One of the things I like to do with my digital camera is collect images of weird found objects that I see lying around town. For example, I once found a lone salt shaker standing atop a fire hyrdrant on Melrose on a busy Saturday afternoon. Well, I thought I’d share with you, lucky reader, my latest find. I present for your edification: one pair of used men’s briefs, “tightey-whiteys” as they’re called in the common tongue, left without explanation at the corner of Detroit and Waring. Delicious.

Most of the time, I love living in the middle of L.A.. But I have to say, every now and then…I have my doubts.

Found posted 03.28 on the Franklin Avenue blog is information about the impending closure of The Velaslavasay Panorama, which is host and home to a 70-foot painting by artist Sera Velas titled “The Panorama of the Valley of the Smokes.” Presented as a 360-degree visual, Velas’ panorama depicts the L.A. Basin as it might have existed a couple hundred years ago.

Franklin Avenue’s Michael writes that “the site has been sold [and is set to be razed], and the Panorama must vacate the premises at the end of the month. The Velaslavasay Panorama will hold an ‘old-fashioned style wake in celebration and for fond farewells of this quirky bit of architecture’ on April 25 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.”

Until then it’s open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. at 5553 Hollywood Boulevard, just west of Western Avenue.

Want to learn something about makeup or perfume? Need a facial massage? How about for free? Head over to Shiseido Studio in Santa Monica (425 Broadway).

How can you resist a place that says “Technology is here to assist you and help direct you toward products that might interest you most.” What sort of technology do you suppose they have to assist and direct you? I’m getting Minority Report flashbacks. Do you suppose they replace eyeballs, too?
(more…)

Last night I saw a preview of Sex Parasite, a wonderful new play by Jessica Goldberg, which is kicking off this yearís Taper, Too series. I highly, highly recommend checking this one out ñ itís insightful, moving, and very funny. Also, it features an absolutely ferocious performance from Kirsten Potter in the lead role as Olive Schreiner, a social-climbing, intellectual feminist, whose head and heart canít stay in agreement. Itís been a while since Iíve seen a play that I wanted to see a second time. But Iíll be going back to this one. The program notes that the characters are based on real-life figures, but that ìgreat libertiesî have been taken. Iím definitely going to read up before going back. Does anyone know the history of Olive Schreiner, Havelock Ellis, Karl Pearson, or the Men and Womenís Club of London?

This morning, when I dropped my stepkids off at their schools, I noticed that the streets were crawling with cops. It seemed like people were getting tickets all over the place, which I thought was a little weird . . . until I remembered that it’s the end of the month, which means it’s quota time.

So this is a friendly reminder to my fellow Angelenos to mind your California Stops, watch crosswalks, and keep your eyes open for speedtraps.

Came across a spiffy website: Los Angeles in the 1900s. “A collection of contemporary articles, advertisements and illustrations about the City of the Angels at the turn of the last century.”

It includes one of those email forwarding-fodder lists, If you were living in Los Angeles a hundred years ago. “If you were a man living in Hollywood, chances are you would vote to outlaw the sale of beer and wine except at drug stores. If you were a woman living there, you couldn’t vote.”

The past 2 and a half weeks I’ve been temping on the 29th floor at an office downtown where I face a window all day and watch the traffic on the 110 north and south from about 6th street up to the 101. There’s a few of the lanes that are always sluggish no matter what time of day. There’s also a lot more people running across the freeway than I ever guessed. Yesterday I saw the weinermobile. And I see a lot of helicopters. And once I saw a blimp. And traffic.

…

My three week contract ends friday. I’m certainly going to miss the Starbucks downstairs.

There are two major classic rock stations in L.A. - Arrow 93.1 and KLOS 95.5. I tend to prefer Arrow, because they tend to play better music, and KLOS plays Led Zeppelin like every fourth song (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But today I found another reason not to like KLOS: I tuned in today and they were playing Nirvana. Now, I know that Nirvana was a great band (arguably) and is destined to be a rock classic, but seriously, I don’t expect to hear a 10 year old song on a “classic” rock station. I expect to hear stuff that’s as least as old as I am. Way to make me feel old, KLOS. I’ll be listening to Arrow play the nice, soothing sounds of the ’70s from now on.

Because I like you, I’m posting this discount flyer for Spaceland shows tonight and tomorrow. Low Flying Owls plays tonight for $5 with the fancy flyer; Sea Ray plays tomorrow for $6.

Incidentally, has anyone else heard the rumor that The Breeders will be spelling their name P-I-X-I-E-S at Spaceland on Thursday night? This show was mentioned earlier, and I personally think the likelihood is nil, but either way, tickets will be available at the door on Thursday and the box office opens at 8.

L.A. readers over at Macintouch are reporting that bottles of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Sierra Mist that are part of the Pepsi iTunes Music Giveaway have *finally* been spotted.

The delay was apparently due to the fact that there was an ongoing Lakers promotion that had to get cleared out first.

And while you also can try 7-Eleven’s Big Gulps or Slurpees, don’t forget that if you go for the bottles, you can cheat to win. :)

(UPDATE: According to another Macintouch reader, “…the iTunes/Pepsi promo ends today - 3/31/04… Yes, you have until the end of April to choose which songs you’ll buy, but your last day to claim your free songs is Wednesday the 31st.”)