Archive for the category: los angeles

:: The Museum of Jurassic Technology

Posted by Vanessa on July 23, 2008 | Permalink

One of my favourite places in LA is the eerie, uncanny Museum of Jurassic Technology located in Culver City. I think I read that it has won an award as a work of art, and once you visit, it’s easy to see why. Locked behind a large steel door that gives it a perpetually closed look, upon first entering you watch a very bizarre video on the ‘Jurassic age’ and then meander through a series of strange and wonderous exhibits which include a room based around Napolean; a display of model trailer parks; a room dedicated to old wives tale cures made in sculpture form and a display of cat’s cradles. Phones dot the walls and make strange noises. Lifting the receiver of one you hear odd wailings that turn out to be the voice of the opera singer whose story you later encounter, another will be the barking of a dog.

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Categories: about us, adventure, art, local guide, los angeles
Tags: , adventure, gothic, jmt, jurassic museum

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:: Please hold…

Posted by Vanessa on February 27, 2008 | Permalink

I like to start my posts with nice colourful pictures. This is helped greatly by powerlines not falling behind my apartment and leaving me without the internet, TV or a landline. I have to say though that the loss of my conventional time-wasting methods has produced a flurry of cleaning, cooking and general productivity around the house. My kitchen is as close to gleaming as it ever gets. My $1 green gingham dress (a mistake as a dress) is being snipped up to become a bag. I’m dreaming of an improptu dinner party. Perhaps I should be grateful for the radio silence… but no.

I still want my internet back!

Categories: los angeles
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:: Banana Bread! Vampire Weekend! Superbowl!

Posted by Vanessa on February 6, 2008 | Permalink

I was going to call this post non-sequiturs but started panicking that I couldn’t spell sequitur. Anyway! Yesterday I saw the fantastic Vampire Weekend play a free gig at Amoeba Records on Cahuenga and Sunset. And take note! The Super Furry Animals are playing a free gig there on Thursday at 7pm, before their (not free) gig at Echoplex on Friday. Then, feeling that I had been neglecting my home a tad lately what with working lots/eating too many chicken wings and donuts whilst watching the Superbowl - which was actually fun this year! You see, when they get a down, the game resumes from that point!… anyway, having decided I need to do something more domestic, I made banana bread.

It’s fantastic. It was justTrader Joe’s banana bread mix and I bought it on a complete whim - you just add eggs and oil and water. And the packet is a very friendly yellow.

Anyway! No more neglecting craftiness. I’ll have myself four nicely stitched place mats by next week or else.

Categories: adventure, local guide, los angeles
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:: Not so silent cinema

Posted by Vanessa on January 29, 2008 | Permalink

I love that LA is a film town. I don’t love it because I want to be an actress; and although I love writing, I don’t love it because I hold ambitions of being the author of a screenplay. Nope, I love it because of the weird and wonderful films you can see, and the equally fascinating places you can watch them.

The Silent Movie Theatre is located at 611 Fairfax and it shows the bizarre and wondeful, such as ‘Stunt Rock’. It has folding down chairs - but sofas at the front, if you’re early; posters of starlets mounted on the walls, and cupcakes (the smores cupcake disappointed me somewhat though) and buttered popcorn for sale in the lobby. Best of all, it has a rowdy, we’re-all-in-for-a-good time atmosphere that permeates throughout. This time, the director was even there to do a Q & A and tell hilarious anecdotes…

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Categories: about us, adventure, los angeles
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:: Dollar Dress

Posted by Vanessa on January 24, 2008 | Permalink

Here’s my latest $1 dress find - this vintage gingham dress is from Jetrag which has an excellent $1 dollar rummage on Sundays as I’ve mentioned before. I’m trying to work out when is a suitable occasion to wear it - more LA sunshine, less LA rain please! I think a picnic might be the perfect occasion. What’s your favourite bargain piece of clothing or jewellery, and where did you get it? Whether it’s in LA or in the UK I’d be pleased to know where else to shop!

Categories: adventure, los angeles, shopping, style
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:: To the untrained eye, this might not look that impressive.

Posted by Vanessa on January 16, 2008 | Permalink

I’d be the first to admit this isn’t a lovely picture. But this is my first proper sewing project ever. If you’re like me, and you learn best by being shown, someone like my friend Melissa is indispensable. Today I had a sewing lesson (with cookies and wine on hand) at her house, and she had me make this cushion after only a few minutes. She also taught me a few cheats and was bemused by a few of my mistakes. We’re planning a fabric trip downtown soon! She also recommended Joann’s as a stop to pick up some basic equipment. Now I know I can make something, even if it’s just a square, I’m REALLY excited!

Categories: adventure, craft, los angeles
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:: Contentious fruit…

Posted by Vanessa on December 11, 2007 | Permalink

Well, so far so good in my attempt at Joelle’s shop local challenge. Though I’m eating a supermarket kiwi fruit… but it’s from before the challenge was issued! Does that mean I’m cheating? The biggest challenge will be my Christmas dinner on Saturday - I need ingredients that I’d normally get entirely from the local Trader Joe’s. Perhaps I’ll try to use mainly the Farmer’s Market, instead?

Categories: challenge, los angeles, shopping
Tags: shop local challenge

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:: Sunday Shopping Bliss

Posted by Vanessa on December 9, 2007 | Permalink

It’s Sunday, which means I should probably be sulking that I have to go to work tomorrow. Fortunately, I’m not at all gloomy because there’s plenty of fun shopping to do. It would be a great idea to start at Canter’s, which is a fantastic place to eat. Cornbeef hash and eggs? Delicious! I wonder if I can convince someone to go to brunch? And its conveniently located right by the Fairfax/Melrose market. This is probably not news to Angelenos, but having lived here for just over a year, I’m still in love with the shopping.

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Categories: los angeles, shopping
Tags: , cups, dresses, shopping, Sundays, thrift, vintage

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:: Silverlake, Book Envy, and Christmas Shopping

Posted by Vanessa on December 1, 2007 | Permalink

Today was a fairly boring weekend morning, so I took Joelle’s recommendation (how come she can still think of places for me to go when she lives in London?) and sought out Reform School. No, not to cure myself of my bad behaviour; in fact Reform School is one of Silverlake’s many cute, innovative little shops. Silverlake is known for being an artsy, young neighbourhood and I’ve been driven through it a few times on the way to baseball games but had never actually stopped off there. I was delighted with Reform School; my boyfriend and I found the fantastic coasters above.

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Categories: christmas, los angeles, shopping
Tags: books, handbags, pie, reform school, silverlake

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