The Mar Vista Farmers Market
Sundays, 9am - 2pm
12224 Venice Blvd, Mar Vista

One basic principle of farmers markets is that the good ones are crowded. There has to be something about them to make the community want to attend on top of their usual grocery shopping at regular markets and Trader Joes. The organizers of the Mar Vista farmers market clearly know all this too, and they have put their knowledge to good use.

This was one of the most crowded markets in LA, and it is not even located in an area benefiting from pre-existing foot traffic like markets on 3rd Street Promenade or Downtown. This, plus the presence of families and groups of young people just hanging out is a testament to the fact that people just plain like this market. The produce was not even that out of the ordinary; most of the vendors sell at various other markets as well, making this spot quality, but not necessarily unique, yet the crowds prove that something is being done right.

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If you weren’t too busy out getting smashed or just decided to stay in last night, hopefully you got to catch some great history going down in television and music. Last night, September 5th, all three TV networks ABC, NBC and CBS were more than grateful to give up their regular programming for the hour-long, commercial free fundraising show.

It’s nice to finally know that many of the big shots in entertainment are taking their assets and using them towards a good cause. Cancer has affected millions of people worldwide, and celebrities and the industry have not forgotten how everyone, including them, hurt from this too.

Appearances throughout the night ranged from Jennifer Aniston and Halle Berry to both our presidential candidates. The music was provided by a super star group of the most well known female singers from teen pop sensation, Miley Cyrus to R&B queen, Mary J. Blige. All the ladies performed their charity single, “Just Stand Up” to encourage friends, family, and viewers watching to take a stand and donate. The single is available on iTunes.

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Ed Ruscha: A Selection of Prints
The Greenfield Sacks Gallery
Bergmot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue, Santa Monica

Hey cool post-modern art kids, you have just one week left to enjoy the Pop Art prints of Ed Ruscha at the Greenfield Sacks Gallery in Santa Monica’s haven for contemporary art, Bergamot Station. Ruscha’s textual “word paintings” are credited for the birth of the Pop Art movement, along with Warhol’s silk screened multiples and Lichtenstein’s comic reproductions.

Ruscha’s stark prints gain much of their notorious and sardonic satire from their simplicity. His works span multiple mediums, from photography and painting to print making as in the show, frequently featuring single words, phrases, or repetitions. This plurality of mediums and influences, however, ironically echoes the banality of LA life and the onslaught of text created by mass media, instead of the city’s rumored energy and potential. If his works seem at all dull or familiar, that is sort of the point.

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Happy Hour

• Happy Hour at East 46 | Thursday, August 14th | Free! | 21+| 46 East Colorado Blvd. Pasadena (Map) | Starting this Thursday and then continuing every Thursday is East 46, fine Asian dining ($3 appetizer’s and $5 drinks) with comfortable sofas and lives DJ’s spinning the latest house, trance and world music for your pleasure. The Grand opening will feature Hosts: Loriann Valencia, Herick Hell, Ken Black, Dino, Chunkeebutt & “B”, Katrine Nygard, and music and “ambiance” by Herick Hell.

Music/Art

• Sunset Series: The Love Hangover Art Showing | Thursday, August 14th | 6-10 p.m. | Free! | Barker Block - 513 Molino St., Los Angeles (Map) | Come and enjoy some good music and ever better art. Must RSVP for entrance: barkerblock@filtermmm.com. Artwork by The Love Hangover, Sounds by Castaneda, The Kiss Off and Pants Off.

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Film

• Vicky Cristina Barcelona | Wednesday August 13th | 7:30pm | Cost: FREE! | The Areo Theater - 1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica (Map) | Come see Woody Allen’s latest sexy, quirky love story, starring Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Barden, and Penelope Cruz for free at the Aero tonight before it is even releases!

Clubs

• Club Sandwich | Wednesday August 13th | Cost: FREE! (With RSVP) | Must be 21+ | Free booze from 9:30-10:30 | The Standard Purple Lounge - 8300 Sunset Blvd West Hollywood (Map) | They’ve got free booze, free entry, live music, and a clever name. What more could you want?

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Film

• Eraserhead: Peter Ivers Memorial | Tuesday August 12th | 7:30pm | $12 | Egyptian Theater  - 6712 Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood  (Map) | Come see the film that made Lynch the creepy, artistic genius that we all know him as today. At 6:30 there will also be a book signing to celebrate the release of the Peter Ivar biography In Heaven Everything Is Fine, with author Josh Frank.

Comedy

• Comedy Death Ray - Maria Bamford and Patton Oswald, and SPECIAL GUESTS | Tuesday, August 12th | 8:30pm | Tickets $5 | Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater (Map) | This is a great place to go for amazing and CHEAP comedy. Tonight they will have Maria Bamford, with special host Patton Oswald, and other secret “special featured” guests they have yet to name. Sounds exciting!

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Comedy

• Eddie Izzard: Stripped | Wednesday August 6th | 8pm | $35-$65 - Buy Now | 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood (Map) | In my mind, one of the best stand up comedian’s of our time. Izzard is sharp, witty, and is great for a good history lesson. This is the last week to see him in LA, so don’t miss out catch him while you can! Izzard will have you rolling in your seat with wave of finely manicured hand.

Music

• Peanut Butter Wolf vs. LA: 888 Tour | Wednesday August 6th | 7pm | 21+ | The Echoplex - Map | Price Varies | “888″ is the third in a yearly series by Peanut Butter Wolf: he did a heavy metal set  on6-6-06, and a 7-day gospel-themed set for the number of the savior,  7-7-07. We’re not sure what the theme is for 8-8-8, except it’s the year of AWESOME. Tonight he will be doing Reggae videos at the Dub Club at The Echoplex. Check out the rest of the week here.

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Burlesque

• Lucky Devil Burlesque at Forty Deuce | Tuesday August 5th | Cost $10 | 9pm-1am | Forty Deuce - 5574 Melrose Ave Los Angeles (Map) | All male burlesque show… oh la la! “Lucky Devil” at Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce will consist of three different shows featuring cutting edge songs ranging from George Michael’s ‘Father Figure’ to Kylie Minogue’s ‘Slow’ and M.I.A.’s “Bamboo Banga.” In only the first few weeks, already celebrities such as Dita von Teese, Macy Gray, choreographer Jamie King, Amazing Race’s Reichen Lehmkuhl as well as members of the Pussycat Dolls have joined the packed crowd at Lucky Devil! Sexy.

Comedy

• Comedy Death Ray | Tuesday, August 5th | 8:30pm | Tickets $5 | Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater (Map) | Pretty good line-up for tonight. Bruce McCulloch, Dana Gould, Nick Kroll, Jessi Klein, TJ Miller and hosted by The Birthday Boys. Enjoy some good laughs, good beer, at a VERY reasonable price.

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Books

• Used Book Sale | Wednesday, July 30, 2008 | 12:00 pm | Fairfax Branch Library - Map | I can easily recall the one of the best feelings in the world: when I found out that a “book sale” at the library really meant that the books were free. Whether or not that’s the case here, it’s still probably worth a look for your budding personal library. For more info, call (323) 936-6191.

Amoeba

• Amoeba Charity Auction hosted by Brently Heilbron | Wednesday, July 30, 2008 | 4pm | Amoeba Record - 6400 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood - Map | Amoeba will be hosting their weekly Charity Auction to benefit gulf relief efforts! Brently (voted Austin’s Best Comic and Creator of Richard Simmons Mysteries & Star of Trapped in the Closet Live!) will be auctioning off a bevy of cool items - from Hollywood Bowl tickets to Slayer underwear.

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Comedy

• Comedy Death Ray- Sarah Silverman, Janeane Garofalo and more | Tuesday, July 29th | 8:30pm | Tickets $5 | Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater (Map) | They’re really going all out tonight. Sarah Silverman, Bob Odenkirk, Janeane Garofalo, Arj Barker, Rob O’Reilly and hosted by Brett Gelman. Wow. Tonight is really a night worth getting your sorry ass out of bed and over to the Comedy Death-Ray.

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Circus

• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus | Wed July 23rd - August 3rd | 7:30PM | Honda Center - 2695 E. Katella Anaheim (Map) | Tickets $15-$90 -Buy Now | Probably the only circus that still has elephants, horses, tigers, and of course people flying through the air and bending in ways that you never thought possible. Come enjoy the…so cliched…greatest show on earth!

Club

• Club HELL | Wednesday July 23rd | 9PM | Ivar - 6356 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles (Map) | $10 or free before 11am with Flyer | Want to go to hell? Well here’s your chance, well knows you chance (although I’m sure you’ll have other ) With a multi-media dark show, a ton of live music and performances, a free vodka bar from 9pm-10pm, and of course a lot of leather and scantly clad ladies.

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Comedy

• Comedy Death Ray- Patton Oswalt | Tuesday, July 22nd | 8:30pm | Tickets $5 | Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater (Map) | They’re really going all out tonight. You can get a latte for $5 or see Patton Oswalt! Tonight at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, will be Patton Oswalt, Greg Behrendt, The Sklar Brothers, Tripod and hosted by Chris Fairbanks. So come, grab a beer an enjoy some laughs.

Film

• Enjoy the Dark Knight with Booze! | Tuesday, July 22nd | Cost $12 | Starts at 4:50pm | Landmark Theater - 10850 W Pico Blvd Los Angeles (Map) | Come and enjoy the Dark Knight with a nice cold drink. On the menu are a bunch of clever drink names including a Two Face (Black and Tan with Storm King Stout and Stone IPA), Bat-ini, Joker’s Poison, Rachel’s Kiss, and a Cape Crusader.

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