So the Jensen’s Melrose Theatre in East Hollywood isn’t quite forgotten, since it’s been occupied by the Ukranian Culture Center since the 1960′s and I was lucky to check out the inside during a Christmas craft extravaganza. There’s a lot of information about it online (which I think people just copy and pasted from this article) but it’s nice to know that an old 1920′s movie theater, complete with detailed facade, still exists in a part of town where you’d least expect an elaborate stage. The whole neighborhood around is a mix of Hispanic/Armenian families, independent storefronts and hipsters on fixed gear bikes.

I just love how architects and business owners back in the day would permanently affix  and incorporate their ownership on their buildings. I don’t see it so much as a display of ego, but the thought that their name and business were somehow going to be there at that location forever. I rarely see this around town anymore; if anything, the signage at the top of current office buildings changes often enough that putting permanent signage (engraved in stone) on that real estate would probably be a bad business move.

I walked by this self-proclaimed office along Industrial Street between warehouses downtown. Though it’s currently occupied by the Commercial Meat Co (or something like that), I love how its previous occupants still have some sort of a presence. I can’t figure out what the PPSC initials stand for, though. Google, you’ve failed me.

I’m glad these signs exist, though, because otherwise the original use of the space would be forgotten by the rest of the city.

BRB. I’m going to go carve my initials along my apartment building wall now.

Okay, so I’m a little late on this, but at least I’m posting about it. Lisa and I attended the first (annual?) Blogger Prom thrown by some of the best cele-blog-rities in Los Angeles. And yes, I mean best because everyone pretty much knows who they are, they probably get a bajillion hits and comments on their sites every day and I’m honored that they were nice enough to send me an invite. And who else to bring with me than an even bigger blogger than me but Lisa!

We did some last minute shopping (complete with emailed photos to each other at malls across the city), dressed up and walked over to the Andaz Hotel to see what was going on. Mostly, though, I just reverted to my wallflower self, ate all the food, tried a drink, hung out with Joz and her hot date, caught up with Chris, and just thanked my intuition to NOT buy the hot pink dress I had tried on at Forever 21 earlier that day. No, seriously, I was. Since the single-sex rule at my high school made prom just a night of hanging out with friends (complete with finishing off two bottles of white wine with my “date”), this was the first time I had to think about the possible and horrible consequences of wearing the same dress as another girl. Fortunately, I won because the first thing Lisa and I saw in the room were not one, not two, not three but FIVE (maybe six) different girls wearing the same exact hot pink dress from Forever 21 that I had showed her earlier that day. Phew. Luckily, I went with the ugly pale pink floral bustier dress instead. No one copied me! Wait, maybe that’s not always a good thing.

The night was loads of fun and the goodie bag was even better, but I’d have to say that the best moment was seeing our blurry selves (Joz included) in the main photo from the LA Weekly blog. Woo-hoo! I’m famous!

(And this isn’t the first time I’ve been caught in the background.)

Highlight of the night? Lisa looking at Pauly Shore and saying he looked like a nice person without realizing that she was talking about Pauly Shore.

Listen, Dolce. I’m (not really) sorry to hear you’re closing. You’ve had a good run. I never ate at your place, mostly because the name “Ashton Kutcher” makes me lose my appetite, but you had plenty of cameos on MTV and whatnot. So it’s been good.

But at least get someone to spellcheck your promotional emails before they get sent out to the masses. Also, how did I get on your email list? I only ate at Bella Cucina once. (Remember? Ashlee Simpson’s ex boyfriend was there!)

Wow, sorry for the cheesy title, but I couldn’t resist. Esteemed actor Ricardo Montalban passed away this week at the age of 88. Though he was best known for his roles in Fantasy Island and Star Trek, I mostly knew him through Sayonara, the cheesy but somehow Academy Award winning film starring a super hot Marlon Brando.

I had two interests in this film: for one thing, the lead lady (who I think was the only one NOT nominated for an Oscar) was my great-aunt-by-marriage which explains why she’s so pretty and I am not.

I also had to watch this film for my American Civilization class at Brown as an example of something I totally forgot. But Montalban’s role was the first time I had encountered a serious “yellow face” role (Mickey Rooney’s part in Breakfast At Tiffany’s doesn’t count), and the complexities of portraying a supposedly Asian male in Hollywood cinema. It was pretty awesome to see his role broken down: his character was completely de-masculated, down to his occupation as a Kabuki actor who played female roles, the scene of him taking his elaborate costume off, his unrequited love–yet, they could not even hire an Asian actor to portray the part. By essentially hiring a more “masculine” actor like Montalban, his role as Nakamura further supported the idea that Asian males were subpar to American men. Or something like that. My pop culture analysis is really rusty, since all I focus on right now is how bad The City is on MTV and how much I can’t stand that whiny Vicky lady on The Real Housewives of Orange County. Right. I think Efren can better break this down better.

So yeah. Good riddance, Montalban. I’ll always wonder what you thought of your role as Nakamura in retrospect. Did you know you almost made the top of the list for AsianWeek’s 25 Most Infamous Yellow Face Performances? Congrats. Add that to your Tony Award.

Anyway….did you know that my great-uncle has HIS OWN WIKIPEDIA ENTRY!?!

I had no idea he was born in Colorado and won a Purple Heart from World War II. I mean, I could ask my grandma about it, but she’d probably just lie to me again.

What’s more awesome than seeing an entire line-up of some of your favorite bands like the Gaslight Anthem and Alkaline Trio for charity?

Watching another favorite band show up on stage and play an impromptu set.

I don’t think I’ve ever been that excited at a show before. We managed to find some really awesome seats at the Key Club (where there really are no seats) so a four hour show wasn’t as uncomfortable as it could have been!

Photos after the jump.

Gaslight Anthem playing a super awesome and super long set. Broadway Calls was on first but since I didn’t really know them that well, I didn’t take any photos. But GA was second in the line-up and I’ve never seen any other audience get more excited about a band before the headliner.

AND they don’t even have roadies!!!! The lead came out after their encore to help put their equipment away.

And then Punk Rock Karaoke came on with a bunch of guest singers like Jack Grisham from TSOL and Keith Morris from the Circle Jerks.

We once saw this guy at Vons. I don’t know why I thought that was so funny. Punk rock dude with super long dreads getting groceries? I guess they have to eat, too.

And then, all of a sudden, Rise Against? What!? Ahhhh. (Well, it made sense. They were all touring together a month ago.)

And finally, Alkaline Trio. They sang “Radio” for me. It only took three shows for them to actually listen to my silent pleas.

Not only was this the longest fun show I’ve been to, I also had some sweet parking right outside the club. I think maybe Fate was giving me all my leftover luck for the rest of the year in a single night.

My nose is runny. I’m gonna go find a tissue now.

It took me maybe like 5 minutes to finally watch this video. I hope it’s not because so many people are clamoring onto HeidiMontag.com and making her servers go crazy because that is NOT WHAT WE WANT FOR THESE PEOPLE, REMEMBER? We want them to experience failure, bankrupty, and loneliness. We want this horrid Hollywood couple to disappear forever for their overly self-promoting, nouveau riche, trashy classy lifestyles. This is not what fame and success is about. So why is everyone watching Heidi’s new video? STOP.

Here’s what I don’t get. I mean, sure, it’s brilliant that they have zero budget (even though they could easily sell her Hermes Birkin bag to not only fund new hair extensions for Heidi’s sister but also feed a small African village) and therefore, create a ironically “hip” video that glorifies the old 80′s, cheap, American Apparel-esque public-access channel look (though someone remind them that dressing in all American Apparel clothes is not cool anymore, only because I say so).  Whoa, I lost where that sentence was going.

But here’s what I don’t understand. Is she really not lip-syncing to the song? What is she singing along to? Why is the video is such slow motion while the song continues to play? Does that defeat the purpose off a music video? I mean, we know that everyone lip-syncs the music in their videos, but this is just ridiculous. Is something wrong with my computer? My Internet connection? Why is this song still stuck in my head?

One word: INTENSE.

Ooooh everyone’s sooooooooooo excited for Dark Knight, oooooooooooooh boring. Okay, so we’re going to see this on Sunday at the Cinnamonrama Dome and as I wasn’t a huge fan of Batman Begins, I won’t start gushing about this new sequel anytime soon.

I’m more excited to finally see the Watchmen trailer on a big screen. I just watched this version here and I must say that they put a lot of effort into updating the comic book’s overall look while keeping everything familiar for those rabid nerd fans.

Because that’s what I really care about.

Listen. I’m a girl. I read some comic books but not all. I read this one because everyone was reading it and I found it at my sister’s house in CT on a visit and decided to take a look. I know nothing about superheroes and while it was a very compelling story overall (especially when you find out who Rorschach is), I couldn’t get past the extremely EXTREMELY dated look.

LISTEN. I’m really superficial like that. I’m sorry, but if you look like you just stepped out of the 1980′s with a pair of pink day-glow tights that go up past your waist with a couple of high-top Reeboks and a side ponytail (complete with scrunchy, though those are a bit more 90′s), I am NOT going to take you seriously. You can spout as many avant-garde notions about the traditional superhero (I stole that line from Wikipedia) as you want, but I won’t give you a second of my time with that kind of outfit.

It’s like what Lisa says to me whenever I do something stupid at work, or what Brandon says to me when I fall flat on my face while trying to get dressed in the mornings: “Be Real” and “Keep Up.”

Watchmen, let’s be real and keep up.

PS. Is that Billy Corgan music on the trailer? REALLY? BILLY CORGAN?

PPS. How awesome is this Simpsons picture that I found?

I’ve got most of the art in for our CRAZIANS! show! Artist John Lee is sending over two framed prints, as well as extra prints, all for sale, and I can’t wait to see them in person.

Plus, I just bought 50 giant Chinese paper lanterns to make some sort of window display. Ahhh stress stress stress!

I don’t know what’s in the big box next to James St. James, but it’s probably some amazing art!

The Crazian art show opens on July 11th, and we’ve slowly been collecting all of the submissions. Yay, I’m so excited!!!