Heisenflei, the cool-as-a-cucumber redhead of the duo The Pity Party is fully reclined in a chair as she sips a mojito at Malo. TPP have been receiving so much positive heat lately that they could melt grandma’s fillings. They recently played what is known in some circles as a catalyst into indie stardom; Sunset Junction. Barring the technical difficulties, the show was pretty good, however Heisenflei had some other opinions.

Shane: So, how do you feel about the show?

Heisenflei: Absolutely horrified.

S: Wow, that’s quite a response. Was it that bad?

H: Well, about 3/4 into our opening number, YR Life=Nice, Maurice’s pedal died.

S: That sucks, how did you guys recover?
»continue reading Sunset Junction 2007: The Pity Party

You sat there, and waited.
When were we going to try it? Maybe tomorrow.
You sat there, and waited.
The leaves turned green to brown then back to green again.
You sat there, and waited.
We’d look up at the sign and chuckle about future memories.

You waited no more.

Good bye Cuchi Cuchi, you waited patiently for us on the corner of Hollywood and Edgemont, but we took for granted the fickle nature that is fine dining in Los Angeles. You will be missed.

A moment of silence please.
…

Cuchi Cuchi
?-2007

Past my initial disappointment that there were no new tie designs for fall 2007, Fashion Week LA has been interesting to say the least. In the fashion world, LA has been relegated to be the bastard red-headed step child.; despite our tantrums we only get bemused scoffs and patronizing pats on the heads.

Kicking off fashion week was Gen Art’s New Garde show at Ivar Studios in Hollywood. Gen Art has been the vanguard of emerging fashion talent, and this time around was no exception. Showing their wares were three up and coming talents Alms, Mintee and Hazel Brown. Giving a synopsis of the fashion front will be Ensign Lisa. Ensign Lisa is a new recruit in my fleet, as her skills to take a burlap sack and wear it like a Galliano gown are know the Empire over.

Enter Ensign Lisa:
»continue reading Fashion Week LA 2007: Gen Art’s New Garde

“Have you heard of RBD?”

“.. RBD?! You mean Rebelde?!”

“Yeah, have you heard of them?”

“OMG, I LOVE THEM!”

“Wanna go to their concert and possibly interview them with me?”

“eeeeeeeeeee!!!”

This was the conversation I had with my resident Mexican Culture specialist, Rosalva. Apparently, she likes them very much. And it seems that the rest of the world does too as they’re outselling stadium crowds around the globe and have multi-platinum albums. Still not ringing any bells? Well lets just say this, RBD (AKA: Rebelde) is to the music world what soccer (AKA: fútbol) is to the sporting world. They’re huge.

When we arrived at The Gibson Amphitheatre the line to get in already snaked its way past the Billabong store and was well on its way to Things From Another World. Age range was amazing, from 40-50 year olds to toddlers and ‘tweens. Since I’ve missed out on the NKTOB phenom, this must have been what it was like.

For the uninitiated, RBD is comprised of 3 girls and 3 boys spawned from a very popular Mexican telenovela. They are a cross between N*Sync, Spice Girls and Beverly Hills 90210, all rolled into one. Their image is a branding powerhouse as their faces and names are emblazoned on everything from lunch pails to pillow cases which many of the fans brought with them to show their dedication the RBD nation.

Juan, 23 and a rabid RBD fan from Riverside, CA (yes folks, he came all the way from the 909 to see RBD) was in line pacing and brimming with excitement.
»continue reading RBD @ Gibson Ampitheatre: The Phenomenon Dissected

Crammed into Rudy’s Barbershop Thursday were the throngs of Paper Magazine patrons who were celebrating how much we love LA…which I guess is very LA in itself. There were promises of booze, music, makeup, and more hipsters than the eye can see. And did they deliver.

At the entrance of Rudy’s was an ice cream truck filled with candy, ice cream, and MAC cosmetics. The truck was manned by a troupe of ennui laden MAC girls who doled out the sweets. I asked if they had anymore ice cream, no. I asked what kind of makeup they had, I got an eye roll and a heavy sigh while she gestured to the Lusterglass. Ok, well can I have a Blueberry Airhead? She tosses one my way just to get my ugly mug out of the window. I love LA!
»continue reading Hairycopter, Hairycopter, over my head

The air is thick with the summertime heat as the locals stroll along the boulevard, trying to escape the Easy-Bake ovens that their apartments have become. Looking for Wah’s Golden Hen can be a bit of a task in the oft overlooked area of Virgil, the only beacon of culinary hope being Cha Cha Cha. After mistaking the location for a Laundromat I finally find it on the corner of Virgil and Melrose, catty corner from Cha Cha Cha. The neon flickered “Open” a few times, so I entered.

I was warmly greeted by the host and given the VIP table in the back of the restaurant where a large round table sits in an alcove of the main dining area. I imagine many a shady dealing has been made in this location, much like the dark intimate booths at the Pacific Dining Car. The furnishings of Wah’s somewhat tries to replicate this with the dark cherry wood tables and chairs which oddly contrasts with the Chinatown tchotchkes that adorn the walls.
»continue reading Profile: Wah’s Golden Hen

When I got this week’s food assignment I had to think it was a setup, as the Cuchi Cuchi Restaurant was literally down the street from me. Already from the get-go this restaurant had garnered 10 points, and I hadn’t even stepped through the door.

Accompanying me on this quest were fellow foodies Rosalva and Ariel. When my krew and I reached the door, however, we were met with an unpleasant surprise: The Cuchi Cuchi was closed tight. Towering over us like a peach Chinois citadel, it mocked us: We were not worthy to enter on this day. [photo]

Unfazed and determined to finish a food article for the commanding officers at losanjealous, I needed to find a restaurant that would fill both my mind and my belly. And by golly, we did. Located on the corner of Hollywood and Edgemont, Pollo Dorado was open for business right across the street from the Cuchi Cuchi.

We sauntered in and cased the joint.

Pollo Dorado is fabulous in all its strip mall glory. It beams rays of mediocrity for the entire world to see. As we entered we were greeted by a morose looking Asian fellow working the register. Rosalva and I found it refreshing to see an Asian working at a Mexican restaurant. It’s as if we were in the land of topsy-turvy.

Me: Hi! How are you doing?

Asian Fellow:…

Me: What are your specialties?

Asian Fellow:…

Me:…

Ariel: Maybe it’s their chicken? Just a hunch.

Thanks to the keen senses of my fellow foodie I was led to the best deal in the restaurant: $3.89 for a quarter chicken, rice, beans, tortilla and salsa. Salsa is a scarce commodity. There’s a complicated set of rules outlining how much salsa you get for your meal, concluding with the words NOT FREE.

Best of all, they had BANG! I love ordering BANG! because it gives me an excuse to yell at the cashier. After ordering we went to find a table, and this time it was Rosalva’s turn to yell.

»continue reading Losanjealous Reviews Cuchi Cuchi Pollo Dorado

Note from the editor: We sent Intern Shane to Tommy’s yesterday with explicit instructions: Eat six of the 60-cent Chiliburgers on Tommy’s 60th Anniversary, Shane. Sixty-cent sixpack.

Telling many of my friends of the assignment given by the taskmasters at losanjealous prompted a liberal number of “!” and “?” filling my chat windows. Yes, I am to eat six Tommy’s burgers in celebration of their 60th anniversary.

On my approach to the sacred shack, I find a few ambulances lazily patrolling the perimeter. I find this comforting.

The scene: Organized chaos. Two news vans with satellite dishes at full extension, live mariachi bands, decent crowd control by the LAPD. Oh yeah, and of course, the line.

You’d think they were giving out Nintendo Wii’s. It took me about two minutes to actually get to the very end of the line at which point I nearly gave up hope of completing this assignment. Luckily, my photographer Rick was thinking straight.

Rick: Wait, we’re press! Isn’t there something we can do about this?

Me: Oh yeah. You’re right!

I took the two-minute walk back to the front of the line. Back to the shack. I finally found the guy in charge, Brent Maire, who was as crisp and clean as a 1950’s soda jerk.
»continue reading Tommy’s At 60: The Six Sixty-Cent Chili-Cheese Chiliburger Cheeseburger Challenge