The Rolling Stones at The Taschen Gallery -- Get What You Need

I had SOOOOOO much fun yesterday. Oh my God. It was one of those freedom days. One of those alive days. And unexpected. Completely unplanned. Which is always the best.

Sexy hot and unfair, Photo by Ethan Russell, 1972. The Official name of this photograph is "Lips."

I had to go to the WGA and because of that, I ended up seeing my friend, Adco, at Joan's on 3rd for an impromptu friend date. I have to do a real post for Joan's on 3rd but I will say this, as hoighty toighty as it is, it's also incredibly relaxed and it has a DAMN good cup of coffee (and super good crispy bacon. I didn't even know they served breakfast and you  know  how into breakfast I am these days). I also want to say seeing Adam reminds me of all that is good: cars, music, art, New York, our mutual friend, Dina and The Rolling Stones.

So it made good sense that on my way home I stopped by the Taschen Gallery to see The Stones show. Earlier in the morning I drove by and remembered Ad had attended the opening night for the exhibit. I remembered the pictures and it looked like fun but forgot. And then boom, I saw this...

...on the corner of Beverly and Crescent Heights. 

When I was growing up I was obsessed with/scared by/attracted to The Rolling Stones. But it was in NYC with my Tall Friend Jen that I became completely, irrationally obsessed. To date, Mick is the only rock star I've ever had a sex dream about and I gotta admit the truth, I'm pretty proud of that.

My boyfriend, Mick Jagger. Photo by Jean-Marie Perier, Paris, 1966

You probably know about Taschen because of their famous Dian Hanson books.

You've seen them for years. They're known as the "sexy books." And there's a great article I recently read about Dian Hanson in Believer Mag. Check it out.

But this exhibit is Taschen's first here in LA. They opened mid-December and way to open! With The Stones! Nice! Because it's been such a success, they've extended the photographic exhibit - which has close to 100 photos throughout the years - to February 15th. And you know, you think Taschen, you think books. So of course, there's a huge and luscious Stones book with the pics from the exhibit on sale for $150. And because it's Taschen, there's also a mega 5k book with all The Stones signatures...

Yari from Taschen displaying their Sumo Rolling Stones Book with The Fella's Signatures

I'm thrilled a piece of history, culture, England, New York -- home -- is in LA. The exhibit is curated by Reuel Golden and the photographers are iconic. You'll see the works of masters such as David Bailey, Anton Corbijn, Gered Mankowitz, Terry Richardson, Dominique Tarle, and Albert Watson here. AND it's all for sale. 

The Taschen Gallery

Knowing they've extended it, I'm sure to go back. And listen, they have The Stones playing continuously while you're there. What's not to like?

Speaking of, driving home, I put on the radio and "Miss You" came on. A sunny day, in LA. Seeing one of my best friends, getting an eyefull of Mick, Keith, Brian, Charlie, Ronnie, Bill. Then driving home on the freeway to "Miss You"? 

Brian Jones by Bent Rej taken in 1965 in London at Brian's home.

You gotta love LA.

Joan's on 3rd is at 8530 West 3rd. There's another location at 12059 Ventura Boulevard in Studio city. Street Parking available. Always check your meter. It gets vicious around here.

The Taschen Gallery is at 8070 Beverly Boulevard. LA, CA 90048. 323.852.9098. Hours of Operation is Tuesday thru Saturday 11-6PM and Sunday 12 to 5PM. And by Appointment. PS: Don't be afraid. It's free!

ENJOY!

Thievery Corporation - Indra

Photography by Paul Gibert

Just had one of those LA experiences tonight. I'm stuck in traffic. It's a parking lot. I have no idea why this is happening. I just wait and wait. It's a little frustrating. I'm hungry, this is annoying, why now? Why here? I need to eat!!!!!!

Another thought overrides: someone might be hurt. I know. What a downer. But it's true. So I do a little prayer, leave a message or two for a friend (with my blue tooth - come on!), listen to the radio and try not to obsess over the fact there are just too many people who live here. That's my theory about accidents. It's bound to happen. It's not just careless driving and text messages - of course there's a lot of that - but there's a reason they call them "accidents." And when you have this many people all cramming themselves into this freeway or that, they're bound to bump into one another.

Every. Single. Night.

I get closer and closer to the accident. It doesn't look terribly serious, thank God. I move past and suddenly it's now all behind me. All the cars. The people ducking into this lane and that, trying to buy back 1 minute here, 2 minutes there. And here I am now. Free. No cars in front of me. Those behind me, getting smaller and smaller. Hardly anyone is to my right or my left. I'm blissing out on the open road.

I accelerate. Not really to make up for lost time. But because I can. It feels good. The night is beautiful and downtown is up ahead. Even from far away it looks tall and Diehard-ish and like its doing its job. Then this song comes on:



I'm not even sure I've heard it before. But it's sound is familiar. It reminds me of the soundtrack to so many evenings in LA, being on the 10, opening my windows, staring at the lights that make up the night - green, red, blue. I love it. As I move along, I think of people who are so cool, chatting, by some pool up in the hills, maybe overlooking the valley. Or skateboards at night in Highland Park. I don't know. My mind wanders.

And then I'm home.

Maybe I just listen to the same dj (Garth Trinidad) when I'm in my car at night! I don't know. But Thievery Corporation, Indra, regardless of the fact I'm supposed to be thinking about India, feels like night in my car in LA.

So I want to add it to my list.

Photography by Paul Gibert

For more information about the photography in this post, please go to prg24.tumblr.com

Thievery Corporation is playing with Massive Attack at The Greek Theater September 20th. Click here for Tickets and Information.

Enjoy!

A Mixed Tape of Sorts

Okay, so when I was growing up we did this thing. We would put together, with very careful love, timing, thoughtfulness and attention, mixed-tapes. Are they mixed or mix? Ah, I'm sure that's answered 1000 times online. And I don't really care.

I called them Mixed Tapes. And actually I didn't have a hyphen. [discuss in the Comments Section but let's move on...] And back in the day, a mixed tape seemed to be, I don't know, just about the most kind, loving and generous gift you could give a friend. When my husband and I first started dating, I remember he gave me a cd with songs he thought I'd like, great songs, stuff I wasn't familiar with and it helped me to get to know him better. I gave him one as well. It was, I guess, a sort of mating ritual. And while we were way past the days when our very lives depended on the value of the mix being appreciated, accepted and admired it was saying something that we wanted to be known and understood by each other in this particular way. We liked one other enough to be vulnerable with music, show off with music, share our music. It was our way of saying, I like you and I want you to get to know me better. And I hope you still think I'm cool after listening to this. Hey maybe even cooler. At the very least, a little more attractive. That would be awesome.

With this blog you know how much I love music. I often tell you what music was playing when I saw something I loved in LA or how hearing a particular song on the radio while driving had a positive effect on my mood [effect/affect -- discuss]. You're in your car SO much in LA and I believe the music you have on hand is EVERYTHING. If you don't have good music it's just -- well, it's deadly.

By the way I have a friend who doesn't listen to ANYTHING when she's in her car and I think I would die.

Anyway, I found a site where I could put many of the songs I've thus far recommended on an online version of a mixed tape. For you. For when you're doing stuff at home or ideally for when you're in your car. In LA. As God intended.

I know there are some omissions. Opine LA's First Car Music Mix is not perfect. Not like The Hastings Tape from when I was in high school. One of my childhood best friends and I would listen to it driving from our hometown to New York City on the nights we'd sneak into clubs (and I'd tell my parents we were just staying at her house and watching movies). I barely remember anything on that mix except for "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys." That's because we knew the tape so well, the timing of it and everything, that if we pressed Play at exactly the right time, there'd be a few songs preceding it but the second we got onto the West Side Highway, that song would start it's quiet, building intriguing notes.

Anyway, this is a compilation of what's been posted up until now. I hope it works and I hope you download the music to play in your car. Damn, I hope you like it. And if you think I'm a little cooler and slightly more attractive after listening to it, that's okay, too. [two o's in that too. I know that for certain].


Enjoy!

A Great Saturday Morning: Discovering Breakfast at Blu Jam

I'm a huge breakfast snob and I really don't like places that overdo it. Those that do so shall go unnamed. Why be a hater? But what I will say is some of the most highly touted breakfast places in LA, the places EVERYONE tells you to go to, are heavy, give you way too much food, and load up on the uber fatty ingredients. Maybe if you're a hungover breakfast goer, you really want to pour it on to cut through the cigs from the night before. But for me, I like places that give the ingredients a chance. And frankly, if everything is about butter, syrup, and creams -- what are they trying to cover up, you know?

The Blu Jam Cafe on Melrose between Martel and Fuller is a good, hearty, delicious, non-gloppy breakfast that uses fresh, high-quality ingredients. Meaning: You don't have to take a nap afterwards.

I'm an eavesdropper. That guy was telling them about his China trip. One more fact: he ordered the cornflake encrusted French Toast and man, it looked GOOD.

First off, can I just say, there is now, finally, a very cool service-oriented generation. For a good decade you'd go to many a restaurant and feel as if you were pissing off the people who work there by simply showing up for your reservation. They didn't want their jobs - and they were hard jobs, to be sure - but they kind of let you know they were too good for it. There's a FANTASTIC trend now toward amazingly good service. This is in spades at Blu Jam.

The Host Desk/Front Desk People were super nice, funny, on it and adorable. Loved these guys. And I'm sure had we arrived 20 minutes after we did we would have had a very long wait, but we had about 15 minutes and then were seated. This was shortly before 10am on a Saturday. Here's the other thing: very realistic seating expectations were set by the front desk. And they had our number and texted us when our table was ready so we didn't have to stand right in front of them whipping our heads around every time one of them would duck out from behind their "podium." Actually what we did was take the host's suggestion and went to their bar to get an ice coffee while we waited. It was pretty delicious and right after we ordered it, we were seated.

Norwegian Eggs Benedict at Blu Jam

This is what I chose: The Large and In Charge Norwegian Eggs Benedict with Dill Hollandaise, Spinach and Salmon. In NYC, on the Upper West Side, me and my friend Allison used to go to a place that called this dish Eggs Benny. Allison, if you read this blog please remind me the name of that restaurant joint! Anyway, Blu Jam's version was just as fantastic. And they had a little chive on it that added a light mellow onion touch. Though I could have had potatoes, I ordered the fruit. Considering I was having the Hollandaise I thought on some level I must be healthy. It's always a gamble. I've gotten so hosed with choosing fruit in the past because have you ever noticed when you order fruit in lieu of potatoes they give you pretty much every piece of fruit you don't normally eat and none of it is ripe? It's like hard, freezing cold melon varieties and if you're really unlucky you get some rind thrown in. Well, this was Farmer's Market fresh: Strawberries, grapes, pineapple, blueberries... tart and sweet and at the end of the day, I didn't just feel healthy, I felt respected.

Homemade Granola, Blu Jam

My husband got the granola which has like about 50 ingredients in it (almonds, coconut, flax seed, raisins, you name it). It was so freakin delicious. One of the best granolas in any restaurant I've ever eaten. They gave him a scoop of yogurt (you can get milk) and it was clearly not enough. So they gave him another scoop and I believe they did that free of charge. So nice of them.

French Press Coffee, Blu Jam style

At Blu Jam I had two cups of this Costa Rican (they have a different type daily). Super yummy, edgy, perfect. I could marry it. I'm beginning to think my relationship with coffee is in the unhealthy area. You know what I mean? I love it as if I can't live without it. And by the way, I can't. I might have to soon start to look at my coffee situation. Some day. We quit things in the order they kill us, right? And you know seriously, if I was killed by coffee it wouldn't be the worse thing. I'd certainly die energetically.

TD and our waiter

Doesn't that look like "the film's director" in the background? Or like I captured the image of a ghost? I know. But listen, I just want to say "hi" to our waiter because he was on it, sweet and nice, AND he had on that awesome vintage Yankees shirt (which he got in New Jersey 5 years ago) and I just want to say I had a shirt VERY SIMILAR when I was growing up. Though I have no current particular allegiance to The Yankees (I like both The Yankees and The Mets no matter what's happening or where they are in the running) I will say, seeing this shirt brought back good memories of evenings in The Bronx with my dad and made me like the restaurant more.

Afterwards, we ducked into the American Vintage which is on the same block but I decided I needed to get going. I was heading to Silverlake for a hair consultation (oh my God, it's out. I'm planning on cheating on my hair stylist. Did I already tell you?) and so on my way to my car I ran across this guy:

He had parked his brown Mercedes (sorry Adco, I didn't get a good picture of that and it was a very cool looking coche) and set up a tripod and started taking a video of himself dancing in front of this wall of graffiti:

Your body's on time and your mind is appealing

I asked him if he was the artist and he said no and then took off. God bless him.

Moving east towards my Consultation to Cheat Appointment in Silverlake, I had one final fantastic moment to my morning...

Saturday Morning Car Porn

While listening to "Blue Monday" - Saturdays seem to be 80's satellite radio time - I came across this particularly wonderful car and wanted to share it with you. By the way, Stir Crazy is a fun place for a cup of joe. It's on Melrose & Orange in Hollywood. It's a good writing cafe, you know what I mean? A place you can get a cup of java and plant it for awhile.

Anyway, after "Blue Monday" it was time to admit it. Morning was almost over. I was leaving the magical world and going into my day. So I put Paul's Boutique into the CD player (the mix by DJ Cheeba, DJ Moneyshot and DJ Food) and drove off to Silverlake.

Here's a link to that mix: 3 DJ Mix of Paul's Boutique. Super worth it. Great car music.

All in all, a most relaxing delicious sunny and enjoyable morning in a long while.

To recap: If you got a hankering for a really good breakfast, fresh ingredients, good service, strong and tasty coffee, trust me on this: Blu Jam Cafe. If you want to see some guy dancing in front of a great wall, go right behind the building in the alleyway of Martel, south of Melrose. If the need for good music in your car is required on a sunny Saturday, I recommend New Order's Blue Monday and the 3 DJ mix of Paul's Boutique. If you want a cup of coffee to write in your diary about your caffeine addiction, check out Stir Crazy Cafe in Hollywood.

No matter what, get in your car, open the windows, and turn on your music. It's a beautiful day.

ENJOY!

Blu Jam Cafe is located at 7371 Melrose Avenue, between Martel & Fuller. 323-951-9191. They also just opened a second location in Sherman Oaks on Ventura between Kester and Sepulveda. They're open 7 days a week, 8 - 4pm. It's my understanding they don't take reservations. Also, the head chef and co-owner, Kamil Majer, is a sommelier. There is an array of carefully selected wines and beer, for those of you who partake. Street parking available. I've never been to the Sherman Oaks location so I can't speak to that but as for the Melrose spot, don't go when you're hungry. Be prepared to wait!

Appreciating Life Today: Laura Mvula - Green Garden

I post once in awhile about music that's good for the car; something empowering, fun, contemplative and/or sweet to listen to while you're driving around LA (or wherever you may be). This song is good for the soul. It's good for healing. It's beautiful, life-affirming, joyous, resplendent. It steps out of the confines of what we think is reality into the beauty of the world, imagination and humanity which despite this news, still is very much alive and exists. That's why this horrific verdict is a travesty of justice. Travesty means a false, distorted or absurd representation of something. It's an outright mockery of what is right, just and good. I'd like to believe this decision is an aberration. I'm not sure I'm so right about that one but oh my God I hope so. No matter, I do believe there are many on the right side of this argument. Many. We just weren't in that jury box. We don't live in that community. We aren't in that state. But we know what's right. And man, I just encountered someone -- online of course -- who I am beyond shocked by. And he's a father which is even more shocking. Fighting with this man, this war of words, totally futile. And it's pointless. It's not who I am nor how I wish to spend my time. It's not worth my time. Some people are just goners.

You have to fight very hard to step away from the ridiculous dialogue and ridiculous people to appreciate the moment you are in, being alive and all that is good and beautiful. There is something powerful about doing that. And being alive is good and beautiful. And how we behave towards one another can reflect that. One very wrong verdict, which may be telling and deserves great attention, is not the whole picture. Many of us do not feel such ugliness towards others and how we conduct ourselves today and every day can make a difference.

My heart goes out to a loving family that has lost someone unfairly and has not seen justice in the courts. But they must know they are very supported by many of us in the world. How you and I treat each other, wherever we are, wherever we go, is surely a sign this is true.

I go wherever you go... 

The Beastie Boys and That Impala

I love Sunday. Especially after such a nice weekend. We went to a wedding last night and got all misty-eyed. We danced to "Fill Me Up Buttercup" and "Rock Around The Clock." I had to take off my shoes for the ride home. Which means I'm a little tired today. Kind of taking it easy. It's all about cooking, cleaning, relaxing - and it's really nice outside. Sort of encouraging my slow-going demeanor. And slow thinking. For one of the recipes, grilled peaches with burrata, I forgot the vinegar. I always forget something. So off to Trader Joe's I went.

It's not uncommon to run across gorgeous cars in LA. It's a great place for an older car because aside from The Rainy Season, the climate is perfect for preservation. The desert is really ideal. Palm Springs always has these Frank Sinatra car moments. But this morning, I was lucky enough to see this piece of art:

The owner could not have been nicer. Told me the story about about how he bought his Impala (I never even asked the year). He said he got it a little while ago. He was single, going through some major life changes and suddenly had a lot of energy and needed to occupy his busy mind. He somehow came across this car, convinced its owner, an older woman, to let him buy it even though she said it was cursed -- she had assumed so because her son had it and had passed away. Once he bought it he went to work restoring it right away. He said it had been in pretty bad condition.

Now this isn't what this man does for a living. He's a handyman and an electrician. But I've concluded if he's as much a perfectionist about wiring and fixing fences as he is this car, he might be worth a call.

I believe he said within a year of getting it, he crossed paths with his high school sweetheart. She was divorced, he still single and they decided to basically pick up where they left off.

They're now married.

I have no idea really if it has anything to do with The Beastie Boys but cars and music, as you know if you've read this blog at all, go together in my mind and today, it's this car and that song. 

I don't know... 

why.

Enjoy!

Sunshine for Your Car brought to you by World Party

Sometimes you just stumble upon the perfect late night music for your drive home. "Sunshine" was mine.

I heard it on the ride home this evening as I was looking out on York. All the people were walking around, eating late night food, hanging with their friends. This music just seemed to provide the perfect soundtrack for it all.

Enjoy and good night,

:)

Good Car Music. Happy Thursday!

I heard this the other day and LOVED LOVED LOVED it. Really good driving music. Enjoy!

Mick Jagger and Why I'm Doing This Blog

I wanted people to know just a little bit about why I'm doing this. 

Why Cynthia? Why are you doing this?

It's twofold really. Here's the primary reason: 

Currently I'm unemployed and if I don't have a motive to get out of the house other than work out I'm going to completely lose my mind (see: this morning).

The second reason, and the one that hopefully will outlive the first, is I love small business and do whatever I can to support it. I respect small business owners. I see how hard they work. I find them to be some of the most creative, interesting and inspiring people out here in LA. I also truly appreciate how so many of them provide such high quality service and care so much about what they do. This town can seem so big and if you do some of the typical touristy things, you'll end up at The Grove or whatever Gap or American Apparel happens to be closest. I get that. And I don't mean to put those places down exactly - it's just that there's so much going on here and to me, it's through local businesses not chains that help you really get to know a place and the people.

In fact with so many people doing such exceptional work, I sometimes forget I'm in an industry town. I even think in terms of "This is my neighborhood, this is why it's so great. There's so much culture. Such artisanship. It's so freakin cool." Nothing seems based on film and television. It's just about what tastes good, looks good, feels good, is good. 

In my humble opine.

I want people -- whether the ones who are living here or the ones who are visiting -- to have the chance of really loving what LA has to offer and perhaps appreciate it as much as I do.

Mural in Los Feliz

But trust me, I get it. When I first came to LA I could not get over seeing famous names in the sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard. There's Bob Hope oh my God! It's the same when I go away. I make sure I do what's in the tour books. I see the... what I call "the essentials." Like when we were in Paris we went to The Louvre. When we were in Prague, we crossed the Charles Bridge about 100 times. But it was from the local blogs where I feel I really got the kind of direction I craved once the essentials were checked off. That's where I found inside scoops about cool small stores to check out and off-the-radar restaurants to eat at. And I believe it was in those moments I got a glimpse at what it was like to be a local. Not only did I get it, I got inspired. Why not do that for LA? Help people get more of a glimpse of LA than just a place to find a photo opportunity of The Hollywood Sign -- which, by the way, I plan to do a post about.

Ergo, this blog. So you can get a glimpse into the fun stuff after you're done with your essentials.

I believe no glimpse would be complete if it didn't try to cover all your senses. Which brings to mind the other thing I like to talk about in this blog...

MUSIC.

I love music. I love music that would embarrass anyone on the planet to admit they loved, and I love the super cool shit that I believe helps redeem me. Car culture and the music that is played in your car as you ride around this city does -- as cliche as it sounds -- provide a soundtrack to your Los Angeles experience. I like to share what music floored me while I was in the car so maybe you can have it floor you, too. The right tunes can make my day or better put, make the traffic jam I find myself in sometimes seem a little bit more like a concert performance and less like a futile test of my patience.

SPEAKING OF:

I know The Stones are playing tonight at The Staple Center. And no, I'm not seeing them. Money, access, you name it - not going to The Stones. And it's fine. I saw them back in New York or maybe it was New Jersey? It was a long time ago. That being said, The Stones + Your Car + LA= A Very Good Time. 

Graffiti on Cherry Pick's building

I just think you don't have to be at the concert to appreciate Mick. Some of my best Stones experiences have taken place in my car with them on the radio turned up loud. For free you can be Mick while driving up Sunset in Silverlake, singing your lungs out. Most likely if anyone notices you, they'll just think you're talking on the phone. Albeit very expressively.

What a great way to pass the time in this kick-ass city.

To that end...

Good Driving Music Today

And it's yet another beautiful day in LA. Open the windows, turn it up loud. THIS IS GREAT CAR MUSIC. 

Enjoy! 

Said The Whale - "This City's A Mess"

Today is looking to be a beautiful day. Bring this song in the car with you and no matter where you're going or what you're doing, the day might be even better. Or so I like to think. Enjoy!

MBE on KCRW

Graffiti in Silverlake - see, there's always a silver lining

If you come to LA and have any music interest at all, you're at some point or another going to get turned onto (I hate that expression) KCRW. A famous radio station, it's big show in the morning, Morning Becomes Eclectic hosted by Music Director (and good friend of Henry Rollins) Jason Bentley, is on every week day from 9am-12pm. They play a lot of new music and have a live guest on around the 11 o'clock hour. I'm not going to weigh in what I think of MBE, though put it this way, like most everything, some days it does not hit the sweet spot. And in full disclosure, when they started calling it "MBE" - oy vey I thought I was going to stick a nail in someone's tire.

That being said, today I got to give it up to MBE. Good old Jason IS hitting the sweet spot this morning and in a major way. You know I'm so about atmosphere. If it's dark outside I think I might as well throw in the towel, I just can't deal. And frankly I can be in a sour mood even when the sun is shining warm and bright. I'll see it as hitting my eyes and think, would someone PA-LEASE turn that thing down already?

So try and remember that at any moment you change one thing in the delicate balance of your atmosphere and that is when you will truly give yourself the chance of changing your moody mood.

Staring too long at this graffiti in Silverlake might not put you in a good mood.

For me music works like The Jaws of Life and I needed that this a.m. My computer's been crashing, I have this big post I want to put in but I'm afraid I'll crash my computer again because of all the photos and add in that I'm doing this stupid thing about trying to figure out my purpose in life and you know... IT'S A PERFECT STORM

Which now looks like exactly what today is: a sunny, warm day in Los Angeles where I cannot WAIT to get back outside because of the moment I heard this man:

 Marvin Gaye.

If you can play your own music or if you're in your car and you want to risk the good old-fashioned radio, turn it up LOUD. The Jaws of Life can only work if they know they're needed. In other words...

YOU GOTTA PRESS ON! 

This is the song I heard on (urgh) MBE that turned it all around for me...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRcVQDELAd4]

PS: My mom just called laughing her ass off reading my Mother's Day card and truth be told, that can do it, too.

This is almost how I feel now. I still have to wash my face.

Have a great day, Los Angeles!

Music I'm Listening to Today

I think I'm going to start a column in this blog about music I think is good listening while you drive around. Today it's Let Me Blow Ya Mind. I'll figure out how to make this whole thing look better in the future. But for now, this is good for you and your car, so download, open the windows and have fun!