South Africa here I come*

No matter who you are, where you may be, where you coming from or where you going, you cannot deny that airports have some kind of effect on you.

Personally, I feel like they have some kind of individual emotional affect on me like no other place. On a beach I am consumed with relaxation. In a park or in the wilderness I am made to feel happy. In a boxed up room I feel angry. In an airport I feel – you see, that’s it. I am not quite sure what to call it. Perhaps I could call it airport syndrome. It’s almost a nomadic feeling of being neither here nor there. Stuck between two parallels. Even my mind doesn’t work as affluently as it should. And sometimes I find myself affected by a jolt of anxiety every now and then. This I like to blame on my childhood. van der Hoven holidays were not your average vacations! One of my fondest memories is of the whole family running through Heathrow airport to get from what felt like Terminal 1 to Terminal 50. Of course spring chicken Ashleigh was bolting it up ahead, followed closely by The Wolf – unaffected by age and steamed stress coming out of his ears. Nicholas trailed after cracking wiseass jokes headed: 10 ways to “ruin the holiday”, and the old maids, Candice, Kristin and Mom followed behind, struggling to grasp onto the tension, anxiety and intent that the Wolf so perfectly portrayed. Did I say this was one of my fondest memories? I’m sorry, its pretty much the way all of my childhood memories of airports go.

Now, a little older and having done so much ‘solo travelling’, I’ve been given the opportunity to slow down and see airport activity for what it really is. People roam airports with confused, mundane and curious expressions on their faces. I ask you, have you ever seen an elated person at an airport? No, I didn’t think so. Not to say that entering airport doors are ultimately a plunge into a mundane or depressing world. I don’t feel depressed in an airport. I just feel… nothing. It’s like a battle to suppress my emotions so as not to get too excited. Because once the excitement hits, you’re doomed! The last thing you want on TWO 12 HOUR flights is to get so overwhelmed with excitement that you can practically feel the seconds go by. That’s 86400 seconds. Passing… by… like... each… second… is… a… moment… by… itself… Painful. Therefore, I enter a state of unemotional being. Rather than focusing about what’s happening internally, I exhort all my energy into observing external activity. It’s humbling to realize that there are other people on this planet that are experiencing their own emotions. Right now I am sitting in front of about 40 people, and each and every one of them have their own life going on. Their own problems, their own challenges, their own goals, their own destinations. Turns out we are much more individual than we realize (and the world does not revolve around me!?!!!)

The only people that ever seem like they are having fun at airports are children. And normally their fun is at your expense. Everyone has at some point in their life been on a flight with some crazy kid running up and down the aisles on the plane. Shaking the back of your chair. Screaming and throwing tantrums. I know for a fact that every person in my family has experienced a kid like this because that was me 10 years ago. (Remember when I was 7 years old and had a Red Bull on a train to Switzerland. Mom, Dad, I am sorry about that. No parents should ever have to go through that…) I always feel so sorry for the parents of a crying baby or a tantrum throwing toddler.

Well, if you haven’t guessed by now. I am at the airport. The infamous LAX. And it is a hole. South African airports are much more attractive and entertaining than American ones. It’s actually quite disappointing really. Never the less, I am coming home and I am so happy! (not too happy though, remember? You can’t let emotions get the better of you in airports!) I am stopping over in London tomorrow, and I will definitely go into the city and do a little looking around. I cant bear the thought of having to spend the day in a Terminal. Then tomorrow evening I leave for Johannesburg and touch down in the morning. I spend the weekend in Pretoria and then I onto the beautiful, beautiful Cape Town.

Cant wait to see everyone. Have missed you very very much. I cant wait to get back to my home country. I am loving Los Angeles, but there is no place like South Africa and furthermore, “No place like home!” (You said it, Dorothy!)

Lots of Love,

Ash

Post Shopping Overload

I’m stumped. I’m not sure what to write about and how to put a humorous twist on it, so here goes one of my more boring posts. Game plan is just to go for it and see what happens :)

This past weekend I went to a barbeque in Pasadena. Pasadena is pretty much a city on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The suburban working class that work in LA will live in Pasadena. That said, it is very… Suburban. Upon my arrival on a light summer’s Saturday, children were playing in their ‘front yards’ (a.k.a Front Garden), swinging in tyres hanging from beautiful big trees that could probably tell a tale or two. I felt like I was back in Newlands or Bishopscourt, except for one vital difference. There were no fences. (Let me repeat that again) NO FENCES. Not even any white picket fences. Imagine no walls and fences back in South Africa. Maybe a bit of a security threat. But not here, where the children are giggling, the wives are inside making lemonade and Pops is working on his childhood dream car in the driveway. Although the neighbourhood seemed a little generic, it was incredibly calming. No police car sirens, no fire trucks sirens and no helicopters flying around overhead. I didn’t want to leave. The fresh air was rejuvenating – I was all set to handle Hollyweird again.

That night I went to a party in Venice. Interesting.

The party consisted of a bunch of people (who clearly never drank) playing “beer pong” and some serious studs doing pull-ups on a sturdy tree trunk in the garden. Really? REALLY!? Needless to say, I sat on a chair and never moved the whole night. I think I spoke a whole 9 words - and there it is Ladies and Gentlemen – how to get Ashleigh van der Hoven to shut up!

I have discovered (or rather come to find the strength to acknowledge) 2 new aspects of myself. 2 addictions – equally as harmful and harmless. How’s that for a paradox?

My Shopping addiction.

My cooking addiction.

It's debatable that my shopping addiction has always been a part of me (every female really), but it has increased exponentially due to beautifully cheap fashion in America and the fact that I live 80m from a mall that’s the equivalent to Cavendish Square on steroids. My daily challenges now involve Tourist Bashing (soon to be an accepted sport) and shying away from impeccably cut fabrics sewn together and placed on sleek mannequins, who’s life mission is to entice the hell out of me! Can almost see into the future – me standing in front of Forever 21 on Hollywood Blvd, screaming at the mannequins in the window – “Leave me alone!!! Else my Daddy will come get you.” Luckily, there are so many crazy people roaming Hollywood Boulevard that I’ll fit in like a buck at a watering hole.

Don’t even get me started with Abercrombie and Fitch. They have live –yes-live – models standing at the entrance to welcome you. Lets attempt to look at this realistically: I am from Cape Town - Model City, I’ve seen my fair share of male models, topless even – frolicking like painfully happy human beings on the beach. Even my brother-in-law used to be a model idiot. But they stand there, smiling and shirtless in perfectly designed jeans and immaculately chiselled abs and kindly “welcome” you. So I do what any 19 year old, innocent girl that hails from the South of Africa would do. I walk in, blush crimson red when welcomed and buy a thing or 2.

Talk about enticing!

My cooking addiction however is not so counter productive and under normal circumstances I’d be cursing it due to weight intake, but its fits in perfectly with operation get fat. I have worked my way through Ainsley Harriot's book (Chef from ready, steady, cook) and am looking to find another book to inspire me. Cooking is so calming and gets my head in a great space. Yea, cooking for one isn’t as much fun, but I see this as my training period. A quiet and mistake friendly environment where I won't be embarrassed about messing up. So far my specialties are my Famous Chips (yes, those that have had the pleasure of tasting them have now dubbed them – Ashleigh’s Famous Chips) baked in the oven with plenty of garlic, rosemary and olive oil. Right up there is my steak with an amazing assortment of spices and of course my Paella. Its official. I am domesticated. AND I clean up after myself!

Something I have found incredibly surprisingly is that it seems the time spent on the yacht with my dad has become incredibly valuable. I like to reflect on it as Domestic Boot Camp. The Wolf taught me intensely efficient ways to wash dishes, clean my bathroom, and most importantly “Don’t put down, put away!”

Just a quick catch up on the acting side of things (that is the real reason why I am here right? Cooking and shopping aside...) I had an audition on Friday for a pilot called Taking Malibu. It’s about a group of kids that live and go to school in Malibu. My friend, Alex, is the executive producer and “hooked me up” with an audition. Getting an agent has proved hard without a working permit. But I’m working around it. School is getting more and more interesting and I’m finding out a lot about myself. Exciting stuff.

Three days and I am on my way home! Spending the first weekend in Tshwane (oh yes, I did ) and then soon onto Cape Town. I am beside myself with excitement. I cant wait to see my family, friends and boyfriends… I mean boyfriend. No “s”. (Phew – close call ;) )

Ok, I’m done. Cheesy jokes over. End of blog post. Hope it was as boring as anticipated. :)

Lots of Love,

Ashxxx

Term 2

My second term started on a bit of a low note - Coming back from the W.Indies (people who go there often and are really cool like to abbreviate the place's name like this!) I'd have given anything to change my ticket and fly home, but unfortunately life doesn't work like that, and therefore my new-found responsibility prevailed. However, every time I was asked "Where's that accent from?" and replied South Africa - I got the same unintentionally injurious response, "Oh my word! What are you doing here!? You should be home for the World Cup!!!"

**Yes, Human being! I know I should. But i'm not and I want to! So please stop rubbing it in, before I make this an incredibly awkward situation by bursting into tears.. You ever seen an African cry? No? Well, it ain't pretty!!**

So what!? I missed the World Cup in Africa. One of the best Soccer World Cup's of all time. Pulled off by my country. In my country. By my people. So what!? I missed out on what was captioned as a "Once in a lifetime" opportunity for us South Africans.

But you know what after all that harassment by curious Americans I managed to pull my socks up and focus! After all, I am living my own "Once in a lifetime" experience here in America... (Hollywood nogal!)

Anyway, this blog post isn't meant to be about gloating over my mature revelations about my life:) My classes are more manageable now. Monday to Thursday, 3 classes on Monday and Wednesday, and 2 classes on Tuesday and Thursday (each 2 - 3 hours long), and I get to sleep late in the morning!!!! :) Huge bonus!

Los Angeles feels like a different place now. I guess I am settled in, because It's starting to feel like home a little. This petrifies me. But at the same time, I get a huge (for lack of a better word) kick out of living on my own (Justin, my room mate is back in SA). Routine serves me well, and it's a really satisfying feeling to be this independent, although let's not get carried away, the NPJ bank is still faithfully sponsoring me and so long as that stays in check, I am able to make sure everything else thats important stays in order - like eating my vegetables and switching on the dishwasher :) Don't get me wrong, I would love to be making my own money, but unfortunately the US Government is a little stingy when it comes to issuing Work Visas! So I have to sit tight and remain unemployed. (Dammit!) :)

Routine and daily life certainly seems to be getting easier day by day. Runyon Canyon (Pictured here but google it too) is a couple of blocks up from my flat, so its become a very important aspect of daily life for me. A nice hike to get away from the city, endorphins rushing and build some mad muscles in my legs (I've decided the starving child look just isn't working for me). Watch out for Ashleigh "Tank" van der Hoven - coming soon to a city in Africa near you! (Releasing in December - I need some time, Rome wasn't built in a day!)

Even though life is getting easier here, I miss home madly! What frightens me the most, is that every time I talk to Sophia, her speech improves and it reminds me of what i am missing at home :( But I am home soon. Just 2 weeks now!

Lots of Love,

Ash xxx

Malibu

Alex, a friend of mine from school invited me and my friend Luke, to his place in Malibu this past weekend. Its about an hour's drive from Los Angeles depending on traffic. (LA is notorious for having the worst traffic in the world - its worse than Joburg, now there's something!) Anyway, the drive there was a little heart wrenching, simply because the vegetation and scenery along the highway was so much like the Cape. Really, the resemblance is uncanny! I actually felt my heart skip a beat because I felt as though I was on my way to Stellenbosch or another - "Music Festival". :)

Malibu itself is practically a bigger Camps Bay mixed with a little of Llundudno. It is truly beautiful! However, Cape Town still remains, in my opinion, the most beautiful place on this Earth. But then again, its all relative, and beauty shouldn't compete. So, Malibu has become my perfect escape from a concrete, light flashing, tourist humming jungle.

We had a "BARBECUE", which many would say is the American equivalent to a Braai. But like Baseball to Cricket - IT JUST AINT THE SAME! I miss my braai-vleis, toebroodjies, castle lager and the van der Hoven specialty of Krayfish, courtesy of a certain Nick Junior and Nic Senior :) I'm wont even get started with the mouth-watering idea of a Perlemoen Poytjie (try explaining that to an American. Yea, not so much fun). However, despite our prestigious South African A-grade meat - my burger was a fine enough substitute. I did manage to shrug off a little SA culture on my foreign friends, with fulfilling my role as a woman by gracing them with - a salad (avo included!) :)

On Saturday I was treated to surfing lessons. Wow, I really wish someone was video recording it, because it was hilarious! It was like a KFC "Feel like a kid again" advert. Alex was holding the board for me as I clung on for dear life. He insisted the waves were small, but all I saw were huge waves crashing towards me like Titans! I was giggling so much (comic relief) as the waves crashed into my face and I slid all around the board, my knuckles white from how hard I was holding on! I should probably mention, I was learning in white water. Yes, not the most hardcore and dignified moment in my life, but unbelievably fun! I didn't get to standing up... and very uncharacteristically of me, I gave up after 4 attempts.. but honestly, the water was freezing, and my wetsuit wasn't helping. It took me 2 hours to warm up after the "surf". (No excuses!)

That night Luke, Alex and I went to the Malibu Nobu. It was absolute, pure heaven! The food melted like gold into my taste buds, filling me with inexplainable elation. I promise you, I am not milking it! I almost expect Angels to escourt me inside next time.

It was a great way to end my Malibu experience, and will undoubtedly be going there again! I had an awesome time!

Lots of Love,

Ash xxx

First term in Hollyweird!

My first term in Los Angeles can be summed up into three categories.

1. Settle In
2. Process the fact that I've settled in
3. Look forward to my holiday in the West Indies

Yes, not very responsible of me. I'll admit I didn't take school very seriously and managed to not feel bad for it by making hordes of excuses as to why I was not getting stuck into the acting business of things and "making my dreams come true". Never-the-less, I managed to get the initial state of being in awe of Hollywood out of the way. I did the fancy restaurants, the fun parties, the meeting of celebrities (ABSOLUTELY critical when coming to Los Angeles;), the getting lost, the sight seeing and getting used to what would soon become my routine here in Los Angeles.

I had class from 9 o'clock in the morning till 8 o'clock in the evening, with 2 half hour breaks and 1 fifteen minute break. I know this sounds excessive, and I'd love to make it sound like I was grinding my bones up here, with my quest to conquer "The Craft of Acting" but actually, this was on a Monday and a Wednesday with a quick 3 hour class on a Tuesday. So, as The Wolf likes to explain his philosophy in life, "Just drink your poison". So, Monday through to friendly Wednesday, I "drank my poison" and then got the next four days off to mess around! It was ... Magic :) (Thanks Pops, always appreciate your wisdom).

To sum up my first impressions (and certainly lasting ones) - Hollywood is weird, crazy, dry, 'touristy', and a little smelly (depending on the level of drugs the homeless man standing next to you is on). It takes me 6 minutes to walk to class from my apartment. It should take 2 sweet minutes, but there are too many tourists taking photos of themselves at Madame Tussauds (on the corner of my street), The Chinese and Kodak Theatre (just around the corner) and the mass of stars etched into Hollywood Boulevard glinting their favourite star's name. When I first arrived, my South African manners upheld for no less than 2 weeks of me walking through huge groups of slow moving human beings and saying, "Excuse me Sir, Sorry Madam, Pardon Me". Now, its a different story, and for the sake of the adults I respect and love (Hi Mom, Dad, Gran!), I wont repeat the more effective way I've adopted, to get tourists to move out of my way as I journey my 0.3 Miles to school!

This and sussing out my new friends, was pretty much the bulk of my first term, before I left to go to the West Indies. (Tough Life, I know!) There are some crazy people here, but at the same time some really special ones! Weirdly, I didn't really miss home much then. It was all too exciting and there was too much going on.

Hope that was a good enough summary for you :)

Lots of Love,

Ash xxx

Welcome, Sawubona, Goeie - Nevermind, I'll leave the Afrikaans.

Welcome to my sad excuse for a blog! I figured my loved ones back home in South Africa would be dying (and yes, I mean dying) to know what I am getting up to in the US of A, Los Angeles, Hollywood. Unfortunately, due to the mammoth time difference of 9 hours, I often miss calls and am finding it continuously difficult and increasingly frustrating to keep in consistent touch with everyone to update them, and more than often by the time I do get to speak to you, I’ve forgotten all the juicy details of the exciting (and not so exciting) things I get up to here. So if we haven’t chatted in a while, hop onto this blog and see what I have been getting up to. (I expect the same scale of effort from everyone else to help me keep up with homely actitvites;) )

Lots of Love,

Ash