Movies Till Dawn: Mysteries of Life

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“Incredible But True” (2022, Arrow Video) Middle-aged couple Alain Chabat and Lea Drucker discover that a bizarre and miraculous aspect of their new suburban home – a tunnel in the basement that sends users 12 hours ahead in time but also shaves off three days of their lives – also has numerous complications. Slight but amusing French fantasy-drama from writer/director/DP/editor Quient Dupieux delivers a more genteel take on the off-kilter world of his more bizarre previous efforts (e.g., “Rubber,” about a killer car tire, and “Deerskin,” which concerns a cursed buckskin jacket), with room afforded for brief considerations about the ignominy of getting older along with the decidedly weirder elements (like Chabat’s boss, whose manhood is Bluetooth-compatible). Arrow’s Blu-ray includes subtitled interviews with cast and crew, a video essay on the film and its director, and several trailers.

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Where to Get Thanksgiving Dinner in Los Angeles 2022

Posted on November 20, 2022 by Karin E. Baker

Photo credit: Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. If your favorite thing to make for dinner is reservations, check out the list below for some of our favorite places for autumnal feasting in LA, with no cleanup required. Whether you’d like to dine by a pool beneath swaying palms or get Creole delights to go… enjoy gorgeous views of Santa Monica or feast on an assortment of vegan options… here are some ideas.

Cafe Gratitude (Arts District, Larchmont, and Venice)

Plant-based sides and pies, all made in-house, can be ordered from Cafe Gratitude for pick up at any location (Arts District, Larchmont, or Venice) on Wednesday. Truffled Porcini Gravy ($20), Roasted Cranberry Butternut Squash & Garnet Yam Puree ($40), French Lentil and Butternut Squash Loaf ($40), and Roasted Maple Miso Brussels Sprouts ($40) are among the Thanksgiving specials offered. Last day to order is November 20.

Castaway (Burbank)

Castaway restaurant features stunning views of Downtown LA and the San Fernando Valley. A favorite for decades — even more so since its $10 million overhaul a few years ago — Castaway is now as noted for its food as for its views. Thanksgiving brunch offerings include Charcuterie, Dragonfruit Waldorf Salad, Steak & Eggs Benedict, Salt Roasted Turkey, Chilled Oysters, & Mini Pumpkin Pie Bites. Brunch is $92 for adults and $35 for children. Add on Bottomless Apple Cider Pumpkin Spice, Fresh Cucumber Mint, and Lavender Activated Charcoal Lemonade Mimosas for $30 per person. In the evening, Castaway’s Thanksgiving dinner includes a la carte offerings like the Roasted Chicken and 8oz Filet Mignon from 5 to 9 p.m.

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Bound for Hell – The Most Aptly Named Record Of The Sunset Strip

Posted on November 19, 2022 by Else Evil E Duff

Photo by Else Evil E Duff for the LA Beat.

The Sunset Strip always seemed like such a mysterious place to me. I heard about it, read about it, saw pictures of it, but that was far from experiencing it. I was no stranger to bar hopping but my main drag as a teen was the Juarez Strip as in the bars that lined the road after you walked over the bridge into Mexico from El Paso. Juarez was my home away from home until I turned 21. It was where I would spend countless hours with a 2 dollar bucket of Coronitas getting to know every DJ and trying to make sure that an AC/DC song cut through the usual dance mix periodically. Getting the DJ at one nightclub to play “Jailbreak” always cleared the dance floor for me and friends to sing along while playing air guitar and head banging. Although my grand achievement was making friends with a DJ who would see me walk in and immediately put on Ozzy’s “Crazy Train” for me. But as fun as it was, I couldn’t wait to finally see the Sunset Strip. 

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A Burlesque Dinner, $1 Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Scoops, & More Food News

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Karin E. Baker

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. Photo by Karin E. Baker for The LA Beat.

Enjoy a scoop of premium Van Leeuwen ice cream for just $1 this Saturday, November 19 at the renowned ice cream company’s new Studio City location. To celebrate the new shop, its sixth in Los Angeles, the Studio City location will offer $1 scoops from noon to 2 p.m. on 11/19. In addition, the first 100 visitors this Saturday (the store opens at 11 a.m.) will get a free Van Leeuwen tote bag. You might want to try a new flavor created especially for the opening: Labneh Strawberries & Rose Water, created in collaboration with Kismet Rotisserie. The new Van Leeuwen shop is located at The Shops at Sportsmen’s Lodge (12833 Ventura Blvd, Suite 149, Studio City, CA, 91604) and is open from 11 a.m. to 11 pm daily.

BG, the secret restaurant with a speakeasy vibe located upstairs from Nerano in Beverly Hills, recently reopened its doors after the global pandemic shut it down just two months after opening. Tonight, burlesque luminary Miss Marquez, known for sultry performances and residencies at Three Clubs, No Vacancy, Apotheke, and La Descarga, takes the stage at BG for a burlesque dinner. The Burlesque Dinner with Miss Marquez includes performances at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., along with innovative Italian-American cuisine from Executive Chef Michele Lisi, craft cocktails created by Bar Director Jacki Smith (Pour Vous, Harvard & Stone, Black Rabbit Rose), and a wine list curated by Wine Director David Gary (Cecconi’s, Four Seasons Hotel LA at Beverly Hills). To make reservations, call 424.332.0439 or visit www.BGBeverlyHills.com.

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LA Beat Interview – Rock Photographer Henry Diltz

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Bob Lee

Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, Somebody’s Baby and Eric Clapton. Photo by Henry Diltz.

Legendary Laurel Canyon photographer Henry Diltz has been curating the Morrison Hotel Gallery – named for one of the classic albums featuring his work on the cover – for two decades now. For the gallery’s latest exhibit, it’s returning to its very first incarnation – a celebration of Diltz the artist. The exhibit Be Mused attempts to re-create the earliest days of the gallery, when it was essentially a vehicle to show off and sell his own stuff. In the years since, it has turned into a multi-city entity representing a hundred and twenty five artists. So this will be a change of pace from their usual programming – but a return to the theme that visitors to the first incarnation of Morrison Hotel in NYC might find familiar.

We spoke to Diltz by phone about his artistic origins as a photographer on the road with the Modern Folk Quartet, the evolving state of the gallery, and the future of both music and photography. Be Mused will be on exhibit at the Morrison Hotel Gallery through November 20. Continue reading →

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Movies Till Dawn: Something New

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“I Love My Dad” (2022, Magnolia Pictures) Patton Oswalt gets a rare and welcome shot at both a lead and a very complicated character as the titular father in star/director/writer James Morosini’s black comedy. Oswalt’s Chuck is actually a miserable failure as a parent but cares about his tenuous connection to Morosini, who has cut him off as part of a personal/psychological purge after a suicide attempt. Chuck’s solution is to pose as an attractive woman via an online profile and essentially catfish his son into communication (a scheme that apparently happened to Morosini in real life). The deceit goes on far too long and leads to numerous gasp- and wince-inducing moments; your appreciation for the film hinges on your tolerance for uncomfortable humor, though Oswalt’s performance and supporting turns by Rachel Dratch and Lil Rey Howery keep the conceit buoyant when Morosini’s script can’t decide to turn towards funny or dark. On Blu-ray, DVD, and major streaming platforms.

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Get Complimentary Brunch at HBO MAX’s “The Big Brunch” Pop-Up This Sunday

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Karin E. Baker

Dan Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”) has a new, brunch-oriented cooking competition on HBO Max. To celebrate the new show, titled “The Big Brunch,” a one-day pop-up experience is coming to Westfield Century City on Sunday, November 13. 

The network bought out Homegirl Catering for the event. They’ll be handing out complimentary “The Big Brunch Bags” to attendees, while coffee is courtesy of Go Get Em Tiger. 

In addition, you can enjoy “premium photo moments” related to the show while you’re there. 

The activation begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 7 p.m. on November 13 on the Terrace (located on level 2) of Westfield Century City, located at 10250 Santa Monica Blvd.

 

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Everything Was Beautiful And Nothing Hurt – Maneskin at the Hollywood Palladium

Posted on November 9, 2022 by Else Evil E Duff

When an opportunity to do something comes up at the last minute, there’s certain things in Los Angeles that make you pause. Like it’s a Monday, it’s raining, it’s at the Palladium. So when a friend texted me that she had an extra ticket that night for a concert, I had to take a moment because it was the L.A. trifecta of reasons to politely decline. That feeling didn’t last long, because it was Måneskin.

If you are not familiar with Måneskin then trying to explain the meteoric rise of this group after winning the Eurovision Song Contest is hard. It is so perfect and that makes it so unbelievable that even the Hallmark Channel wouldn’t green light the story for a movie. They are beautiful! They are young! They are talented! They rock! They are Italian! And this isn’t like Trevor Donovan and Lacey Chabert in a delightful holiday romp kind of beautiful. This is some Miss Argentina and Miss Puerto Rico got married level beautiful. They are SCORCHING hot!

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The Punk Rock BBQ is Back at Harvelle’s Dec 4th!

Posted on November 9, 2022 by Elise Thompson

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Daddy Issues or How I Attempted to Learn Pole Dancing

Posted on November 2, 2022 by Else Evil E Duff

When I go to a new town on vacation, I try to visit the most famous church, the oldest graveyard, and a strip club. I believe that’s how you get the feel of a town: How they worship their god, how they honor their dead, and how they treat the living. The first strip clubs I went to were in New Orleans. I was with three friends and one night the three ladies in the group decided we wanted to go to a male strip club. We went, it was okay, but the guys looked like they were phoning it in. So then we went to the “Live Orgy” place across the street. The dancer was apparently off duty from the orgy because she was visibly pregnant. (Years later I read a review of New Orleans’ strip clubs which included important things like stickiness level of the floor, strength of drink, and what would you say to the dancer. For “Live Orgy” the line was: “What’s your due date?”)

Being pretty disappointed, the one guy in our group said he would take us to a gentleman’s club. After taking care of the hefty cover charge, we entered a tropical themed club and located a table. As we ordered drinks and looked around. I started watching a woman who kinda reminded me of Magenta in “Rocky Horror” giving a group of “gentlemen” a table dance. Suddenly one of the “gentlemen” reached up and spanked her ass. HARD. My attention was now locked in and she kept dancing as these assholes were laughing when I saw a couple tears stream down her face. I.WAS.PISSED!! And while only in my 30s managed to go full “Karen” and demanded to speak to a manager. I told the manager what happened while the guy who brought us sunk so far into his chair that it was kinda incredible. The manager went to the table, said a few words, and I have no idea what he said but nothing stopped until the song ended and she left. Continue reading →

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