VIDEO – Beneath Los Angeles
Here’s a little tribute to the truly permanent residents of Los Angeles by Steve Goldstein, the man behind LA’s Graveside Companion: Where the V.I.P.s R.I.P. (and regular contributor to Find A Grave). This video features images from a book he’s working on… and for your internet pleasure, he also offers “GraveGrams” that you can send to your friends too.
Unfortunately, the video appears to have some buffering issues so for optimum enjoyment, I’d recommend pausing it to give it a chance to load before playing.
COVET THIS – Junk For Joy
*Click on the thumbnail image below to launch photo gallery*
HERE’S THE CONCEPT OF “COVET THIS”:
1. We walk into a store spontaneously.
2. We pick out a handful of random things that catch our eye/s.
3. We take covert photos.
4. We post the images with silly captions for you to see.
5. YOU are overwhelmed by an urge to rush to said establishment and possess said items (silly as they may be at times), thereby helping very small businesses to stay afloat during our troubled economy. :)
The Chosen Store: Purveyors of “fun and funky clothing, collectibles and other goodies,” Junk For Joy
The Location: 3314 West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank (818) 569-4903
Our Previous Customer Experience: I first wandered into Junk For Joy back in the 80s during a lunch break when I was working at a record company nearby. Although I hadn’t been back in over a decade, I was surprised to find that it hasn’t changed at all. Literally! I think it even has some of the same inventory. It was like visiting the 80s again, only this time I wasn’t wearing blue eyeshadow and moon boots.
HUMOR – Neely Bros: we’re just down the river from Crazy Gideon’s!
A parody commercial courtesy of The Groundlings
FLASHBACK – Disco Duck vs. Disgorilla
Sure, some of us older folk may remember L.A. radio personality Rick Dees from his creepy Disco Duck days. But raise your hand if you remember Disgorilla, the Disco Duck sequel.
Yeah, me neither.
The 70s were full of questionable taste, so it’s not entirely surprising that Disco Duck hit number one in the pop charts of 1976. The song sold six million copies – 
one of which was bought for me by my sister. But believe it or not, it also rose to number 15 on the Black Singles chart. (Really? Huh.)
As for Disgorilla? Yeah, Rick didn’t have quite as much success with that one. But it’s okay. Even though Ryan Seacrest usurped his 30 year career in an Eve-like swoop, the 59 year-old Dees seems to be keeping busy as co-founder of Fine Living and founder of Rick.com.
Hey, just as long as he’s not planning on spending his retirement writing more disco songs, we’re good.
SNL – Sheila Choad’s Los Angeles Face
I think I saw a few of these women this weekend. Seriously girls, KNOCK IT OFF.
Aging gracefully is way sexier than being a fish-lipped plastic freak. You are already beautiful.
HATING LA – via Futurama
As we’ve established, Los Angeles – like all cities – does have good and bad points. That said, it’s simply in every resident and visitor’s best interest to learn how to handle themselves properly. In my grandmother’s generation, it was common Angeleno knowledge that the very best way to divert the ravenous, wandering packs of gun-toting pre-teens that wander like gypsies through our city (see clip above) was just to tell them to sit down while you go and make them a sandwich and then head for cover as they impatiently waited to be served. But times have changed and so have ten year olds.
According to our sources, in 2009 a better technique is to carry a book – any book – with you in case the gang is female. When the rabid little girl gang approaches, hide the cover of the book from them and pretend to be reading. Suddenly scream out “OMIGOD! I CAN’T BELIEVE I GOT THIS UNRELEASED TWILIGHT BOOK BEFORE EVERYBODY ELSE!” and in your excitement, throw the book skyward INTO THE OTHER DIRECTION. Run. Do not look back. You do not want to see what armed little girls will do to each other to get that book.
If the gang is all boys, the sandwich thing still works like gold. For a mixed group, sandwiches and books, in that order. Be safe out there, Los Angeles.
IMAGERY – Adventures in Stupid Signage
SOME PEOPLE JUST *WANT* YOU TO FAIL.
“Hey there, drivers on Fairfax! I’m a fancy sign the city paid for you to see! Yooo hooo! Look up here! I wanna tell you something… look up here! Come on… look up here! NOOOO! FOCUS ON THE ROAD, YOU IDIOT!!!! What is WRONG with you!? What the Hell were you looking up here for!? What are you trying to do, kill someone!?”
