sha in LA

3 Thursdays

Most Thursday nights I can be found at the Elephant Theatre running a show. Every once in a while I get to take a little break. Coming up in July I will get such a break as things will change for 3, yes count 'em 3 Thursdays. I must make good use of my time as I won’t see anything like this again for a few months. In a perfect world, one where I don’t come home and decide to A) workout or B) pass out from exhaustion, the following would be my intended plans for the 3 Thursday’s in July.

July 6 – Take in Dinner and a Movie at the Autry National Center, Mexicali Rose plays tonight. For a mere $15 some sort of dinner is served in the plaza area beginning at 5pm, then at 7:30 the movie is screened at the Wells Fargo Theatre. Other options would be July 13 (In Old Monterey), July 20 (South of the Border) or July 27 (Down Mexico Way). Or, if you’re like every other semi-normal person and have numerous Thursday evenings at your disposal then you really won’t want to miss the Sizzling Summer Nights Live Music Series in August. For $5 enjoy live music and dancing from 6pm – 9pm with some of the hottest Latin bands in town. Make sure to check the calendar for more information.

July 13 – this one is a no-brainer for me. Finally go on the Downtown Art Walk held on the 2nd Thursday of every month and sponsored by the Gallery Row Organization.

July 20 – Go see the SpyAnts new show, The Reunion: Everything Changes, Everyone Stays the Same. In this production the Howard Fine Acting Studio will be converted into the fictional Woodrow Wilson High School of Woodland Hills hosting the 10 year reunion of the class of 1984. The inspiration for this piece came from a play called Tamara which had an extended run in Los Angeles in the 1980’s. In the SpyAnts piece you can follow one character throughout the evening or switch to another if that suits your fancy. Maybe some day soon the 'Ants will get their website updated and it will have more detailed info on the concept.

Movies, Music, Art and Theatre. How cultured am I? Anyone wanna join in on the festivities?

x

bowling tips

Last night I was hanging with some theatre geeks watching some awards show on TV when all of a sudden this voice in the corner says "Let's go bowling." My ears perked up a bit and I was smitten. After much ado about nothing a few of us finally made it to a bowling alley nearby - Mar Vista Lanes, where they close promptly at 10:30 and don't care about refunding money for frames not played but will gladly sell them to you with no hesitation. We (Q, Dick, Sweet Onions and Der Berzerk) were unstoppable. Actually Dick was the big weiner winner bowling a sweet 172, consisting of approximately 9 spares. As the bowling attendant said "it's not about the strikes, it's about cleaning up the mess you left behind." Well said my friend, well said. My only revelation for the night was that you should hold your beer in your left hand so as to cut down on the clammy hand syndrome with the ball. I also sustained a slight injury, a strained left buttock. It's OK though, I received prompt medical attention.

Afterwards we decided to switch out big balls for smaller ones, heading back over to our side of town for some pool at The Whitehorse.

What I thought was going to be a so-so day turned out to be one insane blast with an old friend and 2 new ones alike. One wonders, is this what happens every time this trio of kids hang out?? Too bad they all live in separate states. Or maybe that's a good thing. Thanks for the memories.

x

enlightened

Tickets are now available for the 2006 Neon Cruise, offered by the Museum of Neon Art. I've been on the cruise 3 times and have loved each and every outing. You can read about my last experience here. Or just skip to the good stuff, the pictures.

An e-mail arrived last week from my good friend Eric who leads the tours. This excerpt gives a good overview on what to expect. I can say from experience, bring a hat, scarf, gloves and winter coat. No matter how warm it is, when that double-decker bus gets going it WILL be freezing. Yes, even in the middle of summer.

The evening begins at 6:45 when the Museum of Neon Art opens its doors. Enjoy appetizers and wine while strolling through the museum's galleries of contemporary, electric artwork as well as the famed boneyard of vintage neon signage. Our convertible, double-decker bus leaves promptly at 7:30 when we hit the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Along with your affable guide (me!), you'll tour the Broadway Theater district, Chinatown, South Park, and even Skid Row to see the illuminated city. From there, the bus takes off for the sites of Hollywood, Fairfax, Wilshire, and Westlake. With two intermissions for shopping and (ahem!) drinking, the evening will end three hours later when the bus returns to the Museum of Neon Art.

and my favorite part...

...the Neon Cruise is not just a tour of neon signs, but an eclectic journey through nighttime Los Angeles and its history, culture, food, booze, architecture, rapidly multiplying lofts, and bizarre denizens.

If you're interested I highly recommend getting tickets early as they will sell-out. And if you're lucky I'll probably make an appearance at some point this next season, depending on my weekend availability.

x

bitters on the rocks

I'm becoming really bitter in my old age. Or maybe this is just a temporary non-social phase I'm going through.

Saturday night Fofi, Lindz and I all decided to head over to La Poubelle for an acquaintance's barfday birthday party. Lindz wasn't feeling well but thought if she had some food and a drink she'd perk up a bit. We called the main number for the restaurant to make sure food would be served late and the recorded greeting said "enjoy dinner nightly until 1am." Great. 11pm. Food. Drinks. Problem solved.

After fighting through the masses that seem to assemble in and around Franklin and Bronson Avenues on any given weekend night we were greeted at La Poubelle by nary a crumb of food and far too much plasticity. Fofi, being the hunter and gatherer that he is, found a quiet little Italian restaurant, Prizzi's, a few doors down that had planned accordingly and still had food to serve it's hungry customers. After a fantabulous meal of mussels, salad, pasta and chicken we went back to La Poubelle for a nightcap. Thankfully by this time the place had cooled off a bit. It was as I was making my way back from the restroom that I spotted a familiar face. A friend that I haven't seen since the glory days of the Derby when swing dancing was all the rage due a little independent movie called Swingers and a commercial by the Gap. Yes kids, do the math, roundabout 7 years. We shared conversation on how small LA really is once you get down to it and the oddity of both of us ending up at an establishment that we never go to and running into each other.

What I originally thought would be a non-eventful, trying evening on my patience ended up being a blessing in disguise. Maybe I should go to places I dislike more often. I wonder who else from my past will show up.

x

By the way, this is not what we do on the social dance floor.

hey diddle, diddle...

Try as I might I simply have not come to hold a soft spot in my heart for the Cat & Fiddle. First off I think birthday celebrations are a horrid event to hold. This is in no way to make judgment on those who have birthday celebrations, I just will never publicly organize such an event for myself. Nor will I allow anyone else do the same.

That being said, last night I attended such a celebration for a good friend at the Cat & Fiddle. Our waitress, Emily, was a goddess. She deftly handled the throngs of people in our party, half of which ate, drank and were merry. The other half just merry. The only place they could seat us was in the cold, dark, Tundra-like corner of the patio where the restaurant heater wasn't working. Luckily most people came prepared with winter coats, gloves and hand-knitted scarves so in reality it wasn't all that bad. It's just the vibe or atmosphere or something that rubs me wrong about that place. Maybe because it always seems to be filled with pretty people who are far too concerned with themselves to even interact with anyone not in their little cool circle of friends or maybe I simply don't like outside patios. Maybe I prefer to belly-up to the bar and engage energetic bartenders in polite conversation or just make eyes with attractive boys across the way. Whatever the reason may ultimately be, you'd be hard pressed to find me eager to return.

x

p.s. they do have yummy mac-n-cheese though...just so you know...

horray for holly trolley

I first read about the proposed Holly Trolley a few months back in a Hollywood Independent newspaper that randomly arrives at my apartment building. I searched the Internet high and low for more information but came up empty handed until this week when all the kids are talking about it.

Being the curious girl that I am, I decided to give the website a quick glance to see exactly where this super shuttle to the clubs actually goes. Answer me this, why would they post a map with North facing East???

Whatever. For all intents and purposes it runs from Hi/Ho on the West to Sunset/Hollywood & Vine on the East.

I do hope it turns out to be a success regardless of their point of view on mapage.

x