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Fire Breaks out at Magic Castle UPDATED

November 1, 2011
Fire Breaks out at Magic Castle UPDATED

UPDATE: 1:43 PM The LAFD report that the “stubborn” fire has been put out. No injuries were reported. The Los Angeles Fire Department is on the scene at the famed Magic Castle in Hollywood, where a fire broke out in an attic space. more › Read more from the original source: Fire Breaks out at Magic Castle UPDATED

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Lasers, Costumed Kids & Electronic All-Stars: HARD Haunted Mansion 2011

November 1, 2011
Lasers, Costumed Kids & Electronic All-Stars: HARD Haunted Mansion 2011

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Pencil This In: Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, Mark Z. Danielewski and Wicked Lit

November 1, 2011
Pencil This In: Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, Mark Z. Danielewski and Wicked Lit

In our Halloween edition of Pencil This In, we offer you these holiday-related alternatives to trick or treating: Theater in a cemetery; Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer at the Ebell Theater; Mark Z. Danielewski conducting his book onstage at REDCAT and The Tingler on the big screen. Read on for all the details. more › See the original post here: Pencil This In: Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, Mark Z. Danielewski and Wicked Lit

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Melody Godfred: The Nightmare Before Halloween: LACMA’s Dead Man’s Ball

October 31, 2011

After LACMA’s sold out Dead Man’s Ball on Saturday night, we may want to consider renaming Halloween after Tim Burton (Burtonween? Halloburton? That might scare people a bit too much). His influence was seen and felt everywhere, as a diverse crowd of partygoers paid homage to the king of underworld-inspired cinema with elaborate costumes including The Mad Hatter, Edward Scissorhands, The Corpse Bride and Jack Skellington. This year, LACMA’s annual Muse Costume Ball gave Burton’s character center stage for a festive night of music and art. The event spanned several unique spaces within the museum, from an outdoor reception near LACMA’s signature installation “Urban Light,” a multi-room indoor space with a dance floor and of course, the Tim Burton exhibit itself, which was open all night in honor of its closing weekend. Walking through the exhibit, it felt as though Burton’s eccentric characters had escaped from their eternal resting places (sketches, sculptures and films) for a night of revelry, transforming LACMA into the scene of a Burtonesque Night At The Museum . The night also featured The Bumbys , an anonymous, masked couple that gave ghoulish guests a typewritten “fair and honest appraisal” of their appearance. A long line of costume-clad attendees excitedly awaited their judgment, which was contained in a short description (an original blend of intellect, wit and absurd pop culture references) and a numerical rating. In a night full of avant-garde entertainment, The Bumbys stood out for engaging the crowd, with everyone eagerly sharing their clever appraisals with each other. Other highlights included a rocking performance by She Wants Revenge , roving concerts by Killsonic (a 25-piece punk, jazz orchestra that dropped dead at the end of their show), DJ Beatlejuice (aka DJ Jeremiah Red) and several costume contests. The drink of the night was “The Afterlife Elixer” (Kanon Organic Vodka, lemon verbena bitters, simple syrup, soda and mint), which definitely kept partiers rallying until the close of the Dead Man’s Ball at 12:30 am. Although the event had light appetizers, guests also had the option of dining at LACMA’s restaurant, Ray’s and Stark Bar, which offered a Halloween-themed prix fixe menu that included Jack-O-Lantern Soup, Meat and Bones (hanger steak) and blood sausage. Now in its eighth year, LACMA’s Muse Costume Ball is known for drawing the best costumes in town. After this year’s Burton-inspired spectacle, it’ll be interesting to see how LACMA tops itself next year. Photos by Brian Brown of thebeeseye.com Read the original: Melody Godfred: The Nightmare Before Halloween: LACMA’s Dead Man’s Ball

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Book Review: Unreal Estate

October 31, 2011
Book Review: Unreal Estate

After much anticipation amongst real estate-o-philes in Los Angeles and no doubt around the world author and journalist Michael Gross’ latest exposé Unreal Estate finally hits the bookstores and online retailers tomorrow. We are a fan. And not, mind y’all, just because a substantial quote by yours truly appears on the book jacket and not either because we are also referenced and quoted repeatedly in chapter three. It’s because, for better and worse, we love a thick and juicy real estate tale of the rich and famous and at that Mister Gross is a master. Many of the children surely already know–and all of the children who care a whit about such trivial matters should–Mister Gross penned 740 Park , a delectably hair-raising history of 740 Park Avenue–one of the most exclusive and enigmatic buildings in New York City–and its parade of improbably wealthy residents. Your Mama spent a good portion of the unusually warm weekend tucked into a butterfly chair in our shaded back yard with an advanced copy of Unreal Estate , a 500-page tome that exhaustively unravels the hidden histories of more than a dozen of Los Angeles’ greatest and most storied estates in what’s commonly called the Platinum Triangle, the high-priced nexus of Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills and Bel Air. The real estate, as delish as it is to read about, acts primarily as the lubricant for Mister Gross’ real subject(s): the astonishingly luxurious, weirdly insular, sometimes sordid, often unsavory and frequently tragic palace intrigues of their (usually) well-heeled and (always) high-living residents. Take for instance the extreme decadence and rather sordid melodrama that has surrounded Grayhall , a vast, 20-bathroom Beverly Hills pile built by a Boston banker and later owned by a laundry list of Tinseltown legends like Douglas Fairbanks, too-tan actor/gadabout George Hamilton, a high-flying (and shady-seeming) international financier named Bernie Cornfeld who like Hugh Hefner housed dozens of women in dorm-like bedrooms, and Herbalife’s multi-level marketing master Mark Hughes and two of his wives. Tabloid-inclined readers will enjoy the scads of scandalicious morsels about about west coast movers and shakers like now deceased Holmby Hills resident Alfred Bloomingdale, heir to the eponymous department store fortune, Ronald Reagan kitchen cabinet member, and enjoyer of kinky sex who kept a much younger mistress on retainer for a dozen years. His long-time wife and widow Betsy remains ensconced in the couple’s grand Delfern Drive mansion and a prominent and powerful force amongst the hoitiest of the toitiest in Los Angeles’ haute society. Then there’s poor Dolly Green, the privileged daughter of Burton Green, a co-founder of Beverly Hills. The grande dame, sometimes portrayed by Mister Gross as rather crass and course, lived large and fast but ultimately died alone but for and at the mercy of her domestic staff and legal advisers. Miz Green lived lavishly in a spectacular Wallace Neff-designed mansion on Bellagio Road in Bel Air now owned by soap opera tycoon Bill Bell and his philanthropically-minded wife Maria. We recommend Unreal Estate be read in close proximity to an internet-abled computer because it’s good fun to key in the (often provided) addresses of the discussed estates for a delicious aerial peep of the very real unreality of real estate in the Platinum Triangle. Late last week the Deadline Hollywood blog announced that Mister Gross’ book has been optioned by the folks at HBO for a Joel Silver-produced series. Mavel tov Mister Gross! Mister Gross will be reading from Unreal Estate in New York tomorrow (Barnes and Noble on East 86th Street at 7pm) and at Book Soup on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles on November 10 at 7pm. photo: Broadway Books Follow this link: Book Review: Unreal Estate

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Casting Calls: Oh dear. It’s like Millionaire Matchmaker…

October 31, 2011

Oh dear . It’s like Millionaire Matchmaker meets Top Chef ? Or maybe more like The Bachelor gone foodie? Pilgrim Studios is on the hunt for “a single chef, a restaurateur, or serious foodie for his own dating show!” Producers want a “single, attractive and charming culinary enthusiast” and supposedly this is an unscripted show slated to air on “a major cable network.” Interested parties should email CulinaryBachelor@gmail.com by November 9 with name, age, location, photo, and why you’re perfect for this show. [LAW] Read the original: Casting Calls: Oh dear. It’s like Millionaire Matchmaker…

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Man Dies Near The End Of Half-Marathon

October 31, 2011

A man died Sunday morning after collapsing near the finish line of the Los Angeles Rock ‘n’ Roll half-marathon. He was identified as Charles Whitmore Riske of Costa Mesa. Riske was 37 years-old when he passed away, reports the Los Angeles Times . Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Erik Scott told KTLA that paramedics performed CPR on the scene before transporting Riske to the hospital, where he later died. Dr. Lewis Maharam, Medical Director of Rock ‘n’ Roll, released this statement: We regretfully confirm that a participant passed away after Sunday’s half marathon. We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss and our heartfelt sympathies go out to the runner’s family and loved ones. The family has asked for their privacy during this difficult time. Out of respect for their request, we have no further comment. Craig Harvey, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, confirmed to the Huffington Post that they haven’t yet determined the cause of death. Riske was the president of Catalyst Development Partners, Inc. , a design firm that specializes in cost-effective energy installations for commercial real estate. Story is developing… The rest is here: Man Dies Near The End Of Half-Marathon

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WATCH: Shark Bites Surfer’s Neck At Same Beach Where Friend Was Previously Attacked

October 31, 2011

A surfer who was bitten in the neck last weekend by a shark at a beach near Monterey, California is now recovering in the hospital. Eric Tarantino, 27, was only surfing for about 10 minutes at Marina State Beach before being attacked on the neck and forearm by a nine-foot shark, reports the Associated Press. Tarantino was saved by friends who were able to pull him out of the water and stop his bleeding before he was airlifted to safety, according to the video from “The Today Show.” Tarantino had spotted the shark prior to the attack but couldn’t escape in time. The power of the shark, suspected to be a great white, is reflected in the images of Tarantino’s surfboard , which had a 19-inch gash in it following the attack. Four years ago, Tarantino’s friend and fellow surfer, Todd Engris, was attacked by a shark at the same beach. Engris told “The Today Show” that the news of the attack on Tarantino “shakes me up.” In an interview with “The Today Show”, Tarantino’s mother said she’s noticed “how thankful he is that he’s okay.” She added that her son described the shark’s strength when his arm was in its mouth as “like a car or truck pulling him along.” An American tourist was recently killed by a shark along Australia’s southwest coast . The fourth death in 14 months in the area, officials aren’t taking any chances. A Department of Fisheries official said, the “decision has been made that if we capture the shark we will kill it.” Despite the grizzly nature of these and other shark attacks, the video from Today explains, “experts say beach goers are more likely to drown than be attacked.” Humans attacks on sharks are far more common. On average, five people are killed by sharks each year . But up to 70 million sharks are killed each year by fishermen, according to University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File. WATCH: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy Read this article: WATCH: Shark Bites Surfer’s Neck At Same Beach Where Friend Was Previously Attacked

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Family Reunited With Grandma’s Ashes Stolen a Week Ago at the Mall

October 31, 2011
Family Reunited With Grandma’s Ashes Stolen a Week Ago at the Mall

It’s rare that items swiped from your parked car ever get returned, but for one lucky family, they are getting their most valued item back. The ashes of their grandmother were stolen October 24 by thieves who broke into their vehicle at the Westfield Promenade Mall and made off with their luggage, packed to escort grandma’s remains back east. more › Read more: Family Reunited With Grandma’s Ashes Stolen a Week Ago at the Mall

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Century City

October 31, 2011
Century City

Century City is a 176-acre (712,000-m 2 ) commercial and residential district on the Westside of the City of Los Angeles . It is bounded by Westwood on the west, Rancho Park on the southwest, Cheviot Hills and Beverlywood on the southeast, and the city of Beverly Hills on the northeast. Its major thoroughfares are Santa Monica , Olympic , and Pico Boulevards (its northern boundary, central artery, and southern boundary, respectively), as well as Avenue of the Stars and Century Park East and West. Century City is an important business center, and many law firms and executives — particularly those with ties to the film, television, and music industries — have offices there. —   Neighborhood of Los Angeles — Century City skyline from Santa Monica Boulevard Century City Location within Western Los Angeles Coordinates: 34°03′20″N 118°25′01″W / 34.05556°N 118.41694°W / 34.05556; -118.41694 Country United States State California County Los Angeles City Los Angeles Time zone PST ( UTC-8 ) PDT ( UTC-7 ) Skyscrapers and other important landmarks The high-rise buildings along Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood appear to blend in with those of Century City when seen at a distance, although they are separated by over three-quarters of a mile (1.2 km). Its gleaming high-rises stand in stark contrast to the small apartment buildings and single-family detached homes in the lower-density neighborhoods surrounding it, and were some of the first skyscrapers built in Los Angeles after the lifting of earthquake-related height restrictions in the early 1960s. For many years, it was home to the ABC Entertainment Center, which housed network operations for the ABC Television Network and the Shubert Theater, which hosted many famous Broadway musicals, such as Beauty and the Beast , Les Misérables , Cats , Annie , and Mamma Mia! . The Shubert was demolished in 2002 and became replaced by a modern glass building that houses the headquarters Creative Artists Agency affectionately known as the Death Star , which is part of the complex called Century Park . Some of the most recognized buildings in Century City include: The Century Towers Century Plaza Towers , commonly referred to as the “Twin Towers”. Fox Plaza , 20th Century Fox headquarters most well-known for being Nakatomi Plaza in the movie Die Hard . Constellation Place , (or the MGM Tower ) headquarters of the historic Hollywood studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . Watt Plaza SunAmerica Center Century Plaza Hotel Century City News Aerial view of the Century City neighborhood; Fox Studios still occupies the lower left quadrant Century City Skyline as seen from Runyon Canyon Park . Feb. 19th, 2006 View of the Century City skyline from the Getty Center . Downtown Los Angeles ( Bunker Hill district) can faintly be seen to the east of Century City. Taken December 22, 2004. The Century Plaza Towers The Fox Plaza At the southern end of Century City, Fox Plaza towers over the nearby neighborhoods. History Once a backlot of 20th Century Fox , which still has its headquarters just to the southwest, the Fox studio commissioned a master-plan development from Welton Becket Associates, which was unveiled at a major press event on the “western” backlot in 1957 . In 1961, after Fox suffered a string of expensive flops, culminating in the box-office disaster Cleopatra , the film studio sold about 180 acres (0.73 km 2 ) to developer William Zeckendorf and Aluminum Co. of America, also known as Alcoa . The new owners conceived Century City as “a city within a city.” [1] In 1963 , the first building, Century City Gateway West, was complete, followed the next year by Minoru Yamasaki ‘s Century Plaza Hotel . It originally was planned to be served by the Beverly Hills Freeway (Santa Monica Boulevard to the north) and a rapid transit corridor. However, neither of these transportation improvements came to pass, and so Century City is a source of traffic irritation for the residents of Cheviot Hills to the south, since there is no direct freeway access to the center. It is likely that any westward extension of the Los Angeles MTA ‘s Metro Purple Line subway will include a stop at Century City. Much of the shopping center’s architecture and style is shown off in numerous sequences in the 1967 Fox film, A Guide for the Married Man , and can also be seen in a sequence in another Fox film of the same year, Caprice . The way the plaza looked in 1972 can be viewed in several scenes of still another Fox film, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes . Demographics In 2009, the Los Angeles Times ‘ s “Mapping L.A.” project supplied these Century City statistics: population: 5,513; median household income: $95,135. [2] Economy Northrop Grumman is headquartered in Century City, [3] [4] [5] but on January 4, 2010 announced plans to move to the Washington Metropolitan Area by 2011. [6] Companies with headquarters in Century City include Univision [7] [8] , Crystal Cruises [9] [10] , Creative Artists Agency , Moelis & Co , Canyon Capital Advisors , Ares Management , Imperial Capital, LLC , International Lease Finance Corporation and Korn/Ferry and Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP . [ citation needed ] Government and infrastructure The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services SPA 5 West Area Health Office serves Century City. [11] Emergency services Fire service Los Angeles Fire Department Station 92 is the assigned fire station for the district. [12] Police service Los Angeles Police Department operates the West Los Angeles Community Police Station at 1663 Butler Avenue, 90025, serving the neighborhood. [13] Education The neighborhood is within the Los Angeles Unified School District . [14] Public schools serving it are Westwood Charter Elementary School , Ralph Waldo Emerson Middle School and Webster Middle School. Before fall 2007, students in grades 9 through 12 were assigned to Hamilton High School , but, in that term, LAUSD reassigned Century City’s 9th graders to University High School , and grades 10 through 12 were to be phased into the University High attendance area. [15]

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Raw Police Video