“If anybody would like to join the first downtownster road to nowhere road trip I’ll be leaving Thursday or Friday,” I said to the meeting of the Marketing Round Table. “I don’t know where we’re going or when we’ll get there, but that’s the idea. And uh you could get on or off the trip [...]
Monthly Archives: August 2009
Grade School Memories ─ Dogbite
For Diane Schneider McArdle At Colfax Avenue Elementary School in North Hollywood I had Mrs. Grover as my fifth-grade teacher. Mrs. Grover was the most elderly, in appearance, of anyone who taught me before college with her fully grey head of thick hair and her leathery pruned face and old fashioned eyeglasses. She was [...]
The Flash Fiction of Catherine Coan
“This is really short short fiction”, I remarked to myself as I read the stories below by artist, poet, author and educator, Catherine Coan. I was immediately inspired to compose short introductions à la Rod Serling. “Imagine if you will…” The first of the three featured stories speaks to the collapse of the real estate [...]
He Knew Her – Or Did He?
My parents were classical music enthusiasts so I grew up familiar with the works of many of the great composers. Had you asked me, I would have said that I knew Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, the Pastoral. Then, a few years back, my son-in-law Max directed me to an audio program in which a wonderful music [...]
MOVIE REVIEW: MY ONE AND ONLY
How many of you out there don’t know who George Hamilton is? Betcha most of you are more than familiar with him. Some generations may remember Hamilton as an okay actor from Hollywood’s golden years in the 50′s. Others, for his fun and devil-may-care persona he exhibited during the 70′s celebrity game show blitzkrieg. Most [...]
TASHA TAYLOR REVISITED
The art era of the roaring 80’s had come to an end and the last of a visual empire sat in the final throes of death on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills. The Rodeo Drive, of the time of which I speak, was a quaint place where a young man like myself could open a fine [...]
Got More Poetry
A reminder to poetry lovers, Pharmaka has “The Third Area” poetry reading featuring four poets with wine and noshes on Thursday, August 27th. Below the info are two poems new to downtownster by famous Persian poets. Pharmaka Gallery 101 West 5th Street (corner of 5th and main) Los Angeles (213) 689-7999 “The Third Area” poetry [...]
Artwalkin’ with Stan ’n’ Al
This morning I am writing in pain. That’s better than writhing in pain, but in this case, they are not far apart. I was involved in a single-pedestrian accident on the sidewalk in front of Arty gallery last night. The official report states that alcohol was not a contributing factor. The victim had a blood-alcohol [...]
DOWNTOWN LA FILM FESTIVAL BEGINS
As my thirtieth year approached I sat in my building known as ARTGUILD LA, a building that hosted some of the world’s best-known performance art and nightclub events. If I recall, it was Eden Night, ranked second in the world only to Ministry of Sound, and my friend David Besharat a truly extraordinary human being [...]
MOVIE REVIEW: IT MIGHT GET LOUD
Things will definitely get a little bit loud with the rockumentary IT MIGHT GET LOUD, a sit down with three generations of rock legends, guitarists Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), The Edge (U2) and Jack White (White Stripes). Three very different gentlemen. Three very different backgrounds. Three very different styles. One common passion. This is one [...]
