sha in LA

the strong, silent type

Last evening I found myself in an Arts District Loft of close friends, Neon Boy and The Gentrifier, for a Holiday Party to welcome a new addition to their family.  No, they didn’t adopt a little Asian baby.  They adopted a large concrete & terracotta Angel.  An Angel which used to sit 12 stories above the corner of 6th and Flower in Downtown Los Angeles nearly 40 years ago until he lost his home to a wrecking ball.

 

That home was the Richfield Oil Company Headquarters.  A stunning 1929 Art Deco, black & gold terracotta, masterpiece of a building; the coloring of which symbolized the “black gold” or “oil” business of it’s owners.  In total, there were 40 Angels that lined the rooftop and it’s unknown how many have survived over the years.

This so called “Angel treasure” has, since his dismantling, sat in the front lawn of a home in Santa Ana until the owners decided to get rid of him.  They contacted my friend who is local Historian and Urban Anthropologist and one thing led to another and viola, the Angel is now the most awesome piece of loft art ever.

He’s a handsome devil.  The strong, silent type.

 

If you're interested, you can view more images here.

 

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Dedicated to Marisa O'Brien; our proud Elephant warrior

Back in May of 2007 my theatre company, The Elephant Theatre, created a team and walked in the Revlon Run/Walk in support of finding a cure for Breast Cancer.

Little did we know back then that in late 2009 one of our own company members, Marisa O'Brien, would be diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer.

Close friends have banded together to help her out during this difficult time by preparing meals, taking her to chemo treatments, donating fabulous new hats for her sexy bald head and so much more.

But the fight continues. And the threat is still real for every woman alive. Which is why we as a company are walking again this coming May 8th not only in support of Marisa (Go Team Ri!) but for all women (and families and friends) who have been affected by this horrible disease.

I ask that you please consider making a donation to help fund important research into the cause and cure of women's cancers, prevention, education and support service programs.

There are 2 ways to help. 

1.) My direct fundraising site.

2.) Join us on Sunday April 25th for a Spin class at Pedal Spin Studio in Montrose with instructor Mike Lawless.  See flyer below for more details.  Suggested donation for the spin class is $20.

I'm super excited for the Spinning Fundraiser,  If you are a Southern California resident who spins, or even interested in giving it a try, then this would be a great chance to assist in a worthy cause and have fun at the same time!

Thanks in advance!!!

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a thrilling time in LA

For the longest time I’ve had the urge to learn the Thriller dance but never found a good enough online tutorial nor put the time and energy into a thorough internet search.  Then one day a few weeks ago, as I was driving home from yoga of all things, I heard an advert on the radio promoting the Worldwide Thriller Event Thrill the World whereby there would be an attempt at breaking the world record for most # of people simultaneously dancing to Thriller.  Viola!  So I immediately went home, looked up the info and reposted to Facebook thinking I’d surely have a ton of friends interested in joining me in this adventure.  How many takers did I get?  One.  But she’s a feisty one that little Marisa…

 

The deal was that you register, then learn the dance which was broken down into sections and available in video format, and perform it at the allotted time.  They also highly suggested that you attend at least one of the organized dance rehearsals that they held around town prior to the day of the event. 

 

Numerous times during that last busy week prior I thought that I’d just learn the dance on my own and maybe bow out of going, simply because I really was packing in the activities and didn’t think I’d have the energy to carry everything out.  Thankfully I had Marisa there every step of the way, clearly much more eager about this event than even I had been originally.  So I pressed on and we went to the Thursday night rehearsal which cemented the dance in my brain and allowed Marisa to learn what she hadn’t at the previous rehearsal she went to the week before.  We then got together on our own on Friday night to go over everything again for about an hour and a half.  Professionals, we are.

 

Then Saturday October 24^th came.  I went to spin class, stopped by Union Station quickly to be on standby for a possible Family Tour (thankfully no one showed), went home, took a disco nap (spinning in the morning makes me tired) and then got ready to Thrill the World.

 

We met up at LA Live in the 3 o’clock hour and prepped, rehearsed, ate, had a drink and then danced; one rehearsal, 2 actual dances and a 3^rd (just because).  Andrew, Marisa’s man, came with her to record the event for posterity and to be our own little cheering section.  He was in a word, awesome.  Got great photos and video and was probably even more excited than we were.

 

I had a great time with truly good friends and made history in the process.  Done and done.

 

 

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did someone say pillow fight?

Did you know that today, Saturday April 4th, was International Pillow Fight Day?

Los Angeles participated in the event along with a host of other cities all over the world.  Our event happened at Pershing Square in Downtown and I was there to capture it on film.

As the rules go you are only allowed to hit people with pillows, anyone carrying a camera is off limits.  I stayed on the fringes of the fight and snapped a zillion pics.  Just uploaded the cream of the crop to flickr; go have a looksie.

In the meantime, here's my favorite shot from the day:

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roller derby run down

My how time flies when you are having fun.  Or a procrastinator.  Mmm, perhaps both.  3 years ago this month I posted the result of an online quiz I took that was apparently linked to the LA Derby Dolls website and it proclaimed that if I were to become a roller skating warrior that Fight Crew was the team for me.  

Due to my usually booked Saturday nights at the theatre, going to actually see The LA Derby Dolls in action has proved somewhat difficult.  Until last night.  Earlier in the week Phillanova Fox (formerly of Square One fame) mentioned that a few friends were planning on going and asked if I was available and wanted to come along.  I immediately said yes and started to jump up and down in sheer excitement.  

Saturday night finally came and I gots all dressed up because afterwards I’d be hanging at the bar and I of course wanted to look semi cute.  So I stroll into Bergins where we all met and the first thing Princess Leah says is not “hi” but “you do know that we will be standing the entire night and you have to pee in a port-a-potty...right?”  So consider this my fair warning to all who haven’t gone to a Derby Dolls event and are planning; wear comfy shoes, bring a lightweight jacket (for the girls) and pee a lot before actually arriving at the event.  Luckily the cute shoes that I was wearing were one of my more comfortable pair so it was all good.  

The 5 of us arrived a snitch after 7pm and were luckily able to snag a decent spot near the corner where the announcers are located.  Another piece of advice, the larger your party the earlier you should arrive if you want to secure a good spot to see the action.  The only drawback to where we were located is that we couldn’t hear the announcers very well because, as Leah showed me, there were no speakers pointed in our direction due to feedback issues.  Whatevs, it was a minor detail that I didn’t mind.  Because although the announcers have a great sense of humor you aren’t there to listen to them, you are there to watch some great action!  

Now remember when earlier I mentioned that the quiz I took stated that if I were a Derby Doll my personality was a best fit for Fight Crew?  Well, coincidentally enough, out of the 4 local LA Derby Dolls teams Fight Crew was battling it out with The Swarm from San Diego.  Sweet!  

If you haven’t been to a roller derby event and don’t know the rules, yes there are rules, then one would think it just a pack of girls skating around a banked track trying to kill opposing team members.  And even though it resembles that a bit there is actually offense involved and points are scored making it an official sport.  Prior to arriving everyone tried to school me on the game and it kinda made sense but since I’m a visual person they all assured me that I’d figure it out pretty quickly.  After having read the rules of the game in the program and standing around for about 45 minutes waiting I was super ready for the match to start.

I’d attempt to give a run down on the rules but that’s just too much for right here, suffice to say it's easy to grasp the concept of Roller Derby and amazingly fun to watch.  The Swarm is a really good team and jumped out to a 20 point lead pretty quickly but Fight Crew battled back and made it a game for much of the match, until the end when The Swarm got their killer instinct back.  Fight Crew ended up losing the match but in my book they are all winners.  Kick-ass, rock & roll-er derby winners baby.

My one word to summarize the night was WOW.  Just WOW.  Seriously more fun than I’ve had in quite some time all for a mere $20.  And will I be back?  Most definitely!  Although not for a few months as I will have theatre duties for the next 4 scheduled matches.  But I’ll be sure to keep my eye on the fall schedule and pray I have no conflicts.  Perhaps by then I will have made up my own roller derby name, because you can’t help but figure out what you’d call yourself if you had enough guts to join those fine ladies.

And one last piece of advice, no cameras allowed.  Since I couldn’t take any snaps of the action last night I will leave you with a shot of my fabulous skates that need some dirtying up a bit, don’t ya’ think?

....and Stretch checking out my skates

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save the day for a date with 8th

For the past 2 years, on a Sunday in February, I have taken a particular street in LA and chosen to explore it via foot versus automobile.  Inspired originally by Franklin Avenue's 2006 Wilshire Walk this is my favorite way to celebrate the coming of the new year.

For those not in the know, I walked 6th Street in 2007 (San Vicente to Downtown) and James M. Wood Blvd in 2008 (Western to Downtown). 

This year, on Sunday February 15th, the walking route will be...(drum roll please)...8th Street from Downtown to Fairfax! Why the opposite direction from years past?  Well, you see, there's this place that's located on Fairfax just steps south of 8th Street that is near and dear to my heart and I thought it would be a fitting place to end a fun day, that place is none other than Tom Bergins.  What?  Surprised?!!?

We will have a direct route on 8th except for a minor detour onto Wilshire to walk around the Ebell as it lies directly in our path.  Elsewise it should be a relatively easy 6.5 miles with TONS of amazing residential architecture to admire along the way.  

Joining me as in years past will be Neon Boy (Eric Lynxwiler) and The Gentrifier.  And all of you are welcome to join in on the festivities too!!  Trust me, 6.5 miles is like a walk in the park.  Seriously.  We average 20 minute miles so that puts the entire trek at a little over 2 hours.  The kicker is that the group of people who normally accompany me are architecture nuts so we will definitely investigate particularly interesting buildings along the way.  That being said, and looking at the timing from my past 2 adventures, I estimate it should take about 3 hours total.

Transportation to and from the starting and ending points can be easily accessed via Metro Bus or Rail.  We will meet on the corner of 8th and Flower (a block south of the 7th Street/Metro Center Red Line) and Bergins is a block and a half from Wilshire (Rapid 720, 28, 20).  Easy peasy!  Mix and match the transpo option that best suits your particular need! 

Meeting time is NOON for now, let me know if you are potentially joining so I have an idea of how many to look out for and can alert you to any updates prior to the walk.

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i'm gonna walk all over you...

This picture makes me laugh.

It was taken on the JMWB Walk that I did back in February wherein I walked James M. Wood Blvd. from Western Avenue into Downtown.  

My birthday walks stem from Mike at Franklin Avenue who a few years ago assembled a group of people interested in walking the length of Wilshire Blvd.  Since then, every year he picks a new street to explore on foot.  This year Santa Monica Blvd. is the street of choice, Saturday November 22nd is the date and mama's got a new pair of shoes for the occasion.

I won't be walking the entire length though, just a portion, as 7 miles is my max out point.  I know this from much prior experience.

And speaking of, I already have the route planned for my next Birthday Walk...but I'll spare the details until closer to the actual date.

See you on the streets!

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fly like a pigeon?

 

Biking is the new hot topic these days it seems.  With gas prices still on the high side of things and the color green on everyone's mind from the financial crisis to saving the planet, it's only natural that some people are remembering their youth and taking up the two wheel mode of transportation...or at least considering it.

I used to bike all over my neighborhood when I was a kid.  Then one day, when I became an adult and moved to the car capital of the world, I stopped.  Yesterday (Sunday actually, I'm writing this late on Monday night) I relived my youth.  Biking en masse with about 20 other people (Pat from Eating L.A. included) and the Flying Pigeon crew on their weekly Sunday morning Get Sum Dim Sum Bike Ride.

People began gathering at 10am at the Flying Pigeon Bike Shop in Highland Park.  Those who either didn't have a bike or wanted to test out the Flying Pigeon were able to use a loaner.  I chose a loaner, a lovely Orange one in honor of my beloved Browns who had a bye this past week, which was in part why I was able to join in on the festivities.

Normally these Dim Sum rides are exactly what they specify, a ride from the bike shop to one of the various Dim Sum offerings in Chinatown, San Gabriel or Alhambra.  This week though they decided to change things up a bit, the destination was The San Antonio Winery...yet another reason this Bad Angeleno decided to participate.

Around 10:30am, after being "fitted" for my temporary new ride, we were off.  It was a gloriously overcast morning, just lovely for an easy bike ride which traveled along a maze of back streets and ended about a half hour later.

The San Antonio Winery sits on its original location, expanded just a bit since inception in 1917, and takes up an entire city block.  The enlarged structure houses a Tasting Room, Gift Shop, Restaurant, numerous Fermenting Rooms and a Bottling Plant.  They offer tours of the facility on what I would assume a regular basis throughout the day. 

The restaurant is set up buffet style with a twist.  Set out on tables are samples of the entrees which are available that day, you figure out what you want and tell the nice man behind the counter, you then grab desert and a drink, pay for your meal and when the entree is ready someone will bring it directly to your table.

On the ride back to the bike shop the sun decided to grace us with its presence...and heat.  Overall it wasn't too difficult of a ride, slightly uphill but not unbearable by any stretch of the imagination.  A small price to pay considering I think I coasted nearly the entire trip to the Winery.

The bikes come complete with a basket, headlight and lock and are extremely comfy for those of us with troublesome lower backs.  All for $299.  And if you happen to buy one of their bikes after the ride then the Flying Pigeon crew will buy your lunch.

Again, the Get Sum Dim Sum Bike Ride happens every Sunday at 10am and the route changes on a weekly basis.  Be sure to check their website for more info and to reserve a bike.

Go meet some new cool new people, buy a bike, get some dim sum and maybe if you're lucky...and then some!!!

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p.s. I didn't get any "and then some" but I did get some pics, you can view them here if you wish.

when pigeons fly...

What will I be doing this coming Sunday since the Browns have a bye week?

Celebrating the fact that the Browns won’t get another loss – yes.
Sleeping in because there will be no Browns game to watch – no.

Why? Because I’ll be joining in on the Flying Pigeon Get Sum Dim Sum Ride (with an Italian twist).

More to report after the ride. Anyone else wanna join?

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the JMWB walk recap

I don't think I could have asked for a more perfect day for my exploration of James M. Wood Blvd.

As I walked up to the corner of Wilshire and Western a group walkers had already assembled, yes I was just a few minutes late to my own gathering...tsk, tsk. We waited about 10 minutes for any late comers who may have been traveling by train and ended up getting under way with the trek around 12:20. The walk down Western was very uneventful and rather hot with the sun beating down on us in the concrete jungle but as soon as we turned the corner onto JMWB the adventure began. There were 7 of us in total, all armed with cameras and a love of residential architecture. We were treated to numerous magnificent buildings of a past era and ended up taking a few detours along the way to check out particularly interesting buildings that we saw down random side streets. Big props to Eric who spotted the roof of a Victorian on Bonnie Brae which turned out to be Historic Cultural Monument No. 45.

[Historic Cultural Monument No. 45 on Bonnie Brae]

We also stumbled upon an Open House of a recently renovated building dubbed The French Chateau. I immediately recognized it from a CurbedLA post a few months ago. It was stunning if not slightly overpriced considering the neighborhood.

Due to our slow-as-a-snail pace and the frequent side trips we ended up making it into Downtown around 3pm and stopped by the Figueroa Hotel for a quick drink on the patio where we were sadly out of place next to the dolled up Grammy crowd. Needing something more substantial than chips and salsa we racked our brain for a chill place to grab a bite to eat so early in the afternoon on Sunday - most places opened at 5pm. Finally we came up with Casey's, it was closer to the Metro stop and provided grub. Perfect! Even more perfect was the fact that Happy Hour had just begun! For obvious reasons I had a specialty drink dubbed The River Shannon (vodka, ginger ale, splash of grapefruit juice). After regaining strength from the finger food nosh we all headed in different directions back home.

My full flickr set is here. When others send their pictures I'll post the links.

I wonder what street I'll tackle next year....oh well, I got a whole year to figure that out.

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