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Westwood Ugly(er)

Yeah, I couldn't take it - I finally had to return to the Westwood Ugly photos. For starters, the Westwood Whole Foods needs a Clean Sweep team to hit them hard. I get it is a recycling area, but does it have to be a dump? I didn't shoot pix of the dirty elevator to the toilets - not yet that is.

And then there is the environmental disaster scene of NoVill (North Westwood Village). Besides that new name which is itself a crime, the students are the worst offenders. Well, the students coupled with the worst property management possible for an area with extortion level rental rates.

Check out more of the Westwood Ugly Pix!

Sucker Pix

It's getting hot in here. So hot that Crano and I hit the streets in full sunlight - which for me is really saying something. After lunch at our favorite California Roll Factory we stormed the monstrous new Bed Bath and Beyond where the best looking merchandise was on two legs. I'm jus sayin. Above is proof that Crano really does suck - in Fiction no less. And his finger makes rainbows! Awwww.

Oh, The People I've Slept With...

Thursday night I stopped by the set of The People I've Slept With to check in on all my peeps -both above and below the line. It was inspiring to see them all working so diligently despite the heat. Oh, and Quyen is shooting on the Red - I can't wait to see footage!

Here are a few more pix from the shoot!

And a few pix from the wrap party!

Public Transportation - HERE HERE!

It is hard to resist repeating and reposting Robert Reich's clear call for a ground-up new public transportation system on Marketplace last week. Just how long do we think we can really keep this nation going without one?

A Special Mother's Day

Hands down the ugliest store in Westwood Village is Ahhh's (or as I think of it, Ewww's) with Urban Doubtfitters running a close second. Lucky for some, they are right across the street from each other so you can hop from from trash pit to another. The pic above is a recent sampling of their store window for Mother's Day. And yes, that onesie actually says "My Mom is hot AND SINGLE!"

Westwood Ugly Photo Album

Westwood Ugly

Maybe it's because of those images of a newly sprouted neighborhood from the 1920's, I always think of Westwood Village as somewhat charming or refined. But in reality it is a rather ugly collection of overpriced crap, extortion deli's, and - wether it be a bank or a cafe - typically bad service. Westwood Village is caught in a downward spiral of lousy property maintenance and ill-conceived development. So I am starting a new photo album of all the ugly crap I see everyday in Westwood. So now you can laugh and cry along with me.

Yes, Peter Is Good For You

and Yes, Peter has officially graduated from Art Center! I worked my way through gallery shows Friday night, and made it to Pasadena just-in-time to see Peter's grad show. Afterwards, we celebrated until the bar shut down- extremely early, btw. Just like Peter, his show was all lean muscle with a healthy dose of humor.

Four Letter Word

I hit the opening weekend of Four Letter Word and chatted with director Casper Andreas. When we first met in Park City back in January I was struck by his clear understanding of what it is he is doing. I remain impressed that he has made two very low budget features that have made it into theaters and into pop gay consciousness with seeming ease. His new film got a warm response by the audience, and I found myself mostly agreeing with the New York Times review. Sadly, I missed the after party at Here.

Which Way (from) LA?

Sent from my iPhone

Sparkle, Body, Sparkle!

Discovered during one of those late night walks, when Crano drug me into a 7/11 on Westwood Blvd. The Vanilla Sparkle Body Spray seems poised to start some serious trouble. Sparkle, Body, Sparkle!

Sent from my iPhone

Delux Tux Park

Sent from my iPhone

(you can be) free in your room

Sent from my iPhone

Does Not Listen

Or maybe he couldn't read the sign? Even with those fine Fiction frames? Brian & I performed community service on last Friday - first we returned the gear from his shoot to Indie Rentals where I salivated from a polite distance over the many Red cameras on sticks. After a starch-pack lunch at Doughboys down the street (can anyone say double mileage points?) we went all the way to UCI to pack up & pick up a chroma screen and swap it with the vendor in Burbank. Which meant we were stuck in Burbank on Friday night at peak traffic. So, yes we killed time at the Empire Center Target, misc food courts crap, and then eventually Brian's nose led us on to the Krispy Kreme. Despite the sign by the driveway, we entered and eventually regretted it.

It takes a Fox(y)/Mann Village

Since my favorite Westwood movie theater, The National, has been torn down -oh, even typing that I still feel it like a gut punch - I feel it is time to transfer my attention to my number two favorite, The Village. It is the oldest theater in Westwood, and still the biggest. Despite the tacky carpet and gold-adjacent paint on the plaster details, I still love it! Oh, and I highly recommend the front row center in the balcony.

Fashion Victim

Yes, it was just another average day - I spent Thursday working on Brian Crano's new satire on bad short film called 'Official Selection.' Chilling with the peeps was great, despite the dust.