The Nights Otis Redding Set the Sunset Strip on Fire

via latimes

The performances that make up the "Otis Redding - Live On The Sunset Strip" double CD were groundbreaking and legendary.

Not only were they some of the first for an African-American artist at the famed Whiskey a Go Go on Sunset Boulevard(helping to integrate the mostly white music scene), but, they also marked a shift away from the assimilated Motown soul to a more soulful, spontaneous and authentic style.

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Nightlife Visionary Victor Drai Has Sights Set on Hollywood W

Victor Drai and partners Jesse and Cy Waits. Photo: patrick hoelck

via latimesmagazine

After working his magic in Vegas with two highly successful clubs, Tryst and XS, Victor Drai, with the enlisted assistance of twin partners, Jesse and Cy Waits is looking to shake things up by holding down the rooftop nightspot that will sit atop the new W Hotel at Hollywood.

The W Hollywood, Hollywood and Vine. Photo: hotelchatter

While a club in LA is nothing new, one at the newest hotels in Hollywood, run by one of the more successful nightlife talents is. There will be no shortage of parties and hip places to chill this summer. From downtown(The Standard) to West Hollywood(The London & The W at West Hollywood) or The Roosevelt's pool parties, the competition is there.

What Drai and company have on their side is the excitement generated around this state of the art hotel and one of the best views in a historic, gentrifying neighborhood. The atmosphere of the club will be sexy and classy - expect to see a rooftop pool and an outdoor balcony ...with view (you can see the Hollywood sign too).

Read how they plan on treating the average fly guy who buys a few drinks as well as the celeb who orders bottle service, because it's good for business.(Good idea...seriously!) He's done it in Vegas.

Read more about the next L.A. hot spot here...

LA: The Booty Parlor - For Valentines Day and Beyond

Located on Sunset, down the street from the Viper Room(heading west), the Booty Parlor creates products, that they say, make women irresistible to men.

Booty Parlor

8920 W. Sunset Blvd

West Hollywood, CA

www.bootyparlor.com

Don't wait until 5:00 pm February 14th to get a gift for her/him. Do yourself a favor and have it by the 12th.

L.A.: Key Club To Re-Open and Bring Hip Hop and R&B to Sunset Strip

via latimes

We told you last month that Key Club was going to shut its doors, but, planned to re-open as soon as spring of 2010, well...grand closing, grand re-opening!

The Key Club is back on the scene and plans to do it up big this Grammy Weekend. The club relaunched New Years eve and has been offering R&B and Hip Hop acts a residence on the Sunset Strip.

Sunset has been getting a new image of late. They're repaving the street for the first time in 75 years! Let's hope they don't throw out the new promoters of the Key Club while they're doing it... seriously.

Outside of the House of Blues and the Viper Room how many places can a serious R&B/Hip Hop act perform on Sunset? Very few.

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The Key Club Closes It's Doors - Could Reopen

via pop&hiss

On November 28th, West Hollywood mainstay, the Key Club closed its doors.

This is the second Hollywood live music venue to shut down within the last few months, The Knitting Factory on Hollywood Blvd. being the other(they closed in October).

Key Club President Keith Pressman says the closing is short term and the closing was done to make way for a new partner and perform renovations. The venue could reopen as early as February 2010.

The Key Club originally opened in 1996 as Billboard Live.

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LA: Stella McCartney GapKids Pop-Up Store Opens on N. Robertson

Gap is re-purposing its N. Robertson 1969 Pop-Up store and opening a Stella McCartney for GapKids Pop-Up Store in that location.

This holiday season Gap is bringing the new babyGap and GapKids Holiday collection designed by Stella to Los Angeles from Thursday, Nov. 5th to Saturday, Nov. 28th.

Of course its situated across the street from the famed Ivy and will feature her pieces designed for girls and boys, from newborns to 12 year-olds.

The clothes are leather-free, fur-free and use organic cotton.

The 70 piece collection launched this week at select retailers, online and at Gap's 5th Ave. concept store in New York City.

Gap.com

Stella McCartney for GapKids Pop-Up Store

Nov. 5 - Nov. 28

108 N. Robertson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

(310)285-1880

M-F: 10:30 am - 7:00 pm

Sunday: 11:00 - 6:00 pm

Christian Louboutin Opens New Boutique In West Hollywood

Louboutin, West Hollywood on Robertson

via latimes

Christian Louboutin has relocated from Beverly Hills and moved to West Hollywood on Robertson Blvd. near the Hollywood Foreign Press Association offices.

The new boutique is located at 650 North Robertson.

Click this link to read more about the Robertson store and a couple of other L.A. openings...

christianlouboutin.com

If stores continue to move(or pop up on) to Robertson Boulevard at this rate, within the next few years, it will have the quality of retailers and strength of brands to compete directly with Los Angeles' other popular shopping destinations for shopper dollars. Right now it's the hippest place to shop, soon it may be THE place to shop...we shall see...it's early.

The Charlie Hotel: A Luxurious Escape In West Hollywood

via lxtv

The Charlie Hotel gets its name from the original owner, Charlie Chapman.

The hotel is made up of 14 luxury bungalows that are generally occupied by today's Hollywood stars looking for an escape without having to leave the city limits.

While there are quite a few exclusive hide-away hotels around Los Angeles, what makes the Charlie so unique is its past clientele. A clientele that frequented so much, the bungalows are named after them.

Marilyn Monroe and Gloria Swanson are two of the hotels famous former guests.

This is not "The W" or "The London West Hollywood" it's a variation on nostalgia.

The Charlie

819-825 N. Sweetzer Avenue

West Hollywood, California

310-927-9307

Food Network Casting For "The Next Food Network Star" In San Francisco- July 26th

If you have the culinary skills needed to impress experienced palates and the personality to make the television camera "love you"...and you will be in the San Francisco area on July 26th...The Food Network may be looking for you.

The Next Food Network Star is casting for the forthcoming season, which will air in 2010.

According to their Craigslist ad(yeah...another one of those), you have to bring:

• a filled out application
• a resume
• 2 recent photos of yourself

When: July 26th from 10am to 4 pm

Where: W Hotel San Francisco(181 Third Street at Howard)

Additional cities for auditions:

July 17

Hyatt Regency Downtown

208 Barton Springs Road

Austin, TX 78704

10AM to 4PM

July 31

CBS

530 W. 57th Street

New York, NY 10019

10AM to 4PM

August 10

Saddle Ranch

8371 West Sunset Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90069

10AM to 4PM

August 17

W San Diego

421 W. B Street

Sand Diego, CA 92101

12PM to 5PM

August 24

W Atlanta Midtown

188 14th St. NE

Atlanta, Ga 30361

10AM to 4PM

UPS Truck Breaks Loose In West Hollywood Hits Cars Strikes Pedestrian

Photo by Jon Viscott. WeHo News.

  
Photo by Jon Viscott. WeHo News.

That is a really steep hill, I don't see how this happened at 11 o'clock in the morning.

 

If you look closely in the upper left of the photo, you can see the Whiskey A Go Go, on Sunset Blvd .  

This happened a few days after I left Los Angeles.

Read story here...