UnHip LA

Learned about this via laobserved.com.  A group called the L.A. Urban Rangers is showing people the secret beaches of Malibu:

Tired of Zuma and Surfrider? Want to find and use the other beaches in Malibu? The twenty miles that are lined with private development? The "Malibu Public Beaches" safaris will show you how to find, park, walk, picnic, and sunbathe on a Malibu beach. Each 3 1/2-hour safari visits two or three beaches and explores natural history, jurisdiction, and the identification of public and private property. Skills-enhancing activities include a public-private boundary hike, an accessway hunt, sign watching, and a public easement potluck.

Sign up here: http://www.laurbanrangers.org/
Read my post on finding Lechuza Beach using LA Urban Rangers material.  It was a haven.
And here is my post-safari report on the accessing the East Malibu beaches. Lechuza is on the West side of Malibu.

is at Tenju Tea House in Temple City !

I will drive out of my way to get Boba from this place.  The Boba milk tea here actually tastes like tea and is not over-milked and over-sweetened as in other cafes. And it’s in a mature cup.  At first, I missed the heat-sealed lid, but now I like being a Boba adult.   (Though it did spill in my car, twice.)

Could it even be healthy?  I don’t know, but the other tea line-up here looks pretty good, and their website pushes the health value of their drinks.  (I once tried lavendar tea at another cafe and well, I ended up with a mouth full of actual lavendar pellets or whatnot; it was very chalky and not pleasant.) The popcorn chicken here is VERY yummy, in its own league, compared to other boba cafe, chicken snacks. Get the the three snack combo for $5.99; the squid rings and green beans are very tasty too!  Beware though, the food is pretty greasy. There’s free Wifi, but I have yet to work at this place.  It’s always been too loud, too crowded, too dark, and too orange for my tastes.

You can call ahead to have your order ready.  The chicken takes longer than you think a snack should take, but perhaps that’s why it’s sooo good!  Also, make sure to get their stamp card: buy 10 drinks and the 11th is free.

TENJU TEA HOUSE
5817 Rosemead Blvd.
Temple City, CA 91780
(Cross street Las Tunas, in T. J. Maxx Plaza, next to Blockbuster)

Ladies -

Beware!  Reading/studying at Borders Pasadena on a Saturday night in the cafe is not a good idea.  The place teems with odd men who attempt to make eye contact and strike up conversation with bookish women.  It was so, so, so creepy! I wonder if Borders in Arcadia is any better.  I have lots of work I need to get done.

Borders Pasadena!

I would be remiss not to mention that the second Really Really Free Market is happening in Pasadena today, Saturday, July 14th, from 8:15 am - 1pm.  Here’s their site with directions and here’s my previous post on the first one.  I hope people get some good stuff!  Hopefully it won’t be as hot as the last one. 

I, however, get my great outdoors fix at all the night-time festivals happening in L.A.  I caught Richard II tonight at Barnsdall.  It’s not the perkiest of plays, but I did enjoy the performances of loony King Richard II, his steely cousin Henry IV, and the versatile actor who played Gaunt and other roles.  Much less people tonight than at Dream last weekend, so picnicking was very comfortable.  Also no bees attacked me as I did not wear red.  I think the best parts were the warm weather (though lots of dew so don’t leave electronics on the ground) and being able to watch Shakespeare in my socks while being surrounded by my encampment of blankets, food, chairs, and hot tea. Someone brought a large fuzzy brown bean bag chair for two.  I was so jealous! 

Please click on my Shakespeare category button to the left to read more about Shakespeare happenings in L.A.

   Congratulations to lovebirds G and T on their wedding today! 

Just think, I knew you when you were both single bobas.   

   Here’s to a wonderful life and many future bobas for you! 

PASADENA, Memorial Park, Thursday, July 12, 7:30 pm.

It was a big, world beat, KCRW love-fest tonight for DJ Cheb i Sabbah and guests at the Levitt Pavillion in Old Town Pasadena.  The South Asian and African dancing was so fun to watch and the beats groove-a-licious.   Cheb i Sabbah said he was surprised that Pasadenans could be such a great audience.  This was, however, after he had earlier chided them and said he would leave if they didn’t get up and dance.  That was enough to get the droves up there. 

My Pocky had a great time. Incidentally this Pocky was $.75 on sale from Mitsuwa; at Famima, it’s $3.00, a shame.  There was a good-size crowd but still lots of space to stretch out and picnic.  It was a great, easy night, perfect for an afterwork respite.  Consider it the Hollywood Bowl without the hassle, cost, and bowl.  Also, at the Levitt, you can go right up to the stage.

Can you believe that Cheb i Sabbah is 60 years old?  
Check out the rest of Levitt’s lineup, free concerts five nights a week, all summer long.   How do the neighbors deal?

TIP:  If you get there early enough, there’s a very small, free parking lot next to the park, near the senior center.  If not, bring plenty of change for the meters or park in one of the many lots nearby. Or better yet, take the Metro; it has a stop right next to the park.  More details here.

Thx to RD for the photos! 

Check out the cinema alfresco in the San Fernando Valley:  Shrek, E.T., Dreamgirls and more on the line up which starts July 21.  Also check out the free concerts in the park too.  What is it about the summer that turns Los Angeles into a big free, family mecca?

This was a wonderful night.  I highly recommend Free Shakespeare in Barnsdall Park. The direction was assured; the performances lyrical and entertaining; the actors….hot. This is the first-time I’ve ever seen the Bard performed by ripped, shirtless male actors.  Seriously, it was like Chippendales on iambic pentameter, but with great acting. I don’t think there was a single weak link in the cast, okay, maybe one but I won’t name any names. The play within a play of Thisbe and Pyramus was hilarious; Titania, the queen of the fairies, falling in love with a donkey was hilarious, and the list goes on. The minimal set decoration - two ladders doubling as thrones, trees, you name it - worked, as did the modern wardrobe pieces mixed in with the whimisical costumes. Hermia’s bright, green sneakers, however, were a bit distracting, but the fairy wearing a purse on top her head was really cute.  Great imagination all night long!  The Dream is an amusingly delightful play about romantic relationships.

As far as picnicking, well, the space is small.  Imagine someone’s yard and then stuffing three hundred people on it, all picnic blanket to blanket.  Personally, I don’t like picnicking in tight quarters but others did not seem to mind.  Fortunately we got there early 6:00 pm and were able to get seats on risers.  6:00 pm is also a good arrival time for getting primo picnic spots and parking.  Well actually, it really doesn’t matter where you put your blanket because other people will cram up against you anyways. 

(
(The people on the left are the early birds.  More people came later.)

Do not wear the color bright red.  I did and a bee would not leave me alone, hence ruining my sushi dinner.  The theatre offers free bug spray to use but it didn’t help me.  I was quite impressed by people’s elaborate picnic spreads (wicker baskets, table settings, wine, cheese, salads, someone even brought their own coffee table), but my favorite was the Louise’s pizza box.  That’s what I’m going to do next time.  It’s simple and tasty.  Also, I have a feeling that Thursday nights might not be as crowded as Saturday night when we went.  The plays (Midsummer, Richard II, and Macbeth) run Thursday through Sunday, all summer.

The Independent Shakespeare Co. believes that great art should be enjoyed by all, so performances are free. Thanks to them, I can be a Shakespeare scholarship student all summer.  I made a donation though because this was definitely worth it.  Also, parking’s free so you could throw that into the bucket as well.  

Finally, being at Barnsdall at night - a haven of art, high atop a hill, in the midst of Hollywood - is quite romantic.  Barnsdall has creative grounds to walk around in and cafe-like seating about with great views of Los Angeles.  If you go early enough, you might be able to check out some of the art galleries and the Hollyhock House, which Frank Lloyd Wright designed for arts patron Aline Barnsdall.  Barnsdall also has an indoor theatre and a large schedule of art classes. Come early, wander around, relax, read, make art…

DETAILS:
Free Shakespeare in Barnsdall Park
by the Independent Shakespeare Co. 
July 5 - September 2, Thursday - Sunday, 7:30 pm, FREE but RSVP.
Barnsdall Art Park
4800 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90027

boxoffice@independentshakespeare.com
or call (818) 710-6306

Free parking at the top and bottom of Barnsdall. Arrive early to avoid walking up the mound.  Handicap parking is available at the top.  Bring a jacket, blanket, or whatever you might need to keep warm because it gets chilly. They sell concessions at a reasonable price, but next time I am going to bring a thermos of tea, to have with my pizza.  (TIP:  There are restrooms in the theatre building and the arts building.  Go to the arts building to avoid a line.)  

___________
Check out this calendar of Los Angeles area summer Shakespeare festivals:  http://golosangeles.about.com/od/losangelescalendar/a/TheatreFestival.htm

And also click on my Shakespeare category to the left for more Bard in L.A. 

When people hotlink through their entire blog posts. I like to read without distractions.

Oh my goodness, the city of Alhambra will be rocking out this summer with bands from the 70s and 80s. How did little Alhambra lure out the following line-up?:

- Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo (July 7);
- Kool and the Gang (July 14);
- John Kay & Steppenwolf, Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night),
and Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals (July 21);
- Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (July 28);
- Teena Marie (August 4); and
- K. C. and the Sunshine Band (August 11).
And it’s all free, with food vendors, arts and crafts booths, kids activities…

Saturdays, 6 to 10 p.m., Second Street between Main St. & Commonwealth
(Free  Admission to Event)

The Alhambra Summer Jubilee for info. 

I got wind of this through LA City Nerd’s blog:

Heritage Square’s Silent Movie Nights
Saturday, July 7 and 21, 2007.  Beginning each night at 7 p.m.
Experience a summer night at Heritage Square Museum while watching your favorite old movies and cartoons. On Saturday. July 7, we present a showing of the celebrated “Our Gang” troop in Pigskin Palooka, a classic film released 70 years ago this year. The screening will take place on the lawn near the Palms Depot and on hand for this special screening are members from the original and supporting cast. (Movie at July 21 screening to be determined.)