Results tagged “losangeles”

Not that kind of pew. It's a Pew Charitable Trusts report on how major cities are handling deficits, and Seattle, we think it's fair to say, is full of fiscal win: our one-year deficit of $44 million is just 5 percent of our general fund. For context, L.A. and Chicago stand at 12 and 13 percent, respectively. For even more context, we're tied with Baltimore, so don't get cocky. "Proposed service cuts are mostly targeting libraries, recreation facilities and aspects of trash collection." It probably makes budgetary sense, but it's really unfortunate, symbolically, that we're cutting library hours and increasing the size of our police force.

No more staycations--you can still afford to get out of town when there's a good deal. Right now, the Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau and Jet Blue have a pretty sweet travel package that allows you to fly from 11 cities (including Seattle) to Long Beach and stay at your pick of L.A. area hotels for way cheap (up to 40% off). Depending on when you fly and where you stay, the price for the flight and one night at a hotel is coming out to ~$200-$500. Book now through May 10th; travel now through August 31, 2009.

You know who you are. Our evil sunny sister site LAist did an interview with co-host Teresa Strasser that's entertaining, and what the hell, it's Friday, we've already got the earthquake out of the way, take a little time for yourself. Here's Strasser on how she got the job: "They called my agent, and asked if they had anybody with a news background who is Latin. Latin newsgirls are in high demand. I was the closest thing. You get the Jew, and that’s the best we can do." Also, we learned she's a former ballerina in recovery for an eating disorder, and that Charles S. Dutton killed a man.

We're tied in knots over this. We're already going to what should be a great evening of new works at PNB (Morris, Gaines, Millepied, Forsythe), but if we weren't, nothing could keep us from hearing Mike Davis over at the University of Washington.

There was a happy commotion on the real Capitol Hill last night at Broadway and Pike. Naturally it involved Journey. (Thanks to Todd for posting the great video above on YouTube. How about an aerial view, you ask?) Over on the other side of the country, DC got down, too. New York took pictures of itself, Chicago understandably took more, Los Angeles was ready for a close-up, Philly got it on video, San Francisco--well of course San Francisco partied, even Toronto celebrated, while London livebloggged.

For the second time in less than a year, the Seattle Sounders have upset MLS-side Chivas USA in the US Open Cup, defeating the top-flight team 2-0 in last night's third round action at the Starfire Sports Complex in Renton. MLS-bound Sebastien Le Toux and Taylor Graham scored in the contest. The Sounders next face the Kansas City Wizards (another MLS squad) in the quarterfinals at Qwest Field next Tuesday night.

Ryan Dobosh lived in Seattle from 1989--2002, before moving to Los Angeles. He is in town this week and has some thoughts about his old home.

If your squeezed-by-gas-and-groceries-and-“strip club” budget doesn’t cover flying east this month to catch Pearl Jam at Bonnaroo or Madison Square Garden, may we suggest a cheaper, closer, and more summer-vacation-y alternative: VH1’s Rock Honors show in Los Angeles on July 12.

The Cougs are still missing that killer instinct. Up 20 points and closing in on half time, Wazzu let the Oregon Ducks whittle away at the lead. With the 75-70 victory, Washington State will seek revenge against the Stanford Cardinal, who beat Arizona last night to advance to the semi-finals of the Pac-10 tournament.

Today Seattlest welcomes our new sports correspondent to the fold. Drew Milam is a longtime Seattle resident who recently returned to the Emerald City after some time in the Bay Area, and claims to be super tight with fellow Santa Clara alum Steve Nash, Brandi Chastain and NFL referee Mike Carey. No word on if he got the gig because he is a Hillary supporter (pleasing Editor Kim) and a Garfield alum (pleasing Seattlest David).

Before steroids exploded on to the scene in the 1990s, teams like the 1986 Los Angeles Dodgers often contended for a playoff spot.

What with his recent Into the Wild success, it's not a huge surprise that Eddie Vedder's embarking on his first solo tour—announced today—up and down the West coast. What is surprising is that he's not playing Seattle.

When Mono In VCF took the stage Saturday night, Mrs. Seattlest had to shut our mouth for us as singer Kim Miller sauntered up to the microphone in a little black dress and a pair of high-heeled boots straight out of our best dreams. We don't mean to be crass, of course. But it was... nice.

href="http://torontoist.com/2008/02/phototo_snowbal.php">photographing a big, organized snowball fight.

Current Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan is in the middle of a another controversy.

1. It's about Los Angeles dykes, which are a creature absolutely alien to our hipster, jeans-and-hat-wearing local girls. You know, the ones who watch sports and play scrabble at the Rose. In other words, we wondered if it wasn't of enough local interest. But who are we kidding? We all secretly want to see women that look like Jennifer Beals walk into G4G. (She is a fabulously hot woman, and we personally don't care so much about Kate Moening's Shane. For shame!)

Billionaire balloonist Richard Branson is finally doing something to get us closer to the Sun.

Could we be any vaguer? No, but that doesn't mean there's still not any reason to get excited. With In Rainbows making its formal debut atop the Billboard charts, Radiohead is set to cover North America in two tour legs, one prior to and one following their recently announced European summer tour (June 6 in Dublin through July 8 in Berlin).

Over at Ballhype, Jason created a Google Maps mashup that shows the birthplace of every NBA player. Is Seattle represented? Yes, oh yes.

Second chances are rare, but here you go, Seattle. Last time Great Northern came to town, y'all bunked out and went home instead of sticking around for the inevitable encore. The band pulled the plug, had a smoke and packed it in. And we were sad. Though it seems they were just here, Great Northern is touring again in support of their new EP, the appropriately titled, Sleepy Eepee. Check out the new songs here....

Seventeen teams showed up at the Old Pequliar last night to see if our voice would give out. We managed to get through the evening without having a Peter Brady moment, but we're grateful to those of you who were willing to step up to the mic at a moment's notice.

In an oh-so-scientific survey, a "national emerging health care discount service" we'll decline to name (take that, PR flacks!) discovered that the most caffeinated city in the country out of 20 is ... Chicago!

It seems Puget Sound Business Journal writer Jeanne Lang Jones might be a bit upset as she writes, “Now there's a further blow to Seattle fashionistas. The Bellevue Square Nordstrom is getting Prada (designer clothes as part of its remodel; the Seattle flagship store is not).” Jimmy Choo and Neiman Marcus will also be squatting in Bellevue, Jones notes.

Few foods are more fun – or more perfect – than xiao long bao. Originating in Shanghai, xiao long bao translates to “little basket bun,” but they are more commonly known as soup dumplings. Steamed in bamboo baskets which hold six to eight dumplings, the doughy wrappers serve as pouches for a fantastic filling of meat and meaty broth.

But then Earlimart [MySpace] takes over, sounding like Grandaddy's Postal Service, with lush orchestration. And what's when we saw god, or Jesus, specifically. It was just one of those nights where you're feeling it, and you look around and everyone else has that same bright-eyed look, and then you see Jesus working on a plate of perfectly crispy Sichuan green beans, giving his server an A-OK sign. "7.2 on Pitchfork!" Jesus says. "I loves me my rainy-day pop!" Earlimart plays the romantic swoon "Answers and Questions" [over here], they play the uptempo "Everybody Knows Everybody," they make us all sigh miserably with "Don't Think About Me" -- they've got the knack down of kicking a song off with a quiet verse, then bringing in the drums. They're backed by the Dream String Team, giving them a big 9-piece sound. It's our companion's first time at the Triple Door, and she loves it -- "This is so fabulous," she says, bouncing a little on her seat. "Normally you're at a show and you're standing and you're mildly uncomfortable -- and that's not even counting this incredible freaking banana split!" (The secret is the gelato from Gelatiamo.) Earlimart nears the last song and Jesus hops up on his chair: "You're all coming with, come the Rapture! Anybody who missed tonight -- fuck 'em!" Which, as we thought about it, was no more arbitrary than other religious proclamations, but the waitstaff makes him get back down and we notice they won't refill his wine glass, even after he waves it upside down conspicuously. Still, the announcement makes the encore particularly sweet -- Earlimart don't even make us wait that long before trooping back out.

With unseasonable weather descending upon much of North America, schools getting ready to reconvene, and sports seasons getting exciting, it's a busy time of year for us here in the Ist-A-Verse. Luckily, even with all the things we have to do, we still managed to get together to let you know what we've all been up to.

Los Angeles-based Earlimart is known for their well-crafted indie chamber pop chockful of dreamy lyrics and melancholy melodies. Their fifth album Mentor Tormentor was just released on Tuesday, and you can check out the album's sound, as well as some expert pancake-flipping techniques, in the above video. For more samples, there's always the MySpace, or head over to Pitchfork for the lushly arranged piano track "Happy Alone."

Londonist are starting to think their city is getting just a little bit too expensive, when even Christian Slater can't afford to go out there. And there's no escaping, as local singer Lily Allen discovered when she was barred entry to the US. The British mapping agency caused further bad karma, by blocking a 3-D representation of London in Google Earth. But the smiles returned to Londonist's faces as they interviewed Baroness von Reichardt, who has completely covered her house in mosaic tiles.