VIP Treatment

What a busy and fun-filled weekend! Friday night, my friend Morgan and I had margaritas and saw 'Knocked Up,' which was one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. It's one of those super-quotable films that can easily be enjoyed time and time again.

Saturday night, Phil, Morgan and I had tickets and backstage passes to see Keith Urban perform in L.A. Before the show, we were given a grand tour of the stage and equipment, including the amazing 60 foot x 40 foot hi-definition video screen behind the performers! With all its components assembled, the monstrosity weighs a ginormous 40,000 lbs!!! We met the drummer from Keith's band, Chris, who was super nice and a Yamaha artist as well. While backstage, Michelle Branch walked by and was about two feet away from me!!! Her new country band 'The Wreckers' introduced the show, and they sounded really good...the new style of singing suits her voice much better than pop stuff. Keith was absolutely fantastic! At one point his show included a huge local high-school drum line whose beautiful glossy black Yamaha percussion instruments were vibrantly displayed on the HD screen. What better free publicity could you possibly ask for?!

Excuse the poor resolution, but here are some pics from my cameraphone during the concert:

Yamaha @ Disneyland!

I spent today in Disneyland helping film a podcast for Yamaha that highlights the two companies' unique and longstanding relationship. Basically, every instrument in the Disney theme parks are Yamaha, and we are major supporters of music education programs such as the "Magic Music Days" that many of has have participated in during high school. We filmed 5 interviews with the help of a professional video and audio staff, and got great footage of some of the performing ensembles. The Disney marketing people were unbelievably accommodating and helpful through the whole day; they roped off partial sections of the theme park for our use (see the picture below) and were there with all sorts of lighting and video equipment to make our video the best it possibly can be.

Our interviews were all of Disney artists who all have long-standing bonds to Yamaha products. One interview was with a gentleman who is the head audio person for the Hyperion Theatre, and has mixed over 4,000 shows on an amazing Yamaha 10.2 surround (which I didn't even know existed!) mixer that he helped develop. Another was of an improvisational ragtime pianist who shared some beautifully heartfelt stories about inspiring his audience over the years. He performs on a custom painted Yamaha piano that gets played outside for about 70-90 total hours per week!

What an amazing day! The podcast is scheduled to debut August 1. Here are some more pics:

I [heart] Laguna Beach!!!

Today, I added Laguna Beach to one of my top 5 most desired places to live someday. Laguna features a gorgeous cliffside beach where the crystal clear ocean radiates an incredibly vibrant teal color. Laguna is less hippie/surfer laden than Huntington (where I'm staying), and although it is "touristy," the posh yet quaint town seems like an entirely livable place.

I saw quite the gamut of luxury automobiles today, which of course was very exciting for me! Here's a condensed rundown of what I saw: 3 brand new Mercedes CL coupes, 10+ new Mercedes S-Classes, 2 Bentley Continental Coupes and a Convertible (without counting the Bentley dealership in town), a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Maserati 3200GT and a Lamborghini Gallardo. Although it is obviously a ritzy place, Laguna has a very classy, down-to-earth atmosphere. Unlike Huntington Beach, where plastic surgery and meticulously shaved and sculpted beach bodies seem like a requirement, Laguna's atmosphere is friendly and casual - it's not nearly as superficial or artificial.

What a great day! I can't wait to explore a different beach next weekend! Enjoy the pictures from Laguna!


Check out www.lagunabeachinfo.org for more informantion.

Busy (but fun) Week!

My first week at Yamaha has been incredibly busy but fun at the same time. I felt so lost Monday and Tuesday trying to figure out what's what and who's who, but am finally starting to get the hang of things! Tuesday was by far one of the most exhausting days of my life...I was running around so much during the day that I realized I hadn't even gone to the bathroom once the whole time I was at work!!! I came home feeling completely dehydrated and fatigued, and crashed to bed. To add to everything, I've had to start taking Yamaha's online podcast training courses and quizzes at home, because there's simply not enough time to go over them at work. The podcasts are wonderfully designed, very informative about the company's products, and help teach ALL the model numbers and features of every instrument quickly and effectively. I will get a licensed Yamaha dealer certification once I complete 27 of them (I'm about halfway there).

The last two days went much smoother. I had neat tasks of designing a few instrument guides for non musicians who handle instruments at trade shows, and presented my ideas at a meeting today. I also designed my first newsletter (sent out to 120+ office people) that introduced the new interns to the company. We took this very whimsical picture outside the office and included it at the end!


Tommorow is the debut of the 2007 Disney All-American College Band in Disneyland, which is proudly an all-Yamaha ensemble. We get to leave the office early and go spend time helping them out and enjoying the music, food and fun!

Day One!

I had a great time at work today! Yamaha is a fast-paced environment but everybody has been incredibly nice and welcoming to us newbies. The winds department folk are especially cool; they're all so creative and intelligent, and I feel very fortunate to be able to work with them. This morning I honestly had no clue what to expect from work, but I think this summer will be an unforgettable and truly rewarding experience.

The weather was absolutely beautiful today, and I had time to walk around the beach after work before the sun set. To end the day with a relaxing stroll alongside the Pacific...who can ask for anything more :-)

A small nostalgic moment

People in California take great pride in preserving classic cars, and its not rare to see half a dozen or so a day in absolutely pristine condition. As many of you know, I am an avid automotive enthusiast, and have been collecting model cars since I was little. I think I have over 70 now, but I vividly remember the birthday many years ago that my "Yiayia" (grandma in Greek) gave me my first model car. The car was a white 1950s Porsche 356, and I happened to see one on the street downtown today. I didn't get my camera out in time to snap a photo of it, but here's what it looks like.

Afternoon in downtown Huntington Beach

This afternoon, I met up with my new friends in downtown Huntington Beach and ate lunch at a local brewery. I accompanied a delicious Thai Chicken Pizza with a smooth Red Ale. After lunch we explored the incredible beach area, where a huge volleyball tournament was underway.

California residents cover the full spectrum of interesting characters, from surfers to quirky local street artists to tattooed Harley-Davidson bikers. The beaches are a great place to sit, relax, and people watch.

FOCUSing in on Downtown Disney!

This morning was quite stressful - I had reserved a rental car through Hertz WAY in advance of my arrival here, and they totally messed me up. Last week I confirmed with a Hertz representative that the 'under 25 fee' (which is ridiculously expensive) would be waived since my rental is for corporate use. The Hertz girl was very unhelpful and made it seem like helping me was the most tiresome chore in the world. Luckily I got in touch with Yamaha's travel department and they immediately came to my rescue. Within 10 minutes of my phone call, there was a Ford Focus reserved at the local Enterprise at an amazing price (lower than my initial Hertz/AAA arrangement). The Focus is pretty cute, and I'm glad to drive such an efficient car over the summer. FYI, gas is more expensive in Indiana than in California ($3.17 here vs. the $3.49 I last encountered in Indy).

Tonight, I'm meeting up with the other 3 Yamaha interns at Downtown Disneyland! We've been communicating via email and Facebook, and they seem like really pleasant and nice people. I'm looking forward to starting work with them on Monday!

And I'm Off...

I'm leaving this afternoon, and it hasn't really sunk in that I'll be gone for over 2 months. I'm really excited to start work, but its a strange feeling to travel somewhere without initially knowing anyone there. I did some research, and Huntington Beach seems like an awesome place to live! It hosts the world surfing championships every year (it's literally "Surf City USA"), the west coast's largest public pier, a large central park with Eucalyptus trees, and beautiful theaters, restaurants and shops. I'll drive around town tomorrow when I get my rental car and take lots of pictures!