Hollywood Weirdness: Mysterious Building Art

This camera viewframe has been placed on several buildings in Hollywood. I get the idea. Hollywood's constantly in front of a camera, but really these look like targets for large weapons. It's disturbing. As Nathan would critique, "FAIL!"

Hollywood Wilderness: Runyan Canyon

Mike was surprised that I wasn't leaving my apartment until the sun went down. My "art/write" hat just doesn't really tell me to go outside. Feeling slightly offended, I decided to prove him wrong and take advantage of Los Angeles' most valuable asset: sunshine.

I forced myself to get up earlier than my biological clock enjoys, nearly making me a stunt writer. I took a small walk/hike to Runyan Canyon. It is about half a mile from my apartment and there were plenty of beautiful locals with white headphones walking along with me.

Once you enter the gates, you've stepped outside of Hollywood and into a national park. The silence and shade bring a little serenity into my traffic stricken tourist trap neighborhood. There's a grassy knoll where some people meditate, plenty of happy dogs, and miles of trail to take on. In just 30 minutes, I'd reached one of the peaks. (where the picture above was taken)There I sat and admired the smoggy view. Reminded me why all the movie stars and affluent Angelenos tuck away into the Hollywood Hills: they're wonderful!

I walked home happily and somewhat victorious.

Seen at Selma Ave and Vine St.

Don't know what it's there for, but I really enjoyed walking by it.

Corporate sub-culture

Sometimes I wish my name was a verb.

"I might Kanye your iPhone if you don't stop singing your Gregorian chants about Conan O'Brien!"

I would love my name to be something nice like reading to the elderly, or when someone rescues a kitten. I'd have to be careful not to become like that guy Munson from Kingpin.

The Fratellis with Airborne Toxic Event

Mike once again scored a deal on tickets. So we hopped on the Metro to the Wiltern to see some familiar faces. It was fun! Good show! High five, fellas!

Weather Report for Today, 9/17/08

Very sunny and warm.


For lunch: grilled cheese and apple sandwich with hummus

Movie Review: Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading
dir. Ethan and Joel Coen
comedy, 96 mins

The Coen brothers have proven to us, once again, that they're more than capable to wow audiences. It almost seems too easy for them. With their Academy Award wins just beginning to fade into memory, they return into the current with Burn After Reading, a crime comedy, that blends their comedic timing with their talent for action directing. Coupled with a brilliant ensemble cast including George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich and Brad Pitt, the Coens have cemented their knack for dark comedy.

I'm reluctant to spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it. The strengths lie in the way the story presents information and the use of the information. This is the reason why I love the Coen vehicle: their ability to surprise when they need you to be surprised, not to mention allowing you to laugh. They know that filmmaking isn't about making spectacles, but rather about communicating stories. This story was fresh and new, but with classic Coen wit.

In writing this, it's very difficult to not use the word "another." Another great movie. Another great script. Another witty comedy. In terms of Coen Bros films, it was just another movie. Big Lebowski meets Fargo. It must be nice for the Coens to have great filmmaking as their redundancy. To the Coens, I say, please keep making movies.

Weather Report for Today, 9/15/08

It's cool enough to fool myself into wearing a sweater out, but not warm enough to wear shorts.


For lunch: pasta and Capn Crunch

Poor Examples of Humanity: Choque Cultural Gallery in Sao Paulo, Brazil

It saddened me to find out that the Choque Cultural Gallery in Sao Paulo had been vandalized in political protest last week. 30 spraycan wielding Pixadores stormed through the gallery in defiance of "marketing, institutionalization, and domestication of Street Art." They ruined and damaged the artwork by several artists.

Despite how passionate as these 30 Pixadores were in conserving the sanctity of Street Art, it's utterly heartbreaking that these "artists" were destroying art for the sake of art. There are more creative and stronger ways of communicating this concern. This act of vandalism was a tragic step backwards for street art and deserves no pride.

From The Wooster Collective

Far Out: Brian Wilson @ the Hollywood Bowl

Upon our return to MIke's house, we were greeted by his smiley neighbor and fellow cyclist, Ian, who lives rent-free as the caretaker of Frank Lloyd Wright's Freeman House. He had a spare ticket to the Brian Wilson show later that evening. We were in!

Along with Ian and friends, Mike packed a bottle of wine and sandwiches and off to the Bowl, once again. We had amazingly great views from a central and high point in the amphitheater. The night began with the LA Philharmonic playing Gershwin, Brian Wilson's favorite American composer according to the conductor. But shortly after, Brian Wilson and his band begin playing Beach Boy with the LA Phil including "God Only Knows" dedicated to the those whose lives were lost in the recent Chatsworth Train Crash. He was entirely lovable and entertaining shouting out "Rock and Roll!" to even "Brian Wilson!" after a song. Three songs in, however, we were given an intermission. Mysterious.

When he returned for good, he played plenty of psychedelic arrangements of classic Beach Boys, a couple Chuck Berry covers (incl. Johnny B Goode) along with newer work from his solo albums. I sat dancing in my seat until I just couldn't hold it back anymore. (Especially when he played Do You Wanna Dance?) His band was huge but each member was consistently beyond enthusiastic for each and every song. One of the drummers eventually became shirtless hitting symbols with two tambourines. The fireworks finale was quite exciting with the band playing Surfin USA to accompany. They had a pyro- tiny surfwagon with a surfboard on top to go with the beachy theme. This concert was the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer, even if it never ends in Southern California.

Fat Out: 2008 Taste of Santa Monica

Yesterday, chefs from 40 local eateries gathered at the Santa Monica Pier to sample their best dishes to curious foodies at the 2008 Taste of Santa Monica. It's not as gigantic as its sister event in Chicago or New York, but earns Santa Monica itself a "cute" description as the locals lined up, paid $45, pushed and shoved, to gather teaspoons full of culture.

Mike and I decided to go. (Grace couldn't fight the urge to eat lunch. She apologized.) It was a good opportunity to check out local eateries. While some of the city's most beloved restaurants were not involved (Ivy on the Shore), it was an eclectic mix that ranged from hotel restaurants like Whilst @ The Viceroy to chains like Il Fornaio and Hooters.

My favorites included the samples from seared albacore from Ma'Kai (asian fusion), gelato from Angelato Cafe, iced pear green tea from Evergreen Tea House. Interesting tastes included mascarpone "dry" ice cream from the featured molecular ice cream lab, the shishito peppers from Tengu and the spicy tuna-avocado- Dorito concoction from Wokano. Our strategy was to try to eat as much as possible in hopes of getting our money's worth, which I paid for dearly as I rolled out of the taste feeling more like Humpty Dumpty.

You can see the official website here: 2008 Taste of Santa Monica

Style on Style: Eva

She's my BFF with a fashion taste for the anti-vanilla. Eva has combined her Bohemian eye for layers along with her amazing skills as a seamstress to create an artsy utilitarian girl-next-door style all her own. From the tiniest skirts with high leather boots to plunging thermal necklines and Chucks, her style is both practical and risque like her gemini self. Eva's love and appreciation for organic living and wellness (she's brewing her own Kombucha!) also lend to a comfortable choice in her everyday clothing: high socks, jersey tunics, soft leathers, not to mention gauged bone earrings and perfectly disheveled hair. What makes Eva's look so striking is that she rips and mangles pieces to make them her more her style. (One of my favorite Eva pieces is a torn off hood from a sweatshirt that she wears by itself.) Eva is indeed, the coziest and coolest Boho trendsetter on the block!

From Eva:

My style in 3 words: Fun, girly, utiilitarian

Favorite things to wear: tall boots, short skirts, old jackets, scarves, legwarmers

Style influences: post-apocalyptic costume, dance costumes, Victorian era

Newsflash: LA is unfriendly and terrible

So my fellow Angelenos, we've done it this time. Thanks to all of our taunting of less fashionable tourists, over the top cellphone use, and Botox'd expressionless faces, America has rated us as the nation's least friendly, worst traffic, least intelligent city in Travel + Leisure's America's Favorite Cities survey.

Over 600,000 tourists surveyed various cities in the US to rank which cities they loved and which they hated in different categories: culture, people, quality of lifestyle, etc. And we just really left a terrible impression on those tourists. This is funny to me, and I'm not trying to be a defensive Angeleno, because tourists LOVE the ILLUSION we make out here. They are attracted to the rockstars and the skinny rich girls and the hot cars and palm trees they see on TV, but not the actual city? The harsh reality that our city is indeed a dirty lifesized movie set has sunk in.

One true thing is that Los Angeles is a HUGE multi-faceted city with PLENTY of dynamic people. There are pockets of us who embrace art and actually read books and newspapers along with those who don't. Believe it or not, but most of us are from friendlier cities and will probably give you directions if you're lost. We have certain advantages like our resources and overall hopefulness (remember, "city of dreams" cliché?), but our biggest strength is that we're definitely not boring (that's why you have Entourage and the Hills on Tivo). Sure there's plenty of traffic and big city trash that makes us grumpy, but nobody's perfect. We'll see you all later when you want to become a pop icon!

This is weird: Jada Pinkett's Smith's nu-metal band, Wicked Wisdom

Another side of Jada Pinkett Smith that I never knew. Good for her. She's so tough!

Dreamy House in Iporanga, Brazil

Architect: Arthur Casas
Location: Iporanga, Brazil

For more photos: Arthur Casas

From Kanye West's Universe City

Wanted: Arch Rival

Photo of ice rivals, Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan

Imagine putting so much of yourself into something: your life's work. You struggle in the shadows for most of your career, but in an instant, your work suddenly becomes public. It may seem that the attention and acclaim was all the reward you needed. How do you know you've reached the top? A respectable rival. That's when you know you have something worth fighting for. After all, nothing says "I love you" more than "I hate you."

A rival is a great milestone. Consider the lives you affect on your path to greatness. Thanks to you, many lives were touched and hopefully improved, but your rival's life was affected more than anyone else's. Your work is now fueling their work and theirs with yours. Much of their inspiration now stems from your demise, and your hatred for them only drives your creativity to higher limits. Hatred? I call it flattery. Think about all that time and energy taken to sabotage your potential prize winning peanut-butter fudge bars of heaven at the Pillsbury Bakeoff. Or when they sleep overnight beneath your unguarded science fair project to nudge things out of place before the science fair? To finally have that person in your life is achieving an ultimate level of productivity, unless they've already broken your knee.

Jonesy's Jukebox

Most Angelenos are fortunate enough to have The Sex Pistols' Steve Jones grace the airwaves every weekday at 12 bells. (In Jonesy speak, that means noon). Indie 103 broadcasts his radio show, Jonesy's Jukebox, and pretty much gives him free reign on what he says and what music to play. His monotone British accent could probably lull someone to sleep, but he says such funny things! During his 2 hour time slot, he plays tunes, interviews the who's who of Hollywood, and even has moments to sing and play the guitar. (You'd be impressed at how many songs he can play)

Something that is very refreshing from the typical Indie 103 (still a clear channel station) indie rock lineup, is that Jonesy plays a huge range of great music from Nina Simone to John Legend to Teenage Fanclub. He's got the taste that your favorite person should have. On Fridays, he hosts Jonesy's Jukebox jury where he and a group of guests listen to new music that's coming out and rate them as "mustard" (good) or pants "bad".

Enjoy Jonesy. You can find his PodCast or hear him every weekday at noon on Indie 103.1.

Creepy Contact Lenses

Yes, there are Swarovski crystals embedded in the lenses so that your eyes "sparkle". Here's an idea to keep those eyes sparkling: stop drinking alcohol! This is just ridiculous.

Style on Style: Cher

Inspired by those who strut along the streets of Los Angeles, I wanted to write a little bit about fashion. At first I thought of writing about Marc Jacobs or Alexander McQueen, but I felt that's been done. I'm beginning a series of style profiles on the fashionistas closest to my heart: my friends. It's fortunate for me to have friends who have so much integrity when it comes to choosing the clothes they put on in the morning.


Cher and I have been friends for a few years now and she's never not looked like a superstar.  This graphic designer/fetish model is the epitome of tough girl glam. While Cher is most often in heels, lip gloss and big sunglasses, she always smells like mens deodorant (I believe Old Spice is her stick of choice) and has a mouth just as tough as a man's man's. Balance and humor are Cher's strengths so they come out in her clothing. Her tribal earrings, tattoos, and dyed hair give some edge to her designer/expensive/Neiman's tendencies. But we're friends because she'd wear a fake mustache with a pencil skirt any night of the week.

From Cher:

My style in 3 words: Sexy, rockstar, chic

Favorite things to wear:  my headbands, Balenciaga handbags, my "Mary-Kate" boots, wife beaters and skinny jeans

Style influences: Mary-Kate Olsen, Nicole Richie, Victoria Beckham, Alexander McQueen, Vena Cava, Balenciaga, YSL, and Rag and Bone

Note: Cher has her palm up because that means "SUPER" peace.