What Really Happened New Year's Day

The LA Times has two behind the scenes articles that you may have missed from New Year's Day around LA. The Rose Bowl had a PETA trying to get a mini-blimp in the air.

"Later Wednesday morning, several deputies confronted other PETA protesters carrying a small blimp emblazoned with the words “SeaWorld Tortures Orcas.”
One of the deputies grabbed the craft, bending the propeller and cutting his finger as the blades whirred to life. After threatening to arrest the trio, deputies allowed the protesters to leave with the blimp, which had been damaged and could not fly. The deputy was treated at the scene."

PETA protesters suspected of trying to block SeaWorld float arrested

At the first Grand Park New Year's Eve Party the crowd swelled well beyond organizer's numbers.

 "...when a crowd of about 500 people at 1st Street and Broadway began chanting, demanding to be let in.
Security guards in yellow jackets were trying to hold back the line, he said, informing people that the park was at capacity and had been closed by a fire marshal. But the crowd grew more agitated and rushed the gate, he said.
"There were maybe four security people and they just broke right past them,"

Grand Park New Year's Eve bash called a success

New Year's Day Annual Oshogatsu Festival 2014

 The New Year's Day Annual Oshogatsu Festival of Little Tokyo filled the Japanese-centric area with foot traffic. People spent the day listening to taiko drums, eating booth food and watching the different street shows. Every store was filled with patrons fromthe Kinokuniya Book Store in Weller Court to Anime Jungle in the Village Plaza area. My only regret was not taking photos of all the lovely ladies in kimonos.

The kids section of the festival where they could play games was an odd setup. It was decorated with anime posters with no connection to any of the games. I'm fairly certain the randomly put up posters of anime and Ultraman for no reason.

This game was anime related, but nothing else bust masks

First of the Sexy Sonic Series

"Too Slow"

First of the Sexy Sonic Series. — with Manzi DeYoung by Greg De Stefano

Free Screening: Kroll Show

Come one, come all for the free screening of the Kroll Show. The next season of Comedy Central's new comedy starring Nick Kroll starts at the Bing Theater with Nick Kroll in attendance to lord over the premiere. The first two episodes of Season 2 will be seen before they make they're way to television.

Free Screening: Kroll Show
Friday, January 10, 2014 | 7:30 pm
LACMA, Bing Theater
Free

Anime Hype: Boobies in Vegas

To celebrate the premiere of Space Dandy at Otakon in Vegas this weekend, Funimation is having their booth partially look like a Boobies restaurant, the fictional dirty restaurant Space Dandy hangs out at. The Space Dandy series hits Toonamie Jan 4, but Otakon sees it one day before it's premiere. Funimation will be giving out special Boobies items to attendees. Let's hope the Boobies items make their way to LA for Anime Expo or at least Anime Los Angeles.

If in Vegas for the event don't for get Zombie Apocalypse Store.

Forensic Topology : Geoff Manaugh Jan 10th

Forensic Topology : Geoff Manaugh
Friday, January 10th  8:00pm
Machine Project
Free


"Author Geoff Manaugh will speak about the relationship between burglary, architecture, and urban planning. He will discuss how the built environment of Los Angeles helped it become the “bank robbery capital of the world” in the 1990s, and share a few particularly inventive ways that burglars—and the police who track them—breach architectural boundaries."

Weekly What To Do: Brooms and Bacon Start Off The New Year

Kotohajime: The First Performance of the New Year
Hatsu Kagami "First Mirror"
Sunday, Jan 5 1pm
The Aratani Japan America Theatre (JACCC)
244 South San Pedro Street (between 2nd and 3rd Streets)
Los Angeles, CA 90012
$20

The New Years celebration didn't end Wednesday for Little Tokyo. Take a shot at the new year with the Hatsu-Kagami ceremony featuring archery. How does Little Tokyo celebrate by having a huge performance filled with tradition.

Oshogatsu Family Festival
Sunday, Jan 5, 2014 11am–5pm
Japanese American National Museum
100 North Central Avenue,
Los Angeles California 90012
Free

Continue the celebration of New Year's day in Little Tokyo with the Oshogatsu Family Festival taking place at the Japanese American National Museum, family arts and crafts aplenty. For the older crowd check out the Marvels & Monsters: Unmasking Asian Images in U.S. Comics, 1942-1986 exhibit going on now at the museum I mentioned earlier in the week.

Broomball Tournament
Starts Tuesday, Jan 7 6:30pm – 7pm
Downtown on Ice at Pershing Square
532 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Sign up to reserve a spot
Contact Gus Sedano: 213.847.4970

Are you ready for some Broomball? Don't know what it is or how to play? Don't worry, many others won't know either. This faux sports tournament has two teams of eight trying to score against each other at Pershing Square's ice rink. Join a team or create one, over the next two weeks the game will be played with a championship on the 16th. Watching it might be a pleasure of it's own.

 
Death Panel: Art By Luke Thomas 
Friday Jan 3 7pm 
Secret Headquarters
3817 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Free

Secret Headquarters first new show of the new year features the work of Luke Thomas. Don't come here for pictures of happy kittens the name of the show is Death Panel.








Shaky Bacon Strikes Back
Jan 4 Opening 7-10pm
Runs Jan 4-25
G1988 (East) 
7021 Melrose Avenue 
Los Angeles, CA 90038
 Free

The work of Dan Goodsell comes back to Gallery 1988 this weekend. How many movies and TV shows will be made fun of with edible cartoons?




Karen Hsiao: Black Cherries & 
Victor Lightworship: Strictly Bondage
Book Signing Bondage Party
Saturday, Jan4 7pm–10pm
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Free

A bondage party or really a book signing for a new book on bondage. The book features minimalistic use of different clothes limited to black and red and not much of them. Kinky meet high society.


The Peachy Keen Comedy Show and Post-Show Dance Party
Friday, Jan 3 8pm-10pm
Bar Lubitsch
7702 Santa Monica Blvd,
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Free
21+

Check out the line-up for the show, all comedians worthy of your dollar, even though the show is free.
Sarah Silverman (Sarah Silverman Show, SNL)
Pete Holmes (Conan, Comedy Central Presents)
Kumail Nanjiani (Letterman, Fallon, Conan)
Todd Glass (Last Comic Standing, Tosh.0)


The Room
Friday, Jan 3 and 4 Midnight
Regent Theatre
1045 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024
$15

Played on a mostly monthly-basis a in LA and considered one of the worst movies of all time comes The Room with special appearances by Tommy Wiseau and co-star Greg Sestero. Tommy Wiseauis someone you might meet on a bus or the metro and then never want to meet again. Words can't describe the problems with the film rumored to be part of a mafia money laundering scheme.

Back To The Future Triple Bill
Saturday, Jan 4 7:30pm
Egyptian Theatre
6712 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
$11

Time travel along Marty and the Doc with all three films being played over the weekend.

Stonecutters LA
NerdMelt Showroom
(the back of Meltdown Comics)
Saturday, Jan 4 4pm
7522 Sunset Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Free

Every 1st Saturday enjoy The Simpsons with two rounds of trivia and free episodes to watch at NerdMelt.