Free Day at the Guggenheim Museum (50th Anniversary)
Guggenheim Museum - New York
10/21/09
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To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Guggenheim Museum will offer free admission to all visitors from 10:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2009. The entire day will host a variety of events for all age groups, including a picture book reading and free cookies for children. There will also be free giveaways, family-friendly interactive projects, documentary screenings, raffles and tours accommodating five languages and the deaf, blind and partially slighted. →

Talk and Book Signing with Paolo Ventura
Aperture Gallery – New York
10/13/09
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On the occasion of the release of his new book Winter Stories, artist Paolo Ventura will be in discussion with Aperture editor Denise Wolff and will present the elaborate set pieces of his work.  The limited volume of narrative staged photography follows the memories of a fictional circus performer, whose stories are reenacted through miniature 3D sets. Using drawings, watercolors and Polaroid photos, Ventura and Wolff will guide audience members through the set-building and book-making process. →

Kick starting the “replica movement” in Japanese denim in the early 90′s, Evisu founder Hidehiko Yamane single handedly introduced selvedge denim to the greater fashion conscious. Getting his hands on a rare 1950′s American Shuttle Loom, Yamane started producing his own denim which grew to be some of the most sought after in the world. →

Wild Beasts
Domino Records
(2009)
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The Wild Beasts’ debut album Limbo, Panto introduced listeners to lead singer Hayden Thorpe’s gliding falsetto, which sounds like it would be more well-adapted to a concert theater than rock venue. His range is undoubtedly impressive, but the rest of the band too delivers their operatic flourishes in music that is ornamental without seeming foppish. Two Dancers scales back on the band’s more baroque leanings and offers a tighter offering in terms of sound and lyricism. →

The 1950s in America conjure up visions of beatniks, greasers, letter sweaters, poodle skirts.  Of hep cats with cool chicks cruising down to the local diner. And if they lived in Downey, chances are that diner would have been Harvey’s Broiler on Firestone Boulevard.

Famous from the start, the diner which had been declared eligible for “State Historical Landmark” status, was illegally demolished in 2007. Preservationists around the country held their breath in anticipation of what the city would do, particularly because this case had a bearing on historic preservation nationwide. They applauded the city’s decision to rebuild Johnie’s and now after two long years, last Saturday’s daylong celebration marked the reopening of the historic broiler in its newest incarnation as a Bob’s Big Boy. →

Breakestra
Strut Records
(2009)
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Smooth breaks and funky jams are the singular obsession of Los Angeles’ Breakestra, and for good reason. When hip-hop music wasn’t all-out atrophying and frothing at the mouth,  the beats and samples came from the soul, funk and jazz hits of the past. Some of those songs became obscure over the years and that meant musical treasure for hip-hop producers and DJs who could revive them and use them in entirely new and unexpected contexts. As samples became increasingly difficult to clear and licensing hurdles ended open season on beat-mining, younger generations have come to forget and neglect the country’s musical heritage. →

Fool’s Gold
IAMSOUND Records
(2009)
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For those who enjoyed the Afropop-leaning music of Vampire Weekend comes another American band that draws heavily from the sounds of Africa. A Los Angeles collective led by vocalist/bassist Luke Top and guitarist Lewis Pesacov (Foreign Born), the band takes on a variety of styles and instruments. Genres as diverse as Malian blues and Ethiopian jazz are reverently reproduced, with lyrics that switch back and forth from Hebrew to English. The music here is well-traveled and evocative without merely ripping off the sounds of African music standards. →

The First Days Of Spring Teaser from charlie fink on Vimeo.

Originating from London, Noah and the Whale plans to celebrate the U.S. release of their second album with select tour dates.

First Days of Spring, scheduled to be released on Oct. 6th through Cherrytree/Interscope, is actually a two-part project. Singer and songwriter Charlie Fink not only led the album’s direction toward greater introspection and lush orchestration, but he also conceptualized and directed the album’s accompanying film of the same name. →

Dengue Fever Show
Hollywood, CA
10/30/09
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Following their recent appearances on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic” as well as at the Hollywood Bowl with Grace Jones, Dengue Fever will be performing at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica on October 30th, so make sure to save the date. Their unique sound has drawn fans worldwide. Chhm Nimol, who sang regularly for the King and Queen of Cambodia, Ethan Holtzman (keyboards), Zac Holtzman (guitar), David Ralicke (horns), Senon Williams (bass) and Paul Smith (drums) make up the Cambodian pop and psychedelic rock band. The band’s music has been featured in a →

We all need to get away from the stresses of our daily lives sometimes and while a weekend getaway to Hawaii or Vegas is always an option, it never hurts to try something new. Architect, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater is an experience in and of itself that has earned its reputation as the most iconic and most popular home in the Pennsylvania area. Located approximately ninety minutes from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, a visit to Fallingwater is one that will not disappoint. A full tour of this one of a kind property costs $18 for regular visitors. However, come in with →