I’m Back!
Happy New Year! With all the holiday cheer the past couple of months, I took a little break from my column. But I’m BACK with lots to report from my adventures! First off, I managed to get in a little weekend getaway by cruising up to Solvang.
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This quaint village, nestled in the Central California Valley, is home to charming Dutch-style architecture and surrounded by some of the West Coast’s finest wine country. The area also served as the setting of the vino-loving characters in the movie “Sideways.” You can read all about my indulgence into the land of Dutch bakeries, knick-knack mania, and winery hopping HERE.
I did a little rockin’ at Kiss or Kill night at Zen Sushi on Sunset to check out Silver Needle with their agro pop and the Killdevils featuring Eden of Motorcycle Boy, Terri of Texas Teri’s band and Harry from the Cramps. The grooving crowd included members of Bubble, PissAnt and Juarez Crime Scene.
Boy Howdy! Ronnie Mack’s Barndance is back, kicking up its boots again! Now at El Cid in Silver Lake the 1st Tues of every month, I hitched my wagon to a night with the Dime Box Band a band of purty ol’ gals from bands Cheap Chick and the Neptunas. Their sweet country sounds sent all the fellas a flutter as a good time was had by all. They were followed by the hearty country of Sam Mellon and the Skylarks and hosted by the tallest man in the music scene, Ronnie Mack who looks like he hasn’t aged one bit in the decades he’s been putting on roots rock showcases as various venues around Los Angeles. Nice to have you back Ronnie!
When you’ve got journalism in your blood, you can’t help but leap at newscasts of breaking stories, or check out work by well-known reporters. So I had to go to the Getty’s “Pictures for the Press” exhibit featuring stunning moments captured between 1944 and the mid-1970s including the D-Day invasion of France’s Normandy coast in World War II, evacuation of Saigon, the assassination of John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvy Oswald
Next door, an exhibit “Scene of the Crime” by quintessential photojournalist, WeeGee gave a look at this Austria immigrant’s history-making work as he roamed the streets of the Lower East New York during the 30’s and 40s capturing gangsters, fires, murders and candid moments of New York life. Born Arthur Fellig, Weegee got his name for his uncanny ability to be the first on the scene, as if he had a Ouija Board.
These and other exhibits make the Getty a worthwhile trip. Check out upcoming events HERE and plan to spend the day there as the beautiful, European-inspired grounds, and magnificent views are a nice escape from the city.
I got stylish with a fashion show put on by the Art Deco Society featuring a priceless display of authentic antique pieces by Los Angeles-based designer Peggy Hunt. Collected and presented by Hunt’s granddaughter Jacqui Hyland, the showcase traced the history of Hunt’s designs including her glamorous lacework and illusion necklines of nude net-structured cocktail gowns of the ‘50s, through to swingin’ ‘60s. Her work became so popular in that era that it caught the attention of the movie industry which prompted her to design for starlets such as Bette Davis, Mary Pickford and Marlene Dietrich. All I can say is I need to go vintage gown shopping – those dresses were gorgeous!
The runway location of the El Rey Theatre also provided a special significance to the event as it is one of LA’s Art Deco Historical Landmarks. Hosts, the Art Deco Society of LA stressed the importance of preserving these cool buildings. I couldn’t agree more, especially after I recently passed by The Ambassador Hotel, the legendary former 1920’s hotel that once housed the famed Coconut Grove nightclub and the Academy Awards, as well as the site where Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, my heart saddened to see it is now being demolished. I realized LA is losing its character! Do what you can to preserve this city’s rich history and personality, check out a few organizations helping to save what’s left:
Art Deco Society of LA: www.adsla.org
LA Conservancy: www.laconservancy.org
ModCom: www.modcom.org
And if your New Year’s Resolution is to do some good in the world but you can’t afford to empty your wallet for the cause, don’t just Yahoo or Google next time you search the web, do a “Goodsearch!” Through this site (started by a brother and sister who lost their mother to cancer,) every time you search the net, you are giving to your favorite cause, which you choose. (Mine is the Lance Armstrong Foundation for Cancer Research and Patient Support.) Check out www.goodsearch.com and make this year a little better than last…
Get your kicks in 2006!
K.
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