The Conductor’s hands go up…And they stay there…And they stay there

How many times have you had or overheard this conversation? “LA is so different from New York. In New York there’s so much access to diverse cultural activities.” And then eventually the movie Crash is mentioned, yadah yadah(Did I spell that right?)and the typical comment about no great pizza here. The real truth is LA has plenty of fun and interesting cultural things to do. The difference is here, you gotta seek it out. See New Yorkers, we here on the West Coast have to work for our culture. We’re not so lucky to be spoon-fed, except when eating after a Botox treatment. Don’t judge. When car airbags fail, Botox is a AAA rated last layer of protection. But, let me get back to my job; giving great information on great dates. 

LACMA has a lot to offer when it comes to Art, Film, and Music. All year long they feature free music concerts in the evening. They’re organized into seasons. Some Jazz, Classical, and Latin. Their classical season started today and runs every Sunday at 6pm(Check website for details). While classical may not be for everybody, the fact that it’s free gives you no excuse to not give it a try. If you don’t like it, leave and pat yourself on the back for stepping outside your comfort zone. You get an “A” for effort. “Gold star for Marcus!!” Ok seriously, let me bring it back like a Boomerang ; ) The music along with a stroll through the museum is a fantastic date. And don’t feel like you have to take the art so seriously. Think about having fun trying to think of what the artist’s intentions were and compare. This would be where you’d be pulling things out of your ass. Not literally!! That’s performance art and not recommended for most dates. 

Details:

Website: www.lacma.org

What: Free Concert Series

When: Sundays @ 6pm

Where: LACMA 5905 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles 90036

Why:  Eddie Murphy made listening to classical music in Trading Places look cool.

           There’s still hope for everyone else. Keep hope alive and do something           

           different!!

“It’s Friday night. The party’s just beginning, and all of the madness…”

…is right up the street”. Come join the 99% in Venice the first Friday of every month. And by 99% I mean the entire, uniquely diverse crowd(minus 1%) that gathers once a month to celebrate, eat, enjoy art, people watch, and lets be honest; BE WATCHED. Hey it is LA!! And for the record the 1% includes the weird muscle bound guy on the Venice boardwalk that balances that silver sphere on different parts of his body and the Black Sultan looking guy with a guitar and rollerblades. Yeah they’re unique but doing that all the time; day in and day out? That’s strange. So the 99% means YOU!

            I went with friends last month and had a blast. It reminds me of the Downtown LA Artwalk(I’ll be covering that in an upcoming blog)but with more style and better quality art. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a fan of the LA Artwalk, but First Fridays in Venice has a dash of sex appeal that the gritty art scene downtown doesn’t. No better, no worse; just different. And perfect for a date. Go, enjoy looking in the galleries, eating from the great selection of food trucks, and maybe get in a little shopping. Another great aspect is that you can decide how much of a “dime” date you want it to be. You can enjoy the, sometimes, free wine and snacks(depending on the gallery) or enjoy a fantastic meal at anyone of the incredible restaurants on Abbot Kinney. Those are two cost extremes and the Food Trucks lie right in the middle. Feel free to go “Big” or ”Budget”. If you really want to get creative and add some spice to the date, I like to play a game where: Within 10 minutes whoever has the most conversations with strangers about art, wins a shot/espresso/dessert/foot massage/hand sanitizer(Hey! It’s still Venice!) Bottom line; if you’ve never been, GO! Definitely one of the coolest “Once a Month” events in Los Angeles. 

Details:

http://www.abbotkinney1stfridays.com/ 

When: First Friday of each month

Where: Abbot Kinney(It starts at the corner of Venice and goes North)

Why: Great Art, Fantastic Food, and People Watching AKA Culture, Cuisine, and Comedy; A Date Trifecta ; )

Cupid Is What Cupid Does

         Some say when you’re smitten about another person, you’ve been struck by Cupid’s arrow. And the outcome of that erotic impaling all depends on if you have an HMO, PPO, or Medicaid. Think about it; if Romeo had good mental health care, that love story could’ve ended a lot differently, instead of suicide before he checked all of Juliet’s vitals. Alas good people, I digress. What weighs most on determining the outcome is the courting process. And why not make, “Learning Cupids Tricks” part of it? Grab a good breakfast, some gumption, relaxed breath and go to The Rancho Park Archery Range. Every Saturday at 11am and 2^nd Sunday of each month at 1:30pm,  they offer free archery lessons and equipment rental. One little known fact is this same archery range was built for the 1984 Olympics, and still remains today. The best part is they no longer test for performance enhancing drugs here. So that new Celebrex prescription won’t get in the way of you getting official credit for all of your sharp shooting.

            The goal here is to have some fun, do something different, and chances are you’ll both look equally awkward and laugh at each other. And laughter is some good medicine. Maybe not as cool as Celebrex, but damn good. Let's be realistic here; you have a better chance of leaving more Cupid Hood than Robin Hood. Either way, keep it hood and flex your bow with some “Drive By Cupid Shootings”. By that I mean spread the word to other couples and singles looking to do something different. I would never advocate violence or driving in LA.

           Packing a gourmet lunch from your favorite market could be a nice add on after you finish at The Archery Range. Rancho Park is one of LA's best parks.

            A Big Thanks to Cornelius Smith Jr (AKA Frankie Hubbard from All My Children) for doing field research on this blog. What better combo? Soap Stars and Cupid go together like Pinks Hot Dogs and unnecessary lines.

Details:

When:   Saturdays at 11am(Get there 15-30 min early to make sure you get in)

              2^nd Sunday of every month @ 1:30

Where:  Rancho Park Archery Range

              2459 Motor Ave.
              Los Angeles, CA
              310-839-1516 

              It’s a little tricky to find. See link to map.

              http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=archery+rancho+park&fb=1&gl=us&hq=archery&hnear=0x80c2bba36111dd01:0xf1442b285d26d4b2,Rancho+Park,+Los+Angeles,+CA&cid=0,0,15917042302122382961&ei=e3OtTovSL6XgiAKR97zBAg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&ved=0CAYQ_BI

Why:   Learning something new together is always fun. And why you’re there why not make a friendly wager for a foot massage for whoever gets closest to hitting a bulls eye after 10 tries.

Cost: FREE

           

A VENICE BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SMELL JUST AS SWEET

        That is of course if you consider the smell of corn dogs, self produced Hip Hop CDs, and Egyptian Musk incense to be sweet.  If you’ve spent any real time in Venice, you know it’s so much more than a boardwalk and street performers. What we know as Venice, CA was originally won in a coin toss by conservationist Abbott Kinney in 1898. His dream was to create a great ocean side cultural mecca.

         If you walk a few blocks from the beach and take a stroll down Abbot Kinney Blvd, the culture, art, and cuisine ooze from every corner of this bohemian chic neighborhood. And every year on the last Sunday in September, The Abbot Kinney Festival comes alive with over 150,000 people to celebrate all things that make Venice authentically unique. Mr Kinney was a helluvah gambler. My coin tosses may get me a round of drinks, at best. This is a teachable moment; I need wealthier friends to coin toss with. Anyway, from 10am-6m this Sunday the festival brings art, crafts, good food, music, and an environmentally green way of doing things and wraps it neatly in a bow made of hemp. If you have kids, bring them, because the Kidsquad area will keep everyone busy with music sing alongs, games, art, and snack making.

         This date could be a true Tri-Fecta. You can hit the Abott Kinney Festival, walk the Venice Canals, and finish with a beach stroll and a creative Henna tattoo that reads “Got Henna ?”.  Yes you are that cool!

Details:

Website: http://abbotkinney.org/

When: Sunday, September 25^th, 2011 10am-6pm

Where: Abbot Kinney Blvd at Venice Blvd.

Why: Hanging with the Bohemian, Artsy, Tree Hugging, Hipster crowd is fun even if you secretly miss shopping at Mervyns.

Cost: Entrance is free

Don’t Let Me Down Chinatown. It Won’t!!

        When you hear the term Chinatown, you probably don’t immediately think of the area in downtown Los Angeles, just south of Dodger Stadium. Images of Chinatowns in San Francisco or NYC are what usually come up. Take an old note out of Sisqo’s book and unleash the dragon at The Chinatown Summer Nights Festival. It’s the perfect event to re-introduce yourself to our Chinatown in The City of Angeles. 

         If you want to learn how to train your dragon, you’ll have to watch the animated movie. This festival is about Food, Art, Shopping, Djs, Martial Arts, and Chef Battling. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Awww yeah, Iron Chef all up in your face!! And I’m also thinking, this would be a Great Date. The Festival is Free and is this Saturday(September 10^th) from 5-midnight. There’s plenty of parking, bike racks, and shuttles running every 10 minutes from the Metro Goldline Station. “I don’t care how you get here, just get here if you can”(Thank you Oleta Adams).

Details:

http://chinatownla.com/index.php 

When: Saturday, September 10^th from 5-midnight

Where: Chinatown-Central Plaza & West Plaza
                                  943-951 N. Broadway
                                  Los Angeles, CA 90012

Why: Culture and Courting go together like Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan.

                 

Dates Don’t Have To Be Deep. Stay Close To The “Surfas”

          If you’re like me you’re disgusted at the paltry selection of cooking shows on television. I mean come on, not one show that inspires me to use my Forman Grill. Maybe it’s time to mature and get a Panini press. For the time being I’d rather go check out a live cooking demonstration at Surfas in Culver City. As much as Emeril likes to “Kick it Up a Notch”, I’ve never tasted the first notch. Maybe it was notch perfect to begin with. Surfas’s cooking demonstrations take the guess-work out of the equation by allowing you to taste what’s being made

       And its FREE!! They have demos almost every Saturday. Make sure you check their website for their upcoming demos and events. If you’re really feeling the mood, they offer cooking classes for a fee. Surfas is a store that specializes in gourmet foods and professional cooking supplies. If you’re still hungry after the demonstration, they now have a café. But if the date is going really well, grab a few unique gourmet food items and take it to the house for a couples cooking night. Behind closed doors feel free to do what you wish with your “Notches”.

http://www.surfaslosangeles.com/ 

Details:

Cost: Free

Where: Surfas National, Culver City

When: Saturdays(Check website for schedule)

Tip: If you want a good seat, get there 10-15 minutes early

Why: Free food and you learn how to throw away your Top Ramen, together.

 

FOODIE PATOOTIES

TIME SENSITIVE BLOG

{ First of all, please excuse the severe tardiness of my blog. I fell in love with a lady named Paris, France and she requires a lot of my attention. I'm back in LA next week : ) }

There are those that like to eat and there are those that are interested in the growing, distribution, preparation, and of course the ingestion of all things food. Spend a few moments with a foodie and you know you're with one. They can't have cheese without knowing if its cave aged and for how long. It's not a game people; but learning about great food and eating it with another person can add a little healthy adhesive to the bond you're building. Here's a great daytime date for those who may like to hug a carrot before eating it.












Join fellow foodies on August 27 from 9-12noon @ The Santa Monica Place Shopping Center for a breakfast coupled with inspiring culinary demonstrations. With free admission for children under 12 and child-oriented cooking classes. You'll learn about food and eat well. Tickets are $35 per person but if you buy through Bloomspot.com you can buy 1 ticket for $20 or 2 for $35. Discount Tickets are limited.





For Bloomspot tickets go to

http://www.bloomspot.com/los-angeles/good-food-festival/?utm_campaign=los-angeles_11-Aug-23&clicked=1&utm_source=BloomEmail&utm_medium=email&bquery=ZW1haWw9bmFnYWRpc2glNDBnbWFpbC5jb20mdmlkPTYyMTU4NA%3D%3D

And for more event info go to

http://goodfoodfestivals.com/santamonica/schedule-santamonica/event/santa-monica-family-breakfast-101/

The Details:

When: Saturday, August 27th from 9am-12noon
Where: Santa Monica Place Shopping Center
395 Santa Monica Pl
Santa Monica, CA, 90401
Cost: $35 per person OR 2 for 1 with Bloomspot offer
Why: People like to eat and learning about it makes you stop saying inappropriate words like "Value Meal".





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

They Like To Make Stuff Up

Living in LA means you’re lucky enough to have access to the best comedy in the world. Any night of the week you can go see great stand up and improv somewhere around town. If you drive down Franklin, just east of Gower any night of the week you’ll notice a long line of people waiting for something. No, the Scientology Celebrity Center is not giving away free Sprinkles Cupcakes with a side of Pinkberry. Eager comedy lovers are waiting for the next improv show at Upright Citizens Brigade(UCB for folks with comic street cred). They have at least 3 shows a night, everyday of the week and each show is from FREE to $5. You can reserve your tickets through their website. They have a standby line for those brazen enough to try and see a show the night of, but I tried that once and let’s just say you’d have a better chance catching Wynona Ryder shoplifting at The Crenshaw Plaza Mall. Plan ahead and reserve online.

            My favorite show is Facebook . Each week 2 audience members are randomly plucked from the audience to get their FACEBOOK page examined and then turned into long form improvised comedy scenes based entirely on their profile, pictures, comments and status. I was one of the audience members chosen and let me say, it was like being knighted by comedies elite improvisational performers.

             And depending on the show, you never know who might pop up. Past alumni and performers include Aziz Ansari, Patton Oswalt, Doug Benson, Rob Riggle, Zach Galifianakis, & Amy Poehler

Check out they’re full schedule of shows at http://losangeles.ucbtheatre.com/

Here Are The Details

Cost: Free or $5(Reserve Online)

Also: There’s great food, drinks, and café’s on the same block

When: Every night

Tip: They have an open seating policy so if you want your choice of seat,     get your ass there about 45 minutes before the show starts.

A NOT SO SECRET, SECRET GARDEN

Here are a few elements that I think make the perfect date. A walk together, nature’s beauty all around you, discovering something new together, and ending it all with a spot of tea and scones. Cheerio my friends! And the best part; you don’t have to belong to the Tea Party to appreciate a moment like this. It’s open to everyone and it’s in Pasadena. The Huntington Botanical Garden is a privately funded space, which means they have deep pockets to keep the place looking beautiful. There are over 12 different specialized gardens that sits on 120 acres. It’s damn big and beautiful! My favorite are their Japanese gardens. Voted #1 location for Karate Kid II re-enactments by O Magazine.

Along with world-class botanicals there’s classical art in 3 different galleries. The most unique part of The Huntington is their Tea Room. The British have given us so much; Sacha Baron Cohen, Benny Hill, and in the early 1800’s Anne, Duchess of Bedford gave the world of Afternoon Tea. It’s hard to find something more refined and romantic than sipping tea and eating scones with a 3 acre rose garden as a backdrop. It costs $28 per person and you eat and drink as much as you want. Imagine Hometown Buffet with a British swagger. On second thought, don’t do that. Entrance to the Huntington is extra, but they have Free Day the 1^st Thursday of every month. The bottom line is, even if you don't know the difference between poison sumac and oregano, you'll have a great time and be listening to Barry White and El Debarge sing "Secret Garden" on the ride home. 

(In case your 80's R&B IQ needs a refresher)

http://youtu.be/bChCRga3djw

Here’s the details:

-Free Parking

-Closed Tuesdays

-Hours 10:30-4:30 Everyday

-Admission is $15 during the week and $20 on Saturdays and   Sundays

-Free Day is the 1^st Thursday of every month. Up to 5 Free Day Tickets can be reserved online and by phone the 1^st day of the month preceding the month you want to go. So if you want to go in July, you can reserve beginning June 1^st

-If you make reservations for the tea room on Free Day, it automatically comes with Free Day tickets.

-Tours are available for an extra fee

-Theres a café on sight for lunch

WEBSITE http://huntington.org/default.aspx

Date of The Week

No matter where you live, a relationship is tough to sustain. They take work, commitment, understanding, compromise, time management, and of course keeping each other entertained. Don't get me wrong, dinner, a movie, and a night of passion can prove to be quite entertaining, but eventually you'll want to get creative outside the house and find things to do that keep your relationship fresh and interesting. Some of you reading this aren't in a relationship and may be dating one or more people. I'm a firm believer in what you do together as you get to know someone will tell you a lot about what your relationship will look like down the line. Dating doesn't have to be expensive. A little creativity and research can go a long way. All of the men out there without disposable income,  dating more than one person, go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief. I've taken the time to do the work for you.

A little about me. I was in a relationship for 3 years that ended a few months ago and am back in the realm of the single people. One asset I bring to all my relationships is always finding cool, creative, and fun things to do together. I get my information from all over; LA Times, LA Weekly, several websites, AAA Magazine, word of mouth, and simply driving around the city. Over a year ago I started compiling a list of all the places and things I wanted to do with my girlfriend. The list grew and grew and even though we're no longer together I continued to find more great dates and now am giving these gems to you.


One of my favorite places to visit is The Annenberg Space for Photography in Century City. How I wish there was an acronym for the title. In the time it takes to say it, you could've been half way done with a photo shoot at Glamour Shots. Ladies you know you miss walking past Glamour Shots in the mall and thinking you too could look great in a boa. But back to your next great date. Thanks to the deep pockets of The Annenberg Family and their love of media arts they opened this premier gallery for photography in March of 2009. What's great is that you get to see work from some of the worlds top photographers and each exhibit has a theme. Each exhibition is accompanied by a short documentary that chronicles the work of each photographer as they created their photos. The documentaries are displayed on 2 ultra high-definition, rear-projection screens that are 4x the clarity of normal Blu-Ray. That's tech talk for an amazing image to look at on screen. Did I mention the screens face each other, in a dark space with low padded stools. So cuddle up, get comfy, and get your arts appreciation on! Currently their exhibit is Beauty Culture. This exhibit examines the role photography plays in how beauty is defined and how it influences our daily lives, good and bad. I've seen the last 3 exhibitions here. The photos are always incredible and the documentaries attached are equally impressive. I could go on an on, but the important details are...


-It's Free!!

-It's closed on Monday and Tuesday

-Parking is only $1 on Saturday and Sundays and weekdays after 4:30(before that its $3.50)

-If you're really into photography they have a free lecture series on Thursday nights

-You can see The Annenberg in about an hour to an hour and a half

For more information check their website

http://www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org/