Video of rehearsal before Acoustic Cafe Show

Stella performing "Smile Like Ray Liotta" with Boz Boorer on the guitar

Stella performing "Good Time Girl" with Boz Boorer on the guitar

An American In London

Molly's Diary of London visiting Stella Katsoudas

July 17th 2000

Well, we started to leave for Minneapolis around 9:00 AM. Our flight is supposed to leave at 4:15 PM. My friend and I visited his sister and his new little nephew in Worthington, which is 3 hours away from Minneapolis. We arrived there around 11 and left around 12. Cutting time very short since you are supposed to give yourself at least an hour to check in at the airport. We arrived in Minneapolis around 3 but didn't get to the airport till about 3:30. Finally made it on the flight. I wanted to sleep so I took some of my Dramamine, I have bad motion sickness :P He popped in a muscle relaxer so he wouldn't panic once the plane took off. I finally got to sleep and than he started poking at me, the muscle relaxer helped him, he was all happy, and I was all grumpy because I just wanted to be left alone, it was my own fault I didn't get any sleep but it was worth it, my favorite guy friend in the world, Grant came by and saw me the night before we left. I am not too sure what time we arrived in Charlotte, there was time change, the flight lasted a couple hours so we must have arrived around 8:00 or so. I remember when I drove to Virginia Beach there was an hour change and I think that some hours were gained.

July 18th 2000

We arrived in London around 10:00 AM. We had to wait for a bus to come pick us up once we got out of the plane. I felt like someone famous like they show in movies when they come down the stairs waving at their fans, it was pretty cool. We probably waited about 10 minutes for the bus to come pick us up and it carried us to hell, also known as customs. I now know how Jimmy Buffett feels when he says "Customs how they hassle me" Oh my god do I know how he feels. I got hassled like no other, I had to make the woman believe me that I wasn't going to stay here to live, I wasn't going to get a job, she asked me how much money I had, why I was here, why Stella wasn't coming to pick us up, what her address was, and I could understand why they would ask those questions but they were so mean, I wanted to cry. When she told me that I had to convince her that I wasn't going to stay I wanted to just flip out, I wanted to respond saying "being treated like this why would I have any desire to stay here?" but I didn't, I bit my tongue and I just told her I have school in the summer, I just graduated and I am just here to visit a friend and I didn't realize that I would be given such a hard time for that one reason. What was funny is people were zipping through while my friend and I were harassed. We did finally get our passport stamped and we headed over to the baggage claim, that was easy, as long as it took to get out of customs, our luggage wasn't on the belt anymore they were all set near each other, yay!! We asked where we needed to go to find our ride since we didn't actually arrive at a gate. We walked out and there was a mass of people holding signs. Stella said that she was sending someone with a sign that would have our names on it. A nice English fellow, named Peter all dressed up held the sign and he helped us with our luggage and we headed for outside. He told us that he was going to get the car, we weren't sure what car he would come back with, the way he was dressed we figured it would be a nice car. While waiting I lit up a cigarette, I was going nuts, I hadn't had one for nearly a day, poor baby I know. As I lit it up the chauffer drove up in a Mercedez Benz, it was black with leather interior, very nice. The drive was about an hour from Stella's, I was tired but I stayed awake and watched as the cars to the right were going the opposite direction than they would in America, and the drivers side was on the opposite side, very weird. I have come to the conclusion that I would get killed if I ever tried to drive in this country. It was amazing once we arrived at Stella's, just as we got all our luggage in front of her flat she came running out of the door with her camera in hand, we both got a big hug and a kiss and than we went inside her place.
Its beautiful, its kind of funny because the colors that are used in her living room are the colors that I picked for my interior design class, yellow and white striped wall paper, a mauve color in the furniture and the doors are teal and her book case, it has a very modern look, with a Slipknot picture on the shelf, most of the stuff in this place came with it, from the lamps to antiques to paintings to old hats!! After getting settled, Stella took us to a chinese restaurant called Choy's. I didn't like the food at all, they used ginger in it, something I had never had and I didn't like it, I am a soy sauce girl. People definitely have different taste buds here. I learned even more about Stella during the meal, I thought I had learned a lot when I saw her in Chicago. If there is one thing that hasn't changed about Stella its her man problems, I don't really see that as a bad thing, I mean of course its bad, but if it wasn't for her experiences she wouldn't have all these emotions to express in her songs, its hard to sing about somethings if you haven't really felt what the lyrics say. After the meal, we walked to this beautiful park, a park I plan on visiting often, called Hyde Park its so big and there is a beautiful flower garden right as you come in with many different kinds and many different colors of flowers. We sat around for awhile and talked some but my friend and I were both beat. We walked back to Stella's and watched an episode of Friends. I literally passed out, shortly before falling asleep I felt like I was going to throw up I was so dehydrated and so tired. I ended up waking up at 4 in the morning, than I called home and my mind was at ease. I got the chair to sleep in and my friend got the couch. I at one point tried to sleep on the floor, I found the chair had more cushion. I didn't want to bother Stella since she was asleep so I bared it, its all good, I still slept whether I was on the floor or the chair.

July 19th 2000

I started the day still pretty tired, I have now learned how much jet lag sucks!! My friend and I went around walking, we got lost, our destination was McDonalds and it normally would take about 10 minutes to get there, it took us about an hour and a half. I was getting very tired, I just didn't have the energy that he did. My friend and I went walking around some more, we went to Virgin Records, I had been searching for months for this awesome dance club song, titled DJ Jean, The Launch. I love it and I couldn't find it anywhere in Iowa, I found a compilation CD with the song Yay!!! After that we went back to Stella's and watched more episodes of Friends. I laid down on Stella's bed just to rest and I ended up conking out, my body was just so tired. My friend tried to wake me up but I just didn't feel like going out, I felt bad but I just didn't have any energy to go out walking around, my friend ended up going on his own. When he got back we both hadn't ate so we ordered take out from Planet Hollywood. I am not sure what time I fell asleep, but I got to sleep in the bed so that was nice, not that the night before mattered I was just so gone I don't think anyone would have been able to wake me up.

July 20th 2000

I slept until 4:00 in the afternoon today very rested. My friend arrived back at Stella's flat and we went to rent Stella some more episodes of Friends. Very popular thing to rent when you come to Stella's. My friend and I went to a pub next to the video store, I loved it, it was an American theme pub and the food was awesome, it had flavor and I think that I will plan on going there a couple more times as well. My friend and I walked back to Stella's and I had a pretty emotional talk with my friend, that's what sucks when I drink, I get emotional. Once we got back I just went straight to bed. I ended up waking up again around 4 in the morning again. I eventually got some sleep, another problem with jetlag is if you force yourself to just lay there and try and sleep and not get up, tons of thoughts just flow through your head.

July 22nd 2000

I got up around 1 in the afternoon, earlier than 4!!! Yay, and I had energy today. It was fortunate I had energy too because when I got up Stella and my friend were planning on going to this Japanese restaurant called the Benihana. They stopped serving around 3 or so and we had like 10 minutes to get to the restaurant from Stella's flat, they ran I sprinted, I had the most deadly shoes on, I knew if I ran I would fall on my face again I found another good restaurant, great food!! They cooked all the food in front of you, it was so neat and the food was so filling, pricey but good. After that we went to High Fidelity, it was a great movie, it had John Cusack in it and Tenacious D. Stella told us how she knew who Tanacious D was, that he was very cool. This girl has met so many people, its so cool. We ended up walking around after the movie and we rented MORE episodes of Friends, we also stocked up on food from McDonald's as a midnight snack. My friend kept buying Pringles and Stella and I kept eating them so we went to the grocery store so we each had our own can of sour cream Pringles I also found a favorite drink at Starbucks, yes they have Starbucks here and I don't like coffee but oooooh caramel frappacinos are the bomb. On our way back to Stella's I tripped on the deadly shoes!! It was very embarrassing but I laughed at myself for about a half an hour just because it was so stupid, I mean its not that hard to walk, one foot in front of the other. Well we watched more Friends. After that I tried to go to sleep, had a hard time sleeping, all I kept thinking about was my Mom and moving to Phoenix, men, my car accident that's almost 5 years ago, jetlag sucks!! I fell asleep at about ohh.6 in the morning.

July 23rd 2000

Well, I am now caught up on my writing. I am at Hyde Park, I just had a picnic with Stella and she is now sleeping, which I think I might try as long as these sirens that keep going off will go away. Just as I was going to go to sleep Stella got up and wanted to go, the once beautiful weather that we had the first couple days is now going away. I went out to eat with my friend at the Oriel, Stella had some phone calls to make so she couldn't come. It was great food. After the meal we just went back to Stella's and I went to bed. Stella asked me to brush her hair till she fell asleep so I wrote the club and typed to some family back home. I love London but I miss home

July 24th 2000

My friend left this morning, once he left Stella and I had the rest of the day booked. We went to Stella's label so she could get some stuff and I was just in awe, I had a camera and everything, I took pictures of the outside of the building but nothing in the inside, I went upstairs and in this office was a
big picture of Stella in her angel outfit from Soularium, nobody was in the office but Stella says I will meet everyone this week or next. The cab took us to this community center, as we sat in the cab Stella started singing one of her songs "life's a gas" I told her the cab driver must think that shes nuts, she didn't care Stella was looking for her friend Boz and her other friend Dean. They weren't at the building so we went to this café and met them there and Stella and I had a salad, after that we went back to the community center and Stella started rehearsing for her acoustic gig. It was amazing, as soon as the guys started playing the guitar she just burst out with this beautiful melodic voice. I got out of my video camera and started recording, I didn't realize that I would have such problems with the battery, the 30 minutes I recorded the battery went dead right after the rehearsal. I kept track of all the songs she sang and took pictures, I didn't bring the battery charger because 1. I didn't think that the battery was going to go out so fast and 2. I didn't think that there was any American outlets, Stella brought one with her but there wasn't any time to go back to her flat to get the charger we were too far away. Time went by pretty fast, we went to a restaurant and I had some unusual food, we inhaled the food and than we headed for the cab and went to the Acoustic Café, a very KICK ASS place. There were like 12 people ahead of Stella till she could perform, they would only let her play 2 songs and so of the 4 I heard she played Smile Like Ray Liotta, or as Stella's friend Dean would say, Jilotta and this beautiful song called Touch. I met many of Stella's friends, this guy Torch, Dean's dad, Nick, Christof from the video store, and I ran into an American, a girl from St. Louis so that was pretty cool. Finally the time came, I was pumped, Stella was very nervous I knew in my heart that she had nothing to be nervous about, I knew she was going to blow the audience away. She did! There was a great response from the crowd, I think getting back on the stage is exactly what Stella needed. She was awesome and after she performed the manager of the bar grabbed Stella and asked her to perform next week, and this time he wanted like a real gig, like 45 minutes of her performing!! Yay! We had a great night, Nick gave us a ride home and Dean and Christoff hung around and we watched more friends and the guys drank, Stella and I drank water, I needed to sober up and Stella doesn't drink so she had been drinking water all night. I went to go have a cigarette and Christoff was in front of me, I failed to warn him that there is a big step before you go into Stella's porch, it was too late, the poor guy was just sprawled out on the ground, I couldn't help but laugh, I felt so bad but I couldn't stop laughing. Dean and Christoff went home and we went to bed.

July 25th 2000

All caught up now, I have been typing for hours now. Today was an awesome day as well. The jet lag isn't getting me down anymore. I slept in today and once Stella got here she got ready, I was already ready, Dean was doing a gig at this place called China White for this girl called Sophisticated Savage. Before we left I called the airport and I have now extended my stay, I will be here till August 7th. I am so so so glad that I took this trip, London is amazing. After the gig, Stella and I got this seafood platter and I took one bite of some seaweed thing with rice in it and I gagged I thought I was going to throw up it was so gross!! Nick took us to McDonald's and I felt much better, as you can tell in this trip McDonalds has become my favorite food. Dean's Dad Nick , is so awesome, hes the sweetest guy, he checked out the fanclub website and commented how good it is. Way to go to the club and of course Colleen I spread the word at the café about this amazing club and the people are just amazed on how much we have accomplished. It felt good, and it feels good. Anyways, Nick took us around London, I got to see Big Ben and a bunch of bridges and it was amazing!! I need to see some of the historical sites, this place is beautiful. Nick was so nice to drive us around, I was bummed I didn't bring my camera but he said he would take us around the sites next week for Stella's gig. Ok, now I am allll caught up. Stella and I are just chilling at our computers and its almost 4 in the morning and its time for bed!!

July 26th 2000

Stella and I are now at Milo Studios, I am now witnessing how much work it is producing an album!! A lot! It's a really neat experience being able to witness it though, Stella works hard, I have watched her record and be patient as they tell her to resing the same lyrics over and over again while trying to get the right sound. Stella took a break and we went to go and eat, Stella's friend Terry came with us, he was very fun to hang out with, as we walked to the coffee shop all 3 of us took a glance at a very cute guy. Stella and I also went to a store called "Shh" it was a cool store, we bought some stuff and than it was back to mixing the song Imperfect.

July 27th 2000

I am bad, I got really behind. The song got mixed and Stella and I have just been chilling and once again been watching Friends. We went to a new studio today, Airstudios. They are remixing "Stand Up" a really great song. We just got to hear her final demo for the song "Imperfect" "Runaway Crush" and "Star" Star is a song sung with Stella's friend Terry, really cool song, they are all great songs. Those were all done at Milo Studios. Now we are in a cathedral that was transformed into a bunch of recording rooms, its very cool. Stella has been a little stressed out, some guys from Universal are mixing her song "Pretty Little Thing" and they aren't spending as much time on it as Milo and Airstudios did on her songs.

July 28th 2000

Stella's manager from New York, Doug came from New York to see what they came up with. Doug ended up loving Pretty Little Thing, the guys just didn't work on the song in front of Stella like the other studios did. I didn't get to hear the song but Stella said that Doug was ecstatic. Doug took Stella shopping, she wanted a rockabilly chick look so he took her to the Gap and got her some jeans and a jean jacket, very cute outfit I notice that look is in right now. Dean and his Dad also like wearing the jeans and jean jacket with converse shoes, kinda got a 50's side to them its cool.


July 29th 2000

After Stella stressing out so bad with Doug coming Stella got sick, so I did some chores for her, got her groceries and got more episodes of Friends.


July 30th 2000

I decided to pamper Stella, we went and got a facial and manicure and pedicure. We saw Gone in 60 Seconds, loved it, it was fun. We went to the Oriel, ya know the restaurant with really bad service??? It was pretty gross, Stella got a mussel salad and ended up finding an earth worm in her salad, being that she hadn't been feeling well in the first place it didn't go over well with her stomach. From then on we didn't go out to eat, we had baked potatos with baked beans and tuna and grapes and bagels with cream cheese with salmon on it, quite the course but it was really really good.

July 31st 2000

Stella and I continued going to airstudios the rest of the week, we hung out a lot, walked around London. August 1st 2000 Went shopping for souveniers didn't find anything, I met a nice couple from Washington D.C. had lunch with them, it rained and the shops close really early here so I didn't get a chance to find much of anything.

August 2nd 2000

Stella and I looked at new flats for her to live in, found some really nice ones, it is not cheap to live in London, wow. Stella found a really nice flat right next to a Starbucks, reminded me of a hotel, you walk in and there is security, we got to tour the flat and it was sooo nice, the furniture came with it, kitchen was nice, beautiful view and it had a fire escape, most important thing to Stella in finding a place was having a fire escape, she got the place, its really nice.


August 3rd 2000

Well we ended up watching all of the Friends episodes. I cried when Chandler proposed, it was so sweet!!! We wanted more episodes and we had watched them all! So I rented movies that had Friends characters in them, rented Fools Rush in, Kissing a Fool, great movies. Kissing a Fool took place in Chicago and one of the guys that Stella dated was in the movie, such a small world!

August 4th 2000

Since I didn't have luck with shopping near where Stella lived we went to Picadillys Circus, talk about a tourist trap, people everywhere!! Stella and I checked out the Doc Marten store, I was in heaven, I got Stella a new pair of Docs, they are soo cute, I had to get them for her. I bought a couple pairs of shoes, the prices were just great! After that I tried to shop and my debit card wouldn't go through at a store that I found all the souveniers I needed, errrr. Stella and I bought a ticket to see Whole Nine Yards, another Matthew Perry movie, Stella loved it, I had seen it, I love the characters in the movie. After the movie we didn't take a cab we walked to her place, it was a very nice night and a very nice walk.

August 5th 2000

Well the guy from Picadilly called, Stella talked to him for hours. I bought Stella a new stereo, its so cool, it's a JVC its got a cd player, mini disc player, tape player, very sharp. The girl didn't have a stereo, how can a recording artist not have a stereo??? I spoiled her but I would do it all over again and if not spoil her more. While she talked to the guy I was making mini discs for her. We just chilled that night, Stella spent a lot of time typing to you guys and she talked to Colleen and her friend Kris.





August 6th 2000

I just made more mini discs and I had Stella sign a bunch of autographs for friends and family for tonight is my last night in London.


August 7th 2000

My last day, I had to leave early in the morning, I hugged Stella good bye and hauled all of my luggage to the car. It was a long flight, customs wasn't as bad, it was good to be back in America, as soon as I got to Philadelphia I had potato skins a salad and soup, and smoking lots of cigarettes, I could have my Mountain Dew and my American food. I flew from Philadelphia to Minneapolis, Grant came and picked me up at the airport, it was good to be back but I miss Stella. Thanks to all of you who took time to read my diary page and I apologize for the delay in the pictures. My next project is the video and I hope to get it to you all soon.