LAchicpix

Balenciaga Nation

2007-10-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

By now you have probably seen a few celebrities trottin around those beautiful Balenciaga handbags. One of my favorite designers, Nicolas Ghesquiere, is the innovator of the famous motorcycle le dix bag, photographed being carried by Ashley Olson, Madonna, V. Beckham, just to name a few. Now the internationally recognized line has broadened its choices with classy yet edgy clutches, traveling bags, and not to mention, a very well respected runway line of threads.

I know you love us for this one!!! We got a hold of the invite for the exclusive Balenciaga trunk shows in L.A., San Francisco and NYC and because you're our some of our fav peeps we're sharing them with you (see date,time, location below)!!!!

Another little LAChicPix/JetSetterInc tip for you. The second Balenciaga location in the U.S. (first is in NYC) will be opening somewhere on Melrose in West Hollywood within the next few months.... Get your black cards ready! Nicoloas Ghesquiere collaborates with celebrated French artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster to bring the much thought- out conceptual store to the West Coast. The NY location I visited a few yrs back in Greenwich Village was a true spectacle, mixing raw and natural materials to create an art gallery rendition of a designer boutique. Each boutique's concept is adapted to its location's environment and style, so lookin forward to the exciting edition coming to town.

Spring 2008 Trunk Shows
New York
Madison & 61st
Fri. Oct. 19th 10am-6pm
The Penthouse

Beverly Hills
9570 Wilshire Blvd
Fri. Oct. 26th & Sat. Oct. 27th 10am-6pm
Second Floor

San Francisco
77 O'Farrell St
Mon. Oct. 22nd & Tues. Oct. 23rd 10am-6pm
Third Floor

Guess Who Tried to Sneak Open! Katsuya Hollywood and S-Bar

2007-10-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

It seems that the long anticipated Katsuya Hollywood located at 6300 Hollywood Boulevard, opened its doors on Thursday, October 11, 2007 with an SBE style launch party (Mayor Villaraigosa, Rick Fox, Nicky Hilton attended). Funny enough we haven't heard much word on the street about this place yet, so last night LAChicPix and JetSetter Inc. decided to slip in and take a peek to find out if Katsuya Hollywood, the second pairing of sushi chef Katsuya Uechi and designer Phillippe Starck lives up to the past year of hype that's been circulating with the trendy-set.

What a pleasant suprise! Entering from the still gentrifying Hollywood Boulevard, is like arriving in a different world. Sensual lighting and seperate yet open dining rooms define the space. A reservation-only dining room features tables for parties of four or more and in the next room, guests can order from the gigantic open air sushi bar. For an informal bite or a quick drink sit in the "Liquid Kitche" also known as the bar and order from bartender Alejandro (if you happen to be in on a Friday or Saturday night). A true mixologist he will recommend the "Burning Mandarin" an Absolut Mandarin with Serrano chili concoction which was voted #1 drink last year by L.A. Magazine. The kiwi-cocktail is a hit as well.

Now for the fun part.... S-Bar. Apparently, this place is poised to be the coolest of the cool. Hyde? A distant memory. S-Bar is like chillin' in the Mad Hatter's living room. Portraits from the palace of Versailles hang along the wall, lamps are hung upside down, couches are comfy and the capacity is 75 of the world's coolest peeps. S-Bar also has a seperate menu than Katsuya with the Delirious Pepper and Horseradish Pomegranite Margarita being our pick (you can be an alcoholic and still get your veggies!). Our tip is to check it out now before you have to drop copious amounts of money to get in or at the very least have a hawt sex tape(think Hyde).

2007-07-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

On Monday, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made his first public appearance since confirming his affair with Telemundo newscaster Mirthala Salinas. If you check out the LA Times coverage people sure are pissed! So what's the deal? Do poor personal decisions really reflect poor professional performance? Why do people get personally offended when they realize that politicians are just like everybody else? Comments?

Staying In LA for Memorial Day Weekend

2007-05-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

If you've decided not to jet to Vegas or Miami for the long weekend you're probably trying to figure out what the hell to do in L.A. besides stay home and guzzle a 6-pack and grill some steaks. Although that is a popular (and not bad) idea there are actually a few cool things going on in SoCal from May 25-28.

UCLA JazzReggae Festival

The UCLA JazzReggae Festival has been going on forever and is a nice way for UCLA alumni to catch up with old classmates. The Festival starts on "Jam Day" Sunday, May 27, 2007. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the concert is from 12 noon to 7 p.m. The Festival is located at the UCLA Intramural Field on the campus of UCLA in Westwood. Artists that will perform include Jill Scott, Lupe Fiasco, Les Nubians, Soulive, J*Davey, Dujeous and Christian Scott. "Reggae Day" is on Monday, May 28, 2007 and will feature reggae musicians such as Luciano, Cham, Turbulence, General Degree, Mr. Peppa and many more.

Tickets are $25 per day in advance and $30 on the day of the event. For more information or to purchase tickets please go to www.jazzreggaefest.com

Fiesta Hermosa

Come out and enjoy fun in the sun and sand in Hermosa Beach this weekend! The free Fiesta Hermosa event is a 3-day arts and crafts festival that has taken place in Hermosa Beach every Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend for over 35 years. It is the largest arts and crafts fair in Southern California featuring more than 270 vendors. This year Fiesta Hermosa will also feature Calypso/Caribbean, 70's pop, classic rock, hip-hop, smooth jazz, 60's, jazz, 80's, and Rock n Roll bands on two sound stages.

For more information please visit www.fiestahermosa.com

Pasadena Summer Fest

This is a really fun and cool event however, it won't be taking place this year due to problems with location. Apparently it will start again next year.

Parties

L.A. wouldn't be L.A. if there weren't going to be a ton of parties this weekend. Of course the Hollywood Hills will be alive with the sound of music. If you're one of the cool kids you'll know where to go. Probably the biggest parties this weekend are "Riot on Sunset" at the House of Blues' Foundation Room on Sunday, May 27, 2007 and Avalon Nightclub in Hollywood is also hosting a huge event also on Sunday. Check out www.clubzone.com for more info.

Jeremy Can Be in My Entourage!!!

2007-05-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

I know most Angelenos love HBO's Entourage. However, I just can't help thinking that they wouldn't have a show without Jeremy Piven. Besides being the star of Entourage did anyone catch him 2-episodes ago in the shirtless scene?? OMG!!!! Throw me in the pool!!!!

Who Cares About Rosie, Babwa or The View

2007-05-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one who is tired of hearing about the drama on ABC's The View? If I want to hear a bunch of women talking at the same time I'll go get a pedicure. Why is this show still on??

Daddy Winfrey's Book Doesn't Make O's Book Club

2007-05-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

Vernon Winfrey, father of Oprah is reportedly writing a book about her. However, its said that Oprah was unaware of her father's project until it broke in the media. Apparently Daddy Winfrey said that he should have been harder on O when she was a youngster and that she was a wild child. This is one book that looks like it won't make it into her book club.

Ne-Yo Does it Again!!!

2007-05-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been through a break-up you know how much it sucks to listen to the radio. It's almost like the universe has conspired against you. Well our boy Ne-Yo is out with yet another hot track, "Do You Remember" is the hot song this summer for all you singles or other pathetic losers who can't get over someone. Check it out!!!

Spice Up "Date Night" With a Grunion Run!!!

2007-05-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

Today I was made aware of a little known outside of Southern California phenomena called the grunion run. My only knowledge of Grunion before this was from a high school cross country coach. He was a small, dark man approximately 5 feet tall and he would run behind the team, his thick round glasses fogged with sweat screaming "Run Grunions! Run Grunions!" (Something about this memory reminds me a little of the White Witch in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe but I digress. )

Anywho, according to grunion.org the California grunion are a species of marine fish found only along the coast of southern California and northern Baja California. They are justifiably famous for their unique spawning behavior. Grunion spawn completely out of the water and lay their eggs on many sandy beaches in California. Shortly after high tide, on specific nights, sections of these beaches sometimes are covered with thousands of grunion dancing about on the sand.

For your pleasure I have included a schedule of upcoming June grunion runs:

June

1 Friday 9:45 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.

2 Saturday 10:20 p.m. - 12:20 a.m.

3 Sunday 11 p.m. - 1 a.m.

4 Monday 11:40 p.m. - 1:40 a.m.

15 Friday 9:50 p.m. - 11:50 p.m.

16 Saturday 10:40 p.m. - 12:40 a.m.

17 Sunday 11:25 p.m. - 1:25 a.m.

18 Wednesday 12:10 a.m. - 2:10 a.m.

Just make sure if you want to catch one of these little guys you have a license. I wouldn't want to be responsible for your incarceration.

For more info on the Grunion check out dfg.ca.gov

The Best Citysearch.com Review Ever!!!

2007-05-20T17:49:00.001-07:00

I don't know if this is a legit review and I've never heard of this Kady Marriot chick but this is hilarious none-the-less. By the way this is what her Citysearch profile reads - About me:
My name is Kady. I am a Marriott, just as Paris and Nikki are Hiltons. So this should sum up everything about me and who I am.

Another over rated BS club

Posted by lil_kmarriott on 05/12/2007

I have been to Winston's a few times,once with Nikki Hilton and Hillary Swank and twice by myself without any problems. Last night I went and it was a complete 360 turnaround. The door guy upright refused to let me in with the BS list con. I don't think he realized who I was, I did not tell him who I was because unlike some celebs I don't like throwing my name around to get my way and plus there were alot of people standing there getting the same BS "list" run around. There were several people walked up to me to say hello and get an autograph, they knew who I was and couldn't believe the door man were giving me the run around as well. As I was leaving a guy came out the door wearing flip flops,(YES, I SAID FLIP FLOPS, REAL CLASSY ) and told me hold on a second, so I walked back to the door and told him to go get Andy, and this point I told him who I was. He looked surprised and said "Oh,Ok I didn't know that, I will be right back". As I was waiting on Andy, I had the little asian dude at the door tell me I needed to leave because I wasn't getting in tonight. I told him I was waiting on Andy, he smurked and said "yeah,Ok,whatever. I was offended by this so I just walked away to go elsewhere. As I was walking away I heard one of the other people trying to get in say," Damn, If they aren't going to let Kady Marriott in, then we don't stand a chance." The door guys response to their statement was,"Oh, man are you kidding? Is that who she was? He then yelled for me to come back but I just kept walking. So unless you are one of the "well known celebs" that are on Coke, Alcoholics, Anorexic, or make stupid acts for attention ( due to their almost washed up fame) then you will fit right in. As for the other celebs and the new celebs who are straight up and not washed up, they might let you in if you broadcast who you are to the public and everyone there, or you can call your agent or PR to straighten them out. OUR MONEY (myself,agent and PR) is what keeps them in Business.

Pros: Cozy, Dim lighted, Decor, and Strong drinks ( that could be expenseive for the average Joe's.
Cons: Stupidity, Disrespectful, Small, Bad waitstaff, Smell of stale beer

Rock n' Roll Ralph's Sinks to an All Time Low

2007-05-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

I shop at the Ralph's supermarket (also known as Rock n' Roll Ralph's) located at 7257 W Sunset Boulevard with frequency. For as long as I've shopped there, on a scale of 1 to 10 it has always hovered at a strong 6. It's not that the store itself is horrible but it is surrounded by places like Whole Foods, Gelson's, Bristol Farms and even the Ralph's located on La Brea where the Hancock Park folks shop. Basically in the world of high-end organic groceries it is the Fast-and- Easy-Mart of produce.
Unfortunately, things have gotten worse. On Sunday I stopped in to get daiquiri mix to help cure my end of the weekend blues. I ended up standing in line (patiently reading US magazine) for 30 minutes as the checker attempted to figure out how to process food stamps for a lady. I was trying to be nice because he was obviously new. Then when it was my turn I told him I had to enter my Ralph's card and he ignored me. Of course I made him re-scan my entire order because I live for my Ralph's card discounts. The bastard had the nerve to tell the rest of the people in line that it was my fault the line was slow because I didn't enter my Ralph's card number! I decided to take the high road because most of the people in line realized what an idiot the guy was already. Yesterday, really did it for me though. I ran in to grab my $7.99 chicken meal. (You get 8 pieces of chicken, 2 sides and french bread). When I got to the check stand the guy told me I grabbed the wrong chicken. So I had to walk to the deli where the deli person told me I had the right chicken. Basically this turned into a 10 minute ordeal where the manager came out and of course.... duh realized I had the right stuff but instead of admitting they were wrong she screamed from the deli section "Just let them have whatever they want!" As if my boyfriend and I were causing them such grief that they finally succumbed to our unreasonable wishes. Besides writing this blog I'm forced to call the manager to report the complete stupidity that has descended on our beloved Rock n' Roll Ralph's.

As If Being Deployed in Iraq Didn't Suck Enough...

2007-05-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

I'm going to file this post under "As if Being Deployed in Iraq Didn't Suck Enough," the U.S. military has now banned personnel from accessing YouTube, Metacafe, IFilm, StupidVideos, and FileCabi, the social networking sites MySpace, BlackPlanet and Hi5, music sites Pandora, MTV, and 1.fm, and live365, and the photo-sharing site Photobucket.

The official reasoning is that troops logging into these sites are a drain on bandwidth capacity. The Army however has been posting official YouTube videos of troops befriending Iraqis or defeating insurgents. People are speculating that the unofficial reasoning is that the military doesn't want the word getting out to friends and family back home how bad things really are in Iraq.

Troops can use personal computers to access these sites, however military computers are the only ones available to many soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. So the bottom line is that in addition to being away from home, in hostile lands, fighting a war for people who don't want you there, being re-enlisted for multiple tours, getting poor mental and health care at rat-infested hospitals when you do get back to the States... the troops can't even surf Myspace for a few minutes to log out of life and into the happiness of the cyber-world. Can it get any worse?

2007-05-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

I just saw this in Newsweek's Perspectives section:

"He wants to know whether he's going to be dreaming about this." New Jersey mom Joann Gazette, whose 5-year-old son caught a glimpse of pornography that accidentally aired for a few minutes on the Disney Channel. The cable provider apologized.

Uh duh, he's going to be dreaming about it, and thinking about it, and fantasizing about it... poor kid. At least most of us have a few years before the insanity starts!

The FDA Pulls "Cocaine in a Can"

2007-05-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a bad year for cokeheads. First Kate Moss, Lohan and now this... A new energy drink called Cocaine has been pulled from stores across the nation because of concerns about its name. Apparently the FDA issued a warning letter last month to the makers of the drink that said it was being marketed illegally as a street drug alternative and a dietary supplement. The drink contains no illegal substances. The FDA did not order the company to stop marketing the drink, but company officials were worried about legal action. The company is going to announce a new name for the energy drink and hope to have it back in stores within a month or so.

Check out the company's website at drinkcocaine.com

The Real Story Behind the Mayweather v. De La Hoya Fight

2007-05-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

The real story behind the Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya fight on Saturday, May 5, 2007 was Floyd Mayweather Senior's hair. If your daddy came out of the house with his head looking like this you'd have to fight real good too! Note to Floyd Sr. - you've got to make a choice. Dreads or shine... stop trying to have your cake and eat it too you greedy MFer!!! By the way, for those who didn't catch the fight Mayweather Jr. won despite his father being his opponent's trainer and talking a ton of trash.

Here's to a Greener You

2007-05-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

It seems like everyone is talking about their carbon footprints and now you're beginning to feel like an outlaw for leaving your cellphone charger plugged in while you are away or buying bottled water because of the pesky plastic packaging. There's just so much stuff to know about when it comes to green living. One resource to help you is a website called greenopia.com which bills itself as "The Urban Dweller's Guide to Green Living." The site lists over 1,000 businesses in Los Angeles that are eco-friendly from building supplies to organic foods. A San Francisco guide is also available and features more than 1200 green businesses and service providers. If you really want to show off you can also buy the Greenopia Guide book, which is available online or in stores.

For more information go to greenopia.com

Playstation Eye Toy

2007-05-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

Escape into another world with the PlayStation Eye Toy which will be launched this summer. The device allows users to add voice, video, chat and online gaming to their PlayStation 3 unit.

Price not yet available. For more information go to playstation.com

For a Mom That has Everything!

2007-05-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

If there's a Mom in your life who has everything then you're probably freaking out looking for a last minute Mother's Day Gift. Lush is a global cosmetics company that makes the best smelling fresh-organic soaps, bath gels, haircare products, facial masks and massage bars ever! For a gift any woman will love check out Lush's "Think Pink" or "Lush Life" gift set packaged in a delicious pink hatbox and packed with twelve products with great names like, "The Happy Pill," "I Should Coco Soap," and "Ring of Roses." Lush also has stupendous men's products.

To buy these products or for more information visit www.usa.lush.com

Obama has the Secret Service Watching His Back

2007-05-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Senator Barack Obama, the democratic presidential candidate from Illinois, has been placed under the protection of the Secret Service. Apparently, there have been no specific threats against him. Guess he knows for sure that he's a black presidential candidate now!

Stop Looking at the Same Old Stuff!

2007-05-03T16:53:00.000-07:00

Tired of looking into your refrigerator and seeing the same thing? Smarthome has just launched the first refrigerator with a built in 13" LCD TV and radio. For use with cable or satellite, the Energy Star rated refrigerator also features amazing storage space inside.

For more information go to smarthome.com

This is Their Life... The Real Trumans

2007-04-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

Of all my discoveries the best yet is Justin.tv Basically Justin Kan, 23 is the real life "The Truman Show." I haven't decided if he's interesting to watch yet but the idea itself is just wild. Justin has made a commitment to wear a camera on his hat for the rest of his life. So far he's gone close to 41 days... Another guy named Chris Pirillo is "lifecasting" as well. I didn't see much when I tuned in but maybe he'll get more exciting as time goes on. If nothing else watching Justin and Chris, while chatting about them online is a great way to kill some time at work.

Check it out at justin.tv and chris.pirillo.com

Check the Action Downtown

2007-04-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

I just went on a really great tour of downtown L.A. hosted by the Downtown Center Business Improvement District. The three-hour tour takes you throughout Downtown's districts where you are able to view condos and lofts that are either for sale or lease. If you've already been on the tour, check it out again - they rotate the buildings that are toured every week. This is one of the best ways to get familiarized with all the changes going on in the area and figure out where you fit in Downtown, if at all. Even though I see the potential for Downtown to be a Disneyland for adults, not everybody is ready for the level of "realness."
For more information, please contact The Downtown Center Business Improvement District at downtownla.com or call (213) 624- 2146

Wild Divine

2007-04-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

A new video game called the "Journey to Wild Divine: The Passage" is now on the market. Think the name sounds weird... you're right. But the game itself may be even stranger. The creators of the computer game say it will teach people relaxation and meditation techniques through biofeedback, or the process of using signals from your own body such as muscle tension, heart rate, and temperature to change your physical state. The game has two components: the software and three finger sensors. The sensors connect the person to the computer and the software program while measuring the heart rate and skin reactions. The game combines teachings from a variety of sources such as yoga and psychology and embeds them in a video game that has puzzles to solve and a journey to complete. Sounds pretty wild to us but if it works playing a video game sure beats going to yoga class!

For more information go to: wilddivine.com or call 866. 594. 9453

Bodega De Cordova

2007-04-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

I went to Bodega De Cordova, which is a quaint Spanish wine bar, on a Tuesday around 10 p.m. Make sure you have the address when you go as it is really easy to pass right by the small storefront while trying to find it, which is exactly what I did! Once I arrived there were maybe 20 other people inside, enjoying various wines and engaged in intimate conversations. The clientele seems fairly young and sophisticated and the bartender was very nice and approachable. Small wooden tables lit with candles are placed against the wall of the tiny space. A few Spanish-themed decorations over the bar make-up the decor. The simple menu is written on a black chalkboard. In terms of tapas you have two choices: a cheese plate or a meat plate. The wine selection isn't very broad but the point is that they serve a small selection of different Spanish wines every week. The prices are reasonable as well. Two glasses of wine and a cheese place only set me back $20. Bodega De Cordova is the perfect place to catch up with an old friend or end the night if you snag a hot date. Stock up on your cool points...the fact that you know about this small and almost hidden bar will make you seem like you are an Angeleno in the know!

Bodega De Cordova

361 S. Fairfax Ave.

(323) 951- 1969

The WaveBox is Pretty Cool

2007-04-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

More than 2,000 companies unveiled their new products at the 2007 International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago, Illinois. One of the cool items from the show was the WaveBox, a portable microwave. I totally thought about this idea the other day and one of my friends said it was the stupidest idea they ever heard of. Anyway, cheers to the dream killers of the world!!! hehehe... By the way, the WaveBox looks pretty cool to me. Can't wait till it hits stores!!! Just think you can nuke your Pizza Bites during blackouts or power outages. Doesn't get any better than that!!!