September 23, 2016
Greetings, Go Go’ers and apologies for last week’s break in posting and this week’s absence of fun and frolic.
Ms. Go Go will be taking a short break because of some exciting new projects in the works.
Carry on and have a cocktail!
Cheers and see you soon.
September 8, 2016
Let’s jump right into fall in L.A., shall we?!
By which Ms. Go Go means adult libations al fresco, a car banned from Burning Man, and a movie with artisan monsters and an after-party.
So, pretty much like summer in L.A….
COCKTAILS ON THE ROOF — So Cal will definitely cool down soon sometime so Ms. Go Go suggests taking advantage of every outside event — especially one that combines adult libations with a great cause! Sip unlimited spirits from adorable mini-martini glasses and consume umpteen bites at the best party north of L.A. while benefiting the WISH Education Foundation! Hosted by Eve Bushman of Eve’s Wine 101 and Marlee Lauffer, President of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation, a few of the many highlights of the Friday night soiree under the stars include: learning how to incorporate (so trendy!) shrubs into cocktails with Lisa Ely at 12 Bottle Bar; sampling boozy treats from College of the Canyons Institute for Culinary Education – ICUE; and savoring sake-based cocktails from Sake Sommelier Yoshi Murikami. Record your (sure-to-be-epic) cocktailian tales at the photo area, relax on cozy couches and party ’til your Prius turns into a pumpkin (a.k.a. midnight!) Why: Sipping a St. Mayhem cocktail and being part of the Thriller dance mob on the roof….
Ryan C. Doyle’s Regurgitator at Superchief Gallery .
CARTWHEEL ART TOURS WITH SUPERCHIEF GALLERY & RYAN C. DOYLE — Downtown is the destination and Motor City detritus artist Ryan C. Doyle is the reason to sign up fast for Saturday’s Triptych: Trippy Threesome: an immersive art experience that features Doyle’s “CarCroach”: a fully functional Honda Civic revamped into a giant cockroach (an award-winning Burning Man project) and his Regurgitator (see above) that includes a flamethrower and g-forces and was banned from Burning Man! You may want to wait until after the Regurgitator to chow down on Southern chow from Comfort L.A. and cocktails made with Stolen Rum and Califia Farms agua frescas. Other “artists” include VR/digital creator Lyon Doyer (#Frozen_in_a-Detroit_wonderland) and master of ink on paper Darth Lloyder. #helloanagrams. Why: An up-close-and-personal tour with a mad genius who’s exhibited all over the world. Plus healthy tropical cocktails….
MARNIE WEBER’S THE DAY OF FOREVERMORE — We’re always looking for an excuse to mosey downtown to the gorgeous Theatre at Ace Hotel and we can’t imagine a better reason than a showing of a celebrated multimedia artist’s first cinematic project. Presented by Artillery Magazine & Ace Hotel DTLA, the film has giant monsters, demented witch mothers, rusting junk, a trio of teenagers and an innocent girl with a touch of the devil. Natch. Why: A post-screening interview with Marnie Weber moderated by Ann Magnuson plus an after-party with misfit monster performances.
Ready? U Know U Want 2 Go Go….
August 30, 2016
Summer, you’ve been great.
We’re saying good-bye with hearts, smiley faces and good eats
2 good 2 b 4gotten
MAR VISTA ART WALK – MUSIC EDITION — Bummed because you’re not at Black Rock City? This Thursday, head to the one mile stretch of Venice Boulevard between Inglewood and Beethoven for the best FREE art and music street party in town! The 30+ bands include live indie , jazz, acoustic, Latin, blue grass and more! Wander the Mayor Garcetti-designated “Great Street” and engage with 35 local artists including six new murals by Mitchelito, DJ Neff, Apexer, Starfightera, Wyatt Mills, and Madsteez. Check out “TEEN CHOICE”: the exhibition at the C. Nichols Project that includes works by noted artists such as Mike Kelley and Cy Twombly. Download the free map at the link above to plan your visit around live street painting, film, art installations, emerging and established artists, dance, experimental video, artists talks, spoken word, a pop-up from new and upcoming local resto The Mar Vista and a special After Party at Grand View Fine Arts Studios. Why: Engaging one-on-one with artists on the street, in alleys, in galleries and everywhere else!
LOS ANGELES TIMES – THE TASTE — If your goal is to celebrate the end of bikini season by eating your way through Labor Day weekend, look no further than The Taste: L.A.’s annual foodie fest on the Paramount Pictures back lot. Kicking off Friday, the Opening Night event offers a “focused collection of tastings, distinctive cocktail and wine offerings” plus a chance to mingle with many of the weekend’s participating chefs and mixologists as well as L.A. Times hosts. Grazers and gatherers will want to grab tix to Saturday’s Field to Fork, which focuses on locavore food offerings with the option of a Secret Cellar wine upgrade! Saturday evening’s Dinner with a Twist explores the pairing of cocktails, premium wines and top-shelf spirits with the city’s best chefs. (Hello, Ms. Go Go’s favorite event! The midday Sunday Block Party highlights the best of summer faves while the closing night’s Flavors of L.A. reminds you of everything you love about the City of Angels’s melting pot of cuisines. All this plus dozens and dozens of L.A.’s most interesting food and drink purveyors on five different themed blocks on the Paramount lot. 21+ Why: Showing out-of-towners the best of L.A. plus a taste of Hollywood with minimal traffic jams.
PLAYA PROVISIONS: END OF SUMMER BBQ — Is your Labor Day weekend incomplete without a seaside pilgrimage? Avoid the sandy Cheetos and spilled soda; up your ocean side food game by scheduling a pre- or post-beach pit stop at the seashore-adjacent Playa Provisions for their “good-bye summer” bash. (Or make it your solo afternoon destination — we won’t tell!) The parking lot of the four-in-one food concept by Top Chef alum Brooke Williamson and her husband, chef Nick Roberts, will feature a beer garden with The Stone Hop Wagon and a variety of Stone Brewing’s craft beers on-tap. Also enjoy perfect cocktails, grilled burgers, and hot dogs while a DJ spins and kids play on the inflatable, bouncy obstacle course. Why: Upscale comfort food and adult libations at the beach make farewell to summer as painless as it gets.
Ready? U Know U Want 2 Go Go….
August 26, 2016
Sure, there are some heavy-hitter events in Los Angeles this weekend (Hello, FYF Music Fest and Los Angeles Food and Wine!) but if you prefer easy end-of-summer to crowds and intensity, read on….
FRIDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS — If you haven’t been (whether this summer or ever), tonight is the night to attend the Getty Museum’s FREE, kick-off-the-weekend, creative evenings in which the Getty invites artists of all disciplines to interact with elements of the museum. For the final offering of the summer, conceptual artist David Horvitz has collaborated with musician Xiu Xiu to create a soundscape for the Central Garden that consists of 100 different interactive scores inspired by individual plants. In Monodramania, publishing, video, and performance artist Martine Syms will utilize Getty Research Institute Special Collections materials to explore one person theatrical experiences. Choreographer Laurel Jenkins unleashes her 20-person troupe across the entire Getty site for a rules based dance performance. Modern music collective wild Up presents experimental music makers Odeya Nini and Archie Carey who will use voice, Tibetan singing bowls and bassoon to interact with the resonance of the Getty landscape. Why: Interacting with a plant-inspired score that instructs “Play a melody for your dream tonight.”
THE TASTE OF THE ARTS DISTRICT — If you’ve been wanting to explore the Downtown Arts District, Saturday is your chance to wander…with benefits! Purchase a ticket online, pick up a choose-your-own-route map at the parking location, then walk, bike or shuttle around one of L.A.’s most vibrant ‘hoods, exploring unique shops and public and private art and enjoying live entertainment later in the day. Show your map to receive food and drink samples at 20+ independent food and drink establishments. Why: Colorful murals + great food + a walk-worthy scene = a perfect summer day.
HUDSON HOUSE END-OF-SUMMER LUAU — Put on your sarongs and straw hats and head to Hudson House this Sunday for an End-of-Summer luau. Owned by Brooke Williamson (Top Chef alum and the youngest chef ever to cook at James Beard House) and her husband/chef Nick Roberts, the Redondo Beach staple on the dining scene is pairing up with Maui Brewing Company for a suckling pig roast with all the Aloha fixin’s including pineapple slaw and kimchee fried rice. (Tix available at the door on the day of the event.) If beer doesn’t read South Seas in your neck of the woods island, you can count on tiki drinks tasty enough for Polynesian royalty. Why: It’s more fun to drink booze and enjoy balmy ocean breezes while someone else roasts the pig.
Ready? U Know U Want 2 Go Go….
August 18, 2016
The weekend starts early.
The weekend starts now.
The weekend rocks hard and tastes great.
The weekend is yours for the taking, Angelenos!
ECHO PARK RISING — The FREE, hyper-local, by-the-seat-of-its-pants fest kicks off an impressive four days of programming tonight. Now in its sixth year, the all ages (some venues 21+), little-fest-that-could features 300+ emerging bands plus up-and-coming comics. The outdoor Main Stage at Liberty and Reservoir is operational Friday and Saturday nights only but there’s plenty of acts to catch on Thursday and Sunday plus beer gardens, local restos, food trucks and a Vendor Village A modestly priced VIP pass gets you privileges like: VIP viewing areas, skipping the line, easy bar access, and a goodie grab bag while supplies last. Logistical FAQs HERE. Why: Egyptian Lover (Thursday), Chicano Batman, Colleen Green (Friday), Sex Stains, the Weirdos, Bleached, Shannon Lay (Saturday) and Nocona (Sunday). Plus front-yard cookouts at Semi-Tropic.
L.A. TACO FESTIVAL — Returning to conveniently Metro-adjacent Grand Park for its 6th year of doing good via great eats, the L.A. Taco Festival features 30+ food vendors, both traditional and untraditional, to benefit Jovenes Inc., which provides housing for homeless youth. Admission is FREE to the all ages, open to the public, tac0-and-beyond takeover of Downtown’s “Park for Everyone”. However, buying a ticket further helps Jovenes and is certain to make the great grub taste even better, especially with a DJ soundtrack and dance performances. Why: Tacos, tacos, tacos then Viva Los Cupcakes under the sun.
EAGLE ROCK FESTIVAL — The homegrown Northeast Los Angeles festival is returning for its 17th year after a hiatus in 2015 to figure out a way to mitigate the expanding event’s impact on the community. While smaller and more contained, the fest returns on Saturday with a musical vengeance courtesy of headliners Orgone and Dengue Fever. The family friendly fest (A “Code of Conduct” asks fest attendees to watch their language.) is still FREE. However, two ticket types — for fast track entry ($10) and a VIP experience ($20) — have been introduced to raise money for local fest producing entity: the beloved Center for the Arts Eagle Rock for their children’s arts education program Why: Listening to the dreamy, rarely-seen-locally harpist/keyboardist Low Leaf (a.k.a. Angelica-Marie Lopez) with Ascension Crew on the Experimental Stage.
TIKI BASH AT DESCANSO GARDENS — For an upscale taste of the tropics, head to La Canada Flintridge for a balmy (okay, maybe warm) evening of Hawaiian dance, South Seas-inspired cocktails like Mai Tais and Navy Grog, and a sumptuous Aloha State inspired dinner buffet brought to you courtesy of the Patina Group. Entrees at Sunday’s feast include Hawaiian Style Kahlua Pork, grilled/glazed Teriyaki Chicken with coconut rice, Pan Seared White Fish with banana and macadamia nut crust and flavored shaved ice cones for dessert. There’s plenty in bloom at Descanso Gardens — a nationally accredited “museum of living collections” — so do venture beyond the Main Lawn where the bash is based. Why: celebrating the culture of the Paradise of the Pacific in one of L.A.’s local paradises.
Ready? U Know U Want 2 Go Go….
August 12, 2016
Saving your pennies for a jaunt to Paris or Peru?
No need to feel deprived while being thrifty.
Check out these three FREE events for a weekend that’s L.A.-fab and frugal to boot!
FISHEYES — We’re big fans of DTLA’s FREE Grand Performances AND Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre‘s site-specific performances. Tonight, Duckler and her troupe of performers will dance under the stars with a giant fish: a 15 foot stainless steel structure designed by architect Alex Ward. The performance, inspired by themes of water, drought and (of course) fish, will take place, appropriately, in the fountain area of California Plaza. FishEyes is the first segment in an L.A. series (and a larger tour) that includes A Fish Out of Water and Fancy Fish and features a score by Andrew McIntosh, projections by Josephine Wang and costumes designed by Valerj Pobega. Why: Imagining what it would be like to be Jonah (or Giuseppe and Pinocchio) in the whale.
See this painting by Mary-Austin Klein at the Frogtown Art Walk on August 13, 2016
FROGTOWN ART WALK 2016 — The official name of this Los Angeles river-adjacent area is Elysian Valley but it got its “Frogtown” nickname from the (sadly long-ago) days when the river was full enough to deposit croaking critters on either side. These days, instead of amphibians, the river banks are home to artists who will open their studios this Saturday for the 10th annual FREE art celebration in Northeast Los Angeles. Visit 30 artists studios and listen to music and more at seven stages (one curated by Spaceland of Echo Park). Art walk guests can also get a sneak preview of the new Los Angeles River VR Experience: a virtual reality documentary produced by Friends of the L.A. River (FoLAR) that “takes viewers on a journey from the mountains to the sea, from the past, through the present, and into the future of the Los Angeles River.” Parking is limited: RIDESHARE HIGHLY ADVISED! Why: Checking out art installations on the river path via foot or pedi-cab.
CicLAvia – ICONIC WILSHIRE — This Sunday, one of the city’s most historical connectors is once again being opened up for a FREE, all-day, car-free experience as cyclists, walkers, sprinters, peddlers, skaters and scooters travel the boulevard en masse. Explore the neighborhoods of Koreatown, Westlake and Downtown Los Angeles with PokeStops, coffee and water refueling opportunities and public art participation spots at three hubs: One Wilshire, MacArthur Park and the Wiltern in Koreatown. All three hubs have great giveaways (while supplies last). Check out the link above for information on a pre-CicLAvia 5K run as well as walks and feeder rides to the main event. Why: A chance for open air exploration including pedi-cabs for the less ambulatory.
Ready? U Know U Want 2 Go Go….
August 5, 2016
After the apocalyptic atmospheric conditions of recent weeks, this weekend feels downright paradisiacal.
Thank you, weather gods.
BREW AT THE ZOO — The 6th Annual Brew at the L.A. Zoo should not be considered a chance to get rip-roaring drunk but there is the possibility of close encounters of the roaring four-legged kind. General admission to the fur and feather-centric brew-vent gets you 5 ounce samples from 50+ local craft and microbreweries while enjoying DJ’s, live music, talks by zoo keepers and for-purchase food. Friday evening might be a good time to put on your Big Spender hat, however; the VIP option gives you early entrance by an hour PLUS access to two exclusive lounges with appetizers and specialty cocktails. Why: Getting a jump on Oktoberfest by listening to German polka band Der Burgermeister Boys while sipping an Alpine Brewing Company beer as monkeys howl under the stars.
FLYPOET SUMMER CLASSIC 2016 — Think you know poetry? Think again…or better yet, grab tickets fast for founder and host John Hensley’s annual, always sold out celebration of words both sung and spoken as well as created-on-the-spot art. Flypoet’s monthly event always includes music but for the Summer Classic, now in its sixth year, Hensley ups the game with celebrity musical acts. This year, Grammy nominated -artists Marcia Ambrosius and Dwele will be making special appearances at the intimate John Anson Ford Theater alongside the award-winning, internationally touring spoken word artists. Why: enjoying a picnic under the stars while listening to spoken slink and sizzle from National Poetry Champion Steve Connell, HBO Def Poet Sunni Patterson, 2013 Poet Laureate Tasha Jones and National Slam Finalist Shawn William.
David DiMichele’s work at Cabinet of Curiosities at Union Station: August 7 through August 31. (Photo courtesy David DiMichele)
CABINET OF CURIOSITIES ~ UNION STATION — There’s something sexy and mysterious – even transgressive — about this tiny, intimate art show in the middle of the cavernous grandeur of Union Station. Opening this Sunday in the Grand Waiting Room, Carl Berg curates a FREE show that involves looking through seven peepholes at seven worlds created by seven artists: Tanya Brosky, David DiMichele, Ashley Hagen, Noel Korten, Keith Lord and Cecilia Miniucchi. The concept is rooted in 17th century collections called “wonder rooms” — collections of oddities that were precursors to modern museums — that evolved to a fascination with miniatures. Through August 31. Why: Getting up close and personal with a world beyond your reach.
Ready? U Know U Want to Go Go….
