My friend Andrew Pogany, senior editor and chief LA-booster over at Flaunt, is presiding over yet another fantastic event (after curating LA-cultural-stuff affairs at Taix for some time (at one event, Eric Garcetti read an abridged early history of Los Angeles, and, if memory serves, sang a little song)). Now, “Twilight Drinks at the Griffith Park Clubhouse” takes over the historic, FDR-sponsored Spanish revival lounge and supper/brunch joint–and its gorgeous views of the Park’s golf course–every Wednesday night this summer, from 7:30p-11p. All this, and special prizes go to those in the best Caddyshack costume! The fine, fine film itself will be screened weekly on the outdoor patio. So, we’ve got that goin’ for us…which is nice.

Barbeque burgers, veggie burgers, grilled hot dogs & mac & cheese are on the menu, ranging from $6-$10. Full bar with drinks ranging from $4-$10 and beers on tap. Feel free to dress as your favorite Caddyshack character; however no golf attire will be required.*

The info on the event follows behind the jump.

* I love that they decided this was necessary to add

(more…)

Hello friends! Yesterday, Mark and Steve made the trek out to Disneyland to enjoy the midnight show Wall-E with some friends at Downtown Disney. After trying out the amazing new ride in California Adventure, we decided to check out the new Indiana Jones live action show where we discovered a crowd had gathered around another brand new attraction; a fallen tree branch!

The rather large branch fell right in the middle New Orleans area and Cast Members were busily diverting traffic, pointing into the air, blathering into walkie-talkies and eventually some guys with chainsaws came and began chopping the tree up.

Click here for some more pictures and speculation as to what caused the incident!

If “Name: Ronald or Rhonda Donellson, Game Host; Prop: 3 (or more) Potatoes; and Line of Dialogue:’Leave it to me, I’m a professional’” mean anything to you, then you’re familiar with The 48 Hour Film Project.  If not, it’s a contest held in cities around the world each year, in which teams of filmmakers must write, shoot, edit, and present a film within 48 hours.  This year’s contest recently took place in Los Angeles.  The judges have spoken, and the films judged the best of Los Angeles will be shown at a special screening and awards ceremony next Wednesday, July 2, at the Fairfax Theater at 8 p.m.  And you’re invited!

Click here to find out more about the screening

A week ago I was feeling a bit ragged and couldn’t take it anymore… So I played hooky from work and got out of the city. Since a dear friend of mine lives in North Santa Barbara and I don’t get to see her much, I thought it might be cool if we met in Ojai and hit the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa to catch up. It was the perfect respite in every way.

From the moment you get there you feel pampered. The place has beautiful old oaks and is built in the old Spanish Mission style. After booking our spa treatments on the phone, we met at the front desk and checked in. With any treatment, you get the use of the pool which is really lovely, the steam-room, whirlpool and sauna. It’s great. We hit the pool first and lazed around, swimming and reading and talking while sipping fresh fruit smoothies we conveniently ordered without moving from our comfy chairs.

Our treatments were perfect. I got a mint scrub and massage and afterwards I was so relaxed I could hardly slither back to my chaise to nap. After all that strenuous activity we were famished, so we ordered up great salads to cap the day. As the sun went down, I took off down the highway back to LA, thankful that for a mere $200 I can pretend I’m a princess for a day… (and get treated like one!)

It kind of rocked.

Roller derby teams from all over the Southwest will converge on LA this weekend for an explosion of contusion-inducing bubble-gum-pink hell on wheels. The locals–our very own Derby Dolls–will be pitted against teams from Arizona, Texas, OC, and San Diego in two days of mayhem. Hooray! Mayhem!

All the info you need is here. This won’t just include the screaming-for-blood main events–there’ll also be food, clothing, and jewelry vendors and music, like Critical Brass and Restaurant. I’ll be there cheering on my grrls Kaboom & Clobber Girl. Raar!

If I weren’t such a delicate flower I’d be all over this thing myself, but knowing my own talent for flinging myself headlong into profoundly unsafe situations, I’d end up in traction within a week. So I shall cheer from the sidelines, where I’ll prolly get clocked by a flying quad.

A stark reminder of L.A.’s Cold War air defense system can be found at the top of San Vicente Mountain, off an unpaved portion of Mulholland Drive.  The official name for this facility is the Cold War-creepy LA-96, a/k/a the Van Nuys/Sepulveda Nike Missile Control Site.  It’s also one of the more scenic spots in L.A., rewarding hikers and mountain bikers at the top of the West Ridge and Sullivan Canyon Trails with stunning 360-degree vistas.

According to the San Vicente Mountain Park website, LA-96 contained a radar tracking station for the Nike-Ajax antiaircraft missiles that were prepared to fire from the nearby Sepulveda Basin at invading Russkie warplanes.  Now the site has picnic tables and bathrooms for hikers and other visitors.

More missile control, after the jump

There’s been plenty of talk around here about bikes on the freeways, but I still insist that a real man takes to the highway on four wheels. Four wheels and a plank, that is!

As seen relatively freshly painted while westbound on 4th Street
immediately west of Highland Avenue approaching Citrus Avenue.

These aren’t set in stone (ha,ha), so feel free to leave your own in the comments.

1. Thou shalt have an earthquake kit in their home and trunk.
2. Thou shalt always complain about the weather despite living in the nation’s most moderate climate.
3. Thou shalt know the location of the nearest In-N-Out, no matter where thou are in the city.
4. Thou shalt have a Ralphs Card, but shalt always refer to Trader Joes as the best grocery store ever.
5. Thou shalt treat San Franciscans’ constant pissing-and-moaning remarks about how “awful” life in L.A. is as little more than what they are - harmless slurs from ill-informed street urchins. Likewise, thou shalt pay New Yorkers no damn mind whatsoever.
6. Thou shalt not stay beyond the seventh inning at thy Dodgers game.
7. Thou shall know that East LA begins east of the Los Angeles River.
8. Thou shalt always keep a Thomas Guide in thy car. Thou shalt not worship thy Garmin nor thy Google, as thee are fallible. Thou shalt be forbidden from speaking of Mapquest, as it is thy devil.
9. Thou shalt not be the 3rd car turning left on red. It’s red. Not orange. Not sorta-red. But you-could-get-T-boned-while-trying-to-rush-to-your-yoga-class red.
10. Thou shalt not fuck with the Jesus.

…Mack Reed and Mike Winder contributed to this entry, including the butchering of thy old-timey speak…

Metro Board Chair Pam O’Connor will host a “live” internet chat today at noon to discuss high gas prices and the latest recession buzzword: Staycations!

With gas prices spiraling out of control and ridership up on Metro Rail, the MTA is wisely capitalizing on the increasing trend of Americans to take vacations in their home cities. Staycations eliminate the need for gassing up the car or paying those irksome new baggage fees with the airlines. In a city like L.A., there’s a ton of things to see and do. Some of it is even free.

Here is your challenge: Plan a mini staycation within walking distance of ONE METRO STATION, be it bus or rail.

Example: Civic Center Station, Downtown Los Angeles, June 26-29

• Stay at the Omni Hotel
• Thurs. June 26 - A Chorus Line at the Ahmanson Theatre ($30 and up)
• Fri. June 27 - Dance Downtown, with Swing featuring The Jonathan Stout Orchestra at the Music Center Plaza (FREE)
• Sat. June 28 - Angel City Drive-In showing Breakfast at Tiffany’s, 4th & Broadway (Walk-ups & bike-ins welcome, $10)
• During the day visit Historic Broadway Theaters, Disney Concert Hall, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bradbury Building, Los Angeles City Hall, Grand Central Market, the Jewelry District, Santee Alley, and the birthplace of the most diverse city in the world.
• When you’re tired of walking, stop by Bar 107 for a goblet of beer.

That’s just one small example. Let us know your idea for a staycation near a Metro stop in your hood.

Photo from puck90’s photostream