November 2011

A handful of independently owned Sunset Strip businesses are hosting "Black Friday" sales and events today. Stop by and stock up on holiday gifts while spreading good cheer.
 
Code C Toy Drive & Sale
Receive a 30% discount on all coats during “Black Friday” on Nov. 25. Code C is also hosting a toy drive through Dec. 10. Proceeds from the toy drive will benefit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Select items also discounted 30-70%. Free parking behind the store for customers. www.codecusa.com

With so many options for delicious dinners, charity events and post-holiday shopping sales, it’s easy to give thanks on The Sunset Strip this year. So whether you’re a Southern California native or a holiday orphan, stop by this week and indulge in the best that Thanksgiving has to offer.
 
WineDown Wednesday @ RH Bar
Wind down before the holidays at Andaz West Hollywood’s “WineDown Wednesdays” on Nov. 23. Enjoy music from The Playlist Generation DJs, $7 appetizers, $7 glasses of wine and $7 select cocktails. Additionally, valet parking is priced at $7 during the event. 7-9 p.m. on Wednesdays. www.rhrestaurant.com
 

Earlier this month, the hardest working man in rock, Butch Walker, took a breather from his busy schedule of recording and producing to pop into The Sunset Strip’s fabled reading room Book Soup. 
Throngs of young fans braved the frosty winter weather for a chance to spend an intimate evening listening to Walker’s words and lyrics, as he signed copies of his new memoir Drinking With Strangers. 
With his endearing Southern drawl, Walker regaled stories about his early hair metal days on The Sunset Strip, took numerous fan requests during a lengthy acoustic set, and played host to a Q&A session until his fans finally ran out of questions.
–Brent X Mendoza

Best known as the stick-wielding hurricane behind L.A. greats Sabrosa Purr, Mahsa Zargaran has been quietly crafting her own beautifully dark and melodic tunes that are finally seeing the light of day under the pseudonym Omniflux.

The Iranian born musical prodigy wrote, recorded and produced all her own tracks – eerily dark and complex soundscapes reminiscent of bands like Bats For Lashes, Portishead and even composer Clint Mansell. An admirable accomplishment for any musician, but what’s even more impressive is the fact that Zargaran had little to no exposure to any rock/pop music until moving to the States at age 15.

With the release of an online EP, and an artfully surreal new video, this “female force to be reckoned with” has been catching a rapidly growing buzz among L.A.-based tastemakers and bloggers with a sound that is truly innovative, unique and strikingly emotive. 

Get ready to make your bid! On Saturday, Dec. 3, the larger than life, 10-foot-tall art guitars that have lined The Sunset Strip for the past year will be auctioned for charity, with proceeds benefitting the Los Angeles Youth Network, which provides outreach, food, emergency shelter, transitional living and educational enrichment programs for homeless adolescents; West Hollywood Arts & Cultural Commission to further support public art and artists on The Sunset Strip; and the West Hollywood Library. The auction will take place at Julien’s Auctions Beverly Hills Gallery (and online at www.julienslive.com) beginning at 2 p.m.
GuitarTown on The Sunset Strip is a public art exhibit celebrating the people and places that have shaped the legendary music boulevard. More than 20 ten-foot Gibson art guitars have lined the 1.6-mile boulevard since August 2010.

Happy national metal day!

This weekend The Sunset Strip lost one its most beloved personalities with the passing of Tony Nassimi, the owner and operator of Terner’s Liquor for more than 30 years. Nassimi, whose landmark store served as the proverbial “well in the center of town,” was a Strip staple that locals, visiting bands and club-goers would stop in to visit, regardless of whether or not they had provisions to purchase.