Meet the Maker: Alice Jun Brings Her Artisanal Rice Wine to Echo Park Tonight

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Karin E. Baker

Tonight’s your chance to try some artisanal rice wine – with the Broooklyn-based maker – when Alice Jun of Hana Makgeolli visits OTOTO and Tsubuki!

Located next door to each other in Echo Park, OTOTO and Tsubuki are renowned Japanese eateries. OTOTO was called “L.A.’s best sake bar” by “The Los Angeles Times,” while “Food & Wine” declared that “Tsubaki pours the most interesting sake in L.A.”

Winemaker Alice Jun will make her way back and forth between between both spots tonight. She’ll offer flights and single pours at OTOTO. Tsubaki will offer a seasonal special pairing offered by Jun’s creations. 

OTOTO is walk-in only. Reservations can be made at Tsubaki via TOCK.

Tsubaki is located at 1356 Allison Avenue. OTOTO is at 1360 Allison Avenue. 

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Movies Till Dawn: All Creatures Great and Small

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Paul Gaita

* indicates that this title is also available to rent, stream, or purchase on various platforms. Please note that streaming options may differ from these home video presentations in terms of visuals, supplemental features, etc.

“The Great Alligator” * (1979, Severin Films)  Displeased with American real estate developer Mel Ferrer’s plan to disrupt his kingdom – a sprawling kingdom located in a faux Africa (played by Sri Lanka) – with a luxury hotel, the river god Kroona takes the form of an enormous alligator and eats his way through Ferrer’s staff and guests, with only photographer Claudio Cassinelli and anthropologist Barbara Bach to oppose him. As Brett Gallman’s review for Oh, The Horror rightly notes, this Italian-made creature feature takes its cues from not only “Jaws” but also the then-popular Eurocult trend of Forbidden Jungle Adventure/Horror, as evidenced by the indigenous tribe that worships Kroona, a mix-and-match crew of Black, Asian, and white performers in dusky makeup and primitive gear that seem pulled from a Depression Era Tarzan film. Though racial sensitivity may not be director Sergio Martino’s strong suit, he does know how to deliver entertaining exploitation, and lets his sizable but stiff Kroona model chew its way through the cast with abandon; he also ups the ante by also pitting the survivors against the local tribe, who are (understandably) ticked off by the outsiders’ decision to kill off their god. With Richard Johnson in Crazed Old Coot mode and little Silvia Collatina from “House By the Cemetery” as a filter-free grade-schooler; Severin’s release offers the first-ever release of “Great Alligator” in 4K UHD (a standard Blu-ray is also included) with a host of extras, several of which are ported over from a previous Code Red release. These include interviews with Martino, Collatina, production designer Antontello Geleng, and DP Giancarlo Ferrando, all of whom recall the film with varying degrees of amusement and affection. Production sketches and a video essay by Lee Gambin round out the set.

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La Traviata at LA Opera – The Lady Has Been Paid In Full

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Bob Lee

Rachel Willis-Sorenson as Violetta Valery in the LA Opera production of La Traviata. Photo by Cory Weaver, used with permission. 

In the current LA Opera production of La Traviata, relocated here from San Francisco, things are presented with a highly modern touch of naughtiness. From the opening party scene, the action periperhal to the singing shows a visible sexual tension among the attendees. The Spanish Dancers from Flora’s soiree get a cheeky update that turns out to be quite a stunning optical illusion. The staging tends to bright pastel colors. In contrast to the deep-red-velvet hued version that ran at the Chandler for at least twenty years, it feels much more like springtime in Paris.

But the true reason to catch this production in its final week is the vocal performance of Rachel Willis-Sorenson as Violetta. She wowed us as Desdemona in Otello last fall, and did not disappoint upon her return in one of the most famous and beloved roles from this repertoire. This piece depends heavily on the coloratura capacity of the singer, and she’s got a truly special instrument. Darkness and light can occur even at the highest of the high notes.

The entire vocal performance is a knockout, and Verdi under James Conlon’s conducting seems right to me. This is like the Taylor Swift concert of operas, a real pop showstopper (right up to that slow-burn bummer of an ending, at least.) And this edition hits those big notes in a satisfying way.

La Traviata appears at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Wednesday, April 24 and Saturday, April 27. Tickets are available at the LA Opera website.

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watt’s picture of the week – saturday, april 20, 2024

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Mike Watt

gene gave us members of the san pedro bay historical society got a most happening tour of chinatown today!

photo by mike watt

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mike watt’s hoot page

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Movies Till Dawn: Bless the Beavers and the Children

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Paul Gaita

* indicates that this title is also available to rent, stream, or purchase on various platforms. Please note that streaming options may differ from these home video presentations in terms of visuals, supplemental features, etc.

“Hundreds of Beavers” (2022) The only things standing between the hapless yet durable Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, and the hand of a grumpy furrier’s bewitching daughter (Olivia Graves) are the (literal) hundreds of malicious beavers that ruined his apple farm and now view him as their personal punching bag. Said beavers are played by a host of actors in sports mascot-styled costumes (same goes for the raccoons, bunnies, and sled dogs in the film) which may suggest a 21st century take on Sid and Marty Krofft’s mind-bending kid TV, but “Beavers” hews a lot closer to the silent comedy of Buster Keaton and early Merrie Melodies cartoon shorts, with which it shares a wholehearted disregard for the constraints of gravity and reality. As with Tews’ previous feature, the equally delirious “Lake Michigan Monster” (the editor of which, Mike Cheslik, takes over here as director and co-writer with Tews), “Beavers” unfolds entirely in black-and-white and with no dialogue save for a symphony of grunts, thumps, and clangs, and employs a host of film techniques, including animation of puppetry, to allow Tews and his beaver foes to sail through the air, plunge through frozen rivers, and bash each other with Jackie Chan-like abandon. Mayhem for mayhem’s sake wears out its welcome quickly, but Cheslik and Tews have mined the gag potential in a man vs. nature scenario with a thoroughness and inventiveness that would undoubtedly please Chuck Jones, and the results are laugh-out-loud funny, even if you aren’t aware of its inspirations (and save for a few suggestive gags, it’s perfectly fine for kids). Available now on Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandor, with other platforms to follow.
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Visit This Pasadena Hidden Gem for “Cocina Mexiquense”

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Karin E. Baker

Chef Pablo Salas. Image credit: Michael Kleinberg

Tucked away inside the Hotel Dena, an art-driven Pasadena hotel, you’ll find Agents Only, a restaurant and bar with a unique look thanks to its wall of speakers and vintage TVs. The space’s allure goes deeper than visuals, however, thanks to the addition of Chef Pablo Salas, who just started a partnership with this hidden gem. 

A native of Mexico who’s competed on “Iron Chef: Mexico,” Salas has two restaurants in the Mexico City area, as well as in Chicago and Florida. Located in Toluca, Mexico, Salas’ first restaurant, Amaranta, repeatedly appears on San Pellegrino’s list of  “Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants.”

Though classically trained in French techniques, Chef Salas decided he was more interested in perfecting “cocina Mexiquense,” the cuisine of where he grew up – the state of Mexico – that stresses simplicity, vibrance, and layers of flavor.

At Agents Only, Salas’ first project on the West Coast, you’ll encounter delicious, sharable dishes like mushroom-laden Queso Fundido, Guacamole Tuna with chipotle aioli, creamy Enchiladas El Huerto, a decadent quesadilla stuffed with butter-poached lobster, and Fajita Enchiladas packed with peppers, onions, and your choice of protein.

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Tequila’s Punk Museum Comes to Joshua Tree

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Monique A. LeBleu

The Punk Museum at Taylor Junction, Joshua Tree, March 9, 2024. Photos by Monique A. LeBleu.

Last month, the LA Beat’s own Tequila Mockingbird joined forces with graphic artist, Rolo Castillo, and AI artist and inventor, Phil Bosua, to bring “the past, present, and future of Punk” through the art of AI and the Punk Museum to the Taylor Junction Gallery in Joshua Tree.

According to Mockingbird, she, Castillo and Bosua–the latter two as The AKA–, together provided the art for the exhibit that represents the past, present and future of Punk through the art of AI. Beginning the evening’s vibe was Punk Yoga by Sunshine in the outdoor space, and then later on stage People of Earth, Tequila Mockingbird and the Blond Moondust, and Atomik Kangaroo performed at the free event.

“There’s a lot of pop-up underground art energy going on, truly,” she said of Joshua Tree and its artists and venues. Continue reading →

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watt’s picture of the week – saturday, april 6, 2024

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Mike Watt

my prac pad here in my pedro town now has its own mural! thank you angels gate cultural center and the artists who brought this! thinking about it… I’ve been here thirtyseven years now – I’ve got the oldest lease! crimony.

photo by mike watt

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LA Opera’s La Traviata Premieres This Weekend – Don’t Miss Rachel Willis-Sorenson

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Bob Lee

Rachel Willis-Sorenson in the LA Opera production of La Traviata. Photo by Cory Weaver for the LA Opera, used with permission.

This weekend sees the LA premiere of a new production of Verdi’s classic opera La Traviata. The miraculous Rachel Willis-Sorenson, who knocked us out at last fall’s Otello, returns to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion take on the role of Violetta de Valery, with Liparit Avetisvan as Alfredo Germont.

While this piece is never far from an LA audience, Shawna Lucey’s direction promises a spectacular new look. The orchestra will be under the direction of James Conlon, who proved again at Otello, he does Verdi real purdy. (Louis Lohraseb will conduct the April 18 performance.)

Into the den of twisted fate we go, LA, and in these inflationary times, we can all use a poetically rendered warning to avoid too much consumption.

La Traviata at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, April 6 through 26. Tickets, $63-399, available at the LA Opera Website. 

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The Eleventh Annual Pasadena International Film Festival Returns to the NoHo 7

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Monique A. LeBleu

Photo courtesy of the Pasadena International Film Festival.

The eleventh edition of the Pasadena International Film Festival (PIFF) returns to the NoHo Arts District, presenting more than 130 films from 10 countries during its eight-day run at Laemmle NoHo 7 theater, Thursday, April 4, 2024, through Thursday, April 11, 2024.

The Opening Night Party is Thursday, April 4, at 7:00 p.m., at the Brews Brothers in North Hollywood, and the speakeasy-style venue, Der Wolf Restobar in Old Pasadena, will once again host the Great Gatsby Gala & Award Ceremony following the festival’s full week of events on April 11, 2024. To fit the theme, 1920’s attire is suggested and black-tie is optional.

Currently, an All Access Pass provides entry to the Opening Night Party, admittance to all screenings with guaranteed and priority seating for the entire festival, the Q&As, and panels, access to the Passholders Lounge at the Brews Brothers NoHo, a PIFF “made to order” commemorative T-Shirt, and a ticket to the Great Gatsby Gala & Award Ceremony. Individual tickets are also available, as well as tickets to the Gala. Continue reading →

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