When Mel Caylo of Archaia sent me an invite to his BBQ, I knew I wanted to make cupcakes of their popuar Mouse Guard comic book. I stayed up Saturday night baking vanilla cupcakes for the base, and mini Pop-Tarts on sticks. In the morning I ran to Michael’s and bought Wilton’s brown fondant mix, and sculpted tiny mice. I wrapped the fondant around chocolate chips, and used fruit roll ups for the capes. They turned out really awesome.

At the BBQ, we met lots of really fun people. Mel’s roomate Steve who makes wine. Mike Choi and Dennis Calero (left). Joshua Cozine. Emmett stopped by. Seth Green was there. And then Steve told us about his other roomate, Rafael. The guy who wrote Hackers.

I fantarded out. The thing is, I shoot comic book conventions all the time. Celebrities are pretty normal occurrences, especially people who are in things that I like quite a bit. But Hackers is different. Yes, it’s a cheesy movie and has technically inaccurate points. But it’s also one of my favorites. I ran a hacker zine back when it came out, and I dunno, parts of it resonate with me and my friends in a way that no other movie really can. I rollerbladed to payphones after that movie came out. Also the soundtrack is still one of my favorites. So I was rather excited to meet the guy who wrote it. Oddly, it just got posted to Netflix streaming, and Chris had been pimping it out. Me, Dave, and Jules had been watching it as I made the Mouse Guard cupcakes the night before. Super random.

We hung out with him for like an hour, talking about behind the scenes stuff mostly. Then Jim Mahfood showed up, which was also totally random, since I had no idea he was going to be there. He mentions that Jane Dope is in a play and that it was kinda like Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. Sold.

So we end up at the Strange theater on Melrose, watching Adam-O’s breakfast show. Jane Dope was a rollerskating cereal waitress. Everyone in the audience was eating bowls of cereal. I can’t even explain what it was like, except that it was surreal and awkward and terrible and awesome, all at the same time. I did get to throw a pie at a comedian, who it turns out was one of TommEE’s friends.

After that, Dave, Jules and I went barhopping with Jim Mahfood and his crew. Our first stop was The Drawing Room, a dive bar in Siverlake. One problem: it was karaoke night. But as we were leaving, we realized that Rod Stewart was doing karaoke to one of his own songs. wtf?!!

We escaped across the street to Ye Olde Rustic Inn to drink. Another problem! Trivia night! (Sorry Emmett, trivia sucks when you’re not playing). After almost getting kicked out, we escaped yet again.. this time to 4100, one of my favorite bars in LA. This one had redbull vodkas, and the inside always makes me feel like I’m in a genie bottle. We hung out for a while, then hit King Taco on the way home for California burritos, and watched a crazy lady with a doll yell at people. Best Labor Day weekend ever.