Can you believe that Yelp L.A. is already a year old? It got so awesomely popular so fast. This really calls for a celebration, and one befitting a Web site with highly opinionated people who like to par-tay. Yelpers as well as non-Yelpers are invited to the 1 Year Yelpiversary Prom Party at the Key Club this Saturday.

Fortunately guests aren’t restricted to one era, rather, you have the whole history of bad (and good but bad is funnier) proms to choose from. So you’re welcome to treat it like the prom you never went to and go all out on some flashy designer duds or have fun with it and aim for the heights of ridiculousness, which is always fun for everyone. Carrie, Ducky, Napoleon Dynamite, Josie Grossie — take your pick and own it cuz prom attire is mandatory.

There will be free vodka-spiked punch, er, cocktails from 8-10pm as well as awards for L.A. Yelpers who win a “best in class” category. You can still get your votes in here. New to Yelp and don’t know any Yelpers? Feel free to put my name down. Muhahahaha!

And I know the invite above says you must RSVP yesterday to get in, but Stephy, the once and future Yelp Prom Queen and the L.A. Yelp poobah, says that my crackheads can still submit their RSVPs by August 2nd. So respondez s’il vous plait to la at yelp.com and then go out and get your dress or tux.

Again, all are welcome. You don’t have to be a Yelper, just have a need to get your prom on.

EVENT: SATURDAY, AUGUST 4 from 8pm to 2am

Key Club
9039 W Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90069 (map)
(310) 786-1712

Yesterday, Dre and I felt like taking a walk to breakfast. It was a gorgeous morning and some exercise would do us good. But instead of our usual standby, John O’Groats, we decided to check out the Colony Cafe. We had passed by it on our way to JOG the day before but were put off by its sterile chain-restaurant vibe.

Still curious about it, however, I decided to give it a looksee online to see what was up with it. Judging it from the outside made me think it was another Champagne bakery sorta place but with pricey $12 breakfast items. Now I know I shouldn’t judge a restaurant by its exterior cuz online reviews told another story. Not many reviews about its breakfast fare but we decided to be adventurous.

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The other night after, or at least near the end of, Midnight Movies’ set at UCLA Hammer, my friend Shelley and I walked across the street to Palomino for its late-night happy hour. We had ducked in before the Hammer event at 8pm but happy hour was over and the wait staff neglectful.

However, after two hours of grumbling stomachs and music appreciation, we were famished and willing to give Palomino another chance, especially since at 10pm it was happy hour again. You gotta love that. Every night 4-7pm and after 10pm, you get 1/2 off appetizers with some $3 drink specials mixed in.

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For a temporary restaurant/bar, the Montana Lounge in Santa Monica provoked either a lot of hate or a lot of love. It’s one of the only places on the chi-chi SaMo strip that has a full liquor license. But celebs, sugar daddies, cougars and scenesters populated the loungey scene and enjoyed the designer viddles and $12 cocktails. It had a happy hour but that only meant $1 off the cocktails.

Well many of you may be happy/saddened to hear that tonight is the lounge’s last night in existence before the Hillstone Group takes over the space and transforms it into a Cafe R&D. Hmm, maybe the chain cafe will have better luck in the cursed space than its predecessors.

Anyhow, no word on whether there will be a big blowout of a good-bye but you might want to show up to give it one last lingering look and relish one final sip of the fiery Burning Mango martini. Or you might just grab a drink somewhere else and forget that this post ever happened.

1323 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, California 90402
(310) 395-4727
Cross Street: Euclid Street
Hours: 4:30-11pm

Look into Bowie’s eyes, you want to have funnn this weekendddd. Lots to do and all of it on the odd and unusual side what with a scavenger hunt with dinosaurs, a Hollywood pool party and a not-so-Hollywood pool party, photo exhibit and djs, and did you see David Bowie in that wig? Ah, only in L.A.

Friday, July 27

Labyrinth at the Nuart
Who needs Homer when you’ve got David Bowie as a goblin king and a young Jennifer Connelly in a Muppet-populated fantasy land? Check out the 35mm reissue of this ’80s classic which was created by the eclectic triad of writer Terry Jones (Monty Python), producer George Lucas (Star Wars) and director Jim Henson (The Dark Crystal).

• Tickets: $9.50. Landmark’s Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Los Angeles. (310) 281-8223.

Saturday, July 28

The Museum of Natural Hysteria Scavenger Hunt
For an unusual way to spend your Saturday afternoon, go for a scavenger hunt amid the dinosaurs and lions at The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. The entire museum is yours for the hunt. Sharks and Zunis and penguins! Oh my!

• 2pm. $28. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, Los Angeles. (map)

Create:Fixate: Backscatter All-Photography Show
Artsy hipsters, techno beats and fashion, and what’s a party without an avant-garde live photo booth? Enjoy the visual goodies of over 30 visual artists via their art installations, video designs and photographs at this reoccurring art show. Just remember to bring a flask. Those $7 well drinks tend to be a bit unsatisfying. DJs Wolfie and Dream Electric, John Tejada, and KCRW’s Raul Campos keep the scene moving.

• 7pm-2am. $15 (gallery preview 4-7pm, $5). 1530 Ivar Avenue, Hollywood.

White Party 2007 for Heal the Bay
This sounds uber-fancy what with red carpet arrivals, press check-in and the mandatory all-white attire request but it’s all for a good cause: Heal the Bay. Party With a Cause will be throwing its 2nd annual event poolside at the Backyard of the W in Westwood. Krol Vodka, Red Bull, Tequila 33 and Heineken will host an open bar. General admission tickets are $40 advance/$50 at the door. But if you want to rub elbows with VIPs and swish the red carpet it’ll cost you $100. However, VIPs get a gift bag valued at over $600!

• 7-11pm. Tickets: $40-$100. The Backyard of the W Hotel, 930 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles.

Sunday, July 29

Sunday Pool Party Blue Velvet
Enjoy the scorcher this Sunday by lazing about the pool and sipping on $5 cocktails. Obviously, I’m not talking about the Roof at the Standard, but that other downtown pool at hip restaurant/lounge/pool party Blue Velvet.

• 1-5pm. 750 Garland Avenue, Downtown. (213) 239-0061.

Flickr Shot by eatmeatnow (detail of the 7/5/07 show)

UCLA Hammer Museum’s own free summer music series, Also I Like To Rock, a name inspired by stuff that Lou Reed said, ends its July ‘07 stint in the museum’s courtyard tonight with local bands Sea Wolf and Midnight Movies. These critically acclaimed local bands, who were handpicked by Indie 103.1, will entertain the hip and happening young masses. And, unlike some of the other museums’ summer music series where you at least have to pay museum admission, this event is free. Well, except for the $3 flat rate you pay for parking (worth it in high-trafficked Westwood).

Grab some $3 happy hour drinks and 1/2-priced appetizers at Palomino across the street before the event from 4-7pm or after 10pm. See you there!

EVENT: THURSDAY, JULY 26 at 8pm

UCLA Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California
(310) 443-7000

Yup, yet another girly thing to do. Sorry, guys. But Fashion Co-Op Girls’ Night Out sounds like too much fun. Not only do shoppers get first pick of all the 40-80% discounted handbags, jewelry, and women’s clothing from 120 emerging fashion designers at this VIP event, but they can sample vino from 10 wineries (uh oh! drunken shopping!), pig out on dessert samplings, and get groomed a la complimentary eyebrow threading and eyelash applications — just to name a few of the goodies for guests.

Regular price of admission for all that is $50 in advance/$60 at the door but you can purchase your ticket for $25 through GoldStar Events (offer expires Wednesday the 25th at 5pm or when all tickets are sold).

If that’s still too much, the general admission sale is on the following day, Saturday, for $3 with RSVP/$5 at the door but by then all the good stuff will most likely be gone and there will be no drinking at the daytime affair.

EVENT: FRIDAY, JULY 27 from 8 to 11pm

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
1855 Main Street
Santa Monica, California 90401 (map)
(310) 458-8551

You probably know him as your friendly and crazy-looking L.A. weatherman, but apparently he also makes movies. Director David Lynch will be doing a Q&A after the screening of his most recent cinematic oddity Inland Empire during Filter Magazine and the Hammer Museum’s bimonthly late night artsy-fartsy event.

But even better, Lynch will perform “Polish Night Music” prior to the film, AND “David Lynch coffee” and memorabilia will be sold in the courtyard. What does it all meannn? For free admission, RSVP asap before 5pm on July 30 at rsvpla@filtermmm.com.

BTW, watching the above movie trailer dubbed in German, you’d think Inland Empire was supposed to be a product of Deutschland. Touch my monkey! Touch it!

EVENT: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1 from 7 to 10pm

Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90024
(310) 443-7000

Dre was the one who told me about Peponi Nail and Skin Care Lounge’s special happy hour on Thursdays where you can get a salon manicure and two martinis for only $20. That’s quite a deal considering specialty cocktails are about $11+ on average. And with pretty nails to boot? Nifty!

Naturally I had to do it. And unlike the manicures and martinis at the Beauty Bar in Hollywood (which are $10 for a mani and one specialty cocktail), I wouldn’t risk wrecking my nails in a drunken bar scene.

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My favorite clothes store for a last-minute party frock is having a big sale. Selected items are marked down to 50% off at the Vanity Room. Woo hoo! Considering that I was able to find a great dress for my very own birthday party at Seven Grand which evoked the festive ’60s Rat Pack vibe I was going for, I’m thinking you can’t go wrong here. Plus, even though there are the occasional expensive items, you can still find some gorgeous reasonably priced pieces.

PS: Sister store, (h)armonie, will also be having a summer clearance sale with items from the likes of Voom and Ben Sherman marked 50% off from July 27th through August 5th.

EVENT: SALE THRU SUNDAY, JULY 29

13217 Washington Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90066 (map)
(310) 306-3336
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-8, Sunday 11-7

Flickr Shot by The Flying Enchilada

It’s the first time in a long time I don’t have any concrete plans this weekend. What’s the world coming to? At least there are some cool events to look into.

Friday, July 20

Ma Du Zi/DDPush Moving Sale
Find whopping discounts of 80%-95% off designer goodies by the likes of Frankie B., Paper Denim and Cloth and Loy and Ford. If that’s not good enough for you, all dresses, skirts and jeans will only be $28! Hey HEY hey.

• July 20-28, 11am-7pm. Ma Du Zi/ DD Push, 7959 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. Cash/ cc only.

The Devil-Ettes w/ Fuxedos and E>K>U>K> at Spaceland
With 20 performers in this cabaret, sounds like quite a show on the ol’ Spaceland’s tiny stage. You’ve got the Bay Area’s burlesque troupe, the Devil-Ettes, Fuxedos, E>K>U>K>, Le Oui Underground, the Mini-Skirt Mob and djs. All that for only $8. “But where will the audience stand?” you ask. You’ll have to buy a ticket to find out.

• 8:30pm. $8. Spaceland, 1717 Silver Lake Boulevard, Silverlake. (323) 661-4380.

Hairspray at the Arclight
I saw this movie and was actually surprised by how much I loved it considering that the last musical I loved was Les Miz and I wasn’t too crazy about Hairspray, the original movie the Broadway show was based on. But after watching it I found myself buying the soundtrack on iTunes cuz I loved it so much. I challenge you to not tap your toes when you listen to it. Anyhoo, Arclight celebrates the ’60s of Hairspray with performances from the 2nd Street band 6-9pm Friday through Sunday, movie soundtrack CD giveaways, a Hairspray movie costume exhibit, a special Hairspray menu of root beer floats and chili cheese fries served in the theater cafe and specialty cocktails in the balcony bar.

• Friday through Sunday. Arclight Cinemas, 6360 W Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles.

Saturday, July 21

14th Annual Glendale Cruise Night
Oooh, pretty cars. But not only that, it’s great for people-watching (35,000 are estimated to show up for this annual event) as some interesting characters always turn up for car shows, including yourself. Check out pristine hot rods, muscle cars and classics from the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s.

• 5:30-10:30pm. Brand Avenue, Glendale.

Sunday, July 22

Hot Hot Heat Official After-Party
Calling all you groupies, after-parties with the band Hot Hot Heat after their performances at the Greek!. Mannn, why couldn’t Duran Duran have done something like this back in the day? Even though this is billed as an all ages party, it starts at 11:45, well past kiddies’ bedtime and there will be a full bar in effect.

• 11:45pm. $5. Safari Sam’s, 5214 W. Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood.

Flickr Shot by Balaclava9

I was supposed to meet Erin and Nancy at Bar Nineteen12 in the Beverly Hills Hotel tonight. We had planned checking it out ever since we got wind of it from UrbanDaddy and Thrillist but it wasn’t until a couple of hours before our drinking date that I decided to actually do some quick research to see what I had to look forward to at the posh, new bar. So I checked out the cocktail menu supplied by Thrillist and… OK, I’m willing to splurge on the occasional $15 cocktail but $18 for a mai tai and, more laughable, $8 for a Budweiser?! Um, NOPE!

So I had to tell the girls that I’d catch them another time.

Listen, I’m all for a night of fancy and indulgence but I’d have to just been given a large raise to justify spending so much on one drink. And I know you’re probably asking, “Well, what did you expect, Caroline? It IS the Pink Palace.” But I honestly was surprised. I wonder if that’s the most a hotel bar in L.A. has ever charged for a cocktail.

Here’s just a sampling of the pricey list of drinks. There’s a nice mix of old school cocktails and intriguing exotic ones:

• Classic Mai Tai, Beverly Hills Manhattan, Brandy Alexander, Mint Julep, Nineteen12 Old Fashioned — $18 each

• Velvet Hammer ($18): Vodka, creme de cacao, cream

• Between the Sheets ($18): Rum, cointreau, brandy, lemon

• Prickly Pear Margarita ($18): Tequila, cointreau, margarita mix (?!), pear cactus puree

There are even sampler cocktails which come in the form of shots, sorbet, sips or popsicles, $25 a grouping. They sound yummy but paying $25 would make them hard to swallow.

And I wouldn’t even consider ordering appetizers there what with $18 for calamari and $26 for ahi tuna sashimi. Maybe when I strike it rich I’ll consider it.

Bar Nineteen12 at Beverly Hills Hotel
9641 Sunset Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California 90210 (map)
(310) 276-2251

It felt like Dre hadn’t had a chance to catch up in awhile so we decided to meet for cocktails, but at a place I’ve never been to before. That’s always the prerequisite. X Bar in Century City’s Hyatt is on my short list of places whose cocktails I want to check out. Even though this swank industry bar has been around since March, there surprisingly isn’t much online literature about it. What’s out there points to the fact that it’s handily across the street from CAA’s newish digs (there’s even an underground tunnel connecting the two) and serves as an afterwork watering hole for high-profile professionals. La-dee-dah!

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It’s been awhile since I’ve last visited Wilshire Restaurant and Lounge. But I had figured back then that after a night of cougars and Purple Rain martinis, there wasn’t much more to see (although I do want to give Tuesday Sundae Night a visit). That is until the other day when a co-worker raved about a cocktail she had there (”It was ginger and mint and light and refreshing!”) so I thought I should give the lounge another go.

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