Luminosity: Sculpture Exhibit in Downtown LA

When I was in downtown LA last weekend, I saw an amazing art exhibit that I felt I MUST write about. Thanks to the friendliness of e*starLA, I had the opportunity to have a brief chat with the artist, Sean Sobczak. He reminded me of a young David Carridine with his ponytailed hair and long Chinese-style robe. Here's a summary of our heavily paraphrased conversation:

fLAh: From where do you draw your inspiration?
SS: I'm sure you noticed the ocean theme and sea creatures. I'm fascinated by their ethereal nature and fluidity. I try to capture that in my work.

fLAh: What are your pieces made from?
SS: They're a combination of metal wire, stretchy fabric, and LED lights. Stretchy fabric is important because if it wasn't stretchy, then they would bunch up around the bends and not be translucent.

fLAh: How long does it take to make a piece?
SS: The larger pieces take about 4 months, the smaller ones take about 1 month. This is all I do in my spare time, I don't go out or drink or anything. I come back from work and put on my mask and start welding.

fLAh: What's your day job?
SS: I work in the entertainment industry. Gotta pay those bills somehow!

My photos don't do these pieces justice. You should definitely check out this exhibit. You'll feel like you're transported to a different dimension.

Luminosity
A solo sculputre exhibit by Sean Sobczak
Continental Gallery
408 South Spring St
Los Angeles CA 90013
Downtown LA

Until Dec 29th
Closing reception 12/29/09

My Whiskey Soaked Weekend - DewarsDiscovery, Edison Repeal Day Celebration

My Whiskey Weekend - that would make a good name for a band.

Friday - Dewars Discovery Whiskey Tasting Event

My friends and I arrived TOTALLY late to the Dewars Discovery event at Jim Henson Studios scheduled to start at 7pm. We ended up getting there close to 7:40, but the dudes at front were cool enough to let us attend the second seating at 9.

Upon entry, we were each given a token good for one drink at the bar - guess they didn't want patrons to be sloshed before the presentation. But we made sure to tip the bartender good so he hooked us up with a very generous pour of our one drink - thanks dude!

It was also my first visit to Jim Henson Studios - you know, that building on La Brea with Kermit the Frog perched on top. KERMIT!! The event space was a simple set decked out in Dewars propaganda. The passed hors d'oeuvres were awesome tho - mini cheeseburger sliders, lamb sliders, onion tartlets, prosciutto wrapped parmesan, and fresh strawberries. Kudos to Dewars on that.

After 30 minutes or so of this cocktail reception, we were corralled into the presentation room where tables were set up with several vials of various scents of whiskey - honey, fruity, floral, vanilla, and smoke. We could play chemist and mix up our own versions of the magic brew. The Dewars Ambassador gave a brief presentation on the history of the company and what makes Dewars unique - apparently its served by the Queen of Scotland to guests or something like that. He also showed us what peat looks like and lit it so that we could smell the smokiness that comprises that unique flavor of whiskey.

At the end of the event, we were given a Dewars embossed flask as a takeaway gift. I wasn't expecting much from this event that I didn't feel was very well publicized, but I was pleasantly surprised by the friendly staff, educational value and great spread of food and booze.


Saturday - Edison Repeal Day Celebration

Blame my troubled childhood for my disdain of the holidays, but I was totally feeling festive and happy at this event.

1. Ice skating at Pershing Square. 6:00-7:30pm
Surrounded by palm trees and Christmas lights, I was joined by Caroline on Crack and e*starLA as we skated around a tiny bumpy ice rink while Mexican children were standing around the rink spectating. There was a table serving yummy winter treats: roasted chestnuts, mini cupcakes (the choco one was awesome), ribbon candy, fresh mulled hot apple cider, and REAL hot chocolate. Santa and Mrs Claus also paid a visit so revelers had a chance to relive their childhood and take pictures with Santa! I'm sure this gig for Santa was way better than having screaming little brats pissing all over him. We were also each given a lovely black Edison scarf.

As we were leaving, there was a HUGE swarm of people waiting to enter the rink. I was so glad that Edison had reserved the rink for our exclusive use. If you're considering skating here, I'd probably suggest going during off hours like weekdays or weekend daytime.

2. Short walk back to Edison Lounge for some Christmas bourbon 8:00-9:00pm
I didn't even know Edison had this extra area in the rear (to the far right as you walk in) despite the numerous times I visited. Inside, they had prepared their Singapore Chicken Wings which were super yum and hearty chili with a cornbread stick. There was also a lovely singer and her accompanying guitarist for our exclusive listening pleasure. For drinks, there was eggnog with spiced rum, and the open bar was serving up hot toddys (not enough honey IMHO), Edison Lager which is a rather light beer, and their Christmas blend of Woodford Reserve bourbon neat or in cocktails. The Christmas bourbon was surprisingly potent. Very sweet and honey scented on the nose, but is very smoky and peaty on the palette. Had to let out a couple of coughs after that one!

They then brought out some chocolate mint cookies and chewy ginger cookies for dessert. After this indoor portion of the event was over, we had major food and booze coma. But it was a perfectly heartwarming LA winter's night :)

Although I was able to attend this event without paying thanks to my well-connected blogginghead friend Caroline on Crack, at $25 I thought this event was still a total bargain and would highly recommend anyone considering Edison hosted events in the future.

Finally, a hipster weekend!

I think I'm finally returning to my usual self - seeking out art, music, and free booze :)

Friday: In Bed Together at Royal/T for carolineoncrack; Du Metier at Daydream Republic

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if your friends were all struggling actors and artists and you decided to host a get-together at your house with a REALLY big living room?

The lovely Vivien of Daydream Republic invited me to check out her "REALLY big living room" for the Du Metier event last Friday. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but the $15 entry fee gets you live entertainment, an open bar, and snackies. Vivien was generous enough to comp me a couple of tickets to check it out.

It definitely had an "underground" feel to it as it was way far east on Jefferson Blvd, just before you hit USC-land. Or maybe it just felt that way to me cuz I'm a westsider. A series of actors were performing monologues/spoken word pieces on living as a creative person in LA as a circle of spectators watched. I could see this as a great space for filming or band rehearsing or even a party space for you and 100 of your bffs. They also host several of their own events that sound pretty cool.

Neuro Drinks sponsored the drinks and the gals working that section were quite friendly and the NeuroBliss I tried tasted like lychee and mixed great with vodka and apparently "regulates" appetite.

Saturday: Koream Journal Afterparty for "Unforgettable"
This event was totally not my scene - bunch of "fabulous Asian Americans" strutting around in their finest Italian garb gloating at how famous and awesome they think they are. But I did appreciate the Jinro and Hite open bar and I got to try something new called Black Beer Stout which is pretty cool since Korean beers like Hite and Cass usually taste like piss-water (piss-water holding many fond memories for me FYI). Black Beer Stout was definitely not as full bodied as a Guiness, but I found it similar to the more Amber and brown ales which I prefer anyways.

But the highlight of the night for me was most DEFINITELY getting photographed with the smoking hot Daniel Henney - eeeeeeee! For those not in the know, he is a half Korean half white actor who hit it big in Korea acting in some soap operas and has successfully (so far) transitioned himself to the American stage. I spent 3 hours on Sunday watching Three Rivers on cbs.com where he is a co-star. Thanks to my buddy clammy for approaching Sr Henney since I was way too chicken - and star struck! - to ask myself.

Monday: Green Day not-so-secret show at Nokia Plaza
We stood for 5 hours in the longest line I have EVER attempted, but it was SOOOO worth it. Green Day has a raucous energy and pounding enthusiasm that 15+years in existence has not squleched. Billie Joe is as charismatic as ever with his unique voice and I still saw the younger audience members excitedly moshing in the center. It was just funny because this was a taping of the Carson Daly Show's New Years Eve special so we all wore NYE hats and noisemakers and even did a countdown! Weird.....

I LOVE LA! ;)

Hipster's Escape from Douchebag Central aka Hollywood Blvd

I was invited to a birthday dinner at Beso in Hollywood last week. But no way was I gonna drop $100 at a restaurant that was co-owned by a celebrity (Eva Longoria in this case) unless the executive chef was Thomas Keller of French Laundry and the much anticipated Bouchon Bistro in Beverly Hills (which it obviously wasn't). So I just said that I would meet up for drinks after their dinner. I arrived a bit early and as I was standing around Beso's front bar surrounded by douchebags and a cocktail list averaging $15, I knew I needed to escape until I can be fashionably late to my party. The Cahuenga corridor (Cahuenga Blvd between Hollywood and Selma) has several options for those who wanna get away from the touristy douchey crowd so typical of Hollywood. After passing many clubby places along this strip that I couldn't bring myself to walk into alone (Velvet Margarita, Beauty Bar, etc) I found Capitol City. I remembered reading about Capitol City being an "upscale sports lounge" in the heart of Hollywood. To me, it was a relaxed reprieve from the adrenaline pumped playground surrounding most of Hollywood on a Friday night.

It felt kinda dead considering it was a Friday night at 10:30pm aside from a few small groups of diners and a couple canoodling in the corner, but it had exactly what I needed: an open and inviting atmosphere, a readily accessible bar, lots of TV screens for distraction, and a reasonably priced menu. I ended up ordering a Purple Haze draft ($7) and a Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice ($8). The beer was so cold it almost felt like there were ice chips in it...mmmm..... and the tuna/rice combination was also quite tasty and I liked the little disc of serrano chile they donned on top. They had nearly 20 beers on tap in addition to their full bar and a variety of menu options including fancy burgers and fancy pizzas.

The servers and staff were all very friendly as well. Oh and I REALLY liked their retractable purse hooks that are under the bar! At first I couldnt locate them so my initial thought was "Figures, of course a sports bar geared towards men wouldn't be equipped with purse hooks" but boy was I wrong! It's just that they're the retractable folding kind so no one can bump their knees into it ;) So ladies, you too can feel safe hanging out here!

This place is the perfect getaway if you're looking for a more chill way to hang out in Hollywood with its reasonable prices, yummy food, great draft beer selection, and huge glass panels facing Cahuenga Blvd. My friend Carleen who met up with me here before we returned to Beso to join our party also said that she would like to come back here again.

I'll see you again, Capitol City!

Capitol City Hollywood
1615 N Cahuenga Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-465-1750
http://www.capcitysports.com/main.html

If it's good enough for fauxlahipster's birthday party, it's good enough for you

I get asked all the time for bar and restaurant recommendations. But when it came time to figure out my own birthday party, I really wanted a home run in terms of location, ambiance, food, drinks and service for my 25+ guests with ages ranging from mid 20s to late 30s.

After reading countless Yelp reviews and talking to friends, many of whom are well informed bloggers like The Delicious Life and Caroline on Crack, and even fishing on twitter, I had narrowed it down to a few options. The rooftop lounge at Bond St, Trader Vics in Beverly Hills, and Medusa Lounge in Silver Lake.

Here's what I was looking for:

• Somewhat nice and upscale lounge atmosphere without being overly douchey
  
• Drinks that averaged under $12
• No velvet rope nonsense all night long
• Location near Koreatown since many of my lame friends hate to leave a 5 mile radius of it
  
• Easy parking - via inexpensive valet/lot or ample on street
• Nice to have's: outdoor area, rooftop views

My birthday buddy Raymond (his bday is a few days before mine so we decided to enter a joint bday venture) and I did a few drive by's of potential options near downtown LA and when we stopped to check out Medusa, we were like Goldilocks when she found her bed - it was just right. They fulfilled every one of my key criteria in terms of location, ambience, and cost. They have a nify page on their website where you fill in a few blanks and the manager Yosh will email you the next day with reservation details. Quick and efficient, especially for people who are afraid to talk on the phone like me - let's not get into the part when I was a kid and my mom would have to feed me a script so I could tell the gas station attendant how much money to apply to our pump.

The ambiance: Medusa is in the former Lowenbrau Keller space which I've never been to. But I was told it was a former German pub/brewery type place. Many "old" details remain at Medusa including the exposed brick walls and vaulted ceilings. It definitely had that goth-like design which I thought was a perfect prelude to Halloween coming up. The lounge portion is an L-shaped space with the walls lined in tufted sofas and a large bar in the middle. So no matter where you're sitting, you have visual access to the bar. The back room is a bit darker and louder allowing you to get your groove on after downing the many shots that bday revelers usually do.

Food/Drink: Birthday buddy, Caroline on Crack, her boyfriend Jay, and I were the first to arrive and none of us had eaten dinner, so we decided to order up some grub. Think of the food as fancified pub grub. I had fried ravioli (2 huge raviolis) served on a bed of rich marinara and topped with a light truffle cream. CoC had what appeared to be an asian spiced sauteed shrimp with bruschetta. Birthday buddy ordered a calamari salad - which he didn't even offer to share, that bastard. Can't remember what Jay ordered. It wasn't exactly Michelin star haute cuisine, but it sure beat bucket-o-wings and greasy fries!

If you opt for bottle service, they offer several specials including a free appetizer platter with the first bottle and 20%(?) off of the second bottle. We ended up ordering one bottle which came with every type of mixer imaginable including Red Bull.

As we entered, the door guy Rob gave each of my guests a little card that entitled us to a flavored shot served in a test tube for $1. It tasted pretty nasty, but everyone seemed to dig the $1 shot served in a test tube concept.

The service: I really think Medusa's service was what really set them apart in excellence. Many bars and lounges in LA can boast a luxe or interesting interior and reasonably priced cocktails. But few can couple these qualities with a friendliness and hospitality that really made me and all my guests feel so welcome. It started off with Yosh accommodating my one bazillion requests and even offering to let us bring our own mixed CD to play in the lounge - which I didn't do out of sheer laziness, much to my dismay. The door guy Rob is mad cool and a total sweetheart. He's a big and hulky in appearance, but he does his job so well, with a finesse that I wish he could teach to other door guys. Our cocktail waitress Irina (sp?) was so friendly and even though a lot of my friends were ordering drinks from the bar instead of from her, thereby reducing her tip, she was still cool about it saying "the girls at the bar need the tips too." Aw, what a team player!

The night was wearing on and it was time to leave. As our car began to pull out of the valet lot (which is only $5 by the way), Yosh stopped us to give each of the birthday babies a gift - a bottle of champagne! I've never heard of a bar gifting regular old joe's like us, but I thought that was the nicest most thoughtful thing any bar staff or restaurateur has done for me. And I have been to A LOT of bars and restaurants.

So I wanted to write this post to give Medusa the just credit it deserves. If you're looking for a elegant yet laid back space to hold your event, birthday party, or filming your teen angst vampire movie, you definitely won't be disappointed here.

Medusa Lounge
http://medusaloungela.com/
8pm-2am Wed-Sat
3211 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90057
213-382-5723
Neighborhood: Silver Lake

Thanks to Caroline on Crack for the food and drink pictures