Four Pairs of Tickets! Lisa Lampanelli at Club Nokia on Saturday, November 20th (10:30pm show)

I have to have names by TOMORROW NIGHT!! Post in the comments section, first come first served. Do it right away or…or… she’ll say something really mean to you. So there! Or, maybe she won’t. Whatever seems more cruel.

Seriously, I’m not gonna try and be snarky with the Queen of Mean around. I’m good, but even I’m strictly amature compared to this Lady.

Post! Post a comment! Post now! I don’t want these to be wasted!

Wherever FrazGoes, DeuceGoes.

On December 4 & 5, the American Kennel Club will be holding it’s annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship here in Long Beach.  This will be the 6th show in Long Beach in the 10 years the show has been running.  The AKC National Championship is a very well respected show in the canine community.  My wife worked for Dog Fancy for several years, so I learned a lot about the show and how well respected it is.

I admit it.  I’m not too much of a dog person.  I love petting dogs when they are trained well (don’t bark/jump on me) but I only enjoy them in small doses.  I’m sure it stems from me never owning a dog growing up or something.  But I do understand the draw behind these shows.

Ticket information can be found here.  It looks to be $20 to attend, however you need separate tickets for the day and evening shows on Saturday.  It doesn’t say if you can bring your dog or not, but my guess would be no.

Remember, after the show there is plenty to do right there at The Pike and Shoreline Village.  Also Pine Ave has a lot of fun places.  I’ll go into more details on those areas later though.

Every year there is one manufacturer who does an over the top give away that results in lines winding through the halls because it is so good.  This years promises to be Yokohoma Tire’s contest where an iPad a day will be given away.  I stumbled across the press release info in the inundation information for this years LA Auto Show.  Can you guess where I’ll be for at least part of my day Saturday with my boys?  If you guessed in line for a chance at an iPad you are correct.

Lifted directly from their press release:
Yokohama Tire Corporation is going digital at the LA Auto Show, November 19-28 at the LA Convention Center. Consumers visiting Yokohama’s exhibit in the West Hall lobby will get a chance to try the company’s new interactive iPad app, plus enter a daily drawing to win a tablet computer.

According to Alan Holtschneider, Yokohama manager, advertising, promotions & events, the iPad app will replace traditional tire and vehicle placards at the show. “We’re excited about the new application that we’ve produced and have taken advantage of some of the interactive features that the iPad offers,” he said. “Visitors to the booth can check the iPad app, which includes Yokohama videos and tire information. All consumer tire lines, such as ADVAN® and GEOLANDAR®, along with tires like the AVID® ENVigor™, S.drive® and the orange oil-infused dB Super E-spec™ have their own sections for users to explore. During each day of the show, one lucky consumer who visits the booth and enters our contest will win a tablet computer.”
Holtschneider said Yokohama’s iPad app will be available through iTunes in early 2011.

Image courtesy of Yokohama tires.

Allow you me this story. Apparently I don’t search hard or well enough. When my 12-year-old favorite pair of sunglasses broke at the frame just above the nose piece in 2000 I did what I thought was my best to seek out a place to get them fixed. I failed. Every place from Lenscrafters to the jewelry repair guy my mom swore by said “nope,” in part because they were just a pair of off-the-shelf frames I’d purchased during a mostly senseless spree at Needless Markup back in the summer of Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Eight. The so-called experts would look at the glasses, look at me, and tell me either it wasn’t possible or occasionally they’d say how much they’d need to overcharge me to maybe make it possible.

Facing an amount that was more than the shades cost new, at one point I even bought a soldering gun and sat there with the thing in one hand and the spool of metal in the other trying to convince myself I could somehow immediately acquire the skills required for such pinpoint detail work. Wisely I put down the gun and stepped away from that fiasco-in-waiting before I could entirely fubar them. Instead, I put them away where they lived with a sliver of hope in a series of drawers.

Why? Well the broken glasses became somewhat representative. I won’t bore you any more than I already have with the details of their symbolism other than to say they cracked at a time when a lot of other things broke — most of them intangible stuff like relationships and dreams, but all of them pretty much beyond repair. Suffice it that Y2K may not have fucked up my personal computer but it wreaked havoc on my personal  life, and out of that annus horribillus these beloved glasses became one of the few things I could fix — or so I’d hoped. And hoped. And hoped.

And hoped. Fast-forward to this summer when it had been literally four or five years since I’d given the glasses a thought and Los Angeles magazine’s “Best of LA” issue arrived. Flipping through it I found a write-up extolling the miracle work done by a humble gent who goes by the name Paul Gross in his humble hole-in-the-wall on Wilson Avenue in the Jewel City and I thought my long-dormant prayers had been answered — except when I went hunting for the shades they weren’t a-n-y-w-h-e-r-e to be found and I became dejectedly sure it was because at some point a few years back I’d extinguished that flicker of hope kept burning for so long and pitched them in the trash.

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How would you, dear readers, like to play God?  Ok, so you can’t really, but how about playing the next best thing: Santa Claus?  Yes, yes, we know you want to.  For the last few years, David Markland has asked y’all to suggest who in LA deserves to be crowned the “Grinch of the Year”; this year, we’re expanding on that a bit to highlight both naughty and nice Angelenos.  We’re taking your nominations for both categories; comment below and tell us which or what Los Angeles person, place, or thing should be on this year’s naughty and nice lists. The mayor, your best friend, a great company – the field is wide open so long as it relates to our city.  A few ideas to get you started:

For the naughty list:

• Mall cops at the Long Beach City Center, for utterly failing to do their job during a bike theft
• Santa Monica, for, among other things, shutting down a perfectly awesome food truck lot
• Julie Rico, for robbing – sorry, evicting –  The Must Bar

For the nice list:

• The organizers of CicLAvia, for giving us a chance to breathe air for a day
• A great lady, for taking initiative and de-tagging her neighborhood
• Hugh Hefner, for saving the Hollywood sign

Memory jogged?  Good.  Your turn to make your list and to check it twice.  We’ll highlight a few nominees after we close the polls next Wednesday, November 24.

Courtesy LA Auto Show

Auto Shows usually aren’t the most kid friendly events in the city. Its usually don’t touch and little for them to do. The LA Auto Show is different as thanks to a corporate sponsorship there is a special “kid zone” to let them burn off their creative and physical energy. Bring the kids to this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show and let them play in the bigger and better Nissan Quest Kids’ Fun Zone. The attraction is open both weekends of the show, including the Friday after Thanksgiving, and features a variety of activities for kids to run, jump, explore and learn.

The Kids’ Fun Zone will feature bounce houses, a car driving course from Dodge, video games provided by Game Truck and a chance to meet Otto the Auto from the Auto Club of Southern California. First Five California and the LA Zoo will be on hand with educational games and giveaways, plus there are a variety of other art and craft activities, like face painting from Party Face Magic. Nissan will have a special Quest zone so families can have a comfortable place to sit, play and check out the all-new Nissan Quest minivan. The Nissan Quest area will have multiple iPads loaded with drawing software so kids can create and then project their works of art on a large screen.
With something for everyone, the show is a family-friendly affair that is one of the best entertainment values in town.

Details: Admission for kids 12 and under is free and there is no additional charge for the Kids’ Fun Zone. Located in Kentia Hall, the Kids’ Fun Zone is open both weekends from 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

As with whatever I post this week about the LA Auto Show I have some tickets to give away. To be precise 4 tickets with this post to win. Tell me what family friendly auto you want to see at this years LA Auto Show and I’ll give you one ticket. Make sure you have a legit email addy for me to contact you to set up the ticket.

Image courtesy the LA Auto Show and used with their permission.

Richard Alexander Caraballo's photo used through Creative Commons

When I conjure the list of people I believe epitomize L.A. in some sense, Jonathan Gold and Bret Easton Ellis are both on that list, but together? Talking?  I admit I hadn’t really considered that. When I saw that the Hammer has them in conversation this Tuesday (tomorrow), I just had to pass it along to you all. I myself am busy or I’d go just because I love L.A., and Gold and Ellis are utterly paradigmatic of the city, each in his own way.

Can you imagine the conversation?

JG: You know, that story about kids snorting coke all night and prostituting themselves reminds me of this amazing coq au vin I had at this little French place on the Westside last month.

BEE: Speaking of cock, let me tell you about the novel I’m working on now…

Seriously, it’s bound to be a great night. (It’s like the sequel to Hank Moody’s stolen novel; this one’s called Fucking and Lunching.) 

Plus, the Hammer events are free, and there’s cheap parking ($3) right underneath the building. If only the gelato place up the street, Piccomolo, hadn’t closed it would be like a perfect evening. Have fun b.la-ers. Let me know how it is.

Needing to go get us some Saturday afternoon burger goodness from that oasis in the midst of the Scrap Metal District otherwise known as Blue Star, Susan and I spied this most eye-catching giant rat hanging out ‘possum-style on Mateo just north of 7th Street.

To my wholly unhip eye it strikes me as something Banksy might do, but such an admission of ignorance might open up chides from those in the know that neither rodents nor black-and-white graffing are domains solely of the famed street artist.

Last Saturday night was Classic Eats #13 and for a few minutes there, I thought it was going to be just me. But a few minutes later Vampiress joined me and it was a twosome for the evening. And I would like to say, you all missed OUT!

Pann’s is a classic 50′s diner with all the details you love, long counter, big vinyl booths and a menu full of milkshakes. Also classic? The owner, Jim Poulos, son of the original owner George Panagopoulos, who opened the place in 1958. Jim was incredibly friendly, telling us great stories, including one about how his father went to court to legally change their last name to Pann, but was shot down in front of the judge by his wife who said they might have a son named Peter and she would NOT accept the name Peter Pann. The choice became Poulos and the restaurant name is history.

The food goes beyond what you think of as “just diner food.” Every weekend they smoke their own beef and pork for ribs and brisket. They make most of their own breads and biscuits and did I mention the milkshakes? HEAVEN!

The palm trees and neon sign greet you from the parking lot.

The door itself is, um, uh….well I’m not sure what it is (art?) but I know I like it.

Here is the awesome interior taken by Vampiress:

Vampiress has a full flickr set here, check it out!

She ordered the Saturday night special of Brisket and kindly gave me a bite. The BBQ sauce is yummy and the brisket required no knife at all.

I went with the classic Dreamburger and fries. The fries arrived just the way I like them — extra crunchy! The burger was perfectly cooked and oh so juicy. Mmmmmm.

Then we went wild and ordered milkshakes. Somehow we were so drunk on the creamy dairy goodness we never took a photo! The shakes arrived in the classic tall shake glass with the silver sidecar still half full of milkshake! Lactose intolerant? Wow, stay clear of these! There are about 20 different flavors to choose from. There lots of other fountain desserts as well, but that will have to be another visit.

Then it was time to head over to the Buggy Whip, but as were were both FULL we simply had a soft drink, soaked up the interior and called it a night. The Buggy Whip has some classic signage:

I especially love this sign for the piano player “Fabulous and Talented.” AND talented?? Dude, I’m there. Sadly, we were too early for the musical piano stylings of Peter Wagner. So much to come back for.

The 2010 LA Auto Show opens on Friday November 19th. The show has now grown to being one of the most important shows on the planet and second to only detroit (lower case on purpose) in the US. At least 26 press conferences featuring 20 world and more than 30 North American vehicle debuts. The official arrival of the electric car era with production vehicles on sale to the public. Fiat returns to the U.S. and the LA Auto Show after almost a 27-year hiatus, Lambo after a one year break.

Green Car Journal has announced its five finalists for the 2011 Green Car of the Year, including the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, 2011 Ford Fiesta, 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and the 2011 Nissan LEAF. For the sixth consecutive year, this increasingly important award will be announced during a press conference at the LA Auto Show Press Days on Nov.18.

I have 4 tickets to give away, tell me why you would want one. Make sure you include a legit email address so I can contact you for your info to get you your ticket. To make this interesting, what are you most interested in seeing? The concept cars, green cars or about to be released production autos? Any particular manufacturer you think that should be included that isn’t?

If you don’t win tickets this time around have no fear, I’ll be running a few more contests for tickets before this is all over. Look for details and stuff from my visit during press days that will also include a chance to win tickets as well.

DEETS: November 19-28. Admission and hours HERE. Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015. Directions HERE or Map HERE.

No.  I’m serious.  You need to go outside today.  It’s beautiful out right now.  Isn’t this why you live in Los Angeles?  To enjoy weather like this when the rest of the nation is in less-than-desirable conditions?  Look:

Isn't it pretty?

This was the view earlier in Long Beach.  And I’m sure it’s looks similar elsewhere.

“Not everyone has the luxury of having weekends off, DAVE!”
*slide glasses back up nose on angry face*

Trust me.   I know.  I work most weekends and holidays.  But I also know you can walk outside and enjoy the weather, if only for a few minutes.

So uh……..go!

And if you have the time, come down to Long Beach.  It’s beautiful.  And we have a great bike path.

SATURDAY

• Hello Hello Kitty!  “Small Gift” – as in, “For the last 50 years, Sanrio has excelled at sharing small gifts (including small milk flavored chewy candy that you can pick up from your neighborhood 99 Ranch)” – is a giant 10-day celebration of Sanrio’s 50th birfday.  There are a ton of events; on Saturday, there is a sand art workshop, mini golf, and a I Heart Nerds Party.  That’s right, love your fellow nerd.  Ticket prices vary.  The Small Gift event goes from now until November 21 at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica.  Full details here.
  
• It’s tamale time: Oskies Tamales, Tamales Elena, and other masters of the masa will compete in the ultimate LA Tamale Throwdown.  Free with a canned food donation.  The event is from 10am to 10pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 4522 Browne Ave. in El Sereno.
• Jim Carroll — best known for The Basketball Diaries – was finishing up another novel, The Petting Zoo, when he died September last year.  The Echo presents The Nervous Breakdown Literary Experience II, a celebration of the book’s posthumous release. There will be readings from both The Basketball Diaries and The Petting Zoo, as well as performance art and music.  Psst: after-party at Stories.  $5.  This generation’s version of a book salon starts at 6pm at The Echo in Echo Park.
  
• I spent a good amount of time in Alaska a few weeks ago, and, in the middle of the wilderness, with the Northern Lights dancing in the sky, I learned an awful lot about myself.  For example, I learned that I am irrationally terrified of forests, because I assume there is someone in there, running frantically through it, away from something.  Thank you, X-Files. The LA Conservation Corps is doing their part to re-educate urbanites by offering free shade trees to Los Angeles residents.  Take a tree, love nature.  Free trees from 9am to 2pm at the Corps’ location at 1400 N. Spring Street.

SUNDAY

• This sounds like something that should take place in a giant arena with sand dunes and spotlights and maybe a rodeo in the corner … but it’s not.  The Monster Drawing Rally is a giant live art exhibit, with 100 artists creating art in front of your very own eyes.  Keep an eye for your favorite: at the end of the event, the pieces will be on sale for $75 each.  Free admission.  The live-draw goes from 12:30 to 5:30 at the Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock, 2225 Colorado Blvd.
• Oh man, if I was in town on Sunday, I would totally go to this: LAfreestore is taking the whole pop-up phenom and doing it one million times better with its pop-up swap meet.  Bring something, take something, simple as that.  It’s like we’re in the days of old, bartering and trusting ourselves to assess the value of goods and services.  Bring some things to swap so karma won’t kick you in the ass later.  The swapping goes from 10am to 2pm outside of Casa Princessa Cafe, 4527 York Blvd. right where Highland Park meets Eagle Rock.
• Pickles, really?  Out of all the foods that deserve a holiday (pho, fried chicken, raspberries), I’m not sure I would have given the honor to the pickle.  Guess the pickle industry won this round, though: Sunday is National Pickle Day.  To celebrate, The Counter will have their tasty fried pickle chips for just $1.

Some of you may remember eecue from his time here as one of the writers on blogging.la and the amazing images he captured of Los Angeles and environs.  Those images and many other are part of a solo show being opened this weekend at the Indigo Gallery in Pomona this Saturday.  (Details at the end of the story).

For those of you who haven’t seen his work the opening image is one of his taken of the city during a wild fire in Griffith Park.  His subject matter ranges from the grand skylines to the simple folk that inhabit downtown.  Each image in my not so humble opinion is enough to stop you in your tracks and draw you in.  He works in both traditional imagery as well as High Dynamic Range so you will see quite a range of super real to the surreal in his work.  You can get a better sample of his work at his web site HERE.

DEETS: Opening Reception Nov 12, 2010.  Additional reception Nov 27 and Dec 11, 6-9PM.  Indigo Gallery, 558 W. 2nd Street, Pomona CA.  MAP HERE.

Click the image to embiggen.  Image courtesy of Dave Bullock and used with his permission.

Inglewood Cultural Arts (ICA), hosts its 4th annual Inglewood Open Studios Tour, Saturday November 13th and Sunday November 14th from 1-6pm. This is a free event to enjoy the art studios of Inglewood’s own local artists that include established and emerging, self taught, educators and educated artists from local art colleges, including a large number of graduates from nearby Otis College of Art and Design. This event has grown over the last few years and will include a total of 39 artists. More info on the Inglewood Open Studios at their blog HERE.

Traffic and parking can be tough at this event. According to artist Ginger Van Hook this year the city, thanks to Mayor Daniel Tabor, is providing two buses per day to bring people over to all of the studios.

The following is an alphabetical list of participating artists for the 2010 Inglewood Open Studios Tour:  Elliot Agnew, Alex Becerra, Kavin Buck, Ericka Chapman, Anne Cheek La Rose, Claire Cregan, Noelle Cross, W. Don Flores, Edward Ewell, Renée A. Fox, Todd Gray, Holly Harrie, Paul Harrie, Ken Hurbert, Michelle Johnson, Andrew Karl, Sharon Levy, Michael Massenburg, Elizabeth Mauceli, Gale McCall, Daniel Mendel-Black, Chris Mercier, Julia Montgomery, Kenneth Ober, Kour Pour, , Joan Robey, Kyungmi Shin, Dustin Shuler, Stanley Smith, Johnathan Stofenmacher, Cindy Suriyani, Holly Tempo, Corey Thering, Albert Valdez, Ginger Van Hook, Luke Van Hook, MonaLisa Whitaker, Joey Wolf.

click to embiggen

Thanks to artist Ginger Van Hook for the tip on this weekends event and providing me with the  graphics used in this post.