If I was in LA I’d be headed over to The Roxy this Wednesday, December 15th to check out the CD release by Mike Watt’s band Banyan. It’s at 9PM and you should go. Fer reals, yo.

And just in case… The Roxy is located at 9009 W. Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. Good times.

There was fucking a lot of people at Bazaar Bizarre along with bad ventilation and steamy moisture making its way through the congested room. It was like a turkish spa except everyone wore clothes. And there were girls too! But did the show suck. No. It was the opposite. There was an ample amount of vendors, 80 to 100 maybe, with hand made merchandise ranging from clothing – sweaters, tees and knit caps to artwork – prints, sculptures and painted bears. Some of the things were overpriced some of it was a rad deal. There was a lot of bad shit but there was lot of awesome stuff as well….although probably more beautiful than ugly. The show creates an intimacy that despite the strongest cynic, makes one appreciate the work and hardwork that was being sold…”just a break from the norm” And it also helps that there was a man clown in a red skirt m.c.ing the cake raffle. Of course, there were lot of so called hip people, these kind of things are a beacon calling out to the masses of tight tee wearing emo people, but hell, everyone seem to be doing all right. Everyone.

Unfortunately there’s no new news on this situation yet. I haven’t received a reply to my e-mail, nor have I gotten a return call to any of the messages I’ve left there. I’m not going to let this go however, I’m going to keep leaving messages until they call me back.

Lately, I’ve been trying to focus more on buying local and/or organic products from small farms and dairies. I’m not usually a big fan of milk, though I do love cheese. Yay, cheese. Anyway, a week or two ago I was at my local Bristol Farms and found some tasty looking eggnog in a nice glass bottle in the cooler. It looked so good that it caused me to have uncharacteristic holiday spirit, which was doubled when I rounded the corner to find some very good rum on sale for $9.99. I got home and tried some, and it was literally the best eggnog I have ever tasted, even before I added the rum! Intrigued, I decided to find out more about the dairy.

Broguiere’s has been in Montebello since Ernest Broguiere founded it in 1920. They still bottle all their milk (and apparently, their seasonal eggnog) in glass bottles. Their chocolate milk is hand-stirred and made with chocolate syrup and a little cream. Their nonfat milk is recommended in tasty recipes. And I was so motivated by the flavorful goodness of the eggnog that I decided I’d have to try their milk, even though I’m not usually a big milk drinker. I snagged some 2% at the store tonight, and… holy mother of jeebus, that is some good. freakin. milk. And bonus, I’m supporting local business! Hooray.

I haven’t been able to locate a website for them, but their products are available at Bristol Farms. Alternately, you can call them at 323-726-0524 and ask them where to get their tasty products.

My newspaper delivery is definitely of the no-frills variety (I have to put on both clothes AND shoes to pick it up) but when that little envelope shows up in my paper L.A. Times every year, I tip anyway. Not a lot–I only get the Sunday edition and like I said, it ain’t exactly primo serviceó-but I figure anyone who’s delivering the paper for a living in L.A. can use a little boost once a year.

Every time I wrote the check, I’d wonder about Floridalma Mazariegos: who s/he was; how many kids s/he had, and whether s/he’d have enough this year for a merry Christmas; what the hell gender s/he was, anyway. But mostly, I’d worry: why, after five years, was Floridalma still delivering my paper? Were there no better jobs to be had? Or was this really such a great one?

That’s why this year’s envelope from my new delivery person came as such a shock. Floridalma has clearly moved on, one way or another, but I don’t know where or why. I’m not even sure how I’d go about finding out.

I’m keeping a happy holiday thought that s/he found greener pastures. I’ve got Jorge Canul’s future to worry about now.

At least I don’t have to sweat the pronoun thing anymore.

After days of feeling irritated about all the traffic this frenzied buying season has instigated, I decided to give it up and get into the Christmas spirit. That means hunting down a Christmas tree. Being of the ‘I love a deal’ school in the finance department, part of my Christmas tradition has always been cruising downtown to Alameda and getting a tree from the lively auction that United Melon has every night til Christmas Eve.

I drove down to their new lot on Alameda and College, about two blocks north of Union Station and sure enough, the auciton was in full swing. After waiting for a couple of crazy high bidders to do their thing, I bid on a perfect 8 footer and got if for a mere $35.00! Then lo and behold a super sweet hunky guy named Chris, offered to put a stand on it and hoist it onto the car for another seven big ones. Such a deal. The trees are right off the railroad trucks, still packed in ice. You can’t go wrong. They have mistletoe and everyone is smiles all around. Good way to start this winter ritual. The auction is from 4:30 til 9:30 on weekedays and 11am – 9:30 on weekends.

Part of my recent move to Manhattan Beach has included familiarizing myself with my new surroundings. Unlike the corner of Olympic and Beverly Glen that I lived on for the past 9 years, Manhattan Beach is a quiet little community. It’s miles from Hollywood both geographically and aesthetically. It’s odd to live in an actual neighborhood again and not some transient apartment complex mixture of actors, old people, writers, failures, has-beens, hopefuls and newbies.

What’s also odd is the silence.

There are no fire trucks screaming down Olympic at 3am. There are no accidents outside our building once a week. There are no kids with ten thousand dollar car stereos anxious to kill their ears, pumping the bass. There are no parties on the floor below us either, nor distant rumblings of up to three dryers tumbling in unison. I no longer depend upon an elevator to get me to and from where I live. No more buzzing people in. No more telling visitors to “take the elevator to the third floor, make a left, go through the door at the end of the hall and then make a right. I’ll meet you in the hallway.” There are no more packages in the office which must be picked up during business hours. There are no more Century City skyscrapers visible from our back window, and no more 9′x3′ balcony to serve as our “outdoors.”

Our back window in Manhattan Beach looks out onto a yard. I had forgotten how nice it is to have a yard. I missed it. I thought I’d miss Los Angeles and Hollywood and I thought moving out of the city would make me feel like I was removed from the action. As it turns out, I AM removed from the action and so far, it’s pretty nice.

If you’re in the South Bay or feel like making the 20 minute trek down the 405 to get here, Manhattan Beach has it’s annual “Holiday Fireworks Festival” on the pier today, Sunday Dec. 12, from 4-7:30pm. According to the local paper, the festivities include a “snow park for kids,” a Santa float, and two bands playing, including a band called the “Hyperion Outfall Serenaders.” Weird name. I don’t know anything about them, but a quick googling tells me that they are a local Dixieland jazz band.

I must really be getting older and blander because taking my family to see fireworks on the beach pier with some local dixieland band playing songs I’ve heard at a hundred parades sounds like a perfect Sunday evening.

Is it just me or is it unseasonably warm all of a sudden? I was just getting used to the cold weather and then BAM – they hit us with tons of sunshine. It’s supposed to reach 80 degrees today. It is December, right? According to Weather.com, average high during the month of December is 66 degrees.

Don’t get me wrong – I like this weather, but I just bought a coat that I’m dying to wear. And it doesn’t go so well with flip flops and shorts.

My family and friends are tough to shop for, and I’m in need of holiday gifts that abound with snark and iron, so tomorrow you’ll find me at Bazaar Bizarre.

They say it’s “not your granny’s craft fair.” I hope so. I just saw some of the products from the crafts room at my grandmother’s place, and I’m still trying to wipe the images from my mind.

Apparently the thugs LAX police were completely justified to Taser a 78 year old man who became upset because he couldn’t get his car back.

As somebody who currently has expired tags on their car, this causes me to worry.

At least I can think “it could be worse”. All in one day this guy:

• gets ticket for expired tags
• gets towing and impound fees
• gets electrocuted
• goes to the hospital
• goes to jail
• gets charged for disturbing the peace and resisting an officer

Welcome to Los Angeles sir.

Next week the Pt. Fermin Lighthouse turns 130.

Listed as L.A. Historic Cultural Monument 187, it was built (as you can guess) in 1874 originally sporting a wicklamp that could be seen for 13 miles. The the lighthouse is in the style of a Victorian mansion (Victorian/Railway Gothic/Italinate) and though it no longer serves its original purpose, it was given a restoration and resumption of perhaps only honorary duties in 1974. Another renovation in 2002 gave it a facelift. (Great history here.)

San Pedro is a world unto itself, if you never get down to the harbor area, maybe this weekend is the time to go. Blue Whales have recently been sighted off the coast and the first Gray Whales of the season have also been sighted by the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium’s staff and American Cetacean Society’s annual Gray Whale census.
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I’m not much of an art critic, but earlier tonight I went to the opening of a photography exhibit that was, uh, freakin’ awesome.

Gay Ribisi takes underwater portraits in her swimming pool (of things like a girl writing in her journal), and the results feel futuristic and floaty and magical. My photo of a photo does not do the show justice — they are really amazing. If you’re going to be anywhere near Gallery Saint Germain before December 19th, I strongly recommend checking out this exhibit. It makes me wish I had a place to put one of those photos, and the money to bring it home.

If you go to her website and click on “Press” you can watch a short video about her work.

If I were going to be in town this weekend I would definitely try to get my ass out of bed in time to see Able Edwards at the MiniDV Festival in Hollywood on Saturday. Ifín I got my facts straight, this festival is in its second year and shows shorts and features produced exclusively on miniDV (the standard consumer digital video format). Considering the hardly limiting criteria and the sheer number of ìfilmsî screening, this fest promises to be like a box of chocolates with a few little pieces of shit mixed in to keep you guessing. Able Edwards is one reliable offering, and I regret not being in town to check it out.

The festival runs Friday through Sunday at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood.

Driving down Main Street today in Santa Monica on my way to work, I realized that there are at least 6 coffee shops within a four-block radius, with another currently preparing for a grand opening! There are two Starbucks, one Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, a Peet’s Coffee and numerous local haunts (which I really should try). I realize that there are lots of coffee shops throughout Los Angeles, but I’ve never seen so many in such close proximity. I always thought of Santa Monica residents as pretty laid back, but maybe they’re all just coming down off of their caffeine buzz, waiting for the next fix. I’m actually within walking distance of a Santa Monica Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, so I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before I get jumped in to the Caramel Mocha Mafia.

Caryn mentioned this earlier and I dove into it a bit today but it seems that LACMA has blocked it’s employees access to art blogs, including our own art.blogging.la. The employees who were e-mailing us about it told us that the story they were told was that…

…about 3-4 months ago LACMA’s system got infected by some virus and pretty much all of the 400 people who work there were unable to use their computers. To prevent another such incident they’ve installed some hardcore firewall. They can still visit gallery sites and everything… just no blogs, friendsters, or things of the like.

As I wrote earlier, my question about this is that in order for gallery sites to be reachable, but blogs to be blocked, there would have to be some kind of black list in place and I want to know who put blogs on it, specifically art blogs since this is an art institution. I asked around and got a contact for Andy Dworkin who I’m told is in charge of this kind of thing. I just sent him this e-mail to try to get to the bottom of this and I’ll post about it as soon as I hear anything back. I wrote:

Hi Andy-

I was told that you are someone who might be able to give me a statement about the new firewall at LACMA that is blocking many art blogs. As a blog publisher this kind of situation is very interesting to me and I’m working on a story about this new policy. As I understand it, and please correct me if I’m wrong, but much of the web is still freely accessible from inside LACMA such as art gallery website and many art news sites but now many blogs, and art blogs specifically have been blocked. Since some sites are reachable, and other blocked, that would seem to suggest that some kind of blacklist is being used and that’s what I have a question about. If you could answer these questions for me, or pass them on to someone who might be able to that would be very helpful.

I’m interested in knowing where this blacklist came from. Did LACMA create it or did they just implement a list created by a third party?

If the list was created by LACMA, why were art blogs included on this list? Given that many of them are a valuable source of information written by industry professionals, it seems odd that LACMA wouldn’t want their employees to be able to read them.

If the list was created by a third party, what does LACMA think about the fact that this list is blocking art world sites?

Are their any plans to correct the situation and restore access to some of these art blogs such as art.blogging.la or modernartnotes.com?

If not, why not?

Thanks very much for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you or someone else from LACMA.

Best,

Sean Bonner

Stay tuned for more…

Update: While I still haven’t heard anything back from LACMA, my little birdy told me that Andy actually agree’s with me and passed my note onto upper management. I also got the number for Domenic Morea who is the head of Media Relations (publicity) and I left him a message.