ART TALK With just about a month left in the exhibit, artists Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, and Simone Legno will be gathering for a discussion about the work of Takashi Murakami at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. The event, called Pervasive Persuasion, is a panel-style talk moderated by Eric Nakamura, publisher and co-editor of Giant Robot, and will include thoughts on "how and why artists in Los Angeles are blurring the lines of media to......

It’s the first day of work for many of us -- and it pretty much sucks. Thank God it’s a short week. If you haven't gotten enough going out for the New Year, here’s what's going on around town tonight: PARADE REMNANTS If you want to see the Rose Bowl floats before they go off to the big parade in the sky, you have until 4 pm today. Noon to 4 pm // Post......

An interview with Souther Salazar about his upcoming show 'Make It Real', opening Saturday October 13th at GR2....

Up now at GR2 is a group art show called, 'GEISAI Artists at Giant Robot'. The show was put together by legendary Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and Giant Robot founder and owner, Eric Nakamura. Together they've picked a hand-full of award winning artists from the GEISAI art show to display their work at GR2. The artists involved are Yasushi Ebihara, Hisashi Kondo, Jaga Ichiro, Sashie Masakatsu, Rie Kawashima, Rieko Sakuri, Miki Taira, and Erika Yamashiro....

Lately I have found myself exploring Sunset Junction in Silverlake. From Reform School to Giant Robot, the area is full of fun places to shop. Last Sunday, we headed to my favorite store of all, Bar Keeper. I must admit I find myself a bit giddy as I walk inside. A large Galliano bottle reminds me of the one my dad proudly displayed on our formica bar when I was a kid. A few......

Xeni Jardin is a long-time contributor and co-editor of the mighty BoingBoing. She's a Contributing Writer for Wired and you can also hear her quite often on your radio if its tuned into . Recently she traveled to Guatemala (just getting back home this week) and blogged about it beautifully on her travel blog. Because she's perfect, when we asked her to compile a list, she chose "Top ten places to buy things that......

It is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. California has the largest community of Asian Americans in the country and we're having the largest and most rapid growth of that population. We have it on good authority that these folks, at least those with Japanese roots, want to rock. The Asian Pacific Film Fest is going on right now and Wednesday night they are showing Linda Linda Linda, the tale of an all-female high school punk......

Calling all members of the “[Frank] Gehry Army.” Tomorrow’s opening of The Frostig Collection 2006 at Berman Turner Projects E-1 Gallery will feature Gehry, Robert Graham, R. Kenton Nelson and others to benefit children with learning disabilities. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. (via art.blogging.la) A Play on Action: 5 Los Angeles Artists Consider Feminism by taking "into account the sociopolitical implications of third wave feminism through photography, video, drawing and site-specific installation." Saturday at the......

So you know you should be shopping for Christmas but you're just not yet ready to drop the big bucks. Here's a few local hints to get you going, painlessly. The MOCA store has cool arty holiday cards; the pic above is from the card designed by SoCal artist Mark Ryden. CandyBlog reviews Sharfenberger Chocolate Coverd Cacao Nibs, finds them superb. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog was NBC's top download on their first day......

LA eggheads gather at the REDCAT tonight at 8:30 PM to ponder a panel on "What Makes a Magazine Great," which will ask guest to explore the "special alchemy when the right editor confronts the zeitgeist to create a magazine that speaks to and reflects the moment." Guests include Gil Maurer, former president of Hearst Magazines and winner of the Henry Johnson Fisher award for distinguished service to the magazine industry; Eric Nakamura and......

Giant Robot's takeover of Sawtelle Blvd is complete with the official opening of gr/eats. The restaurant has been in "soft open" for the past few weeks but now you should be telling all your friends to stop by. We snuck in for a meal a little over a week ago and were quite impressed with the food (a mixture of Asian and American cuisines). Hopefully, we'll get a chance to go by for lunch......

First, the parties you might be too late to go to: Giant Step Records hosts a listening party for Simply Good Music, Volume 2 at Star Shoes tonight. They still have RSVP info up so you could still get on that list. In other listening party news, Faith Evans's new album will be previewed tomorrow night at The Lounge. The Lounge is at 9077 Santa Monica Blvd (it's near the Troubadour). If you can't......

Fresh off of impressing folks with their energetic set at SXSW, Art-pop band Maximo Park is at Cinespace tonight at 10pm. Cinespace's Tuesday rock nights are hosted by DJs Steve Aoki and Frankie Chan and they bring the true hard rock dance party if there is such a thing. Rumor also has it that this is the after party for Bloc Party's Troubadour show tonight as well as to celebrate the release of their......

Not only has Giant Robot opened its own restaurant on Sawtelle boulevard, bringing their total number of shops on the block to three, but they are hosting new work from artist Nikki McClure starting this Saturday. We liked Nikki when she was part of Dub Narcotic Sound System and dropped funky songs on us like "Booty Run" in the mid-nineties. We like her art almost as much. GR is also presenting a band at......

We're noticing a trend here as art and dance seem to come together more and more often downtown. Create:Fixate has its first show of 2005 tonight when The Optical Lounge and Audio Lab comes to the Spring Arts Tower at 453 S. Spring Street. The Gallery opens its doors at 4 PM and the party starts at 7 PM. General Admission is $10 but if you get there early (like before 7), you can......

LAist realizes that it is entirely possible, and even mildly enjoyable, to do all of your holiday shopping on-line without bothering to leave the house or change out of your pajamas. You could also head to the local mall, buying gifts from the Gap and Banana Republic. But you don’t have to resign yourself to buying gifts from faceless corporations. You don’t have to give a gift that’s been seen on TV. No one......