For Angelenos needing to shop at IKEA, the Carson and Burbank locations are the usual choices.  I go to the Carson location, not just because it is closer to my home, but because, at the other end of the shopping center sits Five Guys Burgers.  Five Guys is not new to these pages,  having been (mixed) reviewed by Faboomama and commented on by others.  But it’s all subjective, and, subjectively, I love the place (disclosure/confession: I used to go to their original DC-area locations).

So now, I rarely (ok, never) go to IKEA without hitting Five Guys.  One triggers the other, just like a ciggy in a bar.  Plus, I figure I deserve it after getting that thousand yard IKEA Stare after an hour or so inside the Swedish happy torture factory.  As to whether the trip to IKEA was really necessary in the first place, or just an excuse for a Five Guys burger & fries, I’ll never te-ell….

On November 14, 15 and 16, locals will have the opportunity to check out Nissan’s first ever zero-emissions electric car, the LEAF. This will be the first public unveiling of the LEAF in North America. You can check it out this weekend at the following locations:

Nissan's New Electric Car Debuts in LA this Weekend

November 14, 2009 10am – 9pm
Third Street Promenade
1351 3rd Street Promenade
Santa Monica, CA

November 15, 2009 11am – 8pm
Americana at Brand
233 S. Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA

November 16, 2009 9am – 5pm
University Southern California
3501 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA

According to Nissan, the LEAF handles and accelerates like a V6 and has a top speed of up to 90mph. It will have an average range of 100 miles per charge and the battery will charge in 4-8 hours on a 220V home charging unit. At quick-charge stations, it will charge to 80% in about 26 minutes. Although Nissan has not released exact information on pricing, they say that they are “targeting a price in the range of other typical family sedans.” The LEAF will be on the road in some states in 2010, with mass-production beginning in 2012.

To attend one of the unveiling events this weekend, register on their website here.

Earlier this week I alerted you to the LA Opera’s first ever costume sale and now I bring you this, just in time for Halloween costume shopping.

The Movie Wardrobe Sale Takes Place at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel - Second Home to Hot Stars Like Us

There is going to be another amazing sale this weekend, the Hollywood Studio Collection’s wardrobe sale. A portion of the proceeds from this sale will benefit Childhelp, one of the world’s largest organizations that aids victims of child abuse and neglect.

Thousands of wardrobe pieces from various movie sets will be sold during the three-day event that consists of both vintage and contemporary clothing, shoes, décor, accessories and props that have been used in some of today and yesterday’s most influential blockbuster films. The sample sale will offer rare and one-of-a-kind items that would normally be sold for thousands of dollars, for as little as $10.

The sale takes place at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel this Saturday, October 10 through Monday, October 12 in the Oscar Room on the second level of the hotel.

Admission is only $5. For more information, visit www.TheHollywoodStudioCollection.com or call (818) 812-6068.

Just in time for Halloween, the Los Angeles Opera distributed a press release today announcing their first ever costume sale. Over 2500 costume pieces will go sale this Saturday, October 10 from 10:00AM to 6:00PM.

Fantasma De La Opera

Pieces for sale will include everything ranging from complete “merry peasant” and “medieval courtier” costumes to individual pieces such as capes, hats, shoes and fans. Highlights of the collection include a number of “diva dresses,” stunning hand-crafted gowns worn by LA Opera’s leading ladies including Carol Vaness (La Traviata, Don Giovanni, The Merry Widow and La Rondine), Jennifer Larmore (L’Italiana in Algeri), Maria Ewing (Fedora), Verónica Villarroel (Idomeneo) and Karita Mattila (Jenufa), as well as costumes worn by superstar tenor Plácido Domingo (Un Ballo in Maschera and Idomeneo). From what I hear, there is only one latex Fly costume so get in line early if you want to nab that one!

Prices will range from $10 for accessories to $20 for hats and masks, complete costumes from $150 all the way up to $5,000 for couture pieces. Cash, check and credit cards are all accepted.

LA Opera is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The Company’s Costume Shop is staffed by dozens (more…)

Rockaway Records, tucked behind Silver Lake Wine on Glendale, will celebrate their 30th anniversary tomorrow, Sunday, with a parking lot sale from 10 AM to 4 PM where they will be selling CDs for 99 cents, while in the store from 10 AM to 7 PM, vinyl, CDs, DVDs and books will be discounted up to 75% off.

One of the ways Rockaway survived is by transforming itself into a memorabilia mecca. I got a Peter Tork T-shirt there for $5 a few years ago, but you can spend thousands on rare vinyl and artifacts if you’re so inclined. As a nod to this sustaining tactic, they will have a drawing tomorrow to give away a rare, Beatles Yesterday and Today “butcher” cover LP.

Also, check out Randy Lewis’s article about Rockaway in Thursday’s LA Times, chronicling the ups and downs of the indie music store as it dodged bullets and stayed afloat in the face of diving CD sales and, before that, encroaching music megastores (like Virgin and Tower) that initially were a threat– only to outlive them as they bit the dust one by one.

Rockaway Records, 2395 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles 90039

Note: It looks like Mrs. Lulu has snuck into the blogosphere again.

Once again I find myself in a dispute with LA Fitness’ business office.

[EDIT: I am in such strong agreement with Mrs. Lulu's rant here that I'd love to see all our readers share their "my gym screwed me" stories in the comments. I think this is an industry-wide pattern of lying to-- and screwing-- customers. If you have an experience like Mrs. Lulu's, read on & let us know. --Lucinda.]

The second time in my husband’s and my two year membership. The first time there was a problem was when he tried to quit his personal trainer contract after the so-called trial period was up. They simply ignored our written and phone requests and continued to bill my credit card. Even after speaking to one of their reps (not an easy feat to accomplish), two more months of illegitimate billing went by before I disputed the charges with my credit card company and got (partial) satisfaction. (more…)

I walked into the store and it caught my eye.  Hundreds of hang tags hanging from the shelves with the word “Banned” on them with some text.  Close inspection revealed why a book was banned and where.  From elementary schools here to military juntas,  if it was banned and is on Vroman’s shelves its labeled for your ease in identifying the offending book.

My favorite is on the list.   Don Quixote.  I loved that book in high school.  It was the source of  my question authority mindset I have carried into adulthood (Hunter S Thompson sorta cemented that notion, but I digress a bit).

If you want to easily see what has been banned and pick up your own copy just pop on over to either of the Vromans locations in Pasadena.

Vroman’s Bookstore:

• 695 E. Colorado, Pasadena CA 91101, 626-449-5320
• 3729 E Foothill Blvd (Hastings Ranch), Pasadena CA 91107, 626-351-0828

It may be a bit late in the outdoor concert/picnic season to mention this, but I re-stumbled upon Bandit wine, sold in resealable Tetra Pak cartons, at Silver Lake Wine this week, although they’ve had it for at least a year. Most times I go in there, it’s for wine for a dinner party, either my own or for a friend’s, so I’ve always ruled it out.

So yesterday, after a trip to Rockaway Records on Glendale where I scored a CD of the 2nd Talking Heads album, “More Songs About Buildings and Food,” for $6,  I thought I would pop into SLW, in the same building, to celebrate my purchase with a bottle of wine. (Here’s to 1978!)

And there it was. A lime-green carton with a jumble of fonts, clunky rounded off corners, a price sticker that read $7.75.

I asked the wine guy, “How is it?” (more…)

Click for my full photoset.

When Chatsworth isn’t on fire, it’s actually kind of neat. And so far since this northwest corner of the Valley has escaped fire season (crosses fingers, knocks on wood, kisses rabbit’s foot), you should venture on out this Saturday & check out their adorable farmers’ market in the parking lot at the sylvan St. Stephen Presbyterian Church, where willowy eucalyptus bends over the farm stands and the vendors’ kids run around & play on the grass.

It’s small, but there are enough fruit & veggie vendors to create a diverse selection of produce, from cactus fruit (”fruta di nopales,” said the lady, attempting to communicate with me despite my limited Spanish) to brilliantly colored white and yellow peaches, nectarines, pluots and strawberries.

My favorite booth has to be the one from Shabazz Bakery, though, staffed by what I’m guessing were the only African-American people in all of Chatsworth that day, serving up carrot pie, navy bean pie and pecan pie from 60-year-old recipes. My mom & I, who were spending a lazy Saturday afternoon together, were blown back by the samples they gave us and we bought two pies each to take home.

Chatsworth / Porter Ranch Certified Farmers’ Market: 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., St. Stephen Presbyterian Church Parking Lot, 20121 Devonshire St. (cross street is Winnetka Ave.)

It was the Best Buy of times, ….  Last week, I went to the Fox Hills Mall in Culver City, which is undergoing a huge expansion.  As part of the expansion, Best Buy is installing a new store there.  Just inside the mall’s main entrance, Best Buy has set up a “hiring center.” Applicants are greeted with optimistic signs proclaiming “Your Opportunity” and “Your Enthusiasm,” complete with Best Buy’s bright blue and yellow color scheme.

But if you turn 180 degrees and look just across W. Slauson Avenue, you can see a drab grey building with maroon trim.  If you look at the series of dots across the top of the building, you can make out where the large “CIRCUIT CITY” sign was taken down when this and its other stores closed earlier this year.  Circuit City’s loss has obviously become Best Buy’s gain.
More of the tale, after the jump