From the creators of my favorite LA blog, CurbedLA, comes EaterLA..."a clearing house and temple for all things related to eating and drinking in Tinseltown. The aim here is to obsess about the Los Angeles restaurant and nightlife scene until we're all so over it that we're excited about it again." Definitely a good site for my phat foodie friends (phat...not FAT).
Zodiac: Trailer for the new movie by my favorite director, David Fincher (Se7en, The Game, Fight Club, Video Hits: Paula Abdul), about Zodiac, a serial killer who terrorized San Francisco with a string of seemingly random murders during the 1960s and 1970s. Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey, Jr.
Thanksgiving...my favorite holiday...my favorite meal...and the best time of year to wake up crazy early and stand in line with really, really cheap people. I participated in the fun 2 years back and got myself a nice 19" flat screen monitor, a new chair for my mom and a DVD-burner from Staples all for a song, a dance and a couple of mail-in rebates. Last year I was wise enough to realize that some stores started having the same sales online starting on Thanksgiving night. More cheap tech goods and more sleeping in. I think even more are doing the same this year so check out these links for more info:
In case you weren't watching Day Break last night (not bad - especially if you like Groundhog's Day), here is the first of a few sneak peaks of the second half of Lost (Season 3)...which won't start until February...ugh!
So Becky and I were discussing whether at age 30-something, if it's too late to seize the dream of being a rockstar. We say no since there are plenty of people that get their start late. All I gots to do is get a wee bit better on the guitar right? Well, that and I need to learn how to sing. Becky reminded me that there are plenty of 'successful' artists who don't actually sing. Here are the top 3 we could think of...
Already did my mini review below, so here's the setlist and a pic (thank you flckr)
Setlist: Cannonball - Delicate - I Remember - Rootless Tree - Childish - The Animals Were Gone - Volcano - Then Go - Coconut Skins - The Professor/La Fille Danse - 9 Crimes - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part 2 (by Vyvienne on piano) - Eskimo - Elephant - Toffee Pop - The Blower's Daughter
Encore: Accidental Babies - Medley (Amie->Rat Within the Grain->Lonelily->Grey Room->Cross-eyed Bear->Bottom Shelf) - Cold Water
My new Favorite from the new album (thanks to hearing it live): Damien Rice - Coconut Skins (.mp3) and another great one live: Damien Rice - Childish (.mp3)
Went to see Damien Rice at the El Rey tonight...as expected, a really good show. His voice is phenomenal live and he definitely sings with a lot of passion. Yes his songs are a bit depressing at times but who doesn't enjoy a good depressing song?? Even he thought we were all crazy for standing there, rejoicing in his depression-drenched songs. I don't know, maybe it takes a pessimistic person to enjoy such melancholy (I consider myself an optimistic pessimist so I get to enjoy it all).
The whole set definitely reiterated my appreciated for the new album, 9, which comes out today, Nov. 14th. As always, Damien was accompanied by the amazing Lisa Hannigan and Vivian Long (on cello) who sang a really nice piano based cover of The Flaming Lips 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots' in the middle of the set so Damien could drink some wine. The encore consisted of a medley of songs at the request of the audience and included my favorite B-side 'Rat within the Grain' but did not include 'Woman Like a Man' to the dismay of Becky and many others.
Once video or photos get put up, I'll put some here. For now, enjoy this video of Coconut Skins from his instore appearance this past weekend at Fingerprints in Long Beach.
San Diego...Drink it in. Always goes down smooth. Heading to SD today to see SD at HOB. That's, Super Diamond, the infamous Neil Diamond cover band, in San Diego at the House of Blues. And what better way to honor a cover band who covers Neil Diamond than to post a video of CapeCod Bob singing my favorite, "Sweet Caroline". Who is Cape Cod Bob? I have no clue...but just wait for the chorus and the crowd participation.
Also, try this version: Mark Holder: Sweet Caroline (.mp3) From Where There's a Will, There's a Way (Deriva, 1973)
Woohoo...it's almost snow season and snow season is always kicked off in my world with Ski Dazzle. The annual snowboard/ski expo is coming up (Nov. 16th-19th) at the LA Convention Center and always offers the "free*" lift ticket to Big Bear with your paid admission. I think I've gone just about every year for the last 8 years...yup, I'm cheap...err, poor..err, thrifty. I never seem to buy anything...never spend more than 15-20 min in the hall...just happy to get my "Free*" lift ticket.
Word on the street (aka, the resort websites), Big Bear won't open until "mid to late November" and while Mammoth is set to open Nov. 9 (holy crap, tomorrow), they only have a bit of man made snow at the main lodge. Snow showers are forecasted for Saturday though...sure hope its the start of a white winter (El Camino Nino is on right?). I also just read that Mountain High has put nearly $2 million worth of renovations into its resorts. Should be interesting to see what $2 million can do...
In honor of snow (which is basically just cold water) and in honor of seeing Damien Rice at the El Rey on Monday...one of my favorites from O :
Damien Rice - Cold Water (.mp3 - on Conan O'Brien)
*Your "Free" Ticket comes with 4 options:
OPTION ONE: Any Day. A coupon that is redeemable at Bear Mountain or Snow Summit for a FREE adult all-day interchangeable lift ticket ANY DAY until December 15, 2006. OPTION TWO:Mid-Week. A coupon good beginning January 8, 2007 through the end of the 2007 season for a mid-week (Monday - Friday) , non-holiday 2 for 1 adult all-day lift ticket. OPTION THREE:Night Sliding. A coupon for a FREE adult non-holiday night session at Snow Summit during the 2006-2007 season (weather permitting). OPTION FOUR: Season Pass Discount. Attendees can get $30.00 Off any $100 or more 2006-2007 winter season pass right at the show.
Holiday Dates: January 13 - 15, 2007; February 17-19 2007.
So I got to celebrate my first Halloween in about 3 years by going to the Upright Citizens Brigade for their comedy spooktacular. About 50% of the audience were in costumes and by far the best one was a guy who was a dead ringer for David Cross's Tobias Funke character from Arrested Development. Besides just looking like him (balding, mustache, glasses), the guy was wearing nothing but cut-off jean shorts and Birkenstocks ala Tobias' "Never Nude" movement (must wear denim cut-off shorts all the time, even in the shower and under his pants). Hilarious! And of course a close runner up was Pam dressed as the lil' girl from Little Miss Sunshine.
The UCB went all out and had the typical, knott's scary farm-like haunted house maze as you enter the theater...except this one ended with a keg and a box of cupcakes. If only they had funnel cake too. The show was pretty good especially since it was hosted by the comedey duo Hard N Phirm (formally Chris Hardwick -of MTV's Singled Out and Rock of Ages fame - and Mike Phriman -my former co-worker at The Wherehouse). I've been fans of theirs since they hosted UCLA's Spring Sing many years back. Then I became even bigger fans of theirs after they did the bluegrass Radiohead medley, Rodeohead. And it was my lucky night cuz they even performed it live. Other comedians included Paul F. Tompkins and Doug Benson (who did his whole routine as Harry Potter).
Great show...but me too tired to review now. Have some music:
Already did my mini review below, so here's the setlist and a pic (thank you flckr)
Woohoo...it's almost snow season and snow season is always kicked off in my world with Ski Dazzle. The annual snowboard/ski expo is coming up (Nov. 16th-19th) at the LA Convention Center and always offers the "free*" lift ticket to Big Bear with your paid admission. I think I've gone just about every year for the last 8 years...yup, I'm cheap...err, poor..err, thrifty. I never seem to buy anything...never spend more than 15-20 min in the hall...just happy to get my "Free*" lift ticket.
So I got to celebrate my first Halloween in about 3 years by going to the Upright Citizens Brigade for their comedy spooktacular. About 50% of the audience were in costumes and by far the best one was a guy who was a dead ringer for David Cross's Tobias Funke character from Arrested Development. Besides just looking like him (balding, mustache, glasses), the guy was wearing nothing but cut-off jean shorts and Birkenstocks ala Tobias' "Never Nude" movement (must wear denim cut-off shorts all the time, even in the shower and under his pants). Hilarious! And of course a close runner up was Pam dressed as the lil' girl from Little Miss Sunshine.
