The good people behind LA Taco, one of my favorite local blogs, are currently busy seeding their annual “Best Taco, Los Angeles” poll. I was asked to help seed their poll for the readers and voters, and I did do that. However: This task gave me pause.

Since moving to Long Beach last year I’ve been content to explore the new area, secure with the belief that my day job on the west side meant that at the drop of a pin, I could still tell a complete stranger where to get a decent taco within any 12-block radius of Los Angeles proper, having lived there for a decade and arguably working there, still. Looking over my list, however, I’m feeling less and less like that is the case. Please: Help. What am I missing? Much love, Ryan

1. Tacos Sinaloa: The Vampiro (Highland Park)
Ave 54 / Gold line general vicinity
Note that this is an entirely different “Vampiro” than the vegetable drinks that are called the same thing at Cactus #1 on Beverly. Of the two, when hungry, this easily would be the Vampiro you’d prefer. Wash it down with 80 beers from Mister T’s Bowl or the Little Cave. Though I no longer date a girl in HP I REALLY MISS THIS TINY TACO WAGON!

2. El Atacor 11: Potato Taco (Cypress Park)
2622 N Figueroa St
Buy in bulk. Great party food.

»continue reading Completely Random, Probably Outdated List of 10 Decent Tacos in Greater Los Angeles

»continue reading Poll: Which Show Should Take the Place of the Cancelled HARD M.I.A. for Pick of the Week?

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Alright then. This one should have ran back with favorite music stuff of ’09, but Victor took forever to put together a list. Better late then never. You know the drill, vote from above and/or stick your own suggestions in the comments. I’m sure there are some we left out. –Ed.

PHOTO by Ryan. Unidentified man at Dan Sung Sa, Koreatown, July 2005.

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Here we go. After hitting tacos, sandwiches and coffee, booze is the obvious next choice. We rattled off about 25 random spots to prime the pump and get the voting started. Of course preference of watering hole is one of the more subjective topics, so this poll especially is all about you adding your own picks in the comments below for us to stick in the poll. –Ed.

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Here we go. A few of our own coffee picks to get this one started. We’ll keep adding to the list. Feel free to stick your own favorites in comments below and we’ll add them to the poll so you can vote the shit out of them. –Ed.

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Here we go–a few sandwiches to get this one started. We took some liberty and expanded the definition of sandwich to include things like gyros and brautwurst. Basically anything eaten with the hands that is a protein (or vegetable) between a bread that isn’t a taco. We’ll keep adding to the list. Feel free to stick your own picks in comments below and we’ll try to add them in the poll so you can vote them up. –Ed.

PHOTO of “pre-masticated dry-as-shit tacos” by Ryan from Surfer Taco Truck.

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Of course food and drink are the next most important things after music and shows. Same deal as before–we just stuck a dozen or so regular taco haunts to get this one started. We’ll keep adding to the list. Feel free to stick your own favorite picks in comments below and we’ll try to add them in the poll so you can vote the shit out of them. –Ed.

PHOTO by Sung. You at the 2009 Coachella Festival.

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Here we go–stuck in a dozen or so festivals to get this one started. We’ll keep adding to the list. Feel free to stick your own picks in comments below and we’ll try to add them in the poll so you can vote the shit out of them. –Ed.

PHOTO by Sung. Thom Yorke at the Orpheum Theater, October 5, 2009
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Same deal as before–we just stuck 20 or so shows to get this one started. Mostly we just went down the shows Sung covered in 2009. We’ll keep adding to the list. Feel free to stick your own picks in comments below and we’ll try to add them in the poll so you can vote the shit out of them. –Ed.

PHOTO by Sung. Animal Collective, Troubadour, February 27, 2009

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We just stuck in a dozen or songs to get this one started. We’ll keep adding to the list. Feel free to stick your own picks in comments below and we’ll try to add them in the poll so you can vote the shit out of them. Click the post title to vote again. And again. –Ed.

PHOTO by Sung. Dinosaur Jr at the Troubadour, June 22, 2009

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We just stuck in 20 or so albums to get this party started. We’ll keep adding albums to the list. Feel free to stick your own picks in comments below and we’ll try to add them in the poll so you can vote the shit out of them. Click the post title to vote again. And again. –Ed.

Discontented with Citysearch’s firm declaration that Backstage Bar and Grill in Culver City is the best venue in Los Angeles, 2009 – and blatantly throwing mud in the eyes of the 53% of NBC Los Angeles readers’ votes for the Troubadour earlier this year, MyFOX Los Angeles now poses the verysame yet apparently never-tired question in an online post-Labor-Day poll: What’s the best venue in Los Angeles? Choices at press time include:

• Alex Theatre (Glendale)
• The Glass House (Pomona)
• Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza (Thousand Oaks)
• Crash Mansion (Note: no longer in business; formerly downtown, Los Angeles; last known booking occurred roughly one year ago. Do not let this dissuade you from voting for Crash Mansion)
• Awakenings Coffee House (Lomita)
• Haugh Performing Arts Center (Glendora)
• The Canyon Club (Agoura Hills)
• World Famous Goodfellas (Rancho Cucamonga)

Plus a few places in Los Angeles just for good measure, what the hell. So, which is it, LA? Get out the vote! (Note: You must register at MyFoxLA before voting for Crash Mansion, T.O. Civic Arts Plaza, World Famous Goodfellas Rancho Cucamonga or any of the other venues not actually in Los Angeles above for best venue, Los Angeles.)

» LA’s Best Live Venue Citysearch Poll: Spazio Restaurant or Plan B?
» Citysearch Amps Strange Factor in Local “Best Venue 2009″ Lists
» Venues the Losanjealous editorial staff attend regularly may be found here

Hey, Kids! It’s Music Blog Demographic Gut-Check Departmental Survey Time! Today’s polling background from over Curbed way:

Just a month ago, the Lofts at Cherokee Studios, a 12-unit Pugh + Scarpa-designed building launched its official web site, floorplans and all. Now the building, built on the site of the old Cherokee Studios (where Sinatra and Bowie recorded), has launched its blog and announced it’s creating a “Platinum Showcase.” Developer REthink has partnered with four architects to each create a loft that will pay homage to the musicians who recorded on that site. Rogerio Carvalheiro will design a loft that honors David Bowie, interior designers Kristin Casey and Rick Rifle will design for Frank Sinatra, Lori Dennis & Brook Casey will pay tribute to Alice Cooper, and Jennifer Siegel’s Office of Mobile Design and Sandra Sharma are designing a penthouse suite in homage to 30 Seconds to Mars. Wait, huh? How did 30 Seconds to Mars sneak in there with Sinatra, Bowie and Cooper?

Beatles producer George Martin once called Cherokee Studios the best recording studio in America. The recording alumni list published by the studio itself reads like a who’s who of late 20th century music…Devo, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Public Enemy, Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Who…with all those guys waiting in the wings, why exactly in hell the 30 Secs To Mars Hot Topic-suffused Penthouse design again, guys? Has Jared Leto already signed on to purchase the goddamned thing? We understand they helped raise some money for Habitat – and no fooling, that’s great – but seriously, the penthouse alongside Sinatra? User poll time! This is your chance to passively tell owner Bruce Robb and designers Jennifer Siegel and Sandra Sharma, by way of a random pointless music blog poll, which artist you’d really like to see that Legendary Cherokee Studios penthouse paying tribute to come October. Don’t snooze.

»continue reading Which Cherokee Studios Music-Themed Penthouse Do You Crave The Most?

Citysearch! Where did we go wrong? Following yesterday’s playful post on Losanjealous you’ve now removed all 20 hilarious listings from your Best Los Angeles Venue 2009 As Voted By Local Readers On July 29, 2009 list, declaring no winners and nonchalantly advising that I “take a look at another city.” Fine, I’ll look at other cities, though I really do live in Los Angeles. Lessee…hrmm…ah yes, here we go. Chicago now has a #1 best venue and two #2 best venues for 2009 as declared by Citysearch readers, but nothing further, and New York officially has a four-way tie for eighth-best venue of 2009 as declared by Citysearch readers – 8th place being between The Bowery Electric, Bowery Ballroom, S.O.B.’s and Sutra Lounge.

Red herring. That shit just does not help me locally, guys. Declaring “no victor” is an open-faced, glove-across-the-cheek, spit-on-the-feet insult to each and every establishment that calls itself a venue in our fair city. I call on you now: Where should I go if I am seeking the Best Live Venue in Los Angeles, 2009? Where should I turn? What dark, alcohol-suffused, scuffed-floor club, and/or posh restaurant, shall claim the victor spoils for 2009? Who’s getting that coveted wall plaque? You still make those nifty plaques, right!? Help! I’ll continue to hang on to my Zagat Nightlife (2005 edition) until I get some answers.

UPDATE, 228pm: Later That Same Day: Citysearch now firmly declares Backstage Bar and Grill the Best Live Venue in Los Angeles, 2009 as chosen by its readers. Congrats to BB&G, who are followed by Roxy, Rusty’s Surf Ranch, The Draft Bar and Grill, Echo, and a four-way tie for sixth place featuring V Lounge, Air Conditioned, Spaceland and Hotel Cafe. Whither Sgt. Pepper’s Dueling Piano Cafe In Long Beach and Plan B Gentleman’s Club Down On Pico in this mostly normal list? Sigh.

We do not wish to discuss the Microsoft-Yahoo deal announced today, opting instead to point out a timely issue directly affecting our readership: namely, the Best Live Music Venue In Los Angeles title. To bring you up to speed, NBC conducted a Best Live Venue In Los Angeles poll not long ago. Now, it’s Citysearch’s turn to bat. And bat they do! In the current Citysearch poll, the top four live music venues in Los Angeles are Shore Ultra Lounge in Long Beach, The Draft Bar and Grill in Studio City, Plan B in “that one Mr-Cecil’s-Ribs-themed stretch of West LA Pico” and Spazio Restaurant in Sherman Oaks.

Say What?

The curious top ten list continues: Sgt. Pepper’s Dueling Piano Cafe (Long Beach), Rusty’s Surf Ranch (Santa Monica Pier), Cabana Club (Tinseltown proper), Backstage Bar & Grill (Culver), Zanzibar and the Roxy. Ah, #10! Finally a venue we’d consider legitimately worthy of the running. Say what you will about the Citysearch audience and its dwindling vitality, they have definitely heard of the Roxy. (Aside to Citysearch: We fully understand you had no room on this list for the Hollywood Bowl, guys, but did you really have to leave off Applebee’s West Covina as well?)

»continue reading Vote Today for LA’s Best Live Venue in Citysearch Poll: Spazio Restaurant or Plan B? Only 13 Hours Left!