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NoHo gets the Gallerie de Street Art: Paris

Lisa Bianconi
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Gallerie de Street Art: Paris

The NoHo Arts District dot Com team believes in sharing the success and stories of our neighborhood folks. As we’ve always say, our neighborhood is only as good as its people. We asked North Hollywood resident and www.nohoartsdistrict.com writer Caroline McElroy about her latest accomplishment, her book Gallerie de Street Art: Paris.

Don’t miss her book signing, presentation and raffle.

WHEN: Thursday, July 9, 2015 @ 3pm
WHERE: NoHo Senior Arts Colony lounge
10747 Magnolia Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Gallerie de Street Art: Paris www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Gallerie de Street Art: Paris is a photographic odyssey of street art and graffiti in the city of Paris. The focus is mainly in Montmartre, but the photos were also taken all around Paris.

This rebus was the end result of my former neighbor and collage student Mary Rose Shook. Shook had asked to see my photos from Paris and when she was finished looking at them she announced that I should create a book using the more “artistic” pieces and advised me to add one of my own pieces of original collage art.

When I first went to Paris, there was no set photographic agenda. Nebraska actress Angela McEwan and myself just wanted to walk around and soak up the magic that is Paris. As things unfolded, there was creative inspiration on many different levels.

Shortly before my art show opened at NoHo SAC and I was to leave for Paris, in September 2014, my brother passed and I had him cremated. McEwan and I decided that I should decorate an apothecary jar, put his ashes in it and take them to Paris with us. In the book, McEwan is seen with the apothecary jar two times.

We had mused that a play titled “Travels With My Brother” could be written from the trip with photos of the jar at mainstream tourist stops. It is now in the process of being written.

Paris has been on my artistic radar for several years and McEwan made it happen. In March of 2014 while we were sitting in a lounge having coffee with director Len Fink the subject of Paris came up. I sighed and said how much I wanted to go and McEwan said lets. It grew from there. I would like to photograph street art in Le Marias, Paris next time as well as the ruins of Paris’ history.

I think that I came to Paris with a different photographic perspective from the average tourist. My photojournalism training was pressed into service which aided in my “eye” for the “art” around the streets of Paris. Just look at the cover of the book, it’s the underbelly of the Eiffel Tower.

I am planning another trip to Paris in September of this year with McEwan and we have a few new places we plan on visiting. I’ve also bought a new Canon SX700HS camera to shoot more penetrating photos. I would like to take photos of the Merovingian Cemetery ruins and the Order of the Knights Templar’s temple ruins and other ruins that lie beneath the surface of Paris and it’s Franco heritage.

There is a language from the streets, here it is gang related graffiti which tells info to other gang members. Former Police Chief William Bratton used his knowledge of this subject matter to bring down gangs on the East Coast. I think that there is a language to the graffiti in Paris and what the terrorists did to Charlie Hebdo to whom my book is dedicated to.

Gallerie de Street Art: Paris www.nohoartsdistrict.com

 

You can find Caroline and her projects here:
www.facebook.com/galleriedestreetartparis
www.collagesdearte.com
www.twitter.com/musicmaven9

Collage artist Caroline McElroy credits her mother for her creative instincts and believes she first learned about form and function at her mother’s knee, where she encouraged her to grow her talent.

McElroy’s creative development highlights include: summering in Laguna Beach, California, for several years with the artistic community that worked on the Living Art show and who were the founders of the original Sawdust Festival; spent time in the creative studio of LA Freak Scene guru and sculptor Vito Paulekas, where he took her under his wing and taught her about perspective, form, and function; spent a year in the workshop of famed Junk Sculptor Duffy of California, where he taught her to weld using his philosophy of presentation, form, and function. McElroy also studied art during junior high school through college in courses such as ceramics and watercolor and a variety of art course work. The majority of her art classes would assign a college in the early stages of a class, which she threw herself into and embraced those assignments that challenged her on a creative level that no other assignments could.

McElroy grew her penchant for collaging and began to collage furniture, lamps, and walls and also continued to hone her instincts regarding form and function as it applied to creating collages from items that she collected during her travels. Some of McElroy’s accomplishment highlights are working with Joel Wachs, president of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, on a few projects in Los Angeles, California; staged art shows each spring for several years at The Southwest Museum as an instructor for the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Indian Education Program; held art shows in Montecito and Santa Barbara, California. During the nearly eight years that McElroy resided in Santa Barbara, California, she decided to begin mounting her work onto canvas, which opened up a whole new level of interest in her work. McElroy’s art is owned by doctors, PR Representative for the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, business owners, and students whose parent took an interest in her work.

McElroy has been known for labeling her work bathroom art because it gives the person using the facility something to read and/or consider. She cites influences that range from Monet to Picasso to Warhol and John Lennon. Most recently, McElroy has studied the Reggio Emilia approach to creative expression as it applies to her work, and she also teaches a collage construction class at the North Hollywood Senior Artist’s Colony.

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.  

So you think you have Plantar Fasciitis

Jack Witt
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When those first few steps in the morning cause pretty intense pain in the heel of your foot, you may have Plantar Fasciitis. It’s an overuse injury that can affect people overweight, people who walk or stand a lot for their jobs, or people who jog and run a lot as part of their exercise routines.

Here’s the deal, if you don’t treat it, it could be become chronic. Most of the treatments involve daily stretching, but you have to be consistent and have patience.

Here’s some daily stretches you can perform to help with Plantar Fasciitis:

– Lean forward against a wall with one knee straight and heel on the ground. Your other knee is bent. Your heel cord and foot arch stretch as you lean. Hold for 15 seconds, relax and straighten up. Repeat 15 times for each sore heel. Make sure to keep your knee fully extended on the side being stretched.

– Lean forward onto a countertop, spreading your feet apart with one foot in front of the other. Flex your knees and squat down, keeping your heels on the ground as long as possible. Your heel cords and foot arches will stretch as the heels come up in the stretch. Hold for 15 seconds, relax and straighten up. Repeat 15 times.

– Sit down and cross your affected leg over your other leg. Using the hand on your affected side, take hold of your affected foot and pull your toes back towards your shin. This creates tension/stretch in the arch of the foot/plantar fascia. Hold the stretch for a count of 15. Repeat 15 times.

– Get into a kneeling position and tuck the heels of your feet under your butt. With your toes extended on the floor, slowly lean back with your hands on the floor behind you bracing you, and hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 15 times. Keep your head in a neutral position and don’t hyper-extend your back.

If your condition doesn’t improve after a few months, ask your Doctor about injecting your heel with steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. But perform the stretch treatment first and be consistent.

You can also try using over the counter arch support inserts in your shoes.

Cheers,

Jack Witt, MS, CPT
Fitness and Health Coach
“Get Fit with Witt”
Individuals / Groups / Corporate
310.562.5629 Cell / 818.760.3891 Main
www.getfitwithWitt.com 
https://twitter.com/GetfitwithWitt  

* New Book “From Passion to Purpose”

* Hike the Holy Land: Join me March 28 – April 5, 2016

NoHo Does Old School Skinny

Lisa Bianconi
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Old School Skinny is a mix of MC Hammer’s energy, Richard Simmons’ excitement, and the movie House Party all rolled into one.

It’s dance. It’s in NoHo. We’re there. The NoHo Arts District dot Com team can’t wait to dance again with the folks at Old School Skinny, a fun new dance class in North Hollywood. Old School Skinny creator Luckie gave us an overview of what makes this class fun and just plain good for us. Hope to see you on the dance floor.

WHEN: Wednesdays at 7PM
WHERE: Evolution Dance Studio
10816 Burbank Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
HOW: First class is FREE! Buy a book of classes HERE>>

What is Old School Skinny?

Old School Skinny is a mix of MC Hammer’s energy, Richard Simmons’ excitement, and the movie House Party all rolled into one. You’ll get a potent non-stop workout by dancing like you did back in the day. No karate kicks, crazy weights or ropes to lift. The movements are designed for dancers of all levels to be in the same place and share a genuine freedom we rarely get to experience on a daily basis.

Old School Skinny www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Why did you start in the class?

I’ve always wanted to create an outlet for people to dance and not feel the pressures of being perfect. My girlfriend and her mom were trying to find new ways of working out together so I decided to make one of my own. While I was shooting Oxygen’s hit show, Dance Your A** Off, I found a way to not only work out the recreational dancer but also challenge those who are more rhythmically inclined. Hip Hop groove was so essential and paired perfectly with the music of the 80’s and 90’s but somewhere along the lines, we lost the funky good time that came with it. Old School Skinny brings that energy back every week with all the throwback jams and today’s radio favorites.

Do you have to be a dancer to take the class?

The class definitely requires some rhythm and comfort in physical movement but you do not have to be a dancer. Its all ‘watch and repeat’ movement so as long as you’re working to keep the pace and having fun, the moves will come.

Anything you’d like to highlight for our readers?

One of my favorite parts about the class is that everyone gets involved. I’ve had people from 7 to 70 years. We move around, dance with each other, battle the routine against each other, lights and lasers are spinning around, and it just feels good to let go. Be ready to leave all insecurities at the door and come to OSS to find the unwavering determination to surpass your personal best every time you take class.

Follow Old School Skinny creator Luckie…

INSTAGRAM  |  TWITTER 

www.thatsluckie.com To prepay for class and get more info.

#OldSchoolSkinny on any social media platform

Old School Skinny www.nohoartsdistrict.com

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

Pet Parenting: The Line Between Discipline and Abuse

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With the holiday weekend upon us, it’s time to prepare for the masses of people and their pets filling the streets, parks, and beaches to celebrate this great country and bask in the sunlight until the nighttime fireworks.

People-watching is inevitable on holidays – everyone comes out with their families and pets.

Have you ever seen someone treating their dog in a questionable manner? If you felt uncomfortable about it and wondered if the owner crossed the line from discipline to abuse, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, this happens in many levels of severity.

A reader recently shared that he was out at the park with his family and witnessed another family whose dog was barking ferociously towards a man nearby. Whenever this happens in a public setting, it tends to make people skittish. For one, not everyone knows this dog’s personality – it could be out of character for him and indicate that something terrible might happen (like a dog fight or an attack). Or, the dog could have a very aggressive personality, which doesn’t necessarily make the situation any better, because surrounding patrons will still be afraid of what could happen.

Naturally, park patrons shielded their children and apprehended their dogs for protection. The dog’s ferocious barking and the people’s genuine fear of it caused the dog’s owner to react. This is when things took a turn for the worse. When the owner’s verbal cues didn’t stop the dog from his aggressive stance and barking…well, I’ll just say, the owner physically apprehended the dog in ways that were clearly abusive. Other pet owners were in shock, children were terrified. A few shouted to the owner to stop, but he argued he was only disciplining the dog.

There’s a line between discipline and abuse.

Here are the acceptable and unacceptable things pet parents do, and what you can do if you see them happening.

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ACCEPTABLE

Informed pet owners use tactics like positive reinforcement. This can be things like giving praise (saying “Good boy!”), petting the dog, or giving a treat. The best method in training your dog is to use positive reinforcers. Dogs do not learn by fear.

QUESTIONABLE

Sometimes pet owners get firm commands confused with yelling. While yelling at a dog isn’t cause to call PETA, it also does not teach the dog anything, and instills fear. Poor pups that get yelled at typically just have owners who don’t know better.

When a pet owner puts a dog’s face in his or her urine or fecal accident, it does nothing to help the dog learn better. While this is not considered abuse, again, the pet owner is wasting energy, making the dog feel afraid, and not teaching the dog anything.

UNACCEPTABLE

There’s a ton of misinformation out there. Often times, people learn methods that not only don’t work, but are actually abusive. Any physical aggression that causes the dog to yelp or whimper is incredibly traumatic for the dog. It’s hard to even list them, but dragging, choking, throwing or slamming, kicking, twisting and hitting a dog is wrong. If you ever feel the need to report someone, please contact your local animal protection authorities.

pet3

There are so many loving, loyal and special dogs out there who have been rescued from abuse. They need parents who know between right and wrong. Adopt, or foster a pet. They make great additions to the family and make holidays like the Fourth of July that much more special.

 

Antique is the Answer in NoHo

Lisa Bianconi
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A Profile on Kathy’s E. Boutique (Antique Boutique)

If you asked the uninitiated what the draw of the NoHo Arts District was, you might hear something about all the new restaurants and eateries. But for those who have immersed themselves and made the neighborhood their home, you would get a very different answer. You see, this neighborhood has become a breeding ground for the arts, with theater companies, the TV Academy, the Art Institute of California and many dance and recording studios alike, decorating the neighborhood with boundless ambition. And one staple of this dynamic community that would be on the tip of every resident’s tongue is the often-celebrated Kathy’s E. Boutique (Antique Boutique).

Located on Magnolia Blvd, between Lankershim and Vineland, Kathy’s E. has been legendary throughout the entire city of Los Angeles for over 25 years.

All you have to do is pay a visit to their Yelp page, and you’ll see testimonials a mile long. So why all the attention? Well, to really get a sense of what makes this establishment so popular, you needn’t go further than its dynamic co-owners Ernestine and Kathy. I only got to speak with Kathy and Ernestine for a little less than an hour, and even in that short amount of time, I was so connected to their integrity and authenticity, feeling like the conversation was custom made for me. “First, we start with liking ourselves, and then we treat people the way we want to be treated,” Kathy commented. “Our goal is to make sure that people have a good experience when they walk into our store because we understand that shopping is a deeply personal thing. We simply welcome our customers, let them know that our house is their house, and we’re here if they need us.”

This philosophy is exactly what brings in celebrities like Jada Pinkett Smith, Angela Bassett, and Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers as well as Oscar-nominated costume designers like Ruth Myers.

Kathy's E Boutique www.nohoartsdistrict.com

And with the access that all of these industry veterans have, the fact that they choose to spend their time and money at Kathy’s E. Boutique (Antique Boutique) is proof that their philosophy works. And then there’s the business of their selection of clothing. Kathy’s E. is lush with a variety of dresses, suits, hats, shoes, jewelry, gloves, coats and accessories, dating as far back as the 1920’s- from famous lines like Lilli Ann and Gucci. And for more than 25 years, they’ve provided the film studios with unique pieces that you’ve seen on small-screen hits like That 70’s Show as well as the big screen classics like Myra Breckinridge, starring Raquel Welch and Farrah Fawcett.

But it was the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning costume designer Ruth Myers who really legitimized Kathy and Ernestine’s reputation in the industry back in the late 1980s. “When we first started out, we were fortunate enough to have the industry come to us,” Kathy recalled. “Ruth Myers, who was a really top-notch customer and well-known in the business, came to us looking for period pieces for a movie she was working on called Blaze.” A period piece set in the 1950’s, Blaze tells the story of Governor of Louisiana Earl Long, played by Paul Newman, as he falls desperately for a stripper named Blaze Starr, while trying to maintain his political career. And like any period piece, the costumes are one of the most important elements to bringing and maintaining a story’s authenticity.

Kathy's E Boutique www.nohoartsdistrict.com

“So she came into our original store location, and I remember she pretty much bought all of our jewelry, the clothes, everything,” Kathy said. “She pretty much cleaned us out. She was just in awe of the collection of things we had in there, and it was a huge learning experience for us.”

Another major learning experience occurred when Kathy’s E. closed for a year back in 2010 due to building renovations. Kathy and Ernestine were without a store during that time, and it was hard not only on them, but also on the community. But within a year, their genuineness and validity drew the right people to them in spite of their circumstances. You see, their original location was a small space next door to the Philadelphia Sandwiches restaurant. And the owner of that building promised them their space back as soon as he was done renovating, but two months turned into three and so on. Meanwhile, Kathy and Ernestine received several calls from other renters, looking to bring them in as tenants.

But it was one special, rather simple phone call that really made the difference. “We met with one renter, a woman who goes strictly on vibes, and it was the oddest thing because she was texting with me, and I told her that I’m like a chicken pecking at the phone when it comes to texting; I’m really bad,” Kathy remembered. “So she told me to hang up the phone, and I did. And she called me up and asked, ‘When would you and Ernestine like to come and pick up the key?’ And that’s how we ended up in this spot, which is just a few doors down from the previous spot, and we’ve been here for the past four and a half years.”

Yes, Kathy and Ernestine will have been in business 26 years this September, which is why it struck me as ironic when Kathy admitted that in the beginning, she had no real interest in co-owning a clothing store. It was Ernestine who possessed an entrepreneurial spirit right from the start, believing that the only way to generate any real wealth was as a business owner. But while Kathy had always been a collector of vintage and antique items, it wasn’t until she met Ernestine that her future was forever altered. And what’s most impressive about these two immovable forces is the fact that they are both self-taught and self-made.

“Where a lot of people like brand new things, we’ve always been drawn to history and things that have a story behind them, and that’s what vintage is,” Kathy said.

“And you don’t learn that in school, you learn about these things when you’re out collecting pieces from different eras, and doing researching on where those pieces came from.”

And it’s this knowledge base, combined with their love and affinity for their customers and for their pieces that has made Kathy’s E. Boutique (Antique Boutique) an icon in the NoHo Arts District. And no matter how many new developments and changes occur in this resilient community, you can rest assured that Kathy and Ernestine are not going anywhere any time soon.

“I think vintage clothing is a lot of fun for people because it can reconnect them back to their family members whom they love and miss. Just today, a girl bought a hat because it reminded her of her grandfather,” Kathy commented. “We’ve had people meet for the first time here in our store, start dating and eventually end up married. And for us, we feel great when we see someone standing in front of a mirror, putting on that special jacket and experiencing what it’s like to see themselves in a different light, and we get to experience that right along with them. We get to make people happy, and that’s what it’s all about.”

For more information on Kathy’s E. Boutique (Antique Boutique), please visit http://www.facebook.com/KathysEBoutique

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

Class Excerpt – Are you living fully in your characters’ every moment? PART II

Fran Montano
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Class Excerpt – Are you living fully in your characters’ every moment? PART II

Last month’s blog was about living truthfully in your characters’ every moment. I gave an example of an experience in one of my classes. Here’s a continuation of that conversation. 

In another class I had Cindy* do an activity called Three Phone Calls.

In this exercise the actor is in their dwelling either doing something, getting prepared to go somewhere, or returning home from someplace else. The actor is to make or receive three phone calls, and have detailed conversations with each “caller,” exploring a different emotional issue with each one.

This particular actress had a conversation with an ex-lover, her employer, and her mother. In the final call, she was shy, hesitant, and reserved, and handled her “mother” with caution. She was submissive and wouldn’t allow herself to get overly emotional.

Here’s our conversation following the exercise:

Fran: How was this for you? Did you feel that the soul of your character was fully realized in your time on stage? Did you fully express yourself and who you were in that moment?

Cindy: It was very authentic, very real. That’s how I am with these people.

Fran: I noticed you were very different with you mother – quiet, cautious.

Cindy: Yes. My mother is emotionally dominant, and I’m always taking care of her needs. She gets upset if I’m not totally loving and kind to her.

Fran: So it was authentic.

Cindy: Very. It was my best performance, because that’s exactly how we speak on the phone, and we actually had that same conversation last week, so it was real.

Fran: How did it feel?

Cindy: Like usual… tentative, then frustrating after I hung up. Did you notice that?

Fran: Yes, I did.

Cindy: Good.

Fran: Did you feel complete? And I’ll ask you again, did you express yourself fully?

Cindy: Well of course not, I held everything in, so as not to upset her. I hate the feeling, but it was real, if that’s what you’re asking me.

Fran: Cindy, that was a great presentation of your reality, what it is really like, and, yes, I saw the frustration and pain you felt in handling her. But here’s my question: What would it be like to have the conversation that you would really like to have with her?

Cindy: She wouldn’t speak to me for a month if I told her how I really felt.

Fran: This is the beautiful thing about acting; here you get to have that, and express it fully. That’s the part of you I want to see.

Cindy: What do you mean? It wouldn’t be real. It’s not how we speak to each other.

Fran: This is acting. You get to live out the fantasies that are alive inside of you. You can express yourself here in ways maybe you can’t in life.

Cindy: Damn, I could have said anything? I have 20 years of anger I could unload.

Fran: That’s where your actor lives. That’s what I want to see. It’s safe to do that here.

Cindy: Oh, that would be so freeing. Can I do it again?

Fran: You want to, don’t you?

Cindy: Yes, I can feel all this energy and I’d love to get it out.

Fran: Sit with that feeling. See how it feels. Let it cook and burn inside you, so you never allow yourself to have it again when you’re working.

Actors must express their truth and “empty their baskets” in the process.

From there you can decide what gets left out and what stays in. An actor should exercise this muscle fully in his or her work. Are you doing this regularly?
I’ve heard so many directors tell me, “It’s easy to bring an actor’s performance down, but it’s harder to get them to give more.” Or, “I always prefer those actors who give too much. At least I know how far they can go. But if I have to bring them up, I don’t know if they’ll ever get there.”

Your job: to live truthfully.

Understand how to do so, then you can manage and modulate that truth, getting it to where the director wants it (and what feels right to you) for the best performance. You want to bring in all the choices, so that your character’s has the chance to be fully expressed in every moment of your performance.

(*names have been changed to protect the innocent actors)

It’s OK to love musicals now.

Lisa Bianconi
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Why You Should Love New Musicals

Today’s musicals are pretty different than musicals of the past. Once upon a time it seemed like a musical couldn’t have any talking in it. Every line needed to be sung. And, while there are still musicals out there like this, there are also musicals like Pitch Perfect that have bucked the norm.

The bonus of most musicals is finding out that some of your favorite actors and actresses actually have great singing voices, as well. It makes you appreciate them all that much more.

Why Is Pitch Perfect So Popular

It’s likely that some genre fans will argue that Pitch Perfect is not a musical and should never be lumped into that category. However, when fifty percent of the film is full of people singing, it seems it has some right for the title.

Part of the popularity of this film franchise, now slated to have a third film according to recent news reports, is the choice of actors. People love young stars and the producers of this film just managed to pick some that people really like, like Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson.

Pitch Perfect made acapella cool to many generations and sent people home from the theater singing in their cars. Other than the actors, it is also the musical choices that drew people in. After the popularity of the TV show Glee it’s no wonder this movie franchise is growing.

Other Recent Musicals

If you want to get more technical with musicals you can look at Into The Woods and Rock Of Ages. While both of these have gotten good and bad reviews, they both do justice to the genre.

The interesting twist on the fairy tales is enough to make anyone want to at least check out Into The Woods once. And those that are super fans of 80s rock will surely be singing along to all of the songs featured on Rock Of Ages.

Even the Disney franchise with their animated films are sticking with musicals and making both adults and children fall in love with new Princesses. Frozen is so popular that Christmastime brought Frozen events to malls all over.

How To Learn About New Musicals

According to CraveOnline.com, Pitch Perfect 2 is a great and funny sequel to the original. For people that love musicals, it can be great to find reviews online that help find the right one for your time and money. If it gets a bad review, you can save your money and wait until it’s on TV! Even if musicals aren’t your thing you may find the comedy or the romance worth the time when it comes to Pitch Perfect, Rock Of Ages, and even Into The Woods. There’s a little bit for everyone in each of those, although Rock Of Ages isn’t child friendly at all.

If you’re worried that you may start belting out tunes with the big screen when you go check out Pitch Perfect 2, and embarrass yourself, maybe you should wait for it to come out on video. Movies do go from theater to video much quicker these days, or you can watch it on OnDemand or Pay per View, and save your dignity.

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.  

THE HIDDEN ARTIST: ELLEN RUNDLE

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Met Ellen Rundle

CONNECTION TO NOHO: Installed tile at the NOHO Park Aquatic Center and loves the thrift shops there
MEDIUMS: Ceramics and mixed media
WEBSITE: http://www.myfandangle.com/

I stumbled upon Ellen Rundle on my way out of the Canoga Park Art Walk the other week and was immediately drawn to two ceramic boxes in front of her jewelry display. Being a fan of 3-D art, I was taken by her ability to take what could’ve easily been a 2-D painting and give it depth—drawing the viewer into an altogether other dimension, albeit an 8×10 inch one. Needless to say, I bought one of her pieces. The focal point of mine was a Joshua tree tucked inside a small box on the side of what appeared to be the cliff side of a mountain centered in the desert.

And like all art interpretations, it reminded me of my time in New Mexico and warmed my heart.

Ellen’s one of those surprises in life.

To look at her rather conservative style on the outside, I never would have thought all this curiosity and self-expression would be on the inside. It turns out she is one of those left brain-right brain phenomenons; a woman who spent almost twenty-seven years in IT and as an art director/graphic designer, finally leaving her last position twelve years ago at the Getty to become a full-time fine art ceramicist. But as it turns out, clay has always been her first love.

Her home is a gallery of sorts—hers and other favored artists’ wall hangings and assemblages stretch all the way from the outside of her front door, through the house, and onto the patio. She is constantly creating in her studio (which consists of potters wheels, a glazing station, and a kiln) arts and crafts jewelry from years of bead collecting, abstract wall sculptures from recycled clay and glass, and all her ceramic wonders.

Ellen explained to me how working at the potters wheel has always been a kind of meditation for her, bringing her into a place of sensitivity and sensuality—keeping her centered. And that’s where she began her ceramicist journey, throwing pots at a studio on the westside during the early 80s and selling them to nurseries from the trunk of her car. In fact she still does that, but she’s added so much more to her resume in the way of her slab artistry—tile installations to floors, fountains, and showers seen here on her more architectural website, www.ellenrundle.com and her most recent steam punk assemblages she created for a themed show at La Galeria Gitana in San Fernando, a gallery that tends to peak Ellen’s interests in unexpected subject matters leaning toward the mystical to the macomb.

It is a pleasure for me to own one Ellen’s pieces and I encourage you to visit her work at La Galeria Gitana’s upcoming exhibit, Reflections of LIfe, running from July 18- September 18.

Ellen is also available for any graphic design needs and you may visit that website at www.erundledesign.com.

NoHo Summer Movies in the Park

Lisa Bianconi
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It’s summer movie time…in NoHo Park!

This summer the International Film Festival North Hollywood is giving us a line up of films at their 2015 Free Outdoor Summer Movie Series in parks and other venues around North Hollywood. So back your picnic basket, grab your friends and family, and enjoy classic, big name movies for free in NoHo!

We asked the CEO and festival director Nicholas Goodman some questions to explain how the 2015 Free Outdoor Summer Movie Series came about.

Why did you decide to do the Free Summer Movie Series?

It is a good way to introduce ourselves to the community. We wanted to do something fun and free for the people of North Hollywood and let them know that we are a new indie film festival in town at the same time. All three North Hollywood Neighborhood Councils wanted to show at least one free movie this summer. So when we found out that District 2 City Councilman Paul Krekorian also wanted to show movies in the park, we partnered with all of those civic leaders to bring you the 2015 Free Outdoor Summer Movie Series. The Councilman asked us to produce as many of these free events as possible. Since we are the movie people, it was a natural partnership for us.

Are there going to be different food/beverage discounts at each event?

We are excited to have Pitfire Artisan Pizza in NoHo and The Fat Dog NoHo as restaurant sponsors. At Pitfire, order a Pizza Picnic (pizza, lemonade and jumbo cookie) and they will take $5.00 off the regular price on the night of the show. Our new sponsor, The Fat Dog, will offer a special menu for dining in at the restaurant prior to the movie with a kids menu and special cocktails. Also, there will be a couple of food trucks at the park serving up tacos, hotdogs and ice cream. We are continuing to explore other favorite options so, yes, stay tuned and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for further announcements as we roll out the summer season.

Any common rules or suggestions for outdoor screenings?

Well, without giving away “trade secrets,” I’d have to say common sense, basic rules include not permitting alcohol or smoking and insisting that all dogs be on a leash. These are public events and you want everyone to feel welcomed – just come with a picnic and enjoy a great movie. Everyone we talked to in North Hollywood thinks it’s a great idea. So far we have been very successful. Our screening of The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” was the first public event at the NoHo Plaza attracting more than 200 people and the screening of “The Princess Bride” at North Hollywood Park drew 400+ people for a beautiful night of culture and fun. The important thing is to get the word out and let everyone in the community know about the 2015 Free Outdoor Summer Movie Series in North Hollywood. There is plenty of room at the park for everyone. We hope to see you there.

Anything we want to highlight or add?

International Film Festival North Hollywood is an annual independent top-tier indie film festival taking place in April 2016 in the NoHo Arts District. Come see free movies in the park this summer and join us for provocative and entertaining new independent films at the four-day film festival in the spring.

International Film Festival North Hollywood www.nohoartsdistrict.com

About International Film Festival North Hollywood

The International Film Festival North Hollywood (IFFNH) celebrates the art of filmmaking, helps support a community of artists and showcases North Hollywood as an entertainment and tourist destination. IFFNH supports and nurtures emerging independent filmmakers and their stories from around the world not currently found in mainstream American cinema. Our goal is to collaborate with community partners to build social cohesiveness, philanthropy and volunteerism using film as the catalyst. The International Film Festival North Hollywood is a 501c(3) non-profit organization. Learn more at http://www.iffnoho.com and follow us on social media: Facebook and Twitter.  

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

So you bought a home in NoHo. Now what?

Lisa Bianconi
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Home ownership means home improvements. Here’s some help.

Many homeowners want to make improvements to their home but are afraid because they don’t know which ones to make. They don’t know how to get the most bang for their buck. We chatted with NoHo real estate expert Luanne Prima from Prima Properties on which home improvements help give homeowners a better return on investment.

NoHo: What are some changes homeowners can make to improve the value of their home?

Luanne Prima: What you get back on investment depends on the value of the house, the value of the homes in your neighborhood and the housing market.

Generally speaking, you can’t go wrong with kitchen and bathroom remodeling. Kitchens bring in anywhere from 92% to over 100% return on monies invested. Bathrooms bring in 80% and up. Roofs and new windows also bring in 80%.

Also, every 1000 square feet added to a home boosts the sale price by more than 30%. But additions must be permitted. A lot of properties are not permitted and sold that way and, yes, it is illegal and not fair to the buyer.

In my opinion curb appeal is most important. The home must look nice on the outside so when someone drives by it catches their eye and they want to go inside. So spend some time outside as well as inside.

Here’s a handy chart to see some of the bang for your buck when making home improvements.

Luanne Prima Home Improvement Projects www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Want to get to know more about Luanne and Prima Properties? Here’s an article on what makes her a sought after NoHo broker.

Broker/Owner Prima Properties Real Estate
www.primaproperties.us
www.primapropertiesLA.com
luanne@primaproperties.us
5250 Lankershim Blvd.
NoHo Arts District 91601
818-861-7444 office

FACEBOOK>> 

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

It’s a boozy, beery, theatre-filled NoHo News.

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

We look forward to sharing lots of fun and unique news, events, profiles and updates on what’s happening in the NoHo Arts District.

Every Thursday we send out our NoHo e-News. Do you get it? It takes 30 seconds. Make sure you sign up, it’s FREE. Sign up HERE>>

This issue of NoHo e-News is about what’s going on in North Hollywood and a selection of some theatre shows. But we have a ton of them. Did you know that the NoHo Arts District has the highest concentration of theatres outside of New York City? Just check out the NoHo Arts District Theatre Guide>>

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood…ENJOY NOHO!

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. 

 

Love & Mercy – BRIAN WILSON biopic

Caroline McElroy
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Love & Mercy – BRIAN WILSON biopic

Ever since STING wasn’t cast as the Vampire Lestat in Anne Rice’s “Interview With The Vampire” I have viewed casting choices in movies with a touch of skepticism and a sideways glance. But LOVE & MERCY proved itself to be quite an extraordinary film with a soundtrack worthy of a BRIAN WILSON biopic.

In addition to restoring my faith in film casting and film scoring, the acting in this film was solid and filled with the subtle nuances of each character’s personality, which made up for some of the actors that were cast that didn’t look at all like the person they were playing.

JOHN CUSACK’S portrayal of Wilson is spot on, but he looked nothing like Wilson.

PAUL GIAMATTI’S portrayal of Dr. Eugene Landy was excellent and reminded me of Secretary of State Alexander Haig when he prounced he was in control when President Reagan was shot. Giamattie had me absolutely hating him which was pretty much how I felt when he was in Wilson’s life, but Giamatti looks nothing like Landy. I think that a major part of the reason for such spot on performances is that Wilson gets a writing credit for the script as “based on the life of.”

The biopic gave me several rushes of the warmies during scenes such as when the BEACH BOYS are together and they share a joint. I kept thinking that they couldn’t have that many hits these days, or when they are in the recording studio and BRUCE JOHNSON is mentioned, which sparked a memory of running into Johnson in Santa Barbara, CA after a RAIN (Beatle Tribute) show and him telling my companion and myself that he’s “only” with the Beach Boys. As I was watching ELIZABETH BANKS do an excellent job of portraying Melinda Ledbetter I saw my friend Stewart Tain in the movie in a booth behind Banks in a coffee shop. There’s a reference to a competition with the BEATLES that Wilson makes which confirmed it was real and not manufactured by their record company.

Wilson also admits that surfers didn’t care much for the Beach Boys’ music.

The closing scene takes place on a stage in the here and now with Wilson and his current band and I kept wondering if Facebook friend BILLY HINSCHE (Dino, Desi and Billy) was up there playing with Wilson as he does with the Beach Boys.

There is no “I like this movie, but” for me. This is a well-written, well-directed, well-acted film that is a must see as it is pretty true to the actual history of Wilson. This biopic drives home the point that Wilson was/is a composing genius of maestro proportions who suffered a great deal for his art and talent. It isn’t hard for me to understand why my parakeet Dickie used squawk “rah, rah, rah” whenever my brother would put on the Beach Boy hit “Be True To Your School.”

It was Wilson’s 73rd birthday the day that I went to the Laemmle NoHo 7 and I just want to say Happy Birthday BRIAN WILSON…You Rock!

Managed to make it over to the Warner Center Park for their Sunday Free Concert in the Park series to see LED ZEPPELIN tribute band LED ZEPAGAIN and I gotta tell ya…WOW! Hadn’t seen this band since we filmed “World’s Greatest Tribute Bands” at The Roxy nearly two years ago and I found myself humming “Rock and Roll” as the time to go neared. LED ZEPAGAIN’S opening song was “Rock and Roll”…do I know my bands or what. Jimmy Page, Jason Bonham, John Paul Jones and Robert Plant have all been to their live shows and if that isn’t an official seal approval I don’t know what is. Listening to and watching them perform their parts so well, it’s hard to remember that it’s NOT Led Zeppelin. It was amazing to look out at the 5,000 attendees all rocking out to them.

This many people attending a regular event is some kind of record usually reserved for the July 4th celebration.

Never saw so many wrinkles and sagging skin assembled in one place before and it was quite a reality check. The good news is that there were a lot of young people attending as well. The show went so well that they’ve been booked already for next year. You can find LED ZEPAGAIN on Facebook and their web site is www.zepagain.com. This band is always giging and there are show lists as well. They have a reputation for performing reenactments from various shows that LED ZEPPELIN have performed back in the day and they are a real treat.

Kudos to TAYLOR SWIFT for taking a bite out of Apple ’s new streaming service and telling them no to streaming her new “1989″.

According to the story, Apple offers 3 free months of music streaming and they want artists to offer up their work for free without any type of compensation. The quote I read went “We don’t ask for free iPhones so please don’t ask for free music.” I’m anti free streaming and have made my position clear as it’s not fair to the artists that record the music and pay for studio time, musicians, studio techs as well as the music. I personally do not use free streaming services and I buy songs for my iPod. I just saw a friend’s royalty check and it was for 12 cents. Prior to streaming, I’m told it was $1,200. Please let Washington DC know that this is not right. Please refer to a previous article regarding this matter from February 2015.

COMMENTARY: Foreign Policy for Dummies

Lisa Bianconi
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Why is it so difficult to get U.S. foreign policy correct?

George Bush had a utopian idea that democracy is just what the Middle East needed and then the “domino effect” would take over and bliss would surround the entire area. Unfortunately, we found out that pure democracy is not what they wanted, not even knowing what it meant. Pure democracy means not just being able to cast a vote but guaranteeing equal rights for minorities. Equal rights for minorities is an abstract idea in that part of the world. Obama and subsequently Hillary Clinton decided to turn the page, “abandon all the countries” approach, leaving them basically on their own. The result of that? Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria are all in chaos, and peace between Israel and the Palestinians is in the distant future, if at all. In addition to abandoning countries we seem to be powerless in getting Russia to stop gobbling up their neighbors, and China to stop gobbling up the South China Sea.

We need to engage and act like the smartest as well as the mightiest country in the world. The far right approach didn’t work and the far left approach is just as impotent. Getting two people in a room and talking it out doesn’t even work in cities with community organizers, as we see continued violence in many large cities across the U.S. We need a Commander in Chief who can negotiate with countries from a position of strength, as we had with Reagan. Arming the Kurds and the Sunnis in Iraq against Isis makes a lot more sense than appeasing the Iraqi and Turkish governments who only care about keeping their countries in tact with their ethnic groups opposed to it.

Democracy is allowing rights for all minorities. As long as certain religions are unfortunately not tolerant in accepting others and where diversity is considered a sin, the Middle East conflicts will continue. The U.S. must be decisive in dealing with intolerance and injustice and not turning its back!

The Angry, Pissed Off Dude

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

26 world-premiere, one-page plays

Lisa Bianconi
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WTF? 26 plays? All one page? And all world premieres? Yes. Thanks, Fierce Backbone.

The Hollywood Fringe Festival brings many playwrights, actors and theatre companies from North Hollywood and all over L.A. to participate in what we like to call Theatre Month. We chatted with www.nohoartsdistrict.com theatre reviewer and NoHo playwright Dianne Williams about her participation in the Hollywood Fringe Festival with the unique show “What the F*ck” presented by Fierce Backbone.

The show’s premise is simple: Fierce Backbone and extra-special guests mount 26 world-premiere, one-page plays that leave the audience asking… “What the F*ck?” (Plus whatever else we come up with. WTF?) The show is fast-paced. With lots of laughs and PRIZES. Anything can and will happen.

NoHo: Give us more background on how you came to participate in What the F*ck at Hollywood Fringe 2015.

Dianne Williams: I am a Fierce Backbone member, as well as one of the featured writer in their Fringe Festival Hollywood submission, What the F*ck (WTF). WTF is an unruly series of short, very short, no more than one/two minute plays, that result with audience yelling out “You are so f*cked! I should emphasize that our Fierce Backbone group albeit creative, are a little off kilter.

Anyway, the gauntlet was thrown down by the FB board to come up with a one-page play (not a skit) which lends itself to an audience responding, “You are so f*cked.” With that criteria I ran off to write something that would fit, I submitted three, fortunately Thursday Nite Lites was selected.

The magic happens on stage, when all the writers characters are brought to life by Fierce Backbones amazing actors who morph from character to character, with varied tones; performing comedy, drama, romance, suspense in the blink of an eye. To be clear this is an irreverent, no holds barred theatre experience garnering exciting reviews. There is scuttlebutt that this will become a Fierce Backbone staple (fingers crossed).

Fierce backbone’s mission statement is “Fierce Backbone is a collaborative organization committed to writing, developing and producing new dramatic works. We endeavor to provide opportunities where the skills and artistry of our membership can flourish.” In keeping with this one of the many great things about Fierce Backbone board is their decision to have multiple playwrights participate in this process. This allowed our writers and actors an opportunity to participate in Fringe Festival Hollywood, which may not have been made possible with individual submissions. In this way they show case the crazy creative talent that exist at Fierce Backbone.

Read the reviews>>

THE SHOWS (by presentation order):

THE CLIMB by Tom Cavanaugh
THE COWBOY AND THE JESTER by Rand Higbee
BONES by Alyson Mead
DOCTOR VISIT FROM HELL by Beth Polsky
B&E by Tom Cavanaugh (with audience participation!)
WTF @ GRANDMA’S 90th #1 by Larry Gene Fortin
THURSDAY NITE LITE by Dianne Williams
FAT CHANCE by Jon Christie
DRESS SHOPPING by Beth Polsky
CAT’S DELIGHT by Paul Elliott
JUDGMENT DAY by Michael Doliner
JORGE OR GEORGE? by Mona Deutsch Miller
LET THEM EAT CAKE by Nancy Beverly
MEDICAL MIRACLE by Laura Huntt Foti
WTF @ GRANDMA’S 90th #2 by Larry Gene Fortin
SYMPHONY OF MAN by Amy Tofte
THE MAGICIAN by Paul Elliott (with audience participation!)
TALKIN’ TRASH by Cailin Harrison
RETURNED GOODS by Bob Telford
BIG BUMP by Breyen Katz (with audience participation!)
NOT JULIA ROBERTS by Valerie Alexander
WTF @ GRANDMA’S 90th #3 by Larry Gene Fortin
EGGCORNS by Lara Thomas Ducey
DOWN by Andrew Blackwood
PARENT TEACHER by Arthur M. Jolly
CANNED by Todd Babcock

Get Tickets>>

Hollywood Fringe Festival 2015 www.nohoartsdistrict.com

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

Review of Jurassic World; Entourage

Mike Peros
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Review of Jurassic World; Entourage

Jurassic World has it all, as rampaging dinosaurs chow down on theme park visitors and employees alike, while Vincent D’Onofrio gets to chew up a lot of scenery.

And yet, one is left with an empty feeling in the pit of one’s stomach.

It starts with the bare bones plot, as two stubbornly unengaging siblings (whose parents are enroute to getting a divorce) are sent to spend the holidays with distant Aunt Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) who is oh so busy as the manager of the very remote theme park Jurassic World. They’re feeling a little gloomy, since Claire doesn’t have time to personally chaperone them, but little do they know that Claire’s got her own problems, what with troublesome Velociraptors (only trainer Chris Pratt can get through to them), a dangerously meddlesome security head (D’Onofrio ), some secret experimentation (courtesy of B.D. Wong) and finally a genetically-modified dinosaur who was left without the “play nice with humans” gene.

At approximately twenty-seven minutes in, this “Indominus rex” decides to flex its muscle and animal cunning, leaving the hapless customers and park personnel in a perpetual frenzy as it releases more creatures to make appetizers of the visitors. Of course, the two sullen young lads are placed squarely in harm’s way, while a contrite and somewhat desperate Claire, accompanied by an intrepid Pratt (who must have been wishing that his lines had contained a quarter of the wit of Guardians of the Galaxy), put themselves in harm’s way to locate them.

While the film has one or two amusing moments, many of the action sequences (and most of the characters’ demises) are strictly by the book, the leads and supporting players alike are so lightly sketched that they make cardboard look weighty, and one can’t even take a rooting interest in the budding romance between Pratt and Howard because, let’s face it—in the cold light of day, she’s headed for the slammer. Besides, the CGI effects somehow lack the power and grandeur of the original Jurassic Park, as the movie about a theme park becomes in essence, a theme park ride—a little lengthier, but with not much more staying power.

Vince, Ari, and the boys are back in town as Entourage finally hits the big screen, only now Vince (Adrian Grenier) wants to direct and Ari Gold, now a studio head, gives him the go-ahead. Flash forward eight months and Vince is over-budget, so the boys and Ari are forced to contend with Texas father and son financiers (Billy Bob Thornton and Haley Joel Osment) to get some finishing money. The big mystery is will Vince’s Jekyll/Hyde reboot be any good? In the meantime, Eric (Kevin Connolly) copes with erstwhile ex-girlfriend Sloan’s pregnancy, multi-millionaire Turtle makes a play for fighting Ronda Rousey, while big brother Johnny rails against being handed a ticket to Has-been-land.

It takes a little while for Vince and the boys to recapture their rhythm (even Jeremy Piven’s Ari is a little muted at first), but once they find it, the script provides very little that’s fresh, and the one hundred minute running time accentuates that. There are lengthy party scenes and lots of female talent on display, but even more than in the series, one might perceive these to be thoroughly gratuitous. In addition, Vince, Eric, Johnny and Turtle are for the most part, side players to the main action involving Ari’s strenuous efforts to thwart Osment’s attempt to sabotage Vince’s movie. Besides Piven (who makes up lost ground as the movie unfolds), Kevin Dillon’s Johnny Drama comes off best, particularly in an audition scene containing other would-be household names. The boys do have their moments, and some of the guest star appearances pack some punch (including producer Mark Wahlberg), so that Entourage can be fairly enjoyable, as long as you don’t expect too much.

NoHo Celebrates BEER

Lisa Bianconi
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Bow & Truss and The Federal Bar Celebrate L.A. Beer Week JUNE 22-28, 2015

The NoHo Arts District is lucky to have original restaurants that do some pretty fun events. Get ready for a serious throw down of beer tastings and some delish food pairings as NoHo’s own Bow & Truss and The Federal Bar celebrate L.A. Beer Week, June 22-28. Who knew beer goes with dessert? Can you handle the super tap take over? Well now’s your chance to try. Happy sipping and nibbling, NoHo!

Head over to NoHo’s Latin-inspired restaurant Bow & Truss because will serve Golden Road Brewery beer on tap and will also offer a special beer flight/dessert pairing for $25. Yep, beer and dessert.

Bow and Truss L.A. Beer Week www.nohoartsdistrict.com

The beer flight/dessert pairing is as follows:

Berliner Weiss – Raspberry Cilantro Syrup
Wolf Among Weeds – Pineapple Rosemary Cake
Saison Citron – Saison Marinated Strawberry Tart
Golden Road Red – Roasted Plum Gallette
Get Up Offa That Brown – Cherry Brownie

WHEN: June 22-28 during regular business hours as follows:
Monday – Friday from 11:30am-Close
Saturday – Sunday from 10:00am-Close

WHERE: Bow & Truss
11122 Magnolia Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 985-8787

The Federal Bar has two L.A. Beer Week events on June 23rd and 25th.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 23rd at 6PM

Ballast Point + Sierra Nevada Night a.k.a. Super Tap Takeover!

They’ll have 21 beers on draft from two of their favorite breweries, Ballast Point and Sierra Nevada! This will be the biggest tap takeover they’ve ever had.

The Federal Bar L.A. Beer Week www.nohoartsdistrict.com  The Federal Bar L.A. Beer Week www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Ballast Point Draft List:

Grunion
Mango Sculpin
Coffee Sculpin
Pineapple Sculpin
Sour Wench w/ Blackberry
Sour Wench w/ Raspberry
Watermelon Dorado
Rum Barrel-Aged Sea Monster
Rum Barrel-Aged Calico
Rye Barrel-Aged Victory @ Sea
Victory @ Sea Coconut
Victory @ Sea Peanut Butter
Victory @ Sea Horchata

Sierra Nevada Draft List:

Kellerweis
Kolsch
Audition Session IPA
Knightro
India Farmhouse Ale
Barrel-Aged Double Dubbel
Barrel-Aged Bigfoot
Barrel-Aged Narwhal

WHEN: Thursday, June 25th

The Federal Bar will do a beer and food pairing a.k.a. 5 Bites and 5 Beers.

FiftyFifty is sending them some fantastic beers and Chef Grant Wagemaker has created a spectacular menu to pair with some favorites.

The Federal Bar L.A. Beer Week www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Draft Lineup:

Farmhouse Saison
Trifecta Tripel
Rockslide IPA
Darkslide IPA
Saison Du Prick

Bottle Pours:
2014 Eclipse Elijah Craig12yr
2014 Eclipse High West Rye
2014 B.A.R.T.
2014 Vanilla B.A.R.T.

The Dinner pairing will be $28 for 5 bites and 5 beers:

Saison du Prick – Shanghai oyster: Sriracha, shallots, Serrano chili

Darkslide Black IPA – Crispy Pork belly braised in IPA, IPA sauce, creamy polenta, cheddar frico

BART- Strong Ale – Lamb loin w/ pear mint chutney, spicy chimichurri, baby arugula

Rockslide IPA – Point Reyes mousse, red grape chutney, crostini

Vanilla BART – Vanilla BART Beignet w/ BART chocolate sauce

WHERE: The Federal Bar
5303 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 980-2555

About L.A. Beer Week
LA Beer Week was founded in 2009 by a group of dedicated beer enthusiasts and community members. LA Beer Week is comprised of over 200 events spread about the county at various bars, restaurants, retailers, and breweries. Entering its seventh year in 2015, LA Beer Week will be produced by the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild; a 25+ brewery strong non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the culture of #LAbeer.

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.  

NoHo News: NoHo’s Guide to FUN.

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

We look forward to sharing lots of fun and unique news, events, profiles and updates on what’s happening in the NoHo Arts District.

Every Thursday we send out our NoHo e-News. Do you get it? It takes 30 seconds. Make sure you sign up, it’s FREE. Sign up HERE>>

This issue of NoHo e-News is about what’s going on in North Hollywood and a selection of some theatre shows. But we have a ton of them. Did you know that the NoHo Arts District has the highest concentration of theatres outside of New York City? Just check out the NoHo Arts District Theatre Guide>>

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood…ENJOY NOHO!

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

L’Imagerie Gallery

nohoarts
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You’d think the NoHo Arts District would have a hell of a lot more visual art galleries than it does.

Don’t get me wrong, part of what I love about the Arts District is my stumble into a new bar and restaurant (welcome, The Fat Dog) about every six months, and I love that I can throw a stone and hit about three theatres and five collectives. But I just really thought there would be more visual art galleries. Many of the online listed galleries have either closed shop or shut down their brick and mortar, having moved completely online. I get it, we’re all still struggling with the recession despite housing market forecasts climbing.

However, in my quest to find a gallery in NoHo, I came across L’Imagerie Gallery.

L’Imagerie Gallery sits with Cahuenga and Victory as its crossroads. Although it’s a small space with a nice but modest façade, you can’t help but understand something massive is going on inside. And I’m speaking to the more existential, not only the massive parking lot L’Imagerie boasts (always a good thing to know in L.A.).

I suppose it’s only right that an art gallery that’s survived decades has been curating for decades.

Debbie, the owner, sat down after she let me tour around, and very personally gave me the history of the gallery. Debbie’s family has owned and operated the gallery since 1973. Her widowed mother raised four children, of which Debbie was the eldest. All my fellow eldest siblings know that our two main, delegated duties as such are to 1) torment our younger siblings, and 2) help with our family businesses (okay, I may have made up that first one). It’s through her mother that Debbie learned tricks of the trade she says, but you really need a gut intuition and savvy about you to survive in the gallery business. I don’t know from first hand experience, but judging by the number of galleries in the Arts District, I can only guess.

Debbie’s mom began collecting turn of the century fine art, and moved into Warhol and Rockwell pieces. Debbie says she definitely was influenced by her mother’s curation slant. She told me of how she began collecting rock posters in 1979, and kept moving forward. She got a sparkle about her when she explained that she curates popsurrealism art with a permanent collection. The gallery backs her up on this, because she has massive, original works by the movement’s father, Robert Williams, and many others such as Audrey Kawasaki, Glenn Barr, Lori Early, and Camille Rose Garcia, just to name a few.

This is all alongside her well preserved, expansive, movie and concert poster collection.

It’s truly, truly impressive. You want an original Jimi Hendrix poster? You want a Clint Eastwood movie poster… in Italian? She has it. From movie A to Z, I bet you’d be hard pressed to find an original poster, and even a version of an original poster, she doesn’t have.

She seemed tired, but running a gallery, inventory, restoration, custom framing business, and shipping to both international buyers and collector’s clients all in the same business wears me out just thinking of it. She’s got that wisened smile where you know she’s seen the ins and outs of the art world. While she mentioned retirement is on the horizon, with her workaholic ethos, I don’t think she could stand still.

I walked away from the gallery in sort of in a daze, uncertain of what to make of how many successful businesses were rolled into one.

I finally came to terms with my feeling about the gallery after I went on a long run in NoHo Park. L’Imagerie Gallery is just a hugely successful paradox of a family owned and founded, old school poster gallery that pushes the envelope of a 21st century art curation business model. While the gallery and even Debbie herself are to be marveled at, she humbly thinks that L’Imagerie is successful because of its personal touch and appeal.

The uniqueness of L’Imagerie is the historical touchstone of its artwork.

Everyone likes movies. And many people have a particular point in time that they like to hang onto.

L’Imagerie Gallery. 10555 Victory Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91606.

Filming on Location – Out of Town

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Filming on Location – Out of Town

New Mexico is very popular place to shoot right now.

With the fantastic tax incentives, the cheap hotels, and cheaper food and supplies as well as a really well established filmmaking infrastructure and oodles of wonderful actors and crew, it’s hardly surprising that while we are here 9 other features are filming and some major TV shows like ‘Better Call Saul’, ‘Longmire’ and a couple of reality shows are all making New Mexico their home away from home.

But what does that have to do with very independent filmmaking I hear you mumble?

Well I’ll tell you.

Once you get out of you own backyard, once you commit to making a film that isn’t about your dog or your kids or your wacky roommate who just happens to be your actual wacky roommate, then it’s really time to get a bit ambitious…

California is a great place to shoot. We have mountains, and beaches and deserts and crazy looking places in the Valley, but guess what, all that has been seen before…..a lot.

So given that your film is a series of pictures of what there is around you all stuck together with some dialogue, wouldn’t it be a good idea to have those pictures be of something else?

Something we are all not so used to seeing over and over again?

And I’m sure the dialogue could use a bit of inspiration too.

This is where places like New Mexico come in.

Imagine setting your film in an alien environment, all red sands and jutting mountains and endless skies from another planet. Imagine taking yourself out of your comfort zone, well and truly, and traveling 12 hours in a car crammed full of equipment, crew and frosted flakes and letting the excitement, fear and discomfort actually effect the art.

Filmmaking isn’t all about planning and writing and including all your favorite people all of the time.

Its also about taking risks and using your sense of adventure for more than a trip to yet another farmers market.

When people first came out to California to make movies back in the early 1900’s, they came to a frontier town. Los Angeles was a dusty, rapidly sprawling city full orange groves, and barley fields and vineyards, oh how the farmers marketeers must weep…

Hollywood was was the epitome of the wild, wild west. The unknown, and the underrehearsed.
It was the birthplace of truly independent filmmaking, and chock full of women writers, directors and cinematographers I might add…

Like so many other revolutions it has become the establishment it once sort to escape.

So let us escape ourselves, if only for a few short weeks, or even days.

Let us throw everything we have in our once unblemished prius and head out to find our own new frontier, which is what I did a few weeks ago.

My husband was hired as director on a low budget independent feature film shooting on location in New Mexico. He needed some help and I jumped at the chance to work with him and to shoot somewhere completely different.

The film was set in 1870 Palestine, so the deserts of the Zia Pueblo and the pine forests of the Sandia Mountains were a perfect setting for the tale of fleeing pilgrims and murderous bandits.

There were horses and wagons, mules and gunfire and a donkey. It was hot it was cold, it rained, it blew, a dust devil flung the crafty tent a hundred feet in the air, egos exploded and tantrums were had, the food was terrible and the food was sublime…in short it was complete bliss and we are all very lucky to have both survived it and been a part of it…

It was filmmaking in a microcosm…

But what we can’t risk we cant know, either about ourselves or our craft.

And everything, especially anything worth while, is a dusty journey full of packed cars and new best friends.

 

NoHo’s Tamashii Ramen House wins award

Lisa Bianconi
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Tamashii Ramen House is more than noodles. Get to know your local businesses.

The NoHo Arts District dot Com team likes to give applause to our unique local businesses who’ve decided to make our one-mile section of North Hollywood their home. We also like to celebrate our local businesses’ triumphs. Let’s give a big NoHo shout out to Tamashii Ramen House, not only for their yummy fare and happy vibe, but for two accomplishments of many more to come. First, they opened their Pasadena restaurant, making it three in three years. Second, Tamashii Ramen House was awarded the “2015 Outstanding Small Business” from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti since the restaurant’s three locations have create more than 40 jobs. But like we always say, our neighborhood is only as good as its people. Meet Tamashii Ramen House owner Colin Fung.

What was your background before you came to the U.S.?

I was born in Macau a long, long time ago and grew up between Hong Kong and Macau. After high school I went abroad to Australia for a Hospitality Management Degree. After graduation I returned to Hong Kong and worked in several restaurants, private clubs and hotels. I finally became the food & beverage manager of the Hong Kong Cricket Club & Aberdeen Boat Club and the assistant food & beverage Manager for the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Why did you decide to move to the U.S.?

After a couple years with the Club life, I decided Hong Kong was not big enough for me, so I headed off for California four years ago with my family. Then I fell straight away in love with this fantastic city and we are enjoying every single day in this great part of the world.

Tamashii Ramen House, noho restaurants,www.nohoartsdistrict.com

Why did you chose the NoHo Arts District for your second restaurant? (we are so glad you did!)

I live in Burbank and since the first restaurant in Sherman Oaks is kind of small, I decided to expand. I drove by NoHo almost every single (most of reason I wanted to see whether any existing food establishment business were for sale or any restaurant space for lease. I’d been waiting and waiting.

One day I saw a banner “Retail space for lease” then I noticed the thrift store “Someone Else’s” had closed. I called the number right away and I just couldn’t let go for such a nice space with a 50-foot-wide store front. Tamashii NoHo born.

What is Tamashii?

The English translation of the word ta-ma-shi-i is “soul.”

It is the soulful, comforting, and satisfying quality that describes the food at Tamashii Ramen House. Therefore, the name Tamashii Ramen simply means soul ramen. It is our goal that our noodles will touch the hearts of people all over the city, providing food that is characterized by its excellent quality, generous portions, and great taste. There is nothing more satisfying than when you can have delicious ramen that comforts your soul, and then take joy in knowing that such a restaurant is just around the corner. Tamashii Ramen seeks to be that kind of restaurant in the town of Sherman Oaks.

Whether you were born in Japan or born in Los Angeles, raised on home-style cooking or are accustomed to commercial cuisine, like to dine with large company or eat peacefully by yourself, you will find a place here at Tamashii Ramen House. So come join us today for a practical yet exquisite, tasty yet affordable meal that you will want to experience again and again.

The effect of Tamashii Ramen is simple: Eat it, feel it, and share it.

Tamashii Ramen House, noho restaurants,www.nohoartsdistrict.com    Tamashii Ramen House, noho restaurants,www.nohoartsdistrict.com

What are some dishes folks should try?

All our broths are cooked more them 14 hours, everything is made from scratch. Some Ramen you must try: Tonkotsu Black (Strong garlic favor), Spicy Miso Ramen (Bean Paste base), Chicken Wonton Ramen. Of course don’t forget to order an ice ginger tea with your Ramen, it so refreshing !

Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish that originated in China. It is served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as sliced pork (chāshū, dried seaweed nori, kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn. Almost every locality in Japan has its own variation of ramen, from the tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen of Kyūshū to the miso ramen of Hokkaidō. Ramen is believed to have originated from the Chinese la mien noodle dish and became introduced to Japan during the 19th century. It became hugely popular after the invention of instant ramen in 1958, so much so that it was named one of the greatest Japanese inventions of the 20th century.

One of the most common flavors of ramen is shouyu which is noodles served in chicken and vegetable stock added with soy sauce for some added flavor. The noodles they usually use for shouyu ramen is on the curly-side and the noodles can come with toppings such as bamboo, green onions, egg and sliced pork.

Another common flavor of ramen is tonkotsu where the ramen soup appears white. The soup stock comes from simmering the bones of a pork over many hours (tonkotsu literally means ‘pork bones’) Restaurants serve the tonkotsu ramen with straight noodles and it has a thicker consistency than shouyu ramen.

Another fun (and yummy) note about Tamashii Ramen House is their special appetizer offer for the NoHo location. They change often so that you can experience a new dish. Get your free appetizer>>

Tamashii Ramen House
11024 Magnolia Blvd. NoHo 91601
818.980.2388
www.tamashiiramen.com

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

It’s Theatre Month…Hollywood Fringe Festival

Lisa Bianconi
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More Than 1300 Performances Scheduled for Annual Performing Arts Fest

The sixth annual 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival will present more than 270 performing arts productions on more than 55 Hollywood stages, including NoHo theatre companies and actors too. The festival takes place June 11-28. Patrons can visit the Fringe’s website (hollywoodfringe.org) to purchase tickets and search for shows by time, venue, category or tag. Tickets will also be available through the Fringe app for iPhone and Android. This year’s festival includes offerings from a range of performing arts genres like cabaret, musical theatre and dance. A majority of the shows are either ensemble theatre (83 productions), solo performance (68 productions) or comedy (62 productions). The Fringe offers festival-wide community discounts for Fringe-goers who choose to purchase a Fringe Button. The perks of a button include $1 off all tickets at the Fringe, drink discounts at Fringe Central, and access to Fringe-run events, like the organization’s annual Opening and Closing Night Parties.

The Fringe website is the only place you can buy tickets for all 1,300-plus festival performances, but venue-specific tickets will also be available at the box offices of the theatres, bars, and outdoor spaces participating in this years fest. Click here for a comprehensive list of this year’s venues.

Key Festival Dates

June 4th-9th- Fringe Previews
June 10th- Fringe Opening Night Party
June 11th-28th- 6th Annual Hollywood Fringe Festival
June 17th- Fringe Runway
June 24th- Fringe Prom
June 26th- Fringe Rocks!
June 28th- Fringe Award Ceremony & Closing Night Party

Hollywood Fringe Festival 2015 www.nohoartsdistrict.com

About Hollywood Fringe

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is an annual, open-access, community-derived event celebrating freedom of expression and collaboration in the performing arts community. Each June during the Hollywood Fringe, the arts infiltrates the Hollywood neighborhood: Fully equipped theaters, parks, clubs, churches, restaurants and other unexpected places host hundreds of productions by local, national, and international arts companies and independent performers.

Participation in the Hollywood Fringe is completely open and uncensored. This free-for-all approach underlines the festival’s mission to be a platform for artists without the barrier of a curative body. By opening the gates to anyone with a vision, the festival is able to exhibit the most diverse and cutting-edge points-of-view the world has to offer. Additionally, by creating an environment where artists must self-produce their work, the Fringe motivates its participants to cultivate a spirit of entrepreneurialism in the arts.

Get In Touch

www.HollywoodFringe.org
TWITTER @hollywoodfringe  |  Facebook

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

What are you doing in NoHo this weekend? Here’s the NoHo News.

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

We look forward to sharing lots of fun and unique news, events, profiles and updates on what’s happening in the NoHo Arts District.

Every Thursday we send out our NoHo e-News. Do you get it? It takes 30 seconds. Make sure you sign up, it’s FREE. Sign up HERE>>

This issue of NoHo e-News is about what’s going on in North Hollywood and a selection of some theatre shows. But we have a ton of them. Did you know that the NoHo Arts District has the highest concentration of theatres outside of New York City? Just check out the NoHo Arts District Theatre Guide>>

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood…ENJOY NOHO!

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.  

Bar ONE Happy Hour

NoHo - North Hollywood
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Bar ONE Happy Hour 6 – 9

 

Click here for more info

 

 

NoHo Library Reads to the Rhythm This Summer

Lisa Bianconi
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Summer Reading Just Got Even More Fun Thanks to the NoHo Library!

Well if you’re in the NoHo Arts Distict you’re a creative soul. Our North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Regional Branch Library is no exception. They create programs for our neighborhood that are fun and encourage reading and library usage. We asked NoHo Librarian Basya Samuels about their summer Read to the Rhythm programming and their children and teen summer events. Make sure to follow our NoHo Library for all the fun (education is fun!) they have planned for the neighborhood!

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM @NoHoLibrary

5211 Tujunga Ave North Hollywood, CA 91601 | 818 766 7185

What is Read to the Rhythm?

Read to the Rhythm is the theme of our annual summer reading club. This year, we’re calling the annual program “Summer Fun @ the Library”. The theme is just a way to make the reading, prizes, and programming a little extra fun.

When children are away from learning in school for the summer months, they experience something dubbed ‘Summer Slide’ or ‘Summer Learning Loss’. Part of the reason for this summer slide is because children aren’t on a continuous learning schedule, and aren’t reviewing material they’ve learned over the year. Therefore, at the beginning of each school year, teachers spend a significant amount of time reviewing already learned material from the year before. In order to combat this issue, many studies have been conducted. The result is that experts agree that reading is a successful preventative measure! So, as a public service to children, the library offers a summer reading program with incentives, to get them to read and avoid the summer slide.

As incentives, we have the weekly summer programming, as explained below. Additionally, we have the sign-ups – where children are invited to see the librarians at the information desk and sign up to track their reading time. At sign up, children receive a free “Read to the Rhythm” pencil – we have crayons and sippy cups for babies. Throughout the summer, if children visit us at the info desk, we have free stickers. When they’re done with the booklet, they get to pick a free book to keep, and hand in a raffle ticket. We’ll also have other giveaways – such as discounted Knott’s and Legoland tickets, free pizza at Shakey’s, and a free lesson at Magnitude Cheer.

Sign up for Read to the Rhythm begins June 8th, and ends August 1st. Children can read and listen to books of their choosing during these 8 weeks, and then log in their time in their booklets. Once a child has read for 10 hours, they can hand in the attached raffle ticket in order to enter the branch raffle for smaller prizes such as video games and movies, and then tickets are entered into the grand raffle to earn the larger prizes of family passes to Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm and Universal Studios.

NoHo Library summer Reading Read to the Rhythm www.nohoartsdistrict.com

In addition to keeping a reading log, the library offers special weekly events to encourage families to come into the library during the summer. We hope this entices families to want to choose fantastic books during the summer, and then come back during the rest of year to take advantage of our collection and programming. The weekly events for children begin Tuesday June 16th with the Musical Instruments Workshop, and then end with the July 28th Ice Cream ‘Wrap-Up’ Party & raffle. Children’s events will take place at 5:30pm. Teen events begin a week earlier – June 9th – and will take place at 3 pm.

What are the ages?

There are two courses – one is for children ages 0-11, and the other is for teens 11 & up. Children’s events are open to families of all ages – even past 11. Teen events are open just for teens 11 & up.

Can you give us a little description of each event?

June 16- Musical Instruments Workshop Join us for a free hour of making your own musical instruments to bring home! Try your hand at making marakas, flutes, and other cool instruments, while enjoying free refreshments.

June 23- Opera-Kadabra Magic Show Join us for a free musical magic show “Opera Kadabra!”. Great for the whole family, as the magician sings and dazzles everyone with tricks.

June 30- Frozen Dress Up & Sing-along Party Join us for a fantastic Frozen Party. Dress up as your favorite Frozen character! Take pics in our Frozen photo booth! Singalong to your favorite Frozen songs! Make some awesome Frozen crafts!

July 7- Reptile Animal Show Join the Reptile Family for an awesome show with animals from around the world. Meet, hold, or touch some fantastic snakes, turtles, and other cool reptiles!

July 14- ‘Be A Tree!’ Show Join us for fun and games while we talk about dog safety and how to “Be A Tree”! Great for kids ages 3 and up.

July 21- Dance-A-Thon Join us as we dance our day away! We’ll be having fun dancing together to some great music – some old and some new.

July 28- Ice Cream ‘Wrap-Up’ Party Join us for our ‘Wrap-Up’ party, as we near the end of the Summer Fun at the Library summer program. Eat an ice cream sundae while we draw raffle tickets and hand out prizes!

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

nohoarts
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Since the series finale of NBC’s 30 Rock, fans have wondered what is next for the delightfully talented Tina Fey and her producing partner Robert Carlock. Well there’s good news, after a bit of a TV hiatus the dream team came back together, this time with Netflix original series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Unbreakable stars Ellie Kemper as Kimmy Schmidt, a newly rescued Indiana molewoman who lived underground along with four other women for 15 years.

This group of molewomen were being held captive by an insane preacher who made them think the apocalypse had wiped out life on earth. After their return to the surface Kimmy makes a bold decision to move to New York City on her own and start a new life. She finds a job working for Jacqueline, a self absorbed wealthy socialite played by former 30 Rock star Jane Krakowski. Kimmy finds strength and solace in her friendship with her flamboyant roommate Titus and slightly neurotic landlord Carol Titus, played by Titus Andromedon & Lillian Kaushtupper.

As a show Unbreakable is optimistic, irreverent, offbeat and lovably quirky.

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It’s beauty is found in the sweet innocence of its star Kimmy Schmidt. She is overly nice and naive in all the best ways possible. Her appreciation and fresh take on life consistently unnerves the people she comes in contact with yet somehow she manages to still be likable. Kimmy’s strength seems to lie in her ability to adapt to whatever environment she’s placed in whether underground or on the surface. She is constantly anchoring her group of self absorbed dysfunctional friends, who, to her surprise, are just as much of a mess as she is.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has definitely become the buzz and highlight of the 2015 spring television season, garnering rave reviews from critics and fans alike. Its humor is contagious and with a meager 13 episodes under season one’s belt, it’s completely binge worthy. As a writer, Tina Fey has always been brilliant at commenting on obscure pop culture references and, seeing as Kimmy does comes from a different time period, this skill makes for a seriously funny and entertaining sitcom.

All in all, I think it’s safe to say that Tina Fey has really done it again.

 

Interior Design – Southwest No More

Christopher Porikos
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Interior Design – Southwest No More

A few years ago I was sent to Albuquerque to help a client with a new home. With that location came the usual design style. Stucco and adobe style fireplaces everywhere.

The client wanted to detract from the style and infuse a more relaxed, casual feel.

Not being able to do much with the architecture of the home, I decided to use all the furnishings, draperies, color palette and accessories to adjust the feel and look without having things seem out of place. That said, I came back to LA to design the necessary pieces for the project.

I started with the entry hall.

I designed a console with high style and function. Not only would this piece fit in any dining room, but it set the tone for the rest of the public spaces. I chose a dark finish to help achieve a clean, contemporary feel without being too modern. I paired it with modern day mercury lamps and accessories and a silver toned mirror.

From there I went to the living room.

Since this house had one living space, I needed to make it inviting and livable along with being stylized. I chose clean lined pieces which worked well with the high ceilings, windows and adobe fireplace. I needed to marry the styles to become one and create a cohesive space. Since this family liked to entertain there needed to be multiple seating options. I made a 40” x 40” upholstered ottoman along with a 48” bench to satisfy that need, with both pieces being easily moved. Since there wasn’t wall space to add any art, I needed to add texture, pattern and interest through the graphic fabrics and accessories.

Floor to ceiling draperies not only added to the height of the ceilings, but also to the visual interest needed.

The open floor plan dictated what would happen to the dining room. I used the same drapery treatment and fabric there along with repeating some other fabrics from the living room. It allowed the dining room to feel a part of the other spaces, but still have its own identity. Art and contemporary lighting was added to finish the space.

One NoHo Theatre Does Own Fringe Festival…Zombie Style

Lisa Bianconi
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It’s here! ZOMBIE JOE’S UNDERGROUND FRINGE

Mark your calendars for every weekend in the month of June. NoHo’s own Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group is doing their first annual ZOMBIE JOE’S UNDERGROUND FRINGE. Remember, we have 20 theatres in one square mile so go out, explore NoHo and be entertained live. In this case, be entertained Zombie style.

What exactly is the ZOMBIE JOE’S UNDERGROUND FRINGE?

ZOMBIE JOE’S UNDERGROUND FRINGE is a cutting-edge, avant-garde mini-theatre festival showcasing new works and what ZJU, in general, has to offer. Our unsurpassed family of directors and leaders *(Denise Devin, Josh T. Ryan, Adam Neubauer, Randy “Kernel” Long, Jana Wimer, Sebastian Munoz, Vanessa Cate, Roger K. Weiss, Shayne Eastin, David Wyn Harris, Andy Shultz, Alex Walters, Christopher Reiner, Mark Hein and Jaguar Bennett), our fabulous performers and unsurpassed artisans and designers (such as super-stars Jeri Batzdorff, R. Benjamin Warren, Rana Wilson and Gloria Galvan) have been working around the clock to piece this event together – something of a special treat celebrating the alternative theatre arts our beloved NOHO, and our gift to the theatre community at large. JOIN US!

Why did you create the ZOMBIE JOE’S UNDERGROUND FRINGE?

We had been enjoying our participation in The HOLLYWOOD FRINGE, but even last year – our audiences were arriving at our doorstep in June thinking that ZOMBIE JOE’S UNDERGROUND (4850 Lankershim Blvd.) was actually an extension of the HOLLYWOOD FRINGE – so Josh T. Ryan and I thought, hey now – why not hold our own lil’ Fringe, and do it OUR way, infused with our own sense of prowess, style, culture and community…and have some good ol’ fashioned fun in the process?! Oh man, its been a blast organizing everything, too. The Underground is so passionate and enthusiastic, one does not often afford the opportunity to be surrounded with such an amazing theatre family in this lifetime, its just TOO good sometimes, we want to share this energy with EVERYONE while it lasts, life is short and precious.

Othello Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre www.nohoartsdistrict.com
OTHELLO @ Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre. Photo by Josh T. Ryan.

Does the ZOMBIE JOE’S UNDERGROUND FRINGE have shows for everyone’s taste?

YES, Absolutely! There is something for everyone: For the daring and the more conservative alike – there is drama, comedy, terror, history, and world-premiere experimental work…better than “CATS”! So yes please come and see ALL of our UNDERGROUND FRINGE productions friends, you shant be sorry. Tickets are only $15, less than the cost of a Bloody Mary.

THE LINEUP

“OTHELLO” – Every FRIDAY and SATURDAY @ 8:30pm, JUNE 5 thru 27.
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group Proudly Presents Josh T. Ryan and Zombie Joe’s wet n’ wild, high-euro-fashion adaptation of Shakespeare’s tale of love, murder and betrayal, where glamor is a rocky-road – and jealousy is a green-eyed monster! Directed by ZJU’s magnificent Josh T. Ryan.

“URBAN DEATH” – Every SATURDAY @ 11pm, JUNE 6 thru 27.
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group’s terrifying signature horror production that dives deep into the depths of ALL-NEW inexplicable horrors, unfathomable monstrosities, and the disturbed spirits that walk among us! Directed by Zombie Joe and Jana Wimer. For Ages 15 and up.

“HOW TO BE WICKED” – Every FRIDAY @ 11:00pm, JUNE 5 thru 26.
Morality is a scam, says comedian Jaguar Bennett. Let Jaguar show you the path to success and happiness through this simple and hilarious course in “How to Be Wicked”. Its like Nietzsche…but in easy comedy form!

“HELLION LOOP” – SUNDAYS @ 7:00pm, JUNE 14, 21 and 28.
Five thrilling short-plays by Shayne Eastin, “Hellion Loop” invites entrance into a cryptic and twisted world where characters are held captive by their own motivations – leading to ominous, mystifying, and spine-tingling conclusions!

“THE MANY ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN” – WEDNESDAYS @ 8;30pm, JUNE 17, 24 and JULY 1.
Robert Walters stars in Zombie Joe’s Underground’s high-impact adaptation of Moliere’s infamous satirical comedy about the trappings of love, desire and manipulation – and the inevitable consequences spawned from their reckless abuse! Directed by Alex Walters.

“THE BEREAVED” – MONDAY @ 8:30pm, JUNE 29.
The premiere of Andy Shultz’s hilarious dark comedy! When a billionaire playboy dies in a freak accident, his family and friends gather to mourn his passing. but what should be a celebration of life, turns into a macabre three-ring circus of hilarity and slapstick! Directed by Andy Shultz and David Wyn Harris.

Urban Death at Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre www.nohoartsdistrict.com
Urban Death @ Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre. Photo by Marti Matulis.

How can an actor or playwright work with ZJU?

Simply CALL or EMAIL us directly: ZombieJoes@ymail.com or WRITE our Official Website: ZombieJoes.com under “CONTACT US” – We shall return all inquiries in a prompt and timely manner, we just love to chat-it-up! -Zombie Joe 🙂

TWITTER @ZombieJoes | FACEBOOK

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

Gallery 800 – “Three Artists You Should Know”

NoHo - North Hollywood
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The Art Directors Guild’s Gallery 800 presents 

“ Three Artists You Should Know” Exhibit

ART DIRECTORS GUILD’S GALLERY 800 PRESENTS
“THREE ARTISTS YOU SHOULD KNOW” EXHIBIT

Award-Winning Designers From Scandal, My Fair Lady
and the Academy Awards® To Be Featured in Exhibit That Opens June 20

The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) announced today that Production Designer Corey Kaplan (Scandal), Oscar®-winning Production Designer Gene Allen (My Fair Lady) and Scenic Artist Stasys Pinkus (82nd Academy Awards) will have their artwork featured in Gallery 800′s annual exhibit Three Artists You Should Know. Running from June 20 – July 25, the exhibit’s opening reception will take place on Saturday, June 20 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. The hosted reception will feature live music, hosted bar and appetizers.

• Corey Kaplan is currently the Production Designer for ABC’s hit series Scandal. Her previous work includes Cold Case and The X Files, which earned her two Emmy® nominations and two Art Directors Guild ‘Excellence in Production Design’ Awards. Her design work can also be seen on the pilot for the upcoming ABC Family sci-fi detective series Stitchers.
• Production Designer Gene Allen won an Academy Award® for his work on My Fair Lady (1964) and received two Oscar nominations for A Star Is Born (1954) and Les Girls (1957). Allen later went on to serve as President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (1983-1985) and also as Executive Director of the Art Directors Guild. He received a Special Achievement Award from the Art Directors Guild in 1996.
• Stasys Pinkus‘ work as a Scenic Artist for the past 30 years has included the Academy Awards, the Jimmy Kimmel Live show, billboards at Universal Studios and backdrops, murals and portraits for most major Hollywood studios.

Gallery 800 showcases Guild members’ personal art in a series of shows throughout the year. These talented artists are leading art department professionals, who, through a combination of observation, passion and imagination bring the writer’s words and the director’s vision to life in television and film. When not working as integral creative members of the entertainment community, they contribute to the fine art scene with their personal artwork.

Since Gallery 800 opened its doors in March 2009, more than 600 ADG members have shown their artwork in the ongoing exhibitions.

Representing Gallery 800 are Curator Denis Olsen and Manager Debbie Patton.

Gallery 800 (located at 5108 Lankershim Blvd. at the Historic Lankershim Arts Center in the heart of North Hollywood) is open Thursday through Saturday from 2pm to 8pm and Sunday from 2pm to 6pm. For questions about the gallery or artwork, contact (818) 763-8052 or gallery800@gmail.

Future Exhibits Include (subject to change):
• Still Life & Storytelling (Sept. 12– Oct. 17)
• Art Unites 9 (Nov. 7 – Dec. 12) 

About the Art Directors Guild:

The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) represents nearly 2,000 members who work throughout the United States, Canada and the rest of the world in film, television and theater as Production Designers, Art Directors, Assistant Art Directors; Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists; Illustrators and Matte Artists; and Set Designers and Model Makers. Established in 1937, the ADG’s ongoing activities include a Film Society; an annual Awards Banquet, a creative/technology community (5D: The Future of Immersive Design); a bimonthly craft magazine (Perspective); and extensive technology-training programs, figure drawing and other creative workshops and year-round Gallery 800 art exhibitions. The Guild’s Online Directory/Website Resource is at http://www.adg.org.

Representing Gallery 800 are Curator Denis Olsen and Manager Debbie Patton. Gallery 800’s mission is to promote the works of talented entertainment industry professionals, in an intimate venue, on a personal level. Gallery 800 is located at 5108 Lankershim Blvd. at the Historic Lankershim Arts Center in the heart of NoHo.

Gallery 800 Hours:

Thursday – Saturday 2:00-8:00 pm
Sunday 2:00-6:00 pm
For more information, please visit the Gallery 800 website at www.Gallery800.com 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gallery800
Twitter: @ADG800

 

NoHo News: NoHo’s Guide to FUN.

Lisa Bianconi
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Here’s your NoHo arts community update!

We look forward to sharing lots of fun and unique news, events, profiles and updates on what’s happening in the NoHo Arts District.

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This issue of NoHo e-News is about what’s going on in North Hollywood and a selection of some theatre shows. But we have a ton of them. Did you know that the NoHo Arts District has the highest concentration of theatres outside of New York City? Just check out the NoHo Arts District Theatre Guide>>

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood…ENJOY NOHO!

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.  

NoHo Funny Man Brooks McBeth Returns to the Stage

Lisa Bianconi
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Brooks McBeth Returns to the NoHo Stage

He’s worked as a staff writer on such hit shows as FOX’s MAD TV, Comedy Central’s TRIGGER HAPPY TV, CON and ALMOST LIVE! and has performed stand up around the country. NoHo resident Brooks McBeth has an edgy but yet still endearing style of comedy that has made him a favorite at every comedy club he performs in. Besides being Comedian Joel McHale’s full time opener (The Soup & NBC’s Community), Brooks has also performed with such greats as Frank Caliendo, Drew Carey, Harland Williams, Doug Benson, Snoop Dog, Daniel Tosh and Jack Black to name a few. Brooks continues to appear regularly in national television commercials and voice-overs, but it is on stage by himself where he is truly in his element. We’re lucky. We get to see him on stage in the NoHo Arts District on June 11 at the HaHa Comedy Club. 

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“I really enjoy living here in NoHo and this is one of my favorite places to play. Come by and let’s have a debauchery filled night of laughs!!” – Brooks McBeth

So what was your first break?

So excited to be performing locally in the great NOHO! Originally from Seattle Washington, I started out on a sketch show called Almost Live! (Comedy Central) with fellow cast members Joel McHale and Bill Nye The Science guy. They are doing better than me. 🙂

Got a crazy story for us?

I have seen everything form fist fights to wedding proposals to divorces. It’s always an experience.

So you’ll be at The HaHa Comedy Club in June?

Most of the time when I’m in town I do an average of 12-14 minute sets. On this particular night I will be doing a much longer set, which is way more fun. The club is brand new and we have some tremendous folks joining me on the line up.

WHEN: Thursday, June 11 at 8:30PM
WHERE: HaHa Comedy Club 4712 Lankershim Blvd. NoHo
RESERVATIONS: 818-508-4995  |  On-line

Also appearing on the line up that evening are:

Rene Garcia – Although small in stature, Rene is one of the biggest comedic names to perform in this area. A favorite from the original Ha HA, Rene is returning to make this night absolutely epic.

Liliana Cervantes- One of the top female comedians in Los Angeles. Known for her TV appearances, she is not to be missed at this special event.

Darrin Chase is a newcomer to the Los Angeles scene but is quickly gaining a strong following. He is absolutely thrilled to be part of this great night.

The new club is amazing. Jack and Tere Assadourian have created a trend-setting, state-of-the-art comedy club in NOHO after doing great business here for over 25 years. The brand new club features a privately designed back patio, full bar and a larger pristine showroom that seats up to 160 patrons comfortably. If you have not gotten a chance to see the new facilities or enjoyed a great meal here, this is the time.

Brooks McBeth HaHa Comedy Club www.nohoartsdistrict.com

What advice can you give to an aspiring comic?

For God sakes, don’t do it!! 🙂 Just kidding. Be fearless and original. Have fun. If you’re having a great time doing what you love, people sense that and have a great time going on the ride with you.

What’s coming up for you?

I will have a new comedy special coming out soon called: Brooks McBeth “This ain’t Shakespeare” look for it!!!

For more Brooks McBeth visit www.brooksmcbeth.com.

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo.

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