Look familar? If you grew up in the 1970s and early 1980s, surely you played with the Fisher-Price "Play Family" toys (now known as "Little People"). Fisher-Price stopped making the toys this way at the end of the 1980s -- guess those smaller, wood and plastic toys would still wind up in kids' throats -- and I gotta say, the new version, with its much larger and more detailed characters, aren't the same.
One of my favorite toys was the Play Family Village, which had quite a bit of detail in it. A jail, a movie theater, an upstair apartment, a fire department, a mechanic's garage, plus a stop light and other things. Below, another shot of the pieces that came with it.
Again, the attention to detail was pretty impressive at the time. Baggage claim, snack shop, helicopter and airplane, etc.
Sadly, our toys are long gone -- they probably were a casualty of one of our moves, perhaps to Hawaii (as all of us were too old at that point to still play with it). These shots are via the collector's website This Old Toy.
Sorry, Indie 103.1 fans -- in its last Arbitron ratings period, the station -- now known as Spanish language "El Gato" -- failed to pull out of the basement, averaging a 0.4 share of the audience (tied, by the way, with public radio KCRW, among others).
Arbitron just released its personal people meter ratings for the holiday season, and no surprise here, KOST-FM's annual all-Christmas music, all the time format dominated. KOST averaged a 7.2 share of the L.A. audience, with a cume of 4.3 million listeners. Top 40 KIIS was next up, with a 6.2 share, then classic hits KRTH -- which also went with a Christmas sound this holiday -- with a 4.4 share.
After that was Spanish AC KLVE (4.0), talk KFI-AM (3.9); Spanish oldies KRCD (3.8), alternative KROQ (3.6), urban KPWR (3.5), regional Mexican KLAX (3.3); and regional Mexican KSCA (3.2).
You enjoyed watching Keyshawn Johnson play football. Now you can't wait to enjoy watching him redesign your house.
If that's you, then the producers of the new A&E show "Keyshawn Johnson: Tackling Design" are looking for homeowners in the Los Angeles area that are planning to makeover a room in their home and might be interested in being featured on the show.
The details:
Former NFL star and ESPN analyst Keyshawn Johnson is embarking on a new career path as an interior designer and he and his professional design team want to help you makeover a room in your home!
We're currently looking for homeowners that are planning to redesign a room in their home in the near future and have a budget of at least $10k.
We provide FREE design and help arrange discounts on items and materials.
If you are interested in being on the show or know someone that might be, PLEASE CONTACT US at talent@sdetv.com for more information.
More info on the show is here. And hey, if any of you apply or get on the show, let us know!
If allowing an ex-NFL star to design your home isn't exactly your thing, how about grilling meat on TV along side Bobby Flay?
The Food Network show "Grill It! with Bobby Flay" is shooting in L.A. this March, and is looking for guest cooks with a unique recipe or new take on a classic.
The catch: You gotta look between 21 and 45... and exhibit some personality in front of the camera. Plus, your dish has to be an original. Here are the details:
How to apply: -Email grillitwithbobby@gmail.com for an application, and then return it to them with a photo. - Make a 3-minute video (DVD or MiniDV) showcasing your personality (anything longer than 3-minutes will not be considered). - On the casting tape, cook your favorite dish, tell us about the ingredients, how you created the recipe, and why it is special. - Tell us a little about yourself and what makes you interesting. - Tell us why you think it would be great to GRILL IT! with Bobby Flay
Please upload your 3-minute video the Food Network "Be On TV" site, then mail us your original DVD or MiniDV along with your written recipe to: Rock Shrimp Att: Grill It! 110 Leroy Street 7th Floor New York, NY 10014
All entries need to be submitted by March 2nd, 2009. You must be available for one day of filming in Los Angeles, CA. March 16-22.
OK, that sounds a little more labor intensive. But go for it -- and again, if you do, let us know!
The cast, creators, director and producers of "How I Met Your Mother" gathered Tuesday night at the TV Academy to talk about the show, share anecdotes and reveal a few secrets to an overflow audience of fans. And I got to be the moderator.
Pic by Danielle Turchiano.
It was nerve-wracking at first -- I've gone to plenty of these kind of events, and the moderator frequently blows -- but I did my homework, asking a mix of questions about how the show is produced and constructed (it was a TV Academy event after all, and craft questions are welcome) as well as questions about characters, plot lines and little things that uberfans obsess about on the web.
Pic by Danielle Turchiano.
The cast -- in particular, Neil Patrick Harris -- were lively and played along, even though this is probably about the 20th panel discussion they've participated in for the show. (Alyson Hannigan was probably the least chatty, but to be fair, she's several months pregnant and was a little uncomfortable that night. She was super friendly back stage.)
Pic by Danielle Turchiano.
You may have already read about the best moment of the night: Near the end of the panel dicussion, Neil Patrick Harris jumped up, said he needed to pee -- and dashed off the stage. One problem: His mic was still on, and the entire crowd exploded in laughter as we heard him tell a stage hand he was heading to the bathroom. To be honest, I think Harris was well aware of what he was doing -- he's a pro, and knew it would get a big laugh. And indeed it did, and led to countless writeups on blogs and in papers.
Harris was also out there afterward, signing magazines and photos for fans. A real class act.
Pic by Danielle Turchiano.
But they were all great -- Cobie Smulders (Robin) answered several of my questions in depth, and always kept eye contact with me. Jason Segal (Marshall) doesn't seem that far removed from his Judd Apatow and "HIMYM" characters. Josh Radnor (Ted) appears to be the most introspective of the bunch. And Hannigan (Lily) also seemed nice and down to earth.
I've been busy -- and have been getting home late -- the past few nights, and haven't had a chance to recap the event myself. (And I couldn't exactly take notes while I was up there on stage.)
But thankfully, several other accounts have popped up on the Internet. Check out Danielle Turchiano's coverage of the panel.
The Hollywood Reporter also did a nice write up (well, except, ahem, they never mention the moderator -- wonder why!) here.
And TV Week has a decent recap here. Alas, again, no mention (ahem) of the kick-ass moderation!
And here's a YouTube clip from the evening; and yes, this video ends with me mentioning NPH's and Josh's "junk."
We stipulated: Maria had been craving chicken, and suggested we stop by a favorite of ours -- Koreatown's BonChon Chicken. I suggested that we try BonChon's biggest rival, the fellow Korean Fried Chicken chain Kyochon, to finally compare and contrast the two.
They stipulated: Like BonChon, Kyochon offers up the fried chicken in two varieties: Garlic soy sauce or hot sauce. Again, like BonChon, Kyochon offers its chicken as either wings or "sticks" (in other words, chicken legs). Kyochon also offers healthier grilled chicken wings (something BonChon doesn't).
What we ordered: Combo A: Wings 8 pcs, chicken bulgogi with rice and a soda, $14.99. Also, a 4 pc order of "sticks" (chicken legs), $7.99.
High point: The Kyochon menu is much larger than BonChon's, and the waiter was helpful in directing us to the combo, which made more sense for the both of us. (Not sure we ultimately needed the chicken legs as well -- it was hard to guess how much we needed -- and not sure if they mistakenly gave us 6 sticks instead of 4, or if that's actually the norm.) The food was also served much faster than at BonChon.
Low point: The huge menu, nonetheless, was difficult to figure out. Also, Kyochon doesn't sell beer -- something that actually goes pretty well with the spicy wings -- while BonChon does. And I was a little bummed to hear regular English-language pop music on the radio, and ESPN on the TV. BonChon offers up K-Pop music videos, which add to the Korean Fried Chicken experience.
Overall impression: Just like BonChon, Kyochon attempts to sell you on the health benefits... of fried chicken. Really. Their slogan: "Healthy food for ecstatic body and soul." As much as I liked the chicken bulgogi, and we appreciated the better service, the taste just isn't quite there. I'm not sure which came first in Korea (I believe Kyochon did), but I do know that we enjoyed the taste of BonChon quite a bit more.
Chance we'll go back: Sorry, Kyochon, but now that we've tried both Korean Fried Chicken chains... we'll be sticking with BonChon.
For a complete list of our more than 190 restaurant reviews, check out our companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.
The L.A. Times notes that talk continues to heat up over making L.A. the host city for Super Bowl L in 2016 -- 50 years after Los Angeles hosted the first Super Bowl -- even though the city still doesn't have a pro football team. What's more, talk of a team moving into L.A. continues to center on the San Diego Chargers, which recently hired Wasserman Media Group to market the franchise in L.A. and Orange County.
Writes the paper:
Possible motivations aside, this much is clear: The Chargers, who have been working on a San Diego stadium solution for seven years and so far have been unsuccessful, are better positioned to move than any other NFL team.
Beginning on Super Bowl Sunday -- of all days -- the Chargers will have a three-month window in which to relocate. And, under the team's current lease terms with the city of San Diego, that window will reopen every year from this point forward. The city cannot sue the Chargers or the NFL to block a move, provided it is paid a $56-million lease-termination fee that will decrease over time.
"We're definitely a lot closer to the end of this process than the beginning," said Fabiani, adding that the club has spent $10 million to fully explore stadium options around San Diego County, most recently two sites in Chula Vista. "This is not a process that can go on forever."
At stake for the Chargers is the head start they have over other NFL franchises that also are likely to be mulling relocation. The Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings, for instance, are bound to their cities through the 2011 season.
The issue in L.A. has always been, where would a relocated team play?
The latest option is Ed Roski's proposed stadium in Industry, which should have all of its approvals in place by this spring and then will receive the go-ahead from the NFL to formally approach potential tenants.
Fifteen years after the Raiders and the Rams both left the market, Angelenos have heard this sort of talk too many times now to pay much attention just yet.Sup
Didn't get a chance to post this last night... but Franklin Avenue's Glendale HQ got pelted hard on Sunday night with several minutes of hail. Did any of you experience this as well?
CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" is one of our favorite TV series here at Franklin Avenue HQ, which makes it all the more cool that I was asked to moderate this week's TV Academy panel on the show.
Stars Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan and Cobie Smulders will be there, along with creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, and director Pamela Fryman, among others. I know, like you, I wanna know more about the goat, or when the next Marshall/Barney slap will transpire.
I've already put together a pretty lengthy list of questions... but figured I'd open it up to you guys for a few more suggestions. So, "HIMYM" fans, any burning questions out there? Anything you've wanted to know, but have no way of asking? Post your questions in the comments below.
This Tuesday's event is free for TV Academy members and one guest (membership card and ID are needed), and seating is first-come, first served.
Three years ago, preservationists managed to save (or at least, delay) the building housing Los Feliz's Derby night club (and a Louise's outpost_ -- the last standing remnant of the once-popular Brown Derby chain -- from destruction.
At the time, L.A.'s City Council designated the Derby, in its entirety, as a historic cultural monument to the city of Los Angeles. (Check out our posts on the "Save the Derby" campaign here.)
Unfortunately, it looks like now it's the Derby nightclub itself -- made famous thanks to its appearance in the 1996 movie "Swingers," and the swing dance revival craze that followed -- that now needs saving.
Now, Rebecca Goodman -- who was behind the original Save the Derby campaign -- has reignited that website and is once again looking for some help. She writes:
We will continue to work with the Councilman Tom LaBonge, The Cultural Heritage Commission, The Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council, Hollywood Heritage, The LA Conservancy, and other groups and individuals who care about the rich legacy of Los Angeles, Hollywood's Golden Age and a vibrant, active future for this building.
We stipulated: I was visiting my family in Oklahoma City, where my parents now live (my dad works for the FAA, FYI) -- actually, I showed up unannounced in order to surprise my dad for his 60th birthday. After they got over their disappointment that Evan wasn't a part of the ruse, my parents were still excited enough to see me. For my dad's 60th, my parents had settled on splurging at Mickey Mantle's -- which, in all actuality, is quite a classy joint.
They stipulated: Like most steakhouses, the ala carte sides and veggies are served family style. Many of the steaks also come in 7 oz or 10 oz portions.
What we ordered: 7 oz. filet mignon ($28.95); 8 oz. prime top sirloin ($21.95); 12 oz. prime top sirloin ($25.95); 7 oz. special spice-rubbed steak with sweet mashed potatoes ($34.00); grilled rosemary zucchini ($7.95); fresh broccoli ($7.95); mashed potatoes ($5.95).
High point: I'm not a steak guy, but when in steakhouse... I just couldn't fathom getting seafood (although I came close to ordering the ahi tuna; I thought better of it). It was quite good. I got the 7 oz. special, and was pleased -- although it hurts to spend that much on a single entree, it was a worthwhile splurge. Also, after I tipped them to my dad's birthday, the restaurant comped him a cheesecake slice ($7.00, plus $2.90 for "birthday ribbon").
Low point: The restaurant sat us in what may have been the worst -- or one of the worst -- tables in the relatively small dining room. We wound up not too far from a door... and could feel a chill throughout the meal.
Overall impression: Oklahoma City is a vast restaurant wasteland. I've never been to a city with so few real dining options. And while the idea of "Mickey Mantle's" sounds rather cheesy on the surface, it's a legit steakhouse (operated by Dallas-based Kirby's Steakhouse).
No lie -- Mickey Mantle Drive intersects with Flaming Lips Alley in Oklahoma City's Bricktown. (The Flaming Lips hail from Oklahoma, fyi.)
For a complete list of our more than 190 restaurant reviews, check out our companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.
Whoa, Charo in trouble? Those "Love Boat" residuals finally running out? The global market for "coochi-coochi" has run dry?
Alas, as I clicked on LA Biz Observed, I discovered that CHARO is a Los Angeles-based charity that provides services to small business owners and residents in the region. Damn.
Yes, that means Charo is doing just fine. At least, as far as we know. Coochi!
Check out this 1980s TV spot for KROQ -- "Roq of the 80s" -- featuring the one and only Richard Blade. Remember when KROQ wasn't a slickly-run, heavily-programmed "alternative" radio station? Then check out the aircheck below.
From Aug. 13, 1983, here's how KROQ sounded back in its heyday. (Yep, quite college radio-esque.) Below, check out KROQ on Feb. 25, 1986, with Swedish Eagle (Egil Aalvik) as DJ. Love when Egil IDs "Shellshock" by New Order as coming from the "new film 'Pretty in Pink.'" And yes, that's the Thompson Twins, on KROQ. What a different time.
Speaking of Swedish Eagle, he was behind both the 1991 "Mars FM" format on 103.1, and later returned to launch the short-lived but still-missed "Groove Radio 103.1." Here's a scoped aircheck from the early days of "Mars FM" -- and yep, this DJ was pretty raw.
Groove Radio 103.1 first launched in 1996; Swedish Eagle left in 1997, and the station continued for another year as just "Groove 103.1." Here's the sales pitch and early DJ lineup for Groove Radio:
BTW, for those of you still missing Indie 103.1 and wondering whether it can ever survive as an online-only station... Groove Radio continues to survive online, ten years after it left the airwaves.
My college senior year roommate Myra headed to D.C. with some friends to catch the inauguration... and thankfully they brought along Barack the action figure for some company.
Competition takes place starting today at 11 a.m. through Sunday. Coffee and espresso will be served through the event -- and the public is welcome.
Details: "Coffee lovers, true believers, under-macchiato’d hopefuls, join us at the Spring Arts Tower, 453 Spring St., (downtown) Los Angeles."
ALSO THIS WEEKEND: The Go Green Expo takes place this weekend, Jan. 23-25, at the L.A. Convention Center. The event showcases eco-friendly products, services and business, as well as interactive presentations and panel discussions in numerous categories.
According to the event, "Among the stars appearing at the Los Angeles event, Ed Begley Jr., renowned actor and a leader in the environmental community, and Academy Award nominee Mariel Hemingway will be speaking to event attendees about how to live a greener life."
Hey, you're already downtown, I'd say, check out both!
"Lost" returned with a bang this week -- a big, messy, time-travelly bang that set up a whole new twist to the show's topsy-turvy plot line. By officially exploring the concept of time travel, "Lost" is fully embracing its inner geek -- and that's a good thing. There's still enough to the relationships on "Lost" that viewers allergic to sci-fi still have plenty of reason to tune in. But given where the "Lost" storyline has gone over the past few seasons, the show was going to have to, at some point, get a little more geeky to solve its mystery.
For a thorough recap of the show and a take on what it all means, I now direct you to Entertainment Weekly's Jeff Jensen, who has the lowdown on the premiere here.
Discarted fills us in on the aggressive security guards at the U.S. Bank Tower (fka the Library Tower), who have the reputation for aggressively stopping people from taking photos of the building.
The site notes that a group of photographers set out Sunday to see if "we could exercise our constitutional rights and shoot the array of skyscrapers freely and openly. It turns out we couldn’t.
"As we began photographing the US Bank Tower at 633 W. 5th Street, managed by Maguire Properties, we were approached almost immediately by a United Protective Services (UPS) security guard, and soon there were six (6!). We were told they would call the police and we would be arrested, that no pictures were allowed from their “private sidewalk,” that they actually owned the sidewalk, and that we were idiots and jerks who should quit asking questions."
So much for a new age of tolerance and respect in our post-Obama nation... the racist comments just keep on comin' on our Indie 103.1 posts. I don't usually delete comments, even the ones that are nasty toward us. But these racist comments -- using offensive slurs to describe the Latino listeners of the new El Gato 103.1 -- are just appalling. Really, people? In 2009?! It's depressing to see people hiding behind the anonymity of comments to let their true feelings fly.
Wow, the L.A. Times really strains to make a pun with this two-line headline. I assume they're having a little fun with the chilly weather in D.C. with the idea of his "cold reality" -- but man, that's quite a stretch. The Times seems to forget that people plan to save this issue as a keepsake -- and to that end, a catchy, one-line headline might have made this issue much more valuable. (Short memory? Their election special, with the simple "It's Obama" hed, sold well and has been quite a little money maker for the paper. Why they didn't attempt to repeat that, I dunno.) B-.
But as much as the LAT missed an opportunity with today's paper, the Daily News' take is even worse. Yeah, it's neat to see the hundreds of thousands of people on the National Mall. But I can't even make out if that's Obama's back... and it doesn't matter, because it's still his back. That little inset picture of Obama above doesn't provide much of an emotional wollop either. C.
The Long Beach Press-Telegram's photo montage is kinda nice -- I like the "Brady Bunch" set up of Americans looking up at the new first couple. Not sure "hope over fear" is the most compelling headline; that's good for an election headline, but the inauguration is about looking ahead -- not looking back at a campaign that ended two months ago. But my biggest problem with the P-T lies with what it did to its own nameplate here. What a day to butcher your own name! Anyone saving this issue will one day look back at how the "Press-Telegra" covered the inauguration. B.
OK, Oakland Tribune, you got me. First... first what? African-American president? President named "Barack"? President from Hawai'i? First president after the George W. Bush disaster? First president elected in the Great Depression II? B.
The Orange County Register brings us the Era of responzzz... oops, sorry. But really? "Era of responsibility"? Way to sell a couple thousand few newspapers than you could have today, OC Reg! And c'mon, maybe for one day you could have knocked out those skyboxes to give the inauguration piece a bit more heft? C.
OK, the Ventura County Star gets it. They managed to get "hope" in the hed without then pissing all over it with the word "fear." They also emphasize a key passage in Obama's speech, have a nice, attractive shot of our new commander-in-chief and even de-emphasize their nameplate for the day. A-.
The Torrance Daily Breeze manages to trump its bigger Daily News cousin today. Nice shot of Obama taking the oath (nice action shot of Michelle watching her husband) and the simple -- albeit, generic -- "A new era" headline. Still don't love the "hope over fear" angle -- I'd actually go with the "responsibility" line as a subhed -- but at least it's the secondary headline. B.
For comparison's sake, Best Front Design said Newsday's cover was the best in the nation:
A year after the destruction of the final piece of the Ambassador Hotel (the Cocoanut Grove, which had survived the initial tear-down), here's what's now on the site. So far, the frame looks a lot like the old hotel, as if it had been stripped to its studs.
According to the LAUSD's December "Monthly Program Status Report" for new construction, here's the latest news from the site:
• The Phase I K-3 project is currently 70% complete and is scheduled for occupancy in fall 2009. The methane mitigation system and underground utility rough-ins are complete. Classroom framing is complete, utility rough-ins are complete, and interior finishes are well under way. The structures for the central plant and parking facility are complete and finishes have commenced. Delivery and installation of central plant equipment is well under way. Site retaining walls and other structures are well under way.
• The MS/HS project is 38% complete, with school occupancy scheduled for fall 2010. Underground utilities, methane mitigation system and building foundations are nearly complete. Structural steel framing is complete, with a traditional "topping out" ceremony scheduled for November 21, 2008. Fireproofing, utility rough-ins and interior framing are well under way. Site retaining walls are well under way. Off-site work is well under way.
In Los Angeles, even restaurants dream of stardom. The Kokomo Cafe, for example, has doubled as the new, 2008-era "Peach Pit" this season on "90210." Above, the Kokomo is outfitted with the Peach Pit sign for a recent CW press tour party.
