out in mid 2009. So I log into IMDB Pro to check on the progress of the project (and nab the producer’s info. for selfish reasons) and news of his recent arrest pops up. They break up and she still can’t shake the guy. Poor Anne is, therefore, Single in L.A.

Hathaway, most noted for her role in The Devil Wears Prada, can next be seen in Columbia Pictures / Sony’s Passengers all set to hit theaters in October.

I do, that’s who. Well, I do now. Crazy things happen when you stay in every once and a while. Lately I’ve been opting away from the scene at night in order to focus on some real life issues. Mainly I’m (allegedly) focusing on my writing, because how can one sell a screenplay if they don’t ever complete the crafting of said screenplay? Deep, I know.

Anyhow, I always have to do something before writing, just to get the goofing off out of my system. If I focus on said goof off tactic too long, the creative juices dry up and I obsess over the tactic – classic avoidance. I could be a therapist. Anyhow, I got it stuck in my head to catch up on some show called 30 Rock. Some show? Yes, I now know everyone in the free world had heard of this show. Everyone but me. I don’t know why. I guess I’m too busy to really focus on hot new TV shows when I’m trying to create a hot new something of my own.

The very first Google search result led me directly to Hulu. Ahhh, my new nighttime BFF Hulu. Hulu has full length streaming movies and television episodes. The downfall to some is actually what I love: the offerings are mostly random (shows like the 80s series 227). Last night I watched Requiem for a Dream for the first time. Crazy movie, by the way. Tonight I “realized” that I missed Season 5 in its entirety of Nip/Tuck. My sweet little Hulu came in handy again!

The writing? Oh, well I fell asleep after watching 5 hours of 30 Rock (my new FAVORITE). And last night after Requiem I got sucked into participating in four chats at the same time. What can I say? I’m easily distracted.

Everybody wants to know is she gay or straight. Here’s what she had to say about that in the May issue of Latina Magazine

What the majority of [people] want to know is what I’m doing with my vagina, and I think that that’s sick. What do you care who I’m dating?…I don’t answer those questions. I just keep it to myself and it’s nobody’s business. If I wanna f*ck a girl, a boy, a dog—that’s my business.

Agreed Michelle! I honestly (pinky swear, I promise!) don’t care what you do with your vagina. But are you single? Kidding! You don’t have to tell me.

Michelle just wrapped James Cameron’s Avatar, due out in December (with another of my favorites, Zoe Saldana). She’s currently filming yet another installment of Fast and the Furious set to hit the big screen in 2009.

Of course I have to put traditional in quotation marks for the nay-saying skeptics out here. After my “I don’t call men” post and many other conversations I’ve had, I’m met with many differing opinions. I have those that say you can’t have it both ways. You can’t be traditional with some ideals and liberal with others. Why not? In politics there’s a such thing as a conservative liberal, why can’t I be that in my daily life and spread it across all areas? Don’t I get to create who I want to be?

Sunday I had a long conversation with dating coach Yvonne Chase. No, I’m not seeing a dating coach – any problems I have in that area are likely due to the slim pickings available in L.A. not necessarily my approach to dating. Anyhow, I mentioned to her that I have a problem with paying for dates. I do. I admit it freely. And before you bombard me hear me out, okay?

My real issue there is that everything is so casual and lax when it comes to that. Men say things like “if you’re such an independent woman, why do you need me to pay for your dinner? Why not pay for mine?” Blasphemous! First off: I don’t need anyone to pay for anything, if I do I call mommy and daddy, not some dude. I do everything I want to do, and whether I’m on a date or not, I was going to eat, see a movie, go to a play or museum. Secondly, I can only do what I am accustomed to, and I am not accustomed to paying for a man’s anything. In my past, even after dating one person at length, I’ve offered and those men have refused and even appeared offended that I would offer, as if I was emasculating them. Those are the men I like!

Then, you (men, in case you’re not clear on my reference) want to be casual in one area, but serious in another. Another meaning sex. You want me to go Dutch or even pay for you because “we’re just dating” after all, it’s nothing serious. But then you are in a rush to get in my pants? What’s up with that? Sex, in my opinion, is serious business!

I just think the essence of courtship is lost today. Possibly because people don’t know what it is, or it’s true purpose. Possibly? What say you?

Note: feel free to click that Wikipedia link in case you too are confused about the importance of courtship. Admitting is half the battle.

Not me (well perhaps a few skeletal bones, don’t we all?).  But Ted, my spur of the moment date.  Those were amongst his first words to me once we’d settled down at a patio table to eat on Friday. Essentially this random stranger gave me his entire life story in an hour’s time:

Ten facts about dear (50 year) old Ted: 

1. Got out of a tumultuous two year relationship about a year ago.
2. After the end of said relationship he fell off the wagon – aha!  Yes, he’s a recovering alcoholic (recovering addicts seem to swarm to me in public places.).
3. Currently 6 months sober and can only be with someone committed to a sober life style.  I’m no lush (am I?) but count me out Teddy.
4. Was raised by a “stern but loving” German mother and a strict Military General father. (i.e. I’m still harboring issues from his childhood).
5. Lived in a “green house” in Hawaii which he built from the ground up for his then girlfriend and her SIX children (none of whom were his).
6. Said girlfriend was a true angel and the most giving person in the world (and an amazing lover to boot).
7. Though he’d warned her against it, the girlfriend decided to travel with 8 pounds of marijuana (loosely individually packed), and promptly was arrested.
8. The Girlfriend “put a hit out” on Ted because he was the alleged “snitch” which is why he returned to the mainland. He believes she still has people watching him.
9. Ted left this beautiful green house to girlfriend’s children so they’d “have something in this world besides a felon mother.”
10. Has so much experience in so many areas, can do anything, has so much money stashed way (yet 15 minutes into our conversation I noticed these very large tooth sized gaps betwixt each of his remaining teeth).

So, uh, yeah. Well, that was Ted in a nutshell (though he gave me so much more info. I could go on, but I’ll spare you). I gently (so as not to agitate), but continuously, told him that I had plans and really, really needed to leave.  Ted then commenced to draw me a map of our neighborhood.  He gave me his address and his mothers and said I should stop by any time I want.  To talk. Some more. Awwww… My mom said that’s all he needed.  Someone to talk to. 

He asked me to the movies this weekend.  Should I go???

After my Dylan McDermott post, one fine gentleman decided to e-mail me and request that I post more women as the Single in L.A. feature.  Said gentleman had a very special request.  It’s funny.  How can I cater to the men-folk, if I don’t know they’re reading?  You guys have to give feedback – by way of…comments, maybe? This blog is no democracy, but I am open to doing favors.

Sanaa Lathan has been pretty tight lipped about her love life since breaking up with long-time beau Omar Epps.  For the past year she’s been unofficially linked to Chicago Bears Defensive End Adewale Ogunleye (7 years her junior!).  I certainly respect the desire for privacy concerning your personal life.  But if you’re not claiming him, I won’t claim him for you.  Well I might, but then he’d be my man. Anyhow,  Sanaa Lathan is possibly Single in L.A.  S.W. your comments are welcomed.

The beautiful and talented Ms. Lathan can next be seen in Wonderful World with Matthew Broderick.

Photos courtesy of AskMen.com