I’m a sucker for Coldstone’s cake batter ice cream.  Yum!  I haven’t tried many of their other flavors, but I’ll get the chance tomorrow and so can you.  On September 24th from 5 PM to 8 PM, Coldstones all over will be offering a 3 oz ice cream at their World’s Largest Ice Cream Social in exchange for a donation to the Make a Wish Foundation.  There’s nothing saying how much you have to donate, so you can definitely get your ice cream at a discount, but don’t be stingy! One small catch: you can only get “Jack’s Creation,” which is sweet cream ice cream mixed with sprinkles, brownie bits, and caramel sauce.  Sounds pretty delicious to me.

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WHAT: World’s Largest Ice Cream Social
WHEN: Thursday, September 24th from 5-8
WHERE: My closest Coldstone is 5455 Hollywood Blvd, but check the website for the participating location closest to you.
$$$: Up to you

Local artists and speakers are gathering Saturday night to reflect on the effect of 9/11. The Los Angeles Idealist Network, a community-focused organization of local social activists, is putting on this free event at the Breese Foundation. Poets, painters, sculptors, film makers like Don Burton (screen shot pictured), dancers, and musicians, including our friend Jonathan Byram, who wrote a song for the event, (shameless promotion, what we do best here at BoredLA), will all be there with original pieces. As an audience member, you will have the chance to create your own work on an interactive art wall set up for the night. Click here to read more about the evening on their Facebook event page.
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WHAT: Since Nine Eleven
WHEN: Saturday, September 12th @ 6pm
WHERE: The Breese Foundation
$$$: Free/donations suggested

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@everybody, have you guys heard of twitter? #dumbquestions here’s a link to the site check it out http://bit.ly/17MgN8

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Well FYI there’s a Twitter Festival (aka #Twestival) and it’s going on this Sun Sept 13 at Level 3 Hollywood!

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So DM all your followers and tell ‘em to get on down there! @superfriend, @cooldude15, you heard me!

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It’s for charity, there will be music, comedians, etc! #so0ofun

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#threewordsaftersex I wet myself! hahaha Where was I… haha another three words!!

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So quit being a totally lame FAIL WHALE! Plus, it’ll give you something to do while twitter is down again #twittersucks : (

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WHAT: #twestival with comedy, music, etc for charity http://tiny.cc/xbfAO

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WHEN: Sunday, September 13th 6pm-12midnight

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WHERE: Level 3 at Hollywood x Highland http://tinyurl.com/mjw284

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$$$: 20 donation, up to 100 #mad$pen$ive

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as this is a concept post, I have not formatted the what/when/where properly ON PURPOSE, and for the visual confusion I apologize

We love people helping people, and we love it even more when they do it in a fun and unique way. This Sunday, the Stella Link Children’s Foundation, an organization whose mission is “to alleviate the suffering, abuse, and exploitation of children throughout the world”, will host a benefit at the famous Edison downtown. The evening will be host to live music, an art exhibit, raffles, a host bar, and delicious treats. It’s only $20 to attend the “Through the Dark Soiree“, and you will not only have an enjoyable evening, but will be helping children across the world. How many people can say that after a night at a bar? And instead of a regular invitation, here is their internet e-vite:

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WHAT: Through the Dark Soiree Benefit
WHEN: Sunday, September 13th @ 6pm
WHERE: The Edison
$$$: $20

When you were little, did you ever read that book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes?  So sad/touching!  When I found out about the Butterfly Project earlier this week, I immediately thought of the book and of origami.

What’s the Butterfly Project?  The Holocaust Museum in Houston is collecting 1.5 million butterflies between now and June 30, 2011.  One for each of the children that died in the Holocaust.  It’s sort of a downer, I know, but imagine how cool it will look when all 1.5 million are displayed in the museum.

You can make any type of butterfly you like as long as it’s no bigger than 8″ x 10″ and they prefer 2-D submissions, but any medium is fine as long as it doesn’t involve glitter.  When you’re finished with your butterflies, send them to the museum and they’ll be displayed. Check the website for complete shipping details.

To all you aspiring artists out there, it’ll be pretty cool to say your work was in a museum!

Create whatever butterflies you like, but I’m already working on a bunch of origami ones.  Learn how to fold butterflies here.

Also, while we’re on the topic of origami, I found a really cool centerpiece.  Normally, Rachael Rae makes me want to rip my hair out, but sometimes even she has good ideas.  This is one of them.  She says it’s good for kids, but I say I’d want it at my dinner party, too!  Learn how to make a paper airplane centerpiece here.  Her instructions are literally a paragraph long, so it’s super easy.

Community Pool is one of those fantastic events, where the community comes together to share a great time for a great cause.  Tonight, if you’re looking for a humanitarian effort to motivate you to leave air conditioning and queen-sized beds on a smokey Sunday evening, head down to Venice to celebrate proximity with the Ahimsa Collective (a-him-saw?) – a performing arts organization devoted to spreading non-violence through art.   A music/art based event in Los Angeles?  But, of course!

There will be music from The Voodoo Fix, Andrew Heringer, Magza C. Creature, and BaulPointPen.  People will be funny, including the handsome Younger Statesmen improv group and Carly Nykanen.  There will be clowns (I’m sorry if i just scared anyone by writing the word “clowns”), a DJ, and a visual installation game.  I don’t know what a visual installation game is, but I can take some guesses.  I bet it’s pretty dope.

Just in case the above isn’t enough stimulation for our humdrum minds, there will also be tarot card readers, live art, energy consulting (?), lego’s, trivia, video games, and massages.  I like all of these things.  This is fantastic.

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WHAT: Community Pool: An Art Party
WHEN: SUNDAY August 30th, 7-10 PM
WHERE: The Talking Stick in Venice
$$: $5

Tomorrow afternoon the Asthma and Alergy Foundation of America hosts a wine tasting at Fanciful Gifts Baskets.  Truth be told it is more than a wine tasting, there will also be a chocolate tasting, along with other foods and live music.

There will be a raffle with cool prizes like WB VIP tour tickets (which is really fun) and private wine tasting for 12 people!  What could be better than drinking wine, while winning a more wine?  Crab legs too you say?  Well you cannot have everything so quit being difficult.

Tickets are $25 at the door and all of that money goes to AAFA.  10% of every bottle of wine sold goes to AAFA as well so you can feel good about feeding your habit.

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WHAT: Wine and chocolate tasting for a good cause.
WHERE: Fanciful Gift Baskets
WHEN: 3-6pm Saturday, August 28.
$$$: 25

When I was a kid, that book scared the crap out of me. And from what I’ve seen, the horrible monsters have been faithfully translated to film in all their terrifying detail by relative unknowns Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers.

The event benefits Eggers’s foundation 826LA, whose Echo Park Time Travel Mart is, I suspect, partially responsible for all those pesky time immigrants taking away all the good jobs from young bloggers. Apparently as a side venture (or tax write-off) to their lucrative time-travel, space-travel, robot and cryptozoology enterprises, 826 National also helps kids learn to write creatively, which is cool and stuff.

First time director Spike Jonze with rapper Fabolous

Following the movie screening at the Arclight, there will be an ultrachill VIP reception at Space 15 Twenty, nestled comfortably between the Urban Outfitters and the Jack in the Box on Cahuenga, attended by Spike, Dave, and some of the other people associated with the flick. Although usually I don’t like supporting nation-wide fringe-science megaconglomerates like 826, if you have the dough to shell out this would give you some major bragging rights with the cool kids. GET TICKETS FAST!

Oh look, a cool kid. Looks like she knows exactly where the wild things are.

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WHAT: “Where the Wild Things” preview screening and VIP reception
WHEN: Thurs. Oct 1st, 7PM-12AM
WHERE: The Arclight and Space 15 Twenty
$$$: 75 for the movie (which really isn’t that much more than the Arclight normally), 200 to include the after party

We all know California’s economy has pretty much tanked.  Fortunately, the higher-ups are acknowledging the problem and trying to raise a little extra money.  Okay, so what they have in mind probably won’t quite cover the billions of dollars of deficit, but every little bit counts, right?  They’re doing what lots of people do every weekend for some quick cash: cleaning house, putting it out on the (metaphorical) front lawn, and selling it for cheap.  It’s the Great California Garage Sale, people!

Not sure if Schwarzenegger is also selling Shamu...

I have to admit that when I first heard about this, I thought it had to be a joke, but it’s for real.  This weekend, you can head up to Sacramento to see all the items in person or save the gas and just peruse to your heart’s content online.  The Governator says it’s the patriotic thing to do!  ”Together we are eliminating waste and providing great deals in this tough economy,” he says, “I encourage everyone to log on or attend this great event.”

In addition to cars that are autographed by Herr Terminator himself, you can also get yourself a sweet  CHP motorcycle, a dentist’s chair, a surfboard, or an X-Box 360 with Halo 3.  Why the hell the government needed a surfboard or an X-Box 360 with Halo 3 in the first place is beyond me, but you can see a full list of featured items here.

Buy, buy, buy!  Otherwise, who knows what will get cut next?

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WHAT: Great California Garage Sale
WHEN: Friday, August 28 8-6 and Saturday, August 29th 7-12
WHERE: Department of General Services’ Surplus Property Warehouse (and eBay and craiglist)
$$$: Depends what you buy

This Friday, July 31, your very own Marksy and Steve Elkins are having a fundraiser at Hibbleton Gallery in Fullerton for our (as yet untitled) documentary film about experimental musicians from around the world, which is near completion.

Photography by Steve Elkins (which has been take during the course of filming) will be on display and available for purchase to raise funds for the film. Segments of the film, directed by Steve and produced by Marksy, will be screened and there will be plenty of wine & cheese to be enjoyed!

We have been trying to fund the project ourselves but have exhausted our funds and now we need your help to move forward.

There will be a raffle on Friday with prizes galore, but straight ahead donations will be accepted, too. There will also be an afterparty next door at Mulberry Street.

Here is a teaser for the film, which concentrates on musicians Jon Rose, Bob Ostertag, Miya Masaoka, and John Luther Adams, who have been pushing the boundaries of music for longer than a lot of us have been around.  You can also find updates and more clips at our blog candelafilms.wordpress.com

Teaser

If you can’t make it, but would still like to purchase any of these prints, you can email me directly.  If you would simply like to donate, we will appreciate it very, very much.  Any amount helps.

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WHAT: Documentary Fundraiser (facebook)
WHEN: Friday, 7-11pm Opening; Exhibit runs through Sunday night
WHERE: Hibbleton Gallery
$$$: FREE entry. $1 for 1 / $5 for 6 raffle tix.  Photo prints range in price.

This Thursday check out a special screening of Visioneers held for the benefit of 826 LA. Visioneers is a new dark comedy staring none other than your favorite “ra-tard” from The Hangover Zach Galifinakis. If you somehow still do not know who Zachy G. is, please enjoy Between Two Ferns now. Having now watched the clip linked in the previous sentence I am certain you will surely not want to miss Visioneers. The film is currently only shown at special screenings, so this could be your big chance to see it!

The cost is only five wing-wangs, and the money goes to support 826 LA’s mission of giving free tutoring and writing training to at-risk youth. Seating is limited so please RSVP via the Facebook invite, or by simply emailing Sarah at sarahbrin@gmail.com. Go see a comedy for the children, BoredLA. Go see a comedy for America’s future.

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WHAT: Visioneers screening
WHERE: 826 LA
WHEN: 8pm Thursday, July 23, 2009
$$$: $5 donation to 826 LA (of course you can always donate more!)

I think I found the only thing weirder than Octomom the Musical to do this Saturday.  Drumroll, please!

The Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals.  That’s right.  Tiny, hot-dog-shaped dogs running on a racetrack meant for horses.  Mayhem is inevitable.  A combination of Babe and Seabiscuit perhaps?

The swift dachshunds aren’t the only thing on the menu.  In between doxie qualifiers, there will be live horse races, too.  And all of this is going on to benefit the Seal Beach Animal Care Center.  Bring along the kiddies because everyone under 17 is free, free, free!

Run, doggie, run!

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WHAT: Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals
WHEN: Saturday, July 18th  starting at 6:15
WHERE: Los Alamitos Race Course
$$$: $3 for grownups, free for the kids

Now I know a lot of people who smoke, but none who consider themselves “smokers”. Almost all of them are theoretically in the long, sometimes years-long process of quitting, or at least considering thinking about the possibility quitting sometime in the nebulous future. I’ve heard that smoking can be pretty bad for you and stuff, so maybe it’s time.

Well, Ralph’s is here to help! They’ve teamed up with the LA County Department of Public Health to do something really cool – give away free stuff. At 47 participating Ralph’s grocery stores throughout our fair city, any smoker can simply walk up to the pharmacy and leave with a free goodie-bag chock-full of normally expensive nicotine gum and patches to assist in the quitting process.

Alternatively, people looking to get addicted to nicotine but too scared to take the full on plunge into smoking, this is a good way to start!

UPDATE: If you go, go to the pharmacy before you start shopping, because it takes them half an hour to prepare it for you.

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WHAT: Free nicotine gum and patches
WHERE: Any participating Ralph’s with a pharmacy
WHEN: While supplies last (30,000 kits will be given out in all)
$$$: Free! With the potential to save you money when you, you know, stop buying so many cigarettes. And then $2 refills for a year!

Tomorrow at Machine Shop, you are invited to join them for an acoustic celebration and singalong of American folk music. Head balladeers Daniel Brummel (it’s gotta be DB from Ozma, how many could there be?) and Laura Steenberge will lead in singing a bunch of traditional American songs while you sit back and enjoy down-home refreshments and plenty o’ the popped corn.  All for free!

More info on the event here.

There is also a secret event happening this weekend if you are a member, but what could it beeeeee?

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WHAT: American Folk Music & Popcorn
WHEN: Sat. July 4th @ 6pm
WHERE: Machine Project
$$$: FREE!

If you haven’t heard of 826LA yet, it’s a really great nonprofit writing and tutoring center that basically teaches kids to be creative geniuses.  On the 30th, they’re hosting the fourth installment of their program Tiny Vaudeville at the Echoplex.  This month’s lineup is a surprise, but the performers in the past have been top-notch, so this program doesn’t seem likely to disappoint.  If you plan to go, RSVP now because the first 200 people that donate in any amount ($10 suggested) will get a receipt for a tax-deductible donation.  If you don’t get these tickets, it’s 15 big ones, cash only at the door.  Translation: now’s cheaper than later.

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WHAT: Tiny Vaudville #4 to benefit 826LA
WHEN: Tuesday, June 30th @ 8-10 PM
WHERE: The Echoplex
$$$: Choose your price now, $15 later

Genara wrote last week about the Great American Bake Sale that she went to at Scoops.  It sounded like it was awesome time AND it’s for a good cause – all the money goes towards ending childhood hunger.  You can hold one, too, if you sign up here.

In the spirit of summer bake sales, here are a bunch of crafty ideas to make your bake sale great!

Food ideas:

- Make delicious chocolate cupcakes with a secret peanut butter center.
-And speaking of chocolate, layer chocolate chip cookies with melted marshmallows and chocolate for a s’more sandwich.
-Show people that tie-dye isn’t just for Grateful Dead t-shirts with this crazy rainbow cheesecake.
-Let Martha Stewart, America’s favorite ex-con domestic diva, show you how to decorate cupcakes in style. (Each word’s different, BTW)

Great decorations to DIY:

-Use a balloon to make paper mache lanterns to light up your table.
-Tissue paper, wire, and a little elbow grease = sweet paper flowers.
-Show off just how domestic you are with a cute strawberry apron.
-Make a chalk bunting to advertise your bake sale.
-The example is for a graduation,but this paper banner would look great adorning your table as well.

Oh, and a little tip of my own: people are going to want to take things home with them, so get a bunch of plain paper lunch bags and use an X-Acto knife to carefully carve a big eraser into a rubber stamp. Grab an ink pad and stamp your design onto the bags.

Happy crafting (and baking), kids!

If you didn’t make the No Cookie Left Behind bake sale, never fret, there’s always more opportunities to get your baked goods on. Bake Me Up! LA is having a bake sale hosted by Locali this Sunday the 21st and next Sunday the 28th. These baked goods will be entirely vegan- but still delicious, I promise. You can expect cookies, brownies, cakes, muffins, scones, breads, cinnamon rolls, and cheesecake. All purchases benefit the animals- Earthlings, Animal Acres, and Little Big Dog Rescue. See you there!
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WHAT: Bake Me Up! LA bake sale
WHEN: June 21st and June 28th, 11am-5pm
WHERE: Locali, 5825 Franklin Ave
$$$: whatever cash you got

The sun actually showed up for the No Cookie Left Behind bake sale today at Scoops on Heliotrope, and it brought sweets-loving people with it. This was the mecca of bake sales: vegan red velvet and lavender cupcakes, mini whoopie pies, strawberry/rhubarb pie, homemade jam, $40 bluebird cake, cheeseburger cupcakes, pink elephant cookies, savory mushroom pie, and much much more. We walked away with the vegan red velvet, vegan lavender cupcake (which had amazing frosting topped with a blueberry), a cheeseburger cupcake, a s’mores whoopie pie, and a peanut butter and jelly bar. How bout them apples? Whenever there’s another bake sale hosted by the fine folks of Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale I will be there, and I’m betting you will be too. Ps, I spent about $11 total, towards a good cause of course.

This Sunday at Scoops, one of my favorite places ever (seriously), is the No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale! Yes, in addition to cupcakes, cookies, quiches, and homemade jam, you can feed your sweet tooth with delicious-ass gelato. From 2-6pm local bakers and professionals such as Lark Cake Shop, Cake Monkey, Kiss My Bundt, Spork Foods, Whisk LA, Taste on Melrose and more will be dishing up delights to raise money for Share Our Strength, which aims to eradicate childhood hunger in the US. The homemade jams are a new addition to the bake sale, and include flavors like balsamic strawberry (wonder if that’s Scoops inspired?) and blood orange. Sounds like a delicious day. I hope the sun comes out to make me feel good about eating ice cream.
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WHAT: No Cookie Left Behind bake sale
WHEN: Sunday, June 14th, 2-6pm
WHERE: Scoops, 712 N. Heliotrope
$$$: However much you want to spend

That’s right: Thinkspace Gallery is invading the 4th annual Culver City Art Walk this Saturday. With help from a few friends, they will be setting up shop on Washington Blvd, and bringing with them a lot of artists and cool activities. When I say a lot of artists, I mean like, over thirty artists. That’s a lot for a pop-up art gallery show. The featured artist of the day will be EKUNDAYO (shown on the left). At 4pm there will be a poetry slam with Mike the Poet and friends, and then through out their invasion there will be live painting by Mear One, Nathan DeYoung, Asylum, and more. Art and music go together like birds of a feather so Mr. Numberonederful will be providing the tunes. To top it off, a portion of the proceeds will benefit MOCA (which if you don’t know, is in dire need of some cash, like everyone else, but MOCA is more awesome than most struggling businesses). So get out there this Saturday and support the arts!

*** Click here for a sneak preview of some of the work! ***

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WHAT: Thinkspace Gallery Invades The Culver City Art Walk
WHEN: Saturday, May 30 @ 12-8PM
WHERE: Washington Blvd., Culver City
$$$: Free