Sun 6/01: Summer Cupcake Tour

Brilliant yelp community ladies Sandy T. and Amy K. have come up with the marvelous idea of commencing a Summer Cupcake Tour this Sun 6/01 at 2pm. Here's their rationale: "With so many cupcakeries popping up around OC, it is time to start the mission to find the most coveted cupcake in the area. Come judge for yourself at stop # 1 on the Summer Cupcake Tour." Join Sandy, Amy and their friends at Dolcissimo, at 560 W 19th Street in Costa Mesa. Sunday's flavors at the bake shop are Strawberry Shortcake, Monkey Love, Apple pie, Sugar Mama flavors. Yum!

Sat 5/31: Best in Show opening @ ISM Gallery

ISM: gallery in Long Beach presents a playful take on the journey from student to professional artist with it's friendly art competition Best in Show, opening Sat 5/31, 7-10pm. During the opening reception, artworks will be displayed anonymously and visitors will have an opportunity to vote for the artist they feel is “Best In Show." Please RSVP to attend.

5/31-6/01: TSE sample sale

TSE Cashmere is clearing out samples at their warehouse in Santa Ana as well. It's located at 3001 S. Croddy Way. Enjoy savings of up to 80% off cashmere, cotton, linen and silk merchandise from tse, tse men and tsesay collections. Sale Dates: Sat, May 31st 9am-5:30pm and Sun, June 1st 9am-4pm. *Cash/Visa/MC/Amex only; All sales final.

5/30-5/31: Obey sample sale

Obey is having their Summer 08 sample sale today and tomorrow at their warehouse in Santa Ana*. Address is 3500 W Carriage Drive. Hours are: Fri, May 30 9am-7pm and Sat, May 31 8am-3pm. Good deals will hopefully be had by all. *Fine print: no bags, no backpacks, do not wear Obey.

Fri 5/30: Free Friday Night @ the Bowers

Tonight is free admission beginning at 4pm at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. The museum's China and art exhibits will remain open until 8pm and you can catch the 6:30 screening of the documentary film The First Emperor for free. Based on the latest research and including location photography at key sites in China, the film sheds new light on the achievements, ambitions, and legacy of the enigmatic First Emperor of China--an emperor who wished to reign for all eternity. Run time is 40 min.

Fri 5/30: Datarock @ Detroit Bar

Bergen-based duo Datarock is DJing, along with Mr. White and Devyn C tonight at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa. Tickets are $15 before 10pm, 21 and over, doors open at 9pm. Fun fact: Datarock's song Computer Camp Love was #88 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.

Fri 5/30: Fridays Off the 405 @ the Getty

Tonight from 6-9pm, the Getty Center presents Fridays Off the 405 and opens its courtyard to the public for free. You can tour the galleries, enjoy the music provided by DJ Dirty Finger and DJ B-cause, take in the views of the city, and revel in the onset of summer! There's also a cash bar open until 8:30pm, so bring some bills if you want a drink.

Thurs 5/29: Eat the Document @ the Skirball

The Skirball Cultural Center presents a screening Bob Dylan's rare Eat the Document Thurs 5/29 at 8pm, as part of Bob Dylan's American Journey, 1956-66 (which runs through 6/08). Mr. Dylan directed this unreleased documentary of his 1966 European tour with The Hawks. The film will be hosted by music documentarian Penelope Spheeris (The Decline of Western Civilization and my fav Wayne's World), who will provide unique insight into the film and how it captures Dylan and the frenzy that followed him. Suitable for adult audiences. Tickets are $10 General, $8 Members.

Thurs 5/29: Jamie Lidell @ the El Rey

The man with an uncanny ability to make my feet tap and my hands clap, Jamie Lidell, is playing Thurs 5/29, at the El Rey Theatre in LA. His new album JIM dropped in April and is described by Pitchfork as being "some of the most satisfying Sunday-morning listening you'll hear this year." Just my cup of tea (or more likely, mimosa). Tickets are $23, starts at 8pm, James Pants opens.

Thurs 5/22: Rogue Wave @ OCPAC

Oakland-based Rogue Wave is playing, as part of the Off-Center Concert Series, at Orange County Performing Arts Center's Samueli Theater Thurs 5/22. These guys played at Coachella this year, but imagine how much better it will be to see them perform in an intimate (and air-conditioned) setting like the Samueli. Tickets are $15 for floor and $30 for the mezzanine; show starts at 8pm.

Thurs 5/22: Re:PRESENT @ LACE

In celebration of their 30th anniversary, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions is hosting a benefit Art Auction Thurs 5/22. Doors open at 7pm and the live auction starts at 8pm. Ann Magnuson will be MC-ing and the evening will feature both silent and live auctions of over a hundred original artworks by the likes of Vito Acconci, Ultra-red, and Alison Frey. Tickets are $50, call 323.957.1777 for info. Gallery preview hours: 5/2 – 5/21, Wed - Sun 12 - 6pm, Fri 12 - 9pm.

Sat 5/17-5/18 Fun With Chalk

This weekend is the 10th Anniversary of the Mission Viejo Street Painting Festival: Fun With Chalk. Go see an asphalt parking lot turned into a gallery of magnificent artworks. Join Madonnari (street-painters) from all corners of the earth and visit the temporary tent galleries also on site. Takes place Sat 5/17-Sun 5/18, 10am-6pm @ Norman P. Murray Community Center: 24932 Veterans Way at La Paz Rd., Mission Viejo.

Sat 5/17 danyol @ The Box Gallery

Danyol's At the Seams opens this Saturday at The Box Gallery in the SoBeCa (South on Bristol entertainment, culture and arts) District of Costa Mesa. San Francisco's self-described Indie/Country/New Wave band Carletta Sue Kay will be playing at 8pm with the artist on guitar.

Thurs 5/15 Bande à Part @ UCI

Jean-Luc Godard's 1964 film, Bande à Part (Band of Outsiders), is screening at UC Irvine tonight at 7pm. Unfortunately, I don't know where on the UCI campus, but I hope to find out via some gentle inquiry with campus security. This film, among other Godard gems, has inspired numerous filmmakers, most visibly Quentin Tarantino. Tickets are $3-$5, and perhaps most importantly, the image above links to Godard's official Myspace.

4/5-6/16 Warhol photog @ GCAC

Cal State Fullerton's Grand Central Art Center is showing some 155 Polaroids and photos taken by pop-art-superstar Andy Warhol. The images depict notable socialites and Factory regulars alike, including Tatum O'Neal, John McEnroe, Jon Gould, Constance Young, and Mary Tyler Moore. Also captured are rare still life images and landscapes of flea markets, a Halloween parade, beaches, dogs, and Japanese toys. The photos were a gift from the Andy Warhol Foundation and will be on display through 6/16.

Myanmar Relief

With current circumstances, the survivors of the Nargis Cyclone face many future hardships, including the risk of disease and starvation. Here are some accredited locally-based agencies that you can donate to to help the men, women and children of Myanmar on their arduous road to recovery:
Direct Relief International
International Medical Corp
International Relief Teams
World Emergency Relief

Surf Sounds @ Huntington Bch Surfing Museum

The HB International Surfing Museum is currently running Surf Sounds part 2: Featuring Jan & Dean and Sharing Perspectives: Paintings by Celine Chat. The Surfing Museum preserves an important part of Huntington Beach's image as "Surf City, USA," and further exemplifies the fact that HB is the "most heavily surfed beach on the West Coast" (per Surfer's Almanac). The museum's Surfing Walk of Fame, dedicated in 1994, includes honorees in many surf-related categories, and extends from the corner of PCH and Main Street.

Sat 5/03 9BeetStretch @ OCMA

Join the Orange County Museum of Art for a very special 24-hour performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. 9BeetStretch, a musical composition and sound scape, conceived and implemented by Leif Inge, a Norwegian composer, is part of the Odd Beethoven Festival. Performance schedule:1st movement: Saturday, 12 pm-5:30 pm, 2nd movement: Saturday, 5:30 pm-10:30 pm, 3rd movement: Saturday, 10:35 pm-3:30 am, 4th movement: Sunday, 3:30 am-12 pm. Lounge furniture will be provided and light refreshments are available for purchase throughout the night. The event is free, but you're encouraged to B.Y.O.P. (Bring your own pillow and sleeping bags).

Sat 5/03 Art Walk Santa Ana Artists Village

As per every first Sat of the month, the gallery doors of Santa Ana's Artists Village will remain open late this Sat from 6:00-10:00pm. Check out the show at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in particular to see the full version of the above detail of Elliot, I Spilled the Milk, by Christina Natsuko Paulos, whose website contains many treasures worth troving for.

Fri 5/02 First Fridays @ Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is hosting its First Fridays event tonight. The schedule will proceed as follows: 5:30pm TOUR:“Tour of the Ancient Latin American Hall” led by Karen Wise, Ph.D. & Curator in charge of Archaeology 6:30pm DISCUSSION:“How Does Evolution Build a Complex Brain?” 7:00-10:00pm MUSIC: featuring Akron/Family, The Dodos, and DJ sets in the African Mammal Hall by Carlos Niño and Morpho. The museum is located at 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90007. Tickets are $9 and food and drinks are available for purchase.

Thurs 5/01 Art Walk Laguna Beach

The extremely well-organized Laguna Beach Art Walk kicks off the month of May tonight starting at 6:15pm. You can hop on the free shuttle to participating gallery locations starting at the Laguna Art Museum (corner PCH and Cliff Dr.) or at Bluebird Center (1590 S. Coast Highway). The image above is by Andy Davis, who I have mentioned before on the blog, and whose work is synonymous with Laguna Beach in my mind. Shuttles run until 8:45 p.m.

Thurs 5/01 Shifting Perspectives TNT

As always, the first Thurs of the month brings many enthralling art-relevant activities, including TNT @ the MCASD downtown location. Starting at 7pm tonight, the museum will feature 3-D topographic maps, a preview of The Hybrid Authorship Project, and music by Seesaw Ensemble (pictured above) and Reverse Cowboy. After TNT, take the trolley to J6Bar and Hotel Solamar (at J Street and Sixth Avenue in downtown) for drink specials and live music 10pm-midnight. MCASD downtown is at 1100 Kettner Blvd @ B Street, San Diego. $3 suggested donation.