Aman About Town

Lynn's Holiday Nosh

2008-12-31T10:09:00.001-08:00

I finally got the latkes, kreplach and kugel he'd been craving and came home with a plate of desserts made by a nice Jewish mom in the Valley!

I continued my tradition of heading to my friend Lynn's place for her annual Holiday Nosh. Lynn's granddaughter Emerson is now two-years-old and has quite a personality. I told Melissa and Sean that they will be "those parents" waiting on the porch with a shot-gun in 14 years.

Melissa and I were reminiscing that the very first time I went we were all so young and drinking Goldschlager, and Melissa cleaned red wine out of a white carpet using white wine. Now it's about drinking coffee, cleaning poopy diapers and going home early!

A Quiet Christmas Day With Matheu

2008-12-30T23:23:00.000-08:00

My pal Matheu Brooks and I spent a quiet Christmas Day going out for breakfast, strolling the deserted streets of West Hollywood, and supporting the local economy by shopping at A Different Light Bookstore. It's nice to take a little break from the nightlife.

You can see the full album on Flickr or Facebook.

Watch "The Times of Harvey Milk" Online

2008-12-30T10:32:00.000-08:00

The Oscar-winning documentary, "The Times of Harvey Milk," is available free for online viewing on Hulu. I watched this ages ago, and it still moves me to this day. Here is the link.

"This Oscar-winning documentary film covers the successful career and tragic assassination of San Francisco's first openly gay man elected to office. Harvey Milk was a controversial figure in American politics, who guided campaigns for civil rights. This documentary chronicles Milk's career in politics, as well as the aftermath and trial of his assassin."

Christmas Eve Parties: Thais, Michael & Toby

2008-12-29T17:48:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve I was making the rounds from Silverlake to West Hollywood. At Thais' party, I met a whole new group of cool East Siders including Mehdi, Lisa and Bijal. (I'm taking a cue from her and bringing Jell-o Shots to the next party.) Over on the West Side, Michael and Toby had a festive get-together with steaming holiday cider and great company!

You can see the full album on Flickr or Facebook.

Olivier's "Naughty or Nice" Christmas Party

2008-12-29T11:32:00.000-08:00

My friend Olivier threw a "Naughty or Nice" Christmas party. I think I was the only one that came dressed as "nice." Here's Rachel Carlson in one of her own naughty "Rachelle Appelle" designs and rocking out her washboard abs with hosts Oliver and Michael. Jeremy Lucido and his boyfriend Nick Leoni sample homemade desserts. The hosts inspect Leo's package!

You can see the full album on Flickr or Facebook.

Eartha Kitt: Purr-fect Woman!

2008-12-26T12:50:00.000-08:00

Sadly, Eartha Kitt died yesterday at the age of 81. I first watched Kitt as Catwoman on re-runs of Batman when I was a kid and later came to appreciate her legendary talents as a singer, dancer and performer. Here's a great tribute video set to her classic rendition of "Too Close for Comfort."

"Single Ladies in Mayberry" by Party Ben

2008-12-26T00:31:00.000-08:00

Just when you couldn't get enough "Single Ladies," Party Ben mashes up the Sasha Fierce hit with the theme from Mayberry. Brilliantly funny. Watch and listen:

Funny Film: "Santa Gets Lonely Too!" by Dudley Beene

2008-12-24T12:41:00.000-08:00

My pal Dudley Beene created this instant holiday hit! Watch. It is brilliant!

"'The 1947 classic where a young Natalie Wood helps Santa get laid just in time for Christmas.' With some quick shoots and a little reediting we turned Miracle on 34th Street into a romantic comedy about a gay Santa Claus and his best friends trying to hook him up. Hohoho"

The Lucky Legendary Holiday Party!

2008-12-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

I spent a festive evening with the folks from Lucky Legendary as they played "Truth or Dare" Jenga, slow-danced with vacuum cleaners, stripped of articles of clothing and had a rowdy good time. Not only do these guys make funny videos, they are super funny in real life.

Pictured here: Michelle, Captain Lucky, Olivier, Thomas, Chandler, Ken, Spanky and Jenny!

Albums on Facebook and Flickr.

American Idol "The Most Horrible Day Of Our Lives" - Split Screen

2008-12-18T13:34:00.000-08:00

My friends Brendan Bonner, Vincent Greenlee, Joe McGovern, David Schumann and Jagran Boise Thomas were devastated by David Cook winning American Idol over that cutie-pie David Archuleta. (Weren't we all?!) Amazingly, some random girls had the exact same reaction. How weird is that?!

Luckily David used his video skills to capture it all and posted the clip side-by-side! Watch:

Annual "Toy Box" Benefit Block Party

2008-12-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

This year's annual Toy Box benefit was held as a block party on Larabee between East|West and Club Eleven which made it more festive than ever. It was the combination of the fake snow, the huge pile of toys, the snowman and Hunky Santa. I made the rounds with my pal Matheu Brooks from Frontiers and IN Magazine.

Aside from amassing a huge pile of toys for the kids, Toy Box is one of the best ways to catch up with folks during this busy time of year, and I finally ran into friends like Kevin Casares, Woody Woodbeck and Wayne Fastow.

Albums on Facebook and Flickr.

Brian Putnam's Holiday Housewarming

2008-12-17T15:51:00.000-08:00

West Hollywood photographer extraordinaire, Brian Putnam, had the WeHo nightlife folks over during daylight hours to show off his new home and studio. Amidst the constant rotation of guests, I sipped on mimosas and broke bread with Mr. "Out in Hollywood," Greg Hernandez, from The Daily News. Andrew Stum brought his crew, which is quite cleverly known as "Andrew's Crew!" And I ran into old pals KABC News producer Janice Hensen and photojournalist Sean Patrick Lewis.

Albums on Facebook and Flickr.

Saturday Night with Shawn Antonio at Vanguard

2008-12-17T11:51:00.000-08:00

My friend Shawn Antonio promotes Saturday Nights at Vanguard. I stopped by to check it out because I'm planning to celebrate my birthday there in January. Shawn and I see each other ever week for lunch with friends, but rarely out at night. That's ironic since we are both "nightlife people." Vanguard turned out to be super-fun so I'm excited!

Albums on Facebook and Flickr.

Jeremy Lucido's Birthday Bash at The Spotlight

2008-12-17T11:17:00.000-08:00

Joanne and I attended Jeremy Lucido's birthday bash at The Spotlight. Here we are with my old pal $EX Artiste, and that's me with Jeremy's boyfriend Nick. I last saw them both on Thanksgiving. This was my first time at The Spotlight, known as the best dive bar in the Cahuenga Corridor! Catch Jeremy's video-blog of his birthday weekend here.

Albums on Facebook and Flickr.

Frank & Jonny's Campfire Christmas Party

2008-12-16T14:06:00.000-08:00

At designers Frank Helmer and Jonny Cota's "Campfire Christmas Party," the East Side crowd gathered to toast marshmallows and sip on cider. I met Joshua Grannell (aka Peaches Christ) who was in town casting a his next film with my old pal (from high school) Darren Stein, pictured here with Darrin Noble.

Albums on Facebook and Flickr.

"Wolverine" Trailer Filled With Surprises

2008-12-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

In case you missed it in the theaters this weekend, here is the trailer for the upcoming "Wolverine" movie. I am looking forward to this film, and the trailer is better than I expected. There are a few surprises, like the appearance of what looks to be a young Storm. Any guesses who the blond mutant is?

Via Trailer Addict:

Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar – as the fierce fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, retractable claws and a primal fury. Leading up to the events of X-Men, X-Men Origins: Wolverine tells the story of Wolverine’s epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe...

"Gay for Good" Community Service Group Dinner

2008-12-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

My pal Monte and I went to the "Gay for Good" potluck dinner last night. "Gay for Good" is a community service group that Tony Biel just started. In his own words:

"Gay for Good is an all-volunteer organization focused on bridging the gap between the LA GLBT community, and the greater LA community. The objective is to reach out to other non-profit organizations in LA County to volunteer our time to their efforts, events and initiatives."

This was the first organizational meeting and potluck dinner which is why all my pictures are of us signing up for stuff. I should note that Tony made a very popular Shepherd's Pie! (You've seen him on this blog before.)

Monte and I recently went to the Equal Roots "Conference for the GLBT Movement," and they had a similar message of building coalitions with the greater community. Aside from all this protesting, activism and community service, Monte declared we're "changing the world and finding husbands along the way!" I could get on board with that.

Bettie Page: Pin-up Legend Passes Away at 85

2008-12-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

I've always been one degree of separation away from Bettie Page through two great artists I knew early in my career, but alas my dreams of meeting here will never come true as the pin-up queen that inspired a generation with her free and full self-expression passed away in Los Angeles today at the age of 85. Peace out, Bettie!

Love is Love- A Comedic Short Film

2008-12-12T10:42:00.000-08:00

What if the world were reversed: Straight people are the minority and their rights are the ones put to a vote? This short film by Certainty Films features Jane Lynch, one of my favorite actresses!

Playlist: The "Memories of Summer" Mix-Tape

2008-12-11T12:37:00.000-08:00

As late as the middle of November it still felt like summer here in Los Angeles. With that in mind here's my latest seasonal Playlist...

The "Memories of Summer" Mix-tape!

I have a wide range of musical taste so you will find some surprises in there! About 50 tracks including old favorites like Albinoni and Sinatra and new ones like MGMT and Lady Gaga. Look for variations on a theme this time. ;)

You can listen continuously while you surf the web using the Pop-Out Player.

Add me as a Playlist buddy at Playlist.com/Aman, and check out my previous playlists here:

Obama to Use "Hussein" on Inauguration Day

2008-12-11T12:06:00.000-08:00

President-Elect Barack Obama will be using his full name during inauguration. That means including "Hussein," his middle name that during the Presidential campaign was used by some right-wing factions to instill fear in their base. Says Obama: "I will follow the tradition. I'm not trying to make a statement one way or another."

I read Obama referred to as "our New Hot Chocolate Overlord" on another blog, and I love it!

The Schumann 2008 Holiday Party is a Huge Success!

2008-12-10T00:39:00.000-08:00

My friends Francesca and David threw an amazing holiday party over the weekend. Francesca plays "hostess with with the mostest" with Michael by the tree. Andrea and Josh cozy up on the hammock. Saracai and Heather get in the holiday spirit. And I wait for Santa to bring me something extra special!

Francesca surprised and thrilled us all with a video montage David made of us from the past year. You will find and extra special "dance break" halfway through the video. David's adoring fans threw themselves at him!

I took these two photographs of Jerah near the end of the night. I love the sweetness of her quiet moment on the phone and this "Santa Baby" shot makes you wonder: Naughty or Nice?

You can see my photos from this wonderful night on Facebook or Flickr.

Santa didn't bring me exactly what I wanted, but I could count on Jessica for a kiss under the mistletoe. I hope you all have a wonderful season full of friendship, happiness and love! ;o)

Thanksgiving Day 2008: In the Park and About Town

2008-12-03T16:27:00.000-08:00

Each year at Thanksgiving Dinner-in-the-Park the community comes together to feed people. This year, my dad and I were joined by friends including, Monte Cox, Jeremy Lucido and his boyfriend Nick.

You can see all my Thanksgiving Day pictures on Flickr or Facebook.

One of my favorite parts of the event is Arthur Nakane's One Man Band. Here he and a guest perform a rocking rendition of "Joy to the World." (He also performed "Stand by Me.")

Later that night I catch up with Sterling after a long while at Jerah's party. And cause trouble with Abbie and Brendan at Francesca's place.

Egremont Elementary School Reunion

2008-12-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

You know from the playlists I post here that I love the 1980s. I got a chance to walk down memory lane with friends I hadn't seen since then at my Egremont Elementary School reunion party. We all found each other via Facebook. Everyone was super cool and only looks slightly older. We had a great time and all wanted to do it again. You can see the album from this party on Facebook and Flickr.

"Prop 8 - The Musical" with Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and more...

2008-12-03T11:20:00.000-08:00