HOTTER IN HOLLYWOOD

THE EDUCATION OF CHARLIE BANKS

HIHers, meet Charlie (Jesse Eisenberg)

If want to remember why you used to love going to the movies, then do yourself a giant favor and head out this weekend to see The Education of Charlie Banks.  Set in early-80’s New York, it’s a coming-of-age tale about two boys from Lower Manhattan and the very different paths their lives take. Jesse Eisenberg (The Squid & the Whale) gives another stellar performance as Charlie, the bookish kid who gets out, landing at a fancy East Coast university. But the real revelation here is Jason Ritter as the neighborhood bully Mick, turning in a performance that takes him from being “John Ritter’s Son” to a very talented actor in his own right. Ritter’s portrayal is searing, by turns both vicious and heartbreaking, and it stays with you long after the credits have rolled. Fred Durst directs (yep, that Fred Durst), lending just the right Rock 'n Roll crackle to Peter Elkoff’s intimate script.  Opens today, March 27th, at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 and the Laemmle Santa Monica Fourplex. 

Get your film fest on! HOT CULTURE by Christina Huntington

Filmies looking for a break from the ordinary should come check out the 24th Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival this week, May 1~May 8, 2008. It's "Southern California's largest and most prestigious film festival" for Asian American Cinema. "From comedy and drama to documentaries and shorts, the 24th edition of this week-long festival shares the stories of Asian Pacifics in America and abroad." I went to the opening night and caught Jessica Yu's Ping Pong Playa--a huge crowd pleaser that can only be described as 'Napoleon Dynamite meets community ping pong' & is sure to be a cross-over hit. Other strong word-of-mouth is circling Amyn Kaderali's Kissing Cousins and Diana Lee Inosanto's The Sensei, both screening Sunday May 4th at the DGA. And be sure to check out Always Be Boyz Wednesday May 7th @ 7pm at The Imaginasian Center downtown. John Kwon's writing & directorial debut about real Korean B-Boys just won the Special Jury Prize at the SF Int'l Asian American Film Festival, and the buzz around his movie just keeps building. Plus, I have a supporting role in the film, so come support your fellow Hot In Hollywood "Hottie"! Most screenings have Q & A's and mixers following. The full schedule is available on the festival website. All tickets are $10.


Kissing Cousins

much love from your friendly LA Cultural Commissioner,
Christina
*Keep inspired by the city you live in!*

Ping Pong Playa

Get in touch with the hippie inside! HOT CULTURE by Christina Huntington

When the temperatures rise & the wildflowers start to bloom, there’s only one thing to do: head straight to Topanga Canyon (where it’s always 1969) to recreate your very own Summer of Love. Topanga State Park is the largest wilderness area in any city in the U.S.—and we’re lucky enough to have it in our own backyard. Hike amongst the blooming flowers bursting forth in psychedelic yellows, hot pinks, & purples; trip gently amongst the creeks & waterfalls; then have a hot make-out sess in the rolling fields! Celebrate your hippie inside, get in touch with Mama Nature, & let the love flow. Then head on down to Abuelita’s for some Mexican food & margaritas. Ask to sit outside, where you can dine next to a babbling brook and watch the sun shift through the trees. Then head across the street to Hidden Treasures, the best-kept vintage secret this side of the Pacific. Wander amongst the bizarre & beautiful, pick up some antique scarves & headpieces to outfit your very own 60’s rock fantasy. For those with money to burn, schedule a romantic dinner at The Inn of the Seventh Ray, and let the mystical mountain magic of the Canyon heat up your night!

Hidden Treasures/Inn of the Seventh Ray

And if you REALLY want to re-live the Spirit of ’69—step up & make your citizen’s voice heard! Go experience the beauty of Topanga yourself and sign the petition to Save Topanga State Park here: www.savetopangastatepark.org. Our Governor plans on permanently closing 48 California State Parks this summer (including Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park), allowing them to be sold to developers. Don’t let our precious Los Angeles public wildlife areas be put on the chopping block. Please join me in taking a stand to protect our parks! Modern day hippies, unite!

Love, Your Friendly LA Cultural Commissioner, Christina
*Keep inspired by the city you live in!*

Christina and the Boyz Hot "In Development" by Michael Medico

"Kwon has crafted a stylish hip hop dance musical brimming with visual flair and youthful heart. The film marks the arrival of a fresh and promising new voice."

Our very own Christina Huntington shot the film "Always Be Boyz" by writer and 1st-time director, John Kwon, in Seoul, South Korea , and it has just been accepted into the Asian American Film Festival 2008 in San Francisco! It's the largest Asian film fest in the country.

The festival runs March 13-23, 2008 and you can check out specific details for our film HERE

The movie has been generating great word-of-mouth and tickets have already completely sold out!
Congrats Christina!!

Magic & Mystery in the Heart of Hollywood! Hot Culture by Christina Huntington

Magic Castle photo by Sian Kennedy

For Angelenos suffering from “movie magic” fatigue, here’s your remedy! Head on down to Hollywood for your dose of real-deal magic & mystery that’s guaranteed to get you shouting, “How did he DO that?!” The Magic Castle is one of LA’s oldest still-operating establishments, and it also happens to be its coolest. If there was a real live Hogwarts (that sold booze and had upscale magical groupies), this would be it. On any given night, you can take in up to five official shows in the Close-Up Gallery, Parlour of Prestidigitation, and Palace of Mystery. But the real magic lies throughout the castle’s many sprawling bars each night, as roaming magicians do impromptu shows for guests ready to pick a card, any card.

To get in, you must either be invited by a resident magician, be a dues-paying member yourself, or have a booking at the neighboring Magic Castle Hotel. The exclusivity attracts a lot of celebs, who casually mingle amongst the guests with the same sense of child-like wonder. In the Old Hollywood hey-day, Cary Grant dressed as the doorman to greet people as they came in, Fred Astaire danced on tabletops, and Frank Sinatra sang with the resident piano ghost, Irma. On our most recent visit, John Legend and James Franco were both there, friendly and relaxed as they took in the amazement with the rest of us. It’s easier than you think to get an invite—just send an e-mail request to your friends and it’s almost guaranteed that somebody knows somebody who can get you in.

If you score yourself an invite and are ready to have your magical world rocked, do yourself a huge favor and get down to the Castle this week to see Andrew Goldenhersh perform in the Parlour of Prestidigitation, from March 10-March 16. If you see just one magician in your lifetime, Andrew is the one who is guaranteed to blow your mind. I won’t spill any details here. Just go see for yourself and prepare to hear those famous words come out of your mouth, “How did he DOOO that?!!!”

The Magic Castle has an ultra-strict dress code and an entry fee. Guys, don't even think about going there without a jacket or they'll have you wearing one of theirs... See their website for more information.

Japanese Pop Art Never Tasted so Good! Hot Culture by Christina Huntington

I highly recommend that you go check out the Murakami exhibit downtown at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA this weekend if you get a chance. This is the last week (it ends on Mon Feb 11th). Tix are $8 general admission, $5 seniors. After touring the Japanese Pop Art, head directly across the street to Little Tokyo afterwards for some authentic Japanese cuisine! ENJOY!!

Much love in the month of love
From your friendly LA Cultural Commissioner,
Christina
*Keep inspired by the city you live in!*

"Blog Party!" Hot & Personal by Corey Moore

Micah McCain, (Fay Wolf), Michael Medico and Abigail Carpenter

Last night we had our first "Blog Party". It was a great chance for all our writers to meet each other (a lot of them for the fist time). It was a great turnout...the drinks were flowing as usual.

Mona Holmes, Craig Nisker and Fran Nichols

"Hot Pop" Hiko played IJay. While Former Big Brother star Marcellas Reynolds chatted up Current Big Borther writer Chris Lisotta.

Julia Lee (with baby daddy, Spencer Stander) C. Jay Cox, Christina Huntington (with boyfriend Leigh Walker from the band KisTone)

Tiffany Ragain brought friend Brandon Martinez from Bravo's Blow Out who exchanged hair tips for Beauty secrets with Holly Doss.

John Barrnetine, Tiffany Ragain, Fay Wolf and Jonathan Tavss

All in all, everyone left asking about the next get together...

Me, Wonder Bright, Christine Tarallo

Downtown Chic Hot Culture by Christina Huntington

Angelenos, rejoice! That new tux or gown that’s been withering away in the abyss of ”Awards Season Stand-Off 2008” still has a glamorous place to shine in LA! Slip into your finest couture and head downtown for a night of hot culture!

The Los Angeles Opera is currently in full swing at The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. With their new production of Tristan & Isolde being described as “Wagner’s great ode to sexual ecstasy”, you know this ain’t your mama’s opera. Bring the object of your affection and let the music take care of the rest. Tristan & Isolde runs from Jan 19-Feb 10

The Edison

Then shimmy down the street for some Old Hollywood revelry at the sparkly new Edison. The 1920’s-meets-early-electricity themed bar gets it’s dark and dreamy on amongst the remnants of this early Los Angeles power plant. Sultry corners abound for sipping champagne, snuggling close, and channeling your inner Cary Grant & Carole Lombard. Don’t miss the floor show from the resident flappers, a saucy throwback to the days of RKO. For priority seating at The Edison, make a reservation.

When you’re naturally this L.A. Glam, who needs a red carpet?

LA’s Shining Stars in Los Feliz! Hot Culture by Christina Huntington

Want to show your friends & family the best of LA over the Holidays? Start their trip off right by taking them out to some of the shining stars of Los Feliz! The first stop is Il Capriccio on Vermont—a neighborhood restaurant of legend, spoken of in reverent hushed tones by the locals who recite the menu like love poetry before expounding on how affordable it is. It’s a cozy unassuming place that lights up at night with the warm glow of candles and friends enjoying authentic Sicilian-style food and wine. The dotingly homemade pastas are basically the food equivalent of ecstasy…mixed with pasta sauce. The best part: any pasta can be mixed with any topping and any sauce, so you can get creative in personalizing the menu, though everything is great as-is. The hand-crafted Black Squid Ink Ravioli filled with fresh California lobster and ricotta cheese will send you straight to Foodie Heaven (a steal at just $13). Other glorious reviews came from the Spaghetti Del Mar ($15) and Gnocchi Gorgonzola ($12). The entrée dishes range from $14-$16. You can bring your own wine for a corkage fee of $10 or order from the restaurant’s selection. Space is limited, so be sure to call ahead for a guaranteed table.
HOT TIP: This is the perfect place to bring your NY friends who tell you “There’s no good Italian in LA”.

But the night’s not over yet--after dinner, you’re shooting straight up to the stars! Head up Vermont to the famous Griffith Observatory, recently re-opened after an extensive four-year refurbishment. Here you can show off all the best of LA—the quiet beauty of Griffith Park, the sweeping views of the glowing city at night, and full access to the stars shining down from the heavens! The friendly operating staff is thrilled to share the many discoveries occurring in the universe right now. (I found this the most interesting part of the evening—make sure you ask about "black matter" and "black energy", as well as the new technology to keep comets from impacting the planet.) Touring the Observatory and its many interactive floors devoted to "The Ever-Expanding Universe" is absolutely fascinating, and the best part--it’s FREE! Don’t miss the updated Planetarium show, an awe-inspiring simulation of the cosmos that is guaranteed to leave you quite breathless (and is also the perfect spot for that romantic snuggle). But the biggest revelation to be learned at the Observatory: that we are all, quite literally, made up of star dust. But then…you already new that, didn’t you LA?

Entry & parking for the Observatory is free, reservations are no longer required, and the Planaterium show is $7/adult.

Til’ next time,
Love, your friendly LA Cultural Commissioner

*Keep inspired by the city you live in!*

Want a Mediterranean Paradise? Take Pacific Coast Highway!Hot Culture by Christina Huntington

I've started to organize a once-a-month fun LA fieldtrip day for my friends, which we’re officially calling “The LA Cultural Commission” with the idea of exploring our own home city as if we would if we were traveling someplace fabulous. The theme of the first LA Cultural Commission outing was “The Best Greek in LA”. We started off at The Getty Villa in Malibu, recently re-opened after a 10-year refurbishment. Antiquities from the Greek, Roman, & Etruscan periods are on display throughout meandering wings of a replica ancient Roman villa, so even when you're not viewing the art, you are actually IN it. The sweeping formal garden overlooking the ocean is absolutely breathtaking—the perfect secret getaway when you need some sun-kissed romantic escapism. It’s the stuff of fantasy there amongst the pomegranate trees, with a gorgeous reclining nude in the pool to boot! (HOT TIP: Take a date here. Thank me later!) My personal favorite spot was the herb garden--with fresh herbs and a lovely purple-hued lily pond, I could have stayed for hours like a meditating cat, just happy doin’ nothin’.

But this cat has to eat, which is why we loaded up our blissed-out bodies and headed up PCH to the absolute best Greek food in Los Angeles. (And I’m a Greek girl, so I don’t say that lightly!) Taverna Tony is in the Malibu Country Mart, has a lovely bougainvillea-trellised patio, and serves up the yummiest Greek dishes this side of the Mediterranean. To start off right, order an assortment of Greek spreads for the whole table: taramosalata, babaganoush, & tzatziki with lots of warm fluffy pita bread. Next, the Combination Platter, which is big enough for two, has a bit of all the best the restaurant has to offer, and at just $24.95 is a total steal. They also have a great Vegetarian Platter for our meatless friends. With it’s low-key, airy vibe and focus on authentic cuisine, Taverna Tony attracts a loyal following, including local celebs in their “day-off” gear. We had a Sacha Baron Cohen & Isla Fisher sighting while we were there (the family-to-be looking cute as can be.) Yep, Greek art, Greek food, and Borat--NICE!

Admission to The Getty Villa is free, but requires pre-ordered entry tickets, which you can get online. Parking is $8.00, so carpool. Reservations are recommended at Taverna Tony for prompt seating.

Til' next time-
Love, your friendly LA Cultural Commissioner
*Keep inspired by the city you live in!*