The International Circus: Formula 1

During this past Thanksgiving holiday,  I flew back to Texas to visit the parents and to attend my very first Formula 1 race.  Of course, spending time with the family and eating home-cooked meals is always a treat, but throw in a Formula 1 race at a brand new, purpose-built race track (arrogantly named Circuit of the Americas) and you've got one very happy gear head!

Cranberry Wakeboarding

Who knew that wakeboarding across a pond of cranberries could be so beautiful?  Thankfully, someone at Red Bull wondered what that would be like and headed to Wisconsin with a high speed camera to find out. I've always been a fan of Red Bull, not necessarily for their energy drink, but for their presence as probably the world's best known marketing machine.  They've produced some of the most amazing videos and special events in recent years.

The Dark Knight In Los Angeles!

To celebrate the Blu-ray/DVD release of The Dark Knight Rises, Warner Brothers has put together an amazing treat for Batman fans and movie buffs called "The Dark Knight Legend Exhibit."

This COMPLETELY FREE, mind-blowing exhibit can be found in downtown Los Angeles at the L.A. Live event deck and features original artwork, costumes and props from Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, and seven Batmobiles from the television and theatrical life of the Batman franchise.  This may be the last time that you will see all seven Batmobiles together as the Batmobile from the 1960's television series is heading off to auction early next year.

Epic Fantasy Battle

Square-Enix recently released the newest trailer for their upcoming Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG), Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, and I must say this is probably THE most beautiful and epic game trailer I have ever seen!

Space Shuttle Endeavour's Trip Across Los Angeles

Watch an amazing time-lapse video of Space shuttle Endeavour's last journey through the streets of Los Angeles.

Kitty Noir

This French speaking cat suffers from a self-induced tormented apathy, and I can't help but laugh out loud at all of his woes.

Formula 1 Art

I love Formula 1 racing and I love art, but I especially love it when the two come together to create some wickedly cool pieces for your home, like the exhaust lamp pictured above.  Thankfully there's someone out there that also shares a passion for blending the two worlds together and that someone is called Formula 1 Art.  They have a collection of other race car inspired pieces, but the exhaust lamp is definitely my favorite.

25 Years Of Fireballs And Dragon Punches

It's hard to believe that the Street Fighter videogame franchise has been around for 25 years.  As long as you didn't grow up in a small village on the outskirts of the world, then you've at least heard of the legendary fighting game series, if not allowed it to have a major impact on your life.  When I was a little boy, I would ride my bike to my friend's house after school to cram in as many rounds of Super Street Fighter 2 on the SNES as possible before having to go home and do my homework.  It's been a part of my life ever since.

The iam8bit gallery is celebrating 25 years of Street Fighter with a group art exhibition and pop-up shop in their 4,500 square foot space in Echo Park.  For anyone who has ever played the game, I highly recommend going to view the art and maybe purchase something for that bare wall at home.  The show is open now until August 19th, 2012 with artwork costing anywhere from $25 to $1,500+.  Check iam8bit's website for gallery hours.

Art At 200 Miles Per Hour

I'm absolutely in love with the new supercar from Pagani Automobili, the Huayra.  It's art-meets-engineering as the amount of attention to detail in the production and construction of this car is unimaginable.  Every single piece of the car, down to the nuts and bolts, is manufactured in-house with beauty and functionality as the main driving factors of the design.

WALL-E In Real Life!

I remember falling in love with Pixar's WALL-E because he was able to convey so much emotion and sympathy with only a few movements of his eyes, head and hands.  Who knew this little trash compactor could be so endearing?

Fans Unite: Comic-Con 2012

A couple of weekends ago, we set out to experience the ultimate event for pop culture and entertainment: San Diego Comic-Con International!  It was quite a weekend as downtown San Diego was transformed into a mecca of all things cool and sometimes weird.  The sheer number of people walking on the streets was overwhelming, mimicking the busy crosswalks of downtown Tokyo and making driving anywhere near the convention center impossible.

Lianne La Havas: The Best Voice You've Never Heard

I recently had the pleasure of listening to one of the most effortless and pure voices that I've ever heard in a live performance.  The owner of this beautiful voice is one Ms. Lianne La Havas, who hails from England, and her current single, "Forget", is currently taking over the air waves on KCRW.

Anteaters Are Gangsta!

I just couldn't resist.  LOL!

Avengers Assemble!

"Earth's Mightiest..." by Dave Perillo

Since I'm waiting a couple of weeks before I see "The Avengers" in theaters in an attempt to let the opening weekend rush settle down a bit, I got my superhero fix through a pop-up exhibit from our friends over at Gallery 1988 called "Assemble".

Get Home Safe

Helping kids get home safe since 1963.

Hello Mao

Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.

Herb Ritts: L.A. Style

With summer weather almost here and the days getting longer, it's the perfect time to pay a visit to the Getty Museum to enjoy sweeping sunset views of the city along with some of the Getty's latest exhibits, most notably "Herb Ritts: L.A. Style".

Perfect Day For Sailing

Forever Begins Today

"The Avengers" Los Angeles Premiere

Hollywood was buzzing with excitement on Wednesday as some of the movie industry's biggest stars descended upon the El Capitan Theatre for the Los Angeles premiere of Marvel's The Avengers!

Celebrity For The Day

Here's an interesting experiment in celebrity-ism.  What makes someone a celebrity?  Why are people so eager to jump on the bandwagon?  Do people think that fame and fortune are transferable via proximity?  See for yourself below!

Puppy Easter!

Happy Easter, everybunny!

What Would You Do For Coachella Tickets?

The first weekend of Coachella is only 8 days away! Of course, if you weren't part of the lucky group of people who managed to snag a ticket before they sold out in only three hours back in January, you're probably going to have to pay a pretty hefty premium. With the huge lineup of popular artists this year, there's a very robust black market for those who took a shotgun to their laptops after sitting on Goldenvoice's holding page for an hour and coming up empty. Let's take a look at the various, and often wacky, options that people are pursuing to get their hands on some highly sought after wristbands.

L.A.'s Red Light Cameras Are Gone (But Not Forgotten)

Fantastic news for those of you who thought you were going to have to choose between paying for your heart medicine this month and getting the traffic cops off your back! After going back and forth on their beleaguered red light camera system, the LAPD has finally declared that they will not pursue the 65,000+ drivers with unpaid red light camera tickets, most of which are in the neighborhood of $500 per violation. So if you're still holding an unpaid L.A. red light ticket, congratulations! Go treat yourself to an iPad!

LEGO The Dark Knight Rises Trailer

I stumbled upon this awesome shot-by-shot LEGO remake of The Dark Knight Rises trailer and just had to share it!  I love LEGOs!

Grauman's Chinese Theater Celebrates 85 Years With 25 Cent Admission

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Grauman’s Chinese Theatre celebrates its 85th birthday this year and in honor of the occasion, the iconic L.A. landmark will be offering admission for only 25 cents, the same price it fetched on its 1927 opening, on select Mondays beginning April 2nd. On these 25-cent Mondays, Grauman’s and the Chinese 6 Theatres will show classic films premiered at the Hollywood monument over the past eight decades.  As a tribute to the birthday of one of L.A.'s greatest icons, we bring you a closer look at Grauman's rise as Hollywood's most famous movie theater and its rich history of milestones and events since 1927, from its first glamorous movie premiere to a recent Spongebob beatdown. Go HERE for my full article, published on Guest of a Guest L.A.

$5 Tuesdays: "21 Jump Street"

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It's been a while since I laughed through an entire movie from beginning to end, but I was able to revisit the experience thanks to my latest $5 Tuesday movie: 21 Jump Street, starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.

Before going to the theater to watch 21 Jump Street, I really didn't know what to expect.  The trailer seemed funny, but having known the original "21 Jump Street" television series, starring a very young Johnny Depp, I was scared that it was going to be a bad remake.  Thankfully the filmmakers were smart and created a funny and witty new world that drew inspiration from the original, but still managed to remain unique and fresh.

The Wondrous, Wacky World Of WonderCon 2012

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WonderCon 2012 came and went, and it was a great experience for me, especially because it was my first time at a comic book convention.  I got to see all of the fans dressed up in costume and confirmed why spandex suits aren't for everyone.

I grew up reading comic books and have always enjoyed the art style, but my recent visit to WonderCon has really increased my appreciation for the artwork and the amount of talent that these artists possess.

Comic book art has really grown from the days when the drawings were simple figures printed on newspaper in black and white.  Today's artists use advanced drawing and coloring techniques to paint vivid scenes full of life and emotion.

$5 Tuesdays: "Project X"

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Since I was a decent student in high school, taking almost every honors course available, my most outrageous house party moment was when I accidentally spilled a plate of chips and salsa on my parents' carpet.  And because I don't find it cool to drink until you can't stand anymore, I turn to the movies to watch stupidity unfold so that I don't actually have to be around it.

My recent exposure to poor decision making came courtesy of this week's $5 Tuesday movie, Project X.

Things I Could Have Done With The Hour That I Lost

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Now that we're officially in daylight saving time (DST), I really wish I could get back that one hour that I lost somewhere between 2:00 am and 3:00 am on Sunday morning.  There are so many things that I would have/could have done with that hour.

Here are some of my top things to do with the hour that was lost:

Metropolis II, A City In Motion

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Whenever I'm in the Miracle Mile district, I always like to stop by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) to see their latest exhibits.  Not knowing what to expect, I was very lucky to stumble upon a new installation called Metropolis II located in the West wing of the BCAM building.

English Laundry, Defiance Sample Sale

I can't remember the last time that I went to the mall to buy an article of clothing at full retail price and after visiting today's Defiance USA/Global Rebels sample sale and picking up this awesome English Laundry ensemble on the left for $36 total, I don't see myself going to the mall anytime soon.

$5 Tuesdays: "The Lorax"

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I've always been a fan of animated films and the recent offerings from the major studios just keep getting better and better, except for Happy Feet 2; that was a load of crap.  I'm a firm believer that animated films are just as much, if not more, for adults than kids, especially with recent movies chock-full of witty humor and pop culture references that no child would ever understand.  But a lot of parents still view an animated movie as a one and a half hour baby sitter, and in an effort to avoid a theater full of screaming babies and wild kids running amuck, I decided to attend a super-late showing of this week's $5 Tuesday movie, Dr. Seuss' The Lorax.

The Best Bottomless Booze Brunches in L.A.

We've all had those mornings- you wake up after a hard night of partying, struggle to locate your phone, wallet, and/or pants, chase four Advils with a double-shot of espresso, and tell yourself that you're never drinking again. But this is America, where nobody likes a quitter, and besides, we all know that a far better cure for the weekend morning blues is to get right back on that horse with a hearty, delicious brunch and some classy, but free-flowing, brunch cocktails. For those of you ready to keep the party going in daylight, here's a list of my favorite all-you-can-drink brunch spots where you can wine and dine your early-morning woes away.

A Guide To Los Angeles' Best Happy Hours

Sometimes, the work day, the traffic and life in general is just too taxing, and when 5pm rolls around, you need to head straight to the bar. Hey, I'm not judging you. But with so many happy hour offerings in this great big city, it can be difficult to choose where to go, which is why I've put together a list of the best happy hour spots for your after-work rest stop. From $2 PBRs to gourmet steamed mussels, 3D TVs to watermelon martinis, L.A. Graffiti's got the details on its favorite happy hour destinations in and around Los Angeles.

When You Gotta Go...

Spotted on the corner of Robertson Blvd. and 3rd St. in Los Angeles.

$5 Tuesdays: "Act Of Valor"

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While everyone was scrambling to add this year's Oscar winning movies to their Netflix queue, I went out to watch some good ol' fashioned shoot 'em up action, and let me tell you, it was satisfying.

This awesome hailstorm of bullets and casings came courtesy of this week's $5 Tuesday movie: Act Of Valor, starring the brave men and women of the Navy SEALs.

$5 Tuesdays: "The Grey"

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This week's $5 Tuesday movie is "The Grey", starring Liam Neeson.

I waited a few weeks to watch this movie because I was on the fence about whether it would be good or not.  I really like Liam Neeson because he plays a hardened bad ass so well, but I always joke that every suspenseful thriller movie he's in is just a different take on "Taken".  While "The Grey" was entertaining, I would explain it to friends as "Taken" in Alaska with Liam Neeson as the kidnapped person, nature as the kidnapper and giant wolves as the hunter.

$5 Tuesdays: "Safe House"

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Every Tuesday, I take a nice drive down the coast into Palos Verdes where every movie at the Regal Promenade 13 theater is $5.  Since I've had this relatively inexpensive weekly routine, I've realized that I watch a lot more movies than the average person, making it difficult to watch movies with friends because I've seen all of the ones that they want to see.  Well, I'm not going to cut down on the number of movies that I watch, but instead, I've decided to share my thoughts on each week's movie in a series I'd like to call "$5 Tuesdays".

This week's $5 Tuesday movie: Safe House, starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds.

A Conversation With Gary Oldman

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I was talking with my father the other day and as a non-user of Facebook, he asked me what I primarily used Facebook for as he felt that following what your friends were eating and what they were doing to be so trivial that he deemed it unworthy for his time.  I told my dad that while I agreed that seeing a random plate of someone's food and the all too often I'm-posting-about-my-bad-day-to-get-sympathy post can get quite annoying, I primarily used Facebook as my source of news.

Thanks to Facebook and my in-the-know friend Tim, I was able to attend a curated conversation with my favorite actor, Gary Oldman.  The evening, which was presented by Film Independent, was hosted by KCRW's Elvis Mitchell; some of you may know him from his show "The Treatment" which features interviews with different artists from the entertainment industry.

House Watching In Manhattan Beach

"Sunset" by me, iPhone 4s

I've been taking advantage of the current non-winter in Los Angeles - at the time of writing, it's 72 degrees and sunny - by going to the beach whenever I can, even if only to enjoy a cup of coffee and the sunset.  I go to the beach quite a bit, as it's only a five minute drive, and I love to walk the bike path that follows the coast.  There's always a decent crowd of people on the bike path that are just walking, roller skating, cruising or sitting on the wall that separates the concrete from the sand.

While people watching has always been fun for me, my favorite pastime is looking at all of the multi-million dollar homes that line the beach and wondering what it would be like to live in one.  Allow me to share with you some of my favorite mansions that line the Manhattan Beach coast.

Graffiti For Gearheads

Found in Manhattan Beach, CA

The Art Of Letterpress

With almost everything in the media industry being produced by computers these days, it's nice to see how things were done before the digital age.  There's something special about a product that was made manually that just can't be captured by a digital machine.  Filmmaker Danny Cooke has just released a short documentary film about an ages old printing technique called letterpress, where each letter is placed in its position by hand, locked down and then passed underneath an inked roller where the letters literally press ink onto a piece of paper.  Seeing this process of printing is a rare treat as there are only a few movable-type printing workshops left in the world.

Free Beer!!!

Free beer!  Now that I've got your attention, I'd like to tell you a little bit about my religion as you look through my Avon catalog.

Just kidding!

If you live in the L.A area, Guinness is having a free beer tasting event!  You can RSVP for various dates here:  www.guinnessbeliever.com

RSVP soon as spots will fill up very fast!  I'll be at the 9 pm tasting on Feb 2nd if you want to come rub elbows (quite literally as it's probably going to be crowded) with the graffiti artist himself.

Mulholland Drive

It's the things that are closest to us and most available to us that we take for granted.  Some people save for years just so they can take the trip of a lifetime to Disneyland.  For me, it's a 45 minute drive to Anaheim.  Does that mean that I should be any less excited to be at Disneyland than the family who traveled 3,000 miles and spent thousands of dollars to be there?  Of course not.  They do irk me though, when they waddle 5 persons wide at a snail's pace, blocking my pathway to the addictive Disneyland churros, but that's an entirely different story for another time.

Even though I live in Los Angeles, I still keep an eye out for things as if I were a tourist.  There are so many things to enjoy in L.A., but many people push them off because it's in their backyard and they can go there any time.  The problem is, "any time" never arrives for many.

New Year's Resolutions? Fuhgettaboutit!

Another year has gone by and we're back to making new year's resolutions, most of which we'll carry out for about a week or so.  Some of you will start your new year's resolutions now, others will start them next month, and the real procrastinators will start them after March.  According to my friend who owns an Anytime Fitness gym, this is exactly the pattern he sees during the beginning of the year.  Things never get busier as the months go by because the people who started their resolutions in January often give up during February.  The ones who started in February give up around March and so forth and so on.

I always chuckle to myself when people tell me about their resolutions; not because I don't think they'll stick to them, but simply because of the definition of "resolution" itself.