Tag: Los Angeles

entertainment

The Man Behind Madame Tussauds Wax Figures

Becca

By Rebecca Ford
Hollywood Patch

Neil Linssen is up to his elbows in hands. As the Creative Studios Development Manager for Madame Tussauds Hollywood, Linssen is tasked with the upkeep of the more than 100 wax figures. Dozens of spare hands, used to replace any damaged digits, are kept on a shelf in the studio where Linssen and the other artists work.

Every morning, Linssen and his team spend two to three hours checking over each wax figure for scratches and dings. Unlike at other wax museums, visitors are allowed to touch and interact with the wax figures at Madame Tussauds (which opened in Hollywood in 2009), and sometimes a celebrity might get roughed up.

Each figure costs an average of $300,000 and takes several weeks of labor to create, so keeping them in top shape is of highest priority. Linssen, who had just returned from a trip to Palm Springs to measure a top-secret celebrity for his wax figure, sat down with Hollywood Patch to talk about the process of making and maintaining these very famous faces.
Continue reading “The Man Behind Madame Tussauds Wax Figures” →

entertainment

LACMA art class

Becca

Do you love art? I do! I’m a recreational art user. I love acrylics and chalk mostly, but I’ve been dying to try watercolor.

Well, I searched around Los Angeles, and found art schools that were too much of a commitment and UCLA extension was a heap of money ($400ish) and a bit too long of a commitment.

Then, I found LACMA. I’ve been to the museum, but had never heard of the art classes. I don’t know why there aren’t more well advertised because they are amazing!

I’m currently taking outdoor watercolor with Michael Wright. The class is very relaxing, and a very warm environment. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or advanced because you can simply work at your own pace. There’s never any pressure to finish a piece or rush through anything.

Michael is very encouraging, and helpful. I thought it would be all older retired people, but it’s about half and half. There are several people my age also taking the class.

I would recommend this class to anyone and everyone. The classes are only $150 for 5 weeks and all the art supplies (at least a $100 value) are provided and are yours to keep.

Here’s the link: LACMA

Classes (like mine) sell out, so sign up early.

entertainment

Downtown Los Angeles- St. Patrick’s Day

Becca

img_1819

Could you call it a parade? Maybe. In my long life of parade experience, this was probably the saddest I’d ever seen. In downtown LA, they threw a St. Patrick’s Day parade that included lots of cops and fire trucks. The audience was made up mainly of business people rushing to their lunch spots and thinking, “Hey, look. A parade.” and construction workers and the homeless.

But it gave me a good excuse to get outside on a beautiful day and snap a few photos.

img_1820

img_1821

entertainment, news

Give up the yacht AND the personal trainer?

Becca

Check out LA Times’ Steve Lopez column….so funny:

WALL STREET CEO: Hi, honey, I’m at the office and I’ve got horrible news.

CEO WIFE: Oh, my gosh. Is Obama cutting back on the bailout?

CEO: It’s worse than that. He’s ordering pay cuts for Wall Street bosses whose companies get handouts.

WIFE: Is that even legal?

CEO: I think so, and I’m afraid we’re going to have to tighten our belts.

WIFE: What kind of a pay cut are you talking about?

CEO: Brace yourself. It’s $500,000.

WIFE: Well, that’s harsh, and Obama must not have any idea how hard you work. But I think we can get by on $10.5 million a year.

CEO: No, you don’t get it. My pay would be $500,000. That’s it. Honey? Honey, are you there?

WIFE: Yes, I’m here. I’m breathing into a paper sack.

CEO: Should I call 911?

……….see the rest here

news, politics

The line outside the Times

Becca

It’s day three now, and the line outside the LA Times won’t let up.

by Spencer Weiner, LA Times
by Spencer Weiner, LA Times

As much as I’d like to believe these people are buying dozens of papers and plaques for their own pride in this monumental moment, EBAY tells me differently.

People are selling them.

And while I get that America was built on entrepreneurs and go-getters, there’s something kind of horrifying about this get-rich-quick scheme going on under my nose. I can’t quite explain it, and I admit that it doesn’t make sense that this annoys me, but all I know is that it does.

When the sales ladies across the hall are yelling about how one plaque went for $500 (I think they cost $10 downstairs), I get annoyed. I think it’s because–while this moments is HUGE–those papers won’t be worth anything in a decade.

I like to think that people are buying up the paper in bulk because they want a historical record of this moment, but I have a feeling most just want some extra cash in their pockets.


See comprehensive article here.

entertainment

Metromix- Check it out!

Becca

I feel terrible that I haven’t done any REAL, solid writing on here as of late. I blame my new employer, Metromix. In case, you’ve never checked it out, I would like to invite you to explore the wonderful world that is Metromix. It’s part of the Tribune company, but not a part of the LA Times, although it does reside in their building in downtown LA.

They have bureaus all over the country, but I work for the National office as a TV and Pop Culture Contributing Editor. It’s a really fresh group of people, learning to exist in this internet-crazed world. Check it out here!