DotDotDash: Cultural Mix Edition
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — We go east, west, south and north of Downtown in this cultural mix, all after the virtual fold.
BRIT HIT: The late Reyner Banham is becoming an architecture myth with his 1972 BBC documentary Reyner Banham loves Los Angeles that was just relinked at LAO. It includes a very young Ed Ruscha sitting in a convertible at Tiny Naylor's talking gas stations. The work continues: Banham once taught at UCSC and is an influence to Richard Schave, Nathan Marsak and Kim Cooper, better known as Esotouric (via 1947.project). They will follow a route inspired by the Banham BBC film in October.
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MORE FROM THE PROJECTS: Next up is a return to the scene of the crime with a rerun of Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles on July 21..—Esotouric got advance notice that they will be Downtown News' "Provider of Best Tour". To celebrate the "Best Of" win, team Esotouric adds two tours. "Hotel Horrors" will look at weird crimes at the Alexandria, Rosslyn, Barclay and Cecil hotels, and "Main Street Vice" that is "a celebration of the ribald, racy, raunchy old promenade."..—You know, the good old days.
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TV THREADS: The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is working with FIDM Museum & Galleries to showcase a retrospective of costume designs from past and present television programs..— The exhibit salutes the work of this year's Emmy-nom costume designers and supervisors. It opens July 31 and runs through September 29.
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WESTSIDE AND EASTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN: If funky 4th and Main is the town square of Downtown's "Eastside", and Blooms General Store the Town Hall of the eastern edge, you can make a case for the Liberty Grill to be the meeting place for a more "conservative" Downtown Westside ..— Hanging on the walls are icons of a different place, with John Wayne pics, an American Flag that flew over the Mideast, and a photo of a happy-go-lucky Ronald Reagan hanging by the bar..— Hearty "roadside cusine" is served in large comfy booths filled with County DA's, USC Political Science students, and Urban Planners sitting near each each other. You can almost feel yourself transform into a young Republican before desert arrives..— It may be worth it. The apple pie, with it's layers of tart slices takes the traditional All-American staple to new heights.
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MASSIVE CULTURAL MIX That is what some summer museum interns experienced when they visited Inner City Arts in Skid Row before heading out to JANM to see meet artist Clement Hanami who presented his low-rider rickshaw dubbed "Rice Rocket". Then they had Chinese food in Little Tokyo's historic Chop Suey Cafe building. More Cultures Clashing Friend of Gallery Row Richard Montoya has solid reviews for Zorro in Hell. It runs at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre until August 19.
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QUICK NOTES: Felix the Cat sign is saved from development –– for now..— The building that housed the Brunswick Drug Store at El Pueblo wasn't.
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IT WAS ABOUT LAUGHTER TOO: Memories of Joel Bloom were shared at the improvised wake held Friday. Bloom would have laughed (we think) with the occasional Bloomism "whaaaaaat now!" shouted in between tears and beers. ..— A visit . . : California's voice, Huell Howser, dropped by Bloom's General Store Sunday afternoon to get info on the upcoming memorial services July 22. "You can live to 100 and not do anything with your life," says Howser who added with his PBS charm "I always hope that if I go, it's on camera and they just roll the credits over me." ..— That is gold.















Rick VanNoy on July 16, 2007, at 04:18PM – #1
Oops. The fabulous "don't miss" ZORRO IN HELL already played at the La Jolla Playhouse last season.
Urban Bruin on July 16, 2007, at 04:33PM – #2
Not to be picky but that would be City Attorney’s and County DA’s having hour long lunches.
Dennis Smith on July 16, 2007, at 05:27PM – #3
I saw "Zorro in Hell" on Sunday afternoon and Richard Montoya gave a shout out to Joel Bloom during a second act soliloquy.
edgycated on July 17, 2007, at 11:22AM – #4
did anybody cover the giant village event on sat night? it sounded like a really cool party... we probably wouldve enjoyed it more were we actually outside than attempting to sleep through the window rattling beats...
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on July 17, 2007, at 12:43PM – #5
edgycated: You can read up on Giant's track record Downtown here, here, and here. It would surprise me if there aren't still people out money from Giant's abysmal handling of that event (I'm pretty sure my roommate never got a refund). If it were up to me I would never let them do another event Downtown.
Ed Fuentes on July 17, 2007, at 03:16PM – #6
Is there a way to ask the former roommate if any money was refunded?
clement hanami on July 19, 2007, at 09:51PM – #7
check out the latest lowrider rickshaw happening here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW_riJDrUJY
Ed Fuentes on July 19, 2007, at 10:36PM – #8
Artist Clement Hanami created the low-rider rickshaw dubbed Rice-Rocket. He's also the Art Director for the Japanese-American National Museum (JANM).