the skunks of los feliz

2006-04-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

As you've probably already surmised, Skunks has been placed on hiatus.

Due to a lot of different variables (shepherding my short through post and taking on increased responsibilities at work foremost among them) I haven't had the time to devote to Skunks in order to make it the best blog I possibly can. That said, it's my baby, and I don't want to half-ass it.

Will this hiatus turn into something more permanent? I can't rule that out. After all, what's the natural lifespan of a blog like mine? Do I really want to be writing Skunks a year from now? 2 years? 5?

Dunno.

I do know I've enjoyed every minute of covering Los Feliz and the rest of this crazy sprawl we call home. Thanks to everyone who read Skunks, linked to Skunks, took the time to comment, or dropped an email to me. I tried to report on the types of things I thought you might find interesting.

I hope I succeeded.

2006-03-22T23:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the irregular posting schedule this week. I'm prepping a short I'll be shooting this weekend, and it's eating up all my time (not to mention my money).

Here's hoping no big news breaks while I'm doing my part to combat runaway production. See you all on Tuesday.

2006-03-20T12:37:00.000-08:00

Big news - the GGPNC will be tackling the draft Hollywood Community Plan in a March 29th meeting, in which they will give a general overview of the proposed zoning changes for the Los Feliz area (you can get a preview of the changes here, on this excellent page put together by the Council). This process should be interesting (read: contentious), as the plan contains some proposals that may prove controversial.

Among them:

- A planned Rapid Bus Line that would run through Los Feliz village via busy Vermont Avenue.
- Increase in height allowances along a U-shaped corrider south of Franklin, described by Vermont, Hillhurst, and Hollywood Blvd.
- The upzoning of Hillhurst north of Franklin. This change would increase height allowances and floor area ratios in order to "allow economic growth".

In other words, it looks like Los Feliz is directly in the cross-hairs of the city's policy of directing high-density development towards areas with "subway station proximity". That's not necessarily a bad thing - in fact, that's pretty good policy. However, the devil is in the details, and it remains to be seen whether that policy can be implemented in a way that protects quality of life, while simultaneously promoting higher densities.

We'll soon see.

Details: GGPNC Planning/Zoning and Historic Preservation Committee meeting. Wednesday, March 29th at 7:00 P.M. Citibank building on Hillhurst.

2006-03-20T12:14:00.000-08:00

The Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council convenes it's monthly board meeting tomorrow night, and those interested in the controversial Griffith Park Master Plan may want to pencil the confab in (if indeed, you can "pencil in" appointments on your Blackberry), as the Parks, River and Open Space Committee will deliver an update on the Griffith Park Master Plan Working Group's revisions to the plan.

Also on the very full agenda:

- a report on developments in the fight to save the Derby
- an update on the Ennis House restoration efforts
- a discussion of the L.A. River Master Plan
- an LAPD Northeast Division senior officer report on crime

Details: Tuesday, March 21 at 7:00 P.M, Citibank Building on Hillhurst.

2006-03-17T16:13:00.000-08:00

The Griffith Observatory website has updated their photo section with some great views of the nearly complete renovation project.

The exterior work on the Observatory looks to be all but done, and I have to say that the stalwart old structure has never looked better.

Click on over for pics of the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater, and of the greenest lawn the Observatory has ever had - and ever will have, as the coming visiting hordes (including yours truly) will surely trample it into a brown, muddy mess.

Photo credit: Anthony Cook, Griffithobs.org.

2006-03-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

From the Los Feliz Village BID website:

Yuca's will be having a photo day tomorrow to commemorate their 30th year of serving excellent (and reasonably priced) carnitas to the masses.

If you want to brave the rain to join in the festivities, here are the details -

"Saturday March 18 at 3:00 P.M.
30th Anniversary • Yuca's!
Old Friends, New Friends, all our faithful customers
Feel free to Dress UP or down, bring signs, props, etc.
All for a FUN Day!
The Photo(s) will be a gift for "Mom" on April 1 - The Actual Anniversary Date!"

2006-03-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

Again with the rain!

Ah, but thanks to the power of YouTube, we can head out to a perpetually sunny Malibu for a hike.

2006-03-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

Victory!

The Cultural Heritage Commission has recommended that the Derby be declared a Historic-Cultural Monument.

The war's not over yet, however: the motion nows heads to the L.A. City Council's Planning and Land Use Committee for their consideration.

To learn how you can help bring about total victory, visit Save the Derby for easy, effective ways to take action online.

2006-03-16T11:52:00.000-08:00

Buried at the bottom of this Metro press release about the grand opening of Highland Park's new farmer's market is a handy index of L.A. markets reachable by Metro rail (would that there was a Ventura Boulevard line with a stop at the Studio City market). Don't know how easy it is for other areas, but I can vouch for the ease of taking the Red Line to the Hollywood market.

During these trips I've collected a great deal of anecdotal evidence (peeps with empty net bags getting on at Vermont, and women with handfuls of fresh flowers boarding at Vine) that suggests that I'm not the only one who likes to take the train down to Hollywood on Sundays.

Hell, even without the market it's a worthwhile trip: walk down the Boulevard to check out all the lofts under construction, grab a cup of coffee at Caffe Etc., then over to Amoeba, or down Vine to browse the freakiest Borders in L.A., or to the Arclight for a matinee (only $11!). Or, best yet, if you're rolling with fat pockets (and you're - ahem - a geek), head over to EB Games to drop some hard-earned cash on a game. Cap it off with a visit to Kabuki's sake bar, and you've had yourself a pretty full day in L.A.'s most urban environment - all without worrying about where to put your L.A. ball and chain (i.e., your car).

2006-03-15T09:49:00.000-08:00

Frequent fliers, perk up your ears:

The city is launching FlyAway non-stop shuttle service from Union Station to LAX, with busses making the trip between L.A.'s past and current transportation hubs every 30 minutes. Fare is $3 each way for adults, and $2 for the kids.

How this works in practice remains to be seen, but I'm excited. A cab ride from Los Feliz to LAX can run to $60 before tip (yeah, it's usually on the company's dime, but still), and parking at the airport - well, we all know what a pleasant experience that can be.

And public transit? Heh! Currently, to get to LAX from Los Feliz using transit you walk (or take the DASH bus) to the Sunset/Vermont station, where you catch the Red Line to 7th/Metro, changing there to the Blue Line, riding to Imperial/Wilmington and transferring to the Green Line, disembarking at the Aviation/LAX station, and then, finally, catching a shuttle to LAX.

No thank you.

The FlyAway service (which also runs from Van Nuys to LAX) will offer travelers the best of both worlds: whisking along on the Red Line, below the clogged surface streets and freeways surrounding downtown, and then boarding a shuttle which can utilize the car-pool lanes on the 110 and 105 freeways.

On very humble suggestion: make permanent the promotional offer of free rides for patrons using Metro to get to Union Station. That could help Metro ridership, and keep more cars off the road.

2006-03-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, the MTA is proud to announce the official name of the "Subway to the Sea": the Purple Line!

Please, hold your applause until the end of the speech, or we'll never get through it. Thank you.

Now, we don't have any money for the Purple Line (yet, heh-heh), but we've got to start branding this thing as soon as possible. As you know, we believe that nine-tenths of the battle to get butts in the seats boils down to marketing. That may seem counterintuitive - there are those who say that better, more widespread service is the key to increased ridership - but look at the huge numbers our Gold Line push drummed up.

What an opening weekend, huh? Jam-packed trains! And that was for a poorly-planned line that has gone on to consistently underperform, quarter after quarter!

The Purple Line, on the other hand, is a line that Los Angeles actually needs. Half the battle is already won. To bring this thing all the way home, we need a cutesy handle for it, a marketing angle that we can work if - God forbid - the project starts hemorrhaging money like the unfortunately named Red Line (just for the record, we were opposed to that appellation).

That's where Purple comes in. It tests amazingly well amongst Angelenos - actually, fantastically well, for some reason. It will give the line a personality. It will create buzz.

And, it will look great on t-shirts.

Umm, you can applaud now.

2006-03-13T13:25:00.000-08:00

The next battle in the war to save the Derby will occur this week, at a time and place of the Cultural Heritage Commission's choosing: March 16, 10 A.M., City Hall.

The Commission will be considering the Derby's application for City Landmark status, and Rebecca Goodman of the Save the Derby Coalition wants to turn out the troops for this critical public hearing. Packing the room with Derby supporters would send a clear message to the Commission: let the Derby stand.

All is not lost if you can't wiggle out of work on Thursday. You can still help by using Save the Derby's handy letter-generator to bombard key decision-makers with pro-Derby, anti-developer sentiments.

The Details:

What: Public Landmark Hearing

When: Thursday March 16, 2006 at 10:00 A.M.

Where: Cultural Heritage Commission
City Hall - Room 1010
200 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Map

2006-03-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

It's cold. It's dreary. It's winter. How's about some 4th of July fireworks at the Hollywood Bowl to warm things up?

2006-03-10T16:24:00.000-08:00

The Daily News reports today on the LAPD's new online Crime Map service, a searchable database of felonies and misdemeanors derived from Chief Bratton's COMPSTAT reporting system.

Simply plug in your address, kick back, and wait for the horrors of inner-city crime to pop up as color-coded dots on a map of your nabe. Of course, your zip code has something to do with the types of crimes prevalent in your neighborhood. A search of a one-mile radius around Skunks HQ turned up handful of property crimes (no surprise there), and two violent robberies - no rapes, no aggravated assaults, no homicides.

Other neighborhoods are not so lucky.

2006-03-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

The Good News: Mayor Villaraigosa has found $33 million in change under the cushions of the municipal couch, which he plans to use to cut next year's projected budget shortfall.

The Bad News: He's still short by $238 million.

2006-03-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

The Metro Exposition Light Rail line has received the final go-ahead from the Federal Transit Administration, with construction set to begin this Summer.

To mark the occasion, Metro has launched a snazzy new Expo Line web site which features maps, design renderings, and access to related documents.

Very nice, indeed. Still, all the palaver and hype won't put butts in the seat. Here's hoping that this at-grade line won't turn out like the last one.

2006-03-06T13:42:00.000-08:00

Quick post on a busy Monday: I noticed that construction activity has begun on what is rumored to be a B of A branch at the corner of Franklin and Hillhurst (why we need yet another B of A is beyond me).

That is all. You may now return to waiting for the rain.

2006-03-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

2006 Independent Spirit Awards swag:

- Souvenir 2006 ISA/IFC bag by Twelve.
- Complimentary issue of Entertainment Weekly
- Pair flip-flops by Bonjour Fleurette
- "I Love California" beanie baby
- Tourmaline ceramic brush
- Sarah Silverman "Jesus is Magic" DVD sampler
- $75 L.A. Eyeworks gift certificate
- Infinity Sun Spray Tan gift certificate
- $1000 Laser Eye Center gift certificate
- Gamefly.com 30-day free trial
- Complimentary acupuncture session from the Santa Monica Wellness Center
- Riptopia.com certificate for 50 free CD rips
- Copy of "Rebels on the Backlot" by Sharon Waxman
- Rhinestone TimeMug
- Martini shaker and coasters from WE
- Promotional size bottle of Grey Goose Le Citron
- Bar of Bochox from Bloomsberry & Co.
- Copy of the "Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook"
- Sampler of Hydra-Power by L'oreal for Men
- 3 Colour Juice Sticks by L'oreal
- Kiehl's sample bag
- Box of Pop-Secret Homestyle popcorn
- Breath Palette "Zen Palette" toothpaste kit
- Double Extend mascara by L'oreal
- Wrinkle De-Crease Collagen Filler by L'oreal
- Tin of Altoids Mango Sours

2006-03-03T12:11:00.000-08:00

I'm giving in to the siren call of Google Video and YouTube, and creating a weekly video post which will spotlight Los Angeles-related moving pictures.

In this inaugural week's video picks we mosey along the L.A. River with the Turn Here folks (yeah, I still don't get their business model, but they have nice videos), then travel back in time to the groovy, far-out Sunset Strip scene of the early 60's.

2006-03-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

It didn't take long for the Los Feliz Ledger to reveal a pro-development slant: one of today's page 1 headlines reads "Derby Plans May Be Beneficial For Business". The piece itself tries to gin up support for the proposed mega-structure by interviewing nearby business owners who (surprise!) are in favor of it. No Los Feliz residents were interviewed, and dissenting opinions were decidedly absent.

Additionally, a smaller page 3 piece dealing with the fight to designate the Derby a historical monument gives developer Rick Gable a soap-box from which to denounce the the Cultural Heritage Commission's decision to reconsider the bid as "politically motivated".

Not especially surprising, I suppose, for a paper who's Founders Circle includes realtors such as Sotheby's, Prudential, and Coldwell Banker. Still, you'd think the reporter would have at least made some gesture towards presenting a balanced story.

In keeping with the high journalistic standards I'm trying to hold them to, I'll now attempt to balance this piece by saying that the Ledger does contain news of certifiable public interest. For instance, I learned that the city plans to install a "smart" crosswalk at Hillhurst and Finley.

Now that's good news.

2006-03-02T16:39:00.000-08:00

As the Griffith Park Proposed Master Plan wends it's way through the city bureacracy, opposition to some key elements of the plan is stiffening.

These controversial proposed "improvements" (as listed on the Save Griffith Park website) include:

Eight multi-level parking structures
Two aerial tramways
Street widenings, such as a 117-foot wide Crystal Springs Promenade
Introduction of traffic into the interior of the Park
Division of the Park into separate themed "zones"
Creation of a hotel, restaurant, culinary school and sports complex in the Park's interior
Redesign of the 18-hole golf course at the expense of the Zoo Magnet School
A commercial pier on the Los Angeles River at the Los Feliz Bridge
Additional public-private partnerships and revenue-enhancing schemes

Save Griffith Park, an organization dedicated to blocking these "improvements", is mobilizing like-minded citizens in an effort to help shape the Master Plan into a framework that protects one of the largest urban parks in the country from excessive development.

To learn more about how to help, visit them on the web here, where you can find a list of actions that you can take from home. The group is also encouraging concerned residents to attend next Monday's meeting of the Griffith Park Master Plan Working Group (6:30 PM in the Griffith Park Ranger Station at 4730 Crystal Springs Drive).

2006-03-02T16:30:00.000-08:00

Mayor V. to Angelenos: "We're broke!"

2006-03-01T19:38:00.000-08:00

What's that you say? Video evidence has arisen that proves Bush lied when he said he had no idea that Hurricane Katrina would be so devastating?

Shocked! Shocked, I am!

2006-03-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

If you missed last week's in-depth discussion of the Metro Gold Line's woes on KPCC's AirTalk with Larry Mantle, the show has been archived and can be heard here. A must-listen for transit geeks.

For more on the Gold Line, this Wikipedia entry contains an excellent overview.

2006-03-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

The much anticipated Vermont Triangle redesign proposal will be unveiled at the GGPNC's Neighborhood Improvement Committee meeting, where citizens will get their first look at CRA/LA's plans for this blighted corner of the neighborhood. As an added bonus for landscape-architecture geeks, the Vermont streetscape plan will also be discussed.

If you're interested in being the first person on your block to offer an informed opinion about this crucial project, you can saunter on down to the Citibank building tomorrow night at 6:30. There you will see what the CRA/LA hath wrought. Based on their history, you might want to prepare yourself for displays of bad street-furniture festooned with copious and gratuitous signage.

2006-02-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

Incoming!

2006-02-25T22:44:00.000-08:00

Maybe in heaven Andy'll finally let you load your gun.

Sleep well...

2006-02-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

Live in the Griffith Park Boulevard corridor? Police choppers keep you up last night?

Here's why: Martini Republic reports on a late night rumble at Marshall High that led to a substantial (and loud) police response.

2006-02-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

The L.A. Times is reporting on the effort to save Cahuenga Peak from developers who want to shoehorn 5 luxury homes onto a small lot adjacent to the Hollywood sign.

City officials, led by CD4 Councilmember Tom LaBonge, are scrambling to find the funds necessary to purchase the lot from the Chicago-based real estate trust which currently holds the property.

If all goes well, the peak would be annexed to Griffith Park. Unfortunately, there's a snag - the Chicago gang is asking for $1.8 million dollars over the most recent appraisal of the property's value.

Update: Today's CD4 newsletter addresses the Cahuenga Peak situation, and includes details from Councilmember Tom LaBonge on how private citizens can donate to the Trust for Public Land's Cahuenga Peak fund. You can read it here, in the Skunks Document Dump.

In keeping with my promise not to clutter the site with video posts, I'm merely going to link to this aerial footage of the Hollywoodland sign. See it as it was in 1930, high atop a Mount Lee that had not yet been crowned with the bewildering array of antennae and cell towers that are now the highest points in Los Angeles. Notice also the unspoiled San Fernando Valley in the background.

2006-02-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

A few transit notes to get you through the weekend:

The grumblings of a few recalcitrant foot-draggers notwithstanding, support continues to grow for the proposed "Subway to the Sea" Red Line extension. The MTA board is warming to the idea, despite the projected price tag of $4.8 billion - they're eyeing the low-hanging fruit of the state's proposed issuance of $12 billion in transportation bonds, as well as looking for some serious federal lobbying assistance in the person of Rep. Henry Waxman, who is now officially onboard. Still a long, long way to go, though.

In other transit news:

- Metro has begun a monthly series of special offers and discounts for transit patrons, which you can view here. It's your basic "bring your Metro stub to the box office and receive a discount"-type promotion, but if you love arena football (and who doesn't?), you can save $4 off your next trip to Staples to see the Avengers in action. Sweet, huh?

- Despite the lackluster performance of the first leg of the Gold Line, San Gabriel Valley transit boosters are forging ahead with plans for a Foothill Extension of the troubled line. Those with an interest in the project can track the progress of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority step by excruciatingly detailed step, here. Meeting times and locations, agendas, reports and other minutiae - they're all there, available for the most dedicated transit geek's perusal.

2006-02-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

Okay. I promise I'm not gonna start posting tons of videos (see below), but this one is a must for L.A. history geeks. It's composed entirely of panoramic photographs of Los Angeles taken right around the turn of the 20th century. Check it out.

2006-02-23T12:18:00.000-08:00

Behold, this apocalyptic vision of L.A. circa 1994, brought to you by the Animaniacs.

2006-02-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

Though the newly implemented express service on the Metro Gold Line has not increased ridership on the benighted line, the angry reaction from the few commuters who do patronize the Pasadena-Downtown link has served to solidify conventional wisdom around one increasingly unavoidable fact: We've got a $900 million white elephant on our hands.

There are many reasons one could cite as contributing to the line's anemic daily ridership numbers (16,000 and falling), but one thing above all stands out to me. Simply put, it takes longer to get downtown on the train than it does to drive to work on the 110. People who have a choice will never abandon their cars in favor of mass transit, unless it saves them time. The Gold Line does not save them time.

2006-02-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

Some time ago I engaged in feckless speculation about where the proposed Los Feliz Parking Structure might be placed. Little did I know the answer was there all along, hidden in the pages of the CRA/LA website.

The structure, as planned, would be built next to the Post Office at 1825 N. Vermont, and will include street level retail as well as parking. The details provided on the site do not include the number of spaces planned, nor any concrete construction schedule.

The good news is, of course, that it sounds as if the only thing lost to this project would be the surface parking lot adjacent to the Post Office: no buildings would be razed.

The bad news? If you think traffic is bad on Vermont now...

Also, I'm still not convinced that Los Feliz "needs" this structure. Listen to the CRA/LA's reasoning: "Redevelopment Goal - Maintain and promote private sector investment in the project area to restore commercial activity and prevent its loss."

"Restore commercial activity?" Wasn't aware there was a problem with that. I thought all the activity down there was a indicator of a healthy business environment. "Prevent its loss?" What loss? Is Fred 62 or Palermo or the Los Feliz 3 going under? Hardly.

This is more about providing spaces so that bigger retailers can move on in. I'm also suspicious of the "street level retail". How many square feet are we talking, here? After all, the lot has an awfully big footprint (big enough for a Gap, for example, or a Borders).

Bottom line: Do you like the Broadway corridor in Chelsea? Then you're gonna love Los Feliz in 5 years or so.

2006-02-21T09:47:00.000-08:00

The GGPNC fires up it's monthly board meeting tonight, in the LAPD Los Feliz Community Center on Hillhurst (otherwise known as the Citibank building). Be there at 7:00 and you can enjoy the delightful smorgasbord of agenda items they have on offer for tonight, not to mention the delicious cop coffee that's always on percolating standby.

Highlights include a discussion of the L.A. River master plan, an update on the Derby situation, and a consideration of plans for a new restaurant in the old Cap'n Cork building. As a bonus, they'll also kick around everyone's favorite thought experiment: What's to be done about traffic on Franklin?!?*

If you can't make tonight's meeting, there are some interesting non-GGPNC events in the offing tomorrow night:

- The City is in the midst of a complete overhaul of the Hollywood Community Plan, and as part of the process they are holding community workshops to introduce proposed zoning changes and plan amendments. Tomorrow's workshop will be held at the Hollywood Presbyterian Church from 5-8 P.M., and will provide citizenry the opportunity to mix and mingle with city planning wonks. You might want to sidle up to one of 'em and ask: "What's to be done about traffic on Franklin?!?"

- Our friends in Silverlake are mulling their options in the face of plans to build a 64-unit residential structure on Rowena between Hyperion and Glendale. Rowena Community Vision has launched a blog advocating "safe, sensible development of the Rowena Corridor", and are holding a meeting tomorrow night (7 P.M. at Ivanhoe Middle School) to discuss the plan and possible actions to be taken against it.

*My answer? Forbid street parking between Normandie and Hillhurst during rush hour in order to open up an additional lane of traffic in each direction. It would work perfectly, at least in Thought Experiment Land, where there are no angry neighbors decrying the loss of their parking spaces...

2006-02-18T18:59:00.000-08:00

Just a shameless plug that I'm trying to sneak in on a rainy Saturday when no one's looking:

The Official Skunks Document Dump is up and running over at gBase. Please feel free to browse on over and check out CD4 newsletters, Save the Derby alerts, and other Los Feliz-oriented documents that find their way into my mailbox.

Feedback is welcome, both positive and negative. Is it a useful service? Or am I so blinded by my technophilia that I'm unable to see that the damn thing is just another way for Google to get their mitts on every free-floating piece of data under the sun?

2006-02-16T22:43:00.000-08:00

Good news on the Derby front: the GGPNC site and newsletter are reporting that the overwhelming community response to the news of the Cultural Heritage Commission's initial reluctance to consider the Derby for Historic Cultural Monument status has led to a change of heart amongst the Commission's members.

Following impassioned pleas from Councilmember Tom LaBonge, Save the Derby's own Rebecca Goodman, Marcello Vavala and Jay Platt of the L.A. Conservancy, and GGPNC Board Member Bruce Carroll, amongst others, the Commission relented and passed by a 4-0 vote a motion to consider the case for the Derby.

It's just another step on a long, long road, but it does bring the Derby measurably closer to gaining at least temporary protection from Adler Realty's bulldozers.

To learn how to contact Councilmember Tom LaBonge on behalf of the Derby click here. For more on the Historic Cultural Monument nomination process click here.

2006-02-16T12:36:00.000-08:00

Bazooka Joe parlez Francais!!

2006-02-16T11:21:00.000-08:00

Uh-oh...

The Department of Homeland Security has just admitted that there is "no specific federal strategy for responding to a catastrophic earthquake in California". This in spite of the fact that we've known for, oh, about 100 years, that California faults can produce some very nasty shakers.

Of course, we knew that New Orleans was vulnerable to hurricanes, as well, and we all saw how that turned out.

Anyway, my hat is off to Michael Chertoff and everyone else at DHS, where the flag of incompetence still proudly flies.

2006-02-15T16:37:00.000-08:00

Google Reader is kinda nice, no? Especially for wrangling flickr feeds...

2006-02-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

A new MTA report has put a price tag on the proposed "Subway to the Sea" Red Line extension, and a pittance it ain't: we're talking $4.8 billion, here.

Gulp!

That's a pile of money, of that there is no doubt. We may not be able to finish an extension all at once. However, a phased plan can be used to spread the financial burden over a number of years, and a unified lobbying effort by L.A., Santa Monica, and Bevely Hills should be able to effectively shake the Federal money tree in order to reduce the local burden.

Still, no one said that engineering ourselves out of the traffic mess we've created was going to come cheap. We've got to look at this project for what it is: an essential step towards modernizing the L.A. transit system, not just for us, but for the millions of Angelenos that will follow us in the decades (centuries!) to come.

Like London, like New York, like Chicago did in the 19th century, we've reached the point in our city's development where we must think long-term, and make the investments necessary to ensure L.A.'s mobility and future economic health.

That doesn't mean we should just rubber-stamp this thing. A public works project of this magnitude will require broad consensus, and that can only be built by transparent, inclusive debate.

Let the debate begin.

2006-02-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

This just in from Rebecca Goodman of the Save the Derby coalition:

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission's Staff Report has recommended against considering the Derby for City Landmark status!

Now, I won't even go into the fact that this is a city which has OK'd the designation of a parking lot as a Historic-Cultural Landmark. Or that, even more inexplicably, some city apparatchiks apparently feel that the Derby does not approach the cultural significance of that patch of pot-holed asphalt.

In stark contrast to the city's indefensible position, Ms. Goodman feels the Derby is worth preserving, and she is inviting those who share her opinion to join her at tomorrow's Cultural Heritage Commission meeting.

If you'd like to give the commission a (polite, I'm sure) earful on behalf of the Derby, here are the meeting details:

Cultural Heritage Commission Meeting
February 16th, 10:00 a.m.
Los Angeles City Hall, Room 1010 (10th floor)
200 N. Spring Street - use Main Street entrance and bring ID to pass through security
For map click here

To read the text of the Save the Derby alert click here. To visit the L.A. City Planning Department on the web click here.

2006-02-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

BeyondChron, a SF (San Francisco, not sci-fi) paper, has posted a piece that may send a shiver down the spines of apartment-dwelling Angelenos. Seems that real estate speculators in the Bay Area have pioneered a method to evict renters from small (generally 4 unit) apartment buildings, so that they may go condo. Basically, the landlord declares his intention to leave the business, tenants are evicted, and the building is converted to a Tenancy in Common.

These so-called Ellis Act evictions (click here for an explanation of the law) have swept and saturated the Bay's rental market, and now the muscle behind this movement have turned their avaricious gaze towards LA.

Whether the method will catch on here remains to be seen. As the piece points out, there are many differences in the SF and LA housing markets. Still, renters should probably keep one eye cocked northward, scanning the horizon for the coming of the Northern hordes.

2006-02-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

I made a pledge, a solemn oath, even, to never again post on the L.A. Zoo's elephant controversy. I swore (swore!) to Will Campbell that my pachydermic perorations were done for good. I put all thoughts of the titanic trio aside, to go blissfully about my life.

But then, striding out of the mists like a barbarian king of old, his mighty axe in hand and a murderous gleam in his eye, came Bob Barker, ready to go to war for the elephants of Los Angeles.

How could I, in good conscience, ignore this act of bravery? How could I turn away whilst this brave game show host strode heedlessly into the midst of the L.A. City Council and let lose a mighty "No! This shall not stand!" on behalf of Ruby, Gita, and the other, lesser-known elephant?

I couldn't. I can't. I won't.

And so, the link.

2006-02-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

Bush proclaims "I saved Los Angeles!"

Mayor V. sez "Huh?"

2006-02-08T15:55:00.000-08:00

WTF??

Okay. A few things about this flyer.

Number one thing: don't touch my car.

Number two: don't touch my car in order to slide something like this under my windshield wiper.

Number three: run spell check. It really irriates me when people overlook misspellings.

Number four: "Rectum Pad!"??

Number five: this is a joke, right?

2006-02-07T10:35:00.000-08:00

The pointy-headed geeks at the LAPD's top-secret R&D lab (motto: "To Research and Nerd") have emerged from their super-secure underground redoubt to unveil the latest weapon in the war on crime in the City of Angels: the GPS dart.

Well, not so much a "dart" as a "gumball", but "gumball" doesn't necessarily bespeak the kind of hard-charging, macho style of policing that the LAPD is famous for. "Dart", on the other hand, is both monosyllabic and phallic, which is much more in keeping with big-city, two-fisted crime fighting.

Which is all well and good, you might say, but how does the damn thing work?

Technical specifications of the "dart" are shrouded in mystery, but my sources in the Linux coding/crime fighting community have provided the following overview:

The GPS dart is an adhesive coated spheroid which contains a miniscule GPS transmitter. In the event of a high speed police pursuit, specially equipped LAPD officers will fire (via a compressed-air projectile launcher) a dart at the fleeing vehicle. Once the dart is securely attached to the vehicle's chassis, it will begin to transmit the wrong-doer's location to the LAPD command center deep in the bowels of the Parker Center. From there, police officials will monitor the would-be getaway car until it runs out of gas, or crosses safely into another jurisdiction.

Fascinating, no? Yes! But will it end the Southland's plague of high-speed chases? And if it does, what will KCAL9 air in primetime?

2006-02-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

New travel/short film website TurnHere has posted a short film on Los Feliz, hosted by Jahmin Assa of PUTA magazine. In between jump cuts and swish pans, Mr. Assa takes the viewer on a walking tour of the nabe, which he proclaims to be "THE hot spot in Los Angeles". Featured locales include Yuca's, Skylight Books, a quick glimpse of Ye Rustic's parking lot, the Vista: hell, most of Los Feliz is in this thing.

The film's not bad, and Mr. Assa certainly knows his subject. But after looking at the site ("Short films. Cool places."), I'm left wondering what it's business model (if any) is. Anyway, check it out before it joins Webvan in the The Museum of eFailure.

2006-02-05T13:44:00.000-08:00

Skeptics (like myself) of the Orange Line's ability to pull the non-transit dependent out of their cars and onto busses might want to clear room at the table for a steaming helping of crow: surveys indicate that 17% of the new line's riders had never utilized Metro until now.

Of course, we've seen new transit lines start strong and then fade once the novelty wears off (Gold Line, anyone? Anyone?), but the survey also indicates that 85% of Orange Line riders say their commute takes less time than before.

That bodes well for future ridership, as long as the 15% whose ride is not shorter does not significantly overlap with the 17% of riders newly divorced from their cars. If it does, it won't be long before those folks return to their cars, expensive gas and atrocious traffic notwithstanding.

It might also be worth noting (as the Daily News piece does) that the cohort of new Orange Line riders represents a very modest reduction in traffic on the overloaded 101: 1000 to 1500 of the 300,000 cars that traverse the Valley floor each day. According to my abacus, that's a mere .5% fewer cars on the road. Still, it's a start.

2006-02-01T11:18:00.000-08:00

Today's transit notes:

- Responding to complaints that taking the train takes longer than braving traffic on the 110, Metro has announced plans to implement a modified express service on the Gold Line. During weekday peak-hour periods, trains will be limited to stops at 5 of the line's 13 stations. Metro claims the move will shave 5 minutes off of Pasadena-Downtown commutes.

- Looking for the perfect gift for the transit geek in your life? Metro's online store is now offering a wide of variety of transit-related gewgaws and gimcracks that would bring a smile to the face of even the most jaded Transit Coalition activist. My favorite? The commuter mug which, while stylish and ergonomic, is verboten on Metro busses and trains. It's great for the car, though!

- The schedule for February's Community-Based Transit Service Sector Governance Council meetings has been announced. On the agenda: receiving community input on bus service improvements. Also: coming up with a catchier acronym than CBTSSGC.

- Just wondering... has the traffic officer at busy intersections program gone away? Haven't seen any instances of this in quite some time.

2006-02-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

Like a crack dealer who sidles up to you and whispers sweetly in your ear that he wants to help you kick your cocaine habit, President Bush strained credulity last night when he declaimed America's addiction to oil, and announced a plan to help us petroleum junkies go cold turkey.

Some pundits are praising him for having the guts to buck his big oil friends in order to point out the light sweet crude-covered elephant in the room, but this act of political "courage" is actually a dodge for what amounts to more of the same tired energy policy the Bushies have pursued since day one: drilling in Alaska, huge subsidies to the coal and ethanol industries, pie in the sky talk about hydrogen-powered cars, and a glaring lack of any substantive move towards energy conservation, either through reducing consumption or improving efficiency (read it for yourself here).

Most telling of all, this morning has brought a notable absence of angry protests from big oil over Bush's energy policy. One would expect that, in the face of a policy shift that would truly move America away from a dependence on petroleum, the oil companies would squeal like swine who have been snatched away from the trough. Instead, the plan is greeted by deafening silence from the boardrooms of Houston, as the energy conglomerates lay low while Bush shifts public attention away from their record profits and corporate scandals.

After all, these self-same companies helped craft Bush's policy in the first place, and certainly see his headline-making "addiction" comment for the poll-driven kabuki dance that it is.

2006-01-30T20:18:00.000-08:00

This week's Derby news has nothing to do with historic preservation: Roscoe Farnsworth, the historic club's swing dancing instructor, was involved in a horrific car accident (and if you got ahold of his long, very detailed email about the crash, you're all too aware just how horrific it was) while visiting family during the holidays.

His medical bills are substantial, to say the least, and this Wednesday, February 1st, the Derby will be holding a benefit night to help Roscoe make ends meet during this difficult time. Admission is a mere $15 (which will go directly to Roscoe) for a night that will include music by the Torchlighters and the Swing Kings, not to mention free-flowing booze and beautiful women dressed in their finest swing-era attire (also dudes in zoot suits, if you're into that).

2006-01-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

According to this story at DenverPost.com, Kiefer Sutherland recently had a night at Ye Rustic that is strikingly similar to a night I spent there back in '04. Sadly the press doesn't cover my drinking exploits, so my fumbling, drunken stupidity seemed more like a pathetic cry for help, much sadder and more pitiable than the glamorously debauched shenanigans of a T.V. star.

In my defense, however, I did manage to land the picked-over remains of Ye Rustic's delicious chicken wings on the table in front of me.

2006-01-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

Don't know if you've noticed, but Los Feliz has a new newspaper, the appropriately (if somewhat unimaginatively) titled Los Feliz Ledger. I usually don't expect much from free, ad-supported "community newspapers", but the Ledger seems to be an earnest attempt at providing hard news alongside the usual odd mix of amateur columnists, chamber of commerce-style puff pieces, and soap-boxing pols. It'll be interesting to see how it develops as it matures.

As of now, the Ledger comes only in the paper variety, but it looks like they'll soon be staking out a web presence here. Until then you can find it piled amongst the junk mail atop your building's mailbox.

2006-01-26T10:55:00.000-08:00

Is it the frigid cold? The ubiquitous complimentary Stella? The Geoffery Gilmore speeches?

Dunno for sure, but attending Sundance often reduces your brain to a barely functioning pile of mush, causing a regression to a form of humor which is juvenile at best, crass and offensive at worst.

Case in point: an anonymous friend and I, during a a Stella-fueled brunch in which I sat for perhaps my best Wireimage photos ever, stumbled upon the hidden sexual innuendoes in everyone's favorite blockbuster Christian fantasy. No, not "The Passion of the Christ". I'm talking "Chronicles of Narnia" here.

Sure, C.S. Lewis is probably rolling in his grave, but we found the erotic imputations of "Chronicles" to be a gold mine of hilarity. The fact that we were sleep-deprived, suffering from mild altitude sickness, and half-crocked may or may not have played a role in the whole sordid episode.

Regardless, without further ado, here are my favorite Narnia-related euphemisms for sex:

- Taking a trip to Narnia
- Going deep into the wardrobe
- Parting the furs
- Teatime with Mr. Tumnus
- My dwarf has some Turkish Delight for you
- The White Witch is turning Mr. Tumnus to stone
- Father Christmas wants to give you his sword
- Crawling through the beaver tunnel
- Taking the icicle to the White Witch
- Getting tied to Table Rock

2006-01-18T20:00:00.000-08:00

If you're among the many Angelenos who mourned the loss of yet another L.A. cultural landmark with the destruction of the Ambassador Hotel by the "build schools and damn the collateral damage" gang at the LAUSD (who also took the Hollywood Star Lanes away from us), take some comfort: you'll soon have a chance to gather with other preservation geeks to drown your sorrows, curse Roy Romer's name, and perhaps help plot the future of L.A.'s increasingly energized preservation community.

Seems the L.A. Conservancy and Mike of Franklin Avenue have merged their respective planned wakes for the Ambassador into one giant, booze-soaked hoo-haw at the HMS Bounty (on Wilshire, across from the remains of the once-grand hotel, and just down the boulevard from the travesty that is the Brown Derby strip mall), and they're inviting pretty much anybody who wants to come out and hoist a gin and tonic in memory of the historic site to join them.

Details are sketchy at present, as the two camps hammer out the merger terms, but expect an announcement as to time and date soon.

My humble request?

Wait until after Sundance!

2006-01-18T11:22:00.000-08:00

Who says nobody rides the subway in L.A.? Ridership is up, and you can apparently count Leif Garrett amongst the Southland's newly converted transit-philes.

Unfortunately, he's accused of riding without a ticket (the unmellifluous L.A. counterpart of N.Y.'s "turnstile jumping"). To make matters worse (or better, depending on how much you enjoy the travails of washed-up teen idols), police say he was in possession of "suspected narcotics" to boot.

If nothing else, Garrett's arrest proves one thing: the MTA has made a trip to the Nickel to score a bag of smack car-optional. That, and the fact that the Brad Renfro bust has done little to quell demand for H amongst potential "Surreal Life" cast members.

2006-01-17T11:03:00.000-08:00

It's January 17, which means it's time for the anniversary of Northridge stories. Of course, there's not a whole lot of new info to squeeze out of a story that's as old as your average middle-schooler, but that's not gonna stop from the local news media from trotting out the "where were you when" stories.

Still, looking back at the quake and it's aftermath is instructive in that it reminds us that it will happen again, and that there are steps we can take to reduce the loss of property and lives.

The State Department of Insurance is certainly taking this opportunity to urge Californians to take a home inventory, in order to help expedite a claim in the event that your home is stricken by an earthquake, mudslide, wild fire, or a kharmically-induced case of bad vibes.

As for myself, I will once again resolve to hoard water and food, keep a flashlight and shoes by my bed, and move out of the cunningly constructed death-trap of an apartment I call home.

What resolution will I keeep? I might remember to leave my shoes by the bed, if kicking them into the corner counts.

You can click here for the Home Inventory Guide. You can click here for that old-timey classic "Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country" (available in HTML and PDF formats). To supplicate the supernatural to spare us from a rupture on the Puente Hills Fault, you can click here to find the seismic deity of your choice, and then provide a sacrifice, offering, or prayer as appropriate, repeated as necessary.

2006-01-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

I know my posting has been erratic lately, but I haven't abandoned ye olde blogge. Just (blissfully) busy with a side project.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get some posts in soon before next week. If not, I will still definitely be posting from Sundance from the 19th-25th, and then it's back to the regular posting schedule.

Hope everybody is having a good 2006 so far. See ya soon.

2006-01-05T16:27:00.000-08:00

Pat Robertson has said yet another stupid thing, inadvertently making a case for the non-involvement of God in earthly matters. After all, any engaged, heedful deity would've smote this idiot by now.

2006-01-05T15:50:00.000-08:00

My favorite part of the Rose Bowl telecast: The awkward silence emanating from Keith Jackson's corner of the broadcast booth after a USC touchdown led Dan Fouts' to excitedly employ numerous references to Quidditch, snitches, and Nimbus 2000 broomsticks. I could practically hear ol' Keith thinking "What the hell's a Quidditch?"

Second favorite part? Matt "Sour Grapes" Leinart's post game comments: "I still think we're the best team, they just made good plays."

Classy.

2006-01-02T13:18:00.000-08:00

Is anything more annoying than the Sundance ticketing process?

Crashed servers, busy phone lines, and an appointment system that does nothing to alleviate the frustrating logjam. You'd think by now they'd have the kinks worked out, but you'd be wrong.

Oh well, back to being on hold while simultaneously refreshing the login page in the vain hope that I'll get through before my appointment time is over (which at this point is 5 minutes from now).

2005-12-30T20:10:00.000-08:00

Reggie the Alligator update: Gator dumpers nabbed! Beast still eludes capture! Rita Crosby said to be rushing to Machado Lake to cover this breaking story!

2005-12-30T11:18:00.000-08:00

If you haven't got your New Year's Eve plans nailed down yet (and you know who you are), you might want to consider joining Councilmember Tom LaBonge and a passel of your friends and neighbors on the annual end-of-year, sunset-viewing hike to the summit of Mt. Hollywood.

There, with the city grid laid out before you in all it's halogen-illuminated glory, you can bypass the dreary booziness of a traditional champagne-soaked New Year's in favor of a potluck dinner amongst the sage brush and horse puckey - just like the cowboys of yore (the "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" kind of cowboys as opposed to the "Brokeback Mountain" kind; not there's anything wrong with that!).

If you're interested, the group will gather at the Griffith Observatory parking lot at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. If you can't make it up the mountain under your power, fear not: transportation will be provided. Also, if water makes you melt, you might want to skip this year - looks like a storm's a brewing.

2005-12-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

Now that we are well and truly shut of Christmas, the streets and alleys of Los Angeles will soon begin to sprout strange flora that is peculiar to this time of year: the dessicated remains of Tanne Baume.

Their Yule duty discharged, these once proud totems of Christendom will find themselves stripped of their festive gewgaws, deprived of the small dish of foul water which has nourished them through the long days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and tossed into the gutter, there to sadly shed brittle, browning needles, slowly becoming nothing more than a shelter for vermin (and a potential fire hazard, to boot).

These tannenbaum tumbleweeds will fester on the sidewalk for months (literally: I've seen the things linger until late February, apparently ignored by city sanitation crews), noisily tossing in the wind, or sculling along on the current of a winter storm's runoff.

It's an ignominious end, to be sure.

The City of Los Angeles apparently agrees. The DWP has inserted Christmas Tree disposal instructions into their bills, in what I suspect is a vain attempt to reduce the amount of Noel detritus on city streets (dumping your Christmas Tree in the street is as much a holiday tradition in L.A. as firing automatic weapons into the air on New Year's).

And yet, they have made the effort, concocting a simple 3-step X-mas tree disposal plan for Angelenos to follow:

1) Remove ornaments.
2) Cut in pieces.
3) Place in green bin.

Simplicity itself, assuming you possess a saw, and a green bin. But fear not, apartment dwellers (and those too lazy to delimb your used tree) - you can load your expired evergreen into your Volvo station wagon and deliver it to one of 16 dump sites strategically located around the city.

The dump site serving the Los Feliz area is situated in Griffith Park, natch, near the Zoo. For other neighborhood locations, call 311 or 1-800-773-2489 for more information.

Or just throw the damn thing out on the street. Everybody else will.

Update: according to this Daily News article, the city is incentivizing participation in the tree recycling program by providing "a coupon for a free bag of mulch, an energy-efficient light bulb and a tree seedling for planting" to citizens who bring in their old Christmas trees.

Mulch, light bulbs, and seedlings? To quote Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove: "Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff."

2005-12-23T16:40:00.000-08:00

From the Skunks East Coast Bureau, deep in the heart of the ATL:

Happy Holidays, everyone!

(And Happy Birthday to me...)

2005-12-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

The MTA has given final approval to the proposed Exposition Light Rail Line, clearing the way for construction on the Downtown-Culver City line to begin next year (read the press release here).

I wish I could get excited about the prospect of finally getting a east-west rail line built, but as I've said before, I don't think this thing is going to do a bit of good in terms of relieving gridlock in Los Angeles.

If anything, building an at-grade rail line through one of the most congested areas of the city may result in impeded traffic flow.

The better option for an east-west line is to extend the Red Line subway along Wilshire to Santa Monica, thereby blah-blah-blah, you've heard me harp on this a thousand times before...

Look, I understand that in many ways the MTA's hands are tied. Dealing with budget concerns, operating under an onerous consent decree, attempting to expand service while legally barred from subway construction, and tackling the thorny problem of keeping a sprawling megalopolis from descending into total gridlock: these are not insignificant issues.

But throwing money into ill-conceived transit projects in order to be able to be seen to be doing something, anything about L.A.'s horrendous traffic is not the way to go. The underperformance of poorly planned routes will eventually begin to sap public support for large mass transit expenditures. As taxpayers see project after project not deliver on the MTA's hyperbolic promises of traffic relief and fast, convenient mass transit they may well begin to ask themselves "Why bother?".

The road to a workable mass transit system is peppered with roadblocks: NIMBYism, anti-tax sentiment, and distrust of local government, amongst many others. And yet, Angelenos are so sick of traffic that for the moment these voices have been pushed to the side, as commuters clamor for relief from clogged streets and freeways. If the MTA produces another white elephant, however, that momentum could be lost. A historic opportunity would disappear, and L.A. could devolve into a hellish traffic nightmare in the vein of Bangkok or Mexico City.

L.A. is at a turning point in the city's evolution. We can launch a forward thinking subway construction project, as New York did in the early years of the last century, or we can continue to try to solve our traffic woes with a succession of $300 million dollar patchwork projects whose benefits are negligible, at best.

2005-12-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

The Save the Derby coalition's newly redesigned website is up, though I'm not sure if it's been officially launched or if it's just in preview.

Some news contained therein:

As they prepare for the protracted battle ahead, the Coalition has scheduled a Save the Derby Planning Meeting for December 28, in Echo Park. On the agenda is sure to be the discussion of the much-rumored Derby benefit bash. If that's not enough to draw you out of your holiday-induced cocoon, I also hear tell that there will be home-made latkes on hand.

For more info, contact the Save the Derby Coalition here.

2005-12-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

What surprises me most about the fact that the Bushies have been spying on Americans, is that anyone is surprised at all.

Apparently, the lessons of Watergate, which occurred barely a generation ago, were not learned, or were simply forgotten.

Simply put, unchecked executive power leads to abuses. Every time. Whether the approaching menace providing cover for the power grab is the Soviet Union, a militant anti-war movement, or global Jihadism, the result is the same:

An unfettered Presidency leads to the loss of our civil liberties.

Maybe, just maybe, with the Senate now rejecting renewal of key provisions of the Patriot Act, the Congress will begin to fulfill its constitutionally mandated duty of providing a check against executive power. As much as Dick Cheney would love to have an "Imperial Presidency", we are not Rome.

Yet.

2005-12-14T10:46:00.000-08:00

Here, absent the merest hint of editorial comment, is a link to the latest news on the L.A. Zoo elephant controversy. Seems the city report on the living conditions of said pachyderms is out, and the commission has found that the voluminous beasts need approximately 6 times as much living space as they are currently confined to.

See - no editorializing. No opinionating. No gum-flapping, whatsoever.

Ah, what the hell:

Free the elephants! Free the elephants!

2005-12-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

The Skunks are off to New Mexico for the Santa Fe Film Festival.

They will return on Tuesday, December 13.

2005-12-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

I found the Los Feliz BID's presser on their Holiday Festival (Saturday, December 10 from 6-10 p.m.) crammed into my mailbox last night (see it here), and, upon reading it, realized I need to retract my snarky prediction that the "Holiday Trolley" that will ferry weary revelers up and down Hillhurst during the festival would be a DASH bus - far from it!

It will be an antique trolley, provenance unknown, yet presumably possessed with rubber tires (as there have been no trolley tracks in the Los Feliz area since the Red Car folded in the middle of the last century). Not unlike, perhaps, this DASH bus painted to resemble a trolley...

Regardless, the presser rounds out the sketchy details that I laid out in my previous post:

- Hillhurst will be closed between Los Feliz and Franklin. Traffic will be hellish. If you're coming from elsewhere in the city, the Red Line's Sunset/Vermont station is a short walk from the Festival site, and might be a better bet.

- The Holiday tree lighting ceremony will take place at 6:45, in front of the Los Feliz Library. Carolers will be present, doubtless singing such non-denominational holiday favorites as "The Conspicuous Consumption Song" and "Target is my God".

- That same, sad collection of small animals as appears at the Los Feliz Street Fair will be on hand for the edification and tactile enjoyment of the children of Los Angeles. No word on whether this holiday version of the petting zoo will feature seasonal animals such as reindeers and drunken Santas.

- The LAFD's "Spark of Love" toy drive fire truck will be on hand, accepting toys for less fortunate children. Please help make this holiday a special time for these deserving youngsters. Remember that time you didn't get the G.I. Joe Mobile Battle Bunker for Christmas/Hanukah/Kwanzaa and you were so bummed you kicked your sister's Barbie Dream House over, just out of spite? Well, think how bad it would suck to get nothing.

2005-12-05T14:58:00.000-08:00

Tonight's meeting of the GGPNC Transportation Committee (7:00 at the Los Feliz Community Police Center) will tackle a couple of thorny parking and traffic issues, including congestion mitigation on congenitally clogged Los Feliz Boulevard (congestion being yet another excellent reason to oppose the Adler Realty Mega Project/Traffic Generator on the Derby site), and a proposed parking structure in Los Feliz Village, a notion with which I've a bone to pick.

"Why", you might ask,"would you oppose the addition of badly need parking spaces in and around Los Feliz Village?"

Because (and I may just be a paranoid anti-development moonbat), this parking structure would do nothing but create more trips by car into Los Feliz, generate more traffic, and gradually change the character of the Village by turning Vermont into a mini-Grove. The parking situation as-is must be sufficient to support the level of business we currently have on Vermont and Hillhurst: the thriving storefronts of the Village attest to that.

The only reason to create more parking is to squeeze in more people. And with people come Gaps, Barnes and Noble bookstores, and chain restaurants, the very things that folks who live in Los Feliz are fleeing in the first place.

And what to make of the term "structure"? That implies a multi-story concrete bunker, a grey, featureless eyesore plopped down in the middle of our pedestrian oriented neighborhood. Where will it go? What buildings will be lost to make room for it? Who will pay for it? And why not instead leverage our proximity to the Red Line, encouraging visitors to take the train by providing a free shuttle from the Sunset/Vermont station to the Village? Aren't we supposed to be in the midst of a paradigm shift in L.A., away from the car and towards mass transit? Or is that all just a bunch of baloney that does little more than provide city officials an excuse to give developers who build near transit stations huge tax breaks?

Just asking!

This parking structure scheme seems to me to be another indication of the intention of real estate and business interests to intensify land-use in Los Feliz. The first rumblings of this came in the form of the Adler plan to raze the Derby and replace it with a huge mixed-use development. As the Adler folks said themselves "There are a lot of people who would like the opportunity to live in Los Feliz, and we want to provide that for them."

I'm not against newcomers moving to Los Feliz. I'm not necessarily opposed to allowing some medium density projects within Los Feliz. I am against turning real estate developers loose on our neighborhood to build at will, until we are indistinguishable from Westwood or Century City.

2005-12-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

The L.A. Zoo elephant controversy continued to build this weekend, as a pro-Zoo throng led by octogenarian actress Betty White converged on the zoo to protest calls to close the municipal menagerie's troubled elephant exhibit.

Bowing to pressure from animal-rights activists who say the health of the elephants is endangered (a charge that Zoo officials and their allies hotly dispute), Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has commissioned a study to determine whether the living conditions for the Zoo's pachyderms are acceptably humane.

The three elephants, who share cramped accommodations desperately in need of renovation (not unlike many Angelenos), could conceivably be moved fom the Zoo to an animal sanctuary if the commission finds that the exhibit should be closed, something that White, et al, believe would not be in the best interest of the animals.

City officials will issue their report "soon", and you can be sure that whatever the findings, the elephant dung will continue to hit the fan.

2005-12-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

Before you sink your teeth into that rockfish you caught off the Santa Monica Pier, you might want to read this report about the ill effects DDT and other pollutants in the Bay are having on the local fish population.

Seems the chemical soup that upstanding corporate citizens like the Montrose Chemical Corp. and Chris-Craft Industries, Inc. dumped into the ocean over preceding decades has led to male fish developing female reproductive tissue.

Of course, sexual "flexibility" is nothing new in L.A., but there's something creepy about the weird science, better-living-through-chemicals-gone-horribly-awry aspect of this story.

2005-12-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

Update on the Orange Line safety controversy:

United Riders of Los Angeles, an organization of public transit users, is calling for a 72-hour cessation of Orange Line operations in order for a safety audit of the line to be performed.

This comes in the wake of the fourth crash on the line since it began routine operations just over a month ago - a miserable safety record by any standard.

Vidcap from KNBC.

2005-12-01T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hey, the L.A. Times linked to me (and a zillion other L.A. blogs)!

Does this mean I have to stop hanging up on their subscription sales telemarketers?

2005-12-01T12:03:00.000-08:00

The Los Feliz Village BID website has received a Flash-intensive makeover, including an intro page that's all scrolling logos and bad electronica. However, once you get past that and into the site there is some actual usable information: most notable is word that the BID has heard that the Griffith Observatory Grand Re-Opening, currently set for May 14 of next year, may be postponed.

Also available is a clunky online version of the BID newsletter (looks like somebody scanned a hard copy of the thing, then posted each page as a separate PDF file - it's extremely lo-fi), in which it is announced that "Los Feliz Village has 30 new cement trash containers that have been distributed throughout the Village", an achievement in which I think we can all take pride.

And finally, the LFVBID will be throwing the first Los Feliz Village Holiday Festival on December 10 from 6 to 9 p.m., on Hillhurst Avenue. The festivities will include "Santa, professional carolers strolling up and down, and a 'trolley' to provide free rides to guests who wish to visit local businesses".

Hmmm. Santa? Carolers? Sounds like they should just ditch the "Holiday Festival" euphemisms and call a spade a spade: Christmas.

And why is the word trolley bracketed by quotes? That never bodes well for anything. I'm picturing a DASH bus gussied up in "holiday" lights and driven by a grumpy municipal "elf".

2005-12-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

Did I say the Orange Line seemed to have overcome it's safety issues?

I was wrong!

2005-11-30T11:28:00.000-08:00

The Save the Derby coalition has fired off an email update, and you can read it here in the Official Skunks Docu Dump.

Some highlights:

- An update on efforts to have the Derby named a Historic Cultural Monument.

- The announcement of a grass-roots effort to "oppose, as appropriate, radical changes in zoning or height restrictions that would permit massive, oversized development".

Also, the GGPNC website has pulled together tons of documents, pics, stories, and other info relating to the fight to preserve the Derby. Especially instructive are the results of a survey taken by the GGPNC at the November 10 neighborhood meeting, and for sheer entertainment value it's hard to beat the transcribed public comments from that same meeting.

My favorite? This from JP on Rodney:

"NUTS"

And lastly, have you checked out the Save the Derby's video podcast? If you weren't able to make the November 10 meeting, you can relive the magic here.

2005-11-29T11:22:00.000-08:00

The Orange Line's initial safety woes seem to be behind it, and ridership has been much stronger than the MTA's lowball projections, but one question remains unanswered - is the Orange Line improving traffic flow across the Valley?

Remember, that's the way the line was sold to the public. It was put forth as a way to alleviate the brutal freeway commute across the Valley floor, a way to begin to untangle the gridlock of the east-west Valley commute.

Is it accomplishing that? Is it luring a sizable number of Valley commuters out of their cars? Reports of half-empty park-and-ride lots provide part of the answer. The other part of the answer can be inferred by the lack of news stories trumpeting the ease with which traffic is now flowing across the Valley - stories that are MIA because it simply ain't so.

What the line may actually have done is to shift bus-riders from one route to another, albeit a more comfortable and reliable route. That's not necessarily a bad thing: L.A. busses could use a little more comfort and reliability.

But that's not why the Orange Line was built. It was built to alleviate traffic in the Valley, to pull people out of their cars, and to free up freeway capacity.

That, is has not done.

2005-11-28T15:18:00.000-08:00

Life is funny:

I used to work at a talent agency, way back in the mists of time (okay, two years ago). I'm not particularly proud of that, but a fella's got to eat, right?

The agency business is bizarre (and sad, and stressful) - you have this whole stable of actors, some of whom have been with the agency for years, who call you often, keep you posted on their latest play, short film, class, or contact made ("Hey, I saw Joe Blake at the Ralph's on Olympic, and so I just went up to him, you know, very politely, and introduced myself to him. Then I saw on the breakdowns that he was casting a new AOL spot. Can you call and pitch me, since he knows me now?"). God bless 'em, they can be almost childlike in their hopefulness.

So, you get to know them, and you like most of them. I mean, you're pulling for them - they work, you get paid, right? And, truthfully, you become emotionally invested in them on some strange level.

(Okay. By now you're probably wondering how this all relates to the lede - "Life is funny", remember? Fair enough. Bear with me for a few more grafs, and we'll get there together.)

It's not surprising, then, that after I left the agency, during the long, hard winter of my unemployment, my mind would often drift back to the those folks on my old phone list. What were they doing? Who booked a pilot? Who got a drop letter? Did anyone of them remember me, even vaguely, whether for good ("You booked it!"), or for ill ("Come pick up your headshots")?

Then I'd mentally shrug and go back to worrying about paying my rent.

But Hollywood is a small town, interconnected and insular, and I'd bump into them here and there, or see a name in the trades, or spot a familiar face milking an under 5 appearance on Friends for all it was worth. Still do, as a matter of fact.

Like today: I'm sitting in the office, idly Googling "Los Feliz" (I do it so you won't have to), reading about yet another hiker who tried to take on Mt. Baldy and instead received a major schooling from Ma Nature, and I suddenly realize that not only do I know this person from my days in the agency salt mines, but she lives in Los Feliz. Then I vaguely remember seeing a news piece on the incident (which echoed a fear I have - somehow getting lost on a hike, and having my "rescue" aired live on KCAL, to my great embarrassment, and the unbridled hilarity of my friends).

The newspaper piece mines the irony of the unfortunate woman's situation (seems she went for a birthday hike, which almost became her last birthday present to herself), and contains this telling, and poignant, observation:

"S------, who is an actress, declined to state her age..."

Good girl. You may have just cheated death, but you know that your name will be in the paper, along with the fact that you are an actress, and goddamn if you're going to let some producer out there read your age. Not gonna happen.

And it was then that I had one of those meta moments, where you become acutely aware that living in L.A. is like living inside some kind of great echo chamber, where your life is on a constant feedback loop in which people, places, and events are thrown back at you by the media, or the TV, or the movies.

We're all fair game here, and we accept it. Hell, we love it. Disorientation addiction, maybe. Or maybe we're all just media whores, even (or perhaps especially) those people who claim to revile the shallowness of L.A.

And now here was this woman I used to know, who had inadvertently become a news subject, and I was consuming that news, a voyeuristic observer of her brush with death.

Which brings me (finally!) around to the central thesis of this piece (which I'm starting to think may never - possibly should never - see the light of day): life is funny. It's completely random, and random events, by their very nature, will sometimes cluster together in seemingly meaningful ways. What the fuck does it all mean? Nothing!

Like a Paul Thomas Anderson film it just sort of happens, and for a minute you think "Oho - this is headed somewhere meaningful!", but then it doesn't. It just sort of peters out, and then frogs fall into a parking lot in the Valley, and all you can think is "Hey! That's the Sears on Laurel Canyon!", or whatever.

But isn't it great?

2005-11-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, we can turn our attention to the next Great American holiday ritual: buying lots of stuff in order to keep our consumer economy going (thereby creating bad service industry jobs, and enriching companies like Wal-Mart, who enrich the Chinese at the expense of American workers, who have no recourse but to take bad service industry jobs).

But why focus on the negative? Just because our economy is trapped in a death spiral of crappy jobs, huge Federal deficits, and overwhelming consumer debt (keep financing those plasma TV's people - China needs those jobs you're creating!), doesn't mean that we should forget the children.

The holidays are all about the children... right?

Unfortunately, due to the vagaries of the global economy (see above), some children are left out of the gluttonous orgy of consumption that we call Christmas. While their peers unwrap Xbox 360's and PSP's, they consider themselves lucky to receive the 21st century equivalent of a lump of coal: a woefully outdated analog information distribution device, formerly known as a "book".

These unfortunates are left behind, Halo-less, adrift in a sea of Wi-Fi without a network card, lacking even dial-up fer Chrissakes. But you don't have to let that happen. You have the power (and the high credit rating) to do something about it.

Max out your credit cards for the kids. Buy that ridiculously overpriced hunk of cutting edge technology you've been salivating over since last year's E3. Take it to one of the following locations and donate it to the children. Write the whole thing off as a charitable donation.

Everybody will be happy, from the CEO's and stockholders of the credit card companies to the lowliest peasant in China.

Especially the kids.

- The DWP Festival of Lights will, as always, have collection boxes at either end of the Festival route. Bring your unwrapped toys (or consumer electronics) and drop them off, all without getting out of your car!

- The LAFD Spark of Love Toy Drive is in full swing, as well. Gift collection boxes are located at area Sav-On stores, on Metrolink's Holiday Toy Express Train, and at your neighborhood fire station.

- Councilmember Tom LaBonge will be holding a Holiday Reception on Friday, December 2nd at the CD4 HQ. You can twist the good councilmember's ear about those potholes on your street, sample the wares of the Toluca Lake merchant community (refreshments will be served!), and drop off an unwrapped toy.

For the kids.

2005-11-19T00:23:00.000-08:00

I figured out a use for Google Base: it's a document dump!

Click here to read Councilmember Tom LaBonge's letter in response to the efforts of Save the Derby and other L.A. preservationists to stop Adler Realty from demolishing the Derby to make way for condos.

2005-11-18T15:11:00.000-08:00

ABC7 has added an "Ask the Mayor" segment to it's Eyewitness Newsmakers feature, wherein viewers like you (yes, YOU!) can send in a question for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to answer on-air.

Does this mean Hizzoner has dusted the KCAL/KCBS media monolith in favor of the Mouse House media monolith? Dunno, but if KCAL/KCBS still hosts a similar segment, they've very effectively buried the link somewhere in the schmancy new design of their website (Best new feature: hard-hitting polls that allow viewers like you - yes, YOU! - to voice your opinion. In today's poll, you say "Earthquakes" scare you more than "Hurricanes"! Who knew?).

2005-11-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

The proposed Red Line extension received a boost from an independent peer review board's finding this week that tunneling below the methane fields along Wilshire Corridor could be safely accomplished with the use of newly developed technology.

Next stop? Getting Rep. Henry Waxman on board.

In other transit notes:

- The MTA and the city take a mulligan on Orange Line safety, and start "experimenting" with new safety measures, including adding strobe lights to the MetroLiner busses, lowering warning signs, and tweaking traffic lights at busway-surface street intersections. No crossing gates, though.

- Click here to see an interview with the Foothill Extension Gold Line Construction Authority Board Chairman John Blickenstaff. It provides an excellent overview of where the Foothill Extension stands, as well as the many challenges it faces.

Photo courtesy of Metro.

2005-11-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

It's a little known fact that our corner of L.A. played host to a number of "aerodromes" during the first half of the last century, when air travel was a more romantic (and dangerous) proposition than is the case today.

This excellent site by Paul Freeman collects historical information, photos, and updated information on each site, including where to find visible remnants of the airfields.

Especially interesting are the articles recounting the histories of the Griffith Park Aerodrome and the Grand Central Airport in Glendale (for more on Grand Central, including pics of it's magnificent Terminal building, click here.) The Aerodrome is completely gone, subsumed beneath the present site of the L.A. Zoo, but the Grand Central Terminal still remains as the property of the Walt Disney Company, which has committed to restoring the structure by 2015 (click here for PreserveLA's article on preservation issues related to the Terminal).

2005-11-16T10:56:00.000-08:00

This may not be the most exciting event I've ever posted about, but cut me some slack: the holiday slowdown has already begun, and I've got gigs of bandwidth to fill.

Anyway, the L.A. Bureau of Engineering will be holding a meeting regarding the Griffith Observatory Exterior Restroom Project on Monday, November 21 at 3:00 p.m, to be held at the Griffith Observatory Satellite (otherwise known as "that trailer across from the Zoo").

What is the Griffith Observatory Exterior Restroom Project? Dunno (Porta-potties? Latrine trenches?). If someone in the viewing area knows, I'd love (love!) to hear about it.

2005-11-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

The L.A. Zoo's elephant exhibit has once again become the center of controversy. As construction on the new viewing area drags on (and on), the health of Gita, one of the Zoo's elephants, has degraded to what some vets are calling a terminal condition. That's not surprising: Gita and her partner Ruby have been confined to a barn while the new exhibit is being prepared.

Mayor Villaraigosa, who supported closing the exhibit before he opposed it, is attempting to fence-sit on this issue. He should do the humane thing, stop construction (or repurpose it), and send these elephants to a sanctuary where they can live out the remainder of their lives in comfort and dignity.

UPDATED: To sign a petition urging Mayor Villaraigosa to relocate L.A.'s elephants to a sanctuary, click here.

Vidcap from KNBC.

2005-11-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

Lookout liberal weenies and nattering nabobs of negativism, everywhere: Bush is on the counterattack!

Says W (in a speech punctuated by a vicious series of karate chops on his podium):

"While it's perfectly legitimate to criticize my decision or the conduct of the war, it is deeply irresponsible to rewrite the history of how that war began."

Huh?

I'm a little confused. Lessee here:

A) It's okay to criticize the President's deeply wrong decision to go to war.
B) It's okay to criticize his bungled war effort.
C) It's not okay to analyze how he made his decision or enumerate the ways in which his battlefield "planning" has failed.

So it's okay to say he's a dipshit, but not why? Or maybe he means that the fact that he's a dipshit is so self-evident that supporting arguments are superfluous. Perhaps he's hoping that the two contradictory elements of this statement will challenge each other to a linguistic cage-match to be held in a dank fight club somewhere in Juarez, participle vs. participle in a sweat-soaked battle royale that will end in death for both unfortunately phrased non-truths, thereby canceling each other out and leaving Bush re-established as a strong, omniscient leader who never makes mistakes (or never admits them, anyway).

Most likely, though, he doesn't know what the hell he means: he's just readin' from a card on which the words are spelled out phonetically, the better for him to stammer them out without having to engage the one functioning neuron he has left.

His internal logic, which suffers from more inconsistencies than the last three Star Wars movies combined, has been revealed as so much gobbledygook. It's the logic of doublespeak, awkward euphemism, and mangled metaphors. No one believes anything he says anymore. It's nonsense.

The only one who doesn't realize that is him.

2005-11-10T23:19:00.000-08:00

I think they heard us.

Adler Realty sent their minions to Los Feliz tonight, and an auditorium full off pissed-off residents told them in no uncertain terms that their development, as currently planned, is a non-starter.

Rebecca Goodman of Save the Derby got medieval on their asses with a PowerPoint presentation that spelled out what the loss of the Derby would mean for Los Feliz.

Jay Platt of the L.A. Conservancy gave a point by point refutation of the company's ridiculous claim that the Derby's structure has been so altered over the years as to render it historically insignificant.

The crowd jeered the Adler group's hilarious description of the project as "emulating the traditional Spanish-Colonial style", their traffic mitigation "plan" (which amounts to road widening, and not much else), and their assertion that this gigantic complex (half a city block, with a total floor area of 150,000 square feet) would somehow be good for Los Feliz.

All in all, not a good night for the Adler people. I almost felt sorry for them.

Almost.

Councilmember Tom LaBonge heard us, too. He heard the voters say that we don't want to lose the Derby to a beige stucco box with 400 parking places. His planning advisor is on record as saying that the Councilmember supports saving the Derby structure. Hopefully Mr. LaBonge will continue his great work as an advocate for neighborhoods on the City Council, and fully get behind this effort.

After the meeting my friend Anna (representing San Pedro!) and I headed over to the Derby for a drink at the after party. The bouncer told us if we stuck around long enough, we'd get a taste of Japanese hip-hop, live. To me that was Exhibit A in the argument against tearing down the Derby: where else can you go from swing to Japanese hip-hop in the space of one week?

I briefly spoke to Rebecca before I left and, in true Derby fashion, she sipped a Cosmopolitan while she animatedly recapped the night's events. She and the rest of the Save the Derby volunteers were excited about tonight's turnout, optimistic about the progress of their fight, and definitely ready to keep pressing forward in their effort to preserve the building they love so well.

Los Feliz is behind them.

2005-11-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

Earnestness can be deadly.

To take something seriously, to care deeply about something, can seem naive, and put in print (or on a blog) it more often than not just sounds preachy.

Didactic. Boring.

Deadly.

But hey, some things are important. There are things in life that are irreplaceable. A person you love, your favorite book, the view from Mt. Hollywood: things that are our anchor points as we toss and struggle in the turbulent slipstream of passing time.

A building can be one of those anchors. A physical link between generations, an intrinsic component of a city's sense of place, a place to commune with the shades of those who came before, and to leave your imprint for those who will come after. A concrete and wood handhold onto which we mortals can cling for the short time we are here, and feel a sense of permanence, feel a part of a continuum of being, if only for a moment.

Not to get all metaphysical and (shudder) earnest, but some buildings so embody who we are, where we came from, and the place that we call home that to lose them is to lose part of ourselves. They inform our lives, and shelter and inspire our activities.

The Derby is such a place. We go there to get drunk in the aftermath of a bad breakup. We go to there to dance away another crappy week at the office. We go there to pretend that it's 1942 and we're Humphrey Bogart or Lauren Bacall. We go there to be in a crowd, to laugh, and forget that one day our laughter will be stilled.

It is a cornerstone of our neighborhood, and of our city. To lose it is to weaken the foundation of Los Angeles, the place and the idea, the dream that was and is. Let's not allow that to happen.

Pic lifted from Save the Derby.

2005-11-09T14:33:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought (or fervently prayed) that the Reggie the Alligator story had finally played itself out, comes word that Steve Irwin, crocodile hunter and baby-dangler extraordinaire, has set his sights on capturing the elusive reptile.

No word yet on whether the antic antipodean will attempt to lure the creature to his doom by dangling an infant from a giant rusty hook.

2005-11-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

NFL commish Paul Tagliabue is swinging through California this week, meeting with state and local officials as part of the renewed effort to bring a pro football team to the Southland.

Now, having the NFL return to L.A. would be a good thing (unless the Raiders moved back or city leaders let the league loot the treasury in exchange for them deigning to grant us a team).

I guess my only concern is that the proposed changes to the Los Angeles Coliseum, which are necessary to add the luxury boxes and other amenities required by the NFL, may end up altering the historic structure beyond all recognition.

During my trip to Chicago last weekend, I had a chance to see firsthand what an ill-conceived adaptive reuse of a historic football stadium looks like. Soldier Field (see above) was a storied, yet indisputably antiquated, stadium. In 2002, construction began on a new seating bowl inside of the historic structure.

Once construction was completed, the famous colonnades, which have borne witness to clashes of gridiron giants since 1924, were completely overshadowed by a huge aluminum seating bowl. The jarring effect of the ultra-modern bowl crammed into the neo-classical remains of the original structure cannot be overstated. It looks like a flying saucer shoe-horned into the ruins of a Greek temple: inelegant and obtrusive.

It may now be a great place to see and play football, but it is not the historic structure that the adaptive reuse allegedly set out to preserve.

I hope that L.A. officials will learn from the mistakes of the Chicago team, and seek an adaptive reuse design that truly preserves the historical integrity of the Coliseum.

2005-11-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, people.

The moment is almost upon us.

Be at the Derby Neighborhood Meeting tomorrow night.

7:00 p.m.

Our Mother of Good Counsel Church, Multipurpose Building.

To get everybody fired up, I leave you with the words of the Bard:

"In peace there 's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility;
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger:
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect."

'Nuff said.

2005-11-09T09:48:00.000-08:00

Caleefornyah to Arnold: "Drop Dead"

2005-11-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

After a hair-raising series of near misses during Orange Line shakedown runs (including an incident during Mayor Villaraigosa's first trip on the new line), officials downplayed any safety concerns surrounding the busway's ungated right of way.

Unfortunately, only 5 days into routine operation, the Orange Line has suffered a serious accident, as a car collided with one of the huge Metro Liner busses, injuring as many as 10 people.

Details are sketchy, but it seems that the mixture of surface street traffic and speeding Orange Line busses may be more volatile than advertised.

2005-11-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

I don't usually cover charity events, but every woman I talked to about Step Up Women's Network (not to mention my co-worker, who was on the board before she became a mom) vouched for their good deeds, and all-around positive influence on young women.

So, even though it's scheduled for the same night as the big Derby meeting (Nov.10, Our Mother of Good Counsel), let me draw your attention to their upcoming Red Carpet Boutique at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

According to the Step Up presser:

“Our theme will include red carpets throughout, velvet ropes and butlers passing out hor d'oeuvres by Star Chef Jeff Armstrong on silver platters. An anticipated 500 + guests, including celebrities, media, socialites and trend-setters will walk the red carpet into a world of glamour and prestige. Guests will shop more than 40 cutting-edge designers, nibble on hor d'oeuvres, sip complimentary cocktails by Fiji, Izze and Jake's Fault Wine , enjoy music from L.A.'s hottest deejays, unwind at our plush mobile spa, and receive complimentary cosmetic, health and wellness make-overs.”

Sounds like a full evening. Of course you could swing by the Derby meeting before the Boutique, thereby killing two activism birds with one stone, and appreciably pushing your kharma over into the "good" range.

For more info, or to register, click here.

2005-11-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

If it's Tuesday, it's time for Transit Notes:

- It may be too early to call the Orange Line a bust, but hundreds of unused parking places at MTA lots would seem to indicate that Valley commuters are not exactly rushing to abandon their cars in favor of the busway.

- Metro is holding it's first Exposition Line community meeting tomorrow night from 5-8 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Culver City, followed quickly by a repeat performance on Thursday at the West Los Angeles Church. Will the neighborhoods buy into Metro's vision of east-west rail? We'll see.

- The Gold Line extension is experiencing your typical MTA construction problems: discovering human remains during excavation operations, and finding out (after construction begins) that a school lies right in the middle of the line's planned right of way.

- On the other end of the Gold Line, NIMBY-ism begins to rear it's ugly head along the proposed route of the Foothill Extension.

2005-10-31T14:03:00.000-08:00

Boo!