Layla Kilolu on life, love, and the pursuit of a perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Life after Paris

Layla Kilolu — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:32:29 +0000

While in Paris, I met several Americans who went to Paris and never went back to America. After living in Paris for a month, I could certainly see why. Just the quality of a fresh French baguette is a big reason. The food is just so good, and you know how much I love food! And there must be something in the air, because I was super creative when I was there. Michael and I wrote ten songs while we were there, and four of them will be included in my album. I met some amazing people, including Jack Robinson, an award-winning songwriter who worked with a myriad of artists from Grace Jones to Meredith Brooks.

Now that I’m back in Los Angeles, it’s time to get busy. Recording the songs, filming music videos, and playing shows are on the agenda for the next few months. Stay tuned!

On graduation and getting my MBA…

Layla Kilolu — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:06:13 +0000

(Backdated from August 8, 2011)

Today I have such a strange feeling of relief and gratitude. Getting my MBA on Saturday was so momentous and I actually did get a little teary-eyed during the ceremony, especially when I looked around and saw the 300 graduates who made the same kinds of sacrifices I did in order to get through grad school. All the studying done on nights and weekends, group meetings, and not to mention class from 6pm-10pm twice a week for two and a half years. And having the honor of singing the national anthem was also a moment of achievement for me. I think it was the biggest crowd I’ve ever sang in front of! 2,000 people were there.

But hey, now I have my MBA so I can do some forecasting and commentary on business-related matters and people will have to listen to me!

Mr. Bernard Kinsey, a distinguished Pepperdine alum, made a very inspiring speech. The best I have ever heard, and I am so lucky that he spoke at my graduation.

xoxo Layla xoxo

Day 8 in São Paulo

Layla Kilolu — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:42:35 +0000

The day started very early-7am. We went to the American chamber of commerce of Brazil where we learned of the different resources that American companies have if they plan on doing business here.
Then it was time to go to our next appointment which was to the regional office of UNICA which represents the ethanol and sugar industry in Brazil. In an hour I learned so much about cane sugar ethanol (ask me about it sometime, it’s quite interesting!). On the way to our next appointment, we got super stuck in Sao Paulo traffic which was very reminiscent of being stuck on the 110 north during rush hour. We went to Brazilian business school to talk about the Brazilian economy with Brazilian MBA students. It was nice to hear the perspective of the local students about their economy as well as what they perceived of the United States. I enjoy controversial topics.

Day 7 in São Paulo

Layla Kilolu — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:01:28 +0000

Today we had a tour of Sao Paulo by bus. We saw all of the important historical sites and even visited the city cathedral. Then we went to this amazing cafe/bakery/grocery store called 24h because it is open 24/7. I had the best filet mignon sandwich in the world. The highlight of the day was attending a Brazilian soccer game. It was Palmeiras vs MFC which was a semi important game because it was the quarter finals. The weather was gloomy and rain seemed imminent. Since we were a big group, we each had a buddy, which kind of reminded me of second grade. My buddy was Brett and he actually became my business consultant. They were selling rain ponchos for 5 reals and I thought that was too expensive. Brett told me, “Just say you’ll buy it for 3 reals”, and I did, and I got it! And when I had to use the bathroom, I noticed long lines to the porta potties. Brett said, “Why not use the handicap one? They’re not being used.” So I used the handicap one that had no lines. He justified that, “In business we would call that an underutilized asset.” True. So I’ve decided since then that Brett is going to be my business consultant.
It was a long day and when we returned to the hotel, I was ready to take a nap. Unfortunately I was conned to go out right away with three friends in the program. We went to two different music clubs, only to find that they were closed, and the cab driver then recommended a night club to us. We didn’t realize that we were in a gay club until it was too late. They tried to charge the girls 70 reals to get in, while the guys were only charged 50. It was the first time I’ve ever been charged more for being a girl! At any rate, a great time was had by all. Most of the guys in the club were shirtless and had nice physiques. Meanwhile, there were many “girls” there who were actually very convincing!

Day 6 in São Paulo

Layla Kilolu — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 03:25:30 +0000

It is always a relief when you arrive at the airport and find that your flight is not cancelled and that you are on time for it. At least it is for me! I was actually very impressed by TAM Airlines. Check out their safety video! It was very fun to watch, and I loved the retro feel of it. The flight from Rio to Sao Paulo was only an hour long, and the airport was pretty close to my new hotel. Sao Paulo is definitely very gray. Lots of tall gray buildings against a gray sky. Actually the day was nice and sunny, and it was a perfect day to go shopping. I walked around Rua Oscar Freire and saw some amazing stuff that I can’t imagine many people being able to afford, like this awesome pair of shoes:

I am so tempted to buy it, but for the same amount of money, I bought two pairs of shoes and two dresses.

I am transitioning from being fun Layla to being serious Layla, since my school’s program starts tomorrow. We are going to be studying the Brazilian economy for a week, which includes lecturers and visits to various Brazilian companies. For dinner, I met up with an alumni of my school who I met at graduation just last week. I was helping him with his graduation robe and casually asked what his plans were after graduation. When he said he was going to Sao Paulo, I was excited because I was going to be there at the same time he was. Except that he wasn’t just coming to Sao Paulo to visit. He actually got a good job in asset management for an international bank. He’s a smart guy and we talked about the Brazilian economy over our Middle-Eastern themed dinner. After dinner, he had research to do (such a good employee that he is!) and so my friend from the program Bob and I went out. I had two ideas of where to go, but both places ended up being closed, so we just hung out at a bar and talked, then went to a club called Rey Castro (yes, alluding to Fidel Castro!) where we enjoyed paying a hefty cover fee, expensive drinks, but at least it had great live music. I’m not sure where the communist theme comes in to play, because it was quite a capitalist enterprise, if you ask me.

Day 5 in Rio de Janeiro

Layla Kilolu — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 13:43:51 +0000

Guarana woke me up at four a.m. today. I had coffee and soda yesterday with guarana in it, thinking it was some harmless little exotic fruit, but apparently it is not harmless at all. It was so early when I awoke that it felt like midnight, and no matter how hard I tried, it was useless to go back to sleep. So I sat on my balcony and waited for the sunrise. I could hear exotic birds chirping in the trees and monkeys whistling to each other. Slowly the sky began to turn lighter shades of blue and I could see the horizon over the bay. I like the moment when the air suddenly becomes full of sound: dogs begin to bark, cars begin to pass by, and you begin to hear footsteps and voices on the street.

By seven a.m., guarana decided to leave me alone and I fell asleep for two more hours. When I awoke the second time around, I had breakfast (the usual bread and cheese with fresh orange juice and coffee) and wrote another new song. I needed to get more cash from the ATM (darn Brazilian economy making the dollar weak!) and so I walked to the nearest Banco do Brasil. Not an easy walk as it involved climbing down a steep hill and running across big streets to avoid getting hit by taxis and buses.

When withdrawing money from an ATM, here’s a trick I use to avoid getting mugged. I don’t go into the bank to get the money just yet. I first wait outside the bank and hail a taxi. Then I ask the taxi to wait for me while I get cash so that as soon as I get the money, I can hop straight into the taxi and I am less at risk of getting mugged. After I got cash, I decided to go back to the house. I didn’t really feel like sightseeing because my legs were still hurting from walking so much the past few days. So I hung out with Guido and his three dogs and cat listenig to Brazilian jazz and talking about art, religion, and politics. He told me that he had another musician friend named Diogo who sang in a band and offered to ask him if I could perhaps sing with the band that evening. I was very touched by his thoughtfulness. He called Diogo and it was set that he would pick me up that evening to take me to the show and that I was welcome to sing with him. The band does classic rock covers, a la Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, and the like.

As it started to get late, I asked Guido where he was going to eat dinner (trying to be sneaky since I was also hungry) and he seemed a bit embarrassed that he was going to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the neighborhood. Guido doesn’t know that I eat everything and I really like hole-in-the-wall places the best, especially since I believe I have every bacteria imaginable in my stomach, so I rarely ever get sick. So we went, and it was indeed hole-in-the-wall. It was pretty much like walking into someone’s kitchen. Except that the kitchen had an amazing view of the sunset:

The owner/cook was a very jovial lady without a care in the world. She served us the meal of the day: chicken in a sauce, with rice and potatoes and salad. It was delicious, though I didn’t eat all my food. I guess I wasn’t as hungry as I thought. Or maybe I was just too inspired by the place and by Guido’s company. I am always so honored when I have the opportunity to spend time with someone intelligent with a good heart like Guido.

That evening, Diogo picked me up. He is a very happy guy, who always seems to be smiling. We went to the Lapa Irish Pub, which is where his band performs every week. Diogo had been singing for two nights straight and he was also sick, so I felt bad that he had to sing again for three hours that evening. (Believe it or not, singing is work!) I met his band–Claudio (guitar), Guido (drummer), and Rafael (bass). The band was super tight, they were definitely professional musicians and it seemed to me that Rio was just full of amazing talent. I also met Guido’s fiance, Karina, a beautiful, bubbly girl who is an actress/singer/journalist/dancer. She could easily belong in LA with those credentials! She and I hit it off very well and it was just great to meet a cool Brazilian girl.

During the band’s break, I picked up Claudio’s electric guitar (don’t worry, I asked first!) and the band said I could perform a song if I wanted to, so I did. I actually got to perform two songs, so that was really exciting for me!

I got back to the house at 3a.m. Definitely a rock star night! I hope to keep in touch with the band. They were boa gente (good people)!

Day 4 in Rio de Janeiro

Layla Kilolu — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 23:26:23 +0000

Ah, another uneventful day! I had breakfast on my balcony overlooking Sugar Loaf and the weather again was perfect. I wrote a song too! I walked around Santa Teresa, seeing sights like Parque das Ruinas and Casa de Benjamin Constant. Then I had coffee with guarana at this cute outdoor cafe called Cafecinho, and wrote another song. I then pushed myself to do something challenging by taking the metro to go to downtown. Everything was eerily closed because of the holiday, so I quickly returned to my neighborhood, buying empanadas, ice cream, and guarana, which I consumed again on my peaceful balcony, enjoying the sunset. I didn’t realize guarana had lots of caffeine….

view of Sugar Loaf from my balcony

For evening entertainment I went to Rio Scenarium, which is a three-story entertainment palace. No words can describe the energy of this place. There are tables everywhere to sit and eat full meals and drink, there’s a live band on the bottom floor playing Brazilian music and people are dancing, and the place was packed! It was quite an experience and I realized firsthand that samba and salsa are very, very different from each other!

Day 3 in Rio de Janeiro

Layla Kilolu — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:03:14 +0000

I was very sad to leave Copacabana, but on the other hand, it is time that I check out the rest of this Cidade Maravilhosa (marvelous city, which is Rio’s nickname). I checked into my new place, Guesthouse Bianca, in a cute artistic neighborhood called Santa Teresa. My photos just don’t do this place justice, but their website says it all. I have the Sugar Loaf room, which I thought was named that, because Sugar Loaf is a popular landmark in the city. In fact, I have a view of the Sugar Loaf from my balcony. It’s incredible!

tram in santa teresa

Guido, the owner, was very sweet. He walked me through the main cobblestone streets to show me around and referred me a great restaurant. I had feijoada–a bean stew, with a salad, rice, and fresh fruit (always the fresh fruit!!!). And since beer is only sold in the 40 oz variety, I am always a little disoriented after every meal. I always have to buy a 40 oz of bottled water to balance it out! Then I met my neighbors, Gloria, a wonderful painter who makes these beautiful silk scarves, and her son Kim who is a renown drummer in Brazil. We talked about his career starting from when he studied at MI in Hollywood and how he has been able to pursue music as a career in Brazil. Brazil actually has begun producing its own musical instruments, which is another indication of how Brazil really is developing economically. Kim’s drum equipment is mostly Brazilian brands (also helps that he is endorsed by many of them!) and he performs with many renown artists and gives drum lessons. I was again, very inspired. He actually also sent me a list of venues that I can contact to get a gig, as well as places to check out live music.

Arlindo Cruz was playing at Teatro Rival that evening, so I took a cab to downtown Rio. I stood in the wrong line for a while (always happens when I’m traveling!!!) and then when I went to the correct line to buy a ticket, a man who apparently was working at the ticket booth came out to tell everyone that tickets were sold out. I didn’t really understand what he said, but I could tell, because everyone in line started getting angry and complaining, but no one would leave, so I didn’t leave either. Then the guy came back and said to everyone again, “Look, there are no more tickets, so there is no reason for you to wait here.” Of course, I’m just guessing that’s what he said, since everyone left at that point. I was a little peeved because I had just paid for a cab to come here, and I don’t know downtown Rio at all. On top of it, when I finally found a cab, I told him to take me to Lapa (which is where all the bars and clubs are at), and he wouldn’t. He said (and I’m just guessing again) that Lapa was too crowded and he did not care to drive me there. He told me to walk there and pointed in the direction I should go. I was in Cinelandia metro station and that was pretty much all I knew. So I walked in the direction he told me to, and let me tell you, the streets get seedy at night! Here’s what I learned when traveling, especially as a lady:

1. Try to dress like a local. Meaning: no cargo shorts or sandy-colored tank tops, jesus sandals, backpacks, military hats…although you are dressed down, these things scream, “I’m a tourist and I have a lot of money”. As for me, I love Brazilian fashion- short skirt, summer sandals, trendy halter top!! Sounds crazy but I definitely blended in with the ladies.

2. Walk as if you know where you’re going, even if you don’t. If you find yourself somewhere where you know you shouldn’t be, walk into a well-lit store/restaurant (official-looking chain stores are best), and ask someone inside for directions to where you need to go. Have a pen and notebook with you at all times.

3. Don’t carry a lot of money with you. Duh. And the bag you carry around should not be Louis Vuitton/Gucci/Coach. I don’t care if it’s fake, just don’t look rich.

4. Know your limits. I know that I can handle about one caipirinha a night, and that’s it. And I should not be hanging out too late especially since I’m alone, so I returned to my hotel before midnight. Good girl.

After wandering around, I was super relieved when I saw the Arcos da Lapa which is the entryway for all the craziness that goes down in Lapa. The bars, clubs, and restaurants are bustling with people everywhere, spilling on to the street. I went from bar to bar, listening to different kinds of music: samba, jazz, forro, rock, MPB (brazilian pop), and eventually found a gig worth playing in. Boemia da Lapa does not look spectacular at all from the outside. If anything, it looks like a regular pub, but it had a great vibe, and a great sound system (important!!!), and when I met the owner, Marcio, I knew that it would be a perfect place to play. I met the singer of that evening’s band. His name is Big Fabio and he was such an awesome guy. He even gave me his CD as a gift! So I will be performing between his set next week, and I can’t wait!

That evening, I also went to Lapinha and listened to some amazing Latin American fusion music. Guitar, flutes, sax, upright bass, percussion, drums, and a caipirinha. Amazing! And I got back to my guesthouse despite the fact that my cab driver got lost and asked several people for directions. We laughed a lot about it. And so that was Day 3. Perfect.

live music in Lapinha club

Day 2 in Rio de Janeiro

Layla Kilolu — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:54:07 +0000

I woke up really early…9am….ate breakfast that consisted of these amazing cheese balls called pao de queijo. I kept coming back for more…oh, and fruit. And watermelon juice. Then I went to the beach, rented a nice little chair and umbrella and laid out in the sun for hours and hours. Of course I replenished the sunscreen. And I did test the waters, it was quite warm. So that was pretty much my day.

copacabana beach

From the outside, it was quite an uneventful day. And at night, nothing too exciting. I dressed up in heels and a summer dress and went to the Sofitel Hotel for a drink. While I was drinking my first caipirinha in Brazil, I felt a little bit of magic. There I was, sitting in the balcony of this swanky hotel bar, overlooking Copacabana beach. The full moon above, and antonio carlos jobim playing in the background. it was so perfect!

Day 1 in Rio de Janeiro

Layla Kilolu — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:25:47 +0000

I left Los Angeles at 7am on Sunday morning and touched into Rio de Janeiro at 10am the following day—a 27-hour journey. Needless to say, I was a bit frustrated when, upon finally arriving to my hotel at noon, I was told that check-in was not until 3pm, and that I was “free” to walk around town until then. I walked to the nearest bar and ordered a beer and fried chicken. (Could you blame the lady?) But my hotel room was completely worth the wait. On the fourth floor, I am directly facing the water and I can see the ladies on the beach in their filo dental, and the guys in their speedos (no one wearing board shorts!). I took the longest shower in the world and wrapped myself in the nice white hotel robe and fell asleep to a Brazilian soap opera. When I awoke, it was 6pm and I was hungry (of course!). I was a bit peeved also that the internet in my room was only functional if you had a PC, so I decided to go out and have dinner, a drink, and maybe run into an internet café/cute guy/shoe store along the way. Copacabana Palace seemed like a reasonable choice for me—I heard they had a poolside bar—but it was pretty boring. So I wandered down the other way of Avenida Atlantica and veered to one of the small alleyway streets (I know, I know, dangerous!) and found… an internet café! Bingo, now I can tell everyone on facebook that I am safe in Brazil. And down the same alleyway I found a burger joint where I bought a burger. (Hey I know I should be eating Brazilian food, but I do like to see what burgers around the world taste like). And it was pretty good, except that it had a lot of mayo. I was thirsty at this point and I spotted a bar that looked like it was a local hangout. So I went, and glad I did, because I met three awesome guys—Leonardo, Daniel and Gustavo—who just so happened to be in a rock band together. Their band is called Himalaia and they just finished recording a full-length album. We obviously ended up talking about the music scene in Brazil and we compared experiences about being a musician in Los Angeles and in Rio. Turned out that we had much in common in regards to challenges and opportunities. We hung out until late into the evening and they invited me to their rehearsal on Wednesday. I am really excited about meeting my new musician friends. Check out their music at www.himalaiarock.com.

with the band members of Himalaia