Everyone loves stickers! Holding New Yorks’ C ATV stickers…and Cheetos. ~455er

This weekend features some pop culture we can actually digest for a change, with Appetite for Destruction celebrating its 20th anniversary (feel old yet?) and The Simpsons movie set to obliterate box-office records. We barely have time for that though with all the great events this weekend in Los Angeles. Some of us will be hitting the Pier tonight, skanking and top-rankin’ to the tunes of two true revolutionaries, so please say ‘hi.’ Tropico de Nopal’s spacious garden will be a great place to spend a summer night on Friday, as will Echo Park on Saturday for the completely cool-sounding open box gallery, which should not be missed, especially when Ariza’s tacos come out. Two great causes will be celebrated, both with Tom’s shoes and Yo! What Happened to Peace on Saturday, with a plethora of crazy activities and sensations provided by some of L.A.’s best, most unique artistic talents. Have a good one Los Angeles, and don’t give up that dental plan…Lisa needs braces…Dental Plan…Lisa needs braces…dental plan…doh!

Thursday July 26th

‘Tosh Meets Marley’ Tribute @ Santa Monica Pier ~ Tosh meets Marley? Alright, they already knew each other and wrote many songs together, and were much better than tonight’s performers Junior Marvin and Fully Fullwood, but it’s free reggae at a killer locale, so just play along, okay? ~ 7:30 PM ~ Free

Friday July 27th

Readings and Music @ Tropico de Nopal ~ 1665 Beverly Blvd. Echo Park, CA 90026 ~ Readings by 2 of L.A.’s most intriguing fiction writers, Sesshu Foster & Ben Ehrenreich, with music provided by the mysterious Samuel Bing. Cold beer and great artwork, plus a perfect garden for a summer night. ~ $8 ~ 8PM

The Melvins @ The Troubador ~ 9081 Santa Monica Blvd. ~ $20 ~ 8PM

Saturday July 28th

Open Box Gallery/Tacos Arizas Party @ Echo Park ~ 751 Echo Park Ave. Echo Park, CA 90026 ~ Local artists Kenneth Iwata and Nayeli Nava are setting up a unique, interactive temporary gallery using cardboard, undeveloped film and lighting, one night only in Echo Park. There will be DJs, seating under the open sky, dancing, Calendar Girls, and food available from Tacos Arizas at this fun, harmonious gathering. ~ -10PM ~ Free

Tom’s Block Party @ Tom’s Shoes ~ 3025 Olympic Blvd. #C Los Angeles, CA 90404 ~With proceeds going to South Africa Shoe Drop, this party looks like a banger, with Hit & Run Crew’s live screenprinting, limited edition shoe designs, DJs Skeet Skeet and Dan-) among others, performances by The Blank Tapes and Will Crum and The Blue Maroons and more, photos by Rony’s and The Cobrasnake, sweets by Hearts Challenger, and an open bar all night. Sponsored by Sharpie, among others…hmmm. Looks dope! ~ 2-8PM for all ages, after 9PM it’s 18+ ~ $15 for food, drink, and fun, $55 includes a pair of Tom’s Shoes.

Yo! What Happened to Peace? @ Continental Gallery ~ 408 S. Spring St. Downtown Los Angeles, CA ~ A night of pro-peace art, music, and conversation. Dialogue with Chaz Bojorquez, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Code Pink, Axis of Justice, and other Yo artists; live screenprinting with Hard Pressed; Live painting by MEAR ONE, Overton Loyd and Todd Lazer; visual stimulations and DJs Gaslamp Killer and Oliver Knight. Art and books for sale. ~ 7PM-12AM ~ RSVP@emprds.com

Sunday July 29th

Guru with Jazzmatazz @ El Rey ~ 5515 Wilshire Blvd. ~ $20- 8PM

Photo: Eric Burke

Mid-City ~ Los Angeles
(Continued)

You can buy a reasonably priced offset at www.mearone.com

Wheat-paste poster by the infamous MEAR ONE CBS/WCA

Photos: Juan Maynard Bastones & 455ER

The top crime stories of the week so far:

UPDATE: DEA Raids Medical Marijuana Spots
174 Murders in Los Angeles County This Year So Far
Carjacker Kills 16 Year Old Boy
$110k Reward For Info on Animal Rights-Claimed Bombing
No Leads in Echo Park Beatings
$7m Jacked by Beverly Hills Thieves
UCLA Assistant Football Coach Arrested on Burglary Charge

Story of the Week:
Mysterious Spanish Robber Took More then $15m In Loot

Authorities still have no clue where he lived. In fact, because of his many aliases, they’re not sure who he is. “He considered himself to be the James Bond of the burglary world,” said Detective Bill Longacre of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division. “He thought he was uncatchable. He had all those sophisticated burglary tools - the hydraulic pry bars, the grappling hooks, the rappelling ropes, the cutting torches. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Most burglars … their most sophisticated burglary tool is a screwdriver.”

Korla Pandit (September 16, 1921 – October 2, 1998), born John Roland Redd in St. Louis, Missouri, was a musician, composer, pianist, organist, and television pioneer. He was known as “The Godfather Of Exotica“.

Arriving in Los Angeles, California in 1940, John Roland Redd donned a turban and performed under the name Juan Rolando.

Marrying a stunning Disney Studios artist, (Beryl June DeBeeson in 1944), the two enhanced his image, eventually replacing Juan Rolando with Korla Pandit, and composing a romantic history for him as a baby born in New Delhi, India to a Brahman priest and a French opera singer, who traveled from India via England, finally arriving in the United States.

In 1948 Korla was contracted as music director to create mood music for radio’s latest revival of Chandu the Magician.

At an appearance that same year playing for a furrier’s fashion show at Tom Brenaman’s Restaurant in Hollywood, Korla and Beryl met television pioneer Klaus Landsberg. Klaus loved Korla’s look and offered him his own 15-minute daily television show - which he named Korla Pandit’s Adventures In Music - on the Los Angeles station, KTLA, with the stipulation that Korla would also provide musical accompaniment for another television show that starred hand puppets. That live show, Time For Beany, was created by Bob Clampett and featured Stan Freberg and Daws Butler as the puppeteers and voices.

(Continued)

Marina del Rey ~ CA

Circus Liquor ~ 5600 Vineland Ave ~North Hollywood

(Continued)

Jessica Vliet has a blog, check it out.