So I'm a fairly new resident of Studio City, and am still discovering little surprises on this side of town. Driving down Ventura, I have twice noticed a small, nondescript building bearing a sign with the letters ICA at Colfax Ave., which, upon closer examination while sitting at a red light, rest above the casually printed name "Intercontinental Absurdities." Clearly, this was something that called for investigation. It sounded a bit like something out of The Crying of Lot 49. So after forgetting about it twice, which is typical, I finally googled the name and came up with what you Zappa fans surely already know:

Intercontinental Absurdities is the name of Frank Zappa's production company. And apparently, Zappa Records used to be right next door to it. ICA was used by the experimental, highly influential and cult favorite artist to distribute Baby Snakes, a movie made of his 1977 New York Palladium Theater concert, when no one else was interested in carrying it, and further digging also produces a cartoon: The Amazing Mr. Bickford. There is quite the lengthy wikipedia on Zappa himself, but very little about the ICA.

These are some of the more interesting sites that come up when googling it:

The ZAPPAsaurus
(*note the Zappa Records sign on the building next to the ICA - it's no longer there.)

You are Here
(not incredibly helpful)

Wife Gail Zappa's campaign contributions
(?!?)

And of course, Intercontinentalabsurdities.com

...All leading to very little info, but making a nice little mystery that Zappa himself would probably be happy with. Nice to know such an icon had set up shop so close to my new digs.

Image by snebtor via Flickr, used with permission