ExperienceLA Blog - Experiencing LA Arts and Culture

You're never too old

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:37:33 PST

There are some things in life for which we grow too old, though very few things in my opinion. "Mary Poppins" is certainly not one of those things. For Christmas, I decided to get my mother-in-law (who is nearing 80 and is a great lover of live theatre) tickets to see the musical at the Ahmanson Theatre with her son and daughter-in-law. It was a pleasant way, spending time with family, to end a

Disney and the GRAMMY Foundation Unveil Hand-Painted Basses for Auction

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:25:31 PST

GRAMMY-winning Jazz Bassist/Composer Stanley Clarke said at today's unveiling of five Disney-themed hand painted basses that "...art is the bridge that brings people together." True to that theme, Disney Youth Programs and artists from Walt Disney Animation Studios marked the 25th anniversary of Disney Magic Music Days with these custom-designed basses featuring Disney animation films Dumbo,

"Under the Influence: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Art Extravaganza" Part II

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:28:37 PST

ExperienceLA bloggers Julie and Charity attended a recent opening of the "Under the Influence: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Art Extravaganza" (open now through January 29) exhibition at Gallery 1988 on Melrose last Friday evening. Part II is a recap of Charity's experience. There was a line out the door and down the street on opening night. This didn't surprise me as I'm a big fan of

"Under the Influence: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Art Extravaganza" Part I

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:45:33 PST

ExperienceLA bloggers Julie and Charity attended a recent opening of the "Under the Influence: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Art Extravaganza" (open now through January 29) exhibition at Gallery 1988 on Melrose last Friday evening. Part I is a recap of Julie's experience. I heart He-Man. Judging by the flood of responses I got on my Facebook page when I posted my plans for last Friday

Supporting the arts

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:21:21 PST

Here in Los Angeles, we have so many ways in which to appreciate art. At one time, "supporting the arts" might have meant getting dressed up and going to the opera or a high-end gallery, or opening up the checkbook to write a fat check. It might have seemed a little exclusive to those of us with a modest income. But art has become so much more democratic now, and much more accessible. I'm

New Year's Means Free Public Transit

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:07:54 PST

Heading out on the town for New Year's Eve? If you want to keep it safe (especially with those DUI checkpoints more than likely to be around town), Go Metro! Metro is offering free public transit on buses and trains from December 31, 2009 at 9pm to January 1, 2010 at 2am. And after you've had a night out, get yourself out of bed to head out to the Rose Bowl. Enjoy the Rose Bowl Game and

More than just a food truck

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:59:13 PST

In my last post reviewing top cultural moments of 2009 in Los Angeles, item #2 was the rise in food trucks servicing hungry Angelenos. Well, chalk another one to the list. "Vesuvio," a food truck offering traditional Southern Italian fare will be hitting the streets of LA in the New Year. Founder Matt Giangrande contacted ExperienceLA and informed us of the latest food truck to enter the

Here for Roses? Enjoy the Gold (Red and Purple) Metro Lines

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:51:47 PST

Whether you're rooting for Buckeyes, Ducks, Longhorns, or the Crimson Tide at the Rose Bowl - or in town to see the Tournament of Roses - the Gold Line is a great way to get to Pasadena and enjoy L.A. sights. While you're at it, explore with the Metro Red Line and Purple Line too. Need some reasons why? Read on! Skip the Parking, Free Shuttle If you drive, it will cost you $30 to park for

2009: What a year in L.A.

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:32:26 PST

It's hard to believe 2010 is just around the corner. One of the things I look forward to at the end of each year is reading the many "best of lists" that get generated. It's interesting to see what/who made the lists, but also what/who got the snub. In either case, it makes for good conversation and is always fun to reflect on the year that was. Here at ExperienceLA, we decided to compile our own

From Din Tai Fung to Ozomatli

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:17:46 PST

Most days I find myself appreciating the diverse cultural opportunities of Los Angeles in their individual or regional contexts - whether it's discovering tamales in East LA or having a crazy unexpected adventure exploring Downtown on foot. But last Saturday I had an even greater appreciation for Los Angeles and how much it has to offer. My day began in a holiday traffic drive to one of my

ExperienceLA Holiday Billboards

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:26:13 PST

I am one of the few people in Los Angeles who loves advertising, commercials and marketing even though I'm not working in the field. I love to view flash ads online, Superbowl commercials and billboards during my commute. So when I was given the chance to design the holiday billboards for ExperienceLA, I was ecstatic. Our overall sub-theme was "Search holiday at ExperienceLA" for great events

Promotions around Los Angeles

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:44:26 PST

Here are some partner promotions currently going on around Los Angeles that aren't specifically tied to ExperienceLA, but we thought we'd share them with you, our readers. It's the holidays after all, and who knows, one of these might come in handy as a last-minute gift. We're just sayin'... FREE POPCORN AT REGAL CINEMAS AT L.A. LIVE (from LA Live) For all you die-hard movie goers and popcorn

Go Metro on the Silver Line

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:12:10 PST

Metro recently launched its Silver Line - connecting people from the South Bay (beginning at Artesia Station) and San Gabriel Valley (being at El Monte Bus Station) to Downtown Los Angeles. Running every 5-15 minutes during weekday rush hours, the Silver Line is a great alternative to being stuck in that Los Angeles trafifc. Also the Silver Line takes you to Downtown destinations like the

More Than Just Kicks: Clash of the Customizers Exhibition

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:05:59 PST

While I've always thought about shoes as art, I've never really looked at the shoe as being a possible blank canvas where an artist can bring an idea to life. Whether you're more of a newbie to this world like me or already entrenched in the world of customized sneakers, the collection featured at Clash of the Customizers Exhibition will probably leave you impressed and never looking at shoes in

Awww... Nuts!

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:57:52 PST

'Tis the season to enjoy great holiday favorites such as the Nutcracker Ballet. Having a hard time choosing? Here is a quick run-down of the Nutcracker performances in the Los Angeles Area: The Nutcracker at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center with guest artists from Germany The Nutcracker - Inland Pacific Ballet at Bridges Auditorium celebrates their 15th season The Nutcracker

Holiday Tamale Trolley

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:03:19 PST

Growing up just east of East L.A., I have been quite accustomed to thinking tamales synonymous with the holidays. It's right up there with hot chocolate, peppermint mocha coffees, candy canes, and cookies. There's just something comforting about unwrapping that corn husk and seeing the steam rise from the masa. Like opening up a present with delicious rewards.While we would get them homemade from

The Grinch Will Steal Your Heart

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:53:55 PST

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is no doubt a family holiday favorite - from the book, to the cartoon film, to the live-action movie with Jim Carrey.It also makes the perfect family-friendly holiday musical.John Larroquette enters as "Old Max" retelling the story of when he was "Young Max" (portrayed by James Royce Edwards) and the Grinch (Stefan Karl) was up to his anti-Whoville

Cuteness Overload at the Royal/T

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:56:45 PST

Cute Overload at the Three Apples Exhibition of Hello Kitty (Photo courtesy of plushcattech) Starting off my week-long birthday celebration, I went to Three Apples, the 35th Anniversary Celebration of Hello Kitty Art Exhibition at The Royal/T in Culver City. Ever since it opened, I've been meaning to go to the Royal/T, so when the Hello Kitty exhibit came around, I brought my Hello Kitty-obsessed

Gladly Helping to Pay His Alimony

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:10:04 PST

John Cleese showing his age. As part of my week-long birthday celebrations, I decided to see John Cleese in his Final Wave to the World (Or the Alimony Tour, Year One). I had missed out on seeing him at the Carpenter Center, but got a great seat at the Alex Theatre in a quaint, but happening area of Glendale. Being a Monty Python fan since high school, I was extremely excited to see a member of

Delicious and Informative Morsels: SixTaste Little Tokyo Tour

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:11:01 PST

Negitoro Don Sample (Photo courtesy of plushcattech)Ending my week-long birthday celebration, I went on the Six Taste Little Tokyo Food Walking Tour. It had been many years since I had visited Little Tokyo, and I was refreshing my memory of Japanese customs as well as getting to know more about Los Angeles.Overall, the food was delicious and our tour guide was very helpful and well-informed, but

We The People Fest Update

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:35:00 PST

Your Local Farmers Market - A Conversation with Craig Deihl from Cypress in Charleston

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:44:21 PST

As Thanksgiving approaches, what better time to visit your local Farmers Market for your holiday feast and on ExperienceLA we try to have a complete list of farmers markets in LA County sorted by day. Always a special treat is the Wednesday Santa Monica Farmers Market which in past year's has opened early the Wednesday before Thanksgiving as a way to better manage the number of shoppers. You can

Support Your Local Arts Organization as They Connect with You Online

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:26:04 PST

The idea for ExperienceLA began when the Internet was only 4 years old in 1998. Thus, when it was finally launched in July 2003 with opening of the Gold Line to Pasadena, web 1.0 was a known platform and using the Internet for marketing was beginning to hits its stride. The ExperienceLA project has gone onto experiment with different forms of social networking to increase awareness and to help

Beyond the concrete jungle: Los Angeles Parks

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:43:36 PST

Griffith Park Observatory (Photo courtesy of Intellichick)We recently asked ExperienceLA fans to tell us where some of the best parks are in Los Angeles to help us populate our weekly poll. Within a short time span, we received a great list of suggestions. Unfortunately on our poll, we can only show 4 choices at a time. However, a list this great must be shared. So, without further ado and in no

An evening with Steve and his banjo

info@experiencela.com (ExperienceLA Staff) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:22:53 PST

A night of music, comedy, and even a little bit of Chinese feminism. This is what fans who attended Steve Martin's first public performance in years at the Walt Disney Concert Hall were treated to last week. I'm more familiar with his comedy, admittedly, but thanks to my husband, was highly interested in his banjo skills. And I must say, "WOW!" That man is just as talented on his banjo as he is