Cirque du Soleil OVO: A Smashing Success in Santa Monica
Cirque du Soleil is known for its artistic, visual and acrobatic extravaganzas, and its latest tent show, called “OVO,” adds a vivid new entry to the repertoire of the Québec-based performing arts company. Opening night on January 20 under the yellow and blue big tent, or Grand Chapiteau, at the Santa Monica Pier was star-studded. Josh Brolin, Diane Lane, Hilary Swank, Heather Graham, Neil Patrick Harris and Ali Landry were among the audience of … Read More
Extremely Moved by Extremely Loud
It was with a small dose of trepidation that we approached “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” based on the 2005 novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, but only because images and emotions from 9/11 are still difficult to absorb. Yet this beautiful film (opening wide January 20) is well worth the trip back in time to that trauma of "the horrible day," as it is called by the main character, a precocious and intuitive boy named Oskar Schell, … Read More
Urban Brings it Closer to His Fans as He Wraps Up World Tour
Summer is technically over, but for Keith Urban, it’s been a long hot one—with his single “Long Hot Summer” just reaching number one on the country charts as his vaunted Get Closer 2011 World Tour closes out later this week in three Midwestern arenas. For his fans, Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis will soon become Monkeyville as Urban and his band take the stage in those cities. And if the shows are like his recent … Read More
It’s the Battle of Los Angeles, Art Show Edition
Blue Cars by Johnny Taylor at Affordable Art FairIt’s a big art lover’s weekend in Los Angeles as several art fairs hit town, from downtown to Santa Monica, and we got a chance to preview two of them. The Affordable Art Fair is at the LA Live Event Deck downtown, featuring galleries from around the world showcasing contemporary art by almost 3,000 emerging and established artists. It’s the first edition of the show to be held in Los … Read More
EVENTS
ALAC–Art LA Contemporary–Lands at Barker Hangar
From the moment you approach Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport, something special is happening for the third edition of ALAC. It’s called “Disappearing Environments,” an installation work by artist Judy Chicago, and it’s a huge crowd pleaser. It’s made of pyramids of dry ice that create shrouds of clouds that people are posing in for [...]
It’s the Battle of Los Angeles, Art Show Edition
Blue Cars by Johnny Taylor at Affordable Art Fair It’s a big art lover’s weekend in Los Angeles as several art fairs hit town, from downtown to Santa Monica, and we got a chance to preview two of them. The Affordable Art Fair is at the LA Live Event Deck downtown, featuring galleries from [...]
Gervais Gets Neutered, Silence is Golden for The Artist
It was the second coming of Ricky Gervais to the emcee podium of the Golden Globe Awards, or actually, the third. After last year’s controversial performance, people forget that the British comedian also hosted the 2010 edition of the kudocast. The hyped-up fascination of who he would offend this year paid off again in [...]
Dining
A Delicious Taste of David Burke Kitchen
The Kitchen, located in the ground floor of Soho’s trendy yet elegant new James Hotel, is the latest addition to David Burke’s restaurant kingdom. It was our first experience within the DB Empire, unless you count the little foray to the David Burke location at Bloomingdale’s at 59th and Lex just prior to what [...]
Palomino is Keeping Things ‘Happy’ All Day
Westwood Village is undergoing a resurgence and Palomino restaurant is a great place to get a taste of it. The spacious art-filled restaurant and bar has been around for awhile (actually, since Westwood was in its heyday 20 years ago) in a great corner location just off Wilshire Blvd., but it’s always energizing to [...]
Champagne Wednesdays: A Bubbly Good Time Under the Stars
Want that in-the-club, bottle service feel without having to deal with doormen and sky-high parking– and be outside, under the stars to boot? Oh, and in addition to all of those things, if you’re a champagne person, you must put Wednesday nights at Sonoma Wine Garden on your calendar for a festive outdoor evening. If you don’t [...]
Film
Extremely Moved by Extremely Loud
It was with a small dose of trepidation that we approached “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” based on the 2005 novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, but only because images and emotions from 9/11 are still difficult to absorb. Yet this beautiful film (opening wide January 20) is well worth the trip back in time [...]
Gervais Gets Neutered, Silence is Golden for The Artist
It was the second coming of Ricky Gervais to the emcee podium of the Golden Globe Awards, or actually, the third. After last year’s controversial performance, people forget that the British comedian also hosted the 2010 edition of the kudocast. The hyped-up fascination of who he would offend this year paid off again in [...]
Young Adult: Billed as a Comedy but Heartbreaking at its Core
Although we’ve seen some of the key comedic scenes multiple times in commercials and trailers –Charlize shopping for a hot outfit, Charlize talking about her baggage–watching “Young Adult” felt fresh and new. Full disclosure: Charlize Theron is a huge favorite of ours, as an actress, as a person and as one of the most beautiful [...]
Cirque du Soleil pays tribute to the late, great Michael Jackson with 
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