Mayhap you saw the tweet by Victor already, live at the scene. If not, let it be known that the Santa Monica Food Truck Lot is, at present, closed, the issue being that the lot’s zoning language does not explicity state “food truck use”. New language will need to be added and approved before the trucks may begin doling out those cute, tasty, cute-and-tasty and occasionally neither-cute-nor-tasty sub-$10 meals to aficionados of the westside gourmet lonchera scene.

Certainly not the first time The Man has clashed with a conglomeration (coalition?) of food trucks in our fair city. Anybody remember 5750 Wilshire Blvd a few months back? Stick around for full details as they trickle in. Meantime, solidarity tweets may be directed here: @SMFoodTruckLot

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» On The Scene at the Santa Monica Food Truck Lot Opening Day (Los AnJealous)
» India Jones Chow Truck Impounded By Po-Po, Back On Streets Today (Losangelous)
» LAPD Officially Tasked With Throwing Fines At Your Favorite Food Truck (LosAnJelous)
» Green Truck “Scoping Out” Museum Square Today (Losanjealous)
» Nothing Of Interest To Be Gleaned From This Post (Los Anjealous)

PHOTO: LL COOL J as NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna ENHANCES.

The Futon Critic passes along the log line for tonight’s episode “Breach”, sure to be another riveting installment of our very own NCIS: Los Angeles:

THE MURDER OF A PETTY OFFICER FORCES SAM TO CONFRONT SOMEONE IN HIS LIFE WHO MAY HAVE A CONNECTION TO TERROIST ACTIVITY, ON “NCIS: LOS ANGELES,” TUESDAY, JAN. 5

“Breach” – The death of a Petty Officer leads the NCIS team to a teenager in Sam’s life. Meanwhile, Hetty is concerned about the effect that the workload is having on the team, on NCIS: LOS ANGELES, Tuesday, Jan. 5 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

SERIES REGULARS:

NCIS Special Agent G. Callen…………………… Chris O’Donnell
NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna………………… LL COOL J
Henrietta “Hetty” Lange…………………………. Linda Hunt
Operational Psychologist Nate Getz…………… Peter Cambor
NCIS Special Agent Kensi Blye ………………… Daniela Ruah
NCIS Special Agent Dominic Vail ……………… Adam Jamal Craig

[NB: It is in LL COOL J's contract that his name always be written out in ALL CAPS, in case you were wondering.]

»continue reading Brand New NCIS: Los Angeles Episode Tonight

If you are looking for a little workday background music, KCRW has the online radio exclusive on serving up VW’s new platter, Contra. Preliminary listening confirms that it is indeed Vampire Weekend.

Ezra vamping. Photo by Karen from their Silver Lake Lounge show in 2007.
 
 

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AN ALL BUT SURELY COACHELLA-APPEARANCE-CONFIRMING HEADS UP

Vampire Weekend @ Fox Theater Pomona (Presale Wed 1/6/10) Wed 4/14
 

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PROBABLY MORE VAMPIRE WEEKEND THAN YOU ACTUALLY NEED

Princeton, Grand Ole Party and Vampire Weekend at the Echo on December 3, 2007
Coachella 2008 Festival Photo Gallery: Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend, Secret Show, Chinatown, Halloween 2009
Vampire Weekend, Hollenbeck Park, November 1, 2009
Vampire Weekend, Henry Fonda Theater, January 12, 2010 [upcoming]

Los Angeles County residents, businesses and visitors are enjoying improved service thanks to a new Verizon Wireless cell site. The site improves 3G wireless coverage in a residential neighborhood near Woodland Hills Country Club. The increase in network coverage and capacity means more calls, emails, text and picture messages for locals, plus expanded wireless access to the web.[ITBusinessNet.com]

While we’re on the subject of phones and 3G… Does anyone actually have T-Mobile for 3G wireless phone data? How’s the speed throughout Greater Los Angeles? We’re thinking of dumping AT&T for T-Mobile to jump on a Nexus One Google phone or Nokia N900. Thx for any feedback.

Now if only she can do for Kemp what Kate Hudson did for A-Rod. Kidding–of course all that relationship-on-field performance correlation talk is bullshit.

Kudos to TMZ for coining the pun “Kemp woman.”

Always interesting to see how an LA Times Blog post gets filed under News and not roped off with the Perez Hiltons of the world under Blogs. Regardless, it is great to see them actually link the source that broke the story, HollywoodLife, in this particular case.

Lot B closing at LAX starting Thursday [Daily News]

[Ode forthcoming--Ed.]

Over at the vacant parking lot at 14th St. and Santa Monica Blvd. India Jones, Border Grill, Barbie’s Q and Fishlips are the first to set up shop. The lot could probably accommodate 8 trucks at the expense of some customer parking spots. Could probably not handle the dozen or so listed on their flier all at once.

Deep fried samosa spring rolls from India Jones. $3.00. Best item consumed today.

Border Grill tacos, pork & potato, $3.00 & $2.50 respectively. Slightly above average tasty, but tiny and relatively overpriced. Reliable as they may be, going to have to file away B.G. truck into the Overpriced & Cute category going forward in ’10. Not going out of my way for their meals on wheels when the restaurant is always an option.

Rolls from Fishlips. Decent 6-piece sampler, probably priced about right at $5.95. F.L. was the least busy truck around 12:30 or so.

Will probably be back again to see how this project unfolds. The ambitious plan for the location is Monday-Friday, 11am-8 pm. A couple of picnic benches would be great. Would be fun to see some pricing battles between the trucks for customers’ dollars if this takes root in the area long term.

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Twitter>> @SMFoodTruckLot

PICK OF THE WEEK

Sonic Youth
Fri Jan 8
Fox Theater Pomona
Sat Jan 9
The Wiltern
 
 

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NEXT WEEK’S TICKET GIVEAWAY

The Pee-wee Herman Show
Thurs Jan 14
Club Nokia
4-week engagement starts January 12
Performance schedule & Info
[ENTER TO WIN]
 
 
 

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HEADS UP

Kimya Dawson, Your Heart Breaks, Angelo Spencer @ The Smell Thu 1/14
Leo Nocentelli (Meters), w/Stanton Moore (Galactic) & Bill “Budda” Dickens (Stevie Wonder) @ The Mint Sat 1/16
Robin Williams On Fire, Mincemeat Or Tenspeed, Realicide, Simo Soo @ The Smell (Smell Anniversary Fest Day 1) Fri 1/22
Lucky Dragons, Mi Ami, Foot Village, VNC, Misscincinnati @ The Smell (Smell Anniversary Fest Day 2) Sat 1/23
Abe Vigoda @ The Smell Thu 1/28
Alex’s Bar 10 Year Anniversary Show – Throw Rag, Mike Watt and the Secondmen plus Very Special Guests TBA @ Alex’s Bar (Long Beach) (Alex’s Bar 10 Year Anniversary) Sat 1/30
I See Hawks in LA @ Redwood Bar & Grill Sat 1/30
Vivian Girls @ The Smell Sat 2/6
 
 

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MONDAY
The French Semester, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, The Spires & The Health Club @ The Echo
Year Long Disaster w/ Open Hand & Totimoshi @ Spaceland

TUESDAY
Olin and the Moon w/ Marnie Herald @ The Echo (free)
Whispering Pines, Old Toy Trains & Space Waves @ Spaceland

WEDNESDAY
Origami Vinyl Night w/ Twilight Sleep & Kissing Cousins @ Pershing Square (Spaceland on Ice)
Wet & Reckless w/ Butterfly Child, Tigers Can Bite You, The Rhone Occupation @ Spaceland

THURSDAY
Sun Araw, James Ferraro, Sean McCann, The Urxed @ The Smell
The Happy Hollows w/George Glass, One Trick Pony & Dirt Dress @ The Mint

FRIDAY
Sonic Youth @ Fox Theater Pomona

SATURDAY
Al Kooper @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop
Sonic Youth @ The Wiltern

SUNDAY
Al Kooper @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop
Zola Jesus, Pocahaunted, Sissy Spacek, DJ Dean Spunt (No Age) @ The Smell

We rounded up all 146 live Los Angeles shows covered on Losanjealous in 2009.

Below the jump are links to spreads of Adele, Animal Collective, Aziz Ansari, Cat Power, Camera Obscura, Jenny Lewis, Lykke Li, Little Boots, St. Vincent, Bat for Lashes, Thom Yorke, Julian Casablancas, Julian Plenti, Mew, Kid Cudi, The Walkmen, Pearl Jam, U2, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Jay-Z & ZZ Top, among many, many, many more from 2009.

»continue reading 2009: The Year in Los Angeles Live Rock Photos