guest post by Josh Ellingson

Statistically speaking, you are probably already aware of the “Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School” phenomenon. The caberet informed, rock ‘n roll figure drawing event is now in over fifty cities worldwide and gaining momentum frenetically. It’s so popular that the Los Angeles chapter has recently decided to take the show on the road. Dr. Sketchy’s Roadshow is currently traversing California, spreading glitter and pencil shavings from Sacramento to Alhambra.

The sketch-curious of San Francisco can get their Anti-Art School fix monthly at 111 Minna Gallery. Host Alice Stribling taps into the Bay Area’s wealth of unique performers and original characters for models unlike anyone you’ll find at the local art college. The friendly staff at 111 Minna keep the bar open and if you’re lucky, the model might perform a strip-tease at intermission. It’s easy to see how this thing catches on. The next Dr. Sketchy’s SF features punker/burlesque icon, Eva Von Slut. Here’s the info:

Tuesday, Nov. 24th 2009
7pm – 10pm
111 Minna Gallery,San Francisco CA
21+
$10 General admission
$7 students/teachers with ID
FREE for barflies, so bring your non-sketchy friends!

http://drsketchyssf.blogspot.com/

Visit founder Molly Crabapple’s home base at http://www.drsketchy.com to find out more. Here’s my Dr. Sketchy’s Twitter list for those inclined to follow a chapter near you: http://twitter.com/ellingson/drsketchys/

Big thanks to Alice Stribling for providing photos for this post. There are lots more photos and sketches at the Dr. Sketchy’s SF Flickr Group Pool.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

Art of Bleeding presents a remix of one of those classic Halloween Safety films.

At of the height of the razors-in-apples hysteria, films like these ruined Halloween in classrooms everywhere. (Or did the fear make the holiday more exciting?) Now it’s Art of Bleeding’s turn to slash and adulterate these questionable cinematic treats.

Art of Bleeding will be premiering their special Halloween show “The Spirits of Safety” on October 25th at the California Institute of Abnormal Arts (CIA) in Los Angeles.

The Art of Bleeding presents the LA PREMIERE of special Halloween show, “The Spirits of Safety,” the latest installment of Magic Ambulance Theater, in which Abram the Safety Ape and RT the Robot Teacher discover Halloween’s connection to True Safety Consciousness through the unnatural use of a CPR mannequin, ectoplasmic mishaps, and the siren charms of the Art of Bleeding nurses. The evening also features a squirmy Breast Cancer Awareness Tutorial and the burn ward comedy of Art of Bleeding’s resident “funmaker” Dr. Sunshine. Guest internCreekbird contributes his unique brand of musical quackery, and Polly Peabody stops in with a burlesque tribute to the good old days of mail-order morphine. The evening will begin with a sneak peek at “GORY DETAILS” our YouTube video series based upon first-person medical emergency stories recorded in the AoB ambulance. Each episode recreates a different true-life story with the help of costumed characters, puppets, and animation. (Doors 7pm, Videos 8pm, Live show 9pm).

At the show they will be giving a preview of the new Art of Bleeding YouTube series “Gory Details”, based on true medical emergency stories.

The “Gory Details” videos are based on true medical emergency stories solicited on public streets from random passersby and recorded in the group’s “magic ambulance” or via the Gory Details hotline. Each episode recreates a different account with the dysfunctional kid’s show characters and a cast of inappropriately clad cast of nurses. Art of Bleeding also performs lives shows featuring these same and similar characters.

Here’s the Art of Bleeding performance “Crawl Away Kids” from How to Destroy the Universe Festival 6 which took place in Oakland back in April.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

guest post by Chuck Cirino

Before the quintessential quick-cutting and fast-paced techniques overused in television today Shadoe Steven’s Fred Rated television commercials broke this new stylistic ground back in the mid-1980s.  Smashing prices, and expensive audio and video gear was Shadoe’s trademark technique for driving media-crazy customers into the many Federated Group home entertainment stores scattered around Southern California at the time.

It was a race for pace by jam packing three minutes of mundane ad information into edgy, entertaining and explosive thirty second commercial spots.  My pleasure and honor was to have collaborated with Shadoe on these commercials as his director and editor.  Over a three-year period we made over 1000 television commercials together.

Cut to:  PRESENT DAY

A few weeks ago Shadoe approached me about a new advertising collaboration.  Shadoe’s task 25 years later was to sell a wheelchair.  What?  A wheelchair?

Oh, but this isn’t just a wheelchair, the Standing Powerchair is an affordable way to bring dignity to those of us who don’t have the full use of our bodies… and Shadoe’s good friend Mark Shedlin, a victim of MS is one such person.  Mark purchased this Powerchair only to discover it was not well-known by doctors and most insurance companies.  Marks mission soon became to get the word out so more people could benefit, and he enlisted Shadoe to help him.

This time for Shadoe the commercial was personal, and once he introduced me to Mark it became personal for me too.  So of course leave it to Shadoe to wildly entertain while getting his message across.  Once again he smashes the traditional and we created this ad…

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

photos by Scott Beale

On my recent trip to Los Angeles I finally had a chance to visit Intelligentsia Venice Coffeebar, a beautiful new Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea location. The place is a temple of coffee worship with every detail carefully thought out, from the design and seating, to the personalized attention each customer receives from the baristas.

Intelligentsia’s newest Los Angeles coffeebar is another re-imagining of what a coffee experience can be. Located in Venice on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, guests are not met with the standard experience of waiting in line. After passing through the iron gates facing the bustling boulevard, visitors walk down an ivy-covered hall open to the sky where they are greeted at a butcher block “concierge desk.” From this point, they are taken to one of four custom-fabricated espresso machines where their espresso drink or coffee-by-the-cup is prepared. The idea is for a barista to stay with one person throughout the interaction to create an individualized experience for every customer, regardless of how many are being served.

In the back of the cafe they have restored 1972 La Marzocco from the original Starbucks that they fire up on special occasions.

Photo Gallery: Intelligentsia Venice Coffeebar

Special thanks to fellow coffee fanatic Sean Bonner for turning me on to Intelligentsia Venice, which became part of my daily ritual while I visting LA.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

Sean Bonner has decided to take on the challenge of creating a Hackerspace in Los Angeles which he is calling Crash Space. He’s setup a mailing list, as well as a wiki and is looking others interested in working on the project.

Check out Hackerspaces for more info about Hackerspaces around the world. Who knows, maybe you’ll be inspired to set one up in your city as well.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

While in Los Angeles last week we stopped by Vibrato Grill Jazz, a beautiful restaurant and jazz club in Bel Air owned by renown musician Herb Alpert. Our friend Tony Campanale is the manager there and during our visit he introduced us to Pat Senatore, a charming man, who along with being the music director of the club, was the bass player for Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass.

The band performing the night we were there was the Rick Vittallo Quartet and at one point Slim Jim Phantom from the Stray Cats sat in on the drums.

On our way out I noticed a series of jazz musician sculptures over the bar. I asked Tony about them and he said that they came from the lobby of A&M Records. Herb Alpert is the “A” in A&M Records which he co-founded in 1962 with Jerry Moss.

Herb Alpert and his wife Lani Hall are currently on a US tour.

photos by Scott Beale

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

photos by Scott Beale

While in Los Angeles I shot a few photos of the notoriously funky Venice Beach Boardwalk and the Public Art Walls, where painting is only allowed by permit.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

photo by Scott Beale

I really love the sign at the Montana Avenue Branch of the Santa Monica Public Library, makes me want to go in there and find out more about this whole book thing I’ve been hearing about.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

Here’s the archived video stream of The Comedy Panel at last week’s 140 | The Twitter Conference which took place in Los Angeles. The panel was moderated by Jason Preston and featured Tucker Max, Loni Love, Chris Hardwick and a surprise, unscheduled appearance by professional wresting champion The Iron Sheik, who recently joined Twitter. Don’t get him started about “that fucking Hulk Hogan”.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

photos by Scott Beale

Working our way through West Hollywood we came across Formosa 1140, orange shipping container themed condos built by Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

photos by Scott Beale

A shot a few detail photos of the wonderful “Six Heads” mural by Monte Thasher located on Vermont Avenue in the Los Feliz neighborhood of LA.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

While in LA we stopped by Nate’n Al, the legendary deli and restaurant in Beverly Hills that’s been open since 1945. Larry King loves the place so much he moved to Beverly Hills be within walking distance of it.

See Previously: Canter’s Deli

photos by Scott Beale

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

photo by Scott Beale

Azul 213 street art found on N. Vermont Ave in the Los Feliz neighborhood of LA.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

photos by Scott Beale

“Ballerina Clown” is a sculpture by Jonathan Borofsky located above the CVS pharmacy at Rose and Main Street in Venice, CA near the boardwalk.

Here’s Jonathan’s description for this installation:

The Venice Boardwalk is full of all kinds of people in all sorts of outfits and the atmosphere is very festive with many live street performances taking place, especially on weekends. This sculpture is an accommodation or resolution of opposites in one. Not only does this image bring the male and female together into one figure, but also, two opposite types of performers are represented: the formal classical ballet dancer and the traditional street performer. Of course, this public sculpture might push the envelope in ‘taste’, but if you have ever walked the Venice Boardwalk on a Sunday afternoon, you might understand why this figure is right at home.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

photos by Scott Beale

While driving through Venice, CA the other day I stopped and shot of photo of the famous giant binoculars created by Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen for the Chiat/Day Building designed by Frank Gehry. The cars enter the parking garage by driving through the binoculars.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

140 | The Twitter Conference, which focuses on the developers, businesses and community involved with the Real-Time Web, takes place September 22nd-23rd at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. The conference featuring a great line-up speakers and sessions.

The conference organizers are offering Laughing Squid readers a 10% discount on the event. Just enter 140squid when you register for the conference.

I’m planning on attending the event (Laughing Squid is a media partner) and will be in LA for the whole week. I’ll probably end up organizing a couple of Drinkups (one Westside and one Eastside) the weekend after the conference.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

The BLAB! Show at CoproGallery in Los Angeles, opens 8/8 and runs through 8/29.

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

Charles Bukowski in 1985 giving a tour around Hollywood Blvd and Western Ave in Los Angeles from the back of a convertible, pointing out his favorite bars, hookers and drug dealers. The scene is interview #9 from the documentary The Charles Bukowski Tapes by Barbet Schroeder, who later went on to make the film Barfly in 1987, based on the semi-autobiographical screenplay by Bukowski.

via Dinosaurs and Robots

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

The 1st 7th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational takes place on Saturday, April 25th in downtown Los Angeles. Here are the GCI rules and registration is now open.

The Grilled Cheese Invitational (GCI) is the largest, craziest, and most exciting Grilled Cheese cooking contest in the country and is the best thing to happen to sliced cheese since sliced bread! The GCI promotes an almost scary pursuit of perfection in a Grilled Cheese Sammich and allows for amateur and professional chefs to compete side-by-side in the hopes of becoming a true Grilled Cheese Champion.

The event was created by Tim Walker in 2003, in private artist loft in Downtown Los Angeles as a competition between friends. Since then, the Invitational has grown into a national movement dedicated to perfecting the art of grilled cheese, with thousands of cheese fiends and regional competitions across the country.

See Previously: Photos of The NorCal Regional Grilled Cheese Invitational

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.

guest post by Al Ridenour

It wasn’t the Easter Bunny leaving little surprises all around Los Angeles’ historic Olvera Street Saturday.  It was the hundreds of pets turning out for the 79th annual Blessing of the Animals conducted by Archbishop Mahoney himself.  While the current shindig’s more civic celebration than religious, it does have a mixed ecclesiastic pedigree reaching beyond St. Francis’ chit-chatting with birds back to San Antonio de Abad’s special relationship with swine.  Antonio is also patron of amputees, butchers, gravediggers, eczema, epilepsy, scabies, and leprosy.  Happy Easter, kids!

photos by Al Ridenour

This is a blog post from Laughing Squid, subscribe via RSS, Twitter, Facebook & FriendFeed.