Live from Comic-Con: Getting Shameless With The Cast of "Shameless"

Showtime hasn't posted the "Shameless" panel from Comic-Con, so this is probably the best we can do. But at least you get a brief taste of the panel. Best part for me? I waited until the end to ask star Emmy Rossum about the show's frequent nudity. "I'm so tired of that question," she said (not in an angry way, but in a I'm-resigned-to-always-have-to-answer-this kind of way), and went on to answer the question. "I was actually referring to Bill Macy's butt," I snapped back. Got some laughs. That's all I can ask for as a moderator.

Playing Jon to Erik Estrada's Ponch (PHOTO)

The TV Critics Association press tour had just begun at the Beverly Hilton, yet I already have a candidate for fave moment. Above, at Univision's first-ever TV Critics press tour session... it's me and Erik Estrada! Thumbs up, America!

Fishing in the Los Angeles River? These Guys Try It

I was sent this video of a couple of guys fishing in the Los Angeles River -- yes, it's actually pretty common; virtually every week when we're biking along the river I see at least one fisherman. But still, it's a bit of a novelty -- and I wouldn't recommend actually eating your catch.

Below, two self-proclaimed Southern guys also hit the Los Angeles River.



Read more about fishing in the L.A. River at the Atwater Village blog here.

One more video from Megan Mccarty, who writes, "The L.A. River, with its concrete banks covered by graffiti, strewn with litter and urban runoff and the constant hum of freeways, train tracks and power lines is not anyone's idea of a natural idyll. Yet a growing community of fly fisherman has grown up along the river, along with a thriving population of fish. Nature is alive and well in this concretized channel.":

L.A. River Fishing from Meghan Mccarty on Vimeo.

Dinosaurs! "B-Movies and Bad Science" Return to the La Brea Tar Pits

The outdoor movie trend has exploded in recent years, and here's a unique one: For its annual "B-Movies and Bad Science" outdoor movie festival, the Natural History Museum is celebrating the opening of its new Dinosaur Hall by focusing on "dinosaurs and their sci-fi counterparts." (The event itself is actually held at the La Brea Tar Pits, next to the Page Museum.)

This Saturday, that means the campy 1960 feature "Dinosaurs!" More details:

Spend a lighthearted Saturday evening outside, as members of the Natural History Museum Family’s science and history staff explore the “science” behind Hollywood’s weirdest and most implausible B-movies. Prior to each screening, curatorial staff from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) and the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits will introduce the movie, explore a few scientific facts (if any), and show off related Hollywood artifacts and specimens from our collections.

Bring your blanket and picnic, and cozy up to watch a movie under the stars. This is the third season for the series, and the first year all films will be held outdoors at the Page Museum (on the great lawn, adjacent to the Museum in Hancock Park). Each screening begins with a discussion at 8:30 pm, followed by the film at 9:00 pm. Cost is free.

Here's the schedule:

Saturday, July 30
Dinosaurus! (1960)
Before the film, Page Museum Assistant Lab Supervisor Trevor Valle will lead the discussion.

Saturday, August 6
The Valley of Gwangi (1969)
Before the film, head of NHM’s Dinosaur Institute and curator of the Dinosaur Hall, Dr. Luis Chiappe, will lead the discussion.

Saturday, August 20
Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
Before the film Dr. John Long, NHM’s VP of Research and Collections, will lead the discussion.

Saturday, August 27
One Million Years B.C. (1966)
Before the film Chief Curator of the Page Museum Dr. John Harris will lead the discussion.

Go to www.tarpits.org or call (323) 934-PAGE for more info.

License Plate of the Day: Eye Candy Edition

Thanks again to Nanette for this one, which I assume is someone quite enamored with themselves. Keep sending them in...

Tales of a Comic-Con Newbie

My first Comic-Con experience was perhaps different from most; moderating four -- yes, four -- panels ("Shameless," "Chuck," "Community" and "Charlie's Angels") made it baptism by fire. And having the big TV Guide Magazine presence (including a mini yacht behind the convention center) was quite nice as well. So yeah, this was exactly the way to do Comic-Con for the first time. And I had quite a blast.

Surreal moment: Standing by an escalator as Steven Spielberg and his entourage suddenly arrived. I whipped out my Blackberry camera, while photogs around me also shot pics of him. In turn, Spielberg whipped out his iPhone and began taking pictures of us. "Don't forget to tag me, Steven," shouted one paparazzi.

Disgusting moment: Opening a drawer in my hotel room (at Little Italy's Porto Vista Hotel) and finding a bag of Q-Tips and a big jar of foot cream. Um, gross?

Small world moment: Finishing up the "Community" panel and discovering that a college pal, Maggie Bandur, had just joined the show as a writer.

Emotional moment: Pulling off the final "Chuck" panel without a hitch, getting some real emotion out of star Zachary Levi, and riding high knowing that it all worked out. Whew.

Zinger moment: "Shameless" star Emmy Rossum was either offended, or feigned offense when I asked her the nudity question. "Emmy, I was actually referring to William H. Macy's ass," I responded.

Delicious moment: Biting the ear off a Yoda cookie made by the one and only JustJenn.

More from the floor:


Spielberg heads up the escalator.


Drinks, anyone?


Megan Mullally and Ken Marino chat about "Childrens Hospital."


Robot Chicken costume.


JustJenn's Yoda cookies.


It wouldn't be a Comic-Con without stormtroopers.


The Shreks.


He-Man.


One of two DeLoreans on the floor.


The other DeLorean.


South Park.


Inside South Park.


Legos.

Live from Comic-Con: Monkeying Around with the Cast of "Community"

(Flickr pic by Cody Tuthill.)

Yes, I'm a very, very lucky guy. Not only did I get to moderate the fifth and final "Chuck" panel (watch it here) for Comic-Con this year, but I also got to do the same for season three of "Community." And lemme tell you, the fans were even wilder. My favorite part of the whole Comic-Con? When I led the crowd of 2,000 into a rousing "Pop-POP!" (If you don't watch the show, well, just go Google the name "Magnitude.")

The cast, except Alison Brie, was all there, as was creator Dan Harmon... and yes, the monkey known as "Annie's Boobs." Watch!



UPDATE: Wait a sec, I see that NBC edited out my "Pop-POP" call and response! See it here:

Live from Comic-Con: "Chuck" Panel Gets Emotional

(Flickr photo by Ryan Ozawa).

UPDATE: NBC.com has now posted the full Chuck panel from Comic-Con, moderated by me, and here it is!



EARLIER: Thanks to TheTechGuyChris for posting these videos of the final "Chuck" panel, which I had the pleasure of moderating. The crowd was amped, the cast was on and star Zac Levi even got pretty emotional. Parts one, two and three (once it posts) are below.

Scenes from Comic-Con: Thursday

License Plate of the Day: Bumper Edition

Not sure what "NUNKTIE" means (any ideas?) but this driver really has a thing about you driving too close.

Dreams Don't Come True on the L.A. River Bike Path

The Franklin Avenue crew is continuing its weekly bike rides up and down the L.A. River bike path, between the 134 and Atwater Village. Last week, we encountered this bit of graffiti -- and I have to admit, it amused me. Dreams are fleeting.

Our New Cooking Obsession: Grilled Pizza

Looks like we're getting all FOOD NETWORK up in this hizzy. I've been making pizza creations for years using Trader Joe's pizza dough -- but Maria convinced me recently to try it on the grill.

I was skeptical at first... but I'm now a convert. The pizza comes out with a crispy crust, the kind you can never really get in a regular oven. And it's not all that messy.



To prepare, I roll out the dough as normal, and slather olive oil on one side. Then I start the grill, and let the dough bake (olive oil side down) for five minutes. Take it off the grill, slather olive oil on top, then flip it and stick it back on the grill (again, olive oil side down). Add your toppings, including cheese, on top... close the grill and cook for another five minutes or so (or until the cheese is just starting to brown). The first few tries were a little uneven on the bottom (a touch black in some places), so just keep monitoring it.



Then... it's like having a wood-burning pizza oven. Without the wood burning.

Carmageddon Wrap

Thankfully, Carmageddon turned into Car2K -- although folks already fear next year's sequel, when motorists may ignore the warnings and hit the freeways. But that's next year (which I've already dubbed "Breakin' the 405 2: Carlectric Boogaloo").

For now, some takeaways from the weekend. The Los Angeles Times asks if Carmageddon's less congested roads can be :

The success of Carmageddon has given way to a political and lifestyle question: If L.A. residents can cut their driving for one weekend, how can they be encouraged to drive less the rest of the time?

...

"You can suddenly hear people talking. You hear kids playing," said L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. "People discovered something about themselves and Los Angeles auto culture that shocked them. Why can't we take some chunk of L.A. and shut it down to traffic on certain days or weekends, as they do in Italy?"

Some mass-transportation advocates went further, saying that Carmageddon showed the need for less freeway expansion — like the $1-billion project that closed the 405 — and for more investment in rail and bus service.

Over at KCET, D.J. Waldie is a bit more realistic:

We may have immunized ourselves too well, in the opinion of some emergency planners. We're already being warned to be afraid of not being afraid enough of Carmageddon 2, when the other side of the overpass comes down next year.

Saturday also seemed to have a message that life would be better if a kind of permanent Carmageddon were possible, and every day would be like Saturday. Advocates of a less driven L.A. may point to Carmageddon as a model of the future city, where auto-dependent residents cheerfully bike, walk, and take the bus to work because they know what's good for them.

Unfortunately, most drivers tend to believe that someone else - anyone else - should take the bus, ride a bike, stay at home, and accept diminished mobility. Not them, but you. (Or as actor Neil Patrick Harris tweeted in illustration of the effect: "I love having the 405 freeway closed. Traffic is nonexistent. Carmageddon is the best! I'm gonna Carma-get-in my car and run some errands."

OK, that NPH tweet is pretty funny.

Rate-A-Restaurant #255: Lawry's The Prime Rib

Restaurant: Lawry's The Prime Rib

Location: 100 N. La Cienega (Beverly Hills)

Type of restaurant: Steak

We stipulated: For a belated office holiday party, the consensus was Lawry's. I had never been, believe it or not, and was more than intrigued about this history and tradition.

They stipulated: "The moment you arrive, you’ll know Lawry's The Prime Rib is an extraordinary restaurant – a place of grand style, classic elegance, luxurious comfort and home of the world famous Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. The unique menu features our Roasted Prime Ribs of Beef served tableside from gleaming silver carts. Enjoy the warm hospitality, exceptional service and award-winning food that have made Lawry's a dining legend for more than 70 years.



What we ordered: "The Famous Original Spinning Bowl Salad: Crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce, baby spinach, shredded beets, chopped eggs and croutons, tossed with our exclusive Vintage Dressing"

Lawry cut: "our traditional and most popular cut"

C.C. Brown's ice cream sundae: "Prepared tableside with Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, toasted almonds, whipped cream and C.C. Brown's Hot Fudge"



High point: The entire old-school experience, starting with the odd use of meatballs in the front as you wait for a table. From the table-side prep to the servers' uniforms, you're transported back to an earlier time.

Low point: Of course, in that earlier time, food was fatty, portions were large and the overall experience was pretty unhealthy.



Overall impression: Lawry's is not a place you would visit often, but it's a dying breed of a restaurant experience. I'm glad that places like this still exist; I can at least get a bit of a feel for what it might have once been like to dine at a Perinos, for example.



Chance we'll go back:  Not in a long time (I think I've had my allowance this year), but perhaps for a special occasion.

For a complete list of our more than 250 restaurant reviews, check out Franklin Avenue's companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.

License Plate of the Day: Minor Appliance Edition

Toaster Oven!

Thanks to Dirk van de Bunt for this one. Keep sending your License Plates of the Day to us!

Carmageddon? More Like Car2K

So the cynics might say that "Carmageddon" was overblown hype. Others might note that all the hype surrounding "Carmageddon" is what made things go so smooth. (That's the 5 freeway, near Atwater Village, as seen from a bike bridge above.)

Either way, traffic was smooth around Los Angeles on Saturday, despite the 405 shutdown. We'll see if that convinces people to hit the freeways on Sunday -- creating a belated "Carmageddon." See you on the streets!

If "Carmageddon" still doesn't occur, feel free to use my "Car2K" slogan.

The Time I Punked Chicago's Q101 (RIP)

Chicago's "alternative" station Q101 (WKQX) debuted at the end of my freshman year at Northwestern in 1992. The whole Nirvana-led modern rock and grunge movement had just taken foot, and the station's owners decided to flip Q101's adult contemporary format to take on a sound that emulated Los Angeles' veteran alternative outfit KROQ.

The station got off to a decent start, but soon got bogged down by a heavily repetitive playlist. By my senior year of college, Q101 was a bit of a joke. They had embraced Pearl Jam so whole heartedly that their station slogan, "This is Not for You," was even a riff on one of the band's songs.

In more recent years, Q101 has struggled in the ratings. The station was never able to maintain listeners for its morning show (other than the period of time when Mancow Muller hosted, but he wasn't a good fit with the station) and was rumored to be dead many times. Q101 was finally scrapped on Thursday, by new owner Randy Michaels -- yes, Tribune folks, that Randy Michaels -- who now plans to launch an FM news/talk format on the frequency.

In memory of Q101, here's a post from 2004, when I recalled the time a couple of us pretended to flip our college station to an insipid Q101-like format on April Fool's Day:

Back when I ran WNUR in college (yeah, I know, another college radio story -- Mike, it's been almost ten years! Move on!), we freaked our listeners out on April Fool's by yanking our regular programming (you know, the usual college fare-- indie rock bands that you've never heard of) and pretended to flip the station's format to mainstream alternative.

We called ourselves "Q89.3" -- a dig at Chicago's big time commercial alternative station, Q101 -- and played nothing but Pearl Jam for an hour (another dig at Q101, which was so obsessed with the band it actually had adopted as its slogan "This Is Not For You," the name of a Pearl Jam song).

A friend and fellow DJ, Maura Johnston, pretended to be Samantha James, the station's hyperactive British DJ -- a staple of alternative stations back then -- while I played the clueless DJ ("Fisher Stevens," a play on Q101 jock Steve Fisher) who thought everything was ooh, soooo alternative while rattling off obvious trivia ("Did you know that Kurt Cobain was the lead singer of Nirvana?!" I pointed out after playing the already-burnt-to-a-crisp "Smells Like Teen Spirit").

Some listeners called in and freaked out, wondering what happpened. Others were wise to the parody and played along: "Hey, you know that Red Hot Chili Peppers song you just played? Could you play it again in about 40 minutes?"

It was a proud moment. Illinois Entertainer magazine called our prank the best of the year.

Q101 will attempt to live on, as a web-only radio station -- but that strategy rarely succeeds for dead radio stations. It's a shame, but a common one, as modern rock stations continue to disappear across the country and the format struggles to figure out what it should be.

License Plate of the Day: Truth in Vanity Plates Edition

So when this self-proclaimed "bad driver" smacks right into you... well, you can't say you weren't warned.

Thanks to Brent Marcus for the pic -- keep sending yours in!

Atwater Village Movie Night Goes Back to the Future

Atwater Village's annual series of outdoor movie screenings continues on Friday with "Back to the Future." As the poster above notes, "Back to the Future" begins at Sundown; the free event takes place at the Los Feliz Municipal Golf Course (3207 Los Feliz Blvd).

Your Thursday Carmageddon Roundup

Above, the Taiwanese animators from NMA take on Carmageddon.

Also: The LAPD pleads, don't try to party or ride your bike on the empty 405. (LA Now)

The Carmageddon Playlist: 7 Songs that Namecheck the 405 (LA Weekly)

Restaurants, Bars Offer Carmageddon Deals (NBC4)

Carmageddon is No Excuse Not to Exercise (LA Times)

Babbling the (Bleep) On with Ralph and Kevin in Hollywood

It's 10 p.m. on a Friday in Hollywood -- and it's time for Ralph Garman and Kevin Smith to "babble the f*** on."

As Garman and Smith lead another week of their live stage show/podcast hybrid Hollywood Babble-On, Garman informs Smith that the show is a sell-out.

Not bad for what's essentially two fanboys on stage reading emails, doing funny voices and making fun of pop culture. In less than a year in existence, "Hollywood Babble-On" has formed the cornerstone of a rapidly growing podcast empire overseen by Smith.

Smith's loyal fan base (in spite of "Jersey Girl") helped stoke those fires. But in their home turf of L.A. (it's actually the Universal CityWalk, not quite Hollywood), the crowd is sending much of their love toward Garman. While the actor and impressionist is still virtually unknown in most of the country, Garman is a star in Los Angeles, thanks to his decade-plus tenure on KROQ's top-rated "Kevin & Bean" morning show.

Garman is no slouch, having hosted "The Joe Schmo Show," provided voices to Seth MacFarlane animated series like "Family Guy" and having even appeared in the campy Syfy original movie "Sharktopus." And "Kevin & Bean" is now nationally syndicated, beaming everything from his filthy take on Sean Connery to his hourly entertainment reports throughout the country.

But it's Garman's recent partnerships with cult fave movie director Smith that may have finally set him on a bigger path. As a frequent guest on "Kevin & Bean," Smith would sit in with Garman as the morning personality riffed on showbiz news. Eventually, the duo decided to take it on the road, and to Smith's "Smodcastle" performance space in West Hollywood.

They dubbed the show "Hollywood Babble-On" (essentially an R-rated version of KROQ's "Ralph Showbiz Beat") and posted it online as a podcast. Around the same time, Smith took his horror flick "Red State," which features a chilling performance by Garman -- out on the road. The podcast took off, and soon Smith began creating countless more (everything from a morning show to a "Saturday Night Live" retrospective with Jon Lovitz to a new show featuring comedian Jay Mohr).

Garman, meanwhile, had found a whole base of new fans worldwide who had never heard of the World Famous KROQ or his impersonations of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Charlie Sheen or Justin Bieber.

"Hollywood Babble-On" eventually outgrew Smith's "Smodcastle" (which he is now moving out) and found a new home at the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club at Citywalk. And now Lovitz has even contracted the podcasting bug, opting to rename the venue the "Jon Lovitz Podcast Theater."

I've been a fan of "Kevin & Bean" for more than 15 years (before Garman even joined as "Ralph the New Guy"), as have my friends Paul and Diane. So we all met up last Friday to check out "Hollywood Babble-On" for the first time. We were asked to get there early, so we did -- but ended up waiting outside for a long time anyway.

But that was a small hiccup in what was otherwise an enjoyable evening. Smith and Garman were both in top form as they improvised gags and quipped about the week's events. They read emails from listeners and audience members. And they recognized Hollywood stars no longer with us. As always, the show ends on a series of jokes about one of Liam Neeson's more impressive features (and we're not talking "Schindler's List").

It's a fun, simple show, and definitely one worth checking out again. " Besides its CityWalk base, "Hollywood Babble-On" is heading to Comic-Con next week and will be producing a series of shows in Texas. More pics below:

Despite What You've Read, Zooey Deschanel Loves Los Angeles

KPCC's Patt Morrison thinks Zooey Deschanel is a "snobby cow" for what she believes was an attack on Downtown Los Angeles. Deschanel, in her retort, says Morrison got it all wrong -- the actress says she doesn't even live in the Westside, despite Morrison's crack about her "Westside home."

Of course, Deschanel starred in that love letter to Downtown L.A., "(500) Days of Summer." Above, she and co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt talk about our city (they're both life-long Angelenos).

KTLA Celebrates 20 Years of Morning News

 

I gotta admit, I'm a sucker for local TV station anniversary specials. And no one does more of them than KTLA. The first commercial station to broadcast west of the Mississippi, KTLA is proud of its heritage -- and as a local TV geek, I can appreciate it.

That's why I was watching last week as KTLA aired an hour-long special devoted to the 20th anniversary of the "KTLA Morning News." The special included a reunion of the original anchor team -- including Barbara Beck (now out of the business) and Carlos Amezcua (now at KTTV Fox 11). One-time popular traffic reporter Jennifer York also made an appearance.

As the special notes, the "KTLA Morning News" began in 1991 as a straight-ahead, serious newscast. But as the show headed toward cancellation, the anchors started loosening up -- and the ratings skyrocketed. For better or for worse, the loose format spread across the country -- and yes, even the network morning shows began emulating the style.

Above, watch the first segment from the KTLA Morning News 20th anniversary special. More segments below.

 

 

Another Shot at Prop. 13

The L.A. Times once again tackles the discriminatory (toward young home owners) Prop 13 --and in his latest column, discusses how Mayor Villaraigosa wants to take it on.

I'm not sure there's much Villaraigosa can do about it, but it's always worth taking another look at Prop. 13 -- particularly the commercial provision, which has allowed businesses to get away with dirt-cheap property taxes for years (while new business owners suffer).

As a relatively new, young homeowner, I of course will forever seethe about the inequities of who pays what. I know I shouldn't do this, because my blood will boil, but I sometimes check out real estate listings on Zillow of mansions that haven't changed hands in a few decades.

Above, this demonstrates how ridiculously uneven the Prop 13 rules are. This home, at 1937 Orchard Lane in La Canada-Flintridge, was recently featured in the Los Angeles Times. It's a 6,105 square feet house on a full acre property. The ask price? $3.4 million. (Zillow, to be fair, says it's worth $2.9 million).

What did the owners pay on property tax in 2010? $7,500. Because the home was assessed at $473,083. That's right. The County says this home is worth less than, say, a tiny 900 square foot shack in Echo Park. On about 2000 square feet of land. This is ridiculous. And exactly why people hold on to their homes for decades.

I don't know what the answer is, but quite simply, it's unfair to a whole generation of young homeowners.

Burbank Residents Mobilize Against Walmart

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Reports that Walmart may move into Burbank has not sit well with several locals -- some of whom have rallied against the store via the new No Walmart in Burbank Facebook page.

Walmart is believed to be interested in taking over The Great Indoor's big box site next to the Empire Center. (Sears, which owns The Great Indoors, is closing both of the chain's stores in the L.A. area.)

According to the Glendale News-Press, Walmart hasn't officially announced its plans, but Burbank says it has little authority to prevent the store from moving in next door to Best Buy and Target.

The 12-acre site, purchased last month by Walmart Real Estate Business Trust, is zoned for commercial use. Changing that zoning would require a mutual agreement between the city and property owner, said Joy Forbes, Burbank deputy city manager.

Walmart would simply need to pull a few permits for a project to proceed, she added.

Walmart representatives have declined to say what they’re planning for the space, and it is unclear whether the company will seek to build a supercenter or a smaller store.

“They could use the whole site or break out the site with different tenant spaces,” Forbes said. “We have no idea.”

The Empire Center is already home to several big-box stores,” such as Target, Best Buy and Marshalls.

Adds Forbes: “Our biggest concern is to make sure [Walmart] doesn’t compete with other existing businesses which are also doing their part to generate revenues,” she said. “But competition is good.”

Cal Phil Lights Up the Arboretum

The California Philharmonic orchestra recently lost its 15-year regular home at the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia. But that news seemed to have only rallied fans of the small but popular organization, which played one of its final "Festival on the Green" concerts at the Arboretum on Saturday night.



The Franklin Avenue crew attended at the invitation of the Cal Phil, and we made sure to bring along a picnic (a la the Hollywood Bowl). But our bag of Trader Joe's treats paled in comparison to some of the gourmands around us, many of whom arrived extra early to feast before the show. With the mountains behind us, the setting -- a field within the lush 127-acre botanical garden -- made for a perfect setting for a concert. (It's perhaps why the Pasadena Pops made a big play for the site, and managed to land the rights to start staging summer concerts there next year.)



For this show, "Andrew Lloyd Webber Meets Puccini," Maestro Victor Vener mixed excerpts from Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, such as "Phantom of the Opera" and "Evita," with arias from Puccini operas such as "La Boheme" and "Tosca." (Thanks to repeat viewings of HBO's "Classical Baby" series, both the Blogger Kid and Blogger Toddler 2.0 recognized some of the Puccini, believe it or not.)

From the press release: “Works by Lloyd Webber and Puccini have more in common than people may at first think,” explains Vener, whose mission since founding Cal Phil in 1995 has been to introduce audiences to what he calls “timeless great music,” whether it was written in the 21st century or the 16th. Both Lloyd Webber and Puccini make use of lush, lovely melodies, glorious orchestration and have great stories to tell. If someone loved seeing Phantom, it’s a small step back in time to love Boheme, too, as our great orchestra and guest artists James Barbour, Sandra Rubalcava and Christopher Bengochea, as well as the Cal Phil Chorale and Childrens Chorus will demonstrate.”



Vener founded the Cal Phil, which also plays at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and other venues, in 1995. Next year the Cal Phil will move across the street to the Santa Anita race track, keeping things for the Pasadena-based organization in close proximity.



Upcoming Cal Phil events include "Dancing Under the Stars" (July 23, 2011 and July 24, 2011); "Rodgers and Hammerstein In Europe" (August 6, 2011 and August 7, 2011) and "That’s Entertainment" (August 20, 2011 and August 21, 2011). More info here.