My friend had a art painting in the La Galería Gitana's Intimate Moments Show. Tonight was the…read moreopening reception. I attended to support her creative endeavors. The gallery was much bigger inside than I initially figured from looking through windows. I wasn't sure if it was the correct place because there's plenty buildings in the vicinity. Parking was ample but scattered. Anyways, I met some really nice people not just artists. Also, all artists works showcased at the gallery were up for sale, unless otherwise noted. It was a wonderful soirée with a nice crowd turnout. Comfortable. Creative. Friendly with artists, intellectuals and local patrons.

As the premier and only real art gallery in the Northeast San Fernando Valley...this is as good as…read moreit gets. You guys & gals really need to visit this gallery. They have been open for a little over a year and almost exclusively showcase art from Valley based artist. They tend to rotate exhibitions every 1.5 months and kick off each new exhibit with a reception (wine + cheese). There tends to be a pretty diverse crowd from all over the LA metropolitan area. My favorite art exhibit so far has been the "Best of the Best of Mission College" which opened last Summer. Karen Nichols, the gallery curator/owner and former public school teacher, identified various art students from nearby Mission College to showcase their work. The exhibit included video installations and other contemporary pieces from up & coming local artist. Currently, the "Urban Places: The San Fernando Valley" runs through March 20,2010. Entrance to the gallery is free. There's sufficient street parking and various public lots behind the gallery and on First Street. The gallery is located behind the Coldstones Creamery. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmxcE4KSE8M

This is my little artist's favorite art camp!! The kids make such great projects and in a variety…read moreof mediums. I also love the library of books so kids can expand their knowledge of artists and art theory!

My kids always have the best time when they go to art camp or drop in for their regular art…read moreclasses. Gassia and her instructors are so fun and kind towards the kids. I love the different themes they offer for each camp, it's always so engaging and they learn so much! The thing I love the most is it's not just a place that they practice art, Gassia will take the time to guide the kids to think things through as they are planning and improving each piece of art. We're so grateful to have a place like this for them!

Tutu Fun in Sherman Oaks is such a fun place for anyone who loves arts and crafts! They have a…read moregreat variety of creative projects to choose from, and the atmosphere is welcoming and relaxing. It's perfect for kids, families, friends, or even a fun date night. The staff is friendly, patient, and happy to help throughout the experience. We had a wonderful time creating our projects and left with something unique to take home. If you're looking for a creative activity that's different from the usual outing, I highly recommend Tutu Fun. We'll definitely be back! Thank you Lily and Lauren

This was our third visit at Tutu Fun and one of our child's first birthday parties hosted here. We…read moreopted for one of their birthday packages and chose the clock for our child and their best of friends to paint, create and decorate. The space is a good size for an intimate and small party. We had 8 children along with their parents. We had the space all to ourselves. You can bring your own food and decorations however, we chose not to as we hosted a lunch at a restaurant for our child's birthday before coming to Tutu Fun. We just wanted this space and time for the children to have fun and bask in their creativity. I booked with Tutu Fun in person 3 weeks in advance and paid a deposit at booking. A week and half later I received a call saying they apologized as there was another booking and that they might have to move our time slot. I informed them when I booked our party in person all the other time slots were open and what changed. They informed me they will look into it. Didn't hear back from them until several days before my party and informed us that we are set to go. I didn't change any planning nor time in our part since we did everything accordingly. Someone probably made an error on their end and they tried to resolve it. At the end of the party, please make sure to check your receipt. There is an undisclosed additional charge on your receipt but doesn't disclose what it's for. We tipped the sweet girl generously with cash that took care of our party as she was great with the children and parents. She involved everyone and the other 3 employees just stood around. Myself and two other moms helped clean up as our instructor was awesome and we felt bad she doesn't have the support she needed with her co workers. Our child and our child's best of friends had a wonderful time decorating their clocks.

After the fiasco last weekend known as the "Awesometown Food Truck Festival" and seeing that Lardon…read morewas no longer on the list for Sunday was tempted to skip this. I saw that Jin N. checked in there on Saturday and dropped him a quick note asking how it was. He replied back with his recommendation that it was worth going to so we made the trip down. The event was scheduled to start at 11:30 and we found street parking a block away about 5 minutes after that. I was completely fearing the worst with the crowds and as we walked into the lot, there was maybe 30-40 other people there. Even when we left at 12:45 would have to say the worst line was 10 deep at the most and the majority of the trucks had lines that were 2 or 3 people deep. The trucks were set up in a "U" around the parking lot with lots of room and tables. There were a few trucks there that I had never seen before and really liked that we were able to talk with the owners. They loved the fact that my daughter was taking an interest in food and asked what we liked, didn't like and what we looked for when going to a truck. It felt like they were honestly looking for feedback instead of just having to throw something out the window to keep the lines mooving (get it, like a cattle call??) The crew from Wholly Rollers did a great job circulating to see that everyone was having a great experience which they should get kudos for! My only regret is that I didn't head down on Friday and Saturday nights as well!!! The next time they have an event, I'll be there as this is how a food truck festival should be set up and run!

[November 12th event]…read more First off, I just want to say that this was a really great experience. Props to Wholly Rollers Events for putting on a successful street food fest!! I missed the first event last month mainly by choice because I didn't eat so well the previous week so I figured it would be a bad idea to end it with more less than healthy food. My wife and I made it out to this one intending to limit ourselves to mostly small bites. We rolled up at about 7pm Friday and easily found valet parking right next door for $2. Even before we stepped into the parking lot, we could sense it was just the right atmosphere for gourmet food truck fans. Trucks were lined up on either side and at the end of the space with plenty of tables and chairs in the middle. DJ Kino was spinning good tunes. We noticed all walks of life there...from young, hip 20-somethings to families with young kids. Security guards kept things in order and the clean-up crew was very attentive making sure trash cans did not overflow and tables were wiped down. Now, onto the food... Shrimp Pimp: 2 drunken shrimp tacos -- sherry ginger marinated shrimp sauteed and served with, I believe, pickled jicama and carrots on 2 tortillas. Verdict: 2.5 stars (out of 5). They were just okay. Didn't really taste a lot of marinade in the shrimp. Thought the tortillas could've been quick-grilled for a little more flavor. I have to say I was expecting this truck would have at least 1 Hawaiian-style garlic shrimp over steamed rice dish. I think that would round out the menu a bit. The Guinness-marinated shrimp & chips looked really tasty though. Patty Wagon: 2 "Shine On Harvest Moon" sliders -- a ground beef burger with Havarti cheese, warm bacon/cabbage/leek slaw, slice of pink lady apple, bit of mayo with homemade pickle on a toasted roll. Verdict: 5 stars. Delicious! Great grubbing food. I had mine w/out the apple since I'm allergic to raw apples. I could taste pretty much every ingredient. The grass-fed ground beef reminded me of beef I had on a trip to Ireland where they have some of the best in the world. It was perfectly-cooked and juicy. The roll had just the right crispy crust while still pillow-soft in the middle. Willoughby Road: Twice fried chicken w/grilled watermelon and side of creamy mac & cheese. Verdict: 3 stars. Chicken was greasier than I'm used to. The batter had a slightly sweet flavor w/a bit of a kick. The chicken meat itself was fairly juicy and not dry. I don't normally care for watermelon but grilling it enhances the flavor. I liked it. The mac & cheese was less than impressive. The consistency was pretty good but the flavor was lacking. I tasted more of the pasta itself than cheese. The Street Hawker (Singaporean): Fried rice w/shrimp, carrots, peas, onions, a bit of scrambled egg and topped with cilantro and red chili pepper. Verdict: 4 stars. Full of flavor! I couldn't totally place the seasoning. There was definitely soy sauce but I couldn't tell what else. It was slightly smokey. The color was a rich, dark brown. The rice was not quite sticky like most places which actually was just fine. I must mention we asked to make it not so spicy so I'm not sure how spicy it normally is. Good portion for $8. We wanted to eat it all but we saved half for tomorrow. Ahn-Joo (Korean): 3 small, grilled skewers of ginger & soy marinated beef w/cherry tomatoes. Verdict: 4 stars. Great flavor! The tomatoes complemented the beef perfectly. A few of the beef pieces were a tiny bit chewy--seemed to have a bit more fat. Other than that, great snack! Mango Tango: Peach Italian ice. Verdict: 5 stars. Texture was just right. Actual peach chunks. If it wasn't too chilly I would've eaten it up within 10 minutes. Generous portion for a small size ($4). My wife also had a grilled Nutella bhang w/berries from Ahn-Joo which I did not taste. It's basically a grilled Nutella sandwich w/fresh berries sprinkled with powdered sugar. Looked tasty! Again, I felt like the event was put together pretty well. Everyone seemed satisfied (except for one older lady in front of us at the Shrimp Pimp who had apparently asked for something not spicy but it was still too spicy for her. She later apologized for complaining and the truck manager made sure she was satisfied). I forgot to mention the large projected designs (one for Wholly Rollers, the other snowflakes) on the side of a tall office building next door. Classy! Plenty of seating for everyone. The DJ didn't play dancy, pop music all night. He actually threw in some good mainstream rock songs too which was a nice change. Great job Wholly Rollers!! Looking forward to the next one. This should be a WEEKLY thing like The Brig in Venice!!

ARTY ADVENTURES…read more Discovered this funky, boho space in Valley Village when a friend was sharing one of her hilarious 15-minute stories here. Loved the hippy-dippy vibe, the resident dove, the roomy seating and the low lights. There are all kinds of creative happenings here, but if you want to be emotionally moved and entertained, check out the incredible Story Salon on specific Friday nights for about $10. Doors open at 7PM, and the show begins at 7:30PM. Four people presented their tales for fifteen minutes each. On most Wednesdays at 7:30PM, you can also catch a variety of folks trying out their 5-minute pieces. You never know who will perform, and there are all kinds of complimentary snacks. Hit the parlor for an arty evening.

I was invited to a birthday party at The Art Parlor and i had a blast. It was the most fun I had in…read moreages. We had wine, we played musical painting (sort of like musical chairs but with paint and you get to add your beautiful colors and styles to other's canvases - and you paint to really awesome tunes), we created vision boards, had delicious cakes and Chinese gourmet food delivered, had henna tattoos created by Merritt (so talented) and caricatures drawn. I highly recommend Merritt and her team and to check out the events they have going on here. The studio has a positive light and energy there - so conducive for being creative. I'll definitely be back. Thank you for a creating an incredible event filled with so much love, fun, and laughter.

It is worth a visit if you are in the area. It's free, there is plenty of parking and the staff…read moreare very friendly .

Lots of history from 20th century…read more World war 2 Richie valens Japanese internment camps Tuskegee airman

Rick Castro, famed photographer of the sensuous, the erotic, dark arts, whimsy, presented a…read moresymposium on Furries & Plushies at the Lisa Derrick Fine Arts. Lisa is a rare human being of the first quarter of the 21st century. She reminds me of a theatrical, histrionic, colourful figure described and filled out in a novel by Tennesee Williams. Visiting the gallery, she can transform herself into exquisite 5 star performance art of her persona when her moods wax poetic. This F&P movement has slowly been growing since at least the 1980's. This fun fetish has to do with people who relate to their favorite real or cartoon animals so much that they are willing to cavort in animal "costumes" for all sorts of personal reasons.  Rick was prescient in documenting the still nascent F&P movement in the 1990's. His black & white photos capture the passion of people who design elaborate, time consumIng, highly skilled works of plushy, furry animal art. If you're curious about Plushies & Furries, there was a very revelatory movie to satisfy any dilettante. RICK CASTRO "PLUSHIE" Film Screenings Saturday March 7, 3:15 & 5:15 pm A portion of proceeds to benefit Queer Biennial 2020 For more detaied information about this exhibit that is now just over: https://lisaderrick.com/feral/ F&P is another specialized, underground, esoteric demi-world documented by Rick who is an expert in digging up the unusual. I'm pretty sure that his 120 Days of Rick Castro Biennale will have more happenings at Lisa Derrick's. Keep abreast by perusing her future postings on her website. 5 stars

Lisa Derrick's Fine Arts is a new gallery in Chinatown, that opened in late January this year with…read morean interesting line up. I stopped by during Summer Nights and I was happy to see a new gallery opened in the area. I wasn't thrilled with the art on display -"The Art of the Mascara Snake" (maybe too grungy for me?) but that's not an issue. It was harder to get inside and check it out, it seemed more like somebody's private party that you shouldn't crash. I'd like to go back and check it out after they'll change exhibits hoping to have a better viewing experience and update my review!

Cool new family owned business on Chatsworth Street in Granada Hills. Had the grand opening today…read morewith a photo booth and also a coffee matcha cart outside. There was a line - but employees came out to say hi and even hand out goodies - but luckily it was shaded. Cute store for stickers, stationary goods, stickers, journals, stickers. Soooooo many stickers. Lots of really fun ones - we ended up buying several. Sports. Kpop. Cute animals. Funny quotes. Just anything you can think of to stick to your water bottle or whatever you attach stickers to. Come check it out and support local business! Also forgot to mention, for the stationary folks, they will start carrying hobonichi.

Stickers are so nostalgic for me--I will forever love them. This store really has its finger on the…read morepulse with fun designs and cute accessories straight from Japan. Words don't do it justice; you just need to experience the fun for yourself!