3 of 25: Wayyyy back in July I met up with LAisters Farley and Emily at Pagoda Bar, the then-recently renovated outdoor bar at Yamashiro in the Hollywood Hills. We were inspired to do so after discussing the items on my 100 list when we each admitted that we wanted to check it out and follow that up with a visit to Jumbo’s Clown Room.
View of the pool.
The only problem was that I didn’t know about the outside bar and had instead waited inside at Yamashiro’s borrrring bar which didn’t seem all that special to me. “This is ‘new’?” I thought to myself as I sat all alone and forlorn at the dimly lit bar while the after-work crowd tippled and mingled. I waited and waited.
I think I would have felt a little bit better if I knew what Farley and Emily looked like since I’ve never met them IRL before. But as it was I kept scanning the room, looking for anyone to return my gaze. And since I didn’t have their cell numbers I couldn’t text them. And that was when I still had my sucky little walkman phone so it wasn’t like I could easily look up emails.
G-dammit! So many fun things going on this weekend and I have to miss it as I’m going up north for the 24 Hours of Lemons at Thunderhill. Yes, I will be sporting my Harley Quinn costume in 50-degree weather. Anyway, don’t worry about me. You go have fun.
Thursday, November 19
Good Luck Bar’s 15th Anniversary
Ah, the Good Luck. Had many a bad date here but was always able to find solace in the Blue Drink and that awesome jukebox. Well, now this wonderful Chinese-speakeasy-themed bar is celebrating its 15th year on the L.A. nightlife scene. And they’re doing it with $5 Stoli, Cazadores, Jack Daniels and Sailor Jerry cocktails; $5 Harlem Shots with Ketel One; and $2 beer. Kogi BBQ will also be making appearance and you’ll wanna check out the Chinese burlesque.
7pm. Good Luck Bar, 1514 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles (map). (323) 666-3524.
Morels Scotch Dinner at the Grove
Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro at The Grove will host a very special Balvenie Scotch Dinner with guest speaker Andrew Weir, the Balvenie Scotch ambassador who will be coming in from Scotland for the dinner. This four-course meal  which includes Scotch-cured salmon, roasted quail, ribeye and chocolate souffle will be served with appropriate scotch pairings for $75 per person. Make your reservations by calling (323) 965-9595.
7pm. $75. Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro at The Grove, 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles (map). Reservations (323) 965-9595.
Friday, November 20
First Ever FURLA Sample Sale
Shop for yourself before you have to start shopping for others for the holidays. At this first-ever FURLA sample sale in L.A. you’ll score Italian leather handbags, wallets, cosmetic cases, belts, and key chains up to 80% percent off retail. We’re talking a $600 handbag going for $200.
Friday-Saturday, 10am-6pm. Siren Studios, 6063 W. Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood (map).
Frysmith Grand Opening at the Brig
Frysmith, brand-new food truck serving up all things made with fries, is celebrating its grand opening this Friday night at The Brig. Choose from their core menu of kimchi fries, vegan chili fries, and chicken sweet potato fries and check out their cookies — chili chocolate, curry apricot, green tea and cranberry and cranberry chip.
6:30-9:30pm. The Brig, 1515 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice (map).
Saturday, November 21
Great Walk L.A. 2009
You don’t know how sad I am that I won’t be able to do this walk this weekend. Last year’s was so fun with H.C. and I making this a food tour as well. And this year, not only is the route shortened (13 miles as opposed to 18) but you’ll be walking through some interesting neighborhoods like Mid-City district and Culver City (swing by Royal/T for a refreshing iced vanilla rooibos tea), enjoying some great architecture and the after-party is at Baja Cantina in Venice. The thing to remember is that this isn’t a race. So don’t participate thinking you can run this and have a half-marathon under your belt. Here, it’s all about enjoying parts of the city you usually don’t get to cuz you’re in your car. RSVP with franklin_avenue [at] yahoo.com or just show up. You lucky people!
8:30am. Free! Meet at Shrine Auditorium, 665 W Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).
Devil’s Drive-In: This Is Spinal Tap
It may not be summer anymore but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a good-old-fashioned drive-in theater. Cuddle up to your honey in the back seat during the Spinal Tap screening. You can BYOB and enjoy food and popcorn brought to you by the Angel City Derby Girls themselves!
Gates 6pm, show 7:30pm. $10. 240 W. 4th Street, 2nd floor roof parking lot, Los Angeles (map).
Sunday, November 22
Rockwell, VT’s Rehab Sundays
This Sunday, Tom Whitman, producer of L.A. events like Cherry Pop and Smack, will be kicking off a grooving brunch at Rockwell, the new bar/restaurant/backside of Vermont. Cure your hangover with over 10 different versions of the Bloody Mary as well as a champagne specialty cocktail menu. Resident DJs Josh Peace, Ryan Kenney and Scotty K will have you boogeying with your lemon ricotta pancakes.
10am-3pm. Rockwell, VT, 1714 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Feliz (map). (323) 669-1550.
Build Your Own BBQ at Zeke’s Smokehouse
Famished but cheap? Zeke’s got you covered with its “Build Your Own BBQ Special” where for $9.95 you get a choice of two meats like pulled pork and smoked ham AND two sides like collard greens mashed potatoes. This special is only from Monday-Thursday 3 to 10pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4pm. PLUS if you time it right, you can score wine or draft beer for only $2.50!
Wine House’s Spooktacular Halloween Sale
Wine House has got your back if you need a last-minute solution to stock up for your Halloween bash. Crystal Head Vodka (the one with the skull bottle) is on sale for $40 instead of $45, Death’s Door Whiskey is $32 instead of $36 and Paqui Silver Tequila, usually $33, is on sale for only $12! Head over asap as supplies are limited and the sale ends on Saturday at 7pm.
Thru Saturday 7pm. Wine House, 2311 Cotner Avenue, West Los Angeles (map).(310) 479-3731‎.
Saturday, October 31
Zombiethon: A Run for Brainssss
Stop running from zombies and try running with them for a change. It’s all for a good cause: Brain Cancer Research. Show up zombified and ready to run or get a zombie makeover ($5) from pro special effects makeup artists. The 5K run/walk is on the Silver Lake Reservoir Recreation Trail and all walkers, runners and staggerers are welcome. Meet-up and registration will be held in “the Meadows” on the East Side of the lake, along Silver Lake Boulevard.
4-6pm. $10 registration. Silver Lake Reservoir Recreation Trail, Los Angeles (map).
Hollywood Forever Cemetery Screening: Halloween
For those who favor screaming in fear over screaming “Wooo!” while clubbing on Halloween, check out one of the best horror movies evuh at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Come in costume and bring your own booze, spread out a blanket and hold onto your honey for dear life. BTW, how creepy would that be if a bunch of folks showed up in Michael Myers masks? Eek! Hold me! And remember, NO TALL CHAIRS dammit!
Gates at 5:30pm, film at 7pm. $10. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).
Down & Derby at the Echoplex
Rollerskating zombies will converge at the Echoplex this Saturday for a good ol-fashioned Thriller disco-themed rollerskating party. There will be over 200 pairs of rollerskates to rent but bring your own if you don’t want to count on that. A limbo contest, disco tunes and a live performance by Pink Dollazs will keep you up out of your seat. RSVP here and pay only $5 to get in.
9pm-2am. $5 with online rsvp, $10 at the door. Echoplex, 1154 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).
Sunday, November 1
Early Registration for Long Beach Turkey Trot Ends
“Never too early to start thinking of the Turkey Trot!” is what I always say. OK, not really but this T-day tradition is a great way to up your metabolism before your turkey feast on November 26. It’s $25 when you register before November 1 and then $30 til November 23. And if you mail in your entry or register a group of seven or more together before Sunday, it’s only $20!
Silverlake Wine Co.: 2007 Rhone Valley Diamonds with Food from Bottega Louie
Enjoy some 2007 vintage from the Rhone Valley along with nommy food from downtown’s Bottega Louie at this Sunday’s Silverlake Wine tasting. Featured vino include: B&B Bouche Cremant de Limoux Rose NV, Mourgues du Gres Costieres de Nimes Blanc 2007, Dom. de la Ferme Saint Martin Cotes du Ventoux 2007, Domaine des Lises Crozes-Hermitage 2007 and Andre Arneiux Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2007. Reservations required and it’s $20 a person.
Sushi, Maya of ShopEatSleep.com’s pug, throwing a tantrum because Maya put her in this cheerleader costume. Just had to post it.
Besides the exciting fact that LA Beer Week kicks off today continuing on through the 24th, there are a ton of other things going on this weekend. Oy!
Thursday, October 15
TINI Grand Opening
I LOVE this online vintage furniture shop and was elated when they finally opened up a brick-and-mortar location. Come celebrate their grand opening when there will be cocktails, music and shopping. RSVP to jen [at] thisisnotikea.com
7-10pm. TINI, 515 S. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles (map). (323) 938-9230.
Friday, October 16
Free Coffee Bean Drinks
Get in the mood for October by enjoying a free Pumpkin Ice Blended or Pumpkin Latte at participating Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf locations. Thirsty coffee lovers will be able to pick up a complimentary 12 oz. Pumpkin Ice Blended or Latte tomorrow from 4-7pm. One per person.
Rocktober Fest at Bigfoot Lodge West
Celebrate beer week with some rock, brats and brew at the pop-up beer garden behind Bigfoot West. Enjoy live bands and a beer list that includes Beck’s Oktoberfest, Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale and Spaten Oktoberfest to name a few.
12-8pm. Bigfoot West, 10939 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (310) 287-2200
Tin Roof Bistro’s Oktoberfest: Brats, Burgers & Brew
More beer festivities! But at this Manhattan Beach bistro, you get a Simmzy’s brat or burger and two pints of hand-crafted beer for $15. Beers on the list include Craftsman’s Oktoberfest, Firestone Oktoberfest and Angel City’s Oktoberfest brew. The first 40 peeps to show up get a free 1-liter stein from Paulaner. Capacity is at 150 so get there early to secure a spot.
12-4pm. $15. Tin Roof Bistro, 3500 N Sepulveda Boulevard, Manhattan Beach (map). (310) 546-6180
Horrible Movie Night Screening: Suburban Sasquatch
Make fun of the bumbling victims, throw popcorn at the screen and just crack your friends up at this fairly new movie night in Hollywood. Halfway through the screening they stop it and reenact scenes from the first half of the movie with some improv. Beer and wine will be on sale to fuel the funny comments. This week’s screening is of the really bad horror flick about an angry Sasquatch. RSVP: horriblemovienight [at] pacbell.net
Doors at 7:15pm, 8pm show. $8. The Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood (map).
Monday, October 19
James Beard Chef Invitational at the Foundry on Melrose
OK, I’m not so much interested in the $125 dinner which includes apps, a five-course dinner and specialty cocktails by acclaimed chefs and bartenders but rather the $50 after dinner cocktail party. You think that’s still a pretty penny to pay for apps, cocktails and live music but we’re talking drinks made by the mixologists from Dutch Kills and Milk and Honey in New York, Absinthe Brasserie & Bar in SF and our own Varnish and Foundry. Take that J Gold cocktail party!
Dinner 6:45-10:30pm, $125; cocktail party 10:30pm-1am, $50. The Foundry on Melrose, 7463 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles (map).
I can’t sleep. I blame it on Paranormal Activity. Now, I love a good scary movie like the next person, OK, more so than the next person, but this creepy fest took hold of me long after I left the ArcLight. Not cool! But at the same time…that’s what I loved about it!
Unlike the bazillion horror movies Hollywood has been churning out in recent years, you know the ones I’m talking about, those formulaic horror shows with cheap scares and splatter kills that only serve to make you jump out of your seat and hide behind your hair, this low-budget film with no-name actors and little-to-no special effects relies on a slow buildup and only a handful of terrifying key images that end up popping up in your brain even when you’re back safely in your bed about to fall asleep. It’s the ultimate mind fuck.
Fans of instant gratification and gore won’t like this movie. And those who hated The Blair Witch Project, which is similar in that it seems to be filmed by the actors and there is no visible antagonist, will definitely not like Paranormal Activity.
But for those who relish real fear — the kind that gives you goosebumps, makes the hair at the back of your neck stand up and scares you into the fetal position — well, you’ll love love love this movie!
I’m still in NYC but was thinking about you guys and your weekend plans. I’ve got some ideas. BTW, I’ll be back in LA in time for Taste of Abbot Kinney. You going?
Thursday, October 8
826LA’s Young Hollywood Party 2009
Fete it up with industry folk, tastemakers and celebs at the 7th Annual Young Hollywood Party which will benefit 826LA. There will be an open bar from 8 to 10pm featuring sponsors Jett Vodka and Bud Light and one of the sponsors is Famous Cupcakes. BTW, for every ticket sold, a notebook will be donated to a student involved in 826LA programs. Yay!
8pm-2am. $65 general, $135 VIP. Playhouse, 6506 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (map).
Saturday, October 10
LA Opera Halloween Costume Sale
Forget those lame Leg Avenue costumes this Halloween. You always end up running into someone else in the same exact outfit. Embarrassing. But if you shop the LA Opera Costume Sale, you’ll for sure be an original. For the first time, LA Opera’s costume shop is making over 2,500 gowns, hats, gloves, shoes, capes, coats, bodices, and complete ensembles available to the public. Prices range from $20-$250 and have been featured in La Traviata, Carmen, Don Giovanni, The Fly, and more. Divalicious!
10am-6pm. LA Opera Costume Shop, 330 S. Alameda Street, Los Angeles (map).
Halloween Swap-O-Rama-Rama
I’ve gone to one of these swap-o-ramas before and they are so much fun! It features sewing and silk screening stations so you can customize your finds. Also a great way to clean out your closet while refilling it again with new used stuff! Take home as much clothing as you can carry. Admission is $5 with a bag of your unwanted clothes/Halloween costumes, $10 without clothes donation. Remainders go to Out of the Closet.
12-5pm. Venice Center for Peace and Justice, 2210 Lincoln Boulevard, Venice (map). (310) 391-2314.
LA Oktoberfest
Who here loves beer? Pull on your Lederhosen and head to the LA Oktoberfest downtown where you can sample traditional German food and booze all day. This boozy fest features beer maidens serving Bavarian brews; Bavarian bands playing lively tunes and leading sing-along’s of old time drinking songs. The general admission tix are sold out but they just released 100 more $100 VIP tickets which allows you early entry, eating and drinking all day and you get a 1-liter boot from which to drink.
1-6pm (12pm VIP entry). $100 VIP. LA Mart, 1933 S. Broadway, Los Angeles (map).
Sunday, October 11
Ghostbusters Screening at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Already miss those cemetery screenings this past summer? Fortunately you can catch funny/scary movie Ghostbusters at Hollywood Forever this Sunday. Can you believe it’s celebrating its 25th anniversary? This special event is in answer to the dangerously low levels of supplies at LA food banks so admission is five cans of food. Enjoy a favorite LA pastime while supporting a good cause. BTW, here are the do’s and don’ts of cemetery screenings for the uninitiated.
Gates open at 6, movie starts 7:30pm. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).
Savor the Season
This food and wine extravaganza is one of the top food fests in Southern California and this year features the most buzzed-about chefs like Gloria Felix from Reservoir and Stefan Richter of Stefan’s at L.A. Farm. VIPs get to imbibe with Beer Chick Christina Perozzi and sample treats from the Saltistry ladies. Proceeds from the event benefit Break the Cycle, a nonprofit that works to end domestic violence among teens.
6-9pm. $100 general admission, $250 VIP. Lot Studios, 1041 N. Formosa Avenue, West Hollywood (map).
Yes, Cinespia just screened its last movie of the season — Rosemary’s Baby — at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, but I thought I’d take this time to reflect on the suggested do’s and don’ts of this popular summer pastime and a definite L.A. must-do. Besides, they may screen a movie for Halloween in which case these will definitely come in handy. Last year’s movie was Carrie and the year before it was The Shining. Ooh! wonder what it’s going to be this time. Coolest thing? Halloween falls on a Saturday this time around! Fun!
DO…
Get there at least two hours before the gates open to ensure a great parking spot on the street in addition to a good seat in front of the screen. Especially when we’re talking a popular movie, in which case the line will stretch all the way down the street. I like to plop down on a grassy spot in line and nosh as well as fix up some cocktails and just chat with friends while I wait for the gates to open. Some people use this time to nap, play board games or even just catch up on some reading. Waiting ain’t all that bad.
Park on the street i.e. side streets from Gower to Van Ness to avoid the rush to exits in the cemetery at the end of the night.
Have your $10 in cash in hand. They say it’s a “$10 donation” to get in but really it’s mandatory.
Bring a headlamp or flashlight so that you can ably collect your belongings after the movie. Seems lots of people tend to leave their sunglasses and eyeglasses behind. It’s also handy to have one when you need to visit the porta-potty during the movie.
Bring a bottle of booze (your spirit of choice), cups, one mixer (cola or juice to keep it simple) and ice since alcohol is allowed here. People usually bring a low-maintenance bottle of wine, but that’s why cocktails are more special. I had friends bring pina colada Jello shots which were fun and tasty.
Have someone run ahead as soon as you pay your $10 at the gate to claim a good spot to view the movie. Works best if they don’t have to carry anything so they can run unimpeded and faster.
Set up a portable table on which to enjoy your picnic. So much nicer that way, especially if you’re on a romantic date or you want to set out a buffet for you and your friends. Some people even bring tea lights to set the mood.
Take an impromptu tour of the cemetery to kill time before the movie starts. You’ll find Mel Blanc and Johnny Ramone’s graves.
DON’T…
Forget to bring a blanket, a warm hat and a sweater/sweatshirt. It gets mighty chilly once the sun goes down.
Wear flip-flops. Or if you do, make sure to pack shoes and socks because after the movie the grass is usually very wet and who wants cold, wet feet?
Bring a tall chair. If your butt is higher than or as high as your knees it’s too tall and your neighbors will let you know.
Show up right before the movie starts and set up your tall chair. If you are going to come late, show your neighbors some courtesy and just sit on the ground. It’s too late for people to adjust to you. EstarLA and I got in a kerfuffle with some rude guys because of this. They didn’t move their seats even when everyone behind them heckled them (asking nicely at first didn’t help). Bastards.
Walk on the grass through the graveyard when going on your impromptu tour. The cemetery staff doesn’t like that. Just stick to the paths.
Continue to drink once the movie starts. You need to make sure you have plenty of time to sober up before it ends. There’s nowhere to hang out around the cemetery after the event, if you need to kill time.
Leave your trash. There are huge trash bins off the grass, on the road, opposite the mausoleum wall.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
6000 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90038(map)
