LA has an excessive number of brilliant minds, and when you combine that brilliance with playful creativity, you get events like this one. Velvet Interactive Playground,  Thursday night, will present a multimedia extravaganza of weird & wonderful.

Artist and inventor Eric Gradman has two installations for partygoers to play with: one is Shadowsmoke, where you can use your shadow to push and effect a projected fluid’s motion on a wall; and the other is the Cloud Mirror, which uses the magic of technology to create a “mirror” of you–complete with thought bubbles overhead (somehow it knows where your face is) intelligently scraped from your own presence on the internet.

There’ll be DJs, drinks & dancing, of course, and a VJ will be mixing live visuals in real time; but the showstopper should be Zombies Without Borders, the latest iteration of the LA troupe of zombie cheerleaders (and bananas) who’ve regularly dazzled Bootie LA with their choreographed-yet-zombiefied dances to mash-ups.

Hot zombie cheerleaders? A mirror that reads my thoughts? I’m there.

Los Angeles area as seen from Mt. Wilson

Forbes.com has published a list of the 20 most overpriced cities in the United States, and, perhaps to the surprise of few, Los Angeles tops the list. According to Forbes, “earnings potential and living expenses,” including salary information, unemployment figures, the cost of living, and the Housing Opportunity Index, were all examined in compiling its list. Forbes cited a 10.3% unemployment rate in Los Angeles, as well as a housing bust in construction and sales that is made worse by the fact that home prices here are still among the highest in the nation.

See who else made the list

Okay, I made that last one up. But now that I have your attention, I’m going to get straight to the point.

Starting tonight, and continuing through Sunday, at the Skirball Cultural Center, L.A. Theatre Works wraps up a 22-city, seven-month national tour of their Sci-Fi (no, not “SyFy” you numbskulls) radio drama double bill of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds–originally performed by Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre of the Air in 1938–and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World (no relation to this) with a live recording for their nationally syndicated show.

And if a chance to hear what L.A. Theatre Works calls “the mothership of all space invasions” coupled with a time travel adventure set in the “time of dinosaurs and cave men” isn’t enough for you, tonight (and tonight only) you can catch an interview with Leonard “I Am Spock” Nimoy following the performance. Perhaps if you’re lucky, they’ll leave room for a Q&A and you can finally ask Mr. Nimoy to clear the air concerning his singing career.

Photo by magnusw via Flickr.

A Mother’s Day visit to Griffith Park’s Autry National Center of the American West happened in part because my mom had never been there and also because my wife Susan and I kept putting off going to see its “Bold Caballeros y Noble Bandidas” exhibit, which was closing that day. So off we went, and once inside we discovered another exhibit that opened in April titled “Sparkle & Twang,” showcasing country music artist Marty Stuart’s collection of memorabilia that illustrates his connection to some of the greatest icons of the genre.

Being neither country music’s biggest fan, nor very well-versed in its legends and lore, I entered the gallery somewhat reluctantly, but quickly warmed to the story Stuart’s stuff told — especially when it came to the section dedicated to Johnny Cash. One piece (pictured at right, click for enhanced readability), consisting of two pages of handwritten — and illustrated — lyrics to a song titled “Don’t Make A Movie About Me” that Cash wrote back during Christmas of 1982, particularly enthralled me given the delicious irony of the Hollywood going ahead and making a movie about him some 23 years later. From some of the amazing things Cash writes, “Walk The Line” didn’t even come close to capturing who he was, and I’m pretty damn sure he didn’t want it to anyway.

“Sparkle & Twang” will be at the Autry National Center of the American West through August 23.

Photo by Gary Minnaert

Yes, this Saturday, Cinespia returns to Hollywood Forever Cemetery with the first screening of the season: Cool Hand Luke. Movies at the cemetery are one of LA’s finest fun offerings, and Cool Hand Luke is one of the all-time cinema classics, so really, you can’t go wrong here. If you’ve never been before, know that it’s crowded, but the plus side is that it provides some of the finest people watching in LA. The movie starts at 8:30, but come early and have a leisurely din din on the mausoleum lawn while the dj spins. Bring blankies and sweaters–it gets cold at night. So far, the other films announced for future weeks include To Catch a Thief, Dazed and Confused, and Sleeper.

Caught through my windshield as I was driving away from a friend’s place in Echo Park this weekend, I finally figured out that the macho male version of the girl who drives her sunflower yellow bug with stuffed animals pinned to the dashboard is:  a giant trucker with various creatures tied to the back of his transport.  Case in point:

The bombastic Scottish five-piece Mogwai returns to LA in a venue befitting its magestic, cinematic, explosive sound: Downtown’s glittering neo-Classical movie palace The Orpheum. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this show, and I also can’t tell you how essential it will be for you to bring earplugs if you win these tickets.

I started with Mogwai’s Come On Die Young album, was blown away by the loud-soft-loud-soft post-rock landscapes, and then backtracked to their 1997 album Young Team. That sealed the deal. The later Rock Action & Mr. Beast were fantastic as well. A show some years later at the El Rey left me flattened, gasping for air from the wall of sound, and blown the fuck away.

To win, tell me your favorite Mogwai song and why you love it so much. May the force be with you.

The Goldenvoice show info is here.

There’s still time to register your dog for the 8th Annual Nuts for Mutts Dog Show, which takes place on Sunday, May 17 at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

The event raises money for New Leash On Life, a local non-profit organization that rescues and rehabilitates homeless pets. The funds raised during the event will help NLOL reach their goal of making Los Angeles a no-kill city. All vendor fees, ticket sales, show registrations and additional proceeds directly benefit homeless animals.

My ex and I entered his pit mix, Seamus into this competition back in 2007. He made it to the semi-finals, only to lose the title of “Best Pit Bull” to a three-legged scamp. He is still licking his wounds from that upset (by him I mean the dog, not the ex). This year might be his big come back (again, the dog, not the ex)!

Seamus After Winning The 2007 Nuts for Mutts Semi-Finals

Nuts for Mutts is an annual dog show and pet fair celebrating the best of the mutt – it’s like the Westminster Dog Show with a sense of humor. In this show, mixed breed dogs compete in categories such as “Best Kisser,” “Fastest Eater,” “Most Vocal,” “Mystery Mutt” and more. It’s a day of fun and a way for people to show off their mutts, so nothing is taken too seriously.

Spaces are filling fast, so don’t miss your chance to strut your mutt in the dog show this year.

Help support New Leash On Life Animal Rescue in their mission to rescue homeless animals and find them permanent, loving homes.

For additional show information, tickets or to register your dog for the show, please visit the official Nuts For Mutts website here.

So Miss California, Carrie Prejean, who recently got a call from Satan while on television before millions of viewers, will be allowed to keep her crown and continue to represent the Golden State as a good will ambassador around the country, or to at least to those who will have her.

All thanks to Miss USA pageant-owner Donald Trump, who said since she’s pretty it doesn’t matter that she broke pageant rules by not disclosing that she posed for nude photographs, let alone made an ad  for a political organization (another pageant no-no) seeking to deny marriage rights to same-sex couples.

I don’t mind the ham-fisted way she stated her views. She seemed to be saying she thinks same-sex marriage is wrong according to the version of religion that she subscribes to, but there are places where it’s legal and that’s okay with her. I’m cutting her a big break because I assumed she was saying she wasn’t trying to press her views on other people and force them to live accordingly.

But by then choosing to work for the so called National Organization for Marriage, a group  founded on the principals of open hostility to gay people, it makes her seem like either an impressionable dumb-ass, or a media whore clamoring for any attention she can get, or a bigot.  Or all three, which I now suspect is the case.

I never thought I would utter these words, but THANK YOU PEREZ HILTON. Celebrity “journalism” has never held any interest for me, but I guess it sure came in handy here. (He asked Prejean her views on same-sex marriage during the pageant, eliciting her response that started a media tsunami.)

As I think back on the handful of times I noticed the gay boy with the spikey blue hair pecking away at his laptop at the Coffee Bean on Sunset and Hayworth a few years ago, not realizing it was Hilton (nee Mario Armando Lavandeira) building his power base in the online gossip world, I now smile at the political and social purpose he has embraced.

I read somewhere recently how time is the enemy of bigotry. As older people who cling to antiquated social values die off, successively enlightened younger generations will take their place– a gross oversimplification. Carrie Prejean is 21; Perez Hilton is 31.

Photo: Eric from Irvine; Creative Commons Lic.

last week's Farmers Market bounty

It’s Tuesday and you know what that means? That’s right–it’s Farmer’s Market night in Sherman Oaks. Every Tuesday from 3:00 until 8:30, you can listen to music, buy produce, and shop local vendors at the market on Woodman just south of Riverside. The market is still relatively small and easy to manage, not yet a victim of its own success as the Northridge farmer’s market can be some week. It’s true I’m a bit booster because I can walk there, but there is ample parking and it’s right off the 101. Last week I got fuji apples, a basket of tomatoes, sun-dried tomato and basil hummus with pita, empanadas, sunflowers, and perhaps most amazingly, lavender and lemon goat cheese. I even bought a dress, but sadly it’s a bit snug. It seems I need to limit the empanadas. Maybe next week.

Photo by flickr's Geoff604, used under Creative Commons.

Do you like to write about food? Fancy yourself a budding restaurant critic? (C’mon, I’ve seen the 284 reviews you’ve posted to Yelp.) Do you dream of one day taking Jonathan Gold’s job? Would you simply like to learn more about food writing and improve your skills?

Thursday evening 826LA will host the latest in their Writing Series for Adults: Food Writing. The panel will discuss writing about food in various media (blogs, newspaper, and books,) as well as the business side of food writing such as composing a recipe, how to review a restaurant (I’m lookin’ at you, Yelpers,) and how to get published.

The panel will feature award-winning L.A. food blogger Pat Sapperstein and Pulitzer Prize winning food journalist Jonathan Gold, among other L.A. food luminaries.

For more information and to purchase tickets go to 826LA’s event page.

What: 826LA’s Adult Writing Seminar Series: Writing About Food.
When: Thursday, May 14, 2009, from 7:30-9:00pm.
Where: 826LA East, 1714 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 90026

If food writing holds any interest for you at all, you better jump on this. You won’t find this much knowledge on the subject anywhere else.

I love when you think a funny moment is over, but then you see something like this and it’s like the cherry on the sundae.

Spotted at the Arclight last Saturday night (May 9) before the 8:30 screening in the Dome.

From Beck to X. From Jan and Dean to Guns N Roses. From Joni Mitchell to NWA.

Thanks to the ever amazing LA Metblog writers who wrote over thirty posts on music about LA that meant something to each of them. I had a little idea for a series and they all knocked out of the stratosphere. Thank you, I am inspired by you all!

Our series of Songs about LA has come to an end (though a few more posts may trickle in) so I’ll leave you with a surreal (to me) version of the song that sums it up: I Love LA by Randy Newman.

To see the GLORIOUS 80′s version of I Love LA, please click here.

For the full list of posts from the series, sing through the jump.

Read the rest of this entry →

This Thursday more than 40,000 Angelenos will take a bite out of L.A. traffic and bike to work. 44 energy stations will be set up across the city with free goodies (6 am to 9 am) and the Metro is offering free rides for those participating.

Sound like fun to you? Then pledge to participate in advance and be auto-entered into a special drawing.  Call 213-922-2811 or sign up online here.

Locali Conscious Convenience announced this month that the Icycle, a frozen dessert delivery tricycle, will begin spreading its regionally and sustainably sourced, organic, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, sugar-free, and other eco-friendly goodness across Los Angeles beginning May 25th.  The service will continue through Labor Day.

Dressed in an old fashioned soda jerk outfit, a Locali employee will tour the streets of Los Angeles on the Icycle visiting different neighboring communities each day. Locali’s Twitter page, @Locali, will unveil the day’s selected destinations with specific cross streets where people can meet for a cool summer treat. The Icycle will visit neighborhoods including Hollywood, East Hollywood, Sunset Junction, Los Feliz, Griffith Park, Silver Lake, and Larchmont Village. Locali will also offer delivery for specific locations upon request for large orders.

The Icycle’s variety of frozen treats range from the indulgent to the guilt-free. Sno-Cones made with ultra pure Reverse Osmosis Water and Organic Syrup sweetened with all natural Brown Rice Syrup or diabetic-friendly Xylitol, are available in flavors including Banana, Mango, Cherry Cola, Grape, Pumpkin, Coconut, Cinnamon, and Key Lime Pie (2 flavors for $2.75 each). Customers can also visit Locali for a full selection from up to 30 different Sno-Cone flavors. Other options from the Icycle include offerings from a variety of local artisans such as Carmela’s Ice Cream and Popshop Popsicles as well as Cookies, Handmade Vegan Ice Cream Sandwiches, Raw Vegan Cheesecake, Gluten-Free Ice Cream, and Frozen Organic Wheatgrass Shots.

I’m dying to know what a cinnamon pumpkin snow cone tastes like so I hope the Icycle hits North Hollywood.