Hello out there!

All of my life I have lived on the Left Side. From Vancouver to Seattle to San Francisco (where I started writing for Metblogs), the Left Coast has always been my home base. When I moved to Los Angeles I made no exception and chose to make the Left Side my home. I live right on the beach in Venice, the closest I have ever lived to the ocean, but I have never resided further than a mile away from it as I start to feel claustrophobic.

My interests focus mainly around anything worthy of my energy to walk or bike to, animals great and small, music (I work full time as an Account Manager at Topspin), and soon kids as I am expecting my first bambino in February.

I want to make it clear that I’m not a west side snob and do in fact make it over to other parts of town especially to Arc Light, but I’m pretty sure the other writers have that side well covered.

Please hold, my first bright and colorful post is coming soon!

Hearts,
Tara

I waited as long as I could for the owner to return, but alas I was not so lucky today.  I was dying to learn the history of this particular 1960 El Camino of which is the rarest of that body style with barely 14K made.  The license plate tells us all what the owner thinks of this gem “A HOT 60″.  Lord knows we love our cars in LA, but this one has had some loving restoration somewhere along the line and it still wears well.

To see the wonderful “fins” on the rear of this survivor you need to make the jump. Read the rest of this entry →

Image via Wikipedia

In just a few short days, the annual LADWP Festival of Lights will kick off. with Bike Night. On December 3rd from 5 – 10pm, bike riders will have the streets to themselves.

New this year will be walking only nights. With the stated purpose of  ‘going green’, these nights run Dec. 4th – 17th.  Walking festival-goers can park in the LA Zoo parking lot. On Dec. 11 – 13th,  a Family Mini Fair intended to educate and celebrate the eco-friendly evenings.

The regular drive-thru nights begin on Dec. 18th and run until Dec. 30th. It’s free and is open 5 – 10 pm.

If you finish up at the lights early, Travel Town has Train Rides to Santa on December 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, and 16 through 23 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  The train rides are $7 per person.

*****

Griffith Park
4730 Crystal Springs Dr., Los Angeles CA 90027

Travel Town
5200 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles CA 90027

Inside Home Ec.'s Beautifully Organized Space (Photo courtesy of Jenny Ryan. Some rights reserved).

This post is a bit tardy, but I’ve been in detention like all year.

One of my favorite local DIY mavens recently opened Home Ec., an adorable retail space located in the heart of Sunset Junction in Silver Lake.

Just standing on the sidewalk, peering into Home Ec.’s warm, holiday decorated window, my fingers start to twitch as I spy a studious row of sewing machines, colorful bolts of fabric, neatly organized cubbies filled with yarns and spacious work tables inside. Home Ec. is not just a sewing and craft workshop, it’s a dream workshop that I hope to replicate in my own home some day.

The store offers fabrics and yarns, sewing patterns, books, craft kits and even some exclusive products that you will only find in the store. They also host classes ranging from sewing and fiber arts to paper crafting and glasswork.

Home Ec. owner Jenny Ryan is the creator of the hugely popular Felt Club. She’s also an occasional blogger for CRAFT and Apartment Therapy LA, and the author of Sew Darn Cute: 30 Sweet & Simple Projects to Sew & Embellish. Read the rest of this entry →

Espresso Profeta foam.

Since leaving my job at The Firm, I have discovered two things: 1) freedom; and 2) my apartment is a poor substitute for an office.  While I hammer out my future self, psyche and all, I have forced myself to find workspaces in various coffee shops throughout the city.  Because I have had more than one conversation that centers around a list of all the coffee shops I frequent, followed by a rant that goes something like (Huffing, puffing) Given the size of this city, there really ought to be more good, solid coffee shops, I thought I would assemble a post-it version of all of my second home offices.  This directory is sans rant – that’s another subject for another post for another caffeine-infused day.

It depends on the day, the workload, and how much the laptop battery is charged up, but generally, my ideal coffeeshop-turned-workspace has 1) tables that can accommodate, at minimum, a laptop, a legal pad, and a pen; 2) good food; 3) great coffee; 4) a bathroom; 5) owners who won’t hassle me for table squatting, so long as I buy coffee and food; and 6) a location that is not downtown proper (the parking is impossible during the weekdays).  The list, in order of preference, after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry →

Remember the bad ass two night benefit show I mentioned a couple weeks ago, headlined by members of the Pixies, Michael Penn, Flea, Tim & Eric, and more?

Well, it just got a whole lot badder asser.

Now added to Tuesday, December 8th rock lineup: Tenacious D, members of OK GO, and The Muff’s Kim Shattuck.

And some inside bits on the evening’s set list: “Weird Al will be performing ‘I Bleed’ from (the Pixies album) “Doolittle” with member of the Pixies and Flea on bass. David and Kevin from Love & Rockets will perform ‘All In My Mind’ with Black Francis (as featured on the recent Love & Rockets tribute album).”

To repeat, all male members of the Pixies (Black Francis, Dave Lovering, Joey Santiago), Tenacious D (Jack Black and Kyle Gass), Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Love & Rockets, She Wants Revenge, Weird Al Yankovic, and Grand Duchy (Black Francis and Violet Clark), all on one stage, December 8th, 7pm… for only $20!

And for $35, get the above AND the following night of comedy on December 9th at 7pm (or $20 separately): Tim and Eric (music set), Bob Odenkirk, Brian Posehn, and Dave Lovering (drummer of the Pixies performing his mad science teacher magic act).

The whole thing is a benefit for the family of 8 1/2 month old Winston Bertrand, who was born with Lymphatic and Venous Malformations, two rare, life threatening conditions requiring the constant care of his parents and a heavy financial toll.

Violet Clark, wife of Black Francis as well as his Grand Duchy collaborator, established Winston’s Village to assist the Bertrand family with aid for the lil chap. (You can also catch Grand Duchy one night before the benefit as a special guest at the Mere Mortals show at Spaceland on Monday, December 7th, kicking off the Mere Mortals monthlong residency there.)

Simply show up at the Palladium 8PM and give the secret code word “Hank Ford -Metblog List” and you are in.  This deal is for Metblogs readers only.

A caveat. Ford is putting on the show in celebration of the work done by their “Agents” who have been driving the Euro-spec version of the new Fiesta the last 6 months. They will be given awards for their various video, music and other activities missions. During all of this they will be tweeting it live promising what should be the largest Corporate “tweet up” ever. All of this will culminate in the reveal of the US Spec version of the Fiesta (and I hope they don’t change it from the EU version).

Also performing for your entertainment will be DJ Pesce with his repertoire of mixes.

For those of you who like something a little more concrete you can get actual tickets from “Hank Ford” on facebook.

Deets. December 1, 8PM-midnight. Hollywood Palladium, 6215 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90028.

Now, full disclosure: I loves me some Bert Green, downtown gallerist & founder of the LA Art Walk. [waves] And I loves me some Gallery Row Organization (some stories I assigned & edited for the LA Alternative Press back in 05 & 06 brought me into repeated contact with the original GRO). And I really love Kim Cooper & her husband Richard Schave (founders of literary/historic tour company Esotouric), who for some time now have functioned as the burgeoning Downtown Art Walk’s curator & director, respectively. But now they’ve both resigned over the addition of Russell Brown, head of the Historic Downtown Business Improvement District, to the Art Walk’s governing body.

I’m currently reaching out to all involved parties & should have more info soon. It does strike me as odd that a nonprofit org, designed to enhance the cultural vibrancy of the area (independently of commercial enterprise) should now have as its head a leader of the Historic Downtown Business Improvement District. In a brief phone call with Richard, he mentioned it heralded a “privatization of the public space of downtown.” Is downtown public? Private? Both? I’m hoping someone can explain to me how and why this happened. I’m trying to keep an open mind.

Either way, all of Esotouric’s offerings have been removed from the monthly artwalks, so those expecting shuttles, knowledgeable tour guides, food tours from foodblogger Javier (TeenageGlutster) Cabral, historical-literary discussions and more will be disappointed.

A friend of mine was all psyched a couple of weeks ago when she signed a contract for a condo in the Culver City area.  She had been shopping at or near the “low end” of the Los Angeles area housing market — $300k or less.   I have heard from more than one prospective buyer that, at this price level, there has been a bit of a buying frenzy.  Sellers are listing the homes for lowball prices in order to attract interest, and then buyers are bidding up the prices, offering cash, avoiding contingencies in their contracts, etc.  And the federal $8k tax credit is bringing in a lot of first time home buyers, such as my friend, at this level.

But my friend’s excitement turned to frustration and heartache as her lender’s appraisal came in many thousands below her contract price. Read the rest of this entry →

I’m a big history geek. I even got a national merit scholarship award in high school for the subject of history. Needless to say, this did not make me any cooler back then, but nowadays I have no shame about being totally gay for history (is that offensive? If so let me know).

So I’m crazy in love with the Heritage Square Museum in Highland Park. If you’ve never been there, what it is is a collection of historic homes & architectural wonderments, all transported from locations where they surely would have been razed to their foundations–instead deposited safely in the Arroyo south of Pasadena, in a neat little collection. They host lots of historical-reenactment living exhibits and do a great job of showing you what a Victorian-era home would have looked like. And on December 5 & 6 they’re hosting their 15th Annual Lamplighting Celebration for the holiday season.

With each charming home illuminated by lamplight, you can jump into the dancing, sip some warm apple cider and nosh on tasty holiday goodies. There will be period-style dress & festivities and the homes will be decorated in holiday decorations typical of the era in which each home was built. Additionally, guests can check out “Holiday Heritage: A Southern California Christmas,” a photographic exhibit offering a glimpse of the culture, commerce, and art of Christmas in SoCal from 1880 to 1950, listen to classic tales from a “special visitor,” and shop for adorable period crafts & gifts in the Museum Store–hello, stocking stuffers!

I would like to avoid getting swine flu.  Or any flu for that matter.  Or a cold.  And I suspect, just by living in LA, it may be a losing battle.  Everywhere I go, people are coughing, sniffling and just plain breathing on me with their damn germs.  I know, I know… I could just stay home and isolate myself for the next six months…. but here’s a novel idea:  If YOU are sick or even more importantly, if your kid is coughing and hacking…. stay home!  Spare your fellow passengers!

Yesterday, I wanted to treat my mom to a manicure/pedicure and lunch… a nice stress free girls day out for an out of towner.  The nail salon was pretty busy, about 12 people strong, and in walked a smart looking, upscale young mom with her four year old in tow.  Appearences can be decieveing.

The mother sat down and the kid proceeded to start coughing… of course she was to young to know to cover her mouth.  And when I say coughing, she was hacking, nose dripping, wheezing.  Being a kid, she touched everything she could get her hands on.  Grabbing nail polish bottles to show her mom (picking every single one up), running around talking to everyone… coughing, spewing spit and infection everywhere.  Bummer.

I wondered… If I were to nicely, very politely, ask the mom to keep her germ machine at home away from the general public, would she understand?  Would she react with care and consciousness to her fellow neighbors? I mulled it over for 1.5 seconds, envisioning various responses…but knew the answer.  The best outcome would probably be a glare.  The worst would be a screaming harangue.  I didn’t say anything.  I pitied the poor nail stylist who had to sit mouth to mouth with the young infection bomb who finally curled up panting and dripping mucus onto her moms lap.

Yet, really.  Isn’t that the thing to do?   Put aside your desire to go out and mingle and stay home and care for your sick child… or yourself.  It’s just plain courtesy.  I know I’m bitching here.  But this is a real problem.

Then we went to LAMILL, great coffee and snacks.  Safe at last.  But wait!  There, two tables over, was another hacker.  A guy, out having his coffee.  At least he covered his mouth and used the napkin when he honked uncontrollably.

I was shocked to see a nearly vacant Melrose shopping district today. Around noon I took my shoes to the Fluevog store to be repaired, expecting to deal with the post-Thanksgiving shopping masses, but parking was easy, the sidewalks were free and the stores I walked by were virtually empty. At first I was happy to not have to deal with the usual Saturday shopping crowd, but as I looked around I began to worry about the economy. On a positive note, most of the restaurants in the area seemed to be busy. Maybe it’s just because a lot of people are out of town for the holiday weekend, but what do you think?

Forget the little old lady from Pasadena, check out this original owner “retirement car” for an elderly couple in Arcadia.  The gussied up “K-car” with a 2.2L turbo under the hood and re-badged as the flagship “New Yorker” for the Chrysler line up.  The car is at Roy Gasparini 76 for some work as it failed its first smog test in 24 years.  (If anyone can fix it Roy’s guy can…check their yelp).  Quite the little testament to their love of the car and its “durability“.

The 1980′s was a tough time for American manufacturers.  Tightening smog regulations and increased fleet fuel economy regulations meant the end of the traditional huge V8 as the standard of the industry.  Smaller cars with smaller V6 and 4cyl engines, some turbocharged such as this version became the norm.   Sounds much like what we are facing now, particularly in CA this time its increased fuel efficiency as well as lowered CO2 fleet averages already approved by the legislature.  I doubt we’ll have the lackluster cars this time around as we had in the 80′s simply because the technology is different now than it was then.

Pic by me with the trusty cell phone, does get bigger with a click, but not much better.

Sometimes this city’s cement river boundaries can be horrifically isolating.  So, when you see signs like these during times like those, it’s like the universe is saying, “Yeah, I know.  Sorry.”

(Caveat: I know Free People is a line of clothing.  I know it is.  It’s still pretty damned funny.)

"Burn Joe, Burn!"

The Bruins of UCLA and the Trojans of USC will be competing on the football field tomorrow night. The Los Angeles Universities have a long-standing rivalry that is important to a lot of the city’s residents. Personally, I’m not really interested in the sport or who wins. Maybe I should be since the company I work for is highly affiliated with USC. In spite of not being a fan, I somehow ended up at The Trojans’ big pep rally, called Conquest, last weekend. (I was solely there to see the closing band, OK Go).

The event, held on the USC campus, was a big deal complete with a ferris wheel, food trucks, Jamie Kennedy introducing a variety of the school’s sports teams and coaches, and a very impressive fireworks display. Most of the “Yay Team!” (or “Fight On!” as they say at USC) stuff was lost on me, but I did thoroughly enjoy The Trojan Marching Band, otherwise known as The Spirit of Troy. They are excellent and their rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk” was a huge treat.

The Spirt of Troy

It appeared that the highlight of the night for the students and alumni was the burning of Joe Bruin, UCLA’s mascot bear. There were chants of “Burn, Joe, burn!” It can only make me wonder what they light on fire at UCLA. Hopefully, it’s not what we all think of when we hear USC’s mascot because the smell of burning rubber is rather unpleasant.

There have been shenanigans this week with UCLA’s Bruin statue getting painted with Trojan cardinal and gold. So much for sportsmanship.

Are you into the big game and if so, who are you rooting for? I really hope your team wins.