LA Times does weddings. Cause anything NY can do, we can do [too].

Everyone who knows me knows I love the NY Times' Weddings &  Celebrations section. Well, the LA Times is now entering my the arena of love and nuptials as well. Because 'Asking is hard. Letting everyone know is easy.'

For a limited time, place a free wedding, engagement or commitment announcement in the new Together section.

The RSVP Line: Brand X Celebrates L.A. in Short at LAFF

Brand X, the new weekly pub from the LA Times, is celebrating the 9 winners of its L.A. in Short Video Competition this Friday night at the Los Angeles Film Festival. And you're invited.

If my being there is not enough, here are 5 additional reasons you should join me...

1. Music selections will be courtesy of one of the competition's judges, Nic Harcourt, LA Magazine's Editor at Large.

2. Drinks are on me from the open bar.

3. Film gets you hot.

4. You'll have the chance to view the winning entries and cast your vote for the contest's Grand Prize Winner--an honor and an obligation you'd be a real a**hole to miss.

5. Westwood's not that far away. I promise.

L.A. in Short Celebration
Los Angeles Film Festival - ZonePerfect live.create.lounge
1028 Westwood Blvd. (between Kinross and Weyburn)
Westwood, CA 90024

(Get directions here)

Send your RSVP to rsvp@latimes.com

NYTimes.com sells its soul. Apple buys it.

Did anyone catch the amazingly cool interactive ad that flew across The New York Times online today? With 2 fixed positions in prime position on the homepage, 1 billion apps zoomed from one leaderboard ad unit into another skyscraper to the right (forgive me if my ad unit lingo is off) to promote the iPhone 3G's 1 billion apps.

Notice how the apps even even across the Times logo itself. Now, how much did that cost?


While this is yet another unsettling sign of publishers' shifting standards (heck, my own company practically invented 'innovative' ad units) due to the economy, I must give kudos to Apple on an amazing ad. I, for one, refreshed the page multiple times just to see the ad again. Apple should be charging the Times.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar turns 40.

Don't miss author Eric Carle when he celebrates the 40th anniversary of a storybook classic at the LA Times Festival of Books later this month.

I'm personally hoping for a picture with the caterpillar...maybe a hug...maybe, just maybe, a lunch date together.

A musical karaoke interlude.

A great video from friend Courtenay Green. It's 80's. It's sing-a-long. It's all you need for your afternoon break at your desk. Oh, and it's directed by the SKINNY team, who've directed vids for Devendra Banhart and Gray Kid, amongst others.



Courtenay will also be performing at the upcoming Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which I know you're all already planning on attending.

xo

The NY Times. Arrogant and bullyish, but not invincible.

It's not kind to feel joy at the suffering of others. But sometimes, just sometimes, it's ok to smirk a little at the misfortune of others, no?? Especially if they're bullies?

It turns out that the NY Times, who just recently took stabs at the LA Times in a public ad campaign (as reported by LA Observed), is not doing so hot themselves.

From this morning's WWD Memo Pad (yes, a fashion trade is my morning news source--what of it?)...

TIMES RAISES FUNDS: The New York Times Co. has entered into a sale-leaseback transaction with W.P. Carey & Co. LLC for $225 million for part of the space the Times Co. owns in its headquarters building on Eighth Avenue, including 21 floors, or 750,000 rentable square feet. The money will be used to pay long-term debt and a portion will be used to fund a redemption payment of its 4.5 percent notes due in 2010. The company also recently borrowed $250 million from Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helú and is trying to sell its stake in the Boston Red Sox. The lease term is 15 years, with an option for the company to repurchase the condominium interest for $250 million during the 10th year of the lease. The rental payment will be $24 million, or $32 a square foot, for the first year and increase in the coming years. — A.W.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Stand proud, LA Times. We are not alone!

[WWD Memo Pad: Times Raises Funds]
[LA Observed: NYT hits 'em while they're down]

The RSVP Line: The Travel & Adventure Show. Because you are so desperately alone on Valentine's Day.

Maybe you're completely and hopelessly single with nothing at all to do on Valentine's Day but stay home alone, wallowing in your very deep despair and terribly tragic self-pity. Or perhaps you're coupled, but dating someone who's thought of nothing romantic to do this weekend, save his presentation of a plastic-wrapped box of Whitman's chocolate. Well, either way, it sounds like you're an excellent candidate for Travel & Adventure Show attendance! Hosted by the Los Angeles Times, the show will feature aisles and aisles [and aisles] of cities, countries and travel-related businesses to browse through. (I am available to accompany you on any trips, assuming my travel is paid for.)

More important to you, there will be a zip-line, rock-climbing, a dive pool (yes, there are wetsuits), a surf simulator, segways, and other fun [and slightly dangerous] activities.

And then there's the Culinary Stage, which I am uber excited for. Chef Evan Kleiman, owner/chef of Angeli Caffe will be demoing and sampling her Ricotta Beet Gnochetti. I tasted these last week during dineLA. And they are pretty f-ing good. Then there will be the other samples that you and your meat-eating friends can try in my stead.

Hope to see you this weekend folks.

Kisses and Valentine's Day hugs,
Jessie B. R.

Photo Credit: Falling Creek.com

Sounds: Paul McCartney...and the rest of the Coachella lineup is out.

Hope to see all you happy people in the desert for this year's Coachella.

I'm especially excited about Cloud Cult (the eco-friendly, awesome band from Minnesota), Amy Winehouse (who I hope will be able to withstand the heat in her heroine haze), Antony and the Johnsons (whose unmistakable sound--you may have heard it accompanying Hercules and Love Affair or CocoRosie--is just, well, awesome) and Franz Ferdinand (spotted last night at the Heidi Klum and Adrien Brody-attended Rankin opening for The Macallan at the M+B Gallery).

And by the by, this year's tickets are available on 'layaway.' Wow.

Friday, April 17th

A Place To Bury Strangers
Alberta Cross
Bajofondo
Beirut
Buraka Som Sistema
Cage the Elephant
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
Craze and Klever
Crystal Castles
Dear and the Headlights
Felix da Housecat
Franz Ferdinand
Genghis Tron
Ghostland Observatory
Girl Talk
Gui Boratto
Leonard Cohen
Los Campesinos!
M. Ward
Molotov
Morrissey
N.A.S.A.
Noah and the Whale
Patton & Rahzel
Paul McCartney
Peanut Butter Wolf
People Under the Stairs
Ryan Bingham
Silversun Pickups
Steve Aoki
Switch
The Crystal Method
The Aggrolites
The Airborne Toxic Event
The Black Keys
The Bug
The Courteeners
The Hold Steady
The Knux
The Presets
The Ting Tings
We Are Scientists
White Lies

Saturday, April 18th

Amanda Palmer
Amy Winehouse
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
Atmosphere
Band Of Horses
Billy Talent
Blitzen Trapper
Bob Mould Band
Booker T
Calexico
Cloud Cult
Crookers
Dr. Dog
Drive By Truckers
Drop The Lime
Electric Touch
Fleet Foxes
Gang Gang Dance
Glass Candy
Glasvegas
Henry Rollins
Hercules and Love Affair
Ida Maria
James Morrison
Liars
Mastodon
Michael Franti & Spearhead
MSTRKRFT
Surkin, Para One (Live)
Superchunk
The Bloody Beetroots
The Killers
Thenewno2
Thievery Corporation
Tinariwen
TRAV$DJ-AM
Turbonegro
TV On The Radio
Zane Lowe
Zizek

Sunday, April 19th

Antony and the Johnsons
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Christopher Lawrence
Clipse
Friendly Fires
Fucked Up
Gaslight Anthem
Groove Armada (DJ Set)
Jenny Lewis
Junior Boys
K'naan
Late of the Pier
Lupe Fiasco
Lykke Li
M.A.N.D.Y.
Marshall Barnes
Mexican Institute of Sound
My Bloody Valentine
No Age
Okkervil River
Paolo Nutini
Paul Weller
Perry Farrell
Peter Bjorn and John
Public Enemy
Roni Size
Sebastien Tellier
Shepard Fairey
Supermayer
The Cure
The Horrors
The Kills
The Night Marchers
Themselves
Throbbing Gristle
Vivian Girls
X
Yeah Yeah Yeah's

[Los Angeles Times Pop & Hiss Blog]