FILM + TV*: And now it's time for a very special Blossom...The Silent Movie Theatre hosts TV Tuesday, an homage to made-for-TV movies, special episodes and weird commercials. “We promise a magical night where every short attention span-style flip of the channel lands you on a different amazing piece of lost television you won't be able to take your eyes off of. We've got at least two great '70s TV movies, and a whole mess of other stuff you can barely remember from years past, or can't believe existed.” This sounds awesome. Ticket prices are $8 ($5 for members). more ›

The vermin are back this weekend as Jim Ruland's must-attend night of readings, Vermin on the Mount, features four indie writers tomorrow at 8pm @ Chinatown's Mountain Bar:
• Jim Krusoe, who teaches fiction at Santa Monica College, will read from his just-out Girl Factory which we highlighted not so long ago for its wacky incoroporation of LA yogurt culture.
• Sean Carswell, novelist, short story writer and publisher, will read from Train Wreck Girl.
• Tosh Berman, publisher of Tam Tam books, will read from Boris Vian's The Dead All Have the Same Skin.
• Dicky Murphy, who writes for television, will read from his collection World Cup Eagle.

New York author Jami Attenberg is in town this week to read from and sign her excellent debut novel, The Kept Man which examines the life of a young woman, Jarvis, whose artist husband is in a coma. It also curiously examines the life of the"kept men" friends Jarvis meets who are able to spend their days as they please because of their wealthy wives. Attenberg's tale is intense, as any novel about a coma patient is likely to be, but her gorgeous prose and her pitch-perfect humor turn what could be a standard-coma-drama (is there such a thing?) into a story that plumbs the deeper depths of what it means to be an artist, what it means to live for your art and how to live - or die - with dignity in today's political climate. more ›

The week in Los Angeles bookish events from Monday, January 7th - Sunday, January 13th. Readings, signings and bookish events this week include Andy Summers, Jami Attenberg, Judith Freeman, Alice Fulton, J.A. Jance and Robert Gottlieb. more ›

Memorial Reading for Mutanabbi Street with Chris Abani, Beau Beausoleil, Laila Lalami, Suzanne Lummis, Majid Naficy, Marisela Norte, Sholeh Wolpe & Terry Wolverton 7pm @ Centraly Library more ›

Looking for something fun to do this crisp Monday night before Halloween? Look no further, one of our favorite independent design companies, Enchanted Royals, who we highlighted almost a year ago for their adorable hand painted sneakers, T-Shirts and baby onesies, is having their website launch party tonight in Chinatown. more ›

Jason Goodwin discusses and signs The Snake Stone 7pm @ Vroman's more ›

Monday Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson present Sandworms of Dune 7pm @ Book Soup Tuesday A.W. Hill presents The Last Days of Madame Rey 7pm @ Book Soup Brenda Scott Royce presents Monkey Star 7pm @ Vroman's Wednesday David Rosen presents I Just Want My Pants Back 7pm @ Pi on Sunset Thursday Gabe Rotter presents Duck Duck Wally 7pm @ Book Soup Simon Van Booy presents The Secret Lives of People in Love... more ›

When we asked Guy Zimmerman, Artistic Director of Padua Playwrights, to make a Best of 2006 list, we found that it was a great way for Angelenos to see Los Angeles in 2007. From the shows to the venues he mentions, these are things to add to your "need to check out" list for 2007. He even gives kudos to a play that can be still seen -- The 99c Only Show -- three... more ›

Randy Newman @ Walt Disney GWAR @ Ventura Theatre The Skatalites @ El Rey Theatre Steve Aoki, DJ AM @ LAX Girlyman @ McCabe's The Lucky Stars @ The Derby Peter Walker @ The Mountain Bar Groundation, Come Down Selecta, Local Vibes @ Key Club Ponce DeLeon, Anna Jones, Brennan Hill @ Il Corral The Warriors, Remembering Never, Full Blown Chaos @ Whisky Fireball Ministry, Artimus Pyledriver, Vains of Jenna @ Knitting Factory Bankrupt... more ›

(alternate title: Things to Do in LA When You're Not Dead) more ›

TUESDAY more ›

It's the official Chinese New Year, Year of the Dog, 4704. The internets tell us that new year is the most festive of Chinese festivals, and the photos on this international msn site bear that out: poodles with the fur on their ears dyed yellow and green, parades and more fun. Plus, the translations are excellent: Dogs dress the traditional New Year suit, pose during the performance from the dog circus of Japan. more ›

To be honest, this week we've spent a little too much time in bars. But we know that you're probably considering having a drink this weekend, so a few of us put our heads together and came up with a list of those bars that we found best in '05. more ›

TUESDAY more ›

Jim Ruland is a writer who has had a strong impact on the LA literary scene. He hosts a series of literary readings called "Vermin on the Mount" in Chinatown and supports many writers and lit magazines. Jim also nurtures the talents of students who take his composition classes at Santa Monica Community College. A devout punk rocker, his work has appeared in the late, great punk magazine, "Flipside," and Razorcake magazine. more ›

Jim Ruland is one prescient lit organizer. How could he have known that the Governator would be in the news (and in hot water over his deal with American Media) when he modeled this month's Vermin on the Mount poster, the Verminator, after our our governor's signature role? more ›

After an exhausting — and possibly soggy — day at the LA Times Festival of Books tomorrow, literati of the most fun persuasion will be heading to Chinatown for the Vermin on the Mount reading series. Held at the Mountain Bar, this Vermin is co-produced by Swink Magazine, and promises to be both liquor- and literature-friendly. Readers coming in from afar include poet Alex Lemon, Steve Almond (My Life in Heavy Metal), and litblogger Moorishgirl (aka Laila Lalami); local litbloger Mark Sarvas of The Elegant Variation is on the bill too, with fellow Angelenos Julianne Flynn and Lisa Glatt (The Apple's Bruise). With martinis from the bar, you'll be perfectly equipped to take in this new ratpack.

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Jim Ruland hosts "Vermin on the Mount: A Night of Irreverent Readings" at the Mountain Bar, 475 Gin Ling Way, on Sunday. Show starts around 7 PM. Call (213) 625-7500 for details. more ›