Here's What an Empty Dodger Stadium Looks Like, Up Close

This was quite a treat: The Blogger Kid's best friend celebrated his 9th birthday in style, at Dodger Stadium. The kids (and their parents) were treated to a private tour of the ballpark (including on the field -- well, on the dirt. (Don't walk on the grass!) We then headed to one of the luxury boxes for sandwiches and birthday cupcakes. It was pretty cool seeing the empty stadium (kind of like the scene in Fox's upcoming midseason show "Last Man on Earth"). Some pics:


View of downtown


The stands




Visiting team bullpen


View from the pressbox




Field level

Billboard Crowns The Song of the Summer 2013. And The Winner Is... (VIDEO)

Billboard has named "Blurred Lines," by Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell, the song of the summer. Despite a valiant fight by Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" and Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive," Billboard says it wasn't even a contest:

"Lines" took hold of the top rank on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of June 22 for its first of 12 frames at No. 1. (It cedes the summit to Katy Perry's "Roar" this week.) It ties two other songs for the most weeks tallied at No. 1 on the Hot 100 encompassing charts covering Memorial Day through Labor Day: Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together," the top summer song of 2005, which collected 12 of its 14 total weeks on top in that span, and Brandy & Monica's "The Boy Is Mine," which notched 12 of its 13 weeks at No. 1 in the Songs of the Summer chart's tracking period in 1998.

"Lines" has dominated multiple charts over the summer. In addition to its Hot 100 reign, it set the record for the highest weekly audience (228.9 million, according to Nielsen BDS) in the 23-year history of Billboard's Radio Songs chart, passing Carey's "Belong" (212.2 million). It leads the list for a ninth frame this week. The song also scored the Hot 100's top Airplay Gainer award for a record 10 weeks.

Looks like it wasn't even close. In our unofficial Franklin Avenue poll, "Get Lucky" dominated:



At last week's FXX network launch party, Thicke himself performed to a pumped-up industry crowd, and of course, he saved the big hit for last. Here are two Vines I made of it:



And some Blurred Pics from the party:

A Night With TV Guide Magazine's "Hot List"

It's been a fantastic first fall in my new job as the L.A. bureau chief of TV Guide magazine. Highlights have included moderating four panels at Comic-Con (including two with some seriously passionate fans -- "Chuck" and "Community") and writing the "Two and a Half Men" cover story for TV Guide's fall preview issue.

And this Monday, I was there as TV Guide Magazine threw its annual "Hot List" bash in honor of next week's special issue. Yes, that's me with cover girl Zooey Deschanel and with "Blossom" herself, Mayim Bialik. (now, of course, on "The Big Bang Theory").

I also got a chance to spend some time with Mark Harmon, Jane Levy and Rex Lee from "Suburgatory" and producers from series such as MTV's "Awkward." The event was held at SBE's new La Cienega Blvd. club Greystone Manor (not to be confused with the Greystone Mansion -- although, I still don't get why SBE is opening itself up to such confusion).

Other attendees included Kat Dennings, Beth Behrs, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and castmembers from "Modern Family," "The Office," "Pretty Little Liars," "Teen Wolf," "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," and more. The "Hot List" issue -- which features three unique covers celebrating the Hot Women of Comedy -- is on newsstands now.

Read more about the party, from my colleague Rob Moynihan, here. And here's a video from the event:

An Evening at the Wigwam Motel on Route 66

Chris Nichols did it again. The Los Angeles magazine staffer (and man behind its popular column "Ask Chris") throws an elaborate event each year for his birthday, usually incorporating L.A. history, landmarks and a dose of kitsch. And this year he outdid himself by throwing "TV Jamboree," a 1950s-style TV revue (think Spade Cooley, Bandstand Revue or Dixie Showboat) at the famed Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino.

Among the performers: Charles Phoenix (singing "You're Just Too Good To Be True" in an Indian head dress, in honor of the Wig Wam), a Hurdy Gurdy duo, a Stan Chambers impersonator, and -- in the flesh -- Tom Hatten, the host of The Popeye Show on KTLA for three decades.

As for the Wigwam, even histo-entertainer Phoenix admitted that despite his many trips down Route 66, he hadn't stopped to check out the Wigwam until Saturday night. The legendary motel consists of rooms designed to look like teepees. Some history from the Wigwam's site:

The California Wigwam Motel was built within the city limits of San Bernardino in 1949, a period when citrus groves flourished. The motel would later acquire a Rialto postal address, creating confusions as the property actually sits in San Bernardino. The motel's village-style arrangement of nineteen 30-foot-tall tepees made from wood framing, concrete and stuco draws much admiration from all generations. Each individual wigwam is carefully equipped with all the traveler's essentials with grounds that includes of grass area, an outdoor barbecue grill and kidney-shaped swimming pool.

The mastermind behind this retro motel was a clever man by the name of Frank Redford, who was heavily influenced by the native Indian culture. He would bring his imagination to a reality in the early 1930s explained in the following section.

A total of only seven Wigwam Motels were built throughout the nation, of which three managed to remain preserved. Two of the last three remaining rest along historic Route 66 in the states of Arizona and California, while the other rests in Redford's home state of Kentucky.

Photos from the Wigwam:


Wood carving invites motorists in.


old tractor.


The sun sets.


More sunset over the Wigwams and Route 66.


Friend of Franklin Avenue, Ellen Bloom.


Charles Phoenix croons.


Tom Hatten draws Popeye for the grown-up boys and girls.


The entire cast of "TV Jamboree."

Los Angeles Magazine's 50th Anniversary Bash Looks Back, Looks Ahead

There was a lot of talk about 2061 at Los Angeles magazine's 50th anniversary party. The event, held Wednesday night in the lobby of the Variety Building (also home to Los Angeles mag), asked guests to imagine what L.A. might be like when the city magazine hits 100.

In one room, attendees were asked to fill out cards and give their take on the future of Los Angeles. Those cards will be put in a time capsule -- along with items such as a signed Simpsons script by Matt Groening -- and buried, to be open again in 2061. (I'll be 87 years young!)

L.A. mag also asked readers to design mock covers of what L.A. mag like look like in 2061 -- and some of the entries were quite comedic.

Also at the party, Chef John Rivera Sedlar created special Hors d'oeuvres tied to classic L.A. eats: Chili, inspired by Chasen's; Cobb salad shooters, inspired by the Brown Derby; tricolore amuse, inspired by Rex; duck prosciutto, inspired by L'Ermitage; pastrami tacos, inspired by Saint Estephe; and chocolate bacon truffles, inspired by Animal. The chili was a particular hit with me -- a nice spice, with crispy sage.

Among those in attendance: George Takei; Rodney Bingenheimer; Councilwoman Jan Perry; histo-tainer Charles Phoenix; KCBS anchor Laura Diaz; Los Angeles City Office of Historic Resources head Ken Bernstein; the L.A. Times' James Rainey; and "Flipping Out's" Jeff Lewis. It was also great to see LA Observed's Kevin Roderick, and we hung out with Dodger Thoughts' Jon Weisman, my former Variety co-worker. Congrats to Los Angeles magazine editor Mary Melton and everyone at the magazine for pulling off a fun and tasty event!

Some photos:


Los Angeles magazine editor Mary Melton toasts the anniversary.


Councilwoman Jan Perry delivers a city of Los Angeles proclamation.


Me with George Takei, who now can be seen on Nickelodeon's "Supah Ninjas."


The cover of a 1971 issue: "Smiling Through the Downturn California Style." I can't get past this cover: A flabby old guy in a lawn chair, his feet sticking right at us. Not quite visually appealing. Can you imagine anyone doing a cover like this today?


Cobb salad shooter.


The 50th anniversary cake -- which prompted a debate earlier in the evening: Was it truly a cake? Turns out it was. And delicious.


Tricolore amuse.


Celebrities were a big choice for the magazine's cover in the 1980s.


Pastrami tacos.


Chili.


Me with Rodney on the Roq.


Playing the theramin.


Fake future Los Angeles magazine cover in 2061


"Mayor Bieber." Another fake future cover.


"Lady Gaga's Comeback at 75." Another fake cover, this one by Charles Phoenix.


Photographer Larry Underhill: He doesn't just shoot pictures, he creates time capsules! Larry took sewer pipe and created the capsule, and then etched in the magazine's name and a message.


Among the items going into the time capsule: A "Simpsons" script signed by Matt Groening.


One of Los Angeles mag's most buzzed-about covers, the famous Villaraigosa "Failure" issue. (Nope, Mayor V wasn't at Wednesday night's affair. That might have been embarrassing.)

Partying Like It's 1885 at Glendale's Historic Ard Eevin House

The invite not only promised a trip back to 1885, but a trip back to 1885 Louisville. Yep, it was time for the annual theme party thrown by Los Angeles magazine's Mr. L.A., Chris Nichols (yes, two posts within a week!)

Last year, he took partygoers back to 1940s Union Station.

This time out, Glendale's historic Ard Eevin house doubled as the site of a 19th century Kentucky Derby celebration.



Built in 1903, the Ard Eevin is the sister to El Miradero -- which now houses the Brand Arts Library. The house, which is still occupied and privately owned, was designed by Nathaniel Dryden.





One of the great things about Chris' party is that the majority of attendees commit to the theme. (Sadly, not me -- I didn't come dressed in period garb. But I was in the minority.) As Eating L.A.'s Pat notes, trying to come up with a circa 1885 outfit was much tougher than last year's 1940s theme. Yet most pulled it off. Had I planned, I would have grown a Chase Carey handlebar moustache for the occasion.

Besides Pat, I also ran into Friends of Franklin Avenue Ellen Bloom and Scott Lowe. Maria opted to stay alone



Mint Juleps were the drink of choice on the porch, while various meats (ham, fried chicken, corn bread, etc.) could be found in the dining room.



In the back, hand-churned ice cream.



Also popular: Horse-drawn carriage rides around Ard Eevin.



Talk of the party? Well, there was a lot. But when I arrived, everyone kept asking me one thing: "Did you see the Ghostbusters?" And here they are: Decked in full ghostbuster gear, circa 1885. (Below too.)





Why Ghostbusters? Well, these creepy period ghosts, of course.

Thanks to Chris for the invite. How does one top this? We'll find out next year...