On Monday night, while Norwegian rocker Ida Maria (MySpace) wowed the Spaceland (MySpace) crowd, Santa Barbara's Katy Perry (MySpace) returned to her singer-songwriter roots by headlining a sold out show at the Hotel Cafe (MySpace) in Hollywood, with support from last-minute openers Holly Conlan (MySpace) and Meiko (MySpace). LA-Underground observed that, "If [Perry] returned to the 50-capacity Genghis Cohen Cantina or Highland Grounds where she really started now that would be something (especially since Highland Grounds/The Dive closed last year)." But to say that this intimate show wasn't highly anticipated would be wildly inaccurate, as fans flew in from as far away as Vancouver, offering as much as $200 for a pair of tickets, and upwards of 15 paparazzi camped outside at the front and rear entrances for the duration of the evening. more ›

While the Du-par's in the Farmer's Market at Fairfax & Third, which has been shuttered for I can't remember how long, is finally set to re-open on December 26 at 6:00 A.M, it's time to say farewell to venerable coffee shop Highland Grounds, which after today will temporarily shut down to undergo a makeover and rechristening. The space that was once a gay bar known as Greg's Blue Dot and then Highland Grounds for 17 years will reopen on January 10, 2007 as The Dive. The ownership will remain the same, but the new venture will become a bar/nightclub type joint in the evening while remaining a coffee shop during the day. Located on Highland just north of Melrose, Highland Grounds was a truly rare species, a neighborhood coffee shop with an unpretentious vibe, a steadfast local clientele and most importantly, a surprisingly diverse and delicious menu.
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